The workshop was in that rare state of "mostly organized" — tools back in drawers, cables coiled instead of forming a nest on the bench. Jace was topping up his kit with fresh solder tips and a new roll of heat‑shrink when Riley's voice cut in.
"Got a call from the Riverside retirement complex," she said. "One of their elevator cars is stuck between floors. Maintenance says the motor controller's dead."
Patchwork's voice slid in, bright and mocking.
Ah, elevators. Nature's way of trapping you in a metal box with strangers and awkward silence.
Jace zipped his kit. "Let's go rescue some retirees."
---
The Complex
The retirement complex was a sprawling building with pastel walls and the faint smell of disinfectant. A small crowd of residents stood near the elevator lobby, murmuring. The building manager waved them over.
"Car's stuck between the third and fourth floors," she said. "Two residents inside. They're fine, but they're getting nervous."
---
The Repair
Jace popped the controller panel and found the problem — a burnt relay on the motor drive board. He swapped it with a spare from his kit, checked the wiring, and powered the system back up. The car hummed to life, lowering smoothly to the lobby.
The doors opened to reveal two elderly women, one holding a knitting bag, the other holding a crossword puzzle book. "Took you long enough," the knitter said, though she was smiling.
Patchwork: You're welcome, ladies. Try the stairs next time — great for circulation.
---
The Temptation
As they packed up, Jace noticed one of the women rubbing her knee, wincing slightly. Patchwork's voice was low.
You could fix that in seconds.
Jace shook his head. "Not here."
Suit yourself. But you're wasting perfectly good opportunities to test me.
---
Payment and Numbers
The building manager handed over a payment, relief clear in her voice.
Payment: $300
Patchwork: $51.00 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $2,656.25.
Wealth: $14,034.88 → $14,334.88
RP Gained: +20 (mechanical repair under mild urgency)
RP Total: 78 → 98
---
Back at the Workshop
They returned to the workshop as the late afternoon light slanted through the tall windows. Riley glanced at the wall calendar.
"End of the month's coming up," she said. "We'll need to cover rent soon."
Jace nodded. "We're fine. For now."
Patchwork: And here comes everyone's favorite mini‑game: Pay the Landlord Before He Gets Cranky.
The echo pulsed once — steady, amused.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 98
Wealth: $14,334.88
Pending Taxes: $2,656.25
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 Two‑Bedroom Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
Current Capabilities:
- Mechanical Repair
- Electronic Repair
- Emotional Repair
- Biological Repair
Next Upgrade: ???
Taxes due: two months
---
The workshop smelled faintly of coffee and flux. Jace was at the bench, tightening the last screw on a repaired circuit board, when Riley walked in holding two envelopes.
She dropped them on the bench. "Guess what day it is."
Patchwork's voice slid in before Jace could answer.
The day you hand over a chunk of your hard‑earned cash to keep a roof over your head and a roof over your tools. My favorite.
Jace sighed. "Rent day."
---
The Ledger
They went over the numbers. Workshop rent: $1,200. Apartment rent: $1,400. Both due today. Jace pulled the cash from the safe, counted it out, and set it aside.
Wealth after rent: $14,654.88 → $12,054.88
Patchwork: Look at that — $2,600 gone in sixty seconds. You should frame the receipt.
Riley smirked. "We're still in good shape. But we'll need a couple of solid jobs this week to keep the cushion."
---
The Call
As if on cue, Riley's tablet buzzed. "Local bakery. Their walk‑in freezer's on the fritz. They've got a wedding cake in there that's supposed to be delivered tomorrow."
Patchwork: Oh no, not the cake. Forget the bride — save the buttercream.
Jace grabbed his kit. "Let's go."
---
The Bakery
The bakery was warm and smelled like heaven. The owner, a flour‑dusted man in his fifties, waved them toward the back. "Freezer's running warm. If that cake melts, I'm dead."
Jace opened the panel on the compressor unit. The condenser fan motor was seized, the blades stiff with grease and sugar dust. He pulled the motor, cleaned the blades, and swapped in a spare from his kit.
The compressor kicked on, the temperature display began to drop, and the owner's shoulders sagged in relief.
---
Payment and Numbers
Payment: $320
Patchwork: $54.40 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $2,710.65.
Wealth after payment: $12,054.88 → $12,374.88
RP Gained: +20 (mechanical repair under spoilage threat)
RP Total: 98 → 118
---
Back at the Workshop
They returned to the workshop with the smell of fresh bread still clinging to their clothes. Riley set the rent receipts on the corkboard.
"Taxes are due in a month," she said. "Let's make them painless."
Patchwork: Painless for you, maybe. I'm the one doing the math.
The echo pulsed once — steady, amused.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 118
Wealth: $12,374.88
Pending Taxes: $2,710.65
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Two‑Bedroom Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
Current Capabilities:
- Mechanical Repair
- Electronic Repair
- Emotional Repair
- Biological Repair
Next Upgrade: ???
Taxes due: one month
---
The workshop was quiet except for the faint hum of the bench fan. Jace was sorting through a tray of connectors when Riley walked in, coffee in hand.
She set the mug down. "You've been… sharper lately. Not just with machines — with people."
Patchwork's voice slid in, smug.
Finally, someone notices my upgrades aren't just for show.
Jace leaned back on the stool. "Patchwork's got a new capability. Biological repair. I can fix injuries now — burns, cuts, even some internal stuff. Fast."
Riley raised an eyebrow. "And you've been hiding that because…?"
"Because it's not exactly something you drop into casual conversation. But if you're with me on a job, I want you to know I can use it."
Patchwork: Translation: he's finally ready to show off in front of you.
---
The Call
Riley's tablet buzzed. "Small machine shop. One of their CNC mills is down, and a tech cut his hand trying to clear a jam."
Patchwork: Well, that's convenient. The universe is teeing this one up for us.
---
The Shop
The machine shop was a cavern of metal and oil. The foreman waved them over to a silent CNC mill, its control panel flashing an error code. Nearby, a young tech sat on a stool, holding a rag around his bleeding hand.
Riley moved toward the machine. "I'll check the jam."
Jace crouched beside the tech. "Let me see."
The cut was deep, but clean. Jace let the echo pulse through his fingertips — warmth spreading into the wound, knitting tissue and sealing skin in seconds. The tech's eyes widened.
"What… how…?"
"Fast clotting agent," Jace said smoothly. "You'll be fine."
Patchwork: You're welcome.
---
The Repair
With the injury handled, Jace joined Riley at the CNC mill. The jammed spindle was locked with a chunk of aluminum. He powered down, cleared the debris, and replaced a worn bearing that had caused the misalignment.
The machine purred back to life, the foreman grinning. "Didn't think we'd be running again today."
---
Payment and Numbers
Payment: $500
Patchwork: $85.00 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $2,795.65.
Wealth: $12,374.88 → $12,874.88
RP Gained: +35 (mechanical repair + biological repair in field)
RP Total: 118 → 153
---
Back at the Workshop
They returned to the workshop as the afternoon light slanted through the tall windows. Riley leaned against the doorway.
"You weren't kidding," she said. "That was… fast."
Jace smirked. "Told you."
Patchwork: And now the fun really begins.
The echo pulsed once — steady, ready.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 153
Wealth: $12,874.88
Pending Taxes: $2,795.65
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Two‑Bedroom Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
Patchwork Capabilities:
- Mechanical Repair
- Electronic Repair
- Emotional Repair
- Biological Repair
Next Upgrade: ???
Taxes due: one month
---
The morning sun was streaming through the workshop windows when Riley's tablet buzzed. She glanced at it, then looked at Jace.
"Community arts center. Their main stage lighting rig is flickering, and the HVAC in the rehearsal hall just quit. Oh — and one of the stagehands sprained his ankle moving set pieces."
Patchwork's voice slid in, amused.
Three problems, one call. It's like they're trying to make you earn your paycheck today.
Jace zipped his kit. "Let's go."
---
The Arrival
The arts center was a hive of activity — actors rehearsing lines in the lobby, tech crew hauling props, and a frazzled director pacing with a clipboard. Riley stepped forward immediately, her voice calm but firm.
"Okay, here's how we're doing this," she told the director. "Clear the stage for Jace, get the HVAC tech on standby for me to coordinate, and have someone bring the injured stagehand to the green room."
Patchwork: Look at her go. You should put her on payroll twice.
---
Issue One – The Lights
Jace climbed the narrow ladder to the lighting catwalk. The flicker was coming from a faulty dimmer module — a heat‑warped contact. He swapped it with a spare from his kit, tested the circuit, and watched the stage lights hold steady.
Below, Riley was directing crew members to reset the stage for rehearsal, keeping them out of his way.
---
Issue Two – The HVAC
The rehearsal hall was muggy and still. Jace found the rooftop unit's control board locked in a fault loop from a failed temperature sensor. He replaced it, rebooted the system, and felt the cool air start to flow.
Riley was already on the phone with the director, letting them know the hall would be ready in fifteen minutes.
---
Issue Three – The Ankle
In the green room, the stagehand sat with his foot propped on a chair, wincing. Riley knelt beside him, keeping him talking while Jace crouched down.
"Mind if I take a look?" Jace asked.
The ankle was swollen but not broken. He let the echo pulse through his hands — warmth spreading, swelling easing, pain fading. The stagehand blinked. "Feels… a lot better."
"Rest it for the day," Jace said. "You'll be fine."
Patchwork: And that's how you close out a triple‑threat repair.
---
Payment and Numbers
The director handed over a payment, gratitude clear in her voice.
Payment: $650
Patchwork: $110.50 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $2,906.15.
Wealth: $12,874.88 → $13,524.88
RP Gained: +45 (multiple concurrent repairs + biological repair assist)
RP Total: 153 → 198
---
Back at the Workshop
They returned to the workshop as the afternoon light slanted through the tall windows. Riley leaned against the doorway, a faint smile on her face.
"You know," she said, "we make a pretty good team."
Jace smirked. "Yeah. We do."
Patchwork: Finally, something we all agree on.
The echo pulsed once — steady, satisfied.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 198
Wealth: $13,524.88
Pending Taxes: $2,906.15
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Two‑Bedroom Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
Patchwork Capabilities:
- Mechanical Repair
- Electronic Repair
- Emotional Repair
- Biological Repair
Next Upgrade: ???
Taxes due: one month
---
The workshop phone rang before Jace had even finished his first cup of coffee. Riley answered, listened for a moment, then covered the receiver.
"Two calls just came in — at the same time. One's a downtown law office with a dead server rack. The other's a community pool with a filtration pump failure. Both say it's urgent."
Patchwork's voice slid in, gleeful.
Oh, good. Let's see how many plates we can spin before one smashes into your face.
Jace set his mug down. "We can't be in two places at once."
Riley's eyes narrowed in thought. "No — but we can stagger them. Pool first, then the law office. I'll keep both clients calm and buy you the time."
---
Stop One – The Pool
The community pool smelled of chlorine and panic. The manager waved them toward the pump room, where the filtration pump sat silent, water sloshing in the pipes.
Jace popped the housing — the impeller shaft was jammed with a wad of shredded swim cap. He cleared it, replaced a worn seal, and restarted the pump. The water began to circulate again.
Riley was outside, talking to the swim coach and keeping the parents from storming the pump room.
Patchwork: She's running interference like a pro. You should get her a whistle.
---
Stop Two – The Law Office
They arrived at the law office to find the IT manager pacing. "Our server rack went down an hour ago. We've got depositions in progress and no access to case files."
Jace opened the rack — the UPS had failed, taking down the primary server. He bypassed the dead UPS, rerouted power, and restarted the system. The servers hummed back to life.
Riley was in the hallway, fielding calls from the partners and assuring them their files were safe.
---
Payment and Numbers
Pool Payment: $280
Law Office Payment: $600
Patchwork: $149.60 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $3,055.75.
Wealth: $13,524.88 → $14,404.88
RP Gained: +50 (two urgent repairs in sequence, client coordination assist)
RP Total: 198 → 248
---
Back at the Workshop
They returned to the workshop as the sun dipped low. Riley leaned against the doorway, arms crossed but smiling.
"You know," she said, "if I hadn't been there, you'd still be at the pool explaining to angry parents why their kids couldn't swim."
Jace smirked. "And if I hadn't been there, you'd be explaining to lawyers why their files were gone."
Patchwork: And if I hadn't been here, you'd both be explaining to me why you're unemployed.
The echo pulsed once — steady, satisfied.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 248
Wealth: $14,404.88
Pending Taxes: $3,055.75
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Two‑Bedroom Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
Patchwork Capabilities:
- Mechanical Repair
- Electronic Repair
- Emotional Repair
- Biological Repair
Next Upgrade: ???
Taxes due: one month
---