Chapter 2
Stromboli Spaceport, Ludovisk System
The spaceport, built by retrofitting a small moon, was teeming with a chaotic mix of races.
There were, of course, the various beast-folk tribes scattered across the stars, but I also spotted fish-like humanoids wearing helmets that looked like round fishbowls, and groups that appeared to be insectoid.
In the rarer corners, I saw gaseous lifeforms clad in reverse-pressure suits and others with skin that looked like solid rock or polished metal.
It was a true melting pot of species.
Stepping out of the Port Immigration Bureau, I rolled my shoulders—feeling the joints pop—and scanned my surroundings.
“Shopping aside, I need to gather intel… How should I go about this?”
As if responding to my mumble, the bone-conduction communicator attached to my neck hummed to life.
[Please leave the information gathering to me. I am currently hacking into every facility related to the spaceport at random. I should be able to identify the locations of mercenary hangouts and information brokers shortly.]
More importantly, “Tsubame,” said in a lecture-like tone.
[Master, your current equipment is insufficient. You should maintain a level of caution where you immediately shoot anyone who approaches you and only then ask for their business—]
“I’d get arrested. I’ve heard this a dozen times, and I’m being careful. Besides, I’m wearing the reinforced suit, aren’t I?”
[That suit is intended to be connected to a reinforced exoskeleton for extravehicular activity. It is, so to speak, mere underwear.]
Still, this “underwear” boosted my physical capabilities to superhuman levels. On top of that, it was a masterpiece of tech that was impervious to live ammunition or blades, and even a direct laser hit would only leave a scorch mark.
Unless I was going up against some eldritch creature wandering deep space or the apex predators of an uncharted planet, I didn’t feel like I’d be falling into danger anytime soon.
…Though, from the perspective of Tsubame, who had spent a vast amount of time alone, I suppose even a decimal-point percentage of a chance was too much of a risk when it came to losing her companion again.
I did wonder what kind of “exoskeleton” was so heavy it required this suit just to move, but relics of the Ancient Civilization are usually insane anyway, so I decided not to overthink it.
“How’s Nia doing?”
[She is currently viewing a movie preserved in my archives.]
As she spoke, Nia’s image appeared on my contact-lens monitor.
She was in what looked like a training room, sitting on a sofa she’d found somewhere, staring at a massive, high-impact video projected across the entire wall. It was a form of entertainment from the Ancient Civilization called an “Eiga.”
…Even as the Captain, I haven’t had the time to enjoy myself like that.
I know it’s for the best since taking her outside is dangerous and she’s essentially cooped up on the Swallowtail, but I couldn’t help but feel a vague sense of “this isn’t quite fair.”
[Master, let us finish our errands quickly.]
“Right.”
Our goals were supplies and information.
The order didn’t particularly matter, but both required money. Supplies were obvious, but information was a commodity too. And having been worked to the bone for a pittance in my previous life, I had zero savings to speak of.
As a result, I decided to fund our trip by collecting the bounties on the space pirates we’d thrashed on the way here.
…It would have been easier if I could have handled it via comms, but since I’m not registered with the Bounty Hunter Guild, the first time had to be face-to-face.
In this day and age, “face-to-face only” felt hideously archaic, but apparently, it was a necessary measure to prevent pirates from sending spies into the guild.
I doubted a face-to-face meeting would actually help unmask a spy, but complaining wasn’t going to get me paid.
“Sigh… whatever. Let’s just get this over with.”
Or so I thought.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.GITHUB.IO
“I am terribly sorry, but we cannot process this payment.”
Ludovisk System Security Bureau.
I had gone to the local equivalent of the police and submitted the video evidence of the pirate suppression. After being made to wait for nearly two hours, I was finally told “no” by a greasy-faced, morbidly obese middle-aged man.
“…May I ask why?”
“Because you are currently under suspicion of kidnapping a minor and theft.”
The fat man, wearing a sticky-looking smile, lit a cigar. The pungent smell and purple smoke wafted toward me, making me grimace.
This was an impossible attitude to take toward a “client.”
“For the time being, we shall impound your ship and conduct a search. We will also be detaining you until the items in question are recovered.”
He spoke with the absolute certainty that the “items” were on my ship.
“If you truly are a virtuous citizen, we might reconsider if you hand over that young girl you ‘happened’ to protect, along with the relic you ‘just happened’ to pick up.”
The fat man mentioned not only Nia—whom I’d given a brief explanation for—but also the automaton, which I hadn’t mentioned at all.
There’s no doubt his goal is to capture Nia and secure the automaton.
Calling me here and denying the bounty was just a pretext to seize them.
He had to be connected to the organization that was after Nia and her grandfather.
“Tsubame.”
I called out in a low voice, and the response was immediate.
[Hacking this official’s terminal… I have found traces of communication with space pirates—specifically, communication records with the very pirates Master thrashed.]
I see.
So this guy was the one who sent the pirates after us in the first place.
“Space pirates” is a broad term. Some are hedonists who just enjoy the crime, while others are just looking for an easy payday. The latter type can be hired as mercenaries if you have the credits.
They won’t hesitate to take on illegal jobs that normal mercenaries would refuse—like kidnapping a girl or stealing a relic.
Especially when the one hiring them is a man who is supposed to be catching them. By dangling investigative info or “looking the other way,” he could gather as many pirates as he wanted.
“You’re rotten… You’re basically a pirate yourself.”
“Pirate? Whatever are you talking about?”
The fat man, unaware he was being hacked by Tsubame, looked puzzled for a moment before returning to his repulsive grin.
His expression was so oily it felt like it would give me heartburn just looking at it.
“Don’t tell me, are you confessing to being a pirate? My, how suspicious. We simply must take you in for questioning now.”
“……”
“Or, you could just quietly hand over the girl—”
“I refuse.”
“……Huh?”
“I said I refuse. Is your brain—or maybe just your ears—clogged with fat, you tub of lard?”
I wasn’t going to hold back anymore.
I wasn’t going to read the room. If something was wrong, I’d say it.
If I didn’t like something, I’d make it clear.
And there was no way in hell I was handing a child over to a piece of trash like this just for self-preservation.
“I don’t care what your goal is. I don’t care who’s pulling the strings. But… there’s no way I’m giving in to the demands of a creep who gangs up on a single little girl!”
A girl Nia’s age should be spending time with her family without a care in the world. Instead, she was alone and hunted. She’s a tough kid, so she acts fine, but the tears she shed when I stayed by her side told the real story.
And this guy was part of the reason for those tears.
When I thought about that, I couldn’t forgive him, and I couldn’t let it slide.
“If you want Nia that badly, come and get her. I’ll beat the hell out of you.”
As I made my declaration, the smile vanished from the fat man’s face.
“A common thug dares to speak to me like that… Do you have any idea who I am?”
“No clue. You think you’re a celebrity? You don’t exactly have the face for an idol.”
Under my provocation, his face turned a dark, sickly red.
“……I will make you regret being born. Your family, your lovers—I’ll imprison every single one of them and torture them until they die!”
“Give it a shot. If you can.”
I lightly tapped the communicator at my neck.
[Everything is prepared.]
“No matter what you do, it’s useless! This room is designed to jam all forms of communication! Besides, even if you could call for help, I’ve already sent men to your ship!”
I figured as much, given how obvious this stall was.
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