>>27828326
Your neural implant is forced into attempting to connect with it, causing a burst of pain, but now curiosity has you. The data inside the ring instantly uploaded into your internal memory as temp files despite you having disabled that capacity. Looking inside though, there's definitely code in there for a skeleton key, but just the permutation portion, the part you couldn't fix. And then there's an address.

A jolt through your Home Sim announces your arrival, snapping you out of your day dream. When you step outside, the scenery is immediately familiar, and frighteningly real. It's the same place the military gave you your neural implant. It's also using your neural implant, bypassing the EMU. You can already feel the migraine growing.

"I wanted you to be the first to receive a key," he answers as he holds out his hand. A moment later and a shining key materializes above his palm, floating in the air before you. Printed onto the face of it is your military ID, Sergeant Warrick Locke d'Angelo MC1309018. And a timer set to go off in three days.

"What do you think it is? It's a key. Keys open doors, this one starts working in three days. I hope to see you there, and perhaps we'll speak again before then. If you'll excuse me however, I must be going now. Unless you haven't noticed that your migraine is growing worse," Fenix says as he turns and walks towards your phone booth, leaving the key hanging in the air. You look down for a moment to save it into your internal memory, but when you look up he's gone.

You'll probably be about twenty minutes late to your appointment, but there's nothing to be done at this point but show up and capitulate.
Maybe Chase will have something interesting for you to do in the three days till your key activates.

2/3

>>27828330
Now, for tonight’s installment.
You idly send Dr. Chase a message through your Augment Menu that you’re en route finally. The train you’re riding on is zipping along its suspended rails with only a minor rattling from side to side. This particular train car must be one of the older ones, the lights in it are still fluorescents rather than LEDs. Most of the other passengers would never notice, but you very quickly cued in on the almost imperceptible flickering of light caused by them. The other people on the train are all too absorbed in their neural implants.
Rather than turn off all of lights, you simply relax into your chair and close your eyes to shield your migraine from the flickering. But that never stops the ambient advertisements that worm their ways into your vision. Three of them are for Gaia Food, chattering about their advanced processes for lab production of meat. Their product was almost bad enough to make you want to go vegetarian. A handful are out to advertise various games and clubs throughout the Net. There’s another one though, an advertisement for some concert. All of them are nuisances.

>Shut off the train’s advertisement system.
>Meditate. Best way to calm your mind.
>Investigate one of the ads. Something to do at least
>Other

3/3

>>27828354
> Meditate. Best way to calm your mind.

>>27828354
>Meditate. Best way to calm your mind.

****** : 74
GSP : 1

I'll update shortly, but I like giving people time to show up in the beginning.

You close your eyes and reinforce your ad block. The nice thing about the trains is that if you manage to get on them, they will get you where you need to be. EDEN is only two hundred kilometers in diameter, so taking an express train can get you across in about an hour, but the outer portion is almost entirely residential, so you only have to go half that distance unless you're visiting someone. But no one really visits in the flesh anymore, the Net is just easier to use.

The only tricky thing about the trains is when you have to change levels. Chase's office is up in the center of Alpha level, which is fairly easy to get to from Beta. But there's only a couple dozen connections between Beta and Delta, and not even one train connects Delta with Gamma that is accessible by the populace. You have to get off and hike up several flights of stairs to escape that pit. A feat most people never accomplish.

****** : 75

Before you realize it, you're already up in Alpha, near the hospital. Alpha is a whole new world, even from Beta. The towers are at their thinnest, so almost everyone has balconies to look out and see the sky. Only a single loop of high speed maglev trains is above them, and that's still under construction. The air is clear, the wind is strong but refreshing, and teh architecture was made for opulence and transportation.

Alpha is the military sector mostly. The MPs have barracks all across EDEN up in Alpha, and can easily redeploy throughout the city, to swoop down on riots. Your average citizen of EDEN never makes it up to Alpha, only ever looking up at it in awe. The train station you get off on is only two towers over from the hospital.

>Usual pace. It's nice to have the sky over your head.
>Hurry. The winds are getting cold and you're late.
>Other

>>27828831
> Hurry. The winds are getting cold and you're late.
We can enjoy the air once we're done.

You take a moment to look around at the cloudless sky before a gust of wind rips across Alpha. You flip your collar up, the one thing you do like about the style, and stuff your hands in your pockets before taking off for the hospital. It's the same path you take every week, so you know every turn you have to make without even looking. A quick pass through the train stations vending area, across a massive footbridge overlooking Liberty Stadium, cutting through an apartment hall you shouldn't have access to, and then one more footbridge between the helipad and the emergency lift that goes all the way down to Epsilon.

Chase is standing outside waiting for you, his lab coat billowing in the wind. he tries to say something to you, but the wind drowns out his voice. You gesture to your ear that you can't hear, so he tries again. When you don't respond, he lifts up his arm to show his watch. Seems he's giving you shit over being late again.

You shrug and finish hurrying across the footbridge. "You look like hell. Where the hell have you been?" he asks as you catch up with him and you both start walking back to the hospital.

"It was a rough night man. I think I can get a pass on showing up late today."

"You always say that," he responds as the automatic doors slide open to let you in. As he puts on his glasses, he continues, "Another hooker or something? You were disconnected from the Net last night, right?"

"Something like that."

>Tell him something. He's a friend.
>Get on with the appointment. He has work to do.
>Ask him something.
>Other

>>27829241
> Tell him something. He's a friend.

>>27829257
you want to tell me what you want to tell him?

I probably should have included that in the prompt

>>27829267
Oh, right, sorry.
Tell him about the night and ask him how's his day going. Maybe he knows something about this Fenix guy or other weird cases going around town.

>>27829241
>Get on with the appointment. He has work to do.

"Yep, hooker. Sucked too because she would have gotten me busted by the MPs if I hadn't kicked her out. She had no idea what she was doing," you explain as you straighten your clothes out a bit. Chase's office and lab are both deep inside teh hospital complex, after several different security checkpoints. If he hadn't come out to bring you in, and wave past the security points, it probably would have taken you another fifteen minutes just in walking to make it there. Being one of the lead researchers in neural implants has it's benefits at times though.

"Well Warrick, not everyone can be as brilliant and wise in the ways of prostitution. I know it took you many years of the trade to get to where you are now, and I'm sure your clients appreciate it," Chase responds, managing to keep a straight face.

"It's a blessing and a curse I tell you. I'm so good they never let me get any rest, always calling me up and such. But it's a cross I have to bear," you explain with a shrug and a grin.

"They must really clamor to get you and your shining personality."

"Your sister was clamoring for me." After a moment of intense staring, you both laugh and step into his lab.

"But seriously though, I will cut you," he says as he locks the door behind you and you take your usual seat.

"I know, I know. By the way, ever heard of some guy named Fenix?" you ask as he starts booting up the various machines.

"Phoenix?"

"I think with an F, but fuck if I know."

Chase thinks for a moment, watching the screen on the nearest scanner. "Well, tell me after the tests, you're twenty minutes late.

Please roll 1d100 for mental health

>Tell him about Fenix in full.
>Say something else.
>Other

Rolled 8

>>27829475
SAN loss inc!
>Just be quiet

Rolled 19

>>27829475
> Tell him about Fenix in full.
And tell him how you think he sent Twi to us on purpose.

Rolled 22

>>27829475
Tell him about Fenix.

>22 v 75
****** : 75

The tests are quick and routine. Standard biological tests, sensory tests, reaction tests to physical and electronic stimuli, and scans by half a dozen different machines, their functions you can only guess, but your migraine gets a bit worse.

You've known Chase since you were drafted, you were in the same trainee squad. His father had some serious weight with the upper brass, and got him transferred out of the occupation forces and into research. Which turned out to be a perfect place because he took to neurobiology like a Czarhead. When you were taken out of the occupation forces to get your implant upgraded, Chase requested you because he knew you'd love having the shiniest toy. You of course have given him no end of harassment for giving you a defective implant.

"Warrick, are you feeling alright? Your reactions and such are terrible. Way below your averages for the past two months. Is your insomnia back or something? I can perscribe you sleep aids again if you need me to."

"Nah, my insomnia isn't back. I actually got a lot of sleep. My implant just got put through its paces pretty roughly last night, with that Fenix guy," you explain as you rub your temple.

"I hope you have a good explanation for this, because you are almost qualified to need a live in nurse so you don't die of an aneurism," Chase says. he's set his clipboard aside, and is resting against eh wall, waiting for your response.

"I can get a sexy nurse from this? I should bomb these tests more often."

"I will give you the fattest and hairiest bastard I can find." You stare at him for a moment. "Okay, I probably would give you the sexy one, but that's because I'm your friend. And seriously, get on with the explanation."
1/2

>>27829899

"Well, there's this guy Fenix, and he wanted to talk to me, so he bribed the hooker to leave me a data chip which had an address on it which brought me to his simulation, real impressive place actually. Perfect recreation of the old lab. And was mysterious as fuck, talking about how I should know him and how he's planning something and stuff, so he gave me this program which is basically just a random number generator and left. And the entire time he was bypassing my EMU and it kind of burnt out my implant until I passed out on the ground for nine hours and could barely walk."

Chase raises an eyebrow.

>Elaborate somewhere.
>Small talk. He's a friend.
>Get going. You both have better things to do.
>Say something.
>Other

2/2

That took way too long to write, sorry.

>>27829922
>>Elaborate somewhere.

"And when I say perfect, I mean it - it was like it was tapping into my memories or something."

Describe in more detail. Also ask him what he thinks you should do once the key is enabled.

>>27830012
Seconding.

"And I'm not exaggerating when I say perfect. I swear it was reading my memories or something, I could not find a flaw in it, aside from things he was using. It had the scent, the air texture, the echo structure, way more than jut the layout and appearance. Not to mention it had to be rendering with particles a tenth the size of typical simulations."

"This was the lab where we implanted the Gen V neural implant in you?"

"Yeah, exact same. I swear it even extrapolated the stress distortions."

Chase takes a deep breath before responding to you. "Warrick, you realize that you haven't been there in ages, and that memories are mutable, right? I highly doubt it was accurate. Only a few dozen people know the layout of the hangar that well and none of them would waste their time making a simulation of it. Someone probably just made a simulation close enough that it prompted your memory, made you think it was how you remembered it. I'll put the word out that we may have a security threat though. The hangar is classified, can't have people releasing information about it. Do you still have the address or anything?"

"You copied my internal, didn't you? It should be on there," you say as you wave your hand at the scanners.

"May as well check," Chase says as he pulls up his own Augment Menu and spends a few moments swiping his hand through the air before pausing. he cocks his head to the side a bit and swipes around again before turning back to you. "There is no address in your logs. You only accessed your Home Sim."

>Give him the ring, the address is on there.
>Check the data yourself. Got to be sure.
>Ask about the key. If he doesn't want it found, it won't be easy.
>Other

>>27830313
> Give him the ring, the address is on there.
Mention how it basically beckoned you to mess with it.

>>27830380
This, though I wouldn't be surprised if this Phoenix with an F used his epic hacking skillz so that it only works on us.

>>27830533
If he can hack into our brain, I wouldn't be surprised if he made us want to get our hands onto that ring.
And then purged the program once we got the key.

"Alright wait. I got this. I still have the ring. I totally brought this with me," You say as you check all of your pockets, even digging around everywhere your shirt should have had biometric sensors. You of course removed them rather than letting your implant make them send false positives all day. All of your pockets are empty. You even forgot your usual carries. But then you find it.

Not in a pocket, but on your finger. Perfect fit too.

You turn your hand around for a moment, looking at the ring, trying to remember when you put it on, but you can't. You slide it off your finger and hold it up to Chase slowly.

"So the address is on here? You sure?" Chase asks as he takes it and holds it in front of himself, probably pinging it with his own neural implant.

"Yeah, that's how he got the address to me. Told the hooker that it was a skeleton key and to leave it with me. Probably paid her or something. Couldn't resist looking inside," you explain as you scratch your chin. You need a shave. If you were still in the military properly, your commanding officer would have reamed you out by now. No one but Chase and Barry ever really see you anymore though.

"Are you able to get in contact with her again? She must know something," Chase says before he holds the ring up to his eye to look at the light.

"Oh yeah, probably could, unless that was all an act. I doubt she used a burner number. I should have thought of that, but it's not like I really had much time," you mumble, still trying to remember when you put the ring on.

"Warrick." You snap out of your day dream. "Warrick, everything on this ring has been deleted." You stare at him n disbelief. "By your neural implant. The usual corruption it causes. I'll send it off to see if the data can be recovered. Don't worry about it."

>What about the key.
>Eve should have a log of where I accessed.
>Say something
>Get going
>Other

>>27830787
>>Eve should have a log of where I accessed.

>>27830787
>you mumble, still trying to remember when you put the ring on.

ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL.

"What? Goddammit. Eve should have a log of it, though - what about this key I got?"

Maybe we can find out where the key will connect or something, so we could get somekind of headstart in tracking down this fella.

"You have to be kidding me. Check with Eve, she must have a log of where I accessed. Because this is getting weird as fuck right now, and I need some confirmation that I'm not insane," you say as you jump to your feet and walk over to him.

"Eve is the city wide AI in charge of coordinating public services and emergency responses. It is neither her purpose nor her position to monitor where the various citizens of EDEN go to," Chase explains as he sets the ring aside.

You sigh. "That neither stops her, nor the military from doing so and we both know it. Not to mention she monitors fucking everything I do and is probably watching us right now, although she won't admit it. Now what about the key he gave me? It probably didn't scan off because it's hard programmed to delete itself if it's anywhere other than my internal memory."

"Warrick, I am your doctor and your friend, and you need to chill the fuck out; it's not good for your health. I'm not a programmer and this is nothing illegal, it doesn't really matter. Are you still in for poker tomorrow? Because that's what I care about, not some guy hitting on you in programese," Chase explains, putting a hand on your shoulder.

>Yeah I'm in. Apologize.
>I think I need to postpone it. Not feeling well.
>I'll get back to you.
>Say something
>Other

>>27831123
> Yeah I'm in. Apologize.

If you're lurking, you should speak up

writing

You nod and take a step back from him. "Yeah, yeah sorry. Poker is still on for tomorrow, we'll have to drag Barry out of the Net, but he should be in. usual stakes and everything. Sorry about that. Things have been really unexpected lately. I'm not in terribly good shape today."

"It's fine. I'm a doctor. I may be specialized, but I deal with much worse on a regular basis. You should see some of the old men that come in with Gen I's. Most of them are blind, deaf, and angry. And they're all military vets, so of course I'm stuck with them. I'm glad my Gen IV works fine, like you wouldn't believe."

"Alright then, tomorrow. And Eve will help you out with the address, right?" you ask as you pace around the chair.

"Probably."

"Scans are all done and everything?"

"Yep. I'll have to check you tomorrow, but the numbers are probably nothing more than an anomaly."

"Then we're all done here?"

"Looks like it. See you tomorrow then?"

>One more thing...
>Tomorrow then.
>Other

If you leave, where to?

>>27831453
>Tomorrow then

Let's get some grub. Maybe see about contacting the prostitute and ask her some choice questions.

>>27831453
>Tomorrow then.
back home. Might as well pop some pills and ride the dragon.

"Tomorrow then. Oh, by the way. The hydrocodone isn't working very well. I either need more or something else if you can prescribe it," you ask as you walk over to the door.

"The hydrocodone should be more than enough for you, you might just be overreacting to your experience last night. I can write you another presription for cannabis, or some of the new brand name medications, which would you prefer?" Chase asks as he pulls out his prescription pad.

>More hydrocodone
>Medical Cannabis
>Brand Name
>Other

>>27831629
>Medical Cannabis
I smoked two joints in the morning
Smoked two more at night

>>27831629
>Medical Cannabis

>>27831629
> Medical Cannabis

"Let's go with the weed. It worked pretty well last time, and I hate barbiturates anyways," you answer.

He quickly scribbles it down for you and rips it off his pad. He hands it to you and you smile at one another. "This is going to be a good poker night."

"Oh fuck yeah it will be. Weed, booze, poker, maybe hookers, who knows," you say. Chase's handwriting is famously shitty, only the number is legible, 0.5 kg.

"God speed brother," Chase says as he opens the door for you.

You walk down the hall chuckling to yourself, looking at the prescription. When you finally get to the pharmacy, you slap it down on the counter. The pharmacist picks up his papers and straightens them out before calmly setting them back down and wheeling his chair over to you. He gives you a nice business smile and asks, "Picking up your prescription then? For," his voice trails off as he reads the paper. "Ah, you're one of Dr. Chase's patients. That would be five kilograms of medical cannabis? How will you be paying for this?" he asks pleasantly.

"Uh, well, all of my medical expenses are covered if you'll look me up everything should be clear. but..."

>It's supposed to be .5
>nothing, I'll be going now
>Say something
>Other

Still need a vote on whether you are going back to your apartment or shopping

>>27831911
>>nothing, I'll be going now
NOPE WE'RE GOOD.

>>27831911
>nothing, I'll be going now

Why not go out shopping for a bit?

>>27831911
> It's supposed to be .5
Let's not get Chase into trouble. After that, shopping.

>>27832210
The doctor prescribed the 'right' amount, it's the pharmacist that could lose his job. But you can't OD on weed, so it's fine

Trying to get a density for weed then writing

Space Weed it is, estimating that regulated dosaging and growth and processing and such is going to result in about half a gram/cc, so you're looking at 10 dm^3. I don't think you'll want to put that in your apartment

"Uh, never mind. I can pick this up now, right?" you say, your grin gone.

"Well, I'll have to scan you to verify your identity first, but after that, we only have one kilogram on hand here, I can put a call in to our sister pharmacy in Delta where you can pick up the rest," the pharmacist says as he pulls up his Augment Menu for a moment.

"Actually, you'll have to input my name in manually. You'll understand when you pull it up," you explain as you look over your shoulder. There's a handful of MPs walking through the halls, but they shouldn't have reason to stop you. "The name's Warrick Locke d'Angelo, d apostrophe angel oh, Mike Charlie 1 30 90 18."

"Oh, right. One of Dr. Chase's patients, of course. The scanners don't work for you, but they have photo ID for you. If you'll just wait a moment, I'll fill out a partial prescription and give you what I can. You'll have to get the rest from Delta," he says as he stands up.

"Wonderful," you respond as he scribbles down another prescription for you and destroys the original. You reach out to save it, but are too late anyways. You glance at the MPs again, but they're conversing with a nurse.

"Here you are. One kilogram cannabis," he says as he hefts up the package to you, with the new prescription adhered to the top.

"Thank you." Now the proud owner of a kilogram of quality medical marijuana, you turn around walk out the front door, carrying it in front of yourself because it's too large to carry like a normal bag.

>Back to the apartment. Gotta store this.
>Down to Delta. Gotta get the rest.
>Other

>>27832601
rather I think you WILL want to put that in your apartment

>>27832601
> Back to the apartment. Gotta store this.

>>27832601
Back to the apartment.

You stroll out of the hospital and onto the balcony area, prize in hand.The handful of people coming and going from the hospital don't give you a second glance, not knowing what you are actually holding. You thank modern packaging that the entire thing is compartmentalized into dozens of airtight packages to contain the scent.

The shining sun and sweeping landscape of metal towers surrounding you in every direction only serve to elevate your pleasure at the moment as you return to the train station. The worker here thankfully knows who you are and lets you pass without scanning, though he does stop you to ask what you're carrying. "Prescribed medicine. A lot of prescribed medicine, courtesy of the tax payers of this fine city such as yourself. So thank you for providing me with the modern medicine treatment I need."

He gives you a queer look, but lets you pass. About ten minutes later, the trains run much quicker up in Alpha since there are fewer destinations, the maglev train arrives and a good number of soldiers disembark, presumably on leave from the occupation. You board in at the end of the line and squeeze into a seat next to a young woman. Probably the daughter of someone important.

After situation your package in your lap, you glance over at her, expecting her to be looking at you, but she's completely tranced out. Likely enthralled by some advertisement. A quick check however, reveals that the only non propaganda advertisement on this train is for the same band from earlier, Nagasaki. Their concert will be in two days.

>Look into the concert. Might be nice to get back in the stadium.
>Examine the code to the key again. There has to be a hint there.
>Contact Eve about something.
>Other

>>27833084
> Contact Eve about something.
Does she have a log about what happened back when we accessed the net and met Fenix?

>>27833084
>Close eyes and relax.

I'm waiting for a tie break, unless you want me to roll a die or something

>>27833084
Contact Eve.

Eve is of course monitoring every train in the entire city, just a ping away for you. You close your eyes and reach out for her through the train direction control system, quickly getting a response. You used to find it strange to talk in your mind with another person, or in this case artificial intelligence, but you got used to it. At least you don't have to move your lips with your words like most people do. "Hey Admin, what's going on? Did your appointment with Chase go well?"

"You know how it went Eve. The numbers are all screwy and I might be going crazy. Speaking of which, you have my access logs by chance?"

"If it's any consolation, I don't think you're going crazy."

"Thank you Eve, but you are not a psychiatrist and Chase is. So yeah, do you have the address of that simulation I was in last night?"

"I sure do, but when I tried to take a peek inside, there were firewalls everywhere and I apparently didn't have permission to be inside. So I ignored that and went in anyways, only to find out that the simulation is offline right now. You can get in, but all of the physics systems are disabled. It must be undergoing maintenance at the moment."

"Thank you Eve, send a copy of the address to my home computer, I'll be there shortly."

"Will do Admin. And you really should have corrected Mr. Holden. He could lose his job as a pharmacist for misreading Dr. Chase's prescription."

"Perhaps, but too late now, and it's not my problem. I can chat with you later," you say as the train comes to a stop outside your apartment complex. You disembark and start back to your apartment. On your way, noting that the supervisor is examining the scanner and there is a twenty person line to board the train. You might want to use another station next time.

1/2

>>27833712
You unlock your door and slip inside, slapping the kilo of weed on your kitchen counter. You only last a moment before ripping open the package to let all of the bricks of cannabis spill out for your adoration.

>Light up. You have a headache.
>Get Barry. Even if you have to go into Afterlife
>Go get the rest. Can't let the mistake catch up with you.
>Other

2/2

>>27833729
>Go get the rest. Can't let the mistake catch up with you.
Gotta destroy the scrips before someone notices!

I'm actually going to pause the quest right now so I can get some food and finish something I've been putting off. In the mean time, please, chat, plan, critique, comment, speculate, request, and so on. I'm feeling rather non interactive with you all.

So really, I'm not sure what our plan is.

Waiting for a timer to go off doesn't sound smart, I don't like it. Fenix has too many cards that aren't on the table.

Also I think he knows us from the lab or something.

So we should be trying to track him down, or analyzing the ring.

How many people are here that want me to continue?

I'm a social QM and like chatting with my players, but it's feeling pretty barren in here since I've regularly only had one vote to decide an action.

>>27834892
Reporting in.

>>27834901
hello my one player

I assume you've been enjoying this.

>>27834937
I think there were more of us earlier.

It's interesting. I really don't have any idea what Fenix's game is, but that makes me want to keep going.

>>27834937
You have two players!

>>27833729
>Go get the rest. Can't let the mistake catch up with you.

Might as well do this. Here's another player btw

Alright, running to get the rest without even toking up

Writing

Also, I want to hear what you think the world is, so I know how to progress with with the exposition dumps

>>27835014
Relatively near future cyberpunk. Seems like institutionalized poverty/social strata divided among the levels of the city, corporation advertising everywhere, flawed neural implants, and so on.

From eve talking to us earlier, I think we have some combat enhancements. I may have missed the reason why the city's AI is personally checking in on us, though.

>>27835014
Low grade deus ex human revolution-tech level. It level of tech is close but not quite there as far as cybernetics are concerned (no full body remodel I'm guessing) . Otherwise classic Big Brother is watching scenario as far as the military assets is concern. Prostitutes can still do business as long as they're careful so they can't be watching that closely.

Lighting up now would be great, but you're on a timer against them noticing they misread the original script. Enough excitement to keep you distracted from the pain in your head. There's a rush, but also a need to do things properly, so you give your apartment a once over before leaving. You grab your usual carry, more hydrocodone, double check the address Eve sent you, check that Barry is still comatose in Afterlife, and that you're not forgetting anything. Then you head out again.

Rather than return to the station that you already ruined, you turn the other way. It takes a few winding corridors and two bridges, you almost got hit by a city boarder sliding down a power conduit for a billboard, but you come up on the hub station for your area. The local Independent News station is centered here due to a direct line to Epsilon's networking grid, same reason you're living this close to it with Barry, and their massive vid screens overlook the entire train hub.

There's a direct line to the Delta level hospital for your sector, and from here you can see the alert that the train will be arriving momentarily. You double check you have your ID and your wallet, and start heading over to get through the scanner, but the vid screens catch your attention.

DEFENSE BUDGET SPENT PRODUCING CHEMICAL WEAPONS

More propaganda. The Independent News stations would never survive financially if they didn't cater to apocalysts and doom sayers with far too much money to throw around. Though Beta level stations are typically more reserved in their accusations.

>Hustle to the train. It's a long wait for the next one.
>Watch the news segment. Could be interesting.
>Other.

>>27835219
>Hustle to the train. It's a long wait for the next one.

It's just classic doomsday news. Nothing to get worried about

>>27835219
>>Hustle to the train. It's a long wait for the next one.

>>27835219
I say watch for a second. Could be a kernel of truth.

You shake your head and continue on to the train you need to be on. You don't listen to propaganda, because that's all it is. Not that it would even matter to you, you're an asset to everyone with any kind of power. The scanner technician is a bit surprised you won't scan, but is competent enough at using the old ID scanners that you get through the line before the train departs.

Being in the central hub, on a main line, the train is much more crowded now. They're supposed to limit capacitance to the amount of seats available, but there's probably twice as many people already crammed on by the time you squeeze in. The stench of body odour hits you hard and fast. Judging by the time of day, the only people traveling should be people off of work and looking for entertainment outside the Net or for shopping in person. Those people usually take care of themselves.

Instead the air is a suffocating mixture of sweat, and everyone but you is distracting themselves with their Augment Menus. The news station is of course bombarding the area with ambient ads. Their headliner is streaming, there's another about transport congestion due to a swarm of city boarders, another about proposed changes to the draft, and of course an advertisement for the concert. The coverage for the Nagasaki concert is starting to get ridiculous. Bands are funded by their fans, and usually don't waste this much on advertisements when word of mouth on the net is free.

The doors on the train slide shut with you pushed up against them, and the car slowly stars accelerating. Eve had long since acknowledged that sometimes the trains had to overflow, and had made the calculations to safely control them at double weight. Which of course meant the trip would take a while, with no windows on the train.

>Check one of the headlines. Lies can still be interesting.
>Dig through the advertisements for something.
>Take a hydrocodone and chill.
>Other

>>27835491
>Take a hydrocodone and chill.

>>27835491
>Take a hydrocodone and chill.

>>27835491
>Check one of the headlines. Lies can still be interesting.

Might as well kill time. Not a lot to do on a train but sit quietly by yourself anyways

>>27835491
>>Dig through the advertisements for something.

>>27835491
>Check the headlines.

>>27835662
>>27835657
>>27835649
the vote is tied at the moment, but I need to know if you want a specific headline read, or just a general glance over

>>27835678

>>27835657
here, I'm curious about anything advertised for when that ring/key thingy is meant to activate 3 days from now

>>27835678
>Read up on the war.

>>27835678
>>27835649
>transport congestion due to a swarm of city boarders
Let's read that one.

>>27835678
I say look at the concert. Gotta be some reason it's getting all this press.

Other than that, draft change?

>>27835678
>>27835649
>>27835749

>Take a hydrocodone and chill.
Change my vote to this since we can't agree on which headline to read I guess.

>>27835678
If we look through the headlines I say just go with a general glance over and that way we might find something interesting within the not so interesting stuff.

Rather than suffer through the ride, you reach into your pocket and get another hydrocodone pill and rest your head against the side. Your muscles still ache from yesterday, but you've been up and moving for long enough that you've prevented any major stiffness. Now would be a good time for a jog, but looking out the window reminds you that all of EDEN is nothing steel and buildings.

When it was first constructed, there were the occasional recreation areas. Then the population kept growing and growing and the spare space was transformed into more living space. It became too much of a hassle to get real exercise just as neural implants gained popularity and virtual reality made up for it.

Doctors still talked about how sickness and disease have been growing out of control and life expectancy hasn't been this low since the pandemic. Direct result of the change in lifestyle. But there's more and more people and finite space. You can't expand EDEN, you learn as much when you're in the military. But people still think you can live out there in safety, pointing to the Isles as an example.

You almost miss your stop and barely come out of your daydream in time to jump off the train. The Delta level hospital is much larger than it's counterpart in Alpha. It's a complex spanning five different towers, all interconnected and covered. One entire tower is for emergency, another for contagious diseases, a third is for the terminally ill and the mortuary and incinerator, the final two being a mix of offices and procedure rooms for the various reasons people come to hospitals. Coming from your station, the pharmacy would be somewhere to your left.

But before you head off, you notice someone on your right. It's hard to recognize her from behind, but it's Twi.

>Get your prescription filled out.
>Chase down Twi. She has answers
>Go to an info kiosk to check the news. You missed a headline
>Other

>>27835913
>Get your prescription filled out.
Bitches ain't shit.

>>27835913
Twi!

We really do need to follow up on this Fenix guy.

>>27835913
>>Chase down Twi. She has answers

"Twi!" you shout as you jog over to her. She doesn't respond, so you shout again. She glances back for a moment, but doesn't seem to see you. "Oi, you have some explaining to do," you say as you grab her shoulder and pull her around. Again, you are struck by faint familiarity with her. Rather than a skimpy dress, she's in quite mundane clothes. Probably specifically chosen so that she wouldn't stand out, but she didn't change her hair at all.

It takes her a moment of looking at you to recognize you. Her eyes shoot open. "Warrick? Oh God, I did not want to run into you again," she says as he looks aside and squirms out of your grasp.

"Yeah, I'm not exactly surprised by that. Regardless, the fuck. You need to explain. Who is Fenix and why did he have you give me that ring?" you ask, folding your arms and staring down at her.

"You have to believe me, I don't know anything. I was randomly contacted by him, told what to do, he sent me the ring, and paid me this morning. The one thousand from you was a bonus," she explains. She won't meet your gaze and is twisting her foot back and forth.

"So you're saying the reason you were a bad prostitute is because you aren't one." Her face flushes and she glares at you, properly meeting your gaze for the first time.

"Shush. Shut up. No I'm not a prostitute," she mumbles as she pulls a bit closer to you to talk quieter. She's glancing around at the people walking past.

>Ask her something. Write in.
>Let her go. She was just a tool.
>Other

>>27836201
>Ask her something. Write in.
>"Yeah, no shit. Didn't need to tell me that."

>>27836201
But you were actually going to sleep with me, just to deliver a ring?

>>27836201

>Ask her something. Write in.
You really can't tell me anything? At least give me a date when he contacted you and how.he did it. Even a return address for the ring would be great.

"You don't say," you respond. "How much did he pay you?"

"Actually, he didn't pay me in money. He made me a vid mod for my avatar. A really nice one actually," she answers as he twirls a lock of hair around her finger.

"You were going to sleep with me, at the bequest of some stranger, for a vid mod?"

"Well, no. Not exactly," she says slowly. "He didn't just give me the ring. I really don't want to talk about it though, you'll get mad. And I need to get going."

"Wait, at least tell me when he contacted you," you ask as she starts trying to walk away.

"Right before you did actually. I was talking with him while you were trying to schedule me for the night. So, like two days ago or whatever it was." You had gotten her number by networking with the usuals in Afterlife, but you don't quite remember who. It had been a bit of a pain in the ass to find her actually. You wanted to call up one of your usual girls, but all of them had switched to selling themselves on the Net. More customers, less risk, and it wasn't illegal. You certainly hadn't wanted a new girl no one seemed to really know.

She's probably going to bolt soon.

>Ask something else. Write in.
>Other

>>27836518
>>Ask something else. Write in.
"What else did he give you? Because right now this is all getting rather crazy and I'm pretty tempted to report you to the cops"

>>27836518
Just get back to filling the scrip before someone notices.

>>27836518
How'd he get the ring to you? Did he contact you in person or on the net?

You guys are hard to QM for if you don't try to come to a consensus

>>27836699
i'd say ask >>27836608 & >>27836621 and then leave >>27836612

You grab her and pull her back before she can leave. "People are going to assume things if you keep doing this you know," she mumbles as she tries to pull back away.

"Yeah well, don't care. Tell me what else he gave you and I'll let you know, alright? I'm just about ready to report you to the police. I'm still a soldier you know, it's duty to do so."

"Um, well. When I picked up the ring, , do you remember that bracelet I was wearing? This one? He also gave me that and told me it would activate to take you out of commission so I could slip away, and that I could just leave if it didn't work. If it makes you feel any better, you can actually just have it because he said it wouldn't work on anyone but you," she explains as she picks up her arm and slips the bracelet off to offer you.

"So a random guy contacted and paid you to basically dress like a slut and get me to take my pants off so you could knock me out and leave the ring a thousand credits richer. And it was a dead drop I take it?" you ask as you take the ring from her.

"Yes, now good bye. I never want to be seen with you again, okay?" she says before skipping back from you and running off.

"God damn it," you grumble as you pocket the bracelet for future analysis. Thankfully, there's no line at the pharmacist, and they do indeed have the rest of your prescription ready for you. The woman makes a remark about the size, but doesn't actually stop you.

With four kilos of medical marijuana, a plan of who to interrogate, and a bracelet to study, you stroll on back to the train station to return to your apartment.

Due to building fatigue, I'm going to end the quest here for tonight because I'm certain my writing quality has deteriorated since the beginning.

So I'll be here to answer questions

Most importantly, next thread will probably be this tuesday.

>>27836939
>Most importantly, next thread will probably be this tuesday.

looking good so far, looking forward to more

Shame more people aren't in here. I kinda figured that I didn't have terribly much competition in this genre

>>27837203
I really don't know of any good cyberpunk stories going on right now, so I'm confused too. I guess it's just a bad night?

>>27837245
Same deal on thursday night as well though. But if the random people in IRC are anything to go by, I'm apparently doing a good job at what I'm doing, so it should pick up steam?

>>27837203
I've been reading but not contributing. I hate most quests but this one interests me. Keep it up.

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>>27837288
you could have sped up so many ties

>>27837203
I arrived late. Reading, though. Like the quest.

>>27837272
Great Quest, unfortunately i'm from Europe and could participate yesterday cause i was out.
Will you start around the same time on Tuesday (or later?)

>>27837272
Another Yuropean signing in. I contributed a bit at the start, but had to call it quits since I was too damn sleepy. Won't probably be able to contribute much on Tuesday either due to time differences.

The way you're slowly introducing the setting and EDEN to us through your writing is awesome, though, so I hope you'll get more participants next time. Your quest's execution of "show, don't tell" is marvellous.

>>27840372
It will be a little at 12:30 EST and run for a while, I have to plan around my work

Great to hear my readers like this