[Loop Count: 8]
I watched the Memory Fragments and connected the dots.
Knew that if I'd look for Thea I might find Valdemar – if the Primarch’s concerns about Stanford’s loyalty were correct.
One of my cellmates was released fifteen minutes after Devin came gloating.
I was released at noon.
I wish Chronos hadn’t sent me back when he did.
I mean, I hadn’t known Goren for that long, and in the brief interactions we had, he wasn’t exactly my cup of tea – but with everyone else worried about him going missing just before I was sent back, how was I supposed to stay calm right now?
I reached for my COG again. A minute ago, when the Enforcer at the station returned it to me, something about the interface felt…off.
Opening the main screen, I immediately noticed a new option – one that hadn’t existed on my COG before.
A red screen.
And it had a location tagged: SKO-03543.
“What’s this…” I muttered, narrowing my eyes.
The signal was coming from northern Orlinth. But…what was it? What exactly was this screen? What had my past self done to install this…extension?
Scanning the items in the Inventory suggested this had something to do with Stanford. But I couldn’t be sure, of course.
Well, no matter. If there’s anyone I can trust, it’s myself. If my past selves got me this upgrade, then following this target must be the key to figuring out what comes next.
But before I moved to the location set on my COG, Chronos’ little lecture echoed in my mind. It and our agreement right before he sent me back.
He’d warned me – more than once already – about the moment Erebus’ scans would grow more precise and thorough. So far, I’d been safe. I’d fallen below the threshold of his moving average. But that wasn’t guaranteed if I deviated too far.
If I skipped the Divine entirely in a given loop, it would hurt me later.
That’s why he asked me to go to Skyhaven and specifically the Divine for the next few loops – to flatten Erebus’ moving average’s variance.
It should benefit me long-term.
We agreed that I would do this until I reach loop #16. Then I would be free – and safe – to roam Orlinth.
Yes, it’ll cost me eight loops. But if I’m going to spend the next part of my investigation in Orlinth - for who knows how many loops - it’s a necessary sacrifice.
Besides, I’ll still need tantalum to keep upgrading my COG. And judging by the traces of it left in the Inventory, I must’ve already found some in Skyhaven during past loops. So it won’t be a complete loss. Hopefully.
Chronos had said that I might be able to catch the other looper after loop fifteen if their plan backfires – whatever that plan was – but a gut feeling, perhaps even a Déjà vu – was telling me that my rival was much too smart to fall for anything simple.
I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and then turned toward the West-Central Orlinth Cargo Dock.
Time to catch my airship to Skyhaven.
***
I reached Skyhaven and the Divine for the Expo.
Ignored every marked person around me – five by Darkness, three by me.
Met Alice.
Refused to get distracted, and forced myself to stay at the Divine.
At 17:45 Valdemar made his move.
I clashed with valets on the third floor, making sure not to reveal my COG's new capabilities.
Refused to join Casten Vorrick’s party.
Looted more valets before being blown up by a Libra fanatic on the first floor.
Utilized Checkpoint to double the yields before dying permanently in a different manner.
Repeat X8
[Loop Count: 16]
I exited the station at around noon, slipped into a nearby alley, and ducked behind two large trash bins.
That was it. Loop #16.
I’m now free to look for SKO-03543 – whatever that is…
But before that, I decided to take a proper look at the Inventory. I’d glanced at it briefly in the cell – when I was checking the Memory Fragments – and got the sense I was hoarding materials for one big upgrade.
[Inventory]
- Tantalum – 16.47kg
- Iron – 376.38kg
- Copper – 110.76kg
- Titanium – 4.08kg
- Beryllium – 7.34kg
- Time Plane Memory #4
- Time Plane Memory #6
- Dematerializer
- 5 Steamcrowns
- Ignis x4
- Aero x2
- Cryora x2
- Lumen x2
- Umbrium x1
- Armor-Piercer x2
- Armor-Piercer Magazine x3
- Ironwatch Foldable Sword x3
- Ironwatch Handgun x3
Talk about stacked…And I was yet to hit a weight or item limit with it.
Now, let’s see...
I summoned the Dematerializer and slotted it into the Integration Port, immediately switching to the Déjà vu System.
[Dematerializer is Active]
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[Déjà vu System: Level 11]
[Progress until next Level: 0%]
[Metals needed for Level 12: Iron – 211.25g, Copper – 212.8g, Tantalum – 27g]
[You may proceed with the upgrade phase]
With the conversion rates in mind, that meant: 42.25 kilograms of iron, 26.6 kilograms of copper, and 1.08 kilograms of tantalum.
I had more than enough.
[Required Metals are present in the Inventory]
[Do you wish to level up?]
[YES / NO]
YES.
[You have gained 1 Skill Point]
[Civic Omni-Gear System: You have 1 Upgrade Available]
Next one.
[Déjà vu System: Level 12]
[Progress until next Level: 0%]
[Metals needed for Level 13: Iron – 247g, Copper – 248.6g, Tantalum – 29.5g]
[You may proceed with the upgrade phase]
Meaning: 49.4kg of iron, 31.1kg of copper, and around 1.2kg of tantalum.
[Required Metals are present in the Inventory]
[Do you wish to level up?]
[YES / NO]
Don't mind if I do.
[You have 2 Skill Points Available]
[Civic Omni-Gear System: You have 2 Upgrade Available]
Maybe one more?
[Déjà vu System: Level 13]
[Progress until next Level: 0%]
[Metals needed for Level 14: Iron – 285.5g, Copper – 287.1g, Nickel - 37.9g, Tantalum – 32g]
[You may proceed with the upgrade phase]
Great...now I'd also need nickel. Some combat automaton had inner plates made of nickel, but that's about the only source I knew of.
Damn.
Well – focus on these four upgrades for now. Any power boost is worth it.
For the Déjà vu System, I chose to upgrade Déjà vu twice.
Since I would now focus my investigation into Orlinth – a platform I hadn’t explored much, based on the few unintended hints I caught up during my conversation with Chronos – I’d need sharper memory recall. Again, who knows how many loops I’d spend chasing this mysterious signal?
[Skill upgraded: Déjà vu lvl.3]
[Next Level: lvl.4: Increases the frequency and clarity of Déjà vu even more]
Great.
Now for my COG, I put both upgrades into Quality.
[Quality lvl. 4: Casting System improved]
Okay…whatever Casting System means.
Ready for the challenge ahead, I took a deep breath and headed toward the target tagged in my COG.
***
Orlinth was huge.
As someone who’d lived here his whole life, I can safely say that there were areas I hadn’t even come close to passing through.
The streets were always packed with trams – not just because there were so many of them – which they were – but because they ran so frequently. I’d never tried it myself, but according to what I’d heard, if you boarded the OO-Line – the tram route that circled the entire platform on its outermost ring – it would take you about twenty-three hours to complete the loop. It was by far the longest tram route on the platform.
And there were always people outside.
No matter the hour – so long as it wasn’t night time – and no matter the neighborhood – unless it was one of the expensive districts in the platform’s outer areas – Orlinth was never empty. You could always count on at least six people for every two square meters.
Skyhaven couldn’t even begin to compare.
The only thing who could come close in size was the Foundry, and that was just because it sat directly beneath Orlinth. It couldn’t expand beyond the shadow we cast, since doing so would mean entering the Wildlands, and that presented a different type of problem.
The signal my COG was now tracking came from the northern part of the platform. A quick estimate told me it’d take far too long to reach it on foot. And with the five Steamcrowns in the Inventory, I figured I could treat myself to a cozy tram ride that would provide me plenty of time for thought. A much needed time considering that at the end of it I’d likely meet my sister. A sister I had no idea even existed.
And so, I chose the SJ-Line – short for small J. A line that started in western Orlinth, not far from the Ironwatch station where I’d spent the night. It curved through some of the southern districts before veering sharply north and running almost to the edge of the platform.
I’d have to switch lines once I reached the northern districts, since the signal seemed to be coming from outside the SJ-Line’s coverage. Still, this would get me close enough.
I found the nearest SJ-Line station fairly quickly – Station No. 17. Everything was numbered in Orlinth, like the people on the platform had forgotten they could name things.
Less than a minute passed before the northbound SJ-Line tram pulled in.
It was a narrow, four-car model – streamlined to weave through Orlinth’s dense infrastructure. Steam hissed from the front nozzle as it decelerated, and the pressure-release valves along the sides emitted bursts of vapor. The exterior was lined with brass pipes, and the front panel had the ‘J’ letter engraved on it, followed by the tram’s serial number – 236.
A faint hum of Aetheris pulsed beneath the metallic beast as it came to a full stop.
The doors opened with a sharp clunk, and I stepped aside to let the arrivals off. One the last of them had cleared, I boarded.
Just past the entryway, next to the conductor’s booth stood five fare terminals. You had two main options here: select your destination and pay by distance, or purchase a Day Pass, which cost more but allowed unlimited rides until the end of that calendar day. The latter was ideal for platform nomads.
Given I didn’t know exactly where the signal in my COG would lead me yet – and already expecting to switch lines – I paid for the Day Pass.
It came out to 75 Steambits, or 0.75 Steamcrowns.
I pulled a single Steamcrown from my pocket – didn’t even dip into the Inventory yet – and slid it into the brass-plated payment slot. The machine ticked for a moment, then printed a small paper ticket and spat out my change: two 10-bit coins and one 5.
Pocketing the coins, I moved into the car.
The first was packed. The few free benches would’ve meant sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers. No thanks.
I continued forward, pushing through the connecting doors until I reached the last car. It was quitter here, half-empty, with long metallic benches – barely cushioned, and medium-sized windows. I took a seat near the back and slid over until I was against the window.
A moment later, the tram jolted with another hiss of pressure, joined by the gears beneath the car clinking into motion.
Then the phonotube mounted above crackled to life, followed by a female voice with a metallic undertone:
“This is the SJ-Line, northbound. Final stop: Station One-Zero-Nine. Next Stop: Station Sixteen.”
A soft chimed played, then the announcement continued in a more routine tone:
“Please refrain from smoking while on board. Do not leave your luggage unattended. If an inspector boards your car, prepare your ticket or Pass in advance for verification. Remember – boarding the tram without a proper pass is considered a criminal offense and will be punished accordingly. Thank you for choosing the Orlinth Tramway.”
A man sitting a few benches ahead lit a cigarette right as the announcement ended, like he was doing it on purpose. He turned his head to scan the car, checking who might react. Apparently, I was the only one who looked his way, so his gaze locked into mine. He smiled, waved the cigarette in a way that looked like he was apologizing, then turned back to the window and exhaled his first drag out into the wind.
I sighed.
Then, just when I thought the announcements were over, the phonotubes cracked again with another message:
“And now, a word from our ruler, Primarch Dalton Rose.”
The voice that followed was deeper, belonging to the man himself.
“Dear citizens of Orlinth, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your continued service. Your dedication, innovation, and cooperation uphold the great pillars of Solvane. We are in trying times, yes, but know that your efforts do not go unnoticed. I promise you this: the cowardly terrorist known as Valdemar, who seeks to break the peace we have built, will be brought to justice soon. I am working tirelessly alongside Prime Vorrick to ensure your safety and to restore order to your dear platform. Trust in progress. Trust in Solvane.”
Oh, right. That message.
I heard the exact same one months ago, the last time I took a tram. Thanks for the reminder, Dalton Rose. As if I needed more reasons to hate you.
I already had a damn good one - you kidnapped my sister.
“What a stinker,” The man with the cigarette chuckled. “Thinks he can catch Valdemar…what a load of – “
“Keep your views to yourself,” a woman from the front benches snapped, not even turning to him. "Not everyone on this platform supports that madman."
“Let the man speak,” another voice chimed in from behind her. “He’s right.”
The woman whipped around. “And what exactly is he right about? People need to stop glorifying him. Valdemar is just a man.”
The smoker laughed again. “And that’s where you’re wrong, sweetie. Perhaps at first, he really was just a man. But now? Now he’s more than that. His ideas’ll carry on even if he dies."
He shook his head, grinning. "Heck, who’s to say he wasn’t killed and replaced already? I’d even go as far as to say that maybe everyone in Libra is Valdemar.”