After providing the woman and child a safe passage into the territory owned by Alyssia and her crew, Nica escorted them while remaining vigilant as she asked them about their identities.
Upon arriving back at the Sunken Castle, she sent them to receive first aid and reported everything to those within the walls.
Upon meeting Alyssia, she spoke. "We had two people fleeing from a large group, this time they seem to be even more aggressive than normal and they are more focussed on capturing people alive for whatever reason. I expect that there may be repeating problems in the future where some individuals or groups may try to flee into our territory to gain protection."
Alyssia replied. "This is nothing big right now but it can become a big problem later on. Right now there are three major powers within this island, there is us who have lesser numbers but many advantages in terms of individual strength, weapons and technology to help defend ourselves. Then there are the central lawless zone and those within the capital who have much greater numbers or hold some form of alliance with other groups or some political influence. Any smaller groups will be absorbed by them, be taken advantage of or will have to offer up some form of sacrifice, tax or tribute to either side so that they can gain even a little extra protection for the land they live in. Upon our arrival there would be a shift in power and many would be waiting to see if it is worth putting their lives in the hands of us all so eventually, some may take the risk and flee their lands to come over to ours to seek protection and a better life. So what did you find out?"
Nica sighed. "The village or tribe they belong to have a very weak mentality towards those stronger than them but towards their own, they are very strict to enforce their own rules or carry out what they believe what needs to be done for everyones good. They would offer up food and other things to satisfy the lawless kings minions who drop by the village, even though there are quite a lot of skilled hunters among the villagers that can help protect it from wild beasts, the village head still fears those from the lawless zone so he gives in to their demands no matter what is asked. This time they asked for five young and fertile women and some children but during the time of choosing who to sacrifice, some of the women escaped and among them was the young woman who carried her younger sister with her. It seems that the young woman or her younger sister were to be chosen for the tribute by the major leaders and decision makers of the village. A future problem may appear if her sister had been spared from the tribute this time or if both had been offered together. If she was offered, her sister would soon follow because she had lost her only form of protection since her parents were submissive to the elders of the village and there was a chance of her sister being offered up instead or the both of them so she had to act quickly. She took advantage of others fleeing and headed towards the rumoured place that the lawless king's people had been avoiding lately due to their many losses over the months but was discovered by the villagers who asked for help from the lawless kings people."
Alyssia contemplated. "What do you think is the best way to weaken a community and make them have to rely on your further?"
Nica replied. "Taking what they are already in need of and are in short supply already?"
Alyssia continued. "If people are a resource, they can be used as tributes in these peoples eyes and which kinds of people would be most valuable… there are three which are fertile women, young men and children. Once they are removed, there are only older adults and elders with less stamina to manage the environment or protect it but they did not ask for the young men because it would be too big of a tribute for many villages or tribal groups which may even result in them joining together to put up a resistance. To keep them compliant, they chose to take the fertile women and some children. Do you happen to know why?"
Nica nodded. "Hmm.. they hope to teach the young children to be loyal to them and grow into their own warriors while gaining many future fertile females upon maturing in order to gain more control over the villagers and tribes."
Alyssia nodded. "They are taking away the means in which the other tribes can make exchanges, increase their numbers and form alliances through breeding and marriage then they are monopolising it completely with the power and influence they hold in the area. Any tribe that would need a bride to increase the villages numbers and prevent inbreeding would usually be unable to join up with another and would have to seek an exchange or pledge loyalty to the lawless king. Many strong hunters would be indebted to him and would have to give up their freedom in exchange for being able to make a family of their own while others would have to give up their children one day too as the cycle continues. The person behind this sure is evil and the villagers and tribes have no hope of seeing the end goal behind this scheme."
Nica let out a tired voice. "To bring down the power of the surrounding villages and tribes to completely absorb their power or make them so submissive and weak that they have no choice but to follow along with every demand they have been given. What they are really doing is just handing over some of the women or grown up female children that they had gained from other tribes to another tribe and playing the middleman in a way but a little more forceful."
Alyssia lay back in her chair. "I really underestimated this lawless king and his wickedness but there is nothing that can be done unless they pass through our lands or get close to the borders. If we invade and start dragging groups into our land then it will be taken as a sign of aggression since we have crossed the boundary as we had said we would not do. I do not fear a war but I would prefer to keep things as they are for now."
A larger scale war may even be beneficial for many of the members of the crew to experience but many innocents would be caught up in the war while some tribes may be forced to participate as they would be pushed to the front.
Alyssia spoke once more. "Give it a little time and let us all see the results of the changes brought on by the deaths of the people you killed along with the disappearance of the two sisters. It may have some effect on future events and allow more people to try escape that system that has been created to trap them within, eventually some tribes may even try to seek refuge here."
Nica grinned mischievously. "I see what you mean… so you hope to have their escape be the light of hope for many."
As Alyssia started to change the subject she asked. "How is your project going in the development of the claw and winch technology that I had mentioned?"
Nica put her hands together with an excited look in her eyes. "It has improved so much and with your help we have stepped into the final stages. I would ask for him to be called back to undergo some changes but you still mentioned that something was missing."
Alyssia started to leave the room and said. "Alright, make sure to inform me upon it reaching the final stages and then we can await what I have been waiting for. Continue to develop the electro weaponry, traps and other tools for combat, surveillance or protection while assisting Ein and Ashwin with their projects."
As Nica entered the laboratory area where Ein and Ashwin were, there were all kinds of tools laying around with different types of parts and completed projects on the tables.
She then came to Ein's side to see her latest project.
Ein had a look of frustration on her face as she spoke. "Another failure, we need something else if we ever hope to build something better and more adaptable to battle."
She then turned towards the many small to medium sized mechanical shapes which had many exposed wires and other parts along with some much larger animal shaped forms of metal in different parts of the room. "You guys.. just give me some time and then maybe you can enter the world with the ability to protect yourselves."
They all were not moving as if dead or asleep but Ein talked to them all as if they were living and sentient beings with a soul of their own.
Each of them were her major breakthroughs after working on K1 as she started to develop bigger and stronger robots which were bigger than the very small ones which were made from lower grade materials and some were even disposable with self destruct capabilities built in.
One of her biggest weaknesses was her offence and capturing ability when the enemy was smart enough to look out for traps or spot the incoming small robots so she started developing battle based robots to increase her options but she still could feel that something was missing.
Many were relying on a certain piece of news that may be arriving very soon.