“Don’t think that you won...” the old lady snapped as she and her group unsteadily stumbled away.
✦ ✦ ✦
✦ ✦ ✦
“Well, you already lost,” I retorted.
After cleaning up, we retired for the night.
The next day, my crew and I met again to discuss our plans now.
“I don’t have any specific goal in mind at the moment,” I explained, “so we can go wherever we want.”
“You don’t have any goal?” Dr. Shouko cocked her head.
Shaking my head, I replied, “Nope, nothing specific right now. Although, as mercenaries, hunting pirates or earning money through other means do drive most of our actions. We made quite a haul from the last operation—still, I’d like to earn more, if possible.”
We’d spent quite a bit renovating the Black Lotus, so the money we’d made in the outermost region was gone just like that. We were simply making ends meet—not that we ever got so dangerously low on funds that we couldn’t afford necessities.
“We could just wander around to random star systems looking for a lucrative opportunity,” I mused.
“We could, but having a concrete direction would be better,” Elma said.
“Yeah. This is hon we’re talking about, though,” Tina responded. “Even if we just wander aimlessly, I’m sure some mouthwaterin’ meal of an opportunity will dish itself right up for us.”
“Come on. We’re being serious,” Elma retorted. “Okay…I guess that is a serious take.”
Let up on that joke already, will you? It’s a sensitive subject. Don’t treat trouble coming to find me as an established fact. I’ll sue you for defamation.
Mimi raised her hand enthusiastically. “I wouldn’t call this a plan, but I do have an idea!” It was rare for her to weigh in during a conversation involving business or how to make money.
“Okay, let’s hear it,” I said.
“All right! Well, it’d be a waste to sell the spoils we gained by destroying the pirate base right here in the Arein System.”
“Oh, I see where you’re going with this. That’s true,” Elma agreed.
Mm-hmm… That does make sense. Looking around the room, it seemed that Tina, Wiska, and Dr. Shouko also understood what Mimi suggesting. Only Kugi was lost.
“Basic market economics,” I explained. “Our loot from the pirates mostly consists of products produced here in this system. So if we sell them here, they’ll go for less than they would elsewhere. After all, since they’re made here, they’re already plentiful.”
“I see… It would be like trying to sell meat to a butcher. They’ll only buy it cheaply, so it would be better to sell it to a restaurant or family,” Kugi said.
“Well, yeah. Something like that.” Why’d she use meat to make her analogy? I guess she must really like meat.
For the record, I did end up taking Kugi to the cultured meat plant. She must have been resistant to nausea or something, because surprisingly enough, she didn’t show the slightest queasiness. She really was mentally strong. On the other hand, watching the process again still made me nauseous, although I’d known what would happen. Unfortunately, I’d failed to drag other victims along with the two of us. Damn it.
“Have you got a destination in mind?” I asked Mimi.
“Yes! It’s a place I learned about from my granny,” she replied.
She activated the table’s holo-display, and a galaxy map presented itself before us.
“It’s a bit far away,” Mimi continued, “but people seem to think that a pandemic will break out in this star system over here. If we head there now, the pandemic may already have begun by the time we arrive.”
She was pointing to a region more than ten hyperlanes away. I didn’t see any gateways near it either; if we headed there, we’d have to do so gradually, hyperlane by hyperlane.
“A pandemic? Wouldn’t going there be dangerous?”
“Pandemic” was a broad term, and without further details about the situation, it’d be best to steer clear. If it was something like influenza, then catching it would be uncomfortable, but young, energetic people weren’t likely to die from it; thus, we’d be okay to head over. If it was some fatal, unknown virus or bacteria, though, then going there would be a mistake.
“This ship’s crew, myself included, are up to date on their infectious disease vaccines, so I think it’d be all right to go there,” Dr. Shouko chimed in. “Even if it’s a new pathogen existing vaccines can’t handle, we can greatly reduce our likelihood of becoming infected so long as we take preventative measures.”
“That may be true, but…”
Spaceships were contained environments with means of preventing viruses and bacteria from getting inside. That was what airlocks and sterilizing rooms were for. Some ships even had high-grade sensors that detected increases in the concentration of airborne viruses or bacteria. If someone became infected, such sensors could detect that something was wrong before that person developed symptoms and realized themselves that they were ill.
We could also prepare hazmat suits for everyone to be ready for a worst-case scenario. Anyway, another reason I’d gone ahead and added an entire medical area to the Black Lotus was to accommodate any crew members who got sick.
“Hmm… Well, I guess it could be a good opportunity to test our new facilities,” I mused.
“Yeah. It would also prove to the mercenary guild that we can operate safely in such regions,” Elma noted.
“Saving people afflicted by disease is a way to accumulate virtue,” Kugi declared.
Elma had analyzed the merits of Mimi’s idea from a mercenary’s point of view, while Kugi… I wasn’t sure what point of view Kugi’s comment had come from. I wasn’t exactly a monk. Still, she was right that helping people was a good thing, although I’d still charge them for my services.
“Okay, then. Let’s go with that idea,” I agreed. “We actually won’t sell loot here. We’ll get in touch with the granny and tell her we want priority on medical goods when splitting the spoils. And while we have the opportunity, let’s stock up on as many medical supplies and devices as possible. Even if it turns out there isn’t a pandemic going on in that system, these types of goods are always in demand, so it’s not likely that stuff will end up dead weight.”
“True. Medical goods really do fly off the shelves,” Dr. Shouko said. “I’ll help Mimi choose what supplies to bring with us.”
“Thanks. Tina, Wiska, consult Dr. Shouko about what preparations we’ll need to make to protect ourselves against infection. And check our airlock, sterilizing room, and hazmat suits.”
“Roger that!” Tina replied.
“Understood,” Wiska said.
That left just me, Elma, and Kugi.
“We’ll take charge of discussing things with the granny and picking up our rewards from the mercenary guild and this star system’s military base,” I declared. “We’ll also need to work out Dr. Shouko’s and Mimi’s share of the spoils.”
“Ah…okay,” Mimi said with a conflicted expression.
“Treat me nicely!” Dr. Shouko said with a smile and wave.
Truly contrasting reactions. Given my relationship with Mimi, I really wasn’t sure what the appropriate distribution would be. I’d have to provide details and ask over at the guild.
“That’s everyone,” I said. “Let’s get to work.”
“Aye aye, sir,” my crew chimed as one.