As one quarry truck driver I had a drink with at Moxie's Bar used to say, "Life is good when you take your time". And you can watch people work for you and make money for you; no wonder capitalism is so popular. It's true that most people end up in the shoes of those who work hard rather than those who make money, but the majority usually don't think about it - people live for a dream, after all.

  My own dream, however, was hit in the teeth.

  After Brick and I - mostly him, but I was also involved - cleaned up the Madhouse on Wheels, Scooter, as promised, made me a truck. What's more, he even promised not to charge me for building the next one when I trashed this one (though I'd still have to use my own materials). This allowed me to move the fabricator to another abandoned mine, of which there are plenty on Pandora; most of them even have some equipment that can sometimes be repaired. A couple dozen turrets, a few trophy bandits - Brick hadn't killed all of them - and the beginning was made.

  One might have expected that on a distant planet in the future ore would be mined by robots under human supervision. In practice, the opposite was true. The average Pandorian bandit is dumber than a vacuum cleaner, but much stronger and tougher than a vacuum cleaner, so PASTOR took on the role of overseer - and of cook: the stampede on Dead Mountain provided me with meat for a long time. Roasted skag, boiled skag, smoked skag, stewed skag... "Like my mother's," as one of the bandits said, weeping.

  The materials were slowly coming in, the ammunition was produced and mostly sold (though I was beginning to regret the discount for Roland: the black man consumed ammunition in huge quantities). I ran the Dead Mountain treasure story on the ECHONET, and did another job for Tannis, without any serious incidents - the usual Pandorian surprises, like a nutcase trying to set up a "skag ranch" on the archaeologist's site. To get through the fence he built, I had to first bring him food for the skags, then paint for their coloring, and then already inside to kill everyone when the owner let his pack down on me (he, by the way, died first, from his own "dogs"). Normal positive everyday life, all in all, with bright prospects.

  Until a message arrived on my ECHO.

  "Sender: AlBa

  Subject: I am saddened.

  Where is your spirit of Adventurism and Adventure (it's the same thing)? Where is the young man who bravely took his first steps on his first unknown planet?"

  The word "first" made me nervously shrug.

  "You're seriously going to trivialize wealth and safety instead of laughing valiantly in the face of death (he doesn't really like that, so maybe you shouldn't) and throwing yourself headlong into danger?

  Well... that's very human, so I won't judge you, I guess (although I could, yes). However... Are you sure you don't want to interfere with what's going on?"

  ?..

  "Really sure?"

  O_o ?...

  "Sure-sure?"

  ...Not anymore.

  "See, if events continue to unfold canonically... you're not going to like it. Probably. It's hard to say for sure - you mortals can be unpredictable at times, which is why I love (giving you surprises). No-no, no spoilers, but Pandora will no longer be a peaceful, quiet planet."

  ...No comment. Just... No comment.

  "So, think carefully. Which is more important to you - despicable philistine nature (and dangers in the future) or valiant adventurism (and dangers now)? No-no, don't answer that, don't disappoint me with a known answer in advance. Let me put it this way: I'll just give you a good, convincing argument that adventure isn't a bad thing, and that it's worth starting to find the Vault and change canon right now."

  At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck near me from a clear, clear sky, nearly blinding me and slightly deafening me with its rumble.

  - ...I have to admit - the argument is really convincing... - I muttered, studying the suspiciously trollface-like smoking trail on the ground.

  In fact, AlBa was obviously unfair to me. I didn't get involved in searching for the Vault not just because I preferred safety and comfort, as far as they were possible on Pandora, but also because I had no leads yet. Angel had disappeared somewhere and hadn't been in touch lately, and Tannis was still working on the Eridian imprint that had recently been cleared for her. These two were the only reference points, so... Well, I was just arranging my life as best I could. And I even continued to work part-time, which involved shooting various animals, but apparently for AlBa it was too boring and didn't even qualify as a side quest. I'll even agree, I guess.

  So--

  - If you're pushing into the story, at least give me a clue - I remarked aloud. - The MC has markers if not the purpose of the task, at least the quest givers, and the plot drags them.

  "Incoming message."

  "Fair enough."

  "Incoming message, sender: Patricia Tannis."

  "Congratulations! I have great news for you. My work on transferring the Eridian records into a digestible form for the mentally handicapped is nearing completion, and I have decided to put your name on the list of assistants, right behind Clork and Phillip (as I recall, you haven't met them, they are my ceiling chairs). Your assistance to science will still be needed, the work of an archaeologist never ends, but you can be proud of yourself.

  And about the little things. I was able to confirm the reality of the Eridian Vault on Pandora, and more or less locate it.

  Oh, and I made a grant application from Atlas, so you don't have to worry about funding."

  "Incoming message, sender: Patricia Tannis."

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Oh, I almost forgot. My bad... have you no shame at all? Making a girl say she's guilty of something! Boor. What to expect from a mercenary douchebag, though.

  Anyway. Remember that unusual Eridian relic you gave me to study? I have great news for you... no, I already had great news. Hmm... complex wording, complex wording... Wunderful news. Yeah, that's good. "Wunderful"... I think that's going to be my new favorite word, at least for the next twelve minutes. Anyway... oh, did I say that already too? It's so hard to relate to you guys... Perhaps I should isolate myself from society.

  Back on topic. Your, I mean my, I mean Eridian artifact is only a fragment of the whole object, so you have a miraculous opportunity to collect the rest, I would say three. Yeah, three is a good number. Wunderful. Work hard, archaeology relies on you!"

  "Incoming message, sender: Patricia Tannis."

  "Oh, and sending you the coordinates of promising Eridian structures I know of."

  Number one on the list was a place I already knew: the facility under Dead Mountain. Well... Considering it was a tip from the AlBa, it's worth checking again, I suppose.

  Dead body. Another body, another... oh, and another. Wow, they weren't here last time. Heh.

  My scam - which may not be such a scam - about the treasure in the bowels of Dead Mountain worked out better than I expected. Hell, I didn't even have to lie about anything - I just posted a video of the site, including the archaeological camp, the Eridian structures, and the guards. And then it's simple logic: if they're guarding it, it means there's something valuable.

  Man, I'd already made a pretty good profit on one weapon from the corpses of those losers.

  There were other factors, good and bad. Good - I found the ruined remains of a guardian, with a pilot-axe still sticking out. The owner of the last one was lying next to it - a corpse, I mean. He was a big guy.

  Destroying the guard was good for me. The bad thing was that this guard wasn't the only one, since no one survived to collect the weapons.

  ...Well, it's still too early for me to go in there. I need to be better prepared.

  And I have options.

  - So that's what you are, a skill point... - I said thoughtfully, looking at the object in my hand.

  My mine was gradually becoming, how should I say, an official facility, and its population was gradually growing - not only because of the captured bandits. To my surprise, I had some volunteers: first a starving dwarf who had already been a miner before he joined the bandits, then another normal-sized dude who had "heard the food here was good". Both of them ended up working for food and uniforms (plus lodging), and surprisingly, they didn't complain. However, that's not the point, but the point is that people started to show up at my mine; someone came to buy the fabricator's products, someone to sell something, that sort of thing. And since there was traffic and a flow of goods and services, there were additional opportunities for trade.

  First, I installed Marcus's vending machine next to it; slightly modified, it sold only weapons, no ammunition - no competition in that respect. Then Scooter's vending machine. And finally, Moxie set me up with another Pandorian monopolist, "Dr." Zed. In quotes, since this type himself admitted without the slightest embarrassment that he wasn't a real doctor.

  In any case, he too had set up his vending machine on my property, selling drugs, tranquilizers, medicines, supplements, bandages and plasters - with pictures to suit all tastes - and shields. I didn't get any taxes or share of sales, but nevertheless, this cooperation had at least two advantages: first, I made him an order for a good shield - for reasonable money - and second, he gave me a gift "In the hope of a long and fruitful cooperation".

  Namely, a new smart visor, a "class modifier". Manufactured, however, not by Vladoff, but by Hyperion, but compatible.

  And even more so.

  "Unusual class modifier for the Engineer Assembler class." Support when firing (increased critical damage and accuracy), assisting in mounting (Assembling Engineer skill +1)."

  The ECHO this time gave more detailed information on the green-colored visor, and I couldn't help but notice that it not only gives visual cues when aiming, but also increases the skill. An extra skill point in the form of, hehe, a pointed visor. Pointed in a good way.

  What it meant in practice was this: what looked like just a lens in a frame was in fact a small computer with a small specialized database and an operating system that wasn't up to AI, but could take over some of the tasks in digital construction, plus help with design and simulation of structures. A smart electronic cheat sheet, you might say. Relatively smart. And this, in turn, helped not only with construction, but also with the deployment of the turret: its digitalization was a bit faster. It's a small thing, but it makes a difference.

  I also spent a skill point that had been hanging around since my last level up. I had to struggle with the choice again, but in the end I settled on Basic Military Training, which was becoming not so "basic" anymore.

  - Fifty squats under cover! Disassembling the enemy with an assault rifle! Getting behind a shovel and away from enemy fire! Someday these simple techniques will save us from having to train a new fighter because of your death, soldier, so memorize them well!

  I brushed the sweat off my forehead. The memories this time were quite... intense. I wonder what kind of 'advanced military training' they have...?

  ...Nah, I don't want to know.

  Anyway... With that, and a new shield, it's time for me to get back out into the field.

  And hopefully I'll finish it and not the other way around.