The wide universe.
Had come into a time of peace such as is seldom had.
An interstellar transport ship came slowly into a star system of a brilliance past all measure.
"How beautiful it is." A girl with freckles upon her face and her hair in two tails kept her head pressed to the port.
And looked at the star system before her with her eyes alight.
This star system out of the stories.
The Owl Dragon Star System.
The place where a legend began!
"Papa, was this truly no more than a small star system ten years ago? Without so much as a star gate?" The girl looked at her father, who was the ship's captain.
She had a holiday this time; and knowing that the transport ship her father served in was bound upon this voyage for the Owl Dragon Star System, she had begged him a hundred ways until at last he agreed to take her out upon this voyage with him.
"It was indeed. Come to that. Ten years ago I was a bridge hand myself. Working aboard a T2 interstellar transport. And it happened that our captain took a charge to carry a lot of goods to this star system. But when it was known there was no star gate, everyone grumbled. In our trade, what we hate most is those out-of-the-way corners; and no star gate means crossing the border space between systems, which costs a long time and carries a certain risk. And the freight, besides, was not high." The captain took his pipe and drew upon it, and looked at this star system, so wholly other than it had been ten years ago.
He raised a hand and pointed several ways. "In those days, these, and these, and these were none of them here. There were a few planets only, and a few space ports. And in those days the people of this star system came, I think, to under a billion. And look at it now; I hear it is near a hundred billion. And even the number of habitable planets is a dozen times what it was ten years ago! And of star gates alone, five at the least are built. One star system, holding five star gates. Which in any place of the universe I know of has no such usage."
And having said it, the captain glanced at his own daughter, and there was a doting look in his eyes.
But he did not forget to tap a finger on her head. "And I give you warning. Coming out this time, you promised me. That you would do as I say. This place is not as other places are. And if you make trouble here, then the whole family of us is finished."
The girl nodded obediently, though there was no knowing whether she had taken in what her father said.
And then went on looking out, with her heart in it, at this legendary star system.
For the Owl Dragon Star System has always been a thing every student longs after in that academy she attends.
Since the great Emperor was born here, and went out from here besides.
"You are fortunate this time as well. For before this, by what chance there is no knowing. The Owl Dragon Star System suddenly declared itself closed to those without, and so it stood for more than half a year. And only this month past was the ban lifted. Though the requirements laid upon warships entering the Owl Dragon Star System are strict all the same. And were we not under the Northern Goose Interstellar Group, we should never have had leave to come into the Owl Dragon Star System at all." The captain drew upon his pipe and said it.
"Oh…" The girl said oh, and gave that small particular no thought.
"Papa, are we going to that space station?" The girl blinked, looking at a vast station in the distance, or rather, one should say… an interstellar city.
Brilliant past telling, for all the world like a diamond set into the universe.
"What standing have we to go there? That is the Owl Dragon Imperial City. Never mind that we have no standing to enter it. For merely drawing near it against the rules, we might well be destroyed outright!" Her father the captain looked at that splendid Imperial City, and there was a trace of longing in his eyes as well.
For there is the Owl Dragon Empire's center of power.
"Over there! Over there! What is over there?" The girl suddenly jumped up and down in her eagerness, pointing at scattered lights far off in the dim of the universe.
They looked to be some way from the middle of the system.
"That is the Owl Dragon Star System's First Industrial Zone. A district under military control, which no one may approach without leave. And the goods we have carried here this time are the raw materials supplied to those industrial bases," the captain said.
"The First Industrial Zone! Then is Professor Annie there!" The girl's eyes were full of worship.
For the girl is at present reading in the faculty of starship engineering.
And in the eyes of students such as these, besides the Emperor, who is the god of their hearts, there are three idols besides.
Which are Chief Engineer Annie, Chief Engineer Nana, and Chief Engineer Spider Queen Iris.
Those whose leaning is toward the overseeing of production lines will like Chief Engineer Spider Queen Iris the more.
And those whose leaning is toward the drawing together and governing of industrial resources will like Chief Engineer Nana the more.
And of these, the one they like best of all is Chief Engineer Annie,
because every one of the topmost warships of the Owl Dragon series carries Annie's name in the signature beneath it.
So Chief Engineer Annie is naturally the idol of this trade.
And Annie is a professor besides now, and gives certain public lectures; and the recordings of those lectures have by now become required study in the faculties of that line.
"May I see Professor Annie!" the girl said in some excitement.
For she has only seen Professor Annie in those public lectures, and one aim of her life is that she may see this great Professor Annie in the flesh.
Her father the captain said with a smile: "I have no power to take you to see Chief Engineer Annie. But only study well, and I believe you will see Chief Engineer Annie in time to come!"
The girl was somewhat cast down, but clenched her fists all the same, and said without the least wavering: "Yes! One day I shall see Chief Engineer Annie fairly and squarely, and join her team. And study starship technology together with her!"
Her father the captain, seeing his daughter so, was much gratified.
And bringing her out this time might be counted not wasted after all.
"Northern Goose Group, Third Transport Fleet, transport H76, come into port by the lane laid down. By reason of temporary terms of control. No person aboard may leave the ship while she is berthed. Your compliance is asked." Word came at this from the industrial loading port ahead of them.
"Understood," the captain answered.
And thereupon worked this interstellar transport slowly into port, and berthed her at the place appointed.
And because she was an interstellar transport, and carried goods of the appointed kind besides, there were berths for loading and unloading set apart for her.
And at the same time, duct upon duct was joined onto the transport once she was berthed.
And the joining done.
Through these ducts the raw materials loaded within the transport might be carried straight, and without cease, into the warehouses within the loading port.
Whereby the whole business might be got through in a far shorter time.
And soon the goods the transport carried were unloaded to the last of them.
And having leave, this transport began making ready to go.
The girl stood before the port and looked at the industrial zone in the distance, which is the place where her own dream is to be made good.
And then looked at this star system, brilliant as a pearl.
And what she meant to labor toward grew firmer in her heart.
"Professor Annie, I shall see you without fail!"
……
"Ah-choo!" Annie sneezed.
"Chief, are you unwell?" A tall angel lady came over, and brought Annie a tray of food.
"I do not know. My nose itches, for all the world as though someone were cursing me behind my back." Her eyes did not leave the several great electronic screens before her, and her face was without expression.
"How should anyone be cursing you behind your back? You are one of the Owl Dragon's three great starship chief engineers. And were you to leave the Owl Dragon now, there is no knowing how many great groups would be willing to hire you at a high salary. It is even said that if you were only willing, without your putting up a single coin, they would open you an interstellar group with six parts in ten of the shares yours." The angel lady said it teasingly.
Though everyone knew in their hearts that this was no more than a jest.
For no one truly dares dig at the Empire's own wall.
"Do I look to you like one who loves money?" Annie came out with it all of a sudden.
And afterward Annie said one thing more, without thinking of it: "There was indeed one before, who would often curse me behind my back. Carrying on as though I owed him something…"
Annie did not go on; her gaze dimmed somewhat, and she went back to her own work, as though at that moment there were nothing in her eyes but the work.
Ah.
The angel lady's tongue was tied, and she did not mark that last particular of Chief Engineer Annie's.
But thought only upon the first half of what she had said.
For when she came here to take up her post, she had heard it said that Chief Engineer Annie was in truth a very lazy person, who would often finish the tasks set her only just within the last of the time allowed,
unless Chief Engineer Nana pressed her.
And that Chief Engineer Annie had three loves: good food, holidays, and idling at her work.
But once she had become Chief Engineer Annie's first assistant, she found the truth to be nothing of the kind.
For in all this time Chief Engineer Annie has taken near enough no holiday at all, and has put every one of them aside.
And apart from resting, and eating, and washing,
she works.
She is a thorough workaholic and nothing else.
And apart from work, there is near enough no amusement nor leisure of any kind to be seen in her.
And many a time the assistant could not keep from wishing to urge Chief Engineer Annie to rest a while.
For the production plan as laid was long since completed.
But every time, Chief Engineer Annie would only answer quietly: "It is not enough yet."
And then she would throw herself back into the work.
And it is even the very contrary of the tale that Chief Engineer Nana was forever pressing Chief Engineer Annie to work.
For every time Chief Engineer Nana comes to Chief Engineer Annie's office now, she bids Chief Engineer Annie rest a while.
And brings some food with her besides, and certain toys that she holds to be rather childish.
And those gifts are every one of them thrown by Chief Engineer Annie into the lumber room.
And of the food, only what is convenient to eat is eaten.
While such food as is troublesome and takes time in the eating goes, every bit of it, into the bellies of these assistants of hers.
Which has left the assistant feeling that she has put on no little weight since coming here.
A chief engineer who throws herself at her work with so little care for herself is nothing like the tale of her at all.
And at this Chief Engineer Annie's handheld terminal flashed.
Chief Engineer Annie glanced at it, and then said to her angel assistant: "Go out."
"Yes." The angel assistant left the office quickly, and drew the door to after her.
For she knew that this would most likely be one of the Owl Dragon's marshals reaching her, or else that supreme secretary officer.
Annie raised her head and looked at the two video windows that had appeared before her.
The one Charlotte, and the one Lilith.
What looks like a small meeting of three.
Is in truth the three most important people in the Owl Dragon Empire at present!
"The newest task of production was completed half a month before its time. The production line for the new model of interstellar warship is built, and there should be no difficulty hereafter in bringing the new model out in numbers. Though what is required of the supply of raw materials will grow…" Annie set out the tasks of her working day there, point by point and in full.
Had this been half a year ago.
Charlotte and Lilith, seeing such an Annie, would assuredly have held her a false one.
But now there was nothing but sternness in their faces as well.
For they had long grown used to all this.
From what time there is no knowing, there had been some change in all of them.
Only that the greatest change of all was Annie's.
And when the talk of industry and manufacture was done.
Annie could not keep from putting in a word: "That… is there still no word of him?"
"More than half a year. The crew of that starship, the life-information of every one of that starship's crew, has been gathered, and the process of cloning and revival completed. But…" There was not a trace of allure now in the face of Lilith the succubus; she was cold as a beauty of the ice-mountains, and there was something lost in her eyes.
And the air of the meeting went cold at once.
"Whatever may be. We shall wait for him to come back. If half a year, and he is not back, we wait a year. If a year, and he is not back, we wait ten years, twenty, fifty. I believe that he will assuredly come back!" Charlotte said, and nothing would move her.
"Well then. I have set out the matter of the meeting. And I have set down those several points you spoke of just now. I shall have people arrange to meet them as soon as may be. I have certain things to see to at my end; I shall withdraw first." And having said it, Lilith went out of the picture.
"Annie, I hear you have not rested properly this while past. I… I know how hard you work. But you must have some care for your own body besides." Charlotte asked it out of concern for her.
"I am only completing my work. Big Sister Charlotte, I shall withdraw as well." And having said it, Annie went out of the video link.
Charlotte looked at the two windows gone dark.
And she let out a long breath. These six months.
She knew the weight that those about her bore, and above all those who knew that news,
who felt every hour of every day as though they were pressed down and could scarcely draw breath.
But they all of them knew well that what was wanted of them now was to hold on.
That this empire wanted them to hold on,
because they must guard all this that man had left behind,
and wait upon his returning.
"You will come back. You will, won't you?" Charlotte turned her head and looked at the pair of children asleep upon the bed beside her.
And her gaze, falling upon the children, grew a good deal softer.
Set against Lilith and Annie, she is the fortunate one; for she has at the least something to rest her spirit upon.
……
Annie ended the link; and just as she would have gone on working, a feeling in her belly let her know that she was hungry.
And at such a time one must put energy in again before one can go on working to good effect.
She looked at that tray of food.
Had that girl Nana not required it of her, she might perfectly well have put in energy with a nutrient fluid instead.
Annie took up the meal box and took up her chopsticks, and began eating quickly.
She ate very fast, and not half a minute had gone before her mouth was full of it.
But at this, drop after drop of water fell into the meal box.
Big villain.
This food… it is not good…