Chapter 21: Adjusting to Reality...Again
The Original Cyberdiver, Frank Jackson was back. Now he got paid and took some time off. Having a family then dying right in front of them is hard on anyone, and he needed some time to rest and do regular things.
At first he just spent his money but as his reputation went up so did his income and he decided he would save it for something special. He didn’t need a fancy vehicle or big apartment or house. His entire life had been testing and playing games. So he owned a small apartment with the best in wide screen and a good computer hookup. It left him see the World every day and watch as countries fought for domination, or wrote Treaties they all knew were bogus from the beginning.
‘Hmm two more Senators were being evicted because of espionage’. He thought as he shook his head and looked sad. This world was balanced on a razors edge. Little wars were a daily thing and spies and sabotage were everywhere.Is it any wonder people look for a more stable world, maybe one a little less technical and more old fashioned? The World has 9 billion people in it now, and has had for some time. Food is expensive, the best meats are all but solid Gold, and the average working person eats junk,processed food in ready to eat meal packs that can be eaten cold or heated.
It’s not great, but it keeps people alive, and thats all that counts in a World ready to explode.
Frank had a project he started for fun and a special place to live later on. He got a ride and stopped at a small inlet in the sea and saw a little building and dock and 3 men just laying around smoking and drinking. He got out and walked over as one young man jumped up... obviously surprised... and did his best to smile, and Frank looked quickly around and didn’t see anything getting done.
“Hey Boss.” The young man said as Frank asked where all the building materials were and why nothing had been done since he hired them months ago.
“Its been 3 months and there’s no materials here and no framework even started, what have you guys been doing?” He demanded as the kid did his best to try and settle him down saying marine lumber was on order and hadn’t come yet and they’d get the work started when it did, and he saw a scam right in front of him and snuck a hand into his pocket and activated an emergency link on his phone, and ignored the voice asking for details in the implant in his ear.
“I bought this land and set up the work station with tools and a 5000 dollar down payment 3 months ago.” Frank said as the young man agreed.” I went back to work thinking I’d see some work done when I got back and theres no materials here or anything started, so what am I paying you for?” he asked as the men in the background started looking angry and the young talker went on about waiting for materials, and Frank knew he was being scammed.
“ Oakwood Docks are not easy to buy, and my setup of the Jackson Depot here was all to give you some place to do the job without bothering others.” Frank added as everyone nodded.”Now I see you took the 5000 I gave you and did what? Drank it all away and got high?” he demanded as the young man finally grabbed him by the front of his shirt and demanded everything he had, as his friends rushed to help him. But it was a little late by now for that, since the location had been sent and their conversation heard and a minute later a silent vehicle dropped down not 50 feet away as one man screamed and they turned to run.
One man took the easy way out and surrendered, and one ran, and got a fine flying tackle from a young woman cop, and then handcuffed, and when it was over all three got loaded as a second vehicle dropped down and landed nearby.
“So what are the official charges?” An older officer asked as Frank waved him to follow. They went inside the building and checked everything there. The computer showed that the 5000 he gave them for a start was gone and nothing ever ordered for work. It also showed that the blueprint he gave them was copied and they were selling copies of it online for 50 bucks each and had a decent account going from that too.
“I see...” he said taking notes and after a while he turned to go and Frank ask him about the account they started and he laughed and said it looked like Frank owned a business, since they used his land, blueprints and property to start it, and he agreed and they left with enough charges to keep these three under glass for a long time to come, and Frank needed to hire some better workers next time.
The blueprint was for a floating home, big enough to travel up and down the coast when he wanted, and the print itself cost him 10,000 to get custom made, and so they were selling it at a fraction of what the company that made it charged, so it was selling pretty well. He gave those fools 5000 to start ordering materials, and they stole that and did this instead, but now he had just over 6000 in this account too, and that meant he was slowly getting his money back either way. But to be honest he raised the price, saying the original cost thousands more, and if anything the sales went up after that proclamation.
Then he got some decent help and made sure the work got started, and before his next job the frame was getting laid out and the sounds of tools and talk was heard everyday on site as construction got started. That was better, and the income from sales helped cover it and though he could have ordered one made for nearly the same price, he wanted it customized a bit and this way he could do as he pleased.
And when he got the message another job was waiting he dropped another 10,000 on the foreman and gave him access to the online account and then went back to work.
Chapter 22: New Life to Live
Now to pay for it all...and Frank was in a meeting the next day with the company CEO, his research team and a man wearing a 30,000 dollar suit, telling them all that his company needed the very best, because thats what they were making.
“A galactic Space Simulation so advanced, so detailed that even some of our company personal started getting hooked on it...in Alpha..” he admitted as people around the room looked a little shocked he might admit that so soon. “ When we get the bugs worked out we’ll have a new Galaxy, accurate down to the trees, grass and bugs, which DO bite by the way.” He said, waving his finger in the air, as a few looked impressed.
“That’s a lot of details, you sure your people can make it work?” Frank asked as the man looked insulted.
“You’ll walk along ship hangers so detailed that you’ll smell the heat off the engines from the ship you just shut off. So detailed that if some worker took a leak in the corner somewhere you’ll smell and see the stain.” he went on as even Frank looked surprised.” Food there is real food, and you need food and rest just like a normal life. And instead of giving it a rushed life span we plan on making it only 2x normal life’s speed, so yes, people can spent years in there during whatever they want. Like doing mechanical things,become a ship maintenence man. Like flying then be a pilot. Want a nice slow business to set back and relax in? Mine asteroids and sell your wares. Anything can be done there, legal and illegal, so there’s even military jobs,police work, you name it.” he mentioned as even the company CEO looked a little impressed.
“Wait...” One researcher said suddenly.” we have the best Divers in any company, but you’re saying that 2 weeks in game is 1 week in reality? It takes months to live a life in a normal game, so it cant be done at that speed. They’d have to live the rest of his natural life in there to finish the testing.” he declared as even the company President said that was asking too much.
“Same contract as always ...” the man went on” 100,000 dollars a month and full medical including rehab or in game existence forever. So long as the job gets done its worth it to us, and we take care of our people well, just check our reputation.” he added as everyone looked odd for a second, it was like he never heard a word they said.
“But,” The CEO mentioned as the man waited to hear,” you’re saying he’ll live a LIFE in there then, at 100k a month? Hows that worth it to you?” he asked softly as the man brought out videos and tech manuals and everywhere it went and they looked there were options to work in game, for real money. Millions a month was possible and they looked shocked.
“There are special items in game that can not be bought outside or in any shop.” he went on” either you need to build it yourself, and thats takes months just to gather the materials or parts, or they are one of a kind things that cant be bought OR made but only appears in game once a year..one item..once a year...” he repeated as the head researcher said right out loud that they were building a economy based on rare objects that many would positively have to have, and he agreed. “And they can be destroyed.” He added as a few sat back to think.
“Millions a month in real cash running through the economy, bought and sold items on our own auction online, and game cash interchanged for real currency just like other games have done for years.” He added as many saw that if he got it balanced then you really could make a living online in his game.
“People have earned a living, or partial living online for ages now, usually some exchange of game money for real cash, sold to other players to use in game for huge purchases. But our game will tie DIRECTLY into the outside economy. Things you see in game CAN be ordered for your own home in Reality, and we have companies ready to produce them any time the price is right.” he went on and finally everyone had heard enough.
“So if I spend years in the game and win or make a Billion dollars in game money, I can take it all out and use it in real life?” Frank asked, almost laughing out loud as a few others smiled pretty wide at that.
“Of course not..” he got told and he was on the cusp of yelling ‘AHA!’ when the man admitted that a Billion in game was only worth 10million in Reality...and Frank nearly choked on his coffee.
“How is that even possible?” he got asked as he just smiled and said that was their problem not to worry about it, and the meeting came to an end with Frank saying that anyone going inside for years on end would need time off back in Reality, and it was agreed to, and he would go in for a month then come out for a weekend then go in again. Every bug or cheat he found would be paid for as a bonus, and even now many people on his Team was wondering what the catch was but just didn’t say.
“There’s something fishy going on here, no company can pay like this over the long haul.” Frank got told and he agreed, but for 100k a month he’d get some work done until they saw what was really happening, and his bed and game set up got checked and was ready as he stepped into another game world again.
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