“It looks like they have the option to be changed. Though we went through the portal you gave us and the portals that we recovered—all of them have the same password that hasn’t been changed. Now, this could have been a system-wide update that keeps rolling around, as some have said. The problem is, your portals have been in storage and not connected to anything for a long time. We think that once they were tested, they were shipped, making them pristine originals. From that and the older portals and bits we’ve recovered, we’re getting a ton of information.” Ela-Dorn stood and waved for Dave to follow her. “We’ve been looking at their power signatures and while they’re high in their active stages, they are also high in their dormant stages. They have massive networks of runes and tap directly into the planet’s ley lines in order to be powered. We will need to check when another portal comes online—compare our sensors to check our theories against hard data to confirm that.” She pushed into a room with a large screen on the front of it, showing a map of Emerilia and a bunch of points littering it.
People moved around at different tables, talking to one another and discussing things.
“Though, right now, we looked at the portals and the amount of power that they can absorb over time and their highest rate of charge. With that information, we were able to search for places where there is power being absorbed at the portal’s dormant energy levels.”
Dave looked at the map with new eyes. There were tens of portals already showing on the screen.
“When they power up, they consume a lot more power, pulling ambient energy in the area as well as ley line energy.” Ela-Dorn pressed a rune on a table. Five locations were added to the map with green dots.
“There are hundreds of portals in my seeder. Why are there so few portals online or charging?” Dave looked to Ela-Dorn.
“We have two ideas. One, that the portals have been worn out, broken, or destroyed, or that they are already charged and thus not making the same readings.”
Dave made a noise of agreement.
“Okay, so could we increase the size of a portal?” Dave asked.
“Sure, but the portal on the other side would need to be the same size and the energy requirements would multiply,” Ela-Dorn said.
“Okay, so first, if we had teleport pads that can only connect to one place, would they be easier and cheaper to make?” Dave asked.
“They’d be a hell of a lot cheaper and easier, not only in making them but operating costs. Why?”
“Good. We can get that started. Then, we’re going to need to figure out a way to jury-rig a portal to connect to multiple destinations, maybe even make our own versions here in Emerilia. Now, is there a way to, I don’t know, stop things coming through a portal?” Dave said, ignoring her question.
“Like defenses?”
“No, like a shield that would go over the event horizon so that they never make it over here,” Dave said.
“Oh.” Ela-Dorn tapped her cheek in thought as she looked to the ceiling. “I think it would work, if we put it so close to the event horizon that it’s hard to tell where the barrier is. I’m not really sure what would happen, but I think that the person would either be thrown back out, or die. We could use our teleport pads to test it out.”
“Okay, so let’s get started on that and you can get me up to date on all that you’ve found out about the portals and their runes. I have a plan for the power source, but I’m keeping it close to the chest for now,” Dave said.
“Okay, but I want those portals. And why do you want teleport pads that only connect to one location?”
“One, because of cost. Two, to be ready for whatever might come. And three, to make an empire.”
Chapter 7: Planning Ahead
“Thank you.” Suzy took a long drag of the Elven wine and smiled at the waitress in approval.
“Work, was that fun?” Induca smiled. They were sitting in the original housing complex at the Stone Raiders’ tavern.
“Ugh! So Zel’s factory is being built. It’s mostly done and everything looks mostly okay. However, with an undertaking of that size, there are always problems. We’ve got most of our trained smiths working in Devil’s Crater, working twenty-four/seven in six-hour shifts to get the Devil’s Crater Army armored in record time. Cliff-Hill is producing all of the base parts as well as training a veritable army of smiths. Kol hopes that a hundred or so of them will pass his standards in a month, to be turned into a true smith. Dave’s accelerated the build on Terra by months and it looks like we’re going to need to have that smithy running in time for Terra being opened up to the public. Then, THEN! They tell me that there are a bunch of Dwarven Master Smiths coming over to check out Terra and possibly work in the smithies!” Suzy dropped her head on the table.
Induca rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.
“Resources, we have tons of, as well as gold, but it’s crazy!”
“Why don’t you get some people to help?” Induca asked.
Suzy sat up and looked at Induca as if seeing her for the first time. “You have a point. Dave said that I can do whatever I want. There are people helping me out but they’re working in other roles. Maybe I can hire other POEs interested in it. I don’t see why not. Would be some interviewing, but then I would only have to pass on the word, okay them and they can deal with the large issues personally.” Suzy’s face broke into a smile as she kissed Induca. “What would I do without you?”
“Work yourself into the ground if you could,” Induca said.
“Hey you two, what’s up?” Steve came from behind them and thumped down into a chair.
“I thought you were off dungeon diving,” Suzy said.
“I was, but now I have to watch over a bunch of new Stone Raiders.” Steve sighed.
“How are they?” Induca asked as Suzy sipped her wine, enjoying the flavors as they rolled over her tongue and the warm sensation that came with drinking the liquor.
“Not as bad as I thought they might be. Just have to get them used to the runnings of the guild. Right now, it’s mostly all about training them with how to communicate and fight. It’s optional, but people have to show their skills in a private fight so that they can pass on without doing it. We’ve got a lot of new people joining who have just started playing the game or were doing other things. We’ve lost a lot who realized that only people who embrace all of the Stone Raiders’ values can join, not just someone using the Stone Raiders because they have a name. Also, you’d be shocked with how many never even made it past Lucy in the vetting process.” Steve shook his head and leaned back. “So, when we going on another adventure?”
“Huh?” Suzy asked.
“I know you’re all wrapped up in things, but this is the first time in months that we can freely do as we want; form our own groups and go out into Emerilia and do things as a party, not just a guild. I thought you would be interested.” Steve looked to them both.
“That does sound pretty fun.” Induca looked to Suzy.
“I agree, but right now, we’re busy with everything going on. Maybe, once Terra is running, Zel and his ceramics factory are settled in Zol’Ord, and the Cliff-Hill smithies are sorted out. We’re going to have to come up with a different name for the smithies,” Suzy grumbled.
“Metal and Hammer? Weapons ’R Us? Blades McGee?” Steve offered.
“Metal Beaters? Headache Inducers? Cliff-Hill Conglomerate?” Induca joined in.
“Grahslagg Corporation isn’t bad, then have the ceramics and smithy subsidiaries and their respective locations.” Suzy twirled the wine in her glass and took a big swig from it.
The others paused and looked to Suzy.
“Has a ring to it,” Induca agreed.
***
Dave felt his chair tilt back, someone pulling him away from his desk filled with gadgets and his interface windows stuck to the walls.
Deia turned him around, before she straddled him and crossed her arms behind Dave’s head.
“Hey,” Dave said. His surprise turn
ed into a smile as he wrapped his hands around Deia’s waist.
Deia leaned down and kissed Dave. “How’s work?” She glanced at the walls and desks.
“Uh, well, we figured out the teleport pad problems. We kind of hacked it together. I wanted to recode the whole thing, but Ela-Dorn pointed out that I could focus my efforts elsewhere, primarily figuring out the power source I’ve been talking up. Plus, she now has a whole bunch of people who I’ve trained in magical coding. So, there is that. How was your studying?”
“Good. I still don’t know what’s wrong.” Deia sighed and bit the inside of her lip.
“Well, talk me through it. I am known to have solved my way through a few issues.” Dave smiled confidently at her.
She rewarded him with another kiss. “Okay, so, basically, Denar is trying to train me in not only controlling my Mana in a large area, but to use it with the effect I might do with a small spell. So, she wants me to make the volcano erupt. That means I need to put a massive amount of energy into the magma to cause it to expand and shoot upward.” Deia sighed and slumped on Dave’s lap.
“Okay, so talk me through what you do when you cast the spell,” Dave said.
“I use my Mana directly on the magma, using it in a concentrated blue flame where it’s actually magma and not rock. Faster to just heat that up than the rock above. Concentrating on the pure flame and making sure that they’re in the right area is really hard and saps my energy.” Deia sighed.
Dave’s eyes thinned in thought, his fingers absently making circles on her lower back. “Okay, so you’re heating it from below, but what about heating it from above as well?”
“What do you mean?” Deia cocked her head to the side in interest.
“Well, thermodynamics—heat rises, right? If you’re heating below, then it’s always going up? Is there a way to contain that wasted heat, forcing it back down into the magma, not only making the spell really powerful, but containing it, using the environment around you to reinforce it? Could you pull that heat from somewhere it isn’t needed?”
“Babe, you’re a genius!” Deia kissed him and then tried to get off him quickly, stumbling for the door.
“Don’t just focus on using your Mana. Use your environment around you, like you use your sword!” Dave said to her retreating backside.
Dave shook his head and went back to focusing on his plans and the parts he was working on,and on what they were supposed to create.
The kinds of energies he was dealing with could be enough to destroy some nations on Emerilia and here he was dicking around with it with a bunch of half-guessed science, matched with observational theories and magic.
“Well, it sounds like I’m really confident in all of this when I put it that way,” Dave grumbled as he worked on the gravity core. There were four essential layers. One was the massively powerful gravity core with a surrounding Mana shield. Then there was the hydrogen that was going to be pumped inward. Then, there were the regulating pipes and covering that would enclose everything and where water would turn to steam and through a set of runes be turned into electricity. Also, an opposing gravity field that would make sure that everything wasn’t ripped up and pulled into the gravity core.
In that capsule, Dave was going to be creating a miniature sun.
“Time to up the old stats.” Dave opened his character sheet. Ever since Devil’s Crater, he had been regularly adding stats to his character. It was really helping out with his new projects. Also, with his next idea, it might be a good idea to have some higher Intelligence for it all.
“Putting 30 to Intelligence and Agility ought to do it. With that, I’m just a hundred and six points away from level 200 and a new class.” Dave checked his character sheet.
Character Sheet
Name:
David Grahslagg
Gender:
Male
Level:
172
Class:
Dwarven Master Smith, Friend of the Grey God, Bleeder, Librarian, Aleph Engineer, Weapons Master, Champion Slayer, Skill Creator, Mine Manager, Master Summoner
Race:
Human/Dwarf
Alignment:
Chaotic Neutral
Unspent points: 246
Health:
27,300
Regen:
11.26 /s
Mana:
8,580
Regen:
24.05 /s
Stamina:
3,340
Regen:
24.00 /s
Vitality:
273
Endurance:
563
Intelligence:
858
Willpower:
481
Strength:
334
Agility:
480
“I should start to think about what my next class should be. I’ve got big bonuses to my main stats. Maybe I can get something that makes me better at handling people? Delegating, I’m good at, but maybe there’s something more?” Dave shook his head. He had more immediate concerns compared to what class he might pick later.
“Now, I just need to get the gravity fields juust right, so the core settles in the center, still pulls in the hydrogen, and that doesn’t tear the exterior unit inward. Maybe I should work on this in the mirror lab?”
He quickly pulled out his small Mirror of Communication. Placing his hand on it, he appeared in a laboratory with all of the materials that had been in front of him now appearing in the mirror room.
He created his first core with a thought. In the mirror conference rooms, it didn’t cost any Mana. It only relied on what you could imagine.
Dave turned on the two units and the room was sucked into the gravity core. Dave refreshed the room before he was crushed and started again.
“Dave?” Malsour walked into the room some time later. It had taken him some time to access the workshop. Only Malsour and Deia knew how to find it as Dave went there to try to escape from people and carry out his most hazardous experiments.
Dave shushed him. A sphere, in the middle of the room, was about the size of a soccer ball. After a lot of annoying accidents, Dave had gone with a smaller version of the reactor. It was easier to refresh.
Dave turned the power on. It held steady before starting to vibrate dangerously. Dave shut it down, remaking it and altering the inputs on the control panel.
“What’s up?” Dave turned to Malsour as he worked.
“The power facility is functional. We’ve got it at twenty percent right now. We’re going to increase the power to make sure it can handle it, charging as we do so. Once we test it up to a hundred and twenty percent, we’re going to scale it down to ninety-five percent and charge up everything we have.” Malsour slumped into a seat with a tired but pleased smile on his face. He had been working around the clock with other Dark mages and miners to get the facility cut out and then operational. The Aleph had lent a hand as per Dave’s deal with them for portals, but Malsour had spearheaded the whole project.
“Well done, man!” Dave grinned.
“Don’t worry, your secret laboratories are set up and powered as well. No one knows they’re there other than me,” Malsour assured him.
“Good, but first of all, I need to know how I’m going to make the damn reactor work.” Dave looked to his project. He powered it up again. It held steady for a few minutes. Dave saw the hydrogen starting to condense, making layers, and then it fell apart.
“So far, I’m not having much luck.” Dave sighed and reset it.
“You want those layers in it?” Malsour asked.
“Yeah.” Dave nodded.
“Why don’t you have them in there to start with? Might make it easier to start. Doing it all in one go is going to be a pain in the ass.” Malsour stood up from his chair. “I’m going to get some sleep. See you later.” Malsour yawned and waved to Dave half-heartedly.
“Have a good sleep and awesome work on the power facility!”
“Bob!” Dave demanded, opening his contacts and inviting the Gnome to his lab mirror conference room.
Bob arrived a few minutes later. “Hey dude, what you up to?”
“I have this prototype. It should be working, but the settings and the runes are finicky as hell, so I’m not sure how to balance it all,” Dave said.
“I’m guessing this is your new fusion reactor?” Bob studied the soccer ball device.
“Yup. So, I was going to mess around and try to get it to work with a whole bunch of self-made simulations. Instead, I thought that you might be able to help me with that big ole brain of yours, any information you can get from the Jukal, and maybe a quantum computer to test it all out?” Dave sounded more as though he was pleading.
“Yeah, I have something like that I can use. It might take some time though.”
“That’s fine with me!”
“What else you working on here?” Bob said, his curious mind piqued by all of the different projects strewn across the laboratory.
Dave’s smile turned practically evil. “You want to ask a mad wizard what he’s up to in his very own lair?” Dave let out his attempt at an evil laugh before he devolved into a fit of coughing.
Bob laughed heartily at Dave’s antics. “Oh my, haven’t laughed that hard in a while!” Bob wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
Dave rolled his eyes, and pulled out a soul gem with runes carved in its surface.
“Oh, is that one of those armor soul gems you made?” Bob scooted closer.
“Similar. I got the idea from them at least. No, this is a soul gem-based building. Have you looked at the soul gem smithy that I made in Devil’s Crater?”
“You mean the one that is eating the rest of the smithy and the smiths are acting like excited little girls seeing a pony for the first time?” Bob asked.
Stone Raiders' Return (Emerilia Book 6) Page 9
