Chapter 4

Jacob stepped outside, feeling the heat of the sun on his skin and the warmth of the surrounding air. He took a deep breath, taking in the sights and sounds of this strange world.

The concrete apartments were a far cry from the comfortable homes he had known on Earth, with their unfinished walls and lack of basic amenities like electricity and water. The sight was a reminder of the harsh realities of their situation, and that they were all stranded on this alien planet with no way to return home.

Despite the bleakness of the surroundings, Jacob couldn't help but be awestruck by the beauty of the landscape. The rolling hills and forests stretched out before him, surrounded by towering mountains and an endless ocean. The sky was a deep shade of purple, and the sun was rising on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the land.

Jacob had seen nothing like the trees that were vibrant purple and exotic. It made the world even more alien.

As he walked through the colony, Jacob couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow for the people who had been torn from their normal lives and thrust into this harsh, unfamiliar world. Despite their determination and resilience, he knew they would face many challenges in the days ahead. But he was determined to help them thrive and survive on this new world, and do everything he could to make the best of their situation.

As he walked through the colony, Jacob couldn't help but notice the looks of confusion and fear on the faces of the other people. They were all from different nations, but they all shared the same sense of loss and uncertainty. Many of them had been taken from their normal lives and thrown into this strange world, forced to compete in the Galactic Games.

The sounds of people talking and asking questions found Jacob's ears as he walked through the colony. He noticed that everyone he saw seemed to be middle-aged and able-bodied, making him wonder if the aliens had kept the children and elderly "on ice" as Xandros had mentioned.

As he looked around, he saw people of various nationalities and cultural backgrounds, some dressed in traditional garb and others in modern clothing.

Despite their differences, they all shared a universal sense of unease as they tried to adapt to their new environment. He could hear many voices, with lots of them coming from AI orbs explaining details to their users. The noise of people talking and asking questions filled the air as Jacob walked through the colony, surrounded by a sea of people trying to make sense of their new surroundings.

As he walked past them, Jacob couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility to these people. They were his nation now, and he was their leader. He knew it was up to him to guide them and protect them from the dangers that lurked in New Eden. He made a mental note to do everything he could to ensure their safety and well-being.

It seemed like people were still taking their time to leave the apartments and make their way to the centre. Jacob figured he had time, so he checked out the outskirts as well.

"Genesis, how many apartment buildings are there? And how many people can they house?"

"From the data provided, sir, there are 300 apartment buildings with 15 single resident units each. One room with no amenities or furniture. These starter buildings are not intended to be kept as is. It is the only gift you will be given. The rest must be earned."

Jacob nodded his head in understanding. Realizing he would have to make housing as fast as possible.

"So much to do..." Jacob sighed as he walked. The streets were getting emptier as most had arrived at the square. Jacob picked up the pace just to get a look.

As Jacob walked through the town, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the unusual layout. The hexagonal shape of the town was surrounded by dense forest, with only a few feet of grass separating the two.

As he walked closer to the edges, he noticed something about the trees that he had missed earlier. The trees had covered most of the airspace, only allowing certain types of ground foliage to grow among their branches and vines. This caused many open gaps on the ground level, even though it was daylight. Some gaps were very large and led into darkness.

Jacob realized that these natural paths created by the lack of foliage on the ground would make travel through the forest much easier. However, he also remembered the warning the AI had given him about the potential dangers of predators. They could easily be used by any species. He saw minor issues for movement unless it was the size of the trees themselves. Which easily reached 30 meters in height. In fact, they were much taller than most trees he had seen on earth.

Despite the potential dangers, Jacob couldn't help but feel excited about the possibilities that the forest held. The open gaps in the canopy would make travel much easier, and he couldn't wait to find out what existed in the unknown depths of the alien wilderness.

Genesis cut him out of his trance.

"Sir, the citizens are all at the square. It's best you do not make them wait."

"Well, let's get going then." Jacob said as he pivoted around and walked towards the colony square.

****

As he approached the crowd, Jacob's heart raced. He had always been a bit of an introvert, and the thought of speaking to so many people was intimidating.

He could feel the sweat forming on his forehead and he fumbled with his words as he tried to compose himself. It was different with his friends; they knew him, and he could be serious around them. But for addressing large groups of strangers. Jacob would be the first to go red.

"Genesis, could you broadcast my voice to everyone's AI orb?"

"Good idea, sir. That will create a natural loudspeaker effect." As the orb said this, it changed colour, flashing to a green. In response, everyone else's orb turned yellow.

Things quieted down.

He paused, trying to find the right words to say. "I know I am not the most qualified person to lead, but we are here, as crazy as it is." Jacob looked around and nobody said a thing. Most looked confused.

Realizing something, Jacob turned to the AI and asked. "Can you ensure the broadcast is in each individual's first language?"

"Yes sir, many individuals do indeed not speak the dialect you are using."

Jacob raised his voice and this time with a little more confidence. "I would like to introduce myself. I am Jacob Davis. Normally, I would never get up and talk to a bunch of people like this in all honesty."

Someone yelled from the crowd, and the AI relayed it for all to hear. "Who the hell cares about your name? Where are the rest of our friends and families!?"

This seemed to resonate with a bunch of people as a bunch of "yeahs" and "That's right". Jacob realized he had to hope these people didn't turn on him before he even had time to eat dinner.

"As far as I know, they are safe for now ... But I'll be honest with you. I had a talk with our alien benefactor. He explained to me that most humans are frozen in some kind of storage facility. Over time, they will be added to the continent. And to make it worse, we do not have a choice in where they arrive."

The same man asked, "What right do they have to do this to us?! I was fine 20 minutes ago hiking with my dog. What the hell?!"

When the man said that, many people gave him strange looks.

"22 minutes before we arrived here, nuclear missiles were launched by, I'm guessing everyone." Jacob replied bluntly.

The man stared at Jacob, about to state how he was simply lying, but he saw the faces of others. Realizing he was out of cellphone's service range; he wouldn't have been notified. In fact, the aliens saved his life ...

Jacob took a deep breath and spoke again. "I know that we have a lot of challenges ahead of us, but I believe that we have the strength and determination to overcome them. Together, we can create a prosperous colony here. It's my belief that if we can increase our colonies' standards and protect ourselves. The higher chance we each will have to find friends and family. As we can make this a place humans wish to live."

Everyone seemed to be deep in thought. Jacob looked around, hoping he didn't screw it up already.