novelraw Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Eastern Special Service Academy. Instructor Hughes Chaint.
Western Special Service Academy. Instructor Miller Kampf.
Northern Special Service Academy. Instructor Judith.
Lastly, Central Special Service Academy. Instructor Jin Crow.
All instructors other than those from the Southern Special Service Academy, which had no leeway due to an internal audit, arrived at Atla Colony, but a meeting was not convened immediately.
For one thing, the situation had become complicated in many ways due to the sudden Red Hand terror attack, but that was not the only reason.
Chiiik, sseup-.
Jin Crow spoke to First Lieutenant Antonio, who had voluntarily taken on the role of guide.
“This is a mess.”
“Ahaha…….”
Each fleet was organized on the scale of a single ‘corps,’ consisting of roughly 100,000 elite troops.
Of course, separate from manpower, the ships and equipment allocated to them boasted overwhelming firepower that surpassed most planetary defense forces.
They were operated by the Ministry of Defense of the Human Composite State, and colonies as well were generally managed under the Federation as fleet supply bases or garrison areas.
However, the problem was that Atla Colony was one of the rare cases managed by the Rermal Planet side.
“I have no excuse. Haha…….”
Although he said that, Antonio gazed at the colony’s main avenue with an expression that suggested he was internally bursting with frustration.
Indeed, at the end of their gaze, two groups of soldiers in different uniforms were glaring at each other in a standoff.
‘Black uniforms led by navy blue. And black uniforms led by brown. What a spectacle.’
Jin Crow put a cigarette in his mouth and quickly grasped the rough situation.
In truth, it was a problem simple enough that anyone with a bit of sense would not need to think too hard about it.
‘One side is special-duty officers of the Federal Army. The other side is special-duty officers of the Defense Force.’
A classic struggle over command authority.
If Atla Colony had been a typical colony, it would naturally fall under the Federal Army’s command, but since it was built and managed by the Rermal Planet side, no matter that they had evacuated here, they would not be willing to hand over that authority as well.
“So, you’re saying that security within the colony will be handled by our Defense Force side, Lieutenant.”
“Hah, I’m sorry, Captain, but as far as I know, the Ministry of Defense has formally informed us that command authority has already been transferred to our side.”
“I know. However, what came down to us was merely a request for cooperation. The 17th Fleet has no authority to issue orders to us.”
As expected, the content of the exchange did not stray from his expectations.
A female captain who was a Defense Force special-duty officer, and a male lieutenant affiliated with the Federal Army.
Their argument was gradually intensifying, and even the subordinates who should have been restraining their superiors were glaring at each other, creating a grim atmosphere.
“I’ll sort it out right away, Instructor.”
In the end, unable to stand by any longer, Antonio was about to step in, but Jin Crow shook his head while biting down on the end of his half-burnt cigarette.
“No.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s watch a bit longer.”
At his command, Antonio reflexively tried to add, ‘But still……,’ yet upon noticing the look of someone observing something, he closed his mouth as it was.
There must have been a reason.
Meanwhile, even during that brief moment, the atmosphere continued to grow more dangerous, and eventually a Federal Army sergeant, unable to hold back any longer, muttered in a low voice.
“Haah, seriously. I’m already pissed off enough, and these damn halfwits keep…….”
“Hey, what did you just say?”
“What, did I say something wrong? Frankly speaking, we’re the ones who came to clean up your shit, so why the hell are you snapping at us all the time? Huh?”
“You bastard……!”
Only two special-duty officers stood at the forefront of each camp on the scene, but that did not mean the armament of the regular soldiers was lacking.
Rather, because of battles with Creatures and the threat of Red Hand terror attacks, they were wearing reinforced exoskeletons even within the colony, where under normal circumstances they would have been lightly armed.
Naturally, if a clash occurred, it was a critical moment where, in the worst case, there could even be casualties among allies.
“That’s enough.”
And it was precisely then that Jin Crow opened his mouth.
Naturally, the gazes of those confronting each other in the city all turned toward Jin Crow at once, and at the same time, their reactions diverged.
“Loyalty. We greet the instructor of the Central Special Service Academy.”
“Loyalty!”
The Federal Army lieutenant raised a salute with an expression as though he had seen a savior.
“……We greet the instructor of the Central Special Service Academy.”
On the other hand, the Defense Force female captain stiffened her face and offered a purely formal salute.
Chiiik, sseup-.
Instead of returning their salutes, Jin Crow stubbed out the fully burned cigarette in a portable ashtray, then lit another cigarette.
Then the one who stepped forward was Antonio, who had been at a loss since earlier.
With his brows furrowed, he approached the Federal Army lieutenant and asked.
“What is going on?”
“Well, that is…….”
“Atla Colony is an area of Rermal Planet that followed lawful procedures from the time of its construction. Yet the Federal Army side is infringing upon security authority.”
However, the one who answered Antonio’s words was not the lieutenant, but the Defense Force captain.
Instructors of the Special Service Academies were generally field-grade officers, and in fact, Jin Crow’s rank was major.
However, she did not care in the slightest and recited the principle she had upheld from the beginning.
Naturally, First Lieutenant Antonio could not help but respond with his brows twisted.
“……Captain Satra, the authority over security will be returned to the Federation side later. Moreover, isn’t this a matter decided by the Ministry of Defense? Do we really have to go this far?”
By this point, even Antonio’s words no longer came out gently.
Until not long ago, there had been many Federal Army soldiers who sympathized with the Rermal Planetary Defense Force, who had lost their home in an instant.
But as the Defense Force continued to act uncooperatively like this every time, even they were growing frustrated to the point of madness.
“It’s about upholding principles, Lieutenant.”
Even so, Captain Satra stood silently in her place, as if she had no intention of backing down even a step.
“What’s that about?”
“It’s the Federal Army.”
Meanwhile, since the place where they were confronting each other was none other than the very center of the city district, people’s attention naturally gathered.
“Hah, like they’ve ever protected us before…….”
“At least the Defense Force put their lives on the line.”
“Hey now, even so…….”
“What, am I wrong? What’s the use if you’re only trying to reclaim things with words!”
Contrary to expectations, however, the reactions of the colony’s citizens were quite hostile toward the Federal Army.
At this point, Jin Crow, who had been quietly observing the situation, rubbed out his nearly burned cigarette and was able to feel certain.
‘There is something going on, but…….’
A few possibilities did come to mind right away, but it did not yet seem like the stage where he could pinpoint and say exactly what it was.
“Captain Satra. And First Lieutenant Antonio.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, Instructor.”
Jin Crow called their names, and soon met their gazes, each mixed with unease and anticipation.
However, the words that came out were unexpected to both sides.
“Come to an agreement on your own and wrap it up. Then.”
“……Pardon?”
“Huh?”
With that, he immediately turned around and headed for the assigned lodging.
“In, Instructor?”
First Lieutenant Antonio, who came to his senses a beat too late, blinked his eyes and called out pitifully, but Jin Crow was already far away.
Woooong-.
When Jin Crow opened the door and entered the lodging, three military police officers led by Obia were already waiting for him inside.
“Why did you call us? Come to think of it, isn’t this the first time you’ve summoned us like this?”
This time, however, it was not Obia’s impulsive action, but Jin Crow’s call.
He dropped himself onto the sofa while looking at Obia, who was grinning as if she had seized a weakness or received an unimaginable gift.
“It doesn’t seem like a story that’s good to tell with so many ears listening.”
“Gasp, are you telling my subordinates who are working so hard to get lost? That’s cruel.”
“……There’s no need for you to worry. We’ll step out, Instructor.”
As expected, Obia shot back in a teasing voice, but the military police officers, who had long since built up resistance, stepped aside without a moment’s hesitation.
One military police officer who had once shared a wordless exchange with Jin Crow even gave a silent bow before heading outside.
As a result, Obia stuck out her lips and grumbled for quite a while.
“They didn’t used to be that obedient. I think they’re acting up just because they trust you, Instructor. This won’t do. I should give them some discipline training soon.”
“Handle that yourself, and let’s get to the point.”
“……What is it?”
The scatterbrained mask dropped for a moment. Instinctively sensing that this would be something interesting, she asked back with sparkling eyes.
And Jin Crow spoke, as if to meet her expectations.
“There’s something I want you to look into.”
“So, what is it?”
“Why friction is occurring between the Rermal Planetary Defense Force and the Federal Army currently stationed at Atla Colony, and why public sentiment is on the Defense Force’s side.”
At the same time, Jin Crow briefly conveyed the situation he had just witnessed.
However, Obia responded with an unexpectedly indifferent expression.
“Eh, isn’t it just the Defense Force screwing things up out of inferiority, like always?”
Her words were quite scathing, but surprisingly, they were the answer with the highest likelihood.
To begin with, the reason Captain Satra had been hostile toward him was not solely because of the Federal Army.
“They couldn’t even protect their planet, so now they’ll protect the colony themselves. Something like that, right? Like a child throwing a tantrum.”
In fact, there was a strong possibility that most of the Federal Army thought that way.
But Jin Crow shook his head.
“Well, if that were the case, wouldn’t there be no need for the Federal Army to push things this far?”
It was both an answer spoken to Obia and a remark that reinforced his own doubts.
“In fact, from the Federal Army’s perspective, it would be better to hand over security to the Defense Force. To begin with, the mission currently assigned to the 17th Fleet is the recapture of Rermal Planet, not the occupation of Atla Colony.”
As he had said before, Atla Colony was a colony created by Rermal Planet.
In other words, the majority of those who had originally lived in the colony also regarded Rermal Planet as their home.
Yet the 17th Fleet, which was using such an Atla Colony as a garrison, was deliberately causing friction with the Rermal Planetary Defense Force, which had fought to the very end for the planet and earned public support?
“Doesn’t something feel off?”
“……Hooh.”
At this point, Obia also realized that the situation was not ordinary and nodded.
But one most important problem still remained.
Obia reached for the cigarette pack Jin Crow had placed on the table, took out a cigarette, put it in her mouth, and lit it.
Hoo-.
As the tip of the black paper-wrapped cigarette glowed red and burned down, she murmured softly through the smoke dispersing into the air.
“But then, why do I have to investigate this?”
It was a playful provocation spoken in casual speech, and a genuine question.
As if to say that unless he gave a valid reason, she would not cooperate.
“That’s right, isn’t it? Our role is to see whether there are any usable kids at the Rermal Planet Defense Special Service Academy. Is there really any point in sticking our noses into other matters?”
Unlike her earlier scatterbrained behavior, the sight of her speaking while her mask was off, her distinctive red eyes flashing, was almost captivating at a glance.
But even she had no choice but to let out another foolish murmur at Jin Crow’s subsequent words.
“It seems that either the Defense Force or the Federal Army—one of the two—has joined hands with the Red Hand.”
“……What?”
“Or perhaps, both.”
It was a reason that was utterly beyond imagination.