Chapter 10 | Before

On the day of the Earth Reborn campaign, I uncovered a new layer of personality in each of my teammates. Eva's repetitive hand flicks meant she was constantly looking through her control panel, no doubt rechecking her stock of bio-salves and medical kits as if she feared they would suddenly disappear. Rishad kept hounding me about fixing every nook and cranny of our ship, the Mad Hatter. Apparently, having a talent in robotics meant I was the shipwright by default. Mwangi wouldn't stop pacing around the gangways in silent consternation and Alex kept to himself, sulking because his idea of transferring his invisibility technique to the ship got rejected by Mwangi, Eva and Rishad.

The Earth Reborn campaign is a global event for all the best thirty teams in the first tier (aka level seventy and above). While entry is voluntary, no team has failed to participate. The rewards for worldwide campaigns are plenty, ranging from amazing upgrades to rare techniques, powerful weapons to abundant loot. There is also a lot of geld to be won and sometimes, territories can be claimed. The other tiers have their own campaigns, different from ours. 

The first objective of our campaign is to race across the galaxy and reach Earth safe and sound. Only the first five out of the best thirty teams can proceed to the next objective. Scepter developers didn't bother giving any detailed instructions on the race other than the fact that hyperspeed is disabled so we all know what's going to happen. The players are going to turn it into a smash-and-burn-'em kind of a race.

Which is why Alex insisted on giving up his ability to the ship.

He wanted the Mad Hatter to stay undetected, moving in swiftly until we reach our destination. "We are the silent shadows, the invisible ghosts, the deadly slayers. We are the cunning Tricksters," he'd said. "If nobody can see and sense us, nobody will get in the way."

Mwangi was the first to object his suggestion. He wanted us to make a bold statement, to remind everyone that we were cunning, yes, but we were also to be feared. There would be no mercy to those who stand in our way. If we were to stay undetected, we would lose battle points and fail to eliminate competition along the way. There was also the issue of Alex losing his technique permanently. It was a rare ability and one that could tip the scales of a fight. Mwangi wanted him to keep it.

I didn't pick any side. Alex's idea was the easy way to victory but I wasn't sure if we could pull it off. The race wasn't going to be in an open world. We would follow the path dictated by the game and with every team fighting each other in such a confined space, somebody was bound to bump into our ship. Mwangi's idea didn't give me any assurance either. It would be the hard way out and our ship could sustain substantial damage. I suppose my vulnerability was my indecisiveness.

The ship's AI announces through the speakers that we have ten minutes to get ready before the campaign begins. Rishad settles into the pilot's seat, rolls his shoulders and schools his features into a calm expression. Mwangi enters the command pod, a map of the ship's blueprint lighting up the holoscreens. He's responsible for shielding the Mad Hatter against any damage.

"The beanie, Rishad," I say as I stand up to leave.

"Oh right." He takes out the star-sewn beanie from his pocket and puts it on. "Can't miss out on Kel's dose of good luck charm."

"Damn right, mister." I smile.

Alex and I leave Eva with them in the cockpit. We head for the hull. He is silent as he walks across the gunport on the opposite side of mine. He hasn't said anything to anyone since I logged into the game today. I can't tell whether he is worried or just brooding.

I settle into my chair, strap the safety belt on and activate the artillery. My cybernetic chip shows a counter. Eight minutes left. The scenery across the viewport shimmers in shades of blue as we're teleported to the right arena. I see Mars on the edge of the viewport and a ring of giant obelisks circling Earth.

"Alex?" I call out to him over the audio network.

He stays silent though I know he's listening. We can see each other over the holoscreen. It's split into five mini-screens so that we have a full view of each of our teammates and their surroundings.

"I know you're angry but—"

"I'm not angry. Just...nervous."

He has his head bowed so I can't see his face. I'm a little shocked by the revelation. He never seemed the type to get nervous given his arrogant attitude and persistent flirting.

"If it's any consolation, I feel like I'm in a daze. My mind can't grasp the fact that I'm here with you guys and I'm competing in a global campaign for the first time. I was sick last year so my old team had to participate without me. If we win, oh my God, I—"

"When we win, not if," Alex says.

Another line crackles through the network. It's Rishad. "Dude, don't hog all the attention."

Eva giggles.

"Okay while Mwangi is pretending to sulk because he can't admit he's just as scared shitless as the rest of us"—he continues speaking despite Mwangi's protests—"I'll take you through his pre-battle speech. Listen up, Tricksters: If we win, the Earth is all ours so don't screw up. Do. Not. Screw. Up. Think of the geld. The fame. The ladies."

Eva starts her own version of a protest. "How many times do I have to tell you, Rishad? You can't leave out the men."

I stifle a laugh.

"Alright alright," Rishad says, holding out his hands in a peace gesture. "Think of the geld. The fame. The ladies. The men er...for our lovely ladies." The green chicken on his beanie wobbles with the shake of his head. "Actually, never mind that. The developers aren't rolling out the R-rated stuff anytime soon."

Alex lets out a chuckle. He looks at my screen and winks. What a prick. At least he's done brooding.

"So Tricksters, let's show those Renegade losers a whole new world of explosive force and fine trickery!"

Eva and I let out a whoop. Rishad makes a show of taking off his beanie and sending flying kisses to some imaginary audience.

When the counter drops to one minute, we stop talking. All around us, enemy spaceships blink into existence, lined beside the Mad Hatter in varying sizes and monstrosity. I keep my nerves calm, marking their position, the angle of the canons, the logos and the models of the ship.

This is going to be one hell of a death race.

My hands close around the yoke, activating the mechanism. The homing system appears over my eyes and I take aim at the closest ship to ours. Through the holoscreen, I watch Mwangi trigger Mad Hatter's protective shields up.

The timer blinks down to ten seconds.

"Stay safe, Alex," I say, "and everyone else too."

"Don't worry about me, Cassiopeia." Alex wriggles his eyebrows. "I'm not leaving you until you pay your bet."

"Arrogant prick."

He replies with a wicked laugh.

A piercing honk signals the beginning of the campaign. We fly in a torrent of speed and plasma bolts, towards a post-apocalyptic Earth held captive by forbidden secrets and terrible monsters.