Year 22XX
The world is coming to an end.
We all knew it would happen eventually. Somewhere in the back of our minds we knew that it was only a matter of time before humanity’s rapid scientific advancements would spell our end. Military advanced faster than medicine could keep up, and the human race ended up on the brink of extinction.
The looming end of life on Earth led most of the world to put aside their altercations and come together to develop a way to save everyone. Of the hundreds of ideas produced, three doomsday solutions – labeled Project Exodus – had gathered the most support,
1) Send most of the population to space to find a new habitable planet.
2) Download everyone’s memories into a self-sustaining super-computer and continue “life” in a digital universe.
3) Use still-developing translocational technology to teleport people to a neighboring dimension.
The first option was considered too resource-intensive to ever be viable, as there was not enough food or medical supplies to sustain indeterminate space travel for the amount of humans necessary to sustain the human race.
The second option was considered too controversial as well as prone to manipulation. There could be no proper failsafes to prevent the machine from becoming sentient.
The third option...
Shauna Williams walked down the hallway leading to the auditorium with confidence. She could see people stealing a glance at her and whispering to one another. By now everyone had heard about the direction Project Exodus was heading, and her company, USB, was at the head of its developments. To all those around her, Shauna represented a complete and total change to life as the world knew it, and that was scary.
Her stern face and cold expression betrayed none of her growing apprehension. She was about to step into a room full of world leaders, and her carefully chosen words would dictate the future of her company. She entered a circular auditorium with about twenty or so people – the last remaining world leaders – and wasted no time with formalities.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Shauna Williams, representing P.E.U.S.B., or U.S.B. for short, and I’d like to explain the current status of Project Exodus,” She began, “As you know, the target world – henceforth called Exodus – matches Earth’s vibrational frequency in many ways, thus allowing us to view and occasionally enter the neighboring world. We estimate Exodus to be about three and a half times the size of Earth and unlike our planet, Exodus flourishes with many varieties of intelligent life. We control convergence zones –locations where we can safely transport people- in two of three known locations on the plane, each on a different continent. USB has spent over an ‘Exodus-century’ preparing Exodus for homo sapiens habitation. In that time we have deciphered many of their languages, integrated some of our culture into their technology, and have even successfully inserted agents onto the general population in one major region.” She paused as the council began chatting among themselves. So far she hadn’t said anything that hadn’t already been reported, but she knew her next topic would make or break the continuation of the project.
Despite the tangible anxiety she felt in her stomach, Shauna continued, “I am also pleased to report that we have also formulated a system to understand some of the more… unusual… phenomena that occurs on Exodus. As you know, despite having intelligent life for at least as Earth has, Exodus has progressed without ever inventing what is perhaps our most defining technological achievement: computers. Despite this, Exodus is just as technologically advanced as Earth, and we’d even dare to say in some ways superior.” She paused again, less for dramatic effect and more because of her hesitance to use a word she knew would be divisive among the council. Shauna made sure to make direct eye contact all in attendance while she continued. “Exodus matches Earth’s science with a technology that is best described as …”
Despite herself, even proud Shauna Williams struggled to say the word with confidence.
“Magic.”