The Malcom’s are a prestigious family of inventors, the family is well connected with the government and most notable people of the kingdom know that there are three powers that govern the kingdom. First is the royal line, second the military and third Malcom’s.
Sadly, as if the heavens itself regulates that the Malcom’s only have one line, each family will only have one son no more no less. This means that the family itself is treated as a resource by the royal line.
The world has entered its early advance era, communication is the new variety people are realizing the effects of industrialization, all except the kingdom of Borrowdale. Its long line of inventors pushed the kingdom to be the most technologically advanced than most coalitions. But the old adage of two heads is better than one hunts the kingdom.
The kingdom establishes the royal university of Malcom, where the brightest are pitted against each other to find the perfect wife for the next generation of Malcolm, at least on the surface.
James Malcom is currently at the dorms of the university, the pretext that he would marry the highest honor student was a lie in fact he was enrolled there in order to have a normal life.
James believes that he was just a son of a high commander that has high influences with the military and his last name was just coincidental with Malcom’s, and that his family is a side family of the said inventor which is why he also smart.
James was sitting waiting for lunch break to be over and start the next class.
[hey James, have you heard that their another party this coming graduation?]
[I know we have one every time we moved up a year]
Bell rang, it was the emergency bell. Blue lights opened and window shutters quickly closed.
Students took their seats and waited for the teachers to tell them what to do.
James was panicked he was told that during an emergency someone from the military would pick him up and to stay at the classroom or the safety room.
[what is happening, is war really going to break?] one of the girls asked.
[no, that can’t happen, were all from different countries if they attack the school, they be committing suicide] class president replied.
[hhmm what’s taking them so long to come and get us?] one of the boys tested.
James’s watch lit up {emergency! Please remain in location. Emergency squad now active}
Large commotion can be heard in the hallway before the door opens. With the teacher and military personal.
[all students follow your adviser and moved to the emergency shelters.] the soldier shouted.
The students then lined up and followed the teacher to the shelter except James who was taken by the soldier.
[here take this mask and suit! Quickly we don’t have long!] The soldier’s shouts made James quickly put on the camouflage suit and gas mask. The tank was a little heavy but he mange to just put it on.
[package secure, now moving to rendezvous point alpha] James and the soldier moved to the front entrance of the school where an emergency airlock was made. He was with many students, probably the others that are special like him.
Exiting the airlock, the sky was red, and a weird fog covered the landscape, at first one would think that a biochemical attack happened, but the trees and animals seemed fine. Curious James wanted to touch one but was quickly stopped when a military truck arrived. He and the others were stuffed on the back before getting driven to the close military base.
On the road James watched as civilians panicked and closed stores quickly moving back to their homes. Police and military are issuing masks and supplies. Some civilians took to looting before getting apprehended by the police.
At the base the others were guided to the underground base, James was familiar with these bases as he was briefed on what happens to be here. James was stopped from getting down instead the convoy continued to the mountains.
In the morning James awoke to soldiers shouting at him and telling him to follow the trail and input his codes on the cabin door before the soldiers drop down some simple robots that follows James while carrying goods, the soldiers then quickly moved along and left him.
Scared and potentially being in danger, James did not doddle and quickly ran the mountain trail where a small cabin can be seen. Seeing the front door has a lock pad he quickly entered the codes his parents told him to memorize when he was still a kid.
A high-pitched sound echoed before the door. [ please quickly enter the square line and wait for the robots, before descending]
James then waited in the roadway to the garage, the robots took 10 minutes to ascend the mountain and take their place. All the while James was anxious that his air would run out.
[descending, please stay inside the square line] beeped the front door. James at this point was sitting with the first robot pallet.
A platform was made with square lines and descended below before a cover shut closed the open space. The air was then filtered out before a kid of aerosol was spread on James and the boxes.
[all clear please remove your mask and suit before going in]
James followed the instruction before he was guided to a door by a light, where he was told to strip and washed by high powered water then air. He was told to scan his wristwatch near the TV.
[identify confirmed! All amenities unlocked! Scanning perimeter! All clear!]
[Please wait for future instructions]
His backpack was with the robots, so he quickly opened the sat phone calling his parents. But only a recording was found.
[hey buddy you got to the safe house! Don’t worry, me and your mom are also going to a secure location. Now there is a box under the master bedroom bed. We put that there it’s for your next birthday gift but with the emergency happens feel free to open it now see you bye….]
[love u bye] his father’s voice can be annoying sometimes its annoying but today it’s at least comforting.
Looking around the cabin has greenhouse, fish farm, and many resources that if the cabin suddenly got transported on the moon he will still survive.
Turning on the TV was meaningless as the government issued a general ban and wait in the house for additional instruction. So that what he did most of time he studied what robots are like, but it was a preprogramed piece. Not to mention it was slated that more resources will come after a few months.
On the third day the TV turned on the news where the anchor interviewed “experts” to what is happening. Most information says that the world was suddenly transported to another location. Stars and other space materials are different, the color and fog were caused by an unknown element. The effects are still unknown, and it was believed to be safe to return to daily life.
[so, I can go back to school now?] James tentatively asked.
[negative] the uncaring voice of robot answered.
A week passed before the second wave of sudden news.
[attention all citizens, please return to your homes. Doctors and nurses will visit to check on you. There is no proof that the cause of mass coma is the fog.]
A voice message was then entered into James’s wristwatch.
[James a new tech is going to be delivered to you, we currently are on the united island. The island where all nations are neutral use the tech find a way to us. Your father and I are going to be put into a rocket. To the new space station where a spaceship will serve as an arc ship for humanity.
I know that you are scared but you must find a way here. The ship will take a decade to finish so your father and I are going into a cryogenic sleep. Don’t worry we wont be flown up until the ship is done. Good luck.
Btw, your father included a schematic for a universal mobile base food luck.]
James was plagued with many questions, what this new technology is, why is the other government involved with his mother and father. Why do we have a slot on an arc ship?
James waited for 2 more days before another bot came to the cabin with armored boxes. Waiting until the whole disinfection process is done. James is faced with an armored box labeled the with a huge M.
The box scanned his wristwatch, eyes, and blood before opening. Inside is a letter.
{James, we have been lying to you we are Malcom’s. the super genius inventor that the nation treats as royalty. We don’t know what the substance is, but it was not the first we seen it. Inside is a pack with a solid core made from the new element. The core will explain to you what it can do once you put it on. Your emergency codes are now usable for any base around the world. Also, there are safehouse with the same materials all over the world as our family where you can access more resources.
Do not at any cost be in contact with the new element preliminary examinations and experimentations leads to humans becoming mute and turning into zombies. Animals develop new features and plants become a carrier of the element. So, make sure you use the gardens properly.
Additional we also observed that the planet is expanding, no explanation for that but we can only say that maps are now useless. Also, if you can log anything with the pack your mom will be thrilled. We only know that most people who put on the pack can construct and deconstruct materials but a huge toll in the old noggin. Which would not be a problem for you.
Another thing other nations don’t know about you, if they learn about you, they will take actions to hide or manipulate you be careful.}
[so, to summarize goal one find the island, goal two survive a zombie airborne outbreak, goal three the pack] James let out a sigh, knowing his parents of course he’s the one to test out new techs. Putting on the pack it quickly merges to his back a sharp pain can penetrate through his spine to his head knocking him out.
A day passed and James woke up and quickly stood up. Reaching to his back the pack seems to have melded with him. A small Handel can be felt pulling it was a screen.
{Evaluating…. New user accepted…. Compatibility 100%}
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
{user interface now available}
{logs, upgrades, schemes, info}
Looking at the strange panel James selected the logs.
{logs……………………………………...}
{log 1: all system nominal, on user available, entering hibernation}
{log 2: new user connected, compatibility abysmal terminating user}
{log 3: new user connected. Compatibility low, dismantling access granted}
{log 4, log 5, log 6, log 7, log 21, log 32, log 41}
{log 42: too much energy consumed entering survival mode. Logs suspended}
[okay no help there! Info it is then]
// Survival Pack
A survival pack capable of housing main core, cores connected to user amplify user’s abilities and talents. Survival mode active basic function available.
// deconstruct
To use energy reserves to dismantle materials to basic components.
// construct
To use energy reserves to construct materials into complex structures.
// energy storage
Able to store power and draw power from sources.
// space storage
10 by 10 feet of interdimensional space storage, warning portal will close if energy is insufficient.
[so, the scheme sent by dad is to create a mobile base was because of these]
James then looked at the schematic only to see that it was a refurbished motor home from a 4 by 4 APC which was stored in the garage of the cabin. James then took it upon himself to think of a new schematic.
[hardness and thickness of the vehicle needs to survive a horde of zombies] doesn’t matter if you have a tank when you can get horded and stuck. It should also consist of many parts. The lack of materials limits James to what he can do.
James took inspiration from big transportation trucks; he dismantled the vehicles he had. Before collapsing in a heap, [ so I have a limit beside the energy consumption] James sighed again knowing It will now take longer.
Two weeks passed. James manages to make “truck” with a small trailer behind. The wheels were made into a mesh wheel where it can function even if it was pierced or blunted. The windows are made into unbreakable ones. The body was connected to the trailer. The roof is now solar panels. The “driver” seat in the center of the cab. The truck rans on electricity as gas is hard to procure.
It was a lie it looks like an armored RV, the only livable area for James is the can where a small kitchen and bed is located most of the trailer is stocked with food, water, and plants.
James’s can’t take most of the resources so he decides that until he can go to the military camp and find the cache their to build a bigger vehicle before returning to the cabin.
[there aren’t enough materials I can only make an RV with an airlock] James then swore that he would make a mobile base some day where it looks like a truck with multiple connections like a train for different function.
Aside from the driver’s seat being in the center and the controls looking like a controller James made his way to from the mountain to the base. Hopefully people will not shoot at him when he goes to the army camp. James traveled for a day and a night, which startled James as it was supposedly just a few hours’ drive to the army camp.
Reaching the area James was astonished to see the camp abandoned.
[well, the university is located as far as possible from the capital, most likely they got recalled back hopefully the cache was untouched.
James would now have to go down and look around. Knowing what happens when he gets exposed to the air, James was a little frightened about what he was about to do.
James goes down the RV and checks the base defense. No movement seems to be inside. Unlocking the gate, he drove to the hanger with a huge M on the side.
Stopping in front of the hanger James intended to open it and drive the RV inside. He armed himself with an automatic rifle and entered his codes.
{verifying…… accepted…. Unlocking….}
James entered the building and found the remote to open the hanger door. Clicking open the hanger raised up……. Loudly.
James ran quickly as he could to the RV, one zombie closed in towards him from the left lunging towards him. Jumping forward he mange to doge out of the way.
Roaring can instantly be heard around the base. James, scared out of his mind ran to the RV, and tried to drive inside. Large number of zombies, he managed to drive in and closed the doors but now there are zombies outside RV, banging it. There are also zombies outside the hanger trying to get in.
Now he needs to go outside and try to kill one of these zombies. so, he can kill them consistently next time. He waited until the zombies thought there was no one inside, the zombies seemed to stop banging on the RV and hanger after a while. James made a spear, hopefully he can take one down silently. He also reinforced his suit. Scrapping the engine and insides of the cab to accomplish this.
James goes outside the RV. He was faced with a zombie wearing a camouflage suit, stabbing the zombie in the head. It collapsed on the floor creating sounds that attracted the others. Embolden to fight James’s mange to sneak around and kill every zombie inside the hanger.
Now that the hanger is compromised James now needs to go down to find what kind of resources are available so he can take it and return to the cabin.
The commander of Zulu one is a high and honorable one he was from a long line of commander general. Sadly, he was deemed useless, so he was sent here to babysit the kingdom’s future leaders. The commander has access to the kingdom’s intel and long ago learned about the new element. It was said that it nurtures one’s body to improve beyond human capabilities.
The commander is actually one of the soldiers that undergone the experiments to improve his strength. When the red sky appeared he couldn’t be happier recognizing the element that is now a part of him. But he wasn’t stupid to exit the base airlock system and drink it in. Unlike one of his sergeants who quickly learned that the element they got exposed to was refined and ensured that most of the people would survive unlike the substance outside. First it was just his sergeant, but more and more soldiers are going outside lured by the promise of strength. He can only enter the self-destruct button. Thankfully most of the kids were already evacuated long ago.
It was morning and the commander was locked inside his office for three days now. He was alone, all of the others either gave in and gone outside or were dragged outside. He can hear them banging on the door, the timer was almost there he only needs to last a few more hours and make sure these intelligent zombies don’t turn off the bomb.
The commander was shocked when he saw a modified RV pull inside the base. He was shouting as loud as he could to let the people run. He watched as the kid opened the gate and went to the hanger of Malcolm’s each base has one. There were there so that the Malcom genius line would not end. Horror then ran across his brain as he saw James open the hanger, and drove in.
[ at least he wont blow up from the bomb] the commander then looked at the timer and adjusted to extend from a few second to a few minutes ensuring that the young Malcom will survive. He then laughed as he saw the intelligent zombies tried and tried again to enter. And when the timer reached 5 seconds. He put the gun on his head saluted the emperor’s flag, the military flag and lastly the Malcom’s flag. [make us proud kid.]
James unaware of the happenings in the commander’s quarters. He slowly transferred the inside the bunker so he could re-do the vehicle. Thanks to the space storage of the pack, it was actually easy to transfer things. Sitting down on the coach he was relaxing when a large explosion occurred. Shaking can be felt for a few hours before settling down.
James, scared out of his mind, decided to wait for a while before exiting the bunker.
[brain hurt, me sleep first!]
{warning, upgrade material available!}
{unlocking rudimentary radar!}
{please collect materials and access upgrade later}
James woke to incessant beeps, and tried he stands up. He was still not comfortable with the pack behind him. [sure, I knew it flattens itself when I’m going to bed now it has alarm clock too!]
Pulling the panel James was stunned to see that he can access the upgrades section, perhaps he can access the schematic section too.
Excited and without precaution aside from the suit and spear James bolted outside only to stunned near trauma to see the bodies burned and charred,
Fighting all efforts to hurl vomit inside the suit, James moved towards the ruined asset. Rooting around James sees a burnt body, the radar points to wards it.
Not knowing what to do he reached out to the body, before the pack morphed and extended a tendril towards the man’s head.
James can see that small crystal was taken before the notification started.
{high crystal acquisition confirmed.}
{extracting power, now available upgrade, and schematic}
{available points: 1, please search for more}
James was intrigued and looked at the new upgrades first.
{upgrades: survival weapons 1, multipurpose tool, reconstructor 1}
{upgrades: more battery}
{upgrades: more space}
{upgrades: more efficient}
{upgrades: Pack 2}
[Okay schematic then.]
{Schematics available: vehicles survival 1: cab 1, bed 1, storage 1, basic manufacturing 1, power 1.}
James’s mange to get 50 points enough to get the vehicle. Having more power or upgrading the pack would be nice, having transport that was not designed by himself would be good.
James then looked at the schematics to learn that it was a complete survival truck. The wheels are not common round wheels but tacks like the ones on tanks aside from that it looks like a rounded truck.
James took another week to scavenge the base. It doesn’t really matter that the steel was burned, and plastics were melted. James seen and made the vehicle when the front window powered on with a panel.
//survival vehicle 1
//Cab
>housing the engine and controls of the vehicles. The most reinforced part of vehicle and capable of running for 2 hours without the other parts. A modified air filter is also included to this unit.
//power
>These are where the energy is stored and made. The generator accepts fuel and biofuel, the component also has solar panels and lunar panels that collect power for the vehicle and other needs.
//bed
>This component is made for comfort the bed is closed in the side wall and on the other side is the shower.
//basic manufacturing
>this facility enables the user to create basic humanoid. A modified airlock is located here.
//storage
>interdimensional storage this kind of storage enables the user to store a small warehouse worth of space.
The space inside the vehicles only allowed for an individual to reach each side with only a few steps. It was tight and most of the time when James needed to use the facility, he needed to stand on the connector joints.
James then books it back to the cabin, the resources he had are enough to fill half of the storage unit, making it look like a game inventory doesn’t help in reality checks.
The stop would be a army base the main Zulu camp, the only problem he has now is the humanoid.
[Are you a robot or human or construct?]
[I am a humanoid sir! I can follow basic commands and I can specialize in a different profession later] the human looking, robot talking thing Offred.
[do you at least have a name?] James offered.
[designation can be selected by the user]
James sighed as he watched the humanoid drive him to the next destination. This time a huge M can be seen on the side and back of this vehicle so at least people wont shoot at him directly.
[your temporary designation is Driver]
[acknowledge temporary designation set as Driver]
Sitting on the bed James designed some improvements.
Days came and went; the humanoid doesn’t seem to need food although he needs to be in approximate location near the power unit. The panels say I have capacity for 3 more but I need more of those crystals.
At first James thought he needed to divert from the cities, but to his surprise one night a driver seemed to drive through the lined cars roads. The vehicle was tough enough to move forwards, so the journey was bumpy. He doesn’t know if there are survivors in the city, but he can’t help them either as they are exposed to the air.
James heard some gunshot guns coming out of the vehicle but it held and so they continued to the army camp. Two days passed army bases should be a day drive from and to any camp to minimize the reinforcement movement.
James then looked at the army base, it seemed that the base was still held although dead personals can be seen. The guard seemed to tense up looking at the wired vehicle entering the army base.
[designation and codes!]
[James Malcom, 211100] thank God this vehicle has a speaker.
James then sweated as more and more time passed. Someone ran towards the gate before it opened.
James did not dawdle and quickly positioned himself at the hanger doors. Checking the remote he got last time was correct as it opened the hanger. He was now inside the hanger leading to a bigger bunker.
Commander Diaz was having huge headaches as more and more civilians needed to reorganize the army base. Supplies are dwindling and camps are losing contact. When a wired vehicle pulled up in the base, he was pissed off more as soldier quickly wanted to verify a Malcom. At first, they thought that it was just someone just impersonating the Malcom, but codes checked out.
Still, he did not hold the base by being brutal but cautious, he stationed personals to aim at the vehicle until it fully entered the hanger.
[driver can you get the crystal from the dead ones outside, if anyone stops you say you are the Malcom servant.]
[acknowledge]
The driver exits the airlock and looks at the pile of corpses to extract crystals.
Commander Diaz is in the middle of a radio call to central command.
[commander you must transport the Malcom back to the capital]
[sir the Malcom entered the base and entered their bunker immediately, I can’t contact the Malcom]
[listen commander the following information is classified, the Malcom’s have gone missing the one you have at your base is their son. Do what you can to either make him stay or transport him to the capital.]
[commander these are orders from the king himself manipulate that kid to stay at all costs.]