Episode 40 – Hostage Exchange

A small boat detached from the Direwild II is heading for the Honeymoon in the Sky.

It is a hostage exchange.

In order to get the hostages released in exchange for letting the “Honeymoon in the Sky” go, there must be a reasonable expectation that the hostages will be released. However, if the hostages are worthless, the safety of the Honeymoon in the Sky cannot be guaranteed.

The hostage Meiria was replaced by Setsuto as her substitute. Setsuto boarded the “Honeymoon in the Sky” and went up to the bridge to see that the small boat Meilia was in was detached from the “Honeymoon in the Sky”.

The detached small boat was immediately recovered by the “Dawn Cannon”.

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to take my time getting away from you then.”

Captain Quark of the Honeymoon in the Void clapped his hands.

“No, can you give us a minute?”

It was Settsu who stopped him. He had just removed his spacesuit helmet and was coming up to the bridge. One of the crew of the Honeymoon of the Void was pointing a gun at his back, trying to take him as a “proper hostage”.

“Why?”

Captain Quark seemed to be offended by the unexpected words from the hostage.

“‘I have yet to hear why you are doing this. Did Admiral Glorious send you?”

Settsu acted as if there was no muzzle on his back.

“My head? No way. She’s crazy about you and that floating Havenberg over there.”
“Then why?”
“I’m out because I don’t want to be forced into a big, unprofitable conflict between countries. I’m out, and this was just to pay for it. I’m out.”
“Money?”
“That’s right. That’s enough. You’re a hostage now, so behave yourself.”

Captain Quark looked annoyed and tried to end the conversation.

“Can I have one last thing?”
“What the hell?”
“Who told you that the princess was in the fortress?”
“…… Shut up. You and the princess are always worrying about such things. Why don’t you worry about your own life? Are you kidding me?”
“No way. It’s just that’s what I was ordered to do.”
“Orders? Whose?”
“It’s from Set.”

Settsu said to himself.

None of the crew of the Honeymoon in the Void, including Captain Quark, understood the significance of this.

The hostage in front of me must be Settsu Vaile. I’m pretty sure it’s Setsueto-Vayer.

“The order is this. After Her Imperial Highness is released, investigate the mastermind behind this, and take control of the Honeymoon in the Void as soon as possible.”

The man who was holding the gun on Settsu was no fool. The hostage in front of him was not going to be a quiet hostage. The man who was holding the gun on Settsu was not stupid. He aimed it at his shoulder to make sure he didn’t kill him.

It was easy for Se-Tsu-To to dodge it. With a sharp movement, he spun around and threw a left hook that caught the man in the temple. The man flew through the air like a comedian’s trick and slammed into the bridge wall.

“The life or death of the crew is not in question.”

Captain Quark quickly pulled out his hip blaster and fired. Just before hitting Set, the energy shell exploded and scattered, as if it was blocked by an invisible wall.

“You’re not Sett-Vaile, are you!?”

Captain Quark glared at him.

As Setsuto held his left hand over his face for a moment, the face underneath it changed. It wasn’t Setsuto’s face, but Mitsuki’s, or, unknown to those on the Honeymoon in the Sky, Satsuki’s.

Optical camouflage.

“It’s Mitski!”
“No, you’re not. I’m Satsuki. My soul AI is like Mitsuki-sama’s sister, but my body is different. My body is made for the Marines, and it’s pretty strong. Nice to meet you.”

Satsuki said and unguardedly took off her spacesuit. What emerged from inside was the body of a frail looking girl. No one believed that she was as weak as she looked, though.

“All right, let’s get to work.”

Satsuki leapt toward Captain Quark.

Be sharp, be flexible.

By the time everyone realized that it had moved, it was already closing in on the captain’s seat.

Satsuki twisted and took Captain Quark’s blaster with one hand, then walked behind him and twisted his arm behind his back.

Satsuki held up the blaster she had taken and thrust it at Captain Quark’s temple.

“I’d love it if you’d just give in.”

Satsuki smiled and looked around at all the crew on the bridge.

“I thought …… didn’t care if you lived or died?”

The flash of the blaster struck the crotch of the crew member who asked the question as if searching for clues.

“The next time you say anything other than yes, I will kill you. I’ll kill you if you do anything other than what I tell you to do. I’ll kill you if I find you suspicious, no matter what. I want you to understand that when I say I don’t care if you live or die, I mean that I can decide whether you live or die.”

None of the crew members were able to move.

They realized that both the white-knuckle warfare ability that had blocked Captain Quark’s movements and the marksmanship that had shot through his target were not ordinary. Even if they all attacked him at once, it seemed that they would only be beaten back.

“Come on, guys, you’ll give in, right?”

No hero could shake his head in response to Satsuki’s smiling question.

“Lord Setsu, the control of the Honeymoon in the Void is complete!”

Setsuto received Satsuki’s report in the control room of the Direwild II.

“Thanks, what’s the status?”
“As you ordered, we have subdued them without killing them. The captain and all the crew are in the hold praying to God.”
“To God, ……?”

It was an expression that made me wonder what Satsuki had done wrong.

“It’s called metaphorical modification. Don’t worry about it.”
“Yes, I’ll have to ask you more about that later, but what about ship control?”
“It’s already under my control.”
“Good. Then I’d like to speak with the captain of the Dawn Cannon.”
“All right. I’ll connect the communications between Direwild II and the Dawn Cannon.”

Soon after, the bridge of the Dawn Cannon was connected to the transmission, showing Captain Vernante and Meilia.

“What is this situation?”

Captain Vernante asked for a straightforward explanation. Sesttu, who was supposed to have gone to the Honeymoon in the Sky to be taken hostage instead of us, is communicating with us from the Dire Vaid II. It was only natural that he would ask for an explanation.

“It’s just that I made them think I was there. It’s just that I made them think I was there. My men have already finished suppressing the Honeymoon in the Void.”
“However dumb they are, I don’t think it will be easy to mislead them, what magic?”
“Captain. Hmm, it’s called a war plane.”
“Hmm, that’s too bad.”
“Thank you for your help, my lord.”

As Settsu and Vernante exchanged a chuckle, Meilia interrupted them.

“I was just doing my job, that’s all. But I can’t let them take you away so easily. Do you intend to destroy the Empire?”

If something happens to Meilia here, the cooperative relationship between the fortress and the Empire will not be able to be established. If that happens, the war situation for the Empire, which is forced to engage in a two-pronged strategy against the Kingdom and the Federation, will have to become more severe.

The destruction of the Empire at this point would not be good for Settsu. It’s a three-way battle, and that’s why the independent nations are siding with the fortress.

“I’m sorry, sir. I was careless.”

Meilia is being very quiet.

“Please be more careful in the future. If there’s anything you need, I’ll make it easy for you.”
“Yes.”

Settsu ended the transmission.

“Let’s go back to the fortress, then. Satsuki, nice to work with you.”
“Yes, Lord Set.”

Satsuki’s voice was the only sound.