“I get why I’m here, but I’m asking if I get a handler, a go between, or whomever hands me jobs?” I’m mostly trying to get them to lay their cards on the table.
“Is that something you are interested in?” Lambert asks.
And they just want to see how naïve I’m going to be. “What I am interested in is a room that is part of my salary, a lab to do the alchemy you seem to be trying to hire me as a staff position that is under my control, and a point of contact to lean on for other work when it’s time to develop my other skills.”
“You’re still holding on to that sixty-forty time split?”
“I think that’s where I’m willing to start. Anymore than 60% alchemy, I have to agree to it, and you’ll pay double. You want me to do it more than two months in a row, you pay triple. That, with the understanding that if I want to experiment in my free time, the Org. will not be responsible for that time, but can buy the products at cost, like it normally would.”
“I don’t think so.” Says another Officer, I think it’s the interim one that runs the Face forward section of the business. “Crafters are paid per lot ordered by Warram, or commission for goods sold outside Warram.”
“Does that mean you’ll let me see another crafter’s contract to see what’s commonplace?”
“No.” She replies.
“My compatriot is correct in saying that salaries are . . . uncommon for crafters.”
“Mister Lambert, if crafters aren’t permitted to compare contracts, with all due respect, why should I care what’s common? I want a room and a salary, as well as the ability to choose who comes into my lab. As I understand it, the Org. gets benefits for having staff crafters for this settlement, and you have an open slot for an Alchemist.”
Lambert and the new lady look at each other, then to the other officers, probably chatting amongst themselves.
“After a brief discussion, a Salary in the form of room, and a small stipend is workable. However, we want a concession in the form of choosing your off alchemy work.”
“I’m going to want field time, two sessions of at least two weeks, per year. No attendant work or sex work, and it should be relevant to my second craft or my Track.”
“Who do you think . . .” The woman is shushed by Lambert.
“Those can be arranged. What is your second craft?”
“Tinkering. I like to make gadgets that make things easier for me.” He taps his chin considering his stance and confers with the other officers.
A third person, a reedy man with a ledger and pen splayed out before him, starts talking. “We have the bones of this agreement. If it is amenable to both parties, your employment as a Settlement Alchemist will be as discussed, with a salary, including room and a . . . 5 credit per week stipend. Your lab will be provided with an initial load at the standard that was setup at the Health Club or better, and then you will be responsible for altering the setup from your own funds, understanding that supplies for Warram-sourced orders will be supplied. The scope of other jobs will be detailed in a separate document, with the stipulations of no attendant or sex work. Another document will be drafted for your free-time work, and overtime work.” The man looks up to Medvedev, whose chair is much higher at the center of the arcuate table. He nods, then the contract maker looks over at me, I nod as well, seems reasonable. I forcefully restrain any aether that may want to leak out until I’ve read it.
The man types on his interface and moments later a stack of papers is delivered. They must have an ansible repeater or he has a personal device installed. Cool. He hands the stack to the boss who thumbs through the stack and then signs it. That’s some speed reading bullshit. Back in hand, the secretary/contract man hands me the signature page to sign.
“Whole document please.” I ask.
He scoffs, “That’s hardly necessary, it is as we’ve discussed.”
I leer at him and make a ‘hand it over’ motion, but he would not. “Alright, lets see if this Track has any teeth shall we?” I focus on the page and the document it is a part of. “Has this document been prepared as we discussed?” then I activate [Pass Judgement]. A golden light surrounds the signature page and then the whole document, before it turns red and then instantly to ash.
Quiet pervades the room for seconds, then a pair of golden shackles appear on the contract writers hands and a bite in his mouth. “Oh, that’s kinda neat. Overboard but neat. Seems that he tried to sneak some extras in there and was being untruthful. Apparently, the Track Talent also uses my knowledge of the laws of the land. Super cool.”
“Novarro, release him from the spell.” The Boss orders.
It will not release until the social debt is repaid. Hence Justice.
“Sir, those shackles will last until the penance for his infraction is paid. Or he dies, of course.”
“I said, Let. Him. Go.” The boss snarls at me.
“Your laws boss. ‘Members should be treated with respect and dealings must be carried out in good faith.’ You weren’t super specific on the punishments for that, but, I think that’s what the spell is waiting for. Your judgement on what the cost of breaking that common law is.” The other officers scowl at me. I shrug. “No idea ladies and gents. First time this has happened.”
Medvedev’s posture changed from one of violence to one of new opportunities. Fuck me. I hate when people in charge look at me like that. It feels so filthy. “Your room will be upgraded, and infused meals will be made available at the canteen while you are performing as our staff alchemist. A percentage will be taken out of his pay.”
The man’s restraints dissolve in a puff of gold glitter. Well shit, I guess if you are in front of the law of the land, he can literally tell you what a suitable debt is. That’s heckin’ cool.
“I wondered if your magic would accept that. Good that it did.” He gestured at the contract writer and he summoned another stack of papers, which he handed to me in full.
There were some items that were added, I lined them out with my glitter pen, added the part about no sex work back in and signed it. The document morphs into a rolled-up scroll with a seal on it.
“How far can you edit before it breaks the contract?” Medvedev asks.
“Uh, it seems I can use the verbal agreement as the binding contract, then alter the page to make it reflect that?” Question mark?!
He nods, gestures for the scroll and then reads it after I hand it to him. “Let it be known, if you try to pull a fast one on someone with a contract, do not invite Kimber Novarro to the party.” He chuckles at his own joke with genuine mirth, the rest of the people laughed awkwardly or not at all.
I dash out of the conference room as I’m dismissed and hyperventilate on the elevator ride down to the gym. I message Marcella and quickly explain the madness. She laughs at me of course, and then tells me that my off-alchemy time will likely be validating contracts—something she knows I don’t want to do.
It’s been two months since I saw my sister, and I miss the heck out of her. In those months, my work with the Health Club has been minimal. A few protection jobs, more sniper work, and quite a few orders for balms and chews for the Health part of the Club.
Since then, I’ve gotten Intermediate in Alchemy by trying more of the odd recipes in the books that Marcella bought for me, and finally—finally—finding a variant of flash powder that works as smokeless gunpowder. Then I made gunpowder and started smelting brass until I was blue in the face. Thinking of that, I should have asked about the ‘town’ smith about using his machines sometime.
I quick look at my sheet to make sure I’ve got a handle on things before level 8.
Race: Human (P) Andromeda Code: T-S Imbalance Subrace: N/A Track: Hand of Justice (t-0, lvl. 7) This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Intelligence: C Clever: B Awareness: A Beauty: B Charm: D Presence: C Strength: C Agility: A Fitness: B Capacity: D Refinement: S Power: C Skills Pistols: Intermediate 2 Rifles: Intermediate 5 Ballistics: Beginner 4 MMA: Intermediate 4 Endurance: Intermediate 2 Cooking: Beginner 1 First Aid: Beginner 3 Interrogation: Novice 7 Urban Assault: Novice 8 Blades: Advanced 1 Manipulation: Novice 1 Intimidation: Novice 3 Mental resistance: Beginner 3 Aether Sense: Novice 1 Alchemy: Intermediate 1 Divine Aether: Beginner 7 Discerning Gaze: Beginner 7 Sense Motive (psi): Beginner 1 Smelting: Beginner 5 Pain Mitigation: Beginner 2 Imbuement: Intermediate 1 Tinkering: Novice 2 Talents Body of Power I Aether Dependence I Enhanced Recovery I Triggered Action Mechanical Calm Pass Judgement I laugh when I get to my Talents. I always forget about Enhanced Recovery, but it’s probably one I use the most as accidents in the lab are sometimes painful. I contact Haley and ask if she knows of someone with a truck and some packing skills that wants a few credits of work. She replies almost instantly that she is that someone. An hour and a half later we have the imbuement devices that I created packed, as well as the odd projects I took to my room. I stuff the remainder of my things into the space-saving bag and we hop into the truck and head to Warram. I also have Tova diagram the lab layout at the Health Club and send it to Marcella because she knows everyone worth knowing. We are met at the loading area of the underground garage by a burly man in gym clothes ready to take boxes to my new lab? I quickly hug Haley, slap two credits in her hand and dart off with my backpack and the guy that can carry my hundred-pound boxes like they’re a sack of sugar. Empress, Tracks for thugs must be intense. I follow him to a section of the Hotel past the medical facilities. This area looks newly dug out since the War and the signs say that other crafting labs are here as well. The smell of fresh paint assaults me and I see the words “Alchemy Lab” stenciled on the wall in periwinkle. The smile that breaks across my face could be best described as obnoxious. I love purples and oranges. The big beefy boy sets the boxes down on a clean table, hands me a card and then leaves. I look at the card, which has my name on it, and check it against the multiple cabinets. They open to reveal shelves of basic ingredients. The ethanol and distilled water barrels also have release locks on their spigots, which surprises me. The lab is almost exactly like the one at the Health Club, just more secure. One new feature is that the door to the lab is actually the door to an office-like area that then leads to the lab. The extra visual break makes my insides happy. Tova can we key this card to my Mosaic? Yes, but it will not deactivate the card, so you still have to be careful with it. That’s not preferred, but I’d rather not have to have it either. Maybe I should come up with a hidden cache or something for these kinds of things. Un-packing my custom tools doesn’t take that long, but Tova alerts me to a settings menu for my settlement workshop and I play with that thing until my stomach tiger turns on me. “What would kill me first, Tova, hunger or aether withdrawl?” No external factors, hunger I believe. The way you absently use aether though, your symbiote would start consuming you before regular hunger got you. That’s a solid yikes. Can we institute a reserve for that kind of thing? Do not spend past this threshold? Tova laughs in my brain. I already do that for us. You’ve brushed that line a dozen times or so. Have I told you thank you lately? Even I know I’m a mess. Thanks for helping me out Tova. She scoffs in my brain this time. Kinda feels like smelling sawdust while eating month-old bread covered in stinky cheese. Tova, how have your inquiries with shell-casing manufacturers using my brass going? Numerous non-native manufacturers will take the material and make you the powder casings, but only one is willing to form both bullet and casing from user provided materials without manufacturing the whole projectile group. Super expensive? Much the hassle? What’s the catch Tova? They want a sample of your accelerant to make sure the casing can hold it. The company is Astorian: Merc Arms. Well, shit Tova, can you ask them for a consultation on my 50-cal project as well? Done. I sent a sample of your powder as well. I used our aether to facilitate. Tova!! You called us a ‘we’. That makes me really happy. Just maybe ask about aether use if we’re low for the future, ‘cause I don’t know how much available money we will have going forward. Don’t have boats delivered, copy. Tova’s having me on, but it makes me chuckle. You spend two seconds on a request, and now we have grand dreams. Well, I can only hope the whole ‘nice to have’ sniping rig doesn’t cost more than a few hundred. My settlement from Parker being a knob and jobs with the Health Club have me at about twelve hundred, but I think I’m going to need all of that to power my alchemy side projects and tinkering. ->Crafting Mission 200 tins of Fast-Balm 50 units of UV block 10 injections of Pain-b-gone. Rewards: Experience, Credits.<- And so it begins. I start the first stage of the Balm until the long rest overheat stage and then go to find the room on my card. Turns out, the room upgrade put me up in the suites level-- a junior suite in fact--on the 20th floor. The amenities are similar to what I had with Marcella sans kitchenette and too fancy bathroom. I would have traded the lounge/living room for the kitchenette, but I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth. Tova, did you manage to de-tangle the info that Jamie from the orphanage sent us? It’s a plead for assistance, but the data she packaged with it is more encrypted than I can decipher. Blarg. I need to set an appointment. I text Jamie about a time to meet and leave it be. I probably shouldn’t have waited so long, but at the same time, she shouldn’t have pushed that upload through my skin and been a horrible bitch to me before we left the orphanage. I’m only a few months away from 17 and I still feel lost in the woods. I need to put my feet in the stirrups and ride this bastard before it takes control of me. I ask Tova to plot the path to the Canteen that I’m supposed to visit to see if my meals have started yet. I’m perpetually hungry at this point. I’m eating my infused meal of raptor bacon and turtle eggs, which I am totally in love with, when someone walks in. “May I help you?” “Word is we have a staff alchemist now? I was wondering what services you offer?” He seems nervous, but not too shady to work with. “I have a list.” I push it to him. “If you have special requests, I’m willing to attempt them if you buy me the recipe.” “Oh, okay then.” He says and turns away, “Thanks for your time.” Before I can even ask Tova what she thought, Daniella walks in my office. “Kimber, I should tell you that people equate Alchemy with Apothecary. Any medical treatments should come through me. Understand?” “Uh, of course. I don’t want people coming to me for their sickness or whatever. Did you need stuff?” I ask with barely a stutter. Stupid, intimidating Russian doctor. “Mmm. Not at your current level of proficiency. I am interested in medical supplies, but, I need 1AAB at least before I can accept it.” I quirk and eyebrow and hand her an injector I worked on. “1IIC is the best I can do right now, I think I can hit your requirements in six months or so with steady work.” I shrug as she examines my ampule. “This is surprisingly good work Kimber. Like, you could be a hospital supplier within two years.” My eyes flutter and my knees get weak with my trained response coupled with her sultry tones. Like, I know she’s with Marcella, but Empress save me from her voice. Wait . . . holyshit, I’m actually feeling these things! I haven’t taken hormones for months! I grab her in a hug and spin her . “Doc!! I think my hormones normalized during my initialization!” She immediately goes into physician mode, ruining my fun. “You’re due for a check up at level 8, when should I expect you? Next week?” I waffle my nod to show uncertainty, “Can’t be sure, but if my quest and my gun project resolve, two weeks at most.” “I’ll slot you in this Friday afternoon and next. You don’t make it I get a long weekend.” We say goodbye and I send her with a tin of balm to try out. Peddling alchemist at your service. With that visit finished as well as my lunch, there’s only one thing left to do: Get to work. *** **Medvedev** “Boss, while I’d like to tell you there’s wiggle room, System contracts are notoriously stringent on the spirit of the law, not the letter.” “Yes, Rupert, I saw. Tell me what this means for keeping her as an asset?” The lanky ma sighs as he shuffles papers. “Boss, a system contract witness with line-item powers is a power beyond my ken. Instead of viewing her Talent as a viper, perhaps we should treat it as a tide: Minor, inevitable, and manageable.” “Does that change our goals for her? What about the break that Parker wanted?” “Most of our plans need to be adjusted, but the two contracts we left to separate agreements can be used for our benefit. I will express my discomfort with the shackles that bound me. That being said, there is no reason to believe that you can’t be bound by your own rules.” Now that is an uncomfortable prospect. If I can’t break the rules from time to time, what’s the point of being in charge? “Send her a few quests. Boiler plate craftsman stuff. See how she does.” Rupert nods and types at his unmatchable speed, then takes his ledger in a different direction than I’m headed. I had hoped that Kimber separated from Marcella would be a more pliable User, but with that Track of hers, it’s a whole new morass of consideration. Some test of her capability and loyalty are necessary and there is no point in planning a grave while work is being accomplished.