by J. J. Lorden
Bendik looked at her son. “I wasn’t kidding about your gaming skill, Ben, you are uniquely gifted. Your neural capacity to sync with the Novamen software is rare.”
He turned to Irene, “And I know where he gets that gift, Irene. Your Battle Cleric is extremely impressive–despite the scarce hours you spend playing with your son.” Bendik tilted his head inquisitively. “Mostly guild raid nights, if I’ve read the data right.”
Irene nodded. “That’s about right.” She quirked a crooked grin at her son. “Although we had that marathon session over winter break, didn’t we?”
Ben grinned at the memory. “I’m pretty sure we maxed out the hardware time limits every single day of that vacation.”
“Oh my God, that was sooo much fun,” Irene said around a smile.
“We were two of the first players to the level cap.” He recalled. “That was a great time… seriously, I think it was the best winter break I’ve ever had. Do you remember that cave in the Northern Barrens? The one with all those squirrel things?”
Irene laughed out loud. The sound was a ripe melody, filling the kitchen. “How could I forget?” she said through her bubbling joy. “I burned like a thousand mana potions keeping us alive in that stupid hole in the ground.”
Bendik listened to them and chuckled, inadvertently pulling their attention. He wrapped thumb and finger about his chin in consideration before nodding, seemingly to himself. “From my perspective, it is nothing short of miraculous to find the two of you. Not one person in 100,000 has the neural capacities that you both possess to interface with virtual environments.
“And, our paths have crossed right now, right here, in our little town. At the exact moment I need people, good people, with that ability. It is truly amazing. These things do have a way of happening, though, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”
Bendik bemusedly shook his head. He raised his hands as if in acceptance. “But still, I find that I am.” Then dropped them on the table. He tilted his head regarding Ben. “Glorious isn’t it.”
Ben thought the entire experience was at least Glorious, but the man seemed to be inferring some kind of cosmic serendipity. He wasn’t comfortable thinking he was that important and found himself feeling a bit anxious and glanced to his mother. She was leaning back against the counter calmly regarding their guest.
The kettle began to whistle, and Irene pulled the water from the heat. “Ben, do you want a mug too?”
“Yeah. Thanks, Mom. Honey for mine too,” Ben replied.
“I know,” she said, sensing his tension. Ben had been composed up to this point, but apparently Bendik’s grandiose implications were setting him on edge.
Absently, she wondered why she wasn’t being similarly affected. This man was one of the most powerful people in the entire world, maybe the most powerful, and he was just sitting here at her kitchen table waiting on a cup of tea. Well, this is definitely more interesting than leftovers, a cold bed, and my vibrator. She smiled to herself.
After setting the mugs down and moving her plate of chicken leftovers to the sink, Irene sat across from the tsar of Quantum computing. “Okay, Bendik I am intrigued, why is the most sought-after tech mogul in the world sitting at my kitchen table at midnight on a Saturday?” She raised a skeptical brow and waited.
Bendik obviously appreciated the candor. He leaned forward, putting his arms on the table around his mug to answer. “It is a fascinating twist of fate, isn’t it. I do love it when life brings me moments like this.
“I am here, Irene, because I would like to ask you and Ben for your help. Specifically, help in making a dream that both my son and I share, into a reality.
“Austin has created a new digital universe that is far more advanced than the Novamen world. More than that, he’s created it with a much more important purpose than just entertainment. He’s built it as a tool to assist humanity in getting out of its own way.
You see, my son and I share a passion for researching what is possible for humanity in our lifetimes, and then doing what we can to try and realize that potential. That–in a nutshell–is why I am here.”
After a moment to let that sink in, Irene glanced at Ben, who nodded vigorously, then back to Bendik. “Okay, that’s sounds interesting. We’re listening.”
For the next hour, Bendik laid out the details of the Kuora universe, the intense and personal character creation system, the open-ended game mechanics, and the limitless nature of what was possible in the world.
He also emphasized the power of the nanite developments his company had made in secret, and their capacity to sync with and support the human genome in progressing epigenetically. He discussed mitochondrial density, gut bacteria, neural pathways, and so many more things that were both fascinating and amazingly well explained.
At some point, Irene realized she’d decided to agree a long time ago and was just listening to the man talk because she was so damn captivated. It’s no lie what they say about this guy; he’s a bonified genius, she thought, watching him wave his hands about with childlike glee as he described how the accepted understanding of quantum entanglement was too limited.
Ben leaned over as Bendik scratched geometric and non-Euclidian shapes on a yellow memo pad. Ben asked something about state decay, and that sent Bendik into another flurry. He flipped the page and sketched new forms. He explained about flawless state manipulation, angles of particle spin and how variable gating and massive simultaneous pairings could be used to create self-sustaining systems.
Irene followed most of it, but Ben was on the moon. The information had to be black-box, closed-door, super-secret stuff, and here Bendik was, acting like a kid, telling them all about it. He was nothing like Irene’s idea of a multi-billionaire.
Ben was utterly entranced by the conversation and had been asking the questions for quite some time while Irene just listened. She was the only one to finish her tea–the two other mugs were cooled and forgotten.
Watching her son, a rush of pride hit her. Ben was brilliant, and she simply couldn’t dream of a better mentor or environment for him to grow and develop in than with Bendik and the one he was offering–especially given how hectic their life had become since Ron died.
Her heart still ached; she’d loved him deeply, but their relationship had been far from perfect, especially in the end. They were fighting a lot in the end.
After some time spent healing, she’d seen in hindsight that his death had saved them the pain of divorce. Not that it was the better option, far from it. She’d wish for him to live and to deal with the pain of a broken marriage if that was a possible choice. But it wasn’t, Ron was dead, and they had to go on living.
Upon coming to terms with their dysfunctional relationship, she’d felt guilty. Then, with some soulful reflection, she realized by recognizing and accepting the truth of her marriage, she was loving and honoring her dead husband.
It gave her the freedom to love him as he was in life and then let go of him. Let go of the embittered wife image she had of herself. It was very healing in an unexpected way.
So, she’d moved on, still loving him and releasing his memory. Now, she wore her wedding band around her neck as a reminder to cherish her own love and not give it away cheaply.
She wanted someone that could truly see her and who was willing to be seen for who they truly were; someone she could be totally for, without reservations, and whom she knew would return that support by being wholly for her.
In the wake of learning to love herself as she was, Irene estimated a relationship like that would be about the most fantastic gift imaginable.
She also knew that she wouldn’t lose herself to it–she couldn’t. Irene loved who she was far too much to lose herself.
Still, Freddy Mercury had the right of it; she too wanted someone to love. And damn if this man’s son wasn’t the first guy in years who made her curious, even if just for a few moments.
The feeling still resonated in her–it felt like hope.
Well, looks like I’ve got to see about a guy. Time to get on with it, then.
“Okay, Bendik, we’re burning daylight here,” she cut in. “And if I understand it correctly, this time compression means we’re actually losing three times more in-game hours, correct?”
Bendik was startled by Irene’s sudden interruption; her tone was decisive, which was wonderful.
Resting his hands back on the table, he replied, “Yes, that’s right, Irene. It is likely Austin and his friends are already in-game, and in a sense, you and Ben are losing time, although I’m certain it’s easily made up.”
“All the same, no reason to delay any longer. You are certain you’ll be able to ensure someone covers my shifts at the hospital and that my job will be waiting for me if this doesn’t work out? Also, Ben will be able to take his exams in-game and turn them in without penalty? And you’ll pay both of us a fair wage as independent contractors to your company?”
“To start, yes,” Bendik replied. “I will also backup my son’s promise to assist Ben, although having met him I’ll just go ahead and guarantee a full scholarship to Dartmouth in the fall of 2064. If that’s what he wants.”
Irene stopped; her brain froze at the certainty of the promise. What? Suddenly her perception of the room felt distant.
He just said that, right? She looked at Ben, and he nodded his head in quick, tight little bobs, mouth slightly agape. She hadn’t even told him about the promise from Austin yet.
Irene took a deep breath and blew it out. Ask everything, look before you leap, she reminded herself. “Okay, just a couple more questions, then. Why the rush? And why just the two of us in the middle of the night like this? You could have had an employee set up a test group of 50 people for this project months ago. Even now, I’ll bet you could get that done in a couple weeks, easy.” She leaned across the table and looked him straight in the eyes. “And finally, what do you get out of this?”
Bendik met her gaze and said nothing for several moments. Then he, too, leaned forward and spoke clearly. “I want Austin to succeed. For him to succeed, he needs good people. Kuora, the world he’s made, is alive, Irene.
“It’s not a game, not really. It’s a separate reality, and it’s delicate. The people and beings that inhabit that world have a history nearly as long and complex as our own. Their lives go on without any idea they’re in a computer. What we call a game interface, they call reality.
“When you arrive, you’ll see, Irene. They believe they’re as real as you and I believe we are real. You may begin to see that despite what you know, you feel that they’re right.”
His eyebrows went up. “Raises some interesting questions about the legitimacy of our reality and who may be living here with us.” Bendik let the silence after the thought draw on.
“Wooah.” Ben exhaled as he collapsed back in his seat.
Irene was less impacted. She figured that if this was a digital world for the entertainment of an alien race, so be it, there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. She just continued to look at the man. There was more, she knew it, and even though she’d accept right now if he forced the issue, what was there to lose by just waiting quietly for the whole answer?
Bendik did not disappoint and continued, “Ultimately, Irene, the answer to your question of why now is twofold. First, our planet is grossly mismanaged. Far too much power is held by individuals that are iconic representations of humanity’s worst. Behind them, secretly propping them up and pulling their strings are legitimate devils. And almost without exception, they pursue small minded agendas; bent on accumulating control and wealth without any regard or respect for our part in this grand symbiosis.
“Humanity must evolve if it’s going to survive. People everywhere feel that the system is not for them, so they don’t trust. This cuts into the fabric of their lives spreading unease and mistrust where acceptance and confidence are the only answer.
“Our inability to grasp the importance of connection is going to sink the human race as a whole. All while the wealthiest amongst us are polishing the brass and checking the bottom line. We must learn to prioritize the individual and the whole in support of each other–not one at the cost of the other.
“This project can make a difference. Austin’s Kuora will provide a world that molds people into their best selves while healing the broken souls that litter the battlefield of life.” He paused and pressed slightly closer. “Don’t you agree that’s something we need?”
Irene nodded slowly, holding her emotional response tight. “I definitely agree with that.”
“I know you do, you’re far less lost than most.”
Irene once again found herself stunned. Within her, hope that this Kuora was what he said competed with anxiety about how he could know that about her. The later seemed the more difficult to grasp. How can he know about me?
Bendik continued, “That difference can shift the balance. It can break our collective addiction with denial, concern, and fear, and it can reorient our focus on the realization of self-knowledge, accepting what is and looking for healing solutions. With a critical mass of people, I think we can achieve a new paradigm where whole groups hold the line for the good. We, as a race, need that.
“The universe Austin has created is alive; if it dies, something extraordinary will die, and although we can start again, it’s not as simple as hitting the reset button. The QI Austin created to run Kuora is a remarkable being of tremendous empathetic depth. I am not sure Elle would survive the collapse. Austin would surely bear the scars; would he be able to impart into another QI the gift that he has with Elle after being damaged by that?”
Bendik sat back. “I don’t know honestly. Probably he could. Austin is an extraordinary person. But at best, that would be six months out, and it’s an unknown. I don’t want to trade a future unknown for this current possibility.”
Bendik took a deep calming breath; he obviously cared about the subject and had gotten a bit worked up. Composed again, he continued, “The second answer to your question about why is that I’m not entirely in control of this project, Austin is. And for the good of all, I cannot talk with him yet, my words bear too much weight on his thinking.
“What I can do is what I do best, what I’ve done my whole life, the thing that’s more responsible for my success than anything else. I can find good people, then give them direction and the tools they need so they can do something amazing.
“If he’s going to succeed, if Kuora is going to become the healing tool humanity needs, Austin will need to find a way to integrate our reality into the collective minds of its inhabitants. And he needs a good team to do that–a damn good team. People get chewed up by this life, Irene. The ones that come out stronger, wiser, and with their love intact are the people we need. They’re the ones who will find the path and trust themselves to stay on it.”
He relaxed back and crossed his legs but continued to hold her gaze. “That is something I believe we both understand. And in the simplest terms, it is why I’m here with you and Ben. Trust. You have something to fight for, and you’ll hold the line for the good, as will Austin and the rest of the team.”
He paused for a few seconds and looking down, brushed some nonexistent lint from his sweater. His tone eased. “If I’m wrong, it’ll be impossible to hide the truth and we’ll part ways. You’ll have some more money, and Ben will have a ticket to a prestigious university paid in full.
“But I’m not wrong, Irene. Not about this, not about you and not about Ben.” Bendik finished and settled in to wait–he had apparently said everything he was going to say.
The silence that followed redefined the word pregnant.
Damn, he’s good, Irene thought to herself. She didn’t say anything right away and just processed Bendik’s words. Everything he said resonated with her and had the ring of sincerity, which made it easy to believe the man.
She could see how he got results at the highest levels. It was different than his son�
��s way, more polished and a bit more confident, but she could see Austin in his father. Interestingly, although this man’s words spoke to her, his spirit did not in the way Austin’s did.
With that thought, she still felt something was missing from the full truth, but she also knew she wasn’t getting any more answers. The reality with a man like Bendik was that some part of the whole truth was probably always missing. And not even in a malevolent way; he was just so far ahead of everyone that explaining all of his reasons would consume way too much time.
She looked over at her son again. If Ben had been enthusiastic before, now he’d advanced to some new state she’d never seen. It was something close to outright rebellion in the face of any answer other than yes. Here we go.
“Okay, we’re in. Should we pack anything?” Standing up, she held out her hand to shake Bendik’s. He rose as well and came around the table, grasping her hand as if to shake it, but then pulled her into a hug. The gesture of familiarity took her totally off guard, and she stiffened for a moment.
Dammn, he’s a good hugger. Irene thought and, before she knew it, she found herself hugging him back. A long moment passed, and he released her, then responded to her question.
“No need to pack, just lock up and let’s get out of here. We’ve got to get to the lab, and although we’ve still quite a lot to cover in not much time, it’s better to begin when we get there.”
12
A New Reality
The ride to the facility was Irene’s induction into her new universe. What she imagined Bendik’s tech could do, compared to riding in Bendik’s tech, was like the difference between watching Alice in Wonderland and actually being Alice; strapped to the outside of spaceship; while dropping acid.
In short, it was utterly unknowable without living through it.
It started with getting into his vehicle. She’d seen some fantastic vehicles because of the rich folk that came through Raymond in the summer.