The Diamond

Sparks fly to the far corners of the room as a blue flame worked to connect 2 fragments of rusted iron. A small frame stands before a structure not of this world, An artist is at work trying to create something new. The figure's face is hidden by a welding mask which is freckled from the millions of sparks that have struck it. Green eyes anxiously twitch inside the mask feverishly as if searching for something. Leather gloves struggle to hold the welding gun as it has been a while since they have rested. A single drop of liquid falls to the ground. It glows bright red then turns to a deep maroon. The sparks stop and the gloves rest.
"Helper, please clean this up. I am going to bed." said the figures muffled voice beneath the metal mask.
"Yes master, would you like to keep your art?" asked a robot in the corner.
"No, it is worthless! Melt it down for reuse in a later masterpiece." Shouted the figure now without a mask. In the dark you would assume it was a man due to the strength of the individual but up close it was obviously a woman.
"Faust, do you intend to sleep tonight?" asked Helper.
"Possibly, Yes I think I will." said Faust drearily.
"Good night Helper."
As Faust removed her gloves, apron, and welding-mask on the body of a metal dummy. She removed her clothes hurriedly and jumped in a cold shower.
As Faust watched the water flow beneath her feet she noticed a tinge of red. She looked down to see her hand was blistered and one of the blisters was bleeding, this was of no new occurrence as blister, cuts, and burns is what you could expect from someone who works with metal all day and night.
Faust simply grabbed a rag and washed out a steel splinter.  
After washing the dirt and sweat of the rest of her body Faust bandaged her hand up, dried off and went to bed. Faust felt as if she were about to fall asleep when she got out of bed and vomited in a rusted sink. Her entire body hurt as she crouched over the metal base of the sink and stared at the welded make-shift floor.
"Everything is metal. Even the floor beneath me!" Shouted Faust.
She Threw her wet towel across the room. It slapped the wall with a loud clap and fell to the ground.
"I'm so much better than that!" Faust turned on the water valve and watched as rusted water shoot form the faucet. It stunk like metal but by now Faust was used to the stench. There was a bump in the corner, Faust looked up to see Helper standing in the door looking down at Faust with pity.
"Are you alright?" asked Helper who was draping a towel over Faust.
"No, I'm not. Helper please fetch me some medicine and a cup of coffee. Also prepare the welding gun." Faust said Drearily.
"Master, no. I cannot allow you to work. It has been 37 hours almost. Please go back to bed." said Helper oblivious to Faust's objections.  
"Fine! I will do it myself!" As Faust prepared the tank and got out her leather apron and gloves she felt sleep come over her. She shook it off.
A loud crack emanated from the flint as the blade of the flame glowed blue.
"I must insist, if you run your body to hard it will surely fail!" Helper walked to the tank of gas.
"Do it and I will weld your feet to your forehead again! Anyways, I'm not bound by laws of logic like you! I don't have batteries, circuits or limits, just cells."
"I understand that, but I must insist!"
"Be quiet!"
"If I cannot change your mind then I will stay here to make sure you are ok."
"Fine whatever, shut up."
The flame made contact with the fresh sheet of steel. A barrage of sparks projected from the plate of steel. The bright flash was like a wall, knocking her over. The welding torch landed next to her and started turning her hand to ash. Helper who had gone away was not around to stop it in time.  
The flame burned through the leather glove and went on to devour Faust's Hand. She awoke to a hole being bored into the back of her hand, and flung at the torch wildly to get it away. The resulting surge of pain was immaculate and resulted in her passing out once more. Helper came back to see Faust laying there,next to her work.
"Faust are you ok?" Helper noticed the hand.
"I knew this would happen. Hold still!"
Helper's hand retracted into her arm segment and then a razor came out.
"Would you like me to proceed with precautionary #404?"
Faust nodded. Helper picked her up and set her down on the work table after dusting away the scrap steel. The razor began to hum as it resonated at an immeasurable frequency.
The razor lowered to Faust's wrist.
"Do it!"
Faust nodded off.

When she awoke she was still laying on the table. There was a flash of light to her left and a large amount of pain.
"Did you do it?"
Helper nodded.
"Let me see...Hold it up..."
Attached only by wires, was a mechanical hand. It was black steel and had a hole in the middle the size of a quarter. The wires retracted and snapped onto her wrist with steel rivets.
Faust overlooked the small hand and noticed a critical error.
"Helper, the point was to eliminate the hole. What is this?"
"Snap your fingers."
Mystified, she complied.
When she did 3 electrodes came out from the rim of the hole on the inside of her hand. The ends of the needles lit up and lightning arced to the table from the electrodes. The spot around where the bolt hit the table was glowing white.
"I don't believe it, you perfected my arc welder. Not only that, but you developed a power source...how?"
"The body carries many elements, above all nitrogen. The needed elements are then combined in the power center to generate nitric acid, and in turn electricity. It works like a battery. There are 10 power centers, all generating a significant wattage."
"Thank you!"
"However, there are some kinks. The more you use it, the more of your body's nitrogen it uses. So either you have to supply it with new acid every few hours or it will not work. It will charge all it needs to move during the day in regular use while you sleep. I might suggest foods rich in nitrogen to balance. Would you like me to add them to the shopping list?"
"No, I'll get it. Anything else?"
Faust flexed the hand.
"This is fantastic, I do appreciate it! How long has passed?"
Helper sighed.
"5 days. I had to reattach your nerves, if you were awake the pain would have been intolerable. I put you into a coma, and just brought you out of it with a cocktail of stimulants."
"5 Days?! The Show is tomorrow! I have to work."
Helper blocked her path.
"I cannot allow that, we do not have any other mecca body parts on reserve."
"I've been asleep for nearly a week!" Faust snapped.
"I'm working, and I dare you to stop me."
Helper approached Faust, who placed her hand on Helpers shoulder.
"Please...I need this."
Faust started working.
Hours later after several scrapped pieces, one finally emerged. It was 20 feet tall, and resembled a column in front of some upscale side of town mansion. Its base was roughedwith burs and steel spray. Its tall shaft razorlike on 2 edges. It was a giant blade, stuck in the ground.
"Master, would you like me to scan and save it?" asked Helper.
"Yes, scan it, then transfer to the carbon printer for reproduction." Faust tossed her mask to the ground.
As the robot circled it, scanning it with a laser, Faust contemplated her future, however this only lead her to a short nap.
There was a clicking at the door.
Faust walked over to get the door. She reached out with her mecca hand, which made a meal clang as she grabbed the door knob.
"Yes?"
"Faust Summers?"
"Who's asking?"
"Who am I talking to?"
"Depends who's asking."
"I am."
"And you are?"
"Someone who can change your life."
"In what way?"
"Through exhibition of structured art."
Faust slammed the door shut, disarmed the chain and invited the man in.
he noticed her hand.
"Invention of yours?"
"Somewhat, more like Helper. Helper this is...who are you?"
"Call me Poole"
"Helper this is Poole. Please take care of him while I freshen up."
Faust then left the room and entered door which seemingly lead to nowhere, then seconds later she emerged dressed and brimming with energy.
"What was that?"
"Time saver. I altered the magnetic field inside the chamber to make time pass faster in there, slower out her, making the effect that is achieved for every hour in there a second passes out here. I took a light nap. Would you like to see?"
Poole looked at her reluctantly but stood and walked over.
"Just walk right in..."
Poole walked into the closet, and met a wall. The doors behind him closed, and the ones in front opened, revealing an elegant chamber with a four-poster bed, open air shower and tub with a sunken living room in the middle.
"Very 20th century for the 23rd...So how do I leave?"
"You have to be in here an hour, so make yourself comfy." Came Faust's voice over a speaker.
"This is, amazing!"
"Its one of my works, however it was too expensive and dangerous more than a few,so I never marketed it. Plus it runs on deuterium, which is expensive to produce, mine, and refine. Its more of a personal artifact of mine. When the lights turn red head over to the door, it means you have to get out or else you'll be trapped for another hour, which isn't a bad thing but I'll admit its a pretty dull room."
Poole looked around.
"The stuff in here, its hundreds of years old isn't it?"
He noticed a pile of coal, a box, and a small cube sitting on top of the wooden box.
"Yes, considering that 9.8 years passes in there for every day out here. Take that coal there, put it in the small metal box, then press the button up top."
Poole dropped the coal into the box, put it on the box he got it from and pressed the button. It glowed white hot then settled down.
"Open it."
Poole pulled open the shutter and pulled out a diamond the size of a fist, perfectly clear throughout, formed in a mold.
"I...I dont know what to say...this is amazing."
"Thats also where I get the gas and fossil fuels to power this place. Just pop in a dead rat and twenty minutes later I have about a quart of petro. The thing it is on is full of diamonds, take as many as you want, but don't tell anyone about this ok?"
Poole nodded.
"Why are you here anyways?" Faust asked.
"I'm actually here to tell you about a small show coming up...interested?"
"Possibly. How would they feel about a diamond sculpture?"
Poole laughed.
"Impressed would be an understatement."
"When is the show?"
"Tomorrow."
Faust was quiet for a minute.
"Faust?"
"Yes I'm Here, sorry just working."
"Will you be there?"
"Yes I will, you need to leave soon."
Then the chamber uned red. All the objects in the room looked o be a dull shade of crimson.
"Get out, you have five minutes."
As Poole emerged from the chamber he was met by the sight of a 20 foot tall diamond statue of a sword in a stone.
"When can you pick this up?"
Faust was smiling.
***
"How did you do it?"
The microphone buzzed in front of her face.
"Carefully to say the least...However a magician never reveals the trick does he?"
"He doesn't, but does she?"
"No she does not. That is all."
The crowd clapped.
Faust threw the microphone aside and proceeded to approach Helper.
"Helper, are you ready?"
"Whenever you are."
"Lets go."
Helper pulled a small box out of his chest cavity which generated a field. Then they were gone.
***
A bright flash of light and they were back at Home.
"Good thing I decided to enter that show, otherwise I would really be strapped for cash!"
"You sold the piece?"
"I had no choice, no way it would fit in here!"
"But it was one of your finest."
"And so will the other infinite amount of diamond sculptures I produce, but now I need cash.
"You were given a low ball of 5 billion dollars, recognized by CERN and NASA, and are now the most celebrated artist of this ERA. What else can they give you?"
"Nothing, which is why I'll give them everything!"
"What about pride...thats what you wanted from this right?"
"Yes, I got that. Doesn't matter what I do,"
Faust paced.
"Were unbreakable. I'm the only one in the world who knows how to do this, and I'm proud of that."
"Master, with all due respect, you cant sell your soul to anyone but the devil, and even then..."
"I havent sold my soul, just my art."
"Which is a piece of you."
"Nothing will ever be as valuable as that first statue will it?"
Helper made a low pitched beep.
"Likely not..."