The CHAMBER


Copyright Megan Leggo 2000

Just 10 months old Chamber is a new and upcoming nightclub/entertainment complex in outer uptown. Although small by Mort standards it does offer a variety of facilities for Operatives. Apart from having dance areas and two restaurants, this nightclub also has the fighting pit or “chamber” that gives the club its name. It is the CHAMBER that has recently sparked the interest of Third Eye News who are currently negotiating the rights to hold “live to air executions” of criminals in the arena.
Launched with a wave of publicity, a great deal of money was invested in the development of the club but it does appear that the investment is paying off.

Location
Corner Byrne Street and 23rd Uptown. Sector 14.
Hours
The Chamber is open seven days a week from 6pm 5am. The fighting Chamber itself holds events from 8pm until midnight. Should there be a fight in progress at midnight the hours are extended until that fight ends.
Owner/Manager

Robert Dixon, Ex Business/Media Operative for Squad Razers.

Robert retired from routine Op work after his Squad’s second successful Black Op that resulted in all but two of his 7 man squad being killed. In addition to The Chamber, Robert works as a financier for a number of other SLA Squads. Through his work as a financier he has a number of extremely good contacts within SLA and his previous work as an Op has left him with a good reputation and many friends particularly in Third Eye News.

Clientele

Low SCL Ops are the main clientele of the CHAMBER. A Third Eye News representative is in the arena audience every night and spectacular fights are receiving more and more coverage on the television. This provides the new Op with a great opportunity for exposure and foot in the corporate door. All races of Op are welcome to attend the club but some are seen more than others. Due to the fighting pit this club has become extremely popular with the Frothers looking for something to take up some time between BPNs. After all why waste all that UV. The opportunity to be “discovered” by the media appeals to the young Frothers who know that they have a very limited time to make a name for themselves.

The management has been surprised to see a great number of Wraithraiders frequenting the Chamber. It has become a popular arena for the more egotistical Wraithraider Ops to show how good they are and the Wraithraider one-on-one “Surrender Matches” are impressive to watch. It is not uncommon to see the victorious Wraithraiders “strutting their stuff” on the dance floors through the early hours. The competition for attention on the dance floors is almost as intense as the competition in the pit itself.

Shaktars tend to avoid the Arena. As the fighting pit is purely for sport they consider it to be vulgar. For similar reason Ebons tend to be rare. Brainwasters do attend, however. Their interest appears to be more voyeuristic than anything else. Seldom do they compete but they are regularly seen in the audience laughing at Ops that take on an opponent who is beyond their abilities. A great number of Brainwasters are seen at the club on “Sudden Death Sundays”.

Description

The Chamber has two dance areas, two restaurants, three “sports bars” and a single “lounge bar” in addition to the arena itself. The sports bars are definitely the more popular locations in the Club. The Chamber events are televised live in the bars and it is a great place to catch the action if you are unable to secure a seat in the arena itself. The lounge is often frequented by competitors “post combat” as they take ten minutes rest after their trip to the “in house” medical centre.

“The CHAMBER”

The arena itself is round and measures 40m in diameter. The side walls are sheer, clear perspex 4m tall enclosed over the top with a curved Perspex Chamber making the maximum height at the centre 7m. There are three tunnel entrances to the Chamber all Perspex so that the competitors can be watched as they enter. A number of “snipers” are situated around the edge of the arena for security purposes.

Inside the Chamber there are four pillars 1m wide and 2.5m tall that have mesh attached and can be climbed. These are connected by platforms. The pillars and the platforms are clear to ensure good visibility.

To get the best coverage of each event several cameras are set up both around and in the ring. Occasionally a cameraman will be present in the arena itself

The Events

A number of events are held at the Arena and are roughly defined as follows:

First Blood Matches
An event for two or more fighters usually held earlier in the evening. The competitors enter the arena and face off against each other. Non-projectile weapons may be used at the discretion of the fighters. A more tactical fight, the winner is the Op who stands at the end with no bleeding wound. The only restriction on entry is that no two members of the same Squad may fight in the same match.
Surrender Matches
Infinitely more popular than the First Blood matches two or more competitors enter the Chamber and the winner is the last man standing. Competitors are eliminated either by surrendering or becoming unconscious. Up to six individual competitors can enter in any one event. In addition Squads can compete against other Squads, the winning team being the Squad of the last remaining Op. The only restriction in the Squad matches is that there be equal numbers on both teams unless mutually agreed upon but all competitors.
Sudden Death Sunday
A variation on the Surrender Match this event is held on a Sunday night. Starting with two competitors, they fight surrender style with the winner remaining in the ring and fighting a new opponent, the winner of that then fights a new opponent and so on. The overall winner is the first Op to win after midnight.
All entrants are randomly selected to determine their “number” for the night with numbers one and two fighting first. Having a higher number brings mixed fortune. The higher the number the closer to midnight you will fight, hence increase your chances of becoming overall winner and fighting fewer opponents to get there. However due to the nature of the competition you may not get a chance to fight at all.
Carrien/Pig Matches </DT>
These are held once a week on a Saturday night and are extremely popular. The creatures are collected and held in a high security compound under the club. These creatures are then set against operatives in unarmed combat. In some circumstances weapons including knives, clubs, bats etc. are placed in the arena for use. Should any operative wish to use specific weaponry such as a power claymore or chain axe they may face up against multiple carrien or boar. These matches offer the opportunity for Squads as well as individuals to fight.
In the event of an Op fatality the Carrien or Boar is filled full of hotline rounds by the security snipers so that the body of the Op can be retrieved. The surviving creature is then patched up for next weeks fight and the prize money is inevitably increased.
The Money

All competitors in all matches pay a flat entry fee of 10 creds. All competitors sign a contract stating that they understand the rules of the Chamber. There are also two types of optional “insurance” that can be taken out by the Ops before they compete. The top level insurance costs an additional 10 creds and will cover them for LAD or Dark Lament collection and treatment up to 1000 creds value or first aid treatment in the Chamber Medical Facility up to 500 creds. If LAD or Dark Lament policies are already held by the competitor or they do not wish the extra cover the insurance is only 5 creds and covers first aid treatment only.

Each policy is valid for the duration of a single event only and is not transferable.

If no insurance or LAD/Dark Lament policy is held then the competitor must sign a Liability and Responsibility contract. This makes the Op liable for all medical costs incurred from any event and absolves the management of all responsibility should the Op become injured or killed.

The prize money for these fights range from 100 creds to 500 creds depending on the balance of the match up, the outcome and the potential for the Club to sell footage of the fight. Often there will be a base prize of 100 300 creds offered with a “media bonus” for the winner if the fight is spectacular. On the “Sudden Death Sundays” the prize money is cumulative - 100 creds per battle - with the overall winner receiving an additional 500 creds.

The Exposure

All competitors sign a contract allowing the Club rights to all footage shot in the arena. This footage is often sold on to Third Eye News as “filler” material and the Operatives have the benefit that they are always named. This has resulted in at least 4 young squads catching the eye if Third Eye News and receiving media BPNs so many new squads are keen for the exposure.

In recent months the events in the Chamber have become quite popular on TV and there is talk of a weekly feature show being developed.


More of Megan's creations More architecture
Back to pandora