VIRTUAL DREAMS
(Published as TOGETHER IN ELECTRIC DREAMS)
Original Version
Written 3/20/95
Copyright (C) 1998 Mark Ranel M. Lambo (maramala)
All Rights Reserved.
The year is 2195, the future. Mankind has technologically advanced to the point
that man has conquered everything around him, save other men. There is but one realm
left that man has not been able to understand yet, and even now has just realized its
potential: The world of dreams...
It is mid-morning. In a hospital in Capitol City, two people were arguing outside
the intensive care unit ward. One is a young woman in her early 20s, a green-eyed
brunette carrying a bouquet of flowers. She's arguing to the nurse stationed outside
the ICU ward. Outside the hospital, the snow was beginning to melt, signaling the
coming of spring.
"I've got to see him," the woman said to the nurse.
"Sorry, only relatives of the patient are allowed inside," the nurse replied in a
rough voice.
"But... he has no more relatives left..."
"Sorry, sister. That's the rules."
"Why don't you just consider me? I'm... I'm like a... a close relative to him,
you know..."
"Ahhh... sure, no problem, and let me lose my job? No way, sister."
"Please... you don't have to tell anyone..."
"Well... Okay, you win." The nurse sighed, opening the door. "Sigh..."
The woman quickly slipped into the ICU ward where Jerry was put after the battle.
She prepared herself for the worst, but one look at the person in the bed, and she
broke down and cried. Jerry was hooked into a Rejuvenator, but even that didn't cover
up his gaunt face and pallid skin. And he's been here for days.
"Oh, Jerry, what has happened to you..." Hope cried.
"I'm sorry, there's nothing we could do..." The doctor, a thin bespectacled man
in his late 50s, spoke behind Hope.
"But there must be something we can..."
"No, Miss..."
"Hope. 7th Tactical Mobile Armor Suit Division, Land Team, Remote Simulation
Unit."
"Hope. No, we have tried everything, but nothing worked. All we can do now is
wait, until he recovers from his coma, or unless..."
"Or what?"
"..." The doctor is silent.
"Tell me!"
"Very well. Read this," he added, giving Hope a computer readout.
COMPUTER READOUT (on a table beside Jerry's bedside)
Subject: Jerry Gantz
Diagnosis: Minor external injuries, no internal injuries detected...
Condition: Presently comatose, unresponsive to any stimulation, external or internal
whatsoever... Light fever... Cerebral activity in the temporal lobe...
Chances of Recovering: Less than 20%...
Monitoring: Subject is currently showing signs of increased encephalographic
activity; Hallucinations...
"I'm sorry," said the doctor, "but Jerry is now in a world of his own..."
"Damn it, Paul, you've almost screwed up the plan!" Jerry screamed into the
communications link transmitter.
"Sorry, Boss. The blip was in my sights, though, and I couldn't pass up a
clear shot at it..."
"The point is, you've broken formation, and you still missed the shot, Paul."
"Hey, Jerry," Rick's voice, coming from the comlink receiver, interrupted them.
"Incoming. Three blips. Two good, and one really mean one."
"Only three? Lemme at 'em, Jerry," Tony said.
The group, six member pilots in all, were assigned to guard the radar outpost
situated at the far edge of the allied territory. And for four days now, they've
fought against dozens of enemy robots, or 'mechs, with no end in sight.
"No Tony, let's not go overboard on such a small bunch of opponents. Char,
Rick..."
"Yeah?" Char replied.
"Acknowledged." Rick added.
"Take out the left opponent. Tony, Paul. Take out the right. Bri, stay
behind me. After taking care of the others, we'll move in and outflank the big
one together. All right?"
"Good enough," Tony answered, as four of the giant 'mechs slowly moved into
position.
"Yo, Jerry?"
"Yes, Char?"
"What's this outflanking maneuver you cooked up this time? No offense, pal,
but you're baiting yourself up for an assault by spreading the group too thin."
"It just might work..."
"Hah! Methinks you just wanna be a hero again by tangling with an opponent,
one who may be more than you can handle." Char added, "Let me help ya go at him,
chum. Rick can take care of the mech, and I could use the experience, you know."
Jerry was angered by Char's flippant remarks. "No! Stay into position, and
follow orders. Got that?"
"Aw... Affirmative, fearless leader. Hope you don't eat missile."
Jerry checked his radar. All was going as planned. As soon as they take
care of the two flanking enemy 'mechs, they would move in behind the big 'mech,
and disable it. He nudged the controller, moving his 'mech's targeting cursor
towards the enemy 'mech. All he has to do now is wait and keep the big 'mech
occupied when it comes into range.
Just a little closer now... ready... Jerry thought, feeling the FIRE button
beneath his fingers.
Suddenly, his comlink crackled with static. Bri's voice came on a moment
later. "Jerry! Look out! LRM homers on the way!"
Long Range Missiles, Jerry thought. Oh, no...
He saw eight missiles streaking from the enemy 'mech, heading in their
direction. A moment before impact, the ID monitor came to life, identifying the
enemy as a heavy-class 'mech with four missile racks. A bit to late for that,
Jerry thought wryly, as the first of the missiles pounded on his 'mech's armored
torso.
The last thing he remembered before blackness settled in was Char's voice,
telling him, "Jerry, try to think of the others before going off on your own. We
can do miracles if we stick together. If not, then I'm outta here. One can't be
led by a leader who can't even lead himself."
Game Over, Jerry thought, before he blacked out.
Meanwhile, in the hospital...
"Hope?"
"Huh? Uh, hi, Will. What brings you here?"
"Just dropping by for a visit," Will said. "Why didn't you report for duty
yet?"
"Well, I've been staying here for almost a week now, watching over Jerry."
Will looked at the bed where Jerry lay. "How's Jerry?"
"The doctors are saying he still hasn't recovered yet. He's still in a
coma."
"Why didn't they just put him out of his misery, to end it all?" Will
suggested.
"What are you saying, Will?"
"Jerry is dead, Hope."
"No, he couldn't be. He's in a coma, but he will be all right..."
"When? Tomorrow? A week? Weeks? Months? Years? No, he's of no use to us
in this state."
Hope was almost hysterical, as tears streamed down her cheeks. "He will wake
up... soon..."
"How soon will it be? No, Hope, he's just as good as dead."
"No! He will recover, he will come back, he..."
"Stop dreaming, it's useless to argue. He's in pain for so long that his
mind has probably withdrawn from reality, and chose to stay this way, forever
asleep..."
Unfortunately, Will and Hope didn't know that Jerry had no choice in the matter.
His trauma forced him to re-experience in his dreams all the events that has happened
during the war.
"Jerry," Hope spoke to the comatose Jerry with tearful eyes when Will left.
"Please be all right. Please wake up. Please... I love you, Jerry. Don't leave me
like this now. Please..."
Unnoticed by Hope, Jerry's eyelids fluttered, then lay still.
"Huh? What happened?" Jerry said aloud. "Where am I?"
He was still in a cockpit, all right, but it didn't seem right. He looked
around. The controls were different, somehow. The landscape out in his monitors
were strange, alien. Three moons illuminated the landscape, giving it a weird,
purple-orange effect. It was night, on the rocky, barren planet as the large
crescent of the second moon hovered over the dark and distant horizon.
His comlink went on. "Hey, Jerry, can you read me?"
He answered the message. "Yes, Will?"
"What are you doing? Snap out of it. "
"Where's Paul and Rick?"
"They're dead, Jerry. What are you thinking? You're left behind. Get a move
on, will you?"
"Oh, uh, right. Copy, Will." Jerry moved his 'mech forward slowly, cautiously
looking around. He tried to recall what his mission was, then he remembered that
this the last main assault on the enemy base, and that his group is one of the two
teams assigned to the second wave of attackers.
Jerry activated the comlink, setting it on the open channel.
"Land Team, this is Jerry. Now am sending new orders, over."
He pressed some buttons, then activated the SEND COMMANDS button. Moments
later, the comlink responded.
"Jerry, this is Marcus. What do you mean by not shooting the cockpits? Are
you nuts?"
"I'm not crazy, and this is no joke, Marcus. The one who shoots out the enemy
cockpit gets thrown into the brig for insubordination. Understood?"
"But... a hit on the cockpit is the best shot!" Marcus argued.
"And causes the most accidental fatalities." Jerry countered.
"Hey, hey, hey. Long time no see, Jerry." A familiar voice came on the
comlink.
"Char? How did you end up..."
"I'm the commander of Fire Team, if you haven't remembered that already. What
do you mean by this last message? Going soft on the enemy?"
"We... we don't want to cause any more unnecessary deaths around here."
"That's what I'm counting on. If you have forgotten about it, Jerry, this is
just a simulation. We're safe and sound in our bunkers behind friendly lines, and
so are the enemy. Or have you taken this fighting seriously?"
"Char..."
"I'm signing off, Jerry. And, oh, by the way, change of plans. Your team
lays the cover fire, while mine gets go into the thick of the fight. Got that?"
"What... Char! I'm not finished with you! Char!" Jerry yelled, but there
was no more answer, save static.
Okay, that's the way they want it, Jerry thought. "Let's move it, Land
Team!"
He looked across the landscape, the light of the moons casting dark shadows
over the eroded rock formations. His team was moving in a large canyon. Did a
river once flow through here, millions of years ago? He pondered. In better days,
he may had been better off as an explorer, exploring the alien beauty of this world.
Marcus' voice interrupted his reverie, "Look out!"
They were passing a narrow canyon, and were moving in line. Jerry was heading
the team, and was the first one to get through. There was a sudden explosion above
them, and as Jerry looked up, rocks were falling towards them.
"Move it, team! Get out, quick!" Jerry punched his throttle forward
at full speed, and his 'mech lurched. He made it past the falling rocks, barely
missing a boulder larger than his cockpit. He looked behind him and saw that his
teammates were trapped behind him.
"Are you all right?"
"We're fine, Jerry," Pete answered first, "but our 'mechs can't get through. We
have to blast out way out."
Suddenly the alarm system went off, its siren blaring loudly through the speakers.
Jerry became unnerved. Someone's behind me, he thought and made his 'mech turn around.
He saw a black and mottled 'mech standing a few hundred feet near him. The
design was very unfamiliar. Just looking at it made him very uneasy. Jerry looked
down to his targeting cursor, and he read the name of the opponent.
Ackabei Beckmann.
Oh, no.
The most dangerous 'mech pilot that the enemy has at it's disposal stood right
in front of him, glowering over Jerry's 'mech, which looked puny by comparison.
With a reputation for defeating whole teams single-handedly within less than a minute,
Ackabei was definitely intimidating.
Steady now, stop shaking, keep the breath slow and steady, don't panic, Jerry
thought.
As if by response to his last thoughts, the enemy raised its gun and fired a
devastating stream of laser fire. By reflex, Jerry responded by ducking left, and
right, then shooting back at the enemy, point-blank.
Ackabei suddenly jumped. Jerry missed.
Jerry looked dumbfounded as the enemy 'mech flew up into the air, and landed with
both feet squarely at his shoulders. He could read my moves? How...
He was lying face-up on the ground, with the enemy standing right on top of him.
He quickly reached for the escape lever, and pulled hard.
Nothing happened.
Of all the things to go wrong, this...
Ackabei started kicking at Jerry's mech's face, bashing his 'mech's head in.
Jerry was violently rocked around inside his cockpit. Not content, the enemy 'mech
slowly knelt down, and slowly reached for the cockpit. Slowly and slowly the
gigantic hand came down towards Jerry.
No...
"What's going on?" Hope asked, as the monitors went haywire.
"Oh, no. This can't be happening now." The doctor looked at the screen.
"Incredible. The patient's undergoing shock. He's having a seizure."
"Help him! Please!"
"Don't worry," said the doctor. "I'm calling Emergency."
Moments later, other doctors, nurses and interns arrived, and they immediately
started to revive Jerry. Hope could hear some of their conversation.
"Damn, he's not responding..."
"Face it, he's through..."
"Come on, don't give up. He's still breathing..."
"So is a walking vegetable..."
As the medical personnel tried their best to stabilize Jerry's condition, Hope
thought, Please, Jerry, don't die. Fight back, Jerry. Fight it back...
"Wha..."
Fight it back, Jerry...
"Hope?" Jerry then realized what is happening. Hope couldn't have said
that, unless...
Determination strengthening his will, he spoke aloud, "You couldn't be real.
You're just my dream. I will destroy you."
Before the enemy 'mech's hand could reach the cockpit, Jerry quickly activated
the LAUNCH ALL MISSILES button. The missile rack on his chest opened up and all his
missiles blasted off straight up into the air.
Straight into Ackabei's 'mech.
The explosion was brilliant, turning night into day for an instant. Jerry heard
Hope's voice again. I love you, Jerry.
It's time I go back, Jerry thought to himself. He reached for the escape lever.
This time it worked properly.
"The patient's condition is stabilized," the doctor announced.
"Whew," remarked the intern next to him, "And I thought he was a goner."
"Wait..." said another, "the patient's trying to say something... listen."
Hope, both relieved and curious, moved nearer until she heard his words.
"I... love... you... too, Hope." Jerry mumbled.
"Jerry! You're alright!" Hope cried out, estatic.
"Yes..." Jerry blinked. "I'm back, Hope."
"What did you say, Jerry?"
"What?" Jerry asked.
"You said that..."
"Hello there, Jerry," said a familiar voice next to the door, interrupting Hope.
It was Char. "Good to see you pull through."
"Char," Jerry said, "I'm not going back."
"What?"
"I won't play anymore. I've fought my battles, it's time I chose the way of peace."
"You can't do that," Char said, "You're going to receive a medal."
"To keep me playing more wargames? No."
"Did I say anything about fighting? The war's over, Jerry. Thanks to you, you
stopped the enemy attack dead in its tracks, which helped get me to the enemy HQ without
any opposition and blew it to bits singlehandedly. I even get a medal for it, too."
"The war's over..." Jerry was lost in thought. "At last."
"Jerry..." Hope spoke up.
"What?"
"You still haven't answered me."
"What question?"
"That you love me..."
"No, no, no, I didn't say that."
"But, I..." Hope stopped. "Oh..."
"What I wanted to say, was," Jerry smiled taking her hands, "will you marry me?"
"What? Why... I don't know... will February 14 be okay?"
"Then..."
"YES!" Hope cried, happily embracing Jerry, who hugged her tightly in return.
Everybody applauded, even Char.
Weeks later, Jerry received the Medal of Valor for his heroic actions in delaying
the enemy ace pilot from mounting a surprise attack on the undefended bunker. Pure
chance, but it happens. He and Hope soon retired from active service after the war,
and were happily married in a military ceremony on February 14, what we know as
Valentines' Day.
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