The Dexer Star System. It was the main star system of Earl Dareinwaldâs domain, it was connected to four other Star Systems via hyperlanesâa so called hub system. All four adjacent star systems also belonged to Earl Dareinwaldâs territory, one of which was the Comatt system. That was the star system where I previously worked on protecting a colonization effort under Earl Dareinwaldâs commission. During that time, I descended onto a planet that was undergoing terraforming and engaged in fierce battles with biological weapons. Itâs also the Star System governed by Chris, who was currently aboard the Black Lotus with us.
Now, weâd just arrived at the Dexer Star System, a place weâd visited before when we protected Chris from her uncle. However, at that time, we only stopped by briefly as it was the goal of our protection job, and we left immediately after.
ăDoesnât it feel a lot livelier compared to the last time we were here?ă frŃewebnoŃ”Äl.com
ăYeah, it seems like thereâs a lot more ship traffic going back and forth.ă
Elma responded to Mimiâs comment over the comms. From what I can see, I have to agree. The traffic has noticeably increased since our last visit. As we were in the middle of the job of escorting Chris and her retinue, whenever we werenât traveling through hyperspace, we were on board the Krishna and the Antlion, ready to react in case of an emergency. Especially just after exiting a hyperlane, when we tended to be vulnerable and there was a high risk of being ambushed.
Thatâs why, as soon as we exited the hyperlane, Mimi and Elma began checking the surrounding space and star system information using the sensors on the Black Lotus, which led to the earlier conversation.
ăMy Lord, there doesnât seem to be any danger.ă
It seemed Kugi had finished checking the surrounding ships so she gave this report. I had been checking as well, so I nodded in agreement with Kugiâs assessment.
ăThatâs right. The Dexer Star Systemâs local fleetâthe combat ships under Earl Dareinwaldâare nearby, so security must be properly maintained. Even when we came here on a previous mission, security looked tight, and it felt like there wasnât much work for mercenaries.ă
In fact, the security rating of the Dexer Star System on the galactic map was impressively high. The only places with better ratings were the Imperial Capital or the Windas system, where the Imperial Navyâs massive shipyards were located.
ăThat doesnât sound too profitable for us, though.ă
ăBut if the security is good, wouldnât it be a great place to set up a base? The gateway is relatively close too.ă
ăThe Dexer Star System was colonized a long time ago, right? If weâre planning on securing land to build a house or buy property on a planet here is probably going to be expensive. In that case, wouldnât the Comatt Star System, governed by Chris-kun, be a better option? Since itâs still in the early stages of development, the costs would likely be lower, and there could be more work for mercenaries like us. Plus, the Comatt system is one hyperlane closer to the gateway, right?ă
Our teamâs brainiacs chimed in over the comms. Dr. Shoukoâs suggestion is worth considering. If property costs are lower, we could allocate more money to security measures. The security in the Comatt system is a tier or two lower than in the Dexer system, but itâs not so bad either, a situation where the entire colony is overrun by pirates and reinforces are unavailable wonât happen, surely, maybe⊠Still, if we invest in enough security measures to hold off any raiders who might land, the risk would be significantly reduced.
ăI, too, would like Hiro-sama to establish a residence in the Comatt system. In the future, the mansion we build there could also serve as a vacation home.ă
Even the person we were supposed to be escorting, Chris, joined in on the conversation. This might be a little unprofessional, but Mei likely judged that there was no issue with letting her participate, hence the open line. If Mei made that call, I have no reason to object. I trust her judgment completely.
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ăIn any case, itâs not something we need to decide right away. We wonât know the actual costs or other conditions until we check the details. But, I do think setting up a base in the Comatt system could be a good idea.ă
After all, we can probably get a lot of benefits thanks to it being the star system governed by Chris. Huh? Arenât I embarrassed about using connections to make things easier? Connections are a form of power, too. Thereâs nothing to be ashamed of! Besides, this is the house where we are planning to raise our children in the future. This is serious. Itâs important. Not making the best choice just to avoid using connections would be nothing more than self-satisfaction. The lives of our children and everyone else could be on the line, so Iâm taking this seriously.
ăCaptain, whatâs the first step in situations like this?ă
Neve asked me about how to proceed with the task. She is probably trying to learn the ropes of being a mercenary. In fact, when it comes to combat support in space battles, she has more experience than Mimi. If she learns the basic procedures of being a mercenary, she might even be able to operate independently one day.
ăFirst, we head to the main colony. Even if the escort targetâs destination is a residential area on a planet, in most cases, you first need to apply for descent at the main colony. Sometimes, there are regular flights between the main colony and the planetâs residential areas, so just delivering the escort target to the main colony could be enough. Itâs important to check with the escort target about those details.ă
ăMake sure you take me all the way to the mansion this time.ă
ăSo, there you have it.ă
ăRoger that, Captain.ă
And so, we set our course for Dexer Prime Colony, the main trading colony in the Dexer Star System.
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We reached the defensive perimeter of the Dexer Prime Colony, so we lowered our alert level and moved to the Black Lotusâs lounge area. From there, we could observe the bustling activity outside the ship.
ăItâs quite a busy scene. Could it be that the development boom in the Comatt system is affecting this system as well?ă
ăYes. There are a lot of people and goods moving towards the Comatt system. Thereâs a trade colony there as well, but itâs already exceeding its capacity. Although there are plans to expand the colony, itâs not something that can be done overnight.ă
ăYeah, if ya rush things too much, ya might end with somethinâ like Brad Prime ColonyâŠă
Tinaâs gaze became distant when she heard Chrisâs explanation. Brad Prime Colony, huh? That place ended up a mess after multiple rounds of rebuilding. It became too convoluted, with awkward, unusable spaces, and eventually turned into a hotspot for criminals and mafia-like groups. Unplanned expansion can easily lead to such problems. Itâs true that fixing something like that isnât going to happen overnight.
ăSo, did you get in touch with Earl Dareinwald?ă
ăYes. They are expecting us at the Dareinwald main estate on Dexer III. Weâve already submitted the descent application, so as soon as itâs approved, we can head over there.ă
ăSo that means we wonât be docking at Dexer Prime Colony and will head directly there once the procedures are complete. Is there a port facility near the main estate that can accommodate the Black Lotus?ă
ăThereâs one close by.ă
ăOkay, then letâs get ready for descent. Elma, prepare the Antlion.ă
ăAye aye Captain. It would really be nice to have a ship that can accommodate medium-sized vessels, though.ă
Muttering under her breath, Elma left the lounge to board the Antlion. The medium-sized Antlion couldnât be housed inside the Black Lotus, so it was attached to the Black Lotus via a docking port located at the bottom of the ship. Naturally, this setup prevented us from landing directly on the surface, so we needed to detach it and land separately when descending to a planet. If we were just docking at a colonyâs spaceport, this usually wasnât necessary.
ăItâs a bit of a dilemma. Thereâs also that exclusive contract with Space Dwerg to consider.ă
I almost forgot, but when I purchased the Black Lotus, the exclusive contract included a clause requiring us to continue using the Black Lotus as our mothership as much as possible. The Black Lotus is a ship we bought less than six months ago. Some mercenaries switch ships in as little as a week, so nearly six months isnât particularly short in comparison.
ăMaybe we should consider expansion or modifications instead of switching ships.ă
ăIn that case, weâd need to go to a star system with a Space Dwerg shipyard. Should we head back to the Brad system?ă
ăThe Brad system, or maybe we could go to the Star System where Space Dwergâs headquarters are based⊠In any case, itâll have to wait until after weâre done with our business here and in the Holy Vuelzarus Empire.ă
ăItâs inconvenient, but not a critical issue.ă
While I was discussing the possibility of switching or modifying our mothership with the mechanic sisters, we received clearance from the Dexer Prime Colonyâs port authority to descend to Dexer III.
ăAlright. Mei, follow their guidance and begin the descent.ă
ăYes, Master. Leave it to me.ă
When it comes to descending to Dexer III, I can always count on Mei to handle it flawlessly. Now, I wonder what kind of trouble awaits us on the ground.