by Dean Henegar
Limitless Lands
Book 1
The Commander’s Tale
A LitRPG Adventure
Copyright © 2018 by Dean Henegar
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN: 9781717894342
Table of Contents
Preface:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22:
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Afterword
Preface:
It is the Soldier, not the minister Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
Copyright © 1970, 2010 by Charles M. Province; U.S. Army, www.pattonhq.com
Prologue
2025: Quantum computing makes its debut. The processing power of computers multiplies exponentially.
2030: Worldwide deployment of the Skyfi satellite network allows for near instantaneous data transfer anywhere in the world to any device.
2035: Virtual Reality gaming takes over as the world’s most popular form of entertainment. Streaming stars make millions while companies rush to release new games and improve on the technology.
2040: The United States and most modern nations transition their military forces over to drones and no longer use live soldiers for combat operations. Trillions of dollars are saved by this move. Military personnel are now only utilized to service the drones and maintain logistics. The combat oriented Military Operational Specialties are no more.
2050: Due to the drawdown in forces, most Veterans Administration hospitals and facilities are shutting down across the United States. The older veterans have begun to die off and veterans of the newer drone-based military are given regular health insurance as employees and contractors of the federal government.
2080: Most of the combat veterans in the United States are over 80 years old, many of those remaining are now housed at the last VA medical retirement home located in Knoxville, Tennessee.
2085: Top VR gaming company, Qualitranos is set to launch their latest Virtual Reality MMO into beta. The game is called Limitless Lands and features the first fully autonomous world controlled completely by Artificial Intelligence. Limitless Lands pre-orders exceed all worldwide records and the first 100,000 beta testers will begin to play shortly. VR gear manufacturers rush to put out hardware capable of fully utilizing the Limitless Lands software. What is not made known to the public is that the game is co-funded by the medical research company Meditronax. Meditronax wants to use the AI tech to create medpods that will treat brain damaged, seriously injured, and comatose patients. The first medpod is being tested by the FDA and is allocated to the VA medical retirement home in Tennessee for use on a patient whose family volunteered him for the treatment.
Chapter 1
VA medical facility Knoxville, Tennessee
An annoying squeak accompanied every step Trey made on the linoleum-covered hallway. The downpour outside had hit just as he was exiting his vehicle, soaking him thoroughly before it tapered off. The weather was now content to drizzle a misty rain between intermittent downpours, a common occurrence during every East Tennessee spring. The long hall he walked down was decorated with bland, inoffensive artwork; the pictures yellowed with age and neglect. The hospital décor was a reminder that the building and those cared for inside were no longer worth expending further resources on.
Trey had initially questioned his choice to place his father as the test subject for the experimental medpod, but then finally realized that his father would have approved it himself if he was able. His father was a fighter and would jump at any chance, however remote, to recover and spend time with his family. Trey had worked at Qualitranos for over 20 years, climbing the corporate ladder and moving to newer and more challenging projects with each promotion. He was the company’s first and only choice to lead the Meditronax joint venture. A venture with the amazing opportunity to blend gaming AI software with lifesaving medical tech.
Noticing that his shoes had finally dried enough to stop squeaking, Trey found himself in front of a door marked room 51. A room Trey had stopped visiting some time ago when it became too painful to watch his father slowly deteriorate. Trey gathered his thoughts and emotions, pushed on the cold stainless-steel door handle, and entered the room.
With his game face smile on, Trey greeted the people in the room. The occupants were gathering around a hospital bed set next to a strange pod shaped machine. He recognized his coworker and tech expert Louis as he fiddled with the latest gen ThinTab Dataslate, swiping at controls and analyzing data. Louis or Lou as he liked to be called was one of the best tech guys in the business, but like many in the tech field he was not a people person, uncomfortable around conflict or social interaction. A look of relief washed over Lou’s face as Trey entered.
“Trey, this is the representative from the VA a Mr.…” Lou tried to say before the person he was referring to cut him off.
The man interrupting Lou looked to be around 35 years old and was dressed in a dark blue suit over a crisp white shirt accompanied by a colorful “power” tie. The expensive ensemble screamed “I’m more important than you!” and the smug look on the man’s face seemed to confirm that he believed in his own self-importance.
“I’m Mr. Logan, the director of this facility. I take it you are Trey Raytak from Qualitranos?” he queried while offering his hand.
Trey shook his hand and confirmed. “Yes, pleased to meet you Mr. Logan. I’m the medical interaction manager from Qualitranos for this project. Are we all set to get started?”
Mr. Logan nodded and then introduced one of the other people in the room.
“This is Dr. Greenway with the FDA here to observe the medpod function,” Mr. Logan gestured to the middle-aged woman wearing a lab coat and carrying a Dataslate.
“I believe these two are techs from Meditronax here to set up the machine.” Logan dismissively waved at the techs who were fiddling with settings on the medpod.
Dr. Greenway shook hands with Trey. Her short brown hair framed a face that showed compassion and concern. “Are you sure you want to allow your father to go through with this?” Dr. Greenway asked.
“My fa
ther was a soldier, Dr. Greenway. There is no way he would pass on the chance to help people in the future. Too bad the medpod won’t allow him to play the actual game. What most people don’t know is that in addition to his being a Colonel in the Army, he was also an avid gamer in his youth. He’s the reason I’m in the gaming industry today.” Trey responded.
Despite his father being gone for long periods of time due to his military service, Trey remembered fondly the times he spent with his father playing MMO’s together. Cut from the same cloth as her grandfather, Trey’s own 10-year-old daughter was an avid gamer who hoped to explore a professional career in the field. A few pulled strings had even gotten her into the Limitless Lands beta.
Dr. Greenway nodded at Trey and advised the two medpod techs to begin their work.
“I will be here off and on during the day to monitor your father and keep an eye on his vitals. The pod will open every 23-24 hours to allow us to calibrate the medpod and to refill the medications. The AI is supposed to make treatment suggestions and if I agree with its treatment assessment, I will authorize refilling the pod with the suggested medications. If I disagree with the AI’s suggestion, I can override the treatment path.”
Dr. Greenway, deep in thought, tapped the edge of her dataslate. She was hesitant to allow an AI to take over the medical care for someone with such complex medical problems. She tapped away at her tablet a few more times before beginning again.
“I admit I’m skeptical that an AI is advanced enough to do this. Should I disagree with its assessment, or I see a deterioration in the patient’s condition, I have the authority to, and most assuredly will, shut down this experiment immediately.”
Dr. Greenway then addressed the Meditronax technicians.
“You may begin to move the patient. Be thorough but quick; he won’t last long without life support. Set the pod to activate as soon as he’s hooked up and then I will load its medications.” Dr. Greenway then moved to a small rollaway cart that contained all the possible medications that Colonel Raytak may need for the next 24 hours.
Trey looked down at his father as they loaded him into the medpod. A weight began to build in Trey’s chest as he saw the emaciated body that was once the strong tall Colonel James Raytak. His father’s head was shaved to accommodate electronic leads and provide a better connection to the VR helmet that was to be placed over his head. The shaved head, paper thin skin, and emaciated frame gave his father a ghoulish look.
Colonel Raytak had not been conscious or in his right mind for several years as accumulated injuries and old age took him slowly from his family. Trey was an only child and had tried to visit as much as possible when his father’s health had first declined and he had to be placed in the hospital. He couldn’t stand to visit anymore once his father was no longer able to recognize him. His own wife, child, and work kept him too busy to visit, he told himself, knowing the real reason for not visiting was the depression he faced each time after seeing his father’s condition.
The game’s AI would completely control the medpod while it administered medications, stimulated muscles, and connected directly to the brain from the helmet network interface. Despite the attempt to make it appear futuristic, the medpod had too much of a coffin-like appearance for Trey’s liking. He knew this was a marvel of engineering and technology, but he was cautious about getting his hopes up for his father.
The incredible processing power of the AI should allow it to manage the medical care of the patient as well as provide mental stimulation. It was designed to create a personal VR environment comfortable and familiar to the patient. While it wasn’t connected to the game world, the VR environment for the medpod would hopefully allow the patient to relive happy moments of their lives. Providing a comfortable, happy, and safe environment was the goal.
The Meditronax techs with the help of a nurse from the VA hospital began to disconnect Colonel Raytak from the dated VA life support equipment he was currently on and place him in the medpod. Colonel Raytak’s life support monitors blared loudly as his body threatened to give out during the brief transfer to the pod. After being connected to the medpod’s life support systems, Colonel Raytak’s vitals returned to normal.
Several panels at the edge of the Medpod opened and clear plastic containers the size of a soda can could be seen extending from the pod. Dr. Greenway began filling each of the containers with the medications she collected from the rolling cart next to her. She paused while holding the last container which contained a greyish fluid and looked at Mr. Logan.
Mr. Logan took the dataslate from Dr. Greenway, tapped a few times on it to bring up a e-sign form and shoved it toward Trey.
“I want to formally be on the record that I do NOT approve of this experimental medication and neither I, nor the VA, will be held accountable for any deterioration in your father’s condition.” Logan boldly stated.
Mr. Logan was a political animal and knew his time as administrator of the facility was limited. In only a few years, 10 at most, all the patients left would have passed away leaving this last VA hospital to close. Logan needed a promotion to another department in the government bureaucracy before he was put out to pasture. He was confident his shrewd manipulations would work this experiment to his benefit, regardless of the outcome. The success of the medpod would show him to be a true innovator to his superiors. Should the project fail, he would be provided cover by his expressed concern over the dangers of the project and the myriad of releases that all parties involved had to sign.
Trey looked at the final release on the dataslate. This one had nothing to do with the company Qualitranos, this was a release that only he could sign as the person having power of attorney over his father’s medical care. This last release allowed the use of the new experimental nanobots to be injected into his father and for the AI to completely manage his care. In theory the nanobots would take the medications in the pod and spray, or inject them directly where needed, including in the brain. These nanobots were the first ones small enough to accomplish this and could even perform microscopic surgery as directed by the AI. Trey swiped his signature and the dataslate read his biometrics authorizing the treatment.
Logan grabbed the dataslate back from Trey and moved quickly toward the door, then paused and turned around again.
“By the way Mr. Raytak, or can I call you Trey? Do you think I can get beta access to Limitless Lands for my son? He’s a huge fan of your company’s games and would kill me if he knew you were here and I didn’t get him into the game. I know with your position in the company you can pull some strings for the folks that care for your dad,” Logan awkwardly requested.
Trey had no love for Mr. Logan or those of his type. Years spent in the business world had allowed him to spot this type of phony, self-important bureaucrat. People like Logan would do anything to get ahead and had no real concern for patients like his father, or the selfless nurses and orderlies in the hospital.
“Sorry Mr. Logan, but the beta keys are all spoken for and it would violate our company vendor/client policy to give one to someone at a facility we have business dealings with. Your son will have to wait for release like everyone else.” Trey smiled as he shot down Logan.
“Well, I don’t see what the big deal of a beta test is anyway.” Logan huffed. “I’m sure you can just give us a few free copies of the game when it releases though, right?” Logan hopefully asked.
“Sorry Mr. Logan, the same applies to copies of the release version. The game costs over $500 and that amount also conflicts with vendor/client policy. I do have a 10% off coupon I can give you,” Trey said while checking his pockets for one of the promotional coupons employees could give.
“Oh, don’t bother with that,” Logan spouted hastily.
Composing himself he walked through the door with a disingenuous smile plastered on his face. Everyone in the room seemed to relax a bit as Mr. Logan left.
Dr. Greenway loaded the nanobot container into the medpod. When that was completed,
Lou began to use his dataslate to activate them. The grey container retracted into the medpod and the nanobots began to enter the bloodstream.
“Woohoo, look at them babies go!” Lou exclaimed as he tracked the nanobots on his dataslate. “They’re in and the medpod has Skyfi Connection. The AI is communicating with the medpod!” Lou exclaimed.
Lou’s nervous energy caused him to hop from foot to foot as he watched the data stream.
“Suhwheet! The nanobots are fully powered just from your pop’s body heat, Trey. I knew it would work but that is just Ubermazing! Ohhh, the AI is taking control. She’s giving orders to my little Zerglings!” Trey gave a small laugh at Lou’s archaic gaming reference.
The Meditronax technicians went about checking and doublechecking all the data from the medpod. Once satisfied that all was well, they excused themselves, letting the doctor and Lou know that everything from a technical standpoint was running fine and that they would be staying locally at a nearby hotel for the next few days to assist if anything was needed. Dr. Greenway and Lou also left, not being needed until the pod opened again. The pod would remain sealed for the next 23 hours as the AI began its intensive treatment of Colonel Raytak.
The nurse smiled at Trey as she checked the vitals on the other patient in the room. Forgotten in all the turmoil, Colonel Raytak’s roommate was a retired Marine named Rodney Ty. Trey’s eyes were drawn to the empty left sleeve of the old marine’s hospital gown. Having lost it in combat, the stump of Mr. Ty’s left arm showed a jagged purple scar. A reminder of the violent lives these old warriors had once lived. Trey remembered that the marine’s family visited often, and he was one of the few that had regular visitors in the hospital.
“Your daddy was always kind to me before he was too ill to know what was going on,” the nurse stated, interrupting Trey’s thoughts.
The nurse was older woman in her mid-sixties and had that kind, simple, southern grandmother’s way about her.
