Chapter 55

  Mere minutes after Hitasa finished her conversation with Dalex, Seventh appeared in the air above her. Hitasa, Metsa, and Staja were still near the gate. They were discussing a return to the hunters’ lodge when the human woman popped into existence with a ray of sunlight on a moonless night.

  The light vanished and Seventh descended to stand in front of Hitasa. “I have inspected the river and the roads outside of Batulan-bar and can confirm zero activity on the river and minimal activity on the roads. There are currently several ships with deep-laden loads moored in the river just outside Ulenbeter’s docks. It seems likely they were detained just after departure for Batulan-bar, confirming your hypothesis. A blockade does appear to be in effect.”

  Metsa and Staja stared at her, slack jawed at her sudden appearance out of thin air. Dalex had primed Hitasa for this kind of experience, so she was a bit more capable of rolling with these kind of surprises.

  “What do you think about my request?” Hitasa asked. “Can you feed the city?”

  Dalex had said Hitasa’s plan was feasible. In his words: “Totally no problem.” But Seventh seemed like the kind of woman who understood details where Dalex just assumed everything would work like he expected it to. Hitasa was suddenly curious about just what their relationship was, but she put that curiosity aside for now.

  Seventh answered, “The stealth frigate has supplies to feed the humanoid population of the entire planet for a year.”

  Hitasa’s own jaw went slack. This was a surprise she couldn’t roll with so easily. She didn’t know what Seventh meant by “stealth frigate,” but the rest of the message was clear. How could she and Dalex have access to such vast amounts of food? Where would it come from?

  “We only need it for Batulan-bar for now,” Hitasa said, trying to stay focused on the actual problem they needed to solve, though she imagined the ability to feed all of Gaia Eta for an extended amount of time would come in handy when the resistance captured the Waterfall Portal. “And enough for whatever towns and villages are included in the blockade.”

  “A simple task, then,” Seventh said. “I will begin dropping sustenance distribution centers at logical gathering places throughout the city. It will be up to you to coordinate how to use them with the humanoids in Batulan-bar. If you need more distribution—”

  “Hold on,” Metsa broke in. “Please, slow down. We’re not ready to start receiving your aid just yet. We need to get word to the people and tell them what’s going on. I’ll need to coordinate with Lodge Mother Sarnai and the mayor.”

  Seventh gave the elf matron a stern look. “Dalex is preparing to engage another group of mutts. I would like to be there to support him within the next five minutes.”

  Metsa’s eyes went wide. “Mutts?”

  “Don’t get distracted,” Hitasa told her. “Dalex is handling it. I’ll tell you more once we’ve secured ourselves for the blockade.”

  “Yes, you’re right,” Metsa said, her voice not quite as forceful as normal. “Give us a day, Seventh. That should be enough time to prepare the city.”

  “Very well,” Seventh said. She turned to Hitasa again. “You may contact me through the personal defense drone when you are ready to begin.”

  “How big are these ‘sustenance distribution centers?’” Hitasa asked before Seventh could take her leave.

  “They each take up a footprint of eighteen by fourteen feet, and they are ten feet tall. From my understanding of your measurements, that is nine claws by seven claws by five claws.”

  “Can you put one outside the Batulan-bar Hunters’ Lodge so we can get an idea of how it works?”

  “Yes,” Seventh said. “It is on the way. Is there anything else?”

  Hitasa exchanged glances with Metsa and Staja, and they each shook their heads.

  “That will be all.”

  Another brief sunbeam lit Seventh from above and she was gone, vanishing just as quickly as she had arrived. Both Metsa and Staja were startled by her sudden disappearance, but they recovered quickly.

  “She is nothing like Dalex,” Metsa said.

  Her son nodded. “She reminds me more of a typical human.”

  “I can’t figure her out, either,” Hitasa said, “but let’s get to the lodge. A day is not a lot of time, and it won’t be long before the people start worrying about where their next meal is going to come from.”

  ***

  When the three companions were halfway to the lodge, they heard a loud boom like a crack of thunder from high in the sky. There had been no prior flash of lightning, and when Hitasa looked up, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Only the twinkling stars looked down on her.

  Upon arrival at the lodge, they discovered most of the lodge’s occupants were outside gathered around a strange blocky object planted in the ground just in front of the steps leading into the building. Many of the lodge’s neighbors had come out as well, nervously curious about the unnatural box.

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  Hitasa pushed through the crowd to get a closer look at this “sustenance distribution center.” It was mostly a featureless gray rectangular box, but the side facing the lodge bore a small protrusion with various little bumps and tiny levers, the functions of which she couldn't possibly guess.

  As she approached, Hitasa heard a voice almost like Ring's say, "Authorized user recognized. New user service available."

  The crowd around the box hushed and stepped back.

  "Ring, is that you?" Hitasa asked.

  "Yes and no," Ring said, still hidden above her head. "The artificial intelligence in this sustenance distribution center is separate from my own, but we were originally cloned from the same model. We're like siblings."

  "Would you like to enter first time user mode?" the voice in the box asked.

  "Yes," Hitasa said

  "Please, flip the white switch on the top right of the control console. The switch is pictured on the display to your left. Move it from the down position to the up position, as shown in the video demonstration."

  Hitasa looked left, and a part of the box’s face lit up into a small moving picture. A red arrow indicated the switch it wanted her to press, and in the picture, the switch flipped from down to up in a looping demonstration. It reminded Hitasa of a street puppet show.

  Metsa and Staja broke through the crowd to stand behind her. They watched the looping display in puzzlement.

  “Is it really that simple?” Staja asked.

  “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Dalex’s tools,” Hitasa said, “it’s that they want to be used.”

  She flipped the switch and the display vanished. A whirring sound emanated from the machine. A moment later, Ring's sibling said, "Thank you. Voice interaction is all that will be required from here on. I am capable of preparing any meal in the Expedition Seven's database. If you are unfamiliar with the Expedition Seven's database, I can offer a number of suggestions based on taste preference. Additionally, I can prepare local dishes if provided with a detailed recipe. The dish will be even more accurate if you include physical examples of ingredients. Now, what would you like me to prepare for you?"

  Before Hitasa could answer, a hand grabbed her by the shoulder. She turned to see the demon Balgoth staring at her from mere inches away. A jolt of fear ran through Hitasa, but Balgoth immediately let go of her and did not attempt to touch her again.

  "Where is the fool, Dalex of the Expedition Seven?" the demon demanded.

  "I'm not really sure," Hitasa said. "Hunting mutts somewhere to the east. I assumed he still had you with him."

  "The bleeding meat sack left me behind in Dugan. He was in too much of a hurry to meet you."

  "Me?" Hitasa asked.

  "He was nattering on about you being captured by Michel. The sentimental bore should have brought me with him."

  Somehow, knowing Dalex was worried about her made her feel lighter. And, for some reason, she took issue with Balgoth calling him a bore.

  “If he’s so boring, why are you still following him around?”

  The demon glared at her. “I care not for your input. Take me to Dalex, now!”

  Hitasa groaned. “Ring, send a message to Dalex. Tell him his clingy demon wants to see him.”

  “You are in communication with him?” Balgoth asked.

  “More or less,” Hitasa said. “Stop bothering me. I’m trying to figure out how this thing works.”

  But Hitasa was again interrupted by two new arrivals. Yesui and a large bear of a damekin came striding down the steps of the hunters’ lodge. As they got closer, Hitasa noticed Yesui’s companion actually had stubby bear ears, and she realized this was Lodge Mother Sarnai.

  Yesui looked like she had seen better days. She was coated in streaks of dirt and what was probably hydra blood. While Dalex had been able to teleport straight from Dugan back to Batulan-bar, it looked like she had been forced to return with the horses.

  The fox-eared damekin noticed Hitasa, and the crowd parted so that she and Sarnai could join the group congregating at the box’s control surface.

  “Is this one of Dalex’s toys?” Yesui asked.

  Hitasa nodded. “It’s supposed to make food.”

  “I see. You know about the blockade then?”

  “I do. How do you know about it?” Hitasa asked.

  “Balgoth and I had to break through a Wolf Brigade checkpoint to return to the city. After I defeated them, one of their soldiers told me what was going on.”

  Yesui made it sound like a casual conversation rather than what it had probably been, a ruthless interrogation.

  Lodge Mother Sarnai spoke, and the crowd—which had been buzzing with talk about what the strange box was—instantly quieted. Even using a normal talking volume, her voice rumbled like lumber rolling down a hillside.

  “Who is this she-elf, Yesui?”

  “This is Hitasa, Mother. She is a close friend of Dalex of the Expedition Seven.”

  “Hitasa,” Sarnai mused. “I see. Then it is partially your fault we are in this mess.”

  Hitasa swallowed. “I— Well— I guess. Though, I can’t account for his…” She paused, looking for the right word, “flagrant refusal to bend to authority.” She lowered her voice. “Still, I’m probably the one who set him down this path.”

  “Be at ease, child,” Sarnai said reassuringly. “You have nothing to fear from me. This was inevitable, though I never expected to see it in my lifetime.” Her gaze shifted to Metsa and Staja. “I see you two are here as well. I’m sure you have been scheming.”

  “Scheming is such a crude word for it,” Metsa said.

  Sarnai looked over the box. “So, this thing is supposed to feed my city?”

  “If Dalex’s companion is true to her word,” Hitasa said, turning to the machine, “this and others like it should have no trouble filling our bellies while we weather the blockade.” She cleared her throat. “Box, what meal do you recommend?”

  “Do you want something sweet or savory?” the voice in the box asked.

  “Savory. With vegetables and grains.”

  “Dinner is served!” Box said with the same cheery tone Ring used while shooting people.

  A seam appeared on the side of the box, opening to reveal a steaming tray of a white short-grain rice covered in chunky vegetables and slathered with an aromatic brown sauce.

  “Vegetable curry,” Box said. “A very popular dish on Earth.”

  Hitasa took the tray from inside the box. It came with a glass of water and a spoon. The spectators, including the four hunters and Balgoth, crowded in around her. Hitasa sat down on the ground, setting the tray in her lap. She spooned up a bit of the rice and sauce and sniffed. It smelled really good.

  “Well? someone in the crowd prompted her. “Don’t leave us hanging.”

  Hitasa took a bite. She chewed. She swallowed. A soft smile touched her lips. “I have no idea what it is, but it’s delicious.”

  “Let me try some,” Balgoth demanded, standing over Hitasa.

  “You can ask the box for your own,” Hitasa said.

  “The box might poison the batch if—”

  She was interrupted by Ring suddenly announcing, “Message incoming from Operator Dalex. Playing recording now.”

  Dalex’s voice replaced Ring’s. “Sorry, I totally forgot about Balgoth. I’ll take her back now.”

  “Dalex?” Balgoth said. “Dalex where are—”

  A beam of light lit her from the sky and suddenly the demon was gone. The crowd gasped. Someone asked where Balgoth had gone—not one of those that knew she was a demon. Most backed away from the box, thinking it might have caused the demon to disappear.

  Lodge Mother Sarnai raised an eyebrow. “What was that?”

  “One of Dalex’s powers,” Yesui explained. “In any case, now that we know his food is edible, we should prepare the city for what comes next.”

  “I’m going to finish this,” Hitasa said. “I haven’t eaten all day.”

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