Machines of Civilization

Night soon came and work have to start. First, I will make a defensive platform that will act as the HUB where I can call home. I reopened the door, move cautiously as I observe the surrounding for any sort of similar predators I encountered from before. The surrounding is all but darkness, the natural satellite of this world illuminates the surface. It's different from the planets or other bodies I have landed to before. 

I released all builder drones that I could and gave a command to gather research for any resource node and analysis for possible extraction. While I, along with few builder drone left, built an improvised wall using the extracted wood from trees nearby. 

Builder drones are human-size foot drones that can traverse landscape like survey drones, but on ground, and have multifunction feature for initial resource node extraction, construction, etc.... They use tracks to traverse the ground and uses nuclear power cell as battery. However, since I currently have the fusion disabled, I had to make them use fuel, which is highly inefficient for them as they require frequent refuel from the ship.

It took me for quite a while to do so despite the help of the drones. But all is well when all is done. The wall was sturdy enough due to the unexpected toughness of the tree trunks, and all of it surrounds us, LANA and me. The HUB is not big, yes, but it's enough for accommodation.

As soon as I sigh, signifying the success of the improvised construction of the HUB. I immediately went ahead and dug the soil from below. Commanding similar action to the drones, they also excavated the ground with integrated equipment they have. Truly convenient.

An hour and so as we dig, the builder drones I sent for researching nearby resource node returned with seemingly worthwhile data. I halted my soil excavation progress and left the other builders to import the data gathered into LANA's intelligence system to analyze it. 

In the viewport, I saw bird's eye view of the surrounding terrain, with each icon signifying the resources analyzed. And quite fortunately, they are familiar materials. One uncertain node is particularly interesting as the icon displays liquid form, yet dark. 

"LANA, is that some sort of water?"

I hover to the navigational panel and downloaded the map surveyed by the drones.

[NEGATIVE. DATA ANALYSIS AND EVIDENCE PROVIDED BY DRONES SUGGEST THE POSSIBILITY OF CRUDE OIL]

"Crude oil?"

[CORRECT. CRUDE OIL ARE LIQUID FORMED BY HYDROCARBON, MAINLY FROM FOSSIL OF FLORA AND FAUNA]

"Oh, I think I've seen this information before. They're fossil fuel used to provide source of energy by humanity centuries ago, correct?"

[CORRECT, CRUDE OIL EXTRACTED ARE USED FOR POWER GENERATION THAT SUSTAINED HUMANITY FOR OVER TWO CENTURIES UNTIL NUCLEAR FUSION WAS COMMERCIALIZED]

"That's fortunate for us then! The back up generator will soon run out of battery, so this could be a good source of energy while we're here! We should immediately send builder drones to construct crude oil extractors."

[NEGATIVE. FOR BEST SURVIVAL OUTCOME, EXPLORERS ARE RECOMMENDED TO FOLLOW THE PROTOCOL UNTIL RESCUE ARRIVES]

I knitted my brows, seemingly suspicious of the motive behind those digital voice of LANA. Naturally, she would follow my order but it seems she was affected by the security protocol that was assigned by default to every ship purchased from the United States.

"System Override. 2-03116F, System Overhaul. Follow Contingency Measure."

[PROCESSING...]

[SYSTEM SHUTDOWN IN 3...2...1...]

Bleep

The viewport restarts, soon revealing a similar menus. 

"LANA, send resource drones and builder drone for crude oil and resource extraction. We may run out of power by next month. At least, we could use some few alternatives."

[Affirmative. Sending Drones to designated Area] 

The navigation panel soon reveal a few more blue dots, the drones, and tracks their movement as they all made their way towards their designated point of interest. And these point of interest, once the drone arrived to it, are marked as their respective resource node. 

[WARNING: Resource depletion imminent. Replenishment advised]

"Yeah, yeah. I think we found iron resource node?" 

[Affirmative. Four confirmed Iron Resource node. All currently under construction for extraction]

"Then we should immediately build some blast furnace to have stable production of steel. We might need to improve the hub since it will probably not last in this kind of environment."

[Affirmative. Coal Resource Node has also been confirmed. Construction for Extractors are on the process. Calculations predict the depletion of resource stockpile after creation of six blast furnace]

"Alright... yawn I'm getting tired. I'll get some few hours of nap and wake me up if something happen." 

[Affirmative. Have a good rest, pilot.]

----

Fortunately, last night, we were able to construct improvised wall for the hub and acted as visual shield against predators of terrifying origin. I also had all drone active to build resource extractors. And... that was my best decision so far.

Supposedly, the ship was sealed shut from outside waves, for obvious reasons. However, since I deactivated safe mode from last night to make sure things I am safe from the outside, maintaining security over the perimeter with LANA's security measure.

This caused me to be waken up to the sound of bustling machinery just outside the ship. And when I went to the cockpit to look at the situation, I noticed multiple cargo storages unit was magically at placed just outside the hub walls. I was later notified by LANA about the progress of the iron and coal extract and it went well as expected. However, the 20,000 unit per minute of iron extraction took its toll to the node and was immediately depleted, However, as this predicament is expected to every resource gathering, measures were made. 

LANA did what she thought was the most efficient way to continue the iron extract. That is, to mine deeper, which I was told to have reached 2 km deep of excavation. Where she actually found a higher reserve of iron. Similar thing happened to the coal resource and was immediately solved using similar solution.

Not only that, they also found crystals in surface caves that are otherwise found in higher pressured places, mainly underground. These crystals, upon LANA's data analysis, later found that it extracts certain chemical element, Magiterium, which she calls, from its surrounding. 

Magiterium are highly energized matters that can be used as power according to LANA. Its highly dense state form that was supposedly done in high pressure was due to gravitational anomaly that is yet to be solved by LANA. It gathers massive amount of Magiterium in specific place which later form these Magiterium Crystal. 

LANA have concluded the research and instructed free builder drone to manually mine these crystals. Fortunately, it does not have any sort of radioactivity so it was safe to store it by normal means. However, its unknown nature was considered, and thus stored in safe distance from me.

Gold was also being extracted using smelter and later purified using refineries. Gold are extremely practical aside from its luxurious use. Gold can be used for electronics that can be used to manufacture the drones. And additional drones are something I welcome to the manpower I currently lack.

For the meantime though, LANA is considering the use of Crystal but have successfully powered seven large fuel generator with power generation of 2,000 MWh or 48 GWh per day worth of electricity. Which means, currently, we have enough energy to sustain us so long as fuel does not run out and it does not pose dangerous greenhouse effect to our surrounding. At least until LANA concluded the safe use of the Magiterium Crystal.

However, LANA found it hard to properly extract Copper due to its poor reserve in the nearby area. Currently, we have 30 cargo storage units in placed, which amounts to a total of 575,000 units of copper. It may sound immense in amount, however, we will need greater than that if I wish to at least sustain myself for a month. After all, copper is mainly used for power distribution and power distribution is complex in this untainted and still early mapped world.

Altogether, it was pretty amazing and truly, I was utterly dumbfounded for all of these event to unfold overnight. And for the first time since forever, perhaps I have found myself delighted.