“Now, let’s finalize the details of the flight plan.”
While the lingering aftertaste of the roast beef was still fresh in our minds, Professor Stein projected a star chart onto the main monitor and flicked a laser pointer he had pulled from his pocket.
“Our destination is the gas nebula ‘Xeno-Mist.’ From our current position here at ‘Freeport Nova,’ the journey will take approximately three weeks, utilizing a combination of sub-light speed navigation and the hyperdrive.”
Three weeks.
As far as space travel went, it wasn't particularly long, but it was certainly too far to be considered a pleasure cruise.
“The problem is this red area... the ‘Vol Ga Do Reef Sector.’ This sector lies on the shortest route to Xeno-Mist. It’s a hotbed for space pirates and illegal organizations because the regular army's surveillance network is rendered useless by powerful magnetic storms and debris belts.”
“Is there a detour?” I asked.
“There is, but it would add another two weeks to the trip. Even with our freshness preservation containers, the consumption of supplies makes pushing through the riskier path the superior strategy.”
“...Risks, huh?”
“Indeed. However, deep within Vol Ga Do, inside the eye of the magnetic storms, lies ‘Neutral Station Oasis.’ We can dock there for a quick resupply, rest, and, if necessary, repairs.”
“Repairs?”
“That station is maintained by the galaxy’s underground organizations as an ‘Inviolable Sanctuary.’ They pool their funds to keep it running. As long as you pay the fee, they treat everyone as a customer—be they pirates or the regular army. It’s a transit point built on a very strange equilibrium.”
The professor pushed up the bridge of his glasses.
“Furthermore, some of the larger space pirate groups are known to set up ambushes using Gravity Well Generators (Interdictors).”
“A ship with a hull as large as ours is a prime target for an Interdictor. A lone vessel would be seen as easy prey.”
“...So you’re saying we’re almost certain to be attacked.”
“Precisely. That is why I am counting on your skills, Captain. I’m looking forward to seeing that prowess you used to sink a cruiser put to work.”
The professor’s mouth twisted into a grin of pure delight, like a child waiting for a show to begin.
Good grief. I guess high rewards always come with matching risks.
I shrugged and gave my assent.
“Fine. Lucia, perform a final check on the interception systems and readjust the shield output.”
“Understood.”
“Mina, check the engines thoroughly. I want us to be able to hit emergency acceleration at a moment’s notice.”
“Got it. Leave it to me.”
“Affirmative,” Lucia added. “Optimizing combat protocols for ‘Anti-Fleet Combat’ specifications.”
Lucia’s hands moved across the console with fluid grace, but then she paused and looked toward me.
“However, Master, due to the implementation of the taste function and the subsequent processing of sensory data, the calculation capacity allocated to tactical support has decreased. I recommend the procurement of an External Calculation Unit for future missions.”
“...Yeah, I know. I guess that’s the price of a delicious meal. I’ll try to handle that with what we earn from this trip.”
Late that night, after the briefing had ended and everyone had retired to their stations or bedrooms, the ship was draped in silence.
I woke up suddenly, feeling a bit peckish, and made my way to the kitchen.
“...I’ll grab a light snack.”
I opened the refrigerator. Inside were containers holding scraps of the roast beef from dinner and the leftover mashed potatoes.
I’ll use these.
I lightly toasted some bread and spread a thick layer of mashed potatoes on one side as a substitute for butter. On top of that, I piled the thinly sliced roast beef.
It would have been high-class if I’d had lettuce or horseradish, but the massive haul of ingredients we’d bought during the day was still in the cargo room’s cold storage. The inspection and sorting weren’t finished yet. I couldn't go around mindlessly tearing open packages and wasting food when I didn't even know where everything was stored.
Making do with what you have—that is the etiquette of the midnight snack.
Instead, I cracked plenty of black pepper over it, added a few drops of a mysterious mustard-like seasoning, and pressed the bread together.
The ‘Roast Beef and Potato Sandwich’ was complete.
I prepared two, set them on a tray, and headed for the bridge.
On the dimly lit bridge, Lucia sat alone, bathed in the soft glow of the console.
She was on the navigation watch. As an android, she didn't technically require sleep, though periodic sleep modes were recommended. However, given that we were approaching a dangerous sector, she had chosen to remain operational.
“Good work. I brought a peace offering.”
“Master. ...I am grateful.”
When I offered her the sandwich, Lucia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she quickly and politely accepted it.
I sat in the seat next to her and bit into my own. The crunch of the toast, the silkiness of the potatoes, and the savory richness of the meat... it was simple, but it hit the spot perfectly for a late-night craving.
“...It is delicious,” Lucia murmured quietly after taking a bite.
“Since obtaining the sense of taste, my perception of reality has transformed. The faint smell of oil carried by the ventilation, the heat radiating from the instruments, and the temperature of this sandwich...”
“None of it is mere ‘data’ anymore. It is all being processed as ‘sensations’ with actual texture.”
“Is that better? Or just more inconvenient?” I asked.
“...It has become livelier. Before, the world was so quiet. It felt inorganic.”
Lucia traced the crust of the bread with her fingertip.
“I feel like I’ve begun to understand why you are so particular about ‘genuine’ flavors, Master. It isn't simply a matter of chemical composition; it is because those flavors are linked to ‘memories’ and ‘scenes’ that lie beyond them, isn't it?”
Her gaze pierced through me.
It was the same thing the professor had pointed out. The flavors I sought belonged to a “past” that existed nowhere in this galaxy.
“...Maybe so.”
I gave a wry smile and swallowed the last bite.
The taste of home. The taste of Earth. It was a difficult thing to explain, and it felt cruel to expect her to understand it fully.
“One of these days, I’ll let you try it too. The ‘most delicious thing’ I know.”
“Yes. I look forward to it, Master.”
Lucia smiled gently. It didn't look like a programmed facial expression; it seemed to be something born truly from her "heart."
I stood up and looked out at the main screen. A sea of stars stretched out before us. Beyond this silence, the Vol Ga Do Reef Sector was waiting. And beyond that lay the nebula where our mysterious, delicious prey swam.
“Alright, it’s about time.”
I operated the terminal and opened a ship-wide communication line.
“All hands, listen up. This vessel is now departing for the Vol Ga Do sector and Neutral Station Oasis.”
“Sperm Whale, weighing anchor.”
With a faint vibration, the massive hull detached from the dock and began its journey toward our new destination.
I don’t even remember leaving enough meat leftovers to make a sandwich.
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