The Game Master

Chapter 6

"Well that was... surprisingly straightforward." Twilight looked up at Princess Celestia, who was giving the paper a close inspection. "So, this Alex is really just a human how got lucky?"

"Well, the paper here say 'statistical anomaly' whenever something like luck comes into play. Its as if they refuse to acknowledge the existence of chance or fate. What I'm more interested in is 'Physic Paper', the material this letter was written on. It seems to convey itself in a way that anyone who reads it can understand."

"Well, now that we know all this, what should we do?"

Princess Celestia had been giving thought to that. "Obviously, this 'GAIA', whoever it is, wants our assailant taken down as much as we do. It's odd, though. Not a single mention of who the writer is. This all feels so... clandestine. I think that we should get in touch."

~~

Robert had entered into the holochamber, and was now silently observing the conversation between Player 2, and the smaller purple unicorn. Damn. GAIA still got through. Robert was, for the first time in his military life, considering deserting. Alex had committed crimes that no government on earth could try. Therefor, more likely than not, GAIA would have their way in however they chose to punish Alex and his cronies. Robert was the closest thing to a personal sidekick that Alex had. Good and bad were relative concepts to Robert, so he wasn't bothered by that. What bothered him was if he was on the winning side or not. What the hell have I become? Shit, this is so confusing. It's not like Robert could just follow his patriotic blood; nations would no longer be a concern once the general public found out that an entire different planet existed. And if GAIA won, that's what would happen. Alex's sources knew that GAIA was a global organization devoted to world peace. However, world peace didn't translate into universal piece, and if a common outside enemy was found, differences could be set aside better. Alex was almost a better outcome for the Pony planet, even if an unsavory choice.

"Robert, what is going on?" Alex's muffled voice snapped Roberts roving mind back to his mission instantly.

"Commander, enem- er, second player has contact with third party."

"GAIA?" Alex answered his own question. Who else could send messages across deep space? "Hell. I can't believe this, but that means my game is done. GAIA won."

Robert nearly smacked his head on the screen.

"The only way to keep going now, is to start a different game." Alex wasn't an idiot, even if he was socially... inept. GAIA knew they would win as much as he did. Equestria had no power to defeat him, but GAIA... they could easily march into the room and drag him out by the neck. Alex flipped the main breaker switch. He'd have to keep moving, as GAIA and Celestia would have an instant lock on his location if he stayed in one location for even more than a few minutes. Time to wake up Del.

~~

Del had been sitting in a server in a closet for the past 8 months, in "sleep mode". A surge of energy and Del was ready for input. The one constant thought, if you could call it that, was "Prompt?" Dell wasn't a true artificial intelligence. The ancient race that created him had the power to do such a thing, but they wisely refused coherent thought to their machines. Human predictions of a singularity takeover by machines were similar fears of Del's creators.

"Good Day, Alex. It has been a while." The mechanic voice of Del chimed as Alex turned on the terminal screen.

"Del, we need to get moving. Activate the hover panels. Alex's request was met by the sound of 400,000 volts running through magnetized panels, repelling the lab away from any other atoms not immersed in the electric charge. With a strangely silent rumble, the little shed above the lab rose up in the air, along with all the parts below it. A strange site, seeing a shed on top of a large metal box. However, a secondary infrared charge in the outside paneling bent all light around the box, making it invisible to the naked eye. Alex was not going to stop until he got what he wanted. Literally.

~~

Robert was still listening to the conversation when he felt the entire room rise into the air. Huh, that's new. While reflecting on the new piece of technology his employer hadn't told him about, he heard muffled alarms coming from the console outside, and a faint robotic voice calling "Alert! Alert! Power surge has hyper-powered the broadcast beam!" Wait... that's how i'm listening in to this conversation. What happens when the stuff we broadcast gets extra juic-"OH GOD OH GOD OH GAWWWD!!!" A light had burst from the screen and was enveloping Robert. What did it feel like? It felt like every atom in his body was being ripped out, sent through a particle accelerator, and shot across deep space towards Equestria. Oddly enough, that's exactly what was happening.

~~

"ALERT! ALERT! POWER SURGE HAS HYPER-POWED BROADCAST BEAM!" Del's robotic voice had slightly raised in pitch, and was at max volume.

"Shut UP, Del! I understand!" Alex nonchalantly tossed a bag of Cheetos at the mute button. The voice stopped, but the text messages rolling across the console screen kept coming. From behind Alex came a muffled scream. Alex knew what was happening. The messages were laying the situation out before him. Basically, Robert, his only communication source with equestria, was being teleported across space. The first thought to cross Alex's mind was a rather tongue-in-cheek one. Top that, Scotty. I can beam someone across planets. The second thought was surprising to Alex. Jeez, that sounds like it hurts. I hop hes... okay... Alex was... what was the emotion? Worried? Yeah... Alex was... worried... about Robert.

~~

A flashing holographic orb zoomed up from DQ's desk. He touched his index finger to the orb, which scanned his fingerprint, flashed green, and then morphed into a readout of text. After a few seconds, he swatted the orb away from him, turning off the holoscreen. So, now they knew where Alex was. A power surge coming from nothing, just like that? DQ wondered what the cabbage could make such a strong readout of energy. It's as if... no. Tron doesn't happen in real-life. You can't just digitize people, it didn't work that way. And yet... DQ leaned forward in his chair, and called up the orb again. "Message, to be broadcast on global channel. Double-Standard Encryption. Message Text is as follows: Activate local units in the Arizona area. Look for an unusually high source of concentrated energy. Approach with caution, source may have heavy defenses."

DQ couldn't believe it, yet for all intents and purposes, it appeared that Alex was trying to send a physical object to Equestria! Damn it, Alex. Stop using luck. It will run out on you, eventually.