Of Steel and Steam
Page 1
Of Steel and Steam
A Limited Edition Anthology
Contents
C. A. King
Switching Gears
Mary Kit Caelsto
Radio Arcanum: A Musimagium Story
Klarissa King
Hearts ~ The Glass Queendom #1
Pauline Creeden
Cog
R.M. Garino
For King and Country
M.R. Graham
Strange Aeons: A Monstrous Romance
J. A. Cummings
The Clockwork Dragonfly
Margo Bond Collins
Unwelcome Gifts
Bokerah Brumley
Cogs & Robbers
Majanka Verstraete
The Tomb of the Forgotten Queens
Thank You for Reading!
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Of Steel and Steam: A Limited Edition Anthology © 2020
Cover by Cover of Darkness - Logan Keys
All rights reserved by the individual authors.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Titles and Authors in this Anthology
Switching Gears
By C. A. King
Radio Arcanum: A Musimagium Story
By Mary Kit Caelsto
Hearts
By Klarissa King
Cog
By Pauline Creeden
For King and Country
By R.M. Garino
Strange Aeons: A Monstrous Romance
By M.R. Graham
The Clockwork Dragonfly
By J. A. Cummings
Unwelcome Gifts
By Margo Bond Collins
Cogs & Robbers
By Bokerah Brumley
The Tomb of the Forgotten Queens
By Majanka Verstraete
Switching Gears
C. A. King
Switching Gears © 2020 C. A. King
Edited by Karen Hrdlicka
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Switching Gears
In a single moment, the world changed forever, albeit, life persisted. Cities were rebuilt—society reconstructed—history forgotten. Drivers with vehicles, meshed together from scraps, raced in badlands to decide right from wrong, rich from poor. Only the strong came out on top. Only the just could win.
Amidst it all, one junior mechanic took centre stage—a search for parts leading him to a new understanding of not only himself, but the world as well.
A fairy came to his rescue, saving his life, but in exchange left doubt in his mind. Could one race alter the future? Was winning all that mattered? What came next?
Prologue
In the beginning...
Legends all pointed to one thing—they saved the world—Fairies. Whether that was true or not was anyone’s guess; nobody actually remembered. Only bits and pieces of the tales remained. Amongst it all, there was one thing that was undeniable: for better or worse, the earth had changed, in more ways than one.
One fateful day marked the end of the great technological era, proving exactly how weak the human race was. Faced with certain destruction, the world watched on as the defences they were so proud of failed, bowing down before the might of the universe. Ten seconds altered life forever—the rotation of the planet halting—its core dead and empty.
Even the largest cities fell, reduced to rubble, becoming nothing more than outdated junkyards. Survivors searched daily for the parts needed to fuel a new existence, hoping to build civilization from the ground up, literally. Every gear, every gadget was placed at the foot of mountains, an offering to those who resided within.
Part of the surface froze—part burned—people died. Then the grinding began. It started as a low hum, the ground vibrating. Slowly changes became obvious. The earth was moving once again, fuelled not by nature, but rather by the intricately designed clockwork mechanisms hidden within. It was enough to allow life to continue, but not to boast a complete recovery. The rotation was slower. Temperatures fluctuated between extreme highs and bitter lows. Things would never be the same. The earth’s surface became a dismal place to live.
One word had always described the race of man: resilient. The surface might not have been the best environment to live in, but the tips of their fingers could still reach for the clouds. New cities were built, supported only by stems of machinery. Large platforms loomed overhead, forming a canopy for the workers residing below. Thus a two-fold society emerged based on privilege and status.
Climbing such a ladder of success was all but impossible. There were, however, those who would be granted a minuscule taste of the fruit of the gods before being harshly plunged back into the depths of despair—the sweetness of ambrosia lingering on their lips. That alone was enough to make them strive for but another drop—a momentary reprieve from the grasp of hell’s fury.
In a world filled with desperation, there were undeniable truths: life was a constant struggle, survival was for the fittest, family or even friendships were a liability, and winning was everything.
Chapter 1
The lenses on Matt’s goggles extended, scanning the night sky. It was still cold enough to see his breath freeze. That should have passed already. This rotation seemed a tad slower than the previous one. Of course, it always felt that way toward the end of the dark. The stars were the only real way to tell the truth. He measured the angles between them, predicting exactly when the sun would return. If he was correct, they had two days. Daylight, however, came with another set of issues. Pros and cons—they were everywhere. Nothing was easy.
He inhaled the brisk air a few more times. There was work to be finished, a vehicle to build, and ultimately, a race to win. Being a mechanic was better than most other surface jobs, even if the pay was about the same. There weren’t many positions that came with the possibility for advancement, after all. Master mechanics, team leaders, were only one step down from drivers. Still, it was risky business. Winning was everything. Fault always lay with the machines when losses stacked up.
The world was a terrible place, especially for those stuck at the bottom of the ladder, trying desperately to claw their way up. In most cases, the top was too far to aim for. Someone was always stepping on fingers, forcing those beneath—clinging to one step or another for all they were worth—to fall. Few returned after such a blow. Starting from scratch was tougher than it sounded. It was easier for those with no liabilities: no family, no friends, nothing they cared about.
“I want to change the power source,” Padico ordered. “This piece of crap couldn’t outrun a three-legged groundhog. Sponsors are going to start backing out if we don’t win a race soon.” He kicked an empty can across the room, barely missing a new mechanic.
The young apprentice flinched. I
n that moment, the whole room knew: he wasn’t going to make it on their team. All drivers had attitudes. They were the ones taking all the chances. They were the ones putting their lives on the line.
To the others, this was the chance they were all waiting for: a moment to seize the reins and plow by those who stood toe to toe with them. Opportunities didn’t come around often.
Ricky, the master mechanic for Fen-Corp, was quick to fire back. “The race is two days away. Taking chances now could end in disaster. I can modify the system we have and pull together a stronger core. That’s my official recommendation.”
That’s not enough. Matt watched on as the pit leader pleaded for forgiveness. For the first time, it seemed possible Ricky was on the verge of losing his status. If that happened, it would create an opening, one every person on the team was already gunning for. Normally, a little competition brought about good changes. This, however, was on a different level. The first to make Padico a star again was in for a large bonus—the sort that could feed a family for months—at least, where he was concerned. To the rest of the team it was a merely the opportunity for splurging: women, booze, pampering. Unfortunately, no crew functioned properly when every member is out for blood.
“No!” Padico yelled.
Matt balled his fists, determination etched on his face beneath a layer of grease and grime. He’d almost missed his chance, dreaming about it. “I can modify the system to run on compressed air.” He pulled out a crumpled set of blueprints from within his overalls. “With the right number of tanks...”
“Have you been listening at all?” Padico roared. “I want a system based on a natural fuel source. Is no one willing to build me such an engine?” The room gasped unanimously. “I found these.” He laid a series of pictures and operating manuals on a workbench. “The cars of old were twice as fast as what we have managed to achieve. There are reasons for that.” His grin grew, covering the entirety of both sides of his face. It was his winning smile—the one he was famous for. “Think what we could do if we were to race with such a machine.”
“It wouldn’t last in this weather,” Matt blurted out, realizing his mistake immediately. No one told a driver they were wrong. “I-I.” He inhaled deeply. He’d already opened the can of worms; he might as well fish. “The fuel would either freeze or explode. That’s why no other teams use them.” His words faded to silence.
“It’s a mechanic’s job to see that doesn’t happen,” Padico scoffed. “Isn’t that what I pay you miserable lot for?”
“Yes,” Matt agreed, “But, with a compression system, we could...”
“Stop talking,” Padico bellowed, holding up one hand palm first. “The next person who speaks had better agree with me and have a plan.”
“We’ll do it,” Ricky vowed, his loyalty shining through the gloomy aura filling the room. “I can make it work, if you give me the chance.”
Padico merely nodded, strutting out to meet a team of reporters on an impromptu visit from above.
“All right team.” Ricky’s hands clapped together loudly. “We have two days. Let’s not waste a single minute.”
“This isn’t safe,” Matt grumbled, glancing through the pictures. “Padico could be seriously hurt.” He kept his voice low. The last thing he wanted was for a reporter to hear him speaking against his driver’s will.
“Go ahead and tell him that,” Ricky mused. “You speak up again and I guarantee you’ll be working crap duty in sanitation. If that’s what you are gunning for, be my guest. We could use your help here, though.”
“Fine,” Matt conceded, “but for the record, I don’t think this will end well.”
“I guess it’s a good thing it isn’t your job to think,” Ricky snapped. “It’s mine.” His thumb pointed backward at his own chest. “I plan to keep it that way.”
Competition. It kept them on their toes, bringing out the best and worst in everyone. Was that really all there was to life? Was winning all that mattered?
Chapter 2
Matt placed the single bag of groceries on a wooden table. Prices had skyrocketed again. Food was scarce. They were barely scraping by on his mechanic’s salary. Alone, his life could have been above average. He, however, was one of the few who wasn’t about to follow the status quo.
At one point he’d considered leaving, but after his father’s accident everything changed. Without his pay, his parents would be destitute and his siblings thrown into the workforce at far too early an age. Without skills, they’d be stuck with sanitation jobs. Those were easy to come by. Openings were always available—the turnaround a direct result of disease and deaths that came part and parcel with the job. For some, that was better than starving. Desperation was nasty. That much all ground dwellers knew better than the backs of their own hands.
A father who couldn’t walk, a mother too old to be of any use in the workforce, a brother and sister—both age thirteen—who knew nothing further than their backdoor. There was no way he could leave them to their own devices. The least he could do was see the twins land good jobs, following in his footsteps.
Keeping the situation a secret was a struggle in itself. Still, he managed to hide the obvious—never begging for more in tough times—never whining about responsibility. What he brought home was what they made due with. If anyone found out he was supporting five, he’d be at the mercy of his employers. People who lived with values were the easiest to manipulate.
“Did you have a good day?” Matt’s mother asked, pulling each item from the bag. Her expression said it all—there was little chance she’d be able to stretch the haul for as many days as needed.
“I did,” Matt lied, avoiding her gaze. “I have some new plans Padico is interested in. I’ll be in my room going over them.”
Calling it a room was a stretch. The run-down shack they lived in only had four sections. Since he was the only one working, his father insisted he take one of them for himself, despite complaints from the twins. It wasn’t much bigger than a closet, but acted as a classroom for his siblings, a workshop, and a place for him to sleep.
“Matt!” His brother ran to the kitchen. “You’re home early. Can you show us how to put together this fan again?”
Matt rubbed Jessie’s hair. “Hey, kiddo,” he answered, looking over the contraption his siblings built. “It doesn’t look too bad. You missed a screw, right there.” He pointed to the spot. “Take it apart and try again. I have some work to do this evening that can’t wait. There’s a big race coming.”
Master mechanic. It was with reach and yet still a million miles away. If there was even the slightest chance, he needed to grab it. The difference in wages was enough to wipe the worry and tears from his mother’s eyes. It was the least he could do after they gave him the chance to live a better life. If it wasn’t for his father’s hard work, he never would have even had the slightest chance to learn the basics behind being a mechanic. While it was true his aptitude toward machinery was what landed him the job, it was the opportunity to realize his talent that opened the door in the first place.
No matter what anyone said, tomorrow he was making another bold play to move up the ladder. Such a chance wasn’t likely to come around again for years.
Chapter 3
The thickness of the air in the shop smacked him in the face the moment the door opened. It was obvious from the get-go; the night shift hadn’t made any progress on the design requested. Matt sighed, taking the leap to step inside. If he was the only one who saw this outcome the day before, the rest of the garage wasn’t as bright as he’d previously given them credit for.
Matt took a glimpse over Ricky’s shoulder at a set of blueprints. “Still think you can make that work?” His bag hit the ground, one finger tracing a series of parts on the design. “The cooling system isn’t strong enough. You’ll need at least twice what you’ve allowed for it to be even remotely safe.”
“Hum?” Ricky rubbed the bristles on his chin. “We can’t have that much weight or the
whole unit would slow down. That defeats the purpose of making the changes. You wouldn’t be trying to sabotage the project, now would you?”
“Sabotage isn’t the sort of word I want to hear when I walk through the door.” Padico approached the bench, side-eyeing the assembled team. His gaze lingered on Matt for a split second. “Are these the final plans?”
“Yes, sir,” Ricky replied, his body stiffening. There was no need for military, or order for that matter, when it came to surface dwellers. Everything was decided by races. Winning chose the leaders. Job rankings decided the generals. Victorious drivers were the law—their master mechanics the enforcers.
“Good.” A sinister smile crept over Padico’s face as one hand patted Ricky on the back. “We’ve been together for a long time now. I trust you to enable my needs.”
There was no hidden meaning in the words. It simply was the greatest compliment any master mechanic could receive. Few lasted long enough in the position to make a connection with a driver, let alone build unwavering trust.
Ricky bowed his head. “Thank you, sir. Mark my words; we’ll build the best racer yet. We won’t disappoint you.”