We're all in this virtual space together.
Alkaid

You give the man a wary nod, and he returns the gesture after amoment. He gazes at you for a long moment, and you resist the urge to flinch orfalter underneath it. He seems familiar to you in a way you can’t quite putyour finger on. Some whisper of a day gone by. You can’t quite fathom wherethis feeling comes from, as you remember nothing before you awoke in yourvirtual four walled cell. You wonder if this man knows any more than you, butyou don’t replace the courage to ask.

You are about to ask what in your mind is a safer question, how heacquired the shield or if he awoke in the room with it, when an opening similarto the one from your captivity opens beside the two of you. You wonder if itparticularly safe to go near, and wait for the other to make a move. He walkstowards it and motions you to follow.

The next area you enter appears as though it once was identical yoursand the man’s, but has been destroyed by something, ribbons of the wall’scoding strewn about. Despite the damage, you fear the room is sturdy andinescapable as the others. You wonder what could’ve caused the damage when youreyes finally lock on to it. In the center of the room lay a woman armed with asword who looks as if she may attack.

What do you do?

“Is this really the bestidea?” Zeke scowled as they walked along, his eyes shifting back and forthuncomfortably as they walked through the back alleys and poorer parts of theship. Of course good, respectable, Empress’ guard Zeke had never been back here– what with the semi-unfavorable company and surroundings. The usual finelypolished surfaces were dulled, and the plush wall coverings were torn in placesand stained with…something in others. The tall man found it entirelyunpresentable and turned up his nose.

“S’wrong? Nervous?” Myossnickered, ruffling the rarely exposed crimson hair on the back of his neck andin doing so revealing the black outline of a star.

“No, and when did youget that thing?” Zeke said, gesturing to the permanent mark. Never had Myosbeen the type to consider getting something like a tattoo, or at least the lasttime his friend checked.

“‘Bout the same time yougot that,” The boy with red hair answered, tugging the velvet ribbon tiedaround the other’s neck, topped with a pink heart pin to signify he worked forthe Empress. Though it was clear the two events were tied, Zeke didn’t pressthe matter. His decision had long been a rift between them that he didn’t wantto breach any wider if he could help it. Myos rolled the exchange off hisshoulders as he was wont to do and continued talking. “And I frequent thisplace we’re going to, I know the chick that owns it. She can be a bit...youknow... but whatever, we need more people to help us don’t we?”

“Help us do what, Myos?You really think that just because you have this idea in your head that a fewpeople can change something means it’ll work?” Zeke said, stopping and crossinghis arms over his broad chest in annoyance. He was never one to be happy withgoing along with Myos’ schemes though he usually ended up suckered into itanyway. The vermillion haired boy was strangely charismatic when it came to harebrainedideas.

“Well somebody has tobelieve in it. Do you wanna be a robot?” Myos said, face hardening as his jawtensed, ready to throw a punch if his friend kept being an idiot. He could onlytolerate so much of his friend’s nonchalance sometimes, and going against himnow meant giving up on humanity. He flexed his fingers, watching as Zeke didthe same - tight white fabric squeaking over the other’s knuckles and he forcedhis gloves to stretch with him.

“If you’re gonna goddamnfight, get the hell in here so the rest of us can bet on it,” a harsh femininevoice called to them from the doorway of the bar to their right. Both of themen turned to look for the owner of the voice and were greeted with the sightof a young woman with a harsh expression, befitting of the tone she carried.She was slim but angular, with long hair of various shades of blue pulled up ina high ponytail on her head. Though she appeared abrasive and raucous, sheactually gave off a warm personality rather than a cold or detached one. Thewoman quirked an eyebrow, still expecting some sort of response to herstatement.

“Hey Achernar, weactually came here to talk to you,” Myos called amicably, relaxing back on theheels of his feet now that the tension of the imminent brawl was over. He couldswitch from pissed to peppy at the flick of a switch, an ability that hadserved him well over the years and that Achernar had been privy to seeingseveral times before when Myos visited.

She pursed her cobaltcoated lips and looked Zeke up and down, eyes catching on the various splashesof pink. She immediately scowled and gave the shorter boy a sidelong glance. “Youbrought a fucking guard? You retarded?” Achernar asked, stalking up the Empress’sofficial to examine him closer, cherry red eyes narrowing.

“Why? Is there some sortof illegal activity going on here?” Zeke asked, a thin smirk gracing his lipsand he tilted his head to the side. Being a guard had made him haughty, and itdidn’t take long for him to settle into the habit of flaunting his position infront of strangers. He had a tendency to give off a cross between smarmy andintimidating and it usually rubbed people the wrong way – as a lot of guardsdid in the less pristine parts of the city. Despite the fact that he should’vebeen taller, he was eye level with the girl due to the blue knee high stilettoboots she insisted on wearing. Probably because of the spikes that covered thetoes of the boots - most likely valuable in whatever line of work she was in.Zeke hoped he wouldn’t replace out soon. Or ever.

“Of course not, sir,”Achernar sneered, barely resisting the urge to deck him. She already had ashort temper and snobs like him did nothing but push her buttons more. “Sowhat’s pinky doing here,” she asked, turning to Myos again and gesturing themboth to enter the humble establishment she owned.

“Pinky? This color isthe mark of one who puts their life on the life for the Empress,” Zeke repliedhaughtily, straightening his back even more to give him height advantage overthe woman. Achernar balled her fists, lips curling back in a snarl and athousand retorts bubbling up in her throat like bile. “Not that you would knowanything about that.”

“What’s the Empress everdone for me, huh snooty? Think she pays my rent for my shitty living pod? Paidto help me get this fucking place up of the ground? That goddamn bitch neverdid a damn thing for me so don’t you fucking dare come in here and-” AsAchernar got more and more worked up in her statement, her fist had beendrawing itself farther and farther back before suddenly caught by Myos, who wasshaking his head though his face betrayed his amusement at the situation.

“What’s so funny?” Thebluenette snapped, shaking of the other’s hold and giving the guard one morefinal glare before unwillingly backing down. She had enough to worry about; shedidn’t need ‘knocking a guard’s lights out’ on her personal record.

“I understand thefeeling of wanting to deck him,” Myos shrugged, the fluidity of the movementbarely jostling the armored piece on his shoulder.

“Well, who the fuck ishe,” Achernar asked again, beginning to walk into her bar and walk away fromthe former violent situation. Despite the place’s unsavory neighborhood, shefelt more comfortable and at home there than anywhere, so it usually had a calmingeffect once she got inside.

“He’s surprisingly oneof my friends, and he’s here because we have a proposition for you,” Myosexplained as they followed her inside to enter the small, secluded buildingcovered with bright neon lights on every available surface in the interior. Thebar counter and the stools were both chrome with a gleaming finish, and Myoshad to remind himself not to look down lest he freak himself out because of thelarge koi fish that swam beneath their feet. It was an expensive and gruelingprocess to put the aquarium in the floor, but Achernar had insisted and shewasn’t taking no for an answer. Myos agreed it tied the place together, but itstill made him feel green around the gills and he worried he’d never get his‘sea legs.’ In the center of the bar lay a completely boxed in square whereseveral men were lined up and waiting for Achernar’s signal to start the nextmatch. This bar was one of the fighting hotspots, men and women from all walksof life would come here to duke it out and make easy change by betting upon therampant fights. While the practice wasn’t illegal exactly, betting on the harmof others was against the ship’s ‘moral code’ so if a brash enough guard was inthe mood he could shut the place down. The ring itself was erected in such away that it was difficult to inflict harm on your sparring partner in any waybut with your own attacks and that’s why people liked it - you were gettingyour face smashed in by someone’s fist not the floorboards.

“What kinda proposition?”Achernar asked warily, taking her place behind the counter and pouring them alla glass of a fluorescent glowing liquid. It was her special cocktail, onlyavailable at her bar and nowhere else. A sort of secret recipe, as it were –Myos had no idea what was in it but man did people go crazy for it.

“I don’t drink,” Zekesaid as he sat down, the pink ruffle of fabric that was attached to his beltfluttering against his leg when he did so. “It’s uncouth.”

“Pussy,” the womananswered immediately, never taking her eyes of Myos and downing her own drinkin one gulp and slamming the glass on the counter when she was done.

The ravenette paled andMyos snickered, sipping at his own drink. “We know the Empress is planning somethingand something bad, so we want your help. We’re gonna start a revolution,” thelithe man explained, acid eyes practically glowing. “And I know once I tell youwhat she’s planning you’re gonna be so into it, it’s not even funny. Plus,you’ve got connections and we’re gonna need some battle technology, if you knowwhat I mean.”

“Whatever it fucking isleave her out of it,” Achernar snapped immediately, face darkening. Zekeflinched in surprise again, breaking the woman out of her angry state tosnicker at him. “But seriously, what the hell is this thing, and why is it soimportant you brought fucking pinky here with you.”

“My name is Zeke.”

“Good for you,” sheresponded with a flip of her aqua tresses, ignoring the taller man once againand waiting for Myos to speak.

“She’s planning ondigitizing our emotions. The Empress is gonna make us all robots so we’ll beher like immortal servants or something, and we’ll do whatever she want, and wewon’t have any choice! All our free will, it’ll be gone,” Myos explained,trying to keep his tone hushed, pupils dilating with the intensity of hiswords. Other patrons glanced their way, and so the three sat for a few momentsswirling their drinks so they wouldn’t be overheard. The woman had no idea whatexactly Myos was planning, but she was sure she didn’t need someone rattingthem out to the nearest guard.

“There’s no way she cando something like that,” Achernar scoffed in disbelief, attention now divertedto playing with the chipping moulding on the edge of her side of the counter.Her attention was hard to keep, and she was skeptical of most things that wentoutside the norm of her everyday life.

“It’s true!” Myos saidin exasperation, waving his arms wildly. “I heard them talking about it.”

“Who?” The blue hairedwoman asked, as if it were an interrogation.

“I don’t know, someguards,” Myos waved off. “I was in a restricted sector-”

Zeke cut him offimmediately. “What were you doing in a restricted sector?”

“Somebody obviouslywasn’t doing their job,” the redhead teased, flipping the pink fluff on theother man’s hip. Zeke huffed and gave no response. “But anyway, I figured wecould get some people together and we could overthrow the Empress, and then wecould govern ourselves! Like the colonies that used to have democracies.”

“Sounds great and all,but I still don’t think whatever you’re talking about it possible,” she sighed,about to throw them out so she could get on with her business. The men waitingon her to start the fighting ring were getting antsy.

“It’s already beendone.” Zeke deadpanned, deciding now would be a good time to vouch on Myos’sbehalf. “Technologic lobotomization was an old technique used to createpowerful armies. You have no choice, you have to follow orders and live how shedictates,” he sneered, the creeping feeling of betrayal bubbling up again.

“What?!” Achernar exploded,her voice more of an animalistic growl than anything. “Why didn’t you say soearlier! No bitch is gonna tell me how to live my life. I do what I fuckingwant, when I want, and nobody is gonna change that,” she said, punctuating herwords by slamming her fist into the counter. “Count me fucking in.”