Programmer 1

Dr. Johansson looked through the recent reports submitted to him from the system administrators. Since the beta trials began will the volunteers, Johansson been reviewing logs and code every day. His artificial intelligence program named Gaia been learning with the players. After allowing the system to study over a thousand fantasy novels, mythos, and legends, Gaia created the artificial world Cyber Horizon.

"Hey, Gaia?"

"Yes, Doctor."

"How is your favorite player?"

"Oh, Player Jon doing is doing well. His most recent battle was as you would say, thrilling."

"Haha, when have you ever heard me say anything is thrilling?"

"I was paraphrasing."

Some days even the doctor was amazed at his creation. Slowly Gaia had formed her own personality, and conversations seemed so natural with her that Dr. Johansson would get caught off guard. At this moment, he was clicking on the keyboard to close out a loop function on code Gaia generated for future monsters. His main job now was to clear dead coding or polish coding she makes.

"So, Gaia, I think your first game event was a success."

"I agree as well, Doctor."

"What do you have planned next?"

"I'm going to send refugees to replenish the village, and the rest should arrive at the Steel Kingdom. I'm looking forward to seeing the response to the new arrivals."

The one thing Johansson caught on was Gaia loved to test the players. She never made anything impossible, but sometimes very close to it. When the players were first spawned into the forest, Goblins rampaged and slew most of them. The only response he could get from Gaia was, "The weak will die, and the strong will flourish." Now he watches her play god within the digital realm, and he wonders if he made a mistake.

"Dr. Johansson, why are humans not all righteous and good?"

The doctor snapped out of his thoughts when the computer system asked him such a thought-provoking question. "What do you mean, Gaia?"

"Why do humans become greedy, murderous, and hateful at times?" At this point, she had collected data on the actions of several humans within the game. She watched as men **** a female player, a man murdering innocent people, and even a female player betraying her comrades.

"Gaia, there is no simple answer. If I did answer I'd say people decide their actions based on morals. Everyone draws an invisible line in the sand and choose never to cross it under normal circumstances."

"Then why do they cross the line, doctor?"

"Instincts, survival, or maybe just cause they don't care anymore. Take your favorite player, Jon, for instance. He is, in some sense, a hero by rescuing a few villagers."

"Exactly. That is why he is my favorite."

"I know. I know, Gaia. Let me ask you. If he is a hero, why didn't he save them all?"

The computer system went quiet as it analyzed all the information she had. "Player Jon wouldn't have accomplished it if he tried."

"Exactly. It doesn't make him less of a hero for putting his life into consideration. He gambled his life, protecting those he could. Just keep learning Gaia. I'm sure the answers to all your questions will be answered soon."

The doctor went back to coding as the room went back to being quiet. Johansson was amazed at the next update the game would receive. He looked through the information about the refugees and why they were escaping to the Steel Kingdom. Johansson smiled at Gaia's ingenuity and creativity. He then received a message from his favorite system administrator.

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Doc,

We lost four more participants today during transfer to purgatory. What we are doing to these people is horrendous. I don't think I can stay here. Is all of this genuinely worth it?"

-Folly

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Johansson read the email and quickly responded to his friend.

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Folly,

Hang in there, my friend. Soon the virtual world will be complete. Just try and stay calm. If the Chaos Corp read these emails, they would have you discarded. Remember why we joined this project.

-Doc

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