53. The Nautical Scanner
Rangga climbed down from the main deck. His eyes immediately fell upon the newly added wheelhouse standing above the stern.
"Wonder what's in there..."
He climbed the short wooden staircase and pushed the door open.
The room wasn't large. It was just big enough for a single person to operate the ship.
In front of him stood a wooden ship's wheel, partially reinforced with metal.
But that wasn't what caught Rangga's attention. Resting on the navigation table was a metallic sphere with a transparent, glass-like surface.
The moment he stepped closer, a blue interface appeared.
Nautical Radar
Description: A maritime navigation device that projects the surrounding sea and displays the ship's sailing direction. It can also display registered destinations, making navigation throughout the Pioneer World significantly easier.
Rangga nodded.
"So... basically a high-tech compass."
Beside the metallic sphere rested another object. It resembled a futuristic wristwatch made of black-silver alloy. Its screen was dark.
The moment he touched it, another blue interface appeared.
Nautical Scanner
Description: A personal navigation device used to manage the Nautical Radar. It can manually store and register the coordinates of discovered locations.
Allows travel to another Pioneer's island once their coordinates have been registered.
Requirement: Coordinates can only be obtained by performing a Scan on another Pioneer's Nautical Scanner.
"..."
Rangga finished reading and his eyes widened.
"Holy crap... I can actually meet other people?"
He quickly picked up the device, turning it over in his hands.
"So... I'm not gonna be alone forever?"
He looked back at the screen.
The watch had powered on. Only one coordinate was stored.
Rangga's Island Coordinate: X-620322
Rangga tilted his head.
"So... this is my location?"
He reread the description and gradually, everything clicked.
"Damn... So if I want to visit another Pioneer's island... I have to meet them first. We scan each other's devices... Then we can exchange coordinates?"
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Otherwise, every Pioneer would instantly know everyone else's location without ever meeting.
A wide grin spread across his face and his imagination immediately began racing.
"Awesome... So eventually... I can visit Deri's island."
"I can visit Fajar's. We can trade... Actually hang out... Maybe even build a shared outpost."
More and more possibilities filled his mind. His smile only grew wider because he wouldn't have to face everything alone.
Still holding the Nautical Scanner, Rangga opened the chat menu out of curiosity.
His brows furrowed.
"Huh?"
A new tab had appeared at the top.
Global Chat.
It had always been locked before. He immediately opened it and the chat window was completely empty. Only a single message appeared.
Welcome to Global Chat. Pioneer Count: 1
Rangga blinked.
"Huh? I'm the only one here?"
Still unconvinced, he typed a short message.
Rangga: Hello.
Several seconds passed and nothing happened. The Pioneer Count remained 1.
Rangga scratched his head.
"Damn... It really is just me."
He shook his head.
"Whatever."
He switched back to the Regional Chat. As expected, it was bustling.
Major Deri was giving instructions for tomorrow's resource shipments.
Deri: Those who still have rice, send rice first. If you can't refine copper yet, just send the ore.
Several Pioneers immediately responded.
Fajar: Roger, Major.
Andre: I'll send hardwood tomorrow.
Seeing that, Rangga jumped into the conversation.
Rangga: Hey, guys.
Rangga: I've got some good news.
The chat instantly fell silent. A few seconds later, messages exploded across the screen.
Fajar: What is it?
Andre: Hurry up and tell us!
Deri: What's happened, Mas Rangga?
Rangga smiled.
Rangga: I upgraded both my island and my ship.
The chat immediately erupted.
Fajar: Damn, that was fast.
Andre: No way...
Rio: I'm still missing Mechanical Gyroscopes.
Bima: I still need Iron Ingots.
Yusuf: Stabilizer Modules are ridiculously hard to find.
Deri: Congratulations, Mas Rangga.
Rangga chuckled.
Rangga: That's not the important part.
Rangga: Hear me out first.
The chat fell silent once more.
Rangga: The upgraded ship comes with something called a Nautical Scanner and a Nautical Radar.
Rangga: The Scanner looks like a wristwatch.
Rangga: It stores your island's coordinates.
Rangga: If you meet another Pioneer, you can scan each other's devices.
Rangga: After that, you can travel to each other's islands.
For several seconds, the chat was completely silent. Then it exploded.
Andre: SERIOUSLY?!
Fajar: We can actually meet each other?!
Rio: Face to face?
Bima: Does that mean we can trade?!
Yusuf: That's insane...
Andre: Tell us more!
Even Deri asked.
Deri: How exactly does it work, Mas Rangga?
Rangga explained.
Rangga: The Scanner stores coordinates.
Rangga: But you can only get another Pioneer's coordinates by meeting them in person and scanning their device.
Rangga: If you've never met...
Rangga: You can't visit their island.
The chat erupted again. Everyone imagined the same possibilities.
Meeting each other, talking face to face, trading. Perhaps even exploring islands together. Then a new message from Deri appeared.
Deri: Wait.
The chat instantly stopped.
Deri: This is good news.
Deri: But it's also dangerous.
Rangga frowned.
Rangga: Dangerous how?
Others quickly asked as well.
Andre: What do you mean?
Fajar: Why dangerous?
Deri answered calmly.
Deri: If others can come to our islands...
Deri: Then our islands can also be invaded.
The chat suddenly fell silent.
Deri continued.
Deri: If someone has bad intentions...
Deri: They could steal our resources.
Deri: Or even threaten our lives.
Deri: That may be why the Scanner requires us to meet before exchanging coordinates.
Deri: So we truly know who we're placing our trust in.
No one replied immediately. A few moments later...
Fajar: Yeah...
Andre: I hadn't thought of that.
Rio: That's true.
Rangga slowly nodded while reading. He muttered to himself instead of typing.
"Damn... I didn't even think about that."
He looked at the Nautical Scanner in his hand.
"If Broto got my coordinates... And came here..."
He let out a long breath.
"We'd definitely end up fighting."
His eyes drifted across his island, now overflowing with valuable resources.
"There's no police here... No laws... If someone gets desperate... They could kill for this."
He slowly shook his head.
"Damn... How did I not realize that sooner?"
The chat remained silent then Deri spoke again.
Deri: For those who eventually upgrade their ships to Level 3...
Deri: Don't hand out your island coordinates carelessly.
Deri: Not because we should distrust everyone.
Deri: But because we need to be careful.
Another message appeared.
Deri: Remember.
Deri: We have to survive.
Deri: And return to Earth.
Deri: We'll be living in this world for ten years.
Deri: And right now...
Deri: We haven't even been here for a full month.
Silence filled the chat once again. His words made everyone think.
Ten years and their journey had barely begun. Eventually, replies started appearing.
Andre: Understood, Major.
Fajar: Makes sense.
Rio: Guess we'll have to choose carefully.
Bima: Don't trust people too easily.
A moment later, Fajar typed again.
Fajar: In that case...
Fajar: I think you're one of the people I'd trust with my coordinates, Major.
Deri answered calmly.
Deri: If you truly trust me...
Deri: I'd be honored.
Deri: I have no intention of taking anything from your islands.
Deri: The mission General Suryo entrusted to me is very clear.
Deri: To help as many Garuda Nation Pioneers as possible return safely to Earth.
Deri: And to share every piece of information I have with them.
Several Pioneers immediately responded with thumbs-up emojis. Reading the conversation, Rangga nodded quietly.
"That makes sense..."
But the serious mood didn't last long and Fajar suddenly sent another message.
Fajar: Hey, Bang Rangga...
Fajar: You're not gonna raid my island, right?
Rangga burst out laughing and quickly typed back.
Rangga: As if.
Rangga: My island has way more resources than yours.
The chat exploded.
Andre: LMAOOO.
Rio: Can't argue with facts.
Bima: You're the one everyone should be robbing.
Fajar: Fine then.
Fajar: I'll just come over and eat your rice.
Rangga: Now that I'm okay with.
Laughter and jokes once again filled the Regional Chat.
For a brief moment, they were no longer strangers trapped in an unfamiliar world.
They were simply friends, making plans for the future while hoping that one day, they would finally be able to visit one another's islands in person.