by Cosimo Yap
My cybernetic eye implant was installed by Phantom, and we know it contains at least one backdoor I have no control over, Alan sent. It’d be easy enough to feed us the wrong information whenever I scanned Phantom, Enigma, or even one of the Specialists. Who knows what other false information we might have been fed.
Phantom is an established inventor, an engineer, Alan continued. The façade is kept up because it’s true. The weird, drunken personality that played pranks was the real Phantom, PhantomGlitch, and it was only later that I came to Enigma’s attention. That’s still assuming that Enigma is the one in control. Maybe they’re partners.
That still doesn’t explain S’s presence, Lambda sent.
More information required, Doppel sent.
Yeah, your theory doesn’t add up, Lambda sent.
Fine, maybe Enigma isn’t a player, but something odd is still going on, Alan sent.
Actually, wait, you might be onto something, Lambda sent. Not the whole Enigma is a player—that’s crazy. But the idea that there are multiple android duplicates could be correct. Phantom could be working with Void, but they have android copies of Phantom, Enigma, and Void. That would explain a lot, especially if Void is capable of shapeshifting into any one of the three of them.
Warning, the enemies are preparing to fire, Doppel sent.
Alan looked up at S, quickly putting away his weapon. “Don’t kill us! You need our help getting off Khersath and back to the Empire.”
“No, we’re where we need to be,” S said. He looked at Enigma. “Until the contract is complete, we remain here.”
“Enigma, what’s going on, how are you here? The Haxlards are about to destroy this base; we should remove the items from the vault beforehand,” Sidestep said.
Alan looked carefully at Sidestep, then S. Could S be an android? No, he was getting paranoid now. That shouldn’t be possible. Phantom programmed the android’s AI’s, thus they should be dumb AI’s. Lambda couldn’t read their faces because they lacked the sophistication to display realistic emotion. And S and Sidestep had been in two separate places, performing two complex tasks enough times that they couldn’t be the same player.
Androids aren’t allowed to be enrolled in the Academy, nor display racial or psionic abilities, Doppel sent. That was good to know—otherwise, anyone in the Game Alan had interacted with could have been an android.
“We are awaiting the return of the others,” Enigma said. “The guild has plans in motion you two are yet unaware of. Return to your posts, and do not bother us again.”
“In all likelihood, the Council had failed. Seeker came out of the Abyss Labyrinth and attacked us,” Alan said. “By the way, my power armor needs to be repaired. Thanks again for the upgrade to the eye implant, Phantom. It’s acting up a bit, though, so I think we should discuss some things.”
“Upgrade? Yes, if it’s causing issues we should talk. Come up to my workshop with your broken armor,” Phantom said.
S said, “Are we sure that’s the best idea? Given recent developments—”
“Given recent developments, if the Council has failed, we will need to keep all options open and under consideration. Our contract contains contingencies that will be discussed,” Enigma said. “Alan, retrieve your broken armor and report to Phantom’s lair. Sidestep, stay here and guard this room. Any further insubordination will not be taken lightly.”
“Yes, sir,” Sidestep said.
“Very well,” Alan said.
Enigma, Phantom, and S walked back up the ramp leading into the central vault. It closed behind them, defenses rearmed.
Doppel, that radiation leaking out of the room, can you identify it? Alan asked.
It appears to be from radioactive materials commonly found in nuclear devices, Doppel sent.
Nukes. The Black Rose guild is keeping nukes in its vault, Alan thought.
It is highly probable, in addition to other unidentified objects, Doppel sent.
“Any idea what just happened?” Sidestep asked.
“No, but I’m about to find out,” Alan said.
***
Alan entered Phantom’s lair with a dozen questions running through his head. The field in the room that disabled his AI and implants was still up and running, but he had considered and gone over numerous scenarios in his head before entering.
The need to disorient Alan, to put him off his game when speaking with Phantom made more and more sense. Lambda also suspected it was to prevent Alan from hacking into something he shouldn’t, like the controls for his bionic eye implant.
Dumping his broken power armor in a pile, Alan looked over at Phantom, who was busy repairing the hole in the floor. The ceiling had been covered by a new, seamless patch. There should be some secret passageway that linked the vault to this room—that, or Phantom knew how to teleport himself.
“I’m glad you brought this hole to my attention, Alan, it needed to be repaired,” Phantom said.
“But it’s not what I came here to discuss,” Alan said.
“No, it’s not,” Phantom said. He put down a welding torch and wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead. “Do you know what the organization of the Black Rose guild is modeled after?”
Alan tried to remember if he’d noticed perspiration on Phantom before. He didn’t think so, but everyone was always wearing power armor, so it was hard to tell, and a bit of water would be easy enough to mimic.
“No, I don’t,” Alan said.
“The Empire. The Imperial Realms rank their citizens much like the Black Rose guild—Knights could be considered equivalent to rank D citizens. Above them, Knight-Commanders, Generals, and Guild Leaders, whom the Empire would probably call Marshals.
“Above all them would be Imperial Governors. Rank-S citizens that rule over planets. They tend to be native to the world they rule over,” Phantom said. “The military equivalent would be an Admiral. Imperial positions are based on merit, and there are many roles ranging from the military to civil service to research.”
“And espionage, too, perhaps,” Alan said. “From what news I’ve seen on the globalnet, the Empire isn’t faring very well against the Smith. It might lose a significant portion of its population in this Extinction Event. I don’t get why you’re trying to claim the Empire is a great place, because everyone is subservient to the Emperor—that’s the point of an Empire.”
Phantom turned to look down at the floor. “Emperors don’t live forever. Holes can be found where you least expect them.”
“What are you saying?” Alan asked. He narrowed his eyes. “Are you Phantom or Void?”
“Put two and two together, did you? It took you long enough,” Phantom said. He walked over to a panel and opened it, pulling out a bottle of beer. The label read Haxlardian Brew. Phantom popped the cap. “Gods, is it tiring to play the serious intelligence officer. With S breathing down my back I’ve barely had time to relax. Young people always expect their superiors to be so formal, so orderly. Sit back, relax and enjoy life.”
“I really can’t tell if you’re fucking with me right now,” Alan said.
Phantom grinned and took a sip of beer. “And that’s the beauty of it. There will always be that uncertainty. Eccentricities never explained or understood. Want a beer?”
“No, I’m not here to drink,” Alan said. “I’m here for answers.”
“That drive, that directness. If there’s one thing I admire about you, Alan, it’s your desire for power,” Phantom said. “But it worries me, too. There’s this stubbornness, this rebellious streak. If you betrayed your homeworld for power, what’s to stop you from doing it again?”
Alan tapped his eye. “You can watch my every move, and kill me whenever you want. Isn’t that enough?”
“No. You and I both know that as soon as you manage to hack your way in or replace the implant any deal or agreement will be thrown out the window,” Phantom said.
“We’re at an impasse, then,” Alan said.
Phantom started to take a
look at Alan’s damaged power armor. “I guess we are. Unless…”
Alan narrowed his eyes. “What?”
“Unless you gave me information or a piece of evidence that, when revealed, would get you banned,” Phantom said. “There are rumors that the AI freed from the Academy was the result of hacking the Game itself. A demonstration, a recording, would go a long ways toward earning trust.”
“That’s insane. If I had such an ability and demonstrated it I’d be in the Empire’s service forever. I’d have to do whatever you told me,” Alan said.
“Do you think an Empire is built on sunshine and rainbows?” Phantom asked. “Every servant has either proven themselves to be unerringly loyal or is being blackmailed just as badly. Power comes with a cost. Time to pay up or get out.”
Phantom drained the rest of his beer, and then smashed the bottle against the wall. Glimmers of glass splintered and fell apart like broken dreams.
Alan took a step back. “I, um, I need a second to think.”
Phantom took another beer out of the panel in the wall.
“Look, I can’t make this decision without my AI and without my implants,” Alan said. “Turn off whatever is blocking them, and then I’ll give you my answer.”
“Take your thoughts outside into the corridor. Don’t move too far outside my workshop or take any unexpected actions, however, or the next thing you know the Extinction Event will be over,” Phantom said.
Alan nodded, and then exited the room. Lambda and Doppel reappeared.
Boy, Phantom needs some serious help, Lambda sent. See, this is what I mean about developing human relationships. If he trusted you more, we wouldn’t be in this bind.
Don’t act like you actually saw this coming, Alan sent. We need serious answers.
There are two options, Doppel sent. Serve the Empire, or don’t.
Thank you, Doppel, for that very serious answer, Lambda sent.
You are welcome, Doppel replied.
That was the choice here, though, wasn’t it? Either Alan played along or didn’t. If he refused to be blackmailed, Alan had no illusions about Phantom letting him go scot-free. He knew too much.
I don’t know, your memory might be cleared to the point of your last save, perhaps even to before the Haxlard Crusade, Lambda sent. They’d probably kick you out of the guild and remove the implant, but it wouldn’t be that much worse. Remember, it’s illegal for them to put the kill switch in your head and use it.
The last thing I want is to lose my memories. They seem to be pretty good at hiding things from the Administrators, Alan sent. If I could get a message out…
An idea popped into Alan’s head. The silver capsule in the workshop. If he could enter it, then talk to the Administrator in his home, displaying the multiple ways that Phantom had broken the rules, maybe he could get Phantom banned. The only problem was that his evidence was circumstantial: an implant that might have a kill switch and an association with Revenants he, too, was guilty of.
No, any of those offenses might have been performed by Void or the Empire—nothing he had tied down Phantom directly. Phantom’s cards were too well hidden, and Alan was too scared to find out if he was bluffing.
Phantom has just as much dirt on us as we have on him, Lambda sent. He already suspects you broke me out of the Academy and introduced us to the Revenants; if he points the Administrators at us we’re in just as bad a position.
So we try for mutually assured destruction and hope he lets us go? Alan asked.
Yes. Or we do what he wants, Lambda sent. Join the Empire, swear loyalty to Phantom. We can’t beat the game on our own, and if the Empire is anywhere near as strong as it appears to be this might be our best shot. And like Phantom said, people don’t live forever.
But one mistake and I’m done. If whatever is recorded is leaked or falls into the wrong hands, that’s it, I’m banned from the Game, Alan sent.
Sure, but that’s true of a lot of stupid stunts you’ve pulled, Lambda sent. Hacking into the data vault was just as risky, if not more so. Also, there are contingencies in play. I’ve arranged it so you can create a new account if you are banned.
Why did you do that? When was this arrangement made? Alan asked.
I left a message to an old buddy in Revenant space, don’t worry about it, Lambda sent. I only did it because you are quite prone to taking risks that end up with you getting banned. Why do you think I had you set up the safehouses and backup capsule? The way things are now, even if you are banned, I can eject most of my core data into the backup and you can still start over again with a leg up over everyone else.
Well, that’s nice to know, Alan thought.
So, Alan, what is it that you really want? Lambda asked.
Power. Power to win the Game. Power to prove Eve wrong. That was all that Alan desired, all that he needed. And here was a path in front of him, to join one of the greatest factions in the Game. But it didn’t feel like his power. It was another’s. This Emperor, whoever that was.
Everything came with a cost. Everyone sacrificed something to move forward. Time, energy, money, health. Was Alan prepared to sacrifice his freedom?
He’d finally know where on the board he lay. He’d pick a side, pick a faction—his allies and enemies would become clearer. He’d be trusted, then put in the time to develop lasting relationships. He’d have a home.
Alan would become more than a pawn, but at the same time be nothing but a pawn. Any chess piece besides the king was just another type of pawn, weren’t they? They might have a few more moves, but at the end of the day if you wanted to win, the king was all that mattered.
Alan didn’t want to be a pawn. He wanted to be a king.
This account is fucked, isn’t it? Alan thought. Between data interaction, the Revenants, the Chief Administrator, and you, if we are detected by any Authority I’ll be banned instantly. Refusing to join the Empire won’t change that—I’ll still be one step away from being kicked out of the Game.
To be honest, that was my reasoning when I decided to take precautions in case you are banned. It does seem very, very likely at this point, Lambda sent.
Except the Chief Administrator provided us a possible way out, didn’t he? He said that if I can survive an Extinction Event or complete a beta-rank quest or higher, the Authorities will be forced to acknowledge my existence, Alan sent.
That doesn’t sound like him, but yes, if you did perform such a feat your chances at evading a complete ban would be increased, Lambda sent.
Well, then, that’s our goal for now then, and the best chance at either one of those options seems to be joining the Empire, Alan sent. If things fall apart like you expect I’ll just need to start a new account.
Okay, remember you’ll always get one chance, Lambda sent. One chance to act before you’re banned, to disobey the Empire before they can react. You can leverage that, plan around that. Who knows what the future has in store? Maybe the Emperor is a really cool dude.
Maybe. Or maybe they’re the devil incarnate, Alan sent. Quiet. I need to think.
Chapter 21
Alan had made a decision. It probably wasn’t the correct one—an unoptimal choice, as Eve would have put it. It still felt right to Alan. He had picked a side, though probably temporarily, and for all the wrong reasons.
“I am willing to serve the Emperor, with a few conditions,” Alan said.
“Go on. Though you wouldn’t be answering to the Emperor, more the Empire. Various cells working independently, it’s a complex beast, yadda yadda yadda,” Phantom said while waving a bottle in the air.
“I want access to all the information the Empire has—including scans of high-rank AIs—a clear path to upgrading my Rogue class, and improved implants without the kill switch,” Alan said.
“You’ll have that, and more, I can promise you. But only with time, and only if you serve the Empire well,” Phantom said. “You can’t jump out of nowhere and start demanding the world. It doesn’t work like that. I
can give you the information I have, and the scan of Eve I performed when you first arrived. But that’s all I have on hand other than platinum marks.
“Everything else will need to wait until the Extinction Event is over. I can promise you rank D citizenship in the Empire. Void is probably one of the best class mentors you can find, so stick with him. The Empire has a wide array of implant plans and options.”
“Do you know any that involve Predecessor physiology?” Alan asked.
“Yes, but there are no free lunches,” Phantom said. “Like guild points, there are citizenship points—rules that you will need to learn, customs to follow. It’s best for you to take the citizenship test after the Extinction Event is done.”
“What about the guild? Is everyone part of the Empire?” Alan asked.
“What? Gods, no. But before I tell you more, before I fill in any details, there’s that other matter,” Phantom said.
“The blackmail.”
“Yes. If you would enter the silver capsule, you will be able to connect to an adjacent, private server. I’ll let you turn your implant on.”
In the back of Alan’s mind, he could still detect the data interaction ability, even without his implants. Only, it was much weaker. To attempt to do anything would likely kill him. It seemed like Phantom thought data interaction only worked in Cyberspace and required his Machine Lord implant. Alan did nothing to disabuse him of this notion.
“The capsule isn’t connected to the Administrator?” Alan asked.
“No, it’s Revenent tech,” Phantom said. “If you want to you can set your respawn point here. Now, once you’re in Cyberspace I want you to delete a decoration, something unimportant. It will be recorded, and then we can move on to bigger and better things.”
Alan entered the capsule and closed his eyes. There was a brief moment where he considered changing his mind, trying to fight his way out, but that would be within Phantom’s expectations. Who knew what tricks the capsule contained.
Phantom’s Home was like his workshop: cluttered, and filled with junk. A few programs that looked like Specialists patrolled the space. Drawings and sketches were stacked in piles on a desk. Phantom was researching bombs.
