The cold morning light crept through the cracks in the wall as Alex stirred under his thin blanket. His mind was already awake, buzzing with thoughts of the small generator and the faintly flickering comm unit from the night before. It wasn't much, but it was a step forward. He needed more—more energy, more data, more answers.
Elara had already left, off to handle some trade or scavenging run. She hadn't asked many questions about the generator after last night, satisfied with its small victory. But Alex hadn't stopped thinking about it since. The AI had analyzed the generator and the comm unit, revealing fragments of information hidden in the damaged device. It wasn't enough to make sense of things yet, but it had sparked something in Alex—a desire to unlock more of the old-world's forgotten technology.
He rolled out of his blanket and knelt down beside the comm unit, which now sat on the floor next to the small, cold firepit. Its screen was still fractured, and the power from the generator had long since faded, but the device had come to life, however briefly. That alone meant there was more inside—data, perhaps, that hadn't seen the light of day in years.
Alex picked up the comm unit, turning it over in his hands. I wonder if I can do more with this... he thought.
"Device functionality remains limited due to insufficient power," the AI responded in his mind, as if reading his thoughts. "Potential for further analysis with enhanced energy input or signal amplification."
Alex frowned. The AI was right—again. The generator had given him a glimpse, but it wasn't enough to unlock the full potential of the comm unit. What he needed was more power or a way to boost the signal.
But where would I find something like that in the Rust Quarter? Alex thought, glancing around the small room. Most of what they scavenged was broken, damaged beyond repair, or missing critical parts. Yet, somewhere in the Quarter, there had to be more—old-world tech that had been buried, forgotten, or overlooked.
With that thought, he tucked the comm unit back into his coat and stood up, ready to head out. The Quarter was a maze of streets and alleys, and while much of it had been picked clean by scavengers like Elara and him, Alex knew that hidden treasures sometimes appeared where people least expected them. He just needed to keep looking.
The market was bustling by the time Alex arrived, the noise of haggling and the clanging of metal filling the air. The cold hadn't kept people away—if anything, it made the marketplace more desperate. People were trying to secure what they could before winter hit even harder, their breath visible in the frigid air as they moved quickly between stalls.
Alex scanned the crowd as he walked, looking for anything that stood out. Vendors were shouting, waving their hands in an effort to sell rusted tools, bundles of wood, and dried meats, but none of that interested him. He needed to find tech, something he could feed to the AI for analysis.
As he turned a corner, a stall filled with various electronic scraps caught his eye. It was a disorganized mess—broken screens, cracked batteries, and tangled wires piled on top of each other. But among the junk, Alex spotted something: a long, narrow device with a sleek design, partially buried under the pile.
He moved closer, carefully pulling it free. It was light, with a smooth metallic surface and a small, faded emblem on the side that looked familiar—an old-world logo, though he couldn't quite place it.
What's this? Alex thought, holding the device up for the AI to scan.
"Unknown object detected," the AI replied, its voice more active now. "Scanning for functionality."
A moment passed, the faint hum of the AI's analysis filling Alex's mind. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching him too closely. Keeping the AI secret was always at the forefront of his mind, especially in a place like the Rust Quarter, where people could turn on you if they thought you had something valuable.
"Object is a portable signal amplifier," the AI reported. "Device is damaged but retains partial functionality. Could be used to boost communication signals or increase energy transfer."
Alex's pulse quickened. A signal amplifier—that was exactly what he needed to enhance the comm unit's functionality. Even if the device was damaged, it could still provide the boost he needed to pull more data from the old-world comm.
The vendor noticed Alex handling the amplifier and shuffled over. He was an older man, his face weathered and lined from years of living in the cold. His sharp eyes darted between Alex and the device, clearly sensing that Alex was interested.
"That's a rare piece," the vendor said, his voice rough. "Old-world tech. Hard to find these days."
Alex kept his expression neutral. He didn't want to show too much interest, knowing it would drive the price up. "Looks pretty beat up to me," he said, turning the device over in his hand. "Not sure it's even worth anything."
The vendor snorted, clearly not buying the act. "It still works. You know it, and I know it. Five rations, and it's yours."
Alex grimaced internally. Five rations was too much—he didn't even have that many to spare. But he knew the vendor wouldn't let it go easily. He considered his options, then decided to push back.
"Two rations," Alex said firmly, handing the device back to the vendor. "It's barely functional, and you know it."
The vendor glared at him for a moment, but the market was crowded, and he likely wanted to move on to the next customer. With a grunt, he nodded. "Fine. Two rations. But no returns."
Alex handed over the rations, feeling a slight pang as he parted with them. Food was scarce, but this amplifier could be the key to unlocking more than just a meal. He carefully tucked the device into his coat and made his way out of the market, eager to return to his shelter and test it out.
Back in the dim light of his small room, Alex pulled the amplifier and the comm unit from his coat. Elara still wasn't back, which gave him time to work without raising any questions. He carefully set the devices down on the floor, examining the amplifier first. It was a simple design, no larger than his hand, with a series of connectors and a faint glow coming from its interface. The AI had said it was damaged, but there was enough functionality left to give it a shot.
Alex connected the amplifier to the comm unit, his hands steady despite his growing excitement. The hum of the devices coming to life filled the room, and the comm unit's fractured screen flickered to life once again, this time with more stability. The lines of static were still there, but the garbled text began to form into something more readable.
"Signal amplification detected," the AI reported. "Data retrieval in progress."
Alex leaned closer, his eyes fixed on the screen as the comm unit processed the incoming signal. It wasn't much—just bits and pieces of fragmented text—but it was something.
"Old-world communication logs detected," the AI continued. "Partial data available for recovery."
Alex's breath caught as the screen displayed a series of old messages, fragmented and incomplete, but legible. They were messages from a time long before the collapse—communications between people who had once lived in a world of technology and energy, a world that had been lost to ruin.
One message stood out:
"To all remaining personnel: we've initiated the lockdown. Energy reserves are failing, but there's still a chance to secure the core. If anyone's left, meet at the southern access point. It's our only shot."
Alex's heart raced. The message didn't make much sense yet, but there was something important hidden in these old logs—something that could explain more about what had happened to the world. The mention of an energy core caught his attention, sending his thoughts racing.
Could that core still exist? Alex thought, his mind spinning with possibilities.
"Data is incomplete," the AI said. "Further analysis required. Signal strength insufficient for full data retrieval."
Alex leaned back, his pulse quickening. He had found something—something that could lead to more. The amplifier had worked, but it wasn't enough to fully unlock the comm unit's secrets. He would need more power, a stronger signal. But for now, this was a start.
Store the data, Alex thought to the AI. We'll need to figure out what that message means later.
"Data logged," the AI confirmed.
Alex stared at the flickering screen, the words still etched in his mind. There was more to uncover, more secrets buried in the ruins of the old world. And he was going to find them.