It’s been twelve hours since we got to Pokapoka, and the defense mobilization has ended without any further fighting. We’ve been delivered materials for four torpedoes, but we still can’t go into hyperspace, so we’re waiting in space.
“But how did the Church of Yakumo Stargate get here if they can’t use hyperspace?”
“That is currently unknown, but some information has come out, such as the ships being thrown with space compression trebuchets.”
“What are space compression trebuchets…”
“I do not know exactly, but it sounds like FTL technology that does not use things such as hyperspace.”
Was there a technological breakthrough? Well, it doesn’t really matter until we can use it.
The ships that were thrown here damaged the Pokapoka colony, but it’s being repaired. It’s just going to take a while because they’re understaffed.
We’re busy repairing and checking Tortilla Double.
To be honest, I wanted to at least clean too, but I’m stuck in the cockpit, just in case. It’d be different if we were in a dock.
“Are places like the Akul colony okay?”
“It seems they did not go to To Akul Prime. Mishyltia Prime, Mishun Prime, and Brefilmora Prime seem to be all right, but Hoang was attacked.”
“Hoang? Are they all right?”
“The Church of Yakumo Stargate executed a boarding attack on the giant ring structure, and while the enemy ships in space were repelled, two thousand head hunting rabbits are engaged in battle against forty thousand attackers on the surface.”
What?
“Head hunting rabbits is the common name for rabbits that fight with stone knives in their mouths, but in Hoang, they have monomolecular wire instead.”
“Stop giving me even more weird information.”
“There are videos.”
“Stop giving me even more weird information!”
Well, if the rabbits are fighting, it should be all right. Eh? Why is that?
“I’m confused… How many places is the Federation of Star Systems fighting in?”
“Twenty-four. Thirteen have fallen, and are mostly under the control of the Church of Yakumo Stargate. You should avoid going there as much as possible.”
“It seems like a lot, and not… If every fleet throws in three destroyers, that’s seventy in total.”
“Yes, but with FTL communications restored to some extent, hyperspace travel will be available soon as well.”
What will be faster, that or being able to dock in Pokapoka? We still have the metal in the space compression containers, so there’s not a lot we can do.
“I’m bored…”
“Everyone is going to be mad.”
“Standing by really is…”
I’m really bored. I don’t want to mess around with the smartphone and risk something appearing out of hyperspace and shooting us, so I’ve been looking at the window and monitors this whole time.
At least I get to watch the Pokapoka colony being repaired.
Also, I’m not watching video sites or the news either. If I’m so focused on them that I don’t notice a sneak attack, I’ll be the laughingstock of the mercenaries. Sometimes people die like that.
“Is mining in the nearby asteroid belt forbidden?”
“Generally yes. Most asteroids have owners.”
“Asteroids with owners… I guess I’ve heard that before. The starting price is a million puni, right?”
I’m bored until hyperspace is fixed… And since short jumps use hyperspace, there’s nothing I can do as a mercenary anyway.
“Oh well… Wait, are you really filming for video sites?”
“Only ship repairs. The elevator is fixed, so I cannot film that.”
“Hm, there’s nothing to do. I doubt people want to hear space ASMR.”
“Yes, that went out of style ten thousand years ago.”
The alchemist crafter is done producing torpedoes, and we’re done stocking up on missiles. The self maintenance picked up on small issues, so I really want to get repairs in a dock.
“Maybe campfire ASMR or survivalist pioneer videos have come full circle and would be popular.”
“Perhaps in a colony, but can you live in the iron ages, master? The ladies would be all right for the first fifteen minutes, but would they not get bored right away? You would make more money hunting ten space monsters.”
“I guess you have a point.”
“Most importantly, you cannot go down to primitive planets, and while I believe you can go to tourism planets, that alone would cost tens of thousands of puni.”
We might as well go on a guided tour of Shiitake. Staying there for a month is four hundred thousand puni.
“We might go to Shiitake if we want to take a long vacation. There’s still a lot to see there, and unlike a colony, we can run away if we have to.”
“It is managed closely by mechanical intelligence, so a situation such as urchin opening a hole would not happen. It would not be shot down either, unless it was bombarded by multiple destroyers. It is not a bad place.”
“I wonder where it is… Is it all right?”
“It is. It seems it was not in combat or ejected from hyperspace.”
Not being able to use hyperspace really is a problem. At least we’re just barely online and able to use communications, so we can watch the news.
“All we can do is standby around the Pokapoka colony.”
“Without FTL travel, think of it as a break to rest your body.”
“We’ll just end up drifting in space if the dock doesn’t open though.”
“I have been watching, and that is not a problem. You should have something to drink.”
I say I’ll get it myself as I head to the living room. And the liquid printer really has met its end.
Mastery chef can produce tea and coffee, but not alcohol or juice. We have to get a liquid printer…
I feel a presence, and turn around.
The door didn’t open, and since the elevator is going up, I assume it’s that. Someone came back?
But then I see something among the pillows gathered in the middle of the L shaped couches.
She has long black hair that reaches the floor even though she’s standing on its two legs. Her eyes are brown or black, I can’t tell, but they’re staring at me.
Her limbs are short and her head is a little big. Is she a child, an infant? She seems like a six year old. With a head, torso, two arms, and two legs, she just looks like a regular walker.
Her skin is white, and her face looks like that of a Japanese person. It’s like a kid that doesn’t play outside.
She’s wearing a gray dress (I’m wearing a gray shirt and navy blue pants), and her legs are bare.
Two overlapping rings turn and shine on her head like a chandelier.
“Daddy!”
A noise like a bell falling echoes, the elevator door opens, and everyone who was in rooms and the cockpit comes out looking shocked.
““““““Daddy!?””””””
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