23. Embassy 1

The construction of the fusion power plant concluded with unsettling ease. Should the Japanese Government request it in the future, the remaining two units could be installed in western Japan at a moment’s notice. Power is not sold directly to consumers, but rather offloaded to power companies at approximately five yen per kWh. Electricity retail prices will gradually decrease from current levels, balancing out existing generation infrastructure, with the profit margin—what remains after the difference—being funneled directly back into the national treasury, so they say.

Initially, they anticipate generating between five and ten billion kWh daily from a total potential of forty-eight billion kWh per day. That translates to revenues of twenty-five to fifty billion yen annually. Over the course of a year, that amounts to between ninety billion and one trillion eight hundred billion yen. Maintenance, they claim, won’t be required for the next several decades—operating efficiency is expected to remain at a perfect hundred percent.

The power generation cost is effectively zero yen, so revenue equals profit—except Japan proposed treating the generation cost of one kilowatt-hour as five yen, which has effectively made it tax-free. Had we known that, we could’ve priced it at three yen instead, since the five yen was already factoring in a forty percent tax estimate. We’ll consider lowering the price once electricity output starts increasing.

Right now, I’m touring the land provided by the Japanese Government for the Embassy, accompanied by the four members of the Secretary's Office. There aren’t many tall buildings nearby, so docking and launching of联络 craft and transport shuttles shouldn’t be an issue. But then, upon reflection, if we’re using spacecraft that descend straight down and ascend straight up, then as long as the space directly overhead is clear—well, even if it were the bottom of a well, it wouldn’t matter. That thought struck me, and I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

The surrounding buildings were fine, but clearance for flights to Haneda would still require verification. Well, let the Secretary's Office handle the tedious bits.

The shuttle had landed nearby without even activating stealth mode, and people were gradually gathering. They weren’t approaching directly, just lingering at a distance, snapping photos with their smartphones. Nothing seemed amiss—besides, if anything did go wrong, the four of them would be there to protect me. On top of that, there was apparently a security officer stationed somewhere nearby, keeping an eye on us. That was reassuring. The only real concern was that, whether it was a mugger or a terrorist, the opposition might end up—(…) inflicting a fatal wound.

The embassy building, slated for construction, is envisioned as a ten-story structure with three underground levels, allowing ample space within the grounds. A landing pad for liaison shuttles will of course be installed on the roof. In front of the embassy building, a plaza will be established, beyond which a compact logistics terminal—combining a small transport vessel docking area and a cargo warehouse—will be situated. The nearby Toyosu Market makes this location particularly advantageous for securing provisions, which is our primary concern. Geotechnical surveys have already been completed; once the civil engineering nanobots are programmed with the construction blueprint, work can commence at any time.

The Embassy’s primary duties are serving as a liaison with the Japanese Government, procuring goods such as foodstuffs, and exporting resources imported from Agirakana to Japan. Since travel by Japanese nationals to Agirakana is currently not permitted, there’s no need for labor-intensive visa issuance procedures. Consequently, a small contingent—consul and a few others—will suffice for驻在 at the Embassy. For the foreseeable future, I’ll be兼任 the ambassadorship. It’s uncommon for a nation’s representative to兼任 an ambassadorial post in another country, but given that real-time communication with Agirakana is possible, and considering that neither terrorists nor any foreign power could realistically harm me, it should be fine.

The Embassy building and the logistics terminal are currently under construction by a repair vessel, though they’re nearly complete thanks to the reuse of existing spacecraft modules. Externally, they resemble buildings—but essentially, they’re spacecraft, apparently. Interior design takes into account civilian use, referencing conventional building layouts for practicality. The logistics terminal, in particular, has a significantly expanded underground section, designed to house storage facilities beneath the surface.

According to Ain, two general-purpose craft dispatched from the repair vessel should be able to complete excavation and ground reinforcement at the Embassy’s designated site within a short time.

That being the case, I contacted the Japanese Government earlier today, requesting they begin the Embassy construction project without delay, and asked that no ordinary personnel be allowed near the designated area, nor should helicopters or aircraft approach from above. Unlike previous efforts involving decontamination or site preparation for a power plant, this time we’ve already submitted a conceptual design—though it’s only a sketch. The structure to be built isn’t particularly massive, nor is it constructed using methods, materials, or techniques previously seen in Japan, so it’s apparently being designated as an exempted structure under the Building Standards Act. Whether one can even call a landed spacecraft a “building” remains, frankly, an open question.

As we surveyed the site, Ain spoke up.

"Captain, the Japanese Government has requested, on a paid basis, that we decontaminate a wide area around the Nuclear Power Plant Site. They’ve also asked us to handle their other nuclear waste disposal. Additionally, they’ve proposed a deal for stable rare metal supply."

"Regarding decontamination, let them designate the zones— we’ll proceed sequentially. Price is up to them. There will likely be compensation to previous contractors, so keep it low. The same applies to nuclear waste disposal. In the future, we might even consider commercializing reactor dismantling.

As for rare metals, if we can supply them ourselves, that’s fine. The idea of 'stable supply' means we’d honor ongoing foreign purchase contracts—but if some country tries to cause trouble, we’d step in. Though, frankly, I’m not sure which nation still has the leverage to make trouble for Japan these days."

"Understood. If Japan’s reception infrastructure is ready, we can proceed with approval in principle and dispatch them from Agirakana at once."

"Likewise, we’ll need to staff the negotiation channels promptly."

"Indeed. Shall we recall the current驻在員 for now? Even now, they’re still purchasing small quantities of Earth-origin goods—should be immediately operational."

"What exactly are they doing?"

"All of them are assigned to ground security in case the captain descends to the surface. They’re currently deployed in the surrounding area. Otherwise, they continue purchasing supplies and conducting surveys."

"In that case, let’s recall them all. Was it eleven, right? Security duties can be handed off to other ground units, can’t they?"

"Understood. I’ll arrange for it accordingly."

"Anything else?"

"What about the captain’s apartment building on Earth?"

The condo maintenance fees are automatically deducted from my account, so I’m not worried— but I’ve been away for about two weeks, so I should probably go check on it.

I always wear this uniform whenever I appear in public after returning to Earth, so I could probably pass as someone else if I just wore regular clothes and put on glasses.