Aidan picked up a few members of his leadership team on the way to the front gate. He selected Ostlund because they still hadn’t officially designated someone as the Director of Strategic Planning. After that, the commander asked McKay and Aswad to join them too. He figured having the strategic, logistic, and resource management leaders along for the ride would just about cover his bases when negotiating with the gnomes.

When they arrived at the front of the camp, Aidan was surprised by the number of materials the gnomes brought. He counted at least two dozen giant badgers pulling wagons full of miscellaneous materials and equipment. At their head, Ariza and her father were both waiting with large smiles. Clearly, they were pleased with themselves.

Aidan held out his hand to shake the Azapazil patriarch’s own and then greeted them both. He noticed that both of the gnomes were wearing goggles with darkened shades. The sunlight was uncomfortable for the pair, but they wouldn’t let a little sunlight prevent them from making a profit. “Welcome to Camp Plymouth,” he said in Gnomish.

“Your Gnomish is terrible,” Azabar noted with a smile. “But it’s better than my Humish.”

Aidan chuckled, “Humans actually speak multiple languages. Around here, most people speak English as their primary language.”

“Then it’s better than my English,” Azabar corrected himself before looking at the camp beyond them.

“We didn’t think with as many people as you had, your camp would be so small, Aidan!” The young gnome girl teased him.

Aidan held out his hands in mock surrender. “We’ve had pretty bad management up until now. Hopefully, there will be some radical changes now that you’ve arrived and brought so many things!”

Azabar looked concerned, “There’s a new leader? Will that affect our arrangement?”

Aidan shook his head with a smirk. “No, the agreement will remain since I’m the new leader of our faction.”

Azabar only laughed and then changed the subject. “Great, there’s a huge demand right now for those wheat cakes you brought us. We figured we could secure our early trade deal before any other councilman wised up if we got here early. Plus, I wanted to see the situation for myself.”

The elderly gnome gestured at the vast expanse of fields behind them. “I see that you have plenty of farms. I expect our gains on this little trip to more than offset the materials sold to us for a higher price.”

“Hopefully,” Aidan said noncommittally. He wasn’t sure how many of the wheat cakes had been prepared. He turned to McKay and tried to understand their food situation.

“McKay, how many wheat cakes do we have stored up?”

The red-bearded man frowned as he considered the question. “I imagine we have enough to feed our people through winter and summer. That puts us at about…” the director trailed off as he started doing the math.

“…about a quarter million of the cakes,” he finished.

Even Aidan was shocked by the number. “So many?” He clarified.

The Scotsman nodded. “Yeah, you have to remember that we’re using replicators. We don’t have any of the waste associated with typical agricultural processes. We load the wheat and honey directly into the replicator, which spits out perfectly formed cakes. After that, they go into storage, where they don’t go bad. We’ve built up a huge stock, and most people eat far less than we projected. Most people prefer the live game the patrols bag while they’re out of camp.”

Aidan nodded his understanding. “Alright, how many can we afford to trade with the gnomes?”

“Probably a third of that number,” McKay answered with a shrug.

Aidan nodded and turned back to the patiently waiting gnome patriarch.

“We have about eighty thousand or so cakes we’re willing to part with.”

If the real world were a cartoon, Aidan would’ve seen dollar signs appear in Azabar’s eyes. “We’ll take them all.” He enthusiastically stated before pulling out what looked like a tablet from the cart behind him. He started flicking through the data on the tablet and crunching some numbers.

Aiden, if the gnomes have any extra of those, I can install a translation program onto them. Astra informed him. You just need to hold them; it won’t take but a few seconds.

Aidan silently cheered at how awesome his AI was. He had no desire to horse trade with the gnomes. For one, he wasn’t good at it, and two, it sounded terribly boring.

“Councilman Azapazil, if you have more of those tablets, I can install a translation program to help us better communicate.” Aidan’s tone was hopeful, but Azabar didn’t seem to notice.

“Sure, we brought a dozen of them for you to use. Ariza noticed you didn’t have any data pads, and we figured they would help you organize everything around here.”

Azabar looked up at his daughter, “go grab the datapads for Aidan.”

“Yes, father!” Ariza darted behind her father and started rummaging in the cart behind her.

While the two gnomes were focused on their tasks, Aidan looked closer at the giant badger they were using as a pack animal. Its furry black and white mask gave it a cute, peaceful appearance. However, if one peered closer, they could see the clever gleam in their eyes and the razor-sharp claws on their paws. The envoy realized that the pack animals were similar to their masters in that way. Pleasant and clever, with the potential for savage violence when provoked. Now, more than ever, he was happy they were on his side.

Ariza returned from fishing out the datapads and handed them to Aidan in a burlap sack. Aidan put the bag on the ground and started digging through it. He grabbed each datapad, waited for Astra to install the translation package, and then handed it to one of the people behind him. When he was finished, eleven of the datapads had been handed out, and the commander claimed one for himself and stowed it in his inventory.

Rising to his feet, he motioned McKay, Ostlund, and Aswad to come closer. They complied but shot wary glances at the giant badger behind him.

“These datapads have translation technology installed that will allow you to speak to the gnomes. Right now, they’re calculating the price of our wheat cakes in exchange for materials. They want to buy about eighty thousand, but I can’t calculate how much they’re worth to the gnomes.”

Aswad rubbed his hands together with a smile. “I can figure that out for us, Commander.”

“Please do,” Aidan ordered. “Work with Ostlund and McKay to figure out what materials we need to get off the ground.”

The envoy looked over at McKay, who was thoughtfully studying the datapad. “McKay, get someone to bring enough containers for the eighty thousand wheat cakes.”

McKay absently nodded his assent, pulled over one of his people, and issued his instructions in a low voice. Aidan watched as the man sprinted off toward a few large tents that the commander hadn’t had the chance to visit yet. He assumed they were the food stores for the camp.

While he waited for the wheat cakes to arrive, Aswad and the Patriarch were talking animatedly to one another. The datapad in Aswad’s hands would translate the other man’s words and then translate it verbally for the bearer to hear. It hurt Aidan’s brain to listen to both conversations simultaneously, but he was rewarded with a level to his linguistics.

Linguistics has increased to level 21! You have earned 105 experience.

While the two men were bartering with each other, Aidan felt Ariza’s mind touch his own.

Aidan, I need to talk to you, the girl began.

Sure, Ariza. What’s up? He answered.

My father told me not to tell you, but there has been an increase in kobold attacks on Stalakmitzil. We don’t know what’s causing them, but there has been an enormous increase since we cleared the Progenitor ruin. My father and I barely made it out of the forest! It’s practically crawling with kobolds.

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Aidan frowned at the news.

Why doesn’t your father want you to tell me? He wondered.

Because it’s not technically his business. The entire council of Stalakmitzil entered into a deal with you for protection. It’s bad manners for us to overstep their authority and ask you for help ourselves. The gnome girl sounded worried, and Aidan could feel the anxiety coming off of her in waves.

I don’t think we’ll be able to make it back to the village without being attacked.

That’s okay, Ariza. I’ll send some combat teams with you. You can tell the council that we sent them as a gesture of goodwill.

Thanks, Aidan! The girl said, sounding relieved.

It’s bizarre, the gnome girl added as an afterthought. The kobolds in this region are typically bright green. They live on the plains and rarely enter the woods, preferring to exist as nomadic bands of roving mongrels. We don’t usually suffer many attacks. However, the ones in our forest and around our secret entrances are a mottled dark green. They look like they’re from an entirely different region.

Aidan felt a sense of foreboding over the gnome’s comment. It was a strange coincidence that the attacks picked up right after his team cleared the Progenitor ruins.

He didn’t have a chance to speak further because a group of McKay’s people showed up, lugging containers that looked like personal stashes in every tent. Aidan walked over to one and placed his hand on it. He saw that each of the twenty-five slots were filled with a thousand stacks of wheat cakes. Each of the five containers were filled with the same.

He noticed that both Ariza and her father were staring at the containers with barely contained curiosity. Aidan held out a hand to the containers.

“Each of these containers holds twenty-five thousand wheat cakes.”

“How is that possible,” Azabar asked with his mouth slack. “We thought you didn’t have any advanced technology. How is it that you’ve mastered the ability to create pocket dimensions?”

Aidan shrugged. “To be fair, we didn’t really develop it. It’s Progenitor tech that we discovered almost as soon as we arrived. It’s how we store all of our materials.”

Azabar rushed closer and gripped one of Aidan’s forearms in his tiny hands. “Aidan, we’ll buy as many of these as possible too.”

Aidan awkwardly gave a consoling pat to the patriarch. “Of course, councilman. Just work out the details with Aswad. I’m sorry, but I’m not adept at the whole trading thing.”

Azabar recovered himself in a flash and had an awkward cough. He looked like he was trying to regain his composure before negotiating with Aswad. However, when both Aidan and Azabar turned back to the Director of Finance, the predatory grin on his face communicated that he knew exactly how much the technology was worth to the gnomes.

Aidan chuckled. It looked like the gnomes had finally met their match in Aswad. Aidan was already exceedingly happy that he had a competent person at the head of their commerce. It wasn’t a task that the envoy wanted to undertake himself. He picked up the conversation with Ariza.

Ariza, I’m going to leave and get Guzman to get some teams assembled to escort you and your father back to Stalakmitzil. I have some other things to handle here, so I’ll see you two later!

You’re going to leave us here? the girl pouted

The commander only laughed and gestured to where Aswad and her father were arguing over some detail. I’m leaving you in capable hands. When we get comms up, I’ll ensure you get a copy so you can talk to me whenever you need.

I’d like that, Ariza said with a smile.

Aidan left his leadership team to their negotiations and returned to the command tent. He found Guzman poring over some schematics with Alanzo Diaz.

“What are you guys working on?” He asked as he walked up.

Guzman glanced up and shared a sloppy grin with his friend. “I’m helping Alanzo design a communications network for the camp. We need more than a single channel everyone tries to talk into.” The shock trooper started rifling through various documents as he continued to explain.

“Plus, I want to integrate those observation drones we fought. I think we can have local, closed networks between the teams, and then if they need to communicate back to camp, they can use the drones. If a team goes to respawn and drops their comm gear, the drone can return to camp, and there won’t be any risk associated with the loss.”

Aidan nodded his approval. “That’s smart.”

“Yeah, but the drones are difficult to produce,” Diaz said in barely accented English. “I’m unsure how quickly we can field many of them.”

“Just focus on the fourteen we need for the combat teams and the DSS.” Aidan offered. “The rest can be built up and handed out as needed for missions.”

Aidan addressed his friend. “The gnomes are here, I didn’t see that communications terminal with my own eyes, but I’m sure they brought it. They arrived with two dozen carts full of materials.”

Guzman’s eyebrows raised. “That’s a welcome surprise.”

“Yep,” Aidan agreed. “However, it looks like they’re being raided by kobolds. Ariza thinks they might be unable to make it back to Stalakmitzil.”

Guzman crossed his arms. “We can probably spare four teams to escort them. That should be enough firepower to clear out anything in those woods.”

It was Aidan’s turn to be surprised. “That’s almost a third of our combat forces.”

“Sure,” Guzman agreed. “But think about what we’re doing in camp. With all the new engrams and materials from the gnomes, the combat teams will be in the camp helping to build whatever new infrastructure we’re developing. We usually send out four or more teams on patrol anyway. We’ll keep the rest in camp.”

Aidan’s concerns were eased. “Sounds good. When are you heading back to our world?”

“I’ll leave right after I’m done here with Diaz,” Guzman assured him.

Aidan nodded. “Good. Make sure you get back as soon as possible. There are a lot of things in the works.”

Aidan drew his friend aside and whispered to him. “I accepted Agano Hiro into our team. She’s working on biomechanics implants and new equipment for our team.”

“Why the secrecy?” Guzman whispered back.

“Because,” Aidan answered quietly. “The new equipment is going to be top secret. She’s creating it from salvaged drone parts. From how she’s talking, the gear would make us head and shoulders above the competition, even if they have much higher attributes.”

“That would be nice,” he admitted while glancing down at his battered plate carrier. “It’s kind of a rub to go into a world straight out of science fiction with alien technology and still wearing kit I can pick up from my local gun shop.”

Aidan laughed, fully agreeing with his friend. “I know the feeling,” he said. “In my tutorial, I was using way more advanced gear than this, and even then, it’s not even close to what Hiro is building for us.”

“Anyway,” Aidan clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Get back to work. I will spend the rest of the daylight trying to level up some miscellaneous skills.”

Guzman nodded and said, “good luck,” as Aidan left the command tent.

Relieved to find that he was free from any significant responsibilities, Aidan checked his character sheet to see what would be the best use of his time. He realized that he could only reasonably level his stealth, athletics, and melee weapons out of his skills. The rest would be disruptive or require equipment he didn’t want to use inside the camp.

He looked around, and it appeared that he was alone. He frowned before saying aloud, “Nikita, where are you?”

“I’m here, Commander,” Nikita answered.

Aidan blinked in surprise. Before the woman had moved, the commander’s eyes had passed right over her. She wasn’t necessarily trying to hide. In fact, she was standing still in the shade of a nearby tent with her arms crossed. It was clear that she was keeping a lookout.

“Nikita, how high is your stealth skill?” Aidan asked, awed.

The woman paced toward him like a cat on the prowl. “Fifty-two,” she answered. “At fifty, I was able to pick my first perk. If I’m standing still, people with lower-level detection skills pass right over me.”

She shrugged before continuing. “It does nothing for artificial detection, though. An infrared camera will pick me up just as easily as anyone else.”

“How did you get it so high?” Aidan asked.

“I practice stealth all the time, and ever since you became the camp leader and added me to the DSS, my skills have rapidly progressed.”

The woman’s answer made sense, so Aidan moved on. “Well, I have some time to kill. My lowest-level skills are stealth, athletics, and melee weapons. Do you know anyone that could help me with that?” He asked with a smirk.

Nikita barked out a laugh. “Sure, I do, Commander. But are you sure you want me to help you? I can promise it will not be a pleasant experience.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Aidan deadpanned.

Aidan etched those famous last words into the depths of his soul. After his brief exchange, the torturous bout of training extended well past the time the sun set. First, Nikita had put him through a series of endurance and mobility exercises that had him quickly gasping for breath. He watched his stamina bar fully deplete at least a hundred times.

After that, she trained him in the art of knife fighting. He learned every possible use of his blade, and then she taught him things he didn’t even know were possible. This lesson was combined with a crash course in Sambo. Apparently, Nikita was a champion in the style of martial arts and levered those skills along with her knife to almost kill Aidan multiple times. He thought he would be sent to respawn more than once, but Yanovna had the presence of mind to pull back just before he died. He had even picked up a new skill for hand-to-hand combat that rapidly leveled alongside his other skills.

They practiced until the sun set, and then the real training started. Nikita made him combine everything they practiced to perform mock assassinations within the camp. Any time he was detected by a potential target, the sadistic woman punished him with even more exercises. By the time their training was finished and the sun rose, Aidan was gasping inside the safety of his own tent and checking the system notifications he received.

Stealth increased to level 2! You have earned 10 experience.

…

Stealth increased to level 22! You have earned 110 experience.

Athletics increased to level 6! You have earned 30 experience.

…

Athletics increased to level 19! You have earned 95 experience.

Discipline increased to level 11! You have earned 55 experience.

…

Discipline increased to level 22! You have earned 110 experience.

Medium Armor increased to level 13! You have earned 65 experience.

…

Medium Armor increased to level 25! You have earned 125 experience.

Melee Weapons increased to level 2! You have earned 10 experience.

…

Melee Weapons increased to level 20! You have earned 100 experience.

Hand-to-Hand increased to level 2! You have earned 10 experience.

…

Hand to hand increased to level 20! You have earned 100 experience.

As a result of his hellish night with Yanovna, Aidan had quickly grown another level, and now most of his combat skills had caught up with his utility ones. Although the night wasn’t one he wanted to repeat, he had to admit that the stacking leveling bonuses he received for being the commander of a military dictatorship paid off. His last thought before crashing to sleep in exhaustion was that he wanted to do more patrols over the next few days to quickly raise his level as well.