Morning light pushed through the trees and fell across the walled area around the ship. Aiden stepped out and stopped near the center path, letting his eyes run over everything before he moved.
Sixty people made any space feel small, but this was worse than small. The first ring wall area was packed with sleeping spots, supply stacks, and narrow walking lanes. The simple storage shelter he built was the biggest problem.
It was meant to hold supplies and serve as a quick cover, not become a full sleeping hall. Now it was filled with bodies lined up close, with only thin gaps between them.
Aiden watched two men carefully step over legs and blankets just to reach a water container. A tired mother shifted her child onto her own hide because there was no room to lay him flat. Several people were already awake, sitting up with their backs against posts, looking around like they had trained themselves to never fully relax.
Aiden felt a heavy pull in his chest as he watched it. He understood why they accepted this without complaint, but he still could not stand it. Last night made it clear that he was not just surviving for himself anymore. Talren and the others trusted him enough to bring their people here, and that meant every bad decision he makes, there will be consequences.
He walked toward the leaders, keeping his steps quiet. He noticed people looking at him, then quickly looking away. They wanted to ask about the ship and the tools, but they stayed silent. They were careful around him, like they were worried one wrong question would waste his patience.
Talren stood near the center with a few of the leaders. His shoulders were stiff, but his eyes were clear. He looked like he had slept little, but forced himself to be present anyway.
Aiden did not waste time. He kept his voice low so the people nearby would not start listening too closely.
"Talren, we need to fix the sleeping situation..." Aiden said. "This place is packed, and the shelter I made is barely livable with this many people. I want to build a second wall outside this one for living space, but that will take days. For now, can we stitch the hides into one big tent so a whole group can sleep in it?"
Talren followed Aiden's gaze toward the hide stacks, then glanced back toward the crowded shelter. He rubbed his jaw and thought for a moment.
"I get why you want it..." Talren said. "It just feels like a lot of hides for one thing. It's too much of a waste. We usually use them as blankets and huddle up. It looks bad, but we've slept worse than this, anyways."
Aiden nodded, but the feeling did not leave his chest. He kept seeing children sleeping on hard ground with barely any space to turn.
"Yeah, I figured you'd say that.." Aiden said. "Still, this is rough. I'm not going to leave it like this. Tomorrow I'll build three more sleeping areas as a temporary fix. Simple frames, roof cover, wind block, and dry ground. If I have enough hands, it won't take long."
Talren let out a breath and gave a small nod.
"Alright." Talren said. "Point where you want them, and I'll send people. Just don't expect clean work. My hunters can lift logs, but they're really not builders."
Aiden almost smiled, but kept his face steady.
"That's fine.." Aiden said. "I'll handle the layout so don't worry about it."
Talren's eyes shifted as if he was scanning the walls in his head.
"And the second wall you mentioned?" Talren asked. "You're still doing that?"
Aiden nodded once.
"Yeah..." Aiden said. "First ring is for storage and work. Second ring is for living. If we mix them, people will lose supplies, tools will go missing, and everyone will be in the way. We need to keep it organized."
Aiden kept his voice calm, but his mind stayed busy. He had learned that messy spaces did not just feel bad, they created real problems that got people hurt. If food and tools were scattered through sleeping areas, someone would trip in the dark, knock something over, or grab the wrong thing in a rush. If the work zone sat in the middle of where families rested, people would get angry from lack of sleep, then small arguments would turn into bigger ones.
He also knew this was not just about today. The settlement would grow, even if only a little at a time, and every new person would add pressure to the space. If he did not set rules now, the place would turn into a pile of clutter that nobody could fix later. A clean layout meant faster work, fewer accidents, and less stress, and it meant he could build new parts of the base without tearing old parts apart first.
Talren looked back at the cramped shelter again and his expression tightened.
"Fair enough.. A little space of their own. It will motivate everyone too." Talren said.
Aiden took that as the end of it and moved away before the talk pulled attention. He kept walking, but his mind started sorting priorities like he was stacking materials on a bench.
Temporary sleeping areas first, because rest kept people steady and less likely to panic. Outer ring wall next, because living space needed a boundary. Houses after that, because a roof that belonged to a family changed everything. He knew it would take time, and time was the problem that never stopped.
Then food pushed into his thoughts.
He slowed near the supply stacks and counted what he could at a glance. Dried meat bundles. Stored meat portions. A few basket of fruits that would go bad soon. For one person, it was a strong supply. For sixty, it was really not enough.
He had the seed bank, and the seeds were designed to grow fast. He did not know how fast in a particularly new environment though. Even if they grew quickly, he still had to clear land, set rows, protect them, and keep animals out. Farming was not a quick fix to the food problems they will soon encounter.
Hunting had to become routine, and it could not all be on him.
Aiden turned and headed into the ship. The air inside was cooler and drier. The metal walls made the space feel quiet and contained, which helped his thinking.
He walked straight to the fabrication area where his work from the night was stacked in neat lines. He had not slept after the meeting. Once the leaders finished talking, he went right back to work because waiting would not make anything better.
The fabricator did not create magic. It needed the right materials and correct blueprints. It followed instructions. If he gave it a bad design, it would produce a bad result.
If he fed it weak material, the weapon would fail when someone depended on it. That was why he stayed close the whole time, checking every output.
He looked at the finished weapons again.
Ten spears.
Three light shields.
Twenty daggers.
Five bows.
One hundred arrows.
The weapons were simple, but they were sturdy. They were enough to arm a hunting group and keep them safe from the animals that wandered near the outer zone.
Aiden paused and waited for the tiredness to hit, because he had worked all night and his body should have felt heavy.
'That's...weird.'
It did not happen.
His arms still felt steady, his breathing stayed normal, and his mind stayed clear.
He pushed the thought aside. He told himself it was probably because he had been out for days, so his body had a lot of rest built up, and the strange meat he had been eating might also be helping. He did not know for sure, but he did not have time to sit there and worry about it.
He bundled the weapons for carrying, then went back outside.
Talren was already near the gate area with several hunters and the scout. They were checking packs, tying straps, and moving with quiet urgency.
When Aiden set the weapon bundles down, several heads turned. Some people stepped closer without thinking, then stopped like they remembered they should not crowd him.
Aiden looked at Talren.
"Can you lead a hunting party out today?" Aiden said. "Ten people is fine for now. You lead, bring a scout, and take these weapons. First, get used to the area around here. If you spot something you can hunt without risking the group, take it. If it feels risky, just pull back."
Talren crouched and lifted a spear. He tested the weight, then checked the tip with a careful thumb. He picked up a shield next and tugged on the grip.
"These are good.." Talren said, looking up. "I was gonna head out and check the area anyways."
Aiden nodded.
"That's the goal.." Aiden said.
Talren let out a short laugh, then he looked over his group.
"Alright.." Talren said. "You can count on us for it."
As the hunters started dividing weapons, Aiden heard the same topic come up again and again. Their destroyed camp. Salvage. What was left behind. The ironhide boars they killed. The cores that should still be there.
Talren walked back to Aiden and lowered his voice.
"Before we go hunting, people want to swing by the old camp." Talren said. "We left a lot behind, and there are boar bodies there too. If nobody touched them, the cores that you need should still be there as well."
The word cores hit Aiden hard. His first thought was power, and power meant tools, building, and safety.
Then the second thought followed fast. The camp was destroyed for a reason.
Aiden kept his eyes on Talren, but his mind replayed what the camp must have looked like after the attack.
"If you go back there, treat it like something is waiting for you, stay tight, don't split up, and if anything feels off, you turn around, because I don't care if you come back with nothing, I only care that you come back alive..." Aiden said.
"Yeah, I'm with you, people just hate leaving anything behind, especially those core things you keep asking about, they don't get it, but they know it matters to you." Talren replied.
Aiden understood that too well. He wanted those cores badly, but not enough to gamble their lives for them.
Rethan stepped closer as if he had been waiting for the right moment. He looked calm, but his eyes were sharp and focused.
"I'll go with them." Rethan implied.
"If something shows up, I can cover the retreat. And if there's trouble at the camp, a mage will be a huge help."
Aiden looked at him carefully. He still did not know the full limits of magic here, but he knew having extra options could save lives.
"Good. I guess that's the plan." Aiden said.
Rethan nodded once, simple and direct.
Even with that, Aiden still felt uneasy. He could not shake the idea of them walking into danger without eyes ahead.
He turned and moved back into the ship with fast steps. He went straight to the drone storage and pulled out a flying drone. It was compact, built for scouting, and it carried a camera and sensors that could spot movement from a distance.
He powered it on and linked it to the ship network.
[DRONE SYSTEM: ONLINE]
[POWER LEVEL: 96%]
[CAMERA: ACTIVE]
[LINK STATUS: READY]
Aiden focused on the settings and spoke clearly.
"J.E.M., assist with scouting. Track the route they will take and flag any movement that matches large threats."
[ASSIST MODE: ACTIVE]
[DRONE FEED: LINKED]
[ROUTE TRACKING: ENABLED]
[MOTION ALERT: HIGH PRIORITY]
Aiden carried the drone back outside, then looked for Ilyas and found him near the front of the group, already checking his gear and scanning the treeline like it was a habit.
Aiden held out a watch and placed it in Ilyas's hand.
Ilyas looked down at it for a second, then rolled it in his palm like he was testing the weight. His fingers tightened around it, and his eyes flicked up to Aiden, then back to the watch.
"This links to the drone.." Aiden said. "Put it on. Double tap the screen and you'll see what the drone sees, so send the drone ahead first and don't lead everyone into anything it spots."
Aiden then took a minute to show Ilyas how the drone worked, how to send it ahead, and how the watch view would help him scout the path without risking the group.
"Uh, yeah.." Ilyas said. "Got it. I'll keep it on, and I'll call it out if I see something weird."
Talren watched the watch exchange with a raised brow. His face showed real curiosity now, like he was trying to stay calm but could not ignore it.
Aiden looked at him and kept it simple.
"It's just a tool." Aiden said. "It's faster than sending a person into the trees first."
Talren snorted lightly.
"That's super useful. Wish we had that before." Talren said.
Aiden did not respond with extra explanation. He did not want them wasting time staring at technology when they needed to move.
He released the drone and guided it upward. The rotors spun, lifting it over the wall line. It hovered for a moment, then drifted toward the forest path that led to the ruined camp.
Aiden watched the drone with steady focus, then glanced at Ilyas.
"Remember, double tap." Aiden said. "If you see danger, you stop the group. No debate."
Ilyas nodded again, his face tense but serious.
Talren signaled his hunters with a quick motion, then looked back at Aiden and said,
"Alright, let's move, stay tight and if the drone shows something we listen and pull back, nobody tries to be brave, and act alone, got it? Aiden, we'll be back before night."
The hunting party formed up. Ten people. Spears and shields forward. Bows behind. Daggers on belts. The scout took point, Talren stayed close, and Rethan walked in a position where he could see the group and react fast.
They headed out through the gate and disappeared into the trees, following the drone's path.
Aiden stood there for a few seconds longer than he meant to. He listened for their footsteps until the sound faded.
He walked through the first ring area and picked three spots for temporary sleeping areas. He chose places close enough to stay protected by the wall, but far enough to spread people out. He kept the plan simple. Posts, beams, roof cover, and a wind block. No fancy structure, no wasted materials, and nothing that would slow the build.
He started calling for helpers, pointing and giving short instructions. People came quickly. Some were hunters not chosen for the party. Some were older men who moved slower but still wanted to help. A few women came too, not to lift heavy logs, but to carry smaller pieces and clear ground.
Aiden did not treat them like workers under him. He spoke like they were all doing the same job, because they were.
"Clear this patch first." Aiden said, pointing. "We need it flat and dry. Put stones to the side, and pile the brush over there so it doesn't get in the way."
One man nodded and moved at once. Another started pulling up roots with a short shovel.
Talren's people worked with a quiet rhythm. They were used to building quick shelters in harsh places, even if those shelters were rough. Aiden watched how they moved and adjusted his plan to match what they could do well.
Once the ground work started, Aiden shifted to materials.
He needed normal wood fast for these temporary structures, and he needed ironwood for the real expansion. The second wall and the houses would need strong supports, not just whatever was closest.
He grabbed his cutting tool and checked it with a quick glance. The power feed was stable. The tool had limits, and he kept those limits in mind. He could not burn through core fragments just to feel productive. So he had to use the power efficiently.
He walked toward the tree line with a small hauling group behind him carrying ropes using the sinew he gathered and some simple frames.
As they reached the forest edge, Aiden slowed and scanned the trunks and shadows. Daytime felt safer than night, but it was still a forest full of unknown life. He watched for movement, listened for strange sounds, and checked the ground for fresh tracks.
Nothing obvious.
He activated the cutting tool. The hum was controlled and steady, and it made the air around the blade feel tight.
Aiden placed it against the first tree and started the cut with steady pressure. The wood resisted, then gave. The vibration traveled into his arms, but it stayed manageable. He adjusted his stance and kept his footing solid.
The smell of burnt cut wood rose fast.
He did not rush the fall. He cut with control, then stepped back as the tree creaked and leaned. He signaled the hauling group to pull with rope at the right angle, keeping the fall clean and away from the working area.
The tree hit the ground with a heavy thump that sent a small shake through the dirt.
Aiden exhaled and moved to the next one.
He kept working, one tree at a time, building a pile that would become sleeping frames and roof supports. He also kept his eyes open for ironwood, marking the trunks he recognized as heavier and denser. Those would be for later, when he started the second ring wall and house frames.
As he worked, Aiden kept his plans simple and clear.
Today he would start the three new sleeping areas, and if enough people helped, they should be finished by tomorrow. Once everyone had more space to rest, he would begin the second ring wall. That wall was not just for space, it was for safety, because people slept better when they felt protected and not exposed.
After the second ring was up, he would start basic houses, starting with the families that needed them most. When the base could finally breathe, he would clear land for farming, because hunting and stored meat would not last forever.
Aiden tightened his grip on the tool and kept cutting, moving from tree to tree with steady control, because the settlement would only survive if he kept building and kept fixing problems before they grew.