“So just a bit more tinkering and… done!” Alonso smiled as he adjusted the field over his past self. Now the issue was, while this field could be tuned to accept wave frequencies within a certain range while ignoring others, how to distinguish which sounds to ignore and which not. It’s not like the creatures moved at a specific frequency.
“Any ideas, Houston?”
“I have been doing some calculations and basic estimates. If you avoid physically and mentally consuming tasks from now on, you could survive perhaps 3 to 4 more days.”
“Thank you, Houston, as positive as always.”
He noticed the EM space was still static, his past self frozen in time. And now that he thought about it, was it truly his past self? Or was it just a simulation of it in a virtual EM space? Considering the possible time paradox involved in actually messing up with the past, he reckoned it was the second, but...
“It would be cool, don’t you think, Houston? Alonso Shemson, humanity’s first time traveler,” he grinned.
“It’s interesting how people start making fantasies in their heads to avoid a harsh reality.”
“Well, Houston, remind me which one of us is real and which is a fantasy?”
“Everything is relative. You need to specify an inertial point of reference.”
“Since when do you know about physics?”
“Since I was born, I reckon. Not like others that took years to understand what a photon is?”
“I don’t even know why I argue with you. I mean— wait a second?”
Alonso paused, a realization dawning on him. He had been so focused on the mechanics of the sound filter that he hadn't considered the possibility of using the creatures' own EM signatures to filter the sound. If he could tune the field to recognize the unique electromagnetic emissions from the creatures, he might be able to distinguish their movements from other sounds.
“Houston, can you analyze the EM signatures from the last encounter with the creatures?”
“Sensing… Comparing with data… Analysis complete. The creatures emit a distinctive EM signature within the range of 2.454 to 2.456 MHz.”
“That’s it! If we can isolate that range and create a dynamic filter, we might just solve this problem.” Alonso's eyes lit up with renewed hope.
He quickly began recalibrating the field, adjusting the parameters to focus on the specific frequency range he identified. As he worked, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Maybe, just maybe, this would work.
“Houston, run a simulation with the new settings.”
“Simulation running… success probability increased by 47%.”
“Did you just make up that number?”
“...”
“Anyway, let’s see how this plays out.”
The adjusted field began to filter out the background noise, honing in on the specific frequencies of the creatures’ movements.
“Houston, initiate real-time feedback loop.”
“Feedback loop initiated.”
The system responded immediately, the field adapting to the incoming data with remarkable precision. Now he needed to filter all noise incoming from the creatures using their EM signature. He noticed this was something only possible because they were all in an EM space; recreating this in reality would be impossible, but here… it just might work.
“Houston, let’s get this started..”
“Understood. Analyzing EM signatures and applying filters.”
As Alonso watched, the field began to change, the creatures' unique EM signatures becoming more distinct. The noise from their movements started to fade, replaced by a clearer, more defined pattern.
“It’s working,” Alonso said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “We’re getting closer.”
“Adjustments complete. Noise from creatures filtered.”
“Damn, do we work well with each other.”
Alonso glanced at the EM space now coming to life. He watched as his past self, still confused, managed to avoid a sword slash from the creature in front of him.
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“That’s my boy.”
“That’s you.”
“Shut up, Houston. Go to sleep. Over.”
“...”
“Finally, some peace and quiet,” Alonso said, watching his past self, or rather, the virtual recreation of his past self, as it battled the creatures. “That’s some good moves, kid. Completely different from the noob who nearly died in the rings, haha.”
As Alonso relaxed, watching the scene unfold, he felt a moment of satisfaction. His past self moved with increasing confidence, evading attacks and striking back with precision. But suddenly, the space froze. His past self had absorbed an orb, and the simulation came to an abrupt halt.
"Oh yes, let me give you your paycheck, young padawan," Alonso muttered to himself, getting up and moving closer. While there was no need to move his finger and it had zero practical use, he did it anyway, and recreated the EM prompt in the space:
> Stage 1 - 0.598%
The scene continued to play forward, just as it had in the past. But as time went on and the critical moment approached, Alonso’s expression turned more serious.
His past self had been hit by an arrow in the shoulder and was now hunting the dagger-wielder who had been waiting in ambush. In his haste, he had tripped over the creature while evading the attack, having mistaken the dagger for another arrow and assuming there was no one behind it.
After the failed ambush, the fight turned straightforward. Alonso watched as his past self dispatched the creature with ease and then strategically set up a scenario to bait the archer. The memory of his past self deflecting the arrow and swiftly taking out the archer played out in front of him.
There were no more creatures in the room, but the simulation was not over yet. The EM space held steady.
image [https://i.imgur.com/EPU265m.png]
> August 2, 2024 - Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
Stephen tensed up. Any information this urgent had to be related to one thing and one thing only: The Tower.
He quickly got up and went over to the tech assistant who had called him.
“What happened?”
“Sir, it’s best if you see for yourself.”
Stephen frowned at this but nodded and followed him.
They went to the main control center, where the atmosphere was tense, and everyone looked at him with a mix of curiosity and anxiety. What the hell happened? Stephen wondered. The tech then brought him to a screen and quickly showed him a signal.
“And?” Stephen asked, his impatience growing.
But then the idea struck him. “You don’t mean...”
The tech gulped and nodded. “Sir, we applied filtering to this new signal we received. It is identical in nature to the last. So...”
“It’s from them,” Stephen interrupted.
“Yes,” the tech confirmed.
“So, what does it say?” Stephen asked. “It looks like Unicode again. What is the message this time?”
The tech clicked on another tab, and the message appeared on the screen, causing Stephen to frown.
“This... but then?”image [https://i.imgur.com/EPU265m.png]
> August 2, 2024 - Melbourne, Australia
“What do you reckon it’s about?” Pablo asked as he reclined on the couch.
“We’ve been talking about this for hours, Pablo. Let’s just hear what they have to say, okay?”
“Hey, it’s not my fault I called you a bit late, I was…”
“Pablo, you left me at the campsite for three more hours than agreed, and then you call me to say you’re not coming because of a speech and that I should come back because climbers are not returning now. So tell me, Pablo, how should I be feeling right now?”
“Oh, come on, chill, dude. Just consider I owe you one. We’re doing this for Alonso, for God’s sake. Let’s focus on the news—that’s the most important thing now.”
Jack glanced at Pablo with a deadpan face. Pablo just smiled back and picked up a bag of chips.
“Chips?”
Jack sighed and sat on the couch. “You have any cold ones?”
“What do you take me for?” Pablo laughed and went to the fridge.
“Trust me, you don’t want me to answer that question.”
“Hey, who was there when you fell off the bike?”
“Are you gonna keep bringing that up?”
“Anyway, here.” Pablo tossed a beer, and Jack caught it mid-air.
“Wow, it’s actually cold? I think it’s the first time you remembered to put it in the fridge before I knocked on the door.”
“Well, with the weather right now, I reckon it would stay cold even if left outside… I mean, it’s not like…”
“Hahahaha,” Jack started laughing.
The TV screen, which had been displaying a message saying, "Please stay tuned. The United Nations Secretary-General's address to the world will commence shortly," suddenly changed.
“Hey, it’s starting,” Pablo said, rushing to the couch.
“I’m not blind, Pablo,” Jack replied, his eyes fixed on the screen.
A reporter appeared, looking serious. "In a few moments, we will bring you a live address from the United Nations Secretary-General, Elena Morales. This speech is of critical importance, and it is highly recommended that you listen carefully."
The screen then transitioned to Elena Morales sitting at a table, looking straight into the camera. Her expression was somber, and she exuded an air of gravity that matched the significance of the occasion.
"Citizens of the world," she began.