by Ryan DeBruyn
Dmitri stopped talking and grew serious as they approached an open metal staircase. Two men in military fatigues guarded the bottom. Dmitri nodded to the men and led Rocky's group up the stairs. One lone figure kept watch at the top of the stairwell. Rocky's stomach clenched as the dull, black accenting metal came into view. Mechano-Lord.
Dmitri passed Rocky off to the man and whispered, “You find Dmitri before leave. Introduce Dmitri to pet Azoth.”
Rocky found himself liking the man more and more. He shook Dmitri’s hand and allowed the Mechanoid human to lead the way into an office near the roof of the warehouse. The office was just a single windowed room surrounded by more sheet metal. The Mechanoid opened the door, revealing a robotic-man behind a desk, flipping through the pages of his Knowledge Tablet.
Dockmaster (Ernest Ford)
Level 49
Master-Mechanoid
Health Points 1510/1510
The man’s head jerked up when the door opened, and his two human eyes met Rocky, Sela, and Derik’s in turn. It was an eerie sight. The man’s entire face was some sort of coppery metal. The eyes were the one piece that seemed human—that, and strangely, the palms and fingers of his hands, like he was wearing a pair of skin gloves. Rocky forced down a shudder and stepped into the room.
The man nodded to his guard, and the door closed behind them. His face cracked into a wide robotic smile as he took in the group standing before him. The action humanized him, and Rocky’s unease vanished.
“It is good to see others who have found a way to survive. Please, sit. Can I get you some water or food?” asked the Dockmaster.
“No, thank you, Ernest. We have our own, and I believe your food is mostly claimed if the figures on the Knowledge Tablet are accurate,” said Sela.
Ernest smiled again. “No one has called me Ernest since the Turn.” He glanced back at the Tablet. “Do not fear for our health, however. While you are correct, we aren’t starving, but we try to bring in the right amount of food for each day. We have some refrigerators and deep freezers, but nowhere near enough to hold food for more than a day.”
Rocky’s guilt sparked as he thought about his Territorial Storage. He assumed the Floridians knew about Territories already, thanks to their patrons.
“That is very good to hear. We have a starship, which I am sure you have seen, and we may be able to offer aid if you ever need it,” said Derik.
Ernest’s head snapped around inhumanly fast. He smiled at the mention of the ship. “Yes, we saw the ship when you arrived. I will admit, we initially thought our saviors, the Mechano-Lords, had arrived, even though they said it would be quite a while to travel here.”
Rocky grimaced at the reverence. “What have these Mechano-Lords told you so far?”
Ernest tilted his mechanical neck and narrowed his human eyes in concentration. “Not much, actually. They wish to find new areas to explore and set up outposts. At first, we were skeptical, until they began teaching us about the EtherVerse, as they call it.” He pointed at the Tablet and his mechanical body. “These are but a few of the benefits they have bestowed upon us. I would like to say we would have made it without them, but we were barely scraping by from day to day, surrounded by encroaching monsters.”
From his tone, Rocky could tell it hadn’t been a natural choice for the man. He knew that weight of responsibility—and what it could push a man to do. How could he tell the man that his saviors were, in fact, conquerors?
“I was going to mention as well that we could—” said Derik.
Ernest’s suspicious glare forced Derik to mumble to a stop. Rocky assumed it was Derik’s tone, which was very polite, but also very political.
How had the Mechano-Lords managed to convince someone so instantly suspicious?
“I want to know the actual reason you are here. That starship out there says you don’t need anything from us, except for maybe the gasoline. However, I am not an idiot. Gasoline doesn’t fuel that boat, and while it is valuable to the Mechano-Lords and the Guild Collective they represent, it isn’t worth a trip from humans who know what it is.”
Rocky was unsure that he could break the news lightly, so he looked over to Sela.
“The Mechano-Lords want to come here and commit genocide, take over the planet, and plunder as much as they can,” Sela said bluntly.
Rocky stared at her, his mouth agape.
Good thing you eased him into it, Sela. Wouldn’t want to shock the guy.
“Dahrix said you would say something along those lines.” He held up a hand to stop any rebuttal, even though one hadn’t been forthcoming. “You will notice I am not saying you’re lying. However, do you have any proof of your claims?”
“We have someone willing to tell you all about the atrocities they have committed on the planet of Helion Prime. And we had to fight and destroy a group of murdering psychopaths that Dahrix had sponsored before you.”
Ernest’s mechanical eyebrows rose. “Where is this witness to the Mechano-Lord’s oppression and genocide?”
The Dockmaster had access to the Fiscal Flats and even knew of a Gelthisarian tradesman. Rocky needed to describe the Karacy race as dwarven before Ernest nodded knowingly. The suspicious man was more than happy to get to the bottom of the accusations.
Despite Derik’s protest, Ernest sent a runner to notify the Mechano-Lords of the meeting. “Both parties should be there to defend themselves. Look at it from my point of view. Dahrix claims you are the psychopaths that want to take over the entire continent. That you killed one of his previous vassals in this pursuit, and you claim that Dahrix wants to take over the entire world.”
Rocky looked at Sela and Derik—they both wore expressions that likely mirrored his own. That was quite the lie, but an effective one. Rocky considered ways to counter the claim. He could bring Ernest to the Grotto and have his people attest to his actions in Ottawa. If Amelia Nanospark was telling the truth, Dahrix would then know the location of his Territory and remote into his constructs here in Florida to attack.
He might even have other groups in any number of areas around the globe.
Amelia hadn’t mentioned others yet, but no matter what, he wouldn’t be giving away his Territory’s location.
***
Ernest entered the Arbuckle shop sphere separately from Sela, Derik, and Rocky. Thinking back to all the times he had exited first to find Sela defenseless, Rocky’s respect for the half-man’s forethought grew.
Their group of three phased into the shop. Rocky expected an extensive bazaar and stared in partial horror at the new surroundings. It was a damn mall. Storefronts displayed advertisements, stairs, elevators, and escalators all leading to the next floor. He stood next to a kiosk that neatly listed all of the stores under categories, like weapons, armor, elixirs, materials, Enchantments, and more.
Like all malls, this place teemed with people. So many different races phased through each other, and for a moment, it was like watching a science fiction or fantasy movie.
“The Dwarven shop is on the third floor. Follow me.”
Ernest ushered them into the shop and they vanished into a private meeting room. The Karacy tending the shop wasn’t in the space. Instead, Garnell waved quietly from his seat away from the table. Rocky chose one of the mesh-backed office chairs. Derik and Sela sat on either side of him. His nerves were on high alert, and he absently half-spun in his chair. Sela gripped his armrest to hold it in place, preventing him from twirling further.
He rested his hands, fingers laced, on the table. The coolness of the glass tabletop calmed him. Ernest sat at the head of the table and silence blanketed the room.
Dmitri phased into the meeting room. “Dockmaster, I join speaking, yes?”
Ernest blinked at the man and nodded. He addressed Garnell, “Are you this witness that can attest to the crimes of the Mechano-Lords or the Guild Collective?”
Garnell frowned at the man’s tone. “No, not I. I am just an intermediary. I, by the laws of me gui
ld and people, cannot become involved in these matters.”
Dahrix was the first to arrive. A shot of adrenaline coursed through Rocky’s body and he jumped to his feet.
The creature looked so similar to Corsair. It terrified him. There was the obvious difference in color, but after that, the smoky white stress lines in his metal body reminded Rocky of Damascus steel. His eyes’ blood-red orbs glowed with hatred. He had a metallic face like Ernest, but it had no humanity left to reflect. This creature was nothing but cold steel.
Ernest rose and nodded at Dahrix. Ernest didn’t wear the smile he had displayed when Rocky’s group had first arrived in the warehouse. Rocky hoped that was a good sign.
Dahrix returned the nod and sat beside the man, studying Rocky, Sela, and Derik on the other side of the table. He ignored Garnell.
Dahrix’s voice boomed. “These are the combatants who defeated my vassal? They appear too weak and innocent to have been so devious.”
The arms of the chair creaked under the pressure of Rocky’s tightening fingers. Not two minutes in, and this creature offended them while simultaneously undermining their position. He clacked his jaw shut as hot anger flushed his face. He’d had opponents like him on the basketball court, and he wasn’t going to rise to the bait.
Derik clicked his tongue and shook his head.
Sela placed her hands on the table and stood. “Do you claim your extensive fleet of starships is coming to protect humanity?”
Ernest wore an unreadable expression. If Rocky was to hazard a guess, Ernest hadn’t known about the fleet—or thought a small force was traveling to the planet.
“What fleet do you speak of?”
Dahrix was smart. He knew it would be impossible for them to prove this.
Sela sat down and smiled at Rocky. Her smirk said, ‘The seed is planted.’
They sat in silence for a few minutes before an iridescent Kobold popped into the room. Amelia whispered. “Sorry, I am late. I had some things to take care of at home.” She glared at Dahrix as she took her seat at the foot of the glass table.
Once she was seated, Ernest cleared his throat, which seemed like a pointless gesture for a robot. “Hello. I am told that you have some information you wish to share with me regarding the Guild Collective and, more specifically, the Mechano-Lords,” he said.
Dahrix watched Amelia very closely. He seemed to have no room to pay attention to anyone else. It was as if his computer, or brain, or whatever resided in his head, was overloaded by the Kobold's very appearance.
“The Guild Collective wants nothing more than to establish your planet as a colony. They have done so numerous times already. They only succeeded in truly capturing a single one. Helion Prime. Because they feared uprising, they massacred every living sapient on the planet when they arrived,” Amelia said.
Ernest listened as she outlined what she had already told Rocky and Sela. Derik listened with rapt attention, his face morphing to horror at her firsthand account of the Guild’s deeds.
Dahrix remained silent through the entire process. At first, Rocky viewed it as a good sign, until he saw the robotic eyes look away entirely. Was that unconcern?
Ernest shifted his chair further away from Dahrix as Amelia continued speaking.
Dmitri remained silent and his look of terror spoke for him. Amelia finished the last of her emotional tirade and sat down. Rocky hadn’t realized she had been standing on her chair to begin with, as her height hadn’t changed.
After a few tense heartbeats, the Mechano-Lord spoke, “You claim that we have wronged your people, and have twisted the truth.” He looked at Ernest and shrugged. “We have in the past helped other new planets, much in the same way that we are now helping yours. After they are safe, we create terms of alliance and trade before leaving.”
Dahrix smiled and a chill swept over Rocky’s heart. “I have with me an entire documented list of every race we have helped. On that list, you will find no mention of Iridescent Kobolds. In fact, I have never seen one of your kind in person until now, little lady. So, I would like to ask you, or our esteemed host—who exactly are you?”
His glare, when accompanied by his grin, made Rocky’s skin crawl. Amelia’s scales dimmed by the tiniest of margins.
What in the world is going on?
“I can confirm that her race isn’t Koboldian. I will not reveal her heritage to the room, however—” said Garnell.
Ernest shot to his feet. “You come here in the guise of a cute creature to gain my sympathy?” He looked at Rocky, Sela, and Derik, “What is this? A play on the humanity of others, since you have none of your own?”
Rocky stared at the glass table, at his leather pants beneath it. A part of him understood Ernest’s tone. Why would she keep her heritage a secret, and what did it mean? Was she lying about more than that?
“They didn’t know you weren’t a Kobold either. Reveal yourself, deceiver!” Ernest’s tone changed. It was subtle, but the emotions that laced his voice before were absent.
Amelia licked her teeth and pointed at Dahrix. “If he leaves the meeting, I will remove my guise. I cannot reveal myself for fear of that monster.”
Dahrix stood and spoke, “Ernest, we will make all due haste to your location. If you can hold out long enough, we will aid in this fight. My only caution after meeting the players is not to let them capture more ground or recruit allies.” The monster came off as the white knight—he had played them beautifully.
Ernest nodded, and Dahrix phased out of the meeting room.
“Amelia, ye do not need to do this. Think about this,” said Garnell.
She shook her head and stood, moving to a corner. She whispered, “I know the risk. I am all in, Garnell.”
Then in an instant, she changed. In the place of a tiny kobold stood a creature from a nightmare. She had black, chitinous skin, and skeletal wings adorned her back. Her dark black glossy claws were almost as sharp as her teeth. Elongated and deadly fangs dominated her deadly mouth.
Rocky stared in horror, as did everyone else in the room. Except Garnell.
“My race was the trueborn of Helion Prime. My story is a firsthand retelling. Do not allow them to fool you,” Amelia said.
“Why did you keep this from us?” Rocky asked.
“How could you let us believe?” Sela pointed at Garnell.
Derik just sputtered at the creature that had transformed before him. Ernest crossed himself.
Dmitri was the only one who stayed sitting through the entire event. His eyes were unfocused and filled with tears. He was in another place, another time, maybe.
Rocky turned to Amelia. “How could you keep this from us?”
A tear ran down Amelia’s cheek. “Because I knew how you'd react. How everyone reacts. Others see us as less than them, as inherently evil. So who cares if they kill my people, right?”
Her statement left him torn. Did her appearance change the story and truth? No, it didn’t. At least it shouldn’t. But looking at Ernest, it did. Ernest pointed at them and blinked out of the shop.
Amelia’s skeletal wings drooped behind her. Before anyone could say anything, she left.
“Garnell, I—” said Rocky.
Garnell shook his head.”Ye believe appearance carries so much weight—it makes me think less of ye.”
Rocky hunched his shoulders, his arms limp at his sides. “Garnell, will you receive any blowback from this? I assume Amelia just gave away her rebellion?”
Garnell held up both hands. “Gelthisar is a unified planet of allied guilds. There is no chance of anyone, other than the other Elder Planets, threatening us. Amelia, on the other mitt, has now entirely thrown her lot in with ye, and ye just scorned her for her appearance.”
Rocky glanced at Dmitri’s seat and found it empty. It was just them and Garnell.
Did Amelia’s appearance matter? Was he that hollow? No, definitely not. The only part that bothered him was the way it had been revealed. The way he let Dahrix use it against th
em.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sela, Rocky, and Derik stood in the pie-shaped metal room of the seed shop for Fiscal Flats.
“If ye believe that the way a person looks makes a monster, then methinks ye haven’t seen true monsters.” Garnell’s parting words rattled around in his head. He was right. And that was why it stung. What Garnell must think of him. And Amelia. He wished Amelia had trusted them with her secret sooner. So why hadn’t she? He must’ve made her feel like she couldn’t trust them. Couldn’t trust him. A fine leader he was turning out to be.
Amelia had just revealed herself to a puppet of Dahrix. Ernest. She and her people were committed to this. She hadn’t revealed her race in front of Dahrix himself, but knowingly revealed the information to her enemy.
Rocky closed his eyes. He worried about Amelia. He didn’t care what she looked like, and if others did, he would try his best to correct them. Right now, they were dealing with her secret. Not her. He couldn’t help but be upset with her choice to hide it.
Sela nudged him. The longer they waited, the more time they gave a possible hostile enemy to gather outside.
He didn’t want to start a fight here. These people weren’t the enemy, and he couldn’t—wouldn’t—attack them, unless he had no other choice. “Let me go out first. If they attack, I have the best chance of surviving.” He clicked his earpiece radio, connecting him with The Scourge. “Stand by for possible hostile actions.”
Sela nodded grimly.
“I may be able to create a portal and carry more than one of us from this room,” Derik said.
Sela’s eyes flew open. “No, that is not going to work. Derik, it is a horrible idea to try to use a spatial skill inside of a shop dome. The Enchantments on the Arbuckle often respond and interfere with such spells.”
Rocky patted the man on the back and stepped up to the wall. At his touch, a door opened, and he exited.
They were surrounded.