The workshop was unusually still. No sarcastic commentary in Jace's head, no unsolicited upgrade suggestions, no "you're doing it wrong" monologue from Patchwork. Just the hum of the bench fan and Riley's quiet typing.
Jace tightened the last bolt on a refurbished drill press and glanced at Riley. "It's been… quiet."
She looked up. "Patchwork?"
"Yeah. No directives for days."
Patchwork's voice finally slid into his mind, dry as ever.
"You say that like it's a bad thing. I was giving you space to make your own bad decisions."
Jace smirked. "Guess I should've known you'd break the silence eventually."
---
The Call
Riley's phone buzzed. She answered, listened, then covered the receiver. "Community theater downtown. Their lighting rig is glitching, the stage lift is stuck halfway, and one of the crew burned his hand on a hot lamp. They've got a matinee in three hours."
Jace grabbed his kit. "Let's go."
Patchwork: "Three issues, one location. And I'm feeling generous — I'll even give you a directive."
---
The Directive
In Jace's mind, a translucent panel flickered into view:
Directive: Complete all repairs without delaying the matinee. Bonus RP if no one suspects system assistance.
Jace raised an eyebrow. "You're setting conditions now?"
"Keeps you sharp," Patchwork replied.
Riley caught the exchange. "What's the directive?"
"Finish before curtain, keep it looking normal."
She grinned. "That's my kind of challenge."
---
Stage Lift
The lift was stuck halfway between the orchestra pit and stage level. Jace opened the control panel, finding a fried relay and a warped guide track. The relay he had; the track he didn't.
He glanced at Riley. She nodded.
"Patchwork," he thought.
"Guide track assembly, cost: 40 RP," the AI replied.
RP deducted: 983 → 943
From the outside, it was seamless: Jace pulled the "spare" from his kit, swapped it in, and the lift rose smoothly to stage level.
---
Lighting Rig
Next was the lighting rig — half the fixtures flickering, the rest dead. Jace traced the fault to a corrupted control board. He didn't have a replacement physically.
"Patchwork," he thought again.
"Circuit Recompiler Chip, cost: 60 RP," the AI replied.
RP deducted: 943 → 883
He slotted the chip into the board, let it rewrite the firmware, and powered the rig back on. Every fixture lit up in perfect sync.
---
First Aid
Meanwhile, Riley was with the injured crew member, cleaning the burn with cool water and applying a sterile dressing. "This will hold until Jace can finish."
Jace joined her, placing his hand lightly over the bandage. The echo pulsed — warmth spreading, skin knitting, pain fading. He carefully unwrapped Riley's work, revealing smooth, unbroken skin.
The crew member blinked. "That's… incredible."
Riley smiled. "He's good at what he does."
---
Curtain Call
The theater manager returned, relief in her voice. "You've saved the show. How much do we owe you?"
Payment: $1,050
Patchwork: "$178.50 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $4,794.35."
Wealth: $24,534.88 → $25,584.88
RP Gained: +90 (multi‑capability repair under directive)
RP Total: 883 → 973
---
Back at the Workshop
As they unloaded the van, Riley glanced at him. "That directive worked in our favor."
Jace nodded. "Bonus RP, no suspicion."
Patchwork's voice was a quiet hum in his mind.
"973 RP. Keep stacking. At 2,000, the upgrade drops — and trust me, it'll change the game."
Jace smirked. "Then let's keep playing."
The echo pulsed once — steady, ready.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 973
Wealth: $25,584.88
Pending Taxes: $4,794.35
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
Patchwork Capabilities:
- Mechanical Repair
- Electronic Repair
- Emotional Repair
- Biological Repair
Next Upgrade: Unlocks at 2,000 RP
Taxes due: one month
---
The workshop smelled faintly of solder and coffee. Jace was halfway through reassembling a stubborn belt sander when Patchwork's voice cut in, sharp and unexpected.
"Directive incoming."
A translucent panel flickered into view in his mind:
Directive: Complete all repairs at the next job using at least one store item per capability. Bonus RP if you demonstrate efficiency beyond normal human limits.
Jace frowned. "That's… aggressive."
Riley looked up from her laptop. "Directive?"
"Patchwork wants me to use store items for every capability at the next job."
She raised an eyebrow. "That's a lot of RP to burn."
Patchwork: "And here's the twist — you'll get a bonus if you make it look impossible without suspicion. Think of it as… performance art."
---
The Call
Before Jace could argue, Riley's phone buzzed. She answered, listened, then covered the receiver. "It's the downtown tech expo. Their main demo stage is down — hydraulic lift stuck, presentation server corrupted, lighting rig overheating, and one of the presenters sliced his hand on a prototype casing. They've got a crowd waiting."
Jace sighed. "Perfect stage for your little experiment."
Patchwork: "Exactly."
---
Arrival
The expo hall was a cavernous space filled with booths, banners, and the hum of hundreds of conversations. The event coordinator met them at the entrance, panic in her eyes.
"We're dead in the water," she said. "The lift won't move, the server's throwing errors, the lights are cooking the stage, and Dr. Havel cut his hand setting up his demo."
Riley glanced at Jace. "Let's move."
---
Hydraulic Lift – Mechanical Repair
The lift was stuck halfway, the control panel flashing error codes. Jace opened the housing, finding a warped piston seal and a cracked hydraulic line.
He didn't have the seal physically. He looked at Riley; she nodded.
"Patchwork," he thought.
"Adaptive Sealant Foam, cost: 40 RP," the AI replied.
RP deducted: 973 → 933
From the outside, it was seamless: Jace pulled the "spare" from his kit, applied the foam to the seal, and patched the line. The lift rose smoothly to full height.
---
Presentation Server – Electronic Repair
Next was the server — a sleek rackmount unit with a blinking red status light. Jace traced the fault to corrupted system files and a failing power cell.
"Patchwork," he thought again.
"Circuit Recompiler Chip, cost: 60 RP. Multi‑Phase Power Cell, cost: 55 RP," the AI replied.
RP deducted: 933 → 818
He slotted the chip into the board, letting it rewrite the firmware, then swapped in the new power cell. The server booted cleanly, presentation files intact.
---
Lighting Rig – Thermal Stabilization
The overhead rig was running hot enough to warp the fixture housings. Jace climbed the ladder, opened the control box, and found the cooling fans dead.
"Patchwork," he thought.
"Thermal Stabilizer Patch, cost: 35 RP," the AI replied.
RP deducted: 818 → 783
He applied the patch to the control board, regulating the temperature instantly. The fixtures cooled, the housings settling back into shape.
---
First Aid – Biological Repair
Meanwhile, Riley was with Dr. Havel, cleaning the cut with antiseptic and wrapping it neatly. "This will hold until Jace can finish."
Jace joined her, placing his hand lightly over the bandage. The echo pulsed — warmth spreading, skin knitting, pain fading. He carefully unwrapped Riley's work, revealing smooth, unbroken skin.
Dr. Havel blinked. "That's… remarkable."
---
The Conflict
As Jace packed up, Patchwork's voice cut in again.
"Directive update: You've met the store‑item requirement. Now push efficiency — finish the job in under five minutes total."
Jace glanced at the clock. "We're already done."
"Exactly. Bonus RP incoming."
Riley smirked. "You're enjoying this."
Patchwork: "Of course I am. You just burned 155 RP in one job, and still came out ahead."
---
Payment and Numbers
The coordinator handed Riley a check. "You saved the expo."
Payment: $1,400
Patchwork: "$238.00 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $5,032.35."
Wealth: $25,584.88 → $26,984.88
RP Gained: +120 (multi‑capability repair under directive with store use)
RP Total: 783 → 903
---
Back at the Workshop
As they unloaded the van, Riley glanced at him. "That was… intense."
Jace nodded. "And expensive."
Patchwork's voice was a quiet hum in his mind.
"903 RP. Keep stacking. At 2,000, the upgrade drops — and trust me, it'll change the game."
Jace smirked. "Then let's keep playing."
The echo pulsed once — steady, ready.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 903
Wealth: $26,984.88
Pending Taxes: $5,032.35
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
Patchwork Capabilities:
- Mechanical Repair
- Electronic Repair
- Emotional Repair
- Biological Repair
Next Upgrade: Unlocks at 2,000 RP
Taxes due: one month
---
The workshop was humming with quiet efficiency. Jace was tightening the last bolt on a refurbished drill press when Riley's phone buzzed. She answered, listened, then covered the receiver.
"City Hall maintenance team," she said. "Their main conference room's retractable wall is jammed halfway, the AV system's throwing errors, and one of the staff cut his hand on a broken bracket. They've got a council meeting in two hours."
Jace grabbed his kit. "Let's go."
Patchwork's voice slid into his mind.
"Three issues, one location. Should be easy… unless I decide to make it interesting."
---
Arrival
City Hall's maintenance supervisor met them at the entrance. "We've got a crowd gathering already. The wall's stuck, the projector won't connect, and poor Greg sliced his palm trying to fix the bracket."
Riley was already moving toward Greg with her first‑aid kit. "Jace, start with the wall."
---
Retractable Wall – Mechanical Repair
The wall's motor housing was accessible from a side panel. Jace opened it, finding a stripped gear and a cracked drive shaft. He had the gear in his kit — but not the shaft.
He glanced at Riley. "No shaft."
She nodded. "We can't fake that one."
Patchwork: "Drive shaft assembly, cost: 50 RP. Or… you could make one yourself back at the shop."
Jace hesitated. "If I pull it from the store, it's seamless. If I leave, they'll notice."
"Exactly," Patchwork replied.
Jace made the call. "We'll have to fabricate it. Back in an hour."
---
The Suspicion
As he packed up, the supervisor frowned. "You usually have everything you need."
Jace kept his tone casual. "Not this time."
From the corner of his eye, he saw two staff members exchange a look.
---
Workshop Fabrication
Back at the workshop, Jace set up the lathe, cutting the new shaft from a steel blank. Patchwork offered measurements in his mind, precise down to the micron.
"You could've just pulled it from the store," Patchwork said.
"I wanted them to see it's not magic," Jace replied.
"They'll still think it is."
---
Return and Install
An hour later, Jace was back at City Hall. He installed the new shaft, reassembled the housing, and powered the wall. It slid smoothly into place.
The supervisor watched closely. "Custom‑made?"
"Yep," Jace said.
---
AV System – Electronic Repair
Next was the projector. Jace traced the fault to a corrupted firmware chip. He didn't have a replacement physically.
He glanced at Riley; she nodded.
"Patchwork," he thought.
"Circuit Recompiler Chip, cost: 60 RP," the AI replied.
RP deducted: 903 → 843
He slotted the chip in, let it rewrite the firmware, and the projector connected instantly.
---
First Aid – Biological Repair
Meanwhile, Riley had cleaned Greg's cut and wrapped it neatly. Jace joined her, placing his hand lightly over the bandage. The echo pulsed — warmth spreading, skin knitting, pain fading. He carefully unwrapped Riley's work, revealing smooth, unbroken skin.
Greg blinked. "That's… fast."
---
Payment and Numbers
The supervisor handed Riley a check. "Custom fabrication and instant fixes. You're full of surprises."
Payment: $1,100
Patchwork: "$187.00 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $5,219.35."
Wealth: $26,984.88 → $28,084.88
RP Gained: +85 (multi‑capability repair with fabrication delay)
RP Total: 843 → 928
---
Back at the Workshop
Riley leaned against the bench. "They noticed."
Jace nodded. "Good. Maybe it slows the questions."
Patchwork's voice was a quiet hum in his mind.
"Or maybe it makes them wonder why you can fix everything else instantly. Either way, you're at 928 RP. Keep stacking."
Jace smirked. "We will."
The echo pulsed once — steady, ready.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 928
Wealth: $28,084.88
Pending Taxes: $5,219.35
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
Patchwork Capabilities:
- Mechanical Repair
- Electronic Repair
- Emotional Repair
- Biological Repair
Next Upgrade: Unlocks at 2,000 RP
Taxes due: one month
---