Washu
Tens of thousands of years ago, Earth time…
The power relationships in the galaxy were different back then. There were no connections between allied powers through the Galactic Federation, and tens of thousands of small coalitions existed, ranging in size from single planets to several solar systems. With interstellar travel routes still underdeveloped, the vast expanse of space rendered wars between nations pointless. There were territorial skirmishes between neighboring countries, but most societies focused on pioneering the unexplored frontier. That was the Age of Galactic Exploration.
The rise and fall of countless civilizations continued to spread intelligent life throughout the galaxy. Eventually, there were two major powers: an alliance centered around Jurai, the largest by far among the coalitions, and a coalition centered around Seniwa.
Since those two alliances possessed outstanding technology enabling interstellar travel, they were capable of becoming driving forces that could form a galactic federation. Unfortunately, the two nations were locked in an endless cold war. Also, even with their technology, Jurai and Seniwa were both small compared to the entirety of colonized space. Neither had sufficient assets or territory to catalyze a federation independently.
There was also another factor obstructing the relationship between the two countries: space pirates.
“Thanks, mister!” Easily carrying a paper bag almost as big as her upper body, a red-haired girl emerged from a grocery store. She set down the goods she had just bought on the rack on the back of her air scooter and rolled up her baggy shirtsleeves. Her outfit seemed quite large for a girl her size. Just as she straddled the seat, about to press the ignition switch, her surroundings suddenly turned dark, as if the sun had been blotted out by the clouds. The girl’s eyes had been acclimated to the sunlight, and, given the abruptness of the dimming, she had the impression that night had suddenly fallen. She reflexively looked up into the sky, and a powerful light shown into her eyes. Whatever had cast the shadow had already moved.
The girl clicked her tongue at her carelessness, blocked the direct sunlight with her hand, and slowly scanned the sky. A ship was silently flying overhead at a low altitude. It was a peculiar vessel with an outer hull carved out of wood. As expansive as the galaxy may be, only one planet used ships made of wood.
“A Royal Ship,” the girl muttered, with deep emotion and awe.
“Well, well, the Royal Ship… A crusade must be happening.” From behind the girl came a shopkeeper’s voice. Looking up at the sky, he added in vexation, “Those pirates are like locusts. They swarm back as soon as you drive them away.”
They were on Kanamitsu, a massive food production planet located in the remote regions of Jurai’s territory, with fertile lands for agriculture and plentiful oceans for a thriving fishing industry. Because it was so far out, and because of the abundant food resources, Kanamitsu was often attacked by pirates and other nations. In recent years, with the changes in territory-power relationships, it had become an important base for supplying border security forces. Therefore, a Third Generation Royal Ship piloted by an Imperial Family member was permanently stationed there. With the presence of a single Third Generation ship, Kanamitsu gained the strength of a large nation’s central planet. Now guarded by a Royal Ship, the planet’s risk of being pillaged by individual pirates and the odd organization was gone, but battles with large-scale pirate syndicates continued unchanged.
“If the Royal Ship is coming out, it must be Shank’s people,” sighed the girl.
“We’ve been marked by an onerous foe,” said the shopkeeper in response. However powerful, a single ship could not defend an entire planet. Having only one ship in a fleet surpass the others in power was inefficient, especially if that ship needed to secure a wide area. The common Jurai warrior boasted tremendous strength, but during combat, the attacking pirates held the upper hand.
“Something must be done,” murmured the girl, watching the Royal Ship, which was now the size of a grain of rice in the sky. Strife brought about more strife and generated misery for the people. The girl’s voice suggested that she had experienced that firsthand. Or, at least, the shopkeeper beside her got that feeling. “Watching them forever won’t do a thing. I better get going.”
“Hold on… I came out to give you this. Sorry, these are just samples, but give ’em to the kids.”
The girl peered inside the large paper sack he handed her, which contained a variety of snacks and candy. “Thanks, as always.” She placed the sack on the rack behind her. “I better hurry. Later, mister.”
The girl started the scooter, which was quite small, but cumbersome for a girl who only looked seven or eight. In fact, she did not appear old enough to legally have a license. But the shopkeeper and other passersby only offered her friendly banter, and no one chastised her for underage driving.
Just then, a car pulled up alongside her. A car made out of hardened wood: a Jurai security vehicle. “Washu-chan, you gotta be over sixteen to ride a scooter,” an officer said from the window, smiling.
“Oops, sorry!” A moment later, the girl transformed into an eighteen-year-old. This was why she had been wearing baggy clothing. However, her clothes could not adequately cover her newly ample body, and her shoulders remained bare. “Heh, how’s that?” In a complete change from her earlier innocence, she smiled bewitchingly in the guard’s direction.
Her name was Hakubi Washu, and she had inexplicable powers. In this age, the existence of people with such abilities was common knowledge, but those who possessed them usually hid them. In Washu’s case, she used them liberally. The town residents accepted her without a second thought.
“I’ve never seen your partner before. A rookie?” She tapped the window, calling attention to the officer, who had not been keeping his eyes on the road.
“Huh? Oh…yeah, from the Jurai home world.” Even the officer who knew her was captivated by her; the rookie next to him looked as though his soul had been yanked from his body. “S-say, let’s go on a date.”
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Your son in our day care proposed to me the other day.”
“What?! That brat… All right, marry me.”
“Don’t be silly. Your wedding vows said you would only have one wife. Get on with your patrol, champion of justice. Scram.” Washu kicked the door a little aggressively.
“C’mon, no harm done.” The officer sped up. As the car pulled away, the rookie inside kept looking behind him, even after Washu’s face was no longer visible.
Finally freed from her gravitational pull, he sighed and muttered, “Senpai, she was really beautiful. There aren’t many beauties like that on Jurai.”
“Too bad you weren’t transferred earlier. What a shame.” The older guard frowned with a sidelong glance.
“What? But you have a wife…”
“That’s not what I mean. You saw her dump us.”
“Then does she have a boyfriend? She must…”
“No, she doesn’t have anyone. She’s going to study abroad in a few days, at the Imperial Academy.”
“She got accepted to the Imperial Academy?! Is she from a rich family?”
“The day care my son goes to is also an orphanage. We’re near the border, so there are a lot of battles… What I mean is, she’s the other kind of student.” The older guard lightly tapped his head with his finger.
Students at the Imperial Academy were either from wealthy families or exempt from tuition. “A beauty and smart? That’s amazing.”
“Yeah…too amazing.”
“Huh…?”
“She got accepted to the Department of Philosophy.”
“Philosophy?!” With a surprised cry of grief, the rookie fell silent. Philosophy was the greatest of all Jurai’s sciences. It was a symbol of the power supporting Jurai, along with the Royal Trees. The scientific knowledge and technologies formulated and collected at the Academy were, in and of themselves, merely components, and rarely had direct applications. However, once an unexpected connection between fields was made, technology could advance in explosive leaps and bounds. The Philosophy Department was often the source of those connections, having come up with a plethora of revolutionary applications. It also had another important role: the creation of ethical standards in technology. Thanks to their vast store of knowledge and experience, someone qualified as an assistant philosophy professor or better would receive treatment equivalent to a head of state, not only on Jurai, but in other countries as well. They enjoyed VIP treatment from the minute they got their letter of acceptance.
“Philosophy…” The rookie muttered in disappointment. He realized that, although he’d fallen in love at first sight, she had already gone where he could not follow.
Washu parked the air scooter on a small hill in front of the orphanage, stretched, and looked out at the landscape. A golden carpet of grain awaiting harvest spread before her as far as the eye could see.
“Washu-oneechan! Bye!” A little girl being led by her mother waved to Washu. As Washu turned around, the mother nodded and smiled.
“Take care. See you tomorrow.” Washu waved and saw them off and then turned back towards the city that faced the farm. What looked like strings far off in the distance were orbital elevators, heading to the spaceport in geosynchronous orbit. In a few days, she was going to depart from there, headed for the planet that housed the Imperial Academy. She would have to say goodbye to this landscape as well.