The sun was setting when Dmitri and his group finally made their way back to the landship, now considered their home, at least for the time being. The thick forest around them rustled with the faint sound of wind and distant animals. Dmitri adjusted the large game bag slung over his shoulder, the weight of their day's catch pulling at his muscles. "How many is it with this one now?" one of the hunters in his group asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Twelve," replied another, a shorter man with a bundle of equipment tied to his back. "It should be enough considering how big they are. We should have food for a few days at the very least."
In Terra II, animals were more than just oversized versions of the creatures found on other planets. They were stronger, more resilient, and infused with magicules, the magical energy that permeated the atmosphere. This made each animal a force to be reckoned with, but it also meant they were a valuable source of food. Stronger animals had higher levels of magicules, making them not just harder to catch but even more nourishing.
"Let's head back," Dmitri said, eyeing the darkening sky. "It's getting late, and we wouldn't want predators getting stronger while we're still out here."
A fact of life on Terra II was that nightfall brought more than just darkness—it brought danger. Predatory animals were known to become stronger when the two moons of the planet rose into the sky, casting a pale glow over the landscape. One moon was smaller, almost serene in its quiet orbit, while the other was larger, its surface marked by deep cracks that seemed to pulse with an eerie light. The phenomenon of stronger predators at night had baffled scholars for generations, but no one had been able to pinpoint the cause. Some believed the knowledge had been lost to time, perhaps even destroyed in some long-forgotten calamity.
As the group trudged back through the forest, their thoughts shifted to the landship. Dmitri noticed the faint glow of lights in the distance, radiating from their base.
"They managed to power it on?" one of the hunters muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief. "I didn't think that thing would work after so long. Even if it's powered, though, there's no way they'll get it to move."
Dmitri nodded in agreement. The landship was ancient, a relic from a time when such machines roamed the world freely. Now, it was little more than a stationary fortress, something to be salvaged rather than repaired. But the fact that Sera's group had managed to bring power to it was an impressive feat, even if it was only temporary.
As they approached the cargo bay, the once darkened ship was now illuminated by beams of light, some flickering as they struggled to maintain power, but most holding steady. Dmitri and his team filed into the bay, laying down the massive game animals they had caught, their heavy bodies thudding against the metal floor.
"I see you managed to bring back enough food, Dmitri," a voice called from the shadows.
Dmitri turned to see Sera and her group emerging from another entrance. Her sharp eyes flickered over the animals before landing on him.
"Yeah," Dmitri replied, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "It was a bit difficult, but nothing we couldn't handle. Pretty good haul if I do say so myself."
Before Sera could respond, Ava suddenly realized something was wrong. Koda, the bear cub, was happily dragging one of the carcasses away from the pile, his small paws pulling at the animal with surprising strength. The little cub, who had been silent up until now, looked around guiltily as the others noticed his crime.
Sera coughed to gather everyone's attention. "We managed to bring power back to the landship," she said. "But we don't know how long it will last without proper maintenance. Tomorrow, we'll explore the sections that were closed off and see if we can find any useful supplies. Any objections?"
The group remained silent, though a few mutters spread through the crowd. No one raised their hand to protest, but the uncertainty was clear in their eyes.
"Alright then," Sera said firmly, "let's eat."
Just as the group began to relax, a loud voice broke the calm. "Wait! There's only 11 now!" One of the hunters exclaimed, pointing at the pile of animals. "We had one more!"
All eyes turned to the pile, and then to Koda, who sat in the corner, his small belly comically bloated. A faint burp escaped the cub as he licked his paws innocently.
"F—"
A few hours later, after the group had finished their meal and the landship was quiet once again, a smaller gathering formed in one corner of the cargo bay. Dmitri, Sera, Zyra, Alaric, and Ava sat together, the soft hum of the ship's newly restored power systems filling the air.
Sera leaned back against the wall, her eyes scanning the dimly lit room. "Now that we've got some power, we need to think about what comes next."
Alaric nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "We still don't know how long the power will last. We've patched the engine for now, but without proper repairs and maintenance, it could die out again."
"Yeah," Ava added, her voice thoughtful. "We need to find more supplies, especially parts for the engine. That's going to be a priority. If we can stabilize the power, we'll have more freedom to explore the ship and figure out what else we can salvage."
Zyra, who had been quiet for most of the conversation, finally spoke up. "We also need to think about defense. The more power we restore, the more likely we are to attract unwanted attention. People are bound to notice the lights coming from this place. We don't know who's out there or what they might want."
Sera nodded in agreement. "She's right. This landship is old, but that doesn't mean people won't try to take it from us. Once word spreads, we could be looking at rival groups, scavengers, or worse."
Dmitri glanced around at the group, his face set in thought. "We can handle defense, but the more people we bring in, the harder it'll be to keep control. Trust is thin, especially with the newer arrivals. We need to keep an eye on them."
"Agreed," Sera said, her tone serious. "But for now, we focus on stabilizing the landship. Tomorrow, we'll explore the sections that were previously sealed off. The power should open up more areas, and hopefully, we'll find what we need."
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the task ahead hanging over them like a shadow.
"Anything else?" Alaric asked, breaking the quiet.
"We should also consider organizing the groups more efficiently," Dmitri said, leaning forward. "With more people here, we can split responsibilities—hunting, scavenging, guarding, and maintaining the landship. It'll help keep things running smoothly."
Sera gave a nod. "Good idea. Tomorrow, we'll set that in motion."
Ava stretched, her eyes already drooping from exhaustion. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us. But hey, at least we're making progress, right?"
A rare smile tugged at the corners of Sera's lips. "Yeah. Progress."
With that, they stood, each of them heading off to get some rest. The night was quiet, the lights of the landship still flickering faintly, but there was a sense of hope growing in the air. They had taken their first real step toward turning the landship into a home.