Overclocked -CH 8- (Patreon)

The last three days had gone by in a never-ending blur of opening packages, sorting contents, and putting them away. Punctuated by dinner with the whole School, as he wasn’t allowed to not be there anymore, having sex with Dusky, then falling asleep.

Unfortunately the tedious and time consuming work didn’t do anything for his mind. It left his thoughts to wander in whichever way they wished.

At first they lingered often around Dusky and the rest of the School. They were all incredibly attractive and he felt akin to a man who’d just eaten a banquet by himself, yet there was several more being prepared for him at the same time.

By the second day, and having slept with Dusky several times now, those thoughts had turned somewhere else. Somewhere he didn’t actually want.

While Dusky always welcomed him into a bed in the evening, as well as the morning, she’d never been affectionate to him. There was no “lingering feelings” it seemed from her outside of sex.

All the things he’d come to expect from a partner in the resistance were lacking. The subtle things that people often did when they cared for one another.

When he got to those thoughts, he realized he wasn’t doing those things for Dusky, either.

In his efforts to try and break free of his past, of Freckles and his last life, he’d gone right back into it. Striking up a relationship based on an equal exchange of goods.

Dusky came to the Hab, she became his woman.

She certainly was more warm and willing than Freckles had ever been, but in the end, it felt to Wrench that that alone might not be enough. Since then he’d gone out of his way to search how he felt about Dusky.

If he actually wanted a relationship with her, or if she was a convenient outlet of lust and need. That in this case, it really was just an equal exchange and he wasn’t really into pursuing something deeper with her.

“Kinda weird, I guess,” mumbled Wrench as he set down yet another capsule filled with “wet food” for Humes. It resembled a large metal box that was eight feet tall and six feet wide. They were stored near the food dispenser and would be loaded in when a new one was needed. “Human kind has been turned to this. Where it’s all… whatever you have to do to survive. To live comfortably in a Hab.

“Kill someone, take their stuff, live peacefully, find a mate, have kids, slaughter an entire Hab. It’s all dependent on the Tongsta. For a Hume… there is no real… determination in their fate, anymore.

“There’s the distinct possibility I could be turned loose with the expectation to impregnate as many people as I could. That Goodie would go pick up another twenty School-Hume and have me sleep with every single one. Then all the original School, one by one.

“If that was what Goodie wanted, and I wanted to stay in her good graces, that’s what would happen. Thinking like that led me to join the resistance to begin with but… that didn’t turn out much better anyways.

“I’m really not sure dying on your feet is better than serving on your knees. Since, you know, been there, done that. Really… living on your knees is a lot better. That and… well… I get to bed Dusky.

“Eat as much as I want. Have a nice Hab I more or less am the boss of and a Tongsta who kinda gives a shit about me. I can work on Dusky and see where it goes. Having kids with her wouldn’t be terrible. She’s certainly smart enough and would be a decent partner.

“Turning this into a relationship will take work but it’s certainly possible. I just have to figure out if I really want one with her. Especially with so many others here. I could make any of them my… my wife. Just have to find the right one.

“Yeah. Yeah! This is all amazing. My life is fucking beautiful

“Bue-tee-full. I’m just being a whiny bitch. A whiny bitch that doesn’t understand how amazing this all is. I just have to make my intentions known to Dusky and go from there. If she wants to have a real relationship with me, I could easily work at that.”

Looking back to the Loading Bay he realized in that moment, that he was done.

It’d taken far too long, and there was simply way too much provided for them, but everything was logged and sorted out appropriately. There hadn’t been any tools, but there’d been a number of material cubes they could use to make their own with the facilities on hand.

With a groan, Wrench pushed his fists into his back and got a satisfying pop out of them.

“Well. All done then. Fantastic. Super. Wonderful. Glad to have it all friggin’ done. Stupid back.

“Though… I wonder where the helmeted man who gave me my powers went,” he murmured aloud, before shaking his head. It was an idle thougth that went nowhere. Even thinking about Dusky would be time better spent.

Exiting the Storage facility he went into the hall.

Looking one way, then the other, he realized he was hungrier than he was in need of tools.

In fact, he could probably eat while letting the Fabricator build his tools.

With a simple nod of his head he went off to the cafeteria quickly. He spotted the School out in the main field through one of the many windows that let in light from the outside.

They were currently traipsing about the greenery. Many of them had clearly gone and collected things from storage that Goodie had gotten them.

There was no small number of balls, toys, and games that were all out there and being used. The School happily swirling around it all, moving members back and forth as they did.

Not for the first time, Wrench noticed Goodie watching.

She was doing it in a way that didn’t alert the Hume’s to her presence. That they couldn’t actually detect her, without knowing she was there.

It was if there was a curtain between them and the Tongsta that she could peer through if she wished. Wrench knew what to look for so he’d been able to spot her.

“Though… I wonder if she’s looking for me?” Wrench mused aloud.

Standing in front of the dispenser he changed his mind and picked the oat bar once again. Snatching it up as it dropped into the hopper he took a bite and exited the cafeteria.

Heading into the hall he headed out of the pens and into the open field.

Marching forward, straight toward where Goodie was, he was determined to acknowledge her. Given how she’d reacted to him actively responding to her and her commands, he thought it’d be a good thing to let her know he was aware of her presence.

His approach was putting him on the far side of a building and several shrub hedges that were regrowing rapidly. He’d be out of sight of the School right up until he made it to the glass.

Which suited him just fine.

When they saw him they would drag him into the School and expect him to be a part of their social-sphere for a time. That wasn’t something he could ignore or not do, either.

If he wanted the School to support him, he had to School with them. Should time be an issue, he needed to avoid coming into contact with them.

“— really like that. It’s rather fun!” said someone. Wrench had a hard time identifying them by voice but he was getting better at it.

“I like it. It’s wonderful! I’m so glad we have them. I’m still curious if we can learn how to play with the instruments,” a second replied.

“Oh yes. Yeah. The instruments. We’ll have to have some type of training book to do them. Then read it. Learn it. Can’t without the books,” answered what sounded a lot like Jitter.

“Hmmm. Training books. We’ll just have to ask Wrench if we have them, or if Goodie can get them for us,” Starlight replied. Her voice was rather distinct to him. “Dusky, how’re things going with Wrench? Do you think you could ask him for training books?

“Have you pleased your man enough that he’ll do anything special for you?”

Wrench paused in his tracks.

Unable to help himself, he wanted to know what Dusky would say. Based on what Freckles had told him, School-Hume were notorious for gossip and being blunt in their own groups.

“Oh, I’m sure he’d do it if I asked. Let alone if any of you asked,” answered Dusky. “He cares for our well-being a great deal.”

“So you’re not pleasing him enough?” asked someone else.

“I’m pleasing him as much as he wants and whatever he asks for,” Dusky countered. “I just don’t want to ask him for anything that we don’t need immediately. He’s working really hard for us right now to make the Hab home. All by himself.

“He and I are very new to our deal. It wouldn’t be good to push for more right now. Maybe later. In the future. I can ask for those things.”

“Okay. Oh! We should probably start getting ready for lunch, that’s soon. Isn’t it?” asked what felt like Duchess. “Do you think Wrench will join us? I’d like to sit next to him. He has interesting Fixer stories.”

Hm.

More or less what I felt then.

Freckles, but better.

Not a relationship. That’s exactly what it is though.

Unfortunate but reality.

I can make it something else if I want to though.

Walking further away from the wall, distancing himself from the others, he kept moving to the Hab wall. He wasn’t sure if Goodie had noticed him yet, but he imagined she probably had.

He could still see the darker spot in the distance that signified where she was. Hiding behind the “curtain” and watching.

Walking right up to the Hab glass he put his hands on his hips for a moment, staring at the spot Goodie was.

Then he raised his right hand and waved it back and forth in large motions. It was a good opportunity for the School to notice him as well as Goodie.

“Hi Goodie!” he shouted loudly. Then he began waving both of his arms back and forth.

“Uh… what? Can... did the xxhht fail?” came a quiet and surprised voice. “Wrench? You can see me?”

“Of course I can,” Wrench said, with full and deliberate nods of his head, putting his hands on his hips again.

There was a pause, then Goodie appeared. The curtain dropping away.

“You really can, can’t you?” asked Goodie, moving much closer to him now. She was once again practically smeared to the glass of hte Hab.

“Yes. I can see you, Goodie,” confirmed Wrench, nodding his head again. Then he gestured at everything around himself. He made sure to smile as wide as he could. “Thank you for everything, by the way. Everything is wonderful. Its more than we needed so it’s a lot like living in luxury.”

“Awww, my Wrenchie. You’re such a cutie. Look at you,” Goodie murmured, a tentacle coming up to rest against the glass.

Wrench laughed and put his hand up against the same spot her tentacle was.

“I don’t know about cute, but I’m definitely thankful, Goodie,” answered Wrench, knowing she’d never really understand him. Didn’t mean he couldn’t try.

Suddenly the School-Hume showed up around him. Gathering around him though partly behind him. It made him the exterior edge of their bubble.

“Oh my gosh they’re so much more pretty without the xxhht xxhht. I guess I should have known you’d see me Wrench. My smart goodboy. My super special Wrenchie,” Goodie murmured. “Goodness they’re gorgeous I love them! They’re xxhht xxhht and xxhht! Where’s your xxhht friend? Is she in there?”

Turning his head, Wrench looked into the crowd behind him.

“Dusky, come here. She wants to see you with me,” Wrench murmured, holding his hand out to her.

“Me? Me personally? The Tongsta really pays attention to you,” replied Dusky, coming over ot stand next to him.

Wrench took her hand in his, squeezed it, then put his arm around her shoulders. Holding her against his side.

“Ah! There she is! You are so amazing Wrenchie. You understand everything! Your xxhht friend is pretty. I hope you make little Wrenchies with her soon,” cooed Goodie, her tentacle moving to be right in front of Dusky.

As had been ingrained into most Hume, Dusky’s response was to immediately lift her hand up and put it atop the glass where Goodie’s tentacle was.

“What’d the Tongsta say. I didn’t understand anything of that,” muttered Dusky.

“She wants to know if you’re pregnant or not and if you’re my wife,” paraphrased Wrench.

“Wife?” asked Dusky in a confused tone.

“My woman who’s in love with me. To be with me even if we didn’t have an agreement,” Wrench explained.

“Without an agreement? That’s… strange,” Dusky muttered as Goodie’s tentacle fell away. “I don’t know if I’m pregnant yet though. Probably? We’ve had a lot of sex.”

“What do you have there xxhht? You keep xxhht into that xxhht and ignore xxhht xxhht?” asked a voice.

“Huh?” Goodie responded, moving away from the Hab quickly. The curtain came back and blocked her from view.

“It’s a Hab. Xxhht xxhht! It’s a big one,” said the unknown Tongsta voice.

“Ah… yeah. It’s my Hab,” answered Goodie. “Anyways, whats up? Did xxhht the xxhht xxhht?”

“No, no. Nothing like that. Though, can I ask a favor?” asked the Tongsta.

The next thing they said was completely static. Not one word of it made sense.

Goodie’s response, also made no response. Whatever it was they were talking about, had no Earthly translation available.

“Where’d the Tongsta go?” asked Sparkle from behind him.

“She’s there, just talking to someone else,” Wrench answered quickly.

“Xxhht xxhht, could I suppose. But I’ll warn you now. My little Wrenchie doesn’t like other males. Especially Brawlers,” Goodie said with a warning in her voice. “You put in any males or Brawlers, they’ll probably die.

“You promise it’ll only be for a xxhht? And that you’ll xxhht for the xxhht xxhht?”

The response she got back was completely garbled.

“Alright. Just don’t be a xxhht when they’re dead or his xxhht friends. Wrenchie doesn’t tolerate things he doesn’t like. He even xxhht a xxhht,” Goodie warned.

Then the curtain peeled away again and Goodie once more appeared.

“Wrenchie, my xxhht needs some help with her Hume. They’re going to stay in your Hab for a while. Her own Fixers are working on her Hab,” Goodie explained. “It isn’t making enough xxhht for them. So fewer is better.

“You can kill anyone who you don’t like or doesn’t get along. I don’t think my xxhht really cares at all for her Hume. More a xxhht of convenience, I think. Or xxhht companions.”

Wrench assumed she meant oxygen. If there was a lack of oxygen it could completely wipe out a Hab fast.

“Okay,” Wrench said with an exagerated nod of his head.

Goodie tapped a tentacle to the glass again. Then moved in closer to him.

“All of their Hume are from xxhht,” hissed the Tongsta. “I want you to keep some that you like for you. The genetics of xxhht are great and that’ll be good for your future xxhht.

“But only keep a few. They have around xxhht so they’ll never notice if some vanish. Especially if you kill off a few as well.

“Get a few more xxhht friends. I need lots of Wrenchies running around. Love my Wrenchie.”

Goodie pulled back and then vanished again.

“She’s gone,” murmured Wrench. “Apparently a different Hab is going to join us for a short time. Goodie wants me to kill their males and take their women as my own.”

“Ahhh… I’m not really good with violence or strangers,” said someone from behind him. “We’ll just… stay away from them. Can we lock them out of the pens and keep them in the yard?”

“That’s fine. I’ll modify the security before they get here,” Wrench agreed. “We can let the ones in the pen we trust. The rest can stay out in the yard.

“We have more than enough room for them to be out here and not suffer any ill effects.”

Wrench turned and began walking back toward the ducts. He had work to do again.

I wonder if there really will be any idiots who try to bother me, my School, or my Hab.

I’ll have to make sure the filter is clear and ready for corpses.

I’m not going to tolerate any bullshit in my Hab in this second go round. I want my cushy life and I’ll take the life of anyone who gets in my way.

***

Standing outside of the pens, in full view of the cafeteria windows was Wrench. Every window was filled with faces from his School all watching him.

He’d seen a Tongsta show up with a carrier, connected it to the Hab, then left. Goodie had briefly shown up, waved, then left as well.

Leaving the Hab alone with their new guests.

Wrench was the welcoming committee.

Around his waist was a newly fabricated sword belt and short-sword.

He didn’t need the weapon to be incredibly long to be lethal with it.

Truth be told, he was better with the shorter-weapon since most people didn’t know what to do in a sword fight. They wouldn’t have a proper weapon to use to keep him out of range anyways.

Heading across the field, looking around in every direction, were their guests.

There was quite a few of them in that mass. At least eighty or ninety of them.

With so many, he could easily see how a Tongsta would lose track of a few going missing.

He couldn’t kill or keep a large number of them, but he could certainly take his pick from them as Goodie had told him to do. It was her expectation that he’d keep a few.

She’ll likely make me show her the ones I kept, too.

We’ll have to try and negotiate with a few to stick around. Shouldn’t be too hard.

I’m sure I can offer something to a handful to get them to stay here. That’d appease Goodie, right?

She won’t hold my feet to the fire.

At the front of the group were seven or eight men. They had a swagger and aura around them that marked them out as Brawlers. Unable to live in any Hab without being in charge of it, or submitting to the person in charge.

They were simply bred that way.

In the same way, Wrench had an affinity for the technology and machines that were part and parcel to a Hab. He could go to any device, even a new one, and could almost figure it out on the fly without any help at all.

The same reason School-Hume stuck to themselves, and Solo-Hume tended to be vibrant, powerful, characters.

Drawing the short-sword, Wrench held it out and to his side.

“Going to be watering the grass in blood this evening,” Wrench murmured, then laughed to himself. Letting himself relax he pushed at his thoughts.

He wanted to start pushing his systems around and was wondering how to go about it in the best way possible. Trying to imagine how his body might look with those systems and how they’d interact.

Then a window popped up in front of him.

One with an anatomically correct version of himself on one side, and all the skin and flesh cut away on the other. Showing his organs, bones, and nerves.

To the side were all eleven systems and what they were currently set at.

Uh… what?