Well. Despite the unpleasant reunion, the job was done.
Kaito had to head for the next destination, the artificial celestial body. Just as he was about to leave the ship, leaving the rest to the branch manager, a voice called out from above.
“Captain-Kaito. Why don’t you stay here until we can confirm with the corporation’s Earthlings? I could arrange an opportunity for you to explain to them.”
“I’ll pass. Once you’ve confirmed, you can contact Rebecca-Lutiano of the Federation or the Federal Parliament. I think they can do as they please about whether to go to the Federation or not.”
“Is that all right? I think more people would go to the Federation if you cleared up their misunderstandings.”
“You seem to be under some misconception. I have no interest in the status of Earthlings within the Federation, or strengthening their influence, or anything like that. If they can live a satisfactory life here, there’s no need for them to move to the Federation.”
The branch manager seemed unable to gauge Kaito’s true intentions. He kept groaning.
At times like this, Kaito thought it was good that the Federation had picked him up. Those who have their freedom constrained by something always want to find reasons within the range of their understanding.
“Then why do you call out to the corporation’s Earthlings? I don’t know about the ones you’ve attacked before, but here we don’t force inhumane labor on the Earthlings.”
“I think I was picked up by the Federation purely by luck. If the Earthlings living today have the right to obtain Federation citizenship, I simply think they should have equal freedom to choose.”
“Just for that reason?”
“That’s right.”
Kaito’s answer didn’t seem to be a completely satisfactory response for the branch manager. But he didn’t seem to have grounds to deny it either, so he didn’t ask anything further.
After that, since there was no particular attempt to detain him, he walked back toward Queenbee.
Unlike when he entered, the staff were bustling about frantically. They seemed to have been hiding in fear of Kaito after all. It wasn’t very pleasant, but considering how Kaito’s background had been described, it was understandable.
Unlike the Federation’s central star cluster, the species here seemed to share relatively common characteristics. The absence of machine intelligences was probably because the corporation employed rare species under protection.
Queenbee wasn’t visible yet, but Emotion reacted to something.
“Captain-Kaito. There’s a human figure near Queenbee. Appears to be an Earthling.”
“It’s not Prosecutor McDonell, is it?”
“No. Appears to be male.”
Since Emotion’s preferences were strongly reflected in Queenbee’s hull, the security performance was extremely high. Considering the not-so-pleasant encounter earlier, he didn’t have a good feeling about this.
Turning the corner, Queenbee came into view. Kaito’s eyes also caught the human figure looking up at the ship somewhat absently. There was no atmosphere of trying to tamper with anything. Emotion, being experienced, informed him that nothing had been touched in particular.
As he approached, the other party seemed to notice him too. He turned his face toward them and bowed his head politely. He appeared to be in his thirties. Unlike former Prosecutor McDonell, had he not lowered his apparent age through body modification, or had he lowered it and chosen that age range?
“You’re Kaito-Crouch, aren’t you? I’m Saito. Goro-Saito.”
“Saito-san? Excuse me, but have we met somewhere before?”
“No. I just know of you one-sidedly. You’re quite famous after all.”
“…That’s true too.”
Kaito’s name still seemed fresh in the memory of Earthlings with reasonably good memories. Mainly in a bad way.
However, he didn’t sense any malice toward him in Goro’s gaze. Those who knew him usually looked at him with the same kind of gaze as former Prosecutor McDonell.
“Even so, I don’t really sense much hostility…”
“Well, that’s because… You were a minor at that time, weren’t you? I was surprised by the trial results too. To conclude that a minor like you was running an organization—I found it very hard to believe.”
“Did you know that the Captain was wrongly accused?”
It was Emotion beside him, not Kaito, who spoke up in surprise.
“I didn’t think it went that far. But I did feel there were some political motives involved.”
“I see.”
Ignoring Emotion, who seemed to be pondering, Kaito decided to return to the topic. The past was the past. At least he understood that the person named Goro in front of him wasn’t the type to leave judgment to public opinion. That was enough for Kaito.
“So, Saito-san. Did you have some business with us?”
“Ah, sorry. Do you know Mika-Saito?”
“Mika?”
“My sister. She wasn’t selected among the first hundred thousand, so she should be in the Federation.”
“Emotion, do you know?”
When he turned around to check, Emotion nodded after a brief silence.
“Yes. Mika-Saito is included among those protected by the Federation. She seems to have had a chronic illness?”
“That’s right! It was a disease that didn’t immediately affect life and death, but Earth had become like that, so…”
“The treatment has been completed, and the body modification has finished successfully too. She’s currently taking learning programs to get work in the Federation.”
“…Thank goodness.”
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Goro-san sat down limply.
Seeing tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, Kaito softened his expression slightly.
“When I was selected, my sister was bedridden from overexertion. I said I would decline, but she told me to live in space for her share too. Thank goodness…”
“I see. I hope you can reunite someday.”
“Yes. I’m grateful.”
He extended his right hand to Goro, who was wiping away tears.
Goro, who grabbed Kaito’s hand and stood up, scratched his cheek embarrassedly.
“Mister-Crouch… no, I should call you Captain-Kaito. Are you operating with this ship?”
This time he looked up at Queenbee and let out an admiring breath. He seemed to be quite straightforward in his emotional expressions.
“Combat vessel Queenbee. Like Emotion, she’s my precious partner.”
“I’m envious. Individual ship ownership is difficult in the corporation, so I admire it. With a ship like this, fieldwork would be much easier.”
“Fieldwork?”
“I’ve been a biologist since I was on Earth. Oh, and you don’t need to use polite language with me. I’ve been working in places unrelated to such things.”
Goro laughed, saying he was a second-rate researcher who hadn’t even written famous papers, and Kaito couldn’t help but smile too.
Though he was being modest, the fact that he was doing specialized work on this huge ship meant he was evaluated as having solid knowledge. Especially in the corporation, whose main duty was protecting rare organisms.
This encounter wasn’t a bad one. He had that kind of impression somehow. An unpleasant reunion and a not-bad encounter. What a ship that was hard to evaluate.
“Is that so? Then I won’t hold back.”
“Where is the Captain headed next? Are you going to protect Earthlings somewhere again?”
“No. I have a job request from the Federation, so I’m planning to head to a nearby artificial celestial body. I came to this fleet because I happened to be on my way there.”
He honestly explained the situation.
When told they were heading in the same direction, Goro showed a somewhat anxious expression.
“A Federation artificial celestial body?”
“Right. I’ve heard it’s an artificial celestial body set up for the purpose of observing planets inhabited by life forms without advanced civilization.”
“Not a combat fortress?”
“Probably not, I think… Do you know anything, Emotion?”
Goro’s concern wasn’t incomprehensible. Even Zodgia, which had been monitoring Earth, was ominously called an absolute fortress from outside the Federation. It wasn’t as if all Federation artificial celestial bodies had such functions, but it would be concerning.
When asked, Emotion shook her head this time.
“It doesn’t seem to have equipment or combat vessels like Zodgia. It appears to be more like Abakia.”
Come to think of it, he hadn’t even heard the name of the artificial celestial body, but it was too late now. Checking the details in front of Goro would only expose his shame, so he decided not to worry about it now.
However, even hearing that, Goro didn’t change his anxious expression. He was muttering things like “same direction,” “Federation request,” and such.
“Is something bothering you?”
“…Hmm. You know we’re engaged in protecting rare organisms?”
“Of course.”
“This fleet is also heading to protect such rare organisms.”
“That would be natural. What about it?”
At Kaito’s question, Goro showed a slight hesitation about whether to speak.
But he seemed to think it would be dishonorable to remain silent. He told him with a stern face.
“The target we’re trying to protect and the target the Federation is trying to eliminate might be the same.”
“What?”
“I have a request, Captain. Could you contact that artificial celestial body from here to confirm?”
He knew it was unreasonable, but…
Faced with Goro’s serious gaze, Kaito reluctantly nodded.
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