Chapter 23: Encounter with Pirates

The First Trade Fleet continued its voyage smoothly. Riding favorable currents, they expected to reach Telek Harbor in about ten days, although this timing could vary depending on the wind.

With the fleet formation, they aimed to approach further eastward, updating their topographic and seafloor maps. Due to only having high-altitude scans available, detailed data was limited. Coastal surveys were essential, as there was potential for establishing a land-based outpost in the future.

“There aren’t many places we could dock, are there?” she inquired.

“Yes, Commander Mom. While not exactly shallow, there are few bays, and most areas don’t allow trade ships to dock. Cliffs would make it easier to avoid seabed excavation, but such locations are scarce.”

The best-suited location seemed to be Telek Harbor, though they had no intention of taking control and developing it. Since they weren’t aiming for dominance, they preferred a place with minimal human activity to avoid unnecessary conflict.

“If that’s the case, maybe building an offshore base close to resources would be more practical.”

“Yes. We can establish a pier extending offshore and, over time, excavate the seafloor to convert it into a functional harbor.”

If they could source their own materials, trade wouldn’t be a necessity. Originally, World of Space centered around expansion rather than trading. Although trade was possible, most players focused on developing their own star systems for efficiency. Heavy users often held multiple resource systems and engaged in significant trade, but she hadn’t even reached that level—lacking the means for interstellar travel.

Had this planet’s civilization reached a mass consumption era, relying on imports for resources could have been viable. However, for now, large-scale resource extraction seemed absent, so it was more efficient to find a mine and develop it using The Tree’s technology, according to Ringo.

“We’ve deployed three Swift solar-powered reconnaissance planes equipped with magnetic sensors, so we should locate an iron mine soon. Once we pinpoint the area, we’ll load survey equipment onto the trade fleet for on-site exploration.”

“Hopefully, it’s far from any native settlements… I’d rather avoid conflict.”

“Yes. An encounter with natives would likely lead to conflict.”

It seemed the continent was constantly embroiled in war. Telek Harbor’s immunity from it so far was almost miraculous, though it was more likely due to the skillful leadership of Chairman Kulavia Telek. On the southern coast of the Northern Continent, only Telek Harbor and the Northern Archipelago occupation state were stable settlements. Given the military power of that state, Telek Harbor’s political influence must be substantial.

“For now, it seems we’ll continue trading with Telek Harbor to gather resources for mining development.”

“Yes, Commander. Developing the seabed mines will take time.”

They had surveyed the seabed around The Tree, gaining insights into resource distribution. Unfortunately, all promising deposits were located in depths exceeding 1,000 meters, beyond their current extraction capabilities.

“The current submarine’s capacity is only a few dozen kilos, right?”

“Yes, Commander Mom. With limited operating time, the return doesn’t justify the effort. Diverting resources to trade is far more efficient. It would take over 400 days to recover the equivalent resources from one submarine.”

“That’s…unacceptable…”

“Yes, exactly. Finding and developing a land-based mine is our top priority. Once resources are sufficiently secure, seabed mining could be feasible.”

It would have been ideal to find a closer mine, but things rarely aligned so perfectly. For now, they could only gather resources from the surrounding seaweed beds. Algae used as a cellulose source grew quickly, and cultivation and harvesting were progressing smoothly. Facilities were planned to expand this high-efficiency algae cultivation as the nutrient-rich currents flowing through the area created optimal growth conditions.

“You’re practically a cellulose expert now.”

“Yes…in a way…”

Adjusting molecular structures, they had developed high-strength materials. Though complex to manufacture, the newly discovered composite had strength rivaling steel. It would still be cheaper to obtain steel, but with limited quantities, research into increasing ultra-hard cellulose production continued. A warship made entirely of cellulose might soon become reality, even if its perceived value seemed less than steel.

“I wonder how much iron we’ll secure in the next trade…”

“We’ve confirmed a decent reserve. They seem to be gathering additional supplies from surrounding areas, so there’s hope there.”

At this rate, it could be years before they had enough resources to build a battleship. Ringo remained fully committed to resource exploration.

“Commander Mom, we’ve spotted a pirate ship.”

“…Pirates?”

The trade fleet was now only a few days from Telek Harbor. One of the Swift reconnaissance planes, monitoring from above, detected a ship approaching the First Trade Fleet. Somehow, a lone ship had located and was advancing toward them.

“We’ve confirmed a pirate flag. It’s a sailing ship, and its speed exceeds ours. It’s likely to catch up within a few hours.”

“…Our ships should be at their theoretical max for sailing, right?”

“Yes, Commander. Theoretically. Given that, this ship is likely outside of conventional limits.”

“Magic, perhaps?”

The pirate ship was 85 meters long with five masts, each sail catching the wind and propelling it at remarkable speed. Despite the favorable wind and currents matching those of the LST-class light trade ships, the pirate vessel gained speed unnaturally—likely aided by magic or a similar force.

Though still out of visual range, the ship boldly flew its pirate flag. For a typical trade vessel, a pirate ship gaining from downwind would incite terror.

“In a few minutes, it will be within the main gun’s range.”

“Firing out of sight seems a bit harsh…”

From atop the mast, the effective visual range was approximately 15 kilometers. The pirate’s mast made it theoretically visible from as far as 30 kilometers away, though atmospheric conditions could limit visibility to around 20 kilometers.

The LST-class light trade ship’s 150mm smoothbore cannon had a range exceeding 20 kilometers. With Ringo’s processing power, a direct hit from over 20 kilometers wasn’t impossible.

“This might be the perfect target for its first live test.”

From Swift’s view, the pirate ship appeared to lack rotating turrets, fitting the warship classification of a ship-of-the-line. This type required parallel positioning to bring its weapons into effective range, generally a few hundred meters. Its maximum range might exceed 1 kilometer, but aiming was effective only within 100-200 meters. Even so, compared to ballistae, its firepower posed a significant threat.

“Our hull’s watertight integrity should withstand a few direct hits without sinking.”

“Right… Just be cautious with the humanoid machine communicators. Losing a few wouldn’t be a major setback.”

“Yes. There’s a slight risk of losing some iron components…”

“Prioritize collecting real combat data.”