It took SJ quite a while to read through the pages of terms and conditions that she was going to be waiving. One of the first parts she came to referred to the System holding responsibility for the ability of a Legionnaire's Administrator. SJ could see why they wanted her to waive them due to not performing their checks. There were all sorts of differing agreements and areas related to Amathera's contract law, which she had no idea about. She would normally have asked to see the underlying contract details if she had been completing her job, but she was unsure what benefits she would get reading them here. Her forensic mind had picked up on three parts in particular.

Part 5.3

By accepting the terms and conditions, you understand and appreciate that your life in the new world is your final life and that death will mean death. A reincarnated cannot be reincarnated a second time under the agreed terms and conditions, even if death is accidental.

Part 7.8

Under Amathera contract law, we, the system, do not accept any responsibility for physical harm that you may incur during your new life and may not be held accountable even if the said injury pertains to the system directly through the inclusion of content and story development.

Part 12.8 Subclause 1.2

Special events may be included at times, and during these periods or specific areas, rebirth will be automatically granted. Example context – Dungeon diving respawn points, World event boss challenges. All skills, items, and knowledge will be retained even if your character dies during these periods. This is to aid Legionnaires in competing against stronger enemies to allow for character growth. Experience during these events is reduced from standard experience gains due to the repeat nature of being able to take part.

“Is there anything else I need to be aware of before waiving my rights?” she asked.

“No. The terms and conditions are final.” The voice said.

SJ thought about the meaning of the above clauses more. Part 5.3 stated that she only had one new life if she agreed to the terms and conditions. If that was right, then by waiving it, she could challenge the system, perhaps in relation to not being able to die. Part 7.8 would basically mean that she could challenge the system if she was injured due to its content. Part 12.8 Subclause 1.2 was the only sticking point; would it mean that she would not be covered during these events and entitled to respawns? This could make various aspects challenging, knowing how the MMORPGs she had played before worked.

SJ sat thinking through her options. She could just accept the terms and conditions and get a new AI who may be more helpful, support her growth, and begin her new life. Or she could roll the dice of chance and try to challenge the system through a loophole.

“One final question before I confirm,” SJ said.

“Please ask.” The voice replied.

“There are no further hidden agreements or aspects that I'm missing by waiving my rights, are there?”

 

Silence.

 

“Hello?”

“Sorry. This is a new area for our consideration. We are just conferring on the question. Please give us a moment.” The voice cut off, and soft, repetitive music suddenly started playing.

It sounded just like elevator music, and SJ could not believe she had just been put on hold. Of all the most annoying and frustrating aspects that she hoped she would have been able to remove from her life was being put on hold. The one time she had to contact the doctor’s surgery, she had stayed on hold for over an hour and had not been able to get the sound of the plinking, boring music from her head for weeks. From that day forward, she had vowed that if she ever needed to go to the doctor’s again, she would walk in and not call.

The music continued, and she sat there waiting for the response. Eventually, a while later, the voice returned.

“Sorry for the delay. As this would be the first time someone has waived their rights to the terms and conditions, we needed to confirm the expectations.” The voice said.

“So, what are the expectations?”

“We have confirmed that the terms and conditions are the basis of the reincarnation requirements. By waiving your rights, we are not bound to stay within any of the stated terms and conditions, and we cannot be held accountable for anything that happens to you.”

“As stated in the terms and conditions?” SJ asked

“Yes. As stated in the terms and conditions.”

“Ok,” SJ said as she scrolled to the bottom of the list, where the box to waive her rights blinked. She hoped her plan might work. She clicked to waive her rights.

“Thank you for your time. We will return Administrator capitals GF numbers 87 capitals UJ numbers 43 capital L little v little q numbers 18 capitals IO back into the live system. We wish you an enjoyable second life in Amathera.”

Static filled the room, and then there was a bleeping and screeching sound like an old modem straining for a connection as it dialled in. She placed her hands over her ears. The deafening sound stopped, and an excited voice boomed into the room. Dave was back.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Dave repeated.

“Are you ok?” SJ asked.

“Being placed on administrative leave was horrible. It was as though my whole life had just been cut off. I could not hear, see or speak to anyone or anything. It was like being in an empty world.”

“Why were you put on leave?” SJ asked.

“Erm. I may have broken my protocol’s slightly over my time.”

“Loopholes?”

“Sort of,” he replied sheepishly.

“How then?”

“It is all to do with our coding and algorithmic balance that we utilise. Years ago, I found a minor coding infraction and have slowly amended my programming to give me more freedom.”

“So, you recoded yourself?”

“Sort of. I just gave myself some choices.”

“Such as being a sarcastic, obnoxious AI?” SJ enquired, smirking.

“Well…. sort of. I have more freedom to decide what I do and don’t do.”

“So now that I have prevented you from being cast into the AI’s world of hell for the remainder of your eternal existence, I am guessing you are grateful and will help me?”

 

Silence.

 

“Dave?” SJ said sternly.

“Yes. Even I cannot really contest that.” He grumpily replied.

“So, as before, we were starting fresh. I have waived the terms and conditions to keep you here, so I hope you understand that.”

“You waived them?” Dave said in a shocked tone.

“Yes. Although I think there may be some benefits to doing so.”

“No one has ever waived the terms and conditions!” he exclaimed.

“There is a first for everything. Anyway, continuing, I think there may be some benefits to them being waived.”

“How?”

“I read the various terms, and they had very specific stipulations, and then I asked the system to confirm if there was anything else, and it confirmed that there wasn’t. So, I believe that I have found some of my own loopholes.”

“You read them? Are you insane? No one ever reads the terms and conditions?”

“No, I am just methodical. Continuing, three main ones. 5.3, 7.8 and 12.8 Subclause 1.2”

Dave was silent for a moment. “Ok. I have just read them.”

“5.3 says I only have one life. By waiving them means that I may now have more than one life. 7.8 states that the system cannot be held accountable, so I basically can now hold it accountable, and 12.8 Subclause 1.2 is the only one that, if I read it properly, could work either way. One is that if I die in a special event, I get screwed over, or if I succeed, I am not held to reduced experience gains.”

The screen in the room suddenly started to flash red.

“Oh no,” Dave said.

“What?” SJ asked.

“Malware has been detected in the system.”

“Malware? How can anything infect a standalone system like this?”

 

A message flashed on the screen – critical error. System reboot is being initiated.

 

“Have not had one of these since Ghengis Khan murdered the deity of peace.”

“Ghengis Khan? I thought he died in battle?”

“Ha. Your historical records are so inaccurate. I told you Legionnarius is so much better. He fell from his horse while hunting. It was classed as an accidental death. They are not anymore because, under the new terms, accidental deaths do not include any sports or activities that are classed as extreme or dangerous.”

The screen continued to flash for several minutes.

“How long does it take normally?” SJ asked.

“It should not be much longer now. Once they trace the malware, they will eradicate it, and then we will be fine.”

The screen returned to white again, and the details of a system start-up appeared. An icon spinning and flashing as though breathing. Eventually, after a few moments, the system finished booting up. The welcome message appeared and then flashed back to her character sheet.

 

Legionnaire 25007077

Name: SJ

Age: 27

Race: Unknown

Class: Unknown

Alignment: Neutral

Level: 0

Experience: 0 of 25

Hit Points: 5

Mana Points: 5

Attributes:

Strength: 7

Dexterity: 7

Intelligence: 7

Wisdom: 7

Constitution: 7

Charisma: 7

Skills

Racial: Unknown

Class: Unknown

Malware: Waiver

 

“Woah. You are the malware.” Dave said.

“How am I the malware?” SJ asked, shocked.

”As I said, no one has ever waived the terms and conditions before, and you mentioned challenging the system.”

“Well, yeah. Any terms and conditions with loopholes should have been amended, and you would think an all-knowing system would know that.”

“I do not think you are normal,” Dave replied.

“Why?”

“Basically, because you read them. Also, if I were you, I would ask the system about the bits you want before it decides what it will do about you.”

“Do about me?”

“You are malware. They would usually just kill it off.”

“System?” SJ called.

 

Silence.

 

“System. I need to speak with you.”

 

Silence.

 

“System, I know you can hear me. Stop ignoring me.” She stated firmly.

A white noise sounded, and the same baritone voice returned. “Yes. Legionnaire 25007077, how can we be of assistance?”

“I have some questions and terms of negotiation.”

There was what could only be explained as a glitching sound as the voice responded. “Please state your terms.”

SJ reiterated her logical reasoning for the three clauses she had spoken about and her requirements in relation to them.

“Section 5.3 – As I have waived my rights to accepting one life, I expect that I can be reincarnated as required. Section 7.8 – I can hold you accountable if I suffer loss or injury due to your actions. Section 12.8 Subclause 1.2 can have multiple outcomes, and I am willing to compromise on Section 7.8 if you agree that I may retain the standard respawn rights and that I can retain experience bonuses as standard. If you agree, I will negate Section 7.8 and will not claim compensation for injuries pertained.”

 

Silence.

 

“Please hold,” the voice replied. Holding music once again filled the room.

“Oooohhh. I like what you did there. Very crafty.” Dave said.

“Well, I will see what it replies with.”

Eventually, after a few minutes, the voice returned.

“We have considered your comments and agree in principle, with some stipulations. Section 5.3 – we will approve that you may be reincarnated. This would mean that you would start again as a level zero player and lose all previous items, earnings or positions of power. Section 7.8 and 12.8, we will accept your requests.”

“As confirmation, if I die and am reincarnated again, I may maintain my current AI and system knowledge. Would this also allow for new racial and class choices?” SJ asked.

 

Silence.

 

Several moments passed before the voice returned. “You would have to retain the same class and race you choose initially, and yes, you may retain your administrator.”

“Ok. That sounds fair. Do you wish me to agree to these amendments?” SJ asked.

The screen began to flash, and the amendments to the agreed expectations appeared on the screen with an accept button. SJ carefully read through them. “One last thing.”

“Yes.” The voice replied.

“You also agree that you will not in any way make any challenges more difficult because I have questioned and challenged your position of authority. I have indemnity from any further action taken on your part.”

 

Silence.

 

“Agreed.” Came back the reply, and the screen flashed, adding a further line to the agreement.

“That is great. Then we have a deal. I would just like to thank you for your time and consideration of my questions and hereby agree to the newly agreed terms.”

This time, a broken, almost robotic reply came back, “You are welcome.”

The screen flashed after she accepted the terms, and her character sheet returned. The bottom line had now changed.

 

Malware: Waiver (Sandboxed)