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“YOU’RE MAKING US LATE!” SHOUTED Linn from the living room couch. “Come on. We’re going to miss the drafting phase.”
“Alright alright,” said Sue. “Let me just make a coffee, then we’ll go.” She grabbed her homehub tablet from the bathroom counter and turned on her autopress. The aroma of brewing coffee began to waft about her apodment. She finished applying her mascara and then walked out into the living room.
“Stunning,” said Linn.
Sue had spun her snow-white hair up into a bun. Her alabaster skin was marked with bruises of various sizes and colors, but they were all hidden under her knee-length dress and its three-quarter sleeves. She liked her bruises, but they caused people to ask questions. She didn’t like questions. The deep red of the shimmering outfit matched her eyes. She liked that too.
“For such a tiny body you’ve got some killer calves,” said Linn.
“Hell yeah I do.” Sue pulled on her evening gloves. Bruises she liked, but scars she preferred to do without. No one needed to see the radiation burns that had marred her hands.
Linn returned her gaze to the hub screen which displayed the pre-show to the Wargames Championship.
“Tonight, we have the final match between Omega Nation and The Dominion,” said the on-screen personality. “This all-out warfare simulation is sure to be the most exciting we have seen this year as the top space fleet takes on the number one ground defense. Will the Omega fleet be able to break through The Dominion’s impenetrable fortifications? Or, as the old saying goes, does defense win championships? It all comes down to tonight’s battle!”
“This is going to be intense,” said Linn.
“I thought we were going to watch it in the arena,” said Sue. “Not in tents.” Her lips stretched into a wry smile as she awaited her friend’s response.
Linn looked confused for a second, then glared at Sue and stuck out her tongue.
Sue giggled and skipped over to the kitchen where she grabbed her freshly brewed coffee from the autopress. “Come on, dork. Let’s head on over to your nerdfest.”
“Finally.” Linn grabbed her things and followed her friend out the door.
Outside of Sue’s apodment a transport waited with its doors open. “A driver?” asked Linn. “Sue, you’ve gone all out for me.”
“We’ve got to arrive in style. You’re not helping us out wearing that oversized Omega Nation jersey, so I’ve got to pick up the slack.”
“Jerk.”
Laughing, they both stepped into the transport.
The shuttle took flight as soon as they were seated. Having a driver meant they could avoid the AI transport traffic and travel freestyle. The driver took them above the bay, higher than the hovering apodments— the traffic lanes— all of it, and then dropped low between the city’s skyscrapers. They zoomed. They zipped. Then the transport cruised at pedestrian level through downtown until they reached the arena.
Sue and Linn stepped out into the tailgate party of the year. A small city had popped up overnight around the arena providing everything from Wargames merchandise to alien alcohols.
“We could have had more time to pregame if you hadn’t taken so long,” said Linn.
“Yeah,” said Sue. “I guess we’ll just have to postgame hard.”
The party continued inside the lobby of the arena where a convention of memorabilia booths, discussion panels, and endless advertisements vied for the people’s attention. Few attendees were dressed as elegantly as Sue. The crowd was a mixed bunch as the digital sport appealed to those from all walks of life. Most were in Wargames t-shirts or hoodies while others were dressed in costume as their favorite Wargames heroes.
The masses were starting to file into their seats as the event was about to begin. Sue and Linn had to walk partway around the perimeter of the arena to find their section, and before they sat down Linn made sure to grab a popcorn and soda.
The seats wrapped in a circle around the center stage where a holographic video was being projected in the space above. Sue and Linn got to their seats just as the pregame introductions were being wrapped up.
The room went dark, causing the audience to erupt with cheer and applause. A live feed of The Dominion’s world faded into view, the detailed hologram showcasing a defensive field of expulsion satellites that was being protected by a blockade of battlecruisers.
The arena shook with the thunderous excitement of the crowd as the image panned over to Omega Nation’s approaching fleet where enormous frigates and a dozen different styles of battleships were falling into formation. The digital war was about to go down.
“Go Omega Nation!” shouted Linn. “Wooo!” She stuffed her face with a handful of popcorn and gave Sue a big grin.
Beep Beep Beedee Beep Beep
Sue’s ocular implant notified her of an incoming message. The Ocu was a common multimedia device installed in eyes all across planet Erde, but hers was capable of more militaristic uses than were legal to install.
‘Boss Lady Calling...’ streamed across her vision like a scrolling marquee.
“Dammit,” said Sue.
“What?” asked Linn, feigning interest. Wargames was about to begin. She didn’t dare take her eyes off the show.
“Work is calling.” Sue placed the forefinger and middle finger of her right hand over her right ear, a gesture that was unnecessary for her device, but served as a queue to others that she was busy on a call.
Displayed in her vision was a transparent visual of Leslie Folami. The stately woman was sitting at a table and drinking tea next to a window that overlooked a peaceful river setting. Folami was important to Sue. When Sue was a child the Senator had rescued her from the shackles of an alien corporation which had enslaved the young girl’s home planet. Folami raised Sue in secret and helped her enact vengeance upon the Burmin menace, bringing freedom to planet Nye and saving the life of Sue’s brother, Davi.
At the time, Folami was the Presider of an underground effort to unite all human worlds under the banner of the Cooperation. Sue helped her achieve this goal and now Folami retained her title of Presider, also having become the Archon of planet Erde and the lone human representative in the Intergalactic Senate.
Calling the woman important was a bit of an understatement.
“Hello, Susan,” said Presider Folami. “I need to speak with you. Bring your equipment to the cottage. This is an immediate departure scenario.”
“Can it wait a few hours? The Wargames Championship is starting. I’m out with a friend.”
“Those digital simulations will be around when you return. Your presence is needed. Come now. Be ready.”
The visual disappeared as Folami closed the call.
Linn was looking over at Sue like a disappointment stick had smacked her across the face. “Always at the worst times.”
“No kidding,” said Sue.
The games had begun. Attack ships had moved into position. Suppression fire strobed throughout the arena. The war was on.
“Here,” said Sue. “Take my card and use it to buy whatever you want tonight. Go all out.”
“I don’t want your money. I’m happy you got us these tickets and everything, but I wanted to share it with you. I was hoping you’d get excited about it with me.”
“I know,” said Sue.” I’ll call Meg and have her come take my place. You know she’s just watching this at home by herself.”
“Meg sucks.” Linn took the card from Sue’s hand. “Some booze will help, though. Don’t worry, I’ll still enjoy the match. I’ve been waiting all season for this.” She reached over and hugged her friend. “How long this time?”
“I don’t know where they’re sending me. Could be weeks. Could be months.”
“It’s like you’re off to university again after the summer is over.”
“But I always come back.”
“You always do.”