novel「Planetary Federation」
| ← Ch.15 | Ch.17 → |
Let's rewind a little.
The story goes back to the time when Earthlings began to disappear from the universe, also known as the Era of the Dusk.
During that era, Earthlings were the rulers of the universe. Almost all of the universe was already under Earth's control and most of the resisting forces had been subjugated.
However even in such an era, despite small, there were still forces who had opposed Earth.
That was the Planetary Federation
They were a resistance force composed of beings whose own planets had been invaded by Earth. In order to free their mother planet, they had desperately fought against the Earthen Army.
But no matter how desperately they fought, they were never able to attain a victory against the Earthen army.
No matter how many times the Planetary Federation's battleships fired at them, the Earthen army would not fall. And conversely, one shot from the Earthen Army's could fell several of their battleships.
Only once were there enemies who had brought forth a massive number casualties to the Earthen army however even that did not last for long.
On a strategically worthless planet, there existed a powerful combat robot. That combat robot succeeded in annihilating the Earthen troops deployed on that planet.
The Earth forces had dispatched a large fleet in opposition to the combat robot and decided to closely investigate the enemy.
The enemy robot had managed to defeat the large fleet but that was all. From the extracted data, the Earthen Army's research team found a lead into replicating the enemy's technology.
Thus, the enemies whom were no longer needed were blown into smithereens by the "Planet destroying missile" along with the planets they were protecting. Through collecting fragments from the enemy's combat robots, Earth was successful in their recreations of the combat robot.
Earthen armies would later on improve upon the technologies of the enemy allowing even stronger combat robots to be mass produced.
The modified combat robots power was devastating, accelerating the Earthen Army's conquer of the universe.
Day after day, the Earthen Army's might grew larger and larger. Nevertheless, the Planetary Federation continued their struggle despite the despairing amount of difference in ability.
Battling and retreating, battling then retreating. After repeating the cycle many time, they were ultimately chased to the ends of the universe.
The Planetary Federation prepared themselves.
We cannot retreat any further.
Saying that, there is no hope of winning even if we advanced.
Even so! We shall fight!
And continue defying Earth until our last moments!
And we will leave a record!
To prove there were people who had opposed Earth until the very end!!
We must continue our resistance up till the last man!!
So the Planetary Federation's remaining battleships challenged Earth to their final battle. Yet they didn't have any decently functioning battleships remaining.
Forcibly moving the better off old-styled battleships provided from museums, the supply ships were armed and sent to the front lines whereas explosives were shoved into passenger ships in preparation for suicide bombings. Huge pieces of debris floating in the universe were attached and used in the stead of missiles.
'Wound riddled', these words truly suited this final fleet. They attacked from their disguised base which looked exactly like debris. Their goal was Earth's nearby remote base dominating the area.
Indeed there were many of these remote bases but not even once had they succeeded in capturing one of them.
It was an opponent they could not win against even with "proper equipment". Most likely, they would annihilated before they even reached the base with such a battered fleet.
But they still pushed forwards.
Just moving caused the ship's armour to peel off. The hull screamed as the unrepaired engine glowed red. Before the battle began the main cannon malfunctioned and broke down.
They continued despite their broken down ship.
On each ship's bow was the Federation's flag held high in spite of the many holes made through the battles with the Earthen Army.
It was their way of showing their determination to Earth. It was their desperate resistance with their meagre equipment.
Many days later.
They had arrived at the predicted contact point.
Their existence must already have been revealed to the Earthen Army. And soon they will be under a fierce wave of bombardment from the Earthen Army....
Soldiers of the Planetary Federation harden their resolve and begin bombarding the expected arrival path of the Earthen Army.
Beams were released from the few 'cannons that could still shoot'. A few valuable missiles which might still explode were released.
The only reliable weapons - the debris missiles, where shot one after another, although most of them flew in unexpected directions due the engine breaking down.
The suicide bombers assault began however, some couldn't reach the target due to a lack of fuel and others exploded before reaching the mark from a malfunction in the engine.
So the soldiers waited for the counterattack from the Earthen Army.
Just for this day, they wore their cleanly washed military uniform. Thinking that this would be their burial clothes, they had used some precious detergents to wash it.
They were prepared to die.
...Yet no matter how long they waited, there was no counterattack from the Earthen Army. Time passed without anyone speaking.
The broken radar displayed nothing.
The old-styled wireless tapping devices never reacted to the Earthen Army either.
This stalemate continued for a few hours before the fleet commander issued an order to advance.
Quietly and cautiously, just like a child wandering through the woods lurking with wolves, the fleet stealthily made its way through the darkness of the universe.
Finally, they had reached the Earthen Army's remote base.
...Still, there was no counterattack from the Earthen Army. Soldiers began rushing in the base carrying land-based weapons after the fleet descended.
The reason why there was no counterattack came to light.
The base had been deserted.
There was no one in the hangar lined with all the newest models of battleships. No one was managing the sophisticated radar system which could investigate the entire universe. In the huge base, there was not a single Earthling.
This was the instant the Era of the Dusk began. Earthlings had begun to abandon the vast universe.
Powerful battleships were disregarded in their usable states.
High-performance computers, excellent artificial intelligence, large amounts of resources...
Everything was abandoned and Earthlings disappeared from the universe.
At first, the Planetary Federation had thought 'is this some sort of trap?' and were never negligent.
However through repeated invasions and recaptures of many barren bases, the federation learnt of the disappearance of Earthlings throughout the entire universe.
When they realised, the Planetary Federation's Army was overjoyed.
"Finally! Finally! We are free from Earth's domination!!"
"We'll create our own era from now on!!"
"There's no need to give up our freedom anymore!!"
"We don't have to live under the terror of Earth anymore!!"
"We are independent now!!"
Various planets dominated by Earth were delighted by the information brought forth by the Planetary Federation. And stars who were cooperative with Earth were repressed with the majority of them being executed.
At the same time, any scholars gathered to analyse the technology left by Earth. And they were startled by the results of their analysis. Earth's technological capabilities were just so high-levelled. Once again, they were forced to recognise just how terrifying the enemy they had tried to oppose was.
Over a long, long, long period of time, the technology's details were revealed and remodelled for their suitable use. As expected, technology as complicated as artificial intelligence wasn't able to be replicated but any other usable technology was modified for better use.
The space fleet Earth had left behind had already been claimed by the Planetary Federation's Army and was being placed into good use. Of course many other non-military related technologies and machinery left behind on many planets were useful for reconstruction in different scenarios.
People celebrated this peaceful era.
This era was indeed when the universe was at its peak.
As time continued on, people began to hold a common feeling.
It was to take revenge on Earth.
Initially, this idea was denied.
Although they had disappeared from the universe, the fact that they held overwhelmingly more power didn't change. No one wished to agitate a sleeping tiger.
But the people's feelings only grew stronger.
A long time had passed and a generation whom had never fought against Earth took the ropes, the restraints were no longer effective. In the end, it didn't take long to decide the invasion of vengeance.
So the Planetary Federation's Army began to move. With the Earthen troops' battleships as their main force, they began advancing one by one, towards Earth. Several weeks after departing and they finally have arrived at the Solar System.
A bit more, a bit more and we'll reach Earth!
Just a little more and we'll be able to change our humiliating history!!
The soldiers all held such feelings.
And as if to crush those thoughts, a large amount of Earthen Army's battleships appeared in front of them.
| ← Ch. 15 | Ch. 17 → |