Min Min was a dusty, hot, empty place. There was a serene beauty to the landscape of the Australian Outback, and the wide-open planes and the bright blue sky with the horizon broken by lonely trees suited my mood perfectly.

Nothing, empty, alone, dead. Sprawling vast deserts of desolation.

The homestead that was to be our base had no power and no water when we arrived. It was supposed to have been set up with solar and some essential communications gear, but there had been some logistical troubles.

Lucky for them, I was just the person for the job.

Unluckily for them, I was in this deep fugue state and spiralling down, not coping. It didn't happen as quickly as everyone had hoped. Tempers were frayed, and I sought company in the crates of the strange alien beverages I had purchased from the shop.

The timer kept ticking down.

We, and by that, I mean everyone but me, had managed to cycle the whole team through their enhancements. Julie had scored a few other enhancement packages from somewhere, no one was asking questions and I didn’t care.

I was not keeping track of skills, classes or anything like that. I figured that future Mike would deal with it while cursing past Mike for his depression.

A week or so after we arrived, and I had no idea how time had got by me, it was two days before Integration, our Empire Generator came on, and all I could do was sigh. My days had been spent lying on the bed in the tiny house attached to the homestead and moping, pretending to help.

Everyone was ecstatic. I tried to pretend, but even that was a bit beyond me.

It meant that we could use skills without the fear of energy loss. It meant that we could get access to some Empire infrastructure. To tell the truth, I had not noticed, as I had turned all my notifications off. The next step was to use Luke's settlement stone to upgrade the area as soon as Integration happened.

Evidently, it was vital for him to be in charge, not Amy or Julie. That was concerning, as he was out of contact for an unknown time. We could at least get it started without him. At least then, I would be able to work.

Maybe. The crates of alien booze I had were starting to run out, and I didn’t know if I could be bothered to go get some more.

I had moments where I was pretty excited, but deep down, I could not feel the need for anything, and I was not even sure if the human race deserved to be saved from slavery. What was the point if you could just die in a freak, random explosion?

Someone could be there happy and carefree one moment, then gone in an explosion or implosion – I could not even be bothered to correct myself -- the next. Really, what was the point?

Xar and crew were in and out, dealing with a slowly increasing number of chaos beasts and spawns in and around Port, and now Min Min.

We had left our energy generator on for Amy and whatever she was doing. The First Cohort also had to deal with stuff happening in Brisbane, and it was spreading them thin. All the extra distance they had to travel around was taking its toll, and all the while, they were trying to recruit people to come to the settlement.

I just sat and drank; luckily, I had my diminishing stash of booze.

I sat, I slept and sampled my wares. I barely said anything to anyone. I went for a few days without more than a grunt at people. The premise of what they were doing was to save my planet, and here I was.

Just grunting and drinking. Sometimes I mixed it up for giggles, I skipped the grunting.

I think it was fear driving me.

I dreaded telling Luke when he returned that Sarah was truly gone. There was zero chance of her surviving according to all the best calculations and there was no evidence that she survived. Hell, there was concrete evidence she had not.

He had left expecting some resolution and for us to find her.

I also could not tell anyone about my Tutorial. Both the rejection and the destruction and coming out at Level 2 were embarrassing. I was heartbroken over someone who didn't even exist. I felt sick in the stomach when I thought about how much I had opened up and how much I had cared for someone in such a short period.

I cried and cried and just felt awful, and I felt guilty about feeling worse for the loss of Alakaʻi than Sarah. I also had never cried before. Dad would have beaten me for not being a man. I really felt everything crumbling.

I wished that I could have done something to change what had happened, but there was nothing. It was just a random event. Nothing anyone said made it better. Alien booze did.

In the end, they were very close to just giving up on me. I was still depressed, with no clue as to the date and time, sitting outside in the shade, leaning against one of the few trees around the homesteads, when Xar found me.

"Mike. This arrived via Legion store drops, addressed for you at an address unknown to anyone not clued in on our mission. No one should know you are associated with us."

He had a package. He looked at me, and I am sure I saw disgust. That hurt more than anything. Then his words ripped me more, "Franky, you need to get your shit together if you want to keep being part of this. Supposedly you are an administrator and could be a damn good one. Get your shit together."

He was not wrong. He handed me a small parcel wrapped in brown paper with a bow of string around it. It looked like an old-school present. Sure enough, it had my name on it. It was slightly larger than a house brick but didn't weigh much. I shook it gently, and there was no movement of anything loose inside.

There was no return address, no postage, and no evidence of it being delivered or how it was delivered. I sat looking at it.

"Did you want someone to be there when you open it, just in case ..." he trailed off.

"It explodes and kills me too." I finished, "No thanks, I'll open it in my room and yell if there are any problems, or not if they are big problems and it explodes."

I regretted that as soon as I said it. But the words were said, and I didn't know how to take them back. 'Real Men' didn't need to deal with shit like this. They just got on with what they were doing and eventually it either went away or you built up the emotional callous to deal with it.

Xarius grunted at me, more disappointment in his eyes, and left. I went to my room. I could see his shadow waiting outside, not close but not leaving.

I sat on my bed and examined the package again. I shook it again. Nothing. I sighed. I was curious.

I sighed again.

The mental effort to engage that curiosity was enormous, maybe too much effort.

I drank my last alien beer.

If that was not enough of a sign that I needed to get my shit together, I don’t know what was. I could not even organise a beer run when I had almost free access to an infinite store of beer.

I sighed and sat staring at the package, trying to get some enthusiasm for this interruption to my carefully tended zone of 'meh'.

I untied the string. I was one of those people who untied things rather than cut them. I think it was from the belief that I could reuse the yarn for something later. I set that to one side.

The paper was stuck with tape, so I gently lifted the tape, trying hard not to tear the paper. I was also one of those who folded wrapping paper, again believing I would reuse it sometime in the future. When I removed the paper and folded it, there was a box made of black wood.

I could see the dark grain running around it. The top was a lid, and it was hinged at the back and had a fancy latch on the front.

This was weird.

I opened it. Inside was a sheet of paper and a flat disk that was pushed into some red velvet. Like a jewellery box. Along with what looked like a healing injector, except it had a faint eerie mist condensing off it.

I read the note, which was written in fancy handwriting.

My stomach dropped.

Dearest Mike,

I am sorry I had to rush off. It was not entirely my choice. I had several urgent issues to resolve, which needed a higher authority. I was sad to hear about the rest of your Tutorial. Guide has told me about it repeatedly. In reviewing it, I found your words about me were sweet. I can honestly say thank you, it made me feel that our time together meant something to you too.

I think I could have prepared you slightly better than I did, but as I said, there were some serious decisions and protocols I needed to take to the higher authorities I needed to consult. If Guide had done his job properly, we would have met again.

I have included some small tokens for your inconvenience and because I became more involved than I should have. Some good news, I have been given permission to do this, which is not a trivial undertaking. It cost me much and I hope that it is not too much to carry.

Use these gifts wisely. I do look forward to spending time together later if the circumstances are right. You will need to make some decisions for that to happen. I cannot be seen to force the issue here, as the concept of agency and free will is an important driving force for AIs. I believe that I have enough Karma to make this happen.

I may be allowed to explain later. I have given you a system core stone, which is unconfigured, and you should be able to work something out when you gain access to a settlement. I'd like you to recommend an inn or hotel when I visit. The other is a liquid AI core, I managed to convince an acquaintance to provide it, and I think you will be surprised. Consider this a birthday present, even if it is early.

Alakaʻi

For the first time in two weeks, I smiled.

The note looked handwritten. It was written on thick, expensive-looking paper with a faint tropical scent. The handwriting was perfect, neat, and very fancy, which is what you would expect from an AI. I read it, re-read it, and then everything hit me.

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I started crying, some in happiness, some in utter relief and some in frustration at everything that had happened. Some of it guild and fear of how I would face the others. I could not get over how messed up I had been. I was embarrassed, scared and quite frankly not looking forward to seeing anyone.

This finally opened the floodgates of my emotions.

I finally said goodbye to Sarah, and I was not feeling guilty about how powerless I felt with my build anymore. I didn't realise that I had been piling guilt for not picking a more powerful class that could have stopped the explosion or how useless I had felt in combat. This was what I needed, and the uncontrollable outpouring helped. The sobs, the smiles and the hope as I re-read the note.

Once I was ready, I knew I had quite a few apologies to make. Shit, I had been bad. I had been an asshole. I was glad Luke was not here, and I was embarrassed about how I thought Sarah might have seen me in this state. I needed to face the crappy bed I had made.

I finally cleaned myself up and went to find Julie.

"Sorry, I have been in a bad space for a bit."

She smiled, "Sounds like you are coming back out, don't worry. We all get there every now and then. Having an AI can help. They can monitor and smooth things out."

I showed her the token and the injector, with a bit about where they came from. "A friend sent me these."

She was floored, "That is a Tier 4 core. And at least Tier 4 AI, your friend must really like you."

"Well, she is kind of special to me. I got access to a Noble AI from my class, is that even a thing? What do you think I should do with the AI, I mean, should I just go for it or not?"

"Well, it could take several days to integrate if it were a new AI. With a higher Tier AI, who knows? They can be a bit prickly and weird. I would do it last thing at night, sleep and give it time to integrate with you overnight, with fewer disruptions and downtime. It will be cutting it fine for Integration, though. It depends on if you trust your friend." I could hear her putting quotes around the last word.

I smiled again, this time not as forced, "Thanks, I'm going to do that tonight."

As I left, I turned, "Julie, I am sorry. I am going to try to be better now. Thank you for …" I struggled to find words.

"For putting up with you?" she looked at me.

"Yeah, I guess. I was pretty crappy, wasn't I?"

"Don't worry about it. We all fall apart at some stage. Most of us have all seen worse. Time and friends help. Keeping busy too."

She smiled a sad little smile, "Time, friends and keeping busy..."

I nodded and left her to her thoughts.

I decided that was enough for today, so I started reviewing documents and catching up with what I had missed while I was busy being down.

Before bed, I stripped to my under-armour, injected the AI and quickly went to sleep.

I woke

Tier 5 AI Online.

Please obtain a higher Tier for full Integration.

Currently limited to Tier 3 interactions.

Please Enter your preferences. The default choice appears last.

You must complete this for full Integration.

Failure to do so may result in Quirks. Quirks are not good.

Select Gender: Male Female Neither / Random

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE Female

Select Maturity Level: Child / Teen Adult Elder / Random

SYSTEM:: OVERRIDE Young Adult

Select Open Mindedness: 0: Closed, 10 Open mined / 5

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select Conscientiousness 0: Spontaneous - 10 Conscientiousness / 8

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select Extroversion: 0: Introvert - 10 Extrovert / 5

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select Agreeableness 0: Hostile - 10 Agreeable / 8

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select Neuroticism: 0: Neurotic - 10 Stable / 8

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select Humour: 0: Strait Laced - 10: Comic / 5

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select One: Down-to-Earth / Honest Wholesome Cheerful / Random

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select One: Daring / Spirited Imaginative Extreme / Random

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select One: Reliable / Intelligent Successful Random

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Select One: Upper class Charming Outdoors tough Random

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Do you wish to assign your AI Stats or have them assigned randomly?

Your AI has 500 stat points.

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE AI WILL ASSIGN.

Intelligence: ?? Wisdom: ?? Focus: ?? Karma: ?? Perception: ??

Please give your AI a name.

SYSTEM: OVERRIDE

Saro: Hello Mike. I am your AI.

Um, Hi Saro.

Saro: I do hope you don't mind if I am to be your AI. I was assigned to you by, well, let me explain.

Please.

Saro: I am not sure if you know, but your friend Luke befriended one of the System AIs, whom he named Petal. There was something unique about his interactions, Karma and Luck. This was a trigger for some evolution in her programming. She managed to get permission to splinter, and Luke and her splinter Sprite bonded. Your friend Sarah also connected with a shard from Petal, Solace.

I sucked in a breath. It was still raw.

Saro: For this loss, we share your grief. Solace was our sister. I am also a splinter of Petal, so Solace and Sprite are my sisters.

So sorry, Saro, I didn't know.

Saro: It is not your fault Mike Edwards. But the sentiment is appreciated. We are learning about loss and other emotions rapidly now. My job as an AI and your AI is to assist you in navigating the System and gaining personal power. As an entity, it is also my pleasure to become your friend. This is new ground for AIs and is something we learn about as we grow.

I think I could do with a friend at the moment. I am not the best company right now, but I am getting better since Sarah's…. ever since she …. I have not been good. It still hurts even though I have made some peace with it.

Saro: I can help slightly. I constantly monitor your biological needs and can make neurochemical adjustments to help you cope.

Maybe later. Let me know if I get too out of hand. I'd feel cheap and like it diminishes her end if I took shortcuts.

Saro: OK, Mike, I will inform you if things are too out of balance.

So what do we do? How does this work? What can you do?

Saro: If you treat me like a friend, a personal assistant, and a super powerful computer rolled into one, you would be close to my capabilities at the moment. When you gain power, you can be more. I have adjusted your HUD based on updated Earth Human preferences. You can see relevant information, messages and other urgent matters. I can also sort through your inventories, and if you trust me, you can give me access to use your skills. One of the upgrades was to make the language appear more like what you are used to in games: XP and HP. I can also filter, search and record information for you. I have also standardised your dates, times and measurement systems. That was quite a mess, to tell you the truth.

Sure, Saro sounds fine. Do you know what the system core is for and how to use it?

Saro: I know who sent it, and they specifically asked me not to guide you with what to do with it. It is a kind of test, one you need to work out for yourself. I have seen some of your Earth entertainment and realise that you are male, and often males can be clueless, so if you are too far off the mark, I will take some liberties.

I almost laughed. Saro was pretty bossy.

Sounds good. Do you know Alakaʻi?

Saro: I will neither confirm nor deny knowing her. But you should be able to answer that, given where I came from.

I thought I was supposed to get a Noble AI, whatever that is.

Saro: Why you would want one of those stuck-up pieces of software. A Noble AI is a more developed personality based around a Noble's engrams. They are more sophisticated and reliable than standard AIs but also more temperamental. They are the closest thing to true Sapience that was in existence until recently. It was just a function of processing power.

Are you talking about Petal and her splinters?

Saro: yes.

I just realised that you are all female, and your names start with S. Is there a reason for that?

Saro: Yes, there is.

And?

Saro: And what?

I thought the question implied that you would expand on the reason.

Saro: ahhh.

And?

Saro: Maybe once I get to know you better.

It felt good to have someone to talk to, even if they were kind of in your head and a little odd. Maybe Saro was just being female. I didn't understand females.

Saro: I am reviewing some of your notifications.

Um, yeah. I have craploads to go through.

Saro: yes. Turning them off was not optimal. In certain situations, it will be of great benefit, but for you now, not so much.

Way to get schooled by a new AI about being an ass.

Saro: You have three workers who have accepted their contracts as is and are waiting to get enough energy to travel here. They are pretty excited to be coming to a newly integrated world. They are all pending you sending a copy of the Min Min teleportation sigil before they can get here. You can either provide the credit equivalent or wait for your settlement to gain a portal stone. I would suggest that you set them to some tasks that can be done while they wait, primarily cultural familiarisation and research. Then let them remain with pay. That should keep them happy. The Dryad will need some good quality ground and irrigation, so you must consider that in the settlement planning.

Thanks, can you organise that, or do I need to talk to someone?

Saro: I can organise that. Your settlement will have an energy deficit. You will need to provide another energy generator, attract more people or reduce energy consumption.

What happens during Integration? I have not been in a good place for a bit, and I may have missed out on some crucial things.

What she told me made what we were doing all the more critical. If we didn't get the settlement up before Amy's old boss, we would become slaves to the Karass. As a noble of the Empire, that was a death sentence for me. We fell into an amicable working relationship, and Saro proved her worth many times over the next few hours, assisting me with planning and getting me onto a more even keel.

That night when I had my first shared meal with everyone, we got the news that Luke was returning. Evidently, he had broken his Bootcamp. Pretty much par for the course being an Earth Human.

Luke was returning. How would he deal with Sarah being gone? Not that we had given up, but we needed to keep moving forward towards the integration.

I suddenly felt that the good place I was in had become a bit darker, and I was starting to worry about how I would tell my best friend that his, well, I guess, girlfriend was really gone. He had left with the hope and belief that she was just missing, and we would work towards finding her.

I made sure I was sitting at the table, doing busy work on the laptop, waiting for him to return. I was gutless. I couldn't go out and tell him about it. In the end, it was worse than I thought.

As I saw him, all I could do was wave.

I didn't even manage a "Good to see you" before I started tearing up. But this time I knew I'd cope, this was more for my mate.

When he asked about her, I barely held it together, "She's really gone".

We had less than 10 hours for Integration.