"Both fronts have been cleared out; the Shard campaign is over," Terrence announces, and I nod in silence. Those few minutes have been excruciating.
The massacre of the Coalition really affected me, and the voice has been silent since it began. I like to think that I limited its influence on my mind, but who knows if it's true. At least this traumatizing ordeal is over, but I don't have time to think about the haunting images I saw.
First of all, the Commander reported that certain young members of the populace living on what was once Remnants territory expressed the desire to join the Order. I gave him the go-ahead, even if we lied to them. The propaganda painted the Remnants as the members of a larger organization that will try to enslave them again, and fighting for the Order is the only way to stop this mysterious organization from accomplishing their goals.
Of course, it's a bunch of lies. We killed a large number of gang members, and I probably vaporized their leader. Furthermore, I also removed this Shard from their network, so they shouldn't be able to strike back.
But we should still be careful of a potential counter-attack. Those gangs had to find the Shard in the first place so it isn't impossible that they might find a way back.
To stop any surprise attacks, we will set up sensors around the Shard's limit. A radar-like surveillance system will also continuously monitor the area for unknown magical signatures. And, if all of these security measures fail, I should be able to do something with the Rewinder.
Relying on the Rewinder should be the last resort, so it's why we are setting up all these defensive measures. There may be a time when I am unable to come to help the Shard, so it's better to give the Order tools to defend themselves without me.
Let's stop thinking about potential threats; I should focus on the enemies we have right now. All our efforts must be concentrated on turning the Shard in a true fortress now that the campaign is over. We also have to find a way to deal with the Stonecrusher Empire. The Empire is going to be a tough nut to crack considering that we know nothing about them, we don't have an idea about their command structure, the Families that they absorbed and their actual military might.
Well, I have an idea about their real power, but I doubt that 'tremendous' is a good way of measuring military strength. My intuition tells me that the Empire campaign is going to be hard and costly, it will be our first full-scale war.
The upcoming war is pretty much make-or-break for the Order and my cause in general. Winning against the Empire will guarantee us large swathes of territory as long as we can defend it from the greedy hands of the Enforcers. And then it will be the start of our planet-wide liberation efforts.
But we are not yet ready to fight, beginning the hostilities with the Stonecrusher Empire now will only result in massive losses. We need better weapons, better tactics and a way to mass produce the Spell Jammer.
That device that I acquired after many tribulations is the key to our success. It doesn't matter how good the spells of our enemies are when they can't cast them. But one of the main components of the Jammer, Starmetal, is the source of a lot of issues.
First of all, it's hard to find. I was lucky since the tribe who worship the Starmetal gathered a significant amount, but their stockpile is far from infinite. Furthermore, they aren't storing it properly so there's a risk that the Starmetal will blow up if we don't acquire it in time.
And I'm not too hopeful on that front, even now that the war is over so the Fabricators can focus back on research projects. One of the priority task to accomplish is Starmetal containment. Two projects are trying to achieve the same thing: The first one is the Starmetal containment box, which had mixed results, and the other one is an attempt to crack Krognar's encoded runes.
I don't know how successful the Fabricators are at deciphering Krognar's runes, but the fact that I never heard any news about that particular project tells me everything I need to know.
Starmetal manipulation is also something we need to learn, and we haven't started any research on this. I could try to steal Krognar's machine, but I doubt we would be able to understand it, and the crafty Goblin must have security measures to stop us from taking his stuff.
Of course, we could make use of Philip's Improbability Factor to design a containment system. But the power requirement would no doubt be monstrous, and we already struggled enough to find the Magicite necessary for the Station.
But all of this isn't accounting for all the new projects I am about to dump on the already overworked Fabricators. We need to develop new weapon systems to make full use of the Portal Station, and those are sadly a priority if we want to survive the upcoming war.
Researching the artifacts we found in the Shard should also be done since it could allow us to make better armor and a myriad of other things. But our current equipment will have to do for the time being.
I will not slack while the Order works as hard as it can, and I will assist as much as possible. I will use the Rewinder when possible to point our Fabricators in the right direction to save time or avoid deadly accidents. But there are also things I need to do, and I'm the only one right now who can accomplish these tasks. And it's mostly because I'm the only one with sufficient protection to explore other worlds.
*Environmental protection should also be a priority, because who knows what we might be forced to fight in the future.*
I make a mental note to ask Alan to dedicate new Fabricators on this project. We should have an influx of recruits, so we need to make good use of them. But what I need to discover right now is the secret behind what the people on Hisako's planet call spatial bags.
The technology would greatly simplify our logistics, not to mention our effectiveness in battle. For example, we could make a magazine that contains thousands of rounds, thus removing the need for reloading.
We could also make clusters bombs containing hundreds of Carter Bombs despite the original container not being bigger than my open palm, and send hundred of those through a single portal. The possibilities are endless, but acquiring the necessary knowledge will not be easy.
I will try my luck in the capital. If I recall correctly, the mountain where I found the Frostcrystal Roses weren't too far from the city in question so I should begin here. But I can't just leave whenever I want. I need to coordinate the Order and give them clear instructions so that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
*Being a leader is tiresome work.*
A sigh escapes my mouth as I get up from my chair and crack my knuckles. "So, Terrence. This campaign was a success, but we have a lot of things to do."
"Of course, we are currently setting up the detection systems you requested a few days ago. Furthermore, the Shard is getting cleaned up and improved as per your instructions." The Commander replies.
"Good," I nod, "Our next priority should be the Stonecrusher Empire, we need to gather information on them as much as possible. Consider them the highest threat we ever faced so far. It's likely that they have a lot more men and power than us, so lay low until I coRrEcT tHe SiTuAtIoN."
Great, I am so happy to see you again.
Terrence nods, "Of course. Is there anything else?"
"Not that I can think of. You have the permission to use as many Order resources as possible for this campaign." I declare. Our survival is too important to skimp on money.
"Thank you for your trust. I swear that I will not betray the confidence you placed in me!" Terrence says with determination.
"All right, then I'm heading to Mr.Carter's workshop. He should have new, interesting weapons for you in the not so distant future!" I declare before stepping out of the tent. The new headquarters for military operations is still under construction, so we are using the temporary base camp from when we first arrived in the Shard.
However, the Fabricator installations are already completed since they were prioritized. Our soldiers can fight even if their beds are slightly uncomfortable, but they can't do anything if they don't have ammo.
I arrive in a large portion of Tunnels that has been renovated and turned into a massive workshop. The interior looks a bit like we are in an old Gothic church, but I grew quite fond of the peculiar aesthetic of the Order's buildings.
The large open main room is divided into smaller spaces where a Printer works as fast as it can. Certain areas, mainly those that are processing explosives or other dangerous constructs like MH Shells, are isolated by special barriers derived from my Shield Glove.
But my destination is another room which is about half the size of the main hall, protected by a large bank vault-like door and numerous barriers. An elegantly engraved plaque near the entrance guarded by two Legionaries reads 'Experimental Development'.
Or, in other terms, Alan's office.
The Legionaries nod when I arrive, and I touch a panel. The door soon opens, and I am greeted with an impressive sight. A few Fabricators holding tablets are surrounding what looks like a chip of the wall that the Tunnels are carved in. From what I understand, the Order wasn't able to damage it in the slightest. So they picked up a chip from a collapsed tunnel and tried to discover the principles behind its mysterious properties.
It's a good idea considering that this material is what holds the Shard together. If we could replicate it, then we would be able to make fortifications that are unbreakable. But I think this project will have to be put on the back-burner for now.
I turn my head, and I see a long corridor covered in warning signs. The many opened blast doors lead to a large room that houses the prototypes for the Starmetal containment project. The security measures might seem excessive, but I saw what would happen if this thing explodes.
It isn't pretty.
The security in this place is tight, and it's more for keeping the experiments in the lab rather than keeping people out. After all, if something can reach us in the Shard, and tear through the entire Legion then a mere blast door isn't going to stop it.
"No, it isn't going to work! The runes would be too unstable, not to mention that-" I hear the ramblings of the Chief Fabricator, who is sitting in front of four monitors while typing something on a tablet.
"Mr.Carter?" I approach the Chief Fabricator. I feel a bit awkward interrupting him when I am, with my impossible projects, responsible for his predicament.
All traces of anger and frustration vanish from his face when he hears my voice. I hope it's an effect of the Oath; I would be slightly weirded out if it was due to pure fanaticism.
...it's because of fanaticism, isn't it?
"Prometheus! It's good to see you here! What can this humble one do for you?" he asks after raising his head from his screen. I can't contain my curiosity and take a glance at the data displayed on the monitors. It's full of symbols I can't understand and various shifting graphs. I Rewind to make sure that Alan doesn't notice my confusion since, as a deity, I already have all the knowledge they have.
Man, keeping up appearances can be tiresome.
"I know that the Incandescent Fabricators are beyond busy, but I have a request that should be easy to make. It would also greatly improve our fighting capabilities." I declare. I'm unsure about the viability of my idea. If I realize that Alan doesn't believe me, I'll Rewind out of the embarrassing situation.
"I'm listening." The Chief Fabricator declares after sitting on a nearby chair. It looks like our past interactions had quite an effect on him, and he has taken precautions in case I reveal some 'incredible' knowledge again.
He's always overreacting. My ideas are simplistic, and anyone in my situation would have similar thoughts. So I can't understand his reactions.
"You see, we recently finished the Portal Station." I begin my explanations. "And I thought that it would be a great idea if we could use it to provide support to our troops. We could bombard enemy positions with ease, and without risking the lives of our soldiers. So we could make some sort of heavy artillery cannon, and fire the shell directly into a portal that is generated where we want it to be. If we combine this technology with our current reconnaissance capabilities, we could destroy enemy infrastructure with ease and precision."
I stop my explanation and observe Alan. His reaction to my proposition will tell me if my idea is good, or if it's complete garbage.
"Alan?" I ask after a long minute of silence.
*Did I say something incredibly stupid? He keeps staring at me.*
"T-This is incredible! The shell will be massive, and we would have a lot of surface available for engraving! That means we could-" Alan shouts and almost jumps from his chair. I was about to Rewind since I was convinced that he was searching for a way of telling me that my idea was beyond stupid, but it looks like I was wrong.
"Good, then I'll leave the details to you." I interrupt the ramblings of the Fabricator and wave towards the workshop. "By the way, how are things going? Any good news regarding our projects?"
Alan's enthusiasm dies down. "If I'm honest with you, we aren't making a great deal of progress. The containment project isn't going anywhere. We are thinking about taking some shortcuts by using the Improbability Factor Theory as a base. It might be the fix we need, but the few models we designed have an insane power requirement, so we are trying to reduce it to more manageable levels."
I nod, at least they are making some progress. But it looks like our Magicite limitations are starting to hamper our research, so I should find a way to solve that problem. Another element to add to the ever-increasing list of 'things I need to do, or we might all die'.
This list is far too big for my liking.
"As for the other projects... We had our hands full with producing all the supplies for the Shard campaign, and the majority of the Printers are busy preparing the new war. So we haven't been able to dedicate any meaningful amount of time to anything else." Alan continues.
It's understandable. I really need more people in the Order. The recruitment drive did increase our size, but we are still a small group.
However, I can't tackle every problem at once, and especially not on my own.
So I'll focus on what I can do, and I think that unlocking the secrets of spatial bags is the best use of my time.
I warn Alan, who is already typing a fantastic number of calculations on his tablet, before reaching for my Portal Gun and activating my armor.
It's been a long time since I put a foot on this planet, so I hope it didn't change too much.
...Daredrick's PoV...
"Who did this?!" I roar in anger.
"W-We don't know yet. So far, the only results we found are traces of unbelievably strong mana signatures. Our experts think that it must be some new kind of jamming technique since there's no way that any of our enemies have such power at their disposal." The officer reports with a trembling voice.
"I don't care about what they think. I care about the truth! We must find who did this, and we'll make them pay!" I shout before slamming my fist onto my stone desk, causing small cracks to spread on the polished surface.
This situation is unacceptable. One of our newly recruited Families has been exterminated without warning, and the attackers didn't leave a trace. It's worrisome since facing an enemy who is that strong will shake the order I so painstakingly established.
It's also an insult to our prestige and reputation, something we cannot afford when the whole world is watching us. It's evident that the other Councils are continually probing for any potential weaknesses, so we have to maintain a strong front if we don't want to be invaded.
To make it clear that the Stonecrusher Empire should not be messed with, I need to make an example out of whoever did this to us.
I swear that I'll catch them, and they'll regret ever being born.
After all, you can't cross the Stonecrusher Empire and expect to survive.