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The optic void scanners don’t exist within the simulation. They aren’t
necessary as you supposedly can’t get into the dome without an ID, so there
should be no concern. Mandica is safe from being caught as long as she stays
here, but she does have to stay. There’s not much hope for anything changing
in the future, unless she gets the sense that the administrative leaders
won’t punish her for being unregistered. Truthfully, she doesn’t even know
if they would be upset about it now or what the consequences might be. If
she asks, then they’ll know, and there’s no going back from that. It must be
some kind of problem, or Trilby and Yunil Tereth would not have worked so
hard to help her avoid detection. She’s going to have to make a life here,
as the most vulnerable person in the city. That’s frightening, and she has
two options when it comes to that. She can stick with the heroes and player
villains who can protect her from danger, or she can specifically avoid them
so she doesn’t get wrapped up in their violent games. She doesn’t know which
she is going to choose yet. Ravensgate refers to the city proper, but there
are suburban neighborhoods beyond the city limits, still under the dome, and
even a few rural towns on the furthest edges. They would be the place to go,
but if Morgana has it out for her, nowhere is safe if she is alone, so she
is leaning towards staying.
She’s been living in Blue Umbra and Wave Function’s lair for the last few
weeks. Elysia and Jaidia didn’t have much room in their apartment, and
Mandica’s heart skips a beat every time she sees Jaidia’s face. She’s been
very sweet and understanding, and Mandica is comfortable believing that she
had nothing to do with the attack. Still, this is what’s best for everyone.
Wave Function, whose real name is Reagan Dorsey, has been particularly
attentive. Blue Umbra has been going out on patrol alone a lot lately so he
can stay with Mandica. Like half of the players here, he has a hero complex,
so he feels obligated to protect the one person who genuinely needs it. He
talks about time travel a lot. The reason Underbelly has the social credit
to exist is because real life superheroes wouldn’t be any more powerful than
the majority of the population. Their specific ability sets may not be
common, but they’re obviously possible, which makes most of the world
relatively safe. That’s why Mandica left Earth, because many wanted to
protect her, and she didn’t feel she needed it until she entered this
simulation. Reagan wants to go back in time to be a real superhero for a
world that would value and appreciate it.
“I can walk, I can get my own ramen,” she argues.
“I just know you really like this stuff,” Reagan says.
“Yeah, I had never had it before. I mean, I’ve had noodles, but not like
this.”
“There’s something very comforting about the mass produced packaged stuff.
Of course, it’s not actually mass produced, but they use the exact same
recipe as people did way back in the day. Here ya go.” He hands her the
bowl.
“Thanks,” Mandica says to him. Before eating, she watches as he sits back
down with a contented expression on his face. When she was a nomad, she
learned to be forthright and efficient. She didn’t have time to develop
relationships slowly. If she sparked with someone, they had to get on with
it, or by the time they built any real trust, she would have to move on. “Do
you have romantic feelings for me?”
He’s taken aback by this. “I...probably, but I’ve been trying not to
pressure you into exploring anything,” he says nervously. “Why? Do
you have feelings?”
“I don’t usually get attached to people,” Mandica begins to explain.
“There’s not enough time for it. I never met another nomad who I wanted to
connect with, and either way, it’s hard. You would think that any two nomads
who click could travel together, but we all wanted to choose where we went,
and we didn’t like having to get it approved by someone else. My parents
were kind of outliers in this regard. I’m still not looking for a partner,
but if we’re just talking about sex, I’m available, and currently have the
time.”
“Hold on, there, Buckaroo Billy. That may be how Wave Function operates when
he’s around the ladybots, but that’s not the real me. If I’m dealing with a
sentient person, I need time to get to know them first.”
Mandica shrugs. “It sounds like we have incompatible social practices. I
just thought I would ask in case you were only being nice—”
“Hold on, don’t finish that sentence,” Reagan interrupts. “I resent the
suggestion that I can only be nice to people when I want something. I lived
in a regular community before I came here, and my relationships—both
platonic and romantic—were real and sincere. I don’t manipulate people.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend. That’s my poor social skills. I don’t
get along with people, which is why I tend to gravitate towards superficial
and brief interactions.”
He nods. “It’s okay. It’s just, the reason my character acts the way he does
is very specifically because that’s not how I am at all. I’m only playing
here. My other four personas had different personalities. I change it every
time I come back in.”
Mandica nods too, then waits a beat. “Where did you live, before
Castlebourne?”
Reagan’s face falls a little. He’s not offended again, but he’s not looking
at her. “A little planet called Ex-926. We manufactured weapons. That’s why
I don’t have much in the way of special powers. I know more about machines
than the human body.”
“Ex-926,” she echoes. “I’ve never heard of that. Was that colony founded
after I went relativistic in 2424? What star does it orbit?”
He sighs. “No. It’s been around for a while. We didn’t have a name for our
sun.” He stays silent for a moment before finally looking over at her.
“You’ve been honest with me about your origins, so I’ll return the favor.
Please don’t tell anyone else, though. Not even Malika knows where I’m from.
I talk about time travel so much, because for me, it’s not a theory. It’s
very real, and more common than you think. A very evil man used it to go
back thousands of years in the past. He brought human samples with him, and
used them to found an empire 16,000 light years from here, which he has
ruled this entire time. A small crew of heroes showed up several decades
ago, and started rescuing refugees. I was one of them. Hrockas was kind
enough to take us in. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m doing this. It’s
not for fun. I’m training myself. It doesn’t bother me when I have to switch
characters, because it gives me the chance to accumulate new skills. One
day, I’m gonna go back to the Goldilocks Corridor. I’m gonna confront The
Oaksent, kill every single back-up body he has, and free the rest of my
people.”
Mandica stares at Reagan. Most of the players have come up with pretty
elaborate backstories, and origins of their powers. But time travel?
Oppressive empires thousands of light years beyond the range of space
colonization. That is a little much, and he has always been better at
turning off his superhero character when he comes home. Could he possibly be
not lying? “You’re not serious, are you? That’s not real, is it?”
He stares back, then laughs...unconvincingly. “No, of course not. I’m
joking.”
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