Ravens of Eternity

173 Future Proofing

Everyone who worked at the Laertidus Farm gathered behind the house to eat lunch together, just as Sol reached its apex in the sky. Not just the farmhands, engineers, and wranglers, but anyone from the outside who just so happened to be at the farm. Goods delivery pilots, prospective clients, random solicitors, or if they had simply stopped by to say hello. All were welcome to eat.

The Laertidus were always generous with their bounty, even when things were hard. And despite all of the suffering they had just gone through, they still kept their doors open to everyone.

Interestingly, people were much cheerier during lunchtime. Their dour faces while working had all but disappeared – or at least had greatly receded. If there was a time to forget, this seemed to be it, even if it only lasted an hour or so per cycle.

It was certainly better than none.

Little over half of them were already seated at the various long tables scattered around. They were eating and drinking and chatting and laughing with each other. Generally, they seemed to be enjoying a grand old time.

The other half were still up on their feet, and were in various lines to get their meal. Nearby was a long table covered with various breads, cheeses, leafy greens, spreads, bowls of soup and punch, you name it. People were lined up on both sides of it, plates in their hands, and assembled the beginning of their lunchtime meal.

Eva was putting her half-built sandwich together and chatted with a number of random farmhands all around her. A few of them were even a little awestruck when they were told that she was part of an OmniCast. That practically made her a celebrity to them.

Some audibly wowed as they watched some of her ‘Casts on their datapads.

Without a doubt, she was the center of attention for a number of the younger farmhands. Men and women alike.

.....

Nearby, a handful of kids about half Miko’s age ran around her, laughing happily and playfully. They chased her cottonball bird drones all over the place with utter glee. A few got incredibly close to catching them. Off to the side, a handful more kids tossed her armorscale ball between them, blissfully unaware of its true lethality.

Miko herself was visibly annoyed when one of the kids began to climb her, as though she was a tree.

Amal and Jionna stood just outside the main house’s backdoor, and watched while the farm enjoyed this moment to relax. While it healed.

“I’m so happy to see the farm getting back into shape,” said Amal. “We saw everyone planting new crops as we walked around a bit, and it just... It felt so good to see, you know?”

“I do,” said Jionna, “I definitely understand. Honestly, we had to abandon a whole lot of the cropland that’s further out. We just... didn’t have enough hands to take care of them. But we’re getting there, cycle after cycle.”

“How long do you think it’ll take to get back how it was before?”

“Not sure. Not really trying to put a date to it, truth be told. I know we should push ourselves a bit more, but things take time, and I don’t wanna force it. The last thing anyone needs here at the farm, is to get stressed out.”

Jionna grabbed Amal, drew her close, and hugged her tightly, shoulder-to-shoulder.

“You know,” she said, “I sometimes wonder what would’ve happened if I lost it all. Not just Dareon and his father, but everyone else. Everyone here, including you. I don’t know what I would do... what I would’ve become.”

She sighed deeply, and looked out to the sky.

“There were times these past few months,” she said, “that I imagined picking up the gun, and putting its barrel to that prick’s face. I imagined pulling the trigger, and... I didn’t feel anything. Or maybe it’s better to say – I still felt the same. I wonder so often what that means.”

Amal turned her head and frowned at Jionna.

“Stop thinking like that,” she said. “You didn’t lose everyone, and I’m still here. You’ve got no need to go to places that don’t exist. You’re here, and you’re doing what you can to make the farm better than it’s ever been. That’s who you are, and that’s all you need to be.”

Tears began to pool in Jionna’s eyes, and pulled Amal tighter towards her. She squeezed her tightly just like a mother would, then let go of the pressure.

“Thanks,” she said. “I really needed that.”

“Me too,” said Amal.

At one of the tables, one of the farmhands began to play a violin as he serenaded Eva with a romantic song. It resulted in a chorus of “ooh’s” as well as a barrage of “boos” from a variety of prospective suitors around them.

Eva blushed and laughed and nibbled on her food as everyone around her slathered her with attention.

Nearby, Miko had been dogpiled by a number of kids, but thanks to her strength, she still stood upright. But barely. It probably would have taken just one more kid to take her down.

She roared like one of her favorite kaiju monsters, and flung a few of the kids off of her. They bounced off the ground and ran off giggling and laughing madly.

“Um, I hope you don’t mind my asking,” said Amal, “but has anyone left the farm? Uh, not that I blame them if they did, you know?”

Jionna nodded quickly. She looked out towards the horizon as she remembered the people who left.

“A few did, yeah,” she said. “Nothing I could say or do could convince them otherwise. Not that I tried to keep them too much. It was just another thing they needed to work out on their own. There were a whole mess of others who threatened to leave unless...”

She pointed out to the distance, towards a number of large black armored drones that patrolled around the farm’s edges. Amal squinted as she tried to focus on them, and despite the distance, she was able to tell that they were heavily armed and armored.

“They demanded I get those to help protect us,” she continued. “So many insisted I invested heavily in automated farm defense. Honestly, it’s something I prolly shoulda done a long ass time ago.

“But anyway, there’s about a dozen all around, along with a few dozen turrets here and there. That’s helped alleviate some fears. And then... we lost a few more once a bunch of our contracts got terminated.”

“What? Why?” said Amal. “Why did you lose them? I mean, they certainly would’ve known what happened with you – with the farm, yeah? Canceling them makes no sense! It’s not like we couldn’t just regrow crops we lost and send ’em what we’ve got.”

“We had all sorts of options, sure. But we decided, all of us decided, it was better to end them. Some had a penalty, others were kind enough to pause the contracts, most just cut ties cleanly. Just think about it – we were behind on crops, and didn’t have the numbers, the labor, to make up for it.”

“Ugh. I get it. Not enough people. Still, that’s so lame.”

Amal leaned her head against Jionna’s shoulder. Despite all the pain they had gone through, that they were still working through, they still couldn’t catch a break. The hardships just kept piling on regardless.

“You think they might come back later?” she asked. “If you got back up and running like the way it used to, at least.”

“Maybe,” Jionna answered. “Fingers crossed they do come back at some point. Who knows? For now, it’s okay we lost them. Like I said, we need to take things slow for now. Gotta rest and heal up, so we can come back stronger later.”

Amal perked up when an idea shot through her. She realized that she had the ability to help out. Sure, they weren’t some big operation that needed tons of food, but they could still pitch in, at least in their own way.

“What if...” she began. “It’s like this... we – Freya, Raijin, and I – we’re all putting something together, and we... We honestly came here ‘coz we wanted to run the idea by you and see what you think.”

“What kinda something?” asked Jionna.

Curiosity was plastered all over her face. She thought Amal was coming back to the farm to work the land, and didn’t think that she was trying to strike out on her own.

When Amal answered, there was energy and enthusiasm embedded in her voice.

“Yeah, like our own company,” she said. “We’re gonna go to places and people who need stuff like food and meds and maybe guns, and send them some. And we’re also gonna stream it over OmniCast, like a kinda adventure log.”

“What, so you’re gonna become traders or merchants or something?” said Jionna.

“Something like that. Mmmaybe more like smugglers? Or aid workers in a conflict zone. Yeah, that’s definitely more accurate. I thought about what happened here, and wondered what it would’ve been like if someone came in and helped us out earlier, you know?”

Amal looked up towards Eva and Miko, her eyes filled with adoration.

“There’s people out there who could use people like us to help them out against people like Nightmare. No-one’s looking out for them, and we kinda wanna do something about that.”

Jionna swelled with pride as Amal talked about her plans and desires. At first she was going to convince her to stay on the farm and work it instead, but hearing their plans only made her eyes misty, and her heart thump.

In no way could she hamper her dreams. Not in a million years.

“But anyway, I was just thinking,” continued Amal, “what if we bought foodstuffs from you? And maybe we could compress it down or dehydrate it to maximize space and weight, you know? I think that would be really great. We could help you out, and all those other people out... It’s like a win/win/win and whatnot.

“I know, I know. It’s not a whole lot of stuff. Only 200 cubic meters max. But it’s something, right? Better than nothing? Oh! But you’d get exposure on the ‘Cast! Free marketing! I think that should count, yeah?”

Jionna heard the passion in Amal’s voice, and felt the deep empathy she held. And her ingenuity combined with her unwavering willpower, she knew that Amal would never have problems achieving whatever she wished.

Plus her friendship with Freya and Raijin – Jionna was absolutely certain of their future prosperity. She smiled widely, and for the first time in a long time, felt deep happiness.

“You’d make a great matron someday,” she said.

Amal was easily taken aback.

“Wh-whered that come from?” she stammered.

Jionna answered her with a loving smile, and squeezed her shoulder.

“Also, the answer is no,” said Jionna. “I’m not gonna sell you food.”

Amal’s jaw practically fell on the floor. She didn’t think she would be refused. After all, Jionna was literally the kindest person she had ever met.

“But,” Jionna continued, “I’m more than happy to gift it to you. How would that sound?”

“No, I- we can’t accept that,” she replied. “You’re all struggling as it is! No way can we take more without at least giving you something in return.”

“Well, that’s the only way you can have my food. Take it or leave it.”

“Ugh. I didn’t think I needed to negotiate this hard with you... Fine. How about this? We do some work around the farm a bit? You know, in between trips and jobs and pickups, we do stuff here and there? I mean, surely you need help from three brilliant refugees, am I right?”

Jionna laughed heartily at Amal’s counter offer. Clearly, neither of them were willing to budge very much.

“How could I resist a great offer like that?” she said. “Consider it a deal.”