by Han Yang
I held my hand out for a waddling steambot. The noisy construct gave me a high five.
“Is this warehouse real?” I muttered.
Zozo shook his head. “Afraid not. We’re in a staging area of sorts. Even I’m a figment here. Else the others would be bursting in and demanding I stop helping you.”
I saw him grow sad at saying this.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Yes… well, you actually were slated to marry a woman with teenage kids whose lives you helped guide to greatness. The twins still won because… I can’t say. I also can’t make you a man-god on Gearnix. You can maybe achieve that yourself, but not right away.”
I nodded, sorting through the body parts. “Lemonade, Zozo, making lemonade. I haven’t completely accepted my fate but your enthusiasm about Gearnix is helping. I take it that not right away was foreshadowing?”
“Yes. Well, it is a delightful world that has many unique features. Let’s start with the hand, shall we.” Two metallic hands were hoisted at shoulder level.
I gently accepted the right hand, grunting from the weight.
“I’m going to attach it and I can take it back off if you choose the other. This is one of the scenarios where it is best to experience,” Zozo told me.
He waited until I nodded to wave a hand over my face. There was a brief moment when my vision shifted to black even with my eyes open.
A tug on my right shoulder altered my balance to the point I started staggering my steps. When my ability to see returned, I instinctively caught myself on the table.
My eyes widened at the sight of my metallic rusty red hand. I had seen shiny gold and silver options but Zozo picked this darker variation. I used my left hand to raise my right forearm.
“One second.” Zozo removed my vision. When I opened my eyes I couldn’t help but chuckle. I had muscles suddenly. “Yes, that is part of the new body thing. Your days of sitting on barstools, sitting in an office chair, and then sitting on the couch are somewhat over.”
I was too fascinated in my steam-hand to say much. Winding servos hissed and zinged when I opened and closed a fist. Watching the sprockets and gears rotate was a sight onto itself.
A tiny puff of steam spurted out in a billowing cloud of awesomeness.
On my forearm, between my wrist and elbow I saw an insertion point for hydrox. I let my finger trace the square opening in confusion.
“Your body will have a single insertion point to feed your adaptations. How about I explain while you try to use those tools.” He gestured to a different table the steambots were filling with handy tools.
“I gotta admit, Zozo, this is amazing. I could punch a wall…” I beamed a smile.
He shook his head with a giggle. “That… would be impressive.”
I could feel the support coming from him, he enjoyed seeing me changing from miffed at my death to enthused.
I flexed my metallic fingers in awe. After the tenth iteration I said, “Was going to be a dad. Interesting. I… kinda surprised by that. I guess we all change with time.”
“True, however, children are rare on Gearnix. Call it magic in the air, a poison in the water, or a way to prevent overcrowding from the gods. If a whole lot of adventurers die while challenging the wilds… There will be a miraculously higher pregnancy rate. If no one ventures forth the expansion of humanity stagnates with its lack of new life.
“Your enhancements add longevity indirectly. Hydrox has healing properties that will let you age slower and recover from damage. Yet another reason for others to venture forth. Back to babies. Because they are rare they are given three implants when young by the planet.
“At two, four, and six months old, every Gearnix baby should be modified for a total of three times. Should. The planet’s Gearnix stations donate a gift basket to the new arrival. When a new baby is born the parents can select three parts that will grow with the baby.
“The process is called threeing. Doctors add the modifications. Hydrox helps their bodies adapt and by the time they’re running and talking, the additions are second nature that grow with the children. This helps them later in life, even if it is making your jaw drop. It is natural and common on Gearnix.
“You will see variations, but that is the standard. You… will need three variations. A lot of parents select left hand, right hand with forearm, and then an eye or ear upgrade. Some opt for a foot instead of two hands, and a few choose a nose for a sense upgrade. You following?”
“Uh… I guess,” I said, testing my new arm with some tools.
I swung a hammer into a chisel driving the sharper object through the stone table. My eyes widened in surprise.
I dropped the hammer, feeling like I’d broken an item in a store.
His laughter put my angst at ease. “Yes, modifications mean you grow in power. Set those down for now and listen to me. The two body upgrades can be any of the limbs, no augmenting your anatomy though. If you want an upgraded foot and ankle. Then your right arm will not have a hydrox opening. Your foot would. If you have two steam hands then one of them would be your opening. Recap for me.”
“Hydrox is the key. You want the humans to utilize the magic through augmentations. To encourage this you give them upgrades. These upgrades have to be fed hydrox. This drives the adventuring of the planet. To avoid the wilds losing their wild side, you control the population.” I shifted from inspecting my hand to raise an eyebrow to the god. “I’ll get three upgrades before I arrive?”
“Good, good. You’re catching on. Now… the next fun part. That hand will become stronger and lighter as you harvest hydrox with it,” Zozo said proudly.
“Wait… the metal has a mind of its own? And do I have to punch stuff to upgrade it?” I asked, staring at the augmentation with disbelief.
He shook his head and clapped his hands together in glee. “No dear boy. The magic has a purpose: to reward those who excel. Your weapons, steambots, modification, and anything that ingests hydrox has a chance of becoming better as you adventure. Simply harvest the wilds while implementing your tools, because that is what all these trinkets, doodads, and gizmos are, and you will see improvements through upgrading.”
“I - I - I’m starting to see the point. I go to Gearnix. I build a new future. I can go and get hydrox, find a simple life and survive. Or I can tame the wilds, become a legend, and find myself overpowered compared to the slouches,” I said, talking out my theory.
A wide grin spread on Zozo’s face. “There is lots of fun to be had besides improving yourself too. I… I don’t want to spoil it, but instead will just spy on you. You know, because I can do things like that.”
“Surprised you’d admit that,” I said and he shrugged. “Can I get a foot to the knee and an elbow?”
“Ah, no. One partial limb, like a hand to the wrist or foot to an ankle. One double joint, as in wrist and elbow or ankle and knee. And trust me on this, take the eye for your senses upgrade.
“Seeing in the dark is better than hearing an old bitty gossip three doors down. Pick what you want and then it will be body design, an outfit locked to a region you select, starting items, fake backstory, a starting point, and then you’ll never see my handsome face again,” he said this with a sense of hope.
“I can always upgrade later?” I asked.
“Yes and no. You cannot replace your head, or your chest. Use armor for those. No metal boy or girl parts. You will see the most intense warriors who fight the wilds have four enhanced limbs up to shoulders and hips with nose, eyes, ears, and even tongue upgrades. That is the max. So, yes. You’re starting on the very basic of the basics,” Zozo said.
I drummed the table while I contemplated my choices.
A swiveling knee would open up so many options but the upgrades didn’t go that far. The basic metallic foot did give an ankle modification that would help. Based on what he said, I might be running a lot.
I selected the partial left foot, a right hand up to the elbow, and the eyepiece.
CHAPTER 3
I was in my old body again without a hand augmentation. Two bodies stood before me in glass cylinders filled with lime green goop.
On the left was a muscly man with the augmentations I chose. His chiseled body caused me to chew on my inner cheek. I… wasn’t a huge fan of the gym. This nude guy looked like he lived in one.
The only thing worse happened to float with a bob in the other container. While the man was ruggedly handsome with a chiseled jawline and terminator vibes, the woman was akin to a sex doll.
She had excessive hips, big busty rockets, and thick juicy lips.
I… I was confused.
Zozo appeared a moment later. “Ah, you won’t start like this. Just showcasing the best you can be if you never augment and work really hard. Yes, women have attributes that are unfair. They can change their naturally curvaceous bodies to streamline them for battle. Or they can keep the bust.
“Be warned, if you want to be a female in this life, there is sexism.”
I scoffed, seeing the porn-star body on full display. “Clearly. Yeah… I’m a guy.”
The hand waved in front of my face and I was in a new room. There were thirty heads on tables in a circle around me.
“Ah, this is how I build my new body?” I asked.
Zozo nodded before saying, “Pick one and I’ll be nice if you decide later you want to change your choice. Warning though, no changing once you get onto Gearnix.”
The variations modified hair color, jawlines, eye color, nose size, and such things as freckles. Call me vain, but I wanted to be handsome. Instead of dark and brooding, I went for a head that piqued my interest.
Blue eyes, blond hair, and smooth features. This was the face of an actor or model.
I always wondered what being pretty as a man would feel like. I had a college friend who got faster service, random asks for his number, and even passed some lines simply because of his looks.
My turn to see if it mattered.
A hand waved in front of my face, changing my surroundings.
I stood in a circle of bodies with my chosen head on each of them. There were various shades of coloration, height, and builds. The bulkiest versions were the shortest, the thinnest versions were the tallest. I went to the light tan section.
“I can improve my lanky muscles right?” I asked.
Zozo materialized and nodded. “There is more to learn, but the bodies are more or less region specific. The planet has a heavier gravity near the equator which leads to shorter bodies. You can get taller legs, longer arms, and whatnot. The head to crotch minus the hips will experience little change besides what physical exertion adds. That body is easier to maintain a muscle mass than that body.”
He indicated the shorter muscular frame as easier than the lanky body.
I bit my inner cheek in thought. A bigger body meant I could see higher up, while also becoming a larger target. There was no tiny, thin version or tall, muscly version.
“Go with the middle if you ask me. Most on Gearnix will have that frame. Best of both worlds. A bit taller, medium muscles, and you’ll fit in better with an easier backstory.”
I touched the chest in the middle and we vanished into a new room.
Again I stood in a circle.
This time, around me were basic armor sets, and I was wearing the new body. A few steps had me feeling like a natural in my new frame.
The servos of my ankle whined, releasing a slight hiss of air. I glanced down, seeing the drab reddish brown metal working.
Deciding to test the joint, I twirled on the ankle like a pro. I pirouetted like a boss and stopped suddenly with ease.
The augmentation felt… Hmm… the sensation was hard to even grasp on my own. If I didn’t know better I’d have assumed I was born with this foot.
The next thought as I inspected the armor was.
So many buckles, snaps, and straps.
“I… I’m lost.”
“Good for you to admit,” Zozo said, patting my back. “There is no real difference. Whichever outfit you pick will identify you to a region which means you can’t be placed there, and… your backstory will vary. This is the least consequential choice that can have the most profound effects. For example…” He paused with a finger wag.
He walked over to a bright gold outfit with silver snaps. “This comes from the Cari Region. The people of Cari are harsh in their doctrines. People are known to flee from their oppressive rule while others pretend to flee and are seen as the spies they truly are. Either way, if you pick this outfit, you can’t start your adventure there. Which might be good or bad.”
I walked around the circle, taking my time. I was internally hoping he’d make a recommendation. One outfit appeared thicker. The colorations were meant to blend in with a forest, the padding was solid, and the flair buttons at a minimum.
While I was not a seamstress or even a guy who shopped for clothes on the regular, this was… different. I tapped the chest armor, vanishing a moment later.
When my vision returned I found myself wearing the gear I’d selected. The fit was snug, and like the new body, it felt natural.
Zozo appeared, pulling my attention to a weapon’s rack.
“You will get one side arm that runs on no power, and one weapon. A bit of backstory is you left the Ocarna region, which that outfit comes from, to find your own place to adventure. Ocarna is known for its armor. Huzzah, you chose well without my input,” he said with a genuine smile.
I headed over to the ranged weapons seeing three options: pistol, blunderbuss, and long rifle.
Each weapon served a very different purpose.
I wasn’t an army veteran or professional shooter. I shot bb guns when I was in my early teens and was the extent of my pew pew experience.
“These will upgrade?” I asked.
The exteriors were plain, coated in a dull red metal coloring. There were no lever actions, revolver cages to open, or stuff bars with easy access. They all ran on hydrox and discharged magic.
“Yes… There is a caveat,” he said, handing me the long rifle. “Shoot them that way to get a feel.”
The room we were in expanded with a burst of magic. When the haze cleared, I saw a duck resting on a log about thirty feet away.
I aimed, watching the end of the barrel bob in my unsteady arms.
I fired, feeling a moderate kick, and saw a swirling white blue orb race for the duck and miss horrendously.
“You… you have an enhanced eye. Use it.” I could tell he wanted to smack me on the back of the head.
“Uh, I forgot, the enhancements are one with my body,” I said with a mutter.
I squinted, grunted, and growled trying to get my eye to zoom in.
“My bad. It takes a touch, not a thought. Slide your finger across your right temple back to -”
I did as he said. The change was instant. I could suddenly see the individual featherings on the duck. I swiped back, decreasing the zoom.
“So cool! Tell me about the caveat while I shoot. Please and thank you. I gotta admit. You’re getting me really excited to go to Gearnix. Probably because of the drug you're hitting me with to make me forget I died?”
Zozo eyed me with a loud exhale and said, “Uh… yes and no. You’ll hold onto a memory that you're starting fresh, and your old home was not actually Ocarna. The reality is, I can’t have you getting captured, tortured, and someone extracting that you’re from Earth.
“As time progresses and you establish yourself into Gearnix society the old ways of working on java code will be forgotten. Baxter will be the cat who ran away right before you left Ocarna, and your backstory will be the truth you pretend it to be.”
“Ah. I think I get it,” I replied, aiming for the target.
I fired, almost hitting the duck. My breathing was all over the place even with my steady arm.
He tapped my shoulder, handing me the blunderbuss.
After the swap, I shoulder raised the weapon, and squeezed the trigger. The blunderbuss kicked hard, expending a lot of steam after the discharge of blue swirling magic. I instinctively rubbed my sore shoulder before seeing the duck with a chunk of its butt missing.
“Awesome, I like that. Seems expensive to use though,” I said and he chuckled.
“You just fired a hand cannon of magic. Back to what I was trying to say. These are all basic crafts. The Gearnix Stations do not deliver completed products. It only hands out parts that a creator must assemble. Take a moment to see all the pieces that this weapon is made from,” he said, handing me a pistol.
A closer inspection revealed about a hundred tiny screws connecting over a hundred pieces. Oh… Okay. This was interesting.
“I take it all the steam technology is like this?” I asked, rotating the weapon to see more of the same.
“Indeed. The pieces level to form a rating. Every piece in that pistol is basic. There are about a hundred variations of a starter grip and ten to twenty levels of the base piece. The weapon takes an average, earning a rating. If you invest the time using that weapon, with a rating of one, it will hit a ceiling of excellence fairly -”
I shot the pistol, hitting one of four attempts. “Zozo. Um, I think I understand. To be the best of the best requires purchasing base parts that no one can afford at first. So you level basic parts, to get better upgrades, and eventually the best. Each stage requires more ventures into the wild. I like it.”
He smirked at the compliment. “It really adds a lot of depth to the world. Earth… is basic compared to Gearnix. Then again Earth is meant to have the human experience. Children, love, and a moderately easy life. There is no mass of steamspiders going to swarm Chicago and carry off the people.”
“Uh, so not cool man. Taking away the allure. Steamspiders!” I said in an exaggerated way with a head shake.
“Shoot them in the head or the chest. Easy win, decent hydrox reward. Oh… and everything new is insanely expensive. That is to…” he gave a charming smile