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

“What happened to the flotilla?” asked Jint, leaving the woman’s identity for later.

“I left it to the Senior Ship Commander,” said Samson. “Didn’t have a thing to do during cruise time anyway, so it worked out. It’s headed this way. It’s not as fast as this squadron, but it’s coming as fast as possible. I told everyone to park the ships here — as in, the Vorlash Countdom — unless ordered otherwise. Was that okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” Jint nodded. “So, did you leave to give the area a look-see?”

“Not as much as I did to see you. I’ve heard our new workplace isn’t exactly the picture of stability, so if I don’t talk it all out with mine lord, then I can’t post my subordinates at their stations. When this ship happened by, I took my chance to board, and here we are. Hyde’s their destination, too, they’re here in Vorlash resupplying, and they’re way faster than our flotilla.”

“I don’t mind talking, but I myself need to go see what it’s like out there.”

“I know. We’ll go together,” nodded Samson. “By the way, what happened to Mr. Investigator? I thought he’d be with us for sure.”

“I’m having him on standby. Looks like he doesn’t care for voyages where we spin our wheels without a timetable.”

Yestesh had mountains of work on the Baucbiruch. If the résic mura (former patrol ship) they were on had been cleared to accompany the Baucbiruch, it would have followed, but given the situation, it was more expedient to stay in the Vorlash Countdom. They didn’t know when they’d be able to return to the Hyde Count’s Manor.

“By the by,” said Jint, lowering his voice, “do you know what this exercise is about?”

“No,” said Samson, at normal volume. “I asked, but their lips were zipped. Are you saying they wouldn’t even tell a lord like you? Small wonder I’m out of the loop.”

“You can’t speculate?” Samson had been in the Forces for longer, and he’d been going alongside this squadron all this time; Jint figured he must have some idea.

“You want what my gut says?”

“By all means.”

“Well, as far as I know, there’s only one exercise that involves blockading a territory-nation. I reckon it’s a mock battle.”

“I know that much,” said Jint, slightly disappointed. “Any other thoughts you might have?”

“What are you so afraid of, mine lord? Don’t tell me you suspect this is an attack force set to strike Martinh?”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” said Jint, shaking his head. Atosryua had at least done him the favor of shooting that possibility down. “I’d be more at ease if it were just this corps doing the mock battle; if they were to get attacked by the landworld, we could ensure the counterattack would be minimal. But if the other, ‘enemy’ corps gets to the countdom first, then the worst might happen.”

“I think you’re worrying over nothing,” said Samson. “I heard the Baucbiruch got attacked from the surface, too, of course. But the damage was barely notable, wasn’t it? Any Star Forces commander with their head screwed on is gonna ignore an attack that weak.”

“How can you be so calm? Guess it’s got nothing to do with you, huh?”

“’Course it’s got to do with me. It’s the place that’ll be giving me work.”

“Yeah, you’ll have plenty of work up in space,” said Jint, his tone getting sharp.

“Sure, but having a landworld nearby to get away from it all is pretty indispensable,” replied Samson, pretending not to notice the barbs in Jint’s words. “Come to think of it, I’ve been meaning to ask you — has Martinh got any good booze?”

“I’ve got no idea,” he said, not having been there since early in his life. “What does it matter!?”

“Calm down already,” said Samson, his voice low but carrying. “I get how you feel.”

Jint was aware he was losing his cool. That didn’t mean he could just swallow down his crescendo of emotion. “Is that right?”

“If I ever had the slightest misgiving that my beautiful planet of Midgrat could be in harm’s way, I’d blow my lid, too. By comparison, you’re actually keeping it together, mine lord.”

“Please stop poking fun at me.”

“I’m not. It’s the honest truth. You seemed so composed when you entered that I thought you might not have realized there was a chance they were gonna run a training exercise in the Hyde Countdom. Though it didn’t take long to see through that veneer of calm.”

“Was it that obvious?” said Jint, finally beginning to pull himself back together again.

“Why do you think I’m praising you? And let me tell you, I’m truly ecstatic I get to wait upon mine wise and great lord.”

“I’m getting a feeling you’re poking even more fun at me.”

“I lack your shining virtue.”

“Never mind — what do you think I should do? Is there anything I can do?”

“Sorry, that’s not really a question I can answer.”

“So there really is nothing I can do, in the end.”

“I’m just saying, don’t ask me. I’ve got no clue if there’s even an ‘enemy’ corps, let alone which’ll get there first. But you’re on this ship right now. If this ship gets there faster, you may be able to prevent an attack from happening to begin with. That’ll cut the probability of an incident in half. And wouldn’t that be amazing?”

“But can we really put a stop to it?”

“If push comes to shove, are you willing to mutiny?”

“Mutiny?” Jint was dumbfounded. The idea had never occurred to him.

“Mutiny. How about you take the bridge, and attack the flagship? They really won’t have time to care about surface strikes then.”

Jint interpreted this as a joke, and smiled. “Would you be a pal and back me up, if that happens?”

“I dunno,” said Samson, tilting his head in doubt. “Guess it depends on the circumstances. Don’t wanna start a fight we can’t win.”

“Please don’t expect suicidal levels of loyalty from me,” said Paveryua. “I’d really hate to get tossed into the Abh hell.”

“Oh, there’s no need to