After receiving the transmission, I take Tortilla Double to where it came from. I was just attacked by space pirates, so I’m cautious because it might be them again.
“<Puhyah~!! I’m saved! I’m saved~! I thought I was done for when pirates destroyed the salvage ship I was on~.>”
“I see. So you noticed me because of that fight?”
“<Yes. I was just going to sleep and wait~. But then I saw these bright lights~!>”
This dull conversation is still going, so I just stay the course. If this turns out to be a trap, I don’t think I can believe in anything anymore.
“How are things on your end? I’m going as fast as I can.”
“<Take it easy~. You had trouble with that fight, right~? I’m still good~!>”
“I’ll be there soon. Are you in a power armor or something?”
“<That was fast! Those ships really have power on a whole other level. Hold on, I’ll move the armor!>”
The scrap where the transmission is coming from was probably a ship at some point. Now it’s a rectangular thing with a bend in the middle. And a power armor pops out from that bend.
“<Ah, I know I’m asking for help, but~… I came here on a borrowed ship, so if I don’t bring this back, I’m gonna be in debt~.>
“How heavy is it?”
“<About this much~.>”
The power armor then shows me a two meter square container. After scanning it, I see it’s a pile of electric components. I’m sure it’s fine.
“I’m opening the rear hatch, so come in through there.”
“<Yes~!>”
I tell the AI to switch Tortilla Double to defensive mode, bringing the output of the nuclear fusion generators down and switching the shields to deflector so the rear hatch can be opened. It’s automatic, so it should close once she’s in.
So the shield really is spherical? Is there something weird with the manual, or is there a way to penetrate it…
Let’s think about that later. There’s a laser pistol attached to the pilot seat (a laser pistol!), so I hold it with the elastic of my pants behind my back, and go meet the girl.
I used to play with airsoft guns and I read the manual, so I shouldn’t accidentally shoot myself. Probably, most likely, I think. Maybe I should carry a steel pipe instead.
▽▽▽
Tortilla Double’s living quarters have two floors. It has a height of thirty-five meters, with twenty being the main gun. What a crazy design. The armor takes five more meters, meaning only ten are allocated to the living quarters.
But only the second floor, where the cockpit is, can be called a living area. This floor is three meters tall, with the other seven being the ceiling between floors and the cargo bay on the first floor.
This means a five meter tall power armor can easily enter. Pressurization is already complete, and there’s artificial gravity in the cargo bay. Apparently this is done using gravity magic. Magic, it says.
There’s also a five meter tall humanoid battle drone sitting down cross legged in the cargo bay, that can deal with power armor. And a few small anti-personnel turrets are peeking from the ceiling.
And in this tense environment, the girl puts the container on the floor, not minding that at all. After making sure it’s secure, the rear hatch of the power armor opens, and something oozes out.
I say oozes because it’s liquid.
The liquid falls on the floor, turns into a ball, and takes human shape. She’s wearing light brown shorts and a white open collar shirt. She has feet, but they’re not wearing anything.
“Thanks~! I’m Kori, a Laflotty~! Nice to meet you~.”
I can best describe her appearance as a cola float. That cola with ice cream on top that kids love. And I do too.
Her hair is white and shoulder length, but it’s like she’s wearing a cap. Yes, all I can see is ice cream.
She seems pretty stylish, with colorful accessories in the shape of weeping cherries hanging from her hair in front, decorating the right side of her bangs, and a red cherry fruit one decorating the left side.
I guess she didn’t want to take them off even after getting stranded.
Her body is completely black, but there are spots that come and go like a freshly poured and highly carbonated cola.
I’m surprised, because this is completely outside of what I would call normal, but I see her expression darken a little.
“Ah, sorry~. Are you one of those people that doesn’t like Laflotty~? I’m sorry for what my people have done~.”
“Ah, no, sorry. Hum, I didn’t even know you existed. I mean, I’ve never seen any species other than humans.”
“E-eh~~~~!!!!!”
The first intelligent life form I meet in space is a cola float slime girl. I guess monster girls really are the best?
Ah? The pirates? They don’t count.
“Sorry. I’m Genma. And I’m… A Homo Sapiens? Do you know that? I guess you’re speaking Japanese.”
“Hn~? You just look like a walker to me~. And I have a speech translation implant. Ah! Are you from a primitive planet?”
“Primitive… Well, I guess?”
“Fufun! Hum! Around here, we call every civilization that doesn’t have the means to achieve light speed or travel to another sector primitive!”
I get it, but hearing a native explain this reality to me is making me dizzy.
“Wawa!? Are you okay!? Your face turned pale! Walkers are so funny!”
“I’m okay, it’s just this situation I’m in. Follow me to the cockpit.”
She says let’s go with a cheerful tone, and we get on the elevator.
“Eh? But you’re pretty good at piloting this ship for someone of a primitive civilization~! Even I can’t change out of my armor yet!”
“It’s because of a game. I’m doing better than I thought. And this was a military ship, so it has high specs.”
“Oh~… I thought you were an expert because of how you handled those space pirates! I didn’t expect an amateur to take down so many!”
“Well, I am an amateur. I’ve only been on board for a few hours.”
Wow wow, she says as she praises me a lot in the elevator. Stop it, this isn’t a hostess bar. And don’t cling to my arm or this old man will start liking you.
Actually, isn’t she exposing a lot on her chest area? And isn’t she abusing those poor shirt buttons? I think as we enter the living room.
“Wah, simple and decadent interior… Eh? Did you really just pick this up?”
“I did.”
“Ooh~…”
She starts looking around, but I take her to the cockpit. I was just attacked by space pirates, so I want to stay in the cockpit.
“Excuse me…”
“Shouldn’t you have said that when you got out of the power armor?”
I say to her as I prompt her to sit on the co-pilot chair. Of course, all control permissions have been cut.
“Hehehe… Can you use the hyperdrive? I’d like it if you did~.”
“This will be the first time, but it’s okay. The AI didn’t detect any anomalies.”
“Eh… Why was this in this scrap area!?”
“I dunno…”
I was in Japan, on Earth, and all of a sudden I woke up in a cold sleep capsule. And then I found this ship.
Let’s have the AI prepare the hyperdrive.
“Fue… Did that really… I think you met an alien kidnapper~. That happens sometimes~.”
“Did I? I want to know where to deliver you so you can go ‘it’s Kori’ and then someone goes ‘hey it’s Kori’.”
Don’t pout at me.
“I have coordinates to the space colony where I live. But! Hey hey! I can tell you about this universe~! Wanna team up? I’m a mechanic doing nothing but salvaging, but with this ship and facilities, we can make a lot of money!”
I almost respond instantly, but let’s calm down. It’s not a bad proposal, is it?
“You’re gonna need puni if you want to sell this ship, or use it to work as a trader or mercenary~. Genma, you know you need a five hundred puni deposit to park a ship in the colony for a day, right~?”
She says with a grin while making a circle with her index finger and thumb. And she adds that I probably don’t even know how to negotiate with puni.
“Don’t you think doing things like this leads to an issue of trust?”
“It’s okay~. We’re a servant race, and we know all about serving~! And we’ll both lose if you don’t agree~. I get that you have reasons to be suspicious, but you should decide quickly~. This is space pirate territory.”
“I see. Let me think about that. I want to know about space.”
I say, and she pouts.
“Mu~. What’s wrong~? You have a problem teaming up with a girl like me~?”
“I haven’t even decided what I’m going to do.”
“Ah! You haven’t even gotten that far~. I guess it’d be a problem if you decided to sell the ship and laze around!”
“That’s part of why I want to know more about the colony and what’s around it.”
I see! She exclaims. But let’s get out of this space pirate area. It’s important, so I’ll say it twice.
“Let’s get out of this space pirate area. Hyperdrive… Coordinates… I’ll authorize input on that monitor, so punch them in there.”
“Yes. And I’ll pay the fee to park this for one day, so make up your mind already~.”
“Well, I think we’ll team up.”
“Really～～～～～～～～～～～～～!!!?”
I think that’s pretty much been decided. I’m simple. And she’s cute too. Her fizzy body is doing something to me for some reason.
“I’m done~. Take us away, captain~!”
“Ou, captain. I guess I am.”
I activate the hyperdrive and the ene… No, collect magic energy… Ah?
“What? The hyperdrive is active, but we’re not moving.”
“Eh~… This… Hyperdrive jammer!!!!! It’s probably more space pirates~~~~!!!!”
“Switch main systems to combat mode! Lock the armor in the cargo bay! Full shield! Kori! Buckle up!”
“Seat belts don’t work on my body~~~~~!”
“Then stick to the seat!!”
Space suddenly distorts in front of us, and a giant ship appears. So that’s what it’s like. Hyperdrives are nice.
“Awa, awawa! It’s the space pirate luxury transport ship Herald of Autumn! I saw it on the news! It’s a famous bounty~~!!! It was supposed to be in the neighboring star system~~~! Why~~!?”
“Can I shoot it?”
“Scan it to confirm if it really has a bounty~~~~~!!”
Oh, that’s the scan alarm. And they’re hailing me. I’ll also scan them while at combat speed. Oh? That’s a radar lock.
“<You shot down my guests! That was a stupid thing to do in our turf! Get ready!>”
It cuts off, and the Herald of Autumn lights up. Evasive maneuvers.
“Bya~~~~!!! Saturation missiles~~~!! The radar’s full of them~~~!”
“But can the shield deflect them?”
“Ah~!! Missiles! They have standard issue shield jammer so they’ll get through~!!!”
Ah, I see.
So he was from regular earth? Gravity magic? Wtf is this series
I’m gonna be in dept -> I’m gonna be in debt
Thanks