The environmental experts were tasked with the maintenance of the facility we were in; keeping the air and water clean. It might not sound like much, but it’s hard to do anything, let alone live, without a steady supply of both.

The second group mentioned made sure we weren’t infected with any of the myriad of pathogens outside, and if we were, they’d know what to do with us. They also managed our hydroponics and aeroponics, so that we didn’t starve in our long stay, if things went well.

The spiritual experts and psychiatrists were, to put it simply, keep us sane and make sure we were still human. There were still conjectures about the origin of the otherworldly entities, but all of us had seen what they were capable of and how they preyed on both our bodies and minds. We had seen how cities had fallen under possession, corruption, demon worshippers and more. Even if they assured us, there was still the lingering feeling of paranoia in the air, unable to completely dissolve.

But it didn’t matter as long our labours bore fruit. Truly a collective effort between the most brilliant and creative minds Earth had to offer, all gathered in one place. Where exactly, if the entire globe was wrecked beyond recognition? Simple; in a space station, in some sick fashion named “The Star of Eden”. The governments that were left standing, after the onslaught the planet threw at us, put all of this together. They figured it was safer to deal with the lack of gravity, radiation and vacuum of space rather than… everything else. Turns out the people in charge can really put things in motion when they are cornered, like the rats they are.

But regardless of my hostility towards the powers that be, I have to pull my weight in this project. Even if I was a criminal before all of this started.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

My name is Frank Steiner and I’m a goddamn genius. My hobbies include hacking, playing video-games, reading, the occasional virtual espionage and otherwise being a social recluse... Guess which one of those put me in prison. None, because they never caught me, and believe me they tried. Imagine their surprise when I came out of the woodwork, knowing their plans about a desperate last attempt at doing something useful!

For years I had envisioned this sort of thing, thinking that it might come from a reckless military contractor, maybe from a bunch of scientists that decided to ignore the millions of AI-turns-rogue movies that had been made for decades… but now here I am, given near unlimited resources and working for the government (or what is left of it). Time sure does put things into perspective, but I wouldn’t have said the world would end the way it’s doing today either, so not that big of a blow to my pride.

But it’s time to put such silly things like ego aside and work on my most ambitious project to date! I would be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a bit excited, but I definitely wouldn’t say so aloud, lest they decide I’m insane, which would mean I’m out of the project and therefore out of the station… Right into the vacuum of space. It’s not a pretty nor quick way to go, so I’ll just keep my mouth shut and do what I do best; be smarter than everyone around me.

Assessment of your surroundings; done.

Making a plan of action; pending.

So that’s what I’m doing right now with the rest of the team; assigning the share of work everyone has in the AI department. The work ahead of us is humungous, but I have been able to salvage and recover some of the plans of other groups back on Earth, both legitimate and clandestine, that had the same goal as us before the Apocalypse. That is my job for now, sorting and classifying what we can use, saving valuable time and resources.

I once heard that the best programmers are not the ones who come up with the most original or useful designs, but the ones who can copy them better. That doesn’t mean I didn’t have a couple of ideas of my own, which I am definitely going to put to use, heheheh...