7 years later…

“Simulation cleared. Deactivating neural virtual reality receptors.” A voice announced in my mind. I slowly opened my eyes, squinting as the harsh fluorescent lights entered my eyes.

“Vitals are stable,” I heard someone say next to me.

“Brainwave activity is normal,” another voice said.

“Artificial intelligence operating within expected levels” a third voice reported.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I was greeted with the familiar sight of the virtual-reality simulation chamber. A mixed team of human doctors, robot physicians, and technical engineers ran around, making sure I was alright. An older doctor wearing light blue scrubs and thick gloves approached me and sat down on the hospital bed.

“Name and date of birth?” he asked in a monotone voice.

I was already used to this old song and dance, and I didn’t waste time trying to convince them I was fine.

“Evan Vonlichten, 9th of June, 2068.”

“What’s today's date?”

“21st of May, 2086.”

“What is 23 plus 66?”

“89.”

“Touch your left ear with your right ring finger,” he instructed, to which I complied.

The doctor pulled a pen light out from his coat pocket, and held my eyelids open while he shined it in my eye. “Neurological functions appear to be intact,” he said, clicking the pen light off.

At that moment, the sliding glass door hissed and slid open. Everyone in the room looked towards the door to see a middle-aged woman with dark hair and glasses who wore a long white lab coat standing there.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Professor Vinta,” the doctor said respectfully, standing up from the bed, “the subject is fine. No signs of abnormalities in any area.”

Professor Vinta, who was charged with teaching me history, government, and politics, gave a sharp nod. Her high heels clacked against the floor as she walked over to me. Without any preamble, she began my ‘interrogation’.

“Explain your thinking process and how you developed,” she demanded.

I thought back to the beginning of the simulation. The simulation had replicated a planet called Fortuna, one very similar to Earth. Fortuna was a real planet, one over 400 light years away, that had been chosen to be the new ‘cradle of humanity’. Humans had used up all the natural resources on Earth, and humanity was in danger of going extinct from the effects of global warming and starvation. Seeing this danger, the governments of the world came together and founded Project Asylum, devoted to moving the human race to Fortuna. In order to achieve this end, Project Asylum focused on and eventually created warp technology. Scientists were hoping to use this newfound power to transport the human race to Fortuna.

However, being warped caused extreme trauma to organic organisms, so much so that a majority of them died upon arrival, and those that weren’t dead were completely comatose. Their solution? Build a space stabilizer that would ensure the stability of the warp. But even after building them, there was still the issue of getting them to Fortuna. One idea that was suggested was warping an Artificial Intelligence to Fortuna with the sole purpose of building space stabilizers to allow warp travel. But running simulations showed that this solution would have failed. The Artificial Intelligence, codenamed Origin, couldn’t adapt to new factors and variables. Project Asylum ran over 500 simulations, and Origin fell well short every time.

Desperate to find a way out, the scientists started trying to merge Artificial Intelligences with human consciousnesses. The first test subjects went completely insane, refusing to eat and losing control of their bodily faculties. That was until a young child by the name of Anthony survived the test, becoming the first human in history to be merged with an Artificial Intelligence. By studying him, scientists found that among the newest generation, there were a few who were compatible with Artificial Intelligence. This set off a manhunt, with every nation testing and taking compatible children from their homes and families.

An indescribable rage began welling up from within me as I remembered the events that had taken place so many years ago, but I forced it down with an effort. If the electrodes on my head detected any abnormalities in my mood, I would be subjected to a whole battery of unpleasant tests.

“The simulation started me next to a large lake,” I reported to Professor Vinta. “A section of my body was compromised from the arrival, so I elected to cut off and recycle the parts that were beyond repair.”

I recounted how I had created mining robots to harvest materials from the surrounding earth, slowly building up an industrial complex that eventually was able to produce the necessary parts for the space stabilizer.

“I was forced to build a few combat units to deal with the local fauna, but aside from that there were no major issues,” I commented.

“How did you handle the first civilians that came through the gate?” Professor Vinta questioned.

“I placed all of the civilians into an airtight quarantine, making sure to sanitize them as they came through, and allowing their bodies to slowly acclimate to the new environment. The most competent among them were chosen as temporary leaders until qualified government officials arrived. Once a level 6 government official had arrived and took over management of the colony, the simulation was declared clear.”

“Good job,” she said curtly. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Professor Vinta was a person with high standards, so to hear such praise from her was out of the ordinary.

Professor Vinta turned to the doctor, “Make sure he gets a good night’s sleep. He better be in tip top shape for tomorrow.”

A nervous shiver went through me as I remembered what the next day would bring. The time had come…