Shoot for Earth: MedSci Missions 3

“Ok, you got me,” he said. "I actually like this RPG Sophie better than the damaged one in the hospital.”

McTavish looked hopeful. “If we let you play the game, will you get back to work?”

Roed wiped tears from his face. “Sure. I’ve been wanting to, anyway. If you keep giving me more of this Sophie and cool enough games, it’s full photons ahead. I just need to talk to Sufra alone.”

Green leaned over and whispered to Sufra “I’ll expect a report.” Sufra didn’t visibly react. After the doctors left, Roed looked at the floor near Sufra’s feet.

“You need to add in the rest of the rooms of the apartment Sophie and I lived in,” he said when the others had left. “And the activities one does in them.”

It took a minute to register the request, then Sufra said, “What? No way, I’m not doing that. I’m already using illegal AI, I’m not adding in porn.”

“I didn’t say porn. Just normal stuff.” When Sufra didn’t answer, Roed added, “I outrank you.”

“I don’t think that counts when you’re in the brig.”

“C’mon, your job is to make me feel like I’m at home through a fantasy land. You have to keep me sane, remember? Plus, about that AI, I could tell the Ambassador you used illegal AI already without permission, in Arfus. All you have to do is give me good stuff, and I’ll keep quiet. Otherwise, you can join me in here. I can imagine a scene with – ”

“Stop!” Sufra said. “I’m not listening to your fantasies.” She fumed for a bit. “I’ll find some material on file and modify it for the game.”

“Great! And trickier puzzles, too. So while you’re doing that, I can make the Captain happy if you give me the tech on the ship’s situation.”

“That I’m happy to get for you,” Sufra said, rising. “But the Captain isn’t in any condition right now to be happy or not.” She told him what had happened.

Roed looked genuinely concerned. “Wow. I’m sorry Rich is injured. Sophie would remind me to tell you to wish him well for me.”

Nodding, Sufra said. “You’re a weird mix of stubborn and sweet. I’ll tell him when he’s better enough.”

“Soon my AI Sophie will make me better enough. I can be like my old self!”

A strange fear came over Sufra that their solution to the Roed problem was being embraced a little too whole-heartedly. Would his AI fantasy land leave room for reality? She wondered.