The sun shone gold and the meadows were green, dotted with purple, blue, red, and yellow with the colors of summer. Next to me, Elli danced in a floral print dress, the sort made for summer outings among the nobles. She bit her lip, eyeing me lasciviously.

“Looks like someone is feeling well-rested,” she said, her eyes glancing under my belt.

I smirked and reached out, pulling her into my embrace. I opened my mouth to take in hers . . . but there was no time.

Above us, the sky was filled with smoke and thunder, red lightning flashing and crackling, flaming rain dribbling down from the sky. We ran, burning drops sizzling through our clothes into our skin. Rat-a-tat-tat came the hurried pounding of the heavens.

We fell, our confused faces side by side as we regarded the sudden apocalypse above us. What the hell was going on?

The ground ripped open beneath us, a sudden chasm in the now burning meadow, and we fell, screaming, through the land of dreams and into the present.

I gasped as I awoke. It’d been so vivid and real that I shook while bathed in cold sweat. My eyes darted around, searching for anything familiar. I was in bed, Elli locked in my arms, her heat radiating through me.

I let out a deep sigh and smiled. I was a lucky man. A stupid man as well. I had no idea if the dream meant anything, but I knew one thing: I’d been an idiot to wait so long for . . .well, whatever it was that we finally had.

Hurried pounding echoed through the bay and into our bed chamber, the sound immediately filling me with a hint of fear. It was the same sound that I’d been hearing in the nightmare aspect of my dream, and hearing it here in the real world wasn’t something my brain had quite been prepared for.

I shook Elli, more harshly than I should have, getting an elbow in the neck for my troubles.

“Ow!” I cried, rolling out of bed and taking the blanket with me. Elli scowled, but with her nudity on such a powerful display, it somehow looked amazing on her.

“Al, what’s wrong with you?” she asked, her voice angry and staccato.

“Someone’s at the door. Put your clothes on. I’ll go see who it is.”

As if to emphasize the urgency, the rapping started again, faster and more desperate than before.

“Lords and demons,” I cursed. “I’m coming!”

I went out into the bay, being sure to close the door to our little nest securely before striding past our mech and quickly to the entrance. I was clad in just the blanket from the bed, its frayed threads filled with small holes that showed my skin, and the back end billowed in my movement, almost surely showing off my hairy ass as I went.

But I didn’t care at that moment. I’d been comfortable and happy, and as far as I could tell it was barely past dawn. Whether it was town guard, nobles, or gangsters, they could just deal with my bare balls hanging in the wind as far as I was concerned.

When I got to the door, I yanked it open, the golden glow of way-too-early causing me to shutter my eyes while simultaneously frightening an already visibly shaken Techlock. His robes were torn and his mask cracked across a white plastic cheek, the entire area bottom half of it broken and exposed. The tall thin man bellowed and recoiled, falling backward onto his ass. He stared up at me, his eyes wide and his mouth a big circular O.

“Techlock. What in the burning techno hells are you doing here?” I groused, my own surprise tempering my anger.

He sputtered, scrambling back to his feet. Bowing, basically kowtowing, he muttered words that I couldn’t understand at first, but I suddenly realized were, “I’m sorry,” and “Please forgive me.”

That wasn’t like him at all. Techlock was arrogant and selfish, not the sort to come to the door and beg apologies.

I softened, putting out my hands to calm him.

“Hey man, take it easy. Ah, shit,” I cursed, shaking my head. Obviously something big had happened, but with our tech just sitting there in the bay, I couldn’t simply let him inside.

I gave the sniveling man another once over, trying to figure things out. Sighing, wondering what sort of trouble it might get me into later, I lightly undid the blanket encircling my body and tore a strip off it before rewrapping myself.

“Look, you can come in, but you’ll have to lose the mask and let me blindfold you. Simple business.”

He stared at me for a moment before taking the wreck from his face and tossing it sideways to land in the street.

Techlock's face, now unobscured by the mask, revealed a landscape of scars that I’d never expected, coupled with skin that almost certainly never saw the light of day. His eyes darted around wildly as he stood there, and I could see dark bags under his eyes as if he hadn’t at all slept since we’d last seen him.

I felt a bit of my own fear stir inside me. This was almost certainly going to involve me and Elli.

“Come on, Tech. Get in. Come inside,” I said, keeping my sentences short and reassuring. “You can tell me what’s going on there.”

He made for the door, but I stopped him with a hand on his chest.

“Blindfold first.”

He turned around, his hands shooting up in a gesture that told me that in his life, this sort of thing was a daily occurrence. It was strange to think about; I’d always assumed that the black marketers had slick living when the shop doors closed. Seeing him like this, I suddenly realized that I was completely wrong.

The blindfold tied, I gestured for him to follow, cursed my own stupidity, and took his hand. Stuttering and whining, he followed me, not even remarking when my blanket finally did slip and fall against his legs.

Being led, blindfolded, by a now obviously naked man into his secret lair; that was something that should have given him the fear of the devil’s horn. I’d have stopped in my tracks. The fact that he was continuing told me everything I needed to know about his situation.

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“That bad?” I asked.

He didn’t answer.

The door to our sleeping quarters opened, and Elli emerged in her work overalls, getting me an appreciative good look as her eyes instantly transformed from a zombie squint to wide-open catlike interest.

“Al, you working unconventional today?” she asked, her eyes spending a good minute on me before moving over to the cowering Techlock. “What’s he doing here?”

“I’m sorry,” Techlock muttered.

I gestured to Elli, and she nodded, ducking in and directing him to an eating table while I hurried back into our chamber to get changed. Now that I was fully awake, the smell of yesterday’s lunch, then afternoon, then again late-night activities fully penetrated my sinuses and a glow came to my face. I grabbed my tunic and breeches, pulled them on quickly, and got out just in time to see Elli brewing some tea.

“Hey there,” Elli said, smirking. “I don’t exactly approve of the new look.”

I smiled.

“I bet.”

Sidling up, I sat at the table while Elli hovered over the kettle. Wisps of vapor were already slipping forth and starting to fill the bay with the smell of peppermint and barley. Techlock sniffed at the air and sat up straighter, his blinded face turning towards the cooking area.

The clink of metal on metal echoed through the bay as Elli busted over, setting down a clustered collection of battered tin cups on the table before taking a seat. We shared a look and she tilted her head to the steaming pot, bringing me out of my chair to go get it.

As I passed by her to get it, she playfully swatted my rear, her dimple deep as she grinned after me. I brought the kettle over, pouring the steaming liquid into each of our cups before returning it and coming back to parlay.

“So, what’s troubling you?” Elli asked.

Techlock's hands trembled slightly as he reached for his cup, the steam rolling into his face and beard. He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring as he sucked up the strong peppermint scent hard.

“They came after sunset, a group of ‘em, goons sent by Geoffrey,” Techlock started, his eyes not meeting ours. “Said Geoffrey was upset. Didn’t like it that I wanted to leave before dinner, ya know. Said I insulted him and embarrassed him. Some stuff about reputation.”

He sighed and took a heavy draught of tea.

“Didn’t mean to do nothing. Really. I don’t know all the things that were making him angry. His men just kept beating me while one of them kept telling me all the things I did wrong. It was hard to listen to it all.”

He opened up the top of his long robe, showing off deep black and purple bruising.

“Guy’s gonna kill me. I didn’t do anything wrong but I’m a dead man. You gotta help me!”

His voice was bitter like coffee, and his posture was bent. Elli and I shared a look.

“I . . .uh . . .I’m just a serf,” I said.

Elli raised an eyebrow and I put out my hands, shrugging.

Techlock clasped his hands tightly around the cup, his knuckles white. “They didn't just come to warn me,” he began, his voice strained with the effort of keeping it steady. “They trashed my shop, beat me until I could barely stand. All because I tried to leave that meeting with Geoffrey early.”

He put his hand up to his blindfold and I smacked him.

“No. Techlock, we’re listening, but by the words of the saints of the church, you do not take that off. Not in here.”

He growled and slapped his hands down on the table, knocking over his cup while shivering the liquid in our cups.

“This wouldn’t be happening if I hadn’t done you a favor. You owe me, Alaric.”

Elli stood.

“Do that again, and we kick you out. Now, Techlock, how is this even possible? He did all that because you wanted to leave early? That’s all it took?”

“Yes,” Techlock confirmed, his head dropping. “His pride . . . It's like a tinderbox. The smallest perceived slight and he explodes into rage. He’s—” Techlock swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. “He’s crazy.”

Elli leaned in, concern etching her features.

“Techlock, how bad is it? Really?”

He let out a shaky breath, meeting her eyes.

“Bad enough that I'm scared for my life. Geoffrey's the type . . . Once he decides you're his enemy, there's no end to the hate. He won't stop until he's . . . until he's squeezed me dry and left me with nothing. Or worse.”

I exchanged a glance with Elli.

“And you think he'll come after you? That you're . . .what, going to roll over and die?”

Techlock nodded grimly.

“That's exactly what I think. My life in this city . . .it's hanging by a thread.”

I growled.

“Yeah, we can hide you. Not here, though. I’ll have to take you back to my shop.”

“No. It's not just about hiding me,” Techlock pleaded. “I need to get out of this city, away from Geoffrey's reach. He's a madman. Once he feels slighted, there's no telling the lengths he'll go for revenge.”

It was, of course, at this point that CD materialized. He was wrapped in some sort of tech suit, a black shining leather festooned in a number of electronic flashing brooches. I stared at it, dazzled, wondering if this was one of the suits that my ancestors used to wear in battle with his kind.

I glanced sideways and saw Elli shaking her head at him, gesturing her hands, and waving him to the other room.

“Go away, you little shit!” I hissed over our connection. “What if he hears you?”

“Well, isn’t that the whole point? To bring him in under our wing?” he replied with a flat stare.

“No, it’s not,” Elli chimed in. “Listen, we’ve just gotten started, and we need time to do, well, whatever this is.”

“Exactly,” I said, pointing my finger at him and the door. “Go away and don’t bring more trouble down on us!”

“Meh, you two worry too much. Just watch me work my magic, you apelings, while you think of new ways to do the carnal stuff you like so much.” His eyebrows shot up in a wiggle, and Elli gasped.

“Wait, did you watch?”

“Of course I did! You two enjoyed it . . .a lot. Well, Alaric enjoyed it a bit more from what I could tell. But hey, shooting fluids all over each other? Now that’s as primitive as it comes.”

“CD!” Elli snapped.

CD didn’t spare either of us another glance, his electronic and needless eyes focused on Techlock.

“Are you not the black market dealer who has been assisting us?” CD asked, his voice lilted and curious.

I stammered, trying to think of something to say, while Techlock jumped in his chair, toppling sideways.

“Oh, do get up. And don’t take off that blindfold. Alaric has made all instructions quite clear.”

Techlock nodded, groping for the edge of the table to pull himself up and back into his seat.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice shaking again. It was clear by the twist of his face that he was on edge, clearly expecting to have been betrayed. “Yeah, that’s me and that’s what I did.”

“Good,” CD replied. “I am not given any reason to believe that you are a man without means or connections. Given that you have a power base in this city, is there truly no way for you to retaliate or defend yourself? Why do you run from the glory of factional combat?”

Techlock looked taken aback, not expecting this line of questioning. It was his turn to stutter, then stop, before finally finding words again to speak with.

“I . . .my connections are compromised,” he admitted, defeat marring his words. “No one will stand up to him. Geoffrey's influence is far-reaching. They’d get killed.”

CD turned to Elli and me as if deciding that he’d gotten all he needed from Techlock.

“This man is useful. We shouldn’t help him run.”

“What? Wait a minute—” Techlock began.

CD turned on him.

“Be silent, wretch,” he bellowed, “And I will make you a lord in your own right.”

Techlock shut up and CD continued.

“We will ourselves, no doubt, have to face down with Geoffrey soon anyways, and doing so while in an alliance with someone who commands the connections that Techlock holds, might well benefit us for our future conquest. I suggest that we kill Geoffrey and put Techlock in his place, backing up any rebellions with the might of our own technology.”

Elli gaped as I thought on what she’d said just yesterday about what was to come. The idea of just going out and killing this guy was foreign to me, but I immediately understood its necessity.

“We’re in,” I said. “And I’m guessing we’re going to have to take off Techlock’s blindfold now and explain a few things. Because once this all starts, we’re all in it together.”

CD nodded.

“How un-simian of you, Alaric. I respect your grit. I will remotely gather and analyze all available data on Geoffrey and his operations. There may be vulnerabilities we can exploit.”