Two-Person Galactic Journey: Earth Was Destroyed While Imprisoned in Space Prison Chapter 38

Chapter 38

"You're saying that thing has intelligence?"

"There's no such thing as a creature without intelligence. The question is what's necessary to communicate with it."

At Stomato's question, Kait scratched his head. There's no such thing as a creature without intelligence. Was it Terapolapaneshio who said that if a species has a survival strategy sufficient to reproduce, then there's no need to develop intelligence? And that a species for whom intelligence is not essential for survival couldn't possibly be happy?

Star-Eater is an apex predator, so clear it leaves no room for debate. After all, it consus planetary cores. Everyone living in the Federation or belonging to the Corporation originally ca from planets.

"Maybe we really do need to ask it directly."

Kait wanted to use the communication system to confirm his theory wasn't wrong. Since no one objected, he decided to contact the individual that ca to mind as the most familiar.

"Sorry to bother you during your busy hours, Representative."

'No, I always welco a call from you. Kait, Third-Rank Citizen (Enec Lagif).'

The representative of the artificial celestial body Zodogia, who was leading Earth's restoration efforts, seed a touch more radiant than the last ti they spoke via communication. That must be it. He's been sneaking down to Earth to mingle with the Earth jellyfish.

Moreover, after mingling with the Earth jellyfish, they began to show individual traits, and at tis seed to weaken their inter-individual connections to keep secrets. The fact that it ca from mingling with Earth jellyfish was sohow heartwarming.

"You probably already know, but I'm currently on Radia. The space eel got close, so I ca to assist."

'I know. So, you've joined up then.'

"Yes. I was a bit bothered by the fact that the councilor didn't explain anything about the space eel."

The representative said nothing about the term "space eel." But as long as the conversation made sense, it didn't matter. Knowing the representative, he must have gathered biological data during Earth's environntal restoration.

'So you want to ask about whether that thing possesses intelligence?'

"I thought as much."

"What!?"

The one who scread was Stomato, who had been listening nearby. The other staff stirred at the news as well.

Kait had gotten an answer to his theory, but the real question was why it had been thrown onto him. Honestly, this didn't seem like a matter that Earth's still-novice spacefaring humanity should be expected to solve.

While the staff murmured behind him, Kait continued questioning the representative.

"I understand I was close, and that I've interacted with Earthlings from the Corporation. That's all true, but could you tell why I was the one entrusted to deal with it?"

'We learned it had intelligence during the second defeat. The first ti, we tried to communicate but got no response. That's why we defeated it. The second ti, a fleet was assembled with the goal of defeating it using the Federation's current forces.'

Kait could sowhat understand why the Federation assembled a fleet. The idea that there are cosmic disasters that only Terapolapaneshio can handle is not good. Maybe for the first ti, but over ti it would begin to affect the very foundation of the Federation as an organization.

During the second space eel extermination operation, Terapolapaneshio followed from the rear in case the current forces failed to defeat it.

And during the battle, they realized sothing.

'We didn't notice the first ti. Probably because we killed it in one blow and were too focused on the battle. During the second defeat, the Federation fleet's attacks gradually wore it down, and we didn't participate in the battle—that's when we finally noticed. The massive waves of emotion that creature holds.'

"Massive?"

'It's probably also because the size and form of life between us and it are too different. We were slow to notice.'

Terapolapaneshio said they were slow to notice.

That raised more questions. Kait tilted his head honestly.

"Why didn't you respond when you noticed?"

'We had already submitted to the Federation Congress the conclusion that "harmonious coexistence with that creature is impossible." The Congress created counterasures based on that conclusion. If we later said, "Actually, it seems that creature does have intelligence," it would only cause confusion on the ground.'

"I understand that, but..."

'While we were debating our policy between individuals, the Rare Species Conservation Agency issued a statent to protect it. If they succeeded in protecting it, the Federation wouldn't have to force a repulsion. Once that happened, we thought we could resubmit a proposal to the Congress.'

However, during the third encounter overall, the Corporation failed to protect it, and the fleet was annihilated. Terapolapaneshio concluded that lobbying the Congress was no longer possible.

In the fourth attempt, the Corporation's fleet wasn't annihilated, but they couldn't control the space eel's movents, and the Federation forces eliminated it instead. In other words, the Corporation also failed to engage with the space eel's intelligence.

"So, about the reason I was entrusted with the response..."

'The reason is simple. We ventured into space alone and only gained intelligence afterward. Most other species living in the Federation have long since left their ho planets. There are almost no species with experience interacting with unintelligible alien life forms.'

"But it's not like I'm an expert or anything, you know?"

At most, he'd played with a neighborhood dog when he was little. He'd learned about animal behavior during his ti studying with the Organization, but that was it. He thought about how he'd once been content with book knowledge, tried to reflect, then gave up. There was no way his past self could have predicted this situation.

By the ti Kait was born, the boundary between humanity and wild animals had already been clearly drawn. The expectations from the representative and others weighed heavily on him.

"In the end, just because I'm involved doesn't an we'll be able to communicate. We might have no choice but to eliminate it."

'That's fine. Our top priority is to protect the Namibif star system's ecosystem. That creature's life or death cos second.'

Hearing that gave him so relief. Though, he still hadn't co up with a way to deal with that massive body.

According to the representative, this was the fifth recorded discovery of a space eel. Most of its ecology remains unknown, and the locations where it's been found are scattered all over the Federation's sphere of influence. It wouldn't be strange if many existed outside the Federation or Corporation's reach, and there's no guarantee they even originated in the sa galaxy.

In other words, the Rare Species Conservation Agency labeling it as rare is just an impression—not based on any solid evidence.

"I feel a bit more relaxed now. I'll try to co up with sothing while consulting with the Radia staff."

'I'm counting on you.'

When he glanced back, Stomato and the others were looking at Kait and Emotion with eyes full of hope. Ah, so no one's going to co up with any ideas.

As he sighed inwardly at his dependable companions, the representative spoke in a sowhat more serious tone.

'By the way, Kait, Third-Rank Citizen.'

"Yes?"

'That na, "space eel," for the creature—it's quite brilliant. I'll recomnd to the council that we make "space eel" its official designation when reporting the outco.'

"D-Do as you like."

Honestly, the lack of a sense of urgency is just absurd.