I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship, so I Became a Space Mercenary - Chapter 436

Information Analysis and Interesting People

“Normally, we don’t do much direct data exchange…” (Boss Lady)

“Really?” (Employee)

The guild employee lady asked her boss, whom she had brought with her, her boss let out a light sigh as she held out a small data chip on the counter. It was a data storage device that could be accessed with a small information terminal.

“However, if the other party is a platinum ranker, it’s a different story. Here, take this…. Just to be certain, it contains raw data which will need further analysis, so it’s difficult to make use of it as it is, okay?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll handle that part. Our engineers are excellent.”

With that, I inserted the data chip into the small information terminal and looked over the data lightly.

Mimi, who was now a full-fledged operator, was skilled enough to analyze this kind of information and determine the range of activity of the bandits and the location of their roost. If the need arises, Mei would be there to help. It would be no problem. Well, analyzing was also among my strengths.

“I see…I see? From quick reading, it looks like their roost is in the Zyram Star System, which is next to this system.”

When I said that after taking a brief look at the data, the guild employee lady and the boss widened their eyes and stared at my face. What’s with that reaction?

“Captain Hiro, are you also knowledgeable in data analysis?”

“Not really, but data analysis is not that difficult in the first place. You can do it with experience and intuition. You see, there have been unsuccessful raids here, here, and here in the Zyram Star System, but at the same time, some other merchant ships trying to pass this route in the Volks Star System have gone missing, right? And these next two raids in the Zyram Star System were also unsuccessful because Empire forces reached the scene on time. However, that’s actually about the same time when these now missing merchant ships were passing through the Volks System and were successfully raided, so those failed attacks were most likely bait.”

I continued, “The same pattern could be seen here with this one. The unsuccessful raids in the Zyram Star System were all made intending to attract the attention of empire forces. Once it was done, space pirates immediately crossed over to the other side of the star system to escape. All of this caused the security around the entrance to the hyperlane to stretch thin for a short period of time.”

Taking a glimpse to make sure they were listening, I added more.

“However, no ships have actually gone missing in the Zyram System. So we can see the connection between this series of attempted attacks in the Zyram Star System and the missing merchant ships in the Volks Star System. It also suggests that the work was mainly done in the Volks System, linking the enemies in the Zyram Star System to be the ones controlling the pirates because of their advantage within the area.”

I followed the explanation by starting up a small holoscreen from my terminal to simulate the movement of the space pirates within the star systems.

“Judging from this data, we have one decoy raid and a vanished merchant vessel in the same line, two in this line, and three in this line. So they have established a means of raiding using this method. So we know at least two things: the space pirates know the patrol routes of the Volks and Zyram Star System’s Forces, and they have the means to identify the routes of the merchant ships that pass this way. I don’t know if the information is being leaked by someone within the system, or if they could somehow access it directly, but it is definitely leaking. Well, I don’t care what the cause of the leak is. It doesn’t matter to us. What’s important is that we can use this against them if we can reverse the course.”

I looked at the guild officials again, both of whom were looking at me with their mouths half-open and a blank expression on their faces.

Hey, I explained it to them because they seemed to be interested, but did they even listen to me? I mean, why did both of these ladies freeze with their mouths half-open? They were ruining their images, even though they were both gorgeous.

“I’m surprised at this, Hiro-kun, perhaps you have the aptitude to be a scientist?” (Shoko)

“No way. I’m not so good at using my head. This is something like a craftsman’s intuition based on experience, and there is no scientific, statistical, or numerical support for this or that. I’m sure I’m probably right, though.” (Hiro)

“Hiro, you sometimes show your weird skills in weird places, don’t you?” (Elma)

“Who are you calling weird???” (Hiro)

As I was responding to Dr. Shoko and Elma’s remarks, the boss raised her hand and started to speak.

“Well, um, I’m sorry. Can I hear that one more time? Just one more time please? Or rather, may I record it? For future reference.”

“Huh…? I don’t really want to waste more time.”

I was unintentionally taken aback by the enthusiasm of my Boss Lady, who was asking me to do something with a great deal of passion. However, I didn’t want to get in trouble.

“Just a little bit, just a bit. You see, I have given you all this data, so it’s like a return favor. Please, please, please.” (Lady Boss)

“It may be rare for the mercenary guild to provide the entire data about something to some mercenary group, but it’s still within the guild’s normal scope of business. So isn’t it a bit arrogant of you to try to ingratiate yourself with us for that?” (Hiro)

“If there’s a problem, I’ll personally take you out for the night. I’ll even give you this girl as a bonus.” (Boss Lady)

“Bonus? What about my consent?” (Guild Employee Lady)

“Well, you are both beautiful, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t find you attractive, but I don’t have time for that kind of thing right now.” (Hiro)

“And he refused! Um, senpai, I feel like my dignity is being ruined against my will!” (Guild Employee Lady)

The guild employee whose chastity was almost offered by her boss as an added bonus was shocked and indignant. She was funny, wasn’t she?

“I mean, it’s not okay to go out with your client for a night or something like that. What’s going on with your professional ethics and all that?” (Hiro)

“Senpai, a man who has three women in his household is punching you in the face with a good argument. I agree with him, senpai.” (Guild Employee Lady)

“I admit that I have tried to resort to unprofessional and unethical methods, but I never dreamed that someone with three women in his life would say that to me.” (Boss Lady)

“Oh, by the way, there are three more… no, four more on the ship.” (Dr. Shoko)

“Why would someone like you hit me with a righteous argument? Don’t you think it’s strange?” (Boss Lady)

Dr. Shoko, please don’t say unnecessary things. I was happy that they were counting Mei as one of them. And please don’t repeat that comment directly in the face of the person involved. Well, I also have my own opinions regarding that topic, but I stayed silent about it for now.

“Oh really? Are you selling a fight, cause I’m buying it!”

“I’m sorry, Don’t be upset, please forgive me. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I clenched my hand in a fist while smiling as the boss apologized. Well, I wasn’t really going to hit her. I was only trying to scare her a little.

“I wasn’t really mad at you, but… why are you so desperate?”

“To put it bluntly, it was because the analysis you just described was innovative and unheard of. There are methods to determine the next possible point of attack to some extent based on the trend of attack locations, but the accuracy is not good enough yet. However, if we can establish and systematize the analysis method you just described, it may become an important move to reduce the damage caused by space pirates in the future.”

“I see…? I don’t think it’s that big a deal…?”

With the advancement of science and technology in this world, there should be a more efficient way to analyze the frequency and probability of attacks by space pirates, don’t you think? I mean, there should be plenty of places where you could learn about tactics, such as the military, to the extent that you would have been able to do what I have just demonstrated.

Well, Colonel Serena also didn’t have any countermeasures against space pirates at first. Surprisingly, there were no institutions that teach this kind of thing? I was sure there should be people like space pirate researchers who buy space pirate-related goods at high prices that may have info about this.

“Well, fine. The exchange between the two of you was funny, so I’ll let you hear the explanation one more time. Just remember that if you use my commentary for anything in the guild, just put it up as my own opinion, and if anything comes out of it, please give me the proper benefits.”

“I can’t promise you the latter, but I can promise you the former.”

“The latter is more on the subject of… well, never mind. I’ll explain it one more time.”

I repeated my previous explanation once more, and also briefly analyzed the resolved case of the attack on the space pirates that the guild official had brought up. As a result, it was confirmed once again that the prediction of the location of their base of operations I had derived was highly accurate.

“In the last case, even though the merchant ship was attacked many times, and it took almost two months to be resolved…”

“So this is what a platinum ranker is like…”

“No, I don’t know if it has anything to do with being a platinum rank.”

This was one of those places where my experience in SOL really comes into play. I wondered if it was just that the behavior patterns of the space pirates matched those of SOL, rather than that me being awesome. It was beyond me to think about or pursue why this was the case.

I wondered if understanding and establishing my analytical methods would help me get ahead in the guild.

I bid my farewell to the guild employee lady and boss who was getting motivated, and then left the mercenary guild.

They were two unique people, weren’t they? However, it seemed unlikely that we would have anything to do with them in the future.

Well, whatever the case, we got some information. The Volks System was probably just a hunting ground, and the Zyram Star System might be a loot dump rather than a home base, but we should leave it to Colonel Serena to decide what to do. Since Colonel Serena directed this hunt, she should be the one to make that decision.