Permission-Based Safety Device Deactivation Mechanism
「Outis. Hand me over. Then turn back.」
Libya pleaded with Kou. Above all else, she wanted to prevent their complete annihilation. Given her circumstances, she had no right to expect survival in the first place.
「Sorry. That’s not an option. I don’t believe Vritra would just let us go.」
「Exactly, Kou. So, what will you do?」
Astraea smiled. She had already seen through Kou’s thoughts.
「The Kālakaeya have been wiped out. All units, initiate emergency retreat.」
Thanks to the efforts of the Trireme Space Fleet’s silhouettes, every last Kālakaeya had been eliminated. The Teras resembling Aberration Arms had intensified their fighting spirit as a result.
One after another, the Silhouettes were retrieved into the fleet’s hangars. Unit 5 also returned to the hangar. From within the MCS, Kou continued to command operations.
So far, the space fleet and Vritra had yet to engage. Both sides were still observing each other.
「A standoff. Vritra’s overwhelming strength gives it the luxury to wait.」
Kinukawa displayed Vritra on the screen.
「It seems it doesn’t want Libya dead just yet. If its target dies, it would all be for nothing. It won’t kill us immediately… though it might toy with us first.」
「The enemy doesn’t get hungry or tired, after all…」
Kurose also understood the situation.
「Kou! What do you plan to do?」
「There’s one way. Astraea, can you implement maximum countermeasures against communication interception?」
「I swear on my name, I will do everything in my power. However, the secure window may last less than thirty minutes.」
「That’s enough.」
Still inside the MCS of Unit 5, Kou issued his orders.
「A foe that can’t be shot, can’t be cut, and is impervious to heat and cold…」
「What are you going to do, Kou?」
Aki was also urgently analyzing data. The Astraea had no effective weapons against Vritra’s armor. Even if they used the large-caliber laser Onikiri, it wouldn’t make a difference.
「There’s no other choice… I’ll have to use the ‘Fool’.」
Kou muttered to himself.
「Can’t shoot, can’t cut… can’t burn or freeze… Panjandrum might be the only option.」
Kinukawa, still desperately thinking of countermeasures, blurted out something absurd.
「The ‘Fool’ is not actually a Panjandrum. It’s really just a spinning-wheel-shaped decoy. However, the operational procedures are a hassle.」
Kou almost burst out laughing at Kinukawa’s flustered reaction but held it in. Even if they tried to blow it away with a large explosive charge, it would only trigger the outer metallic hydrogen layer. The core would remain untouched.
「Astraea, initiate the procedures to deploy the ‘Fool’.」
「Understood. Requesting immediate authorization.」
「Kou, the ‘Fool’ is just a dummy Panjandrum meant to disguise the Astraea as the Eirene, right?」
Aimer, too, was unaware of the ‘Fool’s’ true nature. She still clearly remembered Kou once muttering that it was best never to use it.
「That’s right. The ‘Fool’ isn’t a Panjandrum. More precisely, it’s a Panjandrum-shaped device.」
「A device?」
「Yeah. But I don’t have time to explain. Sorry, Aimer.」
The ‘Fool’. Everyone in the Trireme Space Fleet knew about it. A colossal decoy modeled after a Panjandrum mounted onto Astraea.
「In the name of Outis, I invoke the Permission-Based Safety Device Deactivation Mechanism—Permissive Action Link.」
Kou, now acting as Outis declared it.
Kinukawa’s expression shifted.
「That term… Are you planning to use a nuclear bomb?」
The Permission-Based Safety Device Deactivation Mechanism—in 21st-century Earth, this referred to the security protocol for deactivating safeguards, including nuclear launch systems. It was a security framework encompassing control devices and overall operational procedures designed to prevent accidental nuclear detonation. In nations like the United States and Russia, the president would operate what was called a nuclear briefcase to initiate launch procedures.
「No, I’m not.」
Kou replied, a thin, cold smile forming on his lips. His eyes, partially hidden by his bangs, radiated unshakable resolve. He had made his decision.
A one-of-a-kind trump card rested in his hands.
「To all Hora-class AIs—proceed with the first-phase triple-lock deactivation request.」
「This is Astraea, I accept the deactivation request.」
「This is Eunomia. I understand the situation. Proceeding with the deactivation request.」
「This is Eirene. Even Abel opposed the use of the ‘Fool’… I don’t want you to use it either. And yet, I grant permission for the deactivation.」
A wave of unease spread among the crews of each ship at the sight of Eirene’s pained expression. She was always radiantly cheerful and optimistic—yet now, her face was twisted in sorrow.
The ‘Fool’ began to glow ominously. It had been activated.
「Phase One Authorization: Clear. Requesting Phase Two Authorization from planetary control super AI, Asia.」
「This is Asia’s Aimer. I have arrived. Permission granted. I’m the only one who can control the ‘Fool’, after all. Besides, Libya and I are sisters, aren’t we?」
Aimer’s eyes shone with a golden light. She had fully synchronized with Asia.
「Thank you, Asia.」
「The real issue is the next step, Kou.」
「I know.」
Taking a deep breath, Kou made the final call.
「I request the Final Phase Deactivation. Okeanos—I request permission to use the ‘Fool’. Remove all restrictions and authorize deployment.」
Elri’s face twisted in shock, and even Kinukawa couldn’t hide his astonishment. What was this weapon that needed such a level of restrictions placed on it?
「—Denied, Outis.」
「Vritra is an enemy of humanity. The only weapon capable of countering it is the anti-space-fleet armament the ‘Fool’.」
「At your current position, you will all be annihilated. Therefore, I refuse.」
Kou paused, thinking for a moment. He felt an unexpected sense of reassurance from Unit 5 as if someone was contemplating a solution alongside him.
「After deployment, we disengage at full speed ahead for five minutes, reaching the Red Line limit of our sector. How about that?」
Full speed. In Kou’s homeworld, this was known as ‘Ippai’—a velocity that pushed a ship to its absolute limits. Operating a reactor in this Red Zone range meant driving the vessel to its breaking point, necessitating emergency repairs and maintenance afterward. Because of this risk, it was almost never used.
A step below that was Maximum Battle Speed, the highest velocity officially defined in a ship’s design. Both terms referred to space fleet maneuvering speeds in the Nemesis War Sector.
「Denied.」
「What about ten minutes then?!」
「—Permitted. A secure withdrawal requires twelve minutes. After that, switch to maximum battle speed and evacuate this sector.」
There was a brief hesitation before the response came. Even Okeanos had concluded that, at this rate, total annihilation was inevitable.
「Thank you, Okeanos. To all ships—push your reactors to the Red Line and maintain full speed for twelve minutes! After that, transition to maximum battle speed and clear this sector!」
「Understood, Kou.」
「Understood, Kou-san.」
Matty from the Pericles and Eri from the Izumo nodded. Traveling at full speed and maximum battle speed would consume an enormous amount of fuel, but survival was the priority—dying here would be meaningless.
「Kushinada, once acceleration begins, activate the Merlin System. Direct all ‘Hierophants’ toward Vritra.」
At present, the only available countermeasure against the invincible evil dragon was space mines—a grim, almost hopeless situation. And even that would only serve to buy time.
「Understood.」
The tension in the air was palpable. Something immense was about to happen. Every member of the space fleet—officers, engineers, and even the pilots who had just returned—were now waiting inside their MCS, bracing for the moment.
「As soon as we start moving, Vritra will chase us down. Its speed is superior to ours, isn’t it, Astraea?」
「Correct.」
「Its target is the Astraea—because Libya is here. That’s why the Izumo and the Pericles need to move ahead first for safety. We’ll stay back—we have a job to do: defeating Vritra.」
The captains nodded. Under normal circumstances, those two ships should have taken the rear guard position. But this was not a normal battle.
「All ships, full speed ahead! Push the reactors to the Red Line! Abandon the sanctuary and evacuate the sector!」
At Kou’s command, the three ships’ thrusters flared simultaneously, initiating a violent acceleration.
「Target: Vritra. Deploy the ‘Fool’. It’s time, Astraea!」
「Synchronization with Asia’s Aimer complete. Control is now under Asia’s authority.」
The fact that both Astraea and Asia’s Aimer needed to be in sync was not lost on some of the crew. They were beginning to understand what that implied.
「Fire!」
A spinning-wheel-shaped object was launched from the Astraea—smaller than the ‘Star’. It rotated at an extreme speed, accelerating toward Vritra. While rocket-propelled, its design prioritized maximum rotational velocity over traditional propulsion.
Erratically but with unrelenting speed, the ‘Fool’ streaked through space toward its target.
Kou had no choice but to entrust everything to this one weapon.
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