Billy sat down, intentionally choosing a spot that kept the table between him and Ozzy.

Not that he was worried at all - it was just prudent to give the huge man who killed for a living a bit of room when he was getting over being dead.

"Sure, Ozzy, no problem.

What can I help you with?""I'm just a bit frustrated, Billy.

I want to do my job better, but it's tough.

I only have a couple of skills, and it's really hard to deal with the sedge beasts.

I can barely kill them when I use my special skill and they are immobilized.

But they don't always die in one hit.

Then I have to scramble backwards and try to finish them off with that clumsy hammer.

Even with Lyle helping I've almost died several times before this one got me.

You think maybe you can give me a combat skill, like Great Hammer? Then I could finish them off better, and not have to die again.""That's a real good point, Ozzy.

I'll pass that one upstairs.

But for now I've got to say no.

The guys in HR really worked hard to maximize your skills for working.

Remember, more work means more money at the end.

It's all a trade off.

If I gave you a combat skill, WALLY would just take something else away.

What if that was one of your butchering skills? I'd have to use you for digging ditches.

Neither of us would like that - just can't chance it."

"But tell you what, as we expand we'll be bringing in more people.

Maybe we'll get someone else to take over chopping up the carcasses and have you just kill the cows all day.

If we take away your butchering skills, maybe we could give you something that would go along with your slaughter skill.

""Gee, hadn't thought of it that way, Billy.

And wow, you're so right; I don't want to lose any of my skills.

So it's all a trade off? Gain something - lose something? Lose something - gain something?""Yep, that's how it works, Ozzy.

WALLY made the rules and even ACME has to follow them."Ozzy nodded.

"Well, glad we had this talk Billy.

It helped me get a few things clear in my head.

I'll get back to work now.

Just have to be really careful.

Have to go make a new sledgehammer.

Sedge bull broke the last one." Ozzy walked off leaving Billy wondering what that had all been about.

Not that it mattered.

If he kept doing his job bludgeoning cows, Billy didn't mind a little talk now and then.

Results mattered - and so far Ozzy was ahead of schedule and getting faster.

The contract to sell hides and meat to the Imperial Legions was a bright point in Billy's operation and it brought in cash.

That cash was needed for a hundred other things.

He had 25 serfs and he could work them 10 hours a day - 12 if he pushed it a bit and cranked up the "feel good" effect.

But that had its own problems.

He was pretty sure Ozzy had noticed.

You don't go from 'everything is wonderful' to 'the world is a dark place and I feel dead inside' without noticing the contrast.

But in a couple of hours the Endure skill would have him smiling again.

That brief talk gave Ozzy some bits of information.

The black mood he woke up with was good for something - Ozzy's cynical side was in full force.

He was questioning anything Billy had ever told them and he could draw some conclusions.First, that Billy was lying.

Ozzy had gained a primary skill and hadn't lost anything.

Which meant Billy could let them all have combat skills, but wasn't going to.

ACME didn't want them to have weapons skills.The second thing he realized was this wasn't going to be like earlier games where you were a Player who got a job working for someone else.

Before, they could spend some time adventuring or crafting.

Not so this time.

They were meant to be serfs working for the corporation 24/7.

ACME was going to keep them under control by limiting what they could do.Third, they were limited by a lack of information.

Those fees would mean Contract Workers would just stay in game and not access outside sources.

It was going to take time, but they needed to push to find out what they could do and what they couldn't.

The Slimenator got a spiffy title and new skill.

Ozzy had learned to toss cabers.

What else was there? Each skill represented a way to gain more stats.

Enough stats gained and maybe combat wouldn't be as impossible as the poor guy killing beavers made it out to be.Remembering he had some money, courtesy of the mysterious and generous Dr.

Holmes, he went into the village proper.

The first day they'd all gone shopping - but they'd also been told to by Billy.

After that he'd lost interest - always focused on his work.

He needed to remember that.

Besides the General Store, which seemed to have a bit of everything, the village contained a food market that operated a couple of mornings a week, and a dozen buildings that housed shops or craftsmen.

On the east side of the village the blacksmith, feed store, and livery stable were near each other.

A small building attached to the livery had a sign saying, 'Imperial Courier Service.' But peeking in a window showed it to be empty.

A thin, three-story building was home to the Scribe where Billy picked up his vellum and ink pots.

A plaque attached to the wall by the door declared that this was also the Assay Office, Land Claims Office, and local Mage Guild officer.

An alchemist and tin smith each had half of a large building.

A gristmill was set up along the river running on the west side of town.

A quick visit to the Scribe got him a small blank scroll of vellum and a writing stick.

The writing stick was awkward to use for a lot of writing, being basically a thick reed with a charred end.

After a few sentences you had to burn the end in a candle before continuing.

Good enough, he was just writing some notes to himself.

He just needed to make sure he read them every morning.

He wasn't sure just how far the 'Be happy, don't worry' effect would go, so he was taking precautions.-Pay attention to what Billy says but don't trust him.

-You aren't really happy.-Don't show anyone your character sheet.

-Talk to Rolly, Suzy, and Ben every day.

-Die if you need clarity.That done, he went to the general store.

He purchased a handsaw, file, small wood drill and some strong twine.

Billy hadn't given in about buying another sledgehammer, so he was going to need to fix the broken handles on the three he had.

The heads were just cheap iron, but they'd last a while.

There was no shortage of hardwood limbs for handles.

He worked the rest of the morning repairing sledgehammers.

After a bit, he suddenly felt much better and started whistling as he sanded down another rough oak branch.

Life was good and the work was easy.

Three sturdy handles later he set about tapering the ends to fit into the sockets on the hammer heads.

Then a wedge was pounded in the top to hold the head on the handle.

For good measure he wound the twine several times around the handles and up and over the heads.

They'd do for now.

He was rewarded for his work.

Because you are repairing the tools of your trade as instructed by Boss Billy, you have earned +15 experience in Tool crafting.

Earn another 35 experience to gain Tool crafting as a tertiary skill.

Tool Crafting is governed by DEXYou have gained +15 Experience in DEX