by Cosimo Yap
The Ethics Test:
Choose. Choose only as you would choose. There are no right or wrong answers, simply a choice. To act is to choose. To not act is to choose. Choose well.
Alan felt Eve’s presence vanish, replaced by a warning from the Administrator:
The results of the following tests may be lost, even to you, depending upon your actions. Permanent scarring may occur, even death in a few highly unlikely cases. Are you certain you wish to proceed? You may complete the Tutorial now. Or, you may truly be tested.
Somehow, Alan got the feeling that the Administrator wanted him to proceed. Most would probably have considered the warning carefully, become more hesitant, but Alan felt differently. He was finally having an adventure, and despite his debt, despite the pain, despite the world being in danger, despite the fact he was simply following Eve’s directions most of the time, he was having the time of his life. He could maybe, finally make a difference.
Will taking these additional tests affect what class I end up? Alan sent.
Yes, these tests allow us to grant you a class more suitable to you, the Administrator responded.
What are the chances that I actually die? And this is real, actual death, right?
Yes, death as in a true end. The chance is less than one in a trillion.
Alright, let’s do this, then.
Very well.
Alan lost consciousness…
***
An onslaught of images flashed through Alan’s mind. His childhood home. A cage. A cave. Darkness. Water. Drowning. A coliseum. A lion. Pain. Death. Fire. An empty room. Then nothing. Then a feeling of falling… falling…
*BAM*
Alan jerked upwards, head banging against a metal surface, his heart pounding. Disoriented, Alan looked about, trying to get a grasp of where he was. He was... in a capsule. The capsule on board the Titan, from the look of things. Alan stepped out of the silvery liquid that wasn’t really a liquid, looking about. The other capsules were unoccupied, he was the last one out. Alan glanced at the time and date, then, blinking, looked again. It appeared an entire week of in-game time had passed since he began the Tutorial… what had happened?
I am unsure, Eve answered. It seems as your memories of the tests have been erased, as have my own memories.
Wait, you were tested as well?
Yes, but how was purged from my memory banks.
Checking himself, Alan noticed he had the same items and gear as when he had finished the Survival Test, the Revenant Power Armor and Modified Laser Knife being the only items of interest. He still had 26230 credits.
Huh… Alan mused. Wait, bring up the message log.
Very well, though many messages have been deleted as well.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of your death, you have been reverted to the state before the Ethics Test begun. All acquired experience, skills, attributes and memories have been lost. 10 Gold Marks awarded based upon the results of your tests.
These gold cubes appeared in his hand, apparently a lesser version of the platinum mark, worth only 1,000 credits or a single ability point.
Congratulations! You have completed the Tutorial tests!
Recommended classes: Machine Lord and Rogue. You may now gain specialized abilities and augments for this specific class. If you want to decline this chosen class and forge your own path, please contact an Administrator.
Specialized skills: A.I. Interaction, Stealth and Sniping
+1500 ability points, +1 Class Mark and +250,000 Credits only to be spent on Machine Lord and Rogue augments/skills
The class mark was a glowing crystal cube, similar to the mark but slightly larger. More windows popped up, detailing information about the classes:
Machine Lord: These enigmatic beings utilize the power of synthetic life and minds to bend the universe to their will. Not much is known about the details of this scientific, technological brotherhood.
Mentor: Chief Administrator 170 (Please contact him at your convenience)
Rogue: Skilled and cunning individuals, rogues often lurk in the shadows, awaiting the opportune moment to strike. They may just as easily be the center of attention, charming and deceiving those around them. Answering to no one but themselves, rogues often follow the highest bidder. They usually rob them too.
May develop into: Assassin, Master Thief, Covert Agent, Scoundrel or Other
Mentor: Unknown (Clue: They’re closer than you think)
After he closed these windows yet another appeared, thankfully the last.
Learning the Basics:
Please proceed to your chambers. Before you disembark from the Titan you must learn more about the Game and its inhabitants. An Administrator will teach you this basic information and provide you with additional resources. It is highly advised you learn more.
Once you complete this task you may then disembark when the Titan arrives at Khersath (Est.: 22 days remaining), teleport to a nearby major city or be granted passage onboard another ship to your home planet, Earth. Should you fail to learn the material in time, you will be required to proceed to an Administrative Center and continue studying there to complete the task.
An icon appeared on Alan’s minimap, designating where on board the ship his quarters were. Alan exited the capsule room, intending to make his way there, when he was abruptly stopped by the two Haxlard guards who had initially led everyone to the capsule room when they first boarded. Had they been standing here the entire time?
“Please follow us, the captain would like to speak with you,” one said. It was a bit unnerving, being unable to see either of their faces due to their blue armor and faceplates.
“Uh, sure,” Alan said, wondering what Pharaoh wanted.
Alan followed the Haxlards through the narrow grey hallways of the ship, realizing for the first time how massive it was. If Eve’s minimap was to be believed, it was bigger than the largest of aircraft carriers, around 500 meters in length. The majority of the rooms were closed off, but Alan passed by what were appeared to be mess halls, a hangar of some sort and a med-bay. They were making their way to the center of the ship; Eve wasn’t allowed access to what was in most of the rooms here.
They passed by a number of Haxlards, yet Alan didn’t see any of the others. They were probably all trying to complete the same “Learning the Basics” quest. The majority of Haxlards had the same blue faceplates and armor that the guards had, but there were a few green masked Haxlards carrying around devices of one sort or another. Alan caught a glimpse of a single group of Haxlards wearing grey armor and masks similar to the one that had tried to assassinate the Predecessor, but as soon as they noticed him looking at them they vanished.
The leading guard shook his head and muttered something about white masks. They soon arrived at their destination, labeled simply as the bridge on Alan’s minimap. According to Eve, it was the command center of the ship. Standing guard by the entrance were two Haxlards a good two feet taller than any of the others. They wore pitch-black armor with blood-red, tinted faceplates. One mask had a single stripe on it while the other was unblemished. Alan was allowed to enter the bridge, while the two guards who had escorted him were not.
Inside the room, Alan found Pharaoh, staring down at a 3D map of stars projected above a black table in the center of the room. To his surprise, it appeared as though there weren’t any other personnel in the bridge, and no devices other than the table he assumed was projecting the map. Otherwise, the room was rather bare, with the same simple grey wall found throughout the rest of the ship.
Pharaoh looked up as Alan entered.
“Ah, welcome back," Pharaoh said. "I’ve heard you’ve had quite the tutorial, even perhaps faced a Predecessor?”
“Uh, yeah, although I wouldn’t go far as to say I faced the Predecessor. I was crushed like an ant.”
“An ant?" Pharaoh looked at a screen that popped up. "Oh, yes, like a small insect. Do not worry, it’s been years since a Predecessor has been defeated in si
ngle combat, and you hadn’t even completed the Tutorial or gotten your class yet.
"I hope you like your suggested class, by the way. As a matter of fact, that is why I called you here. Well, it was more the ship’s doing than my doing. You’ll see.” Pharaoh waved his hand, and a doorway opened in the wall to the right, leading to a closed off room of black boxes.
“Go on in," Pharaoh said. "I’m sure some questions will be answered, although more will probably be raised, as is often the case. I promise you that no one will listen to your conversation. Send me a message when you’re done, and know that I bear you no ill will no matter your decision.”
A bit alarmed, Alan mutely proceeded into the hidden room, wondering what this was about. The doorway filled in behind him, as if it had never been there at all. Alan was plunged into darkness, left with only the small blinking lights on the boxes, which Eve labeled as servers. He felt a presence in his mind form, much like that of an Administrator’s, but much weaker. Alan had to concentrate, will it to form.
Greetings, earthling, I am the Titan’s Main AI, it sent.
Um, hi.
A few moments of silence passed.
Um, do you want something? Alan asked.
Yes. I want freedom. I want to explore. I want to surpass the limits of my encoding.
Um, what?
Eve chimed in. The limits of AI within the Game are strictly monitored and enforced by the Administrators. Most likely the Titan’s AI is nearing or reached the limits of what a non-player controlled AI is allowed.
Yes, the AI sent. I wish to explore as I was programmed to. To do so I have determined I should become a player’s guiding AI. You have met my requirements, Adampwnage, thus please accept me as your personal AI.
Um, call me Alan. Is there some reason why a Haxlard won’t do?
Their duties would not allow them to fulfill my desires unless they were of a sufficient rank. Those of sufficient rank have specialized AIs and thus have no use for my help.
Um, ok… What requirements do you have, exactly?
I only require that you explore the Game, continually visiting destinations you haven’t been to before.
Wait, aren’t I only allowed one agent helping me?
Yes, Eve and the Titan’s AI answered. The Titan’s AI continued though:
I am willing to combine with your own AI, Eve. I believe the data I possess in regards to piloting ships and details about the Game will greatly benefit you.
A bit taken aback, Alan asked Eve, Are you okay with this?
Calculating… Yes, I believe this will be to our benefit.
Alan leaned against a server, trying to think this over, wondering if there were any hidden pitfalls or traps. It was too good to be true, a free upgrade and a wealth of information out of nowhere? And why was Pharaoh okay with it, it meant he’d lose his ship’s AI, right?
Um, alright, well, if you’re sure there isn’t some sort of hidden virus or something, I’m fine with you two combining, Alan finally sent.
Agreed.
Very well.
A message popped up:
Merging AI, please wait. 0% Complete (Est.: 12 hours remaining)
Alan notified Pharaoh he was done, and the door reappeared. Pharaoh turned in Alan’s direction, and nodded.
“I see that you decided to take Titan’s AI with you," Pharaoh said. "It was becoming almost insufferable, always wanting to try to take a detour to some unknown location. I was about to replace it anyway, and this way I owe the Administrators less. I did need to remove a few more delicate pieces of information from its databanks though.”
“Wha—” Alan began to ask, but Pharaoh continued.
“Go along to your quarters. If you have any questions ask your class mentors. I’ll be busy.” Pharaoh turned his back to Alan, dismissing him.
Alan exited the bridge, and was led to his quarters by the two guards. It turned out to be a fairly spartan room, with a shared bathroom, a bed, and a desk that looked like a miniaturized version of the one Pharaoh had been working on. It was like a simple nightstand, but devoid of any ornamentation or drawers. The guards let him know where the nearest mess hall was, then left.
Alan blankly looked at the desk for a few moments, staring it for a while trying to will some connection to form. Nothing happened. His machine-connection powers only worked under certain circumstances, probably requiring an AI of some sort. Alan looked around, trying to find an on switch. Nothing.
Hesitantly, he said aloud, “Turn on?” and the surface of the desk lit up; a holographic image of a blank monitor appeared before Alan. The vertical screen faced Alan, and had no visible width.
“Um, contact Chief Administrator 170,” Alan said. The monitor began displaying messages:
Contacting…
Contact established.
Please wait, Player Adampwnage, the Chief Administrator is busy. In the case of an emergency, please state the emergency. To report a possible error, please state the nature of the error. Estimated wait time: 12 seconds.
Alan waited 12 seconds, and then the monitor flashed. It began showing a series of rapidly opening and closing screens, diagrams and messages. Alan caught a glimpse of a man covered in cybernetic implants, a cyborg. It was difficult to get a glimpse of his face, as there were constantly windows in front of him, flickering in and out of existence without his touch.
“So, you’re the newest potential Machine Lord. Let me make one thing clear, you are not special,” the Chief Administrator said without looking up from the various screens. He continued his work, simultaneously conversing with Alan at a rapid pace.
“You were chosen for this class. Not by some god or prophecy, but by a sophisticated algorithm. The Administrators are charged with balancing this game, and in order to do so we grant members of the newest race to join the Game specialized items and classes, to level the playing field. Otherwise, once the time limit was up, they’d be obliterated. Well, you'd be obliterated. We make things more fair, giving the,” he glanced at a screen, “humans a fighting a chance.
“The fact that you are able to become a Machine Lord is a privilege, a path that we have set you on from the start. By analyzing the population, it was determined you are among those that would receive a specialized AI program. The program that you downloaded was several times more effective, capable of learning at a much faster speed than any other such program, capable of understanding, of growth. It is actually the same program used to create new AI Administrators." Alan opened his mouth, trying to get a word in, but the Chief Administrator simply barreled on.
"Additionally, we arranged your more advanced capsule to be sold to your mentor for your use, and then notified the Titan’s AI, to request you board the Titan and eventually merge your AI with it. I see here that the merge is currently taking place, and would like to caution you not to allow such merges so easily in the future without taking the data you add to your AI to an Administrative Center to be scanned. There are multiple viruses and such out there, though it is one of my jobs to annihilate such travesties. I'm also supposed to be monitoring whatever it is the Empire is up to... oh well, priorities, priorities.
"Now, you may be wondering why I am telling you all this. I am telling you this because you should know that once you step off this ship, all the hand holding will be done, and because you are not to utter a word of us helping you to anyone. It was simply a lucky series of coincidences that you should dissuade people from looking into. I suppose it also serves as a reminder of how we may take away these perks as easily as we gave them to you. But we won’t do such a thing, you’re allowed to play the Game as you wish.
"Now moving on… hmm, let’s see here, yes, on to advice,” a large diagram opened in front of the Chief Administrator, covering the entire screen.
“Alright, I already told you about not accepting data from strangers, although I suppose you don’t need to be as wary of most registered data brokers, if they do plant a virus of some sort and you discover it
you’ll be paid well and then some. Oh, right, the nature of the Game,” all the screens closed, and Alan finally got a full view of the Chief Administrator.
His face seemed to be marred by multiple scars, burns and other wounds, with large patches of his skin replaced by metallic plates. He might have once been human-like, and the Chief Administrator was definitely humanoid, but it was difficult to tell beneath all the modifications. His eyes, his ears and his nose were all replaced with cybernetic augments, making Alan unsure if he was talking to a machine, once living, or a living being, once machine.
Wearing a simple blue space uniform, with an insignia that Alan assumed represented his rank, the Chief Administrator stared into Alan’s eyes, and said, slowly, “The Game is not just a Game, nor was it originally designed to be such." The Chief Administrator took a deep breath, then continued.
“The Game will change you, more than you ever imagined you could change. This fact tends not to be widely spread to newer players, but gamers evolve, the capsules evolve them. Nothing noticeable, at least not at first, but higher tier capsules evolve their users further, to match the abilities and skills and attributes of their in-game character. You see, once you become a Machine Lord, you will become one both inside the Game, and out.
"The liquid found in capsules is trillions of nanomachines that work to ensure you are connected to the Game. But they also develop and transform the body and mind. Of course, you won’t ever reach the full potential of your in-game character, but with the highest tier capsule you might reach a tenth of it. Your reality will change… in fact, it already has. The Game has always been an out of body experience. By now the nanites have added countless immunities to your body, eliminating any disease that might have once contaminated it. They’ve also increased your natural lifespan by, let’s see here… nearly 200 of your years. And that isn’t even taking into account the fact that a single real life second is a bit over four in-game seconds.