Chapter 12 – April 2056 – Rescue Ship

Eight years—it’s a long time, and yet it can feel short.

Especially in the field of science and technology.

I’d been to the UN Space Force’s lunar base a couple of times before during my training at the Defense Academy and once more as a graduate student, tagging along as an assistant to a professor attending a seminar. That last visit, less than a year ago, was the first time I ever laid eyes on the newly developed Cosmo-Interstellar Naut warship.

At the time, I’d only been able to gaze down at it from a catwalk lining the hangar wall, part of a designated viewing course for visiting civilians. I was frustrated, bitter even—why was I being treated like just another tourist, not allowed to see inside?

And now… the dream had come true. I was standing in front of that very same ship, no longer as an onlooker but as a member of its crew. I couldn’t help but stare at it in awe.

Honestly, during those two or three minutes before boarding, I completely forgot about Nagamine.

Compared to the older model, the new CosmoNaut appeared slightly more compact on the outside—but its interior living space had been significantly expanded. The propulsion system had undergone major upgrades, resulting in a smaller yet higher-performing unit. The engine’s power-up had dramatically extended the reach of the autonomous hyperdrive. It could now make a single jump of up to three light-years.

And there was more—perhaps most exciting of all. Though still in development, the new CosmoNaut was equipped with a faster-than-light communication system.

As a communications technician’s assistant, I was over the moon at the thought that I might get to work with that cutting-edge tech.

While we waited for final preparations for launch, I was introduced to the veteran crew members I’d be joining.

Aside from me and a few medical staff, most were long-time veterans—people who’d traveled between the solar system and deep space dozens of times.

While waiting, we were issued standard ship uniforms, a change of underclothes, and other personal items. I was handed a small booklet by Hans Steiner, a German senior communications officer, which included an internal map and general information on life aboard the ship.

Even though this was a rescue mission, I couldn’t shake the giddy feeling that we were just heading off on a big family vacation.

Thinking back on it, I realized I hadn’t gotten a single moment of sleep since being summoned the night before. But I was running so high on adrenaline that I didn’t even feel tired—I was practically floating.

We were cleared to board that evening, once all preparations had been completed.

It wasn’t until about a week after leaving the lunar base that I finally remembered why I was really here.

The new CosmoNaut was cruising through the unregulated hyperdrive zone between Mars and Jupiter orbits. Even for a rescue mission, regulations for safe navigation had to be observed.

During that time, I’d been completely absorbed in learning the ship’s protocols and getting familiar with my assigned duties.

Of course, being the youngest among the crew didn’t help either. During the cruise phase, the veterans amused themselves by teasing the new guy—me—dumping all sorts of pointless errands on me just for fun.

Eventually, once I’d learned the ins and outs of the ship, my job, and the crew, the veterans got bored of messing with me. I finally started spending more time in my proper workplace: the communications room.

I was thinking about the Lysithea.

The communications room is a section of the command bridge and has priority access to the various streams of data flowing into the ship. I poked around, trying to find any data that might tell me the current location of the Lysithea. I even asked Steiner-senpai about it. But unfortunately, this ship wasn’t equipped with sensors precise enough to detect mobile objects more than two light-years away.

Maybe the Lysithea had already arrived at the rendezvous point and was waiting, wondering why the rescue team hadn’t shown up yet. The thought of that made the idle time feel unbearably long for someone like me, a trainee with no assigned responsibilities.

Somehow, word had gotten around among the crew about Nagamine.

Once again, the veterans started teasing me relentlessly.

“If she’s your girlfriend, you’ve got a photo, right? Let’s see it!” they joked. I brushed them off, saying it wasn’t like that—but it was too late. By the end of the day, a photo of Nagamine had made its way around the ship.

Well, since we were both in the same fleet, they probably could’ve pulled her image from any terminal if they wanted to. The printout eventually found its way back to me. It must have been taken just after she enlisted—she was still wearing her middle school summer uniform.

The truth is, I didn’t even have a proper photo of her. Nagamine wasn’t in our middle school graduation album. She had disappeared before it was edited. Like the other transfer students, her picture was placed in a small circle off to the side of the page, as if apologetically included. That was the only picture I had of her face. It’s probably still in a cardboard box somewhere in my parents’ closet, tucked away beside my diploma.

Ever since I entered the student dorms at the Defense Academy, I hadn’t looked at my graduation album once.

Now, under these unexpected circumstances, coming face-to-face with a photo of Nagamine… I was caught completely off guard.

In the clearly taken photo, Nagamine wore a slightly stiff expression, as if she were a little nervous.

And yet—after all this time, the Nagamine in front of me looked so painfully young.

In just a few more days, I’ll finally meet the real, flesh-and-blood Nagamine.

She’ll be a few years older than in this picture.

Seeing her image again after so long, I could feel—deeply—the weight and passage of these past nine years.

On the tenth day of departure, we finally reached the unregulated hyperdrive zone.

***

My First Hyperdrive Experience.

Of course, as a rookie, practically everything happening on board was a first for me—but the hyperdrive experience stood out with an exceptional sense of freshness.

As soon as we warped out, work was already waiting.

Determining the current location of the Lysithea.

And sending word of our arrival.

We found the Lysithea quickly.

It had already begun its final deceleration toward the rendezvous point—Sirius Line Alpha.

The projected arrival was in five days, a delay of three days compared to the flight plan submitted by the Lysithea crew.

But over a journey of eight years and seven months, that margin of error was practically nothing. At the very least, it meant we wouldn’t be keeping them waiting any longer.

With three days remaining until the scheduled arrival, we finally managed to establish communication with the Lysithea. The captain and the supreme commander aboard the Lysithea exchanged frequent transmissions with the head of our rescue team. Preparations for their reception were moving steadily along.

Maybe I was getting ahead of myself, but… I went ahead and tried sending Nagamine a message.

Her location had already been pinpointed—it would definitely reach her.

I’d originally planned to wait just a few more days, then show up in front of her completely out of the blue—to surprise her.

But if the veteran crew leaked that I was here, they might just ruin our reunion.

***

【To Nagamine,

I’m sure this message from me must be quite a surprise.

It’s been a long time.

I got your message about the return.

I received it.

There’s so much I want to talk to you about—but I’d rather save it for when we meet.

And honestly, since this is the first message I’ve sent you in so long, I don’t really know how to begin.

I’m at a loss myself.

Right now, I’m twenty-four.

And you, Nagamine, are nineteen.

I don’t know how to talk to the nineteen-year-old you.

Just like you must have spent all that time aboard the Lysithea imagining the twenty-four-year-old me.

I’ve been spending these few short days imagining the nineteen-year-old you.

From my perspective, it’s like you’ve been frozen in time—fifteen years old, with the heart of a fifteen-year-old—and suddenly you’re returning as an adult.

It’s only natural for me to feel a little shaken.

But in the end… none of that really matters.

The fact that we’re going to meet again at all—it already feels like a miracle.

How I’ll talk to the nineteen-year-old you…

I’ll figure that out when we meet.

Anyway, the day of our reunion is close.

So close, it might just take your breath away.

I have a secret plan…

—Terao Noboru】

***

【Noboru-kun,

This is nineteen-year-old Mikako.

These long, monotonous days are finally about to come to an end.

Yesterday, I received your message.

I was still aboard the Lysithea, so I couldn’t help but wonder—how could I be getting a message from you already?

But even before that… I was so happy.

I had always thought—there’s no way twenty-four-year-old Noboru-kun would seriously respond to an old message sent by a fifteen-year-old girl, just some former classmate from long ago.

Thank you… for staying with me.

For patiently, gently staying by the side of the fifteen-year-old me—for all these nine long years that felt like a mere moment to me.

I may not have caught up to the twenty-four-year-old you, Noboru-kun…

But I’ve grown, too.

Four years’ worth—here inside the Lysithea.

Right now, I’m nineteen.

Honestly, I thought about replying right away yesterday…

But I was overwhelmed, too. In the end, I just couldn’t write back right away.

Your message, Noboru-kun—was full of riddles.

At the very least, if you’d written something about what you’re doing now, it would’ve made it easier to imagine the twenty-four-year-old you…

And that 《secret plan》of yours—I still don’t get what that is.

Tomorrow, we’re supposed to rendezvous with the rescue ship.

I’ve been busy with preparations for that.

Let me ask you something:

Which version of Mikako did you want to meet—fifteen or nineteen?

As for me, I really want to meet the twenty-four-year-old you, Noboru-kun.

Plans after we meet the rescue team… are still undecided.

I’ll message again.

From Mikako, a very confused nineteen-year-old.】