Murdersphere Mosaic [ManXMan] [BoyXBoy]

Chapter 8 Part 1 Let Me Entertain You

My irritable seatmate abruptly leaves, disappearing into the front of the craft.

After an hour, one of the flight attendants sidles up to my seat. "Mr. Ayeshason, wouldn't you be more comfortable in the party?"

"No thank you." I reply. "I'm fine here."

She squares her shoulders. "I am afraid I am going to have to insist."

"Maybe I can speak with your supervisor?" I ask. "There is nothing in the directives about being forced to endure a party, especially with those people." 

Scandalized affront crosses her face.

She stares hard at me. To the background player AI network she seethes. "Can you believe this nobody? Asking to see my supervisor?"

"He'll never amount to anything." One of her colleagues replies. "This is just like the Megafauna Spectacular. He's here to die. He's not going to get lucky twice."

I put on my sunglasses again so she cannot see my eyes narrowing in hatred. I read closer, ignoring the chatter now, looking for information. From their conversation, I uncover a trove.

When the ships launch, they will immediately transition into realspace. The system will announce that we are officially on set, and then automated crash drama will begin. The craft will spread apart, descending to the planet's surface. Some will land where there is heavy fighting already in progress, others will land in more prosaic areas untouched by the war yet where they will come into conflict with natives.

Planetary communications are already down for the denizens, so they will be operating in a complete vacuum when "more aliens" arrive.

They are also excited to be part of the action this time around and are trying to maximize their screen time without getting in trouble.

They also know about the first challenge. The attendant standing over me has gotten it into her head to bully me into coming forward to create a feeding frenzy when the announcement is made.

I shudder, and turn away from the chatter, enfolding myself in quiet. I face the automaton wanting to turn my death into a feeding frenzy.

"Passengers, we are about to disengage from the space station." The announcer who had called everyone's names says. It occurs to me that after I left the waiting room, I stopped hearing name announcements.

The voice continues. "You do not have to return to your seats. The departure will be projected in the upper floor observation lounge that is now available. Please enjoy yourselves."

The AI Flight Attendant frowns. I re-engage. "What observation lounge?"

"I don't know." Says the attendant who welcomed me on board. Each of our ships are different. Are you coming?"

"No." I say, resisting the urge to reveal I know what they're up to. But they are placing money on my demise. According to them, all of the viewers know what the first few events are. Apparently they each feature someone from a different vessel, ostensibly to give each population something they should have an edge in finishing.

The attendant finally leaves and I feel enough false privacy to suffer from nerves.

Fucking coterie of robot crows, trying to get me murdered... again.

Maybe I should be up there, making friends, socializing. I think about the note Shebelle and Nells sent me and I resign myself to the probably fact that all of that socializing is a lie for the cameras.

The company is loading up on footage so they can weave stories about the creation and destruction of friendships under the stresses of "war."

I pull my duffel out from under the seat and bury my face in it, but I remember I'm being filmed, and I remember the need to invest the Audience in moments like this, and so I just let the tears of frustration go and dab at them with the coarse cloth of the bag.