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  Derelict has been fully permeated with nanobots. Now that the entire derelict is under your control, repair of the core will commence. Close-range scanners are now online. Set detection thresholds and warning indicators to your desired preference. Level up your derelict to improve your scanning ability and range.

  Slater watched as the kobold ship—a much smaller vessel than the one that had attacked his fleet—fled toward the jump point. The attack on the derelict had proven to be a windfall. The nanobots had plenty of time to leach materials from the attached ship as the attackers waited in vain for their dead comrades to return. Slater opened his interface to see what the detection thresholds and warning indicators were all about.

  Scanner Settings:

  Detection Range: Detection range is set to maximum by default. You can adjust to have the scan set for any specific radius from the derelict. Focusing your scanning power to a shorter range can increase the accuracy of the data about a target and prevent false reports of contact.

  Set Detection Range: Maximum (currently enabled), medium, short.

  Warning Indicators: The default setting is in effect, and all warnings will be visible on your interface when any object is detected. Choose to disable any warnings you do not wish to view.

  Vessel detection warning, all types (active)

  Debris detection warning, all types and sizes (active)

  Comm signals, all types (active)

  He left the settings as they currently were, wanting all the information possible at the longest range, even if it meant sacrificing some detail. Perhaps in the future he might want to dial things down if he ever found himself in a busy system. Out here in what—at least according to Pixi—was the middle of nowhere, he didn’t face any sensory overload from too many warning prompts.

  Slater now had enough salvage to replace the loot on all his destroyed MOBS, permeate the rest of the ship, and have a nice reserve left over. The biomass was boosted by the bodies of the six kobold invaders as well as by a small amount leached from the attached ship, something he wasn’t aware would happen. As the drones finished processing the last kobold attacker and its gear, he received some very welcome notifications.

  You have unlocked the following schematics:

  Laser Rifle: This weapon is a more powerful and longer-ranged version of the laser pistol. The simple laser rifle has a modest recharge time and will not overheat with continued use. The laser rifle requires 15 salvage to construct.

  Basic Coveralls: This basic clothing item provides negligible protection but will enable the humanoid MOBS in your dungeon to take on a uniform appearance. The derelict core may determine the color of the coveralls for each MOBS.

  You have gained 142 experience. Your core is ready for upgrade. Confirm you wish to proceed: y/n?

  Slater held off on the upgrade to the core, first dialing back Pixi’s permissions to level 1 and waiting for the drones to finish their work. He upgraded all his kobolds’ pistols to laser rifles; the boss he kept with his dual-wielded pair of pistols. The boss—despite his bigger-than-average size for a kobold—wasn’t large enough to hold two rifles. He would rather the boss have a strong opening attack with two pistol weapons than a single attack with a rifle, despite the small chance of a meltdown. As far as clothing was concerned, he placed all the kobolds in a set of gray coveralls while the captain’s was gold, befitting his position.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Slater whined as he noticed that the coveralls not only included the name of his ship, the Franklin, but also the annoying orange smiley face logo from the old mining company. Despite his efforts, he found that there was no way to remove the logo. The extent of his control over the kobold uniforms was his ability to change their color. No matter what color he tried changing them to, the orange smiley face on the garment taunted him once more.

  Slater figured he would gain a larger reserve of core power when he completed the upgrade to level 2 and wanted to put it to use as soon as he could. As an experiment, he queued up some improvements in defenses so they would take effect once the leveling process was complete. He assigned two pairs of bilge rats to join the drones as a final layer of defense in the core room. Slater had considered placing some kobolds in his core room but was fearful that, with their poor marksmanship, they might hit the core instead of their intended target. The bilge rats had proven modestly effective and couldn’t accidentally harm the core, so that made them the smart choice for now.

  Slater then queued up some extra fixed defenses. He started with a pit trap just past the secret door to his core room and went with a tripwire trap between the two pits in the passageway connecting the bridge to the mess hall. With everything ready and Pixi under control, he started the upgrade process.

  — 10 —

  There was no dream battle against ravenous parasites waiting for him while Slater upgraded his derelict. Instead, he was filled with a sense of peace as his being expanded and grew. The tiny black spot on his core that was Pixi stayed the same size, frozen in the bonds Slater had placed on it. When he awoke once again, Slater got right to business, not wanting to deal with a surprise attack right after leveling up, like had happened last time. With a thought, he pulled up his new information tab. The process was now smoother, as if leveling up his derelict had improved all aspects of his performance.

  Slater, Derelict Core, Level 2, Experience: 286/500

  Core Health: 9/100

  Core Power: 22/30

  Biomass: 168

  Salvage: 368

  Nanobot Permeation: 100%

  Compartments Controlled: 6

  Defenses: pit traps (3), tripwire traps (1)

  MOBS: kobolds (7), pairs of bilge rats (5)

  Boss MOBS: kobold captain (1)

  Construction Drones: 5

  MOBS Schematics:

  Construction Drone, Level 1

  Kobold, Level 1 (unlocked variants include the standard kobold, taskmaster, and captain)

  Bilge Rat, Level 0

  Gear Schematics:

  Dagger, Level 0

  Club, Level 0

  Cutlass, Level 1

  Laser Pistol, Level 0

  Laser Rifle, Level 1

  Basic Coveralls, Level 1

  Defensive Structures Schematics:

  Pit Trap, Level 1

  Tripwire Trap, Level 1

  Interior Schematics:

  Secret Door, Level 1

  Interior Trim, Level 1

  Time until next jump: n/a. Core needs to be fully repaired to begin the jump sequence.

  His derelict was coming along nicely, and Slater was glad to see his health improving—albeit slowly. With the increased level, he gained an additional ten core power, two of which were already consumed when the drones began printing the rats he had queued up for his core room defense. A new information prompt appeared after he finished reviewing his status. It looked like jumping to level 2 had unlocked additional benefits for the derelict.

  New categories of upgrades have been unlocked. You now have access to derelict upgrades and core room upgrades. Derelict upgrades allow you to expand your derelict as well as change the size and shape of the compartments you control. Core room upgrades can add abilities and allow for further research. Please review your newest upgrade options.

  Derelict Upgrades:

  Compartment Expansion: Use 150 salvage to form an additional compartment on your derelict. The compartment can be any size up to 30 by 30 feet. Multiple 30-by-30 compartments can be linked together to form larger areas.

  Compartment Manipulation: You can now change the shape and layout of your various compartments. A short period of time needed as your nanobots and construction drones make the changes. Should any explorers board during this time, the room will end construction in its current shape. No MOBS can be present during the transformation of a compartment. Compartment manipulation uses the existing hull structure and does not require any additional resources or power.

  Core Room Upgrades:<
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  Communications Array (Comm Array): The comm array is used to sift through communications throughout whichever system the derelict finds itself in. The comm array is set to receive only. No direct communication with other sentients is allowed. The comm array requires 100 salvage to construct and will take 1 unit of core power to operate.

  Engineering Station: The engineering station creates research nodes that will enable the derelict to explore upgrades to its existing equipment and systems. Upgrades for biologically based MOBS require the lab upgrade, which will unlock at level 3. The engineering station requires 50 salvage to construct and uses 1 core power.

  “Hey, boss. You hear me? Helloooo? Pixi calling Slater. Come in, Slater . . . That’s the kind of stuff you navy jerks say to each other, isn’t it?” Pixi whispered. The parasite’s voice seemed diminished and less intrusive into Slater’s thoughts than it had been before. Slater found he could almost ignore Pixi completely, which he did while he attempted to reason out this latest change in the dynamic between him and his parasite.

  “I’ve cut you off from your food supply. You’re dying on the vine, my vicious little parasite!” Slater shouted. That was it. When he had mentally caged Pixi, the parasite was cut off from most of the core, the parasite’s food source. When Slater had leveled, Pixi must not have gained any benefit from the newly expanded core. “You know what? I think it’s time for me to strike out on my own. Yep, I’m cutting you off from your inheritance, Pixi,” Slater mumbled to himself, firm in his resolve.

  Unless the situation was dire, he would try to figure stuff out on his own. Slater was sure that Pixi had given some good advice when doing so would help ensure his own survival. He was equally convinced that Pixi would try to deceive him if it meant the parasite could further entrench his hold on their core. Wait—he had to stop calling it their core; it was his core, and the parasite would have none of it.

  Ignoring the quiet pleading in the back of his mind, Slater remembered when Pixi had led him through the process for unlocking automatic translation. He was rushed at the time; having a kobold invasion did tend to distract you a bit. Now Slater was able to spend more time perusing the menus, finally finding what he wanted.

  Confirm you wish to mute all communications with your parasitic interstellar xeno-infestation: y/n?

  Slater hit yes, and finally there was quiet in his head; only his own thoughts were there. Yes, Pixi was still lurking in the far reaches of his being, but now Slater could finally ignore the murderous pest. Succeed or fail, live or die, his destiny as a derelict was his own for the first time. What to do with his newfound freedom? Growing his derelict was still an ingrained desire, but it held less sway. For now, he would continue to work on his ship, if only to improve his own chances for survival.

  Slater would need some way to interact with the outside world. Pixi said that over a hundred years had passed since he self-destructed the Franklin. Was he telling the truth? On the off chance that he could someday get a comm link with the navy, he built the comm array upgrade in his core. A pair of drones skittered about, printing out the device from the ground up. The comm array formed a podium-like structure next to his core. Strangely, it wasn’t some bizarre piece of kit from an alien species. The comm array console was very similar to what he had used on the Franklin. It seemed that design cues for many of the things he produced were taken from the memory of his old life. Sure, the stuff was much more advanced, but it was comforting to see that it at least looked how he thought it should.

  When the array was complete, he moved through the device. It was alien enough to stymie him at several points, but the basics were there. The immense power his core provided allowed the device to receive signals from great distances. From his investigation, it became apparent that this was only a receiver and that no transmitter had been installed, cutting him off from communicating with whoever’s—or whatever’s—signals he might eventually receive.

  When he had first graduated from the Naval Academy on Earth, Slater was assigned as a freshly minted ensign to his first ship, the Burke. His first posting was in the communications section and he had taken to it like a fish to water. By excelling at the tasks given to him, Slater was quickly promoted out of the slot but hadn’t forgotten the basics. Given time and the necessary resources, he was confident he could rig up a transmitter to the array.

  To those ends, the next thing Slater built was the engineering station. The nanobots along with some drone support pushed out the wall behind his core, making a small alcove with several workbenches, diagnostic equipment, computer terminals, and various tools. When the station was completed, a new submenu opened.

  Engineering Station: You have acquired the engineering station and unlocked 2 research nodes. The research nodes allocate a small part of your core’s processing power to designing improvements for your various schematics. You may now research upgrades to the existing nonbiological components of your derelict. As your core levels, additional research nodes will be unlocked, allowing you to research multiple items. Adding additional nodes to the same research project will speed up the pace of research. The following research options are unlocked, and research may begin immediately.

  Weapons and Armor:

  Laser Pistol, Level 0

  Laser Rifle, Level 1

  Slashing and Piercing Melee Weapons, Level 1

  Crushing Melee Weapons, Level 0

  Clothing, Level 0

  Traps and Interior Defenses:

  Pit Trap, Level 1

  Tripwire Trap, Level 1

  MOBS:

  Construction Drone, Level 1

  Derelict Components:

  Compartment Hatch, Level 0

  Secret Door, Level 1

  Décor and Compartment Items, Level 1

  Engineering Station, Level 1

  Comm Array, Level 1

  That was quite an extensive list and Slater wasn’t sure where he wanted to start. It did appear that his derelict had streamlined some of the weapons his MOBS were using. While he could previously only make a crude dagger, he was also able to make the well-designed cutlass. His core must have automatically applied the knowledge he possessed in crafting the cutlass to all similar weapons. So much was going on in the back of his head that, at times, it was hard to keep track of everything. It was overwhelming until he thought about it in terms of his old physical body. He didn’t have to concentrate to digest food, have his heart beat, or allow his hair to grow; it just happened naturally.

  His main goal—though it might be far-fetched—was to somehow communicate with Earth and its people. He felt a need to warn them about the dangers of the galaxy and what he and his fleet had encountered. He knew that reaching out might be dangerous if the council that Pixi had mentioned was real. Somehow, he knew that if he tried to violate a rule of the council, his core would broadcast that violation to whoever was listening. How long that would take to reach the council and what trouble that might ultimately cause him was still a mystery.

  To establish communication, he would need a transmitter, and he had a feeling that the system installed in his core wouldn’t make it easy for him. The best option would be to upgrade either the comm array or the engineering station. Preferably both. He would get cracking on that but didn’t want to neglect his own survival. For now, he directed one of his research nodes to begin working on upgrading the comm array. The other node he decided to invest in was clothing for his kobolds, hoping it would unlock some type of armor for the woefully unprotected MOBS. He didn’t feel any differently after starting the research and he had no idea how long it would take or what the results might be.

  He was looking forward to opening the lab at level 3 and getting to play around with his MOBS. Creating new and improved creatures intrigued him at some primal level. At some point, Slater would need more powerful MOBS to replace his weak kobolds. He wanted something vicious to tear apart any intruders who meant to do him harm. This was going to be fun, but for now, he had to settle for
tech research.

  After selecting his research choice, he could see a percentage meter showing his current lines of research: zero percent for now. He couldn’t do anything until it completed. In the meantime, he would upgrade and expand his derelict. Having six compartments was a bit misleading; when you took out the core room and entry hatch, there were really only four that presented a challenge to explorers. He would need to expand with another compartment and deploy appropriate numbers of MOBS in the room. There were only enough remaining resources for a single new chamber, but what to make and where to place it?

  The garbage room was fine where it was, positioned just after the entry hatch. The compartment represented a good warmup challenge as well as a way for Slater to start picking apart the health and resources of any explorers. With his newly unlocked compartment manipulation ability, Slater could see the option to change the shape and size of each room. Currently, he was limited to a max room size of thirty by thirty feet. As an experiment, he expanded the garbage room into a twenty-foot square, slightly larger than it had been.

  When he hit accept changes, the rats scurried out of the room and the nanobots did their thing. The walls crept out, the entire process taking about thirty minutes, including the time the nanobots needed to make more debris to cover the additional floor space. His rats trotted back into their room once the nanobots were done, happily looking for new ambush points to hide in.

  He decided to install the new chamber just after the garbage room, creating a long but wider hallway. This would be a thirty-foot-long hall that was ten feet wide. There would be three large cargo containers in the middle of the room, blocking line of sight and providing cover for his forces. He felt fine bumping up the challenge now that he was level 2; he had to assume the explorers would expect more from the upgraded derelict. He named the compartment the cargo hold as he let the nanobots go about their business. When he gave them approval to start construction, he saw a countdown timer appear on his interface. It showed that the entire process of creating the chamber from scratch would take just over an hour. He would have to see if different sizes and shapes of compartments would affect the time needed to construct them.