SG2050 -- The Fall
-- written by BYTE
Prologue
10th July 2050, scores of families relaxing by the Marina Barrage, a 30 metres high complex that not only serves as reservoir/purification centre of water for the city-state but is proof against the rising sea-levels. The wind is high as the Sun dips towards the horizon, the sun turning yellow as dusk as sunset approaches. Somewhere in the distance over the sea to the south, a Confederated Boeing B-MAX can be seen flying low and approaching the barrage, a common sight these days. it gets closer and closer getting some curious glances. Suddenly a missile launches from its underbelly screeching towards the barrage. Seconds later a section of the wall explodes sending people screaming and running away....Chapter 1
SEAplex, a floating city over the sea south of Singapore, formed from various platforms, deserted ships and shipping containers in a haphazard manner, so chaotic and organically grown, one can't tell where one district begins and another ends. it is managed by everyone and no one, it stands as the anti-thesis to the macro and micro planned city of Singapore which serves as its hinterland and host to its parasitic requirements to stay alive. Somewhere deep in its interior in the Sino-Russia district, murmurs of music drifts out of an early 21st Century style Karaoke parlour (and likely from that era as well), in a room slightly less dingy than the narrow corridors, 4 individuals are seated around the semi-circular seating watching random karaoke video playing across a decades outdated 8K screen. Olivia, recently returned to the vicinity of Singapore, eyes the other three warily. A Chinese gent, in a suit that managed to look expensive and outdated at the same time. Of the three, he seemed most interested in the Karaoke screen, and appeared to be humming or mouthing the words to whatever is on the screen. She took a quick glance and saw a low-res video of some singer named Jay Chou singing terribly. Uncle Ah Wah, as he is known as (they've had some business before) and apparently some big shot in the Hainanese Association. Seated next and nearly opposite her is an athletic looking woman with her blond hair tied up in a ponytail by the name of Polaris. Despite the exterior her legs are obviously bionic. The way her eyes track her and the minute adjustment of her posture and hands are easy tell she is was NR augmented, like Olivia herself. If things got hairy she will likely be the best ally or a formidable opponent. At the far end of the couch and seemingly disinterested in the proceedings is the hacker known as Doll. Olivia and Doll crossed paths before in cyberspace and Doll was involved in the Idris/Fiana incident 2 years ago. Doll was the one Olivia trusts the least but since she was here then it meant Byte trusted her enough. And the reason they are all here, BYTE send them a no-trace message to meet here, but with the Byte code phrase they recognised. Byte, who had gone off the grid for more than 3 months now, he hadn't turned up at work, his home or his usual haunts in meatspace or cyberspace. Olivia was getting worried and she was annoyed she cared enough to even turn up. This was likely all a trap and a very bad idea... After some awkward conversation establishing they were here for the same reason (Byte) which involved Doll flashing Uncle Ah Wah her boobs and Polaris revealing she promoted Zest (!), the next video played on screen quickly turned to gibberish, Hacker instincts taking over, both Olivia and Doll recognised a piggy-back signal when they saw one. The screen's security was as good as none, but the girls quickly saw this was an encrypted message with a twist, as the video is being played it was also deleting the encrypted code, they have a near real-time window to decipher the code (and maybe copy it) before it got erased. But between competent hackers like Olivia and Doll they managed to decrypt the message and it went thus:
-- Byte's final (?) message
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments