Chapter 75

Katsushika Station—a massive, modular behemoth drifting through the void.

It was essentially a collection of giant floating cubes. There was a module for every possible whim: residential blocks, storefronts, factories, you name it. They were all lashed together by a skeletal framework that doubled as a network of high-speed transit lanes, forming one gargantuan, interconnected mess of a structure.

“...Man, even knowing we own the whole place, it still feels like a total prank,” Teiro mused.

He stood on the bridge of the Plum, staring at the station through the main monitor.

“Technically, the individual owners still own the guts of the modules,” Marl corrected him, standing at his side with her eyes glued to the same screen. “We just own the skeletal frame and the public areas—the actual Facility.”

Nearby, Koume was locked in a cycle of pure, mindless chaos with the Cats. It was a simple game: the cat fled, and Koume pursued. They had been doing this for an hour. What is even going on in that android brain of hers? Teiro wondered.

“Well, yeah, I know. But get this—I was talking to Alan the other day, and we’re thinking about moving the corporate headquarters here. No rent, total freedom, and most importantly, zero Station Tax.”

In the corporate world, the biggest drain on the wallet was the one-two punch of Imperial taxes and Station Taxes. Since Rising Sun now effectively owned the Katsushika Star System, their office wouldn't owe a dime.

Technically, they’d be paying taxes to their own Station Management Department, which was basically just moving money from one pocket to the other.

“Efficiency-wise, it’s a no-brainer,” Marl said, though her expression soured. “But are you sure? This place is still officially considered the front line of the war.”

“I’m not saying there isn't any danger,” Teiro replied. “But in the long run, the savings are massive. Besides, our biggest clients are Dingo and Rin. Being right next door to them makes the logistics a breeze.”

Marl gave him a look that clearly said, No duh, Einstein.

“Look, owning a whole star system is the dream, and I’m not saying ‘no’ to the move. I just feel like the EAP is playing us... Not that I don’t trust them, but still.”

She shrugged and turned her attention back to the monitor.

It was a Medium-type station, the kind of utilitarian, boxy design you could find anywhere in the galaxy. Teiro watched the screen alongside her, his mind already spinning with visions of a bright future—and the inevitable mountain of headaches and riots that would surely come with it.

---

The 3rd Commercial District of Katsushika Station.

This was the service industry hub, a sprawling module packed so tight with miscellaneous shops that you could barely breathe. Of course, most of the "shops" here were just fancy ads and an entrance; once you stepped inside, a transit lane whisked you away to the actual store located in a different module.

Only the ultra-successful elite could afford to keep their entire storefront inside the prime modules. Since rent and taxes were calculated by volume, you had to be moving some serious product to justify the space.

On the other end of the spectrum, some shops were barely wider than a man’s wingspan. Those places were usually just glorified billboards for direct-to-brain neural net shopping.

“Address 9-3-2... Uh, it should be right around here,” Teiro muttered.

He squinted at the address on his handheld terminal. He was supposed to meet Marl and Alan for a meeting, but since he was already out and about, he’d decided to head to the location solo.

“They called this a park, but there isn’t a single blade of grass in sight... Is it in a different module? The vibe here is definitely... unique.”

He glanced at the cluster of shops to his side. They practically radiated a "pink" energy—the kind of place that even a guy as clueless about the Galactic Empire as Teiro could recognize as a red-light district. A park seemed about as likely to exist here as a pacifistic WIND alien.

If Marl finds out I’m hanging around a place like this, I’m a dead man. Better keep moving.

A barker at a storefront caught Teiro’s eye and looked ready to pounce with a sales pitch. Teiro didn't stick around to find out what he was selling; he ducked his head and hurried toward the back of the module.

“Man, this place is jumping. You’d think the Imperial core would have a bit more of this energy.”

As he watched the diverse crowd milling about, Teiro couldn’t help but grin. Unlike the hyper-efficient, sterile urban sprawl of Delta, this place felt alive. The big-city commerce where everything was handled via digital mail-order always felt a bit soul-crushing to him.

“Sure, they said there’s a higher risk of disease and stuff, but it’s not like catching a cold is the end of the world... Whoops! Sorry! You okay?”

Teiro, who had been too busy rubbernecking at the scenery to look where he was going, slammed into someone. He felt the impact rattle his teeth and immediately reached down to pick up an object the other person had dropped.

“Oh, man... I hope I didn't break it. I’m so sorry, I’ll pay for the repairs!”

The terminal he picked up was a disaster. The screen was a spiderweb of cracks, and the display was frozen on a [HARDWARE ERROR] message. Teiro pressed his hands together and bowed his head in a sincere apology.

“……”

A girl stared down at him in total silence. She looked to be about fifteen, give or take. It was hard to tell with all the genetic and technical age-defying tech in the Empire, but that was Teiro’s best guess.

“...Uh, can we go to an electronics shop? We can see if they can fix it?”

The girl nodded silently. Teiro did a quick search on his terminal and led her toward a nearby big-box retailer.

“Yeah, this is an easy fix,” the elderly clerk said at the service counter. “Give me thirty minutes. That work for you?”

Teiro let out a long sigh of relief. He glanced at the girl, who still hadn't said a word. He’d been worried she was fuming, but she actually seemed more interested in gawking at the store's inventory.

“Seriously, I’m really sorry... Here, take my Business Card Chip. Contact me if there are any other issues.”

He fished a small chip out of his pocket and held it out. These chips were high-end; they contained everything from contact info to a video profile. Teiro carried three versions depending on who he was talking to. This was his "private" one.

“...Huh? Oh, right. You just press it against your forehead, and the info will pop up in your BISHOP.”

The girl took the chip but looked at it like it was an alien artifact. She looked back at Teiro with an apologetic expression and a weak, silent smile.

“Ah, excuse me, customer,” the clerk chimed in from behind the counter. “That girl’s likely an Outsider. That mobile terminal of hers is a Non-BISHOP Specification model.”

An Outsider? What the hell is that?

Teiro hopped onto the station's neural net to check.

Outsider... Outsider... Ah, okay. You can't use BISHOP?

According to the Galactic Encyclopedia—which was still mostly reliable despite the post-war data purge—an "Outsider" was the common term for anyone who, for various reasons, couldn't interface with the BISHOP system.

“Well, the chip is useless then. I’ll just manually input my contact info into your terminal once it’s fixed.”

The clerk pointed to the terminal being repaired, and Teiro gave the girl a friendly smile. She nodded back and finally opened her mouth.

“＊＊＊＊＊＊”

“No, no, it’s totally my fault, so don't worry about—wait, what?”

Teiro had started to reply instinctively, but he froze. The language coming out of her mouth was something he’d never heard in his life.

“Yikes... Okay, didn't see that coming. Um, do you understand the local tongue? Can you read it?”

The girl just tilted her head, looking utterly perplexed. Okay, plan B. Teiro dove back into the neural net.

“She said something like 'Ualga Igginen'... Let’s see... Found it. Ungalonda Language? Whoa. Total speakers: Triple digits. That’s not just a minor language; that’s practically a secret code.”

The girl gave him a somewhat annoyed look, then suddenly her eyes shifted upward. She let out a long, defeated sigh.

“Hence why there are no decent Translation Machines for it... Are you a friend of hers?”

The voice came from directly behind him. It was so close that Teiro’s skin crawled. He started to turn around, but he felt something hard and cold pressed firmly against his lower back. He froze.

“Don’t move. Answer the question.”

The man’s voice was low and muffled. Teiro’s heart tried to beat its way out of his chest.

“U-um. We bumped into each other. Dropped her terminal. I’m... I’m paying for the repair.”

Teiro’s voice was a pathetic, shaky mess. He tried to point toward the counter, but his arm felt like lead.

“That’s what he says. Is it true?”

The voice was still right in his ear. Teiro carefully shifted his gaze toward the girl. She smiled and gave a slow, deliberate nod.

The pressure against his back vanished instantly.

“I-I mean... I guess it could look like a kidnapping to a bystander... haha...”

The adrenaline left Teiro’s legs, and he slumped onto the floor. A man in a gray robe stepped past him and stood before the girl. With the store’s bright lights behind him, his face was nothing but a dark, intimidating shadow.

The man exchanged a few quick words with the girl, then dropped to one knee to look Teiro in the eye.

“My sister was in your care, it seems. You have my thanks. Even if you were the cause of the trouble. You appear to be a decent man, Teiro-kun.”

The man had a sharp, piercing gaze and a jagged scar running across his cheek. His black hair was parted down the middle just like Teiro’s, swaying just enough to hide half his face.

“How do you know my name...?” Teiro stammered.

The man held up the Business Card Chip.

“I’m returning this. I’ve memorized the contents. By the way, the thing I pressed against your back? It was just my fingertip. You should probably learn a bit more about self-defense. You’ll live longer.”

The man let out a sharp grin and offered a hand encased in a black fingerless glove. Teiro thanked him and took the hand, finding himself hauled upright with effortless strength.

“Thanks... Man, you’re like a brick wall.”

The man didn't even budge as he hoisted Teiro’s weight. He was maybe a head taller than Teiro, but smaller than guys like Alan or Squall. Yet, the sheer sense of solidity he radiated was like grabbing a boulder.

“I heard this star system has a soft spot for the disabled,” the man muttered, almost to himself, as he turned to leave. He shared a silent look with the girl, then glanced back at Teiro.

“I hope the new Station Master keeps things civil. If so, I probably won't have to kill you.”