20 - Making a List

“Cores away!” Maya shouted as she pressed a button. There was a soft thump that she could feel through the deck of the Cage as the first of many C5 mana cores were launched.

The view screen before her showed the tall cylindrical cores exiting the Cage, falling into the blackness of space, and a moment later a series of thrusters pushed the cores toward a waiting craft. A small modified shuttle sat a kilometer from the threshold, Zoya and Veskari occupying the vessel.

The shuttle was the personal shuttle Maya had been awarded for creating a settlement in space. She had no use for it, as it was not an atmospherical craft and she could not enter the multiverse at large. Therefore she had gifted it to Veskari to use to move things around the continually expanding 4S. The assault craft could do the job but it was like using a formula one race car to carry cargo.

Maya grinned at the image of twenty eight C5 cores and five C6 cores tumbled out of the Cage. It was the culmination of months of work, planning, and building. Finally the Black Goo Network was up and running, just needing the mana cores to condense and create the generic mana that would power the Cage.

It was coming none to soon either, as the new teleporter, scores of people coming and going , and maintaining the existence of the Cage consumed vast quantities of power. The massive stores of liquid mana was being tapped, not too much, but enough that Maya was worried that soon they would run out. There was some natural regeneration from being within Void Space, but not enough to keep up with the mana purge penalty that was still going on within RSH.

“You good out there, Veskari?” Maya asked. “Everything looks green on my end.”

“All is good, Maya,” Veskari responded. “We are reading all the cores and they will be intercepted and installed with the day.”

“Good news. The Cage has been pretty thirsty lately.”

“I understand. We shall endeavor to expedite the installation.”

“Take it easy and take it safe, buddy. Don’t want you to scratch that shiny new shuttle.”

“Agreed.”

Maya grinned and gave Hanna a thumbs up.

“We’ll be swimming in mana soon?” she asked.

‘We’re already swimming in mana, but we’ll be swimming in renewable mana.”

“I’ve heard a tale that you’ve launched probes to find more liquid mana with in the RSH,” Hanna said.

“Who’s telling tales now?” Maya asked.

“Roci.”

“Gah, that girl. She’s a security leak.”

“Is it true, though?”

“Yeah. I doubt the lake Chuckles drank was the only one out there. I’m keen to find if there’s anymore with in striking range. I’m also a bit worried about Bad Blood and her people.”

“The RSH natives, right? A cannibal death cult.”

“People just being people and trying to survive. Just happens that there isn’t much organic edibles that survive long in the RSH.” Maya brought up an image of Bad Blood. It felt like years ago she had last talked to the woman, although they had left on less than stellar relations, they were still SIL in a world of rogue AIs.

“Survival. It was the state of things before Integration and it’s still the same after it,” Hanna said. “Kinda makes you wonder what it’s all for, right?”

“Nope,” Maya said. “I don’t think on it. I just want to do as much good as I can before I buy it, probably from betrayal and envy.”

“Pretty dark way to looking at things.”

“When you wear the crown, that makes you the target,” Maya said, grinning.

“A pretty full-of-yourself way to looking at things.”

“I’m a big fish in this small pond, but I’m a moderately sized snack for the rest of the multiverse.”

“Speaking of fish, when are the aliens coming?” Hanna asked.

“A few more days still. There were a some hiccups in the activating of their troops, apparently. Asoltolia is rushing them out, since they want the money and their own stations are being stuffed with refugees from their own internal war.”

Hanna frowned. “Is this a glimpse into humanity’s future?” she asked. “‘Noble’ Houses infighting and causing death and destruction on a large scale?”

“Hopefully not. If we form the right kind of government, we can get them to form a more democratic style of governing. A nation of laws, not of levels.”

“That’s a fine needle to thread.”

“Totally. But there’s plenty of folks who love democracy and aren’t total totalitarian dickwads.”

“Hopefully.”

They watched the floating cores for a while more. The first core was already being secured by the modified shuttle, large mechanical arms grappling it and pulling it into a cargo frame attached to the craft.

“There’s no danger in all of them being so close together?” Hanna asked.

“Nope. They’ll screw with each other’s mana suckage, but they won’t harm one another. When they’re set up in the black goo network, they’ll be running hot and ready to go from the start. The dang startup sequence takes at least a day, so they’ve been already activated.”

“In credits, how much would all this have cost if you had bought it yourself?” Hanna asked.

“Well, apparently getting C5 or greater cores are hard to obtain. They’re used by spacecrafts, military and civilian, and are a bottleneck. It’s system tech, but they still need a SIL to create some of the stuff that makes it up, mostly the precursor to the conductive gel that’s in mana batteries. A C5 mana core goes for nearly a hundred million credits, a C6 about two hundred million.”

Hanna stared at the tumbling cores.

“That’s nearly four billion credits you have floating out there,” she said.

“Add in the black goo network, the mana stones needed for that, and potential game changing aspect of the tech, we’re probably rolling in billions more in credits out there.”

“You gave Ko Sumai a C5 core, right?”

“Yeah, Maria’s town’s a special case. We’re gonna build it up. The other settlements can do with mana nets and mana batteries. The ambient mana on Earth is high enough that simple mana nets can offer them all the power they need for the time being. When they get larger, then we can talk about creating a bigger power base for them.”

“I hear some people are angry about that, that they’re on the bottom of the list to receive mana nets and batteries.”

“Eh, people will complain about anything and everything. If I were giving away lollipops, they’d be angry they had to wait in line and that the flavor they wanted ran out. Plus we can make nets easily, Scotty’s got the whole factory up and running now and we have billions of liters of the black goo from the hiveship, we’re just low on batteries. Conductive gel is expensive and not many people are selling them in Tzonia. We need to find new places to buy stuff, unfortunately.”

The last of the cores tumbled from the Cage and Maya activate the comm again.

“They’re all out, Veskari. Looks all green. Hit us up with there are any problems.”

“Understood, Maya. We are set and it appears we will be able to achieve our stated goals within the given timeframe.”

“Cool, see ya’ll on the flip side. I’ll have some piping hot coffee when you get back.”

“Zoya has been complaining about the lack of vodka.”

“I have not! I said that it is a shame we cannot celebrate such an occasion without some.”

Maya laughed. “Hopefully Yuri’s got a lead on your government. I’ll tell him to bring some back when we hear from him.”

“Yes, thank you,” Zoya replied.

“Over and out, dudes. Keep up the good work.”

Maya stretched and grinned at the screen. Things were looking good.

“Alright,” Maya said, turning to Hanna. “Let’s go see what’s gone awry in the last five minutes.”

***

“Any complaints from the Suds?” Maya asked.

“Well, they don’t like being called Suds, but beyond that it’s just simple things. Better water pressure, softer beds, a library to sit and study in, and more access to system tech to play around with.” Hanna said as they walked down an empty steel corridor.

“No clashes with all the visitors? No inter-sud squabbles?”

“I think that knowing they’re only here to learn as much and get back into the real world to help that is keeping them focused. They don’t really interact with the visitors, the heavy course load is causing some burn out, but they’re gaining levels so they’re focused. A few clashes from stress and frustration, but nothing that can’t be handled by others. They’re mostly from Ko Sumai and they’ve all been in tight groups of survivors, so they sort of all know one another.”

“That’s good, I suppose. Can’t let our first class of Sullivan University turn out shitty.”

Hanna groaned at the name. “Has Maria told you of the other occupations that want to start back up?”

“Yeah, the journalist I spoke to talked about that. Using the Cage as a news hub since we’re now connected to a lot of settlements and are soon going to host the ‘murica summit.”

“Still bitter?”

“I’m not bitter at all,” Maya said. “My own nation not recognizing what I can do and how I can help, but also demanding I help them and use my special interdimensional box of mystery to host them, feed them, and let them organize. Having my patriotism questioned, my very character? Why would I be bitter?”

“Yeah, it’s kinda bullshit,” Hanna agreed.

“Not kinda, fully and utterly,” Maya replied. “I think I should-“

A door was wrenched open and a figure stumbled out, smoke and flames fluttering after him. Maya automatically summoned a weapon, switching to full armored mode as Hanna let out a squeak and turned to run.

The figure was laughing hysterically.

“I did it!” he was crying.

Maya paused. It was Izumi.

She slid the faceplate of her armor up and looked at the Japanese astronaut. It had been some time since she had last seen him. He had been holed up in his enchanting room, where he was tying to learn the basics of enchanting through brute force and tinkering.

It appeared he had some success.

“I did it!” he cried again.

“Did what?” Hanna asked, after she had returned. Maya was surprised at her speed. She had made it down the hallway before she realized it was Izumi.

Maya looked Izumi up and down. He was in a dirty ship suit that had seen some better days. Scorched, stained, and torn in some areas, which were all difficult things to do to ship suits. He looked horribly exhausted and wild eyed. Maya also realized he was wearing a chest plate.

“I have made enchanted armor,” Izumi said. “Force reduction, come on. Hit me!” he laughed.

Maya stepped forward and slammed her fist into his chest piece. He flew back, crashed against a bulkhead, let out a pained yelp, and then felt to the deck groaning in pain.

“I meant Hanna,” he gasped.

“When someone says ‘hit me’ I just blank out and swing,” Maya said, hurrying over to Izumi. She helped him to his feet and he rubbed the chest piece, a dent within the center of it.

“It did work though,” Izumi said. “But you hit too hard. This is only low grade, very low grade.” He coughed, rubbing his chest.

“So you managed to enchant it?” Maya asked, peering at the bit of armor.

“Indeed. It took a lot different abilities and a few skills, but this is the first of many items that I was able to warp the mana enough to enchant it. The very stable mana of this whole Cage is an enchanter’s dream.” Izumi grinned at them.

“Cool, man,” Maya said. “Go take a shower and eat something. Then we can discuss how I can exploit your labor and skills to make a profit.”

Izumi laughed and then stopped at Maya’s expression.

“You’re not joking?” he asked.

“Izzy, my old pal,” Maya put an arm around him. “Did you think you were given so many knowledge cubes, training manuals, and hints for free? That the lab you have, all the materials that you requested that were never denied, came with no cost?”

“Yes,” Izumi said. “To help mankind.”

“By helping me, you help mankind,” Maya said.

“I got a Foundational Skill and Knowledge,” Izumi said. “I can create my own enchanting empire and House.”

“Oh, of course, you can, Izzy,” Maya said. “No one’s saying you can’t but consider how big of an empire you’ll have when you don’t have to worry about the logistics of obtaining rare materials and ingredients to make your enchanting wares? How if you hook your trailer up to the Sullivan brand, we can make a lot of credits.”

“I feel I’m left out of this,” Hanna said. “I need to work on my alchemy. Why did I agree to the be the Worker’s Advocate and Village Head?”

“Just imagine this, Izzy. A whole new lab, a bunch of minions at your beck and call, a substantial stipend for materials and supplies, and the backing of the one of the biggest corporations in the RSH.”

“You say RSH, but not Earth,” Izumi replied.

“Let’s not mince words here, Izzy.”

“You know I was going to continue my experimentation and increase my levels along with trying to teach others within the Cage to do the same?” Izumi asked. “I will not hoard this knowledge. This needs to be shared and given freely to humanity, so that we can survive this Tier adjustment to our world.”

“See, that’s what I like about you Izumi. The lure of credits isn’t your driving force. You’re a true example of what it is to be an Astronaut, a person seeking knowledge and sharing it with everyone. A true blue scientist.”

“The blue is perhaps a toxic reaction from inhaling too much Kamistorium powder,” Izumi coughed. He coughed again. “I think I should see Nan.”

“Oh, shit,” Hanna cried as Izumi fainted.

***

“Yeah, he’ll live,” Maya said to George as she sat in her Control Room. It was a new addition, a place she could get away from everyone wanting something from her and sit down and stare at view screens that were showing everything happening with the Cage. It was a grandiose security booth, but Maya enjoyed the feeling.

There was an actual security station that had been set up by Hanna. Apparently there had been a few tussles, some drunken soldiers, and someone busking for credits outside of the diner. Minor things that required a uniformed person to get them sorted out. The village of Sanctuary Nexus had a grand total of five constables taken from Ko Sumai.

It was an odd feeling to be thinking about security now. Not from attacks, but just from people being idiotic or drunk. She supposed it was a mark of how much the Cage had grown, there were nearly a thousand people a day moving within the small bubble of reality. The nightmare would be if the bubble suddenly popped. Everyone would end up dead.

“Well, Izumi did get a little… monomaniac about his experiments.” George responded. “I’m sending you the updates and information on Faisalabad, Pakistan. The welcome ‘gift’ has been sent and there have been some reactions due to it.”

Maya chuckled and pulled up the information.

“Why can’t you make anything serious and formal?” George asked.

“That’s boring. Everything is so formal and so serious.”

“This is mass murder and torture we’re talking about,” George said. “There is a vicious mini war going on in the streets of Faisalabad, where millions are already dead from Integration and starvation.”

“Fine, my next communique with the various factions of the city of Faisalabad, Pakistan will have a more formal tone.”

George sighed not believing her. “Well, once this business in Pakistan is over, I want to put more eyes on the US. I’ve been getting odd reports of mutant pigs killing and swarms of killer birds.”

“Seagulls? Maria said the entire coast of Ko Sumai was hit by man eating seagulls.”

“I don’t know. I’ve got some ears in San Diego and Chicago. It appears some species take to the mana pretty well, completely changing within minutes and then all congregating within a swarm.”

“Yeah, I think that was what the landsharks were. That was a pretty big swarm.”

“Yuri’s made more friends, but still no leads on any surviving government officials. There’s a Colonel that’s supposed to be organizing outside of Moscow. We’ll see what he knows.”

“Righto,” Maya said and leaned back in her chair.

The large view screen showed the ‘gifts’ she had sent the leaders of the factions in Faisalabad. It was a small six inch box covered in wrapping paper with a bow. On it was the name of the leader on it.

When they opened it, a simple message played on a loop.

I’m making a list.

I’m checking it twice.

I’m gonna find out who’s naughty or nice

As far as threats went, it wasn’t all that terrifying. The terrifying aspect was that it appeared right before them in their safest place, where they thought they could not be touched by anyone.

The reactions ranged from mild interest to freaking out and shooting the box. The latter being the response from the Khan himself.

In a few hours Maya would send the usual ‘welcome gift’ that George had created for surviving communities. Food and water on this occasion, with detailed information on how they are being watched and that the world knew what they were doing. That aid would be forthcoming if the violence stopped and a secured area was set up to receive a Sullivan Box. With details of what a Sullivan Box could do.

Maya didn’t know if the plan would work. It was as simple as she could make it, exert some force. Show them that there is a better way. Show them that they’re not alone. That their actions are seen by all. She was of the opinion that if no one said how fucked up things were, then they would not change. The people of Faisalabad had been involved in their own war for power for too long, that’s all they could see.

Eventually she would have to do something about the bad apples, the three leaders that were trying to grab power. They eventually would have to go, but for now. Peace was needed. People needed to be directed into a different path, one that saved human lives.

Maya sighed, watching as scared men and women huddled in ruins. Faisalabad was only one city. There were many more and Maya felt a surge of exhaustion as she looked at the various images and satellite scans that George had sent her. Cities in every continent, where people were fighting people, not mana mutations. But if she could stop one city from killing themselves, then that would make it worth it.