---
The sea was steady, but Reeve didn't trust it.
That kind of stillness usually meant one of two things: a trap—or a test.
The bridge of the Brandenburg was silent but alive with quiet data feeds and ambient scans. Every ten minutes, a ping from Fort Sentinel confirmed convoy traffic was clean. Every thirty, a new report from his drones. The island was growing faster than most players would believe.
But growth needed fuel—and fuel meant scaling the backbone of his operation: logistics.
---
> LOGISTICS PANEL – FLEET MANAGEMENT
Active Convoys:
Ironjaw Line (Iron Ore, Stable, 12km round-trip)
Timber Delta (Low-Yield Wood, Risk: Minor Pirates)
Atlas-Class Freighters: 1 Active
> Expansion Available
New Construction Orders:
Atlas 02
Atlas 03
Upgrades Queued:
Atlas 01 Retrofit: Reinforced Hull + 1 Defensive Turret Hardpoint
Logistics AI Mk II: Threat Response Speed +20%, Path Optimization
> [START ALL]
"More ships. Smarter routes. Keep the flow moving," Reeve muttered.
He added the Mistral as the permanent escort to the Ironjaw line, and scheduled the Brandenburg for short-response overwatch—ready to break off at any moment if enemy players or sea beasts showed up.
Then he keyed in a new drone op.
> Mission: DEEP SCOUT
Target: Sector Zeta-9 – Derelict Supercarrier
Assets Assigned:
1x Reaper-Lite Recon UAV
1x Skua-Class Sensor Drone
1x Kite EC-3 EW Drone
Risk Level: High
ETA: 6 Hours (Round Trip)
Mission Objective:
Visual Recon of Derelict
Scan Wreck for Radiation, Power, Weapon Systems
Attempt Blueprint Extraction from Remaining Tech Modules
[Launch Mission]
The drones lifted off from the northern airstrip one after the other, silent and quick. They banked hard into the morning air and vanished into low-altitude cloud cover.
Keira watched from the edge of the platform.
"You really think that wreck's worth it?"
"I know that silhouette," Reeve said, arms folded. "That's no regional carrier. That's global force projection. A true flat-top. Somebody big built it—before this world fell apart."
She didn't answer. She didn't have to.
If that ship held anything salvageable, it could give Reeve a lead none of the others had. Power projection without a full dockyard build.
---
5 hours, 48 minutes later, the drones returned.
The moment the first touched down, the Drone Operations screen lit up with a cascade of updates.
> ZETA-9 SCOUTING COMPLETE
Wreck: Supercarrier "RNS Vortex"
Class: Unknown (Estimated 280m deck)
Condition: Partial Hull Integrity
Power: Minimal (Emergency Node Faintly Active)
Threat: Inert – no hostiles detected
Recovery Data:
Blueprint Packet (Encrypted): "SU-30 Naval Variant – Multirole Jet"
Archived Command Module: Flight Deck Schematic + Recovery Hooks
Debris Map Generated – Multiple Extractable Turrets, CIWS, Hangar Rails
SYSTEM NOTICE: This blueprint cannot be used until Airfield Facilities are operational.
> Required: HQ Level 5 + Runway + Jet Assembly Facility
Reeve zoomed in on the render of the jet.
The SU-30, but modernized—black naval stealth paint, twin-engine, variable sweep. Fully carrier-capable. Multirole loadout: anti-ship, air superiority, ECM pod compatibility. Exactly the kind of aircraft you needed to control the skies over water.
Keira leaned over his shoulder.
"Looks like someone built a navalized Flanker on steroids."
Reeve nodded.
"And we're gonna fly it."
---
Back on the island, the R&D team—assisted by drones and command-linked AI—began decrypting the blueprint. Not to build yet. Just to understand it. Every system, every part, every fuel line had to be cataloged for future production.
> Blueprint "SU-30N" Scanned: 73% Complete
> Required Facilities to Finalize:
Jet Assembly Plant
Armored Hangar
Extended Runway
Air Operations Control Center
Status: Queued for Activation Post-HQ Level 5
For now, Reeve had a more immediate concern: securing resources to push infrastructure forward.
> Strategic Upgrade Objectives:
🔲 Power Plant Level 2 → Level 3 (Support high-energy ops)
🔲 Begin Construction of Fuel Distillation Plant (Jet-Grade Fuel)
🔲 Start Upgrading Research Lab → Level 3 (Unlock Guided Weapons Tree)
🔲 Expand Drone Operations Hangar (2 More Launch/Recovery Pads)
🔲 Complete Logistics Hub Upgrade (Phase II – Reduce Route Fuel Costs by 10%)
Each upgrade had a cost—but with multiple Atlas-class freighters cycling every few hours, resources were finally starting to outpace consumption.
A first.
---
That night, Reeve reviewed the timeline for everything he needed to unlock airpower.
> ✈️ AIRPOWER TIMELINE (PROJECT BLACKWING)
Stage 1 – Recon & Blueprint Recovery ✅
Stage 2 – HQ Level 5 (Required for Runway Assembly)
Estimated Time: 3–5 Days (Real-Time Progress)
Stage 3 – Construct:
Runway Platform (Jet Capable)
Jet Assembly Plant
Air Ops Control Center
Fuel Distillation Plant (Tier II)
Stage 4 – First Flight of SU-30N
Primary Mission: Carrier Strike, Interceptor, Anti-Ship Role
Secondary: Escort, Maritime Recon, ECM Coverage
BONUS: R&D May Adapt Blueprints for F/A-18 or Rafale-M, if Wreck Sites Match
Reeve tapped the final line and set a mission reminder.
In 72 hours, a drone would rescan Zeta-9 for any signs of other aircraft wrecks or hangar modules.
If this world still had remnants of pre-collapse naval air power—he was going to take them all.
And once Fort Sentinel had its own runway?
Then the real war would begin.
---
[End of Chapter Eight]
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