Binary

Chapter Three: Outsiders

Prognis sighed in disappointment as she stared up at her face. It had been her face for decades now, but she could see in the dim light that it was ruined.

"Here," he said, moving in the dark, "try this one."

He placed a new face over her and fiddled with the clips and pins for a second. She sat in the darkness behind the eyelids as he did. Then he sat back while she messed around with it, twitching the eyebrows and testing the expressions before she finally figured out how to work the mouth.

"Thank you, Jacoby," she said, as soon as she was able, "but something feels... weird. Do you have a mirror?"

"Here," said Jacoby, helping her sit up, "careful, you're still shaky from that blow to the head."

He handed her a mirror, and she stared at her reflection for a second, trying to determine why the face was colored a light beige.

"

Wood?!

" she cried, "this is a face made of wood!"

"Yes, it's wood," said Jacoby, "that's not uncommon, though plenty of Mechians have wooden-"

"I look like a damn puppet!" Prognis snapped angrily, "my whole body is iron, I'm not going around with a face made of wood."

"Metal is expensive," said Jacoby, "That's why people are usually a little more

careful

with their bodies. If you want a metal face, I'm going to need my payment upfront."

"I can pay," said Prognis. Jacoby cocked an expertly crafted eyebrow at her. She glared, her wooden eyebrows made an annoying grinding sound as they did, "I

can

, if you don't believe me, check my purse."

Jacobi studied her carefully. Then he nodded.

"It's your decision I suppose," he said, "I have a few surplus faces that they had me making for the war, I suppose I have to find some way to get them sold now. Are you okay with one of those? They aren't the most expressive things..."

He stood up and pulled a wooden chest out from under the table that Prognis was laying on. After a few minutes of digging around, he pulled out a metal face. It was generic but showed fine craftsmanship. The nose and brow were a solid piece. The breathing ports were right below the eyes.

"That's much better," said Prognis, "I'll take it."

"Alright," said Jacoby, "the eyes widen, eyebrows move, the mouth is a little stiff, but once I get it fitted it should be fine. Here, lay back down, I'll get your measurements."