Techlock walked us through a mess of alleys, most devoid of people, doors, or refuse, a veritable maze obviously meant to confuse and slow attackers or constables with the sheer randomness of their construction. On both sides of us were simple concrete walls, nothing adorning them, and we moved through a number of intersections and branches before we finally stopped before a single rusted metal door set at a downward angle. A large burlap sack sat to its side. In front of the door stood two burly men, obviously monster-cored and hard-muscled, both holding crimson-red halberds in their hairy-knuckled hands.

“What are those?” I whispered.

There was a sense of heat in the air and a feeling that we were just seconds away from being roasted alive. Without being a part of the TUNI network, only Elli and CD could hear me, and the confused glance that Elli gave told me she didn’t know either.

Thermatrix, CD responded. A plasti-steel alloy with a core of inner electronics that gives it an innate heat designed to sear and burn. Our infantry used it in close quarters. How you apes have it after all this time, simply shows the superiority of my peoples’ craftsmanship. There is no way you invented this on your own.

“You all stay back,” Techlock told us, stepping forward with his empty hands up, palms facing forward. The guards stepped forward to meet him halfway, and they began to converse, obviously acquainted with each other.

All of a sudden, one of the guards belted Techlock hard in his stomach with the blunt end of his halberd, doubling the man over. As we watched, he threw up onto the pavement, but when I started to shuffle forward, he put up a hand to stay me almost as if it had been his own fault.

Righting himself, he talked with them some more as we waited and listened. Their voices were too quiet to be heard, which made me nervous. They even looked toward us several times in an almost predatory way.

Do I need to do everything for you apes?

Then all at, once we could hear it. The voices were canned and echoing, making me realize that this was another technological miracle by CD, and I listened with interest.

“Thank you, CD,” Elli said, and the AI let out a childish chuckle.

I am just amazing, am I not?

“Every time, Tech. Every time you come here without an appointment, I am going to hurt you. Do you understand me?” one of the guards sneered. He looked ready to hit the other man again.

Techlock nodded, his face pale and drawn.

“I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t important, Franciscus. I’m talking primo loot, a scavenger’s dream!”

“Hear that?” the other ruffian said. “Techie thinks we’re scavengers. Thinks we roll around in dead monster guts and eat trash from the gutters.”

“You think that?” Franciscus asked. “You think we’re scavenger trash?”

Techlock shook his head.

“No, no. I’m the trash. I’m the garbage that digs through monster guts, there’s no doubt about it.”

“That’s right,” Franciscus said, a broad grin rising on his face. “And trash gets binned when it starts to smell. Next time you fucking make an appointment.”

Techlock nodded manically, his head flopping up and down at a rapid pace. The other guard put his thermatrix halberd against the wall, and I could see a thin line of smoke rise where the edge of his blade lay. He went to one knee before the burlap sack, reaching in and pulling out three strips of black cloth.

The guard turned and threw two of them in the dirt before us.

“Blindfolds. Put them on. Now.”

Elli and I locked eyes for a moment, but it was to either swallow our pride for a bit longer, or decline and then get on a lot of people’s bad side, including that of Techlock.

I knelt and grabbed the blindfolds, dusting them off before offering Elli her choice. She took one and tied it in place while I took the other.

I’ll be your eyes and ears, little simians. When we rule over these people, I will guide us back here and take revenge for all of these slights!

The blindfolds were obviously meant to not just hide the location we were going but to also make us feel powerless. Yet I trusted CD’s words. Even though he was back in the workshop, the future that he promised filled me with confidence.

When the blindfolds were in place and rough hands grabbed my shoulders, I moved forward without hesitation. I heard the rusty squeal of the door, felt the cool humidity of subterranean air blow past me, and stepped forward.

The first part of our journey was a decline into what smelled like a swamp. There was the sound of frogs, the occasional splat of something grotesque dropping from the walls or ceiling, and every step we took squelched.

Occasionally I heard the squeal of another metal door being torn open, and even more I heard whispered instructions being passed from our guard to some unknown others, TUNI’s open comms letting us know that we were being transferred to a different guide so that the guard could go back to their assigned section.

Finally, after one more squeal of a rusty door opening up, a hand removed our blindfolds and I could see that we were at our final destination.

The chamber we entered hurt my eyes, its confines brightly lit by a series of resplendent chandeliers hanging from its arched timber ceiling, a scaffolding that had to have been built to hide the earth and stone beyond it. Along the walls of the cavernously large room were a series of art alcoves, shaped like arches, and displaying the opulent sculptures and paintings of ancient times.

Soft, artificial light filtered through stained glass windows set two to a corner, each kiddy corner to the next, and it cast the room into a kaleidoscope of colors that shifted and danced.

In a wide circle around us, display cases of polished ebony and glass stood proudly, each housing treasures that spoke of great wealth and power. Intricate mechanical devices, their purpose lost to time, lay next to shimmering jewels of unknown origins, their facets catching the light and glittering like tiny little stars.

There was a long red carpet in front of us, pedestals of marble and gold lining its sides, atop which statues of mythical creatures stood in vigilance against any attempted trespass. The floor itself was a shined sheet of mosaic tiles, and I was surprised to see that, in its entirety, it depicted a sprawling map of the known world.

“Go on,” our new guard told us. I noted that he was just as burly as the ones we’d seen before, but he wasn’t as rough as the other two. “Geoffrey is waiting.”

We began to walk down the carpet, heading toward a grand table of stretched dark mahogany, its surface polished to a mirror sheen. Heavy, velvet-draped chairs encircled the end closest to us, while at the other side sat a throne. In it sat a smaller man, fat and balding, whose thinning red hair was twisted together into a peak to hide the gleam of his desolate scalp.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

The man grinned, pearly white teeth gleaming in the opulence of his chamber, and I couldn’t help to think that there was something sharkish in that smile. Behind him stood four guards, all of them armed with plasti-steel halberds rather than the thermatrix we’d seen before, but something about the way they stood told me they would be no less deadly than the ones we’d met on the way in.

“Go on. Take a seat,” Geoffrey said, his eyes flicking between us, that same smile frozen on his lips.

I swallowed as Elli’s hand reached out and snaked into mine. Our eyes met, and I could see that she was terrified. I squeezed her hand to let her know everything would be okay, even though I had no way to guarantee it.

“Lord Geoffrey, thank you for agreeing to this meeting,” Techlock said, bowing. In front of us, I saw that three of the seats had trays placed before them, frosted sweet bread sitting on platters, cups of tea steaming beside them. It perked me up; I hadn’t eaten sweet bread in ages and it felt quite hospitable.

“It is my pleasure, Techlock. It has been a while since we last met. Come, sit, and let us chat. I’d like to know more about your friends and what they have to offer.”

Techlock swallowed hard, the sound of it echoing in the chamber.

Be wary, young tribals. This Geoffrey, he is no ape, CD warned.

“Lord Geoffrey, I am just the contact. I’ve fulfilled my contract with these two and delivered them to you as I promised. I’d love to stay but I must head back and reopen my shop. People will be coming by and I have business to attend to.”

Techlock bowed and turned to leave, but Geoffrey stood, his full belly quivering in sudden anger.

“Your company is delightful, Techlock, and any business meetings you may miss will be compensated. NOW STAY AND SIT!” he bellowed, slamming his hand onto the table so hard that the dishes quivered. The three of us took our seats, my heart now beating hard and fast in my chest.

Geoffrey suddenly laughed, a shrill and flighty thing that sounded like nails on a blackboard.

“Oh, how nice. Isn’t a spot of tea simply the best way to meet new friends? I dare say how dreary this day has been. I had some morbid business to attend to this morning, and I’ve hardly been myself since. Perhaps introductions are in order. My name is Geoffrey, and around here people call me Lord Geoffrey. Who are you?” he asked, punctuating the question with a finger pointed straight at my heart.

“Alaric, Lord Geoffrey. I’m a scavenger.”

“Ah, a simple working man. And this is your wife?”

He gestured towards Elli, and his eyes worked her top to bottom as he sucked in his lower lip and chewed it lightly. Surges of anger rolled through me, and I moved my hands beneath the table, clenching my fists.

“I am Elli, Lord Geoffrey,” she said, a small shake in her voice. “I am an engineer and, yes, this is my fiancé.”

Geoffrey looked up at the ceiling.

“Oh, my heart’s lament. A beautiful woman comes to see me in my chambers and she is already set to be betrothed.” He turned his gaze back to her. “If you ever change your mind, there is plenty of room in my harem.” Geoffrey threw back his head, chortling, and the guards behind him joined in, though the tone of it sounded well forced.

“To the point,” Geoffrey said, reaching out and taking a sip of his tea. “I have been informed that you are here on a mission to get a QRC. Yes, I have one. Yes, I am willing to part with it. The question is, what will you give me in return?”

I pulled our list out of my pocket, the items pledged to Techlock scratched off to mark their unavailability. Unsure of how to hand it over across the immensity of the table, I held it up instead. One of his guards came over, taking it from my hand and delivering it to his boss.

A tense silence took over the room as Geoffrey snatched the list from his guard. I reached out and took a bite of the sweet bread, following it with a sip of tea while Elli did the same. I noticed that Techlock sat rigid, looking more like a statue than a man as he stared forward, obviously wishing he were somewhere else.

You eat what the shark gives you, ape? CD asked. Neither of you Neanderthals would have lasted a minute in my world.

Finally, Geoffrey leaned forward, his gaze sharp and calculating.

“On a normal day, I’d say this exchange would be profitable. Amazing even. A lordly haul fit for one such as I.”

He smiled and raised his teacup.

“A toast to the wonderous acquisitions of a scavenger and his woman!”

I saw Techlock wince as he lifted his cup. Elli and I exchanged unsure glances as we did the same. Geoffrey took a long, deep draught, finishing his tea and we all did the same. With a long, satisfied sigh, Geoffrey nodded at us all, then whipped the teacup to smash into the floor.

“The city is full of scavenge just like this! You are ridiculous. Insulting! This list is shit. You are giving me shit! How dare you!” he screamed, smashing his fist into the tabletop.

He sighed, his voice taking on a more level yet threatening tone.

“I invite you to sup, give you expensive desserts and the finest of teas, and you offer me common trash like I am some beggar on the street corner?”

Techlock shrank back into his seat.

“Lord—”

“Yes, I am a lord,” he said, calm once again. “More a lord than any born to the name. I worked my way to my throne, throttling bastards who disrespected me, annihilating all who opposed me.”

Learn from him, apes, CD advised.

“Let me tell you what I should do. What I should do is take this woman for my harem, and torture the rest of you to get access to all of your possessions before dumping you in the river with the rest of those who dare insult me. What can you offer me that is worth the immensity of this QRC you're so desperate to acquire? What grand plans do you have for such a rare commodity?”

His voice was smooth, now, deadly serious and on edge.

I swallowed a million words as they ran through my head.

“It's for a project that . . . could change the landscape of power in our realm. An innovation in mech technology that requires the unique properties of the QRC. We have ideas and plans. Good ones.”

Geoffrey's eyebrow arched, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

“Ah, ambition. I like that. But such ambition comes at a price, doesn't it?” He steepled his fingers, his eyes never leaving my face. “A price that someone greater than a scavenger and his engineer woman would be able to pay, yes? What are you making that will pay this price?”

Elli chimed in, her voice steady despite the heavy tension in the room.

“We understand the value of the QRC, Lord Geoffrey. And we're prepared to offer you something of equal worth.”

At this, Geoffrey threw his head back and laughed, a sound that echoed ominously off the chamber walls.

“Equal worth? You presume to know the worth of what you ask for?” His laughter ceased as abruptly as it had started, and he fixed us with a steely gaze. “Enlighten me, then. Tell me what you are creating, and who you are creating it for.”

Eli’s eyes were wide and unsure.

Make something up. Quickly, idiot!

“We’re making a specialty mech that will be far superior to even the Machspauser!” I blurted.

Techlock began choking, coughing wildly, and hunching over in his chair.

Geoffrey stood, rising a measly 5 foot 2 as he leaned his palms on the tabletop, frowning.

“Better than a Machspauser. Is that even possible? What old tech do you have that can do that? Do not feed me lies, scavengers. Who are you making this for? What can it do?”

My head was spinning, and I stuttered under his deadly gaze.

“Sir Alain Hembersworth!” Elli interjected.

“Yeah, for Sir Alain Hembersworth. He doesn’t know the details yet, but it’ll be a hard melee mech, 70-ton but more agile with, um, rotating saw blades and a median speed of 60 KPH. A diamond harpoon in the head slot, with a slink-adamantium tether to grab and hold enemy mechs in place while they get torn apart,” I spit-balled furiously, my upgraded mind putting together a diagram of possibilities as I tried to both keep us alive and close our deal.

Yes, CD said. As well as jump capacity. With the right parts, we can machine this, Alaric. And we can build in a secret weak spot as well, for when we give this lord his end.

Geoffrey stared, his face uncertain.

“And jump capacity!” I said, repeating CD’s promise.

Geoffrey’s face clouded, and he turned around to face his throne.

“Is this possible?” he muttered loudly. “Such a mech would truly be the king of the battlefield.”

Techlock, who had stopped coughing, was now tearing into his sweet bread as if it were his last meal. Elli looked unsure, but she kept a straight face, her eyes glued to the crime lord before us.

Geoffrey turned, locking his eyes with my own.

“You will make this mech and give it to me. Give Sir Alain something else. I’ll bankroll the construction of both, not just cost but also a healthy profit. And if it meets your promises, you’ll also live.”

Elli scowled.

“Hard to work with our lives on the line,” she scolded.

Geoffrey smiled.

“Everyone’s life is always on the line. Or haven’t you noticed? I’m simply upfront about it. Give me my mech, and we’ll talk further partnership and even greater rewards. I am being gracious. The creds I will send you both will buy you better lives for as long as I wish them to be.”

“And you guarantee this?” I asked, the words falling out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Geoffrey's expression turned cold, his voice a low growl.

“Never dare ask such a question again. We’ve just met, so I’ll forgive you just this once. You have the assurance of my word, and in this realm, my word is law.”

I met Geoffrey's gaze.

“We accept your terms, Lord Geoffrey.”

Geoffrey's smile returned, broader this time, as he gestured magnanimously.

“Very well, let the agreement be struck. But remember, I expect not just any mech, but a marvel. Now, enjoy the sweet bread and tea. They may be the last comforts you enjoy should you fail.”