North boundaries of "The Emeri Empire"
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
August 12th, 2980 AD
I carefully ripped the dandelion out of the ground, root and all, and placed the plant into my basket. It was already half full of the plant that had become my source of food and barter. The distant thumps of foot steps drew my eye to the half-wrecked form of an Awesome battlemech. It stomped slowly as the heir of the Emeri Royal Family learned the ropes of handling the massive machine. I stared, half in awe of the giant mechanical avatar of war, and half in depression as I am once more reminded of my current circumstances.
It was nine weeks ago I had awakened on the ground of a grassy meadow, and discovered not too long after some extreme confusion and fear, what universe I had awakened into. More panic came, existential horror followed, and ideas of how to survive the setting came. It turned out to all be unimportant however, as I learned through a good amount of eavesdropping that I was on Novo Franklin. A world that was untouched by the setting, and would remain so all the way into the IlClan era. I could literally live here for the rest of my life, and the setting would not screw with me because of the place being so unimportant.
As a result of this, the immediate threats against my life came to the fore, in the form of starvation and homelessness. Add on top of that the fact I was an outsider to the fiefdoms, and to this "kingdom", I had little means to actually survive save what I had in my head already.
Which is when the "cheat power" appeared.
The Celestial Forge appeared to me, and explained the rules. I had known of the stories that used this system, and often had wanted to make such a story myself, but with few to no instructions on how to actually use it available, I had never gotten around to it. Now here I was, in Battletech, with the system. My existential horror only grew from there. It was mitigated that I was now physically a younger man again. While my actual body wasn't weak with age yet, it was growing older and things were occurring that made me more proactive in remaining healthy. Now, most of the issues I was keeping under control were no longer an issue.
That was the first day. Since then, I had managed to not get strung up as an intruder by the realm, as people shifting to and fro various kingdoms happens frequently. People just assumed I was such a person, and given how young I was now, there was little suspicion that an older man would have been given. The "Empire" merely took note of me once I stuck around and little else. The only thing I was told was that if the "Empire" went to war, I would be "required" to levy myself to the defense of the "Empire". Given the actual military forces of the place were basically farmers with pitchforks and bolt action rifles, coupled with a few "modern" weapons that would have seen action in Europe on the Western Front, and a pair of Battlemechs that were put together with bailing wire and ducktape, it would either be bloody, or hilarious.
Given most of the fighting was done with the military marching, standing still as the leaders then do ritualistic mech jousting with rules essentially being "Pink slips for X", it's semi-clan like in how people handle it. Having been here for over two months and seen it occur, five times, and having to take part in it twice, I realized I had little to actually worry about when it came to warfare. The most I had to deal with was the second time when the opposite military of five hundred men was added to the ritual and we had a big melee.
I was fortunate to have had experience with fighting before this, otherwise I would have gotten seriously injured if not killed. There were some killed, and a lot of injuries after it was all over, and the "Empire" beat the opposition hands down, gaining levies for labor and five months of non-aggression. In that time, I had waited and hoped for the forge to give me something, but there was nothing but a whole lot of nothing. It was there, but it just sat like a frog in a bowl.
Now I had some work, mostly being a farmer for the "Emperor" who paid me in food-stuff per day. It wasn't enough for anyone, and people had to make do or not eat. Hence my picking of plants now, as both a supplement for my diet, and to sell infusions for more food.
"Could be far worse." I griped as I pulled another plant out by the root. I missed home, my family, internet, indoor plumbing, electricity, television, and more. It wasn't like I could just hop a ship to Terra though. I don't even know if there was an HPG on this planet, despite my memories saying there was a B-Class station here.
I finished filling the basket and began making my way back to the little hut I called "home" for the time being. It was barely anything, but it managed to keep the elements, and most of the bugs, out. Reaching the hut, I had to duck down due to it being short sat to begin processing the plants.
"Still surprised that Dandelions are on this world. At least I know I can eat them after cleaning them."
Separating the leaves first, I began to boil them to create an infusion and make my dinner.
Then without warning…It hit me.
The frog leapt out of the bowl, and onto my face as I felt something like a star fall from the heavens. I felt the pressure and jolted, worried that I was suffering some malady when suddenly it faded, as if it passed me. The feeling of residual heat remained however, and I just knew that I was storing power for a later hit.
I scowled lightly. "After two months, you finally do something?"
I received no answer, and let out an angry sigh as I got back to what I had been doing. Time passed and the infusion, and my meal, was finished. I ate the bland greens with the potatoes and carrots I had been given for that day's work. Sealing the infusion within a clay jar I traded a meal for, I stored it for future bartering, and left the hut.
With little else to do, without books, games, or internet, I once more did what most men of this planet did. I went to town to hang around. Calling it a town was being generous in my opinion however given my experiences, but that wasn't entirely fair to the locals given how low the tech level of the world was. The town comprised of a dozen buildings. Shops for the farm goods people the emperor sold to those who could afford it, new clothes as well, and small administration building that also counted as the constabulary, and jail, and of course, the bar.
Reaching the bar, I saw two guys who I had become friends with since my arrival. Roake, bean-pole of a man with blond hair and freckles, and Bron, a stout redhead built like a brick house. The two were step brothers, from two families who lost parents in a little war and found comfort together. They greeted me with a raising of a clay mugs filled with local ale.
"How goes it." I asked, as I caught the eye of the barkeep and waved for my own drink.
"Bron stuck out." Roake stated matter of factly as he sipped his drink. Bron glared at his before dropping head first onto the table. I looked a little concerned, my eyes shifting to a calm Roake and back, but said nothing for a moment.
"That bad?"
"She wants to marry Grendal. Fuckin' Grendal!" he shouted, spilling his drink to the ground as he waved his hands upwards. "Just cause he is head of his own house already!" he cried before dropping back to the table and sobbed a little. Roake patted his back, looking like he had done this many times before as he took another sip.
"Well…are there any other girls to-"
"No!" he growled. "Of course there aren't. Most of the women are already taken at this point. I would have to go and barter for the right if she doesn't change her mind." He finished in despair.
I frowned and sighed. That the problem with worlds like Novo Franklin. The population, supposedly, was barely over a hundred thousand. While that was a city in terms of size, that left not a lot of options for men with little to show. It led to fights, and blood feuds, and worse. It's one of the reasons why the various kingdoms kept disappearing and coming into existence in a span of decades.
The "empire" was, so far, one of the lucky ones that lasted for more than a half century. It helped that they had nearly a lance of mechs, though only two, the Awesome and an Enforcer, really functioned at all.
"Well, don't go picking fights just yet. There might be a chance somewhere." I said, trying to be kind.
Bron just sat there, sobbing lightly, and Roake and I sighed.
Once the night had come, curfew kicked in and people started to go home. I bade the two goodnight and hoped Bron didn't go crazy in his drunken state or anything. Upon returning to my hut, I checked the infusion, and felt it cool against my finger. Satisfied, I took a small cup and drank a few cups of it.
While a liquid diet was not a good thing, it would do well for my liver and blood pressure, helping me sleep through the night. I didn't sleep well, not since I got here. My mind raced when I lay in bed, always had, but these nights were far worse for obvious reasons. I instead focused on sleeping, and thinking of nothing, entering a sort of meditative state. It usually worked, and soon I fell into a sleep.
Anxiety however gave me dreams, and these days I was full of anxiety. I dreamt of being left to die alone in a barren wasteland, before shifting over to being hunted down by a mob led by inquisitors, which then led to being harshly lambasted by gorgeous women for my shortcomings as they committed acts of debauchery I wasn't allowed to take part in. I woke up more than a few times in despair, and anger, but in the end, it was all impotent, for I had nothing to target aside from myself, and whatever force put me here. The forge was an easy target for this, and I did so when it suited me, for I had nothing to unleash my frustrations and sorrow upon.
Morning came sooner than I wished, and I had to get to work in the fields. From dawn, with a break for breakfast as part of our pay, to late afternoon, I worked the vast fields of potatoes, carrots, and cabbages the emperor had made with his wealth and successes. I had to admit that there was something admirable to a man being successful on a world like this despite everything this universe represented. It wasn't all nukes, intrigue, and mechs, as I had come to learn.
The end of the work day came, and I once more began to prepare to gather herbs. Cleaning out my basket and making sure it wasn't damaged, and taking another pair of drinks from the infusion before setting out.
Then I stopped, as once more, I felt it.
I felt the pressure, and shock at the sensation. Twice now! Twice in as many days! Was the damned forge finally kicking it.
I felt something reach out to the falling star…and with a clang that caused me to wince from the pain, I felt it land within me.
Spoiler: Clang!
I stopped, and watched in blankness as a Golden Sickle came into existence before my eyes, and floated before me. I slowly took a hold of it, and fell into my hand. In that instant, I knew what it was, what it could do, and where it came from.[/spoiler]
My eyes widened. "Okay…last thing I expected was Getafix's tool."
I rotated the object, getting a good look at it as the possibilities and uses came to my mind. Mostly on how it can solve my food issues. One of the biggest reasons I don't over harvest is due to the lack of a refrigerator, and that the plants I harvest go bad when left alone long enough. If I used this sickle to do the harvesting however, it all remains fresh forever because "freakin magic".
I frowned however when I saw the immediate problem.
"Solid gold. Might as well wear a clown outfit that was painted like a shooting target."
I would need to keep it hidden, or preferably, dip it completely in paint to hide its true nature. I contemplated how I would get paint as I tested its sharpness, and raised my brow as I felt that unique feeling that came with a particularly sharp edge of metal.
"Take a man apart with that." I murmured as I placed it under my clothes, and carefully went about my task. Finding the large patch of dandelions again, I began to dig them up, root and all, and place them into the basket until it was full. Returning to the hut, I pulled it out and began the processing of the plants as I normally did.
My eyes widened as the sickle cut through the plants like they were made of rice paper, so easily that it cut the time down by half. I also felt the magic of the blade at work, though there was no visual indication of anything happening. I couldn't help but grin as a small amount of relief filled me, as food may no longer be a problem in the foreseeable future. Melancholy thoughts sprung forth from that, as I compared my current life with what I once had, and I forced myself to focus on the task. There was no need to bring myself down since I know the Cosmic forge is working, though why it took months to reach this point was a mystery.
"Maybe a collection of small events? I have no idea otherwise what caused it to start suddenly."
With little else to go on, I made my dinner, but had an idea to test when I looked at the potatoes and carrots. I took a potato and cut it in half. Then I placed it upon a small chair I used as a table.
"See if it goes bad over the night."
Soon enough I finished, and hit the sack. More bad dreams hit me, and I woke up several times during the night. Each time, I looked upon the potato, as if it would change before my eyes, only to see it was still moist and smelling of raw potato rather than drying up. It gave me ease of mind after the second time I awakened, and I slept dreamlessly for the rest of the night.
The next morning, I woke up, and hid the sickle in the dirt, under the chair turned table, which had processed roots upon it. Not much, but at least I would know if something was amiss. Pulling out a smaller clay jar, I opened it up to scoop out a few spoons worth of dandelion grind. The smell of brownies filled the air and I indulged the scent for a minute as I waited for the water to boil. If you took the root, chopped it up, then baked it at two fifty for two hours, stirring often for even cooking until it was dark brown or black, and then grinded it into a powder? It made dandelion coffee. Surprisingly, it tasted like actual coffee, and had the same effects, but the powder smelled like fresh baked brownies.
It was a shame I lacked my own kitchen, and stove, and…everything, otherwise I would make dandelion honey and jelly too. Well, maybe not jelly since that requires pectin, and I don't even think this world could make such a thing.
After drinking the coffee, I left to work on the fields. Roake and Bron were there already, along with their parents, and younger siblings. As a lone man, I only got enough for myself to eat for the day, but with an entire family like that, one could eat well, especially if they stored food over time as theirs did.
I waved at them, and they greeted me back before returning to work. I looked over at the oldest daughter of the family. She was a young woman, average in looks, but healthy and fit from working the fields. Despite the medieval styled dress she wore, she had curves and she knew how to use them. There were already more than a few guys chasing after her, so she was somewhat spoiled for choice. A new guy like me had no real chance, with a lack of a real home and no "wealth" to speak of. Still, she was nice enough to me since I was nice to her younger siblings and family.
She was currently speaking to Dobbs, a tall, moderately good-looking farm hand who was muscled. He was successfully charming her, by helping her carry her "heavy basket" of carrots. I rolled my eyes, but said nothing.
"There he goes again." Bron grumbled as he watched Dobbs walk off with his sister.
"Uh huh." Roake acknowledged while placing more carrots into a basket.
"You don't approve?" I asked.
Bron thought about it and shrugged. "It's not him really." He answered honestly. The look of frustration was enough to remind me of the real culprit.
"Grendal." He growled.
I shook my head. He needed to let it go before it got to him, but it looks like it already has.
"You're not gonna murder the man are you?" I asked bluntly.
It was at that moment I felt my body freeze, and a well of panic grow as I felt the star fall, and the forge reach out for it. It failed however, and it fell away, leaving behind residual power.
I relaxed and looked at Bron, whose expression twisted to one torn between a yes and a are you nuts?
"Noooo…I'd be strung up by his family and maybe the Emperor if I even tried. Plus, the whole family would suffer for it by association. Not that it hadn't cross my mind though."
Roake frowned as he said the last part, giving Bron the side eye.
Bron frowned and glared lightly back. "I said I thought about it, not planning. I'm allowed to be angry! Just can't do nothing with it." He finished with a grumble as he ripped a stubborn root out.
The rest of the morning was like that, and when we ate our breakfast, or saved it for later, I looked about.
The "empire" was just one of on hundred and twenty two "nations" on this rock. Those "nations" usually didn't last long as people played a kids version of the "100 years war", and were absorbed, or fall apart as soon as whatever alliance occurs, ends. The empire had a population of about five thousand, supposedly, and it did show with all of the families working and eating together as a community in the field.
If it weren't Battletech, it would be somewhat idyllic.
"You think If I were to become a soldier, I'd have a chance again?"
I looked over to Bron, and thought about it for a moment, but Roake answered first.
"Not unless you become a knight. Soldiers and levies are common as dirt."
"I could become a knight." Bron said after a moment.
"Only in a world where you are taller."
I couldn't help but grin, but Bron glared at his brother who was also grinning.
He was about to retort when suddenly a loud whistle blew into the air from the distance. Everyone froze, and I mean everyone, including myself. We turned and looked to the distance where the "castle" was, and watched as both the Enforcer and Awesome marched out with a small retinue of horseback riders.
"Shit!" Roake hissed as he gobbled up his meal, Bron and I following suit. Men everywhere began scrambling to their women and children, telling them what to do, as said women and children began running from the field back to the safety of the town.
Not long after, we were gathered up by the men on horseback, with a few old army trucks now added to the mix with a variety of weapons being handed out.
"The Kingdom of Pesh has seen fit to declare war! We aim to show them the fault in that choice! You all gather up in a group and march with us! High-Ho!" the captain shouted, waving a cavalry sword about.
Getting somewhat organized, we began moving, and soon enough we reached the "Border" of the empire, where we saw, to our growing horror, five battlemechs, and what appeared to be several thousand men to our near five hundred.
"Fuck…" Bron said fearfully as he gazed upon the distant giants. I took a look at them, and saw they were mostly lights. Two Stingers that lacked their weapons save whatever they grafted on for melee combat, a pair of well-armed Locusts carrying what appeared to be four machineguns each, and a half-repaired Phoenix Hawk with all of its weapons intact.
Fuck indeed…
Men around me began to pray, some looking like they wanted to run. I didn't blame them at all. Being a squishy PBI with barely anything resembling a modern army save two working mechs and a handful of technicals, against the same but with forces catered to ripping the PBI apart…our prospects weren't good unless they follow that chivalric code of theirs.
The Awesome and Phoenix Hawk stepped forth until they were about two hundred meters apart from the other.
Then the "negotiations" began.
"What in the Taurian Bullshit are you doing Becker!?" The "Emperor" began.
"What's it look like Carson? I'm here to get my stuff back!"
By stuff, he meant his levies that were earned in the last fight these two had. That meant not just the men, but their families as well. People are resources too. I sneered slightly at the idea that I was livestock to these assholes.
The two go on back and forth like this for a few minutes before finally getting to the reason we were here.
"I could wipe out your army right now Carson. My men outnumber yours two to one! And while my metal is lighter, they are faster, and could also wipe your forces out before running off and wrecking your home."
"And if you did, you'd find my home is a hornets nest waiting to kill you in a swarm. Plus I have a longer reach than you do, and two HEAVY mechs back home just in case."
I hadn't been able to see what the other two mechs were, or their state, but according to what I heard, they were dock queens. A pair of Ostols of all things, which are a big deal on this world considering how common lights are comparatively. Don't get me wrong though, I love the Pod mechs, very solid design. Even so, not exactly common out here in the black.
No one really knew, aside from the Techs and Emperor, if they could move or not. Most people didn't want to chance it. Which proved to be the case with Becker's next words.
"Which is why I call on Primum inter pares!"
A wave of relief flowed from everyone at those words. I could see the same for the other army despite the distance. Primum inter pares, which was latin for "First among equals".
Essentially, it was a bout between the two leaders, winner takes all.
"Alright. As challenger, what do you want?" Carson asked with a bored tone.
"Upon victory, I lay claim to the men with you, and their families! They will become mine."
"Very well. If I win...I get yours."
"No way! You have five hundred. I could kill that many in a moment with my forces. You get equal to what you have on the field. If you want all my men, then I get your mechs on the field in addition to those men." Becker shouted angrily.
"Very well. I agree to that…that is…all my men, and mechs, for all your men…and your mechs." Carson said with a grin you could feel through the speaker.
"What?!...Throw in your two heavies that are in town, and it's you and your Enforcer versus me and my mechs since it's near equal in weight. Do that, and I will agree to that."
"Done!" Carson shouted with glee.
As this happened, I suddenly felt a pull occur, and I ducked down a bit while everyone was distracted. I felt panic and prayed it wasn't something noticeable as I felt the forge grab onto something.
With a loud CLANG! It happened
Spoiler: CLANG!
The knowledge slammed my brain, and I suddenly knew everything I needed to. I watched as the Scanner, Fabricator, and PDA appeared at my feet, and I quickly put them under my clothes. I was thankful I had a belt to hold them all. Standing up, I was relieved to see everyone was paying attention to the mechs starting to charge at each other, and firing lasers and bullets.
"Let move away men! Not get in the way of our lords!" shouted one of the horsemen, and we turned to make a distance. I noticed the other army doing the same.
I stuck with Bron and Roake as we made our way away from the field, and watched as the Awesome fired off its two functional PPCs, both slamming into a Locust, removing it from the field. The Enforcer attacks both of the Stingers, taking hits from the Phoenix Hawk array of lasers which cause metal to fall off on fire and in ribbons of liquid. The Enforcer kept firing at the Stingers in a show of discipline as it hit both with Large Laser and autocannon, removing both from the field at once.
The last Locust tried to move around the Awesome to hit it from behind, only for its pilot and myself to be surprised, when a rear mounted PPC fired off and hit the right torso, and into its engine. It was down for the count with a double-tap from the Enforcer, who turned back to Becker's machine with the Awesome.
Becker, realizing he was done, announced his surrender.
We cheered the emperor, and began making our way back home. I wouldn't find out till later that this was a massive last-ditch gamble on part of Becker who was down to only his men and mechs. So, the territory that was Pesh now belonged to the Empire, along with its towns and farms.
I recall grinning as it was close to the coastline, and elbowing Bron at the time that now he had access to more girls. He gave me a glare, before grinning and agreeing.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOaeDHeJ80I&pp=ygUYQXcgc2hpdCBoZXJlIHdlIGdvIGFnYWlu
This is a cross-post with SB and Royal Road. I had thoughts about putting it here, and decided to do so.
I had been wanting to write a Celestial Forge fic for a few years, but I could never find any definitive ruleset to actually going about it.
Then I read A Galaxy of Rust by HandleWithCare , which led to me putting two and two together and figuring a few other things out. I get a chance for every 1000 words, or it just gets stored, and I do not count the earned thing to the word count. Each chapter, the word count starts at zero, there is no carry over from previous chapters.
I have eight chapters on Patreon already and they get posted there first, but they will come here in time. I do not promise to have regular updates.
I discovered an interesting thing about writing this fic for myself. I gives me that "One Last Turn" syndrome Sid Meier's Civilization gives you, only "Just (X) words more!"
Perks This Chapter
-Golden Sickle (Asterix the Gaul) (200CP)
This is a sickle made of solid gold, perfect for harvesting materials with magical properties. So perfect, that it has properties of its own. Firstly, any materials harvested using this sickle will never go bad. Food doesn't rot, meat, if you somehow used it on that, doesn't go rancid, magical herbs don't lose their powers. Secondly, it tends to have the exact magical properties you need to harvest any and all magical substances, without too much of a fuss. In essence, you can replace any and all growing and harvesting requirements for an ingredient, like 'needs to see the moon twenty times', or 'dance naked under at twilight carrying a pitcher of water that you then sprinkle' with 'cut using this sickle'. Doesn't apply on the super rare, absolutely one-of-a-kind stuff, mind you. It must be at least somewhat common
-PDA | Scanner | Upgraded scanner | Habitat Constructor (Subnautica) (150CP)
PDA (0CP)
Loaded with an emergency intelligence and more data capacity than you could ever use, this is a survivor's second most powerful tool (after his or her brain.) The AI may get a bit . . . quirky . . . over long deployments. Your version is basically indestructible. Contains basic construction blueprints.
Habitat Constructor (50CP)
As long as the materials are present in your subspace inventory, the Habitat Constructor is capable of creating robust outposts and domiciles. Due to complex structural requirements, the constructor is unable to build anything that isn't anchored to the ground.
* "Complex structural requirements" implies that with sufficient technical abilities this limitation can be overcome.
Scanner (50CP)
The scanner uses the PDA artificial intelligence to analyze an object, often finding weaknesses or uses not immediately apparent to the user. If one of your fabricators is capable of constructing the scanned object, a blueprint is created. Scanning time varies with size and complexity.
Upgraded scanner (50CP)
For those who don't want to get too close to the Reaper Leviathan, but just really want that scan, this upgrade quadruples the scanning distance and speed.
North Coast, The Emeri Empire
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
August 16th, 2980 AD
With the expansion of the realm, and the winning of new mechs, the Emeri Empire just became one of the ten. That is to say, they became the newest member of that group of nations that would survive forever, provided the future rulers didn't screw things up. This was not just due to its population, and economic output, but also the fact that they had enough mechs and combat vehicles to protect said territory.
With the expansion into Pesh, there were now large forests available for lumber, foraging, hunting, and a coastline that went into the northern sea for fishing. Due to the low tech level of this world, proper industries to utilize these resources to their fullest simply didn't exist. As such, there were only a few fishing towns along the coast for that purpose and little else.
When it came up, I told the administrator of the town that I wished to go to that area since I had fishing experience. I gave some details about various fishing vessels I had been on, crab fishing, shrimp, salmon. They didn't know what those were, but giving them a basic drawing showed I knew what I was on about. So, they gave me leave, and I let my friends know. They were a bit sad, but agreed it was a good opportunity.
I ate dinner with them, and gave them all the greens and roots I had, only to be given potatoes, carrots, and a few cabbages for the trip.
"Don't starve like a fool." The momma bear matriarch said before bidding me good night. Before I went to sleep, I fiddled with the scanner. I smiled at the device. It was a piece of the modern world as far as I was concerned, and it was a comfort simply to hold it. I scanned everything. The hut, the chair, the sickle, my knife, the bedding, the clay jars, myself, and so on. The PDA helpfully alerted me that it could now build these things, and then went to bed.
The next morning set off for the distant shore. I wasn't the only one going there, as there were fisher families among the people in the empire that wanted to return to that lifestyle. After a few days, I reached the coastline and gazed upon the rolling waves. It was picturesque, and a perfect starting point.
Walking into town, I alerted the local administrator, who was now an "imperial" citizen himself that I was there to stick around. He just waved me off, made me sign a register, and I was on my way. I made an effort to pick up any garbage left sitting about, especially metal refuse.
"Anyone care if I take this refuse?" I asked. Most people just shrugged, and said to do as I wanted with it. Despite it all being junk, it was useful for materials since I saw rubber, steel, and fabrics among the stuff. One man's junk was another's treasure, provided they knew what the hell they were doing.
I wandered away from the town, a good enough distance, and began to use the scanner. Over the course of four hours, I scanned many, many flora and rocks to begin the path of construction. The plants were able to provide fibers which I was able to use to fabricate advanced fabrics, which allowed me to construct a diving suit like in the game. I wore it as soon as it was done, and then constructed an oxygen tank with the same fibers and the steel junk I had. With broken glass, steel, and resin from the garbage, I was able to construct a breathing mask for the tank. Finally, with the rubber, and resin from various composite materials, I was able to make flippers.
I realized with a start once I brought out the PDA and connected it to the suit, that it gave me access to the sub-space storage that all Alterra survival suits came with. Taking advantage of this, I broke down everything I carried, and placed into storage raw materials and various foods.
With little left, I turned, and began to walk into the water.
Getting past the point where the waves pushed me inland, I began to swim underwater and down as the seabed dipped deeper. I could still see the bottom for several hundred feet before it faded into blue and grey. My tank had about forty-five minutes of air before I had to surface for it to refill itself, so I had no fear of running out before the time was up like in the game. The suit would also do the adjustments for the depths so I didn't suffer the standard issues with scuba diving, so it was all just swimming and exploring from this point forward.
Taking out the scanner, I began scanning various rocks and plants that I came across, sparce as it was, but felt elated upon running into coral. I didn't know if it were the right type, but after scanning, it appeared to be both the type to create chips and parts, and to created bleach with.
I wasn't expecting to find Titanium, since I had no idea if it was even a common material or not on this planet. Assuming it was as common as it were on Earth (9th most common) it would be everywhere but in absolute minute amounts.
Scanning large rocks gave me the means to draw it out, and into my inventory. It was time consuming however as even a rock as large as a bus gave me only a handful of the material as dust in about thirty seconds per hit. However, the PDA was helpful in putting the material into exact measurements in the storage, and I knew how many equaled a single unit of pure titanium. Ten units to be exact.
For the next hour, aside from surfacing for air, I just grinded away until I had enough material to finally construct my first base. I dove deeper first before stopping in a relatively flat location, and constructed an "X Compartment", along with a "T Compartment", a pair of solar panels, and the hatch.
I clambered inside, proud of the fact I finally had things going my way when I felt it. A star fell, and the Forge grabbed it.
Spoiler: CLANG!-Material Limitations (World Seed) (100CP)
Even with the advanced technology commonplace on Earth nowadays, material limitations haven't changed. Or rather, you could say that they've gotten even worse. After all, how are you going to store antimatter if you have only steel at hand? Luckily, you won't ever have problems finding the materials you need. Whether you'll stumble upon them while searching through a scrapyard, or find just the right people who can get you that obscure alloy you need, nothing will stop you from building whatever you want besides your own skill. Well, if you're keeping it reasonable, at least.
The chance of you finding what you're searching for decreases exponentially with the material's strength and rarity, and increases by how much you know about said material, scientifically, and how good your technology skills are. So while a regular schmuck would probably never find Adamantium, someone who could reproduce it themselves in only a few years would have much, much better chances. So if you're in a situation where it is impossible to get what you want with what you know and where you are right now? Then you'll have to get to work yourself. Good riddance then that you can eventually reproduce any material or alloy that you have seen, though for extremely advanced ones it might take an unreasonable amount of time and skill.
I blinked. "Well…that may solve several issues." I already knew about many materials I needed to actually make Subnautica technology work, as well as the real-world information about them. So, I guess I'll run into stuff sooner or later regardless.
For the next four hours after that, I explored the immediate area, and found several locations near me of note. A kelp forest where I used the Sickle to harvest the materials for food and fibers, same for seaweed, several large rock areas that yielded more materials to me after a lot of scanning, a variety of underwater flora that could be utilized to make electronics, and most importantly, unlocking new blueprints as I discovered new materials.
The base now had six solar panels, a fabricator, emergency kit, a radio, several lockers, six of those basic plant pots which accelerated growth, and a proper bed. The PDA figure out most of the designs on its own, which showed how good of a tool it was.
The six pots were a surprise to me entirely, but I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. One pot was full of carrots, one with potatoes, another with cabbage, dandelions in the fourth, and strawberry and tomato like plants for the last two. I found the last ones while seeking out materials near the shore. The lockers were filled with purified water, and materials I didn't want to have in my storage space. I was more or less self sufficient without needing to beg for scraps or get paid in a meal anymore.
The freedom that came with that was gratifying. It felt like was living normally once more. I mean…sure I worked to earn money, but that's not the same as earning your daily bread. Might as well work just to breath oxygen.
"That's the first world mindset bruh." I muttered to myself as I remembered Bron and Roake. I'm sure they would love to be independent too.
With a shrug, I got undressed, turned down the lights and went to bed with the sound of the surface waves drifting me to sleep. For the first time in over two months, I dreamt nice dreams.
Underwater Base #3, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
August 23rd, 2980 AD
I finished the last touches of the new base, a bed and fabricator.
"Good." I said simply as I turned to look out the window, out into the dark water towards the reason I constructed a new base.
The day after I built my first base, I upgraded my tank from a standard one to a high capacity one, giving me two hours and fifteen minutes of air to use, and I began to explore. Deeper, farther, and I found a great many things. Places where I am able to harvest a variety of plants and fish. Places where I mine due to being very craggy, and filled with rare minerals. I chose to construct a similar, smaller base to the first two kilometers away between these two locations, and use it mainly to store things.
It wasn't until five days after I had been looking for large deposits of various metals, only to then make an unexpected discovery that shook me to my core. The remains of a Union class dropship. It had faded markings of the Federated Suns upon of it, but it was covered in coral and rust. There was no way for me to reclaim it, but I didn't care about any of that. I wanted to scan it. It was about a kilometer underwater, and five kilometers away from shore, four kilometers beyond my base. Thank goodness for beacons, without them, I would not be able to find my way to either base, or to shore.
"Alright. Let's get to it." I said with glee.
As I began scanning, the PDA helpfully added commentary, and new designs with the technology its database now possessed.
"According to scans, the dropship suffered a strike from a small capital laser. Given data on Novo Franklin, and its importance at large, how and why a warship would have been here is puzzling."
I frowned. "That is weird. Also makes me wonder who they were fighting over this rock."
Installing light rods around a hole to the innards of the vessel, I shone a flashlight within and swam into the dead ship.
The inside was filled with sand and stone from who knows how long ago, but it was otherwise without plants and some small fish, and floating particles. I placed all of the light rods I had before lighting off a flare. Swimming upwards I paused in awe as I saw the face of a man, in the form of a machine. Two, three, four…eight. There were eight mechs inside of this thing. All of them more or less intact. I doubt they could be used after being underwater for so long, but a scanner could probably give more the means to do so, or even build one.
The first was a Hunchback-4G, followed by a pair of Wasps, then a Firestarter, then a Clint, a Dervish, a Catapault, and finally a Rifleman. Bit of a hodgepodge mixture of mechs, but if it were during the latter part of the beginning Succession Wars, then beggars could not be choosers.
Pulling out the scanner, and I floated in front of the Hunchback and began the scan. Even with the faster scan function, it still took five minutes to completely scan the machine. Once it was finished, I got not only the design for the machine, but for everything that went into it. The weapons, the autocannon, the ammunition, Myomer, fusion reactor, the neuro-control system. Everything. Scanning the rest of the mechs just added more of what some machines lacked. Different weapons, engine models and sizes, chassis, and so on were added.
It was when I finished with the Rifleman that I felt another pull, and waited as the forge reached out. It faded away as it missed the star, but the energy remained for a future star.
"According to scans, there is mech bay below the primary one, and an aerospace fighter bay higher up."
I following the PDA's words, I checked the two bays, only to find them both empty.
"Maybe they got out before whatever happened, happened?"
The rest of the time was spent scanning everything from desks, to cots, to doors, to picture frames, until needed air, and then repeated until I exhausted myself. The main notable thing was the cargo bay had several vehicles, mainly APCs, for land travel. I scanned them completely.
I laid in a newer, more comfortable bed after disassembling the old one, and checked over the designs and schematics the PDA had stored away. It was almost too much to take in, but two schematics in the "deployable" menu caught my interest.
"Huh. I regained the mobile vehicle bay. So I can try to remake the Seamoth if I put forth the effort, or find similar enough technology to scan."
The other one that grabbed my attention.
"Land Vehicle Bay?"
"The Land Vehicle Bay utilizes the technology from the Mobile Vehicle Bay to construct land vehicles of many kinds. To modify and repair land vehicles, consult the base construction menu."
Doing so revealed the "Land Hanger Bay" which was a land-based version of the moonpool. Robotic arms could lift and modify, recharge, and repair any vehicle stored in the bay. There were three models. A small one for trucks and APCs. A Medium one for the Mechs and Aerospace Fighters. And a large one for the Dropship, which was at least five different things that made up this one object.
The fact the PDA figured out how to make these on its own showed me just how powerful Alterra tech was. Then again, it was an emergency AI unit that somehow managed to partially translate a completely alien language based on little to nothing. Not to mention capable of scanning its surroundings to a frighteningly accurate degree despite little to no actual sensor systems attached to it.
I had several new base parts as well, but most of them were applicable only on land, but I now also had the scanner room back since the UAV technology on board the ship was enough to recreate the tech from scratch. Plus, I now had the Seaglide again because of desk fans and the amphibious modes of some vehicles. Also, the reinforced diving suit due to space suits and industrial exoskeletons.
I would work on those later.
Going to sleep once more, with the distant giant looming over the base, I had the PDA play soft music that was somehow stored on the ship and recoverable. How it did that, no clue, but I wasn't complaining. I went to sleep easily.
Deep Expanse Edge, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
August 30th, 2980 AD
I felt like an idiot. I was glad I made the beacons to find my way around, but I cannot believe that I wandered so far and deeply without paying attention.
I couldn't help it though! That damned "Material Limitations" perk kicked in a ton ever since I started actively looking for minerals like Copper, Aluminum, Titanium, Gold, and more to build more stuff. Because of the perk, I was finding deposits of the stuff here and there which forced me to create the seaglide to move about faster.
It also got me started on the project to create the "Marine Mech", which is basically a Battlemech turned deep sea industrial mech. I was almost done too since I found radioactive material required to create the "Fusion Power Cell" to actually power the thing.
But then I ended up, like many foolish players first playing Subnautica, staying underwater too long before taking into account the air supply. I would have just created a temporary base and left it at that, but then I ended up finding the edge of what appeared to be a large sea trench. Which Is when the PDA kicked in.
"Local scans of this underwater valley show signs of large deposits, as well as possible rare elements. Deep Sea diving equipment is highly recommended."
So, here I was trying to reach the edge of this thing before I ran out of air. I was fortunate that, despite the depths, the solar panels still functioned at powering the place.
That said, I needed a small base quickly, so a simple "I Section" with a hatch, and a single solar panel, did the job.
"Warning: Depths of this magnitude require reinforcement. Recommend you construct building foundation."
"I don't have that, or the lead for the requirements. So, if you have a better design in there, I would love to see it before I die of suffocation."
Within a few moments, it did provide me with a new series of base parts. "Reinforced base parts" which required far more titanium than I had on me. I only had sixteen minutes of air left, so I got to scanning for the amount I needed. I had only four minutes left when I got the materials, and constructed the new base.
Double-hulled, it was able to withstand the new depths better than normal base parts. Even so, I still only had the amount of space normal base parts had.
For the moment, I laid on my back, lambasting myself for my stupidity. There was no excuse for not keeping track of my air supply, but I got too caught up in the gathering game, and wandered too far.
"I got lucky this time, but never again. I only have this one life, and no resets."
With little else to do, I rest and recharged for the next few minutes before going back out.
Looking down over the edge of the abyss, there was nothing but black and a deep silence to it all. Thalassophobia is something a lot of people have to various degrees, for various reasons.
I was no exception, which is why I usually tried to stick to the sea floor when I go around and explore.
Now I was seeing nothing but the depths, and it made my stomach drop and ass pucker up.
It was at this moment I felt the star fall down upon me. I waited for the forge to take it…only for it to fade away again, and the residual energy gather even more.
"Well, it will be interesting when that actually grabs something." I said as I swam away from the edge.
"First however…we need to gather and build up."
Underwater Base 005, "Leviathan's Depths" Trench, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
September 4th, 2980 AD
Checking over my materials one last time, I pointed the habitat builder to the spot where a ground level "T-Section" connected to the rest of the base, and began construction of the Underwater Mech Hanger. It slowly took shape with the internals appearing first, before quickly being covered with internal bulkheads, and then covered with a thick titanium shell that protected the internal bay from the incredible pressure of this depth.
Upon completion, the facility stood tall, well over the base itself. One hundred feet tall and about half that in length and width. It had taken ten titanium ingots, along with a variety of electronic parts to fabricate the thing, but it would be well worth it.
I swam down to T-Section and entered through the deep-sea hatch there, going through the process of draining water out of a chamber, which then pressurized, before entering the base itself.
The hanger was a big empty space, same the large robotic arms attached to the walls, floor, and ceiling. These robotic arms would not only keep the machines in place, but also allow for construction and modification to them without a crew to do the work.
Standing before the bay construction/modification terminal, I entered in the menu to construct the Marine Mech, all the required materials taken from my inventory. The arms swung about and began shining beams about, nanites constructing the machine from the molecules and up. After a minute, the machine was done, and the PDA announced itself.
"The Deep Sea Marine Mech is a powerful tool for both exploration, industrial work, and even combat if modified for it. Capable of handling the abyssal depths, it is the king of the battlefield, on land and now in the sea. Refrain from excessive excitement, lest the machine acts out against your will."
I rolled my eyes at the last bit as I walked about the machine. It stood forty-five feet tall and weighed about fifty tons. It looked positively skeletal compared to a standard Battlemech, but most of the weight was a metal shell around the actuators and myomers. This acted as reinforcement for parts to withstand the abyssal pressure, which coincidentally allowed it to act like armor in combat.
Despite its gangly appearance, it was as powerful as any machine in its weight class. It's titanium shell, however was a weakness due to being less capable of deflecting damage. I needed Lithium in order to create alloy grade Plasteel, which according to the PDA, was an equivalent to the standard armor Battlemechs, and other combat vehicles, were in possession of.
With knowledge of what Lithium was in depth, thanks to the PDA, I had faith that my perk would make me stumble across it at some point.
"Alright. Let's get to-"
The sudden sound of groaning filled the air, with the whole room rumbling and shaking.
"What the hell?!" I shouted, stumbling into the construction station when the rumble gave way to an ear bursting bang from within the bay.
I turned to look, and horror filled me as water jetted in through a hole, and then another bang, deeper in the base. Then another, and another…
"Warning! Structural integrity compromised!"
"NO SHIT!" I shouted, sprinting to into the base, sealing the bulkhead door behind me.
"Leviathan's Depths" Trench, Northern Sea
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
September 7th, 2980 AD
I stomped about slowly with my "Marine Mech" and began mining out the Uranium deposit. The drill arm whirred to life loudly as it began digging into the earth around the mineral formation. It was easier to do than to drill the mineral itself, even if it were easier to take it back to base in chunks than a whole piece.
It wasn't too big a deal though, as I had the base built for these depths now, instead of having to float eight kilometers up again to the other base near the edge. Though reinforcing them wasn't easy given the lack of stronger materials available, save more titanium, which is what I ended up doing. The base was a chunky thing with extremely thick walls that had no windows to look outside.
For the mech to enter the base, I would have to enter it into a floodable hanger, which would then pressurize and then drain the water out. My reinforced suit could handle these extreme depths well enough, but I still had to enter a double hatch bay to get inside due to the insane pressure.
Having gathered the diamond deposit into the mech subspace storage unit, I entered my base and exited my mech after the process was complete.
"Status?"
"All systems functioning nominally. Structural Integrity at 100%. Captain." The female voice sounded out.
I nodded with relief. Ever since that incident three days ago with that near miss with death, I became paranoid about its structural stability. Any sufficient growl of the structure settling was enough to set me off. I did not need to deal with holes popping open and filling the place with laser beam-like jets water. I say laser beam-like because at these depths, the P.S.I. (Pounds per Square Inch) is so incredible that water going through a small hole would cut a man to pieces.
"Load the Uranium into the processor, and construct the Power Cells."
"Acknowledge." The Habitat AI replied as the system began its work. Raw Uranium was too dangerous for me to handle even with a radiation suit, but the Vehicle Bay possessed the means once it was modified to access a vehicle storage unit.
I had fifteen Fusion Power Cells in storage right now, and with the amount I got from this latest dig, I might increase that to twenty. Enough to power ten Marine Mechs, or Battlemechs.
I paused in my thoughts as the Forge suddenly reached out to a falling star…and missed again. The residual power increased even more, and I felt the forge would grab something far larger the next time.
Moving on, I exited out of the base and into the abyss once more about the base. Thanks to the installed lights, I was no longer completely in the dark and could see a variety of small creatures swimming about above and below the base. Fish that were blind due to not needing sight at these depths, and eel-like in order to save energy that would be needed to survive without food for weeks. They fed on particulates that my base gave off as a result waste, of my needing companions down here, and the PDA designing a system to allow for it. As a result, there was a small school of fish just feeding and laying about in the underside of the base, with a few burrowed in the sand.
Swimming upwards above the base, I installed a new I-Section to a X-Section that I had intended to use for a bit, and installed the newest facility. The Scanner Room. With it done, I re-entered the base and set to getting the drones to work. I had them search out for Lithium around the base, and then left them to it. It would be several hours before I needed to check them.
I decided to go to the garden section of the base because I needed green, and upon entering the room the soft sound of lo-fi music played. I installed the sound track for the plants primarily, but also to create an atmosphere of peace in the harsh depths. The walls were lined with transparent titanium that were lined with micro-filiments, a technology gained from Battlemech armor, allowing them to act as a TV screen. The walls, ceiling, and the floor were able to project a holo-image within the two-foot-thick metal panes, creating realistic images of any environment I desired. It wasn't a Star Trek Holodeck, but it was the next best thing.
The scenery was currently set to the Caribbean, with a beach, palm trees, a single bungalow with a dock and surfboards. Plus, distant animals like seagulls, chickens, a cat, and dog, randomly moving about in the distance, doing random things.
This was good for my mind more than anything else. When Covid hit, I was alone for around two years, and I was fine because I was from Alaska. I was used to isolation and solitude. However, I could still go outside and enjoy the sun, the critters, the rain, the breeze. Down here, there was none of that. It was just water and black all around me. While it didn't…bother me per se, I didn't like it all that much. So, I made this room with the help of the PDA coming up with schematics from my ideas. It worked out very well in my opinion.
Kinda wish I had an actual cat though.
Once more my mind rifted to the idea of going to the surface, and doing exactly that. Taking a mech, using it to establish dominance, then trading what I wanted with the minerals and gems I got down here. It's not like Comstar is going to do anything even if they were aware. Eight kilometers of ocean between me and them would do that. While they can burn worlds, they can't crack them like eggs. My armor is thicker than your shit can hit, and anything they drop down here, I can destroy with impunity if the ocean doesn't do it for me.
"Actually…does Comstar even exist on this world yet?" I asked out loud with a frown. It was around this era of time they tried to "reach out" to the periphery, which includes Novo Franklin getting a B-Class station. I hadn't asked around for them because I was too busy getting my feet under me when I got dropped on this medieval hole.
"Well…at this point I could just rise up and do that…Hey Ada?"
"Yes sir." My PDA replied.
"Can we design a Submarine that not only can handle these extreme depths, but also carry and launch a battlemech? Maybe Seamoth fighter drones too?"
"We can. Shall we start now?"
I nodded as I stood up. "Start up the design room. I'll be there in a bit."
Roaming the base to the "design room", most of the internals were lined with "Windows" that were screens like the garden room, but instead of the Caribbean, it showed a brighter, more lit up version of the ocean around us. One that reminded me where we were, but not so dark and dull that it would depress me. It even had the sun shining down with a connection from the other bases to track the suns movements, creating the illusion we were not that deep.
Entering the design room, the room was lined with screens in the wall, and on a desk that gave me an interface to interact with the program.
"I have a preliminary design to show you now."
"Fast as always" I said with a grin as the interface lit up, showing me what it made.
It showed me what could be mistaken for Moby Dick. A White whale like machine that was over two hundred feet long with an enormous engine, a central control system up front on the "nose" of the thing, a pair of "eyes" that were observation rooms, and a hanger that lined the entire bottom of the ship save the final third of it in the aft section. The dorsal section had…a dorsal fin…that more or less had sensors, sonar, and a scope camera. Ahead of that was another hanger door on the top that opened to what could only be the mech bay hanger. It would be laying down inside of the submarine until either the hangers above or below opened, where it would be lifted upright, or dropped down as is into the water below.
"This is pretty awesome already! I can't-" I was saying when another star fell. I paused for the forge to reach out…and miss again.
"This will be quite the thing." I muttered, both to myself about the energy I would spend, and the ship itself.