Chapter 154 (1/2)

154. Search Operation 2

”Datum of target, on-top, standby…, mark-on-top! Transition to expanding square pattern, proceed with the visual search!” (Tacco-san)

Under the Tactical Coordinator's edict, not only using the surface search radar, but all crew members adjacent to the windows also doing the visual search. …of course, we already start scanning long before we reach the search center point. Well, it seems to be a boilerplate to tighten our sense.

(Note: Tactical Coordinator, abbr. > Tacco)

By the way, in the AWS patrol plane, the pilot and the tacco seem to have a higher rank than a captain. In the Imperial Navy, scouts were sometimes captains, so this is probably normal.

Well, they usually able to find submarine periscopes and snorkels, there's no way they would overlook a big sailing ship, although without its mast or sail, so I can leave the visual search to them.

”Radar contact, 326 degrees, 63 miles” (Radar operator)

”Homing!” (Tacco-san)

”Turn right, 326 degrees!” (Pilot-san)

The radar has detected something. Immediately, the tacco marked the target on the screen to make the target visible on the pilot's display.

However, that doesn't mean the ship has been discovered. There are many boats sailing, drifting objects, whales, and many more things at sea…

”Target in sight! It looks like a large wooden boat, but I can't see anything that looks like a sail!” (the lookout)

How convenient…

”It seems to be the 40-guns boat mentioned in the datum. There's no mast.” (the lookout)

The location is quite close to the search center point.

And the ship is adrift, or in other words it has zero water velocity, but still flowing with the ocean current.

Anyway, looks like it is the correct target.

… If you think about it, there shouldn't be much ship that leaves the coast and sails alone in the open sea in this era. And with such a large target, there's only whale that can be mistaken for anything other than a ship.

Alright, let's get on board!

”Proceed to phase 2! Prepare for emergency evacuation as well as emergency return!” (Mitsuha)

I warned the crews to prepare for two things. Emergency evacuation is when I return to the cabin immediately and emergency return is when I transfer them to Earth without me returning to the cabin.

Right, if I couldn't transfer to a fast-moving aircraft, I would have to transfer it with me without getting on the cabin.

In both cases, there's no danger and no preparation needed, but I need to alert them to avoid surprises and panic.