Chapter 12: Preparations

Seated in my commander's chair, I gazed out into the endless void of space. Stars dotted the black expanse, their distant glow illuminating the massive structure of Aurora Prime. This wasn't a game anymore—this was real.

"Jarvis, status report on the mining drones," I commanded.

"Sir, all 1,000 mining drones have been deployed to the nearest asteroid belt. Based on scans, there is an abundance of titanium, iron, and trace amounts of exotic materials. Estimated time until the first resource batch is collected: three hours."

"Good. Divert priority to rare materials whenever possible. We'll need them for advanced shipbuilding."

"As you wish, sir."

With our first step into industrialization underway, I turned my attention to the shipyard.

"Jarvis, how's the progress on ship construction?"

"The first wave of fighter and hauler-class ships is being assembled. The interceptors are being produced at an accelerated rate, and the shipyard will have an additional ten ready within the next 24 hours."

I smirked. "Excellent. Make sure they're armed with railguns and plasma weaponry. We don't know what's out there."

After confirming the progress of our mining operations and ship production, I decided to return to Earth. With a single thought, the system activated, and in an instant, I was back in my hotel apartment. The familiar surroundings of my temporary residence in Ukraine greeted me, a stark contrast to the vastness of space I had just left behind.

Stretching a little to shake off the lingering sense of weightlessness, I called out, "Jarvis, what's the status of Starfall Island? Do we own it already?"

"Yes, sir. The purchase has been finalized, and construction is already underway. The island is currently being developed according to your specifications."

I nodded in satisfaction. "Good. That place will be a major stepping stone in our operations."

A thought struck me. "What about the Virtual Reality system? Is it operational yet?"

"Yes, sir. The training environment has been fully integrated. Personnel can now undergo simulations for skill acquisition, combat training, and engineering practices."

"Perfect," I muttered. The VR system was going to be critical in preparing people for life beyond Earth.

"And our people?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Has there been any progress in acquiring personnel?"

"Yes, sir," Jarvis confirmed. "The President of Ukraine has discreetly sent us 10,000 people so far—mostly women, children, the elderly, and those who have lost their homes due to the war."

I frowned. "That's a lot of people. Won't it be suspicious to see thousands leaving the country all at once?"

"The Ukrainian government has ensured secrecy," Jarvis reassured me. "They are releasing the refugees in batches, disguising their movements as part of standard humanitarian evacuations."

I exhaled slowly, crossing my arms. "That means we'll soon have a flood of people arriving at the company and eventually on Starfall Island."

"Indeed, sir," Jarvis confirmed. "At this rate, the company's infrastructure will soon be overwhelmed. Additionally, the government of New Zealand may take notice of the sudden population increase."

I smirked. "Don't worry. I have a solution for that."

"Sir?"

I leaned forward, excitement creeping into my voice. "We'll start moving people off Earth."

"How, sir?" Jarvis asked. "As of now, only you have the ability to teleport between locations."

"That's true," I admitted. "But I have an alternative. I'm going to extract the teleporter from No Man's Sky."

There was a brief pause before Jarvis responded, "A stable, long-range teleportation network… That would revolutionize our logistics. With such a system, we could safely transport people directly to Aurora Prime without risk of detection."

"Exactly," I said with a grin. "Once we have the teleporter in place, we can start evacuating people in controlled numbers, reducing our footprint on Earth while building a new home in space."

"As expected of you, sir. Shall I prepare the necessary resources for building it?"

"Yes," I confirmed. "It's time to take our next step forward."

After finalizing my plans with Jarvis, I boarded a private jet, preparing to head to my company headquarters in New Zealand. The hum of the engines filled the cabin as I gazed out the window, lost in thought.

Aurora Prime was operational. The mining drones were gathering resources. Ship construction had begun. The teleportation system would soon be extracted.

Everything was falling into place.

But now, I needed to focus on Earth.

After a few hours, the jet finally touched down near my company's private airstrip. As I descended the steps, I noticed a small group of people waiting near the entrance. Even from a distance, I recognized them instantly—Alejandro, Elijah, and Natalia.

Flanked by his men, Alejandro stood with his usual imposing presence, his arms crossed. Elijah, ever the eager scholar, adjusted his glasses with an excited expression. Natalia, on the other hand, scanned her surroundings with a calculating gaze, her sharp intellect always at work.

I smirked as I approached them. "You guys got here fast."

Alejandro chuckled. "Of course. You're the boss now—can't keep you waiting too long."

"I came as soon as I could," Elijah added. "There's so much to learn, and I don't want to waste any time."

Natalia crossed her arms, tilting her head. "I have to admit, I didn't expect your company to be in New Zealand. I assumed it would be in some major power nation—the US, China, or even Russia."

I let out a short laugh. "Of course not. I built it far from those superpowers for a reason. I know exactly what they'd try to do if they found out what I was building." My voice lowered slightly. "This location gives me freedom… and secrecy."

Natalia nodded, seemingly satisfied with my reasoning.

"Anyway, I'm glad you're all here," I continued. "Come on, let's head inside."

We passed through the security gates, where a facial recognition system scanned us before granting access. As we walked through the facility, Alejandro and the others couldn't hide their amazement.

The vast complex was a marvel of cutting-edge technology, a blend of futuristic architecture and highly automated systems. Towering glass-and-steel structures housed research labs, production facilities, and training centers.

Dozens of autonomous robots and drones moved efficiently across the grounds, performing various tasks—some transporting materials, others conducting maintenance or security patrols.

Elijah's eyes widened as he observed a row of robotic arms assembling advanced machinery with inhuman precision. "This… this is incredible. The level of automation here is beyond anything I've ever seen."

Alejandro let out a low whistle, clearly impressed. "I expected high-tech, but this? This is like something straight out of a sci-fi movie."

Natalia, ever the analyst, was already observing the logistics at play. "The efficiency here is unreal. You've eliminated almost all human error. How much of this facility is automated?"

I smiled. "Nearly 80% of operations are handled by AI and robotics. Human oversight is still necessary, but we focus on creative and high-level decision-making rather than manual labor."

Alejandro shook his head in disbelief. "No wonder you wanted us here. This isn't just some company—it's more something else."

I turned to face them, my expression serious. "Exactly. And this is just the beginning."

They exchanged glances, fully understanding the weight of my words.

With that, we continued deeper into the facility, ready to discuss the next steps.