KIRO: (Eyes locked on the poster, mind racing) "Wait, wait. There's a wanted poster for me already? Must be after the escape from Grand Electrum..."
VEYRA: (Shrugging) "Could be. They work fast when their pride's hurt."
THE LADY: Her eyes widened in realization, then hardened. She took a swift step back, her staff coming up into a defensive stance. "Wait. You are him."
VEYRA: (Holding up a placating hand, stepping slightly in front of Kiro) "No, no. Hold on. He looks shady, I'll give you that. But he's not with them. We can explain."
KIRO: (Raising his own hands, wincing as the motion pulled at his new bruises) "Look. Got my hands on... this thing." He gestured vaguely to his chest where the Cube was hidden. "I'm one of the 'Gifted' now, I guess. But this cube? It belonged to the government. State secrets, or something. That whole mess was over a week ago."
He lowered his hands, his gaze steady on hers. "What about you? Why's a... well, someone who fights like that, carrying my bounty poster?"
THE LADY: Her guard didn't drop, but confusion flickered across her face. "Wait, that doesn't make sense. This bounty was published just a few days ago. I thought you were a Syndicate hunter sent to flush me out. So you're sure you're not with The Gilded Chain?"
KIRO: The name made his jaw tighten. A cold, familiar anger flashed in his eyes. "Nope. We're not with them. We're against them. Actually took down two of their collection groups a while back, way out in Scrap Town. Also about a week ago." He nodded at the poster. "This new bounty? That's for the army base. We raided it. They were starving a village. That's why we're here today to get the stuff to repair it."
The woman's stance finally relaxed. The suspicion in her eyes melted into a sharp, calculating understanding, then a spark of solidarity. She lowered her staff.
THE LADY: "That... makes total sense now. Don't need to explain more." A grim, knowing smile touched her lips. "The government is scum." She reached out and helped haul him to his feet, her grip surprisingly strong.
VEYRA: (With a dry, approving smirk) "Congratulations on the bounty. You're officially a menace to established authority."
KIRO: (Grumbling, rubbing his sore head) "But so low... Only 110,000?"
THE LADY: (A faint, almost amused snort) "It's pretty big for a starting bounty. Means they're properly scared of you. The avg is around here 50,000 too 100,000 My bounty is 250,000."
The casual admission hung in the air, another piece of her mystery clicking into place.
VEYRA: "His makes sense. But why is yours even higher?"
AURORA: (Glancing around the bustling street, her voice dropping) "Let's speak privately. There's an inn around the corner. Let's rent two rooms. Two beds in one."
KIRO: "Sure, let's go. But we should still meet the foreman"
VEYRA: (Cutting in, her strategist's instinct overriding the errand) "That can wait. This is priority. Lead the way."
They found a modest, clean inn. Veyra rented two adjoining rooms one with two beds for her and Aurora, a single for Kiro. They filed into the larger room, the door clicking shut on the world outside.
Aurora sat on the edge of a bed, her staff leaning beside her. She took a deep breath, the poised fighter now seeming young, burdened.
AURORA: "I feel... I can trust you. Somewhat. So I will give you some of the truth." She met their gazes. "My name is Aurora. I am the princess of the Lucids."
(The title hung in the quiet room.)
My people are enslaved by the Central Government. They force us to design weapons and technology. We are geniuses by nature, and I... I am the best of them. My most recent creation was a gauntlet now considered one of the Omega Artifacts." A flash of pain crossed her face. "I built a single prototype. It was meant to punch any elemental to counter the raw, chaotic data-stream of a Cube's power. It was meant to protect, not to conquer." Her voice hardened, edged with cold fury. "It was stolen. By the Syndicate. And the thief who took it is here, in Briarwood."
KIRO: (Leaning forward, his earlier playfulness gone) "So how strong is the government's hold? If we free your people"
AURORA: (Shaking her head, a swift, definitive motion) "No. You are not enough. Not yet. They are too strong. We need an army. That is why I came here to find allies, to recruit, to build a force. But first," her eyes narrowed with focused intensity, "I track down the thief. I can handle him. I must."
KIRO: (Nodding slowly) "Sure. We can be background help. Cover your exit, cause a distraction."
VEYRA: (Speaking with calm, logistical clarity) "At our current level, Aurora, you're right. We can't take on a government. We need to grow stronger. And not just us." She gestured vaguely east, toward their new home. "We have a village to protect and build. It needs to become a fortress. A haven." She met Aurora's gaze squarely. "We're in a position to offer you a deal. Join our village. It can be your forward base, your workshop, your first recruit. You help us build it up, and we help you get your artifact back. One step at a time."
AURORA: Her regal composure faltered for a second, replaced by pure, stunned confusion. "A... village?"
VEYRA: "If you need an army, we can build one. We're just starting out. It's new we literally just started today. You could be our first heavy hitter." She tilted her head, assessing. "Or do you need that army now?"
AURORA: "No, not immediately. I've been searching for months. A temporary membership... it could be a year. Or a few. But I will free my people." The resolve in her voice was absolute.
KIRO: "We'll help you. I promise." He leaned forward, curiosity overtaking his earlier caution. "So, what's the deal with these Omega Artifacts? What are they, really?"
VEYRA: "I've heard rumors. There are Omega and Alpha-class Artifacts. Incredibly powerful, made by once-in-a-generation talents. Some are centuries old."
AURORA: "That's the public story. The tip of the iceberg." Her voice dropped, sharing a secret. "The truth is, my people have made most of them. Usually, only one per generation... though a few have come from outsiders." She paused, calculating. "Let's see... there are over a hundred Omega-class artifacts in existence. Rough estimate? My people forged at least eighty of them."
She let that staggering number hang in the air for a moment.
AURORA (CONT'D): "Seeing one in action... it's something special. They're more than tools. They're crystallized genius." Her expression hardened again, focusing on the immediate goal. "Just help me get mine back."
KIRO: "Sure thing. First, we should meet that foreman. Veyra's good at gathering intel without seeming like she is."
VEYRA: (A small, proud smile) "Oh, yes. Never caught. our, names I'm Veyra. And this is Kiro. You already know him from his wanted poster on the net."
AURORA: She reached out, shaking each of their hands firmly. A genuine, relieved smile finally broke through her solemn demeanor. "Aurora. It is... very nice to meet you both."
They headed off, the towering Great Dome now their destination.
KIRO: "So, we're new around here. You know where to find this foreman? We know he's in the dome, but how do we actually get in?"
AURORA: "Sure. I'll be your guide through this."
She led them to a massive set of riveted iron doors set into the dome's base. They groaned open, revealing a stark, industrial interior. A receptionist an older woman with sharp eyes sat behind a fortified desk.
RECEPTIONIST: "State your business." Her gaze swept over them. "Two women. One man."
AURORA: "We're here to see the foreman of Woods & Labour. We have a meeting."
RECEPTIONIST: (A professional smile) "Good news. He's on the active work site, cutting fresh timber. You'll find him down the main road, to the left. Look for the tallest trees and the first rooting checkpoint."
They were directed through a security arch. It scanned them with a low hum. A uniformed officer performed a brisk pat-down.
VEYRA: (Placing her pistols in a provided basket) "Careful with those. They're tuned."
RECEPTIONIST: "Registered and logged."
RANDOM OFFICER: (Looking at Kiro) "Any wanted persons in your party?"
KIRO: (Shrugging) "Me."
The officer didn't even blink. He wrote it down, then held a handheld scanner to Kiro's face. A soft beep.
A screen on the desk lit up.
WANTED: KIRO
CRIMES: Assault on Imperial Officers, Destruction of Military Property, Acts of Terrorism, Theft of Classified Artefact.
BOUNTY: 110,000 Credits
The officer reached under the desk and produced a thick, metallic collar.
OFFICER: "Regulations. For the safety of the worksite and to monitor classified artefact threats. Keeps things under control. Theft is bad for business."
He clicked it around Kiro's neck. It settled with a heavy, cold weight.
They were waved through.
KIRO: (Tugging at the collar) "Why me? I never even stole anything!"
VEYRA: (Walking ahead, not looking back) "Sure you did. Why did you have to steal that one pie from the mess hall back on Titan's rig?"
They followed the indicated path deeper into the dome. The air grew humid and rich with the scent of sap and sawdust. The sound of industry became deafening.
They reached the work site. It was a scene of controlled devastation.
A giant of a man, at least six feet tall and build like a bodybuilder, swung a huge powered axe in a wide arc. With a single, thunderous CRACK, he felled five thick trees at once. A smaller, agile man darted in, wrapping tensile cord around each massive log. Another worker with a vibro-saw chopped the trunks into precise, manageable slices, which the smaller man guided gently to the ground. A final laborer, muscles bulging, hefted the slices onto a cart where a waiting cargo-bot whirred to life, carrying them away.
It was a brutal, perfect assembly line.
KIRO: (Shouting over the noise) "So, which one's the foreman?!"
The axe-man planted his weapon in the ground and turned. He wiped his brow with a massive forearm, his eyes landing on them.
FOREMAN: "You lookin' for me?" His voice was a gravelly rumble that cut through the din. "I'm the foreman."
VEYRA: "We were told to meet you. About the job."
The foreman's gaze swept over them the strategist, the collared fugitive, the mysterious princess and a slow, knowing grin spread across his face. He turned his head and bellowed over his shoulder, a sound that echoed off the dome.
FOREMAN: "BOYS! WE GOT WORK!"