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Here Begins Book 2of Choose Your ApocalypseFinal Review[REALLY NOT SURE ABOUT THIS NAME]
Alex, Natasha, Lenka, Kaylee, and Grant had spent nearly thirty minutes talking and trying to decide where they wanted to start the next Apology Tutorial scenario.
Natasha had initially wanted to be planet-side, but Grant had made the quite reasonable case that the troops on the ground would be in the thick of the fighting from the beginning, and they would be in the most danger until the reinforcements arrived.
That would be great for levels but not for longevity, and the very fact that reinforcements were coming meant it was not a ‘winning’ fight, nor meant to be.
Kaylee had added that it also meant that they wouldn’t have the other experiences offered by the scenario, which could hurt them in the long run.
No one wanted to simply be in orbit, holding the line in some sort of space battle or stand off. That sounded like a good way to die suddenly in a bright flash of light without ever having known they were under attack, and that left only bringing reinforcements.
That would, in theory, let them experience all three ‘places’, giving them the most varied means of improving themselves.
They were about to solidify their choice when Lenka cleared her throat. “Ummm… Watcher?”
“Yes, Lenka?” The Watcher had sat calmly and quietly as they discussed, showing nothing about whether or not they were on a good track or making odd assumptions.
“Can you tell us anything more about the scenario before we choose?” The Ukrainian woman wasn’t tentative, but her respect was obvious.
“Of course, I’d be happy to.” The Watcher’s response caused everyone to blink in an almost comical ‘oh’ moment.
Alex groaned and leaned back, others making similar noises or expressions of frustration at themselves.
“The scenario will begin with a surprise assault of the insect horde upon the planet. Those who chose to be planetside will likely have less than five minutes to get situated before the opening salvos begin. Know that the non-Initiates will be ‘blind’ to it, so trying to run around and warn the powers that be will get you ignored at best, confined for disruption at worst.”
Alex paled. That sounds… awful.
“Those who will be in orbit will either be engaged at that same time, or just before, as the battle for supremacy in that theater begins. Those bringing troops will then receive messages, calling on your unit to deliver reinforcements. Your ultimate goal will be to retake most of the planet, fighting to get close to the core hive and place one of millions of suppressors at rough intervals, completely surrounding the area. They will have to come online at roughly the same time, or they will be useless until the others do get activated. If done right, together they will cut off the core abilities of the Overhive Queen.” She held up one finger. “Given how you finished the last scenario, I will state categorically that, no, you can't fight the Queen directly and hope to win. This isn’t a ‘long odds’ situation. It would be a ‘how long could I have juggled a nuclear reactor before the System’ situation. Don’t.”
She looked around, one eyebrow raised until they all nodded in understanding.
“Finally, the Overhive Queen will have a planetary wide XP siphon, reducing experience gained and reducing loss from deaths on her side. She will be granting this siphoned power to under-queens so that they can spawn unending tides of various kinds of giant, semi-sapient insects. This and her ability to coordinate her troops are what will be blocked and suppressed… at least as far as you will be made aware. There would be other components were this a real situation, but those are not pertinent here.
“In the end, total rewards will be calculated based on how well the job is accomplished, with team and individual rewards calculated based on contributions.
“As with the first scenario, if you finish early, the remaining time can be spent training with NPC specialists.” She only paused for one moment before adding, “You won't finish early. Trying to do so will likely get you all killed, which would be inconvenient as a full wipe of an initiation’s Apology Tutorial hasn’t happened in thousands of years.”
Alex understood the implication. It had happened, and it could again.
Grant cleared his throat, looking around. “Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think that makes our decision all the easier.”
That got nods and wide-eyed agreement. As such, they settled on bringing reinforcements.
The Watcher didn’t pressure them, and when they finally agreed, she simply nodded in acceptance. “Understood. You will be on a ship, bringing reinforcements for the fight.” Her eyes unfocused. “John and Pilar have selected the same and…”
Two more people appeared in the room with them, already sitting in previously vacant chairs. What followed was excited greetings and exchanges of what little news there was.
Eventually, the Watcher interjected, continuing the process. “A crew can have up to eight Initiates. Your rewards will not be reduced if you have a full compliment, nor will it be increased. If you choose to only have these seven, a non-Initiate will be provided to fill the remaining slot. Note, regardless of your choice, there will be two non-Initiate crew to help you at need.”
John chipped in there. “Would we be able to select our eighth?"
She shook her head. “No. If you choose to go that route, one would be randomly assigned from among the individuals seeking such placement in this avenue of the scenario. The chances of you knowing them are vanishingly small. In fact, the chances of them being from your world are actually less than 50%.”
That was quite the implicative statement, and they all sat on it for a moment, before letting it move past, now quite familiar with taking what they were offered and not making a large thing of it.
Pilar grimaced. “So, a random person would be joining us, for good or ill.”
Natasha shrugged. “They will have to have survived their own first scenario, so they won’t be incompetent."
Lenka piped up then. “And they will likely be more powerful and capable than a non-Initiate.”
The Watcher’s face twitched slightly, making Alex frown and feel the need to add, “That might not be the case, depending on who we get. They might be more powerful in a fight, especially of whatever type their scenario was, but that doesn’t mean they’d be more useful on a ship.”
That caused them all to pause, considering yet again.
Finally, Kaylee took over. “I think we should go with the non-Initiate. They might not be optimal, but they will be able to perform whatever task that we need them to at least to the level of getting the job done.”
The Watcher nodded in agreement with the assessment but did nothing else to respond.
After a moment’s pause, Alex looked around and realized that everyone was staring at him. He blinked a few times. “What?”
Natasha huffed and rolled her eyes, but it was Grant who answered. “You’re the leader, man. We care what you have to say.”
“I…” Alex frowned. “No. Kaylee really should be the leader.”
Kaylee gave him a flat look. “No, Alex. I’m the manager here, not the leader.”
John grinned. “Hear, hear. Those should not be the same thing. No one wants a leader who’s going to manage them, and a manager who tries to lead is…” He grimaced, seemingly hunting for the right word. “Is…”
Natasha filled in the last word. “Tyrannical.”
“That’s it, yeah.”
Pilar nodded along with her husband’s assertion.
Alex sighed, rubbing at his temples. “I know we did that for the last scenario, but most of that was because I could heal the plague—”
Lenka laughed, cutting across him. “That’s not why, Alex. Sure, that helped make you more valuable, but if that were all, you’d have just been a useful tool for whatever leader there was. You led us, and look at how amazingly it worked out!”
“One of us died,” he replied sharply, his eyes hard.
That soured the mood, but the Watcher cleared her throat, either desiring to move the off-topic conversation on, or for some other purpose. “Across all groups that chose to be groups in their first scenario, the average death rate was 50%, with only one hundred thirty seven out of the more than one hundred millions teams having no deaths at all.”
Alex gaped at the woman.
Natasha leaned back, clearly smug, and Kaylee took a deep breath. “So, all things considered, I’d say you did a pretty great job.”
Alex was still hung up on something. “Wait, one hundred million teams?”
“That’s right.” The Watcher said. “Roughly ten percent of your world received apology tutorials, which was roughly eight hundred million individuals. Given the average group size was five individuals, it is actually surprising how individualist your particular planet seems to be.”
But Alex was latched onto something else. “With an average death rate of 50%?”
The others had obviously heard that part too, but they hadn’t thought past the surface level, at least not as quickly as Alex had.
“That means that two hundred and fifty million people died?” His voice was soft, barely above a whisper.
The Watcher sighed. “Ahh… yes.” She waved her hand. “There.”
System Notice:Neural Stabilization increased.
This will continue until Mental Fortitude has increased sufficiently to take the burden.
Each of the Initiates rocked a bit in their seats, the growing signs of distress melting away.
Alex, for his part, took a deep, calming breath. He’d known people had died. There was nothing he could do for those elsewhere. All he could do was focus on what was around him and do his best to help those who he could. He gave a nod, moving the conversation on. “So,” He cleared his throat, “three hundred million went their own way…”
The Watcher nodded. “Whether by explicit choice or because the scenario they selected had no one else available to team up with, but that’s rare enough to not really be a factor.”
John cleared his throat, clearly trying to lean into the comfort and stability offered by the System. “But we’re getting off in the weeds. What do you think, Alex?”
Alex frowned. A non-Initiate would be a safe pick. They’d also be a crew member that he wouldn’t have to be as concerned about keeping alive, and while he hated himself a little bit for the thought, it was true. He would be working to keep these alive, and he wasn’t sure if he could take adding another to that number. “I think non-Initiate.”
They all nodded their agreement, verbalizing it a moment later when the Watcher requested such. “Alright then. We have a few general choices, a couple of more nuanced ones, then we can get you all to your trainings.”
When no one objected, she continued.
“What color uniform do you want for your ship?”
Natasha spoke up then. “I’ve always liked red.”
Every single one of the other Initiates stared at her in horror, causing the Russian to pull back in confusion.
“What?”
John shook his head. “We are not making ourselves red shirts. Are you kidding me?”
“Why?” Natasha frowned in clear uncertainty.
Lenka’s horror at Natasha slowly morphed into confusion. “Have you never seen Star Trek?”
“No?”
That got a round of groans, causing Natasha to bristle a bit. Lenka was clearly a bit incensed, “Seriously? How sheltered are Russians? I thought all that was just a myth.”
Natasha grimaced. “Not everyone has so little to do that we can sit on our backsides and stare at a screen all day.”
Lenka’s eyes widened at the jab, and her face reddened with obvious irritation.
Alex cleared his throat, drawing all gazes to him.“We all come from different backgrounds, and some of those will be at odds. Nevertheless, we have worked well together, and we can continue to do so. Right, Lenka?”
Lenka narrowed her eyes, but then she huffed. “Sure, Alex.”
He turned to the other problem. “Natasha?”
She grimaced. “Fine. I had no issue to begin with.”
Lenka’s eye twitched, but she held her tongue.
Alex gave a strained smile. “Very good. So, a color?”
Grant shrugged, seemingly deciding to help out. “I like sapphire blue.”
Alex seized on that. “Sounds wonderful. I like blue too. Everyone else?”
They got a round of nods.
The Watcher clapped her hands, drawing their focus. “Good, good. Dark”—she glanced toward Grant consiliatorily—”sapphire blue as the uniform color for your ship’s crew. Now, you must each choose what position you would like within the ship. Note, just like your fabricated background and initial skills in your first scenario, you will receive knowledge of basic training for whatever position you settle on.”
There were, of course, ten positions to be filled, and as the Watcher described them, a notification appeared with the summary of the information.
Weapons OfficerDuties: Man, maintain, fire, and help power the ship’s weaponry.Granted Benefit: Deeping and strengthening of any skills and spells that include a long-range component. Chance is in your favor even when taking disadvantageous shots.
Shields OfficerDuties: Man, maintain, activate, attenuate, and help power the ship’s defenses.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with defense or shields. In your hands, even what is considered untenable might yet be held.
HelmsmanDuties: Fly, guide, and help power the ship’s sub-jump maneuvers.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with three-dimensional awareness and movement. Spacial disorientation is a thing of the past. You always know where you are and—with luck and practice—what is around you.
Engineer and MechanicDuties: Maintaining, fixing, and fine-tuning all systems both magical and mundane.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with creation, maintenance, and repair of magical equipment. All that you work on will be more efficient and more durable.
Medical OfficerDuties: Healing and otherwise monitoring and optimizing the health of the crew and the shock troops being transported in stasis.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with healing and assessment of the status of those around you. Your very presence is a balm to those under your care, speeding healing and easing recovery even before you apply your abilities to the task.
NavigatorDuties: Plot, guide, and help power ship’s path through jumps or warp.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with exploration and pathfinding. You are more likely to find that which you seek, whether that be general or specific.
Supply OfficerDuties: Maintain, distribute, and husband the ship’s supplies.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with storage, inventory, the creation of necessities, or the maintenance of life, health, or comfort against natural environments. Every venture is better equipped with you around. Items spoil more slowly, gear lasts longer, and containers seem to hold just a bit more than they really should.
Internal SecurityDuties: Keep everyone in your area of duty friendly, and remove those who aren’t, be that through direct intervention or other means.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with personal, close-quarters combat. You have a knack for being just where malcontents or boarders don’t want you to be. You have a sixth sense when something under your care is in danger, and at least have an idea of where you need to be to address it.
Sensor SpecialistDuties: Be the eyes of your ship, running, reading, fixing, powering, and maintaining the ships sensors, both close and long range.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with detection, investigation, and perception. You notice discrepancies and patterns more easily than others, and with your steady guidance and advice, every movement of those with you is more successful.
Structural OfficerDuties: Maintaining, improving, and repairing the various portions of the ship—be they corridor, hull, control panel, or door—with an eye toward synergy and the cohesive whole.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with repair and enhancement of items and constructions. You have a deep understanding of materials and limits, making you both faster and more efficient in repairs, enhancements, and upgrades. Additionally, the results you achieve are always a bit better than others could expect. The more you do, the better it all works.
CaptainDuties: Lead and coordinate the crew of the ship.Granted Benefit: Deepening and strengthening of skills and spells that have to do with leadership, morale, or mental influence. You lead, they follow and are glad to do so. Your words have more weight, your ideas are more appealing. Leadership is second nature to you. The more who follow you, the more others will want to.
As the Watcher finished the description, Kaylee was frowning. “Excuse me, but isn’t that eleven?”
The Watcher smiled. “Very good, yes. There are actually more than thirty potential positions, but most of the niche ones are rather difficult to qualify for. These are the ones your crew have unlocked, allowing any of you to choose from. Once those are nailed down, you can choose what your non-Initiates will be. And that will be that.”
That was… interesting, but hardly pertinent. Alex decided to get out ahead of things. “I don’t want Captain, and I don’t think anyone else should take it either. It comes across as a mental manipulation type thing, or at least mental influence, and… I don’t like that.”
They all quickly agreed, leaving them with ten choices for the eight of them.
Surely, this would be an easy process, and no one would argue about who got what.
Surely.
Alex, for his part, had a rather irritating issue. Well, wrap me in bacon and leave me stumbling. I want almost all of them.