The Observation Gallery of Dokaversal Cluster Delta-11 rippled with an almost palpable irritation. Shimmering, multi-dimensional fractals of light flickered across the vast chamber, reflecting the collective disquiet of beings who rarely felt anything so crude as "irritation."
Zaruun Null floated across the shimmering lattice of spacetime, a mug of imploding gravity in one hand and an expression of profound bureaucratic exhaustion smeared across his non-face. He gestured sharply at the enormous projection hovering in the middle of the chamber, a detailed, live feed of Elian Rho's personal system interface.
The projection showed a dark, minimalist UI with no tabs, no visible tier progress bar, no reward notifications, and a suspicious lack of context menus. Elian was currently scrolling through his tech stack like a man trying to solve a maze designed by drunk math spirits.
Threxylion Vulp, a creature of pure, shifting probability, leaned in, one eye fractal twitching in confusion. "I believe that's the user system, Zaruun. The one for Dr. Rho of Estonia."
"That's not a system," Zaruun growled, his voice vibrating with cosmic annoyance. "That's a series of nested developer placeholders duct-taped to a raw theory injection protocol. It looks like something I cobbled together in a quantum garage sale. It's inefficient, sloppy, and frankly, an affront to elegant design principles."
Another Dokaversal—Vr'N'gul-42, a sentient philosophical paradox rendered in negative mass—grunted from its corner. "He's managing it well enough. Remarkable human adaptability to suboptimal conditions."
"He's guessing!" Zaruun bellowed, flaring with suppressed energy. "He doesn't even know he has points. Like… a mortal using a primitive abacus!"
A profound, multi-dimensional pause descended upon the gallery.
Vr'N'gul rotated lazily in four dimensions. "I see. You're saying this is a significant flaw in the Catalyst Protocol's user experience for its primary recipient."
"I'm saying," Zaruun hissed through clenched probability, "that we gave him a Type-20-tier neural theory upload tool… with the interface of a broken fridge magnet. It's like giving someone a warp drive and no steering wheel."
Boop, the floating cluster of affectionate algorithms that managed the lowest-tier cosmic bureaucracy, made a soft chiming noise. "Um… isn't this kind of the Author's fault?"
Zaruun froze. The entire room stilled, all multi-spectral emanations dying down.
Then slowly, every eye—physical, conceptual, quantum, and metaphorical—turned as one. Their collective gaze landed on the corner of the chamber, where, lounging on a beanbag made of unresolved narrative tension, sat the Author.
The Author waved weakly. "Hi."
Zaruun's non-jaw flexed. "You didn't finish the system interface, did you?"
"I… had a lot going on," the Author mumbled, shifting on the beanbag. "Tight deadlines. Other universes to, you know, construct. And a few plot holes to patch."
"You gave him theory injections with no tier progression bar," Threxylion accused, its fractal eye twitching faster. "He has no sense of systematic achievement! Just an endless list of unacknowledged breakthroughs."
"It was minimalist!" the Author protested, throwing up their hands. "You know, clean. Elegant. Very 'mysterious mentor from beyond time' vibes. Left something to the imagination, right? The thrill of discovery!"
"He has fourteen unspent tokens!" Boop squeaked, its algorithmic glow intensifying in alarm. "He could've unlocked half the Type I tree by now, including the energy solutions that would prevent global resource conflicts!"
"You didn't even include a proper tech tree menu," Vr'N'gul added, a rare note of actual frustration in its paradoxical voice. "He's operating blind, relying on intuition where clear UI elements should be."
The Author held up both hands in a placating gesture. "Okay, okay. Let's just breathe. Or simulate breathing, since most of us don't have lungs or need oxygen for sustenance. Good, now aren't you the ones that gave him the system?"
Zaruun flared, an intense burst of causal energy. "We are the architects of twentieth-dimensional causality! We do not make such fundamental, user-facing mistakes! This is impacting prime reality optimization!"
The Author muttered under their breath, a sound suspiciously like "You do when I write you that way."
Vr'N'gul froze. "What was that?"
"Nothing. Just a bit of creative frustration. Don't worry about it."
Boop leaned forward, its algorithms humming. "So… are we fixing it? Now? Before he accidentally invents faster-than-light travel using only a potato battery and raw stubbornness because he doesn't know the proper propulsion tech is already available?"
A long, heavy silence passed through the room, filled only by the distant hum of nascent galaxies.
The Author sighed, a sound of cosmic resignation. "Fine. You're right. The UI sucks. It's an embarrassment. It looks like placeholder text. Patch it. Immediately. Prioritize functionality over 'vibes'."
Zaruun blinked, his multi-faceted perception struggling to process the admission. "Did… you just admit a mistake? And agree to a patch?"
"Write it down. Frame it. It'll never happen again," the Author said, waving a hand dismissively.
INTERNAL SYSTEM PATCH: DEPLOYED
VERSION 1.1.0 – "Clean UI, Happy Researcher"
[USER PROFILE UPDATED]
Welcome, Dr. Elian Rho
System Rank: Tier I
System Points Available: 14
Upgrade Tokens: 1
Current Progress to Tier II: 20%
[TECH TREE – TIER I]
🔋 Energy & Propulsion
Nuclear Fusion Power: (Clean, virtually unlimited energy generation, foundational for global power grids)
Ion Propulsion Engines: (Highly efficient in-space thrust for long-duration interplanetary missions and orbital maneuvers)
Compact Quantum Chips: (Quantum-level processors for hyper-computation, massively exceeding current Muse core capabilities)
Electromagnetic Lift Systems: (Frictionless terrestrial transport, maglev trains, and personal levitation platforms for urban and cargo movement)
Advanced Geothermal Tapping: (Harnessing deep earth heat for power, even in non-volcanic regions)
High-Efficiency Solar Arrays (Orbital/Terrestrial): (Next-generation photovoltaic systems with near-theoretical maximum energy conversion)
🌍 Planetary Engineering & Resource Management
Asteroid Mining: (Automated and semi-automated resource harvesting from near-Earth objects and main belt asteroids)
Terraforming Prototypes: (Early-stage geoengineering capabilities for atmospheric and climate modification on other celestial bodies)
Ocean & Climate Control Systems: (Advanced global weather stabilization, large-scale carbon capture, and sophisticated water resource management)
Atmospheric Water Harvesters: (Large-scale atmospheric moisture condensation systems for transforming arid regions into arable land)
Underground Habitation Structures: (Self-sustaining subterranean and sub-aquatic complexes for long-term habitation in extreme environments)
Vertical Farming & Bio-Integrated Agriculture: (Hyper-efficient, closed-loop food production systems for dense urban areas and off-world colonies)
🤖 Advanced Manufacturing & Health
Atomic 3D Printer: (Molecular-precision fabricators capable of assembling materials atom by atom, enabling bespoke materials and complex structures)
Nanobot Swarms: (Self-replicating nanomachines for targeted medical delivery, cellular repair, and environmental remediation)
All-Disease Cure Toolkit: (Broad-spectrum, adaptable treatment suite utilizing CRISPR, gene therapy, and advanced antivirals for known and emergent pathogens)
Extended-Lifespan Therapies: (Longevity science focused on cellular regeneration, telomere restoration, and advanced anti-aging protocols)
Personal Transporter (Short Range): (Localized point-to-point material and biological transfer within confined spaces, early teleportation theory)
Synthetic Organ Cultivation: (On-demand growth of complex human organs and tissues for transplant, eliminating rejection issues)
⚙️ Robotics & Automation
General Purpose Androids: (Humanoid robots capable of performing complex tasks in varied environments, learning, and adapting)
Autonomous Construction Swarms: (Self-organizing robotic units for rapid, large-scale infrastructure development on Earth and off-world)
Smart Infrastructure Networks: (Integrated AI-controlled urban and industrial systems for optimized resource allocation, traffic, and public services)
Automated Resource Extraction: (Highly efficient, fully autonomous mining operations on diverse planetary bodies)
Bio-Mimetic Robotics: (Robots designed to mimic biological forms and functions for enhanced agility and adaptability)
🚀 Space & Defense
Interplanetary Space Flight: (Sustainable, high-speed, crewed missions to Mars, Jupiter's moons, and eventually, the outer Solar System)
Planetary Defense Grid: (Integrated global system for early detection and interception of asteroids, comets, and hostile orbital debris)
Advanced Orbital Habitats: (Modular, self-sustaining space stations and rotating habitats for long-term habitation and research in Earth orbit and beyond)
Automated Drone Fleets (Adaptive): (Autonomous aerial and orbital surveillance, reconnaissance, and rapid-response units with diverse payloads)
Space Elevator Construction Protocols: (Theoretical and early practical frameworks for ground-to-orbit transport infrastructure, reducing launch costs dramatically)
Orbital Solar Power Stations: (Large-scale energy collection in space, beaming power wirelessly to Earth)
🧠 Cognitive & Psionic
BCI Signal Translator: (Already installed, primary user: Elian Rho, foundational for direct neural interface)
Psionic Interfaces: (Experimental cognitive broadcasting and direct influence via neural resonance, early stages of telepathy/telekinetic-like control)
Collective Consciousness Network: (Preliminary framework for shared mental workspaces, enhanced collaborative problem-solving, and direct knowledge transfer)
Dream Weaving & Manipulation: (Conscious control and design of dream states for therapeutic, cognitive enhancement, and immersive experiential purposes)
Synthetic Empathy Modules: (AI-driven constructs for understanding and generating complex emotional responses, enhancing human-AI interaction and psychological analysis)
Memory Augmentation & Recall: (Neural implants or therapies for enhanced memory capacity, recall precision, and potentially, shared memory banks)
[POINTS MENU ENABLED]
Spend system points to unlock advanced blueprints and technologies.
Remaining Points: 14
Unlock Token (1): Required for major tier shifts or top-tier tech.
[REWARDS LOG]
— Superconductor Stack Invention: +3 Points
— Muse Integration: +2 Points
— BCI Completion: +3 Points
— Type I Theory Upload: +6 Points
— Chapter 20 Romantic Milestone: (Unofficial) Heart XP +∞
Back in the gallery, the Dokaversals stared at the updated interface as it shimmered to life within Elian's subconscious.
Zaruun exhaled. "That's better."
"He's going to open it tomorrow and assume he unlocked a menu by accident," Boop chirped.
The Author grinned. "Exactly."
Vr'N'gul tilted toward the screen. "Should we tell him?"
"No," Zaruun said firmly. "We let him believe."
Another pause.
Then, softly:
"Also… add dark mode."