The murky orange water rippled gently against the concrete sides of the sunken tub. Steam rose in lazy spirals and softened the harsh, industrial angles of the small washroom. Strider leaned his back against the rough frame of the tub. He extended one arm to wrap it securely around Leik’s shoulder. His skin was a tapestry of scars, a map of near-death encounters that stood in stark contrast to the smoother, pale skin of his wife.

  Sophie sat nestled in her mother's grasp. She splashed the water with careful, rhythmic pats. Aidro rested in the crook of his father's free arm. He tried to mimic Strider’s stoic expression but failed as he blew bubbles into the water.

  The warmth of the bath loosened the tension in Strider’s jaw, but his mind remained on the logistics of the Biome.

  He looked at the condensation dripping from the ceiling.

  "The population count came in this morning. We are up by another twelve heads since last month. And that doesn't include the refugees we took in from that Class D collapse."

  Leik squeezed water from a sponge over Sophie’s back.

  "They needed a place to go, Strider. We couldn't just leave them to the Rust."

  Strider shifted, and the water sloshed around his chest.

  "I know. But kindness doesn't fill the reservoirs. We barely have enough food to sustain the current numbers. Those refugees added a strain to the colony's workload that we weren't ready for. Resources are thinner than they've ever been."

  Leik turned her head and kissed his wet shoulder.

  "A kind-hearted person would say that we are building strength, not losing resources. Besides, you know one of those refugees is a midwife? She's working in the Little Garden now."

  She took his hand and placed it gently on her stomach beneath the water.

  "She is going to help me with the delivery. It will be safe. You don't have to worry about me or the baby."

  Strider’s expression softened. He covered her hand with his own.

  "That... does put my mind at ease. A little."

  Sophie looked up.

  "Mom, can I go visit the Little Garden? I want to see the midwife. And the plants."

  Leik smiled and brushed a wet strand of hair from Sophie's face.

  "I will take you there later, sweetie. Maybe she can teach you the names of the herbs."

  Aidro splashed the water violently.

  "Plants are boring! I want to see the outside! I want to know what the sun feels like. Real heat, not just the heaters."

  Strider tightened his grip on his son slightly.

  "The sun isn't just heat, Aidro. It's a hammer. And out there, everything wants to kill you."

  Aidro frowned and crossed his small arms.

  "I've only seen pictures. It's not fair. You and Mom go out all the time."

  Since the twins were born, they had never set foot outside the heavy blast doors of the Biome. Their world was one of concrete, artificial light, and recycled air.

  Aidro looked up at his father with fierce determination.

  "Take me with you next time. I'm strong."

  Strider chuckled low.

  "I promise I will take you outside. But only once you complete your training. When you can strip a rifle blindfolded and recite the Galvanizer's code without stuttering."

  "I can start now! I'm ready!"

  Strider placed a finger over his son's lips.

  "Quiet now. Patience is part of the training."

  Leik leaned her head back against Strider’s arm.

  "Speaking of the outside... what did your father say when you briefed him? How did Kingham react?"

  Strider smirked.

  "The usual briefing at first. He complained about the perimeter sensors. But when I told him about the cargo we hauled back... you should have seen his face. The shock nearly knocked him over. I bet he is currently salivating right now."

  He glanced at Leik with a serious look in his eyes.

  "He was more concerned about you, though. He wants to see you as soon as we're done here."

  Sophie tugged on Leik’s arm.

  "What cargo? What did you bring back?"

  Aidro’s ears perked up. "Is it a weapon? A big gun?"

  Leik winked at them.

  "It is a surprise. A very special one."

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  A heavy fist rapped against the metal door of the washroom. A muffled voice called out from the corridor.

  "Strider! Leik! Commander Kingham has summoned all Galvanizers to Sector-Gamma immediately. The storage area."

  Strider sighed and stood up. Water cascaded off his body.

  "Speak of the devil. Looks like bath time is over."

  He grabbed a towel and began to dry Aidro’s hair.

  "Get dressed, kids. You're going to see that surprise sooner than I thought."

  …

  Sector-Gamma was usually a quiet zone of crates and dust, but tonight it buzzed with a nervous energy. A small crowd had gathered outside the heavy mesh gates of the main storage area. They jostled for a view, eager to verify the rumors of the haul brought back by the Galvanizers.

  Guards stood at the entrance. They barred the general populace from entering.

  "Back! Stay back! Official business only!"

  Strider and Leik approached the gate with the children in tow. The crowd parted instantly to make a path for them. Murmurs of respect and curiosity followed their wake.

  Inside the storage bay, the air smelled of old grease and anticipation. The rest of the unit was already there. Gustov leaned against a crate and picked his teeth. Nicardo and Harlan stood near the center table.

  Footsteps echoed from the entrance. Renn and Kai walked in, with Tessa trailing behind them. She stretched her arms high and let out a loud yawn.

  "My nap was interrupted. And I didn't even get to scrub the desert off yet."

  Kai sniffed the air near her and wrinkled his nose.

  "No wonder you smell so bad. You smell like a wet Decayer."

  Tessa nudged him hard in the ribs with her elbow.

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  "Shut up. You smell awful as well."

  Kai didn't argue. He puffed out his chest.

  "This is my manly scent. It attracts victory."

  Renn shook his head and looked at Tessa.

  "I don't mind the stench. By now, we are used to it. It smells like survival."

  Kai rolled his eyes.

  "Kiss ass."

  Nicardo laughed at them from across the room.

  "Settle down, children. The adults are talking."

  The room was filled with the most important figures of the Biome.

  At the center, by a large steel table where the heavy sacks sat, stood the Biome Leader. Kingham Reing was an older man with a slight hunchback that spoke of years bearing heavy burdens. A plaster cast encased his right knee, and he leaned on a cane to support himself. He wore a simple, frayed bucket cap that shadowed his eyes. His skin was dry and flaky, like old parchment that might crumble at a touch, and his large, bulbous nose was the most prominent feature on his face.

  Beside him sat a mature man in a motorized wheelchair. This was Divento, the genius engineer who kept the Biome’s life support running. His fingers were stained with oil and soot.

  To the left stood a portly woman with dirt packed under her fingernails. This was Monika, the caretaker of the Little Garden.

  A bald man holding a heavy steel pipe stood with arms crossed. He was the Master Plumber, and two young apprentices hovered nervously behind him.

  Finally, Dr. Thin, the colony’s physician, stood near the back. He wiped his glasses with a clean cloth.

  Kingham cleared his throat. The sound was like grinding stones. The room fell silent.

  "Welcome, everyone."

  He looked at the Galvanizers with a fierce pride in his cloudy eyes.

  "First off, I want to openly thank these brave souls. Strider, Leik, and their team put their lives at risk in the Ruster territory. They walked into the fire just to safeguard and provide the important things for our Biome to function. With every day that goes by, as life gets harder and the water gets dirtier, we strive to survive. They are the shield that keeps the rust from our bones."

  He paused and let the words sink in. He turned his gaze to the ceiling, as if looking through the rock and sand to the sky above.

  "My ancestors told me stories. They spoke of a time before the Rust disease took over the world. A time when the earth was covered in verdant green forests that stretched as far as the eye could see. They spoke of bodies of water so vast and blue they called them oceans."

  A murmur went through the apprentices. They had heard the legends, but only as fairy tales.

  “Ocean? What the heck is that?”

  “Shush. Didn’t you hear? Its water in a big pool of blue.”

  “How big are we talking?”

  “Just shut up and listen.”

  Kingham continued.

  "The ground used to flow with streams of water. It was fresh. It was pure. Animals and people would drink from it and glow with health. It fell from the sky without burning. It was heaven on earth."

  He looked down at the sacks on the table.

  "I gathered you here today so you could be the first to have a taste of that moist heaven. A taste of what our ancestors used to have before the Rust took everything from us."

  Confusion rippled through the Master Plumber and Monika. They exchanged puzzled glances. Only the Galvanizers knew what was coming.

  Kingham reached for the zipper of the nearest sack. He moved with a suspenseful slowness.

  Zzzzzzip.

  He reached in and pulled out a single, tuna-sized can. The silver Plastinium gleamed under the overhead lights.

  "Behold. The item that many would kill to get their hands on. A very valuable object in today's age."

  He hooked his finger under the pull-tab.

  Click. Hiss.

  The lid peeled back.

  Whoosh.

  A burst of freshness exploded out of the can. It was a scent so crisp, so clean, that it shocked the senses. It smelled of rain without the acid, of mountain springs, of life itself.

  Monika gasped.

  "Is... is this the scent of heaven?"

  Even the people barred outside pressed their faces against the mesh. They inhaled deeply, enthralled by the intoxicating freshness that wafted through the air.

  Kingham sniffed the Plastinium. His senses exploded with delight. His eyes widened, and even his crippled leg seemed to spasm with a phantom energy.

  "This is W-H2O. Pure. Sealed. Perfect."

  The onlookers were already salivating. Tongues darted out to wet dry lips.

  Kingham didn't pour it into a cup. He raised the can to his lips with a trembling hand.

  Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.

  He drank directly from the lid. He swallowed it all down without spilling a single drop.

  Silence held the room for a heartbeat.

  Then, a bright radiance burst from Kingham’s body. It was not a magical light, but a sudden, intense flushing of vitality. The gray, flaky patches on his skin seemed to rehydrate instantly. They fell away like dead leaves to reveal healthier skin beneath. His posture straightened. His eyes lost their cloudiness and shone with a sharp, youthful vigor.

  He looked ten years younger. He was brimming with energy.

  "By the Ancients..."

  The Master Plumber stepped forward with startled eyes.

  "I need that! Give me one!"

  The crowd outside began to shout.

  "Share it! We want the heaven water!"

  Kingham raised a hand. His voice was stronger now, booming without the rasp.

  "Settle down! You will get yours in timely order. But first, the Galvanizers who endured the hardship will have their fill. They bled for this."

  He gestured to Strider’s team.

  "Drink."

  Harlan, Nicardo, Renn, Strider, Tessa, and Leik gathered around the table. Kai lagged behind, leaning against a crate with a smug grin. He had already drunk his fill in the desert and still felt the electric buzz of it coursing through his veins.

  The Galvanizers popped their cans open.

  Snap-hiss. Snap-hiss.

  They drank.

  Harlan wiped his mouth. "I can feel my muscles knitting together. The ache in my back is gone."

  Nicardo looked at his hands. "It's like drinking liquid sleep. I feel awake for the first time in years."

  Tessa sighed, a long, melodious sound. "My skin... it feels like silk. The dust is gone, yet I haven’t showered."

  Strider and Leik were the last to drink. They toasted each other silently and downed the liquid.

  Strider exhaled sharply. "Clear. It clears the mind."

  Seeing the Galvanizers' reactions, Divento gripped the wheels of his chair.

  "Kingham! Don't leave an old cripple waiting!"

  Monika stepped forward. "My plants need water, but I need this more!"

  Kingham slammed the empty can down on the table.

  CLANG.

  "Listen to me! I am issuing strict orders on the distribution of these cans."

  He pointed a rejuvenated finger at the group.

  "First, those of importance who actually pull their weight will get their share. Divento, the Doctor, the heads of departments. After the Galvanizers' allocation, the rest will be set in storage."

  The crowd outside grumbled.

  "What about us? We work too!"

  Kingham turned to the gate.

  "It will be allocated gradually to the population based on merit! This is not a free-for-all. Though we have enough cans, those who insist on being too lazy for their own good will not taste a drop of heaven. If you want the water, you work for the Biome."

  Some people responded negatively.

  "That's tyranny! We have rights!" one man shouted.

  But others nodded.

  "Fair is fair. Why should the slackers drink the same as the miners?" a woman countered.

  Kingham ignored the noise. He was thinking in the best interest of everyone. The people would be more motivated to pull their weight if W-H2O was the incentive. This was the most valuable currency in the world.

  He also had other plans. These cans gave them bargaining power. They could be used to purchase adamantine tools, high-grade medicine, and parts from High Tier Biomes. It was better than risking lives in the Rust Buckets.

  Leik watched the faces in the crowd. She felt a pang of sorrow for those who would never taste a drop of this heaven because they were too old or too weak to earn "merit." She wanted to dispute Kingham’s decree.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but then she looked at Strider. She touched her belly. For her unborn baby’s sake, and for the two children standing beside her, she held her tongue. Kingham would ensure her family was provided for. That had to be enough.

  She looked down at Sophie and Aidro. Their eyes were glued to the cans.

  "Here."

  Leik pulled one extra can from the sack. She opened it and knelt down.

  "Share this."

  Sophie took the first sip. Her eyes went wide.

  "Oh!"

  She passed it to Aidro. He gulped it down.

  Their faces exploded with luster. Their skin shone with a sudden, healthy glow that banished the underground pallor. They looked like they could fly.

  Sophie gasped.

  "Is this what heaven tastes like? If so, I want to drink heaven every day!"

  Aidro flexed his small biceps.

  "I feel like I can lift a tank! Dad, watch out!"

  The adults in the room burst out laughing. The tension of the distribution decree evaporated in the face of the children's joy.

  Kingham clapped his hands.

  "Alright! Clear the area! Guards, secure the perimeter. Monika, get your allocation and get out. Plumber, you too."

  He barked orders to a few trusted workers on how to stack and lock the W-H2O in the deepest vault.

  When the room had cleared of the essentials, Kingham hobbled over to his grandchildren. He dropped his cane.

  "Come here, you little rascals!"

  He picked them both up, one in each arm.

  "Grandpa!"

  He twirled them briefly.

  Leik stepped forward, alarmed.

  "Father! Be careful! You might strain your back!"

  Kingham laughed. It was a hearty, booming sound.

  "Strain? I feel stronger than ever! This water is a miracle, Leik."

  He played with them for a moment longer before setting them down. He turned to Leik and embraced her warmly. The smell of the water still lingered on his breath.

  "Now, Leik. Strider told me. How are you feeling? Any pain? Any dizziness?"

  Leik smiled against his chest.

  "I'm fine, Father. Really."

  Kingham pulled back and looked her in the eye. He was stern now.

  "You go to Dr. Thin's clinic. Immediately. I want to make certain everything is okay with you. I won't take chances with my grandchild."

  Strider stepped up and placed a hand on Kingham’s shoulder.

  "Relax, old man. I can take proper care of my wife. You don't have to worry. I'll make sure she visits the clinic."

  Kingham laughed and poked Strider in the chest.

  "You better take good care of her. If I find out you've been slack, I'll give you a beating you won't forget."

  Strider grinned.

  "I think I'm a little too grown for a beating."

  "You're never too grown for your father's cane! Try me!"

  They shared a hearty laugh, the bond between the three generations strong in the quiet of the storage room.

  Divento rolled his wheelchair closer to Leik. The motor whirred softly.

  "Leik."

  She turned to him.

  "Divento. Did you receive the items I sent over with Jona?"

  The engineer nodded. His eyes gleamed with professional curiosity.

  "I did. But I haven't had a proper look at them yet. Why don't you come along to my workshop? We can examine this... Adamantine... together."

  Leik nodded.

  "I would like that."

  She turned to Strider.

  "Watch the kids? I'll go with Divento, and then I'll head straight to the clinic afterwards."

  Strider nodded and gathered Sophie and Aidro close.

  "Go. We'll be fine."

  Leik followed the rolling wheelchair out of the storage bay. Her mind shifted from the taste of heaven to the mystery of the blue metal that had saved their lives.