This piece has left me lost in thought for quite some time now - The following is a sample story I worked on to go along with it. I hope you enjoy it along with the art by MingChee!

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~≈~ The Vandemere Clock Tower has routinely been the first place I visit whenever my profession led me to the planet Hondu. Typically not a location you'd think to find one such as myself... a Fox. Yet I felt rather in my element, fascinated by the structure, it's history, it's sounds... a world it's own. Many of the residents around the area revered the construction as if it were a landmark. Something to behold, while sadly my crew thought my interests there to be frivolously outdated. Why celebrate such old technology when we live in a new age. Old Vandee, that's how I call her, she was a relic to be upgraded rather than restored. Smaller is better, so says the populace of our kind.

Taking the first step into the room seize my breath away, as it had countless of times before. Dust lay over every surface like dirty snow, not a foot print anywhere showing signs of it being abandoned. A trace of mildew tickled my nose, the air thick and stale with a hint of grimy grease but surprisingly appealing. Rays of light from the early day sun filtered through the large stained glass window, helping to illuminate the inner workings of the clock tower. The face of Old Vandee, framed by welded metal in circles and shapes of roman numerals. Despite her age she always told the appropriate time to anyone who bothered to glance up.

Using what little light to guide my way I approached the grand embellished chronometer, being careful to step around the various crates that scattered the room. Free papers piled up on top of a few, and even a long forgotten tea cup. I could only assume left behind by a caretaker of this tower. The place suffused with the sounds of large clunking and ticking gears, making my ears perk upright to enjoy every bit of her song. You could say this was the heart of Old Vandee here in this room, the blood being the pulleys and chains as they spun perfectly in tempo. Never missing a beat, always on time. My footsteps along the dark wooden floors were almost silent compared to the orchestra of machinery, not even a squeak of latex that clung tight around my legs would disturb the atmosphere.

As I pressed my palm against the glass I could feel the heat from the sun, giving me an overwhelming sense of the clock tower being alive. My cheerful reflection staring back at me, slightly distorted by the grime on the interior. I could stand inside this beautiful masterpiece mesmerized forever, but it was not meant to be. My Captain expected me to return back to the ship later this evening, as the mechanic it was my duty to keep The Aura in tip top shape. Unlike Old Vandee, who had seen better times in her early years. These hand crafted gears and parts slowly becoming dull from the lack of cleaning. Although no one was here to keep her glamorous, she still looked alluring to me.

I turned away from the glass, my attention set to clear papers from one of the chests made of timber. Leaving me a suitable dust free spot to sit down and rest my feet, crossing one leg over my thigh. Getting comfortable as I retrieved my personal brass pocket watch from a pouch attached to my belt. A relic from my world, something I have kept since I was a young kit. The metal plate popped open with ease, revealing a slightly different face than this tower had. My clock had ceased to work properly some time ago. The second hand would tick and make it's laps around the track, but no matter how many times it would pass the finish line the minute hand would simply not move on. Always showing the same hour and minute, frozen in time though still beating in life. I had tried many times to dismantle and repair this little clock, but there was nothing I could do for her. Something was missing, and until I found what it could be there was nothing to be done.

Huffing a disheartened sigh I looked away from the watch and kept it balanced in the palm of my hand, gaze drifting over to stare at the door which I had entered from. My blue eyes adjusted to the dull lighting of the room, waiting to hear the rusty hinges creak open. I expected someone to show up this day, and they knew exactly where to find me. If all things went according to plan, not only would I get to see my precious clock tower but also someone who made my heart skip and leap out of sync with the rotating gears inhabiting the room. Of course knowing them they would be late, leaving me to sit and enjoy the encore Old Vandee sang for me.

Which was not so bad as I came to think about it.

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Art ©

<3