Earth's Gambit (The Gam3 Book 2) Read online

  The Gam3 Book Two – Earth’s Gambit

  Cosimo Yap

  Edited by Josiah Davis.

  Cover design by Kit Foster.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Copyright 2017 by Cosimo Yap. All Rights Reserved.

  Table of Contents

  Arc 1: The Academy

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Arc 2: The War

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Arc 1: The Academy

  Prologue

  The real world seemed dim, a loading screen before the adventure.

  Earth was dull; the Game new and bright. In real life, Alan felt like he was inching toward death, while in-game, progress happened. In the Game, there were a dozen quests to challenge, and every effort was rewarded. As his in-game character’s attributes increased, the nanomachines in the capsule improved his real mind and body. Alan was smarter, stronger than before the Game. But he still only felt part of himself while he was in reality. Thoughts rushed to the surface of his mind, but they didn’t snap into place instantaneously like they did in the Game.

  Earth. He was on Earth, emerging from the ten foot long grey oval that connected him to the Game. It occurred to Alan that playing a game could be his job. His life. The thought invigorated him.

  Alan already wanted to reconnect to the Game, but there were things he had to do. He stepped out of the grey metal capsule. A wash of silver, liquid gelatin flowed over him and back into the capsule. It was like getting out of a bathtub, except none of the fluid stuck. He emerged dry.

  Alan moved over to a nearby desk, his body adjusting back to reality, to the corporate suite he was in. He tripped over a wire on the ground as he put on a new change of clothes, disoriented from logging out of the Game. He needed to call his parents. The past week had gone by in a flash, as he learned various alien etiquettes and mannerisms, while picking apart his own idiosyncrasies. This was to prepare him for the Academy, and the intergalactic society he was to insert himself into. He wasn’t sure if he was ready. It was all a game. Only the future of Earth hung in the balance.

  It still seemed odd that an intergalactic society solved its disputes with a virtual reality massively multiplayer online role-playing simulation, but Alan figured truth could be stranger than fiction. Fighting out wars in virtual reality seemed better than the alternative.

  Alan turned on the computer at the desk, thinking of what he should say to his parents.

  Hey, I’ve been good, having fun in the Game. After I had an artificial intelligence interface implanted in my brain, I also got other modifications, like a bionic eye. Then I received a godlike artifact in the form of a knife that came from the blood of an ancient alien warrior race that may have created the Game. By the way, that Game, the one I’ve been playing, now runs the known universe, determining who controls territories and resources through simulated combat and player-versus-player wars like in an MMORPG.

  One of those wars is actually going on right now for Earth. If we play poorly, Earth may no longer be in human hands in a year, once the new-species protection wears off. However, I did manage to join an elite special forces guild, and they may be able help our planet. I also pissed off an unknown entity, and need to finish a quest in five years, or unknown numbers of locked-up intergalactic criminals may be unleashed. Oh, yeah, and did I mention I’m moving halfway across the known universe?

  Now that he had his thoughts straight, Alan placed the video call. His mother answered, and he could see the kitchen behind her. It was smaller than Alan remembered.

  “Hi, how are you?” his mother asked.

  “Good.”

  “Are you sure? You look a bit pasty, you must not be getting any sunlight—”

  “I told you I’m fine, Mom,” Alan said. “Adjusting back to the real-world. The capsule provides everything.”

  “Have you made any friends? Found a girlfriend?”

  “Allies, maybe. I’ve been busy. Eve has been the only companion I’ve needed,” Alan said.

  “But Eve is a computer, dear. Not, you know, a person.” Alan’s mother gazed at the video camera.

  “Right, well what computers are capable of has gone way off the charts,” Alan said. “And Eve isn’t a computer, she’s an AI. Listen, I’m calling to tell you that I’m moving off-planet, closer to the central game servers. Lag normally isn’t noticeable, but I have this ability called Hypercognition that speeds up my perception of time hundreds of times over. Eve determined that the lag would become noticeable once the ability improved if we didn’t move to somewhere with a better connection. So, I’m moving.”

  “We’re too old for video games, dear. You shouldn’t have sent those things; your father and I don’t have a use for them. He nearly had a heart attack when the installers dug up the backyard for a new power line. The workers seemed to assume we’d be totally fine with whatever they did as long as they got the machines up and running.”

  “They’re called capsules,” Alan said. He took a deep breath. “The Game is important, Mom. More important than you can imagine. Just please, try it with Dad. The capsules were expensive. Go through the tutorial, then you’ll understand.”

  “Well, maybe if we have time. I’m not comfortable with idea of being inside a metal cocoon,” Alan’s mother said.

  “No, listen to me,” Alan said. He paused and tried to gather his thoughts. Humanity had joined the Game after the world governments had agreed to the terms and conditions set forth by the Enforcers, the real-world arm of the Administrators that ran the Game. It was hard to say no to an alien civilization that arrived at your doorstep with an armada of ships, and those conditions limited what you could tell non-players.

  “Have you been watching the news?” Alan asked. “The terrorist attacks and everything. You’ll be safer if you play the Game. You’ll find yourself stronger, healthier. The capsules even lengthen your lifespan. Please enter the Game. I’ll only be reachable in-game.”

  “If you insist, dear,” Alan’s mother said. After a bit of small talk, Alan assured his mother that the planned move and the Game were perfectly safe. The call ended.

  Alan looked around the room; there were two other capsules in use. One belonged to Icewolf, the man who had first invited Alan to join the Game. He had turned out to be an agent of the Legion of Man, a faction that was fighting against the United World Government. According to the Legion of Man, the United World Government would go bankrupt within five years, forcing them to sell Earth and the solar system. The Legion of Man’s solution was a hostile takeover—they wouldn’t inherit the United World Government’s debts, but the current members of the United World Government would be forced to work off the outstanding debt, which would take a lifetime. Joining the Game and purchasing the initial capsules, as well as setting up Earth with spaceports and defenses, was expensive. Alan still wasn’t sure who to support, as further analysis by Eve suggested the Legion of Man was being supported behind the scenes by an
alien faction.

  The other capsule belonged to Kitana. She had joined the Black Rose guild alongside Alan. Alan decided against trying to immediately recruit Kitana into the war for Earth, as there were simply too many unknowns. Despite everything that had happened, Alan knew far too little about her motivations. He recognized she was a master swordsman, and that was it.

  Alan had been hoping to talk to her alone, but she and Sidestep, another guild recruit, had been undergoing non-stop training with Mason, the Black Rose’s Arms Master. Both already seemed competent at handling weapons, so Alan wondered why they needed to prepare more to go to the Academy. He didn’t question it, though.

  When Eve had first suggested that Alan should move to an entirely different planet, in real life, Alan had been skeptical. Then he thought it over a bit and discussed it with the Knight Phantom, his mentor in the guild. Phantom was anything but knightlike; ‘Knight’ was just his guild rank.

  Phantom had readily agreed to the idea, and encouraged it, paying for Alan’s 100,000 credit ticket aboard a neutral trade ship that was traveling between Earth and Khersath, the Game’s capital planet. The guild would also pay for room and board and had its own compound on Khersath, though it was in the main part of the city-planet in real life, unlike the private island-continent they owned in the Game. That didn’t worry Alan; his main concern had been whether this would disrupt his planned enrollment in the Academy. It wouldn’t. He’d be able to play the Game just as easily on a starship as in this room in San Francisco.

  Alan rested a hand on his capsule. It was odd to think that this simple oval was a gateway to a digital universe. He resisted the urge to log back in, to make sure everything was still there. Real life simply felt less. Less fun, less exciting, less important. There were no struggles here, no levels, no abilities, no Eve. It was boring.

  ***

  A shuttle ride had brought Alan from the surface of Earth to the Alliance Courier, the ship that would take him to Khersath. The trip thus far had been remarkably similar to the one he’d taken in-game. All the ships Alan saw in real life looked similar: there were no sleek, aesthetically pleasing vessels or brightly painted hulls. Instead, the ships were all bulky, rectangular beasts of burden.

  A message popped up on the terminal in the cramped quarters Alan had been provided; Alan didn’t mind the small space, as he was going to remain in the capsule for the month-long journey. He watched as the crew of robots reassembled his capsule. The message said that they were going to enter the warp gate in a few minutes. From what Alan remembered Eve telling him, these warp gates created a sort of highway in space between two points, with larger gates allowing for longer distances between the gates. The Alliance Courier would first travel to a warp gate hub, which, like an airline hub, would have gates to a wider variety of places. Alan didn’t question it, taking it for granted that the journey of millions of light-years was possible. He just wanted to get back in the Game.

  There had been something about a meet and greet on the ship’s itinerary, but Alan dismissed the idea of attending such an event, as it was unlikely he’d ever see or run into any of the other passengers again. He watched with anticipation as the miniature robots finished plugging in all of the capsule’s wires. It whirred to life, and a display screen in the front lighted up green. Alan jumped into the capsule with its sea of silver nanomachines within, ready to play.

  Chapter 1

  Dim lights flashed by, too fast for Alan to catch. Alan gripped the arm rest by his side. The dark, synthetic material felt like leather. The air smelled of smog. The realness of the Game still caught Alan off guard.

  More lights raced past the shuttle. By Eve’s calculations, they were slowing down. No one else noticed; they were too focused on the Academy’s introduction video.

  Alan had already memorized the details. The Academy System was an entire solar system devoted to the Academy and the Institute. Ten planets and twice as many moons, some artificial. Passing tests and completing challenges would be rewarded. The term limit for students was 100 standard days.

  The Academy was an odd place of learning, only made possible by the Game. Unlike the Institute, a place where knowledge was pursued, the Academy trained both mind and body. The Academy was a boot camp designed to get new players combat ready.

  For without some advantage, such as an in-game skill or item, humanity stood no chance. A Predecessor, or any other rank S threat, could wipe out the entirety of Earth’s standing army by itself. Alan would be little more than a bug.

  It all came down to ranks, to base attributes. Even if Alan gained 1,000 points in strength, he wouldn’t be as strong as a Predecessor with ten points in strength. Stat points were logarithmic; they didn’t scale well if your race’s natural values were low.

  With 1,000 points in strength, Alan would be about three times as strong as an average human, 1,000 log 10. But a single Predecessor was naturally thousands of times stronger than a human. And that was their base strength, with only ten points. With just ninety more points in strength, the Predecessor could double its strength, while Alan could never reach the Predecessor’s original strength even with billions or trillions of stat points.

  The Game, much like life, was not fair. The calculations might not even be correct, but Alan would never naturally be as strong as a Predecessor.

  Still, with the right items and skills, Alan might have a chance. He needed to plan for the late game, and here was where he’d start.

  Someone said something. Alan looked up.

  “Finally decided to join us?” Phantom asked. Alongside him were the other Black Rose Squires who were attending the Academy this term: Kitana, Aurora, and Sidestep.

  Aurora and Sidestep were a variant of the human race; they were Ælves, with elfin features. Aurora was the daughter of the guild master, Elisandra.

  “I was thinking,” Alan said.

  “Well, we’re here,” Phantom said. “I’m not allowed any further, but I’ll stay in-system for the duration of your term. If anything comes up, let me know.”

  As the shuttle landed a message appeared:

  Welcome to Atlas. The planet of Atlas is designated as a safe zone. Thus, should you die there will be no penalty unless you enter one of the areas deemed unsafe. You may not enter any unsafe area against your will. Any unjustified acts of violence or breaking of laws will be appropriately punished by the Institute, ranging from fines to experimentation, depending on the nature of your crime.

  As a friendly reminder, all experiments are the result of their creators. The Institute claims no responsibility for any tests gone wrong. For a full listing of the Institute’s laws, please contact an Administrator. Have a nice day!

  Alan looked around. Hundreds of other shuttles were landing in designated spaces adjacent to theirs. Young humanoids, most looking to be in their early twenties, made their way to a large shuttle the size of an airplane. Proud mentors and parents waved goodbye. It reminded Alan of his first day at college, only everyone was armed to the teeth and there were more aliens.

  A dark, pungent cloud floated by Alan. They were surrounded by industrial zones that processed and refined raw materials used by the Institute. Foundries, essentially large 3-D printers, would then turn the raw materials into whatever was needed. The actual classrooms, academic quarters, and laboratories would be elsewhere.

  Two new messages appeared before Alan:

  Welcome Alan. While in the Academy System, you may use ability points and marks to hire Teachers to gain and improve your abilities. Abilities may not be directly purchased. Teachers are able to train a player’s ability up to advanced, and teach select players unique class, racial, or faction abilities. Certain Teachers can even help players reach the master level of understanding.

  These Teachers are qualified specialists gathered from the Game universe. They are spread throughout the Academy System, with the majority of class-related ability Teachers gathered on specific planets and stations. As a part of the Rogue
class program, you will proceed to the planet Ænigma once initial training is complete. Teachers will be able to review and evaluate actions you take during your initial training.

  Please board the Academy shuttle.

  New quest: Graduate

  Complete your training at the Academy.

  Penalty for failure: ???

  Reward: ???

  Time Limit: 100 Days

  Alan followed everyone else into the Academy shuttle. The interior was similar to an airplane’s, with crowded rows, three seats across on each side of the craft. Unlike the Black Rose’s private shuttle, however, there was little legroom and no arm rests.

  Aurora and Kitana took two adjacent seats. Sidestep teleported into the third, using his signature ability.

  “This will be a good chance for you to practice your people skills,” Sidestep said.

  Alan continued down the rows with a sigh, looking for an empty seat. He managed to spot one between a brunette girl wearing an olive flight suit and an elfin blonde.

  “Excuse me, is anyone sitting there?” Alan asked.

  The blonde had similar features to Aurora, but wore a platinum diadem, a simple band with a small, dark stone that glowed with energy. She glanced up at Alan, lingering on his Revenant power armor, and then said, “Yes.”

  “Oh, sorry for bothering you then,” Alan said, turning to keep looking for a seat.

  A boy seated across the row called out, “Liar. You know there’s no one seated there, Luna.”

  Luna turned her head, glaring at the boy, and said, “I’d appreciate it if you’d mind your own business, S. Oh wait, excuse me, I forgot who I was talking to. The person with no boundaries, the snitching scab scum that sold out the Vorthos rebellion.”