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

“What makes you say that?”

“Ship Commander Sobash is a sensible man. He’d grant us a painless death before we ever got dragged to the Abh hell.”

“You plan on imposing on Vice Hecto-Commander Sobash to the very end? When did you get to be such a degenerate, Inspector Supervisor?”

“‘Get to be’? I was just holding myself back in front of my subordinates.”

“You sure pulled the wool over our eyes.”

Samson looked Jint’s way: “In any case, this is where this chat ends. Maybe you’ll be able to do something. Maybe you won’t. You’re the Lord of a frontier territory-nation, we’re just your servant vassals, and you’re squaring off against the Empire. You don’t have all the power. If, in the end, you don’t do what you could’ve done, then you can gnash your teeth all you like. But only after.”

Chapter 7: Bainecoth Üécr Sauder Haïder (Hyde Portal-Sea Training Exercises)

“Attention. This is your Ship Commander,” came Sobash’s voice. “Just now, the training exercise has been declassified. Crewmembers should check the details through their wristgears as soon as they’re free to.”

Jint heard the announcement, ears pricked up, while lying in bed in his starpilot quarters. He activated his wristgear.

“To summarize,” continued Sobash, “it’s in the flow of things to follow up the navigational exercise with a battle exercise. I believe you’ve all cottoned onto the face that half of our fellow ships aren’t with us. The other six were headed to the Hyde Portal from the opposite direction. Our first assignment was to see which half will reach the Countdom of Hyde first. I regret to inform you we were beaten to the chase.”

Jint leapt out of bed. The details of the exercise were displayed on his wristgear, but they were no longer a priority to read. Closing that file for now, he promptly initiated the procedure to ask permission to enter the bridge, then threw on his clothes as he waited for approval.

“In other words, our ‘enemy’ has already made it to the Countdom. As such, for the second phase of the exercise, we will be the ones attacking them. Do not be upset simply because we lost Stage One. Stage Two is where our mettle will be tested. We are scheduled to arrive at the Hyde Portal in twelve hours. This will cap off this round of training. All hands, rest your bodies in preparation, and treat it as though it’s an actual battle.”

Before the broadcast was over, Jint was already headed for the bridge. He had yet to be granted permission. Around the time he arrived, permission came.

Jint used the one-time-only temporary EM wave crest-key to open the door.

“I’m sorry,” said Sobash as soon as he saw Jint’s face. “We don’t know what’s going on in the Hyde Countdom yet. All we know is that the ‘enemy’ is already there.”

“I see,” he said. He could feel himself deflating. Let’s look at it optimistically. If there was some kind of emergency, the exercise would get canceled. And it’s not, so Martin must be safe.

Sadly, this wasn’t quite enough to assuage himself. What guarantee was there that swatting down a landworld would even register as an “emergency” to the starpilots of the Star Forces?

“I don’t want to be presumptuous, but could I please be allowed to stay here on the bridge until the end of the exercise?”

“Presumptuous? Why would that be presumptuous?” he smiled. “Are you saying you didn’t board in order to view and study the exercise? We don’t mind one bit, naturally.”

“Thank you very much, sir.”

“I’ll have a chair arranged for you. Why don’t you go eat breakfast in the meantime? I’m sure you just got out of bed.”

One hour until they reached the Hyde Portal.

“Ship Commander,” called Rearguard Yatesh. “An inter-bubble communication from the flagship. ‘Send a conveyance ship to conduct reconnaissance.’”

“Reply with a roger,” said Sobash. “Vanguard Ecryua, I’m making you the conveyance ship’s Skipper. Prepare at once to depart.”

Ecryua stood up to salute, and turned heel in a manner strictly in line with military etiquette.

“Mr. Sobash,” said Jint, who also lifted himself from his seat. “Do you mind if I go, too?”

Sobash knitted his brows, but soon he nodded. “I’ll allow it, Lonh-Dreur.”

“You’re the best,” said Jint. He then told Ecryua, “I’m in your hands.”

“I’m just carrying out my mission,” she stated. “I’m not doing anything for you.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I’d also like to come. Can this ship’s conveyance ship only seat two?” asked Lafier.

Ecryua nodded in reply.

“Then I’m out of luck,” said Lafier, before facing Jint: “You had best be careful, and return in one piece.”

“Thank you.”

“Do be careful,” said Sobash. “And don’t forget to pack motion sickness drugs.”

“What do you mean?”

“It might not have been wise to give you permission after all,” he said, assessing Jint’s body. “Your skeletal frame is too brittle.”

“Uh... huh...” Jint cast his eyes at Ecryua. She was as expressionless as always. “Um... Is her piloting style really that...?” he asked Sobash.

“It is,” he said, looking concerned. “I should probably warn you not to go.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m going,” said Jint.

Upon exiting the bridge, Ecryua muttered: “What was the Ship Commander so worried about?”

“Beats me,” answered Jint.

Including the Flicaubh’s, the Blue Team of Trample-Blitz Squadron 1 sent out a total of three conveyance ships.

“Hyde Portal in E-minus five minutes,” murmured Ecryua. “We’re set to split space-times one minute later.”

Guess she’s paying her passenger a little consideration, mused Jint.

The space-scenery was then projected on the surrounding walls.

“Thank you,” said Jint, believing it was another act of consideration for him. He had no frocragh to perceive the vicinity, after all.

“It’s not for you,” said Ecryua. “I just like this view.”

The inside of the space-time bubble was always gray. Their two fellow conveyance ships could be seen amidst the gray, with theirs, the Flicaubh’s conveyance ship, right in the middle. The vessels to the left and right were gradually flying apart from each other.

“Space-time splitting.”

The two ships got swallowed by the wall of gray at separate points and