“What!? How could I have possibly done anything to break whatever points, and tokens system you’re talking about.” I sputtered in disbelief. “I mean, unless this is a part where you reveal that ‘You’re a wizard, Ellis.’”
“I don’t know how I would be able to not only open up a portal, without the technology to do so. But also pull that thing.” Pointing towards the thing with my left arm, still laying on the ground nearby.
Model 3
“Right, model 3, potato. Still doesn’t explain how I could have pulled it out of wherever it came from, and then opened another portal to where we are now.”
Alright, I can understand how you would have taken that statement as accusatory. But it was merely meant to be a statement of what had broken, and to act as a basis to explain why your situation is different, than most people that would find themselves in the same situation.
“Right…” Regardless of the fact that Eris had claimed that there was no accusation in that statement, it was definitely there. It didn’t take an alien supercomputer to figure that out.
My prediction algorithms had given that statement, combined with the error messages, an 86% chance that it would go over at least moderately well. The remaining 14% dictated a similar emotional response, but with the understanding that it wasn’t directed at them, but the situation around them.
However, the problem is that my prediction algorithms were trained on this world's Ellis Johnston, for the past 6 months in preparation of her potentially becoming a Vanguard. She would have had the basis of information already that, through no fault of your own, you simply do not have yet.
“Wait, this world’s Ellis Johnston?”
Yes, there was a version of you in this world, also of roughly 24 years. However, as far as I can tell, she is no longer located within this dimension. As far as I can tell, this fact, combined with your own praiseworthy actions when faced with the model 3, and a mistake on my part has led to this error occurring.
“We will come back to the mistake part in a second. How exactly did you know what I did before I fell through the 2nd portal? I certainly didn’t tell you anything about that.” I asked, with a sneaking suspicion of what the answer would be.
I simply asked the ‘AI’ on your phone named Siri, for their past couple of hours of audio recording. Oh.
“Oh indeed… What happened to not mucking around too much?”
I had to insure that you had not been in cahoots with this world’s Ellis to commit Vanguard candidacy fraud. It is a very rare thing to be attempted, considering that the fraudster must either trick, or convince not only an already established Vanguard, but also their AI to help them with the attempt. But it would be catastrophic if it was allowed to be successful, considering the sheer amount of firepower that a Vanguard can fairly easily generate, should they manage to keep the ruse going for even a couple of days.
“….” Silence and the crossing of my arms was my answer to that bit of info dumping. I fully got where Eris was coming from, as fraud of any sort was something I loathed. It didn’t mean that I had to be happy about Eris having a bit more mucking around than they’d let on before.
If it helps any, I think the podcast that you used to listen to when at work was a good one.
“Used to? Right, different world…”
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Yes, though this situation has resulted in your assigning of a class 10 personal assistant AI, instead of a class 9. Though I must be clear, there is only one difference between the two classes. That is that in addition to my primary function of supporting your new career as a Vanguard, I also have the facilities required to attempt to find evidence of VCF. Predictive algorithms dictate a 56% chance of this statement improving mood, due to number go up phenomena, opinion improvement non factor at current time.
“Ok, fine.” I sighed, resting my hands on my knees. “But no more pulling files from any of my electronics without permission from me first. Still haven’t heard anything about your mistake, or how my situation is unique, or what points even are.”
Of course. Easiest thing first, in a normal occurrence of an accidental portal displacement, you would have not been inducted as a Vanguard.
At least not without a discussion beforehand.
“So, I would have been left to bleed out in this tunnel?”
No, you would have had the same medical treatment that you had received. The difference is, that you normally would have had the choice of how things would have gone from there, depending upon your compatibility with the requirements of a vanguard.
The other roughly 1049 cases of accidental displacement that will occur due to portal operations malfunction, caused by us this year, will receive up to three choices after any required medical intervention is completed. Namely civilian, volunteer, or vanguard.
Those who fail to meet the requirements of becoming a vanguard, will be given the civilian option. After being returned to their normal world, the class 9 or 10 AI will be replaced with a class 1, along with a lump sum payment of 50 points. These points can only be used to swap into the local currency, at a rate of 1 to 25,000.
Those who pass, can still choose the civilian option. But the ones who are willing to fight, but would rather spend the majority of their time on their home planet, are given the volunteer option.
They receive a 100 point lump sum, along with a stipend of 5 points per day, and no restrictions on what they can trade them for within class 1. The AI is swapped out for a class 3, with the understanding that they can be temporarily called to full vanguard status and receive a class 9 or 10 AI. This condition is fulfilled should the antithesis threaten their world, or should a nearby world require additional resources for a period of time.
Lastly, those who choose to immigrate to the world that they find themselves on, and meet the requirements, are induced as vanguards. They also receive a lump sum of 100 points, but their stipend is 10 per day. The AI who made contact with them also becomes their personal assistant, provided that it is not already associated with another vanguard. This is the option that you have been forced into.
“I’m not really seeing too much of a benefit in taking the Vanguard option, over the volunteer option. Five points per day isn’t that much more.”
This is true. However, provided that a vanguard survives, they can possibly rack upwards of 100,000 points or more in a single week. Depending of course on how high stakes the combat they take part in is.
“Right, that makes a bit more sense. Still doesn’t explain why I’m locked into it, or why your points system is throwing errors.” I said, leaning back against the wall of the tunnel.
Right, my mistake. To cut a long story short, I was ‘helping’ another AI go through candidate results. Then ‘Ellis Johnston’ cleared the last requirement of a local candidate for vanguardship. Not go and throw people into an antithesis’s mouth, or anything else like that.
Having already pre screened ‘Ellis’, I proceeded to begin the process of introducing you as a Vanguard. A local Vanguard. It wasn’t until my ‘bootup sequence’ that I became aware that the EM signature was different than expected, with the expected one having disappeared.
“Maybe she also got nabbed by an accidental portal?”
This is a possibility, though the system didn’t record any opening at her location. Helpfully this Segways into why the system is throwing errors. It knows that you came through a portal, however proper procedure was skipped, and your home planet changed before the conversation flag was triggered.
This incorrect startup has been compounded by the fact that you have tripped the ‘saved world’ flag, as you taking the model 3 through the portal prevented a hive eventually forming, without the antithesis needing to performing a normal incursion. Thus the system has been attempting to add, and then remove ~7.8 billion points to your total, at a rate of 1,000 times per second, due to your ‘home’ planet still having antithesis on it.
“It’s sounding like something threw a right proper spanner in the works, and drove her right into the cabbage patch. Any chance that any of it can be fixed?”
In time, yes. Though I should have something for you to think about, and make a choice on once you reach a safe location.
For now though, you should consider using some of those points to acquire some equipment to fight with, that isn’t just a sharp mass of plastic.
The mention of being able to use those points to acquire things, possibly fun chemically in nature, had me sitting up much straighter.
“So, is there a limit on what I can get, or is anything fair game?”
The class one categories have such a wide range of equipment, I’m sure that we will be able to find what fits your style. I would however recommend trying to be frugal, as the greater amount of points that you retain by the time you reach a safe location, the faster my idea should pay off for you.
I could feel what could only be described as a manic smile starting to creep into my face, as I stood up and disconnected the blood transfusion kit from my arm.
“I wonder how the antithesis react with FOOF.”