I need some help with this puzzle

[space-time]

I can't figure this one out. Anyone? Thanks.

Six (M=6) desperate newly proclaimed laser pirates, kicked out of a corrupt lab because of too honest laser profiling
results, have obtained “as a compensation” N=30 beam profilers and have to divide up the loot. The pirates are all
extremely intelligent, greedy and selfish. They value goods in this priority order:

1. Their career

2. Getting beam profilers

The captain always proposes a distribution of the loot. All pirates vote on the proposal, and if at least half the crew or
more go “Aye”, the loot is divided as proposed, as no pirate would be willing to take on the captain without superior
force on their side.

If the captain fails to obtain support of at least half his crew (which includes himself), he faces a mutiny, and all
pirates will turn against him and make him lose the career forever (walk the plank), using past results of dishonest
beam profiling against him. The pirates then start over again with the next senior pirate as captain.

What is the maximum number of beam profilers the captain can keep without risking his career?