"... MacCruimin joined my other two squires in attaching the pauldrons, rerebrace, vambrace, couter and gauntlets - my sarcophagus was almost complete. I was wrapped in skin and skin and skin again - leather and steel and more than steel - yards of tubes and wires - hydraulic arteries and electric veins.
I tested my body; shoulders, arms and hands, inside the robot I wore. Each movement pushed a trigger, triggered a lever, tripped a switch - and the leviathon was alive - mimicing my slightest gesture. Thirty-two months to find 13 perfectly matched estonium spheres, so very evenly spaced. They took the bulk of the weight - steam power took the rest.
I felt the temperature rise as the lifesblood of my machine coursed through her - vaporized water at no less than 500 degrees. Now I had my muscle.
I realized my three friends had worked steadily without word until at last, mooring chains were removed -
"Tha's it then.", MaCruimin broke the silence.
Blackwater walked up to me like a priestess at a temple. She held out my helmet - a final offering for an uneasy god. I looked for her smile to send me on my way. If she only knew what power she held - more than my contraption - more than the sum of its rivets and gears.
But it was too much for me to ask - from the last moment we may have together. I tried to smile - maybe to reassure her - maybe to simply spark a mirrored response.
I couldn't smile either.
"Here is where I should tell her how much she means to me - Here is where I should tell her I love her. ..."
I put my helmet on and felt a bead of moisture run the length of my cheek.
I am sure it was perspiration."
an excerpt from my steampunk novel,
"Broken Toys"
also cool: Had way too much fun debuting the costume in the Saturday hallways of Archon 35. Thanks to everyone who took the time to photograph and/or compliment ...
Anatomy study with a Da Vinci flavor.
She floats beautifully in front of the very parchment used to render her.
