Monroe-Chapter Three Hundred and Seventy-one. Stowaways.

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Bob rubbed his temples. He was having an unexpected conversation on the bridge of the Freedom.

"I'm not what anyone would call 'socially adept,'" Bob began. "But even I know that when someone says 'anytime' it doesn't actually mean that you're welcome to visit them anytime."

"I figured you wouldn't mind, really," Alex said. "I mean, there's a lot of work that could be done up here to optimize your systems, and I'm not just talking about the computers. Like, dude, you went all in on the magic, which, I know, is crazy cool, but it's also not always the most efficient." He paused and frowned. "In fact, I think that it's almost always not the most efficient. Like, yeah for some things we just don't have the tech yet, so you pretty much have to go all in on the magic, but for any application where we already have a technological solution, your better off applying magic to make that technology better, right? Like your air system. You're burning so many mana crystals to keep that going, when you could just power a normal system instead. Hell, even if you just used a ritual to scrub the co, you'd be spending a lot less crystals," Alex shook his head. "It's not like you need to worry about wear on the system, you can just drop a repair ritual, and consumables can be summoned, all of which would be about twenty-five percent of your current expenditures. Thirty percent, tops."

"Isn't DARPA going to miss you?" Bob asked.

"Maybe? Honestly, the experience of actually integrating shipboard systems with magic and documenting the results is a real opportunity," Alex replied. "At the moment, a lot of what we're building isn't being tested. NASA is really strict about what they'll let go up. Speaking of which," Alex reached into his backpack and pulled out a smaller bag which he tossed to Bob. "They've made a ton of these things, and honestly I kinda think this is one of those instances where just don't have the best tech yet, so magic really is the right answer, at least for now. We tried enhancing suits, replacing systems, but ultimately the suits are just too cumbersome and bulky."

Bob opened the bag and discovered it held quite a few segmented metal bracelets. He pulled one out and inspected it.

"It's a collar that provides a thin layer of breathable atmosphere, temperature control, and a micron thick layer of gold on your skin to absorb radiation," Alex explained. "They're not perfect, and you can absolutely get frostbite if you handle anything in space for more than a few minutes, but it's so much better for EVA's that NASA has gone all in on them."

"That's pretty neat," Bob admitted.

"Right?" Alex grinned. "I mean, you wanna stay in the nice safe spaceship, but if you do have to go outside, I'd rather do it with one of these than with a suit. Anyway, I figure you can pass these out while I get started."

"Alex," Bob sighed, "while we're stopping by Thayland, the next stop is, ideally, going to be a much higher tier world in another universe. You're tier six, and no offense intended, I don't necessarily think you're on our level in terms of combat capability."

"Oh, I'm definitely not," Alex agreed. "While I'd like to delve more often so I can grind up a bit further, you guys are a little bit crazy. I'm just looking to fix some systems and hitch a ride to Thayland."

Jessica glared at her parents. Despite towering over them by more than four feet, it didn't seem to have any impact.

"Luv, didn't we warn you that your face would get stuck like that?" Veronica asked.

"I know that I did," Ronald agreed with a smile.

"You guys are terrible," Jessica grumbled.

"You should be happy that after forty-one years of marriage, we're still deliriously in love with each other," her mother replied.

"Yeah, but you didn't have be in love with each other in my bed," Jessica complained. "You could have at least changed the sheets!"

"Sweetie, you don't have any spare sheets in your room, we did check," her dad offered.

"I had Eddi summon up some furniture and linens in the spare room closest to the stern," Jessica said.

"Thank you," Veronica smiled.

"So, what are your plans?" Jessica asked.

"Well, we know that Melony wants to become a runner, although we hope that she'll take the slow and steady route," her dad began. "We've been holding off on doing anything until she graduated, so we were hoping that she'd be willing to level with us. I'm willing to follow a defender path, while your mother is eager to become a healer, so her choice to blast things with ice bolts fits rather neatly into that holy trinity thing."

"The problem is that it's hard to get a place in the Dungeons around town," Veronica shook her head. "The wait isn't nearly as bad if you head inland, but we've seen videos of what the camps around those Dungeons are like, and I don't want to be there, let alone subject Melony to it." She beamed up at Jessica. "Luckily for us, we have another daughter, one who is going to head back to Thayland, where the King of Greenwold will be more than happy to let us delve to our hearts content, and for less tax than we'd have to pay at home."

Jessica smiled. "I'm glad you're finally going to start leveling up, I was worried you might be harboring some sort of idea about disavowing the System or something."

"Nah, nothing like that," Ronald replied. "I mean, ultimately our faith was more than just belief in Christ, it's a set of moral principals that are no less valid now."

"You could find a place in Glacier Valley pretty easily," Jessica said. "The skyscrapers are all empty and sitting on top of Dungeons just begging to be delved. Or you could hang out with the rest of the transplants by the coast."

"I think we'd prefer that," Veronica said. "Thayland will be enough of a change, it would be nice to have a few familiar things around."

"Also easier to pay our taxes," Ronald added. "We do want to stay on the right side of the government, you know."

"Are they going to give you shit for taking off with us?" Jessica asked. "I mean, you did go through customs, yeah?"

"We'll be fine," Veronica reassured her. "Now, how about you tell me a little bit about how to be the best healer I can be?"

Bob smiled awkwardly as he sat down across from the President.

"I picked up sort of a stowaway," Bob began.

"Don't worry, the Wright's are still in good standing with their government, although I'm afraid I have a document to deliver to you on behalf of the Australian government declaring you, and your friends, persona non grata," Elania replied.

Bob blinked, then shook his head, "No, not Jessica's family. Alex Thompson, some sort of researcher or engineer with DARPA. He took my invitation to stop by anytime literally and is fiddling around on the Freedom. He wants to come with us when we hop back over to Thayland, and I don't really see any reason to tell him no, but I'm not sure if he's told anyone else. He's a little excitable."

The President frowned. "He might be in a bit of trouble if he's skipping out on his contract," she replied. "Government employment comes with a whole raft of benefits, but it isn't the same as the private sector."

"Can you have someone check into it? I get the feeling he's not exactly on top of that sort of thing." Bob said.

"I will," The President agreed. "I should have an answer by the end of the day, which I understand you're going to spend ferrying people over to Thayland?"

"Yep," Bob nodded. "I'll be moving some people back and forth as well. The Old Guard and some other transplants have things back here they need to take care of, so I'll pop them over as well."

Elania frowned. "We're going to have to process them through customs," she mused.

"I'm just driving the bus," Bob shrugged. "You aren't making people display their status screens, are you?"

"No," The President shook her head. "We do have a bill before the senate that would require people to demonstrate their capabilities in order to be employed for certain tasks, but that's less an identification measure, and more of one to ensure that there is a process in place to certify people, allowing you to know that the person you're hiring can actually deliver."

"That sounds reasonable," Bob agreed.

"Most of the unreasonable ideas have either been voted down in the house, or are mired in subcommittees, unlikely to ever see the light of day," Elania replied wryly. "To be fair, some of the more reasonable ones are suffering as well, but that's the nature of our government."

"I think I'd rather be back at Fermilab than have to deal with that everyday," Bob shuddered. "Give me a nice Dungeon full of monsters driven to devour me any day of the week."

"Well, I'm sure you'll be back to running Dungeons again shortly," Elania said.

"Looking for them, actually," Bob said. "We're still looking for a nice planet to settle down on."

"They're out there," The President replied. "I'm surprised you didn't bid on the one that Russian found."

"Tier four is too low, although I'm sure whoever colonizes it will enjoy having a garden world," Bob said.

"What tier are you looking for, if you don't mind me prying?" Elania asked.

"Somewhere between tier fourteen and tier sixteen," Bob replied. "Could go up to twenty for the right planet."

"That's pretty high," The President mused.

"We're looking to push to tier ten, but as you can imagine, it's reaching the point where it's taking longer and longer to grind our way up," Bob explained. "I know you've done the math on what a triple affinity looks like."

Elania nodded. "I'm at a double affinity now, but I won't be able to reincarnate unless I lose the election," she said.

"Well, for what it's worth, I think you've done a good job given the circumstances," Bob offered.

"I'd ask you for a public endorsement, but I like you too much for that," The President said with a smile.

"Worst case scenario, you hit your tier cap, reincarnate, and start the grind up with a triple affinity," Bob grinned. "Something to remember is that as long as you don't stall out, you're staring down the barrel of eternity. Even if you win the election, you'll have those four years, then you'll be free."

Renee wiped the back of her hand across her forehead.

Harbordeep was actually a lot more temperate than L.A., but it was summertime, and she'd been cooking for almost ten hours.

"What can I get for ya?" She asked.

"I'll take a dozen specials," the man replied. "Also, Bob asked me to tell you that he'll be running the ferry tomorrow, and to be at the portal plaza at noon."

"Twelve mana crystals," Renee replied, then blinked. "Wait, what?"

The man grinned and slapped twelve crystals on the counter. "Bob asked me to tell you that he was running people back and forth tomorrow, he said he promised you a trip."

"Fan-fucking-tastic!" Renee exclaimed with a broad smile.

"I'm Eric," he offered his hand to her, which she shook.

"Renee, but I imagine you'd already figured that one out," she replied.

"It is sort of painted in huge letters on the truck," Eric agreed. "What has you heading back to Earth, it looks like you're doing well here."

"I have a few friends that I sort of lost track of during the whole apocalypse thing, and I'd like to catch up to them, as well as picking up some plants to bring back," she shook her head. "I've made do substituting Thayland equivalents, but not all of them are the equal of what I would have used if I'd had it on hand, so I'm going to commit to growing my own."

"That's a good reason," Eric nodded. "You ought to swing by the plateau sometime, we'd keep you cooking from dusk till dawn."

"Well," Renee grinned, "another reason I need to go back is to buy another truck and bring it back here. One of my helpers decided to level up Chronomancy as his utility power, and I figure I can just load up a second truck for him with everything under stasis."

"It would be nice if more people took that route, having a utility power," Eric commented. "Out of over three and a half million, we have one person who has their Dimension School and Portal Spell high enough to punch back to Earth, and they prefer to blast things with Conjuration."

Renee nodded. "Tell me about it," she grumbled. "All the folks from Earth got together here in Harbordeep, and we've been sending a thumb drive with emails back and forth when the Dimensionalists here open a portal. They charge a damn fortune for each cubic inch of space they send through."

"Which is messed up, because you know they are using spatially expanded bags and crates," Eric agreed. 𝓯𝑟𝓮ℯ𝘸ℯ𝘣𝑛ℴ𝘷ℯ𝓵.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"At least Bob is coming through for us," Renee grinned. "I had thought he'd be something else entirely, they way the Endless talk him up, but I've met him twice and he seemed like a good guy."

Eric nodded solemnly. "He really is," he agreed.

"I swear I'm going to buy you a wheelbarrow," Bob grumbled as he used both arms, his chin, and a knee to try and maneuver Monroe, who had proven that no matter how large the cat, they possessed the singular ability to change their state to a liquid.

With a grunt, he managed to pour the super-sized floofer onto the table, where Monroe sprawled majestically.

The news crew who were filming a short distance away were shaking suspiciously.

"Whew," Bob breathed as he resolutely ignored the cameras, which the President had explained would have to be there to document the people from Earth heading to Thayland.

He'd arrived at the stadium by way of portal, avoiding the crowds outside, but he'd found the stadium already packed, with standing room only.

There were people in a variety of uniforms keeping things orderly, and a space had been maintained in the center for Bob to open the portal.

Bob looked around and found a familiar face.

"Ed," Bob said with a smile. "Or is it Mr. Secretary?"

"Good to see you, Bob," The Secretary of State replied, "and I think we can stick with Ed. You aren't part of any chain of command, and we've known each for years now." He gestured toward the crowds. "As you can see, we have a whole lot of people to move through, so you can get started any time."

Bob nodded, and reached into his satchel. For this event, he'd chosen to wear his armor, with his satchel slung over his shoulder and clasped to his hip and thigh.

"I'll let you know the damage at the end of the day," he told Ed, "I don't actually know how many crystals this is going to end up taking, even with my cost reductions."