Kiro left the scavenger leader unconscious in his own hovercar, having relieved him of all his scrap. His storage device chimed: LIMIT REACHED: 150 UNITS.
He arrived back at the blacksmith's forge just as Veyra and Raiji were walking in.
BLACKSMITH: (Looking up from the anvil) "You're back."
KIRO: "Yeah. And with the scrap." He dumped a hefty pile onto the workbench. "Here. Take twenty. The extra is a tip."
BLACKSMITH: (Eyebrows raising) "Are you sure? The job's only fifteen, maybe less... but thanks."
KIRO: "Don't worry about it. I, uh... liberated it from a scavenger bandit."
VEYRA: (Walking in with Raiji) "You're back! How was the hunt?"
KIRO: "Very good. Got 150 scrap."
BLACKSMITH: (His expression turning serious) "So you've crossed the Scavengers. Be careful with them. They're bad news. Vicious and organized."
VEYRA: "He's right. But I suppose if anyone can take them, it's you."
KIRO: "The leader I... talked to... said they'd be hunting us now. Mentioned some guy called 'Iron Black Hand' or something."
RAIJI: (A dark, eager smile spreading across his face) "Might just count me in for that, too."
THE BLACKSMITH: "Name's Titan, by the way." He hefted the fuel tank. "Anyway, this tank you found is in good condition. Just needs a few old parts swapped, a weld on these cracks... easy fix." so name is titian
VEYRA: (Gesturing) "I'm Veyra. The only smart one in this group of weirdos." She pointed. "The scary-looking one is Raiji. And the dumb one is Kiro."
KIRO: "Hey! Who are you calling dumb?"
RAIJI: (Folding his arms, the smile still playing on his lips) "I'll take 'scary-looking' as a compliment."
VEYRA: "Anyway, Kiro, here." She tossed him one of the meat pies. "You look like you could use it."
KIRO: (Catching it) "Thanks. I was feeling hungry." He took a massive bite.
VEYRA: (Peering out the forge's entrance) "There's a giant sabertooth sitting outside. Like, really big. Is it... real?"
KIRO: (Mouth full) "Not sure. I got him from the scavenger leader. His name's Saber." He swallowed, a hopeful look in his eye. "Can we keep him? I promise to feed him."
RAIJI: (Looking past Veyra) "He's... impressive."
VEYRA: "No, we can't. He won't fit in the ship! He'd take up the whole cargo hold!"
KIRO: (Sighing dramatically) "Fine. We'll figure it out when we leave this place. After the tank's repaired."
TITAN THE BLACKSMITH: (Without looking up from his welding) "About a day."
VEYRA: "Oh, by the way, Kiro, me and Raiji rented a room at the inn. So you'll be sleeping alone on the ship tonight."
Kiro froze, mid-chew, his eyes going wide. He looked from Veyra to Raiji and back.
KIRO: "Wait. What? You and Raiji? But... but..."
VEYRA: (A mischievous smirk spreading across her face) "What, are you afraid to be alone?"
KIRO: "No! You two shouldn't be alone!"
RAIJI: (His expression utterly deadpan) "It's not what you think."
VEYRA: (Leaning in, her voice a playful tease) "Are you jealous? While he is my type..." She gave Kiro's back a light, mocking slap.
RAIJI: "It's just to protect the innkeeper. The Bandit Boys are after her for scrap." He gave a shudder of genuine disgust. "And she's not my type. That's gross."
VEYRA: (Pouting exaggeratedly) "Killjoy."
KIRO: (The tension draining from his shoulders as he took another bite of pie) "Oh. That makes sense. And it protects the ship, too. Smart."
KIRO: (Still a bit flustered, rubbing the back of his neck) "Okay, okay, I'm going. Are you, uh... sure you don't have... feelings about this?"
VEYRA: (Not looking at him, fiddling with a tool on her belt) "Nothing there. Zero. Nada."
KIRO: (Clearing his throat loudly) "Oops. Misspoke. So, do you need help with the bandits? I could use a workout."
RAIJI: (Already turning to leave) "Nope. All my fun. And there's that 'Sword Thief' guy. I want him."
VEYRA: (Letting out an exaggerated, annoyed sigh) "Kiro. Let me get this straight. You just got into a fight, and now you're looking for a new one? I should beat you senseless right now. Go. Back. To the airship. Rest."
KIRO: (Snapping to a mock-salute) "Yes, ma'am!" He didn't wait for another word. He turned and broke into a full sprint out of the forge. Outside, a happy roar greeted him, and the sound of a man and a sabertooth racing each other back toward the ship quickly faded into the desert wind.
RAIJI: "Anyway. I'm going back to the inn. Keep an eye out."
VEYRA: "And I'm going to gather some intel on this 'thief.' Maybe spread a little word... that a scary man with a very good sword is in town looking for him."
With a nod, they split ways, each moving with purpose into the gathering tension of Scrap Town.
Veyra continued her exploration, scanning the crowds for the telltale signs: brown hoodies worn over scavenged armor. She spotted a trio fitting the description one bearded man and two bruisers and melted into the foot traffic behind them.
They led her to a seedy bar on the edge of the market district. Veyra didn't follow them in. Instead, she scaled a nearby drainage pipe with practiced ease and settled on the roof, peering through a grimy skylight.
Inside, the bearded man was talking to his crew. "Looks like we got some trouble-makers. New to the Frontier. Three of 'em: a woman and a guy with swords. Should tell the boss. The other one... not our problem."
Time to get closer. Veyra dropped silently back to the ground. As she approached the bar's entrance, one of the bruisers glanced back. Without missing a beat, Veyra smoothly leaned against the wall, pulling out her digital comm device and pretending to be engrossed in a message.
Once they were inside, she followed.
She took a seat at the bar, a few stools down from the group, and ordered the strongest thing on tap. She took a single, slow sip, her eyes subtly tracking their reflection in the smudged mirror behind the bar.
VEYRA: (Loud enough to be overheard, speaking to the bartender) "So, heard any rumors about a swordsman? Guy with two blades? Word is they're expensive. Must be good."
BARTENDER: (Wiping a glass) "Might have. What's it worth to you?"
VEYRA: "A free drink for you on my tab."
BARTENDER: (Nodding) "Sure."
The bearded man had perked up. He swiveled on his stool. "Hey, lady. What's this about a swordsman? What's he look like?"
VEYRA: (Putting on a slightly tipsy, conspiratorial air) "Oh, he's had a bad hair day, and oh, wait, what do I get?"
BEARDED MAN: "How about not getting shot in the head?"
VEYRA: (Putting her hands up in mock surrender) "Oh, okay, you win. Are you sure I can't get one more drink out of this...?"
BEARDED MAN: He tossed a piece of scrap onto the bar. "For the bartender. Now talk."
VEYRA: "Okay, okay. Let me think... Oh, yes. Scary-looking. Carries two swords on his hip. Real mean vibe."
BEARDED MAN: (Exchanging a look with his crew) "Well done." He tossed down some credits for his own drink and stood, his men following. They left without a backward glance.
Veyra waited a full minute, left a scrap piece for her untouched drink, and slipped out the door. She spotted the trio heading toward the more fortified part of town. Hanging back further this time, using market stalls and crowds as cover, she followed. The trail was getting hotter.
Veyra followed them to the edge of the settlement, where the ramshackle buildings gave way to a junkyard fortress. The trio disappeared into the maw of a colossal, welded metal skull, its entrance framed by a ring of sharp, iron teeth.
The entrance was heavily guarded: two hulking brutes in cobbled-together armor, each holding a mounted minigun.
VEYRA: (Whispering to herself) Good thing I saved the chameleon bracelet.
She activated the device, and her form shimmered, blending seamlessly with the rust and shadow. Holding her breath, she moved with silent, deliberate steps past the oblivious guards.
CRUNCH.
Her boot came down on a dry, hidden branch. The sound was like a gunshot in the quiet.
GUARD 1: "What was that?"
GUARD 2: (Squinting into the gloom) "Must be the wind. Or a skitter-rat."
Heart pounding, Veyra slipped inside.
The interior was a throne room of scrap. To the right of the skull's spine, on a raised dais of welded trash and actual skulls, sat the boss. He was a mountain of metal a full suit of heavy, pitted armor, faceless behind a thick helmet.
The three thugs knelt before him.
ARMORED BOSS: (His voice a distorted, grating boom from a helmet speaker) "You three. The sword-lady's payment is delayed. Why? We should take everything she has. Including that blade."
BEARDED GUY: "B-Boss! I got extra news! On who attacked the collectors! From a drunk! A guy with a bad hair day, two swords on his hips! Scary looking!"
ARMORED BOSS: "That's not good enough. It's vague." In a motion shockingly fast for his size, he lunged forward, his armored gauntlet closing around the bearded man's throat and lifting him off the ground. The man kicked feebly, his face turning purple. "Where. Did. You. Get. This. Info?"
BEARDED GUY: (Gasping) "J-just... a drunk! At the bar!"
ARMORED BOSS: "You're not just useless. You're stupid." He threw the man aside like garbage, then drove a fist into his face for good measure, knocking him unconscious.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
A soft alarm chirped from the boss's suit. He stood perfectly still.
ARMORED BOSS: "My sensors are picking up an intruder. In this room." He clicked a control on his helmet. A thin, red laser grid swept from his visor, scanning the area. It passed over Veyra's position and stopped. A targeting reticule fixed on her shimmering outline. "Found you."
The bracelet's field flickered and died, revealing Veyra in a crouch. In one fluid motion, she dropped her passive stance, her twin pistols already sweeping up from their holsters, aimed directly at the faceless helm.
GOON 1: "Must be a bug or somethin', boss..."
ARMORED BOSS - BRUCE: "You two are as dumb as that one." His voice was pure scorn.
VEYRA didn't wait. She fired two rounds point-blank at his visor.
CLANG! CLANG! He simply tilted his head, letting the bullets ricochet off the thick plating around his mouth guard.
BRUCE: "I'll show you why they call me Big Man Bruce!" He shot forward, a charging locomotive of metal, his sensors predicting her dodge. One massive gauntlet snatched at the air where she should have been.
Veyra twisted, the gauntlet grazing her armor. Too close. She triggered her launcher, firing two explosive rounds at his chest.
BOOM! BOOM!
The concussive blasts rocked him back a step, staggering him for a precious second. It was all she needed. She vaulted onto a pile of scrap, launched herself onto his broad back, planted her feet, and kicked off his helmet with all her might, using the momentum for a second shot at his back.
BANG!
BRUCE roared, more in anger than pain. He reached back, his hand closing like a vice around her ankle. "Got you." He swung her through the air and slammed her into the ground on one side, then whipped her back and smashed her into the debris on the other.
THUD-CRUNCH!
Veyra coughed, a spray of blood misting the inside of her helmet. She twisted in his grip, firing a shock round directly into his wrist joint.
It fizzled. No effect. His grip tightened.
BRUCE: "Had enough? Who are you, even?"
Gasping, Veyra remained eerily calm. Her eyes scanned the monolith of armor holding her. The joints. The seals. There a split second gap between his gauntlet and forearm plating as he squeezed.
She jammed her pistol into the gap and fired.
BANG!
This time, he felt it. A yell of pain and surprise echoed in his helmet. The shock of the point-blank shot traveled up her own arm, but his grip faltered. She ripped her injured leg free, hit the ground running, and with a final, desperate leap, cleared the ring of iron teeth at the entrance.
BRUCE: (Clutching his wounded wrist, voice a distorted bellow) "GET HER! NOW!"
GOON 1: (Blinking, looking at the empty space where she'd been) "Who? We can't see her!"
BRUCE: He stared at his bleeding, malfunctioning hand, then at his useless guards. A low growl built in his chest. "Who... HIRED... these fools?!"