But as our world fell to pieces, a mission began to salvage the legacy of civilization; a group of small creations was given the spark of life by a scientist in the final days of humanity, and they continue to exist post-apocalypse. Another of their own, #9, emerges and displays leadership qualities that may help them survive and possibly even thrive. The conflicted but resilient tribe already includes #1, a domineering war veteran and the group’s longtime leader; #2, a kindly but now-frail inventor; #3 and #4, scholarly twins who communicate nonverbally and mostly with each other; #5, a stalwart and nurturing engineer; #6, an erratic artist beset by visions; #7 , a brave and self-sufficient warrior; and #8, the none-too-bright muscle and enforcer for #1.

With their group so few, these “stitchpunk” creations must summon individual strengths well beyond their own proportions in order to outwit and fight against still-functioning machines, one of which is a marauding mechanized beast. In the darkness just before the dawn, #9 rallies everyone of his number to band together.