"I wanna drop the kids off first in case at some point during these proceedings we are more enthusiastically shot at."

"Makes sense."

So they ferry the children to the bunker and Cam makes more sections and so many video games. They can have Earth video games too if they like. Wear themselves out playing DDR and Runaround and other non-language-dependent time-fillers.

The story of why there are now children here is not great for morale in the bunker. Not that falls in morale have costs in productivity, or Maitimo'd do more to manage information, but still. 

Cam probably cannot fix this with material goods. Would anyone like him to try anyway.

There are in fact blessings of happiness if someone desires to be happier. No one really desires to be happier about the present situation.

And that's really creepy anyway not that he would have actually walked the offer back if someone had desperately wanted one.

Next city.

Ossiriand's less discouraging. The terrain's impassable and the orcs are slowly trying to bulldoze through it. The Elves are doing bomber runs that come out of the mountains and mostly keep the Enemy at bay. Their leader was killed recently and now they're kind of unorganized for how well they're fighting the war. 

That's good for them, then. Would they like any stuff.

Food. Bombers. Fuel. There's a nearby Dwarf kingdom fueling them, something to pay the Dwarves with would be useful too.

He can do all these things as long as they don't need an upgraded bomber design. What currency do Dwarves like? Ideally a consumable that won't completely tank a market and make it harder to do ongoing commerce with them.

Lately they've been pushing for uranium. Can Cam do that?

...Cam suspects that is a bad idea. Perhaps these people can convey the escalation theory to the Dwarves along with a lot of exclamation points.

They'll pass it along, but, uh, the Enemy's winning. If they maintain current capabilities the Enemy will definitely win. Getting stronger is the only way they have a chance.

Cam's current tactic is to provide holding action type reinforcements and think really hard about evacuation. If it seems like a good idea to do things with uranium later he can skip the Dwarves some steps. Meanwhile aaaaaaah.

They'll tell the Dwarves he says aaaah. They seem a bit skeptical. Maitimo suggests this might be a good place to land and get a feel for the political landscape and perhaps make sure that message is conveyed effectively.

Down he is put, then, with his personnel.

Which leaves just Cam. Still planning to go get shot at by Dwarves?

Yep. Let's go get shot at.

This mountain range contains an approach to a Dwarf kingdom.

It's even the one Maitimo recommended. Cam flies thataway.

After he's been flying for a while there's a sign in Thindarin, Quenya, and six other languages. It says 'private property. do not approach without invitation. due to the extraordinary circumstances and in accordance with our charter, we will shoot you. if you have backups we will return your chip to a designated representative. if you don't have backups please do not make us shoot you.'

...Cam's really sorry to have to make them shoot him but, uh, is there any obvious way to greet them from behind the sign?

Nope. It's attached to a tree. There are similar ones every few hundred feet. 

He translates "If you really have to shoot me go ahead but I'm friendly and bulletproof", makes a sign, wears it, and flies on.