*1346.01.26*
“You’re cutting it pretty close here,” Joram said, standing beside Avi, fretting.
“So you’ve said…” she paused for emphasis, “a few dozen times.”
“And you’re sure you’ve got navigation up and running properly?”
“Joram,” Avi said, turning from her work to regard the anxious young man. “I’ll still be sending software updates as I continue to work on the Runabout. Heck, I’ll even need to make firmware updates as I get other things finished. But for now, it’ll get you to the Academy before registration closes for the year.”
Joram nodded, knowing all that already. He just… hated being late. Especially when it came to something like this that would set him back a whole year if he missed the window of opportunity.
To distract himself, he walked over to inspect their work so far.
The Runabout was really only that in name, as none of the actual tech used in Star Trek was used in its construction. Well, maybe the replicator came close, but only in function, not design.
The biggest difference between what the original Runabout would have contained and this one was the engine tech used. This version contained a hyperdrive instead of a warpdrive. He’d asked Avi about it and it seemed as though Altaea hadn’t spent much time in the Trek-verse compared to her time in the other universe.
Which made a bit of sense in a weird way. He’d only ever gotten the plotline, along with the outline, of that story completed before, well, all this happened.
So said, he was nevertheless impressed by how fast they’d gotten everything made and running. It had taken longer to create and store the gas needed to fuel the engine, though. The blue-green gas was, however, much easier to produce than the insanely volatile metal that was used in more modern engines.
Either way they now had a working engine. That also required some insane computing power to make sure they didn’t accidentally smear their atoms across the face of the planet.
Well, they wouldn’t be using it to go that fast for a while. Nor would they be hitting hyperspace while anywhere near the gravity well of Dovaynia. Maybe after he’d rescued Tillia and all the others who’d been taken he and Avi could start exploring their solar system.
In the meantime, he’d just have to settle for hypersonic speeds. He could live with that.
So, Joram went over to inspect the enchantments he’d made for the runabout. Instead of doing something silly like enchanting various plates on the hull, he’d instead gone for creating a core for it.
The core was a metal sphere covered in runes. Well, it was sixteen metal spheres covered in runes nested in each other like those Russian nesting dolls. Each sphere was responsible for only one enchantment, making it easier to fix should anything go wrong. Was that easier than enchanting hull-plating? Because hull plating took damage, especially if they were attacked. Meaning that it would be easy to destroy their enchantments if someone wanted to.
With this setup, the enchantments would be protected inside the ship. And should one be overloaded, like the windscreen effect they’d need to avoid damage from a bird, it was easily reparable. Especially because he’d nested them in order of what would mostly likely be damaged first to what wasn’t likely to be damaged.
The best part was that they came apart by unscrewing their two hemispheres from each other. A liberal smattering of high-powered magnets made sure they all hovered in place inside each other. He was rather pleased with the whole thing.
Of course, once Avi and Asura managed to advance the level of tech they had available, his little metal ball would become obsolete. Well, until his artifact refining got to another level that is. He was sure that if he attained a high enough level in his cultivation, both magical and psionic, that he’d be able to craft magical items that would rival that of any high technology that had shown up in pop-culture over the years!
Joram chuckled as he finished his inspection of the core, then turned to the rest of the vessel.
It was larger than a standard Starfleet shuttle, and much more comfortable. Which, really, was a given because it was designed after the Runabouts that had shown up in DS9. Since he wasn’t a fan of leather seating, he’d opted to go for cloth seating instead of what had been shown in those shows.
The back of the unit had the bunks, enough for eight people to sleep comfortably, if not privately. There were also two separate “showers” that were really just [Cleanse]’ing stalls. No need to store that much water after all.
From the dormitory you would find yourself facing the backside of the wall that separated the sleeping accommodations from a small kitchenette. It really only had a preservation/refrigeration “cupboard” that was placed at chest to head height on that wall, having been made wide instead of tall like the refrigerators on Earth.
The replicator sat under those “cupboards”, right in the centre. With the supply of raw elements found in the space under the counter, one could have the replicator produce the dinnerware and cutlery you’d need to serve and eat the food. It also acted as a heating unit, much a like a microwave, but less weird.
From the kitchenette you then arrived at a small eating area with a table that could fit six around it, with seating that was attached to the deck. Once past the table, you’d arrive at the open concept cockpit.
It had two very comfortable looking seats, also attached to the deck, placed in front of the control panels for the ship. Which, at this point, mostly consisted of a few buttons that controlled things like lighting, headlights, and other such mundane things. The various dials and gauges were replaced with either 8k screens or holographic displays.
Which, again, showed minimal information because the whole thing was a work in progress. Eventually they’d have displays for a sensor suite, shield levels, and weapon controls.
Joram caught himself before he had a nerdgasm and looked around, satisfied. He’d even taken the time to psionically reinforce the outer hull and viewports with [Matter Manipulation], a power that permanently increased the strength of the molecular bonds in an item. He wasn’t sure how it would stand up to being attacked by cultivators, but he was reasonably sure that it should stand up well if they accidentally crashed or ran into something.
Deciding not to distract Avi any further, he shifted back to his workshop to check on a few things.
Once there, though, he wound up slumping into a chair. He knew that he was putting off doing a few things, like spending more time with his family before heading out, but it didn’t really matter. When they thought of heading off to the coast, they imagined leaving their family behind for many months, or even years, at a time. But for him, it really just meant exploring a bit before returning to his Realm where they all stayed.
He thought his mother might have gotten over that mental hurdle before anyone else had. She might have also been more used to being away from him than the rest, though.
He sighed, then realized that he was very much in the habit of sighing and silently chided himself.
Then, after consciously not shaking his head, he turned his focus back to his application.
He’d found a recent copy of the Academy’s application form and had filled it out as best he could. However, the section for his current cultivation had been left blank. He was fairly certain that he didn’t want to draw attention to his unique situation. Instead, he’d filled out the part that asked about Mental Strength, marking that he was in the 5th Tier already, and that he was applying as a “crafting student”, as they called those who weren’t there to study various cultivation techniques.
He knew that his given age and his 5th Tier in Mental Strength would have him stand out like a neon light in the night, but the entrance exams would more than likely wind up revealing any lies that he put on paper. He wondered if, even with the attention he’d get, he’d manage to have a relatively smooth stay at the Academy.
Doesn’t really matter, so long as I can learn everything I can before heading out to rescue everyone, he thought as he stored the application away in his storage ring. He then turned to the neatly arranged piles of supplies he was expected to have with him when he started school.
He went through each stack, making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything, storing them away in his ring once they’d been double checked.
He’d also given the Trio (now his favoured way of referring to the Three Lotuses) permission to go out and buy what they thought they’d need from the small market that had been set up by the refugees, as well as the funds to do so.
Which still threw him off, even if he was glad that the monetary system of the outside world still being used. They’d need to eventually settle back on Aneath lands and would require capital to get trade back up and running again. They weren’t that far from one of the major cities in Ashworth, their little province in the Orchid Country. But they were still almost a thousand miles away.
They were considered the “boonies”, a backwater that wasn’t of much interest to their country, let alone the province they resided in. Heck, even the tax collectors barely showed up for the meager gains the trip got them.
Anway, the refugees would need to rebuild. They needed to buy building resources not readily available to them. Well, not really construction materials so much as reagents need for arrays and such. They’d also need to buy seeds for more varied crops along with medicinal herbs and reagents for alchemy and artifact refining.
Rebuilding after the complete destruction of any and all infrastructure was long, hard, and complicated work. He realized that he or Avi would have to leave one of their minds behind to help with building plans and blueprints if they didn’t want to hire architects and engineers to do it for them.
Well, he really didn’t want that. There would need to be some secrecy to how some things were built, as well as their various forms of protection.
Ah, back on track you wandering brain! He thought as he tapped the side of his head with a knuckle.
Thinking of the Trio again, he hoped that they wouldn’t cause him any issues in the future. Sure, those oaths were very powerful, but he knew human nature and its ability to reason its way out of, or around, just about anything.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
* * * * *
Mo Yu looked at the clothing offered in the small shop. It wasn’t a large place, far from what she had been used to frequenting before coming to the Waeryn Continent.
Yet, the quality of the wares was higher than she had expected. Not only were the various fabrics high quality, so much so that she’d expect to find their like in any major city back home, but the designs were also current and trendy, while also having a selection of more traditional garb.
She made her way to the trendy section, her interest piqued. Her usual style was to dress in traditional robes and dresses, which very much resembled each other in form, if not so much in function.
These clothes were so different! There was a selection of pants that were either loose and relaxing to wear, or ones that seemed like they would fit like a second skin. There were also things called “shorts”, ranging from knee length to scandalously short! They wouldn’t even cover as much as normal undergarments would!
While her face cooled down after imagining herself showing them off to Joram, Mo Yu turned to examine undergarments.
What she found both reassured her and caused her face to turn even redder than before.
She found a section filled with undergarments that she was used to. Traditional cloth wraps for her chest that had a wonderful range of colours available while the selection of fabrics was fantastic. Anything from a cloth that was as soft as silk but had almost no give to it, all the way to something equally soft yet had such spring to it what she spent several minutes just playing with it.
There were even wraps that came in sets with panties that matched. She nodded at that, appreciating that whoever made them had certainly known the heart of a woman; likely a woman themselves.
Her eyes then turned to the “modern” section. There, she found many “bras” that were of similar design to the one she’d been given in her cell.
But the variety stunned her. She looked back at the “traditional” section and felt that she’d been cheated all of her life. Sure, the traditional stuff was… practical and all that. But the modern stuff just seemed to call to her.
She went from rack to rack, comparing the designs and fabric. She admired how they were made, for they seemed to truly take into account proper body mechanics. Just looking at any of the straps told her that whoever had made them knew their stuff. As the “cup” size increased on the bra, so too did the width of the shoulder strap as well as the strap at the back.
This allowed for better weight distribution, making things exponentially more comfortable for the wearer.
So, when she got to another section that wasn’t as clearly labelled, she became confused.
Had these been designed by someone else?
She picked one up and examined the thin shoulder straps. The one on the back wasn’t terrible, but the thin shoulder straps would be a pain to wear throughout the day. Mo Yu then examined the cups and found that the fabric was almost sheer. Then her gaze turned to the accompanying panties and her face went red again.
When she realized what this section was meant for, she fled so fast that air turbulence she left in her wake nearly sent everything flying.
“What’s wrong?” Bai Lian asked from where she was still examining different shirts.
Mo Yu still wasn’t quite comfortable around Bai Lian. That she’d so fully thrown herself into Joram’s camp still didn’t sit well with her. Yes, she, Mo Yu, had sworn an oath to Joram that still made her blush to think about…. It was hard to describe.
The shame she’d felt after the misunderstanding she’d had about Joram’s intentions had been cleared up had been profound. She thoroughly regretted her loss of control and for thinking the worst of someone without having any of the facts.
Sure, in that situation her reaction was all but expected; normal, even. But that’s not who she was or wanted to be.
She loved debates and discussions because it allowed her to be deliberate, thoughtful. She could plan things out, think about the topic of the debate and look at every angle she could conceive. She wanted to be someone who didn’t allow their emotions to control them, to control a person’s reactions and how they treated others.
That is why she found her reaction and actions towards Joram so… repulsive and shameful. She’d let her baser side take control.
“Hello…”
Mo Yu’s attention snapped back to the present, leaving those thoughts for later.
“Ah, yes. I was a bit shocked by some of the… undergarments’ designs,” she said, motioning vaguely to the offending section.
Bai Lian blinked, then grinned. “Ah, you’re a bit shy. That’s OK. I’ll go have a look too!” She said, grinning all the while.
Mo Yu wasn’t sure if she was as brazen as she acted, or if she was just trying to outdo her in some way.
Either way, she waited as Bai Lian headed over to the undergarment section and began inspecting the selections available.
At first, Bai Lian seemed disappointed as she went through the traditional section, shooting Mo Yu a look that clearly showed her confusion. Mo Yu just waved her on, indicating that she continue.
It was interesting watching Bai Lian as she went through the modern section. She genuinely seemed to love the practical designs there, gushing over this set and that. It was when she reached the… impractical section that Mo Yu started to smile.
It didn’t take long for Bai Lian to turn red, steam practically rising from her head before she, too, beat a hasty retreat.
Mo Yu waited as Bai Lian calmed down beside her before saying something.
“So, what do you think?” She asked, genuinely curious. She had thought of teasing the poor girl, but had ultimately decided that it would have been in bad taste to do so.
“What is wrong with the person who designed those?” She asked, eyes wide as she took hold of Mo Yu’s arm in both of hers.
She just shook her head at that. “Let us find more practical attire,” she said, pulling Bail Liam along.
* * * * *
Ren Wentian had a much easier time of it.
He’d gone into the clothing store for men, spent about fifteen minutes looking through things, then was out again five minutes later with his purchases. His tastes were simple, and the selections and arrangements of the clothing had made the experience straightforward and pain free.
What had caught his attention after getting his clothing and footwear had been the smithy.
He was more used to hand-to-hand combat, but wasn’t unfamiliar with various weapons.
The quality of the weapons on display had intrigued him. They weren’t anything that he couldn’t find in his sect. No, it was the fact that they were on par with what he’d find in his sect, while being found in this small town.
Wentian entered the shop, looking around. He was a bit surprised to find that the shop also contained many mundane items like nails, brackets, hammers, hoes, and the like. Something you’d find in any smithy in a small town… which really shouldn’t have surprised him when the thought about it.
He was inspecting a halberd, admiring the wide and shallow ax blade on one side when he felt a presence approach.
He turned and saw a fox beastkin woman approach, her face smudged with soot or something similar. His eyes widened as he took in her details. From her darker reddish hair and fur to her amazing blue eyes to her stunning figure, she was possibly the most beautiful fox beastkin he’d ever met.
She stopped in front of him, glancing at the halberd before looking back up at him, then spoke.
“Hi, what do you need?” She asked bluntly, her tone impatient.
Wentian blinked at that.
“I was just, ah, looking around,” he stammered out. “I’ll be leaving with Joram Aneath soon, so I was looking for anything that might be useful.”
The woman looked him in the eye for a moment before sighing.
“When will that brat find time to meet with me,” she sighed again, then shook her fist at the ceiling. “I’ve been waiting almost a year already!” She shouted at said ceiling.
Wentian stepped back, not quite sure what to think. Well, one thought came to mind. How is that kid so lucky with women!?
* * * * *
Bai Lian was now much happier than she’d been since she’d been revived.
Not only was she and the others allowed to wander about freely, but they’d even been given a budget to restock what they’d lost!
She and Mo Yu had just finished buying their clothing, having selected a wide variety of styles just in case they were needed in the future.
She was still a bit flustered by some of the designs available for undergarments, but had managed to convince Mo Yu to buy a couple of the less scandalous pairs with her. She was sure that they’d look incredibly sexy in them, but wasn’t sure how she’d go about showing them off with Mo Yu.
Bai Lian shot a glance at Mo Yu. She would be a worthy rival….
Her brain nearly rebooted again as that thought fully registered. She didn’t know why she was thinking that way, especially after Joram had revealed his true age to them. She wasn’t into kids!!
But then again, his physical body was that of a young man, someone around her age. Then there was the fact that he didn’t act like any child she’d ever met before. There was an intensity, a maturity to him that belied his claim to childhood.
“Are you OK?” Mo Yu asked her, a concerned look on her face.
How are you not freaking out with me?!
“Just coming to grips with our new situation in life,” she replied faintly.
“Ah, understandable,” Mo Yu said with a sympathetic look and a nod. “How about we get something from the food court?”
Bai Lian understood what Mo Yu was doing and appreciated it. Food could fix many things after all.
So it was that they found themselves trying to decide which little restaurant in the food court they’d try first.
Bai Lian really wanted to try one place that offered these interesting sandwiches made with a long and narrow loaf of bread. You could pick and choose what you wanted to go inside, from the vegetables to the meat to a variety of sauces.
Mo Yu wanted to try another place that offered a variety of dishes that smelled quite spicy. They had several large pots of something stew-like, but in colours ranging from a creamy orange to a deeper red that made the eyes water, but also made the mouth water. From what they’d observed, the thick stews were served on a bed of rice with the option of having a selection of stir-fried veggies on the side.
They ultimately decided to divide and conquer. She went for the sandwich that was a foot long while Mo Yu brought back a large bowl containing fried veggies with the creamy-orange stew on rice. She even brought an extra spoon and fork for her.
Bai Lian cut her sandwich in half and passed it over to Mo Yu who had sat down beside her.
They looked at each other, then nodded.
Bai Lian didn’t know if Mo Yu enjoyed the sandwich as much as she did, but by the surprised expression on her face, she was well pleased by it.
And why wouldn’t they be? The bread was light and fluffy on the inside while the crust had just the right amount of toughness to it. The vegetables and meat she’d chosen were both fresh and perfectly seasoned, while the sauce, something called “bar-b-que-“, complimented everything just so with a perfect blend of sweetness, smoky, and a bit spicy.
Once done, their attention turned to the stew dish with rice.
They each took a spoon, nodded to the other, and took a scoop.
The temperature had cooled a bit by the time they tried it, but that didn’t seem to affect how their mouths reacted to the new experience.
The stew was creamy, buttery, and mildly spicy with an array of other spices that flooded her mouth with happiness. The meat practically melted in her mouth, the chunks of potato and other veggies she wasn’t familiar with added to the symphony of flavours and textures. It went perfectly with the long grain rice that seemed to soak up the flavour of the strew.
In mere moments, the dish was consumed to the last grain of rice.
Bai Lian looked at Mo Yu, who returned her gaze with a serious expression on her perfect face.
“I have no regrets swearing service to the young master,” Mo Yu said, a light shining in her eyes.
“Welcome home,” Bai Lain replied with a smile, causing Mo Yu to blink.
“Indeed,” she said, her eyes closing as her chin dipped down so that she could dab at her mouth with a napkin. “Let’s get some of that dessert.”
* * * * *
Joram felt a chill run down his spine and looked over his shoulder. Sure enough, his field of perception wasn’t wrong; he was still alone in Avi’s workshop.
He shrugged, picked up the next item Avi had set aside for him to [Delve], and did just that.
He was excited that she’d thought of adding his Switch to the pile. He kinda missed playing some of those games. That said, he was sure that they could also build something a bit more… robust. There’d been rumours for years before his departure claiming that a “Pro” version was in the works and would be released. Heck, if time flowed at the same rate on Earth as it did here, then they’d likely have gone onto making systems that he couldn’t even imagine.
He made a mental note to have M3 or M4 work on a more robust handheld console. Maybe something that worked with the omni-tools? Yeah, that’d be fun. Or maybe something that linked to use the AR Glasses that Avi had made?
“Yooooo-sh! Let’s get things started!” He yelled up at the ceiling, getting fired up.
* * * * *
Avi smiled as she heard Joram’s excited roar. He’d been much too gloomy this past year, so his enthusiasm gladdened her heart.
Avi leaned back as she slid the panel back in place, then tapped it on the corners to engage the clips. It was as good as it was going to get before Joram needed to leave.
Well, not that she wouldn’t get a chance to work on it after he arrived at the Academy. When not in use, Joram would be storing it away here in the Realm, giving her ample opportunities to continue her work on its upgrades.
She stood up from the decking, then sat in the pilot’s chair and leaned back.
“Tomorrow, huh?” She murmured, looking out the windshield to where Joram was [Delve]’ing for all he was worth.
She smiled again, this time mischievously, as she retrieved a stack of papers from her storage ring and reviewed what was written there.