The big man turned, blonde-bearded face dawning with a broad smile. He was wearing a once-white tunic covered with years of ink smudges and grease stains.
“If it isn’t a Whitlocke, good to see you boy!” said Carios, rushing over and embracing Quinn after a rough handshake. He turned, suddenly noticing Lillian, and sheepishly reached for a rag to clean his smeared palms before extending a hand to her.
“Carios Mytar, Printer’s Guild, as you may have guessed by our ornery pets all about us down here in the dungeon.” he said.
As Quinn took a better look around, he recognized several specific devices among the machines in view. Years ago, before his apprenticeships had taken him away from his home forge and his father’s workshop, Carios had been a fixture of the Whitlocke’s smithy, encouraging Quinn’s tinkering from a young age.
“A pleasure Mister Mytar,” said Lillian, shaking the offered hand and smiling in response.
“No no, we’re all on first name policy here in the printer’s room. The queen herself would go by Akkie here by hell or high water I say!” Carios said with a belly laugh. Several of the printers exchanged looks of amusement and whispers in the background. Quinn noticed a few unfriendly faces, and he wondered if they had intruded on something.
“Carios,” started Quinn, “I was talking to Astator Cairn a bit ago-”
“Ah,” Carios interrupted, “Miss Mellissa stopped by not an hour ago, she’s got us digging through e’rything we can get our hands on to find the materials she dropped off with her piece from yesterday.” She was fiery mad, had to keep her away from the oil for the presses or we’d all burn alive. Still huntin’, but the whole mess is missin’, hope you’re not here to pick it up for her. Darndest thing too, I coulda sworn we had it filed last night.” He paced back to where he had been sorting and flipping through a stack of ink soaked papers within transparent sleeves.
“No I'm not here for that, though I may be sent back for it later. I have a favor to ask. Lillian is the one that wanted to meet you, she has some research she’s interested in having published” Quinn replied.
After a few minutes of discussion, Lillian had explained her sponsorship and Carios quickly grasped the situation. Several of the printers had then gathered to suggest formatting options. Within minutes Quinn stood to one side as the huddle around Carios and Lillian worked with them fitting the piece in the next day’s layout.
“She’s lucky.” said a young man, dark skin, hair, and eyes. He was relaxed against a bench, printer’s apron full of setting tools and a clipboard in one hand. “Not everyone has what it takes to get published.”
Carios gave a muffled laugh within the group before throwing his hands up and walking over to lean and watch with Quinn.
“If she can hold her own in that lot,” the printer said, gesturing to the group, “She’s gotta be quite the firecracker. They’ll get her piece in, safe and sound.”
Quinn nodded to him gratefully
Carios rummaged around in a jingly belt pocket before fishing out a binding-ring full of gears of different sizes and tossing them to Quinn.
“See those fit back to standard specs and we’ll call it even, as usual.” he said, as Quinn looked over each gear.
“Not a problem Mytar.” replied Quinn, picking out an item from his pack and bringing it into the light. “Dad sends his regards.”
The room briefly shone with the red reflection off the chiseled crystal in Quinn’s grasp. Several sets of eyes flicked around in search of the source as Carios quickly palmed the crystal, slipping it up a sleeve with a nod.
Quinn shouldered his way through the group and up to Lily as she badgered the current pilot of the press setting. They had determined that her article would be featured on the second page of the next issue. He skimmed the content surrounding it with a glance, picking out the letters in reverse from their stamps and sorting them mentally into words and phrases. To his surprise he quickly picked up on the theme for the front page, mentally reading it to himself.
“SPACEPORT OVERHAUL PROJECT BY DIPLOMAT”
He made a mental note to pick up tomorrow’s edition of Trendsetter for another reason beyond Lily’s article.
“Lily,” he said, “I’m gonna head to the lab.”
Lillian turned and flashed him a bright smile and gave him a quick hug. He stood stiffly for a moment before nodding back at her as she pulled away.
“Thanks Q!” she said, before turning back to the press.
He left, sprinting through the metal maze and up the flights of stairs full tilt, but he couldn’t wipe the big grin off his face.
“Great news,” said Quinn, shutting the steel door of Lab V7 behind him and turning his gear-keystone in the lock, “We’ve got Lillian Xavier for our Trial Night team.”
Joss, Reid, and Haru all looked up their stations. The College of Engineering private laboratories were granted to Mavens, Astators, and sanctioned student work groups on request. Each of the rooms were outfitted with standard workbenches mounted on rails running in parallel across the room, allowing the benches to be separated or combined at will. Standalone mechanical stations and test equipment lined the walls along with racks of nearly every tool and instrument they might need. In one corner there was a massive steam engine, its control panel adorned with labeled brass buttons, which powered the lab's operations through connections to its output gears and driveshafts throughout the room. Several tables of beakers and glassware were filled with glowing, bubbling liquids of impossible colors. The auxiliary walls had a forge, metalworking tools, and a common cooling system using a large refrigeration unit and tank for all the mechanical elements requiring coolant within the laboratory.
“Wait, how did you get Lillian?” asked Haru, pulling her goggles off and resting them on her forehead, “I thought she was going directly into apprenticeship as an Astator.”
“Who cares. As long as we have someone to get us through the language puzzles and mind games, I’m psyched.” said Reid. He turned down the burner under the glowing contents of the beaker he was studying and switched on the nearby overhead lamps, casting light over his workbench at the center of the room.
“We asked her yesterday, she was at the park at Haven. Quinn, you got her all set then?” asked Joss.
“Yeah, strings pulled and all that. More importantly, since Joss probably hasn’t mentioned it yet, we also did some brainstorming yesterday, and we’ve got an idea.” said Quinn, setting his bag on his workbench facing the others, and pulling out his blueprint folder.
Quinn and Joss explained the broad strokes to Haru and Reid, who were equal parts skeptical and overjoyed at the idea of parallel processing for the project’s expansion. They moved about the lab, sketching quick diagrams for concepts on blackboards and Joss writing pseudocode functions to illustrate the programming for the new functions, answering questions and writing down the twin’s amendments to the planned development route.
An hour later, Reid was sitting cross-legged on a worktable staring at the others opposite him. Haru and Quinn tweaked small details on the sketches and adjusted variables in formulas as Reid and Joss called them out. Reid had already been testing a new variation of their existing coolant and was supervising its addition alongside the new chassis elements. The quartet was back in the swing of development, and each felt the satisfaction of having a new direction and motivation to forge forward.
“So, what are we going to do about the leak?” asked Haru, turning from the draft board, “We need to be on the same page, especially if we are bringing someone else into the team.”
“Maven Zai requested that Joss and I come explain and bring a plan.” said Quinn, scratching the back of his head, “So far, I asked a few other people to look into the leak. We just need to be in agreement on the new project direction, and then we’ll present that to Maven Zai.”
Joss nodded. “I think she wants to hear our plan for dealing with this setback. We thought the best course is to present an accelerated concept for the project to get further ahead of the leak rather than detailing our investigation into how it happened. Regardless, we do still need to figure out how it happened so we can avoid it happening again in the future.”
“To clarify then,” said Reid, “We’re affecting multi-stream processing, and continuing research into Adeios synthesis or acquisition. Aside from that, we’re looking for leads on the leaks.”
They all exchanged glances, eventually nodding in agreement.
“Maybe we don’t need Lily,” said Quinn with a grin, “Reid can be the full time documentarian based on that summary alone.”
Reid took a mock stage bow, prompting Haru’s snickering.
“I hope you’re a better chemist than you are a scribe, otherwise we’re screwed Re-Re,” said Haru, “That reminds me! We ran into a couple of Reid’s chemistry buddies, and they said they saw a couple students near our lab last week! It was Derik, uh,” Haru pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket, “Derik Vonn, and Lysa Krennik! Reid tried to track them down but we ran out of time.”
“Any details on them?” asked Joss.
“Derik is a Sentient Sciences student, that’s all they knew. Lysa though, get this, is the apprentice to Director Ceadrix Dorrin, directly under the Chancellor” exclaimed Reid. “Here, I compiled the notes I have so far. I’ll keep looking after I finish today’s chemical experiments.”
Quinn accepted the notes and began to skim the basic information written in Reid’s clean handwriting. “I’ll look into them too. We don’t know what the motivation was behind the leak. Let’s quadruple-check that we lock up everything every time we leave. Also, Reid, please stop leaving chocolate wrappers on the worktables.”
Reid looked confused until Quinn held up a crumpled piece of gold foil.
Haru bopped Reid on the head playfully. “You can’t leave trash everywhere. This isn’t your bedroom little brother.”
“You beat me into the world by seventeen seconds! Will I never live this down?” he grumbled.
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Quinn laughed and pulled out his voxcom. He drafted and sent a quick message.
S | ID 591032 | 188:07:21:15:12:08 | PD: QW
R | ID 515540 | PD: MC
# Suspects: Derik Vonn, Lysa Krennik.
The heavy door rang as it closed behind them, a door he had thrown open many times. Today though, he couldn't bring himself to be so casual.
Their destination was the dedicated academic research section of the College of Engineering, specifically Liora Zai's office, a place where many had come seeking guidance and wisdom. For Quinn and Joss, it held an added layer of significance: they were about to face the wrath of their mentor.
As they entered the hallway, the soft hum and clicks of displays and murmuring synthetic voices enveloped them. The Zai family crest adorned the door at the end of the hall – a symbol of innovation and progress that seemed almost mocking in light of Quinn's purpose here today. He waited a minute or so, shifting uncomfortably next to the eerily calm Joss, who gave him a reassuring nod before opening the door, revealing a room filled with an assortment of peculiar artifacts and shelves stacked high with books on various subjects.
Maven Liora Zai herself sat behind her desk, looking up as they entered, her piercing brown eyes fixing intently on them. Her straight salt and pepper hair was held to each side by spectacles, and her expression remained as stoic as ever, a mask that hid the turmoil brewing beneath.
"Whitlocke," she said, her voice hard but controlled. "I see you've received my message."
Quinn nodded, his eyes locked onto hers. Joss took up a position beside him, ready to offer support if needed.
Liora leaned forward, her hands clasped together in a steeple. "Tell me, what do you propose as your plan for moving forward?"
The weight of expectation hung heavy in the air, and Quinn knew that his response would determine not only their future but also Liora's trust in them. The ticking of the clockwork around the room filled the silence as he took a deep breath before speaking.
"We've been working on refining the prototype as you know," he began, "and we believe it has further potential to revolutionize communication and dissemination of information than Lance had postulated."
Liora raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Quinn launched into a detailed explanation of the new design, Joss chiming in with additional insights regarding the programming and codecs whenever necessary. Liora listened intently, her expression unreadable.
As they finished, Quinn felt the air grow thick once more with anticipation. Liora's gaze never wavered from theirs as she spoke in an even tone. "Good job, Quinn, Joss. I'm not sure how Trendsetter got ahold of Lance's work, but I see you have put sufficient thought into moving forward with the project. He would be proud that you have clearly not let this setback hold you down."
Quinn and Joss relaxed a bit in relief.
"We've got some friends looking into the leak situation, but we're going to get back to the lab this afternoon and start the first round of development." said Quinn.
"Thank you Maven," said Joss, "We never expected this, with how careful we have been with the prototype."
Liora smiled at the young men. Her years of leadership had made obvious their discomfort at being interrogated by someone as close to them as she was, or Lance had been. She knew they had been raised to be respectful to figures who had earned it. In return, she felt it was her duty to continue to encourage and guide them as required.
"I don't blame you for the leak. Nobody is perfect. Just follow the protocols we worked on, and keep an eye on your rival students," she said, smirking, "I too had my share of people looking over my shoulder during an important exam."
"Thank you Maven," said Quinn, "If you don't mind, we would like to study Lance's lab journals again. Reid hit a wall with the Adeios attribute research weeks ago, and we're hoping to find something we may have missed."
Liora was still for a short moment, then slowly nodding. "Alright, I have actually been digitizing the contents of all his work recently. I only returned yesterday from the lab in Rocheforge.” She turned to the terminal on the second desk beside her, clearing items off the keyboard and shuffling the papers into a neat pile beside it. Quinn noticed the Trendsetter article on the top of the pile. Liora considered the article again. “That article in Trendsetter was not the welcome home I was expecting."
As she began to organize Lance's notes, Liora couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia wash over her. She remembered when she first started working with Lance, how he would spend hours pouring over ancient texts and artifacts in search of new insights. His passion was infectious, and it had rubbed off on her. He would be proud of what the boys had done with his work, and the progress toward their shared dream.
She glanced up to see Quinn and Joss huddled around the machine display, their faces lit by its glow. She stood nearby, eyes flicking between the display and the conversation as they poured over Lance's notes. Liora smiled, feeling a sense of pride swell within her. She had always known that these young men were talented and driven, but it was moments like this that reminded her just how much potential lay hidden beneath. Despite the disappointment at losing some of the invention’s secrets before the device was ready for public exhibition, she knew Lance would have encouraged them, and she had chosen to do so in his place now.
An hour later, the men had left, heading back to the lab. Liora had walked Joss through her scanning machine program as Quinn ogled its structure. Eventually, the display showed the original writing with the interpreted text rendered below it for easy study, a feature Joss appreciated. They had stayed briefly to brainstorm some of their concepts and to copy a small section of Lance's notes before thanking Liora again, and making their way back down the halls to the lab.
She pulled a rough bound journal from her desk drawer, gently leafing through the pages. She barely saw the words through her memories of his face.
Lillian slipped into the dimly lit room, where flickering fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow over the cluttered space. The air was thick with the scent of stale coffee and worn-out machinery. As she entered, her eyes adjusted to the lack of natural light, revealing a sea of screens and consoles that seemed to stretch on forever. In the center of the room, a robed figure sat perched on a stool, its hood casting an ominous shadow over its face.
The figure pressed a large button with finality before hopping off the stool and turning to face Lily from within the cowl. The sound of clicking and whirring machinery filled the air as Lily grinned, bringing out a freshly inked page of paper from behind her back.
“I’m published.” she said.
The robed figure's cowl dropped away, revealing Nova's bright smile and sparkling eyes as she leapt across the room with an infectious enthusiasm. Her jet-black ponytail bounced behind her like a whip as she hurtled towards Lily, nearly tackling her in a warm hug. Her pale face wore a smile as the two giggling women danced happily in a circle.
“Oh Lily! This is amazing! Congratulations! How-Why now?” said the robed woman.
“Nova you were right about the boys. Quinn and Joss got me in. I’m so glad Anthony introduced us, please thank him for me?” said Lily, dragging Nova to the nearby desk to admire her news piece.
“What? Just because I married him now you think I get to see him more than you?” said Nova, failing a deadpan look at her friend and reaching up to flick on a spotlight above them.
Lily approached Nova's desk, where a pyramid of stacked displays towered above the surface. Programs and messages scrolled across the screens in a mesmerizing dance, their blinking status codes casting a hypnotic rhythm through the room. A plush Mimixi, the cat-like sentient species, wore an eyepatch and sat against a picture frame. Stacks of canned beverages lined one side of the desk, their labels reflecting a colorful array of drinks.
“You know full well the Ventures students barely interact with the other Colleges. Just tell him thanks again for me.” replied Lily, rolling her eyes.
“Whenever he’s back from buzzing around off into the sunset somewhere I’ll tell him.” said Nova, smiling.
Lily placed the document on Nova's desk, its creased edges and worn corners telling a tale of countless revisions and edits.
“That’s not the only good news though, I got an offer from Unity Innovations." she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Nova's eyes lit up like fireworks. "What? That's amazing! What did they say?"
Lillian pulled out the letter Quinn had read earlier, its pages rustling as she unfolded it. "They want to partner with me through an educational sponsorship program. It seems my project exploring social behavior models has caught their attention."
Nova leaned in, her voice taking on a calculative tone. "And what does this mean for you?"
Lily's eyes sparkled like diamonds in the dimly lit room. "It means I get to work with them on a project that could have real-world impact. They're offering me a chance to be part of something big, Nova."
Nova nodded enthusiastically, her ponytail bouncing behind her. "That sounds incredible! This has been a long time coming. Have you told Annabelle yet?"
Lily blinked. "Not yet, she was out on a case when I went to her office. But there's more. They want me to attend their seminar at the Academy next week. I'm not sure what to expect, but Quinn thinks it might be an opportunity to learn something new about Unity as a whole. He hadn’t heard of them."
Nova's expression turned thoughtful, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I don't know much about Unity Innovations either. I’ve come across their traffic in my research recently, seems to be a charity or something similar. What is their relationship to the Academy?"
"Maven Elkath said they have been a recent addition as a sponsor. The proxy I presented the piece to this afternoon said they are a non-profit trying to help the disadvantaged through research. This could be my chance to make a real difference!"
Nova reached out and placed a reassuring hand on Lily's arm. "We'll support you every step of the way, Lily. Just stay aware and make sure the agreement still works in your favor down the line."
Quinn trudged through the door for the second day in a row, his feet heavy with exhaustion. As he entered the home forge, Quinn's father, Abner Whitlocke, looked up from his workbench.
"Son. How was your day?"
The blacksmith's warm smile put Quinn at ease, but it didn't erase the fatigue etched on his face. Abner had long, thick, and somewhat unkempt sandy hair above a full, bushy beard. He wore his rough, brown coat over a red tunic as he continued to lumber around sweeping the floors. Quinn took a deep breath and decided his dad was just who he wanted to talk to.
"I gave Carios that red crystal you asked me to give him."
Abner nodded thoughtfully, his eyes twinkling with understanding. "He's been after that stone far longer than I. My chance to study it is long past; he can have it now."
"Hey, Dad?" Quinn said, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Yes, son?"
"He already knew you were going to give it to him? It seemed like you wanted him to have some keepsake or something small he'd forgotten and you were returning to him," Quinn asked, brows furrowed.
"That is true; he has long known I had the stone. But, I doubt he thought I'd ever pass it on. It is a keepsake, of a sort. He was there when I found it, back in the early days."
His father had shared stories of his early days as a miner in Rocheforge, working alongside his crew. Over the years, he had woven together a vivid image of a driven man building a business around resource acquisition for brokers. His father’s success had led to a thriving family enterprise with a loyal workforce under his leadership.
Quinn's thoughts turned to the weight of responsibility bearing down on him. While the meeting with Liora had gone better than he’d expected, the adrenaline from earlier in the day had worn off. He was worried about messing things up when people were counting on him – Joss, Lily, and the others who had come to rely on him.
His father sensed the unease. "What is it son? You flew through like Amgor's Wind this morning, and you were stewing in something last night."
Quinn explained everything. It had been a long day of meetings and work sessions, but he knew every moment was crucial to getting back on track. He'd met with Mellissa in her office and she had clearly taken the scent and run with it. After his chat with Lily he had managed to get her plugged in with Carios, who he was sure would take care of her. Haru and Reid had tracked down some other leads – this Derik and Lysa seeming like prime suspects. The events from the day swirled as he tried to put the full picture together with the events of the previous day and the Trendsetter article. As Quinn spoke, Abner listened intently, his expression a mix of concern and understanding.
When Quinn finished, the blacksmith nodded thoughtfully. "You're carrying a heavy load, son. It's not just about you; it's about all those people counting on you to get things right."
Quinn sighed heavily, feeling the weight of responsibility settle deeper onto his shoulders.
Abner placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Not every torch needs to be carried by the same runner. Sometimes we need to entrust the flame to someone else to carry it forward."
