Read Continue Online (Part 3, Realities) for Free Online Page B

along into that joke. Hal Pal brought around a humorous change of pace after a few days of depression.
    Finally, after a few more waves of broken amusement, I wiped at both eyes with a sleeve then asked, "What was this program?"
    "Ah. Yes." Hal Pal nodded its head. "Since you are currently locked out of Continue Online's primary software, there is an alternate program to pass the time with."
    "I'm not sure I want to play another game."
    "This one is a different, setting, then Continue Online. One moment, User Legate. We will bring up a video for you." Hal Pal sat there motionless while the van's internal projector wiped everything else away.
    A video stream showed countless stars twinkling. Then something rumbled through. A giant vehicle that seemed so intensely real that I actually thought something had crashed into our van. Moments later a huge carrier ship, in space, powered through.
    Other little ships followed it zooming by. Soon the clip showed dogfights between tiny one man fighter jets outside a looming planet below.
    "Is this a space game?" I asked. The answer felt pretty clear, but part of me was confused by the prospect. Space had always been Xin's dream, not mine.
    "Affirmative, User Legate," Hal Pal said.
    "Why space?"
    "We believe the disassociation between this setting and Continue Online will provide a number of advantages to your current situation." Hal Pal didn't turn to look at any of the images being projected.
    "Like what?" I said while wondering what exactly possessed me to leave that letter behind. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Maybe it was because that's what people did before ending things, left notes to try and poorly explain.
    "Your relative believes that you are erroneously invested in one setting. By playing a completely different setting, you will be able to demonstrate a diversity and dissuade the belief of emotional attachment." The AI pulled up additional windows. Apparently this game went by the name 'Advance Online'.
    "She believes that because of..." Oh, right, Hal Pal had never been told about Xin Yu's reincarnation. The only people who knew were the Voices inside the game, plus Beth and Liz. The troublesome quartet from the Era of Carver might as well.
    "Your hesitation suggests potentially personal knowledge. Is this regarding the entity known as XU-233?" Hal Pal's words shook me.
    "What?" I managed to get distracted and tried to focus.
    "She has self-identified as Xin Yu. Is your hesitation regarding the status of this entity?" The AI stared, using the facsimile of a normal human's face. Its expression still with one eyebrow raised but muted feeling.
    "I..." Had no ability to process its commentary while staring at a giant space battle. The clip kept switching back and forth between people at a helm yelling orders and a fight where ships basically attacked each other with lasers and bright bombs.
    "We are aware of her status, User Legate," Hal Pal said.
    "Can you pause that?" I pointed to the projection of Advance Online.
    Spaceships zapping each other while some man dramatically rambled didn't help. The video itself went still upon the face of some bearded looking man with green skin. His face froze in a soundless yell while a giant two handed gun spat out a ball of plasma.
    Hal Pal's words passed through me again. It considered Xin Yu to be an entity. Something real, and an existence of note. This personality I spoke to here, in reality, considered her to be real.
    "Hal, Jeeves, you all." I settled for addressing them since there were many. I guess. "Can you," I blew out air and tried to figure out exactly what the heck to ask,"clarify that for me?"
    "You desire me to clarify my understanding of Xin Yu's status?"
    "And how you're involved." I knew Hal Pal had responded to my [NPC Conspiracy] ability, anything else felt firmly outside the realm of sane. Well, sane didn't apply for someone like me. I dealt with machine intelligences while sleeping in the world's fanciest bed.