Episode 143, Deer in the Headlights
31 Dec 2024Ryuko Ntsikana
Deer in the Headlights
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Galileo’s forehead wrinkled in frustration. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t grasp what the android was explaining. The profit was real—he could see that in his credit account.
“It’s simple math. Why can’t I understand this?” he muttered, leaning back in his chair.
The android’s synthesized voice carried a calm, instructional tone. “Based on my analysis, your confusion begins not when you look at the numbers themselves, but when you try to interpret the percentages.”
Galileo crossed his arms. “Okay, I get the basics—at least, I think I do. I bought the cargo modules for 162,957 credits. Then I filled them with the commodity you selected. That totaled 1,332,797 credits. Then we flew two systems over and sold them, and—”
The android interrupted gently. “Let’s revisit the data step by step. You purchased cargo modules for 137,923 credits. Then, you bought 76 tons of agronomic treatment at 2,571 credits per ton, totaling 195,396 credits. Combined, your initial outlay was 333,319 credits.”
Galileo nodded. “Yeah, I got that. Basic addition and multiplication.”
“It is important to follow the trail of what is obvious until we reach where your confusion begins. Everything seems to fall apart for you at the point of sale, or POS.”
Galileo grimaced but listened intently as the android continued.
“You sold the 76 tons of agronomic treatment for 2,010,048 credits. Subtracting your initial purchase cost of 195,396 credits, your profit is 1,814,652 credits.
The purchase of the cargo modules is a one-time expense and should not factor into future calculations. When we subtract the module cost from your overall profit, you are left with 1,676,729 credits.”
The android paused to ensure Galileo was still with it before continuing. “Now, place that 1,676,729 credits into a new column and consider it a fresh starting point. You used that amount to purchase 76 tons of indite at 10,070 credits per ton, which totaled 764,636 credits. Subtracting that, you were left with 912,093 credits.”
“Okay,” Galileo said slowly, his eyes narrowing as he worked through the numbers in his mind.
“You returned to the station where this began and sold the indite for 1,004,036 credits. Your profit from that sale is 239,400 credits. Add that to your previous balance of 1,676,729 credits, and your total credit balance now stands at 1,916,129.”
Galileo stared at the numbers on his data tablet, his confusion clearing. “So, the key is isolating the costs that don’t carry over, like the cargo modules.”
“Exactly,” the android said. “This compartmentalized approach simplifies calculations and eliminates unnecessary confusion. Now, does it make sense?”
Galileo nodded slowly, the frustration easing from his face. “Yeah, I think so. It’s just all the numbers jumbling together, and then there’s that percentages column.”
“Forget the percentages for now,” the android advised. “Let me handle those until you’re more comfortable with them.”
Galileo smirked slightly. “So, less your expense, I’m ahead of the game, right?”
“That is correct. The cost of my purchase and services has already paid for itself.”
He leaned back, considering his next move. “How can I maximize my profit?”
“You can incorporate what you already know and are comfortable with,” the android replied, “but I would caution against relying on that entirely.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because where you came from, and the risks you took to afford this factory-fresh ship, places everything you’ve worked for at unnecessary risk. There are better returns on investment with less danger involved. However, you are currently far from achieving that level of stability. My recommendation is to incorporate data and material gathering during your downtime. Both will be crucial later for engineering your ship to achieve its maximum performance.”
The android paused, ensuring Galileo was still following, then continued. “Your ship’s current best boost speed is 456 meters per second. Once you’ve gathered the necessary engineering resources, your cruising speed can be improved to 453 meters per second, with a boosting speed of 642 meters per second.
Your current A-rated laden jump range is 19.86 light-years. With engineering, it can be increased to 31.60 light-years—even when fully laden with 76 tons of cargo.”
Galileo’s eyes widened slightly. “That’s a hell of an upgrade. So, focus on gathering resources for now?”
“Precisely,” the android confirmed. “The less risk you take while building your ship’s capabilities, the greater your long-term success and profit margin will be.”
Galileo nodded. “All right. What do I need for gathering?”
“A Frame Shift Wake Scanner, which costs less than 50,000 credits,” the android began. “This will help you gather data from the wake of other ships with engineered jump drives. Engineers require this data to make modifications for your own drives.
“You will also need a planetary vehicle hangar and a Scarab ground vehicle. Both can be purchased for less than the wake scanner. These are essential for gathering raw materials, which will be required for all your future modifications.”
Galileo raised an eyebrow. “How extensive are we talking?”
“Very. You will need a wide array of raw materials, manufactured goods, and encoded data for the modifications. This effort will span multiple engineering requirements, but the rewards are worth the time invested.”
The android tilted its head slightly as it continued. “Might I suggest dedicating a couple of hours each relative day to gathering? I will guide you to where you need to go and show you what to look for and harvest. This will ensure efficiency and prevent unnecessary delays when the time comes for upgrades.”
Galileo exhaled slowly. “All right, let’s do it. Start with the wake scanner. Then we’ll see what’s next.”
“Excellent choice,” the android replied, a faintly satisfied tone in its voice. “Shall I plot a course to the nearest outfitting station?”
“Do it.”
The android’s systems whirred quietly as it interfaced with the ship. A moment later, Galileo’s navigation panel updated with the destination.
“Course set,” the android said.