Balance and Stability

"Weight shifting from leg to leg. Eyes are watching my face but keep going to hands and the table. He keeps placing his hand on the table to lean but pulls away. Doesn't want to appear tired or casual? He is nervous."

On the workbench before them was the object of Ren's nervousness. It was an arm augment made with the simplest design for a chem-battery. It was his apprentice's first attempt at building a functional augment from scratch.

Ren had spent dozens of hours of the past month both on his own and working alongside Viktor to build the augment. Viktor could assume by the redness in the young man's eyes, he spent a few more through the night finishing the project. Today was when it would be tested and graded. If he wanted Ren to be more than a glorified lab assistant, then he would need to make sure he could create things on his own. That was his responsibility as mentor.

Viktor picked up the arm and held it before himself. The lenses in his mask adjusted with a thought, magnifying Ren's handiwork and allowing Viktor to scrutinize every point of connection and moving part on the augment. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ren's gaze locked intently on him. He placed it back on the table and picked up a small wand-like device he used to test his own creations and brought them to the wires, the "nerves," of the limb. The fingers twitched at the stimulus and Viktor could hear Ren let out a sigh of relief.

"So, do I pass?" he asked.

"I have not finished the examination."

"Ah."

"There's that ingenuine smile again. Nervous."

Viktor moved the augment to a supine position and curled each finger one at a time. Their mobility was limited compared to his own work, all fingers would move at once when in use like a claw rather than the more dexterous hand augments he and Ren possessed, but the digits moved as the design would have expected them to. They all could touch the palm of the augment. Simple, but functional. Viktor nodded with approval.

"So?"

"Not yet."

He still had one more aspect about the augment he wanted to test. He grabbed his tools, placed his own augmented arm on the table, and removed it.

"The most effective way to test your augment is to use it."

The false smile on Ren's face strained.

"Okay. I get it. Go ahead. I'm very sure it won't shock you." Ren said in an unflattering attempt at optimism.

Other than that final whine, Ren was completely silent as he watched Viktor hook the simple augment up. It did not take long for Viktor to complete the task; the simpler design meant that there were fewer wires to put in place. Once it was attached, it looked almost humorously out of place on him. Viktor's augmented hand was larger than an average human hand, allowing it to house advanced sensory equipment and the parts necessary to facilitate its movement. The flange and socket on his forearm were similarly larger to support it. Ren's augment was sized around an average human hand and when attached to Viktor, looked more like a child's hand than a proper scaled adult one.

Viktor held it up to eye-level and flexed its fingers. They opened and shut just as they were supposed to. He reached down, picked up a can of oil from the shelf beside the workbench, and moved if left to right then up and down, before putting it back. Next, he opened and cabinet with the augment, then a drawer, then a toolbox, and finally unscrewed the cap from the oil can. Only the last task was a challenge. The limited mobility of the hand made it difficult to get a strong grip on the cap, but after a minute he was able to open it.

After living so long with the best he could create, going back to absolute basics was a reminder of the frustrations those living with these minimal augments faced. Zaun needed more skilled augmenteers. It was a quiet reaffirmation that he was doing right by the city by training one. The expression on that augmenteer in training told Viktor that he was desperate for feedback.

"It is a completely serviceable augment." Viktor stated. "You did well."

Ren's expression melted into one of happiness and relief.

"Yeah, had no doubt." He said after a shaky sigh.

Viktor removed the augment and began the process of reattaching his own hand. Ren took back his augment, turning it over in his hands before holding it in his organic hand alone. Viktor could see his apprentice's eyes looking between the two and over to his hand.

"You will work up to more complex augmentations in time." Viktor assured him.

"I've got no doubt about that. I can be clever at times. It's just, what a leap." He put the augment down and gave a quick huff. "How did you get here?"

"Years of practice. I began working with my father when I was younger than you and I am nearly twice your age."

"So my years of helping mum with pocket watch and clock repairs don't count for much, huh?"

"If you would like to specialize in clockwork augmentations, I can recommend resources."

"Thanks, but I'd rather learn what you do with hex-tech and good, old-fashioned Zaunite chem-tech."

Ren leaned in closer to get a better look at the inner workings of Viktor's arm. His eyes went wide as they tried to capture every detail of what was being done. At times Viktor forgot that, despite his apprentice having lived with him for over a year, he had shown very little of his own augments' construction to the young man. He adjusted his stance so Ren could observe more easily.

It was a quick process, one that Viktor had performed countless times on himself, and his hand was reattached in a matter of minutes. Viktor rotated his wrist and flexed his fingers, making sure that everything moved properly.

"Alright, now what?" Ren asked. "I nailed the arm, so what's next? Full arm? Leg?"

"The hand again. You built it once, but that does not make you a master of it. There is always room for improvement. Grip strength can be improved, dexterity can be increased. Iterate; build upon what you know and improve the design."

"I guess I could do that too."

"Incremental progress is still progress. Making adjustments is part of the learning process. Remember, it took me several iterations of your leg's design before I was confident enough to test it on a living human."

"How could I forget? You called me by its iteration for months; N-12." A small smile, genuine this time, crossed Ren's face. "Quick question for you, Doc. I know the "12" is the iteration of the design, but what does the "N" stand for in Project N?"

"Navicular." Viktor responded without hesitation. "It is named after the navicular bone. It is a tarsal bone in the human foot that aids in mobility and balance. As the purpose of this project was to improve the balance and mobility of my leg augments, it seemed a fitting thing to name the project after."

"Huh, neat."

"Were you expecting something else?"

"No, that's sounds right for you. I didn't really have an expectation beyond something sciencey."

"I am pleased I could meet your expectations."

Ren huffed a laugh.

"Is dry sarcasm the only type of humor you know?"

"No, but it is my preference."

"Shame. I think making a few terrible puns would be great for you."

"Why?"

"Because the thought of you making dad jokes is funny to me."

Viktor made a thin sigh. He was done with this line of the conversation. It was time to set his apprentice back on track.

"If you are looking for another way to improve your skill with hand augments, we can always take time to go over the construction of your own arm and hand."

"Yeah, we can do that."

It was the first thing Ren had said that day that he sounded disinterested in. Viktor knew it was his arm. There was none of the eagerness Ren had shown in learning about his leg, no drive to learn how to do it himself, and when it came to lessons about it, he never resisted, but he also never asked the first question.

"Leave the augment on and place your arm supine on the table." Viktor instructed.

Ren did he was instructed and Viktor placed tools, paper, and a pen between the two of them. He handed a tool to Ren.

"We are going to open the augment. You should not feel any discomfort from this. If you do, tell me and we will stop to adjust. I want you to observe how the pieces move."

They went slowly, Viktor taking every opportunity for Ren to do the work himself, and removed the pieces needed for Ren to observe the inner workings of the forearm and palm of his augment. Viktor directed Ren to curl his fingers, slowly turn his wrist, and pass the pen he was holding over to his augment and grip it as though he were going to write. He identified all the parts that moved, where and how they were attached, and if particular care was needed in their upkeep. Ren was attentive but quiet, speaking mostly to confirm he understood something or asking for a pause so he could update his notes. Then he suddenly asked a question.

"Can an augment be remotely controlled. I know my leg used to have a shut off thing, but I mean like, control, control, like a puppet."

"I use remotes in many of my prototypes. The hex-claw began as remote-controlled tool before being modified and integrated into my nerves."

"So it can be done?"

Reflexively, Viktor's mind went to the accusations that surrounded his work and the thing he actually had done.

"Yes. Is there a reason you ask?"

"I was wondering if we could put one in my arm." Ren asked.

The question caught him off guard. It was as opposite a question he could have expected.

"Why? It is completely unnecessary and would put you at risk if someone else were to take control of your arm."

"It would only be temporary."

"Elaborate."

"I want to use it to scare kids. Enhance a ghost story, that's all. I'll take it out right after."

Confusion gave way to mild irritation.

"My creations are not toys, Renatus."

"I know that. Think about it as not being used like a toy but as a prop."

"That is not better."

"Picture it though, buncha kids sitting and listening to a ghost story, guy gets his augments torn off, either by Howler or his own gang, still trying to decide, and I put my augment in their lap. Ghost comes back looking for his lost limbs, something, something, something, and then, at the climax, when the ghost corners the person with the limb, commanding it turn on the person clutching it – BOO! – I push a hidden button, the augment twitches, the kids scream and I'm the guy with the best story."

In his excitement, Ren threw his arms up, imitating the pose of a lunging monster.

"Mind your arm. It is still open." Viktor reminded.

"Right, sorry." Ren lowered his arm back to the table. "You're seeing the vision, right?"

Viktor tried to envision it; a group of kids gathered around a chem-lamp set to a low burn, his apprentice outside Emberflit without all his limbs securely attached, his creation in the hands of actual children, Renatus acting foolish with a big grin on his face. Smiling. Happy.

He closed his eyes and let out another thin sigh.

"This should be irrelevant. It is his responsibility as apprentice to learn. There are things he must learn whether he enjoys the process or not. He should self-motivate. I should not be considering his happiness in relation or a particular area of study. Apprenticeship was his idea. That should be satisfaction enough. But this has been the first time he has shown excitement at the thought of working on his arm. He works more diligently when excited. I should take advantage of this."

"I can envision what you are describing but I still do not approve of it. However, I am willing to allow it on certain conditions."

"Name them."

"First, the construction and installation of the device will fall predominantly to you. I will instruct you on how to construct it and I will examine it before it is attached to your augment, but it will be your responsibility to build it. It will also be the simplest design to achieve what you want. It will do little more than perform a twitching motion."

"That's all it needs to do. Next."

"Secondly, the remote to control the augment will be on your person at all times. There will be a chain attached like a pocket watch has one. You will sew it onto your clothing. Thirdly, as soon as you return, the device is to be removed. This as well will be done by you."

"Fair."

"And lastly, I want you to deliver an augment to the assemblage at the Dappled Way once I have finished it."

"Agree, agree, agree. I can do all that."

"Good."

"When can we begin? It's a little on a deadline."

"We can begin now if you would like. Your arm is open and I can show where the device will be attached."

"I'd like that. Thanks." Ren pushed his arm closer to Viktor and snapped up the pen in his other.

It had not been Viktor's plan to begin lessons on remote controls, but he was not going to let the opportunity pass by. Ren was more engaged, actively asking questions and voicing how he thought things would go together. Viktor led Ren through these thoughts, confirming when his ideas were correct and correcting when they were not. It was valuable to see how Ren's logic worked and the more he could help him understand how his augment worked the better.

The clock in the hall chimed for the second bell of the evening hours, they stopped and closed Ren's augment.

"They're gonna love this, especially Curly. I think he's more interested in augments and automatons than he'd admit." Ren said.

Viktor saw Ren's smile faulter for a moment. He did not understand why. He watched Ren put his hand over the center of his chest and drum his fingers.

"One more question for you." Ren said.

"What is it?"

"I know organs can be augmented and replaced. But they need to be sized for the body, right? Just like any other augment. It's one thing for adults who are done growing, but what if the person was younger and still growing? Would lung augments need to be replaced every year or what?"

"Their augments would need to be replaced as they grew. An adult could not survive with lung augments sized for a child."

"Figured. That sounds like a lot of pain. They would need a lot of surgeries and a lot of recovery time." Ren sighed.

"They would, but is that not better than dying prematurely?"

"I think so."

Viktor looked over Ren and listened closely as he made another deep sigh. He did not hear any of the congested or wheezing sounds that came with the more common forms of lung blight.

"Your breathing has not sounded troubled but if you are having difficulties that I am not aware of, tell me and I shall prepare the augments."

"I'll let you know."

"Your health is my responsibility."

"I know." Ren tapped the table with his augment. "I appreciate it."

Ren stepped back from the table and stretched. He reached up and rubbed his shoulder above his arm augment.

"Amazing how this thing can still get stiff from keeping it still too long. Well, if lessons are done for today, I think I'm going to workout or draw or something. Maybe finish that ghost story."

"You are dismissed."

"Thanks, Doc. I'm assuming lunch is fend-for-yourself. See you at dinner then."

Viktor nodded as Ren turned and left the workshop. Viktor did not remain there much longer either. He returned to his room and went through his cabinet that contained his files and notes for his creations until he found both the one for Ren and Project N. He sat down at this desk and reviewed what his planned augments for the boy had been. As he read over his notes, a question began to swirl in the back of his mind.

"Your interest in augments had been for improvement, not replacement. Has something changed?"

It was not likely, but Viktor wanted to be prepared nonetheless.

"As I told Renatus, his health is my responsibility, be it your arm or lungs. If any part of your breaks, I will repair it. I promised you this and I intend to keep this promise."


The IRL reason it is called Project: N is that the N stands for "November," the month I first posted this fic and the month that the feast day of Saint Renatus occurs, November 12th.