I watched the code as it flickered and flowed and finally moved with it. It was almost simple to move around the security and into the system. I moved to one side to watch the data flow with the constant guard and security programs streaming past. I dove into the stream and headed to a hub to retrieve the location of the files I wanted.

I moved away and deeper into the flow and kept going until I reached an interface. I gathered the data I had come for and slipped away. I sat back as I reached up to remove the VR glasses and the neural head net. I turned to reach for the data cube and disconnected it before standing. I moved to the table on the other side of the empty looking room.

A holograph appeared as I placed the cube in a container. I glanced at the man in the holo, "just as I thought, he hid everything in his company mainframe."

He grinned, "send it to me and I will make the arrest."

I stretched, "I will be away for a day or more."

He sighed, "your fighting bot?"

I shook my head, "that is not what they are. Bot makes it sound like they think or can act on their own."

He smiled, "and it does not?"

I reached across the table to push the container into the building delivery slot, "no. It only does what I tell it or what I do."

I turned to walk out as the holograph shut off. I was a hacker and had been since I was young which was why many branches of the government came to me, well contacted me. What many did not know was I had stolen a huge cargo of advanced comps from a gang of thieves. They had stolen it from an illegal factory and everyone knew it was them.

I had used all the comps to make a super comp which I hid where it would not be found. That was how I was able to get into many of the places. I used the fresher and got dressed before walking out into the huge warehouse. My fighting machine was already on the transport but I checked it once more.

It was just over seven meters tall, it did not have a head so much as dome that rose from the shoulders. I climbed into the transport cab and touched the button to start it. I flipped the five buttons that created the image of a solid panel type of back inside of the flat bed. I began moving and opened the outer doors and closed them after me.

It was a two hour ride to the arena where the fights were taking place. I parked in the back and shut down before climbing out. I climbed up onto the bed and touched a button on a tiny remote. The back panels on the fighting machine slid aside and dropped or rose until the fighter's cage was accessible.

I stripped out of my outer layer of clothes before tucking them into the bag under where my feet would go. I climbed in face down and began connecting the bio feed back suit to the machine. I touched a button and the back closed leaving me in darkness before the four micro reactors came online.

I watched the system check as the holo image of everything around me sprang up. I shifted and pushed up onto my hands and carefully lifted one leg to step to the side and off the transport bed. I shifted as I pushed and straightened while moving onto that leg before setting the other down.

Few people walked their fighting machine into the arena but I turned and started for the machine entrance. This was not my first fight and many people knew my machine on sight. I walked towards the entrance and others turned to watch or moved out of the way. Two guards stepped out as I approached and I stopped and switched on the speakers, "Dancer."

One nodded and annotated something as the other cleared his throat, "machine owners must register with..."

The other guard hit his shoulder and he shut up. I smiled, "I am registered and insured. Those that wish to fight me will contact me."

They moved and I walked in and selected a small bay. I backed the machine to the fighter access platform and shut down after opening the back. I disconnected and climbed out before crossing my legs and sitting. Now I just needed to wait, one of the other owners would come to me.

I did not have the highest rank in the league but I had never lost a fight and had won over fifty. The first to walk in was with a swagger and sneer. He glanced around before climbing the ladder to the fighter platform, "I was told you are the best fighter."

I glanced at him and waited and he frowned, "we are ranked number one."

I stilled waited and he put his hands on his hips, "we will knock your machine into scrap."

I smiled but remained silent and he cleared his throat, "don't you speak?"

I stood silently and pulled one small plastic card from a slim shoulder pocket. I handed it to him and he looked at it before snorting, "we do not spilt the purse."

I reached out to turn the card and he looked before laughing, "fine winner takes all."

He left and I sat again, he was only the first, there would be others. It was several hours before I walked into the arena inside the machine. I stopped at the ready line and waited as a larger machine walked out. The arms were blockier and had blades extending out from the back of the fists. I watched it as the crowd roared and the red light began flashing and dropping.

When it suddenly flashed green and vanished I shifted my stance as the other machine lumbered towards me. It shifted as it reached me and cocked an arm before starting a punch. I stepped to one side as one metal hand snapped up and out. I grabbed the other machine's arm and twisted as I brought my left foot up and kicked.

I brought my other hand down straight onto the joint of the arm. My foot connected with what should be the knee joint as I let the machine go and stepped back. It twisted as if to strike but the knee creaked and it lost its balance. The way the arm was hanging I knew it was not working either.

I shifted my weight and like only a few fighting machines and kicked out and straight up into the other machine. I stepped back as it staggered and fell and waited for it to rise. It wiggled and squirmed and tried to roll and finally after a minute a ref walked out and gestured to my machine, "Dancer wins!"

There was a huge roar as the fans surged to their feet and others threw things at my machine or the one on the ground. I turned and walked back to the ready line as a lot of men with equipment ran out to the other machine. After three fights I was done and walked back to my bay and backed to the fighter platform.

I opened the access hatch before shutting down. I crawled out and stretched before pulling my comp. I checked to see if the credits from the three fight purses had been deposited. I glanced at the six men that walked through the private entrance from the arena corridors. Four spread out as the other two continued to me.

One glanced at the machine while the other looked me over, "hello Dancer."

I looked at him and waited and he smiled, "your silent act will not work with us."

I turned and reached into the machine for my bag. I fished around and pulled out a small device. I stood and turned before touching a finger screen. There were pops all over the platform, the roof and down on the floor. There were even a few on the men who jerked. I smiled, "other fighters, newies as well as financial supporters tend to bug anything and everything."

I looked at the man that had spoken, "what does fleet want with a machine fighter?"

He straightened, "the fleet wants you to build a combat suit."

I thought about it, "fleet already has combat suits."

He glanced around, "we were thinking of something lighter and stronger with better comp support."

I frowned and glanced around, "give me a contact..."

The silent man shifted, "you come with us until you have the design made."

I snorted, "not likely. I have work and..."

He smiled, "your hacking can wait."

I looked at him carefully, "how..."

The other man chuckled, "we are fleet. If we need to follow a person we can use sats."

I turned to look at my machine before glancing at them, "and what is in it for me?"

The one that had said I would have to go with them smiled, "girls? Money? Helping your government?"

I sighed, "meet me at my transport and you had better make this worth my time."

I turned to put the bag back inside the machine before climbing in and closing the back. I began connecting the suit before bringing the machine online. I checked everything around me before I started walking towards the large bay doors. As I walked out people moved aside and many waved.

There were a dozen black suited men around my transport as I carefully moved onto the bed and shut down. For the first time I let someone ride with me and others follow. After I parked the transport I climbed down and started for the outer door while arming my security. Six hours later I was on a station I did not know existed.

The room I walked into was a fabrication bay and huge. I looked around and walked to look in another door at the fresher. I looked at the two men that had stayed with me and pointed to the wall outside the door, "I need a large bed there and in the corner I need a small kitchen unit."

I ignored them and walked to a slanted architect desk and brought the comp alive. I had been thinking since they had mentioned it and a lot of ideas were in my head. First was a little research and then I swiftly created a rough draft. While I worked men and women came and worked and then left.

I finally stretched and went to the fresher. When I came out a girl was sitting on the large bed. I looked at her as I went past and headed to the kitchen unit, "who are you?"