Finally, Leet had turned into a person who could truly be called a tinker, and then we began assembling the equipment I needed. The first item on the list was a mind-reading device. The thing was, my mind held literally petabytes of information about the construction of various equipment, including computer program texts. I couldn't manually translate all of this into electronic form even in a thousand years. But direct reading of information from my soul allowed this without any problems.

The next device was a 'nano-3D printer,' which allowed the creation of any equipment, provided the correct blueprint was loaded into it. However, all the programs for operating this machine were 'encrypted,' so only I could activate it. To create this 'wonder machine,' we first had to craft a simpler one, which was then assembled by a monstrous tech apparatus put together by Leet from all sorts of handy junk.

In general, I had long since worked out the procedure for restoring the Ancients' technologies. I had specifically developed several dozen technological chains, taking into account various 'starting conditions.' If desired, I could revive the Ancients' technologies even if I were thrown into the Amazon jungle with nothing but the clothes on my back. But the current situation was simpler, so there were only three intermediate steps.

And so, on one almost spring Sunday morning, I activated the makeshift machine once again. It ran a self-diagnostic program and reported that the equipment was operating with the necessary degree of precision. To ordinary people, my machine looked like a product of the 'space age,' glowing with mysterious light and dazzling with unearthly shapes.

However, to the Ancients, this machine looked about as advanced as if I had constructed equipment for producing processors using a stone base, bronze parts, and tying them together with hemp twine. In short, the Ancients would easily recognize that this machine worked thanks to magic.

I activated the 'mind-reading' device and began loading the blueprint of the mechanism into the machine with its help. Leet watched this process out of the corner of his eye while tinkering with his own equipment, which he was already assembling according to his own plans but using the ideas I had provided.

Half an hour later, the data upload was complete, and the machine set to work. By the Ancients' standards, the working speed was tortoise-like, but from my point of view, everything was going swiftly. In just a minute, I was looking at a flat metal plate about a couple of centimeters long, resembling a zigzag figure from Tetris. According to the instruments' readings, this thing fully met the specification, and its self-diagnosis protocols showed one hundred percent readiness to start working.

Of course, this 'plate' was an elementary module of replicators, with a program of subordination to me embedded in it. I wasn't so confident as to believe that no tinker could 'hack' and subordinate these robots to themselves. Therefore, I planned to use them only covertly.

"Leet, I'll have to stay late today" - I addressed my 'technical specialist.' - "I need to produce about a thousand of these things. The production speed is one per minute, so you understand, this will take a while."

"A thousand minutes... that's sixteen and a half hours. It's nine in the morning now."

"Yes, I'll finish after midnight."

"Okay. I don't have any plans today."

"Me neither."

I carefully placed one block of replicators on the designated steel tray and reached for the next one, which had just come off the conveyor. To activate, the replicators needed to gather in one place in a quantity of at least a couple hundred. But to ensure their self-reproduction, 883 pieces were required, not one less. Considering the allowance for defects, I estimated that I would have to produce about a thousand blocks.

I wasn't sure how long the machine would last and whether I could restart it at all. Moreover, I couldn't allow the machine with the replicator production program to remain outside my control. Meanwhile, the memory block with the blueprints was 'one-time use' and couldn't be 'cleared' or removed from the equipment without destroying the entire machine. So, I had no choice but to go to the bitter end until I could activate the first 'replicator queen.'

I don't know if it was a 'sign from above' or just a coincidence, but exactly at 00:00 on Monday, February 28, 2011, I picked up the 883rd working block and placed it with the others. Following the embedded program, the replicators re-diagnosed the state of each block and the entire 'community' as a whole, then activated the program to switch to 'active mode.' The neat metal 'cube' suddenly crumbled, started moving, and after a few seconds, reassembled into a metallic 'bug.'

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The replicator performed another diagnostic and then grabbed one of the defective blocks, of which there were quite a few today, and began 'processing' it. In three seconds, the 'scrap metal' was turned into a proper working block, which immediately took its place in the 'bug's' body. The process sped up from there, and the replicators took over the production of new blocks, making the now barely functioning machine unnecessary.

"What is that thing?" - Uber asked me warily, discovering a dangerous creature of predatory outlines next to him. - "Some kind of weapon?"

"No, even better!" - I boasted. - "With this robot, I'll start producing equipment and use the proceeds to buy the entire Earth."

"And it won't go crazy and start attacking people?" - Uber's voice was full of suspicion.

"It will" - I nodded approvingly. - "But don't worry. They don't need organic material. So as long as you don't attack them, the worst that can happen is they might remove metal crowns from your teeth."

At this point, the replicator chirped happily, shook its abdomen, and a smaller spider separated from it, immediately starting to explore the surroundings for 'useful' resources for further reproduction.

"They even multiply?" - Uber jumped onto a chair.

"Why are you pushing?" - Leet turned to us, finally noticing the appearance of replicators in this world after being so engrossed in crafting some device. - "A-a-a-a-a-a!!! What is that spider?"

"Ask this maniac" - Uber ratted me out. - "Black Cloak, honestly, are you a tinker? I can't believe a non-tinker could come up with such a thing."

"I'm not a tinker" - I shrouded in mystery. - "And there's not a gram of your heretical magic in this replicator."

"This creature is called a replicator?" - Leet asked, deciding to offer the 'bug' his soldering iron. The bug examined the offering, tested it 'for taste,' and deemed it suitable, then carried it to the replicator queen, who produced a third offspring from it.

"Hey, give it back!" - Leet protested when he realized the fate awaiting his tool. The bug, however, showed unexpected persistence, refusing to part with the loot.

Alright, we've had our fun, now it's time to get down to business.

"Protocol 'Cleanup,' scenario two point twelve" - I commanded.

The replicator immediately dropped the soldering iron and rushed to the machine that had given birth to them today. It began dismantling the equipment and bringing it to the 'queen.' Other replicators followed suit.

"What is this cleanup protocol?" - Uber asked.

"I'm confiscating all equipment built using my blueprints and technologies."

"Hey, I made that thing!" - Leet panicked when the replicators started crawling all over his creation, which had essentially started this 'machine uprising.'

"According to my specifications and blueprints" - I countered. - "You can build another one on your own. I'm not forbidding you that. But this particular instance will be scrapped."

"Are you going to scrap us too?" - Uber asked, gripping the pistol in his jacket pocket.

"There's no need for that. Without me, you can't reproduce this technology. Moreover, I can compensate you for the cost of this equipment. How about a million dollars when my firm starts making money?"

By this time, three 'queens' were already engaged in producing new blocks, with half a hundred 'worker bugs' bustling around.

"A million dollars?" - Uber's anger turned to curiosity. - "That sounds good. Just make sure you don't forget this promise."

"Money is just papers" - I waved dismissively. - "Alright, I need to go. Thanks for the help; I'll handle it from here. Anfiska, follow me!"

The replicators immediately merged into one fat bug, reaching height up to my chest, then the bug skittered through the entire room without touching a single object on the way. This was a clear sign of advanced technology. In contrast, a machine from the local techie would have demolished the whole room just running from corner to corner.

It was night outside, so I had no problem 'escorting' my creation to the building I had pre-selected in the Docks. There, the replicator transformed into a chair, which I sat in. Although the replicators understood the language of the Ancients, it would have taken too long to explain what I wanted to do. Therefore, the blocks I created contained mind-reading technology. A couple of hours later, I got up from the chair and headed home, while the replicator dispersed into a dozen bugs, starting to explore the surroundings for something 'edible.'

While the replicators have been developing in autonomous mode, following the program embedded in them, I had time to take care of my 'daughter.' Until moment, we only went out to 'stir things up' in the city for an hour or two in the evenings at most. But once I had free time, I began taking Taylor on long and thorough raids, during which we literally 'cleared' the area of all those who smelled of drugs.