The next morning, he woke as the sun began to heat Florida's humid air. After quickly handling his usual morning routine—shower, coffee, a piece of toast—he found himself on the campus paths again. Today's first class was very different from Professor Albright's philosophical lectures: "Advanced Data Structures and Algorithm Optimization." The class was held in a massive lecture hall, and Professor Miller was the complete opposite of Albright. A short, energetic man, Miller valued practice over theory, filling the whiteboard with complex mathematical formulas and code snippets. Today's topic was comparing the efficiency of different sorting algorithms using "Big O notation." Petter loved this concrete, results-oriented world. Here, there was right and wrong, no gray areas.
After class, he met Liam at one of the cafes in the middle of campus. Liam was, as usual, buried in his phone, but he had a worried expression on his face.
"Did you see the latest news?" he said to Petter, without looking up from the screen.
"Which news? OPG or the Traveler?"
"Both. Both have gone off the rails," Liam said. He placed his phone on the table. On the screen was the headline of a joint press release from NASA and ESA. "There is a slight deviation in the 'Traveler's' route. Current projections do not rule out the possibility of a dangerous approach to Earth. If the route becomes threatening, 'DART' program-like kinetic impactors or more... lethal options will be on the table."
Petter's blood ran cold. "Lethal options? You mean like nukes? They're going to open fire on something they don't even know what it is?"
"Apparently so," Liam said, his voice lacking its usual sarcasm for the first time. But then he swiped his finger across the screen. "But nobody cares. Because OPG just dropped the bomb."
On the screen was a video shared from Octanos Prime Generations' official ChronoFeed account. The title was written in large, bold letters: "Be ready to transcend your imaginary boundaries and create your own world." Liam played the video.
The video was filled with jarring, fast cuts. First, robotic arms welding on the skeleton of a massive space station, sending sparks flying... Then, a half-completed castle with glittering crystal towers, suspended in a fiery void, as if on the surface of the sun... In the next scene, two colossal, mythological beings battling, toppling mountains... Immediately after, an incredibly realistic-looking man greedily eating a steamed dumpling... Then, in a prehistoric era, a woman covered in leaves, hitting a tree branch with a stone to knock down fruit... In the blink of an eye, the scene changed to an intimate but artistic moment of a man and a woman making love passionately... And finally, an armored king sitting on an ornate, majestic throne, surrounded by four wise advisors, about to make a serious decision. Just as the king was about to open his mouth, the screen went black, and massive, white-block letters appeared: REALITY IS JUST AN OPTION.
When the video ended, Petter was silent for a moment. The video was less than a minute long, but it felt like an entire universe had been crammed into it. Liam showed the statistics. "It was posted twenty minutes ago. It's already passed fifteen million views. NASA's 'Save the World Plan' news is just crawling in the hundred thousands. People are more interested in a digital heaven than a possible apocalypse."
Petter looked around. Everyone's face in the cafe was illuminated by the light reflecting from their phone screens. They were probably all watching the same video. They looked hypnotized.
"Where's Chloe?" Petter asked, the thought suddenly striking him. "She would go crazy if she saw this video."
Liam shrugged. "I don't know, man. Probably in the art studio, making a clay sculpture or something to protest this world-ending technology." Liam's sarcastic tone had returned, but it sounded more forced now. "Anyway, forget it. Did you do Professor Miller's homework? That 'Quicksort' algorithm is going to kill me."
Petter felt a momentary relief at this sudden change of subject. Algorithms, equations, homework... These were things he knew, things he could control. OPG's seductive promises and the Traveler's silent threat were completely outside of his control. "I haven't even started," he said. "I was planning to look at it tonight." Their conversation had returned to the ordinary worries of ordinary students. But they both knew that, outside the campus walls, the world was no longer the same place.
In the midst of the cafe's noise, Petter was explaining the finer points of his own project to Liam. "So, my 'Nar-En' engine focuses more on character psychology," he said, drawing invisible diagrams in the air with his hands. "If a character is 'brave' but also has a 'fear of loss,' the system uses these two conflicting traits to generate unexpected, more human responses to events. They don't just take a quest and kill a monster; maybe they refuse the quest because they don't want to risk their loved ones."
Liam nodded in approval, stirring his iced coffee with a straw in his mouth. "Got it, yours is more like a David Cage game, creating a branching drama. Mine is more of a 'sandbox' engine. I focused on having the modules generate new quests and locations on their own. Based on the basic parameters the user enters, the system can create an infinite number of dungeons, towns, and 'fetch' quests. Higher commercial potential, you know? Endless content."
Both of their projects shared the same title, "Narrative Engine," but their souls were completely different. Petter's was an artist's studio, while Liam's was an engineer's factory. What would ultimately earn the grade were these creative touches, these personal signatures added to the project.
Their chat was interrupted by a sudden, enthusiastic cheer from the large table next to them. A group of students had jumped to their feet, arms in the air, yelling as if their team had just won a championship. One of them was holding his phone in the air like a trophy; on the screen, the final frame of the OPG video, that bold slogan, was glowing. "REALITY IS JUST AN OPTION!" one of them shouted, and the others joined in with laughter. The video's effect was spreading through the campus like a virus.
Liam rolled his eyes. "Here we go. They've found their digital messiah."
Petter and Liam left the cafe to head to their next class, walking on the path between the buildings. Petter brought the conversation back to the game. "When do you think it will launch? I mean, after a huge ad campaign like this, they have to announce some kind of open beta or early access within a few months, right?"
"Definitely," Liam replied. "And just think of the options... Designing your own planet, writing your own laws of physics... The video showed both a primitive woman and a spaceship. Does that mean time travel, or will there be zones with different tech levels in the same universe? The possibilities are dizzying."
When they entered the classroom, their chat gave way to the seriousness of the lecture. This class was on "Embedded Systems and Hardware Interfaces." In the room, which looked more like a lab than a lecture hall, there were computer cases with their motherboards removed, oscilloscopes, and a mess of colorful cables on the desks. Today's topic was how to change a processor's clock speed and voltage in real-time with software commands—the basics of 'overclocking.' As the professor ran a piece of code, he showed how the graphs on the projection shot up, and simultaneously, how the image from the thermal camera showing the processor's temperature turned red. It was a fascinating class that demonstrated the tangible, even dangerous, effect of code on the physical world.
At one point, Petter spoke up. "Professor," he said, "what about software that misuses this technique? Is it theoretically possible for a virus to physically destroy millions of devices by overloading their hardware without the user's knowledge? Could a 'hardware massacre' software be created?"
There was a moment of silence in the class. The professor pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Petter carefully. "That is an excellent question, Mr. Petter. And the answer is, yes. It is possible. That is precisely why you must know the responsibility of every line of code you write. As a programmer, your power is not limited to the digital world." This answer carried echoes of Professor Albright's class and sent a shiver down Petter's spine.
When the class ended, the sky, nearing sunset, was painted in shades of orange and purple. The air was still hot, but the most scorching moments of the day were over. Petter arrived home, opened the door, and called out. "I'm home!"
No answer. The house was
silent.
"Where's my beautiful pixie?" he called out, smiling as he walked toward his sister's room. When he slowly pushed the door open, he found Maya on the floor, sitting on the rug, scribbling in a notebook with colored pencils. She was wearing a light blue, thin-strapped dress, and its skirt, which came just above her knees, was spread out around her as she sat. The moment Petter saw her was the same moment she looked up, yelled "Bro!" and scrambled to her feet.
Seeing his sister run toward him, Petter bent down and swooped her up into his arms, lifting her high. He planted a big, loud kiss on Maya's cheek. "Where's Mom?" he asked.
"She went to the market. She'll be back soon."
"Got it. So, what are you doing here all by yourself?" he said, sitting on the edge of the bed with Maya still in his arms.
Maya wrapped her arms around her brother's neck. "My homework is almost done. Just one picture left." Then she paused, her voice turning serious. "Bro, weird things happened at school today."
Petter frowned. "What kind of weird things?"
"Everyone was talking about OPG. Like in the video. About kissing, and making love, and imagination... The teacher even had to tell them to be quiet."
A sense of unease settled over Petter. "Did you watch the video?"
"No, I haven't had time yet." Maya looked at her brother's face, her eyes filled with pure curiosity. Then she asked the question: "Bro... what is making love?"
Petter froze. This was not a question he had expected. For a moment, he didn't know what to say, the words stuck in his throat. He swallowed, hugging the small body in his lap tighter. "That's not something you normally need to learn or know about at this age, sweetie," he whispered, kissing the top of his sister's hair.
But Maya had a bit of a rebellious spirit. She pulled back and looked her brother right in the eyes. "Why not?"
Petter took a deep breath. He couldn't avoid this conversation. "Because... for some situations and events, your body needs to be biologically ready. You were talking about mitosis at dinner last night, remember? About cells growing and changing... This is something like that. But if you want... I can tell you about it theoretically."
Maya's eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly. Petter shifted his sister into a more comfortable position and began to explain. He talked about how when people love each other very much, there are special ways to show that love.
Maya, listening to him with rapt attention, suddenly interrupted. "Like when you kiss me, is it like that?"
Petter smiled slightly. "Not exactly, sweetie. This is something more biological and... physical. For example, my love for you is more of a brotherly and affectionate love. You know, gentle and a bit soft... But strong." He paused, then smiled as if an idea had struck him. "And sometimes..." he said, lifting his sister's bare arms and suddenly tickling her armpits, "...it can be rough like this!"
Maya squirmed, convulsing with laughter. "No! Bro, don't!" she yelled, but she couldn't escape his firm grip. When he stopped tickling, they were both out of breath.
Petter continued his explanation. "In the end, sweetie, two bodies and two consciousnesses," he said, pointing first to himself, then to his sister, "unite. And this allows them to reach a saturation that they feel inside but can't see. Just like when you eat food," he said, gently poking Maya's stomach with his finger, "and your tummy feels full. It's a spiritual satisfaction."
Maya nodded as if she understood. "So why do you have to grow up for that?"
"Let me explain it this way." Petter sat his sister on one knee. "When you grow up, your body changes. In men and women, boys and girls, the organ where you pee from," he said, gesturing vaguely over his clothes, "those organs and other things inside your body develop so they can make a baby. It's a process, like a seed becoming a tree. If you plant the seed in the ground too early, it won't grow. It has to wait for the right time. Our bodies have to wait for the right time too. That's why you need to grow up." His explanation was simple, but it explained the basic biological facts with metaphors a child could understand.
Maya thought in silence for a moment. Then, "If I had asked Mom this, she definitely would have been mad. That's why I asked you," she said.
Petter swelled with the trust his sister had in him. He thought that their mom wasn't that bad, but she was a bit more conservative on moral issues, so Maya might be partly right. He stroked his sister's hair. "So today's life lesson was learning about life's most basic consciousness, huh?" he said, and then with a devilish grin, he laid his sister down on the bed and started tickling her again. "Where's my reward for this special lesson?" he said, wiggling his fingers on her stomach.
Maya shrieked with laughter. "Broooooo! Stop! I'll give you a kiss, deal, okay?"
Petter slowed the tickling but didn't stop. "But a really big one, okay?"
"Okay, promise!"
Petter stopped tickling, then grabbed her by the legs and back, lifted her sideways into the air, and spun around a few times. Then he sat on the bed and pulled Maya onto his lap. Maya spread her legs a bit to settle in properly, then leaned over and planted a big, wet kiss on her brother's cheek, and immediately slipped from his grasp and jumped off the bed.
"Alright, see you later, sweetie," Petter said, laughing, and left the room. Just then, his mother returned from the market. After a brief chat, Petter practically flew to his room.
He sat down at his computer. His project was almost finished, just a few final touches left. He opened his code editor to make an addition. Just then, his phone screen lit up, and a sharp notification sound chimed. A "BREAKING NEWS" notification with a red warning icon was on the screen: "UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT MAKS SUDDEN TRAJECTORY CHANGE TOWARDS EARTH. EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN AND POSSIBLE ATTACK SCENARIO BEING EVALUATED."
Petter's entire focus shattered instantly. It felt like boiling water had been poured over his brain. He quickly saved his project and closed it. He opened his online chat platform. He shared the news in the WhatsApp group titled "EMERGENCY" and wrote only "GET ON."
Within seconds, Liam and Chloe's avatars appeared in the chat room.
Liam: IS THIS A JOKE?
Petter: NO. IT JUST DROPPED.
Chloe: Oh my god... What do they mean, possible attack scenario? How do they know?
Just then, a new tab opened automatically in their web browsers. NASA, ESA, and other major space agencies had started an unprecedented joint live broadcast. On the screen, anxious-looking scientists and officials appeared, while tickers and info-graphics scrolled by rapidly.
The three friends held their breath, watching both the official broadcast on their screens and typing frantically in the chat room.
Liam: Look at the trajectory graph! That's not a natural deviation! It's like... it hit the brakes and turned the wheel!
Chloe: They're calling it an "intelligent object"... They're officially using the term "intelligent object" now.
Petter: Wait... that guy on the broadcast is saying it could be an attempt to communicate. But the other one is talking about military measures.
Headlines, theories, military protocols, and scientific data were flying. The world's biggest mystery had suddenly become its biggest threat, and Petter, Liam, and Chloe were watching this historic moment from the safety of their rooms, through a window made of pixels, with growing horror. The tension was becoming palpable.
The text in the chat window was like the digital heartbeat of their sudden panic and shock; fragmented, rapid, and flowing with a rhythm unsure of the next step. When the text bubble next to Chloe's avatar appeared, her offer felt like both a blessing and a curse: "Let's switch to video. I need to see your faces." It was a desire to huddle together in a virtual shelter. Petter felt a momentary hesitation at his fingertips, then typed the command. The screen went black for a second, and then the interface of the university's virtual meeting room appeared. In the center was a massive main screen showing the joint NASA and ESA broadcast, and around it were empty, gray boxes that would soon show their own faces and those of others.
First, Chloe's face appeared. Even in the low-resolution image from her laptop camera, the anxiety in her eyes was tangible. Her face was pale, a stray lock of her messy hair had fallen onto her forehead, and she had a tired expression as if she had been crying for hours. Immediately after, Liam's box lit up. He was projecting the exact opposite energy. His eyes were wide, as if he were watching the opening cinematic of the most exciting video game of his life. His face held an adrenaline-fueled fascination mixed with fear. And finally, Petter's own image appeared in the dim light of his room, half of his face illuminated by the blue glow of the monitor. On the wall behind him, the algorithms he had scribbled looked like ancient, meaningless symbols.
"That's better now," Chloe whispered, her voice crackling slightly through the microphone. "At least we're not alone."