There were a few more places where the tradesmen of the port could use extra hands, but it was not nearly enough for the influx of people that would be coming to the shores.
'Anything is better than nothing!' Noble reminded herself.
Each singular job might not make a big difference in the mass of humanity, but it made a difference to the one who had a way to support their family.
'I have to keep things in perspective. The only way to eat the elephant is one bite at a time. Each victory, however small, is still a victory.' Noble sighed. 'And we have a looooot of victories to make.'
Lena was right in believing that she needed eyes on the port. The longer the tour went, the more things Noble found where she needed additional information.
One point of interest was the temporary buildings covering the area. The closer they got to the military barracks, the more of them there were. Some were being constructed while others were being torn down. The whole place looked like a hill of ants which had been stirred by a child.
Cole was forced to slow their progress.
"Why are they disassembling the buildings?" The professor asked him while they waited for a wall to pass in front of them.
"The temporary buildings will be shipped along with the soldiers. At least at first, they will need all the extra space." Cole turned around to view the professor's troubled face. "What?"
"Are they not leaving any behind? What about the refugees who come on the return trip?"
The professor pictured the area where they were waiting. Devoid of buildings, the space would be a wasted opportunity to house people until they could be transported to a more permanent home.
"That's above my pay grade, Ma'am. I can tell you what is, but I am not sure what will be. Shall I find someone who can answer that for you?" Cole's blue eyes beckoned her answer.
Of course, Noble knew there was probably no answer to her question just yet. Her mother was looking at all of the logistics along with a large team of people.
'It's unlikely that all forty ships will return together. They are not all heading to the same place. I'll have to see how many the barracks can hold. Perhaps they will be enough for a ship or two of families to rest before moving on.'
"I do not need that answer at present. I will let you know in the future." Noble liked her tour guide.
She had been very nervous in the beginning, especially with his driving skills, but they had gotten along very well.
At last, the wall cleared from their path, and they could continue onward. The next area, though not as relevant to her mission, was particularly fascinating to the professor.
"What are those?" She pointed to their left.
Cole looked at the closing door to a massive hangar. A vehicle was peeking out at them with a wedge at the front. "Those are called rhinos. You don't want to be at the wrong end of those. They will run you and any Nightmare Creature over without a second thought."
"That's fascinating, but I think we are not looking at the same thing. I meant those tall things over there." Noble stared at the hulking machines.
They dwarfed the loaders that had been loading the train and looked like monsters in their own right. If not for their robotic look and the way the soldiers ignored the giants, Noble would have been tempted to call on her armor to defend herself.
"The MWPs? They look even more impressive in battle, or so I am told. I guess we will all get to find out soon enough!" Cole slowed down again to wait for another convoy to pass in front. This one seemed to be loading foodstuffs.
The break in movement allowed Noble to get a close-up look at the colossal machine. The combination of spelltech and heavy machinery was nothing short of astonishing.
"Our spelltech specialist, Rurushu, keeps all of our weapons and gear in top form!" Cole beamed with pride.
'An MWP? So that is what Catphine operates. How does she even get in there?!' The professor marveled.
Although most of the soldiers around were mundane, some of them were Awakened. Would Cat be among those sent overseas to fight the gates?
The professor sent off a quick message to her former student to see if she might be in the area. The answer came almost immediately.
"Still in the NQSC for a few more days, and then I will be on a new assignment."
Noble did not have to guess what that was. Catphine would be heading out on one of these ships. Hamish would likely be going as would so many others.
People like that young man she met on the light rail that day. "Ash," Noble recalled his name absentmindedly.
"Ma'am?" Cole furrowed his brow.
"Oh, um, do you know a soldier named Ash?" The professor wasn't sure what answer she hoped for.
Cole thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I do not, but I can ask someone to look through the records. Is he a relative of yours, ma'am?"
"No. And there is no need to look. It was just a passing thought." If Noble had found him, what would she even say? Even if he had joined the army, the young man was unlikely to remember her.
Cole suddenly threw the PTV into reverse. "Hold on!"
One of the MWPs came marching across the ground, shaking it with each mighty step. People were forced to flee from its path. Everyone hurried to escape death by friendly fire.
Well, almost everyone. One Awakened, who refused to move, was stepped on by the behemoth yet managed not to get squashed. She saw the man's skin return from a steely state as soon as the pressure of the gargantuan foot was removed.
The driver of the MWP parked the machine alongside the rest and then slid out without a second thought. His face was devoid of emotion and nothing in his body spoke of the tense moments he had created by his approach.
If Noble was forced to describe him, a single word came to her mind.
The MWP operator looked...bored. The tattoo of an oleander on his neck and single silver earring only added to his nonchalance.
Noble's PTV driver did not share the sentiment.
"Yokai! Watch where you are going, man!" Cole shouted at the soldier.
Yokai saluted the vehicle. "Nice to see you too Cole. Your driving is really improving."
"You mean you did that just to see if I would be able to get out of the way?" Cole's mouth hung open.
The other driver shrugged. "What can I say? It keeps life interesting."
Noble wondered at the exchange. Was this how people behaved in the army? Between Master Jet and this strange interaction, the professor got the impression that the military was far more laid back than she had previously believed.
Or perhaps it was just because they were all gearing up for war that they all needed to let loose a little beforehand.
One thing was for sure.
'If Yokai is looking for something to keep life interesting, then he is heading to the right place. Antarctica is about to be about the most interesting place on earth...'