One Day Later

  The Mayor of Puppet Town smiled as she cast her gaze across the crowd.

  Nearly everyone in the settlement had turned out for today’s event. She wished Earl and the other warriors who were recovering from their wounds could be here, but they needed to rest, and this announcement was too important to put off until later.

  Lured by the promise of a feast and free booze, close to four thousand people were packed into the town square, and more were watching from the balconies and rooftops of the adjoining buildings.

  Dialla was pleased that the refugees from the Claws had decided to attend, including One-Eye and his people. She waved when she spotted Sakura, Sam, and Rita, and again when she noticed Sasha and Edge sitting in the shade while sipping on bottles of beer.

  While this event was a celebration for defeating Yussuf’s army and eliminating the undead stampede, it wasn’t the primary reason she had put this together. Her true purpose was to erase the distinction between puppet and prisoner—break down the barriers that stood between his people, regardless of how they’d arrived on Ord.

  Once everyone had found a place to sit, the mayor grabbed a magitech microphone and leapt on top of the bounty kiosk. She landed lightly, effortlessly maintaining her balance while deciding where to begin. Dialla was amazed by what she could do now that a core was burning behind her ribs, and she intended to manufacture a core for everyone in the settlement over the coming months.

  She took a moment to gather her thoughts, then raised her hand. Emily had been waiting for Dialla’s signal and fired a cluster of flares into the air, gathering everyone’s attention as the mayor began her address.

  “Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining me today as we celebrate what we’ve accomplished over the last few weeks.”

  The chatter died down as everyone turned to listen, curious to find out what she had to say. Dialla knew that many of them were more interested in the alcohol that would be distributed after her speech, but she wasn’t above a bit of bribery to get her message out.

  “This is a party, so I’ll keep it brief, then wheel out the booze, turn up the music, and get on with the grilling.” That earned her an enthusiastic cheer, bringing another smile to her face.

  “Yesterday, we overcame our third challenge since the anomaly ended the old order and we began our new lives. First, we conquered the Savage Garden and gained the power to create new cores, and I promise that each of you will have one before long. Next, we defeated a ruthless gang of killers that was coming to steal our home. Most recently, we put down a stampede of reanimated beasts, the likes of which we have never seen before.

  “By now, I think all of us have come to accept that our days as tourists and the lives we led before coming to Ord are over, and a new era is blossoming before our eyes. Puppet Town is our home for the foreseeable future, and as I speak, potent magic is flooding the Ivory Plains, bringing powerful creatures in its wake.

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  The crowd was nodding along with Dialla’s words, and she could tell they had been thinking about the very issues she was giving voice to now.

  “With these changing times, we too must change. I am proud to say that we’ve already taken the first steps in this process, but our work has only just begun. We must continue to adapt to the realities of our new existence. Do whatever it takes to survive on the most dangerous planet in inhabited space. A world filled with magic, monsters, and men who might as well be.

  “We must push ourselves to become tougher, stronger, and smarter than ever, because our very existence depends on how fast we can grow. But that’s not why I invited you to join me today. I’m here to tell you that mere survival isn’t good enough. We need to roll up our sleeves, dig even deeper within ourselves, and learn how to thrive.”

  Dialla was relieved that people were hanging on her words. That her message was resonating with their hearts.

  “To make that happen, we must become better than we were before. Kinder, wiser, and more forgiving. No matter what preconceptions you may hold about the person standing next to you, we’re all fighting on the same side—allies in our new lives as settlers on this beautiful, deadly, wondrous world.

  “Whether you’ve been living here for years or arrived days before the disaster. If you were a tourist, jailbird, or something even stranger, all of that is in the past, and we must turn our eyes to the future. From this moment on, we need to start treating each other as equals. As comrades, neighbors, friends, and family.

  “Serving as your mayor has been the honor of my life, and part of my job is removing anything that causes discord in our growing community. Over the coming weeks, I will continue to adjust our policies and laws—revise and erase relics from the age of tourism, when life revolved around ratings on the feed.

  “In that vein, from this day forward, the collection of bounties is forbidden. It doesn’t matter who you were before coming to Ord, or what you did until today. As of now, each and every one of you is a valued member of this community—equal in the eyes of the law.”

  It warmed her heart when a cheer arose at that proclamation. Overcoming the latest crisis had gone a long way toward breaking down the barriers between her people, though it was just the first step on the long road to come.

  Dialla raised her voice as she brought her address to a close. “That leaves me with one last thing to say before we get this party started. Welcome, one and all, to Puppet Town. We are glad to have you among us and are looking forward to getting to know you better. Enjoy the free food, alcohol, and music, and see if you can make a new friend along the way. I’ll be here all day if you have any questions, concerns, or just want to chat. Oh, and before I forget.”

  With that, the mayor jumped to the street and gave the signal. While everyone watched on with interest, a group of cored warriors began whaling on the bounty board with sledgehammers, slamming away until the kiosk was reduced to scrap metal.

  She grinned at the crowd’s reaction, especially One-Eye’s people, who were whooping and hollering at the gesture. A message that going forward, they were a single people—unified in their quest for survival.

  Although she didn’t emphasize this part, it was also her way of saying “fuck you” to whomever had placed those enormous bounties on unusual cores, which seemed designed to spawn paranoia, mistrust, violence, and greed.

  The band struck up a tune as flare-fireworks filled the sky. Sizzling slabs of meat were placed on the grills, and barrels of beer were wheeled out under the clear blue sky. People walked over the broken bounty board to claim pieces as souvenirs to commemorate the moment, and the crowd began to mingle, drink, and dance.

  When Trapper came by, she took Dialla by the hand and pulled her onto the dance floor, beginning a celebration that would continue through the night and well past dawn. The mayor immersed herself in the moment, savoring the sight of her people alive and well.

  Though the road ahead was paved with thorns and the next crisis was certain to be just around the corner, Dialla found it in herself to feel happiness, gratitude, and love.