| 015 | First Contact

Located in the main deck level of the UNS Light Bringer, directly above the IC-Plot was the Combat Information Center, also known as CIC. This space served as the ship's radar tracking room and also functions as a tactical center.

It provides processed information for command and control of the near battlespace or area of operations. 

Inside the CIC were various communication and intelligence personnel manning the sophisticated electronics, and with them, were the high commands of the United Navy.

One was the commanding officer of the UNS Light Bringer, Captain Lux. While the other was the highest of commands in the United Navy, Fleet Admiral Abraham Shepherd.

Recently, a Tango was detected at 145 clicks from the warship. It was located 28 degrees in the radar system, which meant that it was situated northwest of the warship's current location.

At that moment, Abraham and Captain Lux discussed the implications of the detected Tango.

"Another vessel, huh… That's the first." Abraham sarcastically remarked since he started to doubt the existence of locals after meeting the emptiness of the high seas a couple of hours ago.

"Should we trail the vessel, Fleet Admiral?" Captain Lux inquired as the Fleet Admiral was the highest rank in their station. As such, hearing his orders was paramount.

"Naturally, of course. What the United Navy lacks is information. The unknown vessel might have the intelligence we desperately need." Abraham glanced at the captain as if stating the obvious and continued.

"Captain Lux, have the helmsman steer Light Bringer towards the Tango. Maintain a distance of 2 clicks and investigate what they are." Abraham ordered the Captain with remarkable ease.

It appears that the study session after the grueling training with the crayon-eating cavemen was giving its results. He was now capable of effectively ordering his subordinates.

"Understood, Fleet Admiral." Captain Lux nodded in agreement and swiftly transmitted the orders to the bridge. His deep aged voice bellowed in its metallic chambers.

*Helmsman, Starboard 10, and full throttle!*

"Aye, Starboard 10 and full throttle!"

After the helmsman heard of it, he didn't hesitate to steer the warship 10 degrees from its former route. The waves continued to crash into the destroyer's bow, like an unstoppable tide.

As the UNS Light Bringer slowly turned starboard as previously ordered, Captain Lux gave another order to the helmsman.

*Steady.*

"Steady on 28 degrees Northwest, Sir!" The helmsman repeated while the naval personnel on the bridge observed the high seas before them.

It looks like the CIC has discovered something interesting. Such was the thought present in their minds, which wasn't far from the truth.

Meanwhile, as the UNS Light Bringer pursued the unknown vessel, the Fleet Admiral and the Captain of the warship continued their discussion or speculation.

"What do you think the vessel will be, Captain Lux?" Abraham questioned since the captain might have the answer to their spectacular circumstances. 

"From their speed, which is 13 knots. We can speculate that they must be a rather wooden ship with sails. And it must be a big one at that judging from its signature in the radar array." Captain Lux noted while looking at the radar system with a scrutinizing gaze.

"That makes sense. A medieval ship might be our unknown vessel, Captain Lux. I hope that they won't be violent when we start making contact with them."

"It would be problematic to start hostilities over a misunderstanding," Abraham said with a calm nod. Making contact without prior information might be dumb.

But it was now and never. Besides, where will they get the so-called prior information to begin with?

"The high seas are empty, so if we go by the eras of our former world, this might be the new world for our locals. The unknown vessel might be nothing more but a merchant transport ship."

"After all, spices were popular and expensive in the age of exploration. Several companies would want some pie in the massive market of spices." Captain Lux gave his opinion about the matter.

"And if it isn't merchant ship transporting spices, what could they be?" Abraham asked since he was curious about the possibility that the unknown vessel wasn't about the spice trade.

Hearing the words of the Fleet Admiral, Captain Lux merely furrowed his eyebrows. Abraham raised an eyebrow after noticing the serious expression on the captain's face.

It made him wonder what answer could have brought such a stern face on the captain.

Soon, the old white-bearded man answered his question.

"My conjectures aren't based on evidence, but speculations derived from our history. During the age of exploration, there was one business that rivaled the spice trade." 

The words of the captain also made Abraham realize what the old man was talking about.

"The largest lucrative business operation of human trafficking."

"Also known as the slave trade."

The slave trade was the largest human trafficking operation in history. It was mostly managed under the guise of the development of the New World where slaves were transported from one continent to another.

It brought large displacement from the local continent and the new continent, which was still a propagating problem even in the modern age.

In his old world, the laws of slavery were formally abolished as it was practically against the law of human rights. 

But the damage was already done, and troubles were seeping into nations because of their history.

Abraham hoped that the unknown vessel didn't contain the slave trade that Captain Lux talked about. However, he could only hope. The question of whether or not the unknown vessel contained slaves was something that would be sooner or later answered.

"This is a problem, Captain Lux." Abraham wryly smiled and the captain of the UNS Light Bringer did the same. 

Their ethos and logos opposed the existence of slavery, so it would be problematic to see a nation promoting one.

Though… It might also be an opportunity. A way that could get the United Navy to be the strongest in the world. And that was through promoting the liberation of all sapient life.

The UNS Light Bringer followed after the detected radar ping, or the Tango. Its speed, which was about 30 knots, was faster than the pace of their target. 

With this in mind, it shouldn't take too much time for the UNS Light Bringer to perceive it in the incoming horizon.

After some time, about half an hour, the navigation personnel on the bridge took notice of something in the lines of the horizon. It resembled a dot, but through the lenses of their telescopes, it was something else.

It was a medieval ship.

The archaic wooden ship was alone in the high seas, but it seemed comparatively larger than the wooden ships of their former world. It was approximately 60 meters in length.

When the UN naval personnel noticed the ship, they promptly reported their discoveries to the CIC. Their words escaped the confines of a communication device and were heard directly by the Fleet Admiral.

"Quite a large medieval ship we have here. It must be transporting something." Abraham glanced at Captain Lux while uttering the last sentence. 

The captain merely nodded and they continued with their conversation.

"Since they are in our line of sight, we should make them stop and conduct inspections. It might seem intruding, but we need to be clear that they are stepping into our maritime waters." Abraham said with a stern voice.

He was evidently gunning on discovering what the hell the unknown vessel was transporting inside its cargo bays.

"I have the same thoughts, Fleet Admiral. We must announce our presence through the speaking trumpets and have them accept our inspection. If our previous deductions are right, this sea is the new world of this foreign world."

"The territorial claims of nations are only applicable if they have the power to protect such claims." What Captain Lux meant was one thing.

The United Navy was free to do anything. Declaring a sea as their territory will be easy. And if the other nations dared to oppose it, then what could they do about it?

Try to fight against a modern navy? Obviously, this thought was for the future. But it was their duty to build the foundation for the future.

"Use our fog horns and have someone stand in the ship's bow with a speaking trumpet. We need to open up communication with our fellow sailors from the other side." Abraham calmly ordered, to which the naval communication operators nodded with ease.

They immediately scattered the orders and all personnel in the warship were in a complete state of performance. Meaning, they were working full-time.

On the bridge, the orders of the Fleet Admiral were heard. The helmsman slowly nodded at the naval personnel beside him as they calmly activated their fog horns.

To be honest, the deep growling bass of the fog horn was terrific, to say the least.

――<● >――

Meanwhile, in the high seas of the northwest was a giant metallic warship chasing after a medieval ship. It crashed against the rough waves of the deep blue and maintained its great speed with remarkable ease.

Unfortunately, it didn't end with the horrific appearance of the metallic warship. Its fog horns bellowed from it, like the deep growl or roar of a hungry sea monster.

*BURRRMMMMMMM!!!*

The loud, harsh, and unpleasant sound reverberated throughout the roaring seas and the calm azure heavens. It wasn't something enjoyable to hear, but there was none anyone could do about it.

As the metallic destroyer or the UNS Light Bringer, got nearer to the medieval ship. A figure in the warship's bow pulled out a long-speaking trumpet. 

They pointed it towards the medieval wooden ship and began communication with the ones on the other side.

*THIS IS THE UNS LIGHT BRINGER OF THE UNITED NAVY!*

*YOU ARE TRESPASSING THE MARITIME SECURITY ZONE AND WILL BE HELD LIABLE THROUGH INSPECTIONS!*

*I SAY AGAIN! YOU ARE TRESPASSING THE MARITIME SECURITY ZONE AND WILL BE HELD LIABLE THROUGH INSPECTIONS!*

*PLEASE CLOSE YOUR SAILS AND PEACEFULLY ACCEPT THE INSPECTION. OTHERWISE, WE WILL BE INCLINED TO USE FORCE TO SUBJUGATE YOUR ILLEGAL TRESPASSING!*

*BURRRMMMM!!!*

After the thunderous voice that left the speaking trumpet, another fog horn followed. Such actions were undoubtedly intimidating, which was true for the sailors in the spoken medieval ship.