But thankfully a virtual reality like this always replenished resource nodes, even if they were deep underwater. They had made five or six trips between Dux and Beylan, each time carrying as many deep pearls as they could fit in their hold.
Their cash reserves grew steadily, especially since they didn't have to pay guild taxes. Even undercutting the market they were able to make a small fortune, enough to buy beachfront property in some of Beylan's most affluent districts.
Of course, that wasn't the goal of their trips. All of their efforts remained focused on creating the prototype, a destroyer-class vessel capable of providing armed escort against a variety of threats. They had already purchased the hull, which remained in dry-dock, but they still had to construct the engines and fit the weaponry. Blue Frog and Rho were still hard at work messing around with the fire crystal mixes, trying to come up with a proper concoction.
But the ship was starting to take shape. Bailey had already constructed the vessels bridge with a bit of help from some of the other engineers. It sat about a third of the way down the ship, consisting of three levels. The first contained the armory and storage, the second held the navigation deck, where the ship would be steered from, and the third contained the observation deck.
That last level concerned him the most, since Brandon's role had always been as the lookout. It might not sound like much of a task, but it was vital to the operation of a ship. Without radar or any other electronic means of detecting other vessels, the only way to spot the enemy was with a sharp pair of eyes.
Brandon stepped across the gangplank, moved onto the ship and then stepped inside the tower. He ascended the metal steps up to the navigation deck, then headed to the observation level.
He looked around for a moment, taking in the view of the surrounding shipyard. It gave him a good field of vision, and Brandon liked the amount of space it gave him to move around. On their current ship he was the only one who could stand on the observation deck, but here they could easily fit two or three players, possibly more.
He wondered about communications, though. A speaking tube would work between the observation and navigation decks. They could probably just shout orders up and down the hatch without too much trouble, but Brandon wondered if a phone line might be a good idea.
He mused over it some more. The phone lines didn't need to just go to the rest of the bridge. If they put in links to both gun turrets he could communicate directly with the crews and guide their fire. If…
“OK, which one of you is up on the observation deck?” Bailey's voice echoed up through the hatch.
“The one who's going to be spending the most time up here,” Brandon called back. He took one last look around and descended back to the navigation deck.
“Like what you see?” she asked.
“Looks a lot better than what we've been trying to do with the base.”
“I haven't really been back there for a while. Do I want to know?”
Brandon shrugged. “It's not that big of a deal. We were clearing out the yard around the building. A lot of scrap there.”
“Was it sellable?”
“Not for a ton, but it still got us some money for the effort,” he said. “Makes sense, though. You'd essentially be getting the place for free if you got high prices for the metal.”
Bailey nodded. “So you really haven't answered by question. What do you think about all this?”
Brandon looked around the interior of the bridge. It still needed plenty of work, but the basic form was starting to take shape. He saw instrument panels, currently empty but present, a spot for the navigator to place charts and maps, and a raised platform that contained the ship's wheel.
“Why the raised platform?”
She shrugged. “We have the headspace, and I just thought it was a practical thing to put in. It's only about two feet higher, but that'll let the helmsman see over everything. Just in case we have someone really tall looking over the instruments.”
“What kind of crew are we going to need for this? Hi Jocelyn,” he said as their former guildmate climbed up the stairs and into the navigation deck.
“Hi Brandon. Checking out the new bridge?”
“Yeah, I was getting bored and wanted something to do. Looking good so far.”
“So, your question,” Bailey said.
“Oh. Right. What kind of crew are we talking about?”
“Shane thinks five or six. That's possible. But that's the absolute minimum we can have. And if we want to be effective we're going to need more.”
“How many more?”
“Well, first we need the helmsman, an engineer, a navigator, and a lookout. There's four already. Then we'll need at least one for each gun, but two or three would be optimum.”
“Two,” Jocelyn said. “We're working on the weapons so they'll be as automated as possible. Or as automated as you can get for something without computers. That's one of the last holdups on the weapon.”
“OK, two for each. We're already up to eight. And we might want an extra officer for the torpedoes.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” Jocelyn said. “I assume that you're going to be firing them in spreads, right? And once they're gone you can't use the tubes until you reload them, and you're not going to be able to do them in combat. So maybe one of the others can do that job when it's called for?”
Bailey shrugged. “Still, that's eight of us.”
“And we currently have five. Unless we're really going to try to skimp on people then we're going to need to start to recruit,” Brandon said. “Not sure how I feel about that, adding a bunch of new members at once.”
“You didn't have a problem with Jamie.”
“That's because we worked with her once already. And she's one person. Adding more than that...”
Bailey shrugged. “Well, we'll deal with that when the time comes. First we have to get this thing working. And then we have to find the people.”
“I'll get out of your way...”
“You can help us,” Jocelyn said. “There's a lot of busywork that needs to be done, and an extra pair of hands is going to be helpful.”
“But I'm not an engineer.”
“You can maintain your weapon, right? And craft simple things like everyone else?”
“Yeah.”
“Then that's not going to be a problem. You're installing switches and toggles, not designing the entire system from the ground up. That's what the engineer specialization does. It's not like we all go completely blind if we're not sentinels.”
Brandon smiled for a moment. “OK, but if my work is shoddy-”
“Then we're still blaming you for it. Don't worry too much about it,” Bailey said. “We'll check it over for you.”
“So what are we doing?”
“See those boxes over there? We're installing the switches and dials into the control panel. Everything is tagged with a letter that corresponds to a hole. The chart for it is over on the table. Just pop it in the right spot, bolt it down and make sure it won't fall out. We'll deal with calibrating everything later.”
Brandon hesitated for a moment, then rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
“So what do you think about this? You still haven't answered my question,” Bailey said.
“About what?” Jocelyn inquired.
“What he thinks about the ship.”
“In my defense, we keep getting sidetracked,” Brandon said. “But honestly? I think this is going to be good. Very good.”
“That's not a very exact answer, truth be told.”
Brandon sighed and tried to think of another way to rephrase his response. “It's a lot more powerful than anything we've had for quite some time. That alone gives me a lot of confidence. I know that we're going to avoid fighting with the guild if we can, but if we're forced into it I know we can come out on top.”
“Always a good thing to know.”
“Yeah, but for me even more-so,” Brandon said. He installed a dial and bolted it
into the panel. “You're down in the engine room messing around with everything. I have to stand up on deck and watch the enemy, and let me tell you that can get pretty nerve-wracking. But knowing we have the power to blow them out of the water if we need to, that's going to make me feel a little better.”
“This thing isn't invincible, though.”
“Of course it isn't. But it's better than sailing around on something with no weapons.”
“That's true.”
Brandon reached for another switch and installed it. Bit by bit the ship was starting to come together, and once it was finished it would be a terror.
The look on the Iron Guild's faces when they were staring down the barrels of this ship's guns would be priceless.
“I have someone that you should meet,” Alex said as he stepped through the doors. “Or rather, some people.”
Kelvin straightened up to meet the newcomers, then grinned as the first face appeared around the door. “Well, long time no see. How have you been?”
“I've been good, thanks,” Ryan said. “And thanks again for all the help you guys gave me. Without it-”
Kelvin stopped him. “Hey, if you're going to keep thanking us for that then it's going to start to get embarrassing. We're already even for that. You paid for your passage with those torpedoes, and it was pretty fun sinking that raider ship.”
“He said that he knew you,” Alex spoke up. “He didn't elaborate on how he knew you.”
Kelvin nodded. “Yeah, we helped him when he was in trouble up at Dux. Killed some raiders too, so it made it all worth it.”
“And thanks again for the help,” another one said, a tall, stout brute with a shaven head and tattoos up and down his arms.
Kelvin turned. “Hey Shane, we have guests!”
He looked them over. Besides Ryan and the other one that had spoken there were two women, one with short black hair and dark skin, and the other with red locks tied up in a bun. The first looked like she had a champion temperament, and the second appeared to be a shadow with her slim, short build.
“Oh, hi Ryan,” Shane said as he walked up. “Good to see you again. And Alex. And I'd guess this is the rest of your guild?”
“It is,” Ryan said. “We have Corey here. He's the muscle and a gunner. Then we have Simone. She's the guild leader, technically, a champion and a lookout. And last we have Jean, our helmsman. Woman. Whatever that's called.”
Shane and Kelvin greeted them in turn.
“So, you wanted me to look around and see what I could find,” Alex said. “This came up in the net through one of our contacts. We're looking for small guilds that are struggling, maybe on the verge of disbanding. This gives them another chance.”
Kelvin frowned. “So you want us to absorb them? I'm not quite sure I like the sound of that.”
“We won't cause trouble,” Corey said.
Kelvin held his hands up. “Sorry, that's not what I meant. I don't think you will. I'm more concerned about what we'd be doing to you. Your guild would be giving up its independence. And I'm not sure we'd want to do that to you.”
The other four looked at each other.
“We don't have a problem with that,” Simone said. “Normally I'd be hesitant about that, but you went out of your way to help Ryan.”
“It wasn't a big deal, like I said,” Kelvin said.
“Any opportunity to blow up guild raiders is a good reasons to do anything,” Shane agreed.
“Even so. A lot of other people would have just ignored him and left him on his own.”
Kelvin didn't know what else to say.
“So, what do you want?” Shane asked. “Are you looking to join?”
“We are.”
“And you're doing it because you think that's the best decision, not because you're desperate and have nowhere else to turn. Is that right, or am I wrong?”
“Does it make a difference?” Simone asked.
“Yeah, it makes a ton of difference. It's like the Iron Guild pulling in members because their guilds were failing. I don't want to be like that, and I'm not going to accept anyone who's in that position. I'd rather help them keep their own guild.”
“Principles,” Alex said with a smile. “Ones that might prove costly.”
“Do you really want to be the ones with no scruples? Because I'm sick of the Iron Guild acting like that and being able to get away with it.”
“No, I don't have an issue with it. But if you want to do anything you need members, and you're not going to get anywhere if you're not willing to accept the ones that are willing to join.”
Kelvin looked at the others. “And are you willing to join?”
“We're willing to do more than that. We're willing to merge our guild with yours, if you'll allow it.”
“Do you have property?”
“Currently in Noxcross,” Simone said. “Nothing fancy. And the guild's been by and smashed it up more than once. But at the very least we can sell it for some extra cash. And we have a few reserves. We need to repair our ship-”
“Actually, you don't,” Shane cut in. “Bailey talked to me about this. We're going to need a crew of about eight or nine to run the ship we want, so this is perfect.”
“What's the ship?” Jean asked.
Kelvin pointed over his shoulder at the model sitting back in the workshop section. “That's it.”
“That?”
“Well, that's a model of it. The actual ship is currently under construction.”
“Let's not give everything away at once,” Shane said.
Alex spoke up. “They're fine. They have no connections to the Iron Guild. Just the opposite, really. They're one of the many small guilds that the enemy likes to use as punching bags. So they really have no love for them. And I'll vouch for them.”
He nodded. “I don't know three of you all that well, but Ryan was dependable the last time we met him.”
“This almost doubles the size of our guild,” Kelvin said. “But this also gets the ball rolling on a lot of things, so I'm all for it.”
Shane nodded. “When we have time I'll head down to the hall of records so we can complete a merger.”
“In that case, can we go get our stuff in order? We have a few things we'd like to bring along with us.”
“Sure thing. As you can-”
Shane's voice was cut off by the rumbling of a passing train.
“One of the reasons we were able to afford this place,” Kelvin grinned. “We're supposed to build a sound barrier at some point, but there's other concerns at the moment. So unfortunately we have to deal with it for now. But on the bright side, we have a lot of space.”
“We're fine with that. And thanks.”
“No, thank you,” Shane said. “And welcome to Maelstrom Squadron, even if it is informal at this point. We look forward to working with you.”
“If you two have time,” Alex said after the others left, “I have a few things I'd like to ask you.”
Shane nodded. “OK, what can we do for you?”
“I didn't ask you do do anything. Only to answer some questions.”
“It sounds like that kind of thing. Like you have some sort of mission for us.”
Alex shrugged. “More of a request, really. You're a completely separate guild, and you have other things to worry about at the moment.”
“What is it?” Kelvin asked curiously.
“Our engineers have been working on the new weaponry for your vessel, as you know very well,” Alex explained. “They're making good progress on the guns. They're almost finished with them, they tell me. It's just a matter of being able to install them and making sure they work properly.”
“That fast?”
Alex smiled. “Yes, they're very good at what they do.”
“And will they have ammo?”
“They will. It's not ideal, at least according to Dillon, but it's usable. We can make improvements later, but for now we can get away with using crude but effective equipment.
”
“That's the guns. What about the torpedoes?” Shane asked.
“Ah, and that's the issue,” Alex said. “They're working on that, but according to them they're having problems with stability. Apparently making the warhead solid throws off the balance, or something like that. I don't know. I'm not an engineer.”
“So is there a way to fix it?”
“There is. Unfortunately, that involves making components that we currently lack the capability to produce.”
“So is there a way to get them?” Kelvin asked.
Alex nodded. “Yes, there is. Unfortunately, the parts are extremely expensive on the exchange.”
“Can we produce them?”
“Yes, but to save time we're going to need a blueprint. And while we have the money for one, they're ridiculously expensive on the exchange. You'll have to buy one from the source.”
“Which is?”
“Welles Bay,” Alex said.
Kelvin tried not to wince. “That far, huh?”
“Yes, that's going to be quite the journey. We'll try to compensate you for the coal you'll burn, but...”
“We'll do it,” Shane said. “This is for our good anyhow. Just one thing.”
“What is it?”
“We're going to be using the prototype ship for this. Bailey tells me that they're getting close to completion. All they need to do is install the engines and we're good to go.”
“No armament, though,” Kelvin pointed out.
“We can take care of that,” Alex suggested. “If you're serious about this then I'll have the teams stop their work on the torpedoes and have them focus their efforts on getting the guns and shells ready. That should also save some time.”
“Sounds good.”
Kelvin shrugged. “So we're going almost all the way across the world to get a blueprint, and we're doing it in an entirely new ship class with custom weapons and engines. And we're not even sure if everything will work together.”
“That's what this is for. Sea trials,” Shane said. “Or would you rather do something dangerous and then find out that some of the systems don't work?”
Rising Tide: A LitRPG Novel (Age of Steam Book 1) Page 21
