Chapter 8.
"Hello Takao." Yamato greeted her serenely. "Kirishima, Haruna, Kongo, Maya! My dear Iona. " She placed a gentle hand on 401. "It makes me very happy to see you all again." Yamato smiled. Then her expression turned darker.
"I am certain that Hyuga has explained the dilemma we now face. Given the level of ecological damage and the radioactive and biological contamination of earth, all native life will become extinct within a short time frame. We have not chosen to become of Earth to see it destroyed or conquered. "
"What will we do?" Iona asked.
"Until now we have been on the defensive. We have done our best to shield population centers from the Planet Bombs, we have helped construct self contained habitats underground, and we have been diverting the energy absorbed into our Klein fields into the planetary power grid."
"What about intercepting the planet bombs and the IPBMs?" Takao asked.
"The IPBMs are high speed targets difficult to lock onto outside the atmosphere from earth. After the first strikes, we actually became quite effective in destroying the enemy weapons before they could make impact. We aren't sure if the Gamilans have any knowledge of who we are, but they compensated for our efforts by setting their missiles to detonate in the upper planet bombs are simply big rocks flung at us from the Kuiper belt. With varied compositions, the easiest to handle are either almost entirely ice or entirely iron. We can destroy them completely. The trouble comes when we get one of mixed composition. They often shatter, raining down still dangerous fragments. In the overall analysis, we've slowed the Gamilans down but not stopped them."
Yamato gazed at them levelly. "It seemed that the only answer was to evacuate earth and try to find a new world for colonization. The Izumo plan.
To that end, great effort was made to construct a large sleeper ship to carry out this mission. Unfortunately while it might save a part of humanity and our race as well, it would mean abandoning the vast majority of humans to the non-mercies of the enemy. But even with Fog technology, there was no other option."
"That has now changed." Kotono announced causing everyone's heads to turn.
"Two months ago, an emissary came to earth. Calling herself Yurisha of Iscandar, she told us that her sister was Starsha, Queen of Iscandar, and that they had a technology called the 'Cosmo Reverse System' that could restore Earth to its previous life. That the technology was too complex to build on Earth, but they were willing to provide us with the means to build an engine capable of powering a ship to make the journey to their world and retrieve the Cosmo Reverse System from them."
"Why not simply have sent us the system itself?" Takao asked.
"It seems our would be benefactors wish to test us. To see if we are worthy of their salvation." Yamato answered.
"Whatever the case," Kotono resumed. "we have the plans for what is called a 'Wave Motion Engine', except for one final component: The 'Wave Motion Core' that will allow us to run the engine."
"Great." Kyouhei threw his hands up. "They'll give us the engine, but NOT the spark plugs."
Kotono shrugged. "They claim that they are taking serious steps by directly interfering with the Gamilans, but they are not a militant people and do not wish to provoke the Gamilans.
"The good news; such as it is, is that Yurisha was able to send a signal to her home world that we would be ready to receive the wave motion core and would provide a suitable distraction for their courier when the time came."
"When will that be?" Gunzou asked.
Kotono smiled at him. "About eleven months from now. We have that long to prepare."
"This is why we needed Hyuga." Yamato said mildly. "We have studied Yurisha's craft and the plans for the wave motion engine, but Hyuga can actually make sense of it to make it work reliably and in a practical time frame. She is also the only one who can adapt this technology to the Fleet of the Fog."
Kotono nodded and stared directly at Gunzou Chihaya. "The Fog has been passive enough. We will now prepare to take the offensive."
"Can we do this?" Kirishima asked.
"We can, but there is much work to be done." Yamato replied. "We need engines that can get us into space with enough power to fight. We need experience, and we need the best weapons we can get." She looked to Makie. "Will you help us?"
Makie looked at Haruna. "Yes."
"Thank you." Yamato replied. "With your help and Hyuga's, we will have the technology and weaponry to fight back. That leaves experience and we need it badly.
"Commander Kodai?" Yamato addressed the young officer.
"Yes um.. Yamato sama?" Kodai replied a bit nervous amid this company.
"We present you, Yukikaze, our personal guard ship and aide." A young girl about twelve and dressed in traditional Japanese attire ran up to him and bowed.
"Yukikaze has volunteered and; in agreement with Admiral Todo, will serve as part of your crew."
"Pleased to meet you Kodai sama."
Kodai returned the bow. "A pleasure to meet you as well Yukikaze san."
Todo smiled. "In the meantime, Mister Chihaya, we would like you to begin space training and familiarization with Commander Kodai and under the direction of Admiral Okita while Hyuga oversees our new construction program."
"Someone has to change the world Gunzou." Sou told him.
"Yes. Very well then."
"In the meantime, Project Yamato is our top priority." Todo declared. "Retrieving the Cosmo Reverse System takes precedence over all of our other efforts."
The Fog mental models looked in shock at their Supreme flagship. "Yamato sama? Does this mean…?" Haruna asked.
Hyuga laughed and directed everyone's attention to the dock next to that holding the Supreme Flagship. In it was the keel of the largest space vessel and the largest battleship known to either man or Fog.
"With our Supreme flagship's indulgence, I give you Space Battleship Yamato!"
