Summoning Japan: Flights of the Fancy

Chapter 15 - Stuck in Hell

West of the Second Civilization Area

Trigger had become the man in the cockpit. The Maun he was riding soared at an altitude of 10.000 meters. The Maun is airtight only in the cockpit and other parts of the fuselage, and it was not a passenger plane, so comfort was not a priority. Considering the risk of the aircraft being destroyed by the pressure difference inside and outside in case of an accident, it was only natural to minimize the pressurized compartments for test flights. However, regretfully for this particular flight, Trigger wished he had made the entire aircraft airtight. The reason was that unwanted passengers were on board.

Trigger was in a room called the mechanical room. It was a room for monitoring the engine's status, with various measuring instruments placed as the name suggests. During the flight, it was pressurized for the person operating the machines, as they continuously collected data. The mechanical room was not small, but due to the numerous machines, it felt cramped. In that narrow space, he was sitting with military police, needless to say, members of the supervisory squad. They were ensuring that the two test planes would not turn back midway and were vigilant about dropping simulated bombs on the targeted island.

Trigger thought of trying to break the awkward atmosphere, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything under the atmosphere created by the MPs. He continued to endure, thinking it was better than the cockpit where the Army pilot was present.

However, Trigger's patience was about to come to an end in the worst possible way.

"Anti-air radar contact. Two unidentified aircraft approaching at high speed!"

The Maun, one of the two test planes, was equipped with a prototype anti-air radar, and the technician attached to that radar exclaimed. This information was also conveyed to the Guti flying alongside it, and a different kind of tension spread inside both aircraft.

The crew of the test aircraft were employees of Carsline Company. Although currently treated as civilian personnel, they were not military personnel. As they became agitated, the MP commander asked a question.

"Will we arrive at the destination first or will we encounter the unknowns first?"

The technician couldn't answer the question immediately.

"Which is it!?"

Pressed harder this time, the technician finally responded. "I don't know. It's a delicate situation."

The commander, upon hearing this, stated in an atmosphere that brooked no argument.

"Then continue the mission as planned."

It wasn't a mission but a job. Trigger thought so, but he couldn't voice it out of fear.

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Sky above the sea near the Mu Continent

A large aircraft was flying over the sea close to the Mu Continent. It was a test flight of the YS-11 Kai, which had been assembled in Mu.

Japan had decided to allow Mu to license-produce the YS-11, but to confirm whether it was feasible, all parts were transported from Japan to Mu, where local companies were instructed in the assembly process. Despite various twists and turns, the aircraft was somehow completed, and they managed to conduct the test flight.

Half of the twists and turns were actually on the Japanese side. The YS-11, a domestically produced passenger aircraft, did not have all of its parts made in Japan. Many parts, such as duralumin components and aviation electronic equipment, were foreign-made. These had to be newly developed and manufactured in Japan. Additionally, there were various points of dissatisfaction with the original YS-11, and improvements were made. As a result, the YS-11's design was extensively revised, and the newly manufactured aircraft was named the "YS-11 Kai" with the nuance of being an improved version.