BITS AND PIECES

The sound of debris pelting the side of his makeshift home brought Bit out of sleep abruptly. Blinking and looking around in a state of fight or flight, he tried to make sense of where the sound was coming from. Instinctively his hand went to the knife he kept under his pillow, learning more than a few times that just because he thought he was alone out here he had better be safe than sorry. 

 After a few moments of stillness around his small sleeping quarters he loosened his grip on the knife and concentrated on the sounds. Little clinks and pops resounded all around him as the metal structure he lived in groaned and complained under the stress of the winds berating it. 

 Sand storm. 

 Swinging his legs over the side of the bunk, he felt the familiar cool metal on his feet which helped wake him up. It got incredibly hot out here in the deserts surrounding the town of Reforge, but the nights could still drop into the single digits. Pulling on a pair of socks and lacing up his dirty boots before standing with a long stretch. Checking his reflection in the broken mirror beside his bed he realized the sides of his hair were starting to grow back in a little longer than he liked. Grabbing his knife again, he began shaving the sides down to a more manageable length. A few hours in the heat and that little bit of hair would have caused him to sweat out all the water he had to drink. 

 Running his hands through the shaggy mohawk on top he decided to shave a few lines down to the scalp along one side. He was after all a seventeen year old boy, and even though he didn't know many girls, he wanted to look cool. He had seen the older guys working in the scrap yards begin cutting them into their hair as a new style and he figured if it worked for them he might have some luck when he went into town. 

 Grabbing his bandanna and goggles hanging on the wall beside the mirror he gave himself a last once over, deciding there was nothing he could do about the dirty tank top and ripped baggy pants he wore. His belt hang loosely off one hip with a flimsy tattered sheath for his knife and a few pouches for smaller items. He shrugged and turned to the door on the other side of the room. He would need to get some new clothes after paying for everything else he needed to get back to full operating power. Grabbing a leather poncho hanging from the corner of some piece of machinery and swinging it over his head before heading for the door.

 Stepping up to a panel next to the door, he used his knife to pry off the metal cover before stashing it between his teeth and fidgeting with the wires inside. After a couple tries of touching the ends together there was a crackle of sparks and the door slid open a little to quickly, slamming into the their respective slots on each side with a resounding BANG.

 "Well that's not quite right." He mumbled and pulled the knife out from between his teeth, studying the panel again. "The hell…" Pulling out a frayed bit of wire he let out a surprised expletive and stumbled backwards onto his butt, as a rather emaciated looking rat sprang forth from under the mess of electronics. The terrified rat scurried across the floor, darting under furniture and random piles of metal and components before sprinting past him and out the now open door into the hallway. Regaining his composure Bit jumped to his feet, chasing after the rat, coming skidding around the corner. Grabbing the edge of the door to keep balance, he used his momentum to swing himself towards the creature. It hurtled from side to side looking for some sort of escape from the giant now hunting it, only to find bare metal walls with no opening large enough for it to slip into. Bit had plugged up all the rust holes and half scavenged walls when he first moved in, not wanting the storms to blow sand and dust inside his safe house. He had assumed this would also keep out any unwelcome visitors looking for a free meal or worse, him. He made a mental note to go through every nook and cranny for any potential entrance after he dealt with this one.

 After quite a few failed attempts he managed to corner the rat, holding out his arms in a wide stance, as if that would somehow help intimidate the creature into letting him catch it. Normally he wouldn't bother with something like this for food, especially one that looked as if it hadn't eaten in days, but then again neither had he. His R.I.G. had a busted hydraulic shock in one of the legs and it had taken every bit of scrap he could find just to get a new one. Of course he would eat today, once he turned in some metal, but right now all he could think about was breakfast.

 He lunged, jumping on top of the rat just as it made a break towards the left. He banged his head into the wall as he slid across the floor, but that wasn't going to stop him. Scrambling on all fours he kicked off the wall and slid again grabbing the rat just barely with on hand. Unfortunately he hadn't accounted for the fact that even rats will fight when cornered and bit into his hand causing it to fly into the air and land on his back, clawing and digging, looking for a way out as it tunneled through one of the holes in his shirt. 

 Finally he managed to wrestle the little creature out, exhausted and bleeding from the small cuts and bites he had received. Holding the animal in both hands, wrapped in his bandanna he watched as it struggled desperately trying to find an escape. Bit watched it for a moment feeling his stomach grumble and cramp but, he couldn't bring himself to finish the deed. He thought about the fact that even this creature, who's only purpose and thought was to feed itself and keep it's population going, would fight until its small body gave up. He had never known a wild creature to lay down and accept it's fate unlike his own species. 

 With a sigh he reached up pulled the lever on the wall above him that controlled the large loading bay door on the back of the ship. The cabin filled with the sounds of grinding machinery and small bits of sand and dust as the door shuddered and lurched down to the ground. The storm hadn't passed yet but, if he wasn't going to eat it he couldn't let it stay here and chew it's way through all his hard work. After a few long seconds of fighting with his stomach he crawled forward and put the rat on the ground as close to the door as he could get and then removed the bandanna. The rat scurried down the ramp, getting pelted by the storm but, it new it's chances were better out there than inside the ship.

 Bit watched the animal dart towards the nearby cliff faces and slip inside some rocks for cover. He laid there for a long time, too defeated to close the door again as his stomach betrayed him and began making all sorts of new noises. Finally the storm began to subside, the bright sun now unobstructed, bounced off the sand and forced him to put on his goggles to shield from the concentrated UV rays.

 He knew he shouldn't think so but, there was something beautiful about the way the sand turned to a sea of gold during the day. Like he could set a boat right outside his loading ramp and sail away into the ocean. Of course he knew better, knew that as soon as he set foot out there it would be solid, burning ground below him. The sand would kick up and the grit would get into his mouth and eyes. He wished he could see the oceans people talked about from history, to feel the cool water spraying against him as he stood on the beaches, instead of the barren deserts. With an exasperated sigh he pushed himself of the floor before walking down the ramp a little ways and leaning against the massive hydraulic lifter attached on either side. He spent most of his mornings like this, daydreaming, about a life in which he could just be comfortable for once. Where every day wasn't a struggle just to survive, to find his next meal, or wonder if someone is going to rob him and leave him for dead out here every time he went to sleep.

 Sometimes when he looked out at the stars at night he could swear he saw lights from the colonies up there floating through space. His rational mind told him otherwise of course, but the sense of wonder he felt always kept him coming back, lying to himself just to get a little bit of that feeling.

 Noticing movement in his peripheral he turned around quickly, expecting to see someone standing there but it was empty. Taking a few moments to scan his surroundings he saw it was just a rat skittering across the hot sand looking for it's next meal. Probably the same rat the he had just ejected from his living quarters. Bit took a deep breath and turned around heading back into his ship to prepare for the long day ahead of him.

 Walking back into the hall and shutting the bay door behind him he turned to the door across from his room, fidgeting with the wires, just as he had done for the other. It was a two part system in his mind, the doors weren't drawing unnecessary power when not being used and, unless you knew a little bit about what you were doing the door was essentially non functioning. As the hum of electricity coursed through the walls around him a small keypad flicked to life above the exposed wires. He input the code swiftly forty-two-sixty-four, his lucky numbers. They of course had never brought him any real luck but, when he though about what his favorite number was those were the two that came to mind. 

 The door slid open quickly revealing a small storage room barely wide enough to contain the mess of spare parts and tools that littered the shelves. In the middle stood a small, half rusted R.I.G. standing in an arched platform of tangled wires and exposed machinery that was supposed to resemble a docking station. The setup was a pretty bare bones one, consisting mostly of lucky finds buried for decades in sand that he occasionally stumbled across while collecting scrap. It was a basic exo-suit frame that he could strap into that offered no protection from the sun or the sands but it did it's job in letting him carry multiple times his own body weight in metal, wires, and parts back to his derelict ship where he could sort through what could be sold and, what was needed for repairs.

 Bit stepped through the debris littering the floor and grabbed the pad hanging from the side of the dock. He punched a few buttons and the screen came to life showing multiple red and orange diagnostic readings, indicating either complete failure or critical condition of quite a few components. He scrolled through a few screens making note of the worst of the bunch trying to decide if the suit would last another day without some of these repairs. 

 "Left leg hydraulic thruster leaking fluid still. Right and left arms missing functionality of full hook grip and motion, and oh that's wonderful the power supply has a parasitic draw, so I'll have to use most of my power today on the battery." He looked up at the suit in front of him and back to the pad several times before slamming it back down on the hook with a grumble. "Might as well get started." 

 A short while later, he was walking down the loading door with a large duffle bag slung across his back. He pulled the leather hood up over his head and fixed his goggles and bandanna over his face before tucking his arms inside and trudging through the sand. The scrap electronics and metal clanging and clinking as he marched out of the valley he called home, towards the distant domed city of Reforge. 

 The city had originally been one of the first prototypes that Terra Celestial eventually built on various planets in our solar system but, after repeated terrorist attacks and protests the city was abandoned leaving plenty of room for refugees and scrappers a-like looking for some sort of home. After a few decades the damage had been removed and the city transformed into reclamation outpost Reforge, one of many scattered across the decaying planet working under Star Lance industries. Those in power had decided instead of going to war with the refugees left on Earth why not put them to use before the planet implodes.

 Reforge was one of the first. By sheer luck it was positioned in the middle of one of the previous battlefields, littered with broken down machinery and abandoned supplies that Star Lance could recycle and use for their own production. Of course the people now occupying these places weren't exactly keen on doing business with those above who forced them into this situation but, with dwindling resources they were forced to take a deal in which they could live out the remainder of their lives with limited freedom, so long as they traded the nearby scrap for supplies.

 Eventually everyone fell into a lifestyle that afforded them shelter, food, and work. The older generation still harbored a deep resentment towards the corporations that kept a boot firmly on their neck but, the newer generation began to fall into a state of jealousy of the nice things and lavish lifestyles of those they occasionally saw making visits from the stars. 

 Bit bucked forward pulling his back further up onto his shoulders as the city entrance came into view. He scanned the four entry lanes, seeing a few of them in current use, spotting some traders coming into the city to try and sell their wares. Luck was on his side, in this aspect at least, seeing his usual guard standing at an empty lane. Entering the city was completely legal but, most guards didn't make much and bribes were customary, to make certain all your goods entered the city. 

 "There's our favorite sand rat, what's goin' on little man? Haven't seen you in a while, thought maybe the desert folk finally got you." 

 The two exchanged a fist bump that ended in a handshake. To the untrained eye it look completely normal, no hint of weight exchanging hands, covered quickly so that the glint of metal couldn't be seen in the desert sun. 

 "What you actually believe in that? Seems like someone needs to quit having their mom read them scary stories before bed time."

 A few guards close by stifled a laugh as Barrett, the man standing in front of him, crossed his arms looking down at Bit. 

 "Easy kid we ain't that close, and you'd do well to listen to my ma. Woman's wise beyond years and considering you ain't got any parents maybe you could use some wisdom."

 Bit's jaw clenched and his grip tightened on the pack strap running across his chest. His eyes locked on the city behind Barrett and he pushed past the man. He had already paid his due and had a feeling if he stuck around trading jabs with the local watch he might not get back in so easily the next time. He could hear the guard yelling after him as he trudged forwards into the city of Reforge.

 "Hey kid you know it ain't like that. Just saying you should listen to those older than you. Might get you out of that heap of scrap in the desert is all." 

 "I don't need to listen to anyone but myself, I'm the only one who's gotten me this far." Bit mumbled to himself as he started to wind his way through the packed city towards the lower markets where traders would actually buy second hand materials like his. 

 After a while of wandering Bit emerged into the crowded streets lined with stalls stocked with anything you could think of. Vendors selling steaming food or cold drinks on tap from rusty kegs, stalls lined with tattered clothing and half worn boots, and a few trying to peddle useless pre-war technology no one has any business buying. He had made a few friends here years ago that either seemed to pity him for his situation or because, living outside the city he tended to bring in more exotic pieces regularly.

 Rounding a tight corner a large makeshift stall was positioned under an overpass. A small man with frizzy white hair and a thick mustache was sitting behind the shabby stall made of chain link fence and old thick wood. Adrian Mercer's feet were propped up onto a wooden counter cluttered with pieces of machinery and tools, reading a magazine that looked older than Bit. A few people were gathered around looking at the robotic limbs hanging on the fences surrounding him. Drawing closer he heard a few of them commenting on the price, giving a snort and walking away towards a different stall. 

 "Can you believe that three hundred for a Gen II? Hasn't he heard the news yet? 

 "Come on man lets check out a few more I'm sure there are loads of traders looking to offload on the cheap now." The group walked away towards another stall down the street. There wasn't exactly a shortage of traders looking to do business. Unfortunately for them Mercer wasn't the type to haggle with strangers looking for a quick deal. 

 Bit pulled his pack over his head and dropped it onto the counter. The man hardly looked up from his magazine as if he wasn't even there, licking his thumb and flipping to another page unenthusiastically. 

 "Ya know if you actually had reasonable prices you'd probably make a fortune old man." Bit smirked and, unzipped the bag, producing various pieces of metal and parts of ancient machinery. 

 "Little Bit, long time no see," still Adrian hadn't bothered moving from his position or even looking in Bit's direction for that matter. "Eh those kids weren't going to buy anything anyway, you know their type, coming down to the lower end hoping for some schmuck to put up something good without knowing what it is." 

 Finally, mercifully, Adrian set down his magazine and stood slowly, putting on a pair of small round glasses and looking down at the various items Bit had set in front of him. He picked up each one and studied it carefully. To anyone else it would have looked like he was just trying to find something broken so that he could offer less but, Bit knew the man actually knew what he was looking at. Watching the gears turning behind those old, tired eyes, it was like he could see the cobwebs and dust being shaken off in real time as he turned, twisted, and bent various different pieces on each of the components before him.

 Bit honestly wondered how he knew so much about the things he brought in. He had heard from other vendors nearby that Adrian was one of the first settlers in Reforge, that he had been one of the corporations engineers and fled into hiding, or even that he was some sort of experiment created by CytoSynth with an IQ in the thousands. The last one Bit stopped believing before he even left the city remembering he and the other kids spying on the old man thinking he was some sort of monster science experiment. Looking back on it the old man always seemed to play along, chasing them away with his arms in the air growling and babbling in a made up language. 

 Adrian set down the last of Bit's various odds and ends and looked down at the boy over his small circular glasses. "Well what are you wanting for em'? Got a couple of alright pieces here but you know the deal, I need to make mine too." 

 "One twenty, and I want that gen two leg thruster you've had collecting dust back there for months." Bit leaned over on the counter, he knew one twenty was to high even without the thruster but, it was a game he and the old man liked to play. He always figured it was because the old timer missed the old days of haggling and bartering when Reforge was still in it's infancy and, Bit always enjoyed the back and forth after being cooped up in the desert for days at a time. 

 Adrian let out a loud snort before coughing and spitting to the side. "Sun finally get to yer' head out there boy? I'll do sixty with the thruster, take it or leave it."

 "Oh come on that's practically a brand new wire set for a mark three, you're telling me that won't get you sixty alone?" 

 "Boy you must have been out there to long this time, ain't you heard, bout to be a whole new shift in R.I.G. tech. Rumor is ol' Hale at CytoSynth is working on putting out his own suit and putting S&L out of business. People aren't buying much pre mark five anymore waitin' to see if they have to completely switch to a new system." The man leaned against the counter with a shrug.

 "Eighty with the thruster and you'll get first pick of my haul at the end of the week. You know I'm good for it, I've got a couple spots I've been saving that I think will really bring in some good old junk you'll really like." Bit did his best to make his green eyes as large as possible as he looked up at the old man behind the counter. 

 "Seventy, the thruster, and you stop here first at the end of the week with breakfast. I'm an old man working this stall every day and not once have any of you little scrap rats offered to bring me breakfast." The old man reached below the counter and grabbed the thruster pushing it across the counter to Bit.

 Bit in turn slid his data pad across the counter watching Adrian enter some numbers and scan his merchant tag before pushing it back to him. "Thanks old timer, so what are you thinking for breakfast?" He slid his pad and the thruster into his bag and slung it back around his shoulder. 

 Adrian had already gone back to his reading, feet kicked up on the counter. "I dunno' but make sure it's hot. Lily down the road has some pretty decent dim sum if you don't mind a little grit in your teeth. "

 "Oh the lady who raises the chickens in the middle of a busy city? Sure I'm sure there's nothing contaminating her food. I'll figure something out, but don't get you're hopes up to high old man, remember you pay my salary and you're cheap as hell." The old man snorted and waved him off, not bothering to look up from the trashy magazine he been absorbed in all day.

 With that Bit turned and headed off to get some food of his own. He stopped by a couple different stalls and finally settled on some bread wraps. He grabbed a few different ones, jerky, raisins, and even a cinnamon one for dessert. Then heading down a few more streets, he grabbed a few bottles of root water and prickly pear lemonade, as well as some coffee beans he could brew throughout the week. 

 He got a bit distracted at the hardware stall, searching through wires and nuts and bolts and scrap metal, trying to remember what all he needed for repairs. After finally guessing on more than one length and gauge of wire he walked away with a full pack and a few credits left over to start building his savings back up. The last few weeks he swore everything that could go wrong did, resulting in him having to empty out his entire account on repairs and very little food. He was finally on the other side though, with enough food and drink to last him the rest of the week, he could slowly start to rebuild. 

 Bit broke off some of his jerky bread and started to walk the streets of Reforge, watching all the people shopping, what the stalls had new in stock, stopping at a few with TVs to try and catch up on what had been going on in the past few weeks. 

 A short while later Bit found himself sitting at a small bar and grill, contentedly snacking away on a dense rice bar watching the captions on a much to small TV hanging in the corner. The small tin roof provided some respite from the desert heat, if only marginally. The little counter only sat four but, he picked it because it wasn't busy, with only one other person sitting on the opposing edge of the bar. He ordered a sunset tea which contained a little bit of alcohol but most places around here let you get away at seventeen or eighteen, considering there is a very real possibility you won't be around to see twenty one anymore. He liked this particular place because it was located near the port in the heart of Reforge and he could watch all the small cargo vessels and VIP skippers coming and going on business and occasionally leisure. 

 After a few minutes of mindless news on the small TV about some accident that happened across the city, and how some board member had been found, again, having relations with someone on staff and funneling money into their own account, Bit's eyes wandered to a ship landing withing the mass of others. It stood out to him because almost every ship that came or went had some sort of company logo or marking pasted across the side. This one though was a very nondescript looking cargo jumper. It could probably house a small crew of five or six for interplanetary flight, if it managed to make it. While it didn't sound or seem to handle terribly the exterior looked as if it could fall to pieces at the slightest solar wind. 

 He continued to eat his somewhat dry but filling rice bar, taking short breaks only to sip his tea, watching the ship land. He was so curious about who would be flying an unmarked cargo ship, could they be smugglers, or maybe it's something top secret that the Corporations don't want anyone to pick up on? He hadn't realized it himself but Bit was inching ever further off his stool in the direction of the ship, his breath catching as the door began to open excruciatingly slow, sliding to the side. Craning his neck until his small frame slipped, catching the smallest glimpse of long silvery hair that seemed to shimmer and reflect in the bright sun like a prism, before falling towards the ground and only just managing to catch himself. By the time he had managed to pull himself back up to the bar and find the ship in a sea of other similar looking ones, the door was closed and no one was near the ship. 

 "Well win some ya lose some I guess" He mumbled to himself and downed his tea, sliding off the stool and weaving his way towards the entrance of the City. He figured he had spent enough time slacking off in town he had better get back and start repairs on his R.I.G. so he could get back out tomorrow and start making money. On his way out he stopped and used a little more of his money to get another loaf of jerky bread before checking his belongings for pickpockets and heading out. 

 By the time he made it back to the entrance Barrett and the other guards present earlier had already switched out and were nowhere to be seen. Luckily the guards didn't give you to much trouble about leaving as long as you hadn't been reported by anyone while here. So he stepped though with his receipts already present on his data pad, and was sent on his way without to much trouble. 

 The sun was still high but starting to dip towards the large mountains that surrounded his home, so hiking up his pack he took a sharp left and cut across the desert sand to save time. He was still close enough to the city that he didn't have much fear of roaming dogs or anything coming by and he was just as liable to get robbed on the road as he was cutting across the sand. He dug his hands into his poncho as the sand and grit whipped around his face, clutching the knife tucked into his pants. He had gotten pretty good at seeing in his goggles over the years but when the wind really started to kick up it was hard to see in general, so when he stepped over a large rocky outcropping and felt the sand give way underneath him it was even more of a surprise.

 He began tumbling down a steep slope as the loose sand he stepped on gave way, cascading further downwards until he landed hard on his backside on cold stone. After a few moments of bright flashes and strobes Bit sat up with a dull ache running up his back. His eyes had adjusted to the bright sun above in the desert so now that he was sitting underground in some old buried building he could hardly see at all. Pulling his goggles off his face he rubbed his eyes and blinked trying to make sense of what was around him and if he was going to be able to climb back out. Once his eyes had begun to clear up he noticed the hole he fell through about fifteen feet above him. At some point it had given way and the sand had blown over it, dumping down inside until it had filled one side with an imposing wall that Bit had just tumbled down. After a few moments of moving all his limbs he had determined nothing was broken and stood up taking in his surroundings in full. 

 It looked like some sort of old office building. There where circular stone pillars littered across the room, with tables and old screens covered in sand and dust. At the far end he could barely make out some sort of counter space with some objects littered across it. He cursed a little, hoping he had at least fallen into some old war bunker or something but, it seemed like there was nothing of real value in here. Flipping on the light he carried strapped to his belt, Bit started towards the back of the room seeing the screen on the tables were in fact old pre war computers, lying untouched for a century or more. Scanning the light towards the back of the room he saw that the counter in the back was covered in what looked like various cooking supplies and utensils but, it was the large object covered by a sheet in the corner of the room that really caught his attention. 

 He couldn't be sure but, it was at least eight feet tall. Sliding the light over the base of the object revealed, large shiny metallic boots, painted a bright crimson red. Bit's heart caught in his throat. A part of him immediately jumped to the possibility of finding some pre-war R.I.G. tucked away from the world all this time, he could hear the credits hitting his bank account, and subsequently leaving just as quickly. Then the reality started to creep in. Slowly at first then like a train barreling through his frontal lobe. Bit became painfully aware of how dark it was down here in this old building. How quiet it was, and how the shadows in the corners seemed now darker than ever, the possibility that each one hiding something even worse than the last now screaming in his mind. 

 Could this belong to someone living down here? 

 Holding the knife under his poncho again, Bit took a few steadying breaths before surveying the room again. There were two doors, there was more to this building. The idea both terrified and excited him. If he was truly alone down here there could be anything stored away but, if someone else does live down here they could be behind either, or both of those doors. Moving as quietly as he could, Bit slid over to the first door and tried turning the knob, to no avail, locked. Stepping as quietly as he could to the second he tried again, only to find this time the knob turned. Taking a deep breath he readied the knife, then pulled the door open, stabbing forward and closing his eyes. After a moment and feeling no resistance on the knife in front of him he opened his eyes and saw it was a small utility closet. Various office supplies lined the shelves, paper, pens, rubber bands all things you would need in a normal pre-war office.

 Breathing out shakily Bit sheathed the knife and turned back to the object in the corner. It hadn't moved but somehow it felt as if it were watching him, regarding him in some way. A chill ran up his spine as he thought about it but, gathering what courage he had, he moved towards the object intent on finding out what it was. A few feet from it he stopped briefly before pushing on and grabbing the sheet, yanking down hard as his heart nearly leapt out his chest.

 Standing here in front of him was a nearly brand new exo-suit painted in shiny crimson red and pearl whites. It looked like the medieval suits of armor Bit had read about and saw pictures of in books, the intricate metal plates over lapping and creating a work of art everywhere he looked. Bit couldn't quite put his finger on it but he couldn't believe this suit was left here all this time. Looking over the suit he couldn't see any sort of corporation marketing or logo's but the fact that it wasn't damaged all made him think otherwise. Maybe it wasn't even an exo, maybe it was just some fancy suit of armor that somehow made it all this time without any damage.

 Taking a step back he just couldn't believe it. It was one of those feelings in his gut that just wouldn't go away. As he continued to back up trying to think and take in all of the sight in front of him Bit suddenly tripped, tumbling backwards hard onto his already sore back side. 

 "I'm about done with this damn place!" Climbing to his feet he was just about to kick the rocks that tripped him until he looked down, his breath catching and the all the blood draining from his face. He hadn't tripped over rubble or anything from the room. Laying on the ground in front of Bit, obscured by a blanket was a boy, probably Bit's age. He was stiff and had a blue tint to his skin and lips. 

 A feeling welled up within Bit's stomach as he lurched to the side, evacuating all the jerky bread and rice he had just spent the better part of the day snacking on. He had lived on the streets of Reforge since he was a kid, and the desert surrounding for even longer. He had seen people dead before but, always long after the fact. This boy in front of him couldn't have been dead more than a few days. His stomach began to turn again and, it took a moment for him to fight back the feeling rushing up through his throat but, eventually he managed to pull himself together. After a few minutes of sitting on the floor staring at the body in front of him, he swallowed hard and started to crawl forward. 

 The boy in front of him was probably seventeen or eighteen, around his own age. His white hair was pulled back in a tight bun but strands had come loose and were hanging around his face. Shining the light over him Bit noticed his clothes. They were nice and white but had dirt and stains covering them with rips and holes in various spots. It was the heavy gold insignia's pinned across the fabric that caught Bit's eye though sparkling in the light. It was a heavy lapel pin embossed with the words CytoSynth R&D. Whoever this person was they worked for CytoSynth, and this suit was probably whatever they were working on. 

 Bit's heart rate started to spike, he moved the hair from the boys face and saw a dark number forty two tattooed above his right eye. Images flashed before Bit's face of dreams he had the past few nights but, before he could pull them from his memory in full, they were gone and he was left a splitting headache. He sat back and rubbed his forehead groaning slightly, thinking about the entire world of trouble he could be in just by being here with most likely some top secret CytoSynth technology and a dead R&D employee. 

 "Shit they're gonna think I did this." As if just now the entire weight of what he was seeing had dawned on him he hurriedly scooted backwards until his back hit a wall. His eyes darting across the crumbling stone room around him for any sign of cameras or surveillance devices before settling back on the suit in front of him.

 Finally after a few minutes of deliberation he stood and started back to the hole he had fallen in through. He figured if he cold just stack a couple of these long desks up against the sand he'd be able to climb back out. Not feeling like staying here any longer he set to work, trying his best to ignore he entire back half of the room as he did so. As he struggled to move the desks into position though he kept catching the suit out of the corner of his eye. It was like a person standing there watching him, not saying a word but still very much observing his every move. 

 After a few minutes of struggling Bit had managed to line two desks up against the sand that very nearly reached the hole that he fell in through. Now as long as the rest of the building held as he climbed out he should have no troubles getting home. Taking one last look around his eyes finally landed on the suit and the boy in the corner. He felt an empty pit of sadness in his chest that he couldn't quite explain. Almost like he had lost a friend or that this was someone he should feel very sad about being dead but he didn't even know. After a few cold and quiet moments Bit crossed the room and covered the boys entire form in the blanket. 

 "I'll uh… I'll be sure to come back and give you a proper burial," Bit managed to mumble. Behind him Bit heard a few short beeps as he turned quickly expecting to see the suit coming to life and moving towards him but, as he scanned the room it was silent and empty. He watched the suit for a few long moments making sure to commit every intricate detail to memory. He wasn't sure if he would ever see anything like this again but he wanted to make sure he didn't forget this. He remembered what Adrian said about CytoSynth working on some sort of new suit and he began to shake as his breathing became short, adrenaline spiking in his body. Could this be what he as talking about? 

 Once again the fear began to creep up the back of his neck as he thought about what would happen to him if one of the corporations found him here. He wouldn't get the mercy of a quick death, he would be interrogated and after they were satisfied he would be sent to some colony planet to work sixteen hour days and eat lab grown nutrient loafs.

 Silently Bit stood and strode towards the exit. As he began to climb the desks he looked back and saw the suit, somehow it looked as if it wanted to reach out and call to him but it remained silent and unmoving in the dark corner. Swallowing hard he continued onward pulling himself up and out of the hole into the bright sun above. The wind had calmed down and the sun was just beginning to touch the mountains meaning if he didn't want to be walking through the desert at night he needed to get a move on. Spying some bit of wood and debris nearby he grabbed a few planks and covered the hole, kicking some sand over top for good measure. 

 He meant what he said about coming back to give the boy a proper burial but, he had no idea what to do about the suit. He knew someone, somewhere would pay a fortune or it, at least enough that he wouldn't have to live on Earth anymore. He could finally buy his own ship and travel the different colonies in space. After checking he still had everything in his pack Bit set off towards his home, the desert sparkling and glowing around him.

 ***

 That night as Bit struggled to sleep, storms raged outside his makeshift home. The entire ship creaked and groaned under the pressure of the wind even here flanked by the mountains around him. He covered his head with a pillow, trying to drone out the sound of the slightly too acidic rain and debris whipping around outside. 

 He had been in and out of sleep for a few hours. Every time he managed to drift over the edge his dreams were filled with images of the suit and the boy he found. Somehow it played out in third and first person, showing him the experience as if it were on a screen but, the feelings accompanied by them felt as if he were the actor on screen. He couldn't quite recognize the character he was seeing as if every time he tried to focus on them it was as if he was remembering them from his peripheral vision. When they would observe something of innate importance Bit's vision would be filled with what they were seeing and then it would return to a fixed point perspective somewhere in the area.

 The images swapped between running through strange and unfamiliar structures in space. He wasn't quite sure where it was but, from the stories he had heard over the years in Reforge it seemed like one of the colonies or yachts floating in space above him. Of course in his dreams everything was exaggerated and over emphasized, including the emotions he felt. 

 The hallways and tunnels he ran down felt tiny and cramped. Bit had never considered himself claustrophobic but, here he felt like he understood. Metal pipes and valves lined the majority of the walls, emitting steam and shaking and vibrating as he passed by, as if they could burst at any moment. He passed various doors and rooms all closed or locked down by some mechanical device he couldn't recognize. Even though he felt claustrophobic he somehow felt the opposite at the same time, getting glimpses of the ceiling above garnered no information as they were cast in shadow as if extending infinitely in nothingness.

 Although he felt as if he was being chased, every time he dared to look behind him there was nothing but endless hallways, stretching out in all directions. When he turned back around to continue on though, he could hear dozens of voices yelling and shouting somewhere behind him. The doors around him began to shake and tremble as disembodied voices called out behind them begging for help. 

 Bit would wake up intermittently throughout this in a sweat, searching the room for any sign of the entities in his dreams. After finally calming down and drifting back to sleep his dream would continue in another part of the facility. It was still the endless hallways with its dull orange glow and metal surfaces but, it was somehow different. He couldn't quite put his finger on it's as if he continued to move through the dream world when he was awake, and falling asleep again allowed him to rejoin his other self wherever they were. 

 After a few attempts at this, in an exhausted state, Bit began to let himself to succumb to his nightmare. Observing the stranger as they continued along their path. The longer he allowed himself to be immersed in it the more things became clearer. The first thing he noticed after an unknown amount of time was that the figure started to become clearer. He started to remember glimpses of detail about them, like the long white hair, pulled back into a tight knot had started to come undone. His clean formal clothing had started to become dirty and tattered as if he had been crawling through confined spaces littered with sharp corners. And then the stinging realization when the stark black numbers come into view above his right eye. 

 The boy he found in the desert. 

 After quite some time watching and feeling the boy run through this endless labyrinth of tunnels Bit began to notice a voice, lifting higher than all the rest. Slowly it became more and more perceptible over the sounds of shouting and machinery that seemed to echo around and deafen him. It was a young girls voice. She wasn't shouting or crying out, she was singing, steadily getting louder and louder as the boy began to frantically run forward. It appeared to Bit as if he too heard the girl and was desperately searching for the source. 

 Finally a few of the words became clear enough to understand, it was a song. Somewhere in this hellscape was a young girl singing. Bit finally started to understand it was a duet meant for two people to sing back and forth but, no one answered her so it seemed like she was pausing for far to long between the words. 

 "However far away…

 However long I stay…

 Whatever words I say…"

 Bit didn't know the song but, it sounded sort of like a lullaby or maybe a love song. The boy ran endlessly taking turns seemingly at random but, the girls singing began getting louder. Bit couldn't shake the feeling of anxiousness that permeated throughout his entire body though. Would they catch him before he could get there? Would he even get to her in time? He felt and knew each question with an alien familiarity as if the two of them shared the same thought process and emotions. He also began to feel and understand the urgency of reaching his sister in time. He wasn't sure how he knew but this girl singing was his sister and she was in trouble and if he didn't make to her she would be gone forever, and it was his fault. 

 Thankfully, mercifully, he rounded a corner coming face to face with a large wall of glass viewing windows. Bit could almost feel the relief wash over his body as he saw something besides the mechanical labyrinth he had been stuck in for who knows how long. As the boy moved closer to them though Bit's heart fell into his stomach, as the image flashed to the windows in front of him, and the girl strapped to the operating table far below. 

 Somehow again he knew in an instant this was his sister and he was to late, watching a hand full of people shuffle out with various carts and trays of hospital equipment. His sister lay on the bed covered by a white sheet sleeping calmly. He watched in horror as the scene changed to the boy pounding on the thick glass screaming unintelligibly as one of the medical staff stepped forward, seemingly oblivious to the boy's cries blocking the view. For an agonizing few minutes Bit's vision was filled with the view of this person's back, shielding him from whatever horrors they were inflicting upon her. 

 Slowly, almost impossibly the surgeon turned, revealing to both boys a brain in his hands, still dripping fluid onto the floor. Now he looked up to the glass where the white haired boy was, before turning and dropping the organ into a metal tray. Two other medical staff rushed the cart containing it out of the room, as the surgeon began to remove his gloves and leave through a separate door leaving the room far to silent and still.

 He watched as the boy fell to the ground, his hands leaving a bloody trail streaking down across the glass. Suddenly his vision changed to the hallway behind him, seeing large shadows rushing down the hall towards him.

 Bit woke for the last time that night. Throwing his legs over the edge of his bed and nearly sprinting towards the door, he only stopped to grab the pile of clothes sat nearby, pulling them on as he furiously tried to reconnect the door. After a few good shocks, that helped wake him, he slid out of the door and ran for the main cargo door at the back. Taking a few deep breaths he reached out and grabbed the lever on the wall next to him.

 The door groaned and folded outward, creating a ramp into the sand. The sun hadn't come up and the storm hadn't quite ended yet but, that wasn't going to stop him at this point. Bit stood at the top of the ramp for a few minutes looking out into the swirling darkness. It could definitely wait until morning, no one would find that hole in this storm, he could just wait it out until midday and make his way there comfortably. Flashes of the boy tore through his mind followed by a splitting headache. Bit grabbed the hydraulics next to him until it passed and he regained his balance. Gritting his teeth and slamming his fist into the side of the ship he wrapped himself in his leather poncho, pulling the hood up over his head and wrapping his face in a thick cloth to attempt to keep the sand and what remained of the rain out of his face.

 Jumping down off the ramp he punched the combination in again and slowly began trudging into the cold storm towards the direction of the mysterious boy and the strange exo-suit, if for nothing else, to finally get some sleep.