When they were less than half a nautical mile away and Barlin could see the research vessel's stern as well as the wake, he told Cicero, "This is good enough. Return to port—I'll board it myself."

Cicero quickly said, "Elder, this ship is full of Japanese. You don't speak Japanese, so I'm afraid you won't be able to get through to them!"

Barlin snorted coldly. "I doubt that not a single person on a science ship can't speak Oskian. But if they can't, I'll just sink their ship and wait for the C