Eden

[Yes, Carrots]

What is the version of my Neural Interface Link?

[This information is not currently available.]

Is the Link compatible with the chip that was just inserted into my hand?

[No.]

This was going to be a very interesting First Time User Experience.

Beatrice uses her PID, or Personal Information Device, to transfer my Dims from the external chip to my internal one. She tosses on another 112 from the sale of the Dire Wolf meat so we head to the local outfitter to get me some clothing.

As it turns out, this whole time I was wearing a leotard with shoulder pads and thigh high boots. Classy.

I have to get myself out of these clothes, so we head to the local outfitters. The whole time I'm expecting someone to look at me funny or point, but even Beatrice was unphased until now. Then I realize why as we walk into the clothing shop.

Behind the counter is a person wearing a purple full body leotard that covers their head and face. Over that, they are wearing yellow shoulder pads that jut out like wings, and a chest-plate made of metal painted neon green.

Surprised by the cashier, I notice the clothing in the shop is actually very regular. Clothing on racks are scattered throughtout the store along with shelves and tables. For a spacefaring race this was pretty low tech. I half expected rotary racks or some digital screens to show selections instead of tall mirrors and dressing rooms. Picking out some jeans and a few shirts I pay at the counter where the cashiers outfit is completed by a massive box for legs. I don’t ask any questions, just pay and leave.

After changing out of my costume from an old time vid, Beatrice takes me to Town Hall and I face another tall machine. This time the process is much faster since I already have a chip implanted, so I register and get my plot of land assigned.

As we head out I asked Beatrice, “So since the Frontier shop didn’t teach me how to skin a rabbit, how am I supposed to pick up the skill?”

“I’ll teach you when we get back to my cabin.”

“Your cabin? I thought you said you didn’t take long term guests.”

“Yea, well you have no where else to go and I have a comfy sofa for you to sleep on.”

“Thanks, Trish”

“Trish?”

“Oh sorry, it just slipped. It’s just so close to Beatrice... sorry.”

“It’s alright Carrots. I don’t mind you calling me Trish.”

Blushing I say, “I don’t have to, I mean I’m pretty sure you have other nicknames you’d prefer.”

“Nope. It’s been a long time since I was called anything but Beatrice. It’s nice to feel young again.”

“Alright.”

Beatrice smiles and for the first time I notice the age on her face. She is what some might call a hearty woman, so her age was a bit of a mystery. Then again, NPC age is usually hard to determine.

“Trish, where can I get a PID?”

“They only sell them in Telstra, so you’ll have to either make the hike out to the city, find a ride with someone flying shipments over, or find yourself a volchak to ride over.”

“What’s a bowl jack?”

“Vol chak, it’s like bowl and jack, but with v and ch. And they’re those panther lizards you saw the Hologians riding.”

“Oh wow, how do I get one of those.”

“You gotta tame 'em.”

“Do you have one?”

“Haha, no.”

“Uh, why not?”

“Volchaks are incredibly dangerous to find because of their breeding grounds being near some of the geyser springs. And they can bite a limb off quicker than they can smash you with those massive paws.”

“Sounds like a wonderful option. I can completely understand why you brought it up.”

“I brought it up, because it’s a valid option, if you’re crazy enough to try it.”

“Yea well, I like my limbs and uncrushed bones.”

“Then you’ll either have to hike it, or find a ride.”

“How often do the shipments go out.”

“Depends, right now it's not harvest season, so mostly it’s when people find something that’s of high value. That, or something incredibly rare that the rich folk back in town might enjoy.”

“Rich folk? Aren’t all of you frontier people actually out here, frontiering?”

“Nope, there is a few people that feel like the frontiering is beneath them. Mostly the second generation snot nosed kids that grew up pampered back in Telstra.”

“How many generations are on this planet so far?”

“Well, if you consider a generation being every 18 years, then I guess the third generation is already being born now?”

I do the math and recall that Beatrice mentioned she's first generation frontier, “Wait, you're in your 50s?”

Smack. “Never ask a woman her age.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” I reply in a small voice rubbing the back of my head.

“Either way, those jokers are all spoiled with imports from Rior.”

“Rye or?”

“Yea, that’s the name of the planet where the Anh’Qatar and Hologians live.”

“Oh, what’s the name of this planet then.”

“It’s called New Terra.”

“How original.”

“Yup. The best part is, this is New Terra 30 something, if you count all the Ark ships that left Terra originally. I guess there is a chance some of the other planets didn’t use the boiler plate to name everything. But officials aren’t known for their amazing originality since they're so busy spending all our energy reserves and funds on their Rioran toys...”

“I’m sensing some animosity here. Did they kick your dog or something?”

“Something like that.”

“Oh?”

“Let’s not talk about it. You need to start planning what you’re going to do with your plot of land.”

“Oh yea! It’s just up the road from you.”

“I saw.”

“How did you see it?”

“When you registered back in Town Hall, the info showed up on the screen.” She pulls out her PID and scans my chip to shows me the display.

Name: Carrots

Family Name: Field

Occupation: Citizen

Origin: Unknown

Skills: Undetermined

Residence: 47.62 -122.80

”What? That's not right!”

“What’s wrong?” Beatrice looks at me confused.

“I put in my skills and origin! Why didn’t it register that?”

“Oh, your skills aren’t decided by you. You have to prove your skills. As for your origin, that I don’t know. Probably has to do with the fact that it can’t interace with your NIK.”

“My what?”

“Your Neural Interface Link, we call it NIK for short.”

“What’s does yours say?”

“Here.” She scans her chip and hands me the PID.

Name: Beatrice

Family Name: Fernandez

Occupation: Hunter

Skills: Leather Worker, Farmer, Wood Cutter, Cook, Miner, Blacksmith, Long Range Weapons Specialist, Light Weapons Specialist, Merchant.

Residency: 47.63 -122.56

“Most impressive.” I say handing back her PID.

“Thanks, I’ve been on this planet for quite a while.”

“Can you teach me all those skills?”

“I guess, since you’ll be staying with me and hunting all those Dire Wolves, I could teach you some stuff.”

“Some stuff? You know all the survival skills!”

“Well, you need to know them if you want to live in the frontier of the frontier.”

“Wait, does that mean not everyone lives in a log cabin with minimal electricity surrounded by nothing but dense forest?”

“Careful or I’ll send you out to sleep with the wolves.”

“Oh please don’t ma’am.”

Smack.

We arrive at her cabin that evening just after sun down. Turns out that the frontier woman kept some technology with her other than the PID. In her pack there was a small orb the size of a golf ball that lights up as bright as a spotlight when you turn it up all the way. She tosses it in front of us and it hovers in the air like a fairy in some old fantasy game with reflective shields.

“What is that thing?”

“It’s an artifact. I found it during a hunt a while back.”

“What do you mean artifact?”

“It’s not Holo and Anhk tech. So I call it an artifact.”

“I’m guessing Holo and Anhk is short for the aliens?”

“Yup, their names are long and usually I don’t call them Hologians and Anh’Qatar in every day conversation.”

“I get it. How many artifacts have you found.”

“Just this one.”

“Has anyone else found artifacts like this?”

“I’m pretty sure they have. I don’t really know though, I talk to other people about my personal stuff and usually I don't ask about thiers.”

“Whoa, wait, why are you telling me then?”

“Ha, you remind me of someone I used to know.”

“Oh? Long lost boyfriend?”

“I could be your mother.”

“Yea, yea. But your so friendly with everyone back in town.”

“Being friendly is like breathing. You need oxygen to live, but too much pure oxygen and you end up light headed and make stupid mistakes.”

“I hear a story in that.”

“You need to get your hearing checked next time you’re in town kid.”

“Very funny.”

The gravel crunches below our feet as we walk along the side of the road.

“By the way, who paved these roads? And why is there wolves, rabbits, and deer on this planet?”

“The roads and animals were all courtesy of our Ark systems. When we landed, a few drones took off in 5 different directions and paved these roads leading back to Telstra. They dropped off pairs of some of the local fauna and flora from Terra as they went. It wasn’t incredibly precise, but it was enough to get animals into the wild and provide them with the food they were used to eating.”

“So if I follow this road it’ll take me all the way back to Telstra? Why not just carve a direct road instead of this winding road?”

“Preservation of the ecosystem. It was part of the original programming on all Arks. Minimize harm to the ecosystem of the host planet upon landing whilst facilitating trade and commerce from remote settlements.”

“Sounds very, methodical.”

“Kind of. It turned out to be more sporadic in practice than I’m sure they intended. But then again as they say, the best laid plans...”

“Yea.”

“Well kid, we’re here. Time to get you settled in. Long day ahead of your tomorrow. Gotta get your plot of land explored and cleared out so you can start building your own home and get out of mine.”

“I just got here and you’re already kicking me out.”

“Act like the man you are.”

“Gasp! I'm a man now?”

Smack.