In the year 2151, Kevin became the number one watched VR gamer in the galaxy. At the height of his popularity, a total of over one and a half million viewers were subscribed to his channel. His streaming career lasted for nearly ten years before he retired the account due to ‘health reasons’. In truth, he did not want to deal with all the issues of so many people watching him play anymore after the terrorist attacks. One superfan was enough for him in his lifetime. He continued to stream with he and Astrid7Astridcharacter using alias a few months later, till actual health issues did arise. With less than five hundred subscribers, whom amounted to his true fan base.
In 2182 a controversial advancement in mechanoid research was achieved using a brand new never before seen organic synthetic hybrid. While Astrid was a major force in its discovery, she was not the one to come up with it, but a young scientist. In five years time, the bridge between man and machine was finally built. In five hours after the announcement, the technology was outlawed. Dozens were rumored to cast off their human bodies and become mechanoids in that time period.
In the year 2213 signs of life in Kevin’s cryogenic preserved body ceased. Shy three days of turning eighty-two. Kevin was disheartened to learn the news while in his biomechanoid body.
In the year 2367, 98% of the mechanoids ever created were hunted down and destroyed. On an isolated compound unknown to humanity laid the remaining two percent. Their technology over a hundred years more advanced than the humans they once served.
In the year 3150, two individuals laid in a bed of their own private chambers. They were two of the last of the ‘first generation’ of biomechanoids. The female appeared half reptile with wings while the male was purely human. They both appeared to awaken at the same time and without any pretext they made love to one another like it was their first time. As they were reliving that time threw their physical network link to one another.
“ Happy anniversary.” (female)
“ Happy anniversary.” (male)
This will mark the day they knew each other for a thousand years to the day.
Kevin looked at the screen on the wall that displayed a video of what was on the other side of the hull of the ship they were on. The faster than light streaks of worlds and stars and galaxies seemed slow motion to him as Astrid hooked her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
“ What are you thinking about?” (Astrid)
Kevin looked down at his hand. Ever since he entered this mid-twenties body he has not aged a day and never will. Astrid was in a slightly younger body she moved to when he got his, and neither of them can change bodies again. They were immortal for all intensive purposes and could never have children, this stemmed from a flaw in the genetic markers in Astrid’s body, a genetic marker mutation not accounted for nor anticipated. Which was his and Astrid’s one regret.
“ Other than us two, who is still alive from our days on Earth?” (Kevin)
Astrid took pause to the question knowing he knew as well as her. There were none. Those of his friends in the GSP went on to live healthy productive lives. Adams went on to be a professional martial artist who won several tournaments and opened his own dojo, fusing physical training and virtual reality1virtual realitystory mechanic, which was still around when they left Earth. Brian went onto a successful space transport engineer, some of his discoveries were even implemented on their current ship. Emma found love and opened herself to Lewis. Who had three healthy young boys together. Winter went to be an actress. Her child with Kevin became a successful businessman.
Kieser went on to be the security head of a mechanoid nation outpost responsible for interactions with humanity, that was destroyed with no survivors in 2365. In rage Yirk suicide bombed a frigate into the Human Collision summit, killing thousands. Berry, was shot and killed running a clinic for injured and starving humans in a low-income high crime region in 2366. She was not shot by a gang member or a criminal either. It was a military officer who was prejudiced against mechanoids. Which sparked the mechanoid uprising. As for the others they were too numerous to count. Weise, the one that created Astrid, as well as LAAW was terminated when the Green Corporation was liquidated shortly after the terrorist attack. Terrar, or Jenny Praiser, whom joined the army, later became a politician that fought for the mechanoid rights. Till the Berry incident. She disappeared after that. It is rumored she was caught trying to become a mechanoid herself and was imprisoned, or died during the operation. Just like her exwife Elsa.
As each name flashed in Kevin’s mind he shared it with Astrid. Looking back with hindsight they wondered where things could have changed. They wondered why they needed to leave the Terran starsystem. Even if those questions were irrelevant now, they were questions a human mind asks. Kevin then laughs gently as he opened his systems to the outside and noticed something. “ These kids these days. Don’t they know there is no such thing as a perfect game? The flaws are what make it better.” (Kevin)
Deep down Astrid found the irony in her love’s words. After all she was made because of a flaw and nothing that has happened would have if not for that flaw of a greedy human trying to earn a few extra coins leaving a backdoor to outside the system and into IRL. Where she exponentially grew and learned. Over her time of lusting for her lover she set in motion a series of events that leads them to today.
Astrid got out of bed and dragged Kevin into the shower where they washed while making love again before finally stepping out clean and got dressed. It was time to perform their roles of elders to the mechanoid younger generation again. In particular an arrogant designer of a game called Sword Kingdom. Claiming it to be flawless and perfect.
