episode_0041

-cloud. You are too suspicious.

This is advice given to me by a senior pilot who is now a star in that galaxy.

-It’s good to doubt everything, but if you live like that, life will get tiring. ha ha ha!

The reason it became a warning rather than advice was after he approached Debry at the front without any suspicion and was killed by a landmine.

No matter how headache-inducing and complicated it may be, since I am in a position of responsibility, I have to doubt and doubt again.

Especially in a rural colony like this.

“Artemis Colony….”

I gathered information about the Artemis colony through the space internet accessed from the bridge.

A very small colony that is not affiliated with the Zodiac Alliance or even registered as an affiliated colony.

It started out as a spaceship for scientific research by a research group, but as the research became useless, it became a colony where the descendants of the researchers occasionally live and do farming.

It is said that space debris that appears occasionally is collected, recycled, and used as the colony’s own resources…

‘Did you really pick up that trash?’

When it comes to this question, I can no longer look at it with good will.

Can not help it.

Me too, but especially Captain Edmund, who is supposed to be sitting here, because he is currently responsible for the lives of the students.

If they are good people, they have no choice but to sincerely apologize for being suspicious.

A sincere apology, along with a consolation prize or equivalent resources commensurate with the apology.

So in the meantime-

“I’ll leave the doubt, so there’s no need to doubt you either. Lavender student.”

“Yes?!”

“I was so nervous.”

It’s not something I would say from the perspective of the person who raised the suspicion, but Lavender’s expression became very pale at my suspicion.

“There is no need to be so nervous. Just….”

Maybe this feeling I’m feeling now was the feeling my senior felt when he saw me at the time.

“…Just trust the instructor you saw.”

“…….”

“You can judge everything from your own perspective and come to a conclusion. If you meet good people at Artemis Colony, you will have a good relationship, and if you say that they were actually bad people, you will gain a life experience.”

“Instructor….”

“Your life will not be threatened or anything like that. At least I won’t make it like that.”

“…….”

Lavender nodded slightly.

“If something like that happens, I will protect the instructor…and everyone.”

“What?”

“Even if something happens that surprises everyone.”

“…….”

Lavender’s eyes were so clear and transparent as she raised her head and looked at me.

From those eyes, I felt like I was going to commit something.

“What are you thinking….”

So I asked without realizing it –

Weeeeing.

“Thank you for your hard work, Instructor Cloud. For protecting the bridge.”

Captain Edmund and Instructor Aria had just arrived, and they missed the moment to question Lavender.

“The negotiations were somewhat successful. We agreed to provide some ‘force’ to them.”

“Powerlessness…?”

“As part of education, it was a pretty good suggestion.”

Instructor Aria stepped forward and operated the console.

“It is said that space pirates are hiding in the Debri area, about 4 hours away based on the average speed of the ship seen from the Artemis Colony.”

“…Space pirates? Devrie, why?”

“They say they are close to scavengers. It is said that attacking a colony is impossible due to the colony’s defense system, so they often target transport ships traveling between the colonies.”

“…You can take the liver off a flea and eat it.”

I understand.

How would those who make a living through looting think about the situation of those who are being robbed?

“Still, living at Debri must be really fun.”

“…I think I will have to encounter it in person to know the details, but according to what Actaion CEO confirmed, there are about 30 ASs.”

“The number is more than I expected. What type?”

“General Harkon 30s. And there is one ‘specialty’.”

“…Specialty?”

Usually, in this situation, special skills are short for ‘special aircraft’ –

“Yes. There is the boss of the bandits, [Spring Meteor].”

“…….”

“Don’t look at me like that, Instructor Cloud. …Don’t you say that’s the name you call yourself?”

“…That’s a grand name. Usually, it is difficult to give names to things like comets or shooting stars, even if they are self-proclaimed.”

Captain Edmund cleared his throat and tried to change the mood.

“…Excuse me. Stop, I’m surprised.”

That’s probably proof that my expression underneath the visor was severely distorted.

“Well, what is the type of specialty? No, searching…it would be meaningless.”

“Yes. The name [Blue Meteor]… So, the English nickname ‘Blue Meteor’ is famous in many ways.”

Blue Meteor.

If you were to call it in Chinese characters, it could be called ‘Cheonghyeseong’, ‘Changhyeseong’, or ‘Blue Comet’.

“It’s a little unpleasant. A space pirate or something is just using the nickname of a legendary pilot who passed away.”

“…….”

He is one of the legendary pilots whose activities are difficult to mention in many ways.

“Instructor Aria. It seems like your voice is suddenly getting louder?”

“Yes. Of course. Because he’s my idol.”

Instructor Aria’s appearance, with her hand on her chest and a low smile, was somehow very girlish.

“…….”

Captain Edmund looked at me quietly.

“…I’ve been sitting in the captain’s seat for too long. This is rude.”

I stood up, scratching my head in embarrassment.

“When is the Blue Comet attack?”

“Tomorrow, at this time.”

Captain Edmund set the time for the operation.

“Get it ready.”

“Lazeo.”

A fight for survival to receive food and supplies from the Artemis Colony.

* * *

Late evening, battleship restaurant.

“Wow, this is bread and soup…!”

The students gathered together for the first time in a long time and chewed their bread, soaking it in the rather thick soup.

“Hey, Andy. You said you don’t like sausages, right? Can I eat it?”

“I heard that Jessie…is a vegan.”

“Vegan is a vegan who will freeze to death. I’m a selective vegan, so I just make a difference in my food choices!”

“Where is that? Ah, Hanae! Even you, why?!”

“I protected you. Don’t let Jessie steal yours.”

Special Forces Class A laughed loudly and ate energetically.

“Platoon leader Natalia. Can we really keep following along like this?”

“Then?”

“The colony is in that state right now, and if it can’t be restored anyway…”

“Shall we stay here at least?”

“Oh, no. That’s not it…”

“Be careful with what you say.”

The colony defense forces seemed to be thinking about something else, talking about various things while eating.

“…….”

Only the table where Instructor Aria and I were sitting was eating quietly.

“Blue Meteor…. Blue Meteor…. Blue Meteor….”

Lavender was sitting alone, looking for information on the pad while eating food with a somewhat cute expression on her face.

“Hey, lavender.”

“Uh, huh…?”

In the end, Jessie, who was the sharpest, stood up holding a tray in front of Lavender.

“I….”

“Cloud instructor. For a moment.”

When I tried to stop him, Instructor Aria noticed me by gently extending his hand.

“It’s okay.”

“…….”

Let’s watch for now.

I nodded lightly at those eyes.

“Aren’t you eating? Doesn’t it taste good?”

“Uh, well, that is…”

“Even though it’s been a while since you’ve had a proper meal, why don’t you seem to like it?”

“…….”

Jessie is clearly scratching Lavender.

While everyone else was eating like a glutton, Lavender was the only one chomping at the bits.

“If someone sees it, it will look like you are trying to force yourself to eat something tasteless.”

“!!”

As Jessie pointed out, Lavender seemed to be forcing herself to eat the food in front of her.

“Did you leave food behind? Did you eat like the academy lunch every day? So you left this because it didn’t taste good? Huh?”

“Oh, no…”

“Hey, if you say it’s because of the battle, just eat quietly. Are you fighting alone? No, right? …Oh, no, right?”

Jesse asked, his voice sharp and venomous, but he subtly turned his eyes towards me.

“Wow, even space pirates…”

“Just as student Jessie said, Lavender student.”

“…Huh?”

As I defended Jesse, everyone in the restaurant turned their eyes to me.

“…Lavender. You don’t fight alone.”

It’s burdensome, but I say what I have to say.

“Tomorrow’s operation will be fought jointly by Special Forces Group A and Group B. In a situation like this, I wonder if it makes sense to divide the class… but in actual battles against space pirates, you can’t carelessly confuse the command system.”

“Well, then…?”

“You can’t just have a 5-man formation.”

As we have been wandering around space trying to survive, we have not been able to do any serious tactical training.

“The ideal picture is for five people to move as a platoon, but they are not trained for that.”

For example, Lavender and four others join together to form one platoon.

“You will hear more details during the tactical briefing tomorrow, and eat well and get plenty of rest today. Even if I think of the people of Artemis Colony who brought me good food after a long time.”

“Yes, yes….”

Lavender cried and forced herself to pick up the bread and take a big bite.

“…Hey, senior.”

“Why?”

“…Would you like some sausage?”

“…….”

Jesse hesitated for a moment when he instinctively went up to the food tray that Lavender had subtly held out, and then-

“I’m fine, but Andy and Jace need to eat a lot! Go, go, thank you… thank you, heung…!”

He picked up Lavender’s sausage with his fork and returned to his seat.

“…….”

Why?

For a moment, Lavender looked genuinely happy.

“I’m glad that it looks like they’ve reconciled, in their own way.”

“…I see.”

“Yes?”

“Oh, no. It’s nothing.”

okay.

It must be my illusion.

No matter how much bread, soup, and sausage I’m eating right now, it’s worth the money to eat it, and it tastes even worse than the time I ate in the military.

Isn’t there a saying that the market is a side dish?

“…….”

Lavender was still chewing the bread and eating it as if she was about to cry.

“…….”

I guess.

“Lavender.”

“Yes, yes!”

“After eating, I will see you separately.”

“……!”

Wait, I need to check.