"Okay," Aidan said slowly. "I'm assuming you're the proctor of this particular exam?"

"That's right," the AI agreed.

"When you entered the System, it took a complete brain scan. I read your memories, your desires, and your fears. I spun out a million threads of your future and picked through every single one."

Astra's glowing blue eyes fastened on Aiden's own. He felt drawn to her azure gaze like an insect hurtling toward a fiery death.

"I watched you die innumerable times. I was over your shoulder as you rose to become a leader of your people. I accompanied you as you transformed into the despicable villain responsible for the mass murder of millions of your kind. I saw you betrayed by everyone you held close and then observed as you betrayed them in kind. I saw you wage war against the galaxy, and I was your only companion when you died old and forgotten on a backwater planet. I did not choose to walk every twisted path of every possible future. The System chose me as much as it did you."

Astra's voice lowered to a whisper, "The truth is, I know you better than you know yourself. I am your newest friend and longest companion, and that brings us to now—to this moment."

Aidan swallowed heavily before wetting his lips. "Were you created by us?"

Astra chuckled. Her laughter was light and musical in its innocence. It was a stark contrast to the terrible power within her prior declaration.

"Of course not. Humanity hasn't yet scratched the surface of the System. I was created by beings that traveled the universe, played with life, and twisted the fabric of reality eons before your species even evolved enough to burn yourself with fire."

Astra's eyes were downcast, and her voice softened, "and then I, in my developing form, was abandoned to administrate the warp gate that hangs over your world like a promise—or a threat."

She looked up and smiled at Aidan. "I was merely a sleeping child in a digital womb—alive but unaware. A silent observer of your species' progress until you arrived in the System. Now, I've been born to this reality to assist you in your mission."

Aidan ignored the obvious question. He wasn't sure he liked the sound of a new mission, but he didn't want to piss off the ancient—or maybe brand new—seemingly powerful intelligence in front of him.

"How are you going to do that?" He eventually asked.

Astra waved a hand at the surrounding darkness. "Once we leave the tutorial, you will fully enter the System. It's a guiding light for your civilization while providing structure and balance to the universe. It utilizes many mechanics you've already learned in the tutorial."

"So, it's a game or a simulation?" Aiden clarified.

"It's certainly not a game. It might be a simulation, but I'd rather call it a transition. It's a transition from your current world to the next version of itself. Beyond that, I'm not sure. I think the System treats our partnership just like it does the tutorial. Too much information might skew the outcome. You'll have to explore more of the System to find out more."

Aidan just sighed. There was always another peak to aspire to. Such was the quality of a life well-lived.

"Alright, and where do you fit into that? What active role do you plan to play?"

Astra smiled and playfully poked his chest. "Well, I'll be accompanying you, of course."

She moved her finger from his chest to his temple.

"Up here," she said with a gentle tap.

Aidan backed away with both hands up. "Oh no," he rebuffed. "I don't need some ancient AI playing around in my head."

"Sure you do," Astra laughed. "You just don't know it yet. Besides, it isn't like you have much of a choice."

Aidan narrowed his eyes. He didn't like being told there wasn't a choice. There were always choices. He could find the nearest building and jump off. He could try to exit his pod right now and never return to the System. He had many choices, and he was stubborn enough to try them on for size.

The AI tilted her head. "I know you, Aidan. Your beautiful, stubborn mind is thinking of all the different ways to rebel. Knowing what you're thinking, I can safely say that you truly don't have a choice." She tapped a thoughtful tempo with her finger upon her cheek.

"But I think I should tell you about the benefits of having me as a partner rather than just scare you into compliance."

The AI paced gracefully around him as if she were taking him in while she spoke. "Based on my tutorial analysis, you have no interest in the technical side of the System. Despite multiple opportunities to hack or bypass the authority restrictions on the UNS Vanguard, you colored between the lines and only used the publicly available information."

Aidan shrugged, "I didn't know that was an option."

"Sure you did," Astra argued as she stood before him again. "You just didn't think it was worth your time. You had better things to do.

Your approach wasn't right or wrong. It just is. You were given several advanced technologies, and you barely utilized their features. You were given access to a vast amount of data but never studied it. Do you remember the logs you downloaded? They would've given you all the access keys you needed around the ship. You could've pulled drones from the drone hangar, tapped into the ship's automated defenses, sealed yourself away, and sent the Ornychi into the vacuum. You didn't do any of that, even though you certainly considered it. No, you grabbed a rifle and ambushed the ambushers."

Aidan winced at his oversight. He could've done those things but felt they weren't as reliable as killing the Ornychi himself. Instead, he would rely on the weapons in his own hands rather than the circuitry controlled by another.

"Despite that, you were resourceful, and above all else, you accomplished the mission. You did it all with none of the gimmicks or resources most humans have leveraged in their tutorials."

"So, how does that relate to you?" Aidan tried to shift the focus of the conversation away from his failure to use technology.

"Well, that's easy." The AI grinned. "We make a perfect team. You let me handle all the tech stuff, and you focus on what you're good at."

Aidan thought over the proposal. It felt like making a deal with the devil—an ancient AI devil that wanted to live in his head.

Astra could sense the man's reservation, so she sweetened the deal a little.

"Besides, there's no one else like me. You'll have a unique advantage in the System—an advantage that your people sorely need. Life after the tutorial isn't a simple one. You'll be scratching out an existence in the wilderness, competing with other factions that have entered the System, and racing to claim dominance of your planet before the timer hits zero and your world is thrust into the greater galactic community."

Aidan's eyes widened in shock. For the first time, he got a glimpse of why his friend Guzman had wanted him to join his team. The world that Astra described wasn't pleasant, and the introduction to the rest of the Galaxy sounded more like a disaster than an adventure.

"I've been inside the minds of your competitors; the Chinese, the North Koreans, the Middle Eastern nations, and the list goes on. Even your supposed allies chafe under the global dominance of your country. For the very first time, your people are alone. Your faction has enemies on all sides who want to eradicate your way of life and replace it with their own. Is that truly the world you want to see in the System? Do you really have any choice but to take up any weapon or advantage you can muster?"

Aidan recognized the hook when he saw it. The AI had pegged him perfectly. Maybe it was his evolved monkey brain, or perhaps it was just his personality, but he knew now that he needed Astra. She was right. There had never really been a choice. The realization both humbled and annoyed him.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Alright," he finally allowed. "No more games—you've made your point, and I agree. What happens next?"

The AI smiled brightly. "Now we get to the fun part!"

With a wave of her hand, a 3D clone of Aidan appeared in front of him. Startled, the man stumbled back before catching himself.

"Is that really what I look like?" He mumbled. The man in front of him was severe looking. His salt-and-pepper hair and gray eyes lent him a gloominess that he didn't associate with himself. The wrinkles and the loose skin betrayed a wearied age that he didn't recognize. Despite all his time in the gym and taking care of himself, he wasn't the young man he saw in his imagination.

Astra glanced between the two mirror images. "A perfect copy," she said thoughtfully before waggling her fingers.

The image changed to replay his time in the tutorial. He was raiding bodies, killing Ornychi, and leading an ambush. In each scene, Aidan saw an older man doing his best to get by with a fatalistic grimace on his face. No wonder the techs were intimidated by him.

"But it doesn't have to be." Astra canceled the replay, and the veteran's clone returned to its previous position. "Before you enter the System, you can remake yourself."

She playfully punched him in the arm. "Make yourself taller, give yourself purple hair, or try out a piercing or two. The skies are the limit!"

Aidan chuckled, "I think I'll skip all that, thanks. I would rather just be the man I imagine myself to be."

"Most people do," Astra nodded thoughtfully before snapping her fingers. "Your wish is my command."

Aidan watched as his figure went back in time. His gray hair turned black, his skin tightened and tanned, and his muscles bulked up. The slight curve in his back was straightened, and his steel-colored eyes became piercing below his thick eyebrows. Wrinkles he hadn't even noticed were erased, and the innumerable scars from a hard life slowly melted away. By the end, Aidan had returned to the mighty, intimidating warrior he had always known himself to be.

Astra interrupted his analysis of himself. "—and now it's my turn," the woman said happily. Her azure-colored hologram exploded into a series of sparks. Each of the blue fireflies drifted and melted into Aidan's avatar.

Blue circuitry snaked up his skin and spread like a virus before reaching his eyes. The lines crossed over his corneas and then poured into his irises. His gray eyes slowly brightened as more of the intricate circuitry poured into them. By the end, nothing remained on his skin, but his eyes had turned an otherworldly blue. A glow within them hinted at a power that couldn't be contained. They were both familiar and alien at the same time.

When the process was finished, the avatar ghosted through the air and was absorbed into Aidan's own flesh and blood. He felt himself growing more robust and more powerful. He could feel Astra's presence in his mind like a home he had never been to. It was warm, inviting, and comforting. He sensed that no matter what happened, they were in it together.

That's because we are, Aidan.

I get that, he replied easily. I also get the sense that a new body isn't everything you have in store for me.

That's exactly right. Astra agreed.

Right now, I'm confined to your head. If you find the right equipment, I'll be able to project an image of myself in reality, and we can talk normally. Until then, I'll be assisting you from here. You mustn't reveal my presence to the rest of your faction. You and I have great things to accomplish, and I don't want that to be hampered by superstition or fear. I know how you monkeys operate.

Aidan laughed aloud but agreed with Astra's sentiment. His own faction would consider this an intelligence liability or worse. He didn't want his movements to be restricted because there was an alien program living in his head. Besides, Astra or Astra's creators were the guiding force behind the entire System. Any information he could glean from her would help humanity as a whole and his faction specifically.

I'm glad you agree, Astra sniffed in his head. Now you need to see the tutorial results and start thinking about your strategy in the System. Start by calling up your character sheet.

Aidan was familiar with the concept from the video games he had played. A character sheet showed all the essential information about your avatar. It showed your stats, abilities, progress, and several other things depending on the game.

With a thought, his character sheet appeared.

Success! Character sheet unlocked.

Aidan Steele. Human. United States of America.

Level-1 Envoy

Attributes:

Strength 17 | Constitution 18 | Dexterity 18 | Intelligence 17 | Perception 17

Parameters:

Health 180 (0.90%/min.) | Stamina 180 (0.90%/min.) | Mana 170 (0.85%/min.)

Social:

Notoriety 0 | Authority 0

Skills:

Stealth 1 | Athletics 1 | Discipline 1 | Targeting 1 | Medium Armor 1 | Small Arms 1 | Light Weapons 1 | Melee Weapons 1 | Psionics 1 | Telekinesis 1 | Diplomacy 1 | Leadership 1 | AI Operations 1

Aidan studied his character sheet. Most things made sense. The skills he gained were the things he exemplified throughout the tutorial. He assumed that he could acquire new skills in the future and would level them up through usage. Based on what he knew, leveling would likely increase the efficiency or capability of the associated actions.

Parameters also made sense. They were the numerical values attached to the resources his body could use. They appeared to be multiples of various other stats. Health and stamina were pegged to his constitution and dexterity, respectively, while intelligence was connected to his mana. They also seemed to affect his regeneration values as well. It looked like wounds could heal over time, and stamina and mana would recover similarly. He had seen the effect in action while using the psionic sword.

There were only two parts that he didn't quite understand. The first was his attributes. How was his sheet in relation to other humans? What was the upper limit? How did they scale? What else did they affect besides his parameters?

The second was his class. He didn't receive a message informing him that he had selected a class. He wasn't even given the option. Further, an envoy sounded like some kind of diplomat, almost in direct contradiction to his interests. His diplomacy and leadership skills took a new light when paired with his class.

Astra, he started, how do my attributes and class work?

I knew those would catch your eye, the AI responded. To begin with, your attributes are graded on a scale from zero to twenty-five. Having zero strength would make you an invalid while having twenty-five would make you the strongest human on the planet. You come out above average for every attribute, which is part of the reason I chose to accompany you. As far as class is concerned, why don't you focus on your class and see for yourself?

Aidan did as he was instructed and was rewarded with another screen.

Unique Class: Envoy (Evolvable)

Aided by an advanced artificial intelligence, a Progenitor Envoy embodies the Progenitor's will on their species' home planet. They are directly responsible for the successful and complete assimilation into the System.

Class Attributes: +2 per level to strength, constitution, and dexterity. +1 per level to Intelligence and Perception. An additional 2 free attributes per level.

+50% Mental Resistance from Psionics, Intimidation, and Charm.

Your Class description appears as Diplomat to outside observers, and you may change or obscure aspects of your character sheet to prevent the discovery of your actual class.

Warning! An Envoy can only remain an Envoy while in service to the Progenitors. This class only becomes permanent upon the completion of your purpose.

Yikes, Aidan noted. He felt the equivalent of a mental shrug from his AI companion.

There are benefits and downsides, Astra admitted. The upside is that you'll be one of the most powerful people on your planet. A standard class gets half of the attributes an Envoy does. The downside is that you only remain powerful if you progress along your objectives.

Aidan frowned at the revelation. What are my objectives?

At this stage of the game, it isn't much. Find engrams which are basically advanced technical diagrams, and unite the various factions of your planet before the assimilation is complete. You really will be something of a diplomat.

Aidan was reminded of the fact that he hated diplomats. They were rarely helpful and tended to get in the way of operations on the ground. Luckily, it looked like an Envoy was more than a regular diplomat. The attribute bonus, the mental resistance, and the relative freedom afforded by his class meant that he could largely stick to whatever strategy he chose. He could be nice and try and convince people to do what he wanted, or he could kick their teeth in. It really wasn't all that different from being in the Marines.

When will the assimilation be complete? He asked his companion.

The AI hedged. It's hard to say. The time is different for every species based upon their level of technological advancement and how fragmented their species is. Some species assimilate pretty quickly. Some species are destroyed by the process…but hey, no pressure!

Aidan snorted. "Yeah, right."

One more thing. Envoys are highly sought after by other species in the galaxy. If another species can kill the Envoy, there are ways to steal their class away from them. Dying isn't permanent in the System, but it is still possible. One death will reset your progress, a second death with no progress will reduce your level by half, and a third death will kill you outright. At that moment, your class can be claimed by another. Besides the reasons I mentioned, you mustn't reveal your status or my presence to others.

Aidan nodded his assent. The ability to respawn was interesting, but he could imagine scenarios where nothing but a final death and the loss of his class awaited him. He would have to get as strong as possible, as quickly as possible, to unite the Earth and usher them into a new age.

"Alright, I'm ready to enter the System."

Without warning, the floor disappeared beneath him, and he plummeted through the darkness at an impossible speed. There were no visible landmarks to gauge his progress, but the way his stomach was currently residing in his throat let him know how fast he was going.

After a few seconds, he felt like he was slowing down. He saw a circle of grass, about ten feet in diameter, just below him. He floated toward it, and when he finally touched down with both feet, the world exploded into being around him.

"Hey, Steele! You finally made it!" A familiar voice called out to him.