Chapter 1
Hissing from gears and pistons firing filled the smog-filled morning with the typical empty noise. The sun’s rays reflecting off the copper of the skyscraping buildings gave the streets a certain amber glow.
Hadn’t she already been awake for hours, this stream of light would have woken her up but Lulu Artemis rarely is woken by its light anyways.
Lulu opened her window and looked at the city below her apartment from the 17th floor; the perilous height made rent much cheaper. As normal she couldn’t see the bottom but she does see the commuting biplanes slithering through the buildings going to work. Their small rotors displaced the set in smog from the night before. Believe it or not, this little ritual makes the morning breeze dreamlike.
As the clean air came into her studio apartment she turned back to her desk, pulled the wielding goggles back over her eyes, and clicked the dial on the side to enhance her vision. On her desk were the remains of a battered service bot; her tools surrounding it like a surgeon’s utensils.
“Alas poor Yorick...” dramatically holding the head to her face. She laughed, touched the robot’s nose, and placed it back down. “Just kidding, just kidding. Let’s get you patched back up.”
But that is a good name though...
An hour passed and Lulu wiped her brow with a heavy blow. “You should be fixed now”, she reassured as she pressed the button on the back of the robot’s head.
Its body shook and rattled; steam jetted out of its open cogs as the creature sprung to life! “How can I be of service~!” the little robot called. Lulu squealed and hugged the robot, she grabbed it by the arm and lead it down her apartment and through the front door into the streets of Clankhaven.
“Do I get to go home?” the robot cheerfully whistled.
“Of course!” Lulu reassured; these service bots were designed to have the disposition of a child which she always thought was endearing about their design.
The bustling streets of Clankerhaven were just like the skies of biplanes from her room with busy people going places but added with others loitering in the alleys.
One such loiterer caught Lulu and the bot in his attention and snuffed out the cigarette in his mouth. He followed the pair through the busy streets until they made a turn onto a rundown part of town.
“What do you want?” Lulu demanded without turning to see who was tailing her.
The man laughed, “you got some nerve, kid.” He pulled from his belt a lead pipe. “Thought I made it clear with the first beating that I don’t want that bot on my streets.”
Like a frightened child, the little bot hid behind Lulu’s leg.
“How you feel about someone else’s property means nothing to me, meat head.” She responded as she too grabbed something off her belt. It was a palm-sized sphere.
“You better watch out little girl. You’re in my territory now,” he snapped his fingers, and thugs came from all directions surrounding Lulu.
With a flick of his wrist, all the men jumped to Lulu weapons drawn. Lead pipes, makeshift swords, hammers, it all.
“Don’t worry.”
The robot was thrown up into the air and a cloud of steam surrounded the girl. A roar emitted from inside. The crackle of electricity flowed out.
One of the thugs jumped into the cloud and was sent flying in a second. His body pulsated with electrical discharge as sparks fly off.
“I better watch out?” Lulu swung her mighty weapon in an arch and dispelled the steam revealing her giant ratchet.
“Everyone at once!” the master thug called but no one listened to his order. The electricity flowing from her weapon was hot even from the distance they stood.
He stamped his foot sending everyone to attention. “Follow my order and charge!” They fearfully obeyed and all fifteen men stormed her.
Lulu struck the ground with her weapon; lightning crackled as all the men fell to their knees.
“Get lost.”
Everyone did as she ordered but she stopped the master of the group. He turned to her with fear in his eyes. “You better not touch a single one of my little guys ever again. Capiche?”
“O-of course not!” he stammered holding his hands up. “I infact uh, love these little guys now!” he gave the little robot a head pat before scampering off like a dog.
“What say we get you back home little fella?“Hissing from gears and pistons firing filled the smog-filled morning with the typical empty noise. The sun’s rays reflecting off the copper of the skyscraping buildings gave the streets a certain amber glow.
Hadn’t she already been awake for hours, this stream of light would have woken her up but Lulu Artemis rarely is woken by its light anyways.
Lulu opened her window and looked at the city below her apartment from the 17th floor; the perilous height made rent much cheaper. As normal she couldn’t see the bottom but she does see the commuting biplanes slithering through the buildings going to work. Their small rotors displaced the set in smog from the night before. Believe it or not, this little ritual makes the morning breeze dreamlike.
As the clean air came into her studio apartment she turned back to her desk, pulled the wielding goggles back over her eyes, and clicked the dial on the side to enhance her vision. On her desk were the remains of a battered service bot; her tools surrounding it like a surgeon’s utensils.
“Alas poor Yorick...” dramatically holding the head to her face. She laughed, touched the robot’s nose, and placed it back down. “Just kidding, just kidding. Let’s get you patched back up.”
An hour passed and Lulu wiped her brow with a heavy blow. “You should be fixed now”, she reassured as she pressed the button on the back of the robot’s head.
Its body shook and rattled; steam jetted out of its open cogs as the creature sprung to life! “How can I be of service~!” the little robot called. Lulu squealed and hugged the robot, she grabbed it by the arm and lead it down her apartment and through the front door into the streets of Clankhaven.
“Do I get to go home?” the robot cheerfully whistled.
“Of course!” Lulu reassured; these service bots were designed to have the disposition of a child which she always thought was endearing about their design.
The bustling streets of Clankerhaven were just like the skies of biplanes from her room with busy people going places but added with others loitering in the alleys.
One such loiterer caught Lulu and the bot in his attention and snuffed out the cigarette in his mouth. He followed the pair through the busy streets until they made a turn onto a rundown part of town.
“What do you want?” Lulu demanded without turning to see who was tailing her.
The man laughed, “you got some nerve, kid.” He pulled from his belt a lead pipe. “Thought I made it clear with the first beating that I don’t want that bot on my streets.”
Like a frightened child, the little bot hid behind Lulu’s leg.
“How you feel about someone else’s property means nothing to me, meat head.” She responded as she too grabbed something off her belt. It was a palm-sized cyladiner.
“You better watch out little girl. You’re in my territory now,” he snapped his fingers, and thugs came from all directions surrounding Lulu.
With a flick of his wrist, all the men jumped to Lulu weapons drawn. Lead pipes, makeshift swords, hammers, it all.
“Don’t worry.”
The robot was thrown up into the air and a cloud of steam surrounded the girl. A roar emitted from inside. The crackle of electricity flowed out.
One of the thugs jumped into the cloud and was sent flying in a second. His body pulsated with electrical discharge as sparks fly off.
“I better watch out?” Lulu swung her mighty weapon in an arch and dispelled the steam revealing her giant ratchet.
“Everyone at once!” the master thug called but no one listened to his order. The electricity flowing from her weapon was hot even from the distance they stood.
He stamped his foot sending everyone to attention. “Follow my order and charge!” They fearfully obeyed and all fifteen men stormed her.
Lulu struck the ground with her weapon; lightning crackled as all the men fell to their knees.
“Get lost.”
Everyone did as she ordered but she stopped the master of the group. He turned to her with fear in his eyes. “You better not touch a single one of my little guys ever again. Capiche?”
“O-of course not!” he stammered holding his hands up. “I infact uh, love these little guys now!” he gave the little robot a head pat before scampering off like a dog.
“What say we get you back home little fella?”
