by Han Yang
“How does it show the information?”
“Magic, it’s like a still photo,” he said. I removed my boot. He scooted around the table, sticking the device into my metallic opening on my left foot. There was a buzz, a whirl, and a snap of bright light just like an old timey photo. “Whoa! You really did kill a gorilla and are from Ocarna.”
He held up the device for me to see.
GEARNIX READINESS SHEET
Name: Bradley
Origin City: Ocarna
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Resident City: Langshire
Rating: 9.8
Strength: 9
Endurance: 6
Perception: 5
Burst: 5
Luck: 9
Reflex: 12
Charisma: 12
Charge: 77%
Healing: 1
Intelligence: 17
Melee Combat: 12
Crafting: 0
Aim: 4
Dexterity: 7
Steambot Mastery: 0
“Wahoo, I’m human. My aim is shit. My charisma, intelligence, and reflexes are great. Ha low perception and aim. Yeah people trick me and I rely on a hand cannon.”
“These stats… they’re giving me an itch to go adventuring. I… I thank you for letting me see this.” Leon smiled, sticking the device into a hip pouch.
“Can I buy one of those?” I asked. “Is 9.8 good?”
“It is a very good baseline. To me, it meant you had training at some point. As to a checker, sorry, I don’t have a spare. They’re actually hoarded by the guilds and companies. I can try to get ya one. Give me a few days. Which leads into… What’s next for you?”
“I’m heading to Seagers to maybe get a view of the ocean. If I can afford the cart after, I might have to take you up on that. Or something to help in the wilds,” I said.
He grunted. “There's a lot I can do to help ya prepare. Pay the extra and buy direct with me. A… I’m the closest thing you’ll find to a man who keeps his word here and I promise to never cheat ya,” Leon said and I believed him.
“And the apartment for seeing the water? I really want a nice view. Almost dying has that effect.”
“Aye Bradley, it does. Seagers is another good place, just like my shop. Yeveen owns the building. He reinvests his profits to build it bigger and is snowballing his investment. The top three floors were snapped up the same day it finished.
“He has some moderate views from people upgrading from mid-structure. Good building, good landlord, and he’ll not rob ya while you adventure. Spending more in this town, means you spend less. Do you follow me?”
I nodded, his words were making sense. “I think so. Stick to people you can do business with and pay the extra cost. Why… why did I upset Holina?”
He snickered, shaking his head. “It’s Joana. My daughter felt bad because you’re… you. Langshire is not like some places where honesty rules. Just my opinion, but I’d harvest the riches around this cesspool and get myself out. No amount of good will change what Langshire is at its core - Rotten.”
“You got any guides on what's in the area?” I asked.
He shook his head. “It changes too often. Get a nice long rifle, something to save ya in close, and a decent blade. Take it slow, set traps, and realize it's not a rush to get rich in a day, and you’ll maybe make it home alive.”
“I’ll be back for a long rifle. Tell Joana sorry I pulled on her feelings. Didn’t mean any harm.”
He shrugged.
“It's okay.” A voice blurted from the opening.
Instead of dwelling on the matter, I left the store. Once on the sideway I saw that punk kid, with full enhancements on, laughing at me with his friends. There was a feeling of anger I had to let go of.
I focused on surviving crossing the busy street. The steamwagons and steamcarts were thick here, clogging the middle of the road. After a few narrow calls, I was yelled at by a driver who pointed to a land bridge thirty feet high not far away.
Ah, that made sense.
Seagers was a really nice building with a decent lobby. Paintings of creatures from the wilds adorned the walls. Steambots removed dirt, watered plants, and asked me if I’d been helped every five minutes.
To pass the time I studied every detail I could.
“Sorry about the wait, I’m Yeveen. I got a message from Leon saying you’re a foreign warrior that I quote, ‘Gave a coin to a rich kid who pretended to be poor.’”
“I take it that will haunt me?” I asked and he nodded. “You got anything for rent with a view?”
“Best I got is the seventh floor corner that just moved up to a twelfth floor corner. It’ll go quick, but most salesmen would say that. Price is twenty silver a month. Before you start jumpin up and down that’s the Huntas discount. If you vanish I get what ya leave behind,” Yeveen said with a warning tone.
“Lead the way. I need a place to plop my feet up, and enjoy a drink,” I grumbled.
“There is a few chairs I got in storage I can have brought up and a runner can be sent for a bottle for a small fee,” Yeveen told me.
I smiled. “I’d like that, I’d like that a lot.”
We went up to a studio apartment with a single bedroom on the seventh floor. There was a kitchen with about a dozen odd cooking items that ran on steam outlets. The metered devices would whirl as I tested them, costing me as I went.
I saw steambot plugins for helpers if I bought or rented any. I was informed the cheaper apartments didn’t use a billing system. If I failed to pay I’d have the outlets turned off.
Made sense to me.
My tour went straight to a steel balcony with rust stains on it from where old plants rested. I fixated on the view. Steamboats chugged and puffed clouds of bluish gas. The setting sun cast orange glows across the bluish green water. The fleet was coming in for the night and a big casino boat steamed out for an adventure. I marveled in the sight before seeing the rest of the apartment.
There was a nice sized bedroom with a balcony that connected to a small living room that really was a dining room. There were no televisions for you to watch from a couch. I found a toilet with flushing water and my needs were more than met when I’d get some furniture.
We haggled. For twenty two silver a month I rented a full set of bedroom furniture, outdoor chairs, and a table for the dining area.
The moment the door closed I dug into my bag to start to study Gearnix. I just got comfy on the hard balcony floor when there was an unexpected knock on my door.
“I wonder who that could be?” I asked myself, hesitant to check.
I extracted my blunderbuss and approached the handle slowly. I just had to hope whomever on the other side was friendly.
CHAPTER 7
I opened the door to see Leon geared for battle. His adventuring set was worn from use. A long rifle with intricate designs rested over his shoulder and he had a big goofy grin on his face.
“Uh… Can I help you?”
His hand shot out, pulling Joana forward and into view. She was wearing Ocarna leathers with two long rifles over her shoulder. She had swords on each hip and carried a big bag with wheels on her back. The telltale signs of a blunderbuss protruded from under the flap.
“You got enough H to fight?” Leon asked.
I looked over my shoulder to ensure he was talking to me.
“Um, is this where you try to steal my hydrox?” I asked and he giggled. “What!? I felt it was a decent question.”
“No, no, no. It is. Just Joana here said you’d think that too. Anyway, I got an offer. The wilds come alive at night and I could use a man at my side who won’t shoot me in the back,” Leon said with a grunt.
“She won't shoot ya?” I said, gesturing at Joana. “I doubt her husband would either.” She raised an empty wrist. “No husband… Shoulda seen that one coming.”
“Yeah, you should have,” Joana said, tugging on her sleeve. “A married woman doesn’t give a man
she fancies a peek.”
“Huh?” I blurted.
The outfit was meant for adventuring and the poor buttons on her chest were straining to the point she had an extra wide belt over her chest that held a dagger. That must be uncomfortable.
She saw me eyeing her outfit. “If I wear this it will keep the cons at bay. Especially if they see you around dad.”
“I’m a tad perplexed. I was going to drink some whisky while watching the sunset and reading a book,” I admitted.
“You want to earn some H? Even three way split. There is a catch though. You get to use nicer gear. Sounds great right? Wrong. If we go huntin and you slay a deerda beast that rifle levels up and I get to sell it for more,” Leon said proudly.
Hmm…
“I take it if we die, it doesn’t matter. If we live you get additional earnings. Why is she coming then if you didn’t take her on your own?” I asked.
He shook his head and avoided answering. “You coming?”
I emptied my bag of non-essentials, filled my canteen, and heard my stomach rumble.
“I packed snacks,” Joana said on cue.
“Leave the sword. She has a better one. The long rifle and pistol are about three tiers above basic parts,” he grinned, “all at level zeros. Owners got em and never used em. We’ll change that though. Hand the lad the gear.” Leon gestured at his daughter.
She stripped the extra sword off, handing me the belt. I equipped the sword, pistol, and slung the rifle. The last thing she gave me was a medieval type helmet with the nose guard and plum on the top. There was an opening for me to still swipe my eye enhancer and the best part was: there was a black mohawk.
The final item she gave me was a forearm shield for my left hand. I opened up my hydrox bag and charged each of the weapons to full. Joana gasped.
“What?” I blurted.
“You can overload them.”
I furled my brows under the helmet. “Uh, maybe, but they tell you when they’re full.”
“Told ya,” the father said to his daughter. “Ocarna warrior. They never venture this far unless they see a ripe area to make a fortune from. Shame you lost some of your memories, but clearly some of them are still there.”
“Yeah, I thought everyone could feel the magic in the weapons,” I said with a shrug.
“They can, just knowing when something is full is a bit of a trick. Anyway, lock up, we got a boat to catch.”
I eyed him speculatively. Honestly, if this were a con he’d be telling me to bring all the gold for the docks. Or to pull money out of the bank. Or buy the weapons on a clearing transaction. The fact Joana dressed in Ocarna garb about a chest size too small said they were in it for the adventure and profits.
I’d just need to watch my back at splitting time.
“So… what’s the plan?” I asked, securing the door. Joana opened a container, handing me a piece of succulent meat. After a few bites I was in heaven. “This is delicious. By the gods and goddesses it’s divine. I need this cook in my life.”
“Don’t encourage her.” Leon elbowed his daughter before we entered the steam powered elevator. He plopped a tiny orb of H into the device that we boarded. There was a creaking when two doors made of welded parts closed with a bang. There was a jostle before the elevator lowered with a hiss. “Don’t get to use these often. Expensive additions that only the rich afford.”
I ran my fingers over the intricate circular designs on the containing doors. “The gears are lovely, and the ride is slow but smooth. Back to that plan you were going to tell me.”
“Oh, yeah, not telling you until we get away from the city. Old rule of mine. Which lets me get old, so… if that's a deal breaker ride this back up,” he said without a budge in his voice.
I chuckled. “Going into the unknown with strangers at night. Sounds about what I expected.”
We walked out of Seagers and turned left. Joana never missed a beat. She noticed my dismay. Her white haired braid spun to see me slacking. “Keep up. If you want to go adventuring on your own later, there are the hiring boards in the town center.
“The town center is where the city upgrades are controlled through the Gearnix Globe Station. Unlike the commoner stations that one is for designated leaders only. Really neat. If they want to expand the docks, insert a million bronze worth of H into the city sorta deal.”
“Oh, you can directly contribute to improving the city. This is what… the text meant. I do remember before coming here I saw a train trip to Nornfree. It was a fledgling city without a major. People were leaving the city and I saw a chance to turn it around,” I said.
“It is staggering how much H it takes to establish a town or rescue a failing city. No, you did right to pick a ripe area and a place you can hide out in. Notice how we're still on the main street,” Joana said, letting her dad lead the way.
I was confused when she tucked an arm into mine, batting her lashes at me. “You're so pretty,” I blurted and she went crimson in the cheeks.
There was an awkward moment between us as we passed a restaurant on the water filled with women just as pretty, or prettier than Joana. Uh… score. I certainly loved the look of steampunk on a busty lady or ten.
There were scornful gazes shot at Joana and I gave a goofy wave. Almost all of the ladies folded hands rapidly while watching us pass by.
“Don’t encourage em. The whole point of me wearing this damn outfit is ta keep em from knocking on your door fer help fixing a part,” Joana said and her father chuckled.
“Leave him be Jo. He is one of the good ones or amazing at pulling the long con.” Leon had a point. I could be a bad guy trying to trick them too. “Those ladies will knock on the door even if you’re in there with him having supper.”
“Yummm supper,” I blurted.
She swatted my arm. “You should be drooling about sharing a private meal with a lady like myself.”
“Careful Jo, you're sounding like your Mum,” Leon said, checking around as we arrived onto actual docks. A guard smiled, waving us onto metallic slats where you could see water beneath. “Speaking of which. Fingers crossed she doesn’t see us before we depart.”
“I never sound like Mum’s naggin, but yeah, we should hurry.” They both picked up the pace.
“Hey, if some woman shows up with a frying pan. You abducted me, frying pans are scary,” I said and the others snorted laughter.
“Got a pan in the bag.” Joana said, letting the laugh fade. “Finally.”
We walk beyond mighty ships of metallic designs. Big wheels slowly cascaded water. Revelers waved at us below as they prepared to go on an adventure. There was toots of steam, and the sound of merriment. I felt the tug of desire to relax, drink, and gamble while on the water. It… Even with the sour people the concept of Gearnix was riveting.
My smile swapped to a frown when we arrived at a rowboat in a big slip. The boat clearly was not meant for this space. A man stood nearby, leaning against a wooden pillar.
“A day, any longer and it’s marked as missing. Be safe Leon,” the man said clasping forearms with Leon. He kissed Joana’s cheek, not even giving me a moment’s notice. “Glad you found one brave enough to be around your horrid aim.”
“Uncle Felix, I swear to all the gods.” She went to pinch him and the man was gone down the docks with a wave.
“Old hunting buddy. Swapped to fishing and never looked back when I opened up the store. We… had a bad adventure together. Still has my back for a small boat but refuses to go with us,” Leon said, giving me a wee bit of back story.
Joana held my hand, getting into the boat. Her soft hand gripped mine as if unwilling to let go. I smiled, jumping into the wobbly vessel myself to get situated. Her eyes lingered on me while I readied two small oars.
Leon untied a rope, grunted a push off, and then over the next ten minutes, I figured out how to time my oar strokes with him.
“So what’s the plan?” I asked, noticing we were well away from others.
&n
bsp; Joana looked from me to her father and back to me. “There is no plan. The docks are the easiest way to get H into the city. And… when you row into the wilds on the beach, they’re almost never hunted. Plus, if things go poorly, we got an exit plan: get in the boat.”
“That is a plan,” I said with a shrug. “Not a great one, but why skip the gates, they seemed harmless.”
Leon paused his rowing. “Quick in and out this way. No trolley for thieves to use enhanced eyes to spot us on and then get set up. Your bank stamp, Bradley, is issued by the highest fee bank. Most journey into main street to deposit, and therefore enter riskier routes. Then again a mercenary company hunting the wilds usually can defend their goods. Which…”
“We’re not. Is the mayor going to be angry?” I said snapping my fingers, trying to recall her name.
“Mistress Patrica, and no. We’ll pay our taxes, as we should,” Leon said sternly.
The boat passed a section of wall and there was another dinghy here. “Ah, not the only ones to have this idea.”
“Yeah, the wilds grow back fairly quickly. I don’t ever park a boat this close. Another boat can steal your boat. Hell, some even risk the croc filled waters to steal a twenty silver dinghy,” Leon said and Joana’s eyes shot to the water while her butt scooted for the middle.
“So… we have a saying back home. Are we going to discuss the elephant in the room? Why did Uncle Felix say Joana can’t shoot and why are ya hiding from your wife?”
Leon went to talk but Joana went first. “I can’t shoot… its expensive and the few times I have shot, I miss. I’m here as a support. I can carve out hearts while you guard. I can carry meat, I can hear with my enhanced ear, and I’m not scared to be out here… sorta, maybe.”
I snickered, waiting for the mom drama.
Leon huffed. “Joana’s Mum was with me while I adventured. She was one of the team members that fateful night. We… we… we found a nice cave. The cave crawl was supposed to be straight forward. The problem was a treasure chest was a trap. The entire floor at the end of a long slog of killing werewolves fell out from our feet.
