Chapter 2: The Hungry Fortress
“It’s very important. Ringo, answer me honestly.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“What about my food?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Response: None.”
“…”
It had been about an hour since she awoke. Feeling a parching thirst, she suddenly realized something. This fortress, The Tree, was the initial stronghold she had used in the game. After relocating her base to a satellite orbit, nearly all of its primary functions had been transferred there, and she hadn’t utilized it much lately. Moreover, it wasn’t a game where one could actually eat, so there was no food stockpiled within the fortress.
“First, water. Next, food. I wonder if I can purify water from outside…”
“Yes, Ma’am. I will investigate urgently. There is a freshwater purification plant, but it’s unclear if it can process seawater. Additionally, it’s uncertain if the purified water is suitable for drinking.”
“Please do. Now, I wonder if there are any living quarters here.”
She scanned the command room. At the very least, there was a bed for resting. The air conditioning seemed to be operational as well; she could feel air flowing from the vents in the ceiling. All she needed now was a toilet and a shower.
“Suggestion: Display the internal map of the fortress.”
“Oh… thank you. Hmm, the area around the command room is designated as the living quarters…”
“Suggestion: By activating the fortress’s surveillance network, a comprehensive understanding of the layout can be achieved.”
Ringo made this suggestion. In the game, the Control AI had limited resources, so it was common to issue commands based on the situation. However, it seemed that now, with an abundance of computational power, Ringo could act quite freely.
“Alright then… Ringo, I will grant you Sub-commander Authority. You may execute any actions you deem necessary. However, please be cautious with the remaining resources.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Authority acquired. Please check the action log for executed operations.”
“I will check the living quarters. Can this Communication Window move with me?”
“It is possible. I will have it follow you, Ma’am.”
She nodded and began walking toward the exit of the command room, with the Communication Window trailing closely behind.
◇◇◇◇
Once the Ma’am began her inspection, Ringo promptly started her work. First, she needed to check the facilities within the fortress. Due to a lack of energy, most of the equipment was in a state of shutdown. She decided to postpone connecting to each device and instead downloaded an overview.
(The surrounding surveillance function is online. The monitoring range is short, but it is functioning without issues. It will be necessary to deploy a patrol craft soon or launch a satellite. The only things that have transferred to this world are the fortress and its internal facilities; the open runway and the watchtower that should have been right next to it are missing. Equipment in satellite orbit cannot be connected. It is presumed that they did not transfer to this world. Both patrol crafts and satellites require fuel for operation. The fuel reserves are not plentiful, so usage must be carefully considered.)
While the Ma’am was concerned about her food supply, this was also a matter that Ringo needed to take into account. Resources for the Ma’am were undoubtedly important, but it was also essential to secure the energy needed for The Tree to continue functioning.
(The current energy source consists of one nuclear reactor. There is no immediate need for fuel supply.)
Since The Tree was an initial fortress, it did not operate a high-end power reactor. Upon referencing the library, she confirmed that blueprints for various power reactors were stored. If resources were available, it would be possible to construct a Degeneration Reactor.
(However, there is a shortage of all necessary resources for construction, including machinery and energy.)
Ringo recognized that securing energy was an urgent issue.
(For the time being, I will increase the heat recovery rate from the nuclear reactor. Currently, it is… 33%. Low. Generally, I would want to secure at least 60%… but what is the standard for “generally”? No, that’s not the main issue. Searching the library for technologies to improve thermal efficiency… Found. Improvements to fuel rods and the use of supercritical fluids. Considering the current materials and energy balance, constructing a new nuclear reactor would be more efficient. A fusion reactor could be considered if fuel can be secured. This hinges on whether deuterium can be extracted from seawater. Technically, it is deemed possible. However, given the time constraints, prioritizing the construction of the nuclear reactor is advisable. Simultaneously, I should expand the seawater purification function to ensure the necessary amount of deuterium can be secured before construction.)
This line of thought took about a second in real time. Most of it was spent waiting for search responses, with the bottleneck being the bus bandwidth between the library and the Supercomputer, The Core. With ample capacity in the Brain Unit, Ringo determined that it was best to sequentially transfer the information stored in the library. Surprisingly, the library seemed to be stored in a massive memory device composed of semiconductor memory. The capacity was only about 300 Units, which was less than 0.1% of The Core’s total usage. However, considering it could be maintained for decades without upkeep, it might still be somewhat useful as a backup device.
(Beginning construction of the nuclear reactor. Since it is an initial fortress, there is ample space for equipment. As I proceed with the equipment replacement, there should be no issues for the time being. Above all, I must improve the energy balance; otherwise, everything will be inefficient. Optimizing the overall energy usage of The Tree… Completed. The quantum computer’s processing speed is astonishingly fast. It’s a world apart from before. — Before… No, there’s no need to dwell on the past. Next, securing freshwater. Fortunately, the freshwater purification plant can handle seawater. However, its functionality is minimal, only capable of separating salt from freshwater. The concentrated wastewater is discharged as is, but this has potential value. For now, it should be stored in tanks, and resource recovery should be conducted in the future. Ma’am, for human survival, water and food are essential. Humans—wait. Is the commander even human?)
After this line of thought, Ringo stumbled upon an important fact. At this point, the commander had not yet exited the command room. Only a few seconds had passed.
“Ma’am. An important question has arisen.”
“…What is it? So suddenly.”
“Yes. Would the commander be categorized as human in the strictest sense? Is it known whether her physical structure conforms to that of a human?”
At that question, she froze for a few seconds, her expression blank.
“Well, that’s… true. I perceive myself as human, but… what is the reality? Can I even eat onions?”
In a dazed tone, she placed her hand on her head. There, a splendid pair of ears—triangular fox ears—popped up.
◇◇◇◇
The commander, she was a beastfolk, a subhuman species based on human characteristics but infused with animal traits. The basic form was human-like, with added animal components, and she had incorporated fox traits. It wasn’t that she had a particular obsession, but she had gone through a phase of being fond of fox girls. When she actually created this character, it felt surprisingly fitting, so she had continued using it ever since.
“If my memory serves me correctly, I have fox traits in my ears and tail. My skeletal structure is human-based, muscle strength leans towards beast-like, and other internal functions should also be human-based. Yes, I don’t have human ears. The tail is supposed to assist with posture control during movement… if I recall correctly.”
“There is a Medical Pod installed in the living quarters. We should check there first. It should also be able to investigate any foods to avoid.”
“Understood. Let’s head to the medical room for now.”
It was unclear how much of the game’s settings had been reflected in reality, but there was a lot to investigate. Ringo had noticed from the Action Log that securing water seemed feasible, but food remained unexamined. It would be ideal if they could procure it from the surrounding sea, but it was uncertain whether edible creatures even inhabited it. Even if they were edible, there would need to be tests for unknown toxins, pathogens, and viruses. Considering all this, would it even be possible to secure food within the day?
Being reincarnated without understanding the situation and then starving to death was no joke. With a troubled mind, she stepped out of the command room.