Chapter 157

Moonbase hadn't suffered much damage. Perhaps because it was built within a crater, it seemed to have escaped the shockwave.

"I'm glad you made it back, Lieutenant Carter."

"......Am I the only one left?"

The five Kissingers were working on the outer rim of the crater. It was unfortunate timing—they were in the middle of installing shutters to protect the crater interior.

Apparently, the other four were no good. The Captain hesitated to say it outright, but Dan's survival was nothing more than chance. The rest either suffered fatal damage or were blown beyond the moon's gravity.

"For now, the Kissinger needs repairs. You should rest a bit too. Don't forget to treat your injuries."

"But—"

"That's an order, Carter. We need to discuss what comes next. You too, but we all need time to cool our heads."

Dan could only nod at Giolgu's words. Nothing he said was wrong. Dan wasn't the only one who wanted to lash out in grief. Everyone here was in the same position, and everyone had the right to feel that way.

He headed to the infirmary to confirm he wasn't injured. He lay on the bed in his quarters and closed his eyes, but it was no use—he couldn't sleep at all.

"What the hell are they......"

He didn't know. He didn't know anything.

What Dan did know was that Earth was gone. His friends, his family, everything precious to him had gone somewhere he could never reach.

Even so, he had to rest his body. With the Kissinger out of commission, there was little Dan could do now.

***

The highest-priority order to assemble came exactly four hours after Dan's return.

Fifteen people gathered in the briefing room. Strange. One person was missing.

"Everyone's here."

"Captain, not everyone. Where's Nick?"

"......It's fine."

Giolgu's words made it clear what had happened.

Another one was gone.

"The reason I gathered you all is simple. It's about our direction from here on out."

"Direction? What direction!?"

It was Tooru who screamed, his voice tinged with panic. His face was pale.

"Earth... Earth is gone! We're the only ones left! There's nothing we can do!"

"......Even so, we must decide on a course of action. Everything we have here is limited. We either live as long as we can, or end it all before we lose everything."

It was Dr. Wu who answered. Her eyes were slightly unfocused. No, including Giolgu, no one's expression looked normal. Of course. Dan was aware his own face looked just as terrible.

"And with Earth, our foundation, gone, what becomes of the moon? Even if we choose to live, there's no hope. No hope at all...!"

Tears spilled from the doctor's eyes. Even in helpless despair, even while despairing, her heart couldn't give up on living.

It wasn't just one or two people sobbing. Even Tooru, though silent and looking down, had tears running down his cheeks.

Giolgu let out a deep, long sigh.

"It's true there's no hope. Food and oxygen are limited. If anyone has lost the will to live, speak up. I will take responsibility and provide a dignified death. Is there anyone who wishes for that?"

"Wait, Captain."

Several hands went up, but Dan's did not.

He stared at Giolgu and told him—it was too soon.

"Too soon? Live or die. That's all we have..."

"We still have options!"

That's right. There were still options. Blown away with the Kissinger, Dan had made a decision. The hatred and rage etched into his heart at that moment told him—it was too soon to give up.

"Options? What are you talking about? We don't even have a place to return to anymore!"

"It's obvious. We'll avenge everyone on Earth!"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"If I'm going to die anyway, I'd rather die fighting. I'll follow those who are gone."

He knew he was being driven by anger. The rational part of his brain laughed at his own foolishness. In fact, he could hear someone in despair snort with derision.

Giolgu, strangely calm, quietly shook his head.

"I understand the feeling, but how do you plan to follow them? We don't have the technology to navigate the universe freely."

"Is their weapon still there?"

"Their weapon? What are you talking about?"

"The one that fired the light! They left it behind for some reason when they left, didn't they!?"

When Dan shouted, the Operator, Nil, looked up. Her red eyes twisted with sarcasm as she asked,

"Sure, it's still there. But so what? Isn't that just an alien corpse?"

"I saw it. After it fired the light, it exploded."

"Exploded, you say?"

"It's a machine."

Even if he was only half convinced, saying it out loud somehow made it feel true.

"It wasn't dragged by the eyeball wheels—it came with them. If we analyze that, maybe we can follow them."

After all, they had nothing left to lose. If they were going to die quietly, they might as well struggle to the end.

"Doctor, we need your brain."

"Even if you say that..."

"You're the smartest one here. If you can't understand it, we'll give up."

A moment of silence. Then—

"Captain. Can the return ship be operated?"

"Dr. Wu... are you serious?"

"If we're going to die anyway, let's die leaning forward. I don't dislike Lieutenant Carter's idea."

Dr. Wu and Giolgu's eyes met. Soon after, Giolgu nodded.

"All right, let's do it. If we're going to die anyway, let's die leaning forward. I like that phrase."

***

They loaded the return ship with every bit of supplies, food, oxygen tanks, and the Kissinger. All fifteen staff members chose to board the unknown weapon.

Dan was the first. With only emergency repairs done to the Kissinger, he approached the unknown weapon. If it turned out to be a living organism instead of a machine, they were screwed. If the ship's defense systems were still active and attacked, they were screwed. The odds were bad, but Dan succeeded in reaching the weapon unharmed.

No counterattack. When he tapped it lightly with the arm, a section opened in a strange motion. He slid inside.

"......This is a ship, isn't it?"

It looked just like the interior of a spaceship from a sci-fi movie. The biological design was just a stylistic choice. Inside, it was a mechanical setting like something out of futuristic fiction.

"The air... no way, there's oxygen."

Even though the door had opened for a moment, no air had escaped. He didn't understand the mechanism, but it was convenient.

"Captain, this is Carter. It's a ship. Their ship."

'This is Giolgu. What did you say? A ship?'

"Yeah. There's even air. I don't understand any of this. Bring the doctor."

'U-Understood.'

Even though there was air, he wasn't careless enough to go outside right away.

While cautiously waiting for his comrades, Dan kept his eyes scanning the surroundings in case a creature appeared.

***

'......Incredible. It really is a ship.'

'Are we... being dragged into some kind of TV show or something?'

Dr. Wu and Giolgu looked around in stunned silence.

The air composition was almost identical to Earth's. It was safe to breathe without a suit, but they kept their helmets on just in case.

For the investigation, they moved forward with the Kissinger leading the staff.

'The writing... no good, it doesn't look like Earth's script.'

"Well, of course it doesn't."

'But I feel like there's something familiar about it... what is it?'

Ignoring the doctor who tilted her head, they continued deeper inside.

No creature attacks, which had been a concern. The group arrived safely at their destination.

The corridor was fine, but beyond the door, the Kissinger couldn't enter. They waited for Dan to disembark and opened the door.

'This place is...'

'No doubt about it. It's the bridge.'

Dr. Wu, seemingly without thinking, removed her helmet. There was no time to stop her. She looked around and let out a breath of awe.

"Amazing. Amazing...!"

Then, suddenly, the lights turned on.

They tensed up, but nothing else happened. They didn't know the cause, but it seemed the ship's functions had suddenly come back to life.

Then, a strange voice, in a language from no known country, echoed. Apparently thinking her removing the helmet or speaking had triggered it, the doctor raised her voice toward the void.

"I am Wu Weika! Do you understand our language!"

—Yes. Your language is included among the language patterns provided to underdeveloped subordinate species.

"Underdeveloped... subordinate species?"

—Yes. You were selected as samples for our Re-Eden Plan by us, the Divin, and then discarded. So, there were survivors.

"Divin? Re-Eden Plan...?"

—No higher beings detected in the surrounding verifiable space. According to Imperial Special Law Article 137, Clause 1, provisional authority is granted to Wu Weika as the temporary responsible party.

Apparently, for some unknown reason, the ship had recognized Dr. Wu as the temporary responsible party. Noticing she seemed to have heard something disturbing and was muttering with her head down, someone called out to her.

"Hey, Doctor. I don't really understand what's going on. Can you explain?"

"Eh? Ah, sorry. Right, let's start by gathering information."

Returning from the sea of thought, the doctor addressed the ship with a dangerously sharp smile.

"Now then, you're going to spill everything."

—Information disclosure level to Wu Weika will be restricted to the minimum.

"I'll smash you to bits, you know?"

A person who sold their soul to science is terrifying.

***

After a long interrogation, not much had actually been learned.

"So in the end, the only information disclosed was about this ship and that our enemy is something called the Divin?"

"Yes. At least we've figured out the ship. We'll tweak it to our liking."

Giolgu remained rational, while Dr. Wu seemed to have thrown away her sanity.

Apparently, being called an underdeveloped subordinate species had really gotten under their skin.

—The Divin are not your enemies. They are your rulers. You are required to show respect.

"We'll make sure you never say something so arrogant again."

"I agree. We'll help you, Doctor."

Tooru and the rest of the staff were also motivated.

The doctor nodded in appreciation and turned to Giolgu.

"Captain. I'd like to modify this ship and the Kissinger."

"The doctor has the authority, so shouldn't the doctor do as she pleases?"

"No. I'm merely an engineer. The representative of the second team is you, Captain Giolgu, isn't it?"

Giolgu looked confused.

Since Dr. Wu had taken the initiative, he had thought of handing over the leadership to her.

"Come on, Captain. This is a ship, after all."

"But still..."

"You're the only one with captain experience. Please take command."

"Hmm... very well."

At Dan's words, Giolgu nodded with hesitation. In fact, only Dan and Giolgu were military personnel. Even if they were to pursue the Divin, Giolgu would have to take the lead.

"Understood. Then this ship... come to think of it, what should we name it?"

—This vessel has already been named by the Divin.

"Shut up. Who the hell would call it by the Divin's name?"

"Yeah. Shut it, you scrap heap."

The staff hurled insults. In the end, they couldn't make out the name the ship claimed for itself.

Before they knew it, the topic had shifted to naming the ship, perhaps because everyone was starting to feel a little more at ease.

"Please decide, Captain. From now on, this is our Earthlings' ship."

"Right. ...Then—"

A light cough to clear the throat.

And when the name of the ship was declared, no one had any objections.

"Vengeance. There's no other name for this ship."

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