I start going through profiles and find a few to swipe right and double check my profile, to make sure it’s presentable.
It’s a bit dated and stale but not terrible.
No dick pics at least.
I find a decent view of the docks behind me and snap a new selfie, posting it to the site and write a few sentences to the effect of “in town for a few days.
Happy to eat good food with good company” Bait set.
Now to do my thing and see if I get any bites.
Either way, grinding nutripacks and signing for the Amadeus is the real goal.
Meeting a nice woman would be a bonus.
With time to kill, I start ordering supplies for Bessie for the next trip.
Mostly its lubricants and spare parts, but I also start looking at some cheap second hand upgraded refiners.
Building an asteroid base will require lots of parts and supplies which would be great to mine and manufacture on site.
3D printing has come a long way in two centuries.
All ships now have them as standard equipment for producing most common replacement parts.
The things that can be produced by them are nearly limitless.
Some things are easier to buy though, like circuits for machines and vehicles.
Those require special nanoprinters, which are expensive but have been around for centuries so finding older cheaper equipment is possible.
“Exie so you’ve got all these ships blueprints and stuff from all those civilizations you passed by in your 10,000 year journey.
Do you think we can use 3D printers to make some of them?” As I’m sipping some tea on the bridge of Bessie, random thoughts begin to bubble up.
[Sure thing Host.
not only ships, but engines, motors, mechas, technology all the way to regular appliances and life support machinery] They say that like it’s a list for dinner.
“Wow, so can we print them on our current 3D printers?” [This ship’s printer is sufficient to make smaller machines and parts, but the computer controllers and chips can’t be made on it.
Those need to be purchased or get a nano printer.
Also if you are thinking of making your own machines or vehicles you will want an upgraded refiner for separating the different metals and alloys, then pelletizers to extrude and cut them into easily stored then used pellets.
The pellets get used in the printers to make the machines.
This way you can mine out materials and then directly use them to print out designs.
These designs can include elements from all those past civilizations and then adapt them for printing, using available materials.
It’s not a problem to mix and match, then adjust it to make it all work with what you’ve got on hand.] “Wow Exie, that’s the most you’ve said in a while.
That’s Awesome.
So we can make almost anything we want but might need some specialized equipment.
Ok.
I can dig it.” With a thought I add “How about an asteroid bike?
Something I can ride around the asteroid on?
Or in the tunnels?
Something to bop around the base on.” Not everything can be pure business.
Mixed use assets are the best.
Can be used for business but also have some fun.
Just the thought of riding around the surface of the asteroid base on a motor bike or quad gets me excited.
With the low gravity you can make big jumps and the landings are soft.
OoO Yes please.
As an answer, Exie overlays 3 motor bike designs on my vision.
The light, greenish blue color is comforting to me by now.
I’m used to it.
2 of the designs are 2 wheel motor bikes and the third is a trike.
The motor is a hydrogen fuel cell with front and back electric motors.
They look fast, and fun.
The tires are about 6 inches wide, big, fat sand tires.
Oh me oh my.
The trike is a little bigger, but looks just as fun.
Both the motors power the real wheels, it could probably pop a wheelie.
It’s got a small rack on the back and a tow hitch for a small trailer.
Its fuel cell looks a little bigger and the motors’ slightly bigger too.
I bet it’s fast, real fast.
“Exie the trike looks awesome.
If I want to make that, do I need to buy some stuff?
I’d really like to make one of those.” [Everything but the Control Chips and tires can be 3D printed with currently available resources.
Specialized machines can make the chips and tires or you can just buy them here.
If you buy them here, I suggest you get them in bulk.
Actually we can make metal wheels and tires but they deform at high speed, only suitable for slow speeds below 20 MPH.] “Done.
Remind me before we leave to order some.
After we sign for the Amadeus, we can use that money.
Actually yeah no need for me to order them.
After we get the Amadeus, just buy them 100 of each and have them delivered to the ship.
One less thing for me to forget.” [Got it Host.
I’ve also got designs for many types of diggers, miners, and maintenance/repair bots.
Would you like to see?] “Hells yeah.
Let’s check them out.
It would help in making plans and getting supplies, knowing what options are out there.” The next few hours we go over many types of machines and their applications and material requirements.
In the end, I authorize Exie to get 200 wheels and sand tires, 100 general purpose chips, 50 driving logic chips for fast bots to be able to navigate complicated terrain like asteroid bases, and 20 fire control chips.
These allow for the synthesis of various sensor equipment to calculate firing trajectories.
Everything in space is moving and hitting small targets is especially hard without the extra computing power.
A small bot army is coalescing slowly.
We decide to grab a bigger older second hand 3D printer before heading back.
Exie can tune it up, we can make different nozzles, and with her better ‘operating system’ the productivity will double what it was when first produced.
But everything takes money so I’ve got to keep grinding these nutripacks for another couple days to pay for all this.
Sigh.
I guess I’ll keep being a worker bee for the time being.
Obviously it’s not as bad as I make it seem, but the grind is boring and just eats up days.
The 51k credits I can earn from each 3 boxes is pretty nice.
Doing 3 ‘lights out’ a day is just too wasteful of the day, I’ve got to do something besides sleeping and making nutripacks.
Working out between ‘lights out’ sessions helps a lot.
It takes the edge off and feels like I’m not destroying my ‘temple’.
Since it’s been 6 hours since my previous attempt I’m curious to see how much my mana recovers while not sleeping.
It feels like mana recovers half as fast, when I’m awake, as when asleep.
It’s just like I figured, after barely 40 nutripacks my mana is near empty.
No longer unbearably painful, it’s more emptiness inside that announces my mana level.
Thankfully I’m not feeling bad physically anymore from the depletion.
Copying a pair, knocks me out cold.
Luckily I’m now an old driver: no uncomfortable position, no partial nutripacks to clean up.
5 hours and 20 minutes later, I wake up slowly this time.
No jumping out of bed.
My body feels good and rested.
Going out for take out again gets me moving and the blood flowing.
Beef and broccoli with noodles, full of peppers, hits the spot.
Real food: the only way to recover from making fake food.
Bored of grinding nutripacks, but awed by the money and power growth, I head back to the ship and send another 7 cases over to Murdock.
This makes 21 cases.
At just over 15k credits a box this will add up to over 315k credits and some change!
This almost pays for the entire Amadeus.
By the time we sign the papers, I probably will have made enough to pay for it completely.
No telling when the payments all come in, it might take a couple weeks, once all the sales channels are stuffed full of Dessert Series nutripacks, plus Cherry Pie and Mochachino.
The market will be saturated full of my cheap nutripacks and slow down sales to a trickle, but by then I’ll be sailing off to set up my new asteroid base.
The plan is really starting to come together, but all I’m thinking about is riding around on a trike all over the surface of my own asteroid.
Fantasizing about building ramps and microgravity assisted, super long jumps, I’m obviously not paying attention when my phone starts ringing.
Looking down, it’s Murdock, likely calling about the nutripacks.
“I’ve got a guy who wants ten cases at 750 a pop, you wanna do it?” straight to the point is nice and direct.
“Sure, make it happen.
It’s probably only going to be another dozen cases before I’m heading out and my friend is taking off as well.” Don’t keep counting on the easy money to last forever.
“I hear ya.
It’s sure been nice getting rid of good merchandise.
Easy to sell, no problems with quality..
Speaking of quality, the guy we got the compost from said he’s got a container of top quality soil he is selling cheap.
Someone paid the deposit then bailed, so it’s going cheap.
Just figured I’d let you know.
He said “1000 credits and it’s yours.” “Why not?
Yeah, have it sent my way tomorrow morning, just take it out of my money coming.
And I need an old cheap 3D printer.
Something top of the line 30 years ago or so would be great.
Under 50k if possible.
Let me know what you find.” might as well have him search all over for it.
He’ll probably find a better one than me, maybe even cheaper.
“Sure Boss, no problem” he says chuckling.
“Anything else?” I think briefly about the other equipment Exie mentioned about the pelletizer and molten material separator then decided to give it a shot.
“Actually, now that you mention it.
I’m also looking for a molten material separator, and a pelletizer as well.
Oh and some extra antennas for various mineralogical surveying and reconnaissance.
Also a few EWarfare Antennas.
I’ll send the specs over later, but older and cheaper good quality second hand is what I’m after.
This little bit of money wouldn’t be a drop in the bucket for new, modern stuff.
You know.” Might as well lay it all out there and let him earn his keep.
Go forth and find me, old, but good stuff!
And cheap.
It’s gotta be cheap.
He’s quiet for a moment, probably calculating profit margins and such then says “those things are easy to find but deals aren’t always cheap.
Lots of people know those things last a long time before they’re really scrapped.
I’ll ask around, but guessing close to 100k for all that.
Is that ok?” “Thats fine.
Just shoot for old cheap quality and I’ll be happy.
As long as the equipment is good and within budget I’ll be happy.” Set your boundaries then wait for results.
With his marching orders set, Murdock is gone in a flash, ready to keep hustling.
Go, be free my little fishy.
And bring me all my equipment cheap.
Just then a *ding* on my communicator chimes in, indicating 162k just hit my account.
Ahh, it’s so nice to have others working for me.
This quick money is nice and finally seeing some rewards has me feeling up.
I decide it’s worth seeing if anyone has matched with me and to my delight a few ladies have matched and one even messaged ‘hello’.
It would be ungentlemanly of me if I didn’t respond so I send her a short “hi” back but then invite her to the Esplanade for something to eat.
The Esplanade is an open air food cart plaza full of many different foods and a park-like atmosphere for eating food.
There’s ceiling mounted displays with videos of the exterior cameras’ view of space and sometimes special viewing events.
It’s a decent way to spend a few hours.
Many families and kids make it entertaining as well.
It feels like you are outside at a park instead of deep inside some random moon town building.
Top quality people watching here, but the main draw is the Starry Sky view and park vibe.
Lots of young couples go on dates as well.
When she shows up, she looks pretty, not smokin’ hot, but attractive and kind.
Bad girls need not apply.
So what if I like nice girls?
We talk and walk, flirting naturally.
Getting to know each other a bit better.
I go for spicy barbeque ribs, very messy food, while she gets chicken salad, clean food.
It’s nice to just spend time with someone, especially a pretty woman.
After dinner we walk the Esplanade talking of what we are hoping to do in the future.
She mentions certifications for career advancement, while I just conveniently mention that I am about to buy a new ship tomorrow.
Nothing major, just the biggest purchase of my life, so far.
It’s nice to hear someone else’s opinion that, yes, that is a big deal for normal people.
You are right.
It’s easy to forget that a month ago this would have all been impossible.
No need to dwell on that because this is the new normal.
Just go with it.
After such a decent evening, it’s no surprise when I invite her back to show her my ship.
Breakfast for two is no more work than one, but it always tastes that little bit better.