held back a laugh.
“Well, of course you can’t see ‘em, li’l miss. I see ‘em on my visor, through the Network.” the man replied.
“What’s the Network?”
“You serious, darlin’?”
The girl was silent.
“I can see that you’re new here. Didn’t you go through the training program?”
“Sorry, sir,” she replied. “I didn’t. Or if I did, I don’t remember.”
“Shucks. Well, I guess that’s common enough. I’m in a game of poker, but I don’t suppose a little demo could hurt my luck any more than ol’ Jimmy here. Worst dealer in the realm – your wife’s words, Jim, not mine. Oh, quit your yappin’, boys. She’s just a kid.”
“Wow, so it’s like a video phone?” Raine was blown away.
“Phone?”
“Er… yes.”
“Um. Here, have a look-see.”
To demonstrate, the old-timer rolled his eyes to a corner and blinked. He spoke to the machine across his eyes as if it were a person.
“Expand and share.”
A multi-layered holographic projection emanated from the device, taking the place of the black rectangle. Icons and menu screens interspersed with faces of the other players, a news channel playing on one corner of the screen, live feed from a dance party on the opposite corner, and the poker game on a lower window. She couldn’t hear their words, but the man showed her how he could expand and select different windows by looking at them and varying his blinking patterns, focal points, and eye movements. It was quite intimidating.
“That’s wild. Tell me more about this Network thing.”
“You certainly ask a lot of questions, young lady. It’s a series of tubes, an electric window through time and space, and we’re living in it. Jimmy reckons the Net created this place.”
Tubes? What? The enticing smell of delicious food from a large public kitchen distracted her.
“I don’t see how that would be possible. Where are we, exactly?”
“Come on, girl. Don’tcha know where you are? Avidya .”
Her scarf meowed in assent, as if to mock her lack of knowledge on the matter.
“Yes, I know that much, but… do you think you could you be more specific?”
“It is where it is. We’re here, we’re in it.”
“But… where is it? Are we on Earth?”
“Earth?” the old man shot back, quizzically. “Why does that name… no, no, I have the definite feeling that’s something I’m not supposed to know… please, let’s… not mention it. Nice weather lately, yes?”
Raine nearly exploded.
“Hold up! You can’t not know about the Earth! It’s big, it’s blue, and it’s where we all live - the third planet in our solar system. Six billion humans. Please tell me this is ringing a bell.”
The man shook his head.
“Sorry, miss, but I… I think I’m not supposed to rightly understand what you’re saying.”
“What does that even mean? D-don’t you know where Earth is? Aren’t you at least curious? I was just there, no more than an hour ago.”
“I don’t know. I don’t care. And I don’t really think it matters,” the elderly man replied coldly, beginning to get uncomfortable. He returned to his visor. “Sorry, miss. My turn to deal.”
Just as a virtual deck appeared in his hands, an explosion rang out from a nearby portal. Raine spun around in terror and gasped, the shock she was barely holding in finally coming out in full force.
It’s just a dream, Raine , she told herself. It’s a dream and you’re going to enjoy the heck out of it, because when you wake up, it’s back to the same old song and dance.
“Oh, never you mind those folk, trainin’ for some blasted war what’s mostly for their entertainment. Hmm? Oh, Ol’ Georgie says hello to the pretty girl. He wants ya to know the war economy keeps the banks and blacksmiths running. Says we can’t complain about a little noise once in a while. See, this here’s a Peace zone; no safer place is there. I say let ‘em play their games so long as I can play mine.”
There was a
“Well, of course you can’t see ‘em, li’l miss. I see ‘em on my visor, through the Network.” the man replied.
“What’s the Network?”
“You serious, darlin’?”
The girl was silent.
“I can see that you’re new here. Didn’t you go through the training program?”
“Sorry, sir,” she replied. “I didn’t. Or if I did, I don’t remember.”
“Shucks. Well, I guess that’s common enough. I’m in a game of poker, but I don’t suppose a little demo could hurt my luck any more than ol’ Jimmy here. Worst dealer in the realm – your wife’s words, Jim, not mine. Oh, quit your yappin’, boys. She’s just a kid.”
“Wow, so it’s like a video phone?” Raine was blown away.
“Phone?”
“Er… yes.”
“Um. Here, have a look-see.”
To demonstrate, the old-timer rolled his eyes to a corner and blinked. He spoke to the machine across his eyes as if it were a person.
“Expand and share.”
A multi-layered holographic projection emanated from the device, taking the place of the black rectangle. Icons and menu screens interspersed with faces of the other players, a news channel playing on one corner of the screen, live feed from a dance party on the opposite corner, and the poker game on a lower window. She couldn’t hear their words, but the man showed her how he could expand and select different windows by looking at them and varying his blinking patterns, focal points, and eye movements. It was quite intimidating.
“That’s wild. Tell me more about this Network thing.”
“You certainly ask a lot of questions, young lady. It’s a series of tubes, an electric window through time and space, and we’re living in it. Jimmy reckons the Net created this place.”
Tubes? What? The enticing smell of delicious food from a large public kitchen distracted her.
“I don’t see how that would be possible. Where are we, exactly?”
“Come on, girl. Don’tcha know where you are? Avidya .”
Her scarf meowed in assent, as if to mock her lack of knowledge on the matter.
“Yes, I know that much, but… do you think you could you be more specific?”
“It is where it is. We’re here, we’re in it.”
“But… where is it? Are we on Earth?”
“Earth?” the old man shot back, quizzically. “Why does that name… no, no, I have the definite feeling that’s something I’m not supposed to know… please, let’s… not mention it. Nice weather lately, yes?”
Raine nearly exploded.
“Hold up! You can’t not know about the Earth! It’s big, it’s blue, and it’s where we all live - the third planet in our solar system. Six billion humans. Please tell me this is ringing a bell.”
The man shook his head.
“Sorry, miss, but I… I think I’m not supposed to rightly understand what you’re saying.”
“What does that even mean? D-don’t you know where Earth is? Aren’t you at least curious? I was just there, no more than an hour ago.”
“I don’t know. I don’t care. And I don’t really think it matters,” the elderly man replied coldly, beginning to get uncomfortable. He returned to his visor. “Sorry, miss. My turn to deal.”
Just as a virtual deck appeared in his hands, an explosion rang out from a nearby portal. Raine spun around in terror and gasped, the shock she was barely holding in finally coming out in full force.
It’s just a dream, Raine , she told herself. It’s a dream and you’re going to enjoy the heck out of it, because when you wake up, it’s back to the same old song and dance.
“Oh, never you mind those folk, trainin’ for some blasted war what’s mostly for their entertainment. Hmm? Oh, Ol’ Georgie says hello to the pretty girl. He wants ya to know the war economy keeps the banks and blacksmiths running. Says we can’t complain about a little noise once in a while. See, this here’s a Peace zone; no safer place is there. I say let ‘em play their games so long as I can play mine.”
There was a
Similar Books
