The Art of the Political Engagement

[SYSTEM: DOCKING APPROACH REQUESTED – BLOCK B, SIZE 2]

[SYSTEM: BULKHEAD DEPLOYMENT – BLOCK B, SECTIONS 3 & 4]

Under Taro’s direction, the outer hull of the Battleship Plum groaned as it split open like a giant, metal maw. Once the opening was wide enough to swallow a small moon, a boxy Block Module Container detached from a nearby transport ship. The relative velocities had been crunched to the decimal point; the module drifted into the Plum’s gut as smoothly as a lozenge down a throat.

[SYSTEM: DOCKING COMPLETE – BLOCK B]

Up on the Bridge, Taro finished wrestling with the BISHOP interface. He confirmed the module was locked in, yanked off his headset, and decided to check out the new addition to the residential block. As he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of a vibrant, crimson Warship cruising alongside them through the reinforced glass.

"Talk about an eyesore," Taro muttered. "I heard that paint job wasn't even a choice."

"Flashy, isn't it?" Marl’s voice drifted from behind him. She was staring out the window, too.

"Is it some kind of 'look at me, I'm important' thing?" Taro asked.

"Not exactly." Marl made a face as she searched her memory. "I think it’s called T22 Coating. It’s a new Polarized Paint Takasaki developed."

"Polarized Paint? Like the stuff on Stealth Ships?"

"Basically. But while most of those are for dodging radar, Takasaki’s version is for Beam polarization. They claim it diffuses five percent of incoming Beams when it's fresh, and two percent even when it's beat to hell. If those numbers are real, it’s a game-changer."

Taro’s eyes went wide. "No way. Maybe I should get the Plum a coat."

"The maintenance costs are astronomical. Also, the Plum would be bright red."

Great, a giant flying tomato that costs a fortune to buff. "Never mind the color—I hate high costs. This ship already bleeds money, and it’s not exactly built for freight."

The pair exited the Bridge, swept up Alan as he emerged from the secondary Bridge, and marched toward the residential block. They stepped onto the High-speed Moving Lane, whistling through thick bulkheads until they reached the massive circular salon. The walls were lined with doors at regular intervals, including the entrances to their own private quarters.

"Ah, Son-in-law! Long time no see! You’re looking as sturdy as a mountain! Marvelous!"

Sakura, who had been lounging on a salon sofa like she owned the place, sprang to her feet. She shot a sharp look at the six starchy suits surrounding her—presumably the big wigs from the Takasaki RS Branch—and they immediately dropped into synchronized, elegant bows.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks for the... formal welcome. You’re looking energetic as ever, Sakura."

Taro took her hand and gave it a firm shake. Following her lead, he moved down the line, shaking hands with the six executives who looked like they’d been carved out of granite.

"Sakura, are you still doing the 'Son-in-law' bit?" Marl marched up, looking annoyed. "That’s nothing but a deluded fanta—"

"Oh! A pleasure to meet you!" one of the executives barked, cutting Marl off with a blinding smile. "The legendary Marl! Your reputation precedes you! We are but humble novices in your presence!"

Marl froze, her rant dying in her throat as the executives swarmed her with flowery praise. Taro watched out of the corner of his eye, suppressing a smirk as Marl struggled to process the sudden ego-stroking.

"Anyway," Taro said, turning back to the new room. "I approved the docking request because you asked, but what kind of module is this actually?"

He gestured toward one of the newly installed doors, its security override light blinking green.

"Oh, that?" Sakura said with a dismissive wave. "That’s my bedroom. I figured I’d be crashing here for a while."

"Ah, right. Sakura’s bedroom... wait, like hell you are!" Taro swung his hand in a perfect slapstick arc, popping Sakura on the shoulder.

Sakura just let out a booming, "Hahahaha!"

"You really are a riot, Son-in-law! That was a classic straight-man routine, wasn't it? See? I’ve been studying! I watched a ton of Video Chips back in the Yuwashock Star System."

Yuwashock? Is that the star system where the sky falls because of 'love' or something? "That’s not... wait, what kind of studying are you even doing? Are you actually moving in? Why?! What’s the point?"

"The point? We’re betrothed! It would be weirder if we weren't close by. No need to be shy."

"No, no, no! Absolutely not! No!" Taro waved his hands frantically, his face twitching.

Sakura watched him with a mischievous smirk for a few seconds, then her expression went flat. She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Look, just treat this as a performance for the public. We’ll have a proper business meeting later to hash out the details. Trust me, you’re going to like the terms."

She flashed him a brilliant, predatory smile. Taro gave her a look that screamed I don't believe you for a second, then shrugged and went to rescue Marl, who looked like she was about to drown in a sea of corporate compliments.

"I don't trust this. Not one bit." Marl had her arms crossed, her cheeks puffed out as they walked down the hall. Behind them, Sakura was poking at everything she saw with wide-eyed curiosity while Koume patiently explained the ship's functions.

"She did say we don't actually have to get married," Taro pointed out, trying to stay optimistic. "Wasn't that in the contract?"

Taro ran through the points of the agreement they’d just signed between Rising Sun and the Takasaki RS Branch. Pretty sure it was just a PR stunt.

"Please," Marl huffed. "She’s absolutely looking for an opening to claim you. Did you see her makeup? It was 'war paint' levels of effort. And that dress! Who wears a formal gown to a meeting on a Warship? Usually, it’s a flight suit or nothing. She’s gunning for you, Taro."

"I... I guess? I don't really notice that stuff. But hey, having our debt wiped clean is a massive win."

"Sure, but it’s not like we couldn't pay it back eventually. Now that we actually have a path to solvency, she’s just playing her card before its value hits zero."

"Ah, that makes sense... Wait, yeah, that’s totally what she’s doing."

Back during the Enzio Campaign, Taro had dug himself into a mountain of debt with the EAP and Little Tokyo. He’d cleared those by taking a massive loan from Takasaki, but he hadn't even started chipping away at the principal. Between that and the war reparations he’d inherited along with the Alliance, they’d been one bad day away from total bankruptcy.

But then came Planet Nuke. The sheer amount of wealth pouring out of that rock had flipped the script. Rising Sun’s cash flow was finally looking healthy, and the Takasaki repayment schedule was just about to kick in.

"Securing credit through a fake engagement..." Taro groaned, looking at the ceiling. "What is this, the Middle Ages?"

The deal Takasaki had pitched was simple: they wanted Rising Sun to back the Takasaki RS Branch’s entry into the RS Alliance Assembly. In exchange, Takasaki would tear up the debt notes they held against Taro’s company. The "engagement" was just the flashy PR wrapper to justify why the Alliance Top was suddenly playing favorites with a newcomer.

Normally, a company would spend months on market research before a move like this, but Takasaki was in a hurry. They needed a foothold now, and they’d decided that bribing the boss was the fastest way in. Taro’s debt was a huge sum, but as Marl noted, it was better for Takasaki to use it as a political lever than to just wait for the cash.

"I don't know when your 'Middle Ages' were," Marl said, "but political marriages and family-run cartels are still the bread and butter of modern society. The Empire has its nobles, and Gigantech Corp Group is basically one giant, over-budget family reunion."

"Joy," Taro sighed. "Think the Assembly is going to kick up a fuss about Takasaki joining?"

"Hard to say. The Takasaki name carries weight; the market will love the stability. The Assembly will probably split—companies that don't do shipbuilding will hate it because it dilutes their voting power."

"Of course it will. Which means I’m going to have to spend the next month sucking up to people and greasing wheels. I hate owing favors... God, this is how the web gets you, isn't it?"

Taro stared into the middle distance, already exhausted by the thought of how many people he was going to have to bow to in the coming weeks.

The group reached the common room to finalize the living arrangements. If Sakura was going to be a permanent fixture on the Plum, she needed to know the rules. This was a combat vessel, not a cruise ship, and she was technically an outsider.

"I’m sure I’ll be a handful, but I’m looking forward to it!" Sakura beamed, chest puffed out with pride. She spotted Etta nearby, scooped the girl up with both hands, and started spinning her around in circles. "I’ve always loved kids!"

Sakura probably thought she was being playful, but Etta was currently a whirlwind of confusion and motion sickness, throwing desperate Save Me looks at Taro.

Taro could only manage a weak, dry laugh. "Haha... yeah."

"Oh, that reminds me, Son-in-law! Let me prove I’m not just a pretty face and a pile of debt-relief forms."

Sakura set the dizzy Etta down on the sofa and fished something out of her bag. She dropped a handful of data chips into Taro’s palm.

"That’s detailed intel from inside the EAP. It wasn't exactly 'legal' to get, but let's just call it a bit of light espionage. I’ve scrubbed anything relating to Takasaki or our subsidiaries, obviously... but I believe you have a need for this?"

Sakura smirked. Taro stared at the chips, stunned by Takasaki’s Intelligence reach. How did she even know I was looking into this?

Regardless of the "how," he closed his hand around the chips, a surge of genuine gratitude washing over him. "Thanks, Sakura. This is exactly what I needed."