The Problematic medal
We traveled from the spaceport to Lutilaria by transport ship and then transferred through planes and trains until we reached the orbital elevator.
“Captain, it’s been quite exhausting.”
“Yeah, didn’t expect it to be this much trouble. Seems like they’re ready to move the elevator soon.”
“Oh, come on, let’s take a break.”
“There’s nowhere to rest in such a remote place like this. Let’s go.”
We headed directly to the monitoring satellite at the end point of the orbital elevator.
We bypassed stations like tourist spots along the way, but Maria and the others looked quite resentful as we passed by.
“There were places to rest!”
They complained.
While it might have been enjoyable at tourist spots, we, who make a living traveling in space, wouldn’t find joy in space tourism.
We didn’t have time for it, so I had to give up, but they’ll probably bring it up later.
Our internal combustion boat that we had been using was still there at the monitoring satellite.
It seems like the soldiers who manage that ship are still using it.
We informed the pilot of the internal combustion boat of our destination and headed to the space frigate.
When the internal combustion boat entered the aft hangar of the space frigate, the soldiers who were managing it came to greet us.
“By order of headquarters, I, Lieutenant Bruce, have been entrusted with the return of this ship. I’d like to meet the person in charge.”
“I’m currently in charge of this ship, Ensign Jado of the Bismuth Base Security Team, leader of the second security squad. I’ve received instructions from the base regarding Lieutenant Bruce.”
“Well then, let’s proceed with the handover.”
The preparations for the handover were already complete when we arrived on the ship.
Once the handover in the aft hangar was done, Ensign Jado and his team left in the internal combustion boat we came in.
This frigate wasn’t managed by a squad of thirty, but rather by ten soldiers in shifts of three. Only ten were on board.
So, the handover to departure was really quick.
Was this place really uncomfortable for them?
I gathered everyone here and decided on the assignments.
The engine room wouldn’t be accessible to Maria and her team alone anymore.
Meyrica and I agreed on this. So, I arranged for Kate’s team, led by her, positioned around the right arm’s little finger of Meyrica, to have more members, and Maria, the most suspicious one, would only serve on the bridge. We headed to the bridge together.
“Captain, isn’t this treatment too harsh?”
“Not at all, it’s a reasonable measure. Let’s hurry to the bridge and set sail.”
Maria said it was harsh, but was it really?
We managed to cover up what happened during the handover, but we received several inquiries from the general affairs department about the engine issue while we were in the general affairs office.
Apparently, the damage to the warship’s engine was severe, and there were inquiries from inspection authorities.
They didn’t directly imply “don’t break anything else,” but it seemed like they were suspecting something.
Either way, we’ll have to cover it up again. Will it be okay?
Entering the bridge, it felt oddly nostalgic.
It had only been a few days since we left here, and not much time had passed since we boarded this ship.
Still, the time spent here felt intense, and it felt nostalgic.
“Captain, I mean, Acting Captain. Everything is ready.”
“Ah, sorry. You can call me Captain. It’s only for a couple of days anyway. Well then, shall we set sail?”
I said as I took my seat at the captain’s chair.
“Engines, auxiliary engines, start up.”
“Auxiliary engines started. Engine output rising normally.”
“All sections of the ship, all necessary items for navigation are green. We can depart anytime.”
“Alright, Sister Meyrica. Please set sail.”
“Understood, Captain. Destination: the moon of the satellite of the capital planet Diamond. Maria, ignition. Normal navigation, speed to warp factor two.”
“Meyrica, sister, understood. Destination: the moon of the satellite of the capital planet Diamond, warp factor two.”
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We were able to safely launch the space frigate.
The operating plan is to use civilian routes.
After all, the main engine is broken, and we’re only moving long distances with the auxiliary engine, so we don’t know when or where we might encounter trouble.
Especially in our case, there are people on board who could cause trouble from within, so we chose a route where we could be discovered by civilians even if we get stranded, not taking it lightly.
We advance slowly along such a route.
Civilian transport ships pass us at almost twice our speed.
There are even ships that come to tease us with radio messages, mocking the fact that military ships are moving at a snail’s pace.
“Captain, this ship can safely reach warp factor three, so why not use it?”
“It’s fine. Safety is the top priority.”
“It’s frustrating. Captain, aren’t you bothered by being made fun of by these civilian junk ships?”
“I don’t mind being made fun of. Safety is important. Besides, I’m worried because you guys are the ones who broke the engine.”
“But at this speed, it’ll take four days to reach the planet destination.”
“Four days is fine. It’s within expectations. Besides, abnormal movement in a flagship for a few hours is strange. Normally it should take a few days.”
“That’s like a budget trip. A high-speed ship should be able to get there in half a day.”
Even from the silly conversation with Maria, I learned the planned number of days.
Didn’t they calculate this when they submitted the plan to headquarters?
I just haven’t seen the plan.
All the documents needed for this round trip were prepared by Kasumi.
It’s a huge help to have competent subordinates.
So the four days were really leisurely.
It was good that we didn’t put Maria in the engine room.
If only I had known from the beginning not to let her in the engine room at that time.
It’s a good thing she wasn’t questioned.
Moreover, I’ll be able to be present when she’s put into the dock where she’s likely to be questioned, so I can ask her to cover for me.
Let’s hope peace continues like this.
Have you given up on dying in the line of duty?
No, I haven’t given up.
But I can’t accept dying in an accident.
After all, I can’t die without saying a cool line first.
Well, let’s prioritize safety this time.
While Nao and the others are smoothly heading towards their destination, a new problem has arisen at the headquarters of the Coast Guard in the capital.
The settlement of this incident involves the disposal of those involved and the royal bestowal, which has been completed as far as the country’s reward for the Coast Guard’s achievements is concerned.
This is only for the citizens, and the evaluation of the most important contributors has not yet been completed.
At the palace, military personnel were invited for discussions, and it was decided to award commendations to all members of the Second Inspection Unit, led by Nao.
The issue was what kind of medal to give them, but a proposal from someone knowledgeable in military matters but not belonging to the military was unanimously accepted, and it was decided to award them the [Diamond Award for Heroes].
But, this medal would lead to problems.
Originally, this medal was mainly given to fallen heroes who had achieved the greatest merits by heroic actions, helping their comrades, and of course, along with the medal, promotion was also included.
In most countries, fallen heroes are usually promoted two ranks as a reward, but this is also to compensate the bereaved families with survivor pensions, and so on.
And, this medal is a very prestigious medal that retroactively promotes the recipient by two ranks before their death and treats their retirement benefits after promotion as equivalent to the rank after promotion.
However, this medal is not only given to the deceased but also to the living if they meet the qualifications.
In the past, although very rarely, it has been given to the living.
In the extremely rare cases where it is given to the living, it is not always a promotion of two ranks, and in most cases, it is given as a right to a promotion of one rank.
Although extremely rare, there have been cases where it was a two-rank promotion, such as from sergeant to officer or from colonel to general.
In the case of promotion from sergeant, it skipped the rank of ensign and became a lieutenant, and in the case of colonels, it skipped the rank of major and was promoted two ranks to major general, each with one example.
Most living beings rarely receive this medal, and there have been no examples other than those who have risen through the ranks on the front lines.
It’s only natural that the awarding of this medal to the living is extremely rare.
The reason is that in most cases where this medal is awarded, it’s given to those who have held the fort in losing battles.
This scenario applies to both the deceased and the living.
While it’s rare for the living to receive this medal, it’s not an issue for them to be awarded.
However, in this particular case, it became problematic for Nao, who had just graduated from an elite training school, to receive the award.
The problem lies in the fact that if an elite, as commonly known, were to be promoted with this medal, it could potentially disrupt the longstanding tradition of elite training.
To elaborate, it’s inconceivable for someone labeled as an elite to take on the role of holding the fort during a retreat in times of defeat.
It’s something that would be endured by those known as frontline warriors.
In this case, Nao achieved even more remarkable results than those in past scenarios.
Leading a small squad, they decisively defeated the powerful Capone family’s cartel.
They saved a besieged transport ship, accomplishing the task without any casualties to the squad or the Coast Guard present on the scene.
Furthermore, they even managed to capture two enemy warships, showcasing tangible achievements for all to see.
Considering the essence of this medal, they went above and beyond.
Normally, the nation would rally to honor such heroes, but doing so would also expose the flaws within the Coast Guard.
While there’s no inherent need for the nation to actively shield the Coast Guard, being a government entity, they had no choice but to do so.
As a result, the monarchy seems determined to properly reward the heroes without considering the Coast Guard’s wishes or the military’s intentions.
Therefore, as soon as the type of medal was decided, the Coast Guard was informally notified.
This was meant as an indication for the organization to properly evaluate them.
This notification was leaked from the head of the Treasury Department working at the palace to the head of the General Affairs Department, who was their contemporary.
These individuals are adept at such maneuvers, ensuring that the intentions of the monarchy were clearly communicated to the head of the General Affairs Department.
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So they wanted to reward nao and others but in a way that doesn’t show their flaws or will require them to have reason to improve said flaws
Nice, getting a medal and a promotion.
Thanks.