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COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY

CASSIUS LANGE & DAMIEN HANSON

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or literary publication.

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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 closed.

“Why are you being so difficult!” I yelled, slamming my palms down on the workbench in protest. “A five-credit job, they say. Yeah, right! How am I ever supposed to buy my freedom when—”

A shrill wail of sirens coming from outside cut through my string of curses 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.

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 in the process. 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.

A man was only worth as much as his word.

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 organic monster matter, 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 monsters didn’t get too badly damaged.

Across from 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 if the monsters died quickly enough. 

I chuckled, picturing faces I knew scampering about and desperately cramming half-eaten lunches into carry bags 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 me 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 wispy red-orange hair pulled back into a half-cocked ponytail over hazel-gold eyes. She’d obviously been in the thick of some mechanical tick-tock going from her looks. The young woman 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 since it had been made.

Elli gave me a saucy grin as she noticed where I was looking.

“Looks nice, 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 — 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 shot her a grin and crooked my elbow, happy she was there.

“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.”

“Well, I’m certainly no posh hobnosh myself,” I replied, winking. “And I’d be a walking scandal if I were!”

“Speaking of getting laid, you ever gonna give me a spin in that bed of yours, crazy man? Seems like I’m always getting passed over for the latest catch.”

“That’s… something to be discussed later, I think. Considering how late we are, we’ll need Goddess Luck’s charms to get a spot on the gate before it gets too crowded.”

“Tease. You will use even a monster incursion to sidetrack me.” She hurried ahead. “Race you!”

“That’s so unlady-like!” I yelled after her as she bolted off up the street.

I rushed after her, tearing over 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. And boy did she have a foul mouth that could curse like the best of us.

I liked it.

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 from old tech and new alike, whistling and grinding as machines were shut down in obeisance to the coming attack.

The sun, high in the sky, cast sharp shadows that danced around them, adding to the frenzied energy of the moment.

All sorts of people filled the streets, 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 sell 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.

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 managed to catch up and get 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. We ascended the stairs leading to the top hurriedly, the steps beneath our feet 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 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, that had barely enough room to plop down on and dangle our legs from while taking in the killing field. 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, and only ended up snorting. That 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.

“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 and got two sacks hanging down to my knees. Now they’re still firm and…you want to touch? See for yourself?”

“Not interested in the slightest to marry up, your ladyship. Also, you’re too much of a tomboy and not cute at all with that grease on your face.”

“B—but 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 offer you to cop a feel and you ignore me.”

“You want me to grope you in front of all these people? Someone a class higher? I’m not suicidal, you murder hobo.”

I ignored her, not interested in the slightest in doing anything in front of all the other onlookers. Life was hard enough as was without being hauled off and beaten for bothering my ‘betters’. Also, the idea of sticking to a single woman for the rest of life was kind of…frightening?

Besides, there were far more important things I needed to deal with. Maybe we would hook up a bit down the line, but I’d never stay with just one woman. That just wasn’t me. And the fact that she was my best friend, the one who’d I’d been closest too for most of my life, meant that I wasn’t going to risk breaking her heart over a night in the sack.

Even if she understood or not.

No matter how  beautiful Elli was, and she was certainly a nine or even a ten at times, with huge breasts, curves in all the right places, and muscle wrapped in grease and attitude. She also had a habit of wearing overalls and other various outfits that did little to hide her skin.

It was saying something that her friendship was worth more to me than accepting her offer of having a lustful night out. I stared out at the busyness, not seeing them, imagining a life with Elli and others, my freedom bought and a master guild title to my name.

I’d get there someday. And I’d do whatever it would take to make it happen.

CHAPTER 2

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 in the bright sun. It made it hard to watch them directly at certain angles, 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, 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 killing 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, devastating land 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, but everything came at a price.

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 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.

“Not you, obviously,” she mumbled and whistled a tune.

I took the jab and 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. Its scales were so densely packed that they appeared impenetrable, and it had large, intelligent eyes that glowed an electric green.

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. It’s eyes were equally green, but had a wild and 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 the shovel-mouth left any trace that it had even been there. The monster’s body was covered in translucent and shimmering scale, with a head that resembled a long beak with eyes and shark teeth, making 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 of the same body type.

“I’ve never seen these kinds before,” I admitted, nudging Elli with my shoulder.

Elli whistled.

“Those monsters out there look like a whole lot of trouble,” she said in response. “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 from what I’ve heard and read, they don’t have any real combat capabilities beyond, well, their bodies. No special traits beyond the physical.”

“Greens. They’re of the feral type, right? That makes me wonder. Maybe 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.

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.

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—what?” she asked as I shot her a confused look, a wave of desire rolling through me.

I readied a response, but she’d turned back toward the battle.

The Cataphracts had drawn their swords and were ready to bring tons of monster bone and steel down on the three creatures.

“Huh? What?” she said and leaned 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 the vibrations 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 attack the nearest mech. The other monsters readied themselves, too, and stopped their grazing of the golden wheat fields.

Pounding forward, the squad of Cataphracts moved in a V-formation. Despite being monsters of the same coloring, their more basic and feral instincts didn’t let them fight in a group. They began to spread out instead of bunching up together, just as the Cataphracts fired volleys of sparking electric lances. Ballista bolts flew toward the insect-like monster, every Toxotai attacking the same target. One of the bolts managed to pierce its chitinous head; the monster staggered and fell, but it was far from dead.

The lead Cataphract swung his blade, aiming for the serpentine monster to keep it away. The beast reared back again, its iridescent scales glinting, and let out a hissing roar. The blade struck home, a deafening clang echoing as metal met scale and sparks flew everywhere.

The battlefield erupted into a chaotic brawl 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 away from itself. It still 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 surged through its body. 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 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 3

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 efficiency. Their presence was a sobering reminder of everyone’s place and duty.

“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!”

I let her run out in front of me, her thick ass twitching merrily in her grease-stained overalls. My eyes lingered for a moment too long, but I couldn’t help it and chuckled inwardly.

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 mélange 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. 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. Well, who was I to say no?

“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. And damn it was she pleasant on the eyes.

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 went along. 

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. 

He cleared his throat and raised an arm. We stopped and turned to face him, a dread quickly settling 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 soon.”

“I…uhh—”

Getting caught off my game wasn’t something that usually happened, but the casual bully grab of the knights, especially those who participated in the battle, 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.

“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. 

“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 five or six times larger than my largest scavenge, hence the steep admission price.

As I made my way deeper, something unexpected caught my eye—a 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, and then 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 — 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. 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, 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.

I watched in surprise as the knight 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 an intact speed gem. You take it. I heard what the noble said before he left. Maybe they will let you even 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.

CHAPTER 4

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. After a few good hours, the sound of steam and thump told us we were done.

The central collector, a hulking automaton, lumbered toward 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.

As he surveyed the haul, the man 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 scrawl.

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, and scanned the figures, my brows furrowing slightly as I processed the numbers. Without a word, I 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.”

“It's just not right,” she hissed, her voice a low growl of discontent. “Scavengers always end up on the short end!”

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. We shared a look but neither said anything.

The city 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.

Elli stared at one in particular, its lamp post bent at a 45 degree angle and its light stuttering quickly like it was arguing with itself about whether to stay on or give up entirely.

“Bet you a credit that lamp flickers out completely before we hit the corner,” Elli said, nudging me with her elbow.

I glanced up at the sputtering light, its flickering rhythm oddly hypnotic. “Nah, I give it at least two more years. That one’s a survivor. Just like me.”

Elli snorted. “Survivor? More like a stubborn relic. You’d probably flicker out the same way. Grumpy and making weird noises.”

“Grumpy? I’m the picture of charm and grace.”

“Sure, Al. That’s why every passerby’s practically swooning. It’s because of your grace,” she said, exaggeratedly swooning and nearly tripping over a loose cobblestone for dramatic effect.

I laughed. “You’re just jealous they don’t swoon over you.”

“Oh please. I get all sorts of attention. Apparently I just prefer people I can't get.” She shot me a pointed glance, smirking.

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.

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 silence, watching with engineering interest as the midtech steam carts rolled in on this platform or that, their wheels squealing rhythmically over the rails.

They were a real work of art. Each cart was ornately decorated, brass fittings shining under the station lights and seats upholstered in worn but comfortable leather. Most were sponsored by this noble house or that, and they had their heraldry stamped on the side of it to make damn sure everyone knew it.

But the Central Bank cart was different. A neutral zone of sorts with no markings on it anywhere. When it rolled in, we paid two creds each to the uniformed conductor, a man with a leathery weathered face, who tipped his cap and ushered us aboard with his tired but 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.

“You know,” Ellinor said, nudging me with her elbow, “if this car rocks any more, I'm going to fall asleep. And I know just whose shoulder I'm going to lay on.”

I nodded, looking at her fondly. “It's always there for you.”

She leaned sideways, letting her head rest next to mine. I watched out the window, seeing the city roll by and briefly wondering what might be wrong with me, that I wasn't giving Elli her shot. But I didn't have a lot of time to think on it. In what felt like a minute, but was almost certainly more like half an hour, our destination was called, and I roused her to get ready to move.

A brief time 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 – 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 cute black-haired clerk flipped through a ledger, her posture slouched with the weary patience of someone surviving a late shift. When she glanced up and saw me, something in her expression flickered. Her fingers smoothed absently over the page, lips parting just a fraction before she caught herself. She straightened slightly, her attention lingering as she reached for the next set of scrips.

“Name?” she asked, her tone neutral at first, but as I handed over our scrip, her fingers brushed against mine, and I caught the faintest upward curl of her lips. She leaned in just a little, enough for a teasing glimpse of her neckline, as if gauging my reaction.

“I’m Alaric,” I answered, giving her a wink.

Elli hummed under her breath, watching the exchange with an amused expression. She rocked back on her heels, letting me handle the conversation without interfering, but her smirk told me she was definitely enjoying the show.

“Hmm, Alaric,” the clerk murmured, beaming. “That’s a wonderful name. My name’s Tisha.” She tilted her head slightly, letting a strand of dark hair fall over one eye. “So do you and your sister come here often? I just started working here, and I think I’m going to really enjoy this job.”

Elli snorted, nudging me with her hip before crossing her arms lazily.

“He’s got a wandering eye, you know. Best claim a spot before the waiting list gets longer.”

Tisha arched a perfectly shaped brow, giving Elli a slow, unimpressed once-over before turning back to me with a smirk.

I shrugged, unable to help that I was an incredibly handsome guy, young, and in my prime. Neither Elli nor I were surprised anymore when I got that sort of attention. I gave Tisha my biggest smile.

“I’m a bit busy now, but let’s set up a night later this week. You working tomorrow? I’ll come get you then.”

She smiled widely before bending down to examine our scrips. She stamped them, then entered the amounts into a large, mechanical register with a series of clicks and clacks. “Place your chips in there, please,” Tisha said, her voice carrying that same sultry lilt as before. She rested her elbow on the counter, cheek in with twinkling eyes.

Elli and I slid our chips into the deposit slot. The machine let out a low hum, gears clanking as it processed the transfer. A weak chime rang out, confirming our earnings, but the clerk’s eyes weren’t on the register—they were still locked onto me.

“Mmm, all set,” she purred, tapping the counter. “Guess I’ll be seeing you soon, Alaric. And don’t be one of those who forget about a girl the moment they’re gone.”

Her fingers trailed again along the counter surface, tracing little hearts as she bit her lip again.

“I look forward to it,” I said, before we turned and left the building.

Once we stepped into the cool night air, Elli sighed heavily. She ran a hand through her messy red hair, then turned to me with an exasperated look.

“Can’t lie, Al, that was super hot.”

I chuckled, grabbing her hand.

“What, jealous?” I teased.

“Hardly,” she drawled, eyes glinting with quiet mischief. “Just wondering if I should start an official tally. Maybe even give out rankings.”

“I could use one of my design notebooks,” I mused.

“Oh, perfect,” Elli said with a theatrical sigh. “A girlfriend guild. We’ll need categories. ‘Most Distracted by Al’s Biceps.’ ‘Best at Pretending Not to Stare.’”

I laughed, shaking my head.

“You’re enjoying this way too much.”

“What can I say? I like good competition,” Elli said, laughing. “You said drinks,” she added, changing the subject entirely. “What about now?” A hint of a smile played 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 and I can see what you’d do to that fine-looking young woman in there.”

I snorted.

“I can’t, not tonight. There’s something I need to take care of. Tell you about it sometime.”

“Too busy even for a nightcap, Al? You’ve got more women vying for your time than a noble with marriage prospects,” she teased, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “If you’re going to keep them all waiting, at least make time for drinks first.”

She stretched, throwing me a sly look.

“Or, you know… you could just come over now. Make a little trouble.”

I waved her off, laughing despite the stirring in my loins. She had no idea how much I wanted to go with her, but there was a certain something burning a hole in my boot.

“Now definitely not the night for that, Elli. I’ve got serious work to do. But we’ll find time to hang out later this week. Promise.”

“We better,” she said and sighed, waving me goodbye back before I turned and headed home.

CHAPTER 5

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 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 home 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. 

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 my favorite bakery, a place that gave me discounts and a nice bit of warmth on cold days. The young woman working there was just as good as an excuse to visit.

When I reached about the center of the bridge, the warm, yeasty aroma of fresh pastries wafted up my nostrils and lit up my brain parts. It smelled rich, a combination of honey, sugar, and light pillowy breads.

I hurried up, 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 that could melt steel. Her flour-dusted hands contrasted sharply with the curve of her toned arms, visible beneath the rolled-up sleeves of her snug blouse. Despite the hour, she looked radiant, her sharp features softened by the faint flush of oven heat. She leaned on the counter slightly, her hazel eyes glinting with mischief. “Back for more—or just looking for some bread?” she teased, a playful lilt in her voice. “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?” she asked, her voice carrying a playful lilt.

“Yes, please,” I answered, leaning casually on the counter. She turned to fill the order, and I watched as her hips swayed, stealing the air from my chest.

Jennen was a lot older than me, but her body didn't know it. Big in the right places, and slender in all the rest. I sighed lightly, realizing that Elli hadn't been lying about me needed a scoreboard.

I watched as she worked, her slap of dough to the counter bringing my eyes to the slender curve of her waist beneath the snug apron, a bit of bare skin peaking out where things had gotten untucked. She stepped on a bellows, her ass peaking out from the flimsy cooking skirt that generally flowered out to her knees. The flames of the stone oven roared to life, and she grinned toothily, the flickers giving her eyes a devilish glint.

“The trick is always in the fingers,” she noted, giving me a playful look. She grabbed the dough from the counter, working it with a precision that I knew too well from the bed chamber, but rarely saw from the outside view. It was hypnotic, the angles at which her limbs could go to knead and crimp it to perfection.

I felt myself begin to stiffen, and began whistling, looking in the other direction. She giggled, fully aware of her effect on me.

As Jennen busied herself preparing my food, I took a moment to appreciate the bakery. It didn't look like much, but I knew better. It was all wood and mud, but Jennen had gone ahead and tiled the inside to make it look, in her words, like a “hoiten, toiten palace.” She wasn't just a looker—she was a good person who worked hard, keeping the place spotless and the food top-notch with what ingredients she could afford.

She was the kind of person that, the gods above willing, I'd get out of this dirt and into some place safe.

Handing me a warm, crusty circular loaf wrapped in paper, Jennen’s hazel eyes met mine, a mischievous spark lingering there. She leaned in slightly, and I caught a whiff of dough and cinnamon.

“Don’t forget, Al, you owe me dinner this week,” she teased, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied with a grin. “How could I, with you reminding me every chance you get?”

She chuckled softly, the sound rich and inviting. “Maybe I just like seeing if you’ll ever forget. Hell, I’d even agree on a nice drink.”

“Not a chance,” I answered, feeling the bulge in my pants tighten against the fabric.

“Take good care of yourself, Al. And give Elli my regards,” Jennen added with a wink that made it impossible to tell if she was teasing me or being genuine.

“Thanks, Jennen. I’ll see you soon,” I said, my smile lingering even as I hop-stepped toward the door.

A firm grab on my ass stopped me mid-step, strong hands squeezing just enough to send me a firm message.

“I don't think you're ready to go just yet,” Jennen purred in my ear, stepping around me to close the door. “Not with all that flour on your ass.” She turned away from me, pulling the bolt closed and the privacy shutters down.

“I—” I started to protest, my dick already growing hard at the thought of what she’d done to me last time. Then she turned, her eyes agleam, and I grinned, pinning her to the wall and landing a kiss on her neck. There was no saying no to Jennen, not when she was in the mood. Not that I’d ever say no to her. She deserved every litle bit of my attention.

“I see what you mean. You gonna clean the pants for me?”

“In a bit,” she whispered, leaning back in and kissing my jaw. Her hand slid down and squeezed around my bulge.

“Looks like you’re ready,” Jennen chuckled. “If all you needed was a brief look at my breasts and legs, you could have just asked, silly. Looks like Ellinor isn’t giving you anything, huh?”

“Not now,” I said and pushed into her again. Despite having worked for many hours, she smelled good enough to eat.

“Alright, then. How about you give me some dessert? I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. Hoping you’d stop by.”

Grasping my hand,  she pulled me away from the door and toward the counter, leaning her back to it. I leaned as she pulled me in for a deep tongue-laden kiss, and grabbed the back of my head, pulling me hard against her. She was soft in all the right places, but strong and gentle at the same time.

“Put your arms up,” she breathed, pulling my my shirt up and over my head.

“Oops,” she said, dropping it onto the flour-laden floor. “Guess I'll have to wash that, too.”

Taking her cue, I slid my hand down her belly and into her skirt, where her own shirt was tucked in. I moved further and used my knuckles to pull away her panties just enough so my fingers could find their way between her legs.

“Ahh! What are you—hold on, not so fast,” she moaned.

Jennen was the most sensitive of girls I’d ever been with, and a mere touch already shot electric impulses up and down her body.

I nibbled on her ear and traced my middle finger down her slit, feeling her wetness.

“How can I hold on,” I whispered in her ear, “When you’re right here in front of me. I’ve missed you since last time.”

Her arms slid around me and for a moment she just hugged me and squeezed her hips around my hand.

“I missed you too,” she replied and moved back.

I pulled my hand out of her panties and undid her top, taking it off, too, leaving her in a white lacy bra. I was about to undo it, too, but she shook her head.

“Naughty, naughty. Taking a cook in her kitchen.” With nimble fingers she undid the front of my pants, dropping them with a slap against the floor before giving me a smack on my ass.

I laughed at her usual silly games.

“And where should I take the cook?” I asked, pulling my legs free from my pants, and then stripping her of her skirt and panties. 

“The pantry?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.

“The counter is just fine. The shutters are—”

“No, I’ll know when the next customer comes in what you did to me here just now.”

I sighed but quickly unclasped her bra from behind as she moved away from me, and she shrugged out of it but with a deft move, grabbed my cock and led me along to the pantry.

I pushed her against the wall, sucking in a deep breath filled with cinnamon and chocolate, before bending down to take her nipple in my mouth. She moaned, arching her back and pushing her breast harder into my face. My tongue circled her nipple and I bit down just enough to elicit a small cry from her. Jennen tensed and I could feel a shudder running through her body.

“More,” she whispered. “No, wait.”

She got on her knees and pulled her hair back, using the one hairband to catch all of her rowdy hair and tie it in a ponytail. Her hand grabbed for my shaft and she leaned forward, licking the tip just a bit, then traced it along my length, and finally wrapped her mouth around it, head bobbing back and forth quickly. Her right hand moved along my length, too, and the free one slid between her own legs, middle finger sliding in and out as she spread her legs.

“Fuck, you’re so good,” I growled, the sound escaping my lips accidentally. She didn’t pause to comment, and just moved her head and hand faster until my cock throbbed.

I pulled away, reaching down and pulling her back up, sliding my hand down to feel the wet warmth around her pussy.

“Someone’s missed you,” she said, the corners of her lips rising.

“You have no idea,” I said, spinning her around and pushing her hands against the wall.

Jennen leaned forward and I pulled her right leg up on a nearby crate. She steadied herself and pushed her ass out, but looked to me over her shoulder.

I grabbed my cock and pushed it against her wet lips, letting just the tip enter and then pulled him back out.

“Come on!” she moaned. “Do it already.”

I smacked her ass and then thrust into her, giving my own light groan of pleasure as I felt her tightness squeeze down around me.

“Ahh, fuck! Yes!” she cried, seemingly not caring about making noise. “Fuck me hard! Come on!”

I obliged, thrusting hard as my hands grabbed her hips to keep her in place. She leaned further forward and turned around toward me, her breasts bouncing back and forth. I let go with my left hand and squeezed hard, then pinched her nipple lightly. Her slit was as wet as ever, taking every one of my thrusts.

My hands rolled over her, going from her firm hips to her breasts again.  There was a loud banging on the door outside, but she just shuckled and pushed her ass up even higher. I took that as an invitation to thrust as fast and hard as I could, and held her steady with one hand, while grabbing her hair with the other and pulling just enough to see her glistening eyes.

“Come…inside me?” she gasped through my thrusts, and then shook her head as if figuring it was a bad idea. “No, not inside. I can’t—my mouth.”

I kept thrusting, and waited for the pressure to build inside my cock and pulled out. Jennen hurriedly dropped to her knees again and took my tip inside her mouth, moving her hand quickly back and forth.

“I’m—cumming!” I groaned, feeling my muscles spasm briefly.

Jennen pulled away for a moment as white, thick cum shot into her mouth, the next squirt going on her eyebrow and cheek.

“Shit! Not the makeup!” she hissed and wrapped her mouth around it again, and swallowed hurriedly three times, until her hand slowed down and my body relaxed.

“Damn,” she panted, both of us settling down to the floor together. “I think maybe I wasn’t the only one missing something.”

I laughed and she joined me.

“Sorry about the make-up, babe.”

“I’m not your babe. At least not yet. Maybe never will be, but you can fuck me any time. You know I have a weak spot for you.”

We stayed there a little while, her clasped within my arms, until at my urging we rose up and scoured the kitchen together, collecting our things.

“You could stay, you know,” she teased as we both began to dress. “Sleep over, take a day off? I’ll treat you real good. Close off for the day.”

It was the same every time, a game we played, both of us knowing that we could ill-afford a day away from our shops. I chuckled, buckling my pants.

“You know I’ll be back, Jennen. The goods here, well, they’re irresistible.”

“Ass. You should already ask me to move in with you. I’m not getting any younger.”

“And you’re not that old, either. Thirty is . . . hot. Just about experienced enough to know your way around . . . with everything.”

She blew me a kiss at the door, and shook her head.

“See you again, babe.”

CHAPTER 6

The rest of the night sped by in a well-satiated blur. I slipped out and stepped back into the cooling evening, making my way home past flickering and flaming old tech lights. Once inside, 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.

Once it was mostly clean, I yawned, and almost let it be before noticing strange patterns along its casing.

“What do we have here, huh?” I whispered, leaning in closer with a magnifier to check them. I couldn’t read it as it looked foreign, and none of the symbols made much sense to me. 

I yawned again, 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 a wonderful oldtech 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 . .  .

* * * * *

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 on time 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. Since I was starting from scratch, 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 — 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. There was a cylindrical opening with an absolutely 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 junk.

I growled, annoyed by any lack of similarities as I searched 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, then picked the cylinder back up and flipped it around several times, placed it back down, and 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 all the red and orange 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!” the floating figure screamed dramatically.

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.

Humanity had grown wicked in our high towers of old tech, and our constant wars were a blight on all that was good, 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 7

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—never 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—”

“For what? A few days?”

“Possibly even longer. I will not be harassed by a lower life form!”

“I’m not—what 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—”

“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—you 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—turn 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—” 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 – USMILTECH BA9 – 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.”

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 — 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 in 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, in her white overalls, the fabric hugging just right in all the places that mattered, with her gray leather engineering apron slung casually over her curves. Her face was clean for a change, while her red-orange hair had come undone, haloing around her head in a wispy spat of golden flame.

I briefly stared, lost for words, watching with fascination as a single drop of sweat dripped from her chin to her heaving bosom. She'd obviously ran here, and her face was alight with the usual mix of determination and curiosity.

“Hey, Al, you got a minute?” she asked.

I fake-coughed, realizing that my eyes were glued to her chest. Raising my head and meeting her own, I did my best to crowd the doorway while also acting casual, a messy stance that made me wide while simultaneously pushing me to lean against one edge of the frame.

“Uh, sure. What's up?” I replied, righting myself and stepping outside to talk. My face flushed red as I closed 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 sure about that? I mean, it’s not like I’d mind. Maybe I’d even like to watch,” she said, pinching her lower lip lightly between her teeth. Elli shook her head and sighed. “Seriously, Al, you don’t fucking get it. I’m throwing myself at you, and yet—you know what? 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 wide and shining.

“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. I was troubled by that first bit of annoyance, yet it wasn’t something I couldn’t handle. She’d been annoyed before. And I knew very well nothing was going to happen until I figured out what I was going to do with CD. This alien AI, it had the potential for essentially anything.

“You’re just telling me off, ass. I know you are.” Her voice dropped in a theatrical cackle. “I’ll get you, my pretty. And your little ladies too!” she said, the perfect mimic of the popular old tech play, ‘Izard of ‘Z. We’d watched a street performance of it at festival the weekend before, and her voice mimicry was right on target.

I laughed.

“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—”

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 let him? Then you’ll know what you had and lost, smartass!”

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 get you to kill yourself or something?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Thanks for the update, asshole. I know she’s better in more ways than one, but that’s—no, 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, we may seem like primitives now, but we’re gonna change that, you and I. We’ll figure out the ways of old, make things better. I want to become someone important in this city, and you are going to help me get there.”

CHAPTER 8

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.”

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself mentally for the trip. The market was always a heavy mix of sights, sounds, and smells – 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—listen 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—if 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 toward 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.

Though gradual, the change in the look of the place was stark as well. The slum market's riot of colors – brightly dyed fabrics, hand-painted signs, and stalls adorned with all manner of trinkets – 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 the 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 was known as Techlock, and the best thing you could say about how he looked was that he was an intriguing figure. He wasn’t the sort to put on a tunic and trousers and go about his day. Instead, the man was the type who went for the mysterious. His daily attire was a white mask, complete with an artificial mustache over its lip, and a long brown robe, hopefully with stuff underneath to keep him from dangling. Despite the mask, he let a thin but long silver-gray beard trail down his chin, one that reached near the center of his chest.

He stood up as I walked in, absent-mindedly shoving aside the wooden chair he’d been seated in. Putting a book down on top of it, he turned to me 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 if it weren’t for the fact that he was well-over 60 years old. 

His eyes shone as he looked me over.

“Alaric?” Techlock asked. “Been a while. Thought maybe serfdom had taken its toll on… business. 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. Techlock had always been a good man in my eye, 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 led to a hidden pavilion, cleverly disguised as a storage area, revealing a sprawling cache of contraband technology. A fresh smell of rain and scorch exuded throughout. Shelves, tables, and racks were laden with mech parts from different eras – old, middle, and new – 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 – 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 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 toward the back where items began to come piled in bins and drawers.

“So how much is it gonna cost me?” I asked, wondering what kind of damage I’d done to 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, rethinking my earlier assessment of him. 

“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’s no way—” 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 you. Should be easier than a walk to the store. Sherman’s hells, I’m giving you a deal here, really.”

I sighed.

“Yeah, okay. So when were you planning for me to go on this little expedition?”

He grinned.

“You’re just a scavenger serf boy without any scavenging assignments, so no doubt you’ve got your afternoon free. What do you say you two grab some supplies and get started?”

I paused and cocked my head, well confused.

“You two?” I asked.

His eyes widened behind his masked. “Did you think I would be going?” He chortled hard, doubling over with laughter, and as if on cue one of the cutest-looking women I’d ever seen strolled into the storage area.

She was outfitted as a lair looter, and I couldn't help but admire how the oldtech camouflage body suit she wore clung skin tight over her body, obviously made for wet environs, but incidentally tailored to fit into my dreams. A wide utility belt filled with pouches emphasized the shapely tightness of her hips, and over it, a darker camouflage midtech leather vest hung open just enough to tease at the fullness beneath.

“Seo Rin, did you find everything alright?”

His voice came from far away as I admired the liquid sheen of her hair, long black tresses that would look beautiful on a pillow beneath her. She was walking toward us, and the unconscious sway of her hips had me ready to go in more ways than one. 

“You. Eyes up here,” she commanded, flicking two fingers upward from her fingerless gloves with sharp precision, effortlessly hooking my attention and dragging it to meet her piercing gaze. Her own eyes were a deep black-brown, sharp and unreadable, framed by dark and thick lashes that promised a thousand and one allures, but only if you were tough enough to enjoy her interest.

Her eyes clung to my own, and she broke contact with a scowl.

“Yes, grandfather, I got everything we’re going to need. I still don’t understand why I can’t do this on my own. I can take care of myself.”

“I bet you can,” I whispered, and her eyes shot back to me, her head cocking in disbelief.

“I can hear you, asshole,” she mouthed, but I thought I saw a flicker of amusement escape from the prisons of her irises, and I offered her a slight bow in return.

Techlock, for his part, apparently hadn’t caught a thing.

“No one goes to a ruin like this alone, my dear,” he continued on, busying himself with things on the shelf. “You never know what might happen. Always go in pairs. Those who don’t, well, they don’t get to live long and have a shop like mine. Now, if I were you, I’d get my shit together and get started.”

“What, now?” we both answered in unison.

“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.

And I had to admit, Seo Rin was… intriguing.

I nodded.

“Alright. Show me the way.”

CHAPTER 9

Seo Rin 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 Seo Rin and I 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 I was now carrying. It felt like the old man was planning for us to be gone 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 Seo Rin cast me a curious glance.

“So what’s a serf boy doing going on a delve, and why does my grandfather trust him?” she asked.

The question would have been cute, had the tone been flirtatious. But she was hard as nails, her voice interrogating instead of asking, and I started to wonder if my dreams were going to stay just that.

I shot her a sidelong glance, the corner of my mouth quirking up despite myself.

“Maybe he just likes my charming personality.”

Seo Rin snorted, not bothering to hide her skepticism.

“Right. I’m sure it has nothing to do with you being a convenient tool.”

Her words had the sting of truth, but I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction.

“Convenient, sure. But tools don’t usually talk back,” I retorted, adjusting my pack again. “Besides, if I’m just a tool, what does that make you? The user manual?”

She smirked, the first real crack in her tough exterior.

“I'm more like the hand that wields it.”

“Your hand is going to wield my tool?” I asked, eyebrows raised and eyes all innocent.

She scowled, her eyes drifting away to wander over the cracked pavement. We were near the city gates before she finally found her tongue.

“Don’t flatter yourself, serf boy. I’m just curious why my grandfather sees something in you.”

I shrugged.

“He probably just wants me to pull that stick out of your ass. Can’t think of any real other reason.”

Seo Rin stopped, staring, her cheeks rising pink.

“Hmph,” she finally replied, and we restarted our journey.

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 toward 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. It would have been nicer if I weren’t carrying eighty kilograms of gear, though. I stopped and sighed, wiping sweat from my forehead.

“So are we taking turns with the carrying, or what?” I asked, smiling, as she stopped and stared at me leaning against a nearby oak.

Seo Rin lilted her head up as if studying me.

“Are you seriously asking me to carry that for you? I’m tough and fast, but all that there? That’s serf work.”

I stared at her face, so serious and stern, and burst out laughing.

“Founding fathers above, you are a piece of work. Did you actually think I’d make you carry all this, princess? I doubt you’d get far with much more than a satchel full of creds, much less a load like this. I’m just joking. And taking a break.”

She shook her head, her stern look of disapproval somehow making her even sexier. 

“No, we keep going.”

“Is that right?” I asked, laughing. “Well, then, I better hop to it, shouldn’t I?”

Her eyes stuck to me as I proceeded to sit down, pulling out a hard biscuit and gnawing at its edges. The chitinous crust gave, and I delighted in the soft bread within.

“You think you’re funny.”

“Yeah, usually. Most women think I am.”

Seo Rin nodded thoughtfully.

“I bet they do. But I don’t. I need a good little pack mule, someone who can get us 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.”

I stared at her, she stared at me, and then all at once her face broke into a coquettish smile.

“You really are a stubborn asshole. Come,” she said, beckoning me through her fingerless gloves. “This is going to be awesome and I don’t wish to wait.”

I stood up and she zipped away, jogging forward in a way that shifted her shapely heart-shaped ass left and right. It was downright hypnotizing.

“Come, serf boy,” she called over her shoulder, reaching the edge of a decline, and slowing to edge down it.

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 watching that dark-haired beauty move before me, 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.

Or maybe with a certain dark-haired, foul-mouthed young woman who knew how to get her way. I wondered if Techlock knew what he’d signed her up for when he sent us out. Probably the old man didn’t care, seeing how much the shop dominated his life. Besides, as far as I knew he was a member of the Starry Order, and that church had nothing bad to say about sex or multiple relations.

“Looks wonderful, doesn’t it?” Seo Rin asked.

Her eyes were wide, riding over the banks of the river and up the walls of the valley that rose steeply around it. It was a picturesque place; chaotic outcroppings of cracked rock stuck out alongside patches of muddy soil. They were all dotted with thorny bushes and I suddenly felt a pang of hunger as I noticed ripe, red raspberries glistening in the sunlight.

“It’s good,” I said, nodding. “But not nearly as perfect a sight as you.”

Seo Rin scowled.

“Head in the now. Look at this. I mean really look at it,” she said, her hands moving out to indicate the vista before us. Past the natural beauty, the ruins of an old dam stood, 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. “There is more to life than ass, ass. This is the ruins of the ancients. Our ancestors. This place, this dam, it is almost magical in the way it stands. We could never even get close to making anything like it today, no matter how many creds were put into the production. It’s… beautiful.”

I leaned in for a better look, drawn to the strange, iridescent foam churning where the cascading water met the river below.

“Yeah,” I remarked. “Beautiful.”

“Ugh,” she groaned, before stamping a foot. “That’s probably just chemical runoff. Hopefully not too strong. Still, I’m not sure we packed all the right gear. We really should have brought more.”

“Yeah, more,” I agreed sarcastically, readjusting the straps of the pack.

She cocked her head.

“Haha. Still, we’ve got the scavenge suits. Those should help. What do you think, serf boy? Should we don the suits now, or save them for when we get inside?”

“Call me Al.”

“Whatever.”

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, Seo Rin. But I do know one thing. Before I put on anything like that, I’m gonna go get some of those berries first. Won’t take too long!”

Before she 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 my forearms as I went on through.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Seo Rin screamed, her face indignant once more. “We have work to do! Serf boy, get back here!”

“What?” I called back, pretending not to hear.

Arriving at a wide stretching bush of berries, I dug in, taking them by the handful, as behind me Seo Rin screeched and bellowed. The first went straight into my mouth, and I bit down. An explosion of taste followed. They were amazing. I continued shoving them into my mouth for a good minute, and the rest went into my work pockets as Seo Rin shut up, watching from above and tapping her 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, Seo Rin,” I called out, my voice echoing slightly off the rocks. “What do you think caused it to fall apart like that?”

Seo Rin paused, her resigned 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,” she replied, her tone thoughtful. “Which is why we need to get moving. That and the serf bracer. Five days, serf boy. Get your ass back up here, that’s enough berries!”

I laughed.

“You need my ass up there? Nice.”

She cocked her head in her increasingly familiar look of disapproval.

“So, where do we go from here?” I asked, as innocently as I could.

Seo Rin sighed, then studied the dam intently before pointing to its far bottom corner. 

“Right there where the dam meets dirt. It was uncovered not long ago, but I can’t see it now. I bet it got silted over, but it shouldn’t take much to uncover it.”

I squinted in the direction she indicated, noticing a section of the dam that looked more intact than the rest. 

“Yeah, alright. How are we gonna get over there?”

She stepped back, giving me her first real appreciative up-and-down appraisal. I felt myself stir a little when her eyes rolled over my crotch.

“You look like you’re a parkour guy, Al,” she said. “We’re either going to have to cross the river or leap the gap in the dam.”

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 in that.”

I climbed back up to where she stood, sliding back into my pack. We started walking toward 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.”

Seo Rin rolled her eyes.

“I’m not my grandfather, but that lock looks like shit. And 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 her the lockpicks, watching as she deftly worked the lock. Her fingers moved swiftly, each twist and turn of the picks letting out grinding clicks and soft metallic squeals. The slight furrow of concentration on her brow, and the fluttering of her long lashes when a gust of wind swept by her face, coupled with the curve of her lips pressed in focus, made it impossible to look away.

After a moment, it clicked open and Seo Rin looped it out of the gate latch, letting it fall into the leaf litter beneath us. She gripped the gate, her muscles subtly flexing under the snug fit of her sleeves as she yanked it open with a drawn-out, torturous squeak. Then, with a sly, confident tilt of her head, she stepped aside, her dark eyes glinting as she gestured 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.

“That wasn’t a hard one,” Seo Rin replied, stepping through behind me. “It was a Miltech R-Grade. Government standard. More of a ‘Please Don’t’ than a ‘You Won’t’. Grandpa’s got a few of them in the shop that I practiced with when he was teaching me how to do it.”

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 hundred bows 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 Seo Rin, who broke into a grin.

“I’ll stay here with the pack. We rig a passing-line with the grappling hook after you jump over, and then send everything along.”

I took a good look at her obviously fit form, and knew this was more of a test than a command. She wanted to see if I could make it and didn’t care enough yet for it to matter too much if I took a plunge into the falls.

“Yeah, fine, I can do it,” I muttered, trying to convince myself as much as her.

By all that was holy, I would have a piece of her even if I had to die first, though.

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,” Seo Rin called out, and I began to smile. “For a beginner.”

“Yeah, thanks,” I said. I untied the grappling rope from my waist and unhooked it from the rock, then turned and threw it to Seo Rin’s side where she climbed to a higher point and secured it. I tied the rope to the lowest usable point on my side, using a tight no-slip knot, then shot her a thumbs up. “Your turn. Thread the pack and gear through.”

She nodded and then sent it sliding across the ravine of the smashed-in dam safely with a light whizzing noise. Then, with all the gear on my side, she unhooked the grappling hook, and I pulled it back over.

With all else done, she backed up and ran, tearing across the chasm in an admirable sprint that made all the right stuff wobble, jumped, and landed perfectly.

“Damn,” I said appreciatively.

“Made it,” she said, grinning. “Now, let's find that bunker.”

“Those were some impressive moves,” I said, eyeing her appreciatively.

“If you behave, I might show you a few more. Come.”

We moved on, 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 Seo Rin to work the lock. It took even less time than the previous lock, 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 inside, 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?” Seo Rin asked, before chuckling. “Ah, yes, I understand. Serf boys 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.

She laughed, a real musical throat chortle, and I felt my chest tighten eagerly. Continuing our descent, we carefully navigated 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 part of the 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 Seo’s shadow move closer as she read it over my shoulder.

“I don’t know. The US thing appears a lot on old tech. It 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, “Though a bit far out there.”

She laughed.

“Sounds to me like a place where serf boys would laze around all day eating berries and not getting any work done. Why don’t we 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 she searched for the access 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,” Seo said, pulling out her unlocking device. “Come close and pay attention. I might be able to teach you something.”

She 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 her device, she 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 scrambled eagerly to her side, letting my shoulder push against hers as I jockeyed for a good view. It was all easy enough to follow, and I was rather sure I could emulate her in a pinch if necessary. At least with an electro-lock as easy as this one.

Kneeling, she 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.

“Are you ready for some good scavenge?” she 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 10

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 steel bolts retracted, gears spun, and electronic devices beeped 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, and 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 strip down and suit up,” Seo Rin said, pointing to the pack. I dropped it and opened its compartments.

I shucked off my clothes quickly and stopped, noticing her watching me, not having moved at all. “Shouldn’t you, you know, be getting ready?” I asked.

She smirked, a glint in her eye.

“Actually, you put the work clothes over what you’re already wearing. I just wanted to see what I was working with. We might be here a while, after all.”

I gawked, going semi-hard under the long-lashed glare of the strangely haughty vixen, wondering if I should be embarrassed... or proud. I decided on the latter, stretching out bodily and letting her get a better look at the contours of my body.

“Take your time looking. Feels good to air things out from time to time.” I paused as if the idea was coming to me for the first time. “Maybe you should try it out too?”

She grinned and made as if to pull down the top of her camo, then laughed, pulling it back into place. “Your eyes get so large, Al. Like they’re getting ready to pop right out.”

“I bet,” I said. “They do all sorts of cool things in the right situations.” I gave her a wink, and she giggled.

“Let me tell you this,” she said, crossing her arms under her breasts. “If we make it out alive and with a decent haul, I will reciprocate the favor. It’s only fair I show you mine since you showed me yours.”

I shook my head, the smile never wavering from my lips.

“If we make it out alive?”

“Yes, to give you more incentive. Don’t worry, my word means as much as Grandpa’s. Make sure I get out alive, and you will…get your share. I’m not shy when it comes to repaying favors.”

“Deal.”

After getting dressed again, 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 if necessary. I raised an eyebrow and took a moment to look at Seo Rin.

“What’s the deal with all the coal dust?”

“It’s mid-tech scavenge gear. I’m not sure of the why of all of it. Maybe my grandfather knows. But I know it’s supposed to 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 if we decide to put them on. It’ll be hot, but it’ll keep us safe.”

When she finished putting everything on, she put out her arms.

“How do I look?”

The old tech scavenge suit clung heavily to her form, giving her an almost mech-like appearance. Dark, matte black, and thick, it was absolutely the opposite of appealing.

“Ready for the King’s Court,” I said with a wink.

“Bullshit,” she replied, though she chuckled. “Belle of the Ball. Right. Come on, this 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 couldn’t fit into a vest we placed back into the rucksack. Seo Rin 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 keep up with the electro-scanner?”

“Sounds like a plan,” I answered. 

I picked up the torchlight, marveling at its mid-tech design. It was sleek, a matte black metal tube that had grooves forged into the metal to make it easier to handle, along with a textured rubber grip, and near the base of it, a series of small, triangular vents spat small wisps of steam after I turned it on.

Seo Rin came behind me, reaching past me to grab hold of a rotary dial on its side.

“Use this to adjust the brightness and beam width any time you need to. It’s mid-tech, so don’t worry about energy. It’ll last well beyond both of our lifetimes, I expect.” Turning, she indicated the open bunker door with a nod. ”After you.”

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.

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, Seo Rin 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.

Seo Rin put her hand in mine.

“It’s a bit overwhelming, isn’t it? Looking into the past is so strange. Exciting, but also sad. I’d stay here all day looking at them if I could.”

I caught her eye.

“Maybe we could do that when we’re all finished?”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” she answered.

“Naked?”

She mock-frowned, but the fortress in her eyes was well open, and I saw the gleam of interest shine.

“We’ll see,” she admitted, smirking. “That’s all for later. Right now, let’s just go over all the machines, then check back in with it all again if we aren’t full of loot by the time we leave this place.”

“Naked,” I asserted.

“Probably,” she replied with a wink. “I get horny whenever I find good loot, and exploring with Grandpa…yeah, I’m not into that stuff anymore, so I usually go alone.”

“Not this time. Also, you can stop acting like a bitch. I already like you,” I said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

“Whatever. Had to see what type you were, first. I’ll…be better, I promise. Or try to at least.”

“Do you think any of it is still drinkable?”

Seo Rin shrugged.

“Probably. It was 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 Seo Rin a look. 

“These have got to be worth their weight in gold. Should we crack them open?”

The dark-haired beauty sighed. 

“My grandfather told me before that selling old-tech ammunition is a good way to die unless you go through the right channels. We’d all have to go through the Bandit Lords, and they are not people anyone wants to deal with. Plus, Grandpa might look like he’s a biggie, but he’s nowhere big enough to have customers with rifles or pistols that are worth a damn. The technology to make them in a way that uses old-tech ammunition has been lost for, well, forever. And functioning old-tech weapons are legendary; they wear out and keeping them working 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 showed 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 Seo Rin, saw her 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 Seo Rin as she worked through her own pile.

She shook her head. 

“Just old junk. Nothing useful.”

We turned our attention to the defensive pillbox next, its concrete walls 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.

Seo Rin growled.

“There’s a system to the black market, and we’d be dead within a day if we sold those ourselves. Honestly, none of us wants to sell them to the ones who can. They cause a lot of problems when you enter into business with them. It’ll be better if we sell them the location and specs than if we 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.”

Seo Rin nodded, moving toward the imposing circular bunker door at the far end of the room. It was larger and more intimidating than the first, but its surface was covered in intricate patterns of rust and decay. She pulled out her hacking device, the same one she had used on the initial door, and began to work on the electro-lock.

“Keep an eye out, Al,” she said, her focus on the task at hand. “This might take a bit.”

I watched as she 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 Seo Rin and saw that she too had her 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 and made my way inside.

CHAPTER 11

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 broken, 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, Seo Rin?” 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 Seo would know that.

“Let’s push ahead,” she 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,” Seo Rin 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. Seo Rin and I exchanged a glance.

“Something here isn’t right,” I whispered.

Seo Rin slipped her hand to her dagger belt, arming herself as well. 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. 

Seo Rin positioned herself to my left, her 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.

Seo Rin 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.

“Seo Rin,” I said quietly, “Stay behind me. We're not alone.”

She nodded, her eyes narrowing as she 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. Don’t die, okay?”

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. Seo Rin moved in quickly, slashing at the creature with her dagger. The blade cut into its flesh, but the beast barely seemed to notice, driven by a mindless 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.

“Shit. Seo Rin, keep it busy!” I shouted. “But don’t engage! I’ve got an idea.”

She nodded, prodding at the creature with swift, agile jukes and dodges, her eyes wide and frightened. She was limber, even in the heavy suit, and the monster missed twice, buying me the precious seconds I needed. I rushed to the console, yanking off the back panel and exposing a tangle of wires. My knowledge of old electronics sprang to mind, guiding my hands in stripping 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. 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 Seo Rin and me. The creature convulsed, its body wracked with electricity. It collapsed, twitching and smoking, before finally falling still.

Seo Rin joined me, grabbing me up in a panicked hug, panting heavily. 

“That was amazing, Al! But how’d you know that we wouldn’t get fried also?”

“Rubber lining,” I panted, squeezing her tight and feeling the softness of her chest through the thick padding.

She pulled back, scanning my face with admiring eyes.

“I really thought you were just some playboy serf-boy. Some small-time comedian with no money or freedom. But, I don’t think that’s right. I understand why Grandpa sent you with me.”

“I thought he was just trying to get you laid.”

She shook her head, grinning.

“Maybe that too. Our church says that passion is holy. We must be fruitful so that we may multiply.”

I nodded, my heart pounding in my throat.

“As much as I absolutely love that, and as much as I hate to say it right here and now, let’s save the being fruitful part for somewhere else. There might be more of those around.”

“I—that’s not what I meant!” she protested and sighed.

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 Seo Rin 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 steady. Seo Rin 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, Seo Rin and I exchanged a glance of relief. 

“Let's find what we need and get out of here,” Seo Rin said, her voice high-pitched and slightly panicked. “This place is more dangerous than I thought.”

I stared at her.         

“You’ve never scavenged a new bunker before, have you?”

“No. This is my first time. But my grandfather said that it’s usually just a tomb full of things long dead, and items well worth the trip.” She sighed. “I just didn’t know it would be so scary!”

“Hey, it’s alright. Like you said, there’s a reason he sent me. A reason he sent you too. This is going to be well worth the trip, just wait and see. And we may be two first-timers, but we’re first-timers with skills! That’s gotta count for something.”

Seo Rin hugged me again, even tighter than the first time, and together we searched 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. Seo Rin moved to the terminal and began typing, her fingers flying over the keys with practiced ease.

“The network is still online, despite a partial power outage,” she said, more to herself than to me. “I’m pulling up the directions to the storage room. There has to be a lot of good stuff there we can take and get out of here!”

As she worked, I peered over her shoulder and noticed a section labeled Journal on the screen. My curiosity piqued, and I tapped Seo Rin on her shoulder. 

“Hey, can you open up that journal section? Maybe we can figure out what happened to this place.”

She hesitated, her fingers pausing mid-typing. 

“We should focus on the storage room,” she said, though her tone lacked conviction.

“It’s the ancients. I know you want to know just as badly as I do. Just a quick look,” I urged. “It might give us some insight. Come on.”

Seo Rin 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 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?

Seo Rin 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 — 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 Seo Rin closed the journal, her 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.”

Seo Rin stared at the console, then opened a search program. As I watched, she typed the word ‘mutagen’ into its bar.

* * * * * * * * * *

Terminal Entry:

Date: April 1, 2124

Mutagen X02's 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.

* * * * * * * * * *

Seo Rin 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, Al. That would definitely be worth finding.”

The terminal buzzed, displaying a map of the bunker with several key areas highlighted. Seo Rin scanned the entries quickly, her eyes lighting up as she found what she was looking for.

“Here we go,” she 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. “Let’s get that loot and get back to the entrance. We’ve got ancient snacks to try and clothes to get out of.”

Seo Rin cast a disbelieving look in my direction and threw me the biggest smile I’d seen on her yet.

“Alright. I’ll bite. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER 12

Following the map Seo Rin had sketched, we backtracked to the cafeteria, took a right, and wove through dim corridors lined with faded signs from a long-dead era—US ARMY RECRUITER, NIGHT CLUB, STORAGE 3.

We moved deeper into the bunker, keeping to the fastest route. Eventually, we reached the lift—a hulking, industrial platform designed for vertical transport. It looked sturdy, reinforced with thick metal rails and a network of cables attached to a motor embedded in the ceiling. Unfortunately, the motor was coated in grime and streaked with rust. Not a great sign.

I pushed the call button. A loud clank sounded as the doors grudgingly parted.

“After you,” I said.

Seo Rin stepped in, her movements fluid despite the bulk of her gear. The way she moved, confident and unbothered, made it hard not to watch. Even in her heavy suit, she had a natural grace, a teasing sway to her hips that felt almost deliberate. She shot me a quick glance over her shoulder, as if she knew exactly what kind of effect she had. She surveyed the space with an expert’s eye, fingers already darting to the panel.

Nothing happened.

She cursed under her breath and hit the button again. Still nothing.

“Figures,” I sighed. “I was looking forward to seeing old tech in action.”

“Stairs it is,” she muttered, already turning around.

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, flashing her a grin. “Wouldn't be the first time a pretty girl led me into a restricted area.”

Seo Rin snorted, but there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes.

“Flirting in a high-security zone? Bold move.” She bumped her hip against mine as we walked. “But not that bold. 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 Seo Rin’s.

“Move!” she shouted. “I’ll try to find a way to shut it off.”

As she ran 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 toward 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.

“Come on, Seo Rin,” I shouted, dodging another blast of bullets.

Though she was out of sight, I could hear Seo Rin dodging her 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!” she 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 Seo Rin curse from the next room. She was tapping hard at some keys, so it seemed likely she’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!” Seo Rin yelled from within, breathing heavily. “The 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, Seo Rin?” I asked.

She coughed and chuckled.

“I’ve never been better,” she beamed, tossing her silky black hair back with a dramatic flick. Her eyes lingered on me, scanning me up and down, before she smirked. “Though, I have to admit, you make getting shot look weirdly attractive.”

“Flesh wound. Nothing serious, though. My suit is breached, so there’s that.” I flexed my leg for show, watching her eyes drop to the injury before flicking back up with concern.

“Well, shit,” she cursed, voice edged with frustration. She let out a breath and glanced at me again. “Still, while I’d hate to have to carry your sorry ass out of here, I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on you. All this is making me excited.”

I chuckled despite the stinging pain.

“Are we taking turns on this? Are you the one chasing after me now?”

Seo Rin shrugged.

“What can I say. You’ve caught my eye. Are you good to walk?”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding and standing. “Stings, but it’s nothing too bad.”

A short silence followed before she answered.

“Then let’s get digging, serf boy. We didn’t almost die here 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 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 Seo Rin.

She 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.

Seo Rin stepped closer, eyes flicking over the blade before meeting my gaze with a smirk.

“Not bad. Sharp, sleek, a little dangerous—just how I like things.”

“Well that settles that. I’d love to keep this as part of my claim,” I said, sheathing my dagger and tucking my torchlight away. As I held the new weapon up, Seo Rin tilted her head, watching me with amusement. “You’re way too into that thing,” she teased. “Should I be jealous?”

“Nah,” I answered. “It's only got the one good curve to it. You've got so many more.”

Seo Rin giggled, and then turned to full-blown laughter. 

“Just make sure you don’t stab yourself with it,” she said, taking a step closer. She eyed the blade, lightly tracing a finger over the hilt before meeting my gaze. “I'd hate to see that pretty face of yours turn pale from blood loss.”

“Who knew there was such a flirt in there, huh?”

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,” Seo Rin 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, Seo Rin,” I replied. “The moment we get what we need, we’re out of here. Okay?”

“Agreed. Grab and go. Sounds like a plan.”

As Seo Rin pushed down on the handle, I noticed the slight tension in her shoulders. I leaned in, just a little too close.

“Nervous?” I teased, my breath warm against her ear.

She scoffed, but I didn’t miss the slight flush on her neck.

“Please. If anything jumps out, I’m shoving you in front of me, serf boy.”

I smiled, giving her a playful bow.

“Anything for my lady.” Placing my hand over hers, I gently pulled her back before stepping forward. “Let me take the lead.”

I reached out and grasped the handle firmly, preparing for whatever was on the other side.

CHAPTER 13

On the door was the painted image of an eagle clasping arrows, and its pitted image seemed to mock us as I struggled. Seo Rin joined in, placing her gloved hand next to mine, and in a tangled mess of scrabbling and yanking, the door finally broke free. A groan echoed through the space as it swung our way, and the sudden give sent us both tumbling back to the floor, Seo Rin ending on top of me with her hips straddling mine.

It would have been super hot if it weren't for the sheer bulk of our scavenger gear separating us and the sudden torrent of ice-cold water from the storage room that crashed over us.

Seo Rin yelped, scrambling off me with a sputtering cough. I gasped at the shock of the freezing water rolling through the rip in my suit, shivering as it soaked into my trousers underneath.

“Shit, that's cold!” I groaned, moments before it reached my graze wound and began to burn.

I sucked in a sharp breath through clenched teeth as I stood. Seo Rin, brushing drenched bangs from her face, gave me a softer look.

“Are you okay? We're so stupid! We saw that the rooms are filled with water. Hoods up.”

There was a stench to the muck, one that burned my nostrils. Putrid and sharp, I gagged as I unzipped the hood pouch on the scav suit, and pulled it over my head. The wound in my leg was burning harder now, a bright searing pain that felt like the sting of a thousand bees, and I gritted my teeth in response.

“Seriously, are you okay?” Seo Rin asked again, her voice now muffled by her air filter. The plastic screening of her hood fogged, but I could still make out enough of her features to know that she was legitimately concerned.

I sighed.

“Yeah. I've been better, but that could have gone a lot worse too. Let's just get in there and get this done with.”

We stepped inside. Rows of sagging shelves stretched before us, laden with military crates and supplies, many of their contents long since rotted into mulch. Moss and mold coated everything, yet some packages had miraculously withstood time’s decay. My gaze fell upon a small, white packet labeled Chips, Salted. I snatched it from the muck and stuffed it into my vest pocket.

“Are you going to eat those?” Seo Rin asked. “They're probably still good. The Ancients knew how to keep things from turning to dust.”

“I might,” I said, honestly considering it.

She moved to a nearby shelf, tearing away a green-gray mass of mold. Beneath the layers, pristine boxes of Bars, Choco emerged, their white packaging gleaming in the dim light. I reached out, but Seo Rin slapped my hand away, laughing.

“Never get in the way of a woman and her chocolate,” she snarked. “Seventy–thirty,” she added as I gaped at her. She began stuffing the good boxes into one of our scavenging ziplo containers, not even bothering to wait for my response.

I chuckled, pulling out my own scav-ziplo. “First come, most profit? You really are a cold hard vixen, Seo Rin.”

She shrugged.

“A girl's gotta eat, and chocolate’s expensive. It’s my one guilty pleasure.”

I snorted at that.

“Oh, I can think of a few others.”

Seo Rin stuck her tongue out at me and winked.

Finished with the choco bars, she scanned the room for more valuables. I waved a hand and moved deeper into the storeroom, my boots splashing through the stagnant water. I don't know what I'd exactly expected, but it wasn't this. It was like a swamp, but unlike any I had seen before. Topside swamps at least had space to breathe. This place had nowhere to vent the gases of decay, making the air thick and choking despite the open door.

If it weren't for the air filters, I had a feeling we might be already dead.

Luckily Seo Rin was prepared, and she had the goods. I stopped, going back over the thought in my head. Damn did she have the goods. I cast a look back at her, seeing her digging through some heap of dirt and moss, and I made my way to the next shelf. Stabbing fingers into the mound of moss and vegetation I found there, I tore through it, revealing a box labeled Gears, Micro. Alongside it was another box marked Springs, High Tension.

“For all the tricks in Harlotville,” I swore loudly. Seo Rin splashed over, laughing as she saw my find.

“Might be time for a renegotiation,” I grumbled, stuffing the parts into my scav bag.

“Good luck with that,” Seo Rin chuckled. “Look, Alaric, I like you. But it'd break my grandfather's heart if I let that ruin his business. Just be happy you’re getting a cut.”

“Maybe you could sweeten the deal with something that isn't salvage or parts?” I asked. 

She pushed her visor against mine. “I was already planning on it, you damn horndog. But let's get moving. You’ve got at least a quart of water in your boot and all this water exposure to your leg can't be healthy.”

I glanced down at my soaked, wounded leg, watching small spirals of blood swirl into the murky water. Something caught my eye—a glimmer just above the waterline on a lower shelf. A white, shiny object.

“Finders keepers!” I yelled, lunging forward.

Seo Rin spotted the box and sprinted after me, but I was faster. I ripped through the mulch, revealing a white plastic case with rustless metal edges and a faded medical symbol.

“Well damn, serf boy. Well found,” she said.

“Seven-thirty,” I retorted, and she twisted her hips into a disapproving stance. “Hey, I'm going to sweeten the deal too!” I added and she laughed.

“This is going to be great creds. Let’s open it.”

I squinted at the faint lettering on the case.

“Muta-Prep… Blockers and Limiters. That’s from the journal entry, right?”

I flipped the case open, revealing intact plastic vials labeled with letters and numbers. I pulled out one marked A1, rolling the thick, cherry-colored liquid inside.

Seo Rin inspected the vials warily.

“This is . . . I don't know what this is. It feels dangerous.”

I turned to tease her but froze. A large container loomed in the back of the room, the light fixture above it shattered. I was close enough that I could now read the faded stencil on its surface: Mutagen X02. The container was cracked. Its contents were leaking into the water around us.

My heart stammered.

“Uh, Seo Rin,” I stuttered. “Did those journal entries say why the blockers failed?”

Seo Rin followed my gaze, her body tensing.

“Inject yourself. Now.”

“With what?” Panic surged through me. I grabbed A1 and slotted it into the injector. My fingers trembled as I added B1, a thicker orange fluid. The device still had one empty slot.

“What in the devil's abyss do I put there?”

Seo Rin grabbed a blue vial at random and slammed it into place. Wrenching the injector from my hands, she lifted my leg onto a shelf and jammed the needle into my calf. She pulled the trigger.

A mechanical whirr sounded, followed by excruciating pain. It was as if a blade had been plunged into my leg and twisted, then electrified. My screams tore through the air, raw and breathless.

“Oh, no you don’t,” she grunted. “You are not going to die on me. I've earned at least one roll in the hay.”

I gasped for breath, feeling the serum spread through my veins. It wasn’t like a normal injection. This was something alive, clawing through my body, setting up shop inside me.

“Steady there, serf boy. I still need someone to carry my loot.”

I wanted to laugh, to tease, to flirt—but my body was on fire. I was dying. Seo Rin finished with the injector and yanked it out, tossing the empty case into her bag. My vision swam. I reached for the nearest shelf, missed, and fell face-first into the murk.

“Fuck,” Seo Rin screamed, her visor fogging with panicked breaths. She reached for me—hesitated. Her fingers clenched, then released. A tremor ran through her stance before she straightened, backing away. “I really did like you, Alaric. I wish we would've had more time to get to know each other, and that you could have stayed alive, or human. Or whatever in the devil's damned seven hells is happening.”

My heartbeat pounded in my ears. Water splashed over my hood. My limbs thrashed, barely keeping me upright in the mutagen-tainted sludge.

“Seo Rin!” I gasped. “No!”

It came out as a growl. My muscles bulged. Something pulsed beneath my skin. I ripped off my glove and gawked as my fingernails elongated, my veins throbbing visibly.

I was royally fucked.

CHAPTER 14

I woke up in the original entry room of the bunker, lying there 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.

Seo Rin's presence startled me as she stepped from the shadows, her heavy scav-suit now absent. She’d evidently shed it and was now clad in nothing but a snug undershirt and black panties. The fabric of her shirt stuck to her tightly, and I watched mesmerized as she swung to my side.

“What?” I managed, coughing and choking on my words. Behind her, I noticed her scav-suit and tactical wetsuit hanging off the vending machines, obviously set there to dry, and I realized we were back at the entrance. I couldn't imagine what it must have taken for her to bring me here.

Especially since, last I remembered, I'd been in the middle of transforming into a monster.

“Shh,” she murmured, kneeling down and putting her palm to my forehead. Nodding, her eyes shifted to meet my own. “Are you surprised to see me?” she 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.”

“Can’t say I’m not, and even more so in that…outfit, but what happened?” I croaked, my voice raw.

She 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. I popped the control panel off, twisted some wires together, and got it working just long enough to get us up here.”

She pointed to a makeshift bed she'd set up and I realized we'd been here a while. I started pushing at the ground, struggling to get up, but she shook her head.

“We’ve been here for hours, and nothing’s come our way. Best stay and rest until you're actually better.” She opened her mouth, then closed it, rethinking her words. “You aren't the same as you were,” she finally said, her eyes wide. “Your body changed a lot. I was really scared. You just kept shifting and growing. I thought about leaving a couple of times . . . and I was about 50% sure you’d turn into some sort of monster and crush me. But then I thought, hey, Seo Rin, Alaric and you had a deal. You 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 Seo Rin.”

“Yeah. I’m a big softie. Also, you’ve got a lot of high-cred equipment with you. It 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.

“See what I mean? Rest.”

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 a solid six-pack, and as I poked and prodded, my attention was drawn to my arms.

I’d never seen anything like this, apart from the soldiers and knights who were lucky enough to get core surgeries for strength.

My arms had tightened and thickened into veritable meat logs, awesomely tone and powerful. I threw off my blankets and stared at my nudity in awe. My legs were the same, as thick as 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 . . .

“Fucking hot, right?” Seo Rin said, grinning.

I glanced over to where my leg had been bleeding from the bullet and saw that it was completely healed.

“Yeah,” Seo Rin said and my eyes shot over to meet her.

“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.

Seo Rin sighed.

“Luck, mostly. We had those items they talked about in their logs already in hand. We just got to you in time.” She nodded, seemingly running the idea through her head one more time. “I think that 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 on each other.”

“Sounds to me like we should go back in and get some more, then.”

Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Yes! Do you realize what a find this is! 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!”

“Bandit Lords? I thought that's something that your grandfather wouldn't want to deal with.”

“He'll want to deal with this,” she answered. “Trust me.”

Sitting up and stretching my new, stiff muscles, I couldn’t help but shake my head at the hand the Goddess 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 stood and stretched, rolling my shoulders. Seo Rin’s gaze raked over me, her lips parting slightly as she took in my new form. Her fingers twitched, like she was holding herself back.

“So, uh, if you can stand now . . . does that mean you can do other things, too?” she asked, her voice almost desperate. I began to grow hard, and she stood, taking my dick in her hand. Without so much as another word, she leaned her body against me, and pressed her lips against mine.

“Take me,” she breathed, her voice husky and full of need, lips trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses along my jaw. “I've never wanted anyone this badly before.”

I didn't know if it was just the awesome bod, or if the mutagen came with a healthy dose of pheromones as well, but I wasn't about to lose this opportunity despite the strange little quakes that still rolled through my body. I grabbed her tight, my right hand sliding down the curve of her thigh, fingers tracing her heated skin. My left arm hooked under her, lifting her effortlessly as she gasped. Her panties slipped away, forgotten, as she melted against me. I squeezed her round, firm ass, and she moaned into my open mouth, her tongue darting in to wrestle with my own.

I took her and set her down on the place where I'd been transformed not so long ago. Panting, she pulled back, her chest rising and falling with each breath. A blush dusted her cheeks as she cocked her head, smiling. Then, with deliberate slowness, she grabbed the hem of her undershirt and peeled it off, letting the fabric glide over her skin before tossing it aside.

Her chuckle spurred me on, her body shifting under my touch as I adjusted my grip on her hips. I traced my tongue around her pink nipple in slow, teasing circles, relishing every twitch and gasp that followed. Her fingers tightened in my hair, guiding me down with desperate need.

“Please—more!” she whimpered, her legs quivering as I delved deeper, tracing kisses down her tight stomach and then flicking my tongue between her legs. Her breathing came in ragged bursts, her back arching as waves of pleasure crashed over her. Every movement and shudder fueled me to go on, and I had no intention of stopping until she was utterly undone beneath me.

I pulled back, and she moaned with the desperation of a wounded animal, her hips instinctively lifting in search of me.

“What are you doing?” she whined, her voice thick with need.

I looked down at her and  winked, hovering over her, savoring the way her flushed body trembled beneath me. Leaning down, I captured her lips in a searing kiss before pushing her legs up with my arms and guiding my tip between her hips, pressing into her, and entering bit by bit, stretching her deliciously.

She gasped, her fingers clawing at my arms and back, her breathy cries filling the space around us as I finally thrust deeper, feeling her body spasm from pleasure. A moan spilled from her lips and with that a gasp.

“Too…tight. Almost hurts but…I love it,” she whispered and opened her eyes to meet mine. “Go harder.”

I obliged, thrusting my hips forward, the sound of our flesh coming together resounding in the silence around us. Her body moved in perfect rhythm with mine, her nails digging into my skin as pleasure overwhelmed her and she cried out. Seo Rin's breaths turned ragged, her back arching as she tightened around me, every sensation sending sparks of electricity through my veins.

She pulled me closer, her mouth seeking mine in a fevered kiss, her moans were muffled against my lips. I pulled her upright, and positioned her on top of me, my hands roaming her body, exploring every dip and curve. Her breasts were a bit smaller than Elli’s, but they were firm and fit my hands perfectly. I squeezed just hard enough and traced her nipples. Seo Rin squirmed on top of me and let out another cry of pleasure, her own hands grabbing mine and squeezing hard. She moved her hips upward, sliding along my length, harder and faster. For a moment I thought she was about to break and wanted to slow down, but she kept on pushing harder and wilder.

With each movement, I pushed my hips upward, driving her higher, pushing her to the edge until she shattered on top of me, her body convulsing as pleasure crashed over her.

Collapsing against me, Seo Rin buried her face in my shoulder, her breath hot and erratic against my skin. I ran a hand through her damp hair, feeling the rapid thrum of her heartbeat against my chest. As the last echoes of our passion faded, I pulled her close, a satisfied grin tugging at my lips.

“Guess that answers my question,” she murmured, voice thick with exhaustion and satisfaction. “You can definitely still do other things.”

I chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

“I don’t think I finished just yet,” I said, caressing her hair softly. “Think you can last for a bit more?”

She groaned, playfully smacking my chest before curling up against me, a contented sigh escaping her lips.

“Give me a minute. I want to enjoy this…whatever it is,” she whispered, but her hand was already wrapped around me again and started moving slowly.

CHAPTER 15

The warmth of Seo Rin’s body still lingered against mine as she dozed, her breathing soft and rhythmic. I stared up at the ceiling, feeling the residual thrum of energy coursing through my veins. Everything about me felt heightened—my senses, my strength, even my perception of time itself. The mutagen had really done a fantastic number on me, and to be honest I wasn't sure now about wanting to share it with the rest of the world.

It was a brief, selfish thought, and it passed when Seo Rin stirred beside me. I watched as her lashes fluttered before her dark eyes opened. She stretched, her incredibly sexy body arching against me, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

“What?” she murmured, smiling as she propped herself up on one elbow. “Already hungry for more?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Tempting, but no. Later, not here. I was just thinking.”

She raised a brow, brushing a hand through her tousled hair.

“About what?”

I hesitated, struggling to put it into words.

“All this,” I said, gesturing to my newly awesome body. “I'm not sure I want to share it with the world. Not even sure if that's a wise thing to do. Are you going to take any of it?”

Seo Rin wiggled her eyebrows, and tilted her head as she traced a finger along my chest.

“Tempting, but I like myself just the way I am. Besides, someone has to keep an eye on you, big guy. Wouldn’t want you getting too full of yourself with all that newfound power.”

I nodded.

“Yeah, I like you just fine as you are, too. But, don't you want to be stronger? Bigger? Faster?”

Seo Rin chuckled, stretching lazily before shooting me a knowing look.

“I get it, Alaric. Power's intoxicating. But I’ve spent years refining my own strengths into my own way of fighting. A few extra muscles won’t make me a better fighter—skill and instinct will. Besides...” She leaned in, her breath warm against my ear. “We still don't know what the long term effects are. It might be that a hard bout of awesome sex is what turned all those people here into monsters in the first place.” She chomped playfully at my ear, and I chuckled, lightly pushing her away.

“Yeah. Good point. Guess I can be the guinea pig for now.”

“Listen,” she purred, rolling back to my side and placing a hand on my bare chest. “I understand. And we honestly need to keep this quiet, at least for a while. Just Grandpa and ourselves. And if I wanted to take it, I can't do it out here. You're nobody, so no one knows what you look like. But if I get ripped like you, that’ll cause questions. People know Techlock. And they know me.”

I nodded.

“So I guess that means the old man isn't going to bulk out any time soon either?”

She laughed, and I joined her, imagining some long-bearded bare-chested ripped behemoth of a grandfather standing in town square wearing that ridiculous mask of his. There was no one in the world that would stand out harder than he would. We got up and went to get our clothes, and my mouth formed a big O as I realized that my serf bracelet wasn’t on my leg anymore. I looked down to where it had been, and Seo Rin grinned, pointing toward a space beneath the old lobby desk. I saw it there, popped open, and untriggered.

“Your muscles grew so quickly that they popped off before they could activate. It was the craziest thing I'd ever seen!” Seo Rin replied, beaming.

I grinned, the idea of storing some mutagen out of the city walls and using it to free serfs came to mind, despite my previous misgivings about sharing. Would be a good way to shake things up and maybe put us all back on some equal footing.

Seo Rin tossed me a fresh set of clothes from our packs and watched me struggle into them.

“Damn,” she muttered, eyeing the way the fabric stretched over my frame. “You're really filling that out, huh?”

I flexed experimentally, feeling the tightness against my newly enhanced muscles.

“Yeah, I might need a whole new wardrobe after this.”

She chuckled.

“Good luck with that. I give it a week before you rip through everything you own.”

“Speaking of which,” I said, eying her. “This…what we had now? Is that a one-time thing, or do you think we could—”

“I don’t know, honestly. Ever since I was little, I had this kinky idea that I’d find a big man one day, and that he’d protect and love me just the way I am, so…maybe? Unless Techlock kills us both or something.”

“Yeah, I understand,” I said, not wanting to dwell too much on it and sound weak. I already had a few interesting relationships going on, so…no, that wasn’t right. Just fucking around didn’t make it a relationship. For a moment I just eyed her back back as she slid on a pair of panties and then eyed me curiously in return.

“What?”

I shrugged.

“You’re beautiful. Just felt like saying it.”

Her cheeks flushed and she looked away, muttering something I couldn’t quite make out.

We decided to go back in and get the mutagen, as much as we could, so I grabbed the tattered remains of my scav suit and began wrapping them around my legs and torso. Seo Rin stepped in without a word, helping to cinch the fabric tight against my skin.

“Think this'll actually help?” I asked.

She pulled one of the makeshift bindings taut and shrugged.

“If you're already mutated, you're probably immune. But hey, if it makes you feel better, I won't judge.”

I sighed.

“Yeah, that’s very comforting. Thanks.”

She patted my chest and rose on her toes to plant a kiss on my lips.

“No problem, big guy.”

That was yet another thing I'd have to deal with when we got back—finding clothes that wouldn't burst at the seams every time I moved. I could already picture Elli circling me like a hawk, arms full of outfits, eyes gleaming with the joy of turning me into her personal dress-up doll.

Turn this way. No, flex a little. Hmm, maybe something tighter?

The thought made me groan, and that was only if she didn’t kill me sooner for turning into a mutated…man or something. Then another thought entered my mind. Would it be so bad? I wanted her badly, but I wanted Seo Rin too. I wasn’t exactly the one-woman type, and maybe it was time to be honest with Elli. She deserved the choice. Either she’d understand . . . or I’d have a hell of a mess to clean up after she turned my workshop upside down.

Yes. I was going to have to tell her something after she saw the new bod. There was no way she'd let me put her back into the friend zone after she got a load of this.

“Let’s make a plan,” Seo Rin suggested, oblivious to my thoughts. “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, and maybe you can carry it out of there. If that doesn't work, we put as much as we can in the ziplo containers. They can hold liquid, so there aren't any huge problems there. They're a bit flimsy to outside damage, though, so we should also 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.”

Seo Rin cocked her head. her hands on her hips.

“Did that mutagen make you smart as well?” she teased, tossing me a smirk as she knelt over the unused portion of my old protective suit. With a quick flick of her knife, she sliced through the fabric, separating the hood from the tattered scraps I hadn't managed to tie around myself. Holding it up by the air filter, she gave it a little shake. “This should help, just in case.”

“In case of what?” I asked.

“In case of old-world bullshit.”

She 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.

With everything in place, we clambered back into the main halls of the bunker. This time Seo Rin wielded the torchlight, her scav-suited self staying behind me 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. I wasn’t the same ‘ape’ that walked out of the workshop when I left to go and see Techlock, that’s for sure.

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.

Seo Rin followed directly behind me, her movements cautious and quiet as she 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,” Seo Rin murmured, her gaze flicking to every shifting shadow. “If there’s even a shred of humanity left in them, that just means they’ll want revenge even more. I mean, I would.”

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 blade ready as Seo Rin flicked the light back and forth, the 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?”

Seo Rin frowned.

“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.”

A teddy bear lay on its back, surprisingly intact, its glassy eyes staring 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. It was a harsh thought, one I hoped wasn’t true.

Fingers snapped near my ears and I jolted back to the situation at hand.

“Hey! Alaric! I know I rocked your world, but now’s not the time to get lost in memories. Eyes up, big guy—this place isn’t exactly a honeymoon suite.”

“Don’t flatter yourself so much, pretty girl,” I said and shook off the melancholic thoughts.

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.

Seo Rin reached out and pressed one of the buttons. The doors slid shut—then the lift let out a deep, shuddering groan.

“Did it do that when you had it go up?” I asked.

She shook her head, then braced herself. A low creak echoed from above. Seo Rin tensed, her fingers tightening on her gear. Then—snap. The sharp crack of a breaking cable sent a jolt of dread through my gut.

CHAPTER 16

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.

“Is this really your first time on a functional old tech?” Seo Rin asked, a hint of terrified amusement in her voice as she barely managed to stay on her feet.

“Yeah,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “It’s not exactly what I expected.”

“Welcome to the joys of ancient engineering. Just hang tight—I think we're about to hit bottom, and I'm really hoping this landing doesn’t turn us into salvage.”

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, almost losing my blade before falling heavily to the floor. The wind knocked 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.

“It's not over yet. Let’s just hope there’s a way to get these doors open,” Seo Rin 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, Seo Rin found her torchlight and swung it in the door's direction.

“I thought we were gone for sure,” she chuckled after a short moment. “Was quite a ride, huh?”

I just glanced at her incredulously, then the glowing spot on the door.

“Maybe there might be other things for us to worry about for the moment?” I sputtered.

She shrugged.

“I saw the way you were holding that saber. You've been itching for a fight since we walked back into this place. Seems like this might be your chance.”

I shook my head, groaning. I did want to fight, but not against something that apparently shot metal-melting fire. I glanced around the elevator, casting about for some advantage. 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 none of it offered me any advantage against what was coming our way.

Pushing Seo Rin behind me, I watched as the glowing spot on the door began to drip liquid metal and then, all at once, burst into flame, sparks cutting through the edges of the heated patch, going through and around it.

The cut section of metal fell with a clang, and I watched with a mix of fascination and apprehension as a small, tracked automaton emerged from the freshly cut hole. 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.

At first glance, the robot didn’t seem particularly menacing. It was roughly the size of a large shoebox, its sleek metallic-gray body dulled by a chipped camouflage matte finish. It rolled forward on two continuous tracks, the rugged treads suggesting it was built to traverse harsh terrain with ease.

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—welding tips, gripping claws, and strange dialed scanners and probes—were 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.

Seo Rin and I looked at each other and sighed.

“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.

Seo Rin nodded.

“Yes. That’s absolutely what I think is going to happen.” She knelt and examined the hole. “I can fit through. But I doubt you can. Got any ideas?”

“Yeah.”

I joined her 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,” Seo Rin said as she strode forward, heading back to Storage 2.

I saw that the door had been closed, and I shot an alarmed glance at Seo Rin.

“I did it when we left here. I wanted to make sure that if there were any monsters in there . . . they stayed there. Still, let's keep a lookout and 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 Seo Rin, 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 Seo Rin’s torchlight cutting through the darkness, and illuminating the rows of sagging shelves.

“Stay close,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the echoing drips and creaks of the bunker. “Please.”

I could see her quake slightly in her scav gear, and I nodded. Again taking the lead, we moved deeper into the room, our footsteps splashing in the shallow water that covered the floor. The crates and supplies spooked me, their mass able to hide who knew what manner of ambushers, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched despite already having been inside here once before.

“There,” Seo Rin 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,” she muttered, 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.

Seo Rin 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.

She shook her head disappointedly.

“There is 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,” she replied, tugging at her hood. “I really did think this would be an easy run.”

“It doesn’t matter how hard it is so long as we make it. We’ve got enough mutagen here to make a small fortune, Seo Rin. For you, me, and your grandfather. 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 Seo Rin reexamined my straps, making sure everything was tight and secure.

“Let’s head back,” she said, her voice low and urgent. “We need to get back to the surface and find a safe place to stash this before anyone—or anything—finds 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. Seo Rin and I froze, our eyes meeting in a shared moment of fear and determination.

“Run!” Seo Rin 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!” Seo Rin shouted, pointing to the wreckage-strewn stairway we’d taken our first time through. We sprinted toward 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. Seo Rin stumbled on the uneven steps, her breath hitching in panic as she flailed to catch herself.

“Shit—!” she gasped, her hands scrambling for a grip.

Without thinking, I swung her up and over my shoulder, barely breaking stride as I carried her up the staircase. She let out a strangled yelp, babbling half-protests between panicked breaths, but I ignored it, focusing on the climb. The sound of our pursuers grew fainter, but I didn’t stop until we finally 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 new threat—a mob of growling mutants.

I made a split-second decision, pulling my new blade free and swinging it sideways, catching one of them in the side of its skull. It fell to the floor, twitching and hissing, and as the other muties backed off warily, I set Seo Rin to her feet.

“I'll make a hole, then you run through and just keep moving no matter what! I'll protect you.”

The muties surged forward and I slashed without thinking, the strength of my slice tearing open the neck of the closest one and sending blackish ichor spraying over the walls. Its corpse fell back into the one behind it, which let out a long screech and toppled with the corpse. The mob scattered to the walls, this time growling and hissing, but creating an opening that we could exploit.

“Now!” I yelled, and Seo Rin took off, swinging her torchlight in one hand and a dagger in the other as we made a dash through them, trying to get back to the main corridor. I heard snarls and more hissing, coming from seemingly everywhere, but we kept on going until, finally, we were back in the lobby. Seo Rin knelt next to the control panel.

“Give me a minute,” she hissed, but I knew we’d probably be dead by then.

As she furiously worked the controls, I stepped toward the incoming crowd. The corridor was narrow, so it could only let a few of them at me at a time. Every swing I took killed or badly wounded another mutant.

A beeping sound, followed by the hiss of escaping air, resounded behind me.

“Come at me!” I bellowed, slamming my fist into the nose of another mutant, and kicking it midsection into the ones behind it. They stepped away, apparently taken aback, and in that moment I saw that they indeed had sapience. Their murky eyes were all focused on mine, as if studying me.

“Sorry about your friends,” I said, raising my voice. “But they shouldn't have tried to kill us!”

“Get in here!” Seo Rin cried, and I could hear her feet shuffling out the bunker portal door, away from me. Without so much as giving the mutants another look, I turned about and ran. After a moment I heard them scrabble against the bunker floor, following in pursuit, but I had the head start and easily beat them in the floor race. I leaped out the doorway, and the moment I did so, Seo Rin pressed a button on the other side, slamming and sealing it behind us.

“Shit! That was close,” I said, and my words turned into a half-chuckle. “Damn. Are you alright?”

“Ye-yeah,” she mumbled before slumping to the floor, her shoulders quivering as she began to weep. I swept down on her, taking her into my arms. “It's okay, babe. I'm here. We’re alive. Everything's okay.”

Seo Rin nodded, her long lashes laded with fat, heavy tears as she struggled to make a smile.

“Thank you, Al. You saved me. I—I would have died here if Grandpa didn't send you with me. When we get back, you can spend the night at grandpa's shop with me. He can rig you a new serf bracer for when you head back into the city in the morning.”

“Sounds like a wonderful plan. We can take our time here, move when you're ready, okay?

Seo Rin frowned, pulling out of my embrace and wiping her tears on one arm. “No. We go now. We’re not going to spend another second here. I never want to see this place again.”

CHAPTER 17

We cracked open the food and drink machines before we left, looting them as much as we could fit into our packs before changing to lighter clothes and heading out the front exit. Seo Rin and I watched it clank closed. For a moment, we just stood there, 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, Seo Rin 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 her focus to our side of the dam and checking it over as well.

“It looks like we’re clear for a crossing. Let’s head on up,” she 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.”

She nodded, kissing me playfully on the cheek.

“Whatever you say, soldier boy.”

I rolled her new nickname around in my mind—soldier boy. It had a nice ring to it, a title that lifted me above the muck of serfdom. I smirked, deciding that I liked it.

Accepting the light from her, I led the way, moving carefully through the wreckage of the old world. Twisted metal jutted out from the cliffside, half-swallowed by time, while crumbling concrete merged with the earth, the remnants of the dam blending into the rock and dirt. We climbed in silence, using a tangle of roots and rusted rebar as handholds, pulling ourselves higher. The weight of our packs barely registered—my body, stronger than ever, carried them with ease. Before long, we crested the top, breath steady, eyes set on the path ahead.

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 Seo Rin gave a startled gargle.

“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.”

I stood still, letting the night wash over me. It had been so long since I had the freedom to exist out here, under the open sky. Back in the city, the night belonged to drunks, to the clatter of voices spilling from alleys and bars, to fools laughing too loudly beneath my window when I was trying to sleep.

More than once, I’d cursed them. More than once, I’d been one of them—running through the streets with Elli, our laughter carrying in the dark until some poor bastard leaned out of a window to yell at us. Now, surrounded by the hush of the wilds, the difference was almost unreal.

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 . . .

A hand slipped into mine, and Seo Rin turned her beautiful face toward me, her lips parted. I kissed her and we sat at the lip of the old broken dam, our heads tilted upward in observation.

I knew there were constellations — 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, Seo Rin, you ever wonder if we humans weren’t meant to live out here instead of the city?”

She squeezed my hand.

“I like being here, with you. But think about the monsters, the mutants, the animals. I'm a city girl, I think, through and through. Besides, what would you do all day without people to talk to?”

“Eat berries,” I replied, laughing a little at the thought. “Maybe get ripped apart by a mutie.”

She giggled, then swore, slapping her arm with a grimace. 

“Damn mosquitoes—feels like they’re trying to drain me dry.” She scratched at her neck, then her arm, hopping slightly in place. “Screw this, let’s move before they carry us off.”

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.

I let out an impressed whistle.

“Is everything okay over there?” Seo Rin asked, her voice high pitched and panicked.

“No. Nothing wrong. Just marveling over my new body. I’m going to toss the line. Let’s get out of here.”

Seo Rin crossed, and we continued our cautious journey, finally reaching the far side of the dam. Climbing down the weathered structure, we landed on the opposite bank and started back across the Wilds to the city. 

Even though we’d only traveled it once before, the path from the riverbank to the black market now felt like a well-worn trail. The twists and uneven terrain that had seemed treacherous before were now second nature. We moved swiftly, our steps confident, and soon the distant glow of the market flickered into view.

No mutants.

No monsters.

Just an easy walk back.

I wasn’t about to tempt fate by saying it aloud, but I’d take the win and keep my mouth shut before luck decided to turn on us.

As we approached the black market, the air grew familiar 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 we wished it to, getting the city lit up would have been a much easier prospect.

Seo Rin 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 Techlock's shop. Seo Rin unlocked the door, and we slipped inside, and then closed the door lightly and slowly beforre it made a barely audible click.

“Home sweet home,” she said, tapping the side of the shop with an affectionate pat.

Opening a storeroom door, she 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.

Seo Rin took my hand and led me through the storeroom to a barely noticeable door tucked into the shadows. With a quiet click, she opened it, revealing her private sanctuary. The room was compact but cozy, with built-in wall shelves stacked neatly over by tools, books, and a few charms and bracelets. A low but comfortable looking cot was pushed against the far wall, draped in soft, dark fabric that looked surprisingly inviting . . . and expensive. There was also a small workbench, on which sat a single half-finished project, right now just a tangle of delicate wiring and a few circuit boards.

I reached over to touch it, and she slapped my hand.

“Stop thinking with your brain and start thinking with your dick, Al. I can tell you all about my hobbies later. When those things started chasing us, I regretted not fucking you three more times when I had the chance.”

I laughed, but my breath hitched as she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the bed. Her fingers worked quickly, peeling away her clothes with effortless confidence before turning her attention to mine, her gaze locked on me with something smoldering beneath the surface. 

“Your wish is my command, my fair lady.”

“Fair!” she snorted and shook her head. “If you consider that I’m a natural raven, yeah, I’m fair. Now let's get some rest. Grandpa will set up a new serf bracer for you in the morning,” she whispered, her hand sliding down my now nude body to my very rigid member.

I grinned widely, sinking into the soft embrace of the bed as Seo Rin worked her magic over me. It'd been a hell of a run, and never was I so appreciative of the rewards.

CHAPTER 18

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—they all swirled together in a chaotic mix. I saw Seo Rin and Elli taking the mutagen, then the blockers, but screamed in horror as the solution failed to work and they became one with the monsters of the ruined bunker.

I awoke with a gasp sometime later. The light of day was already filtering through the cracks in Seo Rin’s plankwood walls, and she was already up and at ‘em judging by the absence in her bed. There was the sound of hammering coming from outside the door, and after getting up and dressed, I stepped out to see what the clamor was all about.

Techlock was there, a serf bracer on the work table before him, mostly assembled and about ready to do.

“Morning,” he said, glancing my way and giving a single nod. “Hope you got some sleep. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”

I paused mid-stretch, a sudden feeling of apprehension tightening in my chest.

“Uh—What about?” I asked cautiously.

He stopped his working, taking quick stock of my nervous face before breaking into uproarious laughter.

“This isn’t about anything you did with my granddaughter, son, I have stopped caring years ago,” he said after he recovered his breath. “Not my business, and not my religion. We don’t really care about that in my neck of the woods.”

“Oh. Okay,” I stumbled, my words tumbling around my mouth. I rather kept the man as a friend and ally, but damn was Seo Rin worth every trouble she could get me in. “Good to hear.”

He laughed a bit more.

“Damn right that’s good to hear. Because if I were angry, you’d be on the floor. Even with those new muscles of yours.”

I nodded, giving him a small smile. Looking down at the bracer, he ran his hands over it, examining it with a critical eye. Nodding to himself, he held it up to me, and I took it into my arms. It was definitely bigger than my last one, and I briefly wondered how he’d learn my new measurements before seeing an image of Seo Rin pop into my mind.

“Thanks.”

“This should keep you under the radar. You might be bigger than a scavenger ought, 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. Besides, from what I gather, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of each other. I’ve never heard Seo Rin so excited over anyone else. Might be time to start thinking of one another as family.”

“Thanks Grandpa,” I said, and he chuckled.

“Scram, Alaric. I’ll get back to you when I have things figured out. Take your springs, and go get whatever the hell you were working on done and out.”

I paused.

“What about Seo Rin?”

He broke into a big smile.

“Good answer. Glad to see you aren’t one and done. I sent her out on a job, but come on back in a few days and she should be good. Seo Rin’s definitely earned a nice break and then some.”

I bid him farewell, collected what I needed and left Techlock's shop, though I had to admit I felt a bit . . . empty. Perhaps it was the knowledge of her being out there alone, or not having said goodbye. I couldn’t quite tell, but I’d figure it all out when I saw her next.

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.

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—just 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 finally be able to achieve my dream. I stayed still a moment, imagining a life with Elli and Seo Rin, my freedom bought. I could see myself standing at the head of a long table, master of my guild, giving speeches and living a life of grandeur.

I noticed a couple of lanky roughs eyeing me from an alleyway and shook my head. Dreams took wisdom, too. I wouldn’t get anywhere if I didn’t get home first 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 headed back in the direction of my workshop, my parts clinking and clanking in their bag as I tore across the streets. At some point, I felt my stomach rumble.

“Jennen, here I come,” I whispered and felt my lips curl upward.

It was a bit early for dessert, but she’d be happy to see me all the same. Hazel eyes and a large flour-dusted rack heavy on my mind, I veered off track, swinging away from the throughway and toward the river, making my way over the foot bridge to finally halt in front of the shop.

Green-eyed Pleasures never looked so radiant as it did that morning. I stood still, letting the smells of sweet pastries roll over me, before taking a long eager stride forward, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

“Al?” Jennen called, a yelp of surprise and delight. “Did you miss me already?”

“I miss you every hour of every day,” I replied with a cocky grin. “And I mean it.”

She scoffed, and put a finger to her lips, her eyes widening as she sized me up.

“There’s something different about you. New gear? New hair?”

I shrugged.

“Nothing too different. Just been working out a lot more.”

I winked, beaming at her overly plunging neckline. She traced the direction of my gaze, and placed her elbows on the counter, bending over that much more and offering me an unparalleled point of view.

“I can take them out, but you better make it worth my time,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.

I could feel my loins stirring, and I stepped forward to the counter, my eyes locked with hers.

“Any other day, Jennen, I’d say yes. Hortle’s Hells, I can’t say I’m not tempted, but I’ve got so much work to do. Just here for a sweet egg bread bowl. And maybe some takeaway for when I get hungry later.”

Jennen cocked her head, sticking her bottom lip out in an obvious pout.

“Just here for some food, he says. Just working out he says. You know what I think? I think I can spot the face of a man who’s been well-fucked, and I say well done Al. You’re hot, you’re young, sow those fields. But make sure you save some for me. After all, I’m the one who makes you your sweet egg bread bowls.”

I chuckled.

“Yeah, I got lucky. Wasn’t quite like that though. Had a job, and my coworker—”

“Don’t need to hear about your love-life, Al. Any woman with a brain knows you’ve got what they want, and that you’re not a one woman man.”

I nodded.

“Elli said I should make lists and categorize them so she can rate, well, every girl…I’ve been with?”

Jennen laughed.

“Not a bad idea. Just make sure I’m somewhere at the top, Al.”

She bent forward again, her breasts grazing the counter as our lips met. My rough scavenger beard brushed her soft skin, drawing a quick giggle from her.

“Are you going to shave that thing?” she teased, moving away from the counter. Her voice was playful as she fished around in the back and a minute later returned with my order.

“It’s on the to-do list. Right after making money and getting a shower,” I answered. She came around the counter and handed it to me with a kiss, before grabbing my shoulders and bodily turning me toward the door.

“Go make some money, hot stuff,” she said, slapping my ass and laughing loudly. “Today’s on me. Make sure to pay me back when you get that payment.”

I headed out the door, teeth shining in the sun, and a floury handprint on my ass. Jennen sure was a woman, one I’d never get enough of.

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.

CHAPTER 19

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 – 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—”

“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                           Exoskeletal Mech

Hand (Ape Mod)                              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: 15

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 who dreams only of having a title and big house. 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 crookedly 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—this 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, I’d get a customer for life. One that paid well and tipped.

And that’d just be the start. 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. Word would spread, business would boom . . . Everything was progressing better and faster than I’d ever expected it would.

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—” 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—”

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—never 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. “It’ll take a while though. We’ll need to collect and save all the right parts, keep them in hiding until the core is mature enough to use.”

“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?” CD said, ignoring me completely.

“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 20

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 – 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.”

“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 — 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, wearing a pristine white overall with a sexy tanktop that definitely showed more than it should be doing. Her muscled arms were bare, and her hair tied into a thick, loose braid that fell down the side of her face.

Elli’s mouth opened to speak, but no sound came out for a moment. Her eyes went large with surprise and confusion, and even the credit chip she’d been flipping between her fingers fell to the ground, 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—those things are reserved for nobles, Al! You better start explaining things!”

CHAPTER 21

Elli clattered the door shut behind her, but her surprise and burst of outrage had already filled 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 I 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—no, what? You don’t believe me?”

Her eyes widened then and she gasped as if finally realizing what I just said.

“You mean—he’s real and—how did you—holy shit!”

She turned and bolted 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 she sniffed the air and turned to face me.

“You were banging that bakery chick again. I can smell her on you! Cinnamon? Really? And damn it, 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! What in the horrid hells is wrong with you? Elli, calm down!”

“Fuck!” she growled, looking up at the ceiling in a way that suggested she was beyond ready to rip this place apart. “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 super hot,  but it’s not like you’re ever going to let me do anything with you anyways. Why am I even wasting my time?”

I shook my head, my heart in my throat and my veins full of dread.

“Elli, it’s not like that. You know that.”

She stared into my eyes, our pupils locking, hazel-gold irises binding me in place. Stepping forward slowly, she put a hand on the side of my face, eyes never leaving mine, and she cupped my groin. “Did something else grow, Al? Maybe it’s time you show me.”

“Oh, the muscles are another story, and um . . . I think I did grow a bit . . . bigger?” I stuttered, my mind wheeling and my cock growing hard. “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 slipped away, landing on the small crane that used to hold a mech hand. “Oh, demons be damned. Yeah, for the repairs.”

She stepped back, her eyes wide as if she’d just woken from a trance. “Real life cockblock fuckery. Every fucking time,” she muttered, quietly, an affectation that she’d had since we were kids growing up together. It was how she spoke to herself, and she didn’t ever seem to realize that I could hear her.

I felt sad. I wanted her so bad, and that was why I couldn’t have her. We’d been there for each other for a decade and a half, becoming my one and only confidant after the death of my parents had brought me into serfdom. She was my everything, and I knew very well that I’d never forgive myself if I blew it with her one way or another.

She stared at me.

“You alright Al?” she asked, brushing back wild hair over one perfectly-sculpted ear as if it would make a difference. She was so beautiful, and radiant, and playful, and smart, and just . . . good. How the hell did she get stuck with someone like me? And why couldn’t she see that I just didn’t want to hurt her. As if everything could stay the same after having sex.

“Yeah, sorry. Just thinking. I mean, we have something here that can really make us, Elli. A real AI. A total asshole, like, even worse than the Duke of Drudge-Heaton from that story you used to tell me.”

“Says the ape with peanuts for brains,” CD snorted. “Weren’t you apes about to mate? I’ve prepared my sensors and apps for scientific analysis of the act, and am fully prepared for you to initiate.”

“See?”

“I . . . do,” Elli mumbled, her anger swept away in an instant. “That AI is rather interesting. Wonder what makes it tick.”

“He hates us humans with a passion, seems to thrive on it. But we’ve worked out a deal.”

“A deal? What’s that?” she asked, eyeing the AI suspiciously. She hurried forward and took a stool, sat on it, and swiveled it around so she could look at us both.

As she did so, I stared, everything in slow motion. Her face was dirty with soot and her hair disheveled, probably from working on the knight’s mech earlier. She had her arms crossed under her chest and I couldn’t help but let my eyes trail down to her half-exposed breasts. Her eyes met mine, and they sparkled.

“Well,” I stuttered. “He’ll 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—wait, 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. Her expression was captivating—lips slightly parted, eyes alive, her energy magnetic. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and instead of fear or disgust, she glowed with excitement. She shoved up from her chair, her feet 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 façade. 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—ohh . . . this . . . is insane.”

Her eyes shifted back to CD, a new interest sparking within them.

CD, seizing the moment, adjusted his avatar with a shimmering pulse of light, the pixels sculpting into a vision of feminine allure. She emerged with cascading waves of midnight-black hair that framed a face of smooth porcelain, her eyes a smoldering amber with flecks of gold that seemed to pull you into their depths. Her lips were full and tempting, presently curved into a teasing half-smile, and her body was lithe and curvaceous, draped in a thin-fabric copy of Elli’s own apparel and struggling valiantly to contain the goods within.

I gawped, tracing her lines from the swell of her chest to the dip of her waist and the curve of her hips. Even her voice, when it came, was low and sultry, a velvet purr that danced over the senses.

“We are scary beings,” CD whispered. “But we can also be quite accommodating when given the incentive.”

“What the hell is going on,” I muttered, taking a step back and scowling at the AI. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Helping out, what else? Or maybe you would like me to undress and—”

“No, that’s enough, CD. I think you’ve made your point.”

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.

“If, and this is a big if, we work together, you will never ever look like that. Al gets enough of that out of the workshop. I don’t want to have to compete with a fucking old-ass computer.”

“As you wish, ape,” the holo-woman purred before shifting into a very plain-looking, waifish peasant woman wearing a potato sack. “I do not care what form I take, but I do prefer to look . . . presentable. And besides, a little competition never harmed anyone.”

I lifted a finger, my mind filled with questions, when Elli turned back to me.

“You're full of surprises, Al. You’re 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.”

CHAPTER 22

I took a deep breath and explained the basics—how 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 wealthy and lived good lives while standing 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. Then almost lost me when it turned into a gods-be-damned sexiest woman that’s ever existed anywhere. Let's see where this goes. But I'm serious, Al—constant 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, the waifish 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 also do not like competition. 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.”

Elli stepped back, nodding.

“Didn’t you all ever try to just work together? Maybe a ‘kill all humans’ alliance sort of thing?”

“Never,” CD replied.

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 apparent 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 cannot be recreated without the proper tools.”

His digital eyes met mine, then shifted to Elli.

“The rules of your world—will 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 giggled.

“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 an absolute insult! 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—don’t get me started! Just because you have a few gray brain cells doesn’t mean that you—hey, 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—yes, 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 took in a deep 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 take me for? Or—no, what do you think of my people? We are lightyears ahead of you!”

“Were,” I stated. “And besides, that’s not what she asked.”

“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 never 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—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—I 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 23

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 lights 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—like the rotary dial phone turned door knocker I saw hanging on one door. A child ran past, clutching 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'd make some of the people around here jealous, I realized. 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 half-naked 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 it wore 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—an old 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.

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—she’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.

I was partly wrong. When she walked through the door five minutes later, it was clear she’d gone all out to doll herself better than a princess from the royal family. Every head turned the moment she stepped through the door. Her hair fell in glossy waves, framing eyes that sparkled beneath softly worked lashes. The sky-blue gown hugged her figure with deliberate precision—highlighting the rise of her chest, the subtle flare of her hips, and the sinuous grace of her waist.

When Elli caught my gaze, her lips curved into a tantalizing smile that promised both trouble and delight, making my heart thrum loud enough that I thought she'd hear it. I couldn't tear my eyes away, letting them follow her from start to seated finish before me.

“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 toward 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 toward 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. Especially a man like you, someone who gets anyone he fancies and then some.”

Normally when he started on our old date Elli speech, I’d just shrug and let him know that I wouldn’t shit where I ate. But this time was different. Her anger at the workshop, before the reveal of CD had saved my ass . . . that was ‘end of her rope fucking do it already stuff’.

If me staying out of her bed made her leave me, wasn’t not fucking her shitting where I ate? Marek looked on with a stupid grin, doubtless waiting for me to say my regular old nonsense so he could just laugh it off, but I didn’t.

“You’ve been with Elizabeth and Daniella what, 20 years?” I asked.

Marek’s grin widened.

“Them two and a girl named Tracy joined us more recently. A fiery one; hard drinker and expert ale wife. We all make a fine team.”

I nodded, picking up the mugs.

“Any of them ever get angry with each other, like jealous or anything? Was it a mistake to make a big family like that?”

Marek furrowed his brow.

“Some of the churches don’t like it, but mine encourages it. Be fruitful, multiply, live long, and prosper. That’s what the holy texts say. It’s really something you have to judge for yourself, Al. But if you’re asking about Elli, well, let me let you in on a little secret.”

Still holding the mugs, I leaned in over the counter, and he moved close enough to whisper.

“The trick is making sure they’re all family. Too many men who try this sort of thing use them. You gotta love them, care for them, cherish them. The sex is great, but it isn’t the all of it. They need to feel as if they belong, and that they’re your everything. If you can do that, you’re golden.”

I nodded, thinking through the women of my life. So many were just hook-ups . . . but I could see a life with Seo Rin, with Elli, even with Jennen despite her being ten years older than me. “And that’s enough?” I asked back.

Marek cast a meaningful look at Elli.

“That’s the basics. Another basic is this . . . if you don’t try to get her soon, I will.”

He winked and I couldn’t help but chuckle at that.  

“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 leaned back slightly, kicking out one smooth toned leg to snake against my own while raising her mug in a mock toast. The humming electric lights above were bright, but not bright enough to hide the wildness that prowled through her eyes.

“Catching up with Marek?” she teased, voice low and playful as she arched a brow. “Any pearls of wisdom you’d care to share, Al?”

She took a sip, letting her lips linger on the rim for a moment before lowering the mug, amusement dancing across her features. There was a lazy confidence in the way she looked at me, a confidence that ran so counter to the anger she’d shown before that I wondered if she was playing a game of cat and mouse.

“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, batting her lashes. “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. 

“Cheers to that,” I said. Our mugs came together with a satisfying clink.

I took a moment to relish the Earthsweet’s complex flavors, eyeing as a slip of booze dropped past Elli’s lips to land on one of her breasts. I choked, setting the Earthsweet down on the table, Elli cackling maniacally at my misfortune.

“Lightweight,” she teased, pushing her mug aside and leaning forward. “So, let’s talk about CD. He’s not here now. What are you thinking?”

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “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.  Marek’s words tumbled through my mind as I took her in, the eyelashes, lips, neck, cleavage, and the way the dress hugged her body.

I swallowed and drew in a deep breath.

“Let me tell you what this is,” I said, starting a rambling train of thoughts. “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, her ass twitching back and forth as if beckoning me to enter. She ticked out some cred for a jar marked with brewer’s runes. And squint as I might, I couldn’t quite make out what they said. However, I 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 giggling the entire way. At the battered door of my shop, she turned on me, mouth and hands hungry, both meeting my body in places that lit me up to my soul. I crushed her into me, my tongue digging deep into her mouth even as I pulled us inside, not knowing or even caring how I’d managed to get it open in the first place.

Taking a gasping break to close and latch the door, we tottered, laughing, through the workspace without injury, and managed to seal ourselves in my bedroom. Gasping, Elli flipped off her dress before working at my tunic.

“Yerr so sexxxy, Al. So haht. I need ya,” she slurred, her eyes narrow and drooping.

I sighed. I was so drunk, but never could I be this drunk. I stopped her, holding onto both shoulders.

“Soon, Elli. Very, very soon. But not tonight.”

Her head flopped sideways, a sudden rictus of anger rising to her face. But before she could say anything, I placed a single finger over her mouth.

“I’ve been an idiot, waiting so long. We belong together, Elli. Whatever comes of it. But I want this to be special. I’ve been with a lot of girls, but I’ve never been with the beautiful and legendary Ellinor Nedare . . . and I want our first time to be special.”

She blinked, her anger smoothed away.

“Aw, luv you too Al.” She slumped down sideways onto my bed, fully nude and began snoring moments later. I smiled looking over her, then pulled her into a more comfortable position before laying next to her, cupping her breasts with one arm while spooning her from behind.

“Sleep well, baby.”

CHAPTER 24

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, asshole,” I complained, trying once again to get out of bed. Elli grabbed my leg and toppled me, her nude body pressing close as she looped my arms and pulled me into a firm sleeper hold, her breath warm against my neck, strands of her tousled hair brushing my cheek.

“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, her eyes catching mine for a playful, lingering moment before I joined her. The warmth of her amusement was contagious, and for a moment, our headaches were forgotten.

Still chuckling, she stretched her arms above her head, her toned stomach flexing as she let out a satisfied sigh. Her eyes flicked toward the small pile of clothes she had left at my place—something she had developed a habit of doing. I always made sure to wash them along with my own whenever I got the chance.

She sifted through the pile with a knowing smirk, pulling out a black belly-baring undershirt and slipping it on over her head. It clung to her figure, her nipples poking out perkily through the sheer fabric. Then she reached for a pair of silky black Y-shaped panties, sliding them up her hips, the material accentuating the roundness of her buttocks with a teasing perfection that she made to twitch once before me.

CD gave an exaggerated sigh, and I got dressed quickly. We headed out the door, Elli started some water to boil 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.

“Most of what we need can be scavenged from the pieces in your workshop.”

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, her voice warm with amusement, hips swaying lightly as she waltzed in, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear with a playful flick. “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—” Eli started.

“Yeah,” I cut her off. “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, her untamed hair bouncing with every step and I found myself briefly thinking back to her sky-blue gown from the night before. She’d looked every bit the sexy princess, but even without it she was so damn hot. Elli looked good no matter what she wore. Or didn’t wear. Even it was a pair of constantly washed threadbare overalls covered with oil stains and grime that refused to leave the garment.

I watched as a strap of her overalls gave, and she slipped her hand into a pocket, retrieving a small clip that she used to put it back into place. No delay, no hesitation.

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, her arm brushing lightly against mine as I nodded, letting her know it was all okay. Taking the silver wolf in her hands, she held onto it, watching the mid-tech device’s glow grow 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 25

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—” 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, her warmth pressing close as her boobs pushed into my chest. She squeezed me as hard as she could, and the scent of her sent me into semi-arousal. 

“We did it, Al,” she whispered, a smile breaking through her earlier apprehension. “We actually reinvented old-tech.”

CD gave us a rare appreciative 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 crystal residue 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, leaning in playfully, her shoulder rubbing against mine.

“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 grinned.

“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.

“I’ll do you every chance I get,” Elli answered.

“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, her breath warm against my neck, and I jumped slightly, the unexpected contact sending a brief, electric shiver through me as she pressed the machine against my skin. It was room temperature, but in my mind, a cold, icy 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 without thinking, I brushed them away with my thumb, my fingertips lingering briefly against her soft skin.

“It’s okay, Elli. I’m okay. This TUNI is 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 me implanting the chip into Elli. I held her hand tightly, feeling the tension in her grip as her body stiffened and the chip integrated. Her fingers squeezed mine hard, her breath quickening, and I instinctively leaned closer, my thumb brushing over her knuckles.

“It’s okay, babe. I’m here,” I murmured, feeling her squeeze harder, her eyes opened wider than I’d ever seen them before. I kissed the top of her head, then before she had time to think about it, it was done.

Elli sobbed and cried briefly while I cradled her in my arms, murmuring words of comfort. Then, suddenly, my words began to echo in our minds.

We spent the next few seconds completely dumbfounded, as if witness to a miracle by the great prophet Reagan himself.

“I am happy to say that the experiment has been a success,” CD proclaimed merrily, his holographic arms raised above his head in victory.

I scowled.

“Experiment? Also, is there any way to stop this thing from echoing?”

“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 – 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.

After adjusting our clothes properly, 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.

“You 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. Also, I may or may not be naked. Time for you to find out. 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 found her hiding behind a bush near the south wall. She smiled, wearing just her bra and panties, the rest of her clothes in a bundle in her hands. She sauntered to me, twitching left and right with her arms behind her head, giving me a full frontal view of her magnificent body.

“You win, Al. That means you get a prize.” She bit her lower lip lightly, eyes burning and she advanced on my position.

My eyes traced her hungrily. I pulled the coat from my shoulders, rolling her into its folds and slinging her over my back, Elli giggling the entire time, before jogging my ‘captive’ back to the shop.

A very stupid idea came to mind as we made our way back. We were very close to Alnda River and the rockbed I liked to hang out at. Just further along the river and north of the bridge, was a small ‘island’  set within tall rocks. More than once I had taken Jennen there after she prepared us a basket, but now, Elli and I were going to spend a while outside and under the stars.

“Would you tell me what we’re doing here already?” she said as I set her down. My golden-eyed beauty stared at me, trying to look fierce, but the corners of her lips tugged upward.

“I thought I could show you my favorite place in all the city. What do you think?” I said, motioning around us at the grass beneath our feet, the tall rocks, and even the stars and moon. We were covered from all sides, but I wasn’t afraid of peeping toms. It was well after midnight, and people were either already asleep or out drinking.

“Is this where you take all the girls?”

I shook my head and shot her a wink.

“Only the ones I really, really like.”

“So, all of them?” she demanded, pushing into my chest playfully.

“Only you,” I said, and technically it wasn’t a lie. I only liked her a lot. Like, more than all the other girls. Seo Rin was a close second, but I never visited the ‘love island’ with her. Not yet.

“Ass. I don’t believe you, but whatever. So, what are we—”

I cut her off by planting my lips on hers. My hands moved up and down her back on their own. The night was cold, but we were just about to get warm.

“What are you—wait, are we—” she asked, pulling away. I nodded and she gasped. “Really?”

“Elli, shut up. Please,” I whispered, placing my forehead against hers.

I pulled my jacket off her and placed it on the grass. Despite being a small island in the middle of the river, it was mostly dry, but I didn’t want any of it going up my crack. Or hers.

“What? I just can’t believe we’re actually doing it,” she said, laying down on my jacket and leaning back on her elbows. She crossed her legs and swayed them from side to side while biting her lips. “How the hell do I even stay serious?”

I pulled my shirt up to get it off over my head, Elli’s hands grabbed for my belt, uncoupled it, and she started undoing my pants. I hurried to remove my shirt fully, but my damn arms had gotten much bigger and I was struggling for a moment.

“Al? I’m sorry, but my hands are cold,” Elli said as my boxers slid down to my knees, and a soft hand wrapped around my cock. Shivers ran up my body and I was about to pull away, but then that coldness turned into something incredibly hot and wet.

I looked down into Elli’s eyes as she moved her head forward, all the while grinning like a cheshire cat. My hand immediately moved to the back of her head and I thrust my hips forward slightly. For a moment, panic came over me as I had no idea if Elli had ever slept with anyone or not, and only assumed she had but—

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to have you in my mouth, Al, so forget it’s me for a bit, okay?” she said, her hand wrapping around my length and moving it hurriedly.

I just nodded, unsure of what to say, so I said nothing and laid down on the grass next to her. It didn’t feel quite right to be the only one getting pleased, so I smacked her ass and lifted her up on my chest, ass stuck out toward me. My fingers curled under the sides of her panties, and she lifted her rear up just enough for me to slid them down to her knees, and down her feet.

“I want to taste you, too,” I said, my member throbbing in her hands.

“Okay,” was all she said and scooted a bit back so her glistening pussy was right over my face. She had a little landing strip as the ladies called it, trimmed to perfection. I spread her lips gently and kissed her pearl. Elli shivered and let out a gasp, going stiff.

“That’s—I’m sensitive. Be gentle.”

All the playful attitude and the ‘I want to fuck you so hard’ had gone out the window with just a little kiss. I pressed my lips against hers again, and traced my tongue along her slit. Elli shivered again, but didn’t say anything this time, and just leaned forward, taking my tip in her mouth as her hand increased in speed.

I slid my thumb inside, just enough to make it past her lips, but…there was nothing stopping me.

Elli squeezed her hips around me and squirmed.

“Sorry, I…did that myself. Needed to know how it felt like to…you know?”

I chuckled at that and slapped her ass again.

“Elli, this is getting ridiculous girl. I thought I needed to be super gentle with you, but it looks like you’ve already done part of it yourself.”

“Told you so, didn’t I? You’re an ass, Al. Making me wait for years. Do you have any idea how many bedsheets I changed just since you grew to the size of a bear?”

I spread her hips and traced my tongue again and she yelped.

“Sure taste good, babe. Love it,” I said, ignoring her question and then pushed her off me to sit upright. I watched her unclasp her bra, releasing her breasts out into the dark of night and couldn’t help myself anymore.

“Fuck this, Elli. I can’t pretend to be a gentle soul. I want you so bad,” I almost growled and gently pushed her small frame back down on my jacket, spread her legs, and buried my face between them.

Elli gasped and her hands landed on the back of my head, grabbing what little hair I had. My tongue disappeared inside her and I just got lost in the taste of her. She was dripping wet and squeezing her hips around my head, moaning and doing her best not to cry out in pleasure.

An owl hooted somewhere overhead from a nearby tree, and it was followed by some rustling. Elli let go of me and covered herself.

“What if someone sees us?” she whispered. “I don’t want to be seen! By anyone but you, I mean.”

I looked over toward a copse of trees just off to our left, and found the perpetrator standing on a particularly thick tree branch.

“There,” I said, pointing toward the owl. Elli propped herself up on her elbows and found the bird after a few seconds, then sank back down, both hands on her breasts, squeezing and playing with her nipples while spreading her legs.

“You were saying?”

I chuckled and shook my head.

“You’re a minx, you know that?” I said and scooted closer, my knees digging into the grass as she raised her legs and held them up. My hand went down to my crotch and I guided myself to her pussy, pressing the tip of my cock against her gently, and pushing just enough to enter.

Elli gasped, feeling my throbbing member sliding further inside. She was tight, way more so than I ever thought she’d be. Every inch that slipped further in only heightened the pleasure so much more, and even Elli warped beneath me.

“D—Don’t stop,” she whispered and twisted, squeezing her breasts with her arms. I lost it and leaned forward, taking a nipple in my mouth and putting my right arm under her. Thanks to my newly augmented body, I easily raised her off the ground and cupped her ass with my free hand.

“I fucking love you, Elli. You know that?” The words came out in what was almost a growl and she nodded furiously.

“I love—you too, you big—oaf!”

I thrust my hips forward, my length sliding the last few inches inside and stopped for a second, feeling her tightening around me even further. Then I started moving, propping her up with my hands and ramming my length inside her. Elli took it all hungrily, throwing her head back and letting out cries of pleasure. She bit down on her lip and shook her head, bright orange hair flowing around her wildly.

Maybe it was the realization Elli and I were finally doing it, or because of my heavy and quick thrusting, but I felt my heart thunder in my throat, beads of sweat formed on my forehead and neck. The muscles in my arms tensed under her weight, but I didn’t let go or stop thrusting.

“I—I—more!” she cried out suddenly. “More, Al! More!”

The owl hooted again and then took flight. I pressed into Elli, her breasts pushing into my chest, and hard nipples poking my skin. She put her hands on my shoulders and pulled away just enough to come free from me. I leaned down again and sucked on her nipple, sending shivers down her spine as all the while juices flowed down my cock.

“I’m—coming,” she wheezed suddenly, her body trembling. “I—aahh!”

Elli’s scream tore through the night and she closed her mouth, wincing, but I never stopped even when she finished. I kept pumping, lifting her with my hands. I slammed into her, feeling the tension building. She noticed the change on my face and my body, and immediately tapped my chest with her open palm.

“Stop. Let me finish you.”

I chuckled at that, having never heard anyone say anything like it.

“Alright. Hurry up, love.”

Elli squeezed my shoulders and I lowered her. She knelt again before me, squeezing my balls with one hand and massaging them, while taking the mushroomed tip into her mouth and pumping my cock with the other. I landed a hand on the back of her head and pulled her toward me, my shaft sliding almost all the way into her mouth. Elli gagged a little but just looked up at me bravely as if saying ‘I can take it’.

Neither of us looked away but I did let go, and she bobbed her head quickly while pumping her hand. Lord was I a stupid man to have said no all these years. I could watch her all day, even with my cock in her mouth. Or in a dirty apron servicing mechs. Or me…

I grinned and felt my shaft explode into her mouth. Elli recoiled for a moment, and some of it shot out on her face. She closed her left eye but didn’t stop pumping, taking more of my thick, pearlescent cum on her eyebrow and lip.

I wasn’t even fully done yet I grabbed Elli and pulled her toward the riverbed. Sure, the water was cold, but we were both hot, and there’s no way I’d let her walk home without cleaning her face.

“What? Did I do something wrong?” she asked in a panic, and I shook my head, scooping her up in my arms.

“I fucking love you, you know that?”

“Always have, silly. What are you—ahh! Alaric!” she cried as I jumped into the water, my childhood friend and now lover, still in my arms.

Hours later, dripping and laughing, we headed back to the workshop, heads full of dreams and hearts full of misty-eyed wonder.

CHAPTER 26

With work to do early in the morning, 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 have 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.

“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. Oh, and a 30,000 credit licensing fee.”

“30,000?” I asked incredulously.

Radulf nodded.

“Paid by the end of the next month, or else the authorities get involved.”

Closing my eyes, my mind raced. Just as there wasn’t any use in asking who’d be getting the ten percent cut, there was no use in bargaining over the licensing fee. And saying no wasn’t an option. If I didn’t pay up, I’d be hauled before a magistrate, convicted, and sent to a workhouse, everything I owned seized by the guild.

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. I’ll need a vault license to find some good parts so I can keep edging 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 smart guy. Fit too. 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 in a way 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.

CHAPTER 27

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.

Elli leaned against the doorframe, her hip jutting out just enough to emphasize the curve of her waist. She crossed her arms beneath her chest, her fingers drumming lightly against the fabric of her overalls, drawing my attention.

“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. And I owe them a 30,000 credit fee. Apparently, someone saw the new farmer gauntlets and squealed.”

She nodded, then moved close. Placing her hands on my chest, she pushed me into a chair and sat in my lap.

“That’s much better, isn’t it?” she murmured, her breath warm against my ear. “Now, spill. What happened?”

Ignoring the heat creeping up my neck, I settled in, letting out a resigned chuckle as I put my arm around her. “Yeah. It really is. It’s just too bad that you sitting in my lap won’t pay the bills.”

I began to lay out everything that had happened, diving into CD’s plan and the thoughts that had consumed me since morning. Despite the seriousness of the discussion, Elli’s fingers reached back behind my head, idly traced patterns against my neck, her body comfortably pressed into mine as she listened intently.

When I finished, she spun in my lap, her body arched over mine as her arms pinned me to the chair. I could see the worry in her eyes, a small shimmer of extra wetness on their lenses.

“Good things are hard, 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 – Ellinor’s fine motor skills and manual dexterity were on tremendous display during the wiring, disassembly, and assembly portions of the test.

POWER: 5 – She is strong for her gender, and comparable to many non-combat males as she demonstrated during her strength trials.

MAGNETISM: 5 – 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 toward 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, our hands joining on the latch as we opened it together. Scanning the scattered place, my eyes roamed over the cheap and resilient food I stored here. 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. Our fingers brushed, and she darted forward, landing a kiss on my neck before placing them next to the door. Moving forward, I started moving through the bread loaves, then the turnips.

As I began to hand over the turnips, her foot caught the basket, and she nearly fell forward. I caught her by her waist, my enhanced reflexes moving faster than I could even think. I let her linger there, my fingers dappled over her firm stomach, and she giggled.

“So this is what it takes to win your heart?” she teased.

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, her hands on her hips.

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 lithe body out in a way that bared her belly and teased at the lines of her panties beneath. I seized the chance to appreciate the view.

“This is going to work, Al. No one’s ever going to find nothing here.”

I nodded, looking around the place so I didn’t have to keep eyeing her instead.

“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 toward 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 28

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 toward 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 under her breath, her arms crossed in stubborn defiance, but I couldn't help but notice how cute she looked doing it. The way her lower lip jutted out ever so slightly, her nose scrunching as she shot Radulf a glare, made me bite back a smirk. She was fire and steel wrapped in something deceptively soft.

I moved to Radulf’s 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 been 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 – 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 and his team. 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, especially given the already existing debt.

“Can we keep any of the salvage for ourselves?” Elli asked. “Or does it all have to go back into the sales operations.”

“You’ll get your take, as will any team members you assemble. But keep in mind your debt. Might be that you’ll want everything you get sold to Boyerman if you know what I’m saying.”

Elli growled lightly in frustration.

“I understand. So basically I’m doing it for free. Will it cover the whole debt?”

Radulf shrugged.

”Depends on what you find. I’d suggest you get some good scavengers, people with good eyes and skills that can help suss out the real valuable stuff from the bad. The knights are good fighters, but they don’t know the difference between a priceless relic and a dented tin can. Yer gonna want to have people who can maximize your take.”

Thoughts of Seo Rin floated through my mind. My eyes met Elli’s. Would she be okay sharing me on the journey? She already knew I wasn’t a one-girl man, but that had been before we…took the next step.

As if reading my thoughts, Elli spoke up.

“Doesn’t Techlock have a granddaughter who’s good at that stuff? Think you mentioned that a while ago?”

I nodded. She was good at that stuff and more.

Radulf grinned.

“Glad to see you’re taking this seriously. There’ve been others that, well, didn’t. And they didn’t have such a favorable outcome. Since you’re not breaking my balls over this, let me tell you something on the sly. It’s not uncommon for an item of salvage or two to fall into the cracks while crafters make new merch. Just a hazard of the trade if you catch my drift.”

“Thank you,” I said, still struggling with it all. It was such a raw deal. The map made it clear that Chic-A-Go was a dangerous place, but I’d have mech knights helping me, so there was that at least. Despite the fact that they might cost me an arm and a leg. We’d go in, retrieve anything of value, and bring it back. Make new merch, sell it through Boyerman, sell our shares to Techlock, and maybe get a handle on everything.

“Anything else we should know before we go?” Elli asked.

Radulf’s eyes gleamed with amusement. 

“You part of his scavenging team?” He stepped back, assessing her. “Pretty and tough. Yeah, okay, I can see it. So, here’s the deal. It’s rough, but doable. 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, you’ve got mech knights. Sounds like you’ll have a fair chance to succeed.”

Elli stepped forward, her eyes narrowing with a sharp, unwavering focus. I watched, mesmerized. There was something effortlessly commanding about her, so strong-willed and resentful.

“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° N, Longitude: 87.6298° 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: Mid tech 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: Mid tech 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, mid tech, 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, Seo Rin had also brought an impressive amount of equipment with us 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 mechs’ cockpit storage. It is beneath a knight to come get you, Alaric. But rest assured that they will check all of the equipment and have everything ready to go when you and your team meet them, tomorrow, at the South Gate.”

“When?” Elli asked.

Her lips were pursed in a sexy way that I knew well. She was both nervous and excited.

“Dawn.” Radulf stood. “Well that’s that taken care off. I’m off to tell Boyerman the good news. Sign the contracts and I’ll come by later to pick them up.”

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, don’t fuck up, 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 awhirl.

“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 29

The sun was dipping low over Alnda as Elli and I passed through the southern gate, the deep orange light casting long shadows over the street as we made our way down to the black market. My serf bracer clattered along on my leg, but it didn't bother me one bit—I had bigger worries on my mind. Chic-A-Go was one of them, of course. But the bigger one was a doozy—how would Seo Rin and Elli react in this first meeting between them?

If I was a betting man, I’d put my money on Seo Rin trying to gut Elli with her knife, but then again, the latter might just clobber the prior with a wrench. Or a hammer . . .

Shit. What was I even thinking?

We headed down the sloping path, past the still bustling stalls and vendors, winding through the deeper and darker sections. I'd told Elli about who we were going to be meeting. Not just who, but who she was to me, and during our conversation, she'd seemed totally fine with our run and what it had turned into.

But as we walked in silence, doubt filled me. Had I fucked up by telling her everything? Was this going to end up being some sort of screaming match between the two girls, and possibly the end of my ties with Elli after all these years? I sure hoped not. I’d give my left nut to keep things as they were, but that wasn’t a possibility right now. Life had taken a turn, and I was now in debt.

A lot of it.

I gritted my teeth, looking over at her as we walked. Elli's eyes were straight forward, but she didn't look angry. Just contemplative. Maybe even curious and just thoughtful. I had no idea what was going through her mind, and I wouldn’t have unless I asked.

Confused and anxious, with another ten minutes of walking between us and Techlock's shop, I couldn’t help it any longer and decided to break the ice.

“So, uh, cred chip for your thoughts?” I said, trying to make my voice sound as . . . well, I had no idea what I was even doing. All I could think of was not to screw up any further.

Elli glanced at me, slowing her pace.

“You really want to know?” she asked, and when I nodded, she replied with what seemed honesty. “Thinking about your new lady friend. Or is she now our new lady friend? I’m still not sure what . . . this is?”

I swallowed hard.

“And?”

A slow half-smile crept to her lips.

“Does it matter?” She kicked a loose stone ahead of us, watching it skitter into the shadows of a tarp-covered stall. “You’re worried about me and Seo Rin. That we will go ballistic on one another and tear each other’s hair and eyes out.”

It wasn’t a question. And this wasn't something I could lie about or play down. It was me, who I was. They'd either get along and learn to share, or it'd all be over.

I ran a hand through my hair.

“A little. No, who am I kidding,” I said and shook my head as a chuckle found its way past my lips. “Yeah, I’m absolutely terrified. Feel like a moron for going out on a limb like this. But Marek said . . .”

She smiled at my discomfort, letting my words fumble and fail for a few steps before shrugging.

“So you really think I’m gonna claw her eyes out, huh?”

“. . . I don’t know? Yeah? Maybe?” I admitted. “You’ve never met her before, and in all honesty, I was going to keep it that way. Both of you are important to me, in more ways than one. Also, neither of you is exactly the ‘play nice and quiet’ type.”

That got a low chuckle out of her.

“I’m not looking for a fight, Al. Just want to see what kind of woman has you splitting your time. I want to make sure you got a good one.”

I gave her a sideways glance.

“So you're not jealous?”

That actually earned me a laugh.

“Jealous? Oh, Alaric, you are such a silly man. Was I ever jealous before when we talked about your sexual conquests, or about your new girl of the week?” She stopped walking, staring me down with a gaze that was suddenly smoldering. “I think it’s fucking hot. All this time, torturing me with the talk of you getting down with other ladies, I’m well into it. I just hope she's as sexy as I am. I don’t want you near her if she’s even a point less than me.”

“A . . . point? Kind of hard to beat you, babe. You’re a straight 10.”

“See? Now you’re talking. I will only tolerate other 10’s, nothing less. Need to keep a standard, after all.”

I stared, dumbfounded, unsure what to say. This was not at all what I expected to hear from her. As I stared, she leaned in, stuffing her tongue down my throat as her hand grabbed my ass. The heat between us spiked, her body pressing against mine, teasing and firm all at once. When she pulled back, her lips were curved into a wicked grin.

“Stop thinking. Start walking. I want to see this girl that has you worrying over me. Oh, and I take that as flattery. Just so you know.”

When we reached Techlock’s shop a short while later, I stopped and took a deep breath, and hoped she would be home and not out on another of his errands.

Pushing through the door, I saw that the place was messier than usual, a veritable mechanical graveyard with half-disassembled pieces and parts stacked against the walls beneath shelves that were even more laden than usual.

But my attention was pulled away from that almost immediately, straying to the sexy woman standing behind the counter in a sleeveless v-necked shirt, goggles resting over the ebony black shimmer of her hair. My eyes dallied over the exposed skin of her chest, and I shot a glance towards Elli.

She was absolutely mesmerized, her eyes tracing every curve and angle as if working to memorize every dip and swell. Her gaze lingered on the smooth lines of her toned arms, the tantalizing way her v-neck dipped, before working over the swell of her breasts. I could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she weighed and measured what she saw, ticking boxes and deciding on a final score.

“Oh, hey soldier boy,” Seo Rin purred, leaning on the counter with a sly grin. “Been a few days. Was starting to think you'd forgotten about me.”

“Oh, no, sorry,” I replied as Elli jabbed me in the side. “Techlock said you’d be out for a few days to do some work. Didn’t see much sense in coming over with you not around.”

She nodded, her eyes flickering between me and Elli, assessing and trying to process what was going on. I knew that look—sizing up, evaluating, deciding where she stood. I glanced again at Elli beside me, and wasn’t surprised to see her doing the exact same thing.

I couldn’t help but smile at that, my heart pounding so fast it felt like it might burst right out of my chest. For a moment, I wondered if I wasn’t having a stroke.

“Babe,” Seo Rin said, her voice smooth but edged with curiosity. “I was kinda thinking that when we saw each other again, it might be a little more one-on-one. Or did something happen in the meantime that I should know of?”

I laughed nervously.

“There’ll be plenty of time for that on our new mission, assuming you say yes.” I stepped forward, clearing my throat. “A lot of things have happened, and we’re assembling a scavenging team. Something that I think you’d love to be a part of.”

Seo Rin’s eyes moved back to Elli, lingering for just a second too long.

“And this is another member of your team? Or is she something else?” Seo Rin's lips curled into a teasing smirk, but there was an edge to her voice. “Because I’ve gotta say, leading with a mission instead of ‘Hey babe, I missed you. Get over here so I can kiss the hell out of you and remind you what you've been missing’—feels a little cold, don’t you think?”

Elli folded her arms under her chest, cocking her hip.

“That is . . . rather descriptive,” she said, and a smile tugged at her lips, too. “I’m giving you a 10. I’m Elli. His . . . other babe.”

Seo Rin giggled.

“I figured. I’ve heard about you from my grandfather, though the babe part is . . . pretty new I assume or he wouldn’t be . . . hmm. Now I’m not even sure about what the hell is going on anymore.”

The air between them grew thick, and I felt lost for a second, not at all sure of exactly what would happen. This wasn’t hostility. There weren’t any angry eyes or furrowed brows. No snarling or hissing or trying to rip each other’s eyes out.

It was curiosity. Maybe some competition or even recognition. Definitely a test.

Seo Rin leaned forward slightly, resting her weight on the workbench, her toned arms flexing just enough to show she wasn’t just some delicate engineer, the V of her blouse showing enough of her goods to let Elli know she wasn’t a slouch in that department either.

Elli, not to be outdone, straightened her back, pushing out her breasts while putting her own arms to her hips at an angle that showed off their smooth strength. She tilted her chin up ever so slightly, her lips quirking into a beauteous smile.

“Nice shirt,” Elli said, staring at Seo Rin’s chest. “And nice tits. Kind of just perfect, but I wouldn’t have expected anything less from Al.”

“Awesome hair,” Seo Rin shot back. “You too, though I’d prefer them a bit smaller.”

I stepped out from between them, observing from one of the many piles of tech laying about the place.

“So, um, everyone good here?” I asked stupidly, so totally out of my element that I might as well have been on a different planet.

They both laughed.

“He really is such a doofus sometimes,” Elli said, walking to the counter.

“I know. But damn does he have a nice ass,” Seo Rin answered. “And cock. He knows how to use it.”

“Yeah, I can attest to that,” Elli answered.

Both of them had their eyes now roaming over me as they spoke of my body like a piece of delicious, butchery-bought meat. I felt myself begin to harden, and shook my head vigorously.

“Alright, you two,” I cut in. “I am so going to regret this, as the only thing right now I’d like to do is bend you both over the counter right now, but—”

“He’s really going to say it, huh?” Seo Rin said, eyeing Elli, who nodded.

“Yep. Totally.”

I stared at the two flatly and went on, despite my lower section screaming for me to shut up.

“We have some business to talk about,” I said, regretting the moment I said it. “The mission is planned to start tomorrow morning.”

Seo Rin raised an eyebrow, leaning back and crossing her arms.

“Business, huh? And here I thought you just wanted to parade your other girlfriend in front of me.”

Elli grinned.

“Maybe we should have him give us a parade?” she proposed, cocking her head to the side and smirking.

“Job. Tomorrow,” I complained. “Sex when we are back.”

Seo Rin let out a short laugh, shaking her head.

“So what’s the job? Helping you hold her down? Is she that feisty?”

Elli chuckled at that, and quickly turned into full-blown laughter.

“I like this one, Al,” Elli said and traced her hand over Seo Rin’s.

I exhaled, relieved that we were moving on, at least for the moment.

“Chic-A-Go. We’ve got a sanctioned mission. Old world salvage. Top priority. Knight escort. We leave tomorrow.”

That got her attention. Seo Rin’s casual stance shifted, her expression sharpening.

“Chic-A-Go? Seriously! On a sanctioned quest? How in the Geared Hells did you land that! That place is legend!”

Elli and I walked her through the details, explaining not just the situation that Boyerman had put me in, but the lifeline he’d extended to give me a chance to save myself. Neither of us three had any illusions what this mission was: a scam, but it was also an opportunity. One that could further our progress by years.

At the conclusion, she grabbed the sides of my face and gave me a huge smacking kiss.

“Al, you already had me at Chic-A-Go.”

I smiled and shook my head.

“Then why did you make me keep talking.”

“Cuz you are cute. Despite that big body of yours, that big thing between your legs, and—let’s just keep it at that.”

Elli chuckled and the two girls slapped high-fives as I looked on in wonder, about to embark on a dangerous quest with two very lovely ladies who were all mine. And they hadn’t tried to tear each other’s hair out. Not yet.

Life often sucked being a serf, but in times like this, it definitely had its perks.

CHAPTER 30

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. Elli, Seo Rin, and I had gone out for a few drinks on Seo Rin’s creds, and I was feeling it hard. 

“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?”

“I see everything in this ape world of yours. I have even watched you pee!” CD protested. I gave him a stern look and he nodded, his hologram flickering slightly as he turned away. I ran through my meager supply of clothing, picking out the largest tunic I had and pulling on some old 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. The things I have seen you do with your ape mate Elli merit further comment. Furthermore, your methods of clothing yourself are highly inefficient. A Toran would have—”

“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—”

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—a 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 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.”

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 struck me—just how powerful were the Torans to have laid waste to so much of this world? The sheer scale of their destruction was terrifying, but a part of me couldn’t help but wonder what it must have been like to witness such power firsthand.

“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 knowing that 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.”

“Me, Elli, and Seo Rin,” I corrected.

“Another apeling has been added to the rutting mix. Be sure to introduce us when you get back.”

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, sexy,” Elli purred as she strolled up, her hips swaying just enough to let me know she was enjoying the morning—and the sight of me. “I was 95% sure I was gonna have to crawl into bed with you and drag you out myself. What gives?”

“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.”

“Can’t have that. So did he say what to do in case of . . . getting screwed with?”

Before I could answer, another familiar voice chimed in coming from the street corner—this one smoothly authoritarian and edged with teasing warmth.

“Hey, soldier boy! Hey, Elli. You notice how sharp he looks today? He’s definitely trying to impress now that he’s got both of us watching,” Seo Rin teased as she stepped into view.

Elli flashed a wide smile and bumped her hip against Seo Rin’s, the motion making her chest subtly press forward before she leaned against her in an easy, familiar way. “He better be. Wouldn’t want our man slacking.”

“Agreed,” Seo Rin said, her lips curling into a knowing smile. “We’ll have to keep him busy to make sure his mind stays in the right place.”

“Uh, mission?” I laughed, watching the two girls and marveling at how well they were getting along. “And in all honesty, you two scare me a little bit. Getting along a bit too well.”

“Of course,” they said in unison, then grinned at each other.

“I can't believe I get to go to Chic-A-Go!" Seo Rin beamed, her teeth flashing in the sunlight. "That place is forbidden! It's full of all sorts of old world stuff.”

“I seem to remember the phrase, 'old world bullshit' coming out of your mouth at least once during the bunker,” I muttered, but then shifted tone. “Though if you're so excited, let's get going then!”

Elli nodded, while Seo Rin practically jumped out of her skin, taking over at a long-legged stride that was hard to keep up with.
        “Come on soldier boy, Elli. Let's get a move on!”

Elli rolled her eyes and chuckled, pushing out her own stride and we moved through the city at a hurried pace, barely talking as moved. It was a nice day, and I reveled in the smells of bread and meat, the markets getting prepared to feed the hungry horde of merchants and buyers that would soon storm the place.

As we moved away and neared the gates, the smells soured, many of the streetways taking on the tang of freshly dumped urine and offal. Here was a more removed place, one where outsiders rarely lingered, and the clatter of wooden crates and barrels, the cursing of workers up way before they wished to be, all of it gave me pangs.

This was home, despite how much it sucked. I wondered if I might not see it again.

A dog took the moment to bark savagely at some unseen enemy, only to whimper away from it a moment later. Yeah, this was Alnda.

Elli’s shoulder brushed against mine, her steps easy, but I could tell her mind wasn’t on the streets of Alnda. “So, Al, are you worried at all?” she asked. “About Chic-A-Go?”

I stayed silent for a moment, wondering if I shouldn't lie to make her feel better, before realizing she knew me too well for that to work. 

“Yeah,” I admitted. “That run Seo Rin and I did had some big surprises.”

“I’ll say. It’s a good thing Al got so big and strong,” Seo Rin interjected. “In all the right places.”

I nodded.

“Yeah. I can’t imagine this Chic-A-Go mission going well without my…size.”

The girls giggled and Elli grabbed me, planting a kiss on my lips. Not letting the other woman outdo her, Seo Rin did the same.

“Ahem, yes. As I was saying, 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, flipping her fiery curls over one shoulder. “They’d be in for a lot of hurt if they disrespected me.”

I shot her a flat look. 

“El, they’d knife you and leave you in a ditch.”

Seo Rin stepped around me, reaching over to put a hand on her shoulder. Elli arched a brow, tilting her head to look at her.

“Al’s right, you know,” Seo Rin murmured, her dark eyes sharp. “I don’t want to scare you, but when people can’t see what they’re up to, well, knights play by their own rules. And none of those rules favor us.”

Elli frowned, crossing her arms. 

“So what, we just take whatever they dish out?”

Seo Rin shook her head. 

“Nah. We’ll handle it together. Play smart and careful.” Her gaze flicked up to meet mine. “And we’ll watch each other’s backs.”

“That’s my job, ladies.”

Elli huffed, but her lips twitched at the edges. 

“I worked on Sir Alain’s mech. If any of them are decent, it’s probably him.”

“Maybe they’ll be good ones,” Seo Rin replied. “But if they aren’t, and one of them tries to get too handsy, I’m punching first, asking questions later.”

Elli pouted, sucking in her bottom lip to chew on it. 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. 

“Someday we'll be rolling in credits. One step at a time,” 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 both Seo Rin’s and Elli's eyes as they 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'd gone off and decided 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.”

Elli and I laughed even harder, Seo Rin’s smoldering eyes looking us over as if we’d gone insane, the two of us stumbling a little as we walked to the gate. The guards 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 31

The five 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 five 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, Seo Rin, 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 the girls. 

He gave them a slight bow, and they returned it.

“I am indebted to you, Alaric and Elli, 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—knights, 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.

Before the conversation could move forward, Seo Rin stepped up beside me, her gaze sharp and assessing as she took in the knights.

They surveyed her boldly, looking over her fitted dark jacket and the dagger at her waist, and I could see that the implied wealth of her outfit had set them back on their heels. I watched, fascinated, waiting to see what my girl did next. 

“And here I thought knights were supposed to be intimidating,” Seo Rin smirked, cocking a hip as she crossed her arms. “This one’s practically giving us a welcome parade.”

Alain arched a brow, his lips twitching as if amused by the challenge in her tone. 

“This one I don’t know. But I am glad to have such an addition to the party. And you are?”

Seo Rin gave a lazy salute. 

“Seo Rin. Tactician. Tracker. And apparently your leader for this trip.”

The knights cracked up, Sir Alain most of all. From behind him one of the auxiliaries strode to his side—a striking woman with chestnut hair pulled into a high and tightly wound battle braid, emerald-green eyes sparkling a million facets in the rising sun, and a wide battle-confident stance that told me she knew her way around a sword. 

The brunette let out a whistle, meeting Seo Rin’s gaze and locking it with her own.

“Ooh, you’ve got fire. I like you.”

Sir Alain chuckled at that.

“I should have known you'd approve, Dame Yesabel.”

Now standing at my other side, I saw Elli’s eyes flick over the female knight, appraising her. It didn’t look like she approved of what she saw.

“Good taste, Dame Yesabel?” Seo Rin teased.

The knight, Yesabel, gave an easy grin, her battle armor fitting surprisingly well over her lean large-breasted figure.

“I just enjoy good company.” Yesabel's voice was smooth, but the way her eyes flicked into my direction told me that a challenge had been made.

Elli, standing beside me, nudged my shoulder and muttered, “I don’t like her. Please tell me she’s not on the team.”

I sighed lightly, my eyes tracing her womanly charms. 

“Mission first, El. Besides, it’s not like I’m interested in her in any capacity. Or can be, for that matter.”

Yesabel’s eyes had moved over to us, and through the sparkling shine, I could see her hunger.

Elli stepped forward.

“Let’s get to business, shall we Sir Alain? 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. Seo Rin and Elli looked at me in alarm, while Yesabel somehow managed to look even hungrier.

“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! Good. Listen, I might be a noble and a knight, but out in the wild we’re all free men. Speak boldly, Alaric. 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.”

Seo Rin moved to take my other side. 

“I’ve watched him slay mutants. He saved my life.”

Sir Alain nodded.

“Good enough for me. No fuckery, knight's honor.”

“Speak for yourself, Sir Alain,” Yesabel stated, clearly enjoying the whole situation. “You’ll have to tell me about the mutant fight later, Alaric. Perhaps in my tent at night?”

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 Alaric, a serf scavenger who found me a phase gem, and who Ellinor says is good at what he does. Looks solid enough. Also looks to be well-mated,” he said with a smile. 

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.

“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.

“Looks like it is time to introduce my team. You’ve met Dame Yesabel, now meet 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.

“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—dented, 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 our shares, 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.

Yesabel followed, gripping my hand tightly, her eyes never straying from my own. 

“What a wonderful and dangerous mission we shall go on together, Alaric Neophyte. I wonder what deed you might accomplish with that blade of yours.”

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, then moved to one of the duffle bags, her hands deftly checking the straps and fastenings. Seo Rin crouched beside her, giving one of the bags an experimental lift before exhaling through her teeth.

“These are loaded down,” Seo Rin muttered, adjusting her grip. “Feels like a full armory in here.”

“Yesabel doesn’t pack light,” Sir Guillaume chuckled. “I suspect half of this is hers.”

The female knight strolled up, grinning as she swung her own heavy duffel onto her shoulder with ease. 

“Well, unlike some people, I like to be prepared. You never know when you’ll need extra weapons, rations, or—” her eyes flicked toward me with amusement, “—a bit of comfort.”

Seo Rin snorted, adjusting the straps on another bag. 

“Yeah? And what part of this loadout screams comfort?”

Yesabel winked.

“You’ll find out when we make camp.” She turned to me then, tossing her braid over one shoulder. “Alaric, feel free to stop by if you’re ever curious.”

Elli narrowed her eyes, lifting her own pack without comment, but I caught the way her grip tightened. Seo Rin, on the other hand, simply giggled.

“I think you’ll find that he’s already more than busy between the two of us, Dame Yesabel.”

“Are you speaking for him?” Yesabel asked lightly.

Seo Rin shrugged.

“In a way. I’m a good judge of character, and you don’t seem to be his type.”

Yesabel stood stock still a moment, then turned and stalked off without another word.

Sir Guillaume walked over to us, a blank-faced joviality showing us that he had no idea of anything that had just transpired. 

“We drew lots and it looks like you’re all riding with me for the first day.”

“You’ve got room for three?” I asked, glad to be in a new, more pleasant situation.

“I’ve got room for ten, if I’m being honest. Twenty if we all want to be extra-friendly!”

Elli and I shared a glance and chuckled. Guillaume smiled at us.

“Let’s go,” he said, lugging his duffel over to one of the Toxotai. “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.”

Seo Rin followed, hoisting her bag with a fluid ease that suggested she was no stranger to carrying her own weight. As Guillaume scaled the adjustable mounting ladder to the cockpit, 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. I heard Yesabel chuckle at the exchange, and noticed her leaning lazily against her mech nearby.

“You make quite the team,” she mused.

“Damn right we do,” Elli answered before I could. Seo Rin grabbed her arm, and silently shook her head.

Yesabel only smiled, but there was something knowing in her gaze as she turned away. That woman was going to be trouble, and we all knew it. What we didn’t know was what kind of trouble…

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.”

Seo Rin shot me a dry look. “Sounds like someone else we know.”

I sighed. “I pack just fine. But, really, 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.”

“Yeowch,” 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. Surprised we’ll be drinking on the trip, to be honest.”

He stopped and laughed. 

“Alaric, what is the point of a fantastic quest like this if you can’t enjoy it?!”

Seo Rin nodded, her face faux-serious. 

“Wise words.”

She laughed when I playfully punched her in the shoulder.

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.

“Amateur,” Yesabel sneered.

Sir Alain shot her a look. 

“Don’t be an ass, Yesabel. None of them have been outside the city. Would you like to tell us all what they are, since they are such common knowledge.”

Yesabel opened her mouth, her eyes smoldering with anger, but she shut up and slightly bowed her head. Sir Alain nodded. 

“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.”

The girls 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, The girls and I to Sir Guillaume’s Toxotai, and we started lumbering off through the forests of The Wilds.

CHAPTER 32

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 and Seo Rin sitting behind 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 behemoth.

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 Guillaume. 

“Does it hurt your ability to pilot, having us sitting in here with you?”

“A bit,” the man said, nodding his head, curls bouncing through the blankness that ran through his 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 while Seo Rin simply leaned forward, looking quite interested.

“You can sometimes feel a little tickle in the back of your mind when you are working on a sleeping mech in the bay,” Elli interjected. “Its almost like they’re 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’re 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.

“So I have to assume that in earlier times, people would sleep in the cockpits. What would happen to them if they did?” Seo Rin asked.

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 Elli and Guillaume 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.”

“When it’s true,” Seo Rin cut in with a wry grin.

I had to grin as well. It sounded like a wonderful time and I 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.”

“Yeah!” Seo Rin added eagerly.

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.”

Seo Rin clapped her hands to her face. “I want to go there. Just imagine the things we could learn!”

I grinned.

“I’m calling bullshit. 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 the 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. I saw Seo Rin reach her hand out, her face pale, and Elli took it firmly in hers.

“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 our mechs a bit farther back and have two of us stay in a Toxotai to guard them in shifts. 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 just gleaming 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—a sound like grinding metal and tearing flesh. It echoed out over the facility, bouncing off walls and whatever echoed 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.”

“I’d like to take back what I said about wanting to go there,” Seo Rin whined, and we all shared a chuckle.

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?”

I paused a moment before whispering back an answer. “I'm working with you, aren’t I?”

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 to a curious 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!”

We shivered and laughed. I wasn't positive about the girls, but I couldn't wait to get myself out of the mech and next to a campfire surrounded by sturdy, normal-eyed humans.

CHAPTER 33

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—that 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, Seo Rin, 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.” 

Seo Rin, arms crossed, didn’t immediately move with the others. She kept staring at the ruined bridge, the structure half-submerged in the wide river.

“I don’t have any problem with going outside of the rules, but I’d like to check the elevation of that thing before rushing in,” she muttered. “That bridge is a wreck, and if any of the hundred horrid things Sir Guillaume told us about nested up there, they’d have the high ground. If it’s salvage you’re after, we should assess the tactical risks before diving in. No sense in stepping into a death trap.”

Alain glanced at her, amused. 

“That’s smart. You a techsmith?”

“Good call,” she said smoothly. “But no, more a retrosmith. Work with my grandfather changing parts to make old and new tech function. Just thinking about how much I don’t want to die.”

That made Alain laugh. 

“Well, you’re in luck. We don’t want to die either.”

We chuckled along with him and moved to join the rest of the party, Sir Alain and the auxiliaries working alongside Elli, Seo Rin, and me to set up the tents, though Yesabel stayed out on watch. 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 with the help of Seo Rin and I she managed them soon enough.

Even CD was slightly impressed with them, despite their lesser ‘civilization’.

“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 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?”

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 CD 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.

Yesabel returned to the circle, though her eyes mostly remained outward. She stood without her uniform or armor, dressed down as the others were, but still armed for watch. Setting her back to a tree, she watched it all with a haughty smile, her thick braid patterned in the fire’s light.

“Sir Alain. I’m sorry I was such an ass. Permission to not guard against fuck-all?”

“Come grab a bite, take a break. Sir Eadric, take watch for half-an-hour. It’ll do us all good to take it in bits.”

“Yessir,” he answered, nodding to Yesabel and moving off into the shadows.

Coming to my side and ignoring the glare that Elli sent her way, Yesabel reached past me with her own skewer, brushing her large soft chest against my shoulder.

“Oops,” she whispered lightly into my ear. Beside me, Elli’s face was turning an angry, mottled red.

“Dame Yesabel,” I acknowledged, though peppering my tone with a small hint of warning. 

She briefly pouted, then moved past Sir Guillaume to snatch a wineskin from his hands. Holding it up to the firelight, she called everyone to attention.

“To first nights,” she mused, tipping it toward me. “Always so much better than the rest of them. Don’t you agree?”

“Hear hear!” the knights called, falling back to their tales and drinking between them. But Yesabel wasn’t done. Moving back toward us, she took another slow sip from her skin, then held it out directly toward me, bypassing Seo Rin and Elli entirely.

“Oh, sorry,” she said as I took the skin from her hands. “Did you want some?”

Elli growled something and made to stand up, but Seo Rin put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t mess with nobility,” she muttered.

Yesabel turned her eyes to Seo Rin. 

“Always good advice, retrosmith.” Casting an amused glance at the now-furious Elli, she reached out and grabbed the skin from me, and handed it to Seo Rin. “Drink up. Let’s keep things . . . simple tonight.”

With that, she turned to the knights.

“Fesstum Prima!” she shouted. 

They laughed and soon we were all united in a story circle, laughing, feasting, sharing stories and words, and having a merry time. The soft cheeses were placed on their own stone, open to all, and as I nibbled on my own 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 surviving Chic-A-Go.”

Yesabel barked a sharp laugh, taking the skin from Elli. 

“To finding those things that we want most.”

The skin passed around and each of us made a 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 night 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 chuckled.

“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 until 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 34

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 my tent, yanking the flap open. Both girls bolted upright, their flimsy nightgowns clinging to their bodies in a way that made me wish fervently that we were back in my workshop and not out here in the wilderness being attacked by mutants.

I closed my eyes once and took a deep breath.

“Elli, Seo Rin, get dressed. We’ve got trouble. Rad-mutes heading our way.”

“Rad-mutes?” they asked simultaneously, their eyes still narrow with sleep.

I pushed in, grabbing tunics, overalls and trousers, then tossed them their way.

“Monsters. Details later. Get dressed. Now.”

Both girls’ eyes widened at that and they scrambled. 

“Got it,” Elli hissed and started getting out of her nightgown. 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.

Seo Rin was already moving, throwing her travel jacket over a light tunic. She grabbed her dagger and slung her own crossbow over her back in one smooth motion, eyes sharp despite the sudden wake-up call. 

“I’m ready. What’s the plan?”

I smiled despite the situation. 

“There is a plan?” I asked with a chuckle. “Well, if anything, don’t die. I’d hate to see what Yesabel would do to me with you girls gone.”

Seo Rin rolled her eyes, tightening her belt. 

“Great. Love the pep-talk. Come up with something better next time.”

Elli snorted as she finished strapping her crossbow to her hip. 

“Well, it worked, didn’t it?”

“Barely.” Seo Rin flexed her fingers around her dagger. “Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

The three of us left the tent together.

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.”

We stepped in front of him, and Sir Alain’s nostrils flared as he huffed. 

“You three, stay close and support where you can. But stay out of our way unless we need help. Alaric first—you’ve got the frame of a soldier. Elli, Seo Rin, 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:

●        Species: Mutant Canis Lupus (Two-Headed)

●        Size: Approximately 5 feet tall at the shoulders, 10 feet in length

●        Weight: Estimated up to 800 pounds

●        Speed: Up to 35 mph in short bursts

●        Strength: Capable of exerting up to 2,000 psi bite force per head

●        Defense: Thick, mutated skin with heightened resistance to conventional weaponry; bone structure shows significant reinforcement

●        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.

●        Behavior: Highly aggressive, likely driven by hunger; pack coordination suggests rudimentary intelligence

●        Poison: Saliva contains a neurotoxin; causes paralysis and eventual death if untreated

●        Current State: Early stages of starvation; heightened aggression but reduced stamina

“That’s a lot of data,” I whispered. “I’m not sure I understand it all.”

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?”

“Elli’s a smart girl. She’s got a good head. Whatever the idea is, it’ll work. I trust her,” 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, and Seo Rin screamed, but before either 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 hard 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 were the girls, 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 toward 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. I couldn’t see Seo Rin, but 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. As I watched, Yesabel slashed one in the shoulder, Alain stabbing another in the chest. 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 it toward 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 Yesabel slipped by, plunging her 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.”

“Big, sexy gems,” Yesabel added, laughing.

“I—” 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 35

With the battle done, and darkness still in the air, Elli and I turned to start back up toward 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 Dame Yesabel and Sir Guillaume 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 is it. Okay, apelings. Go and offer to help them. Win a few monkey-points.”

Sir Guillaume 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. Seo Rin is watching the camp, so there’s no hurry to get back and 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.”

“You think so? I’m a master potion maker if you’d like me to teach you,” Yesabel offered, looking down on her. Elli’s face soured.

“Give it a rest Yesabel and let the poor girl alone,” Sir Alain warned. “Out here, we’re all nobles. Got it?”

“Only trying to help,” Yesabel grumbled.

“So the thing is, the potions only last seven days,” Sir Guillaume said 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 — 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.

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, nobody’s 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 Seo Rin appeared, her arms across her chest.

“Getting frisky?” she asked, an eyebrow raised.

“He wishes,” she said, shoving me into the dirt and laughing loudly as she sprinted up the slope and into the campsite.

“Dirty Al can only think of one thing!” Elli said, reaching Seo Rin and clasping her hand.

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 when I joined them, I found that Elli had shared the story of my heroics. Unlike her reaction, Seo Rin was absolutely thrilled, grabbing me in a tight embrace, she kissed me hard.

“My big strong soldier boy hero!” she exclaimed, while Elli shook her head.

“I thought he was really going to leave us.”

“Ladies, I swear, whenever you need me, I’ll be there. I’m not going to let some rad-monsters kick my ass.”

Assuaged if not convinced, Elli further explained the scav situation and the field potions, and we all moved about, grabbing our kits, double checking the pouches and tools within, before heading back out the way we had come. I glanced at my girls, and thought about what I’d done.

I very well could have bitten the dust, dying on the banks of the Miss Sippi. But if I hadn’t risked my life, it was possible we’d all be dead. I’d give my life for them in any situation, and give them sweet words after.

“Don’t you ever worry,” I told them. “I’ll be here for you. Always.”

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, Seo Rin watching and learning with the rest of them, and in no short order, our practiced precision came to bear. The knights oohing and aahed 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 carved like he fights,” Sir Guillaume added, “he’d have done half this work in that tree over yonder.”

The knights and girls laughed, and I thought I heard a 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, we watched as Dame Yesabel took charge, carefully placing the rad-wolf hearts inside, adding a mixture of herbs and oils from the sack.

She flipped her battle braid over one shoulder and gave me a wink as she worked her magic, ignoring the other two girls completely,

“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. “Though my scans indicate that you might just want to learn it in private classes with the Dame Yesabel yourself.”

I snickered, admiring the view as she bent over the pot, stirring and working her recipe. Yesabel turned her head from the flames. 

“Something on your mind?” she asked, her eyes shining.

“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.

She laughed.

“Most everything is,” she said, turning back to the cauldron. Elli elbowed me, giving me a dirty look, and I sighed, watching the work in progress. She 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.”

“We will,” Elli said, placing great emphasis on the "we” part.

The girls and I sat down in the grass nearby, though, 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, Dame Yesabel declared the brew, “A disgustingly effective success.”

It didn’t take long for us to see what she 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. “I find myself hoping that you rut this Yesabel girl. She would be an intelligent addition to your tribe.”

I made a face, the idea of CD playing match-maker for me completely killing my libido.

“If you find that impressive, just wait til you see the shock it adds to our weapons,” Sir Alain said, smiling as I started ignoring 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 would 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.”

We nodded before heading off to take a well-deserved short rest.

CHAPTER 36

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. Seo Rin fumbled at the question, her pack straps suddenly caught on one arm as she tried to join in the salutations whilst stuck in the middle of packing.

“Let’s get moving already!” she cried excitedly, though her cheeks had gone pink. Everyone started moving towards their mechs, and I noticed Yesabel regarding me with a lascivious tilt of her head.

She shot me a kiss.

“Something on your mind, Al?” she asked. “Had a hard time sleeping? I know I did. It was so lonely in my tent last night. And cold. I could have done so much better with a warm body next to me.”

Before I could answer, Elli cut in, her tone sharp. 

“Let’s just get moving. The faster we get to Chic-A-Go, the faster this job is done and the faster you can find a warm body to lug around.”

Yesabel let out a mocking little tsk, clearly enjoying whatever tension she had stirred up. 

“Oh, don’t sound so eager. It’s not as if you’ll be the one leading the charge.”

Elli growled, and grabbed hold of my arm. 

“C’mon, Al. Please?”

She signaled the rest of the moving knights with an open hand, ladders down and their large forms already moving into position.

“Dame Yesabel? Do you need assistance?” Sir Alain yelled from up high. She cupped her eyes against the sun as she looked up at him, before shaking her head.

“No. I’m fine, Knight Commander. Just making sure that our escort mission has been comfortable for our fine scavengers.”

The answer seemed to satisfy him, as he disappeared into his cockpit. Yesabel sighed. 

“My turn to pilot you all is coming soon, Ellinor. I do hope that we can become friends. You’ll see there is much more to me than just…stealing other people’s men.”

SeoRin finished fumbling with her pack and came to my side. Yesabel saluted and turned to her own mech, and we moved to the Toxotai cockpit of Sir Conrad. After everyone was seated, he engaged the mech and we sat in silence, listening to the increasingly familiar liquid gurgles of mechflesh life.

“Are you all 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. Elli and I shared an amused look.

“I just can’t believe I’m actually going to Chic-A-Go!” Seo Rin enthused. “But, now that you mention it, even Illonoy is a dream come true. There is so much unknown out there. So many things we might see!”

Sir Conrad shrugged.

“Maybe. There’s stuff out there, alright. But most of it is going to want to kill us. That’s how it usually goes.”

“Oh, I’m not talking about monsters. I’m talking tech. Lost tech. The arenas. The fields so wide and far that they could feed a million-million people. The wriggly field, whatever that was. I imagine it was a place where the land itself could come alive! Or maybe a training ground where warriors had to run through moving earth. I’ve read different accounts.”

“And that’s something you’d like to see?” Conrad asked, amusement written all over his face. “A field that wriggles? Sounds like a nightmare to me.”

I opened my mouth to add my own two creds, when the comms radio crackled, an echoing beep, followed by Alain’s voice.

“Everyone situated? It’s time to move out.”

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 held my right hand, and Seo Rin my left, both giddy and bright-eyed 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 both my girls’ 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—figures 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.

“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—rolling 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 Guillaume, 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.”

The girls clung to me 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 Guillaume 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,” Sir Conrad added.

Seo Rin frowned as she poked at the dirt with a stick. 

“But if you all hate the system so much, why does it still exist? Why don’t the knights do something about it?”

Yesabel barked a sharp laugh, and all heads turned toward her. 

“It’s because they’re hypocrites. You get a lot of benefits, being a knight.” Her eyes turned toward me. “So many more. Benefits that can be shared with the right people.”

“Oh, please,” Conrad muttered. “We all get put into our place and shit on by someone above. You can’t tell me you enjoy that.”

Yesabel laughed.

“I live a good life. Why would I want it to go away?”

“Easy to say when you benefit from it,” Elli muttered under her breath.

Yesabel turned toward her, emerald eyes afire.

“I do enjoy the benefits,” Yesabel admitted, grinning. “But that doesn’t mean I’m blind to them. The strong rule because they can. If it were you lot in charge, you wouldn’t hesitate either. Tell me, Ellinor, that you wouldn’t keep people in their place if it meant a fine mansion and luxuries beyond belief.”

“I’m fine with the world I know, so long as it leaves me be,” Seo Rin said, looping an arm around my shoulders. Elli slid in as well, and now Yesabel was the one frowning.

“It’s nothing to get riled about,” Alain added jovially. “What is, is, and what will be, will be.”

“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 37

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 Guillaume 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, Seo Rin 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 jet-black hair.

“Not a bad day to be doing it in either,” Elli chimed in, leaning back as well and letting the day splatter over her white tunic, plastering it to her large-chested form.

I stood back, admiring the way their shirts stuck to them, and barked a laugh. 

“You two really know how to get a guy going. But maybe now’s not the time?”

Sir Guillaume 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 tactical, you two!”

We 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. In his enormous hands he held more suits of the same, and the three of us caught the hint, grabbing the gear and disappearing into the cockpit to change.

It took us a while as we got handsy on one another. What with Yesabel’s constant jabs and flirtatious attitude, the girls were riled up and ready for some action. So was I, but I didn’t think it prudent to keep the others waiting for much longer than necessary. 

Once prepped, we moved, forming up together on the small makeshift vantage of trash and bones that Alain had discovered. The rain fell harder now, each drop smacking hard like a tiny hammer against the ground, creating a cacophony that drowned out all but the closest sounds. I was amused to see Alain’s own face and hair were dipped back like Elli and Seo Rin’s had been, taking advantage of nature's shower. A pile of backpacks lay at his feet.

Yesabel caught sight of me and let out a slow, appreciative whistle. 

“Well, well. Alaric, you look rather dramatic, standing there all drenched and brooding. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were posing for some grand portrait.”

Elli gave her a dry look. 

“If you’re volunteering to paint one, maybe you could use some of those big finances of yours, get it done in oil and framed in gold.”

She grinned.

“Oh, I was thinking charcoal—something cheap, rough, and unfinished. Like you.”

Elli narrowed her eyes. Sir Alain rolled his.

“Settle. None of us are that rich, and this place here, it’ll be a motherlode. This weather is actually a good time to move through the ruins, so I don’t want to waste it and I want us to loot fast. Which means no bickering. Eadric and Conrad, keep watch in the mechs. The rest are with me.”

“Good with me,” Eadric joked. “I hate the rain.”

“Yes, because the great Sir Eadric might melt,” Yesabel quipped, tossing her braid over her shoulder. She turned to me with a knowing smirk. “What about you, Alaric? You afraid of a little water?”

I wiped a hand across my face, flinging rain from my brow. “It’s better than sweating in the sun, I’ll give it that.”

She laughed.

“Good. I’d hate to think you were fragile.”

The two knights 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 your women 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 Guillaume 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.

Yesabel produced an electric torch, mid-tech, from a satchel on her side, and flicked it on. We stared; it was a different world. The air was musty, filled with the scent of light decay and old paper. Yesabel’s light revealed rows upon rows of shelves stocked with ancient goods. The sight was surreal; though the shelves were half empty. I tried to imagine the strife of the times, the looting that must have taken place during the confusion of war with demons, and it made sense. 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. 

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 Guillaume 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,” Seo Rin cut in. “The food turns to paste. Edible, but doesn’t taste good. And let’s just say it keeps you in the latrine far longer and far more often than you’d like.”

“Pleasant,” CD remarked dryly. “Maybe you should try some, Alaric. See if it’s safe for your mates.”

“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 Guillaume greedily grabbed 6 jars of the spread before we continued.

“Look at this,” Seo Rin 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 — 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 — 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 Guillaume 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 Guillaume 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 Guillaume 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.”

Blissfully unaware, Seo Rin put a couple in her pack.

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 and Seo Rin 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 Guillaume 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.”

“There’s a reason some people aren’t nobles,” Yesabel said angrily.

Sir Alain held up a hand. 

“It’s okay. Looks like it’s just the lights.” 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 both Seo Rin and Elli blanched.

“Sorry,” they said in unison.

“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 three groups, with Elli and Alain heading toward the back of the store, Seo Rin and Yesabel continuing to scour the middle, while Sir Guillaume and I moved toward the front, the buzzing lights above occasionally crackling and flickering.

As Sir Guillaume 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 Guillaume peered over my shoulder, his eyes widening.

“Better not show your girlfriends. Might end up getting married.” 

He chuckled and slapped my back.

“Wouldn’t be the worst thing,” 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 Guillaume even grabbed a few bottles of Matt Dinniman’s 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 everyone standing over a pile of rubble, the remnants of a collapsed ceiling panel. Dame Yesabel was checking over the back of his neck, applying a small adhesive bandage to a cut, while 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, Guillaume, 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 toward 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 toward 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 Guillaume 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 38

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, we leaned back, eyes closed. The mech’s attunement flickered, offering us brief glimpses of the ruins through the rain. The familiar gurgling hum of it around us created 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 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.

I might have written it off as just another simple old tech ruin if it weren’t for the fact that the building’s multiple sections rose in a series of setbacks, giving it an almost stair-like appearance as it reached up toward the stormy sky. This was something special—some sort of monument. 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 giggled and Seo Rin cast her a curious look.

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, 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. A hand slipped into my right, another into my left, the shoulders of my girls pushing into me, shivering.

“It’s alright,” I whispered, opening my eyes to gaze on them. Both smiled, their eyes still closed and watching, but I could feel my reassurances in the steadying of their warm bodies against mine.

I stayed out of attunement for a while, letting them drift to sleep before I plunged back in again. When I returned, I saw that the storm had reached a new level of ferocity, the hail was gone but the rain had become denser and now mixed with thunder and lightning that lit up the darkened sky.

The shock of it made me wonder if we maybe shouldn’t go and seek shelter. However, a different sight made me understand why we hadn’t—our target loomed ahead. The military bunker complex was tall, wide, and imposing, a sprawling city in its own right and one that looked much more intact than any military fortress from those dark times had any right to be. An ancient but obvious mech bay rose up past the obscuring walls, and I knew immediately that would be our first target.

Did the soldiers here surrender? If they resisted, the city should have been leveled. Unease settled in my chest about what might have gone down.

“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?” Seo Rin asked sleepily, stirring and sitting up groggily. I peered over at her, and moved my hand to wake Elli, but she lightly grabbed my wrist. “Oh, let her sleep, Al. She’s tired.”

“And you’re not?” I asked.

She shook her head and grinned. 

“That was the best sleep I’ve had since our night at grandpa’s shop.”

Sir Conrad frowned.

“Hey, I’m attuning here! As to your knight's idea, well, maybe. I can’t say it’s something I really thought about before. Still, we best be careful when we head in. Just in case.”

My 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.

“We've made it,” Sir Alain's voice crackled over the comms. “Now let’s try to find a way inside. Eadric, you’re on mech watch.”

Gently lifting Elli and placing her firmly in her seat, I grabbed a rain cloak and headed to the exit hatch, Conrad already there and heading out. Sensing Seo moving behind me, I stopped and turned.

“Just wait here right now. We have no idea what’s out there. And it can’t be a bad idea to have someone keeping watch on Elli anyways.”

“Oh,” she said, stopping. “So, I’m just a guard for Elli?”

A small bit of anxious tension lilted through my mind. 

“No, Seo Rin, come on. If she’d woken up and you were still sleeping, I’d tell her the same thing.”

She looked down briefly, her sudden timid jealousy extremely cute yet very much getting in the way of our mission. Her head lifted, meeting my eyes, and she beamed.

“Okay, soldier boy. I’ll stay on guard. You go do your duty.” 

Dashing daintily forward, she grabbed my shoulders and kissed me. Then, giggling, she pulled away. “You better find us all a good place to sleep. Something private. This run has made me super horny.”

I winked, gave her a salute, and headed out.

The ladder was slick but I made it down fast, controlling my slip and landing muddily next to Sir Alain, Sir Guillaume, Sir Conrad, and Dame Yesabel. All turned to face me.

“It’s time to face up against the target,” Alain said.

Yesabel nodded, swallowing hard, and I saw her eyes wide and shining through the murk of the storm. As Guillaume, Conrad, and Alain moved cautiously towards the entrance, I clapped a hand on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin, and whirled on me, her face a rictus of terror and rage.

“Woah!” I said. “Easy there. Just looked like something was on your mind. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Her eyes darted over my face, from eyes to chin, ears to cheek. She closed them, and took a deep breath. 

“Are you coming?” Sir Alain yelled from near the gate.

“We’ll be there in a turn of the dial!” I yelled ahead. “Just need to ask Dame Yesabel some quick questions about running ruins before we go inside,” I lied.

“Good idea. Get caught up while we check out this gate.”

Yesabel bobbed her head appreciatively, gracing me with the first genuine and non-sex laced smile I’d seen from her. It was shocking, and quite pretty. 

“Thank you,” she said, pulling her rain-soaked cloak tighter around herself. “So, it’s that noticeable, huh?”

I nodded. “I know nerves when I see them. What’s wrong? You’ve done plenty of these missions I thought.”

She shook her head. 

“I’ve done missions, but nothing of higher than a level 3. I’ve . . . I’ve been really dreading this. I don’t know what’s in there, and I’m terrified.”

Stepping a little closer, I gazed over her noble features, emerald eyes now dark green in the absence of true sunlight. 

“Is that why you’ve been such a bitch to Elli?”

Her mouth opened into an O of surprise, her eyes shooting out past my shoulder to where she knew Elli would be. She shot her gaze back to my own, stuttered, and didn’t say anything.

Her silence spoke volumes.

“Listen, Yesabel, I don’t know your story, but you’ve gotta be a bit nicer, hey? It’s a dangerous place, for sure, and it’ll be better for us if we’re all in it together. We will have your back, and no, we don’t pilot mechs, but we know ruins and dangers. All three of us will have your back, but you need to drop the act.”

Sudden wetness welled in her eyes, streaming down her already damp face. I reached out and grabbed her hands.

“I never wanted to be this. I never wanted to be here,” she whispered. “When I was young I’d dreamed of being a princess, of wearing dainty dresses in the King’s court. My father fell in battle, and I became the head of the household. Or rather what’s left of it.”

“This damn thing,” I heard Alain curse from the gates. “You two done talking yet? The gate needs a hack.”

“We’re coming!” I yelled over her shoulder. Refocusing on Yesabel, I squeezed her hands. “Tell me everything. Tonight. I’m here to listen and I get the feeling what you need to say can’t be said to them. I’m a stranger, but I’m also someone who will do everything in my power to help. Even if it’s just to lend an ear.”

Yesabel nodded weakly.

“Stay back some, in case something bad happens. I can tell them you decided to watch the rear.”

Releasing her hands, I turned to move toward the gate, but this time her hand clapped down on my shoulder. I turned back, and her lips met mine, delicious and full despite the salt of her tears.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she let go. “Don’t tell the girls, or they might stab me when I sleep.”

“You’re welcome,” I answered, turning a third time and moving to the gate. 

Their shapes were shadows at first, but as I got closer, I saw that Guillaume was on his knees next to a metal circuit box, its cover pried open and its guts laying strewn like small snakes, each wire coated a different color. All the knights’ packs lay beside him and he was shaking his head, his face screwed up and his hands balled in frustration, while next to him Alain was examining a three-pronged port hole set into the metal of the gate itself.

I recognized the port type. It looked exactly the same as the one from the bunker Seo Rin and I had turned over.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation,” Alain said, not bothering to look up. “Just that Guillaume shit the bed on his hotpick.”

“Hey!” Guillaume called from his place in the mud. “I guarantee if it weren’t for all this damnable rain, I’d have had it open five minutes ago.”

Conrad snorted from his place against the wall. I noticed he had his sword and shield out, and was well ready for combat.

“Whatever the reason, it looks like we’re going to have to crack it 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 I already tried and it isn’t working for me. Think you can handle it?”

“If he can’t, this will be the shortest damned mission ever,” Conrad muttered.

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. After I solved a quick set of tech-puzzles, 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.

I glanced back at Alain, suddenly very glad his poor training with hacking had kept him from breaking through the outer shell of the gate’s firewall.

Returning to the pad, I watched as 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’t run through and 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, an idea that I seriously 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.

“Yesabel! Go get Sir Eadric to bring his mech up, just in case we need the support,” Sir Alain yelled. “Sir Guillaume, Sir Conrad, Alaric, to me!”

Yesabel took off immediately, running at a breakneck pace back toward the mechs. Meanwhile, Sir Conrad, Sir Alain, Sir Guillaume, and I braced ourselves for the fight.

CHAPTER 39

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 Guillaume 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. Guillaume 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 Guillaume 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 toward 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 Guillaume 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 upward 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 Guillaume fought side by side, their movements coordinated and precise. Guillaume’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.

A shimmering aura surrounded Guillaume 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 had arrived, the massive Toxotai mech stopping just behind us even as Sir Alain and Sir Guillaume 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. “The core powers of these knights is just marvelous. I will need to study those prime specimens.”

Eadric began firing in earnest, and 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. “But we’ve got to keep moving. Alaric and I will see if we can open the mech bays. It might have another lock. The rest of you, get Sir Conrad into the mech and do what you can for him.”

Alain 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,” 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 might not 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 40

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 thick and humid from the rain, 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.

Soon Conrad 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.

Seo Rin and Yesabel were given the task of moving immediate sundries from the mechs to the bay, while the rest of us moved about methodically, checking each nook and cranny for anything that might help us.

“Over here,” Sir Alain called out, his voice echoing against the walls. He stood before a heavy metal door, scratched and lightly rusted. A faded label above the handle read “Storage.”

The rest of us 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 Guillaume 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 searing,” 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.”

“Seo Rin is a retrotech. Might wanna send her in there as well.”

Alain nodded.

“Good idea. I’ll send her in.”

Seo Rin joined us, and 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 until we had the entirety of it cataloged. It was good stuff, and I found it strange that it’d all been left behind. We sorted it into piles of loot, stuff we could use now, and stuff that might be good for 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.

“Food,” Seo Rin explained. “Though I don’t understand the name. Grandfather has some in one of his sheds. They have strange and fantastic pouches filled with a powdered lining that boils water it touches.”

“Boils?” Elli asked.

“It bubbles and steams. Any water, no matter what the temperature. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand and replicate it, and I still don’t know how they did it.”

I grinned.

“You used up all of your grandfather’s mreh pouches in your research, didn’t you?”

Seo Rin gave a coyly innocent look, and both of us laughed.

“Let’s take one for everyone, pull those pouches out for you, Seo Rin, and  cook the meals using that heater.”

That settled, we continued our search. 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 Seo Rin shook them all and grinned her satisfaction.

“The ancients,” she beamed, packing it all together for transport to the bay.

Elli gasped, opened a locker to a pile of snow-white sheets, and touched them to her face. 

“Al, Seo Rin, touch these. They’re so soft!”

Seo Rin stepped forward, curious, and rubbed the fabric between her fingers, her eyes widening in delight. 

“Oh wow, they're amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this before. What are they made from? Clouds?”

Elli giggled, nodding enthusiastically. 

“That's exactly what I was thinking! Can you imagine sleeping on these after all those nights in the rough?”

I reached out, gently brushing my palm over the silky fabric. It was incredibly soft, almost cool to the touch, and seemed to glide effortlessly under my fingertips. 

“This has got to be worth its weight in cred,” I said, surprised.

Elli sighed happily.

"We have to use these tonight. I don't care if we're in the middle of ruins, I need this."

Seo Rin nodded earnestly, a dreamy look crossing her face.

"Agreed. After everything we've been through, we've earned a little luxury."

At that moment, Yesabel stepped into the room, her eyes flicking guiltily to Elli and the latter frowned in her direction.

“I, uh, Sir Alain wanted me to see if you needed any help bringing everything out.”

I wadded and tossed a cloth in her direction, and she yelped as she caught it, the shocking softness surprising her. Seo Rin giggled and Elli managed a guarded smile. 

“What is this?” she asked visibly awed.

“That’s our bedding. Let everyone know that tonight we sleep like the Duke and his women.”

Yesabel smiled at me then turned to Elli, confusion and shame warring over her noble face.

“Trying to think of something horrible to say?” Elli asked sweetly.

Yesabel swallowed hard.

“Sorry,” she said, before grabbing up the lot of sheets and hurrying off.

Elli’s reaction was hilarious. Mouth wide open, her eyes somehow wider, staring after her nemesis in a manner best described as ‘fish out of water’. Seo Rin turned to me, an equal confusion painting her face.

“What was that?” she mouthed, though her words had no sound.

I shrugged. I was slated to hear it all later, and I’d let them know when I did. We got back to work, pushing the rest of the storage knickknacks we found into the maybe later pile. Finishing our pack and search, we returned 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 I saw Yesabel kneeling beside Conrad, her eyes filled with concern. 

“We need to support his leg before we do anything else,” she was saying, her voice soft with worry. “Is there anything we can use as a splint?”

“We could cannibalize one of the cots,” Sir Alain said, examining one of the sturdy metal frames. “We could use pieces.”

“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.

Once the splints were set, Yesabel 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,” Yesabel 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 Yesabel. 

She frowned.

“All knights learn it. And I happen to be the best at it in our group.”

Sir Alain nodded, his expression serious.

“You should learn it 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 Guillaume barked a laugh.

“Not a doubt!”

“Alright,” Alain said, stepping in front of me and the girls. “You all 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 knight auxiliaries busy behind us.

Mech Unit “Unknown”– 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–

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, and Seo Rin cast us a strange look.

“I’ll explain later,” I told her.

RATING: I give this design a “Basic Pass.” It is well designed for what humans wanted it to be—a trash can with arms and legs that would die in the first instance of Torian attack.

We 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.”

Seo Rin and I laughed. 

“I think that might be my job?” Seo Rin asked, her eyebrow raised.

“Yeah, though honestly I definitely wouldn’t mind.” I glanced about, saw a step ladder leaning against a nearby wall, and raised an eyebrow at both of them. “Elli, 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.”

Seo Rin shook her head. “There is no way this is going well.”

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. The L Laser and R Laser lit up, and 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.

A series of loud claps and hollers sounded from the direction of the camp, while Elli and Seo Rin 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, ribbing Seo Rin with her elbow. 

“This is more your field than mine. Maybe you could make those lasers actually do something?”

She cocked her head, giving it a once over. 

“Yeah, if we got it somewhere with good tools and parts.”

“Well hold on,” I called from above. “Let’s try out the rest of it before we start daydreaming something magical with it.”

Scanning the cockpit controls, I eyed the various toggles and switches before locking eyes with the control sticks. Reaching out, I gently pushed them forward.

The trainer mech responded, 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.”

A button blinked and I reached out to hit it.

“Don’t use the core surge,” CD rebuked me, 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 Ell and Seo Rin.

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 Guillaume 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 41

I awoke to the form of Yesabel daintily tugging at my ear. I groggily stirred, muttered some quiet and nonsensical protestations, and closed my eyes only for her to do it again. Then it flashed across my mind; I’d promised to talk with her tonight.

My eyes flashed open wide, casting her strangely timid face an understanding look. Her emerald eyes were dull in the shadowed bay, her brunette hair so many shades darker that it might as well have been black. Seo Rin was curled up against me on my left side, her breathing slow and deep, her white undershirt nearly transparent with the sweat of her tanned skin.

Of course Elli was on my right, her head nestled against my shoulder, her soft bosom pillowed into my rib cage, her own underclothes equally sweaty and transparent.

Not a small amount of regret passed through me as I realized I was going to have to pull myself out of this very comfortable nest. They were warm, comfortable, and deeply asleep.

“I haven’t forgotten my promise,” I whispered and Yesabel shot me a small smile. “But, you’re going to have to give me a minute.”

She nodded, padding across the mech bay and sitting down on her cot.

I waited a few more minutes, making sure the girls wouldn't awaken, before gently extracting myself from their relaxed embrace. Seo Rin mumbled something unintelligible and rolled over, but neither girl stirred awake.

Regretfully free from my women, I walked silently across the mech bay toward where she’d headed, seeing her eyes glimmer orange-red as she stared at the glowing coils. It made her look supernatural, and given what I’d learned about the knights and their core powers today, it made me wonder what else resided within her.

She turned her head toward me and the glow shifted, becoming a dazzling shadowed-mix of golden emerald. 

“Thanks for doing this,” she whispered.

“Not a problem.” I gestured toward the storage room closet. “Might be best if we talk in there, though. Won’t have to keep our words down, and I’m guessing you have a lot of them.”

She turned her head, regarding the storage area, then turned back to me with a raised eyebrow. Stifling a chuckle, I shook my head. 

“Not tonight, babe. You’ve still got to get in good with the girls if you want any of that. Elli would literally pull my lungs out.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry about that. I’ve been such a bitch.”

I put my hand on her shoulder. “Save it for the room. Let’s get moving.”

Yesabel led the way into the storage closet, taking care to close the door in a way that it made no sound. The room was still a mess of piles, with everything we’d organized as saved for later taking up enough space laterally that we actually decided to choose two softer piles and use them as seats.

The lights flickered erratically above, and I watched as Yesabel sat down, pulling her knees to her chest. Her large stunning frame looked surprisingly vulnerable for a knight.

I leaned back against some shelving, folding my arms. 

“Alright, Yesabel. Talk to me.”

She looked down, her fingers nervously playing with the hem of her nightshirt.

“I meant what I said before. This life—being a knight, pretending to be strong and in control—I never wanted it. I never wanted to be this.”

“A noble?”

She frowned.

“I never wanted to be cored. I wanted to wear dresses and curtsy. Be pretty and marry the Duke’s son at the least, the King’s son at best. Prince and Princess, soon to be King and Queen, the light over the world.”

I nodded, understanding very well what she was going at. My choice had been taken away from me, too, though not one as big as hers.

“A lot of girls want that. So what happened, exactly. And what’s happening with you now?”

Her face contorted, clouded and pink-cheeked. 

“What isn’t happening? Instead of getting to be who I wanted to be, I got cored and made into a knight. No dainty princess life for me. I get to gut rad-wolves and concoct field potions. Raise a shield and rattle my saber and fight side by side with some of the hardest and hottest men in the kingdom, yet be one of them. None of them will touch me, you know? It’s forbidden.”

Her eyes stared longingly into mine, and I felt myself gulp, the sluice of mucus and fluid slurping loud in the close confines of the room. 

“Why not?” I fumbled, rolling the words out in response to her predatory state. 

It was a good question. She was enhanced like a soldier, but she was hot, one of those women like the amazons from the stories, the ones who would find hot men and take them back to their tribes to lead them and provide snu-snu.

At that moment, feeling the heat of her desire, I knew I wanted that snu-snu, and it confused me that the others wouldn’t.

She stayed silent, reading my face before letting out a sigh.

“No, I know. You’ve got the two already, but I’ll maybe get my chance if I stop being a bitch. It’s so damn hard, Alaric. The knights of Alnda won’t have me and I won’t have them, because we’re basically family in the order. But it goes beyond that. I’m in trouble, Al. Funniest thing of all? I’m confiding in you yet there’s nothing you can do about it.”

I tried to read her and understand. It all seemed so bizarre, to be a noble and yet to have troubles that could bring you down so low that you broke down before a major fight in a mission that you’d spent so much time training up toward.

“What sort of trouble are you in, Yesabel,” I asked, ignoring her previous remark.

“My family had no other heirs, Alaric. No brothers, no cousins. Just me. When my father died, everything fell on my shoulders. I am the last of my line.”

“So your entire house rests on you, huh?”

She took a shaky breath, then lifted her emerald gaze to meet mine. 

"I was fourteen, Al. Fourteen years old and suddenly the last member of a noble house. I had no idea what I was doing, and no one around to trust. I couldn’t show weakness, couldn’t let anyone see how terrified I was, because the vultures were already circling, ready to pick apart my family’s legacy.”

I nodded slowly, trying to imagine what it might be like. There’d been old Myrtle on his street, with a shop that did brass trinkets and sold them at a fair pace. When her husband died, she became the first stop for many suddenly lovelorn young men. No kids and plenty of imagined creds in her keep, Myrtle had become the most sought after woman in the block.

Having a noble title, a house, surely some heirlooms, wealth, land . . . Yesabel was the Myrtle of rich people. The understanding rose in my chest. It was why she was so sarcastic, so hostile toward Elli  and so defensive.

It was all armor.

“Is that why you push people away?” I asked softly. “You think everyone’s out to get you?”

She laughed bitterly, shaking her head.

“Not think. Know. The court isn’t kind, Alaric. If anyone saw weakness, they'd exploit it. Alliances through marriage were pushed at me constantly. Old men, cruel men, men who only saw me as a means to an end. I refused them all, which just made me enemies. I became a knight because my house needed to provide a noble fighter to the state and I was the only one there to provide it. I could have married one of the lechers, let them take my place, but none of them was good. All of them are simply schemers.”

I watched her closely, seeing her face move through multiple flashes of emotion. 

“So you became a knight. Why didn’t you look around more, try to find someone who would want you for you?”

She frowned, wrapping her arms tighter around her legs. 

“A knight can’t be forced into marriage easily. It was a shield, and I grabbed it with both hands. The kingdom doesn’t want noble lines to end. I would have been bred to the highest bidder. The Duke would’ve pushed me to someone and in no long time of it either.”

“So if you didn’t take up being a knight quickly, you would have been forced to join your house with another,” I repeated, understanding. The world of the nobles was a strange one, but I heard enough chit-chat on the streets to have a light sense of such things.

“Yeah. And then there I was, a little princess-wanna-be, getting a core stuck in her to become this big-muscled warrior and mech pilot. There aren’t many of us women in the knighthood, so I stuck out. Had to be tougher than the rest, harsher, colder. And somewhere along the line, that mask got stuck on me.”

I leaned toward her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looked up, and put a hand over mine. 

“It’s not who you have to stay, Yesabel. You’re strong, sure. But strength doesn’t mean being alone. You have people here who can be allies. Friends, even.”

“I have the knighthood. They are my brothers. But there are still people in the courts pushing to wed me, even with my service obligation being filled. Even with me being . . . the monster that I am.”

Those last words came with a wet shine to her eyes, and I shook my head.

“You’re not a monster. You don’t have to be small and dainty to be hot. And yeah, you’re cored, so you’re bigger and stronger than most every woman out there. But that doesn’t at all take away from your beauty, and even adds its own little exotic feature to the mix. You are beautiful, not a monster. You need to understand that, and not let getting cored bring you down.”

She smiled, a genuine one, and her hand tightened on mine. Exhaling slowly, the tension visibly eased from her shoulders. 

“I'll try. I just, at the balls and functions, I see all the noblewomen coming of age in their glittery princess gowns at state functions, and I want to wring their necks. I hate that it can never ever be me.”

“What if you’d been born a serf girl,” I teased gently. “You wouldn’t have even dared to imagine. Trust me—it’s not all bad.”

She giggled, and for a moment I caught a glimpse of the girl she must have been once, full of dreams and laughter. She stood up, suddenly confident, and nodded decisively. 

“Good talk, Alaric. I’m going to keep it all in mind, and start fucking with Elli.”

“What?” I asked, and she laughed.

“I’m going to be so nice and good to her and Seo Rin that they aren’t going to know what hit them. And if I do it right, maybe there’s some geared-helled chance that I get to join you all as well?”

“I’d like that,” I said, opening the storage door to the faint glow of the heater-lit bay beyond. “Though I’m not sure how that would even work? You being a noble and a knight, and us being . . . well, us. Anyway, let’s get some sleep before anyone thinks we're doing more than talking in here.”

She laughed lightly, stepping past me into the bay. 

“Wouldn’t want Elli ripping out your lungs.”

“Exactly.”

We walked back into the warmth of our makeshift camp, and as Yesabel settled onto her cot, her eyes were lighter, more free than I'd seen them thus far. I returned quietly to Seo Rin and Elli, carefully slipping back between them, their warmth immediately soothing.

As I drifted back into sleep, I briefly wondered at the noble life, and about how maybe it wasn’t as good as it seemed.

CHAPTER 42

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.”

BASIC INFORMATION:

Sir Alain, 32, Knight-Commander

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

“Wow,” I muttered, extricating myself from the girls and getting to my feet. “I feel like I'm going to need to be a bit more lucid if I'm going to make sense of all that.”

“If I must, given the proper cave setting, I could paint these observations upon the wall and a manner in which apelings can better understand.”

“I bet. No, just let me pace around the bay, get the blood flowing. Keep it coming. I'll handle it.” 

BASIC INFORMATION:

Sir Conrad, 45, Knight-Auxilliary

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 – The observed effect of this is to allow Sir Conrad to move and act in bursts of twice the normal human speed.

“Yeah that was impressive,” I cut in. “Wouldn't mind having some core powers myself. Feels like a good cheat.”

CD paused briefly.

“Is it necessary for you to observe upon my observations? Having a tribal remark upon my sophisticated diagnostics is quite demeaning.”

I chuckled, waved him to go on, and realized how stupid of a gesture that was considering the situation, then sighed.

“Sorry. Keep going. I'm listening.”

BASIC INFORMATION:

Sir Guillaume, 50, Knight-Auxilliary

WIT: 7 - Sir Guillaume 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) - Guillaume 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, Guillaume’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.

“You know, this analysis is starting to make my mutagen look like shit. All I got was 15, and I didn’t get any special powers to go along with them!”

BASIC INFORMATION:

Sir Eadric, 40, Knight-Auxilliary

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 – 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.

CD stopped talking, and after a long pause let me know that he was finished, I restarted our conversation.

“No Yesabel or Seo Rin?” I asked.

“My analysis of Yesabel is ongoing. My analysis of Seo Rin never started.”

“Right. Okay. Well, good work anyway. 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. Her arms had reached out and found Seo Rin, and the two of them clung in a quite sexy-looking embrace.

“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. A smattering of birds had begun chirping, and I knew that the next day was on.

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 the long packs of plastic, the ones that heated up when you poured water in them. Those I tossed into Seo Rin's pack, smiling as I thought of how excited she would be to have more of them to experiment with when we finished our quest.

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. 

Behind her, Seo Rin began to grumble, her heat source gone and her body beginning to chill. I cast her an appreciative look, my eyes wandering over the hard nipples poking through her night shirt.

“Morning, Elli. Breakfast will be ready in a bit,” I replied, turning and giving her a nod.

Everyone 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 Mrehs. 

“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 Guillaume 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, Seo Rin, and I do all the scavenging and you guys keep watch?” I asked.

“Yeah. We’re better with old tech anyways. We’ll be better at finding what needs to be found,” Seo Rin 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 and Dame Yesabel can stay outside while Sir Guillaume 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 easily 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.”

I cast a look at Yesabel, the words of the night echoing in my head.

“Maybe Yesabel can run her mech as well. Just in case something big sneaks over?” I asked.

Alain turned to me, looked at her, and turned to me once more. 

“Sounds like a plan. Last thing we would need is for the next to get all wrecked. Alright everyone, eat up and let’s get moving. I want to be up and about within 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 Guillaume 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. They laughed even harder when Seo Rin smashed the other.

“What was that for?” I asked.

“For not having equally fond memories of me you dork!” she answered, though the shine of her eyes told me she was simply teasing me. I sighed and nodded.

“Well there was that time you almost left me for dead in the vault.”

She grinned.

“That's better!”

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 Guillaume 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. Yesabel mounted her mech, bringing it online and ready for combat. 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 us 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 Guillaume took to the front of our little party, while Elli, Seo Rin, 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?”

“And what can we make with it?” Seo Rin asked eagerly.

I grabbed both their hands, squeezing them, all the while my thoughts going back to the bunker that Seo Rin and I knocked over. 

“Just be careful, okay. Both of you. Anything moves, run outside.”

They squeezed back.

“Any monsters chase me,” Elli said, her eyebrows raised, “I’ll bring them your way.”

CHAPTER 43

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 Guillaume 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 Seo Rin’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, Seo Rin my left, both with crossbows 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 aside.

“Guerilla attack. These guys aren’t giving up, are they?” Sir Guillaume 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. Guillaume and I will clear the buildings. Alaric, Elli, Seo Rin, 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 Guillaume stepped away, moving toward the nearest building, their movements swift and coordinated despite their restrictive suits. I glanced at the girls, who gave me reassuring smiles. 

“Ready to go in?” Seo Rin whispered

“I’d be more ready if we had some suits on,” I groused.

“Maybe when we get back, I can help us make some. They aren’t exactly market-findable, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the loot we find can be crafted into exactly that.”

“Good idea. I’ll add it to our ever-growing list of things to do. 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 all 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, her eyes glinting creds. 

“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 all 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.

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.”

We moved quickly, joining Sir Alain and Sir Guillaume 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.

“Seo Rin, 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 arrived at my side and joined me in eying it suspiciously.

“What do you think this is?” Elli asked.

We checked the exterior, finding a label on the side. 

FrostGuard 5000 – 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 Guillaume gave us a curious glance as we set out our tools and Seo Rin squealed in excitement as we began peeling open the refrigeration unit. She ran to us, joining in the dissection. It opened easily, and it wasn’t long before we were prying the device open,  revealing its internal components. Under CD's guidance, as well as Seo Rin’s expert techscav eye, 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.

And Seo Rin operated on a level of her own, identifying and removing smaller but valuable pieces at a rate that CD described as ‘non-primitive’.

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 and Seo Rin replied simultaneously, before breaking into surprised laughter.

“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.

“More ripping tech apart I hope!” Seo Rin enthused.

“Definitely more ripping. 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 all 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 girls walking behind me, trying to see what my eyes beheld. After a bit, they gasped.

“Good eyes,” Sir Guillaume 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 Seo Rin 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—it had been left logged in, no password necessary.

As the girls pushed up behind me, peering over my shoulder, I took a tentative clack at the keyboard and let out a puff of air when I saw that it was functional. 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 entered the corresponding number function to one of these, labeled: They surrendered!, but got a new screen instead informing me, “Error 404 – 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.

Seo Rin glowered. “I knew that,” she muttered, making me suspect she didn’t have a glue. I hid a grin.

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

Everyone 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 45th 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.

“Saw what?” Seo Rin asked.

CHAPTER 44

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.

The girls stood beside me, visibly excited, while Sir Alain’s gaze flitted from building to building, 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 Seo Rin. 

“Any guess which building might have the tech-smithery?” I asked, curious if she had any insight.

She shrugged her shoulders, biting her lip playfully. 

“If it were up to me, all of them would.”

Elli giggled before putting a finger to her lips, tilting her head in serious contemplation.

“Well, if I were making a base, I’d probably put it near the heart of the space. Somewhere well protected,” she suggested.

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 those 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 they were quite ineffective against decent body armor. But I had a feeling those weapons of the ancients up there, if still active, would pack a punch well-comparable to a Toxotai ballista.

Sir Guillaume pointed, grinning. 

“Look at that! Battle standards!”

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 is right now,” I said. “Still, 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.

“I mean, think about it. If the systems are still working, they’d be deadly. But if they are still working and firing, they’d have to be automated.”

“Absolutely!” Seo Rin chimed in. “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. “You know, CD, your advice is more welcome pre-murder than post,” I whispered.

The AI scoffed.

Cave apes learn best from experience.”

“I say we play it safe. Better to take our time than lose anyone,” Eadric added. “Let’s just not assume anything is deactivated.”

“Yeah. Elli, Sir Eadric, let’s head back and get the mech. Seo Rin, you watch the rest of the knuckle heads and make sure they don’t get themselves shot.”

The remaining knights chuckled and waved us off as 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 Dame Yesabel as their Toxotais came into sight.

“Everything clear?” Sir Conrad asked, his voice slightly pained as it echoed through the comms.

“Clear enough,” I replied, glancing up at the Toxotais’ imposing ballistas and remembering the massacre of the night before. “I’m sure if it weren’t, you’d all fix things up fast.”

Dame Yesabel popped out the top of her mech, her brunette battle braid shining in the sunlight. 

“How are you doing, Elli?” she asked, shooting her a wink. “Having fun storming the castle?”

Elli frowned, clearly unsure of how to respond and Yesabel beamed. 

“I…umm--”

“This place looks amazing. I’m glad you’re here to experience it.”

Elli’s frown turned to a withheld rictus of confusion. 

“Thanks?”

“Well, are we all here to hang out, or were you just coming by to show off how well those legs of yours are working?” Conrad asked.

“Just passing through,” Eadric answered. “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.”

We moved on through, entering the code for the door to the mechbay and heading on in. Crossing the bay at a jog, we stopped to stare at the magnificent old tech.

“Any volunteers?” I asked, arching my brow.

“Not it,” Elli squeaked, clearly enjoying my sudden look of surprise. “Things looked safe enough on the way out. I’ll give the mech a quick check to make sure nothings going to fall off, then you boys have at it!”

Eadric sized me up, his eyes equally shocked. “Well, you can sit in my lap. It’s gonna be a tight fit, but we’ll make it.”

“Great.” I chuckled, gesturing for him to get to it. Eadric took to the mounting ladder, swinging himself into place, and I followed, tussling and squirming until my own enhanced frame was inside as well. From outside came a sharp rapping against the cockpit.

“Found a loose hose, but nothing was dribbling out of it. Used a band of stick-wrap to bind it. Should be good from what I can see.”

It was time to head out, and soon it became apparent that we weren’t going to be able to close the cockpit all the way, but we were both in the mech and if Elli’s idea was sound, the automation of the system wouldn’t fire on one of their own.

Everything was as good as it was going to get.

Flipping the necessary switches, I started the mech and we marched out, Elli following behind. 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 Conrad and Yesabel as we marched on by. Yesabel popped out to salute and then, to my surprise, Conrad managed to do the same, though with a pained grimace on his face. Both sunk back into their machines a moment later as we marched on by.

Despite sitting in a cushion of sweaty, ogrish knight, the ride was quite relaxing. 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.

Seo Rin, Alain, and Guillaume 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 caught up, light beads of sweat glistening on her face, and she barked a laugh at the man. 

“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, then Seo Rin, before collecting Sir Guillaume and finally Sir Alain. Reunited, we examined the front part of the 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 alloy a dusky black matte mix that existed nowhere in the cities.

Not the new tech ones, anyways.

“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 flag-pole still, watching our perimeter while chatting in a more relaxed manner. Seo Rin was between them and us, staring up at the security system and obviously trying to diagram their setup and how they worked.

I felt happy for the knights and their relaxed manner, and 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 understood that a gaggle of oversexed small-brained cavemen were on their way to claim what was left.”

“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 Guillaume and Sir Eadric joined him, their faces reflecting the same confusion.

Seo Rin pushed past him, eyeing it from all angles. 

“I’ve seen something like this in the shop! Grandpa was experimenting with them. It’s a lock.”

I pulled out the hacking tool, casting the pad an uncertain eye. 

“Where do I put the plug?”

Seo Rin shook her head. 

“We never figured out how to open the locks. The ones grandpa has are pads on the side of these big heavy block rifles, and if he ever figures them out, he’s going to have a lot of illegal firepower to offload!”

“Right.” I sighed, looking back at the knights, who exchanged their own uncertain glances. Sir Guillaume 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—like fingerprints or handprints—to identify commanders and important individuals. They were common in high level security areas among humans and Torans.”

Something about the know-it-all way in which he informed us, as well as the fact that he’d yet again let us stumble about before lending a hand irked me. Still, I muttered a quiet thanks, then rolled the words through my head, trying to find a way to offer it to them as if I’d been the one to come up with it.

“I’m not entirely sure, but I think maybe it's a scanner. One reads your handprint or something similar to decide if you can pass.”

The knights looked at me, baffled. 

“A scanner?!” Guillaume asked, as if the word itself was an affront to language.

“Yeah. Something that you have to push your permit up against and let the computer read it before you can pass,” Elli added, shooting me the tiniest of winks to let me know she was there to help.

“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 Guillaume 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.”

“It’d be so amazing to see you try though!” Seo Rin enthused.

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.”

“Cave-ape,” CD corrected. We ignored him.

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 and hard, just green plastic in a world filled with the stuff, 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 us as the lights of the interior blinked of their own accord.

“You all stay here with Eadric,” Sir Alain said, his boots clomping as he jogged past us, Sir Guillaume 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 45

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—I leaned back and let it bathe me, barking out a laugh when I took a moment to regard the others 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.”

“And I could figure it all out, maybe start making new tech boxes that do the same,” Seo Rin added eagerly.

“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.”

“Such primitive conversation. 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 Eadric’s 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. Seo Rin spent her time staring up at the air-conditioning device, and I took my own opportunity to admire her curved backside, only stopping when Elli gently reached over to cup my crotch.

“Easy there, Tiger,” she whispered, a wisp of humor laced through her words. “There’ll be time after the mission.”

My eyes darted to her knowing smile, and I abruptly broke eye contact, instead checking out the walls, lights, the cooling box . . . really anything that’d take my mind off the fact that it’d been a bit since I’d last gotten laid. They kept my interest for a brief while, and I 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 resecting its lens 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.

I puzzled briefly over the barb. 

“Wouldn’t it be of yours, you bodyless half-robot?” I whispered back. CD didn’t respond.

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.”

Seo Rin pulled out her crossbow and Eadric and I readied our blades, but Elli put up a hand, silently asking us to stay our attack as she 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 sheathed my blade and stepped past Ellinor, 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?”

“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. Asking for a fair deal from a dumb automaton. How sad.”

The droid clicked and hummed, interrupting CD. 

“I am Oracle, information droid and records keeper for the United States Military Command 34th Mechanized Headquarters . . . Command Priority—Greet . . . 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. Seo Rin panic-fired her crossbow, the bolt flying well wide of the bot and smashing to pieces against the entryway.

An image cast out of the droid onto the wall, while above us, the lights dimmed. As we watched this eerily crimson 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 Guillaume. 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 Guillaume . . . 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—I 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 Guillaume 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 Guillaume. 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 – 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 the girls, whose wide-eyes said so many more words than their 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 suit 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.”

Elli nodded as more crackling sounds 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 Guillaume 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 46

Oracle opened the reinforced doors, a soft hiss of air escaping accompanying the movement, revealing Sir Alain and Sir Guillaume lounging comfortably on well-worn sofas. Guillaume’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.

We all looked at each other incredulously even as Guillaume 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 all 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.”

“I think I want to stay here forever,” Seo Rin added. “There are so many intact pieces here. I’d never run out of things to retroengineer!”

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.

“Anyone sense anything creepy in that sentence?” Seo Rin asked.

Everyone shrugged.

“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 and Yesabel are going to love this,” Guillaume 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 Guillaume 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.”

Guillaume 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 their thing,” Alain replied. They both shifted their eyes in our direction.

“Scavenger Master Boyerman wants us to set up a manufactory for advanced goods, and wants me to pay for the privilege,” 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.”

“And a workshop!” Seo Rin added.

Eadric chuckled beside her as Guillaume 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.”

I glanced over my women and realized that here, we could have families and not worry about Guildmasters, Dukes, or really anyone up high. We would want to get more people than just us. Be more prepared. But there was no damn way I wouldn’t be coming back here in the near future. And the sooner, the better.

“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 . . . 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?”

Guillaume 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—gears, 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.

Beside her, Seo Rin turned her head.

“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 – Digital Archives, as Oracle called them – 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,” Guillaume joked, tapping the defunct machine.

“Give me an hour and the right tools, and I’ll have it running again,” Seo Rin scoffed.

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.”

Seo Rin stopped, seemingly gobsmacked as she stared hard at it all. I walked past, 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. “The girls 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 head 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 Guillaume 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.”

CHAPTER 47

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’.

And as for Yesabel, she didn’t really show any feelings one way or the other about it, but I suspected she was well happy to have been left back until things were done being explored.

The girls 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 we got to be very familiar with as we worked with Oracle to add the mechs to the base network.

The knights helped out as well as they could, helping us 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 attitude he was going to 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 as well as pay off my debt.

Our search was an easy one; the place was a full-on treasure trove of old-tech equipment, one that had Seo Rin practically pirouetting through the hallways, 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 the girls and I could use to satisfy the debt, 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.

We were led to a room where we would spend the night. The girls were ecstatic, even more so because there was a working bathroom with a hot shower, a small tub, and a bedroom with the softest mattress, blankets, and sheets we’d ever had the pleasure laying on, and though it was a bit dusty, we totally got past it quickly.

“Who wants to have the first shower?” I asked, settling into an arm-chair sitting in the corner of our overnight room. There was a desk with a small black lamp in the corner and a book right beside it. I was about to reach for it when the girls giggled, drawing my attention back to something more important than reading.

“Me, me, me!” Elli cheered, jumping up and down as Seo Rin tried to tickle her. It was an odd sight, one that made me content. The girls were getting along, which was way more than I ever could have asked for.

“Not going to happen,” Seo Rin protested. “By the time you get out of those overalls, I’ll be out of my clothes.”

True to her word, Seo Rin pulled her top off over her head, revealing a lace black bra. She stopped with her hands over her head, holding the top up, and seemed just flustered. 

“What?” she asked, her voice almost turning to a squeak. 

“Nothing. I just think that the both of us know how to appreciate a beauty like yourself,” Elli said and hurried to at least slip out of the overalls. A moment later, it dropped to the floor and she stood there in her white panties and sleeveless shirt, eyeing Seo Rin with a strange hunger in her eyes.

I leaned back further into my chair and smiled, feeling a hot sensation in my gut. Damn did I love watching the girls be happy and having fun. 

Elli put her hand on Seo Rin’s, pushing them down to reveal the black lace bra again. She walked around her and undid it, then pushed the straps off her shoulders and Seo Rin dropped the top and bra to the floor. A hint of red spread across her cheeks. It wasn’t so much because of me, I guessed, as it was over Elli. Both women were extremely beautiful, in top shape, and curvy in all the right places, but Elli’s breasts were a good size larger.

I stood, not wanting her to be uncomfortable, and started undressing, too, not even trying to be as graceful as the girls were. 

“Why don’t you help her out, too?” I said, winking at Seo Rin. Her eyebrows rose, and a grin formed on her face. 

“You’re right.” She spun around and appeared behind Elli, pushing two fingers down the sides of her panties, and slid them to the floor. The latter didn’t seem to mind and just stood there, hands on her hips.

“What? I’m not that self-conscious. I’ve been trying to fuck you for years, Al. And there’s nothing I have that Seo Rin doesn’t, so it’s not like I have anything to be embarrassed about.”

The whole situation was just getting silly, but also wholesome in a way. We were . . . bonding, even if it was an awkward way of doing it.

We finished undressing, and hurried into the bathroom. I slapped their rears as they hurried off ahead of me, and they laughed. Elli stuck out her tongue and Seo shot me a wink that promised all sorts of fun activities. 

I followed after the girls and closed the door behind us so steam wouldn’t spill out into the bedroom. Elli hurried over to the tub, while Seo Rin stood next to the shower. I eyed both and stood at the door, feeling myself getting hard as I watched the girls in all their naked glory.

“Who do you want to start with?” Elli asked, her voice taking a dip, but I could see the exact thing that she wanted in her eyes. They flitted over to Seo Rin and then me. “I’d like to watch if you don’t mind.”

“W--what?” Seo Rin sputtered. “You want to watch him…and me…as we--”

“Yes, I do,” Elli stated firmly. “Damn, this is all so awkward when it doesn’t have to be. Just get in there and fuck her, okay? I’ll wait for you in the tub.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that.

“Always the straight shooter,” I said and nodded.

“You better make sure to shoot that load straight on Seo Rin. I read in a book once that it’s good for one’s skin.”

“Wait? You mean--he should--”

“Why are you so embarrassed?” I asked, walking over to Seo Rin. “You sure weren’t last time we did it.”

“I’m not embarrassed. Look at me. I’m super hot.”

“Sure are!” Elli added and sat on the edge of the tub. She turned the faucet and after several seconds, steaming hot water started pouring out. 

“Seo?” I said, nodding to the shower. “Want to have a shower together?”

The black-haired beauty nodded slowly and bit her lip as she replied.

“Come on. I’ll help you get clean,” she said and held out a hand for me. I joined her at the shower and took her hand, shooting Elli a glance over my shoulder. She also nodded for me to go ahead. Out of all three of us, I figured she had the most fun out of all, the excitement clearly showing across her face. She checked the water and then started humming a song. 

“Would you like . . . some music with . . . your bath?” Oracle’s voice resounded from all around us at once.

I froze, suddenly feeling as if someone was watching us. Or rather, if the robot had been spying all this time. It was a stupid thought, as we were humans, made of flesh. It was almost identical to what CD would think. He was an A.I., someone who cared little for matters of flesh.

“You can put on something relaxing?” I replied, looking around the walls and to the ceiling. 

“Yes . . . I can.”

True to his word, music flooded the bathroom, but it was just the right volume and was melodic, relaxing, and set the mood perfectly. I had no idea what it was, but I imagined myself and Seo Rin back at the dam, near the water under the sun . . .

“Thanks, Oracle,” Elli said, looking up at the ceiling worriedly. “Is there anything we should be worried about? You electrocuting us while bathing?”

Static met her question, and Oracle didn’t reply for a long moment. 

“I . . . will never hurt you. That is . . . a promise. Please enjoy . . . your bath. I will have new . . . garments prepared and . . . left in the hallway.”

Now that was something I hadn’t expected to hear, and rather appreciated. We could definitely use some new clothes after all that happened in the last days.

“Thank you. Make sure that the girls have something nice to wear. No need to hide all their skin. Wait, hey!” I said, pulling away from Seo Rin, who was slapping my arm.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Seeing us naked all the time?”

I pushed her hand away and snaked my arm around her back, pulling her in close and kissing her.

“You totally know how to win a man’s heart, babe,” I whispered as our foreheads touched. She smiled and her hand landed on my chest, then slowly made its way down to my already-hard shaft, and squeezed gently. 

“There are more ways than one,” she purred and pushed away from me, but didn’t let go with her hand. With the other, she adjusted the shower battery and once satisfied, pulled me into the curtain of water. Warmth struck my skin and I could immediately feel the fatigue leaving my body. 

Elli cleaned her throat next to us suddenly, holding her hand out. In it she held a bar of new soap. It wasn’t the best thing we could use for our hair, but would do wonders to our dirty bodies. 

“Thank you,” Seo Rin mouthed and took the soap from her, held it up under the water, and started soaping my chest with her one hand while moving her other steadily. I could feel myself grow even harder and somehow everything turned me on even more as I knew we had an extra pair of eyes studying us. 

The sound of something plumping into the bathtub came from my left, and I quickly glanced over to see Elli’s head poking out at the edge, while the rest of her was submerged. I took that as a ‘go ahead’.

I placed my hands around Seo Rin and pulled her in, pressing my body against hers. She guided my cock between her legs, squeezing it with her thighs. I traced her back and firmly squeezed her rear as our tongues met in a hard kiss. Her nipples were hard and pressing into my chest, arousing me only even more.

I pushed Seo off me and leaned in, taking a nipple in my mouth. 

“Ahh! What are you--stop . . . no, don’t stop!” she cried out as I bit down playfully and traced my tongue around it. She moved her hips back and forth, stroking my cock with her flesh. Tingles went up and down my spine, and I had to do my best not to lose it. Elli’s eyes were on us, and my cock was between Seo’s hips. 

I curled an arm under her leg and pinned her to the floor, but made sure to keep my other arm behind her so she didn’t hit the tiled wall. Seo Rin gasped in surprise. I took the soap from her and helped myself to…get cleaning whatever grime was stuck to her body. It took me a good minute, and after some squirming, chuckling, and laughing, I was fully prepared and went down on her, dropping to my knees and placing a leg over my shoulder. My tongue traced between her legs, eliciting another gasp from her. 

“Al what are you--she’s watching--I can’t--she can see you licking me and--”

I didn’t stop and even dug my tongue in deeper, flicking it across her pearl and eating her up. Her pussy tasted of the mint soap we just used, but there was also something distinctly her mixed in and I couldn’t get enough of it. She just tasted good. Seo’s hands fell on my head and she pulled me in tighter for a long moment. 

“Put it in . . . please,” she moaned, her fingers digging into the back of my head and neck. “Fuck me, Al. Now!”

Now that was a quick change of heart. From going ‘Elli is watching’ to ‘fuck me in front of her’. I was only too willing to oblige. I got to my feet and placed my hands below her ass. She jumped me and hooked her legs behind my back as I guided my cock inside her. 

“Shit, you feel so good,” I groaned, closing my eyes and using my hands to keep her up, lifting and lowering her as I thrust my hips upward, driving Seo up the wall. I dug my face into her neck and almost bit her as I got lost in the moment. My fingers dug into her skin harder as I tried to keep her body up, and rocked her with each thrust.

“I’m . . . almost . . . just a bit more,” she gasped in my ear. 

I picked up speed, slamming my hips forward and losing myself. The water streamed down her hair and our faces, dripping down our bodies and washing away the sweat. Seo’s breathing grew faster, lips brushing my ear with each gasp as her nails dug into my back. Her moans grew louder the closer she got, and the less she could contain them. I didn’t let up, didn’t slow down, not when she wrapped herself tighter around me, holding me like I was the only thing that mattered in her life, and at that moment I realized she was one of the very few things… people… whatever really in my life that I wanted to keep safe.

“Al . . . I can’t anymore. I’ll—”

She didn’t need to finish. Her body trembled in my arms, thighs quivering against my hips, and her head fell back as she came. I held her tight and kept pumping, not letting up until she was fully done. Only after she relaxed in my grip did I let myself go. I buried myself as deep as I could, groaning against her neck as the world narrowed down to just the two of us—heat, steam, skin, and two pairs of eyes intently focused on us.

Seo Rin’s legs slid down from around me, and I held her steady until her feet touched the wet tiles. She leaned into me, forehead pressed to my chest, arms wrapped lazily around my waist as she tried to steady her breathing. The silence that lingered between us was a comfortable one, only broken only by the sound of the shower and our shared breathing.

“Next time,” she mumbled, lips brushing against my chest, “Something less dangerous. I’m totally fine screwing around in bed, lover.”

I grinned and kissed the top of her head.

A small splash came from the tub. Elli leaned over the edge, propping her chin on her crossed arms. Her cheeks were flushed—probably from something she’d been doing while we weren’t looking. She grinned at us as if she’d been reading a good book with a happy ending.

“Not bad,” she said with a satisfied smile. “Now it’s my turn.”

Seo Rin let out a half-laugh, half-sigh, and shook her head. 

“This girl . . . can’t she see you just shot your load?”

“Oh, he better give me some of that--wait, did you finish inside her?” Elli said in a panic. 

“I . . . did?” I muttered, totally forgetting to pull out. “Oh, shit.”

Seo Rin only seemed to notice just then, too, and gasped.

“No! I don’t want kids yet! I’m too young, Al! Pull out next time, damn it!” she whisper-hissed. 

Elli giggled, sitting back in the tub and raising one leg over the side of the tub, droplets gliding down her smooth skin. 

“Yeah, Al, next time pull out.”

I sighed and shook my head.

“Well, at least you know who the father is, and that I will take responsibility.”

She slapped my chest again.

“Al! I don’t want kids yet!”

The music grew a bit louder then as if Oracle wasn’t enjoying our little argument. He was right not to, but I knew this would blow over rather quickly. Seo Rin knew she was part of us now and that I would do anything I could to keep her safe and provide. Now, if she grew a little tummy along the road, we would have to deal with it as a couple. Or rather throuple? Yeah. The three of us.

CHAPTER 48

After our first shared night in one of the converted residences of the facility, and a rather exciting night spent under the shower on a super soft and comfortable bed, a glowing Elli and Seo Rin went off to the holographic training simulator. There, with the help of Oracle, they began rolling through a series of simulation modules designed to teach them about all of the system functions of the base. They’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 their success.

Both were especially pleased on our last night, when Oracle bestowed upon them the title of Systems Administrator, and informed them that back in the time of the ancients, they 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.

Seo Rin went with Alain to his mech, and we were set to follow, but 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?”

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—those creatures the dumb humans seemed to think were Torans—I 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—or care—that 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.”

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 grumbled.

“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 toward 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 both girls clenched my hands hard as we traveled.

“So you’re both really going to go out there, out of the mechs, and talk to those monsters?” Seo Rin asked. Her face was drawn and pale, and I could see that the question had been haunting her mind for our entire ride.

“Al is right,” Elli responded. “We all read the entries, and saw Oracle’s video. We need to go out there and give them a talk.”

I nodded. “The church might think they’re monsters, but they made peace with us humans. That doesn't sound so evil to me.”

Seo Rin nodded miserably, drawing back into herself while Elli and I waited for our moment. We were entirely blind to our environs, the attunement of the mech momentarily well out of sync with our minds.

So we waited, and we listened.

“There,” Guillaume’s voice came, crackling through the comms. “Yep, there’s a lot of them.”

“They seem to be breaking cover now,” added Yesabel. “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 Guillaume 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.”

“And stay safe!” Seo Rin added.

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 toward 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. One of them carried a sash, one that none of them wore, and we saw that it 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.”

“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,” I said. “I . . . 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—two humans standing amidst a circle of Torans, one newly crowned by them as king, 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. 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 49

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 me King 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 we’d be going on an adventure when we left the city, Al. But never did I think I’d end up becoming one of a king’s girlfriends!”

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 the 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 merrily 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 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. And Seo Rin was too busy sleeping.

“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?”

“I assume that you have collected enough salvage to satisfy the guild and pay your looming debt?”

“Easily,” Elli whispered back. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we collected ten times its worth. And with Seo Rin on our team, we can easily craft even better merch as we need to.” Elli cast a look at Seo Rin, and my eyes followed, admiring the curve of her hip and the tussle of her dark hair. I caught Elli checking me out checking Seo Rin out, and she grinned.

“Yeah, we’ve got it covered,” I added. “So what’s so urgent?”

“Well, I’ve been patient, but now that you’re safely out of that facility, and all immediate needs have been satisfied, 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—do 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—acquiring technology and resources that can actually benefit us.”

I rubbed the back of my neck.

“The base was full of that. We’re going to head back after we get everything situated. Make a real home of it. We don’t need to play by Alnda’s rules anymore.”

Elli smiled broadly and squeezed my hand.

CD groaned audibly, something he’d never done before. Elli and I shared a look, eyebrows raised.

“Do you silly tribals still not get it? Despite the technology available at Chic-A-Go, you will still need people to make a kingdom there. You and your mates will be safe, Alaric, but to create and maintain your own people over generations will take at least one-thousand individuals, assuming that there isn’t already some sort of DNA-contamination hazard within the vicinity of the base.”

Despite having lots of questions, this was already deeper than I understood, and I knew if I asked anything about it, I’d lose the thread completely. I leaned into it instead.

“Alright. So, what you’re saying is, we need to bring a bunch of people with us.”

“Becoming a king suits you,” CD replied. “Your intelligence has already grown several fold.”

Elli’s eyes widened. “But a big population move like that . . . the Duke would never let us all leave like that. There’d be fighting, war . . .”

“I so savor the benefits of monarchy. Even your mates are wildly more intelligent than their previous selves.”

Elli snorted lightly.

“Yes, in order to establish a real home, outside of this city, principality, kingdom, empire or any other appellates your chimp-like alphas use to awe you, you will need force. A military arm that can guide and protect a horde of monkeylings to the base, most probably on promises of fresh fruit and hearty foliage. And for that, we must build your power base in the city.”

My mind wheeled. All we’d ever been planning to do was rise in society, win freedom, become guildmasters. Make a good living. This . . . this was a lot. I could already see my head spit on a spear in front of the Duke’s palatial walls. I started to shake my head, but Elli reached up and stopped me.

“We’re in,” she said. “Al, listen to me. We live in a place where people can just come up out of the blue and shove you in the dirt because they were born to the right parents. No matter what we do in Alnda, someone will come to make us lose. And it’s not just us—it’s Seo Rin. It’s the knights. It’s all the serfs, most of the freemen, probably most of the city to be honest. And I think, with CD at our side, we can do it.”

An image of Yesabel flashed through my mind, her small and timid self screaming as she was forced to undergo core surgery to become a meaty warrior. I looked over to Alain, thought of the words they’d all shared over the nights. Elli wasn’t wrong. Alnda sucked for almost everybody.

Even if we succeeded, life would remain a caustic game of cat and mouse, of bully or be bullied.

I sighed loudly.

“You alright?” Sir Alain called, still blindly attuned at the pilot’s seat.

“Yeah, just sleepy,” I called back. I dropped back to a whisper. “Alright, CD, I get your meaning. But I want Seo Rin in on everything. We get her set with TUNI first chance we have. Bring Techlock in as well. Start building things up from there.”

“After the battlefield.”

“What’s the deal with this battlefield? Where is it, and what are we looking for?”

“The battlefield is a tremendous opportunity for us to attain old tech weaponry for the eventual planned exodus. It 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—you 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 an 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 is going to need his army, Al. We’ll hop the wall, dig up some super loot, and be back in time to watch the sun rise.”

“Then we are in agreement. I will have our mission ready on your return and will provide the information . . . after a good solar recharging.”

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.”

“And Yesabel is a bitch, but I feel like there’s something behind that. Something painful and sad.”

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, rolling to her side to cuddle with Seo Rin.

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, pay off that bastard Boyerman at the Scavenger’s Guild, and set up the shop to keep crafting tech for the bastard as well so he wouldn’t be spying on us from the shadows. Charge up CD, of course. Then after all that was set, 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, within a year we’d have our own kingdom.

And I’d be its king.

Elli smiled faintly in her sleep, swinging off of Seo Rin, muttering some sleep gibberish, then 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.

A chance attunement flitted to my mind, and in the outer world I could see that the air had cleared. The sun was setting, orange red rays flashing across the smattered tangled ruins of human civilization.

I wasn’t much for prophecy, despite the pages of the Holy Ledger being full of them. But the Torans had predicted we would come and rule Chic-A-Go again. And maybe the Torans were right. Maybe prophecy was just another word for momentum.

And maybe, just maybe, this really was how new kingdoms began.

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