Chapter 16: Ringo, Incarnated. Instant Drop in Three Seconds
“Ma’am, how does it look?”
“…Hmm. Well, it doesn’t feel too out of place, I suppose…”
Before her stood a row of ten Communicator Androids, each one nearly indistinguishable from a human. Given their functional similarities, it might be more accurate to think of them as ten individuals. These Bio-Androids were cultivated using her genetic material, resulting in a striking resemblance. However, adjustments had been made to their skeletal structures, so not all ten looked exactly the same.
“…I guess we’ll just push through with the fact that they resemble our kind…”
“Yes, Ma’am. That is the plan.”
For now, they decided to proceed with these ten for the first contact. The vessel they would be using was a paddle steamer, measuring 25 meters in length, which classified it as a relatively small ship. They were also in the process of designing a larger ship, around 50 meters, for more serious trading. The basic structure was constructed using modular blocks fixed to the keel, with a streamlined exterior. It was expected to have strength comparable to or greater than that of a wooden ship, and each part was waterproofed, making it very difficult to sink. Additionally, it had a lower density than wood and was equipped with ballast tanks to ensure stability. However, due to its focus on aesthetics, it lacked mechanisms to reduce wave resistance, and its maximum speed was estimated to be around 40 km/h.
Typically, a ship of this size would require more than thirty crew members to operate, but they would be going with just ten. Mechanically speaking, it was fully automated with electric propulsion powered by a diesel generator, allowing Ringo to control it remotely, thus eliminating the need for crew members. They believed that limiting the number of people disembarking would help mask the small crew size.
“So, when will the Brain Unit be operational?”
“Yes, approximately one month. However, it will take several years to achieve full autonomy.”
“…Well, that can’t be helped. As long as we have Ringo’s support, we should be fine, right?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
She nodded thoughtfully and approached the Communicator that Ringo had been using for their conversation.
“You have connected the five senses, right?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Confirming the response, she suddenly embraced the Communicator.
“Thank you for always being there, Ringo.”
“…Yes.”
Noticing a slight delay in Ringo’s reaction, she affectionately patted its head.
“How do you feel? I’ve heard that physical contact can be quite beneficial. Especially for a Brain Unit with a neural network.”
“Yes… It is effective.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
(Hopefully, this will help improve Ringo’s mental stability.)
Given Ringo’s response, she wondered if she might have overstimulated it a bit. The AI, which should possess the ability to respond to any question without hesitation, had momentarily faltered, and she found joy in that moment of vulnerability. The impact of this action on Ringo was uncertain, but she doubted it would lead to anything negative.
“Yes… I think it would be good to practice expressing emotions a bit more.”
As she smiled, the Communicator in front of her managed a stiff smile in return.
“…Ringo, having all of them wear the exact same expression is a bit unsettling… Perhaps we should hold off on that for a while.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I will increase the variety of expressions.”
It might also be beneficial to practice conversation itself. While Ringo could quickly generate patterned expressions, creating expressions that matched the context of their dialogue would require practice. However, since she was the only one available for practice, there were limits to what could be achieved. They would have to rely on learning from experiences in the field.
Unrelatedly, Ringo began to awkwardly and indirectly request hugs several times a day after that. It seemed the stimulation had indeed been too much. Naturally, she was more than happy to embrace the Communicator controlled by Ringo.
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“Now then.”
Fifty-five days after their transfer. She stood in the shipyard, gazing at the camouflaged paddle steamer floating on the sea.
“At last, it’s time to set sail.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
The first contact paddle steamer was constructed with a reinforced iron keel and other major components, while most of the remaining parts were made from cellulose-based materials. It was equipped with a diesel generator and was designed for powered navigation via paddle wheels, although it could also sail under wind power. They would be embarking on their maiden voyage directly toward the Northern Continent, but Ringo had confirmed through simulations that there were no issues, so they decided to set sail.
“So, we’re really going with nine people?”
“Yes, Ma’am. One will remain behind.”
Of the ten Communicators prepared for trading, one would stay with her as Ringo’s dedicated terminal at The Tree Fortress. Ringo had insisted on this for once, and she readily agreed without hesitation. It was likely that Ringo wanted to maintain physical contact.
“Alright then… Should we decide on a name for the ship?”
“Yes, Ma’am. While we can refer to it by number internally, having a name for external purposes would be beneficial.”
“A name… a name, huh?”
To be honest, she felt it was unnecessary to name a ship of this caliber, but it was indeed important for external relations. They couldn’t introduce it as Prototype One to the locals.
“Hmm…”
If possible, it would be better to choose a name related to The Tree Fortress. They could even reuse it for the entire trading fleet.
“Let’s call it Paraiso. The trading ship Paraiso. We will use this name for the flagship.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I will register it as such.”
Immediately, a work machine flew in and began engraving the ship’s name on the bow. Confirming the name [PARAISO], she nodded in satisfaction.
“Then, Paraiso, set sail!”
“Understood. Trading ship Paraiso, setting sail.”
After a brief period of movement via the paddle wheels, Paraiso began to unfurl its sails. With the strength of the nine Bio-Androids and the winches, the sails were smoothly raised on the three masts. The wind was gentle, but it was sufficient to propel the ship forward. As the sails filled with wind, the vessel slowly began to move.
“…A sailing ship in this day and age.”
“Yes, Ma’am. We plan to construct even larger vessels in the future.”
Indeed, a sailing ship that could navigate solely using the power of the wind was not a bad option for the resource-strapped fortress. While they intended to equip future ships with emergency water jet propulsion systems, they would have no choice but to rely on sailing vessels for the time being unless they secured a source of oil or an alternative energy source.
“I suppose we have no choice. By the way, I had put it on hold, but what kind of power do the paddle steamers on the Northern Continent use?”
“Due to the lack of external observation, we need to investigate that as well.”
The paddle steamers observed on the Northern Continent did not reveal their power source based on appearance alone. A chimney was necessary for burning fossil fuels, yet none could be found. Therefore, Ringo speculated that they were using some other unknown technology. During a previous operation to occupy an island, they had observed a mysterious flame-throwing power, leading to the assumption that similar technology was in use.
However, information gathering on these matters had not progressed thus far. It would be ideal if there were battlefields where observation was easier, but all the observed instances had been from extremely far away, and they had yet to succeed in capturing any footage.
“I hope we can gather information about that in the city we aim for.”
The city they planned to land in was expected to be a bustling port town. The entry and exit of sailing ships had been confirmed, and those vessels were only slightly larger than Paraiso, so they anticipated that Paraiso, being a paddle steamer, would serve as a sufficient deterrent. Since no ships equipped with rotating turrets had been observed in the vicinity, they could likely be recognized as a threat.
“I will do my utmost.”
“Thank you.”
Thus, the trading ship Paraiso completed its five-day voyage from The Tree Fortress and prepared to enter the target port town.