I stared at the screen arrayed before me. I liked the sound of mystic high commander. I also had to quell the anxiety that had surged when I saw the error messages pop up at first. Twin souls now merging? I guess I really wasn’t myself any more, even my soul was something different now. Which begged the question of how the hell technology like this could detect souls in the first place.
“The Dauntless storm huh?” Malice suddenly said still wrapped up in what I’d named the vessel I now found myself in and commanding it no less. “Yes, it is a fitting name for what will be the sword of a new empire of your own making.” He said with a nod before going bug-eyed when he finally looked at the screens around me proper.
“A mystic!” He almost yelled as he went over the screens carefully and diligently. “That would explain why the imprint didn’t succeed but this classification… I’ve never even heard of it!” He almost seemed to shake with some unknown emotion as he looked up at me and smiled warmly, which with his face was nightmare fuel.
“Perhaps this will work out after all.”
That last statement of his made me narrow my eyes at him before I pointed at the skill and ability section on my classification verification screen which given that it’s a mouthful to say I’ll just shorten it to status in my head instead. “What are these? I have skills and abilities? What does it mean for me, Malice?”
Malice looked up and a slightly upward turn to his lip made me realize he rather enjoyed the name his designation spelled out. “Well, commander.” He started before pausing and looking over the section I was pointing at to verify it or something I guessed. “Your skills and abilities concerning the high commander part will most likely make it easier for you to read others as well as the field of battle at times. Highly fortuitous when we gain allies or subjugate planets, allowing you to get a general feel for others and their motives towards you. The ability I would imagine hones your instincts to a point that you’ll occasionally get hunches or as the name implies gut feelings towards something that might help in a given situation or guide you to a right decision.”
He really enjoyed lecturing it seemed as he was already with one hand in the air, finger-pointing up while the other was behind his back. Looking like a nightmarish instructor lecturing to his students.
“As for the Mystic portion, it pretty much says it all. You can move things with your mind via telekinesis but much like any muscle, you will have to train it to be able to get anything good out of it. As for the balanced ability, it is a double-edged sword for you. You walk the line between the Mystics who focus their powers outwards, conjuring lances of plasma, fire, lightning and frost to name but a few of the powers they can wield and those that focus it inwardly, increasing strength, balance and other feats of physical abilities none of their races should be able to do.
However in turn this will put you at a disadvantage against those solely focused in either camp if up against them in their fields. So in layman’s terms, you won’t beat a physical Mystic in a pure contest of physical abilities. It does however give you a better fluidity and flexibility to how you approach things that either camp lacks so it gives as it takes.” Malice looked really enthused now as he really got into gear.
“Ranks are simply a measure of how much you have and can improve in a given skill. Measured easily with ranks from one to ten with one being a beginner to the skill while ten is the one that has mastered it to it’s fullest.” He paused then as he gestured for me to come back onto the command platform and so I stepped off the volumetric projector.
“Hopefully we will be able to clone out the staff needed for the task of running the ship. I have several imprints of differing individuals suited to command positions as well as general training and knowledge imprints for the basic ranks, such as engineers, soldiers, pilots, gunners and the like. They’d develop their own personalities before long so there is no need to worry for that.” I simply stared at the artificial and wondered if perhaps he was his kinds version of scatterbrained.
“Ok So as far as I’ve gathered from that babble is that I’ve just been given a flexible and sleek starship while I’m used to bicycles. So I have a learning curve to get used to my new body and you are already telling me that I’ll be able to choose staff with an imprint like the one I had been given as well as just cloning out a grunt for any job we need?” I asked with a pointed look at him.
“Ehh.. well essentially if you put it so bluntly then yes.” Malice said though his tone was kind of like those old school nobles in British historical dramas. Those scholarly types who didn’t care much when someone could sum up what they were talking about in much fewer words than they could.
I sighed and ran my hand up along my forehead before running my fingers along my scalp, I almost purred in the soothing pleasure it brought me. It was like the changes wrought upon my body had heightened the spot I drew comforting pleasure from scratching or massaging. Then I had to get back at the task at hand.
“Ok, We need to make a plan and schedule. So far as I can piece together from what I heard from you earlier I have about a month to get through physical training to get used to my body before supplies run down to only a week left. A week which would be spent moving to civilized space to gain more resources as we’d require. Correct?” I laid out and when Malice nodded to my last correction I continued as I pointed at the screen, still displaying both mine and the ships status pages.
“This MFD, can it be used to gather resources and fabricate what we could call basic level structures in our tech trees if this was a grand strategy game?” I asked and Malice let out a little ‘hm’ sound as if impressed I had begun to take charge of the situation. I simply needed to occupy my mind and focusing on setting goals to meet would help me cope, I hoped.
“Essentially if we were to speak in those terms then the MFD is your overall builder unit however if we are to get further along in the “tech tree” as you so put it then other builder types will also become required. Working together with the MFD to supply the components it isn’t capable of doing itself to finish more advanced structures. Of course time will be a factor in everything so finding a suitable system to serve as the staging point will be crucial in how well we’ll fare.” He explained.
“So a system rich in most every basic resource with the ability to hopefully provide more advanced resources later on?” I asked as I looked out the windows of the bridge and losing my train of thought as I saw the moon on the right of the view with earth dominating the bottom of the view. It was breathtaking and I marvelled for a few moments before Malice made a sound as if clearing his throat to get my attention once more.
“Luckily the sol system as humans called it, is just such a system and the planet bellow is teeming with life yet none of the sentient variety. This will prove to be an excellent starting system as it’s resources are about as untapped as they come. Where would you like to begin with this system? In space or upon a planet’s surface?” He then asked me as he waved his hand to change the projected screens into a hologram of the solar system.
“So I get to choose either field to start with then. How will the building options work for me?” I asked as I turned to study the solar system before me.
“If you wish I can streamline the many buildings you can make to create a sort of tech tree for you. Giving you access to each rank of building options after certain milestones have been reached that would allow sustainability before the next rank of buildings is unlocked. Or simply give you the full list right off the bat.” He said as he stepped up to stand next to me to study the map as well.
“I think the tech tree option would be best. That way I can at least get a choice in what I build but I’ll know that I’ll at least have sustainability handled before continuing on. Not to mention as I’ve never done this before I’ll take all the help I can get… even if it’s from a psychotic android that kidnapped and experimented on me for kicks.” I chuckled at the end and gave him a sly smirk, but my eyes promised revenge for that. I might be an entirely new being now but I wouldn’t forget a slight of the magnitude Malice had done towards me.
He looked to have caught the meaning in my eyes as he nodded to me. “Yes, I believe it would be for the best to have it like that. I take it you wish to start in space then?” He asked and at my nod, he studied the map more. “Is there something, in particular, you are looking for?” He then asked as he noted I was studying the asteroid belts.
“I’m just wondering if there is a start that will allow for more secrecy than others in this system. We’d need a balance of easy reach to resources while also granting a certain level of natural camouflage to help hide its operations from prying eyes.” I said as I stared at the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. I thought I had read somewhere that it might hold quite a lot of natural resources which might make mining operations upon it profitable in the future.
“Well if we can locate a large enough asteroid with many more large asteroids with enough resources around it...” He paused as all of the sudden the ship began to move on its own. “It should be possible.” He then finished and looked over at me, seeing my wild-eyed look around before realization dawned on me. “Yes I and this ship are linked, I’m essentially the ship's avatar.”
“Then why can’t you just run the ship by yourself?” I asked confused a little at the talk earlier of clones.
Malice’s face grew a little bitter. “Mostly due to the fact that electronic countermeasures are usually so good that having a flesh and body person using computer-assisted aiming to fire weapons will usually be more accurate than a droid or A.I. which would suffer from light scrambling due to the countermeasures being deployed by both sides. This also causes many naval engagements to be in the visual ranges rather than thousands of kilometres away from one another.” I guessed by his sour expression that this topic might be a sore spot as it was a weakness of his own vessel. Something the psychotic alien sadist seemed particularly uncomfortable with even having. Let alone contemplating them.
“So back on topic.” I shook my head as I spoke, trying to stay on point instead of drifting off to other topics. “What structures would you recommend we build should we find such a location?” I asked then before gesturing towards the map.
“I’d recommend a mining outpost, listening post, star hold, a foundry or a basic shipyard for your first structures.” He stated, looking pleased with the change back on topic.
“Starhold?” I asked.
“Yes, think of it as a base of operations. Usually, they grow as other facilities are added to them but they are essentially stronghold, spaceport and HQ all rolled into one. Their designs are flexible in nature to fit many different roles which it might be required to fill.” He answered.
“Well if it's like that then getting the MFD to hollow out a huge asteroid to build the Starhold inside it would be good?” I pondered aloud.
“If the asteroid has veins of minerals running along or just bellow its surface and we have at least 20 meters from star hold to the surface of the asteroid it would work well to be blended into the belt entire.” Malice replied and seemed pleased with my thinking.
Thinking I only had because of the imprint he’d tried to fully replace me with. I wouldn’t ever fully trust the artificial that was for certain but that didn’t mean I should just toss him casually aside. He was my ship after all. I’d just need to make sure he could never betray me or do anything to me without my permission again.
With those thoughts in the back of my mind, I ironed out the small details with Malice before turning and surveying the bridge. I walked around the bridge for a while, getting used to the change in my gait and how to walk with much longer legs and thus longer strides. I walked around before moving on to warm-up exercises that focused on body control.
Thus almost two hours past, neither I nor Malice saying much of a word to one another as the artificial focused on the sensors of the ship to find the ideal place.
“I believe I’ve found the right spot.” Malice’s voice called to me as I had just about had it and was about to go explore the rest of the ship. I turned and looked at the projector which was displaying a set of clustered together asteroids.
“What’s their size?” I asked as I walked up to stand next to Malice.
“The largest one in the centre is a type C asteroid in the belt. Almost 100 kilometres or around the size of Larissa, one of Neptune’s moons. The others around it are either of similar size or smaller. This cluster is filled with resources of many different types, such as water, metals and gases.” Malice reported.
“So we should turn one of the centermost asteroids into a star hold then?” I asked as I gestured at the five centres most asteroids. The largest in the middle with the other four orbiting around it. Then I paused a little. “Wait, do any of the structures I can build now build MFD’s?” I asked looking at Malice.
“That would be the basic shipyards, commander.” He answered.
“Hmm, which of these five would you say would make the ideal shipyard? I’m saying this as I assume the basic shipyard can be upgraded correctly?”
“It can be indeed. I’d say the centre most one would be very good as either a shipyard or star hold but if the centre is to become a star hold then I’d say this one.” He said as he pointed at the second-largest asteroid in the cluster of five. “It holds the most metal content of varying degree’s and as such is the most ideal for it’s easy to access to resources in the beginning.”
“What will the basic shipyard be able to produce?”
“Fighters, shuttles and patrol boats. Most vessels reaching up to twenty meters in length. Building a single basic shipyard will simply be putting one berth for a ship in order. If your wish is to pump out a few MDF’s then I’d suggest building several such berths.”
“All right then,” I spoke after a long moment of contemplation. “I’ll trust your judgment on this but I’m going to tell you a queue I’d like the buildings to be placed into.” I looked at Malice and as he nodded his head he was ready I spoke again. “Ok So to begin with I’ll need two basic shipyards, both of which are to pump out a solid build force as well as a mining force for the nearby asteroids.” I started and noted the hologram change to show a representation on the hologram.
“Then we’ll require a foundry as I’m guessing getting the metals mined processed will cut down on waste when using raw ore to build?” Another nod to confirm and I continued. “All right then after the foundry a mining outpost and a listening outpost should be built before turning the mining towards hollowing out the central asteroid with the intent to build a star hold within it.”
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“What should be the star holds function?” Malice asked as dots began to flicker onto the hologram.
“A military base first and foremost. If you need to clone up our troops then having facilities to clone as well as train those troops up a little before service would be ideal. Though remember to have hangars and the like included. The shipyard asteroid I want to become something of a great shipyard able to build all of the classes of vessels you have on record. As you have all the information I know I should have and more then I ask you to create the best blueprint to be able to take full use of every inch of space that we don’t require the asteroids to have to shield us from prying eyes.” I then ordered.
“I believe I understand your intentions. I would suggest we print out some fighters and shuttles then once enough MDF’s to run the operation smoothly have been made.” Malice nodded.
“Malice… is there any way to use the raw stone that I’m guessing we wouldn’t need from the mining process?” I asked as I didn’t really want much waste at the beginning of this… venture.
“Not unless you wish to use them to create structures in an atmosphere. Which reminds me, the star hold will be able to serve as a holder for many ground structures which I’ve taken the liberty of adding to the design of the star hold.” At my raised eyebrow he took the hint and continued.
The star hold will contain a barracks, an extensive medical wing which will be able to be upgraded when the resources become available. The medical wing will also serve the dual function of clone production facility for the forces we… You will require. I have also taken the liberty to add a secondary power generator along with facilities to aid in research and fabrication of material such as vehicles and armaments among other things.”
I didn’t miss his slip of the tongue but I hid it. I needed to study Malice more to figure out his angle to all of this. There had to be more to his insane plan of giving an entire empire a rebirth than simply some protocol imprinted on him by superiors who knows how long ago. “Riiiight… so what structures won't the star hold be able to hold?” I asked a little sceptically.
“Well along with the first rank you now have access to then it would be dedicated factories to either vehicles, equipment or arms and armour. Those along with a building serving as both officer academy, barracks and advanced training facility for different unit types you might wish to employ. For simplicity's sake, it will be called a military compound. The ground structures also include a strong defensive shield for the buildings around it, powerful sensor monitoring station, a spaceport, defensive platforms either focused against capital ships in orbit, fighters in the area or against ground forces attacking all chosen at the construction of course. Walls, cloning facilities, droid facilities, bunker complexes, mining facilities, foundries and generators for power.” Again he got into lecturer mode and I sighed.
“So what you are telling me is that if I want better-trained troops under my command I’ll require both bases in space and on the ground?” He nodded, looking slightly annoyed I cut him off. “All right how long would what I’ve already put into the queue take to finish building?”
“Around six months.” He answered with a deadpan tone. “It would have taken much longer if you hadn’t focused on increasing the MDF’s numbers to help during construction as well as mining operations for the resources needed to build. I’ve also taken the liberty to add into the queue the retroactive construction of the first structures before the foundry was made, allowing for better materials and components to be used for later stability to the structures.”
“So once the foundry is up and running we’d get the better materials and less waste of resources I’m guessing?” I asked as I looked back over to the projection of the tasks at hand.
“Yes, the foundry is rather crucial if you wish to be able to expand, upgrade or retrofit any structures you have more safely and securely.” He replied with that tone of his still in effect.
“Then I want only one basic shipyard up and running to pump out MDF’s as it can. With the first MDF that created the shipyard focusing on mining to get the resources needed to create more MDF’s as well as for the construction of the other structures. Once a total of three are made then leave two to continue mining for resources while the third creates the foundry. During this time I want MDF’s to be continuously created from the first shipyard during this time. Then create another two foundries made with the better materials as well as three mining facilities before creating five more shipyards. Retroactively recreate the first shipyard while dismantling the first foundry before starting on the star hold itself.” I commanded pointing and showing where I wanted the structures placed with each asteroid having been marked.
“The construction would take a full year then but with such a force for mining and construction it would speed up the construction of future projects in this system.” That statement made me look at him again.
“If you can spread the mined rocks that are useless to us out in a defensive formation around this cluster to help disguise us or even with probes attached and left to float out in the system proper if possible. Now I need to know something vital before we begin and you let the MDF go from the hangar.” I drew in a short breath and looked Malice in the optics.
“How hidden is this system from the majority of the galactic powers in play in this galaxy? How long do you think we have to build up our strength before discovery?”
Malice thought for a long time, staring at me with that ire face of his. I noticed the rings around his irises in his optic sensors was spinning which I thought made him look like he was deep in thought or calculation to me. Then after a while more he spoke at last. “During your genetic reconstruction, I had about two years to jump around the galaxy and gather general information.” He waved at the projector and acted like I wasn’t staring at him with fury. Two years?! He’d taken two years to change my body to the shape it was now? I had suspected a few months at most.
The projection turned to show the milky way galaxy we were in, of course, there were coloured blotches with symbols in their centres over much of the milky way. It was the much more blue tint to the hologram of the galaxy that made me realize with a start that this hologram had always shown true colours like it was projecting if crisp 4k resolution. None of that fully blue-tinted and sometimes shaky holograms I’d seen in many sci-fi movies chief of which would have been the star wars ones.
While my fury abated due to simple awe at the tech on display as well as the lecture about to happen I noted something on the map. The Perseus arm, which I only knew due to the labels on the map, which was the lower of the arms looked largely unexplored, with the Orion spur above the arm looking to be the border to the rest of the galaxy. “We are in the unknown regions of the galaxy that the rest haven’t explored?” I blurted right before Malice could speak, earning me an annoyed gaze in turn.
“Yesss….” He hissed slowly. “As I was about to say it looks like the majority of the old empire’s territory is considered unexplored by the rest of the galaxy. Given the time dilation between my dimension and your home dimension, I’d estimate around sixty thousand years have passed since the fall of the empire. Since it was a galactic level extinction type event that caused its fall I think we might have an edge in technology in some fields over the rest of the eight other factions we’d have to contend with.” He paused as he saw the look on my face.
“Sixty thousand years? Galactic level extinction event?! What in the ever-loving fuck could cause an extinction event on a galaxy-spanning area?!!” I cried.
Malice looked a little perturbed then went to looking fully unsettled and reluctant to speak. “The world wyrms.” He said and I just stared at him.
“The what now?” I gestured at him to continue, even had to go so far as to order him as his superior commander.
He sighed, which came out like it came out with that megaphone like crackle some devices had naturally. “The world wyrms are… essentially this dimensions Cathuluesqe beings. They are titanic ethereal beings that are intrinsically tied to the ion sea, they cause its motion in fact. The event I eluded to was when they all woke up. All fourteen of them. Something that hasn’t happened in millions of years. In order to sustain themselves, they feed on the ion sea and the life of sentient beings that touch it. However, that is only sustainable if one is awake and the others dormant, if all are awake they devour every sentient life above the iron age in the galaxy to gain enough strength to force themselves into dormancy once more.” The projector changed and what looked to be the combination of a dragon’s head blended into a snake-like creature that looked to be a combination of a Moray Eel and the African Bush Viper itself.
There was a large glowing ball in the middle of its huge eye and as I leaned in to examine it Malice spoke up. “That glowing mass is this system’s sun, that image is put there to show you the scale of these creatures.” I stared at him wide-eyed and then back at the image, taking a step back as my mind wrapped around the concept.
“And there are a total of fourteen of these things? Where do they sleep?” I asked once I had gotten ahold of myself.
“The black hole in the centre of this galaxy is their nest. Though there is always one awake, moving in the ion sea to look at the worlds inhabited by sentient life. Much like a god would watch ants move about their day, as that is the aptest description of their individual power, let alone all at once.”
“But that is like… We are microscopic compared to them! How the hell can they even see us?!” I asked incredulously.
“They are akin to gods.” Malice said staring at me pointedly. “There is little they can’t do if they put their rather considerable minds to it.” He let that hang in the air for a while before deciding to drop another bombshell on me. “Just hope you don’t catch one’s attention as that can be as much a blessing or a curse simply by its whim. Some are benevolent others malicious and a few are even indifferent when it comes to those that catch their attention but one can never know which court the one who you are looked upon belongs to.”
“Great now I’ll have nightmares till I die.” I grumbled as I almost slumped down to my butt on the command deck.
“Oh please. Your ageing has almost been halted, I doubt you’d die of old age.” Malice said cheerily as he snapped his fingers and the projector changed back to the one of the milky way. Ignoring yet another incredulous look from me. “Onto things we have any say in and possible influence over. Let me explain who the major players of the galaxy this time around are.”
The image showed the blotches once more as the map rotated so that the sun which had a small golden ring around to show our location relatively was faced to the right of the central part of the galaxy. “Our section has been named the unknown regions by most governments and there are initiatives to explore it but rare is the explorer that has taken them up on those initiatives in the last two or three centuries. Which is good news for us as that should grant us a few years if not decades to build up our strength but I agree with your sentiment that until we have a proper base set up we do have to make sure we are as hidden as possible.” He spoke before he began to point at the splotches.
First, one he pointed to was a purple one at the top of the map. “The first one is the sun collective, a religious empire that worships the stars themselves as something similar to the human’s Gaia figure.”
I nodded to him and so he continued, looks like he knew we could hash out details about them later as we had plenty of time, this was just a short introduction for me. “Next would be the feudal worlds, this is an alliance of several smaller kingdoms as they still have a feudal like system in place.” He said pointing to a deep red splotch before moving to a green one on the other side of the sun collective territory. “This is the Heavenly plutocracy. An area governed by the wealthiest individuals there in charge of powerful corporations that hold those systems jealously.”
I ground my teeth a little at the last one, I had always found the whole one per cent idea distasteful on earth so how bad could have gotten on such a scale. Malice then pointed to a larger brownish splotch which covered half of what was just beyond the region we were in. “This is the principality Alliance, a union of twelve regions controlled by princes of different clans and species. A region we came into this dimension inside off which allowed me to move from one of them to the next over the two year period of your gestation and allowed me to gather information on them.”
Then he continued to rapid-fire tell me of the others moving from one splotch to another. “Then there is the Nelzoik dynasty which is rather similar to the god-king type civilizations on your earth. Bellow that would be the Ascendancy which is a highly restrictive meritocracy which has little contact with other regions around its borders. On the far left would be the grand confederacy which is governed by three bodies of government with the first being simply called the council which makes the final decisions with two parliaments bellow it for planetary governments to have a say in one and huge corporations in the other.” I was a little curious about the Nelzoik dynasty’s way of doing things but the grand confederacy sounded just confusing to me.
“Wait they have a threefold government and it works? It isn’t ground to a halt in bureaucratic swamps?” I asked with a sceptical look.
“Well… the fastest decision they’ve made in the last three hundred years took around six months.” Malice said but before I could speak he continued. “It was to send relief forces to the lowest part of their territory as there was a mass famine ongoing in those sectors due to explosive population number increases. Millions died before they reached their decision.” I swallowed and then whistled.
“Why don’t we just invade them first and take it easy.” I joked.
“Well their military is highly autonomous and it only really has to tell the council what they are doing when it comes to the defence of their territory. They are rather competent, as the Ascendancy and Heavenly Plutocracy both send probing forces into their territory regularly as both are seeking expansion to their territory’s.” He said with a slight smirk.
I growled a little at him and then pointed to the last two splotches on the map. A brown one on the bottom and a purplish pink one taking the last part not surrounded by the grey of the unknown regions of the galaxy. “Who are these?”
“The purple one would be The Guardianship Concord.” He stopped and thought for a long moment before speaking again. “Do you remember the stereotype for the American people and government back on your earth?” I nodded, having chuckled at the differences between the types of the American people stereotypes and the true people themselves. “Well think the overly patriotic, we seek to give everyone freedom while not really providing a whole lot of freedom behind our peoples backs stereotypes and then apply to that area. They are looked upon as rather huge hypocrites by the other powers general populations.” He then smirked and sneaked in a reference I hadn’t really heard for a long time and made the whole explanation click a little for me. “Would you like to know more?” He said in an announcer like voice.
“Lastly we have wild space. Simply a small hodgepodge of different planetary or system governments without any real uniting factor. Think of it as a bunch of city-states in the wild west as the overall scenario for this region. It is marked there due to the size of it while there are a few clusters of unknown or subjugated systems within the grander territories as well. This area is simply large enough to warrant its own region.” He finished.
“And you want me to what conquer the entire galaxy?” I asked before snorting at how unlikely that would be.
“Oh no, I simply wish for you to conquer the principality’s and guardianship Concords portions along with the majority of the unknown regions we now find ourselves in.” He said with a straight face.
“Yeah no pressure, that could take centuries to accomplish and I’m rather certain the other powers won’t be all that happy about it either,” I said flinging my hands into the air and scoffing at his expectations.
“Well, so what? You will essentially only die now if killed. You do not age anymore.” He said looking at me pointedly. “Secondly I’m sure you’re thinking fleet engagements will be with thousands of ships attacking one another at a time correct?” He asked and as I nodded he smirked. “Wrong, at most fleets, will consist of at most up to two hundred ships and that is considered a huge expenditure for a conflict over a single solar system if it doesn’t serve a strategic or major societal function. No, I’d expect we can move around with up to twenty ships per fleet.”
“Are military grade starships that expensive to make?” I asked though still reeling from knowing I was immortal or something like it.
“No and yes, they are very time consuming to make. Once you are making something large like a destroyer, you’re looking at upwards to a year to finish construction of the ship under the very best of conditions. This is mostly due to what I suspect is governed by a number of factors. Factors such as ideal time for construction, scarcity of resources, quality of labour and equipment would play the most part in this.
Something you can offset with droid and clone productions while leaving automated miners to strip mine specific places. All you will need is time. Time enough to prepare and build up your empire to come. I’m certain we will face a few space-faring races while getting the unknown regions under control so hone yourself against them.” He said with a toothy grin.
I simply sighed. “Yeah, no pressure.” I muttered as I suddenly just felt like lying down. “How about you show me where I can get some food and then we can continue discussing placing down facilities around this system. I’m sure we can build into mountain ranges or build under the sea back on earth to hide our bases from some scanning eyes.” I grumbled as Malice lead me off to get some grub.
It was surprisingly a pretty good meal of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages as well as a few pieces of toast. I had three full plates before I felt satisfied which I thought might be due to my size and metabolism playing me a little but I enjoyed the meal nonetheless.
It’s amazing what such a small comfort can truly comfort someone when she, or he, needs it.