by Eden Blue
The group splintered off to inspect each section. Evan made his way to the Bridge. Upon entering, he watched as Venna took a seat in the commander’s chair. Fingers gently glided along the controls on each arm rest and began tapping away at screens, calling up the ship’s inventory and capabilities.
“Please insert Pris into the AI core slot. I would trust your AI over the ship’s AI at this moment,” Venna said without looking up.
Evan moved over to a control panel. Hefting the cylinder, he placed it at the slot opening and slid it in. Locks clamped down on the core and pulled it into the panel before closing and sealing shut. Evan watched in his visual display as Pris shut down the ships AI and took over.
“Core Merge is complete. AI has shut down and given up control,” Pris said to Evan.
“It didn’t even put up a fight?”
“No. It behaved like it was expecting it,” Pris answered.
Evan felt that touch of uncertainty lick his mind. The Engineer turned to Venna and stepped over to her side. The Captain continued to run scans.
“Venna, back at the station….”
The Shri-Ka stopped tapping at the small screens and turned her dark eyes to Evan, “I don’t know what or why everything happened. I find it hard to believe your brother would mastermind a coup or dismantle the entire guild. Right now, we should make sure everything is operational and head to a safe star system.”
Evan stared for a long moment, “I know… I just wanted to say thanks for staying to protect me and Lydia.”
The Captain’s shoulders sank as her eyes gave the Engineer a somber gaze, “We protected each other. We had too. I’m just glad you're both safe.”
Evan nodded, “Ryan told me to come here right before he took the stage. He left this for me…us.”
Venna turned back to the controls, “He had a reason, I’m just not sure why. The Azure Guild had close to two thousand members and about half were killed. It will be seven days before they can return to Nova Sky. If Ryan did kill the guild leaders, we won’t have an answer for seven days. I checked the cease and desist emitter pulse and it is coming from this ship. I assume this is temporary so we should take off soon and get as far away as we can before the drones return.”
Evan nodded. He was about to turn and contact the group to come to the bridge when Venna lifted a hand to gain his attention.
“Let’s keep how we found the ship between us.”
The player nodded again, the weight of their situation heavy on his shoulders. As the game seemed to slow down with each passing moment, the player couldn’t stop thoughts pouring in about what happened on Azure Station. The entire guild that had been home for several generations just fell apart in under an hour. Ryan had murdered the guild leaders and slaughtered almost half of their people. Evan knew Ryan to be strong and honorable, but everything that had happened seemed inconsistent with the brother he knew and loved. Deep down, Evan knew something more was happening and he had to find out what it was.
Evan called the other players to the bridge while sending a command to Bruiser to board the ship. With the exo-suit safely in the holding bay, the rest of the group made their way to the Bridge. After a few long moments, the Doctor, Nyn and Lydia walked in as Venna and Evan looked to them.
“The ship is fully functional. We can take off at any time. We will have the Tempest drive primed and ready once we clear the planet’s gravity. That should be enough time to escape the system and the drones,” Venna said with an even tone.
“Where should we go? We have no idea how far this has gone. There could be ships waiting for us at any of the nearby systems,” Lydia said as she hugged her waist.
Venna nodded, “I have taken that into account. We can warp tunnel to the outer rim and lay low until we can find out what exactly happened to the guild.”
“We could simply cut our losses and start over. The guild is dead. We have a badass ship. We could go anywhere,” the doctor said with a sardonic smile.
Evan looked to the doctor, “My brother set this into motion. I have to find out why.”
Doctor Vickers shook his head, “I’m sure politics came into it, but if they are killing guild members then we are still on the menu. Ships, bounty hunters, anybody could be looking for us. I can perform cosmetic changes to protect us, but trying to find a reason for your brother going off the deep end will only hurt us. I have already lost millions in the guild bank. That means the next time I die; my remaining credits will be gone and so will one of my levels.”
Evan nodded, “We all lost something, but I can’t lose my brother.”
Doctor Vickers stuffed his hands into the pockets of his white bodysuit, “Then drop me off somewhere on the rim. I would wish you luck, but doubt it will mean much.”
Evan turned to Nyn and Lydia, “And what do you want to do?”
Lydia stepped forward, hands falling to her sides, “I’m with you.”
Nyn’s face remained blank as she looked to the Engineer, “I have no place to go. I will stay with you.”
Evan sighed, “I know this situation is pretty terrible, but we can work it out. Let’s focus on getting out of the system and then we can decide what we will do next.”
The group nodded. An alert appeared in each of the player’s visual HUDs, stating mandatory recess periods. The group looked to one another, knowing full well that they had to comply and unplug from the game. Evan couldn’t remember when he last unplugged and clearly by the alert, it had been too long.
“Save and unplug. We will reconnect in four hours and take off,” Venna said with authority.
Doctor Vickers nodded before his body faded from view. Nyn was next. Venna waited as Lydia stepped closer to Evan.
“We need to talk,” Lydia said with sadness in her eyes and voice.
“Meet me in Forest Edge Park. We can talk there,” Evan said with a small reassuring smile.
Lydia nodded and her body faded from view. Evan turned to Venna, the Shri-Ka eyeing him with a touch of concern.
“I too know your brother had a reason for this madness. We may have an option to explore when we reconnect. For now, get some rest and we can discuss when you return,” Venna said with understanding dark eyes.
Evan nodded, a weariness seeping into his mind. With a mental tap of the log out command, a counter counted down in a few short seconds before the digital reality melted away and replaced with darkness.
***
Evan lay in his chair, eyes closed for a long span of time. Taking in a deep breath, he reached up and pulled off the Nova Gear helmet and placed it on his lap. With practiced ease, he reached over to the feeding tube around his arm and tapped at a red button. It turned green and the safety band opened. Evan didn’t wince as he pulled away the band, the needle slipping from his arm. Looking down, a bruise had formed. Letting the band drop and hang by the chair, Evan reached for a nearby desk and picked up a tube of ointment. Putting a drop on the bruise, he rubbed it into the skin until the old stinging sensation was gone. Inspecting it again, the bruise began to fade. In a matter of hours, it would be gone, healed completely.
Evan put the helmet on the desk and picked up a network phone. He dialed Ryan and put the phone to his ear. It rang several times before it went to voicemail. Evan hung up and placed the phone down. The room was dark except for the blinking lights along the Nova Sky console. Evan stared at those lights as mental images of his brother rose up like a storm cloud, painting his mind with questions and no answers.
Four
Evan stood at the dome edge, watching rivers of water cascade down the transparent surface. Thoughts floated on as thick dark clouds covered the sky beyond. Lightning flashed and the rain continued to beat against the surface. Waves crested and crashed against the dome surface as if the outer world was trying to break in.
The world was smaller, now that humans lived only in floating domes. Memories rose up as Evan thought back to his teachings in school. History rolled through him like a tidal wave, co
nsuming him as he stared out at the dark, turbulent sea.
Nearly two hundred years ago, humans lost the fight against climate change. It took about twenty years, but as the natural disasters increased in power and size, the oceans rose, swallowing land, cities, and people. At first it was only coastal towns and cities, but quickly affected the entire globe. The last of the ice caps finally melted and soon every land mass was covered in water. The threat of wars fell away as humanity realized there would be no land or resources left to fight for. The rising tides, disease, and diminishing farmland led to a global crisis. Each country banded together to try and stop the enveloping oceans, but it was too little too late. The acceleration of melting was unprecedented causing the oceans to grow deeper at a rate humanity wasn't prepared for.
Panic swelled as scientists and engineers worked to save humanity. The death toll rose as well, claiming people in the millions. In several short years, half the population died in watery graves aiding in the human effort to construct alternative shelters. Those clever enough, built floating makeshift towns to combat the rising tide only for many of those towns to be destroyed by monstrous storms. No place was safe as the sky struck down and the oceans rose up.
With several billion dead or dying, the last of humanity united together to create stable, floating domed cities from what remaining resources they had. They shared the designs and construction bloomed amid the watery chaos. With the people working together, twelve floating cities were constructed before the last bits of habitable land sank below and the storms grew out of control. Despite their size, the domes were still not big enough to house everyone and many more drowned, clawing at the clear surface Evan stared out of. The stories were still told, generations later how families escaped. The only ones let in had to have some skill or training they could contribute to the new society. Those with none were turned away to the rains and rising waters.
Evan remembered how some of the teachers would speak of that time with a tear in their eyes. He remembered how families were torn apart as the end of the world played out during the great deluge. The domed cities were strong and made of special plastics and metals that could withstand even artillery strikes. They had to be to fend off the remaining populace desperately fighting to break in. As the waters rose, the cities floated on and people cursed them before sinking below.
In the beginning, the cities, each named after a species of tree, still required a lot of work. Families set to task, providing infrastructures of power, food, and amenities. Septic systems were built, homes furnished, and food was grown. Algae was farmed to create a stable food source to supplement. Animals were separated to continue farming meat. Each family tended to a private garden to grow fruits and vegetables under artificial light. Purpose filled the first families to build a better life while the world drowned outside the domes. Stabilizers were installed to stop the rocking motion and solar panels installed at the top of the domes to generate power before the storms grew. When the sun no longer shined, special fusion generators were built to provide power. Special underwater wave fans used the motion of the ocean to power generators. Lightning rods were erected on the top of domes and channeled the energy into waiting batteries. By combining all three green energies, power had become plentiful.
Years passed and the panic of survival began to wane. Food was abundant and the domes were nearly self-sufficient, opening time for some to look to other means to stay busy. For a time, there were many discussions on trying to reverse the climate change, but every plan fell short either from time or resources. The last bit of humanity grew content to wait it out, for a little while. As time marched on, malaise and boredom took root. The people began to lose their will, realizing it would take hundreds, even thousands of years before the earth healed itself from the damage humanity caused.
A group of engineers and scientists knew if it continued, the domes would turn on one another and humanity would once again be on the brink. As an immediate fix they designed a virtual universe so people would not feel so confined in the floating cities. With the right equipment, people could lose themselves in a universe they could explore for generations.
Nova Sky was born.
The game universe was designed and implemented in just a few short years. A multi-species, space fantasy adventure, Nova Sky provided the exploration, creativity, and social interaction that had dimmed in the wake of the current state of humanity. At first, people played a little at a time, but soon it snow-balled into a wanting phenomenon. The dome governments put special restrictions on the game world so people would not stay plugged in and ignore their duties. Recess was a requirement and special tests were made to ensure people could handle the game and their real-world duties. As the domes grew more and more automated, the restrictions lessened to a degree. Avatar testing became a requirement to play certain races to ensure a fulfilled playing experience. Laws were passed that separated the game world from the real one. When you played, you had to keep your real Terran name for accountability purposes unless you played one of the three other races. Children still had to go to school to learn their trade, but they had access to a toned-down version of Nova Sky. However, when a child turned 16, they could test and enter the full virtual world of Nova Sky.
Evan thought about the last 150 years that the game existed. Nova Sky had become an integrated part of life as the domed cities floated on an endless ocean.
The Nova Sky Gear was made up of a helmet and game console. The helmet sent signals, painting the mind’s eye and connecting through an implant at the base of the skull. The mind was often fooled by digital sensations fed through the implant. Many took to it much faster than expected and had difficulty adjusting to reality, preferring the digital world of exploring an endless universe. The governments allowed special feeding tubes so players would not become malnourished or dehydrated on longer sessions. They set restrictions, mandating a four hour recess every two days. It was during those times people would unplug, do chores and roam the floating cities, reconnecting with reality and family.
When people returned to the game, it was often the wild west at first. Most players explored while others killed and followed their darker impulses. Death had no meaning in a game where you could go anywhere and resurrect endlessly. New restrictions were built in to help ensure all players were on equal footing. Should a player die in the game, there was a seven-day lockout. This was created to give a sense of weight to death. Shortly after, a new rule was implemented that with each death, a player would lose a level and suffer a financial deduction in the game and in reality. This ensured the players would take the game seriously and curb some of the darker impulses. It worked over time, causing many players to band together and work toward bigger goals.
Evan lifted a hand and touched the transparent surface of the Oak Dome. He was a sixth-generation citizen. He knew he would forever be trapped in the floating city for the rest of his life, but Nova Sky let him explore the universe. Even if it was just a virtual one, it was a universe he could travel, free from the bonds of his enclosed reality.
The sound of shoes on a wooden path caused Evan to turn his head. Eyes drinking in the young woman walking toward him caused a small smile to bloom as the world stormed outside. Lydia gave a heartfelt smile as she approached. Short brown hair hung to the sides of her face, framing it. Pale skin and brown eyes stared back at her cousin as she approached. The two looked at each other with a knowing smile before arms rose up and they gave each other a warm hug.
Lightning flashed outside as they continued to hold each other. After a long moment, they released from their embrace, eyes turning from warm joy into mutual sorrow. Evan turned and walked to a nearby bench. Lydia followed. The two sat down, thoughts storming on and picking what they wanted to say. Lydia was first to break the silence.
“Did you call Ryan?”
Evan nodded, “I did and he’s not picking up. The shuttles between the domes are suspended until the storms lighten up. I assume he doesn’t wa
nt to talk to anyone right now.”
Lydia’s shoulders deflated, “I don’t know what to do. I joined the guild so I would have a support system to gain levels. What Ryan did will tear it all down. Why did he do that?”
Evan could see the pain in her eyes. He had played Nova Sky for years and heard stories of guilds tearing themselves apart and the drama involved. But she was brand new, ready to take on the universe with the guild family. Now that family was gone, the weight had only grown.
Evan smiled, trying to keep things light, “We shouldn’t dwell on what happened. We should come up with a plan for getting some answers.”
Lydia looked up and Evan went into business mode.
“Since we have some time before we go back in, I can help you become more acquainted with the game. I’m sure you have a lot of questions.”
Lydia nodded, “It has been overwhelming.”
Evan nodded, “Then tell me your class and occupational abilities. We can use it to help come up with a plan to find Ryan.”
A fire burned in Lydia’s eyes as she nodded with determination, “Booster Cyborg. I can increase power, attack, defense, and CPU capabilities. I’m a support class, better suited to assisting in situations.”
Evan smiled, “Engineer, builder and modifier. I can assist with ships, power suit upgrades, and repairs. Now that we know our classes, what do you know about the main conflicts in Nova Sky?”
Lydia’s eyes moved to the side for a moment before looking to Evan once again, “I know there are four races: Terran, Shri-Ka, Lyress, and Krekken. All four are looking to expand their empires and hunting down Titans. The Krekken have the largest civilization with over a trillion people. The Lyress is the smallest empire. The Terran and Shri-Ka are about equal with a few billion each. All sides have an accord with mutual expansion of territory and respect for the other races.”
Lydia’s fire dimmed and her eyes lost some of their focus, “This is all taught in grade school. What does it have to do with what happened on Azure Station?”