Joining a Coalition of Transferee Companies,『Ulysses』
Even though their number continuously diminished, the Argonaut aerial corps still boasted quite a lot of troops.
However, another surprising event happened once more.
「An aircraft unit is approaching from the 8 o’clock direction! Friendly signals confirmed. It’s a unit from Skunk Technology! It’s a mixed unit composed of Star Soldiers and a new unknown aircraft!」
「Am I actually dreaming? Many people are coming to help us.」
Aimer muttered softly.
『The bonds Kou built have ended up helping us as well.』
「Un. We have to thank Kou.」
A transmission was simultaneously picked up by Barry, Jenny, and Kou.
It was Kelly.
「Kelly-san, this is Barry. Thank you very much!」
Barry was the acting commander, so he expressed his thanks first.
「So, you’re Commander Barry huh? Nice to meet you! I’m Kelly. Jenny, Kou. I’ve also sent reinforcements. I’ll hand over command to you guys. Make sure you make use of our guys well!」
「Thank you, Boss!」
「We’re really grateful for this, Kelly!」
「Don’t mention it. But, dammit! To think we’ll end up lagging behind that Kinukawa…… They even flew all the way over at Mach 4. Impressive!」
Apparently, Kelly was peeved that Kinukawa Eiji’s fighters were the ones who arrived to help first.
「The new models acting together with the Star Soldiers are called Heat Lightning. They’re transformable Silhouettes equipped with storage type metallic hydrogen reactors that were made based on the Tachycineta.」
「You’ve made another transformable Silhouette model?」
「The Tachycineta is just too expensive, right? All the companies Barry contacted have decided to pick a fight with the Stones. We’ll need more types of machines for that.」
「Companies are going to fight the Stones? And it’s Barry who asked you all?」
「He’s one of the biggest contributors to our formation y’know? Before Commander Barry’s proposal, we were already making moves on our own, but the proposal was the deciding factor. From now on, we’ll be known as the transferee company coalition『Ulysses.』. I’m the one who came up with the name, by the way!」
Kelly proudly puffed up his chest.
Kou looked at Barry.
Barry just picked his nose in response.
「We’re no longer an Underground Force starting today. We’ve formally been incorporated as the coalition’s official defense force.」
「Barry? Just when did you come up with something like this?」
Jenny became astonished when Barry said something that sounded even more amazing.
「Sorry. I went ahead and made a move without consulting you, Kou. From now on, we will act to protect the company coalition from the Stones. And that’s why we can also accept support from the companies in return. That’s how my proposal goes.」
「Amazing.」
Kou was thoroughly impressed. Barry had planned ahead and made his move in secret.
A defense force that serves to protect the transferee companies. He remembered the tragedy that happened to Kurt and how he wondered if he could have done something more. Kou didn’t even want to imagine something like that happening to Hyoue, Kelly, and Yunlan.
「Barry’s a really sharp fellow. Now that our defense force is getting attacked, of course, we need to help out! And we’ll also pick a fight with the Stones while we’re at it!」
Kelly laughed aloud.
「From now on, we’ll also declare war on the Argonauts. So, make sure get a good look at our guys, Kou!」
「Yes!」
「Kelly-san, thank you very much.」
「We’ve been talking about how to defend ourselves and send in reinforcements when needed, you see. Our problem was exactly how we’d be allowed to maintain a certain level of strength. Commander Barry’s proposal was truly a godsend.」
「I’m happy that you think so, Kelly-san.」
「Well, even without such a proposal, I still would have sent some help. Make sure you work Jialing and Matt to the bone! See you all later!」
「Thank you, Boss.」
Kou thanked Kelly once more. Kelly laughed, gave a thumbs-up, and ended the transmission. He was as restless as ever, Kou thought.
The Skunk Technology unit that had just arrived started to engage the Argonaut fighters in order to support Astraea.
「This is Skunk Technology’s Kelly speaking. I’m now transmitting to all Argonaut forces. This is a worldwide broadcast.」
「Greetings, Kelly-dono. I’m honored to meet one of my great predecessors.」
Vasa and the others responded to Kelly’s transmission.
The screen on the Stones flagship showed Kelly who was neatly dressed in a formal suit.
「You sure are fond of flattery, kid. Let’s make this short. We A-Class Development Engineers along with the transferee companies we founded have formed the transferee company coalition『Ulysses』centered on the Silhouette Base. We’ll be participating in this war on the side of Metal Iris. Henceforth, we will start engaging Argonaut forces in earnest.」
「Hou? Okeanos does not permit an organization with such centralized power to exist apart from the Mercenary Association. The penalty for engaging in such activities is the complete revocation of all corporate activities.」
The demigod Castor interjected.
「Normally, that’ll be the case! But you guys made a fatal mistake! You attacked Kurt and John at the same time and attempted to capture them. In other words, you attacked while specifically aiming for A-Class Development Engineers. Then, it isn’t all that strange for us remaining A-Class Development Engineers to feel threatened and form a mutual aid organization in response, right?」
「……」
「I have more to say, Stones. I’m also aware that you dominate the bodies of B-Class and lower Development Engineers and snatch control of them. Other companies led by Development Engineers are free to join this mutual aid organization! If you guys disappear, this organization will also naturally disband. Rest assured. This organization has already been approved by Okeanos.」
「Then tell me this. This battle is not for the purpose of securing an A-Class Development Engineer for ourselves. So, isn’t it wrong for you to participate in it?」
「Is there a reason for us to fight the Argonauts right now, you ask? Actually, there are two. There are Development Engineers belonging to the transferee company coalition staying in Fortress Area P336. And Metal Iris is also the official defense force of our transferee company coalition『Ulysses』. In other words, your actions are an unmistakable act of aggression against our coalition!」
「What!? Underground Forces notwithstanding, there’s no way Okeanos will permit the existence of such a defense force.」
「It doesn’t belong to any one Fortress Area or any specific company. It’s not in violation of the rules you know? Even you guys snatch the bodies of humans to use as dummies in order to make the Stones into a singular force, right?」
The demigod turned silent.
「Now then, all you companies out there who are watching this broadcast. It’s up to you guys to decide which side you’re going to join. We hope you make a wise choice.」
Lastly, Kelly grinned widely at the Development Engineers who were undoubtedly watching the broadcast somewhere on the planet, and ended the transmission.
「I never thought they’d actually pull something like this.」
Alberto sighed. He inwardly thought he’d made the wrong choice.
「Fumu. Vasa, notify the entire world. Promise that all Fortress Areas and Defense Domes under the Stones will not be harmed. Those that remain neutral will be given the grace of guaranteed safety until the end of this war.」
「Including those who are neutral in the non-aggression guarantee is an excellent decision that would serve to not increase the number of our enemies. I will make the announcement immediately.」
Vasa ordered his men to notify all human settlements on Planet Asia of Castor’s proposal.
「Aiming directly for A-Class Development Engineers backfired on us. However, they wouldn’t be able to organize themselves like this on their own. There was someone who used logic and pulled some strings from behind. I am not sure if that someone was Asia or Astraea.」
「I see. I believe it was Astraea.」
「Why do you think so?」
Vasa, who normally didn’t show much interest in a lot of things, curiously asked. There must be a reason for Castor to be so sure of his words.
「That one was originally a weapons development supervision AI. In this situation that can be considered a war, what do you think would be able to realize the meaning of its existence the most among the Super AIs? It managed to unite the major weapons development companies and framed us as their enemy. The humans would then require its help. It wants to erase the dishonor of providing us with technology more than a thousand years ago. The ones who are being manipulated are the humans.」
「I see. You do have a good reason to arrive at such a conclusion.」
If things weren’t in a state of war, Vasa wouldn’t have chosen to side with the Stones. Perhaps even Alberto as well.
「I expect that Astraea has just woken up not too long ago. That’s because we’ve been in a stalemate for decades. Has it become anxious about the situation, or perhaps became impatient because the Murders that it had created the foundation of are about to annihilate humanity?」
「It might be the latter.」
「Yes, that’s probably the case.」
「However, that Astraea. It possesses far more power than I expected. It might be better to give up on bringing it down.」
「Isn’t there more than 2000 aircraft left?」
「We’ve lost 500 aircraft in such a short time. The other party hasn’t even lost 100 aircraft. And they also received plenty of unexpected reinforcements. See, some have come over again.」
On the monitor, they saw a group of fighters coming from another direction.
It was a formation of Tachycineta flying at high speed.
「We were baited by the existence of Astraea. Our forces were thoroughly divided. The ones who fell for a trap were us.」
「Did it consider that much when it launched as a carrier? –It’s possible if it’s that fellow. Understood. Let’s switch tactics. We cannot carelessly allow our remaining air power to get reduced even further.」
Castor had admitted his failure. This particular demigod was unusually sharp. He can even admit his failures and agree to switch tactics.
The body he was using was also a B-Class Development Engineer.
They failed to maintain air superiority.
Despite possessing strength several times greater than the opponent, they allowed their forces to get divided and got taken in by the presence of Astraea.
「I’ve just thought of something, Vasa. I don’t mean to criticize you, but isn’t the performance of both the Arular and Coulson when it comes to long-range combat pretty poor?」
The two machines had high performance, but they often got taken out from behind. They were shot down before they could engage the enemy fighters at medium range, which was their preferred distance.
「That’s the only big drawback of those two machines. It’s mainly a problem of cost.」
The performance of radars was directly linked to how much they cost.
「Fumu. That’s because Asia’s battlefields are centered on individual mercenaries, so there weren’t many enemies that implemented C4ISTAR before huh.」
C4ISTAR. It means Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Information/Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting Acquisition, and Reconnaissance, and was a term that summarized all the necessary elements for commanding troops efficiently on the battlefield.
In other words, it was something that encompasses every factor that was needed for modern warfare.
「That’s exactly the case. It helps that you are quick to understand things, Alberto.」
The result of disregarding radar when designing the two machines was a spectacular failure. That was all. They didn’t lose out in terms of performance.
However, even if no reconnaissance satellites exist, they had to accept the disastrous result of disregarding tactics that made full use of an interconnected network. Hence, it was essential to review the use of information and radar on the battlefield once more.
「We will give up on using deep battle operations conducted by Murders and artillery units to annihilate the enemy and switch to attrition warfare that makes full use of Murders.」
「Can you really call that attrition warfare? You’re going to leave out the main force.」
「Murders and weapons piloted by humans are unable to fight together. So, we should utilize them in the best way. Both Murders and humans, I mean.」
「I truly admire that cool-headedness of yours.」
「Thank you for your compliment. I am also honored to serve under a wise superior like you, Castor-sama.」
There was no deception in the words of the two.
The two who posed a great threat to humankind truly admired one another.
Perhaps this fact was actually the greatest threat, Alberto inwardly thought.
Welcome back! Thanks for the chapter! Awesome translation! May God bless you!