diff --git a/src/chapters/04-b-monsterseverywhere.tex b/src/chapters/04-b-monsterseverywhere.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..13635dd --- /dev/null +++ b/src/chapters/04-b-monsterseverywhere.tex @@ -0,0 +1,67 @@ +There was shouting just a few feet from where I was on the beach. I'd gone +looking for Lucere in hopes of sharing a few more intoxicating kisses. Instead +I'd found shouting. + +Upon inspection, I found that my boss was causing a scene. Not that she wasn't +justified in being absolutely pissed. She was making a lot of good points. +Its not like I even got a choice in being here. It was either do this or get +merc'd by a corpo security team. + +I should have kept my own bodily autonomy, like Marv presumably had. Not +getting an implant directly in my brain would have been a much smarter idea. +But I supposed I was a bit too impulsive. It was too late to worry about in +any case. + +I heard a little chime in the back of my head. It was different: more like a +thought than an actual sound. It was the notification bell I'd enabled while +waiting for Vivian to collect herself. + +I opened the messaging application. + +\textbf{Manafed:} Can you deescalate that? You're closer and I can see that +Vivian already trusts you a lot more than me. + +I thought up a quick reply and sent if off. + +\textbf{Cantlin:} Viv is making some good points and I'm not sure I should +interrupt the angry boss woman. She's got a lot on her mind and y'all haven't +exactly been helpful to her it sounds like. + +A moment of silence before the notification 'sound' chimed again. + +\textbf{Manafed:} Alright, fair. I shouldn't be asking you to break up +arguments between officers anyway. They have rank over you. I don't expect +that'd be anything actionable here, but you may not be used to our culture yet. + +Yeah, Lucere could've said that again. This place, despite being on the +surface and anti-corporate safe-haven, was still a part of a corporate entity. +That alone gave me the fuel for every nightmare I could think of. + +How was I supposed to be a runner? How was I supposed to get Berdie's meds? +How was I, working for an extension of a corp, supposed to exist as me? This +was the antithesis of everything I stood for. + +Do I just get into contact with Anna the Pale Goddess and like, convince her to +say no to the corporate games? But how would she create new mages without +killing them? + +I'd heard of groups of runners that could afford such lavish facilities as +this, but what then? Wait until they got attacked by a corp? Maybe even +Eastern Hills? + +This was a complicated line of thought and the answers weren't always what +you'd expect. Nor what you could immediately think of, for that matter. + +\textbf{Cantlin:} Why don't you take care of it? I think I have to seek the +Pale Goddess and give her a piece of my mind. + +\textbf{Manafed:} You do you. You'll find it helpful to go to your mind, +though. Its unlikely that she'd appear here. + +\textbf{Cantlin:} What, the goddess a bit shy? + +\textbf{Manafed:} No, she's just incredibly tricksy and a bit of a pain in the +ass. + +Deities. Figured they'd be problematic with their own set of rules. +