AUTHOR'S NOTE: A small addition was made to Chapter 23 in book 1, stating that Tess did the remote diagnostic job, which turned out to be Vera's nephew, who was incredibly annoying.
The door motor gave a pitiful whine and stopped halfway through its cycle. Again.
“I didn’t even know these doors were automated,” Tess said, peering into the exposed housing. “How long have they been broken?”
“Two years,” Vera said from behind the counter. She was scrolling through supply catalogs on her terminal, marking items for order. “Maybe three. I stopped counting.”
“And you just… left them? No wonder they’re so hard to open.”
“It builds character.”
Tess snorted and reached into the housing, fingers tracing the Aether conduit that fed the motor. The insulation was cracked in three places, and the relay housing looked like someone had tried to fix it with sealant and hope. “This is held together with spite.”
“That’s most of my inventory.”
“Fair.”
The motor itself was simple—Network construction, but designed for a higher Aether flow than Tertius-Prime had seen in decades. The relay was struggling to regulate the reduced input, burning itself out slowly. Tess pulled the relay free and examined it. Scorched contacts, warped housing. Definitely toast.
“You have a replacement relay in stock?” Tess asked.
“Aisle three, second shelf. Take two, the other door’s not much better.”
Tess stood, brushing dust off her knees, and headed for the supply aisles. Vera’s shop was organized chaos—shelves crammed with components, bins overflowing with salvage, everything labeled in Vera’s precise handwriting. She found the relays exactly where Vera said they’d be.
When she returned to the counter, Vera had moved on to a different catalog. “You’re charging this to House Tertian, right?”
“Yeah. Jeremy said to send him the bill for workshop supplies. Doors count as workshop supplies.”
“Doors count as whatever I say they count as.” Vera made a note on her screen. “I’m adding five percent for the inconvenience of dealing with nobility.”
“Is that standard?”
“It is now.”
Tess grinned and crouched back down to install the first relay. The new housing slid into place cleanly, contacts aligning with the Aether conduit. She reconnected the wiring, double-checked the connections, and stepped back.
The door slid shut with a smooth hum.
“There. One down.”
“You’re definitely getting faster,” Vera said.
“Practice.” Tess moved to the second door and started pulling the access panel. “How many parts am I ordering for the workshop?”
“Depends. How much does House Tertian want to spend?”
“Jeremy didn’t give me a limit.”
Vera’s eyebrows rose. “Dangerous words.”
“I’m not going to bankrupt them… Is that even possible? Just… stock the basics. Diagnostic equipment, hand tools, a few skill crystals for testing if we can find them. Maybe a laser welder.”
“The basics,” Vera said dryly. “That’ll run you four thousand credits, minimum.”
Tess paused mid-panel removal. “That much?”
“I assume they don’t want junk, so I’ll have to buy out of Sector 4. Especially if you want dungeon-tech.” Vera tapped the display. “I’ll put together a list. You can trim it if the Duke has a heart attack.”
“Thanks.”
BEE: Is it actually possible for a parts list to cause Duke Tertian a myocardial infarction? I would advise against this.
“No,” Tess snickered while she made her way back to her work. “It’s just a saying.”
“What was that?” Vera asked.
“Nothing.”
Tess finished removing the second door’s panel and reached into the housing. This relay was in even worse shape—one contact had fused entirely. She pried it loose and replaced it with the second relay, working methodically.
“While you’re ordering,” Tess said, “can you add a few things to my personal tab?”
“For Kade’s hauler?”
“Yeah.”
Vera didn’t even look up from her terminal. “It’s about time, Tess. I’ve been keeping a list. It’s extensive.”
Tess groaned. “How extensive?”
“Kade came in this morning because he couldn’t get the hauler running. Bought sealant and left muttering about the price of tape.” Vera glanced at her. “That thing is a deathtrap.”
“I know.”
“He’s going to get himself killed.”
“I know.” Tess reconnected the second door’s wiring and tested the motor. It hummed to life, and the door slid open smoothly. “That’s why I’m fixing it.”
“Does he know you’re fixing it?”
“Not yet. But he sleeps eventually.”
Vera’s expression softened slightly. “You’re a good friend.”
“I’m a tired friend.” Tess stood and brushed dust off her hands. “Add the hauler parts to my tab. I’ll pay it off when I can.”
“I’ll put it on House Tertian’s bill.”
“Vera…”
“They’re paying for tools and supplies. Kade’s hauler hauls supplies. It’s a tool.” Vera made a notation on her terminal. “Besides, you just fixed my doors. The least I can do is cook the books a little.”
Tess opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. Vera’s logic was absurd, but she would not win this fight. “Fine. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Tess’s communicator buzzed.
She glanced at the screen, and her expression shifted. Vera’s nephew Dean. From the remote hauler job she’d done before she started working for House Tertian.
“Dean? Wait, how?” Tess glanced at Vera.
Just for a moment—a flicker of something passed across her face that looked like guilt—but she recovered quickly. She didn’t answer.
“You going to get that?”
“No.” Tess said. “How did he get my new signature?”
Vera went back to her screen. “I gave it to him.”
“You…” Tess grabbed a wrench from her tool belt and pointed it at Vera like a weapon. “You gave it to him? Vera, I told you that job was a nightmare. He spent the entire time trying to…”
“He’s a good boy.”
“He’s annoying.”
“He’s single.”
“I don’t care.”
Vera finally looked at her, one eyebrow raised. “You’re nineteen. You should care.”
“I’m busy.”
“You’re always busy.”
“I have a noble house breathing down my neck. I don’t have time for…” Tess gestured vaguely with the wrench. “Whatever you’re trying to do here.”
“I’m not trying to do anything.”
“You’re trying to play matchmaker. You’re like an old spinster with too much time on her hands.”
Vera’s expression didn’t change. “I’m forty-nine.”
“Exactly. Old.”
“Get out of my shop.”
Tess grinned and set the wrench down. “Oh, do I make it look cluttered?”
“I thought that goes without saying.”
BEE: I am unfamiliar with the term ‘spinster.’ Is this a specialized role within human social structures?
“I’ll explain later,” Tess said.
BEE: I will add it to my inquiry list. Current count: 847 unresolved human behavioral questions.
The communicator buzzed again. This time it wasn’t Dean.
She pulled it out, saw the House Tertian signature, and nearly fumbled it in her haste to answer.
“Hello?”
“Miss Rivera.” Jeremy’s calm voice came through the line. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“No, I’m just…” Tess glanced at Vera, who was watching with thinly veiled amusement. “I’m at Kain’s Salvage. What’s up?”
“The Duke has another job for you. In Sector 4. More complex than previous estate work.”
Tess straightened. “Sector 4? That’s…”
“Quite far, yes. The pay is fifteen hundred credits plus expenses. Lady Petra will accompany you for access and security clearance.”
“Wait, security clearance? What kind of…”
“Lady Petra will provide details. She’s on her way to collect you now.”
“Collect me? Jeremy, I’m in the middle of…”
The line went dead.
Tess stared at the communicator.
“Let me guess,” Vera said. “House Tertian.”
“Yeah.”
“And you’re leaving.”
“Apparently Petra’s on her way.”
***
Tess stepped outside into the late morning haze. The sector was busy with people shopping, eating, and even several repair people working on various things. She started her trek back to Sector 7, the box of parts for Kade’s hauler tucked under one arm.
BEE: I have a record of Sector 4 from the Rivera’s Reprieve, though it may be outdated. It is a production and research district. It is significantly farther from the dungeon than any other location you have visited.
“How far?”
BEE: Approximately 120 kilometers northeast. You will likely require atmospheric transport.
“A ship?”
BEE: Yes. The communicator will not reach that far. It would likely take specialized equipment to extend its range that far.
Tess frowned. “How specialized?”
BEE: Either official Network band transmitters or line of sight would be required. This job will involve text communication from me only. I will not be able to hear your surroundings or provide real-time analysis. You will need to relay information verbally.
“That’s… not ideal.”
BEE: I agree. But I will remain connected to Marcus and the freighter. I can relay information to him if necessary.
“Okay.” Tess took a breath. “We’ll make it work.”
BEE: I am concerned about your safety in an unfamiliar sector without full access to environmental data.
“Petra will be there.”
BEE: That is moderately reassuring.
By the time Tess reached Rivera’s Reprieve, Kade was sitting on the ramp outside the main airlock, tossing a wrench from hand to hand.
“Hey,” he called. “Marcus said you’d be back.”
“Just visiting?”
“Yeah. Thought I’d see if you wanted to grab food later.” He stood eyeing the box under her arm. “What’s that?”
“Nothing. Just spare parts.”
“Uh-huh.” Kade’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of spare parts?”
“Generic ones.” Tess climbed the ramp and headed for the storage compartment near the airlock. She pulled it open and tried to shove the box inside quickly.
A hydraulic servo tumbled out and clanged onto the deck.
Kade picked it up, turning it over in his hands. His expression shifted. “Tess.”
“What?”
“This is for a hauler.”
“Is it?”
“My hauler.”
Tess sighed and grabbed the servo back, tossing it into the compartment. “Maybe.”
“You bought parts for my ship.”
“I bought parts for a hypothetical hauler that may or may not be falling apart in the dock district.”
Kade crossed his arms. “I told you I’d handle it.”
“You’ve been telling me that for over a year, Kade. At some point I have to stop believing you.” Tess closed the compartment door and turned to face him. “When are you actually going to let me fix that thing?”
“It’s fine.”
“It’s held together with sealant and prayer.”
“It runs.”
“Barely.”
Kade’s jaw tightened. He looked away, toward the docks where his hauler sat listing slightly to one side. “I’ve kept it running this long.”
“I know.” Tess softened. “You’re good at what you do. But you don’t have to do it alone.”
“I can’t afford—”
“I already bought the parts, Kade. They’re paid for.” She gestured at the compartment. “Just let me help.”
He was quiet for a moment. Then he shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at his mouth. “You’re the worst.”
“I know.”
“Fine. But when you fix it, you’re putting a big Rivera’s Repairs logo on the side. If I’m flying around in a ship you fixed, everyone’s going to know about it.”
Tess blinked. “Wait, really?”
“Yeah. Free advertising. Maybe I’ll get you some business.” He grinned. “Plus, it’ll look good. Very professional.”
“You’re serious.”
“Completely. You’re a big deal now, Tess. Might as well use it.”
Before Tess could answer, her communicator buzzed. She pulled it out and saw Petra’s signature.
“Tess? It’s me. I’m about five minutes out. Meet me outside.”
“I’m literally here right now,.” Tess said, but the communicator was already disconnected.
Kade raised an eyebrow. “New job?”
“Apparently. I have a job in Sector 4.”
“Sector four?” Kade’s expression shifted. “That’s… really far.”
“I know.”
“What kind of job needs you to go all the way to Sector 4?”
“Research facility. Something about containment fields. I don’t know the details yet.”
Kade looked uneasy. “Be careful, Tess. That’s Network territory. Big corporations, security checkpoints…”
“Petra will be there.”
“Yeah, but still.” He glanced toward the skylanes above. “Just… keep your head down, okay?”
“I will.”
The airlock door behind them hissed open, and Marcus stepped out. He was wiping his hands on a rag, with a smudge of grease on his cheek. “Did I hear Sector 4?”
“Yeah. House Tertian job.”
Marcus’s expression went carefully neutral. “How are you getting there?”
Before Tess could answer, a sleek shape descended from the skylanes above Sector 7.
All three of them looked up.
It was a skipper. Compact, streamlined, designed for short-range atmospheric flight. Something rich people used to avoid ground traffic. The hull gleamed even in the hazy light, polished metal catching the sun. House Tertian colors marked the side.
It hovered over the street in front of Rivera’s Reprieve, repulsors humming softly.
“Wow,” Marcus said. “Haven’t seen one of those in a while.”
Kade’s mouth fell open. “That’s a skipper.”
“Sure is, Kade.”
“A real skipper. I’ve never seen one this close before.” He stepped forward, craning his neck to get a better view. “Look at the stabilizers on that thing. And the Aether regulation—Tess, that’s top-tier engineering.”
A platform lowered from the undercarriage. Petra stood on it, wearing light armor and her usual confident grin.
“Need a ride?” she called.
Kade’s eyes went wide. “Wait. That’s actually Petra Tertian! She came to pick you up?”
“Yeah.”
“Wait, Tess—”
Tess was already moving toward the platform.
“You have to tell me everything when you get back!” Kade shouted after her. “Everything! I want details!”
Tess waved without turning around and stepped onto the platform. It lifted smoothly into the air.
Below, Marcus watched the skipper rise, his expression unreadable. “Sector 4,” he muttered.
Kade stood beside him, still staring at the retreating vessel. “She’s really doing this. Working with House Tertian.”
“Yeah.” Marcus wiped his hands on the rag again, though they were already clean. “She is.”
“You okay with that?”
Marcus was quiet for a long moment. Then he sighed. “She’s careful. She knows what she’s doing.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“No.” Marcus turned back toward the airlock. “But she’s nineteen. I can’t keep her in the freighter forever.”
Inside the skipper, the docks fell away beneath Tess—workers staring, haulers looking small from this height. The platform had retracted into the skipper’s belly, and she stood in what could only be described as flying luxury.
Polished metal and soft seating filled the interior—four seats arranged around a low table, ambient lighting along the ceiling, and a viewport offering a panoramic view of the city. It smelled clean. Expensive.
“This is yours?” Tess asked.
“Technically it belongs to House Tertian.” Petra dropped into one seat and gestured for Tess to sit. “But I have access. Perks of being nobility.”
Tess sat slowly, feeling out of place. “This is ridiculous.”
“It’s practical. Sector 4 is too far for ground transport.”
The skipper sped up smoothly, rising into the skylanes above Tertius-Prime. Tess pressed her face to the viewport, watching Sector 7 shrink below. The docks became a grid of metal and ferrocrete. The residential blocks blurred together. The city spread out in every direction, a massive sprawl of construction and decay.
“So what’s the job? And why shouldn’t I be very concerned at how fast this is all happening?” Tess asked.
“Oh, we both should be concerned. My father practically yanked me out of bed for this. Research facility. House Tertian operates it in Sector 4. They need repairs to containment field generators and environmental control systems.”
“Containment fields? Why the rush?”
“The labs use them when they work with volatile materials and unstable Aether configurations. Everything needs to be properly sealed. Which explains the rush.”
Tess frowned. “What kind of research?”
“Your guess is probably better than mine. They’ll explain more when we arrive. I’m pretty sure it has to do with skill crystal research,” Petra leaned back in her seat. “It’s a big facility. Lots of researchers, high security. You’ll need clearance just to get inside.”
“Hence you.”
“Hence me.”
Tess looked out the viewport again. They were passing over Sector 5 now—the wealthy residential district, all estates and gardens and clean streets. Beyond it, the city continued. Sector 4 rose in the distance, a forest of industrial towers and research complexes. Tess had known Tertius-Prime was huge, but seeing it from this high up made the scale real.
“How are you holding up, Bee?” Tess asked.
“Audio connection is still stable. I am listening to the skipper’s systems. They are well-maintained.”
“They better be,” Petra said. “Father would have someone’s head if it wasn’t. Maybe not literally…”
“I estimate I will lose audio connection once you pass beyond Sector 5. The distance exceeds standard communicator range”
“We’ll switch to text after Sector 5” Tess said. “I’ll relay what I can to Petra.”
“Thank you.”
“She worries a lot.” Petra said.
The skipper flew northeast, and the city transformed beneath them. Sector 7’s decay gave way to Sector 5’s wealth, which gave way to Sector 4’s industrial power. Massive structures rose from the ferrocrete—research towers, production facilities, shipyards that dwarfed anything Tess had seen. The architecture was newer here, post-Network construction designed for efficiency and scale.
BEE: Audio connection lost. Switching to text-only communication. I am still monitoring your position.
“Got it, Bee. I’ll keep you updated.”
Petra raised an eyebrow. “That was further than I thought. Those comms only work around 50 kilometers apart. The dungeon entrance is something like 100 kilometers away from here.”
Tess was going to answer but tripped on her words as she looked out the window.
A ship. Not a hauler or a freighter or even a transport. A real ship—easily the size of Sector 7. It sat in a massive launch cradle, Aether engines glowing teal along its hull. As Tess watched, the engines flared, and the ship rose.
Slowly at first. Then faster. The ship climbed into the sky, repulsors screaming, and punched through the cloud layer. Tess pressed her face to the viewport, watching until the ship disappeared into the upper atmosphere.
“That’s a colony transport,” Petra said. “Heading for one of the outer worlds, where the dungeons are still active.”
Tess couldn’t speak.
She’d known the freighter she lived in could travel in space. Marcus had told her stories about hauling cargo between worlds. But she’d never seen it. Never watched something that massive just… fly.
“They launch once a month,” Petra continued. “Tertius-Prime is still a hub. People come here, do their business, and move on.”
“Or stay and die slowly,” Tess muttered.
Petra’s expression flickered. “Yeah. Or that.”
BEE: What are you seeing? Your heart rate has increased.
“Sector 4. Ships launching. It’s incredible.” Tess said.
BEE: I find I am disappointed I cannot see it.
“It’s almost as big as all of Sector 7, Bee. I’ve never seen anything like it… and just just flew through the air like it was nothing.”
BEE: Thank you. I am… envious. But also grateful you are sharing this with me.
Sector 4 filled the view now—towers and shipyards and research complexes stretching to the horizon. The skipper descended, weaving between structures, and Petra leaned forward.
“There,” she said, pointing.
Tess followed her gaze.
The research facility came into view. It was enormous—a multi-level complex of reinforced ferrocrete and polished metal, surrounded by security fencing and checkpoint stations. The architecture was clean, modern, expensive. Network logos marked the entrance, but House Tertian colors flew from the upper levels.
The skipper descended toward a private landing pad on the facility’s roof.
Tess stared at the building, her earlier excitement draining into something colder.
This wasn’t a workshop. This wasn’t an estate-repair job.
This was the sort of thing she had been worried about when she had accepted to work for House Tertian.
The skipper touched down smoothly, and the platform extended. Petra stood, offering Tess a hand.
“Ready?”
Tess looked at the facility—at the security checkpoints with heavily armed guards.
“No,” she said. “But let’s go.”
She took Petra’s hand and stepped onto the platform. It lowered them toward the roof access, and the research facility swallowed them whole.