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Chapter 144: Welcoming Committee
🕑 Added 2023-10-13 15:11:01 +0000 UTCBack in Ghost Reef, the entire settlement stood at full alert. The phantom soldiers that stayed behind had received some partial information when the fishing boats were retrieved by the pirates, but they were left not knowing whether or not they would end up with a fight on their hands.
The truth was that even though they had been reinforced with significant numbers, the vast majority of the population had no levels. If it came to a fight with a proper army, they were in for a challenge with so few adequately leveled defenders, but their experience in the siege left them resolute. They anticipated how the few hundred level 75 phantoms would face off with potentially thousands of challengers and didn’t shy away, but there was a palpable wave of relief as the Tempest Fleet returned, sending them messages for what to expect. Instead of a fight, they had refugees.
As the ships sailed toward the reefs, the marshaling in the fort shifted posture, from digging in for a serious fight, to offering hospitality to guests. The transition was fast, and the bells rang enthusiastically as the residents left a skeleton crew with the cannons so the rest could join the welcoming committee for the newcomers outside of the fort’s walls.
“They’re getting ready to receive guests outside of the fort.” Camila interpreted the tolling responses from the fort’s walls, for Coop’s benefit. He was trying to figure out the codes himself, but it all sounded like noise with multiple messages being communicated simultaneously.
Marcus had been preparing for exactly the kind of situation they now faced, one where Ghost Reef would have an enormous influx of people. In fact, he had been hoping for an opportunity to recruit ever since he took the advisor role and realized how sparse the settlement actually was. Coop had warned them that they didn’t have room to take on freeloaders, but the actual number of residents managing to hang onto a civilization shard was a shock. He had been pushing Coop to proactively recruit ever since the siege ended. To satisfy his yearning to grow the population, he had developed a system with Shane for onboarding citizens and they trained others to conduct the procedures that they collectively came up with. Ghost Reef had already been primed to grow.
There was an interview and application process in place, with a crew of 50 residents and phantoms trained to guide newcomers through their options: whether they simply needed aid, shelter, or if they were looking to relocate permanently. Obviously, anyone that intended to stay would be more thoroughly vetted before having access to all of the benefits of the settlement, but the intention was to provide safety for those who came, and enticement for those who were unsure if they would like to settle in.
On the ships, the refugees were awed by the spectacle of entering Ghost Reef’s territory at night, with the subtle wisps of spectral mana flowing through the sky, leaving streaks of turquoise down to the surface of the sea, continuing underwater along the emerging shoals. No one expected to witness auroras around the tropical island, so when they did, it was a surprise delight. After living in the dirt around the airport in Empress City, the contrast was substantial.
Despite being a massive crowd, the people they had pulled off the cruise ship were unusually subdued, at least for what Coop would expect from such large numbers of people gathered in one place. The trauma of the apocalypse quelled their ability to feel genuine excitement. Their experience told them it was dangerous to be too optimistic, but that didn’t stop whispers and mutterings of the overblown Nomad and his fictional Conch Republic settlement.
“Mostly fictional.” Coop mumbled to himself to Camila’s amusement as they overheard the conversations. The rebels had actually pegged Ghost Reef’s location with surprising accuracy, but he blamed the leaderboards for putting it out there as an option. It was his own fault not changing the name, making it even easier for locals to triangulate their location, but ultimately, he wanted people to come. The settlement was fulfilling its purpose in that sense.
As the fleet reached the port, the Empress City refugees slowly made their way off the boats and onto the island, being directed by phantoms to take seats at the picnic tables that remained from the beach bash. The posts with gossamer fabric were still up, with fairy lights glowing invitingly between them. Some of the bonfires had been reignited as if to welcome the newcomers with flickering lights.
“What is this?” They asked each other. “Did they know we were coming?” He heard them try to explain the fact that there was already more than enough space laid out for them.
“Just a coincidence.” Coop answered the ones that were walking past him on the docks, but they barely acknowledged his attempt to minimize the preparations.
Phantom soldiers were scattered along the path, wearing the Ghost Reef Standard Issue equipment in the more casual mode, directing people to have a seat and otherwise ready to keep the peace. None of the newcomers resisted the shouted instructions and the tables were filling as they moved toward the lighthouse. The whole procession was more like a group of polite tourists following a guided tour, doing their best to respect the local customs.
Marcus stood on the stage that had been used to play music previously, raising his voice to welcome everyone to Ghost Reef and explain that it was a place of sanctuary, that they would be conducting interviews with each person to make sure it remained a safe place, and asking for their patience while they got everyone settled in. His messages weren’t met with any objections.
Coop was impressed by the mobilization. He had already witnessed the residents of the fort come together for combat multiple times, to recover and repair after the siege, and once for the party, but he hadn’t expected them to be so prepared for a relief effort. If he was being honest, he still viewed most of the residents as something like refugees themselves, people he had needed to rescue and protect despite their accomplishments. They were obviously more than up to the task of extending their hands to others.
While he was proud to see it, Coop was once again feeling like his skills were a bit one-dimensional. He did one thing really well, grind monsters, but beyond that, it seemed like everyone else was capable of making more dynamic contributions. He shrugged to himself, not exactly mad about it. Really, he thought he should feel lucky to have found competent people to fill the gaps in his attention. The fact that they were on the same page with regard to how Ghost Reef should respond to situations was the biggest blessing, and he could at least take partial credit for pushing them in that direction from the start. His general attitude had set the example for others to follow when disorder reigned.
From the docks, he watched as Shane’s party, Gibson’s party, Madison, and Emmanuel came out of the fort along with more and more people as they sought ways to help. Coop made his own way to the crossroads, seeing people move with purpose, receiving their guests, and guiding them along the beaches. Madison, in particular, asserted herself, snatching the lead from anyone else that thought they might take it, in order to provide medical checks starting with the first person at the first table. Coop chuckled that even Marcus’s organization would be forced to make way for the Sage of Ghost Reef, lest she topple the whole thing over in order to do her selected job.
Her glowing wings emerged when she checked the third person, and the gasps of the refugees hushed any of the growing conversations. Coop heard some of the newcomers question whether or not she was actually the Nomad, or maybe it was Emmanuel, who stood behind her. The overexaggerated legends that had been doing the rounds were already being further confused.
The last people to leave the ships, besides the pirates, were the trio of Chosen that Coop had separated from the rest. Coop waved at Arthur to get his attention, then pointed one, two, and three. Arthur got the message, tapping Shane before he smoothly flitted to the trio’s side and guided them on their own, toward the Admiralty, to do his own interview with his party as backup. Charlie and Camila joined Charlie’s parents as they worked their way through the tables, providing friendly conversation while Madison made sure they were healthy with Emmanuel protectively escorting them.
When Marcus was done conveying his messages to the crowd that walked along the stone path, he hopped off the stage and jogged over to Coop.
“Good job, Coop.” Marcus praised him right away, patting his shoulder, even though Coop was just watching from the crossroads. “We’ll get these people situated in no time, and they’ll be helping the settlement just as fast.”
Coop nodded, not sure if he deserved any accolades in this particular event. “Are we going to have enough room?”
“We already do. I upgraded the apartments as soon as we got word. The upgrades quadrupled the number of units in each building, and I built over 50 more buildings. The residential perimeter road is full on both the northern and southern halves of the courtyard.” Marcus excitedly explained. “These people are from Empress City, right?”
“They are, and that other guy that was in the jail with you sent a message along with them, that I need to go stop something bad from happening.” Coop answered, letting his agitation show.
Marcus nodded, his expression growing steely. “Let’s go.” He stated, gesturing toward the Eye of the Storm, as if he would be coming along.
“Aren’t you busy?” Coop asked, glancing across the island, full of new people being greeted by residents and phantoms underneath the gentle golden glow of the fairy lights.
Marcus followed his eyes and downplayed his concern. “My work is done. For something like this, it’s all planning and training that needs to be completed first. Laying the groundwork for procedures and all of that. Now, it’s up to everyone else to execute.”
“Let’s let everyone have a chance to get information from the messengers first.” Coop suggested, surprised by his first advisor’s zeal to head back to the mainland with such little information. “I thought you’d be more hesitant about responding to such a summons. It sounds like it’s a civil war over there.”
While Coop gestured that they move toward the Admiralty, to join Shane’s party, Marcus explained his prompt decision. “It was my home too, you know, and I expected something like this to happen eventually. The people who took leadership of Empress City were barreling towards turning the settlement into a failed state by definition, and Jackson Hobbs and I both saw it coming, though we disagreed on how to fix it. If he’s asking for help, I think we should go simply because his end goals were at least as respectable as mine.”
“I didn’t even realize you knew him like that.” Coop admitted as he waved for Kayla to join them in the building from her ship, grabbed Jones from the crossroads, and had Marcus send a messenger wraith to summon Gideon. He figured it would be best to have more advisors hear the story from the source.
“We were both imprisoned for undermining the organization of Empress City, and spent some time in that cell together.” Marcus finished as they entered the double doors of the Admiralty building. “I wouldn’t say we were friends, but I understood where he was coming from. The fact that he didn’t get himself killed right away tells me someone more refined gave him some good advice that he wouldn’t take from me.”
Coop and Marcus stood on a plush carpet in the entrance of the Admiralty. The walls surrounding the entrance were covered with fancy embroideries decorating the spaces in between reliefs. Kayla and Jones arrived shortly after. Javier and his two companions were sitting on the edge of a bench on the side of the main foyer, beneath a recess that housed the bust of an unknown human person, with Arthur standing in front of them. Shane and the rest of his party were some distance away, looking appropriately intimidating while letting Arthur take the lead in getting to know the defected Chosen. Coop and the other advisors joined Shane.
Arthur selected the Secutor, and took him into a small meeting room. “This won’t take long.” Arthur was gently explaining, like a kindly grandpa. “As I understand it, time may be of the essence, so we’ll just go through the basics.”
It only took about five minutes with each of the Chosen for Arthur to confirm their stories. “They don’t appear to be fabricating their stories, and unless they were misled themselves, I see no reason to dismiss the intel they have provided.” The Intelligence advisor reported after he gave a rundown of the necessary bits for the benefit of the rest. Arthur would have further conversations to evaluate the trio of Chosen after the advisors of Ghost Reef decided what to do with the information.
The last to arrive, Gideon, was the first to provide perspective. “The Sapphire Armada is the real threat. Empress City’s attention is occupied by domestic matters, but this Armada has been free to gather their strength. They are already capitalizing, positioning themselves to upgrade their settlement by claiming Empress City as a subordinate. The fact that they appear to be a nautical nation only compounds the fact that we should be considerate of their existence. We are surely in their crosshairs already.”
“There’s also the matter of these refugees. There is a possibility their appearance is merely to let our guard down. We will be severely outnumbered if they are meant to be an initial invasion force.” He continued, cognizant of the fact that the majority of Ghost Reef’s population were at or near level one for the time being.
Kayla shook her head. “Nah, those are genuine refugees. I don’t think anyone could manufacture the scenario we spotted at sea, and they were as good as dead without us.” She shrugged. “Still a possibility of saboteurs among them, though.”
“Either way, I don’t think it would be prudent to over commit our forces for Empress City.” Gideon reinforced his position.
“Just send my fleet.” Kayla suggested confidently. “I’d put my crews up against any fresh armada on Earth. As long as we control the sea, we’ll be safe.”
Jones provided his idea, piggy-backing off of Kayla. “Perhaps we could send the fleet just to evacuate these rebels, before the blockade arrives.”
“I doubt they would be willing to abandon the settlement they are fighting for.” Marcus argued. “Let’s just say their leader is an enthusiastic revolutionary figure. And even if they were willing to retreat, we may end up having to make multiple trips to move all of their people. Being caught halfway through an evacuation might be the only way our Captain Kayla would be at a disadvantage.” He glanced at the pirate queen who just shrugged, not ready to concede their superiority even in that scenario, but not dismissing it either.
“There’s also the matter with the Yucatan settlement.” Arthur reminded them. “The risks we understood with them are only magnified with the existence of another settlement to be wary of.” Arthur glanced at Coop. “I believe we already arrived at the solution of sending our Champion to settle things at a time like this.” Kayla chuckled in amusement.
“If you go soon enough, there’s a good chance you could take Empress City before this armada even arrives.” Shane suggested, completely onboard. “Send Coop with Kayla. They can remain flexible enough to retreat if we need to alter our plans and commit to a more extensive campaign.”
“I’m going too.” Marcus declared, settling the matter of whether or not they would toss Coop out there. “Jones can keep an eye on the fort and if we are integrating new territory, I’d like to be there to negotiate conditions with the rebels.”
Outside of a few considering expressions, Marcus didn’t get any pushback from the others.
“I’ll go get our invaluable little Aeromancer.” Kayla stated before heading out of the Admiralty, preparing to maximize their speed.
Coop nodded, somehow a little surprised by the result of their meeting. He really expected they would lean toward diplomacy first, but it was becoming more and more apparent that he was the primary advocate for a pure turtle strategy in Ghost Reef. His advisors saw the big picture even more clearly than he did.
“So, if the Sapphire Armada is already there, should I just blast ‘em?” He wondered, considering they didn’t necessarily have any conflict with them yet.
Marcus was already nodding as Shane answered. “If they are already there, suppressing the rebels, it means they’ve aligned with the Endless Empire. Regardless of the hierarchy between the two, we have to assume the Empire’s position towards you will become the Sapphire Armada’s. Not to mention, us sending any response at all at this stage is inherently aligning us with the rebels.”
“You’re going to war.” Jones made the mission clear, giving Coop a look that said not to mess around as his fingers absently traced the glowing veins on his forearm.
Coop recognized his feelings, that the Empire hadn’t been charitable when they cursed him, and Coop shouldn’t expect anything different. Coop still hesitated, not completely willing to throw his weight around with people who might not know what they’re getting themselves into, but he wouldn’t take any half-measures, in this case. He clenched his jaw and met Jones’s gaze, silently accepting his advice and finding the resolve he would need for what came next. “Keep an eye on things while I’m gone.”
Comments
Loipers
You'll make a conqueror out of him yet... Respect the grind.
Nyroe
Coop is boutta fuck shit up! Somebody has to remind him that more territory in florida and along the coast just means more beaches to chill in and new grinding routes to discover!
