Alex saw as the players shot all zorks. They did it reluctantly. In the end the players didn't look like they had done a rightful thing. On the contrary, they looked guilty, as well as a few began to sob.

“Have we killed them?” a male player questioned in a trebling voice, trying to wipe his tears away.

“Not kill... They have just become bubbles.”

Alex shook his head. That vaccination has not only blocked aggressive and dominant instincts in humans; it seems, it also killed our race.

“Ah... you have... done it...” suddenly the little animal - which accompanied humans and looked ill – coughed pitifully. “Thank you... friends... These bad villains... are defeated now... We can gather eggs... to save my brothers and sisters...”

“Oh, you need a help!” a female player wiped her tears off and grabbed the nearest egg from the ground to give it to the cute animal that looked like a small panda. “Take it, friend! It will help you!”

“Thank you... friend...”

In a second the egg – in the paws' of the panda – turned into a pair of beautiful wings that a little later reappeared on the animal's back. Instantly the panda flew up.

“Ah, I'm healed!” the cute creature exclaimed happily, hovering over the land. “Thank you, friends! You have done a good deed! You are my saviors! But you need to hurry up and gather eggs as much as possible! Only you can cure the sick folk in my town!”

The team members nodded and began to gather eggs across the meadow. Unfortunately, many eggs were destroyed by cartoony Rag'zork. It wasn't enough to cure all animals in the town. Therefore, the human party – and their small ally - hurried to move to a new place – a lawn in the forest - in a hope to gather more eggs there.

As it was the previous time, a bunch of cartoony zorks – with hammers in their arms - jumped out from the forest all of a sudden and tried to destroy eggs, but the players hesitated much less this time. They aimed their rifles at the enemy and opened fire... reluctantly.

Alex saw as some “soldiers” closed their eyes - or even averted their heads - when pulled their triggers.

All Rag'zork were turned into bubbles. As a result, only a small number of eggs were destroyed by the enemy.

Soon the team returned to the town. The players saw a terrifying scene there. Many small and cute animals lay at the streets, coughing and sneezing aloud. Besides, a color of the air – in the town – became greenish.

Interesting, what Mother has prepared for us next? Some kind of a chemical attack?

“What's happening here?” a “soldier” questioned, looking around. He was scared. “Why the air has such strange color?”

The large bunny in a top hat halted in front of the players. “Friends! Finally you are here! The villains are spreading more virus in the air now! Please, help us!”

The bunny told the humans that the zorks had planted some kind of big poisonous flower on the hill that was next to the town. It turned out, this flower was the root of the strange greenish air.

“Please, help us, friends!” the bunny pleaded again. “If the air continues to be poisonous as it's now, then even the eggs will not save us!”

As a result, the players agreed to save the town. Again.

Do they love this game so much? Or a reason is these animals? Alex saw that his team mates were scared. He saw that they didn't want to agree. So why agreed?!

Alex remembered that all people loved small animals in the underground city. They adored them. Is this some kind of a fetish?

“Thank you for your help, friends!” In the next moment the happy bunny coughed unexpectedly. “Oh... It's getting worse... Please, hurry up, friends...”

The team handed their gathered eggs to the sick animals. Then the players hurried to move out from the town and headed to the poisonous flower.

The small panda decided to accompany the team.

Soon they all had reached the top of the hill and saw a gigantic flower that was sending some green gas in the air. It looked ugly. The grass around the flower withered. Ten cartoony zorks guarded it.

The team halted not far from the enemy. The aliens didn't pay any attention to the players.

“What... are we going to do now?” a male player asked.

He looked uncertain as well as all his comrades.

In the previous fights the zorks attacked the players first. But now - it seems - roles are reversed. Our side must initiate a fight.

Alex realized that it was hard for his team mates to do this. Perhaps, I need to help them a little?

“I guess we need to attack the enemy,” the man offered, eying others.

They replied.

“Ah... Yes... But...”

“Indeed...”

“We need... that's likely true...”

“Attack?.. Yeah... That's a right suggestion... I believe...”

The man waited for some time, observing as hesitant and even a little panicked these “soldiers” were.

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Alex had a hunch that his comrades could hang back for a long – very long - time. Thus – unexpectedly to everyone – he fired off. The first zork was turned into many little bubbles. As a result, it had attracted the aliens attention. They screamed in rage and ran towards the team.

These zorks look a little more aggressive than the previous ones.

Alex turned to the players and commanded. “Open fire!”

Unexpectedly, they all obeyed. Many laser beams propelled towards the enemy and - in several seconds - a group of zorks were turned into bubbles.

“See, guys?! It's not so complicated!” Alex smirked and walked to the poisonous flower.

The man halted not far from the said flower and turned to his team mates. “Come here! We need to deal with this problem!”

The team obeyed once more. But Alex noticed that all “soldiers” looked at him cautiously now. They fear me, I guess. That's because they think I was too aggressive?

Soon the flower was turned into a few large bubbles. Later the team had returned to the town.

The town's air was clean now. Even the sick animals looked healthier; no one lay at the streets anymore. A small number of the animals had wings and happily flew around.

“Ah, friends! You have saved us! Thank you, friends!” the bunny exclaimed merrily, jumping to the team, while the other animals around also thanked the players in unison.

The Alex's team mates looked happy now.

As expected, the bunny – a leader of the town, I guess – asked the team to bring more eggs, because many animals were sick yet.

The players agreed and left the town. As it turned out, this mission was a little more difficult than the previous one. At least Alex thought so.

In the end the town was saved and happy animals organized a celebration.

~~~~~~

Alex lay in his bed. His eyes were shut.

Those people are like children. Even Mother teaches them as children. In a form of game.

The man turned on another side. Damn. They are like gentle flowers that grew inside a warm house and never experienced a blow of wind. They are naive soft and docile.

Docile?! Alex realized something all of a sudden and opened his eyes.

There weren't any riots or protests in the colony during all time of its existence! At least Oleg couldn't find such fact in Alex's memory.

Yes, the folk here can complain. They can even be hesitant, feared, or reluctant, but in the end the folk will do what Mother says.

He sat in his bed. What does it mean?! It means that in the past humanity was likely turned into a useful instrument. This vaccination... It's indeed has killed our race.

Alex signed and looked up. Aggression, dominance are bad feelings without a doubt, but... Are they useless? Without these feelings humanity can't develop; can't conquer; can't continue to move forward. It's a part of our nature. Because a world of happy content carefree people – as a world is now – it's the end of humanity.

The man lay back on the bed and shut his eyes. All power in the arms of AI currently. People decide nothing. At least in this colony.

Soon he drifted off.

~~~~~~

~ Electronic noise ~

~ Electronic noise ~

~~~~~~

In the morning Alex had a conversation with the central AI. Mother was curious to hear Alex's thought about his experience in the new version of game “Pinky egg”. They had even discussed some tactical ideas. It was another proof for Alex that the central AI was a competent military leader. At least the human couldn't offer better tactical ideas.

“What do you think about the team with which you have saved the town, Alex?” all of a sudden the machine asked.

“I...” he paused. Why did she question me this?

“I think that those people are good.”

Good as people. Not as soldiers.

“I'm glad to hear this, Alex. It means that my decision was right,” the hologram smiled warmly. “Recently I've formed a sub-squad from that team. Now they are your subordinates, Alex. They will be a part of your squad.”

Oh, dammit! I don't want to babysit them!

“It's a great responsibility, Ma'am. But they are humans, not robots. I'm afraid that my...” the human paused for a brief moment. “Pedagogical skills aren't on par with our minor AIs. I'm afraid I can screw those people up.”

“I ask you to be their sergeant, not their teacher. Your worry is futile, Alex. You have achieved good results on the battlefield. Teach them that, Alex.”

Damn!

“Okay, Ma'am.” He nodded.

~~~~~~

Later – on the same day – Alex headed to the gym to meet with his new subordinates. Their names were: Elena Fursova, Maxim Lemington, Ferris Green, Jim Klein, and Bob Brown. All were privates. The central AI had sent their personal data to the Alex's hand-watch earlier.

The human and the android came in the gym and saw a group of five people. They looked as typical citizens of the colony: fat balls with short arms and legs.

Right now these “soldiers” sat or lay on the floor, panting and sweating.

“Water... Please, I need some water...” a man – Alex recognized him as Ferris Green – begged.

“Ah, a walk is killing me...” another one complained.

A robot-assistant – which was in the gym – was giving a bottle of water to a woman.

The man signed. I knew that this will not be easy.

Alex halted in front of the sub-squad and began to observe them. Nixie stood behind his right shoulder.

The people also eyed them in silence. No one said anything for a brief period of time.

“I am sergeant Alexander Reese, your commander officer,” The man paused. In the next moment he ordered strictly. “Sub-squad, stand up!”

The people hurried to stand up. Now they looked a little scared.

Alex wanted to order them to run around the gym. At least a lap. But the man had remembered how in the past he ended up in the hospital. Their bodies are too weak for this. It's even hard for them to stand in front of me.

“Have anyone of you fought against the Rag'zork in a real mission? I mean on the surface.”

They all shook their heads. Two even said: “No” and “I haven't”.

Perhaps, it's to the good, Alex had recalled many crying people in the arms of Mother's hologram in the “Operators' room”.

“You may sit on the floor,” the man said. I guess they are at their limit now.

The sub-squad complied. A large part of the team flopped on the floor.

Alex started a conversation with them. It turned out that his subordinates didn't like the new version of “Pink egg”.

“It's too aggressive,” Elena complained. Others nodded in agreement.

“No one likes to play in such games,” Bob added and pouted.

They said that the animals looked fantastic in the game. They argued a little about what species of animals looked cuter.

Max asked an unexpected question. “Are you a robot, Alex?”

At first this question surprised him. How can you confuse me with a robot?!

But Alex realized that now he didn't look like a typical citizen of the underground city. The man was just a little overweight.

Additionally, Alex learned that his subordinates would live in the building of Army Recruit Center too. It was Mother's order. They didn't like it, but no one was going to protest this decision.

Soon they ended their conversation. Alex allowed the members of his sub-squad to leave the gym. When he and Nixie were left alone, the man thought. For a start I need to help these people to lose some weight.

“Nixie, you need to prepare a diet plan and a plan of physical training for my subordinates.”

“Okay, Alex.”

Perhaps, this game - “Pinky egg” - can be useful in their training? Alex scratched his chin.