rho

What does it stand for?

in

RHO sits at the cafe. His sister is smiling at him. Finally he breaks down. "What? What is it?"

She grins. "It's your new look. You used to be such a bookworm. What happened?"

RHO shrugs. He reaches into his deck, pulls out a card, presents it. His sister flips it over in her hand, staring at it. "'Rho'? What's it mean?"

The warrior chuckles. "Red Herring Only," he explains. Meanwhile, his sister is tugging at the card. It stretches itself out, showing RHO's home page in higher resolution. She starts clicking through some of his videos.

The Warrior

in

RHO walks confidently down the Boulevard of the Seers. Around him, the other travelers in search of their own cathedrals or hovels move like the human current of an urban river. In the distance, the howls of engines warming up for take-off can be heard.

RHO hears a whining noise. He spins, spotting three glowing orbs darting right at him. *An attack! In broad daylight?* He reaches down, makes a drawing motion. A glittering sword of gold-white light springs into existence and he swings it at the first orb. It slices in half and vanishes abruptly.

The other two orbs energize themselves. RHO sees the blue aura surrounding them, knows to expect beam attacks. He darts forward. The beams miss him by inches, and he comes up under the orbs. His sword slashes again and again, and the orbs fall to pieces and vanish into nothingness.

The people around him are looking up and around. Some are confused; others are amused. Of course they don't care. Their cyberselves are probably low-grade and backed up on a public server. RHO can't afford such carelessness.

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