Quoted By:
"Can't let you board," the pilot shakes his head even as the gate's scanner flashes an unfriendly shade of red and spits out you pass. "Insufficient credit."
"What are you talking about?" you demand. "I'm paid up! I'm on the Daily Double plan for ten more cycles, at least."
"I'm sure you are, but-"
"I still have the receipt! Hold on, it's here somewhere-" you start digging through your bag.
"As I said, I'm sure you are," the pilot repeats. "But it doesn't matter. Company raised prices on all economy plans, effective today, retroactive for any ongoing plans. For a plan to resume, the existing deficit must first be extinguished."
"And if I don't submit to this extortion, I lose the remaining duration of my plan," you guess. "Along with the money I paid for it."
"Per company policy, all purchases are non-refundable."
"Is this about the new tram line? Already losing customers, are you? I'm sure jacking up prices for the rest of us will bring them right back."
"The shuttle will depart in three minutes," the pilot points out impassively. "And there are customers waiting in line behind you."
You could try arguing. Yelling. Threats. You could rail against monopolies and point out how this is the kind of bullshit that happens when you make "Nothing is free!" your society's guiding principle and then let it run for one hundred years. You could do a lot of things.
But it's around eight kilometers to your workplace from here. In a straight line - never mind the tangle of nodes and corridors you'd need to navigate if you somehow received enough brain damage to willingly choose that route.
"I would like to extinguish my deficit," you inform the prick in the pilot's suit.
"Just swipe your card here," he makes an inviting gesture. "Or perhaps I could interest you in upgrading to our Deluxe Unlimited package?"
"Do I look like a fucking courier to you?"
(cont)