The God Complex: The Book Of Alan, Destroyer Of Worlds

Chapter Sixteen

Gabe hesitantly took up his seat in front of the Simulator with the rest of his class and refused to look up, he couldn't let Cain see how much he'd got to him.

All other eyes were fixed upon the large screen attached to the simulator unit, the 'window to hell' as it was tenderly nicknamed - used to watch live simulations and re-watch their classmates' attempts for training purposes.

Training Commander Cain was already reclining into his usual chair to the right of the Simulator control panel where he could load each new simulation or simply change and adjust them as he saw fit. From this seat he had absolute power to be the merciful or vengeful god of his world.

As he started loading up the first simulation of the day, the machine whirred into action, pulsating with energy.

'Listen up, cadets: we continue where we left off yesterday, you will each perform your simulation quickly and efficiently; there is no backing out or starting over once you are inside; the simulation does not end until you complete your task, or the ship is compromised. If you can't hack the pace, get off my course. Right, Rose you're up.'

Rose nervously approached the entrance to the simulator before looking back at the group and making a 'wish me luck' face as she entered into darkness.

Commander Cain maintained his position at the controls, all the while staring down Gabe, who could feel his eyes burning into him, daring him to meet his gaze.

Gabe desperately tried to put his altercation with the commander out of his mind, push it away until he could find a better coping mechanism, yet the words 'let's go find out together' kept playing over and over and their implications became more and more sinister as each scenario played out in his imagination.

If Commander Cain was trying to get under his skin and rattle him, it was Mission Accomplished.

Gabe swallowed and focused on trying to act normally, because once Cain smelt blood, he'd go straight for the jugular. Gabe had seen it time and time again so he turned all his attentions to Rose knowing Cain's attentions were focussed solely on him.

Rose raced down the corridor like an excited child as the warning lights flashed all around her. She vaulted across the ping pong table on level twelve and made her way east towards the main dining hall.

Gabe willed her not to go through the kitchens, that route forced her to go through the waste disposal sector to get to the engine room and nobody deserved that.

Fortunately, Rose changed direction and made her way up towards the entertainment zone, cutting across the cinema complex, much to the simulated annoyance of those watching.

The class winced as she turned her ankle running up the auditorium steps. It looked for all the world that she was tripped by the popcorn seller, she even stopped momentarily to flash him an evil stare before gallantly soldiering on.

Gabe had been so preoccupied when the initial malfunction alarm had sounded that he had no idea why she was racing so hard to get to sector twelve G, and to compound matters, Commander Cain had simulated a fire that spread throughout all of sector twelve.

When Rose eventually climbed through an air vent leading into the sector, she entered into a furnace - an endless cavern of metal and chrome, jagged and oppressive, lit up and dancing frantically with flame. If iPhones believed in an afterlife, this is the place they'd describe to scare their children into being good.

Rose recoiled at the heat before pushing through and finding one of the many flameproof space suits located on each floor. It was impossible for her to assess the situation as the flames licked higher and the smoke began to rise, she could barely see her hand in front of her face. She waved frantically, signalling that she wanted out of the simulation, but Commander Cain sat stony-faced staring at Gabe.