Be Gay, Do (Cyber) Crime

By Zoe Nyx

Ash was born in the highcity to cold parents, and is willing to do anything to escape their gilded cage, even rewrite their DNA.
Raisa sold herself into corporate servitude for an education, but her transition (and illegal cybernetics) now threaten everything.
Morgan was born in the undercity, and has paid in blood, sweat and limbs for the small piece of safety she calls home.
Together, they have a chance.
Together, that chance will cost them everything.
Surviving, separated, changed, the journey back to each other will take years, but when they’re together again?
Together, they have a second chance at payback.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zoe Nyx
• Release date: Jul 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215241035

Zoe Nyx

Living in Brisbane with my wonderful wife, writing queer science fiction in all senses of the word.

Book preview

Be Gay, Do (Cyber) Crime

By Zoe Nyx

Copyright 2023 Zoe Nyx

Smashwords Edition

Contents

Act 1: Undercity Raves and Halcyon Days

Act 2:Three Years Later

Act 3: Reunited, At Cost

About the Author

Other Works by the Author

Connect with me

Undercity Raves and Halcyon Days

Ash

Ash had wondered if this was a good idea. Now they knew.

The noise and light here was obscene, felt as hum in their bones and seen by the backs of their eyeballs.

They’d snuck out to a few clubs and bars in the midcity before, but nothing compared to the sheer raw chaos here at a genuine undercity rave. The smell of raw human sweat and stale machine oil almost overwhelmed the occasional wafts of ozone and spilt alcohol, and the entire cavernous space was packed with more types of person than they’d ever seen before.

They loved it.

Two people made out heavily a few metres away through the crowd, one of them with a neck like wrought iron on which a normal human head perched. Her partner–and Ash wasn’t quite sure of either party’s gender–snaked a mechanical tongue through the gaps in the neck-mesh, dipping and lapping away. By the sounds the girl(?) was making, it either felt really good or they were putting on a show.

No one seemed to be watching though, and wherever Ash turned their gaze similar scenes played out under flashing lights and roaring sound. They kept moving, pushing inwards from the entrance deeper inside the rave, seeking a quiet island further in.

Someone, male and unwashed by the smell, squeezed past their ass in a way that was entirely too close to be necessary even in this crowd, and Ash grit their teeth. They’d known to expect more of that kind of thing too, but their skin itched at even the accidental brushes of strangers. If the man had been any slower or tried anything else, they’d probably have taken a swing at him.

Ahead, a lull in the crowd showed an open space around a bar that wrapped around a concrete pillar. A glance upwards failed to give Ash more information about what this space had been before its conversion, but they guessed it had been a garage for heavy vehicles. It would probably explain the large dark stains that were visible on the cement floor whenever the crowd briefly parted.

The bar was somewhere between impromptu and ramshackle, mostly made out of stacked crates and lightstrips. It encircled the whole pillar and several more metres besides, illuminating the base of the column but doing nothing to reveal its upper reaches. The soft glows of paypoints lit the bartenders, who seemed less interested in making fancy drinks and more throwing bottles at people as fast as customers could pay.

Ash stepped close as a customer moved away, and yelled Beer, strong and weird! at the nearest staff.

The woman barely looked at them, and simply grabbed a bottle from a mist-filled crate before handing it to them, one thumb popping the cap off smoothly. Ash nodded thanks and got a lightning-quick grin of acknowledgement before the woman was gone, trying to translate the drunken yells of three dudes who had stumbled to the bar arm in arm.

Ash waved the bottle over the paypoint, not paying attention to the beep from both the point and the wristband they’d been given on entry. A swig told them the beer was definitely cold, strong, and weird, and that was close enough to good.

The music towards one corner of the huge room shifted, as did the lights, and Ash headed that way out of lack of other things to do as much as curiosity. The crowd was thinner here further from the bars and DJs, and the rising light levels drove the more...active partiers back into the dark. As Ash passed into the brightly-lit zone they felt a mild tingle over their skin and the exterior music dropped to a barely audible growl.

Ahead of them a ring was forming as the crowd pushed back from a group of a dozen people. Spotting a crack forming briefly, Ash quickly dodged through it into a relatively quiet pocket next to a stack of equipment that was probably generating the audio shell muting the outside world.

The dozen people in the new ring were in groups of three, facing each other and doing a mixture of warm-ups and insults at the other groups.

All dozen were augmented, and not just for aesthetics or basic functionality. Most of their augs were simple but sturdy, decorated with splashes of paint but ultimately made to do a job.

First time? yelled a smoky voice near them.

Suppressing a flinch, Ash turned to look at the other person in their little oasis, someone they hadn’t noticed until now.

She was tall, with dark hair and the type of skin that probably would tan very well if its owner actually spent time in the sun. Her eyes were a shockingly bold silver-blue, and those plus the almost-invisible pale scars on her hands betrayed her as a corporate IT worker with contractual augments. Her outfit was bold and black, with probably too many belts and studs to be fashionable but enough to be stylishly weird. Her arms were a touch thicker than expected, and her chest blocky and flat. Ash glanced at her face, heavily made up but not in a particular style, and spotted the faint texture of stubble on her chin.

The woman shifted slightly, folding her arms uncomfortably under Ash’s gaze, and they realised they hadn’t answered.

Yeah! they yelled, and in a desperate attempt to not look like a complete asshole, added, I’m Ash, they/them. You?

The return grin was relieved as much as friendly. Raisa, she/her. First Breaking, or first rave?

Ash chuckled. Both! Didn’t think I was that obvious, they said, stepping close enough to drop their voice to merely loud. I stick out that much?

Raise chuckled in a smooth and mellow tone. You’re not quite dressed weird enough, or augmented enough. You’re midcity, right?

Ash was wearing a dark green tank top and dark jeans, a combo they’d thought was completely forgettable. A quick glance back at the rest of the crowd confirmed that being forgettable here was slightly noticeable.

Came straight here, they didn’t lie.

Raisa shrugged. I work in mid too, even got a cheap-ass apartment there. Still spend as much of my time down here as I can though. It’s just...more free.

Her eyes were knowing, and her tone friendly. Ash grinned. Oh fuck yes. Upcity can be stuffy. I’ve been trying to find places that aren’t.

This is a good one, said Raisa, nodding. Not exactly friendly, more too chaotic for anyone to cause major trouble. Pay entry, have fun, don’t get bounced. That’s it.

Think I can follow that, said Ash.

A roar sounded from the crowd and the two of them glanced back to the ring, where the groups were moving away from each other and taking positions on the corners of an unmarked square.

What did you say this was? Ash asked.

A Breaking. And if you haven’t seen one, you’re in for a treat, said Raisa, stepping forwards to get a better view, but taking care not to touch Ash.

Ash appreciated the consideration. Any further thoughts were left behind as the music shifted to a dance beat that was furious, complicated, and above all, loud. They winced, but kept their focus on the four teams in the ring.

The music hummed, paused, and then slammed into full life. As it did, the four teams began …

Dancing? they asked in confusion.

Yes, but not only, said Raisa. Keep watching, particularly that team.

Her long manicured finger pointed to the team closest to them, a group of two guys and one girl. All three of them were either augmented or wearing minor body armour, it was hard to tell. One of the men was tall and thin, with blade prosthetic legs and arms that were just metal bone replacements and wire tendons. The other man was heavyset, with a full-face helm that might actually have been his face.

The girl was slightly different. She had a helm that came down over her eyes and from under her jacket and long, loose pants bare synthetic hands and feet emerged. It was hard to tell how far up the prosthetics went, but she moved lightly, swaying to the music in sync with her male partners.

Two dancers from another group got close to each other, and Ash’s eyes widened as one of them swung a punch that dropped the other with a nasty cracking sound.

What the fuck? they yelled, glancing to look at Raisa.

Yeah I know, she snapped, outraged. Fucking Fungs, no goddamn style to them.

What? repeated Ash as one of the fallen dancer’s teammates did a backflip to avoid a second swing, only to immediately reverse it into a kick that slammed the attacker’s head into the concrete.

There you go! yelled Raisa. "Slayers can at least do it right."

Explanation? yelled Ash, relaxing slightly as nobody around them seemed to find the display cause for alarm.

"Breaking isn’t just dancing, or fighting. It’s both. Your team vs the others, in a fight and a dance-off, said Raisa, not looking away from the ring. The Fungible Bros are a bunch of assholes who just aim to win by beating everyone else up, and only dance enough to keep from getting kicked out. Slayers and Fists of Funk at least do both properly. But like I said, she finished, pointing at the fourth group again. The Trigity are the ones to watch."

Ash paused, thought, and then said That is a really dumb name.

Raisa snorted. I know. But it’s intentional.

The scuffle between the ‘Fungs’ and the Slayers had shifted to an all-out brawl, where the willingness of the Fungs to nearly abandon dancing altogether had given them an uncomfortable advantage. The last Slayer was shoved by one Fung straight into the knee of another, and down they went.

That really doesn’t look friendly, said Ash.

"It isn’t. The Fungs have their fans, but no one likes them either. They’d all get banned if that was the kind of thing they did down here," replied Raisa.

Undercity rules? asked Ash as the Fungs moved towards the Fists of Funk with barely the pretence of dancing.

There are no rules, that’s the point.

So assholes like them get to do whatever they want? asked Ash with a frown.

Raisa grinned. "The Fungs have only come here a few times. They’ve never gone up against the Trig before."

Ash watched quietly as the dance battle continued. They had to admit, the Fists of Funk could dance like nothing they’d ever seen before, and the Trig wasn’t half bad either.

But the second melee of the night ended in much the same way as the first, with the barely injured Fungs taking the Fists down.

They seem...tougher than the others, Ash asked.

Raisa shrugged. Rumour says they have funding from some gang or another, or a corp trying to launder some money. Bets on Breakings can get pretty high.

And there’s less risk if you’re not really competing to win the dance part, added Ash.

Raisa grinned. You’re quick. I like you.

Ash shrugged self-consciously.

At last, the Fungs closed in on the Trig, and whoever was DJ-ing switched to a track with an even faster beat.

The first clash was...disappointing. After all the build-up, the two teams seemed well matched. The Fungs weren’t landing many hits, but neither were the Trig. Both sides seemed stuck in a cycle of striking, feinting, and dancing in time to the feverish music.

Ash’s heart was pounding just watching, the rising energy and stakes from the rest of the match building up. The Trig are only just holding on! they yelled.

Raisa laughed. "Look closer," she said with a smile.

Ash did, and then they laughed too.

"Holy fuck," they said, grinning.

The Trig were only just keeping pace with the aggressive Fungs, but they were moving oddly. The three of them seemed to be moving in strange patterns, missing blows they could take and taking ones they could dodge, but sticking still to the pattern.

"They’re in phase, said Raisa, smiling. Each of them is dancing to a slightly different time of the music, but they aren’t moving out of sync even though they’re fighting!"

She tapped a small smart device hidden in one bracelet, and a drone launched from somewhere behind them. It flew into the ring, its small quadcopter form circling the combatants far enough away to be out of range, but close enough to get what looked to be some amazing footage.

Don’t worry, she said at Ash’s raised eyebrow. I’m allowed so long as I share the footage with the people running the event. They know I get the good stuff.

One of the Fungs, finally abandoning all pretence at dancing, charged directly at the Trig girl. She didn’t try to dodge, her moves still matching her own beat as he wrapped her in a bear hug and moved to throw her. Her body twitched, then contracted in perfect time with a heavy chord, her full strength smashing her armoured helm into his forehead. He crumpled like wet biscuit and she rolled away from him and back to her feet in a smooth flourish, still in time.

Holy hell, said Ash.

Yup, said Raisa. One down, and one of the other two is still injured from earlier. Hunting time.

There was no signal or shift in the music, but the three Trigs suddenly changed their moves. The thin one dropped to the ground in a crouch then launched forwards in a bouncing, hopping run where every footfall of his enhanced feet matched a thump of drum. He shoulder-checked a Fung, who stumbled into the arms of the bigger Trig. The faceless man, taller than the Fung in his arms, performed what was probably what the first Fung to fall had been trying to do to the girl. A brief twirl, almost a couple’s dance, ended with the Fung being swung completely sideways before being slammed into the ground.

One left, said Raisa.

The Trig girl was the one closest to the last Fung, and as they moved towards each other, Ash’s eyes widened. The glint was small, but they were sure there was something shiny in the Fung’s palm…

They opened their mouth, not sure if it would do any good, only to feel Raisa’s hand on their shoulder. They flinched slightly from the contact, and the hand withdrew.

She knows, said Raisa. And, sorry.

It’s OK, muttered Ash, their eyes still focused on the final clash.

Their suspicions were if not confirmed certainly bolstered by the Fung moving to hit the Trig girl with a flat-palmed slap rather than a punch. They didn’t know what the Fung had, but he seemed to think it might give him an edge, literal or otherwise.

The girl moved, rolling her shoulders in time with the music and smoothly deflecting the slap over her head as she twisted and spun inwards, an elbow cracking into the Fung’s ribs. His mouth opened in a cry but before he could do anything else she sidestepped in time with the beat, crouched, and launched one of the most flawless uppercuts Ash had ever seen. Her legs straightened, her spine was in perfect alignment, and her fist connected to the Fung’s jaw in an arc so smooth Ash wanted to frame a picture of it on their wall.

The Fung sailed into the air, slamming to the ground unmoving just as the last beat of the song thrummed out.

A deafening silence was replaced by a deafening roar as the crowd screamed in celebration. Ash raised their voice to join, eyes wide.

So, said Raisa, You like your first Breaking?

"I like her, said Ash. I mean, it was all good, but did you see that punch."

Raisa laughed. She’s taken I’m afraid.

I’m ace, said Ash, distantly surprised at how easy it was to just say without having to worry about the people around them. "I don’t want to sleep with her, I want to fight her."

Raisa blinked, then burst into a laugh. You don’t look the type, she said. The fighting I mean, obviously.

I might surprise you, said Ash, turning to face her and grinning back.

I can tell you aren’t augmented, said Raisa, tapping her temple next to her glinting eyes.

More than one way to fight, said Ash, hoping they were walking the line between mysterious and amusing rather than just arrogant and vague.

By Raisa’s grin, they were doing fine.

Wanna meet her? she said.

Seriously? Ash asked in shock. Isn’t she, I don’t know, surrounded by fans?

Only until I tell them to fuck off, came a new voice.

Ash turned to see the Trig woman standing right behind her, a passage through the crowd closing behind her as the ring vanished, once more becoming a normal dance-floor.

And I’m not a celebrity. Ew.

Sorry, said Ash. "Just...that last punch was beautiful."

The woman grinned, and reached up to remove her helm. Under it her eyes were dark but warm, and short blonde hair hung roughly around her ears.

Glad to see someone appreciates my good work, she said.

They want to fight you, said Raisa in a sing-song voice. "They liiike you."

Ash blushed, shooting a shocked glance at their companion.

The woman grinned. You pimping me out? she said.

Nope, said Raisa. You’re all mine.

The woman stepped forwards, not quite taller than Raisa but definitely more muscled. She hooked an arm around her, and the two of them exchanged a kiss that went on for entirely too long in Ash’s opinion.

As the two of them separated, Ash smirked at Raisa.

Marking your territory? they asked.

Oh yeah, said Raisa, smiling. Ash, meet Morgan, my girlfriend. Morgan, Ash, a cool new friend who just saw their first Breaking.

Hope you liked it, said Morgan, one arm still hooked around Raisa.

It was fun, said Ash, "Though I am curious about how well you fight when you don’t have to do it in time."

Morgan grinned. You think you could last a round?

Ash shrugged, trying to put the right mix of confidence and open-ended humility into the gesture. I think I want to find out.

Morgan laughed, but it wasn’t mocking. Alright, she said, how about you have a few drinks with us, and we’ll see where the night goes?

Ash nodded, grinning right back. This had been a fantastic idea.

~~~~

Morgan

This had been a terrible idea.

Morgan should have remembered Raisa couldn’t hold her booze, or at least kept a better eye on her. But she’d been swept up in the rush of putting an absolute smack down on the Fungs, and the joy of making a new friend.

The three of them had drunk, danced, and chatted by bars for hours until they’d found side room not currently being used by people fucking, and sat down to rest. Morgan and Raisa claimed a bench while Ash perched on a crate that seemed sturdy and clean enough.

Raisa had lasted about three seconds before her head went down onto Morgan’s lap and she passed out. Morgan winced, knowing no part of her legs were soft enough to be comfortable, and failed to try and shift Raisa to a better spot.

Ash was no help, and even sniggered at one point. Morgan shot them a glare and gave up, resigned to Raisa waking up with some weird imprint on her face in half an hour or so.

Might not get to that fight tonight, she said, resting a hand on Raisa’s bare shoulder as lightly as possible.

Ash lent back on their crate a little. That’s fine. Tonight’s been great. I’m, ah, happy to do it some other time, if you’re cool with that?

Morgan liked Ash. She was good at reading people, and Ash shifted between ‘confident and knows themself’ and ‘scared and broken’ in a far too familiar way. I’m cool with that. Got a number?

Ash grinned, and the two of them tapped phones together, exchanging contact details.

Morgan eyed Ash’s phone briefly. It was minimal, good quality, but didn’t look used. Burner? she asked.

Ash blinked. Ah, yeah. My parents… They trailed off, apparently embarrassed at admitting how much their parents must still control their life well into young adulthood.

No judgement, said Morgan. Lots of people got stories, and no one’s owed them. You got some lie I should follow?

No, said Ash, smiling in relief. If they find this phone I’m fucked anyway. My usual one is at a friend’s in midcity.

That blows, said Morgan, not prying further. You manage to get out often, or will I be waiting a while on our match?

I really don’t know, said Ash, sighing. "Let’s just say they have expectations, and I never live up to them."

I lived down to mine, said Morgan. He wanted better for me than following in his footsteps. Pride and disappointment is a weird mixture.

I wouldn’t know, said Ash, sighing. Not trying to win a misery competition, but I don’t think I’ve gotten anything more than a stern nod in my life.

So, rebelling? said Morgan lightly. She wasn’t going to judge, but she’d seen this before. Child of well-off parents, high pressure leading to blowing off steam downcity. It usually ended with the chain being pulled, and the kid heading back home.

Running, if I can, muttered Ash as they looked to the side.

Morgan blinked. You want to go independent? Break contact and move?

Ash laughed, but it wasn’t happy. That wouldn’t work. They’d find me. No, they said, sighing. "I’d need to vanish."

Morgan frowned. Shit. They sound like real pieces of work.

Yeah, said Ash. Half the reason I’m down here is to get used to what it’s like, try to fit in. So I can actually hide if I have to run.

Under isn’t too different to midcity, said Morgan. Less corps, more gangs, but half the people who work there live here, or vice versa.

Ash suddenly looked very uncomfortable, and Morgan’s eyes went wide.

"Shit. You’re highcity, she said in surprise. Fuck, that’s a leap."

Ash looked miserable. I’m sorry. I know I must come off as the most privileged brat-

Hey, said Morgan. "No judgement. You’re this deep, with a burner, looking to run? Then whatever rich assholes your parents might be, they must suck. Besides, she said, shrugging, you’re cool, and want to go a round with me. So I don’t have a problem."

Ash’s smile was once more relieved, and bright.

Morgan smiled back, then shifted to a grin. So, is it true you shit in gold toilets? she joked.

Ash snorted. "Please. They’re gilt, and everyone just pretends not to shit. Gotta keep up appearances."

The shared laughter disturbed Raisa, who blearily sat up and stared at Ash, a thick line with obvious screw marks on her cheek.

Ug, she said.

Morgan sighed. I’ve gotta get this one back to mine. She’s going to be out of it a while.

Need help? asked Ash before wincing at their boldness.

Nah, said Morgan. But could do with the company, if you’ve got nowhere else to be.

Ash grinned back. "Nowhere I want to be."

Cool. I can carry her, how about you help clear a way out?

Ash nodded, and the two of them began to make their way outside. Despite the fact it was probably close to dawn upcity the rave had barely slowed or quieted, and pushing their way clear took more shoving and glares than walking.

Morgan watched as Ash moved ahead of them like an icebreaker, managing somehow to tell whether an apology or a glare would better move someone out of the way. She shook her head and grinned. Ash knew how to handle people, or fake it at least. If they could back it up when needed, they’d do fine down here.

She’d let them accompany her and Raisa for more than just company. If Ash ever did run, it’d be good if they knew a safe place to go, and Morgan had more than enough couch space.

One last push past the scrum at the entrance dropped them back into the dark of the undercity. Streetlamps and half-broken holo graph ads provided most of the light, and a glance upwards would have shown nothing but buildings, roadways, infrastructure, and fog.

The street itself wasn’t too busy, with barely a dozen people either entering or exiting the rave the only traffic. The air wasn’t cold, but it was both moving and not heated by a thousand bodies, and so it seemed fresh and brisk. Ignoring the odour of vomit and alcohol that hung around the exit like a wreath of inebriety, she jerked a thumb in one direction and headed towards the transit station that led home.

Ash followed, slightly out of place in their clothing but already moving like they knew who they were and where they were going.

Morgan chuckled. Well, you’ve got your ‘don’t fuck with me’ face on lock, so you’ll probably survive fine down here.

Ash grinned. "I hate interacting with people, so my parents never could train me to be nice. They settled for making me scary, to better cow underlings. I just peel off the arrogance, and it seems to work fine."

Interacting fine right now, said Morgan, gently slapping away Raisa’s hand as it tried to slip under her jacket and cop a feel. She was rewarded with a giggle.

Dunno, said Ash casually. Raisa felt different. So do you.

Queers hang together, said Morgan, grinning at them.

Ash smiled back with a strong and slightly sad warmth. Yeah.

Ash’s face shifted slightly, and they frowned.

Morgan noticed too. We being followed?

Maybe, they said, not turning around or raising their voice. Few people behind us, but they aren’t getting closer or further.

Could be heading to the transit station, same as us, offered Morgan as she thought.

Know a detour? asked Ash.

Short one, but annoying. No one would take it on purpose.

Shall we find out? asked Ash.

Morgan nodded, and a minute later took them up a wide stairway, over a road, and down the other side.

Still following, said Ash.

Yeah, said Morgan. She pretended to shuffle Raisa to a new position and used the opportunity to sneak a glance back at the well-let stair. She swore.

Shit. That’s the Fungs. All three, probably looking for a rematch, she said.

What do we do? asked Ash, keeping pace with Morgan, although she could see their hands clenching.

"We don’t have to do anything, she said. You don’t have to get involved. Transit station is still a bit away, but they aren’t after you."

Nah, said Ash all too casually. I am thinking we’re bros now. So I’ll stay.

Morgan nodded, taking that at face value. Then you take Raisa. Get her on the train, get off at Blue-47. Wake her up, she’ll get you to mine from there.

Ash glanced at her, but kept walking. You can’t take three dudes. This isn’t an action movie, no matter how good you are.

Wasn’t planning on. Three-on-one is a no-win, but I can make ‘em hurt enough to forget about you and her, said Morgan. She’d taken a beating before, and if she made enough fuss, they’d have less legs to kick her with once she went down.

Terrible plan, said Ash. "How about, the two of us fight them? Three on two is better, especially if you’re as good as I think."

"Are you as good as you think? said Morgan sharply, locking her harshest glare onto Ash’s face. Because you’re not just risking your own ass, you’re risking hers."

I am, said Ash with either the best faked confidence Morgan had ever seen, or the genuine article. Like I said, we’re friends now. Not risking that.

"They’ll have augs. Nasty ones. I know you don’t," said Morgan, spotting a stoop she could rest Raisa on.

There’s other ways to fight, said Ash, rolling their shoulders.

Fine, said Morgan. But if it goes south, one of us gets her out, OK?

Deal, said Ash.

Morgan stopped, and set Raisa down. She opened her eyes, squinting. We home babe?

No love, said Morgan. Got some dogs at our heels. Can you run?

Running is like, standing, but harder, said Raisa matter-of-factly.

That’s a no. Ash will get you out if you can’t, OK?

They’re moving, warned Ash.

Raisa frowned. Asses. Kick the butts, babe.

Morgan lent forwards and kissed Raisa on the forehead. As you command, my love.

Hey! yelled a voice.

Morgan rose and turned towards it. It was the Fung she’d headbutted, a massive bruise swelling purple on his forehead. The mostly unharmed one to his right was the one Sin and Cos had tangoed, and the last was the guy she’d hit with what was probably the sweetest punch of her life. By his bandaged jaw and intense glare, she was pretty sure he remembered the punch too.

You cost us a lot of fucking money, said Bruised. "So how about you pay us what you earned, and maybe we’ll forget