The Outpost Quest complete, and I became 1000 CPoints richer. A hexagonal coin also appeared. It's lustrous surface seemed to be made out up a pearlescent alloy of some kind. This must have been a Hero Token. However, I had no clue as to what a hero was so decided to hold off on using it. Making buildings appear out of nowhere is one thing, making random people pop into existence is quite another.

I spent the majority of the next day placing Photon Cannon in the hills all around the manufacturing plant. It took so long because I tried to place them in such a way that they wouldn't be visible from a distance. Visibility outside the circle of mounds and outcroppings, was vast. Each cannon was placed behind a ridge of the hills, or was near a boulder, while still being able to cover the inner section of land. A few times the Probes hollowed out a section of stone to improve the placement. Sure, most of the cannons could be seen from the air, but by the time an AV saw them the cannons should have them locked.

Next, I made a little Pylon field behind the the main building. This was to support the incredible power draw, of the frankly ridiculous amount of cannons I placed in the area. I might have gone overbroad, but I had an itch on the back of my neck. Something was up, but I thought I was just being paranoid.

I also had to spent a an hour or two programing each cannon to not target the Aldecaldos. I could have just made it a blanket command; Propagating the order through the Psifield, but it would link back to the Valley but I still wanted a fall back point just for me. I liked the Aldecaldos, I really did, yet something told me complete trust might be a foolish idea.

Four more Robotics Facilities were then queued up for a higher unit output. I had a Sentry cooking in the first one already. Then I had the Probes build up every structure that we could could. The Cybernetic Core and Robotics Bay would be up quick, however the Stargate and the Fleet Beacon were blocked from our current build options. Which was a crying shame the value of the Stargate was enormous, both on a strategic and logistic scale. However, as I understood it, once the Stargate is complete it would warp into orbit. Meaning I would still need a Psifield network capable of reaching into orbit first. So that was a very long term problem to sort out. In addition to the Stargate, The Probes weren't allowed to build another Nexus. Nor were they allowed to warp in Gateways or Templar buildings for some reason. So a purely robotic army would have to do.

The Supron was sent back to base to pick up a bunch of golden Wisps, and some more Probes. I felt a kind of building fever settle in my soul, increasing my desire to expand this outpost. I was going to set up more trees, and a secondary lumber produce zone here. There was a lot more room for a settlement, than the Valley, and I also wanted the new forest to source fruit and populate with tasty critters. I ordered the extra Probes so that we could increase mineral and vespene resourcing. Chuck had already found a coal deposit and Barry found some ore veins in the hills. Why none of these were not already exploited, I had no idea, but I also wasn't going to let them go to waste either.

Amanda, Nolan, Sally and Megan came by from time to time to check on me. They offered advise on the placement of defenses and ideas for other various improvements. We ran over a few thought of future plans, though I was still loathe to commit to anything too long term. After all who could say what would happen tomorrow?

While I was frantically trying to get everything arranged to my liking, the Nomads were arranging their own new camp site. Much as it was before they circled up, putting together the eating and food prep areas in just a hour. They were already getting back to their normal routines before I had finished placing the sixth Cannon in the Hills. The only exception was that they all ended up spending at least a little while playing in or around the ponds. All of that water to play with was a luxury they were rarely afforded. This was after an incident necessitated a brief but emphatic explanation that they shouldn't drink from the Wells themselves, only from the streams. Thankfully no other accidents had occurred, yet.

Now even Lynx's sour ass had been cheerful at the sight of so much clean water. He and I had been avoiding each other. While I was sure he was jealous of Sally attention towards me, he didn't do any of the petty bullshit I would have expected. Maybe he wasn't such a bad dude, or maybe, he knew something I didn't?

If nothing else, all of my efforts at making this area into a nicer home had earned me regard amongst the families. They recognized the value of what was now available to them, and would fight to defend this place and what it would mean for their future. Not that they would need to, if my paranoid ass had it's way. I'd make this into the safest harbor in this shitty land. All peaceful folk would be welcome. Forget the bullshit of the city, and come rest under my trees. $99 for a liter of water. Nah choom, here have a drink of the best water you've ever tasted for free.

Shit, that would backfire wouldn't it. Too many people would flood this place. Sigh. Alright, it had to stay secret for now. But a guy could dream, couldn't he?

By midday, the first purple grasses had sprouted and were spreading rapidly. I had to stop and assure them that the grasses were safe to be around, and that they were indeed part of the plan. All the while, I was freaking out myself. I hadn't realized that the grass was linked to the Wells. I had thought the spread of the purple lawn was an affect of Meadran's presence. We all had a laugh after they calmed down. If mine was a little nervous, they didn't seem to notice.

Some of the Aldecaldos had been searching through the cyberware plant looking for any good salvage. Sadly most of the machines were too large to use as they were. They'd have to be broken down, with specialized tools. This didn't stop Scuff and Fix from going ham scanning every little thing inside. They really liked studying "primitive tech". Maybe, it was somewhat like archeologists looking at our ancient hominid offshoots.

The Robo-Buddies' personalities were still expanding but always seemed to contain a childlike wonder with the world. I wished I could say the same about my own attitude. I felt a lot of my own preconceived notions about the nature of humanity being absolutely wrecked by the misery of this world. I had to find a way to maintain a positive outlook, or I'd never be able to help others.

Meadran had sent back another 6 Probes, and enough golden Wisps to merge into 4 trees with a few left over to bond with them. There was also a couple more silver Wisps to build out paths and ward stones.

Merging the golden Wisp into trees, two next to each Well, had been another small event. Many of the Nomads hadn't ever seen a proper tree, just the sickly things growing out in the wastes. They said there were still places with trees and forests. Even jungles and places with natural animals, but they were tightly controlled as extremely valuable resources, or farmed for the Elites. Yup, old school farming did exist in places as well, but those Elite bastards running the Corps monopolized the vast majority of their products.

The less fortunate had to make do with bug products or at best have some chemically grown vat meat. It's "totally not human cloned" we swear. What a wonderous time to be alive. If it wasn't for some truly massive algae farms out in the blighted oceans, no one would still have enough oxygen to live properly. Sigh, and they sent me to "fix" this mess.

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There was too much work to do. And I was sure the Corpo bastards were going to try to snatch everything I made up as soon as they found out about it.

I shaped a Growth spell on the Trees, helping them get a little closer to the sky. One step, for one problem at a time.

After an exhausting day of infrastructure planning and placement, I was ready to kick up my feet and relax. Sadly, It was not to be.

First, I had been wrangled into dancing again and while we mostly kept it slow and simple, Sally and Megan dragged it out for a few hours. Every lady wanted a spin and even a few of the lads. I shrugged and went with it. It was just dancing after all and if they got a little handsy, it was actually socially acceptable to break their nose. Sally and Megan did their rounds, and then we ended up in a weird revolving dance. I'd move with one of them and then the other and then back again. A few times, I was sandwiched between them. No power in the verse would make me complain about that.

To keep up, I tried casting regrowth on myself a few times to keep up. Yet even with that boost, I was wearing down. The Ladies, however, seemed to be unflagging in their pursuit of another turn. You know, it was nice to be popular for once. Even if most of it was for my sweet, sweet magic, and sick trade deals.

The Second thing keeping me from hitting the sack, after all of the dancing and the feasting, was that Amanda wanted to know when the next batch of lumber would be ready. I assured her that it would only be another couple of days at the latest. Then she wanted to know my next plans, all of them, in as much detail as I could provide. I plead that I was tired, and my mind was too sluggish not to just go along with her, mostly. She didn't like that part of my future plans would be to establish an outpost in the city. I couldn't really explain everything right now, so I went with saying that it was necessary for my goals. Amanda's tsk told me everything I needed to know about what she thought of that.

I decided to elaborate, I swept my hand around the whole area. "This, more of this. Everywhere I can get it going. Until there is so much life that the Corps can't stop it and it keeps propagating itself. It's not the best plan, but it's really the only plan. While I'm going to be stuck in a few places, I'm vulnerable to being easily controlled or eliminated. I have to keep spreading out."

She stared at me, "Sounds like a virus." Strangely that didn't sound judgemental, at least not from her

I nodded, "Yes. It does, because that's the strategy little buggers evolved into. Spread fast or get crushed." We tried to come up with other ideas, but anything slow wasn't going to work. Unless I could figure out a way for others to control and build the Probes and the Wisps, but Alina had told me it was hard coded into them not to accept any commands but my own.

Megan thought that maybe we should build more hidden places. Underground maybe? Or inside old abandoned buildings. Sure the amount we could do with the limited space was miniscule but discovery was less likely. Sally wanted to be more aggressive. They wouldn't be looking at our outposts if we harassed them elsewhere. I could see the merit. But I needed stronger units. The Probes were not yet a heavy assault force, and I certainly wasn't going to involve the nomads in that level of risky operation. We kept batting more thoughts around until we ran out of more things to say.

We were all about to head to sleep, when I felt a buzzing in the back of my head. I focused on it. Meadran's panicked thoughts reached me, 'Young One, Alina has intercepted a series of local communications. They are headed toward you right now.' Ah, fuck.

'Who?' My sluggish brain was trying to spool itself up once again.

'A company called Arasaka. They have been observing you since last night from several orbital satellites. They have only just reached out to their Night City resources. They ordered local assets to sweep the area and snatch all high level personnel. The rest are to be disposed of.' I felt the blood drain from my face.

I ran through everything Sinn had told me about Arasaka. Then I ran through the bits of info I had gathered about them while playing with the NET. The company was usually subtle, methodical, precise and controlled. This kind of brute force assault was not their normal tactic. Something had triggered this rapid response, but we had no time to figure that out right now.

If they had been observing us, they already had several vital pieces of information. They may not know what kind, but it was obvious that the Photon Cannons were defenses. The Corpos had to have thought they'd have some way of defeating them. Or they wouldn't even attempt this. While it was certain they would get chewed up. I-We couldn't risk it. If any of them made it to the Nomads, who knows how much damage they could do.

I leapt up yelling my head off, "Get everyone out of here, now!" The response of the Aldecaldos spoke of folks used to survival and danger. Folks were moving almost before the words were completely out of my mouth.

When she saw my face, Amanda didn't even question me. She dashed about camp barking orders. Sally and Megan both tried asking what was going on. "Arasaka. They spotted the outpost from orbit. They saw everything. I'm their target, or anyone that they think might have information. You have to go, they have orders to kill everyone else. Save your people."

For a moment, they both stopped and went completely still. It was odd, but I was too distracted to question it. Then Sally shook her head, as if clearing it of cobwebs. "What about you?"

I was scanning the skies for any sign of how the Corpo thugs were approaching, "Oh, I'm going to run too. Just slower than you. Hurry up and take off, so I have time to get away." I called all the Probes to me. We left the tent area to find most of the Nomads in or near their vehicles with some already peeling out. Sally and Megan hit her Mackinaw and bugged out, while I could hear Amanda's Javelina revving in the distance. I got to the Galena and my main crew of four Probes attached to it. I had the others attach to the Supron and sent it on ahead to the Sunset Motel. Arasaka shouldn't bother with that place, it was too out in the open, and too close to the city. I was going another way, to try to lead them off. Soon even the HEMITT's were rolling out.

Amanda messaged me, Where?

Scatter. Wait and meet me at the broken bridge in a few days. That should be long enough to ditch any tails, and head back to the relative safety of the Valley.

They'll be watching. Well, she wasn't wrong. But where and how they looked would depend on why they were ham-fisting this operation to begin with. It might not be about us at all.

Sally and Megan sent, Be Careful. For a second, it was nice to feel like someone cared about me.

I will. Because what else could I say.

I kept waiting. My Galena was idling and ready to burn rubber. Now that they'd a head start, I wasn't as worried about the Aldecaldos. They knew every trick to throw off pursuit, and even the over watching satellites. They had hundreds of hidey holes all over the Badlands. No, I was worried about me. Worried about the outpost and all that work wasted. Okay, of course, I was terrified Sally and Megan were going to get caught, but logically they had a far better chance of making it out and avoiding capture than me.

What was the best way for me to hide? My hands were shaking. Not from fear, from frustration, from anger. The Corpo bastards couldn't have just left us alone. Then it hit me, and it was crazy.

As dumb as it at first seemed, I thought heading to the city was a good bet. Hide in the masses. Scan out some new tech ideas. Steal a different vehicle, get back to base and start on a different plan.

I felt the Cannons all report contact. All of them at once. That didn't make any sense. I looked up at the stars to think. Oh. The Cannons started firing up into the air above the center of the Outpost.

They were dropping in. The fucking bastards were dropping from the sky. I couldn't see them yet, but the Cannons were reporting their positions. They must have been using some kind of optical camouflage. Bleeding stealth technology. Now that was a good idea. The Khalai had some excellent cloaking options, and I should've adjusted it to suit my purposes. Fuck!

No time to beat myself up about it. Who the hell was I to try to outthink a Megacorp?

It was past time to get moving so, I floored my baby's pedal and aimed for the city.