Editing Tytania:Volume 3 Chapter 6 (section)

=== III ===
The battleship ''Austra'' was a massive vessel, constructed according to the standard design of a fleet flagship. It contained various facilities, such as VIP suites, which, from a purely military standpoint, served only to hinder functionality; naturally, the existence of such spaces was achieved at the expense of other equipment. Since defensive systems and firepower could not be sacrificed, the burden fell upon the supply departments, making the accompaniment of supply ships an absolute necessity.

In the case of Jouslain Tytania, he was not granted even a moment of respite in the luxurious VIP suite. Scarcely three hours had passed since departing Uraniborg and entering normal space when catastrophe arrived.

A cluster of light points appeared in the space towards Uraniborg, behind Jouslain’s small fleet, and began approaching rapidly. It was a formation of some two hundred vessels of varying sizes. When the distance between the two parties reached one light-second, a communication signal was transmitted from the ''Austra''.

“This is the flagship of Duke Jouslain Tytania, Commander-in-Chief of the Bargash Expeditionary Force. For what reason are you tailing us?”

“Cease all movement and shut down your engines immediately. This is the order of His Grace Duke Idris.”

“What is the reason for this order to stop?”

Captain Edna Fredericks demanded coldly. The reply from the pursuers was overbearing and lacked any substance whatsoever.

“Top-secret orders. Shut down your engines at once.”

“By whose orders? This vessel is under the command of His Grace the Duke Jouslain Tytania, Commander-in-Chief of the Bargash Expeditionary Force. I have no reason to take orders from anyone other than His Grace.”

Edna haughtily rejected the unreasonable command. It seemed Jouslain had been blessed with luck that went far beyond mere fortune. Had the Captain been the type to obey Idris’ orders so easily, Jouslain’s future would have been sealed.

From a corner of the bridge, Jouslain watched Edna as she stood in the centre of the floor.

“I have yet to receive His Clanner Highness’ order to relieve Lord Jouslain of his duties as Commander-in-Chief. Nor have I received any official report stating that Lord Idris is to serve as His Clanner Highness’ full proxy. Therefore, it is only natural that my obedience be directed toward Lord Jouslain.”

At that point, the pursuers finally seemed to have abandoned the idea of peaceful negotiations. Two hundred vessels deployed into formation on either side, delivering their final ultimatum.

“Halt your ships immediately! Otherwise, we shall open fire.”

“Oh my, the heights of lawlessness. Tytania striking at Tytania?”

Edna gave a short, derisive laugh.

“Surrendering without resistance is not a Tytanian custom. It is only natural that those unreasoning, lawless interlopers who initiate combat should face the consequences. I understand you have steeled yourselves for this, but are you really fine with this?”

As the level of danger rose rapidly, Jouslain’s interest in Edna Fredericks grew. He wondered whether this black-haired female officer was merely pedantic or simply bellicose.

“The gun ports are opening…!”

It was less of a report from the operator and more of a scream. Above Edna’s sharp, dark eyes, her brows arched steeply.

“Do not open our gun ports yet. It is merely a show of force. If we fire first, we provide them with an excuse.”

Suppressing the rising agitation among the gunnery officers, she turned back to face Jouslain. The coal in her furnace seemed to stare directly at him.

“Your Grace Jouslain, should they attack us, may I have permission to return fire? If your will is that we remain without resistance, I shall proceed accordingly.”

“I authorise you to return fire.”

The response was immediate, for she trusted Edna’s instincts in combat command.

“Thank you. Chief Pilot<ref name="ftn26">“Head pilot” (首席航宙士) is pronounced “chief pilot”.</ref>, turn port, forty degrees!”

Edna’s voice was sharp and tense, yet she remained undaunted.

After granting permission to counterattack, Jouslain sat in silence at the fleet commander’s seat, his arms folded. He understood that in a situation such as this, it would be useless and even harmful for him, someone unversed in actual combat command, to issue orders. What he needed to do was to trust the highly skilled specialists in the field and refrain from interfering with their actions. However, there was just one thing he wished to ask the expert’s opinion on.

“Do you believe they intend to launch a serious attack, Captain?”

“I believe they appear prepared to go all out at any moment.”

That was Edna’s reply.

“However, their objective does not seem to be killing Your Grace Jouslain but rather detaining you. As long as that remains the case, we should hold the advantage.”

“So, you mean if it comes to it, you shall fire without hesitation?”

“Precisely. Since Your Grace Jouslain has given me permission to do so.”

The moment Edna spoke with such certainty that half of the screen glowed pale. The operator’s voice, reporting the firing, grew shrill. A thin band of light shimmered across the screen, and the emerging points of light expanded rapidly, enveloping the entire display in achromatic hues.

The energy beam struck the surface of the armour but failed to penetrate, scattering in an iridescent spray of light. It was clearly being controlled to prevent total destruction. ''This is truly worthy of the name “Phoney Combat''<ref name="ftn27">“Fake battle” (いんちき戦闘) is pronounced “phoney combat”.</ref>”, thought Jouslain to himself.

Edna ordered the return fire, and the exchange of beams continued for forty minutes. Eventually, the pursuers resorted to deploying space mines ahead of Jouslain and his group’s flight path. For the first time, Jouslain issued instructions to Edna. Jouslain’s small fleet, centred around the ''Austra'', sent a transmission to the pursuers. They declared that they would abandon all resistance and accompany them to Uraniborg.

… Three hours passed, and Idris, who had been waiting at Uraniborg with growing anxiety, was struck with shock upon receiving the report that Jouslain had achieved a complete escape. According to the commanders of the fleet dispatched to arrest Jouslain, they had been outmanoeuvred by an extremely unscrupulous stratagem.

A mutiny broke out aboard the ''Austra'', as “Loyalists” detained both Lord Jouslain and the ship’s captain. Upon receiving the news, Commodore Nostitz, who had boarded via shuttle to receive the Duke with all due respect, was captured by Lord Jouslain’s waiting subordinates and taken hostage. Helpless to intervene, the remaining ships could do nothing but watch the ''Austra'' depart.

“Do you think you can simply let them escape, you incompetents!” screamed Idris.

His emotions fluctuated violently, ascending from the heights of ecstasy to the depths of despair like a broken lift.

An extraordinary sight ought to have been awaiting him. A scene where Jouslain was brought to trial as a criminal, to be judged by Idris, something that would have been unimaginable a mere month ago. However, that vision receded into the distance, leaving Idris to face the reality of failure.

Would the Clanner despise Idris as an incompetent? Idris gripped his military cap tightly but barely managed to restrain himself before slamming it against the floor. If he were deemed not only incompetent but also lacking in self-control, there would be no hope of gaining the Clanner’s trust. Clenching the cap in his hand, Idris glared around at the officers.

“Under no circumstances are you to let Lord Jouslain and Lord Ariabert regroup. Deploy troops along the planned route, and ensure that Lord Jouslain is arrested.”

“Yes!” the officers responded with salutes, yet their expressions were far from “satisfied”. They were bewildered by the command to arrest Lord Jouslain, and the instruction to do so without killing him felt half-hearted. Should Lord Jouslain launch a unilateral counterattack, they faced the very real possibility of meeting their deaths with their hands tied.

The Tytanian officers were loyal to authority and orders, yet the sheer strangeness and inconsistency of the command itself were enough to leave them bewildered. That Jouslain, having just been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force and departed from Uraniborg, was now being denounced as an attempted assassin of the Clanner was not a circumstance that could be easily accepted. This suggested that Jouslain’s prior precautions had been effective. The officers could not help but suspect that some conspiracy lay hidden beneath the surface of these bizarre circumstances.

Idris went to the Clanner’s sickroom and, having no other choice, reported the situation. He and the Clanner were separated by a silk screen, which was studded with flecks of mica.

From beyond that screen, the voice of the Clanner, lying upon his bed, resonated heavily:

“If he escaped, it cannot be helped. Do not trouble yourself more than necessary and simply do as I say. It is your loyalty, Lord Idris, that I hold most dear.”

Idris felt relieved that he had not been met with a blast of criticism or a sharp reprimand. He ought to have scrutinised the Clanner’s words more closely. However, his relief had pushed suspicion aside, and he failed to realise that he had effectively become the Clanner’s mental slave and that the Clanner had stated as much explicitly.



Having managed to evade Idris’ pursuit for the time being, Jouslain moved away from Uraniborg, alternating between normal cruising and warp<ref name="ftn28">“Jump” (跳躍) is pronounced “warp”.</ref> jumps. What should have been a magnificent voyage of conquest had, by now, become a journey of flight.

“I shall reschedule all scheduled warp jumps.”

Edna explained in a rhythmic tone. Every route leading to the planet Bargash was registered with the Tytania Navigation Centre. If they were caught in a concentrated barrage the very moment they warped back into normal space, they would be destroyed without even the opportunity to strike back.

“I leave it to you, Captain.”

Jouslain played his part as the idle superior, the type who simply said, “Do as you see fit.” He was already burdened with a vast array of concepts and plans that required his thought. He had no time to waste on the level of scheming that Idris was likely to initiate.