With our resupply and maintenance at Orbit complete, we gathered in the common space to make the most of the hours before departure. It was time for a strategy meeting regarding the long voyage ahead and our next destination.
"All right, let's talk about where we're headed. Emma, you're up."
"Y-yes! Right away, Master."
Emma operated her terminal, activating the hologram projector. An image of an eerie, milky-white planet flickered into existence, suspended in midair.
Emma pushed up her glasses with a sharp flick of her finger and straightened her posture. Her usual timid demeanor vanished, replaced by the focused expression of a scholar.
"Our next destination is Planet Zepha. It’s a world of unexplored wilderness located at the coordinates provided by the Professor. As you can see, ninety percent of the surface is perpetually shrouded in thick clouds."
"Whoa, it's solid white," Mina remarked, leaning in. "Are those all clouds?"
Emma nodded, answering without a hint of hesitation. The holographic display shifted, showing glimpses of a desolate, rocky landscape through the gaps in the swirling vapor.
"Correct. The atmosphere on Zepha is extremely unstable, with near-sonic storms constantly ravaging the surface. The average wind speed is eighty meters per second, with gusts occasionally reaching nearly double that."
The rest of the crew, excluding myself, felt their faces go pale at Emma's casual delivery of those terrifying statistics.
Eighty meters per second. A typical typhoon on Earth wouldn't even be in the same league. Stepping out onto that surface would be like jumping into a jet stream with nothing but your skin.
"Ugh... we’re actually landing there? That’s basically a suicide mission!" Mina cried.
"With standard gear, maybe. But we have a secret weapon this time."
I glanced toward the lockers at the back of the room. Inside sat our brand-new equipment, gleaming and ready: the Extreme Environment Suits.
Their official designation was the All-Range Environment-Sealing Exoskeleton "Xeno-Guard Mk.IV." I had shelled out a fortune for them at the special environment equipment specialty store back in Azurite.
Originally designed for planetary reclamation projects and high-level biohazard containment zones, these heavy-armored suits boasted heat, cold, and pressure resistance that surpassed even military standards. Most of the credits we had earned from our recent transport job had vanished into this single purchase. But you couldn't put a price on survival—and besides, this gear would significantly expand the variety of ingredients I could hunt for in the future.
"The shock resistance of the suits should be sufficient, but I recommend using your Personal Shields in tandem," Emma added. "The kinetic energy of the flying sand and debris is nothing to scoff at."
"Preparations are solid, then," I said. "Now, what’s the prize?"
"Here is our target."
Emma switched the holographic slide. A strange, bipedal silhouette appeared—a creature that looked like a cross between an ostrich and a dinosaur. It was built with powerful legs and a streamlined, aerodynamic frame designed to slice through the wind.
"The target for this mission is a creature that thrives in these storms: the 'Byun.' At least, that’s the name the field researchers gave it."
"A remarkably lazy naming convention," Lucia muttered, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.
Emma ignored the jab and continued her briefing. "Because they move by riding the wind, they are essentially sprinting at full capacity their entire lives. Their metabolism is incredibly high, leaving them as pure masses of muscle without a single gram of excess fat. Based on spectral analysis of the atmosphere and soil, the toxins on this planet are estimated to be minimal. As an ingredient, the meat should be exceptionally safe—and of the highest quality."
As Emma spoke, a drawer of memories slid open in my mind. I had never actually eaten ostrich back on Earth, but I remembered hearing it was a lean, high-protein meat with a clean flavor that people had high hopes for as a sustainable food source.
Since arriving in this corner of the galaxy, I had been burned by synthetic "chicken-flavored" products more times than I could count. But this... this might finally be the key to recreating a genuine chicken dish.
"...Bird meat, huh? Now we're talking."
"Is that the 'Genuine Meat' you're always going on about, Akito?" Mina asked, her interest piqued.
This wasn't synthetic meat or some processed substitute that used chemicals to mimic a profile.
"Every product currently on the market labeled as 'chicken' is a reconstruction made with artificial flavorings and binding agents," Lucia explained. "They bear no resemblance to the Genuine Meat the Master is searching for."
"Exactly," I said. "I’m talking about the real deal. You have to understand, genuine chicken isn't just a source of protein. It's a miracle ingredient. You can fry it, roast it, or simmer it. But above all, there's Karaage. When you fry it in scorching oil, the harmony between that crispy coating and the explosion of savory juices..."
A distinct slurping sound came from Emma's direction as she swallowed her own drool. Even Mina was leaning so far forward she was nearly falling off her seat.
"I don't totally get it, but it sounds like it tastes amazing?" Mina asked.
"It does. If this 'Byun' can serve as a substitute for that, then a million credits for those suits was a steal."
I slammed my fist into my palm, making a firm declaration to the crew.
"I don't care if the wind is blowing eighty meters per second. We're going down there, and we're getting that Genuine Meat!"
"Right! I'm counting on you, Akito!" Emma cheered.
The gravity anchors disengaged, and the massive hull of the Sperm Whale drifted upward. As the thrusters ignited with a pale blue glow, our ship glided gracefully into the sea of stars.