The Outskirts: Thé Crystal Keepers (Jace x OC)

The Crystal Keepers: 3

No marker announced when we crossed from Elloweer to Zeropolis, but I knew we had crossed when electric tingles raced through me and my ears popped.
"Feel that?" I asked the others.
"Yep," Dalton said, rubbing his ears.
"Welcome to Zeropolis," Mira said.
"I didn't feel squat," Jace said.
"Nobody has ever accused you of being sensitive," Cole shot at him, and I could stop a laugh.
"I didn't feel much either," Joe said. "Maybe a little tickle."
I concentrated on making a seeming, but nothing worked. "Weird," I said. "I can't make a seeming."
"Woah," Dalton said, making a face. "Me neither."
"Did you expect to be the only exception?" Jace asked.
"No," Dalton said. "It just cut off so suddenly."
I nodded. "I can still feel my power. It's there.
But if I try to make a seeming, I can't even manage a spark. It's frustrating."
Jace pulled his little golden rope from his pocket. "Is it kind of like having a really cool weapon that no longer works?"
"Pretty much," Dalton said.
"I think we all get the feeling," Jace said.
The trees thinned and prairie land came into view. As the group exited the forest, there was no missing Post 121.
The outpost was much larger than I expected. I had pictured an isolated monorail stop with a few buildings and some mules. Instead, the community spread across the prairie for quite a distance, a windswept jumble of low, fenceless structures.
The strangest dwellings looked almost like playground equipment-tubes and globes of colored plastic joined together in odd combinations. There were also boxy apartments made from concrete blocks, flimsy shacks composed of tin panels, earthy structures of adobe and plaster, patchwork pavilions of weathered hides, log cabins, canvas tents, and shanties cobbled together from scraps of wood and metal. The styles varied at random. With few trees or bushes in view, the only landscaping seemed to be the natural dirt and brush of the prairie.
Above the sprawling mishmash of haphazard architecture, the monorail track and station stood out as the glaring landmarks of advanced civilization. Shining like polished platinum, the lofty track overshadowed the chaotic neighborhoods, its metallic whiteness gently curving away into the distance, supported by pillars at regular intervals. The station all looked very modern, a lustrous construction of glass and metal.
Besides the monorail track and station, not many struce tures in town surpassed two stories. Joe explained that the large, weathered, egg-shaped building was the power facility, where the main energy crystals for the outpost were housed. He also mentioned that the two cylinders on the hillside were water towers. A few windmills of varied design poked up here and there.
The closer we got to the outpost, the more vehicles came into view. One looked like a cross between a dune buggy and a monster truck, rolling around on swollen tires. Another was a motorcycle with wheels as wide as overturned barrels. A spiderlike contraption prowled around on slender legs, while the driver sat atop the body yanking levers. Some vehicles had treads like a tank. The roads I saw were rough pathways carved by frequent travel. Without decent roads, I supposed the vehicles needed to be hardy.
"It looks like people made stuff out of whatever they could find," Dalton said.
"True enough," Joe said. "The outposts only get materials from the city by monorail. Anything else they make themselves. The tinkers can get pretty creative."
I glanced back at the woods, where Hina waited unseen. I wondered if I would ever make it back to Elloweer. Not for some time, since we knew Jenna wasn't there, and we had already rescued Dalton. I might have to go back one day to free Jill. And if I got totally stuck finding a way home, it might be worth risking another conversation with Trillian.
"We'll have to change our money," Joe said.
"Some of the outposts will do business with ringers, but once we hit the city, it's all credits."
"Like credit cards?" I asked.
"Kind of," Joe said. "Your credits are linked to your ID card. It's one of the instances where the Grand Shaper allows computerized communication. I think he does it so he can freeze anyone's money whenever he wants. It's a powerful control tactic."
"Then we should keep some ringers just in case,"
Jace said. "We can always transfer more to credits later."
"You're thinking like a survivor," Joe complimented.
"Don't jinx me," Jace said.
"I want to get a spider car," Dalton said. "That thing is cool."
"Too wobbly," Jace said. "I'll take one of the big ones with the treads."
"What powers them?" I asked.
"The same source that powers most of Zeropolis," Joe said. "Harmonic crystals. Also called dynamos, juiced crystals, energy crystals, whatever the name, they're crystal, that can store and share vast amounts of energy."
"Electricity?" I asked.
"That's one way to picture it," Joe said. "I sometimes think of it that way to help me relate. Like electricity, the energy from the crystals can be used to generate heat, motion, light all sorts of effects. It could be converted into electricity, but that's not usually useful, because it's already in a purer state. Less volatile. And it doesn't need wires."
"Wireless electricity?" Dalton exclaimed.
"That's the idea," Joe said.
"Okay, that's awesome." I said.
Joe nodded. "Once harmonic crystals are linked, they can share power with one another across great distances. Most of the crystals in Post 121 are linked to the power facility, where sparkers keep a central crystal juiced."
"Sparkers?" Jace asked.
"Tinkers who specialize in generating energy,"
Joe clarified. "It's a form of shaping."
"This place is weird," Jace said.
"You'll like some of the conveniences," Joe promised.
I fell into step beside Mira. "You seem quiet."
"Huh?" she replied. "Oh, I was thinking about Costa. My only memories of Zeropolis are as a kid. Everything seemed so big and fancy.
Foreign. It's intimidating to think of finding
Costa there. The city is enormous."
"The outpost is bigger than I expected," I said.
"Maybe. But just wait. The city is by far the biggest in all the Outskirts." Mira said.
I thought about that. Even compared to the cities
back home, Carthage had been impressive. So had Merriston. I wondered how Zeropolis would compare against major cities like New York City, or Los Angeles.
"I wish Honor were here," Mira murmured.
"She'd be a big help," I said.
"Not just that," Mira said. "I've waited sixty years to see her, then once we finally find each other, we hardly get to spend any time together."
"She's looking for Destiny," I reminded her.
"I know," Mira said. "It's important to find
Tessa. Honor is doing what she always does her duty. And I'm glad she's doing it. It just would have been nice to see her for a while. Imagine if right after you found Dalton he had to take off."
"I get it," I said. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," Mira said. "I get it too.
Sometimes you do what you must. I just miss my sisters."
"We'll find Costa," I said. "That's something you can look forward to. Maybe this time you won't have to split up right away."
"Wouldn't that be nice?" Mira said wistfully.
"What if we weren't the mascots for a revolution? What if we were just a normal family?"
"You might never know," I said.
Mira gave me a relatable glance. "Too true."
They began to pass some of the buildings at the fringe of the outpost. The people they saw didn't pay them any mind. I was surprised to see a guy wearing blue jeans and a denim jacket.
"Is that guy in jeans?" Cole asked.
"Yeah," Joe replied. "They make synthetic denim in the city. It's everywhere. They do plenty of things their own way here, but they borrow a lot of ideas from Earth."
"Are there many Outsiders?" Dalton asked.
"That could be part of it," Joe answered. "I've met several. But they also have ways of keeping tabs on our world Some people in Zeropolis can connect to our Internet."
"The Internet back home?" I asked in astonishment.
"They call them thruports," Joe said.
"Technically they'te illegal. But I know some of the government people use them. And so do some of the Unseen."
"We could email our families?" Dalton asked.
"You could," Joe said. "But they won't open it."
"How can you be sure?" Dalton countered.
"I've tried," Joe said wearily. "I tried and tried.
It never worked."
"Who were you trying to reach?" I asked.
Joe bit his lower lip. "You remember I told you I left Zeropolis for a reason? I volunteered to go warn Mira?"
"Yeah," Cole said.
"The person I emailed most ties into that," Joe said. "You deserve the whole story. What happened could make this more dangerous for all of us. And I learned some things you ought to hear. But not here. Later. For now, let me go change some money to credits. I'll buy us some clothes that won't stand out so much in the city.
You guys go check out Gizmo Row."
"What's that?" Jace asked.
"Every outpost has one," Joe said. "They're named after the big one in the city. Gizmo Row is where the tinkers peddle their inventions. Some of the stuff can be useful, and in an outpost near the border, some of the tinkers might be willing to trade in ringers. It should help you kill some time and start to get a feel for Zeropolis. It's also a place where strangers fit in just fine. Just don't buy anything too expensive. And don't let them take you into a back room. We don't want black-market gear. Not now at least. All we need is to get arrested for buying restricted tech before we even reach the city."
"Okay," Dalton said. "Where do we find it?"
Joe pointed over some of the nearby rooftops.
"See the sign on that pole sticking up over there? Blue circle with a sun in the center? That marks Gizmo Row. Head that way. I'll go over to the monorail station and see if I can find a place to turn some ringers into credits. It'll also give me a chance to make sure my fake ID works."
"What if you get nabbed?" Dalton asked.
"It should be fine," Joe said. "I've used Walt
Boone before."
"If he gets nabbed, we'll bust him out," Jace said.
"Well . . . ," Joe said. "I appreciate the loyalty, but only if you find a real opportunity. Our top priority is keeping Mira safe. Second is finding Costa. If it comes to it, I want you kids to leave me behind. I wouldn't be able to stand the thought of you getting into trouble trying to help me."
"Let's just try to stay out of trouble to begin with," Mira said, giving Jace a stern look. "That means not creating any of our own."
"Don't look at me," Jace said with a smirk. "I start fights. I end them."
"You heard me," Mira said.
"Once you get there, don't leave Gizmo Row," Joe said. "I'll come find you."
"Unless you get arrested," Dalton said.
"Right," Joe said. "Unless I get arrested."
Turning, he started toward the monorail station.
Picking up his pace, Jace marched toward the Gizmo Row sign, following a narrow footpath. I caught up to him. Mira, Cole, and Dalton walked together.
"This is amazing." I said, looking around at the big buildings."
"Is this what your home looks like?" He asked.
"Some of it, I suppose. Not all our cities are this big. Mesa, where I live, is a bigger city, but it's nothing compared to places like Los Angeles, or New York City. It's super cool that they have things from Earth here, like computers."
Jace frowned. "What's a computer?"
I laughed. "It's like a box that tells you anything you want to know. I'd make a seeming to show you if I could."
"They can tell you anything?" He asked, like he didn't believe me.
"Pretty much."
"Okay," he admitted. "That's pretty cool."
We emerged from the footpath onto the widest road they had seen. Shops and stalls lined both sides of the street. Other merchants sold from carts or off blankets.
"Welcome to Gizmo Row," Jace said as the others caught up to us.
The shops all had open fronts, inviting customers to step close and inspect items or have them demonstrated. The street wasn't packed with people, but a decent crowd of customers moved up and down the rows of storefronts, browsing, buying, and haggling. I noticed a lot of denim jeans, shirts, skirts, and jackets.
One of the nearest shops looked full of strange aquariums. Closer inspection revealed that they were various types of water purifiers. Most were made from a mix of metal, plastic, and glass.
An older man with a curled mustache grinned from behind a counter at the front of the store.
"Water is life," he said, with a faint accent that I couldn't place.
"Don't you guys have water towers?" Cole asked.
"We do today," he said. "For this I give thanks.
Tomorrow?" He gave an indefinite shrug. "I hope so. For the sake of the children. Pause to consider-those towers only provide for the post.
What if you go on an excursion?" He patted a small machine. "This condenser will strain water out of the air." He pointed at another. "Feed this device mud, and cool, clear water will emerge. How can one put a price on such magnificent functionality? Such security against drought? Such profound peace of mind?"
"I bet you found a way," Cole said.
"For you, a special price," the man replied, stroking one of his smaller purifiers. "One hundred and fifty credits. I lose money on this.
You make me a pauper. But it would pain me if you perished from thirst. I sell it to you as charity."
"We don't need purifiers," Jace said, coming up behind Cole and tugging on the back of his shirt. "Come on."
I struggled to cover a laugh. It was funny how Cole got so interested in things like that.
"Who is this prophet?" the man asked Cole.
"How does he know there will be no need for clean water? Would he be so kind as to speak my fortune? Perhaps reveal how I will meet my end?"
"Its a hunch," Jace said.
The man gave a nod. "May your hunches guide you to prosperity. Consider mentioning my wares to your parents."
"Will do," Jace said as we all left the store.
"A purifier could come in handy," Cole said once we were out of earshot.
"If we were walking to the city," I deadpanned.
"Exactly," Jace replied. "I have no plans to get lost in the wilderness here. Keep in mind, most of this stuff will fall apart if we take it out of Zeropolis."
Me, Cole, Jace, Mira, and Dalton moved along the row of shops. One place specialized in vehicle repair tools, including a variety of jacks.
Another shop featured lamps and other decorative lighting. A third had advanced tools like power saws and welding gear. I avoided getting close enough for the merchants to engage with me.
Then we reached the shop with the robots. The boys were in heaven.
"Whoa!" Cole exclaimed, practically running into the store. We had no choice but to follow him.
"Seriously?" I asked.
Robots large and small moved around the area.
Some rolled on wheels; some mimicked animals or insects; a few walked upright. They were mostly made from metal and glass.
A humanoid robot toddled up to me, all brassy metal and transparent panels. It was slightly taller than me and had a bronze mask for a face, with lights behind the eyes.
"How may I serve you?" the robot asked in a female voice.
"You tell me," Cole said, walking over to me to see the bot. "What can you do?"
"I can cook over three hundred meals using standard equipment," the robot said. "I serve. I clean. I answer doors. I can handle all your domestic needs, freeing up your time for other pursuits.
"Can you fight off robbers?" Dalton asked.
"I can sound an alarm and get in the way," the robot replied.
"Can you sing?" Cole asked.
"I can be taught," the robot replied. "It would require some minor upgrades."
A husky man sauntered up to us. He wore jeans, a white shirt, a denim vest, and what looked like a leather baseball cap with mud flaps on the back.
"Don't tease the domestic bots, kid," the man said.
"What if I might buy it?" Cole asked defensively.
"You'd start by needing around eighteen thousand credits," the man said.
"What's that in ringers?" Cole asked.
"Ringers? You from out of kingdom?"
"You're right by the border," Cole said.
The man shook his head. "Kids are talkers these days. They love to yap. I don't take ringers, boy, but ten credits is roughly one copper ringarole.
You're looking at about four platinum.
We had much more than that, but I knew it would be foolish to reveal it, and I prayed that Cole wouldn't tell the man about how much money we had on us.
"Why so much glass?" Cole asked.
The man huffed. "Boy, that is grade three bonded crystal. Harder than most alloys, and energy friendly." He huffed again. "Glass would shatter. I'd like to see you try to break a plate of grade three. That would be comedy."
Jace stepped in next to me. "How much for your hat?"
The guy scowled. "You cracking wise?"
"No," Jace said in the most sincere voice I had ever heard him use. "I'm absolutely serious. I'd buy it right now."
Weighing the reply suspiciously, the man brushed the bill of his cap. "Not for sale. I've had this hat for years. Too much sentimental value."
"Where'd you get it?" Jace asked.
"Ordered it in from the city," he said. "Place called Headgear. Synthetic leather with a waterproof sealant."
Jace gave a nod. "Thanks."
"Do you have anything we might be able to afford?" Dalton asked.
The man took a deep breath. "This is a bot shop.
Nothing here comes cheap. It all depends on what you have to spend."
"What about that little crab-looking guy?"
Dalton asked, pointing at a robot skittering around on a countertop in controlled bursts of motion.
"Does that look like a plaything to you?" the man asked. "That's a workbot. Tinkers use it to track energy flow in vehicles and other systems.
It can find and repair damaged panels on a magroad. You'd be amazed by the energy surges it can withstand, the extreme temperatures that fail to bother it."
"We're sorry to trouble you," Mira said, tugging at Cole and Dalton.
"Kids love bots," the man said, waving a hand.
"I get it! I don't have any toybots here. Some of the junkers on the row may have some. I can't vouch for the quality."
We followed Mira out. She walked briskly down the road.
"What was the hurry?" Cole asked her. "That place was cool."
"Other shoppers were listening in on your conversation," she said. "You were drawing attention. That's not the goal right now." She glanced over her shoulder. "We're being followed."
I turned and saw a grungy guy in denim overalls coming toward them from the direction of the robot shop. He waved when I met his eyes and jogged to catch up.
"I don't know your faces," he said, his friendliness sounding a little forced.
"We're from out of town," Jace said, taking a
step closer to me.
"Your folks are letting you wander?" he asked.
"They trust us," Cole said. "You want something?"
"I'm Wilcox," the guy said. "I overheard you asking about bots. You kids have ringers?"
"Our parents might," Jace said.
Wilcox lowered his voice. "I've got a shop next street over. There's some great stuff down on the lower level. Want to check it out for your folks? Bots. Gadgets. Hard to find items. Really fun. Great deals."
"Why aren't you at your shop?" Mira asked.
"Everybody comes Gizmo Row," Wilcox said. "I watch for clients here."
"Are a lot of your clients kids?" I asked. This guy was giving off a shady vibe.
Wilcox frowned. He tapped Dalton on the shoulder. "Noticed this one's a slave."
"Our slave," Mira said.
"Mouthy for a slave," Wilcox said. "Saw him talking up a storm in there. You have IDs? Papers?"
"None of your business," Jace said, taking my hand and pulling me towards him, stepping in front of me.
"Isn't it?" Wilcox asked, cocking his head.
"Is there a problem?" I breathed a sigh of relief to see Joe step up behind Wilcox. Joe didn't look pleased. Wilcox turned to look at him.
"Hey, Dad," Mira said.
"No problem," Wilcox said. "The young ones were pestering Chuck in the bot shop. I thought they might enjoy some of my toybots."
Joe narrowed his eyes. "So you were asking about identification? Who are you?"
Wilcox gave a smile and a shrug. "Just a fella looking to make a few credits. Good afternoon." He ambled away casually, hands in his pockets.
"That was good timing," Mira muttered.
"Looked like it," Joe said. "He was running some sort of scam. There's plenty of that in Zeropolis. Maybe I shouldn't have left you alone. Anyhow, I've got a bunch of credits on my card, and I know where we're going to stay tonight. We'll catch the monorail in the morning."