"So, what's our problem?"
"Well, it's okay for now, but you realize it's not going to last much longer. Yes, now we have cars, basilisks, free electricity and water, for which we don't have to go to the city with cisterns. Moreover, thanks to you the equipment has become unified and now we don't need to have a thousand and one parts in stock, but just a couple of sets of the same type of parts ..."
"Sol, you don't sing dithyrambs to me, but tell me what problems you see as more experienced in clan management..."
I looked at my deputy who sighed sadly.
"Guns..."
I raised an eyebrow questioningly, and opened my mouth to ask a follow-up question, because Saul had stopped talking and was in no hurry to tell me what the problem was. But he shut his mouth and frowned slightly.
"You're saying we don't have much of a chance of holding things together because of shitty equipment?"
"Exactly. With your efforts, the clan's chrome is good, the equipment is good, all that's left is the personal equipment. We haven't finished fully digesting our loot yet, but we're starting to attract attention. What happens when we're done digesting?"
I sighed.
"Okay, uh. let me see."
I leaned back in the chair I was sitting in and closed my eyes, thinking about the whole situation. And there was a lot to think about...
"How much time do you think we have?"
"Six months. that's the max. But I'd expect a problem sooner..."
"All right, we're shutting down all activities."
"Huh? What are we gonna live on?"
"I'll find something to..."
I sighed, and opened my eyes to look at Saul.
"...it is natural that orders should not be broken up. Let all planned orders be fulfilled. But in one month, Saul, you hear me, in one month no Aldecaldo is to leave the clan without a good reason."
"You got something in mind?"
"Well..."
I scrunched my nose thoughtfully.
"...here's the thing... now the girls and I are going to finish one tough task by cutting off the loose ends from one extremely nosy and not-so-nosy fixer, and then the girls will continue to break the ice on a couple of chips. And ALL, you hear me, ALL members of the clan will have to go through training. I think it will take at least a couple years.
"A couple years?!"
"Hush Saul..."
I looked at him sternly.
"This does not mean that we will not fulfill orders in these couple of years, not at all, but only the best ones will be sent for orders. They will also be equipped with the best equipment, for the creation of which we will order a large, technical, mobile, complex."
"Huh?!"
I didn't pay attention to the fact that Saul was choking.
"It is desirable of course from Militeh, still the average repair kit that I have very well shows itself, but the money for such we will never have so we will do with a complex from not such a famous corporation."
"David, stop..."
I looked at Saul and raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"You, uh. why are we even doing this?! You do realize that the big, technical, mobile complex is the Hippo! It's a fucking Hippo! Not like our six-wheelers! It's a fucking six-axle, twelve-wheeled behemoth!
"Saul, I realize that, except it seems like you're not looking into the future now..."
"Explain..."
He frowned.
"And then what happens? Well, if we find, say, a big repair kit, even say from Militech..."
"Well..."
"Don't interrupt. Now that we've repaired all the equipment... what's next?"
"А?"
"Next thing you know, we'll just be cut off. The repair kit requires very specific components. Yeah, some of the parts he can print himself, but some of them..."
I shook my head.
"What do you mean, cut off the oxygen?"
"It's just that our detractors will put pressure on the right people and the price of components will go up for us. No, of course we will find other suppliers, but even if they cannot be pressured, they will soon realize the trick and start raising the price... and so it will be with everyone. In the end, we will simply be crushed and will be forced to sink to the level that was before unification."
Saul frowned.
"It will be possible to use trophies..."
"You can, but it's a change to a different standard, and if we want Aldecaldo to be the best..."
"What do you suggest?"
"Like I said. we need a large, technical, mobile facility. It has the ability to process scrap into materials and then print what we need. In this case, the spoils will be simply dismantled and recycled, and we'll get exactly the parts we need."
"Do you realize how much this is going to cost?"
"I understand that we do not have enough money for a complex from Militech neither now nor in the future, but from the same Mul-tek-prom...
"That's cheap..."
"Saul, you and I are not going to provide for a megacorporation. The complex from this corporation will be enough to meet the needs of the clan. Of course, it costs a lot, but you can find a used one at a price acceptable to the clan. In six months we will not only put the complex in order, but also equip a couple of groups with good equipment, not only weapons, but also armor, and then..."
"Fuck..."
Saul covered his eyes.
"Is there something you don't like?"
"No..."
Saul shook his head, but never opened his eyes.
"...It's just how much simpler things were before you came into the life of the clan..."
"Well, I can only sympathetically nod my head..."
I accompanied my words with a mocking smirk.
"Get outta here. I'm gonna start setting the stage for the innovation. Not a lot of people are gonna be happy about a total lockdown. even if it's completely justified."
"Okay..."
I got up from my chair and left Sol...
"How the fuck?!"
As soon as I stepped away from my deputy's dwelling, Becca showed up in front of me.
"Hmm?"
"Why her and not me?!"
"Becca..."
"What's wrong with me?!"
"Becca..."
I frowned a little, but the girl who'd gotten so angry didn't want to realize that this wasn't the right place to get into an argument. Not in the middle of the camp!
"How?! How is she better?!"
I frowned even harder.
"The fact that she can't even be suspected of having tantrums in the middle of camp ..."
Becca flinched like a slap in the face. And my good mood, which had remained high even though I'd had a serious conversation with Saul. had plummeted to the skirting board.
"I..."
"Becca..."
"I don't stand a chance?"
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Only then did I open my eyes and look into the little brat's eyes.
"Becca..."
I said, completely calm, and put my hand on her head, ruffling her unruly hair. She lowers her head a little, but not her gaze, and it's like she's looking at me sideways.
"You are a smart and beautiful girl. You have a cheerful and kind nature. Of course you're a little explosive..."
I took my hand off her head and gave her a weak flick on the nose, then my hand returned to her head.
"Hey!"
With this exclamation, however, she confined herself.
"...but let's be a little more serious. I'm really glad to have a friend like you, and like Lucy, who is probably out there right now eavesdropping and drawing conclusions. Am I right?"
The silence was my answer, and only Becca's lowered head made it clear that I was not mistaken and that the girls were in cahoots. Lucy was just promising Becca her support if she needed it, and Becca was supposed to ask questions.
"Kiwi, she's already made up her mind. Moreover, she realized that despite her sympathy, I would not be the first to make a move. So she made a move and talked to Judy and Panam."
"Subordinate..."
I smiled slightly sadly at such a characterization.
"I think a lot of people would agree with you... but not me. I just realize that it's more expensive to get involved in girls' business..."
I take my hand out of her hair and catch her chin and lift her face so that our gazes meet precisely.
"...if you can work it out, I'd be happy to. If not... well, then, then it's not fate, but getting involved in your female relationships, I may even be left at a broken trough. And I don't like that prospect."
"AND?"
"And that's where things start to get interesting for you and Lucy. If you can get Panam, Judy and Kiwi on board, you can definitely join our family. But first, you have to decide if you want to do that..."
I look carefully into her eyes.
"Do YOU need such a crazy family, life in which will definitely not become calmer with time, although I dream of such a thing."
"What if, uh. what if I do?"
"Then you know what to do..."
Becca bit her lower lip.
"In the meantime, don't overreact."
"And yet I'm not like that, am I?"
I sighed.
"Becca, any one of you, if my life had turned out differently, could have been my girlfriend and run everything else, including whether or not David's harem was formed. But it's just the way it is, and I really do care about all of you..."
"And you..."
"Honestly? And what fool in my position would refuse to have not three impossibly, outrageously, unrealistically beautiful girls, but five?"
"You mean you want to..."
"I do."
I nodded giving my words further confirmation.
"I do, but I won't go against the girls I already have. So you're gonna have to take it up with them."
Becca nodded and walked away from me.
"Though something tells me they won't mind..."
I said the last phrase very quietly. In fact, I didn't even say it, but only spoke it with my lips, without making a sound.
"What?"
As soon as Becca left, Kiwi appeared beside me and, in a reversal of her usual behavior, snuggled up against me, trying to press herself into me as hard as she could.
"Has Becca made a scene yet?"
"Well..."
I scratched my cheek in embarrassment.
"...I wouldn't call it... What the hell, though?"
I shook my Kiwi-free shoulder and shook my head slightly.
"Yeah, she made a scene. or tried to."
"Did the heat die down quickly, as usual?"
"Yeah. (chuckles)"
"Hmm. I'll have to talk to her later and tell her that at least I'm on her side and I won't interfere if she decides to build her happiness with you."
"Still, I'm very lucky..."
"That's right..."
The Kiwi and I walked back to the Hippo in front of which Judy and Panam were lying on deck chairs.
"Are we all set?"
"Well, uh. just starting to decide. Let's just say we've formed a rough itinerary..."
I sighed and sat down next to them. Kivi didn't move away from me, but sat happily on my lap.
"How's your Faraday search going?"
"It's fine..."
"Hmm?"
"He thinks too much of himself and considers himself untouchable..."
"Are you saying you've already figured him out?"
"Uh-huh. it was easier than we thought, except, uh.
"Uh-huh?
"He works out of one of the underground clubs that corporations like to visit to watch "mortals" fight to the death."
"Yeah. So we'll do it over there."
Why her and not me? (almost...)
And then the author decided to play with the neural network and create his own angry/disgruntled Becca... It didn't work out the way I wanted, but, uh.