Episode 60

Liza draped herself over Teiro, her weight heavy against him. Teiro, caught in a whirlwind of confusion and panic, decided the best course of action was to practically vacuum up the sweet floral aroma wafting from her hair.

"You really should be more aggressive, Teiro-san. If the EAP Alliance wins, a chunk of those route rights falls right into your lap, doesn't it?"

Liza peered up at him, her eyes searching his for a reaction. Teiro fought a losing battle against the goofy grin threatening to split his face as he felt her soft touch. "Well, I guess it’ll work out something like that?" he managed to stammer.

"But it’s not just 'mine,' it’s 'ours.' Until Dingo realizes we’re the ones pulling the strings, we’re keeping our direct dealings with the EAP under wraps. In the meantime, we get a local duty exemption and a ten-percent cut of the customs revenue. That income should be pooling up nicely as we speak."

"Is that going to the Corp? Or the Union?"

"The Union, obviously. While I was playing hooky, they were the ones keeping the lights on at headquarters, so—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Liza lunged at him, pulling him into a full-body embrace. Teiro wondered briefly if the laws of physics or common sense had been rewritten while he wasn't looking, but he decided to stop thinking and just enjoy the now-concentrated scent of Liza.

"Alright, alright, show’s over. It’s crowded in here, so scram," Marl snapped, looking like she’d just swallowed a lemon as she hauled Liza off him.

"Oh, my apologies," Liza chirped with a performative air of innocence, sliding back into her seat. Teiro felt a pang of disappointment, though a small, rational part of his brain was screaming in relief.

"New Route or not, we aren’t looking to start a crusade," Marl said, leaning forward with an intense glare. "Bella and her Mafia goons might be up for it, but our actual employees will lose their minds if we drag them into a shooting war."

"Of course, I understand, Marl-san," Liza replied smoothly. "But listening to the peanut gallery isn't always the best way to run a business, you know?"

"Hmph. Is that so? Tell me, have you actually counted how many of your employees are begging for a transfer from Speed Carrier to Rising Sun?"

"Wh—! W-What does that have to do with anything? We’re in the same Union, but that doesn't give you a license to critique my management style!"

"I’m not telling you how to live your life. I’m just saying, if you don't start treating your people like human beings, you’re going to regret it. Hard."

"...I’ll take that as 'constructive' feedback."

Both women were wearing smiles that didn't reach their eyes, radiating enough murderous intent to curdle milk. Teiro, feeling the invisible pressure of their silent war, decided to stick his neck out. "Can I jump in for a sec?"

"We’re probably going to have a massive scrap with Dingo anyway."

At Teiro’s declaration, Liza puffed out her chest with a triumphant snort. Marl’s cheek twitched as she shot Liza a side-eye that could freeze a sun.

"And what’s that supposed to mean? You’re the one who said you wouldn't go looking for a fight."

Marl’s gaze turned icy. Teiro felt like a giant hand was squeezing his heart, but he pushed through the fear. "N-No, it’s not like that."

"The point is, Dingo is almost certainly going to invade Alpha. At least, that’s what I’d do if I were him. Honestly, he doesn't have much of a choice."

Marl tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean?" Liza also leaned in, her playful demeanor replaced by a sharp, calculating stare.

"It’s basic geography. Dingo is currently the meat in a power-player sandwich. He doesn't want to fight a two-front war, so he’s going to try and shut down any potential headaches before they blow up in his face."

"Two fronts? Who else is he fighting besides the EAP Alliance?" Marl pressed, leaning into his personal space as if demanding a confession.

Teiro held up a single finger. "The Empire."

"The Empire? As in the Imperial Military? Why? This is outer space! Dingo hasn't done anything to piss off the feds lately."

"Hmm, remember when I was on the comms with him? The guy literally shouted at me, 'Do you think a dog of the Empire is allowed to act like a petty thief?'"

Marl blinked, the gears finally turning in her head.

"Wait... does he think we’re Imperial agents or something?"

"Yeah, most likely. Think about it. We cruised straight through Dingo’s backyard to get to EAP Alliance Territory, right? He had that mysterious cargo—whatever the hell it was—and we saw it. Why let us live?"

"That’s... true. If we witnessed a secret deal, he’d usually have us vaporized just to be safe."

"Exactly. He only left us alone because he was terrified of the Empire coming down on him like a ton of bricks."

Teiro and Marl shared a nod of mutual realization. Liza, feeling left out of the loop, looked a bit miffed. "Excuse me, if I may."

"I’ve read your reports, so I follow the logic. But how does that lead to him attacking the Alpha Star System?"

Teiro turned to her.

"A blockade, Liza. A total blockade. Think about the EAP Stargate—he didn't capture it; he trashed it. Stargates are obscenely expensive. Normally, you’d loot it or scrap it for parts, but he just blew it up."

Liza gave a slow, understanding nod.

"So he’s betting on the fact that the Empire hates sending the fleet to the sticks? Especially now that the neural net is shredded. Dingo hid the beacons, meaning the only way into White Dingo Territory is through the New Route from Alpha..."

"Exactly," Marl added. "If you don't use the New Route, you have to take the long way around the back of the Alliance. Lin said that trip takes nearly three months. There’s no way the Military would bother with that."

"Bingo. And Dingo isn't stupid; he’s going to notice the EAP getting reinforced way too fast. Give it a month or two, and he’ll sniff out the New Route. He’ll assume the Empire is using it to funnel supplies. If he does nothing, he loses to the EAP. If the Empire actually shows up, he’s dead. He’s cornered."

"He might try to seize the route, but that's a band-aid," Marl mused. "They'd just find another way. It won't stop the Empire."

"...So he’ll strike at the source. I see. If that's his play, then his next move is obvious."

Liza scowled, her brow furrowing. Teiro nodded and tapped his fingers on the desk.

"He’s going to blow the Stargate at Alpha Station. If he’s convinced the Empire won't send an expeditionary force, he won't care if it's a First-class station or not. And you guys know the kicker, right? 'Alpha has no Agricultural Stations.' If he cuts them off, it’s total starvation or total submission."

A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the reception room.

"Hey, Teiro... doesn't that make this kind of our fault?"

"I mean, maybe? But if we let the EAP Alliance get wiped out, Dingo just gets bigger and meaner before eventually coming for us anyway. I’m sure some people wouldn't mind living under his thumb, but I doubt it’s a long list. The guy executes people for fun."

"I guess..." Marl sighed, her shoulders dropping as she resigned herself to the inevitable. "We’ll just have to give it everything we've got."

A month had crawled by since the war with the EAP Alliance kicked off. Dingo was satisfied with his progress, but a nagging doubt was eating at him. The EAP was being way too stubborn.

"Something's wrong... that rat wouldn't lie to my face. There’s a leak in the bucket somewhere."

It was exactly what the TRB Union had feared. Dingo was smarter than they gave him credit for, and he’d already smelled a rat in his blockade.

His suspicions had started during the "peace" negotiations, right after he’d mauled the EAP fleet. The EAP shouldn't have had any fight left in them. They had no standing fleet to speak of and no way to resupply after three months of being cut off from the world.

"Spare me the jokes, Ding the Dingo. We will never yield to a thug like you. We are ready for war."

The EAP representative had spat those words in his face. Dingo had demanded an astronomical ransom, never expecting them to pay, but he hadn't expected that tone. They weren't begging; they were daring him to try. He’d been pissed, sure, but more than that, he was curious.

"Is it possible they found a back door through the California Star System?" one of his subordinates asked from the bridge of the destroyer.

Dingo dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. "Don't be stupid."

"Who’s going to take a three-month detour through an old Imperial scrap yard? That place is crawling with more WIND than you can count. No, if there’s a leak..."

Dingo trailed off, pointing a jagged finger at the star chart on his monitor.

"It has to be a direct line from Alpha. It burns my hide to say it, but the EAP is skimming right past my borders to move their freight."

"But sir—"

"Shut up with the 'buts'!" Dingo roared, kicking his desk with enough force to dent the metal. "You’re going to tell me the neural net is dark over there? No kidding, Sherlock! I’m the one who jammed it! Now, did you look into that Antique Ship or not?"

The subordinate looked at his boots, silent.

"Unbelievable. Am I surrounded by nothing but morons? Listen up, you low-IQ bastard. That ship belongs to the Rising Sun, part of the TRB Union. The big boss is some guy named Teiro Ichijo. Probably the punk I talked to on the radio. The specs match the data on the network. He’s just a kid."

Dingo thought back to his conversation with the pilot of the "Antique Ship," trying to keep his blood from boiling over.

"They’ve been around less than a year, but they’ve already got over two hundred people. They aren't public, so I can't see their books, but they’re a transport outfit that specializes in heavy escort. They set up shop right before the WIND started acting up. You ever hear of a business model like that back then? I didn't. This kid knew something was coming."

Dingo pulled a Pulse Chip from his pocket and crushed it into dust. It contained everything he knew about Rising Sun. He didn't need the digital copy anymore; it was burned into his brain.

"Word on the street is they specialize in 'unknown routes' using armed-to-the-teeth ships. Gee, does that sound familiar to anyone else?"

Dingo stood up, pacing toward the holographic battle map in the center of the Control Room.

"The EAP isn't strong enough for a real fight yet... Gather the fleet. We’re going to comb every square inch of the Alpha sector until we find that hole."