In exchange for the crosses immediately disappearing from the map, the angled firing of the torpedoes causes our submarine to rotate. Adding up with the fact that Mirai has lost bearing, we take another hour to adjust our course and catch up with the cruise ship. It is midnight again, so that makes nearly two full days. As the submarine ascends to the water level, the barometer shows falling pressure, and air from the submarine is slowly pumped out of the cabin to help us adapt to the changing pressure.
Mirai steers the submarine around the cruise ship to find the exact spot where we departed. After scouting for some time, she turns to me.
- Yuusha, we have some bad news.
- Yes?
- The scouting drones are still here, although the density is less.
The map on the control panel shows crosses that overlap with the dot representing our submarine.
- Wait... Are they supposed to be retracted already? Why are they still here?
Right as when I say that. some revelation flashes through my mind. I quickly understand the problem.
Without a doubt, our identity has been exposed. On one hand, it is surprising that it takes until now for us to be exposed. On the other hand, I know that we can only blame ourselves for the assaults that are spontaneous and lack long-term strategic planning.
- Yuusha, the only thing we can do now is to sneak into our room. But we need to make a ruckus first.
- Let me do it.
I gesture and a Suicide Drone appears in the air. After the trajectory has been set, the drone is let fly towards the area of the ocean in front of the deck of the cruise ship. It charges toward the water's surface and blows up, splashing water in every direction and making a reasonably loud noise.
The small explosion attracts a bewildered crowd; of course, the crosses on the map are included. Five minutes is sufficient time for us to climb up the ship and reach our room. We shoot down a few drones in the process.
As soon as we enter the room, I shut all of the doors and windows, and Mirai sets up another barrier to fend off the scrutinising "eyes" of the lingering drones.
Thanks to the time perception disorientation from the two days, it is midnight but I am pretty awake. Mirai has been put in standby mode for the rest of the journey, so her remaining battery level is sufficient to energise her for another half a day or even more.
- So... Mirai... What comes next for us after this? - I am a bit hesitant, but what needs to be discussed needs a discussion.
- It is my fault for not making a proper plan, yes. But I anticipate that we will be exposed someday. From now on, it is just a cat-and-mouse game. What I can do now is just ramp up our technology level.
I lean on my bed. So does she.
- And yea, I am a bit happy because those Intruders there can be countered with antidotes. That lowers my guard quite a lot.
- I understand.
I know that I also contribute to this blunder. Yet, even in this enclosed environment, I cannot open up with a person I can trust. The atmosphere is not just a playful type where we have daily encounters.
Since then, it has been always like that. Mirai is lucky to find a sane person like me who still believes in what she said. Things could have taken a wild turn otherwise. On my part, I am also lucky to be gifted with this chance to change the world. It has become our big little secret, and even if I want, there are no trustworthy or sufficiently insane people that I know, who I can share it with.
Consequently, it is just a "us" story. What happened, is happening, or will happen, is transparently shared between us, because perfect information matters. I should speak up.
- Well, it already happened. Let us just move on. On the bright side, we still have a few days left before the cruise ship returns to our home again. We will think of the solutions together, again.
The bittersweet voice shows that she understands what I am thinking.
Mirai sits up from the leaning pose. She stands up, stretches her arms and shoulders and decides to take a bath. It is either a euphemistic way to refer to her self-maintenance, or she has developed some modules that can simulate the feeling of getting a bath. Both are the same to me, anyway.
I feel a need to change the atmosphere. I equip myself with a photon pistol with a silencer and exit my room, heading to the top floor. I shoot down the lingering drones that block my way.
Sure it is, the night environment on this cruise ship is vibrant. People are partying to their hearts' content, not knowing what awaits them. Occasionally, I see one or two more drones mingling among the noisy crowd, and I do what is to be done by shooting them down.
I have been staring at the crowd for some time. Even though I do not like rich people, seeing their happy faces makes me happy. Yet, at the same time, I also envy them. As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss. Should I have not known about this global safety stuff, I could have led a happier life. But there have been countless times I have to convince myself that there are things that do not simply fade away just because we ignore them. The existence of the world itself is not a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The exciting party music with regular bursts and thumps slowly changes to the more chilling type, after the shopping activity falls. Most people have already found themselves sitting in a restaurant or along the ship, enjoying the night view with a glass of exquisite wine (if I cannot read the name of the wine, that wine is expensive and high-quality).
From somewhere, a man appears. He is the crew member of that time.
- What a coincidence. So we meet again. - The man waves at me.
- Ah, hi. How's it going?
- Just finished my shift. I think I should go somewhere and enjoy the view a bit. These wealthy people are so bossy.
He takes out a cigarette, burns it with a lighter and starts smoking. The nicotine seems to kick in, making him calmer.
- By the way, what happened to that fishing competition back then? - I ask him.
- I think I tell you how we resolve them already. But then these people simply decide that they should compete for another few rounds. So yea, we just leave them like that. It saves us lots of labour.
- Hmm.
I also take out a cigarette and smoke. This is probably one of the few things I am allowed to do under Mirai's strict health code, and of course with moderation.
The ocean view at night is either pitch black or glittering with the moonlight and the stars. And today is the latter case. Leaning ourselves towards the glass balcony, we look at the ocean, then glance at the people down there, and then glare at everything else. Our eyes just move randomly, not having any definite visual destination.
After a while, the man returns to the upright standing pose, stretches his arms and shoulders.
- Well then, hopefully see you again. I think I will have a rest.
- Oh, ok. Bye.
The man greets me before he leaves. That leaves me on top of the building, alone.
I take the last glance at everything before taking my leave, which then causes me to see a shiny spot glowing and moving in the air. It looks larger and larger, but I cannot figure out the shape.
- Guess this is just a normal comet then.
I come back to my room, not forgetting to clean up the drones that block my way.
As soon as I come back, my collar is grabbed and I am pulled into the room.
- Mirai? Why?
- What do you mean why? I just take a shower for like twenty minutes or so, and you already disappear. You know that it is very dangerous outside now right?
I try to explain.
- It is quite safe out there, I believe. I do not see many drones, and I make sure to shoot them down as soon as I see them.
- And that is the point. Do you know why the drones are retracted?
Mirai projects her vision onto the big screen in the room.
- A missile is sent here to blow this whole ship up. Our satellites just detected it a few minutes ago.
This catches me off guard.
Wait! So, the travelling white spot on the sky is...
BOOM!