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canon:ace30:chapter11 [05/04/2026 14:29] – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1canon:ace30:chapter11 [05/04/2026 14:29] (current) – ↷ Page moved from chapter11 to canon:ace30:chapter11 kkurzex
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 +======   CHAPTER 11 — Interface   ======
 +
 +The object didn’t make a sound.
 +
 +----
 +
 +That was the first thing Mai noticed.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not when she picked it up.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not when she adjusted her grip to account for its refusal to settle.
 +
 +----
 +
 +But now—
 +
 +----
 +
 +resting on the table—
 +
 +----
 +
 +in a space that obeyed rules again.
 +
 +----
 +
 +It should have made //something//.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Contact.
 +
 +Weight.
 +
 +Presence.
 +
 +----
 +
 +It didn’t.
 +
 +----
 +
 +It existed—
 +
 +----
 +
 +without agreeing to the system around it.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V leaned against the wall.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Arms crossed.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Watching it without getting too close.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…Yeah,” they said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Still weird.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace didn’t look at the object.
 +
 +----
 +
 +She watched the room.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Doors.
 +
 +Angles.
 +
 +Movement outside the window.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Value,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Direct.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V nodded.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Yeah.”
 +
 +A small exhale.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Big.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai didn’t look up.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Conversion.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V tilted their head slightly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Problem.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +That got Ace’s attention.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“What.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V pushed off the wall.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Walked over to the table.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Didn’t touch the object.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Didn’t need to.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“You don’t have a link,” they said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai’s gaze shifted.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Define.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V tapped the side of their head.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Interface.”
 +
 +A beat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Bank, transfers, contracts—everything runs through it.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace’s expression didn’t change.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Then we don’t use it.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai shook her head once.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Incorrect.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +A pause.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace looked at her.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Explain.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai’s tone didn’t shift.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Currency without access is static.”
 +
 +A beat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Static has no function.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +That was enough.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace didn’t argue.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Shammy stood slightly apart.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Watching.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not the conversation—
 +
 +----
 +
 +the space around it.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The object—
 +
 +----
 +
 +still didn’t agree.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“It doesn’t like being here,” she said quietly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V glanced at her.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…Join the club.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai ignored both of them.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Solution,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V nodded once.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“I know a guy.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Of course they did.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The clinic was cleaner than the building outside.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not sterile.
 +
 +----
 +
 +But—
 +
 +----
 +
 +maintained.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The lights didn’t flicker.
 +
 +----
 +
 +The surfaces were worn—
 +
 +----
 +
 +but deliberate.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +This place held itself together.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai noted that immediately.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace did too.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Exit points,” she said quietly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V gestured loosely.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Back door. Side alley. Roof if you’re desperate.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Good enough.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The man behind the chair didn’t look up immediately.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Focused.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Working.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Only when V stepped closer did he glance over.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Recognition.
 +
 +----
 +
 +No surprise.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“V,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +A beat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…You bring friends now?”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V smirked faintly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Something like that.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The man stood.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Turned fully.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +His eyes moved across them—
 +
 +----
 +
 +once.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Measured.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Paused.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not on Ace.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not on Shammy.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +On Mai.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…Huh,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +That was all.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Victor,” V said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Viktor Vektor nodded.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Let me guess,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Not here for cosmetics.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai stepped forward.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Interface implant,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Direct.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor studied her for a moment.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Longer than he had the others.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“First time?” he asked.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Yes.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No hesitation.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor nodded slowly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Alright.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +A small pause.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“You know what it does?”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Yes.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Another pause.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“You sure you want it?”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +That one mattered.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai didn’t blink.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“It is required.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor exhaled quietly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Yeah,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…that tracks.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +He gestured to the chair.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Sit.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai did.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No ceremony.
 +
 +----
 +
 +No hesitation.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace moved slightly closer.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not interfering.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Watching.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Shammy stayed where she was.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The air shifted—
 +
 +----
 +
 +subtly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Uncertain.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor noticed.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not consciously—
 +
 +----
 +
 +but enough.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Relax,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not to Mai.
 +
 +----
 +
 +To the room.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“This won’t take long.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +He moved efficiently.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Tools ready.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Interface prepared.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No buildup.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Local link,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Basic account routing. Nothing fancy.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai nodded once.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Proceed.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The procedure began.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No dramatic pain.
 +
 +----
 +
 +No escalation.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Just—
 +
 +----
 +
 +connection.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Something new—
 +
 +----
 +
 +integrating.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor worked in silence for a few seconds.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Then—
 +
 +----
 +
 +he paused.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Just for a fraction.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…That’s odd,” he muttered.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace tensed slightly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“What.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor didn’t look up.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Nothing bad.”
 +
 +A beat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Just… your readings don’t line up.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai’s voice stayed level.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Define.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor adjusted something.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Looked again.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Your system—”
 +
 +A pause.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“—it’s stable.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +That wasn’t the strange part.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“It just doesn’t match anything I’ve seen.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Shammy shifted.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The air tightened—
 +
 +----
 +
 +then eased.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai processed it.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Functionality.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor nodded.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Works.”
 +
 +A small shrug.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Which is what matters.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +That was enough.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The process finished.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Quick.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Clean.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor stepped back.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Done.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai stood.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No visible change.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +But something—
 +
 +----
 +
 +had aligned.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +She looked at the table beside her.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +A small display flickered to life.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Numbers.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Flow.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Access.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Currency—
 +
 +----
 +
 +no longer static.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Confirmed,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace nodded once.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Good.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V leaned off the wall.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Welcome to the system,” they said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai didn’t respond.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +She was already processing—
 +
 +----
 +
 +mapping—
 +
 +----
 +
 +integrating.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Shammy stepped closer.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The air around Mai—
 +
 +----
 +
 +held.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not perfectly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +But enough.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace turned toward the door.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“We move.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No discussion.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No delay.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The next step was already waiting.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +And now—
 +
 +----
 +
 +they could take it
 +
 +on this world’s terms.
 +