This is bad. I’ve faced off tigers, panthers, wolves, man-eating fish, lesser-dragons, and super-sized arthropods, and I’ve yet to ever feel myself be in this much danger. Sweat beaded up on my brow and upper-lip. My heart was pounding with such force and speed it was strange that the organ hadn’t burst already.

“Uh...D-, Dude, stop panicking...Just close the door,” said a pink-cheeked Jack. Who was doing a great job of being the voice of calm and sanity while my brain was busy flying off the handle.

As soon as Jack spoke, it was like a spell had been cast. Sanity returned to me as I closed the door. Then I wandered off. Leaving the cave and heading to the river. I didn’t mind that I’d probably end up fighting a few more man-eating fish, fiend-turtles, and demon-frogs. At this point, all that would be worth it, if it meant I’d be able to cool my head off.

A little later, I came back and decided to face the music. I found Jack and bowed at the waist in apology. If bowing alone wouldn’t fix the issue, I could prostrate, or go hunt the mighty Jormungandr to show my sincerity.

“I’m...really, really, really sorry…I thought it was my room and I didn’t know you were in there...and uh, did I mention I’m sorry? Because I, super, am,” I said.

Jack just sort of stared at me for a second, her expression blank and slightly puzzled, then I saw recognition hit her and her face began to turn red.

“Dude, you’re still on that?! Let it go! Forget about it! Seriously...It’s fine. I probably should have locked the door...Even if ‘you’ probably should have knocked, dum-dum...And well, I was the eighth daughter out of nineteen children, and heaven only knows how many cousins...Add in all the staff, and our parents...And, well, let’s just say even with our house being twice as large as it was, there was still no one in the mansion...even daddy...who hadn’t seen, or been seen, in a position, or state of dress, that they might have preferred to not be seen in...at least once...It’s just something that comes with sharing space with somebody for a very long time….Besides, it’s not like you walked in on me on purpose right? Like it wasn’t right?” said Jack. Putting a certain edge to that last question.

I shook my head like I was trying to scatter my brains out through my ears.

“It wasn’t!... I swear it wasn’t. It was a total accident. I actually thought I was going into my room...I forgot that we’d changed the layout for the housing modules,” I said.

“See?.... Then I don’t see a reason for us to make this a whole thing. I’d actually kinda forgotten about it until you mentioned it,” said Jack. Blushing again, and pouting a little.

“I mean...not to prod an old wound, but from what you’ve told me, you used to have a pretty full house yourself…Didn’t stuff like accidentally walking into people while they were dressing or in the bathroom happen in your place?” said Jack.

“Um...yeah, but those we were like, my parents, and my sisters...and you’re like...You’re you…” I said. Feeling like I was on the verge of bursting into flames again.

“Uh...St-, still...We’re two people living together in a confined space and its not like either of us have all that great knocking etiquette, honestly, it’s surprising that “I” haven’t walked in on you doing something by now, I basically just kick the doors open most of the time and stroll in...Which I probably should change, since uh...this happened. The point is, I get that this was an accident and I don’t see a reason to make a big deal out of it,” said Jack.

“Er...O-, okay, then...Um, thanks for not deciding to cut ties with me,” I said. Blushing as well.

Jack just gave me this weird look and chuckled.

“Hmph...Like ‘that’ would ever be a reason for me to cut ties with you…” said Jack. Rolling her eyes.

“Huh?” I said. Relieved but confused.

“Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about it….Seriously. Now if you excuse me I've got some cultivating to do so if you don’t mind…”

“Er,...r-, right,” I said. Nodding and leaving Jack alone. Feeling slightly puzzled as to what she’d meant near the end, and sensing that I was missing something. 

*************************************************************************************************************

A little later that week it was time for us to launch the satellites. I was actually launching a set of ten satellites. Part of my reasoning was based on the fact that I was expecting some of them to fail. Either burning up during their exit from our world’s atmosphere, or overshooting my target and careening into the void.

Also, weirdly enough once I knew how to make the satellites and had the necessary materials it wasn’t that hard to build more. The Matter-Manipulation that my stories had granted me basically turned me into a living-version of those miracle old world machines of legend, the high-end 3d printer. Alternatively, I was like the alchemists in a certain old-world game, that could just throw sand, paper, pine cones, and oil together to somehow make dynamite.

“Okay, are you ready?” I said.

Jack just smiled. She loved any opportunity to use her ever-growing list of magical talents and abilities.

“Just toss those bad boys my way, Jill,” said Jack.

I shook my head and then did as she said. I threw the ice-cooler-sized satellites at her, one after another. Each satellite was encased in a protective cylinder of alchemically-refined stone and silicone foam. The stone-cases now protected the relatively delicate satellites as Jack used a big pair of burly shadow-arms to toss the satellites into the air. Then I jumped up and kicked the cases from behind. Using my colossal strength to send the satellite rocketing upwards through a series of enchanted wards that would boost the kinetic energy that was being applied to the satellites.

The stone shattered as the satellites hurtled upwards at 10 times their initial speed, then 100 times,  then a thousand times. I wasn’t joking when I said this couldn’t be used to fly everyone to safety. My attainments in the [Tale of the Craftsman] were all over the place, so despite having a decent handle on magical, and non-magical, telecommunications it could be a while before I understood combustion engines...And even longer until I understood rocket science and anti-gravity devices.  What I jury-rigged here was a series of glorified slingshots that were being pulled by two super-strong people.

Results-wise, we lost six of the satellites before Jack and I figured out how to toss the satellites with enough speed to get one up out of the atmosphere without having the satellite fall apart alongside its case. Then we lost two more, because as I predicted, they kept hurtling out of orbit. The last two satellites were the winners. Hanging in orbit as intended. The device probably would come hurtling down soon enough, on account of its lack of stabilizing rockets, or any other means to self-correct its movement on the outer-edge of the 14th Pearl’s sky. However, that was fine. We just needed devices to work for right now. Boosting the signals of the escape pod's emergency beacon, and the survivor camp’s radio.