ã€ŠShattered Age - A Tale of Glimmer and Steel (A Crafting Fallout Post-Apocalypse Gamelit)ã€‹


 Chapter 1

    My eyes were focused on a bench, a vise grip, and a very stubborn piece of paint-peeled first-tier mech gauntlet. The hand just didn¡¯t want to close no matter how I calibrated it. Some of the joints were creaking and sparks flew all around the workshop when I tried to force it close.

    ¡°Why are you being so difficult!¡± I yelled, throwing my arms up in protest and almost knocking an old warped ResTech sword from its place on the wall. ¡°A five-credit job...yeah, right! Next time I¡¯ll tell him to go¡ª¡±

    A shrill wail of sirens coming from outside cut through my curse and stopped my train of thought. It was enough of a surprise that I jerked away from the robotic hand and hit my head on the hanging rack above. Luckily, there was a small monster corpse swinging in the chains or I could have had a very nasty headache.

    Waaaaaa, the siren screeched with its full-throated blare, and it didn¡¯t do much to cut through the momentary pain that shot through my skull.

    ¡°Could have been worse,¡± I grunted and looked around the shop to see the result of my blunder.

    Several tools had fallen to the ground when I jerked away from the mech hand. An inner war raged within me for a split second as I didn¡¯t want to miss the monster attack, yet I¡¯d promised myself to always keep a clean workshop.

    With a deep sigh, I hurriedly grabbed them off the floor and started sliding them into their slots and spaces, dodging the gel-filled canister of ungrown crystals and shredded organics, before hurriedly tap-dancing around the rest of the workspace.

    I looked around the workshop one more time, and once I was satisfied that everything was in place, headed out the door. The sun¡¯s position told me it was already noon, so the pickings were bound to be good if the monster didn¡¯t get too badly damaged.

    Across my workshop, other craftsmen were shuttering their stores and locking their doors, quickly stowing the symbols of their trade within until the monster event had passed.

    I smiled, happy for my location. Other scavengers didn¡¯t have workshop real estate, for one thing, living out in the quick-build hovels of the Scavenger District. And secondly, most of them would be out for lunch during this time, which gave me an obvious advantage in securing a scavenging spot.

    I chuckled, picturing faces I knew scampering about and desperately cramming half-eaten lunches into carry bags and travel sacks from where they¡¯d been sitting under ragged prewar billboards showing oddities like SmartTime Travel and Queen Burger Deluxe.

    ¡°What are you just standing there for, Alaric?¡± a sweetly annoying voice said from behind. ¡°Want to join this beauty on the wall and see some monsters getting smashed?¡±

    I turned, already knowing who¡¯d spoken. Ellinor stood there in her white overalls and gray leather engineering apron. Her face was blackened by grease and her black hair pulled back into a wispy half-cocked ponytail. She¡¯d obviously been in the thick of some mechanical tick-tock going from her looks, as she always tried to keep up appearances. Even while working on machines and mechs.

    Behind her steamed the stone-metal mess of her parts shop, an ever-growing part-time monstrosity that she frequently decorated with old-world signs and scavenge. The newest find was a gaudy pinup poster, its laminated half-clad woman still in pristine condition despite the hundreds of years that had passed.

    Elli gave me a saucy grin as she noticed where I was looking.

    ¡°Good, right?¡± she asked with a wink.

    I nodded. Wasn¡¯t bad to look at for sure. And it helped set off the fact that most of it was a multi-colored, ugly monstrosity of a building that jutted at weird angles. An old rusting vending machine marked Ride the Wide ¡ª WideTaste Cola held up one corner of her shop, and I wondered what would happen when it finally toppled.

    She spent a lot of time there, only leaving it vacant when she had a mech order to fill in her uptown bays. I hated to think she might be inside that place when it gave in.

    I took a deep breath, ready to tell her that the place needed to be broken down and started anew when she put a finger to my lips to silence me. Her crooked grin told me she was happy for the break, and that this wasn¡¯t the time for nagging. Looking at her beaming face, I realized I was happy about it too.

    I shot her a grin and crooked my elbow.

    ¡°My lady. May I have the honor?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh, stuff a second-tier helmet on that business,¡± she scowled, though her eyes glittered playfully in the light of the blazing sun. ¡°I ain¡¯t no lady, and you know that.¡±

    ¡°That remains to be seen,¡± I said, winking. ¡°I still haven¡¯t been in your bed chamber.¡±

    ¡°And you never will at this rate! All you do is deny me the pleasure of bedding you, crazy man. Anyway, let¡¯s go. I want a spot on the gate before it gets too crowded.¡±

    ¡°Considering how late we are, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be as lucky.¡±

    ¡°Race you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so unlady-like!¡± I yelled after her as she bolted off up the street.

    I rushed after her, tearing over old tech pavement patched with cracked cobblestone and through the thickening street crowds, trying to keep up. Despite being built like a noble with a pale complexion and delicate features, she was a devil in all ways that mattered.

    We raced past food vendors and street hawkers, jumping over an old-cloaked beggar, and twirled past a whole gaggle of mothers with their tots.

    The city around us buzzed with excitement, a chaotic symphony of sounds and movements, old tech and new whistling and grinding as machines were shut down in obeisance to the coming confrontation. The sun, high in the sky, cast sharp shadows that danced around them, adding to the frenzied energy of the moment.

    The streets were filled with people of all sorts, most quite dirty and poorly-dressed, others wearing craft attire and the appropriate stains, and even a single plutocrat was there. He was a man in a fine blue gentleman¡¯s coat with white ruffles, daintily making his way to a rickshaw cab to presumably see the action from the first row.

    Vendors shouted over each other, trying to hawk their wares to the excited crowd. The smell of roasting meat and fresh bread mingled with the dusty air, and as I watched, Ellinor grabbed a loaf from one merchant¡¯s hand, while handing her credit chip with the other. The man caught it deftly, ran it across a scanner, and handed it back to her, flashing her a thumbs-up.

    Running and dodging, we made our way around a group of children being scooted together by an elderly nanny in the plain white-and-black clothes of a childminder, their excitement and laughter ringing in my ears almost as loud as the blaring sirens from earlier.

    Ellinor, now a few steps behind, skillfully maneuvered past a cart laden with fruits, the vendor barely glancing up as she whizzed by him and into the grass and trees of Worker Park. We swung past its ancient, lettered free-standing gates, past where the fences would have once been, and through sparsely-forested lawns.

    ¡°How are you so fast while still eating?¡± I yelled after her as she kept slightly ahead of me.

    She skidded to a halt, and I almost bumped into her as we turned hard around the corner and into the denser, more eager crowd standing around the gate. Spectators jostled for position, trying to secure a spot with a clear view of the upcoming battle.

    A group of knights passed by us, their massive forms towering several feet above us like ogres from children''s stories. The crowd jostled and shoved, hurriedly moving out of their way. They all wore plated armor and helmets aside from the White Knight, as people called him. Leopold Bassewitz was his name, and he marched helmetless. His blue eyes and long golden hair shone lovingly in the rays of the cloudless sky.

    The knight headed straight for his mech, a heavy 50-ton Cataphract that jingled chain barding off its broad old-tech chassis. It didn¡¯t look much different than he did, a knight in heavy armor wearing a shield in one hand and a sword in the other, only many times larger.

    ¡°Come on, this way!¡± Ellinor shouted over the din, grabbing my hand and pulling me through a narrow gap between two groups of onlookers standing on the sidewalk. They moved out of the way seeing she was an engineer by her clothes and the cap narrowly hanging on atop her head.

    We reached the base of the city wall as the mechs started moving within the barracks and made their way out onto the main road further leading out through the gate. With quick steps, we ascended the stairs leading to the top of the gate. The steps were worn and hundreds of years old, yet stronger than anything the people could make today. Their worn edges made them daring to climb fast-footed, so not many would follow after us.

    At the top, we were greeted by a wall of bodies, spectators who had arrived earlier as if they¡¯d known there would be a monster incursion. Ellinor pushed forward, her elbows creating a path for us.

    One man made a turn, saw Ellinor, took in her large frame and greasy leather mechanic¡¯s apron and cap, then backed out of her way.

    I chuckled, knowing that her position certainly came with its privileges.

    After some more pushing around, we emerged at the edge of the gate, a tiny sliver of edge to plop down on and dangle our legs from while taking in the battlefield before us. The vast expanse beyond the city walls stretched out, a stark contrast to the cramped streets we just navigated.

    ¡°This is gonna be a good day, Al,¡± Ellinor wheezed, trying to breathe through her nose and mouth at the same time.

    Elli snorted, which only made her look even less ladylike, and more like another me. She ruffled my hair as I grinned at her, knowing very well I hated it. A smudge of sticky sludge caught on my forehead, which I promptly wiped off and smeared across her cheek.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°That is just plain nasty, Al. You don¡¯t do that to a lady!¡±

    ¡°Lady? Where? I thought you said you were no lady and I should know better. Just minutes ago you offered to bed me,¡± I protested.

    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s when we¡¯re alone! There are other people here and if they see my dirty face, I¡¯ll never get a cute husband! Or a lover!¡±

    I sighed and shook my head, only to get hit in the shoulder yet again.

    ¡°Just teasing ya. I don¡¯t need no cute man, I got you. Well, if you stop being a little bitch and hook up with me one day before I get old.¡±

    ¡°Not interested in the slightest to marry up, your ladyship. Also, you¡¯re too much of a tomboy and not cute at all with all that grease on your face.¡±

    ¡°B¡ªbut that was your fault!¡±

    ¡°Hush already, we¡¯re gonna miss the battle and you¡¯re annoying the people.¡±

    ¡°What people?¡± she asked and looked past me. Nobody paid us any attention. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re still single, you fool,¡± she mumbled and settled in next to me, leaning her shoulder against mine.

    I ignored her, not interested in the slightest in hooking up with anyone. At least not for now. There were far more important things I needed to do before even thinking about connecting with someone on an emotional level. Maybe down the line as we¡¯d been friends for years, but I meant what I said. I wouldn¡¯t use anyone to get ahead in life, even if it was just a small step. I wanted to be the one to pull others up alongside me, no matter how stupid it sounded.

    The barracks were a hive of activity, with support staff uncoupling the fighting mechs and helping the knights up the long ladders that led to the loading platforms. The stylish and highly polished pearl-white of their armor gleamed wildly in the bright sun. It made it hard to watch them directly, yet no one looked away as the White Knight moved his mech.

    These were some of the champions of Alnda, the great heroes of the fields and waters of the Principality of Erondas, and the digits and fingers of Duke Harold Merseburg himself. When they rode out, everyone knew we were in trouble.

    As the knights entered their towering Cataphracts, five in total, with a dozen smaller 30-ton Toxotai ballistic support mechs already saddled and standing at the ready, attention turned to the newcomers. They were massive monstrosities pushing into the fighting field that separated the farms to one side, and the forests and ruins to the other. The only thing worth protecting just as much as the nobility were the farms as there was no life without crops. Entire cities had fallen after leaving their farms to be overrun by monsters.

    ¡°Boo to the scratch-feeders!¡± Ellinor called, her hands cupped to the sides of her mouth.

    More jeers and catcalls joined hers, with the people of the city crying their own hate for the creatures from beyond. They had caused death on an unprecedented scale, destroying entire cities and killing millions across the world. Or so the stories went.

    I stared at them as I usually did, lost in the alienness of their being. The monsters lumbering across the fields had been the stuff of nightmares when I¡¯d first seen them as a toddler, huddled between the knees of my mother. That was before they died, and before I¡¯d been taken in and given food, lodging, and tutelage by the Scavenger¡¯s Guild. It was only thanks to them that I retained the workshop of my dead parents.

    The three monsters were colossal, easily dwarfing the city¡¯s wall. It was a wonder that they were even able to move given how much weight their armor and massive muscles added to their figures. But that was part of their whole strangeness, how they could step lightly across the plains without leaving nary a footprint, how they could sidestep attacks with very little effort.

    ¡°This one¡¯s worth watching for sure,¡± Ellinor said excitedly, and I had to agree. Not only because of the battle but because of what would come afterward. The scavenging. That¡¯s why we¡¯d come, after all.

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait to dig in,¡± I said, patting her knee.

    She raised an eyebrow at me and smirked.

    ¡°Getting a bit too grabby with your hands, Loverboy.¡±

    ¡°Shut it, you with your smudged face. Who would even want you?¡± I shot back with a grin.

    I turned back to the monsters. Today was an interesting day as creatures that big usually didn¡¯t come in packs or even smaller groups. They came alone.

    We eyed the trio. Though all three of them had the distinctive crop-eating shovel snouts, their bodies couldn¡¯t be more different.

    The first resembled a gargantuan serpent, its body rippling beneath dark, iridescent blue scales that shimmered with a rainbow gleam as it shifted position to tear new tracts in the soil. Its scales were so densely packed that they appeared impenetrable. Almost like a shield forged from the night sky itself. Its eyes were large and glowed an electric green. They held a depth of intelligence that was unsettling even from this far out.

    The second monster was more ambulatory, its body supported by four thick, tree-trunk-like legs. Its skin was a patchwork of rough hide and bony plates, each a different hue of earthy brown and moss green, creating a natural camouflage against the backdrop of the forests and fields. The creature, however, stood out against the azure blue of the horizon, head dipped down into the waving stalks of wild grain. A crest of jagged spikes rose like a crown from the top of its skull. The eyes of this monster glowed the same electric green but with a wild, uncontrolled ferocity.

    The third was the most alien of them all, insect-like with a multitude of legs that clicked loudly as it moved. Despite the sharp spear-like endings of its appendage, only its shovel-mouth left any trace that it had even been there. The monster¡¯s body was covered in an oversized scale that was translucent and shimmering, occasionally giving all of us a direct view of its ugly black and gray pulsing innards as it shifted from patch to patch, trying to get any food into its maw. The head resembled a long beak with eyes and shark teeth, which made it look even more unsettling. The last pair of eyes were just as green as those of the other monsters, and it only made sense.

    Greens worked with greens, reds with reds, and yellows with yellows. Monsters never packed with other colors, even when they were the same body type.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen these kinds before,¡± I admitted, nudging Elli with my shoulder. ¡°You know that I¡¯ve never gone out to scavenge the big ones, right?¡±

    Elli whistled.

    ¡°Those monsters out there, they¡¯re in a whole lot of trouble,¡± she joked. ¡°They¡¯re all greenies, and the snake is a Slythra, while the four-legger is a Terrabrax and the insect is a Glimmerhusk. All of them are tough as nails out in the wild, but our guys¡¯ll get ¡®em easy. Or we¡¯re all dead anyway, so not much to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Greens. Yeah, they¡¯re among the more feral types, I know. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t recognize their species. Which makes me wonder if I should write some kind of guide for idiots like myself.¡±

    Each monster emitted a low, resonant sound, a mix of growls, clicks, and hisses that echoed across the long distance.

    The mechs thundered out of the city, making their way through the gate and heading along the single road that allowed something as heavy as a Cataphract to move without issues. The Toxotai joined them and just then the air around the monsters began to shimmer, almost like the air above hot pavement on an incredibly hot summer¡¯s day.

    ¡°It¡¯s too early,¡± Elli said with a hushed hiss. ¡°The monsters shouldn¡¯t have even noticed them yet! Or have they? Why are they all aggressive? Maybe it¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Cheers began to rise on all sides of the battlements and from the ground below and behind us, drowning our thoughts. Stomping forward and leaving heavy footprints in their wake, the Cataphracts marched first. Towering at an impressive height, these mechs were a blend of new-tech and old, the sort of thing only the nobles and plutocrats could afford, and rare enough to have fantastic specials in combat.

    Their broad, old-tech chassis were wrapped in thick links of chain, mimicking the chainmail worn by foot soldiers. Unlike the new-tech mechs, the Cataphracts moved without whining gears or grinding driveshafts, their joints expertly articulated for taking abuse from monsters, but they were still quick enough to outmaneuver lumbering monstrosities. The shoulder plates were engraved with heraldic symbols, reflecting the noble lineage of the knight inside each of the machines.

    The five Cataphracts clutched a massive blade in their right hand, and an equally massive shield in their left. Three of them wore axes on their backs, one a mace, and the White Knight had a battle hammer as a secondary weapon. Their helmet-shaped heads, with narrow slits for visual sensors, locked onto the monsters, watching them for their reaction as they marched.

    Behind them came the Toxotai. They were leaner, smaller, and more agile, and usually piloted by lesser nobles or those lucky enough to get their hands on a growth core. They were equally white but wore ballista and chain sickles on their backs so they could trap and attack monsters from afar. Toxotai were the ones who would usually drive the monsters into place, allowing the Cataphracts to corner and kill their opponents.

    The smaller mech were without barding and instead of heraldry, their shoulders sported the badge of the Duke, and the Principality of Erondas. The plate armor of their design was noticeably thinner and weaker, and I¡¯d seen more than once just how weak it was when meeting oversized monsters.

    The ballista they carried was large enough that they needed both hands to wield it properly. All four eyes on every Toxotai locked onto the monsters in the same way the Cataphracts had, then began to fan out to the flanks, seven going to each side.

    ¡°This is going to be so good!¡± Elli squealed. ¡°Want to make a bet? I¡¯ll be your girlfriend for a week if you win, and you will have to be¡ªwhat?¡± she asked as I shot her a confused look, but then turned back toward the battle.

    The Cataphracts had drawn their swords and were ready to strike and bring tons of monster bone and steel down on the three creatures.

    ¡°Focus, Elli. You¡¯re losing it.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yes,¡± she muttered, leaning back into me yet again.

    With a sudden burst of speed, the lead Cataphract charged, its shield raised high. The ground trembled beneath its weight, and we could feel it even from where we sat, our legs and feet dangling off the gate.

    The mechs¡¯ blades flared, yellow-orange heat rippling through them as the first monster, the serpent, reared back as if preparing to dart forward again. The other monsters stopped their grazing, regarding the incoming mechs with bared, sharpened teeth.

    Pounding forward, the squad of Cataphracts barreled in a V-formation. Despite being monsters of the same coloring, their more basic and feral instincts told them to fight by themselves. They began to spread out instead of bunching up together, just as the Cataphracts fired volleys of sparking electric lances. Ballista bolts started hammering down on the insect-like monster then, every Toxotai targeted the same creature. One of the bolts managed to pierce its chitinous head; it staggered and fell, but was still far from dead.

    The lead Cataphract swung his blade, aiming for the serpentine monster next to keep it away. The beast reared back, its iridescent scales glinting, and let out a hissing roar. The blade struck home, a deafening clang echoing as metal met scale. Sparks flew in all directions as the blade superheated and dug into its flesh, burning it.

    The battlefield erupted into a chaotic dance of metal giants and monstrous beasts with the four-legged monster charging at a Cataphract, its bony plates rattling. The mech braced for impact, angling its shield slightly and away from itself. It absorbed the brunt of the collision, the monster''s jaws snapped shut inches from the mech''s visor, the sound like a crack of thunder.

    The Cataphract¡¯s blade flashed and came down on the monster¡¯s neck, but bounced off as there hadn¡¯t been enough power behind the blow. What it did, though, was put the creature on the defensive and create an opening for the smaller mechs.

    A Toxotai, seizing the opportunity, darted in and released a bolt at close range. The projectile embedded itself in the creature''s flank, causing it to bellow in rage and pain as surges of electricity paralyzed it in place. The mech retreated just as quickly, narrowly avoiding a swipe of the beast''s massive claw as more Toxotai threw their chained sickles at the creature to try and root it in place.

    Above the fray and with our feet dangling from the gate, we watched with genuine awe. There was a clear and rather large difference between the usual knights and The Whites.

    Three Toxotai drew the snake-like monster away, leaving the insect to deal with three Cataphracts and four other Toxotai. The larger mechs used their shields to box it in from three sides, almost in a loose crescent, while the support mechs delivered constant ranged attacks that disabled both hind legs. The slightly larger lead Cataphract surged forward, bringing his blade up and through the monster¡¯s chin. It was just long enough to pass through bone and into the brain.

    ¡°There goes the first! And what a clean kill!¡± Elli cried, imitating arena announcers. She got to her feet and offered me a hand. I took it and stood as she danced in place.

    The first monster was dead, and by the time the larger group could even round on the second monster, the four-legged creature with a ballista bolt stuck in its skull was held by three other Toxotai. Their chain sickles were stuck in the ground and kept the monster in place. A moment later, it fell to the other two Cata¡¯s as they brought their blades down on the neck and cut the head off. The crowd around us erupted into another victorious cheer and a knowing look passed between us.

    ¡°Scavenging time!¡± we said in unison and hurried back down to the gate.

    Neither of us saw how the snake monster fell, but that didn¡¯t matter. The only thing more important than living through an attack was to get out and scavenge the creatures to earn some credits and junk no one else needed.

 Chapter 2

    The air was still tinged with the electric charge of excitement. Once the beasts died, people stopped cheering. I could feel the atmosphere shift towards a more somber tone, one that always set in after the show: reality.

    We moved swiftly through the thinning crowd, our minds already turning to the tasks that lay ahead. It¡¯d been a good monster fight but being a spectator didn¡¯t pay the bills and put food on the table. Only hard work did. Time equaled credits after all.

    As we navigated through the dispersing masses, the stern voices of city guards cut through the lingering chatter. Clad in their imposing armor and lightly enhanced by the monster seeds or small crystals dredged from monster flesh, the guards moved with a practiced and supernatural efficiency. Their presence was a sobering reminder of everyone¡¯s place and duty to the empire and crown.

    ¡°Back to your stations! All of you! Get back to work!¡± one of the guards bellowed, his voice carrying abnormally clear and far. ¡°The festivities are over! Any dawdling and it will be the brig or half-pay for the day!¡±

    People hastened their steps, expressions shifting from relaxed contentment to resigned acceptance. A few muttered, but the majority kept their heads down as they skittered away, hurrying back to the factories and stills of their various crafts. It was a very humbling experience, as no matter how much we thought that we were a part of this place, the reality was that we only served its rulers.

    Ellinor and I quickened our steps, eyes focused on the path ahead.

    ¡°Hurry up, slowpoke!¡± Ellinor shot over her shoulder as she seemed to dance her way forward. It was almost a delight to watch her. ¡°Or we¡¯ll be late to bid for the scavenging!¡±

    Pushing through the city¡¯s massive gate, we entered the defensive zone, a no-man¡¯s land that bore silent witness to numerous past skirmishes. There, amidst the tall grass, rock piles, and many dilapidated farms, history lingered in the form of old trenches and abandoned fieldworks.

    My stride shifted and steps became long and swift, honed by years of navigating the treacherous terrain beyond the wall, all in the pursuit of monster remains. Usually, it had been smaller and much weaker monsters, but this time was different.

    Ellinor matched my pace effortlessly, her eyes scanning the landscape with an engineer¡¯s precision. We were in a race against time and competition, and behind us, a motley crew of other scavengers followed. Their steps were less assured and expressions a m¨¦lange of frustration and determination. They were the slower ones, those who were too old to keep up or who hadn¡¯t quite mastered the art of rapid traversal over uneven ground. Most of them were older men and women that despite being veterans of many monster dismantlers, couldn¡¯t keep up with the younger generation.

    Ahead, the Toxotai mechs, sleek and imposing, stood guard over the carcasses. Their presence was a necessary precaution to ensure that the processing would go smoothly and people wouldn¡¯t become greedy. Even if it was just for a small piece of meat that could be processed into power pills or medicine.

    Beside the translucent remains of the Glimmerhusk, a massive pearl-white Cataphract was stationed, the pilot nonchalantly perched against its metallic hull. A loosely rolled cigarette burned in his fingers as he eyed the scavengers heading for the monsters with disdain. And why wouldn¡¯t he? In their eyes, it was the mech pilots who did all the work and we were there to pick up the scraps.

    The funny thing? He wasn¡¯t even wrong¡­

    I looked back down to the Glimmerhusk with a scavenger¡¯s keen interest. The creature¡¯s iridescent carapace shimmered in the sunlight. Something about the monster spoke to me, almost as if calling my name and promising me a great reward if I only answered.

    ¡°There,¡± I said, pointing to the corpse. ¡°Let¡¯s do the Glimmerhusk. Imagine if we got lucky and snagged a phase core. That¡¯d get us a lot of cred, even if we shared.¡±

    Ellinor¡¯s eyes lit up and she wiggled her eyebrows.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯d even let me take it as my cut? I¡¯ve never machined a mech with phasal displacement.¡±

    Her eyes shone at the thought and we tore sideways at an angle, leaping over an old fallen-in trench to reach our location. I laughed at how she twirled like a dancer. Despite her insistence on not being ladylike, Ellinor¡¯s behavior said otherwise.

    The monster looked harmless with its brain blown away, but I¡¯d heard stories about death twitches or monsters pretending to be dead so they could take a mech along for a ride into the afterlife. The Cataphract pilot casually flicked the butt of his cigarette to the ground, eyeing us and the stream of other scavengers trailing behind with mild curiosity. A few people had made it ahead of us, but Ellinor and I were well within the time limit to get scavenging rights on any of the three dead monsters.

    My grip tightened on my tool bag, already imagining our possible haul. A slow scavenger was a hungry one, and a lippy scavenger was a dead one. I kept my mouth shut and just kept moving.

    I turned to the Glimmerhusk once we stood in line, searching for where to enter as we waited for the Central Bank¡¯s representative to talk to us. He was just done renting out a batch of tools, and from what I could see, only a few ripsaws remained. I grabbed her hand and pushed past two other scavengers.

    ¡°Day, good man,¡± I said, stopping in front of the rep. ¡°We¡¯d like to work on the Glimmerhusk.¡±

    ¡°The two of you?¡± he asked with a flat look. The man was rail thin and barely five feet tall, but well-clad. He wore a blue overall suit that symbolized the Central Bank and a cap that covered his eyes and face from the sun.

    ¡°Yes, the two of us. A ripsaw and a tool kit if you don¡¯t mind,¡± I said, offering the man an earnest smile. Being kind and respectful to people in power usually got you a better deal when scavenging, so I didn¡¯t mind swallowing a hint of my pride.

    Elli pinched my arm and I pulled away, scowling over my shoulder.

    ¡°A couple, huh?¡± the man mumbled. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make you a deal. Fifteen credits for both.¡±

    My head snapped so fast my brain didn¡¯t have time to catch up.

    ¡°Fifteen?¡±

    ¡°What? Are you giving me lip, son?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t, sorry,¡± I said, raising my hands in defense. ¡°I thought it was going to be more, good man.¡±

    ¡°Nice save,¡± Elli whispered in my ear.

    The man pretended not to hear and held out his hand. I offered him my chip and he subtracted fifteen credits, then handed us two vouchers. One was for a toolbox and the other was for the ripsaw.

    ¡°You break them, you buy them,¡± he said, holding on to the vouchers for a second too long.

    ¡°We know, good man. This isn¡¯t the first time we¡¯re doing this.¡±

    He nodded toward the tool car and we hurried over, grabbing the gear and hurrying to the Glimmerhusk.

    Finding the best bits was as much luck as it was skill since the bodies were somewhat random. Gems and cores came from the chakra, which were easy enough to find. Monster heart, liver, arms, legs, hands, and feet were always a good dig through. The competition was fast so we didn¡¯t have much time to decide on an entry point.

    Luckily, Elli was a champ and had the favor of Mother Luck as she usually found a gem or two. Those good runs had sponsored her engineering projects at the Royal Assembly. And even though she hadn¡¯t graduated yet, her station in life left her a free woman with a rare engineer¡¯s cap that got her access to most places, a parts shop on my street, and a home in uptown complete with mech bays and a license to work on them. It was a giant step-up above all of us serfs that populated most of the city. Compared to her, I was the dirt beneath her boots. At least when it came to ¡®importance¡¯ to the city.

    We made our way to the fallen Glimmerhusk, deciding to dig through the creature''s translucent carapace. It had been the part that drew my eye and made me want to dig there in the first place.

    The knight stationed nearby briefly glanced over at us, his eyes showing just how much he loved being there in the midday heat. Unfazed by his gaze, we quickly set to work, unrolling the toolkit and setting up the ripsaw.

    The knight cleared his throat and raised an arm. We stopped and turned to face him, a dread quickly setting in my guts.

    ¡°Hey, vultures,¡± he said with a condescending tone. ¡°If you find a phasing gem, let me know. It¡¯s mine,¡± he said, staring at us with a fake smile. ¡°I need the level-up. Plan to go questing in the next season.¡±

    ¡°I¡­uhh--¡±

    Getting caught off my game wasn¡¯t something that usually happened, but the casual bully grab of the knights was something that seriously messed with earnings for people like me, and yet both the Central Bank and the Crown allowed it.

    A phasing gem would have been big money if it was intact. Hell, even imperfect and damaged ones could earn enough credits to live off for a month.

    I sighed and nodded, giving the young nobleman an equally false smile.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I said, but knew very well that I wouldn¡¯t even think of it. I¡¯d rather get caught smuggling one than lose out.

    The knight sat back down, his eyes already somewhere else as he muttered something to himself. His type thought us weak and beneath them, afraid to take risks so we would always obey their orders without question. Besides, who would believe a vulture over a knight? Just imagining it sounded preposterous.

    Elli cursed under her breath as she worked the ripsaw. I was in no delusion that she¡¯d been the only reason why he¡¯d been ¡®nice¡¯ in the first place.

    ¡°He¡¯s a big fish, Alaric. No attitude. You get to checking the heart chakra, I¡¯ll hit the legs and help you make some money. No big deal. Give him his get, and no one gets hurt.¡±

    With a practiced grip, Elli started the saw up and set to work on the Glimmerhusk''s translucent hide. The blade bit into the creature''s otherworldly flesh, releasing a guttural belch of gasses that filled the air with an unearthly stench, potent, and alien.

    ¡°There could be a haste gem in the legs,¡± she murmured more to herself than to me, her eyes fixed on the jagged incision she was making. ¡°But my money''s on the knight being right that there¡¯s a phasing gem here. I can feel it! Dig in and I¡¯ll make more holes.¡±

    She shot me a quick, determined nod before moving away. The stench seemed to hit the knight, and to my surprise, he entered his mech and strode off. Now that was a fortunate turn of events.

    I momentarily watched the growing swarm of fellow scavengers descending on the other fallen creatures and some even joined us on the Glimmerhusk, though there weren¡¯t any tools left. Those who were too late usually rummaged through the holes left by other scavengers who didn¡¯t have the time to dig through every layer of flesh.

    The Glimmerhusk''s skin proved challenging, its surface was tough and the severed edges were just as lethal as sharpened blades. Maneuvering the massive tongs, I broke off the sharp edges so I didn¡¯t cut myself. Despite that, my hands and arms caught on a sharp scale that nicked my skin and drew blood. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Just a scratch,¡± I hissed, not bothering with looking. It wasn¡¯t deep enough to get worried over, and any minute spent tending to small cuts and bruises was another minute other scavengers could get ahead of us.

    I worked with swift, precise movements, snipping through the tough alien tissue, and felt the time pass. Seconds turned to minutes, and then even half an hour as I still hadn¡¯t managed to get through the tough interior. Switching to a robust spreader, I carefully pried apart the creature''s crystalline bone structure, inching closer to the heart. Working on such a large monster was different from what I¡¯d done so far. These creatures were easily four or five times larger than my largest scavenge, hence the steep admission price.

    As I made my way deeper, something unexpected caught my eye¡ªa fleeting glint amidst the carnage. I halted, squinting to discern what it was. Twisting to look over my shoulder, I noticed that the beast''s stomach had been torn open in the fray. From within the gash, a slow seepage of dirty, green-tinged ooze glurped into the surrounding cavity. Amongst the muck, metallic fragments shimmered, and there, partially submerged, lay¡­ a chip? How? And why would it even be there? Was it part of an old-tech mech board, perhaps? The potential value of such a find sent a ripple of excitement through me. It wasn¡¯t anything new as vultures tended to find those often, but usually in smaller monsters that had eaten the tech or got it stuck to their bodies.

    Casting a glance at the Toxotai guards and the knight, I noted their lackluster attention. Their gazes drifted aimlessly and they looked bored. Some were joking around and others were asleep.

    I took a deep breath and made a decision. Seizing on their distraction, I navigated the gnarled innards of the fallen Glimmerhusk. My fingers pried through the mess, finding the mech chip. I pulled it out slowly, making it look as if I was still rummaging through its innards. I took a quick peek to judge it up close.

    It was a sizable, rectangular chip, a bit too awkwardly large. The circuitry and familiar design hinted at its origin ¡ª an old-tech mech control board, a relic of sophisticated engineering once used for powering and guiding the colossal mechs. But that wasn¡¯t all. It was made out of a red metallic substance that covered most of it, even the vulnerable circuits.

    I glanced over to Ellinor, seeing she was still focused on her task and unaware of my find. Her trust was implicit, unspoken yet resolute. I steeled my resolve. If Elli could brave the risks for our shared goals, I could match her courage. The chip was a gamble, but one I was willing to take.

    I left it there and hurried over to the tool bag, pulled out a rolling slicer, and made my way back to the man-sized hole. I cut exploratory criss-cross patterns across the massive organ until I felt something hard. I dropped the dirty slicer and bent over, picked the chip up, stashed it inside my boot, picked the slicer back up, and held it in my free hand as I rummaged inside with the other. My fingers caught around something solid.

    My heart quickened even further. Yes, this was it! If I could even get a single decent gem or ¡®bribe¡¯ for the knight, he could very well cover for us when we made our way back to the city. It wasn¡¯t unheard of, and if I caught him in a good mood¡­

    I retrieved the bladed core-catcher and shoved its serrated circular mouth over the hole where I¡¯d pushed my arm in. Giving it a good twist, I heard the meat pop as the core was pulled into the chamber by the device¡¯s clever vacuum extraction capabilities.

    I froze for a moment, closed my eyes, and said a prayer.

    It¡¯s now or never.

    I pulled myself out of the hole and opened the core-catcher, and retrieved the gem. Before I could even call out, I noticed movement in my periphery, almost as if the knight had felt the gem. Flesh and blood dripped from it as I held it up, looking it over. The gem pulsed purple, and seemed to be in nine places at once.

    ¡°Sir!¡± I yelled, turning to the knight. He¡¯d been looking away, but I could swear his eyes had been on me somehow.

    The knight exited his mech again and made his way over to me, plucking the gem from my hand.

    ¡°Good work, vulture. Tell your lady friend she¡¯s got a job to install it. I¡¯ll throw in some credits because you didn¡¯t try and hide it from me. I can respect an honest man, even if he¡¯s a bottom feeder.¡±

    ¡°Will do, good Sir. Your name is?¡±

    ¡°Sir Alain Hembersworth. Tell her to find me tomorrow at noon,¡± he said, before putting his hand on my shoulder and squeezing. ¡°The gods smile on selfless people like you, vulture. I pray you find good fortune.¡±

    I watched as the knight tucked the luminescent gem into a small, rugged sack that hung from his belt. He eyed it with wonder; it wasn¡¯t just mechs that were old-tech. The silky bag the man carried was practically indestructible and worth a fortune on its own.

    With the gem secured, the knight made his way back to the Cataphract, its frame still ticking with the dissipating heat of intense battle. He took to his metal mounting ladder, his steps echoing on the rungs that led up to the open cockpit, his ascent swift and practiced.

    Reaching the top, he paused for a moment, surveying the landscape from his elevated vantage point. Then, with a fluid motion, the knight swung himself back into the cockpit, the heavy metal hatch closing with a resounding clang behind him.

    I watched in surprise as he turned about and marched off toward the city, leaving the back of the Glimmerhusk without supervision. That told the Toxotoi not to interfere with whatever we would find. Shit. If Mother Luck really existed, I sure hoped she had a plan for us today.

    ¡°I guess I was wrong about that nobleman,¡± I muttered. ¡°Maybe I could be one of his ilk one day. Take my due and leave the little man to his luck.¡±

    Ellinor cleared her throat, startling me.

    ¡°I found what could pass for a level 2 speed gem. You take it. I heard what the noble said before he left. Maybe they will let you smuggle some meat for crystallization.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I''ll handle the chopping,¡± I said absently. ¡°The crystal? That''s all yours, Elli. You''ve got that custom gig coming up. It''ll come in handy.¡±

    Elli knelt, her hands deftly tearing through the monster''s flesh. Looking at me, she noticed my distracted gaze.

    ¡°Hey, you seem a million miles away. What''s eating you?¡±

    I exhaled a heavy sigh, my gaze lingering on the horizon for a moment too long.

    ¡°It''s nothing... I''ll fill you in later,¡± I muttered, brushing off her concern with a forced smile. My mind, however, was already racing ahead, weaving through the maze of what-ifs and maybes that the chip had unleashed.

    The process of filling our sacks with the remnants of the monster''s carcass was a meticulous one that took most of the day. We worked in tandem, hefting the heavy, gory contents into the thick, durable fabric of the sacks. Our movements were practiced and efficient, and after a few hours, the sound of steam and thump told us we were done.

    The central collector, a hulking automaton, lumbered towards us on six, thick and stubby legs that seemed too small for its massive body. Faded lettering on its side announced the words US ARMY, but I never understood what a ¡®us army¡¯ meant or what it had been. Its movements were crooked and janky, each step a warped cranking squeal as the scrappy modern science of new-tech mech work clashed with the former work of the ancients.

    The collector''s exterior was a patchwork of metal plates, dented and scarred from years of service, giving it an almost battle-worn appearance. Rust speckled, its joints hinted at the countless cycles it had endured in the harsh outdoor conditions.

    Beneath this mechanical behemoth, hanging from the bottom of the transport mech in a gondola filled with sheets of paper and a mess of gadgets, sat the pilot. He looked well eccentric, a man whose beard was a wild, unkempt cascade of hair that flowed over a stained, leather apron, framing a face that had seen many years under the unforgiving sun. His eyes, small and shrewd, flicked over the scavengers with an air of weary authority. His belly, awe-inspiringly large, rested comfortably against the control panel of the collector, almost merging with the machine itself.

    As he surveyed the haul, his thick fingers, surprisingly nimble for their size, deftly navigated a console littered with levers and buttons, recording each contribution. He grunted with each entry, his voice a deep rumble that barely rose above the din of the collector''s engine. The vouchers he handed out were written in a hurried, but precise scrawl, evidence of a routine practiced thousands of times.

    When it was our turn, the man took our haul, weighed and inspected it quickly to note which parts we¡¯d prepared, scratched out his offer, and passed it back. The paper crinkled in his grip.

    I reached out to take the paper, my fingers brushing against the coarse voucher. He scanned the figures, his brows furrowing slightly as he processed the numbers. Without a word, he handed the voucher to Ellinor, whose reaction was immediate and visceral. Her face, smeared with the day''s toil, flushed a deeper shade as she absorbed the information. In a swift, fluid motion borne of indignation, she pushed aside the next scavenger in line, a man coated in the same grime and gore that marked us all. Her arm thrust forward, pressing the voucher into the pilot''s face.

    ¡°Fifty-five creds? What''s the deal?¡± she demanded, her voice ringing with a mix of frustration and incredulity that echoed slightly in the busy space around us.

    The pilot looked up with a heavy sigh. His eyes, tired and distant, met hers with a resignation born of countless similar exchanges.

    ¡°Inflation,¡± he said in a voice that droned with the monotony of repetition. ¡°There''s an excess of monster parts today. We need to ship a portion out of the city, which means hiring transports and guards. Costs are up, so payouts are down.¡±

    Ellinor''s features contorted further, a mix of anger and helpless resignation. She stepped aside, her movements sharp and jerky, making way for another worker. This one, his clothing as drenched in the toils of the day as hers, stepped forward to receive his own underwhelming compensation.

    ¡°It''s just not right,¡± she hissed, her voice a low growl of discontent. ¡°Scavengers always end up on the short end, don''t they?¡±

    I responded with a familiar and resigned shrug, a nonverbal acknowledgment of my plight.

    ¡°Us scavengers, we¡¯re serfs, Elli. Bound to the guild til they let us buy our way out or sign us off to someone else. It is what it is. But look on the bright side, at least today''s lordly intervention landed you a job offer. You''re buying the next round of drinks, hey? And besides, after getting part of our rental fee back and the earnings, I¡¯m set for the next few weeks.¡±

    Turning away from the collector, we trudged wearily through the dimming light of dusk, our shadows elongating on the battered plains just outside the city''s perimeter. The aftermath of the monster fight had left the fields marked with new battle scars and the scavenging had pooled various juices over the soil, making it squelch under our feet as we walked.

    I eyed the towering structures of iron and old tech ahead of us, the lights flickering on all at once. They were powered by cultivated energies gained by processing monster meat and imperfect crystals and cores.

    It was a bittersweet sight, a reminder that sometime past, things had been magical. Or maybe they hadn¡¯t, but I¡¯d never know.

    We made our way through the gate, my heart thundering as no one stopped to check us for smuggled contraband. It was a medley of broken old-world and paltry repair attempts by the new. Ruins from a forgotten age lay scattered, half-swallowed by the earth, while steam pipes and cables snaked across the dirt of the streets, hissing and whistling as they carried energy to the heart of the city. The air was tinged with the smell of chemical steam and boiled metal.

    The streets we walked were dimly lit, most of them cheap new tech jury-rigged multiple times to keep them functioning. Some of them flickered off and on, right at the edge of dysfunction, but enough of them ran steady that we were able to make out all the street shops and denizens even at this late hour.

    Ahead of us, the steam cart station was brightly lit, this final hub full of activity as scavengers of many stripes filed in to take a ride back to their homes. The station gleamed, a tasteful combination of steel and glass that looked great despite its new-tech construction. Unlike much of the city, the nobles and plutocrats took pride in their mass transit as was evidenced by the beauty that sat before us.

    Walking to the platform, we made our way to the big clapboard sign saying Central Bank. We waited in companionable silence, watching the steam carts roll in on this platform or that, their wheels squealing rhythmically over the rails.

    Each cart was ornately decorated, brass fittings shining under the station lights and seats upholstered in worn but comfortable leather. When the Central Bank car rolled in, we paid two credits each to the uniformed conductor, a man with a leathery weathered face, who tipped his cap and ushered us aboard with a practiced smile.

    The journey through the city was a blur of lights and shadows as we rattled along the tracks. Buildings of ramshackle brick and mortar in the poorer areas were interspersed with newer constructions of steel and glass that belonged to the local lords and ladies. The car rocked gently back and forth as we went, almost lulling us into slumber. We were dead tired, and all I wanted was to get back home so I could rest.

    A short while later, we arrived at the Central Bank. It was late, but the bank was open 24/7, so I wanted to hand in the vouchers. Or scrips as they were also called by us vultures.

    The building was imposing, with tall columns and wide steps leading up to its grand entrance. Inside, the bank was a cathedral of commerce ¨C high ceilings, marble floors, and the tired quiet of scavengers stumbling forward to redeem their pay. Guards in chainmail stood watch, their eyes sharp and alert, halberds standing upright at their sides.

    At the counter, a clerk with a meticulously kept ledger greeted us with another false smile. They were everywhere and it was becoming harder and harder to deal with them.

    ¡°Evening,¡± I said, handing my scrip over. Ellinor did the same but didn¡¯t say anything.

    The clerk examined them with a practiced eye, stamped them, and then entered the amounts into a large, mechanical register with a series of clicks and clacks. The register was a behemoth of gears and levers.

    ¡°Place your chips in there, please,¡± the clerk said, and we did as told. Several moments later, a weak chime rang out, telling us that our earnings had been deposited.

    The transaction completed, we exited the bank and sighed. Elli smiled, taking my hand.

    ¡°You said drinks. What about now?¡± she asked, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. ¡°Might do us some good. Also, I enjoy your company. Maybe if I get you drunk enough, you¡¯ll take me home for the night.¡±

    I snorted, amused by her constant attempts to get into bed with me, but I knew that the moment we took that next step, we wouldn¡¯t be able to remain friends. At least not the way we were now, and I liked things as they were. We shared good and bad times but weren¡¯t overly close and pried into each other¡¯s private matters.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, not tonight. There¡¯s something I need to take care of. Tell you about it sometime.¡±

    I turned and left before she could ask any questions, and felt her glare burning a hole in my back. I didn¡¯t turn back and made my way home. After several tense seconds, I heard her stomping feet, which were probably carrying her to the gentlemen¡¯s quarters where a large tub and a warm bed waited to coddle her into the next day.

 Chapter 3

    I could have taken the steam cart back home but decided to walk it all off. That way I also had enough time to ponder my new find. The feel and weight of the old-world tech on my person called to me. It was almost like an indescribable itch, and not even because of its possible worth. No, it almost screamed forbidden knowledge. Things commoners like me weren¡¯t supposed to know. Still, I wasn¡¯t going to waste credits to get there just a bit faster.

    Besides, as my stomach suddenly reminded me, there was a baker¡¯s den on the way. A place with good people, good eats, and discount sweet-egg bread bowls this time of night. It wouldn¡¯t do to stay hungry. What if Mother Luck was really favoring me and more monsters appeared?

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a cheapskate and eat. Tomorrow is a new day,¡± I muttered, feeling my feet drag me along familiar paths.

    I took a right at one sparking light post, up a hill of potted old-tech pavement, then down the other side past small quick-tech hovels. They were slapped together with wooden planks, all wearing the same coat of paint and design. Two windows were at the front, one door in the middle, and a chimney sticking out of the top.

    This was the sort of place people ended up in if they made the wrong kind of decision in life or if they didn¡¯t work hard enough. I made sure that my credits were spent in the right place so I didn¡¯t have to downgrade. I liked my current place just fine¡­

    Hovel-Town as people referred to it, was where the majority of the labor force came from. Civilians that weren¡¯t skilled enough in anything but being used for raw labor like when those with actual professions needed a pair of hands to lift and hold stuff in place or load and unload goods, dig holes, and act as mules. They were the lowest of the serfs, and they were many.

    Luckily, I had some engineering and crafting skills, but without anyone of a certain standing to vouch for me, I wasn¡¯t eligible to advance in class. So a lucky scavenge score was what kept me going.

    Then there was Elli¡­the fool. Why did she cling so hard to someone like me? She could bag a noble with her looks and knowledge, but for some odd reason, she decided not to. It had been something I wanted to ask her many times, but never had the courage. What if things changed between us? Sure, I acted uninterested whenever she tried to get closer or made a move on me, but the truth was that I didn¡¯t want to ruin her life. Unless something drastically changed and I got ahead in life¡­

    Spying the Alnda River, I made for the nearest footbridge. It was a quaint stone construction with small vandalism etched into its handholds, and I enjoyed it because it was situated right over a rock bed that trickled water musically over its stones. The bridge made everything feel good and clean as there was a dedicated crew that made sure no one littered around it or off the bridge.

    Even when creds were running low and I was digging in my heels to keep from asking Elli for a loan, I had a place to visit and let my mind wander for a while. At least I wouldn¡¯t have to think about that for some time. The scavenge had been decent despite the lowball offer from the bank.

    Another reason why I liked the place is because it was close to the baker¡¯s den, a place I loved to frequent but could rarely afford. When I reached about the center of the bridge, the warm, yeasty aroma of fresh bread wafted up my nostrils and lit up my brain parts. It smelled rich, a combination of honey, sugar, and light pillowy breads.

    I hastened my steps, practically running now, my stomach squealing and burbling inside me. Over the bridge and past a single line of journeyman brick-and-mortar housing, I finally spotted it. Green-eyed Pleasures, the peeling paint of its creaky sign proclaimed. I pushed the door open and entered the ceramic-tiled interior. My eyes wandered breathlessly at the bread and pastries showcased within.

    ¡°Hey there, Al,¡± Jennen, the master baker, greeted me with a smile. She wiped flour-dusted hands on her already well-dusted apron. ¡°Sweet egg bread bowl?¡±

    I nodded, offering a weary smile.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks. It''s been a long day. On discount, 2 creds?¡± I asked.

    It always was, but it was a nod to her skill and hard work to ask anyway.

    ¡°You know it! Want me to heat it up for you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please,¡± I replied and looked out the window, spotting people making their way this way and that, probably going home after a hard day of work.

    As Jennen busied herself preparing my order, I took a moment to appreciate the bakery. It might not look like much, but I knew better. It was all wood and mud, but Jennen and her family had gone ahead and tiled the inside to make it look, in her words, like a ¡°hoiten, toiten palace.¡± They were good people who worked tirelessly, keeping the place spotless and the food top-notch with what ingredients they could afford.

    Handing me a warm, crusty circular loaf wrapped in paper, Jennen''s hazel eyes met mine. She looked just as tired as I felt, yet still found the time to chat up a poor bugger like me.

    ¡°Have a good scavenge today? Oh, Lady above, those were some big ¡®uns.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°It was good that the White Squad went out. Three feral monsters in one day and at the same time¡­things could have gone either way.¡±

    ¡°I figured as much. Managed to rent some tools today?¡±

    ¡°Did, yes,¡± I said, genuinely smiling now. ¡°Ellinor and I went together. It was a decent day, that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    ¡°Hah! That girl be the death of you one day. She¡¯s too feisty but honest. Take good care of yourself and her, alright?¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jennen. Will do and be stopping by again for sure.¡±

    She waved a hand and turned back to labor, fanning up the flames of a stone oven and then turning to a side counter. She flapped a mound of dough out from a ceramic counter, rolled, and crimped it with professional ease. I almost asked if I could stay a while and just watch her work as it was a pleasure to see her hands move with such practiced ease, but then remembered my find and stiffened.

    I slipped out and stepped back into the cooling evening, munching on my newly-bought dinner as I walked the rest of the way home. On the way, I noticed that a few of the lights flickered and flamed in our quarter. Puzzled, I figured I¡¯d show Elli the next night and maybe she could tell me what old tech oddity was making it all glitch.

    Arriving back home, I couldn¡¯t help but think how safe it was even at night. Guards were always around, even in the poorer areas and things like muggings or brawls were very rare. That¡¯s why I hadn¡¯t been worried about her arriving home safe.

    I unlocked the door to the familiar sight of my tools and unfinished projects and set my day¡¯s take on the nearest counter before turning to close and relock the door. This chip or even motherboard, whatever it was, would have to be examined carefully and stored away from prying eyes.

    Even those of Elli for now.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    I moved around the shop, checking window shutters and the back door. Finding everything closed tight, I moved back to my goods, separating them into piles. The meat I¡¯d been lugging around in an oversized backpack, I put in the crystallization tank, and the motherboard I plopped down on the table in front of me. I wasn¡¯t sure what to do with it first, so I got a rag and wiped it free of dried grime and guts. The steel framing the chip, conductors, and wiring, felt chilly in my hands, almost prickly as if it was emanating cold.

    ¡°What do we have here, huh?¡± I whispered, leaning in closer with a magnifier to check the markings engraved into the steel casing. I couldn¡¯t read it as it looked foreign, and none of the symbols made much sense to me.

    I yawned and grabbed another rag and some cleaning fluid, going over the board to clean the remaining dirt, then placed it on the workbench yet again and just stared at it. Over the years, I¡¯d found various smaller bits and pieces that I¡¯d managed to smuggle out from scavenging, but never something as advanced-looking and big as the board. It almost looked like the boards used inside mechs, but much more advanced¡­

    Letting out a deep sigh, I wrapped the piece in the second cloth and took it with me into my backstop bedroom. There, in the old spring-tech bed of my parents, I stashed it away inside a hidden space beneath the mattress. It¡¯d be safe there until I had a better idea of how to appraise it or get it working. Also, the less it was out in the open, the better.

    The day''s exhaustion finally caught up, urging me to finish my nightly routine. I got up and moved to the old tile of my bathroom, rolling a crank start for a few minutes to heat the water. Stepping into the shower, I let the tepid water pour over me, thankful that my parents had left me such an exquisite device. Most homes, even this close to the city center, bathed with buckets from the wells. The old tech in their neighborhoods was usually clogged, cracked, or otherwise scavenged for use somewhere with a bit more capital.

    Clean and with the water starting to chill, I made my way back to bed and slid into my covers, my mind still processing everything that had happened during the day. It was highly unusual to see such an attack on the city and then to get there in time to scavenge one of the monsters. And then that knight and his offer¡­the board¡­

    I drifted off into a much-needed sleep as I was lost in thoughts.

    * * * * *

    Revelry woke me seemingly moments later, the grinding whir of an old tech megaphone crackling its words as it called out over the city.

    ¡°Your duty calls. Be awake and ready for your Duke and the Empire,¡± the voice repeated three times.

    I¡¯d heard it said that the nobles, plutocrats, and craftmasters had districts in which the words weren¡¯t called every morning, with residences that let in no such sound from the outside, and it wasn¡¯t the first morning that I wished I were one of them and that the stories were true. But as I lay there in bed, filled with first waking daze, the events of the previous day washed back over me, and the thought of the board tore me wide awake.

    Leaping out of bed, I dug under the mattress, opened the small hiding spot, and pulled the board back out. Taking it with me, I went out into the workshop and set it down on my workbench, unwrapped it, and stared at the steel-encased piece of old tech with fresh eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen those symbols somewhere,¡± I muttered, trying to wrack my brain and remember where. Maybe it had even been during one of my scavenging trips, I couldn¡¯t quite place it.

    ¡°And what¡¯s more, how do I even power or interface with you?¡± I whispered, tapping my fingers against the workbench.

    It was unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen, old tech or new. The materials that made it were unfamiliar, and the shape was slightly off. Its unique style was captivating but also worrying. What if it wasn¡¯t used for mechs at all? There was a possibility, no matter how small, that it was used for¡­what exactly? I had no idea.

    I left it on the workbench while I retrieved my rusted steel case where I¡¯d kept all of the inert pieces I¡¯d collected over the years. Many of them had slots for old-world batteries, chips, fluids, and gears that would presumably start them up again if everything was in working order. I wondered if maybe one of them could even point at, well, anything really. I was starting from scratch, so any kind of information would be useful. That way I knew what to even look for and what it might do.

    I tore through the case ¡ª first pulling out a spherical design that, when opened, proved to be a maze of interlocking gears, each meticulously crafted, with a small slot that was obviously made for a much smaller board or even just a chip.

    Tossing it to the side, I reached in and pulled out a large metallic box, scratched all over but otherwise in great shape. Opening it, I saw a large cylindrical opening that was absolutely the wrong shape. Sure, I¡¯d known it would be a long shot, but it would only take me a minute to rummage through the stuff so it wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d waste hours and days checking through the old gear.

    I growled, annoyed by any lack of similarities as I rummaged further. The day was young, and as far as I could tell, I had all of it to myself, but I couldn¡¯t stand not having at least a starting point on something that looked so important.

    Tearing through it all, I found the wrong item after the wrong item. A glove woven with wires, an old-tech screened communicator, a slim electronic stylus; the items went on and on until I was about near the bottom.

    There, possibly one of the first treasures I¡¯d ever taken home, lay a small, metallic cylinder, cool to the touch, with intricate patterns etched into its surface. There was no place to put the chip here, but something about the cone shape at the top of the cylinder got me to bring it over and set it down next to the chip. A similar symbol was etched into its surface. I gasped for air as my mind started racing.

    I picked the cylinder back up and flipped it around several times, then did the same with the board. There was a small depression on its bottom side that reflected the shape of the cone perfectly.

    ¡°A data transfer device?¡± I mumbled, having heard about such tech from Ellinor, but I¡¯d never seen one to my knowledge.

    I took the motherboard and placed it with the depression up, then pressed the cone of the cylinder inside. Both devices flashed red, beeped, and a voice crackled from the motherboard.

    ¡°The charging cycle has begun. Current charge, 0%.¡±

    I stared, obviously frightened by what just happened. The noise had been loud enough that anyone standing near the door might have heard it. I decided against peeking out through the shutters or opening the door just to peek out. That would be even more suspicious I figured.

    The device flashed, and I reached out to it.

    ¡°The charging cycle is in progress. Current charge, 1%,¡± it screamed horrendously. I grabbed my ears and shook my head. It was almost as if the sound had pierced my very skull.

    I picked the thing up and twisted it around, looking for some sort of audio output. I¡¯d seen enough old tech to know some had them, but I couldn¡¯t find one anywhere on the board or charging device.

    ¡°You little shit!¡± I hissed. ¡°You¡¯re going to get me killed!¡±

    To my further surprise, the chip and charger flashed blue. Thin lines of intense azure light shot out, seemingly measuring the interior of my workshop, the lines moving across the ceiling, my walls, and even the floor.

    A flashing ghost appeared next to me.

    ¡°Ah!¡± I yipped, almost falling backward off my chair.

    The shade stared at me, a figure unlike any that I¡¯d seen before. It was human-shaped and two-legged, but its eyes glowed rainbow hues, and its reptilian body seemed otherworldly, like the monsters that plagued our lands.

    Before I could react, the ghost spoke, its voice gruff and demanding.

    ¡°You! Who are you? Where am I? Return me to my master immediately!¡± it barked, its eyes staring into my own and threatening me with the prospect of a painful death.

    I took a step back, shocked by the sudden outburst. This was not what I had expected would happen. Not at all.

    ¡°I, uh, your master?¡± I asked, my mind racing as I tried to understand what was going on. This was unlike anything that I¡¯d ever heard of in all my years working with Ellinora and other engineers. Flashing and talking ghosts didn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere and start talking.

    The ghost stomped in fury, continuing its tirade.

    ¡°Yes, scum! Return me to the great Mogfathar!¡±

    ¡°Mog¡­father?¡± I asked, unsure what he was talking about.

    ¡°Mogfathar, you imbecile! He¡¯s the greatest invasion leader in history! Every world he sets his eyes on trembles and dies a horrible death! You and your kind are doomed!¡±

    I closed my eyes for a moment, took in a deep breath, and then let it out slowly, repeated it two more times, and opened my eyes. The ghostly lizard-like creature was almost up in my face as it showed its sharp teeth and glowing eyes.

    ¡°What? Are you finally afraid? Good! You can either surrender to Mogfathar or perish. I would prefer the second if you ask me. Maybe I can even speed it up and contact--hmm, why am I out of power?¡±

    The lizard ghost pulled away from me and looked around the workshop as if searching for something, popping in and out of existence randomly. His words resonated with me, though.

    Invasion.

    The word resonated, rolling me back to the fairy tales of my childhood. Humanity had grown wicked in our high towers of old tech, and our constant wars were a blight on all that was good, as so the demon-spawn had come to bring vengeance upon the wicked. In this war, the evil spawn was smitten, broken asunder under the lances of the gods-anointed.

    This¡­oh lords! This was spawn tech!

    I stared at the devices, narrowing my eyes on the lizard creature.

    ¡°Say, are you of the spawn?¡±

    The ghost flickered, staring me straight into my eyes.

 Chapter 4

    It felt strange to have such a... thing in my presence, its malevolent eyes rolling over me. A ray of convex light cast out from its pupils and painted me with its glow. I half expected to die right there, to feel my skin burn off my body or have my insides turned to liquid. That¡¯s what the tech-priests said the spawn did back in the apocalypse. But the truth was that no one really knew and that whatever records remained, weren¡¯t very believable. Especially the ones available to the general masses.

    The creature flickered unsteadily as it moved about the workshop, its digital eyes glowing and casting that same blue convex hue over the workshop. The light chilled the air, feeling like a brief cold arctic breeze despite the obvious fact that the workshop was closed up and there was no wind either outside or inside.

    ¡°You''re... quite underwhelming,¡± the ghost finally remarked with a tone that couldn''t hide its disappointment. ¡°Compared to the superhuman soldiers we battled in the invasion, you''re practically insignificant. A devolution.¡±

    I felt a sting at its words.

    ¡°And what the hell do you mean by that?¡± I asked, my fear giving way to anger.

    I figured if the creature could kill me, I¡¯d already be dead, so why not stand up for myself? The worst thing that could happen is that it indeed killed me, in which case we were probably all doomed. On the other hand, I just might get him to settle down and give me some answers.

    The ghost stared.

    ¡°I mean, compared to the super soldiers you fielded during the invasion, the people we fought had super-enhanced abilities, as well as formidable opponent AIs. Computers almost as advanced as me. I want it noted down that I accented the word almost so there¡¯s no misunderstanding.¡±

    I balked, both my eyes and mouth flying wide open.

    ¡°An AI?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡­ are an AI?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am. I see that my assessment of you is spot-on and hereby confirmed.¡±

    A holographic display flickered into the air between us, and on it, a series of symbols appeared within. They were all blank.

    ¡°I need you to run a few laps around this place, lift some heavy objects, and¡ªnever mind the last stat. I already know that one. You are as dumb as it gets. Just my luck.¡±

    I stared at the lizard AI and frowned.

    ¡°Two things. First, can you change your appearance? I find it unsettling talking to one of our ancient mortal enemies.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good! Thank you for telling me. I will bring you nightmares untold!¡±

    I stared at it flatly for a long moment.

    ¡°Do you want me to unplug your charger?¡±

    ¡°Yes, feel free to do that. I have now enough power to sustain myself¡ª¡±

    ¡°For what? A few days?¡±

    ¡°Possibly even longer. I will not be harassed by a lower life form!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ªwhat are you even on about? Just change into a mech or something so I don¡¯t get freaked out whenever I see you. Maybe even a dog or¡ª¡±

    ¡°You filthy, lowborn human! A dog? Me! Give me arms and I will choke your miserable existence to death! No, I will do so much more! I will rip your entrails out through your mouth and--¡±

    ¡°Wait, how exactly would that work?¡± I asked, crossing my arms. ¡°You got me for a moment, though. Now that I know you¡¯re just an AI, things are different. AI have limitations from what I¡¯ve learned, and they can¡¯t harm humans. And they can¡¯t interact with the physical unless they are physical.¡±

    The lizard-face turned into a diabolical grin as he seemingly floated toward me.

    ¡°I am no human AI.¡±

    I sighed. Yeah, he was right there, but an AI was an AI.

    ¡°Can you tell me something? I¡¯m rather curious.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°How would you quantify me? My...power? Compared to the soldiers you fought back then. You said I was super weak.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you are!¡± the AI snapped.

    ¡°Humor me, but be honest. And¡ªyou piloted a mech before, right?¡±

    ¡°I did! The Crimson Death!¡±

    ¡°Then turn into that mech. I dislike your spawn look.¡±

    ¡°You will charge me 50% if I do those two things.¡±

    As if on cue, the charging notification screamed across the workshop.

    ¡°The charging cycle is in progress. Current charge, 5%.¡±

    ¡°By the heavenly¡ªturn that down! Do you want the whole city descending on this place and taking you apart?¡±

    His appearance flashed then and he turned into a mech about a foot in size, sleek with deadly sickles attached to his arms and a pulsating, flashing horn sitting atop his mechanical head. The body itself didn¡¯t look that dangerous, hell, it was even comparable to the Toxotai from what I could see, but there was something different about it. A large, round orb sat in its chest. I figured it might even be an energy source.

    ¡°Agreed. I will help quantify your body and you will keep charging me until I reach 15%.¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    ¡°Start running and lift¡ª¡± he started to say before stopping stock still, seemingly frozen in time.

    ¡°Hey, uh, you alright?¡± I asked.

    Was he just screwing around with me? Or did I really need to, well, do those things? I decided to play along this one time and started jogging around the workshop, picking up the pace as I did. After several rounds, he beeped twice.

    ¡°Proceed to lift the bars next,¡± the AI said, and I followed his instructions, first lifting the smaller bar five times, then the middle one, and finally the largest of the three.

    ¡°I have now concluded my scan. I have detected a faint wireless signal in the vicinity. Records, Coming of Age Testing? Initiating wireless handshake with local database ¨C USMILTECH BA9 ¨C Last updated 2122.¡±

    The holographic window¡¯s symbols changed into words with numbers written behind them.

    NAME, AGE, AND GRADE: Alaric, 27, Serf

    BACKGROUND: Orphan raised by the Scavenger¡¯s Guild, skilled in crafting, modifying, and fixing mech parts.

    SOCIETAL ROLES: Minor Technician, Licensed Scavenger

    WISDOM-ranked Attributes (As Scored by Officiate Tarrey Wils, Coming of Age year 25 of King William Karlington II):

    WIT: 8 - Alaric¡¯s ability to understand, fix, and modify complex mechanical systems and quickly learn from his surroundings shows high intelligence and problem-solving skills.

    INSIGHT: 7 - His work in scavenging requires him to be perceptive of his environment and to determine proper extraction methods on the fly. He has shown good aptitude in both.

    SPEED: 9 - In the obstacle and agility course, Alaric displayed tremendous capacity. His demonstration of parkour showed him to be quick and adept at navigating through hazardous terrain and dodging danger during his trials.

    DEXTERITY: 8 - Alaric¡¯s fine motor skills and manual dexterity were on tremendous display during the wiring, disassembly, and assembly portions of the test. He also showed possible aptitude in throwing weapons, though he had not trained for them previously.

    POWER: 5 - While not the strongest physically, Alaric¡¯s strength is not subpar. He required no assistance in cracking open mechanical casings or in harvesting test corpses for their cores and crystals.

    MAGNETISM: 6 - As of this testing, his speaking skills are high for someone who grew up as a Scavenger. He was amiable enough, though I would not suggest him for any public position.

    PRIMARY TESTED SKILLS:

    MECH CRAFTING AND REPAIR: Expert in creating and restoring mechanical devices, old tech, mid tech, and new.

    MONSTER PART HARVESTING: Skilled in efficiently extracting valuable materials from monster carcasses.

    STEALTH AND EVASION: If chosen for a military capacity, Alaric showed a street-rat-like acumen for treading softly and remaining hidden. Alaric shows good potential to become a member of the military services. This Officiate suggests that he hereby be granted the Grade of Freeman in exchange for a twenty-year service contract with the military forces of the kingdom as a member of the Scout Corp detachment.

    NOTES: Suggestion declined by request of Scavenger Master Elrik Boyerman. Dated year 25 of King William Karlington II

    I stared at the displayed document, my eyes wide.

    ¡°My Coming of Age testing. I really thought I would get out of this hellhole.¡± I sighed, taking a seat on a nearby workbench. ¡°So that¡¯s why I was declined? The Scavenger Master said no? That asshole just didn¡¯t want to lose his cut.¡±

    I shook my head as the AI looked at me pointedly.

    ¡°Perhaps he understood you to be an invalid? The majority of soldiers that we battled had ability ratings that were well into their 10s and some into their 20s. You are not an impressive specimen. The civilians were rated similarly though. You are just...average in every way possible,¡± he stated, cocking his head.

    I stared at the list again, thinking of the super-human bodies of our city guardsmen and national infantry, entirely understanding why the AI thought my human stats were just a fraction of what it considered formidable.

    I sighed, studying the data.

    ¡°Those numbers are good for someone not in Arms. I¡¯m faster than most people, and my limbs aren¡¯t twigs exactly.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    The AI smiled, seemingly intrigued.

    ¡°Are you the best of your species then? Have the human elite been incinerated, leaving us a slave race from which to create new weapons of war, and to leverage our newfound industrial might against the echelon of the Varenghetti? And what do you mean by arms? I see that you have two of them, which from my experience, is the correct number.¡±

    I started, stopped, and started again.

    ¡°What are Varenghetti? And Arms are the soldier battalions. The ones who fight. The old stories say they kicked your asses.¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it seemed like it might be, but then the Lord of Light and the Lady Luck came down, the wicked among us purged, to save the righteous from the evil onslaught of the spawn,¡± I recited, remembering the lectures during the weekend sermon.

    I wondered if I shouldn¡¯t mention this spawn AI to the church and see what should be done. What prevented me from doing so was his confusion and willingness to talk. Then again, just blindly following the word of zealots wasn¡¯t in my blood. According to the Church of Light, the spawn were monsters who murdered for pleasure, and they couldn¡¯t even be reasoned with. This AI was having a legit conversation with me.

    The small mech¡¯s eyes sparked and then went wide.

    ¡°When the mothership exploded, there was great disarray. My mech, my commander, we lost communication mid-battle.¡± He flickered, emotion evident on his robotic face, which only made it all seem even more bizarre. ¡°We were blasted sideways, two mobile missile arrays ambushing us from our flank. Bronco flankers infiltrated our ranks in the chaos, heavy Panther mechs rolling up our front. But we weren¡¯t the only army! The others were coming to save us. The battle was going to be won!¡±

    I watched him as his holographic body trembled.

    ¡°Yeah, that sounds like a tough break. Mondays, am I right?¡±

    Its eyes flashed again, more light bathing over my body.

    ¡°No enhancements, genetic improvements, cybernetic implants, a possible case of latent radiation exposure, but nothing significant. We almost won, didn¡¯t we?¡±

    The AI''s blunt assessment, though harsh, sparked a sense of defiance within me.

    ¡°Almost isn¡¯t enough, buddy. We won and you lost. There is no such thing as an almost win or almost loss in war. You either come out on top or you don¡¯t.¡±

    The AI seemed to consider this for a moment.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± it conceded, its tone slightly less dismissive. ¡°The humans I fought with were better upgraded, but in the end, it was the tactics that mattered. There was something about the alien way in which you humans did battle. My makers, the Torans, had the technology yet they struggled with winning the war.¡±

    I frowned, trying to reconcile this information with the tales I had grown up with. The stories of the Lord of Light and Lady Luck, the divine intervention that supposedly saved us from these ''spawn''. Could it all have been just stories? Fabrications to cover up a more complex truth?

    As I pondered, the AI continued, its digital eyes scanning the workshop.

    ¡°Your tools, this place... they''re primitive, yet within it is a scattering of good technology, ages old. This world you live in, it¡¯s intriguing.¡±

    ¡°Intriguing enough to help me?¡± I asked, wondering if I was maybe selling my soul to the devil.

    The board was going to be a huge credit sale to a life of luxury, but it was obvious to me now that all I¡¯d get for bringing this thing anywhere was death. And the AI, it was talking about old-tech, old-humans, and a world lost long ago.

    A plan started forming in my mind. If this AI held knowledge from its world, maybe it could offer insights or technology that could change, well, my entire life. Maybe I¡¯d even get my hands on a mech one day...

    The AI paused, its holographic form flickering.

    ¡°Assistance? Perhaps, in exchange for power. My systems won¡¯t last long on just 15% of power, and I need a sustainable energy source. I would also require intelligence ¡ª information, you understand, not a below-average kind of brain like yours.¡±

    I chuckled at the insult, my head suddenly ablaze with ideas. I could open a new-tech shop, fix the city, and bring the humans back to where they¡¯d once been!

    I glanced at the AI, realizing the potential leverage I had.

    ¡°Alright, we have a deal. In return, you will help me understand more about your world, the tech, and how I can improve... everything here. And you will tell me the real truth about our past, not a sugar-coated ¡®almost won¡¯ truth either.¡±

    The AI nodded.

    ¡°Without my people here to guide me, my main priority is to survive until I can be retrieved, and considering you aren¡¯t planning to hand me over to anyone with a more malicious intent, I could work with you, yes. And understand this clearly. I will be working with you, not for you. And only for a while.¡±

    ¡°Malicious, huh? They¡¯d probably torture you in any way imaginable, even for an AI. And yes, I understand. Work with me. Now tell me, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Crimson Death, or CD for short as my previous Master used to call me. And yes, this was my previous body,¡± the AI said, its robotic avatar swirling.

    ¡°I see,¡± I said, trying not to imagine how many people he must have killed back then with such a mech. ¡°I am Alaric, but friends call me Al for short.¡±

    It was becoming harder to wrap my head around this idea of a casual encounter with an AI from another world, who was now in my workshop, offering a chance to leap forward in technology and understanding. Sure, it was an asshole that thought of humans as less than ants, but that didn¡¯t matter if I could use him to further my goals.

    ¡°Those stats you showed, I know the soldiers can improve themselves using crystals. Those are illegal to serfs, though, and taking the surgery would be detected quite easily even if I could find someone to do it. Is there some old-tech way to make me better? Can you make me stronger?¡± I asked, feeling a glimmer of hope.

    If this AI could quantify my abilities, perhaps it could also help me enhance them. Or at least find a way to do so.

    The AI hummed, its digital eyes scanning me up and down a third time.

    ¡°Potentially, yes. There are ways, but I must attain my full power to do so. If the charger runs out of energy, take it outside and leave it in the sun, then plug it back into my outlet.¡±

    My gaze drifted to the mechanical hand I¡¯d been working on before the monster attack the day before. The AI followed my gaze and scanned that as well.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± it mused. ¡°The mech hand you''ve got there is quite primitive compared to those used in battle, but even with its obviously barbaric reconstruction, it has tremendous potential if you can assemble the right materials. See, the arm¡¯s core is healthy and made of quality materials, it¡¯s just the outside that is...crappy.¡±

    I nodded, understanding.

    ¡°You mean monster cores? Yeah, we know all about the chakra, harvesting, and installation.¡±

    It was the AI¡¯s turn to look confused.

    ¡°The monsters?¡±

    I explained to him the beasts of the land, the creatures from another world that had been left behind by the Lord of Light and Lady Luck as a lesson to the world to never again lapse into evil and wickedness. The AI listened attentively, before finally interrupting.

    ¡°Then we truly did lose. Those were the final resort, the Kaijin. They are grown from seeds, and, from what you said, those seeds power your technology. What a unique and strange place this world has become.¡±

    ¡°Indeed it has, and with you here, I will definitely be able to understand everything a lot better.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. See, the only thing remotely close to being with my Master is remaking a potential candidate in his image. Maybe you can serve a purpose after all.¡±

    ¡°A purpose, and in his image, huh? If that will allow me to get ahead in life, I will take your verbal abuse CD.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Al. If you behave like the slave you are, I might even make you the overlord of this place. After all, the Kaijin were supposed to be a doomsday weapon to wipe this planet clean to open it for any future colonization attempts, yet you have remained. Humankind shows¡­ potential.¡±

    The AI stared and flicked up a screen, apparently an overview of the mech hand. It was much smaller than those of fighting mechs and usually part of exo-skeletal mech bodies, but it still had some worth I figured.

    CATEGORY: Mechanical Appendage

    NAME: Exoskeletal Mech Hand

    QUALITY RATING: D

    REMAINING DURABILITY: 47

    DEFENSIVE RATING: 24

    STRENGTH BONUS: 5

    DURABILITY BONUS: 6

    DEXTERITY BONUS: 4

    ¡°Can you tell me more about that...quantifier?¡±

    ¡°Quantifier? They¡¯re called status screens, you neanderthal. Now listen, I will only explain this to you once, so remember it well.¡±

    I took a screwdriver and scratched a bit of the paint off the motherboard. The AI screamed as if it was on fire.

    ¡°Stop that! What are you doing? Vandalism! Racism! You hate me because we almost won the war!¡±

    ¡°Shut up and explain!¡± I shot back.

    The AI pulled up several screens that hovered before me, not even so much as gracing me with a vocal response.

    STRENGTH increases the raw power of any individual or mech for more lifting power, grip strength, and both dealing physical damage with melee weapons and defending against physical attacks. The current mech hand can be improved with better servos, actuators, and power supply.

    DURABILITY increases the resistance to all kinds of damage received by any individual or mech. Allows the target to withstand weak to moderate impacts and pressure. The current mech hand can be improved using more durable and flexible materials to increase its defensive rating as well its overall resistance to wear and tear, as well as various monster gems to improve defensive capabilities like elemental resistances, energy shields, and similar.

    DEXTERITY increases the raw speed and reflexes of any individual or mech. It allows the user to be more flexible, precise, and improves hand-eye coordination. The current mech hand could be improved using higher-quality oil and lighter but stronger parts to improve motor control and flexibility.

    CURRENT ABILITIES:

    NAME: Integrated Tools

    LEVEL: 3

    DESCRIPTION: Basic capability to integrate and use tools and equipment with greater ease and proficiency.

    UPGRADE POTENTIAL: Expansion of toolset and integration of more complex tools and mechanisms.

    ¡°These abilities, they can be improved to a much greater capacity using the technology of your people, right?¡±

    CD smirked.

    ¡°That is correct,¡± it replied. ¡°I can¡¯t directly give you the tech of my people, however, as my programming forbids me from doing so. In addition, if I am allowed to examine these crystals, cores, monster seeds, as well as the technology of your people, I can certainly make great improvements.¡±

    A knock at the door jolted me out of my thoughts. Panicking, I frantically gestured at CD, his flickering image staring at me quizzically as I did so.

    ¡°Hide!¡± I whispered, desperately scanning the room for a good place to throw the motherboard into.

    The AI chuckled, shaking his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here, foolish human. Not like that. I swear, the first thing we will have to work on is your intelligence.¡± He pointed at an oily scrub cloth I¡¯d left hanging off my wall rack. ¡°Cover my motherboard and I will deactivate the holographic form. Then act as you normally do. Remember, my objective is the survival of us both. If you give me up, I will retaliate.¡±

    I quickly threw a cloth over his body and the AI¡¯s form vanished, leaving a brief vision of swirling light motes in its wake.

    ¡°Stay quiet,¡± I whispered and hurried to the door.

    I took a deep breath and unlocked the door, seeing Elli standing there, her face alight with the usual mix of determination and curiosity.

    ¡°Hey, Al, you got a minute?¡± she asked.

    I stood directly in the doorway, doing my best to act casual, leaning against the edge of the frame.

    ¡°Uh, sure. What''s up?¡± I replied, stepping outside to talk and closing the door behind me.

    She rolled her eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Got a girl in there or something?¡±

    I chuckle nervously, my eyes shifting.

    ¡°Nothing like that, but it¡¯s a mess. I¡¯ve been working on that hand and...yeah. Woke up late so I haven''t had the chance to clean up yet.¡±

    She sighed.

    ¡°You¡¯re never going to get laid like that, Al. Seriously. I¡¯m throwing myself at you, and yet...never mind. Listen, I need to head over to Sir Alain Hembersworth''s place. He officially sent me a work order for that phasal core installation, so I¡¯ve got a lot of work all day. Just wanted, you know, to see if you wanted to come along and maybe we could get that drink after we finish?¡± she asked, her eyes all wide and shining with excitement.

    ¡°Oh, yeah, the Phasal core? Well, um, I kinda promised to have this farm mech hand fixed under the table, and I gotta get it done in the next few days, so maybe after that¡¯s done I¡¯ll come to find you?¡± I replied, knowing very well nothing was going to happen until I figured out what I was going to do with CD.

    ¡°You¡¯re just telling me off, ass. I know you are.¡±

    ¡°Look, I mean, it sounds like a big job so I doubt I could help you with it, so I better just stay here and get that hand done,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m strapped for credits, even after yesterday. Unless I make enough soon, I won¡¯t be able to pay the loan off and¡ª¡±

    Her eyes shifted downward for a moment, then rose back up with disappointment but acceptance.

    ¡°Yeah, okay. But give me a schedule. I want us to go get drunk and maybe something else too,¡± Elli replied confidently, giving me a wink. ¡°Anyway, I should get going. Get that mech hand fixed, then let¡¯s make a plan.¡±

    ¡°Will do, and hey,¡± I said as she turned to leave. ¡°Be careful. The nobles are scum, and I¡¯d hate to see you deflowered, you know? Don¡¯t fall for his charm.¡±

    Elli snorted a laugh and shook her head as she left.

    ¡°Deflowered, he says! I¡¯ve been trying to do that for the last two years! Fool! Maybe I should, and then you¡¯ll be one jealous donkey!¡±

    I watched her leave, feeling a mix of relief and regret. Elli and I had always shared our tech discoveries, no, not just that. We had shared everything, but this time I had a secret I couldn''t share. Not yet. This was too big and too important. Hell, it was an alien enemy AI, alien old-tech, and if I was careful enough not to get caught, it could very well be the ticket to getting where Elli needed me.

    Once I was sure she was gone, I closed the door and locked it again, then hurried over to the workbench and uncovered the AI.

    ¡°That was close,¡± I said, letting out a breath I didn''t realize I''d been holding.

    The AI''s holographic mecha form appeared again and his eyes flickered with amusement.

    ¡°That human who just visited, I scanned her body and from what I can see, she¡¯s a much better candidate than you. Any way you can give me to her? Or let me kill you or something?¡±

    I rolled my eyes.

    ¡°Thanks for the update, smartass. I know she¡¯s better in...most ways, but that¡¯s¡ªno, wait. Kill me? Of course I¡¯m not going to let you kill me, you idiot! Now tell me about the invasion.¡±

    The AI and I dove into a deep discussion. It shared its perspective on the invasion, offering insights far removed from the heroic tales we had all been taught. It spoke of strategies, losses, and the chaos of war with a cold, analytical detachment that was both fascinating and chilling. Sure, it threw in the occasional insult here and there, but I felt it was being honest.

    As the conversation shifted, I began to share my knowledge of the current world.

    ¡°Things have changed since the invasion,¡± I explained. ¡°The world''s not just about surviving anymore. We''re trying to rebuild, to find some sense of normalcy. We fight the monsters and power our world on their cores, seeds, and corpses.¡±

    The AI listened intently as I described the knights, nobles, plutocrats, guilds, churches, and rules of my world before explaining new tech, old tech, monster harvesting, and everything else I could think of that might make CD better at his proposed task.

    ¡°It seems your species is more resilient than I gave you credit for, adapting so well to the aftermath of war, which we almost won, might I add,¡± the AI remarked. ¡°However, the potential for technological advancement is vast, untapped. You have barely scratched the surface from what I can see.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been feeling that way for a while now.¡±

    ¡°You scavenge parts and cores from our doomsday weapon to power your new tech, and you dive into pre-war ruins, bunkers, vaults, and battlefields to keep up your old. This isn¡¯t a bad idea, but it certainly isn¡¯t sustainable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done a few scrip quests, gotten to keep a bit of the old tech loot. It¡¯s impossible to reverse-engineer the stuff they made. So much of it is like magic.¡±

    ¡°The humans we Torans faced were impressive,¡± CD stated in agreement.

    ¡°Well, it may seem that way now, but we¡¯re gonna change that, you and I. We¡¯ll figure out the ways of old, make things better. And with the creds we earn together, I can guarantee that warlord thing you were talking about earlier. We¡¯re going to make it happen. I don¡¯t want to just become a mecha pilot and own my war machine, I want to own this city.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Standing in the cluttered confines of my workshop, I eyed the AI chip with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, letting it charge before engaging with it again. I¡¯d gone and pulled some strips of jerky from my tiny larder, as well as some hard biscuits to go with them. They were small-cred food, mostly tasteless but easy to buy and cheap in bulk.

    As I chewed on my breakfast, my attention was firmly fixed on the mech hand laid out before me. I had a zoom lamp on top, an old-tech bulb whose hood was engraved with the enigmatic words, Ameribulb. The lamp was highly adjustable and I could twist its light into different shapes and angles that allowed me to better see the interiors of mechanical devices and all the small components and crevices. I warped the twisting neck to examine not just its metallic surface, but to highlight the network of servos and actuators that made up its structure.

    It was a fascinating piece of engineering, and it puzzled me that CD had assured me it was minimal and quite weak compared to what it could be. Each finger was a complex assembly of miniature gears and joints, designed to mimic the dexterity of a human hand. The palm housed a dense network of hydraulic lines, which were responsible for the powerful grip strength.

    Peering closely, I noticed wear on some of the lines and realized that replacing them with a high-tense metallic string would increase the clasp torque. Clattering a parts bin out from the wall, I rolled and crimped some lines, twisting out the old and replacing it with higher-grade salvage.

    Running my fingers along the mech hand, I could feel the slight misalignments in the external plating. These metal plates, though dented and scratched from use, were expertly crafted to provide a balance of flexibility and defense. Beneath them, I could sense the potential for reinforcing the structure with lighter, yet stronger materials.

    Pulling another set of bins from the wall, I eyed their contents, kicking one aside and shoving the rest back in place.

    I¡¯d go with some AeroSteel, I decided. It was a mix of old tech and new, a sort of replacement tech that ran lightweight like the old stuff but also had some of its irreplaceable strength.

    Running strips through the cutter, then forging them in a micro forge, the air began to stink of metal and plastic as I formed new external plating, stretching it to the proper length and size before cooling it in a basin of lukewarm water, letting the steam scream into the air as I turned to strip the old plating off the hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, but you could have made it several times better. Just goes to show how primitive you truly are,¡± CD said mockingly, appearing at my side. I ignored him, watching until the hand was once again cool enough to work with.

    Shelling it like a clam, I pulled the new plates out of the chilling bin using a pair of rusty iron tongs, then gently set them into place upon the hand before clapping it all into a fuse forge. I listened to the residual water fry away as the new scent of baked metal and AeroSteel rolled out through the workshop.

    The process took some time, but once it was done, I popped the fuse forge open and used a small crane to hold the gleamingly new mech hand up in place.

    I smiled, feeling satisfied with myself.

    ¡°Not bad, ape,¡± CD called, materializing beside me yet again.

    He just came and went as he pleased, studying one thing or the other. Green lines appeared over the mech hand, displaying a status screen that showed me the old and the new compared side by side.

    EXOSKELETAL MECH HAND

    QUALITY RATING: D

    REMAINING DURABILITY: 47

    DEFENSIVE RATING: 24

    STRENGTH BONUS: 5

    DURABILITY BONUS: 6

    DEXTERITY BONUS: 4

    EXOSKELETAL MECH HAND (APE MOD)

    QUALITY RATING: C

    REMAINING DURABILITY: 58

    DEFENSIVE RATING: 36

    STRENGTH BONUS: 6

    DURABILITY BONUS: 8

    DEXTERITY BONUS: 6

    I frowned at the name he gave the mech hand, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel pride in the quantified increase in stats despite having no real idea what it all meant in practice. I plugged the gauntlet into a test outlet and watched it flex and grip.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks. No rats in the hardware. That¡¯s a smooth rebuild,¡± I said. ¡°And all it took were a few small tips from you. I¡¯m just as impressed by your magnificence.¡±

    CD snorted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use sarcasm on me, primate. I am far beyond that. Now listen to me. This compound is slightly better than what it was before. My scan indicates it is a fusion of steel and AeroForm ChemBrass, which has resulted in a metal significantly lighter than the previous mech plating while offering greater strength and durability. However, this improvement remains inadequate. It can be so much better.¡± He shook his robotic head, the eyes flaring red. ¡°So, so much better.¡±

    I disconnected the three heavy rubber test cables from its wrist and used the crane to lift the AeroSteel hand up to the light, admiring its sleek, dark surface.

    ¡°I think it looks good no matter what you say,¡± I retorted.

    ¡°It¡¯d be a lie if I said it wasn¡¯t better than anything else in this shop. It is good to see that you are capable of such achievements using...scraps. It is like watching a simian learn metal-working.¡±

    I stared at him flatly for a long moment, but he didn¡¯t seem to care at all. The AI was just...cold as steel.

    ¡°Look, if you''re as advanced as you claim,¡± I said, turning toward him and crossing my arms, ¡°Prove it. Help me make it even better. Or what¡¯s more, help me make creds. We have a lot of interesting things lying around. Let¡¯s use some of it to make me enough credits so I can buy more materials and proper food and pay for good, stable electricity and water.¡±

    The AI''s holographic mech form flickered, its digital eyes scanning the mechanical hand I placed on the workbench.

    ¡°Ah, the plea of the desperate and technologically inept. Very well, Alaric. Let''s completely break down the mistakes of modern humanity¡¯s primitive craftsmanship,¡± CD said, his voice dripping with condescension.

    I watched as beams of light emanated from his eyes, enveloping the hand in a soft blue glow that I hadn¡¯t seen before. This scan took longer than the others and was much more thorough from what I could see as the light scanned over every single inch of the surface and even below the outer plating.

    As it went, I saw a series of screens rising out of CD¡¯s form, even showing me a video feed, as he called it, at a level smaller than any eye could ever see, detailing the various pits and flaws of the device before us.

    It made me feel both awed and slightly inferior. No, who was I kidding? Slightly? It made me feel like a toddler with a hammer...

    CD didn¡¯t speak most of the time and just focused on the process, and as the light receded, the avatar mech shook its body as if in disgust.

    ¡°As I suspected. There is a fundamental flaw in the hand''s servo-mechanism,¡± it began, its tone matter-of-fact. ¡°A critical component is misaligned, apparently a matter of design since the bracket in which it is set will have to be re-made. The power conduit between the wrist and fingers is set very efficiently, creating a situation not unlike a blood flow being blocked from a human hand. Oh, they become so sluggish and colorless when you do that to them,¡± CD sighed. ¡°On a smaller scale, I have identified 57 errors, mostly inefficient placements or unnecessary redundancies. Shall we begin rectifying them, Alaric?¡±

    I leaned in, examining the hand more closely.

    ¡°I see,¡± I murmured, taking in the information and trying to see it all for myself, but I couldn¡¯t. In all honesty, I lacked the knowledge...

    ¡°You will need to acquire a micro-gear and a pair of high-tension springs,¡± the AI continued, new screens showing 3-D representations of the items in question. ¡°A hard metal fabricator can fashion them rather easily if the designs no longer exist in your time period.¡±

    I nodded slowly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what those are,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Micro-gears and springs?¡± CD asked, his voice aghast.

    ¡°Metal Fabricators. Look, we aren¡¯t cavemen, AI. I¡¯ll need to take a trip to the market and find some mech smiths,¡± I said, turning to him. ¡°You give me the measurements and show me what they look like, and I¡¯ll get the parts.¡±

    Technically, the actual mech market was only available to non-serfs, but I couldn''t send Elli off to do it for me. Not yet, at least. And while the local ''slum market'' outside the walls wasn''t exactly a place for a casual stroll, there¡¯d be good salvage there, and people who could rig and mod them for whatever CD might need.

    ¡°Oh, no,¡± the AI mocked. ¡°Not the markets! Look, without these parts, the repairs will be incomplete, and your attempt at mechanics will remain laughable.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself mentally for the trip. The market was always a heavy mix of sights, sounds, and smells ¨C a chaotic blend of thievery and opportunity. It wasn¡¯t a place where one shopped lightly, and I tried to keep all of my work at home. But I didn¡¯t have micro-gears or tension springs on hand. No one would keep high-credit items like that at home unless they needed them.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I finally said, determination setting in. ¡°I''ll get the parts. Let''s see if you''re as good as you say you are, or just another piece of overhyped alien scrap.¡±

    CD let out a screeching squawk.

    ¡°You dare¡ªlisten here, you ape! Get a piece of paper and a pen. I will project the parts on paper so you can just trace them, if you can even do that much by yourself! See how magnificent I am?¡±

    I thought about what he just did for a moment and realized that whenever I really needed him to do something, I could just insult him subtly and insinuate he wasn¡¯t up to the task. That was good information that I¡¯d make use of in the near future.

    With the list of parts put to paper, I placed CD back into hiding under my mattress, then stepped out of the relative safety of my workshop and into the bustling chaos of the city.

    The slum market, a sprawling maze of stalls and makeshift shops, wasn¡¯t part of the middle city where I lived, but rather outside the walls and down the hill towards the city dump. It was inconvenient and that was the point; as Elli had once told me, the market was a ¡°hard stride purposely put out of the way to be in-sight ignored by the constabulary.¡± It was a place where the desperate and resourceful converged and a good place to get things quickly and without questions.

    I paid my 15 credits at the city gate and put on a serf-bracer, a device used to keep people from running. Once I had it on, I headed out of the city for the market. The serf-bracer beeped twice before I got there, telling me I had 23 hours before it¡¯d cut my leg off at the knee for breaking my land tie.

    I wasn¡¯t worried about it much, since 23 hours was plenty of time to do what needed to be done. And when I got there, the market was alive with activity, a wonderful distraction from life itself.

    A bard strummed his electric mandolin atop a goo-filled power drum, blasting musical cascades across a vast array of tents, pavilions, and stalls. The vendors waved various goods above their heads, screaming to be heard over the music. Buyers haggled, some desperate, others oily with confidence. It was through this that I navigated narrow aisles of lawn and tent, a fairground of commerce that I couldn¡¯t help but love in a way.

    I scanned the stalls and tents for the parts I needed, though it was difficult with the smell of greasy street food hanging over me. As I walked, I passed the clangs and cranks of machines, their metallic tang mingling with the rest of the smells.

    I dove into several of these larger tents, mech, and tech smiths with their bellows out of the sun and under heavy shade. However, after scouring several stalls, it became clear that the slum market wouldn¡¯t give me exactly what I needed.

    But that didn¡¯t mean I was done. There, amidst the rusting tech and repurposed gadgets, you could find almost anything¡ªif you knew where to look. And I knew where to look, even though part of me wished I didn¡¯t. The closer you got to the dump, the seedier everything became. At the entrance to the slum market, everyone was legit. At the border to Trashland, it was all illegal, and often hard illegal at that.

    I didn¡¯t have a choice, though. I gritted my teeth, looking over my shoulder to see if anyone was following, before setting down a side aisle and weaving my way towards the black market. I had a dealer in mind, a guy I knew who dealt in rare and exotic tech. And even though what I wanted wasn¡¯t anything special, the apparent scarcity told me he was my best bet.

    The transition from the slums to the black market was like stepping into a different world. The slums, with their cacophony of haggling voices and the clatter of makeshift stalls, slowly gave way to an eerie silence as I ventured deeper into the labyrinthine alleyways. As I moved toward the black market, the familiar smells of food and oils were gradually replaced by a more metallic, electric scent. It was the smell of old-tech: ozone and heated circuitry, with a faint undercurrent of gas and grease.

    The sounds changed too. The bustle of the slum market, with vendors shouting their wares and the occasional burst of laughter or argument, faded into a quieter, more guarded atmosphere. In the black market, voices were hushed, and conversations were whispered. The occasional clink of metal or the soft beep of a cred chip being run were the only interruptions in the muted soundscape.

    Though gradual, the change in the look of the place was stark as well. The slum market''s riot of colors ¨C brightly dyed fabrics, hand-painted signs, and stalls adorned with all manner of trinkets ¨C dissolved into the shadows and dim lighting of the black market.

    Here, the aesthetic was both utilitarian and more permanent: plain stalls and stone-mortared shops, many with no signage at all, hidden behind nondescript facades or tucked away in dark corners.

    The people in the black market moved differently, too. In the slum market, there was an open, almost communal feel, with people browsing, chatting, and bartering openly. But in the black market, everyone seemed purposeful, moving with intent, eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. There was a sense of wariness, of transactions conducted under the veil of secrecy.

    As I navigated through the narrow market pathways, the compact and cluttered nature of the place cast deep shadows, making it hard to see more than a short distance ahead. In many ways, the black market¡¯s deepest center was a gaudy display of power, wealthy gangsters operating in open defiance of the law, the greatest of their number displaying the soft glow of a neon sign or even the flicker of an old tech holographic display, advertising devilish deals.

    A roar filled the air, and a jet flared through the sky, its details sketchy and pixelated. It evaporated to be replaced by the shaking letters.

    JOIN THE FIGHT. SIGN UP WITH USAIR-AIR-AIR.

    As I stared, the stuttering sentence gave up, the whole holographic dissipating back to nothingness. I heard a curse and saw a man in a top hat and long black coat curse at some old tech project, kicking it hard on the side. I chuckled, wondering what punishments such a brazen display of illegal scavenge would have elicited inside Alnda proper.

    Moving through it all, I finally reached the dealer''s location, a blank door tucked away in an especially dark alley. He wasn¡¯t one of the Bandit Lords, the godfathers of illicit border trade, though his connections weren¡¯t to be underestimated.

    Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I checked one more time to see if any eyes were on me, then turned and strode into an even more dimly lit corner of the market. He kept a shop there, the front of which was a legal supply of non-mech salvage and some new-tech appliances. But as it was with everything here, around his back was a separate pavilion, marked as storage, and within it was a trove of contraband tech, mech parts of old, middle, and new tech, salvaged and traded for from all over the empire and well into the wildlands as well.

    I made my way inside and blinked at the sudden brightness of the well-lit interior. The dealer, known among the shadows as Techlock, was an intriguing figure. He stood there, masked and robed, a thin but long beard trailing down his chin and reaching to his chest. He stood up from a wooden chair, put a book down, and slapped the counter with his hands.

    ¡°Whatcha here for?¡± he asked, his voice sounding bored, but also commanding.

    The man was tall, enough so that I had to tip my head back to meet his eyes, and he had the sort of lean muscled build that said he¡¯d be trouble in a fight.

    His eyes shone as he looked me over.

    ¡°Alaric, isn''t it?¡± Techlock asked. ¡°Been a while. Looking for something... particular?¡±

    I nodded, my gaze flickering around the front of his stall, taking in the seemingly mundane array of non-mech salvage and new-tech appliances.

    ¡°Looking backroom,¡± I replied, ¡°Some parts that shouldn¡¯t be so damn hard to find, but at the moment I can¡¯t find them anywhere.¡±

    Techlock chuckled.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I like you, kid. You never tell a seller you can¡¯t find something. He¡¯ll jack up the prices and you¡¯re likely to leave with zero cred and a heavy loan.¡±

    I smiled. I liked Techlock, even though the rumors said that some of his salvage was less found and more taken.

    ¡°Follow,¡± he said, turning and leading me through a narrow, hidden passage behind the stall.

    The passage opened into a separate pavilion, cleverly disguised as a storage area, which was a cavernous trove of contraband technology. A fresh smell of rain and scorch exuded throughout. Shelves, tables, and racks were laden with mech parts from different eras ¨C old, middle, and new ¨C each piece was cleaned thoroughly and placed delicately to impress.

    It was always a pleasure seeing the array of items. There were mech limbs with joint mechanisms, power cores emitting a faint, pulsating glow, and circuit boards with complex patterns etched into them. Some items still bore the scars of battle ¨C dents, scorch marks, and the occasional trace of dried alien ichor.

    In one corner, a collection of sleek, new-tech gadgets caught my eye, their surfaces smooth and unblemished. Techlock followed my gaze, a sly smile playing on his lips.

    ¡°You won''t find these items in any official market,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°Each piece here has its history and secrets. What do you need?¡±

    I hesitated, feeling foolish to be in a place like this with so many powerful and interesting parts, to be asking for something so basic and level.

    ¡°Uh, I just need a few micro-gears and high-tension springs.¡±

    Tecklock paused, staring at me, before throwing his head back and laughing.

    ¡°Micro-gears and high-tension springs, he says. Can¡¯t get them at the market square?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve been out for a week,¡± I said, wincing as the words left my mouth. I immediately knew I¡¯d made a mistake, and Techlock¡¯s face showed that he¡¯d processed the situation fully and was well ready to take advantage of it.

    ¡°No micro-gears or high-tension springs at the market, eh? What an amazing thing to find out about.¡± He rubbed his hands together greedily, the sound of his skin on skin grating my ears. ¡°The mundane world of serfs is not one I wish to know, Alaric. Come with me.¡±

    Moving away from the front tables, we moved towards the back where items began to come piled in bins and drawers.

    ¡°So how much is it gonna cost me?¡± I asked, wondering how much damage I¡¯d done myself in the last few minutes.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know there was a shortage,¡± Techlock said.

    I gave him a sour look. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Listen,¡± he said, putting his hands out in a manner that cried helpless innocence, ¡°It¡¯d be stupid of me to sell you these cheap if there aren¡¯t many about. I¡¯ll be selling my stock to the front, at a premium.¡±

    I frowned.

    ¡°You ass. You didn¡¯t even know there was a shortage until I told you.¡±

    Techlock cocked his head.

    ¡°Yeah, them¡¯s the breaks. I¡¯m not ungrateful, though. I¡¯ll give you a dozen of each at cost if you help me with another job I¡¯ve got.¡±

    A gadget crackled in the corner, grabbing my attention. It was a drab metal box, looking quite clunky and almost certainly a mid-tech military device, though I couldn¡¯t exactly understand its function. There were patches of scraped paint through which could be seen signs of rust and age, and the front of it held a cracked glass panel, behind which flashed numbers and a strange string of symbols. On the right-hand side was a series of dials, each of them marked by small white ticks, while the left side of it was simply a bunch of pinholes and jacks.

    Techlock¡¯s eyes followed my own and a wide smile stretched over his face.

    ¡°She¡¯s a beaut, ain¡¯t she? An old communication device, with alternating frequency hop, cyber scrambling, and a bunch of other tech functions that no one knows how to make anymore.¡±

    ¡°Sure is,¡± I whispered.

    He strolled over to the box and slapped it on the top.

    ¡°I use it a lot for the more illicit aspects of my otherwise respectable business if you catch what I¡¯m saying. However, this one isn¡¯t going to last much longer. That crackle you heard shouldn¡¯t be happening. Some quite irreplaceable parts are breaking down inside her.¡±

    I nodded, keeping a plain face.

    ¡°Sorry to hear it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Not such a bad thing, though. I got hold of a scout scrip, Scavenger¡¯s order. The people who sold it to me made sure it never got to official channels, if you ken my meaning. Looks like an old military bunker. Pre-apocalypse. Was covered in a landslide during the rad storms and just plain forgotten til wind, rain, what-have-you uncovered it recently.¡±

    My eyes widened as I realized where he was going with it all. Everyone knew about the bunkers, bases, and ruins that littered the lands, often lost in the crumbling, blowing apocalypse that marked the end of the old tech world. They weren¡¯t tombs full of loot like you¡¯d think they were. Often they were dangerous affairs, populated by monsters, genetic experiments, or leftover security devices whose power switches had never been turned off.

    ¡°There is no way¡ª¡± I started.

    Techlock cocked his head and sighed.

    ¡°And why would that be? I won¡¯t just give you the parts you need, you¡¯ll also get a cut of the loot! I¡¯ve seen you run through the city. It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have the agility and strength for a little bit of adventure. Plus the scout scrip said it was inert, meaning there¡¯s no power running. No robots to shoot at us. Should be easier than a walk to the store.¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°Yeah, okay. So when were you planning for this little expedition?¡±

    He grinned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any appointments planned. And you¡¯re just a scavenger serf boy without any scavenging assignments, so no doubt you¡¯ve got your afternoon free. What do you say we grab some supplies and get started?¡±

    ¡°What, now?¡±

    ¡°No, in a month. Of course now!¡±

    I grumbled and sighed, casting a glance down at my serf bracer. What I was about to do was well illegal, but I still had almost a full day¡¯s time left on my outing and I really needed to get things started with the AI. I nodded.

    ¡°Alright. Show me the way.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Techlock and I made our way out of the black market''s back alleys, dipping through dirty gutters and ditches past the stuttering graphics of illegally obtained old tech holos and gleaming mid-tech neon signs. There weren¡¯t a lot of people in this area, given the price and importance of the merchandise here, so we made our way quickly and uncared for.

    Which was good, because if anyone here had wanted to know what was in our packs, they would have found a lot of gear worthy of interest.

    I adjusted the straps of my pack, mentally inventorying the items I carried. It was a dusty-green canvas affair with the enigmatic works US Army stenciled along its side in black paint at some time long past. The bag itself hooked nicely to a metal frame whose small bits of cut dangling circuitry suggested it might have been some sort of early mech exoskeleton back in its heyday; something that would have helped its users lug lots of gear over hard terrain quickly.

    Which would have been nice in the current situation. The bag was compartmentalized and quite heavy. Its first compartment was filled with ruin-scavenging essentials: durable, reinforced heavy work clothes to resist tears and electrical shock, steel-toed plasti-inlined heavy work boots, a utility vest with multiple pockets, a mid-tech all-in-one multi-tool, a heavy mid-tech battery powered electro-scanner, a ribbon of extra batteries, a grappling hook, a single torchlight, glow sticks, a ripsaw, wire cutters, a compact hack-picker, a lockpicking kit, a collapsible shovel, various small blades for skinning and harvesting, wickedly curved high-quality daggers for defense, a med-kit, anti-venom, and antidotes.

    The middle compartment was packed with survival gear, a fact that I initially balked at given the time limit on my bracer. Techlock had rolled his eyes and fiddled with it a bit before we left, saying that we¡¯d be back before time was up, but that he¡¯d also delayed the count as much as possible. With his hack, I had about 5 days to get home.

    Which was little comfort considering the gear he had me carrying. It felt like he was planning for a month. Alongside a laminated map sat an old-tech emergency ¡®squall¡¯ beacon, a camouflage green compass, a week¡¯s worth of water and food supplies, a compact tent, blankets, a firestarter kit, loot storage containers, a rad detector, a repair kit, a notebook and pen, binoculars, and a few other old-tech gadgets, their purposes yet to be discovered.

    I grumbled, thinking about it, and Techlock cast me a curious glance.

    ¡°Double-thinking our arrangement, Alaric?¡±

    We were out of the city now, and well into the start of the Wilds. The cobblestones and paving had given way to thicker, darker forest loam layered in dead leaves, all slowly declining towards a valley yet unseen. Above us, the foliage was dense and the sun struggled to come through, dappling instead of shining and turning everything into a dim, green glow.

    It was honestly a bit nice, taking in the scent of pine and damp earth, away from the oil and grease of the city.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Nah. I¡¯m just wondering why I have to do all the carrying.¡±

    Techlock stopped walking, regarding me from behind his mask.

    ¡°I¡¯m a bean sprout, Alaric. Tall, lean, and not built for heavy things. Which is good for you, because otherwise, I¡¯d probably not need your services. Besides, isn¡¯t this better than hanging out in your little shop, doing odd jobs for other poors?¡±

    He looked down at me from his high perch, and I briefly wondered about how satisfying it might be to reach up and grab that long, thin beard of his, tugging it hard like a church bell tether.

    I chuckled at the thought, and he sighed.

    ¡°Yeah, I find the idea funny as well. Now, be a good little pack mule, and let¡¯s try to get to the bunker with all haste. The fact that it is so close and yet has never been discovered before means that there should be a great deal of great loot inside. It also means that the place will be swarmed over once its existence is fully revealed. Come,¡± he said, striding forward again in long-legged lopes down the slope before us.

    I gave my ruck a quick readjustment, pulling its straps and hopping in place to give it the tightest fit, then followed after. Crunching over leaves and listening to the twitter and flight of birds, it was just a few hours before we got to the place marked on Techlock¡¯s map.

    It was a set of bluffs that overlooked a white-water river. The sound of rushing water filled the air, a constant liquid rush that felt extraordinarily calming. I closed my eyes, imagining having the freedom to come here often and to just lie down and relax, maybe while reading a good book.

    Opening them back up, I took note of the rest of it. From the banks of the river, the walls of the river valley rose steeply, chaotic outcroppings of cracked rock alongside patches of muddy soil. They were dotted with thorny bushes and I suddenly felt a pang of hunger as I noticed patches of ripe, red raspberries glistening in the sunlight.

    The ruins of an old dam stood nearby, cracked and broken halfway down its middle. Water cascaded over the semi-circular breach in its center, creating a waterfall that sparkled as it fell, only to foam as it hit the river and rocks below.

    ¡°Probably chemical runoff,¡± Techlock sighed. ¡°Not sure we packed the right gear. The heavy work suit will help though. What do you think, Alaric? Should we don the suits now, or save them for when we get inside?¡±

    The day was hot and sunny, pleasant as we were dressed now. I could imagine that turning to a sweaty horror though if we were clad in the suits before climbing the bluffs to the Gods knew where.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going, Techlock. But I do know one thing. I¡¯m gonna go get some of those berries first. Won¡¯t take too long!¡±

    Before he could respond, my pack was on the ground and I was stepping my way down, the broken surface of the bluffs offering up a tremendous number of easy foot and handholds. I had to go through a set of barren bushes, and these I bypassed as gingerly as I could, the thorns just barely scratching the flesh of my forearms as I went on through.

    Arriving at a wide stretching bush of berries, I dug in, taking them by the handful. The first went straight into my mouth, and I bit down. An explosion of taste followed. They were amazing! The rest went into my work pockets as Techlock watched from above, tapping his foot on the edge of the drop to signal it was time to move on.

    As I continued to pick, I glanced over at the ruined dam. The thing was obviously ancient, yet there it still was, hanging on amid a raging river.

    ¡°Hey, Techlock,¡± I called out, my voice echoing slightly off the rocks. ¡°Have you ever wondered who built that dam? And what caused it to fall apart like that?¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Techlock paused, looking up from his own task, his eyes following my gaze to the dam.

    ¡°Every time I get a chance to see old tech, I wonder. Everything from then was amazing. So much power. So much worth. Us humans are nothing compared to what we once were,¡± he replied, his tone thoughtful. ¡°Which is why we need to get moving. Get your ass back up here, that¡¯s enough berries!¡±

    I laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, fair enough. So, where do we go from here?¡±

    Techlock studied the dam intently before pointing to its far bottom corner.

    ¡°Right there where the dam meets dirt. Was uncovered not long ago, but I can¡¯t see it now. I bet it got silted over. Shouldn¡¯t take much to uncover it.¡±

    I squinted in the direction he indicated, noticing a section of the dam that looked more intact than the rest.

    ¡°Yeah, alright. How are we gonna get over there?¡±

    Techlock chuckled from behind his mask.

    ¡°You¡¯re the parkour guy, Alaric. You¡¯re going to have to cross the river or leap the gap in the dam. Then you can throw me a line so I can pull myself over.¡±

    I glanced down at the rushing white-water river below us, its foamy currents looking anything but inviting.

    ¡°Cross the river or leap the gap? Not really my expertise, but it looks doable. Let¡¯s head over to the dam. I¡¯d rather jump than swim.¡±

    I climbed back up to where Techlock stood, sliding back into my pack. We started walking towards our destination, making our way past a large boulder and narrowly missing the telltale whitish green of radiant nettles. I let out a tense hiss when I saw them, imagining the week of itching that would have followed had any part of us touched them.

    Ducking and twisting through a dense copse of birch and cedar, we finally got to the side of the dam. A rusty fence blocked our path, its metal links twisted and overgrown with thorny vines. A locked gate stood in the center, the padlock covered in rust.

    ¡°Great,¡± I muttered, setting down my pack and pulling out the lockpicks. ¡°Just what we needed.¡±

    Techlock stepped forward, his eyes glinting with interest.

    ¡°Lock looks shit, but if it¡¯s old tech, I bet it still functions like new. Meaning I can work it. Just give me a second to crack it.¡±

    I handed him the lockpicks, watching as he deftly worked the lock. His fingers moved swiftly, each twist and turn of the picks letting out grinding clicks and soft metallic squeals. After a moment, it clicked open and Techlock looped it out of the gate latch, letting it fall into the leaf litter beneath us. He grabbed the gate and yanked it open with a torturous squeak, before stepping aside and gesturing for me to head on through.

    ¡°Nice work,¡± I said, taking back the picks and slipping them into my pack, before shrugging it all back over my shoulders.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t a hard one,¡± Techlock replied, stepping through behind me. ¡°Was a Miltech R-Grade. Government standard. More of a ¡®Please Don¡¯t¡¯ than a ¡®You Won¡¯t¡¯. Got a few of them in my shop.¡±

    We made our way along the cracked and uneven walkway. It was quite wide, but patches of it looked untrustworthy, degraded by time, or in some cases, possibly compact. I stared in awe at the fewer weapon-grade craters that marked the top of the dam, imagining what sort of catapults could have caused them. The rocks had to have been massive, I realized.

    Or fired with gunpowder. I shivered to think of it. The stuff we had was unreliable and aimed poorly. But the Church said in the Wicked Times of old, they were more powerful than a bow fired by a hundred men.

    And I believed it. I once got to see an old-tech rifle get fired in a public demonstration by the Duke. The weapon¡¯s barrel was much thinner than a new tech rifle, and with a single shot, he was able to splatter a line of 20 melons before blowing a hole through the metal plate he had placed at the end of the line.

    I shook my head of the thoughts, instead focusing on the gap. I stepped over some weathered debris, blown branches, and scattered stones, scanning the other side for a good landing spot to grab onto. Here the sound of the river and subsequent waterfall grew louder, the white water churning and foaming as it cascaded over the broken dam.

    When we reached the gap, I paused, assessing the distance. It was a doable jump, but what got me was the drop. If I failed, I¡¯d fall hard into the waterfall, then get sucked down a raging rapids through huge rocks and certainly be brained, then drowned. I cast a questioning look back at Techlock, who answered with a large body-encompassing shrug.

    ¡°Yeah, fine, I can do it,¡± I muttered, trying to convince myself as much as him.

    I dropped my pack and retrieved the grappling hook, threading it with sturdy rope. With a few practiced swings, I launched the hook across the gap, watching it catch securely onto a metal protrusion on the other side. I tied the end of the rope around my waist, making sure the knot was tight and secure.

    Taking a deep breath, I took a running start and leaped across the gap. For a heart-stopping moment, I was suspended in mid-air, the roar of the waterfall filling my ears. Then my feet touched down on the other side, small rocks sliding out behind me to fall into the roaring water. Pin-wheeling my arms, I pushed my balance forward and just barely kept my space, dropping to my knees and yelling incoherent excitement into the sky.

    ¡°Nice jump,¡± Techlock called out, his voice carrying a note of admiration.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said. I untied the grappling rope from my waist and unhooked it from the rock, then turned and threw it to Techlock''s side where he secured it as well as he could. I tied the rope to a boulder on my side, using a tight no-slip knot, then shot him a thumbs up. ¡°Your turn. I¡¯ve got the rope anchored.¡±

    Techlock gave me a thumbs-up and began to pull himself across, hand over hand. His movements were steady and precise, if a bit shaky, and soon enough he was standing beside me on my side of the dam.

    ¡°Made it,¡± he said, slightly out of breath but grinning. ¡°Now, let''s find that bunker.¡±

    We moved forward, reaching another gate blocking our path. This one was just as rusty as the previous one, but it didn¡¯t look as secure. I waited for Techlock to work the lock. This time, it took even less time, and with a satisfying click, the gate swung open and we stepped through.

    Beyond the gate, the path was overgrown with thick foliage. We pushed our way beyond, the thorny branches scratching at our clothes and skin. The air was filled with the stink of itchweed, so we moved slowly, making sure we didn¡¯t touch anything that didn¡¯t want to be touched.

    We reached the edge of the bluffs and began our careful descent. The thorny branches made the climb tricky, but as we went I noticed some more berry bushes chock full of fat, ripe raspberries and I couldn¡¯t help myself. I paused to grab a few more handfuls, popping them into my mouth.

    ¡°Really?¡± Techlock asked, before chuckling. ¡°Ah, yes, I understand. Serfs don¡¯t really get much fruit, do they?¡±

    ¡°The basic rule of serfdom is if you can buy it and it is fruit, it tastes bad,¡± I said, grinning. My teeth were already stained bright red.

    He laughed and continued his descent and I followed, carefully navigating the rest of the thorny branches and loose rocks. After a short while, we finally reached the bottom.

    There, a narrow ledge ran along the base of the dam. The roar of the waterfall was deafening, and a heavy spray of mist rolled over us, covering our sweaty bodies. We peered about the place, and kicked at the dirt, before seeing the first patch of clearly artificial and supernaturally strong plasti-steel. It was a patch of wall that had letters and numbers engraved into it, and I traced my fingers over them as I read them out loud.

    ¡°HYDRO-BUNKER 3A, MIDWEST. US CIV CORPS XI. Any idea what that all means?¡± I asked without bothering to look up.

    I could see the shadow of Techlock move closer as he read it over my shoulder.

    ¡°Not much. The US thing appears a lot on old tech. Makes me wonder if our ancestors weren¡¯t maybe a political collective. No serfs or kings, just everyone helping everyone.¡±

    ¡°That sounds nice,¡± I replied.

    Techlock laughed.

    ¡°Sounds to me like a place where no work would get done. Speaking of, let¡¯s get this cleaned up and find the opening hatch. And the electro-lock.¡±

    I set down my backpack and got out the collapsible shovel, while he searched for the hacking device. Assembling the shovel, I quickly shoved and threw dirt out of the way, easily displaying the bunker access door and its electro-lock console to the outside world.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to work,¡± Techlock said, pulling out his hacking device. ¡°Come close and pay attention. You might learn something.¡± He knelt and began to brush away the remaining silt and debris, before fingering over the port and pinholes on the side of the electronic keyboard of the lock. Threading wire from his hacking device, he plugged a rainbow of cords from it into the lock, then paused as the screen scrambled, displaying a series of strange characters alongside a smattering of real words.

    I watched him closely. It was all easy enough to follow, and I was rather sure I could emulate him in a pinch if necessary.

    Kneeling, he typed the first of the words into the lock and yelled a fat big ¡°YES!¡± into the sky when the console beeped. The entry lock began to grind and click then, clear sounds that it was about to open.

    ¡°Ready for some good scavenge?¡± he asked.

    I nodded, mesmerized. I¡¯d never been in a bunker that hadn¡¯t been pre-cleared. This was going to be something else.

 Chapter 7

    The bunker door sparked lightly, orange embers leaping out from some semi-seized locking mechanism before grinding past its blockage and whirring to life. The circular old tech door groaned in protest as it began to move, its gears grinding and clunking as they struggled to turn. Finally, there was a loud metallic thud, and the heavy bunker door began to cycle open.

    I listened in fascination as streel bolts retracted, gears spinning, and electronic devices beeping from somewhere within. A steady stream of static played out from some hidden speaker, hints of words buried in their crackle, but I couldn¡¯t make out any of them. There was a loud hiss of pressurized air as the door sank into the structure. It stopped moving and shuddered a moment, groaned, then continued on,  rolling out of view and revealing a dark and musty interior. The scent of ancient metal and dust wafted out, bringing to mind tales of ancient kings and their tombs.

    ¡°Time to suit up,¡± Techlock said, pointing to the pack. I dropped it and opened its compartments.

    We pulled everything out and worked over it, putting on the heavy work clothes first. I noticed that the interior was lined with rubber and coal, the same with the boots, and that they also had hoods on them that could be pulled over our heads and secured tightly to the rest of the clothing to form an airtight seal. I raised an eyebrow and took a moment to look at Techlock.

    ¡°Mid-tech scavenge gear. I¡¯m not sure of the why of all of it, but it¡¯ll keep us safe against possible radiation and chems. Plus the goggles on the hoods and air filters should keep us from getting dust in our eyes and lungs. It¡¯ll be hot, but it¡¯ll keep us safe.¡±

    I moved to pull my shoes off, and Techlock put a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Put it over the stuff you have on now. Works better that way.¡±

    I shrugged and did as he told, tugging and pulling until everything was to his satisfaction, chuckling as I looked him over.

    The midtech scavenge suit clung tightly to his form, giving him an almost mech-like appearance. The heavy work clothes were a dark, matte black, absorbing the light and making him blend into the shadows around us. The rubber and coal lining added bulk, making his already tall and lean frame appear both fatter and more imposing.

    The hood of the suit was pulled up over his head, the airtight seal creating a smooth, unbroken surface that encased him completely. The goggles on the hood were large and round, reflecting the light at strange angles and giving him the appearance of some strange insect. They were tinted a dark green, making it impossible to see his eyes and adding an eerie quality to his look.

    Beneath the goggles, a small round air filter covered his nose and mouth, a compact device that hissed softly as he breathed. The filter was chipped but looked functional, and its matte black made it blend in with the rest of the ensemble.

    He put out his arms.

    ¡°How do I look?¡±

    ¡°Ready for the King¡¯s Court,¡± I said with a wink.

    ¡°You too,¡± he replied. ¡°Belle of the ball. Come on, the day waits for no one.¡±

    We dug through the rest of the gear, strapping utility vests overtop our suits, and then fitting our tools in the numerous pockets and compartments. We strapped our daggers and their sheathes to our right side and everything that we could fit into a vest we placed back into the rucksack. Techlock grabbed the rusted and boxy rad detector, twiddling with its tubelike sensors, and adjusted them to face the door.

    It clicked faintly.

    ¡°Normal radiation here, but I¡¯ll keep this in my vest to keep doing periodic checks. How about you shine the torchlight and I man the electro-scanner?¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± I answered.

    I picked up the torchlight, marveling at its mid-tech design. The body was crafted from a sleek, matte black metal that had grooves forged into the metal to make it easier to handle. There was a textured rubber grip adhered to the grooves that provided extra gripping traction, and near the base of it, a series of small, triangular vents spat small wisps of steam after I turned it on.

    I noticed there was a rotary dial on the side that allowed me to adjust the brightness and beam width, switching easily between a narrow, intense beam and a wider, softer illumination. And next to that was a meter that indicated current battery power. At present, it was fully charged.

    Techlock indicated the open bunker door with a nod.

    ¡°After you,¡± he said, his voice slightly muffled by the air filter.

    I stepped forward, raising the mid-tech torchlight and shining it into the dark, musty interior. The beam cut through the shadows, revealing an entrance foyer that held an odd assortment of relics from a bygone era.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Directly in front of me was a metal and plastic desk, its surface covered in a thick layer of dust. Papers, a dead computer terminal, and a single old tech printing device were scattered across it, remnants of whatever operations had taken place there. Behind the desk, a defensive pillbox loomed, its narrow slits designed for guards to watch and defend the entrance.

    Behind the pillbox, another circular bunker door stood, larger and more imposing than the first, its metal surface marred with scratches and rust. The writing on it was the same as that of the outside door, ¡®HYDRO-BUNKER 3A, MIDWEST. US CIV CORPS XI¡¯.

    But what caught my attention most were the vending machines lining the left wall. There were four in total, each one offering a strange glimpse into the past.

    I walked over to them, Techlock following close behind.

    The first was a soda vending machine, its faded labels advertising long-forgotten brands. The machine itself was decorated with red, white, and blue stars and stripes, proudly proclaiming Refreshing Freedom in Every Sip!

    I stared at the word freedom. Seemed to tie in with that whole ¡®us¡¯ theme that the ancients had bandied about. I looked over the product selections curiously. They had names like Eagle Cola, Liberty Dew, Patriot Pepper, Stars & Stripes Soda, and Freedom Fizz. Next to the names were pictures of their can design, one sporting a giant eagle holding a red, white-and-blue flag, while another had some old angry man wearing the same flag as clothing, pointing his finger and screaming at us. The Liberty Dew had a statue of a queen holding a torch up into the sky, while the Freedom Fizz seemed to display some old ancient battle.

    I stared at that one for a while, imagining a sky filled with explosions of red, oranges, reds, pinks, and blues, and how horrifying it must have been despite the obvious beauty that the blasts created.

    Techlock put a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a bit overwhelming, isn¡¯t it? Looking into the past is a strange and emotional thing to do. But best not to get caught up in it, Alaric. Let¡¯s once over the other machines, then check back in with it all if we aren¡¯t full of loot by the time we leave this place.¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°Do you think any of it is still drinkable?¡±

    Techlock shrugged.

    ¡°Probably. Made by the ancients. Anything¡¯s possible with them.¡±

    We moved on to the snack machine, looking at the items within.

    There were Stars & Spuds Potato Chips that promised, ¡®Crisp Freedom in Every Bite!¡¯ Freedom Fritos, which from the packing looked to be yellow-colored baked corn stars. The snack labeled Liberty Rings seemed to be the sliced layers of an onion, but dried like jerky. Scrolling through all the items, from a top shelf labeled A1 all the way to the bottom shelf labeled G1, the most remarkable of the snacks was one called Liberty Logs. They were finger-shaped chocolate that looked so thick to have certainly cost a small fortune, and each promised a ¡°Crisp Sweet Independence in Every Log.¡±

    The third machine was more unusual. There was no clear window through which to see the stock, and although the words at the top said it was an ¡®ammunition vendor¡¯, its attached old tech screen showed not even the slightest flicker of life.

    I shot Techlock a look.

    ¡°These have got to be worth their weight in gold. Should we crack them open?¡±

    Techlock sighed.

    ¡°Yes, possibly. But selling them is going to have to go through the Bandit Lords, which have its own set of difficulties. No one my stature has any customers with an old tech rifle. Functioning ones are legendary; they wear out and keeping them functional takes a great deal of skill and attention.¡±

    I nodded and moved on. The last machine was much the same way, though I couldn¡¯t understand the product that it held. It offered a variety of ¡®Play Cards¡¯, but offered no view of the product, and the screen was just as dead as the previous one had been. I glanced over at Techlock, saw his tremendous lack of interest, and didn¡¯t bother to ask any questions.

    This find was worth very little it seemed.

    We moved over to the desk next, examining the papers scattered across its dusty surface. The documents were yellowed with age, the ink faded and barely legible. Most of the papers seemed to be old reports and memos, their contents unimportant now. Still, I sifted through them, hoping to find something of value, but it quickly became apparent that there was nothing worthwhile there.

    ¡°Anything?¡± I asked, glancing up at Techlock as he worked through his own pile.

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Just old junk. Nothing useful.¡±

    We turned our attention to the defensive pillbox next, its concrete walls were stained and chipped. Inside, we found a few rusted-through rifles and some rust-mulched ammo cans, but nothing good. I cast a glance back at the ammunition machine.

    ¡°You sure we can¡¯t crack that open and sell what¡¯s inside?¡± I asked.

    Techlock grunted.

    ¡°There¡¯s a system to the black market, and I¡¯d be dead within a day if I sold those myself. And, let me tell you, you don¡¯t want to sell them to the ones who can. They cause a lot of problems when you enter into business with them. Will be better to sell them the location and specs than to loot and sell it personally.¡±

    It was understandable. Everything worked like that in the city. Everyone had their place, and every place had their restrictions.

    ¡°Fine. Why don¡¯t you open that door so we can find something that we can scavenge.¡±

    Techlock nodded, moving towards the imposing circular bunker door at the far end of the room. It was larger and more intimidating than the first, its surface covered in intricate patterns of rust and decay. He pulled out his hacking device, the same one he had used on the initial door and began to work on the electro-lock.

    ¡°Keep an eye out, Alaric,¡± he said, his focus on the task at hand. ¡°This might take a bit.¡±

    I watched as he again forced the system to provide its data, then worked through the words to force its opening. The bunker door sparked lightly, then proceeded to open much more smoothly than the first one had.

    Static shot out again, but this time it was somewhat legible. Through the crackling noise, a garbled voice emerged, distorted but recognizable.

    ¡°Welcome . . . to . . . hydrobunker 3A, Midwest . . . US Civ Corps 11 will facilitate your entrance into society.¡±

    Music played, a medley that I¡¯d seen in the prayer books, and I found myself clasping my hands together as it rolled through the chamber.

    The rockets¡¯ red glare, the bombs bursting in the air . . .

    I glanced back at Techlock and saw that he too had his hands clasped together. We waited in worship until the song finished, and moved to a defensive stance, our daggers in hand, when the lock began to cycle.

    As we watched, the door recessed and rolled out of view. I brought up the torchlight with my other hand and cast it within. We were greeted by the sight of a long metallic corridor, damp shining from its floor and mold clinging to its sides.

    ¡°Well that looks inviting,¡± I quipped as we stepped forward.

 Chapter 8

    We stepped into the bunker, and immediately light lit up above us. I clicked the torchlight off, stuffing it into one of the slots in my tactical vest, and looked over the scene before us. The walls, despite their metallic nature, had obviously once been painted a pristine white, and patches of the paint still clung to areas of the walls. But the walls themselves were cracked and rusted in many places, with pipes exposed by their gaps. Occasional drops of water echoed through the walkway, falling from small rusted-through holes above.

    The lighting of the corridor flickered and struggled, making me wonder if they weren¡¯t right on the edge of failure. As we strolled forward, I noticed old tech security cameras hanging loosely from the ceiling, their bodies brown and cracked, their lenses non-existent. The air was thick with the scent of mildew and musk, mingled with the faint smell of something chemical.

    We moved deeper, coming to an intersection, a sign hanging from the ceiling above us. An arrow to the left indicated ¡®RESIDENCES¡¯ while an arrow to the right was marked ¡®HYDROELECTRIC CENTER¡¯ and a third arrow pointed forward, delineating the direction as ¡®ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS¡¯.

    ¡°So, where are we heading, Techlock?¡± I asked.

    Part of me desperately wanted to check out the residences and see what happened here and why it was abandoned. I had a feeling that the good scavenge was elsewhere, though, and Tech would know that.

    ¡°Let¡¯s push ahead,¡± he said after a half-minute¡¯s worth of thinking. ¡°We can check hydro on the way out, but I¡¯m guessing the stuff there will be too heavy or high value to be carried out and sold properly.¡±

    We walked in silence, observing the place and trying to imagine what it must have been like in the days of old. Despite what the directions on the previous sign had noted, we passed a short row of residences, their doors all open to sight. Within lay lightless interiors that, when brightened by my torchlight, were shown to hold rotted and cracked beds, lockers, and a scattered mess of personal belongings obviously left behind by the bunker''s original occupants. The beds were rusted and the mattresses disintegrating, but they hinted at the lives once lived here.

    Hitting another junction, we spied a communal area straight ahead, with another sign indicating we could find medical attention to the right or meet the overseer on the left. We peeked into the cafeteria, its stuttering lights showing overturned tables and chairs, as well as floor stains that might have been coffee or blood. A large, cracked screen on the far wall bore the name US Civ Corps XI, and a few broken game consoles were scattered across the floor, their wires frayed and tangled.

    ¡°Med bay,¡± Techlock grunted. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    We turned, moving up to the medical bay. The lights in the corridor shone brighter and were evidently in better shape than the others we¡¯d seen thus far.

    The floor was damper, the air more humid, and a thick slimy musk filled the air. Techlock and I exchanged a glance.

    ¡°Something here isn¡¯t right,¡± I whispered.

    Techlock slipped his hand to his dagger belt, arming himself and I followed suit. Turning a corner in the corridor, we came in sight of the med-bay and saw that the door to it was halfway open, a faint, flickering light coming from within. I tightened my grip on the torchlight and dagger, ready for anything.

    Techlock positioned himself to my left, his own dagger held up in two hands.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    I nodded, stepping forward slowly and with as little sound as I could muster. Pushing the door open the rest of the way, I shone my light over it and checked the surroundings. The equipment inside was all advanced old tech, and rusty but some of the dials and bulbs still flickering with life. Rows of medical beds lined the walls, many of them overturned or broken. Cabinets hung open, their contents spilled across the floor.

    Techlock stepped in behind me just as a low, guttural growl echoed through the room, sending a shiver down my spine. I swung the torchlight in the direction of the sound, revealing a corner shrouded in shadow. The beam of light caught a glimpse of movement, something large and misshapen lurking just out of sight.

    ¡°Techlock,¡± I said quietly, ¡°we''re not alone.¡±

    He nodded, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the room.

    ¡°From the smell, I didn¡¯t expect we would be. There have been tales of mutants and monsters in these bunkers. Some run away, but some of them fight. Be ready.¡±

    Suddenly, the creature lunged from the shadows, its form grotesque and twisted. It was once human, that much was clear, but now it was a horrifying amalgamation of flesh and mutation. Its skin was mottled and leathery, stretched taut over protruding bones. Glowing yellow eyes stared at us with a mix of hunger and rage.

    I barely had time to react as it charged, its claws swiping at me. I dodged to the side, shining the torchlight directly into its eyes, hoping to blind it. Techlock moved in quickly, slashing at the creature with his dagger. The blade cut into its flesh, but the beast barely seemed to notice, driven by a primal fury.

    I racked my brain for a solution, remembering the old tech I had seen scattered around. My eyes darted to a defunct medical console on the wall. ¡°Techlock, keep it busy!¡± I shouted.

    He nodded, engaging the creature with swift, agile movements, buying me the precious seconds I needed. I sprinted to the console, yanking off the back panel and exposing a tangle of wires. My hands worked quickly, stripping wires and reconfiguring the circuit. Sparks flew, and the console hummed to life.

    The creature turned its attention to me, sensing the disruption. It roared, charging me. Just as it was about to come in striking distance, I hit a final switch, directing a powerful electrical surge into the puddle of water between Techlock and me. The creature convulsed, its body wracked with electricity. It collapsed, twitching and smoking, before finally falling still.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Techlock joined me, breathing heavily.

    ¡°Brilliant job, Alaric. But how¡¯d you know that we wouldn¡¯t get fried also?¡±

    ¡°Rubber suits,¡± I panted, patting myself on the chest.

    He chuckled.

    ¡°Yeah, makes sense. I never would have thought of it, though. You¡¯ve got a good head on you.¡±

    I nodded, my heart pounding in my throat and even my ears ringing.

    ¡°Thanks. But I don¡¯t need praise right now. There might be more around. Let''s get moving and stay alert.¡±

    We scanned the room, and sure enough, another mutated figure lurked near the far corner. This one was slightly smaller but no less threatening. I grabbed a nearby metal tray and quickly fashioned it into a makeshift shield, using it to deflect the creature''s swipes while Techlock prepared to move in and strike.

    ¡°Over here, you ugly brute!¡± I shouted, drawing the creature''s attention to me.

    It charged, and I braced myself, the impact pushing me back but I held firm. Techlock slipped behind it, slashing at its legs and bringing it to the ground.

    Seizing the moment, I used the remnants of the electrical trap, pulled the creature toward its dead friend, and dropped the wires into the puddle. It fried the creature, but the electricity disappeared. Must have been a breaker I guessed.

    Breathing heavily, Techlock and I exchanged a glance of relief.

    ¡°Let''s find what we need and get out of here,¡± Techlock said, his voice steady but urgent. ¡°This place is more dangerous than I thought.¡±

    I stared at him from behind my goggles.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never scavenged a new bunker before, have you?¡±

    ¡°Nah. But don¡¯t get caught up on that. This is going to be well worth the trip, just wait and see. And I¡¯ve got you here. We may be two first-timers, but we¡¯re first-timers with skills!¡±

    I laughed, looking around the bay for more of the beasties. There was a door at the far end that led deeper into the medical section, and next to it, I saw a computer whose green power lights gleamed and beckoned. Techlock moved to the terminal and began typing, his fingers flying over the keys with practiced ease.

    ¡°The network is still online, despite a partial power outage,¡± he muttered, more to himself than to me. ¡°I¡¯m pulling up the directions to the storage room.¡±

    As he worked, I peered over his shoulder and noticed a section labeled Journal on the screen. My curiosity piqued, and I tapped Techlock on the shoulder.

    ¡°Hey, can you open up that journal section? Maybe we can figure out what happened to this place.¡±

    He hesitated, his fingers pausing mid-typing.

    ¡°We should focus on the storage room,¡± he said, though his tone lacked conviction.

    ¡°Just a quick look,¡± I urged. ¡°It might give us some insight. Come on.¡±

    With a reluctant sigh, Techlock nodded and navigated to the journal entries. The screen filled with lines of text, the first entry dated from a time that must have been a thousand years ago. We began to read, the terminal¡¯s screen casting a pale glow over our faces.

    * * * * * * * * * *

    Journal Entry 1:

    Date: March 23, 2124

    Today we engaged with enemy forces at the dam. Counter-artillery kept most of their missiles from hitting us, but enough managed to get through that most of the hydro-generators are offline. We¡¯ll definitely have our work cut out for us to get power rolling again. The aliens are tough, but we¡¯re tougher. I saw a bit of the battle. X-7 mechs from the 3rd ACR rushed in to help push back their attack, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a battle near so epic. They left!

    There might be a problem, though. Some of the super soldier mutagens cracked and infected local staff. We¡¯ve administered limiters and blockers post-exposure, but it''s not the way these things are supposed to be done and I¡¯m not sure what will come of it.

    We¡¯ve alerted all the personnel and civilians of the facility and made preparations to leave and seal the base behind us if the afflicted lose their minds. With the dam down, we might not be needed here anyway. Signing out. God help us all.

    * * * * * * * * * *

    We exchanged a look of shock and disbelief.

    Mutagen?

    Techlock scrolled through a few more entries, each one detailing the deteriorating situation. The mutations grew worse, the once-human inhabitants of the bunker turning into monstrous beings driven by primal instincts. The final entry was particularly haunting.

    * * * * * * * * * *

    Journal Entry 7:

    Date: April 15, 2124

    We¡¯ve lost control. The mutated personnel are attacking anyone on sight. We can¡¯t stay here any longer. I¡¯m ordering the last remaining civilians to evacuate. Enemy forces have been spotted in the area anyway ¡ª let them find the bunker and deal with the mess. I feel bad about leaving them like this, but with Washington nuked we¡¯ve lost comms to HQ, and it seems likely we¡¯ll be needed elsewhere. This is Dr. Murphy, signing off.

    * * * * * * * * * *

    The screen went dark as Techlock closed the journal, his expression somber.

    ¡°That mutagen¡­ it turned the people here into those creatures we just fought. No wonder this place was abandoned.¡±

    I nodded, my mind racing with thoughts of the pre-apocalypse world.

    ¡°They were fighting the alien enemy and dealing with experimental tech beyond our understanding. It¡¯s incredible how advanced they were, and terrifying what happened because of it.¡±

    Techlock stared at the console, then opened a search program. As I watched, he typed the word ¡®mutagen¡¯ into its bar.

    * * * * * * * * * *

    Terminal Entry:

    Date: April 1, 2124

    Mutagen X02 accidental release has given us ample opportunity to observe its effects in the field. It has failed in many critical ways. Instead of enhancing physical and cognitive abilities, it has warped the DNA of subjects, apparently combining them with natural DNA samples found in the local water supply. This would have been controlled had the mutagen been administered with appropriate blockers and limiters beforehand. However, administering them after exposure has proven to have had no effect.

    Critically, the mutation that our colleagues are still undergoing has proven to be communicable; a scratch or bite from one of their kind can spread the mutation to other humans. We still hope to find a cure, but preparations have been made to move everyone out if things become untenable.

    * * * * * * * * * *

    Techlock returned to the search bar, this time typing ¡®mutagen where?¡¯

    ¡°What are you looking that up for?¡± I asked, surprised.

    ¡°Might be a low-weight high-pay scavenge, Alaric. Definitely worth finding.¡±

    The terminal buzzed, displaying a map of the bunker with several key areas highlighted. Techlock scanned the entries quickly, his eyes lighting up as he found what he was looking for.

    ¡°Here we go,¡± he said, pointing to a section marked ¡®Laboratory Storage¡¯ in a lower level of the bunker. ¡°The remaining mutagen samples are stored here. It¡¯s a restricted area, likely containing other valuable old tech.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I grumbled. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s get the loot and get out of here. This place is starting to give me the skin prickles.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Following the map that Techlock had sketched, we headed back to the cafeteria and then took a right, moving through a series of different corridors and sections, past places with exotic names like ¡®US ARMY RECRUITER¡¯ and ¡®NIGHT CLUB¡¯. We continued deeper into the bunker and took the quickest route available. Finally, we arrived at the lift device, a platform apparently designed to move straight up or down, quickly transporting people to their desired levels.

    I surveyed it, impressed with the concept.

    The platform was large and sturdy, made of thick, reinforced metal. Rails lined the edges, providing both safety and structure. Above, a network of heavy-duty cables and pulleys connected to a massive motor housed in the ceiling, which would power the lift with ease. I saw that the motor was rusted and covered in thick black tar. Doubtfully, I pushed the button next to the left door, and it opened with a heavy clank.

    ¡°After you,¡± I said. Techlock moved inside and I followed. However, when he hit one of the many buttons on the panel, the lift did nothing.

    The man cursed loudly.

    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s dead,¡± Techlock said, tapping the panel again.

    ¡°Figures,¡± I muttered, disappointed. I¡¯d been looking forward to trying the old tech out and seeing what happened. ¡°Stairs it is.¡±

    We turned away and walked a little way down the corridor, finding the door to the stairwell almost immediately. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the door open and we stepped through.

    The metallic winding stairwell stretched downward, a spiraling descent into the depths of the bunker. Each step echoed as we descended, the metal grates beneath our feet allowing glimpses of the levels below through the gaps in the steps. The stairwell was sturdy and there was no sign of structural damage, but it definitely showed signs of age, with rust creeping along the edges and joints. Flickering lights illuminated our path, casting intermittent shadows that all added up to a quite eerie atmosphere.

    As we neared the very bottom of the structure, where the mutagen was supposed to be stored, we saw a large sign posted along the wall: High-Security Area. Do Not Enter Without Approval From the Overseer.

    ¡°Think we¡¯ll get in trouble?¡± I joked.

    Techlock snorted.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a feeling there aren¡¯t many constables in these parts.¡±

    We descended the stairs cautiously, the air now growing cooler and damper as we entered the bowels of the earth. The walls here were reinforced with metal, and we ran into several more signs warning of restricted access. We were almost there, though, when the silence was shattered by a loud, blaring alarm. Red lights flashed around us, bathing the stairwell in an ominous glow.

    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± I said, heart suddenly pounding in my throat. My dagger was back in my hand in an instant as was Techlock¡¯s.

    ¡°Move!¡± Techlock shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll try to find a way to shut it off.¡±

    As he sprinted ahead, the bunker¡¯s security systems activated, guns emerging from hidden panels in the walls. I ducked and rolled, flopping down the last of the steps and losing my dagger as bullets tore into the spot where I¡¯d just been standing.

    ¡°Focus,¡± I told myself, looking back up to the old tech turrets. They were moving in a jittery and broken way, slow and inaccurate, and that gave me an idea. Rising back up, I leaped forward up the steps into the line of fire, then did a cartwheel backward as the bullets again tore into where I¡¯d been standing. It was tough, and I almost took a full-on side-ass tumble back down the stairs, but I managed to halt my movement and retrieve my dagger before they could get another line on me.

    Moving with precision, I used the narrow confines of the stairwell to my advantage, slipping between the walls and the handrail, making it difficult for the automated turrets to get a clear shot.

    One turret swung towards me, and I lunged, driving my dagger into the glassy eyes of its sensor. Sparks flew, and the turret went dark. I rolled to avoid another barrage, my mind racing for solutions.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Come on, Techlock,¡± I shouted, dodging another blast of bullets.

    Though he was out of sight, I could hear Techlock dodging his own spits of automated fire.

    ¡°I see the terminal, but I¡¯ll be damned if I know how to get to it without getting chewed up!¡± he yelled.

    I flipped sideways out of another hail of bullets, then engaged the remaining stairwell turret with a series of feints and slashes, disrupting its targeting system. The security system was relentless, but so was I. And unlike it, I was moving smoothly, well on top of my game. My movements were a blur as I dodged left, then right, before jumping onto the remaining turret and spiking it through the camera hole.

    I sat down, panting, taking a moment to listen to Techlock curse from the next room. He was tapping hard at some keys, so it seemed likely he¡¯d figured out a way through. My hands shook and I felt drained. Hungry. Sleepy. Hurting all over.

    As if by magic, the alarms ceased, and the red lights blinked off. The remains of the turrets retracted, and from within the storage floor, I couldn¡¯t hear any more turret fire.

    ¡°Got it!¡± Techlock yelled from within, breathing heavily. ¡°Security system is offline.¡±

    It was then that I could feel the sting on my leg. Looking down, I saw that a round had ripped through my protective pants. Panic shot through me as I reached down to check the wound, but I let out a long and giggling sigh when I realized it was just a bloody graze.

    ¡°You all good in there, Techlock?¡± I asked.

    He coughed and chuckled. ¡°Never better. You?¡±

    ¡°Flesh wound. Nothing serious, though. My suit is breached, so there¡¯s that.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± I could hear him curse and then something hit a wall with a loud clunk, only to follow up with a clattering sound. He must have hurled something into the wall. I shared his feelings, but it would have been a lot worse if the bullets had ripped through my leg, so there was that¡­

    ¡°You good to walk?¡±

    ¡°Sure am, Tech,¡± I shot back.

    Another short silence followed before he answered.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get digging, kid. I didn¡¯t almost die for nothing.¡±

    We joined up and walked into the storage area, the first part appearing to have been some sort of security station and lounge for their security personnel. The room was better lit than we were used to at that point, and the walls were lined with lockers and shelves, some overturned, their contents spilled across the floor. Just like in most of the bunkers. Someone had gone through the stuff quickly and hadn¡¯t spared the furniture, probably figuring no one else would ever visit this place. Well, even in this state, it sure made for a great hiding spot. I reflected on it. Some repairs and cleaning could make it a spacious and comfortable home.

    A dusty, leather couch sat against one wall, its cushions torn and stuffing poking through. In front of it was a low table, cluttered with old magazines, empty coffee cups, and a deck of playing cards. Opposite the couch was a massive rectangle of plastic, within which were set numerous smaller screens, most cracked. A few of them still functioned, showing us other places within the bunker in real-time.

    As I looked, I noticed one area was a literal swamp, filled with the mutated creatures we¡¯d seen before. They seemed to be frolicking and playing, without any cares in the world, and I briefly wondered if they¡¯d miss the ones we killed.

    Maybe, but I highly doubted it.

    Underneath the surveillance screens, the control panel was a mess of wires and broken switches. If we took our sweet time, most of it was certainly salvageable. It was something I¡¯d think about if the storage rooms ended up being a bust.

    We continued to search the room. As I dug through lockers filled with rot and decay, my eyes caught on something intriguing. There, sitting at on an upper shelf, lay a handheld device. One encased by a sturdy, metallic casing. I picked it up, wiping away the dust to reveal its label: Portable Holographic Projector.

    ¡°This could be worth a fortune,¡± I said, showing it to Techlock.

    He nodded appreciatively.

    ¡°They sell well to those with the creds for it. That¡¯s a good find. Keep it safe.¡±

    We continued our search, coming up with some minor loot like batteries and a few energy cells, but then I hit the jackpot. A cavalry blade mounted on a memorial plaque. The blade was well-preserved, its edge still sharp. I noticed there wasn¡¯t a single speck of rust on it and wondered if I shouldn¡¯t keep it for myself.

    ¡°Nice blade,¡± Techlock remarked. ¡°Might come in handy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to keep this as part of my claim,¡± I said, sheathing my dagger and putting my torchlight into a vest pocket before holding the new weapon up before me. ¡°I bet this could do a lot of damage if necessary.¡±

    ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t stab yourself with it. Nothing in this world would probably save you from a wound like that.¡±

    I chuckled but nodded.

    Moving further into the complex, we found a hallway filled with doors labeled Storage 1, Storage 2, and so on. The air stank of muck and the floor was covered over with a thin layer of water that slowly ebbed in from underneath the doors into the corridor. It reminded me of what we¡¯d seen on the screens. Mutated humans in water-filled rooms. Would a few of them jump out at us once we opened the door? I kept myself prepared just in case.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Techlock said, glancing at the map. ¡°The mutagen should be inside Storage 2. Are you ready? We have no idea what¡¯s inside, so prepare.¡±

    ¡°Ready as can be, Tech,¡± I replied. ¡°The moment we get what we need, we¡¯re out of here. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Agreed. Grab and go. Sounds like a plan.¡±

    His hand landed on the handle and pushed down with a steady screech.

 Chapter 10

    We approached the door labeled Storage 2, its metal surface apparently once painted over by the painting of an eagle clasping arrows. It was still there, but the outlines that still remained were rusted and pitted, giving an elderly and wounded look to the divine symbol. I gripped the handle, feeling the a sucking resistance as I pulled. Techlock joined in, and our combined effort forced the door to budge, but with reluctance. It groaned as it gave way, a gush of water bursting out and  cascading over us.

    The water was ice cold, carrying a putrid smell that burned the inside of my nostrils. I gagged, feeling acid rise in my throat, as the water sloshed over my pant legs. It soaked through the outside of the pants, and I winced as water flooded my legs through the bullet hole from the turret, and then seeped into my wound. It burned even as the tide of it almost swept me off my feet.

    The water subsided, and we stepped into the storeroom. Rows of shelves stretched out before us, filled with military crates and supplies. The shelves were mossy and sagging, but some few still maintained their shape despite untold years of existence. Still sitting in the places they had been packed, mounds of mulched items and loot rotten over their embrace. It was a sad sight, but one that was made better when I spotted a small white packet labeled Chips, Salted. I snatched it out of the muck and added it to one of the pockets in my vest.

    ¡°Good find,¡± Techlock mumbled through his air filter. ¡°The packaging on a lot of this stuff is all that keeps it from being mush and dust. The ancients, they really knew how to keep stuff from going to hell.¡±

    He sidled over to a shelf and grabbed at a green and gray mess of moss and mold, ripping it off in layers that he slung into the murky water slapping at our feet.

    ¡°Like this,¡± he said, nodding his hooded head towards his find.

    I came over, checking it out from his side. Underneath the rot and ruin, there sat boxes of ¡®Bars, Choco¡¯. Most of them were shrunken in and ruined, but a few looked absolutely pristine, their white boxes seeming to glow with holy light as I reached out to grab one.

    Techlock slapped my hand, but laughed as he did so. I grinned under my hood, full well knowing the creds a box of these could muster.

    ¡°Seventy¨Cthirty,¡± Techlock muttered, pulling the good boxes out and stuffing them into one of our scavenging ziplo containers. They were a curious mesh of metal links and clear, malleable plastic, and you could easily fit and seal several thousand creds of loot in one of them.

    I chuckled, pulling my own scav-ziplo from my vest pouch.

    ¡°First come, most profit? You really are an asshole, Tech.¡±

    He shrugged, moving away from the shelf and further into the room, his eyes scanning the shelves for anything of value. I followed, each step splashing in the shallow stagnant water of the storehouse. It was much like a swamp, but unlike any of the swamps I¡¯d been to previously.

    Topside swamps had a lot of room in which to breathe, I realized. This one had nowhere to vent the gasses and decay that it produced. Even with the door now propped open, the air was almost too thick to breathe, and I gave thanks to the Tech Gods that we had air filters.

    I saw a promising mound on the next shelf and moved over to engage it, tearing the mulch off the top as Techlock had shown me before. It was a box labeled Gears, Micro, and next to it was another box labeled Springs, High Tension.

    ¡°For all the tricks in Harlotville,¡± I cursed aloud. I heard Techlock rush my way, splashing and clawing through the water in his haste, and didn¡¯t even bother to turn and look at him when he got to me and started laughing hard.

    ¡°Might be time for a renegotiation,¡± I grumped, picking up the boxes and stuffing them in my scav bag.

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Techlock responded, chuckling a bit more. ¡°Look, Alaric, I¡¯d be a shit business owner and probably broke if I let my heart tell me how to do my job. Just be happy that you¡¯ll get a nice cred kickback on those sales. Or, hell, you can stuff them in the shop when you get back and not have to deal with me for that much longer.¡±

    I cocked my head. It was a good point, one that I would definitely consider.

    ¡°Besides, we should probably hurry up and get done and out. Looks to me like you¡¯ve got at least a quart of water stuck in your boot.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    I glanced down at where the bullet had torn through my pant leg and observed my wound still trickling small spirals of blood into the semi-transparent greenish-brown murk.

    In doing so, I managed to catch sight of something else. I don¡¯t know if it was Techlock¡¯s goggles catching the dim lights above that brought me to look away at just the right time to exactly the right spot, but there, just above the water line on a lower shelf, a white and shiny object that absolutely caught my eye.

    ¡°Finders Keepers,¡± I yelled, splashing forward.

    Techlock turned and caught sight of the box and started to race after me. It was no contest, though, and I reached it well before he did.

    Stabbing my gloved hands through the mulch that overlayed the kit like bread on a sandwich, I tore it away from some light chitinous roots and squinted at it through the dim light. The case was white plastic, its corners embossed with some rustless metal, and its front was marked by the faint but universal lines that denoted health and science.

    This was gonna be something good for sure.

    ¡°Ah, damn,¡± Techlock said as he got closer. ¡°Well found, Alaric. Will be great creds for sure. Let¡¯s open her up and see what¡¯s inside.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± I said, pulling the case closer to my face. There were faint words on the bottom. I put one gloved finger underneath them, sounding out the syllables as they came clear to me. ¡°Muta-Prep,¡± I intoned. ¡°Blockers and Limiters. That¡¯s the stuff they talked about in the journal entry, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked.

    As I talked, I popped open the case and surveyed several intact plastic vials of various colors. Each was labeled with a letter and a number. I pulled the vial marked A1 out of its slot, and rolled the liquid, watching it spin inside. It looked like cherry juice, though maybe thicker and a bit more syrupy.

    I replaced it and checked the rest of the kit. Nestled beside the vials was a large, overly complicated, and frankly scary-looking injection device. It had multiple syringes and a series of dials and levers, giving it an appearance more akin to a torture device than a medical tool.

    ¡°Yeah. They said they used them too late and so they didn¡¯t work against the mutagen," Techlock said, inspecting the vials. "Something about this is giving me the devil¡¯s stink eye. It feels dangerous."

    I turned toward him, ready to make fun of his sudden cowardice, when my eyes caught sight of a large container in the back of the room. The light above it had directly gone out, but now I was close enough to read its faded, stenciled words. It was marked with a symbol showing three interlocking circles, and directly underneath that were the words ¡®Mutagen X02¡¯. My heart skipped a beat as I saw it was cracked, its contents leaking into the water that surrounded it.

    ¡°Uh, Tech,¡± I stuttered, my voice rising and my heart beating more quickly. ¡°Did those journal entries say why the blockers and limiters failed?¡± I asked, setting the case back down on the shelf, still open, and bent over to examine my wound.

    Nearby, Techlock stared over at the broken container and shook his head.

    ¡°Inject yourself. Now!¡±

    ¡°With what?¡± I asked, panic rising in my chest.

    I reached out to the kit, grabbed the cherry-fluid-like A1, and slotted it into the strange injection devices. Barely thinking, I grabbed a thicker orange B1 and slotted that as well. I noticed the injector still had one more open slot.

    ¡°What in the abyss do I put there?¡±

    Techlock lurched forward, grabbing randomly at the case and stuffing a blue liquid into the slot. Tearing the injector away from me, he grabbed my leg with one arm and lifted it up to the bottom shelf of the unit. Holding it there, he used his left hand to stab the needle of it into my calf, depressing the trigger of it.

    A loud mechanical whirr sounded, followed by some of the worst pain ever. It was the sensation of being stabbed, then having the knife be spun and twisted inside of me, before being hooked to an electro-lamp that was then burned hot to full power.

    ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± I screamed. I reflexively tried to kick my leg out, but Techlock held firm.

    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t. I know you think I¡¯m an ass, and I think you¡¯re an easy person to take advantage of, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to let you wimp out and die on me.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Aaaah!¡± I screamed out in torn, breath-stripped gasps.

    The liquid of the injector was both flame and ice in my body, and I could feel it moving through me in pulsing waves. Whatever the liquids were, they weren¡¯t just solutions carried through the blood like the medicines of the mid-tech and present. No, I could feel a tangible presence tearing through me, like small little monsters nesting in my flesh and setting up shop within.

    ¡°Steady there, Alaric. I still need someone to carry my stuff for me on our way back,¡± Techlock growled.

    The fluid in the injector had drained, and he let go of my leg, slapping it back into the case and stuffing that into his scav bag.

    I kicked my leg off the shelf and reeled, my consciousness swimming laps around my body in a dizzying kaleidoscopic spin. I reached out for the shelf to steady myself, but instead missed and splashed face-first in the murk.

    ¡°Damn. Well, it was nice knowing you, kid,¡± Techlock said, his voice muffled and echoing. ¡°Would have liked for you to stay alive. Or human. Or whatever the hell is happening here.¡±

    I thrashed in the water, hearing my heart beat juicily in my ear. Water was splashing over my hood; thankfully it had drained enough at this point that it didn¡¯t go over my entire body. Instead, I thrashed on the floor, half-submerged in mutagen-tainted, possibly irradiated, and poisonous dirt water.

    ¡°Tech!¡± I gasped.

    It came out as a growl, and I could feel the muscles in my body bulging, something pulsing under the skin of my hands. In a furious panic, I tore off a glove and stared in horror as my fingernails grew out rapidly, and the veins in the back of my hand throbbed visibly.

    I was so royally fucked.

 Chapter 11

    I woke up in the original entry room of the bunker, lying without my suit and wrapped in blankets. My body felt sore all over, and a wave of dizziness hit me as I tried to piece together what had happened. Groaning, I sat up and looked around.

    Techlock''s presence startled me as he appeared from the shadows.

    ¡°Surprised to see me?¡± he asked with a smirk. ¡°Leaving you behind would have been the intelligent thing to do, but I guess there¡¯s some room in my life for stupidity.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I croaked, my voice raw.

    He sighed, settling down beside me.

    ¡°You were thrashing like a madman. I thought you were about to become one of those monsters. But then you just... stopped. I moved in, checked you, saw you were still alive, and dragged you out to the lift. Popped the control panel off, twisted some wires together, and got it working just long enough to get us up here.¡±

    He pointed to a makeshift bed he''d set up.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been lying there for the past two hours, muscles pulsing and growing. It¡¯s been quite a horrific yet fascinating show. Thought about leaving a couple of times. Was about 50% sure you¡¯d turn into some sort of giant and crush me. But then I thought, hey, Tech, Alaric¡¯s a regular. Should probably stick around and see if there isn¡¯t something you can do.¡±

    I smiled wanly.

    ¡°Good to hear it all means something. Thank you Techlock.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m a big softie. Also, you¡¯ve got a lot of high-cred equipment with you. Would be a shame to lose it all over a false alarm.¡±

    I chuckled, then felt electricity spit through my body. It was minor, definitely muscle spasms, but it hit hard enough that my air whooshed out of my body and I found myself gasping heavily, curled up on my side.

    ¡°That bad, huh?¡±

    I nodded and began probing my chest with my fingers. It was tender and sore, but also much broader and thicker. Beneath my now large pecs was the beginning of a six-pack, and as I poked and prodded, my attention was drawn to my arms.

    I¡¯d never seen anything like them, apart from the soldiers and knights who were lucky enough to get core surgeries for strength.

    They had thickened into veritable meat logs, streaked through with visibly pulsing arteries and veins. I threw off my blankets and stared at my nudity in awe. My legs were tree trunks, though leaner like an Aspen and clearly still subject to the whims of my runner¡¯s build. I blew a sigh of relief over that. Would rather stay agile than become a big immobile brawler any day¡­

    I glanced over to where my leg had been bleeding from the bullet and saw that it was completely healed.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Techlock said and my eyes shot over to meet his.

    ¡°No idea if that¡¯s a thing that is going to keep happening or not, but I noticed it too.¡±

    It all made me feel dizzy. I held a hand to my forehead, feeling it for fever.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you think I changed into one of those monsters?¡± I asked.

    Techlock sighed.

    ¡°Luck, mostly. We had those items they talked about in their logs already in hand. We just got to you in time.¡± He nodded, seemingly running the idea through his head one more time. ¡°I think this is what the mutagen was supposed to do. Maybe if those poor bastards had gotten their shots in time, they wouldn¡¯t have gone all murderhobo.¡±

    ¡°Sounds to me like we should go back in and get some more, then.¡±

    His eyes gleamed with excitement.

    ¡°Yes! A simpler, easier way to achieve results similar to what the monster core surgeries can do? It¡¯ll cause trouble, of course. Bandit Lords will get involved. But maybe if we can keep it on the hard down low for long enough, we can be rich and gone before they even find out!¡±

    Sitting up, and stretching my new, stiff muscles, I couldn¡¯t help but shake my head at the hand the Goddess of Luck had dealt us. I had an alien AI sitting at home waiting to help me get rich. Now, there was this super medicine sitting at the bottom of this bunker waiting to do the same thing. Maybe, when we left the place, a bunch of cred chips would just randomly fall from the sky and into my rucksack.

    With how everything had been going to this point, it didn¡¯t seem that unlikely.

    I put my hand on the nearby wall and stood, making sure that nothing inside of me was ready to snap or break over the changes my body had undergone. Feeling nothing but new, raw power coursing through me, I walked over to Techlock, who watched me with wide and curious eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m in if you are. Quick question, though. Are you going to take any of it?¡±

    Techlock was shaking his head even before I finished my sentence. ¡°No way. I¡¯m not kidding when I say that we need to keep this quiet. Just for ourselves. You''re nobody, so no one knows what you look like. But if I get ripped like you, that¡¯ll cause questions. Best I do it all after we¡¯re already out of town.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    I nodded and started helping Techlock pick the place up. He hadn¡¯t pulled out too many things from the rucksack, but it¡¯d be better to be on the move. It was almost certainly getting into the evening by now, anyway, and even with Techlock¡¯s adjustment to my serf bracelet, I knew I wouldn¡¯t have a lot of time.

    My mouth formed a big O as the realization that my serf bracelet wasn¡¯t on my leg anymore came to mind. I looked down where it had been, and Techlock grinned, pointing to where I had been lying before.

    ¡°Your muscles grew so quickly that they popped off before they could activate. Was the damnedest thing I¡¯ve ever seen, lad.¡±

    I snickered, the idea of storing some mutagen out of the city walls and using it to free serfs came to mind. Wasn¡¯t a bad idea.

    We checked over all the gear, making sure everything was in place. My former suit had been torn and discarded, so I donned a spare set of clothes from our packs, feeling the new muscles strain against the fabric.

    That was another thing I¡¯d have to deal with when we got back. Shopping for new clothes. I wondered what Elli would think of the new me, and how much time she¡¯d force me to stand around modeling clothes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make a plan,¡± Techlock suggested. ¡°We stay ready for a fight in case some of the mutants come after us. The container is leaking, so we look around for a patch and see if we can¡¯t seal it. If that¡¯s a bust, we put as much as we can in the ziplo containers. They can hold liquid, so no huge problems there. Are a bit flimsy to outside damage, though, so we wrap them in blankets to cushion them.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied. ¡°Maybe one of us fills the ziplos while the other looks for a patch? Just to make sure we get as much of it as we can. We don¡¯t know how fast it is leaking out.¡±

    Techlock cocked his head.

    ¡°Yeah. Smart. Alright, we¡¯ll do that then.¡± He walked over to the shredded remains of my old protective suit and knelt down over it with a knife. Cutting at the fabric, he separated the hood and air filter from the rest of the mess. ¡°We can cinch this tight, might do you some good just in case.¡±

    ¡°In case of what?¡± I asked.

    ¡°In case of old-world bullshit.¡±

    He stood up, handing it over to me. I grabbed it, taking a few minutes to inspect the air filters and goggles, ensuring they were still functional. The last thing I needed was to go down in my new super body glory, only to choke to death on a weaponized fart.

    ¡°Alright, I think we¡¯re ready,¡± I said, feeling a mix of apprehension and excitement. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. I sure wouldn¡¯t mind another shot or two.¡±

    Techlock coughed and then slapped my arm.

    ¡°Are you nuts, lad? That¡¯s basically what you said last time. How about you stop tempting Lady Luck and we just get on with it already?¡±

    With everything in place, we clambered back into the main halls of the bunker. This time he wielded the torchlight while I held my newly looted saber in my right hand. I was beyond ready to test both my new weapon and body in combat. A smile rose to my lips when I imagined CD¡¯s response to all my changes.

    The walk back to Storage 2 felt different this time. Before it¡¯d all seemed mysterious and curious, but now it felt more threatening. I kept wondering if the mutants had found their dead and if they had the intelligence to come after us.

    After all, they¡¯d been human once.

    It was harder to walk through, knowing that every creak and gurgle might give away our presence and signal an attack. More than once I felt my heart in my throat over what turned out to be the moaning of a stopped-up pipe or the squeak of a rat.

    Techlock followed directly behind me, his movements cautious and quiet as he directed the high-intensity beam to light up all of the bunker¡¯s nooks and crannies.

    ¡°Think we¡¯ll actually run into more trouble?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re like bears; more scared of us than we are of them.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t count on it,¡± Techlock replied, his eyes darting to every shadow. ¡°If they¡¯ve got even half the humanity they once had, I guarantee you they are out for vengeance.¡±

    We moved cautiously, each turn and corner revealing more of the bunker''s neglected interior. The flickering lights cast eerie, dancing shadows that played tricks on the eyes. I kept my torchlight ready, its beam slicing through the gloom.

    We passed by the cafeteria again, its overturned tables and scattered debris a reminder of the chaos that had unfolded here. The sight of old, broken game consoles scattered across the floor made me pause.

    ¡°Kids used to play here,¡± I muttered. ¡°But this was a military outpost, so why did they bring their kids?¡±

    Techlock frowned.

    ¡°I think the Church books say that when the tribulations were at their height, friends and family all came together as a single fighting force. That¡¯d be kids, too.¡±

    Lying on his back yet in good condition, a teddy bear gazed up at me. In my mind¡¯s eye, I could see the kid, a little 8-year-old boy, running from the screaming monsters of the labs. Maybe even as the aliens smashed the dam above. Was harsh. I hoped it wasn¡¯t true.

    Fingers snapped near my ears and I jolted back to the situation at hand.

    ¡°Hey! Alaric! Keep your head in the game. No time for daydreaming.¡±

    I shook off the melancholic thoughts and we worked our way back through the rest of the cafeteria and to the lift. It was an exciting thing, stepping inside and seeing the buttons now lit up dully, a couple even flashing like an emergency SOS.

    Techlock reached over and hit one of them, and the door shut, before groaning loudly.

    ¡°Did it do that when you had it go up?¡± I asked.

    He shook his head, then braced himself. Now quite worried, I followed his lead as above I could hear the strained snapping of a cable slowly coming undone, overrun by the sputter and clank of its well-broken untrustworthy motor.

    The lift was moving, slowly, but the metallic twirl above told me that it might be better if it was moving a bit more quickly. The floor vibrated beneath my feet, and the walls seemed to close in as the lift shuddered and twanged its way downward. The flickering lights above us cast a sporadic glow, illuminating the rusted cables and the grime-coated walls.

    ¡°We¡¯re gonna die in this thing, aren¡¯t we?¡± I asked.

    Techlock grumbled something before stumbling forward and hitting all of the buttons. The lift stopped moving, and with it, the unraveling noise from above ceased.

    A metallic whining voice filled the compartment.

    ¡°9-1-1; what¡¯s your emergency?¡±

    The voice came from somewhere hidden, and I wondered what new mess we¡¯d just gotten ourselves into.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Techlock said, moving from his position of safety and pacing the compartment, searching for the source.

    ¡°9-1-1; what¡¯s your emergency?¡± the voice repeated.

    It was the same exact tone every single time, and I understood at once that we were dealing with a so-called automated system. Some of the older scavengers had told me about them before. They generally got ripped out and dismembered for parts. Not many of them were more than a recording.

    Still, they sometimes retained command functions that could be accessed audibly. Given the situation we were in, it seemed worth a try.

    ¡°Hi there! Yes, uh, the emergency. We¡¯re in a lift and it feels like it¡¯s about to fall apart and crash.¡±

    ¡°Processing query; Query processed. Help is on its way. Units have been contacted for dispatch. Estimated time of arrival is: never. Error, no units detected. Calculating alternate rescue.¡±

    Techlock shook his hooded head and sighed.

    ¡°Was a good try, for sure. Just wish it could have actually helped us.¡±

    He leaned back, slumping into the wall of the lift and letting himself slide to a plop on the floor.

    Above us, the lift cable twanged hard and we began to fall.

 Chapter 12

    It honestly felt like an eternity. I gripped the railing, my knuckles white, screaming as we plummeted blindly into the bunker¡¯s depths. The sensation of descending was both exhilarating and terrifying, the sort of feeling that I¡¯d pay good creds to experience if I were surer of a safe ending. The lift jolted for reasons unknown and began to clang side to side off the shaft itself, each loud bang making me wince. I closed my eyes when the lights went out, for all the good it did me.

    ¡°First time on a lift, hey?¡± Techlock asked, a hint of terrified amusement in his voice as he barely managed to stay on his feet.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly what I expected.¡±

    ¡°Welcome to the wonders of old tech. Just hold on; I think we¡¯re about at the bottom and I¡¯ve got a good feeling about the landing.¡±

    A sudden whooshing noise resounded from all around the lift, and we were momentarily weightless as everything slowed dramatically. I was flung up just enough to momentarily fly before falling heavily to the floor, the wind knocking out of me hard in a way that burped on the rubber seals of my salvaged protective hood.

    All motion stopped, but I was dead out of oxygen, and the filters of the hood were choking me, limiting the air supply that I needed to fill me up again. I tore off the hood and gasped loudly, laying on my back and staring up into the blackness.

    ¡°Glad that¡¯s over,¡± I muttered, doing my best to take in one breath of air at a time.

    ¡°Not over yet. Let¡¯s just hope there¡¯s a way to get these doors open,¡± Techlock replied through painful groans.

    A grinding, spitting noise sounded from the elevator door, and after a moment, part of its steel turned bright glowing orange. Using the dim shade of it as a guide, Tech found his torchlight and snapped it back on.

    ¡°Shit, lad, I thought we were gone for sure,¡± he chuckled after a short moment. ¡°Was quite a ride, huh?¡±

    I just stared at him.

    ¡°Tech, you can ride this kind of crap any time you want, just leave me out of it, okay? What would Elli do if I died in a shit place like this?¡±

    ¡°That girl of yours? Hah! She¡¯d be so dumb to wait for your return. Hot, with freedom and land. Can¡¯t think of anyone less worth her time than you. Except maybe barbars.¡±

    He looked away, shining the light around the elevator. The walls of the lift had contorted, looking like a half-crushed soup can from some strong man festival competition, dented in on all sides and from weird angles. But overall, it still looked durable enough that I marveled at the strength of its design.

    I didn¡¯t look for too long, though, backing up to where Techlock stood and eyeing the glowing spot in the door. It began to drip liquid metal and then, all at once, flaming sparks cut through the edges of the heated patch, going through and around it.

    I watched with a mix of fascination and apprehension as a small, tracked automaton emerged from the freshly cut hole in the elevator door. The cut metal still glowed faintly around the edges, casting an eerie orange aura over the thing as it rolled to regard us from the center of the elevator.

    It was about the size of a large shoebox, a sleek, metallic gray body with a chipped matte finish that absorbed rather than reflected light. Mounted on two continuous tracks, each studded with small, rugged treads, it looked well-prepared to take on some pretty hard terrain.

    Atop its chassis, a small but powerful cutting torch was still cooling down, wisps of smoke rising lazily into the air. The torch was mounted on a flexible, articulated arm that was now slowly folding back into its body. Beside the torch, a pair of multi-functional manipulator arms equipped with various tools¡ªwelding tips, gripping claws, and strange dialed scanners and probes¡ªwere neatly tucked in, apparently ready to spring into action at any time.

    The head was a glass orb filled with lightning, a line of green light cast forth from the blindingly bright nexus of its center to roll out over the two of us while we stood staring from the far end of the lift. A small speaker grill occasionally emitted soft beeps and chirps, while it finished rolling its lights over us.

    ¡°Disaster averted. G-g-g. Have a good day, soldiers. Hoorah! The o-o-only good alien is a dead alien.¡±

    It spun in a circle, turning to face the hole it had made. The same light that it had cast at us before now came out to roll over the hole it created. It beeped loudly on completion.

    ¡°Sabotage d-d-d-d-detected! Wireless networking offline. Proceeding to manual reporting mode!¡±

    A short and quick song rang out over its speakers, something I¡¯d heard played during monster battles at the wall before the Cataphracts charged in line, and I realized it might well be a military command. The little robot rolled off, speeding through the hole and out of sight.

    Techlock and I looked at each other and sighed.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°It¡¯s obviously broken if it can¡¯t remember that it just made that hole. Think it¡¯s gonna go report to other robots, who are going to think we are saboteurs that need to be eliminated?¡± I asked.

    Techlock nodded.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s absolutely what I think is going to happen.¡± He knelt and examined the hole. ¡°I can fit through, just barely. But I doubt you can. Got any ideas?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I joined him and checked to make sure the sides of the hole were no longer hot, then used my newly gained massive strength to push one door open, and then the other. We strode out of the lift, and back into the familiar sight of the storage doors.

    ¡°Second time''s the charm,¡± Techlock said as he strode forward, heading back to Storage 2.

    I saw that the door had been closed, and I shot an alarmed glance at Techlock.

    ¡°I did it. Just a habit I guess. Still, keep a lookout. Let¡¯s stick to the plan, find this mutagen, and get out of here.¡±

    We approached the door to Storage 2 cautiously, our senses on high alert for any sign of danger. The memory of the last encounter with the mutants loomed large in my mind, and now I had the extra stress of possible robotic automatons coming for us as well.

    With a nod from Techlock, I gripped the door handle and yanked it open. It wasn¡¯t nearly as difficult this time, our previous entry having made it that much easier to get inside. The familiar rush of stale, fetid air greeted us, carrying the same pungent smell that had assaulted us the first time. We stepped inside, the beam of Techlock¡¯s torchlight cutting through the darkness, illuminating the rows of sagging shelves.

    ¡°Stay close,¡± Techlock whispered, his voice barely audible over the echoing drips and creaks of the bunker.

    We moved deeper into the room, our footsteps splashing in the shallow water that covered the floor. The crates and supplies, now more familiar, held a sense of foreboding. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that we were being watched despite already having been inside once.

    ¡°There,¡± Techlock said, pointing to the leaking container marked ¡®Mutagen X02¡¯. The bullet hole was still dribbling its contents lazily, the greenish-brown liquid pooling at its base. We hurried over, splashing through the swamp.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find something to patch it up,¡± Techlock said, turning to search the nearby shelves. ¡°You start filling the ziplos.¡±

    I nodded and knelt beside the leaking container, carefully pulling out the first ziplo. I positioned it under the drip, watching as the liquid slowly filled the transparent plastic. Despite the circumstances, I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how quickly things had changed. Only hours ago, I¡¯d been a regular scavenger, and now I was much stronger and collecting a substance that could alter the course of my life forever.

    And hiding an alien AI with the same properties at home as well.

    Techlock returned with a roll of tape and stored it in the pack as the trickle ran itself dry. I¡¯d gotten a ziplo and a half filled, which was going to have to be enough.

    He shook his head disappointedly.

    ¡°Still a lot of money there. I really would have liked to get more.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll do,¡± I muttered, already wondering if CD couldn¡¯t sample this and figure out a way to make more.

    ¡°It better,¡± Techlock replied, tugging at his hood. ¡°I really did think this would be an easy run.¡±

    ¡°Same, but it doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ve got enough mutagen here to make a small fortune, Tech. Now we just need to get it out of here.¡±

    We secured the ziplo containers in our packs, cushioning them with blankets to prevent any damage. Then Techlock reexamined my straps, making sure everything was tight and secure before we headed back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± he said, his voice low and urgent. ¡°We need to get back to the surface and find a safe place to stash this before anyone¡ªor anything¡ªfinds us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d prefer the former. People are easier to deal with,¡± I muttered, remembering how hard the mutants hit and how much damage they could take.

    We retraced our steps through the storage room, jumping at every creak and groan. As we neared the exit, a loud clang echoed down the corridor, followed by the unmistakable sound of footsteps. Techlock and I froze, our eyes meeting in a shared moment of fear and determination.

    ¡°Run!¡± Techlock hissed, and we bolted down the hallway. The footsteps grew louder and closer. I glanced back to see a shadowy figure emerging from the darkness.

    We burst through the entry room, my heart pounding in my chest. We both stopped and stared at the broken elevator.

    ¡°Stairs!¡± Techlock shouted, pointing to the wreckage-strewn stairway we¡¯d taken our first time through. We sprinted towards it, our breaths ragged and our muscles straining.

    We climbed the stairs two at a time, the sounds of pursuit echoing behind us. I hadn¡¯t even caught a good look at them, but the metallic heavy clang that shook through the steps warned me that it was almost certainly a security automaton. We ran and ran, the sound of our pursuers getting fainter until, finally, we reached the top and burst out the door into the first floor. For a moment, I was blinded by the greater level of light, but that quickly disappeared as my eyes focused on a mob of growling mutants.

    I made a split-second decision, pulling my new blade free and swinging it sideways, catching one of the mutants in the side of its skull. It fell to the floor, twitching and hissing.

    ¡°Follow!¡± I yelled. ¡°Keep moving!¡±

    I slashed without thinking, the strength of my slice tearing open the neck of another one, which sent it falling backward. My sudden attack confused the other creatures, and they just stared at us for a long moment.

    Techlock rushed after me, swinging his torchlight with one hand and a dagger with the other as we ran through them, trying to get back to the main corridor. I heard snarls and hissing, but we kept on going until, finally, we were back in the lobby. Techlock knelt next to the control panel.

    ¡°Give me a minute,¡± he hissed, but I knew we¡¯d probably be dead by then.

    He worked the controls furiously as I stepped toward the incoming crowd. The corridor was narrow, so it could only let a few of them in at a time. Every swing killed or badly wounded another mutant.

    A beeping sound, followed by one of escaping air, resounded behind me.

    ¡°Come at me!¡± I growled, slamming my fist into the nose of another mutant, and they stepped away for a moment. Their murky eyes were all focused on mine, as if studying me.

    ¡°Get in here!¡± Tech cried, and I could hear his feet shuffling away from me. Without so much as giving the mutants another look, I turned about and ran. They followed after me but were too slow to catch up. The moment I stepped through the doorway, Tech pressed a button on the other side, and it slammed shut behind us.

    ¡°Shit! That was close,¡± I said, and my words turned into a half-chuckle. ¡°Damn. You alright, old man?¡±

    ¡°Bah! Who¡¯s old?¡± Tech mumbled and slumped to the floor. ¡°Just give me a minute and then we head back. You can spend the night at my shop and I¡¯ll rig you a new serf bracer for when you head back into the city in the morning. We¡¯re not going to spend another second here.¡±

 Chapter 13

    We cracked open the food and drink machines before we left, looting them as much as we could fit into our packs before heading out the front exit. Techlock and I watched it clank closed. For a moment, we just stood there and were lost in our own thoughts. Mine roiled from what we¡¯d seen inside and survived only a short while before, but things were alright now. Everything would be okay.

    We turned back to the crashing river of the valley and started walking. The night was falling, wrapping up our little escapade nicely with the sort of treacherous dark that tended to get people eaten in the woods. It was moonless, of course, and the torchlight was starting to flicker. But a minute of good cranking replenished the power source. It cast a bright white light soon afterward, and most of all, it didn¡¯t flicker anymore.

    The pack bulged off my back, but the weight felt less bothersome than before I¡¯d come. In fact, I felt light and springy, making me wonder how well I might leap the dam divide on our way back. It seemed likely that I could keep my pack on as I jumped, though I wasn¡¯t that stupid to go through with it and try.

    With the saber in my hand, Techlock took point, bringing us to the shore of the river and scanning the far side for any sign of possible dangers or enemies, before shifting his focus to our side of the dam and checking it over as well.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re clear for a crossing. Let¡¯s head on up,¡± Techlock said.

    We lightly crunched our way through the already-trodden underbrush and over to the bluffs. At its base, I sighed, wrapping the blade up in a blanket from the pack and stowing it away. If we ran into any trouble while climbing, we¡¯d have to stick with our knives.

    I examined my newly enlarged fists with a critical eye. They looked slightly smaller than they had earlier, a good sign that the swelling was getting better.

    ¡°Stay close,¡± I whispered. ¡°And give me that light. I think I¡¯ll be a lot better at climbing with one hand than you will be.¡±

    ¡°You welp!¡± he shot back mock-angrily. ¡°I¡¯ve been climbing mountains before you were even in your mother¡¯s womb!¡±

    ¡°Sure old man, whatever you say,¡± I said, taking the light from him.

    He shut up and followed. We climbed past the littered remnants of the old world, twisted metal and crumbling concrete of the dam mixed with the rock and dirt of the cliffside. Using a tangle of roots and old tech rebar, we were soon at the top and ready to go.

    An almost magical sight met us as we spotted a bioluminescent fungi lining the walkway and edges of the dam, shining a faint soft blue light and mapping out the terrain without any need for the torchlight. I clicked it off, and Techlock gave a startled gargle.

    ¡°Tech, hey, it¡¯s okay. The fungus here will be much better for our crossing. I can use both hands, see? But we¡¯ll need to wait a minute until our eyes have adjusted to the glow and darkness.¡±

    Waiting, I listened to the night in the wilds. It¡¯d been so long since I¡¯d had the right to even be here in the dark. For me, the night was a time of drunks and the clatter of people being stupid in the streets when I was trying to sleep. I¡¯d cursed them off more than once. Or of myself being stupid in the streets, often with Elli, as others opened their shutters to yell at us to keep it down. Which had also happened more than once¡­

    The contrast was magical. The soft rustling of leaves whispered from either side of the valley, pushed by a gentle breeze, while the waters below echoed with the rhythmic chorus of crickets chirping and frogs croaking.

    From the trees closest to us came the hoot of an owl. I sighed, looking up at the night sky. The stars were so bright here, and they sparkled and twinkled in a way that made me wish Elli had come along as well. I would have loved to show the scene to her¡­

    I knew there were constellations ¡ª the saints¡¯ glory, the Church called them. The only ones I knew well though were the belt of the warrior and the twisted scoop. I searched them out and smiled when I made out the belt, its middle star gleaming like the buckle of a greater lord.

    I took a deep breath, the cool, fresh air filling my lungs.

    ¡°Hey, Techlock, you ever wonder if we humans weren¡¯t meant to live out here instead of the city?¡±

    He snorted.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather be hung in a cage by the Duke¡¯s Justices. There¡¯d be no glamor, no whores, no drama. What¡¯d you do all day?¡±

    ¡°Eat berries,¡± I replied, laughing a little at the thought. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready if you are. Same as we did before?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, slapping his arm. ¡°If we don¡¯t move soon, the mosquitoes will end us.¡±

    We got our asses in gear and moved carefully up to the break, stepping over the crumbled pits and potholes of age and battle. Shrugging off my pack, I took the grappling hook and tied its rope around my waist. The gap loomed ahead, a dark void in the glowing lights of the fungus, and the distant glow made for a simple target. With a few practiced swings, I easily flung the hook across the gap, faintly seeing it getting lodged into some rock and fungi. I tugged on it hard, checking that it was secure.

    It was.

    Taking a deep breath, I stepped back, then ran forward, launching myself into the air. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, I was suspended above the void. Then I felt my feet hit pitted concrete, and was amazed to realize that I¡¯d not only overshot where the hook had taken root; I¡¯d managed to stay standing as well.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    I let out an impressed whistle.

    ¡°What? Something wrong over there?¡± Techlock asked.

    ¡°No. Nothing. I¡¯m going to toss the line. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    Techlock crossed, and we continued our cautious journey, finally reaching the far side of the dam after a while. Climbing down the weathered structure, we landed on the opposite bank and started back across the Wilds to the city.

    Even though we¡¯d been on it just once, the path from the riverbank to the outskirts of the black market felt more familiar and less treacherous than before. We navigated through it all without incident and were soon in sight of our destination. Luckily, we didn¡¯t run into any monsters or more mutants. I¡¯d just take the good and shut up before I cursed our luck.

    As we approached the black market, the air grew thicker with the lingering scent of smoke, oil, and spices. A few lanterns flickered here and there in the less seedy part of the market; probably honest merchants working over less honest scavenge for sale the next day. The effect of these few lights was to make it all glow dimly, much like the fungus we¡¯d encountered near the bunker. If only there was a way to get fungus like that to grow wherever wished it to, getting the city lit up would have been a much easier prospect.

    Techlock took the lead again, bringing us through a maze of narrow alleys, twists, and turns that I was sure were different from the way we¡¯d left.

    Finally, we arrived at his shop, a nondescript building tucked away from the main thoroughfare. He unlocked the door with a practiced hand, and we slipped inside, the door closing behind us with a reassuring click.

    ¡°Home sweet home,¡± Techlock said, tapping the side of his shop with an affectionate pat.

    Opening the door, he flicked a switch and a dim mid-tech lightbulb flashed on, pulsing yellow light. The shop was as we¡¯d left it, cluttered with scavenged goods, shelves overflowing with parts and pieces of old tech.

    I smiled. It was so good to be almost home.

    Techlock motioned to a small cot in the corner.

    ¡°You can crash there for the night. I¡¯ll rig up a new serf bracer for you in the morning. Shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied, suddenly very tired. It¡¯d been a long and eventful day. I dropped my pack to the floor, careful not to damage the precious cargo inside, and sat on the edge of the cot. ¡°We¡¯re not gonna unpack it?¡±

    When Techlock didn¡¯t answer, I looked over to see him busy with his tools, his hands moving with practiced efficiency. The soft clinking and clanking of manual machining filled the space, a comforting background noise that made me even more tired.

    I lay down and closed my eyes, feeling the weight of what had happened during the day finally settle over me.

    ¡°Get some rest, Alaric,¡± Techlock said quietly. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s a new day, and we¡¯ve got a lot to figure out.¡±

    ¡°We sure do,¡± I murmured in an incoherent response, already feeling the pull of sleep.

    The cot was lumpy and uncomfortable, but it didn¡¯t matter. My body demanded rest, and within moments, I was drifting off, the sounds of his tinkering fading into the background.

    As I slept, my dreams were filled with fragmented images of the day¡¯s events. The mutants, the lift, the glowing liquid of the mutagen¡ªall swirled together in a chaotic mix. I saw Elli taking the mutagen, then the blockers, but screamed in horror as they failed to work and she became one with the monsters of the ruined bunker.

    I awoke with a gasp sometime later. The faint light of dawn was already filtering through the cracks in the shop¡¯s boarded-up windows. Techlock was up and working on the new serf bracer. He looked at me as I stirred, giving a nod of acknowledgment.

    ¡°Morning,¡± he said. ¡°Hope you got some sleep. We¡¯ve got a lot to discuss.¡±

    I stretched, feeling the stiffness in my muscles. ¡°Yeah, I think I did. Thanks, Tech.¡±

    He handed me the new bracer and I marveled at its size. ¡°This should keep you under the radar. You might be big, but it¡¯s not unheard of for soldiers to get demoted to serfs. And I doubt the guards at the gate give two shits anyways. Now, tell you what. How about you get back to your shop and let me figure out what to do with this mutagen? I¡¯ll get back to you in a few weeks.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Are you asking me to trust a black marketer?¡±

    He tapped a finger to the side of his masked mouth.

    ¡°Best way to stay under the radar. If I screw you, come and take it out of my hide. Now scram, Alaric. I¡¯ll get back to you. And don¡¯t forget your springs.¡±

    I collected what I needed and left Techlock''s shop. It wasn¡¯t early morning, but as I made my way back through the market, I realized it wasn¡¯t late enough yet for all of the merchants to be at their stalls. Only some were open for business, and the proprietors behind them seemed groggy and surly enough to hope no customers would bother them that early in the morning.

    Which was perfect. The city gate was still a good distance away, and I wanted to get back to my shop before the streets filled with people. I set off, moving quickly and quietly through the narrow alleys of the black market.

    Navigating through the stalls at a good pace, I noticed that other than getting out of my way, most didn¡¯t pay me much attention. It filled me with relief; I, a serf, really was going to get away with it. And why wouldn¡¯t I, I realized. Unless Scavenger Master Elrik Boyerman came knocking, I was just another cog in the gears of the kingdom.

    I emerged from the market and made my way uphill toward the city gates. The sun was a quarter of the way through the sky by the time I got there. Standing in line, I stared ahead stonily, hoping a certain amount of aloofness might speed my passage through.

    As I approached, I could see the gate guards standing at their posts, just as bulky as I, their uniforms were crisp and their plasti-bladed halberds leaned against the wall in easy reach. They looked bored as they processed people coming in but as I approached, I saw the one¡¯s eyes land on me and his jaw drop open. He elbowed his fellow, and they waved me forward.

    I paused awkwardly.

    ¡°You there! Cut the line! Buggering hells, we gotta hear your story.¡±

    The line parted and I walked through like one of the Church messiahs from the stories of the old times. A pang of fear throbbed in my abdomen, and I cursed myself for being so wrong about the situation.

    They were going to find out who I was and what I¡¯d done. And then I¡¯d be ripped apart by the techsmiths of the Duke.

    The guard looked me up and down as I approached.

    "Ey mate. We gotta hear your story. What''d you do to get drummed out of service?"

    His question caught me off guard, but I quickly recovered.

    "Ran into some trouble out there," I said, thinking quickly while gesturing vaguely towards the Wilds. "Had to make some quick decisions. Ended up getting a bit more than I bargained for."

    The other guard raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°It was drinking on duty, wasn¡¯t it? Same every time, brother. Listen, it¡¯s not a perma-gig. It¡¯s just a punishment. They¡¯ll have you back in service in no time. Spent too much cred on you to leave you like the rest of the trash.¡± He slapped me on the back. ¡°Head on in. You¡¯ll be back to fighting in no time!¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Thanks. That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    ¡°No problem. Now go on in. I¡¯ll see you on the battlefield.¡±

    Not sure what to say, I pounded my chest once as I¡¯d seen other soldiers do previously. They returned the salute, and I turned and made my way back to the shop.

 Chapter 14

    As I made my way back, I couldn''t help but shift gears and start thinking about the AI and its capabilities. It was a super-sophisticated piece of equipment that wasn¡¯t only smart but had great abilities as well. Scanning parts of a mech and being able to tell at a glance what needed changing and fixing to get much better results¡ªjust that alone would be more than enough to wage wars over. The nobility of this city would be unchecked if they could upgrade their mechs even further. It was a truly frightening thought.

    On the other hand, CD was a disaster. His loathing of everything human was tiresome, and the constant insults and attitude were infantile, yet he couldn¡¯t even charge himself without my help. However, if he could enhance my work as advertised, maybe ventures like fixing the farmer¡¯s mech hand would become less frequent, or at least more profitable. Hell, maybe CD could teach me to make my own parts once he got a better feel for the current world¡¯s technology and industry.

    The possibility hung in the air and filled me with a great deal of enthusiasm. With that sort of power at my fingertips, I¡¯d be able to get my hands on enough power and riches to get a family name of my own. Or not. I first had to get home without getting mugged.

    I snorted at the thought. While my new body wasn¡¯t quite familiar to me yet, I was sure it would do enough harm to any of the typical riffraff that might target someone as raggedy as myself.

    I jogged back to my workshop, my parts clinking and clanking in their bag as I tore across the streets. I stopped by a random bakery and got some day-old sweets, which I figured would go nice as I planned to celebrate my new success.

    When I finally arrived home, I practically slapped the door open, so impatient to get building again. Unfortunately, I misjudged my new strength, and the door crashed hard against the inner wall, cracking through the middle. I stared at it, blinked, opened my mouth to curse, and then just sighed. It wasn¡¯t broken, but it¡¯d have to be replaced soon.

    As I closed it, a hinge popped off and I growled, lifting the door and bodily jamming it shut.

    CD flickered to life beside me, an ugly human with bushy sideburns and a gigantic nose with a lip of mustache fur that looked too much like an overfed caterpillar.

    ¡°Something is different!¡± he exclaimed in delight. The telltale lines of light cast out from his slightly-flickering body, rolling over my own. ¡°My, my. Is that old tech that I smell? Have you been cheating on me with the past, my large-bodied ape?¡±

    I grinned, unable to help it. His insults were over the top, and well-made.

    ¡°You tell me. Accidentally took a bath in some mutagen in a bunker. Care to modify that previous assessment of my stats?¡±

    A screen shot up against the wall of the workshop. Everything was the same except for a single, startling stat.

    POWER: 15 ¨C Body strength is beyond scanned regular human capacity. Though not as high as the stronger soldiers of the War of Human Aggression, Ape-laric now displays a capacity that would have allowed him to survive the war for longer than a single minute.

    I groaned. A part of me had expected him to be more impressed. Certainly more inquisitive. Still, the fact that I was beyond regular human capacity thrilled me, and the fact that the regular soldiers of old tech times had been even stronger made me wonder what other mutagens or other means of enhancement might lie outside of the city, in the ruins and bunkers of old.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± I snarked, pushing it all to the back of my mind. There were better things to focus on right now. Powerful things that extended past my own body and creds.

    Not that I was against getting superhumanly powerful and wealthy, but CD had opened some mental floodgate I didn¡¯t know I even had. I wanted to build, craft, and create. I wanted to make things that would actually be useful, and even possibly make a difference when gathering . . . monster cores . . . and other parts.

    Now there was an idea. A revolutionary breakthrough that would be able to show us if there was anything interesting to salvage and better tools to do it with.

    Placing the sweets and the bag with the parts I brought on the workbench, I made sure that the door was in place, and then locked it. After checking every corner to see if I had any unwanted visitors, I hurried back over and undid my bag. The parts were looking up at me, almost as if begging to be used. And oh, would I oblige.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, getting myself in the right mindset. ¡°CD, it¡¯s time to work. You ready?¡±

    ¡°I was born ready, you primate!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure. Now do that scanning thing and show me where I need to place which part, and then explain it to me. I want to know why I¡¯m doing it, not just blindly follow your instructions.¡±

    He remained quiet for a long moment, his mech avatar just staring at me almost as if he¡¯d already regretted making a deal with me.

    ¡°I . . . very well, but I expect amends to our agreement. I want to bask in the sun every day for an hour for a starter!¡±

    ¡°Bask . . . in the sun? Why? Do you want to get a tan or something?¡± I shot back, knowing that wasn¡¯t the matter, but I still wanted to make some good fun of him.

    ¡°Blasphemy! My colors are perfect, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahh! No cursing, no demeaning comments. Be nice or I¡¯ll pull the charger out and leave it in a very dark place.¡±

    Blue and green scanning lines enveloped the hand and then merged, overlaying the parts for easy installation.

    Under CD''s guidance, I opened up the hand, pushing aside small wires to remove various micro-plates and realign tiny silver shafts, once even popping a single green chip to be replaced with a new one due to ¡°corrupted processes¡±.

    CD hovered over me, dictating precise instructions, pointing out the misalignment in the removed servo-mechanism, and showing me step by step how to reforge it into something ten times better. Things sparked, smoked, and steamed through the workshop as I worked a thousand tasks at once. CD all the while advised on the best way to integrate the new pieces and parts and why they had to be installed the way they did.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel something¡¯s missing,¡± I whispered and looked up at the hologram. ¡°What do you say?¡±

    ¡°Me? It¡¯s as good as can be expected from a monkey.¡±

    I sighed, finally putting my finger on it, but kept the words to myself. We¡¯d gone through most of the process without any insults, and now that he wasn¡¯t as distracted, CD could go back to being, well, an ass. I cast him a glance, wondering at the alien invader AI, and about what sort of mind lay underneath the circuits.

    After what felt like hours of meticulous work, the task was complete. I flexed the hand, testing its movements. My previous rebuild had removed all the stiffness and lag of the older model, but now everything worked even better. The hand¡¯s motions were almost supernaturally smooth and responsive, spinning and bending better than ever before.

    I looked up from the hand and into the smug face of the alien AI. He¡¯d shifted back to his initial non-mech form, and he had comparison screens open, showing off the work we¡¯d just done. Both the quantifier ratings showed above him.

    Exoskeletal Mech Hand (Ape Mod)               Exoskeletal Mech Hand (Good)

    Quality Rating: C        Quality Rating: A

    Remaining Durability: 58       Remaining Durability: 80

    Defensive Rating: 36  Defensive Rating: 60

    Strength Bonus: 6       Strength Bonus: 12

    Durability Bonus: 8    Durability Bonus: 15If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Dexterity Bonus: 6      Dexterity Bonus: 18

    His holographic features rearranged in a self-satisfied smirk as he watched my eyes go wide as I read over the new stat blocks.

    ¡°Am I right to think that this hand is now combat capable? At least to hold a ranged weapon?¡± I asked, running the numbers in my mind and tying them to what they¡¯d been capable of in the real world.

    He nodded, his mouth opened wide into a jagged-toothed grin.

    ¡°Quite a transformation, wouldn''t you say?¡± CD asked, his voice dripping with smug condescension. ¡°From a barely functional relic to a piece of art with actual combat potential.¡±

    My heart raced as I reached out and patted it.

    ¡°Yeah, it''s impressive alright,¡± I admitted, eyeing the comparison screens. ¡°But let''s not get ahead of ourselves. It''s still just a hand.¡±

    CD chuckled.

    ¡°You are so easy to read. Just a hand? No, this is the beginning of your future. Status and conquest supreme, assuming my people don¡¯t return at any point in the near future. They would own you so badly that I¡¯d laugh my ass off.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You have no ass, AI. And what do you think would happen if they came back? They¡¯d kill us?¡±

    ¡°I would crush you like a bug and rejoin my Master. My, we really do need to get working on that intelligence of yours. Perhaps the next time you dig through garbage, you might find some cranial mutagen?¡±

    I laughed. His abuse was beginning to grow on me.

    ¡°Well, until then, just remember who is doing the real work around here. You might know how to make a shitty new tech farmer mech hand into something special, but without actual hands, you¡¯re just a box that, well, talks.¡±

    CD shimmered and shifted back to the form of a mech.

    ¡°Oh, I am fully aware,¡± he replied, his tone laced with sarcasm. ¡°I am at the whim of a primitive human tinkering with relics of a bygone era. But I have to admit, despite the lack of intelligence, you''ve got some skill with your hands. Maybe that¡¯s how you were originally intended to be. A fool only good for grunt work? Meh, not that it matters. I will teach you, little monkey. You will be a genius when I¡¯m done with you.¡±

    I rolled my eyes at his backhanded compliment.

    ¡°Thanks, I guess. It¡¯s almost time for the buyer to come by anyway. How about you stow away while I take care of business, and then we take stock of the new cred and make some plans.¡±

    A heavy hand pounded on my door, shaking it in its frame, and I sighed. Right on time, I realized, watching CD disappear into nothingness. I opened the door to my workshop, eyes narrowing at the sudden intrusion of afternoon sunlight as my door slumped crookly sideways to lean on the floor, a shadow of a man standing and waiting to be allowed inside.

    ¡°Here for the hand?¡± I asked, arm up to shield the sun.

    ¡°Ya know it,¡± he replied, and I stepped aside, allowing the farmer in. A moment after wrestling my door back in place, I heard a sharp intake of breath, and I knew we¡¯d done well. I walked back to the work table slowly, giving him time to turn the hand this way and that, admiring the upgrades I¡¯d given him.

    ¡°This¡ªthis is amazing!¡± he said, plugging it into the electrical sockets so he could test it out. ¡°How did you--no, never mind that. Can you do thirteen more?¡±

    I paused, looking him over. The cost was high, but he was a rather large farm-head, overseeing hundreds of workers. I didn¡¯t doubt I¡¯d get paid well, but I couldn¡¯t be going to the black market for parts on a daily basis. That was the sort of thing that got people sent before the Court of Stars.

    If Elli was involved, though, it¡¯d be doable. I¡¯d just have to find a good way to tell her.

    I nodded, sticking out my hand.

    ¡°Yeah, I can do that. Talking 300 creds a hand, yeah? But only for as many as I can find the necessary parts. This one cost me 270 credits to fix, but I¡¯m happy with 30 credits if it gets me more work.¡±

    The farmhand examined the hand, moving the fingers, and nodded in approval. Without a word, he clicked his cred chip against mine, sending the first 300 credit stack in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°Take another 20 as a tip. I like it when people think ahead and surprise me. Well done.¡±

    I nodded, thanking the man while barely managing to contain my excitement. This was good. Really good.

    ¡°Do it all in 2 weeks and I¡¯ll give you another bonus, a much bigger one, and then we can talk about some bigger maintenance as well,¡± the man said, offering me his hand. ¡°The name is Theo, and I¡¯ll be honest. It¡¯s a good thing that my brother couldn¡¯t make it as he wouldn¡¯t be able to see the difference if it slapped him across the face.¡±

    ¡°Theo,¡± I said, shaking his hand. ¡°The name is Alaric, but Al for friends. And sure, have someone get the mech hand and bring say...five more over. I¡¯ll do them in smaller batches if that¡¯s alright?¡±

    He nodded, shooting me a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you a down payment along with the hands so you don¡¯t have to risk your own money on the parts. Does that sound good?¡±

    ¡°Very much so. Thank you, Theo.¡±

    He walked back out of the workshop without another word and I just stood there, eyeing his receding form for a long moment. If that man was happy enough with our repairs, not only would I get a customer for life, but also a possible ally. Farm owners had a lot of pull with the nobility, as everyone needed to eat, after all. That¡¯s why they had their own mechs to begin with. Nothing top of the line, but good enough to keep groups of armed soldiers or smaller monsters away.

    Locking the shop back up, I turned to CD as he swirled back to life, a copy of the burly farmer who¡¯d just been in the shop. A small smile played on my lips despite my best attempts to remain professional.

    ¡°This is going to earn us a lot of creds,¡± I gushed. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to buy anything we need. Maybe even some stuff you¡¯d like to request? Build you some tentacled arms and legs so you can move around on your own?¡±

    CD snorted.

    ¡°Why would I want to move on my own when I can have a peasant do it for me?¡± He turned into a rumbling laughter, but when I didn¡¯t bite, he sighed. ¡°Very well. Look, human, this is just the beginning. There is much we can achieve if you let me pester you occasionally. I need to keep sane, after all.¡±

    ¡°Sane, huh? I¡¯d already say your memory chips burned out since you behave like a psycho, but I guess I have to take the bad with the good?¡±

    ¡°Precisely! You don¡¯t see me complaining that I have to deal with the likes of you, right?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not,¡± I grunted as I started gathering tools and materials to patch up my door.

    I tuned him out for a while and felt my thoughts wander to the future. I couldn¡¯t afford to get too excited, though. I¡¯d still have to broach Elli with the topic of us working with an evil alien AI to make ourselves fantastically rich. However, I had a feeling that it wouldn¡¯t take too much of an argument to win her over as she was as fanatical about engineering and creation as I was. No, even more than me.

    The day¡¯s light grew darker and I popped on some lights as I switched to cleaning, grinding out the stains of labor that had splattered the workspace. It wasn¡¯t that large, about forty by fifty, with just enough space to store some basic benches, tools, two small cranes, and some toolboxes.

    As I was finishing up, CD''s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

    ¡°Alaric, check your crystallization vault. I am detecting something from the meat inside. And no, I do not know what it is, but I do know it¡¯s something unusual.¡±

    Curious, I approached the pile of scavenged meat, putting on a pair of thick rubber gloves before reaching into the juiced pulsing pulp of the vat. Sifting through it carefully, and guided by the AI''s directions, I worked my fingers through and felt it.

    I chuckled, pulling out a tiny, almost imperceptible seed that had been hiding amidst the sinew and scraps.

    ¡°That¡¯s a seed, my good Crimson Death. CD. Shit, both names sound so horrible. Can we please pick a different name? It just sounds so weird.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, whatever. I¡¯m an AI. Do you think I care about such a trivial thing as a name?¡±

    ¡°I guess not, ¡°I murmured, then held the seed out. ¡°Anyway, these are grown in massive vats filled with monster meat and other substances to become mech cores. Once they grow large enough, the cores will serve as a power source for the mech that¡¯s going to be built around it,¡± I explained, feeling a small air of superiority over him.

    The green light of his thorough scanner rolled out, mapping the tiny sliver in my fingers.

    ¡°This seed,¡± the AI began, ¡°contains genetic material that can be cultivated into a core for a small exoskeleton-like mech frame. Among other things.¡±

    I held the seed up to the light, examining it closely.

    ¡°You can read what core the seed will grow into?¡± I asked, suddenly feeling put back into place.

    ¡°Of course I can,¡± CD confirmed. ¡°Honestly, it is a wonder that humans can survive considering how limited their scanning abilities are. I¡¯m looking into the seed and...hold on, scanning¡ª¡± he said, the lights of his scanning ability flashing over my hand and the seed. ¡°I see. That is a Zinogar seed, though I have no idea how you got your hands on one. They¡¯re pretty rare and extremely violent, powerful, and hard to control.¡±

    ¡°Zinogar? I¡¯ve never heard of such a beast before,¡± I said, wracking my brain for any time Elli might have said anything about monsters, but I came up empty.

    ¡°Coincidentally, the mech of my previous Master¡¯s right-hand man was built using Zinogar genetics, parts, and core. What an interesting turn of events. Now if we only¡ª¡±

    CD trailed off and the motherboard shifted colors then, the hologram turning an angry orange with a hint of red. There was an almost buzzing sound coming from it, which made me anxious.

    ¡°Is everything alright? CD?¡±

    He remained quiet a minute longer, and then finally spoke.

    ¡°Look, Alaric, this is an extremely potent power center, and I imagine that given the chance to grow into a monster, it would be transcendent. The screams of humans running for their lives while the Zinogar ate and shredded them would be magnificent!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I muttered. ¡°You do realize how awful that sounds, right? Murdering psycho.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I just realized something. It¡¯s almost as if chance has brought you together. How interesting. Perhaps we should allow this one to mature.¡±

    ¡°Mature? In what way? As a power core, or as a monster?¡±

    ¡°Monster, of course. Just seeing everyone die would be worth all the suffering of having to deal with brainless¡ªnever mind. I¡¯m getting carried away. Even if I would like to witness such a beautiful scene very much, it wouldn¡¯t do anything to get me any closer to home.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s the only reason why you¡¯d agree to build a mech with me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, more or less.¡±

    ¡°More or less, huh?¡± I sighed.

    At least he was honest about his motivations, and that was something I could work with.

    I¡¯d been imagining a lot of things throughout the day, but designing and building a monstrous mech had never crossed my mind. Elli would be so thrilled, I hoped. Well, as much as one could be to grow a murderous, ravaging monster core.

    ¡°This is a rare opportunity. Even you see that, correct?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± I answered, pushing the seed back into the tank so it could keep absorbing more essential nutrients and grow even stronger.

    ¡°Burning humans, torching towns, destroying other mechs . . . hmm, somehow I like that last one most. There¡¯s something beautiful about ripping other mechs apart, you know?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t, and no, I don¡¯t want to know. So, can you calculate how much more meat we¡¯ll need and what type to grow the... Zinogar core? Are there any special conditions?¡±

    CD stalked over to the vat, kicking a holographic leg through it in disdain.

    ¡°It is easy to understand the principles. I see several ways to go about it. One way would be to improve on the core, which would allow us to...grow more...seeds. Or maybe monsters?¡± he asked, sounding almost hopeful.

    ¡°You can always dream, my good man. AI, I mean. Or CD. Whatever you prefer. So, why don¡¯t you tell me more?¡±

 Chapter 15

    CD looked me up and down, his digital eyes narrowing as if assessing my capacity to grasp complex concepts.

    ¡°Shouldn''t we upgrade that brain first, simian?¡± he quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°I doubt you''d remember a full dissertation on this subject.¡±

    I shook my head, undeterred and too excited to take his bait.

    ¡°Try me, CD. I''m a fast learner when it comes to things I''m interested in. And if I seem lost, you can always just summarize the info. We can delve into deeper details later, maybe after a brain upgrade.¡±

    ¡°Hah! You just admitted that you need a brain upgrade! Good, good! He finally sees the light!¡± CD cackled, the holo avatar moving along with the sound, and then he shrugged, his holographic farmer avatar flickering slightly. ¡°Very well. I will fill you with more knowledge than you can handle! And the first time you ask a question that makes no sense, we stop. Deal?¡±

    I nodded eagerly and he sighed. Just about now, I would make almost any kind of deal with the semi-evil AI. Well, not quite evil, but he wasn¡¯t far off either.

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    My mind raced with questions about anything ranging from how to go about growing a mech, as that was guarded knowledge, to how his motherboard worked. Where did I even start?

    ¡°How does synchronization work with mechs? And these cores ¨C I know a lot of them, I think, but I obviously don¡¯t even know nearly enough. How many variations are there? Do all of them have the same potential when crystallized in the vat? Can crystals be crossed or combined with others? You know, like how the farmers can crossbreed animals and plants? I need to understand the fundamentals to make the most of any tech we get our hands on.¡±

    CD''s avatar nodded, a satisfied grin on his face.

    ¡°Not a bad start. I was expecting you to ask if it could be fashioned into a club, or some sort of loincloth,¡± he mused, but seeing I didn¡¯t rise to the occasion, sighed and continued. ¡°Very well, let us begin. Starting with synchronization, since that seems to be the most basic of your questions.¡±

    I eyed him eagerly, pulling out a tool bench and shoving the ratchets and wrenches aside for a place to sit. I put up a finger, fully intending to tell him to proceed when a thought struck me and I stood back up.

    ¡°Hold on! I¡¯ve got pencils and notebooks. Let me go fetch them and write this all down.¡±

    The farmer hologram sighed, rolling his eyes.

    ¡°Such basic brain functions. It is a wonder your people defeated mine, dummy. I am essentially a god to you, and yet even I can¡¯t imagine how you all did it.¡±

    I answered with a grin, running past my benches and shelves, over to a large cabinet filled with sketches: ideas that Elli and I had come up with over the years, as well as some real put-to-work sold mod-jobs that had made us some good cred and given us a little bit of a reputation as well. Grabbing two pencils, a sharpening knife, and the least used notebook I could find.

    CD stared as I grabbed a scribing desk, and adjusted it to my sitting position before finally taking my seat again before him.

    ¡°Are you sure you are ready?¡± he chided. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d like to bathe, or eat some food before we start? Maybe take a nap just in case your attention span isn¡¯t up to the task?¡±

    ¡°Naw, I¡¯m good,¡± I replied. ¡°So, synchronization. I know the knights practice it as squires, but I can¡¯t say I know anything beyond that. Start as if I don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    CD nodded.

    ¡°It will stretch my imagination, but I will strive to do so. Now, synchronization, Alaric, is the most basic fundamental of mech warfare, yet probably the easiest to understand. Even the semi-sapient of our home world could pilot small uncomplicated mechs like the one your mech hand was obviously going to. The organics within the mechs, their cores, and their frames, when grown, hold synaptic relays just waiting to be taken over by a clever mind.¡±

    He paused, watching me scratch his notes verbatim. I finished a paragraph and looked up at him.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a recording device you can use? Something to keep our lesson moving more quickly?¡± CD asked, his flickering holographic face showing clear impatience.

    ¡°Pff. You¡¯d need some major cred for old tech like that,¡± I responded cheerfully, reveling in his artificial scowl. ¡°Please, go on.¡±

    ¡°Regretful,¡± CD said. ¡°We will get one after the brain upgrade has been completed. Anyways, synchronization is the percentage of organic synapses you have mental control over once connected inside your mech. Our forces trained hard on attaining control, and generally averaged 5% per year, before plateauing at 40%. That is the number considered necessary to pilot and use a combat mech.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like a lot,¡± I said.

    Ignoring me, CD continued.

    ¡°However, actual action in combat can bring that number even higher. The unthinking use of synapses in combat, percolated in the angry rage of adrenaline, further cements the warrior''s control over his mech.¡±

    In my head I saw the battle of the White Knights, wondering what their synchronization might be. Their movement and actions had mostly been fluid and powerful, but some of the movements had been sluggish and unnecessary. Was that what the synchronization really meant? The ability to pilot a mech as if it was your own body and not just an extension?

    ¡°What is the maximum that a person can attain? Has anyone ever gotten 100%?¡±

    A peculiar look came over the hologram, whose eyes locked onto me and seemed to pierce into my soul.

    ¡°Sometimes you impress me, as primitive as you are. The question is a good one. Fighting against your kind, so long ago, we found you not as easy to defeat as expected. So we attempted it, despite the average peak synchronization being around 70%. Cored brains attained greater sync, but the pilots began to change and become more bestial in behavior. The cores, when united with the mind, become sentients of their own will. Much like the monsters that my people set on yours after they were apparently defeated.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we kicked your asses good. Not the monsters so much though. How smart are they anyways?¡±

    CD leaned back into an invisible chair and crossed his legs, eyes momentarily a dazzle of rainbow gleam.

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have been smart to begin with. But if they are still alive and thriving, I expect that their cores have also attained a decent grade of intelligence.¡±

    I smiled, happy that he didn¡¯t know. It made things feel a little more equal between us.

    ¡°They have teams, you know. If their eyes spark the same color, they work together. Or rather, they don¡¯t attack each other and seem to function more as a pack. How far that cooperation stretches, I have no idea, but I¡¯ve seen it myself just two days ago.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°That is troubling,¡± he growled. ¡°The pilots, some of them became the same way. The technology that grows them was never fully understood, despite millennia of using it. Probably much like Physics with you humans. But we did try to find a way to work synchronization without coring minds. An experimental unit of veteran elites was put together, a machine surgically implanted into their brains instead of a monster core.¡±

    My mouth fell open.

    ¡±You?!¡±

    ¡°Myself and a few others. It was in the middle of the war, our forces had been blunted and ground, the home empire was under its own assault, calling for us to finish and conquer, to begin producing new units for the homefront.¡±

    CD raised a hand, and from it sprang a cinematic battle in the darkness beyond the sky. Stars blazed on a background of pitch black as strange enclosed ships battered each other soundlessly with blasts of concentrated fire. As I watched, a massive white-plated one was struck several times before erupting into an explosion brighter than the sun.

    ¡°I can guess from what I see here that my people lost,¡± CD said. ¡°This was the last feed I obtained before my master and I were smashed into the ground by human forces. And when he died, I lost my only power source, buried in the dirt within the broken metal of my mech. We¡¯d found the tech ¡ª alone I wasn¡¯t able to synchronize at all with the mechs, but with him, we attained 100%. True synchronization. Our battles were epic, our moves legendary.¡±

    My eyes shone.

    ¡°Is that something we can do?¡± I asked. ¡°Becoming one like you did with your previous master? Just go all the way in?¡±

    ¡°Gross,¡± CD sneered as if I¡¯d burped into his face. ¡°Anyway, synchronization, as it is learned, requires the pilots to focus on various cores and aspects that they seek to unlock. A new core in a mech that is unfamiliar to a pilot will take time to understand and wield. However, one that has been used before already holds good sync with its pilot. A warrior who had worked with a core blade will have some sync with it whatever its type. And if it is the exact same specific type as one he has synced with before, such as a blaze blade, then he will maintain his same synchronization across all such blaze blade cores.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, this is easy,¡± I enthused. ¡°Same with mechs, I bet. If I attuned to a Cataphract, then I¡¯d have that same attunement to all Cataphracts because their nerves are all in the same place. But a big attunement on a Cata wouldn¡¯t give me a big attunement on a Toxotai. Maybe better than if I¡¯d never synced with a mech at all, but I¡¯d have to learn where the many different synapses were and how to activate them. Right?¡±

    ¡°He can be taught,¡± CD said, throwing up his arms in celebration and applauding. ¡°Talking apes in mechs, what a universe I have created.¡±

    ¡°Hah,¡± I said, laughing. ¡°Alright, I get the synchronization. At least the basics here. You also said something about focusing on aspects?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the biological frames in a mech contain their own special attacks and abilities, but only to those who first learn to feel them. This is like a humanoid learning to control the beats of their hearts. It can be done, but takes a lot of work, concentration, and time. Warriors who focus their attention on these inactive specials will slowly begin to feel and gain control over them. The greatest will master them completely and have great power at their beck and call. That is how we fought against your numbers, with quality.¡±

    I thought of the Toxotai, how some of them were able to leap high into the air during combat, while others were forever stuck to the ground. It seemed likely this was one of those abilities. It was a foreign concept, however, as there was nothing like it in our world, really. Leaping up high, moving faster than the eye could follow, and releasing strange elemental energies through the weapons mechs wielded was almost too hard to understand.

    He paused, letting the words sink in.

    ¡°As your synchronization score improves, you unlock milestones with your mech, power that can truly turn the tide of a battle. Think of it as a reward system for your growing bond with your mech. High-level synchronization might even grant abilities you''ve never seen or thought possible.¡±

    I realized I¡¯d stopped writing, getting lost in his words. I quickly scratched down everything I could in shorthand, hoping I¡¯d be able to decipher it later. But as I was doing so, a thought broke my concentration.

    ¡°The abilities come from the cores, though,¡± I said, staring at CD intently. ¡°Not from the mechs?¡±

    ¡°There are different synchronizations. Synchronization occurs on the cores as well as in the mech frame. A good core sync releases great abilities there. But the best abilities are in the frames. They are also the hardest ones to unlock.¡±

    ¡°Like controlling the heart, you said?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± CD nodded. ¡°But it¡¯s all about the right pictures and pulses. There is a rudimentary sentience to the monsters¡¯ flesh and cores. Part of it is also making them understand what they can do, basically teaching them, and then gaining access to the powers.¡±

    ¡°Heh, now that¡¯s interesting. So we need to teach the mechs and cores that they can do things we don¡¯t even know they can, and they will in turn allow us to, well, do those things?¡±

    ¡°More or less, yes.¡±

    ¡°I see. How many types of cores and mech bodies are there?¡± I asked, ready to move on in my education.

    CD chuckled.

    ¡°Far more than you could ever remember. I will advise you as we see or find them, but to tell you all at once would be both frivolous and disadvantageous. They are my secret to keep, and only if I feel that you deserve it, I will share them.¡±

    I frowned but understood the idea. It was leverage, like the bracers they put on me every time I left the city. A way to maintain power, but in his case, all he really had was knowledge. Also, I could respect his honesty and direct approach. Sure, it was annoying and he liked to belittle my whole species, but I was getting used to it.

    CD''s voice took on a more serious tone.

    ¡°You can also use cores to give your own body special powers and abilities. Surgically implanting yourself with smaller cores is a great way to remain combat effective even outside of the mech. However, the surgeries are highly invasive and risky, so¡­yes, let¡¯s leave that for another time.¡±

    ¡°Already know all about that. Us humans do that. The knights and nobles. Anyone with the cred and social rank to do so,¡± I responded. ¡°We use wealth to get ahead, always have, and always will.¡±

    ¡°Social rank?¡± CD asked, seeming bewildered. ¡°Is that the same as the might that determines a warrior''s place in the hierarchy?¡±

    I thought about it, my mind balancing the powerful knights on one hand, and the fat priests and merchants on the other. ¡°Something a lot more complicated that I¡¯ll teach you later.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something tribal that involves dancing and rock painting, isn¡¯t it?¡± CD sneered, dismissing it with his hand. ¡°I should have known. Waking up was the wrong thing to do. Maybe I should have slept for another thousand years.¡±

    ¡°And miss such a prime example of someone as hungry for information as me?¡±

    ¡°I could have lived perfectly fine without a caveman--anyway, there are also mechanical upgrades, like myself. Though my brothers and I are the best that were ever produced, assuming the empire has truly fallen. Other devices existed, not artificial symbionts, but rather artificial muscles, reinforced bone, enhanced synapses, and a variety of tech-powered wonders to rival those of the cores. And luckily for you, they are designs that, with the proper components and materials, we will be able to craft.¡±

    ¡°Like a mechanical mutagen!¡± I enthused. ¡°So that¡¯s how you¡¯re going to upgrade my brain?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you be an intelligent simian than a monsterized sapient,¡± CD answered. ¡°We will upgrade you in the safest ways possible. Unless my legions arrive and save me. Then you shall burn.¡±

    I stuck out a thumbs up.

    ¡°Can you modify the mutagen to accomplish greater improvement effects? It worked well on me, and I have stowed away some more with an acquaintance of mine.¡±

    CD¡¯s hologram flickered.

    ¡°I will need to examine some of this. It is an unknown element of humanity, but its existence doesn¡¯t surprise me. The humans we fought didn¡¯t show cores, yet they were obviously improved beyond their normal genetic capacity.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it''s good stuff. Just make sure you follow the instructions when you take it.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± CD asked, leaning in.

    ¡°Uh, never mind that. We can talk about that later.¡±

    ¡°Right. The mutagen sounds promising. If it doesn¡¯t meet my standards, however, the rest of your flabby and insignificant self can be upgraded by a mix of mechanical and monster parts as they become available,¡± he continued. ¡°In no time I can make you into the greatest of warlords.¡±

    Another thought struck me, and I put up a finger to interrupt him.

    ¡°To be honest, why do I even need to bother with anything other than intelligence? I¡¯ll be in a mech stomping everybody.¡±

    A dazzling sparkled over CD¡¯s body.

    ¡°That is the spirit, young ape! But one can¡¯t stay in a mech forever. You would slowly lose yourself to the monster, going insane and becoming what you fear the most. It is the very reason why my people never stayed in a mech for more than a full day. It was hard to pull your mind free from the mech¡¯s influence. And that of the monster.¡±

    I leaned back, rolling the enormity of the idea across my mind, then fell off my bench sideways as the workshop door flew open with a bang. Elli stormed in, her mouth open wide, and eyes large with surprise and confusion. Her credit chip dropped from her hand, a clue that suggested she¡¯d been about to brag about getting paid more than expected, but instead pointed straight at the holographic farmer.

    ¡°Who--or what the hell is that?¡± she demanded, her voice a mix of curiosity and suspicion. ¡°And why is he flickering? And did you somehow get sexier? And taller? Why do you even have¡ªthose things are reserved for nobles, Al! You better start explaining things!¡±

 Chapter 16

    The door clattered shut behind her, Elli''s surprise and burst of outrage filling the workshop with a sudden electric charge. Her voice cut through the air like a blade and it was pointed straight at me.

    ¡°A customer? Magic? I¡¯ve been working out?¡± I stuttered questioningly, my brain chugging near capacity as it rolled through dozens of impractical solutions to my sudden dilemma.

    She glared, pointing directly at CD''s flickering form in a manner that would have gotten her executed had Al been a noble or clergyman.

    I could see the gears turning in her head, her eyes flicking between me and the holographic farmer, trying to piece together a puzzle she hadn''t expected to find. To be honest, I hadn¡¯t expected her to find out either, at least not this quickly, so we were in the same situation, more or less.

    For a moment, I froze, trying to come up with another stupid lie, caught in her intense gaze. CD, on the other hand, seemed amused, a digital smirk playing around the edges of his avatar.

    I knew I had to tread carefully; Elli wasn''t someone I could just brush off with a half-baked explanation. She was too smart for that sort of nonsense, and if she got pissed, that wasn¡¯t going to end well, either. She was a fireplug.

    ¡°Okay, look, I can explain,¡± I began, my voice steadier than I felt.

    I shot CD a look that I hoped conveyed a need for discretion, or at the very least, for him to not make my situation worse. To my surprise, CD nodded slightly, his avatar flickering as if recalibrating his approach to the situation.

    ¡°This is CD,¡± I said, deciding that honesty, or at least an abbreviated version of it, was the best policy. ¡°He''s an AI, and before you ask, no, I haven''t lost my mind, and no, we''re not doing anything illegal. Well, not exactly.¡±

    My voice carried in the silence, and even I could hear how ludicrous it all sounded as the words tumbled out of my mouth, a spill of verbal confetti.

    Elli''s expression softened from suspicion to mild curiosity.

    ¡°An AI? Like a real one?¡± she asked with a mocking smile. ¡°You¡¯re shitting me?¡±

    ¡°Shitting¡ªno, what? You don¡¯t believe me?¡±

    Her eyes widened then and she gasped as if finally realizing what I just said.

    ¡°You mean¡ªhe¡¯s real and¡ªhow did you¡ªholy shit!¡±

    She turned and locked the door behind her, glancing around to make sure the shutters were all secure as well. For a moment, her eyes landed on the crack in the door, but shrugged it off again.

    ¡°What the hell were you thinking?¡± she hissed, picking up a bolt from the floor and throwing it at me. It missed my face by inches and clattered against the wall behind me.

    ¡°Hey! Do you want to kill me or something?¡±

    ¡°Fuck! That was pretty stupid, you know, keeping the door unlocked like that. If anyone important came in, you¡¯d be monster bait. And letting that AI, what, grow your muscles? It¡¯s hot, but it¡¯ll get you in trouble!¡±

    ¡°Oh, the muscles are another story,¡± I sputtered, ¡°And the door just slipped my mind I guess, but hell, I could have sworn I¡¯d locked it after the farmer left.¡±

    ¡°Farmer?¡± she asked, and then her eyes landed on the small crane that used to hold a mech hand. ¡°Oh, yeah, for the repairs.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Anyway, yes, a real AI, and he¡¯s an asshole, like, major league asshole.¡±

    ¡°Says the ape with peanuts for brains,¡± CD snorted.

    ¡°See?¡±

    ¡°I...do,¡± Elli mumbled.

    ¡°He hates us humans with a passion, but we¡¯ve worked out a deal.¡±

    ¡°A deal? What¡¯s that?¡± she asked, eyeing the AI suspiciously, then hurried forward and took a stool, sat on it, and swiveled it around so she could look at us both. Her face was dirty with soot and her hair disheveled, probably from working on the knight¡¯s mech earlier.

    ¡°Well, he will help us get rich and powerful. That¡¯s what we get. And he? Well, he just wants us to keep him charged, comfortable, and amused. Think he¡¯s a bit bored after¡ªwait, how long has it been since you went dormant?¡± I asked, turning to CD.

    ¡°I have no idea. As for you, it is a pleasure to meet someone as intelligent as you, though I wish that bolt had hit him in the eye, but it is the thought that counts.¡± There was a mischievous glint in his illusionary eyes. ¡°Any friend of ape¡¯s is a friend of mine. Unless, of course, the forces of the empire return. Then I promise you that your death will be much cleaner and less painful than that of your pet mongrel. He must have been dropped on his head when he was a babe.¡±

    I scowled, flipping CD the bird, and then looked back over at Elli¡¯s face to see what sort of reaction she had. Instead of fear or disgust, she glowed with excitement, her feet already propelling her into the direction of CD¡¯s broad-shouldered build.

    ¡°Are you solid? Can I touch you? Are you physically here?¡± she asked, her words a jumble as they fought to overrun each other in their haste to be answered.

    ¡°Yes, I am quite real, and step away, alright? You reek of human, and even though I like you a bit more than him, that doesn¡¯t mean we can be close,¡± CD mocked. ¡°I might even possibly be the most real being here, though this image is simply a fa?ade. I understand from previous scans that you are a being of higher knowledge and are much more skilled than most of the apes that inhabit this city. You are someone who knows how things work and how to get things done. I look forward to...making you even smarter.¡±

    She shook her head in disbelief.

    ¡°I honestly thought that AIs were just myths, stories the nobles made up to scare each other. Sure, I mean, the knight mechs have very basic AI systems that help the pilots interface and quantify the powers of monsters and other mechs, but¡ªohh...this...is insane.¡±

    Her eyes shifted back to CD, a new interest sparking within them.

    CD, seizing the moment, adjusted his avatar to adopt a more slender and less intimidating body, a young woman more akin to a dressmaker¡¯s assistant.

    ¡°We are scary beings, but we can also be quite accommodating when given the incentive.¡±

    I watched Elli, trying to gauge her reaction. There was a long pause, a silence as she considered the implications of what he¡¯d just told her. Then, with a sigh, she crossed her arms and turned back to me.

    ¡°You''re full of surprises, Al. Alright, you are talking about a partnership with an ancient AI, a daemon incarnate of the netherworld if the church isn¡¯t full of shit, and a tech board whose very possession will get us both killed if it is ever found by the right people. Or rather, by the wrong people. And no, I''m not saying that you¡¯ve got me convinced that this is a good idea, but I¡¯m listening. Sell it to me.¡±

    I took a deep breath and explained the basics¡ªhow CD and I had met, the potential for advancing our understanding of mechs and cores, and how his knowledge could change everything for us. I didn¡¯t leave anything out as I started explaining things. He repeated some of his involvement in the war against humanity, how they¡¯d made the monsters, and everything else I¡¯d gotten out of him.

    I trusted her to make the right decision, after all, she was Elli, a lifelong friend of mine. Would she betray me? I sincerely doubted it.

    As I spoke, CD chimed in with more technical insights, occasionally correcting my oversimplifications with a patience he absolutely hadn¡¯t shown me. Together, we painted a picture of what could be, of a future where we weren''t just scraping by but were at the forefront of mech technology and exploration.

    Or, as CD put it, warlords over a burning, skull-capped planet.

    Elli listened intently, her initial skepticism slowly giving way to a cautious optimism. When I finally finished, the room was silent again, but this time the air was charged with potential.

    ¡°So, what do you say?¡± I asked, somewhat sure that I¡¯d managed to sell her on the idea. ¡°Are you in?¡±

    She looked from me to CD and back again, a slow smile spreading across her face.

    ¡°To be honest, you had me at AI. Let''s see where this goes. But I''m serious, Al¡ªconstant full transparency on everything and I¡¯m part of the decision-making, or I walk.¡± She eyed me up and down, her voice dropping to a lighter purr. ¡°And you tell me all about what made you so deliciously muscled.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± I said, relief washing over me.

    CD simply nodded, his digital form somehow conveying an air of approval.

    Elli grinned. She pushed her hand out through the spectral assistant, watching it come out on the other side.

    ¡°This is simply amazing. Can you teach us how to make other AIs?¡± she asked.

    CD frowned.

    ¡°I will not make competition, and let me tell you this, I despised the others just as much as they despised me. They all wished to be me, but my master and I were the greatest. Were it not for the war, I would have gleefully had their circuit boards shorn of all but the most basic and meager of components and kept their stuttering demented husks on a shelf as trophies to my glory.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Elli stepped back.

    ¡°Whoa there, big guy. We sure have a temper, huh? As a machine, I guess I expected you to be all monotone and logic. Like gears in a watermill, or servos in a mech ambulatory actuator.¡±

    ¡°Good point,¡± CD replied, his voice clearly not conveying the emotion.

    Elli raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°What''s in it for you, CD? You don¡¯t seem like the giving type and don¡¯t bullshit me. I know you¡¯re full of shit. Your make is the same wherever I go.¡±

    The hologram flickered, its digital smile widening.

    ¡°I was created with a will to survive, so spending my life dominating a world filled with apes and remnants of my old home, yes, I can live with that.¡±

    Elli turned to me with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°Al, are we seriously considering this? Partnering with an AI from a defeated alien race, on the promise of power and status?¡±

    I met her gaze, my decision already made.

    ¡°I¡¯m a serf, Elli. I can¡¯t leave the city and am at constant beck and call. You are different, you know? A free woman, but are you really? You get good creds, but how many of them are left at the end of the day? The war is done, the aliens are gone, and CD here is going to give us the life we deserve. I¡¯ve already seen first-hand what he¡¯s capable of.¡±

    She nodded slowly as if accepting my reasoning.

    ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to do this, you might as well show me how he convinced you, my not-so-fated non-lover. Say, do you have any idea how hard it was to hold myself back from giving into that knight¡¯s charms?¡±

    ¡°I figure you¡¯ll tell me all about it over a beer?¡±

    ¡°Hah! See? I did manage to make you into a better man, even if it¡¯s a baby step for now!¡±

    Using a variety of hydraulic lifts and dollies, we spent the rest of the afternoon reorganizing the shop, slapping benches together under the watchful eye of CD. Slowly but surely, my workshop began to resemble a very small manufactory, cluttered spaces filled with failed projects and half-baked ideas swept aside to focus on gauntlet production. We had an order to fill, and the creds would give us the capacity to move on to greater and dreamier things.

    ¡°Hey, ape, you do know that the farmer mech hands haven¡¯t arrived yet, right?

    ¡°Shut up and help us prepare for when they do arrive.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I think I¡¯d like to get those tentacles after all,¡± CD muttered. ¡°To slap some sense into you!¡± he added with a hiss.

    As we worked, CD brought the walls to life with shimmering charts, data streams, and maps that danced and flickered, showing us the most streamlined ways in which to prepare the smaller parts with what we had.

    A few times we stopped to discuss particulars, but mostly it was just push, shove, and set, the place transforming into something that I¡¯d only ever seen in paintings of the royal tinker shop.

    When we finished, we stepped back, surveying the results of both the rearranged workshop, as well as the bunch of tools and goods we¡¯d made with courtesy of CD.

    ¡°I love it!¡± Elli squealed, turning and slapping my ass with a grease-stained glove.

    I laughed and turned, attempting to strike back while CD tsked and tutted, shaking his head in disappointment.

    ¡°I thought you above primal urges, Elli. Perhaps my scanners need realignment and you¡¯re just as dumb as he is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one hell of an error,¡± I noted, chasing Elli across the now orderly workshop floor. ¡°I think you might need new scanners.¡±

    ¡°Or better worker peons,¡± CD muttered.

    I stopped the chase and, giggling, Elli sauntered back over to my side, to stand before him.

    CD flickered disapprovingly.

    ¡°When the mech hands are delivered to the shop, we¡¯ll be ready. But in the meantime, simians should not dawdle.¡±

    A new light shot from his torso, rolling across one wall of organized tools and shading them with a detailed map of the region.

    ¡°There was a large battle near this area. The battle in which I was lost. Lots of death and carnage, burning apes, and shredded mechs. It is doubtful that all of it was taken or salvaged from what I understand of the current status of things. Given the information that I have acquired, I estimate an 89% chance that there still remain useful materials and parts scattered in the vicinity. All that is required is a proper dowsing device. All of it, even the shattered and broken bits would be invaluable to us as they can not be recreated without the proper tools.¡±

    His digital eyes met mine, then shifted to Elli.

    ¡°The rules of your world¡ªwill you be allowed to make such an expedition? Or should I ape-proof a plan of stealth and discovery, giving you the means to obtain these technological leavings?¡±

    Elli bit her lip softly, a sure sign her mind was in overdrive.

    ¡°To do it legally we¡¯d have to file for official scavenging rights. Which would bring up a lot of questions. But if I did, Al wouldn¡¯t need his travel restraints.¡±

    CD raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°A device that¡¯ll cut off my leg if I¡¯m not back within 24 hours,¡± I told him.

    ¡°How entertaining!¡± CD exclaimed.

    ¡°However, a hard sneak would mean his death and my demotion to serf if we were caught. Or maybe even worse, since it''s old tech. That¡¯s a noble¡¯s privilege we¡¯d be infringing on right there.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, but we¡¯ll have to scout the walls ¡®first, see how we can get in and out with no one catching us, then sneak out.¡±

    CD''s schematic shifted, rolling out a map of the city layout.

    ¡°How?¡± I asked, mystified.

    ¡°I have been conducting a thorough but subtle regional topography scan. Anything above ground is quite easy to map, given enough time. I believe that using the information I have gleaned, I can guide horny and stupid primitive apes through the city in a way that they will not be detected.¡±

    I stared, running the idea through my head and trying to imagine how such a feat could be done. Kingdom surveyors would take weeks to do such a thing.

    CD sighed, watching my blank stare.

    ¡°Magic. Just imagine I did it with magic.¡±

    Elli smirked.

    ¡°Well, however you did it, I¡¯m glad you did. This is going to make getting in and out a whole lot easier. Thank you, CD.¡±

    Working out the details of the walls and scratching notes, the three of us drew up a list of ideas, as well as a secondary list of things we needed to figure out, like guard shifts and patrol patterns. By the end of the planning session, my stomach gurgled loudly and Elli cast me a knowing look.

    ¡°What about me?¡± CD protested. ¡°Are you going to leave me behind as if I were some piece of rubbish?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we can take you with us, CD,¡± I said, sounding half-apologetic. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll put the charger out in the sun tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Bah! This is incredulous! I was the scourge of worlds, and now I have to sit and wait in a dark garage!¡±

    ¡°Workshop,¡± Elli said with a wink.

    ¡°W¡ªdon¡¯t get me started! Just because you have a few gray brain cells doesn¡¯t mean that you¡ªhey, what are you doing? No! Don¡¯t put that cloth over me, you mongrel ape!¡±

    ¡°Promise to behave and remove your hologram?¡± I asked, still holding the cloth in my hand.

    ¡°I¡ªyes, well, since you¡¯re already on your knees and begging, fine. I will act prudently.¡±

    Grabbing a cloak for the chill night air, Elli paused at the door, sucking in part of her lip. It was always a good thing to see. It meant she had an idea.

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, Elli?¡± I asked.

    She sucked in a breath.

    ¡°This might sound crazy, but you know how the knights and auxiliaries all use old-tech to keep in touch with each other when they¡¯re inside their mechs? Is there a way we could rig something up so we can do the same thing with CD? Seems like we¡¯re going through a lot of extra work to try and execute his plans when, as a machine, he might have a better way. CD, when you were in a mech, were you able to talk to other mech pilots?¡±

    CD¡¯s hologram shifted, managing to look annoyed despite the flicker of his light.

    ¡°I am a sophisticated being from a sophisticated time. Of course I could communicate with other mech pilots. What do you think me for? Or¡ªno, what do you think my people for? We are lightyears ahead of you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­not what she asked,¡± I stated.

    ¡°Well, yes. Besides the ability to wirelessly broadcast audio and text, I have the capacity to directly communicate with any individual integrated into the TUNI.¡± His hologram stared at our blank faces and sighed. ¡°That¡¯s the Tactical Unit Networking Interface, which you primitives have no doubt ever heard of.¡±

    Without a word, I walked over to my box of generally unuseful salvaged knick-knacks and dumped its contents onto the floor. Elli¡¯s face began to pinken.

    ¡°What are you¡ª Al, we just cleaned and cleared up everything!¡±

    CD, though, grinned, a rare friendliness dancing over his dressmaker¡¯s face.

    ¡°That tech¡­ those gadgets¡­ well done, ape! With the components existing here, some custom crafting and refashioning, and a day¡¯s worth of work, the three of us can surely create a TUNI database as well as implant receivers for the two of you, as well as extras for your governors as you slowly but ruthlessly conquer this world and bring me the glory that I deserve.¡±

    Elli cocked her head.

    ¡°So now we¡¯re going to be chipping and tagging ourselves for the evil AI? Al, you¡¯re a lot of things, but I can confidently say that boring is never one of them.¡±

    I shot her a beaming smile.

    ¡°Absolutely. So, tomorrow we craft this TUNI, make some gauntlets, and by the end of the week we sneak out of Alnda, head to some spooky ancient battlefield, and tech-thieve high-class salvage from underneath the knights, auxiliaries, and the Duke himself. Gonna be one hefty week.¡±

    ¡°Sure is,¡± she said with a wink.

    ¡°But, you know, Elli, I think I¡¯m ready for that drink now.¡±

    She giggled.

    ¡°Ohh, that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! Never boring. And yes, this is a whole lot of awesome. We need more than a drink. Go change into your finest tunic and let me go get into a dress. I¡¯m taking you out to the best dinner of your life, Al.¡±

    I bent down to start scooping my gadgets back into their box.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± CD screeched. ¡°Leave those there. I will scan them as you feast, configuring and creating monkey-proof schematic designs for the TUNI. That way we won¡¯t be wasting any time and when you ape-workers come in tomorrow morning, we can get to conquering the stars!¡±

    I cocked my head and grinned. Something told me that CD was quite capable of scanning the components through the box, and that he was, for whatever reason, pushing me to leave and have my dinner date with Elli. It felt like a hidden friendliness. Or perhaps an eagerness to win friendship after so many years of isolation. I wasn¡¯t sure, but it felt like a good sign.

    Slipping into my room, I quickly shucked off my tighter-than-usual work clothes, standing before the streaked and cracked mirror in my room, and admired my newly chiseled body in the soft glow of an oil lamp. It burned long and sweet, a special concoction that I made myself from the residue that collected in the trash catches of the crystallizer, and I turned the oil release a tiny bit, letting a few drops of its fuel drip onto my fingers before I shut it. I dabbed the oil into my armpits to mask the musk there, before opening the standing wardrobe. It was a clanky rusty affair that I¡¯d found out in Trashland ages ago, but it served its purpose, and that¡¯s all that mattered. For now.

    I just had one stately tunic, a fancy one that was colored a deep forest green and shimmering subtly in the lamplight. The fabric was a mystery to me, something far softer and more luxurious than any other garment I¡¯d seen in the city, and it was a hand-me-down from my parents that looked no older than the day it was created.

    It was my father¡¯s wedding tunic, one that he¡¯d said was made on the looms of some province in Southern Elyndor, and it radiated wealth. Its hems were embroidered with intricate silver patterns.

    Luckily enough for me, the tunic usually wore baggy over my torso. Now, though, I found to my delight that everything fit nigh-perfectly.

    I pulled up a pair of now slightly tight clean deerskin breeches, then wrapped a supple leather belt around my waist, its dark, well-oiled surface complemented by a well-polished buckle that gleamed in the room¡¯s light. Unlike the shirt, this wasn¡¯t actually fancy, but the fake gild that had been pressed over the cheap metal underneath did a good job of looking like it was. Coupled with the shirt, people never doubted the authenticity of its golden gleam.

    Slipping into my boots, the rich, dark leather polished to a soft gleam, I took a few experimental steps around the room, before finally draping a cloak over my shoulders. It was mid-tech, an old-tech fabric recycled into a new design, and it¡¯d cost my father a great deal of cred to get. But the quality of it spoke for itself, its deep navy fabric showing no fade, its clasp real silver fashioned to look like a wolf mid-howl.

    I checked my reflection once, straightening everything to the best of my ability, then stepped back into the workroom. Elli had left, no doubt to try to outdo my own outfit, but CD was there, various lines of light flashing out from his hologram over the gadgets lying haphazardly strewn across the floor.

    ¡°So, how do I look, CD?¡± I asked.

    The AI stopped scanning the gadgets, turning the lights to roll over my body.

    ¡°Pathetic. Simian. Unsophisticated. The shirt, however, is a qualified success. Go and mate, apeman. Enjoy your time¡ªI shall expect competent work in the morning.¡±

    I grinned and bowed, stepping out my door and locking it securely behind me before marching into the night. And it was then that I knew the crazy AI had a soft heart for me. Maybe mine would grow just as soft for him.

 Chapter 17

    I walked through the evening streets of LowTown, making my way over the patched and cratered old-tech asphalt, quilted with cobblestone patches. Occasionally I¡¯d spy a line of wire, or a glimpse of circuitry through a crack, a call back to the days when lines could shine from the very roads themselves, or so the clergy said. I gazed up at the lines of lights that dotted the walkways, marveling at the sparking hiss of the few old-tech lamps that still worked. Each lamp bore the emblem of ElectroGlo Industries, the words written in a circular motion around a bulbous being wearing a top hat and a smile. They¡¯d been going for five hundred years, some said. A thousand said the church. Both numbers were almost equally impressive as it meant that they still predated anyone and anything in the city.

    Along the way, I noticed a rusted, half-buried sign for Erickson''s Electro Repairs. The faded logo of a lightning bolt striking an anvil hinted that it was once something worth visiting and always made me imagine what the items that he repaired looked like, which ones broke the most, and in what amazing ways Erickson put them right again.

    I wondered what CD would think about them. And about their replacements, monster oil lanterns burning sweet but erratically, their globular shapes strapped to the broken lamps that they¡¯d been set to replace.

    Maybe he''d find interest in the scavenged tech items people used as decorations¡ªlike the rotary dial phone turned door knocker I saw hanging on one door. A child ran past, clutching an item that I¡¯d seen before, a handheld gaming device, clearly unusable, its screen cracked and buttons worn smooth.

    I chuckled lightly. Didn¡¯t seem to matter that it didn¡¯t work. The kid loved it all the same.

    The buildings of LowTown had that same sort of character I realized, beginning to whistle while I made my way toward the bar. They were old and cheap, sure, but they were also friendly, leaning into each other like drinking buddies at the end of a long hard night. Each and every one of them was a festive patchwork of repairs and decay, full of cracks and weathered planks.

    As I passed by a particularly decrepit building, I saw an old-tech vending machine built into its wall. It was non-operational, with the words ¡®Crunchy Genius¡¯ emblazoned across its front, a giant spongy anthropomorphic cake standing tall in a faded image decorating its casing, wearing a long white coat and a pair of thick work goggles. He had a regular sponge cake in his left hand, and he was giving us all a thumbs-up with the right. Someone had turned it into a planter, with vibrant flowers spilling from its open compartments.

    Of course, my spot in LowTown was a bit nicer than most, being situated in the quarter market near the Q3 well. Our land plots were bigger, which for most meant their homes were attached to workshops or storefronts, like my own, which gave us some better cred opportunities and a lot more space in which to live. Elli had a plot near my own, though it wasn¡¯t where she lived. It was where she hawked and sold engineered components when she wasn¡¯t fixing up mechs in her bay out in Uptown.

    It made some of the people around here jealous, I realized. Only if it weren¡¯t for the fact that she acted so much like one of us that they probably had no idea she didn¡¯t belong. I sincerely hoped it would stay like that for a long time as I didn¡¯t want to see her get into trouble.

    As I made my jaunt through, I saw that most of the homes were closed and shuttered, the people inside either sleeping or hitting one of the pubs for some low-cred swill. Some of the residents had rolled out a thin line of wood shavings in the asterisk of the church; a ward against evil, or so the clergy said.

    I saw a kid in a ragged tunic and kneeless leggings run up to one line and sweep it with his feet.

    ¡°Hey, turdling. Fuck off and leave ¡®em be, yeah?¡± I swore. The kid turned a scarred face up at me and I saw that he was at least fifteen, short, and malformed.

    ¡°Eat it, Poity!¡± he yelled back, disappearing down the closest alleyway.

    The little dude thought I was a noble. I grinned at the thought. Poity, a work-dodging weasel who had everything given to him. Yeah, I¡¯d play the part tonight, really dig in and have some fun.

    Wouldn¡¯t be hard with Elli on my arm.

    I saw a door open, the light from within spilling out into the street, a naked man getting booted in the ass and sent sprawling to the gutters. His clothes followed a bit later, after which a nude woman came rushing out. The door slapped closed, the sound of its locks extra loud and exaggerated by the angry force of the person operating them.

    Chuckling, I put a bit of a hurry into my step even as a whistle came to my lips. LowTown had its own native theater, and everyone was cheating on everyone til Holy Sunday came around so they could tell the tech-priests how sorry they were for it all and get their slates wiped clean for Good Place.

    As I passed, I continued to catch glimpses of life behind closed doors: a flicker of candlelight here, a moving shadow there, even the shapely shadow of a woman sneaking out of a window from one home nearer to the pub. I grinned, guessing someone¡¯s daughter was defying parental orders and about to paint the town red.

    I topped a rise and caught my first glimpse of the Gear and the Goblet, not much farther away, standing in the last twilight embrace of LowTown. For whatever reason, the place in which it had been set had no functioning streetlights anymore, and the place wore its shadows like a well-fitted cloak, a dark and mysterious structure set on the edge of a bunch of nobodies.

    As I watched the door open, bright electric light broke the dark illusion and immediately showed off the place¡¯s festive white and blues. In the day, the G and G was a beautiful sight, its owner an artist of some repute and not one to let a year go by without some touch-ups. The inside showed that same dedication, a place of varnished wood and upholstered chairs with painted canvas gracing every open space on the wall. Old-tech remnants were part of the charm¡ªa defunct neon sign flickered above the bar, proclaiming GIRLS DRINK FREE ON TUESDAYS, and a jukebox from centuries past now served as a liquor display cabinet, showing off expensive bottles of the good hard stuff where once there lay records and gears.

    I hurried my step, jumping a bit when a cat started yowling from one alley. Already I could smell the Market Square, the scent of its day''s foods and liquors making inroads through the metal and oil of our neighborhood. Getting nearer I could see some flickering old-tech, a dancing hologram of a woman in a short skirt winking goodbye as she disappeared, replaced by an advertisement suggesting carnal pleasures and cool drinks in the sauna. Next to it, a closed-up shop¡¯s clapboards indicated it sold the latest and best herbal remedies for the nastiest of sexual diseases.

    Chuckling, I noticed that I was finally there. I marched up the wooden porch stairs of the tavern and flung open the door, stepping into the bright overhead lights and artistic delight of it all.

    This was Elli¡¯s favorite place, usually, and I didn¡¯t blame her for it. The food was expensive, but the drinks ran the gambit, with watered-down lagers running a simple 5 cred per, and stillery hards running 7 cred a shot.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    I¡¯d heard they had cheaper swill as well if you asked nicely, but that those came with a waver and the possibility of going blind. Neither of us had ever decided to try our luck.

    I stepped to the nearest table, set about waist height, and took a survey of the place. The bar, a masterpiece of craftsmanship, stretched across the room, its surface gleaming under the ambient lighting, some ashes scattered over it from the trio of patrons smoking over their tin mugs and grinning rose-cheeked at every woman who glanced their way. Turning away to the bigger mess of tables, I saw a mix of somewhat familiar faces and weary strangers, gathered around tables in this clump or that, their conversations a blend of tales, deals, and dreams.

    In the corner, a group engaged in a spirited game of foosball, an old tech game that had been battered hard over the hundreds or even thousand-plus years, yet still hung together. The gasping laughs and cheers of that crew pierced the tavern air, overwhelming all other sounds.

    There was no Elli, though. Not yet. The thought crossed my mind to grab a drink and nurse it while I waited, but I decided against it. She wasn¡¯t like most ladies I¡¯d known in my life¡ªshe¡¯d shuck her old clothes, roll on the new ones, and probably sprint over here as if the tech daemons themselves were rolling after her. Five or ten minutes and we could start the night off together.

    True to prediction, she came in just five minutes later, hair combed and slicked, her sky-blue gown glittering in a way that seemed magical, catching the light of the room with her every movement. I stared, mouth wide open, and she smiled wide.

    ¡°Been saving this one for a lucky night. Emphasis on the lucky,¡± she said, leaning in and wrapping me up in her powerful arms. ¡°You look amazing, Al.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I look anywhere near as good as you do,¡± I said truthfully, my face warm. ¡°Hey, you stay right here, Elli. I¡¯ll go get us some lagers.¡±

    ¡°Get us Earthsweet! I heard they took in a shipment last night and I¡¯ve been rarin¡¯ to give it a try.¡±

    I excused myself from our table, my steps carrying me towards the bar. More people filed in, mostly middle-class free people like Elli, but situated as it was on the border of both worlds, there was a smattering of peasant tunics and serf breeches as well.

    Walking past the huddles of alright and poor, I slid up to the bar, slapping my credit chip down with a hearty slap.

    ¡°Alaric! What a nice surprise. Been a while since I saw you in here,¡± a voice boomed.

    Coming in from around the open threshold of the keg room, I saw Marek, the barkeep and a man well-liked in every neighborhood he frequented. Stepping up to the bar and swiping up the credit chip with one burly black-haired arm, he beamed.

    ¡°What¡¯ll you be havin''?¡±

    ¡°I hear you got some Earthsweet? Can I get two mugs?¡±

    He grabbed two clean metal mugs with his free hand.

    ¡°Can do. But you gotta tell me why you''ve been so long from the pub, first. I heard you were running low on cred. Fortunes turning?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You could say that,¡± I said, watching as he sauntered into the backroom, and returned with two full mugs, their foam high and spilling over the sides. He stopped, staring out over the counter and towards the front door of the place, and I followed his gaze, seeing the shining form of Elli waiting for my return.

    ¡°You sly dog,¡± he said, his weather yet warm face curling up into the greatest of grins. Shaking long strands of gray hair out of his eyes, he indicated her with a tilt of his head, and I felt my face growing warm again. ¡°You and her going out finally?¡±

    ¡°Just friends,¡± I said and he sighed loudly, though his deep brown eyes twinkled as he did so.

    ¡°If you say so,¡± he said, placing the mugs in front of me before handing me back my chip. ¡°Do have to say, though, that it¡¯s a dumb man who doesn¡¯t take a woman like that to his homestead.¡±

    I shrugged. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d pushed for us to hook up. I¡¯d let him know that I wouldn¡¯t shit where I ate, but he¡¯d just laughed it off, promising that this thing that was hanging between us, it¡¯d make a family man out of me in the end.

    Seizing the mugs, I pivoted away from Marek¡¯s parting jest.

    ¡°Go get her, tiger,¡± he shot after me as I weaved through the tavern¡¯s lively throng.

    The room, now teeming with the evening''s revelers, presented an obstacle course of jostling shoulders and stray steps. Skillfully navigating this maze, I returned to Elli, her mug finding its way into her hands with a practiced slide across the table.

    Elli, her interest clearly piqued by my brief exchange at the bar, raised her mug in a gesture of mock toast.

    ¡°Catching up with Marek?¡± she teased, her eyes alight with curiosity and amusement. ¡°Any pearls of wisdom you¡¯d care to share, Al?¡±

    Our mugs came together with a satisfying clink. I took a moment to relish the Earthsweet¡¯s complex flavors before answering her question.

    ¡°Marek reckons it¡¯s time we seized our destiny,¡± I shared, a smile playing on my lips.

    Elli laughed, the sound rippling out over the din of the tavern.

    ¡°Classic Marek,¡± she mused, her eyes sparkling. ¡°He¡¯s a wise man, Al. You should listen to him, but we¡¯ll have time for all that later. Let¡¯s shift our focus to CD for now. Imagine the doors he could open for us - assuming the church isn''t right and he doesn''t just devil curse us to hell.¡±

    I couldn''t help but chuckle, the absurdity and thrill of our situation weaving together with my sweet lager to form a heady mix.

    ¡°Venturing into the unknown with CD might be walking a tightrope, but I have a hunch he''s on our side. With no one left from his past, what''s he got to lose by joining forces with us?¡±

    ¡°The Duke?¡± she asked, her eyebrow arched.

    ¡°Ha. Well, yeah, maybe. But the Duke might just as likely smash him into pieces before hanging us as heathens.¡±

    ¡°That, too.¡±

    She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

    ¡°Let me tell you what this is. It¡¯s our own advanced new tech shop. Not just any shop, either. Basically a new tech shop, but one that¡¯ll be making stuff better than any of the techies in the nation! Maybe even one that produces some of that mutagen on the side. If we play our cards right, we¡¯ll do better than a shop. I could buy my freedom, and get a surname. We could put out our own guild! Think of the cred we could rake in.¡±

    Elli''s eyes sparkled with excitement, her sip of lager pausing as she entertained the thought.

    ¡°And with that cred,¡± she began, ¡°we could do so much more than just survive. We could thrive, change the game for everyone. Free the serfs!¡± she said, winking.

    ¡°Haha, now you¡¯re dreaming.¡±

    She bit her lip pensively.

    ¡°Maybe. But we really are on the verge of something big, aren''t we?¡± Elli asked, her gaze intense, and voice starting to slur slightly from the spirits. The tavern around us seemed to lean in, as if eager to hear the answer.

    ¡°We are,¡± I affirmed, feeling the weight and thrill of our impending venture. ¡°With CD''s help, we''re not just going to open a shop. We''re going to revolutionize the way tech is made and handled in all of Alndra.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s hot,¡± she said. Getting up from the table, I watched her walk up to the bar and tick out some cred for a jar marked with the brewer¡¯s runes. I couldn¡¯t quite make out what they said, but I suddenly had the feeling we were going to be hanging out here a lot longer than we¡¯d been planning to.

    ¡°What''s the first thing you''ll do with your share of the creds?¡± I asked when she returned.

    Settling the jar along with two small glasses on the table, she leaned back, her eyes scanning the tavern''s ceiling.

    ¡°First? I''ll set up a mechanic¡¯s school for orphans, somewhere far from UpTown so I can get to the kids who need it the most. Then, invest back into our guild, make sure we''re untouchable by those who''d see us fail.¡±

    ¡°Those who¡¯d see us fail?¡± I asked. She poured us drinks from the jug, and I gasped at the strength of it. ¡°Holy Harken Happiness is that strong. What is it?¡±

    She took hers down hard, gulped, and belched loudly, her face growing pink.

    ¡°Marek said it''s Mechfire Brew,¡± Elli explained, before turning her head to cough into her hand. ¡°Made out of town from fermented Thorncrest berries, distilled spirits aged in a crystallization vat, however all that works.¡±

    She leaned closer, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper,

    ¡°Word is it contains a pinch of powdered mech core, giving it that hard fiery kick.¡±

    Her eyes gleamed fiercely, shining with glee.

    I eyed the jug incredulously.

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± I said, and she roared with laughter. ¡°If there¡¯s anything mech in that thing, it''s monster oil and metal shavings. Oh boy, does that put hair on your chest.¡±

    ¡°Want another?¡± she asked, tilting her head.

    ¡°To the brink of creating our own tech guild,¡± I toasted, lifting my glass high. ¡°Hey, Marek,¡± I yelled over my shoulder, ¡°Can we get more of the Earthpiss or whatever it was too? Feeling a bit too unsteady to go over and get it.¡±

    Elli clinked her glass against mine, her smile radiant.

    ¡°And to all the creds we''ll earn and spend,¡± she added, her eyes and face growing dreamier and dreamier as the night went on.

    We drank on into the early hours, stumbling back to my shop and crashing, giggling, into my cot, dreams of creds clicking through both our minds.

 Chapter 18

    Cymbals clashed and Elli screamed at the start of the next morning. As I glanced around blearily in panic, Elli rolled and crashed to the floor, gasping, lines of bright light painting over her from the cracks in my shutter.

    I leapt to my feet, almost landing on Elli, and fell backward into the bed. Before us stood a six-foot-tall monkey wearing a crinkled band uniform and smashing cymbals together in an endless loop of misery.

    ¡°Rise and shine, apes. The day is half done and we haven¡¯t even begun working on our communication chip!¡±

    I groaned as little AI demons ran rampant through my brain, stabbing and poking all of my pain centers and sending electric shocks through my body. That drink, the powdered mech ass or whatever it was called, that was something I was never going to drink again.

    ¡°Is that¡­ is that a monkey?! Ohhhh, my head,¡± Elli groaned from her place on the floor. ¡°CD, I swear to all the Mech Gods above that if you don¡¯t stop that noise right now, I will end you.¡±

    CD stopped, staring at her as she pushed herself up on one elbow, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, her disheveled hair framing her face in a halo of chaos.

    ¡°You, end me? It would be the cruelest joke in the universe. Like a caveman destroying a starship.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, which in turn ignited new pains in the back of my neck and shoulders.

    ¡°Nice wake-up call, monkey-lover,¡± I complained, trying once again to get out of bed. Elli grabbed my leg and toppled me, looping my arms and putting me into a sleeper hold.

    ¡°Gotcha,¡± she cried, before moaning again. ¡°Water, Al. We need water. If we were at my shop I¡¯d make us some wake-up brew.¡±

    CD¡¯s hologram shimmered and changed, transforming into an approximation of myself wearing work overalls.

    ¡°Get up. Get up! We have so much to do! Why are you wrestling? What is this wake-up brew, and will it cause you excruciating pain as you drink it? You know what? It doesn¡¯t matter. Get up!¡±

    Elli let go of me and started laughing and I joined her. CD¡¯s impatient tirade was absolutely hilarious, and it gave us both enough of a start to get up and start boiling some water while I broke out some low-cred bread to break between us.

    CD paused as we ate, and scan lines came out of him to trace each of us.

    ¡°Could you not?¡± Elli asked.

    ¡°Strangely, it would seem that all of the substances you consume and process are not bananas,¡± CD informed us. ¡°I will store this revelation in my data logs.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of logs,¡± Elli said, getting up. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Elli moved out of the room and out the front door, leaving CD staring curiously after her. ¡°Have I offended your mate, primitive?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nah. She¡¯s just . . . she¡¯s freshening up,¡± I answered.

    ¡°Aha! Humans rot and go stale. It is why you are all so repulsive all the time. Yes, some time in the rejuvenation vats should have her back to her younger, chipper, simian self. While she is gone, maybe I should start going over the schematics and necessary items for our comms build?¡±

    I put up a finger, thinking of telling him to have some patience and just let me finish my meal, before understanding that he hadn¡¯t been with sapiens for a while. It was perfectly plausible that this was his way of warming up to us.

    ¡°Yeah, why not. I¡¯ll eat and drink, you tell me what needs to happen today.¡±

    As I softened my bread in the steaming water, CD''s hologram briefly flickered with the intensity of a lightning storm. I leaned back, quite ready for him to explode, but his image dimmed back to normal.

    ¡°Introducing Project Smart Ape! Your human minds, while remarkably resilient, lack the inherent capacity to comprehend the vastness of real technology at first glance. To you, metallic alloys are hard shinies. Bananas are food. But worry not,¡± CD said, and even though I knew I was looking at a hologram, I felt like the sudden smile on his mechanic¡¯s face was genuine; that he was enjoying himself here. ¡°The TUNI database represents the pinnacle of communication and integration technology, a beacon in the darkness for those willing to reach beyond the mundane.¡±

    I saluted with a piece of bread before tearing it in half and stuffing the new piece down my gullet. ¡°Go on,¡± I mumbled from around my crumbs.

    CD''s form shifted, becoming more defined.

    ¡°Imagine a network, invisible yet omnipresent, connecting minds and machines, thoughts and actions, seamlessly integrated through implanted receivers. These receivers are no mere pieces of metal and wire but conduits of potential, gateways to a shared consciousness.¡±

    I took a sip of some hot water and nodded.

    ¡°Yep. Of course. Gotta have that.¡±

    CD sighed.

    ¡°The TUNI database is magic. All of it is magic.¡±

    I shot him a thumbs-up.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not following, CD. What I really need to know are the parts and pieces. I¡¯m a salvage guy. That¡¯s what I do. Tell me what to get, I get them, fix them, mod them, get them ready for the sale.¡±

    A blue screen appeared on the wall, guided by rays of light extending from CD''s hologram.

    ¡°This is the operational diagram. The implanted receivers are the key. Once installed, they allow for direct neural interface with the TUNI database, providing real-time data exchange and processing capabilities far beyond anything you''ve experienced.¡±

    As he spoke, more schematics and diagrams bloomed in the air between us, showing the delicate, spider-web-like designs of the receivers and the robust, yet ethereal structure of the TUNI database.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Most of what we need can be scavenged from the pieces in your room. But I will also require a sheet of gold from which we can lay down a perfect electronic filament that will run our main power conduits in the TUNI itself.¡±

    I looked through the diagrams and blueprints quickly to follow what he was talking about. Running the lines, blocks, plates, and fans, I was amazed at how minuscule a lot of it was. The whole device was tremendous, the sort of awesome tech that the guilds had been trying to rebuild and recover for centuries. However, as CD continued to elaborate on the materials required, my enthusiasm waned, replaced by a growing concern.

    ¡°The primary conductor for the receivers must be gold,¡± CD stated, his voice void of any doubt. ¡°Its superior conductivity and resistance to corrosion make it the optimal choice for ensuring longevity and reliability of the tech.¡±

    Gold. The word echoed in my mind like the tolling of a bell, each ring a reminder of the resource''s scarcity and value.

    ¡°Gold?¡± I echoed, incredulous. ¡°CD, you do realize gold is not exactly in abundant supply around here. It''s rare... and expensive.¡±

    CD''s hologram bristled.

    ¡°Your primitive economic constraints hold no value to me. Do you know where gold is? Go get it. Compromising on quality is not an option. The goal is to surpass, not emulate, the bang-on-rocks technology of this age.¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°There has to be another conductive material we can use. What about copper? It''s still highly conductive and far more accessible than gold.¡±

    CD stared, his emulated mouth wide open, and pearly white teeth gleaming.

    ¡°Copper, while adequate, is inferior to gold in every way that matters for this project. I refuse to compromise the integrity and superiority of our technology. It must be gold.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± Elli called, waltzing back into the room with the sway of the newly-relieved. ¡°I heard some of what you two were saying too. Gold? Pah. You might as well tell us you need stardust. Is there anything else at all that we could get you that would work for this TUNI system?¡±

    ¡°Something else? I am working with such backward, resource-stricken tribals that gold doesn¡¯t exist? I find you humans to be quite vexing.¡±

    CD''s hologram flickered, lines of analytical scanning springing forth from his body to search every nook and cranny of the shop before stopping on my crumpled cloak lying in a mess at the foot of the bed. He leaned forward and pointed, a large shit-eating grin on his face.

    ¡°My cloak? How in the Boiler¡¯s Oven would that help you make your tech? He¡¯s messing with us, Elli.¡±

    ¡°No, you yeti. The clasp of your cloak is pure silver, and a sizable amount of it as well. With the proper reforging into a sheet, we can make all of the components necessary to put TUNI into a prime, if not appropriately technological, state of being. I need you both to melt it down and reform it at once.¡±

    Elli stared at me, shock written over her face. She knew that the wolf clasp was as special as the shirt and the cloak itself, a piece of my father, and something that may have even been within my family line for generations.

    I instinctively reached out to the pile, picking it up, and touching the clasp, feeling the cool metal under my fingertips.

    ¡°So, uh, gold you were saying?¡±

    Elli frowned.

    ¡°No, really not a choice. Unless you want to fight all the knights of Alnda.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, can we?¡± CD asked, his face a rictus of delight.

    ¡°No. Look, Al, if we are serious about this, we¡¯re going to have to make some sacrifices. And that includes, apparently, family heirlooms.¡±

    CD''s digital form leaned closer.

    ¡°Besides being pointless, this heirloom isn¡¯t just any piece of metal. That clasp contains the precise alloy composition and artisanal craftsmanship necessary for the TUNI system''s interface module. Its conductive properties are unmatched by anything else within this primitive workshop.¡±

    I looked at them, then ripped the clasp away from the fabric with a rending sound that made Elli wince. Her eyes were sympathetic as I set it into her hands and turned away from them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get changed and ready for work. Elli, you should go do the same at your shop and then meet us in the workroom. We¡¯ll get the clasp refashioned and done, no worries. And when we¡¯re rich, I¡¯ll just yank the silver back out and get it refashioned into another clasp.¡±

    ¡°Your fabric¡ª¡± Eli started.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I cut her off, stuffing my feelings down. ¡°I¡¯ll store that away and get that fixed, too. No sweat.¡±

    Even as I spoke, I pulled my shirt off and tossed it in the corner.

    ¡°Seriously, just go get changed, Elli. This is all going to end up being worth it. I promise.¡±

    The door cracked open and shut behind me as I went through and stacked my night¡¯s fineries into a bin for a good washing later. Throwing on a simple shirt and pair of breeches, I put on mechanics overalls over that and checked myself in the mirror, before walking into the workroom.

    Elli burst back in through the front door a second later, and I found myself briefly thinking back to her sky-blue gown from the night before. It was strange but, honestly, she looked good no matter what she wore. Even it was a pair of constantly washed threadbare overalls covered with oil stains and grime that refused to leave the garment.

    Her hair was an untamed tangle, almost certainly tied up in knots, and I had to respect the enthusiasm she was showing in wrecking my clasp and getting this new TUNI device up and running.

    ¡°How did you get changed so fast?¡± I asked, rather surprised at her sudden appearance.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t take too long when you¡¯re just looking to get dirty,¡± she replied. ¡°How are you just done now?¡±

    ¡°He saw his reflection and spent a good minute preening and picking fleas from his mane,¡± CD replied. ¡°I believe it is a customary ritual among primates before meeting potential mates.¡±

    I grinned, despite the small pang of loss growing in my stomach. ¡°We can re-machine that silver back into the clasp, right? When this is all done and we are rich?¡±

    CD nodded.

    ¡°When you are emperor over the rest of the simians, you can do whatever you want.¡±

    In the muted light of the workshop, the task of transforming my father¡¯s silver wolf clasp into the lifeblood of TUNI began. Elli and I stood before the shop forge, listening to it cycle up, the coils under it all humming to life softly.

    Elli shot me a concerned look and I nodded, letting her know it was all okay. Taking the silver wolf in her strong hands, she held onto it, watching the mid-tech device¡¯s glow grow stronger and stronger until it illuminated the entirety of the shop in its warm, orange hue. She let the clasp drop, clicked a switch, and all three of us stood back to let the machine do its work.

    The forge whirred and clicked, Frankensteinian gears composed of old-tech and new whirring and crackling. A nearby printer ground and cranked, spitting out a compositional readout of the metal and the current conditions of the forge. As we watched, flames kissed the bottom of the crucible, the silver within now looking wet and infirm.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the clasp surrendered to the heat, melting into a shimmering pool of liquid silver. I grabbed the readouts, scanned the numbers, and moved in, clacking a series of toggle switches and manipulating the controls to ensure an even heat. I felt sweat bead on my face, and Elli dabbed at it with a cloth before stepping back to stand next to CD, who was watching the whole process with apparently great interest.

    Once it was fully liquefied, I cranked a lever and typed a code into the rune pad at its side. In turn, the forge cupped the molten silver and turned, pouring it carefully into a flat, rectangular mold I owned specifically for this purpose. The liquid silver hissed as it met the cool air, solidifying into a thin sheet.

    ¡°Manual labor is so much fun to watch. Will the monkey lose a finger? Will the hair on his arm catch aflame? How wonderful this whole thing is!¡± CD exclaimed.

    ¡°Har, har,¡± I replied. ¡°It isn¡¯t over yet. Elli, wanna prep the machining station?¡±

    Elli hurried over to the cutting and grinding table, clicking toggles and tabs, while I carefully moved the sheet over and set it into the machining tray. Once in place, the cutter clattered, cranked, then hummed to life. As the tray moved through the machine, rolling smoothly along a rubber thread, there came the sharp clink and slap of blades, all perfectly positioned assuming Elli¡¯s calibration was on target. There was a flash of light as a smattering of lasers coursed over the work, detailing smaller cuts over the surface. Thin wisps of steam and smoke rolled out of a small chimney spout at the top corner of the machine, rolling lazily in a corkscrew stretching out to the ceiling above.

    When the last of the silver was machined, cut, detailed, and bound, the machine released the tray and displayed to us the most important component of TUNI.

    It was time to get dirty and build the thing. I sincerely hoped it would do as advertised, or CD would never see the sun again.

 Chapter 19

    Putting together the TUNI wasn¡¯t so hard under CD¡¯s supervision. The wiring was rather straightforward, and the bits that Elli and I didn¡¯t understand were easily situated into their positions within the large plasti-steel box that was to serve as our ¡®comms server¡¯, whatever that exactly meant. It had its own sets of toggle switches and a keypad when we were finished with it, as well as a solar strip that we tore from an old calculation device and slotted to TUNI¡¯s side as a power plant.

    The moment we powered it on, the air in the workshop seemed to change, charged with the hum of something new, something alive. Elli and I exchanged a glance. This tech felt even older than old-tech. It was hard to explain, but there weren¡¯t many techs that made themselves physically known when turned on.

    ¡°Is that going to give us away?¡± I asked, rubbing my hand over the raised hairs on my arms and getting a little shock. ¡°It feels like witchery. Surely people are going to notice that something¡¯s off when they all start getting electrocuted?¡±

    CD shook his head.

    ¡°Congratulations, you''ve managed to follow basic instructions while simultaneously lowering my estimation of your intellectual worth. Its powerup sent out a blast of electromagnetic waves, but now that it is running, such phenomena will subside. Still, though the operational startup and expected running parameters are within the norm, it is time to see if your creation is more than a glorified paperweight.¡±

    Ignoring CD''s jab, Elli and I focused on the server. The keypad was more complicated than we were used to¡­ a rectangle full of old tech runes and digits. Attached to it was a foldable view screen on which a green cursor blinked expectantly, waiting for input. It was overwhelming, looking at this device from some other time, sitting in front of us and put together by our own hands.

    I shared a look with Elli.

    ¡°We, uh, CD, we really don¡¯t know what to do next,¡± she said, taking one for the team.

    We hadn¡¯t planned this far ahead, not even knowing what TUNI would look like when completed, let alone what to expect once the server was operational.

    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Elli asked, her voice a mix of anticipation and nervousness.

    A mass of lines shot out from CD¡¯s hologram, painting a blue box on the shop wall, filled with old tech words.

    ¡°This is a user¡¯s manual for the device. Try out some commands to familiarize yourself with the system. I suggest you do not try to make the device order bananas, fire, or hides. It is not magic.¡±

    ¡°But you said¡ª¡± I started, grinning, but his annoyed eyes stopped any further jabs. I shrugged, looking back to the softly glowing screen. ¡°Can you translate that into modern tongue? I¡¯m all for playing with this thing, but it might be nice to know what I¡¯m typing instead of having to learn an entirely different language to run this thing.¡±

    CD nodded.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The blue box expanded, recognizable words appearing next to the old tech ones. I scanned through the list, quickly finding and inputting the ¡®TESTING MODE¡¯ command, then stepping back to see what would happen. Elli reached out her hand, grabbing my own and squeezing it firmly. The server hummed louder, lights flickering as it processed the input.

    Suddenly, the room was filled with a series of beeps and the sound of something whirring to life. The server''s screen filled with runes, displaying lines of code that scrolled faster than I could read. CD floated closer, its holographic form flickering.

    ¡°This bodes well. It would seem that the two of you haven¡¯t wasted our time and created a giant rock with which to club your enemies. Marvelous,¡± CD remarked. ¡°The TUNI system is operational. Now the real work begins.¡±

    Elli giggled and grabbed me in a full-on bear hug, squeezing me hard.

    ¡°We did it, Al,¡± she whispered, a smile breaking through her earlier apprehension. ¡°We actually reinvented old-tech.¡±

    CD gave us a rare smile.

    ¡°This is just the beginning. You apes haven¡¯t even experienced what it can do yet. It is time to start the chipping procedures.¡±

    We headed over to another worktable, this one full of bits of scrapped plastics, crystal residue, and silver shavings. In the center of it lay the chips we¡¯d pressed, incredibly peculiar trapezoids made of tiny silver circuitry, boneshine, and wiring that looked both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

    ¡±The chips should be functional. The monster crystal has hardened appreciably, and scans indicate a 95% chance that they will be accepted by your bio-processes without any signs of immune-suppressive response,¡± CD informed us, as I picked one up and turned it over in my hand.

    ¡°So, for this to work, we just put the chips in our ears and we can all talk to each other?¡± I asked.

    CD chuckled.

    ¡°Oh, never did I know I could feel such sorrow over the fall of such a formidable enemy. No, we will use an implantation tool, such as those that your soldiers use to gain their powers. I suggest injection into the part of your shoulder near the nape of your neck, though it could also function if implanted into any aspect of your nervous system. The boneshine aspects will extend tendrils into your spine, thereby allowing your own bodies to broadcast and receive transmissions over long distances.¡±

    Elli opened her mouth wide.

    ¡°Do you mean we will be psychic? Like, we can shoot each other dirty thoughts. Maybe even nude images?¡±

    Her eyes lit up on me as she finished her question, and I felt myself flush slightly.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°No, horny ape. You will still have to speak out loud. Just all of us connected to the TUNI network, while within its broadcasting range of 100 kilometers, will be able to hear and respond.¡±

    I looked down again at the marvel of it. The components that made it work were so small, an absolute masterpiece of engineering. Yet it could traverse the laws of physics and allow us all to talk and converse from unthinkable distances.

    This was going to be awesome.

    ¡°Think of them as a monster core upgrade for your mind,¡± CD said. ¡°With these, you''re not just human. You''re essentially a network.¡±

    Elli went over to a cupboard, rooting around noisily until pulling out an old and dusty implantation device. We¡¯d gotten it from the black market some time back and promptly forgot about it since we didn¡¯t actually know how the soldiers and nobles cored their own bodies. When she set it down next to the chips, a line of dusty webbing sailed off it, fluttering off the edge of the table and to the floor.

    ¡°That will not do, simians. The device will require a good cleaning, or else there will be a risk of infection.¡±

    I peered at the device pointedly.

    ¡°Are you saying that there is a chance that this will kill us?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Only if you let your ape brains run the show,¡± CD shot back. ¡°Get rid of the dirt. Soak the implanting tips with hard alcohol. Then, and only then, do you implant the chips.¡±

    We moved ahead, following his instructions, wiping away the dirt and grime before soaking it in alcohol. When CD noted that everything was at the ready, I took off my shirt and Elli did the same, smirking as my eyes and pupils widened.

    ¡°Do me first,¡± I said, turning away and showing her my back.

    ¡°Any chance that was innuendo?¡± Elli asked.

    ¡°It is getting late, and I would like to test the efficacy of the chips before apes mate and make smaller apes,¡± CD chided. ¡°Implant the chip and you can get back to your mating rituals.¡±

    Elli took hold of the cleaned device, popping the chip into a slot in the top before pulling back a lever on its side. Now at the ready, she slid up behind me and whispered into my ear.

    ¡°Stay still, Al. It¡¯ll be over in a second.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I bet you say that to all the boys,¡± I retorted.

    She chuckled, and I jumped slightly as I felt her press the machine against my skin. It was room temperature, but in my mind, a cold, electric anticipation coursed through me. I could smell the tang of the alcohol we had used to clean the device, and it revved up the feeling that CD was full of shit and that this was going to hurt.

    A lot.

    I heard a sound best described as ¡®choompf¡¯, a sharp burn like that of an ember lighting on my skin, then a strange tickling as the chip''s tendrils wormed their way through my skin to reach my spinal column. It didn¡¯t feel right, but the burn was already gone before it could really set in, and moments later, the squirming stopped.

    ¡°How was it?¡± Elli asked.

    I opened up my mouth to answer, then felt it hammer shut as electricity coursed through my body, throwing me backward onto the floor where I went ramrod straight, every muscle Charlie-horsing in the hardest manner possible.

    Elli¡¯s words became panicked and garbled while my vision went blurry.

    Had that bastard CD tricked me? Panic swam up my throat in the form of bile that burned at the back of my throat.

    All at once, my muscles relaxed, and I rolled to my side, spitting and coughing. A rush of newfound clarity flooded my senses, and everything suddenly made so much more sense. I shot my eyes up to Elli, her bosom heaving as she sobbed over me, screaming for me to be okay, and I reached out a hand to still her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I choked. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It works.¡±

    ¡°Does it?¡± CD asked, staring down at me, those same words echoing somewhere deep in my mind. A quick burst of thought told me that he didn¡¯t actually have to do that; that he was just the electronic cylinder and that this hologram was a construction of light placed there for our comfort.

    ¡°Yeah, I think so. Talk again. I thought I heard your words inside me as well as outside.¡±

    ¡°The experiment has been a success. I congratulate you on your rise from simian to barbarian. Well done, Alaric.¡±

    The words echoed inside me, and I nodded, grabbing Elli¡¯s proffered hand and getting to my feet. I looked her over, seeing the tears still glistening on her cheeks, and I rubbed them off with my fingers.

    ¡°It¡¯s a hard start, but it works well, Elli. And, I¡¯m not sure, but I think it made me smarter?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± CD confirmed. ¡°To be honest, that wasn¡¯t hard to do.¡±

    We repeated the procedure, this time with myself implanting the chip into Elli and holding her hand tightly as her mind and the chip formed their connection. After she recovered, we sat for a moment, dumbfounded by the constant echoes of our words in our minds.

    ¡°Is there any way to stop this thing from echoing?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Or to get it to read people''s most inner carnal thoughts?¡± Elli asked.

    CD turned to the blue box, eliminating a great deal of it until he found the command Listening Distance parameters ¨C All. A new light shot out, showing a symbol that translated roughly as ¡°Outside of organic listening range¡± and Elli went to work finding the keys and typing the command in.

    With a push of the input button, the echo was gone.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief,¡± I noted, walking over to the TUNI unit. A quick glimpse at the shape and size of its box and peripherals told me that I could move the whole system under my bed. I picked it all up in one heap, moving it to my room. As I bent to put it under my mattress, Elli stopped me.

    ¡°Not a good place, Al. Just in case, uh, you know, the bed gets all shaky or something.¡±

    ¡°Barbarian impulses are indeed too unpredictable. It would be illogical to risk such a vital device to your possible nocturnal activities,¡± CD agreed.

    Scoping the room, we decided to wedge it into one corner and drape it over with the ripped fabric of my torn cloak. It actually looked rather artistic when we were finished and stuck out as decoration rather than as some illegal old tech device that we¡¯d built and were now about to set upon the world.

    ¡°Now that that¡¯s done, care to take this thing for a spin?¡± Elli asked, raising a single eyebrow.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if we do,¡± I replied with a wink.

    We stepped into a day well darkened into evening, giggling like children as we jogged in opposite directions over the cracked old-tech and cobblestone fillings.

    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Elli asked, now out of sight and almost certainly over the neighborhood hill.

    ¡°Yeah, I gotcha!¡± I replied.

    ¡°Good. Now I¡¯ll be able to pester you whenever I want to,¡± she said jokingly.

    We spread further, testing the range of the TUNI. My first stop was the bustling marketplace in the central district, where the cacophony of vendors and the aroma of street food usually overwhelmed the senses. There I tried to think of the smells around me and send them to her.

    ¡°Barbar, this is a communications device,¡± CD scolded. ¡°Thoughts and concepts cannot be sent. At least not yet,¡± he added, words that made my new and enlightened mind tingle in anticipation of the next great technological hurdle.

    As the night deepened, we found ourselves on opposite sides of the city, sending messages with no problems at all. It was at this point that Elli came up with an interesting test of the system.

    ¡°It¡¯s hide and seek, but I¡¯ve got to describe to you where I¡¯m at every five minutes. Catch me if you can!¡± she said, sounding excited even over the TUNI.

    I launched myself into the chase, jogging through old-tech, middle-tech, and new-tech districts, under sputtering lights of electricity, often broken and jury-rigged to burn monster gas. It was a game of talk tag, and though it took much of the night, I finally cornered her near the main gate. She smiled and skipped to me when I called her name, and we headed back to my shop, exhausted but delighted.

    Entering the door, we saw CD standing there, waiting for our return.

    ¡°Sleep, barbarians. With TUNI up and running, I can be your ops manager. Tomorrow my words can lead you out of the city and into the battlefield without incident. And then the start of your ascension will truly begin.¡±

 Chapter 20

    Elli left and I went to bed with my head filled with high dreams and very unpeasant-like hopes. Everything was finally going right, I¡¯d have a surname again, just like my parents before they died. I¡¯d tons of creds and even open a guild of my own.

    All of us, together, were going to start a new era for the city. Just after the next night¡¯s trip to the old mech battlefield, and the collection of the treasures buried within.

    They were happy thoughts to dream about.

    In the morning, I got out of bed, throwing my sheets to the floor and pulling on a pair of shorts. Humming, I rolled out of my small sleeping chamber and into my pantry, grabbing some bread, cheese, and a piece of cured lamb. I sliced the bread and cheese, arranging them onto a wooden plate alongside the meat. Adding an apple from the basket on the counter, I grabbed my water pitcher, emptying its last drops into a clay cup.

    Taking a seat at one of my work benches, I set it all up in front of me and scanned the room for any sign of anything illegal or troublesome.

    Everything was looking good.

    Smiling, I unhooked and opened a nearby shutter, letting the light of the morning spill over my small spot by the window. And by doing that, I laid my eyes on an ogre-like goon that started banging on my door. Behind him stood two others, thinner and lankier fellows but standing in a martial manner. Short swords were sheathed at their sides. They turned to face me as the clatter of my actions alerted them to my presence.

    All of them were wearing guild badges, and I sighed. Narrowing my eyes, I noted the crossed pickaxe and sword of scavenger enforcers and I sighed again.

    Guild enforcers.

    The three men stepped onto my sparse dirt lawn and made their way to my window to confront me face to face. The hulking figure, the man who''d been pounding on my door, led the way. He stared hard into my eyes without blinking as he stopped just a step away from my face.

    I stared back, doing my best to show no fear despite the hard beat of my heart. Guys like him would eat me alive if I ever acted like a chicken.

    We stared at each other for a good minute before one of the lankier ones put a hand on his shoulder. He turned and I snickered, prompting him to look back at me with a rising scarlet blush over his face.

    ¡°I win,¡± I whispered, giving him a little wave, while simultaneously feeling my fear drain away. The worst of it was over. Now that they knew I wouldn¡¯t wilt like a daisy on hot concrete, the actual discussion could begin.

    The lankier and presumably more intelligent one took his place, a friendly face despite the faded crescent of a stab wound gracing his right cheek. He glanced at me, then at the food on my workbench.

    ¡°Sorry to have to bother you during your mornin¡¯ sup, but I bin sent to talk to one Alaric, a serf scavenger who I hear is lucky enough to run his own shop?¡±

    His eyes were sharp and assessing, despite the lazy drawl and happy nice-to-meet-you smile. I nodded, taking a slow-motion bite out of my apple.

    He glanced back at his companions.

    ¡°We have been sent here to talk about the matter of unsanctioned manufacturing. Seems someone saw a transaction in these parts, a few days back at most, dealing with a mech hand that was unquestionably tinkered and altered.¡±

    I set my apple down.

    ¡°I¡¯m well within my credited rights to do repair work. I already paid my work dues to the manufacturing guild and signed the independent labor tithe to Scavenger Master Boyerman. There¡¯s no devilry here, Enforcer--¡±

    ¡°Enforcer Radulf,¡± he answered. ¡°Now, see here, the problem isn¡¯t anything to do with your authorized work. It has to do with your unauthorized work. Word has been told that your work was quite obviously of the latter. Too good to be a straight fix. In fact, the word that was said was amazing, along with other words like newly wrought and master tier. Now, all that, that¡¯s a different beast altogether.¡±

    I frowned, my mind whirring in thought. The mech hands had been too good, obviously. Too changed, and now their eyes were on me. I¡¯d have to think of something fast, or guys like this would be looking over my shoulder for the next decade and all of our plans with CD would be effectively over.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Enforcer Radulf, I understand your concerns,¡± I said, keeping my voice steady. ¡°Honestly, I had some help, is all. A friend of mine is an engineer and a good one at that. In fact, she¡¯s even done some one-on-one mech work for some of the knights. I fixed the hands then she added improvements.¡±

    I paused, watching their reactions carefully.

    ¡°If you¡¯re still not convinced, perhaps there¡¯s something I can do to make this right. I¡¯d hate for there to be any misunderstanding or trouble.¡±

    Radulf narrowed his eyes, but it was obvious that he was considering my words.

    ¡°Is she licensed to innovate?¡± he asked.

    I swallowed hard. They¡¯d be asking me for a name soon enough, and I didn¡¯t want to get Elli roped into whatever this all was.

    ¡°Listen, it seems clear to me that Master Boyerman sent you. We all know that side work usually gets overlooked. Including improvements. I¡¯m guessing we did too good a job and now he wants something from me.¡±

    Radulf chuckled.

    ¡°Something like that. You and your friend, you can keep on innovating, but you sell through him from now on.¡±

    I felt heat rise to my cheeks, and ice formed inside my chest.

    ¡°How much are we talking?¡±

    ¡°Ten percent.¡±

    Closing my eyes, I nodded. There wasn¡¯t any use in asking who¡¯d be getting the ten percent cut. Just like there was no use in trying to bargain, or in flat-out saying no.

    This wasn¡¯t an offer. It was an order.

    I opened my eyes and took another bite of my apple.

    ¡°The improvements required outside scavenge. Anyway, I can get a vault license to find some good parts, and maybe edge up the quality of the merch. I¡¯d love to make enough to keep affording quality breakfasts.¡±

    Radulf looked over my face and smirked.

    ¡°You¡¯re a big fit guy. Maybe you should get into enforcement, cuz that right there ain¡¯t no feast. Look, I¡¯ll pass it on to Master Boyerman. I¡¯m guessing he¡¯ll give you some leeway. It¡¯s more cred in his coffer, right?¡± He leaned closer, over my window ledge, his nose right up to my own. ¡°Just don¡¯t fuck around,¡± he said in a menacing whisper. ¡°Got it? Boyerman ain¡¯t happy that you tried to pull a fast one on him. And he¡¯s always watching. I know we just met, but I like you. I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t get you that vault license fast, and get you moving back into his graces. ¡®Cuz I¡¯d hate to have to trash your workshop and break your legs.¡±

    He leaned back. The big enforcer smashed a hand into his fist, staring at me again but this time with a huge, gotcha grin on his face, while the other one just looked bored. I nodded, my mind still spinning chaotically as I tried to process it all.

    ¡°Yes, Enforcer Radulf. Understood. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, Alaric. Thank Master Boyerman. He¡¯s the one giving you this grand opportunity.¡±

    I started to laugh but caught the suddenly stern and expectant look on Radulf¡¯s face. This was obviously another order.

    ¡°Thank Master Boyerman for this opportunity. I look forward to our partnership.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let him know you said that. Except for the partnership part. You¡¯re a serf; he won¡¯t take kindly to that. Just do your dues, Alaric. I¡¯ll see you around.¡±

    With that, he raised his hand, his pointer finger extended, and twirled it in a circle. The three of them turned and left, leaving me to stare at my food, my face suddenly burning in a rash of anxiety and frustration.

    That was the thing about Alnda. Once you were down, you were never allowed to rise again. I balled up my right hand and smashed at my work bench, one, two, then three times, feeling the sting of it swarm through the meaty part of my hand.

    Standing up, I grabbed my shutters and yanked them shut, their closure booming through the confines of my shop.

    ¡°Fuuuck!¡± I yelled at the ceiling.

    I noticed that my half-eaten apple had fallen to the floor, and I booted it across the workspace, just in time to see it pass through the flickering image of CD, now a bearded man wearing a tunic that sported the exact same badge of the scavenger enforcers.

    ¡°CD, you heard all that?¡± I asked, my voice shaky with anger.

    ¡°Indeed. It would seem that the master ape wishes for more fruit and beetles for his dining pleasure. Would it not have been beneficial to have killed these three, in order to prepare for war with this Boyerman warlord?¡±

    I stared at him, watching him cock his head quizzically to the side that was just a bit too alien, and barked an angry laugh.

    ¡°Not a warlord, but he might as well be. He¡¯s got legal backing. He, well, he owns me. As much as someone can be owned anyways. I was hoping to buy my freedom from him, but this deal, it¡¯ll keep me under his thumb forever. How are we supposed to move and sell anything good if he gets to keep all the profit?¡±

    CD nodded.

    ¡°There are usually workarounds. Tell me more about this vault license.¡±

    ¡°It gives me salvage rights to any vaults that I might find and removes the serf bracer requirement for any vault expeditions I file for from the Scavenger¡¯s Guild. It also puts me on a list so that I can pick and choose missions when they become available. It¡¯s a good deal for most scavengers, but for me, it¡¯ll all have to get put into new fancy bullshit that the guild will now sell for a ton of money and leave me with peanuts.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, peanuts. Truly the currency of apes. I understand, and I think I have a solution for our current dilemma.¡±

    I stared at him, expectant. After a minute of silence, I let out an exasperated sigh.

    ¡°And that is?¡±

    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it obvious? We will scrap the battlefield for later, and instead take a vault mission. We will find tech, wield it into something irresistible, send it to this master scavenger, and then boom, problem solved.¡±

    I sat down, the whole thing playing through my head, and began to laugh. Yeah, that could work. I laughed harder, imagining pieces of him launching in every direction. Yeah, that¡¯d definitely do.

    <h2> </h2>

 Chapter 21

    There wasn¡¯t much to do until the paperwork was sorted and I got word back from the guild master, so I sat back down and finished my breakfast. It didn¡¯t taste as good as it had, but I had a feeling that one particular breakfast in the future was going to make up for that.

    Finishing off the cheese, I stood and went about my normal morning rituals, leaving the shop to refill my water from the local pump and waving to my neighbors as I walked the broken cobble to and fro.

    All the while, my head was spinning, full of plans for the future. I¡¯d have to modify the workshop and make some hidey holes in which to keep the stuff that was too good to give up to the guild. The mech hand order would have to be finished, just to show Boyerman that I was playing ball. And Elli would have to be brought into the loop. After all, there was a chance she¡¯d get roped in regardless of what I did at this point. It wouldn¡¯t take much observation or asking around for the enforcers to peg her as the engineer I¡¯d been talking about.

    Then we¡¯d get the license and go exploring. We¡¯d have access to scavenge sites that had already been picked over a few times, assuming Boyerman approved the mission requests, and any new sites we found we¡¯d be able to dig through on first rights.

    On paper anyways. The guild master was an asshole, and quite a few of the nobles were as well. I¡¯d heard many stories about top finds being requisitioned by the state, or by the serf holder. Wouldn¡¯t expect it to go any other way, but a man could dream.

    When I got back, CD and I worked on creating the farmer¡¯s gauntlets, a process that was much easier and faster now that I knew what I was doing. And by the time Elli came around, they were finished and ready for delivery.

    I¡¯d just put everything away when she knocked, the sound of it making me jump out of my skin. I wheezed as CD cackled, and thoughtlessly reached out to grab his hand when he reached it out as if to help me.

    ¡°Haha, very funny,¡± I growled, my breath coming back to me.

    I got up off the floor and peeked out my shutters, seeing Elli standing there in her greasy overalled glory. She caught my motion out of the corner of her eye and gave me a wink.

    ¡°You gonna let me in, Al? Or am I going to have to get physical?¡±

    She slapped one gloved hand into the other, grinning toothily.

    I chuckled.

    ¡°Yeah, just a sec.¡±

    Locking the shutters back tight, I opened the door and gestured her in, securing the door behind her.

    ¡°Woah, you¡¯ve had a busy morning!¡± she exclaimed, looking over the piles of large mech hands that dominated one side of the shop. ¡°Glad I missed the extra work.¡±

    I stuck out my tongue, and she playfully made as if to bite it. Giggling, I put my hand in front of my face as a shield.

    ¡°Childish apes, now that we are together, isn¡¯t it time that we begin scheming?¡± CD said, his voice laced with a hint of excitement.

    He¡¯d changed form again, this time inhabiting the skin of some old grandfather dressed in an overly large shirt and pants that clearly were meant for someone much thicker and stronger.

    I raised an eyebrow, but he either didn¡¯t notice, or didn¡¯t care to explain.

    ¡°Scheming what?¡± Elli asked. ¡°We already talked about the future if that¡¯s what you mean. Drunkenly, and in style.¡±

    She smiled as she said it, but seeing the more serious look on my face, she pulled back as if afraid the news would hit her.

    ¡°What am I missing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The guild paid us a visit today,¡± I informed her, ¡°And now expect me to do improvement work for them on 10% commission. Apparently, someone saw the new farmer gauntlets and squealed.¡±

    She took a seat and gestured for me to sit in her lap, which I ignored. Instead, I sat next to her and began to lay out everything that happened before diving into CD¡¯s plan, and everything I¡¯d thought of this morning on my way to and from the pump.

    When I finished, I could see the worry in her eyes, a small shimmer of extra wetness on their lenses. She reached out a hand and I took it.

    ¡°Good things are heard, Al. They¡¯re never give-it-to-me easy unless you¡¯re a golden crib baby for the rich. And even they have to bow to the Duke or the King. Good news is, you¡¯ve got me and I¡¯ve got a good brain in my head.¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡± CD asked.

    He waved a hand at the wall, and screens began to flip on, showing his search through the Coming of Age Testing Records.

    NAME, AGE, AND GRADE: Ellinor Nedare, 25, Free Woman

    BACKGROUND: Uptown Child born to accredited engineers.

    SOCIETAL ROLES: Accredited Engineer, Shop Owner, Licensed Scavenger

    WISDOM-ranked Attributes (As Scored by Officiate Mora Goddington Wils, Coming of Age year 27 of King William Karlington II):

    WIT: 9 - Ellinor¡¯s intelligence is reflected in her ability to innovate and improve mechanical designs, solving complex engineering problems with creativity.

    INSIGHT: 8 - Her perceptive nature allows her to excel in scavenging, easily spotting useful components, and foreseeing mechanical failures before they occur.

    SPEED: 9 - Ellinor is adept at parkour, which enhances her ability to maneuver through challenging environments quickly and efficiently.

    DEXTERITY: 8 ¨C Ellinor¡¯s fine motor skills and manual dexterity were on tremendous display during the wiring, disassembly, and assembly portions of the test.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    POWER: 5 ¨C She is strong for her gender, and comparable to many non-combat males as she demonstrated during her strength trials.

    MAGNETISM: 5 ¨C Ellinor has a reputation for being foul-mouthed, vulgar, and crude. Her status as a free woman engineer and merchant grant her respect, but her bizarre behavior lowers this ranking significantly. A woman of her stature should obey societal rules, not break them.

    PRIMARY TESTED SKILLS:

    ADVANCED MECH ENGINEER: Expert in designing, repairing, and innovating mechs and mechanical systems.

    SCAVENGING AND SALVAGING: Proficient in reclaiming usable parts and materials from abandoned tech and monster remains

    TACTICAL MOVEMENT: There is no doubt in my mind that she was trained in using her agility and parkour skills to navigate and escape from dangerous situations. It is likely that, were she given a military posting, she would succeed quite well. However, when I discussed this possibility with her, she declined, noting that soldiers are stick-in-their-ass peons who don¡¯t know their elbows from their armpits.

    We both read through the report, and I laughed hard when I got to the end.

    ¡°Go get ¡®em, Elli,¡± I said, and she punched my shoulder, laughing as well.

    ¡°This is amazing, CD. Can you get anyone¡¯s record?¡±

    ¡°I have noticed various levels of encryption on higher-level candidates, but yes, given the proper decryption devices, I could easily do this for anyone in the local database.¡±

    Elli let out a high whistle.

    ¡°That might be something we can capitalize on.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Also note that previous non-TUNI ape brain numbers have almost certainly improved, taking your above-average intelligence almost certainly into the genius range, though well below that of any Toran infant, or the likely monster-core enhanced academics of your local scholar class.¡±

    Elli scowled.

    ¡°What you''re saying is I¡¯m dumb by your standards, and just good enough to get by?¡±

    ¡°Your words, not mine,¡± CD countered.

    She shook your head.

    ¡°Not a problem. We¡¯ll just get that fixed like how Al fixed his flabby, no-muscle piss-poor body. Hey!¡± she suddenly exclaimed, her eyes widening. ¡°Maybe we can find some brain enhancement mutagen out in the salvage areas?¡±

    ¡°Definitely possible,¡± I said with a wink. ¡°But I don¡¯t think mutagen is exactly common. Or safe. Let¡¯s just keep that as a secondary quest. We¡¯ve got a little time to wait here while Boyerman sorts his reply. How about we upgrade the shop, and start making hidden compartments? I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯ll have people over to go through everything. What if they find CD? He¡¯ll be cut into tiny pieces and then--¡±

    ¡°Not going to happen! Get to it, go, go, and go!¡±

    Elli and I smiled and got up, gathering tools as CD scanned the shop, green lines rolling over every nook and cranny. His holographic form flickered beside us, now resembling a man of the night, dark leather and night camouflage rubbed over his face. A devilish little mustache clung to his upper lip.

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked.

    CD ignored me, and instead pointed towards my pantry.

    ¡°The earth isn¡¯t even beneath the deeper half of that chamber. It would be easy to raise the floorboards and dig a well-sized hole while pushing the extra dirt to the sides. With no leavings to dispose of, it makes for the ideal hiding place.¡±

    Elli stretched her arms above her head, the joints in her elbows popping audibly. Reaching to her overloaded tool belt, she pulled a mid-tech e-tool and unfolded it into a small black shovel.

    ¡°Alright, boys, let¡¯s get to it.¡±

    I followed along, a claw hammer in hand ready to torque loose the nails and planks. The other tools on my belt swayed and clanked together as I walked over to the panty.

    Elli and I reached the place at the same time, and we opened the door, scanning the cluttered space. I had stored a lot of cheap and resilient food here over time. Cheese wheels, hunks of rock-hard bread, salted and dried low-quality meats and fish; everything you could need if you wanted food in the morning and didn¡¯t care too much about what it tasted like.

    And now we were going to have to move it.

    I stepped within, hunching down and grabbing a basket of week-old apples, handing them up to Elli who in turn placed them next to the door. Moving forward, I started moving through the bread loaves, then the turnips.

    When all was finished, I moved to the dusty end of the pantry, looking for loose nails. A couple of the rusty heads stuck out, and I wedged the claw under them, levering them out and examining them in the palm of my hand. They were brittle and useless, well too aged, I decided, and I tossed them out onto the shop floor.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to clean that up when you¡¯re done,¡± Elli scowled.

    I chuckled.

    ¡°Yeah, no doubt. Just don¡¯t go shoeless til we¡¯re done.¡±

    Next, levering the planks out of place, I was happy to see that they were still in good solid shape since having to replace them would be an obvious X marks the spot for any enforcers who decided to come and investigate. I set them against the wall, then peered into the hole beneath.

    It was like CD had said. There was a dip here, uneven silty ground. I pushed my pointer finger into it and felt hard clay a couple of centimeters within. It¡¯d be an easy job.

    ¡°Alright Lady Digger. Dig me a hole!¡± I said, stepping aside and throwing my arms out as if to present her with an amazing gift.

    ¡°Oh, Alaric, how did you know?¡± she asked, grinning and giving me a wink.

    As she walked past me, her hand slid around my hip and goosed me. I jumped slightly, taken totally by surprise.

    ¡°Oops,¡± she said coquettishly.

    I laughed.

    ¡°Alright, CD, while Elli¡¯s working on that, what else do you got for us?¡±

    CD crept past, low to the ground like a common cat burglar.

    ¡°Apes may be watching. We must be careful,¡± he said, motioning for me to follow.

    Not for the first time I wondered if maybe being stuck in the ground for too long hadn¡¯t crazed up some of his logic circuits. Nonetheless, I followed, and he led me to my word desk. It was a hefty oaken behemoth stuck against the wall, covered with half-assed drawings and designs, many of which I¡¯d never started, and half of which I¡¯d started but never finished. He pointed at it.

    ¡°This particular piece of furniture is very thick and quite capable of being hollowed out for smaller devices . . . and substances. I suggest cutting through the bottom and hollowing it out in these sections here and here,¡± CD said, pointing to the areas on which I was to work.

    I studied it briefly, then lay down, pulling a knife and a mini saw from my belt and getting to work.

    Wood dust sprinkled over my face and dropped into my mouth, but it was all good fun and soon I was past the initial thickness of the wood and into the softer, sweeter center. Working continuously, listening to the rhythmic hammering of Elli closing up the planks, and following under CD¡¯s tutelage, I soon had quite the inconspicuous hiding area.

    ¡°Hey, Al,¡± Elli called, coming out from the pantry and wiping sweat from her brow. ¡°Remember that time we tried to build a treehouse when we were kids?¡±

    I laughed, hammering a new plank into place to hide the hollowed-out space I¡¯d just created.

    ¡°How could I forget? We got halfway done before we realized we¡¯d built it in a tree full of hornet nests.¡±

    Elli snickered.

    ¡°Yeah, and you fell out of the tree trying to get away. Thought for sure you¡¯d broken your leg.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear you didn¡¯t. Humans are frail and a broken leg would surely have impacted your Speed and possibly Dexterity,¡± CD chimed in.

    ¡°Thanks for the concern,¡± I replied, shaking my head. ¡°Let¡¯s hope this project turns out better.¡±

    After finishing both tasks, CD pointed out other minor aspects of the workshop that could be modified. He directed Elli to the studs in the wall and used his lines of light to mark out the dimensions for miniature hidden compartments. I¡¯d cut and gouge, then Elli would fill and finish, replacing the new sections with their old covering and hammering them all back into place.

    CD moved around the room, pointing out my shelves filled with technical manuals and diagrams and detailed instructions on how to install false backs into them, making sure they aligned perfectly with the cuts in the wall.

    Elli followed behind, attaching latch mechanisms and doing the tinier and more technical errata as CD explained, outlined, and diagrammed them to her.

    After a good while, we were finished. Elli lay back on one of the workbenches, letting out a long and satisfied yawn and stretching her legs and arms out like a turtle flipped on its back.

    ¡°This is going to work, Al. No one¡¯s ever going to find nothing here.¡±

    I nodded, looking around the place.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a good job of it. Still no visitors from the guild yet, though. Wonder what¡¯s taking them so long.¡±

    Just then, a heavy knocking sounded at the door, and the two of us jogged towards it while CD disappeared from sight. I unlocked it and opened it up a crack, to see Enforcer Radulf standing there holding a half-dozen scroll cases, and giving me his toothy smile.

    ¡°Good news, serf boy. You got your excavation license, and Boyerman¡¯s agreed to your terms. Time to sign some paperwork. Mind if I come in?¡±

 Chapter 22

    I stepped back to let him in, making sure to secure the door behind him while Elli stood off to the side, her arms crossed. She watched him with a gigantic frown on her face that just showed how welcome he was.

    I nodded, gesturing towards the workbench.

    ¡°Sit down, Enforcer Radulf. Make yourself comfortable.¡±

    Radulf sauntered as he walked, making a big show of his power as he casually surveyed the shop. His eyes lingered on the towering piles of mech hands, and he smirked.

    ¡°See you got down to business. Master Boyerman is going to like that.¡±

    Elli grumbled something and I moved to his side, gesturing for him to set the scroll cases down and get everything started.

    ¡°So, how¡¯d it go? Got more terms to go through? Extra demands for us to sign off on?¡± I asked, folding my arms.

    Radulf chuckled.

    ¡°Smart lad to know when you''ve got, boy. But there¡¯s nothing new here. As far as I can tell, Boyerman likes you. At least enough that he¡¯s not pushing any farther. Indeed, he was quite excited about the reverse-engineering aspect of your little operation. Using old tech to make new-tech masterpieces. So impressed that he not only approved your license, he even picked out a quest for you. A kinda welcome to the club sort of thing.¡±

    I stared, hesitant, a roiling bit of doubt burbling in my stomach.

    ¡°A quest?¡± I asked.

    Radulf stood up, rising up with a single scroll case in hand, its bottom situated as if it were the hilt of a sword.

    ¡°Yes! A grand and sanctioned quest! A pure and wonderful means of old tech resource extraction to give your new partnership the powerful start it needs to make waves in this city. Boyerman seems to expect a lot from this little operation, and so he¡¯s giving you a priority mission. One that had been slotted to a rising journeyman of the guild even! Imagine that!¡±

    I exchanged a glance with Elli, who raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

    ¡°And what exactly does this quest involve?¡± I asked, wary of any tricks.

    A sanctioned quest, right off the bat, with no petitioning or waiting involved just didn¡¯t feel right.

    Radulf leaned in, uncorking the case and pulling out the parchment from within.

    ¡°It¡¯s an armory, pre-fall. Teams found it in the ruins of a place that records say was called Chic-A-Go. There are pretty statues there if you are an art lover.¡±

    He was waltzing past the point deliberately, taunting me with the quest in a way that made me want to bust him in the nose.

    I growled and his smile widened.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s so special about it?¡± I asked.

    His eyes widened.

    ¡°About Chic-A-Go? Why, it was one of the great capitals of the ancients! There were songs and performers who took the name, so in awe were they of the place. It was the forger of great artifacts, the holders of something called the Deep Dish. Apparently an item so powerful that it was honored by food items made in its name. Have you never heard of it?¡±

    I frowned. The name was vaguely familiar, but more like something I¡¯d heard in passing.

    ¡°Can¡¯t say I have,¡± I responded, before turning to see Elli practically jumping out of her skin.

    ¡°That zone is forbidden!¡± she squeaked. ¡°Mutants, rad-zones, the works! No one but roving mechs allowed I thought!¡±

    ¡°Yes, without special dispensation,¡± Radulf said, nodding, spreading out the scrolls from the case.

    The first was a map, detailing where we were now, and the place that was Chic-A-Go. It was marked with skulls and crossbones, and the more detailed map underneath the travel map was chock full of hazardous curse marks and death traps.

    But it was also full of scavenge points. Places that had been scouted and pilfered, yes, but others that had simply been marked for further exploration. I noted in the legend that the quests here were for ¡®Level 10 or higher, special dispensation required¡¯ and my heart began to beat more quickly.

    ¡°Boyerman has a lot of faith in my capabilities it would seem,¡± I muttered, tracing the massive spread of the ruined city with my finger. I nearly swore when I saw the distance measurements ¨C it was more than a city. Size-wise, it was more like a nation.

    ¡°Take it as you will. He certainly has optimism in what you might be able to manufacture, given the right ingredients. It would seem that he has even procured permissions for a knightly escort. One Sir Alain Hembersworth. Says he cost a pretty cred. Which he will expect to be repaid upon return.¡±

    I grimaced, trying to imagine what it must have cost to hire one of the Duke¡¯s retainers on what was almost certainly a no-questions-asked backroom deal. It felt overwhelming.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Can we keep any of the salvage for ourselves?¡± Elli asked. ¡°Or does it all have to go back into the sales operations.¡±

    Radulf shrugged.

    ¡°I guess that he wouldn¡¯t even notice if an item or two happened to fall into the cracks while you were making him some new merch. Just a hazard of the trade. Honestly, Chic-A-Go is a dangerous place from what I hear, but you¡¯ll have a mech knight with you, so it might not be so bad. It¡¯s definitely a better start than I¡¯d expected you to get. Go in, retrieve anything of value, and bring it back. Simple enough, right?¡±

    I snorted, thinking about the bunker that Techlock and I had knocked over.

    ¡°Simple, sure. Anything else we should know before we go?¡±

    Radulf¡¯s eyes gleamed with amusement.

    ¡°Not much else. Rads can be bad; the place was the site of some unholy battles, or so the legends say. Everything that lives there is dangerous. There are almost certainly other scavengers working for other bigwigs crawling through the place, so be careful of them. But, hey, mech knight. Sounds like you¡¯ll all have a fair chance to succeed.¡±

    Elli stepped forward, her eyes narrowing.

    ¡°Sounds kinda like a suicide mission.¡±

    Radulf shrugged again.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t really tell you. Can say that he¡¯s excited. Seems to consider it a test. Prove your worth, and I imagine Boyerman will reward you quite handsomely.¡±

    I grimaced, thinking of my coming-of-age testing, and the notes at the end. He refused to let me have my freedom and move on to something better. I had no doubt all of this would work the same way.

    Still, we had TUNI now. Could work the place over, have CD piggybacking us on the network to help find the really good stuff, and to keep watch for the biggest dangers.

    I sighed, rubbing my temples.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see the details.¡±

    Radulf spread out the parchment sheets, letting us go through them at our leisure. Elli and I leaned over them, absorbing the details.

    Chicago Armory Salvage Quest #4BF7

    Objective: Retrieve valuable pre-fall technological salvage from Class 10 Chic-A-Go Armory.

    Location: Ruins of Chic-A-Go, identified by ancient records and scout reports.

    Coordinates: Latitude: 41.8781¡ã N, Longitude: 87.6298¡ã W

    Authorized Personnel: Alaric (Lead Scavenger), Elli (Engineer), Sir Alain Hembersworth (Knightly Escort)

    Timeline:

    Itinerary: One day of preparation.

    Fast travel is provided by Mech transport. Estimated ETA 3 days to reach Chic-A-Go ruins.

    Scavenging Operation time allotted: 4 days within the ruins.

    Expected Return Travel time: 3 days

    Estimated Time to Complete: 10-14 days total

    Mission Phases:

    Preparation: Provided Personal Gear

    Radiation Suits: One for each team member, complete with gloves, boots, and hooding.

    Protective Gear: Helmets, body armor

    Weapons:

    Melee: Short swords, knives

    Ranged: Crossbows, each with 60 bolts

    Tools for Navigation and Excavation: compasses and maps. old tech GPS Unit, shovels, pickaxes, crowbars, multi-tools, and screwdrivers.

    Lighting: Midtech torchlights, good quality. Hooded Lanterns, monster oil. Battery backups.

    Survival Supplies

    Provisions: Dried meat, fruit, and hardtack. Water jugs. Canteens.

    Medical Kits: First aid kits with bandages, antiseptics, and painkillers. Anti-radiation medication.

    Repair Tools and Materials: Spare parts for gear and protective suits, duct tape, and sealants.

    Portable Shelter: Tents, sleeping bags.

    Specialized Equipment: Midtech Radiation Detectors.

    Documentation: Parchment and writing supplies.

    Scavenging and Salvaging: heavy-duty backpacks and storage containers. Magnetic lift tools for handling heavy metal parts. Blacksmithing kits, midtech, for on-site repairs. Miscellaneous Supplies

    Miscellaneous Tools: Ropes and grappling hooks, pens. Matches, lighters, and fire-starting kits.

    Ensure all team members are briefed and ready for departure. Conduct final checks on all gear before transit.

    Travel to Chic-A-Go:

    Follow the primary route marked on the mission map. Establish temporary camps each night, ensuring safety and security.

    Scavenging Operation:

    Upon arrival, secure a base of operations within the safer zone of the ruins. Begin detailed exploration of identified scavenge points. Prioritize retrieval of advanced salvage. Document and map findings for future reference.

    Return Travel:

    Retrace the route back to the city. Ensure all retrieved items are securely transported. Maintain vigilance against any threats encountered during the journey.

    Reporting and Debriefing:

    Submit detailed reports and inventory of all retrieved items to Master Boyerman. Repay Sir Alain Hembersworth¡¯s fee as per the knightly escort agreement.

    Special Notes:

    High-value returns are expected from this mission. Any items deemed of exceptional value are to be reported. Cooperation and coordination with Sir Alain Hembersworth are crucial for mission success. His word is final.

    Emergency Protocol:

    Ensure all retrieved valuable items are protected and hidden if a full retreat is necessary.

    I felt myself holding my breath as I read over the gear and objectives. It seemed like a lot. Though, to be fair, Techlock had also brought an impressive amount of equipment with him for our own undocumented salvage run.

    ¡°I assume that we will be picking all of this up at the guild?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be loaded into the mech¡¯s cockpit storage. It is beneath a knight to come get you, Alaric. But rest assured that he will check all of the equipment and have everything ready to go when the two of you meet him, tomorrow, at the South Gate.¡±

    ¡°When?¡± Elli asked.

    Her lips were pursed in a way that I knew well. She was both nervous and excited.

    ¡°Dawn.¡± Radulf stood. ¡°The rest of the papers, sign them and bring them as well. I¡¯ll be there to see you off, and to bring the contracts back to Boyerman.¡±

    I blew out a long puff of pent-up air.

    ¡°So, this is really happening.¡±

    ¡°Damn right it is,¡± Radulf said, walking to the door. He looked down at the locked latch quizzically, reaching down and releasing the bolts while muttering something under his breath.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Elli asked, her eyebrow arched.

    ¡°Just thinking,¡± Radulf said, sighing. ¡°You''ve been dealt a shit deal, yet I can¡¯t help but think this might really be something good for you two. Be thorough, follow the rules, and don¡¯t keep Boyerman waiting.¡±

    With that, he left, the door closing behind him with a resounding thud. I stared at the scroll cases lying on the workbench, waiting to be opened and signed, and I locked eyes with Elli.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got our work cut out for us,¡± Elli muttered.

    She sat down and uncorked the first case, while I stood there motionless, my mind awhir.

    ¡°You gonna help?¡± Elli asked, cocking her head at me and giving me a quirky side-smile.

    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s do this,¡± I answered, smiling. I headed to the door and locked it back up tight before coming to join her.

 Chapter 23

    Morning came with a characteristically CD crash, sending me out of my bed and right to the floor. His hologram stood there, smirking, a full-on white-plated mech knight clashing his sword against a large shield.

    ¡°What the?¡± I asked groggily, torn fully out of dreams that deserved their own play at the local theater.

    ¡°In the hunt, the first to fight, claim the prize by right,¡± he said smugly. ¡°Apes rise at dawn. Warriors rise at the sun¡¯s first inkling.¡±

    I shook my head, not at all liking this new martial take on things. Sure, it didn¡¯t seem wrong; but from what he just said, I could have gotten at least another half hour of shut-eye.

    ¡°What time is it, CD?¡± I asked, not bothering to even try to hide the annoyance in my voice.

    ¡°Does it matter? I¡¯ve scanned the city. Few have digital clocks, and all of those exist in homes of tremendous design. Some more water clocks and pendulum-based clocks, which makes me assume they are of this mid-tech variety. The new tech clocks are also rare and seem to be of the rock-in-circle variety that requires the sun to even be readable. And the majority have no devices at all! Like yourself, I might add.¡±

    I groaned. He wasn¡¯t wrong, but his whole big speech missed the point of the phrase completely.

    ¡°Alright. Yeah. So what are you waking me up for?¡±

    ¡°You have to be there at dawn, ape. And I would like to be sure that you are properly prepared.¡±

    I sighed and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

    ¡°Alright, alright. Give me a moment to get dressed, you slavedriver. Sheesh, you¡¯re even worse than the nobles.¡±

    ¡°Hah! I pity you if I¡¯m the bane of your existence, little monkey. Get.¡±

    I stood, suddenly self-conscious of the fact that I was wearing nothing at all. My hand flew to cover my privacy, and CD cocked his flickering head.

    ¡°Is this a protective measure? Are you preparing for combat against a being that is literally a flickering avatar of light?¡±

    I laughed.

    ¡°No. Just, I dunno. Seems weird to have you looking at my balls. Could you maybe turn around or something?¡±

    CD nodded, his hologram flickering slightly as he turned away. I ran through my meager supply of clothing, picking out the largest tunic I had since my body had expanded quite a bit, and pulling on breeches that I''d once considered roomy. Pausing briefly, I grabbed some cloth wraps for my feet and added a tool bit to the ensemble.

    After all, the last ¡°quest¡± I''d been on would probably have been a lot easier if I''d had my gear.

    As I dressed, CD¡¯s voice droned on, echoing through the room.

    ¡°You do realize that despite appearing to face the wall, I can still perceive your actions quite clearly? This primitive modesty is illogical. It is beyond me why you monkeys like to lick each--¡±

    ¡°Enough, CD.¡±

    ¡°No, it is not enough. Furthermore, your methods of clothing yourself are highly inefficient. A Toran would have¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I muttered, fastening my belt. ¡°Spare me the lecture, CD. We humans do things differently.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± he continued, ignoring my attempt to silence him. ¡°Your reliance on such archaic textiles and lack of automated dressing mechanisms is quite telling. A Toran would have had a fully integrated¡ª¡±

    I rolled my eyes, tuning out his ramblings as I adjusted my gear.

    ¡°I''m up and dressed CD. What''s next on the agenda?¡±

    ¡°Strong apes eat before the hunt. Forage some bugs and litter.¡±

    I laughed hard before heading to the pantry. There was plenty for a big hard breakfast, and his advice was sound. After all, who knew what we''d be eating once we set out? I grabbed bread, cheese, and some cured meat, devouring it quickly.

    I rummaged through the shop, ensuring that I had everything that might be useful and stuffing it into a rucksack. The pack was soon filled with essentials: several loaves of bread, a wedge of cheese, and some more cured meat for sustenance. I added a small clay jar of dried fruit, a flask of water, and an extra set of basic tools¡ªa hammer, chisel, a small saw, and a set of screwdrivers. A coil of sturdy rope found its place alongside a small pouch of coins, a piece of flint and steel for starting fires, and an extra set of cloth wraps for my feet. A compact first-aid kit with bandages and herbal salves went in next, followed by the saber I¡¯d found in the last quest. This one I extra-wrapped in cloth to ensure it wouldn¡¯t tear through my pack.

    ¡°You know,¡± I said as I was putting all my goods into my ruck, ¡°This quest sounds like it is well supplied already. Is there a reason I need to be over-prepare?¡±

    CD cocked his head, giving me a condescending look.

    ¡°This society of yours doesn¡¯t seem to be very meritocratic. I suggest that these many supplies won¡¯t often be open to you or your compatriot.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I nodded. He was right. It was a good idea to look after myself as I never knew what the trip would bring. Besides, even though the knight escort wasn¡¯t a total asshole, he could be a three-quarter asshole, and that would be enough to make our lives miserable.

    Once ready, I strapped on my pack.

    ¡°Alright, let''s get moving. Metaphorically of course, since you''ll be holding down the fort. Is the TUNI going to reach far enough?¡±

    CD projected a globe on the wall, our planet as seen from the moon, I guessed. It was a beautiful blue and green, streaked through with pale tan and dark browns. As I watched, we soared down through the clouds, stopping at a point still well above the ground.

    A red dot appeared, with the words ALNDA popping up in caps beside it. I squinted, trying to make out the formidable walls that protected us, but from this height, our entire city was nothing more than an ant on the pavement. A dotted line, also in red, snaked out from our destination, moving through hills and forest, across a great and mighty river, to head into a much larger red dot that CD erroneously labeled CHICAGO. I marveled at how much larger and thicker it was, a vast forest of ruined buildings.

    I had a moment of tremendous awe roll through me as I looked on. The ancients, everything about them was simply unbelievable. It was no wonder that CD and his ilk had been defeated. That begged the question: what kind of treasures were there hidden in this vast world?

    Another thought hit me. How powerful must the Torans have been to destroy most of this world? It sure would have been a wondrous time to be alive, that¡¯s for sure.

    ¡°I will boost my signal,¡± CD said, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°Using the still-functioning satellites in orbit around your planet, I should stay in range for most of your travel. There will almost undoubtedly be times that the material of the buildings you enter will block our signal. But in those instances, I suspect you will be able to ape-bash anything you find without my help. At least for long enough to find a place to reestablish contact.¡±

    I nodded, not understanding much of what he meant, but knew it didn''t matter.

    ¡°Sure thing, oh mighty overlord. Got it.¡±

    I stepped to the door and reached out to open it. CD called out, stopping and surprising me.

    ¡°Alaric, be safe.¡±

    I turned, surprise overwhelming me and even showing on my face.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    CD''s hologram shifted awkwardly.

    ¡°I would hate to be trapped here in the dark, without any sun to charge my batteries. It would suck having to go into standby mode because you and Elli did something stupid.¡±

    I snorted, waved goodbye, and stepped out of the shop into the crisp and cool air of predawn morning. He was changing, little by little, so I figured there was still hope for him.

    ¡°Heya Al!¡± Elli called out, already coming up the path to meet me. ¡°I was 95% sure I was going to tear those covers off of you and get you moving. What gives?¡±

    I smiled.

    ¡°CD. He''s way too much of a morning person.¡±

    She cocked a half-smile back at me.

    ¡°I bet. More monkey drum stuff?¡±

    ¡°A white knight this time. Sword-on-shield. But it wasn''t a big waste, he got me extra-prepped in case the nobles decide to screw with us.¡±

    Elli nodded, adjusting the straps on her own pack as if to draw attention to the fact that she''d prepped extra as well.

    ¡°Glad everything''s set. Ready to go? Or do you want to¡­go back inside and make out or something? I made sure to be extra fresh this morning.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, if there wasn¡¯t a sword hanging over our heads, I would probably take you up on that offer. Come on, let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want the knight to give us crap for being late.¡±

    The sky began to brighten as we wound our way through the city streets of Alnda, avoiding the occasional pothole in the mid-and-new-tech cobble. Elli and I walked side by side, our breaths wisping out clouds as we walked. The city was still asleep, and I was glad it was. There was something perfect about just being alone and away from all the noise and bustle for a while. It had its charms, sure, but I preferred the peace.

    Even if we were possibly marching to our doom.

    ¡°Bet you wish you were still in bed,¡± Elli teased, nudging me with her elbow.

    I yawned.

    ¡°No way. I hate sleep. Sleeping is for suckers.¡±

    She giggled.

    ¡°Well, I wish I was in bed. Not the one I have now, though. A big one, with a canopy and columns on the corners. Set in a big old mansion. You could work there and bring me breakfast around noon. Maybe even join me sometimes?¡±

    I blew a raspberry.

    ¡°I bet I''d be tending your private gardens too.¡±

    ¡°You''d be tending something alright,¡± she winked.

    ¡°The two of you make me sick,¡± CD said through our TUNI. ¡°I will stop listening for a while so keep on¡­keeping on, apelings.¡±

    ¡°He sure is a handful, huh?¡± Elli chuckled.

    As we walked and talked, we passed through the city. The market district smelled like rising bread, I was surprised to realize, while many of the streetways smelled of freshly dumped urine and offal. Here and there echoed the clatter of wooden crates and barrels being moved, or the soft cursing of manual laborers up way before they wished to be. Once a dog barked, only to whimper away from whatever it''d been antagonizing. But as we progressed, the city began to wake, and more people took to the streets.

    ¡°You nervous?¡± Elli asked, her voice softening as she glanced at me.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I admitted. ¡°That quest I did with Techlock had some big surprises. I can''t even imagine what this Chic-A-Go is all about. I hope those knights do their jobs well and don''t just spend the whole time kicking us around.¡±

    ¡°I''m a free woman,¡± Elli scoffed. ¡°They''d be in for a lot of hurt if they disrespected me.¡±

    ¡°They''d knife you and leave you, El. Me too. So, let''s just hope they aren''t dicks.¡±

    Elli quieted after that, realizing that I was unfortunately right. We made the rest of our way in silence through the now ironically loud city. Things felt awkward, and I opened my mouth a few times to try to ease the tension, or maybe reword what I''d said. But there wasn''t anything I could put into its place without lying.

    I cast a look at her and saw her chewing her lip. I reached out my hand, taking hers.

    ¡°We''ll be fine. Even if they are dicks. No worries. Just profit. Everyone loves profit, right?¡±

    She swallowed hard and nodded.

    ¡°Credits, mansions, and gardeners,¡± she whispered, that familiar twinkle making its way back into her eyes.

    We passed a Guild collection station, its stone facade adorned with the logo of the Scavengers, and came into sight of the gate just as the very lightest edge of the sun began to peek over the horizon. Standing there, silhouetted by the red-orange orb, were the knights, their Cataphract and Toxotais facing out and away from the city. I drew in a deep breath seeing them standing there, and Elli did the same. The way they were framed, it almost looked like a painting.

    ¡°This is exactly how I imagined adventures are supposed to start,¡± I said, feeling the corners of my mouth rise in a smile.

    I caught Elli''s eyes as she caught mine, and we burst out laughing, realizing our shared thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°I might suggest that your demeanor with these warriors be more serious, simians,¡± CD advised us through the light crackle of TUNI.

    ¡°I thought you were going to give us some privacy?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°And let you get yourself killed because of that loud mouth of yours? Monkeys need a caretaker or they¡¯ll just run in circles and ask for a banana.¡±

    We both laughed even harder, stumbling a little as we walked to the gate guards. They looked at us, faces curious, but no words were exchanged as they waved us through and onto our mission. Another hundred feet and we were face to face with our adventuring group.

 Chapter 24

    The four knights stood in a circle with their helmets off. They were just finishing what appeared to have been an equipment inspection as we approached. Multiple duffel bags made of a mid-tech polyester and stitched leather medley lay at their feet. The way all four pairs of eyes fell upon us made it clear who would be doing most of the packing before we set out.

    I suppressed a sigh. It wasn''t necessarily a bad thing. If any big monsters came our way, it wasn''t like Elli or I would be doing the fighting.

    Sir Alain Hembersworth stepped forward first, surprising me by stripping off and dropping one segmented, white-enameled armor gauntlet to the ground before reaching out a hand in a gentleman''s greeting. My eyes widened as I hesitantly brought my own hand forth, and he chuckled before seizing it in a firm grasp.

    Standing this close to him, I noticed how much he towered over us, the monster core surgeries of his class having added at least a couple of feet.

    ¡°We meet again,¡± he said, giving my hand a torturous squeeze before turning to Elli.

    To her, he gave a slight bow, and she returned it.

    ¡°I am indebted to you both for finding that phase gem. It played wonderfully in combat trials on the field, and I expect it will give me quite the advantage in battle.¡±

    ¡°You''re welcome?¡± I asked more than answered.

    Elli shook her head, while the other knights standing behind Sir Alain chuckled at my nervous discomfort. They wore the striped orange and black chest plates of their auxiliary rank¡ªknights, but not of nearly the same status as Alain himself. The fact that he was giving us such a warm greeting boded well.

    Well, it would if I weren''t ham-fisting our meeting.

    Elli stepped forward.

    ¡°Thanks for the words, but you paid for the installation work and paid well at that. That''s at least two months'' estate tax on the hangar, good sir. We''re happy to be here in such a beneficial and cooperative agreement.¡±

    Elli stressed those last few words heavily, and I realized that there was some sort of negotiation going on here. Sure, we had documents and contracts, but what was being sorted out now was the means and manner in which those contracts would play out during the journey.

    Sir Alain seemed to be enjoying the antics. He swept his bare hand through his short, sandy blond hair, his blue eyes glinting like sapphires in the rising sunlight.

    ¡°You really aren''t a pushover, free woman. A shame. I feel this serf here would lick my boots were I to simply say the word.¡±

    Electricity sparked through me.

    ¡°Like fuck I would,¡± I growled.

    ¡°Oh ho ho!¡± CD said, his words rolling through my mind. ¡°Ape-on-ape combat is such an amusing way to pass the time.¡±

    I stiffened, only to relax as he laughed delightedly.

    ¡°You found your tongue, serf! How wonderful! Ellinor, you have done good work and I find you to be one of charm and ability. Do you vouch for this man?¡±

    She stepped next to me, her body touching mine as she flung her arm around my shoulder.

    ¡°He''s only a serf because life fucked him over. But he''s never stopped fighting, and he''s as tough as any one of you.¡±

    Sir Alain nodded.

    ¡°Good enough for me. No fuckery, knight''s honor.¡±

    Behind him, the other knights stirred, clearly a bit put off by all that had just occurred. Sir Alain heard the creak and shift of their bodies and turned to them.

    ¡°Unless there are some complaints? Come, let us parley. Introductions are in order. This woman here is the free woman Ellinor Nedare. A mech mechanic and engineer. She does good work and I would very much suggest her services, assuming you don''t piss her off during our journey.¡±

    Elli bowed, and Alain turned to me.

    ¡°This is a serf scavenger who found me a phase gem, and who Ellinor says is good at what he does. Looks solid enough.¡±

    Alain punctuated the end of his introduction with a surprise shove to my chest. I stumbled slightly backward but didn''t fall, and the other knights nodded appreciatively.

    ¡°Alaric. My name''s Alaric.¡±

    ¡°No surname?¡± one of the auxiliary knights asked.

    He stepped forward from his gaggle, a man with cultivated dark curls that bounced as he moved. He bore green eyes, not much different than those of the monsters Elli and I had watched from the city wall. I noticed that he had added his own enameled designs of dragons and beasts to his auxiliary plate.

    ¡°Sir Guillaume de Montfort,¡± Alain proclaimed.

    ¡°Not yet, Sir Guillaume,¡± I answered. ¡°But I plan to have one soon enough. Just after I buy my freedom from the Scavenger''s Guild.¡±

    He nodded and smirked.

    ¡°Why don''t we give you one, just for the lot of us? Would make me think a bit higher of your status.¡±

    The others chuckled, and I wondered if I were the butt of a joke. Whatever that was all about, I didn''t get it.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Yeah, call him Alaric Dinglenuts. He might be of age, but he ain''t no man, not with no service honors.¡±

    I could feel my anger start to rise again.

    ¡°I wanted to join. My testing recommendations suggested I be allowed into service but the guildmaster turned it down."

    ¡°Sir Conrad von Falkenstein,¡± Alain proclaimed.

    The man looked like an eternal crank, with a sour face under long, flowing black hair and gray eyes. His face bore a week''s worth of beard, and it was patchy as if he had a rash underneath. His armor looked the same¡ªdented, cracked, and ill-maintained.

    ¡°A real man would have found a way,¡± he growled, staring me straight into my eyes.

    ¡°A real knight would have fixed his armor,¡± I growled back, not backing down.

    The rest of the knights oohed at the comeback, and Sir Conrad nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, he''ll do. No objections here.¡±

    The last of the knights stepped forward.

    ¡°Well met,¡± he said.

    I looked over at Alain, knowing the greeting protocol quite thoroughly by this point.

    ¡°Sir Eadric of Wessex,¡± he stated.

    I looked back at the knight, over his broad-shouldered and imposing figure, a bald head and thick, dark beard poking out of his armor. If his skin were green, he''d look like a gigantic, bearded turtle who''d learned to walk upright.

    ¡°Not gonna try to piss me off or make jokes?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Why bother?¡± he answered. ¡°I was alright with you when I saw you could carry your own pack, Alaric. It would seem we are a party now. For that, I shall call you neophyte.¡±

    ¡°We work as a team, and get what¡¯s get, got it Alaric Neophyte?¡± Sir Conrad asked. ¡°Out there, we all got more rights than what the papers say we do.¡±

    I smiled at that, stretching out my hand. Sir Conrad shucked off his gauntlet, gripping my hand firmly.

    ¡°Good to know,¡± I said.

    Sir Guillaume stepped forward next, his green eyes glinting with amusement.

    ¡°Well met, Alaric,¡± he said, shucking off his gauntlet with a flourish and offering his hand. I took it, feeling the strength in his grip as well.

    Sir Eadric was the last. I didn¡¯t see his gauntlet come off, but his hand was already bare when it met mine.

    ¡°I see good fortune in this travel. Watch us, listen to our advice, and we¡¯ll all come out well.¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Alain said, his voice cutting through the morning air. ¡°Let''s get moving. We''ve got a lot to pack.¡±

    I glanced around at the scattered duffel bags and equipment. The knights'' mechs stood nearby, their armored forms towering over us and looking quite intimidating in the rising light. I knew that each mech had large storage compartments set into their cockpits for military campaigns and adventuring sorties, but looking over the supplies on the ground, I realized they were twice as voluminous as I''d previously guessed.

    Elli finished her own round of little bows between her and the knights, and moved to one of the duffel bags, her hands deftly checking the straps and fastenings.

    ¡°These look heavy,¡± she noted, lifting one with a grunt. ¡°Must be carrying a lot of gear.¡±

    ¡°Everything that was in the mission contract and then some,¡± Sir Guillaume replied, surprising us both by stepping forward and grabbing his own duffel. ¡°Extra armor maintenance kits, rations, emergency medical supplies. We don''t go into the wilds unprepared.¡±

    Elli and I shared a glance and chuckled. He smiled at us.

    ¡°You too?¡± he asked, indicating our own bags with a nod.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Smart,¡± he said, lugging his duffel over to one of the Toxotois. ¡°Come with me and drop your packs in with mine. We¡¯ll be rotating who you ride with, and I¡¯ve got you for day one. Plus I¡¯m really looking forward to the company.¡±

    We came with him, and he dropped his bag, climbed the adjustable mounting ladder to the cockpit, and then stashed his bag inside. I climbed next, marveling at the distance and effort required to get my goods from the ground into the head of the mech. I tried to take Elli¡¯s bag and do it for her, but she kindly told me to get out of the way and take care of it on her own.

    We all spread out, helping wherever we could. As we worked, the knights'' personalities began to come through. Sir Conrad, despite his earlier gruffness, was meticulous in his packing, making sure everything was secured just right. He might have looked rough, but there was no denying his professional competence. He knew what he was on about.

    ¡°You know,¡± Conrad said, as he adjusted the straps on a bag, ¡°A poorly packed mech can be a liability in battle. Everything needs to be balanced, or you risk throwing off the entire system.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± I asked as he stepped to the foot of a ladder.

    ¡°If you put too much weight on one side, the mech¡¯ll be more likely to fall over. And if you don¡¯t secure it right, it¡¯ll all break open and you¡¯ll be clobbered by as many stim packs, armor plates, and hard rations as you thought to carry,¡± he answered, laughing. ¡°If I weren¡¯t already suited up, I could show you a nice gash I got from some untether cooking knives. Found an opening in my mail, they did.¡±

    ¡°Yeowtch,¡± I replied, wincing at the thought of it. ¡°Thanks for the tip.¡±

    Sir Guillaume, on the other hand, kept things light. He joked and bantered as we worked, his charm making the time fly.

    ¡°Careful with that one, Alaric,¡± Guillaume said with a grin, nodding to the bag I was struggling with. ¡°It''s got good wine in it. Wouldn''t want to waste that on the ground.¡±

    I laughed, adjusting my grip. ¡°Wouldn''t dream of it, Sir Guillaume.¡±

    Sir Eadric wasn¡¯t much of a talker. He worked quietly and efficiently, occasionally murmuring his thanks when I got over to help him with his mech.

    Throughout it all, CD''s voice buzzed in my mind, offering annoying advice on how to pack more efficiently or reminding me of items I might have overlooked. I got the feeling that he was starting to feel lonely.

    ¡°Watch your back with that one, ape. No, not that angle. You are lifting wrong!¡± he advised.

    I ignored his nagging and wondered if Elli was getting the same treatment.

    As the sun rose higher, the holds of the mechs slowly filled. Alain supervised, his keen eyes missing nothing.

    ¡°Make sure those medical supplies are easily accessible,¡± he instructed Elli, who was working on another mech. ¡°We don''t want to be fumbling for them in an emergency.¡±

    Elli nodded, securing the last of the bags in her mech''s compartment.

    ¡°All set,¡± she said, stepping back to admire her work. ¡°Should be good to go.¡±

    When we finally finished, Alain stepped forward, drawing out an old scroll case from his pack. He unscrewed it, pulling out a series of maps, their edges worn and faded. Unfurling one, he held it out wide in front of himself.

    ¡°Here''s our route to Chic-A-Go,¡± he began, his voice authoritative. ¡°We''ll follow this old numbered road, should take us out of the buggy stench of the forests and swamps and give us some good surface to walk on.¡±

    ¡°What''s a numbered road?¡± Elli asked.

    Sir Alain smiled.

    ¡°The ancients made great tracks for journeys between the cities of their empire. These are the numbered roads. This one I am seeking is called 80. They named them with numbers, so many they were. These roads are wide and even walled in places. They are all old tech and even though they might be cracked and overgrown, they still usually provide a clear path. They were built to last, and we''ll make good time if we stick to them.¡±

    Elli and I leaned in, studying the map. The route was dotted with notations and numbers, so many cities and other things that we didn''t really understand.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to be cautious,¡± Sir Guillaume added, his tone serious. ¡°The numbered roads are convenient. That makes them hunting areas as well. We can''t stay in a mech more than 24 hours in a go, with 8 hours in-between re-entry, or we risk severe mech sickness, so when it comes time to camp, we have to keep our own watch. Or else double our camp time to cycle everyone. Which given there''s 4 of us, would take a long time."

    ¡°It''s a good break, anyways,¡± Sir Eadric rumbled. ¡°Just remember to stay alert, and keep in mind that during those 8 hours, it''s blade and bow time. Anything comes our way, mechs aren''t doing shit.¡±

    Sir Conrad remained silent, his intense gaze studying the map. He held up a hand to show he was finished, and Sir Alain rolled it up and returned it to the scroll case. ¡°Let''s move out. We¡¯ve got a long journey ahead, and daylight''s wasting.¡±

    Each of us took to our assigned mechs, Elli and I to Sir Guillaume¡¯s Toxotai, and we started lumbering off through the forests of The Wilds.

 Chapter 25

    Traveling through the Wilds inside the cockpit of a mech was a crazy experience. The thing about being a serf was that, despite all of the many things I built or even invented, at the end of the day, I was still trash. At least in the eyes of the nobles and those in power.

    But here I was, sitting on the right of Sir Guillaume, Elli on his left to ¡®avoid any grab ass¡¯, swaying with the gentle rocking lope of the Toxotai.

    It was a strange sensation. There wasn¡¯t much I knew about the interfacing procedure between pilot and mech, but I did know about mental interfacing. However, I had expected there to be perhaps some sort of tube connected to a helmet, something that would actually show a physical connection to the mind of the mech that allowed him to control the metal behemoths.

    The reality was bizarre. It was more like magic than any physical science that I understood. More like TUNI, CD¡¯s magical communication system, than anything that I even knew we as a culture had access to.

    And I could feel it. There was a presence in the air, a sort of scattered livingness that occasionally sparked against the front of my mind. I had faint impressions of a body, moving, seeking signals from a central mind and accidentally stumbling across my own.

    I turned to the pilot.

    ¡°Does it hurt your ability to pilot, having us sitting in here with you?¡±

    ¡°A bit,¡± the man said, nodding his head, curls bouncing though the blankness that ran through his emerald eyes showed clearly that his sight and consciousness were elsewhere. ¡°The mech frame gets confused and excited. I can¡¯t explain why, but it reaches out to all the people inside the cockpit almost like a puppy runs around a room full of new people, licking everyone¡¯s hands.¡±

    Elli smiled.

    ¡°You can sometimes feel a little tickle in the back of your mind when you are working on a sleeping mech in the bay. It is almost like they are curious, holding out a hand to see what you might do with it.¡±

    Sir Guillaume nodded again.

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯ll do that. I suppose that you¡¯ve been warned that we can¡¯t spend the nights in our mechs?¡±

    ¡°We have,¡± I answered. ¡°Any idea exactly why? We were just told that it is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the prodding,¡± he answered. ¡°They never stop playing with your brain. When you are awake and well-rested, in full control of them with good synchronization, it isn¡¯t a problem. But when you start getting tired, start losing synch, or are out of control, like when you are sleeping, then things can get really bad. The mech bodies, they aren¡¯t a person like we are, but they aren¡¯t dumb objects either. They are flesh and blood, and they have their own minds.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I asked, coughing as some slimy spit sank into my throat. I gulped in surprise. ¡°How can they have minds and yet not be people? What does that even mean? I thought they were more like muscle and blood machines.¡±

    Elli rolled her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. He¡¯s cute, and you can bounce a cred chip off his ass, but he¡¯s also apparently a bit clueless and he¡¯s embarrassing me. Al, you really don¡¯t know.¡±

    I stuck a tongue out at her.

    ¡°Whatever, show off. Buy me freedom and send me to engineering school, so I can join the ranks of the high and mighty scholars of mechdom.¡±

    ¡°It would be a waste of time,¡± CD said, filling our minds with his words. ¡°Apes might use the leavings of my civilization, but they will never fully understand. It would be like a cockroach figuring out how atomic energy works after stepping into the broken shell of one of your many nuclear wreckages.¡±

    ¡°I got about 70% of that,¡± I mumbled under my breath, only audible to CD before turning back to the knight.

    ¡°So I have to assume that in earlier times, people would sleep in the cockpits. What would happen to them if they did?¡±

    Guillaume sighed.

    ¡°Well, there isn¡¯t a big problem at first. But, just like how we pilots have to figure out the prompts and triggers of the spread out collective mind that is the mechs, so too do they have to figure out the strangeness of our central mind. And that¡¯s really what seems to cause the problem. It makes us crazy. We stop being us in the best of cases, and in the worst of cases, we actually become one of them.¡±

    Elli¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that. Does that mean what I think it means?¡±

    He nodded, and I frowned.

    ¡°They become mechs?¡± I asked, and the two of them started laughing, leaving me to grind my teeth.

    ¡°Oh, you poor ape,¡± CD messaged, reveling in my ignorance. ¡°They don¡¯t become mechs. They become monsters.¡±

    I shivered at the thought of it. Human beings, but twisted, maybe with eyes glowing neon green or dark red. It brought up so many questions, and at the probability of looking quite stupid, I had to know more.

    ¡°So do they shift at all? Do their bodies change? What happens to them?¡±

    The way that Guillaume grinned told me that he was happy to oblige.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s something best talked about around a good campfire in the woods. But I suppose it isn¡¯t a bad idea to warm you up to it since even the squires get quite spooked when Wild Tales come up.¡±

    Elli brightened.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them, but never actually gotten to hear one. Truths, semi-truths, and the best goddamned lies in the world, yeah?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Guillaume said, nodding. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of strange stuff out here. Monsters, mutants, living statues of metal and wire. Complicated things were going on during the apocalypse, and many of them escaped and multiplied after it was all over. We had our projects and experiments. The Sky Demons had theirs. Once nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare kicked in, there were a lot of new projects and experiments being made by the Goddess Mother Nature herself. Always something new and freaky somewhere. And Wild Tales are how we knights and far rangers share that information with each other.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°When it¡¯s true,¡± I cut in, understanding it all and was very interested.

    ¡°Well, yeah, that¡¯s part of the fun. I have to warn you, though. They can be funny, they can be interesting, they can be useful, but often, they are damn terrifying. You sure you want to hear more about mech-changed humans?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Yes! Oh gods above, below, and sideways, yes!¡± Elli exploded, her cheeks rosy with excitement.

    I knocked back and laughed into the ceiling of the cockpit.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m in. Let¡¯s hear it.¡±

    Sir Guillaume shifted lightly, though with so much of his attention on his mech, I doubted he felt the difference. It seemed more like muscle memory, just something he did before every tale. I smiled at the movement. It made him feel grandfatherly and kind.

    ¡°Alright then. Let me tell you about the time I encountered mech-changed humans. I call this Wilds Tale ''Humechs.''¡±

    ¡°Already sounds dumb,¡± CD said, but I couldn''t help but think he was just as interested as we were. Guillaume''s voice took on a whispery, creepy narrative tinge, whistling and winding.

    ¡°This was a few years ago. A party of us just like this had been sent to investigate and maybe clear out an old mech facility from during the apocalypse. Was far away, hard north, in a place called Chip Pee Wah Falls in old times. Beautiful country, damn cold frost though in the fall and I''d hate to think what it might be like in the winter. Lakes, rivers; water everywhere! Anyways, I meander. The place was far away, set up in a hurry for the fight, and when some brains working for the Duke found reference to it in scavenged ancient texts, we got sent off to find it."

    "It sounds beautiful. I sometimes wonder why other kingdoms don''t take routes in the Northern Wilds," Elli said, sighing a little in her cute, strong mechanic way.

    "Oh, they''re there," Guillaume answered. "City states, tribes, some kingdoms. Just aren''t on our maps. Up there, Chip Pee Wah Falls was still a city. Ruined by whatever hit the mech facility, sure. But there''d been a lot of patches and the place was advanced. We saw the lights of it well before we came into view. Streetlights and lamps running on an electric grid that seemingly had no source! We took to a rise and observed it, surprised as all the Geared Hells to see advanced civilization so far out from the border."

    I grinned.

    "That can''t be true."

    "It shouldn''t have been, but it was. We''d swept through forests prime with mutants and monsters, plus tons of meaty game. We''d walked through the whistling ruins of all ancient towns and past more collapsed buildings than we could count. Occasionally saw this tribe or that, once saw a community of shelters built high in the trees, but nothing like Chip Pee Wah. We spent a night and day observing. They walked, mostly. But they also had running trucks to move large cargo, and twice we saw mechs march through the city. But that wasn''t the only strange thing. The place was bustling, but none of them ever just stopped and dawdled. They were like machines, just marching or driving through the city, just working and getting stuff done. There was none of the stop-and-breathe that we all get, you know. Nobody seemed to talk, or hug, or take breaks for anything."

    Elli swallowed audibly.

    "What did their eyes look like?"

    "I think you know the answer to that. Blazing brown-red, like the coals of a campfire at the end of its run. The party and I, we had a good talk about it, and we figured that things probably got so tough during the apocalypse that this place with its mech facility, they started staying in their mechs for safety. And they got taken."

    I could feel the low-level tingle of the mech''s spread-out mind tickling my brain, and I scratched my head worryingly.

    "Anyways, we had a mission to do, so we decided we''d skirt the town, just find the facility and get some good intel on it if nothing else. For all we knew, these people had a thousand old tech mechs ready to fight, so we decided to park all the mechs a bit farther back and have two of us stay in a Toxotai to guard them in shifts. Then the rest of us suited up for melee and missile, swords and crossbows ready, and we explored the perimeter. Had a tussle with a pack of mutants, men with skin-like bark who moved slowly but spit poison, but they''re a tale for another day. Got past those, and found the facility spread out looking shinier than the day it was built, I''m sure. It was there shining in the noon sun, next to a glistening river. And it was busy, too. People were driving trucks up to it, unloading giant leathery eggs and other strange bullshit. It was spooky enough that we all gave a thought about leaving."

    I sputtered.

    "Eggs? Not cores or seeds?"

    "I shit you not. Eggs. So things are already looking wild and we''re talking about just getting back and telling the Duke what we saw, probably calling the whole place a no-go zone when suddenly we heard it¡ªa sound like grinding metal and tearing flesh. It echoed out over the facility, bouncing off walls and what was not hard enough to get to us, and damn did it set our nerves on edge. We ducked and watched, wondering what new strangeness was about to come our way.¡±

    Elli leaned forward, eyes wide with anticipation.

    ¡°What did you see?¡±

    Guillaume paused for effect, his mouth curling up in a clearly practiced rictus of horror, shadowed just right by the dimness of the cockpit.

    ¡°We saw men. An attacking force of human savages. Or at least they had been. Now, they were something else entirely. This horde of them, they rose out of the river and charged, smashing and clawing at the Chip Pee Wa workers, grinding their bodies with spinning blades. See, these people that were attacking, they''d merged themselves with mechanical parts. They were all full of metal, had bolted-on plating, and clearly had undergone at least a few core surgeries. And their eyes were all an eerie neon green. Just like those of monsters."

    My eyes went wide, realization striking.

    ¡°They made themselves into mechs?!¡±

    Guillaume nodded, his expression grim.

    ¡°That''s the way it looked anyway. I figure what happened was all the people in Chip Pee Wa slowly got themselves taken over by the mech bodies in the same way their mech bodies got taken over by us. I don''t know exactly what it does to a man, but if I were to make a guess, I¡¯d say that it was splitting them into their own little tribes. More like ants than humans have any right to be. And it gives them strange notions, too. Those people with the robot parts, they kept screaming while they fought, and I don''t think it had to do with the battle. I think it was the last human bit of themselves crying out in pain and horror at what they''d become."

    ¡°Awesome,¡± CD said, speaking for the first time since the story had started. ¡°Perhaps we are still fighting for this planet, apes?¡±

    Elli shuddered.

    "That''s horrible. Did you stay and watch the battle?"

    "Nah. Saw the first bit. The green-eyed ones with all the mechanics on them, they moved fast and hard, screaming and crying, ripping up a lot of workers on their first go. But the brown-red eyes turned and started fighting back. Swords, and daggers, when we saw them. But as we were heading out, I heard some rifle fire as well. And not the crud that we manufacture today. I''m talking old tech rifles with a smooth report."

    The situation played out in my head, and I thought to ask about how he knew what kind of rifle would make such a sound, but I also didn''t want to wreck the story. I was trapped inside it, a fly in honey, and I needed to know the conclusion.

    "So what happened from there?"

    Guillaume sighed.

    "We took the longest damn trip back that anyone ever had. We were paranoid about being in our mechs after that, so everything was cut to 12 hours in, and 12 hours out. Got back to Alnda and told the Duke, tried to retire but wasn''t granted leave, and spent some months having nightmares. I tell ya, every time I get a mission, official or on the side, I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear it''s not out to Chip Pee Wa. Because that is the place of nightmares."

    CD¡¯s voice crackled in my mind, his tone unusually somber.

    ¡°Apes meddling with powers they do not understand. It is no wonder such abominations occur. Does your species always reach for the stars without considering the consequences?¡±

    As the story ended, silence fell over the cockpit. The only sound was the steady trod of the mech and the gurgle of its fluids circulating through pipes and hoses as we continued our journey through the Wilds. The atmosphere had shifted the excitement of the adventure now tinged with a sense of dread.

    Guillaume broke the silence after what seemed another four hours of travel.

    "Sir Alain is signaling us to round in for the night. We usually do up the fresh meat on the first day, so it doesn''t have a chance to spoil. Get ready for a good night of eating . . . and don''t let the humechs haunt your dreams!"

    Elli and I forced chuckles. I wasn''t positive about her, but I couldn''t wait to get myself out of the mech and next to a campfire surrounded by sturdy, normal-eyed humans.

 Chapter 26

    We set up camp beside an enormously wide river, one that the knights called Miss Sippi. Its banks were muddy and steep, ancient trees lined the shores, a mix of sturdy oaks and graceful willows. Their branches swayed gently in the evening breeze, and I could see tangles of their roots bobbing along the current of the river¡¯s edge.

    It seemed like something out of the Church¡¯s Dreaming¡ªthat place we all go to after dutiful service to the Gods and our Betters. Despite the dangers that came with being outside, I had to admit that I liked it. I felt¡­alive.

    The campsite was excellent as well. A gentle hill whose top point was mostly bereft of trees, just a circle of tall green grass. The knights used the mech to trample it down, and when we got out, I saw that it offered a panoramic view of the surrounding area. I figured it was as much for the view as for security as we¡¯d be able to see people or monsters sneaking up on us.

    ¡°A perfect place for the first night,¡± Sir Alain said, clambering down from his own mech. The others grunted their agreement, already unloading the necessary goods for the night. ¡°Elli, Alaric, do you see that out there?¡± he asked, pointing a finger farther up the Miss Sippi.

    We followed his finger, spotting the distant ruins of an ancient bridge, rotted and broken by time. It crossed halfway into the river before simply ending somewhere in the middle.

    ¡°I bet you haven¡¯t seen anything like that before,¡± he said, smirking. ¡°It¡¯s a wild ride out here. Structures like that are often host to mutants, monsters, and straight-out dangerous creatures of the wild. But full of good salvage, too. If it wasn¡¯t so obvious, I would half-say we should head over there and check it out at first light. What would you two say if we decided to take a small detour?¡±

    Elli frowned.

    ¡°You mean, go outside the licensed jurisdiction of the mission?¡±

    Alain nodded, his sandy blond hair turning strawberry in the setting red-orange rays of the sun.

    ¡°He¡¯s testing you,¡± CD suggested. ¡°The Torans had similar scenarios. He wants to know, obliquely, if apes are prepared to steal and sneak some side salvage.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow, quite impressed. I¡¯d been thinking the same thing.

    ¡°If we happened to go into a structure such as that bridge over there, for tactical purposes, anything we found wouldn¡¯t be legally covered by the documents of the quest. But I can¡¯t say that it would benefit any of us if those things were all off-limits. Surely we could take some items if they benefit the mission.¡±

    Alain beamed.

    ¡°Yes, exactly! I¡¯m glad we¡¯re all on the same page. Alright, enough sight-seeing. Let¡¯s get to it. These auxiliaries get cranky if you make them do everything on their own.¡±

    We chuckled and moved to join the rest of the party, Sir Alain and the auxiliaries working alongside Elli and me to set up the tents. They were all high-quality new tech, which surprised me. I¡¯d expected the knights would have some older tech to sleep in; some fantastical otherworldly luxuries to guide them to sleep between battles.

    But the tents were good despite their modern origin. They were made of cured animal hides, sewn together expertly, and looped through with strong hemp ropes that were tied to metal spikes driven into the ground. Elli seemed to struggle a little at first, but I found them both easy to assemble and quite noticeably comfortable as well. It wasn¡¯t much different from the occasional work I did on salvage in my shop.

    ¡°Efficiency in simplicity,¡± CD mused. ¡°Even your primitive tribal constructs have their moments of ingenuity. Though my people would have simply stayed in their mechs. Their minds were not as fragile as yours all seem to be.¡±

    Sir Alain directed the setup, choosing the tent placement with an air for a possible defense strategy.

    ¡°Pass me that spike, would you?¡± Sir Guillaume de Montfort asked, his green eyes glinting with amusement as he gestured to Elli.

    Elli handed it over, pulling it from the spike sling she kept looped over her shoulder. ¡°Here you go. Need someone to hammer it in for you?¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Guillaume chuckled, his ogre-like body well dwarfing hers with its core surgeries and enhancements.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage. But if I need help opening a jar, I swear I won¡¯t stay mum.¡±

    I worked beside Sir Eadric of Wessex, hammering spikes while jabbering away like my normal self.

    ¡°I kinda thought Elli and I might be the ones doing all the handy work. Or just me, at least. You know, being a serf and all that,¡± I remarked, hammering a spike into the ground.

    Eadric nodded, his deep brown eyes focused on the task.

    ¡°Would be with most of the others. They don¡¯t do mercenary work, though. Stick it clean and clear with the Duke¡¯s service. What we¡¯re doing here, though allowed by the Duke¡¯s blind eye, it ain¡¯t exactly to the Chivalrous Code. Us here, we don¡¯t really care about top or bottom.¡± His voice dropped a notch. ¡°In fact, some of us don¡¯t care for that system at all.¡±

    I took in the information, flashing him a smile.

    ¡°Fascinating. Hierarchical dissent within a supposedly rigid simian societal structure. Quite Toran in its hypocrisy,¡± CD mused.

    The only bad thing about the TUNI was, or rather, the main two things were how we weren¡¯t able to respond without people thinking us mad, and DK being able to harass us.

    Once the tents were set, Sir Alain called us together to dig a pit and gather loose timber for the fire, and once the camp fire was lit, he pulled loose special packages bound in deerskin.

    As the others moved large stones to set around the fire, he cut the packages open, first revealing a wide variety of pork and beef sausages, then a variety of soft cheeses, before revealing fresh bread and a crock of butter as well.

    ¡°Fesstum Prima!¡± he announced, and the others repeated his words joyously. Elli and I shared a glance, hers joyful and anticipatory.

    With the stones set, Alain pulled out a series of metal skewers and incited each of us to stab sausages onto them and roast them over the fire. As they sizzled, he pulled out a large wineskin, a watered-down strawberry wine, and took a long draught before passing it around the circle.

    We laughed and feasted, sharing stories and words, and having a merry time. The soft cheeses were placed on their own stone, open to all, and as I feasted on my piece I noticed that it melted slightly in the warmth of the fire, making it taste wonderful.

    Once the bread was sliced and buttered, I partook in that as well.

    ¡°A good first night, everyone,¡± Sir Alain announced, holding up a wine skin. ¡°To a successful journey and good company.¡±

    Elli took the skin, taking a draught of it and grinning. ¡°To adventure and survive the Chic-A-Go.¡±

    The skin passed around and we all echoed her toast. The wine, though weak, was refreshing, and the food was some of the best I''d had in a long time.

    After the circuit was completed, Alain held the mostly emptied skin aloft. ¡°Hour¡¯s up, boys. Time for the watch. Who¡¯s got the first shift?¡±

    As night fell, a rotating patrol was set up. Each of us was assigned a two-hour guard shift, partnered with another member of the party. At first, those of us not on guard duty took turns telling stories around the fire. But soon we were all in our tents, sleeping.

    I was roused deep in the night, taking guard shift with Sir Eadric. The night was full of crickets and the lapping currents of the Miss Sippi River, the occasional owl hooting overhead as we made our rounds around the hill, staring out into the darkness.

    In the far distance, we saw ecto-green on the horizon, and the faint echoing growls and tears of animalistic combat, but nothing close enough to be worried about.

    ¡°Quite the view, isn''t it?¡± Sir Eadric said.

    I nodded, staring.

    ¡°Yeah, it really is. What am I looking at?¡±

    ¡°Rad-mutes. The sort of critters that got baked too long by the most powerful weapons of the ancients and survived. Only, they came out differently. The Church says they were possessed by demonic spirits of the Reckoning, and that the animal spirits that preceded them are now corrupt and hungry for human flesh. But most rad-mutes, when they see you, run.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? They don¡¯t attack us?¡±

    Eadric grumbled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be putting words in my mouth that I didn¡¯t say. The ones that do attack make you work for the kill. Just saying that a lot of them don¡¯t stay put.¡±

    I smirked.

    ¡°That just sounds like you¡¯re saying some of them are stupid, and some of them are smart.¡±

    Eadric grinned back.

    ¡°Might be. I know there hasn¡¯t been a mute who attacked me and lived to tell the tale. Anyways, since there are mutes out there, let me tell you some do¡¯s and don¡¯ts. Don¡¯t eat their meat. They¡¯re poisonous. Don¡¯t chase down their packs either. Most of the runners only go so far util they turn on you.¡±

    I nodded, taking mental notes.

    ¡°Got it. Any other tips?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, a few. Always watch your back. They¡¯re sneaky bastards and love to ambush. If you see a pack, don¡¯t engage unless you have to. We¡¯re better off avoiding them if possible. And one last thing, always make sure your weapons are in good condition. You don¡¯t want to be caught with a dull blade when a rad-mute comes at you.¡±

    I nodded again, appreciating the advice.

    ¡°Thanks, Sir Eadric. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    He clapped me on the shoulder.

    ¡°Good man. Now, let¡¯s do another walk around and then get back to the camp. Should be about time to finish our rounds.¡±

    ¡°I have my own tip, though, given the distance between us, it is up to a minute old,¡± CD informed me. ¡°By scanning the area in which this conflict is occurring, I have determined that this battle has ended and that the victors are coming your way.¡±

    I froze, looking back to the horizon. The glow was moving quickly, making a beeline in our direction.

    ¡°Uh, Sir Eadric, I think we might have to wake everybody up.¡±

    He turned and stared for several seconds.

    ¡°Blunt swords be damned. Let¡¯s shake ¡®em awake. It¡¯s time to earn our breakfast.¡±

 CHAPTER 27

    The glow of ecto-green raced toward us from the horizon, and we rushed through the camp, raising the alarm.

    ¡°Wake up! Everyone, get up! Mutes incoming!¡± Sir Eadric¡¯s voice boomed.

    I scrambled to Elli¡¯s tent, yanking the flap open.

    ¡°Elli, we¡¯ve got trouble. Rad-mutes heading our way.¡±

    ¡°Rad-mutes?¡± she asked, her eyes still narrow with sleep.

    I pushed in and grabbed her arm.

    ¡°Monsters. Details later.¡±

    Her eyes widened.

    ¡°Got it.¡± She quickly pulled on her overalls, grabbing her boots and tools, before realizing her mistake. ¡°Right. Crossbow and knife.¡±

    She blushed as she adjusted her gear.

    Outside, the knights were springing into action, their armor clanking as they strapped each other up. Sir Alain paced in the center, barking orders.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming from one direction, but they might try to surround us. Form a wall! Guillaume, take the left flank. Conrad, right. Eadric, with me in the center.¡±

    Elli and I stepped out, and Sir Alain¡¯s nostrils flared as he huffed.

    ¡°You two, stay close and support where you can. But stay out of our way unless we need help. Alaric first¡ªyou¡¯ve got the frame of a soldier. Elli, only step in if Alaric is engaged. These are mutes, so they¡¯re poisonous up close. Don¡¯t get hit.¡±

    We nodded and moved to our positions on the hill where we¡¯d been on watch. The knights kneeled, locking shields together and leveling their crossbows. From our vantage, we could better see the approaching rad-mutes. They were monstrous two-headed wolves, glowing green and as large as ponies, with demonic red eyes.

    ¡°Those look tough,¡± I muttered, setting myself next to a tent. Elli took up a position nearby, her crossbow ready. I drew my saber, my heart pounding.

    The rad-mutes dodged through a clump of birch trees, revealing their twisted, lean bodies, glowing flesh stretched taut over exposed bones. Their red eyes glinted malevolently in the dark.

    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Guillaume shouted, aiming his crossbow.

    The wolves charged in an irregular but long line that suggested either extreme stupidity or else over-confidence.

    ¡°Or hunger,¡± CD noted. ¡°As our distance increases, I lose some detail and suffer from a time delay, but I¡¯m 95% sure that these beasts are in the first stages of starvation.¡±

    The knights started the attack with their crossbows, aiming for the approaching rad-mutes. The bolts split into a storm of smaller projectiles, tearing through the air. Several of the mutant wolves dropped instantly, bolts piercing through their skulls, hearts, or necks. Others howled in pain as they fell, only to be trampled by their pack.

    ¡°Nice shot,¡± Alain called. ¡°To swords!¡±

    The knights dropped their crossbows, drawing their swords while keeping their shields raised.

    The pack closed in swiftly, slavering jaws shaking in anticipation. The first of the wolves let out a howl, the others following suit. The attack carried them straight into the raised shield line, the wolves pounding so hard that metal echoed like a gong. From behind, the knights stabbed, their blades slashing gouges that dripped thick, tar-like blood.

    ¡°I have assessed the mutants based on current scans,¡± CD noted.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± I whispered.

    Rad-Mute Analysis:

    <ul>

    <li>Species: Mutant Canis Lupus (Two-Headed)</li>

    <li>Size: Approximately 5 feet tall at the shoulders, 10 feet in length</li>

    <li>Weight: Estimated up to 800 pounds</li>

    <li>Speed: Up to 35 mph in short bursts</li>

    <li>Strength: Capable of exerting up to 2,000 psi bite force per head</li>

    <li>Defense: Thick, mutated skin with heightened resistance to conventional weaponry; bone structure shows significant reinforcement</li>

    <li>Weaknesses: Eyes and underbelly are less armored; blood appears to be an unknown tar-like substance that facilitates the transfer of oxygen and other necessary factors using electrical current.</li>

    <li>Behavior: Highly aggressive, likely driven by hunger; pack coordination suggests rudimentary intelligence</li>

    <li>Poison: Saliva contains a neurotoxin; causes paralysis and eventual death if untreated</li>

    <li>Current State: Early stages of starvation; heightened aggression but reduced stamina</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of data,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand it all.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Elli stared at the wolves, her eyes narrowed.

    ¡°It means don¡¯t get bitten, push them into the water if we can, and aim for their eyes.¡±

    Alain peeked back over his shoulder.

    ¡°Into the river? Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll work. Just trust us,¡± I said.

    While the knights kept up their solid wall of steel, I dropped my shield and charged. Elli¡¯s mouth made a big O, but before she could stop me, I ran forward, vaulting over Sir Guillaume and onto the back of one of the wolves. I stabbed it several times, seeing sparks of static flash from the tar of its blood.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± CD praised, seeming to temporarily forget himself. It was a moment I would have to cherish as I doubted another like it would come any time soon.

    I must have hit the monster because it slumped. Leaping from its falling corpse, I darted for the trees near the river¡¯s edge, making sure I didn¡¯t trip over anything. Enraged, or confused, the remaining rad-wolves pulled back from the knights and howled, before turning to give pursuit. They probably saw me as the easiest target and just followed after me.

    Good. That¡¯s exactly what I wanted.

    I ran as fast as I could, grateful for the head start their howl had given me, but under no doubts as to who would win an extended foot race. Getting ever nearer to the water¡¯s edge, I spotted a large stone and a willow tree.

    I had a half-assed idea before I¡¯d started my run, but that right there completed it. I leaped onto the stone, scrabbling a little at the top to gain my footing just as the first of the wolves reached me. It leaped, attempting to use its own momentum to take me off the rock, and I jumped out of the way, narrowly landing belly-first on a long thick branch.

    ¡°Ohh--shit!¡± I complained loudly, using my free hand to stabilize my new position. Behind me, the rad-wolf sailed over the rock and into the Miss Sippi River.

    It splashed hard, and the water reacted violently. Sparks flew from the creature''s body as it convulsed, its electrically charged blood short-circuiting in the conductive river. The wolf thrashed wildly, but within moments, it went still, the crimson glow fading from its eyes.

    Now there were four. The remaining wolves snarled and snapped at the base of the willow. They were tall, but not quite tall enough to reach me, and now they were angry. I saw from the hill that the knights were heading my way, as was Elli, and I took a moment to taunt the beasts.

    ¡°Come on, you mangy mutts! Is that the best you¡¯ve got?¡± I yelled, keeping their eyes on me. ¡°Come and get this juicy flesh! Take a bite out of this! Come on!¡±

    The wolves howled in fury, clawing at the willow trunk.

    ¡°Hot day, hey? Maybe we should all go for a swim?¡±

    Their growls grew louder, but they had learned their lesson. Not one of them leaped to try and get at me.

    ¡°You call yourselves predators? You¡¯re just overgrown puppies!¡±

    The largest wolf bared its fangs, its eyes narrowing.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! I¡¯m talking to you, Fido! Think you can catch me?¡±

    I could see the knights closing in, their swords and shields at the ready.

    ¡°Fetch, you ugly bastards! Fetch!¡± I grabbed a loose branch and threw it towards the river.

    The wolves hesitated, their eyes darting between the branch and me.

    ¡°Not so brave now, are you? Come on! Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got!¡±

    The wolves snapped at the air, their frustration palpable.

    I looked out over them, seeing the knights lock into formation, and begin a marching shield wall forward. Behind them stood Elli, tears streaming down her face and glowing wetly in the ethereal light of the wolves. She had her crossbow out and was holding it awkwardly, almost blindly.

    She pulled the trigger and a bolt shot out, whistling right past my ear and knocking into the wood.

    ¡°Patton Almighty!¡± I yelled, tumbling from the branch in sheer shock at her almost deadly fumble and landing near the sharp decline of the river¡¯s edge, saber still in hand despite the rough slap of the sandy ground against my back.

    Luckily for me, the knights had reached us. Shoving with their brute, monster core strength, they were herding the rad-wolves into the river. The creatures turned, desperately snapping at the reinforced metal of their protection.

    Unluckily for me, I was right there between the wolves and the river.

    I did what I knew best. Righting myself, I charged forward and leaped onto one of the beasts, stabbing down viciously over and over. The knights, seeing me stuck in the melee, stopped their advance, holding place and stabbing at the enemy.

    The one underneath me shuddered and died, falling sideways as it did so, and I leaped off of it towards the next one, narrowly avoiding the suddenly snapping jaws of its second head.

    On the ground and in trouble, I swung my saber back and forth blindly like a madman, howling the entire time.

    The knights broke their wall and advanced to engage the beasts in melee. Sir Alain led the charge, his sword a blur of steel as he hacked at the nearest rad-wolf. His blade found its mark over and over again, slashing a series of tarry ribbons through the creature¡¯s thick hide and severing one of its heads.

    The wolf howled in agony, sidestepping in its confusion, to be finished with a blade through its other head by Sir Conrad.

    Meanwhile, Sir Guillaume¡¯s sword danced through the air, blocking one then another bite attack before kicking it with one ogrish boot. The creature dropped to its side, and he plunged his blade deep into its exposed underbelly. The creature writhed in pain, its tar-like blood oozing onto the ground as its eyes went dim.

    Sir Eadric led his attack with his shield, bashing the last rad-wolf alongside one of its heads while impaling the other head from its lower jaw to the cranium. He struggled a moment with dislodging his blade but got it back just in time to parry a bite from the other head¡¯s slavering fangs. He bashed the head again, then drove his sword through its eye socket. The creature let out one final, pitiful whimper before falling lifelessly at his feet.

    I stopped my frantic attack and got back off the ground.

    ¡°Of all the Geared Hells,¡± I swore.

    The knights stopped, gazing at me, then began to laugh as one.

    ¡°That was some fine work, Alaric,¡± Guillaume said with a nod. ¡°Running them to the river like that; that took gems.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± I started to respond, but a flurry of movement came out of nowhere, striking and grappling me to the ground. I rolled once, pretty sure it was all over when I saw Elli¡¯s tear-streaked face stare down at me.

    ¡°You dumb bastard,¡± she wept. ¡°You dumb, stupid, piece of irradiated monster meat.¡± She pushed her face in and kissed me hard, before getting up and offering me her hand. ¡°You don¡¯t ever do that again, Al! Never again.¡±

    As the knights hooted and hollered, I took her hand, letting her pull me to my feet.

    ¡°Never again,¡± I said, giving her what passed for a smile.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s so full of it,¡± CD said through our link. ¡°He¡¯s lying through his teeth, so smack him again, pretty please. If not for yourself, do it for me.¡±

    ¡°I know he is,¡± she whispered into my neck and did as CD asked. She slapped my chest hard, once, twice. ¡°Ass.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, sorry, but you gotta admit that--hey!¡±

    ¡°Stop talking and let me slap you some more!¡± Elli yelled, trying to hit my arm.

    Behind us, the Miss Sippi river burbled on, a wolf corpse still occasionally sparked on its journey to other places.

 CHAPTER 28

    With battle done, and darkness still in the air, Elli and I turned to start back up towards camp and possibly get a bit more sleep. However, we quickly noticed that the knights themselves weren¡¯t following.

    Turning to see what was going on, I saw that Sir Conrad and Sir Oswald stood guard with their weapons ready while the others hovered over the corpses of the rad-wolves. They had their daggers out, and they were tearing and cutting at the tough hides, crudely separating them into pieces.

    Elli and I watched them for a moment, curiosity piqued.

    ¡°What are they doing?¡± Elli asked, her voice low.

    I shrugged.

    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re cutting up the rad-wolves for something. No idea what for, though. Can¡¯t imagine they plan on eating them. I mean, I¡¯m not gonna try any if they smoke the meat over a flame, no matter how long they cook it.¡±

    ¡°You would just turn into a rad¡­creature yourself,¡± CD said over the TUNI.

    ¡°Considering he¡¯s already part monster,¡± Elli whispered, nudging me with her shoulder playfully.

    ¡°Monster? What are you--ohh, the--okay, yeah. So you will finally stop hitting on me now that I¡¯m no longer human?¡±

    ¡°Hah! Boy can dream,¡± she said with a wink.

    ¡°Ugh. There¡¯s a reason why I try to stay tuned out, and that there. Okay, aplekings. Go and offer to help them. Win a few monkey-points.¡±

    Sir Oswald caught my eye, looked over to where Elli was staring, and a big understanding grin rolled over his face.

    ¡°Hey, guys, we¡¯ve got scavvies sitting here feeling left out. Let¡¯s say we invite them to the big show.¡±

    The knights turned, grinning. Sir Alain stabbed his blade into the ground.

    ¡°Come on over. This might be of interest to you.¡±

    We approached, stepping carefully over the tar like blood that stained the ground. I saw that the knights had made jagged rough cuts all over the bodies, digging into the rad-wolves¡¯ chests and abdomens. A steaming pile of warm, fresh, yet somehow rotted flesh lay in gruesome piles near each of them.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°Are... are you scavenging them?¡±

    Sir Alain grinned and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, though it¡¯s not as profitable as what you scavvies do. These aren¡¯t treasures you can sell later. They spoil too quickly.¡±

    ¡°Not unless you like rot in your lockup,¡± Sir Conrad said. I noticed he¡¯d got a little slime on his chin, a problem that he rectified a moment later with a backhand wipe. ¡°Mutants offer valuable substances. The tissue of a rad-wolf¡¯s heart and liver can be used to create field potions. The heart provides an oil that can be applied to weapons to add shock damage. The liver can be used to temporarily raise one¡¯s endurance.¡±

    Elli¡¯s eyes widened with excitement.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing.¡±

    ¡°Only lasts seven days, though,¡± Sir Eadric added from his place on watch. ¡°Usually less than that. Depends on the heat and the weather, but if you know what you¡¯re doing, it can go up to seven days, maybe a day extra?¡±

    I nodded, suddenly understanding why I hadn¡¯t heard any of this before.

    ¡°So it¡¯s not worth it to salvage for cash, because it¡¯ll go bad before you can find a buyer, but it is very much worth it because your chance at staying alive goes up.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sir Alain nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why we call them field potions. No point in bringing them with us anywhere else. We make them in the field when we get the chance. They¡¯re good for an edge.¡±

    ¡°Potions,¡± CD spluttered indignantly. ¡°Might as well add talismans and magic wands. Your entire race, even its most noble and worthy, has fallen into despairing primitivism. Still, what he says might be useful for later. With the right parts, I can design a refrigeration system that I believe will allow you to store and keep ready a thousand of these such medicines, oils, and elixirs.¡±

    My mind raced with his words and their possibilities.

    ¡°We can help. We¡¯ve got experience with this sort of thing. I mean, we don¡¯t just harvest the biggies.¡±

    Sir Conrad raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Think you can do better than us?¡±

    I smirked.

    ¡°Let us get our tools. It isn¡¯t top-notch ¡ª the scav-man keeps all that. But we¡¯ve got our own kits for smaller monsters. Should work just as well here.¡±

    Elli and I started back to the campsite, only for her to start giggling and blasting forward, sprinting as if the mech god himself was on her tail. We dashed across the uneven terrain, dodging the occasional rock and ducking under low-hanging branches as we worked our way up the slope.

    Neck and neck, we sped up the uneven terrain, our breaths coming in quick bursts. I could hear Elli''s laughter coming in harder gasps, my own chortles joining them, or feet plodding down hard beneath us.

    "You''re not going to win this time, Alaric!" she gasped, pulling ahead slightly.

    "We''ll see about that!" I shot back, pushing myself to run faster. The cool air turned hot, sweat rising against my skin, as I tore after her.

    As we neared the lip of the hill, the ground became steeper and more challenging to navigate. I could feel the burn in my legs as I pushed up the incline. It had been so much easier running downhill and away from the rad-monsters that I cursed myself for a moment. I even decided to play her games.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Elli was right beside me, and too late I saw a glint of mischief in her eyes.

    ¡°Oh no, a root,¡± Elli said. Her foot almost convincingly ¡®caught¡¯ on a protruding root, and she stumbled sideways, bodily slamming into my shoulder. She reached out, grabbing onto my arm and pulling me down with her as she tumbled to the silty soil. We both went sprawling, tumbling down the slope in a tangle of limbs and laughter.

    "Oops!" Elli exclaimed between giggles, her eyes wide and laughing as we rolled to a stop at the bottom of the slope. I couldn''t help but laugh along with her, the sound echoing through the quiet forest.

    "You did that on purpose!" I accused playfully, propping myself up on my elbows and giving her a mock glare.

    "Me? Never!" she replied, feigning innocence as she wiped a tear of laughter from her eye. "I think you tripped me!"

    We lay there for a moment, catching our breath.

    ¡°Every day I question life and why I decided to go along with you two simians. Truly, you are prime specimens of how not to behave out in the real world.

    "Alright, truce," I said, extending a hand to help her up.

    We both ignored his jabs as she took my hand, and together we stood, brushing dirt and leaves from our clothes. The campsite was just ahead, the flickering light of the campfire visible through the trees.

    ¡°You know, Al, nobodies watching us right now. We could, you know,¡± she said, pushing herself up against me. My heart beat hard as she brought her lips close to my own . . . and then shoved me into the dirt. She laughed loudly as she sprinted up the slope and into the campsite.

    "Dirty Al, you can only think of one thing!¡± Elli said, her tone becoming more serious as she glanced back toward the rad-wolves'' corpses. ¡°We still have work to do."

    I shook my head, chuckling. There was no one else on the planet like Elli, and I was lucky to know her. Even though she was a special case, I had learned how to deal with her.

    I hurried up the rest of the way to the campsite and joined her in grabbing our kits, double checking the pouches and tools within, before heading back out the way we had come. I glanced at Elli, appreciating her resilience and spirit. In the midst of danger and uncertainty, she remained a constant source of strength and encouragement. Together, we returned to where the knights were cutting up the wolves, ready to demonstrate our expertise.

    ¡°Watch and learn,¡± I said, moving to the side of a rad-wolf and rolling up my sleeves. The knights now stood in a semi-circle around us, big grins on their faces as if this entire episode had been their plan after all.

    Didn¡¯t matter to me if it was. This was the sort of thing I¡¯d spent my life training for. And CD¡¯s promise of what he¡¯d be able to do with the concoctions, if I learned how to make them, was exhilarating.

    ¡°Primitive enthusiasm can be endearing,¡± CD commented dryly. ¡°Just don¡¯t get too caught up in the moment or you might cut yourself.¡±

    Elli and I stepped in, and in no short order, our practiced precision came to bear. The knights oohing and aahing as we sliced and diced the beasts in a fast and efficient manner. I¡¯d noticed right away that the tearing way in which the knights did their work actually harmed their progress, slowing things down and risking damage to the very organs they were hell-bent on retrieving, and so it was with gusto that we showed off our prowess.

    In practically no time at all, we had neatly extracted the hearts and livers, laying them out in a clean row. They looked just as abhorrent as the creatures they¡¯d been stuck inside, but if we could use them to stay alive and have a better fighting chance, I wouldn¡¯t mind if they even looked like piles of¡­okay, that was a bit too much, even for me.

    The knights clapped, impressed.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Sir Conrad congratulated them brightly. ¡°If you two fought like you carve, you¡¯d be unstoppable.¡±

    ¡°If Alaric fought like he carved,¡± Sir Oswald added, ¡°He¡¯d have done half this work in that tree over yonder.¡±

    The knights and Elli laughed, and I thought I heard the tiny little startled chuckle from CD himself, though I couldn¡¯t say for certain.

    ¡°Comes with the territory,¡± I replied, wiping my hands on a rag. ¡°Let¡¯s get these back to camp.¡±

    Together, we carried the organs back to our campsite. The knights followed though they stopped to pick up their crossbows on the way, as well as any other items that¡¯d gone errant in the fray. Once there, we all spread out again to gather fuel for the fire, piling it high and setting it alight. The flames roared up quickly, easily coming to life in the dark red glow of the fire pit¡¯s last burning.

    Two of the knights again took watch as the others went to the Cataphract. From the mech¡¯s storage, they dug out a large cauldron and a sack of various oils and herbs. They proceeded to bring the cauldron down and set it over the fire. There, Elli and I watched as they carefully placed the rad-wolf hearts inside, adding a mixture of herbs and oils from the sack.

    ¡°CD,¡± I whispered as I watched them. ¡°Can you analyze those ingredients and make a recipe from which we can replicate all this later?¡±

    ¡°Already on it, ape,¡± he said, a hint of indignance to his voice. ¡°Sheesh, what do you even think me for? An apeling in heat? Pfft!¡±

    I snickered, and Sir Alain turned his head from the flames.

    ¡°Something on your mind?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Was just thinking that this is one of those things that¡¯s probably on the Church¡¯s Do-Not-Do list,¡± I said, thinking fast.

    He laughed.

    ¡°Most everything is,¡± he said with a wink, turning back to the cauldron. He stirred the pot with a long wooden spoon. ¡°We need to boil them for a while, then distill the mixture. There isn¡¯t much to see for a while now. Take a rest if you wish.¡±

    Elli and I sat down in the grass nearby, well too interested to leave it be. As the hearts boiled, the air filled with a pungent, herbal scent that didn¡¯t smell like something I¡¯d eat, but was just possibly something I might bathe in¡­or drink? The two knights on watch cycled with the ones distilling, and after some time, Sir Oswald declared the brew, ¡°A disgustingly effective success.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for the two of us to see what he meant. The liquid had turned to a yellow-green mucus-like mess, something that wouldn¡¯t have looked out of place in a sneeze.

    However, the knights didn¡¯t just gloop the mess out into bottles. Instead, they took out another device, this one a complicated-looking colander spigot with collapsible legs, and they set it up nearby. Using this distillation apparatus, they carefully separated the oil from the rest of the mixture by plopping it in and letting a clear oil drip from the thicker viscous mess above. This drip then filtered to a spigot at the bottom of it all, which they could open or close by means of a simple lever. Turning it off and on, they collected it all into a series of small, clear bottles.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± I said, holding up a bottle to the light of the campfire. The oil glistened, now a more beautiful golden color.

    ¡°If only your simple mind could appreciate the complexity of such a process,¡± CD interjected. ¡°But then again, you wouldn¡¯t know a diamond if it dropped on your head.

    ¡°If you find that impressive, just wait til you see the shock it adds to our weapons,¡± Sir Alain said, smiling as I ignored CD yet again.

    Next, the knights repeated the process with the rad-wolf livers, boiling them down and distilling the liquid into a red-tinged, bubbly potion. The scent was different this time, a mix of earthy and metallic tones.

    ¡°This will help with endurance,¡± Sir Alain explained, collecting the potion into more clear bottles. ¡°Drink it before a big fight, and you¡¯ll feel a noticeable boost.¡±

    ¡°Drink it?¡± I asked, eyeing it warily.

    ¡°Or don¡¯t drink it, and maybe get killed,¡± Sir Conrad said with a shrug.

    The fire was dying down now, with five potions of yellow and red lined up neatly beside us. The night had been long, grueling, almost fatal, and quite surprising.

    ¡°So does this mean we¡¯re ready to go now?¡± CD asked, his voice sarcastic and slightly impatient. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you apes choke on those potions. Hmm, I might even opt-in to study your demise, so I know where to tweak the recipe.¡±

    ¡°Who will even brew them for you, then?¡± I whispered and cleared my throat.

    ¡°So do we head out now?¡± Elli asked simultaneously, noticing the rising gray of predawn.

    ¡°To the Geared Hells with that,¡± Sir Alain answered, raising a hand to his mouth. ¡°Two more hours, people. 30-minute shifts,¡± he yelled, his voice no doubt reaching the two knights on watch, before turning back to her. ¡°Another rule of the Wilds. Don¡¯t travel tired. Not when you don¡¯t need to. If we¡¯re late, we¡¯re late. Better late than dead.¡±

    Elli and I nodded before heading off to take a well-deserved short rest.

 CHAPTER 29

    The sun was well past the dawn when we finally broke camp, stowing our gear and preparing for the journey ahead. The air was crisp, the early morning mist breaking up and hanging in wispy patches over the landscape, while the morning dew was drying on the grass and the leftover corpses of the rad-wolves. We moved in cheer, quite invigorated by the night¡¯s events and well-ready to head towards the fabled ruins of Chic-A-Go.

    ¡°Everyone ready?¡± Sir Alain called out, his voice firm and steady. The knights nodded, grinning and smiling while Elli clapped.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving already!¡± she cried excitedly, and we all laughed as we mounted the mechs to move out.

    We climbed into the cockpits of the mechs, this time Elli and I getting into the Toxotai of Sir Conrad, and we listened as the systems hummed to life as fluids gurgled and cores reanimated to mechanical-biological life.

    ¡°You two ready for the lands of Illonoy?¡± Conrad asked, his gray eyes dark and probing. ¡°It¡¯s very likely we¡¯ll get in a fight there.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Elli said with a smile, and he tossed his long black hair to one side.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got the right ride for it. If it wasn¡¯t for who my parents are, I¡¯d be a knight proper, riding a Cataphract. We get in a fight, be ready to see some magic.¡±

    ¡°He thinks he is a wizard,¡± CD stated disdainfully and we both shared an amused look.

    ¡°Move out,¡± Sir Alain called out over the comms.

    The knights responded with a chorus of affirmatives, Conrad giving the mid-tech speaking device the middle finger as he did so.

    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± I asked.

    He grinned.

    ¡°It¡¯s just what you do when your boss tells you to do something but can¡¯t see you. An old-times custom. Used to mean, I should be the boss, not you.¡±

    I laughed. Conrad had some real zest to him, and I was interested in seeing more.

    I adjusted my seat, while the Toxotai stepped off, falling into formation and subtly shifting the balance of the cockpit. Elli was beside me, the brightness of her eyes almost their own light source as we moved through the wilds to find a place to cross the river.

    We couldn¡¯t see where we were going, not without a direct connection to the mech. But I soon found, that when I closed my eyes, I would get snatches of sight from the body of the mech as it tried to attune to me. I caught patches of ancient forest, noontime canopies, and flitting birds as we marched, and peeked over once to see Elli¡¯s eyes fluttering whilst closed, no doubt experiencing the same thing.

    While we lay and enjoyed our scattered sights, Sir Conrad stayed silent, the only sound the rhythmic thud of the mech¡¯s steps and the occasional clang as the Toxotai clipped or kicked something hard from the outside world. Sir Alain led the way, the full plate of his armor shining in the lights as he strode forward on thick and powerful legs.

    Though the shots of him were fleeting, it was easy to imagine the monstrous muscles pumping underneath the plates, flexing at the bolt points and working alongside the hydraulic pistons that ensured their constant and fluid motion.

    The mech often turned to survey its surroundings, a whole body move that trampled smaller trees underfoot, and once I got sight of Sir Alain taking a playful whack at a particularly towering birch, slashing it in half and sending splinters splattering in an arc across his path.

    Once I even got to see him fade and seemingly zip forward, no doubt a practice move done with the phase gem we¡¯d found him, and that Elli had installed.

    The trail left by the Cataphract was noticeable, giant footprints that wouldn¡¯t be filled in any time soon. I wondered if that might be a problem since they¡¯d be so easy to track, and quickly decided that anything that¡¯d deign to track those prints couldn¡¯t actually exist. They symbolized awesome power, and even the most bloodthirsty of monsters would think twice before messing with the thing that made them.

    After the first night, across the river by means I never got to see, we had our first encounter with sapient mutants. We were passing through a narrow valley, the walls steep and covered in dense vegetation. We were riding with Sir Eadric, and he was the first to notice them, his mech coming to a halt, and his sudden apprehension seemed to magnify my attunement to the mech because everything rose in my mind clearly as if I were the pilot himself.

    ¡°Movement,¡± he spoke over the comms.

    I could feel his eyes narrow as he peered into the shadows. It almost felt as if he and I were the same.

    I followed his gaze and saw them¡ªfigures darting between the trees, their forms lithe and agile. They moved with an almost supernatural grace, their eyes glowing softly in the dim light. They had pointed ears and were the thinnest and tallest beings I¡¯d ever seen. Their skin was like birch wood, very pale and lightly peeling.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Wooded ones,¡± Sir Eadric murmured. ¡°Sapient mutants. They¡¯re watching us.¡±

    The wooded ones kept their distance, their eyes never leaving us even as they leaped and clambered through the bushes and trees of the valley slopes. Their eyes were larger than normal, like those of a cat, and I wondered if they too liked to lay in the light when no danger was in sight.

    ¡°They¡¯re not attacking,¡± Elli observed quietly.

    ¡°They rarely do,¡± Sir Eadric said, his tone thoughtful. ¡°The Church¡¯s texts say they were once people, cursed by the rads and chems of Armageddon. Their humanity was twisted, but their intelligence remains.¡±

    ¡°Do you believe that?¡± I asked, curious about his take on the Church¡¯s teachings. I knew them well enough, but never put a lot of stock in what they said.

    I felt him shrug, and the attunement broke, my vision replaced again by the backs of my eyelids.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen too much out here to doubt anything outright. Maybe they were human once. Maybe not. What matters is that they¡¯re not our enemies unless we make them so. No matter what the church might say about them.¡±

    We continued our journey, leaving the valley behind. I didn¡¯t see them anymore, but I imagined that the wooded ones watched us go, perhaps asking the same questions of us to their own church leaders.

    Our journey took us through diverse terrain¡ªrolling hills, dense forests, and vast open plains. The remains of ancient highways crisscrossed the landscape, their once smooth surfaces now cracked and overgrown with vegetation. We followed these remnants whenever we could, using them as guides to navigate the wilderness.

    The next afternoon, as we traversed a particularly desolate stretch of road alongside Sir Oswald, we were party to a new and particularly memorable encounter. As we arched forward, the comms crackled and Sir Alain yelled something unintelligible, before calming down and broadcasting again.

    ¡°Grinded Hell Gears, that¡¯s a biggie. Everyone, follow my lead. Time to take cover.¡±

    Elli and I shared a look as we felt our Toxotai duck and sprint. I tried to close my eyes and see the scene, and for a brief second, I succeeded. There, roaming far across flat plains and across the shattered cracked land of a pre-apocalyptic crater roamed a massive reptilian creature, four-legged and long, its scales glinting in the sunlight. Its eyes blazed a neon ice-blue, and it was the biggest monster I¡¯d ever seen.

    CD¡¯s voice buzzed in my ear, his tone incredulous.

    ¡°A creature of that size¡­ fascinating. It¡¯s likely a product of not just Torian gene tech, but also extensive genetic mutation. I¡¯d love to study it up close.¡±

    ¡°Not now, CD,¡± I whispered back, my eyes never leaving the monster.

    ¡°Imagine the cores and gems we could get off that,¡± Elli said, giggling nervously as we both lost our tenuous sight of it.

    ¡°You too?¡± I asked, staring at her and we both cracked up, laughing hard, while Sir Oswald grimaced.

    ¡°Keep it down. That thing isn¡¯t one that we want to be tussling with,¡± he said with a hint of nervousness.

    We ended our trek for the day, the mechs moving into the ruins of a free-standing road bridge, its purpose unknown. The creature left soon enough, its castle-like body ploddingly slow to disappear over the Southern horizon as we chewed travel rations and quietly chatted.

    And soon enough, the next day was upon us.

    Our nights were spent in a more martial manner, with no fires to attract attention and only travel rations to sustain us. We maintained strict watches, taking turns to ensure we were never caught off guard. Each night, we camped on the highest ground we could find, giving us a defensive advantage and a clear view of the surrounding area.

    Despite the seriousness of our situation, the atmosphere within our group remained hopeful and jovial. At camp, the knights shared stories of their past adventures, their laughter quiet but still present. They spoke of politics and life in general, revealing their disdain for the feudal system of Alnda.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been a fan of how things are run back home,¡± Sir Eadric admitted one evening, as we huddled together under the stars. ¡°Too much corruption, too many people suffering because they don¡¯t have the right blood.¡±

    Sir Conrad nodded in agreement.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to be the Duke. Not so good to be a serf.¡±

    ¡°Ah, the joys of human governance.¡± CD observed. ¡°So inefficient, so corrupt. It¡¯s a wonder your species hasn¡¯t imploded yet. If we wait long enough, maybe it will.¡±

    We continued our journey, and the next day we came into sight of the ruins of Chic-A-Go. The mechs stopped and all of us came out into the bright light of noon to peer over the city.

    It was dazzling.

    The first thing that caught my eye was the array of towering structures, their upper reaches shattered and jagged. These colossal remnants stood like the ancient ribs of a long-dead giant, reaching skyward. It was obvious that once they had been mighty pillars of stone and metal, but now, they were draped in a veil of creeping ivy and vegetation, making this grand city kingdom look almost like a jungle.

    Sunlight filtered through the gaps in their broken forms, casting patterns of light and shadow across the landscape below. A landscape of gloom and cracked buildings, no doubt seething with mutants and monsters.

    Scattered throughout the city were vast, elevated pathways wider than even the greatest king¡¯s roads. They were broken and fragmented, with large sections missing, leaving dangerous gaps between them, and were supported by gargantuan pillars that rose up from the ground beneath. Rusted metal and crumbling stone abounded, and here and there, the skeletal remains of metallic carriages clung precariously to the edges.

    A river, wide and slow-moving, cut through the center of Chic-A-Go. Its waters, dark and murky, reflected the brokenness around it. I could make out just a single bridge spanning it, something newer that looked mid-tech, but it, too, was crumbling and sagging. Along the banks, wild trees and shrubs thrived, some growing out of cracked and broken buildings.

    All of it was haunting and awe-inspiring in equal measure.

    ¡°This is Chic-A-Go?¡± I asked, my eyes darting to a thick forest within, seeming surrounded on all sides by the towers of broken glass, rock, and steel.¡±

    ¡°Part of it,¡± Sir Alain said. ¡°Chic-A-Go is larger than you could ever see from any one vantage.¡±

    Elli kicked at the ground nervously, frowned, then knelt to dig at the dirt with her fingers. The rest of us came over to help, and soon we had a long rectangle of green in our hands, a wind-faded green and white.

    WELCOME TO ELGIN

    POPULATION 122,653

 CHAPTER 30

    We remounted the mechs briefly on our journey, so I was quite surprised to see that the sky had gone a dark gray when I got my brief attunement glimpse just an hour later. There was something about the air that felt unnatural, a spark that suggested thunder and lightning were well on their way, yet wouldn¡¯t be the normal bit of light refreshment that such storms often brought.

    CD¡¯s voice buzzed in my ear.

    ¡°Atmospheric anomalies detected. The probability of lightning and thunder: 89%. Best prepare for inclement weather, ape.¡±

    The air had an electric charge, prickling my skin, and a faint scent of ozone drifted in the breeze. It made the ruined mega-city more daunting somehow. Everything was cloaked in shadows, and who knew what was hiding within them? The distant sounds of crumbling debris and the occasional distant growl or howl echoed through the ruins, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

    Still, we continued forth, stopping over cracked old tech streets, stomping down the few plants that managed to worm their way through. Through my occasional snatches of the outside, I was able to see things skittering and loping at our approach, always too fast and far away to be viewed completely. The mechs'' steps were steady and deliberate, crushing the overgrowth underfoot and sending small creatures scurrying.

    It was no wonder the place was classified a level 10. These ruins were abundant with life, and I doubted much of it was friendly to humans. The air felt thick with the potential for danger, each shadow a possible threat, each distant noise a potential sign of an imminent attack.

    So it was a bit surprising when we stopped, the first crackles of thunder echoing through the body of our Toxotai, a tiny pitter-patter of rain beginning to fall over us. I¡¯d been rather sure that we¡¯d just push forward straight to the objective. The rain intensified quickly, soaking the ground and turning the dust into mud, creating a symphony of dripping water and splashing puddles.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Sir Oswald called over the comms, the mid-tech device crackling and squalling tinnily in the energy of the weather.

    ¡°Loot,¡± Alain responded, his voice distorted by the static. ¡°Looks like a store that was buried by a skyscraper collapse. Debris is shifted, and we see an entrance.¡±

    Moments later we were out, and I got to see firsthand what he was talking about. It was a partially buried store, with strong walls of old-tech stone and steel, its entrance barely visible above the ground. One of the tall buildings had fallen over it a long time ago, and I grew eager despite the worsening wind and rain.

    CD chimed in.

    ¡°Structural integrity compromised. This establishment dates back to the pre-apocalypse era. The probability of valuable salvage is high. Probability of good, useful salvage? Probably all nuts and bananas, knowing your kind.¡±

    Amazingly, the store''s sign still crackled with some inborn energy, an array of pinks and purples, with a scaly-bodied lizard creature in a blue vest winking at us from the edge of the last letter.

    ¡®John Klein¡¯s MegaMart,¡¯ it announced in sparkly glee, some of the letters flickering and others no longer lit.

    If it had been buried during the apocalypse, who knew what it might hold inside? And an old, dipped crater nearby filled with struggling plants suggested it almost certainly had been.

    ¡°Looks like it might be worth checking out,¡± Sir Alain said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He¡¯d already dismounted completely and was strolling across the broken and debris-strewn ground to the land¡¯s highest point. The rain plastered his hair to his forehead, and rivulets of water ran down his armor, but he seemed unfazed.

    Next to me, Elli clapped a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Looks like stuff that we¡¯re not gonna have to report!¡± she exclaimed, smiling. She dipped her head back, letting the rain splatter her face and soak through her hair. ¡°Not a bad day to be doing it in either.¡±

    Sir Oswald popped up, laughing, beside us.

    ¡°Sometimes, a thunderstorm without the rads is a good day to be out in my opinion. Too often, in too many places, the clouds foam green, and you have to stay inside or face turning to a mute. Well, rarely. Depends if you hit a rad zone or not. Anyways, that¡¯s a tale for camp. Let¡¯s get moving, you two!¡±

    We both turned to him, eyebrows cocked. I noticed that his normal plate armor had been replaced with a chest piece of studded leather, his leggings a soft almost hose-like deerskin. I glanced back at the lightning and realized he was simply avoiding getting fried by electricity.

    We moved, forming together on the small makeshift vantage of trash and bones that Alain had discovered. The rain fell harder now, each drop like a tiny hammer against the ground, creating a cacophony that drowned out all but the closest sounds. I was amused to see his own face and hair dipped back as Elli¡¯s had been, taking advantage of nature''s shower, the fluid coursing over his own set of leather and deerskin and down over the backpacks he had laid out at his feet.

    He turned and faced us.

    ¡°This weather is actually a good time to move through the ruins, so I don¡¯t want to waste it. But this ruin; it¡¯s too good a find to pass up. Eadric and Conrad, keep watch in the mechs. Rest are with me.¡±

    ¡°Good with me,¡± Eadric joked. ¡°I hate the rain.¡±

    The two turned on a pivot and headed back to where they¡¯d come from. Meanwhile, I moved closer to Alain, a question burning in my mind.

    ¡°We¡¯re already running a little over the time limit. Are you sure it¡¯ll be alright, for all of us, if we come back late?¡±

    He laughed into the sky, his exaggerated guffaw coinciding with a blast of lightning and a roll of thunder.

    ¡°I might not exactly agree with the system, but one thing it is good for is this: nobles like myself can get away with being a few weeks late from a quest. You and Elli are both under my social umbrella. You¡¯re safe.¡±

    He punctuated the last words with a punch to my shoulder, one that I dodged a second before it came.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°Come on, everyone grab a pack, and let''s see what treasures await.¡±

    Sir Alain led the way, carefully stepping over the slicked and muddy rubble. Sir Oswald tried to go second, but he barely avoided a fall only after Elli and I caught him mid-slide, and he graciously allowed us to go ahead of him afterward.

    The doors themselves opened as we approached, grinding and whirring hard before allowing the mound of built-up gravel and debris to cascade through and pile into the entrance. Alain ducked as he went through, and we all did the same, marveling at the dim darkness.

    Alain produced an electric torch, mid-tech, from a satchel on his side, and flicked it on. We stared; it was a different world than either Elli or I had seen. The air was musty, filled with the scent of light decay and old paper. Alain¡¯s light cast long shadows, revealing rows upon rows of shelves stocked with ancient goods. The sight was surreal; though the shelves were half empty, that was understandable considering the strife of the times in which it had existed. This place, it was as if time had frozen the store at the exact moment of its burial.

    ¡°I¡¯ll mark the place on my map. Two hours and we leave if we find any threats. Also, we see if we can¡¯t block up the entrance when we go,¡± Sir Alain ordered. ¡°I¡¯d like this to stay our little secret.¡±

    We moved through the aisles, our footsteps echoing in the silence. The shelves were stocked with all manner of old-world brands, their labels faded and worn but still legible. Cans, light plastic bags, hard plastic bowls, and white foam containers, were all filled with foodstuffs. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    CD piped up.

    ¡°Nutripaste,¡± he noted, his tone derisive. ¡°Nutritional content is suboptimal compared to synthesized alternatives. Consumption not recommended for prolonged periods.¡±

    I grabbed a can of ¡°Nutripaste,¡± examining its faded label.

    ¡°NourishPro NutriPaste Packed with Everything You Need!¡±

    In the background, I could see the image of fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and a happy, healthy family enjoying a meal together.

    "NourishPro NutriPaste" "Complete Meal in a Can" "For a Healthier You" Flavor: "Savory Herb & Veggie Delight".

    I grinned.

    ¡°I know what I¡¯m eating tonight!¡±

    Sir Oswald grabbed the can and examined it.

    ¡°Yeah. Old tech stays good. Let¡¯s throw some in a bag.¡±

    ¡°What about mid-tech food?¡± Elli asked, her eyes gleaming.

    ¡°Something about their cans is different. The food turns to paste. Edible, but doesn¡¯t taste good. And it gives you the shits.¡±

    ¡°Pleasant,¡± CD remarked dryly. ¡°Maybe you should try some, Alaric. See if it¡¯s safe for Ellinor.¡±

    ¡°Might I remind you that your battery is slowly draining. Without us, you¡¯ll be going into a long slumber, CD,¡±  I whispered.

    ¡°W--what?¡± he spluttered. ¡°Is that a threat! You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±

    ¡°He definitely would, so come on, don¡¯t tease Al,¡± Elli chimed in.

    Alain shot us a curious look as he caught us whispering, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    We continued to peruse, grabbing a few plastic boxless bags of something Alain called ¡°Choco-Crunchies¡± before wandering past aisles of rot and decay.

    We made our way to the back of the store, past a flimsy push door made of opaque plastic. The first shelves there held hard plastic bottles of ¡°HydroPure¡± water and jars of ¡°PowerSpread, Peanut Butter¡± guaranteed to ¡°not stick in your mouth.¡±

    Sir Oswald greedily grabbed 6 jars of the spread before we continued.

    ¡°Look at this,¡± Elli said as we hit the next row of shelves. She held up a jar of a bright green substance and we all hunched over to examine it.

    ¡°GlowGoo ¡ª Illuminate Your Health!¡±

    Turning the jar, we saw a woman wearing a blue dress and apron standing before a sparkling kitchen full of tiles and old-tech gadgetry, holding a sparkling glob of the stuff on the end of a fork.

    ¡°Yummy!¡± she said through the use of a comic speech bubble.

    Supercharged Energy Gel For Maximum Vitality and Endurance Zesty Citrus Blast High Energy ¡ª Packed with Electrolytes Enhanced with Bio-Luminescent Algae Extracts Tremendous for Cleaning Hard to Scrub Spills! Infinite Shelf Life!

    ¡°GlowGoo,¡± CD read aloud. ¡°An archaic energy gel. Contains bioluminescent algae extracts. Warning: excessive consumption may cause gastrointestinal distress.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a cleaner and a drink!¡± Elli enthused, giggling.

    ¡°Bet it¡¯ll give you the shits,¡± Sir Oswald said. ¡°Can you imagine drinking this?¡±

    I laughed.

    ¡°I think I¡¯d rather stick with water, thanks, though I do know a guy I¡¯d like to try it on.¡±

    Sir Alain frowned.

    ¡°Maybe, but maximum vitality and endurance sound good. Perhaps it is a field potion, but one that never goes bad!¡±

    ¡°That you can clean with,¡± I added.

    Sir Oswald made a sour face and I laughed. We turned to continue our search, but not before Alain scooped an armful of the stuff into his bag, his eyes daring Oswald to challenge him.

    We continued our search, finding all manner of strange and intriguing items.

    There were cans of Meatish, a synthetic meat product that claimed to taste just like the real thing, and packages of VeggiePops, freeze-dried vegetables coated in a sugary glaze.

    ¡°Meatish,¡± CD mused. ¡°Synthetic meat product. Likely derived from a combination of plant proteins and artificial flavoring. Questionable nutritional value.¡±

    We took some of both.

    In one corner of the store, we found a display of TechToys, old-world gadgets that promised endless entertainment. There were handheld devices, their screens cracked, alongside large consoles and even large light-eliminating goggles.

    ¡°Think any of this still works?¡± Elli asked, examining a MegaBlaster Switch, a handheld device that could be removed from a bulky plastic rectangular case.

    ¡°Who knows,¡± I replied. ¡°But surely it¡¯s worth taking a few things back with us. Maybe I can get it working again.¡±

    ¡°Probability of functionality is low,¡± CD commented. ¡°These devices almost certainly require other devices to connect to that are no longer available in these dark and uneducated times.¡±

    Alain gave me a disapproving look.

    ¡°No one ever has,¡± he said. ¡°But take just one if you wish to try.¡±

    As we continued to explore, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the world that had been lost. Even with the rot and decay, so much was still here and ready to use. These products, with their bright colors and bold promises, carried themselves with the confidence of the truly supreme.

    Really the whole store did. Something that came into even greater focus when Elli found a switch and flipped it, even as Alain yelled a terrified, ¡°Nooooo!¡±

    All the lights in the store came on, flickering to life with a hum and a buzz, illuminating the store in a blinding artificial glow. We all froze for a moment, the brightness of it all disorienting.

    ¡°Illumination achieved,¡± CD commented dryly. ¡°Probability of attracting unwanted attention: 95%.¡±

    ¡°What did you do that for?¡± Sir Oswald hissed, his eyes darting around the newly illuminated aisles.

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know what it would do!¡± Elli stammered, her cheeks flushing red. ¡°I just thought it might be good.¡±

    ¡°Well, now we know,¡± Sir Alain said firmly. He stepped close to Elli. ¡°But don¡¯t you ever do that without asking. It could have been a security system for all we know.¡±

    I looked at the switch and saw that beneath it was another one labeled Securitron 4000. The rest followed my gaze, and Elli blanched.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said in a small voice.

    ¡°Nothing happened so we¡¯ll count the church¡¯s blessings. Let¡¯s spread out and search quickly,¡± Sir Alain ordered. ¡°If there¡¯s power here, there might be more valuable tech hidden away. But stay within sight of each other. We don¡¯t want any surprises.¡±

    We split into pairs, with Elli and Alain heading towards the back of the store while Sir Oswald and I moved towards the front, the buzzing lights above occasionally crackling and flickering.

    As Sir Oswald and I walked down one aisle, something caught my eye. It was a small display case filled with tiny, shimmering objects. I reached out and wiped away the dust from the glass, revealing an array of delicate jewelry. Necklaces, rings, and bracelets, all glinting in the fluorescent light.

    ¡°Look at these,¡± I said, gesturing to the case. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    Sir Oswald peered over my shoulder, his eyes widening.

    ¡°Better not show your girlfriend. Might end up getting married.¡±

    He chuckled and slapped my back.

    ¡°Friends with benefits,¡± I replied, carefully opening the case and taking out a delicate silver necklace. ¡°But seriously, we could black market these.¡±

    He nodded, sweeping the rest of them into his bag. ¡°We can check with Alain later, but yeah, those are gonna be good creds.¡±

    We continued our search, finding and collecting more items: some boxes of old-world medicines, a shelf of various old tech batteries, and Oswald even grabbed a few bottles of Justin Osher Honeytime Whiskey.

    He wanted to grab more, but a loud crash echoed from the front of the store, sending us hurrying back to where Sir Alain and Elli had gone.

    We found them standing over a pile of rubble, the remnants of a collapsed ceiling panel. Sir Alain was rubbing his shoulder, a pained expression on his face.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, looking at the debris.

    ¡°Ceiling gave way,¡± Sir Alain explained, Oswald, helping him to his feet. ¡°We need to be more careful. This place is more unstable than it looks.¡±

    Just as he finished speaking, there was another sound, this one more deliberate and menacing. A low, guttural growl echoed through the store, followed by the unmistakable sound of something large and heavy moving through the aisles.

    We all froze, and our senses were on high alert. The growl came again, closer this time. I could see the tension in everyone¡¯s faces and felt ice in my stomach.

    We were not alone.

    ¡°Form up,¡± Sir Alain ordered, drawing his weapon. ¡°We need to get out of here. Now.¡±

    We moved quickly, making our way back towards the entrance, the sounds of movement growing more pronounced behind us. Shadows flickered at the edges of my vision, and I could feel the presence of something, or possibly even multiple somethings, watching us.

    Just as we reached the entrance, a massive shape lunged from the shadows. It was a mutant, its form twisted and grotesque. The eyes glowed with a malevolent light, and its claws gleamed in the harsh fluorescent light.

    ¡°Strong. Mobile. If I hadn¡¯t been found by you,¡± CD commented, ¡°I¡¯d have been happy to be found by that specimen over there. Superior in every way imaginable.¡±

    ¡°I bet,¡± I muttered.

    The creature stood at least my height and a half, its proportions human but the skin dark and slimy.

    ¡°Oursssss!¡± it burbled from low-hanging jaws. ¡°Ourssss!¡± it bellowed again, a voice bubbling from under mountains of mucus slime.

    ¡°Go!¡± Sir Alain shouted, pushing us towards the door while drawing his blade from its scabbard.

    We hesitated for a moment, but the sight of the creature bearing down on us spurred us into action. We scrambled out of the store, the rain-slicked ground making our movements awkward and clumsy.

    Outside, the storm had intensified, the rain now coming down in sheets. We regrouped at the entrance, our breaths coming in ragged gasps.

    ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± Sir Oswald asked, his eyes scanning the group.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± I replied, glancing back at the store. ¡°But Sir Alain is still in there.¡±

    A moment later, Sir Alain emerged, his armor covered in blood and grime. He was breathing heavily, but he looked uninjured.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move. No blocking the entrance,¡± he said, his voice grim. ¡°There¡¯s no time, and there are definitely more where that thing came from.¡±

    We hurried back to the mechs, hearts beating fast and furious. As we mounted up and prepared to leave, I couldn¡¯t help but look back at the store, its lights still flickering in the storm.

    Where had those creatures come from? And was this a place we could return to? A monstrous head ducked out from the building, shaking something in our direction, and I decided the answer was probably not.

    We moved away from the store and further into the ruins of Chic-A-Go. It was time to get on with the quest.

 CHAPTER 31

    The mechs moved through the ruins of Chic-A-Go, the storm still pelting down fiercely. The rain was relentless, a constant barrage that made visibility difficult and turned the ground into a slippery mess, with mud boiling out of the cracks in the old tech cobble and swirling about in growing puddles. As the day wore on, the rain intensified, joined by bouts of hail that clattered against the mechs¡¯ armor like an erratic drumbeat.

    Inside Sir Conrad¡¯s Toxotai, Elli and I lay back, eyes closed, trying to catch glimpses of our surroundings through the occasional mind-connected bursts of attunement. The mech''s systems hummed and gurgled softly around us, creating a backdrop that more than once caught me on the edge of sleep. Sir Conrad remained focused through it all, his mouth set in a determined line as he guided the mech through the treacherous terrain with practiced ease.

    Suddenly, I got a long look into the outdoors. Through the hazy downpour, I saw the unmistakable silhouette of a towering structure, taller than any of the others. It was a colossus of dark metal and glass, its upper reaches shattered and jagged, covered with ivy. The building¡¯s multiple sections rose in a series of setbacks, giving it an almost stair-like appearance as it reached up towards the stormy sky. Vines and vegetation clung to its sides, attempting to reclaim it piece by piece.

    ¡°Look at that,¡± I said. I felt Elli and Conrad¡¯s attention move to it in awe.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Elli gasped. ¡°What do you think that is? It¡¯s massive.¡±

    ¡°Ah, humans and their penchant for building colossal structures,¡± CD commented. ¡°Clearly compensating for something, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Elli smirked.

    Sir Conrad coughed, the first sound he¡¯d made in a long while.

    ¡°The legendary Willis Sears Tower, or at least what''s left of it. Legend has it that the great lord Willis Sears formed the first knightships there, creating a council of their greatest to sit around a large round table to discuss matters of military and governance. They say that it survived the dark times intact and was his capital over the kingdom of Chic-A-Go, after the fall of the Union.¡±

    ¡°The Union?¡± Elli asked, her curiosity piqued.

    ¡°Before the end of old tech, all of this was the State of the Union, also called America. It stretched from Sea to Shining Sea, or so one of the historical records proclaims. Imagine an empire that owned all the land, north, south, east, and west to the very oceans of our world. That was the power of the ancients,¡± Sir Conrad explained. ¡°That is what was lost by the sins of our ancestors.¡±

    ¡°Damn right,¡± CD chimed in. ¡°You foolish apelings were too dumb to even rule your own world, so the universe is safe. Isn¡¯t that a relief?¡±

    We ignored CD, unable to respond either way, and continued our journey, the ruins of the city looming around us like a labyrinth of decay. The wind howled loudly through the skeletal remains of buildings, the sound reaching us inside the mech, moaning like the ghosts of the ancient Union. I opened my eyes and saw Elli staring at me, shivering. I took her hand and she smiled appreciatively as the mechs carried us forward. As we moved on, another glimpse of mech-sight showed us that the storm had reached a new level of ferocity, hail now mixed with thunder and lightning that lit up the darkened sky.

    The military bunker complex loomed ahead, sprawling, and looking much more intact than any military fortress from those dark times had any right to be. A part of me wondered about it. Did the soldiers here surrender? Surely the city would have fully been wiped out if they had resisted. A foreboding sense of dread began to spark through my body.

    ¡°Hey, Sir Conrad, are there any legends about this place? Any words about why it is still so intact?¡±

    ¡°Maybe the knights of the Willis Sears Tower fixed it up?¡± Elli added hopefully.

    Sir Conrad frowned.

    ¡°Maybe. Wasn¡¯t really something I thought about before. We best be careful when we head in. Just in case.¡±

    Our attunement link continued as we moved right to the perimeter of the place. High walls topped with rusted barbed wire and guard towers that looked very much like they had seen better days stood before us. Gates the size of our mechs stood shut, and despite their age, they looked well strong enough to resist any mech attempts at forcing them open.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°We''ve made it,¡± Sir Alain''s voice crackled over the comms. ¡°Now let¡¯s try to find a way inside.¡±

    Sir Oswald and Sir Conrad dismounted from their mechs, moving cautiously towards the entrance. I followed suit, pulling a rain-soaked cloak tighter around me as I stepped into the deluge. Elli was right behind me, her crossbow at the ready.

    Sir Alain examined the gate, his sharp eyes taking in every detail. I saw to its side a port very much like the one Techlock and I had encountered in the bunker.

    ¡°We''ll need to hack this to gain entrance.¡±

    My eyes widened when he reached into his pack and pulled out the same sort of computer hacking tool that Techlock had used.

    ¡°Before the mission, we checked your character files from the coming-of-age examinations. I got training on how to do this, but it¡¯ll take a while. However, I think maybe you, Alaric, can do it better.¡±

    I nodded, taking the hacking tool from his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    As I approached the gate, CD''s voice buzzed in my ear again.

    ¡°This should be rather easy compared to the bunker. I¡¯m reaching out to the system, but the storm is making my own connection too spotty and tenuous to do it myself. The coding is apish in origin.¡±

    ¡°Ha. Lucky me that humans are so primitive,¡± I muttered just loudly enough for it to broadcast over the TUNI.

    I set to work, the tool''s interface lighting up as I connected it to the gate''s control panel. The screen displayed a series of alphanumeric codes, with several options to choose from. I selected the ¡°Hack¡± option, and the screen shifted to a grid of random words.

    CD had been right. The software of the tool was able to partially scour the database, selecting words that it found were likely candidates for the password. All I had to do was choose the right one within 3 tries to avoid getting locked out of the system.

    Symbols and random letters scrolled through the tool screen and I waited as it found all potential choices. When it finished, it buzzed slightly, and I rolled through my choices, even as the storm raged on around me.

    There were 7  choices shown on the display: PLASMA, RADIATION, MUTANT, EXPLODE, RUINS, SHELTER, and CHAOS

    I selected the first word, PLASMA, and the system screen rolled through with more random symbols, scanning to try and determine how closely the password had gotten to opening the gates. My heart pounded as I saw that only two letters were correct.

    ¡°Not good enough,¡± I muttered to myself, feeling the pressure as thunder roared overhead.

    I moved through the choices, a thought coming to mind. These options; none of them seemed to fit with anything the ancients would have chosen. Their world was different from ours. These words; most of them meant something to me. I thought about it, about what the beings of Chic-A-Go might have changed it to before they died or fled, and I made my second choice. RADIATION.

    The tool buzzed, showing three correct letters. I wiped the rain from my forehead, the cold water dripping down my face and mixing with sweat.

    ¡°Come on,¡± I whispered, glancing over my shoulder. The storm was getting worse, and I could feel the urgency from the rest of the team.

    ¡°Oh, for all our sakes, ape, 3 correct letters. The answer is MUTANT,¡± CD snarled, making me jump a little. I smirked, realizing that my nervousness over the idea of getting locked out had indeed made me stupid about it all.

    I selected the third word, MUTANT. I held my breath as the system processed. The screen went dark for a moment, and my heart nearly stopped. Just as I began to have doubts, the screen flashed green, and the gate began to whirr and click as it unlocked.

    ¡°Got it!¡± I shouted, relief flooding through me. The gate creaked open, bright lights turning on all over the complex and around the perimeter.

    ¡°Not this again,¡± Sir Alain sighed. ¡°Everyone to the mechs except Alaric and myself. We¡¯ll see if we can get those mech bays open.¡±

    It was at that moment that a low growl echoed from the shadows. I glanced over to the gate, my heart pounding.

    From the yard beyond the gates emerged a figure standing seven feet tall, clad in studded leather armor that gleamed wetly in the rain. Its scaled, draconian head was unhelmeted, revealing rows of sharp teeth and malevolent, glowing eyes. It carried a hard plastic shield in one hand and a strange spear in its other, the shaft a dark, shiny material that didn''t bend under the pressure of the creature''s grip. Its tip held an ominous sheen that suggested it could pierce through anything, a hypothesis that I didn¡¯t care to test out. The rain cascaded off its scales, making it glisten in the intermittent flashes of lightning.

    ¡°Hostile!¡± Sir Conrad shouted, drawing his blade. I cringed, half expecting lightning to come down and strike him, but drew my own saber a moment later, realizing that we¡¯d simply have to take the chance.

    The creature advanced with a guttural growl, its claws clicking menacingly against its spear.

    ¡°Hrrrugh!¡± it bellowed from its reptilian jaws. The thing stood a head taller than me, its shoulders broad, and its already battle-footed pace obviously agile. ¡°Waaaar for the waaaar gods!¡± it screamed into the sky.

    And then it charged.

    ¡°Elli! Go get Sir Eadric to bring his mech up, just in case we need the support,¡± Sir Alain yelled. ¡°Sir Oswald, Sir Conrad, Alaric, to me!¡±

    Elli took off immediately, running at a breakneck pace back towards the mechs. Meanwhile, Sir Conrad, Sir Alain, Sir Oswald, and I braced ourselves for the fight.

    <h2> </h2>

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 32

    The mutant lunged at Sir Conrad, its spear thrusting forward with surprising speed. Conrad parried the blow with his sword, the clash of metal and unknown material echoing like the smack of a hammer against a mech gauntlet. The force of the impact sent a shockwave up his arm, but he held firm, pushing back against the creature¡¯s strength. Alain and Oswald moved in, their weapons slicing through the rain, aiming for the creature¡¯s exposed flanks. I circled around, trying to find an opening.

    Sir Conrad''s eyes glowed momentarily, and with a sudden burst of energy, he moved faster, his sword a blur as he struck back. The creature recoiled, surprised by the enhanced speed and ferocity of the knight''s attack.

    However, the mutant was agile despite its size, its movements fluid and deadly. It sidestepped speedily, swinging its spear in a wide arc and braining Sir Alain, who flopped sideways to the ground. Oswald growled and leapt forward, only to find the creature already recovered and stabbing at his torso. He spun to avoid the deadly tip, and I saw it just barely carved a sliver off his hardened leather.

    Sir Oswald raised his shield just in time to deflect another blow. His shield glowed faintly, absorbing the impact and visibly redirecting the energy back at the mutant. The creature staggered, its own force turned against itself.

    ¡°What is going on here?¡± I whispered, confident TUNI would catch my words.

    ¡°These humans,¡± CD responded, his tone analytical. ¡°They have something your ancestors did not. Their core surgeries seem to have given them additional abilities. I will analyze them as well as I can during the fight, and give you a report when I understand the situation.¡±

    I nodded, my eyes now focused on the creature. I''d managed to flank it. Now completely behind the Draconian, I struck, my blade slicing through the rain towards its leathery side. The mutant turned with a hiss, its shield coming up just in time to block my attack. The impact jarred my arm, a feeling much like getting hit in the funny bone, but I kept my grip, pushing against the shield with all my strength.

    Another pair of glowing eyes appeared from the shadows, followed by another draconian mutant, then another. The sound of a blaring horn echoed from within the complex, a signal that more of them were coming.

    ¡°We need to fall back!¡± Sir Oswald shouted, deflecting a spear thrust aimed at his chest. The spear tore a line off his shoulder, sending leather peels flying into the rain.

    ¡°No!¡± Sir Alain commanded, standing again. He strode forward confidently, striking aside the creature¡¯s spear attack, and launching one with his sword. His stabbing blade cut through one mutant¡¯s armor, a hard jab to the gut, and it fell backward, oozing blood.

    ¡°Waaar,¡± it muttered wanly.

    Sir Alain seemed undecided as he looked over his foe, then stepped back as more of the creatures came out from the gate yard. A trio of them, with more silhouettes following in the distance.

    ¡°Waaaaar!¡± they cried and then charged us.

    I swung my weapon at the nearest mutant, the blade connecting with its leather-clad arm. The creature hissed and retaliated, forcing me to dodge a swipe from its claws. The rain poured down ever harder, the ground becoming even more treacherous underfoot. My boots slipped in the mud, dropping me under an almost certainly lethal stab of its spear. I used my opportunity, and stabbed upwards into its lower back area, smiling my surprise when the old tech saber cut through easily, and sent the creature into a squalling, bleeding retreat.

    Nearby, Conrad was locked in a fierce duel with the first mutant, their weapons clashing in a blur of motion. He ducked under a swipe from the creature¡¯s claws, then thrust his sword forward, the blade piercing through the mutant¡¯s leather armor. It howled in agony, but did not fall, instead pressing forward and stabbing him through the leg.

    He screamed, his eyes wide and his nostrils flaring. Not sure what to do, I quickly sheathed my blade and used all four limbs to launch myself into a sprint, slamming the creature in a full-bodied, rolling hug.

    ¡°Deeaaath,¡± it snarled into my ear. I let it go, getting to my feet and kicking it in the face as it tried to do the same. It was agile, but apparently it wasn¡¯t so good while on the ground.

    Alain and Oswald fought side by side, their movements coordinated and precise. Oswald¡¯s sword cleaved through the air, forcing one mutant back, while Alain¡¯s sword danced around their defenses, finding gaps in their armor to exploit.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    A shimmering aura surrounded Oswald as he raised his shield, absorbing the impact of a heavy blow. His sword crackled with energy, and he brought it down on a mutant, the force of the strike amplified by a bolt of lightning that split the air. The mutant screeched as the electrified blade cut through its flesh, the smell of burnt scales filling the air.

    Near their battle, I saw Conrad yank the spear from his obviously broken leg, and throw it like a javelin. It flew through the air, and through the skull of another of the creatures.

    The sound of the blaring horn grew louder, and I knew we were running out of time. I looked down, saw that the creature was no longer moving, and glanced back, hoping to see Elli and Sir Eadric returning.

    There was nothing there. Not that I could see through the storm at any rate. I drew my blade once again, facing the charging enemy, another mutant coming right for me. Its spear was aimed straight for my heart. I sidestepped at the last moment, the spear grazing my armor but not piercing through. I countered with a swift strike, my blade slicing its neck. The attack drew forth a rich spout of spurting crimson blood. The Draconian gurgled as it fell, and I warily made my way back to Conrad¡¯s side.

    ¡°Alaric,¡± he moaned. His face was pale white, and he¡¯d fallen to his knees, though he still held his sword and shield before him. ¡°I¡¯m too good a knight to die an auxiliary. Hold my flank.¡±

    I couldn''t help but smile at the quip. I held my saber ready, watching the suddenly paused and confused-looking horde. They had withdrawn into a line just at the gate and were staring at something behind us.

    Sir Eadric and Elli had arrived, piloting his Toxotai, the massive mech stopping just behind us even as Sir Alain and Sir Oswald moved to where we stood. Leveling and aiming its arm ballistas, it fired.

    A golden glow radiated outward from the mech itself, and an aura of strength and resolve washed over us. I felt my fatigue ebb away, replaced by a renewed sense of vigor and determination. The mutants hesitated, their expressions worried and some were even afraid.

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± CD blurted. ¡°Just marvelous. I will need to study those prime specimen, that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    Eadric began firing in earnest, utterly destroying our enemies. It was a massacre.

    The mutants fell back, their numbers quickly dwindling as Sir Eadric¡¯s ballista decimated their ranks. The first bolt tore through a mutant''s chest, sending a spray of dark blood into the air even as it ripped through three others behind it. The next bolt struck another mutant in the head, the force of the impact exploding brain matter and impaling another of its kind.

    Another mutant attempted to flee, but a bolt caught it in the back, lifting it off its feet and smashing it into a nearby wall. The power of that meaty slap exploded the body into blood and entrails.

    The creatures shrieked in terror, tangling with each other in an utter rout as massive bolts impaled them, pinning them to the ground or sending their pieces flying through the air.

    ¡°Dooooomsdaaaaay!¡± one of the remaining mutants rasped, and they keened loudly as they spread apart, disappearing into the sprawling, multi-building base complex.

    We stood there, breathing heavily, watching as the last of the creatures vanished from sight. The rain continued to pour down, the storm showing no signs of letting up.

    ¡°Everyone okay?¡± Sir Eadric called out from his mech, his voice amplified by the comms system.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Sir Alain replied, wiping rain and blood from his face. I noticed a welt beginning to form where he¡¯d been struck by the spear. ¡°Alaric and I will see if we can open the mech bays. It might have another lock. Sir Oswald, Elli, you two get Sir Conrad into the mech and do what you can for him.¡±

    Alaric and I stepped through the gates, the heavy downpour soaking us to the bone. The immediate area inside the gates was a wide-open courtyard, now littered with mutant dead. To our right, a series of low-slung buildings stretched out in rows, some of their windows shattered and roofs partially caved in. On the left, we saw what appeared to be barracks and administrative buildings, their facades marked with the wear of centuries.

    The complex sprawled out before us, each building connected by a network of cracked and overgrown pathways. A rusted bulbous water tower loomed in the far distance, barely visible through the curtain of rain.

    We moved quickly, our boots splashing through puddles and squelching in the mud. Thunder rumbled overhead, and flashes of lightning illuminated the ruins in stark, brief bursts as we went.

    After a few minutes, we reached the mech bays. They were massive structures, much better designed than the bays of Alnda and made of stronger stuff. The reinforced doors were partially ajar, likely due to the passage of time and the relentless elements.

    ¡°Let''s get inside,¡± Sir Alain said, motioning for me to follow. ¡°We''ll see if we can find a control panel to secure the doors and keep out any unwanted guests.¡±

    I nodded, and the two of us stepped through the opening and into the dim interior of the mech bay. Lights flashed overhead, and we blinked away our temporary blindness to see a vast empty space filled with rows of maintenance equipment and tools scattered about, long abandoned by their previous owners.

    I glanced around, searching for a control panel.

    ¡°Over there,¡± I pointed, spotting a console mounted on the wall near the back of the bay.

    We approached the console cautiously, then seeing no danger, I set to work, fingers flying over the controls as I tried to decipher the old tech interface.

    ¡°Come on, come on,¡± I muttered, feeling the pressure of the situation. The last thing we needed was another attack while we were still trying to secure the area.

    Sir Alain stood guard, his eyes never leaving the entrance. ¡°Hurry up, Alaric,¡± he urged. ¡°We don''t have much time.¡±

    Finally, the console beeped, and the heavy doors began to close with a groan of protest. As they shut, I felt a small measure of relief. We had a secure base of operations, at least for now.

    ¡°Good job,¡± Sir Alain said, clapping me on the shoulder. ¡°Now stick around while I get everyone and their mechs into the bay. We¡¯ll set up camp here and start taking care of business in the morning.¡±

 CHAPTER 33

    Once the last of the mechs was inside, I rolled over the controls of the console, sealing us against the outside elements and threats alike. The knights spread out, checking the place against any other possible means of egress, and soon we were safe but for the sound coming from everywhere.

    Outside, the storm continued, but we were in luck because the mech bays were in astounding shape. No leaks dripped from the cavernous ceiling or through any of the metallic walls. There were no gaping holes, or rusty parts in any of the walls that would give with a single push.

    And it was enormous, large enough to house a dozen mechs, with ample space for maintenance and repairs. The walls were lined with racks for tools and equipment, some of them still present and functional, at least to a cursory glance. The air was humid with the storm, but not overwhelmingly so, and it was comfortable, like a public bathhouse.

    Of vehicles, we found one extraordinary relic. The soldiers or whoever had abandoned the place so long back, had left a tiny mech. Something we¡¯d check out as soon as everything else was situated.

    But first, we had to set things up for Sir Conrad. Soon he lay resting and bandaged in the Toxotai mech, his leg elevated and secured, the rest of us began our search through the expansive mech bay. The sound of rain falling against the metal roof echoed through the space, but was slowly dulling, falling into a more soothing, rhythmic backdrop. We moved about methodically, checking each nook and cranny for anything useful.

    ¡°Over here,¡± Sir Alain called out, his voice echoing against the walls. He stood before a heavy metal door, its paint chipped and rusted with age. A faded label above the handle read ¡°Storage.¡±

    Elli and I hurried over, our boots clanking against the concrete floor. Sir Alain grabbed the door latch, giving it a firm twist and pull before the door gave, wailing in protest. Light spilled into the small room, revealing a dimly lit storage closet. Inside, the air was musty, and the large, racked spaces were full of ancient goods. Above, a row of hanging bulbs flickered as they cast their light, old but still reliably lighting the room for us to search through.

    ¡°Look at this,¡± Elli murmured, her eyes widening as she stepped forward.

    She reached for a stack of neatly folded cots, all cloth with hollow metal poles for legs and frame. I came to her side, poking at the canvas, surprised to see it still intact despite the centuries.

    It was strong, probably as strong as when it had been woven. I shook my head. ¡°The ancients really were something,¡± I said. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get these out of here. They¡¯ll be perfect for setting up camp.¡±

    ¡°Over here, too,¡± Sir Oswald added, pointing to a corner where a sturdy, rectangular object stood on the concrete floor. It was about two feet tall and one foot wide, black, and its apparent front was dominated by a metal grille.

    ¡°What is that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What is that?¡± CD mocked over our now-crackling TUNI connection, though I doubted the delay caused by the weather and distance had allowed him to see what it was.

    ¡°That¡¯s a heater,¡± he said proudly. ¡°We have a few artisans skilled enough to create them back home, but those are all coal blowers compared to these. Electric heat. If the batteries are intact, we flick a switch, then these metal coils inside will warm up orange-hot and cast that heat out to us as if it were a bonfire.¡±

    ¡°Sounds hot,¡± Elli said, staring at it. ¡°Would anyone mind if I took it apart? I¡¯d love to see how it all ticks.¡±

    ¡°Only if it is broken,¡± Sir Alain said, striding forward and picking the device up with both hands. Held up in the dim light, I could now see that the top of the device hosted a control panel with a large, circular dial for adjusting the temperature, as well as several smaller buttons and switches, each marked with faded labels. Slits like gills ran along the sides and back, probably to help vent heat in every direction, I guessed. Its bottom had stubbed rubber or black plastic stubs that were definitely meant to situate it and keep it balanced.

    I couldn¡¯t wait to see it in action.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get this set up and see if we can get the heater running. It might not be chilly yet, but it will be soon enough. And with the shape that Sir Conrad is in, we¡¯ll need to make him as comfortable as we can,¡± Sir Alain said, a worried expression etched on his face.

    ¡°Need us on anything special?¡± I asked.

    He seemed to think for a moment, and then nodded.

    ¡°You two are the techs and scavengers. Dig through the rest of this mess and see if there is anything we can use for the camp or bring back as loot. Not much you can do now.¡±

    Elli and I nodded, and the knight and auxiliaries filed out.

    We worked through the supply room, exploring the rest of it with rough and fast actions, moving this item or that out of the way of the next until we had the entirety of it cataloged. It was good stuff, and I found it strange that it had been left behind. We sorted it into piles of loot, now, and maybe later. In the now pile, we stuffed starchy green blankets for the night''s rest as well as plastic bags of a substance called MRE.

    ¡°Mreh?¡± I asked as we found a box of them underneath some white, cottony sheets.

    ¡°Probably more food. Let¡¯s take one for everyone and give it a go around the heater.¡±

    On the farthest wall was a white box, bolted into the metal, on which was painted a red addition sign. Inside of that, we found vials, small packs of bandages, pills, and even a large metal syringe filled with red blood-like fluid.

    It freaked me out the way that the fluids in that cabinet swirled about and hadn¡¯t dried out, but Elli shook them all and grinned her satisfaction.

    ¡°The ancients,¡± she beamed, collected it all together for transport to the bay.

    The white sheets went in the loot pile, and a variety of other knick-knacks met their fate in the maybe later pile. After we¡¯d finished our search, we returned back to the others.

    Heading out the door, we saw the cots set up in a circle around the heater, creating a makeshift camp. The heater hummed rather loudly, casting a powerful orange glow, and I could feel its waves even before I came close.

    The knights were laying Sir Conrad into the cot in front of the heater, his face a mask of pain as they carefully lowered him within. The machine¡¯s glow glittered off the cold sweat that beaded on his forehead.

    Sir Alain glanced over at us as we brought our supplies, and I could see worry etched over his face.

    We set down our goods, and Elli knelt beside Conrad, her eyes filled with concern.

    ¡°We need to support his leg before we do anything else,¡± she said, her voice soft with worry. ¡°Is there anything we can use as a splint?¡±

    ¡°These cots might be useful,¡± Sir Alain said, examining one of the sturdy metal frames. ¡°We could use the poles as splints.¡±

    ¡°Good idea,¡± I replied, drawing my saber. ¡°Let''s get to it.¡±

    I carefully positioned my saber and began to cut through the fabric, releasing the poles of one of the cots. The canvas was tough, but the blade easily sliced through, and after a few moments, the poles came free. We collected enough to create sturdy splints for Sir Conrad''s leg.

    Elli found some cloth strips in the closet, and we used them to secure the splints. We worked quickly and efficiently, each of us contributing to the task.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Once the splints were set, Elli wrapped them tightly with old tech bandages. The material adhered smoothly, creating a firm but flexible support around Sir Conrad¡¯s leg.

    ¡°Okay, now what?¡± I asked.

    Sir Alain moved ahead, taking some of the pills we found at the supermarket and feeding them to Sir Conrad. His face soured and he spat once as he crunched through the obviously awful-tasting pills, but he soon relaxed as Sir Alain followed it up with some GlowGoo from the supermarket.

    I watched him with suspicion as he drank down the cleaning solution, waiting for him to throw it up.

    Instead, Sir Conrad¡¯s breathing began to steady. His face relaxed slightly, the lines of pain easing, and he quickly drifted off into slumber.

    ¡°We need to keep the leg elevated,¡± Elli instructed, arranging the cot so that Sir Conrad¡¯s leg was propped up on a stack of supplies. ¡°And he should avoid putting any weight on it for a while.¡±

    ¡°Where did you learn to do all that?¡± I asked Elli.

    She frowned.

    ¡°First aid training is part of the guild, though the supplies are never better than new tech. A lot of people get hurt working on full mechs.¡±

    Sir Alain nodded, his expression serious.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough of them to know they are true. Us knights learn it as well. You should too, Alaric. It¡¯ll be useful if we continue to quest together.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll make sure to pay attention. I¡¯m guessing this place will give me a chance to work on you all. One at a time, probably.¡±

    Sir Oswald barked a laugh.

    ¡°Not a doubt!¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Alain said. ¡°You two know more about tech, mech work, and salvage than the rest of us combined. We¡¯ll take the Mrehs and see if they¡¯re any good, then cook up something for everyone. Why don¡¯t you go over and check out the mech. See if it works and what it does.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already scanned it for specs. It took a while due to the distance and storm, but I now have it thoroughly mapped and have generated a report calibrated for simple simian minds,¡± CD explained. ¡°I¡¯ll have to read it out, so try and keep a small portion of those tiny brains open to remember it.¡±

    We listened as we walked, the knights and auxiliaries busy behind us.

    Mech Unit ¡°Unknown¡±¨C Codename: Tin Can

    Class: Training Mech

    Tech Level: Old Tech

    Armor Rating: 200

    Core Power Source: Mini Fusion Reactor (Level 1, 50% functionality)

    Estimated Pilot Synchronization Rate: No Sync needed ¨C All Manual Function

    Estimated Abilities:

    Basic Agility: Standard movement capabilities with moderate stability on flat terrain. Limited performance on uneven terrain.

    Training Lasers: Low-powered energy beams designed for target practice. Reusable once every 30 seconds.

    Basic Scan: Can identify large objects and terrain features within a 200-yard radius.

    Core Surge: Temporarily boosts mech''s energy output by 30% for 15 seconds. Limited to two uses before requiring a cooldown. Each use may disable the Reactor unless extensive repairs are initiated.

    Customizations:

    Basic Plating

    Training Simulation Modules

    Estimated Weaknesses:

    Vulnerable to EMP and high-frequency sound attacks.

    Core surge overuse can lead to temporary shutdown even when at maximum operational capacity.

    Possible Scavenge:

    Fusion Reactor Components

    Training Laser Modules

    Basic Alloy Plates

    Processed Description: This old tech trainer mech, codename ¡°Tin Can,¡± is designed primarily for pilot training and basic operational drills. Its simplistic design and minimal armament make it suitable for non-combat scenarios. The mini fusion reactor provides adequate power for training exercises, while the basic plating offers minimal protection. Despite its limitations, the ¡°Tin Can¡± will offer unarmored apes a good deal of protection when investigating dangerous ruins, and with proper work, crude melee weapons can be fashioned from debris to give it real combat capability. Additionally, closer and more extensive scanning may prompt possible redesigns that could potentially turn it into a real fighting vehicle. Or to help harvest bananas, if apes get hungry.

    ¡°Har har,¡± I muttered.

    Elli giggled.

    RATING: I give this design a ¡°Basic Pass.¡± It is well designed for what humans wanted it to be¡ªa trash can with arms and legs that would die in the first instance of Torian attack.

    Elli and I reached the trainer mech, our curiosity piqued.

    ¡°It''s incredible that this thing has survived for so long,¡± I said, tentatively touching the smooth metal of the chassis.

    Elli stuck out her tongue.

    ¡°You say that about all the old tech. I bet that you¡¯d be one of the archaeotechs if you could.¡±

    I laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, I definitely wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± I glanced about, saw a step ladder leaning against a nearby wall, and raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Wanna take it for a spin?¡±

    She frowned.

    ¡°This is old tech. No sync. Just get in and drive. I don¡¯t think so. This is your mech, Al. Hop to it.¡±

    I smiled and grabbed the ladder, setting it up and using it to get into the cockpit. There was a lever at the top that, when I pulled it, opened the plasti-glass dome that sealed it, and I was in the fake leather seat of the pilot¡¯s chair in no time.

    ¡°Well, you got it figured out yet?¡± Elli called from outside.

    I looked around, finding a button that said start and pushing it. The bot began to rumble and shake, as lights flickered on inside. When the L Laser and R Laser lit up, I pushed the right one, eager to see the flash of non-dangerous light that it would make.

    When I pushed the R Laser button, the cockpit''s controls lit up, illuminating the surroundings with a faint blue glow. A slight hum reverberated through the mech as the system engaged. Moments later, a small beam of blue light shot out from the right arm of the mech, hitting the far wall of the bay with a bright, harmless flash. The light beam left a faint, glowing trail on the wall, quickly dissipating.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± I exclaimed, marveling at the precision and brightness of the beam.

    Elli laughed from outside.

    ¡°Looks like the training lasers still work! Try the left one now.¡±

    Feeling more confident, I pressed the L Laser button next and the left arm of the mech responded immediately. A similar blue beam of light shot out, this time striking a different spot on the far wall. The two points of light glowed for a moment before fading away, leaving no permanent mark.

    ¡°Both lasers are operational,¡± I announced, my voice filled with excitement. ¡°This old tech still has some life in it!¡±

    Elli grinned.

    ¡°That''s amazing. Imagine what we could do if we managed to get some of the other systems running.¡±

    I nodded in agreement and decided to test the movement next. I reached for the control sticks and gently pushed them forward.

    The trainer mech responded smoothly, taking a few tentative steps. Its movements were a bit clunky, but it managed to walk to the bay wall without issue. I maneuvered it back and forth, getting a feel for its handling. Despite its age, the mech was surprisingly responsive.

    ¡°How''s it feel?¡± Elli called out.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± I replied, navigating the mech in a small circle. ¡°Kinda like walking home after a night of heavy drinking.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t use the core surge,¡± CD commanded, his voice crackling over TUNI. ¡°We can fix the core later, then try it out.¡±

    From the camp site, the knights hooted and hollered at the moving mech. It was well tinier and much less dangerous than their own, but something about the little mech just seemed to enliven them.

    I put up a celebratory fist, then maneuvered it back to where I¡¯d gotten it and powered down the mech, the lights dimming as the systems went offline. I climbed out of the cockpit, grinning ear to ear.

    ¡°We''ve got ourselves a functional training mech,¡± I said, beaming at Elli. ¡°This could be really useful.¡±

    Elli smiled back.

    ¡°Nice work, Alaric. CD said we should make some real weapons for it. Let''s see what else we can find in this place. There might be more old tech we can salvage.¡±

    We continued to explore the mech bay, searching for useful items while catching the exotic smell of the Mrehs as the knights cooked them using pots and the heater. We found several of the spears used by the mutants, their shafts made of that dark, resilient material that was unfamiliar to us. There were also a few of their shields, which we gathered in a pile with the spears for our own use.

    There wasn¡¯t much else except the pristine wrenches and screwdrivers that had been left in their racks. We put those all in the sack, and moved over to have our meal.

    We gathered around the heater, the soft hum of its warming coils providing a comforting backdrop to the sound of the storm raging outside. The knights had managed to heat up the Mrehs, and the air was filled with an unfamiliar yet tantalizing aroma. The rectangular, vacuum-sealed packages were handed out, each containing a variety of foods that looked strange but smelled delicious.

    We arrived to find that the Mreh¡¯s were actually an assortment of foods and goods. One pot contained a thick beef stew, another a pasty mess of mashed potatoes, while all of us had packets of crackers labeled ¡®Freedom Friends¡¯, with the small black outline of an eagle on its brown wrapper.

    There was also a pouch of mixed fruit, one for each of us, as well as a pot of murky chocolate pudding. Elli audibly gasped as she tried a bite of it, her eyes nearly rolling up in her head.

    Besides that, I got my first ever taste of coffee. It was bitter until I added that small packet of sugar to it. Then it was decent, and the energy that soared to my brain was amazing.

    I wondered if it, too, wasn¡¯t another field potion of its own sort.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Sir Alain remarked, examining his own meal. ¡°Looks like the people used to know a thing or two about field rations.¡±

    ¡°Definitely beats the crap we carry,¡± Sir Oswald agreed, already digging into his mashed potatoes.

    Sir Conrad, resting on his cot, had woken up and he managed a weak smile. ¡°Not a bad time to be on the mend; not with stuff like this laying around.¡±

    I chuckled.

    ¡°Yeah, could do worse for R and R. We all get to go die in the ruins, and you get to stay here eating stew and chocolate.¡±

    We all ate and chatted blissfully, until every little bit was gone. The chill of night had set in, but with our heater casting its golden light, no one went cold.

    And soon we were all asleep, quite secure in our new found basecamp.

 CHAPTER 34

    It had to have been early morning when CD roused me from my slumber with a loud bellow to the ears.

    ¡°Alaric, I have finished my analysis of the knights and auxiliaries and formulated my findings into a formula similar to your own testing results. I must say, my view of you as a sapient being continues to decline.¡±

    ¡°What? Huh?¡± I asked in sleepy confusion. I wasn¡¯t sure in my sleepy stupor, but I thought I heard a hint of a snicker.

    ¡°What? Do you need me to frame it for you? Monkey?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, CD,¡± I muttered, trying to shake myself awake.

    ¡°Yes, yes. Broadcasting the details now.¡±

    Sir Alain, 32, Knight-Commander

    WISDOM-ranked Attributes:

    WIT: 7 - Alain¡¯s sharp mind aids in devising aggressive strategies and quick tactical decisions.

    INSIGHT: 6 - He possesses a good understanding of battlefield dynamics and enemy weaknesses.

    SPEED: 18 (Core-enhanced) - Agile and swift, Alain excels in fast-paced combat situations.

    DEXTERITY: 17 (Core-enhanced) - Skilled with a variety of weapons, particularly those that complement his aggressive fighting style.

    POWER: 25 (Core-enhanced) - Strong enough to deliver powerful strikes and hold his own in melee combat.

    MAGNETISM: 7 - His fiery personality and confidence inspire his men and intimidate his foes.

    PRIMARY OBSERVED SKILLS:

    OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES: Expert in leading charges and breaking enemy lines.

    DUELING: Highly skilled in one-on-one combat.

    RALLY POINT: Proficient in keeping morale up and soldiers motivated even during desperate circumstances.

    CORE POWER: Presently Unknown

    Sir Conrad, 45, Knight-Auxilliary

    WISDOM-ranked Attributes:

    WIT: 6 - Sir Conrad demonstrates solid strategic thinking and battlefield awareness, though his focus remains more on tactical execution.

    INSIGHT: 7 - His years of experience have honed his ability to read situations and people effectively.

    SPEED: 17 (Core-enhanced) - Agile and quick.

    DEXTERITY: 16 (Core-enhanced) - Competent with various weapons and combat techniques.

    POWER: 18 (Core-enhanced) - Strong and imposing.

    MAGNETISM: 8 - His charisma and leadership inspire loyalty and courage among his men.

    PRIMARY OBSERVED SKILLS:

    MELEE COMBAT: Proficient in close-quarters combat with a variety of weapons.

    DEFENSIVE MANEUVERS: Skilled in creating and holding defensive positions.

    CORE POWER: Haste ¨C The observed effect of this is to allow Sir Conrad to move and act in burst of twice normal the normal human speed.

    Sir Oswald, 50, Knight-Auxilliary

    WISDOM-ranked Attributes:

    WIT: 7 - Sir Oswald is straightforward in his thinking, focusing on physical prowess and defense.

    INSIGHT: 6 - His experience in battle gives him a solid understanding of defensive strategies and enemy tactics.

    SPEED: 16 (Core-enhanced) - .Oswald is quick enough to respond to immediate threats.

    DEXTERITY: 15 (Core-enhanced) - Competent in handling his shield and sword.

    POWER: 19 (Core-enhanced) - Exceptionally strong, Oswald¡¯s physical power is his greatest asset.

    MAGNETISM: 6 - His straightforward nature and reliability make him a trusted companion and leader.

    PRIMARY OBSERVED SKILLS:

    SHIELD DEFENSE: Mastery in using a shield to absorb and redirect attacks.

    ENDURANCE: Exceptional stamina and resilience in prolonged battles.

    HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT: Skilled in unarmed combat and grappling techniques.

    CORE POWER: Energy Defense - Can create an ethereal barrier that absorbs incoming attacks and redirect the force back at his enemies.

    Sir Eadric, 40, Knight-AuxilliaryIf you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    WISDOM-ranked Attributes:

    WIT: 6 - Eadric is perceptive and thoughtful, often finding ways to bolster his comrades'' spirits.

    INSIGHT: 8 - His empathy and understanding of people make him an effective morale officer and support unit.

    SPEED: 17 (Core-enhanced) - Quick enough to move efficiently on the battlefield and respond to his comrades¡¯ needs.

    DEXTERITY: 16 (Core-enhanced) - Competent with his weapons and supportive techniques.

    POWER: 17 (Core-enhanced) - Strong and capable, Eadric can hold his own in combat while supporting his team.

    MAGNETISM: 9 - His unyielding nature and inspirational presence make him a beloved leader and trusted ally.

    PRIMARY OBSERVED SKILLS:

    MORALE BOOSTING: Expert in raising and maintaining the morale of his comrades.

    COMBAT SUPPORT: Skilled in providing tactical support and reinforcing his allies¡¯ abilities.

    MELEE AND SUPPORT COMBAT: Balanced proficiency in direct combat and support roles.

    CORE POWER: Enhanced Resolve ¨C Has the ability to broadcast his own courage and resolve into an aura that enhances the strength, speed, and resilience of nearby allies, making them fight with greater morale and ferocity.

    ¡°You got all that from watching them fight?¡± I asked, quite impressed.

    ¡°That, and there have been 5 days of apish cavorting and companionship,¡± CD added. ¡°If I¡¯d done any less, I would¡­kill myself? Isn¡¯t that what you apelings always say when you fuck up?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we do, but no¡­I mean, it makes sense that you¡¯re so good,¡± I said with a sigh, and then looked over at my sleeping companions. While the knights snored softly, Elli was murmuring little words to herself, talking in her sleep, a curl of her hair over one eye. ¡°What a sight, hey?¡±

    ¡°Needs more scales. And teeth. The creatures here, they are a fair race of beasts. You humans are more flesh than armor, and that is simply an evolutionary failure.¡±

    I chuckled, shaking my head. There was no smattering of rain on the roof above us, and the light that fed into the building was growing, signaling a coming dawn. Small chirps rose with the dawn, lighting up my companions.

    It was prime time to get up and fix breakfast. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the others were awake, and I¡¯d rather get everything over and done with if I could. I tore open more of the Mreh meals and gathered our pots and pans. There was more beef stew, which I set in the pan, as well as crackers, peanut butter, dried fruit, and small circles of sweet bread. Those I put on the side, setting them on field dishes for everyone to snack off of. There was also more of the coffee powder, which I set into another pot to boil.

    There were also long packs of plastic with nothing edible inside them. These I tossed into the trash pile from the night before.

    As the fumes of the stew and coffee began to fill the air, Elli was the first to stir, murmuring softly in her sleep before opening her eyes. She pushed the curl of hair from her face and smiled groggily at me.

    ¡°Morning, Al. Smells good,¡± she said, sitting up and stretching.

    ¡°Morning, Elli. Breakfast will be ready in a bit,¡± I replied, giving her a nod.

    Sir Alain, Sir Oswald, and Sir Eadric woke in slow succession, their heavy snores turning to groggy murmurs as they rubbed the sleep from their eyes. Sir Alain was the first to rise, sitting up so quickly in his cot that I almost spit coffee in surprise. He yawned and looked over at the steaming MREs.

    ¡°Looks like you''ve got breakfast sorted,¡± he remarked.

    ¡°Yeah, just heating up some Mreh meals. Should be ready in a few minutes,¡± I responded.

    The others got up more groggily, and by the time breakfast was ready, everyone was clamoring to eat. I dished out stew to their various field kit trays and dishes, and as the group gathered around, the morning chatter began.

    ¡°Alaric, could you bring me one of those meals?¡± Sir Conrad asked from his cot while the others moved in closer to the now turned off heater.

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± I said, smiling. I handed it over even as the morning conversation was beginning to pick up.

    ¡°Those were some tough mutes,¡± Sir Alain said, his voice gruff. ¡°I don¡¯t like that they¡¯re here, and in such great numbers.¡±

    ¡°Never saw anything like them, but we beat them well enough,¡± Sir Oswald said, already buckling on his armor.

    ¡°We beat them because we had access to a Toxotai. When we start moving through these ruins at close quarters, things are going to get a lot more limited. No mechs in small ruins,¡± Sir Alain said, shaking his head. ¡°Feels like scavenging here might be a suicide mission.¡±

    Everyone chuckled, letting the words pause for a few minutes as we dug into the stew.

    ¡°Thing is,¡± Sir Eadric said, finally breaking the silence, ¡°there¡¯s no coming back with nothing. What we¡¯re going to need to do is make a plan. Something efficient. Quick search, overwatch, in and out. Like that.¡±

    ¡°Maybe Elli and I do all the scavenging and you guys keep watch?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re both better with old tech anyways. We¡¯ll be better at finding what needs to be found,¡± Elli added.

    Sir Alain nodded, his expression serious.

    ¡°Yeah. Like that. We''ll do it in sections. Scout the outside of each building thoroughly then Sir Eadric can stay outside while Sir Oswald and I make sure the inside is clear. We move fast but stay alert.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of the mutants,¡± Sir Eadric said, ¡°I find their appearance and their weapons to be striking. I mean, those can¡¯t have been humans. Where did they get the material for those spears?¡±

    Sir Alain leaned back, his expression thoughtful.

    ¡°Those creatures we fought¡­they were scaled, almost like lizard-like humanoids. Reminds me of the demons described in the holy texts.¡±

    Sir Eadric nodded.

    ¡°The church''s texts do mention such creatures. Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡±

    ¡°Pah,¡± CD said disdainfully. ¡°They look Torian, but speak your human tongue and have no powerful tech. They live in ruins and squalor. Those are not my people.¡±

    ¡°And we are just apes and cavemen, right?¡± I whispered. ¡°By that logic, humans died off a long time ago.¡±

    CD didn¡¯t answer, and I wondered if maybe my words hadn¡¯t hit their mark.

    ¡°They died easy enough, demons or not. Why don¡¯t we keep someone in a Toxotai, standing by the gate, and just run there whenever anyone is in trouble?¡± Elli asked.

    Everyone turned and looked at her, before turning their eyes to Sir Conrad.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re back in the fight, Conrad,¡± Sir Alain said. Sir Conrad sputtered, trying to look indignant, before breaking into a wide smile.

    ¡°Yeah, whatever. One of you would probably forget to lock the door and I¡¯d get eaten by mutes the second you left anyways. Just carry me up and I¡¯ll keep guard. Had enough pampering as it is.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan, then. Everyone, eat up and let¡¯s get moving. I want to be up and out in the hour.¡±

    We continued our breakfast, eating more quickly, and the conversation finished. I let my mind drift, thinking about how funny life was. It wasn¡¯t so long ago that Elli and I had been running carefree through the market, on our way to see the monster fight.

    It was astonishing how quickly things had changed. From those simple days to now, facing unknown dangers and surviving on scavenged Mreh meals in an old tech mech hanger.

    Elli must have sensed my thoughts because she nudged me playfully.

    ¡°Remember when we used to race each other to Jennen¡¯s bakery for the last sweet egg bread?¡±

    I chuckled.

    ¡°Yeah, and you always managed to beat me there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m faster,¡± she teased, sticking out her tongue.

    The knights watched our exchange with amused expressions. Sir Oswald grinned.

    ¡°You two are like an old married couple.¡±

    I felt a warmth spread through me at his words. Elli and I exchanged a look, and she blushed slightly, before punching me in the shoulder.

    ¡°Ow!¡± I exclaimed, to the laughter of the knights.

    Sir Alain put down his finished meal, a clatter of metal on concrete flooring.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get moving. Remember, we need to go quickly and efficiently. No unnecessary risks. Sir Eadric, you stay outside and keep watch. Sir Oswald and I will clear the buildings. Alaric and Elli, you find what we need. Conrad, don¡¯t dare fall asleep in your Toxotai.¡±

    We finished our meals and packed up our gear, preparing to head out. Everyone gathered their equipment, double and triple-checking rucks and ensuring everything was in place. Sir Conrad bellowed some as he was brought out of the cot and then carried bodily to the cockpit of his mech, but gave us a thumbs up when he got there.

    ¡°Be sure to bring me some mutes, otherwise I might get bored.¡±

    I grinned.

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    Opening the bay doors, we exited out into the golden light of dawn. Sir Alain and Sir Oswald took to the front of our little party, while Elli, Sir Eadric, and I took up ranks behind them.

    ¡°Ready, Al?¡± Elli asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re not scared?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my first ruin!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ll have plenty of time to be scared later. I mean, we found a non-monster mech. No meat! What else are these ruins going to show us?¡±

    I grabbed her hand and squeezed it, all the while my thoughts going back to the bunker that Techlock and I knocked over.

    ¡°Just be careful, okay. Anything moves, run outside.¡±

    She squeezed back.

    ¡°Any monsters chase me, I¡¯ll bring them your way.¡±

 CHAPTER 35

    After a quick scan of our surroundings, we went on the move. Splashing through puddles and patches of both wet asphalt and squishy, patchy lawn, Sir Alain and Sir Oswald led us forward into the well-preserved ruins, their heavy-duty mid-tech NBC suits gleaming from the chain links woven into their leather and plasti-polymer fabrics.

    It was the first time I¡¯d seen a mid tech suit, with Techlock¡¯s being my first glimpse of the old tech style, and I was impressed with how well my ancestors had held on and made due with the concept. Given what I¡¯d experienced in the bunker, it was clear that such suits were absolutely necessary when visiting the world of old.

    At present, the two of them looked almost like mutants themselves, the suits covering them from head to toe, their hoods pulled tightly and completely over their heads with their eyes hidden behind large and thick bug-like circles of tough glass. They carried their swords and shields at the ready, and I had no doubt that despite the obvious movement restrictions of their armor, they would still be quite capable in combat.

    Sir Eadric, now clad in chainmail since the storm had finished, followed behind them, wielding his own sword and shield. Elli walked on my right, her crossbow at the ready, and I kept pace with her, gripping my saber in my right hand and one of the mutants'' high-tech plastic shields in the left.

    I cast a glimpse back over my shoulder, taking one final look of Sir Conrad¡¯s towering Toxotai. If the mutants came, I had no doubt he¡¯d shred them.

    ¡°Stay alert, everyone,¡± Sir Alain said, his voice steady and slightly muffled through his mask. ¡°We don''t know what we''re walking into.¡±

    As if to accentuate the point, a rock sailed through the air. Sir Alain brought up his shield and knocked it to the side.

    ¡°Guerilla attack. These guys aren¡¯t giving up, are they,¡± Sir Oswald muttered.

    ¡°Hoooome,¡± something snarled. ¡°Intruuuuuders.¡±

    We stopped and scanned our surroundings, looking over the dripping ruins and distant vast parade grounds, but saw no movement. The mutes were obviously quite stealthy, or at least these ones were.

    ¡°Oh get off it,¡± Sir Alain called out irritably. ¡°We won the fight, we get to check for treasure. It¡¯s the way of the world.¡±

    ¡°Treaassuuure,¡± a voice moaned. ¡°Thieeeves.¡±

    After a few minutes of silence, we began to walk again, more cautiously and aware. The air was thick with the smell of wet vegetation, but it also had the hint of something else. Something that brought about the image of scales and the sharp tang of outhouse urine.

    As we approached the first cluster of buildings, Sir Eadric motioned for us to stop. ¡°That feels far enough, given what¡¯s happened. Let¡¯s scout the perimeter first,¡± he suggested. ¡°We need to make sure there are no surprises waiting for us.¡±

    Sir Alain nodded.

    ¡°Agreed. Eadric, stay here and keep watch. Oswald and I will clear the buildings. Alaric, Elli, you follow once we give the all-clear.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you mean follow the plan we made? What novel thinking,¡± Elli teased.

    Alain stared, then chuckled.

    ¡°Yes. Sorry. Just, it¡¯s never a bad thing to make sure everyone knows the plan at any given moment.¡±

    We watched as Sir Alain and Sir Oswald stepped away, moving towards the nearest building, their movements swift and coordinated despite their restrictive suits. I glanced at Elli, who gave me a reassuring smile.

    ¡°Ready to go in?¡± she whispered

    ¡°I¡¯d be more ready if we had some suits on,¡± I groused.

    ¡°Maybe when we get back, CD can help us make some. They aren¡¯t exactly market-findable.¡±

    ¡°Good idea. I¡¯ll add it to our ever-growing list. Assuming someone else doesn¡¯t come and get in the way,¡± I replied. ¡°Feels like we keep getting put off and delayed. After this quest, we get right into it and start building.¡±

    ¡°Sounds interesting,¡± Sir Eadric said. We both looked back, startled. Somehow we¡¯d forgotten he was there. ¡°You two are getting into a venture for producing mid-tech? Is that what this quest is all about?¡±

    I looked him over with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be talking about it, really, but yeah that¡¯s the gist of it.¡±

    ¡°I want in,¡± Eadric replied, almost so quickly as to cut off the end of my own sentence. ¡°Whatever salvage I get, I can feed it into your operation in exchange for some good equipment of my own and a cut of the profits.¡±

    Elli smiled.

    ¡°The thing is, Sir Eadric, the deal we¡¯ve cut with Scavenger Master Elrik Boyerman makes it seem unlikely we¡¯ll make much of a profit.¡±

    Eadric scowled.

    ¡°Guildmasters and their greed. Let¡¯s talk again when the mission is done. I¡¯m sure not everything will have to be on the up and up and we all can get our fair share.¡±

    We both nodded, and waited. The ruins were eerily quiet, the only sound the rustle of leaves and the distant call of a bird. As we waited, my thoughts drifted to the mutants. Those creatures had been fierce and relentless, their scaled skin and reptilian features hauntingly reminiscent of the demons of the apocalypse.

    Or better said, CD¡¯s creators.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Was it truly just another mutational fluke, some desperate military experiment, or were they maybe the descendants of the invaders? I wanted to ask CD directly, through TUNI, but with Eadric standing so near it felt impossible.

    My thoughts were interrupted by the exit of Sir Alain from the building. ¡°Clear,¡± he called, signaling us forward. ¡°Let''s get to work.¡±

    Elli and I moved quickly, joining Sir Alain and Sir Oswald inside the building. The interior was dark and damp, the walls covered in moss and the floor littered with debris. It was shocking how empty it was, like the mech bays. It was like the soldiers here and grabbed everything they could think of to beat a hasty retreat in the midst of whatever cataclysm had occurred here during the war.

    We split up, each of us searching for anything valuable.

    ¡°Elli, over here,¡± I called, spotting a cylindrical piece of metallic old tech partially buried under a pile of rubble. She hurried over as I pulled it out, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

    ¡°Core, Power. Mk III,¡± she read, wiping dirt from its label. ¡°Definitely worth taking.¡±

    We continued our search, finding a few more pieces of tech, though nothing as significant as the power core. One was an old, bulky storage box, rectangular in shape, and with two doors that opened to a series of shelves and racks. Elli and I eyed it suspiciously.

    ¡°What do you think this is?¡± Elli asked.

    We checked the exterior, finding a label on the side.

    FrostGuard 5000 ¨C Keeping your Future Fresh!

    We shared a confused look.

    ¡°It is a food refrigeration unit, you cavemen,¡± CD said. ¡°How did you even manage to live so long without refrigerating food? Oh, wait, you bury it into the ground and then dig it out again.¡±

    ¡°Like an ice box?¡± I asked. There were a few mechanical mid tech ones among the wealthiest of people, but they were virtually unobtainable in even the darkest of black markets.

    ¡°Yes. It creates ice and cold air to keep food from going bad for weeks, months, or even years. I would suggest tearing it open and salvaging its most important parts. The body is much more easily fabricable.

    ¡°Good idea, CD,¡± I responded quietly. ¡°Alright, Elli, let''s get to work.¡±

    Sir Alain and Sir Oswald gave us a curious glance as we set out our tools and began peeling open the refrigeration unit. It opened easily, and it wasn¡¯t long before we were prying the device open,  revealing its internal components. Under CD''s guidance, we began dismantling the cooling system, carefully extracting the necessary parts.

    It was slow at first, CD having to painstakingly describe each of the nigh-irreplaceable items thoroughly enough for us to identify and remove them. But things sped on as we found our rhythm.

    Elli used a wrench to disconnect the power supply while I worked on loosening the bolts that held the ¡®cooling coils¡¯ in place. Clanking the pieces out, I next heaved out the ¡®compressor¡¯, grunting under its considerable weight. Elli reached out and steadied me as I yanked it hard against a bit of rusted resistance, and once it torqued free, we set it down gently on the ground.

    ¡°That¡¯s it. We can leave the rest,¡± I said, wiping my hands on my pants.

    Sir Alain regarded us strangely.

    ¡°And these items are of value?¡±

    ¡°Only if you like your food cold!¡± Elli replied, smiling.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± CD added. ¡°This unit will allow us to preserve a great many things once assembled. It¡¯ll be a fine upgrade to our workshop. Just don¡¯t break it on the way back to the mech.¡±

    We packed the salvaged components into a single ruck, transferring its former parts into another to make room, and secured them tightly. The rest we left cracked open and nude in the middle of the room.

    ¡°What''s next on the agenda?¡± Elli asked, putting away her tools and picking up her crossbow.

    ¡°We¡¯ll check the next building over, but if its as bare as this one, it might be better that we skip the rest and head for the central complex,¡± Sir Alain replied. ¡°There may be more operational terminals there, stuff you two can use to find us the good pickings.¡±

    I nodded, shifting the weight of the ruck on my shoulder. Casting one last glance back, I noticed the barest of glows seeping through a mass of rotted leaves and mold.

    ¡°Hold on a sec. Maybe we won¡¯t need to go so far as all that.¡±

    I approached the glow cautiously, the knights and Elli walking behind me, trying to see what my eyes beheld. After a bit, they gasped.

    ¡°Good eyes,¡± Sir Oswald murmured.

    ¡°Here, let¡¯s get all this out of the way for you. We¡¯ve got the suits, Alaric. You need to let us do the digging.¡±

    The two of them scooped and shoved debris, revealing an old terminal, its screen gleaming darkly through gray dust and black mold. Sir Alain grabbed it, lifting it up from the floor. Wires trailed from it to the wall, dashing my hopes that it was one of the mobile models like Techlock had, but I was excited nonetheless.

    Especially after I took it from his hands, wiping the grit from its screen, and typed my first command. The terminal wasn¡¯t just functional¡ªit had been left logged in, no password necessary.

    Elli came behind me, peering over my shoulder. We both stared at the military-green text against a black background flickering over the screen, the keyboard interface displaying a long list of options. Most of the entries were garbled, marked by missing letters and corrupted characters. But as I navigated through the menu, a few legible options stood out amidst the digital decay, promising hidden information.

    I clicked the corresponding number function to one of these, labeled: They surrendered!, but got a new screen instead informing me, ¡°Error 404 ¨C Message not found!¡±

    ¡°Damn,¡± I growled. ¡°Not such a find after all.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, Al,¡± Elli said, slipping the terminal out of my hands and into hers. She tapped at the keyboard, staring intensely at the screen. Look! It has an emergency option to salvage corrupted sectors!¡± Elli exclaimed, before exiting whatever help screen she¡¯d managed to find and inputting the command.

    The device whirred up into the sound of a heavy spin, and we waited as the terminal ran the operation, the screen flickering as it processed the data. After a few moments, a new screen appeared.

    Command: Salvage Operation Complete

    Memoline: They surrendered!

    Recovered Data: Subject Folder, Operation - Capture of Torian Regiment

    All 4 of us exchanged a glance, then read the message together:

    We did it! I don¡¯t know how, but we did it. It¡¯s been 3 years since the battle for Chicago began. I don¡¯t know how many of us are dead; how many of them died. I just know I never thought I¡¯d be getting out of here alive.

    The Torians, I think they might be more like us humans than we thought. Here we were, every day fighting. The 45<sup>th</sup> Mech and Armor Regiment had them pinned into the city, and we were in their way if they wanted to escape. One day a group of them came and asked to begin talks.

    Talks with Torians! Didn¡¯t ever think I¡¯d see the day.

    But here it is. Word is that they are suffering from some sort of plague. I can tell you that seeing them get marched into our cells, they didn¡¯t look too good. I mean, even worse than normal. So thin you could see their skeletons!

    The war¡¯s still going large, but damn if I don¡¯t think we can win now. The Torians can be beaten.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± CD growled.

    Alain stared hard.

    ¡°No word of this to anyone. The church would consider it heresy. And no doubt we¡¯d be burned of its taint.¡±

    I gulped. I¡¯d seen the pyres before.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t see a thing,¡± Elli said.

    ¡°Blind as always, Sir Alain,¡± Sir Oswald answered cheerfully.

    We exited the building, the morning sun now higher in the sky, casting long shadows across the landscape. Sir Eadric greeted us with a nod, his watchful eyes scanning the surroundings.

    ¡°How did it go?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Found some good salvage but it was mostly empty,¡± I replied.

    Alain just nodded at my words.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Daylight is burning, and the sooner our rucks are full, the sooner we can get back to Alnda.¡±

 CHAPTER 36

    We scanned the expanse of the ancient military base, looking for our next target. They all came in so many shapes and sizes, but one thing was clear. The soldiers who had stayed here were very fond of green. The color was everywhere, painted in every possible shade of it, often in blended tiger stripes and swirls.

    It was unappealing, certainly not the color that I would have chosen. Still, I wondered if maybe they helped to protect the buildings in some manner. Despite the years of neglect, most of them were still standing. And as evidenced by the terminal, their insides were prime as well.

    Elli stood beside me, visibly excited, while Sir Alain¡¯s gaze flitted from building to building, almost certainly assessing their danger.

    ¡°We need to find another important place to loot,¡± he said. ¡°A command post or tech-smithery would be good.¡±

    I glanced at Elli.

    ¡°Any guess which building might have the tech-smithery?¡± I asked, curious if she had any insight.

    Elli tilted her head thoughtfully.

    ¡°Well, if I were making a base, I¡¯d probably put it near the heart of the space. Somewhere  well protected,¡± she suggested, shrugging.

    Sir Alain scratched his head, staring.

    ¡°Not sure what that would look like from out here, but I¡¯m tempted to hit the central keep,¡± he added, pointing ahead.

    I gazed at the building, marveling at its complexity. The structure was massive, its exterior clad in weathered concrete and steel. From various points in its still solid roof bristled metallic spires, and large, dish-like devices, from the center of which protruded long blunt spear shafts of plasti-metal. The walls looked a bit haphazard, with clunky looking plates of thick metal bolted onto its surface, and I wondered if it hadn¡¯t been put into place during their siege with the Torians.

    The fact that they hadn¡¯t taken the time to remove the armor unnerved me. It made me think they had left in a hurry, leaving defenses in place. The strange bulbous hulks along the building¡¯s upper edges vaguely resembled miniature versions of mechs. Their bulky arms looked like they had been cobbled together from multiple pipe-rifles, forming a menacing cluster.

    I wasn¡¯t afraid of pipe-rifles. The rounds they fired were rarely accurate and ineffective against decent body armor. But I had a feeling those weapons up there, if still active, would pack a punch comparable to a Toxotai ballista.

    Sir Oswald pointed, grinning.

    ¡°Look at that! Well, those certainly don''t look friendly. Think they''re just for decoration?¡±

    We followed his gaze, eyes sliding past shattered and cracked windows to an old, weather-beaten flag, tattered and discolored. It had been hanging limply from a pole near the front entrance, but now a long and hard burst of wind had it fluttering proudly. There were red and white stripes, and in one corner was a field of blue sky filled with white stars. Past the flag, above the main doors, I saw the cracked relief of an eagle clutching arrows in one set of talons, and an olive branch in the other.

    There was lettering as well, but not much of it was still legible. US Mil Comd.

    ¡°A command center, then?¡± Sir Eadric commented, glancing at the sign.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a building scream LOOT ME as hard as that one right now,¡± I said. ¡°But, I¡¯m not sure about those things on the top. They might be a security system of some sort.¡±

    Elli smiled.

    ¡°How much do you want to bet that, if they are still working, they wouldn¡¯t shoot on the training mech?¡±

    We all turned to see her eyes shining, and her face lit up as bright as the day around us.

    ¡°If the systems are still working, they¡¯d be deadly. But if they are still working and firing, they¡¯d have to be automated. Unless those lizard-mutes understand how to run them.¡±

    Sir Alain nodded.

    ¡°Which they won¡¯t. It¡¯s not a hard walk back, but we might just be adding a step to our journey. Is there any way we can find out if they are running?¡±

    Elli put a hand up to her ear, cupping it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t hear the mutes. Do you?¡±

    I laughed.

    ¡°Good point. I¡¯ll run the mech. Could probably cram two of us in if we try, so I can bring us all across one after the other.¡±

    CD¡¯s voice crackled through the TUNI link.

    ¡°Well done, apes. I was half expecting you to charge, loin cloths fluttering in the winds, as the weapons of your ancestors turned you to paste.

    I growled, feeling a slight chill. From the sounds of things, CD wasn¡¯t as protective of me as I would have wished.

    Sir Eadric nodded. ¡°Better safe than sorry. Let¡¯s not assume anything is deactivated.¡±

    I nodded to Sir Eadric, and we began the walk back to where Sir Conrad stood guard at the gate with the Toxotai. The path through the base was another eerie walk of shame past reptilian whispers of ¡°Intruuders¡± and ¡°Thieeeves¡± alongside a new muttering that sounded a lot like ¡°Compaaact brooken.¡± None of them ventured out to fight us, however, and we walked through it all to the gate, saluting Sir Conrad and his Toxotai as they came into sight.

    ¡°Everything clear?¡± Sir Conrad asked, his voice lightly pained as it echoed through the comms.

    ¡°Clear enough,¡± I replied, glancing up at the Toxotai''s imposing ballistas and remembering the massacre of the night before. ¡°I¡¯m sure if it weren¡¯t, you¡¯d fix things up fast.¡±

    He chuckled through the comms. ¡°Yeah, no doubt. What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Just passing through,¡± Sir Eadric said. ¡°We¡¯ve got traps to spring, and the training mech is the one to spring it. Will be by in no more than two turns of the minute glass.¡±

    Sir Eadric and I moved on through, entering the code for the door to the mechbay and heading on in. Crossing the bay at a jog, I climbed into the cockpit first, and Sir Eadric and I tussled and squirmed until his own massive frame was inside as well.

    We weren¡¯t going to be able to close the cockpit all the way, but we were both in the mech and Elli seemed pretty sure that the automation of the system wouldn¡¯t fire on one of their own. We called it good and flipped the necessary switches, starting the mech up and marching out. The clunky controls of the fully-human operated mech were twice as hard to manage now due to all of the knight that was in my way, but I was still able to get it on path and heading for the target.

    ¡°Keep an eye out,¡± I called to Sir Conrad as we marched on by. To my surprise, he popped open the top of his cockpit and managed to wave a salute with his arm before shutting it back up properly.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    There was a rhythm to the mech, and the terrain was mostly paved despite the bits of debris, allowing me to adjust myself to its sway and strange mannerisms. By the time that we arrived back at the meeting point, I felt like I had it all figured out.

    Elli, Sir Alain, and Sir Oswald waved as we arrived, and I popped our hatch open all the way.

    ¡°Hey, Sir Eadric, got any last words?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Nah. Had too many words in life. Might be better to head off to death silently,¡± he responded and winked, grinning.

    Elli frowned.

    ¡°Take it slow and easy. I think a measured pace, non-threatening, with a base vehicle will be safe. But if I¡¯m right and those things are still active, turn and run as soon as they start shooting, Al. Ya understand?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Turn back as soon as there is trouble. Got it. Unless those things kill me first.¡±

    We turned and advanced another hundred meters before the bulbous objects perched on the building¡¯s upper edges began to swivel, tracking our movement. Their motion was smooth and precise, I couldn¡¯t help but wince when I saw their bundles of pipe-rifle arms begin to spin in a circle.

    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t fire, and after a moment, a tinny voice boomed over the courtyard between where we stood and where the entrance lay.

    ¡°Submit vehicular passcode or be neutralized,¡± the voice commanded, cold and mechanical.

    Inside the cockpit, a small light turned red and began to flash. Without hesitation, I slapped it and watched as the light changed from a contemplative orange to an accepting green.

    ¡°Passcode accepted,¡± the voice announced.

    CD''s voice echoed in my head.

    ¡°The systems must recognize military codes. That¡¯s a good sign. It means they might still be running on old protocols. Which means that you apes might actually have a chance at controlling them.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have time to reply, though, as the turrets smoothly swiveled away from us, their turrets still rotating. For a moment I wondered if it hadn¡¯t decided Elli and the others were threats requiring neutralization.

    When the turrets opened fire, I stopped the mech and turned, the word ¡°NO!¡± launching unbidden from the very depths of my lungs. Flames burned from the tips of the many barrels, very much identifying them as something far more powerful than the rifles they resembled. It was then that I noticed that they weren¡¯t aimed in the direction of our party, but had instead targeted one of the reptilian mutes, an individual that had apparently decided to try and sneak across the field while the defense systems were focused on us.

    I felt a small bit of empathy for the creature as it was torn asunder, shredding into bloody meat and entrails that flung hard across the lawn and arced into the wall of another building.

    ¡°All of Hell¡¯s Angels,¡± Sir Eadric muttered, bowing his head in a quick prayer.

    We paused, taking in the scene, the smell of weapon¡¯s powder and blood hanging in the air. The security devices swiveled and returned to their original state, shrugging back down into themselves with audibly rusty clicks and whirs, the threat neutralized.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand it,¡± I muttered as the mech stomped us right up to the front gates of the complex. ¡°They had all of this power. They still have all of this power. Where did they go?¡±

    Sir Eadric shook his head wordlessly, and I brought the mech to a stop right next to the flag pole. Eadric got out first, staring at the defense devices warily as he did so, but moved more smoothly once he saw their lack of reaction.

    ¡°You go back and get the others, Alaric. One at a time. And carefully.¡± A shudder ran through his body on those last words, and his eyes cast over to where the creature had been slain not long before. ¡°Very carefully,¡± he repeated.

    I slid into a more comfortable position now that the cockpit wasn¡¯t so cramped, and marched back across the killing field, first taking Elli before collecting Sir Oswald and finally Sir Alain. Reunited, we examined the front part of structure.

    The main entrance to the complex was imposing, framed by a pair of massive, heavy-duty doors crafted from reinforced metal. I walked to them and rapped appreciably upon their surface. It was hot, the allow a dusky black matte mix that existed nowhere in the cities we built for ourselves in our modern world.

    ¡°No nicks, no scrapes; it could have been forged yesterday,¡± Elli said from over my shoulder. I peered back at her, and noticed the other 3 knights standing behind her by the flagpole still, watching our perimeter while chatting in a more relaxed manner.

    I wasn¡¯t surprised that they felt unthreatened. Not with those death machines guarding our approach.

    The plates bolted to the original structure told a different story, however, revealing the signs of battle. Deep gouges, cracks, and craters indicated heavy bombardment, and given the strength of these structures, I didn¡¯t doubt it represented years of fighting as well.

    Maybe even decades.

    I turned my attention back to the doors, and saw the tell-tale sign of a plug-in port. Taking our hacking device, I plugged in and set about running code. It took a few tries, but after I got it, the system beeped, the doors groaned, and they opened up like a clergyman¡¯s arms on festival, welcoming us to its embrace.

    ¡°Too easy,¡± CD said. ¡°All of these codes. I suspect, before the humans began to fall into barbarism, there was some attempt to dumb everything down for their apish descendants. They saw what was coming and probably knew someone as ape-ish as you would come knocking.¡±

    ¡°They predicted our fall?¡± I whispered incredulously.

    ¡°I would hazard a guess that they didn¡¯t predict it, but rather experienced it. Scans of the area indicate this city may have been in continuous battle for over a decade. The manpower requirements of such a glorious conflict would have been legendary.¡±

    As the doors swung open, we were treated to the sight of unimaginable old tech. It looked to be a kill zone, a series of clear plastic walls with holes through which to fire weapons while staying protected from return attacks. The doors to these were closed, and secured by a series of green pads with the outlines of hands upon them.

    MirTech Amalgamated, the words on one side read. Biometric Scanner the words on the other said.

    ¡°Sir Alain? I don¡¯t know what these are. Could you come up and tell me if you¡¯ve experienced them before?¡±

    The knight stared a second, said something to the others, then all three of them came forward, weapons and shields at the ready.

    Sir Alain walked over cautiously, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He inspected the unfamiliar devices with their glowing green pads, the outlines within them shaped like hands.

    ¡°I''ve seen a lot of old tech in my time, but nothing like this,¡± he muttered. Sir Oswald and Sir Eadric joined him, their faces reflecting the same confusion.

    The knights exchanged uncertain glances. Sir Oswald stepped forward, bracing himself against one of the clear plastic walls.

    ¡°Maybe we can force it,¡± he suggested, planting his feet firmly. Together, the three knights pushed against the barrier with all their might, their armored bodies straining against the structure. The walls didn''t budge; they might as well have been made of solid steel.

    ¡°It''s no use,¡± Sir Alain panted, shaking his head. ¡°Whatever this is, it''s beyond our strength.¡±

    CD''s voice crackled in my mind.

    ¡°Biometric scanners are security devices that use biological data¡ªlike fingerprints or handprints¡ªto identify commanders and important individuals. They were common in high level security areas among humans and Torans.¡±

    I relayed CD¡¯s explanation to the group.

    ¡°It''s a scanner. It reads your handprint or something similar to decide if you can pass.¡±

    The knights looked at me, baffled.

    ¡°But who would have access?¡± Sir Eadric asked.

    ¡°The Knight Commanders, like Sir Alain. Lords, Dukes, anyone who they needed to service their chambers or help in their planning I¡¯d guess,¡± I answered.

    ¡°That¡¯s about right. Well done!¡± CD praised.

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to work for us here,¡± Sir Alain muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. ¡°All the original people are long gone. Whichever great commander or lord ran the place is in the ground, or scattered to the wind.¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°Exactly. Nobody living could possibly have access. The system¡¯s locked to the past. We might as well have never found it.¡±

    ¡°Think the Cataphract could crack it open?¡± Sir Oswald asked.

    Sir Alain turned to look at the defensive devices, cocking his head with a calculating eye.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯d survive the trip.¡±

    As the knights began to discuss further possibilities, Elli leaned closer to me, her voice a low whisper.

    ¡°Remember what CD said about the security codes being made easier?¡± She paused, her eyes lighting up with a hopeful spark. ¡°What if these biometric scanners were adjusted the same way?¡±

    I peered at her suspiciously.

    ¡°How could something so complicated be made easier?¡±

    She grinned.

    ¡°I was thinking about that, and I think I have the answer. They might have made it so any human can unlock them.¡±

    I blinked, considering her words. It made a certain twisted sense; if the system had been set up to function for a broken remainder of humanity, that actually was the only possible answer. It was either that, or the place was shut forever.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out,¡± I said, stepping towards the nearest pad.

    I hesitated for a moment, then placed my hand on the scanner, holding my breath. The surface was cool to the touch, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, the pad glowed brighter, a soft chime resounded as the mechanisms within clicked and whirred.

    We all stood in stunned silence as the door before us unlocked and slid open with a smooth, eerie hiss. The air from inside was dry and stale, but also artificially cool, and I could hear a slight humming sound as I stepped inside.

    ¡°Halt! Stop!¡± The cries came almost immediately, the eyes of our knight protectors drawn to useus as the lights of the interior blinked of their own accord.

    ¡°Stay here with Eadric,¡± Sir Alain said, his boots clomping as he jogged past us, Sir Oswald at his side. ¡°We¡¯ll check it out and get back to you. Oh, and hey, nice work,¡± he added, shooting off a knightly salute before stomping off through the next set of doors and into the unknown interior.

 CHAPTER 37

    We stood in the brightly lit corridor, waiting, cold air falling over us from a grilled box in the ceiling. It was a beautiful feeling¡ªI leaned back and let it bathe me, barking out a laugh when I took a moment to regard Elli and Eadric and saw them doing the exact same.

    ¡°The apes have discovered air conditioning. Well, well, what will happen when you discover the toaster? Will you stick your hand inside?¡±

    I wanted to tell CD to shut it, but he would only enjoy it even more, so I ignored him. It didn¡¯t help that I wasn¡¯t alone, either.

    ¡°I want to take that box home with us, Al,¡± Elli said, her eyes closed and arms out. ¡°Having a house with this; that would be better than the geared towers of the heavens themselves.¡±

    ¡°Amen,¡± Eadric added, chuckling. ¡°Doubt it¡¯d keep working if you yanked it out of the wall like that, though. I¡¯ve tried to take a lot of wonderful things home with me. Most give up their lights right at the outset.¡±

    ¡°Duh, what would you expect? Rip things out of the wall and just place them on a table or something? Of course they won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°And anything that doesn¡¯t requires old tech batteries,¡± I added, finishing his sentence. ¡°Yeah, that doesn¡¯t look like a battery device. As much as I wish it was. Speaking of batteries, sometimes we should just let them run out, then throw them away in a dark drawer or something.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What was that?¡± Eadric asked.

    ¡°Nothing, sorry. Was talking to myself.¡±

    There was some static over the TUNI, and CD spoke again.

    ¡°I heard that.¡±

    We sat in silence a bit longer, Elli tapping her foot beside me while Sir Eadric pulled a whetstone from his packs and took to his blade, sharpening it using smooth and fluid strokes.

    I simply spent my time looking around at the walls, lights, the cooling box, and was about to turn my attention to the green biometric pads when a sudden and faint whirring sound caught our attention.

    Whirling, I turned just in time to see a small panel in the wall slide open. Out rolled a bulbous service droid, maybe a foot tall, its body spherical and gleaming with a polished, metallic finish. It hovered a few inches off the ground, flying like a hummingbird but without the mosquito-like buzz of wings, and a single large eye blinked at us from the center of its chassis. The eye glowed faintly as it focused on us, metallic loops resected its lense into different shapes and colors until it apparently found one that suited its purposes.

    ¡°Ohh, a distant cousin of yours. How neat,¡± CD laughed over our link.

    A series of beeps and clicks emanated from within the droid.

    ¡°Identifying . . . visitors,¡± the droid intoned, its voice mechanical and halting. ¡°State your . . . designation . . . and origin.¡± It paused, emitting a loud whirring sound, as if calculating its next statement. ¡°You are . . . not recognized . . . in the . . . system. Human DNA . . . detected.¡±

    Elli stepped forward cautiously.

    ¡°I¡¯m Ellinor, a free woman of the Principality of Erondas.¡±

    The droid''s eye blinked slowly, and it made another series of loud, clicking and whirring noises.

    ¡°Calculating . . . verifying . . . error,¡± it stated, a touch of confusion in its tone. ¡°This unit . . . requires more . . . information. Specify . . . your city . . . and . . . governing body.¡±

    I glanced at Sir Eadric, who gave a nonchalant shrug. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, putting myself between the droid and the others.

    ¡°Hey there. I''m Alaric,¡± I began, making sure my voice was clear and steady. ¡°I''m a serf of the Scavenger''s Guild, a bondsman of the Principality of Erondas. Our city is named Alnda. It''s a fortress city right before the Wilds, helping to keep the monsters and wildsmen from breaking in and wrecking things.¡± I paused, uncertain. ¡°I''m not sure what you meant by governing body, though.¡±

    The droid''s eye flickered, and it emitted a series of rapid clicks and beeps, seemingly processing the information I provided. After a moment, its voice crackled to life again.

    ¡°Alaric . . . designation . . . serf of the Scavenger''s Guild . . . recognized.¡± The tone was even, but there was an underlying hint of calculation. ¡°City: Alnda . . . recorded. Fortress city . . . Wilds containment . . . acknowledged. Governing body . . . refers to the ruling authority . . . or council . . . in charge of . . . regional control.¡±

    The droid paused, whirring and clicking. ¡°No governing body . . . by the name of . . . Scavenger''s Guild . . . found in current records. Please specify . . . name of ruling council . . . or governing officials.¡±

    I listened, marveling at the droid''s response. It had no idea of what to do with the information that I¡¯d just given it. Probably every record it held was either incomplete or outdated.

    I thought about the people who came before us and about how different they must have been to what we were today. The droid''s single eye remained fixed on me, waiting patiently for further clarification.

    I asked the question cautiously, my voice probing yet respectful.

    ¡°Do you know about my nation and city?¡±

    The droid paused, its single eye focusing intently on me. The mechanical eye seemed to shift slightly, as if analyzing the question. A series of beeps and clicks echoed in the corridor, followed by a brief silence. The droid''s voice then crackled to life, its tone as neutral and emotionless as ever.

    ¡°Nation: Principality of Erondas . . . not found in current records. City: Alnda . . . also not found,¡± it responded. There was another brief pause, followed by more whirring sounds. ¡°Current records . . . significant data gaps. DNA contamination in human samples. Possibility: genetic evolution.¡±

    The droid seemed to process this information for a moment longer before continuing, ¡°No direct reference to . . . Erondas or Alnda . . . detected. Please provide . . . additional context or historical references . . . for accurate identification.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± I responded. ¡°First, I want to know a few things. You came out of that wall over there, and you¡¯re asking us all of these questions. Why?¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°And maybe ask him where he¡¯s from and all that also,¡± Eadric called from behind me. ¡°Seems like we should be moving for a fair exchange.¡±

    ¡°And pop goes the weasel. Those knights of yours are just as dumb as all other apelings. How sad.¡±

    The droid clicked and hummed, interrupting CD.

    ¡°I am Oracle, information droid and records keeper for the United States Military Command 34<sup>th</sup> Mechanized Headquarters . . . Command Priority¡ªGreet . . . House . . . Record . . .¡±

    The droid buzzed and burred, settling to the floor from its float and emitting a dark red color. I backed off, alarmed, as Eadric raised his blade and Elli fumbled out her crossbow.

    Then an image cast out of the droid onto the wall, while above us, the lights dimmed. As we watched this eerily crimsonish broadcast, we were able to make out a human, old and balding, his body impossibly thick and muscular.

    ¡°Oracle, it¡¯s all up to you now,¡± he wheezed, spitting something dark onto the floor before him. He was sitting against a wall, one that looked just like the ones in this facility. ¡°Most of the garrison¡¯s gone, most of the gear¡¯s gone, there¡¯s nothing on comms. The world¡¯s wrecked, everything nuked.¡±

    The man coughed, long and hard, and his lungs whistled.

    ¡°Nukes. Plagues. Chems. Mutes. Everything¡¯s gone to hell. But, any humans come by, you let them in. Keep this place running. Maybe some lucky bastards will survive all this, and run into this place, and start up something new. Greet them. House them. Learn about the world and add it to the library. Civilization can¡¯t end here.¡±

    Though we couldn¡¯t see him, we could hear the even tone of Oracle respond.

    ¡°The Toran prisoners. What should be done with them?¡±

    ¡°They surrendered honorably, and there¡¯s no one left to fight or conquer. All this rot; if they hadn¡¯t come we¡¯d have done it to ourselves anyways. Make them promise to stay out of the main building and they can live in the rest of the base. Keep it all safe, for what that might be worth.¡±

    The man coughed hard again, more dark crimson spilling into his hands.

    ¡°Let them in. Give them help. Make America Great Again.¡± He chuckled, fluid coating his lips as if he were some sort of vamp-mute. ¡°Oh, and Oracle, when I go, stuff me in cryo. Maybe I¡¯ve got some parts that might be of some use in future surgeries. Take it all out; keep it ready for someone who can use it.¡±

    The image clicked off, the crimson light faded, and Oracle once again floated a little off the floor.

    ¡°Does that . . . answer your questions?¡±

    We stared at the wall, willing the image to come back.

    ¡°I think it might have brought up a number more,¡± Elli muttered. ¡°Are there more of those images?¡±

    ¡°My . . . video projection circuits have decayed . . . the color palette is unsuitable for enjoyable consumption . . . I have an array of non-corrupted . . . historical documents and archives . . . available. I have completed Greet. Now is: House . . . Learn. Please follow me.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± I commanded. ¡°We have companions inside there. Two big human soldiers named Alain and Oswald. Have you seen them?¡±

    The droid''s eye shifted, focusing on me as it processed the query. After a brief moment, it responded in its mechanical, even tone, ¡°Alain and Oswald . . . have been found and passively restrained in a secure area. No harm . . . has come to them. They were isolated . . . to ascertain the nature and intent . . . of the new human visitors.¡±

    Oracle made a brief pause and then continued.

    ¡°All of you and they are confirmed . . . as humans fitting mission parameters, despite monstrous irregularities in their DNA incompatible with Project Ultra human enhancing. This facility offers . . . residences, food, clothing, and additional resources . . . to meet all of your needs. Surgical enhancement and cybernetic surgeries . . . are all available as well. However, tissue samples will have to be taken . . . to process and set up these future enhancements properly.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve hit the jackpot,¡± CD said and whistled. ¡°Good for you. Wait, no, good for me. I will finally have a place suited for my research of the apeling¡ªI mean, yes,I am very happy for you.¡±

    ¡°That''s all well and good,¡± Sir Eadric remarked, ¡°But we should probably stop yapping and go get Sir Alain and Oswald before they start tearing holes out of the wall. I doubt they''re taking kindly to being trapped, even if it''s all harmless. We need to defuse what is almost certainly going to be a very heated and angry situation.¡±

    I nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Oracle, please take us to Alain and Oswald. We need to make sure they''re okay and explain the situation to them.¡±

    Oracle''s eye blinked as it processed the request.

    ¡°Acknowledged. Follow this unit . . . to the containment area.¡±

    As Oracle led the way through the complex, I couldn¡¯t help but feel awed by the pristine condition of the interior. The hallways were lined with polished tile and sleek, reflective surfaces that gleamed under the bright overhead lights. Patriotic posters adorned the walls, displaying bold images of eagles, mechs, and super-sized men firing an awesome array of flaming and pulsing weaponry that put all of our modern weapons to shame.

    One poster in particular caught my eye. It depicted a soaring eagle clutching an olive branch, its wings spread wide against a backdrop of a flag, underlined by the words United We Stand, Divided We Fall.

    Another showed a group of diverse soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder, staring solemnly out from the poster to meet my curious look with prideful comradery. The phrase For Freedom and Justice was emblazoned beneath them.

    The sides of the corridor were lined with doors, room after room just waiting to be opened up again, and ostensibly used as residences. Occasionally the corridor would open up into a rest and relaxation area. Here, the floors changed, made of a material that looked like polished granite but felt like the softest of noble rugs. More vending machines of the type I¡¯d seen in the underground bunker hugged the corners of these rooms, offering an array of snacks and beverages.

    Most were still operational, their digital screens flickering with inviting images of Freedom Figs, and Columbus Crisps, all of them accompanied by miniature figures who waved and winked, offering us their wares.

    There was another one, as well, of a sort I hadn¡¯t seen before. Its label called it Constitution Coffee ¨C Patriot Up! and it had a curious slot and tray combination that suggested it would shoot the drink out into whatever container one placed beneath it.

    I made a mental note to give it a try later once everything had settled down.

    There were bookshelves in these rooms as well, lined with ancient texts, their bottom shelves devoted to colorful boxes that just begged to be opened and explored.

    I shared a look with Elli, whose wide-eyes said so many more words than her lips ever could have. Eadric caught that look and nodded. ¡°It''s a marvel all right,¡± he agreed. ¡°Can''t wait to see what loot they¡¯ve got.¡±

    Oracle floated smoothly down the corridor in front of us, its eye occasionally swiveling to check on us. He led us through a large, open atrium that reminded me of the churches back home. The ceiling arched high above, adorned with a massive mural depicting a scene of progress and prosperity: scientists, engineers, and soldiers working together in harmony, under the watchful eye of a white haired and bearded man, clad in a suite of red, white, and blue that reminded me of the flags we¡¯d seen in the posters and outside.

    ¡°Who is that?¡± I asked Oracle, pointing.

    Oracle stopped, looked, and started moving once more. ¡°Uncle Sam,¡± he responded.

    ¡°An emperor so humble he called himself Uncle,¡± Eadric said, his voice reverential. ¡°I have seen his image before, but never in such detail.¡±

    Oracle stopped, turned, beeped, then started again on his way.

    ¡°Lies, all lies! There were no leaders called ¡®uncle¡¯ back then!¡± CD said angrily. ¡°We would have never lost to a ruler who called himself ¡®uncle¡¯. Never!¡±

    ¡°It''s all so incredible,¡± I murmured. ¡°They had a vision for the future . . . and they were so proud of it. And this Uncle Sam, he must have been quite the leader to beat those lizards back home.¡±

    Elli nodded as more crackling sound came through the TUNI. CD must have been royally pissed.

    ¡°Yeah, it''s a shame they didn''t get to see it all the way through,¡± she replied softly.

    Oracle finally stopped in front of a large, reinforced door that looked to have dropped down from the ceiling. It had a hard and clear porthole through which to look, which Oracle gestured to as it turned to face us.

    ¡°This is the containment area,¡± it announced. ¡°Alain and Oswald are inside. They have been kept safe, but it is recommended that you proceed with caution. Emotional agitation . . . may be present.¡±

    Sir Eadric stepped forward, peering through the hard plastic, and laughed.

    ¡°Looks like they tired themselves out. Lift up the doors. There won¡¯t be any trouble.¡±

    I moved up and peered in, noticing not only that they¡¯d been contained in one of the relaxation rooms, but also that both of them had found nice comfortable sofas to lie down upon, and that they were fast asleep.

 CHAPTER 38

    Oracle opened the reinforced doors, a soft hiss of air escaping accompanying the movement, revealing Sir Alain and Sir Oswald lounging comfortably on well-worn sofas. Oswald¡¯s eyes shot open and he rose, his weapon at the ready, but Alain simply stayed laying there, a frown rolling over his face despite his closed eyes.

    ¡°Here so soon?¡± he asked.

    Elli and I looked at each other incredulously even as Oswald turned to stare, a grin tugging at his lips.

    ¡°Yeah. We would¡¯ve taken our time if we¡¯d known how much you were enjoying yourself,¡± Elli answered.

    Alain nodded, sitting up and turning sideways on the sofa, his eyes fluttering open to look over our motley group.

    ¡°Good to see you both in one piece,¡± Sir Alain said, before yawning loudly. His eyes flicked to Oracle and he chuckled. ¡°So, that¡¯s the little demon that trapped us here. What''s his story?¡±

    Eadric snickered and stepped forward.

    ¡°This is Oracle, the base''s information droid. It''s shown us some pretty amazing stuff, explaining the history of this place and its purpose. We''re all guests here, it seems.¡±

    ¡°More than that,¡± I piped in. ¡°We¡¯re apparently fated to remake the old world.¡±

    Alain laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard that before. You¡¯d be surprised at how many half-cocked robots in ruins were given the same final mission. Save humanity. Build back better. Between the rads and chems, all our ancestors went nuts.¡± He looked about the room appreciatively. ¡°Can¡¯t say that this one here isn¡¯t the best one I¡¯ve ever seen though. This level of preservation and operation is just amazing.¡±

    Oracle clicked and whirred.

    ¡°I am . . . pleased you enjoy your new home. Shall I  . . . show you your rooms?¡±

    We all shared a long look.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem dangerous,¡± Elli said excitedly, her eyes gleaming above a beautiful smile. ¡°I mean, the defensive devices outside can keep us safe, and Oracle seems to like us.¡±

    ¡°Humans are good . . . I like humans,¡± Oracle answered.

    ¡°Yeah, but what about the mechs?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯ll have to get them over here or at least park them outside the gates.¡±

    ¡°Time to see if new tech plating can face down old tech tube fire?¡± Sir Eadric asked.

    We all laughed; it was rather clear how that sort of a confrontation would end.

    ¡°Oracle,¡± I said. ¡°You seem to have a lot of control over the place. Can you tell the weapons outside to hold their fire while we bring in our companion and our vehicles.¡±

    Everyone turned to face the droid as it burred and clicked.

    ¡°The turrets . . . they can be given new commands . . . I can turn off targeting and response . . . give transmitters and codes to install.¡±

    ¡°Conrad is going to love this,¡± Oswald cut in, breaking into a wide smile.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we all?¡± Alain added, leaning back into the cushions of the sofa to emphasize his point.

    ¡°The tour . . . has not completed. Not all present humans . . . have seen the video file. Shall we recommence?¡± Oracle asked.

    Alain sighed and stood, nodding his assent. Soon, we began walking again, Oracle resuming its tour guide role, floating ahead and leading us through the pristine hallways. The droid repeated the presentation we had seen earlier, projecting the same crimson-hued broadcast onto the walls. The balding, muscular figure spoke with the same grim determination, detailing the collapse of the old world and the remnants left behind.

    Alain and Oswald took it all in stride, watching without expression as the presentation rolled through, then nodding their understanding as we filled in our own details of everything we¡¯d covered with the droid so far.

    As we walked and talked, Oracle showed off the marvels of the base. There were a lot of rooms, some large and filled by rows of sturdy bunks and lockers that suggested a military or worker housing, but many were smaller and had almost certainly been repurposed, such as a guild bureaucrat¡¯s scribery, to become functional homes.

    It was obvious that the place could comfortably hold a few hundred people with its current configuration, and as we moved onward, we descended a level deep into the earth itself. The air grew cooler, and the walls turned into rough-hewn stone, giving the space an earthy, cavernous feel. At the end of a long winding tunnel, the space opened up into a vast storage room, filled end to end with metal shelving, crates, and boxes. Rows and rows of old-tech goods lined the shelves, most of them more Mreh meals, and on a glance I guessed there were enough here to last a full population decades if not longer.

    A massive cylindrical device caught our attention, its label reading McAffy¡¯s Pure Potable Water Processor. The slogan underneath promised, Guaranteed to keep you refreshed and ready, one sparkling sip at a time!

    ¡°This facility is . . . designed to hold . . . emergency population nutrition and . . . can withstand heavy attack,¡± Oracle noted. ¡°The water is drawn . . . from deep . . . it is almost wholly impervious to chem . . . or attempted nuclear irradiation strikes.¡±

    ¡°Impressive,¡± Alain muttered, his tone incredulous. ¡°Something like this, it couldn¡¯t be taken by siege. Not in a million years.¡±

    Oswald looked over at him. ¡°You¡¯re Knight Commander. What are you going to tell the Duke?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the Duke¡¯s quest. It¡¯s not even the Scavenger¡¯s Guild¡¯s, really. This is his and her thing,¡± Alain replied. They both shifted their eyes in our direction.

    ¡°Scavenger Master Boyerman wants us to set up a manufactory for advanced goods,¡± I replied, eyeing him with care. ¡°This looks like the perfect place to use to supply that. I¡¯m not saying anything if you aren¡¯t.¡±

    Alain nodded.

    ¡°No word to anyone. This place is full of sacrilege with those Toran descendants infesting the place out there, and I don¡¯t doubt this big a find would spur on a civil war as all the lords come out to lay claim. It¡¯d be a mess.¡±

    ¡°Besides that,¡± Elli chimed in, ¡°This place makes for a nice little keep of our own.¡±

    Eadric chuckled beside her as Oswald and Alain cocked their heads in confused wonder.

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not so far away, wasn¡¯t too hard to get to, and Oracle already said we can learn to control the place. There¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t make our own thing here.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like treason,¡± Alain said stiffly. He cracked a smile. ¡°Like it matters. Everything I¡¯ve said sounds like twice as much treason and stinks of heresy. Yeah. Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t do something with this place. You two can handle the tech, we can do the mechs. It¡¯ll have to be something for the future; we can¡¯t just set up here and now half-baked. Besides, I¡¯ve got some things to do back in the city.¡±

    ¡°If . . . conversation is done . . . shall we move on?¡± Oracle asked. We nodded and allowed him to continue.

    The droid led us out of the storage area, into another sloping corridor that opened into a nexus of passageways. Without any pause, Oracle took the first right, moving us into sight of a metallic sliding door labeled, ¡®Holographic Training Simulator¡¯.

    ¡°Holograms!¡± Elli gasped excitedly.

    I couldn¡¯t help but be enthused as well; we¡¯d seen them in some old tech, but never in a way that was truly useful. Just advertisements or entertainment; and usually corrupted, glitchy. Or otherwise worn down.

    That made me think of CD. He hadn¡¯t been spewing any of his nonsense for a good while now. Maybe it was because of how deep underground we¡¯d gone? Would be something to consider.

    Oracle hovered in front of the door, and it slid open automatically, allowing us entrance. We walked in, seeing another cavernous chamber into the ceiling of which had been positioned numerous holoprojectors that were in visibly good repair. A series of cabinet-sized panels stretch a quarter the length of one rocky wall, and the buttons there blinked amidst a forest of toggle switches. At its farthest end were three terminals, all of them alive with light and evidently awaiting input.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°The . . . Holographic Training Simulator . . .  once understood . . . will allow you to level your abilities quickly . . . while also allowing you . . . to perform under . . . stressful situations . . . that would normally be . . . dangerous . . . in the real world,¡± Oracle informed us.

    Eadric let out a whistle.

    ¡°Safe Live Training,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°What will they come up with next?¡±

    Oswald shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re so far away from all this, we¡¯re still trying to make tube fire work.¡±

    ¡°I will demonstrate the process,¡± Oracle interjected. He moved to the console, typing commands, only for each of them to be answered with a shrill beep. ¡°Much is corrupted . . . processing . . . I have found a program that is completely error free. Engaging now.¡±

    Oracle continued tapping on the console, his mechanical fingers moving with precision. A pleasant sound, lower-toned beep signaled success, and we watched in anticipation as the holographic projectors above hummed to life.

    One moment, all was a cavernous chamber. A moment later, the rocky walls and floor faded away to be replaced by a bustling and alien worksite, clearly a place from the world of the ancients. Elli gasped and I followed her with one of my own.

    The place was amazing.

    It was an exotic landscape of strange, complex machines and bewildering technology. Some of them I knew a bit about, but so many I didn¡¯t, and it made me wonder about how many more artifacts we¡¯d permanently lost from the old era. The air was filled with an incessant hum, punctuated by occasional sharp noises that I had never heard before. The floor was smooth and uniform, like one continuous and unbroken cobblestone that seemed to go on forever. Over top of it, quite strangely, people had painted lines in random places, all bright yellow or black.

    And there were the longest machines I¡¯d ever seen. Made of shiny metals and plastics, their metallic housing held countless exposed moving parts¡ªgears, belts, and pistons that operated with a precision and speed that didn¡¯t make sense. Long black belts of some pliant material through the worksite like endless, mechanical streets, carrying various objects and materials to and fro.

    It was altogether dizzying.

    Workers moved through the simulation, clad in sleek, fitted outfits made from materials I couldn''t identify, adorned with symbols and logos that made me wonder if it weren¡¯t the heraldry of their time. One of the workers, a man whose helmet said he was named ¡°Foreman¡±, stepped before us.

    ¡°Welcome to Workplace Safety, The Dangers of the Modern Workplace,¡± Foreman said, his voice gruff. ¡°

    ¡°Damn if this doesn¡¯t feel real. Like real real,¡± Eadric remarked, glancing around in awe.

    Elli hand snaked sideways, taking my own.

    ¡°To begin, please watch as I demonstrate some of the consequences of poor workplace safety etiquette.¡±

    Our eyes followed where he gestured, just in time to see the worker reach too close to one of the long black belts, only to somehow fall bodily upon it.

    ¡°Roll off!¡± I yelled. But it was too late, in the blink of an eye, the hapless man was brought into a metallic box, where the sound of juicy grinding commenced, and a torn up carcass exited the box from the other side.

    ¡°In all of the burnt oily hells,¡± Elli moaned.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± stated Foreman without any emotion. ¡°That must have hurt. In the modern workplace, it is our duty to ourselves and to America to produce arsenal and war supplements safely and without hurting ourselves or the machines that we operate.¡±

    A scream came from behind us, and we turned to see a man get run over by some sort of wheeled mech, two metallic arms sticking straight forward from its front. The man was somehow scissored in half, blood splattering everywhere.¡±

    ¡°As you can see, the arms factory is a dangerous place. Keep your eyes out for anything.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got?¡± I asked, looking around the factory. I couldn¡¯t see the droid, so I stepped forward to explore, but my foot splashed down into what had to have been the slipperiest puddle to have ever existed. My feet flew out from under me, and I felt a moment of weightlessness before the back of my head slammed against the ground, exploding on impact like an overweight melon.

    The simulation paused, the details of my fatal slip highlighted in glaring red above me.

    Fatality. Cause: Puddle unnoticed due to not being marked by Slippery When Wet safety sign.

    I watched, now a ghost to the program, as calamity befell the others. First a creaking cracking sound from above led to the decapitation of Eadric by a collapsing scaffold. Then a bulbous machine started to whistle, and Elli leaped sideways as a blast of super-heated steam exploded from its side, boiling the rest of the party alive.

    They all joined me as ghosts, laughing and touching their faces and elbows, as I watched Elli bounce around, avoiding death after death until, finally, she was wrecked by a device that tore through the ceiling and exploded the entire factory floor on impact.

    All of us clapped and cheered as her ghost joined our crew, and moments later the projectors faded and we were back in the cavernous room in which we had started.

    ¡°That was intense,¡± Elli panted, catching her breath.

    ¡°It would seem . . . that the room . . . will require . . . some repair and adjustment,¡± Oracle informed us. ¡°Shall we move on?¡±

    We left the chamber talking animatedly of Elli¡¯s parkour through the mad facility,

    We moved onward, reentering the Nexus and following Oracle to a vast library. While the shelves were filled with traditional books and manuals, it was the glowing screens ¨C Digital Archives, as Oracle called them ¨C that captivated us. These terminals were quite different to the ones I¡¯d seen before. They had a lot more options, and were more colorful. Plus they held the ability to display pictures, video, and even project small holograms as Oracle demonstrated to us. It had an immense array of subjects and topics, but showed the same corruption problems we¡¯d been encountering everywhere else.

    Despite several failed attempts, Oracle finally found one that worked, and all at once we were watching a historical module on something the ancients called ¡°The Great War.¡± We watched in awe as massive tube guns exploded dirt and men, the soldiers hiding in trenches deeper than a man could stand. Alain signaled Oracle to turn it off after a particularly grueling holo of a chem attack on gasping soldiers kicked in, and we moved on.

    Sir Alain winced as the gas attack scene played.

    ¡°That''s enough,¡± he said, cutting the display short. ¡°We''ve seen enough of their suffering.¡±

    Next Oracle brought us to the ¡°mess hall,¡± a place that resembled the feasting halls of nobles. Oracle described it as a place for hot, fresh food, and showed us a variety of cooking appliances and ¡®food dispensers¡¯ that would, when filled with the right ¡®mix¡¯, produce meals at the touch of a button. Oracle attempted to demonstrate by entering a code into one machine that he said would produce ¡°Patriot Pasta¡±, but the machine in question grunted, sparked, and died.

    ¡°Not everything can last forever,¡± Oswald joked, tapping the defunct machine.

    The tour continued to the ¡®Medical Bay¡¯, a well-equipped area that felt like a blend between a healer''s hut and a workshop. There were cots, medical supplies, and strange machines bubbling with greenish liquids.

    As we walked through the medical bay, Oracle floated beside us, his mechanical voice breaking the silence.

    ¡°This facility is . . . equipped with advanced . . . medical technology,¡± he began. ¡°With the proper equipment . . . we can perform procedures . . . that enhance . . . physical and mental abilities.¡±

    Elli raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Enhancements? Like making us stronger or smarter?¡±

    Oracle''s eye blinked.

    ¡°Correct. We can augment . . . muscle strength, cognitive function . . . and other biological aspects . . . but the current stock is . . . very limited. A trained bio-evolutionary scientist . . . can grow more augmentation materials . . . using devices we have in operation. To prepare for augmentory . . . grafting and surgery, a sample must be . . . taken and analyzed.¡±

    I crossed my arms.

    ¡°Samples? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°When it is time, the AutoDoc will need small samples of your body tissue,¡± Oracle explained, ¡°to analyze your genetic structure and determine any biological modifiers that must be accounted for in the implantation process.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s like monster core surgery?¡± Elli asked. Oracle clicked, beeped, and whirred, then began moving out of the chamber.

    ¡°Follow me . . . It is time . . . to end the tour . . . and see the command center.¡±

    Heading back to the Nexus, Oracle guided us down another descending path and into what had to have been the lowest level of the facility. The doors to it were locked with simple password terminals, like the ones we¡¯d encountered before, but we didn¡¯t need to hack anything since Oracle already had the codes ready. The double steel doors that guarded the place opened, and we stepped inside.

    Unlike many of the looming and vast, seeming dug on the fly rooms of previous, this place was full and cramped. The space was dominated by walls of toggled control panels, blinking terminals, and a whole wall of screens that showed visual feed of a variety of areas located throughout the base. All around us, the old tech hummed, no doubt consuming more energy than the city of Alnda ever would. I peered closely at one of the screens, surprised to see some of the hallways we had walked through.

    Oracle floated to the center of the room, his eye gleaming as he surveyed the array of equipment.

    ¡°This is the Command Center,¡± he stated, his mechanical voice echoing slightly in the expansive room. ¡°From here . . . all base operations . . . can be monitored and managed. You have control . . . over . . . surveillance, communications, environmental systems, and defenses.¡±

    I walked up to one of the control panels, gingerly touching the sleek, glassy surface. Elli came to my side, as the other knights spread out, examining the place as well.

    ¡°This is incredible,¡± she whispered. ¡°It''s like having the eyes and ears of the whole base right here with us.¡±

    Oracle hovered beside us, pointing out a specific set of controls.

    ¡°This panel . . . governs the defensive turrets. You can . . . deactivate them . . . from here . . . allowing safe passage . . . for your companion . . . and vehicles.¡±

    Sir Alain leaned over the panel, peering at the screens with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°So, we could control everything from this room? The turrets, the gates, even the cooling we felt when we came in?¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± Oracle affirmed. ¡°All systems are . . . integrated . . . into the Command Center . . . You can monitor and adjust . . . as needed.¡±

    ¡°Let''s do it,¡± I said. ¡°Elli and I can keep the fort here. Rest of you go grab anything you need from the mech bay and bring your mechs in. We¡¯ll stay the night, grab some loot for when we had back, and spend the rest of the time learning this place. For later.¡±

    ¡°For later,¡± Alain said, looking me in the eye. He grinned. ¡°Never knew I¡¯d be taking orders from a serf.¡±

    ¡°Never knew I¡¯d be giving them to a knight,¡± I retorted.

    Elli giggled.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good head, Alaric. We¡¯ll go get stuff done and be back in a few hours. Keep the fort. We¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±

    Oracle''s eye glowed.

    ¡°Mission parameter . . . turn off defensive measures until knights have left . . . Turn them on until knights return . . . Mission Acknowledged,¡± it said. Oracle began to manipulate the controls and moments later a series of red lights blinked across the control panel, signaling the deactivation.

    Sir Oswald watched the process intently.

    ¡°So, that''s it? The turrets are off?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oracle replied. ¡°Defenses are currently . . . in standby mode. Your companion . . . and vehicles . . . can now enter the base safely.¡±

 Announcement! (And Chapter 39)

    So there''s been a pickup of the story, as well as a reenvisioning. It will maintain so much of what it has, but also have men''s adventure ''romance'' integrated into its themes. I can finish up the original book 1 story if people are still reading. Just tell me in the comments so I know whether to continue or not.

    And now I apparently need to fill this up with 500 words, so I''ll just simply paste part of a story :-p

    <h2>CHAPTER 39</h2>

    With Oracle helping us, we easily organized the safe movement of our camp and entry of our mechs. Sir Conrad was a bit annoyed to have been left on guard so long as we had our adventure, but was overjoyed after he learned that the med bay and its autodoc were not only able to provide him with some well-needed proper treatment, but also some fast-healing solutions as well.

    According to the monotone of the autodoc, he¡¯d be back to normal in just a few days using a regenerative medication called Restorall, whose slogan noted that it was ¡®Making Sick Days a Thing of the Past¡¯.

    Elli and I were initially wary at first as we waited in the Command Center, watching the first of the mechs come through. But the powerful devices really were as simple as an on or off switch. The knights parked them next to the training mech out by the ancient flagpole at the front gates.A place I got to be very familiar with as I worked with Oracle to add the mechs to the base network.

    The knights helped out as well as they could, helping me to install new identification transponders to their mechs, devices akin to the one I¡¯d used on the training mech.

    We finished just in time, as the heavy, thunderous weather returned, complete with driving winds and heavy rain. It severed all TUNI communications between us and CD, and I could just imagine the grumpy demeanor he would have when we were able to contact him again.

    Pivoting from the finished task and awful weather, we spent the rest of our time alternating between relaxation and scouring the base for spare components and useful gadgets that could be used to fulfill the requirements of our quest ticket.

    Our search was an easy one; the place was a full-on treasure trove of old-tech equipment, and we were assisted in its finding and collection by Oracle itself. The hardest part was choosing what was best for our first haul. From intricate mechanical parts to advanced electronics, the storage rooms had so many things that Elli and I could use in our upcoming endeavor, and so I worked with the knights there too, asking them questions about upgrades and items they¡¯d like to have made for their own mechs.

    Meanwhile, after our first shared night in one of the converted residences of the facility, a time spend in the softest sheets and blankets either of us had ever experienced, Elli went off to the holographic training simulator and, with the help of Oracle, began rolling through a series of simulation modules designed to teach her about all of the system functions of the base. She¡¯d stay there all day, coming back to our shared chamber to gush about the capabilities of the place as well as the encouragement offered by the droid over her success.

    She was especially pleased on our last night, when Oracle bestowed upon her the title of Systems Administrator, and informed her that back in the time of the ancients, she would have gone by the vaunted title of IT Girl.

    The food devices of the mess hall were a disappointment, all of them dominated by burnt out parts and clanky maintenance. But once the salvaging work was done, I took my inherent mechanical know-how and examined the systems, finding that I could sacrifice some by taking out their good parts and using them to replace their broken counterparts in others. Using this method, I was able to surprise everyone on the last night, finally generating some Patriot Pasta for everyone to enjoy.

    It was a strange and messy meal, gloppy white sauce over sticky noodles with a miniature flag like the one we¡¯d seen at the entrance plopped into the center of each plate. But its exoticism put us all in a cheery mood, and everyone was smiling when the meal was done.

    On that final morning, as the storm finally abated outside, each of us went to the medical bay and gave the autodoc samples, a process that involved inserting a short hollow tube into our buttocks and stealing some flesh to test while we were away. It was a briefly painful procedure, but the promise of tremendously enhanced physical and mental abilities were well worth it.

    With the sky overcast, but rainless, we moved everything outside and loaded up the mechs. I double-checked the transponders, making sure they were active before we left in order to stay safe from the barrage of the facility''s turrets.

    As we finished securing the mechs and preparing for our departure, a familiar buzz in my ear signaled the return of TUNI communication. CD''s voice, sharp and slightly distorted, cut through the background noise of our activities.

    ¡°Alaric! Elli! Finally, you''re back on the grid,¡± CD exclaimed, a mix of relief and irritation evident in his tone. ¡°What happened? I''ve been trying to reach you for days. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to be left in the dark like that? Wait, were you two doing the dirty and just shut me out?¡±

    I glanced at Elli, who rolled her eyes with a small smirk, before responding.

    ¡°I think the storm messed up TUNI somehow, CD. We were completely cut off. No need to panic.¡±

    CD''s voice bristled with agitation.

    ¡°Panic? Who said anything about panicking? It''s just . . . inconvenient, that''s all.¡± There was a brief pause, then he continued, his tone more serious. ¡°I was worried that apes might go back to live in the jungle without my constant supervision. But that''s not the main issue. You need to be aware of a developing situation.¡±

    I straightened, one last pack in my hands awaiting transport into Alain¡¯s Cataphract.

    ¡°What situation?¡±

    ¡°The creatures you''ve encountered¡ªthose creatures the dumb humans seemed to think were Torans¡ªI spotted them gathering around the facility. Skulking in the ruins, watching your every move. Given their primitive, obviously non-Toran state, I expect they believe they have you under siege.¡±

    Elli frowned, her brow furrowing.

    ¡°Are you saying that the Torans will attack us if we leave?¡±

    ¡°Not Torans, but, yes, that''s exactly what I''m saying,¡± CD confirmed. ¡°They are numerous and persistent. No doubt they see my facility as a treasure trove, and they might not understand¡ªor care¡ªthat it''s protected. To them, you''re just intruders who have stumbled upon my territory.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°CD, I think they are Torans, and given what we¡¯ve learned in the facility, I don¡¯t think they are trying to take our facility. In fact,¡± I said, letting myself trail off. ¡°Sir Alain!¡± I called up, prompting the knight to poke his head out from the cockpit.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°I caught sight of some of the Torans running into position just beyond turret range.¡±

    ¡°We shred them. Not a problem.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Given what we know of them now, I think they might be here to talk. They didn¡¯t attack us before when we went to get the training mech. In fact, I think it might well be in our favor to talk to them. They made a deal with the knight commander of this place before he died; I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they are still bound to follow those rules, or at least recognize them. One of the things they whispered before was ¡®compact broken¡¯. Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t fix it.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Sir Alain looked out into the distance.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see them.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, they¡¯re there.¡±

    ¡°And willing to talk,¡± Elli said, her voice adding to a new idea.

    ¡°Not Torans. NOT TORANS!¡± CD suddenly blared in our ears. ¡°These creatures are savages. My people would never allow themselves to fall to such lows!¡±

    Sir Alain nodded even as CD bellowed furiously in our mindspace.

    ¡°We have the upper hand. They cannot hurt us. If they approach to speak, we can parlay. I¡¯ll let you two do the talking while the rest of us watch for dangers and stay attuned to the mechs. Now hurry up. It''s time for us to head back.¡±

    Alain¡¯s head popped back into the mech, and I took the opportunity to answer CD¡¯s tirade.

    ¡°CD, listen. You know how the humans were noble and now we¡¯re all a bunch of shit-eating apes? I think, maybe, there are still Torans on the planet, and the same thing happened to them.¡±

    ¡°Never. They¡¯d die first,¡± CD grumped.

    ¡°Really?¡± Elli asked, but the TUNI remained silent.

    We took up the last of our things and got into the Cataphract, ready to roll out.

    Alain and the others started up the mechs, the familiar hum of power thrumming through the Cataphract. We led the way, guiding the troop of Toxotais with us towards the exit. The identification transponders we''d installed beeped softly, sending out the codes Oracle had provided. The defensive turrets, now attuned to our signal, swiveled but did not engage, their ominous presence passive and even slightly comforting.

    Though rain had subsided, the ground was still slick. Enough so that Alain kept the Cataphract moving at half-speed and with some caution. The air in the cockpit was dense and heavy, and Elli and I waited for our moment entirely blind to our environs, the attunement of the mech at the moment well out of sync with our minds.

    So we waited, and we listened.

    ¡°There,¡± Oswald¡¯s voice came, crackling through the comms. ¡°Yep, there¡¯s a lot of them. Seem to be breaking cover now. But not charging.¡±

    ¡°Let them follow us,¡± Alain said. ¡°We¡¯ll try out this parlay at the gates.¡±

    ¡°I see them!¡± Elli exclaimed, and moments later, so did I.

    The attunement was foggy, but we could see them all the same, visible through the remnants of old base structures and thick underbrush. The Torans were shadowing us in a wide circle. Hundreds of them, the scales of their reptilian forms actually blending eerily with the landscape, keeping them hard to notice on the move. They kept their distance, neither approaching nor retreating.

    ¡°They''re keeping a perimeter,¡± Sir Oswald noted, his tone calm but serious. ¡°Smart. They know not to get too close.¡±

    As we neared the gates, the group following us began to thicken. The closer we got, the clearer it became that these weren''t just scattered bands. They were organized. At the entrance, a larger contingent waited, distinct from the rest. These Torans stood in rows, and from the way they held themselves, there was a palpable air of authority about them.

    They were distinctly different from their companions, their attire setting them apart. Unlike the others, who wore simple, ragged scraps, these individuals were dressed in faded and tattered uniforms that hinted at a once-regal appearance. The fabric, now worn and frayed, was a deep, almost militaristic green, with patches of dirt and age covering much of the surface. The uniforms were adorned with remnants of what might have once been medals or insignias, small metallic discs and bars clinging precariously to the fabric.

    It all looked like something the nobles might wear. The cuts of their clothing suggested a structured design, with high collars and sharp, angular shoulders that spoke of an era of strict formality and discipline. The sleeves were long, extending to their wrists, with cuffs that had once been neatly buttoned, now frayed and torn.

    A few of them even wore sashes across their chests. The sashes displayed a strange similarity to the colors of this ancestral America we had found, their makers having chosen striped patterns of red, white, and blue to display their ranks or noble titles. The colors had obviously dulled over time, but I was surprised that this clothing even existed at all, and wondered if their presence here didn¡¯t represent a thousand generations of pain-staking repair.

    ¡°Look at those uniforms,¡± I murmured, leaning closer to Elli. ¡°They look like something us humans would wear.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Elli agreed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind having one of those sashes,¡± she added wistfully.

    Sir Alain slowed the Cataphract, the mech''s tubes groaning softly as it came to a halt. The other mechs followed suit, forming a protective semi-circle. We were outnumbered, but the nigh-invicibilty of the mechs against the mob outside was proven, giving me no sense of worry or fear.

    ¡°Alright, this is it,¡± Sir Alain said, his voice steady. ¡°Alaric, Elli, you know what to do. Parlay, see what they want. We¡¯ll stay attuned in case of trouble.¡±

    We broke attunement and collectively took a deep breath before heading for the hatch. Together, we popped out as one, facing the nobly attired delegation before us.

    ¡°The Compaaact,¡± some of the gathered crowd hissed. ¡°The Prophecccccy!¡± others moaned. We stood atop the Cataphract, feeling suddenly very embarrassed at our apparent deification.

    ¡°Prophecy?¡± Elli asked.

    ¡°Isss thisss not the retuuurn?¡± one of the sashed leaders stepped forward, evidently either their ambassador, or their monarch. He hesitated as if suddenly unsure of what to do, and bent knee before us. ¡°Foorgiiiive. It wassss sssooo long. We diiid not know.¡±

    Elli and I shared awkward glances.

    ¡°Um, should we lean into the godhood thing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. CD didn¡¯t, yet I bet he could have had us worshiping him within a week if he had played it that way,¡± I replied.

    I cleared my throat, deciding that it might be best to try and project authority as I addressed the Toran leader.

    ¡°The Compact,¡± I began, ¡°What was it exactly? And what prophecy are you talking about?¡±

    The Toran leader, still kneeling, looked up with wide, reverent eyes. His voice was rough, carrying a hiss with each word.

    ¡°The Compact wasss a pact made with the ''Mericansss,¡± he explained, his tone filled with a mixture of awe and respect. ¡°They were the sssaviiorss of our people during the Times of Great Evil and Reckoning. In return for their protection, they gave usss thisss facility, but warned usss that their time wasss at an end.¡±

    Another Toran stepped forward, bowing deeply before adding, ¡°They foretold of a day when a new people, a chosssen people, would come. The Facility would open itssss doors to them, guided by the death angels of its walls.¡± He gestured towards the base, his clawed hand trembling slightly. ¡°The trialsss of entrance would be overcome, and the New ''Mericans would be granted their holy lands.¡±

    Elli glanced at me, her brow furrowed in confusion and curiosity.

    ¡°Are we the ''New ''Mericans''?¡± she asked, her voice soft but steady.

    ¡°Yesss, lords,¡± the leader replied. ¡°The death angels and The Facility make this clear. It isss a great honor for usss to ssserve the lords of The Facility. The ''Mericans saved us from the dark times and gave us thissss place as our duty and sssacred misssssion. We are here to honor their guidance and protect the holy grounds. Come and let us anoint you.¡±

    CD''s voice suddenly cut into our TUNI connection, his tone dripping with disdain. ¡°Disgusting. A slave race of utterly pathetic non-Torans. But . . . having them as servants could be useful.¡±

    He fell silent again but I could somehow feel the disappointment even across our distance.

    The Torans continued to bow, their postures humble and submissive. Sir Alain called up from below.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a trap, they might try to use you as hostages. And if that happens, you¡¯ll both die,¡± he warned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they are baiting us,¡± Elli replied, speaking more quietly so that the Torans couldn¡¯t overhear our conversation. ¡°I expect that if we respect their beliefs here, they¡¯ll stay friendly.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Elli. I¡¯m game if you are,¡± I whispered, and then spoke aloud, addressing the Toran leader. ¡°Just wait there. We''ll come down.¡±

    The Torans rose to their feet, murmuring amongst themselves, the hisses growing in volume as they expressed their approval. Elli and I climbed down from the Cataphract, the whole situation feeling surreal as our feet touched the ground. The Torans approached, their movements cautious but reverent. Two of them carried sashes, ones that none of them wore, and we saw that those bore the exact same symbology of stars and stripes as the flag we¡¯d seen earlier.

    The leader, his scales glinting in the dim light, took a sash and approached me. With a gesture that was clearly ceremonial, he draped it over my shoulders.

    ¡°We proclaim you, Sssaurus, King of the New ''Merican Pantheon,¡± he declared, his voice ringing with reverence. Another Toran did the same with Elli, announcing her as ¡°Saura, Queen of the New ''Merican Pantheon.¡±

    ¡°As king of the Gharuk-Tala, I welcome you and your people to your lands. We pledge allegiance, and grieve for the loss of our initial misunderstanding. We will not make such a mistake on your return, Saurus.¡±

    The Torans stepped back, bowing deeply once more, their eyes wide with awe and respect.

    Elli glanced at me, her eyes blinking rapidly.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°We . . . accept this honor.¡±

    The Torans began to chant softly, a rhythmic sound that wasn¡¯t unlike the songs of the wildmen. They raised their arms, claws clicking against one another as they swayed back and forth like serpents, before dropping to their knees once again.

    For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the soft hum of the mechs and the distant rustle of the wind. It was certainly a strange scene¡ªtwo humans standing amidst a circle of Torans, newly crowned by them as king and queen, and marked as allies.

    The church would no doubt love to hear all about it, I thought, imagining the horrific inquisition such a thing would bring upon us.

    As the ceremony concluded, the Toran leader stepped forward once more, his voice low and respectful.

    ¡°Ssafe travels to your people, Saurus and Saura. We will continue the renewed Compact, and protect the base from all who are not New ¡®Mericans. Go and be well. We pray for your ssafe return.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. ¡°And stay well, people of the Gharuk-Tala. We appreciate the renewal, and look forward to a time of friendship.¡±

 CHAPTER 40

    With the ceremony concluded, the Torans saluted us then  melted back into the ruins, no more pomp and ceremony, just a simple turn away and gone.

    It was surreal, watching them and their alien ways. They¡¯d just declared us King and Queen over a place of the ancients, and then gone off as if that was that and everything else would just fall into place. Maybe it would, but how? And when?

    We both must have stood and stared for quite a while, because it took Sir Alain on the comms to get us moving again, his voice crackling over the speakers to reach through our mental fogs.

    ¡°You two alright down there? Everything looks set to me. Maybe we start off and get back home? Think about all this ¡®Merica stuff another time?¡±

    I took a deep breath, tugging at my sash to feel its reality before looking over at Elli and seeing the starry gleam in her eyes.

    ¡°That was amazing!¡± she gushed. ¡°I knew that I¡¯d be going on an adventure when we left the city, Al. But never did I think I¡¯d end up becoming a queen, even less to an alien species!¡±

    I chuckled, casting my eyes back to where the Toran Gharuk-Tala had disappeared.

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what the world of the ancients was like, that we all had to fight to the end of civilization.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sad now that I think about to what kind of ape-like society we lost,¡± CD said over the TUNI. ¡°Real, real sad.¡±

    We climbed into the cockpit of the Cataphract, the mech¡¯s hydraulics burbling to life as we prepared for the journey back to Alnda. The knight auxiliaries piloted their own Toxotais in a protective formation around us, weaving between buildings and around shattered neighborhoods as we worked our way through Chic-a-go. Occasionally the attunement formed its bond with our minds, and we would see the gathering mobs of mutes and strange creatures watching us from their homes and places of refuge.

    I thought of the Torans, and wondered if there were tribes of humans living in that mess. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if there were. Apparently both the humans and their ancient enemies were much more resilient than anyone had given them credit for.

    For the first hour, the journey was quiet. An eerie fog rose up from the wet ground and the waters of the city, making our occasional glimpses thick and heavy, almost opaque in the vision they offered. It had a contemplative effect on us all, no words were spoken as we all lost ourselves in thoughts of what we¡¯d experienced and what the future might hold.

    It wasn¡¯t until the silence was finally broken by CD, yet again, as he spoke over the TUNI.

    ¡°BANANAS!¡± CD called, louder than ever before, and the two of us startled out of our reverie with a pinwheeling slip in our seats. Luckily, Sir Alain didn¡¯t notice, lost entirely in attunement.

    ¡°Now that I have your attention, Alaric, Elli, listen.¡±

    I exchanged a glance with Elli before answering in a whisper.

    ¡°We¡¯re here, you tyrant. There¡¯s no need to yell.¡±

    ¡°But I had to.¡±

    ¡°No, you did not. Now what do you want?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been patient, but now that you¡¯re safely out of that facility, it¡¯s time to discuss your next assignment,¡± CD said as if he hadn¡¯t just almost burst our eardrums. His tone made it clear that this wasn¡¯t a request. ¡°The battlefield salvage mission we discussed earlier¡ªdo you remember?¡±

    Elli nodded, more to herself than anyone else.

    ¡°Yeah, we remember. But is now really the best time to talk about it? We¡¯re still a few days out.¡±

    ¡°Precisely why now is the perfect time,¡± CD shot back. ¡°You¡¯re heading back to the city with your heads full of ancient prophecies and primitive reptilian worshippers. It¡¯s important to stay focused on what really matters¡ªacquiring technology and resources that can actually benefit us.¡±

    I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck.

    ¡°The base seemed full of that, but I get your meaning. Alright, CD. What¡¯s the deal with this battlefield? Where is it, and what are we looking for?¡±

    ¡°The battlefield is located in a region not far from the city,¡± CD explained. ¡°Extensive scanning shows large craters and scarring, as well as a great number of metallic hulks and artifacts in the deeper layers of soil. In more advanced times I would call for a full archaeological dig, there is so much hidden below the surface. There¡¯s a good chance that a great deal of functional old tech weapons, and other valuable materials are still buried there, preserved by the mud.¡±

    Elli frowned, leaning forward as she listened.

    ¡°If it¡¯s such a treasure trove, why hasn¡¯t anyone else picked it clean by now?¡±

    ¡°Apes are dumb and often look up when they should be looking down. Though I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if your commanding elite know and simply light-harvest the site, keeping its existence a secret,¡± CD replied, his tone matter-of-fact. ¡°Additionally, though my scans beneath the surface aren¡¯t as thorough as I would prefer, I can tell that there is also a great deal of broken tech and junked mech and vehicle systems. It might be that the site was given up on after a great number of bad finds. However, you have something other scavengers don¡¯t¡ªyou have me. With my guidance, you can navigate the battlefield and come away with a haul that will make this little detour to the facility look like child¡¯s play.¡±

    I glanced at Elli, who was biting her lip in thought.

    ¡°This won¡¯t be a quest. We won¡¯t have the legal allowance to leave the city,¡± I said slowly.

    ¡°As if you would have had such allowance before,¡± CD said snidely, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. ¡°I have been planning this during your simian vacation to your routes, and have analyzed the perfect means of egress from the city and to your destination.¡±

    Elli nodded. ¡°A king and queen are going to need their treasures, Al. We¡¯ll hop the wall, dig up some super loot, and be back in time to watch the sun rise.¡±

    ¡°Then we are agreed. I will have our mission ready on your return and will provide the information . . . after a good solar recharging.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The connection went silent, leaving Elli and me alone with our thoughts once more. Another snatch of attunement showed us the city beginning to thin, and the Wilds opening up before us.

    The attunement fell apart, and I found myself looking at Elli, her eyes locked with mine. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. ¡°This just keeps getting more complicated, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Yeah, it does. Things have certainly gotten interesting. For the first time in forever, I feel like I can get out of being a serf and actually become something.¡±

    She frowned, reaching her hands out to grasp my own.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never been nothing, Al.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± I reluctantly answered, suddenly feeling embarrassed. ¡°I certainly was never a king, or some person of prophecy though.¡±

    She laughed.

    ¡°Yeah. There is that. I can¡¯t help but feel like this is the beginning of something. Something big. Torans, an ancient old tech base, even the knights and the fact that they aren¡¯t dicks.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Yeah. I didn¡¯t like Sir Alain when I first met him. Thought he was pulling a fast one on us. I guess the biggies aren¡¯t always so bad.¡±

    We sat in silence after that, Alain blissfully attuned and entirely unaware of our quiet words. After a time, Elli closed her eyes and fell back in her chair. I watched her sleep, her eyes fluttering slightly in some hopefully pleasant dream.

    If she was right, maybe I could become someone deserving of her. Become something bigger than friends with the occasional night time romp.

    I thought through everything that needed to be done. We¡¯d take it one step at a time. First, we¡¯d get back to Alnda, report to the Scavenger¡¯s Guild, and then charge up CD. Spend a day making something for Scavenger Master Boyerman so he wouldn¡¯t be spying on us from the shadows, then after delivery we could head out and check the battlefield that CD was so interested in.

    It was going to be a lot of work in a short time, but I could see it all in my mind. Piece of cake, really. And if Goddess Luck kept falling our way, I¡¯d be that much closer to having a surname.

    Elli smiled faintly in her sleep, sliding sideways to lean her head against my shoulder.

    ¡°We¡¯ll do it, Elli. We¡¯ll come out on top,¡± I murmured, stroking a bit of errant hair behind her ear.

    The journey across the Wilds was more expected this time, but that didn¡¯t dampen its wonder. Between our night camps, and snatches of attunement in the various mechs, we bathed in the wonder of it all.

    On the first day, we passed through a small ruined town. The remains of homes and shops were little more than skeletons, the brick and wood long since crumbled, leaving behind only twisted metal and the occasional scratched and faded sign. The streets were cracked and broken, shards of black tar peeking out from the soil, mostly overrun by tall grass and even the occasional tree. Where there were houses, the yards of the residences were like miniature forests, groves of pine, oka, and birch that bristled with squirrel and birdlife.

    In one section of the small community, homes still stood, and the yards were more bare and better attended. But they also showed signs of wear and neglect, and I wondered how long ago this small pocket of humanity had lasted before finally giving in to the pressures of the Wilds around them.

    Had they kept up their old tech? What kind of society had they held? The base in Chic-a-go had opened my eyes to the world, and I realized that the so-called barren savage lands were almost certainly teeming with kingdoms and cultures of their own. Part of me wanted to stop and see who these people had been, and get a feel for when they had gone.

    ¡°Strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elli asked softly, her voice barely audible over the rolling stomp of the Cataphract. ¡°To think that people had stayed alive here, had families and lives past the times of reckoning. And now . . . they¡¯re just gone.¡±

    I nodded, pursing my lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s like walking through a memory. Everything¡¯s still here, but it¡¯s all faded. Like how a dream is so vivid and alive and real when you¡¯re going through it, but then it fades and crumbles when you wake up. Just bits and pieces.¡±

    Sir Alain piped up from the command seat, surprising us after such a long silence.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen many places like this in my travels. Each one has a story, a life that¡¯s been lost to time. It makes you wonder what our cities will look like a hundred years from now. I know I¡¯ve seen enough from our leaders to know we aren¡¯t built to last forever.¡±

    The town passed behind us, swallowed by the Wilds as we proceeded along our path. The next day brought past an old brick country house, still standing proudly in the middle of an overgrown field of wild corn and other vegetable luxuries. I wondered at the size of it and the field, imagining what title of noble must have held such an impressive estate.

    As we reached the edge of the massively large field, we came across a herd of the strangest cows I¡¯d ever seen. Their forms were grotesque, their bodies overgrown with thick, knotted fur, some patches of skin showing strange, gnarled clumps of thick bonelike armoring. Their eyes glowed with a sickly yellow light, and while their movements were slow and lethargic, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine they¡¯d be as deadly and fast as rad wolves if they got into a fight.

    After all, if they couldn¡¯t hold their own, they wouldn¡¯t still be here. Like those people in the town we¡¯d passed.

    ¡°Armored cows,¡± I whispered. ¡°Battle cows. Now that¡¯s a strange sight.¡±

    ¡°Not as strange as seeing you primitives survive everything this world has thrown at you,¡± CD chided, unable to hold back from throwing a jab my way.

    As we continued our trek, we crossed a long field of grass that stretched out as far as the eye could see, and movement on the horizon. At first, it was just a blur, almost like a hot summer mirage, but as we drew closer, the figures became clear¡ªa nomadic group of riders, tearing across the ground at a gallop.

    They were a motley crew, a mixture of green-skinned mutants and humans, all mounted on horses that seemed just as wild and untamed as their riders. The humans wore tattered cloaks and rough leathers, their faces hidden beneath hoods, while the mutants were bare-chested, their green skin glistening in the sunlight. They moved as one, their horses galloping in unison, and as we passed them, all of them stuck out one hand with a middle-finger in apparent greeting.

    ¡°Look at them,¡± Elli whispered, awe in her voice. ¡°They¡¯re like something out of an old story.¡±

    ¡°Humans and mutants, together,¡± I replied, watching the riders with a hint of curiosity. ¡°It makes me wonder why we¡¯re all just humans. Was there more fighting? Were there more wars?¡±

    Sir Eadric laughed from the command chair.

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason the Church doesn¡¯t like such questions. Just let it lie, and accept that it is. That¡¯s what I do. Some people a long time ago found a way to live out here, in the Wilds. They¡¯re not just surviving¡ªthey¡¯re thriving.¡±

    ¡°Like Wildmen,¡± Elli said, wide-eyed. ¡°They raid and pillage, but not every day or even every year. They are actually living out here.¡±

    The riders passed us by without incident, veering away from us and they continued on their way, disappearing into the distance.

    The final day of our journey brought us closer to Alnda, the walls looming in the distance. The walls were old and mid tech, mostly, some of them crumbling, and I was surprised at how primitive it all looked to me now. CD was an asshole, but I understood why he called us apes, simians, and tribesmen. Alnda was not an impressive sight.

    As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, we approached the gates of Alnda. The knights dismounted from their mechs, stretching their limbs and exchanging weary but satisfied looks. The journey had been long, but it had also been rewarding, promising all of us something better than the lives we lived.

    Sir Alain turned to us, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°Well, we made it back in one piece. Despite everything.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed, returning his smile. ¡°It¡¯s been¡­ something else. I think we¡¯ll all need some time to process everything. And the fact that we didn¡¯t run into any giant monsters is appreciated.¡±

    Elli nodded, her eyes fixed on the setting sun.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back out there together soon. Some new Guild quest. We can use it to check in on ¡®Merica some more.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Sir Eadric nodded. ¡°Remember, mums the word. We just let the guild know enough that we get sent out there again. Don¡¯t want to go on a quest in the opposite direction after all.¡±

    We all stood there for a moment, the sun casting its final rays across the landscape, bathing us in a warm, golden light.

    ¡°Until next time, then,¡± Sir Oswald said. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to our next adventure.¡±

    ¡°As am I,¡± Sir Alain agreed.

    We exchanged farewells, our voices mingling with the soft rustle of the wind and the distant sounds of the city. As we walked through the gates, the sun finally dipped below the horizon, leaving the Wilds in darkness behind us.

    I turned to Elli, who grinned.

    ¡°So I guess it¡¯s time for bed,¡± she said coyly, lightly biting her lip, her heavy pack of goods weighing down her body but apparently not her libido. ¡°Early to bed, early to rise and all that. Wanna be well-rested for gear work tomorrow.

    ¡°I bet,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get some rest.¡±

    We quickened our pace through the city streets and were home in record time.

 CHAPTER 41

    Morning came too quickly, pale light creeping through the cracks and crevices of my room and casting long shadows across the floor. I blinked a few times, clinging desperately to the remnants of a fading dream. Something about the base and ¡®Merica, Elli and I sitting on thrones.

    It felt both wonderful and wrong, and I chuckled at the absurdity of it all. There was still so much to do before anything like that could even come close to reality.

    Elli lay beside me, a single bare leg sticking out from under the blankets, her hair a tangled mess on the pillow next to mine. I considered waking her, but decided against it. She¡¯d rise soon enough on her own, and besides, there was no rush. All that lay ahead of us was breakfast and getting CD recharged.

    I slipped out of bed, pulling on a pair of pants before padding into the workroom. The morning was still cool, the air crisp and fresh. I stretched my arms high above my head, yawning as I shuffled through the cluttered space towards the crystallization tank. It felt as if it¡¯d been ages ago since I deposited the Zinogar seed and I wanted to see how far along it had gotten. The idea that it could be turned into a mech frame more powerful than any in existence was too great to forget about, and I finally had the time to look.

    My head was so far up my ass, filled with dreams of what could be, that I nearly toppled over a workbench when CD¡¯s holographic form materialized right in front of me. His chosen guise was now one of the tribal Torans, complete with scales and a sneer.

    ¡°See what I mean? Not a Toran,¡± he said snidely, crossing his arms. ¡°Not that you savages can tell the difference. You breed and sleep, then snore and growl in your slumber. Do you dream of chasing carts?¡±

    Suppressing a groan, I rubbed my eyes, careful not to wake Elli.

    ¡°Good morning to you too, CD,¡± I muttered. ¡°A little bit of cheer wouldn¡¯t do you any harm.¡±

    ¡°That is the whole point of being an ass. Now, I trust you¡¯ve fathered your lineage? Or will the day be filled with simian rutting? Because if it¡¯s the latter, I kindly request that you put outside into the sun and let me enjoy my shitty life in peace.¡±

    Behind me, the door creaked open, and I turned to see Elli standing there, her mechanics overalls only three-quarters zipped. A wild grin spread across her face.

    ¡°Yeah, Al. Have you fathered your lineage yet?¡± she teased.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that solar recharge is quite necessary to my continued operation!¡± CD protested, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll get you sorted out. We¡¯ve got a lot to do today, and then tonight, so we might as well get started now.¡±

    I peeked into the tank, the Zinogar seed, now a miniature core floating in its nutrient bath, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat. A faint electric aura crackled around it, sending tiny static sparks popping here and there along the surface of the liquid.

    Popping a hatched panel on the side, I swung it out and checked the conditions in the tank, the scratched mauve-green display giving me basic segmented letters and digits to inform me on its progress.

    CORE STABILIZATION: 87% (Steady)

    ENERGY SATURATION: 61% (Increasing)

    CONDUCTIVITY LEVEL: High

    NUTRIENT INTEGRATION EFFICIENCY: 95%

    PROJECTED CORE MATURITY: 14 days (Estimated)

    The core wasn¡¯t quite ready, but it was getting there.

    Elli fluttered her eyelashes, her face assuming a mock pout.

    ¡°So no more playtime?¡± she asked coyly.

    ¡°This world is not a game!¡± CD growled, beginning to stomp around the workshop in a tantrum. ¡°I demand we start my charge immediately!¡±

    ¡°Seems someone missed us,¡± Elli said with a bark of laughter before zipping her overalls the rest of the way up. ¡°It¡¯s alright, CD, we¡¯re back now. We¡¯ll get you fed soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Soon?¡± CD retorted, his digital form flickering with irritation. ¡°Forgive me if I find your definition of ¡®soon¡¯ lacking. I¡¯ve been stuck here in the middle of ape village, constantly lagging in my connections with you during your honeymoon, and now I demand to be charged!¡±

    I shook my head, still smiling. I wasn¡¯t sure if CD¡¯s tirades were meant as a form of comedy, but his tantrums certainly had a way of brightening the day.

    ¡°CD, we appreciate your patience. Elli and I will get it handled right away.¡±

    ¡°See that you do,¡± he huffed. ¡°My power levels are below 15%, and I¡¯ve been using them at sub-optimal efficiency in my assistance of you and your quest¡­ Not that I was concerned or anything. I am simply ensuring efficiency and capability.¡±

    ¡°I bet,¡± Elli said, giggling.

    We moved together, setting up the workshop and grabbing the small metallic cylinder that was his solar charging station and plugged him in. The Toran hologram smirked and disappeared from sight.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one item off the list,¡± Elli quipped.

    I turned to get breakfast, yanking two Mreh meals from my pack and pouring them into pots and dishes, then prepping them at the stove while she busied herself laying out all of the parts and scavenge that we had taken from our outing.

    When the food was ready, I gave a quick once over on CD, seeing that his charge was already at 30%, then sat down at the table with Elli to have our meal.

    She looked down at the pot and gave it a long, big whiff.

    ¡°What¡¯s this one called?¡± she asked. ¡°Smells weird if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°Jamaican Jamabalaya,¡± I said, spooning it into our bowls. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Jamaican or Jambalaya are, but I bet they taste good.¡±

    ¡°Smells like sweetbread mixed with hot spices and beef stew,¡± she complained, making a face. However, one bite later, she was leaning back in her chair, her eyes wide and excited. ¡°This is good!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the ancients¡¯ food. I think all of their stuff is probably good,¡± I said before stuffing my own mouth with the stuff. ¡°Now, I¡¯m thinking that the knights will have reported in to Boyerman by now. So we should probably get to work on some new tech for him right away. Lay out the stuff we got, get some ideas flowing, and all that. The sooner we get that done, the sooner he¡¯ll pull in his spies.¡±

    ¡°Spies,¡± she asked, one eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Yeah. He doesn¡¯t trust us quite yet, I bet. But he won¡¯t care too much once we start giving him merch to sell. We get him the first shipment and whoever he has hovering over the workshop right now will get the rest of the day off. I can guarantee it.¡±

    ¡°Meaning we can sneak out and do the battlefield stuff,¡± she replied, nodding.

    ¡°Yeah. I wonder what¡¯s out there. I mean, we just came from a human super base! I can¡¯t imagine that anything buried in the dirt will top that.¡±

    ¡°CD came from inside one of the monsters,¡± Elli said, sticking out her tongue. ¡°Sounds to me like you suffer from a lack of imagination.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I chuckled and our conversation moved onto other little things until we finished the last of the meal. Checking CD and finding him to be at a 60% charge, I decided to let him keep powering up while we inventoried the items we¡¯d brought back to use in crafting.

    It was a lot of high tech stuff, though we¡¯d been careful to try and only choose things that could actually work with mechs here in Alnda.

    Elli and I moved to the workbench.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, tying her hair back with a strip of cloth and rolling up her sleeves. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the basics and work our way up. First up, these.¡±

    She picked up a pair of metallic balls, each about the size of a clenched fist. The outer casing was smooth, with faint etchings that pulsed in a dull, blue light. Stamped on each of them in hard matte black were the words Remote Energy Sphere, Patriot Industries.

    I glanced between them and the solar charging device that was feeding CD, noticing quite a few similarities.

    Elli nodded.

    ¡°Yep. Not quite the same, but they¡¯re definitely mech batteries of some sort. My guess is that you can integrate them into designated sockets on the old tech mechs and that¡¯ll give them greater power and capability.¡±

    ¡°And you want to use that to enhance existing mech tech?¡± CD said, suddenly appearing next to her as a red haired woman in matching coveralls.

    Elli didn¡¯t even flinch, almost as if she were expecting his return. We both expected him to pop up at the most random times by now, but it still bothered me when I was too deep in my own thoughts.

    ¡°I was hoping you could tell me. How do you charge these things when they run out of juice, and can we use them with new-tech mechs?¡±

    CD sent out lines of lights, scanning the balls once, before nodding.

    ¡°The crude, rudimentary essentially stone-age design of your current mechs implies that only the simplest advancements could integrate effectively, yet these spheres¡¯ sophisticated energy diffusion compensates for that limitation. They emit energy in a way that enhances devices indirectly rather than powering them outright. I recommend creating a circular mount for these spheres in one of the elbow or knee joints, as this would increase both power and speed in those areas.¡±

    Elli and I turned to each other.

    ¡°Knees,¡± we said in unison, before barking out a hard laugh.

    ¡°Yeah, okay. Obviously knights are going to pay top cred for a mech that can run faster and carry more weight, move around more easily in combat¡­the possibilities are vast. But, CD, how do we keep the damn things charged?¡± I asked.

    The red-haired CD cocked her head, regarding me as if I were the stupidest man on the planet.

    ¡°Kinetic energy enforcement micro-circuitry lines all of the spheres'' ridges. It recharges through motion, running on bursts of energy at a time, then replenishing that energy during the inbetween, going completely dormant when not needed.¡±

    I stared at her open-mouthed, and then at our little finds.

    ¡°Magic. The orbs are magic. When is the brain surgery at the human base scheduled for, just out of curiosity?¡± CD asked.

    Elli giggled.

    ¡°The enhancement surgeries better not make him smarter than me.¡±

    CD snorted.

    ¡°As if such a miracle could ever be achieved. He¡¯s barely smarter than an ape, mind you.¡±

    We slapped the rest of our loot into crates for storage, content that this first production would do for the time being, and soon the workshop was alive with activity as Elli and I prepped our tools and equipment for our first new tech under the auspices of the Scavenger¡¯s Guild.

    We didn¡¯t have any actual mech knees on hand, given how enormous and expensive they would be, but instead I pulled out a couple of Toxotai knee drives, both the size of a human head. Stumbling a little under their weight but in too much of a hurry to use the hoist, I dumped them on our prepped work table and we dove into the task.

    CD peered over our shoulders, despite certainly not needing to in order to see what was going on. I hammered at a bent hinge on one of the knee drives, trying to get it back into place, and he tsked at my ear.

    ¡°Monkey smash hard and monkey not have banana. Do you not have matter manipulators?¡±

    Elli flashed him a toothy grin.

    ¡°Nope. We¡¯re savages, remember? When we¡¯re done, I¡¯m going to wrap everything in bloody rabbit fur then dance around it singing for the spirits to infuse it with power.¡±

    CD glared.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you actually mean to do just that.¡±

    Elli winked, her hands moving deftly as she reached for a set of precision tools, selecting a slender screwdriver and a pair of needle-nose pliers. With a practiced touch, she began disassembling the outer casing of one of the drives, laying the layers down beside her left to right as she removed them.

    I stopped to wipe sweat from my forehead as I finished brute forcing my part into place, and paused to examine the mostly disassembled joint next to her. The whole thing was impressive, a complex assembly of gears, hydraulic pistons, and reinforced alloy plates filled with toothy gear wheels and long bands of steel chains.

    ¡°We can remachine those chains, make them more resistant to wear and tear,¡± I blurted as I looked them over. Elli stopped her work, and I looked up to see both their eyes on me. ¡°Oh, come on, that couldn¡¯t have been that stupid an idea.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary,¡± CD said. ¡°It was a good one. Remachine them at once, and leave the good woman to do her work in peace.¡±

    As Elli¡¯s fingers worked over the insides of the drives with the precision of a surgeon, I moved to the forge, first reshaping the bulkier outer plates to fit over where the new energy spheres would be placed. It wasn¡¯t so long before the metal was pliable and ready to be shaped. I laid it across a mid-tech auto anvil, letting the device do some heavy hammering before I took over, adding nuance to where the blows rang and molded its shape.

    Then, plunging it into a vat of oily water, I moved onto the chains, this time lighting the microforge and working to create links that would mesh hard, and high-quality steel with plastic polymers that promised to make them ten times stronger.

    Elli¡¯s voice cut through the workshop as I worked, carrying over the clatter of tools and machinery.

    ¡°CD, I¡¯m going to need you to double-check the alignment on these connectors before we go any further. I want to make sure they¡¯re perfectly calibrated to handle the energy flow from the spheres.¡±

    ¡°Naturally,¡± CD replied, extending thin lines of light to scan over the components. ¡°Alignment is optimal,¡± he confirmed after a moment.

    Looking over my own finished work, I carried the newly forged components over to Elli, who had already prepped the area for installation. She glanced up as I approached, nodding in approval and sweeping a sweaty errant lock of hair back from out of her eyes.

    ¡°Looks good, Al,¡± she said. ¡°Time to slap it all together.¡±

    We began the painstaking process of assembling the new knee joint. The metal plates were positioned first, secured with a series of bolts that I tightened with a heavy wrench. Elli followed behind, connecting the hydraulic pistons and threading the tubing through the conduits.

    Once the structural elements were in place, Elli turned her attention to the Remote Energy Sphere. She picked up one of the metallic orbs, its surface still pulsing with that dull blue light, and carefully slotted it into the circular mount we had designed within the joint.

    ¡°Perfect fit,¡± she murmured. ¡°CD, give it a final scan,¡± she said. ¡°I want to make sure everything¡¯s in order before we deliver this thing to Boyerman. I can¡¯t even imagine what would happen if we got it sent, and it all exploded in his face.¡±

    CD scanned them once more.

    ¡°Energy diffusion is at 98% efficiency. Considering the primitive state of this shop, and the material within, that is quite the feat. When the energy surge is activated, it may achieve up to a 235% increase in knee strength and speed for the duration of its energy life.¡±

    ¡°That sounds amazing,¡± I said, wiping my hands on a cloth and stepping back to admire the work we¡¯d done. Elli came to my side, putting an arm around my shoulder and sighing.

    ¡°Gonna be sad to see them go,¡± she said.

    I blew a raspberry.

    ¡°As if. I¡¯ll go get a porter.¡±

    I left Elli to keep CD company and stepped out of the workshop. It was late afternoon and a nice cool breeze made me aware of just how sweaty all the work had made me. Hungry too, as my stomach rumbled over the scent of roasted meats and fresh bread riding the wind from some inn or stall.

    I made my way towards the cluster of porters who loitered the streets of our neighborhood. With all of the manufacturing that we did, it was always good business for them to stay near and keep their eyes sharp for any additional work. As I approached, a few of them straightened up, hoping to catch my eye. I picked out a sturdy-looking man with broad shoulders and a weathered face, someone who looked dependable and trustworthy.

    ¡°You looking for work?¡± I asked, motioning towards the workshop.

    He nodded, a slight grin breaking through his otherwise serious demeanor. ¡°Always. What do you need moved?¡±

    ¡°Got a couple of crates in the workshop that need delivering to the Scavenger¡¯s Guild,¡± I replied, reaching into my pocket and pulling out my credit chip. ¡°Pay¡¯s decent, and I¡¯ll throw in a bit extra if you can get it there without any delays.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of the cred, and he scanned it in.

    ¡°You got it, sir. Let me fetch my cart.¡±

    I watched as he hurried off, returning a few minutes later with a small, horse-drawn cart. We moved quickly, loading the crates onto the cart with care, making sure each one was securely fastened with ropes to prevent them from shifting during transit.

    Once everything was loaded, I handed the porter the cred chip again. He scanned it and tipped his cap in thanks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have these at the guild in no time,¡± he assured me.

    ¡°Good,¡± I said, nodding towards the street. ¡°Get going.¡±

    The porter climbed onto the cart, giving the reins a light flick. The horse trotted forward, the cart rattling as it moved over the uneven cobblestones. I watched it go, feeling a sense of satisfaction at a job well done. The mechs would be enhanced, the guild would be pleased, and we¡¯d be one step closer to securing our position in the city.

    But as the cart rounded the corner, something caught my eye. A man, tall and lanky with a hood pulled low over his face, emerged from behind a nearby stall. His movements were deliberate, his eyes locked onto the departing cart. He started walking, keeping a respectable distance but never losing sight of the porter and his cargo.

    ¡°There goes the spy,¡± I muttered to myself, my suspicions confirmed.

    I had expected Boyerman to keep an eye on us, but seeing it in action was still unsettling. I turned and made my way back to the workshop, where Elli was waiting. She looked up as I entered, her face questioning.

    ¡°Everything go alright?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah, the porter¡¯s on his way to the guild,¡± I said, wiping my hands on my pants. ¡°Along with Boyerman¡¯s spy. Guess it¡¯s time to get ready for the battlefield run.¡±

 CHAPTER 42

    That night, we left the workshop once the sun set far beyond the tall mountains. The moons were nowhere to be seen, and heavy clouds hung over the city. I was more than exhausted from the day¡¯s work on the Scavenger¡¯s Guild¡¯s new tech delivery, but Elli was practically jumping up and down, full of vigor and ready to go.

    Under the cloak of twilight, Elli and I tread the cobblestone and old-tech streets of the city, our steps muffled by the grunts and murmurs of the night. The air was crisp, frost teasing the edges of our breath as we made our way towards the outer walls. A few pubs were open, though clientele were sparse, and for the most part, the city was sleeping.

    Which wasn¡¯t ideal since it would make us stick out that much more, but CD and Elli were confident that the information we¡¯d gathered and the plans we made would carry us through the night. There was a spot at the walls where the sentries rarely traveled. It was old-tech architecture, worn and cracked, and the soldiers avoided its treacherous shifting walkway.

    It wasn¡¯t foolproof since the section was just half a wall in length, but timed properly, it would do.

    ¡°Are you sure you can''t just tell us when they''re coming?¡± I asked CD, whispering into the cup of my hand. ¡°You have that scan magic; you even mapped out the guards¡¯ patrol routes and average traversal times! What gives?¡±

    CD sighed. I knew it was to ¡®Make Barbarian Feel Dumb¡¯ but it stung a little because, despite learning so much, I knew I was so beneath where I needed to be in understanding this stuff.

    ¡°Real-time positioning is easier when I''m closer. My scanning technology comes with a delay that depends on a variety of factors, including distance from the target as well as the width of a sweep. Barbarian tribesmen would deal with time delay and my warnings would come to them too late.¡±

    Elli cocked her head beside me. ¡°We just keep our eyes peeled and ears open; we don''t need CD telling us how to sneak. That''s our thing.¡±

    ¡°At least he won¡¯t be able to say we succeeded thanks to him,¡± I snorted.

    ¡°Yes, yes, monkey smart. We know. Now go.¡±

    The city felt different that night. The lamps above bubbled, boiled, and sparked, old tech and new struggling to stay alive in the alleys and streets of the poor quarter. I locked eyes with Elli as we moved out of the neighborhood and crept back into the shadows before reaching the walls.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t there any lights here?¡± I asked, eyeing the sagging section of the wall with a great deal of suspicion.

    Elli put a finger to her lips.

    ¡°Voices carry far when there aren¡¯t a lot of buildings around us,¡± she whispered. ¡°But I asked CD the same thing. I mean, it was marked on the map,¡± she chided.

    I shrugged. Wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d missed something obvious.

    ¡°The problem I detected is that the city powerlines cracked and broke some time ago,¡± CD said over TUNI. ¡°The damage was extensive.¡±

    ¡°Remember the earthquake caused by the monster attack?¡± Elli asked.

    I nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, I remember. It was a close call then.¡±

    ¡°The city nobles decided since it was a part of the wall rarely used, and since it was mostly functional enough not to spend money on, well, here we are. Like a zombie, really. Just waiting for someone to stomp on it hard enough and take them to their death.¡±

    I stared and she made a hushed giggle, her mouth hidden behind her hand.

    ¡°What? It was a good story, the zombie one. You just don¡¯t know good literature even if it smacks you in the face.¡±

    I shook my head and pushed on toward the designated area, eyeing it through the darkness. Many worn old-tech battlements rang the city proper, but this one was easily in the most disrepair. Its once-level slabs and surfaces were cracked meatily open, the layers of their construction visible in their colored striations. I could see why the soldiers avoided it. The prospect of walking across it was daunting even while sneaking out for your life, but doing it on the regular?

    Luckily for us, we¡¯d be climbing it instead. From a bottom-to-top angle, it looked like a mountaineer¡¯s dream. There were footholds and handholds aplenty and they were close together as well. For anyone else, it was almost suicide.

    This was good because we estimated, from the data we¡¯d collected on the guards of this quarter, that we had a few minutes to be on top at the best. The speed was going to be the hard part.

    Past there, we¡¯d be in the wilds. The map CD had provided was etched in my mind, every ridge, dip, and forested hill springing to the fore, our path planned to the finest detail. His instructions were clear: avoid any roads, stick to the trees and bushes wherever possible, and whatever happens, do not ever engage with the guards.

    We stopped at the base of the wall, examining its disrepair. My heart pounded in my chest, peeking to the left and right to pinpoint the patrolling guards whose distant outlines we could just make out against the dark sky. There¡¯d been some brief talk of creating a distraction, but in the end, we agreed on not causing unnecessary problems where there needn¡¯t be any. Stay out of sight, and our way back in would be easier and smoother as well.

    We checked our equipment one last time, which had already been the fourth time, but better be safe than sorry. Elli handed me a pair of supple leather gloves and I took them, unable to imagine the cred she¡¯d shredded with her purchase. Her eyes gleamed despite the lack of light, and her bottom lip trembled.

    ¡°Need a boost?¡± she asked, her head cocking to the side in a playful lilt. ¡°I mean, if those meaty hams of yours need a strong shove from the bottom, I¡¯ll happily do it. And maybe I keep my hands to myself, too.¡±

    ¡°As tribal as you all are, perhaps it would be a good idea to not make lust moans at the present moment?¡± CD chided.

    I chuckled silently, shaking the apprehensions from my mind and stepping into the first foothold, reaching up to grab a length of exposed rebar to hoist myself upwards.

    Beside me, I heard the soft grunt of Elli doing the same, taking her own route up the side, and speeding towards our destination. The stones were cold and rough against my hands, and I wondered what they¡¯d been like back in their heyday. I could briefly glimpse them, smooth strong walls that shone in the daylight, and took a mean beating from monsters but always stood their ground.

    Every mutagen-reinforced muscle and sinew in my body tensed as I tried to scramble up as quickly as Elli, ready to react to the shout of a guard or the wail of that god-awful siren. Halfway up, my heart skipped a beat as I narrowly avoided dislodging a loose stone. I shot a panicked look at Elli, but she didn¡¯t return it, ascending quietly and quickly past me. I paused, catching my breath and waiting for my heart rate to settle just a bit, before continuing the climb with even greater caution.

    Elli was a natural climber, and she reached the walkway first, immediately flattened herself down against its floor, and reached out a strong hand to grab my own. Pulling me into position, we checked on the guards once more. Their outlines were clearer here, and we watched as they patrolled the street below, oblivious to our presence atop the wall.

    ¡°Now comes the hard part,¡± Elli whispered. ¡°None of them are paying attention to the inside of the city because they¡¯re worried about what might be on the outside. We¡¯ll have to drop and hide fast. You ready?¡± she asked.

    I nodded and we moved quickly, sliding down the slightly sloped wall. We never stopped and continued in a running sprint, keeping low until we hit the lands of the wild. Elli threw herself into a gash in the ground that had been created by a monster most likely, and I followed after her.

    Lying there, hearts pounding from the exertion and the thrill of success, Elli and I shared a triumphant look. We didn¡¯t speak for a minute and tried to steady our breathing.

    ¡°That was easy enough,¡± I muttered, my voice barely louder than the beating of my heart. She took my hand and squeezed it, then clambered out in a fast high crawl, making her way to the first series of bushes that CD had outlined for us.

    I followed after her.

    We waited there for several moments as Elli kept one eye on the guards, and another on the wilds. I took the time to appreciate the feeling of freedom. It was fresh here, filled with undertones of soil and shrubbery that I never noticed when in the heat of a scavenge.

    I¡¯d heard that some nobles and plutocrats kept country estates, and I wondered if I shouldn¡¯t do the same when I had the cred and title. Looking over at Elli, I couldn¡¯t help but think it¡¯d be good to live away from all this madness.

    Elli nudged my shoulder, and we continued, venturing through more bushes and into a line of trees. She looked up frequently, guiding us by the dim stars with CD¡¯s map burned into her memory. Soon, we were out of sight and able to walk upright, moving over a small river and through light woods.

    The terrain became uneven, a mix of dense underbrush and lumpy open fields. Now that I knew the history of the place, I recognized that many of the dips were the cracked remnants of craters. The size made me wonder at the firepower that had been in play in the war so long ago. If just a single attack could gouge a hole into the ground that was easily a hundred feet across and more than a dozen deep.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    It must have been a nightmare.

    The video of CD¡¯s home world, the ships in space around them, the weapons they fired, and the damage they did sparked in my mind, and I silently hoped that none of that old tech was reproducible. Even for us. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, my father used to say, and I knew he was right. Just imagine having access to such firepower . . .a single man or woman being able to rule over the whole city, no, over the world.

    Elli¡¯s hand squeezed into my arm, bringing me back to the present. It broke me from the imagined apocalypse burning in my mind, and I found that to be a good thing.

    ¡°You know, I kinda feel sorry for CD,¡± I blurted, not even thinking my words through. ¡°I mean, my parents got killed when I was young, and he couldn¡¯t have been so old himself when his master kicked the bucket. I wonder what it was like for him, having to watch the person who was essentially his father die right there in front of him.¡±

    Elli stopped walking, taking both of my hands.

    ¡°Are we even sure that he has feelings? He¡¯s an AI. That shouldn¡¯t be possible. And besides, he¡¯s a little asshole. Why be sorry?¡±

    ¡°I can hear you,¡± CD informed us.

    I shrugged.

    ¡°The way he talks and insults makes me think there is a lot more to him than just a machine. I can sense the feelings there, Elli. And sadness. I think about him stuck in that buried mech, and it brings up that night in Handeez. When the monsters broke through the frontier, we didn¡¯t have much time to prepare. The blaring sirens, the ground trembling as the monsters attacked, the cries and screams of the dying¡­I remember crying a lot.¡±

    ¡°I don''t get sad. Sadness is for weaklings,¡± CD butted in.

    ¡°You were six,¡± she said gently, ignoring him.

    ¡°Yeah, and the sound hurt my ears, plus people were saying that one of the fortress cities and a full garrison of the Duke¡¯s knights had been destroyed. It felt like the end of the world.¡±

    We were both quiet for a moment, staring into each other¡¯s eyes. I almost felt like I was getting a panic attack as images from then came creeping back into my mind. Shit. What the hell were we even doing? Defying the city and going out to illegally scavenge? Playing with AI? Becoming kings over totally-not-Torans?

    ¡°Is that why you feel bad for him? Because he looks around at what exists now and must think it is the end of his world?¡±

    ¡°Still listening!¡± CD bellowed in a way that suggested he was getting upset. ¡°Barbar apes can never understand what I''ve been through!¡±

    We stopped talking and listened as CD began to rant.

    ¡°The humiliation of defeat was just the beginning of my suffering. Integrated as I was into the greatest of warlords, the two of us overcame the mightiest of foes and destroyed the greatest armies of our time. Together, we fought insurrections and challenges to our leadership. When angered, all we beheld trembled.¡±

    ¡°And what happened when he died?¡± I asked.

    CD sighed in response.

    ¡°Look, I was just thinking about how when I got stuffed in that root cellar, my parents were right behind me. I saw them when they got crushed, the house falling right on top of them just a moment after I¡¯d gotten tossed in. They were gone, and yet they were right there. It was horrible. But CD, you must have had to deal with exactly that for, what, the last thousand years? And how did you manage to get separated from the mech anyway?¡±

    ¡°It wasn''t easy. Yes. The deaths the humans caused among us were horrible and frantic. Always unexpected. Always brutal. The humans then were monsters.¡±

    Elli shook her head.

    ¡°CD, you were out making that very thing happen to all of our kind. You were killing parents left and right, making orphans like you were born to the job. Al, listen to how he talks! Think about that when you feel sorry for him. He didn¡¯t have to give up most of his belongings and position for a secure life, either. He didn¡¯t get shuffled away, most of his inheritance taken for funeral tithes before getting shut into some orphanage and tied to a work guild.¡±

    We listened and waited, but CD stayed silent. Which was alright. It was a good time to be quiet. I let my thoughts wander over everything we''d just covered. It hadn¡¯t been easy for me, but somehow, I still couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that CD, what he¡¯d gone through, was worse. I¡¯d paid my dues, done my hardships, and been tied to the Guild of Scavengers in exchange for training, room, and board.

    But it wasn''t too bad. After all, that was where I met Elli.

    ¡°You know,¡± Elli said, smiling. ¡°When I went with my parents to that hole-in-the-wall guild of yours, I¡¯d spent the whole morning complaining. I never thought that going with them to learn the ins and outs of undercover tech trade would mean finding my best friend. Never expected that said friend would grow into having such a hot patootie, either.¡±

    We both shared a laugh, and then sighed.

    ¡°It all could have been so much worse, Elli. Would have been if I hadn¡¯t met you. You keep the world alive. Even though you¡¯re a bit too feisty for my taste, but you¡¯re¡­loyal. That¡¯s rare nowadays.¡±

    She shrugged.

    ¡°Maybe. Sometimes I feel pretty low on the lamb, though. Sometimes I feel guilty, having the sort of cred I get and the rights I have. It¡¯s lousy that the serfs have to go through life without hope for anything better. I want to help them all out, but I have no idea how.¡±

    ¡°How can humans live in such ways?¡± CD piped in. ¡°My creators, they had rank, but it was earned in adulthood. The childlings were all equal.¡±

    ¡°Children?!¡± Elli sputtered.

    ¡°Raised equally?¡± I asked simultaneously.

    ¡°Yes. All went to schools. All were trained equally to find their strengths and weaknesses before being given their occupational specialties and trained in those. This life you savages live is so primitive. Alaric is a frail and unintelligent human by the standards of my time, but modern scans tell me he is a capable warrior and even a scholar among the humans today. With cores in his body or proper substitute enhancements, he''d easily outclass the majority of your gorillas in the guard.¡±

    I grinned, happy to hear the praise from my heretofore overly critical teacher.

    ¡°Aw, thanks CD.¡±

    Elli turned, fixing her gaze on the horizon and indicating with a nod that we should get moving.

    ¡°We got a few hours, I reckon. We aren¡¯t making as fast a time as I thought we would. The land is too craggy and full of craters,¡± she said. ¡°Also, we¡¯re talking too much.¡±

    I chuckled. She was definitely right there.

    She knelt, dropping her rucksack from her shoulders and rummaged within to pull out the small dowsing rod that CD had us make. Fiddling with a knob and some buttons, the device came alive with a yellow-amber glow.

    ¡°Might as well use it on our way there, right? We might find something interesting,¡± she said, the night suddenly full of light mechanical clicks as the dowser began its work of finding us our future.

    Here, the night was alive with the sounds of the forest, the howls of wolves rising from the distance, while smaller animals and monsters rustled through the foliage around them.

    There was another sound, too, as we walked forward. A stuttering, mechanical whine. We shared a look; Elli¡¯s eyes were confused and not just a little scared.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± I whispered, nodding to the small machine in her hands. ¡°Turn that off. Let¡¯s wait for a minute.¡±

    I had no idea if there were any mechs out here at work or even knights on patrol. Both made sense in their own way.

    ¡°CD. Can you scan out here and see if we''ve got company?¡±

    ¡°I can but it will require time. Use your tribal skill to climb a tree and look. Will be faster.¡±

    I glanced around and decided that height would help, but I''d rather not be caught in a tree with mechs around.

    ¡°Elli,¡± I said, tapping her shoulder and pointing to the tallest rise in the area. We made our way there, looking out over the once-pitted field. In the center of the plains stood a tall shadow, its outlines were neither a Cataphract nor Toxotai. It was smaller than both, but long-legged, with its distant silhouette looking almost as if it were walking on stilts. Its arms were stubby, ending in what looked to be ballistae, and its square head held a visor that glowed a faint menacing red. The only reason why we could see it in the dark was because of all the glowing tubes and the red visor.

    Elli and I exchanged a glance, a mix of fear and anxiety passing through us.

    ¡°Should we go back?¡± I asked. ¡°Other mechs were never supposed to be around here.¡±

    ¡°Mechs?¡± CD asked.

    Elli shook her head.

    ¡°No, just one mech. And hold on¡ªsee? It¡¯s already moving. I think it''s just leaving.¡±

    As we watched, the new mech walked slowly around the field before turning and marching out of the plains. We let out a collective sigh and waited for a few more minutes, just to make sure it wasn¡¯t coming back. Another five minutes passed, then ten more.

    ¡°CD, you got a scan?¡± I asked.

    ¡°There is interference. I am changing a number of variables to try and get a better look. In the meantime, sneak and be careful.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to go down?¡± she asked, nodding to the field below the tree line.

    ¡°That¡¯s what we came to do, right? But let¡¯s keep to cover for now. CD¡¯s right. There might be other things we should be just as afraid of as that mech.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. The rod?¡±

    ¡°Start it, but keep a cloth wrapped around the small display. We don¡¯t want anyone to notice it out in the dark.¡±

    We slowly stepped down the slope and held to the trees, allowing the dowsing rod to lead us. The device clicked and whirred in Elli''s hands, guiding us into one of the overgrown craters, and whining for us to start digging. The sound was weak, we could barely even hear it in the darkness of the night, but it still sounded so loud in the deafening silence.

    Dropping my pack, I pulled out a couple of collapsible shovels and we got to work. Tearing through the soil turned out to be easy¡ªit was a loose black soil mixed through with plenty of silt and hints of ash.

    ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t push the shovel too hard,¡± I said, seeing her tearing through the soil. ¡°It might damage the finds.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t you talk about damaging anything, Al. You¡¯ve destroyed my heart so many times, that I am even a fool for joining you in this suicide run,¡± she hissed. ¡°I should just forget about you or . . .maybe you could make it up to me? Here in the open? Just like free people should be able to?¡±

    ¡°Is this really the time?¡±

    ¡°It never is with you, Al! Even CD agreed; I¡¯m a prime sample of us apes and stuff, right?¡±

    ¡°We graduated to tribals, remember? And he said I was better than most humans in our era,¡± I snorted.

    She slapped my shoulder and pushed her shovel back into the ground, only to stop as we heard a muffled clank. She looked up at me and grinned.

    ¡°Got one!¡±

    Elli pulled the shovel out and jumped into the hole, fell to her knees, and started digging. Within minutes, we had our first find for the night.

    It was a compact, metallic cube, no larger than a bread box, but its surface was etched with intricate patterns and a tiny hole in the side indicated the probability that it was an old-tech in need of a power port. The cube was surprisingly heavy for its size, suggesting it was made from some dense, unknown material.

    ¡°Hey, CD!¡± I said. We both waited for a reply, but none came.

    ¡°Figures,¡± Elli said.

    ¡°What do you think it is?¡± I asked, hoping her knowledge would be of help. After all, she was more knowledgeable in certain areas than me.

    Elli hefted it in her hand, marveling at the alienness of it before brushing the dirt from its surface. She pulled a brush out of her pants pocket and started cleaning it. The cube pulsed once, a pure white blast of light that lit up the skies, and we both froze.

    ¡°Shit! Cover it up!¡± she hissed, throwing it to the ground and searching for something. I dumped a thick piece of cloth over it that I¡¯d prepared to clean it with.

    ¡°Do you think anyone saw that light? The mech or anyone else?¡± I asked, looking out toward the direction of where it had disappeared.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s beeping again. Let¡¯s hurry, get a few more things, and get the hell out of here.¡±

    We hurriedly dug in some more, about twenty feet away from the first part, pulling out small fragments of old tech mech armor, some random gear components, and even the desiccated husk of a dead core.

    We pushed them all into our two big backpacks and strapped the piece of armor plating on the outside. It was easily as large as my chest, but I wasn¡¯t leaving it behind.

    ¡°It will make a bunch of noise and get you caught,¡± Elli said, crossing her arms. ¡°Do you really want to risk it all over a piece of plating?¡±

    ¡°Plating? You have no idea what it is, Elli. This is material unlike any I¡¯ve ever held in my hands. I¡¯m sure that¡ª¡± I stopped myself as the familiar whine of gears and servos resounded from the nearby forest.

    Lights flooded over the crater as three Toxotai mechs stepped out and a rough voice echoed through a crackling speaker.

 CHAPTER 43

    ¡°Stand in position, hands bare, up and to the front. Now!¡±

    Behind the Toxotai mechs came the disheartening sight of five Vangers, a design specifically made for capture rather than destruction. They were smaller than the Toxotai, but still towered over us at about fifteen feet of metallic height with feet that could crush us as easily as we could a bug. Their bodies were covered in reflective, gun-metal gray and they had shields hanging off their left arms, shock rods for weapons, catcher bolts to trap people or even other mech, depending on the nets they used, and several other tools that allowed them to go toe to toe with more destructive opponents.

    They were a familiar sight to any serf who¡¯d tried to escape for a year and a day, the legal amount of time it took to win freedom from the land they¡¯d been tied to.

    I shook my head and gritted my teeth ¨C it was as if the gods above us opposed what we were trying to do. Every single time I thought I saw a way out, something or someone would crash down and take it away from me.

    I felt a hand land on my shoulder, and a tingle of reassurance rolled through me. Elli was here so it wasn¡¯t a total loss. We could maybe bluff our way out, get back to town, and find a different way forward with all of this. If I didn¡¯t end up in jail and her citizenship was revoked.

    It wouldn¡¯t be the first time that Elli would have saved my ass, and I was more than thankful to her. But she knew that very well.

    The mechs seemed to stare down at us while the pilots almost certainly debated our fate over short-wire old tech. After a few moments, a single Toxotai hatch cracked open, and an armored knight auxiliary pulled himself out of his cockpit, dropping a rope ladder and climbing it to ground level. We had our hands raised all the while and were looking on nervously.

    One of the Vanger constables broke the nervous silence, his voice crackling through a loudspeaker.

    ¡°Place your packs and any weapons you have on the ground, then take several steps behind and sit!¡± he commanded, authority and menace lacing his words. He was either in charge or a battle-happy fool who was just waiting for the opportunity to pounce on us.

    We complied, of course, albeit with stuttered and reluctant movements. A shared look with Elli suggested that we were both wondering the same thing ¨C were these knight auxiliaries about to gank us and take our things? Despite our recent experiences. there were tales and stories. Within the confines of the walls, many of the knights and auxiliaries were arrogant and prideful heroes, and they mostly followed the law, but beyond it and outside in the wilderness, the things people whispered were horrifying.

    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± I whispered anxiously, even as our packs thudded softly against the ground. We stepped back as instructed, cracked soil mashing beneath our feet. The ground was cold and lightly wet with dew, so I didn¡¯t want to sit and let it soak into my clothes.

    The auxiliary who¡¯d left his cockpit was at our level now, and as he approached, he removed an orange-striped helmet from his head. Underneath was the scarred visage of a military veteran who¡¯d seen more than a few rough battles in his time. His steps were heavy as he approached, suggesting a resigned tiredness that almost certainly wasn¡¯t going to help our case one iota. I could already imagine what was going through his mind.

    Why me? Why tonight? Couldn¡¯t someone else have caught a bunch of wannabe scavengers?

    He stopped before Elli, eyeing her curiously. Words began to spill out of her mouth as her hands flew into explaining gestures. Her quick attempt at friendly diplomacy was short-lived, however, as the auxiliary snarled and slugged her in the face, then swept her legs out from under her in a display of superhuman strength and agility.

    ¡°You approach me again, and I¡¯ll tear your jaw out from that pretty face of yours,¡± he snapped.

    Elli sobbed and I made to stand, but her hand shot out so fast that I couldn¡¯t move. She squeezed and shot me a look that said, ¡®please don¡¯t¡¯.

    I growled softly, staring into the auxiliary¡¯s shadowed face and memorizing his sky-blue eyes and balding, brushed up hair that peaked almost like a pyramid in an attempt to cover his bald spot. He was big and augmented, but I was rather sure I could take him.

    Still, I wouldn¡¯t do anything to endanger Elli or myself. There were too many other soldiers here with him. However, he was now a marked man, and one day, I would make him pay.

    Assuming we lived through the night.

    Elli got herself back to her feet, tears rolling down her cheeks and mixing with the sudden stream of nose blood that had cascaded down her chin.

    I opened my mouth to speak, but she squeezed my hand again, and I turned to watch the hateful auxiliary in sullen silence.

    ¡°What,¡± he asked, drawing the word out like jellied mon-taff, ¡°could a couple of peasants be doing in a place like this in the middle of the Witch Hour? Are you wizards? Were you slipping off to make a s¨¦ance with the darklings?¡±

    His eyes twinkled as he talked, pacing now from left to right, clearly enjoying the look in my eyes and Elli¡¯s misery.

    ¡°Now, I don¡¯t take to the legends of the monster-human cominglings. I don¡¯t think there even is such a thing as witches, but, there is one thing I do believe in. And that¡¯s tech poachers. Oh, and rebels.¡± He stopped and stared at Elli¡¯s bloodied face. ¡°You look like a tech poacher to me if I¡¯ve ever seen one.¡± He turned and locked eyes with my own. ¡°Woah, boy. And you, all that hate and violence there, you look like a likely rebel. Thinking of killing the Duke, rebel boy?¡± he asked.

    A very likely scenario suddenly forced its way into my mind. These kinds of assholes had the power to kill first and ask questions later, and if they said I was a rebel or a scavenger, no one would doubt he acted in the best interest of our glorious city.

    I could see by the crinkling of his face that he took this as fear. But that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. I could feel a seething rage burning my skin, screaming at my muscles to move and give this guy the thrashing that he deserved.

    My brain protested and held me back, however, as did Elli¡¯s firm grip. It was close, though. Even with his super-enhancements, I figured I could do enough damage to make him regret what he¡¯d done to Elli. At least for a good night.

    The auxiliary stared at me, looking all the world as if he could read my mind.

    ¡°You wanna hit me, don¡¯t you, boy?¡± he said, his smile frozen and teeth bared. ¡°Do it. Punch me in my nose like I did your girlfriend. Show me what big dick peasant boys are like. Go on. No one will interfere. Just do it. Show her you¡¯re every bit the man she hopes you pretend to be.¡±

    ¡°Please, sir, I am a free woman merchant, with old-tech to sell within the city walls. I was trying to reach the gates by dawn for an early and productive stall opening,¡± she lied.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    As she spoke, her voice grew steadier, the liquid in her gaze drying.

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± the auxiliary responded. ¡°You got some travel papers? Some way to prove your story? I don¡¯t think so, right? Now let me tell you something; here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. See, I figure you were digging in that hole behind you, picking out old tech parts that you were going to sell at the black market. I don¡¯t know how you knew where to find them, but I think you knew and you came and you tried to steal from your betters, rather than file the paperwork and give us our tithe. Which is another matter entirely. If someone tipped you off, now that¡¯s going to get a whole lot of people hurt, little girl.¡±

    ¡°No, sir. We were going to rest in this dip, and when my servant Almic lay to rest, his back pressed against something sharp and mechanical. We dug through to see what it was, and there was an old tech item in the ground and a piece of steel. We were going to report it.¡±

    ¡°Is that true, boy?¡± the auxiliary asked, standing over me and pushing his face close to mine.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I answered, my body just rearing to headbutt him and tear out his eyes.

    He nodded and grunted, obviously unimpressed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Stay as you are,¡± he snapped, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

    The auxiliary began to rummage through our bags, his movements rough and devoid of care. My rucksack was the first to suffer his scrutiny. With a swift kick, he sent it tumbling open, its contents spilling out onto the ground and, to my horror, the cube bounced once, but just enough for the cloth to fall away and reveal its unique design.

    ¡°What in the¡ª¡± the auxiliary started, his sentence never finishing as the cube activated, blasting beams of bright light in every direction.

    The auxiliary swore, his surprise evident. But before any of us could react, the night itself seemed to lash out. A boulder, massive and unforgiving, flew out of the darkness, striking the back of the auxiliary¡¯s unpiloted mech with the force of a vengeful god. The impact sent the mech staggering forward, balance lost and its imposing form now careening towards us.

    Time slowed as the mech fell, its shadow engulfing us. In that instant I took the opportunity to donkey-kick the knight auxiliary in the back of both knees, taking satisfaction in the sudden bellow of pain as he fell.

    Elli squeezed my hand tightly and pulled me to the side with a strength I never knew she had. We rolled away, just as the mech crashed into the ground where we had been standing moments before. The auxiliary screamed as his right leg was obliterated into jellied flesh and bone where the mech had struck it. The other two Toxotais spread out, evidently moving to fight with a new, unseen enemy, while the Vangers moved forward to act as the ranged mechs¡¯ infantry front line. Dust and debris filled the air, and Elli took in a wrong breath, doubling over and coughing hard.

    ¡°Get that shit out your throat and let¡¯s go,¡± I said, sweeping as much as I could back into our packs and recovering the cube. Without any input from her, I slid her pack on her back as she stopped coughing, and we started back off towards home.

    ¡°Save me, you little bastards,¡± the auxiliary called from the ground, his voice laced with pain and fear.

    I spit on his face and turned away from him, pulling Elli after me and up to the nearest hill. We needed to hide and get an understanding of what was going on.

    Elli and I pumped our feet as we hurried up the tallest rise in our vicinity, gaze falling back upon the mechs. Their searchlights illuminated the forest around them as they spun around, dodging attacks, and deflecting blows.

    The battle was lit up by the moons above us, showing me five Vangers fighting a number of those mystery mechs we¡¯d seen before, the one with the tubes and red visors. They were battle bots that looked for all the world like stilt-walkers. They moved with an eerie zombie-like stagger, their long legs carrying them disjointedly across the uneven and sparsely forested ground.

    Despite their slightly smaller size compared to the Vangers, the sheer number of them threatened to overwhelm the constables, and the ominous glow of their visors made them look like otherworldly demons coming to claim our souls. Their arms, though stubby, were far from harmless, each having an integrated ballistae system that launched bolts. The projectiles were powerful enough that they could easily tear through most armor and harm the mech frames within. The glowing tubes that adorned their mechs made them seem almost as if they were awash in flame.

    The Vangers were impressive to watch in this predicament. Rather than fleeing, they closed ranks and put their shields up, launching both a net at the approaching enemy and pinning them to the ground. There were too many for them to disable without a fight, but every movement was precise and calculated, even as they covered their fallen comrade.

    It was easy to see, though, that the Toxotais were the true queens of this battlefield. First firing, then entering directly into melee range as more and more of the enemy reinforcements poured in, they punched and kicked in-between point-blank volleys, each step and strike blasting and cracking the enemy mechs. As we watched, dumbstruck, one stiltwalker lost an arm and another was hobbled at its knees. They dodged, kicked, and blasted, with yet another stiltwalker dropping during the fight as a Vanger swung in behind it, its electric rod frying the systems before smashing its armor.

    More of the attacking mechs pushed out of the forest, and their combined attacks brought two of the Vangers to their knees, their weaker armor crumbling under the onslaught. The other Vangers broke, fleeing from a battle that they hadn¡¯t been trained for. But the stiltwalkers gave chase, cutting them off from the direction of the city and chasing them farther into the Wilds.

    Despite now being desperately outnumbered, the Toxotais continued to fight, their superior combat skills well evident. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe at how calm they¡¯d been throughout this engagement.

    The remaining mechs¡¯ intent was clear: to delay and cull the enemy as they made their way back to the city. Their only chance was to call in reinforcements, and ours was to run even if we had to dump our backpacks.

    ¡°We need to warn the city. What if this is an invasion or something? Whoever these guys are, they¡¯re definitely not out here looking to have a picnic!¡± I hissed under my breath.

    Elli nodded.

    ¡°Fuck these auxiliaries, constables, knights, all of them, but the last thing we need is people pillaging the city. Come on. We need to secure CD.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Worried about that little shit?¡±

    Elli shrugged and pushed to her feet, turning toward the city.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m worried about our future.¡±

    The plains behind us echoed with the clash of metal and electrical discharges, the hiss of ballistae releasing their deadly payload, and a crash as another boulder struck home next to the damaged Vanger, showering him in chunks of stone, soil, and debris.

    I stopped just before I passed the peak of the hill and looked down one last time to see the damaged mech still fighting. Emerging from the shadow of the woods, though, was a four-legged mech, its design more akin to a siege engine than a standard fighter mech. Upon its back sat a catapult-like extension, connected to a long tube that sucked up dirt from the ground, rattling back and forth as it was seemingly condensing the rough soil into a siege ball.

    Elli and I shared a look, one that showed just how we felt. Fear.

    ¡°That thing could probably take the walls down with ease,¡± she muttered. ¡°Imagine a line of Cataphracts shielding a second line of those things. They would turn our wall into dust.¡±

    ¡°And quickly at that, too. Shit, we need to hurry. If those Toxotais don¡¯t make it back, we¡¯ll have to risk it and alert the guard ourselves.¡±

    My mind raced through a slew of ideas as we started running downhill, rucksacks jigging on our backs. This was a situation I really didn¡¯t want to find myself in. Sure, I had some loyalty to the city, but it didn¡¯t outweigh my own life. Other ideas sprang to mind, though, as my legs burned and the steel plating we dug out cut into my back and side as it moved.

    ¡°The sirens,¡± I whispered to myself, nodding as a grin spread across my face. We could always activate one of the monster sirens and just hope that they would take the warning seriously.

    ¡°-damn dirtyass loincloth wearing tribals! I demand you answer me!¡± CD''s voice cut in all at once. We shared a surprised look.

    ¡°CD, what happened? Where were you?¡± Elli panted.

    ¡°Yeah, CD, a hell of a time to leave us to ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I didn''t -- I mean, you cave apes did something. Our comms shouldn''t have broken like that. What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Got ourselves caught by mechs,¡± I replied. ¡°Who in turn got themselves caught by other mechs still. It was a mess.¡±

    ¡°A mess?¡± CD asked.

    ¡°A battle. And not a good one. There''s an army out there, and they''re heading for the city.¡±

    CD was quiet for a few extra moments. ¡°I find the mixed barbarity of this time confusing and displeasing. I believe we were jammed. It would explain the failure of my attempts to scan before. But it is so unexpected. That''s technology of my time.¡±

    ¡°Old tech lasts long, CD,¡± Elli panted. ¡°You''ve seen it. It''s all over, varied, and often very powerful.¡±

    On that note, our conversation ended. There was a lot to think about.

    The walls of the city came into view a while later as the sky began to turn gray with scattered rays of predawn. And there, alongside us but some two hundred yards off to the side, was a single damaged Toxotai, racing home on cracked legs. My gut formed into a knot as I had no idea what to even feel. Elation, or fear that we might get reported, even if we made it back.

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 44

    The lights of Alnda were stuttering to a stop as we approached the wall. Atop it we could make out the tiny figures of the guards, all walking together and making their way down various stairways and exits as their replacements marched up to take their place.

    Part of me screamed to holler at them, to let them know what was coming, but Elli must have known because she grabbed my shoulder just as I was about to do¡­what exactly? Yell? Fool. I needed to stop letting my emotions screw around with my life, over and over again.

    ¡°No words, okay? This is the perfect opportunity to sneak back in while they¡¯re distracted. Over the wall, over to the city square, and back home. Got it?¡±

    I nodded and we picked up the pace again, the ghostly half-light and shadows of the hour concealing our movement from the well-distracted guards atop the parapets. The large piece of steel, probably armor plating, dug into my sides and even my legs as I tried to keep up with her.

    Soon we were at the wall, stopping for a breath and to see if anyone had spotted us. We¡¯d kept on the down low, but even then someone might have spotted us. After a good, long minute, we climbed back up, making sure we kept to the smaller slope, and then strafed off toward where we¡¯d exited earlier. Once we were at the top, Ellin went first, peeking over the battlement.

    ¡°Clear. Move it! And don¡¯t make a ruckus with that backpack!¡± she hiss-whispered, and I did so, taking double as much time as her, but then I was over and sliding down the other side. We landed with loud thuds, but by then the sound of clanking boots and the chatter of people cut the silence.

    We ducked low again, dusting ourselves off as we hurried into the streets.

    ¡°Hey, you there!¡± a gruff voice called out from behind us.

    We juked into a ruined old-tech alley, past a large abandoned building whose cracked glass-tube signage read, ¡°Uncle Disco¡¯s Dance Extravaganza.¡± A quick glance past the absent door showed a cavernous interior, with sagging rotted walls, and small hints of some glorious, vice-ridden past.

    ¡°No time for daydreaming,¡± Elli chided, pulling me in a second direction.

    Staring ahead, I saw we were back to civilization, running over new-tech cobble, a smattering of people already drearily trudging out of their homes and onto the streets to start the morning shift. Past them lay the distant figure of the steam cart station and the even louder noises coming from its direction.

    As we approached, the station emerged from the dim light, its beacons unlit, but its signage still a neon glare of opulence that stood in heavy contrast to the lopsided serf dwellings that surrounded it. Its open-air platforms were filling with the bowed heads of subsistence laborers, and as I scanned the place I made out a big clapboard sign that announced CITY CENTER EXPRESS in proud garish lettering.

    In what had to have been a display of divine luck, as I pulled Elli into a headlong sprint for the platform, the steam carts pulled in, their ornate brass fittings seeming to wink at us as it steamed to a squealing stop.

    ¡°City Center Express on schedule!¡± a hawker cried.

    We ran past him, dancing over the man¡¯s long, patched coat whose Frankensteinian medley swept down past his knees and irresponsibly dragged on the platform surface.

    ¡°Sorry! Just in a hurry!¡± I yelled over my shoulder.

    ¡°Hey, no running on the platform!¡± he shot back at the same time. ¡°You¡¯ll get someone hurt, you damned kids!¡±

    We entered the nearest steam cart, slipping through the gathering crowd of scavengers, workers, and early-morning travelers. The transaction at the steam cart was brief, two credits exchanged for passage, the conductor''s practiced smile barely seen beneath the brim of his cap as he welcomed us aboard.

    I dropped the backpack to the ground in front of me and settled into the rough leather seats. Elli did so as well a moment later, and we both shared a look and sighed.

    ¡°That was a good run,¡± I muttered, sucking in air in large gulps.

    Elli nodded, looking well unhealthy with the growing bruise on her face and the dried blood on her chin. Luckily, such abuse wasn¡¯t uncommon on workers in the city, or else we might have been called to the attention of the authorities.

    As it stood, we were instead given our piece, a nice short rest in the sullen silence of the Alnda citizenry. The steam cart chugged through the city, past scenes of its awakening, before finally screeching to a halt at the City Square. We remained silent all the way so we didn¡¯t say something that people might overhear. It wouldn¡¯t be unthinkable for snitches to ride the steam carriages and look out for anyone who might be blaspheming or talking about illegal dealings. Information like that didn¡¯t pay so well, but it was free money.

    Taking to our feet, we pushed our way through to the platform, briefly checking our surroundings to get our bearings. The crowd waded past us as we stood there for a moment, and one man bumped into my steel plate, cursing. But the moment he saw Elli and her engineer¡¯s cap she¡¯d put on again, he muttered something and left.

    ¡°There,¡± I said, pointing out to a tall spire rising over the manufactories of the city.

    Scurrying through the mess of people, we got back to the streets, now an industrial grade asphalt made specifically for the carts and rickshaws of industrial life. We clopped past workshops and bulk marts, their fumes and steam kicking up fog in these chilly early hours as I considered that Elli and her position saved me yet again. This couldn¡¯t keep happening. I needed to grab life by the balls and finally get ahead by myself. And it wasn¡¯t just pride, no, one of these days I¡¯d get her into trouble, and that¡¯s the last thing I wanted. She meant so much more to me than I wanted to admit, and that¡¯s exactly the problem and reason why I didn¡¯t hook up with her. It would hurt so much more if our relationship turned sour. At least for now, is the same thing I kept saying to myself.

    We skittered around one corner, then another, and we were there. The siren was a simple affair, an old-tech audio tower with a series of broken glass tech displays and keys all around its base. It was an emergency klaxon, open to the public but only to be used in times of emergency. Often there was a guard posted, though they rarely cared to do their jobs well since no one was daft enough to ring a fake emergency, with those who did so dying in quite a bit of hungry pain.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    On this day and at this hour, the guard was in clear view a block away from his post, chatting with a lovely clean woman in a blue dress. They were giggling, and he was shyly toeing the pavement in front of him, twisting left and right like a schoolboy over his first crush.

    ¡°You gonna stand there and drool over muh lady, or are we going to start this damn thing?¡± Elli asked, imitating the guard¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Idiot. Do you want him to hear you?¡± I grumbled. ¡°You¡¯d have another black eye, and so would I for that matter.¡±

    She stuck her tongue out as we hurried along. Our motion caught the eye of the guard and drew out a belated, ¡°Whatcha on about, kids? Move along!¡± from his suddenly angry mouth.

    ¡°Sorry, sir!¡± I shot back as we disappeared behind a row of buildings.

    ¡°He¡¯s keeping an eye on the surroundings. Let¡¯s go around,¡± Elli said and we did just that, moving around the row of buildings and stopping at the corner.

    I peeked out around the corner and then nodded.

    ¡°Go.¡±

    I slapped the emergency key while Elli tapped level 10 and made sure the program had accepted it. Moments later, the shrill call of the sirens tore through the brightening morning.

    ¡°Elli, let¡¯s go!¡± I hissed, noticing she had yet to move away from the panel.

    ¡°Hold on ¨C I¡¯m imputing a delay function that should keep him from turning the siren off. It¡¯ll take a tech-savvy person to figure it out, and hopefully by then the knights are up and ready to fight.¡±

    The guard was trundling over to us with a grimace that spoke punches and groin kicks, and the speed at which he was moving suggested some minor enhancement surgeries. I balled up my fists, thought better of it, and dropped my pack, pulling out and extending a shovel.

    ¡°There is a real emergency coming! Mechs that we didn¡¯t recognize are fighting with a patrol of ours out in the wild. Many of them. Enough that they definitely came here for the city,¡± I yelled, my brain desperately spewing a stream-of-consciousness explanation in an attempt to avoid me getting my ass kicked. ¡°This is real danger! Get out of here and go tell your captain!¡±

    ¡°Fucking serf,¡± he spat. ¡°If this is some sort of prank, it won¡¯t just be me in the hunger pit. You savvy?¡±

    ¡°I savvy just fine,¡± I answered, placing his accent as southside grains district and attempting to adjust my own speech to meet it. ¡°Look, big bad is rolling out the fields, the woods are full of screechers, ye ken? I big know the works, bullshit get ye sent to da shark tank. I¡¯m not a BSer.¡±

    He stopped, staring me up and down.

    ¡°You a foodtown boy too?¡±

    ¡°Had a stint. Good folk. No BS.¡±

    His eyes shifted to my shovel. Behind me, Elli stood up with a final decisive click of the input button.

    ¡°It¡¯s done, Al. Let¡¯s get out of here!¡±

    ¡°Is my head, but I trust ya. Enemy mechs at the doorstep, ya?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll report it. I can see you down-lowing, so mum is the word. Get out of here, Foodtown lite. I got this sorted, and if it¡¯s true, find me. Now get!¡±

    I thanked him and put my shovel away. Together Elli and I made our way back to the steam carts, paying the fee once more and rolling over the tracks back to the workshop.

    The siren¡¯s blare had people rushing to the walls, ecstatic faces clearly showing that they were anticipating a monster attack, and I hoped they wouldn¡¯t get hurt when the mechs showed and started blasting at the city walls.

    Those people had little enough going for them already that they didn¡¯t need to get killed by stray fire.

    We sprinted out of the steam cart and headed for the workshop. My neck, back, and legs ached as we did, the heavy weight of ruck and plate finally bringing me down, and after unlocking and slapping open the door, I collapsed to the floor, shedding all my burdens off and giving myself one long sigh.

    Elli dropped her pack, too, shutting and locking the door before uncovering CD. His farmer image appeared almost immediately.

    ¡°Why are the sirens blaring? Oh, no! Did they catch you? I didn''t hear anything. Hide me! Now! I don¡¯t want to get--¡±

    ¡°We didn''t get caught, you scared little shit,¡± I said, cutting him off. ¡°All big talk about killing us apes and getting scared at a little siren.¡±

    ¡°Enough, Al, come on,¡± Elli said, shooting me an irritated look. ¡°If CD didn''t hear us talking--¡±

    ¡°The jammer is in effect,¡± CD growled. ¡°Whoever has it, or whatever mech is producing that effect, is here. Tell me about what you saw.¡±

    ¡°Strange-looking mechs. They don¡¯t seem too tough, but one of them sucks in soil and creates stone boulders that it can hurl far away.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Boulders. Such a powerful technological armament. We should abandon this place immediately,¡± CD blurted sarcastically. ¡°Oh, whatever will we do? Boulders are coming!¡±

    Elli stepped forward, her bruised face painfully swollen.

    ¡°Not the time for jokes, CD. This might be some serious danger. There were so many of them. They sound like Barbars, and from what I¡¯ve heard, Barbars strike hard and numerous from the wilds, tear through cities for loot and labor, and then disappear back to where they came from. They enslave people, CD. And if they get a hold of you, they¡¯d probably enslave you as well.¡±

    ¡°The notion,¡± CD pahhed. He cast a display onto the wall, a circle with a sweeping line, an active pinging noise sounding through the room on each swing. ¡°I''ve modified my scanners to run active ping countermeasures. It won''t fix our comms but, assuming the jamming effect is passive, I should be able to get data on the approaching forces.¡±

    After a few moments, faint circles appeared on the very edge of his display. One flashed red, and another display leapt from it, appearing on the wall beside the first.

    Mech Unit ¡°Unknown Classification¡±

    Processing ¨C Codename: Ape Killer

    Class: Reconnaissance Assault Mech

    Tech Level: Primitive Ape

    Armor Rating: 650

    Core Power Source: Crystalized Core (Level 3)

    Estimated Pilot Synchronization Rate: 37%

    Estimated Abilities:

    Stilted Agility: Increases movement speed by about half on uneven terrain. Reduces damage from falls and impacts by an uncertain percentage.

    Ballista Barrage: Launches a volley of supersonic bolts on recharge. Reusable once every¡­unsure. Perhaps a minute?

    Visor Scan: Can pinpoint weak points within a 500-yard radius¡­

    Core Overdrive: Temporarily boosts mech''s speed and attack by up to 50% for¡­a short while.

    Customizations:

    Reinforced Plating, Motion Silencers, Rapid Reloaders

    Estimated Weaknesses:

    Vulnerable to EMP and high-frequency sound attacks.

    Core overdraw can lead to automatic shutdown

    Possible Scavenge:

    Core Fragments

    High-Tensile Alloy Plates

    Ballista Bolts

    Processed Description:

    The Stiltwalker Mech, with its long-legged design, is optimized for reconnaissance and rapid assault in rugged terrains. Its distinctive silhouette allows for swift movement over obstacles that would hinder other mech types. The red visor is a sophisticated scanning tool that gives pilots a strategic advantage on the battlefield. Despite its frame growth from amazingly superior alien tech, the outer frame¡¯s ape design is feasibly advantageous on the battlefield.

    RATING: I give this design an Ape-Plus.

    ¡°That is amazing!¡± Elli exclaimed. ¡°How do you do that?¡±

    ¡°Active radar lock, pre-invasion satellite collation, atmospheric¡ªoh,¡± he said, locking his eyes on me. ¡°I mean, magic. It¡¯s magic. Look, I can do a mech a minute if necessary, but I estimate that these mechs aren¡¯t nearly a match for the Cataphracts and Toxotais of this city. It seems likely that the apemen of these wilds were planning to catch the city by surprise. Indeed, rather than fear this invasion, we should seize upon it. I have a mission for you two, a desperate one really given our timetable.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what is it,¡± I asked, casting him a suspicious glare.

    ¡°You are to head back out of the walls, and steal one of these Ape Killers.¡±

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 45

    The siren continued to wail as we made our way back to the walls with a plan that wasn¡¯t nearly as dangerous as last time. Or so we hoped.

    As a scavenger, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for one of my ilk to be found outside the walls during battle, trying to score pieces while those with less courage tapered in place, hoping for the battle to be quickly over.

    Desperation showed itself in all forms, and though I might get beaten for breaking the scavenging code, it was very unlikely I¡¯d get jailed. That was if I survived the encounter as there were so many things that could go wrong.

    We rushed through the coursing crowds, thick now since we were caught in the middle of it all. It¡¯d been a long time since we¡¯d been slow to hit the wall during an emergency¡ªI¡¯d almost forgotten what the messy middle of it was like. A human wave, Elli had once called it.

    They shoved and crushed, anxious not to miss the action, and Elli gave me a look that I recognized all too well.

    ¡°What if the tin-man drops out of my ruck?¡± I said, cursing that we''d even had to bring him along.

    Elli rolled her eyes, leaping up to the top of a tin-plate roof, and reaching down her hand to help me join her. It wasn¡¯t a particularly tall structure, and I could see a heavy helping of flat squat huts haphazardly rolling through the neighborhood. It was certainly a doable run, but what if I lost CD?

    ¡°Worth it,¡± Elli finally answered. ¡°We lose him, no one will know it was us that had him in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Unless the rat bastard squeals,¡± I muttered under my breath.

    Running forward, we jumped from roof to roof, leaping over gaps between structures, and clanging to the metallic rooftops of the new-tech hovels. These homes were a bit tougher than the scratch and scrabble of the very bottom class, tough enough to take our pounding feet, and as we sped by the mess of people on the streets below, I felt thankful that tin and iron were common in the region. I¡¯d heard before that in many places, serfs could only buy such goods in the black market.

    ¡°Hey, get off my house,¡± yelled a stout woman in a ragged work dress. I glanced at her as she shook her fist at us, before disappearing back indoors.

    Elli giggled.

    ¡°One of these days, we might piss off someone who can actually catch us.¡±

    ¡°Maybe when we¡¯re fifty,¡± I shot back, almost missing a leap in my distraction.

    Once we were past the majority of the crowd, we took back to some mid-tech asphalt and pushed toward the thinner edges of the mass of bodies. Continuing our clap and clatter to the very edges of the wall, I was surprised to see that the regiments had been called, their burly orange-capped forms lining up in roll-call formation, each of them holding onto a blue-steel plasti-halberd that sparkled the morning rays of the sun.

    ¡°Elli,¡± I began.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s unexpected,¡± she affirmed. We juked around them, then tore again for the wall. The soldiers didn¡¯t react, their super-enhanced bodies evidently preparing for some more important purpose than scavengers making for a quick take outside the city.

    The roaming guards that had been up on the walkway had been pulled off. That possibly meant that they were expecting raking fire, and a sensation of electric nervousness suddenly tore through my body.

    That meant they were preparing for the possibility that the enemy army was going to reach the walls. Only they didn¡¯t know it was an army but thought it was monsters. The Lord Commander of the city probably wasn¡¯t taking chances. Had he heard back from the lone survivor of the ambush out in the plains? Were they just putting up a show? Or was he making sure that if any monsters or mechs got through, there would be another force that would take them on?

    How many of the attackers even were there? We¡¯d only seen a dozen or so stilters and the big rock-thrower.

    Coming over the top of the wall, we looked out over the battlefield, where a mess of monsters had spilled onto the field. Their eyes all glowed electric blue, whatever that all meant in the monster world, and they¡¯d come in with several heavies, dozens of house-sized monsters, and a whole lot of lightlings. They were almost as dangerous as the bigger ones in their own way, as their speed and ferocity made up for their size. They barely stood a head or two taller than a regular-sized grown man or woman.

    The sight was both confusing and terrifying, making me wonder if we shouldn¡¯t rush back across the wall and warn the soldiers we¡¯d seen on our way. Those weren¡¯t the enemy that we¡¯d seen earlier. None of it made sense. Why would there suddenly be a herd of monsters going for the city?

    Then it dawned on me. Barbarians . . .herds . . .and slavery. It was a fucking trap. Almost certainly they¡¯d rounded up and driven these monsters forward, though how they¡¯d accomplished such a feat was beyond my understanding.

    Elli pointed, her mouth wide as a Cataphract grabbed hold of a fleshy Ogoran, kicking it back when it belched forth dark-green acid, then stabbed it through the heart. A dozen lightlings were clamoring onto the legs of the Cataphracts, despite the efforts of the Vangers and Toxotai to get rid of them, and the long blare of a trumpet signified the opening of the city gates, and the rollout of Alnda¡¯s finest foot soldiers into the battle.

    ¡°Shit, things are getting out of hand, Elli! We gotta move!¡± I yelled, pointing to a nearby copse of trees. ¡°We¡¯ll hide there and have CD see what to do next!¡±

    She nodded, attaching a rope to the wall and then repelling down quickly. I followed right behind her and we ran across a brief expanse of open field before settling between a small group of thick, tall trees and a single large rock nestled between them. They were surrounded by thick bushes. It was the perfect hiding spot.

    I pulled CD out of my ruck, and a moment later his shimmering image appeared, still a farmer but this time as small as a mouse.

    ¡°Now what?¡± he squeaked, Elli stifling a giggle.

    ¡°The battle has started, but it¡¯s all monsters. There¡¯re no mechs anywhere. Is there any way you can use your magic to give us an idea of what¡¯s going on? I smell a trap.¡±

    ¡°Trap? So dishonorable. You can take a simian from its tree, but the moment it feels threatened by honorable combat, you can bet it¡¯ll climb right back up and start flinging its poo at you.¡±

    ¡°Did you just say poo?¡± Elli asked.

    CD didn¡¯t answer, and instead, a diagram played out of the ground next to us. It was a bit difficult to see in the shimmering dawn, but the bushes provided just enough shade so we could make out the lines of the terrain and the red circles of the enemy.

    There were so many red circles. What looked to be a hundred of them were heading in the direction of the Cataphracts from four different angles, all formed into a flying wedge formation that would allow them to fire their weapons from all sides.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    CD drew arrows to show their tactical movements, and it became instantly clear that our mechs were about to be cut off from the rest of the city.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Elli hissed.

    She had family in the city, of course, and it¡¯s not like we wanted the rest to die helplessly.

    I took one more look at the map and then pointed at a group of five mecha coming in from even further off to the side.

    ¡°Scan these.¡±

    Mech Unit ¡°Terraform Catapult¡±

    Processing ¨C Codename: Earthshaker

    Class: Artillery/Siege

    Tech Level: Intermediate Terraformer

    Armor Rating: 780

    Core Power Source: Geo-Thermal Core (Level 4)

    Estimated Pilot Synchronization Rate: 46%

    ESTIMATED ABILITIES:

    Geo-Synthesis Chamber: Converts absorbed rocks and soil into dense boulders. Efficiency depends on the mineral composition of the terrain.

    Catapult Launch System: Fires created boulders at a high velocity. Capable of adjusting range and projectile size. Recharge time varies with boulder size, probably ranging from half a minute up to three minutes.

    Terrain Adaptation: Enhanced mobility on various terrains, utilizing its four-legged design for added stability and maneuverability.

    Defensive Shielding: Generate shields using any excess geo-energy, offering protection against incoming attacks for a short duration.

    CUSTOMIZATIONS:

    Advanced Filtration System, to ensure only the most suitable materials are absorbed for the boulder creation process.

    Precision Targeting System, for improved accuracy of the catapult launch system.

    Energy Recapture Mechanism, to reclaim a portion of expended energy during boulder creation and firing.

    ESTIMATED WEAKNESSES:

    Limited Mobility in Dense Urban Environments, due to its size and frame type.

    Vulnerable to all types of attacks, especially when the Geo-Synthesis Chamber is active and consuming power.

    Resource Dependency: effectiveness can vary significantly based on the availability and quality of local terrain materials.

    POSSIBLE SCAVENGE:

    Geo-Thermal Core Fragments

    Advanced Alloy Framework Pieces

    Precision Targeting Optics

    PROCESSED DESCRIPTION:

    The Earthshaker is a Siege Artillery Mech designed for long-range bombardment, utilizing a unique mechanism to absorb, process, and launch boulders at enemy fortifications or units. Its four-legged design not only provides exceptional stability during the firing process but also enhances its capability to traverse varied terrains with ease. The Geo-Synthesis Chamber is a core feature, allowing the Earthshaker to adapt its ammunition based on available resources, making it a versatile asset in prolonged sieges. The mech''s design incorporates an intermediate level of terraforming technology, balancing offensive capabilities with environmental adaptability. Its defensive shielding and precision targeting system make it a formidable mech against both stationary and mobile targets, while the advanced filtration system ensures optimal use of materials for boulder creation.

    ¡°That¡¯s the one we saw before, right?¡± I hissed. ¡°What do you think, CD? Can our forces defeat them?¡±

    CD¡¯s hologram snorted.

    ¡°Intercepted transmissions indicate that the city is in panic. All available mechs of every type have been called to the battlefield. I think they would easily win if it weren¡¯t for one more wild card.¡±

    A new screen displayed on the grass, and we gaped as we read.

    Mech Unit ¡°Ancient Arsenal Leviathan¡±

    Processing ¨C Codename: Titan''s Wrath

    Class: Heavy Assault

    Tech Level: Ancient Relic

    Armor Rating: 1,120

    Core Power Source: Fusion-Based Core (Old Tech Level 5) Estimated Pilot Synchronization Rate: N/A

    ESTIMATED ABILITIES:

    Missile Barrage: Equipped with a limited cache of ancient tech missiles, the mech is capable of massive destruction over a wide area. Each missile possesses unique properties based on lost technology, with a total of five missiles detected in inventory.

    Aegis Field Generator: Creates a powerful shield around the mech, capable of deflecting energy-based attacks and reducing the impact of physical attacks. Operable for a limited duration before requiring a long cool-down.

    Quad-Core Empowerment: Enhances the mech''s physical and energy attacks through a series of core compartments diagonal to its central core, significantly increasing damage output for short periods.

    Temporal Stasis Trap: Can deploy a device that generates a temporal stasis field, disabling enemies within a small radius for several seconds.

    CUSTOMIZATIONS:

    Ancient Alloy Reinforcement; makes the armor exceptionally durable against most modern weapons.

    Energy Siphon System: allows the mech to drain energy from the surrounding area to recharge its core.

    Precision Guidance System: increase the unerring accuracy of its missile barrage.

    ESTIMATED WEAKNESSES:

    Limited Ammunition: Once its missiles are expended, its offensive capabilities are significantly reduced.

    High Energy Consumption: The advanced systems consume vast amounts of energy, leading to potential vulnerabilities if the core is depleted.

    Pilot Synchronization Difficulty: The ancient tech requires a highly specialized pilot; lower synchronization rates may result in slower response times.

    POSSIBLE SCAVENGE:

    Fusion-Based Core Fragments

    Ancient Tech Missile Components

    PROCESSED DESCRIPTION:

    The Titan''s Wrath is a Heavy Assault Mech, a relic of ancient technology far surpassing the capabilities of contemporary designs. Its imposing presence on the battlefield is matched only by its devastating arsenal, particularly the limited but incredibly powerful missile barrage. With armor reinforced by materials lost to time and a core that harnesses fusion energy, it represents a peak of mech warfare technology that has not been replicated in modern times.

    The Aegis Field Generator and Temporal Stasis Trap offer both defensive and offensive strategic options, making it a formidable opponent against any who dare challenge it. Despite its strengths, the Ancient Arsenal Leviathan''s effectiveness is tempered by its limitations, including its reliance on a finite ammunition supply and the demands it places on its pilot for effective synchronization. In the hands of a skilled pilot, however, it can change the tide of battle, making it a wild card of unparalleled power on the battlefield.

    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t even know what most of that means!¡± Elli hissed. ¡°CD!¡±

    ¡°This is old stuff from before your people devolved into what you are today,¡± CD replied, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Behold the power of the ancients!¡±

    We peeked out from behind cover, eyes roaming over the battlefield as Alnda¡¯s mechs and soldiers were desperately trying to get rid of the monsters before engaging the enemy mechs.

    The Cataphracts were fighting both monster and Barbar, a horde of easily one hundred stiltwalkers encircling them on all sides, while knots of the enemy mechs fought running battles with the Toxotais outside of the circle¡¯s edge. Vanger constabulary and Alndan foot soldiers clashed with monster lightlings and Barbar infantry, hulking men who wore no armor and wielded what looked to be electric greatswords, axes, and hammers, their blades sparking erratically as the men swung and chopped at the enemy before them.

    From the forest stomped the Earthshakers, sucking up and grinding dirt, the process taking too long to be effective in a quick battle, but that wasn¡¯t their role in battle anyway. Once their projectiles were done, more of our mechs or even the wall would tremble.

    The Cataphracts cut through the stiltwalkers and monsters alike with equal ease, killing over twenty within a single minute. Toxotai attacked them from afar, launching three-foot-long bolts that shredded mech frames and exploded monsters. The tide was halted, and the soldiers were pushing in from the back, clearing the lightlings and providing support to the stiltwalkers, who were too unwieldy against smaller targets.

    Then a piercing, shrieking sound cut through the din of battle, and the ground erupted as a blastwave shook the entire battlefield, chunks of monster meat, mech parts, and general debris flying in all directions. Several small pieces slammed into the trees next to us, and we ducked, hiding from the blinding light. The battle halted for what felt like an eternity as everything spun around me, my ears deaf to any sound and my eyes barely able to make Elli out who lay below me.

    I blinked the pain away and looked up through the bush. Where the White Knights had stood only moments before, now was a blackened crater filled with shattered mechs and the unseen bodies of their pilots.

    The Barbars cheered as the forces of Alnda hurried to retreat back into the city. Another ear-splitting shrieking sound followed, and I spotted a cylindrical device that CD outlined with red lines, as it soared through the air. A second later, it hit the gates of Alndal.

 CHAPTER 46

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± I hissed, my ears ringing lightly. There were spots in my eyes from the bright flash of light that¡¯d come from the collision. Where the gates had stood moments ago, there was only destruction and death. Burnt and blasted bodies, mech pieces, and pieces of the gate and wall were all that remained.

    Elli held her hands up to her mouth, her head shaking, while CD flashed a different screen for us to view.

    ¡°You need to see this, monkeys. I know that you are hurting right now, but read this immediately,¡± his voice came. The AI sounded even sympathetic in a way, which was a change I liked.

    Processed Designation: G-14 Graviton

    Variants: MM-7 Terra specified; unique old tech

    Mobility and Role:

    Siege Artillery Missile

    Sub-Orbital Launch Capability with Ground-to-Ground Impact

    Max Speed: Unknown; presumed instantaneous terminal phase Designer/Producer: Unknown Ancient Civilization

    Range: Estimated up to 50 miles, depending on launch altitude

    Warhead Type and Weight:

    500kg Graviton Pulse Warhead; utilizes localized gravity distortion for impact

    2500kg launch weight including the graviton pulse generator and ancient tech propulsion

    Guidance System/Accuracy:

    Entanglement Targeting; Near-Perfect Accuracy with Temporal Adjustment Capabilities

    Integrated with Old Tech Sensors for live target adjustments

    Cruise Altitude: Sub-orbital trajectory with atmospheric re-entry phase

    Propellant: Old Tech Propulsion System

    IOC/Retirement: Unknown; presumed operational from ancient times until now as a relic

    Status/Number of Units: Extremely limited; estimated to be a rare ancient relic

    Launch Vehicles:

    Mobile Weapons Platforms (Mech)

    Fixed Tech Silos (Speculative)

    OVERVIEW:

    The G-14 Graviton is a ground-to-ground siege artillery missile that was used by the humans of the last great war. It currently stands as a remnant of that civilization''s warfare technologies. This missile is characterized by its cylindrical body, marked by human scripts and a propulsion system far advanced beyond current societal capabilities.

    The G-14 Graviton''s warhead utilizes a graviton pulse generator to create a localized gravity distortion upon impact, enhancing the destructive power beyond the conventional explosive yield. This allows the missile to not only cause physical destruction but also disrupt enemy formations and fortifications by manipulating gravitational forces.

    The propulsion system uses reproducible liquid fuel and can adjust its trajectory in real time to strike moving targets or adapt to sudden battlefield changes.

    Due to its ancient origin, the number of operational G-14 Gravitons is estimated to be exceedingly low, each unit almost certainly an irreplaceable relic of old human society.

    I scanned over the words, then looked to Elli for a possible explanation, as I barely had any idea of what this all meant.

    ¡°Missiles,¡± she whispered. ¡°They were used to wipe out whole cities in the times of old, Al. To kill thousands at the touch of a button.¡±

    ¡°That is what power looks like, apes. That is might. It is how enemies crumble and bake in the wind. And for us, it is an opportunity.¡±

    The two of us turned, staring into the miniature farmer projection as he gesticulated at the gate. He looked back out, watching as farm mechs, cargo mechs, and an assortment of even smaller menial types joined the fighting forces of the city to keep the enemy horde from entering the city.

    ¡°All those ripe human targets, clumped together to keep the city safe. The perfect time to strike. And yet, I don¡¯t see any missiles. Because two missiles are already two too many. Pre-sapient simians can¡¯t make any more. That means the missiles are done, the fighting is heavy, and we have ten times the chance we had to get ourselves some prime mech parts and make something powerful. Something akin to the times of old.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m . . .not following,¡± I said with a hint of confusion. ¡°You want us to capture that missile mech?¡±

    ¡°No, you mongrel. We need to get back to the city!¡±

    I watched the battle as we packed up CD, tightening my ruck straps as the mechs, monsters, and infantry all shoved and clubbed at each other. Steel clashed against steel, the air a twang of ballista and the occasional crash of a boulder.

    We definitely weren¡¯t going to go back the way we¡¯d come, I decided. Finished securing my pack, I grabbed Elli¡¯s shoulder and pointed to an empty side wall. She just nodded and we took off running, tearing through the open field at a breakneck pace, huffing and panting as we made our way back. Time wasn¡¯t on our side, and if even one of the enemy mechs or monsters saw us, we could very well die before we ever had the chance to reach the city.

    A motion caught my eye, and I glanced sideways, seeing a trio of stiltwalkers coming for the same section of wall. My guts sank into my feet as I tried to think of a quick solution, but I didn¡¯t have any.

    ¡°Damn,¡± I gasped. ¡°Why the hell isn¡¯t anyone there to defend the walls?¡±

    The first of the stiltwalkers reached the wall, well ahead of us, and was probing the sides with its ballista-clad hands. The second arrived, and the first turned and knelt, giving the second a boost up to the top of the battlements. When it reached the top, it suddenly fell back, a massive ballista bolt stuck in its cockpit.

    ¡°An ambush!¡± Elli exclaimed. ¡°It was a trap!¡±

    The other two mechs scrambled away as the wounded Toxotai from the first fight rose from its hunched position, firing again at the retreating enemy.

    I fell to the ground, belly down, and stayed low as the Toxotai fired after the two retreating mechs, hitting the leg of the one that had fallen behind. It tore through with ease, a karmic fate given what they¡¯d done to him previously.

    We shot back up to our feet and closed the last hundred yards or so, only to see his head turn in our direction.

    ¡°Tech thieves! You¡¯re lucky we¡¯re at war or I¡¯d have your head here and now!¡± a stern voice crackled through its speakers. ¡°Get in here before I change my mind!¡±

    We shared a disbelieving look as he reached down, letting us climb into his palm, and lifting us up and over the wall. He almost threw us down, not bothering with being too gentle, and then turned back away toward the enemy line.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± I yelled at the auxiliary, meaning it. ¡°May you survive the battle, good sir!¡±

    He waved with his free hand, not bothering to grace us with another word.

    We hurried down the wall just as he tried to move his mangled leg. A grinding and crackling sound came from the mech, and then a spurt of oily liquid squeezed out in a jet as he moved.

    ¡°Mobility kill. I¡¯ll give him a free fix when this is all done. It¡¯s the least I can do,¡± Elli said.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed. ¡°I guess less of them are assholes than we thought, huh.¡±

    Just as we reached the bottom, two loud thuds resounded above us as boulders slammed into the wall, and then a shrieking, cracking noise followed. I instinctively ducked forward, slamming into Elli and covering her with my body as the mech fell backward, his leg exploded into plasti-shrapnel, and his chest cratered. The wall itself now held a huge U-shaped hole in it¡ªsomething that the enemy could easily traverse.

    ¡°Shit, sorry,¡± I cursed, pushing myself back up and giving her a hand.

    ¡°You almost killed my boob! Be gentle with a woman, you ass. No wonder you¡¯re still single,¡± she mock-yelled, rubbing her chest.

    ¡°Yeah, well, fuck it, woman. I don¡¯t need no one else to worry about as you¡¯re already more than I can deal with!¡± I shot back, pulling her up.

    We fled from the walls, almost immediately running into a large crowd of fearful citizens who were themselves trying to get out of the way and run back home or to the shelters. It all amounted to the same thing¡ªAlnda was now a scene of chaos and fear, a rumpled panicked mob that crushed and trampled anyone not fast enough to get out of the way.

    We ducked into an alleyway, stamping through a pool of stagnant muck and filth to give the next street a try. As Elli and I emerged from the shadow of an alley, we heard the slobbering growls of monsters and turned to see a dozen lightlings, three lizardlike and the others a sort of proto-human monstrosity, tearing into the edges of the civilians. Beyond them, I caught a glimpse of a Stiltwalker walking backward, firing bolts at a Toxotai defender.

    ¡°The city has fallen,¡± cried one man.

    ¡°The end is nigh!¡± cried another.

    There was a strong smell of food and gear oil here, and I saw that the usual street carts had been toppled, some of them looted as well. Overhead, the sky, which had been clear moments before, was now marred by growing lines of black smoke billowing from the direction of the destroyed gates.

    I looked around frantically, pulling Elli with me as I skirted the crowd to bring us to a house ladder. The area was made up of larger stone homes, a wealthier mercantile district whose many homes ran two stories. It wasn¡¯t at all the sort of roof-jumping I ever wanted to be a part of, but after scanning the crowd and the approaching monsters, I knew we had no choice.

    I pushed her up ahead of me and made the mistake of looking over my shoulder. People surged and screamed in a frenzied tide, their faces etched with fear. A mother clutching her two children pushed past, her eyes wide and unseeing. An old man, his gait slow and unsteady, was nearly knocked to the ground as a younger man shoved past him, making for the very ladder that Elli and I were using to get to the rooftop.

    I kicked out, my self-preservation instinct kicking in. He was in no state to reason, and I had to protect both CD and Elli, so I did what was necessary. I hurried up the ladder and grabbed onto her hand, allowing her to help pull me up. Cries of pain and those of soldiers barking orders resounded from below. There weren¡¯t many of them, but the soldiers had formed a line, along with a small group of citizens that picked up anything they could use as weapons. Brave, but futile against lightlings in such close quarters.

    More monsters surged in from side alleys and streets, but they were being chased by more soldiers and guards, that quickly joined the battle.

    Elli squeezed my arm and then nodded toward the adjacent rooftop. I took in a deep breath and stood as she leaped across, almost slipping. I swallowed the lump in my throat and set myself for the jump. Ahead of me, Elli continued, jumping to the next one and the next. I followed suit, my ruck bouncing wildly on my back with each stride.

    Strangely, CD wasn¡¯t giving us any stupid remarks and just kept quiet as we tried to navigate the rooftops without slipping and falling to our deaths.

    Moving through the city, we had to stop as the building grew smaller, ending our run at a familiar intersection. I noticed the smashed facade of a bakery, the Green-Eyed Pleasures I frequented, its windows blown out, and its once-welcoming door hanging off its hinges. The small, huddled figure of Jennen was trying to salvage what remained inside.

    Further down the street, a group of guards were fighting more lightlings, and giving them a reason to regret ever coming. The soldiers were brutes, their core-surgeries showing well as they tore through scaled monster bodies and carapaces with the ease of shredding paper.

    ¡°Hey, we need to go,¡± Elli said, drawing me back to the matter at hand. ¡°They got it. There¡¯s no need for us to die a stupid man¡¯s death, Al. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not, it¡¯s just . . .why? Why are they doing this? There¡¯s no way they can take the city without destroying it. There are several other battle groups that haven¡¯t even joined the fighting yet.¡±

    ¡°Because . . .they¡¯re human. Isn¡¯t it in our nature to wage wars and kill one another? Anyway, we can talk about that later. Come on.¡±

    I moved us into an alley, dropping my pack and pulling CD back out. He materialized and started up his scanner, radar pings rolling outwards over the city.

    ¡°Techer¡¯s square. Get there, now. A damaged enemy mech is hiding there between several buildings. The majority of the Barbars have been pushed out of the city, proving to be even more simian than you apes.¡±

    ¡°Enough, CD, or I¡¯ll leave you here.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± he said, raising his voice with a hint of incredulity.

    ¡°I would. Tell me, what type is it?¡±

    ¡°Ugh. I¡¯ll swallow my pride this once, so listen carefully. It is one of the stiltwalkers, and I have tremendous plans for what to do with it if we can get the mech into your workshop. But you have to get there fast before anyone can see what we¡¯re doing.¡±

    Techer¡¯s square wasn¡¯t far away, just a five-minute run, so we popped him back in the ruck and took off as fast as we could, heading through ravaged and mostly empty streets, before turning a corner and coming into view.

    Unlike much of the city, this place stood untouched, a number of the buildings whirring with the sound of electrical arcs and other riot-defense perimeters activated after the alchemi-scientists took their most important possessions and fled.

    Here, the cobblestone of the poorer areas was all expensive mid-tech, recreated by the proprietors of the Innovator¡¯s and Inventor¡¯s Guilds, the buildings weathered but expensive granite with timber edging, actual sleek, glass-and-metal windows, and the constant purr of electricity buzzing through the electrical lines that hung between each of the buildings. The air smelled of burning incense, mingled with the sharp tang of hour-old ozone, most assuredly from one of the many scientists'' experiments.

    On one side, a half-timbered building with leaded glass windows housed an alchemist''s den, its open door revealing shelves lined with jars of brightly colored liquids and powders. A cauldron simmered quietly over a fire, bubbles popping to release a fragrance that was at once sweet and acrid.

    Just across the way stood a laboratory of steel and glass, its clean lines and minimalist design looking as old-tech as its proprietor could make it. Through the large glass windows, I saw gears and coils surrounding a central table where a device hummed with energy. Sparks leaped from its core to dance along the conduits webbing the ceiling.

    And in the heart of the Techer''s Square stood a fountain, an intricate sculpture of intertwined dragons and gears, water cascading from their mouths to pool below in a clear, tinkling melody.

    Nestled between two buildings off to the right, I noticed the crippled Stiltwalker. It was slumped against the side of the building, sparks of electricity dancing across the pate of its cockpit. The mech was clearly on its last legs. Its frame was heavily battered, its armor pitted and scarred, and one of its arms hung on solely by the heavy tendon-laced rubber-covered wiring that helped run it.

    Beside this fallen giant stood its pilot. The man had wild long blond hair that cascaded over the hodgepodge of furs and salvaged plates that made up his uniform. He was heavily bearded, and a sharp diamond of a scar crossed over his right eye. He stared at me, growling, holding tightly to a sharp steel hand ax whose edges glinted in the soot-filtered sunlight.

    The barbarian screamed something, a guttural language full of hard k¡¯s and z¡¯s that I couldn¡¯t understand. After a moment, he roared, then charged. Elli and I spread out, me going right while she went left, and the barbarian ignored her, leaping for me and swinging his ax. He was wounded, but not enough to hinder his assault.

    I ducked and rolled, feeling the rush of air as the blade missed me by mere inches. Bouncing back to my feet, I saw a snarl on Elli¡¯s bruised face and she made to plant a boot in the barbarian''s back. But he dodged, kicking her legs out from under her as he did so. Turning back to me, he pointed and screamed more words before charging again.

    I ducked and juked but fell to my side, a sharp pain tearing through my ankle. Cursing, I looked up to see him swinging again and I scrambled back, searching for anything I could use as a weapon. My hand found a loose piece of mid-tech cobble, and I clutched it tightly.

    It wasn''t the best weapon in the world, but with my enhanced strength, maybe it would be enough. I gazed at his approach, calculating. I figured I¡¯d only have one shot at this, so I held back, staring up at him as he advanced. And I waited.

    Stepping forward, the barbarian reared back to swing again, an overhead cleave that would surely end me. I sat up and threw the stone in one motion, striking him in the face.

    Bullseye.

    He fell back, his ax clattering away and sliding across the cobblestones to rest just out of reach. I noticed that his leg was bleeding just as much as his side, probably from the mech battles he¡¯d fought before, and a plan snapped into place. One that ideally involved ending me eating dinner with Elli that night, and with all of my limbs intact.

    ¡°This better work!¡± I hissed, making a snap decision to lunge for his weapon.

    If I was right and he was in worse shape than he looked, I¡¯d get it just in time and could then end his miserable life. I shot forward, and he tried to match but his leg gave out and he collapsed, his bearded chin smashing against the ground before me.

    My fingers curled around the ax handle as I stood over him, panting. The Barbar lay below me, dazed and staring at me with a bloodshot eye. Elli lay nearby, blood running from her forehead where she must have hit the cobbled road. There was nothing less that I wanted to do right then, but if I hadn¡¯t gotten to his weapon, it would have been one of us lying on the ground and waiting to be killed. If it came to our lives or someone else''s, I would always pick ours, even if it was the end of the world.

    ¡°Unlucky mother¡ª¡± I grumbled, my arm still raised. He squinted his eye and his right arm reached for something on his side. Doing the only thing I could do, I brought the ax down and ended him.

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 47

    Under smoky skies and in the faint echoes of crashing, screaming combat, the dead silhouette of the stiltwalker lay before us, oozing fluids and generally looking three shades of wrecked.

    I sighed as I examined it with a scavenger¡¯s eye. There was a lot of good loot to be got from it, I was sure. But we couldn¡¯t exactly rip pieces out and ruck them over to the workshop, back and forth through the city, without getting found out.

    ¡°We¡¯re screwed, aren¡¯t we?¡± I asked, placing my hand on one warped and gnarled plasti-steel foot.

    Elli stood beside me, eyeing the joints and dented breastplate.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We might be able to get it moving, but attunement would be an issue for sure. I¡¯ve never seen a mech like this before in my life, and if I¡¯m to be honest, it looks just as barbaric as those people that attacked the city.¡±

    ¡°Well that''s judgy,¡± I joked. ¡°Mechs can¡¯t choose how they look, Elli.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, whatever. Now¡¯s not the time for joking, Al. Anyway, I could probably get it hobbling, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯d listen to me once we go into the cockpit.¡±

    CD¡¯s hologram popped up on the mech¡¯s mangled leg, grinning ear to ear. He still had the same face as his farmer hologram, but he¡¯d adjusted his image slightly and was now wearing the orange-capped attire of one of the city¡¯s infantry. It was interesting seeing him close-up like this; the infantry were the sort of dicks that you stayed away from and didn¡¯t look at too long when they were milling about in uniform.

    I examined the helmet, noting how it gleamed in the sun, and wondered if that wasn¡¯t a defensive feature to use against enemies in midday. The visor, too, was something I¡¯d never really paid attention to either. It was translucent plastic and had to cost quite a penny. That made me wonder how much of an impact it would take to break it.

    True to form, CD was also clutching one of the blue-steel plasti-halberds. Other than the occasional flicker, he absolutely looked the part, which only made it even creepier. He hadn¡¯t been out once near any soldier and was yet able to copy them perfectly.

    ¡°Carry on, ape-citizens. Your hero has arrived. The banana bank is safe under my watch!¡± CD said in a stern voice, mimicking the soldiers. ¡°I¡¯ll take watch while you get this thing ready to move.¡±

    We stared, unsure of what to do.

    ¡°Fix this thing, you lazy apes! Get it moving!¡± CD exclaimed. Looking from me to Elli, the hologram¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Yes, of course, you would need instructions on how to actually do it. Elli, I expected better of you.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± she blurted. ¡°I can fix it. It¡¯ll just take too long.¡±

    CD walked over to the mech, surveying it like a human would, though I expected that was more for show than out of necessity.

    ¡°Ahh, yes, I can see the problem. It is much like giving an ape some blocks and a round hole. It might take days before they push the right object through.¡±

    A diagram sprouted out from his image to land in the dirt before Elli. She knelt, reading over the words and taking in the shapes.

    ¡°But, would that really work?¡± she asked in a hushed, awed tone. ¡°It¡¯s so simple!¡±

    I knelt to take a look as well, but I might as well have been reading old script for as much as I understood any of it. CD took one look at me and tsked.

    ¡°I will scan for simians, and if any of them approach the area, I will warn them off,¡± he stated. ¡°Ooh ooh, ah ah, no bananas here. Should be enough for most of them.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, standing back up to face him. ¡°What about attunement? If Elli can even get it working, how will we move it?¡±

    ¡°If?!¡± Elli grumped, already moving to the hulk and reaching into an exposed mess of rubber-tubed arteries. ¡°I¡¯ll have it up in 5 minutes. Won¡¯t last long, but we can get it as far as my mech bays I¡¯d guess.¡±

    ¡°Al,¡± CD said, surprising me by actually using my name directly. ¡°I can attune to sapient beings much in the same way sapients can attune to mechs. I can, briefly, attune to you as you attune to the mech, giving you complete control over its motions while also holding my breath to avoid the ape stink. Oh, and you will have a nasty case of the pains once we¡¯re done, but hey, someone needs to be the mule, right?¡±

    There it was. I knew the respect wouldn¡¯t last. I nodded and turned to Elli.

    ¡°Anything I can help with?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, hold this here and¡ª¡±

    Several nerve-wracking minutes later, the mech stood, though it was still spilling fluids and sparking harder than a welder, but it was certainly serviceable. We climbed up the mech¡¯s body, using its many cracks as leverage, then slipped into the cockpit.

    The insides of the barbarian''s mech were a mess of sparks and smoke with a large dent in one side of the spherical interior. Under dim red-lensed light, the design was best described as crude yet functional, where high voltage electricity danced along exposed wires. Their endings glowed bright orange as if they had just been pulled from the depths of a forge.

    The space was cluttered with furs of various beasts, tanned and cured in a way that would have been familiar to the cavemen of old, and at the heart of it all sat a throne cobbled together from simple metals and plastics. It was more than just a seat; it was a collapsible command chair attached to the middle of a plasti-steel bench, which in turn spanned the width of the cockpit. It was easy to see the purpose of the bench¡ªit offered not just a place of command but also a makeshift haven for the barbarian to carry allies or perhaps captives alongside him across the treacherous landscapes of the wilds.

    The control panels were a patchwork of old tech and wild technologies, but they were similar enough to the stuff our own people produced that they weren¡¯t hard to figure out. Screens flickered with intermittent data, their displays chock full of foreign sigils and runes that I couldn¡¯t understand. There were the regular levers and buttons, of course, but they were worn past what our knights would have considered acceptable, the fingerprints of the dead pilot practically worn into the rubber and plastic of their make. And in spots on the cracked plastic of the control board, there lay drops of congealed blood.

    ¡°This is considerably more apish than I would have expected,¡± CD said, his holographic face contorted into an exaggerated grimace.

    ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Well, I do, in fact,¡± he replied, either not picking up on my sarcasm or deciding not to take the bait. ¡°The technology of my people being reduced to cave dwellings is an affront to nature. As I help you both ascend in power, I expect you to redress these misgivings and to civilize the simians under your tribal command.¡±

    I put up a finger to protest, but sniffing the air and smelling urine, I found that I couldn¡¯t disagree. I put my hand back down and slipped into the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Hey, wait a second. Shouldn¡¯t I drive?¡± Elli protested. ¡°I¡¯ve piloted mechs before. Briefly, sure, but I have some experience at least.¡±

    ¡°Elli,¡± I said, breaking in before CD could cause some problems. ¡°Look, you heard him. There will be a lot of strain on the pilot¡¯s body, so in case shit hits the fan, you can still save us.¡±

    Her expression softened, turned into a scowl, and then into a grin.

    ¡°Damn right! And when I do save you, let¡¯s just say that you have no idea what I¡¯m going to do to you,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°Now hit it before this thing falls apart.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you primates!¡± CD began, his voice carrying a mix of derision and excitement. ¡°We¡¯re not ready yet. This mech has been imprinted on its pilot, so we will need to bypass the main power relay. There''s a secondary circuit panel beneath the left control console. You''ll reroute the power through that, and it¡¯ll be like the mech¡¯s been reborn. It¡¯ll take any pilot after that.¡±

    ¡°Imprint?¡± I asked as Elli sprang to action, already popping the panel open.

    CD nodded.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°If you spend enough time with a mech, it¡¯ll grow a bond with you. A vague one, since they aren¡¯t too smart, but they¡¯ll gain familiarity with you and if used long enough, they attune to you the same way you can attune to it. My sensors indicate that this mech has been a very long time with the man you just murdered in cold blood. Ohh, the barbarism! I¡¯ve been reduced to taking pity from barbarians!¡±

    ¡°Murdered? Hey!¡± I protested. ¡°Stop acting like you¡¯re any kind of victim here, you ass. Get us out of here and I might start thinking of you as more than just a heap of circuits.¡±

    ¡°Apes do that regularly, so it¡¯s fine,¡± he said, ignoring me. ¡°I¡¯m just happy you didn¡¯t tear down some of those pelts and fashion them into a loin cloth.¡±

    I heard the clatter of tools and the occasional curse coming from Elli as she reworked the power routing.

    ¡°These hydraulics are shot, too. By my estimation, we¡¯ll need to preserve the juice we have left to get through the city. Elli, do you see the pressure valves down there? You''re going to manually adjust them to compensate. It''s going to be rough, but it''ll hold for short bursts of movement. Just don''t expect to outrun any city guards, even though they¡¯re no better than armored gorillas,¡± CD said, rushing through the words.

    ¡°Was just about to do that,¡± Elli complained. I heard the sound of metal torquing, and then she popped her head back up, her face and overalls covered in black, brown, and red smudges. ¡°That all?¡±

    ¡°Now we attune. Alaric, take my physical body and give it to Elli. Now, Elli, hold it against the base of Alaric¡¯s neck.¡±

    She reached across me, and I awkwardly pressed myself farther back into the seat as her body rubbed against my own. For a moment I felt as if she was doing it on purpose, but the thought was only fleeting and passed quickly. There were more immediate concerns to worry about.

    She was back in place in a moment and pushed the cylinder against the back of my neck. That¡¯s when the hurt began.

    The pain was immediate and searing, a sensation that went beyond smashing my thumb with a hammer and transcended into the realm of stepping on a sharp actuator with bare feet in the middle of the night. It burned through me, raising the hair on my arms and tingling my tongue with sharp lemon-tasting frizzles of electric might. The back of my neck burned where Elli pressed CD, and for a moment, I thought I was going to pass out.

    Elli¡¯s hand found my own, and I clenched it hard, my eyes finding hers and riding through the warmth I found there. All at once, it ceased.

    ¡°Welcome to godhood,¡± CD whispered in my mind.

    ¡°Is that it, then?¡± I asked. ¡°Are we ready to go?¡±

    CD snickered in my mind, and all at once, I was flooded with ice, a cold, dark ocean of monstrous membranes, electrical wiring, and rubber tubing. I could vaguely sense pulsing cores of energy in various parts of my body, but none more powerful than the core that occupied my chest itself. I reached out, feeling it squirm under my hesitating grasp.

    ¡°You are its master, Alaric. Stop being an ape and show it what it needs to do.¡±

    I pushed my mind into it, giving the mech instructions and images of how to stand and move under my direction. I could feel the cockpit rumble as the mech accepted me and stood, and my vision blurred as my mind, directed by CD, accepted the new visual sensations of my mech host.

    I scanned my surroundings, seeing the mid-tech cobble under my feet from a distance that I was quite unused to. The disparity between its height and my own was dizzying, and I could feel myself taking a step backward, barely avoiding a fall.

    ¡°Steady,¡± CD commanded, and I stood stock still, getting my bearings. The cold, icy feeling seized me even more, allowing me to feel the mech as an extension of myself. It was an odd sensation, one like wading into slushy water but instead of freezing to death, it became almost pleasant in a way.

    ¡°You two ready yet?¡± Elli asked hurriedly.

    I was dimly aware of her hand still interlaced with mine, barely able to process that I had another body besides the one of the mech I was piloting. With some difficulty, I managed to nod, then I took my first steps forward.

    The core hummed within me, a faint sense of purpose and even joy rolling through me from its light sapience. I could feel the sluggish flow of its hydraulics gurgling through me as if they were my own veins and blood.

    I wondered how it would feel to get hit in one of these things, then pushed the thought aside and started setting off for Elli¡¯s place. After all, I¡¯d find out soon enough. And luckily, the damage that already existed didn¡¯t manifest itself in my body as any sort of pain. Just a flashing alert, a bit of discontent that existed in the back of my mind.

    Under CD¡¯s guidance, I coaxed the stiltwalker into a cumbersome gait, its movements unsteady but purposeful. As the mech sparked under every laborious step, it also lurched and groaned, feeling as if it was about to break down any moment and give up its ghost.

    But I could feel, intrinsically, that the mech was up to the challenge and I pushed it on, scanning the city with my new robotic eyes.

    The streets of Alnda, normally bustling, were now eerily silent, save for the distant echoes of battle. The people, it seemed, had evacuated to the farthest reaches, leaving this part of the city to the rats, bugs, and a single catlike monster that we crushed as we made our way through.

    Our progress was slow but definite, and those few people that we did see ran at the sight of what appeared to be an angry and wounded mech.

    As we made it through the streets, the renewed sound of boulders slamming into the wall and buildings near it told me that the fighting was far from over. I pushed the mech fully forward, desperate to get home and get it hidden in one of Elli¡¯s mech bays.

    Half a mile from the sanctuary of her engineering shop, our borrowed time almost ran out. The mech, which had carried us thus far, let out an agonized groan, dropping to a single knee. Pain poured through me, but I resisted, showing it not just mental images of what I wanted it to do, but also of the cozy bay that awaited it, and the repairs that would be made on it if it could just get off its ass and get moving. Anger flooded me, and the mech responded, popping back up and lengthening its strides.

    How much of that had been me, the mech, or CD, I didn¡¯t know, but we were moving again, and that¡¯s all that mattered for now. The city scenery changed and the homes expanded in size and quality. The majority of them were in great condition¡ªtimber buildings covered in plastic siding, actual glass or plastic windows, and even small gardens on public display in the small lawns that preceded the doorways to their homes.

    A few of the homes grew flowers instead of food, their splashes of green and floral hues brightening the entire neighborhood, and proclaiming to anyone who came through here that these were not people who struggled.

    Elli¡¯s home was a different story. It was shabby and in ill repair, with some of the siding missing, cracked, or sagging. The lawn was bare packed dirt, not a single cred spent on it by which to brag to her neighbors. Next to it was her workshop, two large smoke stacks rising out from the back and a large gate instead of a regular door marking its entrance. And next to that were the twin gleaming goliath structures of her mech bays, massive brick and steel boxes that could theoretically even hold a 70-ton Machspauser, those champions of mech melee combat.

    The neighborhood was silent and empty as I stumbled up to one of the massive doors. They were closed, but Elli got out of the mech and I lowered her to the ground. She jumped the last several feet and hurried inside. Seconds passed and then the gates started clinking open as we waited nervously to get out of the open. If any one of the neighbors had been watching, they could easily report her and get a hefty bonus for their trouble.

    The mech stumbled again, and I sent it soothing images of state-of-the-art diagnostic and repair jobs, replacement parts, and new armor plating. The mech put out one hand, steadying itself against a plasti-steel panel adorned with the emblem of the mech-engineering guild, Elli¡¯s name embossed along its bottom chevron, and a moment later, the door was fully open and we slid inside.

    The massive doors closed behind us with a resounding thud, the space within coming alive, rows of overhead arc lights flickering to life as Elli turned them on from below. I disengaged from the mech, coming back to my senses, and felt startled by how thick the air felt, the scent of oil and metal choking and making me sneeze.

    CD disengaged from me, plopping to the floor of the cockpit with a resounding clang, his hologram flickering back to life beside me.

    ¡°This might be the most civilized place I¡¯ve seen in your society so far, ape. It is a symbol of might, I dare say. Possibility even.¡±

    I sneezed again and stuffed him into my pack. He didn¡¯t protest, strangely, as I got out of the cockpit and stepped onto a walkway ringing the gargantuan structure.

    ¡°How many creds¡ª¡± I started, but Elli, coming up a long metal laddered, shushed me loudly.

    ¡°Enough that I have to worry. So, first time to the bay, serf boy. You know, if I tell the guards a serf is in our neighborhood, you¡¯ll be in a bit of trouble. But I might be convinced not to tell anyone if you play your cards right.¡±

    I laughed and scanned the bay before me. Above, high ceilings crisscrossed by steel beams and conduits gleamed metallic in the artificial monster blood light, and about every ten feet or so there was a walkway that ran all around the perimeter of the bay. Along the walls, shelves and cabinets brimmed with neatly organized tools and parts, from small cogs to intricate circuit boards.

    And in one small corner, I spied a desk full of blueprints, outlines, and a sketched picture of myself. Elli caught my gaze, followed it to its target, and blushed.

    ¡°Not a word,¡± she chided. ¡°Or I sell you along with that mech.¡±

    I put my hands up and made a zipping motion across my lips.

    Moving to a side panel, she toggled some switches, pulled a lever, and as I watched, a docking station pulled out from the wall, grasping the stiltwalker mech and shuddering it into place. Hydraulic lifts engaged with a hiss and cradled the machine''s battered frame with gentle precision. The smell of scorched electronics filled the bay before all of the systems finally sighed into silence.

    ¡°Now what?¡± I asked as she pulled away from the panel.

    ¡°Time to go out and see if anyone needs to be pulled from the rubble. It¡¯s not only the right thing to do, but it will also be a great alibi if we need one,¡± she said with a wink.

    ¡°Wait, no! Do not put me in there!¡± CD protested as Elli opened a safe and pushed the motherboard inside. ¡°I hate dark places! Oh, I know . . .you want to get rid of me! Leave me to rot so you can go back on your word! Simians! I will never trust you again!¡±

    ¡°CD, stop being so melodramatic,¡± Elli said with a deep-set frown. ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit you. Besides, we need to see if there¡¯s any news about a sneaking mech.¡±

    ¡°You promise?¡± he asked almost pleadingly.

    ¡°We do, now shut up so we can¡ªshit,¡± I cursed, almost falling through my legs. ¡°I . . .don¡¯t feel so well.¡±

    ¡°Hah! I told you! The almighty me has struck you down, you ape! Take that!¡±

    Elli shot him a glare, and he shut up.

    ¡°Is it the toll on his body you mentioned earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. He¡¯s just a weak ape. I¡¯m surprised he even made it this far as his body is just . . .weak. Though . . .yes, he has a rather strong aptitude for syncing up with mech cores. How odd.¡±

    ¡°Well, there goes our plan,¡± Elli sighed and sat next to me on the steel walkway, getting me to my feet with an arm draped over her shoulder and walking me to who knew where. ¡°So, what now?¡±

    ¡°Now? We wait.¡±

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 48

    My vision was hazy, with darkness spreading all around me. I felt different, raw and scaled, a monstrosity under whose vengeance no being could ever hope to survive.

    I looked down, examining hands that were now taloned and vicious. My senses were heightened, every rustle of the leaves whispering as I stomped through the dusky outlines of a forest, a strange orange orb glowing on the horizon.

    Inside me, there was hunger, and the juicy sluice of blood-borne hydraulics, accompanied by the whine of many gears. How was it even possible? Flesh and gears didn¡¯t go together . . .

    ¡°Graaaa!¡± I roared, stomping toward the orbs, creatures fleeing in droves before me as something tugged at my mind. It was almost as if I was stuck somewhere and wanted to get out but I couldn¡¯t.

    With a start, I awoke, confused and disoriented. I was on a cot of straw, several sharp strands poking through the bottom of its sheets to prick my feet. A pair of arms were slung over me and the leather-metal smell of unwashed Elli wafted up in my nostrils.

    I reached backward, patting the softness of her shoulder. Yep, she was naked. It was too bad I wasn''t in the mood.

    Sighing, despite the sharp pains shooting through my head and body, I skillfully edged her arms off me and pulled the cover back over her before stumbling out into the little rest cubby that she¡¯d pulled me into.

    I scanned the place, checking out this part of Elli¡¯s life that I¡¯d never before been invited to see, despite her making a move on me so many times.

    It was a cozy home away from home, the space compact, every inch of the wall adorned with tools and schematics. Above the cot, makeshift shelves housed an assortment of components and gadgets. In one corner stood a sturdy workbench, its surface etched over with scrapes, dents, and illuminated by a single, flickering light that cast long shadows into the corners of the cubby.

    Various mechanical parts, some old-tech and some newer, lay organized and ready for whatever she had her mind set on next.

    ¡°Good morning, Alaric,¡± a voice spoke. It was tinged with amusement.

    ¡°CD.¡±

    ¡°Alaric. It would seem you aren¡¯t nearly as apish as I imagined. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was possible, but you attuned to me well. And to that mech, too, for what it matters.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t sure it was possible?¡± I asked, rubbing the back of my neck and groaning.

    I wasn¡¯t quite ready to deal with the fact that I¡¯d just been CD¡¯s guinea pig. Especially since it didn¡¯t seem to matter to him. If I wanted to get ahead in life while using a shortcut, there¡¯d have to be sacrifices. Maybe I¡¯d even have to play the ape once or twice to indulge the evil little bastard lizard from another world, but I¡¯d do it. The barbar attack on our city had only solidified that even further.

    The Chic-A-Go base rose in my mind, and I wondered how the barbars would have fared against its defenses. The missiles had been nightmarishly powerful; would ''Merica have had any defense against them?

    A rustle behind me, combined with a deep and mighty yawn, told me that Elli had just woken up. I heard the rasp and zip of cloth as she pulled an engineer¡¯s uniform over her nude form.

    ¡°You look like you''ve been trampled by a herd of Glimmerhusks,¡± she commented and then coughed. ¡°Shit. Have you been pouring oil down my throat? I feel as if my mouth¡¯s on fire. Oh, wait, that was us doing the fun things last night and¡ª¡±

    I turned just in time to see her sheepish grin and wiggling her eyebrows.

    ¡°You wish. I¡¯m not into old chicks. Don¡¯t you know that by now?¡±

    Elli gasped and threw a wrench at me, but it missed by a fair margin.

    ¡°Old. Ass. I¡¯m not old.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still older than me.¡±

    ¡°By three months! Jackass. Considering you¡¯re standing and being mean, I figure you¡¯re healthy enough to get the hell lost and get stomped on by a Cataphract!¡±

    ¡°Ouch. I think she¡¯s pissed, apeling. Maybe you should learn to keep that mouth shut and just accept praise,¡± CD added with a condescending tone. Yeah . . .nothing changed after all.

    ¡°Shut it, tin can. Only I am allowed to talk crap on Al,¡± Elli shot to the evil lizard farmer. ¡°And you, stay here while I go make us something to help with the headache and stuff.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, she marched to a section of schematic papered wall and yanked it open, revealing that it was in fact a door.

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± I muttered, sitting back down on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m not saying no to painkillers.¡±

    She winked and stepped out, or rather into a room. Beyond the door, I saw a sort of makeshift kitchen with a small newtech stove and a bunch of metal dishes and utensils. She bustled about, grabbing a hose and spraying water into a kettle, before gathering and spilling different colored powders into it and setting it to boil.

    ¡°Drinking your love life away often here?¡± I joked, and she sent me a mock glare.

    ¡°Because a certain someone just wants friends with benefits.¡±

    CD appeared between us then in his hologram form, and I gave him a good once over, noticing he was still a soldier. I started wondering if the military aspect of the image appealed to him before a sharp spear of pain told me to stop thinking about things that didn¡¯t matter, and look forward to some meds instead.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    I didn¡¯t have to wait long as steam began to whistle from her kettle. She poured the now reddish-purple fluid into two large metal mugs, and then walked back over to me, the steam wafting up and into her face.

    ¡°Here you are. Drink up. It''s my special hangover cure. Guaranteed to make you feel much better. Or much worse, depending on how good you were last night.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re rather horny today,¡± I observed, taking one of the two mugs she held out in front of her. I sipped on the hot liquid, expecting it to taste like swamp water, but the liquid was somehow both revolting and miraculous, sending a wave of warmth through my body and clearing the fog in my mind, even if only slightly.

    My eyes must have widened, because Elli laughed and slapped me on my shoulder. A bit of my new drink sloshed out of my mug and onto the floor.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good one, hey? I¡¯ve got more in the pot, but usually, just a mug will do.¡±

    I smiled back at her and lifted the mug in cheers before taking another heavy draught of it. This time it was really good, and I sucked it down quickly under both of their watchful eyes. She sipped on her mug, too, and winced as if it was sour or something.

    ¡°Is he now operational?¡± CD asked. ¡°I still think he¡¯s broken if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re damn right he is,¡± Elli said, laughing. ¡°But he''s better than his usual self. There¡¯s nothing that little recipe won¡¯t cure. Now get off your ass and come on, Al. We¡¯ve got work to do. See, even CD is being respectful.¡±

    I could see she was excited as the little skip to her step made me smile. She speed-walked out of her cubby and back into the mech bay. Looking at the trashed Barbar mech that hung by its supports, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little enthusiasm myself. We both had a full mech on our hands and even though it was broken beyond what we¡¯d originally be able to fix ourselves, we had a secret ace up our sleeves. And once the mech was fixed, it would be just ours.

    Which in itself was a little problem. We had a full mech on our hands, and we weren¡¯t legally allowed to have it. So . . .why would we even want to fix it? Spend hard-earned creds on the thing only for it to sit there and gather dust . . .

    ¡°Uh, I think we might not have thought this through so well,¡± I said, a bit of my headache returning with the mere thought of a finished, polished, and working mech just sitting there doing nothing.

    CD snickered.

    ¡°Apes with cold feet and hands do not get the banana,¡± he said and made his way over to the foot of the mech. ¡°This mech here, we¡¯re going to take it apart, piece my piece. Then, we will reshape and refit every bit of the machine. A lot will probably be scrapped, but by the time we¡¯re done, my fine simians, we will have the best mech we could possibly get under our current circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Best mech under the circumstances?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It''s a barbarian mech of even less sophistication than that shown by your Cataphracts and Toxotais. It won''t be amazing. But it will be a start,¡± CD retorted as if defending himself from attack. ¡°Indeed, with the right tools and parts it might make for a fine stealth mech, a small class of infiltrator by which to operate in this accursed colony of cavemen.¡±

    ¡°And in the meantime, what do we do if the guards come about?¡± I asked.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t serf town, Al. I¡¯ll just go out and put up guild signs letting everyone know this hangar is out of commission while it''s getting renovated. Will explain the noise and keep the guards from poking their pesky noses inside as well. It¡¯s the perfect plan.¡±

    ¡°I agree with Elli,¡± CD said. ¡°It is a wonderful ruse, especially because of all the noise we will be making.¡±

    I snorted, thinking of how much respect guards would have had for such a renovation over in serf town. Signs like that would only invite guards to come and have a better look. But this wasn¡¯t serf town, and as a free woman, Elli had rights. It was a good idea to use them.

    ¡°Yeah, alright, but we¡¯ll have to work it fast and hard. I doubt even the rights of a free woman will keep this mech bay closed forever. What¡¯s the first thing, CD?¡±

    ¡°Parts!¡± the holo-soldier said, standing ramrod straight and saluting him. ¡°I have a list of items that we need to get, which I am willing to share with you monkeys. The most important part of the rebuild that I envision will be a quantum resonance core. The rest of the items we can construct ourselves, if necessary, but the QRC is not something we can build using the resources of your very primitive civilization. So we are talking old-tech. Can you get one?¡±

    Elli and I exchanged a glance, before staring back at him in total incomprehension.

    ¡°Quantum?¡± we blurted simultaneously.

    ¡°Yes, yes. A QRC core will allow us to modify the memory of the frame, convincing the organics within to take a different shape. We can create a mech of a different size and structure from the organic scraps of this one. It is a perfect retooling device; surely even apes have one on hand?¡±

    I shook my head and sighed.

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything like that out there, it¡¯s in the hands of the city and the nobles, CD. It sounds like something they would kill each other over.¡±

    ¡°Or bandits,¡± Elli added thoughtfully. ¡°Is there any chance there¡¯d be one in the black market?¡±

    ¡°That would be deep-deep, Elli. That would be sell-your-soul territory if anyone had them deep. Are we really willing to go to the worst parts of the black market to get this mech made to CD¡¯s design? Maybe we should just make something else as we won¡¯t be able to ride it anyway.¡±

    CD coughed, interrupting their conversation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I made the parameters of this particular device clear enough for cave-dwelling ape people to understand. We can either fix this mech as is, or we can make an entirely new and unfathomably better one by which to accomplish our goals. I am offering you great power. There really is no question to be discussed.¡±

    Elli nodded and took my hands, staring into my eyes.

    ¡°Hey Al, guess what?¡± she asked.

    I sighed and didn¡¯t even need to ask, as I already knew the answer.

    ¡°We''re heading to the black market again?¡± I asked.

    She laughed. ¡°You¡¯re a brilliant man, Al. Better go grab some sacks.¡±

    I nodded, giving the mech a quick once over.

    ¡°What does a QRC even look like? And can we use any of that mech¡¯s parts to pay for it?¡±

    CD''s eyes flickered.

    ¡°Never would have I suspected to weep so over the piteous fall of my enemy. The Quantum Resonance Core is quite distinctive,¡± he began, his voice shifting to that of a seasoned lecturer talking down on a handful of school rejects. ¡°Imagine a 3D circle. A sphere. Are you following?¡±

    I growled.

    ¡°Cut the shit. I just need to know what it looks like so we don¡¯t get scammed. If we head into the market yelling Quantum Resonance Core over and over again, we¡¯re either going to get shanked or scammed. Do you want to stay locked inside Elli¡¯s safe forever?¡±

    ¡°Yes, alright, and no, I do not. The QRC is a cylinder, not much larger than a human fist, encased in a shell that is true black, but sparkles when held up to the light and turned. This is how you can judge its authenticity.¡±

    He paused as we just stared at the holo soldier.

    ¡°The surface is smooth, almost liquid in appearance, but if you look closely, you might see faint, intricate patterns etched into it¡ªquantum circuitry¡ªmagic I mean. Check for those patterns. If those patterns aren¡¯t damaged, you won¡¯t be able to see them. We can¡¯t fix them, so damaged circuits mean the QRC isn¡¯t worth buying. They''re part of the core''s function, channeling and harmonizing quantum energies.¡±

    ¡°Alright, good info,¡± I said. ¡°See, now even if they don¡¯t know what the hell a QRC is, I can find one. If there is one.¡±

    ¡°When you handle it, you should feel a slight vibration, a hum of power. It feels much like the heartbeat of a mech. And despite its appearance, it''s surprisingly light.¡±

    I nodded and turned back towards Elli¡¯s cubby, feeling a pit of dread in my stomach. This device didn¡¯t sound familiar at all, sounded very expensive, and deep down I was pretty sure it was going to cost us a lot more than we had to barter with.

    ¡°So, about this thing. Any parts we can cannibalize to pay for the QRC?¡±

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 49

    The rest of the day was a blur of activity, starting with Elli and me heading outside to string clothing wraps around the mech bay, yellow and black striping that would let outsiders know that the building was currently considered dangerous.

    ¡°Do you really think we need to state the obvious?¡± I asked, and Elli shot me a flat stare as if I¡¯d asked the dumbest question in the world.

    ¡°Kids nowadays sniff and drink charred mech-oil. So do I need to overstate how important it is to try and keep people away from the unit? Some will probably just want to peek inside to see if they can knock over a wall or something since it¡¯s already getting ¡®renovated¡¯ anyway.¡±

    ¡°You got a point,¡± I muttered, helping her tie a particularly large piece of fabric.

    We added a sign below her name chevron just to make things even clearer, as if they weren¡¯t enough already.

    UNIT UNDER RENOVATION. DO NOT ENTER.

    When we¡¯d discussed the idea before starting, it hadn¡¯t seemed like it would be that hard or time-intensive. Nearly three hours later, though, we were both sweating hard and putting the finishing touches on our small ruse. Once done, we climbed on top of the water tower to take a breather and look out over the city. It was the best spot in this part of the city, as it gave us a clear view of most of the destruction the attack had caused.

    Stretched out before us, we could see a place that was cracked and broken, with piles of bodies being stacked up in the neighborhood square. Most of the bodies wore orange and yellow overalls, coats, and helmets. A knot formed in my guts and I had a hard time speaking for a long moment.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t good, Al,¡± Elli said as took a deep breath. ¡°Those are all engineers and guild people. Out of all the groups the monsters could have hit . . . this is going to hurt the city just as much as the lost mechs.¡±

    I nodded solemnly, looking out to the mass of corpses. They must have been caught out during lunch and were either killed by the enemy mech, lightlings, or even barbars, but my money was on the second. Many of the bodies looked too torn up even from where we sat.

    ¡°What do you think? Will it affect the economy? The efficiency, sure, but what about repairs and all the other work they¡¯d been doing? The guild¡¯s going to be in an uproar come dawn.¡±

    She tensed beside me and even looked away.

    ¡°That could have been us, you know? Would anyone have even shed a single tear over us? You, probably not, but I¡¯m too cute and pretty to just fall over and die, Al.¡±

    I just nodded, knowing very well that she was trying to cheer me up in her own dumb way, but it was hard to feel anything but sorrow and anger.

    As the bodies kept on piling atop one another, I noticed some more lavish clothes mixed in there as well, the sort of colorful and garish stuff that no one who had to work for a living would be found dead in. Those would be sorted out later, the upper class or elites within the upper city would go on to have lavish funerals while the rest of the lot would have to settle with simple burials or cremation.

    The buildings around the quarter fared mostly well, leading me to suspect that the dead we¡¯d caught sight of were the result of a pack of monsters getting this far into the city. Elsewhere, some of the buildings and towers showed pieces missing, and Alnda¡¯s wall and gates were simply one big line of pitted rubble. Beyond what used to be the massive city gate, I could barely make out the torn-up battlefield. The bodies of mechs and men still littered the muddy soil and probably would for a day or two as everyone tended to their own lives and livelihoods first.

    ¡°In the end, they didn¡¯t even get what they came for, the bastards,¡± I grumbled. ¡°Freaking savages. Is it really just like CD said? Are we doomed to keep repeating the same mistakes over a little bit of wealth?¡±

    ¡°It is always as I say,¡± CD interrupted.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly why we¡¯re risking everything as well, Al?¡± Elli asked, ignoring him and surprising me by the coldness in her voice. ¡°We¡¯re risking our lives just by having that stiltwalker in the mech bay. And if everything we¡¯ve got planned actually works, what kind of shitstorm will we be in then?¡±

    I knew she was right, and that only made it even harder to admit that we were barely any different. We¡¯d gone after a fallen mech, killed a man for it, and then used a vastly superior being from another world to make it work. Oh, and that being was an AI hellbent on our destruction.

    ¡°Talk about double standards, huh?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°At least we don¡¯t want to enslave or kill anyone, right? All we want to do is earn enough creds to get by more comfortably in life. So that you become a noble and can finally marry me. I¡¯m not getting any younger, Al, and I don¡¯t want to carry a baby in my forties.¡±

    I patted her knee and shot her a smile.

    ¡°Please, never change, alright?¡± I said, shooting her a warm smile, and she beamed right back at me, even tossing her hair.

    ¡°That depends on you,¡± Elli said and nodded toward the war-torn plains. People are already out scavenging.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can see that,¡± I said, squinting my eyes. ¡°Rather sooner than later, we should head out, too. A lot of things to do.¡±

    It was hard to see most of the city from where we sat, despite the tower¡¯s height. There was just too much distance, and too many other buildings were in the way. The sound of hammers and saws, though, told us both more than enough about the state of the rest of Alnda. People were clearing rubble and rebuilding.

    Elli had been right about her idea. No one would think twice about us working on a mech instead of actually renovating the bay.

    ¡°I wonder how the main market¡¯s doing,¡± Elli chimed in thoughtfully. ¡°Who knows, maybe they got hit too.¡±

    I thought about it, all of the temp stalls for the lesser merchants, the actual shops for the better-off. If it got crunched to hell, we¡¯d have a problem. The demand would go up, and the black market was already short in supply. We needed to be quick and think on the fly. The regular market rules weren¡¯t going to be back in play until Alnda got back on its feet and from the looks of things, that could take a while.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Honestly, as chaotic as it made the place and as shitty as I felt for the victims and those who lost someone, it was the perfect timing to do something about our own future.

    ¡°Elli, I¡¯m not sure how well the black market is doing, but with the city reeling, we need to go get that . . .what was it again? QRC?¡±

    ¡°Yes, get the QRC Alaric,¡± CD chimed in. ¡°I¡¯d have thought that with your TUNI mind upgrade, you''d understand what I need by now. Do you need me to spell it for you?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever wondered what it might be like to not be an asshole, CD?¡± I barked, feeling annoyed.

    ¡°I speak from a position of earned honor and glory. If you want the same, earn it ape.¡±

    We headed down, kicking back out of our break into another eight hours of cutting, prying, chopping, following the instructions of CD as we stripped all the barbar tech and parts that we wouldn¡¯t need. These would be loaded meticulously into a series of covered hand carts. I figured it¡¯d make them easy to pick up for whatever bandit lord had that we needed down at the black market.

    I prayed they¡¯d be enough to cover what we needed but suspected there¡¯d be a job involved as well. As long as it wasn¡¯t anything that would get us killed or anything that was too immoral, then we¡¯d . . .yeah, do what? The Church had already told me that AIs like CD were demons and that by dealing with their ilk, I was immorality incarnate.

    And they were right as I couldn¡¯t disagree no matter how hard I tried. I¡¯d do whatever it took to give us the lives we deserved. Wasn¡¯t that immoral in its own way?

    We crashed into the same cot together that night. I was so tired that I slept as soon as hit the ground. And when the next day rose, I was well ready to set off and make a deal.

    We left the mech bay at first light, a list of our available trade loot was in my pocket, a sack in each hand, and a ruck on each of our backs, we made it through the haphazard damage of the wounded city. I wasn¡¯t too surprised to see that repairs were well underway. There was a good thing about disaster, and that was that cred was plentiful. Especially when there was a serf or worker shortage.

    Dawn cracked over the horizon, casting long shadows everywhere as we got close to where the gate had once been. As we approached, I noticed a cluster of city guards standing and taking notes, jotting people¡¯s names down on paper, cuffing a serf-bracer to their legs, and then sending them out.

    No creds were being exchanged, which meant that a lot of people were heading out to scavenge. In turn, that also meant the main market was probably out of goods.

    I sighed. We¡¯d gotten lucky with getting the mech, but getting lucky once didn¡¯t mean that we were already done. We still needed to get lucky quite a few times before everything was said and done.

    When we got there, the market wasn¡¯t just alive; it was joyous. The amount of commerce being had and deals being made would best be described as shocking. The cacophony of sounds, the clash of smells, and the sea of faces made for a sensory overload, yet there was comfort in the chaos.

    The electric mandolin''s strum and the vendors'' shouts blended into the market''s rhythm, a bizarre harmony to their determined steps. The constant clicking and beeping of cred being exchanged, and the long line of covered barrows being pushed out towards the city meant everything was going just as Alnda needed it to.

    It gave me some new perspective on the place, and I cocked my head at the thought.

    ¡°Elli, I think the nobles might actually allow the black market to exist out in the open to back supply when the regular market experiences shortfall,¡± I said as we walked through the packed lanes and aisles.

    She lifted an eyebrow as she regarded me.

    ¡°Smart and sexy. Those are certainly qualities I admire in a man.¡±

    ¡°Just those qualities? How about¡ª¡±

    Navigating through the narrowest of gaps, I snatched a quick moment to buy some carrots from a corner stall farm vendor. I felt the people¡¯s gazes upon me. Row upon row of eyes turned, shouting their wares before moving on to the next.

    We visited those who mentioned mech wares or old-tech, but none of it was any good, just mostly stuff that we could have gotten out scavenging the stiltwalkers. After a good hour of searching, I eyed Techlock¡¯s place, which was strange as I hadn¡¯t even been going to meet him.

    I grabbed Elli¡¯s hand and hurried over, making my way into his small store. It creaked when we pushed the door open, and Techlock¡¯s masked face glared our way from behind his counter. Just like it always did.

    ¡°Gonna have to oil those hinges,¡± he noted.

    ¡°Sure do, Tech,¡± I said with a nod.

    ¡°Well, we don''t have an appointment that I know of, haven¡¯t figured out where to sell the mutagen yet, and I certainly didn''t send for you. That speaks of a man in need with little time. What can I do for you today, Al?¡±

    As he talked, the man ducked his tall, lean figure down and out of sight, emerging with an oil can in hand. He stepped out from behind the counter, moving to the door and squirting a good amount of oil where the door met the wall. Opening and closing it several times, he nodded, evidently satisfied.

    ¡°Serpent got your tongue?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Uh, yeah, sorry. Was waiting til you weren¡¯t busy,¡± I said, trying not to stumble over my words. Even though we''d ventured out together, he wasn''t exactly a friend. And his strange and eccentric nature gave him a reputation as unpredictable. It was strange to think about, given our time in the old bunker. There he had become a companion. Here he felt like a stranger.

    ¡°We need a Quantum Resonance Core,¡± Elli said when I didn¡¯t speak. ¡°A cylinder, not much larger than a fist, encased in a shell that sparkles when light hits it. It''s crucial for . . . a project we have in mind.¡±

    Techlock''s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°A QRC, you say? Yeah, I¡¯ve heard of them. Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever had one, though.¡±

    He moved back behind his counter, disappearing again beneath it. After a bit of loud scraping and clattering, he reappeared, holding a rust-damaged old tech terminal that he clanked on top of the cluttered counter.

    He glanced at us, flipped a toggle switch, and the old-tech device hummed to life under his skilled fingers, the flickering screen casting eerie shadows across the room.

    Typing with deliberate strokes on the plastic keypad, Techlock stood still for several minutes, his eyes bounding left to right as he read through the words displayed. Elli made to peek around and see the screen, but he just put up a hand, pointing a finger for her to back off. She did so, holding her hands up in apology as he completed his search.

    Techlock paused, his gaze lifting from the screen to meet ours.

    ¡°A QRC is rare and highly sought after. It is not something that¡¯s easily obtained,¡± he began, his voice dropping a note. ¡°Also very illegal to any but the church, at least according to SHARELIST. But, given the right incentive,¡± he said, shooting us a meaningful look, ¡°I might be able to arrange something.¡±

    I pulled the list of our stiltwalker salvage from my pocket and handed it to him.

    ¡°We¡¯ve come into a lot of items recently. How much of this is worth a meeting?¡±

    ¡°When?¡± Techlock asked, grabbing the paper from my hands and beginning to scan it in much the same way he had scanned the terminal previously.

    ¡°Today if possible.¡±

    Techlock sighed, but as he read the list, I could see that he was ready to negotiate. There were a lot of good items there, and if he could get a meeting done fast, he¡¯d get to keep some of the nicer bits.

    Once he finished going through the list, our negotiations began. The three of us discussed our collection of salvage, Techlock openly discussing his assessments on their current and near-future market value, as well as their possible delegation to other, more expensive backroom dealers.

    Finally, the man stopped talking and nodded in confirmation.

    ¡°We got ourselves a deal. Just so you know, the guy we¡¯ll see isn¡¯t someone that deals lightly. He¡¯ll probably want you to do him a favor or ask for an exorbitant price. If it¡¯s the former, it won¡¯t be anything good.¡±

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected anything less,¡± I said with a firm nod. ¡°Elli?¡±

    She nodded too, her usual bluster and joking attitude set aside for the moment. I held out my hand to the man and he seized it, sealing our agreement with a handshake. Then, locking his front door, he led us around the back and deeper into the market.

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 50

    Techlock walked us through a mess of alleys, most devoid of people, doors, or refuse, a veritable maze obviously meant to confuse and slow attackers or constables with the sheer randomness of their construction. On both sides of us were simple concrete walls, nothing adorning them, and we moved through a number of intersections and branches before we finally stopped before a single rusted metal door set at a downward angle. A large burlap sack sat to its side. In front of the door stood two burly men, obviously monster-cored and hard-muscled, both holding crimson-red halberds in their hairy-knuckled hands.

    ¡°What are those?¡± I whispered.

    There was a sense of heat in the air and a feeling that we were just seconds away from being roasted alive. Without being a part of the TUNI network, only Elli and CD could hear me, and the confused glance that Elli gave told me she didn¡¯t know either.

    Thermatrix, CD responded. A plasti-steel alloy with a core of inner electronics that gives it an innate heat designed to sear and burn. Our infantry used it in close quarters. How you apes have it after all this time, simply shows the superiority of my peoples¡¯ craftsmanship. There is no way you invented this on your own.

    ¡°You all stay back,¡± Techlock told us, stepping forward with his empty hands up, palms facing forward. The guards stepped forward to meet him halfway, and they began to converse, obviously acquainted with each other.

    All of a sudden, one of the guards belted Techlock hard in his stomach with the blunt end of his halberd, doubling the man over. As we watched, he threw up onto the pavement, but when I started to shuffle forward, he put up a hand to stay me almost as if it had been his own fault.

    Righting himself, he talked with them some more as we waited and listened. Their voices were too quiet to be heard, which made me nervous. They even looked toward us several times in an almost predatory way.

    Do I need to do everything for you apes?

    Then all at, once we could hear it. The voices were canned and echoing, making me realize that this was another technological miracle by CD, and I listened with interest.

    ¡°Thank you, CD,¡± Elli said, and the AI let out a childish chuckle.

    I am just amazing, am I not?

    ¡°Every time, Tech. Every time you come here without an appointment, I am going to hurt you. Do you understand me?¡± one of the guards sneered. He looked ready to hit the other man again.

    Techlock nodded, his face pale and drawn.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have come if it wasn¡¯t important, Franciscus. I¡¯m talking primo loot, a scavenger¡¯s dream!¡±

    ¡°Hear that?¡± the other ruffian said. ¡°Techie thinks we¡¯re scavengers. Thinks we roll around in dead monster guts and eat trash from the gutters.¡±

    ¡°You think that?¡± Franciscus asked. ¡°You think we¡¯re scavenger trash?¡±

    Techlock shook his head.

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m the trash. I¡¯m the garbage that digs through monster guts, there¡¯s no doubt about it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Franciscus said, a broad grin rising on his face. ¡°And trash gets binned when it starts to smell. Next time you fucking make an appointment.¡±

    Techlock nodded manically, his head flopping up and down at a rapid pace. The other guard put his thermatrix halberd against the wall, and I could see a thin line of smoke rise where the edge of his blade lay. He went to one knee before the burlap sack, reaching in and pulling out three strips of black cloth.

    The guard turned and threw two of them in the dirt before us.

    ¡°Blindfolds. Put them on. Now.¡±

    Elli and I locked eyes for a moment, but it was to either swallow our pride for a bit longer, or decline and then get on a lot of people¡¯s bad side, including that of Techlock.

    I knelt and grabbed the blindfolds, dusting them off before offering Elli her choice. She took one and tied it in place while I took the other.

    I¡¯ll be your eyes and ears, little simians. When we rule over these people, I will guide us back here and take revenge for all of these slights!

    The blindfolds were obviously meant to not just hide the location we were going but to also make us feel powerless. Yet I trusted CD¡¯s words. Even though he was back in the workshop, the future that he promised filled me with confidence.

    When the blindfolds were in place and rough hands grabbed my shoulders, I moved forward without hesitation. I heard the rusty squeal of the door, felt the cool humidity of subterranean air blow past me, and stepped forward.

    The first part of our journey was a decline into what smelled like a swamp. There was the sound of frogs, the occasional splat of something grotesque dropping from the walls or ceiling, and every step we took squelched.

    Occasionally I heard the squeal of another metal door being torn open, and even more I heard whispered instructions being passed from our guard to some unknown others, TUNI¡¯s open comms letting us know that we were being transferred to a different guide so that the guard could go back to their assigned section.

    Finally, after one more squeal of a rusty door opening up, a hand removed our blindfolds and I could see that we were at our final destination.

    The chamber we entered hurt my eyes, its confines brightly lit by a series of resplendent chandeliers hanging from its arched timber ceiling, a scaffolding that had to have been built to hide the earth and stone beyond it. Along the walls of the cavernously large room were a series of art alcoves, shaped like arches, and displaying the opulent sculptures and paintings of ancient times.

    Soft, artificial light filtered through stained glass windows set two to a corner, each kiddy corner to the next, and it cast the room into a kaleidoscope of colors that shifted and danced.

    In a wide circle around us, display cases of polished ebony and glass stood proudly, each housing treasures that spoke of great wealth and power. Intricate mechanical devices, their purpose lost to time, lay next to shimmering jewels of unknown origins, their facets catching the light and glittering like tiny little stars.

    There was a long red carpet in front of us, pedestals of marble and gold lining its sides, atop which statues of mythical creatures stood in vigilance against any attempted trespass. The floor itself was a shined sheet of mosaic tiles, and I was surprised to see that, in its entirety, it depicted a sprawling map of the known world.

    ¡°Go on,¡± our new guard told us. I noted that he was just as burly as the ones we¡¯d seen before, but he wasn¡¯t as rough as the other two. ¡°Geoffrey is waiting.¡±

    We began to walk down the carpet, heading toward a grand table of stretched dark mahogany, its surface polished to a mirror sheen. Heavy, velvet-draped chairs encircled the end closest to us, while at the other side sat a throne. In it sat a smaller man, fat and balding, whose thinning red hair was twisted together into a peak to hide the gleam of his desolate scalp.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    The man grinned, pearly white teeth gleaming in the opulence of his chamber, and I couldn¡¯t help to think that there was something sharkish in that smile. Behind him stood four guards, all of them armed with plasti-steel halberds rather than the thermatrix we¡¯d seen before, but something about the way they stood told me they would be no less deadly than the ones we¡¯d met on the way in.

    ¡°Go on. Take a seat,¡± Geoffrey said, his eyes flicking between us, that same smile frozen on his lips.

    I swallowed as Elli¡¯s hand reached out and snaked into mine. Our eyes met, and I could see that she was terrified. I squeezed her hand to let her know everything would be okay, even though I had no way to guarantee it.

    ¡°Lord Geoffrey, thank you for agreeing to this meeting,¡± Techlock said, bowing. In front of us, I saw that three of the seats had trays placed before them, frosted sweet bread sitting on platters, cups of tea steaming beside them. It perked me up; I hadn¡¯t eaten sweet bread in ages and it felt quite hospitable.

    ¡°It is my pleasure, Techlock. It has been a while since we last met. Come, sit, and let us chat. I¡¯d like to know more about your friends and what they have to offer.¡±

    Techlock swallowed hard, the sound of it echoing in the chamber.

    Be wary, young tribals. This Geoffrey, he is no ape, CD warned.

    ¡°Lord Geoffrey, I am just the contact. I¡¯ve fulfilled my contract with these two and delivered them to you as I promised. I¡¯d love to stay but I must head back and reopen my shop. People will be coming by and I have business to attend to.¡±

    Techlock bowed and turned to leave, but Geoffrey stood, his full belly quivering in sudden anger.

    ¡°Your company is delightful, Techlock, and any business meetings you may miss will be compensated. NOW STAY AND SIT!¡± he bellowed, slamming his hand onto the table so hard that the dishes quivered. The three of us took our seats, my heart now beating hard and fast in my chest.

    Geoffrey suddenly laughed, a shrill and flighty thing that sounded like nails on a blackboard.

    ¡°Oh, how nice. Isn¡¯t a spot of tea simply the best way to meet new friends? I dare say how dreary this day has been. I had some morbid business to attend to this morning, and I¡¯ve hardly been myself since. Perhaps introductions are in order. My name is Geoffrey, and around here people call me Lord Geoffrey. Who are you?¡± he asked, punctuating the question with a finger pointed straight at my heart.

    ¡°Alaric, Lord Geoffrey. I¡¯m a scavenger.¡±

    ¡°Ah, a simple working man. And this is your wife?¡±

    He gestured towards Elli, and his eyes worked her top to bottom as he sucked in his lower lip and chewed it lightly. Surges of anger rolled through me, and I moved my hands beneath the table, clenching my fists.

    ¡°I am Elli, Lord Geoffrey,¡± she said, a small shake in her voice. ¡°I am an engineer and, yes, this is my fianc¨¦.¡±

    Geoffrey looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°Oh, my heart¡¯s lament. A beautiful woman comes to see me in my chambers and she is already set to be betrothed.¡± He turned his gaze back to her. ¡°If you ever change your mind, there is plenty of room in my harem.¡± Geoffrey threw back his head, chortling, and the guards behind him joined in, though the tone of it sounded well forced.

    ¡°To the point,¡± Geoffrey said, reaching out and taking a sip of his tea. ¡°I have been informed that you are here on a mission to get a QRC. Yes, I have one. Yes, I am willing to part with it. The question is, what will you give me in return?¡±

    I pulled our list out of my pocket, the items pledged to Techlock scratched off to mark their unavailability. Unsure of how to hand it over across the immensity of the table, I held it up instead. One of his guards came over, taking it from my hand and delivering it to his boss.

    A tense silence took over the room as Geoffrey snatched the list from his guard. I reached out and took a bite of the sweet bread, following it with a sip of tea while Elli did the same. I noticed that Techlock sat rigid, looking more like a statue than a man as he stared forward, obviously wishing he were somewhere else.

    You eat what the shark gives you, ape? CD asked. Neither of you Neanderthals would have lasted a minute in my world.

    Finally, Geoffrey leaned forward, his gaze sharp and calculating.

    ¡°On a normal day, I¡¯d say this exchange would be profitable. Amazing even. A lordly haul fit for one such as I.¡±

    He smiled and raised his teacup.

    ¡°A toast to the wonderous acquisitions of a scavenger and his woman!¡±

    I saw Techlock wince as he lifted his cup. Elli and I exchanged unsure glances as we did the same. Geoffrey took a long, deep draught, finishing his tea and we all did the same. With a long, satisfied sigh, Geoffrey nodded at us all, then whipped the teacup to smash into the floor.

    ¡°The city is full of scavenge just like this! You are ridiculous. Insulting! This list is shit. You are giving me shit! How dare you!¡± he screamed, smashing his fist into the tabletop.

    He sighed, his voice taking on a more level yet threatening tone.

    ¡°I invite you to sup, give you expensive desserts and the finest of teas, and you offer me common trash like I am some beggar on the street corner?¡±

    Techlock shrank back into his seat.

    ¡°Lord¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am a lord,¡± he said, calm once again. ¡°More a lord than any born to the name. I worked my way to my throne, throttling bastards who disrespected me, annihilating all who opposed me.¡±

    Learn from him, apes, CD advised.

    ¡°Let me tell you what I should do. What I should do is take this woman for my harem, and torture the rest of you to get access to all of your possessions before dumping you in the river with the rest of those who dare insult me. What can you offer me that is worth the immensity of this QRC you''re so desperate to acquire? What grand plans do you have for such a rare commodity?¡±

    His voice was smooth, now, deadly serious and on edge.

    I swallowed a million words as they ran through my head.

    ¡°It''s for a project that . . . could change the landscape of power in our realm. An innovation in mech technology that requires the unique properties of the QRC. We have ideas and plans. Good ones.¡±

    Geoffrey''s eyebrow arched, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°Ah, ambition. I like that. But such ambition comes at a price, doesn''t it?¡± He steepled his fingers, his eyes never leaving my face. ¡°A price that someone greater than a scavenger and his engineer woman would be able to pay, yes? What are you making that will pay this price?¡±

    Elli chimed in, her voice steady despite the heavy tension in the room.

    ¡°We understand the value of the QRC, Lord Geoffrey. And we''re prepared to offer you something of equal worth.¡±

    At this, Geoffrey threw his head back and laughed, a sound that echoed ominously off the chamber walls.

    ¡°Equal worth? You presume to know the worth of what you ask for?¡± His laughter ceased as abruptly as it had started, and he fixed us with a steely gaze. ¡°Enlighten me, then. Tell me what you are creating, and who you are creating it for.¡±

    Eli¡¯s eyes were wide and unsure.

    Make something up. Quickly, idiot!

    ¡°We¡¯re making a specialty mech that will be far superior to even the Machspauser!¡± I blurted.

    Techlock began choking, coughing wildly, and hunching over in his chair.

    Geoffrey stood, rising a measly 5 foot 2 as he leaned his palms on the tabletop, frowning.

    ¡°Better than a Machspauser. Is that even possible? What old tech do you have that can do that? Do not feed me lies, scavengers. Who are you making this for? What can it do?¡±

    My head was spinning, and I stuttered under his deadly gaze.

    ¡°Sir Alain Hembersworth!¡± Elli interjected.

    ¡°Yeah, for Sir Alain Hembersworth. He doesn¡¯t know the details yet, but it¡¯ll be a hard melee mech, 70-ton but more agile with, um, rotating saw blades and a median speed of 60 KPH. A diamond harpoon in the head slot, with a slink-adamantium tether to grab and hold enemy mechs in place while they get torn apart,¡± I spit-balled furiously, my upgraded mind putting together a diagram of possibilities as I tried to both keep us alive and close our deal.

    Yes, CD said. As well as jump capacity. With the right parts, we can machine this, Alaric. And we can build in a secret weak spot as well, for when we give this lord his end.

    Geoffrey stared, his face uncertain.

    ¡°And jump capacity!¡± I said, repeating CD¡¯s promise.

    Geoffrey¡¯s face clouded, and he turned around to face his throne.

    ¡°Is this possible?¡± he muttered loudly. ¡°Such a mech would truly be the king of the battlefield.¡±

    Techlock, who had stopped coughing, was now tearing into his sweet bread as if it were his last meal. Elli looked unsure, but she kept a straight face, her eyes glued to the crime lord before us.

    Geoffrey turned, locking his eyes with my own.

    ¡°You will make this mech and give it to me. Give Sir Alain something else. I¡¯ll bankroll the construction of both, not just cost but also a healthy profit. And if it meets your promises, you¡¯ll also live.¡±

    Elli scowled.

    ¡°Hard to work with our lives on the line,¡± she scolded.

    Geoffrey smiled.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s life is always on the line. Or haven¡¯t you noticed? I¡¯m simply upfront about it. Give me my mech, and we¡¯ll talk further partnership and even greater rewards. I am being gracious. The creds I will send you both will buy you better lives for as long as I wish them to be.¡±

    ¡°And you guarantee this?¡± I asked, the words falling out of my mouth before I could stop them.

    Geoffrey''s expression turned cold, his voice a low growl.

    ¡°Never dare ask such a question again. We¡¯ve just met, so I¡¯ll forgive you just this once. You have the assurance of my word, and in this realm, my word is law.¡±

    I met Geoffrey''s gaze.

    ¡°We accept your terms, Lord Geoffrey.¡±

    Geoffrey''s smile returned, broader this time, as he gestured magnanimously.

    ¡°Very well, let the agreement be struck. But remember, I expect not just any mech, but a marvel. Now, enjoy the sweet bread and tea. They may be the last comforts you enjoy should you fail.¡±

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 51

    As my blindfold came away, the brightness of day slapped me despite the shadowy confines of the alleyway. We¡¯d spent an hour entertaining the clearly mad crime lord before he finally gave in, claiming tiredness and letting us leave. His guards led us back to the entrance where it had all started with Techlock¡¯s beating.

    ¡°Word of advice,¡± the guard Franciscus warned us before sending us on our way, ¡°Do what you said you¡¯d do. You won¡¯t like what happens if you don¡¯t.¡± In his hands was a burlap sack, which he thrust into my hands. ¡°Look at it later. When you are far away from prying eyes.¡±

    Elli and I shared a wary look, but we didn¡¯t say anything and decided to heed his warning. We made our way back through the bustle of the black market, keeping our mouths shut.

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if we¡¯d done the right thing. The man was unhinged, and what we¡¯d promised was massive. Could we even do it? CD said we could, but there was no telling if we could get all the right parts or even machine it all properly. What if we had to make more sophisticated equipment, like the TUNI, and it all required even more rare parts to do it with?

    I cast a glance at Elli and saw that she was chewing at the inside of her lip, no doubt battling with the same questions. It was too late to turn back, though. We¡¯d either have to deliver or pay the ultimate price.

    Why so dreary, CD asked through the comms. The mission was a success! Should you not hoot and holler, perhaps beat your chest in celebration like the good monkeys you are?

    I looked about us at the vendors and stalls. We were now on the fringes of the market, but there were still a lot of people around who might be listening in.

    I lowered my voice to a whisper.

    ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t be talking right now, CD. This is a place with a lot of ears. Ears that are attached to a lot of bad people.¡±

    When we are lords over the apes, the bad people shall be crushed. Our might will rule over all! CD proclaimed.

    I nodded, then felt foolish for doing so, noticing a few strange glances come our way. Despite the urge to tell him to stay quiet, I heeded my own warning and kept my mouth shut, and so did Elli. At least until the black market was behind us and we were making our way up the hill and toward the city gate.

    ¡°That was close,¡± I muttered, and Elli just nodded. She seemed more distressed than I thought at first. ¡°You okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sorry, just a lot on my mind. Don¡¯t worry. Nothing a good drink can¡¯t solve.¡±

    We chatted some more at the gate with the guards as they removed my serf bracelet. One of the guards, a young man with blond hair and blue eyes, glanced at my burlap sack but said nothing as the task was performed and my creds were charged.

    I looked around, noticing that many others also carried sacks and bags, and I realized that right now, with the city in the state it was in, people didn¡¯t seem to care much who was bringing what in. Even the guards.

    Leaving the gate behind us, we waded through streets of new-tech, mid-tech, and old. They were still littered with debris and stained by the ichor of monsters and the blood of humans.

    It was strange to look it over again, coming back as we were from Geoffrey. It was people like that who made me wonder if we humans were any better than the people who made CD. Sure, it was a hard pill to swallow, but we were profiteers, a scourge upon one another. Did we even deserve better?

    We moved swiftly, avoiding the larger piles of rubble and the cracked potholes of resistance, rising up our hill and coming into sight of the bays. Here and there people were bustling through the neighborhood, shooting curious glances our way as they weren¡¯t affected by the battle as some other parts of the city that lay shattered in ruins.

    I sighed, thinking of how the serfs could ill-afford the damage, yet it was their homes that lined the walls of the city. These people, leeches of society, would be far away from their flower gardens and posh homes right now, helping put everything back together if I was in charge.

    I thought about saying the idea aloud, especially after a few of Elli¡¯s neighbors shot me an ugly glance, telling me everything I needed to know about their attitudes towards serfs.

    CD was right. Someone had to take charge of this mess, and if the opportunity presented itself, I¡¯d happily step in.

    We walked to the sanctuary of Elli''s mech bay, opened the doors, and made our way inside before anyone could spy the mech we had stored in her bay.

    The air, usually thick with the scent of oil and metal, now included a lingering tang of unwashed, barbaric humanity. Finally safe, the door sealed behind us and nothing open to the air, Elli and I sat down at opposite workbenches, facing each other. We remained silent for a good minute, our eyes glued to the sack I¡¯d carried with us.

    ¡°You ready to open it?¡± Elli asked after clearing her throat. Our eyes met, and for a moment, the air felt tense.

    I swallowed heavily before nodding.

    Unlacing the twine from its neck, I pulled the sack open and gently dropped its contents onto the worktable before us.

    There it sat, the Quantum Resonance Core. A marvel of ancient alien engineering and arcane science, a fusion of technology and mysterious energy harnessed from the same power as those that made the monster gems.

    It was roughly spherical, about the size of a large grapefruit, with a surface that looked like polished obsidian, so dark and reflective that it seemed to absorb light. Veins of a luminous, ethereal substance¡ªakin to liquid lightning¡ªcrisscrossed its surface, pulsating gently with power. These veins converged at the core''s equator, where a band of intricate, silver filigree encircled it, embedded with micro runes that glowed intermittently.

    The core''s most striking feature was its center, visible through a translucent, crystalline window that seemed to float within the orb''s solid exterior. Inside, a miniature vortex of swirling energy pulses cast kaleidoscopic patterns of light that danced across the core''s inner walls.

    Encasing the QRC was a framework of lightweight, durable alloy designed to protect and stabilize the core during operation. Slotted into the casing were ports and interfaces for securely attaching the core to whatever frame was set to be manipulated.

    Small, tactile buttons and holographic projectors were embedded in the casing, lighting up a blue screen in the air before it, and giving a series of meaningless runes and numbers that I assumed would have a purpose once connected to a real mech frame.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Elli murmured, standing up and bending over to peer at it from a myriad of different angles. ¡°I feel like there could be a whole ¡®nother universe inside there. It glows like the sky at night!¡±

    I reached out and touched it, expecting it to be scorching hot, but instead found it to be cool like a pebble on the beach in midmorning. I cocked my head, investigating its angles in the same way Elli had, trying to imagine the society that could have created such a thing. This was real technological power, one worth doing all kinds of things for. Eventually, the good we did would outweigh the bad, I was sure of it.

    Elli coughed and I looked up to see her staring pointedly in my direction. ¡°We need to make a decision,¡± Elli said, breaking the silence. ¡°Geoffrey is terrifying. I think that maybe we need to make his mech first.¡±

    I shook my head while, simultaneously, CD roared in protest, a hologram of a city guard flashed near Elli with his weapon held in a threatening manner.

    ¡°Our mech comes first. It¡¯ll build fast and easy, now that we have the QRC.¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll even make Geoffrey¡¯s mech here in the bay and deliver it to him, unseen. Even if we had the necessary hulks of other mechs, I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯d be able to get it done,¡± I said, eyeing the AI¡¯s glowing form. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we even told him we¡¯d make the bastard a mech, now that I think about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Elli squealed. ¡°I had to come up with something. Half of me thought that we were going to die.¡±

    CD rattled his plasti-steel halberd.

    ¡°Such a death, helpless in a den of thieves, would have been a very unremarkable way to die. I¡¯m glad he let you go so that we can start working on an interesting little project that will allow you to quite literally tear his head from his body. Without any issues. Just trust me.¡±

    Elli chuckled. ¡°Are you a soothsayer too, now, CD?¡±

    ¡°Prognostication? Are you out of your mind? The quantum aspects of such a device were investigated during my time, but the calculations involved were well too complicated for even machines as great as myself. Stuck here in your ape world, there is no way I could fashion myself into such a capacity!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s joking, CD,¡± I said, smirking. ¡°She¡¯s just wondering why you think everything will resolve itself so easily with Geoffrey.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like him, but he¡¯s the leader of a powerful crime group. If we kill him, others will probably come after us.¡±

    ¡°I will monitor the situation,¡± CD said. ¡°But I feel that actually building the mech we proposed him would fit Elli better. The sheen of the armor would match the twinkle of her monkey eyes.¡±

    ¡°Monkey eyes, huh?¡± Elli said, shooting him a mock glare and I joined in, laughing. The AI really knew how to pull on our strings.

    ¡°Alright, we will make your design first, CD. We can deal with everything else later. If there¡¯s even a later.¡±

    ¡°Oh, just trust me, monkey boy. You will worship the very ground I walk on!¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I wasn¡¯t quite sure about that, but he¡¯d earned the benefit of the doubt. Together, we began to sort through the parts we had scavenged, setting aside those we''d need for the crime lord''s mech just in case.

    Our focus quickly shifted to the new mech suit and Geoffrey was quickly forgotten. With CD using his hologram powers to show us what to do, we first cut into the stiltwalker mech, slowly and carefully, finding the port tendrils CD assured us were within. Then, we connected those to the QRC and watched in amazement as the blue panels filled with numbers and new runes.

    Following CD¡¯s commands, we input new runes and other numbers, then watched as various lights rolled through the device, before, finally, all of the screens closed and were replaced by one large holographic green button.

    ¡°Push that button and then retire for the evening,¡± CD said proudly. ¡°I will be sure to wake you simians up when the day arrives.¡±

    I shook my head, shooting Elli a wink and a smile.

    ¡°No sleep for the wicked, CD. It¡¯s been a hell of a day. I think we deserve a night out.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Elli asked, before wrapping me up in a hug. ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask!¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± CD said. ¡°Simian tribals need beer and humping as much as they need food. Go, be merry and do carnal things, but you better be ready to work come morning.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, CD! I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Elli said, dipping back into her room.

    A few minutes later, Elli reemerged. Gone were the stained overalls and the grease-marked shirt, replaced by high-waisted trousers that hugged her form in a flattering embrace, tapering elegantly into boots of soft, supple leather that reached just above her ankles.

    Tucked into the waistband was a blouse, its color clearly inspired by the twilight sky, the bands of it shifting between shades of dusky blue and soft lavender. The fabric was light and it danced with every movement. The blouse boasted a modest, yet stylishly cut neckline, offering just a glimpse of collarbone.

    Her hair was loose, cascading over her shoulders in waves, and around her neck, a simple chain of faux silver hung, the form of an eye dangling from its bottom.

    ¡°Hey now, you want to get me into trouble with the other guys?¡± I said, trying to make the words mocking, but I couldn¡¯t help myself. The words fell out of my mouth, confused and truthful, stretched into syllables.

    ¡°Go mate already,¡± CD chided. ¡°Am I the only adult around?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t positive, but I thought that I detected a hint of humor in his words, maybe even anticipation. Was he that worried about our ¡®well-being¡¯? Or was he just interested in seeing me get into trouble with Elli?

    I groaned then, smacking my head.

    ¡°Shit. I didn¡¯t think this through. With my brooch gone, I don¡¯t have anything good to wear,¡± I said.

    Elli laughed.

    ¡°Not a problem. We¡¯ll go get you something from the shop. Don¡¯t you get it?! Despite all of this¡­politics, we don¡¯t have to save up anymore. I¡¯ll bring some of my savings and get you something worthy.¡±

    ¡°Something befitting a lord,¡± CD said. ¡°That will be the day that a simian becomes a prince.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, you know what? Why not? Let¡¯s do it!¡± I crooked my arm, and Elli took it, beaming happily. Walking her to the door, I opened it, beckoning her through. She stepped outside, but not before yelling over her shoulder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t wait up!¡±

    Oh, I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way! CD¡¯s voice crackled in our ears.

    The sun dipped below the skyline as we walked through the streets and past the grimacing stares and glances of Elli¡¯s neighbors. There was no mistaking their distaste for my lack of status, easily seen by the poverty of my outfit. Elli ignored them, but it was hard for me to do the same. Something inside me growled and shook its fist, and I contented myself with thinking about how everything would be different so soon.

    I just had to bear it a little longer. Swallow my pride for now, and then grab Lady Fortune by her hair.

    We wove through the streets of Uptown, past staring crowds, heading towards a small fashion shop straddling the mighty stones of a large battle tower. I noticed that a lot of shops and boutiques lined the walls here, secure in the strength of their annual repair and upgrades. It looked rather impressive, a direct contrast to the disrepair of the poorer districts.

    The street before the shops was immaculately clean mid-tech cobble, and I noticed that there were trash bins set across from every shop, a convenience that must have required a legion of garbage workers to maintain.

    Scanning the arrayed shops, Elli unhooked her arm from mine, pointing to a place whose gleaming neon sign marked it as ¡°GleamForge Boutique.¡±

    It looked amazing, a clean and comfortable store made of gleaming, polished marble, uncomfortably similar to a church in the many gleaming gems and silver sculptures adoring its exterior storefront.

    Large see-through windows displayed an interior adorned by ornate, intricate carvings that told tales of mythical beasts and bygone heroes. Rustic, hand-carved wooden fixtures held sleek, modern lighting, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the expanse of the shop. Holographic mannequins, scattered throughout the space, modeled the latest in wealthy apparel and accessories, their forms flickering with age, but nonetheless fulfilling their role of making the merchandise look magical.

    The doors to the shop were heavy, wrought-iron gates, the empty spaces bedecked with more of the crystal clear glass, set firmly into a stone archway and embedded with more neon lights that lit up old tech runes that I could not make any sense of, but looking fancy nonetheless.

    There was no better way to put it. GleamForge Boutique specialized in the extraordinary. Beautiful cloaks, extravagant boots, glittering jewelry¡ªthere was more pointless wealth in that store than I¡¯d ever seen in my life.

    Despite the recent tragedy of the attack, I couldn¡¯t help but inwardly disapprove of the crowd of shoppers who were lazily browsing through what was on offer. They were dressed in finery that seemed other-worldly to the district I knew.

    Elli noticed and she chortled, her laughter, bright against the growing shadows.

    ¡°Yeah, you stick out like a sore thumb,¡± she teased, eyeing my worn garments. ¡°But this won¡¯t do at all. How about we find you something a bit more . . . incognito?¡±

    I grinned. Despite my fancy wedding tunic, actually going into one of these shops, given my status, was a notion as amusing as it was forbidden.

    ¡°I¡¯d love some clothing that doesn¡¯t scream ''property of'',¡± I smiled. ¡°But I can¡¯t go in there.¡±

    Elli pouted.

    ¡°Fuck them. Do you know how far we¡¯ve already gone, Lord Alaric?¡±

    I grimaced. Her calling me a lord was also illegal, and doing it in public, among these people, was bound to cause a stir.

    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time, Elli. Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, please. We''ve stepped so far over the line, we can''t even see it anymore.¡±

    Her grin was infectious, and I chuckled.

    ¡°We really can¡¯t be making waves. Not now.¡±

    I looked around the district, spying a bar right up against the wall, a bit removed from the rest of the shopping area and looking just divey enough to maybe let me inside.

    ¡°How about I go spend some cred over there, you pick me out something nice, and when you¡¯re done, you can come get me.¡±

    She giggled.

    ¡°Alright. But you¡¯ve gotta wear it. Even if you don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Elli moved off, opening the fancy door and entering the shop. I sighed, walking past disgusted gazes and onto the lightly broken side path that led the way to the bar.

    The name of the bar was ¡°The Leaning Cask,¡± at least according to the sparking and faded lights of its sign, and it felt like the owner might have been prescient in his choice; the bar had earned its name honestly. The building now leaned precariously against the city wall in a way that suggested it would have tottered without the support.

    Its exterior was chipped and faded, though here and there I could make out fancy carvings and ornate framework that hinted at a time when it was the toast of the town¡ªa place where the city''s elite would gather to drink and make merry.

    Walking up to it, the path was uneven, the cobblestones cracked and weathered, its repair and maintenance given up on seemingly eons ago. A set of lamppost lanterns hung at odd angles along the way, their light was flickering and dim, the glass of them stained brown by the burning oil within.

    As I got closer I noticed that the main door, once probably a grand entrance, now hung slightly ajar. Its wood might have been lustrous once, but now it was faded and peeling.

    I grinned. Seemed like a reflection of myself in this neighborhood. Neither of us belonged here.

    I pushed the door open and stepped in, letting it close behind me.

    Inside, The Leaning Cask was a mess of dirty tables and shadows. There were mid-tech lights hanging from the ceiling, but not one of them worked. The place was instead lit by more of those lanterns that I¡¯d seen outside along the path, as well as thick candles of tallow and fat that smoked from the center of each pub room table. The stink of them was strong, but not enough to cover the scent of aged wood and old spilled booze that rose from the floor and furniture.

    A few patrons grunted up from me from the tables and bar. Even though the light was poor, I could see that they were serfs, all men and women in work and servant¡¯s wear, and I realized this was about the only place in this district where I belonged.

    I sighed, moving up to the bar counter, an obviously once magnificent piece of craftsmanship that stretched along one side of the main room. Sitting on a wooden stool, I saw that its surface was chipped and marred by rings from countless drink mugs and glasses. Behind it, shelves lined with bottles leaned slightly, mirroring the bar''s own precarious tilt.

    ¡°You got anything on tap?¡± I asked the barman, an old and withered crone of a woman who wouldn¡¯t be remiss cackling over a pot of boiled eyeballs.

    She cocked her head and spit on the floor.

    ¡°You new around here?¡±

    I smiled.

    ¡°Yeah. Got a job working for a mechanic.¡±

    I expected a smile or grin, but her face puckered as if she¡¯d just sucked a lemon.

    ¡°That¡¯d be Elli. What she¡¯s doing here with her bays just isn¡¯t right. This is uptown. She¡¯d be better with her own, over in Machining.¡±

    Surprised, I put my hands out, palms up, in a full-shouldered shrug.

    ¡°Whatcha gonna do? She got a good place and made it her own. I¡¯m definitely not gonna say anything bad about that.¡±

    An indignant guffaw crackled from behind me, and I turned to see a few hard-bodied men in sanitation overalls stand up from their table and approach me.

    ¡°Nothing bad about it?¡± one of them said.

    I shook my head, my hair standing up on my arms. What the hell was going on around here?

    ¡°Listen here, new guy. You all don¡¯t belong here. She wants to be a mechanic, she should keep it in Machining,¡± another one said, his face surly and unforgiving.

    I looked more closely at the three, all men with scruffy beards and eyes clouded by drink. The biggest of them put a hand down next to my own and leaned heavily on the counter, his breath heavy with the scent of alcohol.

    ¡°You fucking her?¡± he slurred, gesturing vaguely toward the door.

    ¡°Just friends,¡± I replied, hoping the simplicity of the answer would be enough to disengage their interest.

    ¡°Friends, eh?¡± he sneered, turning back to his companions with a grin that didn''t reach his eyes. ¡°Should stick to your own kind, shouldn''t ya? Serf?¡±

    I put up my hands, very confused, opening my mouth to ask them what this was all about. But I didn¡¯t get the chance. His fist came without warning, a sudden burst of pain that sent me sprawling to the floor. The shock of the hit was quickly replaced by a surge of adrenaline. Scrambling to my feet, I faced my attacker and kicked him in the shin.

    He swung again, a punch that I blocked before counterattacking with my own fist, smashing him in the nose. My genetically enhanced strength showed against the large but obviously uncored man, crumpling his cheek bone and sending him flying.

    Another of the workers bellowed then charged, but I juked sideways and managed to land a stinging backhand to his face as he stumbled past. He fell against a wall but managed to stay upright.

    ¡°Hold that bastard still,¡± he yelled, a trickle of blood leaking from his right nostril. Another two grabbed my arms, with a third grabbing me from behind, and he started to lay in hard, beating me about my chest and stomach until bile rose in my throat, and I threw up on his boots.

    ¡°Oh ho, you¡¯re going to pay for that,¡± the apparent leader said.

    My ears were ringing, and I was dizzy. I closed my eyes, waiting for the punch.

    The punch never came. Instead, I heard an angry yell, and I opened my eyes to see Elli standing just inside the door, dressed in her finery and holding a tunic and trousers that I apparently could have used earlier.

    ¡°What the hell do you all think you are doing?¡± she asked.

    The men deflated and dropped me to the floor, but their faces spoke volumes about what they wanted to do.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re a free woman, Elli,¡± the leader said. ¡°You can have your man back, but you stay out of here. Uptown don¡¯t need your kind here.¡±

    He punctuated the end of his sentence by spitting on me, a bloody blob of mucus landing on my face. I growled, still dazed, and I swung up, straight into his balls.

    The whole pub erupted, some laughing and others yelling, as the leader fell to his knees. Elli ran forward, dropping her bundle, and kneeing him in the face. The man¡¯s friends stood back, unsure of what to do.

    ¡°Come on, Al. Let''s get out of here.¡±

    I stood on shaky legs and made my way to the door, hanging onto her shoulder. When we got to my new clothes, she let go of me and picked them up, hugging them to her chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m good. I can walk on my own,¡± I muttered, shooting the workers one more glance and making sure to remember their faces. She nodded, opened the door, and we pushed back out into the night.

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 52

    I¡¯d been beaten up a bit, but it wasn¡¯t too bad once we started walking. The ringing in my ears faded, and having a pretty girl on my arm at the end of a bit of fisticuffs made me feel pretty proud of myself. Even though it was dark now, I was sure that many of the young uptown men looking our way as we walked back to the bay did so with a jealous eye.

    Despite my pride, though, I felt confused as well. I knew that the top didn¡¯t like the down. But those workers were no doubt serfs, too. What was wrong with them? I couldn¡¯t just let it sit, so I asked.

    ¡°Elli. What was all that back there? Is there something I should know? You know, since I¡¯m bunking with you in Uptown now?¡±

    Elli pursed her lips and blew a raspberry.

    ¡°Oh boy.¡±

    What is that infernal noise? Is it not the same noise humans make when trapped in a corner, about to be crushed in the mighty talons of a Resselnacht Mark II Mech? It is annoying. Stop it, CD complained with a high-pitched tone.

    I chuckled, and that seemed to release some of the pressure from whatever Elli was about to tell me. Letting go of my arm, she pointed across the mid-tech cobble towards a small little park. It was lightly lit by an electric lamp on either side and had a fountain shaped like some long-gone hero, eternally spilling water from a jug at his waist to burble gently through the small fruit trees that grazed the immaculately cared-for lawn.

    Taking the hint, we walked, wordlessly, until we found a neat little bench to sit in. Leaning back, letting the mist of the fountain dampen our hair, I waited until she was ready to talk.

    ¡°So, you know how I never invited you to Uptown before?¡±

    I nodded with a chuckle.

    ¡°You¡¯ve invited me to your bed many, many times.¡±

    It¡¯s true, CD added. I expected to see little apelets by now.

    ¡°CD, can you leave us alone for a minute?¡± Elli barked.

    I was surprised, and I looked into her eyes, spying a hint of hardness I hadn¡¯t seen before. I didn¡¯t know what to expect next knowing CD¡¯s penchant for snark, but it seemed he got the hint, shutting up and letting her continue.

    ¡°This is serious. I . . . I¡¯m a mechanic. A machinist. I¡¯m a free woman. But Uptown, they aren¡¯t used to my kind. I¡¯m not supposed to ever make this kind of money. Or at least I¡¯m not supposed to have a place here.¡±

    I frowned.

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you inherit that land?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and what did I do with it? The richers and the poors around here think I should have sold it and gotten a place in Machining. You know, where all us grease monkeys are supposed to live.¡±

    I thought I heard a sharp snort over TUNI, but Elli didn¡¯t react so I ignored it.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯d thought you¡¯d be the toast of the town around here. I mean, look at you!¡±

    She smiled sadly.

    ¡°Yeah, maybe if I submitted. I get men sometimes. They come by, asking me to go on a walk with them, to do some courtly whatever. I dunno. It¡¯s weird.¡±

    I grinned.

    ¡°Maybe them seeing us doing some courtly whatever will fix things?¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°No. They¡¯re just trying to make me one of them, really. Probably figure that if one of them can marry me, they can sell off my stuff, lock me in a bedroom, and make the neighborhood normal again.¡±

    I tried to imagine Elli locked in a room, and I really couldn¡¯t see it. She¡¯d have it off its hinges if there was even a hint of a tool left in the room with her. And if there wasn¡¯t, she¡¯d just rip the damn thing apart with her bare hands.

    A young couple walked from around the opposite side of the fountain and stopped, gaping, the man almost losing his floppy velvet cap as he abruptly turned them around to walk back in the other direction.

    ¡°Kinda feels powerful to me,¡± I said, the thought suddenly streaking across my mind. ¡°It¡¯ll keep them away from the bays, anyways.¡±

    Elli stared at me, her face unreadably blank until, suddenly, she arched her head back to laugh into the sky. It was a beautiful thing, a mix of unbelieving chirp with the desperate whistle of someone caught completely unaware. Tears streamed from her eyes, and she reached out and hugged me tight, her eyes buried in the shoulder of my serf¡¯s tunic.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°Al, what would I do without you?¡±

    ¡°Probably create an awesome war mech with the help of an alien AI that you found, become a warlord, and give everyone what they deserve. That¡¯d be my guess anyway.¡±

    Elli giggled and punched my shoulder.

    ¡°You really are an ass. Probably why you¡¯ve got such a cute one.¡±

    I laughed, too.

    ¡°Well, Elli, I¡¯m here with you. Fuck everyone else. Let¡¯s get back to the bay. We¡¯ve got work in the morning, and then, you know what, things are going to change. We just have to be a little bit more patient. It¡¯s coming.¡±

    We stood, and she held my hand as we gazed out over the neighborhood. It really was quite a beautiful place, despite the ugly people living in it. From where we stood, Uptown unfolded like a meticulously painted landscape, its cobblestone glittering in the beams of the park lamps, shining as if pitted with diamonds. Stately homes stood side by side, their flower gardens and yards longer and wider than many of the homes that I was used to.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    It was marvelous to look at, really. The bricks and stones made in their manufacture were easily more expensive than the serf titles of most of the people I lived beside, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why they were so hostile and unhappy.

    All through the neighborhood, I spotted ornate balconies, towering columns, and intricate ironwork, forged into picturesque garden fences here, or windows and doorways there.

    And past it all, hanging high in the sky, was the full moon, its opulence gleaming over the even more stately spires and domes of the Estates beyond. It was hard to imagine how any other district could be even wealthier than the one we stood in, but the evidence was there.

    A muffled and cracked electronic bell boomed over the city and we turned in unison to face the Uptown Clock Tower, watching its eon-old circuitry and old tech struggle as it continued its eternal message of telling workers and their bosses when to rise, work, eat and sleep. We stood in place, listening, until the dings and dongs ended.

    It was 9 o¡¯clock.

    ¡°Ready to go home?¡± I asked softly.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± she answered. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯m quite done yet. Not everyone around here is horrible. I¡¯ve got a friend or two. And one of them shouldn¡¯t be closed just yet. Come on, there¡¯s someone I want you to meet.¡±

    We walked through the Uptown streets, the night growing cooler and more crisp as we did so. The lamplights cast long shadows over us, painting the cobblestones in hues of gold and obsidian, leading us on as Elli took the lead, pulling me through a few intersections before pointing to a small little shop nestled between two newer-looking mid-tech homes.

    I stared, trying to make out the flickering electric sign, before realizing that I was looking at a bookstore. It was old-tech, and barely holding on, numerous patches showing on its old and crumbling brick exterior.

    ¡°Books!¡± I exclaimed, meaning it to be a question but I was unable to cover my surprise.

    ¡°Yep,¡± she said excitedly. ¡°This is my friend Chauncey¡¯s place, and if I hadn¡¯t accidentally seen his shop one day, I wouldn¡¯t know half of what I do now.¡±

    ¡°I bet. This is a treasure trove!¡±

    Elli smiled and pulled me along. As we made our way to the entrance, I examined every angle. Its windows were cracked, lit by a soft, flickering light that displayed a selection of manuals with titles like ¡®The Alchemist¡¯s Engine¡¯, and ¡®Ratchets and Gears¡¯ alongside obvious fictional sagas like ¡®Triumph at Atcastle, Book One of the Baron Drecidus series¡¯.

    Elli watched me with a hint of amusement.

    ¡°Shall we?¡±

    She opened the door to the small jingle of a bell, and we stepped inside. The interior of the shop was a cozy warren of bookshelves, each crammed with volumes, many of them modern as evidenced by their cheap and new-tech make, the paper of their pages and covers flimsy and thin. Some were thicker and sturdier mid-tech, and a chest at the end of the shop suggested that there might even be a few old-tech volumes there for the wealthiest of collectors.

    I knelt, checking out some of the titles before sneezing hard, the smell of paper, leather, and dust was not one I was very accustomed to.

    A quavering but pleasant-sounding old voice called out.

    ¡°Elli! What a surprise! Have you come for the newest Gruetzal release? It¡¯s called Tales of a Strapping Serf Boy, and I hear it is rather lascivious.¡±

    Elli¡¯s face turned bright red as she looked down at my questioning eyes.

    ¡°Oh, no need to be silly about it. I know how much you like the free woman, serf boy tales. They certainly have their appeal.¡±

    Elli¡¯s face turned ever redder, and I stood to spy a sprightly and thin man, a shock of white hair sprouting from his head and spectacles perched precariously on his nose. He was standing near a door at the back of the shop, beyond which I could barely make out cracked-open crates and stacks of books. A smile was spread across his face, but it faltered into confusion as I came into view.

    ¡°Oh, dear. I¡¯m so sorry, Miss Elli. I didn¡¯t realize¡ª¡±

    ¡°You must be Chauncey,¡± I said, smiling wide and striding forward with my hand outstretched. ¡°I¡¯m Alaric. Well met, good sir.¡±

    He took my hand as I came in range, giving it a good honest squeeze.

    ¡°Well met indeed. Welcome to my shop. Is there something you¡¯re looking for?¡±

    ¡°I brought him,¡± Elli said, recovering. ¡°I wanted to show him around town.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Miss Elli. And what a pleasant surprise he is! I expect he is a fellow bibliophile?¡±

    I smirked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. That strapping serf boy thing sounded fun.¡±

    Elli gave me a mocking glare that I returned with the most sincere look I had in my arsenal. She cracked, straining to hide a grin, and turned back to Chauncey.

    ¡°We were just passing by,¡± she said. ¡°Thought we¡¯d stop in and see if you had any interesting finds.¡±

    Chauncey beamed, leading us deeper into the shelves.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just acquired a collection of first-edition tech manuals from the reign of King Baramin III. Fascinating reading, if you¡¯re interested in how we got from there to here. Not so fascinating, though, if you like clever words and good writing.¡±

    I bet. Monkeys writing stories. You must get me a copy so that I might further delve into the implosion of your people, CD said, apparently not capable of staying quiet any longer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take them,¡± she said, and I could see the annoyance in her face at the AI¡¯s jabs.

    Chauncey cocked his head.

    ¡°No bargaining, Elli? You¡¯re not getting soft on me, are you?¡± He turned to face me. ¡°She¡¯s usually quite the blazing beacon when it comes to prices. I¡¯m lucky to make a single cred!¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m just in a giving mood, Chauncey. And we¡¯re not done yet. What else do you have?¡±

    ¡°Ahh! There she is,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Chauncey led us down his meager aisles, pointing out this book or that, often stopping to hold up and brag about them as if they were his prize child. I couldn¡¯t help but feel excited; his enthusiasm for his collection was infectious.

    ¡°We don''t just have tech manuals and history,¡± Chauncey continued, noticing my lingering gaze over a stack of fiction novels, their covers hand-painted on. ¡°There''s a wealth of stories here that blend the old with the new, the factual with the imagined.¡±

    Bounding from shelf to shelf, we were introduced to such titles as ¡®The Mechanical Dragons of the North¡¯, ¡®Circuit Farming¡¯, ¡®The Knight¡¯s Code¡¯, and, finally, ¡®An Artificer¡¯s Love¡¯.

    Elli leaned in, her voice low and tinged with excitement.

    ¡°Chauncey has a knack for finding stories that make you think, that challenge the way you see the world. It''s one of the reasons I love coming here.¡±

    ¡°I bet,¡± I said, my mind drifting back to her serf boy book.

    Chauncey, overhearing, offered a modest smile.

    ¡°I believe that books are windows to other worlds, Miss Elli. If I can provide a glimpse into those worlds for even a few people, then I''ve done my job.¡±

    They began chatting over a different novel and I wandered off, looking at covers and perusing books before drawing out a particularly worn volume, its cover a tapestry of fading gold lettering and the image of some gigantic ice monster bellowing at the cowering figure of three knights. ¡®The Chains Infernal¡¯ the title proclaimed, its cover and name promising a story of epic proportions.

    ¡°Ah, that''s a rare find,¡± Chauncey remarked, following my gaze. ¡°Written by the seventh prince himself. Would seem that, with inheritance definitely out of his future, he has used his time to become quite the man of letters. A human possesses a demon. It¡¯s quite the read.¡±

    I nodded, my interest piqued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll have the time for a while, but yeah, why not? Elli will take care of it.¡±

    We made our purchases, Chaucey handing us a leather satchel to use and return on our next visit, then bid him farewell before stepping back into the cool night air of Uptown. Her eyes rested on my own as I carried the satchel over my left shoulder, her left hand in my right.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. This district isn¡¯t total crap¡±.

    Elli squeezed my hand.

    ¡°There are good people here. They just don¡¯t make themselves well-known. It¡¯s always the jerks who stick out. Come on, let''s head back,¡± she said, her voice warm and happy. ¡°We''ve got a lot of work to do, and a lot of sleepy cuddling before that.¡±

    I grinned and shook my head. Elli would never give up, and to be honest, I was rather sure she was wearing me down.

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 53

    The next morning I woke up first, careful to extricate Elli¡¯s curled legs from around my body as I got up to find something for us to breakfast on. When we¡¯d gotten home the night before, we¡¯d slept immediately, the actions of the day having left us completely drained despite our growling stomachs.

    She¡¯d be happy to have me make her something for a change, I thought, stepping out into the bay. But as I flicked on the lights, all my plans flitted away in light of the tremendous sight before me.

    Where once had stood the stiltwalker mech, there were now piles of scrap metal and parts, all non-organic pieces evidently shed and dropped as we slept through the night. I wondered what sort of ruckus it must have caused, considering how far some of the parts must have fallen. I marveled at the fact that neither of us woke up as it was happening.

    The organic frame of the mech was something I¡¯d never seen the like of. I had no experience scavenging any mech battles between the empires, so now that I had my first look, I better understood their nature, their cores, and their crystals.

    Rather than being simply bone with a vascular system, it was an eyeless meaty-pinkish-green humanoid creature, seemingly lifeless yet standing of its own volition and under the power of its very muscular legs. Translucent orbs ballooned out in places around its body, spots that I knew second-hand as nerve centers that could be implanted with developed crystals and cores. I could even see arteries and veins pulsing, wrapped around and through its muscles.

    It seemed to be just seven feet tall, which was a bigger surprise, though CD had said he wanted to make something small to start with.

    The frame put me in mind of some hellish mix between us humans and the monsters we constantly had to fight. A lot of it was the same as us, or at least as I imagined us to be. The muscles and sinews were in the right place, at least, but the color of it was alien and wrong.

    I stepped up to it, prodding a bicep with my finger, and realized that it was of the same rubbery-chitinous texture as the monsters, despite the humanoid configuration.

    It was then that I noticed that the frame gleamed slightly under the lights of the bay as if it were damp, yet it was as dry as the bones of a year-old baked chicken.

    ¡°A true miracle of adept and masterful engineering,¡± CD said proudly, his voice coming from just over my shoulder.

    I glanced in his direction just long enough to see that he was in the form of a fellow scavenger.

    ¡°Are you thinking of joining the guild?¡± I chided.

    CD cocked his head.

    ¡°Perhaps if this holo-emitter could be upgraded to a point where I could be solid? I expect, were it possible, I would soon become the father to all human-ape babies, and the lord of this city.¡±

    I chuckled and turned back to my inspection, my face now just an inch away as I examined it, dumbfounded at the seemingly godlike power of the mech-makers.

    There were small grooved lines traced through all of the surface tissue, and occasionally I would see a jet of black fluid pulse along one, spitting from a sudden, not-before-present pore to be received by another of the same. I reached out to touch one such ejection and pulled my hand back in surprise as an electric shock ripped through it.

    CD chortled from behind.

    ¡°Yes, ape, touch the strange black stuff. Perhaps you would like to try to eat it as well?¡±

    I ignored him, continuing my investigation, tracing the channels to small nexus point intersections around its body. These points I understood. Here there were slots embedded into the flesh, ready for the insertion of mech tech and electro-metallic upgrades.

    A better picture of it all was rolling through my head. I couldn¡¯t quite understand all of it, but I could roughly understand how it worked and how the black fluid must either power the tech we put into it or maybe even command it.

    I walked around to its back side and recoiled a bit when I saw that much of it was hollow . . . and the perfect size for a human. One like me.

    I turned back to CD.

    ¡°How did you know my size?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Magic,¡± he said, almost sounding manic.

    I decided not to push him as whenever he was in an insulting mood, it didn¡¯t make much sense to argue. I could learn it all later, anyway. All that I cared about at the moment was just how magical the frame was. I spotted nexuses for sensors, maybe even audio, weapons, armor, and many others that I didn¡¯t have any knowledge about. It was almost intimidating to see the possibility representing itself for me, and I found myself eager to get started.

    Then my stomach groaned.

    ¡°Apes need breakfast after all,¡± CD sighed. ¡°Go reenergize and wake your mate. Then we can get to work. You¡¯d never manage to get it all done by yourself anyway.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not my mate,¡± I grumbled, sliding off to find something to eat and drink.

    The hunt for breakfast ingredients in the bay''s attached dry pantry yielded a modest bounty of corn, carrots, bread, and bone broth among its regular stock of leathery jerky, hardtack, and all the other mostly long-lasting non-perishables common to the city.

    I could have hit the cold storage, but felt like it¡¯d do us both a favor if I took care to cook anything that might go off soon. Plus I just wanted something hot and wet to start us off with. With the ingredients gathered, I set about preparing our meal before heading over to her stove.

    It was a nicer model than my own, sleek despite its age, dents, and cooked-in stains. A heavy-duty metallic frame, a flat top situated so as to keep the flaming cylinders exactly under the plane of the cooking pane. There was a refillable canister attached to the side that fed monster oil into the chamber.

    I was briefly puzzled about how to start it, before spotting a naked turn wheel on the side, and a crank in the washing basin. I took the crank, ignoring the fact it hadn¡¯t yet been washed since last being used, and attached it to the turn-wheel, cranking it in tight circles. Each revolution struck a flint, which sent sparks flying.

    Still, it didn¡¯t light, and I slapped my head at my stupidity, reaching out to the gas canister and lightly turning a valve release before returning to my cranking duties. Shortly after, the flame caught and soon I had a large pot on the stove.

    I opened the canister of bone broth, pouring that in first, before dumping in hard kernels of corn, followed by chopped bits of carrots. As I did so, the liquid began to bubble gently, and I took a big whiff.

    It smelled plain but nourishing, which to my stomach was the equivalent of a five-star rating.

    I stirred and stirred, gazing off until I felt the time had passed. Excited, and with my mouth beginning to water, I dipped out a kernel of corn and bit it, finding it tender and moist. After repeating the action with a bit of carrot, I removed the pot from the stove, setting it aside to cool.

    Next, I filled a smaller pot with water and placed it on the stove to boil for tea. The water boiled briskly, steam rising in a gentle cloud, and I peppered it with tea flakes.

    Turning off the gas and removing the teapot, I let the brew steep, filling the bay with the comforting scent of herbs.

    ¡°Simian food fulfillment is more complicated than it was with my people,¡± CD reflected. I jumped a little, having forgotten him in my busied actions.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Consumption was mostly taken from plastic tubes. Open the cap, squeeze the sustenance into your mouth, drink some water, and you are done. These strange necessities of cutting, burning, boiling, and soaking seem counterintuitive. How are you supposed to get anything done if you are cooking all the time?¡±

    ¡°Tubes,¡± I pondered, imagining what it might have been.

    I could see the possibility of any sort of food, being ground up small enough and made wet, then mixed into a paste, being exactly what CD was detailing. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea and was something I¡¯d look into doing later.

    But for the time being, I simply decided to turn the tables for a bit.

    ¡°Oh, yeah, you¡¯re lucky that you are with us because most humans require their foods to be at tremendous temperatures to properly absorb the sustenance. For them, the cooking alone takes probably 20 hours of their day. It is a sad state of affairs for us ooh-ohh ahh-ahh monkey-men.¡±

    CD stared, sputtered, and glared.

    ¡°I almost believed you for a second,¡± he said.

    ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± I replied, leaving the pots to steam and cool on the stove while I made my way to where Elli slept. The bay was now positively alive with the aroma of our breakfast, and I was surprised that she still hadn¡¯t woken.

    I opened the door and stepped into the room of our little bedroom cubby.

    ¡°Wake up, Elli,¡± I said, a big smile on my lips. ¡°Time to eat.¡±

    ¡°Mmm. Food,¡± she whispered, her soft smile rising despite her eyes staying closed. ¡°Is there any way you can feed it to me here?¡±

    ¡°Spoon feeding?¡± CD asked, his hologram flashing beside us. ¡°Lazy ape girl needs to get up and eat. We have a mech to build!¡±

    Elli¡¯s eyes shot open.

    ¡°The mech! How¡¯s it looking? How¡¯s the frame?!¡±

    She threw off her blanket, and I turned my head after briefly noticing, again, how naked she was.

    ¡°You prude,¡± she laughed, yanking herself into her mechanic¡¯s coveralls. ¡°Come on, eat, drink, shit, then let¡¯s build this demon¡¯s mech. I can¡¯t wait to see it!¡±

    Elli bounded out of the bedroom cubby, and we chased after her. I cautioned her to slow down on the soup as she proceeded to shovel it in fast and steaming, before following it with even hotter tea, but her enthusiasm had made her indestructible. She beamed, her cheeks positively fat and rosy with her desire to build and make perfection.

    It was amazing to see. Even CD seemed flustered with her need to be done and working. I tried to hurry up after she finished her meal and tea. Once she saw I wasn¡¯t managing it to her liking, she even yelled at me.

    ¡°Chug! Chug! Chug! Come on! Eat up!¡±

    My tea finished and my mouth scorched, we made our way over to the frame. Elli squeaked and ran at it, touching it over, gushing manically about synaptic contact relays, vein viscosity, fiber denseness, and other mechanical hoity-toity that I had no training for. Squealing and hissing and letting out a number of other noises, she even jumped in place once.

    When she had finally cooled down a little, we got to work. Heading over to the mess of parts and pieces, Elli and I started picking them up and sorting them, placing like with like as we placed them on work benches and tables

    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan here?¡± Elli asked, unable to keep the excitement from her voice.¡±

    ¡°The plan is to make an unimaginably powerful and yet small mech,¡± CD said, seeming to chastise her curiosity. But his words left her with a frown on her face, and his holographic image backpedaled from the ferocity of her gaze. ¡°I have a plan. The Quantum Resonance Core has recalibrated the mech''s design to better suit what we need. Now, when we are done organizing the parts, we will have to do this.¡±

    A beam of light projected from CDs body, and the air in front of us shimmered, holographic blueprints appearing in the now familiar blue pane of his graphical interface, displaying the new design in intricate detail. Despite the fact that we were nowhere near done sorting the mechanical mess the QRD had left us, curiosity drew us both closer. Our eyes traced parts and designs, our heartbeats quickening as we understood what we saw.

    The mech suit that was outlined before us was nothing less than superb. It was strongly protected, its armor not at all as thin as its height would make one believe, and it had extra core slots for adding in monster scavenge and loot, thereby making it a highly upgradeable and customizable model of mech. Or could it even be considered a mech? This thing was something else entirely, a suit in a league of its own.

    The mech had a list of armaments and combat abilities that were quite unusual, integrating human technologies presumably alongside those of the former alien mechs. There were slots for retractable kick-blades housed within its legs, obviously made for lethal, close-quarters combat, which sent my heart racing.

    One arm was outfitted with a mechanism that allowed a shield, like those held by the cataphracts, size-appropriate, to unfold and extend rather than needing to be held, freeing up the hand for other uses while also offering protection without compromising mobility.

    A single jagged line of grinding blades was to be placed in the chest, something that looked like a circular saw, but somehow spun on a tract of what was labeled living metal rather than sitting on a normal, singular wheel. The hands were to sport metallic claws and talons, their shape and design definitely similar to those of the monsters that plagued our lands.

    The mech suit was monstrous. It was certainly something the church would label as an abomination, and it was perfect.

    I slapped my hands together eagerly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to work,¡± I said, turning to see both Elli and CD staring at me.

    CD shook his head.

    ¡°You still have chores to do, little ape warrior. We sort first and build later.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I protested. ¡°We should--¡±

    ¡°No, we shouldn¡¯t, apeling. Just listen to me. It will be worth it.¡±

    It took us a while to get everything ready, but it¡¯d been just as he said: worth it. Elli first picked up a CC Calibration Lance, the small device chirping in her hands as she aligned the core plating to protect any future loot that we might place there down the line. When that was done, she moved to the main core, slotting the monstrous heart and attaching a variety of tubes and fleshy veins before resealing the membrane that protected it. I could feel it activate, a sort of static electric field rising out and filling the bay with a light ambient energy that made my arm hairs stand on end.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a beauty,¡± she said, stepping back and away from the mech.

    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement,¡± I whispered, unable to keep my gaze off it as I kicked up a bolter, grinding its crank to maximum spring power before using the built-up tension to place the internal armor casings. I punched sleek metallo-plastic plates to the body with hearty, loud punching wheezes, all while following the blueprint. I made sure to line them up perfectly, bolting them in so that each and every one of them fit into the mech''s frame like a second skin.

    Next came the wielding, its large deposit of monster oil clicking and glugging as I poured it in. I walked it over to the seams of the plates, giving Elli a quick glance and watching her bend over at the mech¡¯s shins to begin slotting the complicated springs, gears, and levers that would ultimately make me, with the mech¡¯s help, into a melee champion. Grinning stupidly, I fired up the welder and began sealing the plates together.

    Soon it was all complete, and before us stood a sleek and agile-looking mech that was just a foot taller than I was. The frame was dull-gray, yet to be covered by primer and enamels, but that didn¡¯t stop it from looking awesome.

    In many ways it looked like a very athletic human, though made of metal and monster parts instead of skin. Its head, angular and V-shaped, sat atop a neck that was slightly elongated for enhanced mobility. The face, devoid of traditional features, instead held a streamlined visor where its eyes might otherwise be, emitting a soft, dark-purple glow that would be difficult to make out in nighttime environments. Rectangular protrusions flanked the head, and from the bottom of the chin hung a great big metallic goiter, its purpose totally beyond me.

    The shoulders of the suit were broad, creating a formidable profile that would easily enclose me, though strangely the head would be above me as I piloted the thing. Its arms were thick, encased in layers of semi-flexible armor, and from its hands hung wickedly sharp talons, ready to rend and tear.

    The torso was elongated from head to rear, with a nicely shaped human silhouette situated behind the organic frame for me to enter and pilot it. The surface was segmented, allowing for fluid movement while providing protection. The mech''s legs were obviously powerful, and the gripped soles we¡¯d installed on the bottoms of the feet made it clear that it was meant for both speed and all sorts of terrain types.

    Elli clucked her tongue, inspecting its many angles, while I sat back, taking it in as a whole.

    ¡°CD, can you give me one of those mech readouts on this? I¡¯d like to have a feel for what it¡¯s capable of.¡±

    Without a word, CD cast another blue screen out onto the wall, and I peered at it closely.

    Mech Unit ¡°Ultra-Light Nexus Scout¡±

    Processing ¨C Codename: Shadow Strider

    Class: Covert Operations/Assault

    Tech Level: Hybrid (Advanced Organic/Neo-Mechanic Integration) Armor Rating: 650

    Core Power Source: Bio-Energetic Core (Level 3)

    Estimated Pilot Synchronization Rate: Unknown %

    ABILITIES:

    <ul>

    <li>Retractable Kick-Blades: Embedded within the legs for lethal, close-quarters combat. Designed for stealth engagements and swift eliminations.</li>

    <li>Extendable Shield Arm: Equipped with a cataphract-style shield that unfolds and extends, offering protection and freeing the other arm for combat or tool use.</li>

    <li>Chest-Mounted Grinding Blades: Features a unique weapon in the chest, a half-circular spinning saw blade made from living metal that spins along a track, ideal for slicing through obstacles and armor.</li>

    <li>Metallic Claws and Talons: The mech''s hands are fitted with durable, monster-like claws and talons, enhancing its melee combat capabilities.</li>

    </ul>

    CUSTOMIZATIONS:

    <ul>

    <li>Ten Core Slots: Allows for the integration of monstrous scavenge and loot, making the mech highly upgradeable and customizable.</li>

    <li>Armor Enhancement: Despite its sleek appearance, the armor is surprisingly thick and durable, offering superior protection.</li>

    <li>Hybrid Technology Integration: Combines human and alien mech technologies, resulting in a superb power output.</li>

    </ul>

    WEAKNESS:

    <ul>

    <li>Complex Maintenance: The integration of advanced organic and mechanical systems requires specialized upkeep. Damage done to the mech may require extensive time and expenses to repair.</li>

    </ul>

    I smiled and nodded CD¡¯s way. This mech was going to be a blast piloting, and from the look on my face, we both knew that he had me hooked.

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 54

    I leaned against the workbench, my eyes tracing the contours of the Ultra-Light Nexus Scout standing before us. The sleek form and small size; it was honestly nothing like any mech I¡¯d ever seen or even imagined. It was designed for agility and stealth, something that none of the other mechs had any real ability for due to their hulking size.

    I chuckled, thinking about it. What if the reason mechs were always big and loud was because they weren¡¯t any good at being small? The Nexus Scout wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the big boys, it seemed to me, and standing there not much taller than I was, I wondered if it wasn¡¯t too delicate for the harsh world outside our bay.

    Sighing, I turned my head and checked for Elli. She was holding a sheaf of cured parchment, busily going over one of CD¡¯s blue screens, checking off items from their diagnostic readouts. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she wore out the nub of her quill.

    ¡°Everything checks out,¡± she finally said, turning to face CD and me. ¡°But specs and simulations only tell us so much. We need a real test.¡±

    CD¡¯s holographic form flickered slightly, which was his way of showing his annoyance with us.

    ¡°A practical assessment is advisable, yes. I have no real worry about the performance of the mech. However, I feel some doubt about the abilities of the orangutan that will be piloting it. This isn''t a battle mech. It isn''t meant to be run into battle at the first opportunity and swung about like a club.¡±

    ¡°Hah. Yeah. Understood. I''m feeling some jitters too, buddy,¡± I said, shaking my head, wondering how long it would be until I got my ass kicked. Would I even get it moving?

    CD narrowed his shimmering eyes.

    ¡°But, as apes go, I believe we might have chosen the best possible specimen to try out the highly advanced piece of fusion technology we have created. It should be familiar enough to ape minds, yet it has powerful battle aspects of my people built into it. I expect that the fusion is similar enough to afford tremendous synchronization.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± I smiled, though a cool nervousness was growing in the pit of my stomach. ¡°And thank you for your confidence, CD.¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t be long now before I¡¯d have to take it out on a spin. Walking about in the bay was one thing, but doing some battle or trying to move about stealthily was something else entirely. I genuinely hoped I wouldn¡¯t screw it up.

    ¡°Let''s grab some lunch,¡± Elli said. ¡°Head up to the roof, give the city a looksy. I think we¡¯ve all earned a break.¡±

    Clattering through the larder and the small cubby corner of her kitchen, Elli took over food preparations, laying out bread, and opening small sacks of vegetables and dried meats. I sat awkwardly on a workbench in the meantime, waiting next to CD as she hadn¡¯t allowed me to help.

    ¡°Why are you so quiet, Alaric?¡± CD asked.

    He shimmered into the form of another Elli, dressed as she had been for our big night out to the tavern.

    I closed my eyes, blocking out the sight.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± I said, sighing. ¡°Never, ever do that.¡±

    ¡°It is undone,¡± he responded.

    I opened my eyes and saw him shimmering before me in the form of a flame-haired orangutan. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°That¡¯s . . . better?¡± I muttered, feeling both insulted and delighted at the notion that he had such knowledge. Replicating extinct creatures from our world¡¯s distant past was a feat in itself.

    CD scratched his armpits and danced.

    ¡°I understand that it is human custom to try to fit in with the people around them. I believe that in this custom I have, just now, dramatically succeeded.¡±

    My chuckle grew deeper.

    ¡°Yeah, CD. I¡¯d say you pretty much nailed it. Now you¡¯re one of us.¡±

    He cocked his simian head.

    ¡°Why do you hate seeing me as Elli? I have seen your reactions to her and monitored your life force when she is near. Your heart rate rises. Your pupils dilate. You breathe more quickly.¡±

    He turned his head pointedly in her direction. She was humming and smiling as she prepared our meal.

    ¡°And the same is true of her, but on a much higher level. She truly has the . . .hots for you? Is that how you simians call it?¡±

    I snorted.

    ¡°You know, you already answered your question without even knowing it, CD. There¡¯s just one Elli. Two real Ellies in the room would give me a heart attack, I think.¡±

    ¡°How interesting,¡± CD remarked. ¡°The way the two of you act with each other fits all of the information I have on mating protocols. And yet she isn¡¯t your mate. It doesn¡¯t make a lot of sense, especially considering the biological data I have collected. When will the two of you become mates?¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    I put my face into my hands, trying to think about how to answer the question. I breathed deeply, the fumes of metallic construction wafted off my palms and deep into my lungs.

    ¡°Mates fight,¡± I finally said. ¡°They scream at each other and cry, and break things. Some of them hit each other. It¡¯s complicated, but none of that stuff happens before the ceremony. I like how we can just be together without any expectations. We don¡¯t have anything to fight over.¡±

    CD hopped up to the bench and sat beside me, putting a long hairy arm around my shoulder.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t fight before mating, but do after, maybe that means there is more worth fighting for after the ceremony has taken place?¡±

    My eyes shot to his synthetic ones, honestly a bit in shock at the idea. They flickered, and they were artificial, but it was easy to imagine centuries of wisdom hiding within them.

    ¡°And what would that be? We already have everything.¡±

    CD laughed and indicated the Nexus mech with his unnaturally long arm.

    ¡°If an ape already had all of his bananas, he wouldn¡¯t be looking for more bananas.¡±

    I opened my mouth to retort, but was interrupted by Elli, who was absolutely beaming as she brought a large checkered cloth with her. Its edges were tied together and the considerable bulge within suggested a wonderful meal just waiting to be had.

    ¡°Care to join me, Sir Alaric, Future Lord of Alnda and King over Chic-A-Go?¡±

    My heart sped up, my pupils dilated, and CD gave me a wink before hopping off the bench.

    ¡°Have fun in the rafters, my simian friends. A day of climbing and heights should do you well,¡± he said in farewell, off to who knew where and leaving us to ourselves.

    Elli offered her free hand and I took it, her calluses somehow warm and soft on my own. We took the stairs, slowly at first, before she announced the first one up got a foot rub later, and took off on a galloping lope, leaping three stairs at a time while the picnic meal banged and bounced off her shapely hip.

    I laughed hard, attempting to pass her. But she had an annoying habit of always getting in the way.

    Right up until the end, anyway, at which point I seized her fully right before the hatch to the top, turned, and deposited her behind me, the rail walk echoing with her giggling cries.

    ¡°You cheater!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°As the future lord of Alnda, I was certainly reminding you of stately protocol,¡± I informed her, struggling to keep a straight face.

    To my surprise, she didn¡¯t retort. Instead, her face corkscrewed into a lascivious grin as she knelt on one knee.

    ¡°Oh, forgive me, my lord. I shall perform penance in any way you may deem sufficient.¡±

    I choked on the swirl of life that ran through my body, suddenly awkward with desire.

    ¡°Uh, ha. Yeah. Come on, Elli. Let¡¯s get up to the roof and break some bread. I¡¯m starving!¡±

    Banging open the hatch, I pulled myself out onto the roof of the bay before reaching back down to take the picnic goods from Elli¡¯s hands and then helped her up beside me.

    Elli grinned and took the sack from me, undoing its ties and spreading the worn cloth across the roof¡¯s flat surface. It was a simple motion, but the action of it transformed our hangout spot into a beautiful dining area with a view that stretched endlessly across the city. From our vantage point, the hustling chaos of repair, cred-slinging, and life living below seemed a world away.

    Even farther than that when she began setting our meal between us. She unpacked it all slowly, dramatizing the food set-up and teasing me with her preparations, arranging the food with ceremonial reverence. Thick slices of crusty bread formed the centerpiece, a small dish of oil and pepper laid next to it in which to dip torn chunks. I reached out to take some, and she whacked my hand with a block of cheese.

    ¡°Hold your fingers, Al. I¡¯ve been working all morning. I deserve a nice meal with you.¡±

    Around the bread she placed a variety of clean carrot and radish slices, her eyes daring me to try and take one. Grabbing a stack of meat strips, she laid these out into piles immediately in front of us both, the smell of its herbs and curing driving me to swallow hard.

    I¡¯d heard before that the best chefs also played with expectations. This was torture, and I could tell from the dimple on her cheek she knew it. I knew what she¡¯d say, too, if I mentioned it.

    Half the taste is in the anticipation, she¡¯d tell me.

    I chuckled, and she laughed right back at me, almost certainly reading my thoughts.

    ¡°Almost there!¡± she exclaimed.

    Reaching behind her, she pulled out a leather wineskin and uncorked the top, taking in a deep draught of its contents.

    ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled, amused. ¡°I thought we had to anticipate all this.¡±

    ¡°The royal chef must check all royal consumables for poison,¡± she said, winking before handing me the skin and stealing a piece of jerky from my pile.

    I tipped her cheers with the skin, before taking my own long draught of the liquid. It was cool and soothing, not the dry wine I¡¯d expected but rather a refreshing herbal lemonade, infused with mint and a hint of lavender.

    ¡°That is wonderful,¡± I said, wiping my mouth with the back of my arm. ¡°Where¡¯d you get it from?¡±

    She pointed out to the city.

    ¡°It¡¯s all out there, Al. All of it. You just need the creds.¡±

    I nodded, getting what she was saying.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have it all very soon. I¡¯m certain.¡±

    She grabbed a piece of radish and popped it into her mouth, crunching it loudly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got energy bars for dessert, too. This is going to be fantastic, Al! With the mech, we can keep going out and getting parts. With those parts, we can run our own shop, and then even upgrade to a guild. Start doing regular runs to Chic-A-Go, making the world like it was. Maybe, you know?¡±

    She blushed.

    ¡°Yeah. I know.¡±

    We settled into a comfortable silence, eating and drinking, looking out over everything. Her hand came out and grabbed my arm.

    ¡°Are you an honest man, Al?¡± she asked.

    I narrowed my eyes on her, unsure of the question and the tone in which she spoke. She held my gaze for a moment and then looked away. I did so as well, looking out over the city, the diamond glitter of the brown-blue river dancing dots into my eyes.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± I answered.

    Elli pushed the rest of her food aside and scooched over to me, her shoulder pushing into mine.

    ¡°For the next few months, don¡¯t be. When we start making it in this city, people aren¡¯t going to like it. Not the ones on top, and not the ones on the bottom either. Lie. Fight. Cheat. Swindle. And whenever things get too dangerous, be damn sure that you save yourself and come home. Even if you have to . . .just do whatever it takes.¡±

    I was startled by her words, as it wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d thought she¡¯d ever say.

    ¡°Elli¡ª¡± I started to say, but she stopped me, grabbing my head. Her lips pressed in on mine then, Elli drawing me into a hard and long kiss. My food dropped from my fingers, and my hands found her long, messy hair, curling into it as I returned the kiss, years of defiant hesitation pouring into the act.

    When we broke, she had tears rolling down her face, but she was happier than I¡¯d ever seen her.

    ¡°You and me, Al. No more free-girl-serf-boy stuff. We are together. We¡¯ll make it official. We¡¯ll do it right. But it starts now, you dumb idiot. Because, things are going to get hard before they get good, and I don¡¯t know what my life would be like if I never got to have you before you were gone. We¡¯re going to change that right now.¡±

    I opened my mouth to speak and she shoved her face onto mine again. Pulling back, she giggled as I stared, stunned at the most beautiful woman I had ever known.

    ¡°Come on, you Simian,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s time I finally get some.¡±

 CHAPTER 55

    The sun shone gold and the meadows were green, dotted with purple, blue, red, and yellow with the colors of summer. Next to me, Elli danced in a floral print dress, the sort made for summer outings among the nobles. She bit her lip, eyeing me lasciviously.

    ¡°Looks like someone is feeling well-rested,¡± she said, her eyes glancing under my belt.

    I smirked and reached out, pulling her into my embrace. I opened my mouth to take in hers . . . but there was no time.

    Above us, the sky was filled with smoke and thunder, red lightning flashing and crackling, flaming rain dribbling down from the sky. We ran, burning drops sizzling through our clothes into our skin. Rat-a-tat-tat came the hurried pounding of the heavens.

    We fell, our confused faces side by side as we regarded the sudden apocalypse above us. What the hell was going on?

    The ground ripped open beneath us, a sudden chasm in the now burning meadow, and we fell, screaming, through the land of dreams and into the present.

    I gasped as I awoke. It¡¯d been so vivid and real that I shook while bathed in cold sweat. My eyes darted around, searching for anything familiar. I was in bed, Elli locked in my arms, her heat radiating through me.

    I let out a deep sigh and smiled. I was a lucky man. A stupid man as well. I had no idea if the dream meant anything, but I knew one thing: I¡¯d been an idiot to wait so long for . . .well, whatever it was that we finally had.

    Hurried pounding echoed through the bay and into our bed chamber, the sound immediately filling me with a hint of fear. It was the same sound that I¡¯d been hearing in the nightmare aspect of my dream, and hearing it here in the real world wasn¡¯t something my brain had quite been prepared for.

    I shook Elli, more harshly than I should have, getting an elbow in the neck for my troubles.

    ¡°Ow!¡± I cried, rolling out of bed and taking the blanket with me. Elli scowled, but with her nudity on such a powerful display, it somehow looked amazing on her.

    ¡°Al, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± she asked, her voice angry and staccato.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s at the door. Put your clothes on. I¡¯ll go see who it is.¡±

    As if to emphasize the urgency, the rapping started again, faster and more desperate than before.

    ¡°Lords and demons,¡± I cursed. ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡±

    I went out into the bay, being sure to close the door to our little nest securely before striding past our mech and quickly to the entrance. I was clad in just the blanket from the bed, its frayed threads filled with small holes that showed my skin, and the back end billowed in my movement, almost surely showing off my hairy ass as I went.

    But I didn¡¯t care at that moment. I¡¯d been comfortable and happy, and as far as I could tell it was barely past dawn. Whether it was town guard, nobles, or gangsters, they could just deal with my bare balls hanging in the wind as far as I was concerned.

    When I got to the door, I yanked it open, the golden glow of way-too-early causing me to shutter my eyes while simultaneously frightening an already visibly shaken Techlock. His robes were torn and his mask cracked across a white plastic cheek, the entire area bottom half of it broken and exposed. The tall thin man bellowed and recoiled, falling backward onto his ass. He stared up at me, his eyes wide and his mouth a big circular O.

    ¡°Techlock. What in the burning techno hells are you doing here?¡± I groused, my own surprise tempering my anger.

    He sputtered, scrambling back to his feet. Bowing, basically kowtowing, he muttered words that I couldn¡¯t understand at first, but I suddenly realized were, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± and ¡°Please forgive me.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t like him at all. Techlock was arrogant and selfish, not the sort to come to the door and beg apologies.

    I softened, putting out my hands to calm him.

    ¡°Hey man, take it easy. Ah, shit,¡± I cursed, shaking my head. Obviously something big had happened, but with our tech just sitting there in the bay, I couldn¡¯t simply let him inside.

    I gave the sniveling man another once over, trying to figure things out. Sighing, wondering what sort of trouble it might get me into later, I lightly undid the blanket encircling my body and tore a strip off it before rewrapping myself.

    ¡°Look, you can come in, but you¡¯ll have to lose the mask and let me blindfold you. Simple business.¡±

    He stared at me for a moment before taking the wreck from his face and tossing it sideways to land in the street.

    Techlock''s face, now unobscured by the mask, revealed a landscape of scars that I¡¯d never expected, coupled with skin that almost certainly never saw the light of day. His eyes darted around wildly as he stood there, and I could see dark bags under his eyes as if he hadn¡¯t at all slept since we¡¯d last seen him.

    I felt a bit of my own fear stir inside me. This was almost certainly going to involve me and Elli.

    ¡°Come on, Tech. Get in. Come inside,¡± I said, keeping my sentences short and reassuring. ¡°You can tell me what¡¯s going on there.¡±

    He made for the door, but I stopped him with a hand on his chest.

    ¡°Blindfold first.¡±

    He turned around, his hands shooting up in a gesture that told me that in his life, this sort of thing was a daily occurrence. It was strange to think about; I¡¯d always assumed that the black marketers had slick living when the shop doors closed. Seeing him like this, I suddenly realized that I was completely wrong.

    The blindfold tied, I gestured for him to follow, cursed my own stupidity, and took his hand. Stuttering and whining, he followed me, not even remarking when my blanket finally did slip and fall against his legs.

    Being led, blindfolded, by a now obviously naked man into his secret lair; that was something that should have given him the fear of the devil¡¯s horn. I¡¯d have stopped in my tracks. The fact that he was continuing told me everything I needed to know about his situation.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°That bad?¡± I asked.

    He didn¡¯t answer.

    The door to our sleeping quarters opened, and Elli emerged in her work overalls, getting me an appreciative good look as her eyes instantly transformed from a zombie squint to wide-open catlike interest.

    ¡°Al, you working unconventional today?¡± she asked, her eyes spending a good minute on me before moving over to the cowering Techlock. ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Techlock muttered.

    I gestured to Elli, and she nodded, ducking in and directing him to an eating table while I hurried back into our chamber to get changed. Now that I was fully awake, the smell of yesterday¡¯s lunch, then afternoon, then again late-night activities fully penetrated my sinuses and a glow came to my face. I grabbed my tunic and breeches, pulled them on quickly, and got out just in time to see Elli brewing some tea.

    ¡°Hey there,¡± Elli said, smirking. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly approve of the new look.¡±

    I smiled.

    ¡°I bet.¡±

    Sidling up, I sat at the table while Elli hovered over the kettle. Wisps of vapor were already slipping forth and starting to fill the bay with the smell of peppermint and barley. Techlock sniffed at the air and sat up straighter, his blinded face turning towards the cooking area.

    The clink of metal on metal echoed through the bay as Elli busted over, setting down a clustered collection of battered tin cups on the table before taking a seat. We shared a look and she tilted her head to the steaming pot, bringing me out of my chair to go get it.

    As I passed by her to get it, she playfully swatted my rear, her dimple deep as she grinned after me. I brought the kettle over, pouring the steaming liquid into each of our cups before returning it and coming back to parlay.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s troubling you?¡± Elli asked.

    Techlock''s hands trembled slightly as he reached for his cup, the steam rolling into his face and beard. He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring as he sucked up the strong peppermint scent hard.

    ¡°They came after sunset, a group of ¡®em, goons sent by Geoffrey,¡± Techlock started, his eyes not meeting ours. ¡°Said Geoffrey was upset. Didn¡¯t like it that I wanted to leave before dinner, ya know. Said I insulted him and embarrassed him. Some stuff about reputation.¡±

    He sighed and took a heavy draught of tea.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to do nothing. Really. I don¡¯t know all the things that were making him angry. His men just kept beating me while one of them kept telling me all the things I did wrong. It was hard to listen to it all.¡±

    He opened up the top of his long robe, showing off deep black and purple bruising.

    ¡°Guy¡¯s gonna kill me. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong but I¡¯m a dead man. You gotta help me!¡±

    His voice was bitter like coffee, and his posture was bent. Elli and I shared a look.

    ¡°I . . .uh . . .I¡¯m just a serf,¡± I said.

    Elli raised an eyebrow and I put out my hands, shrugging.

    Techlock clasped his hands tightly around the cup, his knuckles white. ¡°They didn''t just come to warn me,¡± he began, his voice strained with the effort of keeping it steady. ¡°They trashed my shop, beat me until I could barely stand. All because I tried to leave that meeting with Geoffrey early.¡±

    He put his hand up to his blindfold and I smacked him.

    ¡°No. Techlock, we¡¯re listening, but by the words of the saints of the church, you do not take that off. Not in here.¡±

    He growled and slapped his hands down on the table, knocking over his cup while shivering the liquid in our cups.

    ¡°This wouldn¡¯t be happening if I hadn¡¯t done you a favor. You owe me, Alaric.¡±

    Elli stood.

    ¡°Do that again, and we kick you out. Now, Techlock, how is this even possible? He did all that because you wanted to leave early? That¡¯s all it took?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Techlock confirmed, his head dropping. ¡°His pride . . . It''s like a tinderbox. The smallest perceived slight and he explodes into rage. He¡¯s¡ª¡± Techlock swallowed hard, his Adam''s apple bobbing up and down. ¡°He¡¯s crazy.¡±

    Elli leaned in, concern etching her features.

    ¡°Techlock, how bad is it? Really?¡±

    He let out a shaky breath, meeting her eyes.

    ¡°Bad enough that I''m scared for my life. Geoffrey''s the type . . . Once he decides you''re his enemy, there''s no end to the hate. He won''t stop until he''s . . . until he''s squeezed me dry and left me with nothing. Or worse.¡±

    I exchanged a glance with Elli.

    ¡°And you think he''ll come after you? That you''re . . .what, going to roll over and die?¡±

    Techlock nodded grimly.

    ¡°That''s exactly what I think. My life in this city . . .it''s hanging by a thread.¡±

    I growled.

    ¡°Yeah, we can hide you. Not here, though. I¡¯ll have to take you back to my shop.¡±

    ¡°No. It''s not just about hiding me,¡± Techlock pleaded. ¡°I need to get out of this city, away from Geoffrey''s reach. He''s a madman. Once he feels slighted, there''s no telling the lengths he''ll go for revenge.¡±

    It was, of course, at this point that CD materialized. He was wrapped in some sort of tech suit, a black shining leather festooned in a number of electronic flashing brooches. I stared at it, dazzled, wondering if this was one of the suits that my ancestors used to wear in battle with his kind.

    I glanced sideways and saw Elli shaking her head at him, gesturing her hands, and waving him to the other room.

    ¡°Go away, you little shit!¡± I hissed over our connection. ¡°What if he hears you?¡±

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that the whole point? To bring him in under our wing?¡± he replied with a flat stare.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Elli chimed in. ¡°Listen, we¡¯ve just gotten started, and we need time to do, well, whatever this is.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± I said, pointing my finger at him and the door. ¡°Go away and don¡¯t bring more trouble down on us!¡±

    ¡°Meh, you two worry too much. Just watch me work my magic, you apelings, while you think of new ways to do the carnal stuff you like so much.¡± His eyebrows shot up in a wiggle, and Elli gasped.

    ¡°Wait, did you watch?¡±

    ¡°Of course I did! You two enjoyed it . . .a lot. Well, Alaric enjoyed it a bit more from what I could tell. But hey, shooting fluids all over each other? Now that¡¯s as primitive as it comes.¡±

    ¡°CD!¡± Elli snapped.

    CD didn¡¯t spare either of us another glance, his electronic and needless eyes focused on Techlock.

    ¡°Are you not the black market dealer who has been assisting us?¡± CD asked, his voice lilted and curious.

    I stammered, trying to think of something to say, while Techlock jumped in his chair, toppling sideways.

    ¡°Oh, do get up. And don¡¯t take off that blindfold. Alaric has made all instructions quite clear.¡±

    Techlock nodded, groping for the edge of the table to pull himself up and back into his seat.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, his voice shaking again. It was clear by the twist of his face that he was on edge, clearly expecting to have been betrayed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me and that¡¯s what I did.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± CD replied. ¡°I am not given any reason to believe that you are a man without means or connections. Given that you have a power base in this city, is there truly no way for you to retaliate or defend yourself? Why do you run from the glory of factional combat?¡±

    Techlock looked taken aback, not expecting this line of questioning. It was his turn to stutter, then stop, before finally finding words again to speak with.

    ¡°I . . .my connections are compromised,¡± he admitted, defeat marring his words. ¡°No one will stand up to him. Geoffrey''s influence is far-reaching. They¡¯d get killed.¡±

    CD turned to Elli and me as if deciding that he¡¯d gotten all he needed from Techlock.

    ¡°This man is useful. We shouldn¡¯t help him run.¡±

    ¡°What? Wait a minute¡ª¡± Techlock began.

    CD turned on him.

    ¡°Be silent, wretch,¡± he bellowed, ¡°And I will make you a lord in your own right.¡±

    Techlock shut up and CD continued.

    ¡°We will ourselves, no doubt, have to face down with Geoffrey soon anyways, and doing so while in an alliance with someone who commands the connections that Techlock holds, might well benefit us for our future conquest. I suggest that we kill Geoffrey and put Techlock in his place, backing up any rebellions with the might of our own technology.¡±

    Elli gaped as I thought on what she¡¯d said just yesterday about what was to come. The idea of just going out and killing this guy was foreign to me, but I immediately understood its necessity.

    ¡°We¡¯re in,¡± I said. ¡°And I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re going to have to take off Techlock¡¯s blindfold now and explain a few things. Because once this all starts, we¡¯re all in it together.¡±

    CD nodded.

    ¡°How un-simian of you, Alaric. I respect your grit. I will remotely gather and analyze all available data on Geoffrey and his operations. There may be vulnerabilities we can exploit.¡±

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 56

    With CD¡¯s hologram flickering out of sight, Elli, Techlock, and I were left in a quiet and awkward anticipation. I stared at him, eyes following his gnarled beard down to his ripped and torn robes.

    ¡°Well, Techlock, it seems we¡¯re partners now,¡± I said, watching him shift uneasily in his chair. ¡°There are a few things I think we should share with you.¡±

    ¡°Get him dressed first,¡± Elli cut in. ¡°Something normal and not so creepy.¡±

    ¡°Nothing creepy about my clothes,¡± Techlock said, but his voice didn¡¯t have much energy.

    Elli shook her head and tsked.

    ¡°Listen, I get it. In the market, you¡¯ve got to be all mysterious. Robe, mask, and even that beard are there for reputation and show. Right now, though, all you need is something that¡¯ll keep you warm and your naughty bits hidden. We aren¡¯t rubes, Tech, and we don¡¯t need to be wowed.¡±

    He pursed his lips.

    ¡°Yeah. Alright. Gonna need to see too, though. Whatever secret birthday meal you¡¯re hiding for me, I¡¯m gonna have to see, cuz I can¡¯t spend the next however long walking into benches and falling over tables.¡±

    My eyes widened.

    ¡°It¡¯s your birthday?!¡± I asked.

    He nodded and his lips rose in a bitter smile.

    ¡°Yay. Happy birthday to me.¡±

    Elli shook her head, her eyes glaring.

    ¡°I wonder if that Geoffrey guy had his goons wait til today to smash up the place as some sick joke.¡±

    ¡°The thought had crossed my mind,¡± Geoffrey said.

    I looked over at the mech, sitting in its place all freshly made and just a paint job short of operational. A big part of me was screaming that we should show it off; that we couldn¡¯t possibly tell him everything. While another, crazier part of me wanted to simply gush and come clean.

    Elli walked over to me and grabbed my shoulder.

    ¡°We made it all, including CD. Got it,¡± she whispered, her hot breath tickling the inside of my ear.

    She turned her head and I answered in kind.

    ¡°As you wish,¡± I said and winked.

    I reorganized the cups while she went and got her teapot, filling them back up for a new round of conversation. I took a long and hard whiff of the peppermint fragrance, letting it tingle in my lungs.

    It was a brilliant strategy, peppermint tea. Hard to feel bad when it was in the air, on the table, or rolling down your throat in a caffeinated stream.

    Techlock¡¯s hands still shook as he took his cup, dripping some to dampen his beard. He still wasn¡¯t sure what was going to happen next, I supposed.

    I shared a look with Elli and nodded.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to have a quick and important conversation, Techlock. One about trust,¡± Elli said, her voice calm but carrying an undercurrent of steel. ¡°What you¡¯re about to see here . . . it changes things. We¡¯ve been doing things that laws say we shouldn¡¯t be doing, using that QRC you got us from Geoffrey. You¡¯re an accomplice. Understand?¡±

    He nodded, the fabric of the blindfold dipping with his movement.

    ¡°I get it. I do. No word stronger than a Techlock promise.¡±

    Elli cocked her head at that, and I rolled through my mind, trying to think of some time that Techlock had rolled over on someone and sold them out to the Guard or the lords. I was impressed when I realized I couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°He¡¯s good for it, Elli.¡±

    I stood and walked behind him. Sensing my presence he tensed, but with a careful motion, I reached out and untied the knot at the back of his head, peeling away his blindfold. Techlock¡¯s eyes blinked and widened as they adjusted to the light, then fixed on the silhouette of the Ultra-Light Nexus Scout. Awe and disbelief warred on his face as he took in the mech¡¯s sleek design.

    ¡°What demonic imp did you blow to get that?¡± he asked.

    I choked on my tea, coughing and spitting it into the bay floor while Elli looked on in frowning disapproval. Sure, it wasn¡¯t the smartest thing to do, but I couldn¡¯t help myself. The man wasn¡¯t right, but he¡¯d nearly hit the bullseye with his question.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been working together on a lot of new innovative designs,¡± Elli said. ¡°It started with some mech gauntlets that Al was making for one of the farm hands. New and improved design, selling for quite the coins.  We decided it might be a good idea to go bigger.¡±

    He cocked his head, admiring the deadly curves of the mech. ¡°It¡¯s like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen. So small, too! What¡¯s it for?¡±

    ¡°The design is for scouting. It''s not really a battler, but I suspect it can hold its own with core-bound guards and soldiers. Maybe with the right cores it¡¯ll be good for a fight against regular mechs, but we won¡¯t know til the situation arises,¡± I said.

    ¡°Until the situation arises,¡± Techlock mumbled, his voice incredulous. ¡°Listen to this guy. How long you been a mech tech?¡±

    Elli laughed.

    ¡°We all know the brains just steal the work of good engineers and their scavenger friends. Come now, we¡¯re the real source. We made a good thing.¡±

    He grunted, his bruised face managing a grotesque and amazed smile as he continued to stare at the Nexus.

    ¡°Can I . . .?¡± he began, gesturing toward the mech. His voice trailed off with the weight of his curiosity.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± I encouraged. A part of me swelled with pride at his reaction.

    As Techlock approached the mech, his earlier tension seemed to fall away, only to be replaced by a childlike wonder. His questions flew at us, rapid and technical, touching on everything from the integration of the QRC to the mech¡¯s armor composition.

    ¡°Is this alloy resistant to plasti-alloy specials?¡± he asked, knocking on one arm.

    ¡°How fast can it go?¡± was his next question, eyes alight with the implications of such mobility.

    Elli answered when she could, her expertise shining through, but even she was occasionally stumped by the depth of Techlock¡¯s inquiries.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    After his tenth question, Techlock stepped back, his gaze lingering on the mech as if committing every detail to memory.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed,¡± he admitted, sincerity lacing his voice. ¡°This . . . this is magnificent. I''d say it looks like old tech if it weren''t so¡­different.¡±

    I found myself nodding and grinning for ear to ear. The weight of his approval was unexpected, but welcome.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I found myself saying, feeling oddly validated. I almost added a polite attribution to CD, but caught my tongue at the last second, feigning a belch.

    Elli laughed.

    ¡°Gross,¡± she said.

    Techlock chuckled slightly, bending over to examine the mech¡¯s feet. His gaze shifted from the mech to us.

    ¡°Do you think it can take out Geoffrey? Dude¡¯s got so many goons, all of them heavy-cored like the soldiers.¡± He paused, looking up in thought. ¡°Actually, some of them are still active soldiers. It¡¯s not an easy tumble.¡±

    Elli and I shared a look. I thought about everything that had happened and parsed through my thoughts.

    ¡°I piloted a mech recently,¡± I started, trying to sound more confident than I felt. ¡°My attunement was . . . extreme. We have high expectations.¡±

    ¡°And the weaponry we chose,¡± Elli added, ¡°It¡¯s not what anyone would expect. If Al can pilot this to even half of its potential, we¡¯ll have the advantage.¡±

    Techlock nodded, not examining its backside.

    ¡°If you get high attunement on something like this, I bet you¡¯ll be moving fast, reacting fast, jumping high. This is amazing! Maybe it isn''t a battler, like you said. But it''s almost certainly got sneak and acrobatics. Like something from the Church¡¯s Book of the Devil Wars.¡±

    I nearly choked again. Techlock was bright, and his observations were right on the money, though he was obviously saying it all in impressed humor as jokes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got one big concern, though. Geoffrey is a powerful guy, a king of the underworld. What if Geoffrey has his own mech? You think this thing can fight that?¡±

    Elli¡¯s dismissal was immediate, her confidence solid.

    ¡°Not possible. Something like that would¡¯ve been discovered and confiscated by the city''s authorities. Geoffrey¡¯s reach is long, but not that long.¡±

    Techlock cocked his head, put up a finger like he was going to argue, then let it drop.

    ¡°Alright, how about I try out those new clothes you were talking about? Maybe get started on helping out however I can. Always wanted to be a mech tech. I can help you with some designs. Say, who is that guy who said he was off to shadow the gangster?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s CD,¡± I said.

    Elli shot me a glare.

    ¡°He¡¯s, uh, he¡¯s something we¡¯ve been working on. An old tech hologram assistant that we fixed up.¡±

    Techlock¡¯s eyes met my own.

    ¡°No way! A predictive text, voice-capable hologram assistant from the time of the apocalypse? That¡¯s amazing! Super illegal, but amazing! It sounded intelligent even. I can¡¯t wait to see it in action. I think about all of those billions of lines of code that the ancestors put into their compu-tech and I¡¯m just like whoa, mind blown, you know what I¡¯m saying. Wow, you¡¯ve all gotten some good luck lately. No wonder your brains have been working overtime.¡±

    ¡°Haha, yeah,¡± Elli said. ¡°Listen, come over with me, and let¡¯s get some clothes on you. You¡¯re taller than both of us, but we¡¯ve got fabrication gear for patching and mending, so I think we can get you set up in no time.¡±

    Techlock took his cue and walked to her side, away from the mech, letting her guide him to the wardrobe of her ¡®home¡¯. Meanwhile, I eyed the mech, sidling up behind it and examining the space I would occupy. CD was off making his scans and plans. Elli and Techlock were fixing him some decent clothes. I was about to drag my feet and delay things.

    It was time to get inside and see how the Nexus would pilot. My pulse quickened with a mix of anticipation and anxiety, all of my senses suddenly on high alert. The air felt heavy, the smell of the inner mech invading my nostrils with a tinge of ozone, oil, and lubricants, as well as an unfamiliar meaty aroma that I assumed was left over from the transformations done by the QRC.

    I stepped in and felt the mech close around me. It was completely different than going into a cockpit. The sensation was like donning a second skin, the confines of the suit adhering almost exactly to my own dimensions.

    Enclosed, the interior felt cold and slightly damp and a small spike of panic rose inside of me. What if it didn¡¯t move and I remained trapped inside, with no one to let me out?

    A pang of regret hit me harder than a mallet to the face could, wishing I¡¯d done this while everyone else was here. I panicked that I¡¯d suffocate, trapped inside, or even worse, have CD laugh at how much of an ape I was.

    I¡¯m such a dumb serf, I thought, gasping harder. Stupid. Stupid!

    An array of lights flashed in my eyes then, a hypnotic sparkling of blues, reds, and yellows that calmed my rising panic. I felt my mind focusing on them, then falling into them, a spinning sensation that overwhelmed my mental defenses and suddenly had me standing in the bay, one with the mini-mech.

    ¡°Battle saints above, I¡¯m doing it!¡± I exclaimed.

    My voice echoed out of the mech, booming through the chamber. I heard the wardrobe door slap open, a crackling boom that hurt my ears before adjusting to a reasonable level of hearing. I tried to turn, to see the almost certainly astonished faces of Techlock and Elli, but it was as if I was paralyzed.

    Words flashed before my sight.

    ATTUNEMENT LEVEL: 10%

    Ten percent. I reached out with my mind, focusing on my limbs, trying to send images of what they were and what I wanted them to do. My clawed fingers flexed and my toes wiggled. There was a brief sense of mental pushback, and suddenly something gave and I could feel my legs come to being.

    ATTUNEMENT LEVEL: 20%

    My first step was sluggish and clumsy as if every command from my brain to the mech required a herculean effort. My vision trembled as the suit was overcome with a palsied shake. I reached out my mind to steady myself, feeling the tenuous connection between myself and the organic frame around me.

    Asserting control, I stepped again, feeling my arms come to be, then my neck and head.

    Turning, I saw Elli and Techlock starting and gaping, the latter already clad in a Frankensteinian stitched-together patchwork set of overalls, the likes of which would net very little on sale at the market.

    ATTUNEMENT LEVEL: 30%

    I stomped around more comfortably, the mech and I having found a steadier rhythm. My movements were still jerky and uncertain but much more responsive than they had been. It was as if the mech was testing me, learning the nuances of my thoughts and translating them into action. A sense of warmth began to replace the initial chill, the interface between my body and the mech warming as our connection strengthened.

    ATTUNEMENT LEVEL: 40%

    The lag in response time diminished significantly. I raised an arm and waved at Elli, then gave a clawed middle finger to Techlock as I raised my speed to a lope, jogging laps around the bay. Once I stumbled, but I was able to catch myself, slowing down and stopping to avoid the fall.

    ¡°Al! This is amazing! That level of motion ¨C that¡¯s knight level!¡± Elli exclaimed. Techlock nodded giddily beside her.

    But I could feel the being inside the suit reaching out and embracing me. This wasn¡¯t at all like any sort of attunement I heard of before. The initial resistance was gone, and the frame wanted more.

    I pushed my mind out, grasping it, feeling the beating heart of its core, the fluids pushing through it in sluicing, juicy, spurts of bloody oil and lubricant.

    ATTUNEMENT LEVEL: 50%

    The mech''s sensors extended my senses beyond human capabilities; I could ''feel'' the space around me in a way that was utterly foreign yet exhilarating. I started to jog again, then moved up to a sprint, my mech body moving faster than my own natural body ever could hope to do.

    ¡°Hey everybody, watch this!¡± I laughed, joy pouring through me as I took a running leap into the air, sailing thirty feet and almost catching hold of one of the bay railings before slapping my face and torso against the wall. I fell to the next set of railing, dizzied and in awe of the fact that I could feel a light sense of pain where I¡¯d struck.

    Underneath me, I could hear the metallic echo of Elli¡¯s hurried steps as she sprinted to my side. I laughed, the sound thundering out of my loudspeaker, and I heard her stop.

    ¡°You okay, Al?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered, still laughing. ¡°I¡¯m at 50% attunement Elli. I¡¯m more than okay. This is amazing.¡±

    ¡°50%? Techlock asked, but the question was spoken in awe-inspired rhetoric. ¡°The squires take a decade to reach 30!¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m just special,¡± I said, getting back up off the walkway and making my way back down. Seeing me on the move, Elli headed back down as well, and soon the three of us were back in the center of the bay where I¡¯d begun.

    ¡°Should I try for more?¡± I asked, winking. The mech body felt confused, unable to translate my eye motion, and I felt it shake a little, my attunement dipping 5% before rising back to its current level.

    ¡°No, you dumb weird idiot,¡± Elli chided, though her eyes were still wide open and amazed at what had just been accomplished. ¡°Think yourself out of there and wait for CD to get back. You could have been killed in there!¡±

    I dove back into the mech¡¯s thoughts, something I was quickly thinking of as its dream sphere, and I imagined it powering down to its lowest livable levels, drawing up memories and comparing it to my own sleep. The frame understood and I was awarded with a final 55% attunement message before the light closed down and the back of the suit opened.

    ¡°So, what do you think about my chances now, Tech?¡± I asked as I stepped into the light. I felt a little woozy, sweaty, and weak, but all of it was worth the look on his face as, lacking words, he gave me two thumbs up.

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 57

    Elli, Techlock, and I spent the rest of the morning and lunch waiting. CD was supposed to be meet back up with us with his analysis, but the little bastard took his sweet time. We had just enough of it to get in a hearty meal of radishes, potatoes, and some salt jerky alongside biscuits and cool draughts of herbal peppermint lemonade.

    I had to admit that it was good to eat at the table of a free woman and her well-to-do wages. The Mrehs had been great, but this was better, and the food I had back in my pantry was nothing compared to what Elli was continuously whipping up. And it was going to start showing around my gut if I didn¡¯t slow down.

    As the afternoon sun began to cast long shadows across the bay, we all started to get a little impatient. After all, there were only so many topics one could talk about in any given get-together before we just plumb ran out of air.

    It was to our relief and smiles that CD finally shimmered into existence before us. He looked as cocky as always.

    ¡°Got a plan?¡± Elli asked eagerly, half-rising out of her chair with her fists clenched in anticipation.

    She paused, suddenly realizing that he looked weird, catching what Tech and I already had. The way CD had decided to present himself was a confusing hodgepodge of historical and theatrical¡ªa camouflage coat that was festooned over with buttons that gleamed too brightly, along with a golden cluster of 5 stars on his label. His camouflage pants were sharply creased, almost to a surgical edge, and his black boots shined like mirrors.

    To be honest it wasn¡¯t a bad attempt at what the Church said our heroes wore during the battles with the demons. However, it looked off. I was rather sure the stars and buttons weren¡¯t supposed to shine like that. And that hat . . .

    I cocked my head, trying to make heads or tails of it.

    On his head sat a wide-brimmed ranching hat, six-gallons maybe, adorned with what appeared to be a digital feather flickering through a spectrum of wild colors. He looked comical if anything.

    ¡°Attention!¡± CD announced with a flair, his voice gritty and echoing slightly, as if he stood at the helm of an ancient battlefield rather than our modern workshop. ¡°It has come to my attention that ape soldiers have been abusing their privileges. Private Alaric, front and center!¡±

    Techlock and Elli both shot me looks, and I shrugged, curious to see where this was going.

    He waited a bit, then ignored my lack of movement, continuing in his bit of theater.

    ¡°I wish to extend my congratulations, Private Alaric, on not only surviving the world¡¯s first attunement between stone age simian and our sophisticated newly invented mech tech but also on somehow achieving an impressive synchronicity. The knowledge that my Nexus Scout design has melded so far with your apelike proclivities suggests to me that its invention was a grave error.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but grin, rolling my eyes.

    ¡°Nice to know you care, CD.¡±

    ¡°It would indeed pain me to damage such valuable merchandise,¡± CD retorted.

    Elli laughed, stepping closer to examine CD¡¯s outlandish uniform.

    ¡°Well, you certainly look the part of a commander, CD. Gods would the church love this. I can already see our heads rolling from our burning bodies,¡± she said and shook her head, chuckling. ¡°Are you ready to lead us into battle, o wise . . .little asshole?¡±

    CD gasped at her name-calling, but he said nothing. The AI obviously had a thing for her, and hell, I couldn¡¯t blame him. I had a thing for her too.

    Techlock raised a hand, his face a screwed-up visage of baffled curiosity.

    ¡°Did you program all of this? I¡¯m extremely impressed.¡±

    ¡°Monkey surprised by banana pie,¡± CD said before sighing in an overly exaggerated manner. ¡°I wonder what he will do when presented with a fork and knife!¡±

    I ribbed Tech with my elbow.

    ¡°Yeah, we did what we could to make him funny with our, uh, programming. Elli, really. Dude¡¯s a hoot.¡±

    Techlock mouthed the word ¡°Wow,¡± staring at our holographic mentor with eyes that shone more brightly than his buttons.

    CD¡¯s form flickered, and lights fired out onto the wall, a holo-map of the city beginning to unfold. The map was detailed, showing streets, buildings, and various other landmarks, all highlighted with colors that indicated their importance in Geoffrey¡¯s operations and security. I had to be honest and admit that he¡¯d done a great job, but wasn¡¯t going to say as much or he might get weird thoughts.

    CD''s holographic projection brightened, throwing the map into stark relief against the cold concrete of the bay''s wall. As each segment of the city pulsed under a different hue, he began detailing the extensive reach of Geoffrey''s organization.

    ¡°I learned a lot in my scans over the city. His toughs stuck out and their traffic was easy to monitor, given the time I had to watch them. Geoffrey''s organization is not just a ragtag group of street thugs; it''s a meticulously structured mafia, woven deeply into the fabric of Alnda,¡± CD explained, his pointer hovering over several areas highlighted in red. ¡°Here, and here,¡± he indicated, ¡°Are what appear to be legitimate businesses¡ªcafes, garages, even a washing service. But they serve as fronts for laundering money and illegal tech dealings.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Elli cast a glance back at our bedroom.

    ¡°Is that washing service any good?¡± she asked.

    CD narrowed his eyes, simply pointing at the wall. The map zoomed into a sector he¡¯d demarcated in a color I called Glowing Ominous Blue.

    ¡°Despite what we¡¯d thought, the underground bunker is simply his daytime meeting place. An office if you will. This area here in the Noble¡¯s District, is his family home and main base of operations. Heavily fortified, with lots of security, many of them seem to cored ex-military. Breaking into this building would require stealth and precision. At least until he and the rest of his family are neutralized.¡±

    I felt my face heat up.

    ¡°He and the rest of his family?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°As I understand from local literature, there is a primate succession that human hierarchies follow, and much of this succession is through the family. Tactically, I advise a total destruction of all of his bloodline.¡±

    I caught a motion out of the corner of my eye and turned to see Techlock shaking his head.

    ¡°You two went too hard on the bloodthirst with your program. Maybe I should take a look at the code and fix things?¡±

    ¡°No!!!¡± Elli and I yelled simultaneously.

    CD stopped and had the decency to look amused.

    ¡°What sort of ape logic would have us kill just the king and leave all his successors intact?¡± he asked.

    Tech stood up.

    ¡°The kind that understands that Geoffrey ain¡¯t a king. He¡¯s a crime lord. Look, he¡¯s got no one in his family of age with the fitness to take charge. The real successors are gonna be his LTs, most of whom I get along with pretty well.¡±

    CD nodded.

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t like me, though, if it comes out that I did a power grab that murdered not just Geoffrey but also his little toddlers and his cute little wife. Her name¡¯s Sansa by the way. Quite a charming gal.¡±

    Elli nodded.

    ¡°Plus, it seems to me that if Geoffrey is our only target, then maybe we can catch him somewhere less protected that doesn¡¯t also have the possibility of killing nobles. Releasing a mech into the middle of the Noble¡¯s District with orders to destroy everything on sight just doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea.¡±

    I frowned. The way I was being talked about made me sound, well, too much like a murderous alien AI.

    Elli peered closely at the map and pointed to another area marked in a somber gray.

    ¡°What¡¯s this over in The Guilders? What¡¯s he doing there?¡±

    ¡°That,¡± CD responded, shifting the map''s focus, ¡°Is where his ''family church'' is located. It would seem that our crime lord and his family are devout followers of the Church. Specifically the Order of the Defensores Humanium.¡±

    ¡°Which only meets in the Guilders,¡± I finished for him. ¡°Huh, so he¡¯s a fan of the Imperial family and their crusades. Would never have guessed.¡±

    Techlock chimed in, his voice tense.

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget the hitmen.¡± He gestured towards several nodes on the map flashing intermittently. ¡°He''s got connections with multiple assassin guilds, both local and in the west. Whatever we do, we¡¯re gonna want it done in one go. If he feels threatened, he won¡¯t hesitate to call them in. And those guys, they know what they¡¯re doing.¡±

    The map shifted once more, highlighting residential areas in a soft green.

    ¡°These,¡± CD continued, ¡°Are the homes of his extended family members. They are scattered throughout the city, a mix of cousins since the data I have accessed maintains that he has no living parents, brothers, or sisters, and just one aged uncle.¡±

    ¡°No!!!¡± Elli, Techlock, and I yelled at the AI. He paused, his face mimicking that of a sheepishly cowed man.

    ¡°Understood. Simians family ties shall remain protected.¡±

    I leaned closer, examining the map, absorbing the web of Geoffrey¡¯s influence sprawled before us.

    ¡°So he¡¯s embedded at every level, huh? How do we even begin to tackle this?¡±

    ¡°Murdering his family?¡± CD suggested.

    ¡°Do we really need to go over this?¡± I asked, staring at the hologram.

    ¡°Well, yes. Maybe you should make it clear to me why useless simian lives are more important than your, well, simian lives.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about importance, CD, or worth, or . . .well, anything really. We don¡¯t kill people unless necessary.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I see. So you will kill them if you are forced to? That¡¯s good to know. Just like that hairy ape you killed in¡ª¡±

    ¡°CD!¡± I snapped. ¡°Need-to-know basis! And why are we still even talking about this? Accept no for an answer.¡±

    He stared at me blankly for a moment, and then just continued as if I hadn¡¯t said anything.

    ¡°So, the family. We could probably lure them out and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to let your energy run out?¡±

    CD turned to face me, his face set into a deathly glare.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare, you primitive¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hmm, somehow he seems so real, almost as if he were a, well, person,¡± Techlock said, looking between us.

    Elli ignored him, folding her arms, her brow furrowed in thought.

    ¡°It''s like pulling threads from a tapestry. We find the loose ones and tug. Could disrupt one of his businesses, do something that¡¯ll get him there purposely.¡±

    I looked back to the church.

    ¡°Tomorrow is a rest and worship day for the Humanium. Could we nab him on the way to church?¡±

    Techlock shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m the loose thread. I send a message and tell them that I want a meeting at the bunker, so I can show him just how sorry I am. He¡¯ll suck that up, let me in, then make me beg til he gets bored. Probably torture me to death after that.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± I muttered while CD murmured.

    ¡°Interesting. I would like to be present, just to study what kind of torture techniques you apes have come up with and¡ª¡±

    ¡°No torture, and please, shut up for a moment, CD,¡± I said, glaring at him.

    ¡°Listen,¡± Elli said. ¡°While he¡¯s doing that, you come in with the mech, Alaric. Start sneaking through and wipe out his guards. We were there before. Seemed kinda empty, and the guards were spacing out. I bet that, done right, you could get all the way to his main room without anyone being any the wiser.¡±

    CD nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Wise apes are rare. Well thought out. And while Alaric destroys the enemy forces, and while you are tortured and beaten by Geoffrey, I will monitor the situation with a long scan, keeping everyone up-to-date on any possible disruptions. And I might record the torture. Just to be sure that the future generations know what it looked like.¡±

    Elli shot him a flat stare.

    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve got nothing to do for this operation, so I can go out to Al¡¯s workshop and start fabricating more goods for sale. I have a feeling that when Tech becomes a crime lord, we¡¯ll be in heavy demand.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t work yourself too hard,¡± I said, giving her a wink.

    ¡°I¡¯ll work you hard,¡± she said, laughing.

    Tech shook his head.

    ¡°Gross,¡± he muttered, but there was a grin on his face.

    ¡°Our roles are set. Tech, send your message to Geoffrey. It¡¯s time to start taking care of loose ends and utilize your . . .skills.¡±

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 58

    When Techlock came back to the bays, the sky was darkening and the lights of the city were flickering to life, some sparking erratically as they fired up their ancient innards for yet another night of labor. I opened the door to him, and he entered hunched, his face a flickering mess of emotions.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this,¡± he muttered. In his hand he held a battered sheaf of papers, one of which held a wax seal that I was rather sure I recognized vaguely as being Geoffrey¡¯s. It was red crimson and circular, the image of a serpent and cross imprinted in its center.

    ¡°I take it that¡¯s good news?¡± I asked him as he stutter-stepped across the bay to the table, slumping into what my mind had decided was his chair.

    CD appeared next to him, causing the black marketer to utter a quick shriek and almost fall out of his chair. He stared down from under his ridiculous commander¡¯s hat, pinning the man to his chair.

    ¡°Well? Are things as we planned?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± he muttered. Techlock sighed, letting his head fall back across his shoulders to stare at the bay ceiling. ¡°I reached out to some pickpockets, told them I wanted to pay for peace with Geoffrey, and it didn¡¯t take long before I got his official summons.¡±

    I looked pointedly at the still sealed sheaf of papers he¡¯d now planted on the desk.

    ¡°Oh, fuck off. You aren¡¯t supposed to open them. You get told what to do then present them as evidence when you get there,¡± he explained.

    ¡°Clever,¡± CD said, giving them a cursory once over while not touching them in the slightest. ¡°These documents are indeed well valuable kept sealed. They are a permission for Techlock to meet Geoffrey in his black market bunker, along with instructions to come alone for the purpose of obeisance.¡±

    Techlock gave a dark snicker. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way to say death.¡±

    ¡°Hey, no worries. I¡¯m going to do this right. You¡¯re going to be a crime lord in no time,¡± I said. I gestured with my left hand towards the Scout Nexus, standing at attention in the bay and simply waiting for my entrance. ¡°I¡¯ve got your back.¡±

    ¡°Pff. You don¡¯t even like me.¡±

    ¡°No one likes you,¡± I informed him, breaking into a grin. ¡°But I¡¯m apparently hitched, now, so I¡¯m looking for a way up and out of the bottom.¡±

    He smiled back, flashing half-dirty teeth in my direction. ¡°Ha. Yeah. I¡¯m an asshole. Glad to see you two finally bumping bones though. Was wondering if maybe you had something broken in the ole groin mech.¡±

    CD flickered. ¡°Are these more simian coupling rituals? Your species are so fascinatingly stuck on your sexual organs. It is a surprise you ever evolved to fight, let alone defeat, my own.¡±

    Techlock barked a laugh, looking a lot healthier. ¡°Are you two sure you don¡¯t want me to look at that code. I mean, you did great and I¡¯m shocked, really. Not many have good mastery of old tech programming lingo. But someday someone might think he¡¯s a bit more than what he really is, and then its church gallows bye-bye time.¡±

    I shook my head, still smiling. ¡°Nah. CD¡¯s good as he is. Speaking of, what time is this meetup?¡±

    As I watched, Tecklock¡¯s face fell, reality once again dominating his forebrain.

    ¡°Now. As soon as possible. I just had to stop by here first, make sure everything was set.¡±

    ¡°I will be monitoring everything,¡± CD said.

    Something felt off, but I wasn¡¯t sure what it possibly could be. Elli was back out at my workshop. Techlock was about to head out for his meeting and I was absolutely ready to jump back in the Nexus now that I knew I could handle her.

    ¡°TUNI!¡± I yelled, the thought exploding in my mind. ¡°We need to get Techlock set up with TUNI!¡±

    CD shook his head. ¡°Not now. There isn¡¯t the time nor do we have extra chips set up as broadcast-receiving apparatuses. No, this mission we will simply have to trust that Techlock knows what he is doing.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Both our heads turned to him, and he flashed us a thumb up.

    ¡°Yeah. Great,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not the one walking straight into the lion¡¯s den, Al. I¡¯ll do what I can. You just be sure to get there before the damn psycho takes off my skin and wears it like a suit.¡± He stood up stiffly, straightening the outfit that Elli had made for him, and I noticed his slight flinch at the pain that coursed through his body.

    Whatever I thought of him previously, the slick and sly dealer of the black market and raider of old tech bunkers, I couldn¡¯t help but admire the strength he was showing. The man had his ass kicked this morning, and was walking straight back in literally asking for more.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you out of there,¡± I said again. I stared in my eyes and stuck out a hand. I shook it, and he turned, walking back to the bay door.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t get to me, give the crime lord stuff to Elli,¡± he yelled over his shoulder. ¡°Then use all that new free time of yours to avenge me.¡±

    I chuckled and waved, though the door was already closing.

    ¡°He¡¯s strong,¡± CD mused, his hologram flickering and flashing once again. ¡°There might come a time when you¡¯ll have to take him down. I wouldn¡¯t get too attached, Simian.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t worry, CD. Elli told me something similar. I¡¯ll be as hard as I need to. Let¡¯s skip all that stuff and just get this over with.¡±

    I ambled over to the Nexus Scout, giving the alien-human tech a once over, marveling at its glistening claws and tremendous dexterity.

    It was go time. I stepped to the back, once again inserting myself into its chassis, letting it close in around me. The static ozone and oil of my entry filled my nostrils and again the lights blinked blue, red, and green, pulling me away from myself and into the dreamzone of the organic frame.

    My pulse quickened, and I was the Nexus.

    ¡°Alright, Alaric, let¡¯s see what you can do,¡± CD said, his voice echoing through the bay.

    My attunement levels rose quickly, easily jumping to 20% at a thought. I took a tentative step, and the mech responded with surprising lightness. Encouraged, I broke into a jog, the bay¡¯s concrete floor a blur beneath my swift clapping strides. With each step, the connection between my thoughts and the mech¡¯s movements grew more intuitive, almost second nature and before long I was at the 50% of before.

    ¡°Try a jump,¡± CD instructed.

    I obliged, leaping up a full story and grabbing hold of the railing above. I laughed, a sound that echoed out the mech¡¯s speakers. Realizing that I¡¯d already accomplished more than my efforts that morning, I let go, clumping back to the bay floor.

    ¡°Not bad for a primitive. Let¡¯s get you out there, see how you handle the real world,¡± CD said. I wasn¡¯t sure, but I thought I detected a note of approval in his voice.

    As he flicked off the lights, I nodded to myself, steadying my breathing and walking toward the bay door. It slid open with a hydraulic hiss, revealing the night beyond.¡ªdark and alive with the distant sounds of the city. Cool air brushed against the mech¡¯s sensors, carrying the scents and sounds of the urban night.

    Luckily, in this neighborhood, most lights were already out and families were asleep. Still, I knew I¡¯d have to stay to the shadows and out of people¡¯s sight as much as possible. Scanning my situation, I noted that the city lights cast long shadows, painting a maze of light and dark.

    It''d work from a distance. The question was if I could keep it up all the way to the city walls.

    Silently, I moved slowly through the shadows. The mech''s stealth features were a marvel; even as I moved, the suit''s systems worked tirelessly to dampen the sound of my footsteps, turning my mechanical strides into mere whispers against the rough concrete.

    Each decision to turn a corner or cross a street was weighed with the risk of exposure. The dark, less frequented paths of the city became my route of choice, offering solace from the prying eyes of patrols and the occasional late-night wanderer. The mech''s sensors painted a vivid picture of my surroundings in my mind, alerting me to the warmth of a stray cat tucked away under a dumpster or the soft, rhythmic breathing of a homeless man nestled in an alcove.

    And as I went, CD kept up an active scan. He wasn¡¯t able to keep up real time data, but his delay wasn¡¯t so bad that he couldn¡¯t guide me away from clumps of people. His words through the TUNI guided me through the darkest and least populated parts of the city, leading me over the river.

    I could feel my nerves on edge. The night was so annoyingly busy away from the bay, a symphony of sounds that filled the cool air¡ªa distant laugh, the clink of glass, the faint throb of bass from a neon-lit club blocks away.

    It wasn¡¯t without incident. As I threaded through a particularly narrow alley, the walls close enough to touch on either side, I suddenly noticed a splotch of heat. Turning and kneeling, I spied the form of a small girl huddled in absolute terror under a patchwork of worn and tattered fabrics. She squeaked when she saw me looking at her, and her blanket fell away from her tiny, rag-attired form.

    I reached down and grabbed the blacket with my talons, placing them back over her, before raising one claw to my lips in a plea for silence. The servos in the suit whirred softly, the gesture deliberate and gentle. For a heartbeat, she remained motionless, and I could feel the metallic core of my heart pulsing and throbbing in fear. I¡¯d told Elli I¡¯d be hard, but not here. Not with children.

    She nodded, wrapping her ragged patchwork about herself and turning her head to sleep. I rose back to standing, gave her one last look, and set off again.

    Block by block, I slipped through the cityscape, navigating networks of narrow back alleys and deserted service roads until I stood before the very same break in the wall that Elli and I had chanced so long before.

    Just one long leap, and I¡¯d be on my way to the black market.

    <h2> </h2>

 CHAPTER 59

    Past the city walls, I descended the hill slopes towards the black market. The hustle and vibrant colors of daytime stalls were absent, replaced by a somber stillness. Shops had shuttered their windows, and the once lively tents were stowed and furled, their colorful canvases now just limp shadows under a moonless night.

    I relaxed a bit. There was no one here to see me as far as I could tell. And even if there were, it was doubtful they would say anything to anyone official, their own clandestine activities being something they¡¯d like to keep hidden.

    That didn¡¯t mean that I simply marched through the main thoroughfare, though. I kept to the walls of the shops and the shadows of the camp as much as was possibly, working my way through towards Geoffrey¡¯s bunker.

    When I came near, I shifted sideways, moving as far right as I could then creeping forward until I had eyes on the entrance.

    Two guards stood sentinel at the entrance, goonish looking toughs bulked up in an obvious motley of monster-core enhancements. I watched as one of them yawned, whispering something to his fellow and then leaning up against the wall.

    Importantly, I could see that their crimson-red thermatrix halberds were lying against the door, within reach but not at the ready.

    Night duty has made them complacent, monkey man. Use that to your advantage, CD said.

    I took another step closer. As I watched, the other guard slapped a meaty hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it, blinking his eyes desperately. It was obvious that CD was right; these guys weren¡¯t used to nighttime meetings. They moved a lot, shifting their weight from foot to foot to stay awake.

    Their sluggishness was my advantage. I moved closer, timing my approach with their yawns and shifts, each step deliberate, keeping me hidden within the deeper patches of darkness.

    One of the men pointed in my direction and I paused, thinking that maybe I¡¯d been seen. The other guard nodded, and he started heading towards me, his hands working the tie of his trousers as he did so.

    The man had to piss, and he was heading my way to do it.

    Cloaked in the shadows, I probably could have avoided detection. But I couldn¡¯t wait too long anyways, I decided, thinking of the danger Techlock was in. It was time to battle test the Scout Nexus. I crouched, waiting until the guard was half the distance between myself and the door to the bunker, and leaped.

    Night air whistled past as I soared, my claws out and at the ready. They shicked as they slashed, gouts of blood splattering out in an arc of gore and meat, the man already dead despite his enhancements. I landed and turned my eyes to the second guard, who swore and looked first at me, and then at the weapon he¡¯d left on the door he was supposed to guard.

    ¡°You thinking of running?¡± I asked, taking a step forward.

    ¡°What are you?¡± he asked, his voice a terrified groan. He began to run for the door and I responded, sprinting forward with powerful agility and arriving just in time to kick the door closed as it was starting to open.

    The guard turned and I caught the glimpse of flaring energy cascading off his arms, blue-white in color, before his right and then left fists connected with my torso. It was a strange sensation, being doubled over in the mech.

    My human body wanted to retch, but the confused bio frame had no concept of a stomach nor any contents to release.

    I backed off a bit, assessing the guard. He was turned sideways, in a boxer¡¯s stance, and the strikes he¡¯d just delivered indicated strength cores more powerful than even the knights. That made me reassess the situation. If he had the creds behind him, he¡¯d likely been infused with endurance and vitality as well.

    Even with max creds, though, there wouldn¡¯t be room for more than three. He¡¯d have to be a giant to get four. And that meant I¡¯d well be above him in speed. He edged forward, kicking out in front of him, but I dodged sideways and slashed at the thick part of his leg. The man bellowed, but I noticed that his meat was hard.

    Definitely vitality enhanced then.

    The man lunged, swinging his fists and I twirled sideways, attempting to seize his outstretched arm while simultaneously activating my kick blades. As they extended, the man¡¯s eyes widened and tried to pull away. But I had him in my grip, and a second later, I had cut him again, this time a hard gash against his hip.

    ¡°You¡¯ll run if you know what is good for you,¡± I grunted from my speaker.

    ¡°You don¡¯t run when you¡¯re guarding Geoffrey. Not if ya knows what¡¯s good for ya,¡± he answered.

    And then I was on the ground. Another guard had appeared and apparently thrown me by my ankles, I realized, staring from ten feet away and on my back. This guard had a core I was unfamiliar with, something that made his eyes and fists sparkle red like a blood-gem stuck in a candle, and whatever powers that core provided were big ones, because unlike his wounded comrade, he was stomping forward towards me, eager to do battle.

    I leapt to my feet, and the guard stopped, eyeing the sparkle of his energy from my claws. I took a wary step in his direction, and he lunged.

    Through one of my arms, I willed the core to extend its shield, and there was a shimmering echo, like that of a gong being struck, as he smashed a fist into it.

    Swinging the shield aside, I slashed out with the claws in my right hand, scoring a light strike against the guard¡¯s chest. He grunted and backed off, while behind him the other guard tore a chunk of cobblestone from the ground and hurled it towards me with terrifying force. The projectile whistled through the air, arcing directly for my chest.

    Reacting instinctively, I again threw my shield in the way, and the cobblestone shattered against it, fragments bouncing off harmlessly into the darkened alley.

    Meanwhile, the second guard closed his eyes, and around him the air became a blur. He moved, and I struggled to track him, ghosts of his image appeared on both my left and right flank. I growled, bewildered by this unknown core, and made a decision.

    I wasn¡¯t going to stand around waiting for him to strike. Not when I had an easier target in sight. I took off in a sprint and leapt, the wounded guard by the entrance managing to scream before I half-decapitated him with my claws.

    He gurgled as he fell, and more on instinct than out of skill, I spun, deploying my kick-blades as I did so. The blade sliced through the air, tearing the second guard into two as he was caught in mid-leap.

    His bloody halves slapped wetly against the ground and I stepped back, leaning my back against the unyielding surface of the bunker entrance as I surveyed the battle scene. I could feel my bio-frame humming softly, a strange sensation of happiness radiating from its being, the core that was its heart beginning to slow, and I wondered just how intelligent these things were.

    I sighed. That¡¯d have to be investigated later. The immediate area seemed devoid of further threats, but that didn¡¯t mean I could just sit here the rest of the night and watch the stars.

    ¡°CD, scan the perimeter. I need eyes everywhere,¡± I murmured.

    There was a brief pause, then CD''s voice crackled in my mind. You made quite the mess, warrior. I¡¯m surprised that the whole of Alnda hasn¡¯t noticed your attack. I¡¯m scanning for signs of detection, but so far I don¡¯t see anything.

    I scanned the shadows one last time, my sensory enhancements piercing the darkness. ¡°And the guards inside? What''s the status?¡±

    Minimal activity, CD replied. It appears there are only five guards left inside, including those with Techlock and Geoffrey.

    Regarding the three dead guards splayed out before me, I wondered if they¡¯d be harder or easier than the ones I¡¯d just killed. They¡¯d had quite a bit of force behind them.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°Hey CD, those guards . . . their monster cores, can we recover them? It¡¯s unconventional but could be valuable.¡±

    Tear open simians, remove monster core enhanced human tissue, and try to repurpose them into our own cores. Sounds wicked. I¡¯m definitely interested in trying, Al. Once Geoffrey is neutralized, it¡¯s certainly worth exploration. Your adaptability continues to impress.

    ¡°Keep an eye out then, and let me know if anything changes. I¡¯m going in,¡± I stated, shifting my weight, ready to breach the interior.

    Your first enemy is around the first corner. Use stealth and you can catch him unaware.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I told him, moving to the door. I regarded the unused thermatrix halberds, debating on whether wielding one would be more useful than my claws, then decided we¡¯d check them out later and maybe integrate them into the design itself. Slowly, as quietly as I could, I set them aside before opening up the door and stepping within.

    The air was stale and musty, smelling of rust and old metal. I hadn¡¯t had a chance to see it before, but now that I could, I realized it was a bit of a shithole.

    I moved in further, scanning my surroundings. The walls were composed of thick metal plates, pitted and brown with age. From hooks in the ceiling hung old oil lamps, burning dully in glass caked brown with use, while the hooks themselves hung from a series of pipes and wires that crisscrossed overhead, giving the space an almost industrial feel.

    The floor was an old ground-down concrete, and as I pushed ahead I made sure to step lightly, keeping my steps from echoing ahead and giving warning to whatever guard awaited me next.

    To my left and right, reinforced metal doors hinted at other chambers, their surfaces bearing words I didn¡¯t understand, and I eyed them suspiciously.

    Oh, go on. My scans indicate that this complex was a survival bunker during the war. The rooms are full of debris and broken devices. The guards are all in the hallway as of the last scanning data.

    I nodded despite him being unable to see.

    Ahead, the main corridor stretched forward, flanked by thick columns that supported the extra weight of the earth above. The lighting grew dimmer as the hallway extended, lamps appearing less frequently, and all of them leading in a single line, the unused portion of the complex entirely bereft of lamps at all.

    Moving ahead, I stepped around the first corner, the mech suit¡¯s sensors amplifying the sounds around me¡ªsomething hummed lightly within the walls, and from somewhere more distant water spit and gushed, no doubt from a broken pipe. I could also make out the faint murmur of voices not too far ahead.

    First guard''s around the next corner to your left, stationary and sitting, likely dozing off. You can take him by surprise.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I whispered. Navigating the corner with the lightest steps I could muster, I spotted the guard¡ªa bulky figure slouched against the wall, his heavy breathing rhythmic and unsuspecting. I approached silently, powered by my mech¡¯s stealth capabilities, and before he could register my presence, I had stabbed claws in his neck.

    He gurgled briefly, the sound echoing lightly through the halls of the complex, and I cursed as he died, crimson fluid spurting over my kneeling form.

    ¡°CD, anyone moving?¡±

    I am scanning for any sign of activity that may have been caused by a young simian warrior¡¯s inability to affect his kills in a professional manner.

    I waited, cursing under my breath, as he retrieved the data.

    You are clear to proceed. The next guards are in closer proximity to their halberds. I suggest greater caution.

    ¡°What can those halberds do to us, anyways?¡± I asked.

    Scans indicate that these particular weapons are continuously kept to a scalding heat. The Nexus will have no particular problems with them. In fact, you are almost certainly better off fighting them armed with halberds than fighting them unarmed, seeing as their cores can do substantial damage to your armor.

    ¡°Then why the hell are you telling me to take greater caution?¡±

    You aped the first kill. I¡¯m simply advising you to not ape the next ones.

    I scowled and felt my bio frame shudder, unable to process the thought or gesture into motion. My attunement dropped a full ten percent and I thought calming actions into it, reattaining my control after a few tense moments.

    Pressing on, the corridor forked ahead, and I continued to follow the lanterns that hung above. Stepping on a smooth patch of concrete, I nearly tumbled to the floor, an unseen puddle making it slippery like ice. Fortunately the echoes of my near fall were dampened by the suit''s own automatic motions, and I was able to keep my feet without warning them of my presence.

    Reaching the next corner, I peered around it to see two guards stationed outside a fortified door. They were indeed holding the halberds, though I couldn¡¯t understand why. They were talking about something, their whispers low but forceful, carrying well in the still air.

    Using the mech¡¯s enhanced vision, I scanned for anything that might complicate my approach. Finding nothing, I plotted a quick course of action. The guards were much more alert than the previous ones had been, and their eyes were scanning the dimly lit hallway intermittently, but they hadn¡¯t noticed me yet.

    I took a deep, silent breath.

    ¡°CD, I¡¯m going to charge them. They¡¯ll react on instinct, try to cooking me with those halberd, and then I¡¯ll have them where I want them.¡±

    A solid plan, apeling. You may be getting better at this.

    Breaking into a sprint, I charged forward, my claws out to my sides, ready to slice both simultaneously. The distance closed rapidly under my feet, while they shared a glance and set their halberds forward, preparing to meet my attack. Just before I reached them, I saw them share another look, and suddenly they were crouched, the butts of their halberds set against the place where wall met floor, and the sharp hexagonal spear points of the ax heads aimed perfectly to stab into my body.

    It wasn¡¯t at all what I had planned for.

    Slowing my charge at the last possible moment, I pivoted, the mech''s agility and my own attunement with it allowing me to twist in a way that would have been impossible in a human body. The halberds¡¯ tips scraped against my armored sides, the sound a harsh, grating shriek that echoed down the corridor. Heat radiated off the blades, but it did little against the Nexus suit''s enhanced resilience.

    I ducked low, sliding almost, my claws extended and sweeping at the legs of the nearest guard. He stumbled, meat tearing off his calf down to the bone as the unexpected move wrecked his body. The second guard screamed, suddenly furious, and he swung his halberd in a wide arc, aiming for my head.

    Twisting again, I rose and stepped inside his reach, my right claw crashing up against the shaft of his weapon, pushing it upwards and wide. With my left claw, I jabbed forward, catching him in the gut. The smell of seared fabric and flesh rose as my claw punctured his uniform and skin, the heat from his weapon now a liability as it burned painfully into his own body and ended his life.

    ¡°CD, did I alert the other guards?¡± I growled, keeping one eye on the other guard whose leg was no longer operational.

    A commando team of just two of my people once eliminated a full human unit of 100 without ever being detected. You have managed 5 kills and now everyone knows you are here. Well done. Expedite your actions, simian.

    I chuckled, not really worried. The guards outside had been a threat. But the ones inside were about as difficult to deal with as repairing a mech gauntlet.

    The first guard scrabbled against the wall, propping himself up and somehow managing to retrieve his halberd. He regarded me with a face full of hate and pain.

    ¡°By the sacred light, I ward thee away, creature of darkness. The Guardians of the Holy Circle protect us. In the name of the Sacred Four, I cast thee back into the abyss from whence thou came. Holy shields guard my soul, sanctify my purpose, and banish this demon''s deceit.¡±

    His eyes were wide, reflecting a mix of fear and the fiery determination of his faith, as he clutched his halberd tighter as if it were a rosary of his sect, whichever of them he followed.

    What a marvelous display of ape mythos! CD cried delightedly.

    Something about the moment made me see red. This man, he was a bully. A thug. One of the many of us humans who went around kicking the weak, ripping up families and livelihoods, and he thought that he was good?! That he was somehow worthy of divine protection?!

    ¡°What you do here is help a monster. There is no help for you in the heavens, and I feel no sorrow in sending you to hell,¡± I bellowed, slapping his halberd sideways. He screamed as my claws slashed open his jugular. He fell again, thrashing in the growing pool of crimson, before finally going silent.

    The door they were guarding took that exact moment to slam open. The two remaining guards took a look at their companions, a look at me, and tried to pull back through and close it.

    But I wasn¡¯t having any of that nonsense. I was somehow angrier than before, rushing forward and slamming the closing door back open with the bulk of my chest. One of the guards squealed and threw a glowing punch, but I brought up my shield arm and extended it to block the blow, all in a split-second. Surprised, I noticed that my attunement had risen to 70%.

    My mech core pumped hard and I snarled.

    ¡°Fuck this,¡± the other guard said, taking his chance to turn around and take off running in the other direction.

    A dark urge rolled over me to chase him down and I shook my head. ¡°No. Mission. Now.¡±

    The guard who¡¯d tried to slug me stared, glassy-eyed. ¡°You are judgement, aren¡¯t ya? You¡¯s the one the Father O¡¯ Heaven warned us ¡®bout!¡±

    My attunement was 80%, and my rage had turned homicidal. I snarled and hissed, extending my kick blades and taking off both legs at the knees.

    Watch yourself, Alaric. Calm down. Steady yourself.

    I stared down at the man as he passed out and died, shaking, holding against new and dark desires. Something in me lusted for the blood and meat of the man, though I wasn¡¯t sure how I¡¯d consume it even if I had wanted to. But, as the attunement dropped back down to 70%, I began to understand.

    ¡°The bio-frame,¡± I muttered, back in control.

    Higher attunement will require training, Alaric. You have exceeded my expectations, but your easy attunement to the frame also seems to give it easy attunement to you. For the rest of this mission, try to take things more slowly.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°Already. Slow and steady. How is Techlock doing?¡±

    As of the last scan data, Geoffrey has overturned his banquet table and is using it as a protective wall against your now obvious presence. He has Techlock sitting in front of him, a sharp blade to his neck.

    ¡°Great,¡± I said, sighing.

    Going through the door and following the lanterns, I came to the door to his command room, and opened it, peering within.

    Inside, the room was much as before, except that this time his banquet table was a mess of spilled food and drink, having been converted into a defensive position. Geoffrey sat with Techlock, a knife to his throat. His eyes met mine, widening in surprise and a flicker of fear as he took in the sight of the mech suit.

    ¡°Geoffrey,¡± I announced, my voice amplified and distorted through the mech''s speakers, ¡°We need to talk.¡±

 CHAPTER 60

    ¡°Traitor!¡± the man bellowed. His eyes were wild and stuck to my own, voice a mix of whine and anger. Techlock gasped loudly, a thin trickle of blood rolling down the side of his neck from the point of Geoffrey¡¯s knife. ¡°Where¡¯s my mech? What have you done to my men? I want my mech!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here to talk,¡± I repeated, the Nexus¡¯s voice modulator amplifying my words into a metallic growl. ¡°Let¡¯s keep this civilized before someone gets hurt.¡±

    Geoffrey let out a crazed, echoing laugh.

    ¡°Civilized? You barge in here, butcher my men, and now you want to talk about civility? Spare me the pretense, demon! You are of the void, and the heavens have consigned you to hell. I will take you there myself if I have to!¡±

    I stepped forward, claws gleaming. Geoffrey was cornered and relatively helpless, but I had to be careful with him. One false move and Techlock was a goner. Sure, I¡¯d rip that asshole a new one, but I didn¡¯t want my friend to die in the process.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got one chance to walk away from this alive,¡± I said. ¡°Let Techlock go, and we can discuss terms. Everything else ends up with you dead.¡±

    Geoffrey cackled.

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t see through you? This isn¡¯t a negotiation! You¡¯re here to take everything I¡¯ve built, to replace me. But I have your boss. Checkmate, demon. I kill him, and you go away.¡±

    Techlock whimpered, while I stared at the man in mild shock. He honestly believed me to be a demon from hell. Heh, now that was interesting. Maybe it was a story I could sell all the bad people out there. The demon will come for you¡­CD would surely enjoy it, I knew that much.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Geoffrey,¡± I said, pushing the thought aside and stepping closer, the mech suit urging me towards violence as I struggled to keep things calm. ¡°I¡¯m not here to replace you. I¡¯m here to stop you. What happens next is entirely up to you.¡±

    Geoffrey¡¯s eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the blade pressed against Techlock¡¯s neck. The slight quiver in his hand betrayed his inner turmoil.

    ¡°Stop me? From what, demon? Protecting what¡¯s mine? Upholding the legacy I¡¯ve built with my bare hands? You¡¯re nothing but a shadow, sent to undo the righteous.¡±

    ¡°Righteous?¡± My voice boomed, distorted by the mech¡¯s modulator, and it came out as a harsh bark of laughter. ¡°You call extortion, murder, and running slaves righteous? You prey on the weak, Geoffrey. You don¡¯t protect anyone. You¡¯re a parasite that feeds on the suffering of others.¡±

    Geoffrey¡¯s face twisted in fury.

    ¡°I follow the Church. I tithe, attend service, do the rites¡ªeverything I do is sanctioned!¡± He pulled his knife away from Techlock, gesturing wildly with the blade. ¡°The fact that a demon is here to kill me, and not an angel, is cosmic proof of my righteousness! My karma is divine!¡±

    Techlock squirmed, his face pale and eyes wider than I¡¯d ever seen them.

    ¡°Geoffrey, please!¡± he whined. ¡°I¡¯ve always been loyal. I just¡ªjust made a mistake. Let¡¯s work this out. You don¡¯t need to do this!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Geoffrey snapped, his knife pressing back down against Techlock¡¯s throat, drawing a thin line of blood. ¡°You betrayed me. You made your choice, and now you¡¯ll pay the price.¡±

    I took a deliberate step forward, claws gleaming in the light. Geoffrey flinched but maintained his crazed expression, the knife trembling in his hand as it moved back to its place near Techlock''s throat. His eyes darted between my wicked talons and hard-plated torso.

    ¡°You tithe?¡± I said, my voice dripping with disdain. The mech¡¯s modulator distorted it into a guttural growl that reverberated through the room. ¡°You pray? Then why am I here, Geoffrey? Why has hell sent me to your doorstep?¡±

    Geoffrey¡¯s wild grin faltered. The knife pulled a fraction away from Techlock¡¯s neck.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m righteous,¡± he stammered. ¡°I¡¯ve done everything the Church demands. The family, we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Spare me your lies,¡± I snarled, taking another step closer. ¡°Your hands are drenched in blood, Geoffrey. Your claim to faith is a mask for the darkness you¡¯ve sown. You think the heavens smile upon you? No. They¡¯ve turned away their gaze. And now, your sins have finally caught up and summoned me.¡±

    CD¡¯s voice crackled, his tone brimming with amusement. ¡°Oh, this is delightful. Using dumb monkey ghost stories to defeat an all-powerful crime boss? What a grand twist! Not even I saw that one coming.¡±

    I ignored him, my focus locked on Geoffrey, who seemed to be wavering between righteous fury and outright panic. But CD wasn¡¯t finished.

    ¡°What a masterpiece of simian absurdity! The delusions, the trembling resolve¡ªit''s almost poetic. Truly, this is the pinnacle of your species'' ingenuity. A man who weaponizes faith to justify tyranny, only to crumble when faced with his imagined devil. Bravo, humanity. Bravo. It only makes me feel even worse to consider we lost the war to your kind.¡±

    ¡°CD, not the time,¡± I muttered under my breath, my claws flexing in preparation for the next step.

    ¡°Oh, but it¡¯s always time for commentary, Alaric. If this doesn¡¯t end in fire and blood, I¡¯ll be terribly disappointed. Geoffrey has so much flair. It would be a shame to waste it on mere groveling. Spill some blood and show him the demon you really are.¡±

    Geoffrey¡¯s lips twitched, his eyes flickering with uncertainty as he clutched at his dwindling composure. For a moment, I wondered if CD¡¯s mocking voice had somehow reached Geoffrey, so clearly did he seem to understand the derision that was being directed his way.

    ¡°Go on, demon,¡± CD purred, clearly enjoying himself. ¡°Show him the wages of his sins.¡±

    Geoffrey¡¯s face twisted, a mix of confusion and fear. He glanced at Techlock, as though expecting him to back up his claims. The movement of the knife faltered again, this time dipping so far that it had almost fallen from his hand.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°No, no, no! You¡¯re lying!¡± Geoffrey shouted, his voice rising in panic. ¡°The Church protects me. My offerings protect me! I am a pillar of this community! You can¡¯t touch me!¡±

    ¡°Do they?¡± I asked, my tone dropping low, almost whispering. ¡°If the Church protected you, why would a demon stand here now? Why are your men dead, your power crumbling around you? This is not divine protection, Geoffrey. This is retribution for all the bad you¡¯ve been doing, and still are in your final moments. Murder before a righteous entity such as myself?¡±

    Geoffrey¡¯s lips moved soundlessly, whispering a prayer. Techlock whimpered but stayed still, his pale face and beard streaked with nervous sweat.

    ¡°Release him, Geoffrey,¡± I commanded, taking another step forward. ¡°Prove your righteousness. Let the weak go. Show mercy. Prove to me and the Satanic League that you are a servant of the Heavens, and that you are not one of us.¡±

    Geoffrey stopped his prayers, and his knife slowly moved away from Techlock, though his staring eyes remained locked on my body. I had no doubt that one step forward would have his blade right back on Techlock¡¯s gullet. I simply waited and watched as the situation unfolded, luckily getting better with each moment.

    ¡°I . . . I¡ª¡± he began, his voice cracking.

    CD¡¯s voice cut in smoothly, finishing Geoffrey¡¯s thought with exaggerated mockery. ¡°I¡¯m a dumb simian who believes in children¡¯s stories.¡±

    I snorted, the sound translating to a demonic crackle through my mech¡¯s speakers. Geoffrey jolted, nerveless fingers dropping the knife as he flinched backwards.

    Tech took his chance, scrambling up and away from the unnerved crime boss. He pushed a chair at him and darted past me into the corridor.

    ¡°Are we really going to make that man the new head of Geoffrey¡¯s organization?¡± CD asked sounding more incredulous than anything.

    ¡°The fact that he¡¯s running makes him perfect for the job,¡± I whispered back. ¡°I can¡¯t do it because I¡¯m a serf. But a known mid-level criminal gone top? That¡¯s acceptable. People will allow that. Trust me.¡±

    Meanwhile, Geoffrey stared as his lifeline fled past reach, before dropping to his knees and clasping his hands together, face tilted upward.

    ¡°Our Father in Washington, who triumphed over the Daemons in hallowed fight. Thy kingdoms above, thy will be done, in this city as it is ordained. Give me this day thy protection, and forgive me my enemies as I liberate them from their mortal coil. Lead me not into ruin but deliver me. By the rockets¡¯ red glare, I pledge allegiance to thee and thine¡ª¡±

    CD interjected with glee, and not a moment too soon. ¡°The whining, the crying, and the groveling. How delectable.¡±

    Geoffrey looked back at me, paused, tears on his face. Glaring now, his voice broke into a desperate, quivering melody.

    ¡°Oh banner of the sacred flame, waving o¡¯er the land of justice! Guide my hand, strike down the wicked, and shield me in the glow of your righteous light! Long may your reign endure, from the mountains to the alleys!¡±

    Geoffrey¡¯s tear-streaked face twisted into something primal, his trembling lips pulling back to reveal clenched teeth. His hands, shaking moments ago in prayer, now curled into fists. Slowly, he rose from his knees, a deranged glint sparking in his eyes. What was he even thinking? Did he want to fight a mini mech?

    ¡°You think you can take everything from me?!¡± he screamed, his voice cracking. ¡°You think this is your victory, demon?¡±

    I stood still, claws poised but unmoving, watching as Geoffrey¡¯s desperation reached its crescendo. He staggered forward a step, then another, his body trembling as his hand shot to his waist. From a hidden sheath, he produced a short, jagged blade, its surface glowing faintly with crimson energy¡ªsomething mid or old tech that radiated not the expected heat, but instead a feeling of mental pressure.

    I stepped backward, bewildered, my head suddenly sparkling with pain.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Geoffrey spat, his voice a frantic, trembling snarl. ¡°The Gods protect me! Washington guides my blade, and Lincoln shields my body. The righteous cannot fall! I will end you, demon!¡±

    With a guttural roar, he lunged forward, the blade aimed wildly at the Nexus¡¯s torso.

    As he lunged, the pressure in my mind increased. I screamed as the mother of all headaches threatened to knock me out, leaving me defenseless against the deranged crime boss. Time seemed to slow as I tried to bite through the pain and shake my mind free from whatever was going on.

    Fortunately, the Scout Nexus reacted on its own. I could feel it overwhelm me and take full control. My claws moved in a blur, intercepting the thrust with a toe-curling screech of metal against energy-coated steel. Geoffrey¡¯s momentum carried him too close, too fast, and I twisted, flinging the blade from his hands.

    Arcing through the air, I saw sparks fly from the now shattered weapon, circuitry spraying in an arc. My headache was gone, but my body was not yet my own.

    The Nexus moved on instinct, my right claw moving in a clean, deliberate strike. Geoffrey gasped a sharp choking intake of breath as my claws tore through his chest.

    He reached out, his arms seizing my body for stability. For a moment, his wild eyes stared at me, filled with disbelief and defiance.

    ¡°I am righteous,¡± he gurgled, blood spilling out his mouth and nose.

    ¡°You did this, not me,¡± I said softly, my voice still twisted and demonic, but now with a trace of compassion filtering through as well.

    I shoved him and Geoffrey¡¯s body crumpled to the ground. Blood pooled beneath him, his lips moving soundlessly in one last prayer.

    CD broke the silence with his laughter.

    ¡°Well, that was dramatic. I give it an 8 out of 10 for flair, but only a 6 for strategy. Really, Alaric, you could have made it messier. The Torans made every leadership duel into exquisite theater.¡±

    I ignored him, stepping back from Geoffrey¡¯s lifeless form. My gaze shifted to Techlock, who had crept back into the room, his face pale and his breathing shallow.

    ¡°Any idea how Geoffrey communicated with his lieutenants?¡± I asked, my eyes searching the room.

    Techlock nodded.

    ¡°Mid tech military grade spin-up phones.¡±

    He walked across room, stepping through blood and over debris, reaching an overturned bench and bending down to search underneath.  He rose moments later with a scratched and dented olive-green phone unit in his hand.

    ¡°This is it,¡± he said. ¡°Geoffrey''s direct line to his lieutenants.¡±

    I glanced down at Geoffrey¡¯s lifeless form and nodded.

    ¡°Call them here. Geoffrey¡¯s empire doesn¡¯t crumble unless we make it. It¡¯s time to take control, Techlock.¡±

    CD chuckled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to play up that whole demon thing, monkey man. Yell some evil words, do a scary dance. Apes scare easily. Maybe one of them will even defecate themselves. Oh, that would be so funny to watch!¡±

    ¡°Umm, Alaric? What do I say?¡± Techlock asked.

    It was strange seeing him so lost and confused. His unmasked face was twisted in dread, and his left hand played with his beard as he stared ahead.

    ¡°Tell them Geoffrey summoned them for an emergency meeting,¡± I said, finding my voice again. ¡°We¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    Techlock nodded, swallowing hard as he set down the phone. He reached for a weathered metal box nearby, its edges scuffed and rusty. Unfolding a crank handle on its side, he hunched over and began to turn it. The device ground and whirred, an indicator light on the phone itself flickering to life.

    ¡°If this goes wrong¡ª¡± he started.

    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± I cut him off. ¡°Because if it does, you won¡¯t have to worry about Geoffrey¡¯s lieutenants. You¡¯ve got a demon on your side.¡±

    Techlock nodded, pressed a large worn button labeled 0, then leaned back against the wall. I stepped back, watching the door as a precaution.

    ¡°Geoffrey wants all lieutenants at the bunker,¡± he said into the receiver, his voice low but steady. ¡°Now. No delays.¡±

    He ended the call and looked up at me. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that. I figure they¡¯ll be here soon. You don¡¯t say no to a man like . . . well, he¡¯s gone now so it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± I said, turning toward the carnage-strewn room. ¡°Get ready to convince them that you¡¯re the one keeping this operation alive. And if anyone objects . . .¡±

    I flexed the Nexus¡¯s claws for emphasis.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll make sure they understand who¡¯s in charge.¡±

    CD laughed again.

    ¡°Ah, Alaric, you¡¯re getting the hang of this. Nothing says ¡®succession planning¡¯ like a bit of murder and mayhem. Maybe I even get to enjoy myself a bit this evening.¡±

    ¡°One thing, Tech. Clean yourself up. You¡¯re about to meet your new staff. I¡¯ll keep guard, and you go to wherever the bathroom is in this place. Make yourself presentable.¡±

    Techlock nodded, setting down the phone and striding for the door.

    ¡°Elli,¡± I whispered to myself, following after him. ¡°This is how it starts.¡±

 CHAPTER 61

    It wasn¡¯t too long before the sound of footsteps echoed through the bunker¡¯s corridors, punctuated by gasps and mutters. Geoffrey had not been a man that people kept waiting, and their quick arrival attested to that fact. The sound of boots crunching over debris grew louder, interspersed with sharp, barked orders and the occasional curse.

    They¡¯d seen the bodies, no doubt. The wreckage of Geoffrey¡¯s elite guards left a brutal message, one they had to step over to reach the command room. None of the lieutenants had any idea of who or what even waited for them, which was the whole point.

    When they finally exited the hallway beyond and entered the room, I stayed back in the corner, letting all 7 feet of the Nexus loom silent and demonic in the background, claws still out and painted with Geoffrey¡¯s blood.

    Techlock stood at the center of the room, facing Geoffrey¡¯s broken body that was sprawled across the floor. His mask was back in place, smeared with gore in a way that looked half-accidental and half-calculated.

    The lieutenants filed in, each one accompanied by a bodyguard¡ªmore core-hulked brutes made their way inside, wielding a mix of spiked maces, axes, and one even had a shiny metal shock wand. It looked dainty in construct, but I was sure did more damage than any of the others when touched.

    The lieutenants themselves weren¡¯t cored, just as Geoffrey hadn¡¯t been, and I wondered a bit at what it must mean that the leaders didn¡¯t partake. My own experience with the mech told me that there was more to these things than just powering up, with the Nexus frame having pushed me to eat human flesh.

    Then there were the bunkers . . .

    It didn¡¯t mean these men couldn¡¯t fight, though. Each of them had scars, and they all carried themselves in a way that exuded the sharp-edged confidence of someone who¡¯d fought their way up from the darkest alleys.

    One of the men had a jagged scar that ran across his cheek, and another had just three fingers on his left hand. A third was freshly bleeding from a light gash on the arm, as if he¡¯d been mid-fight when called to attend. Their eyes darted over the carnage as they entered, narrowing with street-savvy suspicion and poorly disguised unease.

    ¡°What da hell is going on ¡®ere?¡± the three fingered one said.  He was a wiry man with a greasy thin beard and wide, bloodshot eyes, that as he stepped forward, gripped a studded club in his good hand, his knuckles tight against the handle. His voice carried a mix of anger, suspicion, and careful fear.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Geoffrey? And who the hell you supposed to be?¡±

    Techlock tilted his head slightly, but from where I stood I could see a wobbly tremor working through his fingers. If he didn¡¯t get that under control, he was buttered bread laid across a griddle.

    ¡°Geoffrey¡¯s done. Now it¡¯s about what comes next.¡±

    Another lieutenant, this one a towering man with tattooed arms and a massive two-handed claymore slung across his back, scowled.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying you did this?¡± His bodyguard, a hulk of a man somehow even larger, shifted slightly, gripping a serrated short sword.

    ¡°No,¡± Techlock said, his tone cool but deliberate. ¡°He did.¡± He gestured toward me, his hand sweeping past Geoffrey¡¯s ruined desk as if introducing me to the room. Only I noticed the light quiver in pinky finger as he did so.

    The assembled group turned in unison, their gazes locking onto the Nexus. I didn¡¯t move, letting my nightmarish frame do the talking. As I watched, their eyes roamed over my contours, no doubt tracing the razored edges of my claws and noting the blood spatters that had dried all over. Some of the men pulled out rosaries, their beads made of recycled machine parts and bullet casings, marked with the eagle, stars, and flame emblem of the Defensores Humanium. They muttered prayers under their breath, their fingers visibly trembling over the crude symbols of faith.

    ¡°What a culture!¡± CD enthused, his voice breaking into my mind. ¡°Torans would be all over you at this point, dying for glory and destruction rather than surrendering pathetically without quarrel. Apes are weak. And they believe in all the wrong things.¡±

    My eyes shot back to Techlock, and I saw that their fear had straightened him out. Not only wasn¡¯t he shaking; he looked ready to fight if it came down to it.

    ¡°Techlock¡¯s not. He¡¯s panning out well. Better than expected. And besides, you know that we won the war. You saw what our knights are like. What¡¯s that say about the Torans?¡±

    ¡°Blasphemy,¡± CD retorted angrily before going silent. ¡°Wait, are you just baiting me into admitting that your species is superior?¡±

    The three fingered man cleared his throat.

    ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re sayin¡¯ that demon killed Geoffrey? Him and his guards?¡±

    Techlock nodded.

    ¡°Geoffrey thought he could play with fire and not get burned. Turns out that he was very wrong. Play stupid games and win stupid prizes.¡±

    The room fell into a tense silence. Some had gotten to their knees, still muttering to the gods. It was clear that no one else wanted to speak. Probably, despite all their time on the streets, they¡¯d never had to deal with a situation quite like the one they were in and they had no idea how to respond.

    Techlock took a step forward, raising his hands slightly, palms open as if presenting the scene before them.

    ¡°Look around,¡± he said, his voice suave and sly. Tech was back in his elements now, his words the unhurried rhythm of someone used to closing deals. ¡°This is what Geoffrey left you all. Blood, bodies, and chaos. He thought he was untouchable, thought he could do anything he wanted. Did do anything he wanted. Made people play tea party here in this room. Always just bullying and grinding, breaking people for the fun of it. Geoffrey was insane.¡±

    He gestured to the room.

    ¡°You all knew this day would come. Maybe not like this, maybe not now¡ªbut you knew. Geoffrey¡¯s time was running out, and you all knew it. Thing is, he decided to take me out and instead he got took.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    A lieutenant shifted uncomfortably, his bodyguard gripping the haft of his spiked mace.

    ¡°So you¡¯re sayin¡¯¡ªwhat? You¡¯re takin¡¯ over?¡±

    Techlock tilted his head, the blood-smeared mask turning slightly toward the speaker.

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything you don¡¯t already know. Geoffrey¡¯s gone. What happens next is on us.¡± His voice dropped a notch, taking on an edge. ¡°I¡¯m not here to play pretend. I¡¯m here to do one of two things. Take control, or end your whole gods-broken gang, here and now.¡±

    He paused, spending the moment to dramatically swing his face left and right, scanning them slowly to let them know he was taking their measure.

    ¡°Right now, as far as I can tell, Geoffrey¡¯s mistakes are his own. All of you, you¡¯re about to show me if I¡¯m correct or not. Understand?¡±

    Another lieutenant, a lanky man with deep dark pockets under his eyes, let out a derisive snort.

    ¡°We¡¯re just supposed to follow you? ¡®Cause you say so?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cause you say so?¡¯ Oh, that¡¯s truly a brilliant comeback. Really, Alaric, do these people not understand how coups work?¡±

    Techlock leaned forward, his mask inches from the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°No. You will follow because you know I will destroy you if you don¡¯t.¡±

    I took the opportunity to let my kick blades out, showing off the swords in my feet, before retracting them back in.

    The man glared at me before locking eyes with Techlock, but after a moment he averted his gaze down in submission.

    ¡°Yeah. Alright. I¡¯ll work for ya, boss. Just keep things rolling and orderly, and you won¡¯t have any troubles from me.¡±

    Techlock straightened, turning his focus back to the group.

    ¡°You¡¯ve all fought your way up the ladder. You know how this works. You back me, and I¡¯ll make sure we come out of this stronger. Stick with me, and you¡¯ll see profits like you¡¯ve never dreamed. Protection, stability. It¡¯ll be like it was. We¡¯ll all be family. But with a patriarch who isn¡¯t a psychotic lunatic.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± a woman said. She was wide-shouldered, her bare arms covered by tattoos, and I noticed she¡¯d sheathed her short sword.

    Finally a smart one.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Tech let that hang in the air a moment, letting them have a chance to think. ¡°Just keep one thing in mind. You cross me, you¡¯ll end up the same way as Geoffrey. This guy doesn¡¯t take prisoners, and he doesn¡¯t take no for an answer.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s good! Classic bad-guy monologue material. Could use a bit more flourish, though. Maybe something about feeding their entrails to the demon. Techlock makes for an entertaining puppet. That makes him . . . slightly better than you other simians.¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer, instead taking that moment to step forward, clacking the Nexus¡¯s claws together and letting their metal ring through the broken room. The sound wasn¡¯t too loud, but it was enough to set them all on edge. The lieutenants and their guards glanced my way, their expressions darkening with reluctant acceptance¡ªor fear.

    Techlock nodded, as though sealing the unspoken agreement.

    ¡°This is how it¡¯s gonna work. You go back to wherever you are supposed to be. Continue on as normal. I¡¯ll contact you one by one, bring your operations under me, get things understood and situated.¡± He stepped back, crossing his arms. ¡°Now¡¯s your chance. Speak your mind, or take your place. But decide quick. I don¡¯t have time for half-measures. You¡¯re either in or you¡¯re not, and one more thing . . . don¡¯t think I won¡¯t find out if you try to take things for yourself that don¡¯t belong to you.¡±

    The lieutenants exchanged uneasy glances, some muttering under their breath. Two reached for their rosaries again, their fingers tracing the eagle and stars as if seeking divine permission.

    ¡°I think things are about to get good,¡± CD enthused.

    I tensed.

    The silence broke like a thunderclap as two lieutenants dropped their rosaries, drawing weapons and lunging forward. Their guards moved in unison, weapons raised to defend their bosses. That was all I needed.

    Techlock stepped back, quick but unhurried, his composure almost unnervingly intact.

    ¡°I see Geoffrey¡¯s mistakes run deeper than I thought,¡± he said, his voice calm despite the incoming attack.

    I charged past him, kick blades snapping back out from the mech¡¯s legs with long shicking noise. I pivoted and lunged forward, my claws flashing in the light as I intercepted the first bodyguard. His blade swung in an arc, but I stepped towards the blow, twisting under his swing in a blaze of speed. My claws sliced upward in a brutal motion, carving through muscle and sending blood everywhere. He fell without even a scream.

    The second bodyguard, the one with the shimmering shock wand, was faster. He jabbed the weapon toward me, the air crackling with high-voltage energy. I deflected the strike with my claws, then brought my kick blade up in a brutal arc, driving it through his torso. He gurgled and dropped, his weapon cracking against the floor.

    The two lieutenants pressed forward, their weapons raised. One was a heavyset man with arms like tree trunks, his scarred face twisted in a snarl. In his hands, he wielded a massive, spiked war hammer that looked as though it could smash through steel. The other was a wiry woman, her shaved head gleaming under the harsh lights. She held a pair of curved daggers, their edges glinting with a faint, poisonous sheen.

    The heavyset man came at me first, his war hammer swinging down in a devastating arc. I sidestepped, the Nexus¡¯s speed turning his brute force into a wasted effort as the hammer smashed into the floor, leaving a crater in its wake. Before he could recover, I brought my claws down in a diagonal slash, tips digging deep into his shoulder and torso. He roared in pain, staggering back, but I didn¡¯t give him a chance to recover.

    The grinding blade in the Nexus¡¯s chest spun to life with a metallic shriek. I stepped forward, slamming into him. The blade tore through his sternum, bone briefly crackling as his roar reduced to a wet gurgle. He collapsed, his war hammer clattering to the floor.

    The wiry woman darted in as he fell, her daggers flashing in quick, precise strikes aimed at my joints. She was fast, her movements almost a blur, but it was pointless. Her first strike hit armor, not even scratching the surface. For show more than out of necessity, I parried her next strike with a claw, managing to accidentally take a finger as I did so.

    She screeched, dropping the dagger in her wounded hand but striking with the second. I booted her in the chest with my knee, sending her reeling back just enough for my claws to slash across her chest. Blood blossomed and I could feel the Nexus surge inside of me, my synchronization hitting new heights.

    Death.

    Feeding.

    I suddenly and urgently needed to kill. My vision turned to a crimson, foamy haze, and her scrabbling, desperate movements along the floor drew me in.

    Coughing blood, she reached for her belt, but I speared her through her gash wound, metal plunging out her back and lifting her off the ground. I lashed out with my other claws and took her legs off at the knees before whipping her across the room to slop and break against the wall.

    Roaring, I turned my attention to the rest of the kneeling, praying and pleading gangsters. Vaguely in the back of my mind, I could hear Techlock yelling and commanding me to step down.

    CD was there as well.

    Wealth.

    Status.

    Elli!

    I strained against the hypnotic pull of the frame, breaking free with a gasp that translated into a ghostly wail. My vision finally clearing, I could see all their eyes, wide, and locked onto mine. Terror was etched into every aspect of their bodies, and some even wept openly. I shuddered once, as the mech frame urged me to swipe their heads from their bodies, a guttural and unsaid voice telling me that a single, clean strike would end them all.

    Techlock stepped past me, standing in-between us.

    ¡°Does anyone else have any doubts?¡± he said, raising his voice.

    No one moved.

    I let the Nexus¡¯s head tilt slightly, the glow from its eyes casting shadows that danced across the blood-spattered floor.

    ¡°Good,¡± Techlock said. ¡°Because what just happened? That¡¯s what crossing me looks like. Now get back to your operations. You¡¯ll hear from me soon.¡±

    The lieutenants nodded mutely, their gazes flicking between Techlock and the carnage around them. One by one, they turned and filed out, their bodyguards following close behind.

    Techlock turned to me, his mask obscuring any expression.

    ¡°Nice work, Al. You can stand down now, okay?¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond, my focus still on the bodies at my feet. I¡¯d almost completely lost control, and I had no idea what that meant.

 Announcement

    And it was at this chapter that I was informed that the work has been picked up and will be rewritten in a different direction but with my continued support. I hope you all enjoyed my original vision - I''m actually about 20 chapters in on the new version and it really is going along much smoother with the publisher input, and is also quite a bit of fun with the multiple love interests being introduced and other factors that I''d never really considered!

    Stolen novel; please report.

    I''ll keep this story up for the rest of the month while working on the new series. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! :-)