“Still, if we’re sending an envoy delegation to the Forest Kingdom of Levresta, organization is going to be difficult.”
“Yes-affirmative, Commander Ma’am. The range in which we can irradiate microwaves from a Power-Supply Drone at an altitude of 30 km is approximately 800 km. Up to 800 km from the border line, we can act without limitation, but—”
“I don’t want to believe it’ll be a march beyond that... If we could dispatch air power—Gigantia, ideally—I wouldn’t have anything to worry about.”
“Dispatching Gigantia is going too far. We do not intend to make them a vassal state, so I believe the minimum diplomatic protocol is necessary. If vertical takeoff and landing is possible, it may be worth considering.”
“I agree. Even if they had the same national power as us, I wouldn’t want a strategic weapon like that flying overhead. Hm... In that case, do we have no choice but to have a ground-mobile fusion-reactor platform accompany them?”
The envoy delegation to Levresta.
Commander Eve was agonizing over its composition.
If it was only Android Communicators, they wouldn’t need large-scale power equipment.
They could cover the necessary power on their own.
Their food intake would increase, but it would stay within the range of “big eaters.”
However, their combat capability would drop drastically.
To perform combat maneuvering, the auxiliary computation devices required large power, and the Artificial-Muscle Fiber Assist Suit also required mandatory power supply.
If microwave power beaming was available, there would be nothing to worry about, but beyond the horizon was outside the range.
“We will likely need to have a large power-supply vehicle equipped with a fusion reactor accompany them. In addition, we will need small power vehicles for small-unit action.”
“If we could refuel inside Levresta, an internal-combustion model could operate long-term, though...”
As expected, on a continent where petroleum technology had not spread, they could not hope for that.
If so, they needed to secure power independently by some method.
“If only we could supply it directly from above with space power generation...”
“There are too many uncertain factors. It will require several years to realize.”
On this unreasonable fantasy planet, taking large actions carried corresponding risks. If they did something conspicuous, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t draw an outrageous monster.
Space development, in particular, had unknown dangers, and the current conclusion was that they could not touch it without establishing sufficient defensive power.
Specifically, they wanted to execute it only after assembling large quantities of air power and naval power, and from a location thousands of kilometers away from the homeland.
“Hm. Then I guess we have to develop power vehicles. If we’re going to use what we have, we could even use that Fuelstone as fuel.”
“...Understood. I calculated it. For small generator uses, I can conclude the energy density is higher than petroleum fuel. If we combine a Closed-Cycle Heat Engine (Stirling Engine) with an energy storage device, it should be possible to fit it into a carriage size that is common in the United Kingdom of Aphrasia. However, the output would be at most around enough for two MLT-E2 units.”
“Can we mount a fusion reactor?”
“Since increasing width is expected to be difficult, if we place devices front and back, then yes—approximately 40 m in length will be required. It would be a multi-segment articulated type.”
It was somewhat overblown for an accompanying platform, but as a dispatched unit to another country, it probably wasn’t so far-fetched—Eve thought, averting her eyes.
No. She decided to convince herself it wasn’t.
“Multi-legged has an appearance problem, so that would be multi-wheeled. For the heat-engine type, considering rough terrain travel, it would be better to make it multi-legged.”
“Well, it’s a long-term operation, and we’ll need a lot of supplies too. Okay—let’s push it through as ‘food and other daily necessities’...”
Thus, the structure of the force to be dispatched to Levresta was decided.
External-use Android Communicators, and two-legged machines for escort.
Multi-legged tanks, and a large power-supply platform.
And multi-wheeled transport vehicles for supplies.
Using these as the core, <Ringo> began calculating the detailed unit counts.
*****
The envoy delegation manufactured using the Large General-Purpose Machine-Tool Printer at Fortress No. 2 Black Iron was transported that same day to the lake near East Gate City.
It was an airlift using a large amphibious flying boat.
It was a considerable amount of material, but by fully utilizing the benefits of microwave power beaming—which required no onboard fuel—even a single transport aircraft could carry a large load.
For controlling the envoy delegation, independent-type AIs were newly manufactured and installed.
A U-class AI <Rochester>, and an E-class AI <Heath>.
Both were made with Photonics Neural Network chips. They were not a size that could be installed into an Android Communicator, but they could be operated on accompanying platforms such as the fusion-reactor power vehicle <Little Whale> and the Multi-Legged Ground Mothercraft <Planter>.
As the greatest possible backup system for these, the base AI <Fragaria Zero> in East Gate City performed real-time monitoring.
Because the connection used satellites, unlike microwave power beaming, there was no horizon limitation.
As for the Android Communicators, this time they were models with their Brain Units omitted.
This was a preservation measure for dispatching them outside <The Tree>’s sphere of influence.
If, in the worst case, escort power was annihilated and the unit had to be abandoned, then even a Brain Unit would need to be destroyed to a state where data recovery was impossible.
For <The Tree>’s AIs, this was equivalent to death, and a situation to be avoided as much as possible.
With a photonics structure, freezing and immediate backup were possible, so neural network information could be preserved through data transmission or evacuation into a black box.
If it was preserved, the possibility of reboot remained, so the local dispatch group basically used photonics components for everything.
Ultimately, the composition dispatched to the Forest Kingdom of Levresta was decided as follows.
Android Communicators: 13 units. All were remote-operated types, controlled by <Heath>.
Multi-Legged Ground Mothercraft: <Planter>. The E-class Tactical AI <Heath> was installed.
It was a new model redesigned from the ground up to narrow its overall width.
In exchange for reducing the number of carried craft, it added more medical pods, assuming use as a diplomatic card.
Escort multi-legged tanks: 3 units. They used the shipboard MLT-E-04, Hopper.
This was chosen because it was smaller than the normal type. The fact that its energy consumption during normal movement was lower was ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) also significant.
And the fusion-reactor power vehicle: <Little Whale>. The U-class Tactical AI <Rochester> was installed.
It handled power supply for the entire unit.
It carried fuel that allowed roughly five months of operation even without resupply.
It also carried close-in armament for self-defense, but basically, in an emergency, it was something to be protected.
Finally, supply transport vehicles: 2 units. They were models that connected two self-propelled multi-wheeled transport vehicles, each about 13 m in total length.
They carried weapons and ammunition, as well as various fuels.
They also stored two-legged guard machines, and small Fuelstone-type power vehicles.
As for the Android Communicators, the boarding arrangement would be: 2 units on <Planter>, 1 unit on each of the three multi-legged tanks for a total of 3, 4 units on <Little Whale>, and 2 units on each supply transport vehicle for a total of 4.
If it became necessary to ride along with Levresta’s negotiations, or to ride together on travel methods such as carriages, multiple personnel from those assigned to <Little Whale> would respond. In that case, they planned to accompany them with escort machines in some form.
Naturally, Levresta initially expressed reluctance at the idea of this unit being dispatched, but after being shown its movement speed and rough-terrain traversal capability, they could no longer refuse, and grudgingly accepted it.
In fact, the widest platform—<Little Whale>—was 13 m.
Considering that a typical carriage used in the United Kingdom of Aphrasia was around 2 m, it was an absurd size.
However, fortunately, it was confirmed that Levresta’s main highways generally secured a width of about 10 m to 15 m, and that even difficult sections were not physically impassable with cliffs on both sides or the like.
<Little Whale>’s running wheels also had a structure that allowed some deformation, and while its movement speed would drop, it could lock its tires and make it walk like a multi-legged platform.
In the worst case, they might need to consider detouring and cutting a path, but after confirming the power of the multi-legged tanks, the Levresta ambassador had stamped approval that this would not be a problem.
It probably wasn’t just their imagination that the other side had become much quieter.
