With that the glowing white expanse faded away to be replaced by a modem apartment, gleaming marble countertops, deep plush carpet, a white couch facing a white blank wall, through an open door Fraya saw a bedroom with a large king size bed also in white.
“What is with all the white?”
Her doppelganger faded in next to her. “This space it your home within the immersive worlds. You can customize the colors and design to your preference. To receive a bigger unit or to change the physical layout of the room you will need to purchase additional plans.”
Fraya blinked then turned towards the door. “Wait is there something behind that door?”
The AI nodded. “This is called Earth 2. It is Earth not ravaged by man. This unit is part of skyscrapers dotting the world. In Earth 2 you cannot be harmed, no one can force their way into your unit, and if you want to return here, say ‘return home’ and you well be teleported here. This space is also your access point to other worlds. You can go to another world form here, or find large portals in the plazas between buildings that well take you to the most popular games. For low user games, private games or unpopular games, you must depart here.”
Fraya nodded along then another thing the AI first said registered. “What purchase? I need money?”
“Money in this world is called virtual credit. VC money is easy to procure form games and it is accepted in the outside world now.”
So many things had changed in the year on the street fighting for survival. Fraya wondered if this meant the fighting going on in the world, or some parts of it, had died down now that people could live and work in the immersive worlds. With billions inside the games it made sense it would affect the outside world to.
“So how much does it take to join a game?”
“It varies from game to game. This pod does have a starting one thousand virtual credits.”
“Okay. First keep watch on everything going on the outside of the pod, if something happens wake me up so I can deal with it, now first how much is college?”
Fraya loved learning. She had been exited to go to college when her world and the world around her collapsed.
“That depends on which school you select, and if you can get a scholarship or not. There is a free college but it is not highly rated. Also you can join an army that will pay for schooling.”
“Not surprised by the free college sucking, any time free is offered it is the lowest option available. Wonder what scholarships the colleges offer? Also joining an army becomes what army? The United California Free State? The Union of Texas? The Northern Union of America. The Coalition of Eastern States of America - Washington DC, New York, and Boston the major players in that one? The Georgia Alliance of States with Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama? Or the Southern Union of Free States - Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma?”
There were other states that went at it alone but they were mostly discarded by others as not worth the time or energy to take over. Having a six sided war was enough for most states. There were also numerous so called freedom fighters or ‘patriots’ that fought everyone in the name of this or that cause.
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“Colleges will give you a comprehensive test and based on you aptitude may offer you a scholarship. The listed political groups do offer scholarships but also other countries do to. You would need to move there to fulfill the enlistment requirements.”
“So how much is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT?”
“That would be 150,000 virtual credits a year.”
Fraya figured the legendary school would be out of her price range.
“So what is the cheapest one that has a four star rating or better?”
“The Texas AM University would be 50,000 virtual credits a year.”
Fraya nodded at this. It was a much more reasonable price.
“Okay moving on! What are some of the biggest games played?”
“By registered players the game Starlight is the biggest, it a science fiction based game, then Evorain, a medieval sword and secrecy game, a racing game called Immortal 500, and other numerous games.”
“Tell more about Starlight?”
“It is a science fiction based game, were you fight, explore, claim ships, land, and worlds for yourself and your faction. It is stated that the technology is extrapolated form both real and theoretical physics.”
Fraya liked the idea of flying a starship. “How much does membership cost?”
“The membership fee 100 vc and the monthly cost is 20 vc.”
“Okay sign me up!”
A doorway formed on the wall behind the coach. Without the AI’s prompting Fraya walk to the metallic blue door that sled open, with the door disappearing into the wall, and walked in. The door sled shut behind her and Fraya found herself in a short corridor airlock. A few seconds later and then another metallic blue door sled open in front of her. Fraya walked out and found herself in a space station office. The walls and floor were dull metal with the floor covered by a thick rug. In front of Fraya was a desk made out of a few steel beams and glass with a woman sitting behind it but what caught Fraya’s attention was the large viewport behind the woman.
It showed an expansive view of a beautiful nebula of reds and blues with ships of all shapes and sizes flying about.
“Beautiful isn’t?” The woman finally said glancing behind her.
Fraya nodded in agreement. “It truly is spectacular.”
“Okay now you would like to register for Starlight?” The woman prompted.
Fraya shook her head to clear it and focused on the woman. “Yes that is correct.”
“Alright your AI has forwarded the startup fee and the first monthly subscription. Now we need to determine a place for you to start.” A holographic screen appeared above her desk.
Fraya was confused. “Isn’t there a starting place everyone goes to?”
“No, Starlight is vast and depending on your faction the starting point will change.” The woman explained.
“Okay I do not want to join a faction, I would like somewhere quit to acclimate to the game.”
Fraya had seen more than enough gang factions to want no part of it. She hoped to find an out of the way place to learn more about the game and how to play it.
“Well a world just offered a reward for new recruits.” The woman said looking at the holographic display hanging in the air.
“Why would they do this?” Fraya ask suspicious.
“They are a newly colonized world and desperate for people to join. It is an agriculture world and no planet is within 30 light years of them. The nearest neighbor is 38 light years away and that world is barely habitable.” The woman explained.
Fraya thought and then asked hopefully. “So they are paying people to live and work there?”
The woman nodded. “Yes, exactly right. The world is to new and too poor to afford robot workers, it is easier and cheaper to have a real person do the labor. It also saves on expansive replacement parts for robots. The colony will pay you a 100 vc credits a day and require an agreement to live on the world for a year. Also you can pick a job and make more money, as I said they are short on labor.” Fraya needed to confirm the time frame. “That is 1 year in game? 4 month in the real world?”
“That is correct.”
“Okay, I will accept. Let’s do this!”