Jacob awoke in his home high in the canopy of a kinona tree. The large green leaves shading him from the morning sun. Jacob stretched out and looked down to see the base was now safe and his pursuers were gone. That was the last time he would do a job for the sanctum. Sitting up on the four foot wide branch Jacob could see for miles. His body needed more heat, compelling him to walk out to the end of the branch exposing himself to the full sun. 

There he stood feeling the warmth fuel his body his tail swayed softly in the breeze. His scales turning to match the the green leaves around him from the brown they once were. He could see the city of Capeia. It stood out form the prairie landscape and farm fields to the east. One of the few stone and steel structures left standing from the day of the past. When the ancients worked their techno powers on the world. 

After a second to scent the air he climbed the 60 feet down to the forests floor. The eyes of his ancestors expanded as his tongue darted through the air for danger. The scales became a darker green to match the forests floor. He unburried his backpack and headed to the city. their had to be work for a person of his unique talents. 

The sun was warm and helps his muscles become more fluid in their motions. Staying away from the main roads meant safety for a single traveler. The high grass was also an aide to Jacobs people. To them it just felt more natural. Even at his distance to the city his tongue darted out more and more. Feeding him images of food and the different types of people he would meet inside the cities walls. His legs unconsciously move a little quicker. 

Now closer Jacob could see the crowd gathered at the cities entrance. Merchants mostly with carts and wagons selling their wares outside the cities walls, and away from the tax. What the merchants loose in price they almost make up for in being spared the tax. Walking past the carts and the crowd Jacob walked up to the guards. He reached to his side pouch and watched the guards grip their weapons a little tighter. Pulling out a few gold slips he handed them to the guards and they let him enter. 

Jacob began to feel cold. The hallway was barely lit and was descending into the ground. There were a few addition guards standing in the shadows whispering to each other. The hallway led to the center chamber where more guards wearing armor protected the center machine. at the controls stood an ancient. At least parts of one. 

The ancient are machines with A.I. that use to control a vast network of cities and portals to other worlds. now after the thousand year war they are found and integrated into small subsystems essential for travel or security. This one was only a head on a third of a torso. And even at this state of damage It was still a force to be respected. The wires connected the system to the head and most of the torso to the portal generator system. The head alone was larger then Jacobs whole body. The one blue optic looked down at him. In a robot voice "Destination confirmed. Power o-optimal. Ready for t-t-transport. Initializing sequence, engage." The center generated a blue beam and widened into a oval. Jacob hated this. Every drop of his blood screamed for him to run. He took a breath and jumped into the portal. 

The fall was what made him sick. Not the swirling vortex of energy around him or the loss of gravity. He dry heaved as he landed on all fours. As the area around him stopped spinning he sat on his legs and waited for his stomach to give the OK to stand. Getting to his feet, he looked around the place it was just as he remembered it. Floating among the clouds the steel floor and the steel walls made the place feel like a cage to Jacob. Still it was the best place to get hired on to a crew.