NOVEL WEB vol. 4 chapter 14 - Cold Water
The Kingdom of Lepuitari’s envoys and their escorts — seven in total — climbed the lowered gangway. Everyone beyond the seventh remained aboard their own vessel. Evidently, they had no intention of behaving outrageously.
“Welcome aboard the flagship Panas. I will guide you to the conference site. This way.”
Receiving the delegation was Android Communicator No.16, Sechzehn, her whole body still concealed. Nearby, other Android Communicators stood in plain view, armed for all to see.
Thrown off by Sechzehn’s peremptory stride that allowed no debate, the delegation nonetheless started forward toward the bow. Their eyes were drawn to the massive hull unlike anything they had seen, to structures that overturned their common sense. Their pace lagged, and when they failed to catch up, Sechzehn stopped and glanced back.
“If you are curious, a brief tour before your return is possible. For now, follow me.”
“My apologies. This is a most intriguing ship…”
“I understand the feeling. Should authorization be granted, a full guided tour may be arranged. That depends on negotiations.”
“Oh… that is rather severe.”
Feeling, perhaps, a touch abashed, the group quickened their steps. Sechzehn nodded at that and moved on again. They no longer lagged — but now their attention had shifted to Sechzehn herself, pacing ahead of them.
Her coat hid her completely. Goggles and mask veiled both eyes and mouth; her face was impossible to imagine. Yet overall she was small in stature, and her voice was high, almost childlike.
Could she actually be a girl?
But then, the other sentries in view seemed to share similar builds. One could as well suppose they were a generally small-statured people.
They walked on, passing the enormous superstructure, marveling at how far down the sea lay to the side, and at last reached the venue.
Set upon a section of deck so broad one forgot it was a warship lay today’s conference site: tarps stretched for shade, carpets spread, table and chairs arranged — and already seated, Fleet Leader No.3, Drei, and Staff Officer No.4, Vier.
They wore matched uniforms, yet made no attempt to conceal their forms.
Even in shade, their hair gleamed like silk threads — a shining white.
And atop their heads, a pair of fox ears stood crisply upright.
Their skin was white as porcelain; the pink of their lips framed their mouths like petals.
Golden eyes regarded the delegation, a gaze that seemed to see through everything; the envoys swallowed on reflex.
“Welcome. Allow us to express our hospitality on this occasion.”
At first glance they could have been mistaken for exquisitely wrought bisque dolls, but of course they were living bodies formed of pseudo-biological cells. As the envoys drew near, the one with the bell-like beautiful voice greeted them.
“Come here. This is not a place for standing conversation. Please, be seated.”
Drei and Vier remained seated.
As a reception posture, it was somewhat discourteous. Yet as an unbroken assertion of ＜Paraiso＞’s position, this posture would be maintained.
So prompted, the three diplomats of the Lepuitari delegation approached the table.
“Please.”
Sechzehn, who had gone ahead, drew out chairs for the three, then moved to the opposite side and—hop—sat down herself. Being rather short, she had made certain a taller chair was provided. It was to keep their eye lines level with the diplomats.
＜Ringo＞ had calculated whether it would leave a better impression to seat her in a taller chair or have her look up from below, and chose the tall chair. An utterly trivial datum.
“Now then.”
Once the three diplomats were seated and their four escorts took station behind them, Drei lifted her right hand in a smooth signal. Four Android Communicators shifted into guard positions. At the same time, Sechzehn quietly removed her mask. Beneath it: lips as delicate as Drei’s and Vier’s, the same white skin. She cast back her hood; loose, wavy white hair spilled down.
“First, our introductions. I am Drei=Ringo, fleet leader of this task force.”
“I am Vier=Ringo, staff officer to the fleet. And she is Sechzehn. She will serve as scribe for this conference.”
“Sechzehn. A pleasure.”
With ＜Paraiso＞’s side finished, the ball passed to the Kingdom of Lepuitari. Their procedure differed somewhat, and they were briefly nonplussed, but the central man recovered and spoke.
“I am Deck Estainka, Colonel, ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ External Affairs, Royal Lepuitari Navy — plenipotentiary envoy to this conference with ＜Paraiso＞.”
“I am Paliard Aminas, Major, Royal Lepuitari Navy, Bureau of Engineering.”
“I am Revider Klinkika, assigned as recorder for this conference. Rank, Lieutenant Commander. …In our country, it is customary for the officer who first made contact to be appointed plenipotentiary. However, negotiations with your fleet are deemed a matter of the highest priority, and Colonel Deck has been named envoy. Please regard this as our present sincerity.”
Drei inclined her head lightly at that.
“Understood. We will remember that you place importance upon us. …Now, there are many matters to discuss, and it will run long. We shall prepare drinks. I intend to summon service to this place. Is that acceptable?”
“That would be… most welcome. We have no objection.”
On receiving that reply, Sechzehn clapped twice. Shortly thereafter, a maid-uniformed Android Communicator approached from behind the diplomats, accompanied by a self-propelled service cart.
Not pushed or pulled but following her on its own, the cart drew the diplomats’ startled looks at once.
“Thank you for your patience.”
The Android Communicator bowed lightly. She was the first generation of Android Communicators designed by ＜Ringo＞ based on local human genetics: hair slightly wavy, dark brown in color; skin with a yellowish tone; height set a touch taller at around 155 cm — her appearance differing from the first original generation such as Drei and Vier. The fox ears remained unchanged.
The maid took up a tray pre-arranged with glasses that had risen automatically from the cart’s top and a bottle, held them deftly one-handed, and came up on Colonel Deck Estainka’s right rear. With an unhurried motion she set down a glass and poured water from the bottle. Square, crystal-clear ice already rested in the glass; as the cold water splashed in, the glass chilled and its side bloomed with condensation.
“…What is this?”
The words slipped out of Colonel Deck Estainka, astonished. The Android Communicator made no particular response, simply proceeding to ready the next glasses in turn.
The ＜Paraiso＞ fleet had come to this moment straight off a long voyage with no resupply, or so it should have seemed. Here, ＜Ringo＞ delivered the first preemptive strike: the presence of ice — something not readily prepared even ashore — and perfectly clear water, well-chilled and free of any admixture. For that matter, even the glasses themselves were luxuries in this place and time.
To say nothing of the self-propelled cart that had appeared first — a bundle of unknown technologies.
“Pray do not worry overmuch about etiquette. Our cultures differ from yours.”
So prefacing, Drei took her own set glass and drank a mouthful of the cold water. It was a performance, a quiet assurance that no poison had been placed. Obviously they would never stage a poisoning at such a moment — but watching the other party drink from the same bottle unconsciously eased the mind.
Colonel Deck Estainka, after a brief word of acknowledgment, lifted his glass as well.
“…It is well chilled.”
From his position, he could say no more or less. Chilled water, served aboard ship — as a naval colonel, he knew in his bones how precious that was.
The remaining two also drank and showed open astonishment. Chilled water was a rarity even on land; moreover, the taste was pure, without oddness, remarkably easy to drink.
And there was the very presence of ice, seldom seen at all.
Naturally, ＜Ringo＞ had accounted for water and ice being precious, and chose to serve them here. From this point, she intended to extend hospitality further with tea from Levresta and assorted confections.
＜Ringo＞ had explained that under such an offensive, even high officials of Lepuitari would be at a loss and capitulate — but Commander Eve let it wash past her. She still did not trust ＜Ringo＞’s sense of taste.