Chapter 29: The Construction of the Destroyer Begins
Recently, she had been swept up in the excitement of designing a combat ship equipped with a charged particle cannon, but for the time being, it was necessary to operate a vessel of destroyer size.
“Ma’am, we will proceed with the production of a Level 1 destroyer. The initial production count will be two ships. Once we complete the collection of iron resources, we will add four more. We will have a total of three large transport ships, conducting trade in three groups consisting of one transport ship and two destroyers.”
“Okay. We’ll use Communicator Androids for the crew… Should we bring everyone along eventually?”
“Yes, Ma’am. There is much to gain from expeditions. However, for the time being, we plan to operate solely with the Communicator Androids due to safety concerns.”
“Well, that makes sense. We need to at least be able to mass-produce Guard Bots for defense.”
The Guard Bots were a series of automated combat machines focused on protecting VIPs. In the world of
“Mass production is possible, but stabilizing trade is our top priority.”
“Besides, the technology is too advanced to be made public. We’re already drawing more attention than anticipated; we can’t afford to stir up more controversy.”
Information from the bot network infiltrating Port Town of Terek confirmed that the trading fleet, Paraiso, was stealing the spotlight. With its sleek hull, powerful cannons, and striking crew, the goods being transported were all top-tier, and the payment was merely iron. Since no information was being released, the most fervent discussions revolved around which nation Paraiso hailed from. Some rumors even suggested a secluded tribe living on a distant southern island, wandering the seas in search of resources, but these were quickly dismissed as the ship’s technological prowess led many to assert it was from a great nation.
“A massive transport ship escorted by iron vessels is certainly a topic of interest.”
“That’s a bit milder than a flying iron doll that moves around on its own, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I believe so.”
And so, the next voyage was decided. By the way, the construction of the destroyers would take approximately two weeks. Including the training period, it was estimated that producing two ships would take a month. They planned to set sail for trade as soon as they were completed.
The Level 1 destroyers were simply named Alpha. The first ship of the Alpha-class destroyer was named Alpha, while the second was named Bravo. Given that they would likely be dismantled for resources in the future, there was no intention of giving them elaborate names. Ships three and onward would be named Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot, respectively.
Each destroyer would be equipped with two diesel generators and powered by a single inboard screw. Its main armament consisted of three 150mm smoothbore cannons, and it would carry six multi-barrel 20mm autocannons for anti-aircraft defense. Additionally, there would be eight machine guns and shotguns mounted on each side for close-range defense. It would also feature a mast for observation and a primitive radar system. While it would primarily operate under automatic control, the Communicator Androids could also take over for camouflage purposes. Boarding attacks would be handled by the machine guns and shotguns.
“Knowing the circumstances over there, this excessive firepower is quite something.”
Despite limitations on ammunition and barrel cooling, the assessment concluded that with just one main cannon, most port towns could be occupied. Battleships could be sunk in a single shot from outside their range. By changing ammunition types, even thick castle walls could be breached. No matter how close an enemy ship approached, they could immediately reverse the screw and escape. In fact, even if boarded, the combat capabilities of the Communicator Androids were far superior.
“That said, the situation with that… peninsula nation. I really want to know its name… Their military strength is more of a threat than I expected…”
She was referring to the nation that had previously militarily invaded the Northern Islands.
“Next time, let’s gather intel in Port Town of Terek. Even though it’s far away, being a port town, they should have some information.”
“True. Ideally, it would be great if we could trade with them.”
It was only natural to wish to engage with a relatively stable nation rather than a small town whose survival was uncertain. Port Town of Terek was the most stable town in the surrounding area, but the regions around it were far too harsh. Compared to that peninsula nation, the difference was like night and day.
“They’re currently ramping up their warship production. So far, our Light Sailing Trade ships can hold their own, but if they come at us with numbers, we might struggle to manage.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Even if we send three Light Sailing Trade ships, we wouldn’t be able to handle more than ten opposing vessels. Their structure is fragile, so even a single shell hit could render them incapable of sailing.”
“After all, they’re made of plastic…”
Technically, they were made of cellulose, but since pointing that out wouldn’t benefit anyone, Ringo chose to remain silent.
“We can’t approach unless we at least have ships of cruiser class. If that nation were to send trade ships to Port Town of Terek, there might still be hope.”
“But they only send them to the opposite side.”
It seemed that the nation’s trading partners were only located on the opposite side of where
“If we can gather all six destroyers and one makeshift flagship, we might have a chance for dialogue…”
“Well, that will take a while. Plus, trade will be disrupted during operations… Hmm, I wonder how long we can keep trading with that port town…”
Port Town of Terek, the surrounding regions, and the nation it belonged to. The rumors gathered by the bots in Port Town of Terek, along with the visual analysis from the solar-powered reconnaissance aircraft, Swift, revealed a situation where the powder keg was on the verge of exploding.
“Confrontations have already begun between what appears to be local lord armies. The intentions are unclear, but we are on the brink of war. Since we are distanced from Port Town of Terek, we expect no direct impact.”
“However, the indirect effects could be immeasurable. Isn’t the import of iron ore a concern?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Towns with mines are likely to get caught up in the conflict. While food is scarce and iron is cumbersome, making them less likely to be targets for plunder, the residents will likely flee.”
“If that happens, iron production will cease…”
Currently, it was their only source of iron. However, it was too far inland for
“Ugh… Just when we had a plan for constructing destroyers, this happens…”
The initial plan was to build six ships. This construction would likely proceed without issues. However, it was anticipated that iron supply would gradually decrease afterward.
If
“The iron mines remain elusive, and this is proving difficult…”
“Yes, Ma’am. It’s not going smoothly.”
They needed to start trading with another nation somehow. To do that, they had to extract as much iron resources as possible from Port Town of Terek.
“Perhaps we can provide them with information to help them defend themselves?”
“Defend themselves, you say?”
“You look puzzled. I mean self-defense. We won’t intervene; we’ll provide them with information to prolong their survival… That’s the idea. It won’t solve the fundamental issues, and ultimately, it might lead to their downfall, but we can keep them alive and extract as much iron as possible. We’ll squeeze them dry.”
Though her suggestion was quite ruthless, it was, in reality, one of the few options available.
I see, Ringo thought internally. She had been considering whether to maximize profits or cut losses early, but she hadn’t considered the option of squeezing them dry with minimal investment.
Indeed, there was no need to take into account the circumstances of Port Town of Terek.
“Yes, Ma’am. I will reconsider.”