RBCT Chapter 611: Resources Needed
Chapter 611: Resources Needed
[System Update: 62.08%. Time Left: 1 Month 3 Days.]
"Well that is a problem." Jace chuckled in a nervous annoyance. "How did we run out of aluminum of all things?"
"The fighter prototypes and VR pods utilize a bunch of that and gold. Which are both things we now need. But we scanned a large asteroid of gold. We can utilize only aluminum that is not being scanned in the amount we need." Valkyrie explained as they looked at the side of the ship where the insides were visible because there was no plating.
"I suppose we have been so focused on the insides that we missed this." Jace nodded his head. "Was the facility short of materials as well?" He asked, as he could pick out where they started putting the mounting for the new pieces of plating and armor which took more material and where they had yet to swap out the old pieces of the hold and armor for the cruiser.
To be fair to them. They had basically automated the process. So they did not have many reasons to check it personally. But now they were running low on a material and needed to get asteroids and materials.
"Nope, we just compress the materials more and make more combinations. We have stripped almost everything out of this place. We only have the materials reserved in an emergency which we need your permission to use." Cain explained. "Which is why I wanted to ask if we should use the emergency supply to make a transport ship so we could grab more asteroids from further away or use up the remainder of the materials to get halfway through the armor plating."
Jace took a deep breath before letting it out. "Make a new transport ship." Jace declared with a nod of his head. "Make sure it can be utilized for both the transport of goods and troop transport."
"Are you thinking of a design we utilize already in our galaxy or something new?" Cain asked as he tilted his head in contemplation.
"Something new. We have all this new tech so we might as well make use of it." Jace told him. "I think it would be best to utilize a less costly and less durable form of chemi-metal. I will provide the formula for the metal. I will also make an engine for it as well. Just tell me the design and I will adapt it."
"Who should design it?" Valkyrie asked.
"All of you, together." Jace informed them. "Get everyone together for dinner and come up with various designs. It will be a good group bonding exercise. Just like during game night. Just make sure the design is done in the next three days so we can make it in a week after that. We have to get the resources to finish the cruiser together soon. I want to be on our way in just over a month."
"Will do." Valkyrie went to move but stopped. "But we do have some other problems."
Jace raised an eyebrow and looked at Cain who just shook his head. "Okay, give them to me. I will see what I can do."
"The first is Catherine Hex. She is starting to get suspicious about why we refuse to talk about her son. I am sure it will not be long until she figures it out." Valkyrie informed him.
"That is fine. By the time she is able to figure anything out we will already be in our galaxy. But if you want we can put her in cryostasis. We do have the materials to spare to do that much." Jace assured them.
"That might be a good idea. It is not as necessary to have her in the infirmary as much. Liz and Shilla have been working on studying medicine. Liz has actually been a huge help with both the medical stuff and hydroponics. Apparently since she lived in the middle of nowhere and had to do the basics herself for her entire life." Valkyrie explained. "She is a good woman but it might be a good idea to establish her place. She is not sure where she necessarily stands. One minute she was a normal outsider at a lighthouse, the next she was in space with a bunch of other subhumans."
"Why did you bring her anyways? I did not detect anything of interest about her." Cain pointed out.
"Because I drew the empire to her home and they started chasing her so I gave her a place to stay." Jace answered initially as he made sure no one was listening in on their conversation. "Or at least that is the excuse I will be making to most people. The real reason is that the lizard with her is some type of astral beast variant created through genetic engineering."
"Astral Beast? As in like your foster daughter? How did they manage that?" Valkyrie asked in surprise. Jace raised an eyebrow but she shrugged. "What? I can do research on my opponents."
"Yes, I am worried what will happen if an astral beast’s power is weaponized in genetic form. But there are also a bunch of astral beasts in our galaxy so I am also intending to bring it to their attention." Jace explained before getting them back on track. "You said you had other worries?"
"Well that actually answered two of my worries. The second one was about Liz. The first one was about Catherine. Now the last two worries are about... umm...the first of the last two is about Shilla, she has become a work-a-holic. I know you two are close in that way. I think it might be a good idea for both of you to go out on a date or something, she might be feeling neglected." Valkyrie rubbed her arm, "Which I might not have any place to say such a thing since Le- I mean Shinobi and I have only been going out for more than a month now."
"Going out on a date?" Jace chuckled. "Is that what you call it? I just called it intercourse."
Valkyrie blushed and punched his arm. "You know what I mean."
"Organic beings..." Cain sighed.
"Yeah I do." Jace chuckled before rubbing the back of his head and staying quiet for a few minutes. "I will deal with it."
"Okay, then the last thing which I wanted to discuss with you." Valkyrie actually seemed incredibly nervous. Jace let her gather her thoughts and did not push her to make her point. It was not like he was in a rush or anything. He was supposed to be finishing the engine today and then run diagnostics on it. That was literally all he had to do today. "My period is late."
Well that came out of left field. "What?" Jace frowned and looked at her and saw her blush reaching to her ears. Then he understood, "congratulations. Does Shinobi know yet?"
"Nope. I am still considering finding a way to not have it. I also need to make sure I am actually having one." Valkyrie explained. "But it is not exactly the best time to have a child. After all, our galaxy is about to be engulfed in war."
Her words left Jace deep in thought for a few minutes. "Why consider it? Just have the kid." Jace told her and saw she looked confused but not about what she should do but now about Jace’s attitude. "We are in the safest situation at the moment and one of the areas that Shilla’s people are all trained in is childbirth. I could spell out the benefits to morale of having a child on board. But instead I will leave you with this bit of information. The happiest moment in my life was not on some battlefield or during my childhood. It was sitting at a table with my two adopted daughters talking about how their day at school was."
Valkyrie blinked as the confusion disappeared and was replaced by something else, awe? He understood a moment later as he reached up and wiped a tear away. He was smiling and tearing up at the happy memory. "I see..."
"Admittedly I am not the best father. I mean I taught them that violence is always a solution." He chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Wow..." Valkyrie crossed her arms as she joined him in looking at the ship for a few minutes in silence before speaking again. "You are not babysitting my kid." Jace flinched at that and looked over at her.
"Hey... I will have you know I am incredible with children." Jace told her. "I am just not the best role model."
"Who would have guessed that a guy likes torturing people and destroying planets would be a bad role model." Cain pointed out with a scoff. "We can put a daycare in the most fortified position inside the cruiser. It would not take long and I have a wealth of knowledge in the area."
"Thank you Cain and thank you Jace for being honest with me." Valkyrie thanked them as she wiped a tear away from her eye as well.