Phillip Huffen POV

I've been on the on the Liberation's Trade ship for a little over a weeks in real world time more or less. Even with all the jumping it’s always fun to meet other people. Even though i like it I’m still looking for a place that could help me grow and leave this giant ship to start my own space adventure.

It’s been a few weeks since we have stayed around Kelha II i thought it was weird especially when we were commissioned to build those satellites. Some people say someone was on a super hard mission and the commission's which also happen to be a mission with a strict time limit was connected to that. We had no way to know but even so thanks to my freighter i found during the anomaly missions i was always ahead of others because i could stock things in bulk. That was probably the only reason i was called by Virtual Works as one of the top five players.

I would say i held the position of richest since i specialized in trading though i had cold feet when fighting happened. In most games i play i normally go with merchant it’s both safe and one of the most dangerous jobs to have. Though if you have an escort you don't need to worry but as a newbie i didn't have the money or connections to get an escort. I’m glad at least my freighter had a warp drive which was working perfectly but what's the use when i would get attacked so easily since there wasn't a single weapons slot in the, though the shields were really tough.

During the interview today one of the other top five was also in the area. He showed everyone really powerful creatures that no one thought would exist in space since this wasn’t a fantasy game but we were proven wrong. Besides that a day before the interview we were also made to sign a contract before being asked to research different drone models and that we weren't allowed to talk about it even if we left the crew, the contract would continue and if you broke it the penalty is that you lease everything. No one on the crew was stupid enough to go against a merchant of the liberation. So everyone just closed their mouths and headed to work. For me though i wanted to meet with Noah, this place looked like a gold mine in my eyes, and not just because of the drone tech but the planet itself is said to be mineral rich. If i could form a partnership with Noah then we both would grow immensely. He needed money for terraforming and make the planet grow while i needed it to grow my own influence. So i simply told my superior that i was going to the station and left.

Noah POV

I was walking around after logging in. I had my wrist-comp interface open and was looking through the shop info. A lot of new stuff had become available like new compressors, a new drill system with better cooling system, better armor and so on. I also found a new category of things to buy, Ships.

There were two types of purchase, one the actual ship which close a good 200k+ credits or the blue prints ranging around 50-500k credits.

Though the blueprints say how to build it that is only for the skeleton of the ship, you need to find the proper systems, which are stated on the blueprints, before building the ship.

Currently I was sitting in the hangar looking through the list of purchasable items, having already chosen to buy single new scanner drone which was already loaded, and the blueprints for a new ship scanner which i planned to put on the drill drones and Dingys so they can scan just like scanner drones.

As I looked at the interface when a young man approached, skinny with shaggy brown hair and wearing glasses and dressed in what i could tell was merchant garbs. When i looked closes i felt i had seen him before.

Void: good day Noah.

Noah: ...do i know you?

Void: eh?! ah well i was at the interview with you, I’m Phillip but its Void here.

Noah: oh right, i didn't recognize you since you're dressed differently. Need anything.

Void: Yes. i want to make a contract with you to transport and sell the goods made on the planet.

I looked skeptical at him. I had reason to, my “crew” abandon at the starting line before we went down so i was cautious.

Noah: you do know what down there.

Void: of course but i have a working warp drive in my freighter so I can jump out of the planet as i please.

Noah: you also do know i have a contract made with the station here so there isn't much negotiating.

Void: and what of the other 2 stations in the Kelha System.

Noah: eh?!

That’s new, i hadn't heard there were more stations around, though i never did ask, truthfully i didn't even know how big the Kelha system was. He has been on a Liberation ship for a while so having the maps for the area shouldn't be a problem for him.

Noah: wouldn't they be mining the same materials as i am.

Void: yes but you also produce things that they don't have, specifically the drones I have signed the contract to keep my mouth shut about

Noah: then it’s good to continue with your mouth shut, I’m not going to sell drones anytime soon, I’m developing them for now but I only let those who sign my contract with me in front of them. besides if one new type is captured then the type can be replicated so i am keeping them on the planet until someone is smart enough to see how useful they are.

Void: ...i head your ships can escape from the monster that jumps out to stop you right?

Noah: that is tech i got from your captain, Ion pulse engine.

I could see the guy was getting depressed as we talked.

Noah: what do you plan as a profession in the game?

Void: Merchant.

Instantly i was interested. Now that i think about it he said he had a freighter. Interested now i stood up and faced him seriously.

Noah: i remember you said you have a freighter right?

Void: ya it was the anomaly i found.

He started to look less sad.

Noah: let me see it then. If it’s big enough and ill contact you to carry the amount of mineral the contract I have with Mr. Cane until the request is done after that we can talk about further negotiations how does that sound.

Void: i guess its fine, I’ll have to leave my the trade ship but i guess it could get better after that.

Noah: just don't start whining if things get dangerous, you already know the dangers of this planet so we won't take crying.

Void: of course.

After that he took me to the extended docks were his freighter had been placed. It was as big as my carrier but the difference was that he only had cargo space and no weapons at all.

Noah: ”to send him to other planets I’ll need to send someone with the carrier as an escort, I’ll probably need to upgrade the weapons of our ships as well.”

The ship was in perfect condition which meant he must have repaired it already. looking inside the cargo space was bigger than the hangar and cargo of the carrier combined but there was still room extra floors for the other important systems and utilities.

Noah: damn this is the same size as my carrier...what is the cargo weight limit for this ship.

Void: umm let me see i haven't checked since I never completely filled it up.

Void opens his wrist comp and looks around until he finds his ship info.

Void: here it is...200 tons.

my eyes were bulging out. I had estimated that the cargo ship when converted into a freighter would carry around 150 but man.

Noah: is that with a compressor

He nodded, which made me calm down a bit

Void: the normal cargo is 150 but i bought a high grade compressor that increases space by 33% that gives around 50 extra tons i can fit here.

at this point i was grinning.

Noah: ”he has such a high grade compressor then that means he is good at being a merchant but from his demeanor he is shy and with little confidence, heh this could work well for me”. Ok I’ll contact you, i get a fixed pay for what i send so how does 20% of the cargo income sound.

Hey opens the interface again and begins doing some calculations at a monstrously fast pace.

Void: 40%

Noah: 25%

Void: 39%

Noah: 26%

Void: ...35%

Noah: 30%

Void: deal

That done he makes a contract with the requested sums which i triple check before signing, don't want him adding something like i pass ownership of my planet to him. All said and done we have him open the cargo and we put all our ships inside like a hanger.

Void: ships aren't safe in here you know

Noah: only if you don't have a gravity generator and since you do don’t complain and make this thing jump already.

Voids crew was already hard at work getting things ready. The ship was already aimed towards the planet and from my seat in the control room i could see the warp drive charge rising.

Noah: ”slow charge, would have to charge inside the dome shield to make sure it’s not attacked before leaving”

As the charge completes he finally activates the thrusters at max speed and we suddenly feel the feeling being sucked into a tunnel. The shields around the ship become a visible blue and become just like a funnel until finally space bends around us and we find ourselves past the seven asteroid layers and floating over Kelha II.

I go to one of the computers and punch in the coordinates and it appears on the main monitor and with orders the ship gains speed. I open a chat with the base and worn them of our arrival and that there should be room for the freighter that is as big as the carrier.

After that it was pretty uneventful, since the planet doesn't have much atmosphere there isn't even a need for a special angle or something for entry into the planet.

Noah: *whistle* don’t get closer than 20 meters above the ground until you're within 5 km of the base most of the planet is home to golems and but they can't attack at this height.

Some don't seem to like that i was ordering them around but they still took my advice since i already knew the habits of the planet.

Once we go near the base the crew began to marvel at it. Dome shields have always been rare and to see one is even more so but what really got to them was the lake. The frozen lake was about ⅓ the size of the shield. I’m sure until now they hadn't though the monster was that big but it was pretty clear to them its size was immense as was the new hole some distance away from where me and my crew escaped.

Inside the base the landing area had been cleared of other ships and only the carrier stayed there but there was still room for another ship of its size which was the freighter.

Once landed things got busy and quickly. I had already told everyone to prepare all the raw and processed ore that would go up to the station. We removed the ships and let the droids load the ship before calling over Jessica and Earl.

Jessica: yes.

Earl: you call boss.

Noah: i need you two to lead a squad of a few Dingy and a squad of 30 fighters into space and stay near the station waiting for the freighter. It will jump near but I’m worried about any players ambushing them.

Earl: oh it boss.

Earl runs off but Jessica stays looking at me.

Noah: hmm something wrong?

Jessica: are you pushing me far away because of my father?

Noah: why would i do that, my dad is probably as famous as yours if you mention his name from Second life, all true Magus Puppeteer are.

Jessica: and...you don't care...I’m the granddaughter of the CEO

Her voice was getting quiet as she talked.

Noah: ”she must have had people change quickly after learning about it, must be hard living like that.” I don’t care about money, at least not in the real world. I will take after my father who is a gamer and live off the game.

Jessica: so you don't really care if I am a Brim.

Noah: tell me what is the surname you have here.

Jessica: Wright. My full name is Jessica Wright

Noah: then while you're here you are Jessica Wright not Sophia Brim so cheer up and have fun, it’s a game where you aren't a princess you're the fighter captain of my crew.

She blushes a bit but smiles widely before running off.

Noah: ”i hope this doesn't lead me to future trouble with her father, now then with the escort determined i need...drone upgrades”

I run off towards the drone research rooms. Inside it’s not like the normal research, first off there are many people I don't know most likely from the trade ship. They are all working feverously typing up new codes. Morgan and Adam are among them and have their neighbor check on theirs most probably asking to check to see if its right. I call Adam who seems less busy.

Noah: I want to know how are the software upgrades to them.

Adam: quick they had really basic commands so we have to make new codes all together so the guys that came earlier were happy being able to program them from scratch.

Noah: good now where are Earnest, Jones, James and Gunner?

Adam: i saw Gunner in his workshop building rockets the others I don’t know.

Noah: thanks oh and make sure to copy those codes and send a copy of each with the proper name for each model.

I ran off and put my helmet on and began calling out to the three missing men. Though they didn't answer I picked up their location which was the scrap yard which, thankfully, i was near.

I got over there and after a bit of looking i found them dismantling some old drones.

Noah: hey guys i need your help.

they flinch as i catch them off guard.

Ernest: urg...what ya need Noah?

Noah: I having the techs upgrade the software of the drones but i think we need stronger laser weapons, these fall a bit short compared to a normal laser that is put on ships.

Jonas: ya but they are smaller so can’t handle such a large battery.

Noah: …

*smack*

James: idiot he is telling us to make a stronger weapon so that means a new stronger laser drone.

Noah: i also purchased a new scanner drone, take that to Wilson and have him make some blueprints and an ion engine model for it as well as add a tiny core to increase performance of it.

Jonas: I’ll do that you guys start with the other stuff all be there soon.

Ernest: what are you going to do Noah.

Noah: *sigh* i still need to check on Conner and see how his planetary scanning is going, if we find a volcano around here then we can start terraforming, if not it will just take longer.

James: don't forget to relax a bit, if you want sit in a drill drone and dig a bit it makes for a really good stress reliever.

Ernest: oh speaking of digging, some miners have started digging out the shipyard underground as well as a lift to bring them up but…

Noah: let me guess no room?

Ernest: yep just as you say no room.

Noah: tell then to use the 5 km around the base, if needed we can make dig a small underwater river branching from the main lake and create a barrier from the Golems. Anything else?

Jonas: hmm, oh i know they discovered something interesting about the shield drones. It seems they can be used as relays like those around the base they can also combine their shields together to increase durability. After a few group up a hexagon design begins appearing like a plate armor the damage is also greatly reduced when it’s in this state. We tried it with the dome shield and it seems if we use Shield drones near them and combine the shields they increase the performance of the dome shield.

Noah: good to know during a siege. Anyway get to work i still have a stressful day ahead of me.

As the three go off i can only sit down a bit. Not an hour that i arrive and I’m already tired, wonder if most captains are like this. Well i should get going now. Conner next need to know about his scans.

To relax a bit i took a floating cart towards his lab. Inside was really hectic more so than usual.

Noah: what's going on?

Conner: we just struck gold or should i say lava, we found a volcano about 1000 km away from here. The lava pool under it is immense so the explosion might even reach here given enough time. To make things better this lava pool seems to also connect with several other volcanoes around it so by making it erupt it will cause a chain reaction and release enough gas into the air to make a thick enough atmosphere that will heat the planet up.

Noah: good to hear at how long before that happens.

Conner: we will soon be sending a squad of drill drones escorted by many shield and laser drones we need to dig deep enough to set a bomb and weaken the soil to awaken the dormant volcano then just let nature take its course though we might continue detonating bombs inside it until it blows.

Noah: get on it then things might get more chaotic soon so we need to cause trouble for anyone that might appear.

He stops in his tracks and looks my way for the first time.

Conner: you seem stressed.

Noah: is it that obvious.

Conner: what's going on.

Noah: I’m the first miner that appeared to work on the station that has gained complete ownership of an entire planet and that achievement was sent all around the galaxy to every last person just like me now it’s only a matter of time before chaos starts appearing all over.

Conner: the three factions can take care of small fries like that.

Noah: heh right, if something fails they group up into larger groups and attack until they win that is only the start of it.

Conner: our planet might be harder to take, i doubt the Golem would die off so easily even if water begins melting and covering the planet, I’m certain they will evolve as well who knows they may become sentient over time anyway you should rest a bit from you looks you need it urgently.

He personally guides me to the carrier and drops me off in the captains room. A full day like this might only be the start but i will get used to it or i will die trying. That was the last thought that crossed my mind before i fell asleep.

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