Chapter 15
Dismantling didn't take much time. After removing only his favorite terminal, countless arms latched onto the ship's hull.
The Goodbye Earth, broken down into countless parts, was processed into small steel plates.
"You're going to attach these plates to the ship's outer wall? It's not impossible, but I don't think they'll add much to the armor."
"That's fine. I'm not attaching them for defense purposes."
When you decide to do something, imagination brings forth new ideas.
He manipulated the steel plates with telekinesis, shaping them like human hands. Perhaps due to the limits of Kait's imagination, the arms ended up oddly thin, and the hands strangely large.
"The balance is a bit off... well, the thickness of the arms doesn't affect functionality, so it should be fine."
"You hadn't given up on that idea?"
Emotion's exasperated tone was nothing new, but Dilgana, who had been watching Kait beside her, let out a word of admiration.
"Oh? So you're reshaping the plates attached to the hull into forms? That's an interesting idea."
"Right? You get it, Dilgana."
"It may seem pointless at first glance, but shapes closer to the human body allow for finer control."
"You're not thinking of adding legs too, are you, Master Kait?"
"A ship doesn't need legs. Where would it even walk?"
"Why does it feel so frustrating to hear a perfectly reasonable argument...?"
Most likely sarcasm, but Kait didn't register Emotion's words. His brow furrowed as he wondered just how closely he could mimic the human form.
He tried moving the hand he had made. The fingers moved, and he could even detach the clenched fist. It seemed surprisingly versatile.
"If we can apply this to the system, it might be interesting. It's been a while since I've felt this inspired, Kait, Third-Class Citizen (Enec Lagif)."
"I'm glad to hear that."
When he released the force he had been applying, the components separated and returned to scattered steel plates. Dilgana's equipment adhered them to the ship's hull as they clattered to the ground.
Perhaps because they had been infused with telekinesis once, the plates now clung smoothly to the hull. The way they adhered with a softness unthinkable for steel defied conventional understanding. By the time all the plates from the Goodbye Earth had been attached, the hull had swollen to nearly twice its original size.
"Sometimes they'll become arms, and other times they'll be disguised on the hull's surface, huh? Fascinating. But this setup makes it hard to add weapons."
"Weapons, huh... well, we could always separate the plates and launch them at high speed."
He tried to make it sound reasonable, but honestly, he just didn't feel much desire to mount weapons on the ship.
That said, ever since the modifications, this floaty feeling had mostly led him to the right answers, so he decided to trust his instincts again this time.
As expected, after staring into the void, Dilgana froze, then looked down at him intently.
"You really come up with some nasty ideas, don't you?"
***
After attaching the plates, adjustments were completed once the general appearance was refined.
The once-rounded hull regained a somewhat streamlined shape, enough to distinguish front from back, and a pedestal-like ornament was added to the front.
With this, a ship that would be his eternal partner—unless it was sunk—was now complete.
"Now, give the ship a name."
"A name for the ship."
"Yeah. We need to register it with the Federation's systems as being owned by Third-Class Citizen Kait. I'm counting on you."
The biggest problem. His naming sense, which had been harshly criticized by Emotion. The squat shape of the hull and the countless steel plates attached to it. He had a vague image in mind, but would it be something Emotion could approve of?
As Kait pondered this, Emotion gently spoke to him.
"Please don't worry about me."
"Emotion..."
"Even if the name is completely at odds with my aesthetic sense, the owner is Master Kait. I might occasionally laugh depending on the name, but please don't let that bother you."
"Now I'm feeling the pressure!"
Still, once the idea came to him, he had no choice but to say it aloud. If it was rejected, he could just think of another.
"How about Queen Bee?"
"Queen Bee...? Why that name?"
"Well, for one, the hull looks like a beehive. Also, the attached plates looked like worker bees. And, I guess... it just felt right."
"Oh ho."
Surprisingly, Emotion's reaction wasn't that bad.
Nodding repeatedly, she murmured the name over and over, as if savoring it.
"Queen Bee, Queen Bee. It matches the appearance, and the association of the plates with worker bees is quite clever. Unexpected. Very good."
"W-Wow, that makes me happy. Thanks."
"Between the Goodbye Earth and Queen Bee, Master Kait's naming sense for ships is beyond reproach."
The odd emphasis she put on "between" suggested that Emotion still held a grudge about her own name.
It was complicated, but as long as she wasn't mocking him, that was fine. He decided to ask Dilgana to register the name quickly.
"Queen Bee, huh. Registration complete... There we go. Then, Third-Class Citizen Kait, Queen Bee is now registered as your Federation asset. Please take good care of her, alongside Emotion, Sixth-Class Citizen (Ab Lag)."
"Of course. Thank you, Dilgana."
At some point, it had been decided that Emotion would receive Sixth-Class citizenship. Lower than Kait's, but still quite high. The council members must have worked hard for her.
At last, both of them had secured their positions within the Federation. Kait felt like he had finally repaid Emotion in some small way.
"Alright then. Head over to the representative now."
"This was the other matter, right?"
"Yeah. Something a bit troublesome came up."
"Did the representative try to sneak off to Earth?"
"Our staff are doing everything they can to stop that. But actually... no, you'd better hear it from the representative. Just remember that there's a matter they want Third-Class Citizen Kait's judgment on."
"My judgment? Got it. Thanks for everything, Dilgana."
Since Dilgana hesitated, pressing further would only trouble him. As Kait nodded, the wall shifted at the edge of his vision. A passage had opened, so it seemed the representative's group was monitoring them too.
Kait gave Dilgana a slight bow, then prompted Emotion to head toward the corridor.
***
As always, the two of them walked down the slightly curved passage. The only difference was that Emotion wasn't flying this time.
"Master Kait, what do you think the representative's business is?"
"Hmm, I have no clue. But if they need my judgment, it probably has something to do with Earth."
"Don't tell me they want us to help with their sneak-off?"
"Could be. They might even ask us to let them ride on Queen Bee."
"Given Queen Bee's volume, I don't think the representative's body would fit inside."
They chatted casually, without tension.
Just a little while ago, they were talking about oxygen and gravity. They'd really gotten used to the Federation.
The end of the corridor came into view. Their bodies began to feel lighter, but they used telekinesis to keep from floating.
When they stood before the wall, the floor beneath them shifted quietly. The wall slid aside, revealing the representative and Ritimiele beyond—
'Come on! At least let me get my ship ready!'
"Absolutely not! The Central Star Cluster's orders are for movement on a Zodogia-unit basis! What's the point if the representative goes ahead alone!?"
They could see the two of them shouting at each other loudly.