“If the entire FAF saw the situation the way you do, it would be of great help to the SAF,” said General Cooley. “But they don’t, do they, General Linneberg?”
“What a load of irresponsible bullshit from an old man who doesn’t have much longer to live,” said Lieutenant Eco. “We’re not going along with your scheme. The battle’s just begun? It’ll be over before it even starts. We don’t have time to wait for a messiah to show up.”
“General Linneberg, I’m going to be frank with you,” said General Cooley. “Just how much control do you have over the Intelligence Forces now? Do you even have the power to stop Colonel Rombert, or does he have complete control here?”
“I have the ability to crush the colonel’s plan. However, I won’t. As I said before, I can also stop you people from acting. Do you want to try me and see, General Cooley?”
“I’d like to see Colonel Rombert again,” Lieutenant Katsuragi said. “If the colonel really can contact the JAM, I’d like to try talking to them again.”
“Oh?” said General Linneberg as he regarded the lieutenant. “And you are…?”
“Second Lieutenant Katsuragi, sir. Akira Katsuragi. I was the flight officer aboard Yukikaze when we made contact with the JAM. I originally served under Colonel Rombert. He probably sent me in here to learn the inner workings of the SAF. Well, that doesn’t really matter to me. I’m more interested in learning about the JAM.”
“I see. And what do you make of all this?”
“Are you asking me about what Colonel Rombert’s doing now?” Lieutenant Katsuragi asked. “Or what we should do about it?”
“What he’s doing is spring cleaning in the FAF,” replied General Linneberg, interrupting the lieutenant without any sign that he’d lost his temper. “A simultaneous change in management, so to speak. The colonel is attempting a type of mutiny, aiming to put himself in the boss’s seat. However, I don’t think his subordinates are aware that they’re part of a coordinated revolt. The colonel has them believing that these are strictly individual cases. In other words, I expect he’s talked them into doing it by telling them something like ‘Your superiors are behaving in an illegal manner, so can you help out the Intelligence Forces by acting as their official stand-ins when we bust them?’ Later on, once the people he’s convinced to do this realize it’s a coup, they’ll probably see that they can’t oppose Colonel Rombert…and really wouldn’t need to. Normally, such a plan would have little chance for success. But when you add in the power of the JAM to the internal organizational abilities of the Intelligence Forces, it might just work. He’s using the JAM to pull the trigger. We’ll wait and see just how brilliant the colonel is and just how well he can use the power of the JAM.”
“And you really think you can pull a turnabout on this colonel?” said Major Booker. “He might turn the situation right back around on you. This is a terribly dangerous gamble you’re taking.”
“Two turnabouts bring you right back where you started,” said Lieutenant Katsuragi. “That’s easy for the Intelligence Forces to pull off if they’re prepared for it.”
“I like you,” said General Linneberg to Katsuragi. “Lieutenant, would you consider coming back to the Intelligence Forces? You won’t regret it. That goes for you and the SAF. How about it, General Cooley?”
“If the JAM abandon Colonel Rombert and he fails, you try again with Lieutenant Katsuragi, is that it?” said Major Booker. “Be prepared, as they say.”
“Lieutenant Katsuragi isn’t a genius like the colonel,” said Captain Foss, “but it’s possible the JAM would be sufficiently interested in him to contact him again.”
“If you give this young man to us,” General Linnneberg said to General Cooley, “then the Intelligence Forces are prepared to support the SAF. What do you say, General?”
“I won’t make any deals with you.”
“General, it’s not a bad proposal,” said Captain Pivot. “We’re at a disadvantage on our own.”
“I said no deals,” replied General Cooley. “At this stage, there’s no way I can trust someone who’s getting a kick from making leisurely deals with people on his own side. General Linneberg, your proposal is tantamount to a threat to seize something of ours by force. If that’s your true nature, then I’ve misjudged you.”
“Hmm… It seems I could have put that better. I apologize if that came off as a threat. General, what if I ask you again? Talented people like the lieutenant here are precious commodities. Please try to understand.”
“Lieutenant Katsuragi.”
“Yes, General Cooley.”
“You may return to the Intelligence Forces.”
“Thank you, General.”
“Hold it,” said Major Booker. “If you give him Lieutenant Katsuragi now, Yukikaze won’t have a flight officer.”
“This is no time to be worrying about that,” said General Cooley. “I want to leave someone behind to carry on our memory in case the SAF is wiped out. He’s the right man for the job.”
“I see how resolved you are. Since you made no deal, you shouldn’t expect any payback from me, General.”
“Of course. I’ve already gotten the information I wanted from you. I appreciate your cooperation, General Linneberg.”
“I see…this is why Colonel Rombert told me not to ignore you. Your existence may be humanity’s last hope.”
“Don’t overestimate us.”
“It’s the same assessment I have of Colonel Rombert.”
“However you assess us, I appreciate your understanding. You’re the real hope for humanity, surely. The only thing humanity will find in pinning its hope on a megalomaniac is disillusionment and destruction. Good luck to you, General.”
“Can’t resist a parting shot, can you? Are we even now?” Linneberg said.
“There’s a chance that you may not get the outcome you hope for,” Major Booker said to General Linneberg. “You’re being too naive about your JAM and Colonel Rombert. The Intelligence Forces should be looking for help from us, not the other way around.”
“You have good people serving under you, General Cooley.”
“Major Booker isn’t being ironic, General,” she replied.
“Exactly,” said Captain Foss. “You and the Intelligence Forces act on empty theory. More than that, it’s obsolete. You don’t appreciate the true threat of the JAM. You can’t see the situation the FAF is facing now.”
Major Booker laughed. Even General Cooley managed a smile.
“Did I just say something wrong?”
“Edith, you really are one of us now,” said Major Booker. “The white sock in the colored wash.”
“Really,” said General Cooley. “Humans are born of their environment. We adapt to all sorts of organizations and environments as we live. From that, we obtain the maximum benefit to ourselves as we struggle to survive. If you take one single human, no matter how minutely you examine them, you can’t understand humanity. The JAM have a tough road ahead of them.”
“The JAM realize that,” said Major Booker. “To understand the SAF, they have to change our environment and make us act. There is no human existence without an environment. However, the true nature of the SAF transcends its own group dynamic, General Linneberg. The problem the JAM have with us isn’t just directed at humanity. Either the Intelligence Forces have overlooked it or just can’t deal with it.”