AN ADVENTURER'S WORK IS NEVER DONE 

In the morning both Adan and Z1 receive requests for suggestions as to
the best course of action. Z1 is assured that he will receive a full
load of water for his vessel, and his asked how many humans (in addition
to him) the ship can transport. 

The military makes it clear that they will not be issuing orders, and
they appreciate the fact you are willing to help. 

A meeting with the admiral is arranged for late afternoon/early evening,
and a guide is arranged to guide you to the military section of the
base. 

Z1 tells that the ship can transport 29.5 tons or 1728 cf of cargo in
addition to him and his equipment. This would imply that with sufficient
seating provided by them a maximum of 361 human beings could fit into
the cargo bay - Although it would be quite cramped. Perhaps amount of
150 would be good, with room for other things like supplies and room for
construction tasks. Life support would also be very limiting factor -
Ship could sustain 150 humans for only a short time, like an hour or so.
After that air would run out and breathing would become impossible. 

If long term transportation is being thought of, only one human could be
transported without modifications on the ship (Addition of full
life-support systems for as many as needs to be carried). 

Z1 will remove and take a computer screen from the cockpit with him to
the discussion. He will add casing to it for ease of carrying and
protection from possible bumps or rough handling. 

(How about taking oxygen from the water reaction mass via controlled
electrolysis, btw?) 

They are looking at long term life support. Unfortunately, their life
support systems won't work aboard your ship (being based on magic).
Oxygen can be produced from your reaction mass, but it will require a
number of rolls to set up: Engineering (Space Vehicles) -3, Engineering
(Life Support), and Chemistry -2. Each roll requires 1 hour of work, but
if you fail a roll there is no penalty on future rolls unless it's a
critical failure, you just need to work another hour. If you already
have full life support for 1, the oxygen supply will enable you to carry
5 easily, 20 in a pinch. More than that will bog down your solid and
liquid waste recyclers. 

When Z1 is done with his morning meeting, he is able to see Adan
ferrying huge timbers out into the space around the station. Adan is
flying without any signs of a propulsion device, and lifting timbers
that Z1 wouldn't be able to at full power. 

Z1 monitors the happening with interest. He will ask Adan about it after
he lands. 

Did Z1 or Adan suggest a particular course of action to their military
contact? Z1 learns that the station will be able to supply water as soon
as two of the new gate stations (like Adan is working on) are completed.

Adan did not as most of his military experience is with small unit
tactics and of that it is mostly countering it. He has never been in a
major military campaign so he's pretty much kept his mouth shut. 

Z1 will most likely emphasize on following points (And of course any
things of importance I missed. Z1 has very high skill in
tactics/strategy.); 

1.   Use magic to seal the wormhole permanently, if possible. 

2.   If that does not work, prepare defenses adequate to repel any attacks
and proceed to destroy the wormhole from the other side. 

3.   Adapt to new infantry tactics and weaponry. Nitro-powder repeating
guns with armor piercing bullets, as well as thrown explosives. 

4.   Revise fleet strategy and get more effective weapons. 

5.   Prepare for evacuation if situation turns out bad. 

He will explain the difficulties in each of these suggestions, and will
also display the tactical and strategic importance of these improvements
via the screen he brought with him. He will explain why a 'medieval'
army cannot win Masterminds hordes - Particularly he will demonstrate
the effect of rapid fire into massed formations (Some of the standard
robots carry along RoF 100+ weapons as matter of course). 

------ 

"Shouldn't be much longer Z1 and I'll be completed," Adan pauses as he
grabs another large set of timbers. "You know it strikes me as odd, if
Mastermind is anything like you he has no concept of 'magic,' psionic
powers, or even abilities such as mine. If we had a way to maintain our
powers in his reality we would have something that will completely stun
him. I'm guessing that if some spells were mildly altered they would be
immensely powerful weapons against him." 

Z1: "Mastermind has lots of resources. The amount of his metallic
servitors is in the very least about 1,000,000 or so. Given the
resources of my world, Mastermind has the potential to double the amount
of servants each month or so." 

"I think that my world is subject to strict physical laws which prevent
'magic' as you know it. Of empathy and psionics I have no idea, any
knowledge of them died with last humans of my world. I suppose that
certain things our technology can do might look like magic for you -
Like opening the wormhole." 

"That's not quite what I mean," Adan explains pausing with this massive
load on one shoulder. "When I walked onto your ship I lost much of my
powers but you ship seems to operate fine in our reality along with
certain items which you carry on your person. If we could keep our
'magical' items working as long as they are in our hands it would give
us at least one advantage over Mastermind. He outnumbers us, has better
weaponry, he has metal ships, and it all works in our reality. We have
wooden ships, poor weaponry, and fewer numbers. If we could come up with
an item that would allow individuals such as myself to maintain our
powers and abilities in his reality we could strike major blows in ways
that he would not expect and would not fit into his logic as I have
observed it troubling you." 

Z1: "I am not troubled by the new concept of magic, psionics or other
new abilities. I can learn to understand them as concepts, and so can
Mastermind." 

"Of course a moment of surprise could be gained by using tricks totally
new to Mastermind. It can however think thousand times faster than a
human being, and so it may revise its strategies to compensate for magic
and psi after it has accumulated sufficient knowledge." 

"Can you withstand an exploding piece of sun? Mastermind can cause such
effects." 

"Actually I don't know my durability limits so far only magic and
psionic attacks have effected me, well with the exception of the time on
your ship when I was vulnerable," Adan commits casually, " you know
maybe I should test my limits sometime?" 

Z1: "That could be unwise, unless the stress could be built up slowly
over length of time, and stopped before it becomes lethal. Also remember
that your durability is most likely linked with magic - It will not work
in some places, like my ship." 

"I do have physical limits, I do not utilize magic in my workings. My
armor and physical frame combined cannot withstand more than equivalent
of 1.5 inches of steel penetration. Lesser than one inch of steel
penetration will not affect me at all." 

"Hold on one minute," Adan leaps into the air his mind pondering what Z1
has stated. "I have to take this load up." 

~~Z1 seems to be a fairly competent fellow, but he has posed me with a
question what are my limits. I have never feared anything before should
I fear this Mastermind?~~ 

After a short time Adan returns. "Would you like to continue this
conversation in space I have to begin construction now?" 

Z1: "Yes, if that would not cause too much trouble. I might even be of
assistance." 

Adan heads into space and waits for Z1. When Z1 shows up he asks Z1 to
tell him more about himself and his involvement with this Mastermind. 

Z1 does not follow, merely stares after Adan. 

After a while it may occur for Adan that Z1 may not be able to fly
without his ship, which currently needs more water. 

Z1 will sign this to Adan if he happens to look down, Z1 asks if Adan
could carry him up. 

After a few minutes Adan realizes his folly. 

~~Sometimes I astonish myself with my own naivety. The knowledge is here
in my head but sometimes I feel like a child.~~ 

Adan returns immediately afterwards for Z1. 

"I am very sorry Z1. Sometimes I forget that others do not have my
gifts," Adan explains. "I truly hope you are not angry. Do you need
special life support in the void?" 

Z1: "Not necessarily. Although my skin could get damaged for long
exposures. If I put on my helmet, I will be okay in void for 14 years.
Apology accepted; I do not except humans to be logical all the time." 

"No, I haven't yet even learned how to feel anger. I would be interested
in learning, however. Almost any human emotion is like a mystery to me."

As Z1 and Adan race towards space Z1 gets an impression that Adan is
incredibly strong. You can understand why he was asking earlier about
creating a sword or axe that could penetrate the armor of the
Masterminds creation with the combination of his high speed of flight
and his powerful muscles he would be a formidable ally indeed. 

"Z1 would you mind telling me more about your past? I myself have no
recollection of my past further than 30 yrs ago and I don't seem to have
aged since. I have gained great insight into the people of this area
learning most languages as if it were second nature but my own past
eludes me. As such it always interests me to hear others histories that
I may gain insight into my own past." 

Z1 starts to speak, telling his story in grim and serious way, not
showing any emotions as he goes on, not even when mentioning the death
of his mother: "Sure, I have detailed records of my whole life of ten
years. I was born in Masterminds robot factory installation number 107,
production line C. Originally my purpose would have been to infiltrate
and destroy human resistance groups. However, my mother Selena Keller
managed to secretly remove me from the production line right after my
body was complete. Over the next few months, she gave me my mind and a
new purpose. I helped her survive for following 4.21 years, protecting
her from physical threats, sent by the Mastermind." 

"Finally I had failed in my first mission when I found out that she had
caught an artificial disease made by the Mastermind. Irrevocably lethal
for humans. She asked me to hold her in my arms, which I did. Perhaps
she thought that I could protect her from the disease, well, I could
not. It was before her life-sustaining functions failed that she gave me
orders for my mission, which I am currently working on." 

"After her death, according to the directions in a black book with a
cross on it, I dug approximately two meters deep, one meter wide and two
meters long hole. After that I lowered her body into it in wooden box.
Then I read strange words from the book, although no one was listening. 

After this I filled the hole with earth, placed a stone slab with
Selena's birth and death dates on it approximately on same place as her
head was under the dirt. I then observed surroundings for five minutes
without no particular reason - For some reason I thought something else
ought to happen, although nothing happened - and then I went to start my
mission." 

"I have been working on this mission for last 6.13 years, I am trying to
ultimately destroy the Mastermind and also protect all nonhostile human
life from it. So far I have caused termination of 514 units serving
Mastermind, plus loss of two installations. Three times I have had to
fix myself after sustaining damage. I stole my ship from the Mastermind,
and gave it new directions and passwords.. My secondary objective is to
learn to feel human emotions and become mentally like humans." 

"Anything more you want to know about my history or knowledge? I do have
exact dates and times on all events I have observed so far, plus visual
pictures." 

"Very interesting indeed and you have no emotions?" Adan asks. "Have you
ever come across individuals with alpha-numeric codes tattooed on their
right shoulder blades, say for example A-10?" 

Z1: "Sure. Half-humanoid combat units or ships often employ such
non-electronic identification numbers, but they more often than not
have three or four digit numbers. Letter stands for production line, and
number is for telling how many units were constructed before it.
However, such units are not very individualistic, they possess only one
hundredth of my thinking power. Later units have also the number of
production facility on them before the letter, if it is not 1." "Those
units which carry only letter and number, are most often older more
experienced units which are often sent to the front line activities. My
number was 107 C 45, but it was never 'tattooed' onto my shoulder -
Instead I had an invisible image, something which is called IFF in my
world." 

As you enter orbit and arrive at the construction site Adan takes a rope
and ties Z1 to the major support for the substation (assuming that you
have no means of self propulsion in space). You suddenly notice that he
doesn't breathe at all and seems quite at home in the void. Pausing but
a foot from Z1 he turns around removes his jacked and lifts his
undershirt. "So this specific notation doesn't ring a bell so to speak?"
He asks as you see the tattoo of an A-10 as he was depicting on his
right shoulder blade. 

Z1: "According to that, you could be tenth product from Masterminds
first production facility, first production line. However, I have
reasons to believe that A 10 of Mastermind would have no dash in its
insignia and unit in question would have no legs - It would move by
small wheels surrounded by metal belt. Metal surface, one eye and two
thin arms with weapon mounts." 

"From what you have stated I could be a construct like you or maybe an
experiment on humanoids, but if I was created by Mastermind wouldn't my
abilities work on your ship?" 

Z1: "Your analysis seems to be correct. I would not believe that
masterminds first designs would be as tough as you. Also, your heat
patterns are a complete match with a normal human.. Even I am not so
perfectly human appearing, although I am an advanced multi-use model." 

"All in all, I think that I do not have sufficient data to answer your
question yet. I will inform you if I find out anything relevant to this
matter." 

"Now, how will we construct this thing, do you have blueprints? Also,
what is the purpose of this construct?" 

(Adan does have blueprints. The main problem with construction involve
the shifting gravity envelope. Since the materials came from the base
they use the Spelljammer gravity system. The construction work involves
nailing and "gluing," although the "glue" doesn't seem at all familiar
to Z1. Adan guesses it's some sort of alchemal substance, but he's not
familiar with the specific type.) 

Z1: "Primitive but effective. This should not pose any problems for me."

Z1 looks the blueprints through once, and memorizes them perfectly. He
gets to the work with unerring accuracy, hitting the nails into the wood
with his fist. 

As Adan and Z1 set to work piecing together the substation Adan turns to
Z1. "I'll have to be honest Z1 I could come to enjoy being around you.
You have purpose and aren't afraid I like that. I like it a lot. If you
had spirit I'd almost say we were kindred spirits." 

Adan moves with a sureness that lets Z1 realize that he has done this
style of work before (although not in a shifting gravity environment but
his massive strength allows him to overcome this obstacle). 

Z1: "Thank you. That is a great compliment from you. Likewise, I do
prefer cooperating with you. Can I consider you a 'friend'?" 

"I would say so," Adan responds. 

Within short order the two have the substation complete. Adan unties Z1
and ferries him back to his ship. 

"I have to go get my pay. Since you aided me in completing my job I'll
help you load you ship with supplies," Adan offers. "Give me about an
hour and I'll meet you back here if you don't mind and maybe I can join
you at the Admirals?" 

Z1: "You do not have to pay back my favors, unless you really want to.
Your mere presence helps me understand humans better in the future,
because you are clearly more human than I. Learning is only a matter of
time and thought power." 

Adan heads off to recover his pay from the individuals that hired him to
complete the substation. Z1 notices yet another unusual aspect of Adan's
personality in the crowded streets of Base N'Ferra he won't fly unless
he has to, choosing to walk to his destination, as if he is afraid of
causing a disturbance. This seems really foolish in a place where a
variety of races and cultures meet and a quarter of the population seems
to be able to