Thermal Respite

I unhitched the frayed mantle from my shoulder pauldron and shook the remaining street grit onto the vinyl tiles. The refrigerator compressor hummed with a deep, rhythmic vibration, pushing a stream of steady warmth across the floor seam. For the first time in weeks, I did not scout for another bolt or wedge another perimeter alarm. I laid my heavy battle axe flat on the floor beside my boots and smoothed the coarse fabric over my knee joints to dry in the circulating heat. My cooling vents cycled down, and my core reactor settled into an undisturbed, low-power idle.