Chapter 7: Ringo’s Dilemma
The nose camera of the High-altitude Plane detected a faint black spot on the horizon, prompting Ringo to initiate image analysis. Since it was already at maximum zoom, increasing the resolution was challenging. She performed vector analysis on the movement and pixel data to display the contours.
“…The horizon. It’s quite far away…”
“Yes, Commander. It is estimated to be approximately 500 kilometers distant. The atmospheric conditions are exceptionally good, allowing for confirmation, but we were fortunate.”
With such limited information, any slight degradation in visibility would have resulted in the data being discarded as noise. It was nothing short of miraculous that they could barely discern the mountaintop.
“A shadow that resembles land… For now, I suppose we’ll head in that direction.”
“Yes, Commander. I have completed a full perimeter check, but no land was found aside from that. If we conduct a more detailed scan, we might discover reefs or similar features.”
“No, there’s no point in looking for small details. Let’s focus on what we can confirm. Can we direct the reconnaissance plane towards that direction?”
In response to the Commander’s inquiry, Ringo meticulously examined the data of the reconnaissance plane gliding at an altitude of 17 kilometers. A turn towards the desired direction was possible; the wind was blowing from the north, making altitude maintenance easy, though speed would be difficult to achieve. The lift was within expected parameters, and after a certain distance, returning to the fortress, The Tree, was deemed feasible. In the worst-case scenario, if it had to land, it could be recovered by drone. The aircraft’s temperature was also within acceptable limits, solar panels were generating power smoothly, and the observation equipment was fully operational.
“Yes, Commander. The direction is north-northeast. Given the current weather conditions, there will be no issues with electric propulsion at low altitudes, so we will approach the observed land as closely as possible.”
“Thank you. How long do you estimate it will take?”
“If the current weather holds, we should be able to approach within approximately two hours.”
Nodding at Ringo’s response, the Commander waved her hand, pushing aside the displayed monitors.
“While I leave the reconnaissance plane to you, I suppose I should check on the status of the recovery samples?”
“Yes, Commander. I will report now.”
Images of the seaweed, various fish species, and shellfish collected by the work drones appeared. The seaweed resembled kelp and was found growing in sandy areas about five meters deep near the reefs. The fish were relatively abundant in the area, colorful, and mostly larger specimens. The shellfish were of several types that had attached themselves to the reefs. Any overly vibrant specimens were excluded due to the potential for toxicity. The seaweed seemed to serve as food for some of the surrounding creatures, which raised expectations. The fish, with their relatively fast swimming speeds and high population numbers, were presumed to be non-toxic species. However, depending on their diet, toxins could still bioaccumulate, so caution was warranted.
“There were no matching species in the library, so they appear to be new species. For now, we will check for any toxins in the flesh, and if none are found, we will consider them for consumption. The same applies to the shellfish, as there were no matching species. Since these are prone to bacterial growth, we will exercise extra caution in our judgment. The seaweed is being investigated not only for edibility but also for resource extraction, such as cellulose.”
“Understood. I’ll authorize the production of the necessary equipment for the investigation. Disassembling the larger aircraft should yield a decent amount of resources.”
“Yes, Commander. If we can produce cellulose, our construction capabilities will improve significantly.”
Relieved to receive the Commander’s approval, Ringo promptly began the production of additional test units. Securing resources was an urgent task. While additional reconnaissance and patrol aircraft were necessary, material shortages were a pressing issue. If they could utilize cellulose for aircraft that did not require high strength, their flexibility would increase dramatically. They had confirmed the presence of large kelp beds in the vicinity, making resource extraction their immediate goal.
“Hmm. By the way, how is the situation with the ships?”
“We need a construction dock, but we have not begun building due to insufficient surveys of the surrounding area.”
“I see. Then we also need to create a map. What’s the status on that?”
“Yes, Commander. Aerial photography by drones is underway. We are also conducting laser scans, but underwater scans require a sonar, which has not yet been implemented.”
Since they had not advanced the marine technology tree at all, the necessary equipment was lacking. These would also require development, depending on the remaining materials.
“There are so many things we need to create… Ringo, can you organize the current tasks in an interface similar to the development tree?”
In response to the Commander’s request, Ringo listed the current tasks and their dependencies, displaying them clearly.
“Yes, Commander. This is possible. The ongoing tasks will display their progress rate on the progress bar. Tasks with dependencies are arranged in a tree structure, and the required resource amounts are noted.”
“Okay. This makes things a bit clearer…”
The Commander was reviewing the tree displayed by Ringo. In that moment, Ringo felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. She reflexively double-checked the task list, worried that she might have forgotten to add something. It was only natural, but there were no omissions in the list.
“…Alright, let’s proceed with this for now.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Ringo noted the Commander’s stress gauge stabilize significantly. She correctly interpreted this as the psychological state of waiting for evaluation when taking actions without a clear answer. However, understanding this did not guarantee that she would not experience the same psychological state in the future.
“Now then… I’ll consider my next move while looking at this tree and the library’s table of contents. Please keep an eye on the reconnaissance plane.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“If anything comes up, feel free to call me. I’ll be working here for a while.”
“Yes, Commander.”
As the Commander entered a state of deep thought, Ringo began controlling the various devices. With resources in abundance, she decided to intervene with the Local AI to enhance efficiency. It was best to improve operations as much as possible. She reviewed the storage locations for materials and optimized transportation management. Adjusting the operational drones and maintenance schedules, she aimed to increase operational efficiency. However, she felt frustrated by the inability to operate all equipment at full capacity due to energy shortages. The construction of the nuclear reactor was progressing slowly, and even for trial operations, several weeks would be needed. Until then, they had no choice but to rely on the current reactor for energy.
(A system for energy recovery utilizing the surrounding environment. Solar, wind, tidal, and wave energy. Geothermal is quite difficult. The extent of tidal energy generation is unknown. Wave energy is also a candidate. Solar energy is stable, but its conversion efficiency is poor. The wind is not blowing much, but this calm is likely temporary. There’s potential for consideration as a sustainable energy source. However…)
Regardless of which renewable energy source they chose, equipment—and above all, materials—were necessary. Currently, there was hardly any surplus within the fortress.
(If we succeed in extracting cellulose, it will be a candidate.)
If they could produce cellulose consistently, it could be used for non-structural exteriors. If only the basic framework utilized iron, they could save significantly. On land, iron was the primary building material. As long as they had iron, they could manage most situations.
(Speaking of iron, open-pit mining is not feasible in this vast ocean. Extracting from seawater might be possible, but the quantity would likely be insufficient. So, the seabed… Developing a seabed mine seems quite challenging…)
Ringo searched the library for any information regarding resource extraction from the seabed and discovered relevant materials.
(If it’s iron, there’s a possibility it could be deposited on the seabed. Other useful resources… If hydrothermal vents can be discovered, efficient extraction would be possible. Seabed exploration is also necessary.)
What they needed for seabed exploration were high-performance sonars and vessels capable of operating them, preferably submarines.
(Iron is essential.)
And indeed, iron was necessary. While they could secure some stock of duralumin for aircraft by dismantling several units, it would not be enough.
(I’ll produce small deep-sea submersible drones to conduct surveys in the vicinity.)
With that, Ringo added the task to her list and promptly set the work machines into motion.