On the way back, Kaito captured a suitably sized asteroid with Queenbee. He towed it and connected it to Radia’s outer wall.
Seeing Kaito return, Stomato came running over. Despite hurrying, his face looked quite relieved.
“Hey, I’m back.”
“I never thought you’d actually go inside a planet. What were you planning to do if the Space Eel had counterattacked?”
“When that time comes, it comes. Well, I was able to block the heat wave with the barrier, and I figured Queenbee’s hull could handle it somehow.”
Stomato didn’t say it was overly optimistic. This was Kaito, who had pushed through quite a bit of recklessness before. All the Federation staff understood that these weren’t words born from mere recklessness.
Now, the problem was the Space Eel.
The Workers he’d fired were instantly melted and absorbed. It seemed that even a moderate amount of mass wouldn’t be felt as much as an insect sting.
“Well, at least we know now that minor attacks don’t work. That’s something.”
“We were also monitoring, but Kaito, Third-rank Citizen, Enek-Ragif’s attack appeared to be sucked in.”
“That thing is probably covered all over with digestive fluid or something.”
“Huh?”
“Whether it’s like that in space too, or only while feeding. It would be appreciated if it were only a trick that works while the expelled air is held by gravity.”
From the state of the nest-like structure created inside the planet, it probably wouldn’t be long before the Space Eel flew out of Namibif 10.
The temperature had been quite low. What the Space Eel was eating was surely not just the star’s core.
“I think the Space Eel also targets the heat energy possessed by planets as prey.”
“Heat energy, you say?”
“Yes. It’s probably also the energy source for that heat wave. It absorbs heat from Namibif 10 and stores it within its body.”
“And it expelled that for attacks?”
“Probably.”
“—It should normally need it for moving through space. I’d say it reacts heat with something internal to generate air and uses it as propulsive force when moving.”
Gorou had joined their conversation. There were no Corporation staff around. When questioned with a glance, Gorou answered with a wry smile.
“They’re busy reporting to Corporation headquarters. They seem quite displeased with you. They’re urging for reinforcements to be sent quickly.”
“And you, Sensei?”
“I came here to study planet-eater ecology, you know? Why would I abandon that?”
“My apologies.”
Not seeming offended by Kaito’s apology, Gorou continued his explanation.
“The speed when it bit into the Corporation flagship was far faster than its previous movement speed. All its gills were open, so it should be seen as acceleration from air expulsion.”
“Why did it only bite Eanipol?”
“Eanipol? …Ah. Your speculation that it sees not organic creatures on ships, but ship-shaped metallic creatures, might be correct, Captain.”
“Meaning?”
“In other words, it probably looked like prey as attractive as a planet.”
Based on their theories, they formulated a strategy.
Assumption: Space Eels have a nature of regarding large metals or rocks as prey. From their predation of planets, this speculation had high certainty.
They would position Radia in a straight line connecting Namibif 10 and Namibif 6. Besides the purpose of preventing 6 from becoming a predation target by making it skip over Namibif 9 and 7, with Radia’s size, there was a possibility the Space Eel would move to prey on it.
It was better to use it as bait from the start, as it would be easier to defend. This was Kaito’s opinion.
“We’ll smash the asteroid I collected earlier right into the Space Eel’s snout when it approaches.”
“Won’t that be taken as aggressive behavior?”
“It’s too late for that now. Besides, it probably won’t even recognize minor things like that.”
“Hmm.”
Gorou didn’t seem to agree. From the fact that it attacked just from being illuminated, he seemed anxious about the Space Eel’s ferocity.
It might spit out rocks in retaliation. Regardless of Gorou’s anxiety, perhaps insurance should be prepared.
“Can Radia’s barrier defend against the Space Eel’s heat wave?”
“Due to energy charging capacity, it can do so three times. I can guarantee complete defense for the first two times.”
“Emotion, is there a possibility that the excess energy from defending would affect Namibif 6?”
“Based on the attenuation efficiency of the previous heat wave, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good.”
Either way, if this didn’t work, they’d be at an impasse.
First, they had to make it recognize that intelligent beings existed here, or sending telepathy would probably be meaningless. If it was impossible with Terapolapanecio, then certainly impossible for Kaito alone.
If push came to shove, he considered calling a large number of space jellyfish like during the Earth incident, then immediately discarded that thought. He didn’t want to see such a sight two or three times.
If such a need arose, he would only propose the strategy and definitely not get involved. Since he was already deeply involved this time, it would be for next time and beyond.
“Well, if this doesn’t work, there’s no other way. I’ll judge communication a failure and we’ll have to choose the option of repelling it or putting it down. To protect Radia’s safety.”
“…Captain. We’re in a position where it’s hard to nod to that.”
Having apparently heard Kaito’s mutter, Gorou let out a deep sigh.
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It was about three days later when the Space Eel crawled out from Namibif 10.
Radia didn’t have equipment for asteroid launching, so the Radia staff worked together to handle that. While Kaito couldn’t help with that side, he had thoroughly prepared on his end.
“Three asteroid shots. Please hit them well, Representative Stomato.”
[Roger, please count on me if anything happens, Kaito, Third-rank Citizen, Enek-Ragif!]
Kaito’s role was to witness the operation from outside Radia. He was also the one to respond immediately if any unforeseen circumstances occurred.
The Space Eel turned its head in various directions. It was probably searching for its next destination, according to Gorou on the communication.
Then, flickering lights could be seen being emitted from Radia. That wasn’t supposed to be part of the plan.
“Lights?”
[A-a Corporation ship is outside! Hey, who gave departure permission!?]
[Th-they said they were going to support Kaito, Third-rank Citizen, Enek-Ragif…]
[Fools! This is a clear agreement violation!]
The Space Eel stopped moving completely. Its head was directed at Radia.
“Deploy the barrier immediately!”
[Barrier deployment!]
No one raised any objections.
The Space Eel opening its cross-shaped mouth and Radia deploying its barrier were almost simultaneous. Good, their reaction was faster.
The Corporation ship that emitted the light was inside the barrier. It should be safe too. Unexpectedly, the Space Eel’s attention was concentrated on Radia. From their perspective, it was probably intended as harassment, but for Kaito, it was the perfect assist.
[!!!]
A heat wave was emitted from the Space Eel’s palate. Upon contact with the barrier, it reacted and scattered blue-white light.
Indeed, no wonder Stomato was so confident. Even receiving the heat wave, there was no sense of danger.
The heat wave ceased, and the barrier disappeared. An asteroid projectile was fired from Radia.
The Space Eel showed not the slightest sign of wariness. It received the flying asteroid with its open mouth and crunched it up.
[The asteroid projectile was eaten!?]
While crunching and crushing the asteroid, the Space Eel showed its next move. Something like a giant crystalline lens appeared on the surface of its head. From the timing, it was probably what corresponded to the eyeball Gorou had predicted. It seemed to normally be stored inside its body.
In other words, it was clearly visually observing Radia.
“This is bad.”
Kaito flew out of Queenbee. He firmly planted his feet on the platform and glared at the Space Eel. The Space Eel opened its mouth again.
He secured the asteroid he’d kept just in case to the front of the hull with Workers. Two asteroid projectiles were fired in rapid succession from Radia, but the Space Eel neither tried to avoid nor receive them.
“Go!”
He launched Queenbee. An irregular ramming attack with the asteroid pushed out front.
Expelling large amounts of air from its gills, the Space Eel tried to bite into Radia. From the side, like striking it, he smashed the asteroid into the Space Eel’s face.
The directly hit asteroid shattered, and the Space Eel’s head shifted. Its advancing trajectory also veered diagonally.
Radia’s barrier seemed to have made it in time too. They said they’d block the heat wave, but what about the Space Eel’s main body?
“Whoa!”
Kaito operated Queenbee, which had accidentally gotten caught on the Space Eel’s head, adjusting the trajectory to avoid being caught between the barrier and the Space Eel.
The Space Eel’s body, given a strange twist, flowed along the barrier like sliding.
The Space Eel stopped moving. Queenbee was caught on the edge of the crystalline lens protruding from the head.
The Space Eel’s and Kaito’s eyes met.
“Hello.”
—Hello?
Could this even be called making eye contact, given this size difference?
But it was certain that there had been something like a response to the words he’d casually uttered.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Kaito.”
He returned telepathy with the consciousness of trying to respond to the weak waves that reached his head. Apparently this tuning was correct.
—Hello, small anomalous one. Nice to meet you.
A remarkably gentle voice was delivered to Kaito’s mind, contrary to its size and the boldness of its actions.
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