"Piecing the emails together still?" Mason looked up from the Northside's coffee table. Yu had given her and Ray assignments before she started delving into the stasis capsule.

Ray nodded. "Almost done, the girl had no social life, and these emails seem purposefully vague. We're missing something."

Mason ran her fingers through her dark hair. "I found those references Yu asked for; maybe they will help."

Yu looked up from her position on the floor, a panel and several components lay next to her. "Spill it, Mase. I want to hear this too."

Mason nodded and walked over to the white-screen that Yu insisted they drag over from their place. She wrote 'Sahara Obrien, DRP, NPC, and Colonial'. "Let's start off easy since everyone here grew up with games NPC was simple: Non-Player Character."

********Note*********

A White-screen is similar to a whiteboard. However, it's completely electronic. You can draw on it with a stylus and use it to view files.

****************

Ray waited patiently; she'd spent hours reading the correspondence between Sera Mu and Sahara Obrien. "Please tell me you found something."

Mason smiled at her inked roommate. "Took a while, I found a conspiracy theory on one of the Colonial gaming sites. DRP stands for Deep Role Play; basically, it's an NPC who is secretly played by a real-life person."

Ray's expression brightened considerably. "Towards what end?"

"Why isn't important," Yu interrupted. "What's the source?"

"Just a Colonial player, she frequently posts several different theories. Her forum avatar says she's an Archer in a guild called Daybreakers." Mason grinned suddenly, "Her name is Ronnie, and her profile lists her hobbies as 'reading about sex, talking about sex, and having sex.'"

Ray wiggled her eyebrows at Yu. "She seems like a reliable source?"

Yu shrugged slightly, "maybe not, but definitely, someone we need to invite to this year's Christmas party. What else?"

"Sahara Obrien was easy to find; she is the Director of Personel, at the Colonial Virtual Reality Labs." Mason brought up the image from the website. "Super smart and, as you can see, not bad to look at."

Yu nodded in agreement. "Anything else?"

Mason shook her head slightly. "Nothing concrete, but the pieces are starting to fit."

Ray stood up and walked to the board. "Sera doesn't keep emails beyond six months, so this is where we start. Three months ago, she was notified that her work performance was under review. During this time, she was suspended with pay."

Mason took a seat on the floor next to Yu, her eyes straying to the picture she left on the White-screen. "The redhead sent her that email?"

Ray nodded. "Obrien reviewed "footage" of the event and after thirty days exonerated Sera."

Yu put her tools aside for a moment and cracked open a warm can of coke. "Do the emails say what the issue was?"

Ray shook her head. "No. I get the feeling that Sahara and the Virtual Labs were frustrated by Sera's refusal to handle this in person."

Yu took a long drink before passing it to Mason. "Could be anything, right? If DRP is real and the entire net has only a few vague references to it, then it's a closely guarded secret."

Mason grabbed the can, making a face when she felt how warm it was. "Maybe her NPC was killed? Or she acted out of character somehow."

Ray shrugged slightly. "Maybe. Imagine the discipline required? Anyways... Because of the inconvenience, she was given a choice from two new DRP assignments to choose from. There are two short Bios if anyone wants to see." When both of her roommates nodded, she put them on the white-screen.

[Bali Zenda] Ain Dhassi Ranger.

Location: Oasis, Inuit. [Undiscovered at this Time]

[Personality]

According to her trainers, Bali is the most talented ranger of her generation. Unfortunately, this massive talent is accompanied by authority issues, blatant disregard for rules, and an unerring ability to find trouble regularly. She is an expert with the bow and a handful of bladed weapons.

[Quirks]

Bali has little life experience and views the world with innocent eyes. She believes in heroes and keeps hand-drawn pictures of people that measure up.

[Additonal Information]

Bali currently resides in the undiscovered region of Oasis. It may be several months before any player interaction is involved. If you take this assignment, you will be expected to interact normally with the Ain'Dhassi NPCs.

Water Nymph [Unnamed]

Location: Colonial, Trifelez

[Personality]

This DRP is currently limited in her capacity to interact intelligently. She possesses substantial Crowd Control abilities. Water Nymph currently resides in a swampy region of Trifelez with four other lesser nymphs and frequently seeks out travelers who come into her area.

[Additonal Information]

While this isn't a named NPC, she is different from the other Nymphs and has definite growth potential. One day she will likely leave the comfort of her home. If you take this assignment, you may choose to leave if given the opportunity.

Ray stared at the screen for a moment before continuing. "There's also an attachment with each bio; you can read them on your own. It goes into a detailed description of personal habits, skills, and local geography."

Yu stood up slowly, her back cracking as she stretched her hands overhead. "Let's sum up. Sera was a DRP in Colonial. Something happened to her last assignment, but Obrien decided she wasn't at fault. She was supposed to choose between these two assignments."

Ray nodded. "She already chose, actually; her assignment was going to start in a few days." The tattoo artist erased one of the bios with a swipe of her hand. "Why have you been tinkering with that capsule?"

Yu studied the white-screen for a moment before writing a number on it. "I've been looking at financials. This is how much she makes in a month working for Colonial."

Mason stood up slowly, it wasn't a huge number, but it could pay their rent. "You already have a plan?"

Yu nodded. "With some adjustments, I can modify this Stasis capsule to accept three of us rotating in. Eight hours each would allow us to work normal hours and then come home to pull a shift in VR."

Ray pursed her lips slightly. "The theory is good, but you know how life is. Unexpected shit always happens."

"I know. That's why I'm going to stop looking for work. In the event one of you can't make your shift, I'll be ready to fill in." Yu glanced at Mason, who was still watching the board.

"We'd have to binge the next few days with everything regarding Colonial." The exotic dancer shrugged slightly. "I'm in, bitches."

Unexpectedly Ray put her hand up. "Sorry to be the voice of reason, but... This will pay our rent?"

Yu stepped over to the white-screen and brought up Sera's bank account. "We won't be taking any money from her, even if she is dead. However, we will receive an allotment after each pay period."

"If we're doing the work, then we should get our cut." Ray put her hand out, palm facing down. "We use the income to pay the rent on both flats; nothing extra comes out of her account."

Mason placed her hand on top of Ray's. "I'm in; we'll plan and figure out the details as we go."

Yu nodded and placed her hand in. "There are lots of opportunities in a VR world. Hopefully, the boat will sail long enough for us to find something."

Four days later, after returning from a night spent dancing for tips, Mason climbed into the stasis pod and waited while her roommates closed it. "I'm so fucking scared."

"Someone has to be first, guess you drew the short straw." Yu peeked in and lay a comforting hand on her arm. "I created a short loop for switching users. It will only work if you are in an isolated environment."

Mason nodded. "I know, don't worry. I can always delay the handoff."

********************

Current Day Colonial North of Cyphix, 2300 hours.

The Nether Rat stood on the edge of the wall, its yellow eyes studying the compound. Three main buildings looked like guild housings and a handful of large warehouses. "Looks like Trifecta is trying to sprout roots."

/Inferno: Nix: Twenty seconds, be ready.

/Inferno: Raine: Standing by!

The Rat collapsed lifelessly onto the wall; an instant later, it disappeared with a flash of black wings.

/Inferno: Rhylia: Got the puppet, Nix.

The quiet of night extended for several seconds before a breach opened in the center of the courtyard, an orange flaming bird flashed through, followed closely by dozens of galloping horses.

/Inferno: Nix: I'll start burning! Kill them when they come out.

/Dhassi Alliance: Raine: No mercy, no prisoners. Wipe everything out!