Chapter 2

Darkness was all Jacob could see. The sensory deprivation was made worse by the fact he couldn't move his body. He wanted to scream but couldn't make a sound, but then he saw a flash of light approaching.

Suddenly, he was sitting in a blank white room with a coffee table in the middle. A man was sitting down drinking some tea.

Jacob's head spun as he tried to take in his surroundings. Where was he? And how had he gotten here? The man at the table seemed to sense his confusion and spoke up, his voice calm and reassuring. However, he never raised his head to look at Jacob. He stared at the chair in front of him.

"Hello Jacob. My name is Xandros, and I am a member of the Voidwalker race. We have chosen humanity to take part in the Galactic Games, a competition currently between species from all across your universe." Xandros took a sip of his tea before continuing. "As a leader of one of the human nations, we will give you a set of technologies that you choose from a list, and resources to help your nation thrive. But be warned, the other nations will not be so kind. Prove your worth and outmaneuver your enemies if you hope to survive."

Jacob's mind raced as he tried to process this sudden turn of events. The Galactic Games? How had they had chosen him to take part as a leader? And what did the Voidwalkers want from him? As he struggled to make sense of it all, Xandros patiently watched, all while sipping his tea.

Jacob quickly sorted his frantic thoughts. Although he was afraid and worried about the people he knew... Which man who enjoys anime wouldn't be excited about the prospects in front of him? Assuming he was not insane in a medical bed somewhere.

Let's hope not

He also hoped those he knew were safe

"They are.... for now," Xandros suddenly replied.

Shocked, Jacob could only naturally wonder about one universal question. "Why?"

"First, why don't you take a seat?" Xandros said, looking directly at Jacob.

For the first time, Jacob realized that the one talking to him was fully human. Just a normal middle-aged man. However, something strange caused Jacob to be unable to take in or remember any features past the fact that his brain told him he was talking to a middle-aged human man.

"We have transported humanity to a storage facility, ready to be sent to a new world where you will begin the competition. But it would be very inefficient and boring to throw your entire population onto the planet at once. The same applies to the other races."

Pausing again to sip more tea,

"This would create too much chaos. Therefore, they gave each human nation 3000 for a starter population, with random people selected from the populations of earth. The rest were..."

He paused

"Lets just say frozen in time to make it simple and not break any rules. The reason I say for now is that we have ways of adding them to the planet as time passes. You do not have a choice in the exact people that you get from the human population pool. Nor will we will ever give humans that right. They lost it when the nukes launched." Xandros voice showed some disdain when mentioning the nukes.

Being referred to, almost as a resource, Jacob could only shake his head at the brutal truth the alien told him.

Xandros sipped some more tea.

Jacob then asked a question vocally.

"Why did you choose me? Why not someone who went to school for things like this?"

"This is not something life can teach you. Anyone can be taught. What interests' me is simply something you can, or cannot do. I have my ways and reasons for choosing you in particular. Just know I don't care what you choose to do. I simply wish to observe how you decide to go about this competition."

Xandros continued sipping his tea.

"Hmm, two more questions than we move on. I do have to let you do this on your own, of course, to be fair to the other contestants."

Realizing his questions were limited, Jacob asked things that may help his survival.

"How do I win the galactic games?"

Xandros smiled and chuckled

"Nice try. It isn't such a simple answer. But I can say this. The multiverse you find yourself in follows a few basic standards for species that can colonize space. Either your species proves they can thrive and adapt to the expectations of the greater multiverse. Or your species will face immediate extinction."

He takes another sip from the still steaming cup.

"One more question Jacob,"

Thinking about it, and sad he couldn't learn more right now, considering his curious nature. Jacob decided on the last question he would ask. Hoping it wouldn't mess things up.

"... What are the goals of the galactic games?"

Sipping his tea, Xandros thought to himself how best to answer, while breaking no rules. Wishing to give his little prospect as much advice as he could without spoiling Jacob's growth.

"In order to succeed in the Galactic Games, there are four main pillars that you should focus on improving: science, society, military, and economy. Each of these areas will provide you with the resources you need to thrive and survive. You can earn GG credits by making progress in any of these fields."

"As a last piece of advice, I'll offer you this bonus tip. GG credits can be earned by making progress in any of the four main pillars: science, society, military, and economy. To learn more about credits and how they can help you in the Galactic Games, I recommend consulting the AI."

Xandros stood up and offered Jacob his hand, the tea dematerializing into mist.

"But enough talk. It's time for you to select your new technologies."

Jacob froze for a second as he took everything in. He then took a deep breath and reached out.

When Jacob touched his hand, Xandros disappeared, and a screen replaced his position.

Surprised, Jacob sat in the white room, staring at the screen in front of him. Jacob's mind was racing as he tried to absorb the information on the screen. They had chosen him to lead a colony on a new planet, help humans survive extinction, and they had given him a selection of technologies to choose from to get this started. All while losing everyone he knew.

"These are the technologies that are available to you," The AI orb explained, suddenly appearing beside Jacob. He looked towards the screen. "Each one has a different cost, and you have three points to spend. Choose wisely, as your decisions will have a significant impact on your nation's success in the Galactic Games."

Jacob scanned the list, trying to take in all the information. There were a variety of level one technologies, ranging from space energy transmission and quantum internet to agricultural robotics, solar, graphene, high electron density batteries and multitudes of others. Level two technologies seemed even more advanced, with options like teleportation technology, fusion and even hard light holographic projection.

"How do I know which ones to choose?" Jacob asked nobody in particular, feeling overwhelmed.

"That is up to you," The AI replied. "Consider the needs of your nation and the resources you have available. Choose technologies that will give you an advantage in the games, but also be mindful of your defenses. The planet you are going to is very dangerous by earth standards. Alongside hostile nations, your military will be extremely important to ensure your colonies' initial security. At least that is my current analysis of the data they supplied me with when manufactured."

"Wait, what resources, what location? How would I even know this?"

"I will give you a map on the screen you're looking at. It will show where you are to be spawned. They will provide your nation with the following resources."

Jacob read the list on the screen. That appeared to the left of the map.

Food:

2,000 kg of grains (such as wheat, rice, oats, or corn)

500 kg of legumes (such as beans, lentils, or chickpeas)

500 kg of vegetables (such as potatoes, onions, carrots, or peas)

500 kg of fruits (such as apples, bananas, or oranges)

500 kg of meats (such as chicken, beef, or fish)

50,000 litres of water

Basic metals:

100 metric tons of steel

50 metric tons of aluminum

10 metric tons of copper

5 metric tons of brass

5 metric tons of graphene

5 metric tons of bronze

He looked at the digital map, studying the terrain surrounding their starting point. The map had a visibility range of 20 kilometres and showed an ocean or large lake to the east and a range of mountains to the west. A small star icon on the map showed their starting position, and Jacob could see various other markers scattered throughout the landscape.

He zoomed in to get a closer look, noting the dense forests to the north and south. It was a lot to take in, and Jacob knew they would have to be careful as they explored this new world. He just hoped they had enough resources to last them through the early stages of the competition until they could produce their own.

Jacob nodded, taking a deep breath as he made his choices. He knew that the decisions he made now would have far-reaching consequences for his colony and for the fate of humanity in the Galactic Games. He would have to choose wisely.

Scanning the list, he realized there were too many options.

"AI, could you sort this for me?"

"Yes, this is a simple task. What parameters do you have in mind?"

"Show me options that would work together more efficiently. We have the resources to make. Involve energy generation as the key driver."

"Based on your selection, here are three level one technologies you would be capable of producing when arriving on New Eden with relative ease."

Three technologies and their descriptions appeared on the screen. Jacob's eyes lit up.

The High-Density Iron Battery can store up to 3023 watts per kilogram, making it one of the most energy-dense battery power sources available to starter GG civilizations. Its unique construction allows it to hold a charge for extended periods of time, making it a reliable source of power for a variety of applications. The size is also scalable from a few millimetres too industrial storage scale.

The High Energy Absorbent Graphene Solar Panel is a revolutionary new energy generation technology, boasting an impressive efficiency of 60%. Its advanced graphene construction allows it to absorb a higher percentage of solar energy, making it a more efficient and effective way to generate power. Far beyond what the earth could produce, because of its focus on fossil fuel technologies over other energy generation.

The Universal Graphene Particle Filtration System is a state-of-the-art technology that uses graphene to filter out a wide range of particles and contaminants. Its highly advanced filtration system can purify water, air, and other substances to a level that exceeds current human capabilities. Its versatility and efficiency make it an invaluable tool for a variety of applications.

Realizing he had already decided. Hoping that he had not jumped the gun. Jacob bought these three. The only reason being was that they provided him with materials and tools to create the blueprints provided.

At least we wouldn't go back to the dark ages for years, Jacob thought to himself.

Tapping on the purchase button beside each one, they turned grey and disappeared one after the other. The screen turned black and again, Jacob felt himself fall back into the darkness.