Free Warborg - Star Panther by Ry Olson

smile.
    “Yeah, I guess.” Martin contemplated Reese for a moment. “There’s something going on you’re not telling me about.” Martin accused, taking a last look around Reese’s little universe. I’m glad they let me acclimate to being a cyborg before they showed me this, a month ago I don’t think I could have left to go back to reality.
    Reese winked. “Just relax and have some fun.” He gave Martin an evil smile. “Trust me.”
    “Oh shit,” Martin sighed then muttered, “let’s get this over with.” He thought about his fighter as Reese had instructed and with a numbing snap he was back in his world, sitting in a silent, darkened bay. Reese signaled for a hard link. ^Hi, Reese.^
    ^Alright, now just relax and think ‘Charlie’s Place’. Since this is your first time it may take a few seconds to make the connection.^
    Martin mentally shook himself out and thought; Charlie’s Place . He repeated the thought a few times and a doorway materialized in front of him just hanging in the grayness. There was no handle but there was a palm reader in the frame. Reese materialized next to him.
    ^Ok, I have to go through first and set the system to admit you. When it’s set the reader will start flashing, just use it like you normally would.^ Reese pressed his palm against the reader, a second later fog rolled up around him and sucked him through the door.
    I notice they didn’t even bother to open the door; hell maybe it doesn’t open, this virtual world shit is more than a little confusing. The reader started to pulse a faint green. Martin sucked in his breath and pressed his hand on the solid feeling reader. He felt a slight tingle. Oh crap, here we go again. He mentally braced himself as the gray fog started to churn.
    “ . . . A pub?” Martin gawked around him. The Olde English style pub was crowded and the air was loaded with long forgotten scents and sounds.
    Reese’s laugh rumbled beside him. “For tonight anyway, yesterday it was a bowling alley.”
    “Martin!” Dottie sailed up from the crowd with Brian in tow.
    Reese contemplated Brian’s shirt in silence, but Martin couldn’t handle it and burst out laughing, “Oh now there’s classic.” Martin glanced around in mock panic. “Check please!”
    “Well, I know when I’ve been insulted.” Brian looked away and sniffed in disdain.
    “Brian, that shirt’s a public disgrace, and you know it.” Dottie scolded, waving her finger at him.
    “Yeah, that’s why I wear it.” He howled in laughter. “Come on Reese, let’s get this show on the road.”
    “Only if you promise to keep that shirt at a safe distance.” Reese grumbled. “Martin, follow me please.”
    Martin followed and had a dubious feeling as Reese stepped up on to a low stage in the corner on the pub. The little four piece band ground to a halt.
    “May I have your attention please?” Reese started banging an empty beer stein against a post set in the corner of the stage. The crowd noise started to fade. “May I have your attention please?” The crowd fell silent watching the stage. Reese cleared his throat. “Thank you. Tonight it gives me great honor to introduce the newest member of our cyborg community.” He waved Martin on to the stage, and continued when Martin was standing beside him. “Folks, I would like you to meet Captain Martin Morgan.”
    Martin nodded to the crowd as they gave him a round of applause.
    “Now as tradition demands we will have a few words from those that know Martin and have watched him become the cyborg he is today. Our first guest is non-other than that esteemed physician Doctor Franken . . . I mean Swain.”
    Martin had a sinking feeling as he realized what was going on. A roast, oh great. He gave Reese his best, ‘you’re a dead man’, glare. Reese answered with a smile of feigned innocence.
    A large holoscreen faded into view next to the stage. Doctor Swain smiled out to the crowd where he was met by an equal number of howdies,