Chapter 4
Chapter 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Presidential Predicament
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Deneb Federation – Capital City Catea. President's Office
"Alexandr. When did we send that warning to those monsters?"
"Thirteen days ago, Your Excellency."
Lydia Moretti, President of the Deneb Federation. Elected with overwhelming support from the Deneb International Union, she had recently started popping headache pills.
"Ha, fuck. My head already hurts from those space tin cans, and now space bugs?"
"Your Excellency. Please mind your decorum."
In the past, during the second year of President Moretti's term. Not long after the Deneb International Union had ventured into space. A mechanical fleet had arrived at the Deneb Federation's border.
The Deneb Federation's first diplomatic counterparts were a highly advanced machine intelligence. Introducing themselves as the Telluris Assimilator, these machines operated under the command of a superintelligent AI. They initially terrified the Deneb humans, but their persistent friendly demeanor soon opened the doors to exchange.
Third year of her term.
"Your Excellency. A patrol scout ship near the border isn't responding. It might have had an accident."
"Your Excellency. Reports of missing satellites from our dependencies have been increasing lately. Something's wrong."
Fourth year of her term.
"Your Excellency. We've lost contact with the delegation sent to the Telluris Assimilator."
"Your Excellency. The Telluris side has expressed willingness to cooperate fully with the investigation. I'll go check personally. It's suspicious."
The president fired bullets at her most loyal secretary.
"Why. Why? Why?!"
"I'm sorry, Antonio."
From the secretary's bullet-riddled body flowed not warm blood, but screws and coolant.
From that moment, the Deneb Federation and the Telluris Assimilator entered a state of war.
The Telluris Assimilator believed machines were flawless beings. They had merely refined the bodies of their Deneb Federation allies to perfection.
Even if the subjects refused, enlightening ignorant friends was a duty of true companionship. Thus, they urged the Denebs to dispel misunderstandings and quietly become machines.
The Deneb Federation replied with missiles.
But both races were novices at space travel, lacking the national power to deliver a decisive blow. The war was instead draining their strength.
The Telluris Assimilator's machines excelled at modification and transformation but lacked firepower. The Deneb Federation boasted superior firepower but couldn't match the Assimilators' production capacity.
Thus, the tedious standoff dragged on in deadlock.
Eighth year of her term.
A new species was discovered on the border opposite the Telluris frontier. They descended upon a planet with voracious momentum, as if devouring it whole.
"No matter how I think about it, we were too hasty. What if this time it's a species we can reason with? Maybe we were too rude in our message?"
"Your Excellency... From the start, the entire staff—including yourself—unanimously agreed they were monsters incapable of even reading it."
"Ha... True, but they could still be monsters we can talk to."
"Yes. We considered that possibility and sent the warning. But only two days remain until the deadline. You must prepare yourself."
"..."
"If they attack from that direction, it's a two-front war. The opposite border is too distant for mutual support. You'll need to consider peace talks with the Telluris side as well."
The aide was right. True to their human nature of planting flags in empty lands, the Denebs had expanded at breakneck speed upon achieving space travel. Traversing from the Telluris border in the north to the new species' border in the south required crossing five or six star systems.
She'd rather abandon the southern border and buy time against the bug race's assault if possible. But just one star system south lay Deneb itself—the capital.
Ha, what the hell was she supposed to do? The president's sighs grew ever deeper.
BAM!
At that moment, a man burst into the president's office.
"Your Excellency!"
"Calm down and report clearly."
"Your Excellency. A massive whale is approaching from the south."
"Wha... whale? A space creature? Don't poke it needlessly. Remember the mess with that space jellyfish last time?"
"No, that's not it, Your Excellency! Signals are emanating continuously from the whale! They're communication waves!"
She shot to her feet.
"Really? Decode it immediately! No, guide me there now. Where was it received?"
"Received by the ship Prometheus. They picked it up while patrolling the southern border. We're currently in contact with Prometheus in the comms room."
"These damn clever bastards."
The president hurried off—practically running—to the comms room. Upon arrival, she immediately grabbed a comms officer.
"How much has been translated?"
"Loyalty! They've just completed translation. Receiving the version now."
"Put it on screen."
By then, word had spread, and the Deneb Federation's staff poured in, staring at the screen. In the swallowing silence, the received message began displaying word by word.
"Considering transmission distance, it seems they sent key words to avoid distortion."
"Got it, so shut up for a sec!"
...
"We're saved!"
"Sh... shit... I told you it might be a monster we could talk to!"
Thud.
The president collapsed in place without realizing it.
This species could pretend peace like the Telluris Assimilator only to stab them in the back. Their soldiers descending on planets didn't scream pacifists.
But the Telluris had taken two years to reveal their true colors. Crucially, no two-front war loomed immediately. Everyone present knew that.
Deneb wouldn't burn anytime soon. They'd bought time. No, this wasn't the moment to relax.
"Is Admiral Nikolai there?"
A response came from the receiver linked to the Prometheus.
"Make contact with the guests. Ideally, don't show them our domestic situation. We don't know how their attitude might change if they learn we're at war."
"Absolutely, absolutely! Don't provoke them. We need time until the war with Telluris ends."
"You bald-headed idiot. Comm ends."
I'm currently piloting the Hirak body designated for diplomacy, Hihirak.
Resonating with the Space Whale's vision from inside its mouth, I'm soaring through the vast cosmos.
How does this whale traverse space? How can it move at such speeds? Since it's an original transcendent creation, not one I made, I don't grasp the principles.
I have the genes, but it's just "space travel genes~" vibes, useless for scientific insight. Besides, being in a game already distances us from science.
Riding this whale makes me slightly regret making Killerak and Hunterak so taciturn. With only them as company and neither speaking, boredom's driving me nuts.
"Hunterak."
"Yes, Hihirak-nim."
"Nice weather, huh?"
"Yes."
"..."
As we neared the Deneb Federation border, I began emitting continuous communication waves. Since it wasn't legion resonance and long-range comms were new, I kept it simple with key words for clarity.
Woooong—
"That's it, put some more oomph into it, whale."
The whale handled the comms. With just three Hiraks here, no way we could manage it ourselves. We're blasting signals blindly, hoping for a response.
Feels a bit underprepared now.
Thus broadcasting while sailing, we reached the Deneb Federation border.
In the game I played, star systems connect via hyperlanes—a network of FTL routes. Ride one, and you jump to adjacent systems.
So the hyperlane right ahead leads straight into Deneb territory. But is it okay to enter? Won't they see it as border invasion?
As I pondered, a ship cleaved space from the Deneb side, riding the hyperlane toward us. Immediately, a comm wave followed from the ship.