Before I retracted my scouting vein I made sure to absorb and transport a chunk of the meteorite to my core, if only to have the incessant want gnawing at me to abate for a moment.

While the absorbed material takes it long, long, long way up to my core I begin to prepare my two defenders for the fight, mainly by creating more of them. The scorpions are relatively easy to expand their numbers since I managed to find the trigger for the mating behavior. A swift flourish of intent and the feeding ground will automatically trigger the natural expansion of their numbers, should be a few more days until I get the next generation fully grown with the changes I manged to get to stick.

Those modifications were hell to get right.

Mentally giving myself a slap I shifted the focus onto the Wrappers. ‘Oooh. That’s... well that is A name for them. Can change it later.’

Focusing once more i started creating a full replica of a human body. ‘Well, at-least full enough to get them to start dividing themself up’, I corrected myself. No need to get all the musculature and bones right. Don’t even need to get the organs to connect to each-other.

But i still need the organs, or the right organ tissue anyway. Something to investigate after this whole debacle. If I survive.

Attempting and failing banish the negative thoughts starting to haunt my mind, I chose ponder what kind of water harvester design I need to start producing.

Hidden? Would be the best option, but the amount of water they produce would be too low.

Besides, don’t know if the soon to be invaders have some way of discovering me even if i were to try to hide myself for as long as possible. The path the giant sky-rock carved through the sand would give me away anyhow when they come to investigate or harvest.

Maximum production? Would be useful, both to get more water stocked and to allow for a greater deal of scorpions and Wrappers.

However the highest production design I have is also the one that borderline have no security. No decoy storage with explosives or poisons to punish water thieves. No obfuscation or really any attempt of keeping the storage hidden, essentially just a simple box with a roof that can open to drain the water from at regular intervals.

‘No, that wouldn’t work either’, I decided. It would simply allow them to sustain themselves easier thus weakening my best weapon against them. The desert itself.

With a sigh, I decided that i need to use one of my more bizarre designs, to confuse and protect my water supply.

As I was focusing on both the human replica and attempting to choose the water harvester from my many, many designs, I suddenly got a jolt from my core.

It would seem like the absorbed material from the meteorite reached my core! And it’s... changing... something about my core?

Slowing down my work on the body i was making I started to try to feel out my changes. ‘Probably nothing bad’, I said nervously to clam myself. ‘I wouldn’t have wanted the meteorite so badly if it were something bad. Right?’

Wondering if I should cut of the scouting vein to limit the exposure to the absorbed rock, I suddenly feel better. Much, much better. Feeling a few aches and a endless migraine I didn’t even know I had vanish with a clear strengthening of my focus and core.

‘...were I malnourished before this?’ I though with some astonishment.

A mixture of relief and pride bubbled up from my mind. Pride from surviving even when debilitated, relief for the vanishing of aches and the improvement of my abilities before my incoming struggle.

Both feelings were shoved aside as a different yet old and familiar feeling solidified into my mind.

Spite.

Spite at whomever put me here, where I couldn’t even feed myself properly, with no explanation or guidance to assist me.

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Taking a deep breath, I put that feeling aside for now. I had to finish what I was working on.

Tasks now greatly simplified now with my improved abilities.

The human carcass replica now were spun up in record time, density of bone achieving the required amount of hardness and the correct organ tissues spun up in record time.

Meanwhile the current list of possible water harvest designs were scrapped. Since the improved core seems to have granted me greater precision. A precision I was about to utilize to create my new wartime harvester.

It was going to be difficult, making a new design on a harsh deadline. But oh so worth it if I managed it.

The only problem was time. I was sure at least some investigators were on the way towards me right now. There were no reason why they shouldn’t be moving already. Since I never registered the impact of the space rock I couldn’t tell how long i might have before i get invaders. Probably a day or two, maybe a week if I’m fortunate.

All I could do was to try to gather as much strength and get as much as i could up and running before I was hit by the incoming onslaught of intruders. Refinement could wait until later.

Now was a time for war preparations.

----------------------------------------

“Two months of preparations? With a additional month reserved to simply find and check out what kind of space rock that fell? That’s quite extensive.”

Cagram scanned the paper with the time-table of the whole operation, from scouting to bringing home the last stone.

“Actually scratch that, that’s bloody absurd. Wasn’t the longest prep period we ever had before this two weeks? And that was when we were going to steal- pardon, investigate, in a active war-zone! This is just an empty desert!” Suddenly snapped his eyes from proposed plan to the 'lunatic' that though up this plan. “Do explain, Persal.”

Persal across the table simply raised a eyebrow. “ ‘Just a desert’? You mean the largest, most desolate and hard to search location on the planet, if not the system? The place that has no water, food or shelter? No dungeon, mana-well or anything else that would someone a chance to survive.”

Leaning back in a old yet well maintained and comfortable chair Persal simply stared questioningly at his boss. “Cagram this shouldn’t surprise you. You of all people know how much effort is needed to survive particular environments. Hell your arms is proof of the need for a good planning.”

“Stop bringing that up”, Cagram grumbled, narrowing his eyes as he felt a dull ache in his right arm. “Yes I can understand that you would need time. Hell, I would have slapped your head around if you came here with anything less than three weeks. But three months in total?” Leaning forward on the second hand table that was his ‘Desk‘ he focused his gaze on his logistic officer. “Once again, explain Persal. I understand the 1 month search time for the desert. Tell me about why it would take two months for mere preparations. Supplies for that could be gained in a day.”

Persal grimaced, “Well yes, supplying the expedition food and water is simple. The problem is the transport and gear. The problem is that we still don’t know what the meteorite is made of. That means we need a scanner capable of find just about anything that it might be made of. That, we don’t have currently so a custom order for the local industry was needed.” Looking at his own copy of the proposed time-table he continued. ”Also, to get buyers interested, we need samples, a drone that can harvest a sample and that can last till we find the meteorite without maintenance.”

“Oh and all of this needs to be rather light too, since the proper desert transport can’t lug around a 1 ton machine that is the size of a average room. That and everything needs to be treated for the desert, from the tools to the vehicle.” Looking up towards his boss, he asked drily, “You see how this can take quite some time, yes?”

After getting a pout and a nod from his boss, Persal relaxed his arm to let the paper leave his sight while leaning backwards. “However, the primary reason that it will take such a long time is due to the training and the treatments all the gear need before we set out. The desert survival guide I found alone will take at minimum one month to get here, then another to train our crew.” Idly waving the paper about, letting his eyes wander the old familiar room, before continuing “All of our standard guides refused to come with us. Didn’t want to get that deep into the desert or demanded too high of a price for it. In the end I had to find a teacher, the one I found wanted at first two months to get any pupil up to speed. Managed to get it down to a month with some effort.” Focusing once more on his boss, and occasional friend, with a inquisitive gaze, “Regarding our transport, are you sure you want to-”

“No I would rather not use 'Jhons transportation services'”, he said, and then slumped forward with both his body and gaze. “But I have to, I owe him and gave my word.” Swiftly returning his former pose, his smile became slightly sinister. “But that doesn’t mean I will accept his absurd fee. Oh no, I’m going to get a hefty discount for this at least!” Cagrams proclaimed, face zoning out with a happy smile no doubt imagining the fierce debate that was sure to occur with Jhon over the change in fees.

Persal held back a resigned chuckle, knowing full well how Cagrams usually ‘debates’, equal parts nonsense and facts, and the pleasure he gets from it. “Well, I expected nothing less from you.” Suddenly remembering a detail, he frowned and asked: “But didn’t you sign an agreement? For your next expedi-”

“For my next harvesting expedition requiring the use of his services in full without a discount or debate, yes yes I know. But,” leaning forward with a slight grin on his face, Cagram whispered “this isn’t a harvesting expedition, this is a scouting one. We won’t be harvesting anything at all, just pick a few samples for future costumers”. Continuing onwards with his normal voice this time, he said “If Jhon want to try to push this angle we will just have to inform him that we have no harvesting operations planned currently. After all, he didn’t complained when we were sent to scout out the blood wells depths last month. Therefore,” with a dismissive wave of the hand and a smug smile, he finished “there is nothing he can do when we send a slightly larger crew on a similar mission. I made sure to specify that it was a harvesting expedition that was he had dibs on, nothing else.”

Giving a exasperated smile, Persal responded, “Very well. I have no more questions regarding your choices.”

“But I do for you. If we are going to wait for two to three months for this to finish then what else are we going to do? Anything planned or should I keep an ear out for something quick?”

One of Persals eyebrow rouse up “Me? Choosing ventures? Need we have this discussion again? Logistics. Does. Not. Mean. Planning!”

“Just making sure.” Cagram teased out with a smile, before getting out of his ancient chair, that somehow still stood defiant from years of abuse, and going towards the exit of room. ”Come along! We got some crew to prepare for desert survival training!”

With a sigh, Persal rose and followed him out of the room. Knowing full well the so called training was mostly an excuse for his boss to torment his employees. Most of the time anyway.

‘Let’s hope there is some work to do during these months’ Persal gave a quick prayer. ‘Else the crew will go mad from all the training the captain will put them through. That or they will become just like the captain.’ Shuddering he sped up to catch up to his captain, hoping to provide some normalcy to the crew lest he have to associate with another individual whom thinks spending a month in hostile environment counts as a ‘vacation’.