Dinner With Family

Welcome Back to the Abh Empire!
A refresher about the language of Banner of the Stars:
Whenever a vocab word of the Abh language, “Baronh,” appears, it will be in italics (with the English meaning in parentheses). Whenever that particular word appears again past the first time in the original text, it will be replaced with its English-meaning counterpart in bold (but won’t be bolded if the word didn’t have the Baronh for it next to it in the original text). This is to make sure the book is accessible without losing some of that lovely “conlang” (constructed language) flavor! That being said, if a Baronh word has already been introduced in the English version of Crest, it won’t be reintroduced in Banner. This translation assumes you have read Crest.
Baronh words are spelled weirdly. The character whose English-language spelling is “Lafier” is spelled Lamhirh in Baronh (“mh” makes an “f” sound, and the “rh” is actually a rolling “r”). Ghintec, meanwhile, is pronounced “Jint” (as the “c” and “ec” at the ends of many nouns are silent). This translation will largely be making use of accessibility-spellings for character names. Having to constantly remind oneself “Lamhirh” is pronounced LAFEERR would probably prove a tad immersion-breaking for some readers.
Banner of the Stars is ongoing (its sixth volume having been released in 2018), and according to MORIOKA, Crest of the Stars was something of an introductory primer to this, the “story proper.” Each volume of Banner is its own episode, a snapshot in the lives of our protagonists at a certain point in the grueling decades of galactic warfare. As such, please know that unlike the individual volumes of Crest of the Stars, Volume III of Banner is a self-contained story in addition to being a part of an overarching saga. Pick it up and read at your leisure!


I believe in the existence of universal ethics.
I will endeavor to elevate universal ethics.
I will endeavor to spread universal ethics.
I place my trust in the United Humankind as the best instrument for the advancement and diffusion of universal ethics.
I abide by the laws and principles of the United Humankind for the sake of universal ethics.
I will obey the decrees of the United Humankind for the sake of universal ethics.
—Excerpt from the United Humankind’s “Pledge of Citizens United”


BANNER OF THE STARS III: Dinner With Family
Synopsis of BANNER OF THE STARS II
In the year 955 I.H., the Imperial Star Forces successfully completed Operation Phantom Flame and cut through United Humankind territory, thereafter, commencing Operation Hunter in order to neutralize the sectors’ remaining enemy ships. Amidst it all, Lafier, the Captain of the Basrogrh within Hunter Fleet 4, was appointed as a liege agent by Fleet Commander-in-Chief Commodore Biboth, and made her way to the planet Lohbnahss II, only to discover it was a penal planet whose population consisted of inmates forcibly sent there by the UH. Moreover, a factional conflict over the right to rule over the planet had broken out, and a portion of the administrators and inmates were requesting asylum. With the impending threat of the return of the enemy squadrons repulsed by Operation Hunter, Lafier narrowly managed to secure the citizens’ escape. During the rescue mission, Jint went missing on the planet’s surface, but following the enemy fleet’s surrender, Lafier formed a mercenary corps and found Jint safe and sound.
Characters
Lafier (Lamhirh)
... Captain of the assault ship Basrogrh, and the Empress’s granddaughter.
Jint (Ghintec)
... The Count of Hyde.
Samson (Samsonn)
... Main Retainer to the House of Hyde.
Paveryua (Pabhairyac)
... Former subordinate of Samson’s.
Atosryua (Atausryac)
... Commander of Trample-Blitz Squadron 1.
Roiryua (Roïryac)
... Captain of the raid ship Sircaubh.
Sobash (Sobach)
... Captain of the raid ship Flicaubh.
Ecryua (Aicryac)
... Navigator of the same.
Grinshia (Grinchiac)
... Inspector Supervisor of the same.
Yestesh (Ïestaich)
... Examiner of the Financial Affairs Bureau of the Chancellor’s Office.
Dehryooz (Dereuzz)
... Magistrate of the Countdom of Vorlash.
Lohgdohnyuh (Logdaunh)
... Captain of the Baucbiruch.
Sehrnye (Sérnaïc)
... Chief Executive Officer of Sehrnye, Ltd.
Que Durin (Que is pronounced “Coo”)
... An old friend of Jint’s.
Till Corint
... Head of State of the Hyde Star System.
Lina Corint
... Till’s wife.


Prologue
Through no volition of his own, ever since he’d been born, Dyaho had had his place of residence changed many a time. Each of those domiciles had their own merits, and he wiled his days far removed from any desire to move to outside pastures. Despite that, he did occasionally reminisce about a former den of his, and had even felt like returning at points. And yet, the species known as “cats” was vested with a rather hazy power of recollection, making it not readily apparent whether those memories were of a place the cat’s paws had in fact once prowled, or whether it was some imagined realm it had dreamt of in a passing noonday nap.
This time, however, that bygone house-scape doggedly refused to ebb from the recesses of his mind. There were times he deemed the palace, where both cat and human knew their manners, a comfortable den indeed. The humans were well enough behaved, but somewhere in his heart of hearts, he could still see the sights and smell the smells that were not to be had in this place.
It wasn’t solely that the atmosphere paled in comparison. The humans here were also a careless, inattentive lot. In fact, his tail had gotten tread upon more than once.
Even more troublesome were the cats. He couldn’t sniff out any sort of order among the cat society here. As Dyaho patrolled his territory, a wretched despondency filling the insides of his diminutive cranium, he encountered a male cat blocking the way.
Dyaho was not familiar with this cat. In all likelihood, he’d gotten lost after getting chased or some such, and was trying and failing to find his way back.
It was not among catkind’s virtues to show consideration to others. On the contrary — if the other party was an invader, then no value was seen in