Chapter 155

Red Sands Desert, Principality of Rebirth

City of Rebirth

"A farm?" Said Allya, surprised.

"Yes milady. The conglomerate had originally shipped in a druid to study the alchemical loot from the dungeon. Once that was done, he started on a project to see if a farm would be viable, and he's apparently concluded that it is, and convinced the merchants to invest in it." Answered Melia. "It is nothing more than a large, glorified greenhouse, made to optimize crop growth, but it is a farm."

"Can we even accommodate it?" Allya turned towards Pyn as she said that, and her girlfriend shrugged.

"In terms of water? Sure. We have a lot of redundancies in terms of wells and aqueducts. The problem is where they'll put it. Presumably inside the walls, in which case it's going to have to go far from the residential areas."

"Why?"

"Ever heard of fertilizer? That stuff stinks to the high heavens. And given the accelerated growth that the dungeon is going to give all the plants, they're going to spread a lot of it, around the clock."

"Right." As much as she had tried to be close to her people when she'd been an Erisian noble, she'd paid attention to heavy industry, factories, smelting plants, research laboratories, the things that made the economic heart of the Aubétoile household. Agriculture was a bit beneath them, and what little there was was for luxury products, not large scale production to feed the masses.

"So yeah. I have some spots in mind, but they're not great situation wise. I think they're going to throw a fit over it."

"Push comes to shove, I am sure we can get some infrastructure down."

"Ah, you wish! We're already using construction material as fast as it can arrive. I'm even looking into quarrying our own stone en masse. And I don't mean the half assed stuff the geomancers do, I mean genuinely dismantle an entire damn mesa, for mundane workers."

"That's…a bit extreme, isn't it?"

"Honey, we're building a walled city. With several layers of fortification at that. All that stone and cement has to come from somewhere."

"That's… a great point." Especially as no one was going to be bringing simple materials as stone slabs all the way there. Even just getting the bags of cement had to have been at a huge markup due to the sheer shipping cost of such heavy materials. "I assume you have a mesa in mind?"

"Yep. It's the second closest one to the main city. You know, between the warehouses and the airfield? The top is treacherous as hell, and the cliffs are unstable. It'd do everyone a favor to remove it."

"It is a useful defensive feature."

"Honey, if we're fighting next to it, we've already lost the city."

"We did fight the Scarlet Swords inside the town."

"Yes, and we won that because the freaking UDC arrived with a battlefleet. Besides, you've seen Crystal's army. Do you seriously think anyone is going to make it through the walls if she has anything to say about it?"

"No, no I don't think so." For a lot more reasons than her girlfriend knew. "Alright, I'll sign on the project. Just make sure to get them to not feel too screwed by the placement. If nothing else, we need to seriously start terraforming this place, and we might as well start with this."

"I'll get you the paperwork." Answered Melia.

"Alright, then meeting adjourned." And she could go meet with Trira, who she hoped had some answers for her.

*****

"So, the lance was a success, all things considered." Said Alexandra as she patted the weapon on the workshop table.

"It failed to cut the spider tank in half." Answered Emilia, leaning against the wall.

"It mostly failed."

"'Catastrophic failure and detonation resulting in the destruction of the target' is not a success!"

"It is if your troops and equipment is disposable."

"Which given the price tag, this weapon very much isn't."

"That's…a good point." Unfortunately. "You're becoming quite good at considering cost efficiency vampy."

"Well someone here has to! Sarah is too busy cheering you on, and as long as it kills our enemies Ella will approve."

"What about CQ and Seraph?"

"The kids both defer to you, and you know that. Besides, you're getting them both firmly in the 'I love big booms' camp."

"Kids? Seraph is older than your civilization."

"And yours. But they were also asleep for ninety nine percent of that time. Besides, they act like one, at least when you're not looking. At least somewhat."

That had to be Arcadia's kernel kicking in, slowly infecting the AI's protocols and taking them over.

"Well, okay, point taken. Still, I do take cost into consideration. And practicality."

Emilia snorted, and shook her head as Alexandra gave her a questioning look.

"You say that, but I'm honestly surprised you haven't put the whole mesa on like, giant tank threads, and drove it straight at the Republic."

"Nonesense, that'd take the steps with it! Besides, there'd be too much useless mass. Although…"

"See?" Emilia practically pounced on the Earth-born, putting her index right under her nose. "You're already doing the calculations in your head, coming up with a feasible design!"

"Well, you told me, I had to!"

"No, no you didn't. Besides, don't you dare tell me the idea hadn't crossed your mind!"

Alexandra looked away, and Emilia snorted.

"Thought not." Said the vampire.

"In my defense, it was as an airship. Besides, what could I possibly call this thing? The Mobile Dungeon Battlestation? The Dungeon Powered Dreadnought?"

"The Mobile Armored Assault Mesa?"

"The MAAM?" Alexandra chuckled. "That sounds ridiculous. And confusing. 'Captain, bring the MAAM about.' 'Which ma'am, ma'am, half of our officers are female?'. Eh."

"Well, we don't really have a chain of command to begin with."

"I know, I know, just making a joke. Guess it doesn't really work when I'm a crystal who can order whole armies of automata around like puppets." Alexandra sighed. "Speaking of, the expansion for the forges to accommodate the third floor production?"

"Fully complete, although Seraph is, uh, unhappy about the plates for the cobras. They're apparently a pain to make and fit, at least if you want to avoid jamming."

"I'm honestly starting regretting making these things. The design's too complicated. The hydra works because it can just brute force the issue, but when it's your source of locomotion it's not really an option. I'll have to book a rework."

TO-DO LIST UPDATED.

"Sure, right after, oh, making the fourth floor, opening the copper step, repelling the next wave of Republic invaders, taking over the world…"

"Hey! I only want to take over part of the continent."

"Yes, yes, I know, to defend ourselves from the Republic and establish a buffer zone. And we both know it's going to get out of hand regardless."

"True, I suppose. Plans never survive first contact with the enemy. Speaking of, the stealth golems?"

"The redesign is going well. The prototypes aren't necessarily great, but they definitely look alien and use components that most people would not expect you to have. They're not good, but they're something a team of skilled artificers could make on behalf of a technologically advanced nation like Gorromar."

"Good. We need deniability for these things, especially as the baroness knows I've deployed the infiltrator golems. The self destruct won't be enough if they can trace the design back to us."

"Agreed. Planning on deploying them again?"

Alexandra grimaced.

"No. Not really. Right now we don't really have anybody worth spying on, at least not worth the inherent risk of being discovered, and with Seraph's databanks and the haul from the fight with the Republic, we have more stuff than we can use. It's an…odd problem to have, really."

"It's a good problem to have."

"For now, yeah. But we still need some areas of focus. I might honestly just start some brainstorming sessions as to what we should focus on getting up and running, versus what we should leave as it is. I have too many blindspots with magic to make me a good judge of this."

"Well, that's definitely something I can organize. I'm sure Ella and Sarah will have valuable experience to share, and if nothing else CQ and Seraph can at least serve as the voice of innocence."

"The voice of innocence?"

"It's a saying. When someone who doesn't know asks a question prompting further thought? Particularly questions that experienced people who 'know' wouldn't ask."

Alexandra opened her mouth, and closed it. She saw what the vampire was saying. Arcadia always had a new graduate on any meeting she had. Alexandra had always thought it was to give a promising pupil a chance to get some connections and be known by the upper echelons, but it might have been something else altogether. She'll have to ask her other self about that at some point.

"I think I see what you're driving at. Yeah, that might be valuable."

"Good! Then I'll get on it. As for the lances, planning to start building them en masse?"

Alexandra sighed as she grabbed the weapon, weighing it. It was hefty, no doubt about it, but her upgraded golems could carry it. The power supply was more problematical however, not to mention the cooling. They were going to have to wear one hell of a backpack to operate outsider of her influence.

"Not yet. Limited production run, like the railguns, distributed to key units. Plus, with our gunpowder production finally kicking off." In more ways than one, a powder mill had exploded yesterday. That had been a busy day in the logistics area. "Firearms are actually becoming a hell of a lot more attractive for, ah, softer targets."

"We're unlikely to be facing those 'soft' targets. At least not without being able to position the main army between us and them."

"True. But if nothing else, I expect the Republic to bring some meatshields with them, even if its their reanimated bodies like last time."

"If they pull that kind of stunt again, they'll get a very nasty surprise."

Alexandra nodded. Ella had developed a specific poison that would give undead enemies hell. Well, it would hardly be pleasant for anyone, but anybody juiced up the the eyeballs in unstable potions and philters like those zombies had been would feel it the most. She almost looked forward to see it in action, the test results had been…impressive.

"Indeed they will. So, let's start on the fourth floor?"

"Sounds like a plan! I have some plans prepared for the gardens…"

*****

"I don't like this." Simply said Maria as she walked next to her captain, as Sylvia leaned on the stern railing.

She didn't need to specify what she was talking about. The fact that she'd activated the privacy field before speaking said it all. Or the little detail that Serabor or 'Aline', their senior agent, wasn't present for the discussion.

"I know you don't. And truth be told, neither do I. But orders are order"

"This is too forced. We're drawing attention to ourselves, right after the Adjudicator did her stunt."

"I know. But Joachim wants this opportunity used. So here we are."

Maria gazed at the wasteland in silence for a few seconds.

"Are you sure he's the right man to lead us? I mean you have to have heard the rumors. He's a bureaucrat, not a true battle forged leader like Lesly."

"Maria!" Sylvia slapped the railing as she straightened, looking at her executive officer, fury in her eyes. "This is insubordination, and borderline treason! Yes, you may have your reservations about Joachim, but he is our commander and by the false Gods we will obey him!"

"Yes ma'am. My apologies." Maria bowed deeply.

Sylvia sighed, and placed her hand on her second in command's shoulder.

"Look, Maria. I understand your concerns. I truly do. But he was part of Lesly's retinue for years. He knows her plans inside and out. Whatever his credentials, he is following Lesly's thoughts and intent. While his improvisation might be…suboptimal, you have to remember that he has a much better idea of what needs to be accomplished and now than anyone but the grandmaster himself."

"Right." Maria straightened back up. "Of course."

Sylvia looked into her friend's eyes, and nodded as she saw the renewed steel in her gaze.

"Alright. Now go, give the crew a round, kick a few asses for show. That way you'll look like I've just chewed you out for some of their failures and they won't question this little outburst." After all they were on the main deck, and there was only so much the privacy field could hide. "Understood?"

"Oh, with pleasure. Kicking some butts will help."

"Just don't go too hard on them."

"Captain, are you the one telling me that?"

"Yes, yes, I know, the pot calling the kettle black and all that. Just don't throw someone overboard. We need them for this operation to succeed after all."

"I will do my best, but avoid any definitive commitment."

Sylvia rolled her eyes, before tapping her friend on the shoulder, and gesturing for her to go.

While the captain mulled over what she'd said…and how much she agreed with the executive officer. Maria was right, this was almost too convenient, and far too reckless. Something didn't feel right. The plan appeared sound, after all they'd get to 'legitimately' feed Lesly a bundle of high technology, but there was some thought nagging at the back of her mind, a part of her subconscious screaming at her that they were doing a horrible mistake of some kind.

If only she had any idea what it could be.