Chapter Text
The engineers moved in a frantic blur, rushing across the generator platform as the unrelenting cold of New London crept into their bones. The looming storm drew closer, pressing down on the city, a monstrous threat none of them had ever faced. But their task remained clear: to fortify the generator—the beating heart of New London—so that it could endure the incoming storm’s merciless onslaught.
Standing near the control panel, the Head Engineer directed his team with precision, though exhaustion was etched into the lines of his face. He knew the stakes, and even the slightest miscalculation could spell disaster. “Focus on the overdrive upgrade first!” he ordered, his voice steely despite the fatigue weighing on his shoulders. “Move fast. We need these upgrades finished before nightfall.”
He scanned the platform, watching as engineers hustled into position. Some hurried toward one of the generator's enormous intake pipes, adjusting the valves and recalibrating control inputs. A gust of icy wind swept across them, biting through their thick coats, but no one paid it any mind. The chill tonight was nothing compared to what was coming.
Clutching a set of schematics, the Head Engineer looked over the blueprints one final time, his gloved fingers gripping the edges of the brittle paper. The overdrive upgrade was their top priority—if it succeeded, it would allow the generator to sustain its
Overdrive mode for longer, radiating more heat while preventing catastrophic breakdowns. Every extra degree of warmth they squeezed out could be the difference between life and death for the citizens.
“How are we on the valve calibrations?” he called out.
“Just about ready!” shouted one of the engineers, crouching beside a massive metal cylinder. He tapped the gauge, reading off the adjustments with satisfaction. “Safety margins have been increased. When Overdrive is engaged, the system will build stress more slowly. Instead of just ten degrees, we should get up to twenty degrees of extra heat.”
The Head Engineer let out a low grunt. “It’s still a risk, but it’ll have to do.”
Another engineer, a younger man named Percival, looked up from his post, worry creasing his forehead. “But sir… are we sure this will hold through the entire storm? This is… it’s beyond what the generator’s ever handled before.”
The Head Engineer’s gaze sharpened. He knew that fear—they all did. In the back of his mind, he, too, wondered if their work would be enough to withstand what was coming. But letting that fear take root would only spread doubt among his team.
“That’s exactly why we’re doing these upgrades, Percival,” he said firmly. “Each improvement we make will give the generator a better chance. If we don’t push forward, we may as well give up now. But I believe this will hold. That’s why we’re all here.”
The words seemed to reassure Percival, and he nodded, his hands steadier as he resumed his work. The Head Engineer turned his attention back to the control panel, adjusting a switch and watching as steam hissed from one of the corresponding relief pipes.
The generator’s systems roared, reacting to the new settings, and he could feel the faintest hint of warmth radiating from its metal casing.
“Overdrive capacity increased!” confirmed one of the engineers. “We’re good to go.”
The Head Engineer nodded in satisfaction, but he didn’t dwell on their success. “Good. Now let’s move on to coal efficiency.”
They shifted to the other side of the platform, where engineers were already making adjustments to the coal feed mechanisms. The Head Engineer inspected their progress, a sense of urgency driving him onward. This efficiency upgrade would reduce coal consumption, a necessity given their limited supply.
He glanced at a pair of engineers working nearby, their movements stiff with fatigue. One of them was Alistair, a senior engineer with years of experience but a long-standing frustration toward some of the Captain’s decisions. Alistair tightened a bolt, grumbling under his breath.
“This should’ve been done a month ago,” Alistair muttered. “But the Captain had us working on the hothouses instead, remember? Wasting time on a barely functioning machine, that only worked thanks to me anyway, instead of preparing the generator. Now look at us—racing against the clock.”
A few other engineers glanced over, nodding in agreement. The decision to prioritize food production over the generator upgrades had sparked tension among the engineers, especially with the storm drawing nearer each day. The Captain’s reasoning had been clear enough—food shortages could cripple morale, and a starving city wouldn’t survive even mild conditions. But now, as they worked desperately to strengthen the generator, some of them wondered if the decision had been shortsighted.
The Head Engineer straightened, his gaze sharp as he looked at Alistair . “Enough, Alistair ,” he said, his tone firm but understanding. “The Captain made the call he thought was best for everyone. None of us could have predicted the severity of this storm. And without the hothouses, we wouldn’t even have enough food to worry about keeping warm.”
Alistair clamped his mouth shut, returning to his work. Still, the murmur of discontent hadn’t completely died down. The engineers were weary, overworked, and burdened by the knowledge that failure could mean death for them all.
“There, it’s done,” Alistair grumbled, tightening the last bolt on the coal feeder.
“How much less coal will it burn?” the Head Engineer asked, snapping back to the task at hand.
“Roughly twenty percent less,” another engineer replied. “It’s not perfect, but it’ll help stretch our reserves.”
He gave a brief nod, though the grim expressions on their faces spoke of the uncertainty gnawing at each of them. The storm was drawing close, and no amount of engineering could fully guarantee their survival.
Percival spoke up again, his voice laced with hesitation. “Even with these upgrades, what if… what if the generator can’t keep up? I mean, we’re pushing it to its absolute limits. What if it just… gives out?”
The Head Engineer took a deep breath. He had his own doubts, but this was not the time to indulge them. “We’ve reinforced the pressure release systems, optimized the heat exchange, and extended Overdrive. We’re doing everything possible to make sure this
generator holds.” He paused, letting his gaze settle on each engineer in turn. “If we don’t believe in our work, there’s no point in doing any of this.”
The weight of his words settled over them, and one by one, they returned to their tasks with renewed determination. Even as exhaustion clung to them like the cold, they knew they had to keep pushing forward.
As they tightened the last bolts and calibrated the final valves, the Head Engineer glanced up at the generator, a towering monolith against the darkening sky. He could see the shadows of his team moving around him, faces weary but resilient. They were pouring everything they had into this, fighting the storm with ingenuity and hope.
The PA system crackled to life, echoing across the platform and out into the city. “A new automaton has been constructed,” the Grand Overseer’s voice announced. “For your safety, please keep clear.”
The Head Engineer stood at the edge of the automaton assembly yard, where another massive, metal giant stood ready to serve. Its polished joints gleamed as it shifted slightly, as though testing its massive limbs. A faint whir of machinery hummed in the cold air, a reminder of its purpose: relentless, untiring labor in the frozen wasteland.
He shivered, though not from the cold. There was something deeply unsettling about the machine. Its spindly legs and insect-like precision seemed almost unnatural. It was a marvel of engineering, no doubt, but also a stark reflection of their desperation—a necessity born from the harsh reality of survival.
“Let’s hope they help,” he murmured, his gaze fixed on the newly constructed automaton.
He turned back to the generator, which now hummed with a renewed strength. The current upgrades had been completed. The generator was stronger, more efficient, but in his gut, the Head Engineer knew that it still might not be enough.
He glanced at the engineers surrounding him—faces drawn, eyes weary, but determination still burning beneath the exhaustion. They were all in this together, fighting the storm with every tool and idea they had left.
"Take a ten minute break in the workshops," he said, his voice steady but firm. "Catch your breath, warm up—whatever you want. We will be doing the heat-level 3 upgrade next."
The engineers exchanged tired but resolute nods as they shuffled back toward the workshops. The Head Engineer lingered behind, his gaze fixed on the towering generator for a moment longer. They were holding the city's future in their hands, and failure was not an option.
Then, with a brisk step, he turned to follow his team, determination etched into his every movement. Their work was far from over.