System Break

Jia sat up in her pod, disengaged the cord to her cybernetic implant and rubbed her eyes. She breathed and looked across the games room.

"He's still here!" She rolled out and stormed across the room.

I could barely see her as she moved out of my vision. I called, "Soon." And smiled. "I'll use the robot to move myself into the pod and I'll be back in when Pieter gives the green light."

The hacker spun a soldering iron with his fingers. "Get your ass in there big man, I'm almost done."

The wheelchair robot lifted me off my bed and tilted me upright the arms underneath is legs slowly lowered me in place. There was a cord from my wrist into the robot.

"You have an arm implant?"

"Yeah. It's the best way to control this thing. It's all the craze I hear."

The Russian voice said, "All the cool kids have implants in their wrists. Neck ones are only for pod gamers." He held up his arm and showed Jia his own wrist implant.

"Wired connection?" Jia said.

I said, "Sakaala wireless connections are like unprotected sex with a slutty partner."

She shook her head. "The last person you should listen to is this guy," she said while pointing at Pieter.

Peiter grinned. "Yeah, you shouldn't listen to a hacker about being hacked. They know nothing. Listen to the princess who lives in an ivory tower."

The robotic wheelchair whirred as it lifted and placed me into the pod. "I would use one of these even if I could walk. It's kind of cool."

The nurse followed me and wiped my brow. "I will be back," she said. "I'll check on you each day."

"It's okay," I said and smiled at her concerned face. "I'll be away."

Pieter sighed and brought his equipment over to my pod.

"The physical therapy course will run for eight weeks. I can massage your muscles while you're in the pod, but after that you will need to push yourself across the bars."

"What if I can't use my arms?"

"Then you will do whatever the doctor says must be done. If you lie in the pod you cannot heal."

"If I lie in the pod I don't need to heal."

She frowned. "This is the wrong attitude."

"Leave him be wiper lady. He just wants to play the game, don't you listen? It is his calling." The hacker ran diagnostics on the pod one last time. He was focused on his tablet, then he looked up and smiled. "We're ready big man. Go bag yourself a pretty elf."

I laughed and my robot hit the button for me. We would stay connected from the cord on my wrist while it sat next to my pod. If it needed to recharge it could disengage the connection, charge, and return.

"Hurry," Jia said. "The finals are today." She ran back to her own pod and hopped in.

I closed my eyes, which was totally unnecessary but made me feel comfortable and activated the pod. My mind felt like it was being sucked through a hose and I was back in the dimly lit pool room. I circled in the water using my arms and noticed right away there were two portals.

"Shit. That's different."

I dived down into the water towards the light at the bottom of the pool. That's where my Svartalfar body was and I swam towards it with joy. I'd only been in the real world a few days, a few days conscious - it was almost a week – and I'd had my fill. Compared to the qi world - my life with Gisael and Reyas - it was shit. 

Only one thing nagged at me. I had value now – it was for my discoveries. But I still had no control. I was still in the qi world by someone else's command.

I entered the light and my spirit, mind and whatever passed for a soul flew into my Svartalfar body. Where my real one was broken and weak; This body was strong.

I rose off my stone bed in the Dokkalfar stronghold and stretched. I looked around; I was alone in our guest room. My backpack, leathers and mask were all there, arrayed neatly, waiting for me.

I walked through the halls and they were mostly empty. Demon bird reached out to me and I could feel his loneliness. "It's okay bird, I'm back." I could see with his eyes that the sun was about to rise, its rays peaked over the horizon. "We're going to run today," I told him. "Fly, fly up high and guide me."

I waved to the few Dokkalfar who'd risen. 

"I'm off. Tell Brudin and the others. We'll be back with Barrin soon, a few days probably."

The dark skinned short-stuff nodded and moved quickly through the corridors. Probably going to wake Brudin and inform her now. I shrugged and left through the main passage.

I had no weapons other than my fists and my pack was empty. I waved to the lone guard at the main gate, but he took too long to open it, so I climbed and jumped from the walls.

Something jiggled in the bottom of my pack when I rolled. I reached in and smiled. Someone was smart, they left me two cores. The Dokkalfar guard on the wall frowned at me as I ran off. We headed west and I poured on the speed.

.

Sakaala woke before the break of dawn and she headed to the roof of the luxury hall. Gisael was there with her sword, practising her forms.

"He's coming," Sakaala said. "He's running now."

Gisael stopped, moved to the parapet, and looked over the city to the east. "It will take him all day to run this far."

Sakaala sighed. "I'm sorry. It was the best I could do."

Gisael turned and looked at the young apprentice. "We can win," she said.

Sakaala shook her head. "Ailen, Nej and Reyas are all injured."

"Nej cannot help us anymore – he needs to recover," Gisael said. "But we are still four." She put a hand on Sakaala's shoulder and looked her in the eye. "You must draw on your strength and fight. Do not think of danger or loss." Gisael placed a hand on Sakaala's stomach. "Draw your strength from here and be fierce. It is our enemy who should be afraid, not us."

A tear appeared in Sakaala's eye. "Thanks," she said and hugged Gisael. "We'd give up if it wasn't for the damned Reach."

"You did well to discern their malice. You are good at your role."

They parted and looked towards the east.

"He's going to be pissed when he gets here," Sakaala said.

"How much did you tell him?"

"I told him we needed him for the tournament but didn't go into specifics."

Gisael laughed. "You better hide when he finds out or deliver the news yourself."

Sakaala's lips tightened and her eyes narrowed. "That's a problem for later. Right now, I need to make sure you and Reyas do not come to harm. That would be a much worse outcome and one he won't forgive."

Gisael nodded. "He will. Reyas and I have our own minds and make our own decisions. It is not your responsibility what happens to us, we do it knowingly."

A hammer rung in the distance and the sounds of the city waking reached their ears.

Sakaala turned. "I'll wake the others and fill them in."