Chapter 1

Humanity has conquered the solar system. The only living thing to cross the void between planets to spread across three of its celestial giants. A promethean task that happened in the blink of an eye. Almost like it was meant to be. A natural occurrence. Humanity was a celestial mold. A fungus. Attaching itself to different suitable objects to host our new colonies, and cities, and societies.

After we terraformed the red planet, the moon. All it took was being able to synthesize water in large amounts. The moon couldn’t be terraformed. Not enough gravity. As much as we try to become like the giants in this universe, we’re still only a mass of microscopic fungi blanketing them. We resurrected one. The other, we made vines. Massive metal veins coursing with the spores of both Earth and Mars. Circulating like blood simply by doing their daily routines at the bottom of the pecking order, or as a quiet middling, or in the lap of wealth.

But our story begins in a sprawling metropolis on mars called Voyager, in the country of New America. They first called it the New United States of America, but through the decades it’s abbreviation became the official title. Alex! Screams Eilen from the living room. Alex is in the nice, gunmetal kitchen. Everything is seamless. He swipes his hand at the corner of the smooth, gunmetal panel above the stove. The panel lifts up with an electrical whirl and Alex removes two more pizzas from the oven trays. I’m coming! He yells back with a hint of frustration. We can see a hall of fame as he walks down the hallway. Gold medals and trophies. Alex has always fought the urge to touch the first medal Danny won for good luck. He wants to believe he’s not one of those superstitious people. He knows that if he begins the ritual, it’ll never stop.

We would be safe to assume he was walking the food into the living room. Instead, he brings it into what looks like an owner’s box at a stadium. Friends and neighbors are sitting on the minimalistic white chairs and couches. There’s a large plant beside the door, with its giant leaves stretching into the doorway. He passes right through the plant’s leaves. As if passing through a hologram. In what is supposed to be the box’s window towards a stadium is just a giant wallpaper TV displaying a sporting broadcast from the moon. You missed Danny! Eilen notifies Alex.

He puts the pizzas down on the table as Josh approaches to grab a slice. Josh pays a pregnant compliment. This room is awesome! He shares with a smile on his face. Alex can’t help but to share the specs of his new entertainment room. Four, ten by fifteen-foot 3D, 240k TVs. Twenty-four speakers and two subs in the ceiling. You can change the style of the room to anything. E-room! Alex yells up to the ceiling. A white flash swipes through all of the screens. We can now see the full scope. All four walls are covered with giant screens. The stadium themed furniture along the walls, all three-dimensional illusions. Rainforest theme! He commands. The walls begin to morph into a small, open-air bungalow in the middle of a large valley in some non-specific rainforest. A waterfall’s majestic power directly to the left. The rainbow of the sunlight passing through the mist can be from the individual’s specific point of view. The stadium furniture along the walls morphs into a three-dimensional fake bar and fake kitchen. The fake plant beside the door into a Malaysian style ancient statuette. There is even a pet tiger sitting in the corner. Licking its chops, yawning, laying down, enjoying its virtual life.

He’s on! Yells Eilen with excitement. They all snap their attention to the screen. It’s the pregame broadcast. A squad of eight in tactical gear are strategizing beside all-terrain vehicles, inside of a giant bunker. A proportionately massive airlock door in front of them. There he is! Screams one of the neighbors. Eager to be a part of this proud moment for Eilen and Alex. The camera focusing on the tall, long faced Danny. Eilen anxiously interlocks her fingers in front of her mouth. The lower third on screen reads Interplanetary Olympic Games- Wargames Quarter Finals: New America vs. USA. Alex is handed a beer as he finds his seat.