Chapter 1 Joshua awakens
The fluorescent lights of the Integration and Resettlement Office hummed with a sound like a distant, dying swarm of insects. It was 8:47 PM. Joshua had skipped dinner again, relying on a lukewarm cup of instant coffee and the stubborn, deeply rooted belief that one more hour of effort might actually prevent some bureaucratic disaster.
His current disaster sat across the cheap laminate desk.
It was a Sylvanian, one of the newer arrivals from the shattered Kepler-186 system. Known officially as "V-Form Terran-Compatible Flora," it looked less like an alien and more like a large, intricately woven collection of mossy vines shaped roughly into a human form, crowned by a cluster of purple, bioluminescent flowers that served as its eyes. It communicated only through slow, deliberate shifts in color and ambient scent.
"Okay," Joshua muttered, running a hand through his perpetually messy brown hair. "So, V-Form-117. We've established you need a full-spectrum UV light source and substrate compatible with a silicon-carbon hybrid metabolism. Do you... do you understand what a 'W-2 form' is?"
The purple flowers dimmed, turning a faint, distressed yellow-green—the Sylvanian equivalent of a full-body cringe. The scent of ozone and decaying pine needles, its expression of confusion, intensified slightly.
Joshua sighed, pushing aside the cumbersome Sylvanian Integration Manual. No one in government had thought to include a section on how photosynthesis and quarterly estimated taxes were supposed to mix.
Suddenly, a massive, blocky interface—a Head-Up Display composed of sterile, white text on a translucent black background—slammed into Joshua's vision. It overlaid the Sylvanian, the desk, and the filing cabinets, looking like a poorly designed, mandatory corporate software update.
[SYSTEM ALERT: PRIMARY USER AUTHENTICATION COMPLETE]
Joshua jumped, nearly knocking over his coffee. The Sylvanian emitted a high-pitched, worried click.
[DESIGNATION: TERRA INTEGRATION SYSTEM – V. 1.0.0
(BUREAUCRATIC PROTOCOL)]
[CURRENT OBJECTIVE: ALIEN ASSISTANCE METRIC (AAM) LOW. INITIATE PRIMARY TASK SEQUENCE.]
A Bureaucratic System? Joshua thought, pinching the bridge of his nose. Even my existential crisis is managed by forms.
The screen shifted, displaying his client's status:
CLIENT: V-FORM-117 (Sylvanian)
CORE NEED: Sustainable Employment & Housing (Required for Self-Sufficiency Index (SSI) > 75%)
CURRENT BARRIER: Cross-Species Communication (99.7% failure rate).
AVAILABLE SKILLS: NONE.
AVAILABLE POINTS (SP): 0.
"I need to know if it can work on a farm, or if it needs to be indoors," Joshua whispered, feeling frantic.
[RESPONSE: USER INPUT REQUIRED. CURRENT BARRIER IS CRITICAL.]
[GENERATING SOLUTION SET: LEVEL 1: SOCIAL UTILITY]
A tiny new icon materialized in the bottom-right corner, labeled "BASIC EMPATHIC READ."
[COST: 0 SP. STATUS: FORCED DEPLOYMENT (SYSTEM INITIATION BONUS)]
Hesitantly, Joshua focused on the icon. The white text pulsed, and suddenly, the oppressive smell of ozone and pine needles wasn't just confusion—it was despair. The color shift wasn't a flinch; it was the Sylvanian desperately wishing for direct sunlight and nutrient-rich soil, neither of which the city government had provided. Working in a factory or on a farm was meaningless; it needed to be outdoors, in conditions that mimicked its home ecosystem, just to survive.
"I... I understand," Joshua breathed, realizing the Sylvanian wasn't struggling with taxes; it was struggling with living. He grabbed a notebook and frantically wrote a referral note for the Botanical Gardens Trust—an old, non-profit contact he hadn't used in years—requesting a "long-term, low-impact horticultural stewardship role" that would give the alien access to the necessary environment.
The Sylvanian's purple flowers brightened instantly, radiating a soft, gentle warmth. The scent shifted to clean, damp earth.
[TASK COMPLETE: V-FORM-117 CORE NEED ADDRESSED. SSI INCREASED TO 82%.]
[GOOD DEED ACHIEVED: SYSTEM POINTS (SP) AWARDED: +5]
[FIRST SUCCESSFUL DEED BONUS: +10 SP. TOTAL SP: 15.]
The screens vanished, leaving Joshua staring at the empty space where the cold, blocky text had been. He looked down at his desk, where a small, glowing green notification now hovered inches above the wood.
SP: 15.
Fifteen points. The number felt heavy, tangible.
How do I use them? Joshua thought, his mind racing.
[USER QUERY RECEIVED. ACCESSING SKILL ACQUISITION INTERFACE (SAI).]
Another flash, and a full-screen menu appeared. It was organized like a government catalog: stark, black font on a white background, filled with drop-down menus and search filters.
SKILL ACQUISITION INTERFACE (SAI)
Current SP: 15
[SOCIAL UTILITY]
Language Skills (F-Rank) [Cost: 15 SP]
Description: Provides rudimentary comprehension of linguistic intent and core grammatical structure across up to 3 non-Terran languages encountered within a 24-hour period. (Note: Does not confer fluency or cultural context.)
Rapid Rapport (F-Rank) [Cost: 10 SP]
Description: Allows the user to identify key emotional/cultural triggers in a client to quickly establish a baseline of trust.
[PHYSICAL UTILITY]
Increased Endurance (F-Rank) [Cost: 25 SP]
Description: 10% reduction in fatigue from physical exertion.
[DATA PROCESSING]
Document Scan/Parse (F-Rank) [Cost: 10 SP]
Description: Allows instant review and cross-referencing of up to 50 pages of textual data.
[COMBAT]
Basic Unarmed Stance (G-Rank) [Cost: 50 SP]
Description: Enables System-assisted maintenance of balance during physical altercation.
Joshua didn't hesitate. The communication barrier was the reason he was still here at 9 PM.
Acquire Language Skills (F-Rank), he commanded mentally.
[ACQUISITION CONFIRMED. COST: 15 SP. BALANCE: 0 SP.]
[INSTALLING: LANGUAGE SKILLS (F-RANK)...]
For a painful, flashing moment, it felt as though someone had taken a massive, rusty database of alien grammar rules and rammed it directly into the frontal lobe of his brain. He gasped, dropping his pen. When the pain subsided, it wasn't a library of alien words he gained, but a strange, structural understanding of how meaning was built.
He looked at the Sylvanian, who was still sitting patiently. He knew, instinctively, that the alien's previous scent of "decaying pine" meant 'I am in immediate, existential peril regarding my long-term survival.'
"Did you... do you have any immediate concerns about the travel arrangements to the Gardens tomorrow?" Joshua asked, the question mundane, but his tone focusing on the intent of the query.
The Sylvanian responded with a shift in its bioluminescence—a warm, deep purple pulse, coupled with a scent that smelled strongly of blooming lavender and fresh rain.
It's an affirmative and deeply felt expression of gratitude and trust, the System translated, not in a pop-up box, but as a subtle, overlaid layer of understanding in his mind. The Sylvanian is now highly satisfied with the integration process (Satisfaction Rating: 95%).
Joshua smiled, a genuine, tired smile. The government office might be a slow disaster, but with the System, he felt like he had a chance to actually help someone.
He mentally dismissed the interface and finished the referral note. The night was done. Tomorrow, a new wave of clients would arrive. He had zero points, but he now had a secret weapon.
He picked up his briefcase and headed for the door. Just as he reached the exit, the Bureaucrat System's voice, a cold, emotionless chime of text, reappeared.
[SECONDARY ALERT: PRIORITY CLIENT ASSIGNED FOR 0900 HOURS. CULTURAL SEPARATION RATING: EXTREME. FAILURE TO ACHIEVE MINIMUM 50% SSI WILL INCUR: -10 SP PENALTY.]
[CLIENT DESIGNATION: K'VASH-9 (T-RANK WARRIOR CASTE).]
Joshua froze, his hand on the door handle. A T-Rank. A highly aggressive, sentient species whose culture revolved around structured violence and rigid honor codes.
"A warrior?" Joshua whispered to the empty office. "You want me to find a K'VASH warrior a job?"
[QUERY RESPONSE: AFFIRMATIVE. RECOMMENDED EMPLOYMENT PATH: TERRAN ARMED FORCES. ALTERNATIVE: TEMPORARY CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANT (TCAA) ROLE PENDING RESOLUTION OF CULTURAL CONFLICT.]
The System offered an impossible task, a threat of negative points, and a bureaucratic path that sounded like a diplomatic incident waiting to happen. Joshua opened the door, bracing himself for the morning.
The 0900 Appointment
Joshua arrived at his desk the next morning feeling the weight of -10 SP hanging over him like a debt notice. He knew the moment K'VASH-9 stepped into the waiting area. The air pressure seemed to drop, and the usually boisterous waiting room went dead silent.
The K'Vash was enormous, easily seven feet tall, covered in thick, cobalt-blue scales that shimmered under the office lights. He wore a heavily padded, dark uniform that looked more like light armor than civilian clothing. His head was ridged, dominated by four black, deep-set eyes, and his presence radiated a structured, intense focus.
After five minutes of nervous paperwork, Joshua buzzed him in.
"Welcome, K'Vash-9," Joshua said, gesturing to the heavy-duty chair. "Please, have a seat. My name is Joshua, and I'll be your Adjustment Counselor."
The K'Vash moved with unsettling efficiency, his joints clicking. He sat down and his four eyes focused intently on Joshua, the F-Rank Language Skill instantly overlaying the intent of his guttural speech in Joshua's mind.
"I am K'Vash-9. I was told this primitive office could facilitate my acquisition of Great Wealth."
"Right," Joshua said, pulling up K'Vash-9's file. "The system says your primary goal is to become financially successful on Earth. Can you tell me what 'Great Wealth' means to you?"
The warrior leaned forward, his voice a low rumble. "It means possession. I wish to accumulate the greatest number of owned items in this territory. On my world, ownership was a capital crime against the Collective. Here, I am told it signifies freedom and power. I wish to maximize the latter."
Joshua swallowed. Ownership was a capital crime. The warrior wasn't looking for a paycheck; he was looking to commit an act of massive, culturally driven rebellion against his former life by hoarding everything.
[CLIENT BARRIER DETECTED: CORE ECONOMIC MISALIGNMENT (0% COMPREHENSION OF TERRAN CAPITALISM/FINANCE). CULTURAL BARRIER SEVERITY: CRITICAL.]
Joshua opened the System Menu for K'Vash-9.
CLIENT: K'VASH-9 (T-RANK WARRIOR CASTE)
CORE NEED: Financial Independence (Acquisition of Great Wealth)
CURRENT BARRIER: Core Economic Misalignment (Requires extensive education on currency, investment, and market value.)
TASK OBJECTIVE: Educate Client on Terran Economics (SSI > 50%).
FAILURE PENALTY: -10 SP.
CRITICAL FAILURE PUNISHMENT (SSI < 50% for 24 hours): MANDATORY AUDIT TRIGGERED. All new client intake suspended for 72 hours.
AVAILABLE POINTS (SP): 0.
This is going to be a monumental task. Joshua needs an ability that can bridge this impossible cultural gap and teach the fundamentals of money to someone who thinks owning a pencil is revolutionary. He has 0 SP, so he must earn points before he can buy the best skill for this.
He mentally opened the Skill Acquisition Interface again:
SKILL ACQUISITION INTERFACE (SAI)
Current SP: 0
[ANALYSIS]
Concept Transfer (G-Rank) [Cost: 50 SP]
Description: Allows the user to simplify complex Terran concepts (e.g., mortgages, abstract art) into metaphoric structures understandable by non-Terran minds.
[SOCIAL UTILITY]
Rapid Rapport (F-Rank) [Cost: 10 SP]
Description: Allows the user to identify key emotional/cultural triggers in a client to quickly establish a baseline of trust.
[DATA PROCESSING]
Document Scan/Parse (F-Rank) [Cost: 10 SP]
Description: Allows instant review and cross-referencing of up to 50 pages of textual data.
Joshua stared at the list. Concept Transfer was the perfect skill, but it cost a devastating 50 SP. He needed a way to earn points quickly just to survive the K'Vash consultation, which had a failure penalty of -10 SP. He was already at zero.
The end of chapter one 1975 Words