Rising Rays of the New Century: Tale of the Japanese Empire

Attack on Titan

July 18, 2199

Earth

Fussa City, Tokyo, Japanese Empire

Toshimichi Togo is a member of the International Federation Space Force's Lunar Area Force is and currently on secondment from the Imperial Japanese Space Force. Until the end of his secondment, he was assigned to work at the largest extraterrestrial military base on the moon, the Shackleton-Taketori Base, but coincidentally, he was mobilized for the mission of escorting the Union Queen's landing on Earth, which gave him the opportunity to temporarily return to Japan.

And now, he was spending a relaxing time with his family whom he hadn't seen in a long time at his home in Fussa City, where Yokota Air Base is located.

"Dad!! Look, look, it's a plane! It's the UF-4 Shooting Star!"

Toshimichi's son, Daiki, a fourth-grade elementary school student, looked up from the balcony and watched the atmospheric and space fighter UF-4 Shooting Star conducting its regular flight inspection over Yokota Air Base.

"Dad, you're flying that too on Taketori, right?"

"Yeah."

Sitting on the living room sofa, Toshimichi proudly replied while sipping his coffee. His role as a pilot of an atmospheric and space fighter was a source of pride and admiration for Daiki.

"I didn't expect you to come back so suddenly. What time are you leaving tomorrow?" said Yuka, Toshimichi's wife, as she placed a cake on the table to accompany the coffee.

Toshimichi took a fork and answered as he reached for the cake. "Tomorrow is the day the Space Drifters Union inspection group returns... The inspection group that moved from Okinawa to Tokyo will arrive at the spaceport in the evening. We'll take off from Yokota and head to the moon accordingly."

"...I see, it all happened so fast."

Yuka looked sullen. Although it was just under a week of being back home, the time spent together as a family was a precious memory for her.

"Don't worry, it's only another six months of assignment. Besides, I'll be transferred to Yokota next time, so we can live together again," Toshimichi smiled.

It was well known that due to the nature of being a military man, frequent transfers were inevitable. To avoid transferring schools for the children, Toshimichi has been traveling alone to various celestial bodies as part of his duty.

. . .

Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo

At almost the same time, in the Teito Hotel in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, there were several government officials present. Seated on luxurious sofas in the splendid lobby was a diplomat named Niwatsukino.

"...Aah, I'm so tired."

"Honestly. We've been on edge for this whole week."

As they gazed up at the ceiling, they vented their frustrations to their colleagues. Currently, the Earth Inspection Group that had returned from Okinawa was staying at this hotel. Tomorrow, they were scheduled to move to the Tokyo Spaceport by shuttle and return to the Queen's Court on Mars. Queen Riza and about forty members of the inspection group were spending their last night on Earth in their respective rooms.

"But... the IF and the Japanese government's intentions seem to be working well. It seems the typhoon in Okinawa has taken quite a toll."

"The officials from the other side who came to Earth for this inspection probably won't want to come back to Earth again."