NABC Chapter Vol. 1 Ch. 9
Chapter Vol. 1 Ch. 9
Episode 9: The First Meal (10g)
The next morning.
“Not exactly a refreshing wake-up...”
After nightfall, she had decided to sleep early. Perhaps due to accumulated mental fatigue, drowsiness hit her hard. Upon waking, she drank the water Ringo had prepared for her. It was cold and served in a metal cup, possibly made during the night.
“Good morning, Commander Ma’am. Regarding food...”
“Alright... I’ll listen.”
She’d considered postponing the report, but seeing Ringo’s unusually happy expression prompted her to hear it out.
“Yes, Commander Ma’am. Scientific tests found no issues with the shellfish, fish, and seaweed collected yesterday. Salt from the purified water plant can also be used, so we can try preparing a meal.”
“That’s good news.”
Honestly, she was quite hungry. However, eating a large amount immediately wasn’t an option; she’d likely only be able to eat a small portion. With a slight sense of disappointment, she got out of bed.
“Let’s have the automated cooker handle the preparation. Can you take care of it?”
“Yes, Commander Ma’am. I’ll start with a 10-gram serving of fish muscle for protein.”
Nodding, she went to the bathroom to relieve herself. Though she’d only had water, expelling any excess fluid was necessary. It was uncomfortable, but unavoidable.
◇◇◇◇
After finishing in the bathroom, she returned to the command room, determined to allocate some resources to improving her living conditions.
(At the very least, I need to do something about toilet paper!)
The bidet helped with cleanliness, but without anything to dry off with, it was time-consuming. Thankfully, there was a warm air feature.
(And I need towels. A shower requires towels. I’d also appreciate a change of clothes, at least by tomorrow.)
While The Tree’s climate control kept the environment comfortable, making sweating rare, that didn’t mean her clothes stayed clean. Not to mention, her own cleanliness.
“Hey, Ringo, can we make towels and a change of clothes?”
“It’s hard to tell with such a small amount... but it’s not bad.”
The salt was just right, though the fish’s natural taste was hard to discern. Still, it wasn’t unpleasant.
“Thank you, Ma’am. If there are no issues, I’ll serve half a fillet this evening.”
“Yes, please.”
After eating, her stomach seemed to rumble with intensified hunger. But she held back. By evening, she’d get a small portion, and if no issues arose overnight, she could finally eat her fill.
“By the way, this fish species is available regularly, correct?”
“Yes, Commander Ma’am. Some have already been kept alive in a makeshift holding tank. Also, our surveys indicate they are abundant around these reefs.”
“Good to hear. After all the effort, it’d be a shame if they became scarce...”
Then again, she’d specifically requested harvesting species likely to be sustainable.
“Tomorrow, we’ll conduct an edibility test on the seaweed, Ma’am. With both fish and seaweed, we should be able to avert the risk of starvation for the time being.”
“Right. As long as I’m getting protein and minerals, I should survive.”
She returned the plate to the automated machine and lay down in the medical pod.
“Vitals check... all readings normal. Monitoring will continue.”
“Thank you.”
“Blood glucose levels are low, so I’ll administer a nutrient IV.”
As the pod’s robotic arms efficiently handled her care, she glanced over at the information window.
“Now then. Swift solar-powered reconnaissance planes are... ready for takeoff. Let’s launch them.”
“Roger. Swift 1 and Swift 2 will take off.”
On the short runway extending through The Tree fortress, two planes awaited. Designed for high-altitude, long-duration flights, they could ascend to 20 kilometers and stay aloft for over 500 hours. With two operating at all times, they’d monitor a broad area. In a few days, new aircraft would be rolled out, with a long-term plan to maintain surveillance within a 1,000-kilometer radius.
Today, monitoring these planes would be her main task.
She’d also keep an eye on the underwater drones’ exploration, as whatever they collected would eventually become her meals—a priority in its own right.