Only three days remained until we reached our destination: Planet Zepha.
We gathered in front of the hologram monitor in the Sperm Whale’s dining area. The screen usually displayed peaceful landscapes to relax the crew, but today it served a more serious purpose.
"We will now begin the final equipment check and ecosystem briefing for our descent to Planet Zepha," Emma declared.
She stood beside the monitor, tablet in hand, her voice ringing with a dignified clarity. Usually, Emma was defined by her timid nature—she was the type to panic and tearfully complain the moment things went sideways. But today was different. This was her face as a professional researcher, the Special Grade Bio-investigator who had earned her rank through countless hours of grueling fieldwork.
"Everyone, please look at the monitor."
With a swipe of her finger, the screen filled with topographical data from the surface of Planet Zepha. There were no blue skies to be seen. Instead, the display showed a hazy, white wasteland and vast, featureless plains without a single scrap of cover.
"The surface of Zepha is extremely arid. Furthermore, due to its rotational speed and atmospheric circulation, it is an extreme environment where gales constantly rage at an average wind speed of eighty meters per second."
Eighty meters per second. Even the most catastrophic hurricanes ever recorded on Earth usually peaked at around fifty or sixty meters per second. At eighty, it wasn't just weather anymore; it was a constant, ongoing disaster that would reduce a wooden house to splinters in seconds. An ordinary human wouldn't even be able to stand; they would be swept away and smashed against the rocks before they could even realize they were dying.
"If it were just the wind, it might be manageable, but the real danger lies in the airborne debris. Extremely hard silicon grains are whipped up and fly at near-sonic speeds. A person would be sanded down to the bone in an instant. Even for machines, if that grit finds its way into the joints of the armor, it will cause an immediate mechanical failure."
"Hearing it laid out like that... this place is insane," I muttered.
Emma nodded solemnly. "It is. That is why the Xeno Guard Mark IV Extreme Environment Suit we procured at the orbit station is non-negotiable. That suit can withstand the constant abrasion for a time, and its life-support systems are top-of-the-line. However, you must remain hyper-aware of your activity limits."
"I get it. I won't do anything reckless," I promised. In a place like this, a single moment of carelessness would be fatal.
"Next, the target organism."
The display shifted, projecting the silhouette of a massive bird-like creature. It looked like an ostrich that had been scaled up twice over, its entire frame corded with powerful, dense muscle. This was our prey: the Byun.
"The Byun has undergone a unique evolution to adapt to Zepha’s storms. It possesses a thick, leathery hide to protect against the sand and incredibly powerful legs that allow it to sprint through the gales. Its top speed exceeds three hundred kilometers per hour."
"In other words," I said, "it's high-quality muscle tempered by the harshest conditions imaginable. It’s top-tier meat."
"Exactly. And that is the reason I am willing to set foot on such a dangerous planet." Emma’s eyes gleamed with a researcher’s intensity behind her glasses. "The life force required to survive such an environment is immense. If we can categorize this as 'livestock' and learn to raise or breed them in our own controlled environments, it could become a revolutionary food resource for the entire galaxy."
"I see where you're going with that."
"This isn't just a simple hunting trip. My primary mission as a bio-investigator is to analyze the genetic information hidden in its biology, evaluate its adaptability, and determine if it can be bred. Of course, it’s a dangerous quarry, but..."
Noticing Emma’s look, Mina hopped up and raised her hand.
"Listen, Akito! In eighty-meter-per-second winds, normal nets or wires just get blown away. They'd be totally useless. That’s why I modified our traps!"
"Modified them how?"
"I built Gravity Control Chips right into the warheads! The moment they’re fired, they cancel out the wind resistance. I call them Heavy Wire Nets! You’ll be able to target the Byun’s legs with pinpoint accuracy!"
Mina’s tail gave a proud flick as she puffed out her chest. She had designed these custom tools specifically to ensure we could capture the creatures without damaging the meat. As always, she was incredibly reliable.
"It is impressive technology," Emma agreed. "However, even with those, it would be impossible for us to aim accurately or conduct sustained observations if we are constantly being buffeted by the wind ourselves."
She tapped her tablet again, bringing up the final item on the equipment list.
"To establish a temporary base of operations and ensure our safety, we will be using this: a custom-made Protective Field Generator adapted from a Military Barrier."
The monitor showed a rugged, cylindrical device. My eyes widened at the mention of military hardware.
"Wait a second. How the hell did you manage to get your hands on something that heavy-duty?"
"The only reason we can access military-grade, custom-class equipment like this is through the authority of Professor Stein," Emma explained quietly.
She lowered the tablet and looked at us. "There are very few researchers left who are willing to risk their lives and spend enormous sums of money to study organisms in extreme environments. Most people judge the effort of capture and breeding to be 'unprofitable' in the short term. That kind of utilitarianism has caused a total stagnation in the galaxy's food culture and ecological research. But, Akito... with your passion for food and this equipment, we can break into a frontier that no one else has dared to touch."
"You're making it sound like some grand epic," I said, shrugging. "I just want to eat something delicious."
There was no need to overcomplicate things. Whether it was high-tech military gear or cutting-edge traps, the goal was the same: to experience the flavor for myself. That was the only motivation I needed.
"I am inclined to agree," Lucia added, her voice clinical but tinged with a hint of amusement. "Though I am at a loss as to how I should record the fact that custom military-grade hardware is being deployed solely to satisfy the Master’s personal gluttony in the ship’s official logs."
"Come on, Lucia. Just file it under 'Galactic Ecosystem Survey' or something."
"...I will do my best to be creative with the wording."
With the tactical briefing concluded, the air in the room was a mix of sharp tension and overwhelming curiosity. We began our final preparations for the descent.
I couldn't stop thinking about what kind of meat a creature born and raised in a perpetual hurricane would have. What would it taste like? The drive to discover a legendary ingredient burned quietly in the back of my mind.