The atmosphere was so heavy that it could be said to stand out uniquely among many heavy atmospheres I have felt before.
The girlfriends, who had subdued all the soldiers rushing in, were glaring fiercely at the captured enemy with their eyes wide open. Since they usually wore helmets when facing off, I couldn’t see their expressions. The thought crossed my mind whether they always made such faces during every confrontation.
Cold sweat trickled down as I looked at their sharp expression, which I knew would never be shown to me or any other situation where it needed to be shown. The fleet commander, unaware or uncaring, couldn’t wipe off his intrigued expression. Yubin, who was holding the jaw of the fallen soldier on the floor, slowly raised her head.
“What a grand welcome! Is this how Spacystro does things?”
“No, this is my way. The soldiers did nothing wrong. They were only following my orders.”
Yubin, showing no signs of fear or tension, didn’t get drawn into the fleet commander’s relaxed demeanor but instead showed hostility through her gaze.
“I’ll be telling you something from now on. Regardless, you’re still an enemy for now. And I’ve wanted to see the capabilities of the HunterKiller team firsthand, which I’ve only seen in documents.”
“Didn’t you think that greeting style would be problematic when I told you I’d be talking from now on?”
“I apologize for that. From now on, I swear on the name of the Spacystro fleet commander that I won’t pose any threat.”
“How can we trust that?”
“I don’t use the title of Spacystro fleet commander lightly.”
Yubin’s gaze turned towards me.
What the fleet commander says is true. This is the first time I’ve met him personally, but while being a Spacystro soldier, I’ve felt enough to know he’s an excellent commander.
He keeps his promises and doesn’t make unrealistic claims. Especially considering the weight of his representative position. The peaceful invasion methods Spacystro has maintained until now are evidence of this.
First, we need to change this cold atmosphere somehow. Even though I know it won’t be convincing right after such a nonsensical welcoming gesture, the Spacystro fleet commander is a trustworthy person—at least from what I know.
Nodding my head, Yubin released the soldier she was holding, and the girlfriends let go of the soldiers they had been holding one by one.
“By the way, the conference room looks like a mess. Can you change the tables?”
Following the fleet commander’s words, the floor where the conference table was placed sank. Soon, another table replaced it, and apart from the shattered fragments, everything looked exactly the same as before the commotion.
“Why did you call us here? It doesn’t seem like there was a specific reason for us to be called.”
“Through A’s report, I confirmed that the HunterKiller team wants to join Spacystro. Has your opinion changed since then?”
Everyone exchanged glances, including fleeting looks directed at me.
Even though it was just a brief exchange of gazes, it felt like it conveyed that there had been no change in their thoughts.
“Yes, it hasn’t changed.”
“I heard briefly from A, but I want to hear the detailed opinions of all members of the HunterKiller team.”
What I told the fleet commander was based on my perspective. While it’s true that everyone expressed their desire to join Spacystro because of their individual feelings, conveying their thoughts directly is more effective than through me.
That’s why the fleet commander didn’t ask each girlfriend for their opinions; they were already prepared to speak.
The girlfriends, who hadn’t let go of their hostility, remained silent. YuBin, thinking as a leader, sighed briefly and spoke.
“I want to be with my older brother.”
“I understand that. But honestly, the feeling of being a couple might not last forever. We might end up parting ways.”
There’s nothing wrong with what the fleet commander says. The girlfriends and I never intended to part ways and believe we will be together forever.
But there’s no guarantee of eternity. There are unforeseeable events in relationships and unknown reasons for breakups.
Even if the parties involved can’t guarantee eternity, the higher-ups must feel uneasy about the HunterKiller team joining Spacystro solely for the sake of being with their partner.
“Isn’t that something to think about later? Will worrying about it now change anything?”
There’s no guarantee of eternity, but that doesn’t mean we should prematurely conclude that it will end. Many people have joined Spacystro alongside their partners after invading numerous planets. And many couples have broken up too.
“There may be no change, but we need to consider it beforehand.”
“I doubt anyone would believe it even if you nailed it down.”
“You never know. There are many capable people in Spacystro. You might think A is a great boyfriend, but he has received many punishments and has many promoted colleagues, yet he hasn’t been promoted himself. Even if he is good, it’s not just about capability.”
“Hey.”
I don’t know why the fleet commander started gossiping about me in front of the girlfriends, using a sarcastic tone. His words didn’t continue long as YuBin’s low voice interrupted him.
“Are you provoking me?”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“What do you mean ‘didn’t mean to’? Are you saying my older brother isn’t capable? So what if he isn’t? What do you know about our process just by reading the documents? And why should we allow you to interfere in our relationship in a place where we’re discussing joining Spacystro?”
The fleet commander is the highest-ranking person in the 6th Fleet of Spacystro. As a soldier belonging to Spacystro, it was unsettling and frightening for YuBin to speak to the fleet commander with suppressed anger, but it also made me feel how much she likes me.
“I’m sorry if I upset you.”
“A representative apologizes often?”
“It’s natural to bow one’s head for one’s mistakes. I brought it up intending to apologize from the start.”
“What?”
“As I said earlier, we need to consider many things from our perspective. The most important thing is to hear the true intentions of the other party, regardless of how the conversation is conducted.”
I understand. Anyone would be angry if their partner was belittled in front of them.
In that state, an answer saying they won’t break up won’t come, but you can somewhat understand the true intentions of the other party through their gaze, tone, and atmosphere.
While it may not be the best method, it’s a choice to select a way that allows you to see some sincerity, even if the method itself is flawed.
“This is not a common occurrence, but I have quite a bit of experience. While you might love A dearly, some people waver when these topics come up. Some decide to give up on joining Spacystro right there.”
This was my first time experiencing this, making everything unfamiliar and overwhelming. Thinking that I would say we won’t break up due to anger at the belittling tone is just my first-time experience with this situation.
“I don’t think it’s a waste of time to worry about things that won’t happen immediately. I don’t want to interfere with anyone’s relationship. If anything, I wish you could look forward to getting married and having children, just like I did.”
Leaning back in his chair, the fleet commander leaned forward, placing both hands on the desk and interlocking his fingers.
“I heard from the person themselves that the reason the HunterKiller team wants to join Spacystro is because they want to be with A. Is there someone else with a different reason?”
“Environment.”
“Environment?”
YuRa, who had a blank look, threw in her word, causing the fleet commander to tilt his head in confusion.
“Yes, environment. Given that you are the representative of Spacystro, I assumed you would know well. The perception and attitude towards hyper-humans are extremely negative. But A never discriminated against us. He didn’t view us through colored glasses.”
The fleet commander listened intently to YuRa’s words, occasionally glancing at me.
“Perhaps it’s because A is part of Spacystro. We already knew about the hyper-humans, and there’s no such discriminatory gaze in Spacystro. But we learned that there’s no discrimination based on differences here. We thought that if we came here, we could live without discrimination.”
YuRa knows that the manager and staff at the cafe where she works do not discriminate against hyper-humans. Having spoken with them directly, YuRa knows that there are people in the world who do not discriminate against hyper-humans.
However, that doesn’t erase the memories of the past. Although sympathy towards hyper-humans arose after the embezzlement scandal, discrimination didn’t disappear.
YuRa doesn’t want to live well on Earth. She just wants to live well with me.
This isn’t just YuRa’s story. No one refuted YuRa’s statement, assuming everyone thinks the same.
“I see. I understand your thoughts. If you join Spacystro for a friendly reason, we will welcome you anytime. However, there’s a request.”
At the mention of a request, everyone’s gazes turned toward the fleet commander. He removed his sly expression and took on a serious look to continue.
“I found some data on the hyper-human experiments from the base’s transmissions. The analysis is ongoing, but we need the help of hyper-humans for a thorough investigation.”
The girlfriends, who understood the fleet commander’s words immediately, didn’t utter a word and waited for his next words.
“You know Spacystro has conducted many experiments to collect data on hyper-humans. We have succeeded in collecting some DNA, but we haven’t conducted full-scale investigations involving hyper-humans.”
“You want us to help with that investigation?”
“Yes. With the outstanding physical abilities of the HunterKiller team, it would be of great assistance.”
“What if we refuse?”
“That’s fine. We will prioritize your opinions.”
Everyone fell into deep thought. YuBin, who had been conversing with the fleet commander, YuRa, HaYoung, MilkyWay, and SuA, who had been quietly listening to the ongoing discussion, began to contemplate.
It was a significant matter. The girlfriends knew that the investigation on hyper-humans was ongoing and would continue. They also knew that my limited authority meant the investigation wasn’t progressing quickly.
But with the power of technology? It could accelerate the stalled investigation. If successful, this could reveal secrets about hyper-humans that everyone is curious about.
However, it wasn’t a decision that could be made instantly.
Conducting the investigation would inevitably involve experiments.
Experiments—a word that the girlfriends avoid because it evokes past memories so vividly that they struggle to manage their expressions.
“What do you think?”
SuA, lost in thought, asked me.
“I believe everyone’s opinion is important.”
“I know our opinions are important. That’s why I want to hear yours. After all, you are my boyfriend.”
If experiments were to be conducted on the girlfriends, I wouldn’t know how they would react, but I support it.
Though I’m aware of the bad memories associated with experiments, I still wanted to learn as much as possible quickly. It could be hasty and rash, but I wanted peace of mind sooner rather than later. And I wanted to ease the girlfriends’ minds sooner rather than later.
“I think everyone should undergo the investigation. While I know painful memories might resurface, I believe the benefits we could gain outweigh the drawbacks. If issues arise, we can address them, and if there are none, we can put our minds at ease. But if anyone feels reluctant…”
I worried that expressing a desire for them to participate in the experiment might upset the girlfriends, even though I had carefully considered my words. Despite this, my speech quickened, as if I were making excuses.
“Alright.”
YuBin interrupted my hurried words, as if she understood my thoughts. Her calm and warm voice suggested that she wouldn’t misunderstand and that there was no need to worry.
“We’ll make a decision here.”
“Isn’t that too soon?”
“The longer we hesitate, the more anxious my older brother will become.”
The fleet commander was surprised by the immediate decision. I was equally surprised.
As YuBin said, if the decision was postponed, I would definitely be anxious for a long time.
Was the fleet commander making a quick decision to alleviate my anxiety? No, that wasn’t the case.
No one showed signs of hesitation after a moment of contemplation following the question.
“Is there anyone who doesn’t intend to participate in the experiment?”
No one raised their hand at YuBin’s question. It wasn’t because they were hesitant.
Although the experiment was unimaginably unpleasant, everyone recognized that it could lead to learning more.
“Are you really okay with it?”
I had agreed, but I couldn’t hide my unease.
“Of course, I’m not okay with it. An experiment—getting injections, taking medicine, tests in strange places. I wouldn’t want to do those again even if I died.”
“It’s the worst. But I think it could improve, so I agree.”
“I’m scared too, but it might help other hyper-humans besides us.”
“Did I miscommunicate? I never said ‘experiment.'”
Seeing the girlfriends express their reluctance towards the experiment, the fleet commander seemed confused and slowly raised his hand.
Typically, one would assume a body examination involves experiments, but the fleet commander didn’t seem to have used the term with that intention.
“I’ll correct it to ‘examination.’ There will be no injections or medication. We won’t conduct any suspicious tests either.”
“Then how will it work?”
“Commander.”
The fleet commander delegated the explanation to the Science Command Officer.
“We plan to take similar scans to Earth’s CT scans initially. Then, we’ll enter a chamber to closely examine your DNA. If you feel any resistance entering the chamber, we’ll arrange alternative examinations.”
It wasn’t a research lab experiment but more like a hospital check-up. The girlfriends seemed relieved at the mention of a non-experimental approach, as their tense expressions eased.
“I promise all examinations will proceed without discomfort or worry. Investigating and examining your bodies is merely a request from us.”
Ordinarily, the fleet commander wouldn’t be noticeable, but as the representative of Spacystro, he didn’t adopt a forceful attitude or try to assert his authority.
I knew it wasn’t necessary for him to do so. The weight of being a representative of a large organization and the sense of responsibility it entails were evident.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll do our best to ensure the HunterKiller team doesn’t feel anxious, as requested.”
Not overlooking the words spoken in the courtroom, he spoke with a steady voice to reassure not only the girlfriends undergoing the examination but also myself. Despite many concerns, I felt a little more at ease.
“Commander!”
As the conversation was nearing its conclusion, the conference room door burst open. The soldier who rushed in to open the door was panting heavily, breath almost reaching his chin.
“What happened? Calm down and tell me.”
“Predator. Predators have been detected.”
The fleet commander, commanders, and I widened our eyes and focused on him, and some stood up abruptly.
“Predators? Where?”
The fleet commander’s usually composed voice rose in volume.
“In the United States, Ohio; Taiwan, Tainan; France, Bordeaux; Indonesia, Jakarta; Brazil, São Paulo; Canada, Toronto; South Korea, Seoul. They are being detected simultaneously around the world.”
Upon hearing that the Predators had appeared, time seemed to stop. And when rationality returned,
the day I was attacked by a Predator long ago flashed through my mind.
