Two-Person Galactic Journey: Earth Was Destroyed While Imprisoned in Space Prison Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"If I wish it, does that an I can obtain citizenship?"

"Yes. Mr. Kait fulfills the conditions to receive the Federation's Enec Lagif."

A word Kait couldn't understand ca up. Ritimiele's pronunciation had changed, so it was likely a term that couldn't be translated.

Judging from the context, it seed to be a type of citizenship.

"Enec Lagif?"

"Correct. It grants the eligibility to run in Federation congressional elections and the right to synchronize your biotric data with the central archive indefinitely and without restriction."

He didn't understand the part about synchronizing biotric data, but he did understand the eligibility to run in elections.

"That sounds like quite a high-level right."

"Yes. Among the fourteen levels of rights, it is the third highest. Since we began our observation until now, there has not been a political entity on Earth, Mr. Kait's ho planet, with enough political intelligence to qualify for Federation mbership. In this case, Mr. Kait, who made the first active contact with the Federation, will be treated as Earth's representative."

"Well, that's sothing."

He beca slightly curious about the current state of Earth. Kait hadn't expected Ritimiele to issue a rejection of Earth's nations.

That said, since the result had been the collapse of Earth's civilization or environnt, perhaps the criticism was justified.

Kait himself had essentially abandoned Earth. Being treated as its representative after being picked up by an alien civilization was rather ironic.

"Mr. Kait, your thought patterns are currently being observed in real ti. Your intelligence and rationality fully et the conditions to be welcod as a Federation citizen."

"Just so you know, I was imprisoned on Earth as a thought criminal."

"Is that so? If you don't mind, could you tell us the details?"

"Emotion. Are my court records preserved?"

"They are preserved. Will you be submitting them to Ms. Ritimiele?"

"That's the plan, yes?"

"There is a risk that it may result in a restriction of Master Kait's rights. I cannot support it."

Rarely, Emotion clearly expressed opposition. Her analysis was that it would be detrintal to her master, but Kait didn't see it that way.

"More than anything, what's needed right now is sincerity, Emotion. I consider the risks of withholding information to be more important than the disadvantages of submitting it."

"......Understood."

With a whirring sound—perhaps a silent protest—Emotion turned to Ritimiele and asked a question.

"I will submit the data. Where and how should I transfer it?"

***

"What is this! Isn't this a false accusation?"

As she expressed her anger, Ritimiele's fur stood on end. Kait learned this reaction, though it likely wouldn't be useful in his future life.

The data was submitted in the form of a video projection. Apparently, so of Earth's technology had already been absorbed, as the court records were shared with them in a short ti.

"Well, that's why I was exiled beyond the atmosphere. If not for that, I wouldn't have t all of you, so in a way, I suppose I was lucky."

"Gamahadeg! You should not call being forced to live in solitude a blessing."

"No, it was more comfortable than living on the surface. After all, I wasn't being used by anyone in any sense."

"I will consider it confird that Mr. Kait has no personality issues. ......Let's return to the topic."

Ritimiele's fur returned to normal. She seed to have regained so composure.

Citizenship. What they offered was a higher level of citizenship than he had expected. Greater rights ca with greater responsibilities. Kait felt slightly weighed down.

"Let confirm. Do you wish to obtain Federation citizenship?"

"Before that, please tell the rights and obligations of a Federation citizen."

"Ah, that's right. It seems I'm still not fully calm."

Ritimiele fiddled with the fur at her fingertips. From her behavior so far, it was clear she had emotions too, which was oddly reassuring. No matter how advanced a civilization, having soone with a similar heart was comforting.

Rights and obligations were displayed as a projection in the air. It was in Earth's language.

"There are fewer rights and obligations than I expected. No need to work?"

"Yes. As I ntioned earlier, we have already completely resolved issues related to resources and the environnt. Labor and asset accumulation are mostly done to obtain higher-level citizenship or for access to restricted entertainnt."

Restricted entertainnt included things like living on a planet. Since they had artificial celestial bodies in space, such things apparently counted as entertainnt.

The basic principles of Federation citizens' obligations were 'understanding and respecting individual preferences and the culture and ethnicity of species' and 'not unduly infringing on others' rights.'

If sothing was recognized as culture or ethnicity, even acts of violence against others could be tolerated.

"However, in the case of cultures that might infringe on others' rights, special zones are prepared to respect those cultures. As for violence, its use as a defensive action is permitted even outside those zones."

"For example, if a family mber is unjustly killed outside a special zone, wouldn't soone want to take revenge?"

"Our biotric data is stored in the central managent room. That includes mories. In cases of unjust violence or accidental death, the data is transferred from the central managent room and we are revived. In our society, the concept of revenge is unlikely to arise."

Even Kait was surprised by this.

Their lives had backups. Ritimiele seed pleased by Kait's surprise. Perhaps he was accepting the situation a bit too smoothly.

"Biotric data synchronization is perford regularly. The interval depends on the level of citizenship, but for us, even death can be considered a right exercised by choice."

"Oh wow."

From what he heard, lower-ranked citizens seed to have fewer opportunities to sync their biotric data.

From Kait's understanding, the lower the rank, the more likely mory loss would occur upon revival. Higher-ranked citizens likely had more opportunities to sync because they were more likely to hold important information.

"To supplent the earlier question, if soone unjustly uses violence outside a special zone, they will be registered as a criminal. Criminals may be disconnected from the central managent room, and penalties such as deletion of registered biotric data may be applied."

That was a terrifying punishnt for a Federation citizen.

For Kait, death ant the end, but in a society where life backups were the norm, being unable to be revived would be the greatest fear.

While there were few obligations, there were also very few rights. To summarize, 'as long as you do not unjustly infringe upon the rights of other Federation citizens, you have the right to do anything.'

It seed that as civilization progressed, both rights and obligations beca quite simple.

"So, even if I beco a Federation citizen, what I do is mostly up to my own free will?"

"Exactly. If Mr. Kait has any unusual preferences, you would be asked to exercise them within a special zone."

"I don't think I have any of those, but since your common sense and ours may differ, I can't say that for sure."

At Kait's words, Ritimiele's fur lightly trembled. Amused, perhaps?

There didn't seem to be any reason to refuse citizenship. He wasn't childish enough to insist on checking what would happen if he did.

"Then, once again. Mr. Kait, do you wish to obtain Federation citizenship?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

"Thank you. The Federation welcos you."

The confirmation ended very peacefully. It was just a personal feeling, but he had a good sense that they would get along well from here on.

Ritimiele, looking relieved, said cheerfully while lightly trembling her fur.

"Now then, let's begin by modifying your body."

"Huh?"