Chapter 5: The Hive’s Defective Champion

  “Beep is not upset,” Beep said confidently, pushing his mighty chest forward. “Beep is grateful! Beep is newer! Beep is better! Beep must leave to make himself even better!”

  He watched as Frelka saw his confidence, was reencouraged, and said, “Ja, that sounds good then! You go und get stronger like Frelka und ve will be here when you return!”

  Shryke nodded her agreement and Beep smiled at the two of them before grabbing a meatcube and walking out the door.

  He had made a mistake in the fog, but he would be better. He had to be. He took a bite of his meatcube as he walked past the armor shop near their home.

  But, he thought to himself as he walked through town towards the tower on the north side, that was the old Beep. The weak Beep. Now, I’m better and stronger than ever!

  He finished his dinner right as he approached the Greenlander wrapped in black rags he had spoken with earlier in the day.

  The man eyed Beep for a moment, glancing to his prosthetic before looking back at him and nodding. “So, you want in on the Shinobi, eh? The guards in other towns try to act like they’re in control, but we all know who the real power is. Even when they abandon their posts, like the ones here in Mongrel did, the Shinobi Thieves remain. Here, we protect.”

  Beep looked at the boss and nodded his head. “Beep wishes to join. Beep wishes to be the best swordsman, but Beep also wants to be the quietest! Frelka will make Beep strong, Beep’s leg will make him fast, you will make Beep quiet.”

  The boss smiled at Beep and said, “Sure, kid. I can do that. You think you got what it takes to be a Shinobi Thief?”

  “I do,” Beep answered without hesitation.

  The boss shrugged. “Then you know the cost, ten thousand Cats. And like I told you earlier, that’ll get you access to us, all of our training equipment, and all of our spots in every city on Kenshi. No matter where you go, you’ll always have friends.”

  Beep felt a swelling of pride and anxiety as he handed the bag of Cats to the man. It hadn’t been easy. He had spent most of the day running and scavenging weapons from as far into the fog as he dared go. He had found a few clubs from fallen Heavies and a katana from the prince they had killed the other night.

  Unfortunately, even with all the risking of his life he did, he had barely scraped together a thousand Cats.

  In the end, it was only by the generosity and kindness of the Holy Nation outlaws that he had been able to afford the cost of admission. As Beep looked at the pouch, he was reminded of his interaction with them earlier that day.

  ~~

  “Nine thousand’s a bit steep, son,” Stitch said. “And what exactly is this fer again?”

  “Beep wishes to be a ninja!” Beep answered confidently. “The boss at the tower says he can make Beep quiet, like a shadow on the wind.”

  “‘Shadow on the wind,’ huh?” Stitch muttered. After a moment he sighed and said, “Well, can’t say I understand that, but I have heard of the Shinobi Thieves. Maybe not the savoriest bunch, but they ain’t all that bad. Better’n the Holy Nation, that’s for sure.”

  He looked over at the group he had come to lead. “Give me a moment,” he said, turning back to face Beep. He stood and walked over to the group. Beep watched as Stitch and the group spoke in hushed whispers, Stitch gesturing towards Beep and then his Cat bag. Beep saw a few of them shake their heads adamantly.

  Stitch continued his discussion with the group, and slowly, the number of shaking heads decreased until they all reluctantly nodded. Stitch held out his bag, and Beep watched as each member reluctantly placed their Cats in the bag.

  Once they had all added to it, Stitch got up and walked back over to Beep.

  “Now Beep,” he began. “You gotta know this is a lot of Cats. But, you, Shryke, and Frelka are the reason we’re alive in the first place, so I reckon it’s the least we can do.”

  Stitch handed Beep his pouch, closing Beep’s fingers around it and giving him a pat on the back of the hand. Beep’s heart was heavy with guilt and shame, but he accepted it. “Beep promises he will pay you back. I will train, be better, and earn enough to pay you back for this!”

  Stitch shook his head dismissively, “Ahh, look, if you do, you do. If not, well, we’re still alive, ain’t we?”

  ~~

  The boss took the pouch from Beep’s hands and said, “Welcome brother, to the Shinobi Thieves.” He gestured to the door leading into the tower. “Inside you’ll find our fence. He’ll buy damn near anything you got. He’s also got some stuff you won’t find anywhere else, so be sure to check him out. Second floor’s got some beds in case you need a place to rest, third floor’s where we keep all of our training stations, and the roof has the best view in Mongrel. Any questions?”

  “When does Beep start his training?” Beep asked, unable to withhold his excitement any longer.

  The boss smiled at him and said, “You can start whenever you like Beep. We’ve got some people that usually hang out on the third floor. Just ask them about how to use our training stations and they’ll be able to get you started.”

  Beep smiled widely and puffed out his chest again before walking inside the tower.

  The first floor was mostly a living area, a large, round table with a dozen stools scattered haphazardly around it. Boxes, crates, and barrels lined every free space on the wall, with a stove centered directly across from the door. A few of his new brothers were sitting at the table, laughing and playing cards.

  Beep approached the table and eagerly said, “Hello brothers! Beep is new here, and very happy to meet you.”

  He held out his hand to shake, only to be met with confused looks and silent stares. Slowly, Beep lowered his hand. He chuckled nervously and dismissed himself, heading up the round staircase that lined the wall leading to the second floor.

  They’re probably just busy, he thought to himself. Next time.

  The second floor, as the boss had said, was mostly beds and shelves where members kept some of their goods. Beep saw a few sleeping forms shift as he entered the room. Quietly, he tiptoed up to the third floor.

  As he stepped off onto the third floor, he found, with great satisfaction, that a few of his new brothers were standing around: some practicing at the stations, others taking breaks or watching the others practice.

  He walked to the closest Shinobi not using a station and said, “Greetings brother! Beep would like to begin his training!”

  The man, similarly dressed in black robes, turned to him. It was another Western Hiver!

  “New blood, huh?” he asked. “Very well. Name’s Trek. I’ve got some time before I head to bed, what would you like to know?”

  Beep paused nervously. “Beep! Beep doesn’t know. Beep doesn’t even know what these stations are or what they do.”

  Trek looked at him patiently and said, “Well, what would you like to practice? We got things that can help with your thievery, your assassination, and your lockpicking. I can’t show you them all tonight, but if you tell me which one interests you the most, I can get you started with that, and we can do more tomorrow.”

  Beep looked at each of the stations. He reflected on the battles he had had so far and the narrow escapes he and Frelka and Shryke had managed. After a moment, he decided.

  “Beep wishes to start with the stealth!” he answered enthusiastically.

  Trek gave a chuckle and said, “Well, that’s not really a station we have set up in here per se. That one we typically practice out in town at night. As I said though, I’m about to turn in for the night, so how about I show you one of the stations, and tomorrow we can work on your stealth?”

  Beep nodded. “Then, Beep wishes to subdue his enemies before they even know he is there!”

  “Now that we can do,” Trek said. He walked over to a stuffed manikin, its back facing the nearby wall. “So, this is Lincoln,” he said, patting the manikin on its chest. “Lincoln here isn’t your typical manikin that you see others whacking away on in the barracks. Lincoln’s special. Right here,” he said, gesturing to a spot at the back of the manikin’s neck, “is a pressure plate. It’s been designed and primed to only release when you strike with enough force in the right spot to incapacitate an actual person.”

  With this comment, he swiftly struck at the back of the neck.

  Click.

  Trek turned back to Beep. “Understand?”

  Beep nodded.

  “Do you want to try it first?” Trek asked.

  Beep nodded again and walked over to the manikin. He looked at the spot where Trek had struck and punched with all his might. He felt a sharp pain in his hand and quickly pulled back to inspect it. “Beep!” There was no bleeding, but it was still throbbing.

  Trek laughed, “Yeah, that figures. Sorry Beep, that’s on me.” He moved over to inspect Beep’s hand. After a moment he said, “It looks okay. It might sting for a moment, but you’ll be fine. Sorry again, I forgot you’re truly new to all this.

  “Now, pay attention,” he said as he moved back over to the manikin. “There are actually three pressure plates set up on this manikin that you can practice on. The first,” he said, pointing to the base of the skull, “is at the brainstem.” He made a swift strike toward the base of the manikin’s skull.

  Click.

  Trek turned back to him. “This is the most dangerous of the three spots for your enemy, given you can kill them if you jar the brain too much. It’s also the most difficult as it requires the most amount of precision and force.

  “The second,” he continued, moving his hand slightly down the back of the neck, “is to disrupt the enemy’s spine. Too light, and all you may do is cause a brief collapse, so make sure you’re able to hit this properly before you try it on an enemy, or you may find yourself in quite a bit of trouble.

  “The final spot,” he said, moving his hand to the side of the neck, “is the carotid sinus. Hit this hard enough, and your enemy will go down. Not as effective as the other two, but also not as protected as them either.

  “If I were you,” he gestured to the second spot, “I’d practice on this spot here. It’s more reliable than the carotid sinus, and not as difficult as the brainstem. And if you can consistently get Lincoln here to click, you should be ready to try it on someone else. Now, the final thing.” He walked back over to Beep and grabbed his hand. “You’re not going to want to punch your enemy. Instead, you’ll want to use what we call the ‘Hammerfist strike.’”

  Beep’s eyes widened at the name. He smiled and stood straighter, puffing out his chest and saying, “‘Beep’s Mighty Hammerfist’…No! ‘Beep the Hammerfist’…No, ‘Hammerfist Beep.’”

  Trek laughed and said, “If you get good enough, maybe. But listen, hold your hand like this.”

  He clenched his fist tightly, thumb on the outside, and then, using the bottom of his fist as the striking surface, drove it into the back of the manikin’s neck.

  Click.

  “This way is probably the best way for you to start. Once you get more proficient with your strikes, you can transition to the form I use, which we call the ‘knife-hand strike.’”

  Trek extended his fingers and pressed them tightly together, tucking his thumb in. Then, with a sharp, downward chopping motion, he struck the manikin using the edge of his hand.

  Click.

  Beep’s head swam. “So much!” he said.

  Trek placed a reassuring hand on Beep’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, it seems that way at first, but once you start practicing, it’ll become second nature in no time. Now, for now, just remember two things: strike here”—he gestured to the back of the manikin’s neck—“with a hammerfist strike.”

  He mimicked the hammerfist position again and brought his fist down on the back of the manikin’s neck.

  Click.

  “Okay,” Beep said enthusiastically. “Beep will do this! Beep will start now!”

  Trek laughed. “Start whenever you like, Beep. Now, if you really want a challenge, try doing the entire motion from a sneaking position. After all, it’s not like your enemy is going to just let you walk up to them and hit them in the back of the head.”

  With that, Trek crouched low, moving silently behind the manikin. After a few careful steps, he rose smoothly, struck the spine, and dropped back into a crouch.

  Click.

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  He turned to Beep. “Any questions?”

  Beep reviewed everything Trek had just shown him. After a moment, he shook his head. “Nope. Beep understands. Thank you! Beep will remember this when he is best swordsman on Kenshi!”

  Trek chuckled again. “You’re an odd one, Beep. Anyone ever told you that?”

  Beep felt a tightening in his chest. In an instant, Trek’s laugh took him back. Suddenly, he was a young Hive being laughed at for his beeping. He felt the rejection and sneering mockery of his brothers. He looked back to Trek and frowned. He felt a deflation in his stance as he hung his head. “Yes.”

  Trek’s laughing cut short, and he looked to Beep. “Hey. Beep. What’s with the sudden change?”

  Beep shook his head. “Beep knows he is defective. It’s why Beep is Hiveless.”

  Trek’s brow turned upward as he smiled at the small Hiver. “Listen Beep, we’re all Hiveless out here. Trust me, it doesn’t make you ‘less than.’ In fact, it makes you greater. Greater than the mindless drones who simply obey every command handed down by the Queen. Because that’s all we are: drones. They never even bothered to hide it from us. They called us worker drones or soldier drones.” He shook his head. “But not out here. Here, you are Beep. You are not defective. You are you. Be proud of your oddity my friend, it’s what makes you different from anyone else.”

  Beep felt a bittersweet sting in his eyes. “Beep has never heard such kind words before. Thank you, brother.”

  Trek through up his hands in a shrug. “Hey, what are brothers for, right?” He stretched, groaning with the effort. “Alright, that’s all I’ve got for the night. You’ve got the basics down for this station. Meet here tomorrow night and I’ll show you the route we take to practice our silent stalking through the shadows.” He gave Beep another reassuring smile. “Give me the time and I’ll have the being the deadliest shadow in the Foglands in no time, Beep.”

  He gave one last smile to Beep and turned to head back down to the second floor. After he had disappeared beneath the floor, Beep turned back to the room. In the time it had taken Trek to show Beep the basics, the room had emptied. He was left standing in the room, alone and with no company aside from his own thoughts.

  “‘Deadliest shadow in the Foglands,’” he whispered to himself.

  He clutched his fist into the hammerfist Trek had shown him and turned back to the manikin. He crouched down low. Because of his leg, his approach wasn’t quite as silent as Trek’s, but he slowly crept up behind the manikin. Once he was within range, he stood quickly and swung down at the manikin, clubbing at the back of the neck.

  “Ow,” Beep said.

  He looked back to the manikin. He had heard no clicking sound. He felt around the manikin where the pressure plate should be. He could feel its form under the cloth. He had hit the right spot. He pushed on the plate, testing to make sure it still clicked. Nothing. He pushed harder. Still nothing. Beep pushed with all his might; he didn’t feel the plate move at all.

  Beep’s eyes widened as he said, “Trek is a mighty assassin indeed!”

  Beep steeled himself and rubbed his hand once more before beginning the process of crouching, sneaking, standing, striking, and crouching back down again. He never heard a click, but he never lost hope. He would get this. He would be the best out there. No one would chase Beep ever again!

  ~~

  “Alright,” Trek said, standing with his arms folded across his chest, “let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Beep gave a determined nod and showed Trek his progress over the past day. He had practiced his form and strike through the entire previous night and all throughout the day, resting for only a few hours when his body wouldn’t allow him to keep going.

  Trek watched as Beep crouched, snuck up behind, and stuck at Lincoln. He heard the thump of Beep’s strike, but no click.

  “Beep has not been able to make him click,” Beep said, “but Beep has gotten better. I can feel it move now!”

  Trek nodded. “I’m sure you have Beep. Your form looks flawless. Keep it up and you’ll get it in no time. Now, are you ready for your lesson in stealth?”

  Beep nodded, a burning fire in his eyes. “Yes. Beep is ready to become one with the shadows!”

  Trek laughed. He had known him for all of a day, but he liked Beep’s enthusiasm. It was something that was rare in the Shinobi tower. Most “brothers” were little more than common thieves that wanted some form of protection from the guards, but Beep brought a feeling of genuine comradery to the tower. And unlike most who joined, he seemed more interested in using his skills to be a better fighter, not a better thief.

  “Okay,” Trek said, “let’s get started. Follow me.”

  Trek crouched down and led Beep down the staircase. “Now, while you’re training, the most important lesson when you’re first starting out is to not care if you’re seen. No guard is going to stop you just for sneaking around, and you’d be surprised how many times you’ll actually give yourself away to someone who just so happened to be looking in your direction instead of at you.”

  Beep nodded and followed Trek, doing his best to emulate his every move, down to stepping in all the same spots.

  They slowly crept down the tower. Despite Trek’s advice, Beep found himself awkwardly smiling and nodding at his other brothers as he walked through the tower.

  It was after one of these awkward acknowledgements that Trek looked back, “Bee-eep,” he said. “Try to remember to not say anything. Practice not acknowledging anyone while you’re sneaking. Silence of the mouth and head is just as important as silence of the feet.”

  “Beep cannot be silent with his feet,” Beep said. “He did not buy a sneaky replacement for his leg; he bought one for speed.”

  Trek nodded at him. “That’s fine. Just because it’s not made for sneaking doesn’t mean you can’t sneak with it. With enough practice, you’ll learn how to accommodate for the extra noise your prosthesis makes as you sneak. Before long, you’ll be as quiet as anyone else.”

  They continued their path around the city. Trek slowly led Beep out of the tower and into Mongrel. Their first lap was around the inner walls of Mongrel.

  “This lap will be your easiest for not being seen,” Trek explained. “Most guards don’t even patrol the walls since the Fogmen exclusively attack at the gates.”

  The second lap still stuck closely to the walls but snaked through the outer buildings of Mongrel.

  “This path is a little harder than the first. This way, you risk more passerby seeing you. Come, we’ve got one more to go.”

  Their last lap zigzagged back and forth between the walls and into the center of Mongrel itself where the bars were all located.

  “This path will be your true test. If you can make it through the crowd of people coming and going from the bars without being noticed, you’ll be ready for the real deal.”

  They continued to trace these paths for the next several hours. Beep focused intensely on the task in front of him. He focused on the sound Trek made as he crept through each path. He listened to the sound he made, with his bladed foot scraping the ground with every step. He practiced “seeing” the guards without acknowledging them.

  During one of their laps, Beep swore one of the guards they passed had looked straight at him, but as they stood frozen and he walked by, the man made no further acknowledgement of their presence.

  “See,” Trek said, “that guard didn’t even see us crouched here in the corner. Most attention is drawn to movement. They see what they want to see. What they expect to see. Give them no reason to doubt this and you’ll never be noticed.”

  Beep nodded and they continued their laps.

  As the first glimpses of light began to shine on the horizon, Trek and Beep stopped outside the tower. “Alright,” he said, “I think that’s enough for tonight. What do you think Beep?”

  Beep attempted to respond, but his leg burned. He had never realized how hard it was to stay crouched, and Trek never took a break…and Beep never asked for one. He felt his eyes grow heavy and his legs shake with effort.

  No response came from the small Hiver as Trek heard a small thump and turned to see Beep collapsed on the ground, completely unconscious. He laughed to himself, shaking his head. “Was wondering how you had gone that long without passing out. Never seen someone last that long before. Almost made me call it quits. Thank the gods for the sun,” he finished as he scooped Beep under the shoulder and looked to the horizon. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

  ~~

  A few days later, Beep stood in front of the two remaining stations that Trek had yet to review with him.

  “Alright, Beep,” Trek said. “These are the last two things. You ready?”

  Beep nodded.

  “Okay,” Trek replied. “So, these last two stations are pretty easy to use. This first one,” he said, crouching down next to a chest with a dozen different keyholes in it, “is our lockpicking chest.

  “Each keyhole contains a lock with an increasing level of complexity. The goal is to work your way up through each level until you unlock them all.

  “If you get stuck and want to start over,” he said, moving to the side of the chest, “just roll this mechanism up until it stops.

  “Once you are able to get all of the locks, your next goal will be decreasing the amount of time it takes you to unlock them all. Each tower has a little local leaderboard we like to use for bragging rights.”

  He gestured to the board leaned against the wall behind the chest. A dozen different names and times were listed on the board. Beep looked and found Trek’s name. He was fifth on the list.

  “The last station,” Trek said, walking over to a large stack of boxes, tarps, and assorted items, “is for practicing your thievery.” He picked up a bell off the shelf and it tingled loudly. “Each item on this structure is placed with its own level of difficulty for swiping. Some, like this cup,” he said, casually picking up a nearby cup, “are easy. Others,” he continued, holding up the bell, “are a little harder to swipe without making a sound. Some items are heavy and placed up high, others have material underneath them that may make noise if not handled appropriately. The goal is to acclimate you with a variety of scenarios you may come across for swiping goods. If you can learn to correctly analyze the object you’re looking to swipe before you pick it up, you’re more likely to succeed.

  “Any questions?” he asked.

  “How does Beep pick a lock?” Beep asked.

  “Right,” Trek laughed to himself, “I keep forgetting your innocence. Alright, watch closely…”

  ~~

  The screams had just begun when Beep walked into the tower.

  “Hey Beep!” came the call from his brothers at the table.

  It had been almost a month since Beep first joined, and while they initially had been too busy to notice him, Beep’s new brothers had since come around.

  “Hello brothers,” Beep called out. He walked over and gave a pat to each of them.

  “Whatchu workin’ on tonight, eh Beep?” one of them asked.

  “Everything,” Beep said confidently. “Beep wants to move every object and move up on the leaderboard tonight. Then Beep will practice on Lincoln before sneaking through the city.”

  “And how is ol’ Lincoln these days?” another brother asked. “You managed to make him click yet?”

  Beep smiled. “Not yet, but tonight is Beep’s night. I can feel it,” he said, placing his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest.

  The group laughed, and so did Beep. A few weeks ago, his failures would have caused him to withdraw, and the laughter would have made him feel inadequate. But his time in the tower and with Trek had taught him to not only embrace his failures, but his uniqueness as well.”

  The boss smiled as he walked up behind him. He clasped him on the shoulder and said, “I’ve no doubt you’ll get him tonight, Beep. Remember, the only difference between the master and the novice is that the master has failed more times than the novice has tried.”

  Beep nodded and headed up the stairs.

  As he had told his brothers, he started with the thievery station. Slowly, he went through each object, taking each one and placing them to the side. Once he had moved every object off and away from the shelf, he slowly moved every object back, silent as when he had taken them.

  Finished with his practice, he moved over to the lockpicking station. He had managed to move into the ninth place on the leaderboard. If he wanted to move up to eighth, he’d have to cut an entire six seconds off his time. As he started, he could feel his heart fluttering and his throat tighten as the he willed his fingers to move faster. Faster. Faster.

  As the final lock clicked into place, Beep locked to the timer.

  “Heck,” Beep said.

  He had been off by a single second! He felt a release in his chest and laughed to himself. So close! But tomorrow was another chance. He moved over to his final, most challenging task of the night: Lincoln.

  The manikin stood, arrogantly facing away from him.

  “Lincoln thinks he’s safe,” Beep whispered to himself, “but Beep will show him otherwise!”

  He crouched, moved in closer, and struck out at the manikin, striking the same spot he always did.

  Click.

  Beep’s heart raced and a sharp intake of breath made him feel lightheaded. “Beep!”

  He had done it! He made it click! He quickly shook his hands and bounced back and forth on either leg, shaking off the excitement before squatting down again. Again, he moved up behind and struck out at the manikin.

  Click.

  Beep almost screamed. He couldn’t believe it. He had done it. The first time wasn’t a fluke! Beep, unable to contain his excitement ran downstairs to tell his brothers.

  “Beep has done it!” he exclaimed before even reaching the end of the staircase. “Beep has ended Lincoln’s reign of terror!”

  The chatter of his brothers at the table died down as they looked to him.

  “That right? Okay,” the boss said, slowly standing up from the table, “prove it.”

  Beep smiled confidently and led the boss, Trek, and a few of his other brothers back up to the third floor.

  Standing in front of the manikin in front of everyone made Beep feel a spike of anxiety. He felt like his heart was going to knock him off his feet. But he took as deep a breath as he could manage and crouched down behind the manikin. Just as before, he crept up, silently stood, and struck out.

  Click.

  A cheer erupted from the group behind him as they all swarmed to congratulate Beep.

  Beep smiled widely as he took in the moment. Even in the depths of hell, he had managed to find another Hive. One that appreciated him for who he was. One that celebrated him instead of ostracizing him.

  As he was shaken by his various brothers, Beep’s mind drifted back to Frelka and Shryke. It had been almost a month since he had left them. As he thought of his first two friends, he realized this group wasn’t the first of his new Hive that he had made. They had accepted Beep before Beep had even accepted himself.

  “So,” Trek said, bringing Beep from his reminiscing, “what now? You ready to go sneak around the city?”

  Beep gave a bittersweet smile to his brother. “Not tonight. I’m afraid it is time for Beep to return.” He paused, looking at each of his brothers. “Beep is grateful to you all. Thank you all. And thank you, Trek,” he finished, looking at Trek. “Beep will not forget you. And Beep will be sure to visit.”

  Trek smiled back and said, “So, you’re leaving, huh? Wait here,” he said, dashing down the stairs to the floor below.

  A moment later, he returned with a bundle in his arms.

  “These are for you Beep,” he said. “Congratulations!”

  Beep took the bundle from Trek. He smiled as he unfolded a set of black robes–just like the ones everyone else were wearing. He quickly put them on and moved to a nearby mirror.

  “Beep is a shadow!” he said to himself. He heard a few laughs and he turned back to Trek. “Thank you, Trek.”

  “There’s one more thing,” Trek said, handing him a pack. “This pack is specifically designed for those of us that wish to remain unseen. Unlike the other packs that are cumbersome and noisy, this pack is compact and will stay just as quiet as you do. I hope it serves you well.”

  Beep smiled as he took the pack from Trek and put it on. Compared to the pack he had carried the copper in, this felt almost nonexistent!

  “Thank you!” Beep said excitedly. His smile faded. “But…Beep didn’t get you anything.”

  Trek waved his hands in the air, batting away Beep’s lamentation. “You didn’t have to Beep. Good luck, brother.”

  He held out his hand for Beep to shake. Beep shook it and said his goodbyes to his brothers before leaving the tower.

  As he stepped out from the tower into the night, he looked down at his pouch of Cats. It had been slow, but he had carved out time each day to go and mine ore. Most of the copper he had found had been depleted, so he had had to venture further into the fog to find more. He didn’t mind it though, it gave him a chance to practice his strength and his sneaking. Eventually, he had made enough. He looked at the pouch of eleven thousand Cats. He had promised Stitch he would repay him–and he intended to do exactly that, plus interest.

  ~~

  Beep exited the bar where he had found Stitch and the other outlaws. He felt proud. The look in Stitch’s and the rest of the groups’ eyes when he handed the pouch over had made all of the danger he risked worth it.

  His final debt paid, Beep turned towards the house he, Frelka, and Shryke had bought. “Time to go home.”