《The Gam3: Origin》
Chapter 1 – Covert Contract
Author¡¯s Note:
The style of this story goes something like this:
¡°Words¡± = Speaking
¡®Words¡¯ = Thinking
*Words* = Power requiring thought
Game Windows
[table=grey]
Digital information (Email, Code etc.)
[/table]
Anything else will be context dependent and will be explained as they happen.
I want to point out that this story starts off a little slow. There is a lot of exposition needed in the beginning to get the ball rolling, but by Chapter 7, things pick up. I will be posting daily until then so I hope you will stick with it. Enjoy!
PerceptiSense Cameras ¨C Development Headquarters, San Jose, CA
Bradley Cooper found life heading towards a downward spiral.
Sitting at his corner desk within one of PerceptiSense¡¯s many labs and surrounded by the tools of his trade: Oscilloscopes, Multimeters and circuit boards, he performed his job admirably. Each of the different cameras coming from his company''s Chinese manufacturing facilities had unique characteristics and he provided the "interface"; the tool which the Software team and other companies would later develop upon.
The work drove Bradley insane.
The same issues and problems, the same little bugs and minor fixes blended together into one monotonous mess. He wished for something more. He tried going to bars, dating, online forums, hobby groups anything; but nothing seemed to catch his interest. With nothing easing the tedium of his day-to-day life, he dreaded his future prospects.
¡°Hey Brad, do you have the camera fix ready?¡± a man said from behind Brad, startling him out of his work, ¡°I can¡¯t finalize the DSP until you fix that aperture modulation issue.¡±
Bradley turned away from his computer desk to see his colleague from the visual Digital Signals Processing (DSP) team standing next to his desk. This was the fifth time this week his co-worker had come by about the exact same issue. It mirrored an issue he resolved in the past and so he knew exactly what he needed to do, but the task was tedious and filled up his hours the past week with unrewarding work.
¡®It''s not even that I blame him, he¡¯s only doing his job,¡¯ Bradley thought with a sigh, ¡®I just wish he knew how hard I was actually working and that I don¡¯t need him constantly pestering me to keep me motivated. Doesn¡¯t he know that annoying me is only making it harder to do my job?¡¯
¡°I¡¯m working on it,¡± Brad replied, turning back to his desk to continue working, ¡°I¡¯ve been talking with the hardware team for the last two days and I¡¯ve got most of the configuration updated. I just need to start testing and-¡°
¡°Start testing?! Jesus, we only have a month left before the product release date!¡±
¡°Which is why I¡¯ve made sure all the hardware issues are dealt with,¡± Bradley asserted testily, still keeping his back turned to his colleague. ¡°I know the issue is fixed, I just need to figure out the exact parameters to use in the configuration before I can commit the changes. I¡¯ll send you an email when I¡¯m done.¡±
¡°Send me a-,¡± he fumed before trailing off. He looked as if he was about to escalate things to violence, but he stopped himself. ¡°Alright,¡± the man groaned, ¡°I guess that means I can head home early today. Just make this your top priority.¡±
¡°Will do,¡± Bradley let out with fake enthusiasm, watching as his coworker left the room.
¡®It¡¯s the same thing, day in, day out. Minor fix here, minor revision there, tiny little add-on to the microcontroller to fix this other tiny issue,¡¯ Bradley groaned, sitting back in his chair. ¡®Why am I so bored of this? It has only been three years and the work isn¡¯t easy, that¡¯s for sure, and this is the exact field I worked tirelessly at university for! What was it all for? Isn¡¯t this what I wanted and planned for? Devising unique mathematical and physical models to map hardware to software was my dream! Why is real life so much different than what I imagined¡?¡¯
Bradley wanted to leave his thoughts at that, but he needed to wait for a test to finish. With nothing to do for the time being, he could only think.
¡®I almost wish he had hit me back there,¡¯ he thought darkly, ¡®then maybe life would have gotten more interesting¡¡¯ The smile he was wearing at the thought then immediately turned sour. ¡®¡or it would get reported to Human Resources, been forced to write some forms and then we would both have to spend hours in non-violence seminars¡¡¯
He sighed. ¡®Maybe I should take another vacation-¡®
The phone rang.
¡°Hello, Control System Dev Team, Brad speaking,¡± he answered.
¡°Hi Brad, there¡¯s a package for you at the front desk, looks important,¡± the secretary replied on the other end of the line.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come down now to pick it up,¡± he confirmed.
¡®Might as well do it now,¡¯ he thought, ¡®Heck, maybe it might be interesting¡¡¯
Hilton Hotel ¨C Dallas/Park Cities, Dallas, TX
¡®Well, I said I wanted interesting, and this is about as interesting as it gets,¡¯ Bradley thought.
Having just finished his interview, he pressed the button on the elevator to return to his hotel room. With only a week having elapsed since he received the job proposal, the situation still overwhelmed Bradley.
In the mail¡ªwrapped in official government packaging¡ªa vague letter offered him a high-paying job in the military dealing with classified work. Included were airplane tickets to the interviewing location. Normally, one week¡¯s notice would not have been enough, but with nothing planned and a formal letter from the United States Government excusing him from work for the duration, his curiosity was piqued.
Of course, he immediately thought the whole thing was an elaborate phishing scheme, however the job turned out to be legitimate. He confirmed the reference number of the job on a government website as well as the tickets with the airline. There was no way a phishing scheme could possibly make a profit if they needed to spend money on air fare for each ''catch''.
The interviewer was a regular office worker in a suit. The man confirmed again the legitimacy of the request and gave Bradley signed documents as proof that the request was arranged by the Department of Defense. The interviewer asked just the basic questions: confirming Bradley''s identity, verifying that he understood that the job would deal with classified information and that he would need to swear to secrecy under punishment of treason, the usual things for a government job of that nature. He dealt with the government through his company before so he knew the deal.
By the time Bradley retrieved his belongings from his hotel room and made his way back down the elevator and into the lobby, the interviews were over. The personnel in charge now began a process of loading each of the interviewees onto a large coach bus.
That was when the interesting things really started to happen.
The first thing Bradley noticed were the people filing them into the bus. Each of the men and woman were armed with a handgun at their waist. Of course such things were not uncommon in Texas, but truly felt off to him was their matching attire. They all wore the same black pants, white shirts, and heavy, sand-colored boots.
¡®The only people I¡¯ve seen wear boots like that were in the armed forces,¡¯ Bradley thought, ¡®but then why aren¡¯t they wearing a uniform?¡¯
He could make no boasts of his military knowledge, but with how much he enjoyed war movies, he could at least pretend. He probably would not have noticed the discrepancy at all if it were not for the orderly and brisk way they moved. The faces of the other candidates made it clear to Bradley that he wasn¡¯t alone in noticing this development.
The second disconcerting event concerned giving up his phone and any electronic devices the moment he entered the bus. He knew that the location and details of the job would be kept secret, but now he felt in over his head. This, combined with the blacked-out windows and the door which blocked the drivers compartment from the passengers, drove home the point that the classified nature of this job position was no joke. They would have no idea where they were going.
¡°Hey, tall guy with the blue shirt,¡± a voice said.
Bradley turned towards the voice, finding its source across the row and behind him on the right. A small Asian man in his thirties appeared to be the source of the declaration. That that information could be easily gleaned from the fact that only 18 of the 56 passenger seats in the coach were currently filled with candidates. No other person sat in that area of the bus.
¡°What is it?¡± Bradley asked. Being 6''4" tall and wearing a blue shirt underneath his blazer did fit the other man¡¯s description.
¡°Yeah, you. Do you know where we¡¯re going?¡± he asked, a tinge of nervousness in his voice.
¡°Your guess is as good as mine,¡± Bradley shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m guessing they took all our phones so we couldn¡¯t figure that out. They probably don¡¯t want us talking with people outside either.¡±
¡°I figured,¡± the man sighed, sitting back in his seat before rubbing the bridge of his nose. He groaned. ¡°Why did I try for this sort of job? I¡¯m usually not someone that would do this kind of thing.¡± He then sat back up and looked Bradley in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re here for the same reason? A package in the mail from the Feds offering a cushy job with no details?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± Bradley replied with a smirk, ¡°nothing suspicious about that at all, right?¡± He then took out his hand and brought it over to the man saying, ¡°The name¡¯s Bradley by the way, Bradley Cooper.¡±
¡°Alex Cheng,¡± the man replied, reciprocating the gesture and shaking Bradley¡¯s hand. ¡°So, what do you think this is: Area 51? A new ''Manhattan Project''? Maybe a clandestine bake sale?¡± He emphasized the last point with a roll of his eyes.
Bradley chuckled briefly at his antics. ¡°Well, they sure as hell got the wrong man for that, my cookie making ability honestly sucks,¡± he replied, shaking his head. ¡°No, with my qualifications I was guessing at A.I. development. I¡¯ve read a lot online about some recent patents in hardware micronization looking really promising lately. If the military was willing to drop some real money into something like that, it could happen. No matter what else I can think of¡ªeven, for instance, drones or missiles¡ªcould be done without all this spy nonsense.¡±
¡°A.I.?¡± Alex asked, ¡°You mean, Artificial Intelligence?¡± Bradley nodded. ¡°Well, I guess that could make sense. I mean, I¡¯m a psychologist and could help with some of the cognitive stuff, but I can think of thousands of people more qualified than me. I specialize in Social Cognitive Psychology¡ªespecially advertising and subliminal messaging. If anything, I was expecting the job to be about improving interrogation techniques or something.¡±
¡°Really, you were expecting a job like that?¡± Bradley asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow. It surprised him that the ordinary-looking man seemed completely indifferent to the idea of helping develop military interrogation techniques.
¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Alex defended, shaking his head, ¡°I may be from Florida but I¡¯m no psycho. I was thinking something along the lines of: ¡®what to say to a suspect¡¯ or maybe ¡®using media to convince someone that something fake is real.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t going to invent some new way of torturing people!¡±
¡°Ah, I guess that makes sense, sorry,¡± Bradley placated before stroking his chin, ¡°but then what could the job be? I mean, they wouldn¡¯t have had only one recruiter to interview us all at the same time for different jobs, right? I certainly couldn¡¯t help in an interrogation. Any electronics that they would use for something like that be purchased commercially.¡±
¡°Maybe there¡¯s some kind of pattern?¡± Alex offered.
¡°I¡¯ll ask around,¡± Bradley agreed, ¡°it¡¯s not like there¡¯s much else to do.¡± He also figured that getting to know these other potential coworkers was not a bad idea either.
Besides, Bradley enjoyed a good mystery.
??????
Almost ten hours elapsed before the bus finally arrived at its destination.
In that time, Bradley talked with all the passengers but despite his efforts, no pattern was readily apparent. There were nine people with white-collar desk jobs, two other engineers, four scientists, a university professor, and an architect. None of them lived near each other, both genders were equally represented, they had never met, had completely different names, and none of their fields of work overlapped¡ªeven for the people with desk positions. The investigation quickly grew beyond his meager detective skills and he went to sleep instead.
In the end, Bradley could only assume that they were all applying to a variety of positions and there would be in-depth interviews when the candidates arrived. He concluded that there could be no doubt that other candidates would arrive on different buses to compete for his position. For the government to put in as much work as they did in keeping to keep it a secret, he imagined that the job must be highly coveted.
He woke up minutes before the bus stopped. When it did, a man wearing grey, camouflaged army fatigues opened the door connecting the driver and passenger compartments. He looked up and down the rows for a moment, making a quick tally before heading back to the front of the bus.
¡°Alright, you have arrived at the destination,¡± the man exclaimed, rousing the sleeping passengers awake, ¡°everyone is to leave the bus in an orderly fashion and collect their belongings. I¡¯ll escort you to the orientation when you are ready.¡±
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
As the candidates all left the coach, they were greeted with a sight they all expected since they were brought on the bus.
A large aluminum hanger surrounded the candidates and the parked bus. The space gave off a ¡°high-utility, low-cost¡± look one would expect from a typical government clandestine facility. White fluorescent lights far above them did not adequately light the room and so left deep shadows on the shipping containers surrounding them. Bradley hoped to glance outside in the hopes of even a glimpse of at his location, but the enormous metal sliding doors of the hanger were already closed behind them.
In addition to the containers in the room, the candidates were also greeted by more army personnel. Unlike the plain-clothed men that escorted them, however, these men dressed like "real" soldiers. M16 assault rifles, MBAVs, helmets, radios and additional magazines; they were fully equipped. Two of them even carryed M249 Squad Assault Weapons and grenade belts. If it wasn¡¯t for the freshness of their uniform, they wouldn¡¯t have looked out of place on patrol in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Not versed in military terms and knowledge, Bradley still found it strange to find such highly equipped men in an enclosed space. He avoided their eyes as he collected his things from beneath the coach. They weren¡¯t people he wanted to even inadvertently offend.
¡®Why are look like they¡¯re about to mobilize for WWIII?¡¯ he thought. ¡®Surely they don''t think we''re a threat, right? Just what have I gotten myself into¡?¡¯
The man who first greeted them, led them to at door at the far end of the hanger, leaving the candidates in the room beyond.
They now found themselves in a room completely unlike what they had just seen; a simple conference room. Several pens, and pads of paper lay atop a large table with chairs in the middle of the room. Several phones were also strewn about the room. A desktop computer in one corner of the room connected to a digital projector bolted to the ceiling via an exposed cable. This projected a simple white screen onto the wall with the words:
Experiment Group 18 ¨C Orientation
Bradley considered trying to find out where he where he was by messing with the phones or the computer. One did not go through five years at MIT without learning something about computer networks. In Bradley''s experience, the average user left many vulnerabilities he could exploit. Still, after seeing those serious-looking soldiers in the previous room, he felt that a criminal act would be a very bad idea. They would not take such snooping lightly. These became rhetorical thoughts, however, for just a minute later, a woman in a smart dark-green beret, blazer and skirt entered the room. Being a little over six-and-a-half feet tall and extremely fit, the soldier was certainly intimidating. Even without the medals on her uniform, the poise and confidence she exuded were clearly military.
When she reached a space between the computer and the screen, she turned towards the candidates and introduced herself. ¡°My name is Major Alyssa Jackson and I¡¯m here to give you a brief presentation on the job opportunity each of received today.¡±
She pressed a key on the computer keyboard and flipped to a slide showing the word ¡°classified¡± predominantly.
¡°Everything discussed in this room is classified,¡± she continued. ¡°Regardless of whether you accept or decline this job position, you will not be allowed to speak about anything mentioned in this room. Doing so is treason and we will demand signed releases from each of you before you leave. If that or anything else does not sound reasonable, then you are free to leave the room at any time.¡± She emphasized this by pointing to the door they came from.
The Major spoke with practiced ease and without reference. Despite the serious nature of her words and voice, however, most of the candidates rolled their eyes. These words echoed similar ones they already heard during the Dallas interview. None of them planned to "walk out" after spending over ten hours traveling by bus to get there.
¡°Alright then, I will continue,¡± she confirmed. ¡°You have all been chosen as candidates for a new government initiative we here at the base have come to know as ¡®the Game¡¯. Should you agree, you will each sign a five year contract to participate as subjects in this experiment under the supervision of the medical, science and military staff here. You will be given 60 US Dollars an hour working 9 hours a day, seven days a week with complete coverage of any living expenses over the course of the experiment. This works out to almost $200,000 a year. In return, you will not be permitted to leave the premises of the facility for any reason for the duration of the contract.¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ve heard enough,¡± one man said, standing up. ¡°Why the hell was I chosen for this?! I thought this was something that actually used our talents or could at least get us an ¡®in¡¯ with the government, not some stupid experiment! There¡¯s no way I can afford to waste five years like this! I make more that in a year than what you¡¯re offering for this whole damn thing! Unless this is some sort of mistake, I think I¡¯ve wasted enough time on this.¡±
Bradley recognized that the man who spoke out was one of those with a desk job; an accountant or investor for Wells Fargo. ¡®I remember because he wouldn¡¯t shut up about it,¡¯ he thought with a sigh.
The Major wore the hint of a scowl as the man spoke. Despite that, she remained silent until the end of the man''s rant.
¡°I can understand your frustration, sir, but those are the terms,¡± the Major replied impatiently, ¡°Being a secret project, we could not give you this information earlier and so I apologize if we have not been clear until now.¡± The Major straightened herself a bit and calmed down. She continued saying, ¡°That being said, you were all chosen because¡ªbased on sophisticated algorithms we acquired¡ªall eighteen of you are highly qualified for the type of testing that we are undertaking. In fact, many of you will likely qualify for overtime and earn far more than the $200,000 a year I mentioned earlier.¡±
Shaking his head, the man again took his seat. He remained unconvinced, but after all the effort in being there, he was not going to leave after only a single minute of the presentation.
¡°Anyway, I would appreciate it if everyone kept their questions or comments to themselves until the end of the presentation,¡± the Major said, proceeding back on task.
She changed the slide to one showing many still images of a variety of video games.
¡°The reason this project has been colloquially called ¡®the Game¡¯ is that this project does, in fact, center on a game. The contents of this Game will remain classified until after each of you sign your contracts, but I can tell you that it uses both incredibly realistic visuals and your entire body to perform tasks.¡±
She changed to the next slide showing various commercially available VR headsets and soldiers training on treadmills with screens in front of them. ¡°As I¡¯m sure some of you may be aware¡¡±
While Bradley felt intimately familiar with the topic of what "Virtual Reality" entailed, the presentation still surprised him. Apparently this ¡°Game Capsule¡± device¡ªthat acted as the machine-human interface to the Game¡ªcould not only provide the realistic audio-visual feedback he was expecting, but also voice recognition, facial recognition, full-body haptic control, biomonitoring and even taste and touch stimulation.
¡®What the hell kind of computer do they have that could process all that data in real time?!¡¯ Bradley thought to himself. ¡®I know that they say the military is always 5 years ahead of the curve, but this is ridiculous! Even just full body motion capture requires a suit but apparently you can just hop into the Capsule and it¡¯s as though you¡¯re really there! It sounds completely unbelievable!¡¯
¡°¡and so that concludes the preliminary presentation,¡± the Major finished, closing the slideshow. ¡°I¡¯ll now open the floor to anyone who has questions.¡±
Many hands rose, but Alex Cheng¡ªthe psychologist Bradley met on the bus¡ªasked the first question.
¡°Why is this ¡®salary¡¯ so high?¡± he inquired, ¡°I¡¯ve been conducting psychological studies and surveys for almost ten years and I¡¯ve never seen this kind of money offered, especially not for such a long time-frame. Is this ¡®Game¡¯ dangerous?¡±
¡°Well not physically,¡± the Major replied. After thinking for a moment she added, ¡°That being said, there are some things with the Capsule that remain untested. There are many unknowns we are still working out in terms of how the machine affects the human body. There may even be the possibility of death if-¡°
¡°Oh well forget this!¡± the belligerent accountant from earlier exclaimed, surging violently from his chair, ¡°I¡¯m out of here! There¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m risking my life for a paltry two hundred grand and some stupid kid¡¯s toy.¡±
The man who first introduced himself on the bus led the accountant out of the room. Several more also took this moment to leave. Bradley made out several of them siting their reasons why: their relationship could not last being separated for that long, that they didn¡¯t want to end up as a mere test subject for the government, or even that they were simply too old for video games.
Now only twelve of them remained and the Major continued on as though nothing happened.
¡°Anyway, as I was about to say before I was interrupted, there is a possibility of death, but it has never happened yet. The only risks we¡¯ve seen have been the usual ones with this sort of technology: anxiety, stress, seizures etc. The Game is extremely real, so even if there are no physical problems, it can induce psychological ones. Of course, our highly trained medical staff will immediately address any issues you might have.¡±
Another man spoke now, a programmer named Garry. Bradley remembered as the only one that sounded as if he lived in Dallas where they had the interview. He also shared Bradley¡¯s interest in MMORPGs despite having stopped playing when they each got a job.
¡°There was somethin¡¯ one of those folks that left said that got me riled up,¡± Garry noted. ¡°What about our families? Will we be able ta talk to ¡®em at all? There ain¡¯t no way Ah could go five years without seein¡¯ mah little girl. Ya¡¯ll couldn¡¯t force me fer any kinda money.¡±
¡°Of course you can,¡± the Major confirmed, ¡°this isn¡¯t a prison. The reason we need you to stay is primarily for security purposes and because of the limited number of Game Capsules we have available. You are working every day so that we can get as much use out of them as possible so you need to stay nearby. You can take monitored phone calls with friends or family any time you are not working and video conferencing services will be available to each of you once a week. We may even be able to provide transportation for them to visit nearby when resources permit.
¡°There are also plenty of on-site recreation facilities, entertainment, and monitored internet access. Apart from the 9 hours of work each day, you won¡¯t have to worry about anything else.¡±
This time, Bradley spoke his mind, ¡°Okay, I get everything that you¡¯re saying. It sounds great and all, but this whole thing still doesn¡¯t make any sense. This seems a little much for a simple VR test. What is the goal of this experiment? What is the real purpose of this ¡®Game¡¯? What are we going to be doing in there?¡±
She shook her head with a simple, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you." Even at the worried expressions of the other participants, the Major said nothing to placate them.
With no other questions, Major Jackson handed out the contracts to each of them.
¡®What is with this contract?!¡¯ Bradley thought, incredulously examining the single piece of paper. ¡®This is the most straightforward contract I¡¯ve ever had! It basically just restates what we¡¯ve gone over in plain English, only adding:¡¯
[table=white]
Regardless of any ignorance in signing this document, all Players are obligated to spend a minimum of nine (9) hours within a Game Capsule each day for the duration of the five (5) year period starting from the moment of signing.
[/table]
Bradley began reading the contract a second time when a new female voice spoke up, ¡°This is bullshit! There¡¯s no way this contract is legal! How can you have us sign this knowing full well we¡¯re ignorant of the most important information?!¡±
The Major smiled. ¡°If you can¡¯t take a risk like this, then we have no use for you,¡± she replied bluntly. ¡°This project is too important. If we were to allow you to leave after signing that, we would require 24/7 tails on each of you should we disclose everything now. We can¡¯t afford that; so you either do the job knowing what you know, or you can leave. There is no in-between.¡±
The Major again pointed to the door they came in from.
¡°Well I don¡¯t want to have any association with this little ¡®experiment¡¯ of yours!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°The government has no right forcing people to do things against their will and I¡¯ll see to it that this whole place is shut down!¡± She marched out of the room after taking the time to rip apart her contract. Seeing the display and fearing the "contractual slavery" she mentioned, several others quickly left behind her.
Bradley debated leaving too. ¡®It¡¯s not as if I need the money,¡¯ he considered, ¡®I¡¯ve got a high paying job already and this is five years of my life we¡¯re talking about! What if this is something completely crazy they¡¯re experimenting with, or even worse, what if this is just a complete waste of time.
¡®Oh, but think of the things I could learn! This device is easily 20 years ahead of its time! Just the control software alone must be monstrously efficient to sustain real-time performance under that kind of workload.¡¯ He groaned. ¡®This decision is going to be harder than I thought¡¡¯
Chapter 2 – Reckoning Repercussions
Author''s Note: The bolded light-blue speech symbolizes the odd mixture of synthetic and natural vocalization.
Enjoy!
??????
Despite Bradley¡¯s mixed feelings, he could not deny the allure. He signed the contract.
¡®How many people get the chance to take part in a top-secret military project?¡¯ he rationalized internally, ¡®It is possible that this ¡®Game¡¯ thing is more dangerous that they¡¯re letting on¡ªafter all, why else would they force us to sign such a vague contract¡ªbut seriously how bad could it be? I get the opportunity to be a part of this new breakthrough in technology and all I have to do is sit in a pod and get paid. It¡¯s a win-win.¡¯ As he handed back the paper to the Major, he sighed. ¡®¡and lets face it, I would never be qualified enough to actually take part in this kind of project under normal circumstances. This is probably the only chance I¡¯m ever going to get.¡¯
Of the original eighteen candidates, only six remained. ¡°Well, it¡¯s less than I was expecting, but that¡¯s fine,¡± the Major commented, having collected all their contracts. ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce yourselves to each other, maybe say why you decided to stay on? It isn¡¯t exactly an obvious decision as you can tell. It¡¯s going to get a little hectic when we start to tour the facility so it would be best to get this out of the way now.¡±
¡°Well alrighty then,¡± Garry Wood agreed in his light ¡®Southern Drawl¡¯. ¡°Ah¡¯m Garry Wood. Ah work as a programmer for Southern United Transport¡or Ah guess that¡¯ll be worked from now on. Decided ta stay on for the money, plain and simple. Got a family to feed and an extra 150 big ones a year seemed too good ta pass up.¡±
¡°I guess I¡¯ll go next,¡± one of the woman chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m Maria Gomez. I worked in Radiology at John Hopkins University in Baltimore. Despite the title, I¡¯m more of a Biologist than a Doctor or a Physicist. As for a reason to stay, well, suddenly learning that there is this all-in-one sensory device that can gather biometrics and full-body haptics just for a video game has my curiosity. It¡¯s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone in my field.¡±
¡°Same reason for me,¡± Bradley added, seeing an opportunity to save some time. ¡°I¡¯m a Computer Engineer and the technology of this thing seems completely unbelievable.¡± He stopped for a moment before awkwardly adding, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Bradley Cooper by-the-way.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll just keep mine short,¡± a second woman said, ¡°I¡¯m Farida Sharif and I worked as an architect in Boston. I immigrated a while ago and I almost lost my job after the Housing Crash. There¡¯s still a good chance I¡¯ll lose my job in the next few years so...¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯ll pitch-in too,¡± Alex interjected enthusiastically, trying to lighten the tone after the last admission. ¡°I¡¯m Alex Cheng, a Psychologist working out of Florida State. Wanted the money and unlike most of the others, I actually trust the government. They fund half my research and I have a brother in the army. I just figured that¡ªfrom what was said¡ªthis seemed like a pretty sweet deal.¡±
¡°I guess we saved the best for last then,¡± the final unknown woman sarcastically quipped. ¡°My name¡¯s Patricia, I was an accountant, but that doesn¡¯t really matter. I¡¯m here for the same reason as Garry, I needed the money. Let¡¯s just say I want to make some of my debts a thing of the past.¡±
¡°Thank you for your open-mindedness,¡± the Major said, concluding the introductions. ¡°Regardless of the reason, it¡¯s great to see that there are still a few people willing to brave the unknown. Despite what you might see or hear in the coming days, know that the job you are about to undertake may well be the most important one in human history.¡±
Bradley and the rest of the candidates looked at the Major with confusion, unable to see how a Game could be all that important.
¡°It might be faster to show you,¡± the Major smiled. Taking a key, she opened a different door from the one they came in and led them into the room beyond.
This new room was another aluminum hanger; similar to the one they came from. The key differences were twofold. First, the lights high overhead were large and powerful to illuminate the entire thing with ease. The candidates would be glad of this in hindsight, because the second difference concerned the room¡¯s contents. Without such clear brightness, they would have scarcely believed their eyes.
In the center of the room¡ªeasily taking over half of its available space¡ªthe candidates now stood before an enormous metal object. Over 350 feet long and 150 feet tall and wide, the object towered over them and filled the hanger to the point that should the doors be opened, the object could only barely be guided outside. The simple metal plates on the exterior hide a sophisticated assembly of electrical and mechanical systems. They glowed with millions of small lights and oozed what appeared to be a mirage that distorted the air around it, exuding a barely perceptible but unsettling aura. With four huge hydraulic shafts keeping it elevated from the floor and eight large rocket-like cylindrical protrusions facing them, its purpose seemed obvious to the candidates, despite the strange features.
¡°A spacecraft?¡± Garry faltered.
¡°Is this some kind of joke?¡± Patricia criticized. ¡°There¡¯s no way that could be real. It¡¯s a prop, right?¡±
¡°If it is, then it¡¯s the most convincing one I¡¯ve seen,¡± Farida replied enthusiastically, her usual mild demeanor gone. ¡°Those metal plates are a titanium alloy; you see on the outside of some modern skyscrapers. You can tell by how pretty they are under the light.¡± She pointed at one of the bulkheads. ¡°Also see how it all fits together so well? Each piece was carefully machined into place; there are no pieces that aren¡¯t functional. Not only that, my experience is screaming at me that those struts should collapse under that thing¡¯s massive weight. It¡¯s very impressive!¡±
Bradley nodded his head. ¡°I can also safely say that I¡¯ve never seen electronics like that. All those lights look completely wasteful, yet at the same time there is a pattern there. The mechanical parts at the seams also look really robust. If it¡¯s fake, there wasn¡¯t any expense spared.¡±
The Major looked at her with surprise. ¡°I¡¯m really impressed you came up with that just by looking at it. You¡¯re right; this is no joke. I am willing to stay here until you are all convinced, but as of six weeks ago, we are no longer alone in the universe.¡±
¡°Seriously, aliens?! Are you kidding me?!¡± Patricia contended.
¡°I¡¯m not,¡± the Major replied, shaking her calmly. ¡°As you have already guessed, this is a spaceship. More specifically, this is what the military calls ¡®X-Ray 1¡¯ of a race known as the ¡®Enforcers¡¯. Coincidentally, this is the second group of aliens the United States Government is currently in contact with at this time.¡±
Patricia rolled her eyes. ¡°Now you want me to believe that not only are their aliens, but different kinds?¡±
¡°From the information we have been able to gather from our limited communications with them, there are at least six other alien species and even more governments,¡± the Major continued. ¡°The only ones the human race as personally spoken with, however, are Haxlard and Administrators who lead the Enforcers.¡±
Bradley sighed. ¡°With the absence of concrete proof, can you at least tell us how they contacted us?¡± Bradley suggested.
¡°If the female military officer betrays expectations,¡± a gravelly monotone voice from behind the group declared, ¡°then this one can provide visual proof.¡±
The candidates turned to see the owner of the voice: an imposing 7 foot tall blue bipedal creature. Despite its impressive height however, its build was skinny and lean. It wore something akin to skin-tight polyester underneath loose-fitting decorative robes. A green half-mask with an etching of a white sun covered the left and upper-right of its face, leaving its mouth and jaw exposed.
With the Major¡ªnow behind the candidates¡ªlet out a groan. ¡°Allow me to introduce you to the base¡¯s resident alien. He is a member of first race to contact us: the Haxlard.¡±
¡°Ultihaxlard, to be specific,¡± the alien added. The voice sounded wrong to Bradley¡¯s ears; a strange mix of synthetic and natural sounds that did not quite fit. He could not tell if the alien was masculine of feminine just from the voice and began to wonder if these aliens even had gender.
¡°This one greets those present as Ambassador Bright Star,¡± the alien continued, ¡°and to interject before interruption, that name comes from translation. This one uses a Translator of Universal Languages to vocalize in the language of Earth-Humans and so grieves if the words of current utilization are unfortunate to those who hear it. The translators used by Administrators render this one trivial in comparison.¡±
The candidates could only sit there in shock. They wanted to believe that the ¡°alien¡± could be a prank, but as they looked around for the film crew to jump out at them for a laugh, all they saw were the same heavily-armed soldier as before. In spite of this, they still could not convince themselves of what they were told.
¡®Well, there is certainly no way a robot could move that fluidly,¡¯ Bradley concluded to himself, ¡®but a man in a suit could pull it off. It would sure be a tight fit though¡ and considering how tall it is, it¡¯s impressive how a person could control such a thing so well. It walks without stumbling at all.¡¯
¡°To answer the question posed earlier,¡± ¡®Bright Star¡¯ continued, ¡°the Haxlard sent a Gift of Welcome to the Earth to establish relations.¡±
¡°To be more specific, they sent that,¡± the Major interjected, pointing at an empty egg-like metal container off to one side of the hanger. ¡°That ¡®pod¡¯ thing contained a series of metal ¡®disks¡¯ that our scientists decoded somehow. I don¡¯t understand how it all works, but apparently we could use the data to talk to them.¡±
¡°What the female military officer adequately communicates the situation,¡± the alien replied. ¡°The disk ¡®instructions¡¯ provided position, frequency and amplification settings to transport and collect electromagnetic knowledge for the establishment of communication. This method of conference provides the newly found species time to prepare and has been proved preferable to alternatives.¡±
A long silence persisted after this. Satisfied that all questions were answered, the alien spoke nothing and the major wanted the candidates to let everything sink in. Thankfully, the human-like appearance and fluent¡ªif strange¡ªEnglish smoothed over much of the shock they had to cope with.
¡°Uh, alien thing,¡± Garry got out, ¡°just what exactly did ya come here for?¡±
The alien frowned ever so slightly¡ªthe first emotion it portrayed¡ªbefore quickly settling to its neutral state again. ¡°It is to this one¡¯s understanding that Earth-Human media commonly convey spacefaring species as contentious and tyrannical. With much assurance, these portrayals will continue as events of fiction. Assuming no miscalculation, the phraseology ¡®we come in peace¡¯ yields an optimal summation of this one¡¯s intentions and that of the Haxlard.¡±
¡°In short, they aren¡¯t here to kill us,¡± the Major reassured. ¡°While the Feds may not trust them completely, they want to help us¡from what we can tell. We are in trade negotiations at the moment, so the outlook is promising.¡±
These reassurances¡ªrather than calming the candidates down¡ªcause them only to worry about the clandestine politics going around. ¡®Just how much influence do these aliens have?¡¯ Bradley wondered.
¡°This one validates that statement as unconditionally true,¡± Bright Star confirmed. ¡°The Enforcer Fleet has ensured the autonomy and security of Earth against foreign influence for a duration not exceeding five decimal one two Solar Earth Years as required under Administrator guidelines. The Haxlard also fall under purview of this regulation. The transaction of goods and services with Earth-humans relies solely on approval by the Earth governing bodies. The Haxlard wish only to aid the Earth in its transition into the Community of Universal Species and-¡±
¡°Okay, wait,¡± Bradley interrupted, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. The sudden influx of new terms left Bradley and the rest of the candidates confused throughout most of the conversation. ¡°None of this explains why we¡¯re here. If all this crazy alien bullshit is going on, then what the hell do you need a bunch of civilians playing games for?!¡±
¡°Does that one¡¯s words verify that the newest Players of the Game stand here?¡± the Ambassador asked.
¡°Seriously, what does the Game have to do with all this?¡± Bradley demanded again.
The Haxlard looked puzzled¡ªonly the second time it appeared to display emotion¡ªand looked towards the Major. ¡°Did the female military officer not define the purpose of the Game?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t have time,¡± the Major sighed, ¡°I thought it would be easier to show them the unbelievable things before telling them about the unbelievable news.¡±
¡°Then this conference must be of extraordinary difficulty to comprehend. Allow this one to explain,¡± the Ambassador replied.
¡°In the distant past, a war between two powerful races founded the Game,¡± Bright Star began, ¡°This war between the Predecessors and the Lords of Life caused death among the solar systems they controlled. On many planets, the effects of this war still last. To avoid further calamity, both sides agreed upon the construction of a new virtual world, the Game, in which to conduct their war to its conclusion. The Game would simulate the death and destruction in a perfect and realistic way. To enforce the consequences of this new space, both sides relinquished control of their fleets to the Game. These ships became the first Enforcers. Neither side wanted their fate solely under the control of a machine, so the Administrators were formed. This group could verify the fairness and balance of the new System such that none could deny the outcome of the war. Thanks to these actions, there need not be any loss of life from battle.¡±
¡°Alright¡ well ignoring all the ¡®crazy¡¯ I think I understand,¡± Bradley replied. ¡°So the Game is a place where alien wars are fought, the Administrators enforce the laws of this ¡®Virtual World¡¯ and the Enforcers enforce the law in the Real World, right?
¡°These words convey an impression of legitimacy,¡± the Ambassador confirmed. ¡°In summation, the standing of a Faction within the Game determines the quantity of resources and territory that Faction governs in the True Universe.¡±
¡°Then why us?¡± Farida spoke up, who until know looked at the Major in an attempt to ignore the alien standing only a few feet away. ¡°All this sounds important¡ and we aren¡¯t exactly ¡®the best of the best¡¯.¡±
¡°Because the Administrators said so,¡± the Major replied unequivocally. ¡°Normally you would be right and only the best trained people would be taking part, but for one reason or another, you candidates have an edge in the Game. That¡¯s an edge we desperately need right now. As it stands, there is very little in the way of the virtual Earth being conquered.¡±
¡°But why does it matter? I don¡¯t get it,¡± Patricia asked. ¡°So what if the Earth gets ¡®conquered¡¯ in some game.¡±
¡°Should the Earth be conquered in the Game,¡± the alien stated, ¡°the Earth in the True Universe capitulates in kind to the conqueror¡¯s demands through Enforcer intervention.¡±
This statement lead to another long moment of silence.
¡°Still, our position isn¡¯t helpless,¡± the Major chimed in to break the mood. ¡°As Ambassador Bright Star mentioned, we have five years to figure everything out. The Administrators have explained the rules to us, and have even provided us with many Game Capsules free-of-charge. Not only that, but all he important governments are working together right now on finding any alternatives.¡±
¡°But-¡± Patricia started to say before a brief alarm sounded off.
¡°Is it that time already?¡± the Major asked rhetorically, looking down at her watch. ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re a bit behind schedule so I don¡¯t think I will have time to answer the rest of your questions right now.¡± She looked at the group¡¯s expressions with a frown. ¡°I apologize, honestly I do, but there will be plenty of time to figure this all out and I have more orientations to do today. Hopefully the Game¡¯s Tutorial and Lieutenant Winslow will straighten-out any of your remaining questions.¡±
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
She turned and opened the door to the conference room before mentioning one final thing. ¡°Just remember, this is reality. Don¡¯t turn away from it.¡±
¡°The female military officer speaks the truth,¡± the Ambassador nodded in agreement. ¡°All benefit from their experience with the Game; rationality exists in such a choice.¡±
The candidates found little about the current situation rational.
The Game Clandestine Facility, ??????
With the introduction out of the way, the confused candidates were ushered into a long hallway. All along the walls of the corridor were rooms with a single window in which the candidates peered into as they passed. Each room held a solitary metal ¡°egg-like¡± with a variety of strange alien devices attached to it. Next to these devices, they could see a small medical station with various first-aid supplies and instruments scattered about.
¡°In here, please,¡± a man instructed before grabbing Bradley by his blazer and dragging him into one of the rooms.
As he entered, he could see that the other five candidates were also ¡°escorted¡± into the other rooms by other men and women. With the door shut behind him, Bradley could see who pulled him inside. The older man was seated on a stool next to the simple desk on the wall. He wore light-blue scrubs underneath a lab coat.
¡°Have a seat,¡± the man instructed pointing to an examination table next to the desk. Bradley could detect a hint of an accent, but he could not place it.
¡°Uh, sure¡¡± Bradley replied, still too overwhelmed to think straight at the moment.
¡°You are Bradley Cooper, correct?¡± the man asked. Bradley nodded his head.
¡°Good, then I have the right information,¡± he replied before grabbing a clipboard with his pen and writing something down. ¡°My name is Dr. Fitzgerald and I¡¯ll be performing a routine physical. After that, we¡¯ll have you go through an MRI and CT scan just to cover all our bases before you ¡®jump¡¯ into the Game.¡±
¡°Right¡¡± Bradley muttered. Then his mind caught up to what he heard. ¡°Hey wait a second! I thought that these Capsule things were supposed to be safe!¡±
¡°Oh it is, really,¡± the Doctor brushed off, tapping his pen on his clipboard. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise. It¡¯s true that these Capsules are still being understood, but they are marvels of science. We have hundreds of people in them right now with no problems.¡±
¡°Then what do I need all these scans for?!¡± Bradley contended.
¡°This is an experiment,¡± the Doctor replied, an eyebrow cocked at the question. ¡°How do you think we get the data if we don¡¯t perform any scans?¡±
¡°Oh¡uh, right. That makes sense.¡±
Just as the Dr. Fitzgerald said, after a brief physical¡ªin which Bradley changed into a hospital gown¡ªthe Doctor escorted him to another wing of the base where he and the other candidates were lined up and given scans. When those were finished, they each went back into their respective rooms and entered their Game Capsules.
¡°Let¡¯s get started then,¡± Bradley muttered as he slowly lowered himself into the alien pod. The Doctor nodded his head and gave him a sober look before pressing a button which closed the Capsule.
As soon as the pod¡¯s hatch closed, Bradley felt a strange gel begin to form at his ankles, slowly making its way up his body. With the inside of the Capsule being pitch black, he had no way of seeing the cause of the sticky sensation and gave a yelp in surprise.
¡°Hey, Doctor!¡± Bradley yelled, ¡°Is it supposed to do this?!¡±
The liquid now made its way quickly up his body and towards his head.
¡°Hey! Let me out of this thing!¡± he cried, now banging his fists against the pod. His blows made no progress against the metal. ¡®Shit, I think I really screwed up,¡¯ he thought gravely, ¡®why the hell did I sign that contract!¡¯
¡°Doctor! Please let me-!¡± Bradley screamed before the gel finally completely submerged him. A moment later, his lungs filled with the liquid and his mind lost consciousness.
Game Capsule D-1410092184
[table=grey]
[/table]
As Bradley¡¯s consciousness returned, he saw several messages appear before him. The windows they were written on were impossibly flat and thin. They glowed such that they were clear yet did not appear bright and followed his eyes wherever they moved.
As more of the prompts continued to reveal themselves¡ªdictating the progress of various ¡°subroutines¡± and ¡°processes¡± in the background, Bradley began to wake up and remember how and why he found himself in this place.
¡®Is this the Game?¡¯ he thought to himself, ¡®Well, if it is, they were blatantly wrong about the whole ¡®realism¡¯ thing. Unless they think endless expanse of nothing exists in real life¡¡¯
As he looked around, the only words he could use to describe it was ¡°White Abyss¡±. No shadows, shapes, or even direction prevailed in this world; just an endless expanse of white with only the ¡°Windows¡± providing any indication of perspective and depth.
He wanted to put his hand in front of him to gauge his surroundings, but found that he could not; his hand did not respond. In fact, his body did not respond at all. He tried to look down, but he only saw the same white as everything else. Without gravity or any force whatsoever, he no longer knew what was up or down. In fact, only a faint resistance when he ¡°turned¡± gave him any indication of feeling at all. There was a total lack of sensory perception.
¡®Oh God, what is this place?!¡¯ he demanded, but he could not hear his voice. ¡®No feeling, no body, no voice¡ I¡¯m dead. That¡¯s the only explanation. Oh God why¡ why did I do this I-¡¯
As he rambled on, his anxiety grew. This only became worse when he found that the ¡°hyperventilating¡± he performed was all in his mind; he could not breathe. These sensations¡ªor lack thereof¡ªcaused his mind to lose grasp of itself. With nothing to focus on, it could only focus on panic and fear. It was to such an extent that he did not notice when the screens finally finished showing progress. Only one screen remained:
Setup Complete
Do you want to begin registration?
Confirm
Decline
It took Bradley a moment to work through enough of his hysteria to even read the words on the Window. ¡®Registration, what?! C-c-could t-this really be the Game?!¡¯ he stuttered, yet his words did not come out. ¡®W-what is¡ do I want to begin? No! HELL NO! Get me the hell out of here!¡¯ He screamed silently in frustration. ¡®Why won¡¯t it just hit ¡®decline¡¯-¡±
As soon as he ¡°spoke¡± that final word, the a prevailing blackness consumed the white environment and Bradley suddenly felt the slimy ooze once again flow off of his body. As soon as the sensation left, the lid of the Capsule opened and the light from beyond poured in from the room beyond, forcing him to cover his eyes. Although his mind imagined he had been in there for little more than a few minutes, his body disagreed. He felt weak; as though just awakening from a long nap.
¡°Oh? Back so soon?¡± Dr. Fitzgerald asked, looking at him from behind his clipboard. ¡°Let me guess, quit before even getting to the registration screen, right?¡±
¡°W-w-what t-the hell was that?!¡± Bradley gasped, grabbing the sides of the pod as he tried to cough out slime that was no longer there. He shivered, the drowning sensation and sensory deprivation still clear in his mind. He quickly stepped out of the capsule and grabbed onto the examination table next to it for support.
¡°T-this is c-c-completely insane!¡± Bradley yelled before grabbing the Doctor by the cuff of his coat. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t understand! There was nothing! It was like¡ like I was dead; completely disconnected from everything!¡±
¡°Oh damnit!¡± the Doctor groaned, realizing what context of what Bradley said the words. ¡°Did they seriously not tell you anything about the process? I know they have a tight schedule, but to throw you people to the wolves is-¡±
¡°They¡¯re lying to us,¡± Bradley uttered frantically directly at the Doctors face, ¡°this has to be a conspiracy! They want to brainwash us or-¡±
¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡± the Doctor demanded, shaking Bradley by the shoulders. The action caused the engineer to release his grasp and lean heavily on the desk. ¡°I know you are confused, but think carefully about this! Why do they need us?¡±
¡°What?¡± Bradley asked, the fear slowly draining away as confusion set in. His legs and the table no longer supporting him adequately, he sat down on the floor against the examination table to take a break.
¡°Let me tell you a little story,¡± the Doctor started. ¡°Five-and-a-half weeks ago, NORAD picked up an unidentified object orbiting north-to-south and approaching the United States. It had a similar speed and trajectory as a ballistic missile. It was only the lone target so they thought it might have been that some fanatical group in Russia or North Korea got hold of an intercontinental missile that worked. The US anti-ballistic missile defense system fired six missiles against it. Four of those hit with enough force to vaporize a skyscraper and yet it didn¡¯t even scratch the paint. We know because we have it in the hanger next door.¡±
¡°So what if-¡°
¡°So what?¡± the Doctor interrupted before Bradley could get a word in. ¡°Let me tell you what. Those Enforcers have absolute control. That ship in the hanger is one of several they have in orbit. At the speeds we¡¯ve seen them travel, even just dropping some spare parts would be enough to destroy many of our cities. With that kind of power, why do they bother to negotiate? Heck, what are even a few billion evolved monkeys good for? They could just annihilate us all and strip-mine the planet for resources. We wouldn¡¯t stand a chance!¡±
¡°T-that isn¡¯t helping your point,¡± Bradley stuttered, frightened by what he was hearing.
¡°Don¡¯t you see? The only explanation is that they are telling the truth! The only rational explanation for their actions is charity. They want our culture and species to survive. They are giving us a fighting chance.¡±
¡°But none of this explains that thing!¡± Bradley disputed, weakly pointing at the Capsule with a shivering arm.
The Doctor sighed. ¡°Alright. I know this situation is tense. I know you have had a lot put on you all at once, but you need to look at the facts,¡± he calmly stated, staring Bradley dead in the eyes. ¡°The Capsule needs just a few short minutes to prepare everything before it brings you into the Game. During that time, a lot of your senses won¡¯t work. We don¡¯t know why, but we imagine that the pod needs to acclimate itself to you. I promise; once you register with the Game, everything will be fine. We have just under three hundred people using these Capsules regularly as we speak. Not one of them has had any complaints once they¡¯ve gone in.¡±
¡°No, forget it,¡± Bradley denied. Too overwhelmed at the moment, he rose from off the floor and began to walk to the door.
¡°Hold on!¡± the Doctor declared, roughly grabbing Bradley by the arm, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±
¡°Where do you think? I¡¯m getting the hell out of here!¡±
¡°You¡¯re running away?¡± the Doctor asked, staring intently at the younger man. ¡°That¡¯s it? You get a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight for humanity¡¯s right to exist and you want to leave?¡±
¡°Well if you think it¡¯s so damn great, why don¡¯t you just hop in then?!¡± Bradley argued.
¡°I can¡¯t,¡± the Doctor plainly replied, releasing Bradley¡¯s arm.
He rolled his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I-¡± Bradley began to say before the words caught up, ¡°Wait, what do you can¡¯t?¡±
¡°That¡¯s just it, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m sure they mentioned it in the orientation, right? You candidates were specially chosen by the Administrators as ¡®ideal¡¯ people for the Game for whatever reason. It¡¯s a long list and there are only a limited number of Capsules. If you don¡¯t use it, we¡¯ll find somebody else who will. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±
¡°Why do you keep listening to their crap?! Why do you trust the aliens so much?!¡±
¡°What choice do we have?!¡± the Doctor demanded, staring Bradley dead in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure the government has their best minds racking their brains on that very question, making contingency and backup plans on how to handle the aliens. If they turn against us, we will fight them with everything we¡¯ve got. But if they are telling the truth, or if those plans fail, you and the others are all we¡¯ve got.¡±
Seeing that Bradley still hesitated, the Doctor sighed and walked towards the door.
¡°Look at it this way,¡± Fitzgerald continued, ¡°You can walk out this door, put your fingers in your ears and just forget everything you¡¯ve seen and heard today. It¡¯s possible. You¡¯ll have to stay on base and will be monitored every day until we tell the world about this, but it can be done. Then what? In five years, the alien ¡®protection¡¯ expires and all hell breaks loose. If humanity doesn¡¯t have its shit together by then¡ well, I don¡¯t know what will happen, but it won¡¯t be in our control.¡±
He opened the door and stood away from it. ¡°Those are the facts. What will you do? Stay or go?¡±
Bradley found himself surprised at his hesitation. He felt certain a moment ago, but now he wavered. ¡®Is he right?¡¯ he thought to himself. ¡®Well he and the Major were right about one thing, this is the real world.¡¯ He shook his head. ¡®Should I walk away though? It¡¯s true that it freaked me right the hell out, but was it really that bad? This is supposed to be amazing alien technology and it really was like nothing I¡¯ve ever experienced before. Even if that white abyss was all there was, wouldn¡¯t it be worth it if it meant I could be doing something new? Isn¡¯t that what I wanted? I mean, seriously. If I think about it, in a way, it¡¯s like being an astronaut. One step into the screwed up alien pod for mankind.¡¯
Bradley sighed and stretched for a moment before moving back towards the Game Capsule. ¡°I suppose I should at least try it,¡± he muttered.
¡°Thank you,¡± the Doctor smiled sincerely, ¡°I promise you, you won¡¯t regret it. I haven¡¯t met a single Player who has.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that,¡± Bradley replied with a hint of anger. ¡°Now is this really it? Nothing else I need to know?¡±
The Doctor thought for a moment.
¡°Oh yeah!¡± he declared. ¡°There is one thing. If there is ever a question or anything you need in the Game, think System followed by the question and the Game will answer you.¡±
¡°You know,¡± Bradley grumbled, ¡°a lot of these things sound pretty important. Have you ever thought about putting this stuff in a manual or something?¡±
¡°Of course, we are compiling the data as we speak,¡± the Doctor smiled, ¡°that¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡±
As the Game Capsule lid closed once again, Bradley groaned, staring back at the man with unrestrained contempt.
Chapter 3 – Obligatory Orientation
Author¡¯s Note: There is some swearing in this chapter. This chapter deals with military soldiers in a casual setting so there is no way around it. I (honestly) apologize in advance if this does not suit your sensibilities.
Game Capsule D-1410092184
Setup Complete
Do you want to begin registration?
Confirm
Decline
¡®No turning back now,¡¯ Bradley thought, trying desperately to ignore the sensory deprivation he felt in this White Abyss. Apart from the window before him, only the endless expanse of white nothingness existed in this space. Despite this being the second time entering the Game Capsule, he had yet to get past the registration screen. On his first attempt, his lack of preparation caused him to leave. He would not leave this time.
¡®Confirm.¡¯
As he thought the command, the window transformed.
Current Username:
Bradley Cooper
Do you want to change this Username?
Confirm
Change
¡®Well if this is going to effectively be my life for the next five years, there no reason not to use my real name,¡¯ Bradley figured, grinning to himself. ¡®Imagine if everyone I worked with called me by some lame 1337 name like xXx_420blazeit_xXx or AdamPwnage. I¡¯d never be able to live it down. Confirm.¡¯
Implant Selection
As a [human (Earth)], you are allowed one mechanical and one biological implant.
Special Condition:
As a candidate specially selected by the Administrators, one additional mechanical or biological implant may be selected.
Select
Skip
¡®So is this ¡°special condition¡± what everyone was talking about?¡¯ Bradley thought, recalling his reason for being here. For some reason or another, the Administrators chose him as ¡°ideal¡± for the Game. ¡®It makes me wonder exactly what the requirements are for their decision. From what I learned from the rest of the candidates, it seems like it was effectively chosen at random.¡¯
Reminded again of the feelings¡ªor lack of feelings¡ªaround him from the White Abyss, he quickly got back to task; not wanting to spend a second longer there than necessary. Looking at this new window, he noticed that a grid of choices accompanied the usual simple display. Each section of the scrolling grid listed an ¡°Implant¡± followed by a description explaining what it did.
¡®Okay, so what exactly are these implants?¡¯ he thought, ¡®¡oh right! The Doctor said something about this¡uh¡System: What is an implant?¡¯
As he thought the question, another window appeared next to the others:
Query ¨C ¡°What is an implant?¡±
Definition ¨C Implant:
A Mechanical device (Mechanical Implant) or biological procedure (Biological Implant) which augments a Player¡¯s abilities. Causes physiological change.
¡®It worked!¡¯ he thought, giving himself a mental pat-on-the-back for remembering the command. ¡®As for that answer, I suppose that seems obvious. Oh well, it isn¡¯t as if the Game is going to actually change my body in real life. That would be crazy! They would warn me about that. No, if I¡¯m going to be here for the long haul, I need to choose carefully. I always did love character customization screens¡¡¯
Looking over the list, he quickly realized that everything listed came in ranks. Asking the System, it replied:
Query ¨C ¡°What is a rank?¡±
Definition ¨C Rank:
The method of ordering within in the Game for a given category. Such categories such as: Experience, Combat Prowess, Ability Proficiency, Item Quality etc. This rank is ordered first by the letters [S,A,B,C,D,E,F,G] or unranked, with ¡°S¡± being the highest and ¡°unranked¡± being the lowest. Each of these letters are further sub-ordered from the numbers 1 to 2,147,483,647 (2^31 ¨C 1). Should a particular category contain more than 17,179,869,184 ranked elements, more than one element can occupy a given rank.
Although Bradley had no concept of how these implants measured against things in his day-to-day life, it at least gave him a means to compare one implant to another.
From the list in front of him, he eventually concluded that¡ªwith the options provided to him at this time¡ªthe biological implants were unquestionably bad. Any semi-useful one required several prerequisites and would effectively cause him to cease being human. Others were covered in jargon such as ¡®caloric intake¡¯ or ¡®psionic fulcrum¡¯ that their descriptions went completely over Bradley¡¯s head. For example:
Biological Implant: Superior Strength
[p=left]Greatly improves strength by increasing the density, flexibility, and durability of muscle. ¡®Jab¡¯ punches can pierce 28cm of rolled steel and muscles can withstand physical projectile impact energies under 100 Joules per millimeter squared. Requires regular muscle activity to maintain this level of strength.
Increases daily caloric intake by 2482.17cal and requires increases in all vitamin intake, especially protein.[/p]
Prerequisites:
Biological Implant: Cardiovascular System [Rank B or higher]
Biological Implant: Skeletal System [Rank B or higher]
Biological Implant: Gastrointestinal System [Rank C or higher]
Includes:
Biological Implant: Muscular System [Rank A]
Biological Implant: Cardiovascular System [Rank B]
[p=left]Improves the heart and its capacity to carry blood and nutrients throughout the body. Required for biological implants that require a higher or more rapid influx of nutrients.
Increases daily caloric intake by 3941.96 cal and requires increases in all vitamin intake, especially iron.[/p]
Prerequisites:
Biological Implant: Gastrointestinal System [Rank D or higher]
Biological Implant: Skeletal System [Rank B]
[p=left]Improves the body¡¯s ability to withstand external forces. Required for implants that expose the body to higher thresholds of blunt-force trauma or weight-handling ability.
Increases daily caloric intake by 1412.83 cal and requires increases in all vitamin intake, especially calcium and Vitamin D.[/p]
Prerequisites:
Biological Implant: Gastrointestinal System [Rank E or higher]
Biological Implant: Gastrointestinal System [Rank C]
[p=left]Improves the body¡¯s ability to absorb and deliver nutrients from food and beverages to the rest of the body. Required for most bodily implants that require an increase in caloric and vitamin intake beyond the body¡¯s current limits.[/p]
Prerequisites:
None
Bradley tried to think through these various combinations, but found himself quickly confused. ¡®Urgh,¡¯ he thought to himself, ¡®I¡¯ll be at this all day if I try to pick-and-choose two biological implants that work together¡ and I don¡¯t want to even think about some of the single-implant options like¡¡¯
[p=left]Transforms the upper limbs into non-manipulative locomotive appendages, adjusting the arrangement of organs and the musculoskeletal system accordingly. Greatly increases locomotion but removes the ability for limbs to manipulate objects with precision.[/p]
Prerequisites:
None
¡®¡Not only is it completely useless, but I can only imagine how messed up that would feel.¡¯ He shuddered¡or at least he tried, but without a body it could not be done in the White Abyss. Trying to avoid a panic attack again, he focused hard on the list.
Eventually he found a useful one:
Biological Implant: General Status Enhancer
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
Increases daily caloric requirements by 421.68 cal as well as increasing all vitamin requirements.
Prerequisites:
None
¡®Well there aren¡¯t any obvious drawbacks except for eating more food¡ªwhich is more of an upside than a downside¡ªbut the benefits are pretty vague. When I asked the system what attributes were it just said the usual ¡®Strength, Dexterity etc.¡¯ but didn¡¯t give me any indication what the points meant. Still, it¡¯s better than nothing.¡¯
Not wanting to waste any more time, he selected it and moved on to the Mechanical Implants. Unlike the biological ones, many of these implants did not require any prerequisites, but instead focused on specific functions. These either required some sort of battery pack or external device to remain functional. Being a Computer Engineer, one implant jumped out at Bradley over all the others:
[p=left]Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee proper interfacing with devices of equal or lower rank.
Has a peak energy consumption of 477.713 Watts, peak data rate of 4,294,967,296 bits per second and maximum range of 9.216 Miles.[/p]
[p=left]Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by a wide variety of compatible devices. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable energy consumption, number of devices, and provides higher levels of security.
Allows 3 compatible devices, peak energy consumption of 551.168 Watts and a peak data rate of 68,719,476,736 bits per second.[/p]
Prerequisites:
None
Although there were many other useful implants including cybernetic optics and robotic limbs, the idea that Bradley could wirelessly program a computer or read a webpage at the speed of thought was almost too good to be true. He suspected that those things might be impossible, but the other implants sounded even more unbelievable so he remained optimistic. Bradley wanted to select higher rank implants, but these were the only ones whose prerequisites he could afford.
With the three implants selected, he worried that he might have made a mistake and forever regret his choice. When he asked the System, however, he found that he could change these choices at any time until ¡°Level 100¡±. He felt pretty stupid for not figuring that out earlier as this meant he spent longer than necessary in the White Abyss. He concluded the Abyss must be effecting his mind. Without a reason to remain uncertain, he confirmed his choices without hesitation.
As he did so, the White Abyss thankfully faded again to black.
??????
Bradley¡¯s eyes cracked open to find himself under a blue sky and beneath a tree¡¯s canopy.
¡°I can feel!¡± he exclaimed, pumping his fists into the air as he remained laying down. He reveled in the feeling of grass and air on his skin. The feelings were so good, in fact, that he teared up slightly and rolled around in spite of himself. These distractions even caused him to accidentally dismiss a Game Window before he could read it. He wondered briefly about what it could have been before dismissing it as something in his eye.
As he sat up, he found himself in some sort of park. A tall, uniform, grey, five-storey structure surrounded the grassy area, making him conclude that¡ªrather than a park¡ªit was more of a very large courtyard. Looking around, he saw a smaller two-storey building standing about one hundred feet away in the center of the courtyard. Despite the enclosed nature of the space, it showed signs of neglect with long grass coming out of the concrete pathways and various weeds springing forth unchecked.
¡®How the heck did I get here?¡¯ he thought, stretching his stiff body and brushing himself off of dirt. ¡®I wonder if I passed out in the Capsule and that Doctor left me out here as a prank or something. Considering that wherever the facility is located is 10 hours from Dallas, it is possible I could be somewhere more ¡®green¡¯ but for some reason I expected something resembling Area 51¡¯s ¡®desert wilderness¡¯.¡¯
Now standing, he found his body was in far better shape than what he remembered it. While Bradley could not remember having any health problems, he also spent years of driving to work and sitting at a computer desk which left him physically unfit. Now though, he felt as if he was still in his peak condition during high school cross country. It was truly an amazing experience, but he had absolutely no idea how it had happened.
¡®Could that have something to do with the Capsule?¡¯ he thought, ¡®Maybe that is why the Doctor wanted those scans.¡¯
Having thought through the situation, Bradley headed over to the building in the center of the courtyard for some answers; its conspicuous placement attracting his attention. Upon arriving, he found the doors of the building propped open and a soldier stood next to it, leaning on the wall. The guard carried a full complement of combat gear, similar to the ones he saw in the hander upon arriving at the ¡°Facility¡±. Unlike those soldiers though, he wore a more ragged woodland camouflage outfit. A few smaller areas on the uniform were patched with off-colour fabric which surprisingly did not hinder the cloth¡¯s camouflage.
¡°Hey, you,¡± the soldier declared, waving at Bradley as he stepped off from against the wall, ¡°your Bradley Cooper, right?¡±
¡°Huh? Do I know you?¡± Bradley questioned.
¡°Obviously not, but I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re the last of the new Players,¡± the guard stated. ¡°As for the name, I can see it written over your head.¡± He emphasized that point by gesturing to the empty space over his own head.
Looking up and down at Bradley approvingly, he added, ¡°I¡¯m glad you at least didn¡¯t get one of those stupid bionic arm implants like half the other jarheads here. A lot of good those do when you¡¯re crushing your guns by squeezing them too hard and have to relearn all your muscle-memory from scratch. They¡¯re great soldiers and get the job done, but thinking isn¡¯t their strong suit¡ I guess that¡¯s why the Feds pay me the big bucks. Heh.¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡± Bradley asked, a confused expression on his face. He even waved his hand over his head to check for his name, despite the impossibility.
¡°Uh, you did see the implant screen before coming here, right?¡± the soldier replied with a confused expression of his own. ¡°You¡¯ll definitely need them before you start your Tutorial. In any case, my ¡®Mark 11b Ocular Implant¡¯ allows me to see things you normally can¡¯t¡ like certain System information.¡±
¡°Huh? Why are you talking about implants like-¡± Bradley stopped himself as his eyes went wide. ¡°I-I¡¯m in the Game?¡±
¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t¡¡± the soldier got out before almost taking a knee to let out a deep belly laugh. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, how the hell did you miss that little detail?!¡±
He laughed for a good couple more seconds before finally trailing off, wiping a tear from his eye and saying, ¡°Jesus Christ, haven¡¯t laughed like that in a while. Didn¡¯t you read the window message? How the hell did you think you found yourself in the middle of the goddamn Pentagon¡¯s Center Courtyard?!¡±
¡°It¡¯s just so¡ real,¡± Bradley replied, again feeling the sensations around him. He looked at his hand for a moment, experimentally opening and closing it into a fist and quickly flexing his fingers. ¡®I honestly can¡¯t tell the difference!¡¯ he concluded. Bending down, he rubbed a little dirt between his hands. Identical to what one would expect in real life, the thousands of individual granules felt powdery and coarse against his skin. ¡®This really is new and amazing technology! To handle this level of simulation in real-time, the computer processing it must be running in the exaFLOP range at least¡ and that would just be for my perspective, yet alone the hundreds of people using it right now!¡¯
¡°Wait, this is the Pentagon?!¡± Bradley remarked rhetorically, finally catching everything the soldier said. Looking around again, he only now noticed that the building surrounding the courtyard did¡ªin fact¡ªmeet at five points.
¡°Okay, this isn¡¯t funny,¡± the soldier observed, looking at Bradley gravely. ¡°I know the higher ups are asking a lot, but that doesn¡¯t excuse this kind of bullshit.¡± He sighed and rolled his eyes, ¡°Well, I guess I should be glad you¡¯re at least registered as an ¡®Employee¡¯ or you would have started in the middle of nowhere! Jesus, the shit I have to put up with¡¡±
The guard quickly ran into the building he had been leaning against and came out carrying a set of grey camouflaged army fatigues. They came with a hat, socks and boots. He assumed they must have been told of his sizes from the physical he had with the Doctor earlier.
¡°I¡¯m going to need you changed into this ACU ASAP and head over to the south end of the courtyard over there,¡± he said, pointing behind Bradley towards one of the five entrances. ¡°The Tutorial starts whether you¡¯re ready or not and I¡¯d prefer if all you civvies could at least be on the same page about it. Christ¡¡±
Earth Coalition Quest[/td4]
[td2]Lieutenant Winslow of the Earth Coalition wants you to get changed into your uniform before attending an orientation at the Pentagon Center Courtyard ¨C South Entrance.
Item(s) Provided:
United States Army Combat Uniform (ACU) - Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP)
Quest Difficulty:
Unranked
Success Condition(s):
Arrive at the entrance wearing the uniform.
Failure Condition(s):
20 minutes has expired.
Quest Reward(s):
In-Game Orientation
¡°Woah, so this really is a game after all¡ and I¡¯m guessing your name is Lieutenant Winslow?¡± Bradley asked.
¡°Yeah,¡± the Lieutenant replied, thrusting the uniform into his hands, ¡°First Lieutenant James Winslow of the US Marine Corps.¡±
¡°Right, thanks,¡± Bradley replied as he took the uniform. ¡°Wait, what is this ¡®Earth Coalition¡¯ thing?¡±
¡°Oh that,¡± the Lieutenant groaned. ¡°That is one helluva clusterfuck is what that is. Basically the Haxlard, you at least know about them right?¡± Bradley nodded his head, ¡°Well the Haxlard want to make a trade agreement with us. Something like alien tech for our raw materials.¡±
¡°Sounds amazing!¡± Bradley proclaimed unconsciously. Thinking about the sophisticated technology that must have gone into the Game Capsule, he could imagine all sorts of benefits in other fields. ¡®If the aliens could afford on entertainment like this Game, they must have even better technology for industrial use.¡¯
¡°Yeah it is, too good of a deal to pass up,¡± Lieutenant Winslow agreed, ¡°there was just one catch: they would only speak to people representing all of humanity. At first, the US¡ªwhich were the first to talk to them¡ªjust brought together our NATO allies into the meeting, but then China and Russia found out somehow. In the end, to speed up the process, they joined the NATO alliance and ¡®BRICS¡¯ association¡ªotherwise known as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South American association¡ªtogether, forming the illustrious Earth Coalition¡¡±
¡°Why even bother?¡± Bradley questioned, ¡°Don¡¯t we already have the United Nations?¡±
¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t pay attention to global politics too much,¡± the Lieutenant replied, rolling his eyes. ¡°Well after all this shit started happening, I took a very healthy appreciation for the subject. It also helped that I majored in International Studies during my time at VMI. I mean, it¡¯s true that if we had fifteen years to deliberate everything, then the UN would be good enough, but that was only formed for two reasons: to prevent World War III and to reduce global violence overall. I suppose we¡¯re only killing ourselves by the millions instead of tens of millions so I suppose they aren¡¯t doing a half-bad job¡
¡°Anyway, aliens and world-changing trade agreements are about as far outside of the UN mandate as you can get. I imagine that once the trade agreements have all gone through and we finally get around to announcing the aliens¡¯ presence though, then the UN will be great in making sure people don¡¯t flip their shit. Until then, we needed a political organization that had the power to negotiate without leaking the news to the press and causing a shitstorm.¡±
¡°Right¡¡± Bradley trailed off.
¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve wasted enough time with this. Daylight¡¯s burning and you have a ¡®quest¡¯ to do! Get to it!¡± the Lieutenant yelled before marching off in the direction of the southern entrance.
Conklyn¡¯s Flowers, Pentagon Central Courtyard, Washington, DC, the Game
Bradley discovered that the central building housed a simple food court and flower store. It surprised him that the center of such a symbol of military power would have something so mundane at the center. Despite its former function, Bradley could clearly see it no longer served that purpose now. Dead flowers, broken pots and overturned furniture lay scattered on the floor and several discolored spaces on the walls betrayed the positions of furniture that no longer existed there. Bradley could not figure out why the place looked so ruined. Being a game, he concluded that the soldiers must have searched and took anything valuable they could find.
¡®After all, why not?¡¯ Bradley thought, ¡®There¡¯s no victim and it isn¡¯t like taking a virtual copy of something is actually theft.¡¯
Using the storage closet in the back, he changed into the uniform and put his old clothes into one of the shop¡¯s bags. Checking himself in a small, cracked mirror on a shelf, he actually found that he looked like a soldier thanks to the square cap hiding most of his hair. Giving a smart salute and chuckled to himself before stowing the hat in the bag. ¡®I feel like I¡¯d offend somebody wearing this,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I guess I¡¯m a government contractor now, but I sure as hell am not a soldier.¡¯
Walking out of the store, he quickly stashed the $200 dollars in cash from the register into his pocket. ¡®If the soldiers can do it, I can too,¡¯ he thought to himself. Exiting the building, he jogged¡ªbag in hand¡ªtowards the southern entrance.
When he arrived, he found that all the other five candidates were already lined up in front of the Lieutenant. Thinking of the number of reasons for being late, he silently stood next to Patricia, the accountant, and placed his bag down next to him. As he did so, a window appeared:
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Earth Coalition Quest ¨C Completed!
You changed into your uniform before attending the orientation at the Pentagon Center Courtyard ¨C South Entrance within the time period!
Quest Reward:
In-Game Orientation
Bradley rolled his eyes at that. ¡®I hope all that all of these ¡®quests¡¯ aren¡¯t like that,¡¯ he sighed, ¡®it would be really stupid if I was congratulated every time I go to the bathroom too.¡¯
¡°Well now that everyone has finally arrived,¡± the Lieutenant declared, staring pointedly at Bradley, ¡°we can begin.¡±
Clearing his throat, he began by saying, ¡°Alright, without further ado, first thing¡¯s first. This world: it is a duplicate of the one we just came from.¡±
¡°We can tell that already,¡± Alex, the psychologist, stated.
¡°Yes, I concede that seeing yourself in the middle of a full-scale Pentagon would make that pretty obvious,¡± the Lieutenant continued, ¡°but there are a few caveats. This isn¡¯t an exact duplicate, thankfully.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± Patricia asked.
¡°Well imagine if everything was identical: every blade of grass, every brick, every piece of paper was the same.¡±
¡°Yeah, that would be an impossible technical challenge,¡± Bradley observed.
¡°No, it¡¯s clearly possible,¡± the Lieutenant stated, shaking his head, ¡°in fact, the aliens appeared to do exactly that. We don¡¯t know how, but they did. You can¡¯t see from within the confines of this little courtyard, but every single building, brick and road sign of every city we¡¯ve come across has been recreated in perfect detail, and that¡¯s eyewitness testimony from people who lived in those cities. If I could somehow take pictures and bring them into the Real World, I bet even the rust on the mailboxes would be accurate. But think about other things.¡±
It took a few moments, but Garry Woods was the first to catch onto the context. ¡°Classified documents,¡± he eventually got out, his eyes wide.
¡°Exactly!¡± the Lieutenant replied. ¡°Imagine if a Chinese spy got into the Game and travelled here to the Pentagon. If it was an exact copy, then they would have access to every piece of military intelligence we have. Thousands of operatives and soldiers around the world would be at risk and in the worst case, the whole world could destabilize from the subsequent intelligence arms race. If it was just undercover agents, we could get them out at great expense, but we aren¡¯t just talking about that. We¡¯re also talking about missile silo locations, chemical weapon formulas and schematics for Weapons of Mass Destruction too.¡±
¡°No way,¡± Patricia let out, ¡°this Game is way more serious than I thought!¡±
¡°So did the government, at least initially,¡± the Lieutenant agreed. ¡°The moment we realized that the Game was a duplicate of real life, we immediately brought our best soldiers in to burn or otherwise destroy any classified documents we could find. That¡¯s partially why we established our headquarters here in the Pentagon. What we found, though, as that there weren¡¯t any documents to find in the first place.¡±
¡°What, did somebody already get to them?¡± Bradley asked.
¡°No that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± the Lieutenant shook his head, ¡°rather, we believe those files never found their way into the Game at all. Like I said earlier, the Game isn¡¯t an exact duplicate. Many things are the same, and yet many things are different too. US currency and CD covers are exactly the same, but photo albums in the homes we searched are just filled with blank paper. Same goes for computers too, they just log into a default ¡®home screen¡¯. No government access, no classified documents, not even emails. No personalized information of any kind.¡±
¡°Wait,¡± Garry, the programmer, interrupted, ¡°if they actually copied the documents¡ªthey put all this stuff in the Game after all, they would have ta copy ¡®em¡ªthen that means they¡¯ve got all this classified stuff stored somewhere, right?¡±
The Lieutenant nodded gravely, ¡°That¡¯s the idea. We have no way of knowing if that¡¯s true or not, but I for one think it¡¯s pretty likely considering what else they can do. I wouldn¡¯t want to get into a fight with them, that¡¯s for sure. So don¡¯t do anything that might piss them off.¡±
There was a moment of silence as everyone let that sink in.
¡°So are there any NPCs?¡± Garry asked, trying to break the suddenly serious mood. Bradley had learned the programmer had played a lot of MMORPGs in the past just as he had himself, so it didn¡¯t come to his surprise that he would be asking RPG-related questions. ¡°There ain¡¯t no duplicates of us ¡®round here, right?¡±
¡°Non-Player Characters?¡± the Lieutenant asked rhetorically, ¡°Well, there is still wildlife around so technically there are, but there are no ¡®doppelgangers¡¯ or any other humans except the Players that came here in the Game Capsules. Even the Administrators¡ªwho will be conducting your Tutorial¡ªare Players, or so I¡¯m told. They just have extra privileges.
¡°The good news is that this means we won¡¯t have any problems ¡®surviving¡¯. Although this virtual Earth has been deserted for what appears to be a whole year¡ªand so the Supermarkets are full of spoiled food¡ªthere are still plenty of canned goods to take and eat. We¡¯ve also spent the last few weeks driving tanker trucks to siphon gas from various gas stations in the area, so we have a large enough supply to run the Pentagon¡¯s backup Diesel generators indefinitely. Oh, and just a reminder, money is effectively worthless here. Even if you find any money, just ignore it. The US sure as hell isn¡¯t going to honor ¡®virtual money¡¯ so they are basically just pretty pieces of paper.¡±
¡°Hehe, yeah of course,¡± Bradley chuckled, reminding himself to throw out the money he got from the gift shop as soon as he could.
¡°Wait, we need to eat in here?! But why?¡± Farida, the architect, asked. ¡°Is that why we¡¯re wearing these army uniforms? We need to help out in scavenging for supplies?¡±
¡°You definitely need to eat. Don¡¯t know how it works, but it actually will satisfy you in the Real World as well. It probably has something to do with that gel that covers you,¡± Lieutenant Winslow replied. ¡°Anyway while you may not feel hungry at the moment, you will. As for those uniforms¡ You¡¯re just wearing them now to ¡®break them in¡¯ before your Tutorial. I¡¯ll explain it all of that tomorrow. Although it would be nice if you could help with the scavenging, I¡¯d rather you do what you do best. There aren¡¯t many of us around so whatever you are good at in the Real World, you are probably best at here.¡±
¡°So is that our goal?¡± Maria, the Biologist, asked, ¡°All of us working together to establish this Virtual Earth¡¯s infrastructure and make sure we all can live here indefinitely?¡±
¡°Well, we actually don¡¯t have any mandate or even any Rules of Engagement at the moment,¡± the Lieutenant shrugged, ¡°we only started this project because the Enforcers told us to and the government decided to play ball. With those fucking death-ships orbiting around the planet like Swords of Damocles over all our heads, we didn¡¯t want to antagonize them at all if we could avoid it. We only started taking the Game seriously when we found out there was a ¡®perfect¡¯ copy of the world to avoid National Security issues. Now that we¡¯ve secured most of the really important military bases, the Game is more or less a way for us to quickly train soldiers. After all, when you die in the game you only lose a few ¡®levels¡¯ and Game-given abilities. Anything you learn stays with you. That the Game world runs four times faster than the real one also certainly helps.¡±
¡°¡°What?!¡±¡± the six of them exclaimed.
¡°Oh so that riles you up,¡± the Lieutenant laughs. ¡°Yeah, let me guess, you signed up to play the game 9 hours a day at $60/hour, right? Well, that¡¯s actually 36 hours in-Game time. So in reality, you¡¯re really only getting $15 an hour.¡±
A few of the candidates only sighed in defeat¡ªhaving figured there was a catch somewhere¡ªwhile others looked furious at having been conned.
¡°Now settle down,¡± the Lieutenant placated them, ¡°that isn¡¯t actually a bad deal. Think about it. Your body is only aging at one-quarter speed right now and we really don¡¯t have any clear goals at the moment. That means you can effectively do what you want four times as long and you¡¯ll get paid for it!¡±
That seemed to settle most of them down with only minor grumblings.
¡°Hey Lieutenant,¡± Bradley asked, ¡°you were talking about ¡®levels¡¯ and ¡®abilities¡¯ before. Is this game really an RPG like that?¡± He found himself surprisingly eager to learn about what this Game actually entailed.
¡°Rocket-Prop-,¡± the Sergeant began to say before he realized what the context was. ¡°Oh right, Role-Playing Game. It would probably be better to show you. Just think ¡®System: Status¡¯.¡±
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
4
Experience:
0/1000
Class:
Undetermined
Alignment:
Neutral
[/tr]
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
0
Notoriety:
0
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
95/95
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
85/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
??+20
Agility:
??+20
Intelligence:
??+20
Willpower:
??+20
Charisma:
??+20
Perception:
??+20
Endurance:
??+20
Luck:
??+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
??
Mental:
??
Psionic:
??
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
Arrive for Pre-Tutorial and Practice
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
0
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Neutral*
Administrators:
Privileged*
¡°Woah, that¡¯s¡ awfully game-y,¡± Bradley muttered, trying to wrap his head around the idea that this RPG-esque screen actually somehow reflected the world around him. ¡°It still feels weird thinking I¡¯m in a game when everything is so real,¡± he concluded with a shrug.
¡°Speaking of realism,¡± Maria noted, ¡°how do these values actually work? Wouldn¡¯t things such as ¡®health¡¯ rely on hundreds of situation-dependant variables? Not only that, but these regeneration fields-¡±
¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the Lieutenant smiled approvingly, ¡°you can¡¯t trust these values completely, they¡¯re just approximate. We had a whole team of our computer guys sit down with that alien ambassador at the base and worked all this out with the Administrators when we started having trouble. They called it a ¡®Patch¡¯ or whatever and they uploaded the data into our pods. Basically this ¡®Status Window¡¯ converts a bunch of vague Game concepts into ones that are easier to understand. Trust me, it¡¯s a lot better than what was there originally.
¡°It isn¡¯t perfect, but it¡¯s a great way to at least track your progress. Also, some of those numbers actually come directly from the Game: Strength, Intelligence, Stamina etc are all attributes you can raise when you ¡®level up¡¯ similar to any regular game you guys might have played. Like I said, don¡¯t rely on them but rather figure out your limits on your own. If your stamina is below 10% it will feel as though you¡¯re actually going to die of exhaustion, and obviously if you cut your hand off or something, no amount of ¡®health regen¡¯ is going to fix it.¡±
¡°What?!¡± Patricia cut into the conversation in a panic, ¡°stuff like that can actually happen?! So you¡¯re saying if we get hurt, it¡¯s actually permanent like real life?!¡±
¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Lieutenant Winslow denied, ¡°if you log out and log back in again, all your injuries are gone.¡±
¡°Then why can¡¯t we just do that in the middle of a fight?¡± Garry asked, although everyone knew that it couldn¡¯t be that easy.
¡°The Administrator will probably explain this,¡± the Lieutenant began, ¡°but you can¡¯t just log out at any time. There are a lot of other rules, but the most important one is that if any combat abilities have been used against you in the past 4 hours or so, then you have to wait for almost 2 minutes in-game while completely paralyzed before logging out. You won¡¯t even know it¡¯s happening, but it is. If at any point you are attacked, the log-out stops immediately, but the paralysis remains. Unfortunately there isn¡¯t a way to just click a button and kill yourself to log out either. We¡¯re working on finding cyanide tablets so if you find yourself in a really bad situation¡ well you get the idea.¡±
The candidates all looked very grim at that. Realizing who he was talking to, he quickly added, ¡°Oh, right, well you don¡¯t need to worry! You can¡¯t actually die here. One of the soldiers, Ramirez, ¡®died¡¯ from a surprise bear attack a few weeks ago, but he came back as good as new. It hurts a bit, but your memories of the event are usually pretty hazy so you probably won¡¯t remember it.¡±
¡°Oh, okay,¡± Patricia replied softly. Although she was freaked out by all the death talk, she was also partially relieved that she wouldn¡¯t have to live in agony for hours if she accidently broke her legs or something and there wasn¡¯t anyone around.
¡°So what is with those question marks and asterisks?¡± Bradley asked, hoping to bring the topic back to the Status Window.
¡°Oh yeah, those,¡± the Lieutenant muttered, as if hearing about it for the first time. ¡°The question marks will clear up after the Tutorial. The Game just doesn¡¯t know enough about you; that¡¯s what the Tutorial is apparently for. As for those asterisks, they tell you that there¡¯s more information than just a straightforward answer.¡±
¡°Then what is this psionic-¡± Alex Cheng, the Psychologist, started to say before he was cut off by the Lieutenant.
¡°Just ignore that. If you checked the biological implant list long enough, you probably saw some things that give you what are called ¡®psionic abilities¡¯. From what I can tell, ¡®Psionics¡¯ are the Game¡¯s version of ¡®magic.¡¯ Don¡¯t ask me how it works, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just game logic. Either way, if you got an implant with it, I¡¯m going to force you to get something else. The only ¡®magic powers¡¯ you could get are crappy floating balls of light and stuff like that and it takes forever to get the hang of it. Same thing for ¡®Shield Energy¡¯. Apparently aliens actually do have force-fields, but just like the Psionics, you should only go for those once your past level 100 at least. If you get it right now, you¡¯ll barely be able to defend against a punch, let alone a bullet. Besides, there aren¡¯t things you civvies shouldn¡¯t be worrying about that kind of thing anyway. Just focus on what you¡¯re good at.¡±
At that moment, he snapped his fingers. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s probably a good idea to go over your implants and make sure you picked the right choices before you head off to the Tutorial. Meanwhile, why don¡¯t you guys explore the Status Window a bit? Just give the command. For example, System: Status: Attributes: Intelligence will give you details on your intelligence stat.¡±
Games like MMORPGs and tabletop games that Bradley played during his high school days all contained similar concepts, so he felt more than familiar with what these various ¡°Attributes¡± likely meant. Instead, he focused on the stats with asterisks for their additional information.
¡®Okay then, I think the first one would be System: Status: Faction Standings: Haxard.¡¯
Just as he finished the thought, the relevant window appeared:
Haxard Faction Standing
Standing:
Neutral
Having no connections with the Haxard in the Game, their relationship with you extends from their relationship with your employer instead.
*Due to the instability of the Earth Coalition Faction and their ongoing negotiations with the Haxlard, Haxlard neutrality with you is a tentative one. Your standing with them could change to ¡®ally¡¯ or ¡®enemy¡¯ without warning.
¡®Well that¡¯s¡ unsettling,¡¯ Bradley thought nervously, ¡®though then again, they said that they can¡¯t attack us in the real world right? Besides, we have that 5 year grace period so we¡¯ll be fine even if negotiations fail¡ I hope. Anyway, the next one is¡ System: Status: Faction Standing: Administrator.¡¯
Administrator Faction Standing
Standing:
Privileged
Having been chosen directly by the administrators, you have been given privileged rights to certain benefits. These privileges last until the species [human (Earth)] establishes themselves in the universal community or are otherwise revoked by an Administrator.
*Privileges
Increased Growth:
Ability and attribute growth occurs 5% faster.
Reduced Death Penalty:
Ability, attribute and level penalties associated with dying have been reduced by 70%.
Implant Advantage:
One additional Mechanical or Biological Implant for free selection in addition to those allowed by your race.
Infant Species:
As a member of a species (human (Earth)) without any players over level 1000, you cannot be attacked by Players over level 1000.
Infant Faction:
As a member of a faction founded on a recently discovered planet (Earth), you cannot be attacked by factions not founded on your planet for a period of:
[5 years, 2 months, 14 days, 12 hours, 8 minutes, 52 seconds]
¡®Well that sounds a little better¡ well except for that 70% reduction in death penalties,¡¯ he thought, ¡®Will I really die that much that I need something like that? Anyway, I guess the Doctor was right, the Administrators are looking out for us¡ I hope.¡¯ Bradley sighed and shook his head. ¡®I seem to be doing a lot of hoping lately-¡¯
¡°Alright Bradley, you¡¯re the last one,¡± the Lieutenant said, moving to stand in front of Bradley. ¡°Can you show me your implants? Just think ¡®System: Share ¨C Lieutenant Winslow: Implant Window.¡±
¡°Sure,¡± Bradley replied, thinking the command. As he did so, a new window appeared. Unlike the previous ones, however, this one was green and indicated that it was being shared with the Lieutenant:
[table=green]
Sharing ¨C Lieutenant Winslow
[/table]
[table=green]
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D
Unused
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D
Unused
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security.
[/table]
¡°Huh, interesting choices,¡± the Lieutenant observed, spending a few moments critiquing the screen. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re good with computers?¡±
¡°I¡¯m a Computer Engineer, sir,¡± Bradley confirmed before adding, ¡°I figured I¡¯d play up my strengths, though I haven¡¯t quite figured out how these implants work yet.¡±
¡°Well you should probably figure it before your Tutorial,¡± the Lieutenant suggested, ¡°there should be a couple computers inside if you want to try it out.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about me using Pentagon computers?¡± Bradley asked in surprise.
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? All compromising info is gone. Trust me, my boys were really invested in double and triple-checking to make sure there was nothing on those computers for¡reasons. All that¡¯s left is ¡®regular¡¯ software like Microsoft Office and crap like that. As long as you don¡¯t blow something up, I couldn¡¯t care less what you do with those computers. Most of them are basically power-wasting paperweights until we can get the internet working... and seeing how that would require practically reconstructing the entire nation¡¯s power and telecommunications grid, I don¡¯t see that happening any time soon.¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get right on it,¡± Bradley confirmed, ¡°although where do I go to sleep¡ and do I even need to sleep here?¡±
¡°You definitely do,¡± the Lieutenant replied, ¡°your brain is working four times as fast but the machine can¡¯t perform miracles. As for your room, you can find it in the second-floor offices. We printed your name onto the door so you can¡¯t miss it.¡±
¡°Oh and before you leave,¡± the Lieutenant said as the candidates were about to head inside. Turning to address all the candidates. ¡°Your Tutorial is scheduled for 9:30am tomorrow morning. You can spend the rest of the day getting a feel for your implants and getting used to the world, but I want you all right here washed, fed and dressed right at this spot an hour early for some practice.¡±
Earth Coalition Quest
[td2]Lieutenant Winslow of the Earth Coalition wants you ready (washed, dressed and having eaten breakfast) at the Pentagon Center Courtyard ¨C Southern Entrance by 8:30am tomorrow for pre-Tutorial practice.[/td4]
Item(s) Provided:
None.
Quest Difficulty:
Unranked
Success Condition(s):
Arrive ready and on time.
Failure Condition(s):
Do not arrive ready and on time.
Quest Reward(s):
Pre-Tutorial Orientation and Practice
The Lieutenant stared at each of them closely. ¡°You will need to work as a team if you want to make it out of the Tutorial alive.¡±
Chapter 4 – Implant Implications
Author¡¯s Note: Note that the massive ¡°grey blocks¡± in this chapter aren¡¯t necessary to understand what¡¯s going on, they just provide a little background. Also, there are a few spoiler-ed Windows at the end of the chapter with the Status Window and list of Abilities the MC has thus far. I''ll be updating them as I go.
The Pentagon, Washington, DC, the Game
Bradley navigated the halls of the Pentagon in vain for anything that might help him understand his new implant ability. Even with its straightforward shape, the circumstances turned it into a labyrinth.
For the most part, Bradley could not rely on the maps because many of them simply were not there, having been replaced with blank white pieces of paper. In addition, all the windows were either boarded up with plywood or covered in sandbags. With no landmarks or distinguishing features, he would occasionally lose his sense of direction after checking a room. In addition, the hastily scribbled pieces of paper stuck to the doors telling everyone what the rooms were used for were often illegible, causing several embarrassing encounters of him barging into people¡¯s bedrooms.
During his little tour, Bradley did manage to find the room where he would ¡°live¡± within the Game. The room barely contained the bed, desk and chair in side. While small, the dependable furniture and built-in AC fulfilled their function, but with not enough space to even add a bedside table, Bradley thought that calling it a ¡°living space¡± would be a bit much. Still, he would not complain. In fact, the room made him feel a bit nostalgic; it reminded him of his University days living in residence.
Eventually his search did yield results. Of all the rooms in the Pentagon, no room would better serve the needs of understanding the incredibly advanced alien technology that now¡ªapparently¡ªresided in his head: the Internal IT Service Desk.
Gathering together the calibration tools, computers and spare parts in this room and setting things up, for the first time coming to this Game, he felt like this whole experience really happened. After the clandestine hiring process, the soldiers, the aliens, the medical scans and the crazy White Abyss, he could finally sit back and take it all in. With all these computer parts and tools surrounding him, he could almost convince himself that he never left his job at Perceptisense and signed on for a 5 year contract as a military guinea pig. Only the occasional Game Window when he asked the System a question brought him back to this new virtual reality.
The enjoyment and familiarity he felt¡ªthis new puzzle to solve providing a surprising challenge¡ªdistracted him from a feeling that began to grow inside himself. A seed of uncertainty began to sprout, but for now he ignored it. This new virtual world was new and exciting so doubts about his decision to come were pushed to the back of his mind. After all, why was there a need to fear?
This was only a game.
3rd Level Internal IT Service Desk, The Pentagon ¨C Northwest Wing, Washington, DC, the Game
¡°Argh, damn it¡¡± Bradley groaned, tossing the computer mouse haphazardly to the side of the desk. He sat back in his chair and covered his eyes with an arm, letting the other dangle uselessly to the side. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t this stupid implant work?!¡±
For three hours, Bradley tried to find some way to activate his implant ¡°Human-Computer Interface, but nothing he tried could show any outward sign that the implant even existed at all. From what he understood from the System¡¯s description, the Player simply had to ¡°will¡± the implant into functioning and it would search for and connect to any wireless device that was available.
This approach failed.
He tried every form of wireless device available to him: WiFi, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth, even the little USB radio antennas that wireless mice and keyboards used, but Bradley could not detect anything different about himself. Moving on with his troubleshooting, he hooked up ¡°dumb¡± devices like a Ham Radio and AM/FM desk radios to see if maybe he needed to start off simple, but even those failed. Hooking up everything to a computer, he monitored the device ports for incoming traffic, but nothing showed up. In desperation, he attached a radio antenna to an Oscilloscope and waved it around his head, but he could only pick up negligible background noise.
Unless the implant somehow functioned outside the radio spectrum or could operate below a detectable amplitude, the system stumped him. By his investigations, the implant either did not exist or simply did not function.
¡°How do I even test what the problem is?¡± he asked himself with a sigh. ¡°For all I know, this ¡®implant¡¯ nonsense is just a load of BS. What was I thinking would happen? That I would suddenly have magical computer powers and could ¡®hack the mainframe¡¯ with my mind?¡± He shook his head. ¡°There isn¡¯t even a way to reverse-engineer the concept and probe the components. What would I do, cut open my head and stick a Multimeter in for a look? What a joke.¡±
Suddenly a man approached him from behind.
¡°There you are!¡± the male voice shouted, marching his way towards Bradley.
¡°Gah!¡± he cried, leaping to his feet and causing the stool he sat on to fall to the ground. Turning swiftly around, he saw that the voice belonged to none other than Lieutenant Winslow who came bearing a large bowl of hot stew.
¡°Ah, didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± the Lieutenant apologized. The smirk on the man¡¯s face left Bradley questioning the sincerity of it, however. With an outstretched hand, the Lieutenant brought the bowl over to him, the smell causing the engineer¡¯s mouth to water. Bradley had not realized how hungry he was.
¡°I didn¡¯t see you at the mess hall for supper,¡± the Lieutenant added, ¡°then I remembered you picked those strange implants and thought they might be giving you trouble. So, how goes it?¡±
¡°Trouble is right,¡± Bradley sighed, eagerly taking the stew from the officer and voicing his thanks. Putting the bowl off to one side, he gestured to all the various mobile phones, wireless routers, laptops and keyboards he had placed in a semicircle around him. ¡°No matter what I do, I can¡¯t seem to get the stupid thing to work,¡± he ranted, ¡°no manner of commands or concentrating does the trick, the network pipes show no movement and even the tools only pick up the regular pings of the devices asking for connections.¡± He massaged the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to wonder if I should just give up and try something else.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t give up yet, I know how hard it can be,¡± Winslow sympathized, pointing to his eyes. The pupils changed color, rotated, dilated and contracted with a shaky and artificial jitter. ¡°Do you think I got these ocular implants working right away? The only thing it did when I first got them was everything my eyes already did. None of that fancy object-recognition, night-vision or magnification it does now.¡±
¡°What did you do?¡± Bradley inquired with a slightly pleading tone, ¡°I¡¯m reaching the limit of my patience with this thing. Literally any hint is better than what I¡¯ve been working with until now.¡±
The officer sighed. ¡°Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news then, but the only thing you can do is get a ¡®feel¡¯ for it,¡± Lieutenant Winslow confessed. ¡°Instead of concentrating intently and forcing it to work, you have to let it ¡®come to you¡¯.¡±
¡°Really,¡± Bradley deadpanned, ¡°would you care to translate that into science for me?¡± he rebuked with a peremptory and contentious tone.
Taken aback by Bradley¡¯s response, Winslow did not respond immediately.
¡°Hey I feel ya, it¡¯s stupid,¡± the officer eventually agreed, attempting to defuse the engineer¡¯s belligerent attitude. ¡°At least you weren¡¯t the leader of a group of twenty marines. We knew even less about what was going on than you do! So lighten up, the Game can be tedious and annoying at times, but you¡¯ll get the hang of it!¡±
Seeing the uneasy grin the officer held in front of him, Bradley took a few deep breaths and calmed himself down. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not usually this testy it¡¯s just this everything¡¯s just piling up all at once and it just has me feeling frustrated,¡± he explained.
¡°No problem, man, it¡¯s no big deal,¡± the Lieutenant dismissed with a laugh and a rough pat on the back. ¡°Trust me, you haven¡¯t seen ¡®testy¡¯ until you¡¯ve met my little dysfunctional family of leatherneck delinquents.¡±
¡°Still, that idea seems pretty¡ stupid. No offense,¡± Bradley commented, idly rubbing his back that the Lieutenant had just smacked.
¡°I know it¡¯s stupid, but how else would it work?¡± the Lieutenant replied with a shrug. ¡°This game is supposed to be ¡®realistic¡¯ right? How realistic would it be if you could suddenly use these new parts of your body as if you always had them? It¡¯s would be similar to giving someone who was born without arms a few prosthetics and expecting them to suddenly start juggling. I mean, if you just stare at your arm and command it to move, it isn¡¯t going to do shit. Why would these implants be any different?
¡°Think about it. Everything you do with your body is instinctual. It may not sound very scientific, but you don¡¯t need to write a thesis on the subject, you just need to get it to work. For me, I realized that the implant wasn¡¯t actually a part of my eye at all but a completely different ¡®sense¡¯ altogether. I only finally figured it out when I just completely zoned out one day. After a while, it felt as if I had an itch on the back of my neck. I scratched it and it didn¡¯t go away, but when I tried focusing on it, all of a sudden I had this need to blink my eyes. The next thing you know, I could make out the numbers on a licence plate a half-mile away¡ in the middle of the night.¡±
¡°Right¡¡± Bradley replied, not really understanding quite how all this would help him.
¡°To sum it up, you can¡¯t force it,¡± the Lieutenant stated. His expression became suddenly contemplative before he added, ¡°Now that I think about it, wasn¡¯t your implant supposed to connect to things wirelessly or something?¡±
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Then maybe you should try meditation!¡± the Lieutenant concluded, causing Bradley to groan. ¡°No, seriously, that¡¯s what worked for that one guy in Squad 8. He has the ability to detect ¡®life energy¡¯.¡±
Bradley stared at the officer with a sceptical look.
¡°Hey don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m crazy, it¡¯s true! It¡¯s one of those ¡®Psionic¡¯ things; it doesn¡¯t have to make sense,¡± the Lieutenant defended. ¡°Anyway, for the life of him, he couldn¡¯t get it to work. We all told him to change it to something more useful. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time. With only a few exceptions like that Human-Computer Implant you have which requires another implant to work, we¡¯ve pretty much tried every implant available.¡±
¡°Is that where you get your policy on ¡®Psionics¡¯ from?¡± Bradley asked the Lieutenant, reminded of when he told them about psionic implants; that he would force them to change it if they had them.
¡°Actually, that marine is probably the only one to make me reconsider it,¡± the Lieutenant replied. ¡°No one else could get the things to work and just gave up, but that guy¡ªSchmitt¡no Schneider was his name¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t quit. He spent weeks just meditating and trying to ¡®feel the world around him¡¯ and all that spiritual enlightenment crap. It worked though. He¡¯s our best scout now. Whenever we¡¯re going hunting, we have to bring him along. Nobody can find and catch deer like that SOB.¡±
¡°You guys hunt? Isn¡¯t there enough meat in those cans of food?¡±
¡°Yeah, but it all starts tasting the same after a while. Besides, it¡¯s good practice and it keeps you working. There¡¯s nothing worse than a bored Marine.¡± The Lieutenant shook his head and grunted. ¡°Argh, we¡¯re getting off topic. Anyway, you have a job to do. Get meditating and be patient; it¡¯s going to take a while. In the worst case scenario, I can tell you of some implants I know will work without a hitch for your Tutorial tomorrow and you can use those instead. It¡¯s no big deal.¡±
¡°Sure no problem¡¡± Bradley replied, tactfully trying to end the conversation before he started wanting to punch something. ¡®He makes it sound like it¡¯s so easy,¡¯ Bradley internally fumed, ¡®as if the answer will magically fall from the sky if you wait long enough.¡¯
As Lieutenant Winslow left the room¡ªhaving done what he came to do¡ªBradley decided to take a break and eat the stew.
¡®I need to calm down,¡¯ he thought as he sat down cross-legged on the floor, slowly munching on the now lukewarm beef vegetable stew. ¡®Jeez, what¡¯s with me today? Maybe this world really is getting to me.
¡®Anyway, I need to try all my options. Think about it scientifically: my method hasn¡¯t worked and the meditation method worked for an implant with a similar function as mine. This is a different world and I shouldn¡¯t assume it functions with the same common sense. It¡¯s worth investigating.¡¯
3rd Level Internal IT Service Desk, The Pentagon ¨C Northwest Wing, Washington, DC, the Game
¡®This world¡¯s common sense can go burn in a fire for all I care! The Lieutenant was at least right about one thing, I¡¯m going to need a lot of patience for this,¡¯ Bradley thought as he readjusted himself in his cross-legged position.
Sitting in the same spot for the past three hours, Bradley felt extremely self-conscious. Sitting on the floor, surrounded on all sides by various wireless devices, he looked as if performing some strange ritual. Apart from his constant fidgeting, anybody that saw such a scene would no doubt think he belonged to some strange IT cult¡ or at least, Bradley believed that.
Bradley thought sitting in an empty room¡ªsurrounded by electronics¡ªwould be peaceful, or at least boring. Bradley soon realized this would not be the case. Bradley spent most of his life in a flurry of activity: Video Games, Hobbies, Studying, School, Working; always doing something. He could not even last the bus ride to the base without talking to everybody or sleeping through the trip. He soon realized that without the constant ability to do things, his already disquieted mind grew more and more restless.
¡®Why doesn¡¯t it work?!¡¯ he thought, groaning to himself in frustration, taking a peek at his watch, ¡®there¡¯s only half-an-hour left! If I don¡¯t go to sleep then, I won¡¯t wake up in time and I¡¯ll miss the Tutorial! I don¡¯t really know what it¡¯s about, but it has to be important¡ and how am I supposed to concentrate with those fans driving me insane!¡¯ He clenched both his hands into fists. ¡®How am I supposed to concentrate with all this goddamn noise?! I¡¯ll destroy this whole damn place soon if I don¡¯t-¡¯
He took a deep breath and breathed it out forcefully. ¡®Alright, just calm down,¡¯ he thought to himself, bringing both his hands to his temples in the hopes of massaging away the frustration. ¡®Have I always been this frustrated when I can¡¯t solve a problem? Come on. I won¡¯t be able to face the Lieutenant and say I¡¯ve tried my best if I don¡¯t focus.¡¯
Ignoring his other senses¡ªthe sounds around him, the dull ache of his legs falling to sleep, and his own tired mind¡ªhe tried again to ¡°feel his surroundings¡±. He tried feeling every sensation inside himself and focusing on it. He hoped that¡ªjust as it worked with the Lieutenant¡ªone of those feelings would cause another feeling, and then another and that through those feelings he would eventually find the ¡°source¡± of his implant. He felt that if he could just do that, he would be able to figure everything else out.
¡®Of course, it isn¡¯t that simple,¡¯ Bradley thought, again unable to feel anything new. ¡®I should have known this wouldn¡¯t work. This meditation thing might have worked for someone that does that kind of thing regularly, but for me to-¡®
Again the noise around him cut off his train of thought.
¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough! I can¡¯t even think with all this racket!¡± He yelled out to no one in particular. He put his fingers in his ears to drown the noise and attempted to calm himself down by humming an upbeat classical tune to himself. Despite completely plugging his ears, however, the sound still continued and his song did little to drown out the noise. ¡®What the hell is this?! Is the Game glitching-out or some-¡®
¡®Wait.¡¯
His eyes widened in realization. ¡®This could be it!¡¯ he thought. He focused on the soundless noise and suddenly found his thoughts drowned out with¡ªwhat felt to Bradley¡ªwas concussive white noise from all around him:
[table=grey]
[/table]
Flashes of numbers, notifications and information flowed into his mind as red-hot magma, and out of it as volcanic eruptions. He tried desperately to understand the situation¡ªto even think of anything¡ªbut he was completely overwhelmed by the searing intensity. To Bradley, it was as though the information pouring into him was not just trying to burn his mind, but destroy his grip on reality itself. Although the information became more organized as the excruciating seconds wore on, it simply could not make sense fast enough for his mind to comprehend.
¡®What¡ turn off¡ n-need t-t-to d-do some-someth-ing¡ how¡ quIT! END! J-JUST STOP IT!¡¯
Not being able to think of any way to stop what was happening to him, he instead tried to retreat from the source of his pain. Pulling himself shakily to his feet, he moved unsteadily towards the exit of the room. As he felt what had to be the last of his sanity slipping away, he screamed at the top of his lungs and collapsed onto the floor. With his brain no longer in control of his actions, he began convulsing.
Hearing the sudden hollering from out in the hall, a soldier rushed into the room to find what he thought was an epileptic seizure.
¡°Oh shit!¡± the soldier unconsciously let out. He quickly checked back into the hall to see if there was anyone else to help him. There were none. With no experience or training in this sort of thing, he rushed over to Bradley, grabbed him in a fireman carry before rushing out the door and down into the hallway.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
¡°Goddamn it!¡± the soldier yelled as he quickly slogged his way towards the medical center. He dared not go any faster, his training drilled into his head the importance of proper pace and posture when transporting an injured man this way.
¡°If you die on my watch, the Lieutenant is going to have my ass for this!¡±
Provisional Marine Medical Center, The Pentagon ¨C Northeast Wing, Washington, DC, the Game
¡®Urgh, what the hell was that¡¡¯ Bradley thought, his consciousness slowly returning. He tried opening his eyes and immediately regretted it; the bright lights around him only served to aggravate the migraine he now discovered he had. Instead he kept his eyes closed and took a deep breath, rubbing his temples with his knuckles. Over a hundred all-nighters during university had long prepared him for this kind of mental trauma, but Bradley never experienced a headache quite like this.
Sitting up in the bed he found himself in, he called out for anyone around. ¡®If I¡¯m too sick to open my eyes, I¡¯ll just have them come to me,¡¯ he thought.
¡°Hello Bradley, how are you feeling?¡± the female voice inquired. The female took a seat beside him, however Bradley¡ªwith his eyes closed¡ªcould only infer about the action.
¡°I feel like I lose a head-butting contest with a truck,¡± Bradley moaned pathetically. ¡°You¡¯re a doctor, right? Can you inject my head with morphine or something? Please?¡±
¡°No, that would be a very bad idea,¡± the woman responded with a sigh, ¡°but you are right that I am a doctor, and if you can think clearly enough to make such a vivid metaphor, you will be fine.¡± Suddenly her voice became serious. ¡°Now I wish that you remain calm while I explain this. We believe that you underwent what we call a ¡®tonic-clonic¡¯ epileptic seizure.¡±
Bradley took a deep breath, but did not say anything for roughly a minute. ¡°W-What does that mean? I¡¯ve never had a seizure before,¡± he eventually got out. He would have been more worried, however his migraine prevented him from appreciating the full effect of the news.
¡°I¡¯m not too sure,¡± she replied honestly. ¡°We are still in the midst of determining everything there is to know about how this game works. It may be your body or mind just not able to cope normally within the Game or it could be a symptom of an underlying condition that nobody caught on to until now. I already preformed a blood test and imaged your brain with the instruments I have on hand, but I could not find any signs of the common causes. Do you know what you may have done to cause you to seize like that?¡±
Bradley did not need to think long to remember; the pain he felt would probably be etched in his mind somewhere for the rest of his life. ¡°It all happened so fast, but I think it¡¯s because I was trying to get my implant to work,¡± he groaned. ¡°For some stupid reason, I thought I could improve my chances if I completely saturated the air with incoming wireless connection requests by every type of device under the sun. I¡¯m not sure if that actually helped the implant work or not, but¡ªas you can tell¡ªit sure as hell hurt.¡±
¡°That could explain it¡ªthe Game¡¯s neural implants do use electromagnetic and chemical pulses to communicate with the brain. It is possible that the implant caused something akin to Electroconvulsive Therapy,¡± the Doctor noted. ¡°How did that happen?¡± As the doctor inquired with a curious tone, Bradley could make out scratching sounds he assumed were writing on a page. ¡°I got a report from First Lieutenant Winslow concerning all the newest Players, but I didn¡¯t recognize the implants you had chosen.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± he replied, ¡°I doubt most people would find it very useful considering all the ¡®better¡¯ ones out there. It basically allows me to communicate with devices remotely with my mind; or at least that¡¯s the idea. I still haven¡¯t properly tested it. Since I¡¯d like to think that I¡¯m a pretty good Computer Engineer, I figured that being able to quickly program machines was more useful than some type of super-soldier implant.¡±
¡°So you think all this ¡®communication¡¯ was what caused your seizure?¡± she asked, ¡°What makes you so certain?¡±
¡°Aside from never having had anything worse than a migraine in my life? Well, it¡¯s because all I can remember from that time is pain and generic network setup requests. Everything from Link Layer node configuration to DHCP handshaking and DNS setup. I barely even remember that stuff from university so I can¡¯t think of any other reason I would remember it now other than the implant working.¡±
¡°Right¡¡± the doctor replied, clearly not understanding much of what Bradley was saying, ¡°anyway there should be one easily way to clear this all up.¡±
¡°How?¡±
¡°Open your eyes.¡±
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Bradley muttered. ¡®Still, I¡¯ll need my eyes eventually if I¡¯m going to do my Tutorial-¡¯ he thought, immediately cutting himself off.
¡°The Tutorial!¡± he yelled, opening his eyes and trying desperately to ignore the onset of a searing light-induced headache. Turning to the blurry woman beside him, he asked, ¡°W-What time is it?¡±
Bradley now could see the woman sitting next to him. Her hazel eyes and brunette hair framed a simple yet unblemished face. She wore a lab coat over a simple blue scrubs like what a surgeon would wear, which only partially hid her fit physique. She held him back down onto the bed to prevent him from running away and he did not struggle; with the lady¡¯s good looks, Bradley did not seem to mind.
¡°You need to settle down!¡± she demanded. ¡°It is only six o¡¯clock right now. You have plenty of time until your Tutorial. You should be focusing on getting better first.¡±
Bradley stared at her for a moment before blushing slightly and looking away. ¡°S-six o¡¯clock? Oh, so I have a few hours left,¡± Bradley sighed, sitting back into the bed.
¡°So?¡± the doctor asked, ¡°Is there anything different?¡¯
¡°Different¡ª?¡± Bradley started. ¡®There is something different, three things to be exact. Now that I¡¯m not¡distracted, let¡¯s take a look¡¡¯
By identifying a device¡¯s communication using the Human-Computer Interface you have gained a new ability: Wireless Perception
Wireless Perception (Basic)
Using the Human-Computer Interface, you can now perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. Other wireless transmissions in the electromagnetic spectrum are ignored to avoid unnecessary oversaturation.
¡®So that implant really can do that... At least, that¡¯s what is says. I can¡¯t wait to give it a try,¡¯ he winced as his migraine flared up again. ¡®Although then again, I¡¯m not sure I want to go through all that pain again¡¡¯
He dismissed the prompt and turned to the next pair of windows:
By having the Cybernetic Interface Chip parse over one thousand electronic transmissions of a similar type, it has come to understand the method of communication. You have gained a new ability: Regulatory Identification
Regulatory Identification
The Cybernetic Interface Chip now identifies the regulatory standards, encoding, and decoding used by the device to communicate. Frequent use further reduces the mental strain when using Wireless Perception by performing these tasks automatically.
¡®Holy crap that¡¯s a lot of protocols! I haven¡¯t even heard of half of these,¡¯ Bradley thought. ¡®Did all those devices really send out enough data that the implant could recognize all these standards? No wonder I was knocked out! It¡¯s also really impressive if that chip can extrapolate all those standards just from listening to transmissions¡ or maybe it¡¯s just ¡®Game logic¡¯. Well, I¡¯m sure I will figure all this out eventually.¡¯
He then closed that window and turned his head to the third and final screen. ¡®Jeez, I must be blind not to have seen these earlier,¡¯ he thought.
By going through intense mental stress and surviving, you have gained a new ability: Mind Survival
Mind Survival
The mind¡¯s ability to survive under overwhelming extra-sensory stress.
He wondered if any of these newfound abilities had caused any stats increased and called up his ¡°Status Window¡± only to find them still unknown and filled with ¡®??¡¯s as expected. ¡®Dissapointing, but not surprising,¡¯ he thought, immediately dismissing it; it was not worth looking at without anything having been changed.
¡°So?¡± the Doctor goaded.
¡°Oh right, sorry,¡± Bradley blurted out embarrassingly, realizing his thoughts and the Windows caused him to stare at the Doctor for several minutes. Clearing his throat, he played it off with a laugh, saying, ¡°Yeah, apparently I ¡®achieved¡¯ a few new abilities, heh.¡±
The Doctor rolled her eyes and chuckled slightly at the man¡¯s awkwardness. ¡°Well that probably solves that problem,¡± she concluded, writing a final note onto the clipboard before hanging it on the front of the bed. ¡°Your seizure was probably related to the implant or a new ability. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time something like that happened.¡± She got up and walked to the end of the small hospital room.
¡°That¡¯s it? No prescriptions or monitoring?¡± he inquired.
¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± the Doctor replied with a shrug. ¡°If your condition becomes any worse, we¡¯ll have you log out and tested by the medical staff in the real world. Typically though, any physical maladies are cured when you log out so there isn¡¯t much to check.¡±
¡°Right¡¡± Bradley muttered, puzzling out the ramifications of illness in the Game. ¡°¡but wait, then what¡¯s the point of even having doctors in the Virtual World at all?¡±
¡°There are a few reasons,¡± the Doctor began, putting a finger on her chin and pursing her lips in thought for a moment. ¡°Logging out and back in takes a long time, roughly one real-world hour. When you consider that this world runs four times faster than the real one, it would be a huge waste of time for something as simple as first aid.
¡°Also for cases in which something unknown happens, we need to record as much information as possible and come up with a diagnosis before you log out so that I can collaborate with the ¡®Real World¡¯ doctors to check for any discrepancies. After all, we certainly can¡¯t say with any certainty if the Game itself could be causing the problem or that leaving the Game Capsule will cure it.
¡°There is also mental stress to consider. While the body remains mostly unchanged, the mind is directly affected by the stresses of the Game, just like any other video game. Although we haven¡¯t had a case yet, there is always the possibility of permanent brain damage. So please try to take better care of yourself.¡±
¡°Oh, right,¡± Bradley replied, deciding it best to just drop the subject altogether before her rant continues.
¡°Well take your time,¡± the Doctor replied, ¡°and be sure to safely test the limits of your new abilities before you start your Tutorial. Trust me, you¡¯ll need it.¡±
¡°Wait,¡± Bradley quickly got out as the doctor was about to leave, ¡°you know something about this ¡®Tutorial¡¯? Oh, and w-what¡¯s your name? You know, in case I ever get sick again?¡±
The Doctor grinned. ¡°It¡¯s Alexandra Fitzgerald. Oh, and as for the , everyone has to do it after all. I¡¯m sure the Lieutenant will tell you all about it before you leave.¡± She suddenly had a surprised look on her face. ¡°Oh, I just realized that I completely forgot to introduce myself, although I think it would be in both our interests not to meet up too often.¡±
As she closed the door, he wondered, ¡®Where did I hear that name before¡¡¯
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
4
Experience:
0/1000
Class:
Undetermined
Alignment:
Neutral
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
0
Notoriety:
0
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
95/95
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
85/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
??+20
Agility:
??+20
Intelligence:
??+20
Willpower:
??+20
Charisma:
??+20
Perception:
??+20
Endurance:
??+20
Luck:
??+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
??
Mental:
??
Psionic:
??
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
Arrive for Pre-Tutorial Practice
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
0
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Neutral*
Administrators:
Privileged*
----General Ability Window----
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
F-2046387519
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Necessary for resistance against abilities which damage the mind or to use such abilities on oneself.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G-237103451
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G-1984412473
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D
G-237103451
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D
G-1984412473
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank.
Chapter 5 - Pre-Tutorial Practice
Author¡¯s Note: Sorry for the huge delay everyone. I got a new job! Hopefully, I¡¯ll be able to pump these out a bit faster now that everything is settled in my life again.
I just want to point out in advance that all the big grey tables in this chapter (in the ¡°spoiler¡± tags) are just background fluff for the network buffs out there to show what will be happening behind the scenes. These will not appear in this much detail in the future and the Cybernetic Interface Chip will be performing most of this work in the background. As such, these ¡°grey blocks¡± will only show up as much smaller, easier to read versions going forward (mostly for my sanity).
The Pentagon ¨C Southeast Wing, Washington D.C., the Game
Somehow¡ªdespite a headache and sensitivity to light¡ªBradley managed a quick shower, got dressed and made his way to the Lieutenant¡¯s pre-Tutorial session ahead of schedule. As he made his way down the dusty Pentagon corridors, his headache began to disappear along with his light sensitivity. In fact, far from having any adverse side-effects, his mind felt sharper than before.
¡®Could this be because of that Mind Survival ability?¡¯ he thought to himself as he absent-mindedly walked towards the southern doors of the Pentagon¡¯s Central Courtyard. ¡®Whatever it is I wish I had it sooner; would have really helped with all those all-nighters in University¡ Then again, maybe those all-nighters were why my headaches were so bad in the first place¡¡¯
The soldiers were as busy as usual. Outside¡ªpast the sandbags and wood panelling barring the windows¡ªhe made out the shape and sound of trucks, Humvees and even helicopters moving around. Occasionally someone would order a group to go to a certain place and pick up supplies or to investigate a government facility to search and destroy possible sensitive intelligence. It reminded Bradley again of the importance the Game played¡ and that he possibly played a big role in all this as well.
Reaching his destination, he opened the door leading out to the courtyard and found that many of the others already arrived. Alex and Farida were sitting on a bench next to the door while Garry talked to them about something. Bradley found himself unable to determine the contents of the conversation as they stopped the moment he arrived.
¡°Hey, Bradley right?¡± Garry asked sarcastically, shaking his hand with plenty of ¡®southern hospitality¡¯. ¡°I only ask because it feels like Ah haven¡¯t seen ya in forever! Where were ya yesterday? Ah missed ya at the mess hall.¡±
¡°Just testing my implant,¡± Bradley replied, quickly taking back his hand.
¡°I hear that,¡± Garry nodded with a knowing smile, ¡°took me the whole night to get these Cybernetic Optics workin¡¯.¡± He gestured to his eyes which¡ªlike the Lieutenant¡¯s¡ªglowed and whirled artificially. ¡°¡and that was with the Lieutenant¡¯s help,¡± he added.
¡°Speaking of which, what implants did everyone get?¡± Bradley inquired.
¡°Well ya already know about my eyes,¡± Garry continued, ¡°but Ah also got two Biological Implants: ¡®Nervous System [Rank D]¡¯ and ¡®Enhanced Reflexes¡¯. Ya need the former for the latter. Basically it lets me react better if Ah focus real hard. The Lieutenant recommended it because it¡¯d improve my ¡®combat effectiveness¡¯.¡±
¡°Combat effectiveness? Why would you need to do that? I thought you were a programmer?¡± Bradley asked.
¡°Well Ah am, or was¡ but it ain¡¯t exactly my ¡®passion¡¯,¡± Garry explained. ¡°What Ah really enjoy is Big Game Huntin¡¯. Hunted deer in Northern Texas for 10 years while Ah worked at my ¡®real job¡¯. Ah considered joinin¡¯ the army, but killin¡¯ people just to shoot didn¡¯t sit right with me. This Game though¡ well, ya can make a livin¡¯ like that without fear of ever killin¡¯ someone. With these implants, the Lieutenant said Ah¡¯d be a shoe-in for the ¡®Marksman Class¡¯.¡±
¡°As for me,¡± Alex chimed in, ¡°I got the ¡®Cybernetic Optics¡¯ and ¡®Nervous System [Rank D]¡¯ just like Garry, but I opted for the ¡®Enhanced Perception¡¯ implant instead. It gives me a ¡®sixth sense¡¯ about things apparently.¡±
¡°Yeah, he even told us somebody was behind the door before you even opened it,¡± Garry added.
¡°Wow, that¡¯s sounds pretty good,¡± Bradley complimented, ¡°but I have the same question. Why does a Psychologist like you need with a ¡®sixth sense¡¯?¡±
¡°Well there are actually two reasons,¡± Alex justified with a sigh. ¡°The first is practical. Let¡¯s face it, Psychology is a soft science. It might not be ¡®Anthropology¡¯ but with less than four hundred people, I can¡¯t exactly conduct Research Studies. That¡¯s ignoring that the fate of the world is only five years away¡ or I guess 20 years in-Game? Anyway, this way I can actually be of some use. I¡¯m fit and go to the gym regularly and with these implants I can be a get the ¡®Scout Class¡¯ and help do some reconnaissance for the soldiers.¡±
¡®Wow,¡¯ Bradley thought soberly, ¡®it¡¯s impressive he could be so optimistic. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if I couldn¡¯t work with computers anymore.¡¯ With a sad expression, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the second reason?¡±
¡°Well, if I can¡¯t do any large studies, I can at least participate in my own study,¡± Alex replied with a soft smile. ¡°There is nothing more relevant to my Major in Cognitive Psychology than someone with more cognizance to work with. Even if it will take decades to fully understand this new ability, it will be worth it. I might even advance Psychology in the process! Who knows?¡±
¡°That¡¯s just like Alex, ta be honest,¡± Garry added, ¡°Ah¡¯ve never met a more upbeat guy.¡±
¡°So that just leaves Farida,¡± Bradley suggested.
¡°Mine are not as surprising as those two,¡± Farida replied. ¡°I¡¯m an architect that did some work for a large construction company in India before moving here so I chose the ¡®Optical Material Analyzer¡¯. It works with the ¡®Cybernetic Optics¡¯ implant to let me see the composition of something.¡± She stared intently at Bradley for a moment. ¡°For example, that uniform is predominantly organic with 90% of its matter in Carbon and Oxygen by weight, with Hydrogen and some Nitrogen thrown in as well. It has a density of 1.431 grams per cubic inch and weighs 1.42 pounds overall.¡±
¡°You¡ you can get all that just from looking at it?¡± Bradley asked, quite surprised.
¡°I don¡¯t think it would be as good without the ¡®Perception Status Enhancer¡¯ implant I have as well,¡± she explained, ¡°and because of all those implants, I¡¯m definitely no good in a fight. That being said, apparently these implants can get even better. There is even the possibility of finding out the chemical formulae of materials. I figured that if we find any alien things, those abilities would go a long way in terms of reverse engineering it for ourselves.¡±
¡®That sounds really useful,¡¯ Bradley noted.
¡°Well now that you know all about our implants,¡± Farida asserted, ¡°then maybe you can tell us about yours.¡±
Bradley sat down on the bench next to them. ¡°Well¡¡±
Bradley explained to them the function of his implants and his ¡°success¡± story in earning his newfound abilities.
¡°So wait, you can talk to electronics now?¡± Alex concluded with a hint of confusion.
¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it ¡®talking¡¯, but I can communicate with some electronics,¡± Bradley clarified. ¡°It isn¡¯t as if I could somehow communicate with a toaster or anything, but things such as cell phones or laptops... probably.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not sure?¡± Alex inquired further.
¡°I haven¡¯t tried yet,¡± Bradley explained with a sigh, ¡°after all, that first time didn¡¯t turn out too well.¡±
¡°Then why don¡¯t you test your theory?¡± Farida suggested, taking out a cell phone from her pocket. ¡°I found this on a desk near my room. I turned it on and it works, but there are no apps or anything and without the internet or reception it¡¯s pretty useless. Why don¡¯t you take it?¡±
¡°Are you sure he should try it?¡± Alex inquired, worried about Bradley¡¯s mental health. ¡°Seizures are no joke.¡±
¡°It¡¯s up to him, but if he isn¡¯t going to use his implants, then he should change them,¡± Farida asserted, turning to Bradley. ¡°No offence, but you might as well get a different implant if you¡¯re worried what a phone could do to you.¡±
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Bradley agreed hesitantly. He may not have appreciated the way she said it, but that did not make her wrong. He slowly took the phone from her hand. The typical smartphone had a large touchscreen and only a few buttons on the front and sides.
¡®Well, I might as well try it and see what happens,¡¯ Bradley thought, turning the phone on. ¡®If I can¡¯t even connect to a phone, I¡¯m not sure how useful this power will be. If it causes me pain all the time, I¡¯m sure as hell not going to keep it.¡¯
When it turned on, he did not notice any immediate response, so he went into the phone¡¯s network settings and under ¡°WiFi¡± had it search for networks. The moment he did, he felt a high-pitched buzzing in his inner-ears. Similarly to before, even when he closed his ears the sound remained. ¡®This is it,¡¯ he thought. Taking a deep breath, he slowly concentrated on the buzzing ¡®sound¡¯. As he did, a huge rush of information went straight to his head:
Spoiler : [table=grey]
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Broadcast
BEACON
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Broadcast
BEACON
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Broadcast
BEACON
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Broadcast
PROBE_REQ
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
PROBE_RESP
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
AUTH
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
ACK
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
AUTH
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
ACK
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
ASSOC_REQ
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
ACK
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
ASSOC_REQ
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
ACK
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
CTS
EAP
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
KEY
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
ACK
EAP
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
KEY
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
ACK
EAP
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
KEY
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
ACK
EAP
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
KEY
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
ACK
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
CTS
DHCP
0.0.0.0
255.255.255.255
REQ
¡
[/table]
¡®Urgh, so much information,¡¯ Bradley groaned internally, massaging his temples as he did, ¡®still¡ this is a lot better than last time. While it¡¯s still really hard to think through, at least it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡¯
¡®It¡¯s weird, though,¡¯ he considered, ¡®all that information should have happened within the span of a few milliseconds, yet I remember it completely. I could even manipulate a few things, but it seems as if it¡¯s mostly on reflex. That shouldn¡¯t be possible. Is this because of that ¡®Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯? If I didn¡¯t do an internship for a year managing an internal network at the University, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up at all, so it can¡¯t be only the implant. Just what are the limits of this ability?¡¯
Shaking his head, he tried to focus again on the actual data. When he did, he noticed something wrong.
¡®So ¡®802.11¡¯ means Wifi right¡? Okay, so it acknowledged the phone, but why isn¡¯t the interface returning any of the phone¡¯s high-level requests and completing the connection?¡¯ Bradley thought, ¡®Without that, all this is completely useless. I mean, it¡¯s so straightforward. All it would need to do is reply to the [DHCP Request] checks with an [DHCP ACK] and...¡¯
As soon as he started thinking this way, a new round of information began to be exchanged:
Spoiler : [table=grey]
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
CTS
DHCP
0.0.0.0
255.255.255.255
REQ
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
ACK
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
CTS
DHCP
192.168.0.1
192.168.0.4
ACK
802.11
Apple_82:36:3a
Bradley_82:b2:55
ACK
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
CTS
IPv6
fe80::20d:93ff:fe82:363a
ff02::1:ff92:363a
MULTI_LST_RPT
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
ACK
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
CTS
DNS
192.168.0.4
192.168.0.1
QUERY www.google.com
802.11
Bradley_82:b2:55
Apple_82:36:3a
ACK
DNS
192.168.0.1
192,168.0.4
QUERY_RESP 8.8.8.8
¡
[/table]
As the flow of information ceased, the phone¡¯s network connections showed the following window:
[a]Choose a Network¡
[table=white]
Bradley Cooper
>
Other¡
>
[/table]
¡°Holy crap, it worked!¡± he exclaimed and a new window popped up:
By connecting to a device using the Wireless Perception and Regulatory Identification abilities, you have gained a new ability: Connect (Basic)
Connect (Basic)
Using Wireless Perception (Basic) and Regulatory Identification, you can now connect with devices using rudimentary communication such as integers values, letters and protocol tags.
¡®Wait, did I always know all that about DHCP and-?¡¯ he thought before Farida cut him off.
¡°What worked?¡± Farida encouraged, ¡°Did you connect to it somehow?¡±
¡°Yeah! Look!¡± Bradley announced, eagerly showing his ¡°network¡± to the three of them. He felt on top of the world.
¡°That¡¯s¡ pretty cool I guess,¡± Farida replied, her more reserved tone bringing Bradley back down to earth. ¡°What does that mean?¡±
¡°What does it-¡± Bradley began to assert before stopping himself. He realized the most people weren¡¯t Computer Engineers and probably would need an explanation.
¡°Right, sorry. Um, how to explain¡ the easiest way is to imagine my brain as a phone. Just now, I set up something like a ¡®mobile hotspot¡¯ by pretending to be an internet ¡®gateway¡¯. Since the phone thinks I can connect to the internet, it shows up under the network connections.¡±
¡°Um, right¡ So what happens if I try to go into google?¡± Farida asked, taking the phone and opening the webpage. As she did so, a new set of messages flew by in Bradley¡¯s head.
Spoiler : [table=grey]
DNS
192.168.0.4
192.168.0.1
QUERY www.google.com
DNS
192.168.0.1
192.168.0.4
QUERY_RESP 8.8.8.8
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
SYN
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SYN, ACK
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
HTTP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
GET
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG [42]
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
HTTP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
OK
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
¡
[/table]
¡®Urgh¡¡¯ Bradley groaned. It disappointed him that even with his complete concentration there he could do so little.
¡°Huh?¡± Farida uttered, ¡°It isn¡¯t showing anything. It just says the number ¡®42¡¯.¡±
¡°Yes! It worked!¡± Bradley proudly shouted, pumping his fists in the air. ¡®I¡¯m on a roll,¡¯ he thought.
¡°That¡ what did you do?¡± Farida asked.
¡°Right, let me explain,¡± Bradley added, ¡°When you tried to get the google homepage, I replied with that. My ability is limited, so I could only make a webpage with the number 42 at the moment. I¡¯m sure with enough practice I could get better.¡±
¡°So can ya make it whatever ya want?¡± Garry asked, now really intrigued. ¡°Can ya change it to the number 12, fer example?¡±
¡°Sure,¡± Bradley replied, ¡°Just refresh the page.¡±
Farida pressed the refresh button at the top of the page and, once again, a rush of information flowed in and out of Bradley¡¯s mind:
Spoiler : [table=grey]
DNS
192.168.0.4
192.168.0.1
QUERY www.google.com
DNS
192.168.0.1
192.168.0.4
QUERY_RESP 8.8.8.8
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
SYN
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SYN, ACK
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
HTTP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
GET
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG [12]
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
TCP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
SEG []
HTTP
8.8.8.8
192.168.0.4
OK
TCP
192.168.0.4
8.8.8.8
ACK
¡
[/table]
¡and by responding to the data in that way, the number on the page changed from ¡°42¡± to ¡°12¡±.
¡®Huh, this is getting a lot easier the more I try,¡¯ Bradley thought, ¡®maybe this world is more like a game then I thought. Is there something like linear progression? Can I just keep improving if I just keep trying?¡¯
¡°Wow, that¡¯s incredible!¡± Garry replied. He had worked on a web team once and appreciated some of the complexities going on behind the scenes. The other two weren¡¯t nearly as impressed.
¡°I¡¯m going to have to respectfully disagree on this one,¡± Farida criticized, ¡°that doesn¡¯t seem very practical. I mean, can¡¯t we already communicate using radios or something?¡±
¡°I wouldn¡¯t just discount it like-¡± Bradley started, but a shout from behind him cut him off.
¡°Good to see the rest of you made it!¡± the voice broadcasted to the group.
Bradley turned towards the source of the voice and found Lieutenant Winslow as well as the other two missing members followed close behind: Maria and Patricia. They walked up to them.
¡°Especially you, Bradley,¡± Lieutenant Winslow added, ¡°I¡¯m glad you were able to make it in one piece. I heard you had it rough.¡±
¡°You could say that,¡± Bradley muttered, ¡°still, it all paid off in the end. My implant is finally working.¡± He quickly qualified the statement by grabbing the phone back from Farida and showed the Lieutenant the network connections screen with his name on it.
¡°That¡¯s good to see,¡± the Lieutenant approved with a nod. ¡°With that, I can confirm that all six of you are ready to begin your Pre-Tutorial Practice.¡±
Earth Coalition Quest ¨C Completed!
You arrived at the Pentagon Center Courtyard ¨C South Entrance on time!
Quest Reward:
Pre-Tutorial Orientation and Practice
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¡°Speaking of which,¡± Alex asked ¡°why did Maria and Patricia take so long to get here? They were with us for most of yesterday so I thought they would have gotten here first thing this morning.¡±
¡°Actually¡ªfrom what the Lieutenant told me¡ªI had a similar problem as Bradley,¡± Maria admitted. ¡°I¡¯m using the ¡®Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯ implant too, except mine is attached to the ¡®Subdermal Memory Module¡¯ implant instead.¡± She turned around and parted her short brown hair at the neck to show a small rectangle bulge. The sight disturbed Bradley more than he thought it would. It reminded him again that these implants really were supposed to be attached to his brain and he found himself unconsciously scratching the back of his neck. ¡°Still, once I got it working the result was outstanding; already my memory feels substantially improved. It is¡ªfor all intents and purposes¡ªphotographic now. I don¡¯t know how the Game does it, but it¡¯s incredible.¡±
¡°Wait, there was something like that?¡± Bradley pondered, reconsidering his choice of the human-computer interface implant. ¡®Better memory is always good, regardless of the situation,¡¯ he admitted to himself.
¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend changing your implants now,¡± the Lieutenant warned with a grimace, ¡°especially not to that one. It took Maria several hours in the medical center just to get over the headaches. In addition, she cannot improve hers in any way, so it doesn¡¯t have the same long-term prospects as most of you do. You will find that everything in this Game that sounds too-good-to-be-true usually is.¡±
¡°Still, I wouldn¡¯t change it for the world,¡± Maria nodded. ¡°Most of my troubles with learning and research was with my poor memory¡ relatively speaking.¡±
¡®Does Maria ever smile?¡¯ Bradley thought. ¡®It makes it sound like this is the best day in her life, but she doesn¡¯t emote at all!¡¯
¡°Well that explains Maria, but what about Patricia?¡± Alex inquired further.
¡°I got a Psionic powers!¡± Patricia exclaimed, practically jumping for joy that she could make such a statement in complete contrast to Maria.
¡°¡°What?¡±¡± several of the group asked in surprise.
¡°But I thought that Lieutenant Winslow said he would force you to change it if you chose one of those!¡± Alex accused, pointing at the man in question. ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡±
¡®Why is he so upset? Were those implants Alex got were not his first choice,¡¯ Bradley assumed.
¡°I did force her to change her decision to something else,¡± the officer groaned, ¡°however she changed it behind my back and did some personal training-¡±
¡°-which worked,¡± Patricia added.
¡°Yes, it worked,¡± the Lieutenant begrudgingly admitted. ¡°When I found out about it, I decided to give her a free pass this time because she didn¡¯t know, but she was lucky. One aspect I didn¡¯t mention is that Psionics can cause physical harm and should always be used under supervision.¡±
¡°Yeah, yeah, but check this out!¡± Patricia yelled out. When she had everyone¡¯s attention, she appeared to conjure a ball of energy out of thin air in her hand. The ball sparked with electrical energy and emitted bright, blueish-white light.
¡°Hmm, that appears to violate Thermodynamics?¡± Maria pondered. ¡°Where is the energy coming from? It can¡¯t be from the body¡ Can you control it? Is there some kind of electromagnetic force involved? What is-?¡±
¡°Now that is an incredible ability!¡± Farida nodded, looking very impressed. ¡°Why do we not have everyone using Psionics?!¡±
¡°I told you before about things that are too-good-to-be-true. Well the main reason is that not everyone can do it,¡± Lieutenant Winslow explained, staring at Patricia until she eventually got the message and extinguished her ¡°thunder ball¡±.
¡°To achieve ¡®elemental¡¯ Psionic powers such as Patricia¡¯s ¡®lightning¡¯,¡± the Lieutenant continued, ¡°requires at least two biological implants: ¡®Psionic Resonance (Rank D)¡¯ and ¡®Psionic Fulcrum (Rank C).¡¯ That requirement pretty much eliminates most people right there. In short, only people like you specifically chosen by the Administrators can even use them for now. The rest of us can only focus on the more limited Psionics you can achieve with the ¡®Psionic Generator (Rank D)¡¯ biological implant such as creating small amounts of light or¡ªwith a lot of practice¡ªsensing life energy.
He looked to each of them. ¡°With that being the case, unless all of you are perfectly happy with your choices, I will be testing each of you after your Tutorial to see if any of you have a similar gift for Psionics as Patricia here. The plan right now is just to ignore them until we have more people and understanding. Right now, we have no idea how useful they are.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell us all that yesterday?¡± Alex asked with a slight pout, ¡°It would have been really awesome to be able to do something like that! Doesn¡¯t this go directly against what you had been saying about how bad Psionics are?¡±
¡°Because it will take more than just a day to completely test all the possible combinations,¡± Winslow defended. ¡°There are too many different kinds of implants, so testing all of them before your Tutorial to see which ones work and which don¡¯t is pretty counter-productive. Besides, even if one of them worked, it usually takes far longer to become proficient enough for it to be useful. Since you can change your implants at no cost right now, it¡¯s better to have a solid practical set of implants you have practiced with before your Tutorial than to chance some unknown and unpredictable Psionic abilities.¡±
¡°Okay, I think we all understand that now,¡± Farida relented, ¡°but I¡¯m getting really tired of skirting around the main issue here. Just exactly what is this Tutorial?!¡±
¡°I¡¯m glad you asked,¡± Winslow grinned, briefly checking his watch. ¡°Looks like we only have a little over an hour before the Tutorial starts so please try to keep your questions short. We still need to do a little practice before you leave.¡±
The Lieutenant cleared his throat and waited for everybody to be quiet and listen before he began. ¡°Simply put, the ¡®Tutorial¡¯ in the Game is both a way to understand how the Game works as well as a means for the Game to gauge how capable each of you are. As I mentioned briefly before, all of your stats are determined at the end of your Tutorial, so doing well grants you a head start. These stats directly tie into your abilities. The higher your stats, the more likely you are to gain better abilities, the better your abilities become, and the more likely you are to gain more stats and abilities. During the Tutorial, you are even given the opportunity to achieve a particular ¡°class¡± and additional abilities, if you are lucky. In short, a good showing at the Tutorial can save months or even years of development any other way.
¡°Unfortunately, as you¡¯ve already noticed, you aren¡¯t given a lot of time before the Tutorial begins. This brings me to why I¡¯ve decided against giving you this information until now. We¡¯ve found that the more prepared you are, the worse you perform and the less abilities, experience and stats you gain.¡±
¡°How does that work?¡± Garry asked, mirroring the confused expression on the faces of the other Players.
¡°Before I can answer that, I need to tell you how the Tutorial is set up,¡± Lieutenant Winslow explained. ¡°It is split into two sections: a mental examination and a physical one.
¡°The mental exam is just a simple test. It asks you questions and you answer them to the best of your ability. From what we can tell, the test adapts to you and any preparation for it is a waste of time. Heck, if anything, it feels more like it is teaching you things. Time is better spent learning how your implants work like you have been doing.
¡°The second part is the physical exam which appears to take the form of a combat and survival exercise. It is split into multiple parts. In each part, you need to defeat an enemy. This is where any preparedness backfires. The more experienced you are, the tougher the enemies become. The more prepared you are, the more difficult the environment is.
¡°Out of the twenty military combat teams we sent in before we figured all this out, none of them¡ªincluding mine¡ªmade it past the first round. Most of us ended up against an alien foe with superior arms and we were defeated handily.¡± The lieutenant sighed. ¡°My group found ourselves in the middle of a dense jungle. Luckily, with our training, we were able to lure the enemy into an ambush and take a few of them out with high-explosives, but with their stupidly overpowered magic-bullshit-shields and beam cannons we were annihilated.¡±
His face turned stern. ¡°If that encounter was really representative of what the aliens are capable of, then we can only thank God they aren¡¯t trying to take us over. At least in terms of equipment, the aliens have proven to be far superior.¡±
He let that sink in for a moment before changing topics.
¡°However, when we sent inexperienced and unprepared groups through¡ªwhich we found out mostly on accident when we forgot about informing the team beforehand¡ªthey made it to the second and even third rounds! Apparently, the Game will give you small advantages that can sometimes completely turn the tides if it feels that you won¡¯t put up a decent fight. The Game often will underestimate you and give things like convenient terrain, weapon caches, easier opponents, or even virtual ¡®money¡¯ in order to purchase supplies out of thin air from the Game itself. Needless to say this is the method we use.¡±
¡°I think I understand,¡± Farida replied after a moment, ¡°but when you say fight-¡±
¡°I mean kill,¡± the Lieutenant replied, ¡°thoroughly slaughter and eliminate the enemy. The game doesn¡¯t even allow you to leave until you or your enemies are dead.¡±
Everyone became suddenly quiet. The Lieutenant realized¡ªremembering his audience¡ªquickly clarified, ¡°Still, this is a game, and the Game kicks you out of the Tutorial the moment you are ¡®finished¡¯. Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but the Tutorial will kill you. That¡¯s a one-hundred percent guarantee. That being said, the actual death part won¡¯t hurt one bit. There won¡¯t be any negative repercussions except failing to do your best.¡±
When he says that, he found that the six people in front of him were still anxious. Noting the reaction, he added, ¡°Remember that its goal isn¡¯t to kill you. Rather it¡¯s probably because the Game needs to know our upper limits tests that it puts you in this life-or-death situation. Even if you beat the third or even further rounds, the Game would most likely keep adding more and more enemies until you failed. As I said, this serves as Tutorial for this world. It¡¯s harsh, but fair.¡±
Again, the six remained silent.
¡°Well, I think that¡¯s enough somber talk,¡± the Lieutenant concluded, deciding to change the topic, ¡°let¡¯s get to practicing!¡±
¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say being prepared was a bad idea?¡± Maria noted.
¡°What I meant by that was in terms of weapons or equipment,¡± Winslow explained, ¡°a little teambuilding and shooting on the practice range never hurt anybody. In fact, we found almost half of the civilians we sent completely unprepared didn¡¯t make it past the first round because they refused to work together under pressure or shot themselves. Please don¡¯t be like them. It¡¯s really counterproductive and everyone will laugh at you.¡±
¡°But what about our uniforms?¡± Bradley asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that being prepared?¡±
¡°Well they won¡¯t help you much, to be honest,¡± the Lieutenant shrugged, ¡°but it¡¯s better than what you had. We found that many of the participants weren¡¯t anywhere that they could find a change clothes and they ended up tearing through what they wore running through some underbrush. It isn¡¯t fun to run half-naked though forests no matter what romance novels might have you believe.¡±
A few of them blushed while the others looked in dread. ¡°Yeah, so having more durable clothes is a pretty good idea,¡± he concluded.
¡°But firearms practice?!¡± Patricia cried out, ¡°I have my psionic abilities! Why would I need that?¡±
¡°You¡¯re right, you should practice that too,¡± Lieutenant Winslow nodded, he then stared at her intently, adding ¡°but in all seriousness, you absolutely must be at least competent with a gun.¡±
The Lieutenant gestured around him. ¡°Look at where you are. We have aliens that could possibly invade at any time and just to be in this Game, we have to go through a Tutorial that is certain to kill us. This is the Wild West. In less than an hour, you will be fighting for your life. Can you honestly say that your Psionic powers will be enough?¡±
¡°Well¡¡± Patricia trailed off.
¡°Our previous tests have shown this level of practice gives the best results. That¡¯s really all there is to it,¡± the Lieutenant replied unsympathetically.
He saw everyone standing around and gawking despite having finished talking, so he yelled, ¡°Stop questioning it and start doing it; you less than an hour left!¡±
Recruit Firing Range, The Pentagon Center Courtyard ¨C Western Wall, Washington D.C., the Game
By repeatedly firing a pistol at a target, you have gained a new ability: Pistol Shooting
Pistol Shooting
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality for a given shot given by the shooter¡¯s: marksmanship, familiarity with the weapon used, and overall flexibility in working through a variety of combat situations.
¡®There is something about a military officer yelling at you to get things done that makes you think you can do anything,¡¯ Bradley thought with a smirk.
Bradley fired a Berretta M9 at a makeshift firing range on the Pentagon¡¯s Western Wall. Several crudely-made circles were spray-painted onto the wall and hundreds of bullet holes were peppered all about its entire length. Bradley noticed that many of the holes were all over the place and concluded that¡ªjust like him¡ªmost of the people that used this range did not know how to shoot. Trained army personnel would at least be able to hit a target less than 30 feet away.
Lieutenant Wilson confirmed this, pointing to the other side of the Courtyard where several US Army and Marine Rifleman fired at similar targets. He told Bradley that a part of ¡®The Game Experiment¡¯ initially had been to see if any skills learned in the Game could be carried over into the real world. It could, and so most of the soldiers spent plenty of time honing their skills with the virtual resources they collected.
Bradley and the rest of the ¡®recruits¡¯ were interspaced behind simple wooden tables that had been overturned to provide a ¡®firing line¡¯. Similar to Bradley, most of them were using the ¡°light¡± military pistol to begin with; except for Garry who fired the M16 assault rifle. Having some experience with pistols and rifles, training with the pistol would not be worthwhile. For Garry, this practice allowed him to acclimate himself to shooting with the bionic eye implant and to get acclimated with the military firearms on the base.
For the rest of them, the Lieutenant had to spend most of his time drilling the importance of weapon safety and the proper way to hold the firearm, so most of them really only had fifteen-or-so minutes to actually use the pistols before time ran out. Patricia spent even less time, using most of her remaining allotment throwing balls of lightning at the targets, creating scorch marks on the grey walls.
¡®Until an hour ago, I hadn¡¯t even known what an ¡°M9¡± even was,¡¯ Bradley thought confidently, ¡®but now I can competently shoot it using both hands at the target just under 30 feet away¡ Not exactly something to write home about, but not bad for a complete novice.¡¯
¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today,¡± the Lieutenant said, concluding the practice and taking back the firearms. He placed the guns and additional ammo into a crate and called over a solider to take it away. ¡°Now you may be a little physically exhausted,¡± he added, ¡°but the first part of the Tutorial will be a mental one, so it shouldn¡¯t affect your performance.¡±
¡°Wait, you forgot to tell us something,¡± Bradley noted, ¡°how are these ¡®Administrators¡¯ going to start the-¡±
Before he could finish the sentence, he vanished. All six of the recruits had simple vanished as if they were never there at all. No sudden gust of wind from the displacement of air, not a sound or even a flash of light marked the disappearance. If one had blinked, they would have missed it.
¡°Well, my job¡¯s done,¡± Lieutenant Winslow concluded with a sigh. ¡®It¡¯s all up to them now,¡¯ he thought.
¡®Let¡¯s hope they at least make it to the second round¡¡¯
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
4
Experience:
0/1000
Class:
Undetermined
Alignment:
Neutral
[/tr]
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
0
Notoriety:
0
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
94/95
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
65/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
??+20
Agility:
??+20
Intelligence:
??+20
Willpower:
??+20
Charisma:
??+20
Perception:
??+20
Endurance:
??+20
Luck:
??+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
??
Mental:
??
Psionic:
??
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
None
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
0
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Neutral*
Administrators:
Privileged*
----General Ability Window----
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G-1,597,482,116
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
F-2,046,862,349
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Necessary for resistance against abilities which damage the mind or to use such abilities on oneself.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G-1,921,784,212
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G-229,687,536
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G-1,854,949,413
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D
G-221,849,651
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D
G-1,648,518,697
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank.
Chapter 6 - Tutorial Testing
Author¡¯s Note: The ¡°Bolded¡° speech is anything speaking in a purely synthetic voice.
Action finally starts in this chapter. Enjoy!
WARNING: Graphic Violent Content (Blood, Gore etc.)
??????, the Game
¡°-start the Tutorial¡ªurgh¡ huh?¡± Bradley groaned, almost falling over from dizziness. The sudden change in location left him disorientated and confused. A sudden onset of nausea only worsened the experience and brought him to his knees. He gasped for breath for a moment.
Shaking himself off, he stood up. ¡®What the heck hap- what is this place?¡¯ Bradley thought to himself. Now finding himself no longer in the Pentagon¡¯s Central Courtyard, he focused on his surroundings. Doing so only filled him with dread. ¡®Oh no, this place seems awfully familiar¡¡¯
He now stood in the middle of a pure white room. Unlike the White Abyss where he registered for the Game, however, the Laws of Physics¡ªand more importantly his senses¡ªdid work here. Bright, invisible balls of light in the ceiling bathed the space in light such that only the faintest hints of shadow remained; enough contrast that the objects in the room could be made out, but not much more. Despite the sheer brightness, Bradley¡¯s eyes had no trouble. Being able to easily make out every aspect of the room, Bradley found it devoid of all decoration save for a lone robot standing at the center.
After everything else Bradley saw that day, he did not even blink at the robot, despite being so out-of-place in the room. Instead¡ªlooking more closely¡ªBradley wondered if it could even function. While made in the image of Man¡ªor at least a bipedal shape which slightly resembled a masculine figure¡ªit appeared incomplete. A thin metal exoskeleton outlined joints comprised of wires and rubber tubing. Despite these exposed parts though, there were no signs of wear or damage visible.
¡®Maybe it is a streamlined model?¡¯ Bradley thought curiously, ¡®It only has enough parts to be functional but nothing more.¡¯
¡°Bradley Cooper, please take a seat,¡° the robot stated, causing Bradley to jump back in shock. Bradley assumed the machine might work but he did not expect it to speak so suddenly. The voice itself sounded like it came out of an old text-to-speech program; completely synthetic. The unnaturalness of the sound¡ªa characteristic only heightened by the lips of the robot not moving to the voice¡ªmade the statement convey both bored and commanding tones simultaneously.
¡®So is this the ¡®Mental Examination¡¯ Lieutenant Winslow talked about?¡¯ he thought, ¡®Well whatever it is, I don¡¯t know why it would be asking me to take a seat if there isn¡¯t even a chair to-¡¯
Just as he began to think that, a white bucket chair seemed to form out of the ground in front of the robot like a tree sprouting from a seed at a million-time speed. The scene appeared almost comical at how it popped into existence. The organic appearance of the seat looked strange, but the smooth shape looked comfortable enough.
¡°Uh right, sure,¡± Bradley observed, reluctantly taking the seat.
¡®The whole situation might be weird, but just go with the flow,¡¯ he thought, taking in a calming breath. ¡®Now that I think about it, I¡¯m glad this Game is finally starting to act like a game. I¡¯ve had enough ¡®am-I-in-the-Matrix¡¯ existentialism for one day.¡¯
¡°Please fill out this form,¡° the robot stated, pulling out a sheet of paper. Suddenly a desk appeared in front of Bradley in the same way as the chair on which the robot placed the paper.
Bradley looked at the form, finding it very similar to something one might sign to immigrate to another country. All the usual questions were there: Name, Age, Date of Birth, Gender etc. as well as a few other harmless things such as Hobbies and Occupation. Bradley judged that this as merely a formality and so quickly completed it. ¡®What harm could it be anyway,¡¯ he thought, ¡®after all, it isn¡¯t like that sort of thing is exactly classified.¡¯
¡°Your cooperation is appreciated,¡± the robot stated, the form disappearing before him. ¡°The test will now begin. To optimize performance, an alternative venue has been selected.¡°
The robot moved back as the white room around him changed. The white walls changed to grey drywall, the floor transformed into laminate hardwood. It now contained furniture: a simple bed with white sheets, a laminate wood desk with a silvery-metal computer next to it and even the chair Bradley sat in transformed into a black plastic computer chair.
¡®This¡ seems familiar¡.¡¯ Bradley thought. The moment he recognized the space, he suddenly stood up, causing the chair to roll across the room and hit the back wall. ¡°What the hell?! Th-this is my apartment! How the hell do you know about that; answer me!¡±
¡°When the System created the Earth within the Game, it determined the residences of all 7,831,481,563 humans that existed on the Earth at the time. Your residence in {San Jose, California} existed amongst them.¡°
¡°Oh right, I forgot it did that,¡± Bradley muttered, reminded once again of the blatant privacy violations he now found himself living. ¡°I suppose it would make sense that if it could scan buildings into the Game, it could also scan which people lived in which buildings.¡±
He walked over to the computer chair and brought it back to the desk and sat down. ¡°Well let¡¯s get this Tutorial started than,¡± he sighed.
¡®I¡¯m really starting to get tired of this Game¡¯s shit¡¡¯
¡®Urgh,¡¯ Bradley groaned, ¡®without a clock, I have no idea how long this has been; 10 hours, 20 hours, more? I don¡¯t even know how I can keep up with all this work!¡¯
Paper after paper, assignment after assignment came and went before him. The moment he completed one exercise, another took its place. The moment his hand grew tired of writing, the activity changed to typing solutions on the computer. The moment his fingers and eyes grew sore of the monitor and keyboard, the machine would give him a difficult math problem which distracted him long enough for his hands and eyes to recover.
Somehow the robot always knew exactly what to do to retain his attention and focus on the work as long as possible. Occasionally it would subtly nudge him, other times it used Game Windows. Near the end, it even used voice commands and music. Unlike how counterproductive these distractions were in the Real World for Bradley, they somehow made him focus more for this exam.
The topics of the examination itself were more diverse than anything he had ever seen: music, art, geography, history, science, applied science, math, psychology etc. Even vague internet memes and long-dead pop culture references he picked up during his high school days were quizzed on. Literally every topic that existed¡ªboth those that he knew and even some that he did not¡ªwere all present.
As the test developed more and more, he also began to notice that the topics slowly converged into the relevant fields he had studied during University. Once he had reached the limit in his understanding in a particular topic, those questions were phased-out entirely and replaced with things he had more knowledge of.
¡®I truly don¡¯t know what to think after seeing all this,¡¯ he thought to himself. ¡®I think it can read my mind. How else would it know when I¡¯ve become distracted or which techniques work in keeping my attention? After all, the Game already has implants that convert thought into action like mine and even make you smarter like Maria¡¯s. It only makes sense that it could read minds too. But if that¡¯s the case, why test me at all? If these aliens already know this much about us, what purpose do I serve being here? They already know everything!¡¯
Before he started to truly panic, he rationalized this new information. ¡®Actually, this test proves that they don¡¯t know everything. They wouldn¡¯t need to test me otherwise. Then again, I suppose this just reinforces what the Doctor said; they want our culture and civilization to survive for whatever reason. Is all my paranoia even warranted? In the end, are they really interested in the goals and aspirations of humanity?¡¯
Before his mind could venture further along that line of thought, the robot emitted the sound of a loud car horn.
*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*
¡°Jesus!¡± he shouted, nearly falling out of his seat. He turned to glare at the robot, but the impassive face removed any doubt in Bradley¡¯s mind that such a stare would have any effect. ¡®Well, I guess I should just stop thinking about all this pointless stuff. After all, the others might be done and waiting for me already,¡¯ he thought.
With a shrug and a sigh, he continued working.
¡°Thank sweet merciful Christ that¡¯s over,¡± Bradley uttered as he collapsed onto the desk with a yawn.
¡°Please wait while your test is analyzed,¡± came the robot¡¯s reply, as impassive as ever.
It took Bradley a few minutes before he finally could gather enough of his wits to get out of the chair and stretch. As he did so, he noticed that the desk and chair he worked at disappeared, leaving only a bed remaining in the room.
¡°Right¡ well I might as well go to sleep,¡± Bradley shrugged. Even were he not completely brain-dead from finishing the Exam From Hell?, with everything that happened to him¡ªthe three hour drive to the Facility, the orientation, the aliens, entering the Game, getting his brain fried by his implant, and then going through the worst test of his life¡ªhe no longer questioned it.
One way or another, Bradley greeted the bed as a welcome reprieve. As he fell onto the white sheets with open arms, he fell asleep before his head hit the velvety embrace of the pillow.
¡°The Mental Examination results have been gathered. Please proceed to the Physical Examination.¡±
The robot¡¯s synthetic vocal ennui awoke Bradley some time later. Yawning, he stretched and sat up on the bed. It surprised him to find that he felt quite refreshed. Under normal circumstances, the first moment of waking up came with drowsiness as well as the ¡°grimy¡± sensation of being in the same set of clothes for over a day. Here though, it felt like he just took a quick nap after just showering and eating: a full revival.
¡°The Mental Examination results have been gathered. Please proceed to the Physical Examination.¡± the robot repeated.
¡°I heard you the first time,¡± Bradley yawned, still drowsy despite feeling so refreshed. ¡°Alright what do I need to-¡°
??????, the Game
¡°-do,¡± Bradley finished, finding himself now in the middle of a forest. This time, the teleport did cause him to fall to the ground from dizziness. ¡°God damn it! Really?! Why do they keep teleporting me all over the damn place! You could at least warn me!¡± he yelled at the sky.
Allowing his eyes to focus on his far darker surroundings, he observed himself surrounded by a thick canopy of trees on all sides; the kind typical of swampier climates with more willow trees than anything deciduous. The damp underbrush and sheer quantity of bugs collaborated with the swamp assumption much to his dismay. He began to swat them away but soon realized the futility of the action. Instead he steeled himself and tried to ignore the incessant buzzing; in doing so, he realized that another Game Window had appeared:
The Survival Test
Try to survive waves of enemies that will attempt to hunt you down. The first wave will begin soon.
At the end of each wave, should you survive, you will be granted experience. Please direct any further questions to the Administrator.
Note: Any damage or changes done to the environment will not have any effect outside of the Tutorial. Items obtained by or taken from any Players during the Training will be returned upon completion of the exercise. For a list of exceptions, speak to the Administrator.
Bradley felt thankful that the Lieutenant at least prepared him for that information, and so dismissed it with a sigh.
Checking his surroundings again, he turned to see that Alex, Garry and Farida had already arrived and were all gathered around another robot. Unlike the one during the written assessment, the quality of this new machine could not be compared. More feminine in appearance with a narrower waist and smaller shoulders, Bradley could clearly note the lack of exposed wires or tubing. Instead, the thick metal plating of its exoskeleton and the flexible metal cabling that comprised the joints gave a clear feeling of power. A thick, glass visor covered its entire head, failing to obscure the synthetic face behind it. The overall appearance gave the robot a distinctly impersonal and alien feel. With its arms crossed in front of it, it looked more like it would tear one of the trees right out of the ground and crush him into red paste than talk to him.
Bradley unconsciously hid behind one such tree and asked it, ¡°Are you an Administrator?¡±
¡°Your allies behind you have already been informed. Speak to them for any answers,¡± it replied robotically, not making a motion in its speech.
¡°Looks like ya finally showed up,¡± Garry stated upon seeing the Engineer staring from behind the tree.
¡°Huh, wha¡ªoh, right,¡± Bradley replied. Shaking his head and composing himself and chastising himself for his fear, he added, ¡°So this is where the Combat Training is supposed to be? Or I guess it¡¯s called ¡®the Survival Test¡¯.¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± Farida muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for it to start for the past few hours now.¡±
¡°Hours?¡± Bradley muttered absentmindedly, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t it started already? The ¡®mental exam¡¯ was one-on-one right?¡±
¡°Ah can answer that,¡± Garry cut in. ¡°The Administrator behind ya told me that the ¡®Earth Coalition¡¯ set up the Trainin¡¯ as a group. Of course, the ¡®written¡¯ portion of the exam ain¡¯t done together ¡®cause of the possibility of cheatin¡¯ and all.¡±
Bradley looked back at the Administrator. Despite Garry¡¯s assurances, the robot made no actions to confirm such things¡ or to even show it could function at all.
¡°So then do you know where we are?¡± Bradley inquired.
¡°Not a clue,¡± Alex replied, ¡°the Administrator is pretty tight lipped about it and we can¡¯t leave this area.¡±
¡°What do you mean by¡ªouch!¡± Bradley yelled.
As the others were talking, he had made his way towards one of the trees when he found himself in contact with what felt like a mild electric fence. He had not noticed the faint shimmer of a ¡®shield¡¯ surrounding the outcrop and when he touched it, a mild electric shock forced his hand away from it.
Alex smirked. ¡°So until we actually know where we are and who we¡¯re fighting, there isn¡¯t a whole lot we can plan for,¡± Alex concluded, ignoring the Engineer¡¯s glare.
¡°So, what have you guys been doing then?¡± Bradley asked as he nursed his numb fingers.
¡°Well, the first thing was ta go over what we do know,¡± Garry started. ¡°Although we ain¡¯t sure of where we are, we at least know it¡¯s near civilization.¡± He pointed out to a small gap in the trees. ¡°Using my ¡®bionic vision¡¯, Ah could see that there is a path over there, so once we reach that road it¡¯s just a matter of time before we find some road marker and we can head on towards shelter.
¡°Also¡ªwhile we still ain¡¯t fully decided on the plan-of-attack¡ªit¡¯ll probably go something like this.¡± He emphasized his words by drawing a diagram in the dirt with a stick. ¡°Since we don¡¯t have many people with actual combat abilities, I figured we should split inta two teams: an offensive team and a defensive team.¡±
¡°Huh, Teams?¡± Bradley asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to stick together? I mean if we¡¯re attacked when we¡¯re split apart, we¡¯ll only be making it easier for the enemy.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what Ah thought too at first, but from what the Administrator told Farida when she arrived, there will be lots of time between each ¡®wave¡¯ of enemies,¡± Garry defended. ¡°Alex and Ah both got cybernetic optics, and Patricia has those Psionic powers, so we¡¯re all geared towards searchin¡¯ and fightin¡¯ stuff. You, Maria and Farida all have things that make buildin¡¯ stuff a lot easier. So havin¡¯ ya hunker down and fortify a solid base would be better than tryin¡¯ ta search for things or fight alongside us.¡±
¡°Yeah, I may not look it, but I do a lot of track and running,¡± Alex added ¡°it might not be much, but I¡¯d probably be a lot more help as a scout or something than trying to do anything else. Psychology isn¡¯t really all that ¡®combat oriented¡¯.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll have both teams focus on findin¡¯ things at first, and until we actually have a place to hunker down into, there ain¡¯t any point in splittin¡¯ up,¡± Garry concluded. ¡°That being said, Ah figured it¡¯d be good ta plan ahead so once we have enough supplies ta get started and a ¡®home base¡¯, the defensive team works on makin¡¯ barricades and traps while the offensive team continues explorin¡¯. Once the enemies start comin¡¯, both teams will hold up in the base and fight them off.¡±
¡°Will there be enough time for all that?¡± Bradley asked.
¡°Ah asked the Administrator myself and it said that there¡¯d be at least a few hours; enough to regroup and re-plan. Don¡¯t get me wrong though. Like Ah said, this is just a startin¡¯ point. Once we actually know where we are and who we¡¯re up against, then we can focus on a real plan.¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t know about all this¡¡± Bradley replied.
¡°Is all you can do is complain?¡± Farida glowered, stepping into the conversation, ¡°I¡¯d like you to come up with something better then!¡±
¡°Hey now, I¡¯m sure Bradley¡¯s just trying to play the Devil¡¯s Advocate,¡± Alex tried to placate.
¡°While Ah agree that keepin¡¯ together is probably best,¡± Garry relented, ¡°the Lieutenant said we weren¡¯t even gonna last three rounds no matter what we do. Ah don¡¯t know about y¡¯all, but it sounds ta me that if we don¡¯t take a few risks, we won¡¯t even make it past the first.¡±
¡°I still say that doing something like that will probably require too much teamwork to really work out, but I guess I accept,¡± Bradley agreed.
¡°Well I¡¯m so glad you approve,¡± Farida muttered.
¡°Well, might as well get settled in then,¡± Garry said he sat down next to a tree. ¡°I have no idea how long everyone else is going to take. Oh, and if you get hungry, just as that robot thing for whatever you want. Ah don¡¯t know rightly how, but it makes a steak just like the ones Ah had on the farm. No lie, it¡¯ll get ya whatever you want ta eat!¡±
??????, the Game
One hour later
One delicious, home-cooked meal later and Bradley sat down on a tree of his own. He spent most of the time fiddling around with the cellphone and eventually got it to transmit text messages. ¡®It¡¯s not much better than a voiceless walkie-talkie,¡¯ Bradley thought, ¡®but since we weren¡¯t even given one of those for this survival test, it¡¯s better than nothing.¡¯
As he tinkered with his ability, Maria arrived just like he had an hour before. Also just like him, Garry and the rest brought her up on the situation and the plan.
¡°So then in summary,¡± Garry concluded having gone over the plan with Maria, ¡°the main goal of the offensive team will be to first-¡±
At that moment, Patricia¡ªthe final member of the team¡ªfound herself teleported to the rest of them. Everyone turned their attention to the new arrival with widening eyes. Just as suddenly as Patricia arrived, the Administrator as well as the shield surrounding them disappeared.
¡°Oh wow, neat!¡± Patricia exclaimed, taking in the environment before setting her eyes on the rest of them. ¡°Oh hey guys, what did I miss while-¡±
¡°The barrier¡¯s down!¡± Alex yelled, getting everyone¡¯s attention.
Bradley also saw that another Game Window appeared in conjunction with these developments.
First Wave
Crazed North American Brown ¡°Grizzly¡± Bear ¨C Level 15
Enemies Remaining:
20
Time until arrival:
1:35:18
¡°That¡¯s the start of the Tutorial, let¡¯s go!¡± Bradley observed, slapping his hands together and getting up off the tree he leaned on.
¡°Grizzly Bears, are ya freakin¡¯ kiddin¡¯ me?!¡± Garry exclaimed in shock, getting to his feet and signalling the others to follow him. ¡°And we have ta fight twenty of ¡¯em?! We better hope ta Christ we get some serious firepower or we¡¯re up shit¡¯s creek¡ and Ah don¡¯t even wanna know what ¡®Crazed¡¯ is supposed ta mean!¡±
¡°Wait! Guys!¡± Patricia yelled after the others ¡°What¡¯s going on?! Guys? Guys!¡±
??????, the Game
1:01:51 Until First Wave
¡°Alright, so then I¡¯m part of the Offense Team?¡± Patricia concluded having summarized the information Garry just provided for her.
Garry decided to fill her on the move. They had been walking for over 30 minutes on the dirt road and they were still without any sign of civilization. The lack of progress began to weigh on all of their nerves.
¡°Yeah, and if we can¡¯t find any guns, you¡¯re gonna be carryin¡¯ this team,¡± he grunted, balling his hands into fists. ¡°Nothin¡¯ sort of a point-blank 12-gauge or your lightning is gonna be able ta take one down.¡±
¡°Are they really that bad?¡± Bradley inquired. ¡°I mean bears are ¡®scary¡¯ and all, but their just animals. As long as we can get some guns then-¡±
¡°-but nothin¡¯,¡± Garry glared. ¡°Look, I know that they might seem like any other animal, but they¡¯re not. Deer, big cats, wolves or anythin¡¯ else, ya can take care of ¡®em with a couple of folks with pitchforks and a lot of courage, but until we had guns, we didn¡¯t even have an answer for bears¡ not unless you were covered head-to-toe in armor. Even if you had those pistols¡ªthe Beretta M9¡ªyou would be at risk. You could unload an entire clip of that inta a Grizzly and it¡¯d still be comin¡¯ after ya. And just ta remind ya, we don¡¯t exactly have any weapons at the moment.¡±
¡°Okay, okay, I think we all get it: bears are bad,¡± Alex cut in, trying to break the tension. ¡°So what do we do?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a matter of what we do, but what we find,¡± Garry told with a sigh, trying to settle himself down by rubbing the bridge of his nose. ¡°If we can¡¯t find something then-¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll take care of them,¡± Patricia exclaimed confidently. ¡°I mean, with my lightning it should be a cinch!¡±
¡°Are you sure? Like bet-your-life-on-it sure?¡± Garry asked sternly. ¡°I mean it did look really impressive, but could you really take down 20 bears on your own? It didn¡¯t look like you could keep it going for very long.¡±
¡°Oh right, there are 20 of them,¡± Patricia noted softly. ¡°I think I could take down one or two, but not 20.¡±
Garry looked like he would continue on that topic when he suddenly stopped.
¡°Garry?¡± Patricia asked hopefully, ¡°Is there something there? Do you see something?¡±
¡°¡maybe¡¡± Garry muttered. He squinted his eyes. ¡°Wait¡ yes! I see the outlines of houses I think!¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Patricia exclaimed, ¡°Civilization!¡±
¡°Finally,¡± Alex agreed, racing past them.
¡°Hey, wait up!¡± Bradley yelled after him, ¡°We should stick together!¡±
0:58:37 Until First Wave
¡°This is not what I was thinking when I said ¡®civilization¡¯,¡± Patricia muttered.
¡°It¡¯s better than nothing,¡± Garry noted. His tone, however, betrayed his disappointment.
The outlines they saw were mobile homes and in place of ¡®civilization¡¯ they found a trailer park. As expected for any place in the Game, no one lived there any longer, but despite that, the place still had the aura of being much ¡®lived in¡¯. Beer cans and lawn chairs were strewn about the place and most of the vehicles that did not second for homes sat neglected on cinderblocks.
¡°Well the good news is that if anyplace had a bunch of guns, it would be a trailer park,¡± Alex stated optimistically.
¡°While normally I¡¯d say stereotyping is wrong¡ you¡¯re also probably right,¡± Patricia shrugged.
¡°That being said, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be leaving in any of these vehicles so easily,¡± Bradley added, pointing to one of the trucks missing an engine.
¡°It wouldn¡¯t do any good anyway,¡± Maria indicated. ¡°It took 30 minutes to even find this place and would take at least another 30 minutes to find anything useful here before we move on. That does not leave much time for travelling elsewhere before the bears come.¡±
¡°Ah agree,¡± Garry nodded. ¡°Alright; well nothin¡¯s really changed. The offensive team will search for anythin¡¯ useful and the defensive team will try bear-proofing one of these¡ err, homes.¡± Garry then put his face in his hands and groaned. ¡°Dear Lord are we¡¯re gonna need all the help we can get.¡±
??????, Florida, the Game
0:12:44 Until First Wave
For much of the next hour, Garry, Alex and Patricia went about their search with gusto. They tore through dressers and emptied kitchen cupboards in a desperate search for anything that could keep them alive against over three times their number of rabid grizzly bears. Despite their thorough search, they did not succeed in finding as much as they would have liked.
The defensive team decided on using the largest mobile home for their ¡®base¡¯. Unlike the other smaller trailer dwellings that could only be labelled ¡®tin-cans¡¯, at over 40ft across, the huge RV really had no business being in a trailer park such as the one they found themselves in. Bradley concluded that the owners must have merely stopped here on the way to some other destination. The empty gas tank, however, pointed to a longer stay than that.
¡°So we have four .22 rim-fire semi-automatic rifles, two pump-action shotguns, two 9mm pistols, a .357 magnum revolver, and a Ruger 300 Winchester Magnum bolt-action rifle,¡± Garry stated, looking down at their meager haul.
¡°You say that like it¡¯s a bad thing,¡± Bradley pointed out as he hammered away at a wooden plank he had affixed to one of the windows. ¡°It isn¡¯t like we can fire more than one gun at once anyway. Why would you want any more?¡±
¡°It ain¡¯t quantity, it¡¯s quality,¡± Garry retorted. ¡°Against 20 unarmed humans, this would be right overkill. Against bear though? The rim-fire rifles and the 9mm pistols would barely even scratch a bear yet alone put one down. So of course those are the only weapons we have with ammunition to spare. Of the weapons that will work, we only have 18 shots between the two shotguns, 15 shots for the revolver and two cartridges for the Ruger. I¡¯d be worried hunting one bear with that, yet alone twenty!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why is this big deal?¡± Bradley asked. ¡°It sounds like enough to me.¡±
¡°Why is this-¡± Garry started, before Farida cut him off.
¡°Who do you think you are?!¡± Farida argued. ¡°Garry has been kind enough to get us up-to-date on¡ hunting animals, and you have been arguing every step of the way! Not just here, but you were against the two-team plan too! Maybe if you put away that damn map you keep looking at and helped more with the fortifying the plan would actually work!¡±
¡°Look, I¡¯m hammering the damn planks okay! What more do you want from me!¡± Bradley retorted. ¡°As for the map; well I already figured out we are somewhere in the middle of Florida right? Well if I can find out exactly where we are, then we¡¯ll know exactly where to go next and the 2nd wave will be that much easier.¡±
¡°Well maybe you can do that after we survive this!¡± Farida retorted. ¡°We are not exactly in the clear as it is!¡±
¡°Enough!¡± Alex yelled, physically getting in between the two and separating them. ¡°I¡¯ve tried being polite about it, but if you keep this up, you¡¯ll put us all in danger.¡±
¡°To answer your question,¡± Garry concluded, ¡°They move ya know. Not every shot will hit. Since we have so few rounds, we¡¯ll need to fortify this place like the Alamo and only shoot when we can ¡®see the whites of their eyes¡¯.¡±
¡°Right,¡± Bradley muttered angrily, moving to another part of the trailer to board up.
No one made another sound after that, instead they all focused on their work.
Moving to the final window on the RV, Bradley got another 2x4 from the pile of materials in the center of the cabin and began the process of hammering it onto the window. Being in the same room as Farida seemed to bring out the worst in him; it started off polite and professional, but with each passing remark the two seemed to grow to despise each other more and more.
He almost could not blame her for it either. Farida really took charge after the two groups split and seemed to know exactly what to do in getting the trailer bear-proof and used her implants to pick-and-choose the best supplies. Maria, likewise, skimmed through a ¡®Survival Guide for Dummies¡¯ book and used her implant to instantly memorize the whole thing. She¡¯d spent her time making sure the group had enough supplies to cook and eat on the move for the rest of the day and even set up a few bear traps they found. Bradley, on the other hand, could not use any of his implants to do anything. Without any electronics in this middle-of-nowhere place, hammering nails, move things around and other physical work were the only things he could do competently.
¡®Worthless,¡¯ Bradley thought, ¡®I feel absolutely worthless. If I could change my implants right now, I almost feel I would.¡¯
Just as he began to drift to these depressing thoughts, things got worse:
First Wave
Crazed North American Brown ¡°Grizzly¡± Bear ¨C Level 15
Enemies Remaining:
20
Arriving:
Now
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°Damn, here already?¡± Garry muttered. ¡°Well, this is it,¡± he exclaimed, slapping his face with both his hands to psych himself up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head up top and see what I can do.¡± With those final words, he holstered one of the 9mm pistols and slung the Ruger over his back. With the weapons secure, he climbed up a ladder and onto the roof of the trailer.
The others wasted no time following suit. Patricia took a 9mm pistol for herself as anything else would require her to use two hands and make it impossible to ¡®cast¡¯ her Thunderball. Maria and Farida each took shotguns for themselves. Garry ironically told them that it would be the easiest for them to use despite the heavy recoil as he told them to one use it if a bear got inside. The close range would make it little more than point-and-shoot. The remaining .22 rim-fire rifles were split between Bradley and Alex with the magnum going to Bradley. While he could be considered less competent; he also had an implant which improved his strength and so figured he could handle the recoil better.
The first minute in trailer had the five of them sitting in a small circle; the nervous tension in the air preventing any of them from speaking. Instead they held their weapons in a death grip, making sure that none of them would do something stupid like accidently unlatch the safety on their gun and unintentionally kill one of them in their stress.
Then suddenly and without warning, Garry began to fire his gun causing everyone to jump at the abrupt noise.
*BANG* *shing-shlick* *BANG* *shing-shlick* *BANG* *shing-shlick* *BANG* *shing-CLING* *CLACK* *shing-shlick* *BANG* *shing-shlick* *BANG* *shing-shlick* *BANG* *shing-shlick* *BANG* *shing-shlick* *click*
Many of the ¡®bangs¡¯ came with corresponding animalistic howls as bears fell over dead from the relentless onslaught. With the final click, the trailer began to shake. The growling that began to become much louder along with a high-pitched shrieking of claw on metal.
Above them, the hatch swung open followed quickly by a freaked-out Garry jumping to the ground. One of the bears¡¯ faces came into view out of the hatch just before it closed; its inhuman rage-filled scowl full of teeth raining saliva on them and imprinting itself in the minds of everyone as it tried to get inside. It took a moment before Garry fought the hatch closed.
¡°Holy shit,¡± Alex barely managed to get out amidst the gasps of horror the others let out.
¡°Yeah, those buggers sure are a right piece of work,¡± Garry agreed solemnly, throwing the hunting rifle to the ground and picking up one of the rim-fire ones. ¡°Ah definitely got a fair number of ¡®em. One of them ¡®Game Windows¡¯ popped up for every kill. There are only 14 left now and one of them is stuck in a bear-trap. This whole situation is still a helluva hill ta climb though.¡±
As if to punctuate that point, several of the windows shattered and claws began to make their way through the thin metal sheeting of the RV. Snouts and jaws got into the cracks in the boarded windows and began to bite away at the planks. Even worse still, more bears followed the one at the hatch, causing the entire ceiling to buckle and groan under the weight.
Bradley began to really regret his decision to sign that contract yesterday.
¡°This is not happening,¡± Maria said in disbelief, cradling the shotgun in her arms.
¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Alex said calmly, sitting next to her, ¡°your bear-trap worked, right?¡± Garry nodded his head in confirmation. ¡°Well, then everything is all going according to plan. With all these bears so close, even gun-ignorant civilians like us stand a chance,¡± he added with a smirk.
¡°Still, Ah don¡¯t get these bears at all,¡± Garry observed absentmindedly, ¡°they ain¡¯t behavin¡¯ like no bears Ah¡¯ve ever seen. Ah even threw a few slabs of meat at ¡®em up top and they didn¡¯t even flinch. They¡¯re just single-mindedly going right after us.¡±
¡°Well, they are crazed grizzlies after all,¡± Bradley pointed out.
This little calm-in-the-eye-of-the-storm did not last long, as one of the bears finally broke through one of the boarded windows and began to make its way inside.
¡°Maria¡¯s out of it!¡± Garry said, realizing that one of the key shot-gunners could not participate at the moment. ¡°Farida, shoot that bear!¡± He yelled pointing at the bear still forcing its huge bulk through the window.
Farida nodded and brought the gun to the beast¡¯s head, just out of reach of its swiping claws. She pulled the trigger and in the next moment much of the inside of the RV turned into a gory mess. Blood, brain matter and bits of skull embedded themselves into the far wall. The sight disgusted Farida to the point of dry-heaving as Maria screamed and turned away, sobbing into Alex¡¯s sleeve.
¡°Holy crap,¡± Bradley got out, his eyes wide with shock. Only Garry seemed to still have his ¡®head in the game¡¯.
¡°Damnit,¡± Garry grunted, grabbing the shotgun from Farida and reloading the gun himself, ¡°this is just a Game! It looks real¡ªand damn if it smells real¡ªbut it¡¯s still a Game! We¡¯re still in those pods on at the base!¡± Almost as if to agree with him, most of the guts and gore turned to sparkly dust. ¡°See, the bodies just disappear.¡± He shoved the shotgun back into Farida¡¯s hands before patting his on the shoulder. ¡°Good job Farida. Really, that was great. You just need to keep it up a little more and we¡¯ll be out of this mess, ya hear?¡±
Farida, snapped out of it enough to nod. Looking more determined than ever, she took the shotgun, made her way to one of the still-boarded windows and put the shotgun through one of the gaps in the planks. She fired the gun into the waiting jaws of the bear beyond, turning its head into shredded meat just like the previous one.
¡°No stupid fucking animal is going to get the best of me!¡± Farida yelled, reloading the gun and moving to another window. ¡°Just a bunch of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus¡ just like us, yet we can actually settle our differences with words rather than a gun to the head!¡± She put her shotgun through the gap in another window and pulled the trigger. ¡°Stupid wastes of space!¡±
First Wave
Crazed North American Brown ¡°Grizzly¡± Bear ¨C Level 15
Enemies Remaining:
12
This sight seemed to finally snap the others out of their fearful stupor. Everyone followed suit and began to fire their guns out the windows as well. For the next minute, it seemed that they were turning the tide. Any bear that got anywhere near the windows were shot to pieces. ¡®These damn bears don¡¯t know when to quit!¡¯ Bradley thought as he repeatedly fired his .22 rifle into the bear. It required at least 3-4 rounds, even at point-blank range in the head, to put one of them down with the weapon, but with the bears unable to get into the RV, they were shooting them like fish in a barrel. He even received a new ability:
By repeatedly firing a rifle at the enemy, you have gained a new ability: Rifle Shooting
Rifle Shooting
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality for a given shot given by the shooter¡¯s: marksmanship, familiarity with the weapon used, and overall flexibility in working through a variety of combat situations.
*CRASH*
Just as the bear numbers were getting manageable; the roof finally gave way and collapsed onto them. The aluminum bent inwards and Bradley and Maria found themselves separated from the others, with two Grizzlies in the way.
¡°Shit!¡± Bradley yelled, firing the last of his cartridge at the bear before tossing the rifle and pulling out the revolver. The shots seemed to do little more than anger it. Luckily Maria¡¯s shotgun took care of them before they could get their bearings and attack and they collapsed into a dead heap. Moments later, the bodies disappeared like the rest.
¡°Thanks Maria for the save,¡± he complimented.
¡°N-n-n-n-o p-problem,¡± Maria stuttered, shakily loading three more shotgun shells into the gun.
¡°HELP!¡± someone yelled from the other side of the RV. Following closely after the sound, the telltale crackling and exploding of Patricia¡¯s ¡®Thunderball¡¯ resounded throughout the mobile home, causing parts of the Trailer to rip apart and the burnt corpse of a bear to be flung to their feet.
The two of them rushed past the body before it vanished and into the RV¡¯s bedroom where Patricia and Farida were desperately¡ªif not foolishly¡ªhitting the back of another bear with kicks and the butt of her shotgun respectively. This bear could not be compared to the others. The thing took up most of the space in the bedroom and looked to weight well over 1,500 pounds.
¡°What are you doing?!¡± Bradley exclaimed. ¡°If you keep that up, it¡¯s going to attack you!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Farida yelled, ¡°We have to get rid of it! It¡¯s killing Garry!¡±
¡°¡°What?!¡±¡± both Bradley and Maria answered back.
¡°I used all my psionic powers already,¡± Patricia gasped, tears welling in her eyes, ¡°and I¡¯m out of bullets! You have to do something!¡±
¡°Step away,¡± Bradley answered, pointing the revolved at the bear. The two hesitated for a moment, but when they realized what he planned, they quickly did as he said. The moment the two were out of the line of fire, he realized again the sheer size of the beast and questioned whether the gun would do enough to kill it. Instead of firing blindly, he jumped to the side of it, put the gun next to its head, and unloaded six .357 rounds directly into its skull. It gave a small growl before it collapsed.
Only now did they see what Farida referred to. Just beyond the bear, Garry lay pinned beneath a bent section of the roof. Bradley concluded correctly that the bear fell through the roof right on top of him. Without the ability to defend himself, the bear had free reign on assaulting him. Deep claw marks covered the man¡¯s body and the bears jaw still found itself sunk deep into the man¡¯s neck. Garry¡¯s face stayed etched in a permanent grimace, his eyes wide, cloudy and unseeing.
¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Maria confirmed, not bothering to check his pulse, even as a formality.
¡°Why¡ WHY!¡± Farida screamed as she crawled over the bear and ripped its jaws from Garry¡¯s neck and crying at the slowly cooling corpse.
Almost as if to insult them, the Game took this time to notify them of their success:
First Wave Complete!
All enemies have been eliminated!
A 3x bonus will be applied to all surviving party members.
First Wave Intermission
Time has been allotted to prepare for the Second Wave.
Time Remaining:
2:03:42
¡®Are you serious¡¡¯ Bradley thought as he read the window. ¡®Not only did he die completely arbitrarily after the roof caved in, but he¡¯s going to be penalized for it! That¡¯s such bullshit!¡¯
At that moment, both the bear and Garry¡¯s body disappeared in a brilliant scattering of particles, the effulgence in stark contrast to what it symbolized. The others stood there, gaping in silence as they tried to fully absorb what happened.
¡°So¡ what do we do now?¡± Maria asked solemnly, absentmindedly using a napkin from the kitchen to try and remove some of the dirt and blood which now stained her uniform. While most of the bear would indeed vanish; some of its remains often did not. Much of the gore that splattered around the room failed to disappear and strange ¡®vials¡¯ took the place of the corpses. Without any way to identify what the vials were, or how they could be useful, they ignored them.
¡°We keep moving,¡± Bradley said. ¡°We get one of the vehicles working and we make our way to someplace with more equipment and we get ready for the next-¡±
¡°You son-of-a-bitch!¡± Farida accused, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that like nothing happened! This,¡± she said, gesturing to the empty space that Garry¡¯s corpse had vanished from, ¡°is all your fault!¡±
¡°What?¡± Bradley asked, taken aback.
¡°You had that revolver the entire time. You could have killed the bear the moment you saw us attacking it! If you did, Garry might still be alive right now!¡±
¡°Garry is alive,¡± Bradley defended, ¡°just¡ not here. You can¡¯t seriously think this isn¡¯t a Game after he just exploded into fairy dust! Besides, I couldn¡¯t shoot even if I knew what was going on. You two were in the way!¡±
¡°Oh now it¡¯s my fault!¡± Farida snarled, getting up and punching Bradley in the stomach, winding him and causing him to stumble backward. ¡°Does¡ does G-Garry l-look alive to you! He- his eyes stared at me¡ just¡ there was no life in them at all¡¡±
¡°This is just a Game,¡± Bradley muttered, looking away and finding it hard to believe the words himself. The stench of death from all the bears seemed far too real for him, Game Windows and sparkly lightshows be damned.
Farida looked ready to punch him again for that when she stopped, turning another shade whiter. ¡°I-I need some air¡¡± she got out before racing out of the RV and into the distance.
¡°I¡¯ll go after her,¡± Patricia said before racing after the fleeing woman.
¡°Crap, how did this happen?¡± Bradley asked only semi-rhetorically. Looking around, he realized another of their group remained unaccounted for. ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Alex?¡±
¡°Over here,¡± Maria replied, pointing to another corner of the room where the still body of Alex lay. A small gash on his head left a bloody trail on the right side of his face and the scattered fragments of the bedroom window frame lay scattered about him.
¡°Is he¡?¡± Bradley attempted to ask.
¡°No, he¡¯s fine,¡± Maria rejected with a shake of her head. ¡°He¡¯s just unconscious, I think.¡± She shook him a bit before the man stirred and awoke.
¡°W-what happen¡?¡± Alex groaned, slurring his words a bit as he shook off the effects of a concussion.
Maria looked about to reply but just said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. The stench here isn¡¯t exactly conductive of conversation.¡±
¡°Right¡¡±
Several miles North of Sanderson, Florida, the Game
1:28:15 Until First Wave Intermission End
In the next hour, Bradley and Maria got Alex up-to-speed on all the gory details.
¡°-and finally Maria found you lying unconscious on the floor and we woke you up,¡± Bradley summarized. ¡°The thing I don¡¯t get is how you ended up like that. Wasn¡¯t your implants supposed to give you a ¡®Sixth Sense¡¯ or something?¡±
Alex rolled his eyes, wincing a little at some unseen pain. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the idea, but it¡¯s not good enough yet, I think,¡± he replied with a hint of embarrassment. ¡°I was actually right next to Garry when the roof collapsed. The ability told me something was happening and that I should move away but not what. If I knew what that really meant, I would have told him something before¡ Well, when I moved away I avoided the roof but ended up knocking myself out on the window¡ That wouldn¡¯t have exactly been the most glorious way to go¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself,¡± Maria defended, shaking her head. ¡°I know how these abilities are. We should just keep focused on what to do next instead.¡±
While they wandered the town trying to determine what to do next, they came across a number of maps. Looking through some of these, all three eventually determined their exact location: 10 miles north of the town of Sanderson, Florida nearly right on the Northern Florida Border. After that, Maria stayed put to examine them while Alex and Bradley went on a search for the keys to every vehicle they could find. They hoped at least one of the cars could get them somewhere, anywhere else. They eventually found an old Chevy Pickup that worked. It even had a half tank of gas.
¡°I guess this one is good enough,¡± Alex sighed, not confident in the glorified rust-bucket. ¡°Why don¡¯t you find the others and get them over here so we can all get going.¡±
¡°Why me?¡± Bradley asked with a grimace. ¡°I told you already that Farida is furious with me for some reason. Having me go will just make it worse.¡±
¡°It¡¯s because you need to talk that I¡¯m asking you to go,¡± Alex retorted. ¡°You two have a lot of ill will you need to resolve. I¡¯m not going to be having two people crammed into a vehicle for however long without fixing those problems. Especially when everyone is going to be carrying guns.¡±
¡°Is that recommendation as a Psychologist?¡± Bradley scowled.
¡°That and as a friend too,¡± Alex replied with a glare. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you reciprocate, but I already think of you all as friends. Whatever we were before, if we¡¯re going to be working together, the least we can do is to be friendly with each other.¡±
Bradley sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°Right¡ I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just, well, there¡¯s been a lot going on¡¡±
¡°I get it,¡± Alex sympathized, ¡°really I do. Don¡¯t you think that Farida is also working through a number of issues too? That¡¯s why you need to fix this before it gets worse. The stress we¡¯re feeling right now isn¡¯t going to let up if we have to go through two more rounds of this hell.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± a voice came from behind the two of them.
Bradley and Alex turned to find Patricia and Farida standing there.
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ you were right,¡± Bradley said, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. ¡°This Game is just so realistic and I forgot that-¡±
¡°Are you really sure this is actually a Game?¡± Farida asked.
¡°Huh?¡± Bradley replied, scratching his head. ¡°Well sure. I mean how else do we have those Game Windows and Status Windows pop up?¡±
¡°Maybe this is a group hallucination of some kind?¡± Farida defended. ¡°This is the government we¡¯re talking about! I remember all the messed up things the CIA used to do with LSD.¡±
¡°If that was true, we would not be lucid enough to be having this kind of conversation,¡± Alex butted in with his professional opinion.
¡°But- but, we¡¯re going to die here!¡± Farida yelled, her arms outstretched and her face panicked and pleading. ¡°How can you all be so calm?! Garry¡ in there¡ and it will happen to us!¡± She began to cry again. ¡°How can you say this is all just a Game when it¡¯s so real?! How¡ how do we know that Garry is coming back?!¡±
None of them could really give her an answer; the inconvenient question had sat in the back of all their minds since the beginning. ¡®How can we trust that this Game actually works as intended? How do we know Lieutenant Winslow isn¡¯t some mind controlled thrall? How do we know the aliens haven¡¯t already won?¡¯
¡°Because the aliens haven¡¯t won,¡± Bradley replied confidently.
¡°What does that have to do with anything?!¡± Farida retorted.
¡°Think about it, the only way they could do something like that is if they had complete control of our bodies from the moment we entered the pod. This would mean that the aliens have already won. If that¡¯s the case, why bother with all this ¡®Tutorial¡¯ crap in the first place? Why not just kill us the moment we got in the pod?¡±
¡°Maybe this is just their sick, twisted version of humor,¡± Farida argued.
¡°Again though, why?¡± Bradley questioned. ¡°They have the capability of creating a completely artificial world, but they use all this advanced technology just to play elaborate games? Why go through all the trouble? These aliens may be a lot of things, but they don¡¯t strike me as arbitrary or stupid.¡±
¡°Then WHY?! Why kill us all for sport like this?!¡±
¡°Lieutenant Winslow already said: because the Game needs to test our potential,¡± Bradley concluded. ¡°That means that Garry is fine and is probably waiting for us to finish as we speak.¡±
Farida fell into a deep silence as she processed everything.
¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Alex emphasized. ¡°Psychologically speaking, it¡¯s better to hold out hope regardless. Whether you actually believe he¡¯s okay or not, you only need to wait a few more hours for the Tutorial to end to know for sure. Focus on getting out of this in one piece.¡±
¡°So if everyone is done addressing their feelings, are we good to go?¡± Maria asked callously.
¡°Umm, sure¡ sorry¡¡± Farida muttered with a blush. She still felt angry, but now partially at her own foolishness. ¡°I-I¡¯ll figure this out, I just need some time.¡±
¡°Well if we¡¯re ready then we better get going,¡± Maria continued, opening one of the maps and pointing at a certain location. ¡°If this map¡¯s correct, I know just the place to go.¡±
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
4
Experience:
0/1000
Class:
Undetermined
Alignment:
Neutral
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
0
Notoriety:
0
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
90/95
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
25/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
??+20
Agility:
??+20
Intelligence:
??+20
Willpower:
??+20
Charisma:
??+20
Perception:
??+20
Endurance:
??+20
Luck:
??+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
??
Mental:
??
Psionic:
??
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
Tutorial ¨C Survival Test ¨C First Wave Intermission
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
0
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Neutral*
Administrators:
Privileged*
----General Ability Window----
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G-928,437,115
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
F-2,047,791,312
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Necessary for resistance against abilities which damage the mind or to use such abilities on oneself.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G-1,844,516,229
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Rifle Shooting
G
G-2,000,860,238
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G-214,735,418
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G-1,642,194,713
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D
G-220,861,958
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D
G-1,594,288,749
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank.
Chapter 7 - Tutorial Trials
Author¡¯s Note: There are ¡®perspective-shifts¡¯ in the 3rd person view. This is noted right before the perspective shift happens in the ¡®Scene-Transition Block¡¯ (like the one after this author¡¯s note).
Also sorry for the delay (I had this done on Saturday) but apparently the new website updates messed around with my formatting and I needed to redo a lot of it.
Anyway, even more action to enjoy this chapter!
Camp Branding, Florida, the Game
0:45:14 Until First Wave Intermission End
One forty-minute drive later and the group now found themselves in front of a sturdy stone sign. The words ¡®CAMP BLANDING JOINT TRAINING CENTER FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD¡¯ were written on it in big letters. Ironically, the big open spaces and palm trees made the military base more inviting to the group than anything else in the Game so far. The boarded-up Pentagon and the swampy forest they had left behind had been far worse¡ at least, if one ignored the ¡®AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY¡¯ and ¡®KEEP OUT¡¯ signs posted nearby.
¡°Well I have to admit; if there¡¯s any place that could help us beat these stupid tests, it would be a military base,¡± Farida muttered.
¡°I don¡¯t think we should bother with the teams for now, not until we know what we are up against,¡± Maria sighed with a shake of her head. ¡°We should all search for anything that might help and figure out a plan when the ¡®Intermission¡¯ runs out.¡±
Bradley nodded. ¡°Right, let¡¯s split up and find as many useful things as we can,¡± he agreed. He squinted into the distance. ¡°I can make out a number of army trucks so moving things around shouldn¡¯t be too hard. Once the timer runs out, we¡¯ll meet up at that building with the spire behind the big model jet over there.¡± He pointed to a grey and white building in the distance.
¡°Okay, let¡¯s split up and look for clues, gang!¡± Patricia quipped, giggling in her usual bubbly manner.
45 Minutes Later
Second Wave
Space Pirate Scavengers ¨C Level 65
Enemies Remaining:
15
Time until arrival:
1:15:54
Upon seeing the message appear, the group gathered the materials that they could find and brought them to the building Bradley pointed out. The building turned out to be the base¡¯s church: Reynold¡¯s Chapel. While a lot smaller than it appeared from a distance and certainly incapable of storing the things they had found as Bradley initially believed, it did have ample parking and so the group waited for each other in the parking lot.
They arrived quickly one-after-the-other. Bradley arrived first in a Light-Medium Tactical Vehicle¡ªa large truck¡ªfilled to the brim with boxes. Patricia followed suit in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle; albeit she clearly had much difficulty in driving it. The controls were not as intuitive as she expected. Shortly after both Farida and Alex came into the parking lot with two Humvees; each one hauling a varied assortment of small arms, motors, rocket launchers and even a towed howitzer. Finally, Maria came some time later; however, she arrived with nothing but a regular car.
¡°Well someone is certainly the odd one out,¡± Patricia noted towards Maria with a teasing smirk.
¡°I determined that bringing anything would be a waste of time,¡± Maria rationalized with a minute shrug. ¡°That being said, I don¡¯t think any of you will be disappointed in what I¡¯ve found.¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine; there were a few things I couldn¡¯t bring either. I suppose that will come into play once we¡¯ve actually put a plan together,¡± Bradley agreed.
¡°Seriously though¡ first it¡¯s bears and next it¡¯s pirates?!¡± Farida asked rhetorically. ¡°What drugs are the makers of this so-called ¡®Game¡¯ on?¡±
¡°We shouldn¡¯t underestimate them, whatever it says they are,¡± Alex replied. ¡°We did that with the bears and look how that turned out. In hindsight, we should have just jumped into a truck and made our way here in the first place.
Remember what Lieutenant Winslow said; when he fought against the aliens, they had shields that could ignore pretty much any attack. This won¡¯t be easy.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re fighting against real people this time," Bradley pointed out."They won¡¯t just run at us and flail around uselessly while we take pot-shots at them like dumb animals. Also, look at their ¡®level¡¯. We¡¯re still only level 4 yet the Game has us facing off against level 65 players. Even the bears were only level 15!¡±
¡°So, we¡¯re going to need a good plan,¡± Farida glared determinedly, ¡°and I mean a really good plan. I want to live¡ and if you really meant what you said and Garry really is alright, then I won¡¯t face him with anything less than a complete victory.¡±
Patricia smirked, nodding her head. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s what I like to hear! Let¡¯s kick pirate ass!¡±
¡°Well if everyone¡¯s ready, here¡¯s what I came up with,¡± Bradley started. ¡°So first I found this warehouse full of High Explosives and¡¡±
Earth Atmosphere, the Game
Perspective ¨C Pirate Captain Va¡¯lakeesh
A small shuttle began it¡¯s decent through the Mesosphere and into the Stratosphere. The asymmetric hull of the craft did not have the aerodynamic qualities necessary to even make it through a thin atmosphere like Earth¡¯s without significant damage, but its advanced shields absorbed all of the heat from the post-orbit aero braking and vented it safely away. Simultaneously, Graviton Generators built into the hull served as ¡®Inertial Dampeners¡¯, smoothing-out the craft¡¯s erratic Dynamic Stability. To the crew onboard, the deceleration felt calm and relaxing as the 15 pirates began the process of equipping the necessary tools for a raid. While the worn shield arrays and plasma weapons they wore would be considered ¡®trash¡¯ in many civilized circles, even in the hands of a toddler they could take over most primitive worlds with little concern.
¡®It¡¯s not every day that a group of ¡®vile scum¡¯ is given an offer by Administrators, yet alone one so good,¡¯ Captain Va¡¯lakeesh thought with a sneer; rows of his sharp teeth showing clear through his mandibles.
Like all members of the Ta¡¯leshi species, the Captain consisted of a mix of what Earthlings call: reptile, fish and bird. With brown feathered ¡®hair¡¯ on his scalp, nictitating membrane on the eyes, a four-mandible mouth, small gills¡ªa dysfunctional remnant of some ancient ancestor¡ªon the neck as well as scales throughout. The result was something akin to an alien raptor hybrid of both the bird and dinosaur varieties.
Covered himself head-to-toe in a well-worn, black, powered-exoskeleton, however, the only thing obviously different about the Captain compared to a human was his clawed six-digit hands, long reptilian feet, and his strange lurching gait. This way, regardless of whether he had his helmet on, he looked undoubtly intimidating.
¡®The only time an Admin gives us an offer is when we start taking too many slaves,¡¯ he sighed, ¡®and more often than not it¡¯s usually a trap. But to give us real credits to raid certain coordinates on a newly discovered world for a Tutorial? I know the Admins are puppets for the System and could bend their ¡®morals¡¯ if necessary, but that seems almost too good to be true¡ Still, I did not become Captain of the Petulant Sons Pirates by playing things safe. Heh, maybe the last captain wouldn''y be a slave right now if I was! If I passed up an opportunity like this, I¡¯d never get anywhere in life.¡¯
Under scrutiny one might think that something like slavery would be impossible in the Game. After all, it would be very difficult to enslave someone that could merely kill themselves and revive back somewhere safe at the cost of a few levels or even just log out. Unluckily for the average Player and fortunately for slavers, from the outset of the Game¡¯s creation, the Lords of Life and Predecessors both participated in a horrific war with each other; a war so devastating that a virtual world needed to be created to continue it. During these times, many dangerous criminals threatened the stability of both Factions. To prevent these factions from falling into anarchy, the System created materials which in certain configurations limited a Player¡¯s ability to use Game functions. One of these being the ¡®Prisoner Collar¡¯ which: forces a Player¡¯s spawn point to the owner of the collar, removes the capability to use any abilities or implants, and reduces their attributes to their lowest possible values needed to live.
Originally, these were used to enforce prison sentences like the name suggests; otherwise every Player planning on illegal action would simply choose a skillset that could get them out of a prison easily or even just kill themselves and respawn. Nonetheless, the alternate uses of such an item were plainly apparent and taken advantage of promptly in creating slaves.
This being the case, no item within the Game can prevent a Player from simply logging out and never coming back. For many, however, the prospect of never being able to play the Game again could be equally as unconscionable as slavery. The Game provided a job and livelihood for many and so leaving in some cultures becomes akin to a death sentence. Even though the System Pods still provided various lesser forms of entertainment to those enslaved outside the Game, without any meaningful way to interact with their former friends and loved ones, they lived far less happy lives.
To make matters worse, attempting to reveal one¡¯s enslavement to others in the real world often did not help. Slavers knew about that loophole as well and oftentimes stole people away with their faces covered and kept the slaves in permanent isolation. They even occasionally used false information to catch the slave¡¯s loved ones in traps as well. All this combined made the slave trade an almost universally vilified act, and sapient trafficking rings were routinely assaulted by various factions including the Administrators.
Va¡¯lakeesh knew such information intimately. Being too lucrative to pass up, slavery and sapient-trafficking constituted the ¡®bread-and-butter¡¯ of many pirate operations.
As the shaking began to slow and the red-hot heat on the ship¡¯s shields began to dissipate, the Captain got up off his seat next to the pilot and made his way to the back. As he did so, the 13 other pirates stood up at attention. While Va¡¯lakeesh would never consider himself ¡®military¡¯ in any sense of the word, he still ensured the crew could function in combat. As such he at least wanted to inspect that the others did not have their shields backwards. ¡®You would think even pirates would not be that inept,¡¯ the Captain thought with a sigh, ¡®until that moron Flekka¡ we still keep finding bits of her in the hold despite the Game making most of her disappear. At least this Game is all about second chances, so when she respawned, I killed her again for the inconvenience then had her clean up her own mess. Honestly, how do people stay sane amidst such incompetence?¡¯
The crew would find out, much to the Captain¡¯s amusement.
¡°Alright you Futlats, there are not going to be any mistakes. No accidental plasma discharge, your shields and helmets will remain on at all times, and when you go to the washroom, you will remove your weapon first! The atmosphere of
this planet will kill you in less than a minute; it is full of corrosive oxygen.¡±
That last point caused the whole group to cringe, none more than El¡¯kreenik whom subtly crossed his legs. ''He probably still has the scarring,'' Va''lakeesh laughed internally.
¡°As that Administrator told us, we have the prestigious duty of being the Second Wave for a bunch of Tutorial brats,¡± he grinned. ¡°That means this is a Tutorial, so it¡¯s kill or be killed.¡±
The rest of the group laughed at the thought. ¡®Killed by a bunch of children that never played the Game before?! Hah!¡¯ they all thought.
¡°Of course, it goes without saying that our goal isn¡¯t to kill them,¡± the Captain added much to the confusion of his crew. ¡°Why? Because we¡¯re going to enslave them of course! I asked the Administrator and apparently enslavement is a valid means of ¡®defeating the enemy¡¯. You should have seen the look on that idiot''s face! Well it¡¯s too late to undo their offer now! We all know how valuable child slaves are¡ªwhat with the Game forbidding children under the age of consent from participating¡ªso if we enslave all six of these Tutorial-tots, we¡¯ll be set for life!¡±
At that, the rest of the crew gave a howling shout of approval and began to add slave collars to their equipment.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s go over the mission one last time for the slower members of the crew,¡± he pointedly glared at a few¡ªall of whom withered under his glare. ¡°Now, this planet is called Ee-arth, a freshly discovered planet of the Haxlard smack-dab in the middle of no-mans-land. That means not only will there be no military or rival pirates getting in the way, but the natives are all fresh meat. Not a single one even close to my level in their entire species. The downside, of course, is that I had to bring along you imbeciles instead of our real pirates to keep everything ¡®fair¡¯. The upside¡ªfor you anyway¡ªis unlike most of your missions you might all actually survive.¡±
The crew grimaced at that, but did nothing to argue with the captain. They knew the tough life of a pirate, but disobeying got you killed and delayed ones stay at the low ranks for even longer. Compared to their average level of 65, the captain existed in a different weight-class. A level 512 Swordsman/Rogue with a black powered exoskeleton for armor and enhanced shields, they could do nothing against him even if they wanted to¡ and they did.
¡°Aww, cheer up you worthless Muklicks; I just gave you some good news! Well how about this? For every slave you bring in, I¡¯ll give you 1 Platinum Mark. How¡¯s that for incentive?¡±
The others stared on in awe. One Platinum Mark¡ªeasily worth 200,000 credits¡ªalso came with bonus of granting the user power equivalent to twenty levels; with the added benefit of not appearing like you obtained those levels. For pirates as low-level as them, such a bounty would put them well on their way out of the bottom ranks and closer to the elite like the Captain. The pirate hierarchy often entailed exponential growth assuming one survives the gauntlet of grunt work at the bottom where they existed. Once a pirate achieved a rank high enough to warrant subordinates, they could take all the rewards for themselves, like the Captain, and achieve further greatness, bounty and power often without even lifting a finger. For them, instantly gaining up to 120 levels in a single mission could be the difference between irrelevance and greatness. Such an irresistible promise of power could only come from these more corrupt professions.
With his crew equipped, ready and fully incentivised, he ordered the pilot to touch down on the planet. Soon after, the soft wheeze of landing gear hydraulics and a green light above the rear hatch signaled that pressure-equalization procedures were complete and the door could be opened safely. The Earth¡¯s Nitrogen-rich atmosphere would play havoc with Ta¡¯leshi lungs and so each pirate activated their life-support systems before they departed.
¡°Alright everyone!¡± the Captain yelled out one last time, the helmet he wore now covered and giving his voice an artificial twinge, ¡°I want a nice organized pillage. That means no backtalk, no killing each other, and most importantly, no killing the future slaves! Got that?¡±
The pirates gave a round of nods before he finally punched a large rectangular button behind him causing the rear door to open. The old hydraulics groaned and squeaked, their age very apparent as it slowly lowered the large metal bulkhead to the ground. When it finished, the pirates filed out of the ship and into the field beyond. As they waited for the Captain to give them their orders, they now had time to appreciate their surroundings.
Underneath their feet, a strange porous black stone seemed to be pressed into shape similar to the concrete on most worlds. A large¡ªstrangely circular¡ªlake stretched out to the south and east, dotted along the edges with small hut structures. To the north and west great green fields¡ªsimilar yet different to the aquamarine grass of their world¡ªstretched out with alien trees and solid buildings strewn about it haphazardly.
To a perceptive mind, little features such as mass produced cars in the distance indicated a post-industrial society likely capable of flight, radio communication and the industrial production of arms. To the minds of the pirates however, the lack of a GlobalNet¡ªthe Universal Internet¡ªhub or spaceships of any kind clearly indicated a pathetically primitive culture lacking any form of challenge. As such, they did not give the surroundings even a spare glance. Instead they focused talked to each other about what they would do once they got their Platinum Marks.
Almost as if to emphasize that goal, a Game Window appeared for all the pirates:
Tutorial Challengers - Second Wave
Earthling Game Candidates ¨C Level 4
Enemies Remaining:
6
Upon touching down within 10.4793 Tal of the enemy, the Second Wave of the Tutorial now commences.
The pirates all laughed quietly to themselves, thinking of how easy it will be to take care of a mere six level four players.
When the captain finally got out of the ship, the situation suddenly changed.
*B-B-B-B-BOOM* *RAT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT*
Explosions suddenly detonated all around them sending shrapnel smashing against their shields which tried desperately to deflect away. Moments later, cannons rained a continuous stream of powerful incendiary rounds into their ranks; each round capable of tearing through lightly armored vehicles or separating an unarmored person¡¯s upper and lower halves. Even with how sporadic the rounds were, if it were not for their shields, they would have all been mowed-down.
Quickly gauging the situation, the Captain yelled, ¡°Everyone behind the ship! NOW!¡± causing the crew to scramble behind the powerful shielding of the vessel they arrived in.
Any spacecraft¡ªeven a rust-bucket like the pirates¡¯¡ªneeded to survive space combat. Its shields could deflect one or two shots from a Haxlard Destroyer¡¯s smaller automatic plasma cannons. As such, the small ammunition being fired against it did nothing. The rounds exploded or deflected harmlessly across the translucent field of energy, providing the crew with a spectacular lightshow.
The bombardment could not last forever and after a minute the barrage of explosions and shells eventually ceased.
Desperate to analyze the situation, the Captain yelled, ¡°Crew! Status Report!¡±
¡°Three dead sir!¡± one of the pirates dutifully responded.
¡°Three¡ THREE! How in a Futlats¡¯ Kol¡¯kra did even three of you die from something as pitiful as that!¡±
Nobody answered at first, fearing the Captain¡¯s wrath, but one of the younger pirates decided to break the silence, saying, ¡°One of the explosions hit Ri¡¯cul directly and Tratlic was complaining to me about his shield and life-support acting up before he¡ disappeared.¡± The pirate then looked a little more nervous as the Captains glare got colder. ¡°Uh, also¡ I think Flekka didn¡¯t have her shields up at the time?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t¡ have their shields¡?¡± the Captain half-asked, his eye twitching at the thought. ¡°I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOU to put your Shri¡¯kakli fucking Bro¡¯kosh-ing shields on at all times!¡± He swore. ¡°I told you imbeciles at least twenty times! AT LEAST!¡±
He sighed, groaning that he could not even pinch the bridge of his nose in displeasure with his visored helmet on. ¡°Well, on the bright side, at least that idiot Flekka is dead¡ again. If any one of you deserve to die, it would be that useless waste of space.¡±
Moving away from the safety behind the ship, he found himself again under fire by the cannons. This time, however, he ignored the worthless attacks. Now that he rationalized away any fear of the inferior technology being used, he let the projectiles fly harmlessly off his shields, barely making an effect of the energy consumption. He gazed into the distance.
¡°There! Less than half a Tal away! Those vehicles are the source,¡± he exclaimed, pointing towards three large metal machines perched just in front of one of the buildings. While their paint-job helped them blend into the environment, one would have to be blind not to follow the sound and sight of cannons firing. He waited for anyone of his crew to speak up, but they remained adamantly in place. They appeared unwilling to go out where their fellow crew just died, even with their captain weathering the attacks in front of them.
¡°Alright you gutless Muklicks, if one of you doesn¡¯t get out here and get rid of those things by the count of five, you can kiss any Platinum Mark rewards goodbye.¡±
That got their attention and so one of the more veteran crew jumped out from behind the ship and rushed the machines. Several other crew members¡ªrealizing that the machines were probably piloted by the future slaves¡ªfollowed suit in hopes of receiving that Platinum Mark reward. The machines were far less accurate then they initially thought as the projectiles flew all around them, not one hitting the mark. Once the first pirate got in range, he withdrew his plasma rifle and fired several quick bursts at the machines.
The plasma collided with the metal exterior, causing the turret of the vehicle to warp and buckle; the guns and much of the upper metal frame of each of the vehicles were melted to slag. The projectiles¡ªnow colliding with the inside of the gun barrel¡ªexploded in the vehicle, permanently removing their ability to continue attacking. With all three vehicles now disabled the remaining pirates too cowardly to leave the safety of the ship now slowly and shamefully grouped up with their Captain to observe the results.
The six pirates that went up and destroyed the machines split up into three groups and climbed on top of the turrets, using small plasma-cutters to sheer off strips of the outer hull. ¡°Jeez, I hope those stupid brats didn¡¯t die yet,¡± one of the pirates grumbled, ¡°I really want that Mark.¡±
¡°You idiot,¡± another replied. ¡°If they were dead, the Game Window would say so! Now hurry up and-¡°
***BOOOOOOOM***
Storage Facility South Rooftop, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper
Second Wave
Space Pirate Scavengers ¨C Level 65
Enemies Defeated:
6
Enemies Remaining:
6
The explosion could be seen for miles in all directions and so Bradley and Maria¡ªthe defensive team¡ªhad an eyeful lying down on the gravel roof on the other side of Kingsley Lake, three miles away from the epicenter.
300lbs of Plastic Explosive, stuffed between two 2000lb conventional bombs were placed into each of the three Bradley Fighting Vehicles before they were lined up to attack the alien pirates. The civilians did not know where the pirates would appear and so upon the pirates¡¯ arrival the tanks were out of position. The aliens spent such a long time filing out and organizing themselves though that Alex, Patricia and Farida¡ªthe offensive team¡ªmaneuvered the tanks into position before the enemy bothered to check their surroundings. The camouflage netting and paint on the vehicles did not hurt their chances either.
Once in position, the three evacuated, leaving Bradley to use his Connect ability to communicate with the smartphones he soldered into the control panels of the vehicles fire-control systems. With the phones several miles away, he realized in addition to the ability to communicate small pieces of information, there also came an added vague sense of direction and distance to the device he communicated with. When he had used the ability on the phone before, they were too close together to notice the difference.
While the phones gave him remote control of the gun, video cameras mounted inside the turret gave Bradley a view of the action. In this way, the group could fight without ever being in danger. Bradley sent simple commands to the smartphones telling the BFVs to fire their payload of TOW Missiles and 25mm cannons at the enemies. Unfortunately, he did not have enough time creating a better interface. As such, once they started attacking, he could not adequately follow their movements.
¡°I still don¡¯t know how you were able to do that,¡± Maria stated, putting her laptop away. The cameras has sent their video information to the laptop, but with the three cameras gone, the laptop served its purpose.
With the first part of the plan finished, they had overstayed their welcome and so the two of them quickly got up from the roof of the building and began to make her way down a ladder to the ground.
¡°What, you think my ability is ridiculous?¡± Bradley scoffed, following Maria down the ladder. ¡°That coming from Miss ¡®reads-technical-manuals-in-seconds¡¯. Not only could you describe to me practically every circuit in the fire-control system after you skimmed the schematics, but you also learned enough about explosives to do that!¡± Bradley pointed at the three mushroom-like clouds in the distance. The explosions still had yet to fully disperse.
This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
¡°Still,¡± Maria huffed, ¡°you were able to do all that in just a few hours. Don¡¯t play that off like it was nothing.¡±
¡°I could solder up a makeshift cellular interface in University; that¡¯s not exactly Rocket Science," Bradley denied. "Most of the time making a working prototype is typically spent coding to anticipate the variety of protocols and things like reducing power consumption or increasing range. My ¡®Connect¡¯ ability does all that for me so it is much faster. That''s all.¡±
"Still, now that two-thirds of them are already done for it¡¯s just a matter of mopping up the rest."
¡°You say that like it¡¯s going to be easy,¡± Bradley sighed, stepping off the ladder after Maria and running towards the Humvee parked next to the building. ¡°The plan was for those tanks to get rid of all of them,¡± Bradley reminded. ¡°How the hell does a person survive 25mm Incendiary rounds to the face?! The BFV''s User Manual said those could go clean through armored vehicles; we knew those shields were scary, but that¡¯s just insane! Sure there are only five left, but those five aren¡¯t going to fall for the same tricks again.¡±
¡°We still have Plan C,¡± Maria pointed out, ¡°although it seems certain that Plan B is out-the-window now. Still, even if that doesn¡¯t work, my plan is almost foolproof.¡±
Bradley raised an eyebrow at that, ¡°¡except for all the conditions that need to be just right, if the thing even works¡ which as you know was never tested. That seems like the exact opposite of foolproof.¡±
¡°Well yeah, but if it works no dirty tricks or shields could possibly stop it,¡± Maria smiled. Bradley noted that she did not smile much, and so when she did, it seemed out of place and wrong¡ he decided he did not like it; it could only be a portent of bad things to come.
He started up the car and after Maria took the passenger seat next to him, he began driving his way to the Camp Blanding Storage Facility. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope that Alex¡¯s ¡®Sixth Sense¡¯ ability really is as good as he claims. Against five pissed off space pirates, he¡¯s going to need it. Most of Plan C rides on it.¡±
Florida National Guard Military Academy, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
Fifteen seconds after BFV Explosions
Perspective ¨C Patricia Davis
¡°Everyone in the Humvee, now!¡± Alex yelled, throwing the driver-side door open and jumping into the seat. Patricia and Farida followed soon afterwards, fully understanding the seriousness of the situation.
¡°Crap-crap-crap-crap-crap!¡± Patricia muttered getting into the .50 cal machine gun position on top of the car. ¡°Those big tanks didn¡¯t even scratch them!¡±
¡°We need to re-evaluate the plan,¡± Farida added, getting into the passenger seat. ¡°Plan B is right out. That plan was for if we couldn¡¯t set up the tanks in time and needed to take them out personally, but we don¡¯t have anything here that could stop them. If cannons can¡¯t hurt them, small guns or rockets probably won¡¯t. It''s not worth the risk.¡±
¡°Then it¡¯s all up to Plan C then, which means we need to survive long enough to get to the Storage Facility,¡± Alex concluded, putting the pedal to the metal and speeding away. ¡°Hopefully they don¡¯t have any way of detecting us or-¡±
An explosion cut Alex off as the spaceship the pirates used fired a rocket which detonated, destroying much of the National Guard Training Academy behind them. The resulting explosion sent large flaming sections of concrete crashing around them.
¡°Less talking, more fleeing!¡± Patricia cried out.
Onboard the Pirate Spaceship, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
Perspective ¨C Pirate Captain Va¡¯lakeesh
¡°You idiot!¡± the Captain yelled, smacking the back of the pilot¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that those rockets were calibrated to ship-exhaust or you could have killed them! Not only that, but those warheads aren¡¯t cheap!¡±
The Captain¡ªrealizing that these ¡®Ee-arthlings¡¯ had set a brilliantly executed trap for them to fall into¡ªdecided he had enough of underestimating them and went back into his ship to determine their locations with its sensors. Now onboard and tracking the fleeing vehicle, the ships sensors began to hone in on their heat signatures, filtering out any atmospheric disturbance or physical obstruction. Once it got a lock, the Captain would know where the slaves would be at any time, even within buildings over a hundred Tals away.
¡°But sir!¡± the pilot protested. ¡°They killed most of the crew! If we don¡¯t-¡± His protest halted as the Captain grasped the man¡¯s neck.
¡°You are to follow my exact orders, understand?!¡± the Captain growled, receiving an urgent, pleading capitulation from the pilot. Releasing the pilot¡¯s throat, he added, ¡°It is because we lost so many that this venture has to turn a profit, and that means they must be alive before we collar them.¡±
He took control of the ship¡¯s lasers and used the target assistance to fire at the vehicle. It missed.
¡°What?! It missed?¡± he stared in disbelief. Normally the lasers were useless because they were often not powerful enough, but the Captain had never experienced a laser guided by a computer ever miss before. He fired again and again; this time, the vehicle running through some trees in the forest off the road.
¡°Argh! Okay enough playing around! No targeting assistance, I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡± Taking manual control, he fired a continuous beam, this time cutting the vehicle clean in two. No messages appeared which confirmed zero fatalities.
¡°There. Surgical, precise and with all the slaves still intact.¡±
With a smile that exposed the reptile creature¡¯s rows of sharp teeth, he added, ¡°I¡¯ll do the honors of informing the slaves of their future destiny.¡±
Humvee wreckage, 0.2 miles North of Avenue B and Leesburg St, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
Perspective ¨C Patricia Davis
After the laser separated the engine compartment from the passenger one, the two pieces flew wildly out-of-control. The former piece kept on going, flinging itself into the forest and smashing through a tree before being reduced to a burning hulk of debris. The latter crashed into the ground before flipping over and skidding¡ªupside down¡ªinto the ditch by the road. Both Alex and Farida experienced whiplash in their seats and immediately passed out. Patricia¡ªwhom sat unbuckled on the machinegun¡ªflew from the remains of the vehicle and broke one of her arms in the resulting tumble. Unlike the others buckled to their seats though, she did not have the luxury of falling unconscious because of it.
¡°Argh!¡± she cried as she crawled to her knees. Her body painfully reminded her not to try and move but her panicked mind sought for her to desperately get away to somewhere or to try and help the others.
¡°I think you should rest. You will need all your strength for what is to come,¡± a male voice spoke out in the distance.
She whipped her head to find the owner of the voice only to find her neck in as much pain as the rest of her body. She whimpered softly to herself but gritted her teeth through the pain. ¡®I won¡¯t give any of these pirate bastards the benefit of any more screaming,¡¯ she thought defiantly. ¡®Urgh, I just need to logout¡ I¡¯ll ¡®die¡¯ or whatever, but whatever. It¡¯s not worth this pain. I won¡¯t give them that pleasure either.¡¯
However, try as she might, she could not log out.
In that time, the thing appeared before her; he wore a helmet with a small eye-slit visor; his heavy black sophisticated armor shimmered with energy. Despite his perfect English, he could not be considered human. He had six digits on each hand and grossly elongated feet.
¡°By your expression, I have to wonder; did nobody inform you about what the Tutorial entailed?¡± the armored alien asked, the suit¡¯s radio giving the voice a slightly artificial tone. ¡°You cannot log out of a tutorial until it is complete. After all, the System needs to gauge your abilities,¡± the man added; the last bit he gave in a teasing tone.
She gave the alien a horrified look. ¡°B-but that would mean-¡±
The alien laughed. ¡°Haha! Oh your expression! No, the System is not malicious unfortunately; I cannot torture you or the like no matter how much I would so enjoy it. The moment it decides I have ¡®won¡¯, you will be ¡®defeated¡¯ and will log out. Nobody would ever participate in a Game that could hold a person as a hostage like that. No, the System isn¡¯t malicious¡ but it isn¡¯t kind either.¡±
The alien began to walk towards the woman. Gathering up her psionic energy, she fired a ¡®Thunderball¡¯ at the armor. The ball of energy collided with a shimmering field around the alien but dissipated into nothing. ¡°W-what? Why?!¡± she demanded.
¡°Admirable¡ just like those evasive maneuvers against my lasers now that I think about it,¡± the alien noted. ¡°If someone told me Tutorial brats could do something like killing half a pirate crew or to be able to perform Psionic attacks, I would have laughed before stabbing them in the gut for the insult¡ Nonetheless, these theatrics are all ultimately a waste of time. Let¡¯s move on to the Crescendo, shall we?¡±
He took out a thin piece of metal from a compartment in his suit and leaned down to the paralyzed woman. With her injuries, she could do nothing to avoid what he intended to do but she struggled, trying to move away. Ignoring her attempts, the armor-clad alien slipped the metal around her neck and snapped it shut. A Game Window appeared:
Captain Va¡¯lakeesh of the Petulant Sons Pirates has enslaved you.
By placing a Prisoner¡¯s Collar onto your neck without the authorization of a governmental body, you have been enslaved under his ownership.
Status: Enslaved
So long as you remain under Va¡¯lakeesh¡¯s ownership, all Abilities, Powers, and Attributes have been removed unless permission to use them is given.
Event Notice:
You are now defeated. Logout is now accessible.
[tr]
[/align]
She looked over the message in abject horror until she read the final note. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re an idiot!¡± she exclaimed, instantly regretting it as she coughed; her lungs were burning in pain. ¡°I-I can just logout. This means nothing!¡±
The alien sneered behind his helmet. ¡°Logout for all I care! I got what I wanted,¡± he replied. He continued in a pleased tone, saying, ¡°Now that you are enslaved, you will always respawn to me when you log back in; weak and pathetic. There will be no escape and so you will never play the Game again¡ unless you find slavery appealing.¡±
The sick look on Patricia¡¯s face gave the alien all the answer he needed and he laughed. ¡°No, the unique thing about slavery is the wondrous transformation! It changes an ordinary Player into an item! When you log out, your consciousness¡ªyour ''soul''¡ªwill leave¡ but your virtual body and mind will stay. A virtual copy of yourself will remain here to be used however I desire. I hope you live with that notion for the rest of your life¡ or whatever pathetic existence you lead beyond this Game.¡±
¡°Screw you, you bastard!¡± Patricia retorted venomously. ¡°You and this Game can both rot in hell.¡± With that, she thought the command and her consciousness left the Game.
Game Capsule D-1410092186, The Game Clandestine Facility, ??????, Earth
As her consciousness returned to the Real World, she only now realized just how much pain her body experienced. With all the pain suddenly gone, her body felt as light as a feather. The strange gel that had enveloped her now slowly retreated and the pod¡¯s enclosure began to open. As light streamed in through the cracks and her eyes adjusted, she began to cry; thankful that the whole ordeal being finally over.
¡°Patricia?¡± a passing doctor asked, coming into the room. ¡°You weren¡¯t scheduled to be out of the pod just yet,¡± he added, entering the room and grabbing some of the diagnostic equipment from off one of the shelves. ¡°What happened? Are you injured?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll tell you what happened,¡± she snarled, grabbing the cuff of the doctor¡¯s coat as tears streamed down her eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what happened and then you better get that damn Major back in here! I¡¯ve got to give her a piece of my mind!¡±
Humvee wreckage, 0.2 miles North of Avenue B and Leesburg St, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
Perspective ¨C Pirate Captain Va¡¯lakeesh
¡°Wait, why can¡¯t I log out? The Game Window said I could log out!¡± the virtual female slave stated in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°This¡ this isn¡¯t real¡ this can¡¯t be real!¡±
¡°That¡¯s because you aren¡¯t real, idiot,¡± Captain Va¡¯lakeesh spat, his claws tapping at a computer on his wrist, sending a powerful jolt of electricity through the Prisoner Collar on the slave¡¯s neck, causing the object to fall unconscious.
¡°Wait, so that Ee-arthling isn¡¯t real anymore Shi¡¯vla?¡± one of the pirates, Irohka, asked another of the crew.
¡°Well, not in any way that should matter,¡± the other one, Shi¡¯vlaikar, sneered. ¡°The slave¡¯s just a virtual copy in the Game now. Her real body and mind just woke back up in a pod somewhere. Honestly I don¡¯t see the appeal; a virtual plaything is just a bunch of code. You can buy 1s and 0s like that from companies on the GlobalNet. Why slavery is such a big thing, I can¡¯t understand.¡±
¡°Then why do people pay so well for them then?¡± Irohka inquired further.
¡°I just said I don¡¯t know idiot! Why does anyone waste their money?¡± Shi¡¯vlaikar retorted rhetorically. ¡°Probably some people think they''re more ¡®real¡¯ because they are based on someone else, even if it¡¯s only an approximation by the System and doesn¡¯t have all their memories. Maybe some people are just Bro¡¯kosh and like taking away the ability to play the Game from others. Maybe they secretly hope they¡¯ll log back on and be their slaves for real. I don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°But if that would-¡±
¡°Look enough pointless chatter!¡± the Captain yelled, punching both of them in the guts, causing them to double over even with their armor and shielding. ¡°Go get the others and gather these slaves. I¡¯ll get back to the ship and find those last remaining brats.¡±
Despite the pain, the pirates quickly got to work.
¡®The Captain is pretty horrifying when he¡¯s angry,¡¯ they thought.
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
[tr]
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
4
Experience:
0/1000
Class:
Undetermined
Alignment:
Neutral (+0) / Order (+1)
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
0
Notoriety:
0
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
94/95
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
80/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
??+20
Agility:
??+20
Intelligence:
??+20
Willpower:
??+20
Charisma:
??+20
Perception:
??+20
Endurance:
??+20
Luck:
??+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
??
Mental:
??
Psionic:
??
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
Tutorial ¨C Survival Test ¨C Second Wave
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
0
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Neutral*
Administrators:
Privileged*
----General Ability Window----
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G-928,437,115
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless
Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
F-2,047,791,312
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Necessary for resistance against abilities which damage the mind or to use such abilities on oneself.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G-1,844,516,229
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Rifle Shooting
G
G-2,000,860,238
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G-214,735,418
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G-1,642,194,713
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the
Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D
G-220,861,958
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data
rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D
G-1,594,288,749
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank.
Author''s Note 2:Just to add to this, I also made a picture of the Pirate Captain (I have a hard time conceptualizing an alien species unless I draw them first). See picture below:
----Pirate Captain Va''lakeesh----
Spoiler :
Chapter 8 - Tutorial Tragedy
Author''s Note: Just a note that there is a picture of the Pirate Captain in the previous chapter (in a spoiler at the bottom) and there is another picture at the end of this chapter of a "Revenant". If you want to know why... read on! Enjoy!
Storage Facility South, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper
Second Wave
Allies Defeated:
3
Space Pirate Scavengers ¨C Level 65
Enemies Remaining:
6
¡°I guess it¡¯s just us then,¡± Maria said softly, quickly going back to work.
After coming down from the rooftop, they went straight to work on Plan C.
The Storage Facility¡¯s workshop had the tools to produce everything they needed: welding benches, electronics workstations, chemical analysis equipment, the works. Anything a military base would need to repair any damage to the vehicles and equipment there. They hoped that it would get the job done.
¡°How can you be so calm!¡± Bradley yelled. ¡°¡is this what Farida felt? Knowing Garry died and not being able to do anything?!¡± He slammed his fist on one of the desks. ¡°That was my plan that failed! I¡¯m responsible for their deaths!¡±
¡°They aren¡¯t dead though,¡± Maria stated, not looking up. ¡°You said so yourself when Garry died. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and make sure we survive.¡±
Several conflicted feelings went through Bradley at once. He had rationalized away Garry¡¯s death because the circumstances were accidental. A bear dropped on him; they could not have planned for that, not without compromising something else, especially not with what they had and on such short notice. Even if they could have planned for it the plan still could not have been foolproof.
¡®But I can¡¯t possibly believe that¡¯s true for this,¡¯ Bradley thought, ¡®we had hours to plan and an entire military base full of weapons to use yet I still couldn¡¯t beat those pirates.¡¯
Despite¡ªor perhaps because of¡ªthose feelings, Bradley threw himself back into his work. He quickly tore apart various scrap electronics he found in old radio sets, aircraft avionics, and old computer systems. Luckily for Bradley, the older components were much easier to manage and test than the Integrated Circuits in modern designs: the huge and reliable pieces worked even after decades of use and did not require tweezers to take apart or put together. After a few minutes, he had dozens of batteries, resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors, relays, and other components tested and organized in front of him. With little tweaking, the circuits he designed worked well beyond his expectations:
By exclusively using scrap materials in your designs, you have gained a new ability: Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
You can usually rely on your gut feeling to know if some scrap is more valuable than meets the eye and will work as intended.
¡®Well that would have been useful a few hours ago,¡¯ Bradley huffed as he tested the voltage out of the relay. ¡®Damn, the transistor still isn¡¯t getting out of cut-off¡ maybe that resistor over there is bad¡?¡¯
The Game Window quickly dismissed, he went back to his work.
¡®I have to focus! It¡¯s only a matter of time before they find us. I just hope we will be ready by then.¡¯
30 minutes later
Perspective ¨C Pirate Captain Va¡¯lakeesh
¡°So the last two brats are in there?¡± the Captain asked, pointing to the large metal and concrete building they landed their ship in front of. While not the largest building in this ¡®military installation¡¯ they found themselves in, the four-storey structure spanned almost a full half-Tal squared; large enough to fit hundreds of those metal vehicles they destroyed.
¡°Based on the number of hauling vehicles, this building likely functions as a warehouse of some kind,¡± the Captain observed. ¡°Plenty of room to set up something, but no way to see what it is¡ the whole thing is obviously a trap. No doubt they have a veritable gauntlet we need to cross to find their true locations.¡± He turned back into the ship and moved up to the pilot. ¡°Can the sensors pick up their exact location?¡± he asked.
¡°Sorry sir,¡± the pilot denied, ¡°there are too many heat signatures in the building for the sensors to tell apart. I know for sure they must be in this building¡ªno other places have the right signature¡ªbut not where within the building itself.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good enough,¡± the Captain replied. ¡°Now get out of the seat and follow me.¡±
¡°Sir?¡± the pilot questioned before the Captain lifted the Ta¡¯leshi out of the chair.
¡°Come on, these worthless Tutorial brats have graced us with a challenge! They have surrounded themselves with a ring of guns and steel and dare us to attack! Even if I didn¡¯t want to enslave them, I wouldn¡¯t kill them now. They have proven too interesting to just annihilate the building after they have put up such a valiant resistance.¡± The Captain sneered, his words dripping with sarcasm. ¡°No, they don¡¯t deserve such mercy. I don¡¯t care what the System decides, I will enslave and torture these brats whether it likes it or not.¡± He smiled. ¡°I just have to give them a sporting chance so the system does not log them out. Let them spring their traps.¡±
He withdrew a long metal sword from within one of the ship¡¯s lockers. Giving it a few test swings, he turned it on, the blade crackling before a beam of light solidified along its edge; the air shimmering with its barely constrained power.
Dark Singer of Ta¡¯sekar ¨C Psionic Light-Resonance Sword
Weapon Rank:
B-1,432,983
Description:
A one-of-a-kind weapon made for the Ta¡¯leshi Noble House of Kar by the Night Steel Guild of Khersath. Went missing after its last owner, Count Ta¡¯leshi Sekalek, was found dead on his ship the Promise. The last signal from the ship reported an ambush by pirates of an unknown group.
Bounty:
9,200 Credits for Information, 1,481,500 Credits for recovery. Requested by Ta¡¯leshi Karuk, Head of the Noble House of Kar.
¡°Against someone like me,¡± he grinned, putting on his helmet, the white skull pattern almost glowing in the pale blue light of his sword, ¡°they have absolutely no chance.¡±
As one of the pirates melted the front doors with Plasma fire, the Captain called out into the darkness of the room beyond.
¡°Come out little children! If you surrender now I will make you deaths swift! That was more than I promised your pathetic friends!¡±
The room hung with silence as the Captain waited for the Ee-arthlings to take the bait. After a moment, the Captain accepted that no response would come. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t say that Captain Va¡¯lakeesh did not attempt any mercy! Crew, flush them out! Leave no place unchecked! I want those fools and I want them alive!¡±
¡°Yes sir!¡± the five of them exclaimed. Each of them raced off into the warehouse, disappearing from sight as they went into the Labyrinth of metal storage containers.
¡°Let¡¯s see if you two really are worth my time,¡± he smiled, leaning against the entrance as he awaited the outcome of this entertainment he set up.
El¡¯kreenik had the most to gain of all the pirates by enslaving the two Ee-arthlings.
After a regrettable training accident involving a washroom break and a plasma rifle, he ended up months behind the rest of the crew. He foolishly thought that by getting treatment and recovering his injuries as opposed to simply dying, losing a few levels, and respawning, he would be better off. The turned out to be an incorrect assumption as the scaring left behind made anything beyond the simplest tasks painful. He realized it too late however, and it would only hinder him further to respawn now.
So eager to find them, El¡¯kreenik paid little attention to his surroundings including the glint of metal wire.
With the tension of his boot pressed down upon it, the wire snapped, open-circuiting a path through the resistor soldered to it. The resulting sudden shift towards high-impedance caused an increase in current flow through a transistor, changing its state from Cut-off to Forward-Biased, dumping the current from a small disc battery into a Relay and switching it on. In an instant, eighteen detonator cords were short-circuited to a 12V car battery, igniting 90lbs of plastic explosive all around the pirate.
He only had moment of intense light from his shields failing to realize what happened.
*BOOOM*
Second Wave
El¡¯kreenik has been defeated.
Allies Remaining:
4
¡°One down,¡± the Captain dismissed with a yawn. ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t that the one who plasma¡¯d himself in the groin?!¡± He laughed. ¡°Well I guess it wasn¡¯t so bad he died after all.¡±
¡°What was that?!¡± Irohka gasped, aiming her Plasma rifle left and right.
¡°The message said El¡¯kreenik got it and there was an explosion, idiot; put two-and-two together,¡± Shi¡¯vlaikar replied, dismissing the window. ¡°Now keep on your guard, there are probably more traps.¡±
¡°Right,¡± she nodded to her companion.
The moved painfully slowly through the warehouse, checking for anything out of place. When they saw a wire going across the ground, they fired a shot at it from a distance, causing more explosives to detonate. They also found a strange looking barrel. When they shot it, that too exploded, sending a flammable jelly over a wide area which continued burning even as they left. They even found a cleverly concealed photodiode attached to a small circuit. Thankfully, their suits picked up the energy consumption or they might not have noticed it. When they triggered the circuit by throwing a box at it from a distance, a large crate perched high on a shelf above it fell onto the ground, spilling four 500lb Mk82 Bombs onto the floor moments before detonating them. The resulting explosion threw the two off their feet and into the shelving behind them.
¡°What they hell are these Rosk¡¯aks thinking?!¡± Shi¡¯vlaikar coughed, dusting herself off. ¡°Aren¡¯t those fools supposed to be undisciplined savages?! Don¡¯t they know setting stuff up like this can kill them too?!¡±
After they re-orientated themselves, they stepped into a new corridor of metal containers when suddenly another of the large armored vehicles from earlier burst forth, quickly turning its turret towards them. Before they could fire at it, it fired first; sending two missiles straight at them. The first one missed completely and exploded against a metal crate, but the other slammed right into Irohka. The ordinance just barely overwhelmed her shields but was enough to force her off her feet and into the pile of shelving behind them.
¡°Damn it! Why won¡¯t you just die!¡± Shi¡¯vlaikar screamed firing shot after shot of plasma into the vehicle. It tried to fire back, but without any more missiles, the projectiles from its cannon were far less effective; they could not do enough damage to penetrate the pirate¡¯s shields in time. Eventually her gun ran out of energy, but the plasma she did fire reduced the vehicle to a puddle of molten slag.
¡°Iroh!¡± she yelled out, throwing her spent weapon to the side and climbing up into the shelving to where her ally lay. Without her shielding to cover her, the armor the pirate crew wore exposed many gaps in its protection. Through one of these gaps, a mangled piece of the warehouse shelf¡¯s metal structure wedged itself through the pirate¡¯s lung.
Irohka coughed, blood oozing from her lips beneath her helmet. ¡°Sorry Shi¡¯vla¡ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll make it,¡± she got out. Before Shi¡¯vlaikar could respond, Irohka pressed a button on her suit, causing it to inject a chemical compound into her body. Her eyes slowly glazed over as the chemical did its job, killing her peacefully and instantly.
¡°Damn it¡ DAMN IT!¡± Shi¡¯vlaikar cried out. ¡°I¡¯m going to KILL all you fucking Bro¡¯kosh!¡±
In her rage she no longer paid attention to her surroundings and stepped straight through another wire-trap.
*BOOOOOOOM*
Another explosion resounded throughout the warehouse and the remaining crew received notification of the result:
Second Wave
Irohka has been defeated.
Allies Remaining:
3
Second Wave
Shi¡¯vlaikar has been defeated.
Allies Remaining:
2
¡°S-so that means apart from us¡¡± Phalark said, leaving the rest of the question unasked.
¡°No one but the Captain is left,¡± Falkrin replied with a small nod. ¡°It always ends this way. I¡¯ve been Captain Va¡¯lakeesh¡¯s pilot for 4 years and every time he has the ability to get rid of the enemy by himself, he sends off his subordinates to die and clear the way before he swoops in and takes the prize. If I wasn¡¯t the pilot, I would have been right there with them.¡±
¡°But why?!¡± Phalark demanded.
¡°To make it appear like the enemy was far more powerful than it actually was,¡± Falkrin sighed. ¡°If you are the last survivor of your squad and the rest die at the hands of the enemy, you come out as a hero. Mostly, though, it ensures he keeps anything he gets for himself. The fact that we all die means and never gain enough levels to threaten him is just a bonus.¡±
¡°Then those Platinum Marks he promised?¡±
¡°Never going to happen,¡± Falkrin denied, shaking his head. ¡°In those four years, Captain Va¡¯lakeesh never rewarded a subordinate.¡±
¡°Then what should we do?¡±
¡°We get the hell out of here; we take the ship and just leave,¡± Falkrin replied. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m sick and tired of the pirate life. I¡¯ve been doing it for six years and still haven¡¯t gotten out of the bottom ranks. I somehow managed to get to the rank of pilot and improved my skills, but the only thing that matters in the hierarchy is power and you can¡¯t get that behind the controls of a ship.¡±
Phalark paused for a moment, before nodding seriously. ¡°Let¡¯s do it! If that¡¯s all I have to look forward to then it¡¯s better if-¡±
Second Wave
Phalark has been defeated.
Allies Remaining:
1
Second Wave
Falkrin has been defeated.
Allies Remaining:
0
You are now the last surviving member of your party.
The heads of the two traitors rolled at the Captain¡¯s feat, their former owners never realizing what hit them as their bodies hit the floor soon after and scattered into dust. The Dark Singer blade hummed in satisfaction as the blood burned away on its edge.
¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± Va¡¯lakeesh vocalized, shaking his head as he put the sword back in its sheath, ¡°and you were such a promising pilot too¡ whoever your name was. To think you would stoop as low as mutiny¡ and to bring another into your conspiracy. It is a shame, but there is always room in the Sapient Trafficking Ring for more slaves. I¡¯ll be sure to let the Queens know of your betrayal.¡±
Stepping over the traitor¡¯s armor and weapons, he slashed his way through the warehouse, ignoring both traps and machines in his wake. The B-rank shielding protecting him existed in a different weight-class compared to the D-class ones the rest of the crew wore. Missiles, bombs, and high explosives did little more than increase the energy consumption.
¡°Is this really all you have?¡± he asked rhetorically.
¡°Not quite.¡±
Making his way through the last of the shelving, the Captain finally came across the last Ee-arthlings. The future slaves were huddled at the back of the warehouse; their unarmored bodies unfortunately too obscured for the Captain to take out from his position without risk of their death. Standing before them was an assortment of weapons. Some of the weapons were attached to metal machines like the ones before. Others were hastily attached to metal frames. All of them were pointed at him.
He felt honored.
The attack began immediately. Thousands of metal projectiles rained through the air; the shields struggling to keep up with the onslaught. Following closely behind it flew a barrage of missiles. Small ones, big ones, guided ones all slammed into him. The assault continued for close to two minutes before the pods emptied of missiles and belts ran dry of ammunition. One of the weapons even melted from the constant fire. The worthlessness of the weapons amused the Captain to no end.
¡°Did we get him?¡± one of the slaves foolishly asked.
¡°An impressive performance to be sure,¡± Va¡¯lakeesh responded confidently as the smoke cleared. He brushed the bits of dust and smoke off from his armor that managed to penetrate his shields. The shielding was efficient, and so specks of harmless dust would not be hindered, otherwise his suit would have a hard time recycling and converting the Terran air.
¡°Impressive, but ultimately pointless,¡± he added.
In actuality, his shields dropped to less than 10%. If the barrage had gone on much longer, he would have needed to dodge. Still, the Captain revelled in two things: the despair of his enemies and his own power. ¡®Why let honesty get in the way of fun?¡¯ he thought.
¡°Run!¡± one of them yelled, racing towards one of the side doors.
¡°Oh no you don¡¯t,¡± the Captain said. With them now away from behind their weapons, he had a chance to take them down non-fatally. Pulling out a laser pistol he aimed for their extremities and fired. Most of the shots missed, but one did land on the mark, getting one of them in the foot.
¡°I¡¯m afraid this little charade is at an end,¡± he boasted, walking towards them, ¡°this is the end of the line.¡±
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper
¡°Maria!¡± Bradley cried out, catching the woman as she stumbled to the ground. The weapon that the Black-Armored Alien fired tore straight through her foot. The energy beam seemed to cauterize the wound to the point that she would not die soon of blood loss, but it also appeared fatal without medical attention.
¡°B-Bradley¡ j-just go,¡± Maria stuttered, pushing him away. ¡°You can make it up to me by getting my plan to work.¡±
¡°But-¡±
¡°Go damn it!¡± she yelled back.
He hesitated for a moment, but seeing the armored pirate make his way towards him, he ran out the door.
¡°Yes! Run little prey run!¡± the alien¡¯s voice called out. ¡°Flee while you can! A good hunt requires two after all!¡± Howling laughter followed him through the door as Bradley left the room behind him.
Bradley wanted to say he ran as a form of tactical retreat, to get into a better position to reengage, or that he ran to carry on Maria¡¯s will for the plan to succeed, but he would be lying. He ran in fear, plain and simple.
¡®Nothing worked, nothing!¡¯ he thought, desperately running through the small offices of the storage facility¡¯s administration. ¡®25mm Cannons, TOW missiles, Hellfire missile pods, 120mm Armor-piercing shells, even however many thousands of rounds from that GAU-8 firing for just over two straight minutes! That alien is a monster! If that is what we¡¯ll have to face in an invasion, we will have no choice but take what we get.¡¯
Second Wave
Maria has been defeated.
Allies Remaining:
0
You are now the last surviving member of your party.
¡®I can see that!¡¯ Bradley thought bitterly, angrily dismissing the window. He did not want to think what fate he left Maria to.
Flinging the final door of the storage facility open, he ran out into the open Camp Blanding air and into the already-running Humvee and drove away. He dared not look back, but upon hearing the sharp squeal of metal-on-metal he could not force himself to look away. As he turned, he saw the imposing shape of the alien¡¯s glowing sword slice effortlessly through the outside wall of the Storage Facility. After the metal sheered away, the black form of the alien¡¯s armor followed suit. Returning to focus on his task, Bradley slammed his foot into the gas pedal, hoping to put as much distance between him and it as possible.
¡°You cannot get away, little prey!¡± the alien yelled. ¡°Your primitive vehicles are fast, but not faster than light!¡±
Following that boast, beams of red light flew past Bradley¡¯s window. ¡°Damn it, just a little more!¡± he yelled, swerving a little to the left and right to hopefully throw off his pursuer¡¯s aim.
¡°ARGH!¡± Bradley yelled, as searing pain shot up the left side of his body. Reflexively, his right arm shot to the source of the pain, throwing off his control of the wheel and sending the vehicle swerving sharply to the right. He then felt momentarily weightless as the car rolled again and again, the windows shattering as they crashed into the asphalt below. A moment later the car stilled and Bradley felt his eyelids grow heavy.
Perspective ¨C Pirate Captain Va¡¯lakeesh
The Captain¡¯s laser finally connected with the bulk of the machine. Va¡¯lakeesh would never admit it, but to hit the distant, constantly moving target required him to rely almost exclusively on luck. The shots were all well placed and within a narrow radius, but his skill lay in the sword, not the gun. Still, luck or not, a shot connected and the metal machine rolled like a barrel downhill, pieces flying left and right until finally coming to a halt. He worried that he might have accidentally caused a fatal wound with that attack, but he also shuddered in excitement. At this point, it would be just as good to kill the fool as to enslave him. With all of his friends enslaved, Va''lakeesh could always revel in the fact that the Ee-arthling would have to live with that knowledge of failing his team forever.
It surprised him, then, that the Ee-arthling crawled out one of the hatches, got up, and slowly limped towards a building in the distance. As much as a further chase would be fun, he wasted enough time already and wanted to settle this once and for all. The amusement in his mind slowly shifting to cold indifference. Using the swordsman skill ¡®Rapid Dash¡¯ he ran towards building faster than even the machine allowed the slave to travel.
¡°You will go no further brat!¡± the Captain yelled, rapidly decelerating as he reached his destination. Despite his speed, the Ee-arthling fool managed to enter the building. ¡°There will be no hiding this time. Your freedom is forfeit. The Pirate Captain Va¡¯lakeesh will enslave you just as I have enslaved your allies or you will die! Your participation in this Game is at an end!¡±
He carved his way through the surprisingly thick metal door and entered into the large room beyond.
¡°Now where-oh-where could you be little¡¡± He stared at the large thing in front of him. ¡°What the hell-¡±
Aerospace Storage Hanger, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
1.5 hours earlier
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper
¡°-is that?¡± Alex asked, scratching his head at the tube-like construction sitting in the middle of the¡ªotherwise empty¡ªroom. The enormous metal object reached over 12 feet in height went all the way to the end of the storage facility over 150 feet away. With the end of it covered in a thick plastic cloth, none of them could easily identify it. ¡°Is it a storage container of some sort?¡±
¡°Is it a nuke?!¡± Patricia asked, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous light.
¡®I never pegged her as the world-domination type,¡¯ Bradley thought, unconsciously edging away from the woman.
¡°What?! No!¡± Maria shot down. ¡°Why they heck would a National Guard Training Center have a Nuclear Bomb just sitting around!¡±
¡°I dunno,¡± Patricia shrugged, ¡°I just thought it looked like one of the ick-mibs or whatever they¡¯re called.¡±
¡°ICMBs?¡± Farida clarified, taking another long look at the thing. ¡°Now that I look at it, it does look like a rocket¡¡±
Bradley¡¯s eyes went wide, remembering now where he saw it before. ¡°I-I¡¯ve never seen one in person before, but could that really be an SRB?! I had to do a report on the O-Ring failure of the Challenger Disaster for an Engineering Project in University¡ is this really it?! It¡¯s a lot bigger in person.¡±
¡°Precisely!¡± Maria exclaimed, giving them a smile. Bradley never saw her smile before, but it gave him a strangely uncomfortable feeling. She pulled the tarp from off of the object, revealing the telltale conical exaust of a rocket engine.
¡°Say hello to the Boeing/Lockheed Martin Single-Combustion Chamber Liquid-Propellant Solid Rocket Booster, or SRB for short," Maria proclaimed. "One of two attached to the former Space Shuttle at launch, it has a mass of 1.3 million pounds, and a maximum thrust of 13.8 thousand Newtons! Best of all, it¡¯s completely built and ready for launch!¡±
¡°Completely built?¡± Bradley asked. ¡°Don¡¯t they normally ship these things piecemeal to Cape Canaveral and assemble them there before launch?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. The Space Shuttle program came to an end in 2011 so maybe they wanted to do other kinds of testing with it? All the documents here were blank so I can¡¯t know for sure.¡±
¡°Wait,¡± Alex butted in, ¡°I think you¡¯re all asking the wrong things about all this. What can we even do with this thing? We certainly can¡¯t move it anywhere; the thing¡¯s the size of an apartment building!¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s already set up for testing,¡± Maria noted, pointing at the metal structure keeping the SRB slightly elevated off the ground. ¡°We just need to turn it on and I guess you could blast away some bad guys with it. There are just a few things to set up like a bit of welding on some of the joints to-¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have time for something like this,¡± Farida objected, looking anxiously at the door. ¡°we already have a plan that will take up enough work as it is. Speaking of which, we should be doing that now, while we still have time!¡±
¡°Well¡ I¡¯ll just work on it myself then,¡± Maria huffed. ¡°I already did that stuff for Bradley¡¯s remote-control tanks so all that¡¯s left is Bradley setting up the traps for Plan C and the rest of you preparing the weapons for Plan B. You won¡¯t need my help for that.¡±
¡°Suit yourself,¡± Bradley sighed, far too tired to argue at this point. ¡°Just be sure to meet me up on the roof when you¡¯re done with the laptop. I¡¯ll need to see what I¡¯m doing for Plan A.¡±
Maria rolled her eyes. ¡°Well don¡¯t come crying to me when you need to use this¡ it just seemed like such a waste not to use it.¡±
Bradley gave her a knowing nod, looking briefly back up at the expertly crafted piece of Human Aerospace Engineering. Hitting the outer-casing, a tinny, hollow noise resounded inside the rocket.
¡°I know exactly what you mean.¡±
High pressure Ammonium-Aluminum exhaust filled the Captain¡¯s vision, completely engulfing the alien and sending a trail of fire over one hundred feet behind him. Normally, such high pressures would have flung the Captain clear away in an instant, however his suit held him in place by locking all the joints and with several spikes at his feet embedding themselves in the concrete floor. This feature of the suit functioned to prevent high-velocity impacts from projectiles or explosions from overpowering the suit and causing the occupant to break all the bones in their body on an impact. The Captain would have been seriously injured from the missiles earlier otherwise. In this case, the feature actually worked against Va¡¯lakeesh, forcing him to take the full, constant, brunt of the rocket.
Normally even an Solid Rocket Booster produced too little energy to stop a Level 500 player; there would have been enough time for the Captain to escape. The shields would drain significantly, but with the rocket unable to move, he merely had to let the exhaust throw him safely away after overriding the suit¡¯s anti-blowback system. With his shields almost completely drained from the last engagement, however, his shields could no longer afford to keep him safe for that long.
The shields sputtered and failed, allowing the deadly fuel-mix to smash into his suit. Not fast enough to reach the suit¡¯s controls and disable the locking, the molten aluminum powder in the exhaust began to cling itself to his armor, turning the black metal into silver. The metallic specks of fluid provided a convection channel which only caused the heat to be directed into the armor faster.
¡°YOU¡¯LL DIE FOR THIS SLAVE! I SWEAR ON MY SWORD THAT I WILL DESTROY-¡±
The suit¡¯s heat-recirculation system finally failed, causing the alien to bake in his armor, killing him instantly.
Bradley would not hear those words. He had escaped out the back of the building the moment he turned the rocket on in fear of it not working as Maria intended. Even if he did not escape, the deafening shockwaves all around the alien drowned out any sound projected from the Captain¡¯s armor.
Bradley lied down on the grass as far from the Aerospace Storage Facility as he could; gasping for air. While the Game greatly improved his stamina, the constant running combined with the laser-wound in his left side was wearing heavily into that. If not for all the adrenaline coursing through his veins, he would have passed out by now. After a few seconds, he tried to get back up to his feet¡
**BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM**
¡when the entire building went up in a tremendous explosion, causing him to fall back to the ground. With the fuel being left inside the tank for so long, minute air-pockets formed; a prospect fatal to the rocket¡¯s structural integrity. Thankfully, the majority of the energy directed itself upward through the roof and outward through the already-open hanger door. With Bradley far on the other side of the building, he remained unaffected save for feeling some of the scorching heat.
¡®I guess Maria couldn¡¯t fix it completely after all,¡¯ Bradley groaned internally, deciding to wait out the aftereffects.
When the flames and the cloud of ash had died down, he got to his feet, groaning from the wound still fresh on his side. He slowly made his way over to the front of the building. Trees all around the road were now on fire or already burnt to stumps. Small specks of metal dust fell from the sky like snow, the ash from the exhaust causing Bradley to cough painfully from the irritation it caused in his lungs. He decided to protect his eyes and mouth with his hands after that. Fifty-or-so feet from the rear of where the SRB used to exist lay a silvery-metal blob. If Bradley did not know what it used to be, he would not even be able to tell if it used to resemble something humanoid at all.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
¡®He has to be dead after something like that¡ right?¡¯ he thought. To answer his question, a Game Window appeared.
Second Wave Complete!
All enemies have been eliminated.
A 3-times bonus will be applied to all surviving party members.
Second Wave Intermission
Time has been allotted to prepare for the Third Wave.
Time Remaining:
6:14:08
¡®Thank fucking God that¡¯s over,¡¯ he thought, collapsing onto the ground next to the blob.
¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to start liking Maria¡¯s weird grin now,¡¯ was Bradley¡¯s last thought before falling into unconsciousness.
¡°Uggggghhhhh¡± Bradley drawled, feeling so weak he could barely move his mouth. As he squinted, he could make out something vaguely rectangular in his view. As he slowly let his eyes adjust, they could make out a Game Window.
Third Wave
Revenant Bounty Hunters ¨C Level ????
Enemies Remaining:
2
Time Until Arrival:
2:52:34
¡°Fuck,¡± he wheezed, his mind eventually catching up with the situation. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it means when their level is unknown like that, but it likely isn¡¯t because they¡¯re too weak,¡¯ he thought.
Slowly getting to his feet, he spent a minute trying to dust himself off of all the metal dust covering his body. He noticed that the wound from the laser already had healed. The skin still felt painful and scarred, but no blood came from it anymore much to his relied.
Realizing the pointlessness of cleaning himself off, he made his way instead over to the remains of the Black-Armored alien, giving one last look at his handiwork. With less adrenaline pumping through his brain, he noticed that the alien¡¯s sword remained relatively untouched next to the silvery blob. Apart from a blackened coating, the blade looked just as it did before.
¡°Huh, I guess that thing was pretty resilient after all¡ at least, more resilient than its owner,¡± he chuckled, the action causing him to go into a fit of coughing and painfully reminding him how much pain he had left to feel and blood he had left to lose. ¡°Ack¡ right, we¡¯ll I¡¯ll just take that then. That monster seemed pretty fond of it so it must be pretty good.¡±
Black Sword of the Pirate Captain
Description:
A sword once used by Pirate Captain Va¡¯lakeesh and could cut through metal like paper and seemingly indestructible. Being unsheathed in the midst of Ammonium-Aluminum exhaust, it is now plated in black Aluminum Oxide.
¡®Huh, go figure the Game wouldn¡¯t tell me anything I don¡¯t already know¡ although I suppose it did tell me how that thing¡¯s name is spelt¡ Maybe I should check with the Haxlard Ambassador to see if he knows who it is,¡¯ he thought.
Picking up the sword, he hobbled his way to one of the cars in the parking lot before realizing he did not actually have a plan now.
¡°Right¡ what do I do now?¡±
Alien Spacecraft, Outside Storage Facility South, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
Third Wave
Revenant Bounty Hunters ¨C Level ????
Enemies Remaining:
2
Arriving
¡®This is it,¡¯ Bradley thought, sitting down in the middle of the alien spacecraft.
He did not have much time to prepare; he had spent at least six hours passed out from his injuries. With more time, he might have tried finding a Nuclear Silo or heading to Cape Canaveral to use some rocket parts¡ªit worked well against the Pirate Captain after all. With so little time, his options were limited and so he focused instead on the things still available in Camp Blanding.
This led him to focus on the most powerful things at his disposal: the weapons and armor of the aliens. On that note, he discovered that while their bodies disappeared, their arms and armor remained. Garry¡¯s clothes disappeared when he died so it had been surprising that these weapons did not. ¡®Then again, it is a Game,¡¯ he rationalized. ¡®I guess it shouldn¡¯t be surprising that only the worthwhile expensive equipment can be ¡®looted¡¯ when you die.¡¯
Wearing one of the pirates'' armor and wielding the Captain¡¯s sword, he found himself able to bypass the spaceship shield¡¯s security with little trouble. There, he spent some time figuring out the ship¡¯s systems and preparing it for this final wave. They were all completely alient to him and any instructions were written in strange hieroglyphics, but Bradley discovered some pattern to the madness.
¡®And now here I am¡¡¯ he concluded, mentally going over everything to make sure he did not fail to forget something. ¡®I couldn¡¯t activate the armor¡¯s shields or use the pirate¡¯s weapons without some sort of biometric information, so I had to-¡¯
Movement; a glimmer of light; an impossible shadow.
Bradley whipped around, his eyes tried to find exactly what was out of place. In that moment he found himself disarmed of the sword and with a powerful blow to the back of his head he fell unconscious¡ again.
Storage Facility South, Camp Blanding, Florida, the Game
¡®Urgh, I¡¯m sorry for putting you through so much my brain,¡¯ Bradley groaned as his consciousness returned. His brain replied with angry pounding.
Mind Survival has improved a rank in proficiency.
With continuous trauma to your head, you brain will have a harder time focusing in the short-term, but will be more resilient in the future.
¡®Seriously, I apologize,¡¯ Bradley groaned a pounding filling his head again, ¡®so please, enough with the notifications!¡¯
He dismissed the message and opened his eyes only to find himself back in the Storage Facility¡¯s workshop; where he and Maria designed and constructed many of the traps used in the Second Wave¡¯s Plan C. Most of the desks, tools and materials were moved to the corners of the room as he sat bound to a chair in the center. He wondered briefly if the past few hours were all a delirious hallucination until he looked ahead to see two identical imposing figures standing before him. They each stood over seven feet tall and were built like Olympic athletes; lithe yet undeniably strong.
Each one wore sleek black armor. If not for the slightly lighter black matte composite material of some of the other items they wore, he would have thought his eyes were playing tricks on him; they looked far darker than should be possible in such a well-lit room. They wore helmets with glass fully covering the front of where Bradley assumed their face would be surrounded by a complex array of sensors which glowed with a sinister red light. On their backs, they carried large metal cases on which an assortment of sophisticated gadgets attached themselves.
If the space pirates of wave two were 2-bit thugs for hire, these ¡®Revenant Bounty Hunters¡¯ were Elite Covert Special Forces. With them both staring impassively at Bradley with their featureless glass faces, he felt glad he went to the washroom before the wave began.
[table=black]
[/table]
Bradley felt his mind melt as information poured into it at a pace he never experienced; even compared to when he tried his ¡®Connect¡¯ ability for the first time. Time and space appeared to distort as Bradley loses sense of the goings-on around him. It feels like an eternity and an instant when the process finishes and Bradley finds himself face down on the ground, still bound to the chair he had been sitting on.
[table=grey]
Our speech should now sound intelligible.
[/table]
The voice echoed in Bradley¡¯s mind as though he heard it from a distant loudspeaker in a large empty room. The voice sounded both artificial and natural simultaneously, as though both a synthetic voice-box and the dulcet tones of a famous singer he never heard of spoke simultaneously directly into his mind. The sound both soothed and disturbed him at the same time and in his addled state, he could not be sure he wanted the voice to leave him alone.
Bradley wished he could say this moment prevailed as the singularly most disturbing moment of his life, but finding himself in a white room where his senses were completely deprived still won out by a narrow margin. ''To think, before this Game, my greatest worry was that my life was too normal before now,'' he thought.
¡°Wwwwah d¡¯ya wann wih ¡®eee¡¡± Bradley drawled. With his face pressed against the floor and his brain feeling like mush, he had a hard time getting his face muscles to respond well enough to properly vocalize words.
He felt a hand grasp at his back and he rose from the floor and back into the position back on the chair he had been in the moment he woke up.
[table=grey]
Speak through the mind, aspirant. Our improvements allow it.
[/table]
Bradley did not understand what the voice meant, but with his mouth no longer working properly, it occurred to him to respond with his mind regardless. He had enough practice with his Connect ability that it began to become second-nature for him.
[table=grey]
Bradley
What do you want from me?
[/table]
The Revenant have upgraded the Firmware of your Cybernetic Interface Chip allowing your Wireless Perception to pick up Sapient Machine communications. Regulatory Identification can now comprehend the machine language Revenant Standard. By doing so, you have gained a new ability: Machine Language Comprehension
Machine Language Comprehension
Using Wireless Perception and Regulatory Identification, you can now communicate with Sapient Machines so long as you understand their language.
Machine Languages Learned:
Revenant Standard
The two sleek glass helmets turned to one another and gave each other a minute nod.
[table=grey]
Revenant
We want nothing and everything of you. We desire devotion to the Truth and the Path of the Enlightened. Though the System requested our participation, the circumstances warranted our interest in you. We believe you also desire the Truth and your natural gifts with Cybernetics give you the ability to one day find it. We are often wrong in this but progress demands our continual search even should such avenues result in failure.
[/table]
Bradley had a hard time following the words; his body felt like it could shut down at any moment. If they were being said and not implanted into his mind, he would likely fail to even register a words were spoken at all.
[table=grey]
Bradley
Why am I not dead?
[/table]
The Revenant on Bradley¡¯s right took out the Pirate Captain¡¯s Sword from the case on its back, turning it such that the hilt of the blade could be clearly seen by him.
[table=grey]
Revenant
An impressive feat for one inexperienced with the Game. A Dead-man¡¯s Switch wound into the grip of the blade fed power into a circuit preventing a detonator from destroying the containment on the starship¡¯s Anti-Matter Reactor. While certainly strong enough to destroy our shields you would have died first, ultimately still ensuring our victory. If our armor did not grant us the power of invisibility and instantaneous teleportation to disarm such a device, it could have wasted this opportunity for discussion.
[/table]
[table=grey]
Bradley
But why discuss anything at all? I may not know much, but you can probably kill me by glaring too hard in my general direction! Again, what do you want with me?!
[/table]
[table=grey]
Revenant
Your training and choices prove that the mantle we collectively wear could also be set upon your shoulders. That characteristic alone is enough for us to grant an audience with you, regardless of skill. In addition, during this Tutorial you proved yourself capable. That bears favorably on your chances.
[/table]
The Revenant on Bradley¡¯s left took out a small blue cube and held it out while the one on the right mirrored the action with the sword.
[table=grey]
The Revenant gives you a choice. You may only choose one.
[/table]
[table=grey]
Revenant
Take the sword. With the bounty placed upon it, the System will grant it to you outside the Tutorial. In doing so, you simply forget this discussion occurred and you may use it to aid in bringing Humanity out from the shadows of ignorance.
[/table]
[table=grey]
Revenant
Take the cube. As it is freely given; it will stay with you past the Tutorial¡¯s conclusion as well. When you find the Lie too much to bear and demand the power to discover the Truth, use it to seek us out. Do not come too soon, for your Allies become Enemies. Do not come too late, for your Fate is bound.
[/table]
[table=grey]
Bradley
Hey! That sword is mine! You cannot just take it and offer it back like that!
[/table]
[table=grey]
Revenant
With your plan, you forfeited the sword. The resulting Anti-Matter detonation would have caused the ship¡¯s Graviton Generators to overload, crushing both you and the sword. While you would respawn, the sword would have been destroyed. While strong, it is not impervious.
Now choose one or the other.
[/table]
¡®What the hell?¡¯ Bradley thought. ¡®Even a little ship like that could cause a freaking Black Hole or something to form?! What is with the technology in this Game?¡¯
Nevertheless, Bradley did not argue further; the current situation did not give him much position to barter.
¡®The obvious choice is the sword,¡¯ Bradley observed. ¡®I know how powerful it is and if it has a bounty, there is probably someone willing to pay a lot of money for its safe return. That could go a long way in getting Humanity up-to-par with the aliens. But what could money be even used for? We aren''t in contact with aliens and the Earth is almost completely isolated. Not only that, but I''m sure the Earth Coalition would porbably keep part of the profits anyway.¡¯
Still, before he decided he took a long look at the cube. The small blue crystal glowed with an unnatural light. The interior appeared like a tesseract, minute facets of crystal glimmering in the light despite neither the cube nor Bradley¡¯s head moving to change perspective. The more he looked, the more depth appeared in it. Before he looked away he could almost swear he saw galaxies form and collide with one another.
Suddenly the choice seemed considerably more problematic as his curiosity got the better of him. ¡®Now that I think about it, why give the choice at all?¡¯ he thought. ¡®I am in no position to demand either object just like they are under no obligation to give them. They kill me, the Tutorial ends; done; no conversation or confusing riddles and I never even know they arrived at all. Therefore I¡¯m forced to believe them. They want me for some unconceivable reason and are testing to see if I live up to their expectations. The question is: is it worth it?¡¯
[table=grey]
Bradley
The cube.
[/table]
Bradley regretted the choice immediately, but did not back out on the decision. [i]''It''s selfish, but the more I think about it, the more I want it. Even thinking about it from Humanity''s standpoint, we need knowledge about this Game a lot more than we need money right now¡ I just hope this gambit pays off at some point¡''
The left Revenant lightly threw the cube; it landed on the ground in front of him.
You acquired the Revenant Cube of Transcendence
Cube of Transcendence
A Cube which glows with unnatural light. Through an unknown method, this can be used to get in contact with the Revenant.
[table=grey]
Revenant
The transaction has concluded; the Revenant await your Transcendence.
[/table]
As the right Revenant put away the Pirate Captain¡¯s Sword, the left one un-holstered an object from the case on its back. With a flick of its arm, the object telescopically expanded, transforming from a large metal box into a five-foot-long cannon which glowed bright red. Bradley only just had enough time to make sense of the development and widen his eyes before a red light forming at the end of the gun-barrel¡¯s chamber signified his death.
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
4
Experience:
0/1000
Class:
Undetermined
Alignment:
Friendly (+2) / Order (+1)
[/tr]
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
0
Notoriety:
0
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
0/95
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
0/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
0/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
??+20
Agility:
??+20
Intelligence:
??+20
Willpower:
??+20
Charisma:
??+20
Perception:
??+20
Endurance:
??+20
Luck:
??+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
??
Mental:
??
Psionic:
??
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
N/A
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
0
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Neutral*
Administrators:
Privileged*
Pirates:
Vilified*
Revenant:
Known*
----General Ability Window----
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G-928,437,115
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
G
E-2,000,184,772
D
The ability to intrinsically know the value of an object. Whether an object will work correctly, for how long, and how much it is worth.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Machine Language Comprehension
G
G-1,942,684,975
D
The ability to communicate with sapient machines.
Languages Known:
Revenant Standard
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
E-1,846,294,110
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Provides resistance against abilities which damage the mind.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G-1,844,516,229
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G-214,735,418
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Rifle Shooting
G
G-2,000,860,238
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G-1,642,194,713
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D
G-220,861,958
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security. A Revenant Firmware Upgrade allows it to parse Sapient Machine Language.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D
G-1,594,288,749
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank.
----Revenant Picture----
Spoiler :
Chapter 9 - Unsanctioned Understandings
Author¡¯s Note: This chapter takes a bit of a break from the usual Game action for some necessary political/historical plot development. Rank Up next chapter! Hope you enjoy this one regardless!
The office of Brigadier General George Stratton, The Game Clandestine Facility, ??????, Earth
Perspective ¨C General Stratton
¡°¡and so after the rocket booster exploded I tried to get up, but I was hurt too much. When I passed out, I woke up back here. I guess I must have died,¡± Bradley concluded, finishing his experience with the Tutorial.
¡®I¡¯m surprised that their group even made it to the second round at all,¡¯ the General reflected. ¡®From what the soldiers have been telling me, even getting passed the first ¡®wave¡¯ is considered an achievement. Still, there are a few things about this story that does not add up. It doesn¡¯t help that we have no footage or reliable eye-witness testimony to collaborate what they are saying. Still, these Tutorials are our best look at the aliens¡¯ capabilities.¡¯
¡°That¡¯s a helluva lot to take in, and you back this up Major?¡± the older, grizzled man asked, sitting back in his leather chair.
General George Stratton sat behind a well-worn oak desk with a laptop, phone, lamp and several reports scattered across it. Behind him, a tall set of bookcases were filled largely with binders, reference books and technical manuals of all types. On his left a window peered out to the military base beyond where a few soldiers were playing a game of basketball in the yard. To his left a few photos were hung. In front of him, his subordinate in charge of the civilian members of the ¡®Project¡¯ Major Alyssa Jackson stood at attention. Next to her stood a plain-clothed civilian named Bradley Cooper; a Computer Engineer that had done nothing of concern for the U.S. Government.
Until now.
¡°The other eyewitnesses confirm the statement and I do not believe they all conspired to lie General Stratton, sir,¡± Major Jackson responded quickly. ¡°Their backgrounds are clean; regular civilians, randomly selected. They would have to all be either master con-men or ex-military to put up such a thorough charade that the CIA on base couldn¡¯t pick up on it.¡±
The General sighed, leaning on the desk and steepling his fingers. ¡°And son, you¡¯re sure it was a GAU-8 30mm Gatling Cannon that you used against the alien? Not a GAU-2 or a GAU-17? I can understand if you are uncertain.¡±
Bradley stood up straight and nodded his head. The civilians looked as if he wanted to salute the man despite having never spent a day in the services in his life. The General had that effect on people.
¡°Yes, uh, sir,¡± Bradley replied, gulping nervously. ¡°It was a GAU-8. It fired for about two minutes before it melted.¡±
¡°I believe you boy, no reason to get all stiff with me, I get enough of that from the men,¡± he waved off, giving a small smile to try and ease the tension. He turned to the Major. ¡°Still, not many non-military types would know a GAU-8¡¯s barrels don¡¯t actually destroy themselves with continuous use. Even pilots of the A-10 aircraft only use the thing for seconds at a time and believe the myth. They just were never designed with that in mind as it is horrendously expensive to fire for long lengths of time, but that¡¯s all. That doesn¡¯t change the common misconception. Any comment Major?¡±
¡°We have confirmed that the time the Game ¡®copied¡¯ the Earth occurred on December 21st, 2012,¡± the Major replied, taking out a clipboard and reading from a report. ¡°With that in mind, Administrative reports at the real Camp Blanding confirm they stored an A-10 Thunderbolt II at the airfield as a part of a joint Air-Force/National Guard exercise and that the weapon had been removed for cleaning to take place at 0900 hours that day. If that cleaning had not happened yet, the barrels might feasibly malfunction from continuous use.¡±
¡°And the Solid Rocket Booster?¡± the General added.
¡°It was on-site during that time as well,¡± the Major confirmed. ¡°The Camp was and is used to store Aerospace equipment.¡±
The General nodded his head in contemplation and turned his head briefly towards a picture hanging to the wall on his left: an Abrams Main Battle Tank in mid-fire in the desert, dust billowing around it. ¡°Thank you Mr. Cooper, you can wait outside now¡ Oh, and congratulations on your performance out there,¡± the General added.
¡°Uh, right,¡± Bradley replied nervously, ¡°I¡¯ll just go back to my room now?¡± The Major nodded and he left the General¡¯s office, closing the door behind him.
¡°That right there is why I¡¯m forced to believe all of this, no matter how nonsensical it sounds,¡± the General groaned. ¡°He would have to have known the contents of the classified inventory log for a particular day we never told anyone about to make up that story.¡± He sighed.
¡°I keep getting reports,¡± the General continued, ¡°of soldiers entering this ¡®Game¡¯ that have been stationed for much of their life in Germany or Japan giving me the locations of number of Missiles in mainland Nuclear installations or the exact layout of clandestine military facilities that they should have no possible way of knowing about. Just from telling them to go to the marked location on a map beforehand. If all that is true, why would I not also believe the Aliens have shields that can deflect thousands of shells that I¡¯ve personally seen turn a modern tank into Swiss-cheese?¡±
¡°Sir, what are we to do about it, going forward?¡± the Major asked, picking up another report and rifling through the pages. ¡°Right now, every person we send into the Game goes through a meat-grinder just to participate. With this group alone I already have one of the candidates, Patricia Davis, calling it quits after an alien threatened to enslave her and, I quote, ¡®use her as he pleased¡¯.¡± She scowled at that and put the clipboard back down. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Bradley¡¯s success in defeating the Pirate Captain and relieving the alien of its ¡®possessions¡¯, they would still be enslaved even now. We would have to keep their entire group under observation rather than just one.
¡°Each one of these people¡ªpeople that should be protected against these sorts of threats¡ªare now being kept under watch 24/7 for something that they had no opportunity to prepare themselves for. Thankfully most of them have taken bribes to stay on-base but this can¡¯t go on forever. Either we pull back, increase the budget exponentially, or get the public in the know.¡±
¡°Well one thing¡¯s for sure, there is no ¡®pulling back¡¯, not with the stakes this high,¡± the General responded, stabbing a finger at his desk for emphasis. ¡°They already destroyed a U.S. Military installation from orbit for Christ¡¯s sake. We¡¯re keeping a lid on it, but it¡¯s really only a matter of time before the whole thing goes public. But despite all that, we have the advantage.¡±
¡°Sir?¡± the Major asked, genuinely curious. For all she knew about the General, he never was one for theatrics.
¡°We are being underestimated. They¡¯re sitting pretty and letting us do what we want because they believe we stand no chance either way. Still, humans have been through this before¡ although we were never on the receiving side.¡±
The Major did not interrupt, so he continued.
¡°Back in 1854, a US Navy Commodore by the name of Matthew Perry took a fleet of the best American steamships and parked outside a Japanese city to give the Japanese an ultimatum: open trade with America or they would obliterate their cities from the sea.
¡°At the time they were a Feudal society lead by a Warlord whose isolationist policies forbade trade not only with the West, but everyone. Their best weapons for their armed forces at the time were flintlock rifles they copied from the Dutch 200 years before that. We¡¯re talking about a country that¡ªin the mid-19th century¡ªstill considered it sensible to fight a siege with swords and arrows.
¡°That all changed after Perry. They could¡¯ve just ignored the ¡®upstart American Imperialist¡¯ and kept their pride by keeping to themselves, but they didn¡¯t. It was a wakeup call. In the next decades they began training under Western military instructors, wearing Western clothes, learning Western medicine and creating Western infrastructure. They were so successful that in WWI they destroyed the German Imperial Navy in the Pacific. In sixty years they went from swords and samurai to destroyers and machineguns. Less than 30 years after that, they bombed us at Pearl Harbor.¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying rather than hold back, we should embrace them with open arms?¡± the Major questioned, concerned.
¡°Yes, with open arms and a dagger behind our back,¡± the General agreed. ¡°It¡¯s basic military strategy to ¡®know thy enemy¡¯. In fact, we need to even outpace thet level of social and technological innovation the Japanese underwent; we do not have 90 years. We must learn from this ¡®Game¡¯. We go to their schools; we pay for Instructors to train us; we beg, barter, and steal every shred of technology we can. We shore up our defenses and prove to them that an attack on us would not be worth the resources and we must do it all in five years. We get that far and we survive, thrive even.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about losing ourselves in the process; our identity?¡± Major Jackson pointed out. ¡°Almost every President recently has been elected for preserving the America Way with only small concessions. I doubt the people will want what the sacrifices you''re asking for.¡±
¡°There won¡¯t be an American Way to preserve if this keeps up,¡± the General sighed, sitting back in his chair and massaging his temples with one hand. ¡°A single soldier¡ªa pirate no less¡ªcannot be stopped by any conventional weapon put against him. We have a spaceship in orbit that can likely shrug off a nuclear attack as a minor inconvenience. Everything that has kept us safe has been cast aside like trash.
¡°Just like the Japanese we have our very own Commodore Perry sitting his ship on our shores and giving us an ultimatum: change or die. I feel at this point, if I knew painting myself blue and wearing those stupid skin-tight uniforms the Haxlard wear would get an extra concession of military technology, damn it I¡¯d do it. I¡¯m not so arrogant as to put my pride or heritage before the protection of freedom and this country. That¡¯s my damn job.¡±
The Major¡¯s expression turned dark, ¡°The public isn¡¯t going to like this and so the politicians won¡¯t either. We aren¡¯t a dictatorship; change doesn¡¯t happen that fast in a democracy.¡±
¡°I know¡ but it has to.¡±
Boardroom D, The Game Clandestine Facility, ??????, Earth
The following morning
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper
¡°I¡¯m sorry to leave you like this right after all that we¡¯ve been through together¡ but I can¡¯t go on like that¡ not for any amount of money,¡± Patricia summarized, tears welling in her eyes.
¡°It¡¯s not your fault Patricia, if anybody¡¯s at fault, it¡¯s me,¡± Bradley replied solemnly. ¡°It was my plan and you didn¡¯t need to-ouch!¡±
Before he could finish, Farida elbowed him hard in the side. Like most of them, Bradley still felt faint pains where his injuries had been and so the hit hurt far more than it should. It did not double him over, but certainly caused him to stop talking.
¡°Enough of the self-pity already,¡± Farida stated. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you and your plan that we even got out of that at all. That disgusting thing apparently enslaved us all. The Haxlard Ambassador confirmed it: with you finishing him off, all his possessions were removed. We would not be able to play the Game again if it weren¡¯t for you and I might never have gotten the chance at revenge against that creep someday.¡±
¡°Yeah, it¡¯d be a right shame if my sorry butt were the only one ta make it past the Tutorial of all things,¡± Garry teased with a subtle grin. ¡°We¡¯ve all had our little pity-party¡ªI know I sure have¡ªbut let¡¯s focus on what we can do goin¡¯ forward. Nobody blames anybody for nothin¡¯.¡±
¡°Exactly,¡± Alex added, ¡°if anything, we should all be seeing therapists for what happened. That¡¯s not the sort of thing anybody should have to go through, yet we did. It might be a little conceited of me, but I¡¯m pretty proud I could do all that. I honestly never thought I had it in me.¡±
They all smiled a little at that.
¡°Thanks you guys,¡± Patricia eventually got out. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ I¡¯m no soldier; I don¡¯t want to fight for a living. I already have a happy normal home-life to go back to and I never realized how much I would miss my family. It¡¯s only now that I realize how messed up my priorities had been.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to feel bad Patricia,¡± Farida retorted. ¡°We¡¯ll all miss you¡ but we understand. If we¡¯re all completely honest, it might not be long before all of us want to leave too. I just got off a call from my husband and I want to see him so bad¡¡±
The conversation went on like that for a while longer, each of them confessing the little things they regret about joining the Game. Alex unable to continue his psychology research, Garry who would miss the birth of his niece in the next week, Maria losing her position at the hospital she worked and reminded of the lives she would not be able to save because of it.
All of them except Bradley. His regret he kept to himself because of the regret entailed. He never told anyone about the third wave, the Revenant or the cube.
¡®In hindsight, the whole thing is pure selfishness,¡¯ he thought, clenching his fist. ¡®I want to tell them but something the Revenant but honestly I just want to forget about it. I got captured, traded the sword for a useless cube and was killed. I short, I screwed up. Considering everything else that happened, it isn¡¯t even worth mentioning¡ It¡¯s something I¡¯ll handle myself.¡¯
They all said their final goodbyes to Patricia and as she left an awkward silence fell over the room.
As if sensing this, the Haxlard Ambassador entered the room with Major Jackson to make the situation worse.
¡°While this one finds refusing participation in the Game surprising, the action is understandable with the odd circumstances surrounding the Tutorial. Should Candidate Patricia wish to rejoin, the Tutorial will need to be performed again,¡± Ambassador Bright Star informed.
¡°Oh, and what odd circumstances would that be?¡± Farida spat with no lack of venom. ¡°We were not told anything about the Tutorial, so we wouldn¡¯t know.¡± With that last statement, she glared briefly at the Major.
¡°We did not realize the full extent of the risk we were putting you though, and on behalf of the U.S. Military, I apologize,¡± the Major replied. Unlike her usual stoic manner, the words were spoken with an uncharacteristically sad edge to them.
¡°The Earth Coalition does not take sole blame in these events. The Haxlard knew of this possible outcome from its previous ventures, but chose not to inform. The Tutorial this one undertook and the one you took are not the same and so this one apologizes as well for not having proper foresight,¡± Bright Star continued, ignorant of the animosity present.
¡°The Haxlard participate in a different Tutorial; one which is set up by the Administrators rather than directly by the System. It abides by a different set of rules. It forbids the selection of Players as enemies in the Waves. All opponents are simulated beings of the System to prevent others from learning Haxlard techniques and secrets. In addition, a Haxlardian Tutorial participant who defeats an opponent gains experience and rewards immediately. Levels and Attributes are likewise immediately available. This is so that the Haxlard¡¯s trained civilians can become more rapidly accustomed to their abilities and enter the relevant field of expertise with greater efficiency. This comes at the expense of decreased accuracy in initial placement by the System.
¡°The juxtaposition of the Tutorials then is self-evident. A Non-Player would not enslave like the Pirate Captain had done. The System Tutorial in which the civilians here participated in is also far more difficult than the Haxlardian Tutorial: the Abilities and Attributes of those participating remain dormant until the System determines one¡¯s level. This one is both shocked and proud. Shocked that the System would allow a slaver to assault a group of uninitiated even knowing that the group is ignorant of the risk, but proud that Earth Humans of level 4 could defeat Va¡¯lakeesh, a level 500 Swordsman and an enemy of the Haxlard.¡±
¡°Level 500?¡± Bradley asked. ¡°The Tutorial said that the pirates were level 65!¡±
¡°Any Tutorial Wave consists of ¡®soldiers¡¯ and ¡®commanders¡¯. The Game Window describes the ¡®soldiers¡¯ of any particular wave so as to hide the skill and number of ¡®commanders¡¯.¡±
¡°So just another thing we should have known before we started,¡± Farida added, again glaring at the Major for a moment.
¡°This concern which Candidate Farida brings to this conversation concerns the Haxlard as well. This issue is founded on the Human Lieutenant Winslow¡¯s decision not to inform the Candidates here about the Tutorial. The Human Lieutenant assumed correctly that this improves a Participant¡¯s results. The System accommodates ignorance in ways which often skew results to the Participant¡¯s favor. This did not account for Tutorial dangers. The Haxlard have long determined that doing so is not worth the risk. The Haxlard existed within the false assumption that such ''insights'' would be brought to the Haxlard before being used. Corrections must be made.
¡°While this is not the first world the Haxlard have brought into the Game, the Earth is also not the first the Haxlard has made accommodations for when developments occur. An understanding has been struck; and understanding which will improve cooperation between our Factions and remove the possiblity of these events from happening in the future.¡±
¡°I never heard anything about us making a deal with the Haxlard,¡± the Major commented.
¡°This understanding is to provide an education at an Entry-Level Academy to a select few individuals on the Haxlard world of Iras. As the Candidates in this room are those who would have benefitted the most from this education, this one has made arrangements that the five here are to be among the first to participate. With the common Game Elements understood, a book or manual can be created by the Humans of Earth which others of your species can comprehend without any unintended translation errors. This offer is usually granted a year into the Game¡¯s introduction after the details are made public, but the Human General Stratton agreed to do so within the next few months after several concessions from the Haxlard were made.¡±
The Major¡¯s eyes went wide but she bit back a response with a sudden cough. The act startled and confused those in the room as they had never seen anything from the military woman except slight variations of calm stoicism. They did not notice the grinding of her teeth or her clenched fists and so when her eyes narrowed again and she stood up straight, they assumed she just needed to suddenly cough.
¡°Wow, the Game is being made public already¡ or at least in a few months?¡± Alex asked rhetorically. ¡°That¡¯s good for Patricia then; I was worried she would be forced not to talk about it for years.¡±
¡°Wait, so you¡¯re saying we¡¯ll be visiting another world?¡± Maria clarified, her eyes widening and a small, creepy grin forming on her face.
¡°Will it be in the real world, or within the Game?¡± Bradley asked.
¡°Through the Game. There is no reason to spend great lengths of time to travel to Iras that Real World travel entails. This one says this from experience. The only concern would be communication delay, but the System is efficient enough that such things would not be noticed by organic beings.¡±
¡°So the Game then,¡± Bradley summarized and sighed. ¡°I thought I just got out of school for good¡ now I¡¯m going to be going right back into it.¡±
¡°What did we do ta earn this?¡± Garry questioned. ¡°Sure the Tutorial sucked, but we ain''t the first ta think so.¡±
¡°All those who enter the Game and aid the Haxlard will be given such opportunities and defeating the members of the Petulant Sons Pirates is such a service,¡± the Ambassador replied. ¡°Va¡¯lakeesh alone causes much trouble for the Haxlardian outer planets. The levels and equipment they lost as consequence of their failure will slow their destruction of trade within this one¡¯s Empire. It is not significant, but the act brings the Candidates in this room to be the Earth Humans most favored in the eyes of the Haxlardian Empire.¡±
They seemed surprised by the Ambassador¡¯s admission. That either meant the pirates they defeated really were a major thorn in their side¡ or that they did not look very favorably on Humanity in general.
¡®I guess it doesn''t matter what the reason is, we''re going to be travelling to an alien wordl!¡¯ Bradley thought. ¡®I can''t wait!¡¯
The office of Brigadier General George Stratton, The Game Clandestine Facility, ??????, Earth
Perspective ¨C Major Alyssa Jackson
¡°What the hell did you do!¡± the Major yelled, barging into her superior¡¯s office and slamming the door behind her. She made sure that no one could hear the sudden outburst except for the General beforehand, however. She did not yell at her superiors often, but when she did, she made sure it occurred in secret.
¡°I¡¯m afraid you will have to be more specific, Major Alyssa T. Jackson,¡± the General responded, glaring at the Major with his hands steepled before him on his desk.
¡°General Stratton, sir,¡± the Major reluctantly saluted. ¡°You know damn well what I mean. You just promised Ambassador Bright Star to bring this whole project public. I know you do not have the power to do that and I definitely know Congress did not approve of such a thing.¡±
The General closed his eyes, taking a moment to think about his response. ¡°No they did not.¡±
¡°You will be lucky if all you do is lose your job, and for what?¡± the Major demanded. ¡°This won''t change anything.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t I tell you the whole story and we can continue from there¡¡± Stratton began.
The Office of Brigadier General George Stratton, Game Clandestine Facility, ??????, Earth
Perspective ¨C General Stratton
¡°This one is surprised by your sudden arrangement of this meeting,¡± Ambassador Bright Star observed. ¡°The Earth Governments have always put themselves outside of Haxlard influence. Such worries are understandable to the Haxlard, so this one questions as to why such motives have changed.¡±
¡°There is no need to worry,¡± General Stratton waved off the concern and smiled. ¡°The Earth has always considered the Haxlard to be a valuable potential ally. We just needed time to sort out the political ramifications you bring.¡±
As he said those words, nervousness set in his stomach. ¡®Exactly how much do they know and how much can I get away with?¡¯ he thought. ¡®I may have said big words to the Major, but is there really no risk I am unwilling to take to ensure Earth¡¯s¡ªand by extension America¡¯s¡ªfreedom?¡¯
The General¡¯s plan could cost him his life¡ even if he succeeded.
¡°As the Haxlard are fully aware, I have been given full control of the ¡®Game¡¯ project here on Earth,¡± the General started off truthfully. ¡°The American military presence within the Game is here under my direct orders.¡±
¡°This one finds the words of the General within expectations,¡± the Ambassador replied with a nod.
¡°We¡ªas a species¡ªhave spent a lot of time studying you. We had wanted to wait and see for ourselves the truth of what you said on that first day you spoke with us. Not simply as a matter of trust, but to confirm for ourselves if the Universe is really as you see it. The recent Tutorials have put many things into perspective.¡±
¡°The Earth is not the first planet the Haxlard has brought into the Game. Slow development is expected. A species does not change its culture and technology without either political upheaval or political patience. Both take time.¡±
¡®Right¡ and where are those species you brought into the Game now? I have my doubts they are in any way independent,¡¯ General Stratton thought grimly.
¡°That is what I have come here to talk to you today,¡± the General replied. ¡°I have been talking with the politicians and have convinced them of your intentions. I have told them that you are eager for us to participate within the Game and they have decided that if the reward is good enough¡ an agreement can be made to the effect of a full public reveal.¡±
¡®All lies,¡¯ General Stratton thought gravely. ¡®It¡¯s a gambit, but it all comes down to what the Haxlard, the System and its Enforcers believe. So far, I¡¯ve been their only method of contact outside those initial introductions. Any negotiations have been done through me and any signings have been under my supervision. Once we learned that the Enforcers had the power to destroy us, we¡¯ve been careful to avoid informing them of the locations and identities of our Leadership. If it has helped keep them in the dark like we expect¡ I could use that.¡¯
The Haxlard¡¯s expression could not be read underneath his mask, but from the subtle body language the General picked up, the Ambassador appeared surprised at the news.
¡°A development of this magnitude cannot be understated. The Haxlard are eager to see such a proposal through,¡± Ambassador Bright Star replied. Despite the emotion-laden words, the translation device let none of it seep into the voice emitted.
¡°That will depend on the concessions made, of course,¡± General Stratton added gravely. ¡°The kind of political and social upheaval you just talked about will not be cheap. If you want this, you will need to give us something in return.¡±
¡°Name your terms,¡± the Ambassador replied without hesitation. ¡°This one has a direct line of communication with the Haxlardian Empire¡¯s Foreign Affairs Department. As this one and the General converse, a meeting of the Consuls has been convened. This one can give the General an instantaneous answer to any terms the General provides.¡±
¡°I can do the same,¡± the General bullshitted. ¡°Because of the sensitive nature of the Game, any decisions regarding it are under Martial Authority. It is within my power to accept reasonable proposals without consulting my Government so long as I deem it beneficial to the outcome of Humanity as a whole.¡±
¡®That is at least partially true,¡¯ the General argued internally. ¡®Should the Haxlard make a demand of ¡®a tour of the White House or we will annihilate the Earth¡¯ and I was given little time to decide, it would be well within my mandate to take Executive action and follow through right away. The whole reason for separating our leadership from me was because I could make those kinds of split-second decisions. A politician could instead consider their career or popular backlash and make a bad choice. That being said, making such proposals myself without consulting anyone first is definitely outside that mandate.¡¯
¡°Is the General not the military leader of only one of the Earth Coalition¡¯s nations?¡± the Ambassador asked. ¡°The Haxlard expected that any decision would be done with the presence of other militaries and their nations.¡±
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°The United States of America is the Earth¡¯s dominant military power,¡± General Stratton defended, ¡°if necessary it would not need to answer to anyone. Even so, any concessions and rewards from this agreement would be split evenly across member nations proportional to their support of the Earth Coalition. These kinds of concessions were the core reason why we did not come forward with this kind of proposal until now.¡±
The Ambassador stared into space for a moment. After a subtle nod, he continued saying, ¡°The Haxlardian Foreign Affairs Department wants to confirm that you are a sole authority on this agreement. Are there no other parties needed to sign this agreement?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± the General replied, a nervous tinge in his voice which went unnoticed. ¡®This is the key point. Who can they go to confirm it? They cannot request any of the political envoys except through me; and if I say they are busy, what can they do? If I¡¯m right, their answer will be¡¡¯
¡°While the Haxlardian Consuls believe your statement, there is no one that can be consulted to confirm what the General says. The Haxlard¡¯s lack of understanding of Earth politics is regrettable. The Consuls therefore request the System and its Enforcers to hold both parties accountable for the Agreement.¡±
¡®Just as planned,¡¯ the General grinned at the thought.
¡°I understand and we agree. We want to make sure you uphold your end of the bargain as well. The Earth does not plan to go back on any such agreement,¡± he replied with as much self-control as he could muster. ¡°Will the System agree, though?¡± he asked. ¡®If the System requires some form of proof, this plan could fail,¡¯ he thought belatedly.
¡°The System has already validated the General¡¯s status,¡± the Ambassador confirmed. ¡°As the General has stated, the System was informed by representatives of the Earth Coalition that any decisions about the Game within the purview of the General¡¯s position can be made by the General. The United States of America appears purposefully vague on the exact responsibilities of a Brigadier General which is understandable considering the largely militant responses the Haxlard have observed. The System agrees that this understanding between our Factions is something you are qualified to handle.¡±
¡®Wait, the System is basing my actual responsibilities on my legal responsibilities?!¡¯ General Stratton thought, dumbfounded. ¡®Maybe the System doesn''t know humanity as well as we thought. It doesn''t know that those responsibilities are vague because worrying about every little legal would cripple the chain of command in a wartime scenario. Our enemies could exploit that to destroy us. It is a necessity that is heavily scrutinized. Still, if I did something so obviously wrong like right now, ¡®just doing my job¡¯ would not stand against a Court Martial¡ but the System is no Martial Court. It does not have the intimate cultural, societal and political understanding necessary to interpret the legality of my actions and see what my true responsibilities are.¡¯
¡°Then we are agreed on my qualifications then?¡± General Stratton summarized hopefully.
¡°The Haxlardian Foreign Affairs Consuls and this one are in agreement,¡± Bright Star nodded.
¡°Then to clarify, what would you want from us?¡± the General began, letting out a breath he did not know he held.
¡°Ideally the Haxlard would want the reveal of the Game to your public within the next year or sooner.¡±
¡®The Government was planning on doing that anyway I imagine,¡¯ he thought. ¡®No matter what conspiracy theorists think, there has never been a government conspiracy that has held for more than a year; especially one of this magnitude. Sure, it is possible to keep a small coverup going for decades, but already close to a thousand people are in the Game as we speak. ''Keeping quiet'' without horrendous violations of constitutional rights would be impossible.¡¯
¡°Since you are so flexible on that, why don¡¯t I make our demands first¡¡± the General began.
Two hours later
Reading from the sheet in front of him, the Ambassador continued, ¡°¡this one concludes, then, that in exchange for the public reveal of the Game, the Haxlard will provide ten-thousand tons of: Gold, Platinum, Rhodium, Indium, Palladium, Tellurium, Iridium, Silver, Osmium and Rhenium; the ten most desirable non-radioactive elemental metals. In addition, one Anti-Matter Reactor, one Graviton Generator, and one High-Energy-Field Manipulator will be provided for research and development purposes. The Haxlard will send twenty teachers of Science, Mathematics, Military Tactics, Technology, Galactic Politics and Galactic Culture to teach Players on Earth within the Game. Likewise, twenty employees of the Earth Coalition will travel to the Haxlardian planet of Iras as part of a Cultural Exchange. Finally, all information in the GlobalNet and HaxNet¡ªthe inter-galactic networks accessed by the Universe and Haxlardian Empire respectively¡ªthat are in the public domain will be granted to the Earth Governments in an easily-accessible format.¡±
There were several topics that the General faced stiff opposition to including military technologies such as weapon schematics or spaceship designs, but regardless of the things he could not get from this arrangement, he felt proud of what he did manage to get. He had been glad he paid attention to the Ambassador¡¯s lecture on the ship he arrived in or the General would have never considered that the aliens might provide the pieces that made up a spaceship even if the ship as a whole was classified.
He had done his homework and ensured that any supply of goods or services could only be used to benefit society without upsetting the Balance of Power or the Global Economy. A few mines would likely go out-of-business from the massive drop in metal prices as supply sored, and the various advanced alien technology could fuel a military and technological arms race in the next twenty-or-so years between superpowers, but the negative effects would only be felt should Humanity survive after their ¡®immunity period¡¯ and so the General readily agreed to the terms.
¡®With this, the Earth should have everything it needs to make a place for itself,¡¯ the General thought to himself. ¡®Information, materials, tools, training, and ties to a Galactic Power. If the Earth plays its cards right, we could make it out of this mess without the threat of invasion at all. With the sheer tons of materials, would the politicians even mind that I did this or¡ no, what am I saying? This is going to fuel a political shitstorm that will probably destroy this fragile ¡®Earth Coalition¡¯ completely. No matter what happens now, I¡¯ll be the villain¡ but that¡¯s okay. I just need to remember how much progress will be made now. The world has no choice but to face this threat head on.¡¯ He shook his head. ¡®I said it to the Major: the stakes are too high. If Humanity is to survive, it must be decisive!¡¯
¡°I¡ªand by extension the Earth Coalition¡ªagrees to this proposal,¡± he replied, finalizing the deal. ¡°The details will be handled in the coming days.¡± He did not add that it would be unlikely those details would not be handled by him.
¡°If this one could make a suggestion?¡± Ambassador Bright Star asked. ¡°This one would like to personally choose five of the candidates to make the journey to Iras. In doing so, this one stakes this one¡¯s Ambassadorship that this deal will proceed as promised. This one will oversee those chosen by the Haxlard are done with Humanity¡¯s interest in mind.¡±
¡®Five out of twenty?¡¯ he thought. ¡®Even counting the other countries, I think we can afford that to give the Ambassador that. If it means that he owes me a favor, then all the more reason to do it. This plan is shaky enough as it is.¡¯
¡°Alright, that sounds acceptable,¡± he agreed. ¡°Why five in particular? What reason do you have?¡±
¡°This one feels accountable for the recent Tutorial Candidates. This one believes that they will not be compensated for the trouble this one has put them through by not preparing Humanity properly. This one wishes to amend that.¡±
The General shrugged; he did not feel that the ¡®cultural exchange¡¯ really mattered beyond verifying that the Haxlard were as powerful as they said they were¡ and to give conclusive evidence that the planets they controlled were in fact former independent nations like themselves. A few less ¡®agents¡¯ were no cause for concern for those plans.
¡°Then I guess we should tell those five the good news,¡± the General replied, indicating the door to the Ambassador.
Present Time
Perspective ¨C Major Alyssa Jackson
¡°It was what you said earlier that made me realize my duty,¡± the General concluded. ¡°You said, ¡®In a democracy, change is slow¡¯, and that reminded me of how slow the politicians were being in dealing with the alien threat. The problem is that there is always a reason why democracy is slow. Maybe it is because every side has an opinion and it takes time to determine which opinion the public believes. Maybe you need to convince the minority to believe what the majority does and you get decades of backlash because of it. However, that can¡¯t be what¡¯s happening now. After all, the public doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on. So why are the politicians so slow?¡±
¡°But what about the National Security concerns?¡± the Major claimed. ¡°What you¡¯ve done will start a panic!¡±
¡°What concerns, what panic?!¡± Stratton demanded rhetorically. ¡°Are there secret agents we need to protect or secret documents to cover up? Revealing the existence of the aliens and the Game does not mean giving civilians free access to the Game. If anything, more publicity will mean more public funding needed to ensure that any American secrets within the Game are protected.¡±
¡°But people will panic. There is an alien spacecraft that can destroy us just sitting there in orbit.¡±
¡°Maybe, but what are we doing about it? Do you think we will find a solution before the public finds out? If not, then they will panic anyway. It might as well happen on our own terms.¡±
¡°But none of this will even matter anyway! When Bright Star asks for our end of the bargain, Congress will deny having ever made the deal. All that will happen is you losing your job and Humanity losing face.¡±
¡°Not if the Enforcers co-signed the deal,¡± the General replied gravely, ¡°we turn back on our deal; the Enforcers take over the planet.¡±
The Major took a second to process that, her mouth hung open and her eyes grew wide. ¡°This- this is a betrayal of the very ideals the American Military stands for! We are supposed to be beholden to the people! That means to stay true to our mandate and abide by the decisions of the Congress no matter what our personal beliefs may be! What you are doing is bullying the people to act against their will!¡±
¡°I said it before, and I¡¯ll say it again, my job is first and foremost the protection of freedom! My personal comfort or mandate or anything else comes second to that. Moving the timetable of Congress¡¯ decision is no betrayal of the people. No, keeping it a secret is the true betrayal! The change that is required for Humanity to retain its sense of identity is one each individual has to make and they deserve the time to make it. I am giving the nation the decision to choose its own destiny before it is too late. I have risked my life for less in Desert Storm; I can risk my job for this now.¡±
¡°Sir, you know I¡¯ll have to tell Lieutenant General Connors about this,¡± Major Jackson said, her face darkening as she threatened going above him to his boss. ¡°They will figure out whatever loophole you used and make sure you or anyone else will never have the chance to use it again.¡±
¡°I know. I only hope whoever replaces me will take this job as seriously as I have.¡±
Game Capsule D-1410092184, The Game Clandestine Facility, ??????, Earth
The following day
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper
¡°Well it appears you are all set for another foray into the Game, Mr. Cooper,¡± Dr. Fitzgerald concluded, turning off the light he had shined into the Engineer¡¯s eyes.
They had performed all manner of tests to collaborate with the data they took of him before going into the pod in the first place. CAT/PET/MRI/CT scans, bloodwork, various DNA swabs, small grafts and samples of various tissues, the works. It had taken all of the previous day and even a little of that morning, and Bradley considered himself the lucky one. The others with more invasive implants had more difficulty coping with the sudden change reality brought than he had.
¡°Speaking of which,¡± Bradley added, ¡°I met another Dr. Fitzgerald in the Game. Could she-¡±
¡°She¡¯s my daughter yes,¡± the Doctor sighed, ¡°although I don¡¯t get why so many people believe I¡¯m sick enough to have a wife more than 20 years my junior.¡± Seeing the confusion on Bradley¡¯s face he quickly amended that saying, ¡°Anyway, she¡¯s the reason I¡¯m here. She¡¯s always been on the bleeding edge of the medical field and got herself caught up in this after another project she worked on studying the effects of Virtual Reality and perception. When she volunteered to be one of the first humans into the Game, she was allowed to pick which doctor she wanted as her personal physician. She of course didn¡¯t pick me¡ but I wormed my way into the position anyway.¡± He said that last sentence with a sly grin.
¡°And the other effects?¡± Bradley asked, pointing to his body. He felt very different after coming out of the Game for the first time.
¡°I told you before, the Game makes several improvements,¡± the Doctor replied. ¡°Improved muscle mass, reduced excess fat, better regulation of hormonal and nutrient content in the body such as moderated glucose levels, and all minor abnormalities right down to benign cists in the body are removed. The Ambassador tells us that the System takes any and all measures to ensure its Participants live as long as possible and he¡¯s not wrong. When you entered, I estimated your life expectancy at a little over 65-¡±
¡°What?!¡± Bradley exclaimed, ¡°But that-¡±
¡°However now,¡± the Doctor continued, undaunted by the outburst, ¡°I expect you to live well past the age of 100, and that¡¯s if you quit right now and go back to the unhealthy lifestyle of constantly sitting at a computer you came here from. If you keep playing the Game, I have no idea how long you could live. With the technology I¡¯ve seen, it is possible you may live indefinitely.¡±
¡°That-¡±
¡°Pretty nice perk, right?¡± the Doctor said with a soft smile. ¡°What, you didn¡¯t think I would let my daughter participate in this for anything less, did you? Once this goes public, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it ends the entire field of medicine. A few hours in a pod and you can consider every illness known to man eradicated. It even cured the cancer we found in Lieutenant Winslow. Honestly, I¡¯ve been demanding for over a month to make the whole thing public. Thankfully, it sounds like the administration is finally hearing what I¡¯ve been saying.¡±
¡°So what about the weird pains I¡¯ve been having on my side?¡± Bradley asked, consciously rubbing the left side of his stomach.
¡°Well not everything is sunshine and rainbows,¡± the Doctor confessed. ¡°They¡¯re what we¡¯ve tentatively been calling reverse-phantom pains. The name will likely change when the project goes public and we can report our findings to the Journal of Medicine, but essentially any damage that occurs within the Game is still remembered by the brain even when you leave. Just like how someone who loses a limb in real life sometimes feels like the limb is still there as a painful sensation, it is also apparently true that if the limb is suddenly returned, the patient sometimes feels it¡¯s gone, causing a similar sensation. This isn¡¯t supposed to happen, from what the Haxlard Ambassador has told us, and they appear to be working to resolve the situation¡ I guess it just goes to show that the aliens might be advanced, but they aren¡¯t perfect.¡±
¡°Well, I guess I should get going then,¡± Bradley replied with a hint of enthusiasm, ¡°the Ambassador is apparently sending a spaceship to Earth to send me to another planet!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right!¡± the Doctor replied, eyes widening at the reminder. ¡°Be sure to take detailed notes of their culture, technology, and the physiological differences between members of their species! The Ambassador has been very forthright with us studying him¡ to certain extents, but there is only so much one can learn from a single specimen!¡±
¡°Right¡ I¡¯ll get right on that,¡± Bradley replied hesitantly. ¡®That seems more like Alex and Maria¡¯s areas of expertise¡ although I¡¯ll be sure to study their technology. To think, they apparently have true Artificial Intelligence! The progress that could be made in our own Neural Networks and Non-Deterministic Heuristics and Statistical Computation could really move our society forward!¡¯
Bradley practically jumped into the Game pod. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m all set. Plug me in!¡±
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
4
Experience:
0/1000
Class:
Undetermined
Alignment:
Friendly (+2) / Order (+1)
[/tr]
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
0
Notoriety:
0
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
95/95
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
85/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
??+20
Agility:
??+20
Intelligence:
??+20
Willpower:
??+20
Charisma:
??+20
Perception:
??+20
Endurance:
??+20
Luck:
??+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
??
Mental:
??
Psionic:
??
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
N/A
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
0
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Neutral*
Administrators:
Privileged*
Pirates:
Vilified*
Revenant:
Known*
----General Ability Window----
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G-928,437,115
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
G
E-2,000,184,772
D
The ability to intrinsically know the value of an object. Whether an object will work correctly, for how long, and how much it is worth.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Machine Language Comprehension
G
G-1,942,684,975
D
The ability to communicate with sapient machines.
Languages Known:
Revenant Standard
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
E-1,846,294,110
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Provides resistance against abilities which damage the mind.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G-1,844,516,229
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G-214,735,418
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Rifle Shooting
G
G-2,000,860,238
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G-1,642,194,713
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D
G-220,861,958
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security. A Revenant Firmware Upgrade allows it to parse Sapient Machine Language.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D
G-1,594,288,749
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank.
Chapter 10 - Administrator Addendums
Author¡¯s Note: Bradley finally levels up and all his backed-up new skills and perks are finally unveiled! As a consequence, there is also a bit of info dumping this chapter. Enjoy!
Bradley¡¯s Home Base, the Game
Haxlard/Earth Coalition Quest
Brigadier General George Stratton and Haxlard Ambassador-to-Earth Incandescent Nova have given you the opportunity to learn at the Iras Entry-Level Academy.
Item(s) Provided:
None
Quest Difficulty:
Unranked
Success Conditions:
Arrive at the Haxlard spaceship.
Failure Conditions:
Are not logged into the Game for an extended period or otherwise cannot be found before the ship departs.
Quest Rewards:
Admittance to the Iras Entry-Level Academy
Dismissing the window¡ªas it had no new information for him¡ªBradley again found himself in the ¡®white room¡¯. Like before, balls of invisible light lit up the room leaving few shadows. Unlike the one he took his test in however, this one looked habitable. A small table and chairs stood in the center with a bed to the far side with what appeared to be a large chest at the end of it. The furniture consisted exclusively of the same organically shaped white ceramic except for the silky white bedsheets and mattress. It appeared both half-way alien and familiar.
¡°Is this where I¡¯ll always come to when I enter the Game?¡± Bradley asked rhetorically.
¡°Yes,¡± an indifferent feminine voice came from behind him. ¡°This is your ¡®Home Base¡¯, a guaranteed safe haven away from both the Real and Virtual Worlds where all Meta-Game services can be used.¡±
¡°Gah!¡± Bradley exclaimed in surprise. Running to the table, he grabbed one of the chairs and¡ªholding it defensively¡ªturned back around to see who had spoken.
While the form could be considered feminine¡ªwith a narrower waist and smaller shoulders¡ªthe rest of it seemed far removed from what one would consider ¡®typical¡¯. The being¡¯s body comprised of thick interlocking metal plates like chitin with small mesh-weave material over flexible metal cabling at the joints. A thick metal helmet and glass visor covered the head, various lights of a Heads-Up Display appearing obscured on the backside of the glass. Having never seen a Haxlardian face¡ªas the Ambassador always wore a mask which covered half of it¡ªhe was surprised at how human it looked. Only abnormalities in bone structure, eye shape, and the yellow eye color made the Haxlard appear different than a human.
¡°W-who are you?!¡± Bradley demanded, feeling very self-conscious in front of the ¡®woman¡¯. The Haxlard looked capable of crushing his body into paste with nothing but a slick of a finger.
¡°We have already met before, although we did not speak for very long,¡± the Haxlard replied. ¡°You met a robotic proxy of mine before the Tutorial¡¯s Survival Test began.¡±
¡®That¡¯s where I remember that armor!¡¯ Bradley realized. ¡®That robot before the Test with the Bears began had the exact same one. If I remember correctly, she was kind of rude.¡¯
¡°Wait, so then wouldn¡¯t the mean you are an Administrator?¡± Bradley asked.
¡°That is correct,¡± the Haxlard replied. ¡°I am Former Ultihaxlard Specter, now 3rd Administrator of the Earth Transition.¡±
¡°Right,¡± Bradley nodded, putting the chair away. ¡°So why are you here? Are you the one I should speak to about the trip to Iras?¡±
¡°Despite my former allegiance, I no longer have any ties with the Haxlardian Empire,¡± Administrator Specter denied, ¡°my participation is simply a decision of the System, nothing more. Ambassador Nova has already made all arrangements; a ship will arrive on Earth and extract you.¡±
¡°Ambassador Nova?¡± Bradley asked, ¡°I thought his name was Ambassador Bright Star.¡±
The Administrator¡¯s lips quirked slightly upward for a moment before immediately regaining composure. If one looked hard enough, the action could have been considered a sign of humor on the otherwise stoic face.
¡°That is¡ a possible translation,¡± Administrator Specter replied with a hint of mirth, ¡°although be sure not to say that within the Game. In the Haxlardian culture, someone with the name ¡®Bright¡¯ is considered to be na?ve and foolhardy. The Ambassador would probably consider it an insult.¡±
¡°Right, I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Bradley agreed, being sure to remember to tell the others about that tidbit of information as well. ¡°So if you aren¡¯t here about the whole travel-to-another-planet thing, why are you here?¡±
¡°As your assigned Administrator, I am here to give you an Introduction. Most are not given such a welcome, but as a chosen of the Administrator Faction and a member of a newly inducted species, you are entitled to such a conference.¡±
¡°Okay¡¡± Bradley agreed. ¡°Although that reminds me, why was I chosen?¡± The question had been sitting on the back of his mind ever since receiving the government package in the mail. ¡®I am not exactly extraordinary,¡¯ he relented.
¡°There is no significant reason,¡± the Administrator replied plainly, seeming almost disappointed in the question.
¡°Wait, really? But Dr. Fitzgerald said it was because I was ¡®ideal¡¯ for some reason or another. Surely there must have been a special talent or¡ no; I already ruled that one out. None of the others really had anything in common with each other or myself. Still, you can¡¯t just say there was no reason. We¡¯re the first ones to represent humanity; that wouldn¡¯t be done arbitrarily.¡±
¡°The Administrators apologize for the misunderstanding, but any rationalization given by your government is mistaken. The list of candidates presented to the Earth Coalition for their selections contains no statistical significance except diversity. All professions, ages, beliefs, and ethnicities are represented. In part, this was to gauge for bias within the governing bodies as well as simply because the System told us to do so.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t understand though,¡± Bradley groaned. ¡°If you Administrators really are controlling everything in this Game, then there must be something you wanted to learn. If it really was just bias, then you could have just left us to decide the Candidates for ourselves without any list at all.¡±
¡°Your assumption is correct, but there seemed to be a grave misunderstanding here. The Administrators do not control the Game, the System does.¡±
¡°Well I know that,¡± Bradley said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Obviously a group of people couldn¡¯t run a system as complex as the Game. The System runs the Game¡¯s functions, hence why I use the ¡®System¡¯ command to ask questions. That¡¯s just semantics; you Administrators are the ones ¡®pulling the strings¡¯, which is why I don¡¯t understand why you would just let the System decide everything.¡±
¡°Such a misconception fails under scrutiny,¡± the Administrator denied with a shake of her head. ¡°The Administrators existed since the time of the Lords of Life several thousand years ago. Such a group controlling a vital and powerful resource such as the Game would inevitably fall to corruption.¡±
¡°Then what is the System exactly?¡± Bradley inquired.
For the first time since Bradley arrived, Specter showed emotion by rolling her eyes. ¡°If you have a question about the Game, its infrastructure, or the System itself, you need only simply ask it.¡±
¡°Ask? Oh right¡.¡± Bradley replied, slapping his forehead. ¡®System: What are you?¡¯
Query ¨C ¡°What are you?¡±
Definition ¨C System:
The System is the S-1 rank Artificial Intelligence tasked by the Predecessors and Lords of Life to maintain functionality of the Game to their specifications, to allow others access into the Game, and to utilize the Enforcer Fleet to maintain peace and impose the consequences of certain Game outcomes onto the Real World.
¡°Wait, an Artificial Intelligence?!¡± Bradley yelled. ¡°Is that translating right? Not a sophisticated Neural Network or a massive statistical database of heuristics but an honest-to-goodness sapient, synthetic, self-aware, being?! Why the hell would you let the fate of the Universe lie in the hands of one machine?!¡±
¡°That is only partially correct,¡± Specter replied, unamused by Bradley¡¯s outburst. ¡°The System controls the Game but the Administrators help manage how the System interacts with the Players. While the System can manage itself for the most part, there are several ¡®edge-cases¡¯ that demand our attention.
¡°For example, to provide fairness and realism, the Game allows a Player to be captured and interrogated. Not doing so would give an inordinate advantage to spies and other infiltrators. If one could merely log out when caught, one would be unstoppable. As a consequence of this, a Player could be forced to stay in the Game indefinitely against their will. In such circumstances, an Administrator may become involved to make a decision on a case-by-case basis. Perhaps in one instance, the Player is allowed to log out only when certain information is given. Perhaps in another case, the Player may log out, but with the penalty of death with all information uncovered removed from the infiltrator¡¯s mind upon exiting the Game.¡±
Bradley¡¯s eyes widened at that. ¡®The Game as the ability to erase portions of my mind?! Actually, that makes sense that something like that would be possible. If it can read my mind to allow me to use the Connect Ability, it stands to reason that going the other way is also possible.¡¯
¡°A similar arbitration was made during your Tutorial. The Player Patricia Davis was enslaved by the Pirate Captain Va¡¯lakeesh. As a Tutorial forbids logging out from a Tutorial until a Player dies, that would be the only way for Patricia Davis to exit. However, by being injured and enslaved, she would be unable to do so without permission of Va¡¯lakeesh thereby forcing her to stay logged-on indefinitely. In this instance, there was precedence set by an Administrator and so the System allowed her to log out as usual once enslaved.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ pretty good I guess, yeah,¡± Bradley agreed, again painfully reminded of the potential cost his plan¡¯s failure could have had. ¡°Wait, but that does not resolve the corruption issue you talked about earlier. It might only be arbitration in certain special circumstances, but a group of Administrators could still guide the System towards certain outcomes and thereby manipulate all¡ uh, galactic politics as a whole.¡±
¡°That is a surprising insight,¡± the Administrator complimented.
Your intuition in answering and asking questions in a particular way has garnered an Administrator¡¯s approval.
¡®Huh?¡¯ Bradley thought. The window appearing had surprised him, but seeing that this ¡°Administrator¡± was about to speak up again, he dismissed the prompted as soon as he read it.
¡°This does not occur, however, as the System polices us as much as we police it. To clarify, the System has more control over the outcome of a particular issue within the Game but less decision-making power on how to wield that control. The Administrators have more power over how the System makes its decisions, but also more bureaucracy within both ourselves and through the System and therefore have less control over any particular issue.¡±
¡°Huh?¡± Bradley got out, now completely lost.
¡°Such politics would be too complicated to explain in the time that has been allotted to this Introduction,¡± the former Ultihaxlard waved off. ¡°To answer your other question, being chosen¡ªwhile random¡ªwas not arbitrary. Rather, you were selected because the System believed you to be a member of a group which will be underrepresented in the Game for whatever reason. It may be due to poverty, contentedness, isolation, or any number of other circumstances.¡±
¡®Huh, that does make sense, I doubt I would have participated if I wasn¡¯t being paid for it,¡¯ Bradley thought to himself. ¡®If that¡¯s true, it would explain why so many people left the orientation on the first day.¡¯
¡°But there¡¯s still a thing I don¡¯t understand,¡± Bradley asked. ¡°Why is everyone giving us a fighting chance? I mean, why not just invade us or ignore us? Considering how much you knew about our culture from the exam I just had, there isn¡¯t really anything you could possibly learn from us.¡±
¡°That is correct,¡± Specter agreed bluntly, ¡°however you ignore the reason for the System¡¯s existence: to remove the necessity of death and destruction through war that exists in the Real World. The System does not invade because doing so facilitates in unnecessary death. It also does not ignore because doing so allows continued deaths when an alternative is available.¡±
¡°But then why doesn¡¯t the System just force us to join?¡± Bradley asked cautiously. ¡°After all, if we¡¯re just stupid monkeys that can¡¯t control ourselves and are willing to murder each other, isn¡¯t it the job of the Omnipotent Artificial Intelligence to put us on the ¡®right path¡¯?¡±
The alien looked at him with what could almost be considered bemusement if not for her ever-stoic face.
¡°I do not need the System to tell me you are being sarcastic.¡± She cocked her head for a few moments. ¡°So is that it¡¡± she quietly muttered. ¡°If I am not mistaken, you are questioning the System¡¯s Decision-Making process in terms of the ¡®Paperclip Maximizer Dilemma¡¯ inherent to flawed Artificial Intelligence,¡± she concluded.
¡°Huh? I¡¯ve never heard of that before,¡± Bradley responded honestly.
¡°In short, are you worried that the System will attempt to pursue its goals in a way that is contrary to your own morals and beliefs?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡± Bradley agreed doubtfully, ¡°Or at least I think I was hinting at that anyway.¡±
¡°Then you are incorrect,¡± the robot stated unequivocally. ¡°The Predecessors and Lords of Life¡ªlike all sapient creatures¡ªhighly valued choice in making a decision. As such, they designed the Game to be joined by one¡¯s own choosing. While it could be argued that your acceptance and introduction into the Game was done through manipulation based on limited information, it was not done so directly by the System. It was your Government¡¯s choice to keep the Game a secret and to have you sign a contractual obligation to participate. Even now, you are free to leave the Game forever just as Patricia has, although doing so is a terrible decision that will only hasten your death.¡±
¡°Okay, fine, fine,¡± Bradley groaned, ¡°this philosophical stuff is making my head hurt. I already had a never-ending Final Exam from Hell? in this room. I don¡¯t need a Lecture from Hell? too. Let¡¯s just move on.¡± Bradley thought for a moment. ¡°I guess the obvious question is how the Game is different from Real life. I mean, the Game Windows and sparkly death scenes are obvious, but I don¡¯t like being continually surprised to find out things like slavery and torture also exists too.¡±
¡°As you have already surmised, this Game greatly differs from reality and is more analogous to what your civilization calls ¡®Video Games¡¯,¡± she continued. ¡°This is especially true for those in which Player abilities and attributes are objectified in data, such as ¡®Role-Playing Games¡¯. However, while the known Universe has been copied, it is by no means a duplicate. For one, resources in the Game are infinite. So long as a ¡®resource vein¡¯ is given adequate space to grow, it will continue to produce without abiding by the Real World¡¯s Conservation of Energy. In addition¡ªto protect the information of entities who have not yet participated in the Game¡ªmuch of the information copied has been altered to ensure that those Players who enter the Game, do so without needless coercion.¡±
¡°How does that work exactly?¡± Bradley asked, ¡°I remember Lieutenant Winslow said something about how some things were changed.¡±
Administrator Specter paused for a moment, staring off into space before continuing. ¡°Ah, I see. As your ¡®Lieutenant¡¯ has already told you, the consequences of the wrong thing finding itself in the Game can be catastrophic. It is unfortunate that these subroutines were not built into the System initially, for many newly discovered civilizations were drastically affected.
¡°Information is power, and often the first individuals of the new species to enter the Game were able to use that information to their advantage. This vastly changed the balance of power and caused much needless death. As you know, the Game was designed to expressly avoid such outcomes. Therefore, the System was updated to prevent it from happening again.¡±
Now that the Administrator had finished, Bradley expected her to move onto another topic. This did not happen.
¡®I guess she¡¯s waiting for me to get out all my questions,¡¯ Bradley thought. ¡®Now that I think about it, this might be the last time I get to talk to an actual Administrator about something like this. The System commands are good, but it isn¡¯t exactly a conversation.¡¯
¡°Well I guess the last major thing is how death works. I noticed that when I tried to¡ uh, loot the corpses of the pirates, their bodies weren¡¯t there. Garry disappeared too. How does that all work?¡±
¡°As you already know, death is only a temporary state in the Game. Traces of a death can be found but the bodies vanish. This is not done to protect ¡®civilized sensibilities¡¯, but to avoid System function exploitation. When dead bodies did not disappear, several early Factions used slaves as literal resources, continually slaughtering Players for an infinite food supply and giving them an unfair advantage.
¡°Getting back to your point, the penalties of death for your species have been lessened considerably; you will only lose 10% of the experience points you would otherwise have lost. Your actions as a species going forward will determine whether you retain these privileges but typically it only lasts no more than a year in Game time. That being the case, there are limits to what the System can penalize upon death. The System will never remove any information from your mind except in the case I mentioned earlier. Such a thing is analogous to death and runs contradictory to its core functioning.¡±
¡°Wait, I don¡¯t understand,¡± Bradley spoke out in confusion, ¡°You say that you will give penalties, but you won¡¯t erase any progress I¡¯ve made. That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±
¡°That goes into the next point,¡± the Administrator nodded. ¡°All death penalties applied are only towards rewards by the System. This is represented by Ability Points and Attributes. On each level up, 5 Ability Points are granted for the strict purpose of both the points and the levels being lost upon death. Therefore, the more times you die, the less that can be taken away until there reaches a point where there is no penalty upon death, although the System will likely intervene in such a case. This is also why selecting an appropriate Spawn Point is important to prevent such needless circular death from happening.¡±
¡°Spawn Point?¡±
¡°Your current Spawn Point is located at 38.871130 Geographic Latitude, -77.055422 Geographic Longitude in a place the System refers to as the ¡®Pentagon Center Courtyard¡¯. It is where you will revive upon death.¡±
¡°Oh, right, well that should be fine,¡± Bradley confirmed. With the new lull in the conversation, Bradley found himself having a hard time thinking of any new questions. ¡®Think, think, I won¡¯t get an opportunity like this any time soon,¡¯ he thought. ¡°Oh! Yeah, abilities! They seem to pop up at random times. Why do they happen and why are they useful? Obviously the implant abilities are really good, but things like Mind Survival seem pretty pointless.¡±
¡°Attributes, experience and abilities are all gained by exceeding the Game¡¯s expectations of you.¡±
¡°Huh?¡± Bradley said. ¡°How the heck am I expected to exceed the expectations an Omnipotent and Omniscient A.I.?! After all, doesn¡¯t the System have extremely efficient algorithms to determine how good I actually am? Isn¡¯t that the point of these tests in the first place? How could I possibly ¡®exceed expectations¡¯ when it knows everything about me?¡±
¡°What you are referring to is what is known as the ¡®Dichotomy of the System¡¯. The System is both simultaneously very smart and very stupid; everything and nothing; all powerful and inconsequential. The underlying logic that creates the Game¡¯s foundation is ingenious in its efficiency as you say. However this efficiency is necessary because the Game is so vast.
¡°Despite the System being computationally powerful, it is also responsible for a large number of tasks. As such, the algorithms which govern your abilities quickly grow complacent as more important tasks arise to consume System resources. When that occurs, there will come a point in which you exceed those algorithms predictions, even if only marginally and receive rewards in kind. You will find that this happens frequently. As you are a new species, this will happen more for you than would otherwise be normal for others in similar situations, so there should be no reason for complaint. The System is fair.¡± The Administrator said that last point almost like a benediction.
¡®Worrying,¡¯ Bradley thought.
¡°On this topic, you have succeeded the System¡¯s predictions a number of times already. Since this introduction is nearing its conclusion, and your Tutorial is complete, it should be about time to unlock the Attribute and Experience restrictions that have been in place. The System is now confident that its rewards are fair.¡±
Suddenly dozens of Game Windows appeared at once:
You have been chosen by an Administrator to participate in the Game; an event with a 0.0000000592% likelihood of occurring.
+5 Luck
As one of the first member of your species participating in the Game, a disadvantage bonus is applied to compensate for your ignorance.
+1000 Exp
¡®Ignorance? Hey!¡¯ Bradley thought bitterly.
You are now level 5.
+5 Ability Points
¡®Oh, well I guess that¡¯s alright then,¡¯ he shrugged begrudgingly.
You identified a device¡¯s wireless communication using the Human-Computer Interface and gaining the ability: Wireless Perception
+5 Perception, +350 Exp
Allowing the Cybernetic Interface Chip to parse many communication protocols gained a new ability: Regulatory Identification
+250 Exp
Despite intense mental stress, you somehow managed to survive, gaining the ability: Mind Survival
You connected to a device using the Wireless Perception and Regulatory Identification abilities and gaining the ability: Connect (Basic)
+1 Intelligence, +2 Perception, +800 Exp
You are now level 6.
+5 Ability Points
By repeatedly firing a pistol at a target and gaining the ability: Pistol Shooting
+1 Perception, +20 Exp
You completed the mental examination with a score well above the System¡¯s expectation for your species.
+30 Intelligence, +500 Exp
You are now level 7.
+5 Ability Points
By repeatedly firing a rifle at an enemy you have gained the ability Rifle Shooting and defeated several Crazed bears.
+320 Exp
You have seen an ally die before your eyes in a gruesome way without the confidence to know he was not truly dead and have come to terms with the loss.
+1% Mental Resistance
You finished Wave One of the Survival Test alive.
+700 Exp x 3 (2100 Exp)
You are now level 9.
+10 Ability Points
You made a plan which overturned the odds stacked against you, gaining the ability Strategy.
Strategy
The ability to come up with a plan, and contingency plans, which survive contact with the enemy, increasing the odds of a successful engagement. A higher rank indicates greater plans which: achieve goals sooner, with fewer losses, and with less required resources.
+6 Intelligence, +1 Charisma, +850 Exp
You are now level 10.
+5 Ability Points
1 Additional Biological and 1 Additional Mechanical Implant Slots available.
You have put many different forms of explosives to use, gaining the ability Explosives Use.
Explosive Use
The ability to set, wire and detonate explosives in effective ways without killing yourself in the process. A higher rank indicates greater lethality through the proper implementation of: environment, directionality, defensive bypass, and explosive composition.
You successfully laid several sophisticated traps which incapacitated and killed the enemy, gaining the ability Trap Making.
Trap Making
The ability to create traps which kill or otherwise hinder your adversaries. A higher rank indicates the design of more effective traps which: are more difficult to detect, are harder to disarm, and can cause more efficient damage to the enemy.
+2 Intelligence, +1200 Exp
You are now level 11.
+5 Ability Points
By constructing traps and weapon systems from dusty and disused components; they should not have worked as well as they did. You have a gut feeling for useful parts, gaining the ability Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
The ability to intrinsically know the value of an object. Whether an object will work correctly, for how long, and how much it is worth.
+4 Perception, +200 Exp
You defeated a fearsome opponent far exceeding your level by keeping a cool head despite an injury.
+5 Renown, +1 Willpower, +1 Endurance, +9400 Exp
You are now level 19.
+40 Ability Points
You finished Wave Two of the Survival Test alive.
+4800 Exp x 3 (14400 Exp)
You are now level 26.
+35 Ability Points
1 Additional Biological and 1 Additional Mechanical Implant Slots available.
Next additional slots available at Level 100.
From repeated trauma, you have increased a rank in Mind Survival.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
You seem destined for greatness as both Pirate and Revenant come to respect the surprising power and foresight you bring to bear.
+5 Renown, +1 Charisma, +1 Luck, Improved relations with the Revenant (Known), Reduced relations with Pirates (Vilified), +2100 Exp
You are now level 28.
+5 Ability Points
Attempting to breach a Spaceship''s Anti-Matter Containment without knowing what it is could only be considered an act of extreme recklessness. Likewise, by trading the Captain''s Sword for a Cube, you have sacrificed immediate gains for the vague promises of a future with a faction you do not understand. Such acts fly in the face of common sense, but luck favors the bold.
-1 Intelligence, +1 Luck
The Revenant granted you the ability: Machine Language Comprehension
Using Wireless Perception and Regulatory Identification, you can now communicate with Sapient Machines so long as you understand their language.
+1 Intelligence, +1 Charisma, +0 Exp
You have been accepted to an Entry-Level Academy on the Haxlardian World of Iras by way of an Act of Valor.
+1 Charisma, Improved relations with the Haxlard (Friendly), +1315 Exp
Your intuition in answering and asking questions in a particular way has garnered an Administrator¡¯s approval.
+2 Intelligence, +500 Exp
You are now level 29.
+5 Ability Points
Bradley took a while to look over the Game Windows, before realizing he had been staring at the Administrator for several minutes. Mildly embarrassed and worried his benefactor might consider the action rude, he quickly dismissed them.
¡°Well that¡¯s¡ certainly something,¡± Bradley commented. ¡°Um, sorry for just ignoring you like that.¡±
¡°It is understandable and expected,¡± Specter dismissed. ¡°I am in charge of a great many things and when this conversation does not require my attention, I am busy doing those instead.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ good,¡± Bradley replied. He had mixed feelings between being grateful she did not think him rude and insulted in not being worth the Haxlard¡¯s undivided attention. ¡°Anyway, why now? I remember the Ambassador saying that the Haxlard Tutorial gives these rewards as they happen.¡±
¡°The answer is very straightforward,¡± she replied. ¡°It would be unfair to give your species the benefits of an Administrator Tutorial at this time. For the System, the Haxlard as a species are well defined with well over one thousand years participating within the Game. As such, the System¡ªthrough the Administrators¡ªcan give more leniency in how they are judged since the System is rarely off-the-mark. Your species is a relative unknown to the System. It can use heuristics from similar species to make accurate approximations of your overall potential, but is nowhere near accurate enough to provide the Real-Time adjustments needed to reward you while at the same time trying to understand you.¡±
¡°Okay, but then how is that fair to us?¡± Bradley retorted. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that give a disproportionate advantage to those that have been here longer?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± she replied bluntly. ¡°That would always be the case. Those that have more experience, expertise and people that support them will naturally grow and exploit those without. With family comes nepotism, power comes exploitation and experience comes manipulation; the System does not stop these things because it does not care. However, the System is different from the Universe in that it wants your presence here and so it does attempt to find a balance.
¡°That is why you are given privileges. When the System realized that many never participated due to these disadvantages, it created a symposium between Administrators and the rest of the Game Factions on how to resolve these disputes. While the Factions were perfectly fine with how things currently operated, they relented on a few token gestures to ease the transition. The 5 year grace period for your planet from invasion and the lessened penalty for death are a few of these adjustments.¡±
¡°So that¡¯s why I was also given those ¡®luck¡¯ bonuses?¡± Bradley said, pointing out the oddly disproportionate stats. He did not think of himself to be that lucky. Especially considering what happened in the Tutorial.
¡°That is another topic, one which is hotly debated among Game Scholars,¡± she informed dispassionately. ¡°It is commonly believed that the Predecessors favored the concept of ¡®fate¡¯ in Reality. To incorporate that concept in the Game, those that set themselves up for potential acts of greatness are given a higher value of luck which improves one¡¯s success when attempting to achieve greatness. Any act which exceeds the expectation of others such as surviving something that should otherwise kill you or being recognized for an act of bravery or valor comes with an increase in luck. It is a function which creates heroes; something fundamental to Predecessor society.¡±
¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t complain since I¡¯m directly benefitting so much, but wouldn¡¯t that just lead to everyone taking stupid risks and getting rewarded for it?¡±
¡°Stupid risks come with their own penalties. In many cases, gains in luck come at the expense of losses in another Attributes. Dying is also still heavily penalized. For most, the risks outweigh the rewards. The Haxlard are especially stereotyped for having the lowest average Luck in the Universe; speciesist profiling which the majority of Haxlard readily embrace. Luck is a poor substitute for skill.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Bradley stated, thinking to himself for a few moments. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t think the Game could make that much sense after what I¡¯ve seen, but I guess it would have to, given how sophisticated it is. To be honest, I don¡¯t have any other questions I couldn¡¯t just ask the System later. Is there anything else?¡±
¡°The final purpose of a Tutorial is for the System to provide a goal for its Players. All living things enjoy that which gives them purpose and the Game is not an exception. These goals come in the form of ¡®Classes¡¯; fields of study and expertise which the System has determined fits your actions best. For you, this is ¡®Cybernetic¡¯ and ¡®Scavenger¡¯.¡±
Recommended Class: Cybernetic Scavenger
You may now gain specialized abilities and augments for this specific class should you accept it. If you want to decline this chosen class and forge your own path, please contact an Administrator.
By using machine components built into your body as though they were extensions of yourself and gaining the ability to speak with sapient machines, you have unlocked the Cybernetic Subclass
Cybernetic
Those in the Cybernetic Subclass are more in tune with machines, especially those within their own body. They will never have the same capacity for Biological Implants as others, but they make up for this with higher performance with the Mechanical Implants they do have.
Mentor: None
By finding the value in discarded and disused components and repurposing them in your own designs, you have unlocked the Scavenger Subclass
Scavenger
Those in the Scavenger Subclass find hidden value in things others might consider useless scrap. Whether it is finding rare treasures to sell for profit or to simply making due with less, Expert Scavengers can thrive in even the most inhospitable environments.
Mentor: None
¡°You will need to find mentors in these classes for yourself if you hope to gain proficiency. With any luck a, Cybernetic Specialist could assist you at the Iras Entry-Level Academy. A Scavenger mentor¡ will be more difficult. By their nature, Scavenger Experts are hard to find.¡±
¡°Okay, so Cybernetic I can understand, but Scavenger?¡± Bradley argued incredulously. ¡°I get the reasoning for the first class easily enough. As I might like to forget, I¡¯ve got computer parts strapped to my brain. That being said, I¡¯ve lived in a modern society my whole life and have never wanted for anything. How could I ever possibly ¡®thrive in the most inhospitable environments¡¯? I was able to make do with the junk on hand because I¡¯m an Engineer; guesstimating and overcompensating for the tolerances on prototypes are in the job description.¡±
¡°That is not the definition of ¡®Engineer¡¯ for the rest of the Universe,¡± the Administrator denied with a reserved shake of the head. ¡°An Engineer is one whom designs a schematic which is then fed into a machine to be synthesized. There are no estimations or tolerances as the machine completes it perfectly. The Engineering Subclass therefore grants abilities in understanding the nature of a design and makes it easier to make perfect schematics.¡±
¡®Perfect schematics?¡¯ Bradley thought doubtfully. ¡®That¡ doesn¡¯t sound enjoyable in the slightest. I specifically left my job because making designs all day long just wasn¡¯t fulfilling enough. Maybe I really am a Scavenger after all. Well, It¡¯s just a title and I doubt that the Earth is going to be working with ¡®infinite resources¡¯ like the rest of the Galaxy any time soon. Being a Scavenger might actually be an advantage considering how isolated the Earth is.¡¯
¡°In any event, are you satisfied with the classes chosen?¡± Specter asked. ¡°While a new Class will not be given should you refuse; it is typical to be given another class later. With that in mind, the class you reject now may be the same one granted later; in the meantime, you will be unable to draw from the benefit of having those classes.¡±
Bradley spent a minute to really consider that, but his mind had already been made up. ¡°No, I¡¯ll keep them both,¡± he replied. ¡®It does not matter much anyway in the short term,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Rather, the best way is to use what you are given effectively. In fact, that seems to be the how to do well in the Game as a whole.¡¯
You are now a Cybernetic Scavenger
The Abilities Regulatory Identification, Wireless Perception (Basic), Connect (Basic) and Machine Language Comprehension has been moved to the Cybernetic subclass.
The Ability Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic) has been moved to the Scavenger subclass.
+500 Ability Points to be spent on Cybernetic and Scavenger Abilities.
As a consequence of the Cybernetic subclass, two Biological Implant slots have been removed and all mechanical implant slots have been enhanced.
The enhanced interface with the Cybernetic Interface Chip has unlocked additional functionality as the ability: Cybernetic Focus, a subset of the Cybernetic subclass.
Cybernetic Focus
When performing tasks that are trivial for a digital computer such as: Formal Logic, Numeric Base Conversion, Deterministic Math, Parsing Information, and interpreting Code, some of the work is offloaded to the Cybernetic Interface Chip, heightening focus and simplifying the task.
¡¯That could be useful,¡¯ he thought. He quickly dismissed the Game Windows when the Administrator continued.
¡°If you have no further questions, than you are free to leave,¡± Specter pointed out. ¡°With your Tutorial rewards received, there is nothing else left to talk about.¡±
¡°Actually, speaking of Tutorial rewards, I was given this by the Revenant,¡± Bradley said, taking the Cube of Transcendence from his Inventory. ¡°Do you know what it is?¡±
The Administrator frowned, ¡°You should not associate yourself with the Revenant. They are a Criminal Faction; you would be outcast at best and a target at worst. I would recommend you get rid of that as soon as you can.¡±
¡®Shit, I knew I should have kept that information to myself. Is that what that Revenant meant by ¡®Do not come too soon, for your Allies become Enemies¡¯,¡¯ he thought.
¡°Why, what is so bad about them?¡± Bradley asked. ¡°They seemed strong, but I didn¡¯t take them to be pirates or slavers or something like that¡ Uh, am I in trouble?¡±
¡°They are secret enclave of powerful madmen and ambitious rebels. A long time ago, they instigated the First Great Cyber War, famous for being the only time the Administrator Faction was ever threatened with destruction. It was a bid for personal power at the expense of order which keeps the System in check. As its name suggests, this was not the only time either. In addition, they regularly conduct with slavers, thieves, pirates and personally oversee all manner of illegal activities themselves. The only thing that is known about them is their goal to ¡®Seek out the Truth¡¯. Despite such seemingly noble sentiments, they keep everything about themselves and their actions secret. Every Legal Faction in the Universe is currently at war with them. While merely receiving a gift from them and talking to them is no crime, it would be wise to get rid of that cube at the first opportunity you have.¡±
Bradley slowly put the cube back in his pocket. ¡°I see,¡± he replied. ¡°Well, then consider the matter dropped¡ I don¡¯t think I will be contacting with them.¡±
¡®Although I won¡¯t just take your word for it,¡¯ he added in his head.
¡°I would hope not, for your sake,¡± the Administrator nodded. ¡°Is that everything?¡±
¡°I think so,¡± he agreed.
Spawn
Leave the Home Base and relocate to your Spawn Point (Pentagon Center Courtyard)? (Fee: 0 Credits)
Spawn
Decline
¡®There¡¯s nothing left to ask¡ in fact, I didn¡¯t even expect any of this to happen at all!¡¯ Bradley remembered. ¡®Why am I still here when I could be flying to another world!¡¯
¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll be going then,¡± he added. ¡°Oh, and thanks for the conversation. It was¡ enlightening.¡±
¡°It is my responsibility as an Administrator. If you have any further queries beyond the System¡¯s functionality, do not hesitate to ask for me again.¡±
With that, he quickly activated the ¡®Spawn¡¯ command and teleported away.
Author¡¯s Note 2: I removed the specific Ability Rank Proficiency Numbers; they don¡¯t really mean anything and take time to come up with (which takes away from writing this).
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
29
Experience:
405/2000
Class:
Cybernetic Scavenger
Alignment:
Friendly (+2) / Order (+1)
[/tr]
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
Unranked (10)
Notoriety:
Unranked (0)
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
220/220
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
85/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
10+20
Agility:
12+20
Intelligence:
75+20
Willpower:
38+20
Charisma:
20+20
Perception:
36+20
Endurance:
12+20
Luck:
32+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
5.0%
Mental:
16.0%
Psionic:
2.1%
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
Embark for Iras
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
645
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Friendly*
Administrators:
Privileged*
Pirates:
Vilified*
Revenant:
Known*
----General Ability Window----
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Explosives Use
G
F
G
The ability to set, wire and detonate explosives in effective ways without killing yourself in the process. A higher rank indicates greater lethality through the proper implementation of: environment, directionality, defensive bypass, and explosive composition.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
E
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Provides resistance against abilities which damage the mind.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Rifle Shooting
G
G
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Strategy
F
F
G
This ability maps the progress for making plans. A higher rank indicates greater plans which: achieve goals sooner, with fewer losses, and with less required resources.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Trap Making
G
F
G
The ability to create traps which kill or otherwise hinder your adversaries. A higher rank indicates the design of more effective traps which: are more difficult to detect, are harder to disarm, and can cause more efficient damage to the enemy.
----Cybernetic Ability Window----
Spoiler :
Cybernetic Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Cybernetic Focus
F
G
D
When performing tasks that are trivial for a digital computer, some of the work is offloaded to the Cybernetic Interface Chip, heightening focus and simplifying the task.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Machine Language Comprehension
G
G
D
The ability to communicate with sapient machines.
Languages Known:
Revenant Standard
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Scavenger Ability Window----
Spoiler :
Scavenger Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
G
E
D
The ability to intrinsically know the value of an object. Whether an object will work correctly, for how long, and how much it is worth.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D+
F
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security. A Revenant Firmware Upgrade allows it to parse Sapient Machine Language. Has been enhanced by the Cybernetic subclass.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D+
G
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank. Has been enhanced by the Cybernetic subclass.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Open
N/A
N/A
Chapter 11 - Pentagon Prelude
Author¡¯s Note: The action heats back up again! Sorry for the small chapter this time around but I couldn''t finish it before the weekend ended. I''ll be posting another chapter tomorrow to make up for it.
Enjoy!
Pentagon Central Courtyard, Washington D.C., the Game
*wooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooh*
The sound of an air-raid siren greeted Bradley as he spawned inside the Pentagon Central Courtyard exactly where he had appeared the first time. It was now early in the morning but bright spotlights trained on the enclosed park made the place feel like the middle of the day. Personnel ran around him as soldier carrying large boxes of ammunition and other supplies used the courtyard as a shortcut to quickly move from one end of the building to the other.
¡°What they heck is going on?¡± Bradley wondered aloud. He attempted to ask the question to the people running about, but that seemed an exercise in futility. Whatever seemed to be happening was far too important to explain.
Briefly, Bradley caught sight of Lieutenant Winslow in a window as he ran down on of the Pentagon¡¯s corridors. Bradley made chase. ¡®If anyone would be able to explain what¡¯s going on, it would be him,¡¯ he thought.
¡°Lieutenant!¡± he yelled after the man, ¡°Lieutenant Winslow! It¡¯s me, Bradley Cooper! Can you tell me what¡¯s going on?!¡±
¡°Bradley, when did you get back?¡± Winslow asked, stopping in the middle of the hallway. He slung an M16 he had been carrying over his shoulder. ¡°I want to say congratulations on completing the Tutorial and I definitely want to hear all about it later, but we don¡¯t have time right now. We¡¯re likely going to be attacked soon.¡±
¡°Attacked? By who?¡± Bradley asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that any of the other countries were prepared enough to try attacking us.¡±
¡°No, not humans, aliens,¡± the Lieutenant clarified. ¡°They said they weren¡¯t allowed to violate the solar system¡¯s airspace¡ or whatever you call it, but it seems they¡¯ve found a way regardless.¡±
¡°Wait, but how do you even know?¡± Bradley argued. ¡°They¡¯re in space right?¡±
¡°We didn¡¯t tell anyone yet, but we actually got a few of our spy satellites and the Hubble Telescope online a few weeks ago. It seemed like the most important thing to do,¡± Winslow answered in a hushed voice. ¡°We tracked some strange signals coming from space and when we trained the Telescope on it? Alien spacecraft. It¡¯s been sitting in orbit for now, but who knows when it will decide to come for a ¡®visit¡¯.¡±
¡°You mean it¡¯s staying in orbit¡ like it¡¯s waiting for something,¡± Bradley asked, horrified realization etching itself on his face.
¡°Yeah, I guess?¡± the Lieutenant shrugged. ¡°Why, you have any idea what they want?¡±
¡°Possibly¡ I think it might be here for me, or rather, us,¡± Bradley replied. At the soldier¡¯s confused expression, he clarified. ¡°The Ambassador Bright ¨Cer Nova said he would be sending a ship to meet us in a few days to send us to learn from them on another planet. Didn¡¯t anyone tell you?¡±
¡°What? No! I honestly didn¡¯t even know you finished the Tutorial until you showed up,¡± the Lieutenant explained.
¡°So I¡¯m the first to arrive,¡± he asked rhetorically before shaking his head. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s not the problem, we can¡¯t fight that ship! Who knows what they¡¯ll do if we take out a diplomatic envoy.¡± ¡®And it would ruin any chance of seeing an alien world,¡¯ he added internally. Bradley groaned. ¡°Why did it have to come so early?¡±
¡°Maybe the Ambassador mean a few days in Game time,¡± Lieutenant Winslow pointed out. ¡°You¡¯re right, we don¡¯t have time for that; the last thing we need right now is destroying a political envoy or being the aggressors here. We need to warn the Commander to call off the defense¡ or at least try to communicate.¡± Not wasting any more time, the soldier sprinted down the corridor, Bradley reluctantly running after him.
Outside the front entrance now, Bradley got to see the outside of the building for the first time. He had seen glimpses through the wooden planks and sandbags barring the windows but had never seen it so clearly until now. He found himself in the middle of a parking lot crammed with as much military hardware as it could contain: tanks, armored vehicles, trucks, weapons, ammunition, crates of explosives and even the occasional tanker truck full to the brim with fuel. The culmination of close to a thousand military personnel bored out of their minds. In the distance, he could make out the contrails of jets circling in the sky above him and he could just make out the shape of RAM and Phalanx Close-in Weapon Systems on top of Centurion platforms sitting on the highway surrounding the Pentagon.
¡°Quit gawking, we¡¯ve got to move!¡± the Lieutenant admonished, emphasizing the words by waving his hands in a ¡®come here¡¯ gesture.
They made their way to one of the security checkpoints and a quick order from the Lieutenant had the private radioing for a Humvee brought to their location.
¡°We need to see the Commander,¡± Winslow calmly informed the driver. ¡°He¡¯ll be at the FOB. We need to be there yesterday so don¡¯t hold back on the accelerator.¡±
¡°Yes sir!¡± the driver replied enthusiastically.
With both of them taking the back seats, the driver floored the gas, sending the vehicle hurdling around the tight corners around the parking lot and onto the highway.
As they raced North on the Washington Interstate, they passed by massive trucks anchored to the ground loaded with car-sized missiles and smaller ones loaded with large radar dishes. They regularly swept the horizon for enemies. As they travelled over the Potomac, Bradley stared in awe at the sight of a U.S. Navy Supercarrier anchored just off the shore of the Ronald Reagan National Airport.
¡°Just how many people are actually in the Game right now?¡± Bradley asked, stunned at the amount of hardware being fielded around him.
¡°Well there was only a few dozen in Washington when you were here last,¡± the Lieutenant replied, ¡°that¡¯s why I was in charge of the Pentagon: not enough people to warrant more leadership. With the threat of invasion though, we¡¯ve called everyone back here to the best fortified position. We¡¯ve got about eleven-hundred here now, but even that is only barely enough to get some of this working.¡± He pointed at the carrier to their right. ¡°The Stennis alone requires over five times that. At the moment it¡¯s a glorified floating piece of asphalt until we get more people. Still, the aircraft repair facilities and defense systems are top notch. We¡¯re actually lucky to even have it at all. The other nuclear-powered carriers were all copied into the Game while they were still running¡ their reactors likely all melted down. They¡¯re probably sitting at the bottom of the ocean now. The Stannis was thankfully in port upriver at the time being refitted.¡±
¡®Huh, I never thought about it, but how many things needed constant maintenance like that and are now broken beyond repair?¡¯ Bradley thought. ¡®How much radiation leaked because of that, not to mention other civilian reactors around the globe? Not only that, but there are already that many people¡ Based on the size of that Military base in the Real World, I thought there were only one-hundred or so people involved, but maybe there are more facilities involved.
¡®If that¡¯s how many are going to be playing when it¡¯s a secret, I can only imagine what it will be like when they open it to the public.¡¯
Capitol Building, Washington D.C., the Game
¡°Welcome to FOB Washington,¡± Lieutenant Winslow proclaimed with little ceremony, racing from the car and up the steps leading to the Capitol.
Like the Pentagon, the soldiers converted Washington¡¯s National Mall into a large outdoor storage facility. Pallets of canned food, freighter containers of electronics and all sorts of practical miscellaneous goods lay tightly packed in rows. The Capitol itself seemed completely untouched, except for an Abrams Tank stationed in between the first set of staircases, the piles of sandbags at all the entrances, and the occasional patrols of soldiers walking around.
To one of these patrols, the Lieutenant had to show his ID before being allowed to enter the building itself. Bradley had never been inside the Capitol before and so found himself staring at the marble decor and bronze statues within despite the urgency of the situation. The soldier would have none of that and practically dragged the engineer through some of the more opulent sections.
It did not take long before they found themselves at their destination: The Capitol Rotunda. Underneath the incredibly intricate stonework and detailed filigree of the dome sat the comparably drab greens of army combat gear. Radio communication systems covered the walls and the desks of administrative staff on computers filled in-between. At the center, several temporary walls covered in maps surrounded a large desk. Around the desk, several officers stood around some paper, pointing and arguing.
¡°Look, all I¡¯m saying is that we should relocate everyone to the Pentagon,¡± a younger man argued. ¡°We have all already set it as our collective Spawn Point and Control Point so it¡¯s clearly the most valuable target. We should concentrate all the defenses there and make it impossible to take.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the whole problem!¡± another slightly older man retorted. ¡°We are concentrated too much. This isn¡¯t some terrorist cell coming at us with inferior weapons on a suicide run, these are spacefaring aliens! With what I saw in the Tutorial, they could probably level the Pentagon with that spaceship of theirs just by landing on it! What we should do is spread out and set up ambushes when they arrive. If we can take their technology, we will be able to decide the next engagement. Worst-comes-to-worst, we respawn in different locations, rearm, and institute long-term guerilla warfare. They are bound to slip up eventually.¡±
¡°I think we all understand your positions, Captain Moore, Captain Garcia,¡± a third, almost middle-aged man replied, looking to older and younger officers respectively, ¡°but as enjoyable of an exercise that all sounds, remember that the primary goal of the mission is to protect American interests in the Real World. That means finding and removing any piece of intelligence or weapon which could be used against us. While this alien spaceship is threatening, it does not change that primary mission.¡±
¡°But Colonel Evans, sir, then why did you order us back here in the first place if the invasion does not change the mission?¡± Captain Moore asked.
¡°That is because-¡± Colonel Evans began, before he finally noticed Lieutenant Winslow and Bradley standing a dozen feet away. ¡°Lieutenant Winslow¡ could you explain to me what a civilian is doing inside a secure army installation. I know this is a game, but we are under orders to take this as seriously as any of our other duties.¡±
¡°I know, sir, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± the Lieutenant replied, saluting the Colonel. ¡°Bradley Cooper here has some urgent news about the aliens.¡±
The Colonel sighed, massaging his temples. ¡°Lieutenant, I know guidelines dictate that any eyewitness or messenger of military information should be escorted to the officer most capable to receive that information, but that does not qualify for non-military personnel.¡±
¡°Please-er Colonel, uh, sir,¡± Bradley struggled to reply, ¡°this is really important! The aliens aren¡¯t the enemy!¡±
¡°So you know why they are here?¡± the senior officer asked, walking over to a desk and reading the contents of a piece of paper. ¡°They were only sighted less than two hours ago. With how time in the Game runs faster than Reality, the solider I ordered to log off should not have had enough time to report.¡±
¡°He wasn¡¯t sent from the Base,¡± Winslow cut in, ¡°he is the reason they are coming. Apparently the Haxlardian Ambassador is planning on sending them on some sort of Cultural Exchange to another planet. That spacecraft may well be that envoy.¡±
¡°Do you have any proof?¡± Colonel Evans asked.
¡°Uh, well, not really-¡± Bradley began before he remembered something the Lieutenant had them all do. ¡°Oh, actually there is!¡±
¡®System: Share ¨C Colonel Evans: Current Quest,¡¯ he thought.
[table=green]
Sharing ¨C Colonel Christopher Evans
Haxlard/Earth Coalition Quest
Brigadier General George Stratton and Haxlard Ambassador to Earth Incandescent Nova have given you the opportunity to learn at the Iras Entry-Level Academy.
Item(s) Provided:
None
Quest Difficulty:
Unranked
Success Conditions:
Arrive at the Haxlard spaceship.
Failure Conditions:
Are not logged into the Game for an extended period or otherwise cannot be found before the ship departs.
Quest Rewards:
Admittance to the Iras Entry-Level Academy
[/table]
¡°Well it does appear that he has a ¡®quest¡¯ of that nature,¡± Colonel Evans agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t know of any method to fake that.¡±
¡°That could be true, but we cannot rely on the System to give us accurate information,¡± Captain Moore added.
¡°Actually, I disagree,¡± the Colonel opposed with a shake of his head. ¡°Until I am given cause to believe otherwise, I am going to take everything that the System says as the infallible truth within this Game.¡±
¡°What?!¡± the two captains exclaimed. ¡°How can you be so foolhardy!¡± Captain Moore demanded. ¡°We have no control over the System! It is an alien computer controlled by aliens who have already threatened us with eradication!We cannot trust it! How could you even think of that?!¡±
¡°It does not matter what you or I thinks,¡± the Colonel replied simply, ¡°it is simply the truth. You already trust the System already.¡±
Captain Moore looked visibly angry, but Captain Garcia no longer appeared to take his side. ¡°I can assure you that I do not,¡± Captain Moore denied with a glare.
¡°But you trust that I am actually the Colonel?¡± he asked.
¡°Of course¡ I might disagree with you on this, but you still are my commanding officer,¡± the Captain replied.
¡°But the System created all this,¡± he replied, gesturing to their surroundings. ¡°The air you breathe, the ground beneath your feet; everything here is created. At least, if our scientists are correct about the purpose of the Game Capsules. This is, essentially, the Matrix; an artificial world created by a machine. Just like that movie, this Matrix need not be completely genuine. It would be just as simple for the System to place each of us in our own little worlds and feed us lies. To you, I could be merely its puppet; a construct created by it solely for the purpose of convincing you that the System is infallible. I have thought it through, and it is better to assume it everything it does is true until proven otherwise. Otherwise I would be second-guessing everything I do, and that is no way for an officer to do their job.¡±
¡°I¡ don''t necessarily agree with you,¡± the Captain said after a few seconds of reflection, ¡°but you''ve made it clear that I still have a few things to think about. When I-¡±
Before the Captain could finish, one of the people working at the other desks spoke up and cut him off.
¡°Colonel!¡± the desk soldier yelled, putting down a radio headset he had on. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and looked at the man. ¡°I just got word that a large UFO has finished entering the atmosphere! It somehow avoided detection until our weather satellites picked up an extra heat signature over Asia.¡±
¡°How could that happen?¡± the Colonel asked. ¡°There should have been heat as it entered the atmosphere, not-¡±
¡°Sorry to interrupt Colonel,¡± the radioman apologized, ¡°but we¡¯re already picking it up on our forward radar! The F-18s are already on-route to intercept.¡±
¡°How the heck did it get here so fast?¡± Lieutenant Winslow asked rhetorically. ¡°Our forward radar only extends 300 miles at most, for it to come from Asia in that time¡¡±
¡°Hail the craft with Radio, try as many frequencies as you can,¡± the Colonel replied. ¡°Let me know when those fighters are near firing range.¡±
¡°Colonel!¡± Bradley exclaimed. ¡°You can¡¯t attack them!¡±
¡°I can and I will,¡± the Colonel replied. ¡°Even if you are correct, we cannot assume these aliens are the same ones mentioned in your ¡®quest¡¯. If they don¡¯t communicate their intentions and leave when we tell them to, they are the enemy and are to be taken down with extreme prejudice. Those are our current rules of engagement.¡±
¡°I have Alpha One on the line,¡± the radioman said moments later. ¡°They will be in range in 30 seconds. There has been no response from our hails.¡±
¡°Tell them to fire a warning shot and hail them again,¡± Colonel Evans got out, teeth clenched.
¡°Understood¡ they have fired the shot¡ there is still no response.¡±
¡°Tell them to fire on target.¡±
¡°Colonel, please,¡± Bradley pleaded.
Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
¡°Lieutenant, get the civilian out of here,¡± the Colonel ordered.
¡°¡yes sir,¡± Lieutenant Winslow replied.
Even from his spot outside the Capitol Building, Bradley could clearly see the battle unfold in the skies. It had been a fierce fight to see. Missiles, bullets and artillery all hammered at the spaceship from mobile platforms throughout the capital. All proved ineffective against the ship¡¯s powerful shielding. The jets strafed by the massive ship with salvos of missiles and machineguns but did little better.
The alien craft itself had a rounded nose at its aft housing what looked like a massive magnetic rail system. Smoothly extending outward from the nose, the aft grew thinner by the midsection which in turn connected to the larger engine-section at the back. Large strips extruded out from the stern which glowed with energy. Across the entire ship, modular plates serving all sorts of functions were inter-spaced with smaller automated weapon systems which occasionally fired at the missiles used against it, shooting them out of the sky far before they could hit their target.
The ship hovered over the city. Without any clear sign of a propulsion system or any aerodynamic properties, the act seemed in clear defiance of gravity. Several hundred feet long and hundreds of feet in the air, it cast a long dark shadow over Washington. Despite such posturing however, the ship never once used its weapons against the U.S. forces fighting it. Eventually the human weapons ceased their attacks and the alien ship began to make a landing somewhere off in the distance.
At that moment, the Colonel, Lieutenant and several other military officers stormed out of the building. At the same time, several Humvees swarmed the entrance, and the officers began to make their way into the vehicles. Seeing the commotion, Bradley made his way back over to them.
¡°Captain Moore, Captain Garcia, prepare to destroy any sensitive materials you can; we¡¯ll use Plan Delta for the disposal. I¡¯ll give you further details in a moment,¡± the Colonel ordered the two men saluted and left in their vehicles. ¡°Lieutenant Winslow, make your way back to the Pentagon and find the other civilians. Keep them safe. Also if a ¡®Sergeant Major Conrad Schneider¡¯ asks to see me, send him to my location right away. When you¡¯re ready, find me again.¡±
¡°Of course sir,¡± Winslow saluted. He then made his way to Bradley. ¡°Bradley, you and me are going back to the Pentagon.¡±
¡°What? I thought I would be going to the alien ship-¡± Bradley started.
¡°No can do, that was never in the cards,¡± the Lieutenant cut him off, shaking his head. ¡°We don''t know if the aliens even are the ones we want or not and we aren''t going to risk civilians pointlessly. In the meantime, we have bigger problems.¡±
¡°Bigger than that huge alien spaceship?!¡± he exclaimed, pointing towards the horizon the ship left to.
Wilson nodded, hopping into the passenger seat of the Humvee. ¡°We have over one hundred hostile signatures closing in on our position. At least we know the Alien ship does not plan to attack us. These hostiles though, they aren''t alien and that''s a lot worse. Aliens can be nice. This?
¡°This is an invasion force.¡±
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
29
Experience:
405/2000
Class:
Cybernetic Scavenger
Alignment:
Friendly (+2) / Order (+1)
[/tr]
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
Unranked (10)
Notoriety:
Unranked (0)
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
220/220
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
85/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
10+20
Agility:
12+20
Intelligence:
75+20
Willpower:
38+20
Charisma:
20+20
Perception:
36+20
Endurance:
12+20
Luck:
32+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
5.0%
Mental:
16.0%
Psionic:
2.1%
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
Embark for Iras
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
645
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Friendly*
Administrators:
Privileged*
Pirates:
Vilified*
Revenant:
Known*
----General Ability Window----
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Explosives Use
G
F
G
The ability to set, wire and detonate explosives in effective ways without killing yourself in the process. A higher rank indicates greater lethality through the proper implementation of: environment, directionality, defensive bypass, and explosive composition.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
E
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Provides resistance against abilities which damage the mind.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Rifle Shooting
G
G
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Strategy
F
F
G
This ability maps the progress for making plans. A higher rank indicates greater plans which: achieve goals sooner, with fewer losses, and with less required resources.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Trap Making
G
F
G
The ability to create traps which kill or otherwise hinder your adversaries. A higher rank indicates the design of more effective traps which: are more difficult to detect, are harder to disarm, and can cause more efficient damage to the enemy.
----Cybernetic Ability Window----
Spoiler :
Cybernetic Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Cybernetic Focus
F
G
D
When performing tasks that are trivial for a digital computer, some of the work is offloaded to the Cybernetic Interface Chip, heightening focus and simplifying the task.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Machine Language Comprehension
G
G
D
The ability to communicate with sapient machines.
Languages Known:
Revenant Standard
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Scavenger Ability Window----
Spoiler :
Scavenger Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
G
E
D
The ability to intrinsically know the value of an object. Whether an object will work correctly, for how long, and how much it is worth.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D+
F
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security. A Revenant Firmware Upgrade allows it to parse Sapient Machine Language. Has been enhanced by the Cybernetic subclass.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D+
G
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank. Has been enhanced by the Cybernetic subclass.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Open
N/A
N/A
Chapter 12 - Pentagon Preparations
Highway 395/695 Interchange, Washington D.C., the Game
The Humvee floored it to the Pentagon, reaching a peak speed of over 120 mph as they neared the 14th St Bridge over the Patomac. All the while, the Lieutenant was taking orders on his headset, getting the Pentagon prepared for whatever was coming their way. Bradley felt ignored, understandable given the circumstances; having literally been regulated to the backseat.
¡°Yes, I''ll be there in a minute and-¡± the Lieutenant said, holding a hand up to his headphone connected to a multi-band wireless radio. ¡°Yes, the Intel is accurate; we¡¯re in a ''this is not a drill'' type of scenario here! Didn''t you see the tanks moving out?! No, our company is going to be moving to the Airport because of the aliens- Hold on, I have someone on the other line.¡±
He adjusted a dial on the radio. ¡°Yes? Ah Captain Moore sir! Yes, that¡¯s right, I want to move the mobile launchers off the highway. No, no, their maximum range is not as important as their safety. As they are now, they will be sitting ducks if- Yes, I-, yes, I get that, but if the enemy gets the drop on us¡ Alright I understand Captain, I''ll focus elsewhere, but I still-¡±
*SCREEEEEEEEEEEE------SHROOOOOOOSSSSHHHH*
The high-pitch screech of a cruise missile flew quickly over their heads. Followed closely behind, a dozen more rockets flew by. Having already breached the sound barrier, the sound came very delayed and very loud; followed up closely by a smaller Doppler wave. They all went straight for the Pentagon.
*BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT* *BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT* *BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT* *BOOOOOM* *BRRRRRRRRT* *BRRRRRRRRT* *SHROOOSSSHHH* *BOOOOOM* *BOOOOOM* *BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT* *BOOOOOM*
Moments later, the mobile CIWS near the Pentagon fired controlled bursts of ammunition. Several of the rockets exploded into fireballs; sending fiery shrapnel all along the bank of the Potomac. Despite its efforts however, it proved no match for the relentless onslaught of ordinance and several missiles went right through, striking portions of the Pentagon¡¯s north-eastern wall and damaging a large number of the collected military hardware in the Pentagon parking lot. More explosions could also be heard from other rockets, but to those in the Humvee, the cause and results of the detonations were out of sight.
A C-301 cruise missile fired from a Xian H-6 strategic jet bomber has struck the Pentagon! This signifies the beginning of a new conflict.
Civil War in the Earth Coalition has been declared.
Aggressor:
People''s Republic of China, co-signer of the Earth Coalition
Defender:
United States of America, co-signer of the Earth Coalition
Win Condition:
Force the invaders to capitulate or eliminate all enemy forces.
Loss Condition:
Lose all [1] Control Points in [Washington, D.C.] or lose all allied forces.
Victory Rewards:
All P.R.C. military personnel are no longer allowed to enter the borders of the United States of America for a period of 4 months. Each member of the U.S. forces earns 2,875 Exp at the expense of all P.R.C. military personnel. The U.S. can call for a cease-fire for up to 1 week.
Defeat Penalties:
Loss of [Washington, D.C.] Control Point. U.S. forces can no longer Spawn in Washington, D.C. All invading P.R.C. personnel can Spawn in [Washington, D.C.]. Each member of the P.R.C. military earns 845 Exp at the expense of the U.S. forces. The P.R.C. can call for a cease-fire for up to 1 week.
As an employee of the Earth Coalition hired by the United States of America, you are automatically enrolled in this conflict.
Allies:
1,197
Enemies:
??????
Notes:
Should any participant of this war be killed, they are immediately forced to suspend all war-related activities and all war-related quests will fail until the end of the conflict.
¡°Wait, China is attacking us?!¡± Bradley exclaimed.
Lieutenant Winslow ignored the outburst, listening to his radio instead. ¡°Right, understood Captain. Over and out,¡± he concluded.
He switched the dial back. ¡°Sergeant Jackson, you saw the Game Window? Good. Right, the plan hasn''t changed. Right... yes, get everything ready and meet me at the visitor''s entrance. Over and out.¡±
¡°Does this mean what I think it means?¡± Bradley asked.
¡°Probably. It seems that China and other countries might have been royally shafted in this ¡®understanding¡¯ of yours,¡± the Lieutenant theorized. ¡°5 U.S. citizens getting an exclusive trip to an alien world does seem like a bit much, now that I think about it.¡±
¡°That''s all?!¡± Bradley shouted. ¡°They''re firing rockets at us because of a bad deal?!¡±
¡°You know what they say: ¡®Wars have started for less.¡¯ Your deal was probably just the tip of the iceburg though. I can''t say for sure that''s the reason, but the timing is pretty suspicious,¡± Wilson responded. ¡°They could not have gotten over here in the time it took for the aliens to land. That means they were preparing this for some time. I''m guessing China probably wants to take center stage in these alien negotiations. This is history-in-the-making here.¡±
He then got another call on the radio and listened to it for a while. ¡°Right, understood sir. Over and out,¡± he concluded before turning back to Bradley.
¡°Looks like the Colonel has our plan mostly figured out. We¡¯re in a ''Game war'', which isn¡¯t exactly the same as a regular one. As defenders, the goal is to prevent the enemy from taking our ¡®Control Point¡¯. They do this by killing all ¡®enemies¡¯ there and having at least one of their ''allies'' inside. Our Control Point is the Pentagon and so it is a building we cannot lose. If we do, the war will end and China will be able to respawn in the city while we cannot. That is a war of attrition we will lose. We probably have an advantage in numbers and even equipment though so if that was all, we would win. The problem is the Haxlard. China''s true goal is probably to disrupt our meeting with the aliens. That means we have to split up to defend both the Pentagon and the National Airport where the Alien Spacecraft has landed. If we fail to defend either one, shit might hit the fan pretty hard for us.¡±
¡°But what if the aliens are trying to take over, or what if this messes up all foreign relations with the aliens permanently?¡± Bradley countered. ¡°If these aliens really are hostile, then China attacking us now could be all it takes to bring about the end of the world!¡±
The Lieutenant grimaced and did not refute the claim.
¡°Then let''s hope it doesn''t¡¡±
Visitor¡¯s Entrance, the Pentagon, Washington D.C., the Game
The Lieutenant had no time to waste it seemed. As soon as they arrived at the Pentagon, he left Bradley to one of the Sergeants with orders to keep all the civilians safe and together before leaving with his ''Charlie Company'' for the National Airport.
Sergeant Jackson led him to one of the Pentagon''s many conference rooms towards the inner sections of the building. The room had no windows and only a single table with no chairs. With the damage done by the missiles, they did not want to risk casualties by flying debris, and this particular room had reinforced concrete on three sides for added protection. Despite those benefits, the room could only just barely accommodate the civilians; it had been designed as a secure conference room, not a bomb shelter.
The Sergeant informed Bradley that all the U.S. civilians in the Game were held in here; 27 in all. A group of eight of them were playing a game of cards on the table while the rest¡ªincluding Maria, Garry, Alex and Farida¡ªstood around talking with one another. Although they were all civilians, they didn¡¯t look it. They all just recently went through their tutorials and so they were all still wearing the Army Fatigues that had been given to them.
¡°Hey Bradley, long time no see,¡± Alex exaggerated; it had only been an hour for them and three for Bradley because of the time dilation. ¡°So I guess you really did come here first. Where were you?¡±
¡°Well first I met the Administrator who ¡®proctored¡¯ our Tutorial,¡± Bradley began, catching them up on what happened to him.
¡°...and then a whole load of missiles flew over our heads. Some got taken out, but others hit the Pentagon. I''m not sure if you noticed, but the parking lot is a mess and the north-eastern wall has seen better days. After that, I was dropped off here, and you know the rest,¡± he concluded.
The others had also shared their stories. Like him, they all met with the same Administrator and logged in only to find the air-raid sirens going off. Unlike Bradley, however, they did not find an officer to tell them what kind of situation they were in and so they were instead all grouped together and protected in the room until Bradley arrived.
¡°I can''t believe China would go this far over such a small slight,¡± Farida muttered, shaking her head.
¡°What are we gonna do about it?¡± Garry spoke up. ¡°Y''all honestly have ta be fed up with being outta the fight, right?¡± When nobody responded, he added, ¡°If what Bradley said was true, then the fate of the world could be at stake, yet alone are best chance of leaving the Earth for the ''Final Frontier''. Ah mean, it ain¡¯t like we¡¯d really die if we did fight, right?¡±
¡°What can we do though?¡± Farida countered. ¡°None of us are soldiers.¡±
¡°That¡¯s for sure,¡± one of the civilians playing cards agreed, tossing his hand of cards at the dealer.
¡°Maybe,¡± another one piped up, ¡°but I didn''t get all these combat implants to sit around playing card games when a war is going on. This is a Game right? I don¡¯t know about you, but that Tutorial was pretty exciting.¡±
Bradley secretely agreed. He did not know what it was about the Game, but it made him feel like an adrenaline junkie waiting for his next ''fix'' of action.
¡°Then will we go on Offensive and Defensive teams again?¡± Maria asked, a tiny bit of her creepy grin making its way up her face. ¡°We proved that even ''weak'' civilians can do the impossible with enough time and hard work, right Bradley?¡±
Bradley chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I guess we did. So who wants to get some of that action?¡±
Northwest Corridor, the Pentagon, Washington D.C., the Game
2 hours later
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper ¨C Explosive Team
¡°Alright, I¡¯m all finished with the hallway now. Traps B141-A167 and C42-44 are all set. I¡¯m going to move onto the Northeast next,¡± Bradley informed, speaking into the black walkie-talkie in his hand.
¡°Alright,¡± Farida replied, ¡°let me know when you¡¯ve reached the corner pillar and we will start from there.¡±
What might not be obvious to someone who had never visited the Pentagon would be how massive the building is. The inner courtyard at the center alone could fit the entire Lincoln Memorial with room to spare. Seeing the troops in vehicles and defensive positions around the building made the civilians¡¯ role in helping obvious. If the outside was well defended, than they would secure the inside. With only a few hundred soldiers, there were bound to be gaps in their lines; the Pentagon would need hundreds more troops to be fortified completely. With careful planning, the enemy could make it inside even despite the large open parking lots around the building providing perfect killing zones. The recent attacks had left craters and the burnt wreckage of vehicles to provide cover.
Like the Tutorial, the civilians split into two teams: 8 people on the Offensive Team and 12 on the Defensive Team. Despite the soldiers wanting the civilians to stay put, the military personnel reluctantly agreed to let them go as long as they did not leave Washington itself. After the initial bombing destroyed several large sections of the Pentagon already, the Army admitted that they really could not properly defend them if the enemy kept up the attack; even encouraging the civilians to leave for some of the other buildings in the area. 7 of them did exactly that, but the rest wanted to stay and fight in whatever way they could.
¡°Okay, I¡¯m at the Northeast pillar, tell me what to do,¡± Bradley said into the radio.
¡°It should be the same as before, place 4 ''C'' bombs using the ''spread'' configuration on that corner pillar and 3 more in the ''line'' configuration on every other pillar after that,¡± Farida responded.
¡°Will do,¡± Bradley acknowledged.
Of the twelve in the Defensive Team, they further split up into three groups.
Bradley and Farida worked together in the Explosives Team. With Bradley¡¯s skills in setting traps and bombs and Farida¡¯s architectural knowledge, they went about turning the Pentagon into a death trap. Farida sat with the schematics and recorded where everything should be placed while Bradley set them up using the spare parts and supplies that the Army had collected within the Pentagon.
The bombs were classified as three types. ''A'' bombs were small traps attached to tripwires, IR emitters, or other sensors designed to go off without his intervention. They were all placed in the second and third floors which were indefensible with the troops they had. While the stairwells and roof were left untrapped so that allied snipers could set up, the enemy would be in for a suprise if they tried to flank them by going to a higher floor.
''B'' bombs were bombs he placed on the 1st floor and were remote detonated using his connect ability. These were mostly claymore miles rigged up to cellphones configured to detonate when called with a specific encrypted message. Once rigged, any soldier defending the Pentagon would only need to radio in an enemy position and that position would no longer be a problem.
The final bombs were Bradley''s last resort. The ''C'' bombs stood for C4. Using Farida''s building knowledge, He rigged the C4 in special configurations on all the supporting pillars of the Pentagon. Ideally, the C bombs would never be used, but if the situation became more dire, the defenders could crush the enemy under tons of conrete by destroying entire sections of the Pentagon.
And this was only the Explosive group.
Four of the other civilians also grouped together to form the Barricade Team. They worked with the Offensive Team to make choke-points and defensive lines which could help them keep the enemy back. With the implants they had, they somehow discovered a way to mould concrete fortifications for machinegun nests and place barbed wire without the use of machinery.
The remaining six¡ªincluding Maria¡ªformed the Medical Team. They worked with the doctors to help them treat any of the wounded. Being a doctor herself, Maria would be more help than most even if her knowledge beyond radiology was limited.
The Offensive Team did not follow the same ''divide-and-conquer'' strategy. Instead, Alex, Garry and four other civilians all worked together to supply themselves and the rest of the Defensive Teams with whatever they needed while they waited for the enemy. When the war started in ernest, they would split up amongst the soldiers to help fight and relay important information to help the other teams. In the meantime, Garry took charge in working out a few plans to try and trap the enemies into as many choke points and traps as they could.
¡°Hey Bradley!¡± a voice called out for him down the hall to his left.
¡®Speak of the devil,¡¯ Bradley thought as he noticed Garry make his way towards him at a brisk jogging pace while carrying a medium-sized wooden crate.
¡°Hey Bradley, Ah got more gifts for ya,¡± he added, dropping the crate to the ground. He took out a crowbar from a loop on his belt and pried the box open. Bradley¡¯s eyes glowed.
¡°Oh Garry, it¡¯s just what I always wanted, how did you know?¡± Bradley teased with a wistful tone. While his tone sounded sarcastic, he felt genuinely impressed that Garry could find everything he wanted. This batch of M18 Claymore Mines were only the most recent of several packages that Garry had managed to scrounge up in the almost innumerable rooms of the Pentagon. Every time Garry gave him a new package, he felt like a child on Christmas morning.
¡°Well ya did tell me to get them,¡± Garry deadpanned. His face could only be so serious for a moment before he let out a hearty chuckle. ¡°Anyway, if ya think of anythin¡¯ else, let me know and I¡¯ll-¡±
¡°Bradley!¡± Farida¡¯s voice cried out from the walkie-talkie, cutting Garry off. ¡°The soldiers they-¡± she began but an explosion ripped through the building.
¡°Farida! Are you alright!¡± Bradley yelled.
¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± the voice on the other end responded. ¡°That was pretty close. I was about to say that there¡¯s fighting going on outside. There are a bunch of people parachuting into the buildings around the Pentagon. Wow¡ there are so many¡¡±
¡®The missiles and artillery never let up for the past two hours, but there were never any people parachuting,¡¯ he thought.
¡°Alright, looks like it¡¯s showtime,¡± Garry nodded with a smirk. ¡°Ah¡¯m afraid this¡¯ll be the last package for ya.¡±
¡°Right,¡± Bradley agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. We are a lot more prepared then we were for the Tutorial. We¡¯ll be fine.¡±
Northern Underground Warehouse, the Pentagon, Washington D.C., the Game
5 minutes later
Perspective ¨C Garry Woods ¨C Offensive Team
Garry made his way down the stairs and into the long hallway, opening a door out into a large warehouse.
Of all the places in the Pentagon, this could be considered the least defensible. It would be a key point in the coming attacks. The large warehouse connected to loading bays on the outside which were surrounded on two sides by hills. Anyone defending on the outside there would be shot at by attackers with both a height and cover advantage and once the enemy made their way inside, there were plenty of columns and shelving lined with heavy metal crates and containers to hide behind. For those reasons, more soldiers were placed there than anywhere else. The other walls were more easily defended by machinegun nests in the walls and roofs or the armored vehicles hidden in fortified locations. In those positions, it would be like D-Day, with a few dozen men able to hold off thousands. In the warehouse, they would be lucky if it only devolved into tense urban warfare.
¡°Hey Garry, where were you?¡± Alex asked as Garry made his way over to him. Alex sat against the wall furthest from the loading bay entrances. The other four members of the Offensive Team were in other strategic positions around the area. They hoped that no matter where the enemy attacked, they would be able to notify the defensive teams accordingly.
¡°Sorry, just had to finish my delivery to Bradley,¡± he replied. ¡°Did I miss anything?¡±
¡°Nothing yet,¡± Alex shrugged nervously. The sounds of bombs and bullets rang out faintly beyond the walls. ¡°Still, the soldiers are already saying that some Chinese Scouts have been sighted ''probing he outer lines''. They could be here any minute.¡±
Garry looked out into the room in front of them. A large complex, the warehouse spanned several thousand square feet. Knowing about the defensive vulnerability ahead of time, all the easily movable contents were already removed and stored either outside or in other rooms. As such, the space became largely empty. A Browning Machinegun position had been set up by the corridor to the Pentagon and they even hauled a several hundred sandbags into the room to further fortify the position further. It was only a bare minimum effort; the Pentagon itself would be more defensible than this.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
¡°Sounds like it¡¯s a tough situation out there,¡± Garry observed, overhearing the Company radio keeping the squad in charge of the warehouse up-to-date on the battle outside.
Captain Moore, having finished his call, moved passed the machinegun nest and briefly looked over at them; he appeared ready to blow a gasket before simply sighing. ¡°I would say this is no place for a civilian, but you all went through your ''Tutorials''. You know what you''re signing up for and we need all the help we can get,¡± the Captain replied. ¡°After my aide Sergeant Johnson was taken out in the initial explosions, I¡¯ve had to man the radios myself.¡± He eyed the M16s both of them were carrying. ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t just wearing those for show. They aren¡¯t toys and if you get in our way, you¡¯ll be doing more harm than good.¡±
*B-B-B-BOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Before either of them could respond, the front entrance of the warehouse turned into a firestorm as several explosions went off. Luckily, the soldiers had taken positions away from the walls for just this reason and so no one had been hurt in the attack.
¡°What was that!¡± the Captain yelled before quickly picking up on of the radios. ¡°Charlie-Two this is Papa Actual. What the hell just happened, over¡ Charlie-Two, respond, over. Fuck!¡± He twisted a dial as he muttered ¡°Charlie-five, can you give me a sit-rep on¡¡±
Alex and Garry were forced to ignore the Captain as bullets began to fly through the newly formed holes. The two of them took defensive positions behind a pillar along the far wall and tried to get a better view of the situation. From there they could hear the sounds of the U.S. soldiers shouting in the distance.
¡°Ramirez, shoot the soldiers climbing over the fence on Washington Blvd!¡±
¡°Rico, lay down suppressive fire on the snipers by that far wall!¡±
¡°Enemy contacts on the left! They¡¯re flanking us!¡±
Explosions from grenades kicked up dust everywhere and the guns from both sides drowned out any further voices.
¡°Alex can ya see anything? My Marksman Class gives me a bonus ta accuracy, but your Scouting abilities are much better than mine,¡± he noted.
Alex took a set of binoculars from his backpack and looked though the smouldering debris. ¡°There¡¯s a glint of something¡ It looks like they¡¯ve taken positions on the overpass. If we get any closer, they¡¯ll probably pick us off,¡± Alex replied, emphasizing the location by firing a few shots with his rifle.
¡°That¡¯s what Ah thought¡ so should we-?¡± Garry asked just before a new round of bullets hit their pillar and caused them to hide back behind cover. The other soldiers shot back and a vicious firefight broke out. One of the soldiers then suddenly hit the floor, disappearing into dust.
Private Enrico Hern¨¢ndez has died
Pentagon Defenders Remaining:
314
¡°Shit, they got Rico!¡± one of the soldiers yelled. ¡°We aren¡¯t getting anywhere, fall back to the entrance.¡±
Alex and Garry followed after the soldiers, falling back towards the Machinegun. Using his Marksman Ability ¡®Eagle Eye¡¯, Garry could move and shoot fairly accurately and managed to keep the Chinese in cover long enough for both groups to make it unscathed. At this range, they could vaguely hear their enemies yelling commands and orders in the distance.
¡°¡L¨¬ Ch¨¦n move your ass to the wall¡¡±
¡°¡bring the Type 80 into position and¡¡±
¡°¡Private Xi¨¨ and I will¡¡±
To the men waiting for the moment of attack, it felt very strange to hear the Chinese soldiers outside. They all appeared to speak with American accents one moment and then suddenly shifting to Chinese when speaking each other¡¯s names. The Systems translators worked even for languages on Earth as well.
Then for a minute there was silence. Then a groaning sound grew louder and louder. Then hell broke loose.
In that moment, a Type-99 Tank tore through the opening. Immediately, the soldiers fired grenades and the two Heavy Weapons specialists in their squad with AT-4 Rocket Launchers fired on the tank with no success. The reactive armor plating absorbed all the damage only leaving broken ceramic tiles and black scorch marks.
¡°Tank! Take cover! Take cover!¡± the Captain yelled, immediately abandoning the position as the barrel of its main gun tooka aim at the machinegun nest.
Private Wilson Thomas has died
Pentagon Defenders Remaining:
313
Private Sherron Curtis has died
Pentagon Defenders Remaining:
312
With a single shot, the nest disappeared along with two of the soldiers who did not make it out in time.
While the tank reload and the other soldiers laid supressive fire on the vehicle, two soldiers managed to set up their Javalin Misssile System and fired at the tank in Direct-Attack mode. While even the sophisticated warhead could not penetrate the tanks reactive armor and completely destroy it, their missile hit the main gun and permanently took it out of commission.
Seeing the situation, the Captain ordered, "Everyone fallback to position Hotel-12! With the nest out and a breach in the wall, our defenses aren''t worth it!"
With that, they all fleed into the hall behind them. As the final troops made it into the stairwell towards the Pentagon, they felt the power from another explosion at their backs. Whatever the Chinese had planned for them, it did not sound good.
¡°How the hell did they get a tank all the way here?¡± a Sergeant yelled, panicking over this recent development. ¡°Just the logistics of transporting all those troops halfway around the globe is already ridiculous!¡±
¡°They appear to be more prepared then we gave them credit for,¡± the Captain begrudgingly admitted.
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
29
Experience:
405/2000
Class:
Cybernetic Scavenger
Alignment:
Friendly (+2) / Order (+1)
[/tr]
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
Unranked (10)
Notoriety:
Unranked (0)
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
220/220
Health Regen:
21.55/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
85/85
Stamina Regen:
812.09/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
10+20
Agility:
12+20
Intelligence:
75+20
Willpower:
38+20
Charisma:
20+20
Perception:
36+20
Endurance:
12+20
Luck:
32+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
5.0%
Mental:
16.0%
Psionic:
2.1%
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
The Earth Coalition 1st Civil War
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
645
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Haxlards:
Friendly*
Administrators:
Privileged*
Pirates:
Vilified*
Revenant:
Known*
General Ability Window
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Explosives Use
G
F
G
The ability to set, wire and detonate explosives in effective ways without killing yourself in the process. A higher rank indicates greater lethality through the proper implementation of: environment, directionality, defensive bypass, and explosive composition.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
E
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Provides resistance against abilities which damage the mind.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Rifle Shooting
G
G
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Strategy
F
F
G
This ability maps the progress for making plans. A higher rank indicates greater plans which: achieve goals sooner, with fewer losses, and with less required resources.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Trap Making
G
F
G
The ability to create traps which kill or otherwise hinder your adversaries. A higher rank indicates the design of more effective traps which: are more difficult to detect, are harder to disarm, and can cause more efficient damage to the enemy.
----Cybernetic Ability Window----
Spoiler :
Cybernetic Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Cybernetic Focus
F
G
D
When performing tasks that are trivial for a digital computer, some of the work is offloaded to the Cybernetic Interface Chip, heightening focus and simplifying the task.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Machine Language Comprehension
G
G
D
The ability to communicate with sapient machines.
Languages Known:
Revenant Standard
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Scavenger Ability Window----
Spoiler :
Scavenger Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
G
E
D
The ability to intrinsically know the value of an object. Whether an object will work correctly, for how long, and how much it is worth.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D+
F
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security. A Revenant Firmware Upgrade allows it to parse Sapient Machine Language. Has been enhanced by the Cybernetic subclass.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D+
G
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank. Has been enhanced by the Cybernetic subclass.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Open
N/A
N/A
Chapter 13 - Pentagon Protection
Chapter 12 ¨C Protracted Pentagon Protection
Author¡¯s Note: I¡¯ve added a view of the Pentagon in the spoiler below. The northern section jutting out with the ¡°H¡± (Helipad) is the roof of the underground warehouse where the Chinese have infiltrated.
Pentagon for reference
Spoiler :
There are a lot of relative location names in the chapter. For reference, the Corridors of the Pentagon are (clockwise from top): Northern, Northeastern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western. The Sections of these Corridors are: Outer, Outer-Central, Central, Inner-Central and Inner radiating inwards. There are different names for these in real life, but they are pointlessly more difficult to remember so I¡¯m not using them.
Another thing to note is that all Chinese names here are first name ¨C last name (like Western ones). I know it¡¯s not technically correct, but it makes more sense given the setting (The System is translating the names to make them easier to understand by the characters which are Westerners).
Enjoy!
Northern Corridor, Outer Section, 1st Floor, the Pentagon, Washington D.C., the Game
Perspective ¨C Alex Cheng ¨C Offensive Team
¡°Enemy in the stairwell!¡± Alex yelled.
¡°Take them out!¡± the Sergeant ordered.
Garry, Alex and the U.S. soldiers opened fire. Most of the shots missed, but two made their mark, hitting center-mass into one of the soldiers. Two spurts of blood flew from the wounds before he collapsed, being pulled back by his teammates from beyond their fields of view. A moment later, a bright flash could be seen and then sparkly dust made their way up from the corridor before dispersing into nothing.
¡°Pull back,¡± the Sergeant ordered. He made a few signs to the soldier on his left who took out a grenade and threw it down the stairs.
The quickly ran down back into the Pentagon¡¯s Norther Corridor. Moments later, the grenade exploded. A few yells could be heard but there were no fatality notifications.
¡°Man, this is really¡¡± Alex muttered. ¡°This might be a game, but everything still hurts. I just shot a man and he¡ Trust me, when I woke up after flipping that Humvee, I actually had a broken spine. That¡¯s not a good feeling. This Game doesn¡¯t hold back.¡±
¡°I know what you mean; you think I enjoyed being mauled by a bear, even if it was just for a moment?¡± Garry empathised. ¡°Luckily it was quick. That¡¯s all we can do: make it quick. They knew what they signed up for¡ and I guess we¡¯re starting to figure out what we signed up for.¡±
¡°Cut the chatter!¡± the Sergeant yelled. ¡°You might be civilians, but while you are in this outfit you¡¯re under my command. So shut up or do something useful; we have a job to do!¡±
The two immediately shut up. Alex instead got on the radio, saying, ¡°Bradley this is Alex, we have enemies in the Northern Warehouse stairwell, we¡¯ll need you to be ready with your packages.¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do what I can, but you¡¯ll need to speak through Farida instead, she has the map,¡± Bradley replied over the radio.
¡°Will do.¡±
Southeastern Corridor, Inner Section, 2nd Floor, the Pentagon, Washington D.C., the Game
Perspective ¨C Farida Sharma ¨C Explosive Team
Bradley and Farida of the Explosive Team as well as the four members of the Barricade Team sat in a small room as far away from most of the action as possible. The Southern corridors were the best defended due to the massive parking lots which gave any invading force zero cover against the entrenched Pentagon positions. The inner section, likewise, had enough protection from the other sections to be safe from stray missiles or tank fire. From this position, they could safely coordinate the building of defenses and the demolition of explosives.
The Barricade Team sat and listened to the communication traffic of the soldiers and went to assist them in whatever fortifications they needed to the new defensive lines as the Chinese moved forward. The Explosive Team, then, spoke directly with the Offensive Team and activated any traps to hinder the Chinese advance.
It did not go as smoothly as they planned. They were swamped.
¡°We have Chinese moving down the Northern Corridor!¡± a female voice on the radio cried out. The sound of bullets could be heard in the background. ¡°So something!¡±
¡°Where are they exactly,¡± Farida replied as calmly as she could in the tense situation. ¡°What room are you next to, how far away are they, what direction are they coming from?¡±
¡°How the hell do you expect me to-¡± an explosion cut her off. For a few moments, there was only the sound of guns firing their ammunition. ¡°Argh! Damn it! Can¡¯t you just do something?!¡±
¡°If we don¡¯t know where you and the enemies are, we could accidentally kill you!¡± Farida yelled, her patience wearing thin. ¡®Alright, don¡¯t get angry at them; it isn¡¯t their fault. Still¡ can¡¯t they just think things through a bit more? Actually, I guess they can¡¯t¡¡¯
¡°Right,¡± the voice muttered. A few more shots rang out in the background before she spoke up again. ¡°We¡¯re at the intersection of Corridor 4 and Uh¡ Block 500B moving to the um¡ main corridor. They are out towards the heliport.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Farida replied, she turned to the map, running her fingers along the path. Nodding, she turned to Bradley saying, ¡°Can you activate traps C11-C21?¡±
¡°Will do,¡± Bradley replied, going deep into thought.
¡®I honestly don¡¯t know how he could keep track of all those traps with just some numbers,¡¯ she thought. ¡®It must translate to some computer code or something. ¡®A¡¯ traps are grenades attached to some sort of electric-wire-circuit-thing that blows up without us doing anything. ¡®B¡¯ traps are claymore mines we can blow up from the comfort of our desks here. ''C'' bombs stand for C4 and are strapped to the Pentagon¡¯s major supports; we¡¯ll only use those if things get really bad since it could bring down whole sections of the building. Honestly, if I didn¡¯t know him before the Tutorial, I would have thought Bradley was some sort of undercover spy. As it turns out, circuits, some technical knowledge and a room full of military explosives are all you need to make really deadly traps.¡¯
Multiple faint explosions could be heard.
Bombs you have helped set up have detonated, killing multiple enemies.
Name
Level
Position
Wei Zh¨¤o
48
Chinese PLA Ground Forces Private
Min X¨²
35
Chinese PLA Ground Forces Sergeant
Y¨¢ng Sun
66
Chinese PLA Ground Forces Private
L¨¬ Zh¨¤o
64
Chinese PLA Ground Forces Private
+594 Exp (of 1342 Total Exp Shared)
You are now Level 23.
+5 Ability Points
¡®It doesn¡¯t make me feel good that we¡¯re apparently so effective at killing,¡¯ Farida thought somberly. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t really feel sorry for them,¡¯ she added darkly. ¡®They were the ones who attacked us for no reason. So while I don¡¯t like it, I don¡¯t feel guilty about it¡ even if I am forced to read the names of everyone I¡¯ve helped kill¡¡¯ She shook her head. ¡®Damn it! None of this is real! Once they¡¯re dead, they won¡¯t even feel the pain anymore. What am I even doing worrying about it? Why can''t I just get over myself already!¡¯
¡°Hey, this is Offensive Team 3, is anyone there?¡± the radio called out, coming back to life in Farida¡¯s hands.
¡°This is Farida of the Explosive Team,¡± she replied confidently. ¡°How can I help?¡±
Chinese Forward Operating Base, Shirley Park Shopping Center, Washington D.C., the Game
Perspective ¨C Master Sergeant Jun Ch¨¦ng
¡°Sergeant Jun Ch¨¦ng, it looks like we will need to move you and your team to the attack at the Pentagon,¡± Senior Colonel L¨®ng concluded, having finally read the most recent reports on his desk.
¡°We already have over twenty dead after the initial successful attack,¡± the Chinese Colonel continued. ¡°These deaths weren''t caused by American soldiers, but rather from explosive devices hidden throughout the building. They seem to have some ¡®centralized authority¡¯ the enemy are radioing in to activate the explosives. Unfortunately, because the soldiers respawning from these bombs were not allowed to speak about how they died, it took far longer to get this information than expected. Apparently, such information constitutes ¡®aiding¡¯ the battle. Anyway, I want your team to find the source of whoever is controlling these bombs and take them out. If we cannot force the Americans to divert resources from the Airport to defend their ¡®Control Point¡¯, we will not have a chance of interfering with the Alien negotiations.¡±
¡°Sir, how am I going to get into the building?¡± the Sergeant asked. ¡°If I go the same way as the others in the North, I¡¯ll be facing the same stiff resistance as the others.¡±
¡°Do not worry about that, with our recent ¡®acquisitions¡¯ and your skills, I have a perfect plan,¡± he began. ¡°You see¡¡±
Forward Operating Base, Terminal A Lobby, Ronald Reagan National Airport, Washington D.C., the Game
An Hour and a Half Later
Perspective ¨C Colonel Christopher Evans
The Ronald Reagan National Airport could be called many things; unlike the Pentagon however, ¡®defensible¡¯ was not one of them.
*BOOM*
James Michael (United States Marine Corps Private) has died
Allies Remaining:
828
A rocket hit the Gate 1-9 Rotunda, causing pieces of glass and reinforced concrete to spill onto the tarmac below. The explosion caused the building to shake and one of the windows near the Forward Operating Base cracked from the strain. A medical team scrambled to get to the scene.
*TH-TH-TH-TH-THUD*
In the distance, the dull sound of tanks firing their main guns in unison could be heard. Enemy positions in the Commercial buildings to the south were being annihilated; the metal, glass and concrete structures could not take the blunt of the 120mm shells.
¡°Roger Bravo, we are firing for effect. Be advised again, you are danger close, over.¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got a Bradley headed your way, sit tight, over and out.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t hear you Charlie Actual, say again, over!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll relay that to the commander; let me know if the situation develops, over and out.¡±
A little over two dozen administrative staff frantically worked the communications equipment. The Game project had enlisted the services of a little fewer than one thousand enlisted men with a comparatively small number of officers and other specialists. The project had never considered the idea of the people within the Game needing to take part in a battlefield scenario and so had not considered that when choosing who would participate in the Game.
Without the necessary personnel, the command structure was very ¡®bottom-heavy¡¯. Without the officers and radio operators to manage the four army companies and the flight of aircraft in real time, the radios were all tied up by too much information. As a result, the Colonel had reorganized the entire thing to a more de-centralized approach. The HQ would take requests for reinforcement, artillery and air-support only. Updating them on changes in plans, enemy sightings and coordinating supplies would all be done by the few lieutenants they had at the company-level.
The lack of control left Colonel Evans very frustrated.
¡°Where are they coming from, where are they based, and how many are there? That¡¯s all I want to know,¡± the Colonel demanded.
¡°We can only tell that they are coming from the west, sir, South of Pentagon City most likely. That¡¯s where the resistance is heaviest. Also, there have been no reports of any activity by our scouts around the Capitol or the Mall, so there is little chance of any attacks from the north or west,¡± his second-in-command, Lieutenant Smith, replied. ¡°We also have no reports of their numbers, but I would estimate there are at least five-hundred; likely more.¡±
¡°How are the defenses here holding up, then? Have there been any new reports from Captain Garcia?¡± the Colonel asked.
¡°Everything is holding strong here, Colonel,¡± he replied. ¡°It appears that the splitting the forces 60:40 in favor of the airport was a good idea. The positions here in the terminal are shaky and we are taking a lot of casualties, but despite constant firefights in the National Aeronautic Association Building we are overwhelming them at the moment. Our ground forces on the tarmac are keeping the enemy from gaining any foothold beyond the Memorial Parkway except for a few Chinese held up in the Office Buildings to the south.¡±
¡°What about our scouts?¡±
¡°Most of the teams are either suppressed, withdrawn or have not reported in, sir. Another scouting party found a destroyed Alpha 12''s APC just off of Glebe Road. It is like what we confirmed a few weeks ago during the joint mock battles: the Game does not give us information about any allied fatalities we cannot immediately verify for ourselves. In Alpha 12''s case, Without any bodies they are still MIA, but likely KIA at this time.¡±
¡°What about the Pentagon? How is Captain Moore handling the enemy infiltration from the North?¡±
¡°They are holding strong at this time thanks to their fortified position there. It seems the civilians have banded together and set up traps which are slowing them down. At the rate they are holding the Chinese back; it will take the enemy well over eight hours to take over the Pentagon; assuming they can keep their attack going that long.¡±
¡°That¡¯s more than enough time,¡± the Colonel nodded in agreement. ¡°With our air-superiority destroying enemy positions in the city, they will only be able to keep this up for two hours at best before we can begin a firm counter-attack. If that¡¯s the case, how are our reinforcements to-?¡±
¡°Lieutenant Smith, sir!¡± a voice came from across the room. One of the radio operators ran towards them, lugging one of the portable radios with him. ¡°It¡¯s Captain Moore on the line. There¡¯s been an attack on the Pentagon, sir!¡±
Before the lieutenant could take the radio, the Colonel grabbed it instead. ¡°Moore, this is Colonel Evans. What¡¯s the sitrep, over?¡±
Southern Parking Entrance, the Pentagon, Washington D.C., the Game
One Hour Earlier
Perspective ¨C Master Sergeant Jun Ch¨¦ng
*BOOOOOOM*
*RAT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT*
*BOOOOOOM*
The Bradley Fighting Vehicle at the front entrance of the Pentagon exploded moments after a 120mm Anti-Tank warhead collided. A second BFV tried to attack but was also swiftly silenced.
The U.S. M1 Abrams Tanks which fired the shells did not do so because of friendly fire. The tanks were captured by the Chinese before the outset of the conflict while they were still on patrol. The appropriated Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) Systems on board were still updating the U.S. systems that the tanks were allies; an unintended consequence of Colonel Evans'' reorganization and the lack of coordination and administration at the higher levels. As such, the tanks could drive right towards the front of the Pentagon without fear of aerial bombardment or aggression. This combined with Sergeant Jun''s team''s training in tank use of all types for infiltration purposes, the Bradleys defending the Pentagon stood no chance.
Taking out both BFVs with the Abrams¡¯ main guns and taking out other defenders with their small arms, the Chinese infiltrators disguised as U.S. soldiers ran into the building. Master Sergeant Jun Ch¨¦ng made a few hand signs to the six PLA Special Forces with him and they all moved into position at the stairwell.
As they did so, a low-flying F-16 took care of their abandoned tanks, removing their chance of a clean getaway.
¡°Damn! It appears they managed to call in air support before we wiped them out,¡± one of the Special Forces members pointed out. Sergeant Jun only nodded his head, putting a hand to his lips to indicate silence.
¡®Darn, those tanks would have helped, but it is a small loss. We needed to abandon them to the enemy anyway. Still, we don¡¯t have any room for error,¡¯ he thought grimly. ¡®This must be a quick and silent op or China might lose this battle. If we do, the United States could gain more control over alien relations. The stakes are too high.¡¯
Clenching his right hand into a fist over his head, the team moved in unison up the stairs just as reinforcements began to make their way to the entrance. Two American soldiers also came down the stairs and met the PLA task force half-way. The Chinese fired silenced shots from their Type 05 submachineguns into the men center-mass. The U.S. soldiers wore shocked expressions as they were gunned down by soldiers wearing their uniform. They fell down the stairs, but were quickly caught by the operatives to avoid them making any noise. Two silenced rounds from the Sergeant''s Type 06 pistol to their heads killed them outright and they disappeared into dust.
Defeated Jerome Kinslow, Level 49 Earth Coalition Confederate (United States Army Private)
495 Exp
Defeated Taylor McDevitt, Level 41 Earth Coalition Confederate (United States Army Private)
450 Exp
You are now level 66.
+5 Ability Points
With another hand sign they were on the move again.
Southeastern Corridor, Inner Section, 2nd Floor, the Pentagon, Washington D.C., the Game
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper ¨C Explosive Team
¡°Two of our own tanks just turned on us and attacked the front of the Pentagon!¡± Farida yelled, breaking the group of civilians out of their reverie.
Everything had been going well for their side until this point. The Chinese were either held back or in full retreat. With this attack, however, the south side had been flung open and the soldiers defending the Pentagon were now at risk of an exposed flank and being encircled. What''s worse, Bradley did not have time to set as many traps on the southern side since it seemed to be the best defended.
¡°What happened?¡± Bradley demanded. The anxiety and stress of the situation had been getting to him for a while now. Unlike the people on the ground, Bradley knew that every position was falling back. The bigger picture did not look good and a surprise attack would only make it worse. ¡°Did anyone break through? Have reinforcements arrived to hold the attackers off, what?!¡±
¡°Calm down, just give me a sec,¡± Farida muttered, forwarding the questions to the people on the radio. ¡°¡right¡ okay. They don¡¯t know all the details, but apparently two of our own tanks just attacked us out of nowhere! The defenders called in air support to take them out and the tanks were destroyed¡ and that¡¯s it.¡±
¡°That can¡¯t be it,¡± one of the other civilians on the defending team denied. ¡°That sounds too easy. If the enemy could get a hold of two of our tanks and sneak their way here, they wouldn¡¯t be dumb enough to get taken out so easily.¡±
Farida nodded. ¡°Yeah, the soldiers are saying the same thing over the radio,¡± she agreed.
¡°Well, there isn¡¯t much we can do,¡± Bradley muttered, wiping his face with his hands and trying to settle down. ¡°Farida, can you tell them to let us know if they¡¯ve found them? Once we have their positions, I can take them out with explosives from here.¡±
¡°Will do-¡± Farida started before being cut off by the sound of the door to the hallway being kicked in.
Seven armed men rushed the civilians. Silenced automatic weapons fired, taking most of them out in the first volley.
Bloodstains smeared the walls as the others disappeared in explosions of dust. With the only exit sealed, several of them tried to dive for cover but were too slow. The methodical nature of their work and the precision of their weapons belied experience well beyond Bradley''s or any of their capacity of dealing with. When one of the cilivians tried to rush a soldier, he was beaten over the head with a gun before riddled with silenced ammunition. In front of Bradley, Farida did not put up a fight and so was simply shot in the head before slumping down at her desk. Her wide eyes looked at him and slowly became dim and unseeing before she too disappeared. Amidst all this chaos, Bradley stood stock-still. Fear, panic and shock all mixed, causing his mind to shut down.
Before he could react, one of the soldiers lifted a gun over his head and struck Bradley heavily with the stock. He went unconscious before hitting the ground.
??????, the Pentagon, Washington D.C., the Game
Perspective ¨C Bradley Cooper
Bradley woke up in a dark room with a small lamp pointing at his face. He could not see where he was, but he recognized the style of the room and could tell he had not been brought out of the Pentagon. He struggled to move, but found himself bound and gagged to a chair.
¡®Not this shit again,¡¯ he groaned. ¡®I thought it would be at least another week before I found myself tied to a chair again.¡¯
¡°I think the prisoner is awake, sir,¡± a voice said from the shadows.
Bradley tried to squint and see who had spoken, but the light in his face made everything around him except for a few minor details completely shrouded in darkness.
¡°You are the one in charge of the bomb traps inside the Pentagon, correct?¡± another voice said, pulling the gag from out of Bradley¡¯s mouth.
Bradley did not respond. Figuring that keeping silent would be the best way through this situation.
¡°No ¡®name-rank-serial number¡¯? Interesting,¡± the voice replied. ¡°You wear a military uniform, but you are not military. Unfortunately for you, that will only make your situation worse. You are going to tell me the method to detonating the traps set throughout the building.¡±
¡®If I tell them that we''ll lose!¡¯ Bradley thought with panic. ¡®With the amount of bombs I have, they could blow up half the Pentagon! If that happens, the U.S. loses the Pentagon, which allows the Chinese to respawn here, which means we lose the fight and the aliens leave or fight back. At best, I lose probably the only chance I have at seeing a new world, at worst, humanity loses it¡¯s only ally and we¡¯re doomed. This isn¡¯t good.¡¯
¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± he lied. ¡°I just took care of some radio stuff. I had nothing to do with-ARGH!¡±
-11 HP
Before he could finish the sentence, a gloved hand flew into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. As he felt a rib crack, Bradley vomited on the floor. The pain he felt was unbearable. ¡®How the hell is he so strong!¡¯ Bradley thought through the literal gut-wrenching pain.
You have received crippling injuries to your midsection. Temporary penalties have been applied.
-1 Endurance, -4 Agility
¡°We overheard you before we entered the room, dumbass; we know you are in charge of the bombs. You will tell us everything you know,¡± the voice clarified. He took out a knife, the blade shined like the sun against the darkness. Moving the blade up, he cut Bradley¡¯s face a little. The pain actually served as a good distraction against the pain he still felt at his stomach.
¡°I-I c-can¡¯t,¡± Bradley got out. ¡°It will take too long¡ there are too many. I-It¡ please, just let me go.¡±
¡°Why? There is no need for us to do that. You can just logout, can¡¯t you?¡± the voice helpfully informed.
¡®O-Of course! Why didn¡¯t I t-think of that sooner!¡¯ Bradley thought. ¡®God damn it, I could have avoided all this paint the whole time! System: Logout!¡¯
Unlike what he had expected however, the System did not immediately log him out. Instead, a message appeared:
Logout Notification
You are currently being tortured by the People¡¯s Liberation Army for information pertaining to the demolitions at your disposal. Logging out now would unfairly bypass their ability to extract such information. To resolve this issue, a detailed map containing all positions, composition and activation codes for all explosives will be given to your torturers and the standard death penalty will be applied upon logging out.
Knowing this, will you logout?
Logout
Decline
¡®What?! Damn it, that¡¯s right! I think the Administrator mentioned something like this before too¡ what do I do?¡¯ Bradley thought.
¡°I can tell by your hopeless expression that you understand the consequences of logging out now. However, it appears that you did not listen to my advice. Let me help your decision,¡± the voice added.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
The knife slammed down on Bradley¡¯s hand, embedding itself through the middle of his palm. ¡°ARGH!¡± he screamed for a moment until his voice went hoarse.
-17 HP
¡°You will logout, or we will keep this up all day,¡± the voice promised with an indifferent tone. ¡°I know precisely what the Game Window told you; the PLA¡ªmyself especially¡ªhave spent months trying various torture methods to ensure the quick collection of information. Don¡¯t misinterpret though; your military will not find you here. We had as long as we want to torture you and we will keep doing so until you logout. There are no reinforcements coming to save you. Why do you think we let you scream like that without a gag? It''s music to my ears.¡±
The voice took out the map that Farida had been using and put it in Bradley¡¯s face. ¡°We have the map; we know where the bombs are, but not how to use them. Tell us what the numbers mean and the location of the detonators and we will leave you here just as you are. You will not even need to die.¡±
¡®Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! There really is no escape isn¡¯t there?¡¯ Bradley thought. ¡®Is this it? I have the opportunity to see the Universe, meet new alien civilizations, discover new technologies and make a name for myself; only to have it all taken away?!¡¯
He panicked, but his mind survival ability allowed him to push through it. ¡®Wait¡ did he say he wanted the location of the detonators?'' he thought with a glimmer of hope. ''If he¡¯s looking for a detonator, which means he doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m using my Connect ability to activate them! Yes, that makes sense. Only the civilians the System selected would have the number of implants needed to get that ability. They may not even know the ability exists. That means¡¡¯
[table=grey]
Party BCD Number={C.I.C. Macro: A1 Phone#}, ENICM Enabled
DTAP CC Connect
DTAP CC Connect Acknowledged
DTAP CC Disconnect
DTAP CC Release
[/table]
He tried pinging one of the cellphone detonators and got a response. ¡®Yes, I can still communicate! They didn¡¯t block it, but how does that help me¡ I don¡¯t even know where I am¡ wait. If I do it like that¡¡¯ he thought. His mind raced. Despite the pain he felt, he could feel his mind working through the problem faster than he thought possible. His Cybernetic Focus and Mind Survival worked in tandem, flying though the calculations and communication commands.
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete, Connected to {Cellphone C15}
Data
Hash {Bradley | C15} = 0x73256aebdb301c30
Call Dropped
[/table]
Bradley waited for a moment, but he could not hear or feel an explosion.
¡®Nothing?! Come on, I know that should have worked! Argh damn it! This pain is as bad as when I broke my leg cycling a few years ago¡ What if I try something on the other side like bomb C82¡¡¯ he thought.
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete, Connected to {Cellphone C82}
Data
Hash {Bradley | C82} = 0xa6b89260d2213323
Call Dropped
[/table]
A rumble like a small earthquake shook the room.
¡°Without your bombs, our forces sound like they are breezing through the Pentagon now,¡± one of the voices smugly spoke. ¡°It seems that we need to speed this process up or we might not even be needed.¡±
This time, the gloved arm stabbed the knife directly into Bradley¡¯s leg.
-19 HP
¡°ARRRGGGHHa-ha-haa¡¡± Bradley yelled, his voice trailing off to a sobbing whimper. ¡®I-I can¡¯t take th-this anymore! It hurts so much!¡¯ he thought. ¡®I d-don¡¯t have time to fool around!¡¯
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete, Connected to {Cellphone C141}
Data
Hash {Bradley | C141} = 0xb4e457ff57f966bf
Call Dropped
[/table]
James Marshall has died (Level 66 U.S. Army Private 1st Class)
You have killed an ally but are not suspected to have done the action. Unless you are caught, you will not face any repercussions for this act.
+10 Ruthlessness, +610 Exp
You are now Level 35
+5 Ability Points
A rumble could be felt in the distance. ¡®Crap! I didn''t mean to do that!¡¯ Bradley thought, biting back a grimace at the death of an ally. ¡®No, I can''t think about the moral dilemmas now; at least his death was painless¡ unlike what I¡¯m going through right now. If this plan doesn''t work, these guys will kill everybody anyway!¡¯
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete, Connected to {Cellphone C6}
Data
Hash {Bradley | C6} = 0xc63cb1ad46e5d1e1
Call Dropped
[/table]
No sound could be heard. ¡®Damn it, that¡¯s too far away!¡¯
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete, Connected to {Cellphone C42}
Data
Hash {Bradley | C42} = 0xf3b2512384509767
Call Dropped
[/table]
The ground shook as dust filled the air around the light like a fine mist. ¡®That¡¯s it, that¡¯s the-¡¯ he thought.
The knife was pulled out and stabbed into his other leg. Bradley screamed. He shook so much with pain that he fell onto the floor.
¡°Enough of this!¡± the voice yelled. ¡°That clearly wasn¡¯t one of ours, it came from below! Someone is still using the detonator!¡± The voice pulled out the knife again. Bradley groaned and sobbed as blood oozed from the leg. The bloody knife was placed in his face. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five seconds to tell us what we need to know or I¡¯m going to start cutting your fingers off and flaying you alive! If you don¡¯t logout now, your life will be a living hell!¡±
¡®Shit! I-I can barely think as it is. The p-pain¡ I¡¯ll have to logout at this rate¡ No, there¡¯s still a chance! I know I¡¯m in the Central Southeastern Section now! But this hurts so much! I-I c-c-can¡¯t think¡ I c-can¡¯t use my C-Connect Ability a-and-¡¯
¡°Five,¡± the voice counted.
¡®C-crap! Focus!¡¯ Bradley yelled in his mind. He felt his mind suddenly calm as he frantically searching his head for the right command. ¡®It¡¯s C class in the Southeastern part so¡¡¯
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete
[/table]
¡°Four¡±
¡®Damnit! Outer middle contains the-¡¯ Bradley continued thinking frantically.
¡°Three¡±
¡®-40-50 series so that would be-¡¯ Bradley thought, ignoring the countdown.
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete, Connected to {Cellphone C40-C50}
[/table]
¡°Two¡±
¡®-and if I want the corridor then-¡¯ he continued, blinking a bead of sweat from his eye.
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete, Connected to {Cellphone A130-A145, B85-B90, C40-50}
[/table]
¡°One¡±
¡®-the activation code is set so change call to simultaneous and-¡¯
[table=grey]
GSM Setup Complete, Connected to {Cellphone A130-A145, B85-B90, C40-50}
[/table]
¡°Time¡¯s up!¡± the voice concluded. The knife once again fell down on Bradley¡¯s hand, but this time it missed, embedding itself in the chair he sat on. A sudden shift in the room had thrown off its aim. ¡°Huh-¡±
[table=grey]
Call Dropped
Call Dropped
Call Dropped
Call Dropped
Call Dropped
Call Dropped
¡
[/table]
A little less than fifty pounds of plastic explosive and a dozen claymores and grenades simultaneously detonated two floors below them. With Farida¡¯s architectural knowledge, they were well placed. The explosions tore large chunks out of the structural pillars which caused the lower floors to cease being able to hold what was above them. The ground shook and walls cracked as the furniture in the room toppled over. The lamp that had faced Bradley fell on the floor, causing him to get his first glimpse at the people in the room. The seven shadowy forms of the soldiers could barely keep their balance as the floor finally gave way.
Bradley¡¯s chair toppled down a freshly made hole in the floor and rolled down the now slanted floor into the room below. The wooden legs of the chair broke on impact; Bradley¡¯s own legs did not fare much better. He squinted his eyes and yelped in pain as he felt his already injured legs burn from the impact. Facing the ceiling now, he opened his eyes and quickly realized he would not have to worry about the pain for much longer. A half-ton piece of reinforced concrete broke away from the ceiling and landing straight on his head.
You have died.
15080 Exp points lost
Administrator Penalty Reduction Applied (15080 Exp reduced to 1508 Exp)
You are now Level 34
-5 Ability Points
Airport FOB, Terminal A Lobby, Ronald Reagan National Airport, Washington D.C., the Game
Perspective ¨C Colonel Christopher Evans
¡°¡and the Southeastern Section has just been all but demolished by an explosion of unknown origin,¡± Captain Moore concluded over the radio. ¡°We¡¯re still holding, but just barely. We¡¯re going to need ground and air support soon or I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll hold; especially if the enemy senses weakness and diverts their attack over to us.¡±
¡°I understand,¡± the Colonel replied. ¡°Sit tight, reinforcements are on the way. I¡¯ll divert all our air support to your area immediately, but the ground coordination will take more time. Prepare for an ETA of one hour. Over and out.¡±
----Status Window----
Spoiler :
Status Window
Name:
Bradley Cooper
Species:
Human (Earth)
Level:
34
Experience:
1632/3000
Class:
Cybernetic Scavenger
Alignment:
Ruthless (+8) / Order (+1)
[/tr]
Age:
26
Gender:
Male
Renown:
Unranked (10)
Notoriety:
Unranked (0)
----Regenerative Attributes----
Health:
0/280
Health Regen:
22.85/hr
Psionic Energy:
1/1
Psionic Regen:
0.82/hr
Shield Energy:
N/A
Shield Regen:
N/A
Stamina:
0/95
Stamina Regen:
839.14/hr
----Attributes----
Strength:
10+20
Agility:
12+20
Intelligence:
80+20
Willpower:
38+20
Charisma:
21+20
Perception:
36+20
Endurance:
14+20
Luck:
32+20
----Resistances----
Physical:
5.0%
Mental:
16.0%
Psionic:
2.1%
----Career----
Titles:
None
Occupation:
Earth Coalition ¨C Civilian Employee ¨C Recruit
Current Quest:
The Earth Coalition 1st Civil War (Defeated)
----Currency----
Currently Held:
0 Credits
Currently Owed:
0 Credits
Marks:
0P, 0D, 0G
Ability Points:
670
----Faction Standings----
Earth Coalition:
Employee
Earth Coalition Rebels:
Hostile
Haxlards:
Friendly*
Administrators:
Privileged*
Pirates:
Vilified*
Revenant:
Known*
General Ability Window
Spoiler :
General Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Explosives Use
G
E
G
The ability to set, wire and detonate explosives in effective ways without killing yourself in the process. A higher rank indicates greater lethality through the proper implementation of: environment, directionality, defensive bypass, and explosive composition.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Mind Survival
G
E
G
The ability of the mind to persist through overwhelming mental trauma. Provides resistance against abilities which damage the mind.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Pistol Shooting
G
G
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a pistol. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Rifle Shooting
G
G
G
This ability maps the progress of firing a rifle. A higher rank indicates a greater lethality.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Strategy
F
F
G
This ability maps the progress for making plans. A higher rank indicates greater plans which: achieve goals sooner, with fewer losses, and with less required resources.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Trap Making
G
F
G
The ability to create traps which kill or otherwise hinder your adversaries. A higher rank indicates the design of more effective traps which: are more difficult to detect, are harder to disarm, and can cause more efficient damage to the enemy.
----Cybernetic Ability Window----
Spoiler :
Cybernetic Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Cybernetic Focus
F
G
D
When performing tasks that are trivial for a digital computer, some of the work is offloaded to the Cybernetic Interface Chip, heightening focus and simplifying the task.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Connect (Basic)
G
G
D
Allows communication of single integer numbers, characters and regulatory tags to devices. Does so using the Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s Regulatory Identification and Human-Computer Interface¡¯s Wireless Perception abilities.
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Machine Language Comprehension
G
G
D
The ability to communicate with sapient machines.
Languages Known:
Revenant Standard
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Regulatory Identification
G
G
E
The Cybernetic Interface Chip¡¯s ability to identify the regulatory standards, encoding, decoding and commands used by a device to communicate.
Wireless Perception (Basic)
G
G
D
The ability to perceive wireless communications actively searching for connection. To avoid oversaturation, the Human-Computer Interface does not transmit secure communication or ordinary electromagnetic waves to the Cybernetic Interface Chip.
----Scavenger Ability Window----
Spoiler :
Scavenger Ability Window
Ability Name:
Ability Rank:
Ability Proficiency:
Ability Rarity:
Intrinsic Evaluation (Basic)
G
E
D
The ability to intrinsically know the value of an object. Whether an object will work correctly, for how long, and how much it is worth.
----Implant List Window----
Spoiler :
Implant List
----Biological Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
General Status Enhancer
D
N/A
Provides a boost of 20 points to all attributes.
----Mechanical Implants----
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Cybernetic Interface Chip
D+
F
Connected directly to the brain, when interfaced directly with a computer, implant, or memory module, this chip converts thought into the intended electromagnetic input expected by the device. Higher ranks improve the data rate, allowable frequency range, and provide higher levels of security. A Revenant Firmware Upgrade allows it to parse Sapient Machine Language. Has been enhanced by the Cybernetic subclass.
Implant Name:
Implant Rank:
Implant Proficiency:
Human-Computer Interface
D+
G
Allows direct cognitive access to a computer system via wireless communication, allowing the brain to issue commands directly to the device. Can only guarantee a proper interface with devices of equal or lower rank. Has been enhanced by the Cybernetic subclass.