Japan Space-Time Strange Chronicles

Different People and Their Request

This is the second time this month. Finally, it's the SDF's first battle (not against human opponents, though). It is quite difficult to describe the attack.

- Kazuhiro Kasami

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Japanese envoys Sonomura and Kunimoto, as ushered, sat down on what appeared to be cushions on the floor in seiza. Apparently, they were growing cotton-like plants for living, despite their primitive form of life. In front of them sat an old man who looked like a hermit with magnificent horns, different those of Garon who had led them. His horns were, shall we say, deer antlers.

"After bear ears, now deer antlers?"

The man with the face of an old man of Caucasian descent, different from that of a Native American, spoke up.

"Hmm. You seem to be surprised by our physical features. Then let me first introduce myself. This Hagan Tribe is made up of two groups, the bear-ears and the deer horns. I am the chief of this tribe and my name is Garzon."

With a slight bow of his head, the old man, who introduced himself as Garzon, greeted them.

"Thank you very much for your kind introduction. My name is Makoto Sonomura, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. This is my junior, Kenji Kunimoto."

"Pleased to meet you."

Kunimoto followed Sonomura and bowed. Garzon smiled at them.

"I am glad that you treat me with courtesy even though we are meeting for the first time. So, people of Japan, what are you seeking from us?"

Sonomura paused for a beat and then began.

"I am wondering about who rules this country. It is a very different world from the one we are familiar with."

"Country? There is no such thing here," Garzon replied with a somewhat troubled expression.

Hearing these words, the two Foreign Ministry officials looked at each other and thought, "I knew it." The two officials were now able to decide that they had been right in their opinion that they had apparently been sent to a parallel Earth, just as the government had said.

"So there is no one to rule and reign over you?"

"I don't know how many are included in the 'we' you speak of, because the only place we have to 'rule' is this village. There are a couple of other settlements that we have some contact with, but beyond that, I don't know of any other."

If Garzon was right, they lived only in a very small world.

"Then, please accept this as a token of our greetings and our desire to establish friendship."

Sonomura signaled to Kunimoto and opened the trunk case he had brought with him. Inside were various Japanese specialties that Sonomura had gathered in the short time he had been here.

"Hoho... this is interesting. Is this... a vessel for a drink?"

Garzon held up a faceted glass.

"It's beautiful. It must have taken a great deal of skill to make it."

Garzon picked another thin object.

"Is this... a sword? How do you... get this beautiful pattern?"

He gazed at the ripples on the surface of the sword with a look of fondness on his face. Seeing this, Garson realized, albeit dimly, that those before him held a power far more advanced than his own.

"We did not expect to receive these wonderful things. This is what I see. You people have a much better civilization than we have. But that is why I ask you. Why do you seek friendship with us? If you have gathered so many people with so much more technology than we have, isn't it possible that you could raid us and get everything we have?"