Think of how much research is
inhibited by investments in our world, and then imagine what would occur if
that funding became beneficial to the advancement of science. Many innovations are born out of idealism,
and the Promethean Empire has developed as a result of this situation.
A Tale of Two Inventors
The blue star sent rays of warmth down to the city below. As the bands of energy reached their final destination, the countless solar panels placed in preparation for their arrival soaked them in. From every roof, throughout Ozone City, the panels stood, continually providing power to the vast urban area.
Ozone City had few more occupants than solar panels. This continual source of energy ensured that the ingenuity produced here, would continue for as long as the star above lived. And by Gaer’s estimation, even the Promethean Empire would fade long before that happened.
Not that he desired to see the Empire end. Creativity was near as infinite as the energy from above. Each and every day, new inventions were birthed right here, in this very city. Why just yesterday, a new device had been made that could make eating food for nourishment a thing of the past.
An invention of his own design, created a small field which produced a time bubble of sorts. This key item could speed up future inventions. Yes, ideas at that speed would create a tomorrow, which only the greatest thinkers of today could envision.
And the fact that Gaer dwelt in a city where science had unlimited funding, was the main draw of living here. Ozone City was vast enough, to be its own little world. And even more, Ozone City was just one of many complexes within the Promethean Empire.
Outside this sphere, chaos ruled and wicked creatures stalked the land. Rather than some monetary reward, everyone inside the Promethean sphere of influence, were motivated by protecting their world from those evil monsters.
Demons were very real. That had come to Gaer as a shock. A man of science was hard pressed to believe in fairy tales. But an intelligent person could not deny what had become an obvious truth. Even Magic, if it could even be called such, was equally real. And yet, Magic had practical uses in the Promethean Empire. Uses that had allowed innovation to reach unprecedented levels.
Gaer was broken from his train of thought, by an unusual sight. A child slinked about, noticed by no one. And had Gear not been at the perfect angle to spot her, she would have remained unnoticed. In what was possibly a lapse in judgement, Gaer decided to investigate.
He started to follow her at a safe distance. Each time she paused, he glanced at his wrist watch. As the pursuit led farther and farther away from the main streets, he continually questioned his rationale in following her.
Gaer began to regret his choices, as the chase lead him into an abandoned alley. While crime was almost unheard of within the Promethean Empire, foul play was possible anywhere. And Gaer was no soldier. In a scuffle, he would likely be outmatched.
Lost in thought, he suddenly lost track of the girl, and was now confronted with a four-way intersection. Each direction would lead into an equally darker alley than the current one. Gaer made a mental note, that his next invention would be a portable light source, one which could remain undetected by unwanted eyes. But such an invention did not yet exist, and certainly could not aid him now.
Gaer wondered if he had been baited to this place, and looked up at the surrounding buildings to see if he was being observed. Immediately, he saw that the child was watching him from one of the balconies.
“Yes, I know you followed me. No, I won’t tell you how I got up here.”
Sound reasoning. This girl would likely be difficult to reason with. Unless she understood more logic than a child should. In that case, this would be quick.
“You know the rules child. I assume? No girls are to be left unattended in the city.” This was due to enemies on the outside, employing Human-like Women as their assassins. Gaer already had come to terms with this potentially sexist law, but the child reawakened thoughts of doubt when she spoke next.
“What if the Cultists decide to employ Men? Will every person in Ozone City need an escort?”
A valid point. This is a smart girl.
“You seem to have some sort of education.” Gaer continued, intending to push the dialogue along. “Where are your parents child?”
“Dead.” Gaer expected the girl to cry, or at least to pause, but she did neither. “Where are your parents Mister?” Gaer sensed the overflowing levels of snark, accented by her child voice.
“Also dead.” He responded. Logic seemed to work better with her. “The streets are no place for a young girl.”
“The streets are no place for an unarmed Man.” He was armed actually, but Gaer let her statement stand.
“Whether the law is right or not, it is still the law. Now please get down, or I will have to notify authorities.”
“Not fair, bringing a strawman into this argument.”
Gaer spent a few moments, thinking that the child had used the wrong fallacy to explain what was wrong with the statement. Then he realized that he had taken his eyes off of the girl. Looking up, he found that she was gone!
Muttering a string of curses under his breath, Gaer punched in a command on his wristband data pad. Now the authorities were on the way. But after considering what might happen to this girl when Promethean Security got their hands on her, he regretted his choice immediately. There was a reason that little crime occurred in the Promethean Empire.
Deciding to once again do the illogical thing, Gear tried to find the girl. And he needed to do so fast. Promethean defense was fueled by the same unlimited resources as innovation. And that meant that the likelihood of security being nearby, was almost 100 percent certain.
**
Hegma hid within her makeshift shelter. She had no choice but to find a new one. If that man discovered that all three alleys led to the same place, she was likely to be caught. And the girl really did not want to deal with security. One of the Ozone City Officers knew her face. And she had been threatened with a trip to the “Clean Room”, if they found her causing trouble again. And the trouble she had caused, was pretty severe.
The man below her, did not know about the countless nuts and bolts she had stolen over the last week. He did not know about the stockpile of advanced weaponry, which she had hidden in this shelter. And most of all, none knew of her hidden chemistry lab, which was in the building right across from this one. This home may have been her safe house, but that other one was her safer house. And she had no intention of moving all of those items in the future, if at all.
Instead, she was content to wait. She prayed, although she did not believe in any deity. She hoped that it would be human security, and not machines this time. A mechanical declaration reminded Hegma, that the God that did not exist, had ignored her prayers.
**
The fact that it was machines, and not men that answered the call, sent a dire warning to Gaer. And he was responsible for any harm that befell the girl.
Continuing today’s trend of making poor decisions, he sought how to quickly get to the upper levels of this alley. If the child was as smart as Gaer believed, she would be hiding in one of the buildings. If she was smarter still, she would be lurking amongst items with a similar temperature to her body
As he made his own search, the fact that the girl had not turned up, indicated that this child really was as gifted as Gaer had supposed. Dodging infrared was no small feat in any part of the Empire.
Quickly, he was forced to duck into a stairwell, to avoid the patrolling robots. There was a possibility that his presence would impair their search. And Gaer had no intention of having a run in with the law today.
Listening at the door, to ensure that the robots passed without incident, was rendered both foolish and pointless.
“Show yourself citizen!” The command was directed at Gaer. He had forgotten about the infrared in his panic.
He stepped back outside cautiously. It was foolish to do anything else.
“We are searching for a girl. One which has committed countless thefts. We believe she may also be a Cultist.”
The two accusations made little sense together. Cultists needed nothing from the Prometheans. In fact, they made a habit of destroying anything associated with the Empire.
“She was in this area not long ago. And likely crossed your path, Citizen.” The machine rumbled on. “And if you do not tell us of any and all encounters with said girl, you will be seen as an accomplice to a crime.”
Well now he was in trouble. Gaer was thankful, for a brief moment, that these machines could not read his facial expressions. He would have been arrested on the spot otherwise. The man decided to take a gamble. And he could not afford to lose.
“There is no need to arrest her. She works for me.”
The robot buzzed in confusion.
“Explain Citizen. Choose your words carefully. Or else, all her crimes will be added to any crimes you may be convicted of.”
“She indeed did steal supplies. From me. I have decided to have her pay off the debt.” Gaer hoped that this lie would work.
The machine buzzed, likely cross referencing the crime databases, to see if this was true.
“We find no falsehoods in your statement.” The machine finally answered in its robotic voice. “Carry on Citizen.”
With a sudden roar, the robot activated it’s rocket thrusters. And along with the other patrolling guards, they then left the alley.
Turning to the new task at hand, it was time for the second half of Gaer’s gamble.
“I know you are listening child. I just saved your life, and I expect you to play the part I have just given you.”
The girl entered the alley from the very door Gaer had used.
“I would not have needed saving, if you had not followed me!” The child hissed.
“Nice try, but false. You are wanted for theft. It was lucky for you that I came here.”
The child looked perplexed. Was it possible she had not come to this conclusion? Gaer was getting tired of these tense silences, but he suffered through one more, as the girl thought out his statements.
“Fine, you win.” She finally admitted.
“If you show me everything, and I do mean everything you have in your possession, I will not only get you off the streets, but allow you to work for me.”
Suddenly the girl’s face took on a different look. One of longing. As stubborn as she was, the child knew a great deal when it was presented before her.
“What’s the catch?” she added, before she was halfway through motioning Gaer inside the dark room before them.
“The catch will be determined, based upon what you have here.”
“That’s not fair at all!” The girl complained.
“No, it’s not.” Gaer agreed. “But considering the fact that you are a homeless child, and in a place where walking alone as a woman is illegal. That’s just how it is.”
“So, the catch is, that I have to share all of my work with the up and coming engineer Gaer? And yes, I know your name. Don’t look so shocked. Maybe I should show you my actual age first.” The last sentence, featured a deeper, and more mature tone than the rest.
The girl seemed to melt into paste, and grew larger to match her new voice. Gaer was in shock from this revelation. She wasn’t a little girl at all!
“I’m Hegma, and I’m actually seventeen years old. At least if my late mother is to be believed.”
“Are you a Mage?” Gaer asked. Some Magic Users had the ability to change their molecular structure.
“No no, nothing like that. Although I used a few chemicals to replicate the effect.”
“What kind of mixture does this require?”
“From that question, I think you want to see the lab.” Hegma answered. A look of mischievousness filled her eyes.
“You have a lab hidden here!?” Gaer could not mask his excitement.
Hegma motioned to the other side of the street, and beckoned him to follow her. With Hegma’s now more mature appearance, she almost looked seductive. Especially since Gaer realized that he was only three years her senior. Age rarely came up in the Promethean Empire. A child creating new inventions, was just as common as a grizzled elder.
Gaer was far from disappointed by what he found in Hegma’s lab. The inventions here had the potential to change the world. And he suddenly contemplated, just how many other homeless individuals had hidden caches like this one?
The engineer began to realize, that Hegma was not the only one whose life was going to change for the better. The two of them together,
would become among the most legendary inventors to ever live. He knew that to be certain.
If you liked this excerpt, be sure to check out the rest of this story here.