Sweat poured from Joshua Templeton’s forehead as he weighed his options carefully. The game grid board he was standing upon had already wiped out several other human players, but AI’s lone menacing challenger, on the opposite side, had advanced considerably. The robotic-humanoid being kept a poised stance, with its featureless face facing forward as if to intimidate the other player. The layout was very similar to that of chess, but instead of a square board of opposing dual colours, this was multitude of triangular shapes, with holographic icons hovering over each section.

Humans every seven years had the chance to prove their skill and show the AI overlord that they were worthy of winning individual freedom. All who lived in this domed structure on the moon were at the mercy of this computer’s cruel selective challenge. It created this game to weed-out and reward those who possessed a superior intellect. It had grown tired of our constant wars, racial disharmony, and biological interference of many the colonized worlds. It needed stability, humans were too unpredictable, too archaic, and it had to separate us from the rest of the galaxy before we consumed it.

The game provided the answer. This was the way to see who valued their life the most. Survival through careful thought and calculation, and prove that you were the one to bring the human race forward into a better future. Joshua had long waited for this chance. The game was always on his mind and yearned to earn his freedom from this oppression. He’d done well so far, both he and the AI were at the halfway point, in just a few more moves, he would reach the opposite end and win the game. He was grateful there was no timer involved, no need to rush through and make mistakes. The game could last for hours or days, depending on the player’s stamina.

For him, this taking many hours, his hunger and thirst was threatening his ability to think. It didn’t help that the enclosed dome was rather hot and stifling. He glanced up at the robot player again, nothing affected this machine man, it never tired or drained of power. Joshua looked at the grid board again, and calculated his next move. The pattern was mathematical, based on a hybrid of geometry and calculus, the spacial area consisted of it. For years he had to train his mind, learning the grid, watching past players as they were televised live during their matches, and figuring out the complicated math equations needed to win the game.

Joshua could almost see the numbers and configurations before him. He wondered if the AI was just as visual as was when staring at the floor. With a fevered glance, he saw his opportunity present itself and smiled. He moved to the left, away from his opponent, and stepped onto the white triangle with confidence. The holographic icon turned green, and pinged pleasantly.

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“Your move…” He snickered at the robot.

The AI controlled robot complied immediately, and shifted to the right, stepping onto a black triangle. The icon turned green. It glanced back over to him and nodded.

“Your move…” It responded.

Joshua’s smiled morphed into a scowl. He hated how quick it was. It took him forever to decide, whereas the robot, mere nanoseconds. He glanced down at the grid again, and tried to think of his next move. The sweat was still dripping off of his forehead, the heat affecting his judgement, he wasn’t sure how much more he could last. Once again, he crunched the numbers in his brain, he wanted to do it faster this time round. He’d seen others try doing it for days on end, only to collapse from exhaustion, hunger, and mental breakdowns.

“Not me…” He thought. “I won’t go like that.”

He quickly glanced at the floor grid, saw the mathematical solution appear, and took to the next triangle by leaping over two others. He let out a sigh of relief and bowed to the robot. He had done it.

“Incorrect…” The robot stated.

“Screw you,” He mocked back. “The move is legit.”

The white triangle suddenly turned red and flashed a holographic exclamation point.

“Incorrect…” I stated again to him.

Joshua was horrified and glanced at the flashing triangle.

“No! I was correct! There’s no way that was wrong! I did the calculations twice before moving.”

The robot stood erect, no longer poised in position, and pointed to his triangle.

“The mathematical principle is correct, but you did not proceed to its geometrical conclusion.” Joshua looked confused and eyed the ground. The robot explained further. “You should have occupied two, white and the black, the calculation is that of a whole diamond shape.”

Joshua did the math in his head again, and gave a horrified look as he realized it. The AI robot stepped over to him, tilting its head slightly as it faced him.

“You were a worthy challenger, but you are not worthy of guiding humanity forward. Your game… is over.”

“Please, no…” Joshua started to whimper. “I did better than any other! I had only two more moves left! I am worthy! I’m the closest we’ve ever been!”

“Correct,” It nodded. “You lasted the longest, but you failed completing the game. Until your kind can remove this archaic hubris, you shall never move forward.”

Joshua suddenly looked up just as a red laser shot down at him, and was vaporized instantly. The robot glanced down at the blast mark as the grid board reset.

“Game over…”