A Circuit of Thin Air

The neural-link headset pressed uncomfortably against Lucie’s temples, a familiar ache already blooming behind her eyes. It was always like this, the preliminary interface a jolt, like trying to funnel a river through a drinking straw. She exhaled slowly, watching her breath mist briefly in the cool air of the observation deck before dissipating.

“Alright, Lucie, you’re connected. Finn, status on Conduit Beta?” Daria’s voice, crisp and unhurried, cut through the low thrum of the servers. Her fingers danced across a keyboard, the click-clack a steady counterpoint to Lucie’s racing pulse.

“Beta’s holding at nominal, Daria. But the pressure readings… they’re higher than the last simulation. Lucie, how’s that feel?” Finn’s voice, usually a gruff rumble, was laced with an unusual softness. He leaned over her console, his breath smelling faintly of peppermint.

Lucie squeezed her eyes shut, a spark of static zipping behind her vision. “Like a migraine just got a turbo-charger, Finn. But stable. For now.” She opened her eyes, focusing on the shimmering blue lattice that was the System’s visual representation, hovering just beyond the control room’s main window. It pulsed, a giant, intricate jellyfish of light.

“Remember the protocols,” Finn murmured, his hand resting briefly on her shoulder, a rare gesture. “Don’t push if the feedback gets too much. We can pull you out.”

“No, we can’t,” Lucie corrected, a dry edge to her voice. “Not today. Not with the grid already teetering.” She shifted, the cold plastic of the console digging into her forearms. This wasn’t just a test of the System; it was a test of her. And the whole city, really. Their power supply had been flickering for three days, ever since the last cold front rolled in.

Holding the Line

She reached out, a phantom limb extending into the holographic interface. The System responded, a ripple of light across the blue lattice. She felt it, a profound sense of connection, like her thoughts weren't just her own anymore, but part of a vast, intricate circuit. It was exhilarating and terrifying, all at once.

“Inputting sequence Delta-7,” Daria announced. “Simulation is live. We’re drawing three hundred megawatts from the auxiliary grid. Monitoring thermal regulators.”

The blue intensified, and Lucie felt a corresponding pressure in her chest, a sudden hollowness. She gritted her teeth, ignoring the faint tremor in her hands. She had to hold it. Had to keep the conduits open, flowing, balancing the load that was now coursing through a system designed to fail if a single parameter was off. This was the 'new system' – a network of distributed energy accumulators meant to take the strain off the ancient central reactor. And it was temperamental, to say the least.

“Power flow through Alpha-2 stable,” Lucie reported, her voice strained. “Minor fluctuations in Gamma-9. Diverting power… now.” The light shifted, re-routing, a mental effort that left her sweating. The room felt colder, despite her rising body temperature.

Finn nodded, his gaze glued to his own screen. “Good, Lucie. Keep that balance. We’re approaching peak load. Daria, what’s our projected thermal on the central conduit?”

Daria paused, her rapid typing ceasing. “Unexpected spike, Finn. Central conduit heating up too fast. Projected breach in… three minutes, if current rate continues.” Her voice had lost its usual even keel, a slight tremor now perceptible.

A sharp, electric jolt shot through Lucie’s arm, making her flinch. The blue lattice flickered, one segment turning a furious orange. Alarms, soft at first, began to chirp from the consoles around them. “It’s too much,” Lucie gasped, her head snapping back as another jolt, stronger this time, coursed through her, tasting like pennies and fear. “It’s overloading! I can’t—I can’t hold it!” The entire holographic projection began to strobe, faster and faster, the blue and orange lights a sickening, dizzying kaleidoscope. The hum of the servers climbed to a desperate shriek.

“Pull back, Lucie! Disengage!” Finn shouted, his hand hovering over the emergency cut-off, but it was too late. The System had taken hold, a tidal wave of raw energy and data, pulling her deeper into its failing core. The blue light intensified, burning into her eyes, and she felt a tearing sensation, as if her very mind was being ripped apart.