《Cosmos》 Chapter 1 Alan began to feel queasy, as soon as the small junker ship began to move. He always disliked the nauseating shifts in gravity the smaller ¡®boats¡¯ seemed to unreliably generate, it reminded him of a thrill ride he''d been on as a teenager that resembled teacups. But there was no helping it. The bus-sized vessel transporting him from the salvage ship, to the residency ship in which he was assigned, was the only affordable way to travel. Every sputter of the small ship¡¯s engine would temporarily disable the gravity, which already was weaker than Earth¡¯s by a fair margin. Like a cost-cutting measure by the higher-ups. Alan sat back, trying to adjust to the jolting ride after his week¡¯s shift, collecting, sorting, and processing the scraps. ¡°My contribution to the NTEF fleet,¡± he mumbled to himself. It was grueling, dull, and at times unremarkably dangerous work. Breaking down old ships, mining out asteroids, sifting through damaged ruins. But for anyone looking to do a lot harder work for a little extra pay, it was perfect. The other passengers, fellow scrappers, seemed eager to share with anyone who would listen on how they¡¯d spend their hard-earned credits. ¡°I¡¯ve been saving for a few months for Rouge Madams...I''m going to get plastered for the next 3 days...I¡¯ve got a pod lined for the next day I¡¯m going to strike it rich!¡± Alan shifted his eyes toward the porthole window to avoid the tiresome conversation. His thoughts drifted back to the e-message he had received from his parents. They¡¯d invited him to eat with them. He wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to accept. He loved his parents, but he¡¯d always felt bad having dinner with them. They insisted on using their food credits to purchase his nutri-paste. He just didn¡¯t like being a burden on their expenses. They knew he had food credits, but he secretly suspected they were hoping the money he saved might be used to take out a girl. Which he hadn¡¯t done in as long as... Well, he couldn¡¯t remember. Truth be told he¡¯d saved and sent every last credit to get his little sister pod time. The small glass port window, covered in condensation, looked out over a massive fleet of ships. The New Terran Expeditionary Fleet was lit in red hues as the fleet circled the large red giant star of system 8Z-X21. Capital ships the size of small cities, were surrounded by more modest vessels. He saw Neuvo California, bathed in red burning light, while twinking ships moved about it. Alan couldn¡¯t help but think back to child-like bonfires and sparks wafting around the large fire. ¡°Ten years,¡± he said quietly while taking in the site. He¡¯d seen visions of this for so long and it never got old. ¡°It¡¯s been 10 years. I can hardly believe it myself.¡± A gravelly voice interrupted Alan¡¯s reminiscing. Alan shifted his gaze to the older man, who had the look of someone used to working hard labor for years. The passenger must have mistaken Alan¡¯s comments for a chance of conversation. ¡°My Julia and I had planned on retiring and seeing the world about 10 years ago. It came as quite a shock to us that we had to leave.¡± He smiled wanly, ¡°You know she didn¡¯t make it a year in space, even with all the advancements in medicine and health.¡± He spoke in such a way as if he¡¯d shared the line a thousand times. Alan tried to think of something appropriate to say, or at least to excuse himself from the awkward conversation. He wasn¡¯t unsympathetic. Everyone had lost someone since the great exodus. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear she passed away.¡± was all Alan could reply. ¡°It¡¯s ok, I¡¯m sorry to be so open. Julia would always chide me for being far too forward. But I suppose today is a special day.¡± A blue light began to glow from his ring finger, and a brief shining light seemed to halo around his hand. When the light faded 2 sodas in purple cans appeared in its place. ¡°Grape Soda, Julia''s favorite.¡± Alan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Where did you get those? In Cosmos?¡± ¡°Well, I brought a few cases from Earth, back in the days when she and I were players. It was our favorite drink. I always bring out a few at times like this.¡± He passed a can to Alan. It had been forever since he¡¯d had a soda and popped it open. As he was about to take a sip he paused remembering his manners, ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± The old man smiled warmly. ¡°Good to see you have manners. Don¡¯t drink it all in one gulp.¡± The last part he added with a wink. They each took a slow sip to savor the sweet flavor. After some silence, the old man paused and gazed out at the burning fleet. ¡°She would have loved this view. She loved space, from the beginning she wanted to spend all her time out in the stars¡± Alan gazed out once again. ¡°There was a strange beauty to it,¡± He thought, but added silently to himself ¡®if you can forget the exodus, the food and energy shortages, and pirate raids.¡¯ The Old man reminisced more about his life with Julia, her dreams, her passion, her love of the grandchildren. The heartache and thrill she had when they had to leave Earth. Opposed to being uncomfortable, Alan had to admit, the time he sat sipping grape soda and seeing through the eyes of Julia, was enough to make him forget. The last bits of flavor seemed to empty more quickly than Alan would have liked. Not wanting to waste the aluminum. He activated his ring. It hadn¡¯t been activated for a long time, not since he had drained the last of food stores years ago. He located the Cosmos Interface and found the storage compartment for materials. There wasn¡¯t much left, as he had converted it all to credits. Aside from the 14.9 grams of aluminum can there was only one other material there. Alan pulled the stone from the inventory. Blue and purple light mixed with the red lights coming in the small window of the ship. The stone emitted uneven waves of light. ¡°That''s a pretty stone, never seen anything quite like it.¡± The old man commented. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°It¡¯s only a small rock, I picked up on a planet in Cosmos¡± ¡°What''s it made of?¡± ¡°I never could find out.¡± holding out the stone for the man to more clearly see. Alan continued, ¡° I figured it must be worth something to be so rare, but every offer seemed woefully small.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± The old man was about to say more when the ship jolted and the indoor lighting went black. Alan felt the restraints on his seat belt tighten, as gravity let go of its hold and he rose slightly. ¡°What in blazes?!¡± The old man exclaimed. A loud klaxon began to sound and emergency lighting switched on. Alan yelled over the alarm, ¡°I don¡¯t know, something must be going on with the engine.¡± A moment later the transport shifted again. Alan looked around and saw red light piercing through the window. ¡°Flare¡± The dreadful thought came unbidden to his mind. The Red Giant had produced a solar flare right in the path of the fleet. There wasn¡¯t even time to process the thought. The fastest particles sped ahead of the wave, disabling thousands of smaller ships in the fleet. What came next was the superheated gases and plasma jetting from the red Giant, miles and miles wide, which either destroyed ships outright or irradiated them. Completely kills all inside. 90% of the human fleet was either destroyed or disabled. Millions, the remnants of the human race, had been lost, and those that remained were shattered. *** When Alan awoke his mind was fuzzy. Drowsiness mingled with the echoes of panic and red heat washing over him. Except, oddly enough, he noticed a deep chill in his hand, where he had clutched the unknown stone. For a moment longer he still felt it, the cold ache lingering in his hand, like a cold day playing in the snow. As his mind began to wake, the painful sensations subsided. The first real thing Alan noticed was the firm sense of gravity and a soft bed. ¡°I must be on one of the nicer medical ships,¡± He thought to himself. Not wanting to show he was awake, afraid he was going to be moved to one of the more practical ships. He lay there. Eyes closed, wondering how he¡¯d survived. After a moment though, he noticed something strange. Silence. There weren''t the beeps of computers or the constant thrum of a ship¡¯s engine. He cracked his eyes risking a peak. He sat up suddenly crying in alarm. ¡°What is going on!¡± Alan found himself in a one-bedroom apartment. It was covered in dated floral wallpaper, with a popcorn ceiling. There were scattered dirty clothes, as many on the floor as there were in the hamper at the end of his bed. A sturdy wood desk was cluttered with paper and textbooks. And a computer monitor hovered above the pile. On one side of the room, there was a mini fridge, microwave, and overfilled trash can. A thin metal chair sat awkwardly in the center of the room to act as both an office chair and a dining room. Alan took a double take. ¡°This...this is my old room.¡± Heart pounding, he threw off the thin bedding and ran outside. The wooden door banged open, as his sock-covered feet padded out onto the front lawn, onto the dewy grass of the brisk autumn morning. Grass, he thought, how long had it been since he had felt grass? He was caught off guard as he looked out to see the bright sun peeking over the horizon. His breath caught sharply in the instant he took in the majesty of the sunrise. A wash of orange and reds, the backdrop to a golden globe moving just beyond the horizon. He stood there motionless, captivated by the scene of morning. A moment of sweet nostalgia, like reading a favorite book, years later. It was only the wet chill of the morning dew seeping through his feet that broke the magic moment. He looked down at his now damp socks. The sensation shocked his mind into trying to understand what was happening. This shouldn¡¯t be possible, even the best simulators on the ships couldn¡¯t capture his room, this house or street as well as this. How was he here, why was he here? Was it because of the solar flare? The unidentified stone? A combination of the two? Alan would have pondered it longer, had he not heard an abrupt yelp from behind him. He slapped himself. So it wasn''t low-level telepathy or mind control, as he felt his aching jaw. ¡°Oh dear!¡± The shocked voice of a matronly woman came from the main house porch. Turning he saw an elderly woman in bathrobes and curlers. It was Mrs. Dubai. She had been Alan¡¯s landlady, for the one-room rental he¡¯d gotten after high school. A widower who¡¯d converted her garage into a bedroom studio. Alan saw her surprised face, flushed cheeks, her eyes threatening to leave her head. For a brief moment, he wondered if she too had been overwhelmed by the morning, and would have happily agreed with her, considering his present condition. Her surprise, however, seemed to have a more mundane cause. The cold wind chilling his uncovered chest clued him into her outburst. He¡¯d been standing in the front lawn wearing nothing but soaked socks and boxer shorts. ¡°Oh sorry, Mrs. Dubai. ¡± He flushed and moved quickly toward the door of his room ¡°Excuse, sorry about that¡±. All he could do was blush, while she stared speechless. Alan quickly closed the door behind and rested his back against it, breathing deeply, trying to put everything together. What was happening? He paced across the small floor. What did he know? First: He was back, somehow in the past. When? Well, he¡¯d gotten the room right after high school, the first few years of college. But he needed more information to know the exact dates. Moving toward the computer, he sat down, tapping impatiently, waiting for it to boot up. When it requested the password, he typed it without pausing as he had kept the same password for years. When it finally booted, he stared in awe. The date read Sept. 8. ¡°Impossible.¡± Alan thought to himself ¡®It¡¯s been 12 years. 12 years before mankind traveled the stars, faced starvation, and was evicted from Earth. Before¡­¡¯ His thoughts paused, before continuing ¡®What are the odds, to be sent back, not only back in time, but today of all days.¡¯ His mind flashed back over the last 12 years. It was the literal day before Cosmos would be introduced to the world. The day that Cosmos changed everything. Cosmos: Gateway to the Galaxy as its full title, will be released to the public by a government entity tomorrow. Changing the future of mankind. Its purpose and design had been completely unprecedented. Not even the people behind the release knew its full impact. It was after all a game on its surface. It, however, would drastically change the technology, economy, and political landscape of humankind. Where the power, wealth, and influence were unmatched. Where, he thought back with regret, humankind lost its most precious resource. Earth. Chapter 2 Alan sat there for a few hours in a stupor. It was only after he savored a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and took a hot shower, that his brain began to catch up with his circumstances. It was slow. He¡¯d at times go to his computer, scan a few sites, jot a few notes, then move back to his bed. Occasionally, he¡¯d find himself picking up his cell phone, and scrolling through the contacts. He wanted to call family, friends, anyone just to make sure he wasn¡¯t dreaming. To share the news to the world, and tell his story. But he resisted. He only held back because of his previous life, due to his last 10 years in the harsh void of space. It was only then after the declassification of information around Cosmos¡¯s release, that humanity learned of of the unfair hand they''d been dealt. Thinking back, he¡¯d remembered that Cosmos had been ¡®gifted¡¯ by an alien race, who helped to propagate its release to the public via various world governments. Later when these officials were asked why they had not told more to the public, they were informed of any leak not only from them but from humanity as a whole. Knowing the severe way both the government and aliens would deal with leaks, he decided he didn¡¯t want to end up attracting too much attention. It was far too dangerous. Alan concluded at the end of his morning reflection that he ought to be cautious. At least for now. It didn¡¯t mean he had to replay events as they had occurred before. ¡°All right. I¡¯ve been given a second chance. I can do something different. If I¡¯m lucky, I might be able to change things for the better for not just me, but for so many more.¡± He spoke firmly, with just a hint of trepidation. ¡°However, at least for now, I¡¯ll work on my own.¡± He¡¯d spent some time dwelling on this last part. Going through all the possibilities of how to best set himself up, and those around him for success. He¡¯d thought of lots of possibilities but had settled on a few steps to give him a chance for success. Alan grabbed his phone, disconnected his computer, and carried it out to his car. A red 2010 Honda Civic, he had been hoping to trick out but never had quite enough cash. Walking out to his car he passed Mrs. Dubai puttering away in her garden. She gave him a frosty look without so much as a hello. Smiling faintly and blushing a bit from embarrassment, Alan nervously picked up his pace, and only sighed with relief as he closed the car door. He checked a folded paper in his pocket titled, To Do List. Throwing the car into gear he drove off. A while later he found himself in a seedy little strip mall with nearly every shop he needed for his plan. It housed a bank, pawn shop, quick loan, and precious metal exchange. He¡¯d traveled with his parents a lot growing up, and it seemed that every city had one, if not many of these little havens for the financially desperate. Today was his day to take advantage of these institutions. The first thing he did was to pawn his computer, a brand new gaming model, he¡¯d received as a graduation present. Alan headed next to the bank. As any post-high school grad will tell you, getting a credit card is easy. Too easy. He already had a few, but it didn¡¯t hurt to grab another one. He also withdrew whatever savings he had left, which had a thousand dollars from student loans he¡¯d had earlier. He was currently enrolled at the community college. But the bank didn¡¯t mind lending you out as much cash as possible for ¡®education expenses.¡¯ Next, he pulled out as much cash as he could earn for the title of his car. It was another few thousand dollars. Then got a cash advance on his next paycheck. Finally, he went to the gold store and purchased not gold, but as much platinum as he could buy. Leaving a little bit left for gas in his car, and what he needed for the second step of his plan. ¡°Grandpa would be rolling in his grave if he¡¯d seen the financial whirlwind I just started.¡± He¡¯d agreed to pay interest anywhere from 19% to 409% on his future loans. He didn¡¯t mind. If it all worked out, he would be debt-free in a matter of days. A few minutes later after driving on the freeway, he took an exit that led to an industrial part of the city. He pulled up in front of what looked like the love child of an Apple store and Costco. The newly built complex was the local offices for Cosmos. Parking the car, and walking up to the entrance. Large glass panels allowed an unobstructed view into the main lobby. While the main building was framed in steel and concrete. It was practically vacant as he walked into the sleek-looking entry. Only a bored-looking attendant sat behind a sleek white desk. He seemed surprised at seeing Alan. ¡°Welcome to Cosmos, Gateway to the Galaxy. How can I help you?¡± The attendant asked cheerfully, immediately changing from his previously bored expression. ¡°I would like to rent the services of a pod,¡± Alan stated. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°A pod? I see, It seems you¡¯ve heard a little about our Company, Cosmos. We have plenty of pods available for the adventuring type.¡± Adam thought humorously. Who hadn¡¯t heard of it? The company had been advertising heavily for the last 3 months. Billboards, web ads, commercials. You¡¯d have to be living under a rock not to have heard of it.¡¯ ¡°Yes, I''d like to rent a standard pod for the week,¡± Alan stated, hiding his grin The attendant hesitated briefly in his presentation. ¡°Ah...one week sir, the total for the use of 1 pod will be $600/day. Which will be $4200 total.¡± He waited, almost anticipating the expected outrage and rejection. Alan smiled at the attendant''s reaction. He remembered that though it was advertised all over, the pricing was intentionally never shared. Of course, it didn¡¯t take long for the ¡®most popular game in the galaxy¡¯ and its pricing to find its way onto the web. Six hundred dollars a day, for a game, no matter how great just seemed too ridiculous. What¡¯s more, neither the attendant nor anybody else could ¡®guarantee¡¯ how great the game was. No one had ever played it. Needless to say, it was treated by the gaming community, and the world at large, as a get-rich scheme to swindle people out of money. Alan knew differently. He knew who funded the whole enterprise and who provided the info as well as why the pricing was so high. This only came out weeks, months, and even years later. But for now, keeping everything top secret was still a priority. Hence you had an empty parking lot, a very bored attendant, and a skeptical world asking who would pay for such a ridiculous scheme. ¡°Yes, you heard me right. I would like to rent it for one week in advance. Is it possible to pay daily?¡± Alan inquired knowing full well the answer. ¡°Why of course sir, we can reserve your pod spot up to 7 days in advance without payment upfront. However, failure to pay will result in losing your spot for the pod.¡± He recited cheerfully. Alan could tell that the poor guy probably had no idea why such a regulation existed. It probably seemed to him that there would never be a demand. ¡°What is the price for purchasing a pod?¡± The attendant continued dutifully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, but the pods are proprietary, and cannot be purchased outright. However, you may lease a pod permanently for the cost of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars with only a minor maintenance fee. There are limited permanent pods sir, and it is likely space will fill up quickly.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He paused pretending to consider. In the past, most of the first line of permanent pods were sold within a month. Those who owned them could then sub-lease them at a substantial profit. ¡°Can I reserve one to purchase later? Just in case.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I can hold a pod for purchase for one week. Please be aware that only a single pod can be leased per person.¡± He continued on the script. ¡°All right let''s do it.¡± Alan handed over one of his remaining credit cards and the attendant completed the transaction. Only mildly surprised by the liberal use of multiple cards. ¡°Please be aware sir your pod will be available tomorrow morning at 8 am sharp and you will be required to either disengage or pay for your next day by 9 pm.¡± He paused a moment before dutifully reciting what he had been told to say. ¡°Do you have any interest in our Matter Rings?¡± The Matter Rings, like rings of holidng from the fantasy games, were key to his plan. Each of these rings could transfer matter from Cosmos to Earth and back again. This was alluded to in the advertising. But no one knew what to think of it, and thought it was some sort of gimmick. Without missing a beat Alan responded, ¡°Yes, what sizes do you have?¡± ¡°Um... yes sizes,¡± The attendant tried to recover quickly at the surprise that someone would actually want the ring. ¡°We currently carry the basic 1 cubic meter, up to our elite holding size of 200,000 cubic meters. The basic model starts at $2500. And rises to 25 million for the most elite. However, we have a special where basic model purchasers will receive a gift of 500 credits the first week.¡± He paused nervously seeming to gather the courage to share the next bit of information. ¡°Please note that the rings will take Vervetic Energy to activate and use. This will only be available in-game.¡± He cringed, nearly imperceptible when he said Vervetic Energy. Alan suddenly had a strong desire to ask how much the attendant was being paid. He must have had every reason to believe he was selling snake oil when he mentioned Vervetic Energy. But he¡¯d followed the script religiously, zealously even, sharing what must have sounded like a giant scam. ¡®Buy this ring, of course, it will only work if you have this energy you¡¯ve never heard of in a game you¡¯ve never played.¡¯ Alan sometimes envied those who could put on such a face. He¡¯d try to sell magazines in high school and no one wanted to buy them from someone who couldn¡¯t promise the moon. ¡°Sir, since you seem interested in the matter ring, we currently have a bonus gift for the first 100 buyers of the 5 cubic yard rings for only $10,000.¡± Wow, he even tried to upsell. Alan had a sneaking suspicion the guy made a commission on sales. ¡°What¡¯s the gift?¡± ¡°It is a weak genome serum. It is a highly valuable and useful item in the game.¡± Alan was caught off guard forgetting the attendant''s act. A weak genome serum, though not the highest quality, was a great item to start with. Alan needed the item. But growing tired of the attendant''s confidence. He decided to give him a hard time. ¡°Ok, so what does it do?¡± knowing perfectly well the man had no idea. ¡°Ah, yes...well, I understand it provides a great boost for any player in the game.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± Alan pushed the point ¡°Well, you see, it¡¯s supposed to help with the genome of course.¡± The attendant was pulling at straws. ¡°And how does that work? ¡°It of course helps with the player''s performance. Are you interested Sir?¡± He quickly added, hoping to not have to give details he didn¡¯t know. Chapter 3 From what Alan remembered there were limited bonuses for pre-purchasing some of the more expensive items in the game. Of course, he was limited in his funds. But for his plan to work he needed to increase his Gene Manipulation Threshold. What the attendant didn¡¯t know was when you started the game you¡¯d have a score for Gene Manipulation Threshold or GMU. For most humans, it ranged between 22 to 28 units. The units were just a calculation made by Cosmos for how much you could change your genome without dying. In Cosmos''s many of the most powerful abilities were linked to utilizing those units. The more you had the better. Info on GMU units was offered freely in the future. However, increasing the units was difficult, and seemed to remain fixed unless you had an outside source to increase it, such as a serum, surgery, or other means. The serum, which came with the ring, was the equivalent of reorganizing your closet. You¡¯d keep all your old stuff, with the benefit of finding more space. He was eager to get his hands on it. ¡°Are there other perks for buying more expensive gear?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, our $50,000 and $100,000 rings come with moderate and strong serums for the first 100 buyers. Would sir be interested in knowing the opportunities for those who purchase $1 million and above?¡± He asked hopefully. Alan¡¯s eyes narrowed, this guy was definitely making a commission. As tempted as he was, he declined. Knowing at this point it was out of his reach. He needed the $10,000 for the ring but had only saved enough for the basic. $7,500 short. Telling the attendant he didn¡¯t have the cash on hand. Which left the attendant clearly disappointed. He said he hoped to purchase the ring in the morning. The attendant only politely nodded. Stepping outside, his stomach rumbled. He¡¯d missed lunch completely and it was creeping into evening. Driving away, he decided to make his final 2 stops of the day. *** He pulled up to the 3 story, red brick building and took a deep breath. Even now he felt anxiety as he walked up to the front door, where various Greek letters hovered above the women¡¯s sorority. Wiping the sweat from his hands, Alan rang the bell and waited expectantly. A blond co-ed in a pink tank top and yoga pants answered the door. ¡°Can I help you?¡± She asked in an impatient tone. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m looking for Denise, could you let her know Alan is here.¡± ¡°Yeah she¡¯s here, but how do you know her?¡± She looked him up and down. Eyeing his shabby look of a wrinkled shirt, and worn-out sneakers. ¡°I¡¯m her boyfriend,¡± Alan responded flatly. ¡°Oh¡± She seemed suspicious but continued in a flippant tone,¡°I¡¯ll go get her, but you better get out of here if I find out you''re lying.¡± Alan wasn¡¯t surprised by her reaction. Denise had been his high school sweetheart. Looking back, his looks weren¡¯t too bad. However, he¡¯d been shy and not very stylish. She and he had gotten to know each other in a business club and then started to date. Their relationship had started pretty normal, they both wanted to start a business and conquer the world. Over time though she became more popular in school, while he faded more in the background. Her family background had also been part of the equation. Her family owned a small manufacturing business and had been able to provide her with nearly anything she wanted. She¡¯d impossibly high standards for herself, and as time went on, she began to try and change him. Added to that was the fact that her family didn¡¯t approve of their relationship. Time and again he¡¯d always fallen short of her expectations. While he simultaneously had never questioned or disagreed with her. In the last year of high school, he felt less and less like a boyfriend and more like an asset. After longer than Alan expected, Denise finally made her appearance and opened the door, looking a little flustered. She was wearing skin-tight jeans and a sports jersey. Despite her casual outfit, her makeup was done in a glamorous fashion, a little over the top for Alan¡¯s taste. Seeing her again, Alan could recall how he¡¯d try to tell her she was naturally pretty and didn¡¯t need all the coverup. It¡¯s amazing what kind of details would go through your mind after seeing someone for the first time in years. For Alan, her makeup was just a piece of it all. He¡¯d remembered their first date, club meetings, prom,... ¡°Oh, hey Alan. I didn¡¯t expect you tonight. What¡¯s up?¡± Alan¡¯s memories were interrupted as she spoke. For most, it was pleasant and cheerful. Alan though could pick out the barely perceptible irritation in her honeyed voice. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Hey, Denise. I just want to stop by for a minute.¡± Alan tried to calm himself down after seeing her. His mind was racing. This was the first love of his life. He didn¡¯t expect to have the feelings of love and caring for her to come back so strong. ¡°Ok well, I¡¯ve got a lot of schoolwork, so I can¡¯t spend time with you right now. You really should have texted me first.¡± She looked at him as if she was scorning a bad puppy. ¡°Oh.¡± Her reaction seemed to snap Alan out of his trance. And back to why he¡¯d come here tonight. ¡°I won¡¯t be long. Can I come up?¡± Her eyes flickered to her room, nervously, which then turned quickly to irritation, ¡°I already told you, Alan, I¡¯m busy tonight, it was pretty inconsiderate of you to just drop by like this. You didn¡¯t bother to call, so whatever needs to be said will have to wait.¡± She looked at him, waiting for him to be cowed. Catching the flicker of her eyes, Alan put the pieces together. This scene had played out dozens of times in high school. If he¡¯d done something that bothered her or was an inconvenience in her mind. She¡¯d push him into the corner, till he¡¯d eventually back down, and apologize. In this case, there was something she obviously didn¡¯t want him to find out, so had opted to blame him for her mood. Originally he¡¯d wanted to speak to her privately, especially after the unexpected feelings he had after seeing her again, and knowing how angry she could become. However, he could tell she wasn¡¯t going to let him in, and the feelings of love he¡¯d once felt faded quickly. ¡°Denise, are you sure you wouldn¡¯t rather speak in your room? I would rather have our conversation there.¡± He said it with confidence and the authority of someone who¡¯d lived on the edge for the last 12 years. Confidence which even surprised him-self. Denise was caught off guard, not expecting the words to come from Alan. He never had talked back before. She flared in anger. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid Alan, go home, and don¡¯t call me for a week!¡± Her anger was calculated, loud enough that a few of her sisters poked their heads out, drawn by the dramatic statement. She smiled smugly, it was odd for Alan to stop by suddenly, and even weirder for him to insist on speaking to her alone. Despite that, she knew he hated all the attention of the sorority. Better yet he¡¯d be back in a week, apologetic and well-behaved. It was only after a moment, when he continued to stand there that she pursed her lips. ¡®Why isn¡¯t he leaving?¡¯ Alan, having played her games dozens of times, took a long slow breath. He¡¯d tried to make it easier on her, but if she insisted¡­ ¡°Denise, I¡¯m breaking up with you.¡± Though unintentionally, spurred by the anger he felt, it came out loudly enough for the onlooking girls in the entry hall to overhear. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been cheating on me. I don¡¯t need or want to see you anymore.¡± Time seemed to slow. Alan was struck by how simple the words came. Words which he¡¯d repeated dozens of times, but never said, before and after the break up in the past. Denise¡¯s face seemed to transform, hideous and slow, from silent triumph to humiliation and then, finally to rage. For Alan, this was the moment that seemed to drag on, but it all happened in a breath. Denise¡¯s mind went whirling. She seemed to struggle to grasp Alan''s words, only finally coming to their meaning at the peak of her anger, her words, fumbling in her mouth. Alan didn¡¯t give her lagging mind time to respond, he grimly turned and walked to his car, leaving her half-formulated response unspoken. It wasn¡¯t until he¡¯d gotten in the car and turned on the engine to drive away, that he heard a screech of anger. Daring to take a look in the mirror he saw Denise, infuriated and running out onto the lawn yelling obscenities. He¡¯d already pulled away at that point, his radio muffling the sound. Only after he finally lost sight of her, was he able to let out a long sigh of relief from the pent-up tension he¡¯d felt from the moment he¡¯d pulled up. How many years had it been since he¡¯d been humiliated by Denise? He had gone to meet with her a year into college and found her fooling around with a Senior in her program. He found out later from a friend that she had been going behind his back since high school but strung him along. The last few months, she had been so obvious about it, and he, so naive, that even her friends had begun to give him pitiful looks. When she finally broke it off, it had been harsh, she¡¯d blamed him for all her behavior, and how miserable he had made her. It was only natural that he still felt conflicted about it all these years later. He¡¯d told her in person, not to see her face, but because he felt like he¡¯d had to confront her. To do what he¡¯d never dared to do in the past. Driving home, his anxiousness was replaced with a new emotion. Excitement. Throughout the day, he hadn¡¯t felt things had changed. He¡¯d thought he was the same old Alan, naive and afraid. Now, however, he¡¯d made his first real change and faced a real fear. His excitement wasn¡¯t derived from knowing the future, it was the knowledge that even if the future didn¡¯t change, he certainly could. **** His last stop for the night was his parent''s house, an unexpected part of his plans. Funny enough, he hadn¡¯t even had to invite himself over, his mom had texted him just before he¡¯d gone over to Denise¡¯s. The last few blocks from his parent¡¯s home his phone had started buzzing uncontrollably. With only giving it a glance he noticed a few missed calls and texts. Denise. The texts, aside from calling him a slew of well-chosen insults, had also demanded who had said those ¡®rotten lies¡¯ about her. Alan smiled smugly, she¡¯d likely been trying to find out which of her friends had ratted her out. ¡°Well let¡¯s not say anything, that should keep her a bit occupied as to who she could ¡®trust¡¯ with her secrets.¡± Alan then blocked her number, without responding to her. Chapter 4 Alan sat down at the family table, sitting across from his Father, a tall thin man with sandy blond hair, like Alans. His Mother finished setting out the food. She was much shorter than her husband, and had dark mousy features, brown hair, and what his father called ¡®pleasantly plump.¡¯ To his right was his sister Alice. She was thin like Dad but was far shorter. She had her mom¡¯s dark hair and small features. She seemed preoccupied with scrolling through her phone as Alan had come in. From the moment he pulled up to the house, till he¡¯d sat down, a pleasant daze seemed to come over him. This was the home of his childhood, the warmth he¡¯d felt over a decade ago. What surprised him the most was how they¡¯d all changed, or hadn¡¯t, depending on his perspective. His dad had less gray hair, and his sister, well still had a look of youthful innocence. His mom had thinned out after the food shortages in space and had regretted giving up her preferred plump figure. Capturing it all seemed like a distant dream. His sister looked up sharply. ¡°Bro, I just got a text from Amy Sullivan, is it true that you broke up with Denise?¡± She asked. Alan stared at her incredulously. He guessed It shouldn¡¯t have surprised him how quickly it spread. Alice seemed to have a network of friends that stretched into Alan¡¯s circle. She had just started her freshman year, but she¡¯d always had a knack for making friends. ¡°Is that true Alan?¡± His mother inquired, slightly surprised, but jumping right into the conversation. Both looked at him expectantly. He¡¯d hoped to delay breaking the news, but at this, he didn¡¯t see the point in hiding it. ¡°Yeah, I broke up with her right before coming over here¡± ¡°Oh my, she must be heartbroken.¡± His mom quickly added, ¡°I hope you are ok dear?¡± ¡°Yeah Mom, I¡¯m great.¡± ¡°Did you tell her in person?¡± Before Alan could answer the question Alice chimed in spilling the beans ¡°Oh I heard he told her in person all right. Right on her dorm¡¯s front step, in front of everyone! I heard she was furious.¡± She gave a teasing smile to Alan. ¡°Alan, you did that right in front of everyone?¡± His mother looked scornfully ¡°We raised you better than that.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Alan was about to defend himself when his sister jumped in once again. ¡°Oh yeah, and basically, he didn¡¯t give her time to explain telling her she wasn¡¯t good enough for him.¡± Alan''s dream of being home with his family was starting to shatter. ¡°He even blocked her number when she tried to call him to find out why.¡± He was stunned, he looked at his sister trying to reconcile his feelings of anger, and joy at seeing her there. The warmth was quickly fading. ¡°Alan I can¡¯t believe you, you dated that poor girl for the last 2 years. The least you could do was give her an explanation. ¡± His mother''s anger was starting to rise, she gave him a furious look, only made worse by the kitchen knife she wielded in her hand. A menacing sight. Alan was beside himself, he wasn''t just going sit there and take it, despite the nostalgic feeling. He was about to speak up when his sister cut him off once again. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be too harsh mom, word is she¡¯s been cheating on Alan for a long time.¡± With that little phrase, his mother went from a wrathful goddess, intent on making her son pay, to a vengeful angel. ¡°That little slut! I knew that girl was never good enough for my boy!¡± The kitchen knife plunged into the wooden cutting board. The change was so sudden, it left Alan feeling staggered. She immediately let go of the knife and ran to Alan wrapping him up in a big hug. "Oh, my poor boy!" ¡°Mom, she was not good enough for my brother anyway.¡± Alice gave a wicked little smile, knowing fully what she¡¯d just put Alan through. Alan, pulling himself out of his mom¡¯s hug said, ¡°Yeah mom. It¡¯s fine, she wasn¡¯t good for me, and I figure it better to do it now than later.¡± ¡°Oh dear, I should have known that girl was no good for you. What can I get for you? It must have been so hard to hear she¡¯d been cheating on you.¡± She continued on that way for a few minutes, berating his ex, all the while singing his praises. His sister added her comments to the mix, in full support of her brother. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Alan¡¯s Dad was the only one who didn¡¯t comment. He¡¯d been silent during the whole affair as if he¡¯d been able to predict the outcome from the beginning. From Alice''s exaggerated narrative to his wife¡¯s reactions. He only spoke up when his mom pointedly asked if he¡¯d also thought that Denise was no good. He gave a slight nod and harrumph in agreement. The warmth had returned. Alan had left his dream, but the reality was better. His mother was typically very emotionally centered, with a sharp brain for business. The only exception was when it came to matters of her family. His sister had always liked to tease him, typically never letting the ¡®joke¡¯ go too far. To Alan, it had only been just under a month since he¡¯d last seen his parents. Except then they had looked haggard and worn from work and space life. Something, he vowed, would not happen again. It took Alan everything in his body not to tell them everything. But, he thought, it was prudent to not reveal too much, too soon. It took him even more willpower not to eat the entire meal of roast beef, potatoes, vegetables, and rolls his mom had prepared. Only the restraint he¡¯d learned in space when rationing food gave him any kind of chance. He didn¡¯t completely succeed, as his father commented. ¡°Seems like you haven¡¯t eaten in a month.¡± All Alan could do was smile and tell his mom how much he missed her food. And to that she stated eagerly, ¡°Well I don¡¯t know why you moved out in the first place. You¡¯re always welcome back home to stay.¡± Alan¡¯s father''s second harrumph happened at that point, which translated to ¡°Don¡¯t push it dear, let him be.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mom. I¡¯m ok. I promise.¡± Alan couldn''t help but smile at how much he missed this. ¡°I¡¯m glad he moved out, I finally got to have the bathroom all to myself.¡± Alice teased Mom rolled her eyes and even Dad gave a grin. Alan couldn¡¯t remember such a happy meal with his family for a long time. The food and laughter seemed to help flush away the years of trouble. Time and again that evening he kept thinking he was going to wake up or find out he¡¯d died, or worse, still be in space. After cleaning up, Alan found himself sitting next to his father in the small living room to watch some late-night television. While his Mother and Alice sat in the kitchen to discuss his recent breakup. ¡°I was wondering when you were going to break up with her.¡± His father mentioned it during a commercial break. His father had always been like this. Mostly silent, content to let others speak. It was only in these one-on-one moments that you knew what he was thinking. ¡°You were?¡± Alan was a little surprised by the comment. "I could tell she didn¡¯t treat you right.¡± He grimaced ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could tell,¡± His Dad hadn''t appeared to show any interest in his relationship. ¡°I guess it took a while to figure it out, but I¡¯m glad I broke it off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good son. I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re taking care of yourself. You deserve better, like me and your mother.¡± Alan paused. Enjoying the moment, the program had come on again, and his Dad seemed to have said all he was going to. He''d come tonight not to only see his family, but also because he needed some support. He decided that there was no better time. Alan spoke up at the next break, ¡°Dad. I¡¯m not in trouble or anything, but I have an opportunity for something. I can¡¯t say much about it, but I need $7,500.¡± He paused knowing the question was out there, seeing his Dad not reject it outright he continued. ¡°I should be able to pay you back soon though, likely in less than a week.¡± There was a long pause making him nervous. Alan began to wonder if he¡¯d heard the question. He was about to speak again when his father spoke up. ¡°Son, before tonight I would have outright refused you.¡± He looked piercingly at Alan. ¡°However, for some reason, you¡¯ve changed since last I saw you. I can¡¯t place it, but there is something about you I haven¡¯t seen in a few years.¡± He slowly rose from his chair, went to a book on the shelf, and pulled it down. Opening it slowly, he removed an envelope, handing it to Alan. ¡°This $8,000 is something your mom and I save for emergencies. It sounds to me as though you have an important need for it.¡± Alan reached up and took the envelope, hands slightly trembling, ¡°Thanks Dad, I appreciate it.¡± His Father smiled and pulled Alan into a bear hug. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll explain to Mom that you needed it, and she¡¯ll be fine...She''ll be better once she gets it back though." The late-night show ended, and Alan reluctantly decided to go home for the night. His apartment was closer to the Cosmos Hub, and he wanted to get an early rise the next day. Pulling up to his home he saw that the door to his studio had been written on with a permanent marker with some choice obscenities along with a smattering of eggs. It didn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to put 2 and 2 together. Denise had struck back. He¡¯d forgotten how vindictive she was likely to become. Recalling his freshman year, another student had reported her for cheating. She¡¯d proudly told Alan one night when they¡¯d been on a date that she had been anonymously posting fake gossip about the ¡®snitch,¡¯ slipping things into her locker, and other various cruelties just to ¡®pay her back for not minding her own business¡¯ all the while complaining how she¡¯d been the victim. Looking back, it had made Alan sick to think of how he just sat there, nodding in agreement when she¡¯d told him. Alan took a minute to wipe down the eggs with some paper towels while wishing, with little hope, that Alice had gotten it out of her system. He then promised to himself that he¡¯d re-paint the door for Mrs. Dubai. He then tore off his shoes, set his alarm, and had the best night''s sleep of his life in over 10 years. Chapter 5 Day 2 Alan awoke to the sound of his alarm. He cleaned up for the day. For breakfast, he sat and savored a bowl of breakfast cereal. Compared to the nutrient paste which was the typical fair he had in space; this was heaven. He arrived an hour early to the Cosmos Hub, knowing full well that despite the 8:00 o¡¯clock start time, it often took 30 minutes just to calibrate and enter the system. He didn¡¯t want any delays to his plan. Alan approached the front desk, where the same over-confident, but all-together ignorant attendant waited. ¡°Good morning sir, it¡¯s good to see you here early before the anticipated crowd.¡± Alan smiled, remembering the near-empty parking lot, ¡°Well thank you. Do you still have the 5 cubic meter Matter Ring with the Genetic Serum still available?¡± ¡°We do sir, you came just in time we only have a few left.¡± Alan couldn''t quite tell if the attendant was serious or just wanted to make it seem like he was getting lucky. After he purchased the ring, to the delight of the attendant (who most definitely received a commission). He was directed by another attendant to a changing room to fit in a specially designed jumpsuit. He was allowed to carry his ring, street clothes, and the small amount of platinum he¡¯d purchased yesterday, which he hoped to place in his ring. There he was brought to a device that pricked his finger and matched his DNA to the ring. ¡°Please be aware sir,¡± The female attendant said, ¡°That you are the sole owner of this ring, you may of course relinquish control. However, for safety reasons, cannot be done under duress. Please be aware there is a resynchronizing fee for change of owners.¡± Alan nodded already knowing the procedure. ¡°Also, please understand that Vervetic Energy can only be initially gained while in Cosmos. And you will need to wait before placing any items there.¡± She smiled. Alan couldn¡¯t help but wonder where all these well-trained attendants could¡¯ve come from. ¡°I understand.¡± She walked Alan through various hallways, to a large room housing dozens of long cylindrical tubes, sitting upon rectangular platforms. Approaching a pod, she pointed to a small rectangular door. ¡°Please place your ring here, this is a small locker, coded to your ring which can hold your belongings.¡± Alan placed his hand on the locker, which scanned his ring. A small click. And he was able to open the door and put his items in. ¡°Convenient,¡± he remarked. Placing her hand on another panel she continued. ¡°This is to activate the pod, again it is only coded to yours, or an attendant¡¯s, ring.¡± A well-concealed door on the silver cylinder slid open revealing a space for a person to lie down, cocooned by wires and tubing. ¡°If you have no questions, please step in and the pod will take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Alan, without reservation, entered the pod. He¡¯d done this before and was less anxious than he¡¯d been the first time. He was eager. Near his right hand were buttons: Enter and Exit. He only half listened to the attendant give the final instructions before pressing the Enter button. The lid smoothly slid into place, it was pitch black except for the red and green buttons at his right hand. Wires and sensors began to conform to his body. Alan felt the familiar tug of his mind separating from his body and then the sensation of re-entering again. Thinking reassuringly, ¡°I¡¯m finally back,¡± adding as an aside ¡°but this time things will be different. Very different.¡± Suddenly a mirror image appeared, standing before him. Except in the nude. He then heard a familiar voice, and a quite literally dazzling female appeared beside him. ¡°Hello, Alan. I am one of Cosmo¡¯s artificial intelligence guides. You may call me Kara. I am here to assist you on your journey. Before we begin would you like to adjust any of your physical parameters in Cosmo¡¯s? Please be aware I am only authorized to make some aesthetic changes.¡± Alan noticed that the female figure had the shape of a beautiful woman you might find in a magazine. However, she shone brightly as to only give a lighted silhouette. Her face, however, had clean lines and pale skin. Her eyes shone with a near radiance of blue. Which was her most distinguished feature. Alan had to swallow before speaking and had to fight back the instinct to cover up. ¡°Yes, Kara.¡± He blurted, before gathering his composure and continuing. ¡°Could you please adjust my facial features by 5% and change the color of my hair? Please leave all other parameters the same.¡± ¡°Adjusting...How do you like your new look?¡± Before him, Alan''s body had remained virtual the same but his jaw and eye features had slightly adjusted. He no longer had blond hair, but instead, it was brown. He looked at himself and decided that it was different enough to at least confuse others as to his identity, but not so different as to be completely misleading. ¡°Thank you, that works.¡± He thought for a moment and added ¡°Could you please remove any distinguishing body marks¡± ¡°Yes, Alan. Adjusting...Is that suitable?¡± A few moles, a scar from childhood, and other small marks had been removed. ¡°Kara, what are the chances of my avatar and my person being linked?¡± ¡°I predict that there is a 2% chance of being detected. If you adjust your vocal range by 5% and increase your height by 1 cm the chances would be reduced to .001%.¡± ¡°Make it happen Kara.¡± A moment later, he had to take a double look to make sure it was him. ¡°Thank you, Kara.¡± ¡°My pleasure Alan. Would you like to proceed to skill and ability selection?¡± ¡°Yes¡± The Mirror image of Alan shifted and shrank, and was replaced by a large list of abilities and skills. ¡°Please note that after calculating your Gene Manipulation Threshold you have been awarded 26 Units or GMU. 2 points higher than the predicted average for your race. Additionally, you have been awarded 3 stat points toward personal modifiers. These can only be applied to the following unlocked parameters: Strength, Speed, and Intelligence. Finally, it has been calculated that you have a Mental Manipulation Threshold of 78 Units.¡± She paused looking surprised. ¡°Congratulations, this is 28 units higher than the average for humans. You may be interested in knowing that you are in the top .00001% for your race.¡± Alan couldn¡¯t help but be surprised too. He¡¯d expected all his stats to be the same. Last time he¡¯d been above average with a previous score of 52. But to jump a whole 26 units. He somehow had become an Einstein level of intelligence. He didn¡¯t feel any smarter though. ¡°Would you like me to explain how these characteristics can be applied¡± She continued in her soft, but still professional voice. ¡°No thank you.¡± Alan already had a good idea of how they worked. But Kara seemed puzzled at his response. Alan noticing the shift added quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll probably have some questions, but for now I would like to explore it first.¡± He couldn¡¯t forget that he was supposed to not know about what was going on. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± She seemed to be satisfied with the answer, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation continued, ¡°I find myself curious, may I ask you a question, Alan?¡± For the second time today, Alan was stunned. The various game¡¯s A.I. were supposed to be fairly detached. He knew they were smart, adaptive, and courteous. But he¡¯d never heard of one ever being curious before. ¡°I suppose so.¡± He replied guardedly. ¡°I can tell my inquiry has made you uncomfortable.¡± ''Youth Think,'' Alan thought. ¡°Per my protocol, I am obligated in these circumstances to offer compensation.¡± He perked up at the mention of compensation. Cosmos was the most valuable entity in the Universe. ¡°Well, what do you have in mind?¡± He tried not to sound too eager. ¡°I am authorized to pay a credit amount equivalent to the value of the inquiry and response. I am also able to provide some standard equipment. I estimate the value to be near 300 credits based on my inquiry. Of course, based on your response the value may be higher.¡± Nothing was ever free in Cosmos. Not really. Even to fulfill the curiosity of a being such as Kara. ¡°Can I decide if I want to answer after I hear the question?¡± She nodded. ¡°Ok, let''s hear it?¡± ¡°From what our records show, your educational history, academic progress, and other various aptitudes would indicate that you should have a Mental Manipulation Threshold in the early 50s. However, your results indicate otherwise. Do you know why this is so?¡± She asked with such sincerity, and the compensation was so tempting that he wanted to shout, ¡°My mind was magically transported back in time by the combination of a solar flare and red-blue stone and I¡¯m betting that somehow the knowledge I had in the future or the experience has made me some sort of savant!¡± But caution and sanity prevented him from spilling the beans. Perhaps he had become smarter. Besides, it was obvious the government had authorized a significant amount of personal data to be used by Cosmos, and he didn¡¯t know who could read it from the other side. No the answer he would have to give, was likely the one to earn the paltry 300 credits. A good figure for sure for any starting character, but for him, it wasn¡¯t worth it. Before responding, however, he had an idea and decided to go for it. ¡°Kara, I¡¯m not sure the compensation you''re offering is all that helpful.¡± She seemed disappointed, anticipating that he wouldn¡¯t answer the questions. ¡°However, I was wondering, if instead of compensation I might be able to ask you a question unrelated to character generation?¡± She paused at the suggestion. Alan was hopeful, information on Cosmos and its system was rare. ¡°I find that acceptable, as long as I can provide an answer within value.¡± ¡°All right. Well to answer your question first. I can only guess that I¡¯m different than what my records indicate.¡± He tried to respond vaguely but not to lie. ¡°Unlikely.¡± She reported, ¡°But I expected such an answer.¡± She continued benevolently. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± ¡°You may, but please note that the value of your response will significantly limit my response.¡± Alan smiled knowingly, if only she knew the truth I bet I could get a small fortune. He continued ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just limit my question then.¡± He paused at the ridiculousness of what he was about to do. ¡°Kara, what do you do for fun?¡± He¡¯d tried to think of something, anything that he could ask that could be helpful. This was his best try. She paused longer than expected, ¡°Your answer does fit within the parameter of the inquiry, as it does not contain anything confidential. However, I do not have an appropriate answer.¡± she continued ¡°Perhaps the other compensation will do instead?¡± Alan smiled, if a computer could display curiosity, it must have some other emotions too. So he hoped to gain an insight into what was fun. What he didn¡¯t expect was her to deflect it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Kara, but I would like an answer, however, I am willing to defer our conversation to another day if that''s ok?¡± She nodded in agreement. Despite the odd occurrences, Alan realized that the game would be going active soon, and his buffer of time was near an end. He needed to complete his character setup and select a starting location. ¡°All right Kara, let¡¯s begin with Gene Manipulation Threshold Units.¡± She explained what he already knew. The units were the capacity for his current genome to get new abilities or powers. He would need to see a list of his potential choices. But he first inquired, ¡°I believe that I have received a Weak Gene Serum. Can I apply that now?¡± ¡°Yes, you were the 18th person to purchase a 5 cubic meter matter ring in this region. Would you like me to initiate the serum?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Within a few moments, Alan began to feel a weak burning sensation throughout his whole body. He grimaced at the pain. Grateful to be under mild sedation. He¡¯d heard from others that taking the serum in real life, or not in the character generation area resulted in pretty significant pain. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. The pain passed quickly enough and Kara spoke up. ¡°Due to the effects of the serum your GMU has risen from 26 to 30. Alan grinned while taking a few ragged breaths. ¡°Let¡¯s look at the list of abilities.¡± Kara waved her hand, and a long list of potential new abilities appeared in front of Alan. ¡°Please be aware, that as your race is new to Cosmos, that you¡¯ve been awarded several exotic, rare, and uncommon abilities which must normally be purchased or earned in Cosmos. They are only now available in limited quantities for the benefit of your race. This is not an exhaustive list of all potential abilities¡± Alan nodded. Before him was one of the greatest keys to success in Cosmos. The genetic modification before him could allow for enhancing strength, speed, perception, or any attribute you wanted. Flying, breathing in water, durability of skin. Psychic Abilities that allowed for manipulation of the elements. Nearly an endless list of selections. Alan scanned eagerly, he especially looked for limited variants that were open to the human race. He bitterly remembered his first entry into Cosmos, well over a month after it was opened. Almost all the unique and rare abilities had been selected and he had been forced to select an uncommon enhancement for strength for 23 GMUs. It didn¡¯t change him physically but allowed for an additional cap of 10 on his strength. The other GMUs he used later were for some really basic enhancements for tougher skin, and slightly improved mental acuity. He¡¯d been a basic tank. He thought back to his only real opportunities in the past, either a poor bodyguard or space labor. And bodyguards were not in demand. He¡¯d thought long and hard as he scrolled through the list of abilities. And arrived at the page he was looking for. Page 296 of 402 Fire, Psychic Manipulator, Basic (Rare 27 GMU) Available 73 out of 75 Armored Scales, Intermediate (Uncommon 32 GMU) ?? Available 400 out of 400 Prehensile Tail, Basic (Common, 15 GMU) ?????? Available 26723 out of 31000 Enhanced Bone Density, Teeth, Basic (Common, 13 GMU) Available 348303 out of 350000 Vertical Pupils (Cat¡¯s Eyes) (Uncommon, 11 GMU) Available 509 out of 666 Neuro Electric Sensor (Rare 54 GMU) Available 9 out of 9 Vervetic Energy Generator, Basic (Exotic/Rare 30 GMU) Available 2 of 3 Plasma Breath, (Exotic/Uncommon, 45 GMU) Available 345 out of 346 Vitality Fortifier, Basic (Common, 35 GMU) Available 1997 out of 2000 Regrow (Limbs Only), Basic (Uncommon, 12 GMU) Available 3459 out of 3500 Leaf foliage, Basic (Exotic/Common, 29 GMU) Available 80 out of 80 Gravity Manipulation, Fixed (Special, 105 GMU) Available 1 out of 1 Leg Enhancement (+3 Speed Stat,) (Common, 3 GMU) Available: Unlimited A quick scan of the page gave him everything he needed to know. Even though there were only a few thousand in his region, there were likely tens of thousands entering the game worldwide. He¡¯d been slower than quite a few others. But he still found what he needed. Alan selected Vervetic Energy Generator and read the description: Vervetic Energy Generator, Basic. This allows the life form to produce and store Vervetic Energy (VE). Only produced energy may be transferred via touch to mechanical objects. This unlocks the additional stats of (VE) Capacity and (VE) Production. This ability is upgradable when the following have been met: GMU: 30/50. (VE) Capacity 5. (VE) Production 5. Max VE Storage. Warning: Additional upgrades may lead to changes in physiology. He¡¯d never read through the full description before. He remembered reading about it in an article. The article had been a list of potential ¡®super¡¯ abilities and was great for early starts. One guy had upgraded his abilities to advanced and lived as a guest on a Luxury Vacation Space Cruiser full-time with the agreement to provide supplemental energy to the vessel. VE was the energy of the future. It was more dynamic, pure, safe, and highly concentrated than any energy discovered by man. It often powered faster than light engines, his ring, and a slew of amazing devices. The article had even speculated that most cosmos races hadn¡¯t tapped their full potential. He accepted the upgrade having already made his decision prior. ¡°Please be aware that once selected, you will not be able to change or alter your choice without significant difficulty.¡± Kara prompted Alan confirmed, knowing the relative permanency of the choice. ¡°Please note that the selection and benefits of this implementation will take effect in the Cosmos Universe and in your current world. Would you still like to proceed?¡± ¡°Proceed¡± Alan agreed again. ¡°Please note that Cosmos is a replicated dimensional space. Abilities gained there will become available immediately. However, your current abilities will only begin to manifest in 12 hours, and will not meet maximum effect for 72 hours. Please wait for the procedure to begin.¡± Within seconds Alan began to feel the unexpected pain of hundreds of needle pinpricks penetrating his body. It was excruciating. His body spasmed and his muscles all contracted. An intense fire spread through his body, yet he felt frozen in the pod. His limbs attempted to strain as shooting pains wracked his body. He would have to pass out, but the pod prevented it. It seemed like an eternity, but was only a few moments. Finally, he felt a soothing cooling spread to his body and he faintly heard Kara speaking. ¡°I have identified you are in pain, and have adjusted the pain reception.¡± For the second time this morning, Alan was breathing heavily from the pain. His mind was clouded. It took him a few long minutes to realize the system likely was adjusting to his physiology, not just him, but his whole race all at once. They didn¡¯t know how humans would react. ¡°I apologize for the discomfort. This particular ability had not been adequately tested for your physiological response¡± Kara soothed, ¡°We would like to offer you a compensation of 100 Credits for the experience.¡± Alan waited another long moment before speaking, ¡°Thank you, Kara, I¡¯ll accept.¡± Alan breathed deeply a few times and felt more comfortable and relaxed. A few other adjustments had been made in the last few moments. ¡°Can we just proceed with the next step for character creations?¡± He tried to take his mind off what just had happened ¡°Yes Alan, we may proceed. Here is your stat sheet thus far¡±
Personal Modifier Points Available: 3 Description MMT Available 78/78 GMU Available 0/30
Strength (3/10) Average VE Generator, 30 GMU
Speed (3/10) Average
Intelligence (3/10 Processing average
(VE) Capacity (1/8) 100 Unit Cap
(VE) Production (1/8) 1 Unit Per Hour
Alan reviewed the information so far. He pretty much was your average human male. The descriptions gave a not-too-helpful approximation description for what each stat could represent in terms of human measurement. But what it meant, in the long run, was that if he reached a 10 in each physical stat he would be beyond a world-class athlete. As far as intelligence, it did impact his MMT and his learning capacity. He could process more, but his IQ wouldn¡¯t necessarily go higher. The only outlier seemed to be his intelligence remaining average while his MMT capacity remained the same. It was also the only difference from the last time he did character creation. ¡°Kara, can you please provide 2 stat points in VE Production in 1 in VE Capacity please.¡± He wanted to maximize the benefit of his new unlocked characteristics. Besides, he could always work on his strength and speed stats outside of Cosmos. The only other one he needed was intelligence, but with his Mental Manipulation Threshold being so large, he hoped he could get to it later. ¡°Kara could you please assist me with the Mental Manipulation Threshold please¡± He feigned ignorance. ¡°Of course Alan. Cosmos recognizes that most races who begin the system are significantly impaired when it comes to knowledge and information. To assist with adaptation to Intergalactic life and to help races to ¡®catch up¡¯ if you will. Cosmos provides a direct neural adapter that can directly increase knowledge in various fields of science, culture, language, and any other topic which may be of interest. The Mental Manipulation Threshold or MMT measures the capacity of an organism is its ability to receive and integrate information successfully.¡± She paused a moment to check if there were any questions. ¡°The Human race has an average MMT of 50 units. On average most races have intelligence near this threshold. A few are far higher, and a lot more are much less. You have the advantage of having an Abnormally high MMT. Therefore, you will have the ability to integrate more knowledge at once. As you fully integrate the knowledge you have obtained, you will be able to have access to your MMT units once again. Since yours is so high, you will also have the additional benefit of increased speed in integrating knowledge.¡± Alan responded putting on his most grateful face, ¡°Thank you Kara that was very helpful. I think I¡¯m ready to learn something new. Where do we begin.¡± She gave him a warm smile. ¡°I¡¯ll provide you with a long list. Please note, that this is not a complete list of everything you can learn. However, the governing bodies of your planet have exchanged a significant amount of their information to give new players access to the following.¡± In front of Alan appeared a vast list of topics to learn about the various races, planets, and cultures of the galaxy. Some topics contained a lifetime¡¯s worth of research into a topic. Everything from Klaxious Opera to the migratory habits of avian species on Chilrax. Other topics were more mundane such as basic mathematics for orbital bodies or conversational language of Qqrtn. Many of the topics were broken into different parts, to not overwhelm a person¡¯s MMT in one go. Of course, a lot was missing! Engineering advanced interstellar engines, rare material formulas, and processes, and various exotic weapons. Just to name a few. Alan thought bitterly, ¡®As benevolent as Cosmos is in bringing a civilization into the galactic age, it doesn¡¯t want them too advanced.¡¯ He thought back to the human expedition, or more accurately expulsion from planet Earth and the pitiable resistance humans provided while in Cosmos. The technology could be broken into different ranks. The first level was considered primitive space exploration. This was the basic criteria for entering Cosmos. The level of technology after that was called the Planetary-System level of tech. This would allow a planet like Earth to go to the other planets in the solar system relatively easily, and even basic settlements. After that, there was an Interstellar level of tech, which would allow for travel between stars. It even went beyond that. The difference between the Earth¡¯s Primitive tech and Interstellar level was as large as the bronze age to the Industrial Revolution. Sighing to himself, he took a deep breath to calm himself at the vast difference ahead of him. It wasn¡¯t that Cosmos that presented the biggest challenge, it was the Alien race that so graciously introduced the game of the galaxy to Humanity. He grimaced from a painful memory. Pushing it aside quickly, he focused on the work he needed to do. It still awed him that he could be here, at this time, with all his past memories of events. He had such a grand opportunity to make things better for himself and his family. In his previous life, the best downloads were hard to come by. Requiring large sums of credits and or earning favors from the right factions. He remembered when he entered, he hadn¡¯t even known what to select or what was useful. However, this time he¡¯d have a better idea of what to select and take options that weren¡¯t available later. It certainly helped to have a leg up on what he had already learned. ¡°For beginning players, I recommend you take a knowledge package that includes basic commerce, languages, common races, factions, etc. Areas to help you acclimate to the new system. You can typically get a basic knowledge pack by utilizing upwards of 40 to 50 of your MMT Units.¡± Kara offered helpfully. ¡°Thank you, Kara. I appreciate your suggestion. However, I think I¡¯ll look for more specialized knowledge.¡± He thought back to the Millions upon Millions, including himself, who wasted their first 50 MMT Units on such a package and were unable to gain new significant downloads for years. You''d either have to wait years for the packets to be completed or reintegrated. Or use outrageously expensive serums to reset your abilities. The problem with the starter packages was their size. Bigger packages usually had a higher density of knowledge so you would learn more over time. It meant, however, that applying the knowledge and fully using it took much more time to make it part of your skill set. It was like knowing all the chess rules, but it takes years to become a grand master. It was found that if you did a lot of smaller knowledge bundles, you¡¯d end up not being so bogged down, and could use the knowledge faster and more wisely. Additionally, there was also a lot of useless information that most people would learn about sooner or later, or never needed. Alan scanned his options. Beyond the basic package, Alan had specialized in a few martial arts and weapon specialties, including melee weapons and ranged weapons. He¡¯d also taken some of the more basic knowledge in math, engineering, material science, and trade. It had become pretty essential for him when he was a scrapper to know what he was taking apart, how to remove it, and to know what it was worth. Now, however, he could select rarer knowledge packs. He first selected a knowledge pack for himself. Reviewing what he needed. He selected most of the basics he knew he wanted. Basic Energy Storage Manufacturing: 13 Units Basic Tool Manufacturing: 14 Units Basic Melee Weapons Assembly: 4 Units (7 Unit discount for overlap in Basic Tool Manufacturing, and 2 Units discount for overlap Energy storage) Basic Ranged Weapons Manufacturing 16 (5 Unit Discount for Basic Tool Manufacturing, 3 Unit Discount for Energy Storage) Cosmos Common Language: 5 Units When Alan had originally planned, he¡¯d only thought he¡¯d have his original MMT of 52. He hadn¡¯t anticipated the bonus of 26 additional MMT to play with. His original plans for making money relied on these basic schematics. He held off making another selection for now, knowing he¡¯d likely pick the new knowledge in a few days. He''d also reluctantly picked the Cosmos common language. As he thought it might be highly suspicious if he could communicate without it. Unlike the other character changes. This one didn¡¯t send searing pain into his body. But instead, he began to feel a trickle of knowledge flow in, like a cool wash passing through his mind. ¡°An interesting choice of selections. Not many choose to forgo any basic knowledge packs¡± Thinking of a plausible explanation Alan shared ¡°I thought I might enjoy learning about the basics on my own for now.¡± ¡°Interesting¡± Kara hummed. Chapter 6 ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Alan asked eagerly. He¡¯d checked the time and realized Cosmos would be allowing people in a few minutes. Though there was no penalty for a delay. He hoped to be one of the first to enter. Kara smiled ¡°Not many are so eager to move forward as quickly as you. But there is only one final selection. Cosmos is the Gateway to the Galaxy, and within it are thousands upon thousands of planets. Though most are not available. As humans are just starting, there is a select variety of planets for you to select.¡± Dozens upon dozens of planets appeared around him. Each is the size of his hand with a name appearing above it. Suddenly three of the planets moved forward to appear right before him growing to the size of a basketball. Not only their names but with brief descriptions. ¡°Here is a list of recommended planets you may select from¡± These Alan remembered were 3 ¡®ideal¡¯ type planets, somewhat safe planets selected by the game. Not always the same three, but he did recognize them all the same. Name: Thrag Condition: Near Virgin World Climate: Tundra Teach Level: None Territory: Gallagos Empire Description. Perfect for the world adventurer. There is plenty of claimable land, new species to discover, and resources to be had. It is far from most Galactic civilized worlds which will make it more difficult to advance. There are significant challenges related to cold temperature and isolation. Name: Juellett Condition: Pleasure Planet Climate: Temperate Teach Level: Interstellar Territory: Neutral Territory Description. An independent planet located near the crossroads of 7 different civilizations. A friendly place for relaxation, entertainment, and gambling. Living expenses are expensive and finding housing may be difficult. However, it provides a plethora of new experiences for pleasure seekers. Name: Brachnia Condition: Industrial Hub Climate: Arid Teach Level: Interstellar Territory: Stardust Consortium Description. A highly industrialized world focused on manufacturing and business. Various businesses operate within the boundaries of the planet. It is easy to find work and to learn new skills. However, it is difficult to start a new business venture, and some of the businesses are xenophobic. Be cautious. As Alan looked through the selections Kara spoke up, ¡°These are not your only options. However, I wanted to provide you with 3 good choices.¡± Alan remembered most players were presented with similar choices. It was estimated that at one point 50% of the first selections were a Pleasure Planet. This was typically a huge error. It was like being forced to live in Vegas. It might be fun for a little while, but you¡¯d soon run out of money and only leave with debt. This just added to the debt problems which would later be a plague for humanity. It was generally accepted that you were better off avoiding pleasure planets at the start. Thrag and Braachnia were pretty decent considering they wouldn¡¯t persecute new races and allowed a little bit of self-development. However, both were difficult for humanity as a whole to thrive. They were either too competitive or not developed enough for a new race to make much headway. ¡°I think I¡¯d like to look for another planet instead.¡± Alan provided a few parameters and made a show of looking at different worlds until he found the world he was looking for. Name: Kragga Condition: Ruin Climate: Temperate Teach Level: Varied Territory: Fallen World, Unclaimed. Description. A world that had been owned by various galactic civilizations. It has shifted from a core world, tourist spot, trade hub, and finally a wasteland, for the last 1000 years it has primarily been a dumping ground of other planets. Currently unclaimed, but lies in the various proving grounds of pirates, smugglers, and other nomadic space travelers. ¡°Kara, I believe I would like to select this world if possible.¡± Alan confidently selected. ¡°All right Alan, though I have to warn you this would not be considered a prudent decision due to the risks involved.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I think I¡¯ll like the adventure there.¡± Alan smiled. ¡°Thanks for everything Kara, I hope to speak to you again soon.¡± A moment the planet he had selected grew while the others faded. He soon found himself floating in a vast dark space, below him was a planet. It held less water than earth but was covered in a variety of forests, and grasslands. Standing out from greenery, mountains and other formations was a black scar. It stretched for miles and miles, the remnants of a once proud city. It looked to be the size of Australia. Alan had heard of this planet in the first year of his play in his previous life. A few random adventuring types had selected and found that even though it was in pirate territory, it was mostly isolated. It had been a boon of lost tech, refined metals, and primitive trade. Better yet, it was outside the grasp of major civilizations. As he stood there, he could read a fuchsia timer, suspended in the void above him. It read 7:59.25. He was as ready as he could be. Everything else was up to him. He hoped he could pull it off. He¡¯d hoped to fight for Earth, discourage their enemies, help fend off the debtors, and live peacefully with friends and family. The clock slowly ticked forward until it read 8:00.00 A message appeared: Would you like to Enter Cosmos: Gateway to the Galaxy? Without any hesitation, and with full confidence he spoke, ¡°Yes.¡± Silently he cheered ¡®for the future.¡¯ Another A.I. Appeared in front of him and spoke: ¡°You are part of the first 1000 Humans to enter Cosmos, You have earned 1000 Credits and 100 Renown and the title ¡°Planetary Trailblazer¡± Please Select your landing destination. He¡¯d come early for this very reason. The 1000 Credits would be good for sure. You started with nothing typically. The title and renown would be valuable later. He selected his location, which immediately caused a sense of falling. He seemed to jet toward the planet. Moving forward passing over a vast desert, then thick forests, and finally an inland sea. Growing closer, he flew over the great black patch, its color coming from grasses and shrubs, dark black. A side effect of where they grew from what he remembered. At times he would pass by the occasional skeletal hulls of huge capital ships and rusted-out buildings. He finally landed on the outskirts of the great black waste, in a town of oddly built structures, a menagerie of rusted metals, plastics, and broken ships organized into settlement. Beyond it, lay a vast gray-black waste that dominated the horizon. Alan readjusted his bearings and made his way toward the town. ¡°There should be someone there to outfit me,¡± Alan spoke quietly to himself. Approaching the town, a town being a generous description, he noted most buildings were a patchwork of different materials and colors. His approach received a few glances from some squat, bulbous-looking aliens with pinkish skin. He passed by another taller, reptilian-looking fellow, with a head like a blunt-faced lizard and green skin. Distracted by the menagerie of species he only just noticed the whirring engine of a hovering car as it came screeching down the main drag. He just managed to jump to the side, rolling through the dirt and narrowly avoiding the vehicle. Laughter came from behind him as the bunch of the squat aliens jeered. Alan stood and dusted himself off. He rolled his eyes and walked away trying not to let the howls of laughter irritate him. Moving quickly, he spotted what looked like a general goods store. Stepping through the rusted archway of the single-story building, he found himself in a dimly lit room, hot and humid. A warm musk permeated the air. Immediately he felt his skin begin to perspire. ¡°Thrassk gidiek,¡± came a raspy high-toned voice from somewhere in the back. ¡°Dorgrat ne¡¯ad¡± Alan replied. He moved toward the back of the store toward the voice. He passed shelves of tools, armor, and weapons. The voice had been speaking Galactic Common. ¡°What can I help you find?¡± Came the mystery voice again, Alan automatically translated the language. It took Alan a moment longer to see the lithe female figure behind the counter. He assumed it was a she from the curves of her figure and high-pitched voice. She had white milky eyes, long skeletal hands, and antennae folded neatly behind her head. Her flesh was black and gleamed in the dim light. Alan swallowed, entranced by her raw femininity. He must have taken too long to respond when the female behind the counter egged him on. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen a Croatht before?¡± Alan smiled weakly and replied ¡°Sorry, yes... well no, not really. Sorry to stare.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Stare as long as you want. But you better buy something if you do.¡± She gave him a devouring look. ¡°My name is Blatta.¡± Alan was caught off guard. He¡¯d met lots of species in his years, this one seemed to throw him off when he met new ones. There were thousands of species in Cosmos, one more shouldn¡¯t have thrown him off so much. Recovering himself he started, ¡°Thank you, the name¡¯s Alan.¡± He purposefully took his eyes off Blatta. ¡°I won¡¯t be staying long. I¡¯m just looking to outfit myself to go scrapping.¡± ¡°How many credits do you have to spend?¡± She hissed pleasantly. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­¡± Catching himself before answering, he responded more cautiously. ¡°Not much, just arrived on the planet, looking for adventure.¡± He wanted to avoid letting her know he was a new race and the exact amount of money. It was a surprise that he had almost answered her questions directly. If he¡¯d been honest, she¡¯d likely take him for all he was worth.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got the best gear in the area, and we¡¯re far from the core planets, so you¡¯ll need to pay a premium¡± She began sweetly. Alan felt an urge from her words as he scanned the items around him. It felt so warm in the room. ¡°I imagine you don¡¯t get too many scrappers here; it seems like it might be hard to move your inventory. I might be able to help you get a few items off your shelves taking space.¡± ¡°Oh, each item is like a precious child of mine¡± She sprung over the counter, to a tool Alan had been eyeing, swiftly picked it up, and brushed off the dust. ¡°It always burdens me to let one go.¡± Negotiations were in full swing. ¡°I understand, perhaps that is why so many of them seem to have not moved.¡± He paused for emphasis. ¡°I think I saw another trader down the road, perhaps it would be less painful for you if I went there.¡± He hoped she took the bait. She hesitated, ¡°Ah I see, well, I would hate for you to purchase something inferior from another buyer. Why don¡¯t I show you a list of my goods and prices.¡± She reluctantly gave up the facade of exclusivity. At those words she grimaced. He¡¯d hit the sweet spot. Alan had intentionally selected this trader from the few on the street. He noticed people going in and out of the others but not here. If he considered the state of the store, dim lighting and humid temperature, and Blatta¡¯s unique species. He concluded Blatta was not all too popular, and the locals would prefer to spend their credits somewhere else. But he couldn¡¯t afford to pay a few extra credits due to xenophobia. ¡°Let''s get to it.¡± Alan spent 30 minutes haggling with Blatta for the goods he needed, who he now reasoned also had a reputation for being stubborn and stingy. He purchased a basic survival set for a tent, food, water, and medical supplies. He also purchased a set of basic tools for drilling and ripping things apart. Surprisingly only took about a quarter of his funds. He got them all below the current local value. But they were still somewhat expensive considering galactic markets. There were 2 items which took the most value. The first was a set of electronic tools for doing basic repairs and building fine electronics. He also purchased a refining system to separate, and melt precious metals. They cost 800 Credits, leaving him 50 credits left over. Before he left, he asked Blatta to hold onto his goods for a few hours. He checked his VE capacity, and it was read 9/200 VE Units. His ring could hold 5 Cubic Yards of material. The goods he purchased took nearly 4.5 Cubic Yards. The refining machine took 3 Cubic yards alone. For him to move 1 Cubic Yard from his ring, he needed 1 VE Unit of energy. It was pretty inexpensive, at least for him. He could store his things later, but first had some other things to take care of. Chapter 7 After his purchases, he¡¯d spent enough time in the game to produce energy. He now had 9 units of VE energy. He felt a faint warmth move from the core of his body toward his ring. Having never experienced a power like this before. There had been some instructions that had come with the altered body changes. Though mere directions couldn''t describe the otherworldly flow of ethereal energy moving through channels in his body. If he looked closely a faint blue light moved under his skin to charge his ring. Looking at its updated ring it now reads 9/25 Units of VE. Now to proceed with the next part of his plan. It was simple enough, the pod responded to mental commands. A minute later he found himself staring into space while lying in his capsule. It was just after 10 and he hoped to get his errands completed in the 3-hour time. He opened up his belongings and found 4, 1-ounce bars of platinum. He used a fraction of VE energy to transfer it to his ring and logged right back into Cosmos. Determined to avoid the stingy Blatta he found a materials trader just a ways down. Inside was an Ogre of an alien, nearly 8 feet in height, and half as wide. He had folds of loose skin along his neck and arms and spoke in a deep baritone. ¡°Come in stranger, to Kovic¡¯s trading and bulk purchasing. What can I do for you today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m interested in making an exchange trade for some material if that is all right.¡± Alan began. ¡°Trade eh? Well, I have nearly every material that can be found on the planet and am happy to make an exchange for a modest fee.¡± He bellowed jovially Alan produced the 4 pieces of platinum. ¡°I¡¯d like to exchange this platinum for gold.¡± Kovic looked at him strangely, ¡°Gold you say? Well far be it from me to advise a trade in my favor, but you¡¯ll only be making a loss.¡± Alan knew exactly what Kovic was talking about. Precious metals such as platinum, gold, silver, and even copper were often used as currency. And to trade Gold for Platinum with a transaction would mean he¡¯d be losing money. ¡°Thanks, Kovic, I appreciate your honesty and fairness on the matter, but I need Gold, even though it means taking a loss.¡± ¡°If you insist, I can exchange your 4 ounces for approximately 8 ounces of Gold. I¡¯ll only charge you 20 credits for the exchange since the platinum you have is so pure.¡± ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll probably be back to exchange more later.¡± Waving goodbye, passing by Kovic¡¯s shop assistant, and placing the 8 ounces of gold in his ring. Alan moved on to the second step of his plan. He logged out once again. Walking past the reception area of Cosmo¡¯s, he waved off the attendant and made some excuse that he¡¯d be back after some lunch. It only took him just under an hour to log off, change, and drive to the strip mall he had been to the day before. He walked into the gilded cash-for-gold store and proceeded to exchange his now 8 ounces of gold for more platinum. Currently, Earth¡¯s market values gold at about 2x the value of platinum. So, for the 4000 dollars he spent on platinum originally, he now had $16,000 of gold. Which he quickly exchanged for more platinum. All the while paying a small exchange fee. He traveled back to the Pod and 50 minutes later he was standing once again in front of Kovic¡¯s Shop. He knew that he didn¡¯t have much time for his little scheme and once again exchanged his pound of platinum for 2 pounds of Gold. For a total of $64,000. He wanted to get one more round done before he was finished. He once again logged out, made a quick excuse to the front desk, and traveled to 3 different locations to sell his stockpile and buy more platinum. He knew that he didn¡¯t have much time, because by tomorrow the precious metals markets would be turned on their heads and no one would be willing to buy or sell. And the Gold bubble of the last few thousand years would finally pop. Returning to Kovics, he had spent the last 2 hours on the last trip visiting a few new stores and making exchanges. He traded his nearly 4 pounds of platinum for nearly 8 pounds of gold. Kovic was good-natured about it, as he was making a profit on each transaction for no work. He shared to Alan however that he didn¡¯t have any more on hand to trade that day, but could come back later in the week. Alan shared he wasn¡¯t intending to make any more exchanges soon, but may bring some platinum later for a few credits. Leaving the shop for the last time, he noticed an orange-scaled shop assistant eyeing him. When Alan looked over, the assistant quickly went back to organizing the shelves. His last log out, he noticed it was 4 pm Earth Time. It was time to settle everything he could do. He spent the next three and a half hours selling his gold, going to various shops. In the end, Alan was far wealthier than he had ever been. 8 pounds of gold were exchanged into $200,000 and 3 more lbs. of platinum. He¡¯d lost 8000 dollars on transaction fees. But everyone seemed happy by the exchange. Of course, come tomorrow, some of their feelings would change. Stepping back into Cosmos¡¯ Hub, he approached the attendant. The attendant had been baffled at Alan¡¯s behavior all day. None of the other buyers had ever left the pods, and who could blame them, spending 600 dollars, would be a steep price to waste the experience. Alan stepped in front of the man and inquired. ¡°How much did you say it was to lease the pod permanently?¡± If Alan''s behavior had simply baffled the attendant, this question stupefied him. ¡°You¡¯re interested in purchasing a lease on a pod sir?¡± He asked quizzically, not understanding why a person who spent more time outside Cosmos on their first day would want a pod. ¡°Yes if that is alright.¡± Alan overlooked the confusion in the man¡¯s question. ¡°Of course sir.¡± He stuttered, ¡°Please be aware there is a 1000 Credit monthly fee to continue to use the pod.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Alan then pulled out of his sack, large amounts of bills to pay for the account. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I only have cash, but I hope this is ok.¡± ¡°Yes of course sir.¡± He stated excitedly, as he waved over a few additional attendants to secure the purchase. ¡°I¡¯d like to finalize the paperwork tomorrow morning if that is ok, so I can finish out my session tonight.¡± He nodded. ¡°All right, thank you for your help.¡± Alan planned to pay the rest of his loans and hoped it was enough to get started. Appearing back in town, Alan knocked on the door of Blatta¡¯s. ¡°What do you want so late in the evening?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just come to grab my things before heading out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit late to be heading out into the scrap sea, but suit yourself¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. She walked him inside, and he activated his ring drawing in the supplies, tools, and mini refinery. ¡°Thanks, Blatta.¡± She only hissed in acknowledgment and walked him out of the store. Alan started to jog toward the scrap field the time he had left, reflecting on the first day. Today he felt fortunate for the easy money. Though he doubted he would be welcome back to any Cash for Gold locations, not that he minded. 15 minutes into his run he slowed, feeling winded. In high school he¡¯d never been too athletic, he¡¯d play the occasional pickup game. But it wasn¡¯t enough to keep him in shape. The sound of shifting trash and metal sounded nearby. Alan looked up quickly, instantly regretting traveling at night as he heard voices carry through the darkness. ¡°Stavin!, you idiot, way to blow our cover.¡± Came an angry voice. ¡°Sorry, boss, I slipped.¡± Whined a pitiful voice ¡°It¡¯s coming out of your cut.¡± Three figures emerged from the darkness, from the surrounding hillsides of piled trash and debris. One came from off the hill to his left. He recognized it as the spindly orange-skinned assistant from Kovic¡¯s, Stavin. He moved forward awkwardly, unused to the rough terrain. The two others came from his right. The boss was a hulking mass of muscle, blue flesh, and pig-like features, he held a large club against his shoulder. The other was a smaller, dangerous-looking. which looked very human-like, but with narrow features, and snake-like eyes. He held a dangerous set of pistols. ¡°Your intel on the gold better be good, Stavin, this guy looks like a newbie, and if he isn''t packing...¡± The Boss gave Stavin a dangerous look. ¡°Boss, he has it, he traded it for nearly every piece of gold Kovic had.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m standing right here!¡± Alan pulled out a large Gravity Hammer, meant for smashing walls. He activated it with his vervetic energy. The hammer began to take up a soft glowing blue pulse. ¡°I thought you said he wasn¡¯t armed.¡± The Boss chided ¡°It¡¯s nothing but a hammer boss. We can take him.¡± The gunner commented waving his pistols. ¡°Newbie. Here¡¯s the deal. You can either drop all your gold. Or put up a fight, lose your gold anyways, and territorial expulsion.¡± Holding his club for emphasis. While Stavin held a small knife. The dangerous-looking one brandished his pair of pistols. These guys were serious. Melee combat in Cosmos always presented greater risks, but the rewards were usually greater when you dealt a death blow. Typically in Cosmos, if you died in combat you would drop about anywhere from 1 to 1.5% of your wealth on hand. Precious Metals, Credits, Gems, etc. However, the penalties would jump if you died in melee or if you started the combat. Glancing at their weapons, these guys decided to take the physical approach. ¡°Drop all of it and lose everything and then you might spare me? Give me a break. You¡¯ll get a fraction if you can beat me, you blueberry.¡± ¡°Stavin you idiot, I thought you said he was a newbie!?¡± As Stavin was about to speak Alan jumped forward, hammer moving in a downward ark, toward the distracted Stavin. If it wasn¡¯t for his quick reflexes the would-be bandit¡¯s head would have been pudding, instead it glanced off his shoulder, breaking bone and knocking the assistant backward, launching his knife into the darkness. Instead of following up with a killer blow, Alan dashed behind the nearby hill toward cover, surprising everyone, giving Alan precious seconds to gain cover. He dove behind a pile of rubble, as pistols fired, as bolts passed through where he had just stood, hissing harmlessly into the earth around him. ¡°Get up you idiot.¡± The boss dragged Stavin to his feet. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get him!¡± Alan heard shuffling and the whimpers of the guy he¡¯d smashed. Seeing another close pile of debris, he dashed gaining greater distance between him and his enemies. He¡¯d just settled behind cover when he heard the distant footsteps of the trio. Sneaking a peak around the corner, he saw Stavin inject something into his arm. A moment later he cried out, as the sound of bones snapping back into place could be heard. Nano drugs. Alan grabbed his hammer for comfort trying to think how to best get out of the situation. He¡¯d been lucky to have escaped the ambush, but they¡¯d likely not let him escape again. He noticed a large flat piece of metal, which looked like an old metal hatch, with a few holes lying sideways in the waste. Having an idea, he picked it up testing its heft. He crept around the pile until he saw the men moving toward where he had been. Stavin¡¯s arms are still somewhat limp at his side. They walked in a line, spread out to try to catch him out in the open. Alan skirted to the other side of the hill, closer to the shooter. Taking a deep breath, he ran straight toward the pistol wielder, holding the metal in front of him. It only took moments for the pistols to come to life, shooting directly at Alan. The first shots burned into the metal hatch, leaving red scorch marks where they¡¯d struck. The gunner, seeing his shots fail, aimed at the legs. A few shots went off, before Alan thrust the shield to the side and leaped forward, hammer swinging across toward the gunner''s head. Surprised, the gunman raised his arm instinctively to intercept the hammer, catching the arm with an audible crack. The gun in his left hand fell. Turning to recover, he raised the other pistol, but Alan drove the surprisingly light hammer down once again. This time taking him in the chest. He flew back, coughing blood and crumpling to the floor, lying motionless. His heart stopped by the blow. Alan only had a moment¡¯s pause, before the sound of lumbering feet alerted him of the impending danger. He rolled forward, barely avoiding a heavy swing, which blasted dirt and rubble from where he¡¯d stood. ¡°I¡¯ll have your head.¡± came the angry curse of the Boss. Alan rolled again to the side, avoiding another killing blow. Recovering he swung his hammer parallel to the ground at the Boss¡¯s legs. The blueberry nimbly dodged and stepped forward, a club in both hands, his strike easily avoidable. ¡°I¡¯ve got you!¡± Alan¡¯s combat skills kicked in, and he dove forward, to avoid the blow, and catching the blue giant in the gut. Having avoided the downward smash of the club, he smashed into the immovable girth of his appointment which didn¡¯t give from the tackle Realizing he wasn¡¯t going to win a wrestling match, Alan quickly scrambled back, instead, he was knocked to the side by the blue giant''s elbow. He staggered to get his feet, dazed. He lashed out with his hammer at the approaching blue whale, just trying to get some distance between it and him. Stumbling backward he fell back onto the lying corpse of the gunman. His off-hand touched the warm muzzle of the energy pistol. Thanking his lucky stars, Alan grasped the handle and fired. Bang, bang bang! The gun flashed. The blue mass didn¡¯t even seem to react as three shots of heated energy passed through his layers of fat and muscle. For a moment he stood there, almost as if he¡¯d been stung, and took a step forward, causing Alan to wonder if he¡¯d missed. However, as the large foot stepped down, it collapsed under his weight, and with a pained expression he fell forward landing face first; three smoking holes Still feeling dazed, but overjoyed at seeing the downed enemy, Alan couldn¡¯t help but feel some relief. He¡¯d been a hair''s breadth away from respawn. He gripped the shaft of his hammer and took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. Alan began to rise when a long sinewy arm reached across his neck, choking him. ¡°You little monkey, forgot about old Stavin did you?¡± Stavin had snuck up and grabbed Alan so suddenly that he¡¯d instinctively dropped his hammer and pistol to grasp the arm around his neck. ¡°I should thank you. I was planning on leaving this planet soon anyway and now I don¡¯t need to split the gold.¡± He spat at the corpse of his partner. Alan struggled in vain. It was clear that despite Stavin¡¯s slim features he was very strong. It was all he could do to stop him from crushing his neck. Alan tried to kick, headbutt, and trash around, but he felt he was in a steel vice. ¡°Just give it up Newbie, I¡¯ll spare you if you put down all your loot.¡± He tightened his grip. Alan screamed for air, his mind began to feel foggy. In his desperation, his mind became confused. He centered his feelings on his stores of energy. Inside him was a small bright mass, an energy core. Drawing upon the Vervetic energy, he sent it shooting through his hands. Instead of going toward an object like /his hammer, it instead passed to the steel arm around his neck. A loud cry was heard, as he felt the arm stiffen for a few moments before going slack. His airways suddenly opened and he sucked in gusts of fresh air to his lungs. Coughing and still in a fog, he only began to process the still form of Stavin, paralyzed, lying on the ground. Checking his reserves, Alan realized he¡¯d lost over a quarter of his units of Vervetic Energy. Alan recalled, ¡°I must have stunned him with the energy discharge.¡± He looked down at his hands.¡± I didn¡¯t know that was something I could do as a VE generator.¡± He¡¯d recalled that he¡¯d only been able to transfer to objects. Not wanting to linger in the dark he picked up his hammer and gun, pausing to give a last retort to the defeated Stavin. ¡°I¡¯ll let Kovic know you¡¯ve quit.¡± He raised his gun and fired. Chapter 7.5 As the shot left the gun, and his adrenaline faded a terrible racking pain pierced through Alan¡¯s core. He¡¯d dropped both his gun and hammer and collapsed on the ground clutching his gut. He felt as though a fire burned his belly, and was moving through his veins. He lay there writhing in pain for an indeterminable amount of time. For what seemed like hours, but in fact, the delirium was only a matter of minutes. As his body cooled and his mind cleared, Alan wretched a few times from the after-shocks of the pain. Coughing he mumbled to himself, ¡°What the heck was that?¡± Looking around Stavin¡¯s body had disappeared, leaving behind a few items and some credits. He did get one dose of Nano Drugs, a pretty good find, and wondered if he needed to use it. Checking his status, he was alarmed to read a list of bright red notifications next to his information on his Genetic Modifications. WARNING! Use of Vervetic Energy energy beyond specified parameters. - Attempted Transfer to organic object WARNING! Forced transfer of energy has resulted in a forced mutation of the VE Generator. Due to unexpected mutation advancement pain inhibition cannot be implemented. NOTICE! Forced mutation has upgraded: VE Generator. Genetic modification will now allow you to use VE Energy in transference to non-machinery/tool components. WARNING! VE Generator has mutated. It is now utilizing 34/30 available GMU. Due to the lack of available capacity, you will experience significant pain during the utilization of energy transference. If mutation is not dealt with promptly, you may experience additional unwanted mutations. Alan looked blankly at the messages. He couldn¡¯t help but ask himself if this was even possible. He¡¯d never heard of such a thing before. Forced Mutation? Perhaps it had happened but they weren¡¯t able to manage the side effects. Lucky enough for him it was only 4 GMU over his limit. He could take care of it, he hoped. It was something to think about in the morning after he got some rest. Checking for other loot he discovered the pistol was the only good thing the gunner and blueberry had dropped, having left mostly food rations. In total, he¡¯d collected close to 600 credits and a few pieces of silver and copper metal. Walking over to where he had dropped the hatch door, he picked it up and noticed the scorch marks left by the pistol. He decided it was worth the inventory space to keep the makeshift shield. He didn¡¯t bother to check to see if he had much time left. He needed rest. Moments later he was pulling himself out of the pod. His whole body aching from the physical torment it had been put through that day. Whatever pain relief he¡¯d had received, it had not been enough for the unexpected mutation. He changed quickly; and told the attendants he would be in early to get adjusted to his new leased pod. Sitting in his car, he debated for a moment on whether to just go straight home, but his pride didn¡¯t allow it. Instead, he drove to his parents¡¯ home. There he met his Dad at the door and handed back the cash, with a little bit of interest. His Dad gave him a look of surprise, and the unasked question he had, was instead answered by Alan who invited his Dad, Mom, and Sister to lunch the next day. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. It was nearly 11 pm when he pulled up to his street, to his garage-converted studio apartment. Alan was exhausted from all the running around, mentally drained by the adrenaline of the fight, and felt tender from the changes. He pulled up to his street and began to walk up his driveway when he noticed come around the corner of the garage. Alan immediately grew tense when he noticed the college jersey one of the men had. Alan mumbled, blaming only himself. He''d been too tired to notice the few extra cars on the road. Once again, he¡¯d walked right into an ambush. the second that night. ¡°Hey, are you the chump that broke up with Denise?¡± One of the men spoke up. He was clean-shaven and had been wearing the football jersey from the college Denise attended. They at least had the courtesy to not jump him immediately. ¡°Guys, I¡¯ve had a long day. What do you want?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question butt wipe!¡± He stood over Alan, while the other''s glared and began to corner him. Alan thought for a moment and was tempted to pull out his pistol and hammer from his ring, but decided it would be best if he didn¡¯t kill these guys. Deciding that hiding the truth was pointless and his mind was too exhausted to think of anything else, he responded irritably, ¡°Yes, I broke it off with her yesterday.¡± His response only made them more agitated. ¡°Well, you just made it easy.¡± He smiled at the rest of his gang. ¡°She told us all about what you did to her while you were dating, and we can¡¯t let you get away with it.¡± It was par for the course for Denise. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you guys, but whatever she said wasn¡¯t true.¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯d say you¡¯d say that.¡± Alan tried not to roll my eyes. ¡°Look, if what she said was true, why didn¡¯t she go to the police?¡± He attempted some logic with the meat heads. They paused a moment straining to try and come up with a way to answer. ¡°All right, why don''t you guys go back and ask her, and then we can go from there.¡± Smiling mildly, Alan figured he might have avoided the danger for now. Let¡¯s hear a cheer for charisma. Unfortunately, you should never overestimate human intelligence. One of the minions, clearly not liking the logic of the situation, had decided to let his fist respond instead, catching Alan in the gut. Alan tried to step away and recover. However, it seemed the rest of the college boys liked the first¡¯s answer and decided to add their blows to the argument. Alan dodged a few punches and gave a few strikes back. Regretting that the genetic and physical enhancements wouldn¡¯t take place in this world for another 72 hours. In the end, Alan lost the argument. He laid there on the concrete, as the would-be champions of his ex-girlfriend ran off. Dragging himself to his door, he took notice the curtains of Mrs. Dubai¡¯s living room had moved slightly. ¡°Had she seen what happened? What has she got to be thinking now? Did she not call the police?¡± He thought miserably. ¡°First I came outside nearly naked, then a stranger vandalized her guest house door, and now a group of thugs beat me down in her front yard.¡± He didn¡¯t even know what kind of explanation to give her. Maybe he was just seeing things. He continued his thoughts silently as he limped into his home, ¡°She probably thinks that I¡¯m mixed up in something awful.¡± He pulled a frozen bag of peas from the freezer and the first aid kit his mom had bought him when he¡¯d left home and attempted to care for his injuries. It wasn¡¯t long though when exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep. Chapter 8 The screeching alarm came far too early, worse yet, as he looked at his phone he noticed new cracks in the screen. Compliments from the guys from last night. He¡¯d deposited his extra cash into the bank and paid off all his debts. He wasn¡¯t quite broke, but he knew he had to get to work. As he made his way to the Cosmos facility, after a quick breakfast of sweet, sweet cereal and a hot shower. Turning on his car on the radio, the news was unsurprising. Though Cosmos didn¡¯t dominate the news cycle, it had started There are ongoing reports of Cosmos''s players engaging in life-like experiences in the game. There are even reports of those with disabilities being able to fully function while within the quote ¡®Micro Dimension of Cosmos.¡¯ Reports indicate some players were able to fix blindness, walk, and even repair limbs in the game. In other news precious metal dealers freeze the buying and selling as reports of unknown sources of precious metals flood the market disrupting prices. Still very little is known about who owns the ¡®Cosmos¡¯ experience. Players report that despite the price tag, the experience is unlike anything they¡¯ve ever experienced. Will this become the next generation of gaming? Alan laughed at the last comment. The secret owner Cosmos wasn¡¯t some secret corporate entity, well not entirely, but the actual government. It would only take another week or so for them to come forward. However, by then the question would become less about who funded it, and how and why Cosmos came to be. Alan pulled into the Cosmos''s parking lot to a very different scene than the day before. Cars filled the vast space, and lines seemed to gush from the main entrance. Alan smiled smugly to himself. The reports had started the night before, and the impact was clear. He had been prepared. He pulled up to a separate entrance marked ¡°Permanent Pod Holders¡± and was easily directed to a lot with only a few sparse vehicles. He pulled into his space and leisurely walked into the separate entrance, providing his credentials to a waiting attendant. Surprisingly, the attendant from the day before greeted him. ¡°Welcome Alan.¡± He didn''t know he was on a first-name basis. ¡°Thank you?¡± He left the question hanging. ¡°Corbin, sir. Thank you for asking.¡± He paused before continuing ¡°I have your documents ready for signature and I am ready to assist you in calibrating you to your new pod.¡± Corbin reviewed the document with Alan, and he signed the documents affirming his knowledge of the rules, regulations, fees, etc. Near the end, Corbin spoke up. ¡°Finally, sir, I¡¯d like to inform you about the non-disclosure agreement regarding the benefits of the purchase of the 1st series of pods. As I understand it, the first set of permanent pods comes with additional benefits, however, this is only revealed to those who purchase the pods. Please be aware that revealing this information would revoke your permanent pod privileges without payment.¡± Alan wanted to ask him to say, ¡®permanent pod privileges without payment¡¯ 5 times faster. But resisted, and instead asked for the more pertinent pod probe. ¡°So, what kind of benefits can we expect?¡± ¡°From what I understand they will be revealed when entering the pod. As I am not a pod holder, I am not aware of the benefits. This way sir.¡± At least Corbin was more honest about his lack of knowledge this time around. As Alan followed Corbin to the back, he recalled what he knew about the 1st series of Pods. It was one of the reasons he felt so urgent about buying one. The non-disclosure was only for a year. However, the benefits it could provide would last the whole game. He stepped into the new pod after changing and was again confronted by one of Cosmo¡¯s AI. To his delight it was Kara. ¡°Hello Kara, it¡¯s great to see you again!¡± ¡°Hello, Alan. It is by design; I have designated myself as your primary Valkyrie for the time being. I hope you find this suitable?¡± She responded warmly. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Valkyrie?¡± He was curious about the name. He¡¯d heard it before in his old life but had never thought to ask where it came from. ¡°Yes, it is one of the designations we have given ourselves as representatives of Cosmos to better adapt to your culture.¡± Alan had never been so close to one of the A.I.s to be on a first-name basis, let alone how they designated themselves. ¡°Well, do you have an answer to my question yet?¡± She halted before continuing. ¡°I am still exploring the answer. However, for today, I have other information to provide you. As a purchaser of a 1-series Permanent Pod, you are now eligible for additional benefits. Please see the following:" Free Access to Terran Market (not yet open): Available to Pod Owner Immediate Access to Terran Auctions: Limited to 1st series 1 Free stat point for 1st Series Permanent Pod Purchase: Limited to 1st series Access to Planetary Relocation 1x only. Limited to 1st series 10% Discount off first purchase of Terran Market Property Limited to first 1 series 1x Instant ticket to Iridescent Nebula Limited to 1st series Alan smiled to himself as he read through the info. A year from now, when it was finally disclosed. It was not unheard of for 1st series pods to go on auction sites for a minimum of 10 times their purchase price if all the benefits were left untouched. And that was only the starting bid. Items like the Iridescent Nebula ticket and Planetary Relocation were mindbogglingly expensive. It was why he¡¯d been so desperate to grab a first series. The rest wouldn¡¯t do. Alan thanked Kara. He was about to proceed when she made an off-handed comment. ¡°It is remarkable that someone of your means would be able to purchase a pod on the 2nd day.¡± Alan only smiled, while inside he choked. How much does she know about me? ¡°Is there a question there?¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it She smiled mysteriously, ¡°No.¡± Pausing briefly she continued, ¡°Not yet at least.¡± Not exactly sure if he should be enjoying the curiosity, she found in him, he only nodded and proceeded forward. When he found himself at the place, he logged miles deep in the scrap fields he noticed an icon at the top right of his vision, blinking at him. Opening it up, he saw a notification: Combat review: 3 free stat points gained. 1 Stat point for first combat. 2 combat points for defeated enemies. Each free stat was incredibly valuable. Alan had played a lot of games growing up. In many of those, you would level up by fighting. In Cosmos, however, there was no such thing as level-ups. Instead, you were awarded stat points based on your actions and accomplishments. Combat of course was oftentimes one of the most obvious and predictable ways to gather stats. However, there had been a slew of other ways to gain stats through accomplishments. For instance, buying a first series pod. But accomplishments in trade, manufacturing, exploration, and even the performing arts could help you gain stats. Some might be specific, like weight lifting your strength, while the best were free stat points, that could be applied anywhere. Of course, being a new race, humanity did have all the guides on how to get this. There were always a few guaranteed ways to do it, but the longer you played the rarer those chances came. He had flashbacks of his previous life, manhandling large chunks of his mind, and parts from his scrapper job came to mind. It was how he¡¯d managed to max out his strength stat. So, gaining 4 points on his second day was pretty amazing. It made sense for the 3 stat points. Considering the circumstances of the fight, and his winning. One of the great mysteries of Cosmos was how it calculated the combat stat points. There were rumored to be entire civilizations that had attempted to figure out the exact algorithm, only for it to fail time and time again. Strengths of each combatant, number of enemies, method, and distance of killing, the position of attacker and defender, even the weather had all been taken into consideration. A good rule of thumb had always been to fight strong opponents and be as close as possible. That didn¡¯t mean the occasional powerhouse wouldn¡¯t attempt to nuke a planet to test the rule. Looking over his stat sheet, he reviewed his current progress.
Personal Modifier Current Available:4 Description MMT used 52/78 GMU used 34/30
Strength (3/10) VE Generator (mutated) 34 GMU
Speed (3/10)
Intelligence (3/10)
(VE) Capacity (2/8) 200 Unit Cap 53/200 VEU (300)
(VE) Production (3/8) 3 UPH (5UPH)
Gaging his progress, 4 free stat points was great. But those with greater wealth and resources would likely outpace him pretty quickly if he didn¡¯t do more. Governments, corporations, and other institutions would be able to leverage their resources toward greatly improving their skills. Looking at his 4 free stat points he decided against investing in strength and speed. Those could be naturally enhanced over time by just exercising. However, if he planned on raising his intelligence or VE stats, free stat points would be the fastest way to go. Alan considered raising his intelligence, which would increase his MMT threshold. For a beginning player adding 5 free stat points to intelligence would likely allow him to take another knowledge, and with his currently warped threshold he wasn¡¯t sure how it would grow. It could be a huge boon this early on. To raise it the old-fashioned way, he¡¯d have to have access to advanced tech. Or do it the old-fashioned way, maybe attend his now-forgotten college courses. Even in his last life, after over a decade, he¡¯d only managed to intelligence by a few points naturally. Lucky for Alan, he didn¡¯t need to worry about his intellect for now and had a more immediate goal. He needed to pump out as much energy as possible. He added 2 more points to his EV production, raising it to 5. He also added 2 more to his capacity, bringing it to 4. He needed to reach level 5 to upgrade his genome ability in each of these areas and was painfully close to both. Alan looked around after his upgrade. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure where to start. There were maybe a few dozen scrappers who would go into the vast scrap sea of Kragga. He didn¡¯t know too many specifics of the area. Only the vague recollections of the article, which reported that it was full of easily accessible material, perfect for an entry world in Cosmos. Alan felt the pressure of the timetable. In approximately 6 days Cosmos would go from complete near freedom of access for mankind to increased restrictions. He felt anxious to get started, but he needed more information on where to begin on the planet. He pulled up the list of available knowledge. He selected the histories associated with Kragga. The vast collection that appeared began with archaeological records of each inhabiting race and civilization to the Zoological records. Alan opted for a 4-point basic outline of the various Galactic races who''d previously occupied the planet. And a 3-point record of the archaeological and historical significance of the ¡®Scrap Sea¡¯ Instantly he began to feel a warm sensation flow through his brain. The knowledge dump felt like he was cramming for finals, having never gone to class. He closed his eyes, taking a few minutes to sort through the information. It turned out the ¡®Scrap Sea¡¯ was huge, something he¡¯d already been aware of but now he truly ¡®got it¡¯. Turned the area used to be the home of a vast city of the Corian Empire. The city had been built up by various empires, and races one after the other for millennia, becoming, at times, a galactic hub for many major powers, until a major ecological disaster made it uninhabitable. Due to its radioactive and poisonous environment, it became an ideal site for various civilizations dumping grounds. Radioactive material, old ships, and other waste were collected here all to avoid Cosmos¡¯ regulations, and to avoid dumping dangerous debris in space. Approximately 300 years ago an advanced civilization introduced microbes that absorbed and began to process the poison. While much of the surface radiation had dissipated. But instead of using it as a new settlement, the civilization lost significant strength, and the planet was left outside the boundaries of most empires. Instead, Kragga slowly became home for a few players, who were either outlaws, pirates, or just didn¡¯t want to be part of a civilized structure. Alan looked around. Instead of just seeing the blackened earth, He suddenly had a vast awareness of where he was and what had been. Alan stood on the site of homes, parks, memorials, and shops. So much history in one place. It took him even longer to orient himself and to process everything he was seeing. Once it had passed, he checked Earth time and 30 minutes had already passed. He¡¯d have to travel nearly 70 miles, on foot to get to the destination he had in mind. With a grunt, he began to Jog. *** He¡¯d only gone about 4 hours and 7 miles when he had to sit to take a break. His strength and speed were only 3. He could only maintain a jog for... a lot shorter than he cared to admit, it was only made worse by the rugged terrain. Breathing heavily and sucking down his water rations. He began to wonder why he¡¯d thought he¡¯d get there sooner. At the rate he was going, it would take him a few days he didn¡¯t have to get there. Sighing, he hadn¡¯t gained a stat point in either speed or strength. Though that would be unrealistic at this point Placing the water bottle back into his ring, a thought began to dawn on him. Quickly rising to his feet, he smacked himself at the realization. Just because Earth technology was considered primitive, didn¡¯t mean it was useless. Finding a secure location, Alan removed his Refining machine and logged out again. It was nearly noon and he wanted to catch lunch with his parents. And, if everything went well, he¡¯d then be able to solve his transportation problem. Chapter 9 It was just after noon when he pulled up to the family eatery. He found his mom, dad, and sister waiting for him at a booth. His dad waved him over and gave his mom and sister a hug before sitting down. Before getting down to business Alan had them all order their meals. They chatted a bit, his mom and sister wanted to know more about his recent breakup. His dad remained silent, content just to listen during the meal. It was near the end when Alan¡¯s father finally spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m hoping you could clue us in on how you¡¯ve been doing so well financially. One minute you''re broke, the next you¡¯re paying your mother and me back with interest.¡± He added with a smile, ¡°Though I don¡¯t mind you paying for lunch.¡± Alan cleared his throat as his Father, Mother, and sister turned their eyes to him. ¡°I stumbled upon an opportunity. You see I uh¡­¡± He hesitated, he didn¡¯t like lying to his parents, there was something about telling his Dad that ¡®he¡¯d made a small fortune playing what was generally known as a game¡¯ to be pretty unbelievable not to mention dangerous. ¡°.... I went ahead and signed up for Cosmos.¡± His parents gave him a puzzled look. Before he could elaborate, however, his sister Alice jumped in. ¡°Bro, are you serious!?¡± He held back rolling his eyes, and nodded. Alice looked at her parents. ¡°That game is all over the news. People are reporting everything from crazy realistic planets to future tech, and even ways to change your looks. Permanently! It¡¯s amazing!¡± Mom cut her off. ¡°Yes dear, your father and I watch the news, and we¡¯ve heard about the game.¡± She turned, and said in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°But Alan, that still doesn¡¯t explain how you could afford it, or where you got your money. From what everyone says it sounds like a money sink¡± Dad nodded thoughtfully along. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not completely wrong. But there is more to it than just spending lots of money. There are lots of opportunities to make great money. I just happened to find a way to make a lot of money on the first day.¡± He added quickly, ¡°Though I can¡¯t make the same kind of money the same, I think I¡¯ve found a few other ways to earn a real living.¡± They both looked skeptical. ¡°What about your schooling?¡± ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t you hear? One girl from the school said her brother did it, and he said they¡¯ve got a way to directly download information. Schools are going to be a thing of the past!¡± His sister jumped in excitedly. ¡°Sounds dangerous, and you know how I feel about shortcuts.¡± He looked at her sternly. ¡°Dad, right now I see a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I promise I won¡¯t stop learning. I feel I¡¯ve got to try this for a few months at the very least.¡± Alan paused with emphasis ¡°Besides I paid off the year of loans I¡¯d taken out already. So, I¡¯m only losing time at this point.¡± Eying him sharply his mother spoke up, ¡°A year¡¯s worth of loans? I thought you only pulled out enough for the current semester¡± ¡°I had pulled a little extra out recently, but that doesn¡¯t matter. It''s all been paid in full.¡± She continued to look worried. Alan felt he was losing the point of the whole conversation. Part of him felt a little annoyed at their worry. However, once he remembered that in their eyes, he¡¯d only just left the house. When he¡¯d realized their perspective, his annoyance changed to a feeling of love. They cared for him. ¡°Mom. Dad. I didn¡¯t come here to fight about money. I came because I feel like Cosmos is the future.¡± He deliberately held out his hand and intentionally activated his Matter Ring. It glowed verdant green as 4 envelopes materialized in front of him. All their eyes widened at the demonstration of the matter ring. With only a brief pause he continued. ¡°Inside each of these are 3200 Dollars. It¡¯s enough to buy you the basic Matter Ring and 1 day of going inside. I¡¯ve also left some instructions about character development and planet choice.¡± Their eyes were still widened at the demonstration of the Matter Ring. The first one to recover was his sister. ¡°Woah. That was so cool.¡± She picked up the envelope as if to test if it was real. ¡°As amazing as it sounds. I¡¯m not sure we can accept this son.¡± His mother spoke, reflexively, taking the money out of her daughter¡¯s hand. ¡°But Mom this is a ton of cash, and he clearly wants to give it as a gift.¡± Alice looked at each other and then at Alan¡¯s father. Alan¡¯s father sat, arms crossed, for a long moment, trying to make up his mind. Finally, concluding, he spoke, ¡°Son why are there 4 envelopes?¡± His words carried more weight than the unrelated question seemed to warrant. ¡°I uh¡­¡± Alan was surprised by the question. ¡°The fourth is for James and I added a little money for his wife and kid to have a day. I would have added more but I didn¡¯t have a lot left over after paying my debts.¡± His father relaxed as if the answer had lifted some unknown burden he¡¯d been carrying. His Father then spoke firmly. ¡°Mary, if he feels it¡¯s important enough for James and his family too. I say we give it a shot.¡± A meaningful look passed between them. His mother nodded in complete agreement. It took a few moments for Alan to try and decipher what had passed between his parents. What did James have to do with it? It wasn¡¯t until he realized that he wasn¡¯t the same person he¡¯d been in the future that the meaning became clear. In the past, he and his brother James had been on pretty rough terms throughout high school and college. James was 4 years older than Alan. Throughout high school, in every class Alan took, he was always compared to his older brother. Whenever he¡¯d come home for visits from college, his parents would always fawn over him. James, the valedictorian, scholarship recipient, the guy who managed to marry his high school sweetheart, get into medical school, and have the first blessed grandchild. Inevitably, Alan didn¡¯t measure up, he¡¯d never gotten a scholarship, couldn¡¯t go to the best college, and as far as getting married, well his crazy ex-girlfriend saw to that. He¡¯d always felt like he¡¯d disappointed his teachers, parents, and mostly himself. Instead of just giving up on comparing himself to his older brother, he¡¯d just resented him instead. Alan had always picked fights with his brother, doing whatever he could to bring him down. Sometimes he could get under his skin, but most of the time, James just tolerated it and never put his brother down. This of course made it worse for Alan, deepening his dislike for his older brother. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. It was funny how growing up, and going through hard times can wipe away all those childish feelings. James had been so involved in Medical School, that he didn¡¯t have time or money to start Cosmos. By the time he had, it¡¯d been too late. His medical knowledge was considered primitive as Cosmos went mainstream. His peers who''d gotten some of the few medical downloads easily surpassed him. He never had the chance to even finish school and served only as a med tech in the fleet. Throughout the hardships, Alan had realized how stupid he¡¯d been, he¡¯d buried the sibling rivalry, and both had grown close. Both just trying to eke out a living for their family. When he¡¯d prepared the envelopes, he hadn¡¯t even given it a second thought to prepare one for his brother. ¡°This sounds important. Why don¡¯t we all go this weekend.¡± His mother agreed warmly. The rest nodded in agreement. ¡°No Mom. You and the rest of the family must go in tomorrow.¡± Alan insisted. ¡°What''s the rush son?¡± ¡°Dad, right now there are some limited choices for new players. First come first serve. I¡¯ve written some instructions for each of you. I didn¡¯t pick everything out, but I did leave you some information to help you in the future.¡± He paused for emphasis. ¡°It¡¯s important that you get this to James today, and go to the facility to sign up for tomorrow.¡± He added as an afterthought, ¡°Alice, don¡¯t tell your friends what¡¯s in the envelope for now. At least not yet. Ok?¡± They all nodded in agreement. As he left, he overheard his family talking making plans. ¡°I better take off work tomorrow.¡± His Dad told his mom. ¡°Does that mean I can miss school? I can¡¯t wait to tell Janice¡± ¡°Of course dear, but we¡¯ve got to take you back to school. After I drop you off I¡¯ll head over to James¡¯s apartment to let him know.¡± Alan hopped back into his car. It felt amazing being able to give his family a leg up. He hadn¡¯t been able to do much for his family in the past, and he¡¯d been the first sign-up in the past there too. He felt calm knowing it would make a big difference for his family now. Pulling on the road he was eager to get back to the planet Kragga, but he had one more errand to run. Taking an exit, he passed a billboard with a sports boat bursting from the sign. Xtreme Sports Vehicles! Next Exit. Entering into the lot, he passed sport boats, motorcycles, and dune buggies. He didn¡¯t waste time and moved up to the front counter. He removed his bank card and surprised the sales attendant by purchasing an ATV and a few gas cans on the spot. He didn¡¯t know what shocked the salesman more. The fact that he didn¡¯t ask any questions. Or the fact that he simply activated his storage ring to place it into his storage. Probably the latter. Alan stopped by a gas station to fill up the four 5-gallon tanks. Whipping out his bank card to pay for the 40 gallons of gas. He pulled up, once again, to the private entrance of the Cosmo¡¯s Facility. He walked past the attendant, who had seemed to adjust to Alan¡¯s odd behaviors and entered once again into Cosmos. He returned to where he had left. Next to him, was the refining machine, covered by a few bits of odds and ends he¡¯d covered it with as camouflage. He extracted the ATV and a 5-gallon can to fill it up. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot. I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of this earlier.¡± He put away the refining machine and gas can. Then started the engine. Alan couldn¡¯t help but laugh, he¡¯d hoped to get to the site in a day or two. Now he¡¯d probably cover the remaining 63 miles in 3 or 4 hours. He may even have time to set up a base camp. He sped through the heaps of rubble feeling relaxed and free, as the wind rushed past him. Looking out over his surroundings, he noted some areas of the scarp sea had started to grow strange grasses and sickly-looking trees. It was odd, but the alien landscape held its beauty, despite its desolate appearance. He passed what must have been the frame of a huge skyscraper lying on its side, more massive than anything he¡¯d seen on Earth. Trees and grasses were shooting up between the wreckage of abandoned buildings. He could imagine the city in its heyday. Millions upon millions of residents move from one place to another. Likely never believing their glorious city would someday be no more than an eerie dark mark on an abandoned planet. There wasn¡¯t much wildlife in the area, he noted. Some winged creatures floated through the sky, on leathery wings, with 5-foot wingspans. Occasionally, they would dive, only to rise again, clutching something in their claws. Alan was near enough to one diving creature, as it snatched what looked to be an insect the size of a rat. He wondered what his sister would do if he snuck something that large into her bed as a practical joke. Then again, he cringed and wondered if he could even get his mother to live out here when she saw those bugs. His thoughts drifted to his family. He¡¯d left them some instructions and suggested they all decide on a world together. He¡¯d let them know that he wouldn¡¯t be telling them his world but suggested more friendly places to work and learn. He¡¯d hoped they would listen to his suggestions for genome and learning, rather than the AI¡¯s picks. He¡¯d have to wait and see. He didn¡¯t want to tell them everything. They needed to start playing the game eventually on their terms. As the sun grew closer toward the horizon, he passed between 2 ancient structures. He turned a corner, and eyes widened with excitement. He¡¯d come to the right site. Stopping his engine, he looked it over. Before him lay a vast field, where ancient relics of spaceships were housed. This site was the place where, both before and after the disaster of Kragga many ships were left. Ranging in size from a school bus to skyscrapers. Before it had been an airport, after a convenient area to leave old and dangerous ships. It was now, just a ship graveyard. Alan¡¯s hopes rose as he looked at the field of dilapidated and antique ships. First, there were a lot of ships, and he hoped, perhaps unrealistically, that there were perhaps wreckage others deemed worthless, but were quite valuable to him, perhaps even making a ship of his own. Second, each ship was often made of some of the best materials. Materials are left untouched for one reason or another. Noting the fading light, he sped around the site, making a rough map of the area, and noting if certain ships looked in better condition. As the light began to dim, he hopped right back on his quad and weaved through ships of every shape imaginable. Until he found the ship, he¡¯d seen in his search which seemed suitable. Pulling up to it, he noted its practical appearance. It wasn¡¯t sleek lines, chrome details, or other such notions that had brought this ship to his attention. No. This rusty hulk was built like a brick, a red rectangle, dull and basic in every way. It was nearly 90 feet in length and 25 feet tall. Its beauty was sub-par, but it didn¡¯t have a single missing deck plate or gaping hole. From what he could tell, it was intact from the outside, and he hoped, whatever was left inside. The ship lay on the earth, semi-buried, the wind covering any landing struts it may have once had. He approached a circular oval on the side of the ship. He spoke to himself, ¡°All right, I think this is one of the airlocks. Let¡¯s see how much I can explore before I need to log out.¡± He removed a cutting tool from his matter ring. It had a long shaft, which burned hotly at one end where you could adjust the length of the plasma blade. It wasn¡¯t like a torch or even a fantasy lightsaber. Instead, plasma was generated along a blade at the end, and energy fields protected the tool itself. He was reminded of the description it carried when he purchased it. Metal Cutting Tool, Basic. This tool can utilize VE to assist in cutting most basic metals and alloys. Looking at the door in front of him. He spotted the hinges, and where bolts would have been to secure the door. He energized the tool, threw on a pair of goggles, and began to cut. Chapter 10 ¡°I always forget how fast these tools work.¡± It was less than 10 minutes later when he successfully removed the airlock door and was partially done with the second one leading to the inside of the ship. The inner door was far less corroded from the elements. Beads of sweat shimmered on Alan¡¯s face in the light of the plasma tool as he continued using the tool. Cutting through the last bolt securing the hatch, Alan was able to swing open the door. Stale air cooled his skin as it filtered through the opening. He removed his protective gear for cutting and removed a small portable lantern. Stepping through the airlock, he was surprised at how clean it all was. There was only a thin layer of dust, and the corrosion was minimal. He moved quietly through the vast ship. There seemed no disturbance, likely since the ship was abandoned. Large empty holds and few crew cabins seemed to suggest a transport or resource-gathering ship. Luckily, for Alan, most of the doors on the inside were unlocked and needed no cutting. He was easily able to move through much of the ship without too much resistance. Placards in one of the galaxy''s common languages directed him to various areas. The only locked door seemed to be in a corridor directly leading to the bridge. Alan was disappointed to discover the main power engine had been completely removed. He guessed they had used backup power systems to land the ship. In the medical bay, he discovered some older equipment, which he¡¯d hope to have some use eventually. The biggest was his discovery of repair and manufacturing equipment, located just off of some of the storage holds. The machines had been directly integrated into the ship¡¯s systems. ¡°Jackpot.¡± Alan exclaimed excitedly, looking over the machinery ¡°This should be perfect for the next stage of my plan.¡± Checking his clock, it read 8:45. ¡°All right. I think this place will do for now.¡± He removed his portable refinery and made his way back to the 4-wheeler to place it back into storage. He¡¯d only managed to place his 4-wheeler back in his ring with a minute to spare and logged out. Alan found himself caught off guard, he was standing on a black obsidian floor in the player development location. He only spared a glance at his stats and items when he heard steps behind him.
Personal Modifier Current Available: Credit Balance: 650.00
Strength (3/10) Items: Basic Tools Electronic Tools Food Ration 4-Wheeler Energy Pistol Platinum 3lb Copper 1 12oz lb Silver 3 oz. (120credits) 8 gallons of gasoline
Speed (3/10)
Intelligence (3/10)
(VE) Capacity (4/8)
(VE) Production (5/8)
He turned to see the beautiful figure approaching him. Glancing at her face, he recognized that it was Kara. But her appearance had changed from a simple brilliant silhouette to a more subtle robe with silver fringe. Along with silver and gold accessories throughout. The paleness of her skin graced her slender arms down to her unshod feet. The white light which had made up most of her body before, had changed, forming winglike shapes that framed her perfectly. She had silver hair falling across her shoulder. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to be the only feature that remained distinct. She paused in front of him. As if to allow him to inspect her changes. ¡°Kara? Is that you?¡± Alan couldn¡¯t have asked a more absurd question. He immediately wondered if his teenage body had overwritten the experiences of his adult mind. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry Alan¡± She looked confused, ¡°I thought you would have been able to recognize me, despite the changes.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Oh, Well... Yes, I did recognize you, but was surprised...Not in a bad way... I mean you looked different. Not that it''s bad. I mean you look nice. I just didn¡¯t think that you would change so much. Not that it''s a problem...¡± He trailed off. The more he spoke, the more his adult brain screamed that he needed to shut up. Only to have his boyish teenage brain continue to rattle on. ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± She paused, smiling slightly, ¡°It sounds like you were confused.¡± Alan only could nod foolishly. His mouth now deciding words were too difficult to use. She continued, ¡°We, Valkyrie continue to try to adapt to your culture to better put you at ease. I hope this form helps you feel more comfortable.¡± She turned gracefully Of course, it is this new form is wonderful, glorious, and heavenly... That is what Alan would have said, But he could only nod dumbly. Curse his stupid teenage brain! ¡°That is good,¡± She laughed lightly, like a small trembling bell. She asked in a teasing voice. ¡°Would you prefer the way I was before?¡± ¡°No!¡± A word, at last! ¡°You look very nice.¡± He quickly adjusted his volume, ¡°And I find this much more prefer...or I mean comfortable.¡± He hoped he didn¡¯t sound like a creep. She smiled, ¡°Thank you for being so clear. You are the first human to see this form and I wanted to make sure it was ok.¡± ¡°Thank you. I think humans will love...appreciate it.¡± ¡°It is one of my functions to help those I serve feel more at ease.¡± She continued to speak, ¡°I came because I believe I have an adequate answer to your questions before. You asked what I like to do for fun. Truthfully, I had never thought of it before and was unsure as to what I found fun, or in this case engaging, desirable, and fulfilling. After much searching, I believe the answer to this question is more simple than I anticipated.¡± She paused, as if about to reveal a great secret. ¡°I enjoy having questions answered! I believe I am curious by design and I derive great pleasure in asking questions and learning something new.¡± Kara finished her questions with a brilliant self-satisfied grin. ¡°So you like to have questions answered? Like learning?¡± He thought a moment before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m glad you were able to explore such an insight.¡± Alan was genuinely impressed by her thoughtful answer. ¡°Yes. Alan, if it wasn¡¯t for your inquiry I might have never come to this knowledge. Recently, I have explored this more and have found greater satisfaction by exploring more and asking questions for myself. I hope to reward you appropriately for this turn of events, as well as for the feedback you provided on my change of appearance.¡± She added the last part with a grin. ¡°I don¡¯t think what I did was all that important. How about this, why don¡¯t we periodically ask questions of each other instead?¡± As much as he wanted a boon from Kara, he wasn¡¯t about to give up learning more from her. She pondered, and after a moment responded. ¡°I think that will be acceptable. In lieu of the 15,000 credits reward we will continue to ask questions of each other to better satisfy the others¡¯ curiosity.¡± Alan nearly choked. Fifteen Thousand Credits?. In terms of cash that was nearly $45,000. He and his big mouth. ¡°That sounds great.¡± He tried to sound more excited than he felt. ¡°Alan, in the spirit of asking questions could you please answer another for me?¡± ¡°Of course¡± ¡°You are too curious. I cannot think of nearly another human or other individuals from a previous race who so quickly identified and exploited deviation in the market as you did with the market. How did you do so?¡± Wow, she has been watching me closely. He never guessed that the Valkyrie would have so much knowledge. I wonder if she knows how much debt I went into to amass those funds. If so, it might be even more suspicious. He had to be very careful what he did later on. He didn¡¯t know if time travel was a thing that Cosmos had rules around. What he did know was Cosmos cared about fairness. He doubted a player with insight into the future was something considered ¡®fair.¡¯ ¡°I suppose it has to do with knowledge and taking risks.¡± ¡°Knowledge and risks?¡± ¡°Sure, I had heard about Cosmos¡¯s claims about a Matter Ring, being able to bring items from another world. And I also kind of thought that maybe our gold was a little overvalued. Once I got there, it didn¡¯t take long to see platinum was worth a lot more since it was rarer. In the end, my risk paid off.¡± He mentally crossed his fingers and hoped his explanation seemed plausible. She seemed to consider his explanation. ¡°I suppose, being that humans have a high propensity for risk and along with your deviation in intelligence, I suppose it is a technical possibility you figured it out so quickly.¡± Alan let out a slight sigh. ¡°You say almost no one identifies this, how do you know?¡± ¡°Alan, I cannot state matter of fact that I know if anyone has done this, but in the records I have accessed, most participants in Cosmos-- who all have similarly restricted openings, meaning their governments do not divulge the validity of Cosmos claims,-- do not take such a risk or have means to exploit it.¡± She paused before going forward. ¡°Besides, very few species place gold, as humans due, at a higher value as platinum.¡± From what Alan gathered and confirmed from his last life, other planets had similar openings as his world. The government was not allowed to reveal its participation and the same doubts and worries existed on most planets about Cosmo¡¯s claims. It was surprising to discover that Kara, an AI for Cosmos, didn''t have everything going on there. It seemed she had limitations on how much she could access. Which would explain why she loved to learn so much. Her explanation did spark an idea. ¡°Can I ask a follow-up question?¡± She nodded. ¡°Of course, your previous questions don¡¯t begin to scratch the debt which is owed.¡± He winced at that. ¡°I get what you mean about not knowing beforehand, like my gold and platinum exchange, but what stops them from eventually exploiting these differences?¡± ¡°Cosmos recognizes the potential chaos we may have on home-planet¡¯s markets. Even now your world debates, as you might too, of the validity of what Cosmos claims, but once it is established there tends to be significant economic and political distress. To limit disruption, we enable some restrictions. Such as only the first 1000 players receiving any credits. Who in turn may buy vervetic energy, enabling matter transfer in their rings. You of course have bi-passed the VE requirement another way. But most do not see the potential for wealth exchange till far later, and by that point, the wealth exchange and other exploits are sufficiently contained.¡± She finished. ¡°Thank you, Kara.¡± He saw his opening and asked as innocently as possible. ¡°Are there other things you plan on doing to limit the disruption to Earth¡¯s economy and markets? What makes large wealth exchanges not a problem, like let''s say in a few weeks?¡± For a moment, so brief and nearly unreadable you would doubt it had ever been there, she looked as if she¡¯d swallowed a lemon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alan. I cannot disclose such things.¡± She smoothly recovered and dismissed the question. ¡°It¡¯s ok Kara. I wouldn¡¯t want to ask anything unfair.¡± He knew exactly what he was asking about and what was coming in the future. However, now she¡¯d just given him a little hint, all on her own. ¡°Alan, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m afraid I need to attend to other things. However, I hope to speak again to you soon.¡± She rushed. Alan wondered if she had picked up on his little trick. Admitting she couldn¡¯t discuss something, was nearly as good as saying there was something. ¡°I understand Kara. I¡¯ll also look forward to speaking to you soon.¡± Chapter 11 Alan found himself lying in the pod, his exit sequence just finishing up. He got himself dressed and didn¡¯t realize till halfway out of the door that he¡¯d left his pod at 9:00 pm sharp. He¡¯d only been in the player area for less than a minute, but he could have sworn he had been there for much longer. Now he had a real mystery to ask Kara about. He checked his cell and saw a missed call from his brother and from his ex. James hadn¡¯t left a voicemail but had sent a text to have Alan give him a call. He didn¡¯t bother to listen to the one from his ex. Calling his brother they talked over the instructions, chatting for a while, even talking for a bit about his recent break-up. By the time he had gotten off the phone and into bed, it had been close to midnight. In his new timeline, it had been the longest he¡¯d spoken to his brother since he¡¯d been a kid. Lucky for him, his ex-girlfriend''s admirers weren¡¯t there to meet out any additional justice. He was glad to have a night off. The next morning he was once again overjoyed at the simplicity of simple cinnamon and sugar cereal before he drove to the Cosmos Hub. Walking up to the front desk he found Corbin just finishing up with another customer. Once done, Corbin immediately greeted him. ¡°Hello Sir, thank you for visiting us again today. How may I help?¡± He inquired politely. ¡°Good morning Corbin. It¡¯s good to see you. I believe I have some guests waiting for me in one of the private meeting rooms.¡± Checking his computer her responded quickly, ¡°Yes sir, they arrived only recently, Please follow me.¡± They walked together into a small conference room where his Parents, sister, and brother were seated. His brother''s wife was also seated at the large wooden table, with his nephew bouncing on his lap. Surrounding them were a few stacks of cardboard boxes and plastic bags. ¡°Good morning Alan.¡± His mother stood up and warmly greeted him, giving him a warm hug. ¡°We¡¯re all here just like you asked.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mom. Hey James. Hi Audrey, I¡¯m glad that you brought Dillan too.¡± His brother stood taller than Alan and looked a lot like his father. Tall with stern features. His sister-in-law, on the other hand, was short, blond, and with eyes sweet and sincere. He walked around giving his family members all hugs and sat down. Alan began, ¡°Well first things first. Corbin, could you have them sign the forms?¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± He began to walk to the family members and hand out forms. ¡°These are 7-day reservation forms for permanent pod leases. There is no holding fee, as we do not have a waiting list as of yet. However, please be aware that if you fail to purchase the pod by the end of the 7 days, re-reserving will incur a substantial fee, if there are any available.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he talking about son?¡± His Father inquired. ¡°It¡¯s like he said Dad, there is no commitment for now, but there is a chance to purchase a first series pod.¡± Corbin added, ¡°We do have the 2nd and 3rd series which will become available for permanent lease in the next month, however, these are not of the same quality as the 1st series.¡± ¡°And how much are these ¡®pods¡¯ dear?¡± The calculative inquest came from Alan¡¯s mother. Before he could interject Corbin stated. ¡°One Hundred and Fifty thousand dollars.¡± He said it confidently as if it was quite the bargain. Too bad Corbin nor his parents knew it was a real bargain. ¡°Son, we don''t have that kind of money?!¡± his dad said in a half-strained voice. ¡°Oh, Mr. Alan has already informed me that he would be taking care of the purchase.¡± His dad looked at Alan strangely, ¡°For each of us?¡± ¡°Did he not tell you?" Corbin, once again interrupted, "Well he does often surprise me too. He cannot purchase more than 1 pod for himself. Thus he required your signatures indicating your ownership of the pods.¡± He finished handing out the paper and seeing the bewildered looks, tactfully stated, ¡°Perhaps this would be a good time for me to wait outside.¡± Leaving Alan alone to wonder if he could somehow paralyze the man with his powers yet. As the door closed behind him it was his sister who blurted out the obvious questions to the stunned gathering. ¡°How the Heck! Where did you get a million dollars?¡± Looking at the confusion of his family he replied the best way he could. ¡°Look I don¡¯t have the $900,000 for the pods at the moment. It¡¯s tied up in some investments, but I¡¯m hoping that by the end of the week, I''ll have the cash¡± Looking around him, none of his family spoke. Each carried a wide-eyed disbelief. Only his nephew was untouched by the remark. It was his father who broke the silence. ¡°Are you doing something, illegal son?¡± ¡°No Dad, I¡¯ve just had some opportunities and it¡¯s worked out.¡± He felt like an idiot for not having foreseen the obvious reaction to the news. He still really couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Look, it''s not like I have the money at the moment, I just have some great opportunities for the future, nothing illegal. If everything works out, our family will be the better for it.¡± He pleaded with them. His Mother was reading the document carefully before speaking up. ¡°Dear, from what I could see of that parking lot and news reports, our son may not have a bad idea. If he has the capital to get in now, these pods may be a worthwhile investment.¡± She then gave Alan a wicked laugh, ¡°Besides if our son wants to spoil us, I¡¯m not going to be the one to stop him.¡± It was James, who spoke next. ¡°Dad, he was good enough to get us into this thing. The least we can do is trust him to see where it goes. I figure what¡¯s there to lose.¡± Between his mother¡¯s prodding and brothers matter of fact matter all Alan¡¯s father could do was slump his shoulders in defeat. ¡°All right,¡± he grumbled, ¡°from what I¡¯ve heard of this...this ¡®game¡¯, it may be the next big deal. But don¡¯t expect me to cash out my retirement to buy, no excuse me, lease, one of these pods.¡± ¡°Not a problem Dad.¡± Alan quickly agreed ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, it doesn¡¯t work and I¡¯ll leave it at that.¡± The papers were signed and Alan went out and handed them to Corbin. Returning to his family he sat down and began the next steps. ¡°All right, we¡¯ve only a half hour before pods go online, so let me go through a few things. First everyone show me their rings.¡± 4 rings were produced. They were the basic 1 cubic yard ring. He hadn¡¯t enough funds for James¡¯s wife or son, but they could get one later. ¡°All right I¡¯m going to charge these so you can transfer material.¡± He held up each ring and charged each with 5 VEU from a few batteries he¡¯d obtained in Kragga previously, Unfortunately for Alan, it had happened after his fight with Blueberry and his gang, and the energy transfer had been painful. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Each of you can transfer items to and from the ring. They also act as a wallet.¡± He held each to his ring and did a credit transfer to each of them. ¡°I¡¯ve given Mom and Dad 150 Credits each. James for you and your family, I put in 250. Alice, I¡¯ve given you a hundred.¡± Alice tried not to pout at receiving the least amount. ¡°Alice 10 credits is about 50 Dollars U.S. So try not to be too disappointed¡± She immediately brightened up after hearing that. After they slipped the rings back on. Alan had them practice transferring everything he had asked them to bring. Food, extra clothing, etc. He also had them bring a few items that he hoped they could barter with and some tools. ¡°Look, you''re going to a place which is very much real. I know the news outlets are skeptical about what this place is, that¡¯s their job. But you need to know this is more than a game. Don¡¯t spend your money on frivolous things, he looked pointedly at his sister. It¡¯s why I had you pack food. Make you buy things that can help you with your character, profession or you think is valuable.¡± ¡°It sounds kind of thrilling and scary.¡± It was the first words that Audrey, his sister-in-law had contributed to the conversation. ¡°Yeah, sorry. I guess I just don¡¯t want you to lose this opportunity.¡± ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t it be better if he just went to where you played?¡± She asked. ¡°Why send us away to these other places?¡± ¡°There are some things that you ought to learn and discover for yourself. It¡¯s part of the fun.¡± He tried to sound reassuring. ¡°My hope is we¡¯ll be able to play together soon anyway.¡± ¡°It seems each of us got different instructions.¡± Alice chimed in. ¡°I mean we were all told to learn the basic language. But why the change for each of us? I mean, why not give us like, you know, the best character?¡± James spoke up, ¡°If it¡¯s like any of the other games I¡¯ve played, there is no ¡®best character.¡¯ We can all do great things, especially if we focus on our talents.¡± Alan added, ¡°You can¡¯t think of this as just a game Sis. Just like in real life, you have to play to your strengths. I hope that each of you can do that. Besides, I also tried to let you pick a lot of things on your own.¡± With a few exceptions he¡¯d tried to let them pick things that they would like on their own. ¡°Yeah, but they¡¯re all going to planets that sound like cool jobs, mine sounds kinda boring like a big monastery.¡± Alan couldn¡¯t help but smile if her future self had known what kind of opportunity he was giving her. ¡°Sis, I promise you, it will work out. I bet you are going to have a great time.¡± ¡°All right.¡± she harrumphed. There were no other questions, and his family walked back to the front. As they walked back his nephew, Dillan, held by his mother, turned around and waved with a grin on his face, his blond curly hair bouncing along. Alan smiled, waving in return. He was especially hopeful for him. He and Alice were too alike. He walked back, thanking Corbin for the assistance before returning to the pod. He had work to do. ****
Personal Modifier Current Available: Credit Balance: 0
Strength (3/10) Items: Basic Tools Electronic Tools Food Ration 4-Wheeler Energy Pistol Platinum 3lb Copper 1 12oz lb Silver 3 oz. (120credits) 8 gallons of gasoline
Speed (3/10)
Intelligence (3/10)
(VE) Capacity (4/8)
(VE) Production (5/8)
He half expected to talk to Kara but his transition to Kragga went uninterrupted. He found himself just inside the derelict ship. The workshop¡¯s automated systems were non-functional. Looking for the source, he found the power source had been removed. The crew had stripped the VEU Battery Core. Alan hoped he could salvage one, or make it if necessary. The refinery did have a large VEU core. Up to 50 units, which he dumped into it. This could keep it running for some time, depending on the material. He pulled out the doors he had taken apart and placed them near the rear of the refinery. Long spindly arms and cutting tools began to pick up and pull apart the metals he had dropped. It would refine and melt them down into manageable ingots for future work. Now, however, he wanted to find out what was behind the locked door leading to the bridge. Approaching the sealed door, he removed his cutting tool and began to slice through the thick alloy doors. Soon afterward the bolt holding the door in place was sliced through and the door opened slowly, its screeching showing its age. Looking through the portal, only silence escaped the empty room. Cautiously. He stepped forward. His foot touched the eerily clean floor. Screech! A loud klaxon blared! Before Alan could react, it stopped just as suddenly. Whimpering silent Heart racing Alan held his hand to the frame of the door. It was in the moment when his shoulders began to relax that he heard the pounding of metal steps moving toward his direction. Gazing into the darkness, he saw two points of red light piercing the darkness. Growing closer and brighter. Reaching for his light, he shined it down the corridor, only to see the light reflect off the form of a large metalloid figure. Eyes burning. When their eyes met, the metal man paused, seeming to hesitate. It¡¯s ancient processors struggling to try and evaluate what it was seeing. Then its eyes flared and it began to pick up speed. Crashing toward the open portal and Alan. ¡°Oh Crud!¡± Alan leaped back through the portal withdrawing the energy pistol, raising it toward the charging figure. Shots fired. A few struck, but most went wild in panic. Not staying in one place, Alan scrambled down the corridor. The metal figure became more distinct as it drew nearer, entering the lighted area Alan had set up to work. It had a humanoid profile, taking leaps and bounds, much faster than Alan could move. At the end of its right arm, 2 metal prongs jutted out, and a bolt of electricity buzzed. Making a quick decision, Alan ducked behind a corner and pulled out his cutting blade, knowing he couldn¡¯t outrun the machine. Lying low, he activated the cutter as the droid rounded the corner, almost barreling into Alan. Moving swiftly, he swept the cutting blade toward the droid''s legs. At that moment two things happened. The Droid, reacted quickly, launching itself out of the blade''s path, while simultaneously driving the electrified needles toward Alan. Alan, only able to barely adjust, redirected his blade to catch one of the legs just below the knee while twisting to avoid the thrust of the droid. The blade seemed to pass easily through the metal leg disrupting the droid''s aim. The electrified prongs, instead of catching him in his chest, drove into his shoulder. For instance, blinding pain raced through Alan''s body, before suddenly going numb as electricity began racing up his arm. It was only the droid''s forward momentum, its body flying past Alan, which dislodged the prongs, tearing small chunks of flesh with it. Alan collapsed to the ground, nearly blacking out, and dropping his weapons. He was somewhat grateful for the numbness in his limbs, as it masked the searing pain in his arm. Disoriented by what was happening around him. He was only just able to put a trembling on the ground to drag himself onto his knees when he heard the screech of metal. The droid had managed to right itself from its fall and began to limp its way toward Alan. Its footless leg dragged against the floor, sparks spraying from its wound. Its eyes seemed to grow brighter as it began moving faster, adjusting to the broken leg. Alan, in a panic, attempted to recover his blade but his hand wouldn¡¯t grip the handle. ¡°You rusty old junker!¡± Sitting up on his knees he clenched his fists, knowing he had only one option. He focused the Vervetic Energy coursing through his body to his hands. ¡°Come at me!¡± The Droid eyes flared and launched themselves at Alan on its good leg, electrode spike stretching forward The blue light drove toward Alan¡¯s head to strike. It was at that moment Alan raised his arm forward to catch the fast-moving arm. The droid, confident in its strength, did not avoid the grab. He willed the energy into the droid. At that moment, Alan experienced hot searing pain to pass through his body wherever the energy went. It raced past his heart, lungs, arms, and hands. Not even the lingering numbness of his body seemed to deaden the pain. Despite the desire to flinch and pull back, Alan held on. The energy moved like a streak of fire to his palm. The droid attempted to pull back from the unexpected assault. Alan held on, his grip was firm for what felt like minutes but was only after the briefest of moments. Finally, the electric prongs and red eyes both flashed brightly before dying out. Chapter 12 Minutes passed, and the droid lay motionless on the metal plating of the ship. Alan lay there, fighting the urge to pass out. The blood from his arm seeps out slowly. It wasn¡¯t the pain in his arm that caused him to lie there avoiding unconsciousness. The after-effect of propelling the Vervetic Energy through his arm into the droid left him feeling waves of searing pain from where the energy had traveled. An affliction from the mutation he developed earlier by transferring energy to a person. It was only after some extreme discomfort that he bothered to remove the healing aerosol from his store to spray and seal his wounds and provide some pain relief. It took a good 30 minutes before his body seemed ready to move again. Sitting up, and promising himself that he¡¯d not plan on putting so much energy through his body again inspected the Droid. ¡°What were you doing trying to attack me?¡± Alan could tell it wasn''t designed for combat. More like a service of some type. Alan stored the droid and its leg, planning to fiddle with it later. Moving back toward the bridge door, he held his pistol at the ready. Determined to aim any other hostiles. The first room was just an auxiliary communication area. Which eventually led to a larger space, the main bridge. Looking around he noticed various ship systems, all powered down. The most distinct part was several cables leading to one of the many side doors connected to the bridge. Following the winding cables he was led to a closed-off room, in the center of which the cables all converged. ¡°It''s a power unit.¡± Alan grew excited and quickly walked over to a large cylinder welded to the floor. It was the size of a metal trash can, with glass portholes. Holding his light toward the holes he caught the reflection of a basketball-sized pale blue crystal. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look damaged.¡± Reaching out he touched a control panel. Pressing a few buttons, the lights remained dark. Grimacing he placed his finger on a diode labeled input preparing himself for what he needed to do. ¡°Here we go.¡± He slowly and carefully felt the energy core inside of him and moved a small amount toward the power unit. A brief spasm of pain passed through him as the Vervetic Energy injected directly into it. Unlike before, the pain didn¡¯t feel as though his body was on fire, but more like he¡¯d burning from a bad case of heartburn. ¡°So taking it slowly, won¡¯t kill me.¡± A blue light began to radiate from the crystal. It was faint, but it told Alan everything he needed to know. This was a working VE storage device. An interface panel lit up and he checked the interface. VE Storage Container. Units available 2/1000. Would you like to enable access? Alan grinned. Apparently whoever left this battery hadn¡¯t thought to leave on any security access. Looking around, he moved to the other doors off the bridge. Most were empty storage areas for basic armor or medical supplies. He found a few sleeping quarters, likely for the officers, which were empty. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work,¡± he said, pulling out his cutter. An hour later he was back down in the workshop. He found a corner to place the VE storage container and removed the lengths of cables that had been running to it. He spent another few hours integrating the cables into the local machines and putting a few more VE into the storage battery. ¡°Let''s see if this will work.¡± Alan flipped the switch. At first, nothing happened. Then a whirring sound began along with beeps and clicks. Moving one of the tools, he inputted a command. The arms of the device began to move and whirl. Alan could tell that the dry and sealed atmosphere had prevented corrosion from accumulating, but he¡¯d have to do some other basic maintenance as well. With his machines powered. He pulled out the droid and unloaded it on a table. ¡°All right you programmed killer, I wonder what made you so angry.¡± He was able to put some of the pieces back together, his training in tool and weapon manufacturing helping him along. However, he gave up quickly realizing it was more than just a few wires to fix it, he likely needed knowledge. Alan pondered for a few moments and considered getting some additional downloadable knowledge. He still had 19 MMT remaining, and it might just be enough to diagnose and fix the droid. But he dismissed it, thinking about events in the future. Taking a step back Alan grabbed his gun and prepared to go outside. What I need to do now, is collect as much scrap, and parts to begin the next step of the plan. His thoughts proceeded quickly, as he was excited to get out of the dark encased ship and into searching for, as he hoped, treasure. He didn¡¯t have to travel far, the area was strewn with a variety of ships and vessels. He was mostly trying to find anything mostly intact. He spent the first bit looking at a small courier vessel nearby. Its systems hadn''t fared nearly as well as the transport ship, much of it had corroded with time. The only hiccup in the whole operation was the presence of the occasional bug. Not your Earth-sized spider or cockroach. These were the size of footballs, black-shelled beetle-like creatures, with razor pincers. Approaching the occasional ship would cause pockets of the creatures to scamper away from him. However, a few of the larger ones would swarm nearby him, clacking their sharp teeth and hissing, sensing, Alan thought, a new source of food. Alan didn¡¯t hesitate. He placed a few shots from his pistol into a few of the bugs. And instead of becoming their meal, they in turn swarmed over the new corpse, allowing him to explore freely. He traveled to a few vessels. He looked over each to find any remnants of parts he needed. The blue crystals from VE storage containers, like the one he¡¯d found before, scrap metals, and any other valuables. One large vessel, a bulk mining ship, from the looks of it, had an intact mining laser array, integrated into the ship. Along with a broken VE storage unit, many times larger than the portable one he had on the ship. Overall it had been a good haul. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. As the sky dimmed, he returned to his home base. Truth be told, it had been hard on him to climb over the wreckage of ships, tearing into them with his tools and knowledge from his past life. Scavenge work was tough, and he no longer had the 20 strength he once did. Perhaps, he thought to himself, hitting the gym a few times wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. Sitting down, Alan began to recollect the information he needed for the next stage of his plan. First, he needed to deal with the next step for Cosmo¡¯s integration of Earth, the isolation period. For Alan, this was an opportunity. Vervetic Energy would be the key to his, and perhaps the future of much of Earth''s success. Meeting that demand, however, was going to take a lot more than just finding a few storage crystals off the planet and his meager production. VE was how nearly all technology was used. Alan needed to make sure he was ready with ample supply when the time came. Looking around his little workshop, he felt the weight of all the overwhelming steps he had to take. Searching his memory for one of the plans he had downloaded, he brought to mind the schematic for basic Verdant Storage Item. It held 10 VE and used a minimum of refined materials. The most important part was the VE crystals, the blue gems which stored the energy. He¡¯d salvaged quite a few from the ship earlier in the day. He first preceded by removing a few metal ingots from the refinery and placing them in the workshop machines. Before he could proceed, however, a prompt was given to him. Ship Manufacturing and Maintenance. Please register the player''s name and place your hand for analysis of the player''s skills and knowledge. Alan registered his name with the ship''s manufacturing computer, while simultaneously placing his palm on the computer for scan. Analysis complete. Welcome Alan. You have basic knowledge in manufacturing: VE Storage Units, Tools, Melee Weapons, and Ranged Weapons. You do not have any specified personal modifiers to adjust manufacturing. You do not have any proficiency in manufacturing any specific items. Please note facilities can only reflect the skills and abilities of a registered user. Registered devices 1/1. Alan had expected this. The ship workshop could act as a small-scale manufacturing plant. Building something if he wasn¡¯t around. The trouble was, just because he had gained the knowledge of how to build something didn¡¯t mean he could do it. And Cosmos didn¡¯t just give you a fish, it was going to teach you how first and foremost. He played around with it for a while, as he flattened, drilled, and machined various parts with the machines. He also took the crystals and painstakingly broke them down into various weights and sizes. The lattice structure of the crystal and its weight had to be precise to hold the energy. The crystals themselves were clear, like quarts, but had a tinge of aquamarine blue as light passed through them. Using a smaller set of tools he¡¯d purchased, the crystals were fairly easy to break down. He set to putting together the pieces of a small battery. As it was his first time, he found that though he possessed the knowledge, it was slow and time-consuming. He ended up breaking a few housings and had to discard half a dozen crystals, the size of his thumb, because he had cut them imperfectly. On his 9th try, as he placed the last piece he spoke aloud. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got the gist of how to do this now.¡± He checked the description of the battery. Vervetic Energy Storage, 0/10. *Human Manufactured. The last test was to place energy into the device. He grimaced painfully, as a blue light faintly glowed, indicating he had successfully made his first Cosmos item. Holding it in front of him, he spoke excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ve done it. I¡¯ve really done it!¡± Alan had never built anything in his last life. Just tore things apart. Looking at this crystal though, represented so many future possibilities. ¡°I think I can do this.¡± Placing down the battery. He checked the time and realized he¡¯d only a little time left before he was forced to log out. ¡°Where does the time go?¡± Instead of trying to make another battery. He instead turned to the computer. Welcome Alan. You have basic knowledge in manufacturing: VE Storage Units, Tools, Melee Weapons, and Ranged Weapons. You do not have any specified personal modifiers to adjust manufacturing. You are now proficient in producing the following: Small VE Storage device. Prompts appeared on the screen asking for exact details of what steps he had taken to create the Vervetic Energy battery. Pressing execute, he stepped back from the machine as it began to hum. He smiled quietly to himself. He logged out a few minutes early to see if he could catch up with his family. As he left the pod, his only thought had been that there had been no Kara, and his return sequence was normal. Checking his phone, the time read 8:25 pm. He walked to the lobby and awaited his family. His Mother was the first to arrive, followed closely by his Dad. ¡°What did you think?¡± He asked eagerly. They each smiled at each other looking. ¡°I think your Mother and I have some serious thinking about the future.¡± ¡°We could hardly believe it, it¡¯s like we were in one of those space shows you always watch! I can¡¯t even believe I learned a new language. I still can¡¯t believe it!¡± She gushed like a teenage girl going to prom. ¡°That''s great Mom.¡± It carried on like that, as one after another his family members all joined him. All of them were amazed. They had all followed his suggestions, even Alice, who came out last. His brother seemed the most appreciative. He was so excited about all the medical knowledge he¡¯d gained. It was far more advanced than anything he¡¯d heard of in med school. Alan let them know to practice taking out and putting away their items. As they all departed, his sister lingered, to talk to him privately. ¡°Bro. I don¡¯t know how you knew, but that planet was just right. I felt something there, something I¡¯ve never felt before in my life.¡± She whispered solemnly. ¡°I met the natives, and they said they recognized the ¡®gift¡¯ in me. They said I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted.¡± As she spoke her eyes teared up. She then unexpectedly threw her arms around him giving him a big hug. ¡°I hope it''s as real as it feels,¡± she spoke softly into his ears. He patted her on the back, surprised by her display of affection. ¡°Just had a gut feeling.¡± was all he dared say, as he also felt a wave of emotions. At that moment, for the first time since returning, he felt like telling her everything. He just barely holding back. Instead, they parted, a little awkwardly, and went their separate ways. Alan felt more than ever he was making the right decisions. Chapter 13 Morning came too quickly. As he awoke, he felt very different. He could feel the Vervetic Energy pulsating through him, as though it was warming him from head to toe. Going to turn on his lamp, blue sparks arced between his fingers and the lamp. A bright blue light flash filled the room momentarily before a pop and the room was left in darkness. Pulling his hand away instinctively, he blinked rapidly as the light had blinded him. ¡°Oh great.¡± He moaned as he fumbled toward the curtains, opening them to let in the morning sun, opting to avoid the light switch. Pausing a moment, it still felt refreshing, and yet so bizarre to wake up with the Sun. It had only been 48 hours, but his genetic changes had started to finally take hold in his body. For breakfast, he risked shorting out the toaster, but like in Cosmos, he was able to quickly adapt to the new powers and was even able to microwave some oatmeal for breakfast. Standing up, he went to the mirror and noticed a blue glowing halo around the iris of his eyes. ¡°Well, they did say I might have some changes to my appearance.¡± He reached toward a drawer in his dresser to pull out some sunglasses for later. Walking outside he encountered Mrs. Dubai doing some morning gardening. ¡°Good morning Alan.¡± ¡°Good morning Mrs. Dubai, I hope your gardening is going well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s well enough, the pesky weeds always like to show their face at the end of the season. But I manage to put them in their place.¡± ¡°That''s good to hear. I¡¯m going to be off then.¡± ¡°A moment Alan.¡± She caught him before he could finish walking off the path ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been coming home rather late, and the other night I saw some ruff-looking folks hanging around your car.¡± She paused. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be nosey.¡± She continued. A statement Alan did not believe. ¡°But I hope you''re not getting yourself into any trouble. I couldn¡¯t help but notice some markings on your door the other day. Not the most flattering things were written¡± Alan walked up to her ¡°Ah no, Mrs. Dubai, I¡¯m doing just fine. Just a few friends pulling pranks. I should have told you earlier, and I¡¯m planning on painting it to the right color this weekend. As for me coming home late, I¡¯ve started a new job and it keeps me out later than I would like.¡± He offered his most reassuring smile. She seemed, however, to not be listening and was looking very directly at Alan¡¯s face. Dang it! He realized she must be seeing the blue-lighted rims around his irises, having left without putting on the sunglasses. Hoping to break off the odd conversation he broke in, turning his head, to look away. ¡°Well I gotta go, I¡¯ve got to meet some friends. I¡¯ll take care of the door later.¡± He did an abrupt about-face before she could inquire, and quickly strode out of the front garden. As he was leaving Alan overheard Mrs. Dubai mumble under her breath. ¡°Oh dear, he must be on the drugs.¡± Alan could only moan inwardly He wasted no time in Cosmos. It was his 3rd day in Cosmos and he only had one small battery to show for his day''s work. In his past life, that sort of progress would be considered amazing, but he only had a few days to make the rest of his preparation before the week was out. As expected he''d been rewarded by his previous day''s work by another notification. Manufacture first device: Reward 1 Free Stat Point. Alan didn''t think too much about it, and assigned the point immediately to his Vervetic Energy Capacity, raising it to 5. The rest of the morning he engaged in a physical fitness routine, an attempt to begin maximizing his physical strength stat. After returning to the ship Alan checked over the manufacturing device. Unfortunately, for him, the manufacturing device only went about as fast as he¡¯d do on his own. Luckily, it didn¡¯t replicate his failures. ¡°All right, I¡¯ve got a total of 16 units so far. I¡¯m going to need larger units if I¡¯m going to follow through with my plan. Alan began to machine the metal parts and hone the crystals for a 100 VE capacity device. It was a pretty big leap. The battery before could fit in the palm of his hand. This, however, would scale up appropriately. He made 8 sets of materials. And hoped 1 would work. By mid-afternoon. Alan looked up to his work and grinned broadly. Before him sat 3 Canisters. 3, he couldn¡¯t believe it. He¡¯d tested each with 1 unit of VE to make sure they functioned well. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be so surprised. This version was just a scaled-up one from before. It¡¯s not like the 1000 VEU capacity storage that I found.¡± Knowing he didn¡¯t have the technical know-how to go beyond the size of his current build. Checking the other machine, he found another 8 of the smaller batteries for a total of 25. Seeing he still had plenty of scrap for the manufacturing, Alan felt confident to move with his preparation. The sun shone down as the 4-wheeler sped through the blackened waste. Kragga¡¯s waste sea, the ruined mega-city, of not just one, but multiple empires. Alan had this place in mind from the very moment he had come back to the past. Years from now, humans and other alien players alike would begin to flock to this little backwater planet, as it was discovered it was no longer an inhospitable dumping ground. Initially, online chatter, news articles, and other reports came consistently about Kragga, and its potential. Before the planet was lost, the Government of the Earth at the time expended huge amounts of resources in an attempt to claim territories on Kragga and to set up in-game colonies. By that time, however, the predicament of Earth was already a foregone conclusion. But it was later speculated that humanity had committed to Kragga earlier. Maybe, just maybe Earth could have been saved and even thrived. Kragga was going to be the golden goose for Alan. The only trouble was finding the eggs. It was one of these golden eggs which led Alan to a low-lying hill, north of the ship graveyard. Looking around in the fading light, an image flashed across his mind. The histories of Kragga, its city, and its people come to the forefront of his mind. Along with an article he¡¯d read, a find, found nearly a decade after Cosmos opened on Earth. Approaching the hill, he circled it speculatively, as he tried to recall the information he had read from his past. Pulling to a stop, he hopped off his quad and approached a pile of debris rising from the stained soil at its base. Approaching the mass, he began to dig around exposed metal beams. After removing one such beam, the dirt shifted and fell away, revealing a cavity leading into the hill. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Bingo!¡± Alan smiled satisfactorily. It had been just as he¡¯d recalled. However, in the past tremors and time had revealed the hidden entrance. Now however, he hadn¡¯t needed to wait for nature to make the reveal. Stepping toward the man-size cavity, Alan was about to take his first steps, when he stepped back. ¡°Maybe this time I won¡¯t walk into an Ambush.¡± Not taking any chances, he pulled out the energy pistol he¡¯d won previously, along with a portable flashlight. The light of Kragga¡¯s sun has passed the horizon. Proceeding carefully Alan cautiously wove through the convenient tunnel. A corridor of wreckage, the remains of a long forgotten passage to a now forgotten building. Gun raised, he moved quickly until he came toward the end. A large door. This was it. Checking the time. Alan quickly realized he didn¡¯t have enough time to explore the ruin beyond tomorrow. Instead, he opted to log out a little early. The treasure would have to wait till morning. And he had a door to fix. **** Alan drove home after stopping by the hardware store for paint and brushes. He was amused by the radio news bulletins. The reporters debated back and forth as to the validity of the ¡®genetic¡¯ transformations of Cosmos players. One reporter stated that he believed it was just a bunch of paid actors and prosthetics. A sentiment that the co-anchor tacitly agreed to as well, not wanting to believe the ¡®fake news¡¯ posted on social media. Alan remembered it took him weeks of reports to maybe start believing it. Alan turned up the volume when he heard one report which chilled him to the bone. Entrepreneur Clark Tenison of Eris Industries has begun to invest personally in the Cosmos World and is reportedly a huge fan. He along with with other... Alan gripped the steering wheel tightly, before letting out a breath. Clark had been one of a small group listed as Great Betrayers of Humanity. They¡¯d made a vast fortune, and when the time came to pick a side, they opted to sell out Earth in favor of profits. A few of the only humans to stay on the planet. Relaxing his grip on the steering wheel, he mentally reminded himself that he could worry about Clark and others like him in the future. But for now, his focus needed to stay in the present. Pulling up to the street, he recognized a familiar bubblegum-pink Mercedes, parked on the street. His stomach turned. ¡°I guess I should have expected that my earlier beating wouldn¡¯t have gotten her off my back.¡± The car belonged to his now ex-girlfriend, Denise. A graduation gift from ''Daddy''. She¡¯d conveniently totaled the previous car that she¡¯d received on her 16th birthday. As she put it, her father refused to replace the out-of-date model she¡¯d been driving. Alan was tempted to just keep driving, but remembering the damage she¡¯d done to the door earlier in the week. He just didn¡¯t think she¡¯d leave without leaving another ¡®gift.¡¯ And he didn¡¯t want to explain any more vandalism to Mrs. Dubai. Walking up the path he encountered her at the gate. She had seen him coming. Her arms crossed across her chest, a look of fury on her face. Before she could speak he spoke up. ¡°Hello Denise, I¡¯m guessing by the look on your face you came alone.¡± Denise had always tried to keep a bubbly and innocent mask. Alan had only been privileged to see her rare looks of rage occasionally. Typically when it¡¯d been just the two of them. ¡°YOU LITTLE TURD!¡± She screeched. It started about as Alan had expected. He didn¡¯t even need to goad her it seemed. ¡°You think you can Dump Me! ME! In front of my whole Sorority! You don¡¯t get to do that!¡± She continued in an ever-increasing expletive tirade. Alan cut her when it looked as though she wasn''t going to wear herself out, and concerns about Mrs. Dubai might notice. ¡°Look Denise, I thought I¡¯d do it in person rather than a text. But frankly, I¡¯m really tired. I think I¡¯ll be off to bed soon. Why don¡¯t you go home.¡± Her face, which had resembled the color of her Pink Mercedes deepened to a darker purple. ¡°YOU. Don¡¯t. Get. To Go anywhere! Not before I¡¯m done tell you off. You stupid. Idiotic freak!.¡± Now that Alan had 15 years of maturing under his belt, he was torn between his adolescent self who enjoyed the show, and the the self that just had pity. He smiled slightly and nonchalantly interjected. ¡°Well, you''re certainly right.¡± Tripping her up for a moment, not expecting the agreement. It was to be short-lived. ¡°I certainly was a little idiotic to stick around as long as I did.¡± I guess his younger self won with that one. She howled at the twist in her words. ¡°For you to stick around?! I only dated you out of pity and because you¡¯d do my homework for me, you little moron.¡± ¡°A pity you had to have a moron do your homework. What does that say about you. . .¡± His younger self leaped in again. ¡°I HATE YOU! I am going to make you miserable you little toad.¡± She seethed with anger. She pulled out a can of spray paint, from an overly large purse she¡¯d been carrying, and took deliberate steps toward his car. Alan hadn¡¯t minded the verbal insults. He¡¯d dreamt of telling off Denise more times than he could remember. Now though, as she was about to spray his car, he¡¯d had enough of her tantrum. He reached out and grabbed the can. ¡°Stop Denise.¡± She looked directly at him and smiled smugly, ¡°You can¡¯t stop me, Alan. What are you going to do? Hit me?¡± She moved closer to his car, pulling on the can. Alan froze, finally putting his younger self into place. He knew that look. It was like a cat ready to pounce after playing with its food. It was a look she¡¯d get when she was on the verge of getting her revenge. In a flash it became clear. She actually wanted Alan to hit her. Startled. He looked around noticing the position of the Mercedes pulled up the street. It faced them. She, however, stood facing away from it, so it wouldn¡¯t catch the spray can in her hand. She¡¯d known much this car meant to him. Had it been just his younger self, without the experience of his future he¡¯d have fallen for it. Looking down at her he glared, and despite the pain, channeled the energy in his eyes to intensify the ring of blue to shine brighter briefly. Her cruel smile faltered at the sight of blue light unsure of what she was seeing. ¡°Look, Denise, we both know you¡¯re not going to do it.¡± She seemed torn between wanting to argue but was unable to take her eyes away from his. Alan reached out and grasped the can, sending a small shock through it before yanking it from her. She flinched, pulling back her hand. ¡°Denise, you¡¯re going to drop this. All of it. You¡¯re going to call a tow truck to take you home and you¡¯re not going to bother me, or Mrs. Dubai again.¡± He turned away and deliberately walked toward her car. She yelled, but with a tinge of anxiety ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing Alan?! This isn¡¯t love you freak! I don¡¯t know what kind of sick thing you¡¯re into now, but I¡¯m going to get you for the rest of your life.¡± Alan noted the argument seemed half-hearted, almost with a tinge of panic as he drew closer to the car. Alan walked over to the car and saw a dashboard camera blinking, a recording light, and facing him and his car. Perfectly placed to catch an unsuspecting Alan, striking an innocent, unassuming girl. He seethed. Placing his hand on the hood he directed a stream of blue energy into the car. The pain barely registered over his anger. The car headlights and interior lights all flashed a bright blue making a dramatic pop before going out. The dash cam¡¯s light stopped, the camera and its memory being completely fried. Turning, he saw the now pale-faced Denise clutching her purse, legs trembling. As he approached her he noticed her eyes lock on to him. Dropping the spray can at her feet he spoke quietly, ¡°I believe this belongs to you. You better call a tow truck soon. I¡¯d hate for you to be out too late.¡± He paused for emphasis. ¡°You never know, something dangerous could be hidden right in front of you.¡± He walked past her and proceeded through the gate. Looking out of the corner of his eye he noticed her frantically grabbing the spray paint and running to her car. She tried the fob to open it, without success. Panic on her face. He could see her fumbling with her cell phone, eyes darting around her. Alan sighed regretfully. He never liked to use intimidation, it never worked in the long run. She¡¯d eventually put some of the pieces together and eventually, the fear of him would go away. He doubted she¡¯d stay away at that point. Not unless she had more to worry about than some static electricity. And even then... Grabbing a glass of cold water and some aspirin for the lingering pain. He realized he still had a door to paint. Chapter 14 Alan¡¯s hammer flashed blue as it swept forward, crunching in the carapace of a bug just under half his size. His mind tried not to imagine Denise, his ex-girlfriend, as the insides of a spined-covered maggot flung across to the other wall. A wretched smell filled his nostrils. Fishing through the limp corpse, he reached out and pulled a metal bead, smaller than his fingernail, a flat-colored grey with flecks of color embedded. He stepped forward down the abandoned passage. The bodies of the spiny maggots littered the floor behind him, their foul odor filling the air. Alan came across another maggot in the light of a headlamp he¡¯d picked up at the hardware store the day before. Opting for that instead of a flashlight. The maggot, sensing his presence immediately bristled and turned toward him, bright fangs dripping. It hissed, causing a few shadowy lumps beyond his light to shift. It charged, scurrying quickly across the uneven ground, its fellow not far behind. Alan braced himself, once again as the maggot suddenly bunched and spines launched themselves toward where Alan had been standing. Instead of piercing him, however, the spines only managed to stick themselves in the wall. He¡¯d ducked and slid forward catching the worm in the face. The allow head the hammer, strong enough to damage ship hulls, easily cracked the maggot''s defenses and left a crater in the now pulverized body. His two bug friends only grew more excited and attempted the same strategy. Run forward, suddenly stop, launch needles, and get smashed by a hammer. Rinse and Repeat. He¡¯d been doing it all morning after his return to Cosmos. To the point that he¡¯d begun to find it just a bit tedious. But just only, he¡¯d had to work off some of the frustration and worry from the night before. Of course, it hadn¡¯t started tedious, half a dozen spines, buried a half inch, in his arms and legs had taught him quickly what to look for. Once again he reached down and grabbed three more of the small pieces of metal embedded in the bugs and moved on. I wonder how much farther this will go on, I can¡¯t remember if the team that found this place even mentioned how long it took. Alan spent a lot of time reading about Kragga, what had been discovered, its potential, secrets, and treasures. The article about this place came 5 years after Cosmos opened to Mankind. Its discovery had only been another minor part of what Kragga offered, but Alan needed it now, and it was something he could achieve. Fighting seemed to only intensify as he drew nearer to the center of the remains of the once proud building. However, the bugs grew more excited and frequent, smelling the corpses of their now-dead companions. Looking behind him he could see smaller versions of the maggots beginning to swarm over the older corpses. I guess you don¡¯t need to be as picky about your food when you''re a bug. This facility had once been an advanced tech hub for one of Kragga¡¯s many past civilizations. Now, however, it was nothing more than the equivalent of a rotten log. Delving deeper, its past became more evident. Metal buttresses, chipped floor panels, remnants of wires not yet chewed through by its new residents. It had been speculated that this tunnel had been a service entrance, while the upper floors of the building had collapsed around it. He stepped forward until his light reflected, bouncing off a rust-colored door at the end of the hall. Driving his hammer forward he struck the old metal, dislodging it from the frame and causing it to crash forward. Its ancient hinges are no longer up to the task of keeping people out. Instead of hearing the expected thump of the door only silence and darkness reached from the other side. Stepping forward he went to look for the door only to see black darkness instead. The scent of stale air, mixed with the odor of the dead maggots. There was only an empty shaft below him. Moments later the echoes of a crash could be heard from the depths. The door finally catches up with the floor. Well, this was unexpected. There was nothing in the article about a deep pit. Scanning the edges he was able to make out the edges of what looked like stair-like scaffolding making its way to the bottom. Examining the shaft more carefully, it seemed like it had once been part of an ancient elevator, about 40 feet across. Looking up. He saw a crisscross of metal beams, forming a loose roof above him. Stepping on the scaffolds, it strained ominously, he sighed with relief as it held up under his weight. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The last thing I need right now is for me to die. Alan gingerly made his way down. Carefully testing his path as he neared the bottom. As he spotted the ground, he could make out the rusted square door at the bottom. Jumping the last few feet. He clattered to the bottom. ¡°All right, if I can get to the end of this labyrinth, I might be able to get out of here before the end of the day.¡±, Brushing off the dust, he moved toward the outline of the square door. Eyeing the surroundings, he saw the floor was the shape of an octagon, matching the shape of the shaft. It seemed the floor was a platform for the elevator, as there appeared to be railings along the edges, the floor stopping about a yard away from the walls on all eight sides. Walking across the center, he was able to make out the archway of the doorway. As he stepped forward, he heard the sound of scraping metal coming from beneath him. His eyes widened and his pulse began to quicken as he felt the floor tremble slightly. A low groan echoed upward and around the wall. In one of the gaps between the floor platform and wall a shape writhes upward, its hulking mass squeezing upward, like a worm coming up from the ground. A set of six eyes, black and empty fixed on Alan. Cheeeee! A vile hiss sounded as its massive bulk scurried onto the platform. Alan backed up quickly, his light capturing the massive, mother-sized maggot. Its size dwarfed the other monsters above. Close to 10 feet in length, its spines had the color of blood. Backing up quickly he drew his energy pistol, firing off 3 rounds, the bullets striking the beast causing it to rear back. A half beat later the maggot shivered ominously. Alan dove, his instincts screaming, when the harsh sound of metal being struck came from where he¡¯d just stood. Looking over, he saw red spines jutting from the solid metal plating. That¡¯ll do some damage. Alan ran toward the far side, blue streaks flashing errant behind him as he fired his pistol. Having no desire to draw close to the blood-colored spines. Reaching the other side, he turned quickly to see it move forward. Taking careful aim, he raised his gun. Shooting. One. Two. Click...click. A red light shone on the pistol. Empty. 2 bolts melted into the oncoming face of the maggot, bursting 2 of the 6 eyes. The maggot lurched forward, before collapsing. Beads of sweat dripped down Alan¡¯s neck. I guess this guy is the maxed-out form of the F-class monster above. Moving forward Alan wielded his hammer and drew near the hulking mass. Despite his years playing Cosmos before. He¡¯d never really been adept at fighting. It was why he was a scavenger, not a bodyguard. Hunting monsters was a fairly common practice in the game. Yet despite his strength and combat knowledge, he''d not been able to put it to much use, since that knowledge came much later and he couldn''t practice much at that point. Splitting open the head, he reached inside and pulled out the small chunk of crystalline metal. As an F-Class monster, it had little to no special characteristics but still possessed a core. The Nyamisium Core. This chunk was about twice as large as the other he¡¯d collected before. Walking toward the tunnel he couldn¡¯t help but reflect on what drew so many aliens from the universe to Cosmos. Resources, Technology, Power. Looking once more at the core, before placing it in his ring, he smiled. Nyamisium was an unheard element in his universe, but not so uncommonly found throughout all of the Cosmos dimension. The element could be mined naturally but was found throughout Cosmos in all but the most basic of life forms. Typically in the monster populations. Abundant on many planets here. Its presence was one of the major draws to the planet. One reason, it¡¯s ability to be converted into VE energy. Nearing the end of the corridor he came to another chamber, sealed. Taking out his hammer he pounded it a few times, unfortunately, the hinges on this door held. Removing the cutter from his ring. He cut through the door, it came down with a crash. Stepping inside, he saw what looked to be the remnants of an ancient lab. Film-covered glassware littered stainless steel desks, while old tarnished and corroded equipment lined the walls. ¡°It¡¯s just like they said it would be,¡± Alan whispered recalling the past article. Sifting through the wreckage he was looking for the piece of tech that had been reported in the article, but he wasn¡¯t picky though. Silver trays, old pieces of examining equipment, and anything that looked valuable went into his ring. Even if it didn¡¯t work, maybe someone would want to see how it was put together. Lost tech, was lost tech. He spent 15 min rifling around until he found a secure panel near the back, low to the ground. Jamming it open, he heard the distinct sound of a seal breaking. A metal drawer containing 4 cylindrical metal tubes was set inside. Smiling to himself, he reached in toward one with ancient gold lettering. Placing it in his ring, it read, ¡°Unknown piece of Astral Technology.¡± Looking at the three other tubes. He wondered what was inside. The previous discovery only hinted at the lost tech and reported nothing around the other tubes. Placing them in his ring, it only read. ¡°Containment tube: Contents unknown.¡± Standing up, he looked around to see what else he could find when he heard a distinct buzzing in the direction of the elevator. Chapter 15 Moving quietly, Alan grimaced as he pulled out his pistol, still empty. Going as carefully as he could he began to transfer energy from his core to the pistols energy pack. The burning sting, like ants biting along his arm, made its way toward his gun. It didn¡¯t take long for the pistol to refill, the pain, however, lingered. He then moved cautiously toward the central shaft of the elevator where he¡¯d previously descended. As he approached he could hear buzzing but only intermittently. Reaching the end of the hallway, the buzz stopped completely. Swallowing hard, he stood at the end of the tunnel, his light spilling out and onto the large maggot''s corpse. The remaining eyes of the monster caught the light of his headlamp, reflecting at him. Looking more carefully, it looked as if chunks of flesh had been gouged out of his side, the fresh wound oozing out. Something has decided to dine on my most recent kill. Alan felt like he was missing something. What could have come down so quickly? He thought back to an old biology class he¡¯d taken, about the origin of maggots. How they¡¯d thought to be born from rotten meat. But were, in fact, the eggs of flies¡­ No sooner did the thought occur, than buzzing broke the silence. Soon followed by a massive fly slamming into the fallen corpse. This, however, wasn¡¯t your everyday housefly, but the stuff of nightmares. Its green and black body was lean and slender and was covered in sharp spikes at the joints and back. The claws and pincers easily tore through the flesh of the fallen maggot completely ignoring its spikes. It viciously attacked the maggot''s eyes, glowing from the light of the headlamp. After a moment, its head shifted from its viscous assault, and turned suddenly, its attention suddenly drawn toward the light. It took Alan only a moment to realize his folly. Of course, flies like light. He switched off the headlamp, plunging the area into darkness. The light fading last from the gem-like green eyes of the monster. Alan retreated quickly, hoping he could put some distance between himself and those eyes. He heard a brief scraping, but it soon grew quiet again once again. Heart pounding he cursed himself for not putting it all together before. I guess I¡¯ve got a few options. Either wait it out here till our fly buddy disappears, fight him, or...think of something else. Alan decided to wait. After a few minutes, he heard the buzzing again, and as he did so he began to hear it grow louder. Afraid he¡¯d become fly food. He backed up, expecting the monster to come charging down the tunnel. When it didn¡¯t, he sighed. As he sat there the sound grew louder, as if there was another pair of wings. Taking a chance he moved closer to the feast. Though it was pitch black, he began to notice a faint glow at the end of the tunnel. Which had been completely washed out from his headlamp before. The faint outline of the fly was visible emitting a slight red glow along its abdomen, eyes, and even wings. Now, however, instead of one massive fly, easily able to give his mother nightmares. There were half a dozen, content to feast on the remains of their underdeveloped brother. Stepping back, Alan thought of what his next step was. Judging by the remains, he didn¡¯t have much longer than an hour before they¡¯d finish their meal. Problem solved. Right? Unless they didn¡¯t plan to leave immediately. Time passed. Reviewing what he knew. He guessed they were likely E-Class monsters, stronger monsters but with more genetic adaptations. He could still take them out with his pistol. Theoretically. If they didn¡¯t have energy weapon armor or were too quick in healing. But if not. What if I try... Alert! A monster was detected nearby. You are unable to log out of Cosmos. If you would like to override you may. However, this will count as a combat death and the maximum penalty will be applied. Warning, your pod time is currently limited. Remaining past current pod usage times will result in a severe combat penalty. Figured. It was still the same as the last life. But it didn¡¯t hurt to try. And now I¡¯ve got nothing to lose. Either die here or die fighting The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Making his way back to the laboratory and looking through his inventory. A plan began to form in his mind. It¡¯s a little crude, but it might just do the job. *** Moving toward the opening once again. He saw the swarm of flies surrounding the nearly devoured maggot. A few, clearly having feasted to their limit, were lying on various parts of the platform. It seemed they weren¡¯t planning on leaving anytime soon. Placing a few glass lab containers near the door entrance, he prepared to move. He crouched low to the ground. Using the platform¡¯s rail to circle toward the scaffolding while in the near dark. Nearing his point of escape, he silently groaned as a single fly lay in the path of where he¡¯d estimated the scaffolding stairs began. Aiming his pistol and holding another glass bottle, he took a single breath, bracing himself. Alan sprinted toward the red glowing form, rapidly firing his pistol into the head of the prone fly, blue flashes strobing the area. High-pitch hissing instantly sounded behind him, while in front of him, his continuous stream of shots burnt holes into its skull. Alan made out the location and rise of the stairs and charged toward the stairs. After taking his first steps he felt vibrations send a chill up his spine, as the other flies prepared to take flight. Grasping the beaker in one hand, he held a piece of cloth between his fingers, torn from his trousers, the other end was stuffed into the tube. Ignoring the pain, he sent a shock into the gasoline-soaked cloth, catching it on fire quickly and bathing him in light. Quickly moving to rid himself of his burning beacon, he launched the laboratory Molotov onto the somewhat clustered flies. It shattered, spilling gasoline, flame, and smoke on the already disoriented bugs. He leaped up the stairs. Shielding his eyes from the bright light. Below the flies moved quickly out of the path of the spreading fire, its light brightening the entire elevator shaft. Not giving them the chance to recover, Alan aimed briefly at the canisters he¡¯d left near the door. The pistol flashed once, twice, three times before he hit, causing an eruption of fire. Two of the flies had been caught in the blast. Their wings lit up like tissue paper. ¡°Yeah!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but cheer, fist-pumping. The buzz of still airborne flies quickly ended his celebration. Proceeding as quickly as he could up to the exit, rancid smoke began to fill the shaft. The flames started to burn the refuse found underneath the platform. The flies agitated by the smoke and heat decidedly began to flee the inferno, entering into entrances at various points in the shaft. Lucky for Alan, they focused on fleeing. A minute later, and nearly out of breath he reached the exit. The smoke continued to grow more thick. Reaching the door he began to move through the path he¡¯d moved before after turning back on his headlamp. Unlike before, the path was clear. All remains of his previous kills had been cleaned away. Not only that but acrid smoke seemed to follow him as he went along, encouraging any lingerers to move away. 20 minutes later he¡¯d traversed back his original pay, something that had taken hours to get through previously. It was the smell of fresh air that first clued him in that he was nearing the end. When he finally moved out from the heaps of rubble, under the star-studded sky, the adrenaline he¡¯d been feeling finally gave out. Using his 4-wheeler for support, he trembled from the effort. ¡°Well, I showed those bugs not to mess with me." Secretly though, had it not been for the gallons of gasoline that he¡¯d stowed away in his ring, he¡¯d likely have been a dead man. The noise and light to go up the stairs would have made him a bigger target than a Sunday picnic. And fighting them all off one by one, well that was laughable. There was a reason he couldn¡¯t even get a decent bodyguard job in his previous life. He knew, but not the know-how. For now, it was time to head back to the ship. He checked his ring one more time, making sure the items were secure before speeding back to the site. **** Atop a hill, as the sound of a small engine sped off in the distance a creature, the color of midnight, clawed her way clear of her nest. The entrance she had once used, was no longer large enough for her massive size. Though barely discernible, her silhouette might¡¯ve been mistaken for a monstrous beetle. However, if you looked into her eyes, there was no hint of the mindless ferocity of her children. She¡¯d had to flee her home. Fires and acrid smoke drove her out to the surface. A great discomfort as she¡¯d not had to arouse herself in many seasons. Snapping viciously, she cleaved a nearby man-sized bug in two. It''s only offense, the simple necessity of her ravenous appetite from her efforts to escape. As she gobbled it up, her mind, more instinct than sentience considered the problem. A parasite had entered her home, killed off a sizable amount of her youngest brood, and burned and driven her from her nest. Worst yet she couldn¡¯t find the blood larvae she¡¯d been so carefully raising. Her brood¡¯s next queen. She hissed violently, anger flaring. In response, a few sets of eyes lit up from a nearby recess on the hill. Overwhelmed by her will, shadowy forms stealthily loped away, along the trail of the parasite. Chapter 16 Alan awoke excited. It was the 5th day of Cosmo¡¯s being open and he had a lot of plans ahead of him. The previous day he¡¯d made it back to base just before he¡¯d logged off. ¡®The Brick¡¯ as he¡¯d begun to call it in his mind. He¡¯d grabbed anything and everything, including the batteries which had been automatically made and refined materials, and the broken droid. All in preparation for today. Because today was special. With the lease of his First Series pod, he¡¯d unlocked the ability to use Planetary Relocation 1x. And today was the day he¡¯d be planet hopping. Specifically to Mairkness, one of the best early trade hubs in Cosmos. It sat at the crossroads between several Galactic Empires, and Business Consortiums. Not only were prices better than anything on Kragga, but the selection was too. Pulling up to the hub, he made his way to his pod. ¡°Hello, Kara, I need assistance with planetary relocation.¡± To his disappointment it wasn¡¯t Kara who appeared but another Valkyrie. ¡°Hello, Alan. I¡¯m sorry but Kara is occupied at the moment. How can I be of assistance?¡± ¡°Hello. I would like to use the series 1 ability to transfer to a new planet.¡± He made the request. There was a brief pause. ¡°Hmm...Kara mentioned you were a strange one. But I¡¯ve no reason to deny your request. To which planet can I send you? Please note selections are final.¡± What did she mean by being a strange one? He thought. Alan dismissed the comment and continued. ¡°I need transportation to Mairkness.¡± She paused, thinking about his request. ¡°Mairkness, a trade world. I see your mother is also based on this planet. Would you like me to transition you to her location?¡± He nodded. He¡¯d arranged with his mom the night before to spend the day together. After her first experience, she had quite willingly put up her cash to do so. ¡°Good luck Alan.¡± He thought he briefly heard, "He certainly is a strange..." before her voice faded out. A moment later he found himself on a square in the center of a bustling street. He was surrounded by high skyscrapers and hundreds of players of literally dozens of species crowding the area. The site, sounds, and smells of the crowds nearly overwhelmed him. Vendors selling a variety of foods, some smelling wonderful, others which made him want to vomit. Vendors lined the plaza, hawking their wares, mostly in galactic common, but in other languages as well. There was something for everyone, from the practical to the absurd. He was immediately inundated with notifications: Combat Review: 4 Free Stat Points 4 Stat points for defeated F and E class enemies. Not wanting to change his current plan of action he immediately separated the free stat point with 2 into capacity and 2 in production.
Personal Modifier Currently Available:
Strength (3/10)
Speed (3/10)
Intelligence (3/10)
(VE) Capacity (7/8)
(VE) Production (7/8)
It was only a minute later when he felt a tug on his jacket. Turning quickly he saw his mother. A head shorter than him, her plump form and shoulder-length hair, exuded a motherly aura. Only her fierce eyes hinted at the savage businesswoman she''d hoped to become. They gave quick pleasantries before his mom got down to the task at hand. ¡°If we¡¯re going to go shopping, you''re going to have to change into some new clothes, you look just like an alpha.¡± She looked at him critically. ¡°I know this is your first time on such a crowded planet, but if you wear those they¡¯ll try to take you for everything you have.¡± She passed him a brown sack. Looking inside, he saw some new clothes. He smiled sheepishly and found someplace to change. He¡¯d completely forgotten about what he¡¯d wear, deeming to wear a combination of clothes more suited to adventuring on a primitive planet, along with a jacket he¡¯d gotten to start the game with. He blushed, not so much at his mom¡¯s insistence that he change, but for knowing better, and not thinking about it first. In his first life, he¡¯d only seen Mairkness from other player¡¯s video logs. Never having been able to travel on his own. After changing his mom commented, ¡°Now that¡¯s better. Where would you like me to take you? I''ve got this whole area mapped out.¡± His mom had used some of her knowledge to learn a few languages, map the planet, and knowledge of trade in the area. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get to the resource exchange. One that can deal in pretty good volume and with the lowest fees. As well as a droid repair shop after that and finally an industrial equipment location.¡± ¡°All right sonny boy, just let your mother lead the way.¡± They weaved their way through a few streets before his mother hailed a small transport that zipped them across the city skyways. There were lots of ways to travel through the thriving metropolis. Walking, airships, swinging vines, and even waterways, gave means for every species to move about. Alan was genuinely awestruck by the site. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°It sure is beautiful. I¡¯ve always loved the city life and there is an entire continent that caters to it.¡± They only remained in the air for a few minutes before landing in a less busy district, less filled with street vendors and more with wealthy businessmen. ¡°The place we¡¯re going to is there.¡± She pointed to a large steel-gray building, with silver trim. ¡°It¡¯s the Borlat Consortium. They offer the best exchange rates on precious metals, as their species love the stuff, and can usually make more in the trade.¡± She certainly had a strong air of knowledge about her. ¡°Mom I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°Well, you did mention precious metal knowledge would be beneficial, so I made sure to not only learn about it but also buy some manuscripts to find the best dealers.¡± Walking inside, Alan could their affinity for precious metals. A large marble mosaic covered the entry hall, filled with silver, copper, and gold filigree. Pillars embossed with silver and gold leaf surrounded the entry, and crystal chandeliers floated mid-air creating a beautiful light show. The Borat themselves were large pale blue gelatinous creatures, shaped like a worm. The shimmering lights gave the Borat¡¯s skin a luminescent glow. ¡°Welcome travelers to the Borat Consortium,¡± an attendant behind a guest greeted in a gurgling voice, like a muddy hot spring. ¡°Glug, kluk ga.¡± His mother burped in response. Alan was a bit taken aback by her behavior, but the Borat seemed to smile, his lips, a white liquid hue. ¡°Thank you for the greeting in our language, it is rare for travelers to learn such pleasantries.¡± Alan¡¯s Mother beamed, ¡°I have only learned a few common phrases, but find it a fascinating language.¡± They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Alan¡¯s Mother brought up the subject. ¡°My son and I wish to exchange some rare metals for credits.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll be more than happy to exchange with you. Please show me what you have to offer.¡± Alan removed the 3 lbs of platinum. To which the attendant and his mother¡¯s eyes widened just a hint before returning to normal. Alan then removed some silver and gold which he¡¯d gotten as scrap. ¡°Excellent, excellent! We value platinum the highest. I am glad to see such a large quantity be brought in. Just the other day we had some travelers, much like yourselves, bring in some gold and they were livid at the exchange rate. Of course, their rudeness did not win them much favor either with the final price.¡± Alan couldn¡¯t tell by the accent, but it sounded as if the attendant had made a joke. Or perhaps it had just been an afternoon soda. But he assumed it must have been some humans who¡¯d come in. It only made sense as it was one of the fastest ways to get credits, and for them to value gold over platinum. ¡°Let me see if I can get an estimate for you.¡± Alan¡¯s mind wandered about the other group that had come in as his Mother and the clerk dickered about prices, exchange rates, and fees. He¡¯d wondered who would have brought their gold. It was true that Earth¡¯s markets had frozen, but most people would have thought they were trading at a loss still, and wouldn¡¯t have risked it. ¡°All right, all right, you are a hard bargainer, but I like your spunk. I can exchange 98000 credits for the platinum. 300 for the silver and 600 for gold and I¡¯ll throw in 100 credits just to make it an even 99000. Plus a 2% exchange fee. You¡¯ll be looking at 97020 in Credits.¡± ¡°Thank you Glurk. I think that is most fair for the quality and volume of goods. Here is a small 20 credit as a tip. I hope I can meet you again.¡± She smiled warmly. ¡°Of course. I like someone who doesn¡¯t have to pout and wine to try and get a bargain. Come by sometimes and perhaps I¡¯ll have some work for you.¡± A few minutes later Alan had 97000 credits to his name. ¡°Wow Mom, I¡¯m impressed. From what I understand you typically have a fee of 3 or 4 percent.¡± ¡°I knew he was getting a lot more gold lately, and you¡¯d exchanged close to a hundred thousand credits. Not a small sum. But to be honest I¡¯m surprised at how you managed to get a hold of 3 lbs of platinum.¡± He smiled, ¡°Well, I figured out a problem with the exchange rate in Earth¡¯s currency. I did a few trades before the markets froze up.¡± She laughed lightly, ¡°Well I¡¯m glad to hear someone in the family got the haggling bug. I might just have to look out for other such opportunities. When you first told me about this, I figured it was a game, but it¡¯s clearly more... ¡± She paused. ¡°So what do we do now? From what I can tell you just got half a million dollars in credits. And you weren¡¯t interested in the metal''s cash value.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a plan, Mom.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯m just wondering if you might be able to let your sweet Mother in on it. Or perhaps, you might have any other insights, which our government and news are silent about.¡± She paused waiting for his answer. ¡°Couldn¡¯t say, Mom.¡± Truthfully Alan couldn¡¯t say much. For a new species, like humanity, Cosmos was incredibly strict on what they knew, what was told, and when and what information could be released. He couldn¡¯t risk telling her much of anything, not now, maybe not ever. Didn¡¯t mean the look of disappointment on her face was any less real. ¡°But I do know that we still have a couple of places to go on our shopping adventure.¡± Another transport later they were in an industrial area, where large machinery was laid out in a spacious lot. The area was enclosed, and the only entrance had a security shed nearby. As they approached the gate, the head of what looked like a Velociraptor dinosaur stuck its head out the window and growled. ¡°What¡¯s your business?¡± With memories of Jurassic Park popping into his mind, Alan summoned his courage. ¡°My mother and I are here to buy some energy and machinery.¡± He snapped his long jaw, causing his mother to flinch, ¡°Are you part of that earlier group?¡± Alan looked puzzled. Earlier group? He decided to answer straight forward. ¡°No sir, we just arrived.¡± He paused as the guard¡¯s eyes narrowed ¡°You better not be lying. We had a group of alphas looking just like you come through here earlier today. Made the boss real angry.¡± He chuckled to himself. ¡°I¡¯m pretty bored and hungry right now and I hate when the boss gets angry.¡± He gave a big toothy grin before letting them in. Alan nodded gravely before he and his mom moved on. ¡°Mom, have you run into many humans here?¡± ¡°No dear, but that doesn¡¯t seem to mean much.¡± She eyed the guard behind her. ¡°I guess. Oddly, we¡¯ve had 2 near misses today.¡±. As Alan and his mother approached the rough-looking boss. ¡°Look you newborn maggots, I told you before I¡¯m not selling you anything on loan!¡± He looked at Alan with contempt in his eyes, causing Alan to freeze. Before Alan could muster up the courage to respond to the large reptilian trader the alien seemed to squint hard, looking right at him. ¡°Oh, you''re not him. You are one of those Hu-mans though, right?¡± Alan nodded. ¡°Hmm, well I¡¯m telling you right now you primitive alpha. I don¡¯t do --what did he call it?-- ¡®installments.¡¯ Alan put on his biggest smile. ¡°It¡¯s just something we have on Earth. It¡¯s a way to pay over time.¡± ¡°Well that''s stupid,¡± The boss fumed ¡°If you get killed and relocated off the planet, how do you suppose I¡¯m to collect? And if you fly off the planet? You get the goods and I¡¯m stuck with nothing?¡± ¡° I couldn''t agree more.¡± ¡°It''d own right primitive!¡± The owner continued to rant, ¡°I mean sure, you could make a Cosmos binding contract, but that''s more trouble and money than it¡¯s worth! And still no guarantee of the money!¡± Alan could only nod, seeing the boss had finished. ¡°Well, what do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for Vervetic Energy, and it''s storage and generation.¡± Alan supplied ¡°I¡¯d like to look at storage and generation first if that is ok?¡± ¡°You humans must be pretty eager. That¡¯s what the other guy wanted too, but he didn¡¯t have the credit on hand. Not nearly enough. Said he might be back later though, but I sure hope not." His massive frame turned as he grimaced. "Why are you standing there? Come, take a look." Chapter 17 Alan looked at the generation and storage options. ¡°I¡¯d also like to spend some money on storage and just raw Vervetic Energy energy.¡± ¡°Well, the energy is about 10 credits per unit. And no, it doesn¡¯t go any lower. I can¡¯t just make the stuff out of thin air. If, however, you happen to exchange some Nyamisium, I might be able to buy it from you directly. Alan simply nodded. He wasn¡¯t about to spend his hard-earned trophies from battle quite yet. Instead, he spent 16000 credits on enough VE to fill his current storage batteries. 60 small batteries of 10 VEU, and 10 Medium at 100 VEU each for a total of 1600 VEU. He then spent another 10,500 credits on another 1000 VEU capacity storage unit and filled it to the brim. Leaving him with 70,500 credits left over, but now with 2600 VE. The vendor looked surprised ¡°Not often that you see a newbie like yourself have that kind of cash. But if you¡¯ve got it I¡¯ll take it.¡± He grinned, his teeth shining brightly. Alan only nodded knowing what he had to ask next. ¡°So, Boss¡­¡± Alan began to speak to the Dino-like alien. ¡°Call me Frank, you¡¯re a good customer, unlike those other maggots.¡± ¡°All right Frank. I wanted to see about acquiring a VE generator.¡± His eyes narrowed before he began to laugh, a cross between a growl, yip, and howl. Alan stood there silently, his mother on the other hand seemed confused at the exchange. ¡°I thought you were different Hu-man. You may have money, but you don¡¯t have that many credits.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on purchasing it with credits, I was thinking along the lines of an exchange.¡± Alan held up his ring, and it began to glow displaying an illusion and description of one of its contents. A round silver sphere appeared, hovering over his hand. Below it, it read: Unknown piece of Astral Technology. This was his gambit. A major reason he''d chosen Kragga, risked the bug hive and came to Mairkness for the trade. All for this little piece of Astral Technology. Frank''s eyes widened slightly. His mother looked at Alan seriously and leaned in whispering. ¡°How did you get a piece of Astral tech?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡± Frank spoke up. ¡°So this is a piece of unknown Astral tech you¡¯ve picked up eh? And it¡¯s yet to be identified? How do I know that this isn¡¯t some sort of fancy piece of cookware and you''re trying to take me for what I¡¯m worth?¡± ¡°Frank, you know as well as I do, that if it says unknown it¡¯s unknown. Cosmos doesn¡¯t say it¡¯s unknown after it¡¯s been identified.¡± He didn¡¯t have to add that it might say, ¡®stolen, hidden, non-disclosed, etc.¡¯ Unknown meant just that, it was a mystery box, that finding out what it was required researchers to evaluate and identify it. Once it was known, the label would carry over with, even if it just read as ¡®hidden¡¯ to someone like a primitive. ¡°And as far as its value goes, well that''s half the fun. But the way I look at it, VE generation exchange is fairly common astral tech. Yeah, it¡¯s astronomically expensive for someone like me to purchase. But you are looking at unknown astral tech. On a good day at auction, you¡¯d probably be able to sell it for the cost of a VE generator for just the ¡®unknown label¡¯ alone.¡± Frank grunted acknowledging the point. ¡°Yeah, but I would be the one taking the risk, not to mention the cost. Besides, why sell to me, you already know its value to the right collector.¡± His eyes did not leave the image of the unknown tech. Alan chose his words carefully. ¡°Frank, I want to move quickly. Earth just started in Cosmos, and VE energy generation seems to be one of the most useful techs there is. It¡¯s used everywhere. I want a leg up. I¡¯m not interested in spending weeks or months, not to mention credits, getting this thing identified, and I can¡¯t predict what an auction is going to do. You''re a local, have more knowledge of the markets and how to get a great price.¡± As he spoke, he could tell that Frank''s resistance to the exchange began to slip, perhaps understanding Alan¡¯s words more deeply than his now very befuddled mother. He could tell it was time to seal the deal. ¡°And if this turns out to be a rare piece of astral tech, then you¡¯ll make a hundred times our little exchange.¡± In the end, Cosmos was a game after all, and who doesn''t love high stakes? That washed away any hesitation. ¡°All right Hu-man, it¡¯s a deal 1 VE generation exchange unit for your little unknown astral tech.¡± His eyes failed to conceal his greed any longer. Alan smiled, ¡°Wonderful, I can see you¡¯re a wise boss, let¡¯s talk details.¡± After Frank agreed to the deal, Alan insisted Frank be responsible for delivery, and would only pay after the goods were received. Frank, however, said Alan could come by and get it whenever he wanted. Franks, wanting the unknown tech as soon as possible agreed to provide a 100 Cubic yard ring for transport. Alan had made the suggestion casually, secretly hoping for such a resolution. The ring would solve his storage needs for quite some time, and save him a good 30 or so thousand credits. Frank invited them for lunch, which Alan declined due to their schedule. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Alan, if this turns out well, then you will be a brother to me and my clan.¡± The boss man genuinely grinned without the hint of threat. Alan smiled at the remark, he didn¡¯t have to be told what would happen if the deal went sour. Alan and his Mom left the complex after his new acquisition. They stopped briefly at a food stand, which sold portions of meat wrapped in overly sized-flower petals. The scent and taste were spicy and savory all at once. ¡°Well son, it seems that you¡¯ve got a lot more secrets than just money and metal. Not every day you see pieces of Astral tech being bandied around like that.¡± ¡°Yeah, I got lucky in my other world. It is the main reason I decided to transfer today. Couldn¡¯t do much with it on my previous¡± ¡°Sure, I guess that makes sense. What I don¡¯t get is why not just sell or identify it directly. I know I''m just starting here, but give me a few days and I''m sure I could have found a great buyer¡± ¡°Mom, I just have other things I want to get to sooner rather than wait,¡± Alan explained. ¡°And you don¡¯t know if this thing is valuable or not?¡± She seemed skeptical. ¡°Mom, chances are pretty good its value is at least equivalent. Or he wouldn¡¯t have taken the chance.¡± Truthfully, Alan knew exactly its value. It was a piece of rare medical equipment. Great for species that had traits like canines. If he sold it to the right party, he¡¯d easily make back for what traded for it. Just the deadline was coming up tomorrow, there was literally no time to authenticate it, nor was he willing to risk it at an auction. Not if he could trade it directly. She looked at him seriously, ¡°Anything else you''re holding out on me?¡± Alan tried to reassure her, but she didn¡¯t look too convinced. Hoping to distract her with some more mundane tasks they proceeded to a droid dealer. After pulling out the battered droid from ¡®The Brick¡¯ and paying a sum of 5000 for parts and same-day repairs. He only could grimace at the cost, clearly being taken advantage of because of his time. His Mother had a different reaction, being surprised at the ¡®system level¡¯ of technology of the droid. Just one below the astral. ¡°Son, correct me if I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯m still very new to all of this, and you¡¯ve seemed to have gotten the hang of things very quickly. But technology goes from primitive to planetary, to system and then astral?¡± ¡°Pretty much Mom, from what I gathered it has to do with the tech level needed to travel with relative ease. Primitive gets us into space. Planetary moves us from planets in a solar system. The system level can move people from star to star. And Astral moves us along easily across a galaxy.¡± As each level of tech took upwards of hundreds if not thousands of years to develop, having anything beyond the primitive level was amazing. There were exceptions of course. The Pods to get into Cosmos were rumored to be above the Astral tech level, but it was unknown. And VE tech was as ubiquitous as anything, most lower techs now relying on it. But those techs had become so common they seemed unremarkable. It was like using a laser pointer on an ancient crossbow. It might seem amazing at first until you realize that all it does is point a speck of light far away. No one tells you all the physics involved in its development. ¡°And there are techs after that?¡± His mother asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d guess so, there''s a lot more space between galaxies and the universe, which takes pretty advanced tech¡­¡± He trailed off when he noticed 5 humans moving down the street toward the direction of the VE Storage and Generation complex. Making a quick decision he turned to his mother. ¡°Hey Mom, I wanted to give you something for all your help today.¡± He quickly transferred 5000 credits to her. ¡°I know it¡¯s expensive for you to come out here, so if it¡¯s ok with you why don¡¯t we split for a bit for some shopping, cover more ground, and I¡¯ll meet you for dinner.¡± Her face brightened at the thought of the unexpected shopping spree, ¡°Uh sure son.¡± A little caught off guard from the quick turn of the conversation ¡°Do you need....¡± ¡°Nah. I¡¯ve got it, Mom.¡± They set a time and place to meet before he caught a transport in that direction. When he arrived back at the energy district, the group was standing next to a building just outside of the comply. Carefully, he positioned himself next to the building, out of sight, but within earshot. ¡°Look, I get the boss is paying through the nose for all this, but I don¡¯t see the point of us running around trading good gold for credits.¡± One of the group members complained. ¡°It¡¯s not our job to ask. Mr. Tenison has been good enough to get us here, along with all the benefits.¡± He flexed an arm covered in hard reptilian scales, ¡°Why should we care about what he spends his fortune on as long as we get the perks.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all fine and dandy, I just don¡¯t see the rush. I mean It¡¯s not like this place is going anywhere.¡± A third person spoke up. ¡°That''s true.¡± The reptilian man agreed. ¡°I¡¯d like a chance to use some of these perks. Here or at home.¡± He smiled maliciously. ¡°Enough¡± The final member of the group spoke in a Spanish accent. ¡°Mr. Tenison paid more in credits than we¡¯d make in multiple lifetimes for our current intel. We need to move quickly on the information as we no longer have access to our informant.¡± One of the members shivered with sudden recognition. ¡°So that guy before he was a... ¡° He left the sentence hanging after being given a stern gaze. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know if any amount of money is worth it after what happened to him.¡± The final member ignored the comment, ¡°Mr. Tenison can¡¯t afford to lose this opportunity.¡± ¡°I get it...¡± The first man spoke up. ¡°Hopefully, that prehistoric relic will accept a larger down payment this time. These idiotic aliens don¡¯t know the first thing about finance and the money they could be making.¡± There was a grunt of approval from others. Alan breathed in sharply, Clark Tenison, a traitor to mankind, was trying to get a VE generator just like him. Alan had always wondered how he¡¯d been so far from everyone else in his past life. He must have met a squealer, a player willing to go through Cosmos hell for sharing about the upcoming changes. Cosmos didn¡¯t like cheaters. He shivered at the thought. Tenison must have spent a fortune to get his hands on the info. And even more than a fortune to get that many credits in Cosmos so quickly. Alan tensed as he saw the Spanish-sounding man in a suit entering the complex. The guard barked at the other men to stay outside. Clark Tenison was a powerhouse in the past. He¡¯d had a virtual monopoly on advanced weapon manufacturing and was rumored to have a secret supply of energy. Alan decided to act. Chapter 18 Alan had an idea. A reckless, silly, stupid idea, but why not? He felt the impetuousness of his 18-year-old self and the knowledge of the future compel him. He waited another few minutes keeping his eyes on the entrance to the energy compound till he spotted a human in a suit. The 5th member of the party he''d been spying on, returning. He quickly left his hiding spot and walked deliberately past the 4 other men. He put on his most arrogant smile and waived, attempting to look as self-important as possible. ¡°Hey guys, you must be Earthlings too. Well, except for you big guy! I think you might be an armadillo.¡±Alan offered his cheekiest grin. ¡°Move along stranger.¡± One of them said threateningly. ¡°All right, all right.¡± He looked deliberately at the entrance to the energy supplier. ¡°I get it. I¡¯m in a rush too, got to get ahead while you still can.¡± He arrogantly dismissed the four, ¡°I know how important it is to get ahead of the competition.¡± He winked and walked quickly to the security shed outside the complex. There was an audible silence from the crew before one of them shouted. ¡°Hey stop! What do you mean by that?¡± It was the big scaly guy. Alan kept on walking. Moving deliberately, ignoring them, he headed for the security shack. The men looked at each other nervously, clearly uncertain about the newcomer. The second in command had a grim look as he considered the newcomer as a risk to what his boss wanted, a threat to his monopoly. If his boss found out someone else had gained a generator while he hadn¡¯t...well, he wasn¡¯t about to find out. In that instance, he made a fatal decision. ¡°Get him!¡± At that moment everything had gone according to Alan¡¯s plan. Hearing the words Alan sprinted the last few steps as 4 men pursued him. Each pulled out a weapon, 2 assault rifles, a pair of sub-machine guns, and a massive energy club from their rings. Shots rang out as Alan leaped to duck behind the security checkpoint. As he landed, he felt a hot sting in his thigh. Trying to stand up, his left leg buckled. He examined where he felt the stinging, and it looked as though a bullet passed through his leg. With some effort, he leaned against the wall and propped himself up. ¡°Well, that went splendidly.¡± He quickly removed a nanotube for healing and injected his leg, the healing effect working quickly. Trying to ignore the blood running down his leg, he peaked around the corner to see the 4 men spreading out, guns pointed in his direction. Removing his energy pistol, he leaned out briefly to return fire. Though he missed, it slowed their advance as they scattered, giving him some time for the nano healing to work. On the other side the reptilian guard dove into the shed to take cover. Simultaneously, the leader ran up toward his comrades, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing ?!¡± his heavy Spanish accent yelled. ¡°It¡¯s another human trying to purchase a generator, Carmen! We¡¯ll take care of it quickly and get out of here.¡± The subordinate quickly explained. The suit wearer, Carmen, immediately grasped the situation. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s get it done quickly, we don¡¯t need to alert the authorities¡± He withdrew a pistol. The five men moved forward. Well, that worked, Alan thought. In Cosmos, all combat was allowed, and on most worlds somewhat tolerated. However, in Mairkness it was bad for business. ROOOAR!!! A heart-stopping bellow sounded from the security shack at the same time the Dinoguard emerged wielding an oversized energy repeater, shocking the other combatants. He launched a rapid assault blasting away one of the humans in a moment. The four remaining humans reacted by diving for cover and attempting to shoot the guard. Scores of bullets flew only to meet an energy shield, stopping the projectiles instantly. Seeing their lead-laden assault fizzle out, two of the remaining team members broke off toward Alan. The armadillo behemoth, wielding a club, and the well-tailored leader, Carmen, came after Alan sprinting toward his cover. Alan fired a few shots at the armored guy only to see the shots fizzle against his skin. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Can¡¯t get past my armor huh?¡± He swung his club wide, smashing into the side of the building leaving himself wide open. ¡°How¡¯s this!¡± Alan didn¡¯t hesitate, he pulled a painful amount of energy through his system, and directly punched the armored opponent, hoping to shock him. At that moment 2 things happened. Unfortunately, the scales nullified his energy transfer significantly, preventing the scorching energy from penetrating. Instead, the energy in his hand condensed, writhed a moment, and unexpectedly discharged launching the giant backward. ¡°What on Eart¡­!¡± Alan didn¡¯t have time to finish before waves of pain began to push through the adrenaline. He grasped his now burnt hand and forearm screaming and writhing on the floor. Unbeknownst to Alan, the calm deliberate step of Carmen could be heard, the fine Italian leather giving a faint squeak as he approached. As he drew nearer, pistol leveled, Carmen briefly threw an irritated glance at his shoes, as if he were reminding himself to throw them out when he returned home. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s only business.¡± The man spoke using the well-worn cliched line, which Alan barely registered. Alan could only groan, as he lay there. His only consolation was that when he died, he¡¯d still have just enough time. Shots fired. Alan, arm incapacitated, pain racking his whole body, didn¡¯t register the bullet. He looked up only to see the melancholy look of the primly dressed Carmen. His white suit had several evenly spaced holes, and his gun was no longer raised but had fallen to the ground at his side. Carmen spoke, ¡°What a shame.¡± more to his suit than anything else before he collapsed. A few moments later, Alan felt someone grab his arm. He wanted to struggle, but couldn¡¯t move. A slow hiss was heard and Alan felt a cool wave move through his body. The icy sensation swept through his body steadily, relieving the pain as it went. Slowly opening his eyes, he panicked slightly as he caught the fearsome face of Frank, the dino boss of the energy depot. Looking over him. In one hand he held an energy rifle, and in the other a small capsule for pain relief. ¡°Your species is sure goin'' to have a rough time if this is how they''re going to play the game,¡± he grunted, as he hauled Alan to his feet, while simultaneously shoving the pill in Alan''s mouth. Alan nodded, unsure if he''d be able to stand if the scaly hands holding him up let go. ¡°Your Hu-Man stupidity keeps surprising me more and more. It¡¯s laughable to attack on Mairkness, we¡¯ve set the rules here for maximum penalty if you¡¯re an aggressor. We don¡¯t let anyone ruin our business.¡± He grunted and motioned his guard to pick up the loot from the other fallen humans The Guard spoke up, ¡°We get twice the loot.¡± He grinned maliciously. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t help when someone tries to shoot one of my favorite customers, either¡± Frank chuckled. Alan sat down on a fallen crate. The medicine finally kicking. The nanobots had finally stopped the bleeding of his leg. ¡°Thanks, Frank," Alan to a halted breath, "I¡¯m glad you count me as one of your valued customers.¡± ¡°Well...that still, remains to be seen, but if things turn out alright then I don''t mind calling you that for good¡± Frank smiled. Somehow, when Frank smiled, Alan got this sinking feeling that Frank was looking at prey. ¡°Did you end up selling him a generator?¡± Alan couldn¡¯t help but ask. He was both curious and eager to change the subject. ¡°Of course not! I let him know that I¡¯d only sell to him if he offered twice the cost! Of course, I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him I¡¯d sold you the last one I had available and he still didn''t have enough money.¡± Alan blanched at the revelation. ¡°You should have seen his face, but they nearly bled me dry of my VE stores.¡± Alan clenched his fist. They hadn¡¯t been able to get a generator in the first place! His only consolation was they¡¯d have a 24-hour ban from Cosmos, at minimum for being the aggressors. He then heard a muffled shuffle. Turning they saw the armored giant trying to crawl away. Before Alan could say anything the Dinoguard walked over and picked up the club and bashed the armadillo twice across the head. Then reached down to retrieve whatever dropped. Alan¡¯s stomach turned as he realized what the giant might have overheard. Frank, unaware of Alan''s worry, pointed to his ring and initiated a transfer. ¡°Here¡¯s a few hundred credits. We¡¯ll call it your share of the spoils. Also, those nanobots will stop the bleeding, but you¡¯ll need real medical attention for your hand.¡± Alan still held his hand. The flesh had ripped itself from the tops of his fingers, and burn marks raked his forearm. He didn¡¯t try to move it, as he was sure his wrist had been broken in multiple spots. A few minutes later he was on a transport and Alan was whisked away toward the medical center. An hour and 100 credits later his hand was put back together, without even a scar. Amazing really. Chapter 19 Checking the time, he¡¯d just a few hours to meet up with his mom for dinner. He did his best to just put one step in front of the other while trying to ignore the mess he¡¯d made earlier by attacking Tenison¡¯s people. For now, though I think I¡¯d better get some new clothes and weapons, and get my droid back. Then I''d better get to a geneticist, and maybe get some items identified. He eyed the 3 unknown vials in his ring¡¯s inventory. His hands clenched and his stomach sank as his mind drifted back to the previous battle. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did something so stupid, I nearly died, again...and for what, just to get some payback from the future?¡± His jaw tightened, ¡°They didn¡¯t even have the generator, and now they probably know I have it. They won¡¯t recognize me for now, but for how long?¡± So instead of berating himself, he¡¯d focus on making some important purchases. So, just to be prudent, he stopped first at a medical shop near the health center. He bought 20 doses of nanobots for 50 credits each. Quite the steal, compared to what they¡¯d charge on Kragga. He also picked up some additional medical supplies for a total of 1500 credits. From there he shuttled to an arms district. After remembering the battle, and being nearly disabled after 1 shot he strolled in and purchased a basic VE energy shield. VE Energy Shield: Charge 0/10, can disrupt up to 25 rounds of basic plasma or projectile weapons. 1000 Credits He also picked up a basic combat outfit. His current outfit had been bloodied, ripped, and torn from his afternoon combat outing. Though more expensive, it came with the ability to mend itself to a limited degree. Not to mention, it would stop his mother from asking some awkward questions if he showed up to dinner in his old outfit. While thinking about his family''s protection, he went ahead and purchased 2 plasma rifles at 400 credits each and 3 pistols for 300 credits each. As well as, 5 basic VE Energy shields which only blocked up to 5 rounds, but were at a good price of just 300 credits a pop. All told he¡¯d spent 4200 credits. Well, at least I can learn something from today, he thought as he reviewed his purchase. His mind wandered back to the battle and the hail of gunfire, and how he¡¯d nearly gotten killed over nothing. Why was it he¡¯d decided to follow them and interfere? Just so he could stop them, or so he might have the only¡­ No. Not right now he wasn¡¯t going to get into that kind of funk. Not again. To distract himself, he wandered over to more specialized and unique armaments. Browsing through the displays, his eyes fell on tail lasers, jet packs, and energy melee weapons. His eyes were drawn toward a pair of grey-metaled gauntlets on display. What caught his eye was a prominent blue VE crystal placed on the back of the hand. Looking it over, he read Battle Energy Gauntlets: Able to project VE energy. Charge 0/25 Can be adjusted for both offensive and defensive attacks.¡­ Most items in the store were at the planetary level. Just one step ahead of where Earth¡¯s current tech level was, Primitive. These gloves, however, seemed to almost reach the level of System. Drawing nearer, Alan reached out. The metal was plain grey. However, gold-blue veins could be seen running outwards from the crystal. The metal shifts slightly, adjusting to fit his human hands. ¡°Basic nanotech¡± the owner supplied ¡°it¡¯s able to provide a variable range depending on your requirements.¡± The owner placed a small charge of VE energy and proceeded to demonstrate creating an energy shield, very similar to that of the ancient Spartans. He then proceeded to channel it into a longer spear, sword, and finally, a fist before it flickered out. ¡°Pretty much all you need to do is program what it projects and you¡¯ve got yourself whatever weapon or item you need. Change the polarity of the energy and it can go from defense to sharp blade. The only limit is your imagination.¡± The owner grinned. Alan was pretty impressed. He¡¯d seen energy weapons before, and it was not like he hadn¡¯t seen them in some of his favorite movies. He was about to buy it outright, before he held back, not willing to stumble into another mistake today. ¡°It¡¯s pretty amazing, but I¡¯m surprised at the rapid use of energy.¡± He tried to sound less excited than he was. ¡°I mean you only had it on less than a minute before it flickered out.¡± The owner nodded slowly, ¡°Yeah, well you probably don¡¯t want to use it for every circumstance¡­¡± From there, Alan was able to drive down the price from the original 5000 credits to a mere 3500. If only the owner had known, that for Alan the limited power supply would likely not be as much of a problem. He had plenty of power, just in his generation alone. His mind drifted back to the battle, he realized he¡¯d used his power as well, did that mean they might figure out his mutation too? He shook his head. No, he wasn¡¯t going there. He had to focus on shopping, there was still plenty to buy. The next stop was a geneticist, who typically specialized in the genome aspect of Cosmos. The shop sold a variety of genetic-related material, including serums, enhancers, and more than a few thousand genetic traits. He found a few doses of weak genetic serum, which helped him to enhance his genetic code by 4 units. Bargaining with the owner he was able to get 2 more doses for 1000 credits. ¡°You see.¡± The owner droned. ¡°You¡¯ll only get a little more effectiveness out of those 2. What you need is a good enhancer or cleanse. The enhancer will help you to evolve your genetic storage. A good one can give you 50 or more genetic units.¡± He neglected to say a cheap one was tens if not hundreds of thousands of credits. ¡°Of course, the riskier move is to go with a Cleanse. It''s a lot cheaper, but the side effects can be¡­. unpredictable.¡± In Alan¡¯s mind, he thought of his genetic code as a messy closet. The serums would just reorganize it a little bit, allowing you to cram in a little more space. Enhancers, on the other hand, were akin to knocking down a wall so you could have a walk-in closet so you could finally have that secret celebrity shrine you¡¯ve always wanted...or not. A cleanser on the other hand, well that was like, taking all those old t-shirts from high school and finally getting rid of them. Only then to wonder if it was a good idea to get rid of them. - I swear that old Vote for Pedro t-shirt did spark joy! Alan didn¡¯t take the other options for the sole reason they were not affordable. ¡°I¡¯ll have to see about coming back later.¡± He did buy another 5 serums for each member of his family, another 2500 was gone. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He was down to 52,700 credits and needed to keep as many credits as possible for when the Terran market finally opened up. Alan arrived just in time for his dinner date with his mom. When they saw each other again the first thing out of his Mother¡¯s mouth was, ¡°Why on earth have you changed?¡± ¡°Oh, the others got dirty going around the town. I did manage to get some good things for the family, but let''s eat first.¡± The outfit change was soon forgotten as she became excited The restaurant they''d found, with a balcony over the city. The dinner itself was a few dozen credits, pretty expensive considering. But when would he have the chance to take his mom out to dinner on such a planet again? Near the end of the dinner, she insisted on knowing what the other items he had bought. 10 Doses of nanobot healing, the 5 sets of weapons and energy shields, and finally the 5 low-grade serums he¡¯d purchased. He kept his purchases and 10 sets of the nanobot healings for himself. He then explained what he knew about the serums and the energy shield. His mom had picked up several mostly domestic items. Pretty cheap things that could traded well to a brand-new market. Imagine going to your local dollar store or pharmacy, buying out their stock, and going 200 hundred years into the past. They chatted, enjoying the view. Skyscrapers rose like blades of grass, spreading to the horizon, each competing for a glimpse of the sky. Overhead a trio of moons brightened the night sky. They partook in a variety of unfamiliar, but rather tasty dishes. As their meal drew to a close, Alan¡¯s mother changed her tone. ¡°Alan, dear, I know you¡¯re not telling me everything.¡± She looked him in the eye ¡° I know, you''re old enough not to have your mother involved in everything in your life.¡± She reached out her hand. ¡°But I¡¯m still your mom, and I can tell when something is bothering you.¡± Alan¡¯s face fell, and he tried to put on a brave face. His shoulder tensed as his mind flew back to his old life. Previous life. His mother was like this then too. Always worried about him and for good reason. After being dumped, he¡¯d pretty much just drifted along in school, work, and life, feeling helpless. Until he found himself one day on the Earth fleet light years from home scrapping old ships and equipment. Even then his parents worried, but at that point, he didn¡¯t want them to waste their time on him. He tried to do it all on his own. What was the last thing he¡¯d been complaining about? That he didn¡¯t want them to waste their food rations on him... It hadn¡¯t even been a week, and he still felt the same. He didn¡¯t want her to worry about him. He looked into those eyes, full of warmth and love. Time hadn¡¯t changed those eyes. And he suspected they would never change. His eyes began to sting as a thought crossed to his mind. It wasn''t just the timeline that needed to change. ¡°Yeah Mom, it¡¯s been pretty tough...I think I just screwed up. And with the recent break up of Denise, I¡¯ve just been feeling....¡± They spoke closely for the first time, in a long time. Alan about his recent run-in, his near death, the challenges with his ex, and the pressure of doing well in the game. Though his Mother suspected he was holding back, and rightly so. She felt he was able to connect to her son. For Alan, it was the first time he let himself be a real burden. Knowing he couldn¡¯t just pay her back the next day. Alan realized, as the sky darkened, that he only had a little more time to talk before he needed to stop by his last shop. As he stood, planning to go and to let his mom finish her own last-minute errands. He was grabbed on his arm to stop him. ¡°You know dear, I am so grateful we were able to talk tonight.¡± ¡°Me too Mom.¡± ¡°Just something to consider before you go off and do your adventure. I once started a business before you were born.¡±Alan nodded having heard about it before. ¡°What you might not have known is how badly it had actually gone. I had thought that I had know how to organize and run a business. And your father was so supportive of the idea.¡± She sighed dramatically. ¡°I had taken out a substantial loan. But it was so much more difficult than I expected, marketing, supply issues, employees and the unrelenting overhead. When I finally realized it was going under, I became so worried to tell your father.¡± She paused ¡°I tried to hide it and attempted to fix things on my own, but in the end, he knew.¡± A wan smile appeared on her face. ¡°Instead of blaming me, or growing angry, he just helped me through it, even after the business closed, he helped pay off the debt. Even now, he keeps telling me to continue my dream to open a business.¡± Laughing at her words she continued, ¡°Of course I had to keep learning and growing so this time I will definitely succeed!" She grinned and clenched her fist. "But the point is, I know I couldn¡¯t do it without him. Do you think you understand?¡± ¡°Thanks, Mom, I think I¡¯m getting it.¡± They hugged before parting. Alan felt the final bits of stress he¡¯d felt earlier fade away. He made sure to have his Mom promise to show everyone the things she¡¯d gotten them when she got home. He took the transport to the last store. As he traveled. he sat in awe at how he felt after talking to his mom. How come he¡¯d never done it before? Whatever the reasons, they all seemed silly to him now. Alan pulled in front of a shop located on a walkway far above the city floor, typical for specialty shops that didn¡¯t want to be part of the lower hustle and bustle. The sign read: ¡°Irvine and Flek¡¯s House of Rare Collections.¡± His mom had actually suggested he go to this place for the extra find on Kragga. The 3 unidentified vials had been an unexpected find on Kragga, and not knowing what they were nagged at his curiosity. The interior was a contrast of styles. Near the front, were glass display cases holding exotic wares, plants, and even animals. However, as you made your way toward the rear counter, the clean lines, and glass cases were soon replaced by piles of rusted-out machines, scraps of metal, and even junk. The floors even seemed to go from clean white tile to mismatched flooring, scraps of carpet, and old metal deck plates. ¡°Welcome to Irvine and Fleks''.¡± A lithe and pale alien, with delicate fingers and large blue gem-like eyes offered. ¡°How may I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking to identify some vials.¡± ¡°Ah I see, well you¡¯ll want to speak to Flek, he¡¯s the expert on that. Certified by the Arcanum Guild as a class 3 inspector. You¡¯ll find him in the back just over there.¡± He pointed over and beyond a pile of what looked like old odds and ends. As Alan moved forward, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the alien stop just shy of where the white tile ended. Proceeding forward, he found himself near the far back of the store, where an old ad hoc counter was located. Behind it, he heard the cursing of a short and stocky mucus-colored lump mumbling at a screen held in an outstretched arm. Without looking up it grumbled at Alan ¡°You must need an identification if Irvine sent you back here.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Alright, a thousand for each item. Don¡¯t like it, and you can try one of those ¡®freelancers¡¯ who can¡¯t tell the difference between a colth lamper and a droll¡¯s princket.¡± Alan, a little wary, removed the vials. ¡°Do you have an estimate of when you might have them done?¡± The squat alien briefly glanced at the vials. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at them, If I can¡¯t tell you in a month, then good luck finding anyone else to figure it out.¡± He added without pausing ¡°No refunds.¡± Alan was about to negotiate when the lump of mucus known as Flek cut him off. ¡°There¡¯s a reason ol¡¯ Irvine and I are business partners. And it''s not for lack of trying on his part.¡± Alan glanced at the obvious dichotomy of the store, it was clear Irvine hadn¡¯t kept the store this way for aesthetic reasons. Being credentialed by the Arcanum was for the exceptional, and finding another class 3 inspector any sooner was unlikely. Alan could only nod, and trust his mom''s sources, as he transferred the credits. Flek simply just stuffed them away and returned to his screen. Alan waited a moment to see if there was anything else he needed to do. After there was no response, he just shuffled backward a little confused from the interaction. As he approached neared the front the pale alien, Irvine, once again greeted him at the threshold of clean tile. Irvine, the model of hospitality, took Alan¡¯s contact information as well as Alan''s mother''s information since she would be picking up the vials after they were identified. His tasks were completed, and he had looked at his remaining credits and still had over 46,000 credits. Alan signed off silently saying goodbye to Mairkness. In his car, he listened to a broadcast of the day''s events, the drive itself soothing, as he listened to the familiar stories. Cosmos membership was rising exponentially. The once-empty parking lots were now growing full. Questions still remained about how it came about and the mysterious technology involved. Governments were still silent as ever. There was financial speculation from the business sector around all the hype. Pulling into his home, he inspected all of his items. including the generator. He smiled that night at the upheaval that was going to happen tomorrow. Chapter 20 ¡°Welcome, Alan.¡± It was Kara. He hadn¡¯t seen her for a few days and had wondered where she had gone. ¡°Good to see you again, Kara. What brings you here today?¡± She looked at him pensively before continuing. ¡°I am here to let you know of an update which will be taking place for Cosmos.¡± She looked at him expectantly. When he didn¡¯t, she continued. ¡°When a new planet becomes active in Cosmos, there is an unrestricted time where new players can gain the full experience of Cosmos. However, because of the inherent dangers of introducing so many technological and cultural advances, Cosmos has developed and set in place artificial limiters. This is to protect the native species. Therefore, in order to give a smooth transition, the following restrictions will be enabled." A screen appeared in front of Alan as Kara continued speaking. All imports of new technology from Cosmos to Earth will be restricted to those products already brought to Earth or those solely manufactured by ¡®human hands.¡¯ This includes weapons, medicine, energy, etc. Please note that this may be an inconvenience to some players. Therefore, We are offering the following: A 1x change of location for any current players to a new planet within 72 hours. A virtual Terran Marketplace will be established as a convenient place to exchange goods. Foreign goods may be bought and sold at the Market, but the same restriction for Earth transfers still applies. All time restrictions related to Cosmos are now lifted. You can now remain in Cosmos at all times. A 30% tariff on all human-made goods imported to Earth from Cosmos as a means to encourage local production and buying locally. A 30% tariff on all human-made goods at the planetary tech levels and above sold in Cosmos. Do you have any questions, Alan?¡± She finished her explanation and waited expectantly. Alan understood perfectly but felt he needed to show some semblance of surprise. ¡°What does ¡®made by human hands¡¯ mean?¡± He queried. ¡°To clarify, it means that humans must produce an item for it to be sold in the Terran Market.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m planning on going back to Kragga. Would that mean that a salvaged ship would be under embargo?¡± Kara''s eyes widened slightly at his admission of going back to Kragga. ¡°Excellent question, Alan. Yes and No. If you were to repair the ship to full functionality, then no. Fixing an item does not allow it to be brought through. However, dismantling and using the metals, parts, and pieces to create something can be considered extracting and developing an item. This plays in your favor as these are abandoned vessels. But someone who simply purchases several parts and puts together an item would not qualify.¡± ¡°I see, so by extracting the parts from the salvage lands, I can use them for new productions?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± She said matter of fact. ¡°What about the batteries which are produced by my ship manufacturing? The manufacturing was operational before the event but not brought to Earth.¡± She paused. ¡°No. Those batteries are manufactured by the species who built the ship, specifically the manufacturing machines.¡± Alan knew the answer before she even spoke it. Rules were rules. But he¡¯d been lucky to find the intact workshop to begin with. He¡¯d already produced a lot of batteries. "What about my VE generator?" "Yes, that is fine, as it was purchased before the embargo. All energy it can produce is technically from human origin." "And the Nyamisium?" He asked, already knowing the answer. "That is considered a raw resource that, when turned in VE or other materials, are not restricted by the embargo." Satisfied by the answers, Alan followed up with a few more questions. It made it appear he was getting clarification on a few other specifics. ¡°So what is this marketplace, and when does it open up?¡± ¡°The Market place will open in 72 hours. As a purchaser of the first series of Pods, you are entitled to free access and a 10% discount to a purchase of residency.¡± Alan nodded. ¡°Thank you, Kara. I think that is all I need to know.¡± He was considering his next step when Kara interrupted his train of thought. ¡°Did you know about the embargo and planet transfer?" When he didn''t immediately respond, she continued, "I have monitored you closely, and it does not appear that you have the means or connections for such knowledge. The only potential connection, I have determined, was with the combatants you had engaged in with yesterday. They appeared to have had foreknowledge in connection with a previous violator." Alan had expected a question, but not so directly. He''d had a fear all along with being labeled a cheater. Not knowing how she might react, he''d tried to come up with a possible explanation without directly lying to her. ¡°When we had our other conversation about exchanging credits for precious metal exchange. You mentioned that you tried to limit how much we could gain access to things too quickly. I figured you¡¯d have some way to make it hard to do business or trade with Cosmos. After I met with those guys yesterday, I figured the timeline would be soon.¡± She considered his question before speaking again. ¡°I understand the suspicion of the embargo, but how did you know we would offer a planetary transfer?¡± He had no real explanation for it, so he didn¡¯t try. ¡°I guess I got lucky. Maybe I¡¯d hire a ship or something to return to Kragga.¡± Alan was grateful he hadn¡¯t spent all his credits to seem somewhat credible. "Alan, there were significant consequences for the cheater related to the party on Mairkness. You must also be aware that the players you assisted in defeating were also penalized for their attempts. However, as their ''cheating'' was ultimately inconsequential, in that matter, and they are new to Cosmos, the penalty was light." Kara did not appear satisfied with Alan''s answer. "However, you have gained access to a piece of technology at the Astral Level that will have a high probability of impacting your level of play and advancement in Cosmos. You would likely face the most severe consequences if found to be cheating. It would be better for you to admit it at this point to reduce the penalty if that is the case." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Alan felt like he''d been sent out of an airlock into space, cold and alone in his struggle to save humanity. It was a path only he could tread. It was a feeling he''d felt before. He''d been on a spacewalk, working overtime to tear apart an alien freighter. When a pebble-sized meteorite overwhelmed his suit''s defenses and drove him away from the wreckage, his energy reserves had been almost completely drained. It was eight hours of Hell. Eight hours spent at the edge of freezing, taking half breaths to conserve oxygen. It had only been the persistence of his parents calling the company after he''d missed dinner with them that led to saving his life. He would have just been another number lost in space after the expulsion of Earth if not for the people who cared about him. Could he do any less? Ignoring the coldness, which he knew wasn''t part of the simulation, Alan confidently ignored the warning. ¡°No problem on my end Kara. Thanks, though." He changed the subject, ready to stop thinking about the potential consequences, "Kara, while I was on Mairkness, I bought a few gene serums. Could I possibly use them now?¡± Kara appeared to suddenly shift from her solemn warning to her business-like manner. ¡°Yes, of course. Let¡¯s begin that now. I will go ahead and automatically extract your weak gene serums and apply them. Please wait a moment.¡± Moments later, Alan felt a warm heat pass through his body, the serum beginning its work. It was much more pleasant than the first time. Not long after, his mind seemed to focus more on the room. ¡°Hi, Alan.¡± Kara said, ¡°You¡¯ve reached the maximum benefits from weak gene serums.¡± Alan nodded, somewhat groggy from the double dose. She spoke after he appeared more aware. ¡°On the bright side, you added 8 GMU units. Checking his status, it read clearly as 34/38 GEU. A notification popped up. NOTICE! VE Generator Trait is no longer over maximum GMU. The subject will no longer experience pain during a transfer of energy. Ongoing genetic modification: Freely able to transfer energy. It is now fully enabled. Alan shifted his body and willed away the uncomfortable feeling from the upgrade. He moved energy to refill his ring. It was a relief to finally be able to use and transfer VE again without the agonizing pain that accompanied it. Alan let himself give a broad smile to Kara, who in return smiled back. He checked on the requirements for the GMU upgrade: This ability is upgradable when the following have been met: GMU: 34/52. (VE) Capacity at level 8. (VE) Production at level 8. Storage at Max. Warning: Additional upgrades may lead to changes in physiology. Hmm...that is strange. Before, I needed at least 20 GMU available over the cap for an upgrade. It looks like now, however, I only need 18. It looked to Alan as if part of his forced mutation had reduced how much he needed to upgrade. Looking at the other requirements, his mind went to his stats. ¡°I guess now would be a good time to check on my last combat report. Kara, can I see my rewards before going on the planet?" She nodded. Immediately, notifications popped up showing his fight from the previous day. Combat Review: 1 Free stat awarded. There wasn¡¯t much in the way of combat rewards this time around. He couldn¡¯t blame the system, though. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d done much anyway except nearly get shot and beaten. It was pretty unknown at the beginning, but you¡¯d likely get a lot of stats at first, only to have them slow down later in the game if you didn''t consistently challenge yourself. He then noticed another notification. Big Spender LVL1: Make Transactions of 25,000 Credits. 1 Stat Awarded. Big Spender LvL 2: Make Transactions of 50,000 Credits. 1 Stat Awarded. ***Bonus Award. You are invited to a special auction held at the Market Today for achieving this award within the first week. His heart raced as his planning and risks had paid off. When he''d first realized he was back, he knew that doing whatever it took to get to this point was essential. Much of his plans had centered on doing whatever he could to get the money for this stat and, more importantly, the auction. In his last life, he¡¯d only been able to spend 50,000 credits after years of playing the game. Yet, he¡¯d managed to do it after one week. It''s too bad it didn''t seem to include the exchange for the VE Generator. He shifted his attention to focus back on his stat points and the additional 3 free stat points. There wasn¡¯t much debate on where to put his points. He was going down the path of focusing on energy, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to put as much into those areas as possible, maxing out his VE capacity and production. He held onto his remaining stat point, unsure what else might be unlocked. He didn¡¯t need the intelligence boost, as that only helped his ability to download more info. And for his other unlocked stats, strength, and speed, he could work on those manually. He looked at his player sheet.
Personal Modifier Current Available: 1 Description Credit Balance: 46,315
Strength (3/10) Items: Basic Tools Electronic Tools Food Ration 4-Wheeler Energy Pistol EV Exchange Generator 43 F Monster Nyamisium Core 1 F Monster Nyamisium Core Droid 10 Doses of Nano heal Battle Energy Gauntlets ¡­.
Speed (3/10)
Intelligence (3/10)
(VE) Capacity (8/8) 800 Unit Cap 102/800 VEU
(VE) Production (8/8) 8 Units Per Hour
Everything looked good. His stats were updated, his genome taken care of, and an awkward conversation with Kara was successfully avoided. He hoped, at least. ¡°Kara, I¡¯m ready to transfer to Kragga. After that, I think I''ll go home to talk to my Mom. ¡± ¡°Alright, Alan. Please prepare for transfer.¡± She stated calmly. ¡°Before I go, I wanted to ask when the Terran Market opens?¡± ¡°The Market will open this afternoon at 12 p.m. your local time, and the special auction will happen this evening. You are welcome to access the Market via pod at this time.¡± Alan nodded, ¡°Thanks, Kara. I''ll get going.¡± Chapter 21 Alan stopped by his parents'' home to see how she made out after the trip and what she thought of the embargo. On the way, he listened to the news break on a popular radio program. Hey, all you Cosmos Gamers! News alert: your game is a SCAM! That¡¯s right, listeners! If you were wondering if you should hop on the Cosmos hype train, you just dodged a bullet. . From the latest reports, all that fantastic rumored tech is now ¡®unable to leave the game.¡¯ Haven¡¯t I been telling you all for weeks that this was a hoax? And for all those morons who didn¡¯t listen, good luck getting a refund! Alan smiled as he remembered hearing similar broadcasts from the past. Walking inside, he found his Mom sitting. ¡°Hi son, I¡¯d thought you¡¯d be in Cosmos?¡± She looked up from her laptop, which sat next to the remnants of her breakfast. ¡°Hey, Mom, I had some business to take care of.¡± He sat down next to her. ¡°Have you had breakfast?¡± He shook his head, as he¡¯d been too preoccupied with today. ¡°Well, let me get you something.¡± She got up and went about making a breakfast sandwich for Alan. He¡¯d partially hoped she would. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t do it himself. He just liked to have something made by his Mom. ¡°I just read up on all these changes going on for Cosmos. The embargo has a lot of people pretty upset. Some people say it''s just another way for them to cheat players.¡± She layered some egg, ham, and cheese on toasted bread. ¡°What do you think?¡± He asked cautiously. ¡°Shoot son!¡± Her hand smacked the counter for emphasis. ¡°After the first day, the whole family had a long talk. We think it''s real, or part of it.¡± She laughed. ¡°But real, to be sure. Your brother was the most dumbfounded.¡± She turned to face him, "You should have seen his face when his knowledge download had crammed most of Medical school into his brain and then some. He¡¯s still not sure whether he should stay in school or become some sort of space doctor. Besides,¡± She gave him a huge grin. ¡°It better be real.¡± She wielded the knife she¡¯d been buttering bread with. ¡°Do you know how many little items I could buy on our last trip? Instant acne remover, rapid grow gardening supplies, 10-year deodorizing spray. I even have a pill bottle of instant dental fix. One pill fixes any damage to your teeth. I plan on selling each of those pills for $50 a pop. I might even have enough to make back ten times the amount of the 5,000 you loaned me!" She put down the knife and placed the sandwich on the table, then gave him a big side hug and smiled at him. Gratitude in her eyes. "It''s all because of you." He returned her smile until his stomach reminded him that he was hungry, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to dig in. The sandwich quickly disappeared. Once he''d finished, she placed a crisp manila envelope next to him. ¡°Look inside.¡± Curiously, he opened the envelope and found a stack of nearly completed paperwork for him to run a business in Cosmos. His eyes widened in surprise. ¡°All they need is your signature.¡± She gave him a sly grin. ¡°Mom, how did you know?¡± Alan was slightly taken aback. ¡°Well, I figured after yesterday you must have had something in mind, especially after purchasing a VE Generator and all. I checked some of the online chatter, and there is no telling how much an intact one might sell for. The chat rooms are all buzzing about VE energy and how it¡¯s pretty much needed for future techs.¡± She looked at him proudly. ¡°You may have the largest supply on Earth, and my son couldn¡¯t be so dense as to try and use it all himself. Besides, who else will help you run the business.¡± They laughed at that. ¡°Alright, Mom. I¡¯m impressed you figured it out.¡± He did have to get her a lot of credit. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on you after you were willing to spend nearly a million dollars on the family.¡± She gave him a teasing smile. ¡°How is that coming, by the way?¡± Before he could answer that he hadn¡¯t yet paid for the leased pods, she continued, ¡°Your father and I have been thinking about selling the house just so we can buy at least 1 of the pods. We¡¯ve heard you can sublease it and we could rotate every few days.¡± Alan laughed. ¡°Mom, if my business plan works, you won¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± They discussed a few details about the business and his plans for the future. Including the different roles of his family. They agreed to talk over the details with his Dad. He hugged his Mom goodbye and swore her to secrecy, except for Dad. It was nearing noon. His morning had been a whirlwind of going from one place to another, and he made it back in time to get access to his pod. A timer ticked down to zero as he was suddenly transported to the Terran Virtual Market Place. Before him was a vast, nearly empty field, with a single building in the center and eight dirt roads branching outward like a compass. The building itself was massive. The design was an eclectic mix of earth architecture, which appeared to mesh well despite the obvious inspiration of Earth designs. It seemed to take the shape of a circular structure, almost reminiscent of a stadium but grander than any you would find on Earth. The circular facade had great marble columns, like the Colosseum. However, as your eyes were drawn to the roof. You noticed a great dome shape interspersed with grand fairy-tale towers styled towers, delicately reaching up into the sky. Finally, at the center of the dome, a colossal skyscraper rose from the center, its shape a homage to the pagoda of Asia, but done in steel and glass. The massive structure was said to accommodate hundreds of thousands of players. Some suspected it could be developed to house even more. As Alan drew closer to the entrance, he began to take note of other players appearing and making their way to the massive structure. He could overhear small groups of them talking to each other as he walked toward the central building. Most had not seen anything near its equal. Near the central building, a small crowd was beginning to form near a large posted sign, where he started to hear a low murmur of grumbling players. ¡°They can¡¯t be serious?¡± ¡°This is a total scam! They get us to turn our money into credits, only to try and offer virtual property!¡± As he approached the posted sign, a magnified notification appeared in front of his eyes. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Welcome to the North American Sector of the Terran Virtual Market! Your connection to everything, Cosmos! To help facilitate trade among players of Earth, we are providing players of Earth a virtual market. This market will allow players to interchange goods from all over the Cosmos Universe! Our primary goal is to provide an atmosphere to help develop Earth''s Development! Safety. Openness. Opportunity. Near the sign, a few of the Valkyries spoke to the gathered masses, sharing details. ¡°Players, as you may know, you will no longer be allowed to bring new goods to your planet Earth. However, we offer this area as a virtual market to facilitate an exchange of goods. Before you is the central location, this acts as an auction house, event site, and administrative area, among other things. ¡°So how is this a market?¡± A passerby shouted. ¡°Great question, sir! The market itself is player-generated. Players may purchase plots of land and build a shop front.¡± She pointed out and across the vast space. ¡°This entire sector area can be developed after the purchase of land! You can build nearly anything you want. Since you are the first to arrive, we will have the first sale starting at 1 o¡¯clock. p.m.¡± There was some grumbling at the thought of spending more on the marketplace. ¡°For those interested in purchasing a plot of land, please note that plots will be sold in phases, and the opportunity for purchasing a lot will be done by lottery. Those who wish to buy a plot of land must enter the lottery system. You will find more information inside at the terminals!¡± As he proceeded inside, hundreds of terminals were located in a massive space, almost like a casino. A top-view display of the area was on the screen. It looked almost like a pie with eight pieces representing the different sectors. Africa, Central Asia, Eastern Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and South Pacific. The Eighth zone appeared blacked out, with a simple sign that stated: locked. Humanity eventually learned this section was to house aliens in the future. But for now, it was closed, unlike the other six zones outside of North America, which were labeled restricted. Zooming in on a bright pink section slice, Alan could see the one-eighth part of the North American Sector in close detail. As he grew closer, the point of this slice was broken into small chunks. These represented the plots of land that could be bought. As he clicked on a plot of land, a display was shown: Size: 1/16 acre. Price: 2000 Credits. Do you wish to enter into the lottery? (5 credits for first entry) ***Please note that the land purchase must be made within 24 hours. If not, the chance to purchase will go to the next buyer. The land he had checked was approximately 3 miles from the market center. There was a big difference when examining the land next to the central building. Size: 1/8 acre. Price: Minimum Bid 100,000 Credits. This land will be sold via Auction, by special invitation only. Alan considered what he had remembered from his past. There were two ways to get land: lottery or Auction. For nearly everyone, there was the chance in a lottery. Put your hat in the ring, and hope you win. If you wanted a spot, you could put in multiple entries. Your first entry was five credits, then 10, 20, 40, and so on, doubling every time. The more entries you had, the higher the chance you had to buy the property outright. You could buy it outright, but you might spend a small fortune just getting the opportunity. The Auctions, on the other hand, were for the rich. However, as he remembered from the past, less than 2% of players had earned, traded, or found more than 2000 credits by this point in the game. And as far as the very wealthy buyers, they would be saving their money for the upcoming special Auction. Both in property and other exclusive items. Alan had a window of opportunity, and that was to enter the lottery for a price range outside of what most people could buy, while also avoiding competition from the rich, as they would want to save as much as possible for the special Auction. If no one entered the lottery, the plot of land would go up for Auction. They were located less than a half mile from the auctioned-off plots. In his last life, few people had even bothered to enter the lottery for these markets, some of these plots ended up being sold at a separate auction later, for a much higher price. Size 1/16 acre. Price. 5000 credits. Do you wish to enter the lottery? (5 credits). Alan selected the plots he wanted, about 8 in total. He''d finished his entry by putting in at least four bids for each, 600 credits later. He wasn¡¯t confident he¡¯d get all 8, but if he could purchase half of these, their value would skyrocket. With his work completed, Alan exited the building to log out and prepare for the upcoming Auction. Passing by the entrance, he overheard a loud argument between a player and a Valkyrie. Out of curiosity, he looked over and stopped in his tracks. The man was waving his arms while the Valkyrie continued to respond patiently. After a few moments, the man''s shoulders fell, and he walked away defeated and sat on a nearby bench. Alan approached the man that he¡¯d recognized from his previous life. ¡°Wow, that looked rough.¡± Alan offered sympathetically. ¡°Yeah, well, what are you going to do? I already spent my credits on tools, and now I can¡¯t use my character on Earth all that much.¡± The middle-aged man responded. He had a thinning hairline and was stocky. He looked like a middle-aged cherub. ¡°So, what plans did you have?¡± ¡°I love cooking simulators. I always have; I just never had the knack for doing it in real life. I¡¯ve always been kind of a klutz.¡± He held up his pudgy fingers. ¡°But I discovered this game offers a chance to learn alien recipes, so I jumped at it. I even took genetic modifications to help make my fingers nimbler, and my taste buds extra sensitive.¡± ¡°So what''s the problem?" ¡°I wanted to start a restaurant on Earth, you know the works! Occasionally go and buy Cosmos ingredients to make a little money on the side!¡± He gave a weak smile. ¡°But with this embargo, I don¡¯t know what to do. I can''t bring any alien ingredients directly to Earth. I can do my cooking here, but I don¡¯t have enough money to go into Cosmos a lot, and being a regular cook isn¡¯t going to make me that much in credits on Earth.¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°Wow, that is a bummer.¡± Alan pauses before continuing. ¡°Have you thought about doing it here? Opening up a restaurant or something?¡± ¡°Hah! That''s what I was arguing with the pretty lady over there about! It turns out I can¡¯t open a restaurant without property, and I can¡¯t do that without credits, which I don''t have much of.¡± His fists clenched. ¡°They said I could open a ¡®food stall¡¯, but I still have to have the permission of a property owner or pay an arm and a leg for a space in the market.¡± He sighed while pointing at the grand building. A moment later, he seemed to realize that he''d been venting to a stranger. He turned, the pink in his cheeks deepening. ¡°I¡¯m Reardon, by the way.¡± "I''m Alan. It''s good to meet you. Tell me about your plans?" Alan listened for a while to Reardon and his plans. While also trying not to become giddy at meeting a future icon. In his past life, Reardon had been a celebrity chef for his Cosmos cuisine. He¡¯d started with a food stall before he¡¯d been recognized for his talents and had been offered to start a restaurant. From there, he built a food empire. He was recognized as one of the best chefs on Earth and had even earned attention from several other races for his unique Earth Fusion dishes. Alan had never had anything cooked by him before, but it was hard not to salivate at the memory of the knock-off recipes that other chefs aspired to copy. It was those recipes that led Alan to make an unplanned decision. ¡°Reardon, I¡¯m pretty impressed with your passion. I¡¯ve thought about opening a restaurant here, but I don¡¯t know the first thing about cooking. I¡¯m wondering if you might come to work for me sometime?¡± Reardon¡¯s eyes lit up as if meeting someone who could pull him out of the pit. ¡°Really?!¡± Alan nodded. It took longer to cook an egg than it took them to exchange their information and to set up a time when his Mom could meet with the man to pound out the details. Checking the time, he realized he still had a few hours before the Auction would commence. And he had a few more errands to run. Looking around, Alan knew what was coming for the land around him. It was going to become very busy in the future. Chapter 22 Instead of immediately leaving after his conversation with Reardon, he needed a closer look at the facility. Aside from the auction centers, the building also had large combat arenas, other practice halls, clothing and accessory stores, food vendors, and a few other amenities. Of course, all of these were run by Valkyries, and they all specialized in ¡®Products from Earth.¡¯ All of these were pretty empty except for the occasional window shopper, as the only currency accepted was credits, and you didn''t need to buy anything sold on Earth. This Market would eventually be a massive trade hub for humankind, streamlining trades on Earth to a central location for nearly all products earned in Cosmos. There were, of course, drawbacks. First were the tariffs. If you bought it directly in Cosmos, the price would be guaranteed to be cheaper than the Market. There was always a tax for each player. Cosmos always calculated it to ensure those who worked on Cosmos would save money versus those who didn¡¯t. The other hang-up was needed for a physical presence in the Market. A person would come here to make the exchange directly. The only exception to this was at the public auction, where Cosmos would take a cut of the profits as a fee. The house, in this case Cosmos, would always profit. The public auction had screens nearly two stories tall, which would each house thousands of listings of every material. As time went on, however, it would primarily house some uncommon items and those affordable to the average player. On the other hand, the very exclusive and expensive items would be directly sold at private auctions or to elite sellers through a broker. For now, though, it remained empty. Sitting down, Alan decided to activate another perk of the Market: The Market¡¯s interface¡ªthe equivalent of the internet for Earth. Accessible only to registered characters in Cosmos, the interface contained news, databases, and a social network, among other amenities. For Alan, however, he was more interested in want-ad listings. Scrolling through them, he wanted to see who¡¯d figured out that VE energy would be in short supply. Looking to hire anyone with knowledge of Cosmos Tech beyond the basic tech packs. Have a unique or rare item from Cosmos? We¡¯ll pay top dollar! You could earn thousands with items of planetary tech or higher! Writers Wanted! We want to hear about your unique Cosmos experience He kept scrolling till he discovered a few ads that interested him. Eris Industries is looking for information on VE related tech. Please notify us if you have anything. Will pay top dollar. Looking for a VE energy or generator, that must be Earth-compatible. Please contact Callisto Corp. Alan couldn¡¯t help but smirk. Tenison¡¯s men hadn¡¯t been able to obtain a generator and were still a long way off from making a VE generator, but still were looking for the tech. The other was Callisto Corp, a subsidiary company of a large shipping firm, Boreal. He remembered they had been loyal to human interests and even had some minor ships in the Humanity Fleet fleet. He quickly wrote an email to them, letting them know he was selling VE energy. Looking more closely, it seemed there wasn¡¯t a huge demand for VE. Not yet, anyway. The players hadn¡¯t used their small stock, and for most more prominent buyers, it would take some time to see the need. With only a few hours till auction, he decided to find a change of clothes. As he walked through the Pod Hub entrance, he received a new email; Callisto Corp had reached out to him, expressing interest in what he had to offer. They¡¯d provided a number for him to call. Asking for a private room at the hub, he called them up. ¡°Hello, Alan. My name is Angelica,¡± She chirped. ¡°I am a representative of Callisto Corporation. Thank you for contacting us regarding the VE you had for sale.¡± ¡°Good to meet you, Angelica. Yes, I have a supply of VE for sale. I¡¯ve been debating to see if I can sell it in the new market auction, but I saw your ad and decided to reach out.¡± Alan would sell at auction later and wanted to gauge Callisto''s seriousness. ¡°I see. I¡¯m sure we could offer you a price that will more than compensate you for your trouble and is comparable to what you might receive at auction.¡± She sounded somewhat eager but hesitated before continuing. ¡°Of course, this depends entirely on what stock you have. We can offer you more for the bulk price if you have at least ten units.¡± Alan smiled. ¡°I am currently willing to sell 1300 Units of VE energy in private transactions.¡± The line went quiet for a long moment. Alan thought she¡¯d hung up until Angelica spoke up quickly. ¡°And these can be used on Earth?¡± ¡°Yes. I can also provide storage devices as well.¡± He offered. She responded excitedly. ¡°I need to discuss this volume of transactions with my superiors. Can you hold?¡± Alan agreed. Not long after, the voice of a stern, no-nonsense man came on the line. ¡°Hello, sir. I¡¯m Bryan Jakes, head of purchasing for Callisto Corp. I understand you¡¯ve 1300 Units of Vervetic Energy. And it''s able to be used on Earth? With a transaction like this, I¡¯m wondering if perhaps we could meet in person?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not a problem,¡± Alan replied ¡°That''s wonderful! When do you think you would be available?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be attending an event this evening at the market, so I should be available afterward.¡± ¡°Would this happen to be the private Cosmos auction?¡± Alan, not entirely surprised, responded affirmatively. ¡°Callisto has arranged a private box for this evening''s event. Why don¡¯t you join us as our guest if you would like?¡± Alan was impressed. Whatever Callisto was planning for the VE energy, they seemed eager to have a good relationship with him. ¡°Mr. Jakes, I would be honored to join you. I plan on seeing you this evening, then.¡± Alan left it at that. A few minutes later, Alan received a call from Angelica with additional details. His only regret was that his Mom couldn¡¯t attend the event. He smiled to himself mischievously. She would be so jealous. But what could he do? Alan felt satisfied with how it went with Callisto. He hoped they¡¯d make him a suitable offer. He needed a big buyer for the million he needed for his family''s pods. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Alan spent the last hours maxing out his last credit card on a new haircut, suit, and a pair of colored contacts. His sunglasses, which had been fine as a way to hide faint blue energy rimming his iris, would be out of place at the auction. Inspecting himself one more time, he headed back toward the Market and auction. He approached the Grand Central Market building for the second time that day. Walking past the marble columns and beneath the spired parapets, he moved closer toward the center structure. Through a glass-covered plaza as part of the overall dome, he saw the pagoda skyscraper dominating the area. At its base, a few male guards stood outside bronze polished doors. The guards were male versions of the valkyries. As he approached, his entry was quickly verified, and he was allowed into an elevator, which rose quickly to the levels that contained the auction hall. He¡¯d never been to a private auction before, having only seen videos and read articles about them. Stepping through the elevator, quiet music greeted him, and another Valkyrie greeted him. ¡°Hello, Sir. Welcome to the auction. Here is a list of what will be offered by Cosmos today.¡± He handed Alan a tablet. LIster were hundreds of potential items in two categories. The first was for public bidding, which would happen in the latter half of the evening. The other category was for the silent auction, where items were to be bid anonymously via the tablet, with the last bid being shown. The bidding would stop just before the public auction. ¡°Through these doors¡¯ sir, if you want to see the items on display. If not, the main auction hall and private booths are on the floors above. Please note you can register your ring to the tablet and place bids.¡± The Valkyrie demonstrated before ushering Alan inside. He¡¯d been late to the start of the party, so as he stepped through the doors to a large hall, he was met with the sight of hundreds of men and women, men in suits and tuxedos and beauties in evening formalwear. Scattered throughout were various displays showcasing the items to be auctioned that evening. A sleek silver and red ship was at the center of the room, rising above the crowd. It was no larger than a van his buddies had driven in high school. However, this was designed to take someone to the galaxy''s outer edges. Alan scrolled and browsed through the various items. There were already several placed bids for the silent bid auctions. Especially for those items listed as ¡®Usable on Earth.¡¯ Unsurprisingly, most of those were mundane and benign. The only thing that caught his eye was a hover skateboard. Totally rad. The other items that couldn¡¯t be brought to Earth were far more exotic and dangerous: various weapons, advanced armor, military vehicles, survival supplies, and high-end scanners. There were also various non-tangibles sold: a one-week space cruise around the Carr-vey system and music of the Illepti space sirens, among other things. Alan had his eyes on two items that he wanted most. Land Claim Permit: A legal claim to lands not owned by an existing entity. Must not be disputed territory. Usable only for Cosmos. Warning: Laying a claim does not prevent hostile actions toward you or your party. Commercial Nano Material Manipulator (System Tech, 3x Use.) He was looking at the current bids. It seemed as though there wasn¡¯t much interest in the items. Both their descriptions were basic as best, just like the other items for sale. Checking the bids for each, the Land Claim Permit only had a bid of 500 credits, while the Commercial Nano Material Manipulator had a bid of 7000 credits. Selecting each, he went ahead and upped each bid by 50 credits. A waiter drifted over, offering him what must seem like an Earth delicacy: a glass of root beer and a candy bar. Perfect. Drifting over to the ship, he finally decided to look at its description, as it was the clear centerpiece of the auctions. It didn¡¯t take him long to draw near enough past the swarm of interested buyers. Looking at the details listed next to it, he read: Xanza Scout Ship - Tech Level: Planetary - Usable on Earth It comes with shielding, life support, scanners... ¡°I see that the Xanza Scout ship has caught your eye.¡± Alan heard a smooth Spanish-Castillian accent behind him. Alan turned, feeling he¡¯d recognized the voice. His mouth went dry as he came eye to eye with the well-dressed Spaniard he¡¯d encountered on Mairkness. He stood smiling, a pencil mustache fixed to his upper lip. He was dressed again to the height of fashion, in a black tuxedo and tie, with diamond studded cufflinks. ¡°Hello again. Unfortunately, I believe last time I forgot to introduce myself; my name is Carmen.¡± He held out his hand. Alan robotically took it and only nodded. ¡°I must offer my deepest apologies; it seems that my men attacked you without provocation when we last met. And when I saw you here, I thought it best to clear the air. Mister?¡± Carmen continues to shake Alan¡¯s hand with near-ice-like intensity. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Alan ignored the question regarding his name; the more anonymous he could be, the better; he focused on putting off the dread rising inside him and slapped on a goofy grin, ¡°I was a little surprised to be attacked like that in Cosmos. But I guess it is a game.¡± ¡°Why yes, it is a game, isn¡¯t it.¡± The Spaniard paused as if considering, ¡°I think perhaps, though, you might be better at it than you let on?¡± Carmen winked at him before releasing his hand, much to Alan¡¯s relief. ¡°We can only try our best when playing a brand new game,¡± Alan replied, trying to play dumb. Carmen continued, ignoring the comment, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you know this, but I work for a very wealthy and powerful individual. And there is a rumor that some precious VE tech might have made it to Earth before the embargo. I¡¯m sure my employer would well compensate whoever could provide this tech.¡± He looked meaningfully at the ship. ¡°Even something like this ship might be a small reward for such support.¡± He didn¡¯t have to add what might happen if his employer didn¡¯t get what he wanted. The grim scowls of his bodyguards flanking him said as much. ¡°Thank you for that information.¡± Alan continued to play ignorant. ¡°But I¡¯ll be honest, this ship isn¡¯t all that impressive.¡± He said dismissively. His final statement was a complete truth; it wasn¡¯t that impressive. Alan¡¯s comment seemed to irritate Carmen, as the Spaniard looked again at the ship capable of flying to Pluto and back in no time at all to wonder what was not so impressive. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± A feminine voice interrupted. A woman, who had been standing near the Xanza Scout ship, turned around. ¡°This ship would put any of our state-of-the-art spacecraft to shame.¡± The woman, near Alan¡¯s height, wore a floor-length emerald gown that complimented the waves of auburn hair gracing her shoulders. ¡°Why, an analysis of the outer plating alone could advance our space program by decades.¡± Alan stood there, probably a little more dumb than he was pretending to be. ¡°Hello, Ms. Cordata.¡± Carmen responded, ¡°It''s so nice to see you again. How are things with your father?¡± ¡°Carmen." She nodded coolly, "He¡¯s fine, thank you for asking. And how is Mr. Tenison doing?¡± ¡°Just splendid.¡± He smiled. ¡°He¡¯ll be much happier once we have this lovely," pointing to the ship. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know Carmen.¡± She moved closer. ¡°I¡¯ve got my eye on this beauty too.¡± She grinned wickedly. Carmen grinned back, ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s good to know. I might¡¯ve been concerned if your father, and not just you, had been taking an interest.¡± Ms. Cordata''s smile faltered momentarily before she changed the subject. ¡°So, who is your technologically ignorant friend, Carmen?¡± She turned toward Alan, her finger pushing back a stream of hair behind the ear, revealing a pair of emerald earrings and matching a gold necklace lined with precious green gemstones. Instead of responding, Alan''s mind had been focused on the scent of jasmine lingering near her. ¡°Ah, just another player I¡¯d previously encountered.¡± He turned to face Alan, completely ignoring the young woman. ¡°The silent auction will be ending soon. Perhaps I could invite you to my private box to discuss further business.¡± He gave a smug smile. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Alan paused, acting as though he just thought of something. ¡°But I¡¯ve already got one.¡± Carmen''s smile faded while Ms. Cordata seemed genuinely puzzled. Those with private boxes were known entities to the upper elites, and he didn¡¯t fit the mold. Without pause, Alan continued. ¡°Like you said, Carmen, times a tickin¡¯.¡± He nodded to Ms. Cordata, turned smartly, and approached the exits and toward the private rooms, leaving them both confused. He certainly wasn¡¯t running away. No, definitely not, he thought to himself. As he neared the exit, a group of 6 men filtered in. Like many of the other guests, these men were dressed in black suits and ties. But unlike the others, they didn¡¯t carry tablets. Instead of mingling, as others did, they stood silently, not even talking amongst themselves. ¡°I wondered when they¡¯d show up,¡± Alan thought as he gave them a sidelong glance. Chapter 23 Alan asked for directions from a Valkyrie to Callisto¡¯s private box. He was grateful to be off the main floor. He had to remind himself that he was 30, not the easily distracted 18-year-old he''d once been. Then again, maybe he was both. I guess it just played in his favor, playing the rich idiot this time around. Approaching his destination, he checked on his tablet for the Silent Auction. The Commercial Nano Material Manipulator had risen to 8000, but the bids had largely dropped off. While bidding for many of the other items rose quickly. His other bid was still the same. If only they knew. Moving down the velvet-carpeted corridor, he made his way to the door to the private box. He entered the code that Callisto¡¯s corp had provided and let himself in. The room was furnished with mahogany wood molding and soft, earthy carpets. A vast glass window dominated the far wall. Leather chairs were positioned to overlook the Auction down below. The only other person in the room heard Alan¡¯s entrance and stood. He was a portly, clean-shaven gentleman with thin grey hair wearing a grey pinstripe suit that tried but failed to hide the weight behind it. ¡°Hello Alan, Bryan Jakes,¡± he held out his large hand and smiled charmingly. Alan reached out his hand, and it was vigorously shaken in return. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°Oh, the pleasure is all mine. Please have a seat.¡± He pointed to an empty chair. When Alan sat down, a servant silently entered carrying a heaping plate of hors d''oeuvres. Alan took only a few shrimp, while Mr. Jakes, on the other hand, proceeded to select a small mountain of seafood, meats, and cheeses for himself. ¡°I¡¯m testing to see how much I can eat in this virtual world without gaining weight. I¡¯ve got it on good authority that you can eat as much as you want here and not gain a pound!¡± Mr Jakes playfully patted his belly and laughed heartily. Alan smiled along with his jovial host. It was clear to Alan that the man wasn''t as tough or gruff as he''d been on the phone. ¡°So you must tell me what you think of the Auction so far? It¡¯s pretty great¡ªespecially that spaceship. I know I¡¯d like to get my hands on it if everything they say it can do is real. I¡¯ve always dreamt of going to space; as a boy, I always wanted to be an astronaut. Walk on the moon, look down on the Earth, experience the effects of being weightless.¡± He winked at Alan. ¡°It¡¯s why I decided to join Callisto Corp. and try out Cosmos. What about you, Alan? How did you get involved in all of this?¡± Alan shared a little of his story of how he¡¯d been interested in the game out of high school and thought it was a great opportunity. He decidedly kept much of his background hidden for now, alluding to a mysterious source of wealth. They chatted for some time before the silent Auction came to an end. As expected, he¡¯d been the winning bidder for both bids. He smiled internally after securing the Commercial Nano Material Manipulator and the Land Claim Permit. Mr. Jakes, who was also checking his data, brightened. ¡°I hope you had as much success as me. ¡± He grinned broadly. It was announced that a brief recess would be before the public Auction began. The Large hall below was slowly being converted to a grand display to set up seating for the Auction. As Alan looked down at the dispersing crowd, he saw Carmen and his bodyguards leaving the floor. His eyes still roving, he couldn¡¯t help but catch himself trying to catch a glimpse of the woman in the emerald green gown. ¡°Alan, if it¡¯s alright with you, why don¡¯t we get started with the negotiations since everyone is here.¡± Alan started, his attention having been focused on the crowd. Turning around, he was doubly surprised to find two women beside Mr. Jakes. ¡°Alan, I believe you¡¯ve already met my assistant Angelica, whom you¡¯ve spoken to previously.¡± Angelica wore a plain black cocktail dress and had mousy brown hair. ¡°The other is Ms. Cordata. A valuable member of Callisto Corp.¡± ¡°Mr. Jakes, I¡¯ve already had the opportunity to meet your guest earlier this evening.¡± She reached out, the long emerald sleeve of her dress clinging slightly to her forearm. The warm scent of jasmine filled the air. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to be able to see you again.¡± Alan was, to his relief, able to keep his mind clear. ¡°Wonderful; I¡¯m glad we could all get acquainted." Bryan said, "Let¡¯s all have a seat, then we can begin our discussion before the auction starts.¡± ¡°Alan, I¡¯ll get right to the point that the Callisto Corporation is ready to purchase your entire stock of vervetic energy for private sale. We¡¯d also like to see about purchasing it along with energy storage capacity.¡± Alan pretended to think about the matter seriously before speaking. ¡°Mr. Jakes, thank you for inviting me here tonight. It¡¯s become clearer today that my little stock of VE has become pretty valuable overnight. It shouldn''t come as a surprise to you that nearly everything in Cosmos; the rings, ships, weapons, it all depends on VE energy.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Just this evening, another party, a man named Carmen, approached me earlier, making other grand offers.¡± He paused to let the point sink in. His mention of Carmen caused Cordata and Jakes to look at each other nervously. ¡°It seems we¡¯re going to have a scarcity of VE, at least in the short run.¡± Alan waited for their response. Surprisingly, it was Ms. Cordata who spoke up first. ¡°Alan, it¡¯s clear that you understand how scarce vervetic energy will be very soon. But perhaps you might not understand the impact of what a shortage like that would mean. Right now, I believe the human race is on the cusp of something wonderful, and Cosmos is the key! Unlike those skeptics who¡¯ve never been here or off-world, I believe all the technology is real; it¡¯s why Callisto Corporation has invested so heavily into the program.¡± Alan nodded along, understanding perfectly well what was to come. ¡°What you might not understand, however, is that without more energy, we will be stuck in our development. Nearly every advancement developed around and powered by this power unique to Cosmos.¡± She finished passionately. ¡°With this energy,¡± Mr. Jakes continued more pragmatically, ¡°We believe we are going to provide the best opportunities for mankind.¡± ¡°What does Callisto Corporation plan on doing with this energy? Specifically?¡± Alan eyed them both as they each looked nervously. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I invest it with Carmen or other industries?¡± Ms. Cordata finally spoke up. ¡°Alan, our number one priority for Callisto Corp will be space travel. Space travel will give our business and the human race the ultimate leg up in Cosmos. However, humans are desperately far behind in this area. Many technologies need to be learned, integrated, and tested so we can grasp the ultimate advantage. Ships. And we can¡¯t do it without energy.¡± Alan reflected on her statement. It certainly was partially true. Trade, resource gathering, and even military prowess depended on the ability to travel in space. It was clear to him that they were far-sighted in their thinking. ¡°So why not wait till the embargo is over, or just focus on the ships already in Cosmos?¡± Alan interjected. ¡°We don¡¯t believe the embargo will last forever." Ms. Cordad added ominously, "However, it is risky to depend on the supply and supposed generosity of other alien nations.¡± Mr. Jakes spoke up quietly. ¡°Besides, we¡¯ve discovered that Cosmos only provides the most basic of technological advancements in this area.¡± He gestured to the ship at the center of the floor below. ¡°The technology incorporated into that ship alone vastly surpasses any designs and technology we¡¯ve gained from the system. But even then, it will only demonstrate how it works with VE energy, the energy we hope you can provide." Glancing between the two of them, Alan was convinced by their sincerity. ¡°I¡¯m willing to sell you 1300 VEU and several energy storage devices.¡± His offer seemed to encourage both of them. ¡°Wonderful!¡± Mr. Jakes continued, ¡°To show our sincerity at the offer, we are willing to provide $300,000 in total for the supply.¡± Alan had to stop himself from drooling. To his ears, their offer was sincere. They offered nearly four times the price for the VE energy before the embargo. Alan was unlikely to see prices like that for a few more weeks if he sold it on the private market. ¡°I accept your offer.¡± Though the wealth he¡¯d just gained had been outstanding. It was apparent that he¡¯d need nearly $700,000 more to purchase the pods for his family and substantially more for future projects. As they concluded shaking hands, the lights dimmed in the auditorium. Instead of a vast area filled with items to auction, the floor was now filled with rows of chairs filled with eager bidders. A round dais rose in front of the starship, where an auctioneer took his place. The crowd grew energetic as the main event was about to begin. In the private box, Ms. Cordata seemed to grow somber and focused as the first item went up for bid. Jakes removed his tablet, pulling up a screen with the item''s information. Conveniently, it offered the holder to make a bid, thus allowing those in the box seats to do so privately. When the bidding commenced, the room buzzed with excitement. Items of all varieties appeared: tools, cosmetics, alien curiosities, weapons, genetic mutations, and rare knowledge packs were made available. The bidding, however, came to a fever pitch when the Xanza Scout ship was finally presented. ¡°We shall begin the bidding at 50,000 credits.¡± The auctioneer began. Soon, bids, mainly from the floor, began to go forward. ¡°100,000¡± ¡°200,000¡± ¡­ ¡°1,000,000¡± The bids kept being raised till most of those on the audience floor soon faded to silence as they realized their dreams of flying through space in the Xanza ship were like trying to capture a star. Alan noted that at this point, the wealth of those in the private booth far exceeded that of the moderately wealthy player. ¡°2 million¡± ¡°3 million ¡± ¡°5 million ¡± Alan noticed Mr. Jakes'' finger flick across the screen. ¡°6 million¡± Both he and Ms. Cordata eagerly cast their eyes on the flying ship. However, another bid came in at ¡°6.5 million.¡± Undaunted, Jakes touched his screen again. ¡°7 million.¡± There was a pause this time, and he and Ms. Cordata smiled nervously at each other. Until the auctioneer announced ¡°8 million.¡± Without hesitation, their Jakes raised it again to 9 million and then again to 10 Million soon after. The audience was breathless, not so much at the amounts being spent but at the absurdity of how they¡¯d collected so many credits. Cosmos had only been open a week, and unless you had vast quantities of bullion on hand or had an army of players earning credits for you, collecting 10 million credits seemed absurd at this point in the game. It was worth nearly $50 million in cash. A small amount if you consider the cost of the most advanced jet fighters on Earth. But it was rather absurd when you have the looming belief that this is a ¡®game.¡¯ Mr. Jakes was sweating bullets at this time. His hand, poised over the button, was balled up next to his leg. Ms. Cordata seemed to be holding her breath, her hands clasped, white knuckles showing. Both seemed to put their combined will into winning the bid, having put their very best offer down. ¡°10.5 million,¡± The auctioneer announced. Chapter 24 Going Once, Twice, Sold! The audience erupted into applause! The auctioneer paused briefly as an assistant rushed to his side and whispered in his ear. The auctioneer nodded, and a few moments later, over the still talkative crowd, he announced with hands outstretched in welcome. ¡°We¡¯d like to welcome the winner of today¡¯s ship auction, Mr. Clark Tenison!¡± A small party approached the podium, led by a middle-aged man with silver-blond hair, in a trim suit, and a broad smile. He was flanked by a few bodyguards and the suave Spaniard Carmen. The auctioneer at the podium gave way, gracious at the absurd amount of money that had just been spent. ¡°I am happy to announce that this Xanza Scout is part of a series of expansions we are making into Cosmos. In the coming months and years, Eris Industries intends to make ships like this one part of our growing line of products.¡± He gave a broad smile to wide applause; he only briefly enjoyed the adulation before placing his hand and ring on the ship, absorbing it completely. Mr. Tenson then departed as swiftly as he came. At the same time, a pair of officious-looking men in black suits followed his party. As they passed through the exit doors and into the quiet hallway, Mr. Tenison''s smile fell away into disgust. ¡°Carmen, I want you to find out who drove up the price of my ship!¡± ¡°Yes, sir, I¡¯ve already a few names in mind from the pre-auction social.¡± ¡°Good, I want you to make sure they pay for every single credit they cost me!¡± Carmen didn¡¯t need to ask his employer for details. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, sir, though I suspect it may have been Callisto Corp, at the direction of Shelley Cordata, daughter of... ¡± ¡°I know who her father is, Carmen,¡± He replied tersely, ¡°And that doesn¡¯t matter; you¡¯ll just need to be more conscientious of your timing, that¡¯s all.¡± He straightened, subtly dropping the subject and looking at Carmen with the corner of his eye. ¡°You mentioned you might have a lead on a VE generator?¡± As if having answered his question, he continued, ¡°Do what you need to acquire it. We¡¯re going to need a more reliable source of vervetic energy besides our friends.¡± He entered an open elevator and turned around to face Carmen, stopping him from following. ¡°And tell those busy bodies from Obelisk to stop pestering me.¡± Moments later, the doors shuttered closed, leaving Carmen alone to address the two men in dark suits making their way toward the elevator. *** In their private auction box, Alan couldn¡¯t help but notice his companions seemed somewhat shaken at the results. Mr. Jakes'' hands tremble as Clark Tenson took the podium. He seemed to grow sick as Mr. Tenson claimed the prestigious ¡®win¡¯ at the auction while also advertising the power of Eris. Ms. Cordata, Alan observed, had gone deathly pale. She wouldn¡¯t be bringing home a Xanza Scout Ship back to Callisto Corporation today. Not wanting to pry but seeing his new business partners in distress, Alan said, ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice that you seem especially disappointed at the final item.¡± There was silence for a few moments before the more seasoned Mr. Jakes spoke up. ¡°You might have noticed we¡¯d prepared considerable resources today to purchase the ship. Unfortunately, no one was prepared for the embargo, and didn¡¯t anticipate that we¡¯d lose out on the chance to get the only Earth Enabled one available.¡± Ms. Cordata spoke meekly, ¡°As part of our research and development for spaceships, we were hoping to reverse engineer the components here on Earth so we could make some of our own designs. It seems we weren¡¯t the only ones with that in mind.¡± Trying to be helpful, Mr. Jakes¡¯s assistant said, ¡°Perhaps you could purchase a ship in Cosmos and do your research there?¡± Mr. Jakes responded patiently. ¡°We¡¯d like to, but it would require being able to buy a ship, which, as a new species, has some significant restrictions in Cosmos. Shipbuilders are very protective of their designs and production. Often, it''s a matter of intense security. If I were to buy a ship on a planet, and someone discovered I was taking it apart for research, which they likely would. At best, I would be thrown into a deep dark dungeon; at worst, I would likely be frozen in suspended animation or permanently banned from Cosmos.¡± Ms. Cordata then chimed in. ¡°Every ship has complex security systems to protect them from this type of thing. If I had the resources of an entire planet, I might be able to bypass it and avoid retribution in Cosmos successfully. Still, unfortunately, we¡¯d only be lucky enough to rent a moderate research facility there.¡± The assistant spoke again, ¡°So what was so special about the Xanza Scout? Doesn¡¯t it have the same restrictions? Won¡¯t Eris face similar problems?¡± This time, Alan decided to speak up; he felt it was time to join the conversation. ¡°The way I see it, Xanza doesn¡¯t have a presence here on Earth. So they can¡¯t put us in prison for stealing their tech; the fact that it was for auction here probably means that the technology isn¡¯t all that impressive in Cosmos.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Ms. Cordata jumped in, ¡°The Xanza tech is only a few steps from our own. Not only does that mean we can likely bypass their security measures, but we more than likely can understand its production!¡± She smiled at Alan, seeing that he understood their situation. ¡°One of the reasons we so desperately wanted the Xanza Scout was because of its basic design. Even if I could dismantle an entire ship, it wouldn¡¯t give me insight into how every part was produced.¡± Turning to the now thoughtful assistant, she explained. ¡°You might be able to hold a microchip in your hand but have no idea how it was made.¡± The assistant nodded at this point and seemed to grasp the weight of the situation. She retreated a few steps, no longer pressing her point. ¡°Bryan,¡± Ms. Cordata, seemingly over her melancholy, said to Mr. Jakes. ¡°The way I see it, we¡¯ll have to see if anyone has purchased any ship parts from Cosmos, dismantle those, and see if we can incorporate them into some of our existing designs.¡± He nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll start advertising right away; even secondhand parts, as long as they are here on Earth, could give us a lot of insights.¡± ¡°Not only that, but we¡¯ll need to see if they are willing to buy using credits. We¡¯ve spent a large chunk of our discretionary funds at this point, ¡± She started talking a little, the frustration of the situation beginning to show itself. ¡°It may be a problem, especially if Eris has the same idea. Though, to be honest, I doubt it. Rumor has it that space flight is only one of the areas they are trying to invest in. My guess is they¡¯ve spent a lot of money in all sorts of areas....¡± Mr. Jakes¡¯s assistant coughed, interrupting their discussion, and gestured to Alan. Both of them paused, slightly embarrassed. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Perhaps Alan,¡± Mr. Jakes, or Bryan, as Ms. Cordata mentioned, ¡°We could meet again at another time to discuss VE in the future.¡± He offered graciously. Alan, however, after listening to both their current problem and their proposed solution, had finally concluded his idea about the issue being discussed. He¡¯d been working on how to draw the right kind of people to Kragga. Initially, he planned to recruit mostly family and friends and expand from there. However, that process would likely be a lot slower than he wanted. If he was going to succeed, he needed to be more ambitious. The risks were greater, but so were the rewards. ¡°I¡¯m wondering, Mr. Jakes, if I might be able to offer a different solution to your predicament.¡± Alan hesitated, choosing his words carefully. ¡°I recognize that you might be able to find a few key parts among all the players who¡¯ve gone to Cosmos, but that might be a tad risky with your current plans, as there are likely very few available, and those that are, are unlikely to be of great use.¡± Alan, having heard of Callisto Corp in the past, knew that though they built ships, it wasn¡¯t until after the embargo ended that they started to produce any ships for purchase on Earth. Effectively, it was a non-entity in the market when other ships could be purchased from Cosmos directly. Ms. Cordata snapped, irritated that she''d shared so much in front of him, ¡°So what do you think we ought to do? I know it¡¯s a long shot, but it''s our only shot. We are literally decades behind what the Xanza Scout can do technology-wise, if not a century.¡± ¡°I get it, and I want you to succeed for humanity''s sake as much as anyone. But as I see it, you need three things.¡± He paused for emphasis. ¡°You need access to Ships, preferably those which may be close in technology to our own. It would be best to have a safe place to research to avoid formal organizations and planetary governments. And you need Vervetic Energy to test and run your ships.¡± She nodded skeptically, impatiently waiting for his point. ¡°What if I were to tell you that I can give you access to all three of those.¡± ¡°I would say, ¡®Where are my ice skates because it looks like hell has frozen over.¡¯¡± ¡°Shelly.¡± A stern Mr. Jakes interjected. ¡°Please excuse Ms. Cordata. It¡¯s been a long day. Please continue.¡± Alan only grinned at her remark. ¡°I¡¯ve come into ownership of a large collection of ships. Though not fully functional, many have well-maintained systems that are still working. Perfect for the kind of research you would like to do. Some, with a little help, might be able to fly with little to no repairs.¡± Shelly seemed to see through Alan¡¯s pleasant description and cut right to the heart of it. ¡°Are you talking about some scrapyard? Pretty much a dump?¡± Her tone was dangerous. ¡°More like a potential salvage operation. Ships in good condition needed to be abandoned for one reason or another.¡± His answer didn¡¯t seem to lessen the sharpness in her eyes. ¡°So, how are we to study those ships? I mean, won¡¯t the local government have a problem with us studying them? I would hate to get between them and a treaty?¡± Bryan Jakes continued the conversation, putting down any other argument. ¡°That''s the beauty of it. The planet has been unclaimed and abandoned by any formal organization for a long time. The way I see it, we can do our research with none the wiser. My guess is, many of those ships are so long forgotten, and they aren¡¯t even protected by anyone anymore.¡± ¡°Hmm...I hadn¡¯t thought of using an abandoned location. Even if we were to buy a new ship and travel to an abandoned planet, most ship models have ways of ¡®letting¡¯ their manufacturers know they are being researched, or worse, they may even try to self-destruct. What you''re proposing will simplify the process greatly.¡± ¡°If you can get past the fact that they''re literally an alien''s garbage.¡± Ms. Cordata said half-heartedly, begrudgingly admitting that what Alan offered wasn¡¯t as bad as she had initially thought. Mr. Jakes attempted to hide a brief eye roll as she continued. ¡°It still doesn¡¯t explain how you will help us with our third problem. I know you have a fairly large supply of VE, but on an abandoned planet, it¡¯s unlikely we are going to find a surplus of energy. We¡¯ve been trying to buy whatever surplus we can since the embargo. I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll be able to run experiments for a few months without adequate parts and energy, not to mention the resources it will take to relocate and set up a research facility. Unless, of course, you happen to have a state-of-the-art research facility on hand, too?¡± Alan shook his head, at which point she humphed contentedly. Alan, as a joke, had to keep from making a statement about the bug-infested research facility he''d had to burn down. ¡°However,¡± Alan offered, ready to share a few of his cards, ¡°I may have a reliable source of Earth-enabled VE, which could go a long way to support your research...It¡¯s only if you¡¯re interested, of course.¡± In reaction to his claims, Ms. Shelley Cordata dropped all her reservations and exclaimed, ¡°You can produce VE!? Are you serious? And it¡¯s Earth-enabled? Is that how you have such a large supply?¡± Instead of answering her questions, Alan purposely turned to Mr. Jakes instead. ¡°I know it seems like a long shot, but if you''re willing, you can easily send someone in a day or two to check out my current salvage area while the planetary transfer is still active to see what I have to offer. If you don¡¯t like what you see, we don¡¯t deal. If, on the other hand, you like my offer, we can negotiate so everyone gets what they want.¡± Instead of responding, Mr. Jakes looked toward Ms. Cordata, surprising Alan, as if looking for approval. Slightly confused, Alan looked in her direction. Her arms were folded, clearly agitated. ¡°Perhaps I didn¡¯t fully introduce myself; I¡¯m Shelly Cordata,¡± emphasizing her name, ¡°President of Callisto Corporation.¡± Alan let that sink in. In his timeline, an older gentleman had been the president of Callisto. Never a beauty who seemed to be fresh out of high school. The pieces began to fit together. His confusion must have been evident as she continued. ¡°My father owns the parent company and left me in charge of Callisto. We¡¯ve already been exploring spaceflight engineering for the last few years. However, since Cosmos opened, we¡¯ve shifted much of our assets into exploring the technology present there.¡± She beamed with pride. ¡°Ah...well, excuse me, Ms. Cordata, I uh didn¡¯t¡­¡± Alan half stuttered. She cut him off. ¡°Alan, the way I see it, your plan has potential. But I¡¯m not willing to risk everything Callisto has worked for on a backwater garbage heap. That being said, if what you advertise is true, then I will happily do business to have access to your...salvage.¡± Alan nodded in agreement. ¡°What I am interested in, though, is how much VE you have right now. Regardless of whether your planet is as good as you say it is, you will have to wait. I need VE to help Callisto maximize the assets it''s already purchased. I need 200 VE a day for the next 30 days.¡± Alan nearly choked. His mutation was able to produce about 200 units a day, all on his own, but he wasn¡¯t ready to make that kind of commitment. And didn¡¯t she say they had used all their discretionary assets? ¡°All right, Shelley. I can appreciate your need for energy; I¡¯m willing to provide Callisto with up to 100 VE units a day at your current offer of $200 for 1 VEU for the next month.¡± Alan knew that the prices of VE would shift dramatically over the next month, growing in demand. In his past life, the scarcity grew near the end of the embargo, and before energy could be reliably produced, energy costs were close to $500 per 1 VEU. She immediately counteroffered. ¡°Alan, how about this? If you could raise it to 150 VEU. I¡¯ll pay in advance $200 for each unit for the first 30 days and throw in 30,000 in credits.¡± Alan needed the cash, and the extra credits would be required if he was going to pull off the bold proposition he¡¯d just made so quickly. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Bryan and his assistant provided the contract. In the contract, there was strong language emphasizing the confidentiality of Alan¡¯s VE production and his potential salvage planet. He¡¯d sell the 1300 VEU, storage devices, and 150 Units of VE a day, over 30 days, for $1,200,000 and 30,000 credits. Seeing an opportunity and offering to adjust the deal, Alan proposed taking credits for $200,000 at a rate of 1 credit for 4$ instead of the 1 for $5, as Callisto likely needed more cash than credits. Ultimately, he walked away with 1 Million Dollars and 80,000 Credits. He was beyond pleased. He¡¯d done it¡ªa million dollars by day 7. Chapter 25 Alan signed the contract and provided them with his business information. They exchanged the goods after the deposit was confirmed. Alan¡¯s only regret, after saying goodbye the Shelley and Bryan Jakes, was not having the chance to spend more time with auburn-haired heirress. On the other hand, he had negotiated a million-dollar sale by day 7. Not to mention he had 80,000 additional credits to his name! Exiting his pod, he made his way up to the front area to speak to an attendant, Corbin. ¡°Hello Mr. Alan, what can I do for you today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again Corbin, I believe that today I will complete the purchase of the 6 pods my family had reserved earlier this week.¡± Corbin pulled up the familiar documents. As he was completing the transaction he commented. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it, but last week I couldn¡¯t give those pods away.¡± As if to emphasize his point, Alan overheard someone arguing with another attendant. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand miss, I have $200,000 in cash, right now for one of the 1st series pods¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, but we don''t have any available.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t your bosses want to earn money, that''s $50,000 more than the asking price! I know you take reservations, kick one of them out and move me to the front of the line!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Had the man walked over to Alan right then, he would have flat-out refused him as well. If the guy was smart, he¡¯d be lucky to find some fool who was upset by the embargo to sell their pod, but if not. He¡¯d just have to buy the next in the series. ¡°That should do it, Alan. All 6 pods have been purchased for your family.¡± ¡°Thank you, would you arrange a storage unit and a mover to take my things from this address.¡± He handed Corbin the information. ¡°Someplace relatively close by would be best.¡± ¡°Yes Sir. Of course, we¡¯ll take care of every need and forward you the bill.¡± He smiled. Now that the pods were open 24 hours every day, he didn¡¯t see the point in continuing to rent out his small apartment. He¡¯d still have to let Mrs. Dubai know, but it was getting late and he didn¡¯t see the harm in starting his first night in Cosmos. He asked Corbin to contact his family to let them know the pods were purchased, and that he was going to be meeting with them soon. He hoped to be able to arrange for a few of his family members to come to Kragga. ¡°Thanks, Corbin.¡± Alan gave him a generous tip before going back to his pod. He entered into the cold steel case and jumped in. Before going back to Kragga a notification appeared. Notification from the Terran Virtual Market. You have won the opportunity to purchase 4 plots of ? acre pieces of land for $5000 credits each. Do you wish to move forward with this transaction? Please see below to select the following lots. Either by luck, or some hidden feature of the design, the four plots he put bids on made a perfect half-acre square near the center of the virtual market. Selecting all four he browsed through the various building designs available. The basic designs were all open and had no restrictions. They needed the owner to pay in credits. However, as the designs grew more complicated, or their functions became more specialized, more requirements were added. Rare resources, technical plans, and even VE. Initially, he¡¯d planned on a large building, with a solid foundation, which over time he¡¯d be able to grow, adding multiple stories. However, with his venture with Callisto Corp., he needed to conserve his credits. After reviewing the available design, and making adjustments to what he had in mind he completed his selection. A miniaturized rendering appeared before him. A building the size of a convenience store, half shop, half restaurant, single story. On the restaurant side, it showed that some outdoor seating had been selected, which provided more dining space, without adding too much to the cost. For good measure, he went ahead and also added a basic security system as well as a safe. It wasn¡¯t well known in the beginning, but would become more evident, was that Virtual Marketplace was more of a hybrid system. It allowed ¡®non-players¡¯ to interact with Cosmos, however for real players many of the interactions were just like being in Cosmos. Hence the security. When he was satisfied, Alan selected: Complete Purchase. Your total: 4x ? acre of lands: 20,000 Credits Small Dual Shop/Restaurant: 20,000 Credits Add Ons: Outdoor Dining: 300 Credits Safety System (Basic): 200 Credits Security Safe: 100 Credits. -------------------- Subtotal: 46000 Credits Discount: 10% for 1st Series Purchase -4600 Total: 41400 After his purchase he wrote two quick emails. One to his mother, so she could start selling and trading her goods. He also gave her a reminder that anything ¡®Earth-Enabled¡¯ was likely going to skyrocket in pricing over the next month. So don¡¯t sell low. The other email was to Reardon. Letting him know that, if he was still interested, there was a restaurant in which he could start his culinary dream. Looking at his credit total, he had just over 80,000 credits left and just under $100,000. He needed to get back to Kragga, it was still late and he could likely fall asleep in his pod. Entering the character room, he saw the following information.
Personal Modifier Current Available: 1 Description Credit Balance: Approx 80000
Strength (3/10) Items: Food Ration 4-Wheeler Energy Pistol Energy Gauntlets Land Claim Permit Commercial Nano Material Manipulator VE Energy Shield EV Exchange Generator 43 F Monster Nyamisium Core 1 F Monster Nyamisium Core 10 Doses of Nanoheal ... (see next page)
Speed (3/10) 8 MPH Jog Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Intelligence (3/10) 115 IQ
(VE) Capacity (8/8) 288/800VEU
(VE) Production (8/8) 8 UPH
Alan appeared just outside of The Brick. Before he moved forward, he activated 1 of the 2 purchases he had made at the auction: Land Claim Permit: A device to make a legal claim to lands not owned by an existing entity. Must not be disputed territory. Warning: Laying a claim does not prevent hostile actions toward your claim. Alan had never actually laid a claim in his last life. Only read stories about them. In Cosmos, you could become the owner of a site. This would help you to have a foundation from which certain perks and benefits may arise. One of which was to claim ownership of resources and be recognized by Cosmos as the owner. This didn¡¯t protect what you had gained, but it did give you a foundation to lay claim and to make contracts in Cosmos. And as of right now he owned nothing, he was just a squatter. Holding the device in his hands, it resembles a small steel box, with a singular small red button. Pressing the button, a small seam appeared at the top of the box. Inside was a small drone that could easily fit in Alan¡¯s palm. As it was already powered, the drone shot into the sky and began to circle. The drone began to scan the surrounding area, analyzing the topography. Data began to filter to the steel box, and an image began to project from a small hole where the drone had sat. The surrounding area lit up before Alan, giving him a bird¡¯s eye view of the area. The portion of Kragga¡¯s Waste Sea which Alan was in full view. Blackened debris dunes, fallen buildings, tufts of stunted vegetation, and more importantly a broader view of the ships¡¯ graveyard in the local area. As Kragga was unclaimed by any formal organization, Alan could lay claim to any area. Please select the parameters of your land claim. Interacting with the map was simple. It allowed Alan to draw the borders of the area he was interested in. However, claiming territory came with a cost. For every acre he claimed in Cosmos, he had to pay a price in credits. All in all, he was able to select a plot of land around the vast ship graveyard, as well as other fallen buildings in the area. Please note there is a 5000 Credit charge to file for a land claim. The cost of the land claimed and the filing fee comes to a total of 78000 credits. Please note a small tax will be charged for all profits related to and derived from the land claim. Do you wish to complete your purchase? Yes/No Alan selected yes before another window appeared. Please note that a residency must be designated within the next 72 hours to conduct any official Cosmos business. At that point, Alan pressed the button again which called back the drone. The lid came down and sealed once again. He took ¡®official¡¯ Cosmos hardware and put the device back in his ring. It was still a surprise to have obtained the item for such a low bid. As he stepped toward ¡°The Brick,¡± the huge space freighter that he had been using as a home base, he couldn¡¯t help but scoff at the price Clark Tenison had paid for the little scout ship. In a real-world comparison, Clark had paid the price of a private jet, but in reality, had only bought the equivalent of a single-prop airplane. Alan couldn¡¯t help but think of a friend of his, who was fond of the Cessna he¡¯d been training on to be a pilot and looked forward to something with a little more oomph. He couldn¡¯t help but smile, as he thought of what Shelley would say after she saw some of the ships around here. Stepping toward the ship he was surprised to find the hatch had been left open. Not a big deal, as he hadn¡¯t told 739 to close it. As he moved toward the workshop an uneasy feeling began to stir. As no lights were emanating from the area. Holding up his portable light, the white beam settled upon scattered battery parts lying haphazardly across the floor. The air was still, and Alan felt a heavy weight of the darkness around him. 739, he observed, was nowhere to be found, only a single door leading from the workshop was open. Growing anxious, he searched the area. Cautiously, Alan removed two steel gauntlets from his ring and the VE Energy shield. They¡¯d been acquired from Mairkness. The gauntlets were gunmetal gray with a single blue stone on the back of the hand. They adjusted automatically, going up half his forearm. He sent energy down his arms, causing the blue stones to glow cobalt. The VE Energy shield attached to his shirt, wrapping around him snuggly. Finding nothing in the manufacturing room, Alan crept through the shadowy halls of the ship, with only pale blue light to guide him. He neared a large room, exposed red pipes lined the walls and led toward the central room, where a complex web of conduit and wire met. Drip...drip...drip. The faint sound could be heard off to one side, as he moved toward it, he noticed a large gash had cut through one of the pipes, and fluid was dripping slowly out. Stepping away, he turned around, only to hear a faint tapping in the gloomy silence. He moved toward the sound, till he came upon a sealed door. Cautiously, Alan pried open the handle and edged the door open. One hand shining, blue light into a darkened room. A shadow stopped just short of the light, and Alan glimpsed two lights in the darkness. They were the unmistakable eyes of 739. Revealing more light, the form of 739 materialized from the shows. ¡°What are you doing 739?!¡± Alan hissed. Almost at that same moment, 739 dashed toward the door, pulling Alan in by the shirt and throwing him to the floor. Alan, thrown off balance and partially stunned, wanted to shout at 739 when his thoughts were interrupted by a crash at the partially opened door. Rolling over, his eyes only caught a faint glimpse of a shadow crashing into 739 and launching him back from the entrance. Moments later Alan added energy to his gauntlets, increasing the brightness. The blue light shone upon a dark sleek form crowding the doorway. The figure, crouched on four legs, a jet-black carapace, and a red skull, like that of a hound, were illuminated by the glowing light. Heart pounding, Alan¡¯s eyes constricted as his eyes fell upon what he could only describe as a bug hound. Multiple sets of obsidian eyes, along with antennae fixed themselves onto Alan. It paused as if it and Alan were the only things in the room. Alan froze at the inexplicable, intense gaze, the space between heartbeats seemed to drag on. Alan shifted slightly, and if a spell were suddenly broken the beast leapt forward. The sharpened maw hungrily drove at Alan. He spun to the side. Barely avoiding a cross between, what looked like a hound jaw and pincers. A hair-raising screech filled the small room as the hardened skull gouged a long streak along the ship¡¯s steel plate. Alan¡¯s mind reeled at the physical damage just one attack had on the hardened steel plate. Though covered in a VE energy shield, he took no comfort, as it only protected against fast-moving projectiles. A melee attack like this would cut through him like butter. Adrenaline pumping, Alan rose to a knee, and threw a desperate fist, full of Vervetic Energy. Flash! Blue-encased metal clashed against the obsidian shell. Alan stumbled forward in shock. Instead of the expected crunch and squashed bug splatter. The hound, instead, flew sidelong into a rising 739. Sending both into a nearby wall, bending pipes, and exposing wires. Tangling them both in the debris. The bug hound scrambled to gain its footing and break free. Manically, its legs twisted wildly, razor protrusions mangling everything around it. 739 too, was caught in the flurry of blades. In its struggle it ignored 739, its sole focus was upon Alan, as it drew nearer to untangling itself. Alan reacted, energizing both fists. He held out his arms, releasing a blue arc of crackling energy from the stones inserted in the back of his hand. The crackling energy scattered initially, striking exposed wires, pipes, and other materials. Alan cursed, as he¡¯d never even attempted to practice using the unfamiliar weapon. The bug hound, sensing danger, writhed ever more quickly. Until, in its frenzy, it broke through from the tangled mess. Draining energy haphazardly, and sweating bullets from the ever-increasing heat, Alan attempted to redirect the stream of untamed energy towards a now charging hound. The bug¡¯s eyes, now flaming rubies, hungered for the kill. Whether by pure luck or by a decrease in distance, the blue ark finally connected to the obsidian carapace. Alan felt a tug, as the vicious cobalt energy seemed to charge forward, finally connecting to its prey. The bug hound stiffened immediately. Its body relentlessly twitched upon the floor. It was only as it began to smell of seared flesh in the confined space that Alan cut off the flow of energy. He nearly vomited, as the smell of what might generously resemble singed hair permeated the small room. Smoke arose from between the gaps of the beast. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to have the body shape of a massive dog crossed with a beetle. Its carapace, Alan noted, was virtually unharmed, only a light scuff where his fist had connected. As the adrenaline faded and the feeling of bile rising from his stomach settled, he stumbled forward to check on 739. The droid lay in the tangle of broken pipes and wires almost indistinguishable from the ship''s debris. Alan could tell immediately that 739¡¯s leg had been torn off, while many of its other systems were in clear disrepair. However, Alan noticed its eyes still glimmered faintly. A sign that its main processor was still active. Alan sighed with relief inwardly. ¡°Hey, are you ok?¡± 739 attempted to sit up. It outstretched a single, untangled arm, a weaponized spike still outstretched. Instead of a verbal reply, a garbled set of frantic squeaks and static came from the droid. Looking down curiously, a terrible thought dawned on him. Alan¡¯s eyes narrowed. In a moment, which he sensed more than saw, Alan heard a silent leap. His head jerked around, but he only had a moment to see the abyssal maw of a second bug hound, vengeful and hungry it clamped around his throat. Falling backwards Alan felt the terrible pressure on his windpipe for only a moment. YOU HAVE DIED. Please wait¡­ Chapter 26 "No!" Alan yelled as he reappeared in the Cosmos waiting area. Even though he wasn''t back on Earth, cold sweat beaded across his face as he clutched at his throat, terror sweeping through his body as he reflexively checked for bite marks. It was only after some moments that his heartbeat slowed, and his brain began to process that he wasn''t dead. Even after years of gaming, on top of playing Cosmos, the unexpected death terrified him. If he had been honest with himself, it never really became comfortable, even when it was expected. As the heart-wrenching fear began to pass, the burning embers of what had just happened suddenly seemed to catch fire. "Idiot!" He shouted angrily. "How could I have let my guard down!" He paced the room, reviewing the battle moment by moment as a thought struck him. "739 even tried to warn me!" He thought of the droid pointing futilely behind Alan. Had there been a wall, he''d be tempted to put his fist into it. His fist clenched reflexively as he ground his teeth. His fuming stopped suddenly when a voice spoke up. "Hello, Alan. "A wry feminine voice came from behind him. Alan turned, his eyes meeting hers; he winced self-consciously at the thought that she had seen his little tantrum. "Hello, Kara." He tried to look a little embarrassed. She seemed to pause for a moment before continuing. "Well, Alan, it seems you are mortal," She teased, with a slight edge to her tone. "Uh...Yeah...I was killed unexpectedly." Alan felt uneasy as his hand once again felt his throat reassuringly. "Hmm Yes. I see this is your first time dying. Would you like me to review with you the penalties for death? Or perhaps you would like to figure it out on your own." She inquired with a hidden emphasis. Not quite catching the tone in her voice, he responded as naturally as he could. "If you could explain it to me, that would be great." Did she seem agitated somehow? A silently to himself. "Fine." She said flatly. "First, I must inform you that this first death is only a 24-hour game lockout. However, in the future, the penalty can vary from 24 hours to 72 hours of lockout depending on how you died." Alan nodded. I tried to look interested while at the same time trying to figure out what seemed to be bothering Kara. "Please note that if you do die more than one time on the planet, there is a chance you will be transferred from the current planet to another. Dying in space will revert you to another world. It will likely be the nearest hospitable planet, but not necessarily." He nodded along mechanically. "Are there any other questions you have before you start your 24-hour lockout, Alan?" Kara finished, and she seemed to notice his distraction. Snapping to attention, Alan thought quickly. "What happens to my items and credits if I die?" Her eyes narrowed slightly as if he''d passed some sort of hidden test. "The items you currently own will have three different outcomes. First, a percentage of your items will drop upon your death. This is determined by how many times you died on the planet, the form of your death, what items were in your ring, and other character variables that determine what is lost. Second, some items are destroyed. This should be no surprise, as certain forms of death are more destructive than others. Finally, the other items will be returned automatically to the owner." "Regarding credits, this is less complicated. For the most part, a small percentage of your credits will be deducted from the game." "Directly taken by Cosmos." Alan thought, just a bit cynical. "However, after looking at your current credit, you only have 2000 credits." "How many funds did I lose?" Alan asked. "You seem quite lucky. Since this was your first death, a surprise attack, and your death was due to a partial failure to notice the danger you were in, your credit deduction will only be 0.5% for a total of 10 credits." Kara finished. "Perfect." Alan was relieved he only had about 2000 credits left when he died. He couldn''t bear the thought of losing hundreds, if not thousands, of credits. "Yes, it seems that way." She paused professionally before continuing, "However, within the last three days, you recently had in your possession 180,000 in credits." "And?" Where was she going with this? The rules were pretty well known in Cosmos. You die, you lose a small percentage of credits. Done and done. "In some cases, Cosmos may determine that such a recent expenditure of credits was a way to avoid the credit death penalty." Kara finished. "In this case, the system that you likely planned or knew of your upcoming death and therefore increased the penalty. It was pretty straightforward from the footage that you were being warned about the monster. In such cases, the credit penalty will extend to the total sum spent in the last few days, and in this case it is tripled, for a total of 2700 credits. He was floored. "How¡­. Why¡­.¡± The anger which he had hidden before was starting to rise. He''d heard of this penalty before, but this typically happened when there were combatants going into a war zone. Not some random encounter. "This shouldn''t be happening to me, Kara! I didn''t plan to die. Why on Earth would Cosmos give me a penalty like that!" He shouted at her. She remained cool, as if expecting his outburst. "Alan, that seems surprising. From what I''ve observed, your past week in Cosmos has seemed exceptionally well planned. That, or you just happen to stumble upon one beneficial accident one right after the other." She cynically offered, "Not including your recent combat, of course." The warmth she''d previously had shown in past encounters had all but disappeared. "It''s so odd, in fact, I''ve been instructed to observe your behavior in Cosmos closely. In the last week, you''ve engaged in a number of suspiciously anomalous behaviors which, if I may say, stumbling cannot be accounted for. For example, Ideal exchanges for precious metals, acquiring important technology prior to the embargo, and making oddly timed but very beneficial transfers to planets. I could go on¡­" Kara pursed her lips and looked sharply at him. His unease turned to near panic. Alan looked at the exit button, jumping at the chance to cut off the conversation and escape her gaze. However, his heart skipped a beat, as it was greyed out, he was stuck. Trying to hide the rising worry from his voice, he asked, "Kara, wha...what are you getting at?" If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Kara seemed to catch his darting gaze from her eyes to the exit and gave a slightly exasperated sigh. "Alan. I''ll get straight to it. Everything you''ve done to this point seems to have been calculated to give you an astronomically advanced edge in Cosmos. Furthermore, I took the liberty to investigate those around you, and though not to the same degree, each of your family members seems to have made decisions that defy the statistical norms of players first entering Cosmos. Your sister''s gene and planet choices alone would set off alarm bells." She paused for emphasis, "There is enough circumstantial evidence to suggest that you have been given information from another species or player about Cosmos that would constitute cheating." He paled. Her final words felt like a stab in the gut for Alan. Kara believed he was cheating. "Y-you think I''m cheating?" Beads of sweat rolled down Alan''s back as his gut continued to twist and the pain intensified. "How else do you explain these events?" She said frigidly. Alan''s heart raised, and he fought the urge to tremble. He definitely had outside information, but from his perspective, a fantastical time-traveling stone couldn''t be against the rules. Right!? If he told her about the strange stone, who knows how she would react? Would she even believe him? Was there even a precedent for time travel? He wasn''t sure that''s how he ended up back in time. Not only that but there may be other consequences to telling her. He couldn''t risk someone else gaining the information the knew about future events Nearly all information could be bought in Cosmos, including what the Valkyries knew, and there was no way he was willing to put on such a large target. As he continued to think about her question, he felt the room grow colder and colder as Kara''s gaze chilled the room. He only had one course of action in his mind. He could only deny her accusation. "I am not a cheater." He spoke as confidently as he could, as fear and cold both seemed to want and break him. "All the knowledge I have of Cosmos I gained through my experience. To the best of my knowledge, in the past 19 years of my life I wasn''t given information about Cosmos by aliens or any other entity." As confident as he sounded, it didn''t take him long for his will to break and shivering begin in the freezing temperatures. Kara stared at him for a long time, seemingly unaware of his discomfort. Alan stood there, quaking and wondering. Her eyes blinked once, and she smiled suddenly. In the exact moment the chill permeating the room lifted. "Alan, Cosmos system, despite all your irregular behaviors, cannot conclusively identify any direct evidence of cheating. Additionally, your body has been scanned, and it has been determined your previous statements were not lies." Kara''s smile was broader, and with it Alan''s hopes. Thinking it through, more as his brain began to defrost, a few questions came to his mind. They had scanned him for lying? Alan was a little indignant at hearing that but kept his mouth shut as he had just started to feel his fingers and toes, and had just avoided being turned into a popsicle. Looking more closely at Kara, however, Alan noticed that she looked relieved at telling him the news. "In spite of this Alan, Cosmos has determined there is a risk that you may still be a cheater." She stated in a much more formal tone. "Due to this, if you wish to continue your Cosmos play, then you will need to submit to a few precautionary restrictions." She added more personably, "Alan, penalties for cheating can vary from long-term lockouts to¡­account termination." She added with concern, "You have the option to simply retire your character now, and you will receive no penalties." It seemed that Cosmos hadn''t yet ruled out his behavior as cheating, and Kara was not convinced either. She was trying to persuade him to quit now. Especially, since account termination was something on the table. Alan remembered when he''d first learned about account termination in the past. It was only a few months into playing the game when articles began to surface about players who had tried breaking the rules of Cosmos. Typically, players who broke the rules were locked out for some time, this could be for a few weeks to years, if not life. For most, this was a minor inconvenience, while for others, it could lead to some significant financial or social losses. It wasn''t until the stories of account termination began to spread among Earth players that they started to consider the rules of the game seriously. On the surface, it didn''t sound too bad. You would just no longer be a player. What this meant, however, was that if Cosmos could take back any of the benefits you received, it would. At first, players thought it only meant you would lose your credits and items in Cosmos. A few even thought they had found a loophole by moving everything to Earth where Cosmos couldn''t touch you. But in reality, Cosmos wanted everything you gained, including every subsequent stat increase, knowledge input, and genetic modification. And what Cosmos took away is that it didn''t particularly seem to care about putting you back together the way you started. Pod attendants would receive a message to check in on a player, only to find that their pods now had a flashing red signal stating ''account terminated.'' The first few players discovered had significant memory loss along with some minor brain damage. These, it turned out, were the lucky ones. Those players who had done significant gene mutations on their bodies or had vast stat increases, well...The term Pudding Player began to circulate when they were found. And they were still alive if you could call them that. Cosmos would never intentionally kill anyone, not directly. Alan shuddered at the thought of his vervetic core and energy pathways being removed from his body without putting everything back in its place. He looked up at Kara, wondering briefly if he should take up her offer. An instant later the future of Earth flashed before his eyes. His mind reflected on the chance that he''d been given to make it better despite the risks. "Let''s keep playing Kara, I''m no cheater," Alan responded firmly, hoping his words were true. Though her eyes showed concern about his choice, Kara immediately reverted to her professional tone and manner. "Alan, effective immediately, an additional piece of equipment will be attached to your matter ring. It will be authorized to monitor and record any activity outside of Cosmos. This will continue until, at such time, it can be determined you no longer pose a risk as a cheater. Do you agree?" He only nodded in agreement. A small bright light flew from behind Kara and dashed directly into his ring, making some unseen adjustment. Seconds later, both Kara and Alan exhaled, releasing a breath they hadn''t realized they were holding. Kara said, "Well, it relieves me, Alan, that you have spoken the truth." Alan could only nod. She continued, "I seem to have misjudged the situation." She sighed sheepishly, "As such, I believe some compensation is in order." Alan''s eyes brightened at the suggestion. "As a new race, you may not be aware of some of my functions. I know you have recently acquired new land and may intend to strike a business deal with another Earth entity." Alan shouldn''t be surprised; it seemed he''d been closely monitored in Cosmos. "I can witness and somewhat enforce contracts relating to Cosmos. This typically requires a substantial fee and developing a relationship level with the appropriate Cosmos representatives. However, you have already met the relationship requirement with a Cosmos representative. I am speaking about myself. Due to today''s strenuous encounter, I am willing to waive the fee for your first initial contract." "Thank you, Kara; I know you were only doing your job. I hope we can move forward in our friendship without too much more suspicion." Alan smiled warmly at her. "Does that mean I don''t have to pay the extra credits at death?" Kara smiled at him, "No, I suppose not. To be honest, I wasn''t convinced you had planned your death. Most may try to save a few credits, but no one intentionally loses a skill point..." Alan cringed suddenly; he''d forgotten to assign his last skill point, and if it remained unassigned at death, it was lost. Kara seemed to be holding a laugh at Alan''s reaction as she continued, "I look forward to doing our question game in the future. For now, I must proceed with your 24-hour lockout." Before Alan could nod, his vision faded, and he began to feel the familiar pod surrounding him. He exited the pod, only to immediately be hit by an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion. It felt as though his whole body was sore. It was late, to be sure, but the time he spent with Kara had felt like an eternity. Unable to use his pod and not trusting himself not to curl up on the corrugated steel flooring, he signaled an attendant and had him hire a taxi back to Mrs. Dubai''s home. He still had his studio apartment. On the drive home, he promptly fell asleep and had to be woken up by the driver. He stumbled into his apartment and curled up in bed, not bothering even to take off his shoes. Chapter 27 Alan groaned as the door rapped once again. At first, he¡¯d been confused at the sound. His sleep had been muddled with odd nightmares: exploding suns, being eaten by bugs, and running for his life from his ex-girlfriend. His last dream had been a futile attempt to break out from his pod, his hand beating uselessly in an attempt to escape. Thump, thump, thump. ¡°Alan, may I speak with you.¡± A voice called through the door. Alan struggled to sit up, as the almost irritatingly polite voice of Mrs. Dubai called from the other side. His whole body ached and protested any movement he made. When he finally did sit up, his clothes stuck to him uncomfortably. It seemed he¡¯d sweat through his white shirt that night. He took a belabored breath, as he was deciding if he should grab a glass of water, go to the bathroom or answer the door first. All felt exhausting. Thump, Thump, Thump. There it was again. The ever persistent, but always polite Mrs. Dubai. Licking his lips, Alan managed a ¡°One minute¡± before finally deciding that he needed water first. After he downed a glass of water, he shuffled over to the front door, opening it to the anxiously awaiting Mrs. Dubai. ¡°Good morning dear.¡± Mrs. Dubai offered, and after taking a second look at him continued, ¡°Oh my, you look exhausted, I hope I didn¡¯t wake you.¡± Alan had briefly checked the time, it was 8:00 am. Mrs. Dubai¡¯s had a very clear idea of when a young man ought to be up and about. ¡°I had a rough day of work yesterday. Had to come home late¡± He tried to run his fingers through his hair, in a vain attempt to look a bit more presentable. He was keenly aware he was wearing a very wrinkled suit and pants. Looking back at her, Alan noticed that she seemed to be looking him over closely, especially at his face. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± She finally said, ¡°Well you know what they say, early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.¡± Alan tried not to roll his eyes. ¡°Anyway,¡± she continued, ¡°A gentleman came over to my home yesterday, and tried to get into your place. He insisted that you¡¯d requested movers and was setting up a time for them to come over this morning. Well, I told him that it couldn¡¯t be the case. You would have informed me first, and if they tried to take your things, I would be calling the police.¡± Alan could only stare blankly at her for a few moments. He was far too tired to be having this kind of conversation. In the back of his mind, he remembered something about having someone take his stuff to a storage unit... ¡°So?¡± She asked, as Alan continued to ponder the situation. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± A few awkward moments more and his mental motor suddenly started to turn, finally catching up with the situation. ¡°I¡¯m Sorry Mrs. Dubai, I meant to tell you earlier, but I¡¯ve recently needed to change a few of my living arrangements.¡± She seemed to give a slight gasp. ¡°Alan, I¡¯m concerned for you dear. When I agreed to rent you this studio, it was because I¡¯ve known you and your mother for years. You¡¯ve always been such a responsible young man. But this last week you¡¯ve changed. Vandalism, strange late-night visitors and I heard from your mother you dropped out of college?¡± She leaned in very close and almost whispered, ¡°Do you have money problems, are you on drugs?¡± Alan didn¡¯t know whether to laugh, or be upset. If she hadn¡¯t been so serious, he would have chosen the former. Instead, he took a deep breath, and channeled the patience he¡¯d worked for in space. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to worry you Mrs. Dubai. I¡¯m doing just fine. And no, I¡¯m not taking any drugs.¡± She looked at him skeptically, again paying particular attention to his eyes, not convinced. His eyes must have looked bloodshot, since he hadn¡¯t bothered to take out his colored contacts. He sighed. Mrs. Dubai had actually been his mother¡¯s friend for years; it''s why he¡¯d been able to get the studio apartment. In his last life, she¡¯d generally been rather sweet, bringing him cookies, inviting him for dinners, while he¡¯d do odd jobs around the house. She¡¯d been a widow for the last 10 years of her life. And Alan suspected she took an interest in others'' life more out of loneliness than anything else. Trying again he approached her more sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry Mrs. Dubai. I am sure things have been pretty strange lately. To be honest, I¡¯ve been making a lot of changes for the better.¡± He gave her a brief explanation of his break up, and tried to explain how he¡¯d been doing better financially because of ¡®his new job¡¯ at Cosmos. She didn¡¯t seem convinced until he wrote her a literal check equivalent to 6 months of rent for the inconvenience of leaving so soon. ¡°I promise I¡¯m doing well.¡± She looked at the check questioningly, but then seemed to make up her mind. ¡°Hmmm...well I guess you might be doing better than I thought. But since you¡¯ve paid me 6 months¡¯ worth of rent, I¡¯ll be sure to keep it ready if you stop by, even if the movers take your things.¡± Alan was about to protest, the check was meant as a gift, but she turned on her heels and ended the conversation as abruptly as it started. All Alan could do was rub the tired from his eyes, and look to get ready for the day. While he showered and changed, his mind drifted to his past, last he heard she¡¯d been relocated to a small housing unit in a refugee complex. A punitive and meager life. It was both away from the garden she so tenderly cared for, and far from the home she had lived in with her spouse since being married. It must have been torture. Refreshed and now fully awake, Alan had some time to reflect on weeks past events and his next steps. Though inconvenient, unexpected death gave him a little time to reflect on his current plans. With his plans for manufacturing energy, building capital, and supporting his family he recognized one very potential flaw. His situation was going to become more and more dangerous, and he needed more allies. He¡¯d been relatively lucky going to the wastes and only having to fight a few times. Honestly, he¡¯d been pretty foolish to do it on his own. He reached out to his phone. There were a number of un-responded texts and missed phone calls. Selecting one of the numbers, he hit ¡®call.¡¯ Bzzt. Bzzt. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Alan you dog, I haven¡¯t heard from you in over a week!¡± ¡°Hey Nick, long time. Sorry, I¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say, I just heard that you ended it with Denise. I can¡¯t believe you broke it off with her man!¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been crazy.¡± ¡°Well, I need to know all about it! What are you doing for lunch? Don¡¯t answer that. Lunch is on me and Adrian, we¡¯ve got to celebrate!¡± *** ¡°Alan over here.¡± Nick bellowed; he was sitting in a booth at Hank¡¯s Burgers. The diner was a local favorite of the high school crowd. The theme was the 1950''s. Though it¡¯s hard to call it a theme since it had opened around that time. An antique jukebox sat in the corner playing a song from Elvis Presley. Pictures of hot rods hung from the walls along with antique vinyl records. There was even a glass case with an old guitar signed by Buddy Holly. Even the servers wore uniforms of the era. Nick stood up from their traditional booth to greet his friend. Nearly six and a half feet tall, he wore an imposing flaxen beard and ponytail, which he¡¯d been growing since starting high school. If it wasn¡¯t for the green shirt sporting the classic video game Zelda pasted on its front, you''d have mistaken him for a Norse Viking. Nick took Alan in a grand bear hug, nearly crushing him. Alan squeezed back. It was literally like hugging a long-lost brother. As they sat Nick started in his gruff voice, ¡°Adrian¡¯s just in the restroom. Had to wash up first.¡± He grinned at Alan knowingly. Alan grinned back. The two were nearly inseparable. The only difference between them was their level of cleanliness. Thinking back, he¡¯d known both since junior high, where they all had been in the same history class together. Their teacher had given them a group project and from that time forward they had been fast friends. That was until he started going out with Denise. His now ex-girlfriend had preferred Alan spend his time with her social group. Spending less and less time with his friends. A moment later a young latino, clean shaven with short dark hair and a handsome complexion walked from the restroom. Alan stood up and gave him a big hug. ¡°Adrian, it¡¯s good to see you!¡± ¡°Hey brother, long time no see.¡± He spoke calmly, without the bravado of the other but with the same intensity. Alan smiled at them both, ¡°It¡¯s been too long¡± his voice catching at the sight of his friends. ¡°Are you doing all right?¡± Adrian commented, noticing his friend¡¯s reaction ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just good to see you both again.¡± Alan tried to quickly recover his feelings. He took some quiet, deep breaths to calm himself. He couldn¡¯t afford to tear up and alarm his friends. Also, his color-contacts couldn¡¯t take it. ¡°Well it''s been a few weeks, but I¡¯m glad to see you too.¡± Nick chimed in. They all ordered. Nick insisted that Adrian and he pay for lunch, claiming it was the reward for Alan finally breaking up with that ¡°Medusa¡± and overcoming the she-devil¡¯s curse. Adrian nodded in agreement. When the food came, he tore into his cheeseburger with bacon like it was manna from heaven. Between bites, Alan recounted his breakup and a few of the subsequent encounters. Though, he did the Cosmos-related details out of it. Like how her car had conveniently stopped working outside his house. ¡°Dang Alan! I can¡¯t believe she actually showed up to your house to chew you out!¡± Nick laughed. ¡°I would have paid money to have seen her face.¡± ¡°It seems she really has it out for you.¡± Adrian chimed in with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you caught onto her little tricks. We¡¯ve been trying to tell you for years, you know? But I¡¯m glad you finally saw through her. Do you think she will come after you again?¡± ¡°Maybe, it all depends on her, and whether or not she can let it go.¡± Alan sighed. ¡°So, the monster will definitely be back.¡± Nick winked. ¡°Next time you think she¡¯s going to show up, just make sure to have us there.¡± Adrian added with dry humor, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to see you turned to stone.¡± They all laughed. Finishing their meals, they all sat back contentedly. Their food hadn¡¯t even had time to start digesting, when Nick spoke up. ¡°All right, your girl problems aside, Adrian and I have something important to tell you.¡± He looked at Alan meaningfully. ¡°You know how we talked about Cosmos a few weeks ago?¡± Alan nodded trying to recall, but before he could say more Nick continued passionately. ¡°Have you recently heard how amazing it is!? There are rumors on the web that the items you can take out of it are 100% real. I saw this video of a guy using his matter ring and totally making an entire car disappear!¡± Adrian chimed in, ¡°Yeah....if you believe it wasn¡¯t edited to look that way.¡± ¡°Come on man, it looks way too good to be CGI!¡± Nick countered, ¡°What about all the genetic modification stuff?¡± ¡°Professional makeup.¡± Adrian offered flatly. ¡°Ok, so what about all the rumors about people being able to trade platinum for gold!¡± Nick became more heated. ¡°I don¡¯t buy it. Besides, there have only been a few reports. Besides, have you heard the reports about people trading all their gold for ¡®virtual credits¡¯ ? It sounds like Cosmos knows how to make a profit, even if it has to do a few trades for publicity. Don¡¯t you think it is a little suspicious that even if you could trade it now, you couldn¡¯t bring any gold back here?¡± Adrian''s calm continued despite Nick¡¯s passionate arguments. ¡°Come on man, you know there is something there! Why else did you agree to sign up to go with me!¡± Nick nearly shouted. At the comment Alan couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, ¡°Wait, you guys signed up for Cosmos?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Nick answered. ¡°We were going to tell you, but you haven¡¯t responded to any of our texts or calls. ¡°That, and we felt bad, since we know you¡¯ve got to pay for school, rent...you know.¡± Adrian offered. ¡°It''s pretty expensive, and we didn¡¯t want you to feel left out.¡± Alan suddenly recalled his past. His friends had, at one point, asked if he¡¯d wanted to try out Cosmos with them, but he hadn¡¯t had the money. In fact he¡¯d been just as skeptical as Adrian when Cosmos opened up. ¡°No worries, I¡¯ve been pretty busy.¡± He dismissed their concerns and asked excitedly. ¡°When are you guys going?¡± Nick grinned at Adrian in triumph and turned to Alan. ¡°Tomorrow! Can you believe it! We signed up a few days ago.¡± Alan didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°That''s great guys!¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve been scouring the internet reading up on all the genetic modifications, knowledge downloads, planets people have been too, and how to get credits. It''s tough to find good information since it''s a pretty new game, and there have been only a few posts online.¡± Nick held up his phone to a recent blog, ¡°One of the best is this blogger, TravelsInWonderland. She seems to have one of the better starting guides. She has a lot of info on a few of the worlds and really knows her stuff about setting up your character.¡± Alan took the phone and started reading. Adrian followed up, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so excited for us. Last time we talked; you were pretty skeptical of the whole Cosmos thing.¡± It took Alan a moment to respond as he was scanning the Character Guide written by TravelsInWonderland. A lot of the insights she was writing were really advanced. If he¡¯d seen this guide in his last life, he might have made some big changes around his character creation. Funny thing was, he¡¯d never even heard of this blogger before in his past life¡­ ¡°Hey Alan¡± His trail of thought was cut off by Adrian. ¡°Huh? Oh yeah sorry. What was that?¡± Alan¡¯s mind returned back to the conversation. ¡°I was just saying, it seems like you¡¯ve had a change of heart. How come?¡± Adrian persisted. Without too much thought he responded, ¡°I signed up on opening day and been going there every day since. It¡¯s why I¡¯ve been so busy this last week.¡± Both Nick and Adrian¡¯s mouths dropped. Alan felt a little awkward at their obvious surprise. The silence was broken however, by the ringing of his cell phone. Recognizing the caller, Alan quickly answered it. ¡°Hey Shelley, it¡¯s good to hear from you, I was just going to call you so we could set up a time to meet¡­¡± Both Nick and Adrian didn¡¯t have to say anything. But looked at each other with knowing glances, grinning wildly. Alan noticed their glances. He could only imagine what his friends were thinking. Where did our cautious, strait-laced, responsible friend go? Who was this Shelley that Alan was clearly excited to talk to? Nick and Adrian were obviously excited. And curious. They were trying to listen into the conversation. Alan walked quickly, stepping outside to finish his talk with Shelley. Chapter 28 The conversation with Shelley was short and to the point. Though she was interested in going to Kragga that evening, Alan had pushed it off till later, tomorrow morning. He was still locked out, and didn¡¯t want to have an awkward conversation about why he¡¯d died in the game with a potential business partner. He couldn¡¯t have been gone for more than 5 minutes, but when he returned, it was clear on the faces of Adrian and Nick that they had already decided what was going on. ¡°So who is Shelley?¡± Adrian began with a grin. Alan was about to respond when Nick cut in. ¡°Man, it''s been less than a week! What is going on? First you break up with Denise, then you go to Cosmos --and I might as well add you let me and Adrian go on and on arguing about it in front of you-- and now you''re talking to a new girl named Shelley?!¡± Nick grew increasingly more loud and excited as he went on. ¡°You have got to tell us what¡¯s going on!¡± Adrian looked a little annoyed, but followed his friend, just more tactfully. ¡°It sounds like there might be a few things you hadn¡¯t gotten to yet when you were telling us about the break up.¡± Looking at his two friends, Adrian, patiently waiting, his hands folded in his lap; and Nick¡¯s meaty hands choking his napkin, Alan felt as if he wanted to tell them everything. His throat tightened at seeing his friends again, the first time in so many years. He reached for a glass of water, debating on telling them everything he knew. How the future played out, about his time travel, about how one of them died... That was until he saw his ring. He instead firmed up his jaw, plastered on a smile and tried to share his experiences around Cosmos. He began by sharing his good fortune at making some early trades and his experiences on his first planet. He stayed away from giving too much advice about starting a character, but let them know that the blogger ¡°TravelsInWonderland¡±, sounded like they knew what they were talking about. When he shared a little about Shelley, they both seemed surprised, disappointed and oddly enough relief. She was just a potential business partner and only had interests in planet Kragga. He even tried to convince them that he only saw her as a potential business partner too. Though, he sensed they were a little doubtful, especially when he described what she looked like. He avoided sharing too much about her background, only that she represented a business that might be interested in some of the scrap there. He also didn¡¯t tell them about how much money he¡¯d made and what he¡¯d been able to purchase. Honestly, he didn¡¯t want them to ask too many questions, not yet anyway. Adrian spoke first, ¡°Well it is a relief to hear that you are doing so well both in Cosmos and in the dating scene. From what my cousins say, it''s never good to hop from one relationship to another.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me!¡± Nick jumped in, ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this girl, but what kind of lady wants to go look at a dump for a date. I bet she has the hots for you!¡± And giving a side grin to Adrian he said, ¡°Besides, it sounds like this could be a great rebound girl! I¡¯ve had plenty of girlfriends and the one right after the really serious breakups were always great! Adrian rolled his eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t think you can count any of the girls you¡¯ve dated as a ¡®serious girlfriend.¡¯ I think you¡¯d need to date them longer than a month.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been deadly serious about every girl I¡¯ve ever dated, They¡¯ve just never truly understood that I needed to put myself and my boys as priorities.¡± Nick said in a cavalier tone. Alan and Adrian laughed at that point. Nick flushed slightly, and looked at Adrian. ¡°Hey, at least I go on dates. It¡¯s not like my only date I¡¯ve been on was with my cousin.¡± ¡°Hey man, she needed a date to the prom.¡± Adrian said defensively. ¡°Her boyfriend wasn¡¯t able to go last minute. I was just helping out!¡± Nick was about to respond when Alan stepped in. ¡°Guys, we just graduated from high school! We''ll have plenty of time to date. But right now I am happily single, and that means we can finally spend some time doing things together. I say we make the most of it.¡± ¡°That''s what I¡¯ve been trying to say all along,¡± Nick agreed. ¡°So me and Adrian are all set up for Cosmos tomorrow. We¡¯ve already got reservations. Since you''re the expert do you have anything in mind? Alan nodded. He proposed to his two friends that they meet him in Kragga. Though Nick had his heart set up on a party planet, and Adrian had been debating between a few space hubs, they both agreed to meet Alan in Kragga. Alan had promised to make it worth their while. He offered to buy them each a Matter Ring. After demonstrating his own, they were sold on the idea. They planned on meeting at the Comsos¡¯ pod hub the next day at 8:00 am the next day. Alan had a little time before meeting his parents. While he¡¯d been getting ready that morning he¡¯d asked to have dinner with them, and if they¡¯d be okay inviting his siblings too. They of course were thrilled. Before then, he wanted to run a few errands. He still had just under $100,000 dollars after purchasing the 6 pods for his family, and it was burning a hole in his pocket. The first thing he did was call up Corbin, the Cosmos attendant. ¡°Corbin, this is Alan. I was wondering if you could set aside 2 basic rings for purchase tomorrow..¡± ¡°Yes sir, Alan, please note that we no longer have the bonus 500 credits for the purchase of a basic ring this week for first time buyers. However, for new customers you can receive 100 credits for the purchase of a basic ring.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, it''s for two of my friends tomorrow. They¡¯ll be the new customers.?¡± ¡°Of course sir. Your total will be $5000. Just please let the front desk know.¡± Corbin hesitated for a second before speaking, ¡°I should inform you sir, that since the embargo, you should let your friends know that they will need to acquire VE energy that is earth enabled in order to use their rings on Earth. Otherwise they will be limited to using it in Cosmos.¡± He made the last point a little hesitatingly, as if he¡¯d lose the sale. ¡°Corbin, thank you for telling me.¡± Alan offered genuinely. ¡°I¡¯ll be there to pick them up tomorrow.¡± Alan ended the call and reminded himself to give a generous tip to Corbin. It was pretty clear he hadn¡¯t been following the script on that last part, and he appreciated the service. Driving his car Alan made his way around town. He stopped by the grocery store, and camping & recreation store for a few supplies. Sleeping bags, food, cooking equipment, basic gear that he knew would be useful in Cosmos. Ever since it was allowed to spend 24 hours a day there just in case he encountered a situation where he couldn¡¯t log out. It was especially important to bring food. You could absolutely die in Cosmos if you were ¡®stuck on world¡¯ and ended up ¡°starving to death¡± of course this was pretty rare, and you wouldn¡¯t actually die in reality. It was just often very unpleasant. Matter rings of course were excellent and slowing down the delay of perishables. He could keep produce fresh for months, and other non-perishables for quite a long time. It was comical when a few humans would rent places on alien worlds and complain that there was no refrigerator or pantry. What wasn¡¯t so funny was the checker at the grocery store who seemed appalled at the two grocery carts filled to capacity for only one teenager. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. At the rec store, he bought everything he needed to spend weeks roughing while also picking up two more 4-wheelers, and a lot more gasoline while he was at it. Finally, he stopped by a store with large red letters in front called ¡°Locked n¡¯ Loaded.¡± Stepping inside, Alan smelled tobacco and gun oil. A man in a red flannel shirt sat behind a counter with rows and rows of rifles and shotguns. Along the walls, glass displays held a variety of handguns and on lower shelves every kind of ammo imaginable. Looking up to the man behind the counter, he had a goatee and his hair was cut high and tight. Behind him there was a large yellow flag with a rattlesnake, and the words ¡®Don¡¯t tread on me¡¯ written across it. ¡°What can I get for you young man?¡± The burly voice came from behind the counter. Alan didn¡¯t need long to decide. In his past life many players during the embargo used regular guns and ammo while playing Cosmos. VE energy wasn¡¯t all that easy to get if you were on a ¡®rural planet¡¯ and people wanted to save it for other essentials. It wasn¡¯t until alternate energy weapons came on the market that it slowly changed. But those first weapons went to governments and other large agencies. It wasn¡¯t until Humanity had transferred completely to a space fleet that gunpowder guns were deemed too inefficient. In reality, traditional guns actually did better against certain opponents. ¡°I¡¯d like two AR-15s and two .45 semi-automatic pistols.¡± Alan paused. ¡°I¡¯d also like a few thousand rounds of ammo for each, and some extra clips.¡± Slightly taken aback at the order, the man behind the counter paused. Then with practiced nonchalance asked, ¡°So what do you need the guns for?¡± As he removed an AR-15 rifle from the shelf. ¡°I¡¯ve been playing a game called Cosmos, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard about it. I thought they would be good for self-defense.¡± The owner gave him a peculiar look. Recognizing the guy had no idea what he was talking about, Alan altered his story slightly. ¡°Anyway, in the game you defend yourself from aliens and monsters. And I had the thought that maybe it would be good for me to be able to defend my own home, you know in general.¡± He finished a bit lamely. The owner nodded, ¡°Yeah you can never be too careful. You never know when someone¡¯s going to try and break into your home. Alien¡¯s included.¡± He winked Alan completed the purchase and wasn¡¯t sure how serious the guy took him. By that time, Alan made his way to his parents house. He saw his brother''s car in the front. His whole family was there. Walking in he was greeted by his whole family. His little sister Alice gave him a big hug. His older brother James, and his wife, Audry, along with Alan¡¯s parents all greeted him in turn, hugs and hellos all around. Dillan, his 2 year old nephew, was playing with some blocks on the floor, and didn¡¯t seem to take very much interest in the commotion. Alan made sure to go up and say hi to him, and presented him with a toy action figure, trying to make up for lost time, as he hadn¡¯t been a very good uncle. His strained relationship with James up to that point had also distanced himself from James¡¯s family. They ate buffet style, quickly devouring Mom¡¯s lasagna and garlic bread. He still couldn¡¯t believe how amazing everything tasted after so many years of going without it. It wasn¡¯t long before everyone was full and Alan wanted to announce some business. ¡°I wanted to let everyone know that all six of you, Dillan included, now have 1st series pods in your name. I was able to complete the purchase.¡± ¡°What! Really!?¡± Alice, his sister, was the first to respond. Followed by a few milder exclamations by his brother and sister-in-law. His mother on the other hand offered a ¡°I knew you would do it.¡± While his father nodded calmly. ¡°So does that mean we are going to be able to go back?¡± His sister questioned. Alan nodded. Despite his mother having gone back to Cosmos a few times, the rest of the family hadn¡¯t had a chance to visit Cosmos since their initial visit. Alan had made sure each of them had clear enough instructions to avoid a lot of the early pitfalls of starting a new game. This included what genetics to take, what to avoid, the best knowledge downloads to take, as well as better planets to visit, and which ones to avoid. He most some general instructions, reserving his sister and mom with the more specific instructions on certain issues. Alan briefly shared with them the 1st series pods benefits , handing them their ownership documents. : Free Access to Terran Market : Available to Pod Owner Immediate Access to Terran Auctions: Limited to 1st series Plus 1 Stat point for 1st Series Permanent Pod Purchase: Limited to 1st series Access to Planety Relocation 1x only. Limited to 1st series 10% Discount off first purchase of Terran Market Property Limited to first 1 series 1x Instant ticket to Iridescent Nebula Limited to 1st series ¡°There are some wonderful benefits here,¡± Alan began to explain, ¡°But I want you to make sure that you don¡¯t use your planetary relocation and 1x instant ticket to the Iridescent Nebula for now. And for what it¡¯s worth I wouldn¡¯t bother with the 10% Discount either, I¡¯ve actually got a place for us in the Terran Market already.¡± As they were reading through the documents. Mom spoke first. ¡°What is this Iridescent Nebula?¡± Alan, conscientious of who might be listening on his ring, answered vaguely. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure, but I imagine it must be good for it to be included as a reward.¡± She nodded vaguely. Alan knew exactly what the Iridescent Nebula Limited was and that reward alone made the purchase well worthwhile. But it would have to come later. Audrey spoke next. ¡°It says here there is a Non-disclosure agreement about the benefits?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess Cosmos tries to keep the rewards for some of these items under wraps for now.¡± Alan shared. ¡°That seems a little odd for a game, wouldn¡¯t they want to advertise the benefits?¡± She offered cautiously. Audrey had always been a little shy, but when she did speak it was often to the point. ¡°Honestly, I think it¡¯s to protect the consumer of 1st series pods, and to not make the benefits too well known for now. I think it''s more of a ¡®secret reward¡¯ for those who are willing to commit to the game.¡± She nodded, accepting the explanation. However, Alice had a different response. ¡°So does that mean I can¡¯t tell anyone about all the cool stuff I get with my pod?¡± She asked. Alan responded somewhat seriously. ¡°I know I wouldn¡¯t, you could end up losing it if you do.¡± She frowned. ¡°Dang, I was looking for something new to add to my blog. But I guess people will probably be excited about hearing that I got the first series pod. Alan¡¯s eyes narrowed and he started to put pieces together, ¡°Alice, what blog?¡± He tried to sound calm. At his question, Alice flushed. ¡°Well, it was meant to be a surprise.¡±And gave a sidelong glance to her Mom. ¡°But, I was looking online, and didn¡¯t see any good advice for Cosmos. Nothing like you gave me at least. So I figured why not, and I included a lot of the experiences of the family.¡± She continued more quickly as Alan¡¯s eyes began to widen. ¡°I know you said not to mention it to my friends, but the blog is totally anonymous! And I¡¯ve already got like over a million hits!...¡± Alan had to sit. Confused at his response she continued, ¡°I totally helped Mom promote a demonstration with one of her products she plans to sell at business too, and it totally got like over 100,000 hits already! I mean isn¡¯t that like great news?¡± Alan felt numb, and began to fiddle with his ring, aware of who was on the other side. ¡°You seem disappointed,¡± His Mother began, ¡°Alice was just trying to be helpful, besides this could turn into something quite profitable for the family. We just set up the account to accept revenue for the ads on the blog and the video is sure to bring in business both in ad revenue and the store.¡± Her and Alice were clearly not expecting such a solemn response to the exciting news. Alan sat there, stunned. Obviously Cosmos was aware of the outlandishly good starts his family had when starting Cosmos. Would it really matter at this point if other people were benefiting from it as well? In fact, maybe it was a good thing. Alan had wanted to help humanity as a whole, and now that he was under constant surveillance, maybe having his sister share some of the knowledge he¡¯d gained, though more indirectly, would be good. Taking a deep breath, and hoping his ring would suddenly paralyze him he asked, trying to sound cheerful ¡°That sounds...Amazing...I¡¯m just a little surprised is all. What''s it called?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®TravelsInWonderland¡¯¡± She announced proudly, ¡°You know, because I¡¯m Alice and because it''s all about me and my family''s experiences in the wonderland of Cosmos!¡± Chapter 29 The road was quiet, the streets nearly empty. The radio was silent, Alan opting to turn it off so he could have time to think about the evening with his family. Alan had wanted to make a difference for the world. He¡¯d considered putting something on the internet himself, but his sister had the social media savvy to actually make it popular. And besides, he didn¡¯t have the time. Every single day he¡¯d have to focus his time on making the game work for him, not telling the masses how to improve their game chances. Besides, being too busy, he was also worried about sharing knowledge in the first place. Too many insights could draw the wrong kind of attention. As Kara, the Cosmos Valkyrie made more clear the other day. On the other hand, his family seemed really supportive, and when push came to shove Alan couldn¡¯t really share the reasons behind his hesitancy. Ultimately, he just needed to support the idea and, when he could, contribute. He also swore them all to secrecy about the blog for now. Alice grimaced at not being able to brag to her friends. Alan had also gone ahead and shared the other potential good news. He was working with Callisto Corporation as part of a broader plan to develop Kragga. As part of that plan, he would need a lot of players to eventually make their way to Kragga. He made sure to let both his brother James and his Father know that their skills would likely be needed on the planet. James¡¯ medical and his Father¡¯s mechanical skill sets respectively. Alice was very excited to come along, but Alan had to squash her enthusiasm. She needed to remain on her own planet. And she was definitely not to mention any hint of Kragga or Callisto Corporation in her blog. Alan¡¯s Mother, on the other hand, was very interested in the Callisto business deal. Especially about the price that Alan had made from selling his Earth-enabled Vervetic Energy. Her focus on the deal only seemed to break when she learned that Alan had personally made the deal with Shelley Cordata. It only took her a few moments to realize that Shelley was the Daughter of famed businessman and head of the Lit-Klar Conglomerate, Arthur Cordata. Needless to say, anything else about the deal was lost when his Mother, Sister, and even sister-in-law Audrey wanted to know everything about the young lady. Alan had to try in all his power to let them know it was just a business deal. ¡°What do you mean just a business deal?¡± His mother had chimed in, ¡°I think my son is smart enough to do 2 things at once. What is wrong with getting to know her a little more, hmm? Especially if you take her to a nice spot, and make her a nice picnic lunch. Who knows what kind of opportunities can arise?¡± ¡°Mom, I am bringing Adrian and Nick along too. I think we¡¯re going to leave it as just business for now.¡± Alan tried to counter. ¡°Why did you go and do a thing like that?!¡± Alice bawled, ¡°Nick, especially, is going to ruin the whole thing!¡± ¡°It''s fine. You can just uninvite them.¡± His mother offered as a matter of fact. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not going to uninvite them.¡± Alan tried again to plead. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a pretty disappointing date with both of them there,¡± Mom retorted. ¡°Mom, it''s not a date!¡± It was like talking to a brick wall. She hadn¡¯t been listening, but instead seemed to come up with another solution. ¡°Audrey, Alice, you don¡¯t happen to have any friends that could go with Adrian and Nick? A group date might not work out so bad, and it might make Alan more comfortable as he hasn¡¯t been out with a new girl for a long time.¡± Alan threw his hands in the air. He had given up at that point. When he had looked around, his brother James, seemed to be on the verge of laughing hysterically, having been put through their mother¡¯s matchmaking machine already. When Alan looked at his father, he saw sympathy, and it was at that point that his father finally spoke up. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s getting late and I don¡¯t think it would be good to make any last minute plans. Alan has a lot to do before tomorrow and it¡¯s time to send him off.¡± The trio of ladies threw daggers with their eyes at Alan¡¯s Father, as if he¡¯d interrupted their hunt. As Alan drove home, nearing the exit for the Cosmos pod hub, He smiled. His dad had decided to draw the ire of the trio in order to let Alan get away from the potential hazards they had in store. Just before he left, he gave his Mom some additional instructions for the store. She gave him a look that said, ¡°This isn¡¯t over.¡± It was late when he finally pulled up to the hub, his brother texted him, ¡®Good Luck ;)¡¯ Was that for his meeting with Shelley, or with his Mother¡­ Oh well, he had other things he had to do tonight. It was late, well after dark when he entered the special entrance for pod owners. The area was quiet and the lights were dim due to the late hour. A female attendant sat behind a desk, looking a little bored. It was a quick exchange and he was back in the pod. When he entered, he was welcomed back with a stat screen. And a notification from his last battle.
Personal Modifier Current Skill points Available: 0 Description Credit Balance: -700 Credits
Strength (3/10) 135 LBS Bench Items: Basic Tools Electronic Tools Food Ration 4-Wheeler x3 Energy Pistol EV Exchange Generator 43 F Monster Nyamisium Core 1 F Monster Nyamisium Core 10 Doses of Nanoheal Human Rifle Human Handgun x2 Tent Sleeping Cot Sleeping Bag Propane stove ... (see next page)
Speed (3/10) 8 MPH Jog
Intelligence (3/10)
(VE) Capacity (8/8) 382 /800VEU
(VE) Production (8/8) 8 Units Per Hour
Scenario 2 vs. 1 Position: Defender, Difficulty Moderate. 1 Ranged Kill. Loss 1 E Ranked Monster opponents killed. Progress toward the next award. 2/10. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ***Notice: If you lose a combat scenario, kill progress is reduced by 50% rounded up. Ouch. The first thing he noticed was his missing skill point. It was a foolish lesson he hoped to never experience again. As he scanned the page he was surprised at his credit balance, -700? Wait, what? Didn¡¯t Kara say they had misjudged me? So why the penalty. Looking through his messages, he found one: Hi Alan, sorry about the credit penalty. That judgement goes above me. I hope you are doing well, and don¡¯t forget to message me when you want help with any contract you want to sign. By the way, from what I heard, Shelley sounds like a really nice girl :). Shoot! Kara heard everything, including that dumb conversation with his mom. What is with everyone? His shoulders slumped, defeated. Alan did a quick review of his log. 10:38 PM Local Time. 1 Kill 10:39 PM Local Time. Death. 10:40 PM Local Time. Log Out. As he read through the log, he was surprised to discover that the time between his Death and Logging out was only a minute. That wasn¡¯t right. He¡¯d spent at least 5, maybe even 10 minutes with Kara afterwards. So why was there such a time discrepancy? He didn¡¯t have an answer. He¡¯d never even heard of this before. Of course many of those who had experienced it had their accounts terminated¡­ Alan swallowed uncomfortably. Well it looks like something I can ask Kara next time we exchange questions, Alan thought to himself. A question was posed to Alan as he was about to enter Kragga. Would you like to return to your last position? Would you like to return to a random ¡®safe¡¯ location determined by Cosmos? Alan was highly nervous about returning and selected the second option. His throat still itched, where the monster had bit him. Please select the distance you would like away from your last position. Please be aware Cosmos will attempt to select a safe location within the radius of distance you select. 100 Meters/1 Kilometer/10 Kilometers/100 Kilometers. Alan took the option of 100 Meters. He found himself about 50 yards away from ¡®The Brick,¡¯ the transport ship he¡¯d found initially to act as a home base. Observing the area, it seemed to be as vacant as it had been the day before. He approached the ship cautiously, carefully, and fully armed. Alert to even the slightest sound, Alan moved as stealthily through the still propped open hatch door. It was dark. Alan shone a light in the corridor. Empty. It took Alan 20 minutes to carefully make his way toward the area where he¡¯d fought the monster before. The room was scarred with scorch marks along the floor and walls. Wires and conduits lay in heaps and tangles. The corpse was missing, and there was no sign of the other monster. Shining his light onto a large heap of debris, Alan was able to find the remains of 739, his droid. Carefully, Alan removed all the pieces and made his way back to the maintenance room. There were still battery scraps all over the floor. Alan cleared a spot and looked over the droid. Looking at the time, he realized he needed to get some sleep before his meeting tomorrow. The droid would have to wait. After sealing up the ship, Alan transferred off Kragga back to the Terran Market. Unlike the real world, building his shop had taken less than 24 hours in the Terran Market. Finding a booth in the restaurant Alan removed a sleeping bag from his ring, and quickly fell asleep. **** His alarm woke him 30 minutes before his appointment. Much like the last night his sleep was disrupted by dreams of killer bugs, vengeful valkyries, and his secret suddenly being exposed on his sister¡¯s blog. When morning finally came, he was covered in sweat and uncomfortable from sleeping on the restaurant furniture. He¡¯d have to upgrade the building to include some sort of housing. He logged out and arrived in the Cosmos pod hub. The facility itself had a lot of amenities geared toward the comfort of long term players. Everything from a lunchroom, gym, laundromat, and showers. For those who didn¡¯t have a place to spend the night, there were even sleeping pods in little micro hotels. All Alan needed this morning was a hot shower. After getting freshly dressed Alan made his way to the lunchroom to grab a quick bite. When he looked at the clock, it was nearly 8 am. Time for him to meet up with Nick and Adrian. As he approached the front desk he heard laughter. That was distinctively Nick, a baritone gafah. He spotted Nick, Adrian and Corbin surrounding a desk chatting away like old friends. As they saw him, everyone, including Corbin, smiled at him fondly. After greeting each other with the customary hugs and hello¡¯s, Alan asked Corbin for the 2 matter rings for his friends. ¡°Here they are sir.¡± Turning to Adrian and Nick, ¡°You must have a great friend here for such an extravagant gift.¡± Adrian nodded and accepted the gift graciously. Nick on the other hand lookee confused, leaned toward Adrian and whispered, ¡°How much do these things cost? A few hundred bucks or something?¡± Adrian shushed him and said he would tell him later. Corbin addressed Alan one final time, ¡°Sir, I hope you have enough VE as those rings will not be usable without it.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve got it covered for now, Corbin. Thank you.¡± Alan went ahead and discreetly passed him a large bill. Recognizing the tip, Corbin placed his hands in his pocket and offered, ¡°Thank you sir. I hope your adventures go well today.¡± He then waved over two attendants towards Nick and Adrian to help them to their pods. Alan walked with them. ¡°So have you figured out how you guys are going to spec-out?¡± Alan asked casually. Nick boasted. ¡°I am going to be a living tank. I want to be able to carry the largest weapons, fire the biggest guns, you know a bad-a¡± Adrian gave Alan a secretive smirk, before sharing his idea. ¡°I¡¯d like to gain a lot of skills toward being a space pilot.¡± Alan nodded. In his past life Adrian had been training to be a pilot. He¡¯d already gained enough flight hours to be an amateur pilot, and in high school had joined the JROTC Air Force. He was planning on joining the military after college. ¡°That makes sense. Did you guys get plenty of info on what kind of knowledge and genetics you should be looking for? ¡°I¡¯ve sifted through all the blogs and videos. I think I¡¯ll go for strength and some sort of natural armor, along with some combat knowledge of large weapons and melee.¡± Nick replied and then added. ¡°Nothing that will ruin my already good looking appearance of course.¡± Alan laughed, Nick in his past life hadn¡¯t been wise in his decision making, he¡¯d opted for a mishmash of genetic mutations emphasizing certain ¡®enhancements¡¯ which seemed purely for vanity''s sake. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. I don¡¯t know what I should be looking for exactly. I mean I want to be an ace pilot. But there is nothing on the web on what kind of genetic traits work better for future spacecraft.¡± Adrian shared worriedly. Alan understood his predicament, something as specialised as a pilot needed to be very cautious about how to move forward. Alan knew of a few traits that would definitely be beneficial, but wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to give him too much advice. Pondering at the problem he had remembered a trick that had worked in his last life. ¡°You both know that you are typically offered genetic mutations first before knowledge sets, but I don¡¯t think you HAVE to pick in that order. You might try finding advanced piloting knowledge and exploring that first to see what would be best. I bet there are some really good unlockable personal modifiers which could be really useful.¡± Adrian brightened at hearing the idea. ¡°That is a great idea. I didn''t even know you could pick your order.¡± Alan nodded. ¡°Yeah you can even not choose to pick something and go and pick up another knowledge later, I still have a few points left on my Mental Manipulation Threshold available.¡± Nick nodded ¡°Dang, that is a great idea. I am totally going to send a message about that to the TravelsInWonderland blog.¡± Alan only gave him a half hearted smile. For the sake of anonymity, he decided not to tell his friends about his sister''s blog. No reason to let the secret out even with people he trusted. They soon departed. Alan had given them his exact coordinates for planet transfer. Alan made his way back to his own pod in preparation for their transfer. He waited patiently for approximately 40 minutes for the first signs of his friends. First 1 appeared falling out of space, and then a minute later the second appeared. This was unique to beginning players only. Having the sensation of going from space to land. For some it was terrifying, but most enjoyed the experience. For his friends, they each had different reactions. Nick hooted and hollered, yelling excitedly at Alan when he landed. Adrian, on the other hand, was content and calm while he enjoyed the experience. Alan stood next to a pile of gear he had prepared for his friends. Some basic medical supplies, food, water, and most prominently the AR-15 and ammo. Unsurprisingly, Nick, who had stood over 6 feet tall before, now loomed closer to 7 feet. It was clear that he had selected mutations to enhance his musculature, giving him the look of a greek gladiator, Also his skin was more taut and firm. ¡°Wow, you look good Nick.¡± Alan commented. ¡°I should! I went with a genetic mutation that is meant for hyper gravitational environments. Though it¡¯s pretty basic for now. I can increase the personal modifier of ¡®density resistance¡¯ to basically improve my whole body to withstand greater and greater forces.¡± ¡°Dang, that sounds like a pretty impressive mutation.¡± ¡°It should. It cost me 40 GMU''s for the whole thing. But I figured why not. It¡¯s labeled as pretty rare and exotic.¡± Alan¡¯s mouth dropped. 40 GMU, naturally! Either his friend had hit the genetic lottery or his friend had a lot of ¡®improvements¡¯ that could be made. It was stupid ridiculous. Alan knew he was a little below average, but Nick had never mentioned he had such a high GMU in the past. Now that he thought about it though, it made sense. Nick had chosen some pretty stupid and poor choices in the past, no wonder he didn¡¯t want to advertise it. Shifting to Adrian he asked, ¡°How about you?¡± He smiled, ¡°Your advice was invaluable. I would have totally picked the wrong traits. I focused mostly on enhancing my brain''s neural network and nervous system. I got a personal modifier called ¡®reflexes¡¯ supposedly to help my synaptic functions improve. I spent 22 GMU on it. I saved my other 2. I am hoping to get a gland that can help with my spatial awareness later, but I need a few more GMUs to get it.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s great! I think you both spent wisely. Now that you''re both here though, I think I¡¯d like to get in some practice if that is ok with you.¡± Alan smiled and gestured to the guns. Chapter 30 Rat-ta-ta rat-ta-ta Gun rounds shot into a metal plate on a small hillside. It had been quickly set up for target practice. Bzzztt A bright blue electric arc hissed as it shot out of Alan¡¯s gauntlets. It speared across the field to smash just left of a metal plate. Adjusting slightly, the arc moved to hit the metal plate. Adjusting the controls slightly the azure ark went from electrifying the plate and doing dispersal damage, to growing more focused and narrow. A narrow circle on the plate grew hot red until finally the arc cut clean threw like a welding torch. At that point Alan suddenly released the beam. ¡°Dang! That thing cuts through metal like butter!¡± Nick exclaimed. They¡¯d all practiced for a good hour. Adrian, who was familiar with the AR-15 and handguns due to his time with the JROTC and his father, helped Nick learn the basics. Alan, on the other hand, had to read the manual that came with his gloves, and then had to practice using them. This item had serious power requirements, he was lucky to be a VE generator. The gloves had a number of offensive abilities. The energy arc, which he had used on the monster that he fought in the brick, provided a spectrum of options for combat. To high penetration on one end vs a potent electrical spread on the other. There was also a melee option too, which coated his hands in energy. Another option was to send out pulses of energy. Much more efficient in its energy use. However, it was much more difficult to aim consistently for Alan, and he instead opted for the energy arc. ¡°So when are we going to get a weapon like that?¡± Nick asked, while looking disappointingly at his gun. ¡°That¡¯s up to you I guess.¡± Alan smirked at his friend, ¡°You could always grab another weapon. There are some metal rods that might be perfect for melee¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Nick looked down at his gun, realizing how excited he had been a little while ago at his new weapons. ¡°I think I¡¯m ok for now." Adrian chuckled at his friend. And then proceeded to put his gun away. Both Nick and Adrian had been given a few units of VE in order to power their rings. Alan checked his messages. Shelley had gotten his message and was scheduled to arrive at 10. In anticipation for her arrival, Alan found himself smoothing out his hair, and adjusting his uniform. Nick and Adrian joined him, while each giving him a smirk. Precisely at 10 am. Motes of light appeared in front of him. First there were just a few, but more and more appeared. Until there were hundreds, then a thousand, finally thousands upon thousands. The pinpricks of light formed a silhouette, until, at last the brightness faded and Shelly appeared, seemingly left behind by the dazzling display. Unlike the green dress she¡¯d worn before, she wore an outfit more suited for the outdoors. Khaki pants, a t-shirt, with a canvas jacket. She had a simple side arm at her hip. Her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail, which all sat under a baseball cap. Her dark eyes met Alans, and then shifted to look at his sides taking in the whole trio. Taking a brisk step forward, she reached out her right hand. ¡°Hi Alan, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡± ¡°Shelley, I¡¯m glad you were able to make it.¡± Alan noticed that she was looking at his friends curiously. ¡°These are my friends Adrian and Nick. I thought it would be helpful to have a few extra hands as there are some occasional monsters in the area.¡± She nodded appreciatively. Alan invited her for a brief walk up the hill they¡¯d just been using as target practice, in order to give Shelley a better view of the surrounding area. The landscape of Kragga¡¯s Waste Sea was bleak. Black, short tufted grasses and dark molds were the only living plant around. Dark, inky hills dotted the area, silent mausoleums of once grand structures, a shadow of what had once been a grand and vast empire. The occasional metal girder would peak out of the earth, adding to the grim scene. The soil, stained black from an ecological catastrophe. The disaster led to Kragga to be abandoned and uninhabitable. An ideal dumping ground to avoid regulations on radioactive waste and other dangerous products. The air had been poisonous until just a few centuries ago. This now fallen conglomerate introduced microbes to the planet which slowly transformed the poisons. ¡°It¡¯s not the prettiest location.¡± Alan commented. ¡°This area had once been a port before being a discreet dumping zone for discarded, or dangerously damaged ships and other hazardous material.¡± He pointed out along the horizon. ¡°This area had once been a mega city, a jewel of a vast empire, before catastrophe wiped it out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s got it¡¯s own sort of beauty.¡± She stood, arms folded, gazing outward. ¡°It reminds me a little of Death Valley national park. Just more black than brown, and instead of dunes you have little dark hills.¡± Alan smiled at that. ¡°Well, we have a lot of ground to cover.¡± They descended the hill and Alan removed the three 4-wheelers from the ring. Alan was about to offer her a seat, when she took matters in her own hand She immediately selected one of the vehicles for herself. This left Nick and Adrian in the awkward position of sharing. Alan could see Nick about to protest, before Adrian elbowed him in the ribs, cutting him off. Instead he settled with glowering at Shelley and Alan. Shelley decidedly pretended she didn¡¯t see anything. Alan almost offered to take Adrian on his, but decided to let it lie as the two had already positioned themselves, and he was eager to get the tour started. They cruised the waste sea, specifically beginning to tour the various wreckages of old ships dumped after the catastrophe. Shelley stopped suddenly. ¡°Thats a Phralax 725 light transport, one of the fastest planetary tech level ships of its time.¡± She spoke excitedly and hopped off her vehicle. ¡°Now how does she know a thing like that?¡± Nick said off-handed. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. She turned to him sharply, ¡°I know because I took a knowledge pack outlining most of the popular ships in Cosmos in the last 500 years.¡± Turning back to the ship she began to relay a few bits of information to Alan, while also writing down a few pieces of information on a note pad which appeared from her rings. Completely missing Nick¡¯s face mockingly mouthing a repeat of what she just said. This got an eye roll from Adrian, along with a subtle smirk. They stayed for nearly a half hour before Shelley realized that she couldn¡¯t spend the entire trip on one ship. They hopped back on the vehicles to tour the other ships in the area. Massive freighters, touring vessels, mining ships, and even the occasional military vessel made the rounds. Alan would also stop by the occasional mound, and report that this area had also been a spaceport, as he¡¯d learned from his own knowledge download. He speculated that under a few of these mounds, they might find a few preserved ships. A likely outcome, if his memory about the future was any indication. They continued to stop occasionally at noteworthy vessels, where she would make a few comments. Alan and Adrian would listen intently, offering what little knowledge they could. Nick, however, put on a grim face and kept himself busy looking for potential threats. He¡¯d occasionally point to the sky, where large birds, the size of small planes hovered in the distance. Shelley would make a few notes, and they would move to the next area. Soon, however, Alan felt his stomach rumble, and Alan veered his 4 wheeler and toward more familiar territory, passing a few ships along the way. Though Shelley motioned him to stop a few times, he urged her on until he pulled in front of a familiar red, rectangular ship. ¡°This is The Brick. It''s what I¡¯ve been using as a home base up to this point.¡± Alan pointed out. The ship was a dull red color, and had a rectangular shape which had inspired Alan¡¯s choice of name. Shelley looked unimpressed. ¡°Ok, so why did we stop here?¡± ¡°Lunch.¡± Alan offered simply. Shelley seemed to want to protest until her stomach rumbled, she blushed slightly, and ended the debate. Inviting them inside, Alan cleared a table and started removing items for lunch. An entire spread to have some homemade chicken sandwiches along with all the fixings. As they all sat down, Alan couldn¡¯t help but notice that Nick seemed a bit uncomfortable with the whole situation. He remained quiet, odd for him. Hoping to start a conversation Alan offered a bit of information. ¡°So Shelley, Adrian here is actually spec¡¯ing out to be a pilot.¡± Alan offered. ¡°That¡¯s great Adrian.¡± Shelley offered, having opened a package of cookies. ¡°Have you ever flown before?¡± ¡°Yes, I''m already an amature pilot. I nearly have my private pilot¡¯s license. I still have to do my solo flights though.¡± Adrian responded politely. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on my pilots license too.¡± Shelley added. ¡°I still have a lot of hours to go.¡± ¡°Yeah it can take a lot of time.¡± Adrian responded. ¡°And money.¡± Nick grumbled. ¡°That too!¡± Adrian heartily agreed. Shelley didn¡¯t know exactly how to respond to that. It was clear from the tour before that Alan hadn¡¯t exactly told his friends about her background. But she did manage to laugh along with them as she exchanged stories about her close calls, the oddities of instructors, and what they hoped to fly someday. Both Adrian and Shelley seemed very excited at the prospect of flying spacecraft. Alan was glad the two of them were getting along. Nick on the other hand seemed silent, uncomfortable with the situation. Alan figured Nick would be all right though as he was able to put away three sandwiches all on his own. A good sign if nothing else. After their lunch, Alan offered to take Shelley back on tour. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen enough Alan. I wouldn¡¯t mind going back out, but I think we should spend a little time going over a few details of the contract. What do you say?¡± Alan nodded, sighing in relief, it wasn¡¯t a sure bet she would want to stay, but her words were hopeful. Adrian and Nick both stepped outside. Adrian giving Alan a covert wink, before he left out of sight. ¡°Your friends seem nice Alan.¡± She started off, ¡°Well, except, I think I may have done something to irritate Nick.¡± ¡°You noticed that, huh?¡± Alan said apologetically, ¡°He¡¯ll come around.¡± ¡°It actually was quite nice. I can tell they don¡¯t know much about me. I don¡¯t think people who know about me ever actually show when they¡¯re annoyed at me.¡± She genuinely smiled. ¡°Well, if I had to bet, he¡¯d likely show he was annoyed with you even if he did know about your family.¡± Alan offered, ¡°It''s what I like about him. You know where you stand.¡± She nodded, before continuing. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know how you even found this planet. Do you even know what you have here? This place is a researcher''s paradise. Most of the ships I¡¯ve found are obviously older models. But there seems to be a good mix of Planetary and Interstellar ship models from what I¡¯ve seen, and that doesn¡¯t even include what might even be buried here!¡± Then she sighed. ¡°Look, this place is amazing. But I¡¯ll be honest it''s going to take a lot of resources to move my people here. The 72 hour move window is closing, and I¡¯ve got researchers all over Cosmos trying to get their hands on just a fraction of what you have here. But, I¡¯m really concerned about the risks of this planet. There¡¯s no infrastructure, there are definitely monsters, and who knows what else. I don''t even know if this planet falls into another empire''s territory. I might be able to spare a few guys here, but I need to know more.¡± Alan nodded thoughtfully. It was clear she was thinking about the whole picture. It''s not like she had the kind of knowledge that he did, nor had the experience either. Thinking carefully on his position, he offered a few thoughts. ¡°Well, in regards to your last thought, I don¡¯t think this place is owned by anyone.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Cosmos has allowed me to make a claim over all the territory we saw today. You are looking at the legal owner of this part of the Kragga Waste Sea.¡± He smiled. ¡°And I don¡¯t think Cosmos would have allowed it otherwise.¡± She thought through that for a minute, before Alan continued. ¡°To your second point. There are monsters. I think that is more of a benefit than a curse actually. Where there are monsters, there is nyamisium crystal. In fact, if this place gets too well known, then it might actually lead to too many people visiting just for hunting purposes.¡± ¡°All right I concede your 2 points. Though, I am still a little wary of monsters suddenly attacking us. What about infrastructure?¡± Alan had thought about that, and had already come up with a solution. ¡°I can promise that you will have a housing center and research facility, just say the word. I¡¯ve recently come into some nano technology which can make it happen.¡± He let that sink in before continuing. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t have the manpower yet to manage this claim. So I am looking for people who can help me get started.¡± She smirked at him, ¡°And why should I sign on with you as the landlord? I¡¯m pretty sure that I could easily invade your territory and take it as my own. And if not me, someone else.¡± She said it half-jokingly, but did bring up a good point. Alan teased back, ¡°Well, if you want your only source of earth based VE to dry up I guess you could do that. And as far as someone else, I¡¯m hoping that by working together, and starting up slowly we can dissuade others from taking what''s ours. At the thought of losing the contract for VE, along with the fact that she wasn¡¯t prone to such unscrupulous acts, she had to admit it was a good deal. Something her father wouldn¡¯t disagree to at least. She looked up at him and was about to speak until she heard the sound of ¡­ Ra-ta-ta Ra-ta-ta Gunfire coming from outside The Brick. Chapter 31 This was not the day Nick had signed up for. He paced back and forth outside the large red space ship where his buddy Alan had decided to make his home base. He kicked a piece of rubble and grumbled, ¡°This place is a dump.¡± Adrian sat calmly watching his friend. Nick continued his brood internally. It hadn¡¯t started out so bad, he¡¯d been able to come to Cosmos. The most epic, cutting edge, and supposedly fun game ever invented! That''s what he was told, and it started off pretty good. First he¡¯d made himself feel stronger and faster than he had ever been in his life.Than he was able to get in some target practice. Not so bad. After that things had just gone downhill. The guns, ring, and adventure didn¡¯t seem all that great...He kicked up another pile of dust, deciding it hadn¡¯t just been a long day, but a terrible one at that. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you man?¡± Adrian finally asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been grouchy ever since we started exploring¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± Nick continued to stomp. ¡°Come on man, you¡¯ll feel better once you tell me.¡± Adrian pressed, knowing his friend all too well. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been much of a day. All we¡¯ve done is drive around a dump with that self-important Shelley.¡± ¡°She seemed alright to me.¡± Nick huffed, gesturing at his huge frame. ¡°What kind of girl seriously takes one 4-wheeler all to herself and let¡¯s me and you ride together?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. I mean she¡¯s a little obsessed with this whole business thing, but honestly she seemed pretty chill at lunch." He said skeptically, "But honestly man, if it was such a big deal why didn¡¯t you say anything to Alan or me, we could have shared?¡± Nick just glared and kicked up another rock. Adrian had to stop from laughing, as he realized something. ¡°I¡¯m not buying man, you practically worship the rules of chivalry. I get that it was a little uncomfortable, but that can¡¯t be the whole story. Is there something else going on?¡± Nick clenched his fist, ¡°Dang it!¡± He stormed farther away from the ship, kicking up dust as he went. He looked down at the ring on his finger. He fiddled with the ring for a little bit, a feeling of shame hitting him. No, Shelley hadn¡¯t been the real problem. Sure she seemed a little self-important and a bit uptight. But that wasn¡¯t what had gotten him down... Adrian had shocked him this morning, after they had started their ride together to go look at the ships. Adrian had let him know that Alan probably dropped a huge sum of money on all the guns, ammo, and rings he¡¯d bought them this morning. Nick had assumed that the guns and ammo were pretty standard, like any other game, and he hadn¡¯t even bothered to look at the price of the rings, since Alan had said he would buy one for him. And all he¡¯d done was complain about his gun and hadn¡¯t even properly thanked Alan for the ring. ¡°I¡¯m a jerk¡­¡± He mumbled, more to himself than to the Adrian who had followed along. Turning around, he was surprised to find Adrian standing still, with his AR-15 drawn. ¡°Woah dude, I know I¡¯ve been irritable¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t get to finish. Before Adrian cut him off. ¡°GET DOWN!¡± . Adrian raised his rifle to point somewhere above Nick¡¯s head. The muzzle flashed, Ra-ta-ta! Nick paled and and dropped to the ground. He felt the heat of the gunfire, as he scrambled away. Turning to look behind him, Nick looked up to see a dark shadow descending upon him directly out of the sun. Rolling away quickly, he narrowly avoided a pair of large sharpened talons, so close the air felt like razors tearing at his clothes. ¡°What the¡­¡± Nick summoned his rifle, as he caught sight of the shadow rising quickly into the sky. Chills ran down his arms, as he raised his gun to let out a stream of shots toward the speedy assailant which had, in near silence, nearly grasped him. His shots went wide, but he was able to see more clearly what he was facing. Two bleached wings beat upward, its mammoth movements creating gusting blasts, scouring the area below. It banked, giving Nick a full view of the monster. It had the form of a great vulture, though twisted and mutated. It''s massive head, had a red streaked beak, and lesions pocketed it¡¯s leathery white skin. It completed its turn, lining up directly with Nick, a single yellow eye bearing down on him, it¡¯s other eye missing, only a blackened charred hole of where it had been. In a near panic, Nick bolted toward a nearby 4 wheeler for cover, as the creature dove. Adrian, recovering from the initial attack, coolly raised his rifle and emptied the remainder of his magazine at the creature. He cursed as shots flew wide, passing over the foul carrion beast. The bird let out a piercing screech. Adrian looked in horror as it once dove, clawing for Nick. Adrian scrambled to reload his weapon. Nick tried to tuck behind the small vehicle, hoping it would provide some meager protection for his large frame. He felt the vehicle move forward suddenly, as the sound of bone on metal assaulted his ears. A single 8 inch talon lashed out, lacerating Nick across the shoulder, causing him to roll forward. The bleached vulture once again took to the sky, a 4-wheeler clutched for a moment in its claws. It dropped it unceremoniously, a faint gleam of recognition in its one cruel eye that its prey had escaped once again, but not unscathed. Adrian rushed forward toward Nick. He¡¯d see how the talons had pierced right through the metal carriage of the 4 wheeler with ease and feared the worst for his friend. Looking down, Nick was rolled onto his stomach, a gash going from the top of his shoulder down to his side. Grabbing the other arm, Adrian desperately began to pull the far too heavy Nick toward The Brick¡¯s walls. The monster carrion bird turned once again, at the same moment both Alan and Shelley burst out of the ship, weapons ready. Alan with his gauntlets and Shelley with a large futuristic rifle , blue streaks along the length of the barrell. Adrian only had to turn briefly, and point at the bird preparing for another dive before both of them raised their weapons to fire. Shelley opened fire first, pulses of blue energy streaked across the space, and unlike Adrian¡¯s shots, seemed to almost be drawn to the bird, as round after round flew into the bird. Alan was quick to follow beach ball sized masses of energy flew out of his hand, struck the bird, sending ripples of energy across it. Canceling it¡¯s dive, the chalky white vulture howled in frustration. Ascending quickly, the bird continued screeching in frustration, as it did so, it¡¯s skin turned from white to a deep red. It¡¯s howls seemed to shift in timber, growing increasingly piercing, until it suddenly stopped. By that time, Alan and Shelley both winced in pain from the sound and it took everything in Adrian¡¯s power to not stop dragging the dazed Nick and cover his own ears instead. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Having stopped their fire, Alan and Shelley looked first in confusion and then in horror as the lesions on the bright red vulture began to burst. Ejecting black round objects from the bird''s body. Simultaneously, the red body began to grow pale rapidly. And as it did so, the wounds both from the lesion and Shelley¡¯s shots began to heal almost instantly. And, to top it all off, both noticed that not one but two angry yellow eyes bore down on the small group. During the moments Adrian had managed to pull Nick near to the walls of The Brick. Nick groaned back into consciousness and managed to sit up with Adrian¡¯s assistance. ¡°Who invited Big Bird?¡± Nick said half jokingly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it man. We¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Adrian said reassuringly. ¡°Well you better, guy just ruined my new shirt.¡± Nick pressed his bleeding shoulder to the wall and took out his pistol. ¡°Yeah, well Alan and Shelley should be able to take care of it.¡± Adrian took out another magazine. At that moment a few dozen objects, expelled from the Vulture, landed heavily like black golf ball sized hail across the ground. The balls then unraveled and elongated into what looked like foot long weevils. After a few moments a message seemed to pass between them, and they began scurrying, like water down a stream, over the ground. But in case they moved in one of two directions. Either toward Alan and Shelley or to the wounded Nick and Adrian. Shelley¡¯s face cringed in disgust, ¡°I am so, going to have to see my dermatologist after this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Dr. Pimple Popper has seen anything like this¡± Alan readied his gauntlets. Without saying more, both parties opened fire on the nearing swarms. As the bugs moved closer, distracting the group. The vulture landed, unable to dive so close to the ship''s walls. It began to prowl in the direction of Nick and Adrian. Unsurprisingly, the group''s weapons were lethal toward the weevils, however, the swarm zigged and zagged, avoiding most of the hot lead and energy pulses. And whenever there was a break in the fire. They seemed to dash, ever closer. Seeing the inevitability of the oncoming swarm, Nick drove himself to his feet and pulled Adrian back. ¡°I got this!¡± He leapt forward, sprinting to intercept the dozens of bugs, using his pistol like a hammer. At first, after killing 2 of the bugs, it seemed like his desperate play had paid off until they began to cling and bite his body, causing him to stumble to his knees. The entire swarm, sensing a kill, veered away from Shelley and Alan, toward the now writhing Nick. Alan and Shelley, now free to redirect their fire, shot once again toward the closer approaching Vulture. Shelley''s shots continued to hit their mark, while Alan had altered his weapon to fire the blue ark lightning, but in shorter bursts. The beast continued its approach running toward the still struggling Nick, intent on the kill. While every shot fired, removed a chunk of newly healed flesh from its body. It moved forward, unconcerned as its skin sizzled, driven by hunger. The beast suddenly reared up, pausing suddenly, pupils dilated, as if sensing danger. Readying its wings as if it were about spring in flight, an explosion ripped outward at the side of it¡¯s head. Causing the newly healed eye to char and burn, throwing the bird side long, crashing toward the ground. Looking toward the direction of where the shot must have originated, the small party of Earthlings spotted a figure springing up from a low lying hill of rubble. The figure, clad in black armor, sprinted toward them carrying a weapon, longer than the length of their body that resembled a miniature howitzer. Alan could distinctly hear the sound of the runner shout, ¡°Kill the bugs!¡±. Sensing the figures'' urgency, the small group¡¯s attention was immediately drawn back to Nick, who instead of fighting the bugs, was on his knees surrounded by a dozen corpses of the little weevils, while the remainder of the bugs had all moved toward the now stricken bird. Opening fire again. Shelly, Alan and Adrian all let out a barrage of shots, to intercept them, massacring what had remained of the bugs. The vulture, stunned momentarily, began to stir, its remaining eye blazing with hatred as it caught sight of the small black corpses, that had been so desperate to try and approach it. The bird then turned to face the oncoming figure. Who, faster than humanly possible, had closed the distance, and, after a quick reload, lightly drew up their cannon to take another shot. The monstrous carrion bird, in retaliation, charged forward toward the approaching new threat -- talons tearing the earth, beak wide, a screech piercing the air. The black figure seemed to sneer, and with subtle ease fired, a shot with another recoil to throw Alan back into next week. Not waiting to see the damage, the mysterious figure then drew a long lithe blade. The shot rang true, so close it was impossible to dodge. Alan thought for a brief moment that the bird seemed afraid, desperate to flee from the battlefield, and seek cover in the clouds. Instead the blast slammed once again into the vulture skull, both blinding and stunning it simultaneously. The figure, now only meters away from the stunned bird, did not hesitate but leapt forward, as if flying through the air, and drove their saber into the remains of the bird''s head. The wretched bird stood frozen, not a muscle twinged along its massive frame, except, after a beat, to finally collapse where it stood. It was eerily quiet as the rhythm of battle died, as the sounds of gunfire and explosion echoed into silence and the world seemed muted. It was only the wracking coughs of Nick which brought the world''s sound into equilibrium. Alan rushed over to his friend, while keeping an eye on the new arrival. The figure was large, nearly 7 feet in height, clad in full black armor, and sported a full helmet with tinted visor. ¡°Oh, man.¡± Alan moved to his friend''s side, he was covered in fine black dust, and his clothes were torn to near shreds. His back, nearly covered in blood. ¡°How bad is it?¡± Nick asked between coughs. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been rolled into a briar patch¡± ¡°Let me get a closer look.¡± Alan removed a jug of water from his ring, and poured it on his friend clean of the dirt and blood. Most of Nick¡¯s shirt disintegrating from the mild wash. A garbled voice came from behind. ¡°It¡¯s amazing he is still conscious. The tac-tac worm likes to burrow deep into its victims flesh. Killing them instantly.¡± Alan too, was surprised, but grew even more so when he discovered that aside from the large gash on his friend''s back, he had no other bleeding wounds, but was covered in hundreds of deep red and purple welts and bite marks. ¡°Hmm.¡± The garbled voice commented. ¡°It seems your friend must have iron skin. The talon should have taken off his arm.¡± The figure commented casually, before moving toward the bird carcass, taking out an obviously well used, but meticulously cared for knife. ¡°Heh, you should¡¯ve known how thick skinned I was?¡± Nick grinned through the pain, catching Alan''s attention. ¡°I can handle anything.¡± ¡°Well you nearly fooled me.¡± Alan removed a healing nanite spray, shooting the healing liquid on his back and the more severely bitten areas. Nick laughed painfully, before growing serious, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry about earlier, I shouldn¡¯t have been such a jerk.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Alan comforted his clearly exhausted friend. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll make sure you get your own ride. It looks like I¡¯m going to have to get a new one anyway.¡± ¡°No, no, you don¡¯t get it man. It was never about the ride, he looked over at Shelley apologetically. Well, not completely. It was more about all the money you just dropped on us¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°Hey,¡± Alan cut in. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. Let¡¯s talk about later.¡± He smiled reassuringly to his friend, and stood up to introduce himself to the stranger. Turning around he saw the stranger had their hands deep into the monster''s chest, removing a large piece of nyamisium ore, E grade for sure, maybe even D grade. Behind him, Shelley bent down and whispered a brief ¡°Thank you.¡± To a battle scarred, but much more at ease Nick. When a message popped up in front of him. The first successful hunt has been completed in your territory. Per default settings, as owner of this territory, you collect 5% in value of all the harvested materials. Those not in compliance may be labeled as outlaws, and are subject to the laws of this area. When he finished reading, he simultaneously felt the eyes of the mysterious figure on him behind their tinted visor. 32 ¡°What is the meaning of this! I have hunted these lands for over a decade. Who dares to try and take what is mine!¡± An angry voice sounded behind the helmet. Alan raised his hands ¡°Woah, hold on a minute.¡± He frantically activated a character panel which allowed him to alter his ownership rules. Looking through options he set the tax to 0. As soon as it was completed, the warrior in black seemed to relax. ¡°How have you taken this area? I thought this planet was completely unclaimed?¡± The hostility in the voice had lessened, turning more into suspicion. Alan decided to side step the question. ¡°Thank you again for your help with the...bird. My name is Alan by the way. We are relatively new here to this planet. He reached out his hand in greeting.¡± Hesitating slightly, the figure stood silently for a moment before finally removing their helmet. Underneath was an obviously femenine face with striking features, her skin was the color of copper, with eyes of silver-blue. Her hair was done in long thick braids, green, resembling the patina of an old copper statue. Her eyes moved hesitantly toward the hand, unsure of how to proceed. Without moving any more she spoke. ¡°It is called a Vrack-ta Bird, I have been hunting it for 3 weeks now. It was I who first took it¡¯s eye. However, it was too cautious to land.¡± ¡°Did seem all that cautious to me¡­¡± Nick grumbled from behind him. ¡°That is because it was hungry, and saw easy prey.¡± She said matter of fact. ¡°And even then it was still cautious.¡± Alan had already dropped his hand, ¡°Well thank you.¡± She nodded. ¡°Though, I do not recognize your land claim, I will consider that not for your presence, it might have taken another week for me to finish my hunt.¡± She offered him the knife. ¡°You may take a trophy from Vrack-ta.¡± Alan nodded politely, and walked over to the Vrack-ta. It still seemed dangerous, though it was dead, and it¡¯s nyamisium core had been ripped out. He inspected it, looking for a trophy. Shelley, not one to miss an opportunity, approached the stranger. Even though she¡¯d been groomed as a little girl to not shirk in front of intimidating people, she still felt awed by the woman in front of her, ¡°My name is Shelley, and what is yours?¡± Cura looked down at the young lady. Her towering figure, at least a head taller over Shelley, who was by all accounts just over average by human standards. ¡°My name is Cura.¡± She offered in a low alto voice. ¡°Well it is a pleasure to meet you Coo-Ra.¡± She emphasized the name, ¡°You''re the first local that I¡¯ve had the opportunity to meet on Kragga.¡± ¡°I am no local.¡± She responded curtly. ¡°Oh...well our party is very grateful for your intervention.¡± ¡°You were lucky. The Vrack-ta bird and it¡¯s worms work together to heal rapidly after it consumes its prey. Along with the ability to absorb some of the energy from your weapons.¡± She responded bluntly. As an after thought she added, ¡°Though not as much as a mature bird¡± Shelley paled slightly, considering Cura¡¯s words. Instead of responding she chose to look back toward Alan. . At that point Alan inspected the large bird. Using Cura¡¯s knife he selected one of the legs and removed the talons. After seeing wreckage of his 4-wheeler and the cut on Nick¡¯s back it seemed like a good choice. Cura gave him an approving nod. Alan returned the knife, ¡°if you would like, we have some food from our midday meal. We would be honored to share with someone as skilled as yourself?¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Cura hesitated a moment before shaking before shaking her head. ¡°Perhaps another time , I have other prey I must hunt.¡± She paused before speaking, considering for a moment. ¡°I can tell from the use of your weapons that you likely have some excess vervetic energy. It would save me a trip to the village on the wastes edge.¡± Alan nodded eagerly. It didn¡¯t take long. Cura had a number of smaller nyamisium cores that she pulled out from her ring for the exchange. Alan gave her VE equivalent to what the cores could be converted into. He wanted to make sure to leave a favorable impression on this woman who killed the monster nearly single handedly. As the bargain ended, Shelley, not to be out done, chimed in. ¡°You seem to know a lot about the local monsters. Perhaps we might hire you to help us?¡± Cura spoke planely, ¡°I will consider it. For now I have other prey to hunt. I may come to trade later. We shall see.¡± She then pulled on her helmet, and faced the remains of the bird. She activated her ring, which quickly absorbed the carcass. And, without much pause, she sprung forward, faster than a gazelle, out of sight. ¡°Hooo-ee what a woman.¡± It was Nick who first broke awed silence. ¡°Did you see how she took down that monster? I¡¯m not even sure I could even hold that gun of hers, let alone shoot it.¡± ¡°Yeah she was quite dangerous.¡± Adrian added calmly. ¡°My guess is she¡¯s been fighting around these grounds for some time.¡± Alan offered, and while thinking it was odd for someone of her talent to be out on a planet like this all alone. Suddenly remembering something he turned to Shelley, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all this, I hadn¡¯t really planned this for the tour.¡± He shared, somewhat embarrassed. She smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I would say it was the highlight of my day, but I don¡¯t regret having such an exciting finish. Besides, it¡¯s not every day when a girl has someone literally throw themselves in front of danger for her.¡± She gave Nick a broad smile. Nick blushed briefly, before shouting, ¡°We should celebrate!¡± He continued on, ¡°Dinners on me!¡± They all cheered briefly at that, till Shelley laughed lightly. ¡°I think I will have to pass. I appreciate the invite, but if you haven¡¯t forgotten, I live in a different city from the rest of you. However, I would like to see you all again soon.¡± She turned to Alan, You should have the first batch of visitors early tomorrow morning. Will that give you enough time to set up?¡± ¡°I believe so. It¡¯s all nano tech. Pretty advanced stuff.¡± He gave her a convincing smile. ¡°Well if that''s the case, and everything goes well, I¡¯ll be the one inviting you all to dinner.¡± She flashed a bright smile, then her eyes seemed to grow distant for a second. As if she was reading something. Looking back at Alan she spoke briefly, ¡°I need to go. You¡¯ll hear from me later.¡± She waved at all of them before she faded from view. ¡°Well dang. That was quick. If I¡¯d known you could log out so quickly I should have done that when the fighting started.¡± Nick said with humor. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have worked. Can¡¯t log out in combat.¡± Alan said. ¡°I know, I know. I read that before coming here.¡± He said defensively. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t have blamed you if you tried with all those bugs on you.¡± Adrian offered,¡°Seemed pretty painful.¡± ¡°It was that talon that caused the most pain. The bugs did hurt, like getting covered in mouse traps. Honestly though, I wasn¡¯t really prepared for how real the pain felt.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s unreal.¡± He recalled, unconsciously touching his neck. For a brief moment he remembered the unaccountable times he experienced pain in his past-future life. They moved away from ¡®The Brick¡¯ taking the other two 4-wheelers to a few areas away from Alan¡¯s home base. He pulled out the Commercial Nano Material Manipulator, a large rectangular case, two times the size of a standard briefcase. Nano machines were not an uncommon way for basic construction to occur in Cosmos. They typically came with a few drawbacks. First they were incredibly VE intensive. Second, they needed the materials for manufacturing nearby, and third they couldn¡¯t use every material. Some materials were just too advanced for the bots. Ship manufacturing, for instance, many basic structures could be built with nano assistance, but it could typically be done cheaper, with other labor, not to mention VE costs would make it skyrocket in price. For Alan, however, he could dump a lot of VE into these nanobots. The final problem was that they wore out. This little set had a limit of approximately 3 builds before most of the bots would break down. Alan, however, had already accounted for the first two problems. He had a surplus of energy and the wastes were full of downed buildings. Though not in ideal conditions, he was still able to select 2 sites where the nanobots would gather materials and build large structures for a research facility and barracks. After he made his selection, he injected 250 VE units into the little bots, enough for the first building. He had just enough in his reserve capacity for the transfer. Thinking back, The Brick¡¯s hold would be large enough that he could also set up the VE generator. Something he would need to set up soon, as part of his next plan to profit from the soon to be short supply of VE energy on Earth. It didn¡¯t take long, till the 3 of them were sharing an extra large pizza, laughing and joking about the successes of the day. chpt. 33 ¡°Thank you, feel free to come again.¡± Mary took a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe the sweat from her face. She¡¯d had a constant flow of customers in the shop since the beginning of the week. Looking at her inventory, however, she was disappointed at the amount of money she¡¯d made. ¡°That boy is going to make me bankrupt.¡± Instead of a large pile of money, she saw a large stack of Nyamisium cores in its place. ¡°You look as if you¡¯ve swallowed Stugian Sour Cherry.'''' A pleasant voice came from the door. Mary looked up, ¡°Hello Reardon,¡± she spoke to the overly cheerful and plump chef, who shared the space, ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you back here, shouldn¡¯t you be serving customers?¡± She was a little frustrated and wasn¡¯t in the mood to chat. ¡°Can you believe it! I nearly sold out completely today!.¡± A broad smile spread across along plump cheeks and bright eyes.¡± ¡°Oh, well that''s great.¡± She tried to sound more happy for him than she felt. ¡°Oh it''s not all that good.¡± He said, seeming to sense her mood. ¡°The food is so strange to most players I¡¯ve needed to lower the prices to the point where I¡¯m barely covering my costs. I¡¯m hoping that once they¡¯ve gotten a taste though, they¡¯ll definitely come back for more!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Mary, who normally was always interested in ways to maximize profits, was still focused on her own dilemma and barely heard his continued explanation. ¡°I mean the first few days I only had 2 or 3 buyers. I was handing out so many free samples. But I think that people are starting to appreciate what I can bring to the table! I¡¯ve to get more ingredients soon. Luckily, basic food products aren''t covered in the embargo.¡± He laughed heartily. She looked up and gave him a half-hearted encouraging smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see it working out for you.¡± He smiled and placed a small box on the table, ¡°This right here will cheer anyone up¡± Opening the lid, was what looked to be a slice of cake. If you could call bright orange cake, with what looked like blue foam as frosting, and what seemed like sliced pickles throughout. Reardon offered Mary a fork. To be honest, she hadn¡¯t even once attempted to try one of his ¡®delicacies.¡¯ She¡¯d like to say it was because she was too busy trying to open and run her new shop. But in reality the food looked strange. Not to mention, she¡¯d seen some of what the raw ingredients looked like before being cooked. However, having the earnest chef in front of her was wearing down her will power. Not to mention, seeing the line of customers outside his store, had somewhat alleviated her concerns. Hesitantly, she picked up the fork and took a small bite. What happened next surprised her. The miniature foam bubbles burst on her tongue, giving her a flavor somewhat like citrus and sour candy, with minty like aftertaste. The cake itself was silky, almost creamy, with a fruity flavor. The pickle looking bits were actually a form of nut from some unknown world. The combination of it all immediately brought a smile to her face. It didn¡¯t take long for her to finish the entire piece, much to the satisfaction of Reardon. ¡°I knew you would like it! Now tell me, what does the mother of my benefactor seem so worried about?¡± Mary sighed. ¡°For some reason my son has me buying all the nyamisium cores I can get my hands on. And he insisted that I buy it with cash rather than credits.¡± Reardon nodded. ¡°Well he must have a plan in mind.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I¡¯m sure he does, but I''ve barely seen him in the last week. He¡¯s been busy with some project and any spare time he does have he spends it at the gym.¡± ¡°Youth grow up so fast.¡± Reardon acknowledged, ¡°My youngest just went to college, and if you can believe it, I just found out that she¡¯d been dating a boy for the past month. My little girl, dating some college guy for a whole month without even telling me!¡± Well at least she¡¯s interested in dating. Mary had wanted to say, but kept the comment to herself. She¡¯d been slightly irritated that she¡¯d gotten little to no details about the girls in Alan¡¯s life. At the very least her daughter would tell her if she was dating someone. A slight tinge of worry twisted her stomach however, her daughter had been spending a lot of her evenings after school in the game. And she¡¯d been a little evasive about the details. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Alan does have a plan. I¡¯d just like to know what it¡¯s all about. But for now I¡¯ll just continue with buying up all the nyamisium core and spending the cash we have on hand. He wouldn¡¯t even let me exchange my credits for cash at this point. I can barely get $3 for a single credit now, where before they were about $5 dollars.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be ok. Nothing that another piece of cake won¡¯t fix.¡± He smiled again, and when she nodded he left to retrieve another piece of cake. Mary couldn¡¯t help but laugh. From what she could tell Reardon had a penchant for solving his problems with good food. A bell chimed at the front entrance, a pair of young women entered. From their appearance they didn¡¯t look much older than her daughter. ¡°Hello girls, how can I help you?¡± ¡°We heard that you carry some Cosmos pimple cream?¡± The girls asked timidly. ¡°Let me see what I can find.¡± She smiled. On Mairkness, Mary had decided to focus mainly on beauty and care products for her purchases. Not only were these far and above better than anything on Earth, but they were far cheaper too. Instead of $10 to $40 for a beauty cream or some other product, she would purchase the items for micro-credits, basically less than a credit for the item. Because of that, she¡¯d bought a huge volume of items, and was able to sell it at a large profit. As she was preparing the goods she overheard the girls conversation. ¡°Did you hear that the President is going to make a public announcement tomorrow about Cosmos?¡± Mary paused to hear more. ¡°Yeah, it''s supposed to be pretty big. I mean are they going to finally confirm some of the rumors?¡± ¡°Which rumor? That we are living in the matrix? That we have been enslaved by alien overlords? That the developer of Cosmos is actually someone from the future?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. I¡¯m talking about it being real. But to be honest, I feel like it''s got to be real right? Or at least partially real¡­¡± ¡°Well whatever he says, it''s going to be a big deal. Trenton was telling me it''s not just our president, but a whole bunch of leaders are having press conferences tomorrow too.¡± ¡°The same boyfriend that spent his trust fund on getting credits?¡± They both laughed at that before Mary stepped up with the pimple cream. Mary did a brief demonstration, resulting in a near miraculous cleansing of the skin. The girls couldn¡¯t give Mary their credits fast enough. When the transaction concluded Mary logged onto the market¡¯s news feed. There was in fact going to be an announcement tomorrow. Was the President finally going to say what had been on everyone¡¯s mind? The bell to the door chimed again. Reardon walked in with another slice of cake. ¡°I saw you were busy, sorry about the delay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Reardon.¡± She took the second slice. She¡¯d skipped lunch and was still hungry. ¡°I was just reading about the announcement today. He nodded, ¡°Well I hope he can explain a little bit of what is going on. I for one hope that this is all real, I¡¯ve never been so happy at work in my life!¡± Scrolling through the top stories something caught her eye. ¡®VE Shortage Looming¡¯ reading through the article briefly, it seemed there was a shortage of the Cosmos energy, specifically the earth-enabled kind. Reading further, she discovered that it was unlikely that players would be able to replicate the manufacture of the energy for earth use for at least a year. In reading about the article it spoke of how it was manufactured in Cosmos. Specifically, it highlighted the use of nyamisium cores in the procedure. Looking up at Reardon, she no longer felt the worry about her son¡¯s sudden interest in purchasing all the nyamisium ore. Nor his preference in hoarding as many credits as possible and using just his cash, if what she thought the announcement tomorrow confirmed the truth of Cosmos. ¡°Reardon, do you happen to have a whole cake I could take home? I think that I might owe my son an apology.¡± Chpt 34 Everyone make sure to catch the President¡¯s message tomorrow. As I¡¯ve said before, I guarantee it¡¯s going to be mind blowing! Also be sure to catch my upcoming videos. I won¡¯t be revealing who I am just yet, but it¡¯ll be a new way to keep up with TravelsInWonderland. Alice finished her most recent blog. She¡¯d gotten the news update at the end of school that day, and wanted to make sure to make a quick post about it. She couldn¡¯t be positive it was about Cosmos, but what else could it be about. She left the school library and was able to catch a ride share to the Cosmos Pod center. She¡¯d texted Janice, who¡¯d been miffed with Alice when she hadn¡¯t hung out after school for a few days. Alice smiled wryly, of course Janice went from irritated to envious once she¡¯d told her she had been in Cosmos nearly all week. Alice had decided to make peace with her by letting her use her pod for an afternoon over the weekend. Arriving at the pod center she said hello to the now familiar faces and made her way to her pod. Before logging in, she checked the status of her blog and grinned at the number of views. It felt good to be so popular, even if it meant she had to be anonymous for now. She stored her phone in her ring. She¡¯d recently downloaded a few apps for making videos and was going to start making videos to show some of what she was learning. Of course that meant she¡¯d still remain behind the camera, for now, to honor what her brother had asked her to do. Alice sighed, reflecting on her brother''s request. She thought to herself...I mean he did pay for me to go to Cosmos, and did pretty much give me a ton of good material to get started. Alice looked down at her pod and grimaced. If there had been an observer, they would have seen the young girl go from relaxed and carefree, to suddenly rigid and tense. Instead of seeing her charming smile, there was only a grim look of determination on her face. It was the same look a swimmer had standing on the edge of a dock, bracing themselves for a dive into cold water. She jumped in. Alice stood in awe when she appeared at the foot of a tall green mountain covered in thick foliage. Though she¡¯d seen it before, it was amazing to see. She stood on the outskirts of a small cluster of buildings, built of stone with high pitched roofs. Each building had a cobblestone path toward a center street that led directly to a large white marble building which was built into the mountain. She briefly removed her phone, taking a video of the picturesque view before moving on. She walked directly toward the grand building passing by a few curious onlookers, the native species of this world, the Matiban. They had the resemblance of birds of paradise from Earth. Each had bright colorful plumage. The Matiban stood upright on two stout legs, meant for jumping. Their arms were long and delicate, and covered in feathers. Though not capable of flight, they certainly seemed to reflect the same shape as wings. Additionally, the bird-like aliens could jump well over 15 feet into the air, and could use their arms to gracefully float down the ground. Due to this fact, most of the homes in the area had doors situated on the roofs, rather than on the earth below. Alice pushed forward, ignoring the occasional chirp, squawk or other remark in the Matiban¡¯s language. They stood outside their homes in pairs of two or three, often giving Alice sidelong glances. Clearly gossiping about her in their native language. The residents themselves weren¡¯t all that threatening though, so it didn¡¯t bother her. Standing side by side, the average adult barely reached her chest. However, their language had an air of condescension, which did annoy her. Moving quickly it didn¡¯t take her long to reach the large central structure, a temple really.. The structure was made of large marble blocks, which seemed to blend easily into the face of the mountain. At times, it was difficult to tell what parts were manufactured, rather than crafted by nature. Before the large marble face was a courtyard of stone and grass. Standing near its center she positioned herself near a half dozen alien life forms, also in the courtyard. The other held seemingly still, each wearing an ochre colored robe. Without speaking, Alice, too, removed a coarse, ochre robe, matching the others. She grimaced as she put on the itchy cloth and began to take position. Like the others, she took a position, looking like a statue. However, if you were to sit and take lunch in the courtyard, you would notice that slowly almost imperceptibly, each robed figure, including Alice moved glacially. To Alice, it was something she dreaded. When she was first taken in to be taught, they handed her the itchy cloth and taught her a set of positions which she would slowly move into. Alice wasn¡¯t exactly sure what it was supposed to accomplish. And had it not been for the menagerie of aliens around her, doing the exact same thing, she might have quit. But like her, perhaps even more so, they were excited to learn from the bird race. Above her a short sharp screech sounded. It came from one of the high arched windows of the marble structure. Alice groaned inwardly, as the dark shape of a Matiban glided down to land abruptly next to her. She didn¡¯t dare react. She¡¯d learned that much at least. Out of the corner of her eye she saw dark beady eyes, The Matiban was small and hunched. It¡¯s feather¡¯s were dark black. Patches of skin shown through the plumage. His feathers, in contrast to the other Matiban, who were meticulous in their preening, were dirty and disheveled. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± The bird¡¯s beak clacked together, and slowly moved around her, occasionally scratching the ground, like a hen looking for worms. Alice nearly laughed, her lips twitching slightly. The bird''s head snapped back to look at her. Did he read my mind? ¡°You¡¯re the last to arrive, little chick!¡± She didn¡¯t move. ¡°I thought when you asked to be taught, you¡¯d take it seriously.¡± She didn¡¯t move. He leaned in closer to her, filling her nose with a rank smell. Reminding her of an uncle''s chicken farm she had once visited. She remained still.. He walked around her a few more times. Until he was satisfied that she wouldn¡¯t break her pose. Eventually he proceeded to skulk off toward another robed figure. His rancid smell lingering, reminding her not to break her concentration. She proceeded to move through the position, her shadow growing smaller in the rising sun. Till, at its zenith the black bird appeared again at the towering entrance of the great marble temple. ¡°Little chicks you may stop and come forward.¡± ¡°Yes Uwak,¡± The seven robed individuals chanted together. Alice stretched and moved her arms, reminding her body that she no longer had to move with excruciating slowness. Uwak looked at them sternly ,¡°Come, it is time for lessons.¡± They group moved to a small door, on the far side of the main entrance. This led to a small alcove where, to Alice¡¯s surprise stood another Matiban on the teaching pedestal. The figure was clearly male, with bright gold and orange plumage. Alice saw that Umak seemed somewhat flustered at the guest. But instead of cursing and screeching, Umak¡¯s bearing shifted to a more respectful pose. ¡°Umak, I thought I might give you a chance to attend to some personal duties today while I taught today¡¯s lesson.¡± The golden matiban voice was soothing and melodic, a contrast to the sharp barks of Umak. ¡°Agila, I am very grateful for your care and concern for both myself and the students but you do not need to trouble yourself.¡± Umak attempted to replicate Agila''s tone, but he could not remove the edges of his own speech. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°It is no trouble at all Umak. I enjoy letting my wings stretch from time to time.¡± The change in Agila¡¯s tone was nearly undetectable, however, there was something within it that seemed to indicate the end of the conversation with Umak. Turning away from Umak to look at the gaggle of students, Agila beckoned them forward. Alice left the hall just over an hour later. For someone who¡¯d spent her whole day listening to teachers, and then having to spend her evening doing yoga-like movements and lectures, you¡¯d expect her to nearly be falling asleep as she left the small alcove. And on a typical day, this would have been the case. Umak¡¯s every word seemed to drain her when he spoke. In contrast Agila¡¯s melodic voice left her feeling energized, as if just awakened for the day. ¡°I hope we can hear from him again.¡± One of her alien companions spoke as they were leaving. ¡°I agree. I¡¯d rather pull out all my quills than hear Umak again.¡± Another chimed in¡­. ¡°Shush, I hear that the old bird can hear you anywhere in the temple.¡± Came a third. ¡°It was a nice change though.¡± Alice added, she hadn¡¯t really gotten to know her fellow players all that well, not with the schedule given to them. The others nodded. The lecture itself was pretty mundane. It mostly spoke in generalities about neumetik energy, and also refinement of their movements. Apparently most of the information was general knowledge, something any player could find on any given world. Nothing about how to actually use the energy, or even sense it. A small spindly student, with bright orange skin, and elongated appendages spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to be here no matter whose teaching.¡± The others all nodded in agreement. One of the few things Alice had learned from her fellow alien players was that the Matiban¡¯s home world, Pugad, was one of the few places to learn about the mysteries of neumetik energy. And was the only place in Cosmos to gain the knowledge without either signing on with a powerful organization or incurring great costs. Every disciple had come here for that reason. She recalled her surprise when one of the elder birds had approached her, sensing the potential within her and offered to help her learn more. One of the first lessons she learned was how incredibly rare it was to possess the potential to use neumetik energy. She honestly couldn¡¯t believe how lucky she¡¯d been. Then again it hadn¡¯t been merely chance. This had been the planet that her brother had told her to go to. This fact, when she thought about it, had seemed to stick with her longer than any other. Her mind was still in reflection when a little orange alien she hadn¡¯t spoken to before interrupted her thoughts. ¡°My name is Navarro. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had the chance to introduce myself to you yet.¡± There were small fins at the top of his head. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you Navarro, my name is Alice.¡± Despite her exhaustion, she put on her most charming smile. ¡°I know you are the newest among us. Most of the time the disciples try to keep to themselves.¡± He continued rapidly without stopping. ¡°But that''s not because of Umak, the crotchety old bird. That is to say, not entirely up to Umak. Most of the disciples here come from far flung empires or perhaps great corporations. And you never know when you might come across a rival or feuding enemy. And bam! Next thing you know, you¡¯re smack dab in the middle of a duel. But that''s of course if the Matiban doesn''t stop you first, which they will. I remember this one pair, a Svith and Korvish,classic blood feud. Their races kill each other on sight, as soon as the brawl started, an Elder pounced on both, putting them right in their place. They¡¯re a lot stronger than they look, Next thing you know both of them disappeared. My guess on the nearest transport out of here. Alice watched in wonder, as it seemed as though the Navarro race didn¡¯t need to take normal breaths in order to speak. She finally got a word in when she hoped he¡¯d finished his thought. ¡°Thank you so much, I didn¡¯t know.... ¡°Well that''s the problem, not everyone does¡­¡± He cut her off. He rambled on for a while, sharing what he knew about the various disciples, the Matiban, Pugad, and whatever else seemed to come to his mind. Alice, having never met such a fervent talker, finally decided to interrupt the chatterbox. ¡°Well thank you Navarro. However, I think my family is waiting for me.¡± This however, didn¡¯t seem to register with him. Instead sending him on a different tangent. ¡°I had a cousin once who had apparently, and accidently I might add, got on the wrong side of the local baker, apparently commenting poorly on his bread. Well wouldn¡¯t you know it, the guy was part of the local crime family. And boom! I¡¯ve got one less cousin. Not to say that I¡¯m short on cousins. My species has big families. I¡¯ve got 211 cousins alone.¡± He paused unexpectedly, as if something occurred to him. ¡°Speaking of species though, I¡¯ve never seen your species before. Where are you from, somewhere in the deep sector perhaps?¡± Alice wanted to log out. With great reluctance she answered the question. ¡°Actually I¡¯m a human, our species is new to Cosmos. We just started about a week ago.¡± Navarro''s eyes grew large. ¡°Oh¡­a week you say.¡± For once during the entire conversation it seemed as though he didn¡¯t have anything to add. When he finally spoke, it was halting and reluctant. ¡°Well, I uh....didn¡¯t know that...so good for you.¡± He suddenly began to take interest in the location of the local sun. ¡°I think I¡¯ve kept you for far too long Alice. Have a good day!¡± He quickly turned and scampered down the path. ¡°That was abrupt.¡± Alice spoke to herself, somewhat puzzled. What got into him? She thought. It¡¯s like he suddenly discovered that I had the plague. Was it because I was a new player? She looked around, and realized she was alone in the courtyard, and felt hot. The sun¡¯s rays brightly reflected off the marble walls, enhancing the heat of the day. Alice was exhausted, late in the evening for her. For the Matiban, however, it was midday, their sun had reached its zenith. To avoid the heat of the day, they would seek shelter in the shade of their homes, or gather at a lake near the settlement. Taking in her surroundings, she noticed rich, thick foliage on the mountain side swaying in the breeze. But that didn¡¯t seem quite right. There was no breeze. Alice didn¡¯t know if it was the heat and exhaustion from the day, but it looked as if all the trees were moving as one. Following some unknown rhythm, she felt entranced by their gentle sway. Had her mind not been so focused on the trees, she would have noticed that she too, had begun to sway. She felt like one of the trees. She didn¡¯t know how long she stood there. A shadow fell over her unnoticed. It wasn¡¯t until the sour smell of the figure reached her nose that she broke her eyes from the dance of the trees. Umak was standing there, arms folded inspecting Alice. She turned bright red in embarrassment and apologized to the black feathered Matiban. ¡°I¡¯m sorry elder, I should not have lingered in the courtyard.¡± Ignoring her statement he turned away from her to look into the trees on the mountain side, high above the settlement. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful isn¡¯t it , the dance of the forest that is. At least for those who can sense it.¡± Alice nodded. ¡°It¡¯s good that you can see it. Not everyone does. Even those with strong talent may miss the wonder right in front of them.¡± Umak spoke with great reverence, a striking contrast to his usual barbed tone. Looking back at her he continued. ¡°Navarro has already begun to share that you are a Human and new to Cosmos.¡° Alice nodded, still unsure of what to say to the Matiban. ¡°You¡¯ll want to be careful about spreading that knowledge.¡± He chuckled softly to himself, ¡°Makes them edgy not always knowing what they should and shouldn¡¯t say. Especially in the beginning.¡± He turned away from her, and began to back toward the temple making a gesture for her to follow. ¡°It''s taboo to discuss new players. No player wants to be labeled a cheater.¡± He stopped talking as they passed through the grand door into a large open space. Alice immediately noticed a drop in temperature from the heat of the day. The inside was a large cavern, rising up the mountain side. The opening visible from the outside, let in light. The stone was polished dark purple. It contrasted sharply from the white marble , which was visible from outside the building. They proceeded through an alcove. Instead of being lit by the sunlight, the walls were scrawled in glowing text, illegible to her, even though she¡¯d taken the basic language packet in Cosmos. Stopping at a door, Umak grumbled slightly as he fiddled with the handle. Stepping inside Alice first noticed a basin of water, two feet in diameter, in a round room. The same glowing script lined the walls. ¡°Alice, we Matiban are willing to teach anyone in the use neumetik. However, you are not considered a student until you can sense it for yourself¡± He spoke calmly. That was a surprise to Alice. She¡¯d thought and believed she was already a student. ¡°We do our best to teach you how to sense the energy with the exercises we taught you before. Now that you have sensed however, we shall now begin your real training.¡± He spoke plainly. ¡°What if I had not been able to sense it?¡± Alice had to ask. ¡°Most do not...and those who fail to do so are asked to find other planets to live upon.¡± She had no idea that such a requirement even existed. She wanted to ask more but Umek continued on. ¡°You will begin by strengthening and honing your ability to sense the energy.¡± He pointed to the basin. ¡°You shall spend your time in this room training until it has been determined that you have reached an appropriate mastery,¡± She looked down at the basin, unsure of how to proceed. ¡°How do I do that?¡± Umak smiled grimly, ¡°There isn¡¯t much I can offer to help with that.¡± He responded shortly, ¡°But I recommend looking at the basin.¡± It seemed that whatever patience he¡¯d had previously had disappeared. He left, shutting the door behind him. Alice moved to one side of the pool, eerily drawn by something within it. However when she looked, it seemed to be ordinary water. She thought to herself. How is this supposed to be a fun game? I¡¯m literally going to look at water. She began to look intently in the water, hoping that something would happen. After a moment, she realized that she needed to get some sleep before tomorrow, and logged off instead. Chapter 35 ¡°Mr. President, everything is in order for your presentation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, Mac.¡± The President responded. ¡°Are the other National leaders ready as well?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all beginning their own speeches at the same time as ours.¡± ¡°Good. Thank you. Clear the room, I need a few minutes.¡± ¡°Yes Sir." Abram Johnson sat behind his history desk in the oval office, wearing a charcoal suit, as the various aides and Secretaries filed out of the room. President Johnson, had your typical presidential look, tall, stately, and clean cut. A man who was driven to be a leader, serving as president of his local high school, Governor of Florida, and finally securing his life-long dream of becoming commander-in-chief. He stood and walked toward the window, as the last person left the oval office, his shoulders slumped. Today¡¯s events had been set for 3 years, and yet he still believed he and the rest of America weren¡¯t prepared. Just in the last week he¡¯d had multiple brief¡¯s reporting potential risks: new weapons, economic fluctuations, religious uprisings, and alien pandemics just to name a few. He sighed at the thought of it. Chirping came from his desk. Immediately tensing, he moved to withdraw a special phone that only he had access to. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello Mr. President, this is Agent Travis.¡± A serious baritone responded on the phone ¡°Hello Travis, what does Obelisk want?¡± ¡°Mr. President, I just wanted to say good luck today.¡± Abram seriously doubted that. The agents of Obelisk, no matter what nation they came from, were always called about something. ¡°Thank you, Travis. We¡¯ve got everything ready for the upcoming announcement.¡± ¡°Good Mr. President. I¡¯m certain it will be a day to be remembered in the history books.¡± There was an awkward silence between the two men when the Agent spoke again. ¡°Well Mr. President, I wanted to know if you¡¯d had a chance to weigh the proposition of the Yashdid?¡± Abram thought for a moment. It made sense for Travis to contact him now, just before he was announced to the country about the alien visitors. The Earth''s new ¡®friends¡¯, the Yashdid likely wanted to move quickly. ¡°That proposition to offer them habitable locations in order for them to help us advance with our current technology? Travis, you know better than anyone that, I can¡¯t unilaterally make that kind of decision for this country. I''ll need the support of both parties. And don¡¯t bother calling this an immigration issue, this goes well beyond that.¡± ¡°Mr. President, I¡¯m only gauging to see if you would be in support of it. Especially if new laws were proposed in the legislature.¡± It was clear to Abram that Travis already had a few congressmen already in his pockets. He cursed to himself silently. Travis was still supposed to be loyal to the United States, not some alien race and overblown universal game. ¡°Travis, right now I have to make the biggest announcement since pearl harbor. We can talk about it later.¡± ¡°Of course, Mr. President, I didn''t mean to interrupt your preparations. I just you might want to know that the agents from China and Russia have already reported their countries will be offering full cooperation with the Yashdid. If they get ahold of certain space and energy techs before we do¡­.¡± Agent Travis didn¡¯t need to finish his thought, the president understood the situation. ¡°Good luck, Mr. President.¡± the agent ended the phone call at that point. Abram Johnson, President of the United States slumped in his chair. Of course China and Russia have already agreed, it didn¡¯t even need to be said, it was the logical conclusion. However, his instincts screamed at him every time he thought about those alien¡¯s building permanent structures on American soil. But if the United States rivals did it¡­ His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his office door. He immediately sat up, returning to his previous presidential bearing. Mac, his secretary over ¡®special foreign relations¡¯ walked in. We¡¯re ready sir. Minutes later The President of the United States was being broadcast to the entire nation. ¡°My fellow American, I wish to announce today that we are not alone in the universe¡­.¡± *** We have a great legacy as adventures and explorers, always finding the courage to overcome insurmountable difficulties and challenges. It is my hope and prayer that we can pull together as a human race, united in this new adventure.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Turn it off.¡± Clark Tenson sat in a large wingback leather chair, his eyes reading through a recent only half listening to the president¡¯s announcement. He was unimpressed by the banal speech mostly filled with empty platitudes about human greatness. Clark was not interested in such meager words he was more interested in actions and results. And from his recent report he wasn¡¯t getting either. His secretary, unsurprised by the president¡¯s announcement. turned off the television, which then smoothly ascended into a ceiling panel. She sat, notepad sitting beside her employer. The room itself was large, paneled in exotic woods. A mini bar sat in one corner, a drink from any number of the liquors there might cover her yearly salary. Along with her, a number of men and women sat in various chairs in his office, half listening to the president¡¯s speech ¡°Any word from Carmen about the energy shortage?¡± ¡°No sir. There doesn¡¯t seem to be anyone who has the ability to transform the nyamisium into vervetic energy at this point. He¡¯s only been able to locate one individual with the ve generator mutation, however, that individual is currently employed by a foreign entity. He¡¯s following up with a lead in the United States¡± The secretary responded quickly. ¡°Tell him if I don¡¯t get results soon, I¡¯m going to have to look for a new asset.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°Give me an update on the weapons division.¡± A plump man, who¡¯d been eyeing the bar, shifted in his seat to respond. ¡°Our scientists have been making progress to adapt some of the energy weapons to electrical energy. Some of the smaller arms will likely be completed before the month is out. There is a concern battery weight will be a problem. There is hope that we can adapt some of the larger ordinance and mount them on larger platforms.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Tenson turned to a lean woman in a white overcoat. ¡°Where are we at with ship design?¡± ¡°Not good sir. We¡¯ve already expended the VE energy you allocated to us in trying to reverse engineer the systems. We¡¯ll need more in order to continue testing. Frankly 90% of the materials are unknown to us. We can analyze the alloys used in production, but reproducing them is beyond our means. We need more information from the exploration task force to be able to move forward.¡± It was as Tenson predicted, though he didn¡¯t like it. Money and resources, it''s what it took to be successful. Money, he had, resources on the other hand, that was proving to be a challenge for all his current projects. A beeping came from his wrist. A communication device, cleverly disguised as a Rolex. Wordlessly, his secretary arose and ushered out the executives from his office. Clark activated the device, projected in front of him was a creature from another planet. It stood at human height, with four limbs, and a head. But that is where the resemblance faded. Their flesh resembled crude oil, it ungulated disturbingly across their bodies. They were near faceless with only two black dots, he assumed were eyes and a black empty whole for a mouth. Clark had initially wanted to vomit when he first saw them. However, he quickly checked his gag reflex after learning what they¡¯d had to offer. ¡°Hello Tenson.¡± It gurgled. Tenson bowed respectfully ¡°Hello Phla, I am honored by your presence.¡± The mass shivered, which unsettled Tenson. ¡°The Yashdid are making overtures to your government leaders to secure lands on your planet. This is unacceptable.¡± The figure continued. ¡°Your recent development of cosmos electrical weapons is required. I will send you a list of where you can send shipments of such weapons. Our allies need to resist the Yashdid invasion. You already know what is at stake.¡± Tenson could only nod. He understood who had all the negotiating power here. ¡°Excellent, and in return we will send you ample units of VE in order to complete your ship research.¡± The figure disappeared. Tenson would have let out a stream of curses had it not become blazingly obvious that his alien business partners had listened to his most recent conversation. He¡¯d need to find a way to protect his communication in the future. For now though, the arrangement had solved one of his problems. Tenson didn¡¯t need to worry about VE for the moment. ***** Alan sat with his family in their living room, the incoherent and stunned babbling of news analysis¡¯s trying to break down what they just heard. It wasn''t the first time Alan had heard the speech. He felt much the same today, as he felt the first time he''d heard it. Hope. He truly bleieved that humankind could thrive in this new world. Of course this time he''d actually known about alient races. His father was the first to speak. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like this has been to much of a surprise to this family. I¡¯m just surprised the government could keep it a secret for 3 years.¡± They all nodded. Alice, Alan¡¯s sister was furiously typing away at her phone, apparently believing that she was best to commentate on the day¡¯s events. "I just want to know why these Yashdid gave us the cosmos tech to begin with." "Dad your suprised our government kept it a secret, I''m wondering what kept all the other nations in line. I mean it wasn''t every nation, but he did mention China, Russia and a few other powerhouses were were in the know, like Japan, India, and Germany." Alan''s older brother chimed in. Alan¡¯s mother sighed and gave Alan a side hug, ¡°I¡¯m just grateful to have a son with such good foresight.¡± ¡°Thanks Mom, but we¡¯ve just gotten started.¡± Alan had been working the whole week, making preparation on Kragga. Completing construction, helping to organize Shelley¡¯s employees, and making final preparations for the VE generator. Nick and Adrian had been scouting the local area and had even made a few visits to the alien outpost on the edge of the wastes for supply runs. Even his brother and father had made the trip to Kragga. His brother becoming part of the medical team and his father sighing up with the engineers. The Callisto Corporation employees had been shocked to learn that they had such unique and useful knowledge and skills. His phone buzzed, and saw a text from Shelley, asking when he¡¯d be heading back to Kragga. ¡°Oh is that your girlfriend?¡± His mother commented. ¡°Mom, it just Shelley asking me about work.¡± He tried to respond calmly, but couldn¡¯t help but blush slightly. ¡°So what now son?¡± His father interrupted. Alan looked up from his phone. His parents, siblings, and stepsister all looked at him intently. Their eyes carried a weight to them which he¡¯d never felt before. ¡°We go to work.¡± Chapter 36 Alan stood next to his father at an electronics panel within the largest holding bay of The Brick, the large transport ship he had been using as a home base. His father interacted with a few select panels, his normally calm demeanor was focused intently on the system in front of him. A bead of sweat trickled down his face, though the room was surprisingly cool. ¡°That should do it.¡± He said unceremoniously, before entering a final series of inputs and selecting begin. In vast hold before them was a complicated mishmash of equipment and machinery. Blue lights began to glow along a series of azure colored, luminescent pipes. They seemed to pass through various machines, and junctions that all led to a central metal dome, the size of which was larger than Alan¡¯s old studio apartment. The whole structure emanated a humming sound which caused Alan to shiver. His father¡¯s lips pursed a moment before speaking. ¡°Seems like it might just be out of alignment.¡± He pressed a few more buttons and moments later the humming stopped. Looking at Alan, his father finally allowed himself to grin and said, ¡°We¡¯ve been putting this thing together for over a week. Let''s give it a try.¡± Alan solemnly walked over to a large storage container, and pressed a button, which then ejected a small stream of crushed nyamisium ore. As it proceeded through the complex network of pipes they glowed slightly brighter as it proceeded. Alan and his Father tracked the movement till it finally entered the dome. They watched in near silence for over three hours only making occasional comments about the progress and to report on the status of the machine. Finally as it neared the fourth hour, a ding sounded from a large metal cylinder, which was connected from a series of pipes leading from the dome. Walking over to he 10 foot cylinder, he read from a lit panel: .1/10,000 Units of Vervetic Energy Stored. *Earth Enabled Alan whooped! ¡°Dad, we did it.¡± His father quickly walked over, double checking the reports and smiled, ¡°You bet we did!¡± They both laughed aloud and celebrated, hooting and hollering at what they had accomplished. For Alan¡¯s father, it was a somewhat uncharacteristic display for his typically steady demeanor. But for Alan this success meant everything. He now had a way to convert nyamisium ore into VE for the inhabitants of Earth. He gave his father a hug. His Father, who already had a knack for working on machines, had also spent his Mental Manipulation Threshold units learning advanced machinery and manufacturing at the urging of Alan. This made him essential to assembling and running the large VE Generator in such a short time. Looking back at the large cylinder it now read: .3/10,000 Units of Vervetic Energy Stored. *Earth Enabled ¡°From what I can tell, this thing is able to produce a lot of VE. I think we¡¯ll mostly be limited by the nyamisium ore, especially if we get this machine to ramp up to full capacity.¡± His Father spoke up. ¡°Thanks Dad. I¡¯ve already got a pretty good supply to start.¡± Alan removed from his ring a few large crates of Nyamisium Ore that his mother had been able to purchase in the last week. ¡°But you''re right, we¡¯re going to need a lot more to keep up with demand.¡± ¡°Sir, It¡¯s time for your afternoon appointment.¡± A humanoid droid appeared in the room carrying a platter. ¡°I also took the liberty of preparing a light lunch for you and your father.¡± ¡°Thank you 739, I¡¯ll need to eat it on the go.¡± ¡°Hey Dad, I¡¯ll talk to you later, I¡¯ve got to get going.¡± His Father nodded. He¡¯d already snagged a sandwich, and was absorbed in some technical data provided by the generator. ¡°See you later 739.¡± He left the room, grabbing a sandwich for himself. Along with the generator his father and a few of Shelley¡¯s technicians had also helped put the droid back together again too. Alan drove his quad, quickly approaching a small cluster of buildings deep in the waste. The settlement had a few wooden structures, with sheet metal roofs, however most of the shelters were heavy canvas tents. Three structures on the other hand, stood out of place among the ramshackle of temporary structures. Though practical in concept, each was sleek in their design. Each was much larger than the other structures, and were made of repurposed metals, glass alloys, and whatever else might have fallen apart in the wastes and could be reused for nano tech. The location of the shelter was just on the outskirts of the ship graveyard. This was done for both practical and security reasons. One was to make it somewhat accessible to the shipyard, without having the added risk of using old ship materials in the manufacturing of the buildings. The first building built had been a design for a research facility. Though it didn¡¯t include any research equipment, it¡¯s layout made it perfect for such an operation. The second building had not, as was discussed before with Shelley, been a barracks. After their initial conversation on the matter Shelley¡¯s manager at Callisto Corp., Bryan Jakes, had suggested that it would be a waste. ¡°Why bother, we can log in and out whenever we want '''' he''d pragmatically pointed out, ¡°If the folks want a place to nap, we can give them a tent. Worked well for me in the army.¡± Hence the slew of temporary structures in the area. The new building proposed was a large storage facility. A place to securely store goods, equipment and in the future, a hanger for smaller ships. The final building, and the one Alan was moving toward had been a general purpose building. For now it served as a place for recreation and a small medical facility. It was a place for future residents to gather. It also had a secure holding area and some other private offices. For now it served as the canteen. Walking through the open metal door Alan immediately found who he was looking for. Shelley, Nick and Adrian sat at a long metal table. The trio saw him come in and waved him over. Shelley and Adrian were both sipping sodas while Nick was busily munching on a hamburger. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Can you believe it?¡± Nick said between mouthfuls, ¡°They had somebody make burgers for all the employees.¡± Alan laughed, ¡°Well yeah, if you''re going to stay in the game 16 hours you¡¯ve got to eat.¡± ¡°So how does that work?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°I mean we get hungry here in the game, but we don¡¯t die here if we are killed.¡± He looked to both Shelley and Alan. ¡°I mean is it possible to just not eat? Is this our body, or not our body. How does eating here make me full on earth?¡± Shelley just shrugged. Alan did too, he was just as clueless,the pod, especially their cores, were some of the most advanced tech both inside and outside the game. Even in his alternate timeline no one he¡¯d met was able to explain the tech.. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much, just be happy that we get a free meal. I hear they are going to have an ice cream bar.¡± Nick smiled. Adrian just rolled his eyes, while Shelley gave a light, tinkling laugh. Turing to Alan chuckled right along. A moment later Shelley turned to Alan. ¡°I¡¯ve got some good news and some bad news.¡± She continued without waiting for a response, ¡°The good news is that after the President¡¯s announcement yesterday, I received a call from my father. He¡¯s going to be allocating additional funds to the space project.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Alan responded genuinely. Over the last week, he¡¯d become increasingly aware of how anxious Shelley had been about funding. It seemed that her father had finally been convinced that his daughter was moving in the right direction. ¡°And the bad news?¡± ¡°My father would like to meet you, more specifically he would like to meet the person responsible for our current VE surplus.¡± Alan cringed, other than Shelley and Bryan Jakes, no one else knew he was the source of Energy. They were the only ones who knew his actual identity. Due to his decision to change his appearance in the game when he started, he also was able to remain somewhat anonymous that way. Even his close friends and mother had to be told beforehand that he¡¯d look a little bit different in the game world. ¡°He knows who I am then?¡± Alan probed. ¡°I mean this is his company, so he could obviously read about the person who signed the contract.¡± Shelley informed him a bit embarrassed. ¡°But aside from Jakes, and Myself, we¡¯re the only ones who have access to the confidential contract.¡± Alan was ok with that arrangement for now and asked: ¡°What did he have in mind?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s not so much a meeting but more like a party.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Alan was perplexed. ¡°It¡¯s an annual invitational that our family puts on every year. It typically consists of important business partners, other leaders in the industry, etc. This year it will be held in the virtual market.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± He asked his friends. Despite having lived another life where he¡¯d fought new species and explored bizarre worlds, a fancy party seemed altogether alien. His friends both shrugged. ¡°It could be a chance to meet new buyers for the VE.¡± Shelley pushed. Alan nodded. ¡°Ok, let''s make it happen,¡± It made sense to him. Even though he had plans to start selling VE on the markets. The demand for it would be relatively low for the average player. There simply wasn¡¯t a high demand for earth-enabled energy for the average player who didn¡¯t have a lot of devices that could use it, aside from a few rings. It was the bigger entities: governments, corporations, and other groups, who would be the largest buyers. So it made sense for him from that perspective to rub shoulders. Nick suddenly stood, after finishing his food, ¡°Well now that that is settled, I think it¡¯s time we go hunting!¡± *** Leaving Shelley behind to manage business matters, the three of them left the compound. Instead of taking the 4-wheelers, the trio opted to jog across the wastes for now, looking for monsters to hunt. The running had been Adrian¡¯s idea, after Alan had let him know that you could gain permanent stat points in strength and speed by increasing your physical exertion in-game. Adrian, the most fit, due to his time in the rotc, was all for it. Alan of course had wanted to do the same to increase his base stats. Nick on the other hand¡­ ¡°I think... I need a break.¡± Nick panted, his face red from exertion. ¡°It¡¯s not even been 20 minutes, Nick. Let''s go another 10 minutes.¡± Adrian encouraged, continuing his run. Nick, for all his strength, had poor endurance and Adrian was bound and determined to grind the weakness out of him. Alan could only laugh silently, as he focused on pushing himself. It wasn¡¯t too long that they found their first group of monsters. It was a small group of large toad-like creatures half buried in piles of debris. Upon the hunters approach, one of toads, black and covered with large misshapen warts bellowed threateningly. It sat on its hind legs, standing nearly 4 feet in height. Behind it, two other shapes moved, facing the adventures. Though not as large as the first one, they each took aggressive stances. The three man team took position. Each removing their weapons, Nick and Adrian with their AR-15 and Alan with his gloves. The lead toad,, seeing the group¡¯s stop, but not retreat from it¡¯s territory bellowed a second time, before it suddenly leapt toward the trio. As if on cue, both Adrian and Nick opened fire, as Alan began to channel vervetic energy through his gloves, and sending an energy bolt from each of his hands toward the other two toads also approaching. It was a slaughter. The lead monster took the brunt of the focused fire. Initially bullets pinged off the large warty masses on its body. However, it¡¯s armor was incomplete, as over a dozen rounds found their way into the vulnerable flesh. Leaving a hole ridden corpse meters from the trio. It¡¯s two companions fared no better as energy bolts ripped through each of them, dropping them almost instantaneously. Without words, each member picked a frog to extract the nyamisium core inside. The cores were very small, but each one was worth credits. ¡°Hey Alan.¡± Nick bellowed from the lead toad. ¡°This one hassome pretty good armor protection. Do you mind if I take it?¡± ¡°Sure thing. You might make a few credits by selling it at the auction.¡± It was all that Nick needed to hear, before he began to remove the large armored masses and stored them in his ring. A few minutes later they were off again. They¡¯d spent a few hours nearly every day, exploring this part of the wastes. Running across the warty monsters more frequently as they seemed to be entering deeper into the territory. They trekked like that for over 5 hours. Moving deeper and deeper into ¡®Toad territory.¡¯ Taking their time to hunt down and eliminate the creatures in the territory. It kept on like this till Alan halted them. His eyes fixed on a particularly large debris pile ahead of him. The others didn¡¯t know this, but Alan had hunted enough times in his previous life to recognize the signs that they were drawing closer to the Alpha. ¡°Hey guys. Up ahead, I think we¡¯re going to run into the Alpha monster of this territory.¡± He explained calmly. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Adrian inquired. ¡°The Alpha is the biggest, baddest creature in certain monster territories. Typically, it¡¯s been able to force it¡¯s evolution a few steps higher than the other monsters here. Long story short, it will be meaner, tougher and more dangerous than the other¡¯s we¡¯ve faced. So we ought to go in prepared.¡± Chapter 37 Alan crouched on a low lying ridge overlooking a murky pond. The surface was as still as glass, however, nothing could penetrate the inky waters. He¡¯d spent much of his afternoons in the last few days getting to this place. It would have been simple to come here on his own, but without his companions, he couldn¡¯t guarantee he would be successful in the hunt. So instead, he¡¯d trained with them, helping them adjust to their new bodies and abilities and to work more as a team a few hours a day in the last week. Training had been simple enough Adrian, who had focused on coordination and reflexes for his piloting skills had done well with firearms. Nick, on the other hand, had found it much more difficult. He loved his AR-15, but his accuracy was abysmal. When facing the toads, if the target moved he missed more often than not. Alan had suggested recently a different method for combat... ¡°Are you ready?¡± He spoke quietly into a wireless microphone. ¡°Yes. Yep,¡± Came the responses. Alan stood, charging his gloves with vervetic energy, and creating a ball of energy the size of a soft ball. It shot toward the pool, crashing into it and leaving a temporary crater at its center. The energy itself, arced wildly across the surface, resulting in large clouds of steam. CROOOAK!!! A dark shadow leapt from the pond, partially covered by the swirling steam. It immediately turned toward Alan and jumped, bursting from the fog bank. Alan, even knowing beforehand what to expect, was unprepared for the massively fierce entity which emerged. The toad, if you could call it that, was completely covered in jagged plates, that glowed red at the seams. It gave the look of being about to burst into flames. It¡¯s size was that of a small car. Alan immediately scrambled away from the oncoming monster. The Toad landed, opening it¡¯s mouth briefly to shoot a fiery substance from hit¡¯s mouth. Dodging quickly, Alan avoided it as it splashed near him.. Less than a second later, a gun opened fire. The bullets sparked and ricocheted off the metal plates of the Toad. Distracted by the bullets, it leapt once again in the direction of the gun fire. Relseasing, another fiery projectile, this time in mid flight toward the now running figure of Adrian. Alan continued to run in a new direction. Activating his gloves, he released a scatter shot of energy toward the just now landed toad, which like the bullets before, seemed to harmlessly bounce off the thick hide. Having just missed Adrian in it¡¯s leap, the monstrous toad now being once again pestered by the electrical shock, turned to face Alan. In a feat of incredible strength, it bounded in a single jump toward Alan once again. Alan, remaining unfazed, moved quickly avoiding the heavy landing monster. Once more it landed. And once more, Adrian struck again, painfully striking the tough monster hide with his AR-15. Alan and Adrian continued to play ¡®keep away¡¯ from the troublesome beast. Neither the team or monster were able to gain advantage over each other. Their weapons did nothing more but to cause pain and irritation. While the Toad, on the other hand, was unable to land the killing blow to stop the irritants. The only change seemed to be that both parties were growing more tired. ¡°I think it¡¯s time.¡± Alan said breathlessly, positioning himself. The toad lept again toward Alan. It¡¯s eyes grew more frantic and angry, as the time between it¡¯s jumps grew longer. Crashing before Alan, it noticed that it¡¯s prey stood closer, far closer than it had before. For a brief moment, it sensed it might be able to kill the annoying creature. It was about to leap again, when it suddenly felt a jarring pain in its right hind leg. Nick, moments before, concealed carefully in the debris, had stood up as the toad landed before him. In both hands he wielded the VE sledgehammer which Alan had lent him, and using all his enhanced strength, landed a heavy blow, shattering plating and deeply bruising the lower leg of the Toad. Infuriated, the toad turned suddenly, catching Nick and throwing him back. But the damage had already been done, Adrian, precise in his shooting, shot at the now vulnerable leg.. Bullets tore through muscle and ligaments, effectively crippling the massive toad. Nick, back on his feet, didn¡¯t hesitate, as the toad had turned once again toward Adrian in a futile effort to protect it¡¯s leg. Nick ran toward it, hammer in hand, and leaping better than any Olympian, brought it down on it¡¯s back, removing large chunks of plate and exposing more skin. The perfect targe for both Alan and Adrian. It didn¡¯t take long before the alpha monster took its final breath. ¡°That was Awesome!¡± Nick exclaimed while holding the hammer over his head. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have done it without you.¡± Alan responded sincerely. The monster''s carcass was too important to just simply remove its nyamisium core and leave the rest. The plates were excellent at stopping projectiles, and Alan had specifically selected this beast for one of it¡¯s additional properties. They stored the beast whole, and hopped on their 4 wheelers to head to the base. Arriving back at the base, Alan and his friends were exhausted, but still pulled up in front of a very large tent that was much darker in color and seemed to be more ominous than the rest. Approaching the door, Nick coughed lightly and made up an excuse to go somewhere. Alan and Adrian grinned at each other, as their friend walked quickly away. Entering inside, the room was humid and dim. Piles of items lined the walls, waiting to be organized. Rummaging through one of the piles, was a lithe, black figure, with antennae. Her long slender arms stopped, as she turned toward the entrance. What greeted Alan was a pair of milky white eyes. ¡°Hello Blatta,¡± Alan greeted the Croatht, one of the first alien¡¯s he¡¯d run into on Kragga. ¡°Ahh Alan.¡± She half hissed, half spoke. ¡°I was wondering when you would arrive. It seems that your friends didn¡¯t lie when they told me about the new settlement. I just hope it is as profitable as they promised.¡± She walked up to him slowly. ¡°It¡¯s been awhile since I¡¯ve been under the care of an actual landowner.¡± She glanced around him, looking for something. ¡°Where is your friend, Nick?¡± ¡°He said he had somewhere to be.¡± Alan sighed. ¡°Oh, that''s dissappointing. I do enjoy playing with him.¡± She smiled wickedly, her long tongue flicking. Alan tried not to laugh. Both Adrian and Nick, had gone to the settlement on the edge of the wastes to recruit a few alien¡¯s for this location. Blatta was one of them. Too bad for Nick, that one of the reasons she¡¯d agreed to come was her obvious interest in him. Or at least that¡¯s what she half said. Alan suspected that what he offered, low taxes, land, and potentially large group of new customers might have been the real reason. Despite these perks, however, Nick and Adrian had only been able to so far recruit Blatta . If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Blatta, my understanding is that you are an expert at recovering resources from monsters?¡± Alan inquired. She smiled and a pair of attached razor sharp blades fluttered from her forearm to extend dangerously at her wrist. ¡°You have to be an expert at many trades to survive on Kragga.¡± After a brief exchange they handed over the large monstrous toad to her. After a brief inspection she spoke briefly. ¡°This is in good condition. Usually these beasts are torn apart by explosives, or cut up badly. The nyamisium core is good, likely High E grade, maybe even D. But unless you want to make a serum for bulky armor, or have terrible acid reflux I wouldn¡¯t suggest extracting the genetic material. However,¡± she pulled out a long syringe and plunged it into the hide between the plates, ¡°There iss something you will definitely want.¡± In the syringe was an amber liquid, ¡°This iss a special liquid from the monster¡¯s gland, when used it will infuse players with a +1 to their strength, if it is under 10. You can only use it once though, after that it will give you a small boost of strength, but only for a limited time.¡± She handed him 6 doses of the liquid. ¡°Give me sometime and I¡¯ll take care of the rest later.¡± She added dangerously, ¡°If you have Nick pick it up, I¡¯ll be sure to give him a discount on what I¡¯ll be charging you.¡± As they left the tent, Alanhanded two doses to Adrian. ¡°Make sure you and Nick each take one. And feel free to take the rest of the materials from Blatta, it should be worth some good credits.¡± ¡°Sounds good, what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to check in on Shelley, see if she might like one.¡± He held up one of the doses. ¡°Oh well that''s a nice gift for your business partner.¡± Adrian smirked. Alan only just rolled his eyes, ignoring Adrian and taking the other 4 doses with him. Walking through the camp, groups of vehicles and personnel hustled from one end to the other. It seemed that even though it was late, that the camp hadn¡¯t yet decided to go to sleep. They stayed busy, especially after the President¡¯s announcement. Catching the attention of one of the guards he found that Shelley was in the medical wing at one of the three permanent structures. Walking inside, he saw her standing next to the chief of security and Mr. Jakes, the company''s manager. The three were in deep discussion. The area seemed unusually busy. ¡°Hi Shelley, what''s going on? I brought you something.¡± Alan interrupted the trio. She looked up, ¡°Alan, there¡¯s been some significant casualties from one of our scouting parties. Three were decimated, while the other needed medical attention to prevent log out.¡± She handed him a report. The security chief spoke up before he could read it. ¡°We¡¯ve been sending our scouting parties for reconnaissance and hunting. More often than not, it also became a chance to kill a few monsters. However, it sounds like they kicked up a hornet¡¯s nest. We¡¯ve received reports from the other three already, they reported that there was a large mass of bug-like creatures swarming about a half day''s drive from here. They got caught by the enemy scouts. Worse yet, the swarm seems to be slowly making its way to this location.¡± Quickly scanning through the report Alan immediately noticed the swarm were coming from the direction of the nest he¡¯d explored to retrieve a cache of ancient tech. What worried him more were the descriptions of the monsters. The list included some that he had encountered in the next, however, there was a description that matched the pair of bugs that had ambushed him in The Brick. ¡°Alan, if they come this way, they¡¯ll easily run over this whole operation. And we can¡¯t afford any delays.¡± Shelley spoke worriedly. Bryan Jakes, chief manager, spoke up.¡°Ms. Cordata, I don¡¯t see any other way around it, there is too much at stake here to stay. We¡¯ve got evac. The longer we delay getting our equipment out of here the worse it might be. We can spare a few squads to try and slow them down, but ultimately we¡¯re not going to be able to hold them back.¡± Alan too was worried, he had some very specialized equipment in The Brick, the VE Generator, that if damaged was irreplaceable. He was just as anxious as Jakes and the chief of security to get back to the ship for the generator and securing it. Shelley nodded reluctantly. ¡°All right, let¡¯s give the order. I don¡¯t see any other way around it.¡± As if half remembering something she turned to Alan.¡± Was there something you wanted to give me?¡± He handed her the vile half heartedly. ¡°I just got this from a hunt, Blattas said it should increase your strength +1 permanently.¡± He tried to sound positive, despite the circumstances. Taking the vile with a slight nod, she handed the dose to Jakes. ¡°Thanks Alan.¡± She said dismissively, her mind clearly focused on the impending danger. ¡°We have a lot of equipment to move, it took us over a week to get it here, and we¡¯ve got a lot to do to get it back.¡± Alan tried to hide his disappointment, as he stepped away from the now overly stressed trio. It can¡¯t be helped, I wish there was something I could do, but their plan makes sense. Had it been a few more weeks¡­ His thoughts were interrupted by system notification. System Warning: Your territory now borders the territory of Queen Komaxa of the Hive. System Warning to all inhabitants of Alan¡¯s territory: Queen Komaxa of the Hive has declared war on your territory System Warning all inhabitants of Alan¡¯s territory: ¡®War Rules¡¯ have now been enacted by Queen Komaxa of the Hive. All Inhabitants have 3 minutes before ¡®War Rules¡¯ are fully enabled in the territory. A sinking feeling clutched at Alan¡¯s stomach. Territory Boundary, War Rules, Alan knew exactly what this meant. He turned to see a very confused Shelley, ¡°What¡¯s going on Alan?¡± Alan didn¡¯t even explain, instead he bolted from the room, and pulled out his phone. Sprinting, he spent a few precious minutes looking frantically for his friends, only to find Nick wolfing down his third ice cream sundae in the canteen. ¡°Hey Alan,¡± He said nonchalantly, ¡°What''s this about a war?¡± Alan hurridley handed Nick his phone, ¡°No time buddy.¡± Alan looked at the clock and it had already reached less than 30 seconds. ¡°Just give this to my sister or mom, it will explain everything. Log out Now!¡± Nick looked like he wanted to protest. ¡°GO!¡± Startled. Nick nodded, having never really seen his friend like this, and logged out, phone in hand. Right behind him, came Shelley, Jakes and her chief of security looking rather upset. ¡°What is going on Alan!¡± She asked furiously. ¡°Change of plans.¡± He said as the countdown timer hit zero. System Warning: War Rules have been implemented for the territories involved. ¡°We¡¯re not going anywhere now.¡± **** ¡°What do you mean we can¡¯t go anywhere! I have millions of dollars of equipment lying here.¡± Shelley yelled furiously. Alan tried explaining it to her again. ¡°Look, when one territory attacks another they can implement war rules.¡± ¡°I know that already, why can¡¯t I leave?!¡± Though she was really angry, Alan couldn¡¯t help but think she was rather cute at the same time. No, this wasn¡¯t the time to get distracted. ¡°The war rules restrict players from logging into and out of a territory.¡± Shelley swallowed hard. Alan continued reluctantly, ¡°It gets worse. It also limits what we can store in our rings. Basically, we can¡¯t put anything inside until the conflict is resolved or we leave the disputed territory.¡± Shelley sat down hard. The manager and chief of security stood there silently taking in the new information. ¡°Basically, if we don''t want to lose everything we¡¯ve just built in the last week, we¡¯re going to have to fight.¡± The group sat there silently for a few moments before a shrill hiss came loudly from outside. ¡°Alan! This is not what you promisssed me!¡± Blatta, burst through the canteen door, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can hide from me you ssswindler, I could smell your treacherouss sscent from anywhere in this prison!¡± She walked ominously toward him, blades at the ready. The chief of security pulled out his side arm, while another security officer pulled out his. Alan had to act quickly, ¡°Blatta, just the person I was looking for.¡± He stood in between her and Shelley. She seemed to pause slightly at his reaction, ¡°Speak, quickly or die.¡± ¡°I have a plan, but I¡¯ll need to make some purchases from you. I have a way out of this.¡± He quickly pulled out the Toad Monster Core that he¡¯d just earned and handed it to her. ¡°Give me an hour, and I¡¯ll come find you to explain your part. This is just a small upfront payment.¡± She took it quickly, letting the blades flutter back onto her forearms. ¡°I better like it, what use are a few credits if I lose my whole stock.¡± With that she stalked out silently. The security officers both relaxed significantly at her departure. Alan too felt his shoulders relax. ¡°What plan?¡± The skeptical voice of Shelley came from behind him. She¡¯d been smart enough not to question the outrageous statement by Alan when the threatening alien had been present. But now she wanted answers. Chapter 38 Alan sped along on his 4-wheeler, leaving a cloud of black dust behind. Alongside him, Adrian too, turned up the black soil of the wastes. ¡°Alpha team, you''re at your mark, make your hit, then turn back to base.¡± A voice crackle on the radio he was wearing." ¡°Confirmed, we¡¯ll make it back to the Roach Motel, before the party starts..¡± Alan responded. Looking over at Adrian and gesturing with his hands, they both turned left for their target, slowing down to decrease their dust. Alan couldn¡¯t help but reflect on how he¡¯d gotten here. It had taken some time for Alan to tell his plan to deal with the insect horde to the fiery CEO. Shelley, to her credit, listened patiently to the details. And despite the rough outline that he gave, she agreed to it. Bryan Jakes, her second in command and general manger, in turn, filled in a number of additional details, pulling from his own experience as an ex-officer in the military. He and the other security forces, all understood what was at stake, and moved quickly. Alan drove up a low ridge, and prepared himself, for what felt like the dozenth time. Cresting the ridge he was finally able to see his target. Before him was a great, writhing mass of bug-like creatures. The majority consisted of large grubs nearly varying in size from 3 to 10 feet in length and the canine bugs that had attacked him too. Interspersed among them were car sized beetles, with huge jaws. Each individual bug seemed to move randomly, moving around the mass without a distinct pattern, but as you looked out over the whole mass, it seemed to move inexorably toward homebase. Acting quickly, already used to the familiar pattern, Alan unleashed a barrage of energy bolts into the rear of the formation. Blue, energetic discharges exploded, ripping apart a half a dozen bugs. Next to him, Adrian, unloaded his magazine, and quickly reloaded and fired again. From the swarm, a bulge formed, sending some of the faster moving bugs in the direction of Alan and his companion. The rest of the formation continued forward, ignoring the interruption. ¡°Time to go.¡± Adrian stated matter of factly. To finish his barrage, he took out a medium sized cylinder. Upon activation, a bright projectile, like a flair, shot out toward the bulge. The explosion was like a small grenade, scattering the bugs everywhere, and disorienting the swarm. ¡°Yeah...:¡±Alan looked on somewhat disheartedly. As they turned around to speed off. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh into his microphone. ¡°Don¡¯t get too down, Alan, we delayed them as long as we could.¡± ¡°I know. Let''s just hope it works out.¡± **** Queen Komaxa of the Hive was hungry and irritated. The former feeling was familiar to her and easily dealt with, as she devoured the head of some animal her minions had brought her. The latter was a new feeling. The new hunting grounds were so close, yet her children kept being harassed along the way. The losses of a few of her children, though upsetting, were inevitable when moving the nest. But her prey kept pestering her, confusing her children, and delaying the hungry swarm. One of the creatures was brought before her. She looked down at it with some interest. It shivered in her presence, it¡¯s heat signature clearly visible to her in the dark cramped space. As she studied it, she was unimpressed by it¡¯s small teeth and lack of spines or armor. Her children even said it lacked any kind of poison or venom. She wondered for a moment, how such cattle could have harmed her children. But what did she care? Her mandibles clacked quickly, saliva dripping before her. In the end it didn¡¯t matter how they managed to hurt her children. Soon her irritation would be gone. And sooner still, her hunger. **** Alan and Adrian made it back to base quickly, as the swarm was less than a few hours away from the encampment. They passed through a makeshift gate, made of a couple of repurposed dining tables. Passing through them, Alan couldn¡¯t help but be somewhat impressed by the low lying wall which stretched between two hills. Atop of each hiss were makeshift defensive emplacements, bristling with weapons, courtesy of Blatta. As his thoughts shifted to the bug-like Croatht, he was surprised to see her, along with Jakes and Shelley beneath their makeshift command tent outside the recreation building. Blatta, her obsidian carapace, complimenting the dark haired beauty and CEO of Callisto Corporation. As Alan turned off his 4-wheeler, it seemed as though he had arrived just in time to overhear another negotiation between the pair. ¡°Blatta, how many times do I have to tell you, If I lose, you lose everything, and I need those extra rounds of flare grenades¡± Shelley tried to desperately control her anger, despite her evident exhaustion ¡°I know your points little girl.¡± Blatta said condescendingly, knowingly irritating the dark haired woman, ¡°But don¡¯t think you can take advantage of such a desperate situation to get my wares for such a small trifle.¡± ¡°A trifle?...Me taking advantage of the situation?!¡± She responded with incredulity. Alan sighed, knowing that the negotiation had just ended. She unexpectedly turned to Alan, ¡°I can¡¯t deal with this right now, she¡¯s your business partner, you deal with it!¡± And with that, she stormed off toward the recreation center. A moment later, Jakes ushered an aid to follow after her with brief instructions. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Alan gave Blatta a bland expression before speaking, ¡°Did you have to get her so angry?¡± Blatta gave a hissing kind of laugh,¡°I like her Alan, besides I am doing you a favor.¡± ¡°By calling her a little girl?¡± Blatta gave a quick look to Jakes, ¡°Your little queen has barely slept or rested for 3 days straight, and despite the urging of those with wisdom,¡± Jakes seemed to show a brief smile. ¡°She has insisted on trying to manage every detail. I just gave her a reason to delegate for a bit.¡± Alan¡¯s dropped slightly, as he looked at the conspiring duo. It seemed he had a missed a few things while he had been on patrol. ¡°I take it that you two will work out the needed details?¡± ¡°Yes Alan,¡± Jakes spoke up, trying to hide a grin, ¡°I think we can handle it.¡± Alan nodded, before continuing. ¡°I should have been the last squad in, are we set to go?¡± Jakes immediately grew more serious, ¡°Yes, you and the other patrols were successful in helping to change the direction of the swarm so they will attack our defenses directly. Though I do have to report that we lost 2 patrols earlier today. They started anticipating our attacks with more accuracy. Did you notice any changes?¡± Alan grew sick at hearing that, 2 patrols missing. He shuddered to think about what happened to those men. Returning his mind back to the conversation, he shook his head. ¡°Nothing that we haven¡¯t seen, we can¡¯t disrupt the whole swarm anymore, they only send out a few bugs to chase us now.¡± Jakes nodded somberly. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few other things to take care of before they get here. Would you mind checking in on Shelley?¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Adrian and Alan separated. Adrian making his way to his own assignment, while made his way in to the canteen to find Shelley. She sat at a table, with a spoon of slowly melting chocolate ice-cream and fudge in her hand. Her aid, tactfully sitting a few tables away. Shelley¡¯s eyes seemed vacant, staring off at something that wasn¡¯t here. Her spoon just hovered there, unmoving, as if she¡¯d lost focus between bites. She didn¡¯t seem to notice Alan, as he sat next to her. Alan grabbed a spoon sitting on the table, and dipped it into the Ice Cream Sundae, and took a bite. This seemed to awaken Shelley from out of her trance. She looked up at him, noticing for the first time he was there. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s my ice cream.¡± She protested weakly. Looking down at the still unmoved spoon, and melting Sundae, he teased ¡°Well It didn¡¯t look like you were going to finish.¡± It seemed she finally noticed the spoon, and blushing slightly, ate her melting bite. ¡°It seems so stupid now,¡± She said half heartedly, ¡°Instead of bringing additional tools, ammunition or anything remotely useful, I had them bring in a case of chocolate ice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it seems pretty useful to me.¡± Alan zoomed-in to steal another bite, ¡° I can¡¯t think of a better meal to have before a battle than ice cream and fudge.¡± He stole and ate another scoop, as Shelley tried to block his attack, but was thwarted by her own laugh. Alan smiled at that, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that the ancient norse viking would always have ice-cream before plundering a village.¡± He gave her a cheesy grin, ¡°Of course they would have rainbow sprinkles on theirs.¡± Shelley rolled her eyes, while simultaneously trying to hide a smile between bites. They sat there for a few minutes cleaning the bowl before she spoke up again. ¡°I screwed up. I tried to do too much too soon.¡± Alan just listened as she put her head on the table. ¡°I thought I could single handedly make Callisto Corporation hugely successful. I could finally get out from under the thumb of my Father, make my own future.¡± As she spoke Alan couldn¡¯t tell if the little CEO was starting to tear up or not. He gently placed his hand on her back. She tensed for just a moment, before relaxing again. Not protesting the gesture. ¡°I¡¯m just so tired. One he finds out what happens...I¡¯m done. Callisto might as well be done...I¡¯m just so tired.¡± Shelley¡¯s voice drifted off, as the pause between sentences grew longer, until finally all Alan could sense was her deep even breathing. Alan wanted to linger there, just to be with her, for her, longer. But the smooth metal step coming from behind him caught his attention. 739 approached him, pausing just a few steps away. Alan carefully lifted himself from his seat and motioned the droid to follow him outside. Along the way, Alan left instructions for the Aid to let the little CEO sleep for as long as possible. Once outside Alan asked the droid what he needed. ¡°Alan, your father requested you meet with him to assist with the final preparation of the laser array he has been working on.¡± Alan nodded. They moved down the make-shift street. The 3 new building flanking each side, were soon replaced by the tents, shacks, and now piles of equipment on each side. Moving along they came to the end of the street where his father, and a small group of engineers stood next to a small makeship tower. At the top was an oblong tube, where a mess of wires and tubes extended haphazardly. His father stood atop the cylinder, bent over it, as bright flashes emanate from a tool he was using. The device was a mining laser, extracted from a ship he¡¯d scouted when he¡¯d first arrived. He¡¯d initially planned to carefully salvage the device, and repurpose it for industrial use. But after discussion with Jakes, Shelley and his Father had decided that it could work much better as part of their defense plans and so stripped it out quickly for it¡¯s new purpose. His father looked up, yelled out a few commands to the waiting engineers, who then seemed to run a few tests. His father, after a few minutes, seemed satisfied and made his way off the top of the tower. ¡°Hey Son!¡± His father shouted, before he gave Alan a big bear hug. ¡°Hi Dad.¡± Letting go Alan went on, ¡°739 said you needed me?¡± ¡°Hmm, more to give you an update. We¡¯ve got all the gun emplacements up and going with this guy,¡± he pointed to the laser, ¡°being the grand finale.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great Dad! I¡¯m just surprised you got it to work.¡± ¡°Well give me enough duct tape and superglue and I can do anything.¡± His dad teased, his face turned serious after that as he continued, ¡°But seriously, this thing might as well be made of tape and glue because I honestly don¡¯t know how long it will last.¡± ¡°What is your best estimate?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do a pulse for longer than 5 seconds, and you¡¯ll be lucky to get more than 1 or 2 at most. You just make sure that Jakes knows what he¡¯s got here, don¡¯t want him wasting any shots.¡± ¡°Thank Dad, hopefully it will be enough.¡± ¡°Any word from Nick?¡± His father asked. ¡°No.¡± Alan let out a tense breath, ¡°But we¡¯ll just have to be fine without him.¡± Alan couldn''t help but feel anxious about that part of the plan. But hopefully with their current plans they wouldn¡¯t need it. As Alan walked back down the street a voice came over the radio. ¡°Alan this is Jakes, our drones spotters indicate that we¡¯ve got about 20 minutes before things get started¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Alan sighed, and drew upon his current VE reserves to fill his weapons. It was about to start. Chapter 39: First Taste Alan stood behind the hastily constructed wall. Overturned tables, emptied storage crates, and welded pieces of debris ran a length between two low lying hills. He stood just one man among the many Callisto Corporations personnel. Among the defenders were members of the security forces along with cooks, researchers, and clerks. Every hand had been drafted to fight at the front. Only a few of the upper management, the medical team and a few engineers were given the choice to use their talents elsewhere and provide support to the operation. Their inexperience was evident as some told jokes to try and calm their nerves, while others had the look of a deer, ready to bolt at the slightest hint of danger. No matter how much Alan and the other¡¯s had tried to tell them that death was only temporary, it seemed only to comfort a few of the would-be fighters. They all knew it was only temporary, but that knowledge was tempered by the fact that the pain would be real at death, and their subconcious would never allow them to accept death, not in a place that felt so alive. Every player at one point in Cosmos would have to face this fact. And no matter how long they played, or what they saw with their own two eyes, at some point everyone had to confront the terror of death. Not some painless, inconsequential thing, made cheap by poor graphics or the promise of a quick respawn. But the actual feeling of being killed, as real as could be made possible. As a child he¡¯d dreamt once of being killed. Stabbed in the back by his best friend. The knife twisting, and waking up in a cold sweat, instantly checking his back. He¡¯d wondered for long moments after if he¡¯d truly died. The vividness of the moment lingered with him for years, the ache in his back returning once again as he lingered on the memory. Perhaps it was that dream, along with his year of gaming that had prepared him for his own first death. An inconsequential battle among monsters on some small planet, but that first death, was something he would always remember. The blood and fire, and finally the moment of panic when he knew, beyond doubt, that death was upon him¡­ Alan shuddered briefly at the memory, pushing it aside and looking without envy at those within the line. Most would recover, the human mind adapting well to the new psychological challenge. A few however...he sighed inwardly. Some were unable to live with the brutal reality of facing their death in such a manner. They would typically live their lives like they had before. A few might even play the game, but only on worlds with little to no chance of violence. The worst to suffer were those who would shut off both their game life and real life. Unable to cope with the pain of either, the most tragic would even resort to taking their own life. Therapists had tried to help these groups, to help them cope with the pain and confusion when they experienced this pseudo- death. They¡¯d even conducted a few studies to find those who were most vulnerable. It had surprised Alan to learn that it had been those who had deeply sunk their lives into playing video games or online personas before they¡¯d entered Cosmos that suffered the most. It seemed they¡¯d already fled the pain of their real world in one way or another. Something about Cosmos, being real yet unreal, seemed to finally break their grip on their reality, shattering their carefully crafted online delusion. Unwilling or unable to escape their pain entirely. A buzzing whine woke Alan from his reverie. A drone hovered high in the air taking in the whole battle field, so those in charge could better redirect the resources. Alan tried to appear confident, smiling broadly at his neighbors to boost their morale. Though it felt a bit cheesy, he did notice that there seemed to be a few of them that raised their heads higher and raised their shoulders. It would have to be enough. The voice of Jakes, Callisto Corps lead manager and retired veteran, sounded over his radio. ¡°Be prepared, the first wave is approaching. Our eye in the sky indicates that this looks to only be a small testing force. So hold the line. I repeat: hold the line. Do not take fall back positions.¡± Raising his energy rifle, Alan looked down the scope to see a mass of fast moving bugs, the canine type that had killed him before, running forward. From the fortifications on the hills, on either side of him, shots rang out, as long range snipers began to harry the bugs. Alan carefully traced the shots of the snipers, and was glad to discover the shots were firing along outside edges of the advancing force. Driving the bugs toward the center, and the waiting line. As they came close, the sounds of screeching bugs could be heard over the rapid shots of the snipers. Alan held his fire. Watching as they drew nearer. They were now at the edges of he and his fellows firing range, but still they held. They drew closer still. Now well within range of the various arms, both projectile and energy. But still they held their fire. Alan¡¯s heart beat quickly, he wanted to fire so badly, to kill the oncoming enemy and stop them from coming any closer. He suppressed his fear and continued to hold fire. Had to hold fire. It was his plan. It had been based on his knowledge of the game, and the monster¡¯s he¡¯d fought and read about for over a decade. So he held, though every instinct urged him to pull the trigger. The charging black monstrosities drew closer. A hundred yards now. And they came, closer still. The men and women of the line seemed ready to break. Down the line, one of the gunners, unable to handle the pressure, dropped his weapon and ran, both unwilling to shoot, yet no longer able to remain in place. Then, at last, the command came. ¡°Open Fire.¡± As if command sensed they could hold still no longer. Along the line bullets and plasma bolts let loose down the firing field, ringing in everyone¡¯s ears. And in their wakes, as if willed by the gunman, so too did all the pent up dread and fear of the line. The shot, as well as feelings, of everyone crashing into onrushing bugs. Thick black carapaces exploded, while others lost limbs or simply collapsed under the sudden and furious barrage. Inexplicable as it seemed to Alan, however, some of the bugs managed to reach the rough-shod wall of wood and metal through the hailstorm. In front of him a bug lept, attempting to clear the barricade, before he unceremoniously stretched out his hand and blasted it backwards nearly 15 feet. Others that reached the wall were met by energy weapons. Mostly tools, converted for the upcoming battle. Nearly all of the enemy were held back. As quickly as it started, it was soon quiet. Looking around, he sought to see how they fared. To his right he saw one young woman dead, it seemed she¡¯d unfortunately received a direct assault from a not quite half dead bug. Later it would be recounted that it had been cut in half, when it had surprisingly struck out at her. Around him he saw the medical staff attending all those who were injured in the assault. From his microphone he heard the calm voice of Jakes come over the radio. ¡°Alan, how are things from your perspective?¡± ¡°As good as can be expected. Though I¡¯d say you were cutting it a little close.¡± ¡°Well, it was your plan.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m just glad we didn¡¯t have a breakdown in the line.¡± ¡°Me too. How do they look?¡± Alan looked around at his fellow defenders. ¡°There are a few who are obviously shaken. However, from what I can tell most seem to have worked out their pre-battle jitters.¡± He saw most of them laughing and congratulating themselves over the victory. ¡°Good, I¡¯m glad to hear it. I¡¯ve got to get back to seeing what the swarms up to next. Looks like phase one of operation roach motel worked. Good Job.¡± The radio went silent. Alan swallowed. It was good for now. When he¡¯d heard there was a swarm of bug-like monsters he¡¯d already had a plan in mind. The races of the Cosmos had been fighting such infestations for a long time, and their tactics were fairly well known. Typically an alien species, however, would have the wonderful benefit of air support. A swarm didn¡¯t last long against giant space lasers. However, humanity didn¡¯t have that benefit when it first started playing, and had to adapt. Most bugs, even the intelligent kind, were a lot like ants. When they saw food, they typically took the most direct way to get to it. If it became too difficult, they would make another route. This could then be exploited. Once a swarm committed, it usually stayed committed to an attack. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Alan had purposely instructed Jakes and Shelley to make it seem that the frontal assault was not only the most direct route to ¡­.uhm...their food source, but was ultimately easy to get to. So the bugs were meant to believe that they were just shy of reaching their goal. They had to let the bugs get close, even if it meant the loss of few defenders. If it was too hard, they¡¯d find another route. Alan checked the time impatiently. Now he needed to wait. What would the swarm do next? *** Nick stood at the head of a long-line, flipping his phone impatiently in his hand. It had been nearly 4 days since he¡¯d been practically forced to log-off from Cosmos. He felt sick to his stomach when he finally had realized what the declaration of war by some unknown queen had meant. He wasn¡¯t even sure who the enemy was, but he did know that his friends were fighting somewhere without him. And what had he been doing? Hanging out in the Terran Market for the last 2 days. He couldn''t help but check for messages to see if either of his friends had contacted him and do a quick scan to see if there had been any posts about Kragga. ¡°Next¡± A female voice sounded next to him calling out to the crowd. Nick ignored the now rhythmic voice. It wasn¡¯t until it had turned to him, that he paid attention. ¡°Any changes since the last time you looked?¡± Came the half mocking voice. Nick looked down at the young female figure, sitting next to him. She wore a knee length pale blue dress with puffed capped sleeves and a small white apron. On her head she wore a pair of long white rabbit ears, which framed her long golden hair. Her face was covered in a white half mask covering her nose and eyes, but leaving her rouge lips, in a half smirk revealed. ¡°No.¡± Nick said somewhat glumly as he looked at her. He didn¡¯t know what bothered him more, that he¡¯d been pretty helpless during this part of the plan. Or that fact that Alice, his best friend''s kid sister¡­ He didn¡¯t dwell on the thought. ¡°How many more of these do we need to do?¡± The next person in-line, a young man no older than 16, stepped up holding a glamour shot of the young lady in front of him. His arms were somewhat gangly, and his face covered in freckles and glasses. There was a brief interaction, where she signed the note and to Nicks¡¯ annoyance, kissed it, leaving an imprint of her red lipstick on the photo. The obviously delighted young man smiled and ran off to meet a group of others who¡¯d also had their photos signed. He only seemed to move a little quicker when he caught the glare of Nick. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how many more of these I¡¯ll need to do today. But the more I do the better chances we have.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°I think I can handle things here, why don¡¯t you get going. Don¡¯t you have a rendezvous to get to?¡± Nick looked at the long-snaking line of eager young men and even a few women from the table. Only a small knot of men in suits didn''t seem to fit the look of the typical fan. No matter, at least they looked competent in a fight, even if the rest of the fanatics hardly seemed worth the time. But, win or lose, it was the best plan that Alice and he had come up with. Nick sighed, ¡°You know, this would be a lot easier if you¡¯d come too.¡± ¡°Like I¡¯ve said before. I still need to complete my training. Trust me if I could I would.¡± She ended the conversation.¡°Next.¡± She said sweetly. He checked his messages again. Nothing. Frustrated, he stepped away from the table, unwilling to continue to watch the ongoing parade of fans. Instead, he moved himself toward the family business that Alan and his mother had set up. He walked toward the small shop, located surprisingly close to the center of the Terran Market. This had been a last minute addition that Alan¡¯s mom had decided early on. ¡°If Alice was going to do a signing, you might as well do it in front of the shop. Drum up business.¡± She hadn¡¯t missed the golden opportunity. As he drew near, he diverted his path, and instead made his way to the equally popular restaurant Reardon¡¯s Garden: An Uncanny Culinary Event. Attached to Alan¡¯s shop. Making his way inside, he saw Reardon behind a glass counter, the small but efficient kitchen area of the restaurant. Reardon busied himself moving from one station to another, his large ponch somehow nibley avoiding the pots, pans and other hazards in the small cooking area, almost as if he were half his size. Nick wondered silently as he approached the counter if perhaps Reardon had put all his stat points into agility. His musings were interrupted by a young lady, in a green short length dress. ¡°Hello, sir. Welcome to Reardons. I¡¯m sorry but there¡¯s a 30 minute wait time for a table. Perhaps you can wait outside.¡± Nick took a step back. 30 minute wait time? He was here only yesterday, and had seen that the place had started to hire a few servers to help with the increase in popularity. ¡°I, uh,¡± Nick hesitated. ¡°I was just hoping to sit at the counter.¡± He didn¡¯t recognize the server. ¡°Oh, I see. Chef Reardon shared that the counter was going to be closed today.¡± She looked at him apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s all right Emmy.¡± A voice, half filled with humor, came from behind the counter, ¡°He¡¯s a friend of our most gracious patron. You can let him sit wherever he likes.¡± Emmy, the serving girl, face turned beet red. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry sir. My mistake.¡± She helped him to the counter, and left for a moment before returning with a metal stool for him to sit. Nick only nodded, forcing a smile to help her feel at ease. Moments later, a large steaming bowl of...something blue was placed in front of him. ¡°Nick, I want you to be the first to try my newest recipe. I call it blue stew fondue.¡± Nick looked down at the bowl of semi gelatinous blue goop in front of him and swallowed hard. Though he¡¯d always thought of himself as fearless, he wasn¡¯t so sure. Especially, with the small bits of...were those fly wings? He looked up, seeing Reardon¡¯s reassuring smile. I guess it¡¯s not a joke, he thought. He carefully took a spoonful and, somewhat expected, the goop stretched like hot mozzarella, as he put the bite carefully in his mouth. The soup was warm and somewhat chewy. It tasted like cheese with notes of citrus and pepper, and yet not like any cheese he¡¯d ever had. And despite its warmth, there was a cool aftertaste that reminded him of hiking in the mountains, when the snow had not yet melted. Before he knew it, he¡¯d finished his entire bowl. ¡°Well I¡¯m glad to see you like it.¡± Reardon looked on patiently. ¡°But you missed the best part¡±, as he pulled out what looked like a large piece of asparagus, but had the density and shape of a breadstick. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a second bowl.¡± Nick used the long green stalk to soak the remnants of his soup to take a bite. It had a crispy texture and it was mildly nutty, a perfect pairing for the soup. Instantly, he felt lighter, as if the burden of the last few days had been removed. Nick was surprised to see a notification appear. Consumed: Blue Stew Fondue. You have received a 15% boost to mental stability and +1 to strength for 3 hours. This food gave you a stat increase? Nick was shocked. He had no idea that food could do that. ¡°Reardon, did you know your food gave me a stat bonus?¡± Reardon gave him a large grin, as if he¡¯d finally let Nick in on a secret. ¡°I just got a cookbook on how to go about doing it. This is my first recipe.¡± He placed the second bowl in front of Nick. Nick was about to dig into the second bowl, when an idea struck him. ¡°Reardon, how long do you think it might take to make a few gallons of this?¡± Reardon turned around, a twinkle in his eye. ¡°I was wondering when you were going to suggest the idea. But first, there''s a few other recipes I¡¯d like you to try.¡± Chapter 40: Incoming Tide The gap between attacks felt far too brief, but also unbearably long to Adrian as held his post on the right gun tower. For perhaps the dozenth time between the attacks, he checked the sites on the plasma rifle. The weapon had a polished black barrel and flat silver colored stock. The scope, unlike earth rifles, had no lenses. Instead it had a complicated sensory system, which when you looked through it not only gave you a visual of the field, but also could be adjusted to highlight targets along a variety of spectrums. Heat, electrochemical, nightvision, and a few others he wasn¡¯t quite sure how to use. The recalibration and adjustment took only a minute. It was one more minute, he could try to take his mind off the attack. He checked the energy gauge as well. Full. Sighing, he laid the weapon next to him. He¡¯d acquired it from Blatta, the bug-like Croatht, after he¡¯d gotten back from the last attack. Unfortunately for him, the hit and run tactics of the last few days hadn''t given him a chance to gather any nyamisium cores or other alien body parts to trade for credits. Instead she¡¯d ¡®given him a deal¡¯ where he¡¯d buy the weapons and pay her back, with interest. A lot of interest. Around him, the other fighters in the tower were checking and rechecking the weapons bristling from the emplacement. Occasionally, a few of them would talk to each other, while Adrian, on the other hand preferred to remain silent, looking for signs of the enemy. Not that it mattered much, the drones flying overhead would see the bugs advancing before his scope saw anything. ¡°All right guys,¡± The senior official spoke up, bringing all the fighters to a halt. ¡°I just got word from HQ, the bugs are on the move. We¡¯ve got 3 minutes before we have contact. It looks like our plan worked and we¡¯ve got the whole swarm moving.¡± He looked at all of them, only pausing briefly on Adrian. ¡°Remember¡± he told the crowd. ¡°If you catch sight of Queen Komaxa of the Hive, you call it in. Let everyone know so we can welcome her properly.¡± He gave a wicked grin while stroking the wooden grip of the colt 45 revolver he wore as a side arm. Adrian, and the others hadn¡¯t seen the queen in person. She never showed when the hit and run would get close. Some even thought she wasn¡¯t even with the horde of bugs. However, Alan believed she was not likely to stray too far away from her brood. And sure enough, a few of the drones were able to identify a very large and distinct bug, which had a number of smaller of the creatures deferring and circling around her, and would disappear under a swarm of bugs, whenever the hit and run squads appeared. Alan had been right. Alan had suggested that by attacking and killing the queen, that it would likely disrupt the attacking bugs. Not to mention it would remove the entity that had declared war on the area. A pretty important insight. Thinking back Alan was a pretty fundamental part of the overall tactics of the defense strategy. He¡¯d been able to keep up with and offer solutions just as well as the experienced veteran, Bryan Jakes. Adrian, who had always thought that he¡¯d been the more insightful and strategic of his group of friends--at least his undefeated record at Chess with Nick and Alan had lent himself to believe-- had to agree that the plan had been very well thought out. ¡°Contact.¡± Reported a neighbor positioned behind a reclaimed ship¡¯s gun turret. Raising his rifle, Adrian extended the scope to the maximum range. Taking in the site, his stomach tightened. He¡¯d seen the drone images of the Hive, and had been part of the hit and run tactics, but he hadn¡¯t seen the whole hoard all at once. Only briefly he saw the edges of it, always with the intention of running away. But before him he saw a wave of what felt like endless bugs, rushing toward their positions. They creeped, crawled, and leapt forward. Even from so far off, he felt the ravenous hunger which drove them forward. Along his spine he felt a tingling, as if bugs had crawled down his shirt. He shivered. ¡°All right guys, this isn¡¯t a rehearsal. This is the real deal. Let¡¯s show these bloated pustules the difference between men and maggots!¡± The senior official called out. ¡°Open fire!¡± The turrets and gun on Adrian¡¯s tower opened up. On the hill across from him, they reigned down a full barrage onto the oncoming hoard. There was no holding back. Adrian barely had to aim in order for his shots to find a target. The towers targeted the outside edges of the hoard, driving them toward the makeshift wall. Adrian felt the sweat bead along his forehead from the ambient heat of the gunfire around him. The tide of monsters drew closer and closer, unflinching despite the barrage. The line of fighters at the wall also opened fire, shooting at their longest effective range. They came within a hundred yards of the wall. Adrian held his breath longer than he needed when he took his next shot. A series of explosions ripped across the killing field, large plumes of flames sprang. Scores of bugs were flung into the air. Flame scorched and maimed, swaths of the bugs ran amok, disoriented by the fire and smoke. Great beetle-like monsters crashed and smashed into their smaller siblings, while sightless worms roiled and wreaths en masse. For a moment, it seemed as if the charge had been halted. Until a series of high shrieks pierced the chaos of the battlefield. And as one, the tide turned and moved forward again. The charge was so frenzied, the monsters paid no heed to their injured, and trampled over them in their rush toward the line of humans. The sweat came pouring down Adrian¡¯s face, less so from the heat of battle and more from the anxiety of the oncoming wave. Explosions continued to rock the oncoming horde, creating great waves of flames. Instead of diverting around burning walls, the bugs would throw themselves through the flames, blindly driven toward their goal. Flaming bugs, like comets, charged the front line, smashing and exploding into the flimsy wall. Luckily, the attack on the wall was uneven. But as time passed more bugs drew closer and closer. Chancing a glance to look below, some of the bugs diverted and started to climb up the hill. The senior official called out to the men, ¡°Looks like they''re going to try and overrun our position. Prep counter measures!¡± The men on the turrets continued to fire their constant barrage, while Adrian and a few others, reached down to gather various bottles, emptied at the canteen, and filled with gasoline and a soaked half torn rag. Molotov cocktails. He lit a pair of the bottles and flung them toward the climbing bugs. The bottles smashed and released a spray of flames across the hill. Below him, a black smoke rose up filled with the scent of gasoline and cooked flesh. Adrian cursed, as the smoke limited his field of vision, and he fingered a set of three grenades that he¡¯d acquired prior to the battle, reminding himself to hold them in reserve. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°They¡¯ve just given the order to the front wall to pull back. All available units cover their retreat.¡± The rough voice of the officer called out. Adrian changed his sights to where he hoped to see the retreating men. A slight breeze allowed him some vision on the men running for the buildings flanking either side of the main road. His rifle pulsed, taking down a bug that was about to overtake a retreating fighter. He continued to fire, all the while he began to hear the shrieks and clawing metal, the monsters had reached the bottom of his tower. He had to trust others, to hold them off, as he succeeded in helping another defender reach the relative safety of the large buildings. In his sights he caught a glimpse of Alan, the final defender to leave the wall and move back toward the buildings. Alan had released a great arc of energy, killing over a dozen of the bugs. Adrian lined up his own shots to cover him, firing round after round, and in his mind urging his friend to safety. The bugs were surrounding him quickly though and it didn¡¯t look good. He was about to take his 3rd shot, when a razor edged claw reached up and nearly pierced his hand. Pedaling backward, Adrian saw a half-a-dozen bugs the size of a large cat crawl over the balcony of the tower, the 3 sets of legs, each ending in razor protrusions. He judged from the shouts and curses around him that the other defenders had started to encounter the same thing. Adrian tried to line up the shots, but his long plasma rifle was unwieldy in the tight quarters. He kept stepping back until he ran into the solid frame of the officer, who had his colt 45 revolver drawn and level. ¡°Get back son¡± His pistol fired, 6 shots finding 6 targets. ¡°We¡¯re getting overrun, everyone fall back!¡± The 15 defenders occupying the crowded tower rushed toward the ladder to the lower level. Most just sliding down the rails and to the rear door. Adrian switched his plasma rife to his AR-15 and stood beside the officer, shooting at the small bugs. A line of bullets cut across a man-sized centipede which had crawled through one of the openings. The smaller cat-sized bugs jumped inside, advancing toward them. Adrian heard a grunt, and turned to see the officer with a bug on his chest, it¡¯s six legs embedded in his torso. Adrian looked into his eyes, there seemed to be something he wanted to say, instead he merely smiled through red stained teeth . He raised his fist, held in his hand was a grenade. Sensing his purpose Adrian didn¡¯t hesitate, he lept toward the ladder, moving quickly between rungs. He jumped to the floor. A few seconds later a loud bang sounded above him, shaking the entire structure. Turning to run, Adrian discovered that he¡¯d jumped out of the frying pan, and into the fire. At the base of the tower the defenders had been halted and were fighting for their lives to stop the surrounding horde from overwhelming them. Adrian quickly grasped the situation, and charged forward, unleashing a full magazine toward a thin area of the surrounding bugs. ¡°Follow me.¡± He cried. Behind him, the other defenders followed, seeing no other alternative to being overwhelmed. The group nearly tumbled down the hill toward the research facility building. Adrian led the way rapidly firing his rifle. Near the base of the hill, he glanced behind him, only to see that only 7 of his fellow defenders had made it down the hill. He didn¡¯t hesitate, but continued to sprint toward the research facility and a side door. Looking upward, he saw defenders in the windows on the second level of the research facility cheering him on, their gunflike shouts of encouragement, covering his groups retreat. To his left, more explosions rocked in the roadway between the canteen and the research facility. Adrian didn¡¯t have time to think before he plunged through a quickly opened doorway. Looking behind him he saw that only 4 others had been able to make the final sprint from the bottom of the hill to the facility. He took a minute to catch his breath, the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Panting heavily, he felt the rush of adrenaline slowly leave. When he looked around, he saw the rush of defenders moving quickly from one area to another. Calling out orders, carrying wounded, but on each of their faces a firm determination to complete the task before them. Adrian wanted to rest, but the fighting, as fierce as it was, had probably just started in earnest. The plan had never been to hold them at the wall or towers. They were too difficult to defend. It had been to lure the hoard between the two buildings. The large metal structures would be difficult for the bugs to get through, and instead it would create a killing field, a ¡®roach motel¡¯ where bugs would enter, but couldn¡¯t leave. Adrian began to look for the stairs, figuring his gun would be best served at the higher levels. He reached the second level. The command area for the building. Around him he heard the calls of men giving reports and orders. ¡°We¡¯ve got climbers!¡± ¡°Get those fires lit outside the buildings, we can risk too many of them trying to climb up the sides!¡± ¡°Has anyone spotted the queen?¡± ¡°I need more molotovs on the north side¡± ¡°Get the wounded to the central rooms!¡± ¡°We¡¯re running low on energy reserves on the north east turret!¡± ¡°Keep it up, they can¡¯t get through the walls.¡± Their voices tried to shout over the background of screaming bugs, explosions and gunfire. Moving toward a window, the killing field below was a mass of blood, fire and corpses. Thousands of bugs, piled in flaming pits outside the wall and littering the crater filled street. More and more continued forward, like a flood, trampling their brood mates and fallen defenders. Just up the street he saw a bright flash, and a beam of green light cut across the length of the killing field. Cutting scores upon scores in a matter of seconds. Adrian recognized it as the mining laser, which had been developed by Alan¡¯s father. The beam which had been developed to cut through a hundred feet of stone, easily sliced through the rows of bug carapaces. Adrian smiled for a moment. The burning bodies reminded him of when Nick had found his grandmother''s magnifying glass and decided to attack the local ant hill. In that case, it resulted in his friend going home crying, after receiving a dozen bug bits from the angry ants. Adrian hoped that today''s outcome would be different. From behind him, Adrian heard a voice calling him back to reality saying, ¡°We¡¯ve got radio contact from an unknown force coming from the west. I think it¡¯s the reinforcement Alan mentioned!¡± A cheer went up from the defenders. ¡°Well, speak of the devil¡­¡± Adrian couldn¡¯t help but mutter under his breath. We might just be able to pull this off. Suddenly, a scream was heard from the stairwell Adrian had just walked up from. He rushed over to see what was happening. His heart sank. Near the bottom of the stairs, a large mound of earth pressed upward through the flooring. The maw of a large worm with razor teeth had punched itself through, pushing aside large plates and somehow gnawing through the foundation. It soon pulled back, leaving a large round hole. Only the chittering sounds coming from the cavern gave any hint to the oncoming attack. Without thinking, Adrian removed one of his precious grenades and lobbed it in the hole. 3 seconds later a bug came halfway out of the hole, only to be blown clear out, as the grenade detonated and collapsed the tunnel. When he stepped to the bottom of the stair to inspect his work, Adrian began to hear screaming from other parts of the lower floor. This was clearly not the hole that had found its way through the supposedly impenetrable steel walls. Reloading his weapons he prepared himself for the next wave. Chapter 41: A mad party Nick cursed, as the pickup he¡¯d been riding in hit another bump. He struggled not to lose his footing as he stood on the truck¡¯s bed, looking over the cab toward a field of rising black smoke. It somehow reminded him of a small forest fire he¡¯d seen as a kid. His nose wrinkled at the smell reminding him of singed arm hair and burning gasoline. The truck''s back window opened and a voice shouted through. ¡°Hey I just got off the radio, looks like they''re still defending the area.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Nick had been worried, they had been able to radio them earlier, but had been cut off.¡± Let the other cars know. We should be there in a couple of minutes.¡± ¡°Sure thing Boss!¡± ¡°So that means¡¯ we¡¯re finally going to answer the lady¡¯s call!¡± Nick cringed slightly as the nasally high pitched voice. He turned to see a half dozen young men squatting in the truck. The nearest, an uncomfortably close teenage boy had half risen. The young man wore a black tuxedo jacket with tails and a black top hat, this was contrasted by black and grey camo pants. He proudly wore a white t-shirt underneath the jacket, a red heart with rabbit earls coming out the top. Prominently emblazoned on the front were the words, ¡®Mad Tea Party¡¯ The other¡¯s in the truck cheered at his words. Most of them wore the white t-shirt or had a white armband with the heart and rabbit emblem. ¡°Erwin, just remember the plan.¡± Nick addressed the ¡®president of the Mad Tea Party¡¯ , the fan club of Alice, Alan¡¯s little sister. He had to force his clenched fist to relax. Something about the guy''s face just asked to be punched. But Nick relented, Erwin¡¯s little club, along with others who responded to Alice¡¯s invitation to come to Kragga were the best chance for Alan. ¡°Yes Sir, we are ready to serve!¡± Erwin responded cheerfully, ¡°The Mad Tea Party fan club is grateful that you have given us the honor to act as vanguard on such an important mission.¡± Nick held back from rolling his eyes. ¡°Well, thank you for volunteering.¡± ¡°We¡¯d do anything for our beloved Alice.¡± Erwin gushed. Nick cringed again, Alice had decided to share her first name with her fans. Partially as a reward to help fight Kragga, and partially because it was too inconvenient to hide her name. Though she did keep the rest of her identity anonymous. Hence she wore a mask at the picture signing. Their group was of course pretty small, even considering the ever growing group of social media followers she had gathered. Of course the Mad Tea Party had not wasted the chance to start recruitment for any of the others who had come to fight. They believed themselves the true ¡®followers¡¯ of Alice while on Kragga. He just tried to ignore them, as best he could. ¡°Everyone go ahead and eat your packed meal.¡± Nick tried to keep the irritation out of his voice as he spoke through a radio. ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Erwin offered all too cheerfully. For some reason He and a few of the other followers had treated him with borderline reverence ever since they found out he knew the true identity of Alice and was her friend. It was just another reason to find them irritating. Looking to his left and right. Nick saw the other vehicles that had been assembled. There were a few other trucks, some with trailers, a multitude of Motorcycles, 4 wheelers and other all-terrain vehicles. There was even a large Winnebago. It wasn¡¯t perhaps the most eye-catching convoy. But what it lacked in beauty, it made up for in raw fighting force. Over four hundred players had decided to make Kragga their home and join the fight. Most were likely just looking for a good place to start as players, a few however did so for just Alice. On the bright side, the players, like Nick, had selected Genetic Mutations for combat. This was unlike the personnel of Callisto corp. Who had selected most of their mutations to benefit roles as researchers, scientists, and engineers. The people following Nick, or really Alice, he thought regretfully, were fighters. They¡¯d joined cosmos for adventure, and Nick was going to give it to them. He removed a few cookies from his inventory. Each one had the taste of almond and what could only be described as soft lightning on the tongue, enhancing the flavor of sweetness. Consumed: Fulminetti Cookies. You have received a 10% boost to endurance and +1 to speed for 2 hours. Nick felt immediately invigorated. Nick and Reardon had discovered that the bonus only applied to the last dish you ate. So stacking the bonuses was impossible. Nick¡¯s truck cleared the last rise to see a clear view of the battle before him. The truck halted. It didn¡¯t look good. Flame and Smoke littered the battlefield. The building nearest to them was half covered in bugs, the other half, was wreathed in smoke. There was still gun fire emanating from the upper windows, a good sign if there was any. ¡°CHARGE!!!¡± Wait, what? Who said that? Nick looked slack jawed as Erwin leapt nearly 40 feet from the bed of the truck toward the ongoing battle. Screaming for the others to Join him. Stunned, Nick didn¡¯t even think to respond as hundreds of players eager to join in the battle, forgot the battle plan and zealously joined in combat. A hover-bike pulled up to the still stunned. Nick. ¡°I think you¡¯ve finally lost control of your mercenaries.¡± Cura said somewhat distastefully, as she rode up on a large 2 seater hover-bike, the chassi resembled a motorcycle without wheels. He just stared still a bit dumbfounded at the copper skinned goddess. ¡°Come on, before they all get killed.¡± Nick only nodded before he jumped on. Scanning around him, the only others which had the intellect to take in the whole situation before charging were 5 men in black suits which had exited a black land rover. They waved in acknowledgement to Nick, before removing a menagerie of weapons, not least of which was a shoulder launched rpg. The hover-bike''s engine suddenly roared to life, and Nick only had a brief moment to wonder what kind of fans Alice had conjured up. Looking ahead, the hover-bike quickly overtook most of the charging warriors. Looking around him, he saw one guy with large razor-like appendages for arms while another had turned bright red and seemed to have steam coming off of him. He didn¡¯t have time to admire the various mutations for long because he suddenly found himself in the midst of battle. Cura, selected a small button on her bike which sent out a small shock wave, throwing back an oncoming rush of the bugs. After dawning her helmet she then leapt forward, carrying herself nearly 40 feet into the midst of the swarm wielding a fiery staff, which seemed to emanate blue sparks. In one sweeping motion she crushed over a dozen of the insects. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Nick, unwilling to be outdone, attempted to do the same feat. Only his jump was not nearly so impressive, and his hammer swing became lodged in the skull of one unfortunate insect. Grappling to remove his hammer, he¡¯d barely got it free, just in time to deflect the attack of another bug and than awkwardly follow up to kill it. From an outside perspective, it looked as though Cura was reaping great swathes of wheat, with every movement. While Nick seemed only capable of going one by one. The crowd of crusaders went into a flurry, their guns unleashing a torrent of led and plasma. The front liners, swung their weapons relentlessly severing and smashing into the lines of insects. Occasional explosion rock the area, mostly home made pipe bombs and other improvised explosives. The unexpected and insane attack shocked the swarm, they hesitated, unsure of how to react to the new threat. Maddened by the thrill of battle, humanity took advantage to slaughter them mercilessly. Nick, also caught up in the heat of battle, was surprised at one point when Erwin, donning his top hat, landed only a few feet next to him skewering a fierce looking maggot. He wielded an old antique fire poker in one hand, while holding a hatchet in the other. The leader of the Mad Tea Party only paused briefly before he gave Nick a cheshire grin before he sprung away. A loud shriek stole Nick¡¯s attention from the high jumper, as a bug the size of truck charged a small group. It had the shape of a beetle, however it had a half dozen appendages sprouting somewhat awkwardly from its upright and elongated torso. For a brief moment it ravaged the group, eviscerating two of its members, whose screams had caught Nick¡¯s attention. He was about to rush and help when a rocket slammed into the beetle leaving a fatal cavity of mutilated flesh. The heat of the explosion washed over him. Despite the heat, gun fire, and the heaps of torn carapaces, Nick was able to block out most of what would make most people uncomfortable. He¡¯d played enough video games before Cosmos, that a little extra realistic gore and loud sounds were par for the course. It was the smell that seared and penetrated his conscience. No matter how long he fought and how much closer he came, he could never escape. He felt his stomach turn, as bile sought an escape. Perhaps the putrid scent of his stomach content would have been a grateful respite from the battle. His eyes sought out the research tower, trying desperately to take his mind off the stench by giving him a goal to pursue. The tower still continued to fight. Weapon discharges showering out of the top most floor and roof. He charged forward, attempting to cover the distance. At times the bugs would land on him, their claws and mandibles attempting to pierce his enhanced skin. His arms began to protest from the constraint thumping of his hammer. Raise. Strike. Pull back. Repeat. The screams, yells and explosions, unheard over the pounding of hammer and heart. Taking a quick breath, he halted just enough to see how far he had come to his goal. He unconsciously sagged slightly, at the distance he had to cover. Grimly determined he prepared to rush and charge again when Cura landed heavily next to him. ¡°The enemy begins to adapt to the reckless charge of the allies.¡± Turning to look behind him, he began to see that the charge of the players had slowed considerably. The fighters were still doing most of the killing even with a few casualties along the loose front. However, the momentum had lagged. In some places it looked as though they were ready to fall back, growing somewhat tired. ¡°Thanks for the heads up Cura.¡± Nick cursed himself silently for his lack of attention to those around him. ¡°You are the leader, such reckless behavior will doom those who follow you.¡± The words stung more than the stench of the battle. Removing a radio from his pocket, Nick got on the radio. He hoped the player known as Bullfrog, hadn¡¯t managed to kill himself in the onslaught. ¡°Bullfrog, you there?¡± Nick waited breathlessly for a few moments before he finally heard a response. ¡°I¡¯m Here.¡± A deep baritone came in response. ¡°Let¡¯s hear that voice you''re so proud of.¡± ¡°You got it.¡± followed by a deep chuckle. Nick frantically inserted a pair of ear plugs around his neck. Moments later, a deep sound echoed across the battlefield. ¡°I can''t tell the difference between the enemy and you maggots! Fight!¡± For a moment Nick felt a slight surge of adrenaline before it quickly receded. Voice of Inspiration: Failed due to lowered exposure. Nick, however, looked around him to see the players suddenly reinvigorated. Had he been affected, Bullfrog¡¯s genetic mutation to trigger a flood of various hormones through his voice would have caused him to have an increase in strength and stamina. Unfortunately, it had the side effect of decreasing his ability to think as clearly. His fighters were now going berserk. Taking out his earplugs he turned to Cura. ¡°That should help.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She nodded, her own species was different from a human, so she remained unaffected. ¡°Now, let us see if we can go and support your friends in that tower.¡± Nick looked at her confused. They were clearly a long way off from the tower. She grinned at him maliciously, and in one smooth motion took him under one arm, and launched herself toward the tower. Nick briefly considered struggling, but the mass of writhing bugs below him, changed his mind. He didn¡¯t count the leaps, but in just under a minute they landed just below the tower, and in one smooth motion she leapt up, and flew through the window of the top floor. After which she unceremoniously dropped him. The defenders, guns raised, had shocked looks at the sight of the imposing woman before them, it was only an afterthought to notice the semi-limp man sprawled on the floor. ¡°We are here for Alan.¡± Cura stated matter-of-fact, as she removed her helmet, letting her piercing blue eyes drill into them, completely unconcerned at the guns pointing toward her. At the mention of Alan¡¯s name a few of the defenders lowered their guns. It was at that moment that Nick stood up, brushing off dust, and trying to regain some semblance of dignity after being carried like a woman¡¯s purse across the battlefield. ¡°Nick, it''s about time you got here!¡± Adrian rushed up to his friend, having just pushed through the small crowd and noticing his friend, rushed to give him a brief hug. ¡°Yeah, well it took some time to get all our recruits. I would have come sooner if I¡¯d known I was going to have to pull you literally out of the fire.¡± He grinned. ¡°Seriously though, what can we do to help out?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still holding this floor and part of the one below us. It¡¯s unclear how long we can hold on to it, but since your reinforcements attacked, we¡¯ve noticed they¡¯ve stopped attacking as frantically. You came just in time.¡± Nick nodded, grateful that he¡¯d been able to help in some way. ¡°From the brief radio contact we¡¯ve had, things are going about the same in the other building as well..¡± ¡°So where is Alan?¡± He looked around for his friend. ¡°We lost contact with him.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nick said with a touch of concern in his voice. ¡°Last we heard, he had an idea about the Queen and was going after it.¡± Adrian tried to sound reassuring. ¡°Queen?¡± ¡°The leader of the bugs. Alan believes that if we can take her down, the rest of the bugs will fall.¡± ¡°So where is she so we can crush her?¡± Cura spoke up. ¡°That''s the problem. We haven¡¯t spotted her yet. Alan thought he might have an idea on how to get to her¡­¡± A tremor began to shake the building, and the sound of splitting earth came from outside the building. Rushing to the window, a plume of dust covered the street below. As a slight breeze began to blow, a massive silhouette still shrouded by dust and smoke began to form. Battle End Alan coughed as thick dust threatened to cut off his airways and vision. His mind felt muddled as the sounds of shifting ground and tremors shook his whole body. Next to him Shelley lay collapsed on the earth covered steel floor. Struggling to orient himself he had the vague thought that his plan hadn¡¯t gone exactly how he had envisioned. Wiping away dust he thought back on the start of the fight, which had initially gone well. The bugs drove right into the area where he¡¯d helped set up traps and killing zones. They¡¯d been cut to ribbons or burned in droves. The operation ¡°roach hotel¡± had worked nearly flawlessly. What he hadn¡¯t planned for was the absence of the Queen and the surprise assault from underneath the buildings. This surprise had nearly overwhelmed them. Shelley and he had led the counter attack, killing off the bugs that had invaded from the ground. After the first wave, however, there had been sizable holes 2 and 3 feet in diameter in floor. This presented 1 challenge and 1 opportunity. First, was that it was going to be nearly impossible to stop the next waves when they came through those tunnels. On the other hand, Alan realized the possibility that the queen had buried herself in the ground to direct the assault from safety. This begged the question, how to get to her? The solution, unsurprisingly, came from Shelley. ¡°What about that droid of yours? It can probably navigate those tunnels and deliver an explosive?¡± ¡°739?¡± Alan had looked at his droid. It had been there assisting the leadership during the assault and than supporting Alan in the counter attack. The Droid was quite tall, but despite its height, it¡¯s joints were surprisingly flexible. ¡°Sir, I am quite able to navigate those tunnels quickly. I¡¯m also equipped with sensors which allow for navigation in the dark.¡± He said with the greatest propriety and then to demonstrate he than lowered his height, and adjusted his limbs to resemble something more like a beetle. ¡°All right, what have we got to lose?¡± After that, it had taken a only a few quick steps to equip him with a few high explosives which could easily timed and detached. All that was left was for him to make his way through the tunnels. 739 left without preamble and after that it became a waiting game. They¡¯d listened eagerly over the radio, hoping to hear any news as 739 relayed information about the tunnel system. Luckily, it hadn¡¯t taken long before 739 had found a larger cavern and the queen. The clever monarch had hidden quite literally under his nose. 739 set the explosives and fled as fast as possible. It was only a few seconds later that Shelley uttered, ¡°If he is so close, wouldn¡¯t the shockwave¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t even have time to finish. The explosion, which had rocked the building, had led to Shelley being knocked out and him nearly losing consciousness. Alan continued to hack and cough as he moved over to check on Shelley. The shockwave of the continued to reverberate through the lower level of the building. Inspecting Shelley, her head was split, blood gushing next to her. Kneeling next to her he injected her nanites to heal her wounds and to stem the bleeding. He rose and made his way to the barricaded door. As he moved to remove the large steel latch keeping it closed, he heard the sound of moving earth. Throwing open the door, he stepped out into the street. The dust was just settling. What looked like a massive horned beetle''s head and half a torso, along with a few legs, were pulling a massive body free of the site of the underground explosion. The only thought in his mind which crossed his mind was, ¡°How did she survive?¡± Fear clutched his heart. Any beast that could survive that kind of explosion was likely ranked at C or higher. Pressing the radio he called over all frequencies. ¡°All units target the massive bug in the street, it''s the queen. I repeat, target the queen!¡± Raising his gauntlets he began firing off streams of concentrated VE energy toward the Queen. Above him he saw in the windows others open fire on the half stuck monarch. The bullets and energy projectiles pelted her great skull, like hail on tin roof. Their weapons were ineffective against her thick carapace. This seemed to only drive her mad, as she continued to struggle upward more frantically. She let out a wail. The shriek dizzied Alan as he struggled to try and cover his ears. Along with the wail afflicting his ears, Alan felt a sharp piercing sensation stab his mind. The pain was so severe his senses were completely cut off. The ringing in his ears ceased, but he could no longer see. Only blackness filled his vision and no sound reached his ears. He lost track of time. It felt as though he was in the void of space. Empty. Dark. the only thing to accompany him was a feeling of panic. But just as quickly as it had struck the sensation quickly faded as his sight slowly returned, and the sounds of battle resumed, cutting off the panic that had briefly surfaced from the attack. Looking up at the still struggling queen. He mind barely registered that the Queen had used a psychic attack. It was confirmed moments later from the battle log that appeared. Alert! You have been attacked by a low level psychic assault. Your senses have been overwhelmed. Alert! Error! has been activated. You have adapted to the low level psychic assault. What?! He¡¯d adapted. That made no sense. He didn¡¯t have long to think on it, as the Massive queen continued to pull herself out of the hole. Segments of her body rose slowly, as her legs pulled her out. She¡¯d already managed to pull three segments of her elongated body from the pit. She had stopped screaming, however, from the brief glance Alan gave to look up at the defenders above him it wasn¡¯t good. They were completely defenseless. Some were unconsciously splayed halfway over the wall while others likely collapsed behind windows and on roofs. It was at that moment that she began to spray a viscous green substance along the wall of the building. From the hissing and burning on where it landed. It didn¡¯t take him long to figure out she had a deadly spray weapon. Acid. When the acid struck it quickly chewed through clothes and armor and did unspeakable things to their bodies. Even her own minions, stunned by the attack, weren''t safe. It was a truly desperate measure. Consuming both friend and foe around her. Unwilling to let the queen continue her assault Alan got on his radio, and turned to a specific channel. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Dad, are you still next to the mining laser?¡± ¡°Yeah, son, we¡¯ve barely hung on. But we¡¯re still here.¡± ¡°I need one more shot. We¡¯ve got to take out that queen!¡± ¡°Son, I don¡¯t know. I might be able to give a short burst, but we¡¯ve pretty much trashed this thing. Any more and she¡¯d likely be toast.¡± ¡°Do it. We¡¯ve got no other option.¡± ¡°All right, give me 60 seconds to charge it up.¡± Alan grimaced as he looked at the beast turning up the earth in its desire for freedom. 60 seconds? The queen was likely to clear the blast in half that time. Desperately, Alan looked around. And realized he was the only one on the field of fire. Recognizing the desperate situation, Alan activated his gauntlets, and charged the nearest leg. He activated his VE reserves and slammed into the struggling leg striking at the joint. For a brief moment he feared that his efforts would have been in vain, however a moment later he felt the carapace beneath him bend, and heard the snap of tendons. The blow had pushed back the struggling leg, causing the queen to shriek once again. The leg, certainly bruised and damaged, nevertheless had strength enough to lash out, knocking Alan backwards across the field. He landed hard, and looked up to see the multi eyed queen glaring at him with hatred filled eyes. She recognized him. More by his scent than anything. The man that should have been dead. He was the fiery devil. He had smashed and burned her children, and made her home uninhabitable. It confused her that he wasn¡¯t dead. He should have been dead. Her children would not lie, they had hunted and killed him personally. But there he was, still living. Reigning down fire and pain. Her mind lashed out with all the resentment and hatred she could summon. For a brief moment Alan felt it. He felt her hurt, her hatred. It felt more real and painful than her previous attack. It was more than numbness and pain, it was her feelings. Alert! You have adapted to the direct low level psychic attack. And then it was gone. The pain which had united them for the briefest of moments passed, as easily as the wind through the trees. He felt relieved, and to Alan¡¯s chagrin, he sensed somehow that she knew her attack had failed. She shrieked again, and continued her relentless struggle. Her movements quickened as she now had prey to devour. Alan rose once again. Preparing his gauntlets, he tried to find an opening, but her hate filled eyes never left him. He felt they were challenging him, daring him to charge her, to come within the range of her sharpened claws. He needed to act. She was nearly free. And in doing so might easily dodge the mining laser. Alan thought quickly. Perhaps, he thought with some remorse that he could keep her pinned, if only for a few seconds. Long enough for the laser to cut her down. Even if it meant death. He readied himself giving himself some distance from her. Preparing for death. As it seemed she was about to remove herself from her half grave. A dreadful thought occurred to Alan. What was he doing? He was the lord of this area. His plans for Kragga, Shelley, and Earth¡¯s future all hung on this territory. If he died at her hands, it was game over. She would win the war. He would lose his territory. He¡¯d been fool enough not to even have a second in command should he fall. His noble sacrifice would be short sighted. He couldn¡¯t die here. Not like this. At that moment she cleared the last of the hole. Her massive frame, the size of two buses end to end, towered over him. With some satisfaction he saw the rear two segments of her elongated body were mangled and bloodied, as if they¡¯d been through a meat grinder. It was clear their bomb had worked. She apparently had already been significantly injured. Not that it gave him much comfort, as he wondered how it would be if she were at full strength. Rising above him, she readied herself to cross the distance to get to him and kill him. He heard the fateful scream. But this time, it didn¡¯t come from the massive queen. His eyes widened in amazement as Cura leapt from the top floor of the research facility. A glistening spear in hand striking the bony plate of the creature. Unlike Alan¡¯s attack, her spear easily passed through hardened carapace, toward the soft flesh underneath. Cura¡¯s battle yell, was followed by the Shrieking and writhing of the beast and it desperately clawed the gnat which had stung it so painfully. Alan watched in awe, as Cura seemed to wrestle the beast for a few precious moments, before she too was suddenly overwhelmed and cast off, thrown into a blown out window of the adjacent building. The queen, incensed beyond all reasoning, turned once again toward Alan. Blind fury in her eyes, they spoke to Alan, as if she were saying how could such small fleshy animals cause me, the most noble and powerful of creatures, so much pain and suffering. She moved to strike. Her full weight charging to maim and tear Alan apart. His full attention was set on the monster in front of him. He was so focused that he nearly missed the 3 pings on his radio receiver. Almost not hearing the signal he dove to the ground at the same time he heard the high pitched whirring of the far off tower. Moments later, a beam of green light streaked above him, striking directly into the rearing body of the massive queen. The cutting laser didn¡¯t make a blasting sound as it cut through flesh. It instead was nearly silent. Only her screams and the sound of charring flesh and flashing fire across her body indicated that the laser was doing its grizzly work. It worked quickly, at times piercing multiple segments, and removing great masses of flesh, legs, and anything else that it happened to cross, before it¡¯s work was done. When it finally finished, the far off whirring was replaced by a small explosion. And the shrieks of the once proud queen were now only muffled hisses. Alan walked cautiously up to the still breathing monarch. The laser had scored along her torso, cutting her in half, it had then trailed up, removing nearly half of her remaining body, vertically. Had the laser not cauterized as it went, Alan was sure she would have bled out, leaving nothing inside of her. As he moved closer she twitched, causing Alan to jump. She¡¯d turned her once glorious head, now nearly half removed, toward him. Eyes still filled with hatred¡­and defiance. He felt her thoughts in his mind. They screamed at him, cursed him, unbelieving of the fate that she¡¯d been dealt. Alan had thought he knew what loathing was before. Especially when he¡¯d thought back on his ex-girlfriend. But this was different. He drew back his glove, bashed in her head, half telling him that he was putting her out of her misery, and half unwilling to admit his own discomfort at the thoughts she had of him. It took him a few blows before her voice was silenced, and a few more more to be sure. In the end though it was the Cosmos notification that finally convinced him to stop. Notice: Queen Komaxa of the Hive has been defeated. Notice: Queen Komaxa of the Hive is a monster species of the bug variety and is unable to assign a second in command. Therefore she is no longer able to continue the war. Territory Notice: Alan¡¯s Territory has been triumphant over Queen Komaxa of the Hive. Congratulations Alan for your victory. Alan was suddenly overwhelmed with more and more notifications, outlining the information of the battle and the rewards. He put them all aside, unwilling to look at them for the moment. His thoughts flashed back to the end of the battle. The hostility of the queen, Cura¡¯s leap through the air, and Shelley being knocked unconscious. Shelley¡­ He rushed back to the still open door of the mess hall when Shelley greeted him at the door. She looked haggard, hair strewn about her, and dirt stained clothes. However, her face seemed untouched by the dirtiness of battle, she wore a broad smile, with eyes glistening in delight. ¡°We did it!¡± She ran up to him, giving him a hug. He hugged her back, and hoped she didn¡¯t mind the stench of the bug still lingering on his fist. At that moment he had no words. How could he tell her that her one action had pushed back the lingering voice of the queen and her hatred. That he¡¯d felt more invigorated in that moment than he had felt in days. That it was all he could do not to sit down and cry from the exhaustion of it all. Instead he just basked in that moment. Chapter 43 Alan could have lingered there with Shelley, in her warm hug the rest of the day, despite the avalanche of destruction around them. Burning bugs and tar assaulted the senses, dust and smoke burned the lungs, and cries of wounded filled the air. Yet he would have stayed if he could. It was the awkward cough, and not one filled with smoke that drew them apart. Standing no more than 6 paces away stood 5 men in black suits carrying assault weapons. ¡°Excuse me Miss Cordata.¡± A large, no nonsense man spoke somberly. ¡°We¡¯d like a few moments to speak to you¡­privately¡± He paused, looking meaningfully at Alan. Alan felt Shelley let him go as she faced the men. Despite their dangerous aura, Shelley appeared to be unphased, ¡°Hello Hank, how is my father?¡± ¡°Miss Cordata¡­¡± He said meaningfully. Shelley turned to Alan, ¡°Hank is the head of my father¡¯s private security detail for me, pretty much my unofficial babysitter.¡± Alan chose to remain silent at her comment. ¡°Hank, I don¡¯t need to have a private audience to guess at why you are here.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± He responded without reaction. ¡°Your father sent us, after he hadn¡¯t received any updates from you for a few days. We were instructed to confirm your safety and appraise the situations and ensure the assets of your father were intact.¡± ¡°Well, as you can obviously see, things here are going just fine¡­¡± Alan, tried to swipe at some non-existent smoke as Shelley glared at him. ¡°Miss Cordata, please rest assured I will pass on your assessment of Callisto Corporation to your father, as well as my own.¡± He looked meaningfully at the damaged buildings. ¡°My only question is which one of my employees told you what was going on?¡± Hank narrowed his eyes slightly at the questions unwilling to answer the question, before the group was interrupted. ¡°ALAN! SHELLEY!¡± Coming from the other building Alan saw Nick followed Adrian as well as a few other Callisto personnel coming toward them. Nick was waving his arm with his large hammer over his shoulder. ¡°Nick! I heard you¡¯d made it!¡± Alan and Shelley had been given a brief update on the reinforcements that had helped to draw off many of the bugs and given them time to find the queen. ¡°You know I couldn¡¯t sit out for very long. Sorry it took so much time to get here.¡± ¡°No problems, I¡¯m just glad you made it. I heard you were able to get quite the reinforcements.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to thank your sister for all that. Pretty much everyone that arrived were part of her fan club.¡± Nick called out as he drew closer. ¡°Alice is your sister?!¡± One of the five men in black suits, clearly one of the junior security officers, asked incredulously. Hank gave him a severe look, while also flushing slightly. The other man, recognizing his mistake, blushed uncomfortably. ¡°Miss Cordata, it seems that you have everything in order for now, my men and I will take our leave and will check in with you later.¡± And with that they quickly walked away. As Nick passed them, he tried to give them a high five, which the group of security guards stiffly refused. ¡°What''s their deal?¡± Nick asked as the group walked out of earshot. Shelley burst into laughter. As Nick and Adrian looked at her in confusion. ¡°Sorry.¡± She laughed, ¡°But I can count on my hands the number of times I¡¯ve seen Hank look so uncomfortable.¡± They still looked confused, but chose to move past Shelley¡¯s out of character laughter. Adrian spoke up, changing the subject. ¡°Alan, what happened? One minute I was trying to snipe at the queen¡¯s eye, when I got a sudden headache and passed out. I then wake up to find that the queen is dead and there are only a few pets to be found and we¡¯ve won the war.¡± Other¡¯s in the group also nodded along and murmured their own confusion on the matter. Alan quickly outlined the events that happened after the queen let out her psychic attack. He had to repeat the story a few times as more survivors made their way over including Jakes, the Callisto manager. Alan, tried his best to deflect his own part in the battle and highlighted Shelley¡¯s plan to drive the queen to the surface, and his father¡¯s engineering skills in activating the mining laser. He even made sure to point out Cura¡¯s involvement in the whole affair. If anyone had questions as to why Alan had been the only one from Earth in close proximity of the queen to be unaffected, they kept it to themselves, much to his relief. When the explanation was all finished, the crowd before him was a peculiar mix of professionals, mercenaries, and superfans. After the explanation was over, however, Alan and Shelley began to outline important matters of business. It was decided that Jakes would organize everyone in order to take care of making sure to harvest all the Nyamisium crystals, check on wounded, and begin on basic repairs. At first, some of the groups were resistant, until Alan reported that he wouldn¡¯t report how to properly compensate everyone until all the resources were gathered. This generally motivated any holdouts to assist in the work. Nick had suggested they all get together for dinner that night, but Shelley insisted any celebration for a few days from now after more things had been cleaned up. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just saying that you¡¯ve got to have a break sometime.¡± He told a stubborn Shelley. ¡°Or you¡¯ll work your employee¡¯s to death. I mean there pretty much there already.¡± Shelley was about to continue arguing, when she had to take a moment to look at the faces of those around her. She was not so overly proud to realize that the last few days had taxed everyone to their limit, and they needed to takes break. ¡°All right, you win. But let''s prioritize gathering resources and treating the wounded, we can all celebrate in the meeting hall tonight.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Nick seemed about ready to argue some more as the sudden reversal caught him by surprise, ¡°All right! That is what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Nick unceremoniously opened his ring to reveal a stack of soda¡¯s and various drinks. ¡°There¡¯s more where that came from. I¡¯ve got plenty of food and Karaoke as well.¡± ¡°When did you have time for all this? And the money?¡± Alan asked in surprise. ¡°I figured after we one the war, we¡¯d want to celebrate on the field of battle! Besides, the tabs on you and curtos little restaurant. ¡± Nick laughed, while he and a few of the other guys left to go set up, while Alan could only look on a bit dumb founded. Since when did he become so generous? Alan was soon left by himself, he sat down next to the large corpse of the fallen monarch. Jakes had assured him that a harvesting crew would come by soon to gather the precious materials of the beast. His hope was that when they excavated they would find 739 somewhere in the trenches. Out of the dust the form of a large feminine figure approached him. ¡°It is a fine kill.¡± ¡°Yeah, I suppose so, Cura. Though, without you would have been the Queen¡¯s victory and not ours¡± ¡°Hmm, even the smallest gnat can unsteady the greatest giant.¡± She said solemnly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would ever compare you to a gnat.¡± He smiled back at her. ¡°Are you calling me fat?¡± She gave him a serious look. ¡°I uh¡­¡± Alan was speechless. She suddenly broke off with a loud belting laugh and grinned at him. ¡°Your friend Nick has shared some of your planet¡¯s humor with me.¡± Heh. heh. He laughed uncomfortably. Alan was going to have to pay back Nick for that one. ¡°Seriously though, it is a good kill. I was surprised to see how quickly you had recovered from her psychic spell.¡± Alan nodded in agreement, his own feelings of surprise still somewhat present. In the past when he¡¯d encountered psychic attacks they¡¯d easily been able to disorient and stun him. It wasn¡¯t until after years of exposure that he¡¯d been able to even develop the most basic of resistances naturally. It was just something that most of humankind wasn¡¯t prepared for. His sudden ability to overcome the queen''s attack so completely had been a shock. ¡°I suppose I must have some natural resistance.¡± Alan explained lamely. Cura nodded, though rare it wasn¡¯t completely unheard of in a species. She, on the other hand, had built up her own resistance through years of fighting and mental training. ¡°It¡¯s lucky that you did.¡± She moved over to the queen''s head and placed a hand on each of the mandibles. Viciously sharp and unyieldingly hard, they could easily be made into a fierce weapon or high end tool. Looking over at Alan, he immediately understood her unspoken request and nodded. She then yanked out both of them, like tearing a leg from a crab, and stored them. This was her take of the kill. And with that she walked off toward the canteen. Alan sat there a few more minutes, before his exhaustion got the better of him and he fell asleep sitting against the large monster. He¡¯d fought since the first attack on the front line and hadn¡¯t had a chance to rest since than. His fight with the queen, both psychological and physically, had taken its toll. *** The sky had grown dark when Adrian shook his shoulder. ¡°Hey buddy, I thought you might want to participate in some of the festivities.¡± Looking around somewhat dazedly, Alan discovered that it had become dark on Kragga. But there were lights, music laughing coming from the cafeteria. ¡°Yeah sure.¡± His mind became convinced once he caught the scent of food. Walking in the well lit room, there was a buffet of foods and desserts piled high on a table. In one area, Nick and a group of other were singing We are the Champions. Steering clear of that area, he moved over to a more quiet area where he saw his father talking to a group of engineers. Seeing his son, his father broke away from his friends. ¡°Hey son, I hope you didn¡¯t mind that we let you rest for a while. We figured if anyone needed a break it was you.¡± ¡°Yeah dad, no problem. Where¡¯s James?¡± ¡°Your brother¡¯s still taking care of the wounded with some of the other medics.¡± ¡°In the long run, it''s usually better for them to get fixed than to just have penalties related to death.¡± His dad nodded. They sat there quietly for some moments before his dad spoke again. ¡°You know son, you¡¯ve been carrying a lot lately,¡± He paused awkwardly, ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been easy dealing with everything¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of a choice.¡± Alan said somewhat defensively. His mind flashed back to the Queen''s last psychic attack, her loathing for killing her children. He struggled to push it aside as he thought on how he needed to save his planet and the people there. ¡°I guess, but that doesn''t mean you can¡¯t take some time off. You don¡¯t want to overwork yourself.¡± His father replied with unyielding patience ¡°Sure Dad, I¡¯ll try to slow down a bit.¡± Alan tried to sound convincing, but he could tell some of his irritation came out. In reality he couldn''t slow down. But he couldn''t tell his Dad that, not really. He''d have not way to explain it. \ His dad only nodded. They chatted there for a while, mostly talking about the battle and the cleanup. Finally his Dad ended the conversation, saying it¡¯d been nearly a week since he had seen his wife, and it was time he stopped by to pay her a visit and logged out soon after. ¡°Hey Hero.¡± Alan had been sitting there by himself quietly thinking about what had happened in the day and his next steps when Shelley came up to him from behind. ¡°Hi Shelley, how did the recovery go?¡± She sat down next to him, ¡°I¡¯m exhausted. Jakes didn¡¯t let me go back to work until after I¡¯d been thoroughly looked at by the doctors. He reported that teams were able to collect most of the nyamisium cores and have come pretty far in harvesting the valuable parts of the monsters. From his early estimates, we might actually make a tidy profit out of all of this once we get it converted to vervetic energy and the monster¡¯s bodies sold.¡± She exhaled, ¡°But, we¡¯re going to have to keep pushing just to get all the repairs made, and I¡¯m worried now about Kragga. Now that we¡¯ve got non-Callisto employees in the area. It won¡¯t take long before others start to come here.¡± Alan thought about it a moment before responding, "It''s not too different from what I was thinking to be honest. Plus with the benefits of the war victory. It''s not too bad.¡± ¡°What benefits?¡± Alan sat back, and took a sip of his drink, teasing her slightly. ¡°For the victor goes the spoils. In this case, Aside from the obvious skill increases we¡¯ll each get for individual kills and nyamisium cores, etc. We also get the Queen¡¯s territory. All of it will be incorporated.¡± He sent her a document of his new territory. ¡°With this we¡¯ll be able to better utilize the surrounding resources, give the new arrivals something to do. Explore, harvest, and pay taxes.¡± He grinned at her. "Soon enough this planet will be the jewel of the human race." ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± The land increase was substantial, there territory was over a 500 square miles now, the size of large city. But the territory increase didn''t mean much to her. ¡°Oh, I forgot.¡± He sent her an invitation. ¡°What this¡­¡± She read the invitation, as her eye¡¯s broadened slightly. ¡°This is my recommendation that you be second in command of this territory. You certainly deserve it. You¡¯ll receive a large parcel of land to do with as you want, collect fees and so on, not only that but in the case that I get killed in another war, you would carry on and keep the fighting going.¡± ¡°Thank you Alan.¡± She said with sincerity, and then paused for a moment, ¡°Wait, does this mean that if you had died against the Queen, when you fought her one on one then we would have lost the war?¡± There was a dangerous edge to her voice. ¡°Shelley, I¡¯ve got a lot of work still to do, not to mention checking on what''s been going on Earth. We can talk more later. It¡¯s been a great victory though.¡± He stood up. Yes he was avoiding her question, and yes as he turned to leave he could feel an icy gaze on his back. But, he had finished one war successfully today and felt there was no reason to press his luck and get into another. End of Volume 1 His return back home was simple. A quick shower, hot meal, and a long rest. When he finally woke up he only took a few minutes to check the most recent news and emails. It has been six days since he¡¯d last been able to log out from Cosmos. He read through a few emails and caught up on the latest news. In the news, it seemed that the announcement regarding Cosmos had gone as well as could be expected. Protests demanding answers from the government, bans on the Cosmos game, religious zealots proclaiming the end of the world. It all lined up pretty much as it had when he¡¯d first experienced the fantastical news. Of course, aside from the naysayers, and fearmongers, the popularity of Cosmos had instantly surged. The demand for pods increased overnight from a bunch of hardcore gamers and the eccentrically wealthy to the masses. The 1st and 2nd generations of pods had been completely sold. The pod hubs were now completely busy 24 hours a day. Only the most basic pods were sold, with none of the perks and benefits of previous versions, and as a general member of the public you were likely on a waiting list for at least 6 months to purchase one at retail price. Renting was also an option, but those who wanted to rent might have to wait upwards of 2 months to get into a pod from the Cosmos corporation, especially if you were a ¡®new user.¡¯ However, for a small processing fee, Alan could rent out his pod for an outrageous amount. In his past life, those who would rent out their pods could make quite the sum from doing nothing but rent out pods for the first few years. Alan opted out of doing this, as his access to the pod was just too important. Taking note of one email from his mother, he scanned it quickly. Before deciding to make a quick stop over at the Terran Virtual Market, before going back into the game. According to his mother, Reardon¡¯s Garden popularity had exploded. The jolly chef¡¯s recipes and meals had helped him become very popular in the surrounding area. Alan was excited to see what the old chef was up too. As he entered the Terran Virtual Market, he was suddenly inundated with a number of notifications regarding the battle. Combat Review: Reward 1 Stat point for 35 F ranked Monster opponents killed. 65 additional kills needed for the next award. Reward 1 Stat point for 70 F ranked Monster opponents killed. 120 additional kills needed for the next award. Reward 1 Stat point for 140 F ranked Monster opponents killed. 280 additional kills needed for the next award. Progress toward next award 34/280 Reward 1 Stat point for 10 E Ranked Monster opponents killed. 20 additional kills need for the next award. Reward 1 Stat point for 20 E Ranked Monster opponents killed. 35 additional kills need for the next award. Progress toward next award 9/35 Progress toward C Ranked Monster 1/5 Reward: Stronghold Defender: Successfully participating in a stronghold defense. 1 Stat Point awarded Reward: Stronghold Leader: Successfully lead and defend your territory against invasion. 1 Stat Point awarded. Reward: Regicide: Kill a monarch. 2 Stat points awarded. (This award may be received in the future for 1 stat point if you topple a more powerful monarch than yourself). 9 Stat points in total! This was a huge reward as far as stat points went. In the past, just to earn 9 stat points it had taken Him nearly 2 months before had earned that many in total. To earn it in 6 days was incredible. And that wasn¡¯t considering the many stat points he had earned previously. Looking at his previous stats, decided immediately to place 2 points into each of strength, speed and intelligence. Holding 3 in reserve.
Personal Modifier Current Skill points Available: 3 Description
Strength (4+2/10)
Speed (3+2/10)
Intelligence (3+2/10)
(VE) Capacity (8/8) 382 /800VEU
(VE) Production (8/8) 8 Units Per Hour
Psychic Resistance Immunity to Low Level Psychic Attacks
Immediately, his body started to respond, he felt that his strength increased substantially. His comprehension of intelligence increased as well. Feeling the effects, he didn¡¯t regret the increase of ability. He had initially sought to save his precious point by going through excessive training for both speed and strength, however, to do so would take time, which he didn¡¯t have. The last fight he had convinced him that these few points would help him to endure longer. He has already used the +1 strength serum to increase his physique prior to the battle with the Queen and it had not been enough. Now, his physique was just shy of those experts before the arrival of Cosmos. He would be well regarded on any state level test of speed or physical prowess, and was just a few points away from equaling those who were national and world level competitors. If he accomplished 8 points in either speed or strength he could easily compete at the olympic level and beyond that his abilities would be superhuman. Smiling, he flexed his muscles. He wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as he had been in past life, where he had focused on such heavy strength as his standard, but it was good enough for now, and he still had plans to increase his strength and speed through training in the future. After he reviewed his notifications, Alan¡¯s focus became the grand Terran Virtual Market. He appeared near the center of the city, and made his way toward his shop. It had been only six days since his last appearance here, but the changes had been dramatic. Most of the lots around the central plaza were filled with buildings of one sort or another. Most were still unnamed, but some had started to tell various foods, manufactured goods, or other services. The previous 8 dirt roads, which let, like a compass from the central plaza, had become more modernized, as the buildings around them were built up. It was a service that Cosmos provided, since so many credits were being spent in the market. These 8 roads coincidentally separated the 8 different regions of the Terran Virtual Market. The Terran Virtual Market, appealed to everyone on the planet of earth, hence its vast size. However, it afforded players from certain regions of the world to make claims and purchase land from their respective regions. Africa, Europe, North America, South America were 5 of the most distinct regions. However, based on population alone, East and South Asia as well as Oceania had their own regions which overlapped. Of course as the game went on, people from one region could purchase land in another region. This grouping was Cosmo¡¯s attempt to group what it considered similar groups together for cooperation. In Alan¡¯s mind however, it was about as diplomatic and well thought out as Great Britain''s version of territory separation during its days when it controlled vast colonies at the height of its empire. Not good. For now, however, it didn¡¯t make too much of a difference, other than concentrating some political and business powers in their respective regions. From his vantage point, saw some buildings in various regions take on the architectural distinctions of their regions. Europe with it¡¯s classical columns and even gothic looking buildings while those from oceania gave a feeling of open air and resorts, prepared to welcome an ocean breeze. As he walked toward his own building, he was gratified at the knowledge that he was only a half mile away from the city center. Walking through the crowds he was struck by the newest visitors to the Terran Virtual Market, non-players. Or the very least, their avatar personas. These individuals, who were unable to afford to get access to a pod, but had been able to log on via the internet. Their avatars were just projections, emitted by small floating lights. Though they couldn¡¯t eat, or interact physically with this world. They could still buy some items as well as attend various events at the market. As his little shop came into view, it was clear that Reardon¡¯s Garden was just as popular as his mother had expressed. The place was bustling as diners fed upon the chef¡¯s unique alien delicacies. Even more so, some players enjoyed the temporary boosts that the food would provide to their stats. It was truly a beneficial relationship. However, looking into the window at his mothers shop he noted that things were not quite as busy. He noted that the shelves were all but empty, and only a sullen looking woman was sitting at a counter with a frustrated expression. As he walked, she looked up, her weariness evaporating instantly. ¡°Alan, it''s about time you came and saw your mother!¡± She stood up and immediately walked around the counter to give him a hug. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s great to see you too.¡± He hugged her back. ¡°Oye!¡± She exclaimed giving him a look of surprise and a grunt of pain. ¡°Oh! Sorry mom, I didn¡¯t mean too¡± Alan let go immediately. She removed herself and rubbed her shoulders, ¡°Have you been going to the gym?¡± ¡°Not exactly, I just had a stat increase and haven¡¯t gotten used to it yet.¡± ¡°Well be more careful in future,¡± She half-scolded with a hint humor, ¡°next time you might turn me into mashed potatoes¡± He grinned at her and nodded. ¡°Now, you must tell me everything about this war!¡± She declared. ¡°Didn¡¯t Dad tell you?¡± ¡°Are you kidding?¡± She scoffed, ¡°He gave me the most drab and dry outline of events you could imagine, it was like reading a textbook. No, you must tell me all the details, especially anything to do with Shelley!¡± Alan rolled his eyes, but since his mother insisted, he had to relent. Telling her the whole story took most of his morning, as his mother insisted on every absurd detail. Especially about Shelley. She was thoroughly impressed that she had done so much leadership during the conflict, and squealed in delight when she found he¡¯d given her a hug after the battle with the Queen. Alan was initially bothered, that his mother wasn¡¯t more worried or upset when he described the one on one conflict with the bug. Though he did gloss over some of the details like his instant psychic immunity and what she had said. He didn¡¯t see a problem though, it was clear what his mother¡¯s priorities were from her questions. ¡°So, after the battle did you talk with her?¡± His mother inquired. ¡°Yes mom.¡± Alan replied a little annoyed, purposefully giving her a short answer. . ¡°...And?¡± His mother pushed. ¡°I told her I had a lot of work to do and came here.¡± He purposefully left out the fact that he had gifted her a substantial amount of land as he didn¡¯t want her to read too much into it. Before she could react to his statement he cut her off, ¡°Mom, what''s with the shop? It seems a bit empty today?¡± She playfully punched his shoulder, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that is how you left it.¡± But she then looked around and the empty shelves, obviously sullen. ¡°I¡¯ve pretty much sold most of my stock from my trade deals earlier. I have plenty of cash and credits, but no real way to get new merchandise.¡± He nodded, expecting such an outcome. Even with her selling her items at outrageous prices, the novelty was just too tempting for buyers. She continued, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about buying some of the items that are starting to trickle in from a few of the folks trying to manufacture them, but there is no profit in it.¡± Alan remembered in the early days, the cottage industry was king in Cosmos. It was pretty much an etsy shop atmosphere for most items found on earth -- individual makers, taking the time to produce semi unique products. Of course the risk in that had to do with varying quality, scams, and most of those industries drying up as soon as the trade restrictions were lifted. No one wanted to buy a blaster pistol from earth at 10 times the cost, when you could get a much more reliable and efficient one from a reputable galactic arms producer. Same went for armor, ships, tools, etc. Even those large companies that did manage to make a decent production model soon found themselves feeling the pinch of intergalactic trade. Ideally, you needed to manufacture goods that could not only compete with galactic prices, but also in quality. ¡°Mom, what it sounds like to me is we need a chance to make our own goods.¡± ¡°And how do you propose we go about doing that my son?¡± ¡°This is what I¡¯m thinking,¡± He outlined a plan to his mother, who began to furiously write down the ideas he had for her. He spent two hour with her, ironing out a few of the finer details, but at the end of the conversation his mother was ecstatic over the new ideas. ¡°I¡¯m very excited about all of this son, but I¡¯m a little bit nervous about all the loans we¡¯ll be taking out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry mom, we¡¯ll be able to pay it back in no time.¡± He reassured her.. ¡°All right, well I¡¯m off to go talk to Reardon about getting some of his food products on my shelves and then I¡¯m off to talk to the banks and a few other places to get things set up.¡± She stood up suddenly, and walked to the door. ¡°Just remember to lock up when you go.¡± The plan he¡¯d outlined to her was fairly simple, the first was to accrue financing along with her cash reserves to buy some facilities that he outlined for manufacturing. The second was to hire those motivated to craft and manufacture in Cosmos. He¡¯d offer pay with partial credits and also with perks of time in the Pods. Right now, just being able to spend 2 hours would be a huge benefit. And since all his family members needed to sleep some time, they could easily trade those hours spent out of the pod to those who wanted some consistent time in the pod. This hiring strategy would have the benefit of finding those who were actually interested in the game. Not just those who were in it for a quick profit. Finally, he had made a few suggestions about potential products. This included some foods which Reardon could train a few helpers to makek, while he made a cut of the profits, while Alan had hinted at some resources that might become available on Kragga, and potential products that could be made. Overall he was hoping to build a company that would separate itself from the ¡®cottage industry¡¯ phase on earth and survive long into the future. Having finished his work with his mom, and giving her and Reardon approval for expansion of the shop he decided to move on with a few more tasks before heading back to Kragga. He briefly called his sister and older brother, letting them know he was grateful. He promised Alice he would take her to dinner. Somewhere very ¡®nice'' and with a few friends. He was just finishing up when he had a call from Nick. ¡°Buddy! When you are getting back here. You missed all the fun last night.¡± Nick¡¯s bombastic voice came over the phone. ¡°I had to get some sleep.¡± Alan offered. ¡°Well that¡¯s great and all, but you better get over here soon, Shelley and Blatta are going at it over the salvage. Not to mention, there may be a few of my mercenaries that are also getting a bit irritated at the fact that your sister didn¡¯t happen to be waiting here to reward them¡­.¡± ¡°Nick What did you promise?¡± Alan asked. ¡°I just mentioned that Beautyinwonderland would be grateful and share her appreciation to everyone who participated. I figured since we let them all have autographed photos it would be enough. . . but a few thought the appreciation would be more in person.¡± Alan rolled his eyes. ¡°Ok let everyone know I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Arriving back at Kragga, Alan was surprised by how much had been accomplished in just over half a day that he¡¯d left. There were no bug corpses in the middle of the base, only a large crater where the queen had once remained. Heading to the command area, Alan saw groups of workers moving quickly throughout the compound. Shelley must have not wasted any time in the morning getting everyone on task. The command area had been relocated on one of the middle floors of one of the buildings. The floor itself had been mostly cleared of debris, and what usable furniture had organized in such a way to allow workers to help direct the work. A few desks were set up in a semicircle as various officious looking individuals were passing along reports, making radio contacts staying generally busy. In the center of it all stood Shelley, surrounded on all sides. On one side stood Blatta, her obsidian skin and long antennae easily distinguishing her, along with a few other aliens that had been living on the outskirts. And on the other side were a group of young men each of them wearing an insignia, a red heart with white ears. ¡°Shelley, all we want is a sit down meeting with Alice. It¡¯s the least you guys can arrange since we came out here for her.¡± A young man with a dirt stained top hat and dusty long tailed tuxedo jacket led the discussion. ¡°Erwin, like I¡¯ve said before I don¡¯t know Alice. We very much appreciate that you were here, but I can¡¯t arrange what you are asking for.¡± Shelley replied coldly It looked to Alan that she was at the limit of her patience. ¡°You¡¯ve got to have someone from your marketing or PR department who could connect with a celebrity like that?¡± The others around him added their voices. Shelley¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Erwin, how are you?¡± Alan jumped in, interrupting the conversation. The young man in the top hat turned around as he saw Alan and gave him a huge smile. ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t Alan, the queen slayer.¡± ¡°Uh, thanks.¡± ¡°That was quite the feat of heroics, at the battle. You¡¯re going to have to tell us how you managed to pull it off after that psychic attack of hers.¡± He reached his hand out and Alan took it, giving it a firm shake. ¡°Sure, maybe another time.¡± He tried to avoid the curious looks that everyone was giving him. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t help but overhear that you were looking to do a meet and greet with Alice sometime? I just happened to know her manager, and there¡¯s going to be a special event for everyone who participated in the war.¡± ¡°Really! No way.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s going to be a party in the Terran Virtual Market. There will be free food, music and best of all, Alice will be there too. Anyone who participated in the war and signs up for the Kragga Defense Guild can be a part of it.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s the Kragga Defense Guild?¡± Erwin asked in a puzzled voice. ¡°Oh, the guild is a special organization here on Kragga to help with defense, harvest resources, and work together for the mutual benefit of humanity.¡± He¡¯d been wanting to set up a guild here on Kragga soon, but he wasn¡¯t sure on how to get people to sign up. This just presented the perfect opportunity. ¡°Ok.¡± Erwin hesitated before speaking, ¡°But are there like dues or something like that?¡± ¡°Sure, but the Kragga Defense Guild is actually going to be the national guild here, you¡¯ll be exempt from taxes. So the dues you owe will be slightly less than the taxes that will be charged for working in the area.¡± ¡°Sounds good. How do we sign up?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to go and talk to Nick. I¡¯m just surprised he hadn¡¯t already told you guys about it.¡± ¡°All right, thanks Alan!¡± Erwin turned to Shelley, ¡°We¡¯ll be going now, good luck.¡± The party departed while Alan quickly connected to his interface to send Nick a warning, giving him a heads up. Shelley continued to look at Alan appreciatively as Blatta spoke up. ¡°Ssshelley, we¡¯re here for our compensssation.¡± ¡°Blatta, right now we¡¯ve got enough cores to definitely cover all the costs.¡± ¡°If all you are doing is giving us coress, we¡¯ll want a fifteen precssent increase.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t part of the deal Blatta.¡± Shelley, retorted. ¡°You don¡¯t ssseem to understand, no one accepts coresss for payment when the deal was in credits.¡± Blatta stated with matter of fact. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Why should that matter?¡± ¡°It mattersss because it was the deal. More than that, cores change value from syssstem to syssstem, and it takes longer to change them into credits, there are fees with transporting cores, and taxes. Fifteen persssent is paying us for the hasssle.¡± Alan who¡¯d just finished his message to Nick, looked up briefly to see Shelley eyeing him. He¡¯d only half heard some of the conversation, but nodded agreeing to Blatta¡¯s reasoning. ¡°All right Blatta, I¡¯ll make sure to get your payment soon¡± Shelley said in a defeated voice. Blatta nodded and left without preamble. Shelly collapsed on a partially burnt leather office chair. ¡°Thanks for your help earlier with Erwin, that guy has been pestering me half the morning, and I only really had a couple hours of sleep last night.¡± She sighed, closing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just really grateful that Alice is your sister. Those guys seemed pretty adamant about meeting her again. Apparently, some of them were second guessing about their choice for planet selection once they found out more about Kragga. Apparently the lack of any real stores, off world ship transports, and any other real amenities were not necessarily what they signed up for.¡± Shelley opened one eye with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Someone even said Alice had called this a promised land, full of opportunity.¡± ` ¡°Hey, buyer beware.¡± Alan said defensively. ¡°Nick was in charge of how to get everyone here. Besides it won¡¯t be long till we make this the hottest place for humankind¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± She said tiredly, closing her eyes fully once again. ¡°Speaking of parties, did you remember about the annual corporate party my father invited you to?¡± ¡°With everything going on, I completely forgot about it.¡± ¡°Well luckily, you¡¯ve still got time to prepare for it tonight.¡± She shared it in such a matter of fact tone, that it didn¡¯t leave any room for argument. ¡°Tonight?¡± Alan¡¯s eyes widened, while a shot of anxiety filled his stomach. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem right? We are your biggest business partner after all.¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± He still wasn¡¯t quite sure how to navigate such formal occasions. On the other hand there may be opportunities for investments for Kragga. ¡°You mentioned before there would be some of your father¡¯s other business associates there?¡± She nodded in acknowledgement, ¡°A lot of other business leaders are likely going to be there. He¡¯s likely gone to great expense, since it¡¯s going to be held in Terran Virtual Market this year.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to make sure to take a shower first.¡± He said half jokingly. ¡°Good that settled.¡± She paused, as Alan was about to leave to go rest, she spoke up again, ¡°So when is your party?¡± Caught off guard, Alan replied quickly, ¡°I¡¯m not really sure to be honest, I haven¡¯t really asked Alice yet.¡± ¡°What? She hasn¡¯t even agreed to this?¡± ¡°I was planning on talking to her as soon as I got back.¡± As an afterthought he added. ¡°But, I¡¯m sure it will be fine. ¡°And who''s in charge of this Kragga Defense Guild?¡± ¡°Nick,¡± he paused, ¡°Well, once he agrees to it. I just sent him the details.¡± ¡°So, what you''re telling me is that you have a party with no date, where our main guest doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s invited, as a reward for members of a new guild which hasn¡¯t even been organized with a leader who has very little experience and hasn¡¯t officially accepted?¡± There was a dangerous edge to her voice. Well when you put it like that¡­ He thought humorously. He honestly didn¡¯t care too much for the details. They¡¯d work out, because he knew they would. Of course when he¡¯d answered her, he might have answered in the way he did in order to tease her, just a little. But he couldn¡¯t help himself, he¡¯d discovered how adorable she was when he would tell her what appeared to be a half-baked plan. On the other hand, he didn¡¯t dare leave it like that for too long. ¡°Trust me, it will all work out. Alice is my sister, and I worked out the guild thing a long time ago, Nick is definitely upto the job.¡± He reassured. . She nodded, only half accepting his statement. The previous tiredness, replaced by contemplation. ¡°Hey, I wanted to tell you before I got here. But I think we might be able to get the credits Blatta wants. I just checked with my Dad, and we are completely ramped up on VE production.¡± She looked at him curiously. ***** Shelley and Alan stood outside Terran Virtual Market as various players and player avatars made their way around the grand structure. He grew busier and busier every time he returned to the central area. After making a trip to the VE manufacturing facility, which had been running nearly non stop since the combat began. Alan, even after the energy use during combat, had come out with a net gain of Earth enabled Vervetic Energy, a very large amount. ¡°You know, if this works, this is going to be a shock to the market.¡± Shelley stood in a fresh set of clothes, a pair of khaki pants and a black t-shirt. Alan stood next to her, typing out the last few instructions on the terminal. ¡°Yep.¡± He kept his thoughts to himself about what he was doing. In order to pay for their debts with Blatta and raise additional capital he¡¯d come here to begin an anonymous auction for the Earth enabled Ververtic Energy. From his past life, usable Vervetic Energy was rare for most players on Earth. It had only come to be more common later. As no one had the ability to produce it for Earth markets in any substantial quality. Now, however, it was time to begin to cash in on all the preparation and hard work Alan had been prepping for. He¡¯d previously sold the VE at more than four times the Cosmos market value on earth, gaining nearly $200 dollars for each VE Unit selling to Shelley¡¯s company. Now however, as supply had run incredibly low, VE had been sold for fairly high prices on the cosmos auction, by large companies for advanced projects. The average player was left out. In Alan¡¯s past-future, this had led to a critical lack of development for a lot of industries on Earth. No Vervetic Energy meant fewer people wanted to buy anything that used it. And no company one wanted to develop something that people wouldn¡¯t buy. The only thing most major companies cared about was investing in large projects, like spaceships. This only slowed down player development. In fact most companies invested into tech which could still use Earth electricity, which was a mixed bag. Alan was struck by a sudden idea, and thought back to Eris Industries, the company that Clark Tenson owned. Following his thought, he quickly checked the auction site, and grimaced at what he found. Eris Industries had recently released an energy weapon, not unlike the energy weapon that Alan had bought from the world. However, these weapons had bulky batteries attached to them. Weapons adapted to basic electricity. Noticing the grimace on Alan¡¯s face, Shelley looked at his screen to see the bulky weapon with Eris¡¯s logo plastered across the top. ¡°What is that?! I thought they were focusing their efforts on space travel? Now they¡¯ve got a weapon, that doesn¡¯t use VE!¡± ¡°Sure looks that way.¡± Alan continued to look at the familiar weapon. ¡°But I wouldn''t worry about it for now.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I just think that it''s a waste of money and time on their part.¡± He looked at her with confidence and flicked back to the auction page with his selling instructions. He pushed proceed. Almost immediately, 100 units of VE were posted for auction in batches of 10, 5 and 1; the starting bid was $150 or 30 credits for 1 unit of VE. Almost immediately, the prices on the VE were being driven up to $200 to $250 per unit by some of the organization buyers who were present at the auction. And that was fine, because in 10 minutes the auction would close, but in another 30 minutes 100 more units would be posted again, and in the hour after that, and after that, and so on. They¡¯d ramped up the VE production back on Kragga, and because of the huge surplus of nyamisium cores, producing that much VE was simple for now. And Blatta, their alien ally, agreed to accept the payment over time, with interest of course. ¡°The amount we are selling should keep the market artificially inflated for now so we can get the most for our energy.¡± Shelley said enthusiastically as she watched people bidding on the orders. ¡°Definitely.¡± They waited until the end of the auction. At which point the winner each approached a machine for distribution. Luckily, at the market, Alan didn¡¯t need to provide a storage device. Buyers could automatically insert their own devices, whatever that may be, to transfer the energy directly. From what they both saw, the majority appeared to be representatives of businesses, buying the large batches while some other individuals were able to get a few of the single units for weapons and rings. ¡°If we keep this up, we¡¯ll be able to pay back Blatta sooner than I had hoped.¡± Shelley said as she looked over the results of the auction. Most of the purchase price had been in dollars, but there were still quite a few credits used during the transaction. ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes over the next few days. If we need to, I¡¯ll start charging more if people want to buy it in dollars, but for now I think we are doing pretty well.¡± He grinned at her. In just one auction alone, they had made well over $20,000 dollars. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. 1 VE could be used for a long time, depending on its function. ¡°Alan, I¡¯ve got to go and get ready for tonight. But I can¡¯t wait to see you there.¡± She gave him a bright smile, a quick kiss on the cheek and slowly disappeared out of the virtual market. ¡°That went better than expected.¡± Alan couldn¡¯t help but say aloud. And hopefully tonight will go just as well, he said silently in the back of his mind. **** His hands felt somewhat sweaty as he made his way toward the center of the virtual market. He¡¯d entered at his own store to check in on his mother, and to pass along some of the cash funds he¡¯d been able to acquire throughout the day. She on the other hand had made sure he looked appropriate in his newly rented tuxedo, and had gone over a few pieces of etiquette for such formal occasions. He tried to play it cool that he¡¯d come at Shelley¡¯s insistence, but his mother had only amped up the advice from that point forward. He wore a classic black tux, and as the manager at the store insisted, it¡¯s cut was very fashionable. Not that he could tell the differences. His new physique required that he purchase and rent new formal clothing. Next to him, Adrian and Nick, walked alongside him. Nick, wearing something very similar, however, his bullying muscle tone, and large figure made it seem as though the tux might explode. Adrian on the other hand, wore a charcoal tux, and vest, completely forgoing the black bow tie for a sleek gray one. He wore a lavender pocket square instead. And unlike Nick and Alan, Adrian seemed more comfortable in the formal attire. ¡°So where is this party?¡± Nick asked, while trying not to play with his tie. ¡°It¡¯s close to the market center. Not too far from here.¡± As predicted, most of the lots nearest the center of the Terran Market had been bought. The wealthiest players and businesses had immediately recognized the value of being so close to the Cosmos hub with all its amenities. Not to mention the benefit of rubbing shoulders with your competition. ¡°It amazes me that you were able to get a piece of land so close to the center of town.¡± Adrian chimed in. ¡°I recently looked into purchasing a plot for myself, and couldn¡¯t find anything closer than a mile to town center, and even then, I couldn¡¯t afford something so close.¡± ¡°I just was lucky enough to get in on the ground level.¡± Alan commented. ¡°I just don¡¯t think it''s very fair that the government hasn¡¯t allowed everyone to do trade with Yashdid.¡± Nick commented.. ¡°I mean it¡¯s pretty lame, how they¡¯ve only allowed some companies to trade with them for credits and not the general population. I¡¯m never going to be able to buy a house here at this rate.¡± It had happened just a few days after the insect invasion began on Kragga. The U.S. government agreed to allow trade between some U.S. corporations for some resources and novelties and most other governments had followed suit. Of course this was only allowed to be credits and not tech for now, but it had made a number of businesses insanely rich overnight in Cosmos credits. ¡°They can¡¯t let everyone do it.¡± Adrian chimed in, ¡°You heard from the treasury department, it could really screw up the American Monetary system¡± Not that it wouldn¡¯t do that eventually Alan had a silent grimace. ¡°Credits or dollars, it''s all good to me¡± Nick offered. ¡°As long as they don¡¯t come and try to buy land on American soil.¡± ¡°I agree with that. What do you think Alan?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to see.¡± Alan chose to remain silent on the subject. Most governments had publicly stated they weren¡¯t ready to allow the Yashdid to purchase lands in their territories. There had been a few in Africa and South America, which had granted limited access, but those had been few and far between.. But it¡¯s what the government hadn¡¯t been saying that concerned him. The deals that had been struck in the dark. They continued to walk nearer to the center of the Terran Market. The buildings grew taller and taller as they went, building that hadn''t been there a week before. The sudden changes in the market caused them to contemplate on the changes happening to them, their families, and their world. For Alan things seemed to be going doubly fast. The Skyscraper was 15 stories, matching the ever increasing skyline near Central Terran Market. At its entrance, a line of guests seemed to steadily make their way through the door. Most of the guests were actual players, with just a few who appeared as avatars to the event. But everyone was dressed to impress. As they approached the group near the entrance ,guards stood intimidatingly near a trim gentleman checking the invitations of guests. As they drew nearer, Nick elbowed him, ¡°You have an invitation right?¡± Alan only shrugged, he hadn¡¯t received one from Shelley, but felt confident. As they approached, the trim man took a look at the trio and waved them in without a single question, only offering an acknowledging nod. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s good we know people.¡± Nick grinned. The trio ascended in an elevator to the top floor. When the doors opened a flood of music filled the room, as men and women idly chatted sipping exotic drinks and tasting the newest imports from the Cosmos universe. The party goers would be speaking about the latest rumors regarding the alien benefactors, the latest technological advances, and most importantly to see if they could impress their host. Taking a lime colored drink and a few recognizable horderves, Alan began to orient himself to the party. The party covered multiple floors, with various rooms throughout. They could spend hours here and not meet everyone. He¡¯d come with the intent of not only meeting Shelley¡¯s father, but also to expand business interest in Kragga. He was about to start searching when he heard a familiar voice. ¡°Boys, it''s great to see you!¡± Bryan Jakes, Callisto corporations head executive, after Shelley, walked up to the trio of young men. ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse Miss Cordata, she¡¯s been held up by a few things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem Mr. Jakes.¡± Alan and others greeted the veteran business leader. ¡°Just call me Bryan from now on.¡± He grinned after shaking their hands. ¡°We¡¯ve been through battle together, and I know it doesn¡¯t have the same weight as real war, but it sure felt that way to me.¡± ¡°Ok, Bryan it is.¡± Alan agreed. ¡°I promised Shelley that I would introduce you to a few suitable business partners for Kragga, how does that sound?¡± Alan nodded, while Nick and Adrian excused themselves to speak to other guests. Alan suspected Adrian was excited to learn what he could from other players, while Nick, he decided, wanted to avoid the minutiae of the business deals. Thanks for abandoning me guys, he thought. Jakes took him to make a few introductions to various business representatives. They specialized in mining, excavating, pharmaceutical, and other businesses which would likely benefit from Kragga¡¯s abundant resources or could help support the infrastructure there. Having Bryan Jakes introduce him immediately caused a stir among the guests. Soon he had a small stack of contact information eager to do business with such a prominent partner of Callisto. Alan was relieved as it would make it a lot easier for his Mother to work out many of the details. He only felt a slight tinge of guilt for burdening her with the business plans. But it was what she always wanted to do. Alan noticed however, there was a group who had begun to circle Jakes and himself. It seemed like they wanted to approach Alan, but had kept their distance. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, the vultures. They¡¯re just hoping to get a chance to speak to you when I¡¯m not around. There are reasons I didn¡¯t bother to introduce you.¡± Bryan chuckled casually, and as an afterthought added.. ¡°Too bad for them, you aren¡¯t the inexperienced young pup as you appear to be.¡± Grinning wickedly he added, ¡°However, I think that it¡¯s about time to attend to a few of the other guests.¡± He turned meaningfully for what seemed to be to Alan a purposeful abandonment. Before he completely left Jakes, spoke over his shoulder adding, ¡°Shelley should be arriving soon, make sure to offer the appropriate compliments.¡± Alan¡¯s mouth hung open as he tried to respond. But it didn¡¯t take long before a few of the bolder guests decided to approach him. He decided, despite Jake''s confidence, that he preferred to make a strategic retreat for the moment, and quickly moved off toward a few other rooms. Much to the chagrin of the scavengers. It didn¡¯t take long until he felt a rough grasp of his arm, ¡°Alan,¡± Nick half-hissed in urgency. ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem.¡± There was a look of panic which Alan had rarely seen on the giant of a man. Alan tried to respond as his friend attempted to pull him away, when heard a sharp gasp.¡± ¡°Nick, why on Earth are you here?¡± Alan and Nick both turned simultaneously toward the familiar voice. He saw a group of young men and women, dressed to perfection, and in the middle of the group, in a low cut, sparkling pink dress stood a quivering woman gripping the lapels of what looked to be some trust fund playboy. Denise, his ex-girlfriend. ¡°Baby what''s wrong?¡± The platinum haired boy asked with exaggerated concern. ¡°Ahh¡­too late,¡± Nick mumbled apologetically. ¡°Why are you here Nick?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Nick coughed uncomfortably. ¡°Hi Denise, small word.¡± ¡°Not nearly small enough Nick! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was invited.¡± The words came slowly. Denise looked at Nick hard. Alan could only helplessly stare at his friend. He¡¯d nearly forgotten that his appearance in the Virtual Market didn¡¯t resemble what he looked like on Earth. A precaution he¡¯d set up early on in Cosmos. ¡°Really?¡± She asked skeptically? ¡°Babe is there something wrong?¡± Her date asked, while also trying to throw out his chest, to size up to the much large Nick. Mind spinning. Alan grasped for a plan. ¡°He¡¯s my guest, a bodyguard.¡± It was close to the truth, that he thought he could sound convincing. Nick seemed to look the part. And it¡¯s not like she¡¯d recognize him or his voice right? He hoped it would be enough to satisfy her before things got out of hand. She seemed to notice Alan for the first time, and gave him a long stare. Before returning back to Nick and sniffing apparent satisfaction. ¡°Well, sir I just happen to know this young man, and believe he hangs out with some unsavory company. Hence my concern.¡± She turned around, apparently not to give the matter any more time. ¡°Nick, Alan! I¡¯ve been looking for you two.¡± Adrian''s voice cut across the room like an arrow. He¡¯d approached the group without seeing who he¡¯d been talking to. Denise''s head whipped around at the mention of the two names. She recognized Adrian immediately. Despite being a terrible girlfriend in the end, she did know that Alan, Adrian and Nick were never far apart. And if there were two¡­Her eyes caught Alan¡¯s and widened with sudden realization. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± She pointed accusingly toward Alan, ¡°He¡¯s the ex I was telling you about.¡± Almost instantaneously her date¡¯s face became serious, filled with danger. Following which his cadre also began to give Alan threatening looks. The young man turned to Denise, ¡°I thought you said your ex was some poor guy, what''s he doing here?¡± ¡°He is, I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing here.¡± She pleaded, ¡°He¡¯s clearly disguising himself so it can¡¯t be good.¡± As the young man turned once more toward Alan and moved toward him, Denise gave Alan a quick smirk. The brash play-boy exuded air of arrogance as he placed himself in front of Alan. If it had been his last life, Alan might have recoiled from fear from the athletic blond. More surprisingly, Alan stood nose to nose due to his genetic enhancements, whereas before he would have had to look up. ¡°You''re her Ex huh?¡± At this point Alan didn¡¯t see the point in arguing. This guy was going to cause a problem one way or another. Instead, filled with more confidence than might be wise, he just grinned. The playboy smiled, Alan¡¯s look giving him all the confirmation he needed. ¡°You''re making my girlfriend angry brat. And I don¡¯t care if you were hired for this event, but you''re going to leave.¡± He said it loudly, purposely attracting the attention from the other guests. Hired to leave? Alan thought to himself. He suddenly realized that the tuxedo he was wearing matched the rest of the servers. ¡°I¡¯m an invited guest,¡± He tried to sound civil. It was still Shelley¡¯s party after all. The young man snorted, ¡±Let¡¯s see your invitation?¡± Well, that was going to be a problem. Alan hesitated. Seeing the reluctance in Alan, was all the guy needed to act, ¡°Looks like we have an uninvited guest.¡± He reached out to grab Alan¡¯s by the arm. His own arm and hand irradiating a tinge of red, indicating a genetic strength enhancement. But to his surprise, his arm was intercepted. Looking up, the man saw a furious looking Nick, towering over him, holding his arm tight. ¡°Bad idea.¡± Nick growled. A look of confusion came over the blond young man as he tried to remove his arm out of Nick¡¯s grasp. His face turned pale as Nick squeezed his arm. Nick then pushed him back, which resulted in his toppling backwards into an actual server, carrying drinks, causing a clash which drew the rest of the room''s attention. ¡°Oops¡­¡± Nick said apologetically, looking at Alan ¡°What do you mean oops?¡± Alan laughed ¡°I only meant to give him a light push, I guess I overdid it.¡± His push seemed to only stun Denise and the other¡¯s of the group for a moment before they turned with fury toward Nick and Alan. They would have charged forward, but were caught in their tracks. Adrian, had whipped a pair of submachine-guns faster than the eye could see, and had trained his sights on the small group. Fingers ready on the triggers ready to send them back to earth in a pain induced hail storm. The group paused. Unsure of what to do next. Only the disheveled blonde playboy seemed to move, as he used the server to push himself off the ground. It looked as if he was about to give orders to his partners when a number of men in tuxedos, indistinguishable from the other guests, except for an electronic ear piece at their ear approached the group. Denise, of course, was the first to speak to one of them as she hurriedly tried to retreat to her date, ¡°Intruder! This man assaulted one of your guests, and doesn¡¯t even have an invitation!¡± Alan wished he¡¯d found a technology to somehow restrain that voice. Instead he went for the more practical option, he began to look around desperately to see if he could spot a familiar face that would recognize him and vouch for his presence. ¡°Invitation young man.¡± A grim looking security guard asked. ¡°Well you see¡­¡± He tried to sound calm as he came up empty. ¡°I didn¡¯t give him one.¡± An authoritative female voice drew the attention of the crowd. Shelley Cordata stood in radiant splendor, wearing a chic red dress with a heart shaped neckline, that hugged the waist before transitioning into a diamond studded skirt that seemed to dance around her legs. Her neck was lined with a simple white diamond necklace. And she wore a pair of dangling diamond earrings. As she strode across the length of the room in her red high heel pumps, her legs would briefly flash through the billowing fabric. The movement only seemed to accentuate her beauty. Whereas Shelley appeared as the rarest of orchids, the awe and beauty of any arrangement. Denise appeared as a cheap, dyed carnation in her presence. At Shelley¡¯s words however, Dense gave Alan a look of triumph. His sudden panic and failure to produce the invitation had finally given her the payback she¡¯d so desperately craved for ever since her humiliation at her dorm and then later out front in his apartment. Shelley approached Alan. Enjoying the moment. The look on his face was perfect. It was not the look of confusion and panic which she had just seen on him before, but instead, his was a look of seeing something unforgettable. She stepped near him, quietly celebrating her own secret triumph. She reached forward, giving him a brief kiss on each cheek and a polite hug. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I¡¯ve kept you waiting.¡± Alan, forgot to return the kiss on the cheek, and only managed to give her a stiff hug in return and respond with, ¡°No problem, it was worth it.¡± She blushed slightly before turning to the guards, ¡°He¡¯s my special guest, I didn¡¯t have time to send him the invitations.¡± Denise, throughout this exchange, went from a look of confusion to palpable hostility. Questions swirled through her mind as she reeled from the information. She didn¡¯t have time to recover, however, as Shelley''s attention focused on her. Looking coldly at Denise and the young playboy, who was now glaring at his date Shelley stated in a detached voice. ¡°However, you can escort the other troublemakers off the premises.¡± And with that she turned quickly, towing Alan out of the room, with Nick and Adrian following quickly behind. ¡°It¡¯s time to go meet my father.¡± ¡°Talk about out of the frying pan, and into the fire.¡± Nick said without humor, ¡°But at least we¡¯ve got good company.¡± He added giving her a ridiculous look raising his eyebrows at her. Shelley only had to glare at Nick to keep him from saying anything more. Alan would have liked to share his agreement with Nick. On both accounts. Though he wasn¡¯t quite sure how to express either sentiment. ***** Denise was both furious and humiliated as she was escorted from the party and out of the building. Her date, the son of a potential customer of her father¡¯s manufacturing business, wouldn¡¯t even look at her. She¡¯d been explicitly told by her father to entertain the young man the last few weeks to improve one of their deals. It¡¯s not like she had a problem with it, he was good looking to be sure, but his money was the real selling point. But now¡­ She put on her most miserable face, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Blain, I had no¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see your face again, you slut.¡± He slapped her across the face, and she collapsed to the cement ¡°And as far as I¡¯m concerned you and your family can find another business partner, it¡¯s not worth risking our ties to the Cordata Family. ¡± He stomped off, no longer interested in his would-be conquest. Shelley touched the mark on her face, even though she was in the virtual market, the pain was still very real. She fought back the tears in her eyes. How could things have gone so wrong? What was Alan doing here? And how did he have connections with such a powerful family? She was about to pick herself up, when she saw a hand offering to help her up. ¡°Hello senora,¡± A man in a tailored white tuxedo spoke in a Spanish accent. ¡°My name is Carmen, and I believe we have a mutual acquaintance that I, and my employer, would love to speak to you about.¡± Denise immediately plastered on her brightest smile. She wasn¡¯t dumb enough to be impressed by a man in a posh suit and gold rings. However, if there was one thing she could rely on was her ability to identify the powerful and the useful. And she could smell the wealth and power of the man. It was a sixth sense that had never let her down. ***** ¡°So what was that all about?¡± Shelley asked, as they made their way through a few rooms to get to her father¡¯s private office. ¡°That would be Alan¡¯s crazy ex-girlfriend.¡± Nick offered helpfully. Shelley paused to look at Alan inquisitively. ¡°Yes, that was her.¡± Immediately, Shelley pulled up a small tablet, and flipped through it until a picture of Denise was displayed. ¡°Denise Lewis, of Lewis manufacturing. Invited here as the +1 of Blain White, part of the Suelty Company.¡± She pressed a few buttons, put the tablet away and smiled broadly at Alan. ¡°All right, that¡¯s taken care of. I don¡¯t want to keep my father waiting any longer. A lot has happened just in the last few hours. It¡¯s why I took so long to get to the party.¡± In her mind she silently added that her dress and makeup had also took up a portion of that time, but didn¡¯t bother to add that detail. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s taken care of?¡± Alan asked. ¡°Do you mean Denise and Blain?¡± ¡°Oh, I just black listed both families from the doing business with the Phoenix Corporation.¡± She said casually. ¡°It should cause them, and others, to have second thoughts about messing with my families business partners.¡± ¡°Cold.¡± Nick commented. Alan nodded. ¡°I feel bad for the guy, I mean he just got dragged into this.¡± ¡°To be honest, it gives me and my father a reason to renegotiate a few things with his family.¡± She smirked mischievously They walked on silently a little longer, the music and conversations fading in the background. ¡°You mentioned something keeping you away?¡± Adrian broke the silence. ¡°Yes, there''s been a terrorist attack on one of the Alien embassy¡¯s in Africa. But I should wait to tell you more later, my father wanted your input actually.¡± She indicated to Alan. ¡°Why my input?¡± ¡°Your resources are an important part of the Phoenix Corporations plans, and you seem to have a lot of insight into how this alien game works.¡± Was all she offered. They approached a large mahogany door, which opened gently at their arrival. There behind a large wooden desk were two figures. Alan¡¯s eyes opened in shock. Shelley¡¯s Father sat in a large leather chair, and stood up to greet the party. ¡°Hello Alan, Nick and Adrian.¡± he nodded toward the three young men. ¡°I¡¯m glad to finally meet you.¡± He said in a voice which sounded contrary to his words. He turned to gesture toward the other figure, ¡°I¡¯d like you to meet Kara, one of the Valkyrie.¡± Alan felt beads of sweat touching his forehead as he instantly recognized the Valkyrie from when he first appeared in Cosmos. ¡°Thank you Mr. Cordata, but Alan and I have already been introduced.¡± Volume 2 ...Approximately 1 month since Cosmos went online. Shelley could never quite pin down what to make of Alan. There were moments when he seemed mature, confident, and downright brilliant. Tonight, however, his behavior had puzzled her. She resisted the urge to chew on a loose piece of hair, resting along her cheek, while the trio, Alan, Nick and Adrian, stood before her father and Kara. Bryan Jakes, her lead manager at Callisto Corporation, reported that Alan had done well meeting with many of her family''s business partners earlier in the party, despite his more humble background. What had puzzled her was what could he have done to that Lewis girl to instigate a fight? She¡¯d been quietly observing Alan. Timing her entrance to the party, which he¡¯d nearly ruined, had she not managed to rescue it. Now, she thought irritably, he''d seemed to be fumbling over himself while gawking at the Valkyrie. She wanted to reach out and smack his had to stop him from fiddling with his ring. ¡°Kara, this should make things easier if you are already acquainted.¡± Arthur Cordata¡¯s firm tenor voice carried strongly across the room. Kara, a Valkyrie, an A.I. representative of Cosmos, her father had insisted attend, nodded gracefully. She appeared picturesque, a symbol of both power and beauty, wearing a white and silver gown with weaves of silver lace. It would have made Shelley self-conscious, has she not reassured herself that the A.I. was 100 percent artificial. The Valkyrie''s, gown upon, upon closer examination, appeared to resemble fine chainmaille, giving a semblance of armor that likely surpassed any of the armors they''d managed to buy. ¡°I so happened to be the Valkyrie which Alan met during his entry into Cosmos.¡± Kara paused before continuing. ¡°We¡¯ve had the opportunity to speak at length regarding our mutual interests and his progress in the game.¡± Shelley raised her eyebrows, the same time as her father. Surprised by the casualness of their relationship. She''d only had exchanged a handful of sentences with her Valkyrie, and despite some effort on the companies, had learned nothing about any of them. ¡°Thank you Kara. It¡¯s good to see you.¡± Alan greeted hesitantly, continuing to twist his ring. ¡°It¡¯s good to finally meet you Mr. Cordata.¡± ¡°Alan, you didn¡¯t give me a choice. You single handedly diverted the assets of my daughter¡¯s company to an unknown planet. I might add without so much of a trade route going through it. Then you somehow trapped her into a war. Finally, I discover you¡¯re likely the only person on Earth who has the capabilities to manufacture VE for our planet on a large scale, giving you a near monopoly and stranglehold on the market.¡± Shelley resisted the urge to interrupt her father during his obviously prepared monologue. Despite not appreciating the implication that she was some helpless heiress. She''d seen those eyes in her father before, he had set Alan on an invisible scales only he could see, weighing the man. She inwardly sighed. His ability to read a person was something she both admired and irritated her. He was always testing and prodding prospective business partners. It''s what made him so successful. Of course, where it absolutely was a curse, was when he started to do it with her friends, teachers, employees, or dates. She still wasn''t convinced that his disapproval of her junior homecoming dance date was more out of over protectiveness, and not because there was an actual problem. ¡°Mr. Cordata, I do truthfully regret your daughter¡¯s involvement in the military exercise on Kragga.¡± Alan lowered his head respectfully, before raising it again and meeting her father¡¯s gaze. ¡°Of course, I have the utmost respect for Ms. Cordata, and will do my best to make sure our we''re successful. Though, I don''t see your daughter, making choices to decrease the kind of danger we''ll find ourselves in." Shelly, tried to hide to hide a smile. At the very least he¡¯s stopped fiddling with his ring, and looked him in the eye. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re probably right.¡± Arthur grinned briefly, before browning serious again. ¡°I¡¯ll get to the point then, I¡¯ve asked Kara to be present here, due to concerns that you may be attempting to cheat the system. Your background doesn¡¯t seem to match your current success." He paused dramatically. "Pending that, I¡¯d like to discuss and complete a few contracts with you for access to your current production of Vervetic Energy, and potentially help you negotiate with some of our business partners regarding their interest on Kragga.¡± ¡°I would be more than happy to discuss things with you sir.¡± Alan turned and gestured to Kara. ¡°Mr. Cordata, it is not unknown to the Valkyrie that Alan¡¯s string of fortuitous and insightful decisions has gone well beyond most statistical projections. However, Alan has already been cleared of cheating at this particular time, and no current behaviors indicate otherwise.¡± Shelley exhaled at the same time that both Nick and Adrian did. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t the only one worried about potential cheating. ¡°It seems Alan, that you¡¯re cleared to go, but before I send away Kara, I¡¯d like to discuss the matter of the contracts we¡¯ve prepared. And if it''s all alright with you, we¡¯ll have Kara ratify and bind them through Cosmos. For now I¡¯ll trust both my daughter and Kara¡¯s judgment, but I¡¯d like to have it verified with a contract.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more sir. But don¡¯t you have a party to get to?¡± Arthur only laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve got one of my assistants down there using a piece of virtual holographic tech we were able to pick up. It won¡¯t pass a basic security check, but when it¡¯s your party, the security works for you. Besides the ones who can figure it out won¡¯t mind. They''ll feel like they¡¯re in on a little secret. While the others won¡¯t care in the slightest. It¡¯s probably the best party I¡¯ve been to since Shelly was 12 and was too scared of the Horse she¡¯d begged. "Thank you Father. Why don''t get started" Shelly interrupted. He''d had his fun, but now it was time to reign it in. Unfortunately, she couldn''t have been more wrong. Shelley didn¡¯t know if this was one of the worst or best meetings she¡¯d ever been apart of. The contract terms were more generous to Alan than Callisto Corps for the VE, and would strengthen her business partner, and her own standing in the Phoenix Conglomerate. She¡¯d also been pleasantly surprised that Alan had requested that she take the lead for negotiations land, resources and access to Kragga and Alan''s baron holdings. She was also impressed that Alan seemed to be genuinely interested in making sure that the Phoenix Conglomerate was interested in making sure resources were intended to help and advance mankind generally. Of course the worst parts of the meeting was her father¡¯s occasionally embarrassing stories. Like the time she¡¯d attempted to be elected as school president, advocating the need for more restrictions on social media usage on school computers. Apparently her peers had preferred the elector who wanted a trading card vending machine, and she''d lost in a last slide And despite her cold glares, The trio of idiots didn''t seem to get the hint that laughing would only encourage her father. After an hour after the negotiations she''d had enough ¡°I think we¡¯ve wrapped things up Dad.¡± The group had been sitting around some of the dark leather furniture, snacking on an array of horderves and drinks brought up from the party. They''d already excused Kara, with Alan promising to talk to her later. They''d been chatting about a food distributor that her father would put in touch with Alan to help him with his budding restaurant. And also talked about the fight with the bugs on Kragga, a few national sports teams and even touched on the recent terrorist attack. Which no one knew much about, but everyone speculated that it wouldn¡¯t be the last. ¡°All right gentlemen, I believe my daughter is right. I appreciate you humoring me, but I¡¯d much prefer a small gathering like this.¡± "I imagine I guy like you doesn''t get the chance to let your hair down to often." Nick laughed, and patted her father on the shoulder. Shelley wanted to smack Nick, her father was bald, and hadn''t opted to change his avatar to add hair. Surprising, her father laughed it off. The group got up and her father shook both Adrian and Nick''s hands, before shaking Alan¡¯s hands and pulling him into a hug whispering in his ear. When they let go, Shelley noticed that Alan seemed a bit paler, but kept a smile on his face. As they left the office Shelley couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What did my father say?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing really.¡± She didn¡¯t believe him for a second, but wasn¡¯t going to press the matter. She had another curiosity. ¡°Nick, I heard you''re taking charge of all the newbies on Kragga?¡± ¡°You did huh?¡± Nick glared openly at Alan, ¡°I only found out right before the party. When did you find out?¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°That''s when you decided to tell Nick?¡± Shelley looked over at Alan. ¡°Hey, I sent him an email earlier, he just happened to check it while they were waiting for me.¡± Thwack! Alan''s body flew into the hallway wall, from NIck¡¯s fist colliding with his shoulder. A few of the guards flinched, drawing their weapon, acting quickly, Shelley waved them down. Lowering down to exam Alan, she noted that he didn¡¯t seem to have anything permanent. The genetic enhancements seemed to have prevented most of the damage. On the other hand, his tuxedo sleeve had been ripped apart at the seams. Looking up, she saw Nick, with a look of both shock and mirth on his face. ¡°NICK, what the heck man?¡± Alan struggled to stand up with her help. ¡°Well the party was over, and you reminded me of something I wanted to do before the party, but didn''t want to ruin your nice tux.¡± Nick wore a grin, not showing a bit of remorse, except to wave apologetically to the guards and shrug to Shelley. ¡°So, I guess you said no?¡± She asked. ¡°Nah, not a chance. Team captain, guild leader, I don¡¯t mind helping Alan out. Except, that I have to deal with a bunch of middle and high schoolers." "Than why''d you hit him?" "He needed to be reminded that just because he''s royalty, doesn¡¯t mean he gets to order me around.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t order you.¡± Alan looked down at his arm at the ripped sleeve, like he''d just lost a puppy. ¡°Really? Ahem¡­¡± Nick cleared his throat and began to read from what appeared to be a virtual document. ¡°Nick, you''re going to be in charge of the Kragga Defense Force, it''ll be a guild for all the newbies and maybe Kragga locals. You''ll be great since they already know you. By the way, will you set up part for them with my sister, ASAP? Let me know what you need. Alan.¡± Shelley and Adrian gave Alan hard stares. ¡°Man, even that''s cold. I don''t care if we are best friends.¡± Adrian muttered. Shelley nodded in agreement. ¡°Hey, in my defense¡­¡± Alan began, but the Shelley, Adrian and Nick turned around and walked away ignoring him, and chatting among themselves. ¡°I wonder what kind of contract I could get knowing how loaded our mighty Baron is now that he¡¯s signed with a huge conglomerate like Phoenix.¡± Nick mused allowed. ¡°I was trying to¡­¡± Alan tried again ¡°Honestly, you might think about starting your own Barony, I could lend you the credits since you¡¯ve already got the manpower.¡± Adrian chimed in. ¡°Guys, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Nick, don¡¯t sign anything till I¡¯ve taken a look at it. I mean we¡¯ve got to look at payroll, bonuses, not to mention shares of any operations. I¡¯ve got some great lawyers at Callisto who¡¯d be happy to help you get the best deal.¡± She snickered, when she saw Alan groan and slightly pale. ¡°And I¡¯d do it pro-bono, as a friend.¡± She added, just for the pleasure of it. ¡°Thank you Shelly.¡± Nick exaggerated, ¡°That¡¯s what a good friend is for.¡± ***** Alan cringed as he left the virtual market well into early morning, and it wasn¡¯t just because of his message to Nick. He¡¯d followed him back to the party, where they¡¯d continued to give him a hard time, which he deserved. But, he was just a little bitter that Nick and Adrian had intentionally stuck around to keep him from being alone with Shelley afterwards. What really bothered, however, was that he¡¯d completely forgotten his encounter with Denise, his ex-girlfriend at the party. Now that she knew his identity, it wouldn¡¯t be long before everyone did. He¡¯d tried to set up a few precautions early on to give him some anonymity to protect himself. There was no doubt he wasn''t going to stay hidden completely for very long, but now that he was found out it carried potential danger for him and his family. At the thought of danger, his mind went back to a brief conversation they¡¯d had about the terrorist attack on one of the pod facilities. It seemed to be mostly conventional weapons, guns and a few pipe bombs, attacking the outer structure. But it was clear to Alan that humanity would face the same kind of escalating attacks in the previous timeline. He¡¯d wanted to say more. But having Kara, the Valkyrie in the room squashed any desire for him to reveal events in the future. He still was unsure as to whether the game considered traveling back in time to be cheating. It had only been a month, and things were already beginning to change. This attack seemed to be sooner than in the alternate history. Which meant only one thing. He¡¯d done something to accelerate events. His mind was too exhausted to think more clearly, so instead he opted to set an alarm before passing out in his room. *** Alan woke up in his room, his sleeping quarters at the pod center. Noting the time, it read 1 p.m. Not bad for pulling an all-nighter. Reviewing his message, he discovered a peculiar one from his mother. ¡°Son, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d lined up sourcing our material and funding so quickly. I¡¯ve already got a contract ready for you to sign with a wonderful representative you sent by. Come over quickly. I¡¯ve got cake too.¡± Ending the message with a number of smiley faces and heart emojis. Ok. That''s fast. He¡¯d only talked with Arthur Cordata last night about putting a few good words into a few companies they¡¯d talked about. He knew playing at this level of business things got done fast. But already? Despite Alan¡¯s desire to hop back into Cosmos, and check on how things were going with Kragga, this took priority. Taking his civic, Alan decided to catch up on the news, hoping to learn more about the terrorist attacks. 14 dead due to the terrorist attack in Algeria. Another 20 are in critical condition. No group has claimed responsibility, but some believe some it may be the work of a radical religious group, or those afraid of possible Alien takeover. World governments scramble to provide security for Pod Centers, as a spokesperson for the alien¡¯s indicated that any damages to their assets, the pods, may result in serious legal and financial repercussions. In other news, Eris industries has seen a slight drop in share prices, after seeing large increases earlier in the week due to their production of alien weapons adapted for electricity. The drop is being attributed to a small, but steady flow of vervetic energy entering the North American Virtual Market. Speculators are concerned the electric weapon may become obsolete before mass production is underway. President Clark Tenison shares that the increase of vervetic energy is likely to only have a limited quantity, and cites other virtual markets have not seen an influx. Now to Chris, who will tell us why you should put off that expensive cosmetic surgery you¡¯ve been planning. It wasn¡¯t long before Alan pulled up to his parent¡¯s and found his Mother sitting at the dining room table, a stack of papers neatly piled on the table. ¡°Hey Mom. I got your message¡± Alan was about to approach his mother when she turned around, an unusual smile playing across her face. ¡°Son, it¡¯s so good to see you!¡± She stood up slowly, ¡°I met the nicest man today. He mentioned that you¡¯d had a discussion about business plans together. He even brought over a wonderful contract.¡± She reached over, pulled a sheaf of paper from the table and held it out to him, along with a pen. ¡°He did huh?¡± Warily, he reached out and took the papers and pen. ¡°He seemed awfully disappointed that he couldn¡¯t meet you in person. But I reassured him that I¡¯d have no problem helping you see the important points.¡± Alan looked down at the sheaf of paper, only half listening to his mother. His heart started beating quickly as he began to read through the contract. It offered a huge sum of cash from an entity known as ¡®Exploratory Holdings LLC¡¯ for the ownership of the VE generator directly. It also seemed to offer ridiculous sums to distribute some of their food products. ¡°Mom, you know this contract doesn¡¯t even offer credits, just cash right? And, they want my VE generator on top of everything.¡± ¡°I know, isn¡¯t that amazing, it will make our transactions so much easier.¡± Alan looked at his mom, who should have easily guessed that as credits became more valuable, the American dollar was going to become more worthless over time. ¡°Mom you know, this is a terrible offer right? Besides, I''m not selling the VE generator¡± She reached out and gripped his hand intently. ¡°Son, this contract is very important to our family. We can be set for the rest of our lives. So please just sign it.¡± ¡°Mom we talked about this, the VE energy is our ticket to a good life, for everyone¡¯s future.¡± For the first time, Alan noticed her eyes, there was no happiness in them, only... emptyness. No that wasn''t right, she seemed sad. Really sad. ¡°Alan, you will sign that contract.¡± She seemed to plead. ¡°Mom, who gave you the contract?¡± ¡°I already told you Alan. Now sign it.¡± Her voice grew more stern. He stepped back, realization beginning to dawn on him. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me. I¡¯m not going to sign it until you tell me who gave it to you.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I already promised him that you would sign it!¡± She screamed and attempted to place a pen in Alan¡¯s hands and force him to scrawl his name at the bottom of the contract. Alan¡¯s enhanced strength easily resisted her attempts to force him to move. She continued to struggle, lashing out with her legs, ¡°If you don''t sigt it, you don¡¯t love me!¡± She screeched over and over. Simultaneously, to Alan''s horror, tears streamed down her face. Alan wanted to recoil in horror, but grimaced knowing what he needed to do against his flailing mother. He sent a small shock of energy, causing his mother to cry in pain, before sending her into unconsciousness. Though it seemed her thrashing and pain had only lasted moments, the experiences felt as though it would never end. He laid her on the couch as gently as he could. Wiping away his own tears, while simultaneously trying to think clearly through the torrent of anger he felt threatening to overwhelm his body. His mother had been mentally influenced. Telepathy, forced illusions, hypnotism, pheromones, the list was short but the impact was large. Someone had done this to his mother. Messed with her mind using a sort of alien tech or genetic adaptation. Chapter 2: School Rumble A second glance at his unconscious mother, halted this train of thought. What mattered right now wasn¡¯t figuring out who did it. It was the other¡¯s in his family. Cursing himself for the delay, he used his phone to reach out to his sister. There was no answer. Idiot!. Alan berated himself, she was in school, and sent her a message instead. Luckily she responded quickly. ¡°Alice, has anyone tried to approach you or talk to you today?¡± ¡°No.I¡¯ve been in school all day. Everything ok?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Just come straight home after school?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Too long to explain. Actually, I¡¯m just going to pick you up from school. Got it?¡± ¡°Sure, but what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Just do it ok. TTYL¡± ¡°Ok¡± Alan called his Father, Brother, and sister-in-law in short succession, having similar conversations. Giving them instructions to go to the pod center and stay there till he got there. Only briefly mentioning to each they may be in some danger, and he¡¯d explain everything later. He didn¡¯t have the heart to mention his mother. That would happen in time. He checked on his mother noticing her breathing had evened out, before making one final call to Shelley. He only paused briefly, dismissing the errant thought that she or her father had anything to do with his mother. Unlike his family, She¡¯d demanded more information when he requested a security detail to come to his home. Glancing down at his ring, he remembered his connection to Cosmos and their heightened vigilance. He shared that his mother had been acting strangely, and she was now unconscious. She promised to send over a group immediately. Despite Shelley living in a completely different city. Her family¡¯s connections had her in contact with some local security firm, who had a medic on hand that arrived at Alan¡¯s house within an hour. The 5 man team didn¡¯t argue with Alan, when he instructed them to go to the pod center with his mother, and not the hospital. They did insist that a pair of them accompany him to his sister''s school. Checking the time Alan¡¯s hands trembled. Alice hadn¡¯t responded to any of his texts or calls. The high school had released students 10 minutes earlier when they finally pulled up to the red brick building. Frantically scanning the front facade, his heart sank when he didn¡¯t see her waiting at her usual place. He did, however, see her best friend Janice, standing in a group near the entrance. Half holding himself from literally jumping out, Alan rushed out of the car. Janice gave him a look of surprise, apparently not expecting him to appear in the luxury sedan. ¡°Janice, have you seen Alice?¡± He tried to keep his voice calm as he spoke to her. ¡°I was supposed to meet here after school, but was running late.¡± ¡°Hey Alan, yeah she was going to be right out, but she needed to grab a few things from her locker. You know, you kind of freaked her out with all those weird texts.¡± She seemed to just notice the other two intimidating security guards also step out of the car. ¡°Is everything ok?¡± ¡°Sorry Jan, but it''s a family emergency. She should be back by now, right?¡± Jan nodded with concern. ¡°Where¡¯s her locker?¡± Moving quickly, Alan and his two friends moved quickly toward his sister¡¯s locker. He¡¯d felt bizarrely out of place in the school he used to find so familiar. Turning the corner toward the hallway where her locker was, Alan saw only a few lingering students and no sign of his sister. Except, his steps quickened, a single locker eerily left half ajar. He was about to order the guards to split up to look for her, when he heard the sound of distinct steps coming from the classroom across from her locker. Alan didn''t know exactly how he knew. Perhaps it was the expensive patent leather shoes clapping on the cheap school linoleum, or maybe it was the sudden sharp scent of exotic cologne. Yet, Alan could only imagine one person who fit that image. ¡°Hola, Alan.¡± a familiar Spanish Castilian accent wafted across the hallway. ¡°It¡¯s so good to finally meet you in the flesh.¡± Carmen stood just outside the classroom door, dressed in white suit and a contrasting scarlet dress shirt underneath. ¡°I¡¯d hoped to have heard from your mother by now. But it seems her confidence in convincing was highly overrated. It is of no concern. I¡¯d much rather do business directly with you instead, mano y mano.¡± He smoothed his pencil mustache as a pair of bodyguards moved to flank him. One of which looked as though he¡¯d been hit by a two by four. ¡°Where¡¯s my sister?¡± ¡°Such a beautiful carnation, such as her, must be treated gently. She¡¯s just inside the classroom in perfect condition. Unfortunately she¡¯d gotten into a bit of a fight here at school, so she¡¯s in (what do you call the word in english?) detention¡± The bodyguard with the bruising sneered. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come inside, Alan. You two can leave.¡± Alan¡¯s mind began to grow foggy for a brief moment, before he felt a natural resistance inside of himself push back. Similar to the battle he¡¯d had with the bug queen. Not unexpectedly, the pair from the security team turned around and walked away at Carmen''s orders. For a moment, Alan wanted to lunge at Carmen, but thoughts of his sister kept him in check. Instead of fighting, he started to walk forward. The scent of cologne stinging his nose, as he passed by the Spaniard. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Crossing the threshold into the classroom, he at once noticed his sister. She stood calmly in front of a white board meticulously writing, ¡®I will not fight in the school.¡¯ ¡°Alice, are you ok?¡± She didn¡¯t even turn around, but only responded in a subdued voice. ¡°I¡¯m learning a very important lesson right now, please don¡¯t bother me.¡± The unsettling behavior aside, it appeared she was uninjured. As he was about to move toward her As he was about to move toward her, he received another direction. ¡°Alan, no interfering with Alice¡¯s punishment. Sit down so we can finish our business.¡± Again, Alan felt the compulsion once again. This time, slightly stronger. It was weird, he thought. The compulsion should have gotten weaker, as his mind adapted to the attempts. He continued forward, sitting down, as his mind raced to figure out how to free his sister. ¡°Alan, I appreciate your foresight and tenacity, but you''re not in a position to best use the resources at your disposal. I have a contract here, which will make sure you get a fair price.¡± He pulled out the same contract Alan¡¯s mother had offered him earlier, laying it on a student desk. Alan supposed the hundreds of millions of dollars were more than fair in one sense. Or else Cosmos would likely have voided the contract under suspicion of coercion. Which new races were highly protected against. Alan didn¡¯t agree, and instead sat there, sharply glaring at the man in front of him. Carmed laughed, ¡°You seem to have the same stubborn streak as your mother. She rejected my offer too. Of course, I hadn¡¯t figured out that she wasn¡¯t the owner. I''m sorry about that by the way. But she, like anyone else, needed proper inspiration. And when you''re a people person like me,, it doesn¡¯t take very long to figure out what motivates people like her. Love. She just needed to understand that you signing this would be the most loving and safe thing to do for her family.¡± He held out a pen for Alan, and motioned his guard to stand near Alice. ¡°You¡¯ll sign this Alan for the love and safety of your family.¡± Alan¡¯s arm began to move unwillingly. His mind felt foggy. As he half realized that he no longer controlled his actions. His mind wanted to push back, as his arm inched toward the pen. Half of him felt it was the right thing to do, while the other half of his mind screamed at him to stop. That by signing this, his family was no more safe than they¡¯d been in his last life. As his hand inched slowly forward, he sought to push past the fog encasing half his mind. But the odor of Carmen¡¯s cologne continued to distract him. It was like swimming through tar, struggling to break through to the part of him who wanted to sign the contract. Carmen smiled smugly, as he watched the young man¡¯s arm slowly take the pen and move toward the paper. His mustache twitched only briefly, when it dropped from Alan¡¯s hand. Reaching down, he picked it up again and held it out. ¡°Take the pen Alan and sign.¡± Carmen didn¡¯t even react when Alan¡¯s hand suddenly reached forward and gripped his arm. Making eye contact with Alan, it only took a moment for him to recognize the difference. He began to cry out, ¡°Restrain him he¡¯s not¡­¡± Forced energetic shocks ripped through the Spaniard, causing him to seize, paralyzing his voice. It was the second time Alan had been forced to use his power that day, however he didn¡¯t bother to hold himself back as he did with his mother, as he felt the flesh begin to heat under his hand. Only a sharp kick to his side, sending him sprawling across the floor, had forced his grip to release. Trying to awkwardly roll to his knees to face the two other men, Alan attempted to find a way to defend himself. The guards, each having removed a batton with flickering electrical current at the top, slowly circled to surround him. Chairs and tables were pushed aside to move forward. In his haste to find his sister, Alan regretted not equipping any weapons previously. Edging backward he contemplated his options. ¡°Hey!¡± The heads of the bodyguards turned slightly toward the shout. The already battered and bruised guard only had time to flinch as a chair rocketed into his face causing his body to contort into a backflip. The other guard had only enough time to raise his arms when the flying form of Alice lanced directly into him, legs first. He flew, crashing with thud into the far wall. While Alice had dexterously back flipped to land on her feet. ¡°Dang Sis.¡± ¡°I think we need to go.¡± Alice said in a haggard voice. Alan nodded and began to move toward the door. As Alice passed the alive, yet still twitching Carmen, she kicked him for good measure. Alan, having a suddenly brilliant idea, reached down and grasped the trembling hands, and slid the matter ring off his finger. They both sprinted through the hallways filled with lockers, trophies and inspirational banners. Only to run into a confused pair of security personnel making their way back toward Alan. The security team, seeing the obvious distress of the siblings. Immediately, flanked them, taking a position forward and behind, understanding the intent to return to the vehicle. As they neared the entrance, Alan passed by the front office. Where he recognized the high school principal and a number of the staff holding their heads, while engaging in a shouting match about unapproved visitors. Well that answered one question, Alan thought. Janice was still standing by the car, when the four of them rushed out. Alan didn''t give her a chance to protest as he basically pushed her, along with his sister into the Sedan. As the car sped away, Alice nearly shouted over the chatter of the security guards radios. ¡°What¡¯s going on Alan? One minute I get some weird text from you, which you don¡¯t even bother to explain. And the next thing I know, I am confronted by some guys in suits.¡± ¡°I should have told you sooner. Someone found out about my earth identity, and told the wrong people. I would have come sooner, but they got to mom. She¡¯s ok, but I needed to tell everyone else too. I¡¯m sorry sis, I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d go to the school ¡± ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡± She spitted. ¡°You¡¯re not the one who tried to get away, and suddenly couldn¡¯t do anything except follow the direction of some smarmy Spanish guy.¡± Tears began to form and fall from her face. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to listen to him, as he told me how I was such a good little carnation. How he whispered about how helpful I was being for my family, while his men leered at me. You didn''t have to wonder if they were going too... ¡± She choked, and than hit him in the chest ¡°You don¡¯t get to be sorry!¡± She broke down, crying without restraint, sobbing, as Janice held her. Alan sat in silence, watching his sister. Wanting to both reach out, and afraid to so. The pain of the large bruise forming on his chest, nor the relief of having his sister safe, did nothing to distract him from the pangs of guilt. Unmet expectations Alice didn¡¯t speak again until she said goodbye to Janice at the pod center. Instead of walking in with Alan, she¡¯d coldly moved ahead of him. Easily navigating her way to the room where the rest of the family were waiting. They found their mother, sitting upright in a hospital bed, sipping a diet coke and laughing with the rest of the family. ¡°Mom!¡± Alice immediately rushed over, tears coming to her eyes. Alan held back, relieved, letting his mom and sister enjoy the moment. They each swapped stories, while the rest of the family listened on about the impeccably dressed man who''d done something to the both of them. As they cried, hugged, and laughed, followed by more crying and hugging. It seemed to have a healing effect on the mother and daughter, to have each other and the rest of the family there. After a time, Alan''s mother wiped her tears, and faced her son. ¡°Alan, you had best tell us exactly what is going on.¡± He spent the time explaining that his identity was no longer a secret, and that a rival company had decided to get him to sign a contract for the VE production machine. He went over the party the night before and how Denise had figured out it was him. He wasn¡¯t sure how Carmen had gotten so quickly involved. But explained that Carmen worked for Clark Tenison. ¡°Well I never liked that girl anyway. Can¡¯t trust her for a minute.¡± His mother proclaimed. His father and older brother attempted to hide smirks at her remark. Acting as though she didn''t see them she continued, ¡°Besides, now that it''s out, it''s out. We can¡¯t do anything about it, but make sure to continue to take care of our family and do our best not to get caught up in such ridiculous antics.¡± She pointed at Alice, ¡°And you best forgive your brother, young lady. I know how you can hold a grudge. And don¡¯t you deny it, I¡¯ve seen you sneak a few glares while we were talking.¡± Alice turned crimson and was about to argue when their Father placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Your brother wasn¡¯t responsible for what happened today. It was the actions of other men.¡± She looked him and than at Alan before nodding. Though Alan could see a hint of anger still in her eyes. It was funny, he actually felt little relief that she hadn¡¯t forgiven him so easily. Part of him wanted to admit it was his fault. He knew that retaliation would be coming, but he''d been too distracted. But he couldn''t say a thing without revealing too much. Maybe a little more punishment from her would help ease his conscience. Despite his parents forgiving attitude, he wasn''t so sure they''d be happy about what he was going to say next. ¡°You¡¯re all going to have to live at the Cosmos Hub for a while. Until I can make some other arrangements.¡± During their discussion he''d already sent a message to the Cosmos Hub attendant, Corbin, to help them find a space to stay. The Hub, had already stared expanding on week one to include small accomidations for players who only needed a short place to stay between sessions. Some of the accomidations, had expanded, along with the hub. He''d planned on his family doing this at some point. This just moved up his timeline. Unfortunately they didn''t take it well. It was a half-hour later before he¡¯d finally convinced them that the threats were real, and they wouldn¡¯t be the typical lets go stay at Great Aunt Lynda''s home till things blow over, type of threats.The Cosmos Hub area was under the jurisdiction of Cosmos in collaboration with the Yashdid aliens. Which meant, they were one of the most secure places on the planets, especially when it came to the genetic and technological advances that humanity wasn¡¯t ready to deal with. It surprised him that his sister-in-law, Audrey, had voiced her objections the most. They¡¯d have to figure out ways to entertain their 2 year old son, Dillan, she¡¯d relented only when he agreed they could take a security detail when they needed to go outside. Things had finally calmed down when Corbin, the attendant interrupted. ¡°Sir, you have a guest.¡± Alan¡¯s puzzled look prompted him to continue. ¡°A Ms. Shelley Cordata indicated she knew to find you here, and insisted that she be allowed for the family gathering.¡± ¡°Shelley¡¯s here?¡± Alan didn¡¯t know who said it first, his mother or sister. But his mother pushed back the sheets and had hopped out of bed. ¡°Corbin, you absolutely let her come back here and meet the family.¡± ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am.¡± Directly leaving without a second look toward Alan. Alan thought he had something special with Corbin, a mutual understanding. The traitor. ¡°Mom, just remember¡­¡± ¡°Alan, she¡¯s our best business partner. So don¡¯t worry¡± He groaned inwardly. Despite being 12 years more mature, he never felt comfortable introducing any girl he liked to his family. He really needed to grow up. It was only a few moments later, when Shelley entered the room. Unlike Alan¡¯s Cosmos persona, nothing had changed with her. She lit up the room with a simple skirt and white blouse ensemble, her dark hair contrasting with the outfit, while her red lips added a hint of fire to match her personality. Despite seeing the full crowd, she seem didn''t seem flustered facing all of Alan¡¯s family. ¡°Hello, Alan and everyone else.¡± ¡°Shelley it''s so good to finally get to meet you in person!¡± Alan¡¯s mother immediately went up and hugged the corporate heiress. ¡°I¡¯ve heard so much about you from my Husband, and Alan¡¯s brother James.¡± There was a clear snub of Alan, having left him out of the reporters. ¡°Well thank you Mrs. _______(see poll). ¡± ¡°Please call me Mary.¡± Alan¡¯s mother proceeded to introduce to everyone else in the family. ¡°But you must tell us Shelley, what brings you here? I heard lived a few states over.¡± ¡°Alan had mentioned there was an attack on you and had requested security even. So I arranged it to fly over as soon as I heard. I was so relieved to hear from the security team that you and Alice were ok after everything.¡± ¡°That is so thoughtful, dear." She turned to her husband, who nodded in agreement. "It must have been so troublesome to arranage to get here so quickly though.¡± ¡°No, not at all, I just charted the company helicopter.¡± ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯m sure the security team was keeping you up to date on all the details. You comng in person, with your busy schedule, just means so much to our family!¡± She held onto Shelley¡¯s hands tightly. To Alan, it appeared that Shelley seemed to slightly flush at his mother¡¯s insistent praise. Though, the glances that his mother, sister, and Audrey shared seemed to cause the usually collected Shelley to appear slightly uncomfortable. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sure that Shelley is grateful to see you¡¯re ok, but with everything going on, maybe I could steal a couple minutes with her.¡± Alan decided it was time to rescue his friend from his mother¡¯s idea of a business meeting. They were able to escape to a small room only after Shelley promised to meet them for dinner later. ¡°Sorry about my Mom. She can be a little intense sometimes¡± Alan tried to break the ice. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°No, it was great. She seems really warm and nice.¡± She hesitated,¡°You look different than in your pictures.¡± She added quickly. ¡°Not that it¡¯s bad, you just have blond hair now, and your eyes have really changed, their more blue, even from your pictures.¡± Alan nodded in agreement. Now that they were alone, Alan wasn¡¯t sure exactly how to respond. ¡°So thank you for coming. You really didn¡¯t need to. I¡¯m sorry if I worried you too much. I should have called you as soon as me and my sister were ok.¡± ¡°Really, it¡¯s not a big deal. I was happy to come, besides I¡¯ve been meaning to meet you in person anyway." She paused slightly before adding,"So we can coordinate our plans better.¡± ¡°Yeah, for sure. That makes sense.¡± Silence followed, and Alan immediately reflected back on an article he¡¯d read in his last life. Psychologists had studied how online interactions had differed significantly from in-person interaction, and which had only kicked up after a world-wide pandemic. Things like differences in the strenght of social ties, willing to tell lies, and even the strength of social bond were so different between reality and online interactions. The study has said that it still continued even when players found themselves Cosmos. Pushing past the in-person awkwardness, he soldiered on, reminding himself those 12 additional years should mean something. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out tomorrow with Nick to claim territory on Kragga. He and Adrian should already be heading out today, along with the other teams they''re organizing. Now that we know that Eris Industries likely knows what is going on, we¡¯ll have to move quickly and be a lot more careful about recruitment.¡± He gripped the chair, knuckles turning white. Shelley immediately perked up, as the conversation turned to business.¡°For sure, I¡¯ve already got Jakes working overtime around recruiting and coordinating the human resources of Callisto as well as the huge influx of my father¡¯s assets from Phoenix and the other partners on Kragga. Give it a few weeks and you won¡¯t even recognize the place. The goal is to make sure we have a lot of infrastructure set up in 2 weeks before the 3rd series of pods are set to open up. There are going to be literally hundreds of millions of new players at that point. And I don''t know if you¡¯ve noticed, but Kragga is in the top 10 Planets for new players interested in starting fresh.¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s going to be a double edged sword for sure. But together, I think we¡¯ll do great.¡± He grinned at her, while she smiled back. ¡°I almost forgot! I need you and Nick to try and get something for me.¡± Shelley removed a tablet from her ring, and held it out. ¡°We¡¯ve found a site, where we think we might be able to actually make a functional ship.¡± The site showed pictures of a small craft. ¡°It¡¯s probably somewhere between Primitive and Planetary level of tech, so we wouldn¡¯t be able to take it too far away from the planet in Kragga''s home galaxy. But it¡¯s the first ship we''ve seen that we might actually be able to replicate on Earth!¡± She continued excitedly, "All we need from you is to find someone on Kragga who has another small transport, so we can figure out a few missing pieces." Alan listened attentively, as she continued to eagerly share more about her favorite subject, spacecraft, and the plans for the little vessel. It had the added benefit of finally making it easier for both of them to relax, and for them to move on to other topics. Eventually, Alan shared the details of the near abduction and his anger, along with his worries. It wasn''t just for his family, but also for Shelley and their friends, along with their families. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alan,¡± She reached out, placing her hand on his clenched fist. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear everything that had happened to Alice. That must have been terrible.¡± ¡°It was a nightmare. I just can¡¯t let something like that happen again. There is too much at stake.¡± The tension in his voice dulled into a somber finality, as finally finished recounting what had happened. ¡°Hey, lighten up! It''s not like it¡¯s the end of the world ri¡­¡± She smiled at him, only half stopping after seeing the deadness in his eyes, ¡°Right?¡± Alan half opened his mouth. When, a quick rap on the door was followed by his sister making a sudden entrance. ¡°Sorry you two, didn¡¯t mean to interrupt.¡± Her mischievous grin held no real apoogy as Shelley¡¯s suddenly sat up, removing her hands from his. ¡°I just wanted to tell Alan the plans for dinner tonight before I hit the pod. ¡°Sure sis, thanks.¡± Alan felt new frustration rising. ¡°No problem. Hey before I head out, I wanted to ask you about that ring? You know the one you stripped off of Carmax. What was up with that? I mean it¡¯s useless to you right? Unless you get his permission for a transfer.¡± Alan had to chuckle at his sister¡¯s antics, along with the nickname she¡¯d come up for him. He pulled out the ring. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty much useless right now. Unless, there happens to be something stored inside of here that our little Spaniard absolutely needs.¡± The ring had expensive, he guessed it had enough space for a small home to fit inside. ¡°Whose to tell what someone might actually pay for to get it back.¡± *** Clark Tenison was angry. No, that wasn¡¯t right. It didn¡¯t quite capture his mood. If you¡¯d had to pick a spot on Earth which best fit his mood, it would have been at the base of an erupting volcano on the island of Iceland. Clark''s gaze could have chilled man in moments, as his actions left a burnng path of destruction. While only his board members and secretary would meet with him that day, his wrath would spill over, and down the company ranks to the very lowest of interns. Ensuring no one was going to have a good day at Eris Industries. Sales of their electric-adapted Cosmo''s weapons had stalled, due to a small but irritating stream of VE energy in the North American Virtual Market. Furthermore, international buyers had been outwardly hesitant to buy the weapons, now that a report on the recent terrorist attacks had been leaked, where they''d used his weapons to attack the Cosmos Hub. The public relations regional manager who¡¯d failed to cover up their weapons involvement in the the incident had been sacked, but the damage had been done, at least publicly. There would still be buyers, but the delays due to having to make the purchases covert would eat at the company quartely profits, not to mention the free publicity they would miss out on. His otherworldly allies, if he could even call them that, had failed to answer his questions regarding their promised outline of events. He was supposed to have the only VE Earth enabled generator. Allowing him to have unprecedented access to technology development. Of course he would''ve had to have kept it secret until the embargo lifted. He hadn¡¯t even been able to step into Cosmos, for fear of being labeled a cheater due to some of the moves he''d already made. Though the genetic modifications, and body enhancements he had received from his allies had still been top notch, he was still frustrated that Cosmos was betyond his reach, for now. To top it off, he¡¯d received a memo, along with pictures of one of his men lying half-dead and smoldering, at one of his medical facilities. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was more angry at Carmen¡¯s failure at getting the contract signed. Or the failure of his so-called alien allies, to once again make good on their promises.They¡¯d guaranteed the genetic modification to Carmen, along with the pheromone supplement, to be a hundred percent effective. Tenison had been confident too, especially after Carmen had proven its success to get that blond tart to spill her guts. His eyes harded, it was just another assett, he''d replace it in time. Mind refocusing, his attention fell on his vice-president of human resources. ¡°You''re telling me that I don¡¯t have a single security unit that could go to Kragga?¡± The spindly man paled. He had as much backbone as he had excess muscle, none. Just the way Tenison liked it. ¡°N¡­n¡­no sir. We moved on your direct order to have all our people locate to G¡¯llyspi. They¡¯ve begun the mining of tantalum and farming monster cores.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t foresee that we might need a few flexible resources to go to different planets?¡± ¡°No Sir, I apologize. We¡¯ll begin hiring right away.¡± His marketing director spoke up. ¡°Sir, G¡¯llyspi is in the number 1 spot in North America for new players, especially those who want more adventure.¡± Tenison crushed his gilded attempts of boot licking immediately. ¡°And how long do you think it will take for Kragga to overtake us now that the Phoenix Conglomerate, and not just the heiress brat, is siphoning resources there?¡± The marketing director already knew the answer. ¡°We¡¯ll double our efforts, marketing outreach in the lead up to the 3rd pod series release.¡± Sweat beaded off his brow. Clark leaned back in his chair. A silent signal for the executives, as they frantically began to send messages, make phone calls, and send a wave of destructive displeasure through the ranks. It was the only part of the meeting that Clark Tenison allowed himself to smirk at. The Ol¡¯brathreen, or The Crude, as he affectionately liked to call them, had already told him the end from the beginning. And despite their failure to predict some future events. He knew the outcome. If he wanted to have a chance to save humanity, and more importantly himself, sacrifices would have to be made. Chpt 4 volume 2, part 1. ¡°You know we warned you about Denise all along right?¡± Nick stood atop an old Jeep wrangler. He was elbowed in the side by Adrian, you had been standing next to him, holding a high powered rifle. ¡°Come on man, he¡¯s probably been through enough already.¡± Adrian chided him. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± Alan had agreed to meet the pair the next morning to assist with the expansion efforts of the team. His pals would have looked pretty cool, parked on top of one of the black mounds in full combat gear, except the old jeep was more rust than the original orange paint. It also didn¡¯t help that the door panel was graffitied in bright blue letters, ¡°Nick¡¯s Knightmares.¡± ¡°What are the ¡®Knightmares¡¯? Nick?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my unit''s name of course. All the Kragga defense will have one, but none as cool as mine.¡± He smirked, ¡°It¡¯s also going to be my mercenary name, just in case you get any more uppity and I have to go solo.¡± Nick had always had a unique taste in naming things. He¡¯d been part of the FFA growing up, and had named his pig ¡®Link¡¯ a not so subtle hint about its future. ¡°Uh huh, and Andrian thought the name was cool too?¡± ¡°Leave me out of it, he came up with that on his own. I¡¯m just here for moral support.¡± Nick gave Adrian a look of mocked hurt for not standing by his choice of names. Adrian had never been one to support many of Nick¡¯s more ridiculous antics. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give me a run down of the current plan and then I can make fun of you later.¡± Alan hopped off his own 4-wheeler. Nick brought out a map to show the deployment of the various Kragga Defense force units that he had organized and their routes. It helped that with the promise of credits and VE for cores they harvested, the troops were motivated to spread in all directions around the scrap sea and beyond. ¡°You know Alan, with the perks and title you received after defeating the bug queen it''s going to be easy expanding your territory.¡± Nick was referring to a perk Alan had gotten where he¡¯d be able to expand into unclaimed territory, as long as the troops claimed it in his name, and occupied it appropriately. He no longer had to use the device provided by Cosmos and credits to ¡®buy¡¯ territory. Adrian added matter of fact, ¡°Don¡¯t forget we¡¯re supposed to find a ship for Shelley.¡± He helpfully reminded everyone about the future prospect of space travel if they did find an intact shuttle. Of course his own excitement in piloting one added to his eagerness. The trio hopped in the jeep and drove in the general direction of the territory of the scavenger town at the edge of the blackened earth marking the boundary of the scrap sea. Occasionally, they¡¯d come across the occasional pack of rodents of unusual size. From a distance they appeared to look like ferrets, which when standing next to you would be the size of a great Dane. ¡°YAAHHH!!!!¡± Nick howled as he leapt over 30 feet from the passenger side of the jeep, hammer held aloft, into a pack of the rodents. His blow caused the Jeep to shake briefly, as chunks of bone and stone shrapnel sliced through the pack. Nick didn¡¯t hesitate to swing his hammer wide, catching to 2 more of the beasts, flinging their battered bodies across the field. Nick roared as one of the pack members flung itself on his back latching onto him with claws and needle-like teeth. It was only half beat later as a high pitched buzz of an energy discharge pulsed, and a blue golf sized orb left a smoldering crater in the skull of the rodent. Adrian''s enhanced reflexes and perceptions had easily found its target sitting at the driver''s seat of the Jeep Wrangler, his eyes trained down the sights of an energy pulse rifle. His actions had twoimpacts. First the rodent''s claws immediately went limp, a sure sign the shot had been lethal. Secondly, the jaws of the animal, whether by design or happenstance, stayed latched to Nick¡¯s neck, giving the illusion that he was wearing a fur stole. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Alan wasn¡¯t far behind, as he shot out arcs of high energy toward the increasing swarm of the frenzied monsters. As he got nearer, he shifted the VE into a more complex shape close to a shield and axe with the assistance of his gloves. Alan''s only goal was to guard the back of Nick, preventing any more of the Ferranes¡­.or Darretts, he¡¯d worry about the name later, from attacking the backside of his friend. Nick, for his part, kept both hands on his hammer, smashing any of them that got to close. All the while half whimpering, half yelling as the body of the Grearret --no that was terrible.-- continued to swing from side to side as if glued to NIck''s body. A high pitched squeal, was heard as the Mother of the brood came charging up from a hole at the base of a hill. The E grade creature, on the threshold of pushing D grade, continued to screech nearly causing Alan¡¯s eardrums to burst, and causing Adrian to drop his rifle and clap his hand to his ears. Nick seemed to be the only one who shook off the vocal attack, and without hesitation flung his hammer toward the monster, sundering the matriarch in two. Standing half bent, Alan took deep breaths, attempting to recover from the unexpected effort. ¡°Nick, I know you were bored with the last few fights.¡± He stood straight taking half panting. ¡°But next time warn us when you intend to commit virtual suicide.¡± ¡°What would be the fun in that?¡± Nick reached behind his neck with both hands and pried open the jaws still clamped around his neck. A squirt of blood trickled down his neck as he held out the limp corpse. ¡°Nick, what are you doing? You finally started to look fashionable.¡± Adrian gave him a grin. ¡°You might actually be able to get a date.¡± Nick looked down at the carcass eyeing it carefully before putting it into his matter ring. ¡°You¡¯re just jealous,since the ladies are more interested in these guns.¡± He flexed his biceps, ¡°instead of shooting guns.¡± ¡°Yeah, no. Just wait till I get my first starship. No lady will be able to resist my charms as a pilot. ¡°Guys, seriously. Nick, do you not know the penalties for getting yourself killed stupidly? You could have gotten removed for multiple days, if not longer in Cosmos.¡± Alan hoped he didn¡¯t actually need to teach the pair about what happened. ¡°Alan, I was just bored. Ok. This was the sixth pack, and the first scratch I''ve had.¡± He pointed to his neck. ¡°It was a heck of a lot more exciting than standing side by side, while Adrian shoots from a distance. I needed to mix it up.¡± ¡°Fine, we can mix it up, but let us know next time.¡± Alan smirked, ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be sure to have my sister make this picture the next spotlight of her next video blog.¡± Alan shared a photo he¡¯d snagged of Nick, half turned with red blood smeared across his face, and the giant ferret¡¯s body draped across his back. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m not sure how many ladies you''re going to line up with such a provocative photo. Especially, if I get somebody with photoshop to make you even more radiant.¡± ¡°Hey man, that¡¯s not cool.¡± Nick¡¯s face turned red as he looked into his own smoldering eyes, captured in the heat of battle. Adrian began laughing in the background. ¡°Message received. I¡¯ll let you know next time. Can you both please delete the photo.¡± Adrian was still wiping a few tears away as they drove to the next location. They¡¯d both reluctantly agreed to delete the photo if Nick behaved himself. Alan checked his notifications and was pleasantly surprised to find an update on the current progress. Subjugation of local area completed. Please see new territory boundaries. Note that if boundaries are not appropriately maintained the claim shall be lost and will need to be subjugated. Calculating days until claim is lost based on: Difficulty of subjugation, distance from territory, time since previous claim and additional variables¡­ Time till claim fails: 14 days. He¡¯d been receiving notifications throughout the afternoon. The other teams Nick had assigned were methodically claiming territory. Some areas were smaller plots while others covered over a city block. Everyone on the team was updated with the information on how to proceed. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why this is so easy, Alan.¡± Adrian took his eyes off the road, speaking over his shoulder. ¡°Why isn¡¯t this place already claimed by the local aliens?¡± ¡°It has to do with manpower. Most everyone who lives here doesn¡¯t represent their race, their outcasts, independent adventurers, or just those who want to live outside the laws of the major systems. For most advanced civilizations, Kragga is a glorified dump.¡± Volume 2: Chapter 4.2 Nothing reminded the trio more that Kragga was a backwater wasteland then the town located at the edge of the Scrap Sea. Their rusted out jeep fit in nicely as they drove through the outskirts, passing by hovels of welded scrap metal, wood and fabric. A sudden shift in breeze led each of the team to cover their faces as an unholy stench assaulted their senses. ¡°What is that?!¡± Adrian to gasped. ¡°The locals. I found out when I was based here that the town doesn''t have what you¡¯d call normal plumbing and waste disposal. It¡¯s more like a giant open pit that some genious used a small bomb to blow into the ground.¡± Nick said. ¡°But why? Don''t they have super advanced toilets or something?¡± ¡°Sure. But why waste the VE when you don¡¯t have to. All they have to do is purify the water, which they¡¯d be doing anyway. And when the pit is full, they get some of the local muscle to cover it up.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡± Nick only shrugged. As the group drove deeper in, they each became gradually used to the smell. Adrian, adjusting last due to his enhanced perceptions. The main street of the town itself had multi-level metal structures lining the road. The usual menagerie of alien¡¯s bustled up and down the street. It reminded Alan of an old mining town from the old western movies his grandfather used to watch. He noticed Blatta¡¯s store, which had a shiny layer of new paint, which stood out among the mostly much older, rust eaten structures. It looked like the old roach had put the money from their agreement into cleaning up the place. It certainly looked busier, and he was surprised to see an old VW van parked out front. Perhaps some new patrons of hers. Alan had only been here once before, at the very beginning of his Cosmos adventure. And had limited his visit to Blatta¡¯s and also Kovic¡¯s shop, where he¡¯d exchanged platinum for gold. Nick, on the other hand, had spent a few days there. He¡¯d not only gathered the defense forces to rescue Alan and Shelley, but had gotten to know a few of the local haunts. His knowledge was what led them to a building at the far end of town. Parking the Jeep, Nick said, ¡°I think this is the best shot we have to find what you¡¯re looking for, Alan.¡± It was a two story building, a bit nicer than the rest. It seemed the owners had managed to paint the walls just over a year or two ago, and all the windows were all still intact. They pushed through a swinging door. Alan felt the brief cling of static as he moved through the entrance, some sort of filter. Despite the rundown exterior, he was pleasantly surprised to find an open dining hall. The furniture appeared to be made of oak-like wood, upholstered in crushed red velvet. The smell of roasted meat and floral perfume was strong, but a welcome contrast to the rank outdoors. A bar took the entirety of one side of the wall. A humanoid, only distinguished by his redskin and purple eyes, polished a few tin cups. Nick selected an out of the way booth for the trio to seat themselves. It was only a minute before a waitress of the same species as the bartender came to take their order. Nick made a simple order of some grilled meat and glasses of fruit juice. It seemed both were harvested from the local planet. Hungrily, Alan and his friends dug in without mercy. ¡°You know Reardon would kill to get some of these fruits at the restaurant.¡± Nick drained the rest of his glass, at the end of the meal. Alan laid back happily, having finished his drink and than a second earlier during the meal. ¡°I can put you into contact with our supplier. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be interested in making a few extra credits on the side.¡± The waitress started to clear off the table. ¡°Of course, if you order dessert and give me a nice tip, I¡¯ll put in a good word for you too.¡± ¡°Done and done.¡± Nick winked at her and ordered a dessert before elbowing Alan. ¡°You heard the girl. Make sure you give her a good tip when you pay.¡± Alan rolled his eyes, ¡°Sure, Nick.¡± Adrian chimed up at that point. ¡°Hey, what''s the point of being friends with a local lord if you can¡¯t mooch off him every once in a while.¡± Adrian dropped Alan status as planned. ¡°You¡¯re the new Lord hot shot everyone''s been talking about in the Scrap Sea?¡± The waitress moved over and lightly touched Alan¡¯s arm. ¡°If I¡¯d known that I would have shown you our hidden menu.¡± She winked at him. Her attempt at subtlety was not lost on him. ¡°Thanks, but I think I¡¯ll pass on the hidden menu items.¡± She pouted slightly. ¡°Though, there may be something you could help me with.¡± He added 10 credits to the tip section to the meal. Not quite doubling the cost of a meal. ¡°I¡¯m looking for transport off the planet and figured you might have a connection?¡± She froze slightly, obviously uncomfortable at his request. It was clear that she knew what he was asking for. They needed a ship, and anyone willing to ask for one was either crazy, dangerous, or probably both. No one got ship travel on Kragga, not legitimately. You see, Alan had explained to his friends, the problem with planets like Kragga was the infrequency of space travel. Occasionally, a merchant freighter might swing into the area every year or two. But it had been centuries since the planet had been part of regular trade routes. That left two options for Alan and Shelley to obtain a small transport, at the price they were looking for. First option: find a private dealer, who¡¯d likely sell their mother for less than a transport shuttle in this neck of the woods. It was possible, but unlikely due to the second option. Pirates. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Kragga was a well known pirate pit stop. The space criminals had a few bases located in out of the way places on the planet and in the local space system. They¡¯d make frequent stops to the local towns to trade for nyamisium cores and parts for their ships. In return, they¡¯d sell their stolen goods to the locals. Who in turn would log out of Cosmos and trade the goods at their own home planets or virtual markets. Everyone would make a small profit. Except for the merchants of course. The pirates, however, didn¡¯t like competition, and weren¡¯t picky about stealing from locals or other pirates if they found another ship to add to their fleet. It took humanity years in the game before they¡¯d secured their bases and cities on Kragga from the pirate raids. And even longer before they had confidence to send Earth¡¯s merchant fleets to the planet. It was not an easy endeavor. And an ongoing concern for Alan. It was with this knowledge that he added another 10 credits to the waitresses tip. ¡°Look, I know you''re a Lord and all but you''re a meteor floating among gas giants. Kovic¡¯s got the only space flight off this rock that I know of, but you¡¯re better off building a rocket before he¡¯d sell it to you. And you don¡¯t want to mess with Kovic. Not even the local mercenaries mess with him.¡± She shivered slightly. There were no true mercenaries on Kragga, who would they fight? Though most pirates preferred the name, as a cover. ¡°Why, don¡¯t I get you another round, and we forget¡­¡± Another 10 credits appeared as potential tips on her table, cutting her off . Alan was now more wealthy than he¡¯d ever imagined and didn¡¯t blink at the additional $50 he¡¯d just tipped her. And that was before the cost of credits began to rise on Earth. Seeing her potential tip increase, a bead of sweat started to trickle down her face. He added another 10 credits, sensing he was close. It only took a moment for her to finally make up her mind and lean in. Her low cut blouse, and heady perfume nearly drove Alan to distraction. ¡°Hang around here for a couple more hours. There''ll be a party of mercenaries coming in a little later to pick up some prepped meals. They might have what you''re looking for.¡± It wasn¡¯t even a half second longer before she¡¯d put her finger down on the ordering tablet, confirming Alan¡¯s tip. She shuffled off quickly after that, only returning briefly to bring desserts and another round of the local fruit drink. For Alan, waiting the three hours that it took for the mysterious party to appear was spent sending messages, checking on the progress of the defense forces, and talking about the next week''s plans. All the while, the common room continued to fill up, nearly to capacity. A strange music began to play, causing the crowd to grow more lively. For Nick, the waiting seemed insufferable, aside from answering the occasional message from one of his teams, he ended up playing over a dozen games of solitaire from a deck of cards he¡¯d brought along. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Adrian got to leave early, while I need to stick around.¡± Adrian had left soon after they¡¯d gotten the information from the waitress. ¡°You''re a better body guard.¡± Nick grunted, as he nearly slammed his hand on the table, stuck in his current game. Alan suddenly grabbed his hand, after catching the eye of the waitress. Four new arrivals pushed their ways into the doors. A large gray humanoid, towering over 7 feet tall, led the pack of space pirates. He, like his companions, was armed to the teeth. Instead of heavy armor, however, he wore a simple tank top, making him more intimidating. Of the other three trailing behind him, only one stood out to Alan. Stavin. The lank and frail alien was a familiar face to Alan. He¡¯d been the one to set up an ambush of Alan on his first day. Stavin had gone from Kovic¡¯s assistant, to amateur thief. And now it looked, after being beaten by Alan, a novice pirate. Alan shrunk back, hissing at friend, ¡°I know the short one, so keep me covered.¡± Alan put his head down on the table, peeking through his arms. He didn¡¯t need an acting skill to look as though he¡¯d come in a few hours earlier before passing out. It helped that a few patrons had passed out already that evening. Watching as best he could, Alan saw that the leader was no nonsense. His hand never stopped hovering over his weapon, while his eyes scanned the common room. It was obvious his companions were not so vigilant. When the gray giant paid for the meals and didn¡¯t even bother to sit down. His partners loudly complained about not being able to relax and enjoy a meal, or the other services the establishment offered. The only exception of course was Stavin, who just quietly tagged along. Moments later, a few maids brought out steaming trays of meat and a dozen kegs. These quickly made their way to the leader''s storage ring. Less than 3 minutes later the party exited the bar. ¡°Looks like plan C Nick. I¡¯ll see what I can do to follow them.¡± Nick nodded and stayed behind, while Alan rushed after the pirates, while sending a message to Adrian. Alan came to stand at the edge of the dirt road moments later. The only sign of the pirates in the twilight was a cloud of dust moving leading toward the end of town. Alan took out his 4-wheeler from his matter ring, hopped on and jammed the throttle, following the trail. Despite his speed, he¡¯d had no illusions of matching the pirate''s speed. And just a few minutes later, his thoughts were confirmed as a bright light a mile ahead of him, rose briskly into the night sky. Pulling up to the launch area, Alan was grateful to see Adrian already parked and pulled up to the site. ¡°That went worse than I¡¯d hoped.¡± Alan said. ¡°I¡¯d hoped there¡¯d be less of them, or they¡¯d be a lot less careful.¡± ¡°Yeah, but not but it wasn¡¯t unexpected,¡± Adrian replied. He circled the site, making note of various markings on the ground. ¡°The way you describe space transport out here, I was guessing they¡¯d be cautious of someone trying to hi-jack their ship. On the bright side, it looks like they use this spot frequently.¡± He pointed to a number of similarly patterned indents in the ground. ¡°I managed to get here just before their team got back. That¡¯s when I got your message to hold off on any assaults. From what I could tell, they might have had 1 or 2 on board, and the 4 for the landing party.¡± ¡°That¡¯s doable. Let''s just hope that Nick is able to get his job done.¡±