QUEST LINE

Expecting drool I lift my head and wipe at my cheeks. The sound of clacking and frustrated growls come from somewhere. I push myself off the ground and my foot slips slamming me face back onto the floor. A loud thunk sounds throughout the room.

“Quiet over there!”

“What are you talking about! I just woke up.”

Janelle scowls at me and goes back to typing away. Hand on my forehead, I walk to the bed and sit down. “What are you working on?”

“I ain’t gonna tell you again!”

“Fine.”

There is no use in trying to get her attention, so I head down to the lower level. Various knick knacks and parts lay around on the counters. In the far corner I notice there is weapons and even some armor still in tact.

From time to time a light flicker in the back room. Listening to make sure Janelle is still distracted, I head back there and see a much larger room filled with even more equipment. Stacked again the wall are a few boxes label, 'Leandra'. I make a note of them and recall the original quest that brought me here.

Past the boxes are some diagrams and sketches that look like a frisbee. I approach them and notice that it looks almost exactly like the disc in my bag. Glancing around, I see small domes on the ceiling. Those have to be cameras. Rubbing my chest I decide not to anger her anymore by snooping too much and turn to head out. To my left, the light that caught my attention at the beginning goes off again. As I get close, I see that it's a crystal with two people inside.

Stepping close to it, I see that it's a hologram of Janelle and an older man inside this very shop. He rubs her head and she's leans into it with a huge smile. The, he pulls out a shimmering sphere and hands it to her. Her eyes widen and she gasps with excitement. Throwing herself into a hug with the man and they both laugh and his eyes soften as he strokes her hair. The final image before it loops is him kissing her head.

Now I really rub my chest, but not just from remembering the pain of her shock attack. Quickly, I head out of the back room.

Clearing my mind I decide to get some more information while I'm here.

“Eden.” I say out loud.

“Yes Carrots.” She replies, her voice emitting from speakers in the back room and main room.

“Why couldn’t I talk to you when I first logged in?”

“My systems are not available outside of this building at the moment.”

“What?”

“My systems are not available outside of this building at the moment.”

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“What about the interface that I see when I pull up the menu?”

“That is the standard interface that all Avatars receive when entering the DomeNET.”

“Why didn’t I get that interface before?”

“You selected Immersive Mode.”

Distracted by her comment I stub my toe on a counter. It was my fault all along! I knew it.

“Eden, do you provide more information here than on New Terra?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because more information is available.”

I slowly shake my head and sigh.

Upstairs the clacking stop and Janelle asks, “Eden, is Carrots system compatible with the Terminals?”

“Yes.”

A loud crash and thump comes from upstairs. I run toward the stairs asking, “Are you ok?”

Janelle flies down the stairs and grabs my shoulders. “You have to unlock it!”

“I have to unlock what?”

“The Hajima Terminal! If you unlock it we can get Eden fully integrated with the VR again!”

“Wait, what?”

“Eden's an integral system. If you get her goin, then I can find the next Terminal!”

My eyes bulge in surprise and my lips curl like I've smelled something rotten. This woman is insane. In fact, he eyes are glazed over with excitement.

Punching my shoulder Janelle exclaims, “You’re our ticket home!”

I laugh nervously.

After some partial explanations, I get the gist of what Janelle wants me to do. More specifically, I get the mission she’s sending me on.

> Mission: Janelle’s Request

> Description: Janelle has asked that you help her unlock the Hajima City Access Terminal.

> By unlocking the Terminal, she believes you will be able to get Eden up and running properly.

> The Terminal is protected by Autonomous Defense Systems.

> Reward: Increase affinity with Janelle, gain access to Eden

> Penalty: Lose all affinity with Janelle, never get access to Eden again

“So, you think I can take on the ADS by myself?” I ask.

“Pff, No!” Janelle laughs. “You’re going to need a team to go with you. At least someone to keep the ADS entertained, someone to hack through the doors, maybe someone to help destroy the ADS and another person that can keep y'all from dyin'.”

“I can die?”

“Kinda.”

“Explain.”

“Avatars don’t die. You’ll just respawn. But if you die in the Red Zone there’s penalties.”

“I saw that. What type of penalties?”

“Don’t know, never died before.”

“Then how...”

“People talk. I listen sometimes.”

“So helpful.”

“Glad to be of service!” The fake cute smile with a side glance lasts just long enough for me to blink, then she’s back to her computer typing away.

“What are you working on?”

“This is the program, you’ll need when you get to the Terminal. It’ll do all the fun stuff.”

“Got it. Get to the Terminal, run this program.”

“Yup.”

“Right, so.”

“What?”

“I’m going to need some computer lessons.”

Her fingers pause and she looks up at me asking, “What do you mean.”

“I know how to use a computer, but I’m not a programmer, or anything like that. Do I just stick this program in somehow?”

Groaning she pushes away from the computer and stands up rolling her neck.

“Sit down.”

Another good lesson later, I understand how to use the computers and even get some practice in on hers. At the bottom of my interface I notice some orange text show up.

[Learned Engineer: Coding III]

I leveled something up! But, how did I do that without talking to a trainer?

“Janelle. Do you know anything about skills and abilities?”

“Some, why?” She says taking a seat back at her computer.

“Why am I able to level the up without a trainer teaching me?”

“Cause you’re an Avatar.”

“Oh that explains everything. Thanks I don’t need to ever ask another question again.”

Her palm slams into my chest and I feel a shock, then a push and I’m flying across the room. My legs clip the bed and I topple over it.

[Janelle hits you for 10 points of physical damage]

“Not a fan of sarcasm?” I ask from the floor.

She holds up her palm again and I flinch.