Alex had been living in the Army Recruit Center for a week in his own apartment. As Mother promised, he could leave the building whenever he wished.

Alex often spoke with the central AI. If he guessed rightly, Mother tested him, or rather, his mental state. As if he could pose a treat to other people? Alexander disliked it but didn't complain. Additionally, he went through a series of medical examinations regularly.

Mother allowed him to have a minor AI as his personal trainer and since that day he worked out a lot in the gym. So far he had lost over ten kilograms. His body got stronger.

Alex had visited his class once more, but never did it again. There were two reasons for this decision.

First one, his classmates were afraid of him. After that simulation, where he “killed” two bots, they believed he was aggressive and violent. In short, bad.

Second one, it was too boring. He couldn't look anymore as those crybabies failed over and over in their attempts to shoot those two bots. This was irritating. Besides, they had never had an idea to cease their complaints.

Currently Alexander walked along the corridor. He tried to walk as much as possible to lose some weight.

Soon Alex came in the empty classroom where the central AI waited him. They greeted each other and Mother offered him to undergo a test. It was a special battle simulation. The central AI wanted to test his “bad” genes and evaluate his new combat abilities. Alex agreed and got in the capsule. In a few moments he noticed that he stood in the familiar warehouse.

“At first we will start a simple battle with two bots, Alex. If you feel unwell, or disturbed, or feel anything uncomfortable, don't hesitate to say. I will stop the battle immediately,” the central AI's hologram assured him. “Are you ready?”

“I am.”

The Mother's projection had vanished and both familiar bots materialized far away. Additionally, a few containers and some covers were added in the warehouse.

The bots moved to Alex gradually. The green one opened fire. Current range wasn't effective for shooting. Alex didn't know if this was an easy mode or AI just simulated the green zork's stupidity.

The man didn't waste time and hid behind the nearest container to protect his body. Then he dropped on one knee and peeked around the corner. The enemy advanced yet, shooting in his direction. Alex quickly pointed his rifle at the bots and fired off. A series of laser beams hit the aliens in heads. Both were down.

Oleg didn't have any military training. It was an improvisation.

All covers had vanished and beside Alex appeared the Mother's hologram. “You've done well. My congratulation, Alex! Currently it's the best score among the citizens of the colony.”

“Thanks, Ma'am. I did my best.”

“Let's increase difficulty a little!” the central AI said cheerfully and vanished.

Aha... It seems it was an easy mode in the previous time.

Containers and covers appeared again in the warehouse, as well as two bots. This time the blue zork stepped forward to cover himself and his subordinate with the tower shield. In such formation they moved ahead.

Alex took cover behind a container and fired off. This time his laser beams had collided against a shield. An eye - in the center of the tower shield - was protected by an eyelid from any harm.

Damn! That shield blocks my laser beams well!

Alex changed his position. In the past he had heard that it is a good behavior on the battlefield to change your position frequently. He opened fire above the cover from a new position. This time an angle was different and Alex managed to wound and then kill the green zork.

The second bot turned in Alex's direction and ran toward the man. He ceased firing immediately and ran away to hide. His rifle couldn't penetrate the shield, so Alex must wait for his chance to strike.

A grenade would be useful here.

Alex tried to hide behind the new container, but it was useless. The blue zork hadn't lost him. The creature as if knew where Alex was. Fortunately, the bot was slower than Alex or it could catch him.

The young man had remembered that that shield's eye could detect him. Therefore, it was impossible to hide from the blue zork.

Alex could do only one thing in that situation. He gave a command to his rifle to increase power of its laser discharges to the maximum. It would consume much more energy in the battery and also could damage a rifle. The instructor AI didn't recommended to do it on the battlefield.

A series of powerful concentrated laser beams hit the shield. It endured only a few beams and exploded. The next laser beam killed the bot.

Instantly Alex had got his rifle's report about its internal damages. They were all minor ones.

“Good job! Once more!” Mother praised him.

Both bots materialized on their starting position and immediately ran to take covers. Alex followed their example. He hid behind the cover and peeked over it. The zorks worked together harmonically. They advanced carefully and used every cover to protect themselves.

Alex fired a few rounds and changed position. The green zork returned the fire but followed the Alex's example and hid somewhere.

Alex shifted his attention to the blue zork, and tried to kill this alien, or at least to damage that eye. His rifle discharged a few beams, but they didn't hit the target completely. A container had absorbed all damage. The blue zork also hid well.

Alex changed his position again and shot a few times more before leaving the current cover for another one. There he froze and listened to what was happening around.

I guess I've heard quick steps close to me. It should be the green zork.

Alex believed that the creature tried to outflank him, as the blue zork observed the human and gave commands to its minion.

Wait here and defend or attack the green zork?

Alex remembered a proverb “The best defense is a good offense” therefore he didn't think twice. The man rushed along the container for a short distance and jumped out around the corner before opening fire. The green zork didn't expect this, as well as his master was slow to give a right order, and the short alien was killed.

It worked!

Alex was excited; thus he exclaimed happily. This was a wonderful feeling! He fought and won!

The human shook his head to calm down and listened to his surrounding. Then he moved slowly along the container. Somewhere nearby should be a blue zork. Alex had changed his rifle's discharges to maximum.

I know that you are watching me, alien. We will see who's better. You or I.

Abruptly Alex felt a movement behind his back and jumped aside. He turned around quickly and was forced to jump back, seeing the tip of the spear very close to his face. Alex dodged another strike. The blue zork was too close to him and didn't give the human an opportunity to use his gun.

Alex thought that in this situation a cold weapon would be more useful.

It was impossible to the man to dodge every thrusts, therefore the human was stabbed in the leg. Alex didn't feel anything. It was an advantage of a virtual reality and a robot's body.

Alex managed to point his rifle at the enemy and fired once. A powerful laser beam hit the shield - which absorbed all damage - and pushed its owner back. Alexander had managed to shot a few more times. As a result, the shield exploded.

The human was ready to celebrate a victory when the alien threw its spear. It had pierced through the Alex's body easily; even the armor didn't help. Fortunately, the human managed to stand on his feet and shot once more.

In the next second all covers had vanished in the warehouse and the happy Mother's hologram appeared by him. “You've showed tremendous results, Alex! You have managed to defeat all bots in three simulations, having a single rifle in your arms! As expected from a person with awakened genes of the ancient people!”

Alex looked at his body and saw that now it hadn't any wounds. He said plainly. “Mostly by luck, Ma'am. By the way, have I truly killed the last bot? Our battle was so quick.”

“Um... Yes, you have. The bot had got enough damage to be considered killed.”

Alex nodded to show that he understood. “As I understand, the first battle was the easiest?”

“Correct. The first battle was... well, “an easy mode”. The second... something that you can call a hard mode. The last battle - a realistic mode.”

“A realistic mode, Ma'am? It means they fought as in real life?”

“Very close to it, Alex.”

Mother asked him some more questions and then Alex was disconnected from the virtual reality.

~~~~~~

In the evening Alex went to the kitchen and ate some low-cal food before going to the gym. There he greeted his personal trainer - a minor AI - and did some physical exercises under its supervise.

Alex walked two laps around the gym. It was enough for him to sweat. He even gasped a little. Then the man headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Finally, he went to bed.

~~~~~~

~Electronic noise~

{New earned points are available.}

~Electronic noise~

{All points are distributed.}

~Electronic noise~

~~~~~~

Alex woke up in the morning and remembered that strange dream. He sat in the bed and scratched his head. He couldn't remember particular details. That dream was vague.

I guess I saw strange messages that popped up one by one, while hearing electronic noise in the background. What a weird dream!

Alex dismissed that dream. He dressed quickly and went to have a meal.

In the gym he did some physical exercises and walked two laps around the gym.

Strange, now I am not so tired as before. Perhaps, I've got stronger?

That's why the young man decided to walk around the gym an additional lap.

It seems I've indeed got stronger! He concluded and went to take a shower.

In fifteen minutes Alex came in the empty classroom and got in the capsule.

In the virtual reality an instructor AI introduced some new weapons like grenades, mines, laser machine guns, and pistols to the human. Alex was interested. It was a man's toys!

After dinner Alex listened a lecture about modern tactics and learned some general information about the invisible technology. Then he had a few hours of battle trainings against bots.

Besides, Alexander had learned about the army organization of the Commonwealth. For instance, the infantry hierarchy looked as following:

Private – a soldier.

Corporal – a commander of sub-squad that consists of 5 people.

Sergeant – a commander of squad that consists of 2 sub-squads (10 people) and has 2 corporals.

Cornet – a commander of sub-platoon that consists of 2 squads (20 people) and has 2 sergeants.

Lieutenant – a commander of platoon that consists of 2 sub-platoons (40 people) and has 2 cornets.

Sub-captain – a commander of 1-2 sub-companies that can have 2-3 platoons (80-240 people).

Captain - a commander of 1-2 companies that can have 4-5 sub-companies (320-800 people).

Major – a commander of a regiment that can have a few companies (1000-3400 people).

The next ranks are the high commanding officers.

~~~~~~

In the evening Alex worked out in the gym and, after some resting, he went outside to stroll. The underground city streets - as always - were empty. The man moved gradually and often rested on the benches. Recently Mother had placed a lot of benches in the vicinity of the Army Recruit Center.

Once the young man thought that this city is likely the safest city he's ever seen, because the local hoodlums are too fat and obsessed with virtual games to leave their houses.

Alex disliked to see a metal ceiling. He felt as if he was in a big cage. That feeling irritated him. He had an urge to go upward to see the sky, trees, and the sun.

~~~~~~

Alex lived on this schedule for two weeks until he got a call from Mother. The machine said that it was going to send him in a real battle.

On the surface? The man was anxious when he had heard that. It was his first real mission as a soldier of the Commonwealth!

Alex followed the news on the front line, hence he knew about the situation on the surface.

The Rag'zork had been pushed back and the Commonwealth had recaptured the lost towns but Paradise Garden. There was coming off a battle yet. Two robotic infantry regiments tried to encircle the enemy in the town.

The colony still held the Bright cliff where was happening a tough battle yet.

The Commonwealth forces were squeezed out from the city New-Hope completely, but the army of robots managed to stall the enemy's advance.

In the sky the situation didn't changed. A stalemate.

The outer space was chaotic yet. Recently the enemy launched a massive attack to seize the last wormhole of the colony. They had failed. In addition, a few minor fleet battles had happened too.

The Rag'zork had failed to land troops in the asteroid belt to capture the industrial center “Ort”.

Mother asked Alex to join the 2nd robotic infantry regiment and expressed her regret for “sending her little child to the horrors of the war”. It was strange for Alex to hear that from the machine.

The young man left his room and walked toward a lift.