A Perfectly Logical Guide to a Superhuman Apocalypse: 67 (Patreon)

A Perfectly Logical Guide to a Superhuman Apocalypse: 67

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by Arksoul

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With one potential headache sorted, I went ahead and let Parvati finish its tour of the facilities it set up for the child soldiers.

Of course, it had a few words for me regarding my way of solving it.

“I had hoped that you’d find a way to convince Rai to cease. Not support her.”

“I take the path that avoids having someone like Maelstrom gunning for me.” I told the AI bluntly, while we walked through the education facility. It was obviously modelled after the Japanese standards. White building, lots of windows outside, and classes on both sides of the hallways, but just on an island and serviced by gynoids. “Look, at the very least, you have an opening. Think of this as a way to shape her future political career, and a way to legitimize the Japanese government.”

“There are better ways to gain legitimacy than allowing elements of the former administration to run for power.” Parvati argued and bobbed from side to side to emulate shaking its head. We reached stairs that led to the roof and I followed it and opened the door. On the rooftop, I could nearly see the other end of the island. It was a pretty small place. Some of the kids could fly, but this was situated far away enough from most islands that even with carefully sequestered supplies, they wouldn’t be able to fly far enough without dying. It’s a good prison, aimed at rehabilitating, but it’s still a prison. “Such as fulfilling their duties to the people of the nation.”

“They should be doing that anyway, and if they do it good enough, then they won’t have to worry. Better yet, they should take that ship captain of theirs and gear her up for leadership.” Nori was her name, if I recalled correctly, and despite being the scientific type she didn’t let her intellect propel her self-evaluation over the rest of the planet. That was a common issue with the smart types. They tended to put themselves at the top of whatever hierarchy they found themselves in, despite having no training in regards to talking to people or working with them. Horrible clients. “They need to understand that having normal humans in charge is just going to bite them in the ass. Put someone strong in the executive position and curtail their political power with the other branches, and of course, have someone that can keep them in check.”

“Much is being based on the character of the individual in charge. Some would say too much.”

“Humanity can’t live as freely as we used to. You can take a look at the rest of the world and see how that went.” So many countries went ahead and died in the last two decades. Whatever remained of the old world has adapted with the times. I could only hope that they knew better than to try the same shit again and see if the result is different. “If we want anything close to a democracy again, everyone will need to be held to higher standards than before. At the very least, the monopoly on violence needs to be seized by whoever’s ruling.”

“Such as what the Shogun did? Conscripting all with power and educating them to his cause?” Parvati questioned, while I leaned on a railing and enjoyed the breeze. The tropics were always nice this time in the year. Down below in the track field surrounding a soccer pitch, there were kids going through the motions of gym class. With a glance, you wouldn’t think they were all child soldiers. “Or, perhaps, some sort of military police filled with artificial constructs of immense strength? Maybe an all-powerful protector beholden to the people completely?”

Parvati questioned me, like I had all the answers, and I decided to shrug.

“Hey, I’m just telling you what I’ve seen and what I think. I’m not suited for determining the future of humanity.” For fuck’s sake, I have a state college business degree. Not a political science degree from an Ivy league, and everyone knows those guys are just there to brush shoulders with one another.  No one’s qualified to literally rebuild society after a superhuman apocalypse. Least of all me. “Best idea that I have, honestly, is just to make sure everyone’s comfortable and that they know they can’t fight each other if they want to stay comfortable.”

“Mutual comforts… is that why you’re so insistent on creating a shipping company?”

“I want a shipping company because I’ve seen the need. Because I know everything that I put out there will sell. People are hungry, they want luxury, and they want out of this shitshow, even for just a few minutes.”   Soap and laundry detergent were in ridiculously high demand. Soap was being made already, but the stuff that smelled good, that felt good to us, and left you feeling clean? That stuff is selling for a killing. After years of having to subsist and scavenge, even with plenty of food, just getting old-world luxuries were worth weeks of wages. Some people bought it so that their kids could feel some of what was lost. With my new access to Chinese markets, I had access to another culinary spice rack in addition to the Indian one, which people were clamoring to buy, too. “I’m not out to unite the whole world. I just want people to calm the fuck down and start trading, so that I can get the comforts that I want and sell it.”

Next on my list was fresh coffee and chocolate. Hawaii was a place I was still avoiding, since I literally took out their leader and a lot of the Pacific fleet was still there, so South America was the only choice. Not many nukes hit that place, but things popped off there right around the same time Africa fell apart. Too many economic issues, too much corruption and crime, for any hope of a society staying intact. When the oil and goods from there dried up and stopped flowing, and it became held by cartels and their superhumans, it was the beginning of the end.

I wanted to get my hands on coffee and chocolate, make tons of money, sell to people, and fuck off to an underground bunker in Mars.

Not fix what’s wrong with the whole continent.

I never touched the place before, though.

“Well, it’s good that I have every intention of making the world better myself, and you serve as a good point of connection, Designation: Egress.” Point. Besides being my source for Indian spices and ingredients, Parvati was making use of my abilities to contact the various polities around the world that exist and united them. The AI was producing electronic goods and providing generators at a rapid pace. In all honesty, between the two of us, Parvati had the highest chance of making this world a better place… and I was completely fine with that, surprisingly. Guess after all the times it’s helped me out, I’ve started to trust the thing. A little. A tiny bit. “Our goals may not be the same, but they run in parallel. Wherever you go, I can meet and find people who I can aid to make this world better.”

I nodded at those words.

It wasn’t common cause, let alone a shared ideal, but helping Parvati out helped me in the long run, too.

After all, if everything goes to shit again, people won’t buy what I’m selling.

They’re luxuries, after all, and luxuries are forgotten first.

…

After spending a bit more time on the island, I went ahead and dealt with some business with the contacts Qin gave me.

The port town where she was based off was filled with mostly sailing ships, but had docks capable of servicing her cargo ship. The place was busy and ships came in and out pretty quick, and everything was relatively clean and organized. Whoever Qin was working under was doing their best in the current situation, and the results spoke for themselves. The place had running water, electricity, and was a hub for trade with large walls on the outer perimeter to give the people a constant sense of safety.

No defenses against people like me, though, unlike with the Shogun’s capital.

Probably a good sign that there wasn’t anyone with my ability over here.

Anyway, just standing around would’ve drawn attention, so I picked Qin up and brought her along to the merchant that she said I could work with.

The warehouse we arrived at was in a well-lit area, with patrolling guards with rifles and body armor, and several masked individuals in uniform that didn’t have any weapons on hand. One started floating immediately when I arrived, while another’s hands started to blur at high speed, until Qin looked at them both and rattled off some orders in Mandarin.

Mine was pretty shaky, but I took a translator from Parvati, and got the general gist of it.

She basically told them to not try anything, unless they wanted to be embarrassed, and they withdrew.

We passed through the doors and entered the warehouse moments after.

It was filled to the brim with pallets and boxes filled with spices, as well as boxes filled with jars surrounded by wood shavings.

I had to give a low whistle.

Never mess with these guys when it comes to scale.

“Hot oil, soy sauce in all its varieties, and spices ready to be toasted and ground up. Is everything to your satisfaction?”

“Definitely on its way there. I won’t really know until I get a sampling and test the product on my markets.” They had the quantity, but after this it was going to be all about quality. All sorts of stories about Chinese businessmen doing everything in their power to get a better margin remained in my mind. Qin had the reputation to not get fucked with, but I didn’t. Even if I was buying everything through her, I had to be careful. She’d swindle me in a heartbeat, if she could. I’d do the same to her, of course. “So, how’s family life treating ya?”

“…Decently.” Qin took a while to answer, but I wouldn’t mistake that air of satisfaction she gets when she’s pleased for anything else. It’s the same look she gets whenever we get paid. I’m pretty sure I have something similar, though I don’t waste my whole paycheck on hookers and booze. “My daughter wishes to speak to you, by the way. I believe she may have a crush on you.”

“Gross. Pass.”

“Good.” Qin gave me a nod of approval. She gestured, and we moved to a makeshift table. Some of the workers in the warehouse noticed us and set up their break room with some tea and some steamed bread. Man, it’s been a while since I’ve had good Chinese food. Unfortunately, when China broke apart back into dozens of warring states, their frozen section disappeared with them and I had to make do with getting catering and freezing them. They didn’t freeze very well at all. No wok flavor and everything crispy turned to mush and the less said about anything that was steamed the better. I pretty much took a bun and started eating. Mm, saucy pork in fluffy bread with tea. Perfect late-afternoon snack. “I don’t want her involved with you. She needs more training. She needs to at least be capable of felling a warlord, before she can consider joining you in your efforts to remake world trade.”

“I wouldn’t take her along even if she could. I’d work with child soldiers, sure, but I sure as hell won’t hire them myself.” As ruthless of a capitalist I am, I draw the line at slavery and child labor and not giving workers their due. Sure, I’ll use every means possible to avoid paying taxes, undercut my competitors, and generally be a massive prick, but a man has to have standards. If someone works for me, they’re not worried about anything besides working for me, and I’m not buying people to work for me or employing kids. “By the way, any places in China that can use some clean up? I’m willing to do a lot of work in exchange for a few more tons. They’re hungry for some good spices over in the states.”

“Hm. I’ll see what I can do. You’ll be shipping things over from there to here, of course?”

“It’d be stupid not to, of course I will. If it can sell, and I get a decent cut, I’ll bring it along.” Qin nodded. Practical decisions like that sadly just had to be confirmed. We both learned that a long time ago with our mutual employers. Some of them were really freaking stupid and we had to confirm a whole lot of bullshit. Believe it or not, some guys just expected us to bring the tanks he wanted stolen right to his front yard, like they’d be easy to move and maintain all by his lonesome.

“We’re looking mainly for pigs and chickens. There were a series of epidemics that ruined our livestock several years ago. The population is recovering, but nowhere near enough.” Ah, I guess that without all the cheap antibiotics, things went sour over here. Medical industry is pretty difficult to maintain when superhumans are fighting over territory. Sterile environments with delicate tools and need to bring in all sorts of highly-processed chemicals from dedicated industrial facilities? Yeah. No shot. “Beef is highly sought after, as well, but they’d be fought over so it’d be best to avoid that.”

Huh.

I checked more thoughtfully on the pork bun that I was eating after Qin finished speaking.

“It’s jackfruit. We’ve needed to be creative.” Ah, right. Time to eat with a lot less concern then. Jackfruit was surprisingly convincing as a meat substitute, and looking at it…. yeah, the pieces of meat were missing any fat and were looking diced up and fibrous. Nice to know. Note to self: don’t eat without asking over here. “So, what’s your stance regarding transporting animals? I presume that you’ll have no issues.”

“None. It’s how I learned how to transport other people, after all.” I started with rats and insects, but worked my way up to bigger animals. It was just cursory training to make sure, before I transported people. “Now, is there any way that I can meet your boss to talk about this? I mean, you’re great, but the amount I want to transport and bring in definatly needs approval from the higher ups.”

“He’ll be here in a few minutes… and make sure to mind yourself, Egress, he’s strange even by our standards.”

“…Thanks for the heads up.”

Strange for me and Qin?

This guys’ going to be a freak.