Enter System, page 32
part #1 of Natural Laws Apocalypse Series
“Our primary goals so far have been twofold. We've been trying to find survivors and bring them back here to the Safe Zone and we've been trying to expand the Safe Zone so we have room for more survivors. Side efforts to that have been stocking up on food and other items that we'll need. So, if any of you are interested in doing it after your break, we're always looking for more combat classes to go out and try to find more survivors. We're also looking for anyone who has figured out a way to teach their class to someone else. We've figured out how to pass on the Healer, Mage, and Warrior classes, so if you've got a different class and figure it out, we may ask you to train people in that class.”
Marc started pacing, wanting to burn off nervous energy. As he continued to speak, he told them about the limited number of non-combat classes that were available, two of them from their own group. He also mentioned the greenhouses, smithy, and alchemy lab and that if anyone wanted to learn the skills associated with those, that they could probably use assistants, which might teach them the skill, and that he could build more buildings of the same and other types if needed.
He went on for about a half an hour, trying to spell out just what was available to do and reinforcing that residency in the Safe Zone required that they do something to pull their own weight. That point seemed to have slid past a few of the earlier people to show up and he'd hated it, but he'd gotten on their asses trying to get them to help out where they could.
He also told them just how to build a Safe Zone, but pointed out that he intended to make as much of the town into one as he could manage, welcoming them to build one elsewhere if they preferred that option. He closed by telling them about Tim, and warning them that there actually were people like that out there who thought that they could just take what others had built simply because they wanted it.
“So, he demanded I hand over the Safe Zone to him. I don't even know how I'd go about doing that,” Marc said.
That was a bit of a lie, he assumed that if he authorized someone on the build pedestal and removed all prior authorization that the remaining person would become owner, but it wasn't something he ever planned to test.
He tried to stop there, but got a yell from the crowd asking what happened to Tim.
“We had to kill him, he pulled a pistol and was threatening people,” Marc said.
Jeff started laughing, loudly and uproariously.
“Don't let him kid you,” Jeff said. “Marc told the guy “Sure.”, then walked up to him like he was going to give him something. He gave him something alright, used a spell to plug the guy's pistol, then told him “No.” to his face. Tim pulled the trigger and pretty much blew his own arm off. Felicia wasn't too impressed with him either, so she loaded his torso with buckshot. Don't get me wrong, my group are all great guys,” he turned to look at Felicia nervously, “and gals. They've got the right stuff when the chips are down though, so it wouldn't be wise to cross them.”
Marc groaned at Jeff's input. He hadn't wanted to force the new residents to think of that type of thing during their downtime, although he had felt the need to warn them about Tim and others like him. Jeff had totally tossed that kindness away though. Then he noticed the looks on the faces of the people in the auditorium.
Some of them were laughing, others were looking at Marc with approval on their faces.
What the hell? he thought, I was sure it would be a bad thing to bring that up. Why are some of them smiling, and others laughing?
He shook his head.
“That's all I've got for you now. There's a cork board in the cafeteria. I put written tasks on it, maybe think of it like a quest board? But I've got a skill that increases the chances of something being done successfully when I've written it out and the person doing it has read it, so I'm trying to get used to writing out everything that needs doing and letting people pick and choose what to do. We're glad to have you with us. Now take some time to get used to things. Those of you with coinage can feel free to use the System shop kiosk in the gymnasium.”
He felt safe on that last since they'd split the loot from the orcs with the people being rescued. They had come in at the end and helped kill the casters and the orcs still in their building. That had allowed a number of them to actually loot some of the corpses. He'd made sure the others got some coins also. When he explained it to the other adventuring groups as wanting to encourage them to be active outside of the walls, they'd agreed and donated some coins towards the cause.
He got down off the stage and went over to his group.
“What the hell, Jeff?”
“You're welcome. You were losing them. They already know that the world is a hard place now. It sounded, to them, like you were trying to convince them otherwise towards the end before I spoke up. Now they know that you know it also and it gives your words more weight.”
“What?”
“I hate to say it, but I think he's right,” Felicia said. “You were trying to soft play getting rid of Tim after his attempted takeover. Jeff laid it out for them and that let them know that you were trying to be nice to them by not mentioning it. Since the other option is you were a coward that let someone else take care of your problem? He's right, it gave them more respect for you. But you still better not do anything like that again.”
Her voice became vehement with the last sentence and Marc leaned back, worried about another slap coming his way.
“Now I need to go finish taking inventory of my Alchemy lab,” she said, leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek. “Thanks again.”
Felicia rose and walked out of the auditorium. The others who had been here for the talks were also milling about, starting to file out.
Damn, I'm going to have to build another place for people to live, aren't I? Marc thought. I think this batch is going to fill up almost all the accommodations we have left. I hope we've got enough extra materials for that, I'd much rather take advantage of the buildings you can add every level for things that are more rare than just additional lodging.
* * *
Marc looked through the build screen. With his estimates of how many materials would be needed and his estimates of how much the recycling teams would pull in, he thought he could do the next expansion tonight.
And if I'm lucky there'll be enough materials left over to do another Barracks style building for lodging. It works out well when I fill it with rooms instead of just bunks. Cuts the amount it will house in half, but gives some privacy at least, he thought.
He was actually paying more attention to the grayed out additions available to the Safe Zone. Those had only lit up once before, when he was updating the Safe Zone to the second level. That was when he had chosen the greenhouses and he wasn't sure if they became available because the Safe Zone had gone up a level or if they were only available to be built when the Safe Zone was expanding. The greenhouses were available still, but it was the same question. Were they available because he already had some or had their availability just come about from him expanding the Safe Zone.
The book he'd purchased didn't actually mention that, just that some things were only available at certain times based on levels and actions with no more clarification than that. He wished it were more specific but was pretty sure that whoever had written it did so based on their own experiences with their Safe Zone rather than on any other knowledge base.
It made him consider, briefly, taking knowledge of Safe Zones when his Research skill went up, which led him to wondering how to level up his Research skill. Realizing that he'd spent almost the entire time they'd been back at the Safe Zone after fighting the orcs lost in his own mind, he tried to dismiss the thoughts.
He looked around the gymnasium, where he was standing. Someone had purchased a few things to spruce up the area. Circular tables, with matching chairs, the kind of things you'd find in a food court, now dotted the room here and there. Whoever had purchased those had also purchased the type of red, velvet hanging ropes you found at movie theaters or expensive restaurants. They'd used the ropes to section off the area around the building pedestal. The ropes made him think it was Jeff, but the tables weren't something Jeff would've done, so he wondered.
He turned back to the building pedestal and pulled up the expansion screen.
You have insufficient resources to increase your Safe Zone.
Resources required:
Wood: 2000/2000
Stone: 2000/2000
Metal: 1059/1100
Designated power source for Safe Zone:
Monster Core – common – poor
This power source will sustain three expansions from base.(2/3)
He was positive the recycling crews would bring in more metal than he needed, he just hoped he had sufficient of the materials to add in some of the buildings that only seemed available when he expanded the Safe Zone.
If not, do I wait for more materials or do I go ahead and do the expansion anyhow? Marc wondered.
He closed out the screen a final time, noting that he'd need to use another core if he wanted to continue expanding beyond this next time. That or System tokens, but he was loathe to use the System tokens, knowing he could Systemize items with them.
After dinner, he thought. I'll get something to eat, then check again after dinner when the recycling teams are back. They should be back any time now.
He worried, but he was pretty sure they'd be safe. He'd instructed them to stay near the Safe Zone, but go off onto the side streets, planning on claiming the materials left on the main road into town with the expansion. With Conner and Natalie to guard their respective teams, they shouldn't be in very much danger at all.
Although not very much isn't none, he thought. Hopefully I can start getting into the areas with more materials in another expansion or two and they can stop going out if they want.
Realistically, he knew that they wouldn't be going out now if it wasn't something they wanted to do, but he still felt responsible for them being out there.
* * *
Chapter Twenty-Four
When he entered the cafeteria, he found Felicia and Rob eating at a table. They waved him over and he went there first.
“Hey, have a seat,” Felicia said.
“I need to get my food first.”
She shook her head.
“Nah, Alice has three other girls working with her now, from Ron's crew, they're doing waitress duties. One of them should be over in a minute.”
As though summoned by the words, a young woman showed up behind Marc.
“What can I get you?” she said.
“Umm, sorry. What's available?”
“Oh, yeah, well, it's on the menu, but that's posted over near the kitchen. Sorry, I forget we just changed to this format this afternoon. We've got chicken enchiladas, medium spice. We've also got beef stew and bread, or chili and bread. Sorry, all the meat is from cans though, just so you know.”
“Wow, choices now?”
“Yeah, we've got three cooks back there, so they each picked something and made it. There's enough people around that there won't be many leftovers, although the last people in for dinner may not have a choice as to what they get,” the waitress said.
Marc glanced down and saw that Felicia had chosen the enchiladas and Rob the stew.
“Let me have the enchiladas, would you?” he said.
“Be right back with those. Drinks are in the cooler.”
“Shoot, I should've grabbed that first, but maybe...”
Marc looked in his inventory. He seemed to recall stacking a few loose cans of Coke in there and sure enough there they were. He pulled one of those out and popped the top, the fizz catching a few peoples' attention.
One of the slackers whose case he'd had to get on about not contributing shot him a glare as he took a drink. Marc just stared back at the man, who quickly turned around.
“Hey, I'm going to expand the Safe Zone again after dinner if anyone's interested,” he said.
“I'll come along for that, but only if you don't send me to the walls to warn the guards,” Rob said.
“Same,” Felicia added. “I didn't mind warning people about my Alchemy lab, but I don't want to run errands.”
“That won't be a problem. I realized that some of the people who got here earlier are upset that they don't have any coins for the shop, while some of the later ones do. I figure I'll start hiring runners and the like for a copper or two when I need that,” Marc said.
“Yeah, but you gave them options to learn crafting. They could make stuff and sell it in the shop if they wanted coins,” Rob said.
Marc shrugged.
“A lot of people can't just pick up something new that easy. As long as they help somehow, I'll eventually find a way to pay them for what they do. I can set up taxes, but don't want to do that yet. I want to let people get their feet under them first.”
Marc's enchiladas arrived at that point and he applied himself to his food. When he'd finished, he rose to leave, Rob and Felicia rising with him. Near the door he paused.
“I need a runner for a few minutes. I'll pay two copper for it,” he called.
He'd expected more people to react, but the only taker he got was a younger girl, maybe ten years old.
“I can do that,” she said. “What do you need?”
He explained that he was going to expand the Safe Zone again and he needed someone to warn the guards so they could get off the walls before they moved. So he wanted to her to go tell them that, then return and let him know everyone was off the walls. She grinned and trotted off, heading towards the front door.
Marc went to the building pedestal in the gymnasium.
“I wonder who did the tables and ropes and stuff,” Marc said.
Rob grinned.
“I did the tables, bought them from the shop. Jeff was with me and he said we ought to section off the building pedestal, so he bought the ropes.”
“I knew it was Jeff. I just couldn't figure out why he'd buy the tables, too,” Marc said.
Felicia snickered.
“Well, you shouldn't have to worry about him tonight. I saw him escorting his friend down to his apartment,” she said.
“Hmm, I wonder if getting laid will mollify his attitude a bit,” Marc said before snorting. “Who am I kidding, it's Jeff. Nothing changes his attitude.”
He stepped up to the pedestal and opened the build screen.
You have sufficient resources to increase your Safe Zone.
Resources required:
Wood: 2000/2000
Stone: 2000/2000
Metal: 1100/1100
Designated power source for Safe Zone:
Monster Core – common – poor
This power source will sustain three expansions from base.(2/3)
This time some options he hadn't seen before were available.
“Hey, should we light the walls?” Marc asked. “That's a new option that wasn't there last time.”
“How much extra does it cost?” Felicia asked.
Marc selected it and saw that the metal cost rose by twenty-five, but they could still cover that.
“Only twenty-five metal and we've got it.”
“Won't that make it hard for the guards to see beyond the walls?” Rob asked.
“The description says it casts soft light to fifty feet beyond the walls,” Marc said, “as well as providing illumination within ten feet inside the walls.”
“I'd say do it, well, depending on what other options you have,” Felicia said.
“Wood lot, orchard, lodging, pond, fields, and all the stuff that's available whenever.”
“Isn't there lodging available normally? Why's that different?”
“Let me see.”
Marc looked and realized that the lodging was an upgradeable apartment building. Something that might take care of his worries about lodging. It came with water and power, like the Safe Zone itself. He pulled himself out of pondering the description.
“Thanks for getting me to look at that. It's a better version of lodging that's available all the time, but it's also upgradeable. I don't know if upgrades are only available when I'm enhancing the Safe Zone or any time, but I think it's a good call to take that. Let's see: lodging, wall lighting, and another field? The fields like those two are only available during upgrades on the Safe Zone, so I think grabbing another now is a good plan.”
“Well, check and let's see if you can do that,” she said.
Rob nodded his agreement.
“Crap,” Marc said. “I can't do both the lodging and the wall lighting. They both take metal and we don't have enough.”
“Probably lodging then,” Felicia said. “We've been fine without wall lighting so far.”
“That leaves me one more. Let me do some reading.”
A minute later Marc had made his choice. The wood lot, obviously, provided wood. It took a while to get going though and he'd already put one in. The orchard was similar, food and eventually wood too, but it took a while before it produced. The pond was actually a source of freshwater fish, something he hadn't realized before. Like the fields, he'd thought the pond was just ornamental.
“Okay,” he said finally. “I'm thinking lodging, a field, and a pond. The pond is actually another food source for freshwater fish, not just for decoration. The two tree things take longer to get producing than the pond, so...”
“So, short term for now, long term later?” Felicia asked.
Marc nodded.
“Can we afford those three?” Rob asked.
“Sure, the pond actually provides materials based on where it's located. If there's rock excavated for it, it goes into our stone stores,” Marc said. “Same thing with the fields. The lodging was fine before, it just took too much metal to do along with the wall lighting.”
“Then let's do that,” Rob said.
“Okay, just waiting on the messenger to get back then,” Marc said.
A minute later, the little girl came in, out of breath.
