12 Miles Below

I’m pretty much fucked. As a trained scavenger, this is my professional opinion: Fucked.

Three entire stories above the floor I’m supposed to be exploring, while Ankah was getting an entryway cut into the ground by the gods damned clan lord himself. Only thing she was missing was a red carpet and some confetti sprinkled from above as she righteously descended down to claim the transformer room.

This wasn’t the end of the world. I needed to be logical about this. The only possibility of winning left now was if that transformer room didn’t exist. And that was out of my control. So here’s what I was going to do: Not go looking for a transformer room.

Instead, I’m going to assume it’s not there at all and plan around that. If there isn’t a transformer room, then where else would power be located?

Data Center 2.

The writings on the wall - large and blocky. Important. If there were data servers, then there had to be power supplying them. And if by some chance this building didn’t have a transformer room, then the power could be close to those, if not in the very same room. No other option than to retrace my steps, find the wall directions and pray to Tsuya that the power cells were there.

And if that failed, the next plan was going to be a get-rich-quick scheme of some kind. Say, rich enough to buy a knife.

Father continued stalking behind me, like an ominous shadow as we sped through the hallways.

Figuring out what his game was could wait until I’d secured the power cells.

The hallway opened up into a large room, not quite as big as the mess hall had been. In the center was a large dome, with a railing surrounding it. Desks and tables circled the dome, while the walls held dead and cracked screens, keyboards and other third or fourth era tech. Looked like a control room of sorts.

Outside, through what had once been windows, were the spire-like structures we’d seen from a distance. Faded paint showed emblems and numbers on the sides, and wire-like pipes connected the building to the main structure. Watchtowers maybe?

With all the window walls shattered, the environment had free reign into the room. The place was blanketed in a thick layer of snow on most parts, burying entire workstations.

It didn’t matter. This must be the data center. Somewhere under all that snow and paneling were wires, and those would lead me to treasure. I got to work with my crowbar, aiming for the panels not covered up first.

“I am actually curious about one detail, brother.”

“What’s rattling around in your head?” I said with a grunt, as I pried open my first panel.

“Do you have any theories as to why these people left?”

That made me doubletake for a moment. “What makes you think they left and weren’t just murder-looted?”

“Have you seen any skeletal remains on your side?”

Ah. There had been no signs of cadavers yet. How had I missed something as obvious as that? This damn contest was really getting into my head.

“Almost all of the rooms I've been to were cleared out or well organized.” Kidra continued. “No pictures or any personal items left anywhere. Chairs are tucked into the desks. The mark of people who had plenty of time to prepare for a scheduled departure. All damage looks to have been done by age, no bullet holes or explosive damage.”

Explained why this site was so intact - it hadn’t ever been sieged before. Which begged the question: Where did they all go?

The workstations were a dead end, so I moved to the walls next. That had some success. Sitting plump and fat were a few massive wires, clearly built to carry power. I’d have to guess where each might lead to, and then investigate.

Panels were ripped down, wires investigated and followed, rinse and repeat until there’d be no more wires to follow. Kidra and I chatted the entire time, keeping each other company over the work. It soothed my nerves, and pretty soon I was back in my rhythm.

Until Kidra got nosey again about my social life. “What about Distra?”

I guess gossip mongering was something built into all Winterscars, deep down. When I asked for more details on what she meant, she specified. “That one girl you spent some time with a year ago? ”

“Also after the armor,” I said. “But she made me almost believe I was handsome, so points for that.”

“Might you be too focused on finding manipulations that don’t exist? The other houses don’t all behave like Winterscar, you understand? Gossip I heard was that she actually did think you were handsome.”

“Even if she wasn’t completely after the armor - which I doubt - She didn’t like to talk numbers. Poor woman was prepared to jump out a window if cornered by an integral sign.”

“Please, brother. If you’re looking for someone who likes numbers as much as you do, I don’t think anyone in the caste would be suitable.”

“Nonsense.” I answered back. “Elisia is an amazing mathematician and we’ve spent hours talking about tech and the stuff she tinkers with. She’s amazing.”

“Elisia is a Reacher, not a knight retainer. She’s happily married and a good decade your senior. Absolutely off limits.”

“Well she’s proof my standards exist. I just have to keep looking.”

I heard a sigh over the headset. “Keep looking where? It sounds more like you’re avoiding anyone within the retainer houses.”

“It’s not like Father woul-” A guilty glance confirmed Father was still present in the room, quietly watching like a hawk. Even knowing he wasn’t on my private comms, I still spoke with a lower voice just in case.

“Look, if I caught a feral pipe weasel, slapped lipstick on it and married the furry little monster, Father would probably congratulate me on finding my equal. Let’s be serious here, you’re the one who’s going to inherit the armor, Kidra. I’m just a footnote. Nobody would care if I marry an engineer.”

“Who inherits the armor is still up for debate. Children complicate things for me.”

I swore. Not at the conversation, but because I’d just found out that the second to last power wire connected to another useless panel. Which meant the last power wire must be where the power was coming from - and that wire was going directly into the massive mound of snow I’d been avoiding. Sighing, I unpacked the collapsible shovel. I suppose some manual labor never killed me. Yet. “Well, if you swore you wouldn’t have kids, then what?”

“Our House isn’t in a position where I’d get to make that choice in the first place. Unless Father remarries. And…”

And he hasn’t. The bastard was leaving all the unspoken issues for my sister to shoulder. I can’t believe that hypocrite would yell at me for leaving things on Kidra’s shoulders. The selfish prick could solve so many issues by just remarrying already and recruiting new blood from the Houseless.

Hundreds would be willing to outright fight each other for the right to go on scavenging expeditions, even the tiny expeditions to refuel the clan’s power cells. Inviting new members was all up to the house leaders to pick and choose who joined the House.

More ‘prestigious’ that way. Certainly had nothing to do with bribes or any of that nepotism, no sir. At least Reachers didn’t have politics to join their Houses, they only required an intelligent head and a few tests passed. Everyone had a chance to earn it.

Father hasn’t even bothered to see a single applicant in the past eight years. Not a word about arranged marriages for either of us, no attempt to look for his own. It's like he'd completely avoided all subjects related to our House, leaving it to slowly rot away. The man revered honor and duty, and yet completely ignored this part of his duty.

Kidra didn’t continue, growing quiet instead. That was par for the course when talking family with her. She'll hit a wall and then shut down. The snow shovelling was slow business in the silence, but also slowly getting somewhere. With some luck and the three gods willing, there would be something somewhere under all this snow.

Kidra finally spoke up, a good ten minutes later, unexpectedly breaking the silence. “When I think about having a family, I want to do better than what I had growing up.” She quietly said. “Relic knights are not Deathless, but they deal with the same league of danger. Growing up without a mother is a hard thing for any child and I could never wish it on my own.”

“Well, I think I turned out just fine, thank you.” Too much ratshit politics haunting this House. “Look, just loan the armor out and call it a day. You’d only be required to wear it for ceremonial occasions. Father did that for what, thirteen years straight? You can do it too. Minus the drinking and being generally pathetic of course.”

Sure it wasn’t the ‘honorable’ thing to do and was plenty scandalous, but who cared now? Plus we’d get money to fill up the emptying House coffers.

Plenty of warriors in our House wore Father’s armor, at least back when everyone in the House was still alive and scheming. The family had been all too happy to abuse his sad little broken heart, buying him all the booze in the world, and then taking the armor out for a spin to impress the clan lord while he was passed out. By that point he’d already lost all of his titles and fame. The whole house knew it was only a matter of time until Atius was forced to intercede, take charge of the armor and declare Father an invalid. They were practically foaming at the mouth waiting for that.

Pissed me off to think about. “If you’re dead set on wearing the cursed thing yourself, I’m sure you could hire a nurse for you while you’re out in the field. No one left in the House to manipulate the servants to quit this time.”

I’d dug in a little too deep on family history here, I was sure she wasn’t going to bring the topic back up. Nor would I press her about it. Talking about the Winterscars does not bring out good memories. I could imagine the idea of giving up the relic armor to others would be anathema to Kidra's morals. But where does honor and duty leave people? At least my House had known and understood that implicitly.

I continued burrowing like a pipe weasel deeper into the snow mound, anger propelling me forward. Eventually the other side scraped against my shovel. ‘CAUTION: Maintenance only.’ The panel read.

Ho ho ho, jackpot.

Now if power cells hid behind this, that would mean Ankah could be looking around for something that doesn’t exist. But if there was just wiring behind this panel, then I was deep in the ratshit.

Holding my breath, my crowbar slammed expertly into the side. A twist of effort pried the panel off.

Behind, in two rows of three, were perfectly preserved power cells. Six in total. Sitting alone and abandoned.

I love it when I win.

These must have been primary generators since they were all completely spent. So if these were primary power generators...

Elation soared through my head, thoughts of getting both the book and gloating rights now back in reach. Ankah was looking around underground for something that didn’t exist.

Game wasn’t over yet, I’d only taken the lead - this was data center 2. Which implied there was at least a data center 1 somewhere, if not more. It wasn’t enough that we won, Shadowsong had to lose.

To make sure she didn’t even get a possible shot, I’d need to find that data center, and pilfer it before my competition.

Kidra and I both agreed to keep it quiet for now, after I broke the news to her. Ankah was looking in the wrong place and we weren’t going to do anything to change that.

Carefully, I reached into the storage compartment and unhooked the spent power cells. The hand sized cylinders were filled with frozen water, likely compressed inside. Once a power cell was used, the leftover waste would be drinkable even in theory.

This was the masterstroke of the fourth era, after which power technology never changed. Even lost tech was powered by these things, and that appeared centuries later if our history was accurate.

One after another, these six treasures were lovingly lowered into my hoversled and strapped down.

Kidra spoke up, after having gone silent for quite some time. “Keith, it was wrong of me to say that to you.”

“Say what?”

“What I said about… about mother. That was crass of me.”

Had she been brooding about that this whole time? Did she think I’d be hurt about not having a mom? “I don’t mind. There’s no way you could remember anything about her either.”

“...I do, a bit.”

“Ratshit, you were what, five when she died?”

“I am seven years older than you, not five.”

“Eh, details. I barely remember grandma, and I was seven then too.”

“You were six when grandmother died. Not seven.”

“I doubt one year makes much of a difference.”

My shovel lifted up again and work began on the opposite side of the room, digging a way to more possible power cells. If one side had them, chances were the room had a mirrored setup. Treasure wasn't going to just dig itself out.

“I don’t remember all the details," Kidra said. "But I do remember the feelings. A few of being held. A bath. Her laughing, getting carried on shoulders, and what I think was Father smiling a few times.”

“Now I know you’re full of bent metal...” I chuckled. Maybe he’d smile in that ‘I’m trying really hard to be polite here.’ way.

Father still remained at attention behind, hand on rifle, waiting. He was a very different person depending on what year you picked. I’d heard some stories about who he used to be, before I was born, but they might as well be describing a stranger.

“Say what time did you like better? Before or after the raid happened?” I asked her, more out of idle curiosity.

“...It would be extremely selfish to say I’m glad hundreds of people died just because my life became better for it.” Kidra said.

“Yeah... but am I right?”

There wasn’t an answer back until the second maintenance panel was just barely in reach.

“I hated them.” She whispered over the comms. “Every day I’d wished they’d all just disappear.”

I chuckled darkly, “Well, wish granted.”

“Yes. Wish granted. Exactly like I’d prayed for.” There was no mirth or joy at the admission.

“...You know none of that was your fault right? That raid was going to happen no matter what you were thinking on the inside.”

“I have made my peace with it years ago.” She lied.

The shovel hit a hard surface. Which hopefully meant another panel and another six power cells. And if Kidra found a handful more on the satellite buildings, that would be game set and match.

The crowbar came out again, while I continued to gossip about the past. “For me, I liked it better before the raid. Sure, they were all scheming assholes. But they all mostly ignored me, and I was all too happy to ignore them back. Easy life.”

And it was easier when Father simply yelled at us, puked and passed out on the floor each night. He hadn’t expected anything from me back then. “Though I wasn’t a fan of those pity looks the family would give me.”

“I know those looks well.” Kidra said. “It was the hypocrisy that rankled me. They’d tell stories of Father at the banquets you know, like he was some long dead hero in the family. Raising toasts and politely clapping to their navel gazing speeches.” I heard grunting and sounds of the wall being ripped over the speakers. “I wanted nothing more than to slap them, yell in their face, ‘He’s still alive, you vapid parasites, help him!’ I felt like I was the only person who still took care of him.”

Well, that’s because you were.

“In a way they did help,” I said. “Not willingly of course. No Winterscar would ever do a good deed without first attaching strings to it.”

My own panel crunched open, breaking me out of that spiral, the crowbar proving the superior tool once more. Behind lay another six spent power cells, just as I’d hoped for. Soon, they’d be yanked out and spirited away. My hands started the work on autopilot.

Cell by cell, I pilfered the whole thing into the hoversled. Since this had been a source of main power, the power cables going into the wall might lead me to the next data center.

I took off in the best guess I had, into the hallways.

“Even if you did manage to slap them into helping, it wouldn’t have worked.” I told her as I walked. “Vodka isn't made from ice. Someone was buying him all those bottles.”

“They did?” My sister blurted out, followed by realization. “Of course they did. How did you spot that when I hadn't?”

“Adults let slip all kinds of secrets when they don’t notice who’s exploring under the floorboards. You’re too honest to crawl around in the mud like I did.”

“Please, I’m not a paragon of morality either. I also engaged in lies and deceit when I was forced to.”

“Perhaps my definition of lies and deceit are just ‘slightly’ different to yours, my dear sister.”

“We can’t be that different.”

“Have you ever, even just once, opened a door without knocking first?”

She laughed. Voice like bells through the comms. “Fine, I suppose I’ll concede the point. But if I’d known, I could have stopped them.” And they would have come up with something more dangerous if you did.

I gulped guiltily at my actions in all this. “It’s the armor. That’s all they were after. Of course they’d want to keep the real owner out of the picture - and especially the daughter that was still trying to right the ship. You didn’t miss it, they intentionally hid it from you.”

Deeper into the superstructure, I found a blockage. The roof had collapsed, spilling snow everywhere, but there didn’t seem to be more damage. The wires were leading here, going into the piled snow. In fact, I could see multiple thick wires through the broken walls leading to this room from different directions.

Something here must be important. And it was buried under snow of course.

This time I didn’t have to shovel for long before it hit something hard again. Once I’d scrubbed the ice off, the letters could be made out. ‘Emergency’

The panel wasn’t locked. And under it, another red lever, like in the security bunker. ‘Backup power mechanical failsafe.’ It read.

I had twelve power cells already. Ankah hadn’t found the transformer room, she likely had little to none. If something were to happen right now, like the power turning back in, we’d be evacuated. The day would be over, the contest called.

And we would win by a landslide.

Lifting my shovel discreetly, the reflection of Father stood grim on the trowel’s blade, faceless helmet ever vigilant. The headlights in the dim light making it obvious to tell where his gaze fell. It was child’s play to find the right moment he wasn’t watching.

Just one knight would have been enough to handle any danger that this site could offer, we have five with the clan lord himself all ready for action.

They'd pull us out safely in under a minute. Kidra was in her own seperate satellite building, and those wouldn't be connected to this building's backup generator. They'd have their own power grids instead, so any event within this complex wouldn't involve her.

The risks were sound.

Ye’d have learned a hundred times by now - nobody ever deals with the devil and comes out of it hale.

Shadowsong should have known better then to challenge a Winterscar. Cheating was our House calling and scheming in our lifeblood. Kidra might be above this and Father removed from it, but I'd been born and shaped into it.

You’re too honest to crawl around in the mud like I did.

I shook hands with the devil and pulled the lever down.

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