Dinner With Family by Hiroyuki Morioka (best novels for teenagers TXT) 📕

There must be loads who prefer reality — especially the generation born after mine. And for their sakes, I’ll give them the opportunity to face it. That’s the best idea I could think up, anyway. The best, for my fellow citizens.”

“I see you’ve given it a lot of thought,” she said admiringly.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but could you do me a favor and acknowledge I’ve got enough grey matter to squirt out a thought or two once in a while?” he sighed, poking at his head.

“Your gray matter occasionally produces some erratic ideas.”

“Really?”

“Yep. That’s why I sometimes have to wonder whether you’re thinking anything at all.”

“Well, you are observant. There are those times,” he admitted. “But this is my home. Trust me, I’ve thought about it. A whole lot, actually. I feel I’ve got a life mission here.”

“And not in the Star Forces?”

“If I stay in the Star Forces, I’d just be one of tens of thousands of quartermaster starpilots. I’ve done a decent job of it, but there’s any number who can easily replace me. But as of now, there’s only one lord who knows the ins and outs of Martinh.”

“You have a point. I can’t speak for other worlds, but for this one, you are qualified in a way that’s hard to come by for lieges the galaxy over. I’m sure everyone will look on your work with gratitude.”

“I doubt it,” said Jint, his heart cold. “My father and I must be in the textbooks as traitors. He, the man who sold out the planet he was born and raised on to the Empire to become a noble, and his son, the brazen-faced child who’d wield the scepter after him. I don’t know which of us is more hated, but at the very least I know I’m Villain No. 2 in this story.”

“You’re such a pessimist.”

“No way. I’m looking forward to it. I think I might live to see my name used in a spicy proverb.”

“All right then.” Lafier stared him in the face.

“What?” he said, unsettled.

“It’s nothing much. I was just thinking I’m glad I took leave.”

Planar space navigation ain’t all bad, he thought. Without it, I would never have met Lafier.

Jint’s wristgear beeped. He peered at the lines of text that floated on screen. It was a short message from the captain, bidding him to come to the bridge at once. Which was all well and good, but there was a phrase in the message he’d never heard before. “Lafier? Do you know what a ‘trample-blitz squadron’ is?”

Chapter 6: The Saibec Cimecotr (Military Confidentiality Barrier)

From the bridge of the Baucbiruch, Jint gazed on as warship after unfamiliar warship emerged from the Vorlash Portal.

“Could you get me in touch with the Commandant right away?” he asked the Ship Commander of the Baucbiruch, Logdonh.

“Let’s try.” Logdonh nodded at the Communications Officer.

“Trample-Blitz Squadron 1 is currently in communication with the Vorlash Count’s Manor using all lines except for the emergency line,” reported the officer. “Shall we use the emergency line?”

Logdonh shot Jint a questioning look. Jint mulled it over. He had something to grill Commandant Atosryua about, and preferably sooner rather than later. But did it warrant using the emergency line?

The reason Trample-Blitz Squadron 1 was using up the regular lines was to make arrangements for supplies. They must be in quite the hurry to resupply. And that wasn’t all — exchanging such huge amounts of information meant that not only were they rushing, but also that they were going to receive massive shipments of supplies. Resupplying at normal volumes already took time. Jint was a quartermaster starpilot, so he knew that better than most.

In any case, he’d have plenty of chances to talk up until the time Squadron 1 finished resupplying and left the territory-nation.

“Let’s wait,” said Jint. “As it stands, the Commandant must be busy. Just let her know that I’d like to speak with her, through the Vorlash Count’s Manor.”

“Then shall we wait for a message from the other end to respond to?” asked Logdonh.

“No. I just expect the Commandant to be curious enough to reach out to us in between calls with the Count’s Manor.”

Come to think of it, he thought, there are two counts’ manors in this territory-nation now: the one that’s supposed to be here, the Vorlash Count’s Manor, and also the Hyde Count’s Manor.

“Dropping them a line first is the thing to do. As soon as a line becomes free, try calling the Commandant. I’ll be waiting in the conference room.”

“Do you want to make the call confidential?” asked the captain — the final question.

Jint nodded. “Please do. Can’t hurt to play it safe.”

And so he waited for Atosryua in the conference room, together with Lafier and Yestesh. The air was heavy and awkward, as none of them were conversing. At last, Jint’s wristgear rang.

“The line has been put through. Are you free?” came Ship Commander Logdonh’s voice.

“Of course.” Jint got to his feet.

Lafier and Yestesh also got up and straightened their postures. At once, a hologram of Atosryua appeared.

“I apologize,” said Atosryua. “I should have prioritized paying you a call, but it’s all been so hectic I neglected to do so.”

“We’re just pleased to see you in good health, Lymh Faibdacr,” said Lafier, calling her by her noble rank.

“I thank you kindly, Your Highness. It’s lovely to see you in good health as well.”

“It’s been too long, Commandant Atosryua,” said Jint, calling her by her military title and bowing before the hologram.

“It hasn’t been so long,” she said, shrugging slightly and staring at them in turn. “I did expect to meet you again someday, but I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.”

“Me, neither,” said Lafier. “What a huge coincidence.”

“Coincidence?” Atosryua suddenly laughed. “Well, I suppose you can certainly think of it that way, Your Highness.”

“What other way is there to think about it?”

“I can’t say. There’s no punching bag here for me.”

“What do you mean?” asked Jint, but all she returned was a smile, so