“So how can I create that lab?” I asked as I stood up from my seat. The hologram followed me around the room as I paced. I was eager to do things as the dozens of possibilities flooded through my mind.

“Back out of the planetary tab screen, and you should come to a main menu. Once there, you need to scroll over to the control tab. However, before you can create scientists or security guards, you need to have life on your planet first.” Her ember eyes followed me as I paced around. The thin layer of patience was all too present, with frustration brimming just under the surface.

Only if it were so easy. I sighed as I nodded my head. Yes, I was getting slightly ahead of myself. “Okay. What about gods, then? Do I need mortals to make them?” I came to a stop in front of the window that overlooked my solar system. It was so odd how it made everything seem so big. I could see every planet as clear as day, yet the star did nothing to overshadow them.

“You need to create the organic assimilator module. There you can create gods as you please, and even host forms..” I spun around and leaned against the glass and crossed my arms.

“What do host forms do exactly?”

“Well..” She trailed off for a second as her eyes dimmed, before she focused on me once more. “Host forms act as another body for you. So if you choose to interact with your species, you can do so easier. Other than that, you don’t really get the racial bonuses. Just the appearance.”

I see. That would come in handy. I didn’t plan on revealing my existence to the mortals on the planet, so this would help. As far as I was concerned, they could do as they pleased as I worked from the shadows. But it made me wonder though if Malek ever interacted with people on Earth. “Thank you Serilda. I think for now, I’m just gonna make one god, and see how it turns out.” The holographic screen appeared in front of my face, and I quickly backed out of the screen and went to the main menu. From there, I went to the control room settings.

A bird’s-eye view of my control room appeared, which at the moment was just a circular chamber, with the Akashic record chambers attached on one side. On the side next to the screen showed the rooms that I had available, which was the Laboratory Module, The Organic Assimilator module, Meditation chambers, Market Place Module and a few other things that came with the scientist path of power, like security barracks, and an HQ. There were also some other things that I also didn’t really care about, like hallways and living areas. Well, let me rephrase that, it didn’t mean too much to me at the moment, though I had a feeling that my companion would want a room, eventually. “Serilda, are there control room additions I can find in the marketplace?”

“Yes I suggest you build a marketplace, and see what you can find when you feel like exploring it.” As she talked, I clicked on the module and saw that it was free, so I selected it and a glowing outline of a small holographic stand appeared in the room and with a thought I could control it. I glanced around to see if I could find a place for it, but this place was a little barren. So let’s do a bit of decorating before I continue on.

I glanced towards the holograms that sat in the middle of the room, and with a thought I raised the metal underneath it by a meter, and added in a small set of stairs that lead up to it. Surrounding the platform, I created a set of railings that boxed it all in. I paced around it as I looked at my handy work. Once I was happy with it, I stretched out a part of the platform and crafted in another area strictly for the marketplace. Once I was happy with everything, I decided I wanted it to be permanent. Not even a split second passed before that blasted blue screen appeared.

Would you like to save the design? It will cost 100 creation points to complete.

Oh yeah, this stuff cost creation points. I wonder how much I have saved up. With a quick gesture, a holographic screen appeared, and I quickly scrolled over to my inventory. I looked through it, until I came across my creation points, and saw that I was sitting on five thousand. Enough to be comfortable, but not enough to avidly spend. I pushed the screen away and confirmed my choice to complete what I was making.

There wasn’t a display of lights or power like I was expecting. In fact, nothing happened at all. Anticlimactic, if I say so myself. I shrugged as I pulled the menu up, and selected the marketplace module once more, and placed it in the spot that I carved out for it. The metal turned into a crystal like sand, and quickly flowed upwards, forming the rough skeleton of the stand. Once the skeleton was finished, globs of liquid metal dropped in between the empty spaces of the outline, forming wires that were eventually hidden behind a metal body. It was a bit enthralling to watch as the process unfolded.

Eventually, I tore my eyes away. I was wasting time now. I went back to the control room menu and went to the overview once more. While I was waiting for the planet to finish, I would add in the laboratory an organic module. While I couldn’t quite create the scientist, or the security forces, I would still add in the rooms now, and then go from there. So, the next question would be, how did I want to set it up?

I pondered it for a moment as I looked at the shape of the control room. It was circular, with a square room attachment near the back. So, with that in mind, I could set up a hallway running to the right for the labs, security offices and living areas, and the organic assimilator room would be to the left. I wanted to keep the thru traffic out of this area, especially since the records room is so close by. I selected the hallway option and placed down the first one on the left and extended it outwards by a few feet. On the left side of the wall, I placed down the security HQ, since it would make the most sense. I wanted to protect the central area the best that I could.

From there, I pulled the hallway out for a few more meters before I added in a bunch of living areas. Just a few small rooms for people to live in, even though I didn’t have any right next to myself and Serilda. Mixed in with them, I placed a few security barracks to have an even spread. From there, I expanded the hallway by another two meters and created a junction. I blocked off the two of the ends, and on the third, which branched off to the left, I placed the lab module there.

I adjusted a few more small things and confirmed my choice, and the screen flickered as a question appeared. Ah, at least when I use things here I didn’t have to worry about that blue bar appearing.

That was such a steep price tag. It kind of hurt to look at it, but it was a necessary evil, I suppose. I confirmed the choice and immediately my eyes were drawn to the metal on the far left wall as it liquified and quickly rushed into the depths of space. The glittering stars of deep space flickered for a moment, their light unabated before the metal quickly reformed, blocking out space.

Well, I guess while that was working I would work on the other portion and, by extension, the organic assimilation room. I quickly scrolled over to the right and placed a short hallway and placed the last major module on the end. This part of the control didn’t need to be all that extra since I was only placing this building here for now. Mostly since I wasn’t sure how else to use the room other than host and god creation. I confirmed my choice and spent another hundred creation points.

While everything was being created, I meandered across the room and up the small flight of stairs and checked out the status of the planet. From what I could tell, in the time that I was adding in the rooms, a few million years had passed by on the planet, and the atmosphere had stabilized a bit, and the surface cooled significantly. A few vast oceans now existed and separated three large continents.

Each of them looked like a giant piece of a puzzle that was torn asunder and spread across the planet. I think I would leave everything as is. There wasn’t really a need to change anything. Having three large continents would be good for a few reasons. The first reason is that there would be an equal spread, and they would advance differently than they are now. The next was laziness on my part. I mean, I would just let the planet do its thing for now, and if I needed to change anything, then I would. With that being done, I created another chair and sat down and cracked my fingers. I guess it was time for me to work spreading life around and then I would get to work creating the first god.