The Great War of Rhodesia

34. Progress II

Even a month from the moment of its inception, the map-making expedition group finally completed their task. The images captured by the drone are very complete and reach all regions of Rhodesodia. Even to the back of the cliff wall.

Then, with the help of a strange device from Nata called the Laser Printer, they began printing the images with new paper made by James and Luke. Sheet by sheet which then unites it to form a map of a large enough region.

The large map was then affixed to a board in one of the meeting rooms in Lucia's residence. Nata also suggested protecting the large map with glass, to make it more durable.

Then the task of installing communication tools has also been completed. They have even installed loudspeakers on an iron pole in strategic places in the city and village. Which will later be used to announce announcements and give warnings if there is a danger.

When it was first tested the day after it was installed, people were shocked and confused to hear their Queen's voice echoing almost all over the region, explaining the use of the Loudspeaker.

And as a way to familiarize the residents with the Speakers, Nata suggests making regular announcements every morning. Aksa came up with the idea of doing a short 'Broadcast' at certain times, complete with a new model Microphone, and a musical instrument he called the Phonograph.

Which then led to the construction of a special building in Central City, for the place to do the 'Siaran.

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A week later, it was the turn to make the Ration ready to be tested. Edward and his Lumire relatives look anxious when Aksa and Nata try the food and drinks that will be used as supplies for the soldiers.

They gathered in the Waduk Village multipurpose building, not far from the Waterfall Hill. Lucia also appeared, and several interested people were present to witness it.

"You are very talented. This is almost like the one in our world" Nata praised after tasting one of the foods shaped like a sheet of dark green wood.

"really. You will go down in history as the world's first instant food and drink maker" Aksa added, after he brewed something out of a small cloth bag.

"It's all because of you two. I wouldn't have thought of it this way. Make dry bread from meat and vegetables that are supposed to make soup. Printing and drying of cooked wheat noodles. All this is beyond my imagination." Edward looked excited and looked very happy as he said it.

"The idea is indeed to make the soldiers can feel the food he usually eats, only in a much more practical form" Nata explained.

"And when I thought the idea of putting tea leaves spices in gauze to make it easier for us to brew it was already so amazing, you added again with the idea of drying the drink and making it into powder? I can't say anything more about it." Edward still seems to be confusing the idea given by Aksa and Nata to process the food.

"Making drinks into powder?" Lucia seemed interested in Edward's words just now.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Your Majesty can try it for yourself." Edward immediately took out a few boxes of cans from his bag, and placed them on the table in front of Lucia. "This powder is milk. And this one is coffee. For this one it will probably be a little sour, because this is orange juice," he explained then still vigorously.

And without needing to be ordered, one of the Lumire family named Adam immediately took a bottle of water and three glasses for Lucia.

Edward then helped to dissolve the milk powder with water in one of Lucia's glasses.

"Oh, right. It's milk" Lucia said after sipping a drink in the glass. "But there's a sweet taste as well" he added after tasting the tongue.

"Your Majesty is not wrong. This milk powder has been mixed with sugar before being crushed into powder. Because if it's just milk, it might taste bland." Edward explained.

"It's really practical." Lucia seemed to be enjoying her drink.

"It's not just for drinks. This container contains a powdered mixture that when dissolved in hot water will make it a broth from chicken soup." This time Edward took out a longer box of cans than before.

"Try it, Miss Ellian provide me with hot water. I want to try this chicken broth seasoning," said Aksa who looks excited.

"How is this food made? Do you need special equipment?" This time Dirk asked. His trade thinking began to work when he saw things that could potentially be sold.

"There really is no need for special equipment, Mr. Dirk." Nata answered. "Just the process to make it is quite complicated and time-consuming. We have to heat it up into an extract and then cool it down for that kind of drink, and dry it and then crush it when it's meat or vegetables" he explained later.

"really. We work with the Fire and Ice witches to do the process." Edward confirmed Nata's words.

"It took two days to make the drink into powder form" added Adam who stood next to Edward.

"really. Even though it has used a crushing device called, Blener? That's like a container with a spinning knife." Edward was asking Nata to correct it.

"Blenders?" Nata confirmed Edward's intentions.

"Oh, right. Blenders. And also that fireless heater."

"The oven?"

"Yes right, Oven. The electric power equipment really helps." Edward again looks amazed by everything that has been done by Aksa and Nata.

"really. Those tools make it easy for us to cut and bake dry bread." Adam added again.

"Storing ready-to-eat dishes in these airtight cans is a remarkable breakthrough, Mr. Nata," Dirk said later as he observed one of the rectangular-shaped cans containing ground meat. "These items will be very popular in the market."

"Unfortunately for now, this type of food has a fairly high production cost. We can't sell it to the community without suffering a loss" Nata said. "What else is that airtight can," he added later.

"How about we sell it to the upper class?" Dirk seemed desperate to try.

"That will make a gap and envy from others. We can't do it." This time it was Lucia who broke Dirk's plan.

"really. The most possible thing was to sell it for the nobles of other kingdoms. But that's the plan that we will discuss after we have re-opened the gate" Nata replied with a small smile towards Dirk.

Dirk returned Nata's smile. He seemed to get excited again after hearing a glimmer of hope from the young man's words. "good. I understand, Mr. Nata," he replied later.

And thus, the mass manufacture of these foods for military purposes began.

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As for medicines, it still has some obstacles to start mass manufacturing. Because in addition to human resources that are not skilled enough, also some materials are still not developed by themselves and must bring it from other places.

But at least the list for emergency treatment from Nata has all been fulfilled. Which are Antibiotics, Pain Relievers, Cotton, and Gauze Bandages. The equipment has already started mass production for military use.

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