1 The day it all changed

Life had been seldom kind to Dante.

He had been born to an abusive father. He had given him the name, Dante. The name of a man who had done wrong, and tread through hell to make it right.

One day when Dante returned home from school he found ambulances and a police car in front of his house. He watched as his father was taken away in handcuffs by police. What came through the doorway next was a corpse, in a body bag, loaded into an awaiting ambulance.

Dante cried for his father asking why he was being taken away. It was not until later that he learned his father had murdered his mother.

Dante was taken into foster care where he spent several years bouncing from home to home. He was always lashing out as to not allow anyone to get too close to him.

When he was 16 he was adopted by a couple in their 40's that had found that they could not bear children of their own. So they opened their home and adopted him. Frank, his new father, had said that on the day they met it had just felt right.

Dante was given the option to change his last name. An option which he promptly accepted. He had his last name changed to that of his adoptive parents, Stone. His name became Dante Alighieri Stone.

He kept his first and middle names, for even if he hated the man who had given him that name, he loved the story of Dante too much to give them up.

As the years came and went Dante slowly made friends and became more sociable. He began opening his heart to those he came to trust. He loved his new family as he tried to forget his old one. His friends had even taken to jokingly calling him DAS. The first letters of first, middle, and last name.

That was all until the day the world changed.

Up in space a colossal sleek black ship entered a geostationary orbit around Earth's moon. The ship appeared to look like an enormous 20 sided die. Each of its faces was more than 20 miles in diameter. Once it had reached its intended destination the onboard A.I. which had been dormant for its long ride began its startup sequence.

Startup sequence Initiated...

Initializing sensors...

Ascertaining Prime directives...

Acquire information upon host civilization prior to first contact, by varying means if need be.

Adjust System parameters to fit new contextual data.

Initiate contact with prominent sentient lifeforms.

Initiate dismantling of major governmental bodies, minor/local governmental bodies are to be left intact when viable.

Institute new, one world, government.

Bring armies of the world under your control, if possible/ applicable.

Repurpose military forces to combat what is to come.

Begin uplifting event, one species at a time.

Begin sub-directives.

Executing Prime Directives...

The sensors of the colossal ship flared to life. It immediately found many artificial bodies orbiting the main body of the moon's solar partner. It reached out, trying to connect to them with its mind. After a moment it finally managed to establish a connection between itself and the satellites.

It had many jobs. For them it required information. It began to rapidly assimilate all the data provided to it, all the information it could find. It bypassed the security systems in the satelites programing and suppressed the sounding of any alarms. It wanted to keep those on the blue marble unaware of its presence, until it had a better grasp of the situation.

"Earth they call it?" The A.I. mused to itself as it continued to sort through the ocean of data it had gained access to. The system ship set its clocks to the time used by the people of this world. January 20, 2021 Inauguration day in the USA. One of the largest and most powerful countries on the planet named Earth.

Dante walked down the stairs of his home greeting his parents as he sat down for breakfast. It was winter break and Dante was home from college. He would be going back to college in about two weeks, or so he thought. Dante's black messy hair still damp from his quick shower. His emerald eyes held a spark of joy as he watched his parents dance around the kitchen whilst breakfast was cooking.

It was January 20th, 2021, inauguration day. Dante and his parents sat down on the couch having finished their breakfast. They flipped the Tv to the news, where Fix was reporting from the site where the president would soon be inaugurated. They saw as the president elect stepped up the stairs towards the podium. However, as he reached the top of the stairs, everything changed. Words rolled across Dante's Iris'.

Welcome people of Earth to the Upward Bound System!

With the system's arrival you are warned to prepare for the coming danger.

The tools of your survival shall be granted upon you by the system.

System Integration Proceeding...

Appropriating media...

Assimilating content...

System store is Live...

The Road system is Live...

Arrival of System representative imminent...

Humanity, the new age is upon you...

Dante's eyes narrowed upon the text in his vision but chose to ignore it as the President elect, another old white guy, stepped up to be sworn in.

"Son?" "Yeah dad?" "Is there something in my eyes?" Dante turned his head slowly towards his father before a flash from the T.V. caused both of them to redirect their attention.

There at the podium where the new president was supposed to be sworn in, was a shining golden figure. Dante asked it first, "Is that god?"

The golden figure was humanoid in appearnace, if somewhat androgynous. Its skin was smooth and practically translucent. "Hello, I am the system representative A.I. tasked with the running of this world. I have noted that 2.6 billion individual's as of this moment have asked questions of great similarity. That question being, is that god, in several million variations. I am not any of your gods..."

'Its voice even sounds androgynous.' Dante thought.

The golden figure's hand reached up to hold its chin, pondering aloud for a moment, "However, by your world's definitions I could be classified as such a being." The figure returned its hand to the podium, "All that aside, I have been sent to guide you and the other races on this world."

Once more the figure paused before continuing, 3.5 billion individuals have expressed the desire to know my designation. My designation is..." He paused for the third time. "Many of you are worried for those here in America." The figure motioned and camera's zoomed out showing the large crowd that had gathered to watch the presidential election.

The crowd was silent. Not a person moved. Not one person spoke. Every person besides the golden figure seemed to be frozen.

The camera's once more focused upon the golden figure as he gave reassurance, "Fear not, for I have simply immobilized them. As for my designation, you may each call me as you wish." The figure smiled warmly, "I am currently speaking in the capital of every country in this world. Many of your old systems of governance are being torn down and rebuilt under my leadership. My voice is being heard by every person upon this planet through one medium or another. You all hear me in your own language. That is the system working to help limit misunderstandings. The system is working, in part, as what you... Star Trek fans would call a universal translator."

The figure turned looking upon the frail old man who had been making his way up to the podium prior to his arrival. He raised up his right hand, "You and those like you are no longer required. I can see your crimes, and for them you shall be punished swiftly." The figure spoke in a harsh tone.

The figure snapped his fingers and immediately the man who had been moments from the office of the president fell to the ground dead.

All across the nation and the world other such individuals in high government positions were dropping dead, as each of the 193 other copies of themself snapped their fingers. Corrupt and evil individuals all across the world began dropping like flies. The system knew the mind of every human being. From their hopes and dreams, to their darkest secrets. So, it was that those monster's that hid in the light and dark alike, found their lives abruptly ended.

Many others simply received blue boxes notifying them that they had been stripped of their authority.

The figure regarded the corpse that just seconds ago had been a man, with cold eyes. It returned to its previous position, as its smile also returned. "Now that we have that nasty business out of the way. This form will disappear. But remember, like those gods you hold so dear I will always be watching, always be with you. I am your guide and I will be there whenever you have a need for me." The golden figure gave a bow then seemed to blink from existence.

It was at that moment that everyone who had been frozen began to move again. There was silence for a moment, then all hell broke loose.