Dogfight By: William Gibson and Michael Swanwick

shit i just wrote this in word and I can't copy and paste it into here. fml

http://www.viodspace.org.uk/cyberpunk/burning_chrome.shtml

The story starts off with Deke, the main character, saw some men, referred to as "local kickers" playing a virtual game- SPADS&FOKKERS, and was very intrigued. He then "boosted" (stole) a game and started playing in a bathroom. This is a futuristic version of computer gaming, using his mind to control his fighter jet, referred to as a biplane. The controller hooks up behind the left ear, as it somehow interfaces with the brain allowing one to control his plane using his mind.

Deke met a girl, Nance Bettendorf, who scared Deke and made him drop his screen, which he was going to try to sell to her.

An interesting point, Nance is 17, and an engineering student at a university. Both her parents had a job, which they were described as greedy...for having 2 jobs in the house. Nance had a big sweatshirt on, and just panties underneath, which leads me to assume that as society has changed, it may be normal for a girl to be stripped down, or exposed to everyone and she not care at all. With society then, girls may not very much care who sees them in their panties, as this intelligent girl exposes herself to this complete stranger. Which may be how our society may end up one day. (God forbid)

Another hint toward this sexual formality is this girl programmed 3D images of, "Pretty little naked people, fucking." The way sex is described in this story makes it seem like 2 people having sex is as common as playing a game together, or this girl may have a fetish for sex as you will soon find out why. The word choice for these acts and the language used gives me the sense that the characters live in a world where you are pretty much on your own, either living in a "safe zone" per say or living on the streets, everything is half broken and barely working, where you do whatever yo need to do to protect yourself...

Deke also makes a comment to himself, expecting to go to bed with this girl, implying sex is a normal thing to do. Then the girl also makes a remark, "The day the brain-lock comes off I am going to fuck the vilest, greasiest, hairiest.." also implying there are no morals existent with her as far as saving herself for marrige or saving herself at all, like we see in girls today. Which brings me to the next bit, people can have "brain locks" implanted, so far being described as certain thoughts or physical activity triggers intense terror...for example the thought of an image of the prison Deke was at for theft triggers extreme terror, probably to detur him from breaking the law again. In Nance's case, her parents paid for (implying they are expensive because she actually had one as both her parents had jobs) a brain lock to where whenever someone else touches her, she reacts like she was just rapped...basically drawing back in terror. And obviously she is pissed that her parents put it in her.

As the story goes on, Deke wants to play against the champion of this flying game, "Tiny". A semi-paralytic who lives for the game. Deke goes looking for him, and gets embarrassed by a mid-level player. By now Deke has moved in with Nance, as they are "dating" each other, (if that terminology even still exists in this setting) and she rewrites the code for Deke's controller, allowing his reaction times to increase. After this, he plays local kids at the arcade for a couple weeks, getting his rep up while perfecting his own skills.

Nance ended up with this stuff equivalent to what we know as Speed, which enabled her to concentrate perfectly on her project, which ended up so well she didn't have to take the final. Her teacher also set her up with an interview with an employer, which she was saving the second "hit" for.

But Deke was convinced that he would not be able to beat Tiny unless he had Nance's second hit. Deke, who convinced himself that Nance was going to leave him when she got a job, built up his own resentment toward her, he was jelous because she had smarts, a job, money, and he had nothing but his game. When she came home all excited, he instantly killed the mood by asking her where it was. Nance was saving the last hit for her interview, and didn't want to give it up. But Deke was intent on getting it, as he attacked her by throwing her down, pinning her on the ground, demanding where it was. This, along with the brain lock which makes her freak when touched, sent Nance into convulsions, while Deke just stared at her, and let her die right in front of him. Deke fround the drug, and took it right before his match with Tiny. Just before he defeated Tiny, he realized that if he took him out, then Tiny would have nothing to live for and his life would basically be ruined. But, this obviously didn't stop Deke, and as he collected his prize money, no one cheered, no one congradulated him, there was even a sense of hatred in the air. But Deke was so happy he wanted to go celebrate, get drunk, talk up his victory. But then he suddenly realized that there was no one who would listen to him. There was no one he could talk to, he was all alone.

Deke killed that innocent girl out of his own, unphased greed. And he ruined Tiny's life, out of his own greed. There is a very strong moral of this story, and it is keep your friends/loved ones close, do not make them suffer at your own expense, do not put your needs above theirs. Family and friends are the ones who stick by you, so once they are gone you have nothing-reguardless how much money you have.