Universe Online - Enter the Game: Complete Edition (21 page)

Another set of messages pop up in front of me, which are clearly invisible to the NPC, Andrix across the table from me. I take the moment to scan them though, surprised again at what I'd gained before I flick them closed.

It seems that learning the origins of the Drex is a big deal. Who would have guessed?

I simply shrug at Andrix though.

“What can I say? I'm pretty lucky. I'm just happy you didn't shoot me.” I speak with a dry, wry tone, and he bursts out laughing.

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“... and this is where we've set up the tanks for the Hydroponics project. People have been working around the clock to study the subject and maximize productivity. The technical aspects are actually the easiest, which is surprising.”

Andrix has been showing me around Site Prime, and we've finally reached where the vast majority of my time and effort is going to be spent. We've already visited the life support compartment, which is even bigger than the hangar bay is. Hundreds of people were already working on the repairs, tearing out parts and replacing them with the new stuff almost as quickly as they can get their hands on the crates.

Already the timer in my quest log is going up. Minutes, hours. A day or two. That single load of supplies from the Station has bought valuable time. And Andrix has already told me that there's a vast difference compared to just a day or so ago. When people were without hope, all they were doing was sitting around stewing with bad thoughts and despair.

I'm just happy to see the grins on people's face and get their greetings. Andrix introduces me to everyone we come across. All of them know my name by now. It’s a funky experience, but still kinda cool.

It’s like when you have massively high reputation or fame in other games. The NPC's know about it and gossip amongst themselves to spread the news. It’s no different here. Just not as obvious.

Still, back on target. The compartment that's being turned into the hydroponics facility is large, and tall. Pumping equipment is being installed right before my eyes, and dozens of men and women are going about their work with a look of determination.

Around a tank already half-full of murky brown water, a huddled group of scientist-types are chatting and working on various handheld devices and several computers that have been set up nearby. Silene is with them, and she's the most animated and verbal of the bunch.

Her high voice can be heard across the space, but everyone ignores it for the most part.

But all of the scientists are excited. I even spot my packet of seeds being passed around with extravagant care.

“Ah! Andrix, Allec, come over here! Come on now!” It seems we didn't escape Silene's notice, and move over to their group after sharing a mutual grin.

“What have you found out, Silene?” I ask as soon as I get to the group, although I'm tempted to hold my nose.

The half full water tank gives off a livestock stink I could definitely do without. But it’s my plan, so I simply scrunch up my nose at the smell and deal with it.

“We've cataloged more than 600 species of plants from this packet, and there are still more we are sorting through. All of them from the major ecosystems found here on Drune, pre-bombardment. But more than that, we've found larvae of insect life mixed in! Worms, spiders, aphids, you name it! For a little while we couldn't figure out what they were, because the identifiers were only looking for plant life.

“We basically have a whole starting kit for rebuilding the ecosystem!”

Her words cause the other scientists to nod, and I soon learn that many of the plants and the bugs had been shipped over to the greenhouses. With proper ecosystems, even in a micro-environment, productivity is boosted and plants become healthier. It’s great news, and goes far beyond what I was originally thinking.

Sadly, there is only a small number of each, so there's no telling how long it would take to cultivate enough to gain productivity. But with the tropical-based plant life that was originally found on Drune, the scientists think it will only take a generation or two before we're swamped with available seed stock.

Next, the hydroponics setup. I get an in-depth explanation of the system they've set up, and was informed that bringing the extra rations was actually a good idea. They can break them down and isolate the nutrients needed for the specific plants we'll be growing. At the moment, algae and other major oxygen producing specimens.

Setting up the power, light, and heating for them is a major hurdle though. The semi-tropical nature of most of the plants requires higher than average temperatures, so it’s going to be a really big draw. They aren't sure they have enough heating elements to get the job done.

I make a couple of suggestions about heating coils and the like; but most of them are turned down. Heating up the water with an exposed coil in the water would cause unequal heating and other problems. Like electrocution should something go wrong.

That one is a big no-no.

In the end though, there isn't anything we can do about it right this moment. I'm not sure if I can find any compatible systems on the Station.

The only likely idea is raiding the other dead Sites.

But no one really likes that idea. I especially don't. It would require me and my only working ship. And there's no telling what we'd find. It would basically involve an entire expedition, and I have enough on my plate already.

“Just do what you guys can. We'll deal with the problem when it becomes an issue.” Andrix's word was final, and they all go back to work.

From there, he leads me through a few more places, before finally going into a workshop.

In there, I can see people working on both space suits and mechanical suits.

“As you can guess, there are a lot of people who want to get off of this rock. We have suits that'll work in space, but they've been hard used over the years. Also, most of our mechanical support units aren't qualified for space work. So a few of them are getting overhauls, although that’s delicate work.”

Andrix explains to me, and for a moment I just nod and look around. There are several people at computers, reading and writing coding for their suit cores. I walk over to one and see what he's doing.

Come to find out, he's trying to write the programs that'll allow the mech-suit to work in zero-gravity conditions.

Another light-bulb flicks on over my head.

“Ah, here.” I say, stepping up beside the man before plugging my suit into the computer. A quick upload later, and a whole bunch of new coding comes up on the monitors. A full copy of my own suit core.

The man stares flabbergasted at me, and the others soon notice. I actually laugh at the look.

“Its a copy of the stored memory from my own core. I checked it out on the way down to the planet, cause I had twelve hours of time on my hand.”

“Eeeh! But this is coding for the Mark 13x mobile core! It was state of the art, released just before the Drex attacked! No one had one of those!” That seemed to have caught the attention of everyone involved, and a shouting match starts up.

I end up having to sit down when I let them remove the core from my suit so they can study it. Not just the software, but the hardware as well. They cannot reproduce it yet, but they never thought that they'd get the chance to see one, either. All in all, it’s a pretty fun scene to be a part of.

I do get it back though. It’s marked as my personal property, so tampering without permission isn't allowed.

“You cause an uproar wherever you go, don't you, Allec?” Andrix actually teases me a bit once we leave and start heading back to the hangar bay. My ship is unloaded, and there isn't much else I can do that the others cannot at the moment. That, and Andrix received a message saying that the group wanting to go off world is assembled there.

I just grin as we walk back to my ship.

The group that's assembled is large. Nearly three hundred people. Men and women. Jeeze. They are all either talking or arguing about who should go and why and what they can bring to it. Andrix rolls his eyes, and I'm tempted to do the same.

“Enough! Gather round, people! Allec here is going to sort this out, and no back talking! I'll kick your asses out onto the surface myself if I have to!”

Way to go. That shuts them up fast, and they become meek and quiet as they gather around. I look them over, but keep a slight smile anyway.

“Thank you, Andrix. Now then, here's the deal. I can take a max of eight people. Five people will have to live in an itty-bitty escape capsule, but it doesn't have a proper airlock. That means full suits, full-time until one is built around the hatch. And one of you will be sleeping in the very cramped space in the cockpit.

“Then there's one more in my ship, and two more in another Tug that's currently non-operational. It'll need to be fixed, with a minimum of just the life support. That'll be first on the agenda after pulling it out of the bay. Next, the hold I've set up my base in doesn't have a proper external hatch. Just a hole in the hull. That means we are going to have to cut it open to get full access. And probably remove a couple of bulkheads in between the neighboring compartments to open up enough space for everything.

“Finally, there will be a mining detail in the asteroid field. I plan to do that rather quickly, cause the Site here isn't bringing in enough water any more. That means we need ice. And any raw ore or other materials we come across. Getting the tug working, or finding others is necessary for that.

“Now, any other questions?”

I look around, and see that many of them, after hearing the conditions, don't want to go anymore. It isn't surprising. They just didn't realize that the station is just as uninhabitable as the planet is at the moment.

Still, a woman does step up. Big, tall, hair streaked with gray and green eyes. She has the look of a miner, or a fighter.

“I'll go. I ran one of the crustal mining crews until it was shut down a few years ago. Pretty good with a wrench, as well. I don't know jack about piloting a ship though.”

Her speech is straightforward and refreshing, and I nod to her. That's the sort of no-nonsense that is needed.

“Good. You'll be the crew boss, and act as my second-in-command on the station. If we can get the other Tug functional, you'll get first dibs, assuming you want to learn how to pilot it yourself, or find someone you trust at the stick.”

My words shock them, and soon enough others are stepping forward. I make a list of their expertise and experience, and nod my head. It’s a wide mix; but at the moment I'm only interested in certain things.

Mainly engineering and mechanical work. Those experienced with fixing things are needed; although I have to apologize to Andrix for stealing them away.

In the end, it comes out with three women and five men. The forewoman, whose name is Celes (pronounced Celese), and two guys have mining experience. They've worked together before. The other four have mechanical or repair experience, and one has manufacturing experience. The last one is security. A suggestion by Andrix, one which I agree with.