There was a reason I was iffy about using the alchemy below the water, even if a part of me thought the lightning was just 'special effects' similar to the demon slayer's breathing styles.
If there was actual light coming off the lightning, then there was obviously real world prescence. And there was one other issue besides the lightning that I quickly realized.
What would happen if I converted the seawater around me with my alchemy actually? Would it make those void pockets that would explode with pressure like the pistol shrimp could create?
That... Could be one good way to kill a Leviathan if I ever got swallowed by one. I get eaten and then the bastard gets a pressure bomb inside of its guts.
Sure, I will also get turned into a lovely mass of chunky salsa. Just like those dumbasses who thought that they could control a deep-sea mini submarine with an off-brand PlayStation controller.
But hey, if I was already eaten by a Leviathan... Might as well, honestly?
As I broke through the surface after dodging an entirely too damned curious peeper. I was welcomed to the sight of only Laura on top of the life pod.
And as I got onto the ladder, Laura said seriously. "The other two went back into the lifepod. They both have very pale skin, and you will sunburn very, very easily on a lifeboat like this."
I nodded in understanding as I said. "I understand. Excuse me though, I need to try to get the fabricator working and see if I can get some good minerals out of this to make a tool."
And in my suit, Cortana's voice was excited as she spoke. "Actually, Jake! I figured out the spatial technology this civilization uses! But in order to make use of it. We will need... A lot more power than that life pod can supply."
"Well, that's still good news Cortana. Because trying to lug rocks underwater is damned Sisyphean task, I tell you!"
With a bit more pep to my rubber-covered steps. I made my way into the life pod. Said hello to Angela/Mercy and Akira Todo. And excitedly went to the fabricator, which hummed to life, and unfolded its intake tray for me to put the large rock onto.
"Cortana, what minerals can I get out of it?" I asked curiously. As while I WAS nervous about just using alchemy underwater. I wasn't nervous about using it in the lifeboat, as it was literally an escape pod that was durable enough to survive atmosphere entry.
As well as crash landing into the water itself.
Cortana then ran through... A laundry list of composite materials, base elements, as well as just minerals, which weren't that useful in general.
But, just like I had been hoping. There was a decent amount of titanium and iron in the rock. And with the Atlas technology used in this fabricator... All iron could notably be turned directly into titanium.
Somehow.
So after looking through the HUD that was displayed on my screen. I had the fabricator disassemble the rock entirely so that it could be left with just the titanium so that I could then turn it into a tool to get more materials more easily!
A loud hum rang out as the fabricator got to work. Twin blinding laser's shot out from the arms that reached out from the fabricator built into the wall of the life pod and I quickly said. "Don't look directly at the laser's. It's bad for the eyes."
As Cortana knowing this was the case. Threw up another info screen on the HUD so that the blue lasers wouldn't hurt my eyes just the same.
"The speed of this fabricator... It's just insane to watch how it's using how powered laser's to shatter the molecules holding the material together and then using those laser's to press them back together!" Cortana said in astonishment.
And I couldn't but ask curiously. "So humanity and the covenant's tech wasn't this good remotely?"
To which Cortana made a dismissive noise before she noted. "Humanity no. But... The Covenant did have the Huragok who could do something similar. But not nearly as fast as this process."
Then Cortana added. "However, as for hyper-advanced races such as the Forerunners and such. Yeah, I am sure they had tech that could do similar things."
All the while, the minerals and metals were extracted from the rock I had brought up, and after a good minute. A sort of 'hand axe.' Was left on the table with Cortana happily explaining.
"I did manage to unlock the blueprint for an all-purpose axe with a pick at the back for you. It will be alot better for defending yourself with. And collecting rocks then just a flimsy diving knife."
I almost wanted to mention how Riley. The man, the myth, and legend of a janitor who had been dropped into this world originally killed Kaiju-sized sea creatures with said diving knife.
But I wasn't going to say anything as Riley was the very definition of a dude with plot armor.
I took up the axe, and then Laura, who had climbed in as well at this point, asked rather bluntly. "Jake, when can you make me my own wetsuit and such?"
I then turned to the fabricator... And honestly? It wasn't that bad.
"I need to get some quartz/silicone. I need copper, acid, rubber, and some more titanium."
I drew off for a minute, as should the world be the same as the world of Subnautica, but just larger and more spread out. I should be able to just swim over to the Kelp Forests.
And from there I could easily collect A, some food in sea kelp even if it wasn't the best food. But also I could get the rubber and acid there as well. Plus! Even if Cortana couldn't get me some spatial folding nonsense yet.
I could go there and use the fibers from the kelp. I could make myself a diver's bag so I could carry more stuff through the water more easily!
'Actually, I wonder if I fixed the reactors on the Aurora. If Cortana could use the energy there to make such a spatial device of sorts?' I wondered.
But I shook my head slightly as I said. "Alright... I am going to head to where I think is north to a kelp-filled forest. There, I can get us some food and fibers for me to make a bag to carry more stuff. Once I get a bag to carry more minerals, Laura. We can make you a wetsuit with its own AI connection as well."
"Can this fabricator actually make complicated electronics so easily as well?" She asked with some excitement.
To which I nodded with a smile as I said. "Yeah... It can literally print supercomputers and other styles of fabricators/printers can spit out a good-sized submarine in but a couple of minutes at most!"
And then I realized what Angela was probably thinking. She probably wanted to try to remake her staff or something. Maybe even her flight-enabling armor, possibly!
'Did Overwatch have any interesting sea-based tech? Didn't DVA and her mech have a cinematic where she went underwater?' I mused to myself.
But still I did have to rain on her parade as I said helplessly. "But, these Fabricators do have one major drawback... If you want it to print anything. You have to have a blueprint in the fabricator's storage that is approved to be printed. Which means no weapons."
And with that, I took a breath and said more firmly. "Alright! I am going to head out. You all listen to see if any distress calls hit our life pod's radio. I am surprised no one else has managed it either at this point."
With that I popped open the bottom hatch of the life pod... As I didn't want to try to climb out with my axe in hand as I couldn't strap it to my body anywhere.
And I sank into the water below with my gaze turned towards the north, where the closest patch of the Kelp Forest was hopefully nearby.