82. DOOM MOON FOUR - ENGINES

After Eddie left, Flora didn't know what to do.

Robby had called her, but he was in a hurry. It might be because of the job or because Flora and Eddie were naked during the video chat. He had covered both eyes with his hand and kept the conversation short.

In her mind, the duel-thingy had occupied the whole Sunday one. In the evening, they had planned to celebrate with a banquet. Robby had postponed to tomorrow because of the big job. The Riverstones carried a bunch of company executives through the instance Mia had found.

Nothing hindered Flora from doing her Hero's Entrance now. She was concerned about Deriga. The sooner she would visit Evailyn's temple, the sooner she could investigate why the novice had yet to return.

On the other hand, she could do a few more of the recommended scenarios before it. Sharpening the ax never increases the woodworking time.

Or save Jake and the Doom Moon. She had delayed the Doom Moon for too long. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to conclude the scenario before she concentrated on the Cradle.

"We are going to save the Doom Moon!"

Flora was still affected by the duel. She winced when hearing sudden noises, and her senses were on hyper-alert. Therefore she first settled the dailies and martial arts and then took a nap.

It worked wonders. Her mind cleared up. Now, she could process the technical aspects of the duel.

The turrets were fine, but she never had time to activate their skill Rapid Fire. They only produced around 17 damage every 2 seconds; Rapid Fire would quadruple this amount.

After she messed with the software without satisfying results, she gave up and bought an S-rated software suit.

"Aidan, remind me not to skimp on equipment."

She added a mana-battery to all the turrets, a prerequisite for casting skills. Several times, she mixed up which type of turret she was working on, so she color-coded them, dark green for healing with Rapid Fire, light green for healing with Healing Cloud, and dark red for laser with Rapid Fire.

This time she started the scenario from the simulation grounds. She wanted to find out how the inventory worked.

The list of spells she could use during the scenario had grown considerably: All kinetic, ice, metal and lightning mage spells, technomancer skills, and almost all skills from the technology branch.

Flora kept the dinner-scene short but enjoyed seeing the blockhead Jake and his cute daughter again.

Before she met the forewoman, Elma Phen, she took out the octopussy.

Magical Regeneration: 32 OV

Mechanics: 29 OV

Electronics: 27 OV

Smithing: 19 OV

"Impressive stats. Have you worked on turrets before?"

"Yes, but I would like to work on the engines."

"Oh well, you definitely qualify. How about you do a good job on the generators, and I might advance you."

The octopussy got a datapad and multitool, as well. Flora regretted not bringing out a few more robots.

When she met Clyde again, she hugged him and couldn't let go. Of course, she was glad to meet Handy and Forky, too, but experiencing the Icemaster halve the little R2D2-Knockoff had left a mark on her heart.

"I will go to HR if you continue disrespecting my personal boundaries," Clyde complained.

Flora stopped the hug and patted him affectionately on the head.

The generator-quests were the same as on Flora's last visit. She completed them in record time.

Finally, her surroundings changed from black corridors to a spherical hall. Cupboards with glowing wires lined the walls, and in the center, an energy cloud wobbled behind security glass.

Sweating engineers and technicians worked on the machines. The temperature was hot enough to bake eggs on the metal surfaces.

Quest: Repair Engine S20R03 on the Doom Moon

Possible rewards: Bonus crafting XP

Possible Penalties: Degradation

Difficulty: A

"I bet on heat damage," Flora stated while scanning the engine.

"No takers," said Clyde.

The diagnose report agreed.

Flora fixed the damage and then added the rune-scheme the old technician had taught her at the Garage.

It worked beyond well. The machine was now the coldest place in the whole room—even a soft draft formed with the contracting cooled air, making space for the hot air.

Completed quest: Repair Engine S20R03 on the Doom Moon

Reward: Bonus crafting XP

Difficulty: A

Completion: S

The other technicians took notice, and a crowd started to form. Flora explained her solution.

Scientists and engineers differed in that you didn't have to convince the latter. A useful feature is self-evident.

In no time, Flora and the others remodeled all the engines in the room.

"Great job, Flowers." Elma Phens trunk swang through the now cooling air.

"Thanks, boss. What about the shafts for heat dispersion? We don't need them anymore. We should close them ASAP. They are a security risk in case of an attack."

"Sure, sure. But first, we have a birthday to celebrate."

The scene vanished, and the birthday party quest appeared.

"Not good. We have to patch the shafts before the attack. Do we have their locations, Aidan?"

"No, Milady."

"Let's hack."

This time Flora established a connection to Elma Phen's datapad via her Technomancer skills. Flora thought it was poetic justice because the forewoman had to take responsibility for prioritizing a birthday party higher than the safety of her people.

Aidan and Aitoshuri used their hacking ability to gain access to it while Flora made small talk with the other party guests.

Elma had all the necessary data. Six engine rooms existed, and each one had three heat dispersion systems. Five of the engine rooms currently refitted them, only Elma's room had fallen behind because the crew partied.

The good news was they were all in the same sector within 5 flight minutes from each other.

"We need materials for the patches and a means of transport. If we wait until the attack, all jets will be taken. Plan the shortest route from here to a warehouse to the hangar. Place the orders for the materials and add some multitools."

"Hey, Auntie Flow." Jake stumbled towards her and put his arm around her for balance. "Look, my little Hope called me daddy."

The hologram with Elena and Hope played.

"That's great. Let's talk some other time. I have things to steal." Flora tried to get away, but Jake wouldn't let her go. His arm hugged her shoulder like a steel brace.

"Auntie, Auntie, I have to show you something amazing."

First, Flora contemplated giving the dolt an impromptu Jiu-Jitsu lesson, but then she caved. She guessed going to the trophy room was one of the events you couldn't skip. And the meditation chamber was a spaceship; maybe it would be the easiest solution to borrow it.

"Alright, show me, but we have to hurry, dear."

Flora had to remind him several times to make haste. Only after they entered a warehouse on the way and Flora filled her inventory with thick metal sheets and over a hundred multitools, it dawned to him Flora had something urgent to do, and he increased his speed.

The trophy room was as horrifying as Flora remembered it.

"Auntie Flow, do you think we are the good guys? Lady Mnoder is one of the most respected generals of the empire, and she sure as hell doesn't behave like it." Jake's big blue eyes shone with seriousness.

"Jake, I'll be honest with you. I watched all the routines, and none of them showed a situation where you could judge her character. The context is missing."

"What do you mean by you watched all of them?"

"I've been here before."

"Haha, and I thought I was the only noisy snooper."

Flora smiled at him.

"Milady, Lady Mnoder incoming in 1 minute."

One minute was not enough time to steal the spaceship.

"But we have the chance to evaluate her character for our selves. She is coming."

Jakes's mouth opened, but no speech exited. His head whipped around, searching for a hiding spot, but his body remained frozen.

Flora positioned herself close to the elevator but not close enough to be mistaken for an attacker. She considered raising Energy Shield right from the get-go but refrained because of the same reason. However, she held the spell close to her fingertips, ready to release at an instance.

Finally, the elevator doors opened. Lady Mnoder's presence filled the room.

"Hello, Lady Mnoder." Flora took the initiative. "I have an urgent request."

"What are you doing in my sanctuary?" The clad in red woman snapped her hand in Flora's direction.

<Energy Shield>!

Jake jumped in surprise as the lightning tendrils clashed with Flora's shield.

"Now, I'm mildly interested in what you have to say."

Flora couldn't gauge her facial expressions because of the red facemask, reminiscent of a respirator from world war I. At least she sounded intrigued.

"I have a hunch the Doom moon will be attacked soon. I'm working in engineering, and we have a security risk with open shafts leading to the volatile machines. I need a spacecraft to fix it. Now."

"Nice story. So you are just a run of the mill technician who happens to wield the most mysterious Energy in the galaxy. What about your companion, just another technician who happens to be an Energymaster?"

Jake shook his head so fast Flora feared it would fall off.

"Well, as an engineer, I wield and tame multiple of the fascinating energies in the universe," Flora replied thoughtfully.

The lady pulled a crystal out of her pocket and held it in front of Jake. "Grab it with your bare hand."

With wide eyes, Jake inched towards the artifact. When he touched it, the crystal erupted in multicolored lights.

"Great talent for kinetics, mediocre for ice, decent for lightning and magnetism. Definitely, blessed by the Energy."

"That's all great, but could you please postpone your mother-son bonding moment? We've got a moon to save." As soon as the words had left her mouth, Flora realized she messed up. Her brain had somehow connected to the last time Mnoder tested Jake when she already knew it was her son.

Mnoder and Jake stared at her with the same angle on their tilted heads.

"I'm just a senile old lady, don't mind me and my chatter. Let's go."

The beeping of Mnoder's datapad unburdened Flora from their gazes.

"Speak!"

"The terrorist started the attack on Doom Moon, Lady Mnoder. A fleet of 1000 destroyers arrived."

"Very good. I'm on my way." Lady Mnoder glanced at Flora and Jake before returning into the elevator. "And you two will follow me."

Quest: Secure the ventilation shafts on the Doom Moon

Possible rewards: Bonus crafting XP, hidden

Possible Penalties: End of Scenario, Death

Time limit: 45 min

Difficulty: A

"I have all the materials ready. We can start immediately," said Flora while pushing the still frozen Jake into the cabin.

"Maybe we'll start in the interrogation chamber."

"If you want to risk the Doom Moon and everybody on it, sure go ahead. We can have a nice long chat and die together during it."

Lady Mnoder replied with a cross of a snort and harrumph. While marching, she communicated with a few people, including Elma Phen.

When Flora's story checked out, or at least some parts of it, she sent her to the hangar and pulled Jake with her. Flora tried to convince Mnoder she needed him for the repairs, but the Lady didn't budge.

"I thought we are all going to die soon. Didn't you wanted to do something against it?"

"I'm sorry," Flora said to Jake. The poor boy was still in shock and didn't hear her.

Flora ran to the hangar. Remorse softened her knees, but she had to soldier on. 'There is always the next attempt; you don't have to sweat it. Maybe it's even for the best they found each other.'

Concentrating on her breathing and speed, she arrived in no time.

A bulky shuttle awaited her: no weapons, shitty plating, and no hyperdrive.

Flora inserted Aidan into the controls.

"How much time do we have for each repair."

"We won't make it, Milady. The spacecraft is to slow."

"Hack the system and remove any software limiters on speed, dear. I'll take care of the hardware."

Flora dashed to the engine and removed the panel protecting it. She loosened valves, gouged bottlenecks, and increased the pressure. In short, she did everything the safety manual said not to do.

The diagnosis software on her datapad glowed yellow with warnings when she finished.

<Tinker>!

Buff: Tinkered: Improves the Physical Power by 5 OV; time remaining: 10 min;

Aidan couldn't assess the extent of the mods without testing them, so they started the flight.

Flora's eyes darted between the engine and her datapad. As soon as a red issue appeared, Flora fixed it.

She couldn't repair the engine while it ran, so duct tape functioned as the primary support.

More and more panels vanished in Flora's inventory as she needed access to the different parts of the machine.

She delegated watching the diagnosis program to Aidan and fanning the increasingly hot motor to the octopussy. It hung from the ceiling on two tentacles, used another two to fan the dry hot air and the rest for repairs.

Whenever the cooldowns ran out, Flora cast Hurry Up and Nitro on the shuttle.

Between curtailing the worst messes and flinging spells, she engraved runes against overheating.