We had departed from the experimental agricultural plant and were now on the return route to the regular army base, Fort Vulcan.
Down in the engine room of the Sperm Whale, Mina was busy making preparations to welcome our "new comrade."
"Okay... bypass connected. Signal converter, online."
Mina carefully slotted the pumpkin core we had brought back—an object that probably deserved the name 'Bio-core'—into a "temporary socket" she had roughly fashioned by modifying a spare console.
As a weak current drawn from the generator flowed through it, the core began to pulse, flickering with a rhythmic light.
Ssszzzt!
At that moment, static hissed across the sub-monitor in the engine room, rather than the main bridge screen, and strings of nonsensical characters began to scroll by.
『――Connection confirmed…… Individual Name: Sperm Whale…… Domain Recognition……』
"Whoa, it spoke!?"
"It is not a voice. It is transmitting thought data directly to the local network," Lucia analyzed immediately.
It seemed our new guest was trying to introduce itself.
『……Resources…… Plentiful…… Gratitude……』
A wave of satisfaction emanated from the core. Compared to that depleted plant facility, the generator on this ship must have seemed like a literal paradise to it.
"Ah, look! The farm's status!"
Mina pointed to a monitor displaying the management data for the onboard farm. Temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration values were being fine-tuned and optimized at an unprecedented speed.
"This guy is accessing the farm's environmental control system. Look at the camera footage! The ivy is waking up!"
In the greenhouse shown on the monitor, I could see the heat-resistant ivy spreading its leaves happily. It seemed this Bio-core was a natural when it came to managing its fellow plants.
"Amazing...! At this rate, I won't even have to stay there and adjust things personally. It might just create the perfect environment on its own."
"I see. So it’s starting out as the ship’s gardener, huh?"
A living creature coexisting with the ship and taking over part of its control systems. It was still a limited integration, but as a first step, it wasn't bad at all.
"But it looks like full-scale operation is still a ways off," I said, observing the core’s state.
It had enough electricity, but it lacked the "nutrients" required as a plant, not to mention the proper facilities to maintain its main body.
"Indeed. To maintain and grow it, we will need a specialized culture medium and a dedicated housing to protect the biological parts. In its current state—exposed and directly connected to a console—it will wither if subjected to too much load."
"Understood. For now, let's have it stay quiet in power-saving mode. Once we get to Techne Prime, I'll prepare a much better home for you."
When I spoke to it, the core responded with 『……Acknowledged…… Standby……』 and quietly slowed the frequency of its flickering light.
A few hours later.
We docked at Fort Vulcan once again and headed for the commander's office.
"……I see. So the plants hijacked the servers and built their own ecosystem."
Base Commander Victor Hound finished reading the report I’d submitted and let out a deep sigh.
"The loss of signal was the result of them diverting even their external communication resources toward their own self-evolution. ……How ironic. The attempt to create a 'Paradise of Food' resulted in a demon territory that rejects humanity."
"However, the threat has officially been neutralized. They’ve moved onto my ship, after all."
"You really do bring back the most outrageous things……"
The commander gave an exasperated laugh and tapped at the terminal on his desk.
"As promised, I shall pay the reward. In addition to the official investigation fee, I’ve included a hazard pay bonus. Since you charged into a thicket of plants that had turned into unknown biological weapons, the risk was likely higher than we initially assumed."
"Thank you very much. ……Also, think of this as a supplement to the report."
I took out the thermal pot I’d brought along and poured its contents into a cup. A sweet, rich aroma rose from the golden liquid. It was Cyber Pumpkin Potage.
"Oh? And this is...?"
"The 'Lord' of that facility. The interior had practically simmered itself into a stew, so I collected some."
"The fruit of a plant that ate electricity, hmm? ……I assume it’s been tested for poison?"
The commander gave a wry smile but picked up the cup with genuine interest. He took a sip. His eyes widened immediately.
"……!!"
He sat in silence for a moment before moving his spoon for a second and third bite. Finally, he let out a long, deep breath.
"……It’s sweet. Not the sweetness of sugar, but a powerful sweetness like the earth itself—no, like a torrent of energy."
"Do you like it?"
"Yes. It's wonderful. ……So this is the 'taste of evolution'."
The commander drank every last drop and nodded with satisfaction.
"I was right to leave this to you. If the regular army had stepped in, they undoubtedly would have burned everything to the ground and called it a day. The chance to experience this taste would have been lost forever."
After leaving the base, I checked my account balance on my handheld terminal.
A reward of 30,000,000 credits had been deposited. Combined with my original funds, my total assets had finally surpassed the 50,000,000 credit mark.
"……It’s been a long road."
A sigh of relief finally escaped my lips. But this wasn't the end of the journey.
Fifty million for Lucia's enhancement. Then there were travel expenses, ship maintenance, and setting up a proper environment for our growing "crew." Considering what was still necessary, I’d have to earn even more, but I had reached my first major milestone.
"Calculation complete. The target amount has been achieved. ……However," Lucia interjected with a clinical, precise observation that felt like a bucket of cold water. "Between the purchase of the taste sensor unit, the installation surgery fees, and the equipment investment for our new... 'crew member,' my estimates suggest we will require an additional thirty to fifty million credits to perform these at the highest standard."
Lucia paused for a moment and looked me straight in the eye.
"Furthermore, large-scale renovations to this ship's living quarters and engine room will require a similar budget. If you prioritize my functional expansion, those will have to be postponed. ……Are you truly certain about this?"
"I know. But your sense of taste is a line I’m not willing to compromise on."
"You did it, Boss! Now we can shop all we want!"
Looking at Mina, who was teasing me with a grin, I could only manage a wry laugh. The list of things to spend money on had certainly grown as fast as I could earn it.
Still, a taste sensor... once she had that, Lucia would finally be able to sit at the same dining table as us. The ship renovations could wait. A kitchen only truly comes to life when there’s someone to serve.
"Alright, let's go! Next stop: the technical colony, Techne Prime!"
As I made my declaration, Lucia added a calm postscript.
"Master, I must advise you that Techne Prime is a closed research city. The import of goods from the outside is strictly restricted, so we should not expect many transport requests heading there."
"……Are you serious? I’d hate for the journey alone to put us in the red."
I’d hit the fifty-million mark, but that was strictly the floor. Considering travel expenses, docking fees, and unexpected costs, there was no room for complacency.
"For now, let's head back to the Transaction Hub. We might find a rare request bound for Techne Prime there."
"Understood. Setting course for the Transaction Hub."
Carrying its new Bio-core companion and a fresh haul of ingredients, the Sperm Whale left the planet's gravity and accelerated into the sea of stars.