Two days had passed. All that time Alex lived in the medical center with Nixie. She said that it was her duty to guard and help the man 24/7. Hence, even in the night-time the android stood not far from the capsule with a sleeping human and watched him.

Every day Alex underwent a thorough medical examination and continued to work out and ate low-cal food. Additionally, the man noticed that he had lost some weight when he was in a coma.

I need to be persistent. Only regular physical exercises can help me to get into shape.

The human still looked as a plump man in the mirror, but a progress was obvious. He didn't look like a ball with short arms and legs anymore!

On the first day Alex had a conversation with Mother. She was curious about that “song” that Alex had heard from the alien transmitter. At least the man thought so.

On the night of the first day Alex had that weird dream - with a strange electronic noise – again. As always, that dream was vague. Alex couldn't remember particular details, except that he had allocated all his earned points into an intellectual attribute.

Have I become smarter? It was his first thought in the morning.

On the evening of the second day Alex had a new conversation with the central AI. The hologram looked sad. She told the man that his DNK had regressed again. Mother even showed 3D model of his brain with a lot of red zones. More than half of my brain is red now.

“I guess, violence is a catalyst of your DNK regression, Alex. Battlefield is the best place for your bad ancient forgotten instincts to thrive. But I'm impressed, Alex. You can suppress your bad desires and your urge to harm others.”

My urge to harm others?! WTF?! Do you truly believe that I'm some kind of a monster?!

At that moment Alex glanced at armed Nixie. An answer is obvious.

“Mother, do you believe that the ancient humans were... so bad?”

“Do you think that they weren't, Alex?”

The hologram smiled. She looked kind and friendly.

Can I say “I do”? He stared in her eyes for a moment and glanced at the android that also eyed him. I can't risk. I don't know what the directives the central AI has.

“I... I just want to have a hope that I will be alright, Ma'am.”

“I understand you. You are afraid to lose to your bad desires. But know that you are not alone.”

During those days Alex continued to read news about the war on the surface.

Paradise Garden became a battlefield. Now it was obvious that the Rag'zork didn't want to give up this town, as well as a whole region. Thus, they sent a reinforcement. Two robotic infantry regiments - that had tried to encircle the enemy in Paradise Garden earlier – were pushed back.

The situation doesn't look good there. Do we need to expect a massive counterattack in that region in the near future?

A tough battle was still happening for the Bright cliff. This is one of the biggest fortress on the planet. It guards a huge and last space port of Commonwealth that functions on the surface yet. The colony can't lose it! Or a provision of the fleet will be severed.

Recently Alex learned that a main industrial complex of the colony was situated on the planet; deep underground. Losing a space port is the same as losing the fleet.

The colony couldn't allow to lose Bright cliff!

City New-Hope was lost. As a result, the Rag'zork had concentrated their forces in the city and recently launched a massive attack against the Commonwealth troops.

Currently the enemy, using an aviation in a great number, is advancing along the road that leads to the fortress “Great Gate”. Damn! This is a direct road to the entrance of the underground city, where we – humans – live!

Alex knew that this attack – towards the Great Gate - was very dangerous. The aliens, figuratively speaking, are knocking at our door! If we fail in protecting the fortress, then the Rag'zork will pour in the underground city like a river.

The man recalled his previous battles and a command from the central AI. “Show no mercy!”.

This is a war of annihilation, he realized. Thus, Alex didn't believe that the aliens would spare anyone. If we fail, the human blood will run at the streets literally.

The Commonwealth had managed to find and destroy the regional headquarters and transmitter of the Rag'zork on the continent Santory. As a result, it helped to repel the alien's massive attack on the fortress “DOM”; and it helped to disorganize their troops in the whole region.

It's a good time to start a counterattack on Santory.

An aviation of both sides began to clash in the sky around the fortress “Great Gate”.

In the outer space a small fleet of the enemy attacked a space station “Bruno”.

So far it was all news that Alex knew about the war.

As a result, Alex concluded that – without a doubt – humanity was losing the war.

“A chance of winning in this war is less than 20%?” the man muttered. Indeed, it's quite low. But what can I do to help humanity to win this war?

Alex pondered for some time but couldn't find a solution. He wasn't a professional soldier back on Earth. He just played some strategic games and watched some movies about wars. That was all his “military experience”.

It was obvious that Mother knew a tactics and a strategy much better than the man. And her military experience was richer than Alex's.

What I can do now is to fight and study hard, he concluded, but one question continued to disturb the man. Why does the central AI recruit humans as operators for robots?

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Alex recalled that scene with crying people in the Operators' room. They are useless as soldiers.

~~~~~~

On the morning of the third day Alex woke up in the capsule. Yesterday the doctor said him that it was the last day of his staying in the medical center. Finally! Today I will be discharged!

The man left the capsule and sat at the table - which had moved up earlier from the floor - to eat his meal.

Suddenly a hologram of the central AI materialized beside him. They greeted each other and Mother - who looked enthusiastic - sat at the table in front of him.

“Alex, what do you think about the game “Pinky egg”? Do you like it?”

That's a very popular multiplayer game where a player needs to collect eggs of different size and color to win unique pairs of wings that can be gifted to many cute animals that live in numerous cartoony towns across the virtual continent.

Alex – real Alex – often played in this game with his friends. So far he had an account in that game.

“That game is popular, Ma'am. Lots people play in it.”

The hologram smiled. “I know that, but I was curious about your opinion, Alex, because I've created a special version of this game to train the soldiers of our colony.”

Alex was surprised to hear that. It was hard to imagine that game as a military simulator.

“That's unexpected, Ma'am.”

“Do you want to give it a try?”

“Well... I think so.” The man nodded.

He was indeed curious to see what the machine had done to that “fluffy” and “sweet” game. Is it even possible to turn “Pinky egg” in a military simulator?

Alex imagined as numerous cute cartoony animals turns into a horde of angry bloodthirsty mutants. Ha!

“The game will be installed in your capsule automatically and it will be officially started at 7 pm today.”

“Thanks, Ma'am.” The man nodded and paused to ponder. Finally he stared right in the hologram's eyes and said. “Mother... We are losing the war.”

It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

“That's true, Alex.”

Now she looked sad.

“Nixie said...” the human glanced at the said android. “That our chances in this war is less than 20%.”

“That's also true, Alex.”

Goddammit! It means...

“It means that in the end we will lose in this war and our race – at least on this planet – will be... exterminated? Am I right, Ma'am? The Rag'zork will exterminate us?”

The man knew the right answer, but he wanted to hear it from the central AI.

“That's true.” She said briefly.

Alex experienced fear for a moment. We all are doomed!

A little later he said calmly. “I see. Thanks, Ma'am.”

Then the human continued his speech. “I have already fought against Rag'zork on the surface and in space and saw their fearsome warriors. They are good, as well as the robots under minor AIs command. But our human recruits... I think they are ineffective as soldiers.”

He paused, eying the machine.

“Do you want to say that a mobilization of humans is a waste of time, Alex?”

He nodded. As well as a waste of resources.

“We are losing the war, Ma'am. I want to help the colony. Thus I don't understand why you do it, Ma'am.”

Suddenly the hologram's expression and demeanor changed. Now the machine looked serious.

“I do it to give you all a chance, Alex.”

“What do you mean, Ma'am?”

But Mother said pleasantly. “Thanks for a nice conversation, Alex! I hope you will like a new version of “Pinky egg”!”

The man nodded. He realized that the central AI didn't want to continue their conversation. Therefore, a little later they both bid farewell to each other and Mother's hologram disappeared.

To give us all a chance? Alex thought and looked at the meal that was on the table.

~~~~~~

Evening. 7 pm

Alex was discharged from the medical center earlier and now lay in his capsule. In a moment the lid moved to close the capsule. The man's vision blurred immediately.

~~~~~~

[Welcome in the special version of “Pinky egg”, soldier!]

Alex saw a message that had popped up in front of him. Then it faded out and - in a second - the man – with four other players - stood in the cartoony town. They were surrounded by many cute small animals of unknown breed, which moved around and looked happy.

Suddenly a large bunny in a top hat – at least it very resembles a bunny - halted beside them and said. “Greeting, friends!”

Other four people said “Hello, friend!” in unison and smiled. They looked like happy children.

“I'm happy to see you in our town! But a great disaster has come in our houses!”

Alex saw as some of the cartoony animals around began to cough. Now they all didn't look as good as a moment ago. A few had even a running nose.

The large bunny sneezed.

“What has happened, bunny friend?!” a female player exclaimed in a worry. “What can we do to help you?!”

Do they understand that these animals aren't real? Alex glanced at his team members and saw that they truly looked worried.

“Some days ago a group of bad villains had come to our town and spread an infection in the air. Now we all are ill and, if you don't help us, we will die!”

“A group of villains?!” Now the Alex's team mates looked disturbed and even scared. “Are you all dying?!”

The large bunny coughed. “Please, gather some eggs for us! They will cure our illness!”

A little but very cute animal came up to the team and stared at the players. It looked terrible.

Cough! Cough!

“Please... I just need an egg to be healthy again... ” the little and cute animal begged weakly.

In that moment all cartoony animals around started to beg to help them.

Finally the players – with tears in their eyes - agreed. Therefore, a team of five – armed with rifles - left the town. They were accompanied by a little animal that looked unwell.

Soon the team had reached their destination and saw their goal: eggs of different size and color that lay across the meadow.

When the players was going to gather them, a few cartoony green zorks jumped out from the forest abruptly and ran towards the eggs. Each alien hold a hammer in his arms.

Their appearance scared the players and they withdrew instantly. Now the team looked panicked. The players didn't expect to see the aliens in the game.

Alex withdrew with the team. He decided to observe without an interference. The man was curious what would happen next.

The cartoony zorks began to break the eggs one by one. They didn't pay any attention to the players.

“Ah... Those bad villains - who had brought that infection in our town - are breaking the eggs...” the little animal said weakly and sneezed. “Please, stop them... Or they will break all eggs... and we will die...”

Alex saw that his team mates wanted to help the animals, but they were scared; thus hesitant.

“I... I will do it!” Unexpectedly one of the players screamed. He raised his rifle and pushed a trigger.

A series of laser beams propelled to the enemy, but they all missed.

The cartoony zorks continued to break the eggs. They still didn't pay any attention to the players.

The player fired off again. This time a laser hit an alien. As a result, the enemy had burst into many bubbles; that looked like soap bubbles.

Soon all team members opened fire, including Alex. Quickly all cartoony Rag'zork were turned into bubbles.