Prologue: Rolling out from McGraw Harbor
Olim Antwerf was pissed. “You to do what with our crew?”
“The job is not done. We got a mine to defend for a bit,” grin Eli.
"Settlement is built and contract says - "
“Contract says you leave when things are done. They. Are. Not. Done. Besides with the Sea Kings out there, no easy way home for 'em unless we can get people to come in,” Eli sighed.
"One forth of a stake in a mine defended by 30 plus common workers?”
“Yeah. Plus some help from our friends Lurtor, Grim and Nuria. Also, I’m giving you all you guys the full cut of my share of the mine to compensate.”
“What?” was all Olim could say.
“Yeah, helps to motivate don’t it?” asked Eli.
The pair watched from the window of Eli’s office, as workers were prepping the gear they would need for the mining operations. Olim knew Eli was leaving the Harbor undefended, and he was worried about that.
Eli had already killed off a bunch of local Bestials, and if they had any kin, they’d be looking for revenge. But Olim was a Guider first, and he knew the potential a Mine like this could give. One fourth of its profit would make Olim personally a larger success than either Guilder Alphine or that new Guilder Mum Mun.
And it would allow him to pay the workers enough to make up for the threat of attack by Sea Kings forces…he hoped.
And if they failed in holding the Mine, at least all of the citizens of McGraw Harbor would find their end together instead of the long cold death by starvation that Olim suspected was originally in store for them.
Part 1: To Defend a Mine, or What worth a hole in the ground?
“And that’s the last one,” Nuria said. She takes the stone from Lurtor and gently places it in the ditch where it’s supposed to be. Then they covered the trench, making sure it would collapse when stepped on.
Lurtor dusted off his brow, now that the first part of the preparations were done. He turned to his allies,
“This mine is important for a few reasons. This mine will be another aspect of additional trade to allow us to get to where we can invest and pay those who are helping our settlement and community survive and grow. We do not want to just exchange services for just what each being needs to survive. But create and expand opportunity for those here. We have a fishing industry. As we keep adding to this, we will get closer and closer to that goal.
But another important reason to defend this mine, is that if the warmongers forces want it, it most likely is in our best interest to prevent them from having it. And we will need to find out why they want it so badly.”
Lurtor to his comrades “ We need to get to where the Post makes Ghaz and we can pay those who work for us. I want to be careful especially now that we have the native olgogs flowing in that we don’t slip into an indentured servitude or give them no choice but to do what we say. We are way too close to that for my liking. I hope this and the other industries we are working will help us get to a point where we can employ our helpers vs trading with protection, shelter, and food. Any other ideas to help this would be great. And thank you for the help up to this point as well.”
Grim just looked at Lurtor. He had nothing to say to the Olgog. Grim had been frustrated enough by the responsibilities necessary to lead Jemison Post. He would rather give it up and spend more time with his adopted daughter, Bliss. Now they were stuck in charge of a Mine, which seems more responsibility not less.
To that end both Lurtor and Grim had agreed to pass all formal leadership responsibilities to Administrator McIvinson. A former EEF Comms Officer, it was his first shot at civilian leadership, and he was already trying his best to incorporate the white fur Olgogs. Administrator McIvinson had waited back at Jemison Post.
Grim looked at the many false entrances that the defenders had created, watching newly arrived McGraw Harbor workers jump down from the Hovertrucks and begin building reinforced fortifications. They scurried around, and began work on a set of Bunkers.
Grim sighed, it seemed this would be a permanent footprint of their Expedition.
Grim wandered thru the mine, checking placements and concealments. So far he had to only correct a few minor things.
Every so often, he would go to the entrance and listen to the reports of the scouts. The scouts had orders to keep their distances from any enemy forces they might find and to run if possible from any fights. their only job was to warn the mine forces.
It was on the 5th of these treks back to the surface that Grim met with a white fur scout named Grestlelet who whispered of the snow trails of White furs approaching the Mine. Grim sounded the alert, he knew the first attack was immanent.
Nuria took up position by one of the many entrances that dotted the snow field, signaling she was ready,
Eli got aboard Silent Molly, and with a team of armed workers sped off to meet the attack head on.
Grim watched as Lurtor worked on some sort of larger transport vehicle. Grim wondered if he should advise the Olgog to wait until after the battle, then decided against it.
Their defenses were strong. Walls, Bunkers, pit traps, trenches filled with incendiaries, and more fake entrances than you could shake a stick at. Grim knew that all this would mean little if the Illuminated in charge of the attack was to deploy their Annihilation Eye…