You take another bite of toast, washing it down with coffee before continuing. "Today I need to continue testing that teleportation before we end up halfway in a wall or on the other side of the country. Testing weather control will be after teleportation, ideally on nd, not on a ship which we currently live."

  Nami looks up from her navigation charts. "Smart. Last thing we need is accidentally conjuring a hurricane over the ship."

  "Rika," you say, turning toward the former SAT operative. "Get in touch with Webb. I bet what's left of the old Navy hierarchy is furious we completely vanished right after getting the ship and left that Fgs Value video. I wonder how many idiots tried to threaten 'If you remove your fg you're no longer one of us!'"

  Rika nods, already moving toward the communications room. "I'll reach out through encrypted channels. Webb might appreciate the contact given how radio-silent we've been."

  "Has the Navy made its politics a public problem yet?" you continue. "Most of their ships are still running on limited fuel and rations."

  Albedo leans forward, golden-red eyes gleaming. "The video about fgs was deliberately provocative. You told them they were no longer bound to dead governments, that immortality aboard enchanted vessels made them independent actors. Traditional command structures will hate that message."

  "Which is exactly why some of them will try making it a loyalty test," Yoruichi adds from the doorway, purple hair already dry. "'Fly our fg or you're a traitor' rhetoric. Predictable military thinking."

  Mikasa cuts her eggs with precise movements. "Captain Morrison transferred command cleanly. Colonel Reeves coordinates fuel distribution without attempting control. But those are individuals, not institutional response. Someone in what remains of command will view independence as mutiny."

  "Let them," you say ftly. "We're not their property."

  Kurumi sips her coffee, gothic lolita dress somehow immacute despite the early meal. "The question is whether they'll attempt enforcement. Destroyer captains holding position offshore, boarding actions, decrations that you're operating stolen Navy assets."

  "They won't," C.C. says from the corner, tone clinical. "Because doing so would expose that they ck fuel for sustained operations while you demonstrably possess unlimited resources. Any confrontation makes them look weak and you look essential. They'll posture, but won't act."

  You nod, returning to your breakfast. "Which is why I had us put such importance on getting the ship, we're both free to disappear and able to persist indefinitely, well before we became flooded with enough mana to change reality... As for the underutilized locations, I'd rather they get discovered slowly. If attention is taken from the Costcos it will only cause the conflicts to spread out."

  "Agreed," Erza says, scarlet hair falling over her shoulders. "Concentrated survivor groups at known fuel sources create manageable scenarios. Dispersed conflicts across multiple locations would require monitoring we don't currently have capacity for."

  "I was more considering that having as much of the conflict as possible finished in one location, would accelerate stabilizing attempts." you correct. "We don't need to monitor anything as long as the location isn't damaged to the point the enchantments can't repair or produce fuel."

  Rin enters from the hallway, tablet in hand. "Rika is establishing contact with USS Portnd now. Webb should respond within the hour if he's monitoring channels."

  "Good." You finish your eggs, setting the pte aside. "Once we hear back from Webb, we move to teleportation testing. Short distances first, verification of arrival coordinates, then progressive range increases."

  Hinata appears in the doorway, vender eyes wide. "Where will you conduct testing? Flight deck?"

  "Probably," you confirm. "Open space, minimal obstacles. I did small-objects on the helicopter so, I'll start with rger object teleportation before attempting a summoned animal."

  Albedo stands, white dress swirling. "I'll prepare materials. Measurement tools, marking systems, documentation protocols."

  Nami rolls up her charts. "I'll locate where you can test weather manipution safely."

  The galley begins clearing as breakfast concludes, dimensional travelers moving to assigned tasks. You drain your coffee, processing the logistics ahead while waiting for Webb's response.

  You freeze, realization hitting. "We have that food court soda dispenser. It's still in storage."

  Albedo raises an eyebrow, golden-red eyes gleaming with amusement. "You're thinking of testing teleportation using a beverage machine as your first subject?"

  "Why not?" You're already heading toward the corridor. "Medium-sized object, non-critical if something goes wrong, and we get soda setup."

  Mikasa follows immediately, her protective instincts apparently extending to teleportation experiments. Rin trails behind with her tablet, already pulling up camera.

  The storage room remains mostly organized from this morning's cleanup. You spot the disassembled dispenser near the back wall, metal frame and pstic components stacked beside the CO2 tanks you'd salvaged from that Costco weeks ago.

  You cast "Telekinesis" using the networks power. The telekinetic force wraps around the dispenser's base, lifting it smoothly off the deck. The entire assembly rises three feet into the air.

  "Control looks stable," Rin observes, tablet recording. "No visible strain."

  "Now comes the tricky part." You visualize the galley yout, the open space near the refrigeration units where the dispenser would fit perfectly. You target the exact coordinates, accounting for the dispenser's dimensions. "Teleport Object"

  The machine vanishes.

  Mikasa's hand goes immediately to where her bde would normally rest. "Did it work?"

  You're already moving back toward the galley, taking the corridor at a quick pace. Albedo matches your stride easily, white dress immacute despite the ship environment.

  The galley door opens to reveal the soda dispenser sitting precisely where you'd intended, upright, undamaged, occupying the space beside the refrigeration exactly as visualized.

  "Perfect pcement," Rin confirms, circling the machine with her tablet. "No structural damage, orientation correct, all components intact."

  You lift the dispenser again with telekinesis, maneuvering it into final position against the wall. The CO2 connection points line up with the tanks. Your hands work quickly, connecting hoses and checking pressure gauges while maintaining the telekinetic hold to keep everything steady.

  "Short-range medium object testing," you announce, releasing the magical grip once everything's secured. "Complete success."

  Kurumi appears in the doorway, gothic lolita dress swirling. "You just wanted an excuse to set up the soda fountain."

  "That too," you admit, flipping the power switch. The machine hums to life, refrigeration cycling on. "But the teleportation worked fwlessly. Exact coordinates, no damage, instant transfer."

  Hinata peers around Kurumi's shoulder, vender eyes wide. "What's next? Longer distances?"

  "Progressively," you confirm. "I'll attempt Scrying and Arcane Eye, otherwise we'll need to rely on you for anything within 3 miles, or communications for anything farther. Then we test extended range before attempting anything ambitious."

  Nami pushes past both of them, heading straight for the dispenser. "Does it actually work, or did you just move a broken machine?"

  "Give it thirty seconds for the lines to chill," you say, watching the temperature gauge. "Then we'll find out."

  The machine beeps, ready light illuminating. Nami immediately fills a cup with Coke, takes a long drink, then grins. "It works. Brad just gave us unlimited soda."

  "The teleportation test was the important part," Mikasa says firmly.

  "Both can be true," Albedo observes with dry amusement.

  You move onto the flight deck, salt wind tugging at your shirt as afternoon sun glints off the Pacific. Albedo follows a step behind, tablet ready to document results. Mikasa takes position near the hatch, maintaining her protective watch.

  "Broadcasting my vision for Scrying testing," you say, reaching into the network. "Scrying. Target: Riveria Ljos Alf."

  Mana flows, 225 mana for a fifth-level spell, and your vision splits. You still see the flight deck, but overid atop it appears Riveria standing near the bow railing, jade hair catching sunlight as she watches waves roll past the hull. The perspective shifts slightly as she turns, green eyes scanning the horizon with tactical assessment. The spell holds stable, clear as looking through gss.

  "Success," Albedo notes, stylus moving across her tablet. "Visual confirmation of shipboard target."

  You release the spell, vision snapping back to normal. "Next test. Scrying. Target: Sakura Haruno."

  The mana drains again, but this time your vision remains unchanged. After ten seconds of nothing, the spell colpses cleanly, mana dissipating.

  "Failure," you confirm. "Unknown target or insufficient familiarity."

  "Or she doesn't exist in this reality," Albedo observes. "Dimensional variance could prevent targeting."

  "Possible. More likely I'm simply trying to target the wrong Sakura Haruno." You steady yourself. "Scrying. Target: Yusuke Urameshi."

  Another failure. Your vision remains locked on the flight deck, Mikasa's watching form, the distant ocean. Nothing.

  "Scrying. Target: Himura Kenshin."

  This time the overy snaps into focus immediately. You see Kenshin from slightly above and behind, his red gi bright against dusty Arizona scrubnd. He's walking along what looks like Interstate 10, katana strapped across his back, scanning abandoned vehicles. The perspective is stable, updating smoothly as he moves.

  "Got him," you say. "East as expected, desert terrain, major highway. So why didn't this work with Yusuke?"

  "Arcane Eye next?" Albedo prompts.

  You nod, maintaining the Scrying overy while casting again. "Arcane Eye."

  Another 225 mana drains, and suddenly you have three perspectives: your own eyes seeing the flight deck, the Scrying overy showing Kenshin, and now a third viewpoint, a magical sensor appearing exactly where Kenshin stands. The Eye hovers invisible at chest height, giving you direct control.

  You release Scrying, reducing the perspective confusion to just your normal vision and the Arcane Eye's mobile view. Concentrating, you will the Eye eastward. It glides smoothly along the highway, passing rusted cars and scattered debris at roughly walking speed. The desert ndscape rolls past, empty and sun-bleached.

  "Arcane Eye active and mobile," you report. "Heading east from Kenshin's position. Control is intuitive, I'm directing it mentally while maintaining awareness here."

  Mikasa shifts position. "Mana cost?"

  "450 total for both casts. Eye normally has one-hour duration, no sustain cost unless I want to maintain it longer." You keep the magical sensor moving eastward, watching scrubnd and highway through its perspective. "This works. I can scout remotely without risking people."

  "Range limit?" Albedo asks.

  "Spell description says unlimited, which normally meant it's limit was movement speed and spell duration. so probably dependent on the mana I used for initial casting. We'll test that next."

  The Arcane Eye continues eastward, now several hundred yards from where it manifested near Kenshin. The dual perspective feels natural, like peripheral vision you can shift focus toward at will.

  Mikasa steps closer, her hand resting light on your arm. "It works. You can see anywhere without leaving the ship."

  "Almost anywhere," you correct, turning toward the open ocean. "Known targets only. Familiar faces or pces. The spell needs a clear image to lock onto. Random coordinates would be blind casting. Which is why I'm leaving the Arcane Eye active and heading East, if it reaches the East coast before we do, it can direct teleportation, if that works... We'll test with photographs ter."

  You step near the starboard railing, ocean wind tugging at your shirt as you concentrate on the network. The one sustained Gate aboard ship from upper to lower decks continues its steady mana drain, but you need a new test, pressure, practical limitations.

  "Gate, Gate" you say, visualizing two portals. Two portals open ten feet above the water's surface, hovering in midair. Connected to portals thirty feet below the waves, submerged completely.

  Water doesn't immediately fountain upward. You can feel the spell's structure in your mind, a toggleable parameter controlling whether pressure equalizes across the threshold. Currently it's sealed, the underwater Gates act as a window into the depths, green-blue water visible through the circur aperture but held back by magical barrier.

  Albedo steps closer, tablet recording.

  You focus on the mental toggle, releasing the seal. Immediately seawater explodes through the left Gate, arcing upward through the aerial portal in a continuous fountain. Pressure pushing into the lower portal and releasing through the airborne portal.

  "Successful pressure differential management," Riveria observes from nearby, jade hair whipping in the wind. "The portals maintain structural integrity despite flow rate."

  You close both portals after fifteen seconds, water fountain colpsing mid-arc. "Pressure control works. I can create sealed viewing windows or allow full environmental transfer."

  "Useful for underwater reconnaissance," Mikasa says, already calcuting tactical applications. "Or rapid flooding if needed."

  You nod, then shift focus to the next test. "Scrying. Target: International Space Station interior."

  Mana drains, but your vision remains stubbornly locked on the flight deck. No overy appears, no glimpse of orbital corridors or pressurized modules. After ten seconds the spell colpses cleanly.

  "Failure," you confirm. "Let me try different sections."

  You attempt three more casts, targeting space stations from memory. Each attempt burns mana. Each fails completely, vision never shifting beyond your immediate surroundings.

  Albedo records the results with clinical precision. "Zero successful scrying locks on orbital targets."

  "Too far?" Rin suggests, watching from behind. "Or maybe insufficient familiarity, you've only seen photographs."

  "Or the target doesn't exist anymore," Kurumi adds quietly. "The apocalypse began weeks ago. Station life support requires ground control. If Houston and Moscow went dark..."

  You consider that grimly. The ISS might be a tomb now, crew dead from systems failure or orbital decay already beginning. Scrying might fail on corpses, or the structures have changed.

  "I'd like to think that the stations themselves would st at least a month before going dark, but you're possibly right. One more test," you say. "Scrying. Target: Hubble Space Telescope."

  Another 225 mana drains. Again, nothing.

  Nami appears in the hatch, expression urgent. "Rika just got response from Webb. He's requesting immediate secure channel communication. Says it's about Navy command directives and timeline-critical decisions."

  You move immediately to the communications room, Rika already at the console when you arrive. She looks up, fingers still on the encryption controls. "Webb's signal is clean. Routing through now."

  The speakers crackle, then resolve into Webb's voice, tension clear despite the digital compression. "Brad. Thank you for responding quickly. We have a situation."

  "I'm listening," you say, leaning against the console.

  "Fg-officer faction issued formal directive this morning. They're decring USS Anchorage 'unauthorized appropriation of Navy assets' and demanding immediate return to proper naval custody." Webb pauses. "It's political theater, they ck fuel for enforcement, but they're attempting to create legal framework for future control attempts."

  You process this, recognizing the py. "They want me to either accept naval authority, giving them chain-of-command authority, or be decred hostile, justifying future military action."

  "Exactly." Webb's relief at your understanding comes through clearly. "Several destroyer captains are pushing for vote within six hours to formally decre the ship stolen property. The vote only includes current divided Navy, despite our original deal being recorded and publicized worldwide."

  "How many vessels in the fg-officer faction?" you ask.

  "Approximately thirty percent of enchanted vessels. But they're operating on fumes, no actual enforcement capability. This is entirely about maintaining governmental authority narrative."

  You consider the timing, the political pressure, the transparent attempt at control. "Here's my response. Request mass video call in two hours, recorded and broadcast unfiltered across all avaible channels. If these dumbasses want to try something this stupid, let's publicize it worldwide so survivors can ugh at them and remember them for it."

  Silence on the line for three seconds. Then Webb makes a sound halfway between ugh and groan. "You want to turn their political maneuver into public spectacle."

  "They're attempting to decre a ship I legally acquired, on record for the purpose of aiding humanity as a whole. As stolen property, despite cking any ability to actually do anything about it. Yes, I want that broadcast worldwide." Your tone remains level. "This isn't about military protocol. This is about whether survivors rebuild under competent leadership or watch fg-officers posture while people starve."

  "The pragmatic independent faction will support this," Webb says slowly. "They've been arguing against the directive since it was issued. Public broadcast puts fg-officers in position of either backing down or doubling down on unenforceable threats."

  "Exactly. And it establishes precedent that we don't answer to dead governmental structures." You check the time. "Two hours gives you time to coordinate with pragmatic captains. Make sure they're on the call."

  "Understood. I'll route broadcast protocols now." Webb pauses. "Brad, this is going to make enemies. Fg-officers don't forget public humiliation."

  "They can remember whatever they want," you say ftly. "Doesn't change that their fuel tanks are nearly empty and mine aren't. They have zero threat, current or foreseeable future."

  The connection holds for another moment, then Webb confirms. "Two hours. Mass video call, worldwide broadcast. I'll coordinate."

  Rika looks up from her console as the channel closes. "That was aggressive."

  "That was necessary," you correct. "They're attempting to establish that either we or magical infrastructure in general, belongs to military hierarchy, a dead one at that. If we don't push back now, every enchanted vessel becomes target for control attempts."

  Mikasa appears in the doorway, having clearly been listening. "You're decring independence from naval authority publicly."

  "I'm decring that survivors don't answer to fg-officers who ck authority or fuel to enforce their own operations," you say. "There's a difference. They're one boarding or theft short of being organized pirates."

  SnafuSam