The days were unkind in the city of the red giant for the job hunters. Day after day in blistering heat and storming rains they searched to no avail with many giving up. Lena wasn't one of them. However, she was far from secure. In the average man's midday, they'd be working or having lunch, Lena however spent hers getting wasted in the greasy gears bat in the afternoon. Her head against the counter, manners lost as she was the only patron. Poor Strider couldn't even pretend to clean bottles and mugs to ignore her issues, with her third refill his silence broke. "I was gonna ask how was your day, but seeing that it's a beautiful day outside- the sun's shining and birds are singing, but you're stuck in a place like this."
He was quick on his feet to the upkeep of the old building. All attempts he made to joke were brushed off, "Bah...what do you think?" Lena peeked up from the counter. A hic in her voice followed by a whimper.
"You do have money to get boozed up-" Strider made fair points throughout his work, now resting back on a stool with his eyes on the clock, "Eh, it is what it is in the end," He watched the small frame that was Lena hammer down a third pint in less than 30 minutes. "You like putting a strain on your nanomachines huh?"
"Shaddap!" the mug pounded the counter, "I'm already low on credit. My fridge's full of MRE's and if I can't pay rent by the end of next week I have to head back to Mandaly," Lena couldn't hold back tears through the liquor, "Spending time in a stinkin' oyster farm, struggling in a military base to hopefully pay off student loans…." she mumbled her innermost thoughts to her neighbor. This would be her last drink for some time seeing the decline in drams. The bar was cold. Neither Strider nor Lena continued with the tangent; the only 'assistance' she would get would be coming from the very farm she loathed in two weeks. Her final drink slammed down the hatch, before the nanomachines badgered about her bad habits, "Alright, how much do I owe you for?" she stuttered once on her feet and inched to the wall.
Strider waved it off, "On the house for a regular," he teased, "Just take care of yourself- I'll be out of town so you can't build a dependency on the stuff," he was coy while his droids reclaimed the mug. Lena could help but laugh with another step back. Almost to the door.
"It's almost the evening, time to go home and see if the eviction notice is posted-" that shatter stole their attention. From the right window, something flew through. Strider's arm dove under the counter before the second projectile flew in. His shock was filled in by mild disappointment. A red machina stumbled in, between the stools and slung on the counter with attention on the second. The machina was the standard make, not that tall, and lacked any human features. Its circulatory system gushed oil down both legs with gashed legs. All the damage brought by that robot.
"Hurry up and tell me what I wanna hear!" the familiar dynamic unit flew in with a foot against the machina's head. Dynamo's feet tore away the machina's stability and floored them both; his knee against the head. "Now, why were you messing with Destria history, huh?" the robot, clearly another rogue unit struggled under Dynamo's hoof. All it had for protection was a humble sixshooter with a plasma adapter. The gun sang with stripes of plasma kissing the side of Dynamo's head. He took in a deep breath. The weapon soon smashed under his other foot, just like the unit soon after. Limbs broken at the joints from a series of stomps, "Wew...try and run from me now, bastard," Dynamo lifted his leg before surveying the surroundings. Strider had no words, "Oh hey, didn't think you were in, Mr. Owner," he waved before looking where Strider pointed. "Hold that thought."
A glow bloomed beneath him, the nuclear white of a core. It sizzled within the machina that had no words, even when its power source melted away the chest cavity, "Stop that already," Dynamo's bladed heel dug into the corners of the nucleus. All of the wires that reversed the energy flow were hacked apart and the core pulled out. The machina fell inactive. Dynamo rested the chunk near his own; though it was a different nuclear metal it would serve him well. "Phew...anyways-"
Dynamo turned to be met with a broom, "Hey jackass, that's ballistic glass I ordered from Brecknock," Strider beat the poor machine. His arm extended, fingers curling seductively. Dynamo rubbed the back of his head.
"My bad," Dynamo spoke softly, a black card was nestled between his fingers. Right after it was in Strider's card reader, "I followed this guy from the outskirts all the way to the bridge and here," he recounted the tale with a smile, "Found em in the middle of some scheme in the Destria ruins and tada!" both arms spun around. Strider did his best not to smirk before sliding the card across the table. His little assistant droid went to sweep the glass with broom in hand. "Anyways, can I get some oil on the go? Those guys are scheming pretty soon."
In an act of robot brutality, Lena stayed on the sidelines watching Dynamo unscrew the machina's head and reached into the back. What came out was both the motherboard with storage and processor attached; the machina stolen from its body. Strider rose a can of oil, filling it from the pipes that ran from the ceiling. Thick and crude, not a drop touched the table as it was slid across. The straw was soon inserted in Dynamo's gullet. "Yeah, anyways I was closing up the shop soon so you two might have to go soon," Strider sighed at the mess; the body on his floor bled out. "Oh and yeah, might wanna bribe this one, Legbuster," he gestured to Lena. She wasn't freaking out as much as the average person, just popping mints and flushing her mouth out with water.
"Huh? Oh hey, how's it going?" Dynamo stretched at full height, "Na she's in the clear, we met last week," Dynamo's response made Strider cringe. Sorrow was written on his face for her, "So you're still unemployed huh?"
"Why do you assume that?" Lena boomed, "Who said I don't have all my affairs order and backup plans-" a single point to the digital recipe killed any bravado that lingered. She scratched the back of her head, "Anyways...I should go," she tried to exit the scene before anyone else would enter. That damn rogue unit followed her out, beaten by a broom with the bar's owner crossing the machina body and reaching to the doors.
"Well this was nice like always, I'll dump the junk in S.C. later just stop making my business a hotspot for your….work," Strider sighed, pain written on his face. He turned to Lena, "And you...good luck," Without another word he shut the doors behind them. Though they appeared wooden, the several dozen automated locks that followed proved it was far from the norm. Blinds from every window darkened like the neon signs that now read 'Closed'. Down the stairs they threaded with the robotic remains haphazardly shoved in Dynano's pocket; half of the contraption stood out. While Dynamo sat on the stairs Lena distanced herself from the unit. He was good...but something kept her from approaching him.
"So where ya headed to now?" Dynamo asked her. He held a conversation while processing what was previously learned. Lena had nowhere to go, just huddled on the stairs. Hustle and bustle of men and machines was all around them. Hungry for another day of earning drams. But what was in it for the machines? The ones who operated within the confines of a lack of freedom. They had nothing to lust for, so why work for the sake of it? All things Dynamo wondered, but the freedom held still was an illusion. One hit of a switch and all registered units went down. The thought alone made him gulp...but he had no reason to fear the effects upon his own systems.
"Back to Mandaly probably, I can't pay rent," Lena sulked and admitted, "So how do you and Strider know each other?" she changed the topic.
"Well his bar's sitting in the backstreets with a direct line through S.C and this district, of course he's gonna have some spicy details on any rogue unit that passes by," Dynamo pointed out, "That and we worked together once or twice. Scary guy," he laid back with eyes on whatever shard of sky he could see through the net of buildings. The space between the two was great, why did Lena fear him so? "Quite curious that you didn't quiz me on the other day. Many people would be clawing for information after criminal charges on their name disappear and a complete stranger sends them a note. Don't you want to know?"
She remained silent. Her eyes were locked on the path ahead, her focus away from the peripherals. A tremble in her throat, "Of course I was, but I was scared," she admitted, "It was dubious at best, you and that other rogue unit," she needed a deep breath. Her nanomachines kept sending her warnings to stop the stress before they released dopamine. "You're someone with your secrets, both men and machine have them. I'd rather you keep whatever corruption that is to yourself."
Why was it so difficult for her to tilt her head to the right? Dynamo was a friendly unit, but what was wrong with her? With a sigh, her chin tilted. She was met with a cringing face, "What?" Dynamo laughed, his mouth wide open with his speakers at full volume, "Wait you thought I was colluding with some mafia or evil boss?" he wiped away oil from the corners of his optical units, "I was just gonna show off and say I'm buds with some higher-ups," he laughed. "How did you think I got your number? They got all that it on hand investigating. Also, you're welcome."
Lena nodded. The hum of the atmosphere was entrancing. Everyone walked on with a duty to fulfill and soon they needed to go soon. Dynamo itched his scalp, "Well best wishes and whatnot," without another thought, Dynamo stood up and trekked on. To the laboratories of old beneath the country, "Oh and, before I go I just wanted to tell ya I got bit of a rough job coming up and might need some help," his white tongue licked the sides of his mouth, "Down in the Destria ruins, you know about the entrance nearby?" his question met with a nod; Destria was something everyone knew. They were a branch family of Dyson centuries ago that operated in similar fields. Fathers of innovation wrapped in the art of war. But in the years passed their blood thinned, rumors speculated that there was a sole member with the blood in his veins. However, take rumors with a grain of salt.
The ruins, once their grand home that spanned the entirety of the continent's underground with entrances spanning the quadrants. Every major city had one of them, but they were almost impossible to enter. Only government officials had permission to open those giant sealed doors; only Dysons and few others. "Why isn't it shocking that you got access to the location?" Lena gulped.
"Friends in high places," he laughed, "Well I'm getting paid a lot for the job, but I'm going to need fire magic to open the doors down there if you understand where I'm getting at," he hinted at something greater. Although the thought of a high pay interested Lena, she didn't get a word in before the rogue unit's face came close to hers. "What'cha say? Open the doors for me and I'll split the Three thousand drams with ya?" he was overly excited. She grew nervous. Three thousand drams, most people make that much in months work. That much money, even half of it, would pay off her rent for a few months and handle student bills. Who wouldn't pick up an offer like that?
"Alright, but try anything funny and there's an arrow with your name on it."