-(Fenicia)-

Vice city ship Gladius

I recovered my weapon harness and my pistol from the locker room with practiced monotony. It was the last time I was seeing this place, so much of my pain and doubts were expressed here. It’s where I was shown a world where brute force does not always work. That to achieve victory you have to deceive, cheat, crush your enemies; destroy the basis of their power, their subordinates, resources and everything they hold dear. Akito made me read books on the art of war as seen by the humans, to be frank, this race is without honor. But the way they wage war and treat their enemies even in peace makes me think of what they have now compared to my own people. The humans are spread out, everywhere and they are smart –well most of them are- and technologically more advanced than the Saryan who depend on their goods and services. My race is all about honor, and it seems that honor cannot feed the needy. It is hard to swallow, but I am flexible enough to realize that I have to expand my mind and keep it open. I like the culture of my people but it seems that they are living in a dream. I woke up from it and decided that I should explore the half of me that I don’t know about. Those instincts that I forced down most of my childhood I decided to listen to them when I was exiled; my abilities to process information and think outside the box, and circumvent problems instead of facing them likes a Saryan do it. I remember being beaten by my father because of that.

I giggled, those were fun times. NOT.

I strapped the harness to myself, checked my pistol for tempering. On the HUD the locking mechanism of the pistol is alright, the ammo is full, the targeting computer is in its optimal state. The weapon went into my thigh sheath. I took the duffel bag in the locker containing my belongings.

I vocalized a command to my A.I. nanny.

“SONG. Contact Fa on her com tablet, Text only.”

Without a word I sat on the bench near the locker and took out my com tablet from the bag; the lit screen flickered and went to the communication tab. I thought the message that needs to be sent, it’s amazing how I became used to neural-interface when I was used to manual systems since I was exiled.

Feni01: Za’ar*, I’m done with training

Ten seconds later Fa answered me.

AmazingEngineer: GREAT. One day though you’ll have to tell me what Za’ar means.

Feni01: One day.

I took my Star Gazer from my duffel bag and put them on. They are something akin to goggles with an embedded HUD system, the same that you get in the helmet of the Centurion armor. These goggles synchronize with most computer systems and com tablets. Placing my duffel bag around my neck I proceeded to leave the locker room, crossed the hall of the training center and was out of this place. As usual, the urban landscape of Gladius is pristine, inside the gigantic city ship an arcology of towering white chromed buildings and city blocks could be seen with the occasional nature surrounding it. There were parks, trees and there is even a district with an artificial sea. Flying transports and drones could be seen in the false sky. Everyone looked busy and in a hurry.

A lot of information appeared in the text chat with Fa, a map of the place I am at.

Song interrupted my musing.

Feni, you have received a notification.

“Show me.”

January 05. 01. 2457 (457 AC)

Dear Fenicia,

It is with great pleasure that I inform you of the activation of your Centurion rank first-class status. Previously, it was inactive because you didn’t receive the training or received the compressed knowledge of the Vice Corporation law book. Now, you are judged to be apt to command and build your own Core Team with those exceptionally gifted individuals that have been chosen for you (attached documents) with a recommendation.

You are inheriting a great team, and I'm sure that your ability to lead by example in motivating others will make them even more effective and productive. I expect we’ll be hearing about some stellar results about your future operations.

Congratulations and good luck in your new position – onward and upward!

Sincerely,

Helena Theresa Vice.

Listing:

- Ell Evan. Centurion 3rd class, Infiltration, Recon, Intelligence.

- Kalan Suimei. Centurion 3rd class, Pilot, Astrogator, Intelligence.

- Kisora Suimei. Centurion 3rd class, Pilot, Special Situation Agent.

- Michael T. Scott. Psionic Assault specialist, Marksman.

- Vincent Macleod. Centurion 4th class, Science Officer.

- Sharah Phis. Centurion 1st class, Second in Command of the Kranicar squad.

- Charles Elba. Centurion 2nd class, Weapon Master, Assault Specialist.

- Tyler Jones. Centurion 4th class, Psionic Assault Specialist.

- Janice Simarin. Centurion 4th class, Psionic Assault Specialist.

- Rhaj Sing. Centurion 3rd class, Tech specialist.

- Amahle Sun. Centurion 4th class, Psionic Combat Vanguard.

- Ann Zell. Centurion 4th class, Field Combat Medic Psionic Healing.

- Bryn Erikson. Centurion 2nd class Security and field defense specialist.

Rage exploded in me when I read the following name after Vincent Macleod; to say that I can’t tolerate Sharah Phis would be an understatement.

Feni calm down! You are throwing EMP everywhere!

Huh? The avatar of SONG came in my field of view, long white hair, a beautiful face with two sapphire-like eyes and an athletic form. She looked like she was pleading or begging me…

I looked around me to see the arcs of electricity flying wildly, striking at… everything. Ok. First, Fenicia calms down. Breathe, think about something that makes you happy. Suddenly, Fa entered my thoughts and I remembered the sound of her voice, the feeling of her skin on mine, her kisses… The electricity stopped surging from my body.

Better, Feni remember that you should keep your calm?

“Read the fucking Notification.”

She did and raged too.

How can she?! That Helena woman is always messing with us!

It’s strange how SONG and I got attached to each other, at the start I disliked her for just being what she is. But when my mom proposed to unshackle her-basically free her from her programming- and make her my very own AI assistant I changed view on her. Now she is my very own best friend. I wish I had her with me when I was without the Saint Patrick’s crew.

“My relationship with her daughter seems to put her in a tizzy.”

But, Fa and you are so cute togeth-

I looked at her, with my favorite dark look.

“I.AM.NOT.CUTE”

Frustrated, I walked aimlessly thinking about that list I just received. This was just the core team that I was stuck with by the Tyrant; the woman has been hindering me or forcing me to choose something I wouldn’t normally. And I have no doubt that half of that team is in her pocket. I have been exploring the memories Idunn erased from my mind when I woke up six months ago in her lab, at first it was difficult to explore the memory cube and unlink myself from the pain and despair I felt at this time of my life when I was tortured. And it was difficult to make the memories into information, like being detached from it. But there are things that still stayed with me from that time. I have a more difficult time to let things go… my instinct and upbringing push me to obtain revenge. Helena will pay her disrespect, but thinking about Fa I won’t do anything too… permanent to her. The Traffic of flying vehicles in the sky became even more cluttered and I realized that it was already midday. There were suddenly more people on the street, going to have lunch, flooding eateries and do things that corporate wage slaves do. Thinking that I should get home and ponder about the notifications and my problem with my girlfriend’s mom I called on an automated transport vehicle. It took one minute for the sleek silvery transport to arrive, I climbed inside and it took off. In minutes I was out of the military district of the City Ship, synthetic music blasted out of the speakers behind me. On my Stargazer goggles, I could see a map of the city, different holo-sign and panels showed me trending and interesting spots of the city.

Hey, let’s go fight! Fight and drink!

SONG pointed her finger toward a place, ok more to a blue holographic panel signaling that the ‘Pharaoh’ was this way. I sighed, it was a nice place. There you could drink, dance, sing, fight, have sex with male and female into the sex industry. Some kind of layered pleasure palace combined with a gladiatorial coliseum. The hologram showed the picture of a naked woman, a glass with a little cocktail umbrella in it and finally a two crossed swords. It suddenly changed into an arrow showing the way; it must be because of the neural interface because I am thinking about it. The pharaoh is also one of the favorite places of Fa and SONG.

The hopeful gaze of my Virtual Assistant made me cave and I selected with a thought to go to the famous establishment. Well, I need a good blue sun cocktail anyway.

***

Vice city ship Gladius, The pharaoh 30 minutes later

It is always nice to come here it reminded me of home, the fighting pit under an emerald statue of a woman in a subjective pose, people cheering for their fighter. The big Egyptian like palace was behind the emerald beauty, hieroglyph markings shining on each side of the arch forming the door. Glowing hologram showed the symbol of Horus as a gigantic sign and landmark. I entered through the arch and lot of holo-ads assaulted me, drinks, women, men were shown promising to cater to my ‘needs’. With a thought, I banished them and went to my favorite floor ‘the bar and dance’ level. Blue-purple light assaulted my eyes, dominating everything around me. I could see some free and rich party-pack people entering along with me; the females were dressed to kill. I wasn’t wearing any dress or fancy shoes like those human females seemed to favor, but having a bodysuit on, showing off my body made coming here a bit embarrassing. But I won’t let it bother me, I was tougher than that. In the center of the receiving areas pillars with the favorite dancers and escort towered. It reminded me of the Hall of champions back on Saryna. Proof that the more things change the more they stay the same. Because of the advanced tech in the palace SONG could take advantage of the holo-projector strewn in the entire palace, everyone could see SONG’s avatar and… let’s say she got games with most of the males and females A.I. even some humans. I don’t know how it works for the synthetic people, Idunn and Fa tried to explain it to me and that it was the way an avatar was constructed that attracted other A.I. the code and the architecture had to be elegant and efficient. And by the way, all of SONG’s admirers looked at her she was blazing HOT like a supernova. With a Kranicar patented glare, she prevented anyone to accost her and we were left in peace. I directly took the elevator to the second floor where the bar is. Surprise it’s full, Synth music played in the air, some played billiards others were discussing with drinks in hand in private boxes, scantily clad Thelian females waitresses served the drinks and smiled to the creep who wanted to bag an alien tiger girl.

“Humans are perverts,” I mumbled.

“I agree with you.” Said SONG, who manifested at my side.

“Let’s go speak with Sigmund.” I decided.

The ex-centurion was always available to debate about weapons and tactics, and he was incidentally the barman in service.

“Oh, trying to get free drinks?” SONG said sweetly.

I glared at her and didn’t even bother to comment, but I know I always would get a free drink with him serving him and listening to my whining. Things I don’t always do with my normal friends. It must be because this male is not a direct acquaintance. A human male tried to accost me while I was on the way to the bar counter. I ignored the guy, not bothering to greet him or offer him any acknowledgment.

“Piss off human.” I heard SONG say behind my back.

It took everything to not smile at this moment, I continued to walk. A droid came to me and offered to take my Duffel bag from me. Awesome service, here no wonder they are in business since the city was built. Entrusting my bag to the robot I took a bar stool and sat in it and positioned my arms on the wood like bar counter.

“Ah Fenicia, it’s so good to see you.” A smooth baritone and a nice smile welcomed me.

“Greetings Sig, it’s packed today for a Thursday.”

The male looked in his thirties, but it meant nothing for someone who had nanites augmentation that could live till eight hundred years old. He had short black hair in a buzz cut, piercing raptorial grey eyes and a chiseled face harder than granite. He wore a really tight white shirt and painted on pants that really showed off his muscular body. From Fa and SONG’s assessments, he is a worthy male to bed. I wouldn’t know, men don’t interest me this way.

“Yup, it’s actually normal. You should see how it is at night, it’s actually worse. So what brought you here?” He looked at me and I felt him access my Public profile.

“Oh, finally you are on the active list. Congratulations Fenicia.” He nodded at me, his lips forming the bare shadow of a smile.

I must have shown my displeasure because Sig’s smile erased itself. He stayed silent in the bar back, preparing a drink I think. When he placed a blue sun before me and really smiled this time.

“On the house.”

And I passed the next ten minutes nursing my blue sun, feeling the buzz of the alcohol and chemical reaction of the mix of the ingredients in my Saryan constitution. It always makes me think fast.

“So what has gotten you all sad and brooding? I mean more than usual.” The barman asked jokingly.

Looking at him, I said.

“I received the list of the people who will serve under me.”

“Oh, you got your starter pack?” Sigmund said after ruefully chuckling.

Giving him my most baleful glare I said: “Uh, excuse me?”

“That’s what happens when you get promoted to 1st class, Fenicia. They give you a team of 3rd of 4th class centurions and expect you to be great at herding cats.” He said and a Thelian waitress that was passing shot him an ugly look.

“Sorry, Dunna.” He said to her and she Hmphed at him, turned and left.

SONG laughed at him and teleported to a gathering of A.I. sometimes she acted more like a teenager than my handler. But, she was still having an eye on me because she gave me a fast search result about a game of card called Magic The Gathering and how often the starter decks were shitty. I finally understood the analogy of Sigmund.

“Yes, Sig that’s exactly it. I have been handed a great deck in theory, but most of the people in the starter pack hate my guts because I put them in the med bay.” I whined.

I felt pathetic to unload myself on the ex-centurion like this, where is that mighty Saryan warrior at? My stay with all those puny humans seems to have weakened me, or is it the Saryan indoctrination speaking?

“Fenicia, would you mind showing me your listing?” Sig asked.

Why the hell not? It wasn’t as if it was fucking confidential. With a thought I showed the notification to him, it appeared in a holo-window between us. The look on his face became more and darker and he put a fist on the bar counter and cursed out loud.

“Girl, are you in some kind of trouble?” He asked me when he calmed down.

“What do you mean?” I tilted my head, not liking why he was asking.

“Don’t you see it? They bloody saddled you with someone who could countermand you at every level, they never do that normally! They put another 1st class with you, girl I don’t think you know what’s going around you.” He looked at me as if I was a child. “Fenicia, you are the commander of this unit on paper only.”

Oh.

“What’s happening?” I heard the voice of SONG. “Her heart rate spiked suddenly, did you say something bad to her?”

Calm down, calm down. Exploding here won’t resolve anything, I downed my Blue Sun but the glass shattered when I finished with it.

“I will pay for the glass.”

I shot from my bar stool and decided I needed to unleash some aggression somehow.

“I’m going to participate in a fight.”

“Fenicia, I don’t think it’s a good idea you might kill someone in your state.”

“Listen to your A.I. girl I don’t want you to fight like…” Sigmund tried to say in disapproval.

“I don’t care about what you want, human.” I turned on my heels and left.

The droid came back giving me the duffel bag that I took without looking at it. Ten credits were deducted from my bank account to tip the valet droid.

“Feni calm down.” SONG’s avatar blocked my advance.

“Shut up SONG,” I said coldly.

“Yes, ma’am.” She said making herself less of a target by side stepping and followed me like a chastised little cub.

Taking the elevator out of the bar floor I went to the first one where you go see the bookies and fight coordinators. My boots resonated on the white marble on the floor, until the music blasted out of the strategically placed speakers. The blue and purple light of the lighting theme shined on the status of those old and weird gods. I could see barely clothed Thelian tiger girls serving men and women by either giving them drinks or appetizers, while they sat on couches or let themselves being groped shamelessly. They wore a different costume from the waitresses of the second floor. A kind of blue colored costume with silver armbands around their biceps, it was hard to estimate the color of it with the light being like it is.

I didn’t pay attention to the people around me. I shoved some slow humans out of my way. The Blue Sun was still in my blood, like electricity circulating through cables, singing its litany of power.

“Hey watch it giant chick!” Said a guy in a black Armani costume that was too tight on him and emphasized how skinny he is. I backhanded him out of the way without ceremony. He fell on his ass and took time to get up.

“Fucking E.T…” I heard him mumble.

I let the insult slide, not wanting to spill blood without justification. But it seems SONG recorded his public profile for later. He will pay.

Going straight to a counter with the hologram of a female dark haired A.I. in a strapless black dress I said without preamble.

“I want to enter a cage fight, five rounds with multiple foes. At least five, minimum three.”

“Did you hear what she said?!”

“Damn, she’s crazy.”

I heard whispers around me, those were nosy humans butting in my business as usual.

The soulful eyes of the synthetic woman bored into me.

“Your status indicates that you are a 1st class Centurion, for the fairness of the competition do you accept of wearing a psionic inhibitor and to let your companion A.I. limit the strength of your augments package to that of a normal individual of your race?”

The question was legitimate, Centurions were considered weapons of war in the Vice Corp Constitution.

“I’m ok with it.” I shrugged.

“The Amazon is going to die!” A female voice alto voice screamed.

“Dunno, she’s too confident I bet she can put up a good fight.” Another female added.

People around me actively discussed my odds, I didn’t care. All I wanted was cracking some heads, bones and maiming people. With regenerative therapy, crippling someone isn’t a long term problem for anyone, it was the reeducation that was a bitch

“Wonderful!” The synthetic woman squealed. “It promises to be an awesome show, at which level should I register the difficulty.”

I added as much steel into my voice that I could muster.

“Mortal Kombat.”

Silence engulfed the entire floor.