Now that she had the mission outline, Tanya threw herself into the prototype design with the kind of focused intensity that had gotten her through university. Davidson's requirements were clear enough to build a ship capable of navigating artificial vortex storms, carrying a military team, and operating without her direct presence aboard. The challenge was turning those requirements into something that could do the job. She was most excited about the navigation aspect.
She had rewatched the dimensional physics lesson at least a dozen times by now, and each viewing revealed new complexities in the mathematics involved. The precision required for vortex exit calculations was staggering, with even tiny errors in dimensional coordinates resulting in emerging thousands of kilometres off target.
But the lesson had also sparked an idea for her ship's core design philosophy.
"A sphere," she said to her design interface, sketching the basic concept. "Perfect geometric efficiency for dimensional calculations."
The spherical hull would mount multiple vortex window generators positioned around its circumference, allowing them to open dimensional portals in any direction with mathematical precision. More importantly, the sphere itself would serve as the mothership, carrying a complement of smaller spherical drones that could be deployed into the vortex storms ahead of the main vessel.
"Scout ahead, map the safe passages, find the gaps in the storm systems," she explained to Sage as she refined the concept. "The drones take the risks while we follow the safe path they've mapped."
//Logical approach. Distributed reconnaissance reduces the risk to the primary vessel and crew.//
The spherical design also maximised interior volume while minimising material usage, which would be crucial for a ship that needed to carry life support for extended operations, military equipment, defensive systems, and a secure holding cell. Every cubic meter would need to serve multiple purposes.
"Life support systems in the core," she said, placing components as she spoke, "crew quarters around the middle band, shields and defensive systems in the outer shell. The holding cell integrates into the central hub where it's most secure."
As she worked through the design, the magnitude of what she was attempting began to sink in. It was a vessel designed for what amounted to a military extraction mission, built to penetrate enemy defences and potentially retrieve high-value targets from hostile territory. Utilitarian Specialisation, my arse.
The absurdity of it almost made her laugh. Here she was, a recent university graduate whose biggest worry six months ago had been passing her finals, now designing what was essentially a stealth military vessel to face off against someone wielding alien technology.
Someone who might have access to the same kind of knowledge currently residing in her brain.
"Sage," she said, her curiosity overriding her concerns, "what are the odds that Tsu Williams has his own gardener?"
//Almost Certain. Simultaneous selection of multiple candidates suggests coordinated deployment of educational resources. Details on why are missing.//
"So I might be flying into a confrontation with someone who has the same advantages I do, plus six months of preparation time and an entire planet's resources." She considered this, then shrugged. "Though I suppose that means I'll finally meet someone who understands what it's like to have an alien voice providing constant commentary."
//Your perspective requires calibration. Consider that Tsu Williams likely selected political leadership educational pathways. His training would emphasise governance, social manipulation, and resource management rather than direct technical applications.//
"Meaning he's good at inspiring people and organising rebellions, but probably doesn't know much about ship engineering or defensive countermeasures," Tanya said, feeling her confidence return.
//Correct assessment. Additionally, you will not be operating independently. Military professionals will handle tactical decisions while you focus on navigation and technical challenges.//
That was reassuring. She was responsible for building the ship and getting it there safely, but she wouldn't be expected to fight a war single-handedly. Working with experienced soldiers who knew what they were doing made the whole mission seem less deadly. Maybe she could still invent a solution that allowed her to stay on Eden-Five.
"Right then," she said, returning to her design work with renewed focus. "Let's make sure this ship gives our team every possible advantage."
The sphere took shape on her display, elegant in its simplicity but bristling with sophisticated systems that pushed the boundaries of current human technology. It would represent everything she'd learned so far with a fusion of alien mathematics and human engineering.
Tanya practically bounced into the prefab office for her morning meeting with Amara, still riding the high of completing her spherical pathfinder first draft. The grin on her business manager's face suggested she had reasons to be cheerful too.
"Double good news day," Amara announced without preamble. "First, I've secured your advance payment from the materials licensing deal. The electromagnetic fabrication process has attracted significant interest from three major manufacturing corporations, and they're willing to pay handsomely for early access."
"How handsomely?" Tanya asked, though she was already checking her account balance on her multitool.
"One point two million credits, deposited this morning and a per-machine sales royalty of 10%. With more time, I could have done better."
Tanya stared at the number, feeling a mixture of relief and accomplishment. She had done it and earned the mysterious milestone that Sage had set for her advancement.
"That's incredible! Thank you, Amara. I knew you were good, but—"
"Wait, there's more." Amara held up a hand, her smile widening. "I also received word about your Eden-Three project timeline. We have received new intelligence suggesting the situation there is stable for now, so you have six months to complete the ship instead of the original rushed schedule, you had suggested"
"Six months?" Tanya felt the tension she hadn't realised she was carrying drain from her shoulders. "That's... that's perfect. Rushing a ship this complex would have been asking for technical failures at the worst possible moment." Even if she had imposed the deadline herself, she was realising she was bad at estimating build timings.
"The intelligence services are particularly interested in your new vortex navigation solutions," Amara continued. "They're hoping your work will have broader applications for Imperial navigation capabilities."
Tanya nodded, though she still felt the familiar unease about being used as a tool in larger political games. At least if her work led to better navigation for everyone, some good would come of it regardless of the government's ulterior motives.
"This is fantastic news," she said, standing to leave. "I need to get back to the workshop and—"
"Celebrate? Take a day off? Remember what we discussed about work-life balance?"
Tanya could hear the words of her parents being parroted by Amara. She knew that Amara was having meetings with her parents about the construction of the office, but she didn't know they had infected her, too. Was there anyone they couldn't get their claws into?
"Start taking advantage of my new timeline to build something amazing," Tanya finished with a grin. "But I promise I'll have dinner with my family tonight instead of working until midnight."
Amara shook her head with fond exasperation. "Engineers. You're all the same."
Tanya practically sprinted back to her workshop, her pulse keeping time with the anticipation building in her chest. She'd hit the milestone, which meant something good was waiting. Probably shiny. Hopefully loud.
She burst through the entrance, already scanning for the familiar blue glow of the equipment drawer.
But there was no blue glow, instead, a new iris had opened in the wall. It was pulsing faintly with soft light. Beyond it, she saw machinery far more sophisticated than anything in her current arsenal or anything she had seen at university.
"Well, hello there," Tanya said to the opening, hands on her hips. "You weren't here before. I'm guessing you're my reward?"
//Advancement to Level 2 workshop capabilities confirmed. Please proceed through the transition portal.//
Tanya took a steadying breath and stepped through.
Disorientation and vertigo followed as she stepped through the door. The space beyond was… impossible. Her old workshop could have fit inside three times over, and the ceiling soared up into shadowy heights. Machines lined the walls, some recognisable, others so alien she half-expected them to sprout tentacles.
"This is… no. Nope. This is cheating," she whispered, spinning in a slow circle. "This room is bigger than the whole island. Hell, it's bigger than one of our fields."
//Level 2 workshop utilises dimensional expansion technology. Interior volume exceeds exterior constraints through controlled spatial folding. Suitable for building ships up to 300 meters.//
She blinked at the endless rows of fabricators and assembly bays. "So… bigger on the inside. You realise that's literally the definition of magic, right?"
//Dimensional science, not magic. The distinction is significant.//
"Sure," she said, grinning despite herself. "Science with a pointy hat."
Whole sections of the chamber shimmered with translucent barriers, locked off from her for now. She pointed at them. "And I'm guessing those are the 'look-but-don't-touch' areas?"
//Correct. Advanced fabrication capabilities requiring higher proficiency. Access denied until prerequisites are met.//
"Of course." Tanya shook her head, then turned back to the equipment she could use. Her eyes were drawn to a gleaming apparatus the size of her head. She ran a hand along its surface, fingers tracing polished metal.
"What's this beauty?"
//Atomic-level welding technology.//
She stopped to look around. "You're kidding. Atomic welding? You mean I can bond materials molecule by molecule?"
//Correct. Atomic welding eliminates seams, stress concentrations, and material boundaries. Components achieve theoretical maximum structural integrity.//
She let out a low whistle. "Oh, you are going to ruin me for every welder I ever touch again, aren't you?" She pressed her forehead to the cool housing like a pilgrim greeting a holy relic. "Ship hulls without weak points, joints that never fail, components that'll outlive me by centuries. This is—" She broke off, laughing. "This is the kind of machine they make engineers write love songs about."
//Romantic attachments to fabrication tools is not recommended.//
"Shut up, I'm busy falling in love."
Her grin faded into awe as she looked around again. Vast bays waited for projects she couldn't even name yet. Locked sections hinted at futures she hadn't earned. She was the only human alive with the keys to this impossible place.
Six months. That's what Davidson had given her to deliver the pathfinder ship. Six months to do the impossible, using technology most of humanity couldn't even imagine.
She rolled her shoulders and sat down at the design console. "Alright. Let's build something worthy of this new workshop."
Later, she did as she promised and had dinner with her parents, and the home-cooked meal was exactly what she needed. Real food, prepared with love, in a kitchen that smelled like herbs and memories rather than industrial fabrication compounds.
"The southern fields are coming in beautifully this season," her father was saying, gesturing with his fork toward the window that looked out over golden grain. "But the eastern plots aren't producing like they should. Soil analysis shows everything's fine, but the yield is down fifteen percent from projections."
"We should get some experts in to help work it out," her mother suggested. "Marcus knows someone from the agricultural service who specialises in soil chemistry problems. They might find what you are missing."
Tanya looked up from her plate, surprised. "Isn't Dad already the expert? I mean, you've been farming this land for thirty years and your parents for ten before that."
Her father laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "There's always a better expert out there, sweetheart. Seeking help from people who've specialised in areas you haven't is always a good thing. Pride's a luxury farmers can't afford when crops are at stake."
The comment had a far greater impact on her than it should have. She had spent the afternoon in her magnificent new workshop, designing layouts for her pathfinder sphere, only to watch simulation after simulation end in catastrophic failure. Systems that should have worked together perfectly were interfering with each other. Power distribution was uneven. The vortex drive placement created issues that would shift the ship during dimensional transitions.
Even with Sage's guidance and her upgraded capabilities, she was still just a graduate shipwright trying to solve problems that would challenge master engineers with decades of experience.
"You're right," she said quietly. "Sometimes you need to admit when you're in over your head."
After dinner, she sent a message to Amara requesting contacts for expert consultants. She needed someone with deep vortex drive knowledge, a power systems specialist who understood military-grade reactors, and a propulsion engineer who could help her solve the stability issues that were plaguing her design.
The response came back within an hour: Request acknowledged. Note that extranet communications are not secure, and there are other operational security factors at stake. Will arrange appropriate consultations through secure channels.
Tanya stared at the message, reminded once again that her project wasn't a game, but it was a classified military operation that required security precautions she'd never had to consider before.
"Well," she said to her empty bedroom, "at least I'm learning humility along with advanced shipbuilding."
//Consulting with subject matter experts demonstrates wisdom rather than weakness. Master craftsmen regularly collaborate with specialists to achieve optimal results.//
"I know that in my head," Tanya said. "But it's hard to admit you need help when you've got alien technology and a workshop that defies physics."
//Advanced tools do not automatically confer advanced expertise. They merely expand the scope of what is possible when properly applied.//
She looked at her failed design iterations, each one representing hours of work that had led nowhere. Soon, hopefully, she'd have access to people who could help her turn her ambitious concepts into something that would work.