What It Takes Is What You Must Give: The Nickel Cycle

By Conrad Ceevee

Claretha is a scientist, not a soldier, but that hasn't stopped her from heading out with the Surface Army in search of a supply of nickel. That means going to the heapwoods, a forest where all the wildlife and wild robots rely on nickel. The only way to survive is to bring machinery, vehicles and weaponry, the very things that attract waylaying robots. Can they make it out of the heapwoods with the nickel they need?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Technovolved Earth
• Release date: Jul 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223939801

Book preview

What It Takes Is What You Must Give

An autowagon trundled alongside Claretha, jostling roughshod and tumblesome over the rocky landscape. Claretha's heart had fluttered fromwith fleshment since she first climbed surfaceward for this expedition. It was her third time asurface and her first trip longer than an overnight.

And oh how the nights had been heighty and exhilarating!

Afterout Fireteller Colony, the caravan had stopped forto camp on a rocky ridge worn flat bywith eons, and she had taken in the full splendor of the nighttime sky. A ribbon of stars akinto static sparks had splayed supra—the Route of Milk, they dubbed it yore onin one ofamong the Old Surface Civilization's languages. The crickets had thrummed likesuch overtuned banjos, and the frogs had ribbitted joyfully in the pond abottom the ridge, and some strange and distant beast had howled peals that curdled Claretha's blood. The night had been cold and vast, not thermostative and strictive likeish the air in Fireteller Colony.

Asurface, everything was different. Light came from one spot—the sun—and shadows spilled everyway. Layers of dim and effulgent shivelight cascaded through the forest canopy, creating dappleitos that hovered afront Claretha's eyes.

When Clarethas young-school class went surfaceither for a field trip, the chaperones were steady like, 'Look not at the sun. It is unlike a lightbulb from Fireteller Colony. It is not safe. Never look at the sun'. Claretha had been terrified she'd do it accidentally.

That morning, she reminderéd herself suchwise: look not at the sun, look not at the sun. Still, thusdoing was all she could ponder when she reckoned the sunrise. It was so awesome she craved to reckon it again, and it was more colorful than she trowed forwardto a sunrise. If I keep staring thereat, the sunrise could will be the final ken I ever see.

The caravan ofwith soldiers, scientists and engineers marched through the woods alongside the autowagon and antigrav-sac engines, which purred and fumed quietly. The soldiers carried within their rucksacks security-field beacons that obscured the group versusfrom scanners, cameras and assassinbots. The soldiers kept afterwatch technota, animals and raiders, while scattered sensors monitored around and occasionally dinged out. The minimal reactions the dings aroused in soldiers kenmarked the alerts as unimportant.

The others chatteréd, but Claretha chatteréd not. She was the only newbie aton the trip, so there was nonewhomwith to speak. Regardless, whomwith she solely admired to speak was Drac Su, and he ain't acknowledge her existence yet.

His booming voice shot through aheadence the caravan, though his words were muffled. Drac's wild baritone made Claretha feel like a child again; it was smooth and throaty, likehow talking ached his throat but he thusdid regardless, fromwith boister and abandon. She blushed, gladdening for the lack of anywhomaround toso see. Many women in Fireteller Colony felt alikeabout Drac Su, a well-known surface-expedition hero.

There it is, o everybody alongwith your-all's own, a jumpy-start robot. I sure did said we bould arrive today, Drac said. He had sounded less certain earlier.

He was well aheadof Claretha, who hurried near enough astoso see. She climbed into the lead autowagon and clambered through toableto look out avantce.

Drac pointed rightwards, and those who were inavant alongside him looked thereway. One fromamong the engineers took photos likesuch a tourist. It was only a pod, but Claretha keened to see it too.

A jumpy-start was a technota—a wild robot—a black cylinder byon wheels, outfitted internally with a battery and other functions. It extended pincers foruseto take samples of soil. Some technota were outfitted avec weapons, but it was unknowable whether any particular one was armed.

It is on craving of nickel, Drac sayeth, aswhile he flashéd a confident smirk likeif elsenone knew of jumpy-starts. It was fromabout the guidelet. Jumpy-starts contain nickel–copper batteries, unna. Since we-

"Nickel–copper hydride," said one fromamong the engineers withforth a nasal grunt. Though he was onfrom Claretha, she ear-kenned him roll his eyes withthrough his voice.

Hmm. Yes, nickel–copper hydride. The dominant elements are nickel and copper though, forsooth? Drac maintained a playfully dimpled grin, likeif he was joking together witheverywhom exceptfor this engineer.

The hydride is what makes it work, lo, said the engineer. He suppressed a snort aswhile he pushed his glasses up on his nose. Nickel–copper is an alloy, not a battery.

Drac wrinkled his broad, crooked nose but affected a flat smile. Indeed, he said. Nevertheless, their presence signals to our approach of the heapwoods.

Is it dangerous? Claretha asked. She rightaway regretted so-asking. It