Chapter 37: Gradual Invasion Plan

"Having the equipment over there... it really makes me want to build something even bigger," the Commander mused.

"Yes, ma'am, Commander. However, considering the risks of looting and destruction, it's still too difficult to push any further right now," Ringo replied.

It had been about three months since the defense of Telek Harbor began. The initial wariness was gradually giving way to a more welcoming atmosphere. Confirming this shift, Ringo negotiated with the head of the merchant guild and secured a leased area—a modest plot of land the size of a single warehouse. This provided a relatively safe location for setting up equipment, significantly increasing operational flexibility.

Using imported materials, it took about a week to construct a three-story building. The first and third floors were packed with defensive equipment, while the second floor housed a general-purpose manufacturing machine printer, an atomic disassembler recycler, and a material replenisher. With these in place, a basic level of production was established. Although production speed was slow, it now became possible to replenish ammunition locally. Fortunately, raw materials could be extracted from nearby soil and rocks, ensuring a stable supply for the time being. Once a stockpile was secured, they planned to prototype several automated combat machines. Mass production would be ideal, but rare metals were hard to come by in Telek Harbor, leaving them short on materials.

However, power supply remained a challenge. For now, diesel generators powered the equipment, but the need for fuel resupply necessitated alternative solutions. Solar panels and vertical Magnus wind turbines were installed on the roof, but they fell far short of the required output. Securing additional leased land for an energy plant—or, in the worst-case scenario, connecting to Paraiso’s fleet—was under consideration.

"Fortunately, we’ve established a pathway to acquire some iron..."

"Yes, ma’am, Commander. Transportation is still a bottleneck, limiting the volume we can obtain. However, with the recent transfer of axle and wheel technology, we expect gradual improvement," Ringo assured.

As part of Paraiso's involvement in the defense and administration of Telek Harbor, several technical advancements were introduced to improve transportation efficiency. Among these were methods for reinforcing wooden axles and wheels with metal, as well as the principles of bearings, dampers, and suspension. Structural materials capable of supporting heavy loads were also explained.

Additionally, road maintenance was emphasized. The importance of crushed stone paving and the preparation of passing zones along roads was promoted. While laying down railways would significantly boost transport capacity, Ringo deemed it currently unfeasible. If a new mineral vein were discovered, such plans might be reconsidered.

"Wouldn’t it be faster if we provided the bearings ourselves?"

"Yes, ma’am, Commander. Given the unstable situation, we must secure iron ore as quickly as possible. Let’s include axles and bearings in the next shipment. Supplying components for about 100 carts should significantly improve transportation," Ringo suggested.

The iron ore had an estimated iron content of about 50%. Considering this, transporting raw ore was only half as efficient as moving processed ingots, making local smelting preferable.

"Hmm... Should we set up an atomic disassembler recycler specialized for smelting? Ideally, we’d place it at the mine, but that makes defending it difficult..."

"Unless it’s a large-scale facility, it risks being overwhelmed by processing demands. However, setting it up there would make its defense challenging. Whether we station a force or establish a permanent presence, the distance poses a problem," Ringo noted.

The iron town was roughly 300 kilometers inland from Telek Harbor—a five to six-day journey by typical horse-drawn carriage. With road improvements and the introduction of axles and bearings supplied by The Tree, this could be reduced to two or three days.

Still, that was far enough to place it outside the main gun range of Alpha-class destroyers, leaving it vulnerable. Missiles could reach the area, but the cost-effectiveness was abysmal. This left them reliant on the local militia stationed in the iron town, but they were far from reliable. Even with weapons, they were essentially a civilian force, easily crushed by a well-organized invasion.

"For now, we’ll focus on transporting the iron ore. What about setting up a smelting facility in Telek Harbor?"

"While we could increase the volume transported by ship, considering current output and transport capacity, it’s not particularly meaningful. It’s more efficient to import the ore and refine it at The Tree’s facilities. There, even the slag waste can be utilized effectively. Until we can build a large-scale facility in Telek Harbor, we should continue acquiring raw ore," Ringo advised.

"Okay. Then road maintenance is a priority. What about sourcing crushed stone?"

"There’s a quarry a short distance from Telek Harbor that could serve as a candidate. However, for a 300-kilometer road, it might not be enough, so we’re currently investigating other potential sites," Ringo replied.

The plan was to pave the road with crushed stone to a depth of 50 cm and a width of 4 meters. This required approximately 600,000 cubic meters of stone. Transporting that amount from the existing quarry would disrupt the town's operations. Additionally, paving required durable, high-quality stone, which might be difficult to justify using for roads.

"We could open the road in a few weeks with heavy machinery, but it’s still too early for that."

"Agreed. The manual labor will help create jobs for the refugees, so we can’t use machinery just yet," the Commander noted.

With farmland development reaching a lull, there was a surplus of male labor. This workforce would be utilized to spread the crushed stone, with The Tree supplying wealth to revitalize the local economy. The overarching plan was to gradually increase dependence on The Tree, ultimately achieving complete control.

"Now then, Telek Harbor is secure for the time being. The iron ore transport ships should be arriving soon," the Commander remarked.

"Yes, ma’am, Commander. We’ll use the obtained iron to produce defensive equipment for Telek Harbor," Ringo confirmed.

"Commander Sis, I’ll design the cannons," Olive chimed in.

"Oh? That’s exciting, Olive," the Commander said with a smile.

"Commander Sister, I’ve planned the placements," Ichigo added.

"My, how wonderful! A joint effort between the two of you," the Commander praised, patting the heads of the humanoid androids, Ichigo and Olive. The two wagged their tails happily, clearly delighted.

The other three sisters were assigned separate tasks. Eldest sister Akane researched ways to utilize slag extracted from iron ore. Third sister Utsugi and fourth sister Erika worked together on expanding the atomic disassembler recycler. These assignments aimed to enhance their independence and strengthen their connection to The Tree’s network. Eventually, the goal was for them to take command at bases like Telek Harbor, though that would take years to achieve.

For now, the sisters were tasked with various internal operations within The Tree.

"Everything’s going smoothly. It’s good that Telek Harbor is geographically isolated. Its internal situation deteriorated to the point that trade with the central region was cut off, right?"

"Yes, ma’am, Commander. Aerial reconnaissance shows no groups heading toward Telek Harbor. Significant conflicts in nearby territories likely leave them unable to spare attention," Ringo explained.

Telek Harbor primarily dealt in luxury and specialty goods, catering to the upper class. When war broke out, it initially became a target for looting but was soon abandoned. Without food or weapons, it wasn’t worth the trouble, and its defenses were respectable enough to dissuade most. This was likely due to the skillful leadership of Kulavia Telek.

"For now, it’s a domestic affairs phase. The nearby situation is stable—well, ‘stable’ enough for now. Let’s push forward!"

"Yes, ma’am, Commander. Airship development is also progressing. This could be an excellent opportunity to expand our influence," Ringo suggested.

"Ichigo, Olive, once your turret installations are complete, we’ll set up an energy plant in Telek Harbor. I’m counting on you!"

"Yes, ma’am!"
"Leave it to me, Sis!"

To any observer, it looked like four young girls were playing around together, given their identical appearances. It was a remarkably peaceful scene.

Soon, the transport ship carrying iron ore arrived at The Tree. With 1,000 tons of ore—equivalent to 500 tons of refined iron—the Commander’s ambitions were bolstered. Her triumphant laughter was unstoppable.