The thing that struck me about your writing is its precision and its purity. You don't waste words or clutter up your story with excessively lengthy words just for show.
I like Helmut's revelation about pirates and how they can be just as honourable as anyone. In fact, Helmut even finds that he is not noble or honourable enough to be worthy of piracy. I find your reasoning for this change of attitude interesting and certainly very believable.
I enjoy how all of the emotions in this short story are rather understated. Helmut doesn't weep or moan or whine, he simply tells it like it is and even though it is fairly bleak, the ending of your story is somehow remarkably hopeful.