Tytania:Volume 2 Chapter 3

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Chapter 3 – Sparks

I

The news of Fan Hyulick’s arrest and detention reached Uraniborg on the 10^th of September, and the first to receive it was Viscount Balamy Tytania.

In his capacity as senior aide-de-camp, he immediately relayed the news to his superior, Duke Jouslain Tytania. Or at least he should have, however, by the time he delivered his report, Jouslain was already aware of the matter.

“It appears that Admiral Hyulick has been seized by the collar by Lord Zarlisch’s massive hand.”

Realising he had been beaten to it, a faint disappointment flitted across Balamy’s eyes.

“How did you learn about that?”

“Lord Zarlisch has directly contacted His Clanner Highness.”

A reaffirmation of ownership, perhaps? surmised Jouslain with a touch of sarcasm. He had no small amount of interest in the matter, but for the time being, he had neither reason nor grounds to intervene. Residing in Uraniborg, he was kept busy with his duties as a statesman.

Between August and September of that year, Duke Jouslain Tytania, a member of Tytania’s Five Families, had interfered in the domestic affairs and personnel matters of eight nations, handling every one of them successfully. These matters—ranging from the determination of heirs to the throne to the legal resolution of the ownership of mining planets—involved a tangled web of conflicting interests and claims, much like the threads spun by a clumsy spider. Jouslain’s reputation soared as he brought them to a clear and decisive conclusion.

“Ultimately, it is all backed by power. It is not worthy to be called ‘diplomacy’ or ‘political manoeuvring’.”

Although Jouslain himself held this view, there was no need for him to reject the trust and goodwill placed in him. Since he could not withdraw from the world entirely, he should not shy away from having his reputation grow and his position strengthened, both within and beyond Tytania. As his senior aide-de-camp, Balamy had contributed to some extent to Jouslain’s achievements.

“Is it conceivable that Duke Zarlisch might exploit Fan Hyulick’s situation for political gain?”

The question asked by Balamy made Jouslain tilt his head slightly. Zarlisch was, after all, a man of arms through and through, and seemed far removed from political manoeuvring. Of course, at the same time, Zarlisch was no saint and could hardly be entirely indifferent to his own rights and interests.

“It is certainly possible that Duke Zarlisch might use the achievement of arresting Fan Hyulick to strengthen his political position.”

That said, from Zarlisch’s perspective, taking Fan Hyulick prisoner would likely be a matter of little consequence. It was possible that he might prioritise personal vengeance over his own interests.

Even so, was Fan Hyulick the sort of man who would allow his future to be sealed simply by falling into Tytania’s hands? On that point, Jouslain harboured a subtle mix of doubt and hope. After all, Fan Hyulick had a track record of escaping from the clutches of Count Arses and evading Duke Idris’ traps. He might well manage to slip away from Duke Zarlisch’s powerful grasp as well. Sooner or later, Zarlisch would have to bring his precious prisoner to the planet Ryutehi, and it was unlikely that nothing would go amiss during the long journey from planet Bargash.

As it was time for lunch, Jouslain decided to invite Princess Lydia of the Kingdom of Elbing to join him at the table. When one spent his time in a world of political manoeuvring and stratagems, a world that was neither pure nor humane, a mental respite was absolutely essential.

The ten-year-old princess seemed to bring a breath of fresh air, filled with the scent of chlorophyll and ozone, into the stifled atmosphere of Uraniborg, and Jouslain openly favoured her. Lydia was now regarded as “Duke Jouslain Tytania’s protégée”, and was treated with far greater importance within Uraniborg than she was by her grandfather, the king, back in her homeland.

However, the girl herself seemed not to care in the least about the adults’ attitudes. She was neither haughty nor pretentious, but behaved naturally and freely. On this day too, delighted to be free from her fussy tutor, she was eating her meal cheerfully and happily. It was her guardian who was moved by a peculiar feeling, and Jouslain found himself asking the young girl a question in the form of a general observation. What would she do if someone tried to make someone else fail? Her reply was as follows:

“I don’t really understand that question, but if there are people who take pleasure in seeing others fail, they might as well make them fail with their own hands.”

It struck Jouslain that Princess Lydia’s remark contained a not insignificant hint of insight. Once Princess Lydia had finished her yoghurt milkshake for dessert and retired to her room, Jouslain turned to Balamy and asked what he thought of her opinion. The young viscount’s reply was decidedly curt:

“It’s just child’s talk. Hardly worth taking seriously, isn’t it?”

“But she hit the nail on the head.”

Jouslain sipped his coffee and lost himself in thought amidst the lingering traces of the aroma as it cooled and began to fade.

Jouslain now looked forward with anticipation to seeing just how much mental growth and intellectual maturity that young princess would achieve in ten years’ time. Whether she would become a beauty was a matter of debate, but she would surely become a person rich in vitality and charm, one who would make mere physical beauty seem meaningless. A person—yes, for the distinction between men and women was of no consequence.

Meanwhile, Balamy’s musings took the form of words:

“So, Duke Jouslain, is this your view? That someone envious of Duke Zarlisch’s achievements might dare to help Fan Hyulick escape?”

Although he did not mention any names, Balamy was implicitly referring to Duke Idris, whose prickly nature was all too evident. Of course, Jouslain understood this.

“No, there is surely no one in Tytania so foolish as to resort to such petty schemes. However, there is a very real danger that someone might emerge who seeks to harm Tytania while claiming to act in her name.”

What Jouslain had in mind was the possibility that Idris’ name might be exploited by anti-Tytania conspirators. Just as, the other day, the name of Marquis Estrade Tytania, the half-brother of Clanner Ajman, had nearly been exploited by them.

Marquis Estrade was also Balamy’s father, but in any case, from the perspective of the anti-Tytania faction, it was only natural that they would seek to sow division and conflict within the Tytania clan. They probe the extremely robust walls of Tytania, seeking to discover a vulnerable spot into which to drive a battering ram. The Marquis of Estrade met an untimely death before he could bring his far-reaching plan to seize power from his half-brother to fruition. Had that plan come to pass, it would have been the Marquis’ son who would have played the crucial role.

Sensing Jouslain’s gaze, or, more accurately, the direction of his thoughts, Balamy stiffened his expression and a part of his neural network. He had almost fully recovered mentally from the blow of his father’s sudden death. He had thrown himself into the purge of the anti-Tytania faction stirring within the Vardana court, forgetting to eat and sleep.

After wiping away his blood and tears, he had devoured thirty hours of deep sleep; by the time he rose from his bed, an entire season had passed in his mind. His father’s death had become a thing of the past. Had he become a cold-hearted man, no longer tormented by grief and regret? He had wondered as much, but it was surely far better than being trapped in fruitless remorse.

Intense work could sometimes have the effect of compressing time and making it pass more quickly in a person’s mind. Jouslain knew this. Therefore, he relayed Clanner Ajman’s instructions to Balamy verbatim, thereby imposing upon him a task that would normally have been an unpleasant duty.

To Balamy, Jouslain was a figure to be overthrown or to overcome. If Balamy wished to claim the throne of the Landless Clanner, he would have to surpass this elder cousin, who was nine years his senior.

Of course, there was also Ariabert, and figures such as Zarlisch and Idris who stood between Balamy and the Clanner’s throne. Yet even the late Marquis Estrade had regarded Jouslain as his primary concern. Although Jouslain had not yet reached the age of thirty, his words and actions gave the impression of a strangely profound insight. This was likely because he alone, situated at the very heart of Tytania, was able to relativise Tytania’s raison d’être in terms of both time and space. From a tactical standpoint, too, Balamy was keen to understand this.

That day, Jouslain’s first visitor of the afternoon was a woman. Judging by the stereoscopic photograph, she was a woman in her early twenties with platinum-blonde hair tinged with a faint bluish hue and aqua-blue eyes; although she had a strong jawline, she was clearly of above-average beauty. Her name was Countess Theodora Tytania. Or so she claimed. In truth, her use of this surname had not yet been officially recognised.

II

Ultimately, this too was the result of political manoeuvring and arrangements within the Tytania clan; however, the reason this woman, Theodora, had come to visit Jouslain was in connection with an inheritance dispute within a certain count’s family.

The name of the county was Tytania. This was a fact that bordered on the absurd. Anyone bearing the surname Tytania was invariably a noble holding a title of nobility. Be that as it may, the head of this county had died suddenly, and as there were no legitimate heirs under the law, the county and assets worth one billion dakar were left in limbo.

Legally speaking, there were six eligible heirs. Three illegitimate children, each with a different mother. Two nephews, and one niece. Legally, these six possessed almost equal rights to the inheritance. While the assets might have been divided into six equal shares, the title itself could not be divided. The Tytania clan could not expand without limit, and the surname Tytania had to remain rarer than jewels. And this visitor was, in fact, one of the deceased’s illegitimate children.

It was Francia, Jouslain’s lady-in-waiting, who had escorted this female visitor. She had just returned after seeing Princess Lydia off.

Francia too, was technically a member of the Tytania clan, albeit a distant one. That said, she belonged to the very lowest branch of the clan, and was probably some twenty generations removed from Jouslain. Her surname was not Tytania either. Its use had been restricted to her maternal grandfather and his descendants. Nevertheless, someone had introduced her on the grounds of her tenuous connection to the Tytania clan, and so Francia came to serve Jouslain. That was two years ago, and so far, this encounter has not brought any active misfortune to either party.

The woman did not so much as glance at Francia. With an air of natural superiority, she dismissed the noble lady-in-waiting as if she were of no consequence. She recognised only Jouslain as an equal; indeed, she likely did not even have Viscount Balamy in her sights.

“It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Duke Jouslain” she greeted in the customary manner.

Jouslain was an ordinary man; consequently, when he saw a beautiful woman, he generally felt a certain fondness, but this was purely as an object of admiration. Any personal likes or dislikes, or feelings of respect or contempt, came only after the act of admiration has concluded. In such situations, the woman in question was also well aware of how to use her beauty as an effective diplomatic weapon; therefore, even if it was merely a thin layer of skin covering the skull, it could not be overlooked as a preliminary skirmish in negotiations or dialogue. Of course, there were countless exceptions. Princess Lydia of the Kingdom of Elbing, for instance, had shattered the psychological barriers that Jouslain had built up layer upon layer as though they were mere tissue paper.

Although Countess Theodora Tytania did not offer a particularly outlandish greeting, she was by no means a woman who could be dismissed as ordinary. In her gaze, Jouslain sensed a defiant attitude and a keen capacity for rapid calculation.

“Please make yourself at home, Milady. I shall have some coffee brought round shortly.”

Jouslain’s manners towards women, while technically polite, were not particularly refined. The same could be said of his appearance; it was difficult to discern his true character from his manners.

After two or three exchanges of the sort that one might find in a manual of upper-class etiquette, all rather bland and unremarkable, the visitor got down to business. As Jouslain had already anticipated, the visitor had come to ask for his support regarding the matter of the count’s inheritance. She explained that she had initially sought the Duke Idris’ assistance, but as he had failed to meet her expectations, she had decided to turn to the Duke Jouslain instead.

“Did Lord Idris refuse to help?”

It was a natural question, but the lady replied with a hint of displeasure, raising her eyebrows slightly.

“Lord Idris demanded my body.”

How blunt, thought Jouslain. Both towards Idris and towards her. As the lady fell silent, Jouslain felt compelled to say something.

“I see. You are indeed beautiful. Lord Idris’ instincts as a man must have been aroused. He is, after all, a young and energetic man.”

The lady was not satisfied with that response.

“Is that all?”

“What do you mean?”

“Lord Jouslain, I had expected you to react quite differently.”

“Were you expecting me to say that Lord Idris is despicable?”

A flicker of sarcasm passed through Jouslain’s eyes. In his psyche, magnanimity and cantankerousness coexisted. When goodwill or kindness were demanded of him from the outset, his brain waves seemed to gravitate towards a response pattern labelled “loss of interest”. Of course, Jouslain did not believe that Idris had acted with noble intentions, but he didn’t either believe that Idris was under any obligation to assist Theodora without compensation.

After all, when a young and thoroughly beautiful woman sought the cooperation of a man of her own age, was it likely that she would fail to factor in her own attractiveness to the opposite sex? Presumably, she must have gone so far as to hint at the possibility of entrusting her body and soul to Idris in the future. And for his part, Idris must surely have felt little resistance to transposing that future into the present.

“Should I have complied with Lord Idris’ demands?”

“That would depend on your own values, I suppose.”

“Values?”

“Indeed. It comes down to how much value you place on the surname Tytania and the lineage of the count’s family. If you consider what Lord Idris asked of you to be unreasonable or excessive, then you ought to refuse. As for me, I cannot say any more than that.”

Though his tone was gentle, his words clearly disappointed the beautiful visitor.

“So are you saying that Lord Idris’ demands are justified?”

“I am not saying that, Milady. I do not for a moment believe that the way things are in Tytania constitutes equality between men and women, nor do I believe that the current state of affairs is right. However, if you wish to attain status and privilege within Tytania, I feel that a commensurate price must be paid.”

Jouslain fell silent. He was no romanticist, so he did not delude himself into believing that the arguments of a young, beautiful woman were any more valid than those of a rival. Informal visits and requests made prior to formal mediation or arbitration tended, rather, to arouse suspicion in the opposite direction.

A brief silence prompted Jouslain to speak once more.

“Milady, Tytania is neither a champion of justice nor a knight of humanity. Otherwise, she would neither monopolise power within her clan nor eliminate her opponents by force. I’m afraid Tytania is the very epitome of worldliness.”

If she were to use her beauty and physique as weapons to manipulate the men of Tytania, he would have no objection whatsoever. Men who would allow themselves to be manipulated are those at fault. Furthermore, it was perfectly acceptable for those who rejected Tytania’s order and all that is Tytania-like to openly raise the banner of rebellion and oppose her with their own strength. Conspiracies and stratagems were all well and good. Provided they were carried out by one’s own power. Tytania paid respects to strength. A thief is respected, while a beggar is despised. Jouslain believed this to be the sole virtue of Tytania’s ethos.

“I heard that Lord Jouslain provided protection to the Princess of the Kingdom of Elbing without seeking payment. Does that not contradict your own principles?”

“I too, Milady, am prone to a whim or two from time to time.”

“Would you not indulge in a whim for my sake, Duke Jouslain?”

It would have been a sweet temptation, but Jouslain was not moved. He was not Idris.

“I’m afraid I have already exhausted my quota for the year. Besides, I cannot imagine you are the sort of lady who would seriously expect another man to act on a mere whim.”

Jouslain rose to his feet and courteously saw off the young woman who might well acquire the title of Countess Tytania in the near future. Just as the door was about to close, she looked him straight in the eye with a gaze so sharp it left a lasting impression on Jouslain, though it did not translate into any favour.

Have I made an enemy? wondered Jouslain as he returned to his desk, but at this stage, the outcome remained unclear.

Shaking his head slightly, Jouslain pressed the intercom button to summon his senior aide-de-camp. When Viscount Balamy appeared, suppressing any sign of curiosity, Jouslain gave his orders.

“Send a message to Lord Zarlisch expressing my congratulations. A standard formula will suffice. And please add just one line. ‘Please be wary of any schemes to rescue him’.”

“Will that suffice?”

In response to Balamy’s confirmation, Jouslain nodded with an expression that was little more than a smile. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing more he could do, nor anything else he needed to do. How Zarlisch would interpret Jouslain’s warning was a matter for Zarlisch’s own mind, and something Jouslain had no need to concern himself with.

III

Ever since Mr Fan Hyulick, that cosmos-wandering ill-fated hero, had been seized by Zarlisch Tytania, plans to rescue him had been drawn up at a pace that could well be described as subsonic. Within an hour of Miranda having escaped from the horde in grey suits and reaching the Honest Old Man, Doctor Lee’s plan had taken shape.

By any measure, Doctor Lee must surely be a more astute strategist than Zarlisch. He decided to follow the orthodox path of stratagems. First and foremost, he would create an enemy within the enemy’s ranks. However much Tytania prided herself on her unity, she could never be a completely monolithic entity. Otherwise, she would not be a normal human collective. There must inevitably be weak molecular bonds amongst the elements comprising the group.

Thus, the figure Doctor Lee chose was Idris; yet this selection had already been foreseen in Uraniborg, separated by thousands of light-years. Nevertheless, as this insight had not yet translated into action, Doctor Lee was able to proceed with confidence. He did not unduly underestimate the central nervous system of Tytania, but he knew that dinosaurs had perished precisely because of their immense size.

While those opposed to Tytania were forced to endure hardship and struggle, for ordinary citizens, matters of cosmic hegemony or the survival of national sovereignty were of no concern. The feuds and conflicts between Tytania and the Vardana Imperial House were nothing more than distant, ethereal disputes; as long as they lived in peace and had enough to eat, that was sufficient. It would be harsh to call that trivial. Was it really the case that, before Tytania’s system of rule was established, all of them were happier and more content? Was it not rather an era of inequality and disorder masquerading as freedom?

And it was precisely this passive conservatism that was a major factor in ensuring the stability of Tytania’s rule. Since ancient times, there had been a rule of governance known as “bread and circuses”. “Bread” signified stability of livelihood, while “circuses” signified entertainment. As long as the people were provided with bread and circuses, they remained content and would lose the will to criticise those in power or seek political reform. Since they were satisfied with the status quo, it was only natural that they should think, “What if things were to become worse than they are now?”, and wish to protect their present modest happiness.

When such a mindset became the unconscious current of thought within society, a somewhat peculiar situation arose. The pattern was that royalty and nobility of various nations harboured a deep hatred for Tytania because of the power and privileges they had lost, while the common folk who never possessed such things to begin with, were, for the time being, content with the order established under Tytania’s rule. Of course, Tytania’s hegemony had demanded enormous sacrifices. Yet the human imagination tends not to grapple with such sacrifices unless it is one’s own turn to suffer.

However grand the vision, however self-serving the motives, those aboard the Honest Old Man had no choice but to rescue Fan Hyulick. That tall carrot-coloured hair and a neckerchief young man was the very embodiment of their future. They were open enemies of Tytania, thus a minority in the current cosmos.

Even as a minority, they could not simply resign themselves to remaining so; they had to increase their numbers. The first step was to arrange a meeting between Fan Hyulick and Admiral Salam Amzekar. However, since the victor of the Battle of the Cerberus Sector had been captured by Tytania, the summit of the century was postponed indefinitely.

The news of Fan Hyulick’s capture etched a line of disappointment across Amzekar’s stern brow, though it did not last long. With no country to return to, and unable to turn back the hands of time at this late stage, all he could do was make the following proposal:

“If there’s a plan to rescue Fan Hyulick, count me in. I’d like to make those Tytanian foam at the mouth. However small the bubbles may be.”

“Very well, we’d certainly appreciate your help. It will be a somewhat awkward first meeting for Fan Hyulick, but that’s precisely why it’s bound to leave a lasting impression.”

Doctor Lee replied in this manner and welcomed Amzekar into their group. He was not as detached as he appeared; deep down, he felt that matters needed to be dealt with urgently.

There was no chance that Zarlisch Tytania would release Fan Hyulick alive; if that magnificent, bearded giant were to achieve his objective, a great possibility for history would be lost. Consequently, Doctor Lee would lose valuable material for academic research forever. This was a source of deep distress, and it would mean he, too, would lose his future. To prevent this, he had to exercise his omniscience and omnipotence. What he explained to his comrades was not the full picture of the plan, but a part of it was to issue a warning to Zarlisch Tytania in the name of the Blaze Flag Army.

“But if Zarlisch Tytania receives a warning from the Blaze Flag Army, won’t he be extremely wary? He might change his original plans, and even if he doesn’t go that far, his vigilance will be heightened and our opportunities may diminish.”

Amzekar put forward this opinion.

“Do you think Zarlisch fears the Blaze Flag Army in its current state? Absolutely not. Why should a lion fear lice?”

Doctor Lee employed a scathing metaphor.

“Duke Zarlisch would never change his original plans. To do so would be to deny his very character and raison d’être. Should he be informed of an attack by the Blaze Flag Army, he would simply stroke his massive arm and lie in wait. And that, precisely, is where a weaker foe can find an opening.”

If it were possible to set up a bold, head-on formation and crush Tytania’s army through skilful tactics, Doctor Lee would, of course, do so. However, as the physical conditions for doing so are not in place, he has no choice but to resort to stratagems.

Consequently, Doctor Lee decided to resort to stratagems, though, in his case, it could not be ruled out that he might employ such stratagems only after having prepared for a head-on battle. Yet, whatever the future might hold, it was certain that, at this very moment, there was no means of rescue other than stratagems.

“If humankind had fought honourably from the very beginning of its existence, it would have perished long ago,” said Doctor Lee.

These hairless apes, possessing neither the massive frame of an elephant, nor the claws of a tiger, nor the fangs of a wolf, had no choice but to fight the wild beasts with a single weapon. That single weapon was their cunning.

IV

Just as Duke Zarlisch Tytania was making preparations to depart from Planet Bargash to escort Fan Hyulick, a communication disc was delivered to the hotel where he was staying. The sender was listed as the Blaze Flag Army, and the message, delivered in a neutral, mechanical voice, was as follows:

“To Zarlisch Tytania. Admiral Fan Hyulick, whom you have unjustly and unlawfully detained, is our guest and a valuable asset of ours. We therefore make the following demand: you shall release him immediately. Should you fail to do so, you shall never make it back to Uraniborg, Tytania’s stronghold.”

This message made Zarlisch chuckle. He was never a man to yield to threats, but this was simply laughable.

“What a bunch of rats. To threaten me, Zarlisch Tytania? Did their nerve fibres burn out? But still, it is quite amusing. If they can manage even a tenth of what they claim to accomplish, that would be quite something. I suppose I shall make this a topic of conversation over a drink.”

“There is a hideout in the city belonging to a group calling themselves the Blaze Flag Army. Shall I have them raided?”

The question came from his aide-de-camp, Commander Granite. Zarlisch, who was naturally of a bellicose disposition, was tempted to act, but he restrained himself. Planet Bargash was not Tytania’s private territory, but a sovereign state in its own right, so he wished to avoid trouble if at all possible. Donald Farah, who had distinguished himself in the capture of Fan Hyulick, had submitted a petition to that effect.

As far as Farah was concerned, any situation that led to open conflict with the Bargash government would hinder his future work. Even Tytania could not rule the cosmos through force and violence alone. While it was easy for Tytania to resolve disputes by force, in any organisation, those who created unnecessary trouble were not regarded as capable or promising. Zarlisch decided to summon Farah to the hotel to hear the details of his account.

Donald Farah’s account was unexpected. To sum it up, the Blaze Flag Army had split internally, and a faction had emerged seeking to submit to Tytania. This faction had approached Duke Zarlisch to offer its services.

Zarlisch scoffed.

“Do they really think Tytania needs the assistance of the likes of the Blaze Flag Army? They ought to tone down their attempts to sell themselves yourselves short.”

“With all due respect, Your Grace,” countered respectfully Farah, yet without a trace of flattery, “it is common knowledge throughout the universe that the Blaze Flag Army has been engaged in relentless rebellion against Tytania. Should even a fraction of the Blaze Flag Army submit, the entire universe will once again be awestruck by Tytania’s might. Do you not agree?”

“Hum…”

“Moreover, this time it would be even without a fight. Duke Zarlisch, I believe a man with the political acumen to subdue the Blaze Flag Army in both combat and diplomacy would surely receive the recognition he deserves.”

The expression “political acumen” struck a chord with Zarlisch. He wished to become the supreme commander of all Tytania, and his military exploits were beyond reproach. However, a weakness that both he and others could not help but acknowledge was his lack of experience and achievements in politics and diplomacy.

In that respect, he was at a marked disadvantage compared to Ariabert and Jouslain. If a portion of the Blaze Flag Army were to surrender without bloodshed, it would be a major coup. Yet Zarlisch’s reply to Farah was as follows:

“Tell those who claim to be seeking to surrender the following: if they are truly intent on swearing allegiance to Tytania, they must bring me the corpses of ten influential figures from the opposing faction. Make sure you convey that message accurately.”

“So they must not be kept alive?”

“That Fan Hyulick must be delivered alive to my mother, but there’s no need to keep alive the rest of the rabble. If these so-called surrender advocates refuse to accept these terms, I’ll simply crush them all.”

Farah attempted to raise a further objection but gave up and bowed in silence. Zarlisch was no soft-hearted man; his reaction should be interpreted as stemming from his heroic spirit. Farah was not Zarlisch’s personal retainer, and he had no obligation to offer any stronger advice.

“All in all, his reaction was within expectations. We shall proceed with the original plan as is.”

Having learnt of Zarlisch Tytania’s reaction, Doctor Lee informed his comrades aboard the ‘Honest Old Man’.

He had learnt of Zarlisch’s reaction through Donald Farah. Of course, Farah had not become one of Doctor Lee’s accomplices; rather, he had been lured into the scheme with the prospect of the Blaze Flag Army’s surrender as bait. Doctor Lee’s network of contacts extended far and wide, with its tentacles reaching into Tytanian subordinate organisations and regional bodies.

“Zarlisch has demanded the heads of the Blaze Flag Army’s senior officers. It may seem crude, but it is, in fact, a demand that should not be taken lightly.”

“Wasn’t that all part of your plan from the start, Doctor Lee?”

When Miranda confirmed this in the form of a question, the pirate who had almost become a professor briefly let a mischievous glint flicker in his eyes, but quickly suppressed it. He cleared his throat and looked up at the ceiling. Captain Casimir wore a warm smile, as if looking at a younger brother who wouldn’t listen to reason.

Lee changed the subject.

“Well then, next up is the Blaze Flag Army. Since we’ve borrowed their name, we ought to pay them a courtesy call, at the very least.”

Although there were no neon signs, there were several open hideouts of the Blaze Flag Army on planet Bargash. Doctor Lee, though a maverick and a pariah, was undoubtedly still a senior member of the Blaze Flag Army. He was entitled to attend executive meetings and had the right to convene them.

Doctor Lee exercised his legitimate rights and immediately issued invitations to the sixty-five senior members. In more ways than one, he needed to ensure that all formalities were observed.

After issuing instructions to Miranda, Captain Casimir, Mahdi, Pagès, Walenkov and Amzekar respectively, Doctor Lee himself set off for one of the Blaze Flag Army’s hideouts. It was a club situated in a corner of the bustling commercial district, a three-minute walk from the red-light district Latour. A hideout in the middle of nowhere would be inconvenient to get to and leave one vulnerable to unrestrained attacks from adversaries. Such a place was nothing but foolish.

“Doctor Lee’s remarks are correct but lack persuasiveness” was an assessment that these men in question could not help but acknowledge.

Ultimately, his talents and vision found no outlet within the Blaze Flag Army, and Doctor Lee turned his back on the organisation.

From the Blaze Flag Army’s perspective, they considered it “a blessing to have been abandoned by such a guy”, yet, regrettably, the prodigal son who was supposed to have run away from home had returned. This exceptionally clever but sharp-tongued rover had not returned home repentant of his past misdeeds, but had come to threaten his family with a bomb.

Twenty senior members of the Blaze Flag faction had gathered in response to Doctor Lee’s invitation. This meant that forty-five of the invitations had been ignored. Even the twenty who had attended had done so reluctantly. It would be fair to say they were merely honouring a duty to Doctor Lee’s late uncle.

That sense of duty, however, was blown a hundred light-years away the moment they stood before Doctor Lee in person and heard him speak. After greeting those present and offering them drinks, Doctor Lee delivered a fiery, inflammatory speech, arguing that the Blaze Flag Army should be rallied to oppose Tytania with all its might.

When the assembled company, appalled by the radicalism and impracticality of his proposal, expressed their refusal, Lee’s expression grew stern. It was an abrupt change, as if boiling water had cooled and turned to ice in the space of two moments.

“I see. So none of you will respond, then? Well, I suppose there is no choice. To uphold the honour of the Blaze Flag Army, I shall resort to a final measure.”

“What do you mean…”

“A name as noble as the Blaze Flag Army is unworthy of you lot. To fear the military might of Tytania at such a late stage and forget your original resolve to resist is a shameful act of conformism. I hereby strip you all of the name ‘Blaze Flag Army’.”

The group, who had been staring at Doctor Lee in a daze, burst into roars of laughter the moment the shock wore off.

The male chorus of laughter continued for a good five movements, and just as it was beginning to fade from forte to piano, Doctor Lee’s calm voice, unshaken even by the mockery, rained down upon them.

“It seems people cannot laugh at a poor joke, but they can laugh at a nasty truth. Well, it’s better than having you cry, so I shall gratefully accept your reaction. We’ve all worked hard today. I think we’ll call it a day.”

The group exchanged glances, their faces too exhausted from laughter to form any expression, before looking away. Doctor’s retreating figure was obscured by the door as he prepared to leave.

And so, Doctor Lee cast aside any sense of duty or deference towards the Blaze Flag Army, flinging it far beyond the Andromeda Nebula, and the anti-Tytania faction’s operation to rescue Fan Hyulick was set in motion.

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