Day 60

(Rick POV)

Well... that was interesting. Sex... for the first time in forever I'm living bliss. Also damn... rats have immense sexual stamina. Minke couldn't keep up. Practically insatiable. I've spent so much time restraining this side of me, when it finally got loose it was like a force of nature. I'm almost tempted to invest in a harem out of pure practicality; I'll wear her out every night and most of the day if I let myself go. But I'm a modern man, I won't cheat on her.

However this is not Earth and the rules are very different: they are whatever I consider right. There are no laws in this place or anyone to enforce them. I will discuss her culture in depth, perhaps having multiple wives isn't even a taboo among her people. It certainly isn't in mine, since I doubt rats care beyond jealousy.

This is certainly a nice situation, it is just awkward timing. I wanted to leave to collect my cache of iron and weapons. After all Minke is the only cat capable of conversing freely with Niala and I have to leave my sister behind to open the door for when the others forage. So I have to leave both girls behind so one can translate for the other. I can't drag the kitten along either, she's practically helpless.

At least my cat-language skills are almost up to snuff. So I should be able drag a few along to help with the heavy lifting and sentry duties. I'm only one rat and I'm dealing with a massive amount of metal.

I also need to carry a significant amount of wood to the site.

Minke is quite distressed by the fact I'll be gone a while, and she is already aware of it as well due to her precog skill. I guess knowing and accepting facts is entirely different.

The big cat, Theras is in my face already this morning, thanking me profusely for his life and more importantly (for him) his replacement weapon (since I broke the last).

“Theras wants to provide support on your errand.” [Minke]

I actually got the gist of the dialogue but still, her translation was clearer.

I have a pair of males from the other day's disaster who also volunteer. Aside from them the final female cat, the short-haired tabby also volunteers. I'm a little surprised, until this is clarified; she is Theras' cousin. She feels she owes me too.

Huh. These cats really will do anything you say if you save their lives.

Still that black horde of monsters really screwed up my plans. I had intended to use the skins to craft packs, to help distribute the load of wood. In the end simple sleds are used. As I'm practically tireless for hours at a time, due to the ring in my chest. I haul the majority. I will need to eat heavily after this to make up for the loss of energy. I'm more like a battery powered machine than a living being in many respects. I even have my own generator/turbo built into my chest.

Niala packed several bundles of average quality food, so there is that to look forward to, also the tide-pool room and the sea-food there. In fact since we're all healthy and lightly equipped, aside from the pack mule (myself) we should make the journey in two days if there aren't unexpected complications.

The cats are all quite surprised as I display my inhuman characteristics. They knew I was strong and quick and suspected I didn't sleep but the fact I was a living dynamo with endless stamina caused quite a stir.

Tabby also seemed a bit coy until I noticed the whispers. From the sounds of a discussion I feigned ignorance of, they had noticed last night's sexcapades and connected the dots with this display. There were even a few wilder exaggerations mixed into the gossip... the female cat seemed trapped between embarrassment and curiosity as she pretended not to listen as well. Cats. Well I suppose I'd be shocked in my previous life if I ran across someone with sexual stamina that'd shame an entire porn studio by comparison... ugh. I'm a one rat sperm donation center.

At least they don't seem to take offense to my relationship with Minke, in fact the men mostly just sound jealous of my capabilities. I'm magnanimous in victory, let them keep their envy (as an open) secret.

Could that be it? The cat people are fertile only 'in season'? So they aren't so tightly wound up about sex outside of it. I'm fairly certain rats are constantly horny so I wouldn't have noticed if the cats weren't so blasé about the whole affair. We're 'making love' not procreating... huh. I guess for sentient species it would be probable they could ignore the fact they aren't 'in season' for personal attachment and pleasure. Humans and rats don't have that option, it is only with contraceptives that a male/female pair of humans can approach sex without the issue of children cropping up, unless various other factors are involved (age, infertility, etc).

Still if that is the case... I've got a lot to look forward to: a sex-crazed, insatiable Minke in the future when 'tis the season. Oh, I'm drooling at the prospect. Such a better celebration than Christmas.

I'm starting to get to know Theras personally; he's a blustery, opinionated guy who if proven wrong will immediately back-flip on his position instead of bitterly defending his opinions to the death. I actually don't mind this, after all this sort of personality should keep on the right side of any internal strife especially now he feels he owes me. In a fight the guy is the opposite, as I saw with the black swarm he doesn't fold in the face of a brutal death. I can trust that.

The tabby is introduced by him as Myna. I queried why she keeps her hair short, when the other females and males flaunt long hair.

“Jing harma... um...” [Myna]

“Didn't understand.” [Rick]

“Scholar?” [Myna]

Aha.

I shake my head, to show understanding.

“What do you study?” [Rick]

“Karm... life... the world... particles...” [Myna]

“Particles?” [Rick slightly confused]

“Intrinsic particles...” She seems a little put out she can't elaborate clearly. She pulls a small pack out and shows several bundles of powder. She points out one. “Poison.” Then another. “Spice.” Then continues... “Salt. Gold...”

“You're an alchemist?!” [Rick startled]

“Nya?” [Myna not understanding]

Did she really just meow?! That translates to 'What?' in cat!

Actually it makes a lot of sense for a cat species to have researchers, since curiosity is their great weakness. She's an extreme example of that. I suspect she's here for more than just repaying her cousin's life debt.

“You are curious about my skill, aren't you?” [Rick] “About the metal I'm fetching.”

She is taken aback by the accusation. However her cousin smiles and agrees with my assessment.

“I can do better than tell you about just that, you know. I probably know more about your 'intrinsic particles' than you can imagine.” [Rick chuckling.  University level chemistry and bio-chem graduate. His actual study was ecology but, not relevant.]

The best part, his skill actually increased his capabilities with chemical compounds, identifying make up and uses in regards to weaponry. Which was why he decided to bring excess wood. He would need it for his most ambitious design yet.

Suddenly Myna's eyes lit up and he had her full attention. Of course he could see she thought he was exaggerating. She was waiting to correct him.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

So for the remainder of the walk and that night he gave her a complete spiel on the nature of the elements, atomic theory and chemical reactions.

Day 61

My God, this cat woman is still digging for more information...

All night we talked, I even demonstrated a few things with her 'collection' of powders.

She's back for more after a power nap and a break for breakfast. It'll never end!

Well I can't blame her for it, imagine if an alien crashed near to you and seeing you trying to build a simple robot out of lego told you the key components to anti-gravity generators, bullet points on hyperspace theory, gave you the complete code for a real AI and then gave you pointers on how to make a gundam...

It'd be surreal. But you'd listen. In this world I am an alien, there is no denying it. Soon I am going to make this world even weirder.

Still spending my time in between her constant questions eating my fill of monster scollops was pleasant. I wonder if I'm related to brown or water rats? The desire for sea-food is quite strong.

I try to get to know the other two males and get a feel for their personalities.

Kend and Varnid huh?

Kend displays a good humored grin all the time... but I'm not sure if it is a facade yet. The other is his complete opposite, dour and quiet. They're actually greener than I am, they were captured at their camp and are barely adults. This is only the third time they have delved deeply into the labyrinth of their own accord. The first being their disastrous attempt to return home with the other newly freed slaves, the second heading to my base camp.

Interestingly they did supply information new to me: the cats were waylaid by yet another race in the area, not the apes. This is how they lost the massive sapphires and weapons I made and how they came to be bandits. It is also why they aren't slaves. The other race doesn't permit the practice.

Something to look into at a later date. This 'other' race may be a useful ally or more likely a threat, if they crave my weapons so. I asked what they looked like but all they said was 'big and hairy'. So a more bestial race, like mine. Sharp ears, long fangs. Could be anything. No distinguishing fur patterns. I suspect canine though.

I have been struggling along for a while. Finally toward the end of the day we arrive. I leave the wood out in the tunnel and for the first time display the effects of the gravity cube after having them line up beside the wall, to avoid injuries.

They're startled, as much by the effect as they are that I am the cause.

I just shrug. It is what it is. Something abnormal. But then so am I now.

They are intrigued by the iron bars I refined from the ore when I stashed it away on the cliff. At least with the gravity as it is the carts are back upright, even if that is the wall they are on. Two fully loaded carts of iron are hauled down by me and the third, loaded with my weapons is pulled by the cats.

With the carts at ground level and the cats lined up again I normalize the room, then haul the carts back upright.

I rub my hands in anticipation.

Personal upgrade available!

With a few dozen bars of iron, about my body weight I focus on adding and reinforcing my own internal composition. First of all I replace the poor quality pig iron with the good stuff. Secondly I find the weaker areas, such as my weaker right hip and left shoulder and balance them out with the rest. It seems I ran out of pig iron on the original modification but I can see some of what my delirious self was trying to do. The supports that run the length of my bones and enhance my muscles are reinforced significantly.

Done I look up my own stats, and find I have now gained a full two thousand durability on top of the original. That is a full forty percent increase. My strength is at least half again what it used to be, plus now I'm capable of more fluid movement. Now I know how this body is made, the next modification I make will include the extra resources I need to include special upgrades.

My appearance isn't significantly different, just that the chest armor and grill is less pronounced and darker. My claws can even cut into the soft stone below without blunting, nice.

Next: time to change the world.

I gather the majority of the iron and sculpt it into a large frame. I'm using the skill to auto-correct the plans of this new weapon, since I'm not by any means an engineer. I wasn't sure what my limits were in this design, so I'm reaching here.

On that frame I build wheels and suspension. A braking system and then in the nose of the machine a steam powered turbine. The turbine produces the energy to turn the wheels. It is basically a stripped down steam train that I've developed for fast travel and assault.

It has the capacity to turn, I've set up a system that moves the front wheels using the steam, so if it has power it can turn sharply. It won't be nimble, more like a bus but still, effortless high speed travel and massive carrying capacity is a godsend down here.

I don't have the iron to fully cover the cabin, but I'm not planning to use this yet for more than transport. With a few more loads of iron, I'll have myself an armored train. With some adjustment I'll add on additional weapons. Repeating crossbows, a heavy ram... perhaps a flame-thrower? It has potential. With this beast I'm going to crush a nation. I don't even include the mystical potential it could possess... best of all I made this monster without flaws. Every component is solid. The real advantage of my power is that I produce items with no microscopic cracks. Built atom by atom as a lattice structure, it has durability in excess of any other form of iron. This is why even my stone weapons are so durable.  

I craft the rest of the iron into weapons, gifts for my companions. Theras is ecstatic over his new weapon, hugging me. I get too many hugs already, I don't need man-hugs.

As I'm trying to recover from my shame something flies into view.

Meld Weapon (Lesser) upgrade to Meld Weapon!:

Info: This skill enables the user to merge tools, weapons and resources to construct more advanced weapon designs. Greater versions of this skill offer reduced material cost and greater modification.

Holy shit! The steam engine must have pushed me over the edge on my skill!

What we learned:

Rick's going to be eaten alive by Myna's curiosity...

Re:Labyrinth now including: Steam Punk! (literal!)

Roborat version 1 online, the prototype phase is done!

Just how many races live in this place anyway? At my last count over twelve...

Also... I was hasty in the comment section. I've changed my mind about the species that I've just introduced: Karamech's species.

They aren't wolverine men, mostly because I made an error by describing them as 'sharp-eared' so since I haven't actually said it in the story it don't count, baby!

I'm going with canine, but not just any old wolf or dog... no they're Dholes. Look them up. Scary stuff. They're the army ants of the dog world.