“Self-destroy the submarine? Come on, Kael, don't be dramatic. It's a miracle we got it repaired, and you're already thinking about sending it to the bottom of the sea again.” Sophia looked at me as if I had just suggested that we could go skydiving without parachutes.
“It's a valid possibility,” I replied, holding up my hands in innocence. “If the system disappears with the explosion, it would be a fair exchange.”
“System Note: Self-destruct protocols are disabled for obvious reasons. Thank you for not trying.”
“Ah, but of course!” I snorted. ”The system can relax with music, but I don't have the luxury of blowing things up.”
Sophia ignored me, which was probably for the best. Rather than continue to debate with a system that clearly had more patience than I did, I decided the smart thing to do would be to explore the sub. After all, we still had no idea what it contained or how many “fun” surprises that strange portal had left for us.
Sofia Draven
“It's not like we have a blueprint or anything,” I commented as we followed the narrow corridors. “How is it possible that we're living in one place and have no idea what's beyond the dining room?”
“Well, in my defense, I was too busy fighting a kraken to worry about the interior decor,” Kael replied, opening the door to a compartment that looked like it had been locked for centuries.
What we found inside was some sort of storage room.... or what was left of it. There were rusty crates stacked in a corner, tools strewn about the floor, and something that looked like a diving suit designed by someone with a tentacle fetish.
Kael Draven
“Cool. More stuff we probably won't understand but might come in handy. Or kill us. who knows?” I muttered, as I started going through the boxes.
Inside one, we found something surprisingly handy: a bunch of repair tools in good condition. There was no doubt that the system had magically intervened to preserve these things. There were also a bunch of more...questionable items, like a collection of giant rubber bands and a couple of bottles labeled “universal lubricant.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“This looks more like a makeshift workshop than a storage room,” Sofia said, holding up a giant wrench.
“System Note: Tools added to the sub's inventory. Remember that the first use of these tools will also be free.”
“Really, free? I'm beginning to think this thing has a strange concept of generosity,” I commented, dropping a box of nails that were barely good enough to hold a plank together.
Sofia Draven
After clearing out the storage room and moving the tools to the main area, we continued exploring. We found a room that had probably been the crew's sleeping area, with small bunks and mattresses that looked like they were made of bricks. We also found something unexpected: a small kitchen with an old stove and cans of food that dated from before the interdimensional apocalypse.
“Well, at least we won't starve...yet,” I said, inspecting a can labeled ”generic stew.”
“You know that could be dog food, right?” replied Kael, as he rummaged through a cabinet full of spices.
“Never mind. If it tastes better than the cookies we found earlier, I'll take it as a win.”
Kael Draven
Finally, we came to a room that appeared to be the command center. The system, as always, lit up with an enthusiasm that made me nervous.
“System Note: Initial scan completed. Status panel updated. The submarine is now officially recognized as your base. Remember that upgrades will be available as you progress through your missions.”
A list of submarine statistics appeared on the main screen:
Submarine Status Panel:
General Status: 85% (Additional repairs needed).
Oxygen: Sufficient for 14 days.
Fuel: 35%.
Maximum Speed: 20 knots.
Weapons: Disabled.
Defense Systems: Offline.
Rooms: ?????
Storage Capacity: 40%.
Sofia Draven
“Well, at least we know what we have and what we don't. Although the disabled weapons thing is a bit worrisome.”
Kael folded his arms, looking at the panel with a grim look on his face. “What about that 70%, are we going to sail something that's one step away from sinking?”
“System Note: Sub is functional, but requires upgrades. First main mission in 12 hours, 27 minutes and 15 seconds. Remember that dying is penalized.”
“Penalized? How are they going to penalize us if we're already dead?” asked Sophia, clearly just as frustrated as I was.
“System Note: Consult the terms and conditions for details.”
“Right, because nothing says 'extreme survival' like reading terms and conditions.”
As the system continued to do its thing, I tried to think of something positive. Maybe this sub wasn't perfect, but at least it was a safe place. For now.
“Well, Sofia,” I said, sighing. “It looks like our first mission won't be to find a decent cafe, but to survive whatever the system has in store for us.”
And on that note, the timer kept ticking.
12 hours, 26 minutes and counting.