Part 7: Chapter 3

    Meanwhile, in the Colorado Springs American Air Force Command Center, the over 2000 points displayed on the world map taking up an enormous 50-foot screen could not have been enough. The Space Defense Force was tracking Chinese and Soviet satellites with 99.9% accuracy. The Space Defense Force had decided that the 2000 satellites pointed at the surface needed marking, and that was probably less than 40 percent of them.
    The visibly moving points were surveillance satellites launched into low orbit. The slower they moved, the higher their orbits were. At intervals of five degrees, satellites in dead orbit above the equator near North America, Europe, and Japan. Among them, the blinking point at 135 degrees East was Star Scorpion.
    Star Scorpion's job was to catch enemy ICBM launch information from recent surveillance satellites, calculate their trajectories, control defense satellites and laser cannons on the surface to intercept them, and order retaliatory strikes from nuclear submarines. It was like a space defense control tower. However, with the SDI not at full capacity yet, 70% of its abilities sat dormant as the satellite floated in space.
    "The Demon Summoning Program will only control the satellite's computer temporarily. As long as the demon does not destroy the satellite, you should be able to use it again," explained Professor Baker.
    "Don't try to console me. More importantly, we need to make sure that word of this plan doesn't leak out to the Senate. Getting the Senate to recognize the existence of demons would be 100 times harder than getting them to approve an invasion of Nicaragua. And if that summoned demon destroyed the satellite, they'll be screaming over the waste of the 2.5 billion dollars that it cost," replied General Louis, always careful to consider the political implications.
    "2.5 billion dollars is nothing. True, the problem is just with one country, Japan, right now, but it's plain as day that if the demon world keeps expanding, the problem will spread to Asia, Eurasia, and eventually North America. This plan is our last-ditch attempt at stopping that." Feed could not hide his irritation.
    "60 seconds and counting. 50, 40..." The countdown to the program delivery started.
    "20, 10, 9, 8, 7"
    "Stop! A Soviet communication satellite is jamming the signal!" cried a genearl watching a circular display on the console.
    The color drained from Feed's face. But General Louis just shrugged his shoulders unconcernedly and said "Don't worry. It's just the same old reaction."
    "Give me the number of the transmission beam that was jammed," spoke the businesslike voice of another general.
    "Numbers 2 through 40, and 50 through 80."
    "Stop the corresponding beams. Use only beams number 41 through 49."
    "Yes, sir."
    The countdown to transmission began again.
    "...3, 2, 1, starting transmission!"
    The host computer started groaning. Messages checking the status of the transmission scrolled down the display one after another.
    "Program transmission complete. Ready to stand by." The command center stirred with commotion.
    "OK, shut down Star Scorpion's relay functions. The substitute satellite is 145 degrees east, Mark V. Professor Feed, you can start the program any time." General Louis transferred his authority to Feed.
    Gripping his ornate cross, Feed's gaze leapt to the small display. The SDF's RPV still was sending footage of the carnage from Japan. Set's pillar of flesh had already grown to the size of a small mountain, and judging from the whole scene, no movement resembling that of anything alive could be ascertained.
    Nakajima Akemi...I haven't seen you since before I left. Unfortunately I can't afford to wait any longer. All I can do now is pray that the gods bless Yumiko. Clenching his hand into a fist, he had no way of knowing that at that moment Nakajima had entered Set's body and was fighting therein.
    "OK, start the program!" Feed's insides churned as he called out.
    Right at that moment, 35,800 kilometers above the equator, the Demon Summoning Program started running inside Star Scorpion.