Good Luck, Yukikaze

said.

“Only one man could have arranged this. The only one who could modify data without alerting the computers there or arousing the suspicions of the humans in Systems Corps would be the retraining unit’s true supervisor, Colonel Rombert. He has to be a JAM.”

“Not necessarily.”

“Even after all this?”

“You heard Major Booker before, didn’t you? There are those who may not be JAM but who would still use them to destroy the FAF. He might even be acting as an agent for some government agency aiming for total global supremacy,” Rei said.

“That’s impossible. The JAM are the enemies of all humanity.”

“I don’t think the JAM would agree with you. They know by now that human beings are life-forms that would do exactly that sort of thing. They intend to use that aspect of human nature to make the FAF destroy itself from within. Right now, the JAM have positioned the retraining unit as their vanguard, and they’ve used Yukikaze as their messenger to deliver their proclamation as they launch their final attack on the FAF. It really is a declaration of war. If we keep quiet, the FAF authorities won’t know about it for a while.”

“So the JAM tell us and then sit back to see what moves we make?”

“The battle’s beginning. Or, actually, it’s been going on for a while now. The JAM don’t rest,” Rei said. “By neutralizing Yukikaze, they’ve robbed the SAF of a part of its military might. Putting her into this state is a tactical attack by the JAM. It’s like they’ve hypnotized her and gotten her so paranoid and worried about ghosts that she can’t think of anything else. I doubt she could even fly a combat mission now. Unless we snap her out of this, we’re going to lose.”

Captain Foss considered who Rei meant would lose in this. Yukikaze would lose, and that would also be a loss for Captain Fukai, she thought. They really were one and the same now. This new species of composite life-form was also a part of the combat machine that made up the SAF. And as far as the SAF was concerned, the FAF’s fate wasn’t their problem. Their primary concern remained their own personal survival.

This unit I joined really is nothing but trouble, Captain Foss thought. If they took the action Captain Fukai had suggested to return Yukikaze to normal and launched an electronic attack to delete the target data from the Systems Corps’ computer without authorization, it would be a clear violation of FAF military regulations. That kind of arbitrary action wouldn’t be tolerated. She had to stop this; that was all there was to it.

But what then, Edith Foss asked herself, as Captain Fukai might have. Was she so convinced that she was willing to die in battle for it? That’s right, she thought. Right now, this is about my own life or death. Which was more likely to guarantee her survival, either taking the side of the FAF as a soldier or believing in the SAF’s might and supporting Yukikaze and Captain Fukai as his physician? Which position would let her accept the consequences if the choice proved to be wrong?

Captain Fukai and the others in the SAF don’t trouble themselves over these matters because they just aren’t normal. But I am, thought Captain Foss. And that was when it hit her.

She’d never win against the JAM by thinking of herself as a normal human. Hadn’t she been the one who’d said that the way for them to win was to become that new species of composite life-form? She didn’t want to have to die to confirm her prediction, which was another way of saying that she’d be satisfied if she could accomplish that feat of evolution herself. There was nothing for her to agonize over here. If she wanted to live, then she should become one with the SAF. That way she would finally know if she were right.

“We can’t lose,” Captain Foss said. “I don’t want to lose either.”

“Then I’m issuing the order to attack,” said Rei. “I’ll have Yukikaze engage them.”

“No, you mustn’t,” said Captain Foss.

“Why not?”

“We need time. Yukikaze isn’t at full strength now. She still needs to have her engine replaced and repairs and maintenance done.”

“I suppose, but —”

“Captain Fukai, if you attack the retraining unit now, I predict that they will immediately initiate destructive action. If we don’t have some sort of plan to counter them, then Yukikaze could end up being destroyed.”

“Then what are you saying we should do?”

“I think the saying that a sound mind requires a sound body applies to Yukikaze now. Part of Yukikaze’s unease may be due to her physical damage. Captain Fukai, you should give top priority to Yukikaze’s repairs, then attack only once you have permission from General Cooley. We have to come up with a plan that will allow the entire SAF to survive.”

“Edith, to Yukikaze, inconsistencies in data are a real threat. We humans may think of it as some sort of illusory code, but she sees leaving it unrectified as the literal potential for her own destruction. If we don’t deal with it soon —”

“I understand that. I understand it better than you do, even without your telling me.”

“Oh, like you understand anything about Yukikaze,” Rei said.

“You’re the only one who can calm her down. If you’re too hasty and make a mistake in dealing with her, there’s a risk that she’ll go wild. No human would be able to control her then. You have to look ahead. Attacking now would be reckless. The JAM want you to be preoccupied with Yukikaze’s condition. If we go rushing into this, it’ll be game over very quickly. The end, full stop. We can’t let that happen.”

“Stopping the game on doctor’s orders, huh?” Rei said. “But will Yukikaze go along with it?”

“As a human, all I want is to avoid losing. You and Yukikaze both need some time to cool off and collect your thoughts. Make it an order, Captain Fukai. You’re the only one who can persuade her.”

Rei hadn’t realized how rashly he’d been acting. But, he thought, maybe what Edith is saying is correct, and the JAM are trying to keep me too wrapped up with Yukikaze to see that.

And it was true that they’d be at a disadvantage if they launched an attack now. The only way they’d be able to go up against the JAM would be to utilize the full military might of the SAF. The SAF tactical computers could handle the deletion of the target data. They should use the SAF. They could just have Yukikaze confirm that the ghosts were gone without putting any undue stress on her.

“Yukikaze, maintain combat readiness,” Rei ordered. He knew that she probably wouldn’t accept an outright cancellation of the attack. She’d never understand him if he told her, “You’re acting weird and need some rest.”

“Then contact the maintenance team and have them effect repairs on your airframe,” he continued. “I’m going to deplane in the meantime and try to use the tactical computer in SAF headquarters to attack the target data. Respond when I call you. If you require me, contact me via the tactical computer. That is all.”

Roger, Captain Fukai.

After flashing the message onto the main display, Yukikaze shut down the T-FACPro II software herself. The program apparently placed too much of an additional burden on her resources and interfered with combat. That was probably it. And, thinking about how Yukikaze still trusted him, Rei climbed down from the cockpit.

3

IT WAS QUIET in the SAF command center, with even the main screen along the front wall switched off. No fighters were out on sortie; as soon as the missing Yukikaze had been discovered, General Cooley had recalled all the search planes and ordered their crews to get some rest. Instead, the only ones who were busy were the data analysts. Everyone had been called in, even the off-duty staffers, and they’d been gathered there along with Major Booker and Captain Foss to begin the analysis of the data Yukikaze had returned with. Once the first stage of analysis was complete, General Cooley had her staff take a break. She’d told the pair in charge of data analysis and aircraft maintenance that they shouldn’t leave, and so the general had stayed behind in the center with them. She waited for Major Booker and Captain Foss to make their reports after going off to check on Captain Fukai and Lieutenant Katsuragi.

The data were even more useful than we’d hoped, General Cooley thought as she took a light meal of a sandwich and black tea before turning to check in on the work being done.