A commercial playing on the TV in the living room ends, and it cuts to a simple gray studio with two presenters.
“Good morning, this is the Akul morning news. Let us start with our top story this week, the nuclear weapon smuggling incident that brought fear to To Akul Prime.”
“It has been a week, but the nervous air lingers in the Akul colony. Scans of every transport ship are still being done by the port police as a result of this state of high alert.”
“Commerce vessels from other primes are being thoroughly investigated, despite repeated complaints about the delay in the circulation of goods in the colony. Indeed, the smuggling incident was a very serious one, but many question if the scope of this control is not getting too wide.”
They’re showing footage of a destroyer from To Akul Prime blocking the path of a large transport ship, and small combat ships pushing their way inside.
“The foremost issue is space pirates operating using a company as a front. We questioned the responsible port authority, but have not received a response as of yet.”
“Another problem occurred yesterday.”
They’re showing a woman taking along a crying girl. I can immediately tell the woman is a mercenary based on her armament, but she buys some candy and gives it to the girl. Who suddenly throws it away and knocks the mercenary down.
“This footage was replicated using AI based on a video submitted by a viewer. A crying girl was taken in by a mercenary, but the police of Akul mistook this for a kidnapping.”
The footage shows a police officer with dog ears foaming at the mouth with anger.
“Violent interrogations by police officers that can be considered an abuse of their authority have increased in recent years, greatly shaking the confidence placed in them by the general population…”
▽▽▽
“More beast people discrimination…”
Says Suzuri.
“It’s awful~.”
“So it’s like this in Akul too.”
“As always, what grudge do they have against the authorities…”
Well then. We’ve finally been freed from the police, so how about we stay in port and look into some things? I clap my hands and get their attention.
“I’m thinking about staying in port and looking into some things for the next few days. You haven’t forgotten the reason why we’re here, right?”
“To get a high quality food printer~.”
“I feel like we talked about coming here for implants and to expand our facilities, as well as look into different kinds of missiles.”
“Hnu, I did not hear of any of that, so I did not know. Are you done servicing the ship? I heard people are supposed to do that after a battle.”
Kori and Saratha are in charge of that, and it’s done. The exterior was damaged quite a bit by power armor rocket launchers. The interior was repaired by AI self-maintenance, and it says there aren’t any issues, but I’ll inspect it myself when I have the time.
“That’s done, or at least it should be. Today we ought to either think about a food printer and expanding facilities, or get Suzuri’s room ready.”
“Yes~! She had fun with darling yesterday, but she needs her own room.”
“Yes, and Genma wanted a place for hydroponics, right? We already have an estimate for a container-sized workshop, but we could get at least one planter-sized.”
“Yes, one to have in my room… It doesn’t have to be food, I could get a decorative plant.”
“Hnah, those decorative plants cost a lot. I looked into that once before.”
Suzuri plods around the living room, and then touches the computer to display information on the monitor. There I see what looks like an air plant, something that’s like a moss ball, and a regular potted plant.
“First, air plants. They originally grew on ice asteroids in small asteroid belts.”
Aah, the ones you spray with water grow on asteroid belts in space?????????
“Suzuri, stop. You’re confusing Genma. His lack of expression is turning into a weird face that’s rejecting understanding anything.”
“Hnu? What about what I said is confusing?”
“Is it the part about plants growing in space~?”
“Well, that’s impossible, right???”
All three look at each other like they’re going ‘ah, I get it’.
“There are plants in space that envelop themselves with air.”
“Plants that envelop themselves with air????????”
“Ah, are you unaware of beings that live in space in general?”
“Beings that live in space? That’s not possible.”
“It’s possible~.”
“Face reality, Kori.”
“No you, Genma.”
“Surely you are familiar with a thing called magic?”
Magic. Ah, magic. Of course, magic. Yes yes, I know. It’s great for cleaning.
“We’re getting nowhere like this. Let’s leave air plants aside for now.”
“Very well. I thought the ones you spray with water would be perfect, but moss balls and potted plants necessitate you to actually look after them.”
“Yes!”
“I’ve never seen such a nice smile on your face~.”
Let’s try one of those moss balls, and an automated hydroponics kit with sweet strawberry and leaf lettuce seeds.
Those three are so on board that we’ll end up talking all day. We even start chatting during tea time.
It’s fine if we’re resting, but today we’re resupplying, and we want to upgrade our facilities.
And even though I’m thinking that, I end up relaxing on the rug leaning on a pillow.
But we somehow manage to get back on track.
We start messing around on a shopping website on the computer while sitting comfortably, and get training tools, EMP missiles along with a recipe, flares to counter guided missiles, and a chaff recipe.
We also get recipes for torpedoes with less explosives and more propellant for extra speed, ones that spread chaff to jam defensive lasers, and all sorts of clothing recipes. And more food printer recipes.
As for high quality food printers, we decided to go to a restaurant that uses one first.
Most of the shopping is done online and delivered, but it’s not that different from when I was in Japan. We also ordered some more alcohol, so now all we have to do is wait. With that done, we feel like we did what we had to so we start chit-chatting.
“Last night Genma was a pervert… And on my belly… It was awful…”
“I know, I thought it was weird how it felt like he was used to stroking my scales on our first time.”
“He told me he wanted to rub my core~! I was surprised by how he knew just how much to hold back~.”
“Sorry, but can you stop with that dirty talk in front of me?”
I make a shushing gesture to Saratha, and they leave the living room. A girl’s party is kicking off… I guess I’ll check the quests on the Mercenary Guild’s web page…
Thanks for the chapter.