Balthazar being an over achiever got into the electronics engineering division at Asklepian University at a young age of 15. At that time, everyone around him in his classes were at least 3 years elder to him.
In such a situation, everyone tried to bully him except for Rudra Powers, who like him was younger than the rest. Although Rudra was two years elder to him, he was considered in the same bracket as Balthazar.
Rudra was about 6-feet high with thick limbs and torso, with orange spiky hair. He had a heavy frame with bulging muscles like he was some kind of professional wrestler or fighter. But he was least interested in such jobs and hated to go workout.
Rudra wasn't the typical over-achiever who had a lot of focus and interest in studies. He was a happy-go-lucky guy who was very free-willed and did whatever he felt like. He was more of a genius who manages to be successful at what he gets interested in.
Rudra was from the Powers family, a family name which became a brand in the metal processing industry. He was never interested in the company and got into the college in asklepian, away from his home planet just to escape from his strict disciplinarian parents.
He got addicted to playing games at the nearby cyber drome during their first year. He and Balthazar had many good memories at that place. During those times, Rudra involved him in many gaming competitions and became a well-known personality in the gaming circles.
He knew that Rudra was the manager and captain of the team representing cyber drome in a bunch of competitions in the virtual game industry. He also knew that Rudra would leave the team in a few months later to establish his own workshop.
This was an age where virtual technology was the norm. Any video or picture which wasn't in VR (Virtual Reality) mode would be considered ancient. Even lot of video call and entertainment services are provided in VR. Headsets in general only allow a person to see and hear the video.
Most VR games and interactive services had used a VR headset with a console to interact with the virtual reality. But this has also started to become a thing of the past.
Special suits which can allow the customer to interact while allowing a range of moments when confined in a virtual reality box were also very common. Attempts were made to create VR technology which would allow biofeedback by wearing a small device or helmet but were so far not very popular.
All the customers of a cyber cafe would use VR. The only reason that a person in this age would use a cyber cafe was because of VR and the high bandwidth that is required to support VR interactions is still something that is a costly affair.
"If I could just convince Rudra to leave his team earlier to join him, he could have another great asset with him," thought Balthazar as he drove to the cyber drome. He had spent a lot of hours at this place and even knew the people working here. On entering the cyber drome, he noticed that there was no change to it over the past five years. He went to the receptionist, who immediately recognized him.
"Hey! we got a celebrity returning," shouted Nancy, the receptionist. Other than a few who didn't wear headsets, none of them even moved their heads. Among the five, who looked towards him, only two actually knew him and the remaining went back to what they were doing.
"Hi Nancy, always so energetic. Huh," complemented Balthazar.
"Rick, Harry, how are you guys doing," asked the other two. They always used to play along with Rudra and Balthazar. They also left the cyber drome along with Rudra.
"Were all good man. Lizzy and Slaine are also here. We just had a match."
"I thought Rudra also is with you guys. Where is he?"
"Manager Rudra? He is on a call with the boss." answered Harry.
"He became the manager of the cyber drome?" asked Balthazar feigning ignorance.
"Well, he did always want to do something in the VR industry. It is a good start."
"Yes, but he deserves better. He is the captain, technician and the manager. Any other owner would treat him better. But David just takes him for granted. It has been three years since we had a raise," said Rick.
"Don't bother him with all that. He came here after a long time," said Nancy shushing them.
"It's no bother. It had been such a long time. I just wanted to meet you guys. We will have a good talk over dinner. My treat!" said Balthazar to improve their mood.
"Barbeque!"
"Barbeque!"
"Barbeque it is. How about Tilda's? Let us book a table," said Balthazar as he made the appointment through his wrist band..
"Shall we play a game in the mean-time? You still remember your account details?" asked Harry as he pulled Balthazar to a couple of headsets and consoles.
"I haven't played it over six years. My character wouldn't stand a chance against yours," said Balthazar.
"Well you do you have an account in any of the new games?"
Balthazar could only put up a sad face in response. He really missed the fun these small things had provided after he joined the force. Playing virtual reality games and the like were considered childish by most of the society, but the entertainment and fun provided by them had their own value. Balthazar and Rudra always used to say, "What worth is such a long life, if it doesn't have such fun and entertainment?"
"Haha. He must have worked his ass off that he became a colonel this young. It would be shocking if he had time for games," said Rick logging into his account from the console and handed it over to Balthazar.
They played a couple of games with Balthazar, the opponent alternating between Harry and Rick. But Balthazar couldn't even win, a single game against them.
"Dude, you're horrible," said Rick.
"I am not familiar with the character or your controls"
"Yeah. Even Nancy could beat the pants of you the way you are now," said Rudra joining them.
"When did you come out?"
"Two matches ago. You really lost your touch."
"Come on. Our shift is done. The night shift guys are here. Let's go to Tilda's," said Nancy joining them.
"This early? It is only. Holy crap! We are going to be late for barbeque."
"Always lose track of time when playing," said Nancy shaking her head.
All seven of them got into Balthazar's car and they started off to Tilda's. Tilda's Barbeque was quite a famous restaurant. It was a prime spot for many youths and for professional outings. They place also had a noise proof room for karaoke. They got into a noise proof private room.
"So, what brings you here? Especially after an attack on your citadel."
"I was injured and took a well-deserved break. I missed you guys and just decided to drop in."
"You were that seriously injured!" asked Nancy genuinely worried about him.
"No. The family just wanted me here. Grandpa wanted me here till the storms over. The sudden attack by the apes and the reports have them worried a little."
"So what game are you playing these days. War god's tempest is the most popular one. But vita nova is coming, and it has partial bio-feedback. The talk is that we can control the character however we wish in it. It would be game changing. We are all eagerly waiting for that."
Soon, the food and drinks were served, and they got into talking about old time, the teachers, the times the got away from classes to play games. They all got drunk, sang, talked about old times and soon they fell down inebriated one after the other, until only Rudra and Balthazar remained.
Balthazar never drank before he became a legal adult. So, he never drank with them. Though they weren't lightweights, compared to Balthazar who had trained persistently in the military and had the pico-tech serum running through him, they couldn't hold long enough. Balthazar was surprised that Rudra hadn't been downed yet. It looked like Rudra's natural physical endowments extended to his capacity for liquor too.
Only Rudra and Balthazar were still awake and were loaded. Balthazar decided that this would be a good time to ask him about the workshop idea.
"So, what are your future plans?" he asked Rudra trying to get the point in a roundabout way.
"Future plans? They were always the same. Establish my own workshop, cyber cafe, keep playing and maybe finally be able to put my name in the VR or entertainment industry. You know."
"How are you going on about it?"
"Whoa! Did my father possess you? What's with all these questions?"
"Nothing man. I thought that with your potential and a bit of help from your father, you would have established your own cyber cafe by now."
"I could have done it a year ago, if my father supported it. David doesn't even give me a decent salary though I manage the cyber drome. I took on responsibilities of the technicians too, but he refuses to raise wages. Shameless."
"Why don't you join some other cyber cafe if he is that bad?"
"Another one? In this city? Dude cyber drome is the biggest one in the city. Someone in your family also owns a share in the establishment here. No sane cyber cafe would poach me into their team."
"There are other cities you know?"
"I know. There are a few that would offer to take me. But, what about my team. They won't be willing to accept a completely new team. I can't leave Harry, Slaine or the others behind. I am not that strong without them either."
He quickly gulped down a pint and burped loudly.
"I am stuck at this place. My only hope is to get my dad or someone to sponsor me."
"No worries then. I will sponsor you. Get out. Live your dream," said Balthazar through his drink.
He was suddenly shaken by someone holding his shoulders. It was Rudra.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. I am. I can sponsor a workshop and also got a place that could be used to start it up. We just need to get the equipment and set it up."
"Are you for real? You are not joking, right?" asked Rudra whilst continuing to shake Balthazar
"Stop shaking me. I am sober enough. Not joking."
"That's great. Really great. I am going to resign immediately. I don't need to listen to that shithead anymore."
"Now you sober up. At east have a look at the place before you go ahead and do something like that."
"Hahaha. Yes. You are a god send. When shall we go?"
"No hurries. We are all quite out of it, right now. We can go there tomorrow afternoon when the team is awake."
A few drinks later, they decided to call it a night and booked a room in a motel nearby for the inebriated team. Balthazar insisted that he had to return home and would meet them in the afternoon tomorrow.
He got into the hover-car and set it into auto-pilot mode and left for home. As soon as he reached home, he went for home. "Today, had been quite productive," he thought as he set his alarm and dozed off.