Chapter 43
On the way back, Kait captured a suitably sized small asteroid using the Queen Bee. He towed it and connected it to Radia's outer wall.
Seeing Kait return, Stomato ran up to him. Despite the urgency, his face showed clear relief.
"Hey, I'm back."
"I didn't think you'd actually go inside the planet. What would you have done if the space eel had counterattacked?"
"Well, if that happened, it happened. The heat wave was blocked by the barrier, and I figured the Queen Bee's hull could handle it somehow."
Stomato didn't say that Kait was being overly optimistic. Kait had pulled off enough reckless stunts before. Everyone on the Federation staff knew those weren't just the words of a fool.
Now, the problem was the space eel.
The Worker Bees that were launched were instantly melted and absorbed. It seemed the creature didn't even register their mass—it was like being pricked by a bug.
"At least we learned that minor attacks are ineffective. That's something."
"We were monitoring too, and it looked like Kait Third-Rank Citizen's Enec Lagif attack was simply swallowed up."
"It's probably covered in digestive fluid or something over its entire body."
"Huh?"
"Whether it's like that in space or only when eating... It'd be nice if it can only do that while the expelled air stays in place due to gravity."
Judging from the nest structure inside the planet, it probably wouldn't be long before the space eel left Namibif 10.
The temperature was quite low. The space eel was likely feeding on more than just the star's core.
"I think the space eel is probably also feeding on the star's thermal energy."
"Thermal energy, you say?"
"Yeah. That's probably the source of that heat wave. It's absorbing heat from Namibif 10 and storing it inside its body."
"Then it expelled that to attack?"
"Most likely."
"—It probably usually uses it to move through space. I'd guess it reacts heat with something inside its body to generate air, using that as propulsion."
The one who joined the conversation with Stomato was Gorou. There were no Corporation staff in sight. When Kait looked at him questioningly, Gorou answered with a wry smile.
"They've gone to report to Corporation HQ. Seems they really don't like you. They're pushing hard for reinforcements."
"What about you, Doctor?"
"I came here to study the ecology of the Star-Eater, didn't I? Why would I ignore that?"
"My apologies."
Unbothered by Kait's apology, Gorou continued his explanation.
"The speed at which it lunged at our Corporation flagship was far faster than its normal movement. All its gills were open—it probably accelerated by expelling air."
"Why did it only go after Eanipol?"
"Eanipol? ...Ah. The Captain's guess might be right—it sees the ship not as an organic lifeform carrier, but as a metallic creature shaped like a ship."
"Meaning?"
"In short, it probably looked like prey as appealing as a star."
***
Based on this hypothesis, they formulated a plan.
Assuming the space eel viewed large metal or rock as prey, the fact that it was consuming a planet gave strong support to the theory.
Radia would be placed in a straight line between Namibif 10 and Namibif 6. This was to prevent Namibif 6 from becoming a target by skipping over Namibif 9 and 7, and also because Radia's size made it a possible lure for the space eel.
It would be easier to defend if it was a decoy from the start. That was Kait's opinion.
"We'll slam that small asteroid into the space eel's snout as it approaches."
"Won't it interpret that as an attack?"
"Too late for that. Besides, something that minor won't even register to it."
"Hmm..."
Gorou didn't seem entirely convinced. The fact that it attacked just from being illuminated made him uneasy about the space eel's aggressiveness.
It might even spit out rocks to counterattack. Regardless of Gorou's concerns, it might be wise to have a backup plan.
"Can Radia's barrier block the space eel's heat wave?"
"Due to energy charge limits, only three times. But I can guarantee full protection for the first two."
"Emotion, is there any chance the excess energy from blocking could affect Namibif 6?"
"Judging from the previous heat wave's dissipation rate, I don't think it'll be a problem."
"Good."
Either way, if this failed, they were out of options.
First, they had to make it recognize the presence of intelligent life here. Otherwise, even sending telepathy would likely be meaningless. If it didn't work with Terapolapaneshio, Kait alone had no chance.
He briefly considered summoning a swarm of space jellyfish like on Earth, but immediately discarded the thought. He never wanted to see that scene again.
If it came to that, he'd just make the suggestion and stay out of it. He was already too involved in this one—let someone else handle the next.
"Well, if this doesn't work, we'll just kill it. Say it's to protect Radia."
"...Captain. Even if you think that, don't say it out loud."
Hearing Kait's optimistic mutter, Gorou let out a deep sigh.
***
The space eel crawled out of Namibif 10 about three days later.
Since Radia had no equipment for asteroid launching, the entire staff worked together to make it happen. Kait couldn't help with that, but he had fully prepared his own part.
"We've got three small asteroids. Make them count, Representative Stomato."
'Understood. If anything happens, we're counting on you, Kait Third-Rank Citizen!'
Kait's role was to observe the operation from outside Radia. He would also respond instantly if anything unexpected occurred.
The space eel turned its head in various directions. According to Gorou, who was on the comms, it was probably searching for its next destination.
Then, lights began blinking from Radia. That wasn't part of the plan.
"Lights?"
'T-The Corporation's ship is outside! Hey, who gave them launch clearance!?'
'Th-They said they were going to assist Kait Third-Rank Citizen, so...'
'Idiots! That's a blatant breach of the accord!'
The space eel suddenly stopped moving. It turned its head toward Radia.
"Deploy the barrier, now!"
'Barrier deployed!'
No one objected to Stomato's command.
The space eel opened its cross-shaped mouth, and Radia deployed its barrier almost simultaneously. Good—their reaction was faster.
The Corporation's ship that emitted the light was inside the barrier. It should be safe too. The space eel's attention was now entirely on Radia. It probably meant it as a nuisance, but for Kait, it was the perfect assist.
'!!!'
A heat wave burst from the space eel's palate. When it hit the barrier, a pale blue light scattered.
No wonder Stomato had spoken so confidently. Even under a heat wave, they were secure.
The heat wave ceased, and the barrier disappeared. An asteroid shell was launched from Radia.
The space eel showed no signs of caution. It caught the flying asteroid in its still-open mouth and crunched it to pieces.
'The asteroid shell got eaten!?'
As it crunched the asteroid, the space eel made its next move. A giant crystal-like structure emerged from its head—likely the eye Gorou had predicted, judging by the timing. Apparently, it usually kept it stored within its body.
In other words, it was now visually locked onto Radia.
"This is bad."
Kait jumped out of the Queen Bee. He planted himself firmly on the platform and glared at the space eel. The creature opened its mouth again.
Just in case, he had the Worker Bees fix one of the spare asteroids to the front of the ship. Two more asteroid shells were fired from Radia in succession, but the space eel neither dodged nor blocked them.
"Go!"
He launched the Queen Bee. It was a modified ram attack, pushing the asteroid forward.
As the space eel expelled massive air from its gills to lunge at Radia, Kait slammed the asteroid into its face from the side.
The direct hit shattered the asteroid, and the space eel's head tilted. Its trajectory veered off diagonally.
It looked like Radia's barrier had made it in time. They said it could block the heat wave—but what about the space eel's body?
"Whoa!"
Kait quickly adjusted the Queen Bee's course so it wouldn't get trapped between the barrier and the space eel, after it accidentally got caught on the creature's head.
The space eel's twisted body slid along the barrier.
The space eel stopped moving. The Queen Bee had gotten stuck on the edge of the crystal protruding from its head.
Kait and the space eel locked eyes.
"Hello."
—Hello?
Given the size difference, could they even say their eyes met?
Still, there was definitely something like a response to the words he'd blurted out.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kait."
He replied with telepathy, focusing his mind on the faint wave that reached his head. Apparently, the tuning was just right.
—Hello, small anomalous one. Nice to meet you.
Despite its size and bold actions, a remarkably gentle voice reached Kait's mind.