I Reincarnated as the Captain of a Battleship in a Robot Anime, but at This Rate, I’m Going to Be Assassinated – Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Let’s Settle This Unfruitful Civil War and Think About the Future
  To begin with, the Rebel Army includes many who defected from the Earth Forces to resist New Balance’s tyranny. Since its core consists of local militia and security forces from various colony planets, most of their forces are outdated.
  To compensate, defectors from the Earth Forces do whatever it takes to seize state-of-the-art machines and bring them as a gift when they join the Rebel Army.
  
  However, the difference in the speed of weapon upgrades between the fundamentally broke Rebel Army and the economically stable New Balance is like night and day. Even without developing new Teurugia, just considering internal updates can significantly alter the performance of the same machine.
  To counter this, the Rebel Army pushes forward with guerrilla activities and independent weapon development. However, considering that the Earth Forces control most of the industrial facilities and resources, it’s easy to imagine that their progress isn’t going well.
  
  “If I offer this fortress as a gift, will the Rebel Army finally acknowledge me?”
  
  However, a significant development occurred here.
  A former high-ranking official of New Balance, a direct subordinate of Anferu, who is effectively the top military leader, defected. This man, who calls himself a space pirate, achieved the unbelievable feat of recapturing and taking control of a military fortress base using a new type of Teurugia.
  Furthermore, most of the military personnel under his command responded by declaring their temporary cooperation or a pledge not to interfere with his activities.
  
  “We didn’t have any facilities we could properly call a base. This is huge.”
  
  Gathered in the briefing room, which was incomparably larger than the one on the battleship, were high-ranking officers of Captain class.
  Naturally, Shougo, Lopes, and Janet were there, along with three other surviving Rebel Army captains and the officers originally stationed at this base.
  They were going to discuss their future activities. Regardless of the process, if they occupied a military facility, an attack from New Balance was inevitable.
  But this place was also a fortress base. If they simply calculated the forces it contained, even New Balance wouldn’t be able to attack so easily.
  They had some time, though it was uncertain how much, to devise countermeasures.
  
  “However, even if it’s a fortress base, it’s just one. Obviously, we can’t do something stupid like gather all the Rebel Army’s forces here. If we did, we’d be surrounded and crushed. They’ll send some reinforcements, but our, the Rebel Army’s, foundation is guerrilla warfare.”
  
  Lopes’s words were reasonable. Having a base didn’t mean they could relax. To begin with, the military possessed a strategic weapon for capturing these bases: the Planet Killer.
  If they launched a full-scale attack, they would undoubtedly use it, but at the same time, there would be a game of chicken about whether they could actually fire it at their former comrades.
  If something were to happen that forced them to use it, anti-New Balance sentiment would escalate further.
  Even if they had continued to cover up planetary destruction, this time was different. It would be impossible.
  After all, they had made a grand performance by successfully taking over the base under the name of Space Pirates Hermes, and above all, the girl who was said to be dead was here.
  Attacking this place would also lead to a backlash from public sentiment.
  
  “Actually, I’m not particularly attached to owning the base.”
  
  Shougo said something unexpected here.
  His statement that he wasn’t interested in the base they had just acquired surprised many members.
  A base was a castle, a stronghold. Obtaining it was equivalent to building a foundation for their activities.
  There were some resources here, and they could repair ships and mobile weapons. They calculated that they could fight for about half a year.
  
  “My goal isn’t a long-term war holed up in a castle. To begin with, this war is close to a civil war. It’s Commander Fauden and Colonel Anferu who are instigating it. If we can stop New Balance’s excessive ideology, the oppression of the colony planets themselves will be reconsidered. Of course, what happens after that is also important. But that’s a job for politicians.”
  
  There are few examples in history where those who succeeded in a military rebellion and became leaders have also succeeded in governing. Above all, Shougo didn’t understand politics. It might sound selfish, but that was his true objective.
  To punch the annoying boss. To make them stop doing stupid things. At the very least, if he could stop those leading the runaway train, they should be able to establish a dialogue.
  If the guys who were pointing guns and forcing them to pull the trigger were gone, there would be room to breathe.
  
  “So, you’re saying you’ll launch an attack on Earth?”
  
  The one who asked that question was a member of the military who belonged to the base.
  
  “That possibility isn’t zero. Um……”
  “My name is Huygen.”
  
  The man, Huygen, was a middle-aged captain with a full beard. He was probably a Colonel, the highest-ranking officer among them in terms of pure rank.
  
  “Thank you, Captain Huygen. To continue, as I’ve said many times, I don’t consider the military itself, let alone civilians, to be the enemy.”
  “The true enemy is New Balance. I’ll believe those words. However, even if it’s New Balance, they’re still former comrades. We don’t approve of pointing our guns at our allies.”
  
  Huygen was rather negative about cooperating. However, his stance was also that he wouldn’t interfere with Shougo and the others. Should one say he decided to take a wait-and-see approach, or that he didn’t intend to get involved in the civil war? Or was he still unable to make a decision?
  In fact, many of the military personnel who offered to cooperate with Shougo and the others were young. Their straightforward sense of justice was easy to exploit at times like this.
  
  “Colonel Huygen! However, if we allow New Balance’s tyranny to continue, we soldiers will be reduced to nothing more than murderers of civilians!”
  “That’s right, Colonel! Dark rumors about them were widespread within the military. We just couldn’t strongly refute them because the facts were concealed and there was no evidence!”
  
  Their words were undoubtedly filled with a sense of justice, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t take action themselves.
  Of course, it was unclear what kind of punishment they would receive if they did.
  And also……
  
  “But, the ones gathered here are those who were ostracized within the military. Those who were too honest for their own good.”
  
  Janet’s words silenced the room.
  That was right. This base was also a prison, in a way. Those with a sense of justice. Those who were honest. And incidentally, soldiers who were just there to collect a paycheck were also assigned here.
  Setting aside the latter, the former were full of motivation. They were eager to return to the center someday and worked hard on their missions. But there was no sign of them being able to return. They were being kept on the payroll but given no real work.
  In other words, it was an environment where the former gradually became the latter.
  And the one overseeing that was the former commander who had received Janet’s punch.
  
  “If someone hadn’t triggered this, we would have been stuck here doing menial tasks indefinitely. We would have been forced to fight pointless battles, unknowingly becoming accomplices to New Balance’s evil deeds. Even if we suddenly had the opportunity to fight back in this atmosphere, we wouldn’t be able to act in unison.”
  
  Janet’s point was valid.
  Right now, they were in a state where their pent-up frustration had exploded. Even if they formed a fleet and attacked now, they would be defeated.
  There was no way they could win without coordination. New Balance still had the upper hand in terms of military strength.
  
  “Captain Janet is right.”
  
  Shougo shared the same opinion.
  
  “We should end this kind of war quickly, but it’s pointless to attack now. I believe that this war shouldn’t be decided by military force. Or rather, although the decisive damage will ultimately be dealt through battles between weapons, what we need to do is move people’s hearts.”
  
  Shougo himself understood that it was a complete pipe dream.
  
  “Some of you might think I’m talking in my sleep when I say this. But it’s necessary now. Even if we defeat the head of the military regime, it’s meaningless if only the leader changes. We need to create a trend, both within the military and among the public, that this cannot be forgiven, and show resistance. I’m grateful that you all have risen up. But it’s not enough yet. I want the members of the Earth Forces spread throughout space, and the people of Earth, to rise up as well.”
  
  These words were also harsh.
  It might be more acceptable to say that they would apply pressure by involving a large number of people, but he was essentially saying that he would involve civilians as well.
  However, it was also true that such a change in consciousness was necessary to eliminate the deeply rooted harmful customs.
  
  “I want you all to disseminate this information. Increase our numbers. If they still attack us after that, then unfortunately, they are the enemy. Those who condone evil deeds. Even if they are our former comrades.”
  
  Rather, they had no chance of winning unless they succeeded in this movement and made it large-scale.
  That’s why he brought Franny out. Her existence would become a powerful rallying point for the rebellion.
  It was a scoundrel’s move, but they had called themselves space pirates in the first place. He didn’t care about how history would judge them.
  
  “Besides, I can’t leave humanity in the hands of a parent who would sacrifice their own daughter.”
  
  Of course, he had no way of knowing the madness that parent harbored.
  It was difficult to expect him to fully understand the psychology of a character who wasn’t depicted properly in the anime.
  
  “Anyway, I want you to think of our fight as having finally reached the starting line. Even if we continue the guerrilla warfare we’ve been waging so far, our next task is to disseminate information. But we can’t fabricate anything beyond what’s necessary. We need to show the truth.”
  
  Of course, they were ignoring what they themselves had done.
  
  “We’ll upload this battle to the network as well. We’ll let them know that they’ll even s*oot their own allies. From now on, I’ll disseminate information in every battle. I want you to understand that this will also serve as a check on the Rebel Army.”
  
  Shougo said this and looked at Lopes’s face.
  She also grinned mischievously and nodded.
  
  “So you’re telling us to be the good guys, right? We’re supposed to raise the banner of ‘Down with New Balance’ but not become the kind of snobs who just swoop in and take all the power for ourselves?”
  “That’s right. That’s what I’m afraid of. I cooperated with the Rebel Army because it was the only way to break through New Balance. But it wouldn’t do for the Rebel Army to become a replacement for New Balance. That would just be history repeating itself. It’s because we’re stuck in that kind of cycle that this war continues.”
  
  At the same time, it was also a warning to himself.
  If their actions were wrong in the future, their reputation would change in an instant.
  That’s why they had to be careful.
  
  “Anyway, for now, we need to repair and resupply. And if possible, we want to gather information. If this is a military facility, they won’t immediately isolate it from the database. And…… those who can’t cooperate with us are free to leave. I swear we won’t s*oot you from behind. As I said earlier, I’ll disclose information without hiding anything.”
  
  Shougo desperately laid out his makeshift strategy.
  
  ‘But…… what’s this strange feeling of unease in my chest? Phoenix’s goal, Anferu’s ambition, these are easy to understand. They’ll become ammunition for our attacks. But I still can’t read the Commander’s thoughts. He hasn’t commented on his daughter’s situation, and he doesn’t seem to be trying to stop Anferu’s rampage…… Because he’s a character who barely appears in the anime, I can’t read him at all. However……’
  
  He was an unknown entity, but the only thing certain was that he was a s*itty parent who neglected his daughter.
  That alone was enough for Shougo to recognize him as an enemy.
  No matter what his ambitions were.