Fixes a runtime which bricked the pad plus fixing sprites. Also ports https://github.com/tgstation/tgstation/pull/55533 credit to cacogen.

code/modules/events/pirates.dm

@@ -251,8 +251,8 @@
 /obj/machinery/piratepad
 	name = "cargo hold pad"
 	icon = 'icons/obj/telescience.dmi'
-	icon_state = "lpad-idle-o"
-	var/idle_state = "lpad-idle-o"
+	icon_state = "lpad-idle-off"
+	var/idle_state = "lpad-idle"
 	var/warmup_state = "lpad-idle"
 	var/sending_state = "lpad-beam"
 	var/cargo_hold_id
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@
 	. = ..()
 	if (istype(I) && istype(I.buffer,/obj/machinery/piratepad))
 		to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You link [src] with [I.buffer] in [I] buffer.</span>")
-		pad = I.buffer
+		pad_ref = WEAKREF(I.buffer)
 		return TRUE
 
 /obj/machinery/computer/piratepad_control/LateInitialize()
@@ -304,10 +304,11 @@
 	if(cargo_hold_id)
 		for(var/obj/machinery/piratepad/P in GLOB.machines)
 			if(P.cargo_hold_id == cargo_hold_id)
-				pad = P
+				pad_ref = WEAKREF(P)
 				return
 	else
 		pad = locate() in range(4,src)
+		pad_ref = WEAKREF(pad)
 
 /obj/machinery/computer/piratepad_control/ui_interact(mob/user, datum/tgui/ui)
 	ui = SStgui.try_update_ui(user, src, ui)
@@ -318,7 +319,7 @@
 /obj/machinery/computer/piratepad_control/ui_data(mob/user)
 	var/list/data = list()
 	data["points"] = points
-	data["pad"] = pad ? TRUE : FALSE
+	data["pad"] = pad_ref?.resolve() ? TRUE : FALSE
 	data["sending"] = sending
 	data["status_report"] = status_report
 	return data
@@ -327,7 +328,7 @@
 	. = ..()
 	if(.)
 		return
-	if(!pad)
+	if(!pad_ref?.resolve())
 		return
 
 	switch(action)
@@ -348,6 +349,7 @@
 	status_report = "Predicted value: "
 	var/value = 0
 	var/datum/export_report/ex = new
+	var/obj/machinery/piratepad/pad = pad_ref?.resolve()
 	for(var/atom/movable/AM in get_turf(pad))
 		if(AM == pad)
 			continue
@@ -366,6 +368,7 @@
 		return
 
 	var/datum/export_report/ex = new
+	var/obj/machinery/piratepad/pad = pad_ref?.resolve()
 
 	for(var/atom/movable/AM in get_turf(pad))
 		if(AM == pad)