CHAPTER 7: THE SPONSOR
The next day, Edmund was up and about, having been released from the medical ward. He had been excused from the murder of the seven tournament personnel, as it was officially because of the Graff Syndrome. He had wisely told the Liandri interrogators when he woke up that he remembered nothing of the incident, which was actually true, since he remembered nothing after Smasher had broken his neck and he respawned.
But that was the thing that raised the most questions in his mind. Edmund remembered clearly, the raised butt of the assault rifle even as it slammed down on him. He had remembered the intense pain and agony. He could still hear the sound of his neck snapping under the force of the blow. He had died then.
But somehow, the Unreal matrix had listed him as a perfect score, as if Smasher had never actually killed him. Edmund had respawned once, but it was not listed in the score board. Now and then he felt a little guilty as he walked down the streets of New Earth, as members of his fan club ran around him whooping and cheering. Edmund was the first person in tournament history to achieve a perfect score in the first match, let alone being also the first to be given the privilege of skipping the rest of the qualifying rounds.
The fact that Edmund had lost control himself after the match, instead of frightening the people away, increased his popularity. Edmund had killed seven armed genetically engineered Liandri agents with his bare hands and lived to tell the tale.
Now, Edmund was one of the most eligible bachelors on New Earth. The posters painted him as handsome and rugged. He was a tournament player, yet had the manners of a knight from the days of old. He was strong and smart. And last but not least, he was an ex marine. Which woman could resist a marine?
But Edmund did not care for all that.
He was too intent on finding out what had happened during his first match. What was the thing that had been the only thing in his entire life to fill him with fear and dread? How was it possible that Edmund had scored a perfect match, when Smasher had actually killed him once? And what was the Liandri trying to hide so much that they were worried it would be found out by the public? Was it related to Edmund's experience?
Edmund recalled the debriefing the Liandri officials had given him. They showed him a card, on which was written only one sentence. Edmund immediately recognized it as it was said by the voice of the...thing while he was being respawned.
"I am so unreal."
Edmund had denied he had ever heard such a phrase. The officials said that Edmund kept repeating that line while he was murdering the Liandri agents. Edmund truthfully this time, remembered nothing of it. What had happened to him, both Edmund and the officials asked themselves. Was he at that moment truly possessed? Perhaps he had for a moment lost his mind because of the Graff Syndrome?
Whatever it was, Edmund was determined to get to the bottom of it all. And he knew just who to see. Smasher, also known as Aaron. Maybe he could shed some light as to what happened during the match.
Edmund reached for the open-door button as he prepared to step out of his room, to find Smasher. But the door opened by itself before Edmund could press the button. It was a woman and a man he did not recognize. They were both dressed in navy uniform, with medals all over like an admiral. Edmund guessed they were someone important.
"Hello Edmund. This is Kurt Alexander, a representative from the Axon Corporation."
Axon? What was Axon doing here? And who was the woman, her voice seemed strangely familiar. Kurt offered Edmund his hand, which he took warily.
"Stacie Liandri has told me much about you, Edmund Ross."
Stacie Liandri?! She was one of the voices he heard yesterday. Stacie took Edmund's surprise differently.
"Yes Edmund, I am the head of the Liandri Corporation, and am in charge of the Unreal Tournament. Kurt Alexander wants to have some words with you."
Edmund nodded as if submissively.
The head of the Tournaments, eh? Well, I'll soon find out your little secret about this Unreal Core. I will find out about this creature that you do not believe exist, and how it managed to possess me, like your officials said when they thought I was asleep. I do believe you are hiding a deep, dark secret Stacie Liandri.
The man spoke as the trio took a seat in Edmund's small compartment. "I have heard of the name you made for yourself at the tournaments mister Ross. And to think it was your very first match too."
Edmund nodded. "Please, call me Edmund."
"Right. Now, I have reviewed your match, and would like to sponsor you and your team of your choosing, courtesy of the Axon Corp. Stacie has generously allowed you to immediately participate in the tournaments, as in repayment for the Graff Syndrome malfunction in the Unreal Core."
Indeed. More likely you wished to make more money out of my predicament.
"Lady Stacie is here today to see that you get the people you desire for your team. When you are ready-"
Edmund had seen enough video clips of other warriors to know who he wanted. "I have the names now, my lady Stacie."
"You do? And who might they be?"
"I want Steven, of the Mailed Fists, Lee and Sud, my ex team mates and Aaron, also known as Smasher, and Rita, of the Swordsworn."
"A strange ensemble you have chosen. Steven is a veteran in the tournaments but has been traded around by team leaders because they were unable to cope with him. Sud and Lee I understand, as they were ex team mates, and they themselves have done well in the qualifying rounds. Then there's Aaron and Rita. Are you sure you want them in?"
"That is my choice, my lord Kurt."
"Hmmm. Aaron might have a grudge on you for dealing him such an embarrassing defeat, and Rita...Well, she's had a hard life since she was just a young girl, growing up in a house full of men. She's been raped and physically abused. She killed her first man when she was eight. And she has had many cases of unprovoked violence against men since then. I ask again, are you sure you want them?"
They are good. I have seen it with my own eyes. I might have to tame that Rita down a little though. And hope she doesn't kill me the moment she sees me. She's had a hard life, and I'll have to earn her trust.
Edmund looked at Stacie Liandri.
"So be it then, they are yours to form as a team. And pray tell, what will your team be called?"
A smile slowly appeared on Edmund's face. "We shall be called the Truth Sayers."
The next day, Edmund was up and about, having been released from the medical ward. He had been excused from the murder of the seven tournament personnel, as it was officially because of the Graff Syndrome. He had wisely told the Liandri interrogators when he woke up that he remembered nothing of the incident, which was actually true, since he remembered nothing after Smasher had broken his neck and he respawned.
But that was the thing that raised the most questions in his mind. Edmund remembered clearly, the raised butt of the assault rifle even as it slammed down on him. He had remembered the intense pain and agony. He could still hear the sound of his neck snapping under the force of the blow. He had died then.
But somehow, the Unreal matrix had listed him as a perfect score, as if Smasher had never actually killed him. Edmund had respawned once, but it was not listed in the score board. Now and then he felt a little guilty as he walked down the streets of New Earth, as members of his fan club ran around him whooping and cheering. Edmund was the first person in tournament history to achieve a perfect score in the first match, let alone being also the first to be given the privilege of skipping the rest of the qualifying rounds.
The fact that Edmund had lost control himself after the match, instead of frightening the people away, increased his popularity. Edmund had killed seven armed genetically engineered Liandri agents with his bare hands and lived to tell the tale.
Now, Edmund was one of the most eligible bachelors on New Earth. The posters painted him as handsome and rugged. He was a tournament player, yet had the manners of a knight from the days of old. He was strong and smart. And last but not least, he was an ex marine. Which woman could resist a marine?
But Edmund did not care for all that.
He was too intent on finding out what had happened during his first match. What was the thing that had been the only thing in his entire life to fill him with fear and dread? How was it possible that Edmund had scored a perfect match, when Smasher had actually killed him once? And what was the Liandri trying to hide so much that they were worried it would be found out by the public? Was it related to Edmund's experience?
Edmund recalled the debriefing the Liandri officials had given him. They showed him a card, on which was written only one sentence. Edmund immediately recognized it as it was said by the voice of the...thing while he was being respawned.
"I am so unreal."
Edmund had denied he had ever heard such a phrase. The officials said that Edmund kept repeating that line while he was murdering the Liandri agents. Edmund truthfully this time, remembered nothing of it. What had happened to him, both Edmund and the officials asked themselves. Was he at that moment truly possessed? Perhaps he had for a moment lost his mind because of the Graff Syndrome?
Whatever it was, Edmund was determined to get to the bottom of it all. And he knew just who to see. Smasher, also known as Aaron. Maybe he could shed some light as to what happened during the match.
Edmund reached for the open-door button as he prepared to step out of his room, to find Smasher. But the door opened by itself before Edmund could press the button. It was a woman and a man he did not recognize. They were both dressed in navy uniform, with medals all over like an admiral. Edmund guessed they were someone important.
"Hello Edmund. This is Kurt Alexander, a representative from the Axon Corporation."
Axon? What was Axon doing here? And who was the woman, her voice seemed strangely familiar. Kurt offered Edmund his hand, which he took warily.
"Stacie Liandri has told me much about you, Edmund Ross."
Stacie Liandri?! She was one of the voices he heard yesterday. Stacie took Edmund's surprise differently.
"Yes Edmund, I am the head of the Liandri Corporation, and am in charge of the Unreal Tournament. Kurt Alexander wants to have some words with you."
Edmund nodded as if submissively.
The head of the Tournaments, eh? Well, I'll soon find out your little secret about this Unreal Core. I will find out about this creature that you do not believe exist, and how it managed to possess me, like your officials said when they thought I was asleep. I do believe you are hiding a deep, dark secret Stacie Liandri.
The man spoke as the trio took a seat in Edmund's small compartment. "I have heard of the name you made for yourself at the tournaments mister Ross. And to think it was your very first match too."
Edmund nodded. "Please, call me Edmund."
"Right. Now, I have reviewed your match, and would like to sponsor you and your team of your choosing, courtesy of the Axon Corp. Stacie has generously allowed you to immediately participate in the tournaments, as in repayment for the Graff Syndrome malfunction in the Unreal Core."
Indeed. More likely you wished to make more money out of my predicament.
"Lady Stacie is here today to see that you get the people you desire for your team. When you are ready-"
Edmund had seen enough video clips of other warriors to know who he wanted. "I have the names now, my lady Stacie."
"You do? And who might they be?"
"I want Steven, of the Mailed Fists, Lee and Sud, my ex team mates and Aaron, also known as Smasher, and Rita, of the Swordsworn."
"A strange ensemble you have chosen. Steven is a veteran in the tournaments but has been traded around by team leaders because they were unable to cope with him. Sud and Lee I understand, as they were ex team mates, and they themselves have done well in the qualifying rounds. Then there's Aaron and Rita. Are you sure you want them in?"
"That is my choice, my lord Kurt."
"Hmmm. Aaron might have a grudge on you for dealing him such an embarrassing defeat, and Rita...Well, she's had a hard life since she was just a young girl, growing up in a house full of men. She's been raped and physically abused. She killed her first man when she was eight. And she has had many cases of unprovoked violence against men since then. I ask again, are you sure you want them?"
They are good. I have seen it with my own eyes. I might have to tame that Rita down a little though. And hope she doesn't kill me the moment she sees me. She's had a hard life, and I'll have to earn her trust.
Edmund looked at Stacie Liandri.
"So be it then, they are yours to form as a team. And pray tell, what will your team be called?"
A smile slowly appeared on Edmund's face. "We shall be called the Truth Sayers."
