The grinding sound of the modified core sampling construct as it bored its way through solid rock echoed across the exclave's upper plateau. Elua stood at the edge of what would become the main water distribution hub, watching her creations work with the small satisfaction of an artisan seeing their project move through steps.
She'd expanded its capabilities dramatically for this drilling project. The spinning diamond-edged apparatus now carved perfect cylinders almost a foot and a half in diameter. An energy wasteful ritual that fractured the bottom now targeted six feet, leaving giant pieces of rock to deal with.
'If I could build a real deep drilling apparatus, I could automate it even more. But this will be enough to do it all… with a little arm strength.'
