Piston one extended. Then piston two. Then three. A slow, deliberate wave of copper limbs, curling like a waking cat. The glass cylinder glowed faintly pink. The motion was so gentle, so perfectly damped, that a dust mote settled on a piston head and did not even tremble.

The text in Joric’s ledger filled itself in: Complete a flawless start-up cycle without stutter or squeak.

Joric opened his ledger. The first page was blank save for a shimmering, questing line of text. "Let us begin. "

But the final one came at twilight.

Elara blinked, wiping grease onto her apron. "Achievements?"