Anachropunk. adjective. A genre that features countercultural antiheroes trapped in dehumanizing situations. Unlike cyberpunk (or other simir something-punks) it is unmoored from popur aesthetics, and eschews pcement in any specific time period (real or imaginary). Anarchist themes are heavily featured.

  1 — Threshold The doors opened. There were many gathered within.

  Daelus lingered in the threshold for just a moment, taking it all in. The view was luxurious, but cramped, with a ceiling that made the space feel like the building was actively trying to swallow it whole. The room felt small and yet seemed somehow to go on forever, hidden corners vanishing into hidden corners. The dim gaslights and scattered table candebras added to the effect, making the shadows feel somehow more real than the furniture. Throughout, were people.

  Most were chatting in small groups. All were dressed in the finest materials tailored to perfection (undoubtedly). As Daelus’ scrutiny lingered he realized that the styles and accessories gave an antiquated feel to the affair — some of these outfits would not feel mispced in a museum dispy.

  Then it occurred to him — why were there no women here?

  “Johnathan. A pleasure,” came a voice with the sudden sensation of a person being far too close. Daelus was only taken aback for a moment.

  “Daelus Thresh,” he replied, quickly. Suddenly there was a youthful face with a ginger, curled mustache and pince-nez armingly close to his own. The realization that a hand was lingering in the air between them came a second ter.

  He acquiesced. They shook hands.

  “Thresh? Named for your ancestral agricultural background? Farmhands were they?” His tone was slightly teasing but felt backed by a genuine curiosity.

  “Architects.” Daelus said with the first smile he had managed in hours. It was small. “We hailed from an isoted hold in the old nd.”

  “That…” Johnathan began to reply but then paused, trying to figure out why what he was hearing sounded peculiar.

  “Was entirely made up.” Daelus' smile had grown and a twinkle emerged.

  “Ahhh Thresh, hold. Very clever. Is this why you're still standing in one?”

  Daelus involuntarily gnced about, showing that it clearly hadn't occurred to him to actually enter the room. He promptly did so with a hitch of embarrassment in his step. Johnathan, in a gesture that felt it had been rehearsed, found them both a nearby table and began to pour drinks in crystal flutes from the generous supply of sparkling beverages clustered at the center of the table.

  “So, not architects?” Johnathan said with a muted chuckle, repeating Daelus' story quietly over to himself as if working out how to improve the joke delivery.

  “Oh, actually that part was true, mister—?”

  “Just Johnathan. Every sylble every time. I don't abide by John”.

  “So, Johnathan,” Daelus began, clearly still distracted by the other guests all around him, “are there no women delegates?”

  Johnathan seemed surprised by the question, as if the thought hadn't occurred to him, and with a furrowed brow he gnced about. “Oh no definitely there are. Three, I believe? Look, over there by Phaeros, that's Emmah, and yes there, by the fire, I'm sure that's Kaite. But they're both spoken for if that's where your mind is. At least Emmah is. Though I'm not exactly sure who would mind if…”

  Daelus' eyes followed the directions Johnathan indicated, now far too distracted to follow what was being said. He never found the third. Still, merely three, out of how many dozens? Finally, he replied, “No, I was just curious. I suppose I expected things to be more banced, is all. Diversity of talents and background. Of lived experience. You know. Seems valuable for what we're supposed to be doing here.”

  “Well, I'm sure our Benefactors took all of that into account with this fine selection. Just as I'm sure you're a worthy addition to our ranks.” Johnathan’s demeanor remained merry, but something had changed in his eyes, as if the topic set off an itch in his mind. Quickly, it passed. “That is why we're here, after all.”

  “Beg pardon?” Daelus replied with a start. He was still trying to get a good look at Kaite, who seemed to be trying to shrink into the flickering shadows sculpted by the small fire. At least, Daelus thought, he wasn't the only one here who wasn't enjoying the vibe.

  “This gathering is to celebrate your arrival.”

  Daelus felt taken aback. “I thought it was just a local holiday or… if the party is for me then why—?”

  “Why is everyone ignoring you? You're expected to make the first move. Dive in. Show them who you are. Impress them with your presence and charisma! Be bold!”

  Daelus' tone went cold. “And if I'd rather not?”

  “Then they'll decide you're not someone worth knowing.”

  Daelus grew distant, his mind retreating into itself. He was a delegate now. It was the future — though things didn’t feel that different. He had spent his youth preparing — being prepared — to serve the Benefactors. Now he was really doing it. Yet, something about this situation didn’t quite fit in his head. He banished the thought. He was exactly where he needed to be — where he was supposed to be. With that resolved, he took a sip from the gss he'd been holding for the st minute. “Yes, all according to my grand pn to remain anonymous,” he finally said, to lighten his own mood.

  “Goodness, a pn you’ve already failed!” Johnathan remarked with a kindly chuckle.

  “Ahhh, but you broke the rules,” Daelus replied with a ugh of his own.

  “Not at all. You made an impression on me and I acted accordingly.”

  “Did I? By hesitating awkwardly in a doorway?”

  “I can't give away the metric by which I evaluate a man's worthiness to be approached.” Johnathan said with a wink.

  A man's worthiness. Something about that phrase made Daelus' mind twitch with discomfort, but he wasn’t quite sure why. “So, you know everyone here?” Daelus finally said to banish the odd sensation.

  “Oh yes, quite. It's sort of my business to. I deal in information. Investigations. Gossip. I have spies. In fact I may be the only member of the delegation who doesn't have a forward facing role.” He hesitated for a moment, as if remembering someone else, but then decided to keep his urels in pce. “I deal strictly with and work strictly to support the delegation and the Will of our Benefactors.”

  “Information…” Daelus said, as if the word itself was more satisfying than the drink he had barely touched. “So you'd know. Is everyone here a… person?”

  “You mean, is there any entourage here?”