"The canisters are worth more than the chemicals we collect," Noland said, studying it as he placed it on the table. "We should find out how to separate the interior lining off one of these and see if we can fabricate it ourselves."
"With what time and money?" Lucky asked, cleaning the exterior of his boots and gloves after their return from another routine scavenging trip.
Three canisters, filled with chemicals, but nothing new since their last finding.
It had been several weeks since their decision. The purchase of the new canisters and food on that day still came out of pocket, setting them back months. Their clothes were a little more worn down too, with Jade going to the library instead of staying home after the scavenger trips.
"We have plenty of time to visit the library like Jade. We can alternate taking care of Fenrik and figure it out."
"Alchemical tools are far more expensive than the canisters," Lucky said. "It will take us years to save up for one, not including the ingredients- if we figure it out."
"So then we do it! We save up. Plus, we live on the Chemical Sea. Byproducts, waste, leftovers- what they don't use gets thrown out. It all flows into the sea via the chemical outflow pipes."
Lucky leaned in, pausing his cleaning. "If we figure out which factories produce it, or the chemicals used to make it, we can use the waste system to collect what they throw away too."
"Alright, so we make the chemicals, and then who do we sell it to? The people who are making it and selling it to us?" Noland asked.
"Not everyone is making it up there. Who's making the food? Who makes these canisters, clothes—what about the people who repair our water and gas valves? We can undercut the factories, sell it at a discount. Make a few extra coins outside of what we already do."
"Huh? I don't want to keep doing this if we make it into the mid-city."
"Well... we're going to have to if we want to sustain that kind of business. I doubt the factories are throwing away gallons of chemicals instead of using them for the next batch."
"I bet they are! Have you seen the floods that come out of those gates every day?"
Lucky paused and looked at Noland, who was confidently smirking. "Maybe. But processing would still be the issue. It's all mingled, like the Chemical Sea itself."
Noland snapped his fingers. "You said it! We find out where it's being thrown out underground and collect before it gets mixed together."
"...I mean, it's worth a shot. I can't think of anything else beyond scavenging. But I really think we're just getting screwed and these aren't actually worth that much."
Shaking his head, Lucky resumed cleaning his gear. Noland gritted his teeth, staring at Lucky. He wasn't mad at him exactly, but rather the lack of ideas in general in their group.
What would they do to survive in the mid-city if the pills were worth something? Life wouldn't stop. Food still needed to be earned. But in the mid-city, there would also be rent.
'Unironically, it might be easier to live on the pier than pay rent in the mid-city...' Noland thought bitterly.
Sharp knocks caused them to jump out of what they were doing, exchanging glances. It was too early for Jade, and the knocks didn't match hers.
"Who is it?" Noland called out. Even Fenrik sat up cautiously, eyeing the door.
"Officer Jack, open up!"
Immediately, Lucky and Noland stiffened.
"Why are they here?!" Lucky whispered.
"I don't know! Think Jade got caught? Fenrik!"
Fenrik stood up, wheezing with a wet gurgling noise, and walked toward the door with an annoyed expression—an expression that said he wanted to chastise the two of them, but couldn't.
He opened the door, and a man clad in a pitch-black uniform and cap stood there with two officers behind him.
"Ah, Fenrik! How are you?"
"Could be better," Fenrik said, a wet gurgle behind every word.
Officer Jack grimaced, his expression darkening. "I'm sorry. Leadership saw Jade signing into the mid-city daily. We did some poking around, saw she was going through ancient texts. Why's she poking around that stuff suddenly?"
"Curiosity," Fenrik gurgled. "Find any relics at sea, and she can identify them."
Nodding slowly, Jack peered around the old man. "Boys. Scavenging trips going well?"
"No. Nothing but our routine pickup. But we are holding out hope," Noland said.
Jack's eyes shifted to the canisters on the table, nodding slowly again before his gaze returned to Fenrik. "Well, I am sorry, Fenrik, but Command ordered us to inspect your residence. Will that be a problem?"
While Fenrik shook his head, Lucky's voice rose in agitation. "Hold on, why? What reason do you have?"
"We have to make sure you aren't hiding anything, Lucky," Jack said. "If you do have a relic, it is better to turn it in now. Because if we find any..."
"Execution. Or banishment if you're lucky." Jack's gaze, which had become colder, returned to Fenrik, whose expression had tightened. Fenrik silently moved out of the way, and the two officers behind Jack stepped in.
Noland and Lucky exchanged annoyed glances, watching them turn the place upside down. The film from the vents was taken out and inspected, all the cabinets opened, pots taken out, sheets and bedding moved. It was a silent, tense process for them before they returned, shaking their heads.
"That'll be all then," Jack said with a sigh as the officers stepped out. "Again, I'm sorry for the trouble."
"Will you be back?" Fenrik croaked.
"No, not unless Command orders us to."
"Why do you do these inspections anyway? No one has found a relic in over two generations," Noland grumbled.
Jack's silent gaze shifted and rested on Noland, who tensed unconsciously. He kept looking at him, expressionlessly, before sighing and turning to leave.
"Good day, Fenrik."
The door shut, and silence fell. Their home was a mess. Fenrik began to let out wet coughs again, and immediately the two sprang into action, fixing his flipped mattress as he wavered his way back to it and laid down.
"Those fuckers had to ruin the place," Noland grumbled.
"Thank God we-"
"Shut up," Fenrik warned, readjusting himself on the bed.
Rather than storing the book and pills in the pier where they could be found relatively easily if they were ordered to do a thorough search, they returned them back out to the Chemical Sea where they found them, after Jade made her notes. Whenever she needed more, she tagged along.
What this meant, to Noland at least, was that they hadn't found the notes she made herself. They were merely suspicious of her trips.
After a bit of time cleaning and fixing up the place, Jade finally returned with an excited bounce in her step.
"Hey boys, I found out what those pills can do!" Jade said gleefully, with a smug look on her face. "Hm? What's wrong?"
"Inspectors came around asking about you."
"And they found nothing? Or rather, you said nothing? Right?"
Noland nodded, and Jade's momentary concern vanished as she stepped inside after taking off her boots, the spring returning to her step.
"Good! Now let me explain the pills to you!"