Sarah , we’ll be needing vr equipment for 10 000 people on the island if you can ship them when I ask you I would be grateful .

“I’ll be storing them in a warehouse slowly to ship them over when you need them” said Sarah .

“Oh , and it is your own choice if you want to run for a government position but I would appreciate it if you didn’t , at least not for the first few elections” said Alex .

“I’ve got enough on my plate with the company so I won’t run for a position” said Sarah .

“I won’t be either” said Sam .

We don’t know how the world leaders will react so I’ll be keeping out of that hornets nest .

“Can’t the government type be changed if they will so ?” asked Sarah

“Only if there is a government official with at least the same clearance level as Alex and if the majority of the population agrees to it” responded Da’grass .

“Good” said Sarah .

“If all thing are settled I propose to log off” said Alex .

“Alex , the ai of the Nexus would like to talk with you for a moment” said Da’grass .

I’ll log everyone off so you 2 can talk a bit .

Huh !

Hello Alex , I’ll keep this short , you may call me Etherea if you like to do so .

Hello Etherea what can I do for you ?

You put me in a tough spot , Alex …

If you were an Etherean you would be eligible for a level 5 clearance level once you established your faction on Mars .

And due to guidelines set by the Ethereans governing the potential act of other species I would have to let your clearance level increase.

But the technology responsible for bringing you this far is Etherean itself .

I’ve also been monitoring you and you’ve passed different tests if you could call them so , these involved your actions while possessing a superior technology you shouldn’t have access to and your actions while in full control of Earth’s vr space.

I’m going to let you create your faction but I won’t be giving you a level 5 clearance level , instead I’ll cap you at level 4 and give you 1 technology of the level 5 clearance mall.

You’ve got 5 minutes to decide which one , you may discuss this with Da’grass.

After you decided I’ll upgrade your clearance level , don’t make me regret my choice Alex .

Your time goes in now .

Da’grass any suggestions ?

There is a lot to choose about Alex .

You’ve got to specify what you’re looking for…

The technology gap is also to big for your planet.

Shouldn’t this narrow down our choices ?

The problem is you can only build a few of these things thanks to your city on Mars .

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

That only narrows our choice , so that’s less to think about.

What about this one here portal technology ?

The energy sources you have are only strong enough to use it in your solar system , Alex !

“How about we choose the biggest spaceship” in level 5 asked Da’grass .

Once it’s gone it’s gone Da’grass

There will be no lasting effect that I know about but those portals sound interesting even if we can only use it in the solar system .

But we would have the schematics , once your people advance enough they could build it .

That’s going to take too long Da’grass but with portal technology we would have total control over our solar system in a matter of years which would boost our development as a species .

And according to the specifications once we have a more powerful energy source we could use it across our own galaxy .

“So portal technology ?” asked Da’grass.

Yes , Etherea we choose portal technology !

Are you sure Alex ?

Yes Etherea I’m sure !

Curious choice , I thought you would go for the level 5 complete education course.

Portal technology it is Alex , you’re more alike with Ethereans than I thought.

Good luck Alex !

Upgraded to level 4 clearance level !

Da’grass you think we made a mistake ?

It didn’t sound that way how Eherea was complimenting you …

Can you upgrade the complete education course to level 4 and donate it to the state ?

It won’t be to expensive because they are mostly additions Alex , done !

There is more Alex , you’re eligible for a tier 4 city now , that means new buildings and access to more resources .

But you put a lock on the designs of the cities already established .

“If I’m not mistaken tier 3 is mainly the peak of interstellar and tier 4 the beginning of intergalactic“ said Alex .

That’s a simplistic and crude manner at describing the tiers and not entirely correct or else there would be more higher tiers species , but yes Alex .

Keep the lock in place but unlock the feature of upgrading the city to tier 4 for future government officials .

I don’t know if she’ll allow it Alex , you are the only human with level 4 clearance in existence and you’ll not even be part of the government .

Just try it , if it doesn’t work than nothing is lost .

It’s done Alex but I got a message from her stating that she allows it with reservation .

Good enough , thank you Etherea !

Now is our industry on Mars already capable of producing gates ?

Yes , living quarters are habitable but not fully constructed and industry and ship yard are capable of producing but not all lines are available .

Seeds are needed for agriculture to start and dna of livestock for producing meat .

And if you want live animals they have to be imported .

Waste management is functional and there is enough water available for a fully habituated colony.

Gravity control is up and running also as is the colony’s computer centrum and ai .

The spaceport is capable of housing 10 ships the size of the colony builder and is finished .

Oh , start producing 5 gates than and 3 colony builders .

If you want to build more colonies in your solar system the chances are that you need to transport resources to the destination of said colonies Alex .

I can design some miners and cargo ships if you want to , that’s technology already possessed while purchasing the colony builder .

If Mars didn’t have the resources the colony builder would have acted as a miner and cargo ship .

Build a miner and a cargo ship for every colony builder than if you want Da’grass .

With your converted colony builder all spaces on your space port will be occupied when all ships are build Alex .

And if we were to divert resources , construction of your Mars colony would slow down .

I’m aware Da’grass but with wat you just told me the colony is already habitable but not fully constructed and by the time we need it fully constructed it will be .

Ok Alex I’ll give the order for construction as soon as I designed the miners and cargo ships .

Make the live support systems strong enough on the cargo ships if we were to convert them to passenger ships Da’grass .

We’ll need more room for life support systems , it will take up space that can be used for cargo.

No problem , thank you Da’grass !

Give priority to the gates for the first two if it comes down to resources .

Now if you would be so kind to log me off , they’ll be wondering what’s keeping me .

“What did she want?” asked Helena who was sitting on the bed .

Sarah and Sam , standing at the door , were eying Alex curiously as she asked the question.

To put it briefly , my clearance level was upgraded , but It’s capped because I only achieved it with borrowed technology.

As compensation , I’ve received a free technology that’s one level above me.

“What did you get?” asked Sam .

I chose portal technology , it won’t be working at the same level yet as it’s meant to be but we’ll be able to use it in our solar system once constructed.

“That’s a thing ?” Sarah exclaimed .

“If your clearance level increased does it affect the cities and the decisions you made ?” asked Helena .

An upgrade is available for the cities but it’s postponed and under reservation so it could be revoked if Etherea decides so.

As for my decisions , I don’t know .