The Farming Saint in the Starry Wasteland (Elizabeth Schofield) novel Chapter 364

Chapter 364 Eco–Pods

Chapter 364 Eco–Pods

Elizabeth didn’t hesitate, and neither did he.

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Trevor laughed, broad and easy. “Leave it to me. Three days, no, two. I’ll have five mid–size transports sent over in two days, already modified and ready to use. More to follow after that, we’ll move them over in batches.”

“And the price?” Elizabeth asked carefully. Military surplus, even the retired kind, wasn’t cheap.

“Price?” Trevor looked at her like she’d said something slightly ridiculous. “These things were headed for the smelter. They’re taking up space. You cover a nominal handling fee and call it clearing our inventory. I’ll have logistics reach out to your people, we’ll run it through the proper paperwork, everything above board.”

It was neatly done. It solved Elizabeth’s problem, sidestepped any appearance of impropriety, and delivered the gesture without making a show of it.

Elizabeth understood exactly what he’d pulled off, and her smile was genuine and wide. “Thank you, Uncle Trevor. This is a bigger help than you know.”

“Don’t mention it. Build that farm into something, that’s all the thanks I need!” He laughed again, added a few words about not running herself into the ground, and then he and Zaylee signed off together.

Elizabeth stood there for a moment, looking at the quiet screen, the smile staying on her face longer than she expected.

With the Hewitts‘ support confirmed and a fleet of transports incoming, the private shipping lane application wasn’t just a plan anymore. It was the next thing on the list.

She turned and looked out at the organized movement across the landing area, new faces waiting, her people working, all of it expanding in real time. Something settled in her chest that hadn’t been there before.

Nearly 2,000 new arrivals in a single day would have strained any organization. For a farm still in the middle of its own rapid build- out, it was a genuine logistical test.

The most pressing problem was housing.

Land wasn’t the issue. Planet A001 was vast and largely empty, and as long as Elizabeth was the one running a farm op–it, she could claim whatever footprint she needed without anyone saying a word.

The issue was structures.

Her working plan had been to keep the new arrivals on their ships for a few days while the farm ran construction around the clock. using the stockpiled modular building components to throw up temporary staff dormitories as fast as mechanically possible.

The materials worked like large–scale interlocking units, quick to assemble with equipment, a standard tool of interstellar settlement.

She pulled up Fiona’s channel. “How much building stock do we have? If it won’t cover housing for this many people, we need to figure out a supplement right now.”

Fiona pulled the inventory, and her expression tightened. “We have a decent amount of standard modules, but most of it was earmarked for production facility expansion and warehouse builds. If we’re talking housing for 2,000 people on a fast turnaround, the gap is significant, especially in insulation panels, interior partitions, and basic living fixtures. Ordering from Centria Planet and waiting on shipping time and cost…”

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10:09 am PP

Chapter 364 Eco–Pods

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Elizabeth thought for a moment, then made the call. “Inventory everything we have, build as much as we can, prioritize families with elderly, young children, or the most difficult circumstances. For the gap…”

She glanced across the pad to where Elmer was wrapping up the final handover with Tany. “I’ll handle it.”

Her plan was straightforward. Ask Elmer to pick up emergency building supplies from Centria Planet on the return trip.

She’d just solved a placement problem involving nearly an entire ship’s worth of people. A supply run wasn’t much to ask in return.

She was about to head over when Elmer came to her first, wearing the expression of someone who’d just remembered something important.

“Ms. Schofield, I caught some of what you and Ms. Powell were saying about housing.”

“Perfect timing. I was about to ask you about sourcing building materials on your way back.”

Elmer shook his head slightly, looking a little sheepish. “That’s my fault. I was focused on the personnel reporting and let the most important piece slip. Let me explain.”

He glanced toward the families gathered quietly on the landing pad, waiting for direction. “You don’t need to worry about housing, at least not the way you’re thinking. Under the First Military standard discharge and disability settlement policy, every soldier who sustains a serious service injury requiring long–term placement receives a portable eco–pod as part of their initial resettlement package. It’s the military’s baseline provision for ensuring injured veterans and their families have somewhere to start.”

“Portable eco–pod.” Elizabeth processed that. She knew the term. Self–contained mobile living units, integrated life support, temperature regulation, and basic sanitation are widely used in frontier settlements and emergency housing.

They weren’t cheap.

Elmer read her expression and kept going. “Military procurement, standardized issue. The spec is designed around keeping injured veterans comfortable and allowing family members to stay close. Three–room configuration, separate bedroom, living area, compact kitchen, and bathroom, running on the latest ecological cycling systems with solid energy autonomy and straightforward maintenance. Not as spacious as a permanent structure, but more than adequate for a core family’s day–to–day needs.”