System Break

Chapter 79: Pod Games

There was a festive spirit in the air. The streets of Dawnharbour will filled with visitors from Loctris and surrounds. When Ailen and Sakaala left the administration building the were just another oddity to stare at.

"Mommy look at the green people," a little girl said.

"Hush," the mother replied while eyeing their bows.

They wandered quickly through the grounds of the main keep and then the streets to their guildhall.

The rest of their group was waiting for them in the common room. 

Gisael bared her teeth. "We should go back to the Dokkalfar stronghold."

"No, wait," Sakaala said. "We have an idea. Hear us out."

"When is Benzhi back, you said he's awake, but he's not back. Why?" Reyas said.

"The equipment we use in our world is not ready for him," Ailen said. 

Gisael walked up to Ailen and glared at him. 

He waved his hands. "He'll explain when he's finally back."

"Why were preparations not made?" Gisael asked.

Ailen smiled weakly. "They were, but it's complicated and they started long before he dream-walked. It's a special unit just for him and it takes time."

Gisael turned towards Sakaala who couldn't help but wince a little. "Why is this tournament important that we cannot leave?" 

"Gisael, it is," Sakaala pleaded. "Listen, the winner of the tournament will be granted a guild hall in The Reach. Why?"

Barrin adjusted his goggles and cleared his throat. "Is it like Salastria where they need monsters cleared to protect the farmers and other people?"

Ailen said, "Barrin you do not know but the mountainfolk have a mine in the northern mountains and the ones wearing the orange tabards with black lion were trying to steal ore from it."

"That's Salastrian colours," Barrin said. "It makes sense because they always complain they pay us too much for iron ore and coal."

Reyas growled under her breath. "So, they want to use adventurers to attack the mountainfolk and seize the mine."

Ailen paced. "We can't be sure. But it's possible and time will tell - whether we win or not."

Gisael looked at Reyas who returned her gaze. Then she turned back to Ailen and Sakaala. "We will do this."

Sakaala visibly relaxed. "I knew you'd understand. The tournament will take two days and I hope Benzhi can make it by tomorrow. But if he can't we'll try without him."

"Who is your fifth?" Barrin asked.

Sakaala turned to the quietest person in the group. "Nej will you be our fifth?"

He stood and placed a hand on his knives. "Yes, I can do this."

"Gisael?" Sakaala asked.

"Nej has accepted - I will not stop him." She walked up to Nej and put a hand on his shoulder. "Do not die."

Ailen shook his head. "Great motivational speech," He laughed weakly. "Nej, you are fast. Just run around and keep dodging. We can take them out with arrows while they chase you. And yeah, like Gisael said, don't get hurt."

Sakaala we have the list of guilds and the round of 32 schedule.

-Guilds-

Alphas

Castaways

Reds

White Cloaks

The Forest (our guild)

Dangerous

Wreckoning

Myrmidons

Huntsmen

Paladins

Bloods

-end of list of the eleven guilds-

Ailen pointed at the tournament brackets. "We're in the last match of this round, probably because we were last to enter. And we're up against the Paladins' second team."

He pointed at the next bracket, "If we win, we have 3 more wins to reach the final. Round of 16, Quarter final and Semi-final. The three finals are being held tomorrow, so we only have two matches today."

"It took us two full days to run here," Barrin said. "How can he make it by tomorrow if he's still dream-walking now? And how does he know the way?"

"He can find it," Ailen said.

Gisael said, "If he wakes now, he can make it but he cannot find it in the dark." She looked at Sakaala.

Sakaala sighed. "Even if I dream-walk back now, it won't change anything. Either his pod is ready, or it isn't. They don't care about the tournament."

"Make them care," Reyas said.

"Okay, okay. I'll try," Sakaala ran off and up to her room.

Reyas and Gisael looked at Ailen. He shrugged. "Don't look at me, she is the one who can convince them."

Sakaala lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. She opened her UI and went through the motions to logout. Her breathing slowed and her mind felt the familiar pull on it; it was like being yanked off her bed but leaving her body behind.

Moments later her eyes were fluttering, and the feeling of disorientation was with her. She groggily reached for the disengage button and the cord attached to her cybernetic implant popped out with a hydraulic swoosh.

The lid on her pod opened automatically and she sat up. The pod itself was a long bed inside a capsule. It had panels on the outside to show vitals and was connected to a hardline to the superloop. It had an internal hydrogen generator for backup power in case of a grid failure. Which wasn't needed in their case because the whole property was capable of running off grid indefinitely.

"Oh, it's the princess," the Russian accent said. "Did you miss me? I will be gone soon so you better take a photo."

"Good," she said. "I need you to hurry. We need him back today. Now even."

Pieter shook his head. "Princess, I do not work for you. I work for a fixer who works for your father. And the ones that pay the bills are the orders I follow."

"What's wrong?" a groggy voice said. The nurse stood by his side and check his vitals. 

"Why is he asleep?" Sakaala asked.

"He fell asleep during his therapy," the nurse said.

Ben yawned. "Did I?"

The hacker chuckled. "Wish I could get me some therapy."

Sakaala hopped out of her pod and marched across to the hacker. She whispered vehemently. "Listen you Russian fuck, if you like your penis you will finish your work today and send him back in."

The nurse gasped and Ben chuckled.

Pieter had his phone out and was tapping on it.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

"Messaging the fixer, you can discuss penises with him."

His phone pinged. "He'll be here shortly Princess. Make yourself comfortable."

She peered at the array of monitors he had. "You're a hacker?" she asked.

"Yes princess. Russians are always hackers it's our national profession."

"Despite your sarcasm you are one. What's your hacker name?"

He laughed. "Do you think I will tell you because you ask?"

"I know Pieter is a fake name," she said.

"Then you can dig yourself and find out my handle if you can."

Michael entered the retrofitted games room. It was now a pod room with technical workshop and therapeutic care clinic.

"Miss Huan?" he said. "Can I help you?"

She turned to face him.  She was wearing a slim dress and was barefoot. Jia was twenty-two years old and a beautiful young woman. "Yes, you can get Benzhi back into the game today, within the hour."

"Pieter?"

"Not possible boss. Need at least another day, we can't afford any mishaps and there's still bugs to iron out."

"Another day Miss Huan," he said.

"He can use another pod for a few days while you iron out the bugs. Why does he have to remain here, in limbo?"

"That's what your father wants."

"No, he wants to protect his investment. Benzhi can hold off saving any skills to the quickbar until he has a new pod. All this is unnecessary, it'd be the same as a few days ago."

Michael rubbed his chin. "Let me check with your father. If he okays it, I'll allow it."

"Tell him its my request and I'm serious."

Michael nodded and took out his phone. He tapped away at the screen furiously.

"Why don't you use an implant? You people are so old school," Jia said.

"My implant is hardwire only," Michael said. "Apparently wireless ones are prone to hacking."

The hacker whose name was not really Pieter whistled innocently.