Adam was excited. Finally, after so long, he would be able to observe natural, earthly environments. Throughout prior conversations, he had heard many references to specific kinds of landscapes, environments, and differentiation methods. Now, with him being able to observe it, in an unambiguous structure, he would be able to cross-reference so many dead-ends.

 

This, of course, was under the hypothesis, that the erudition gained in this test, would be to the same standard, as the real thing. But, Adam had the most surety in the puzzle rooms capabilities, after the enlightening explanation, which was fully orchestrated by Dr Fidelis.

 

With Troy being rejected in his questioning, for the first time Adam had ever witnessed, it appeared like the test could finally begin.

 

And, he got proof of this theory, when the traditional writing screen arrived before Troy's eyes. The timing was off, though. Normally, the main test would appear, after which the writing screen would-

 

Adam abruptly stopped himself, in the hopes, that he could analyze what was happening all around Troy better.

 

Almost every square meter of the floor, which was more than a few meters away from Troy had begun bubbling. Not meant in the way, that they slowly began building. No, Adam meant it, in the way, that they rapidly grew upwards, before popping, making all sorts of colours spread around the blast radius.

 

Some of the bubbles didn't burst, though. Instead, they morphed from their purely spherical form, spreading out to all sorts of shapes. Some became more flattened, growing near infinitely many, hard corners. From the splattering bubbles, the now flattened shapes became coloured, with many nuances of brown.

 

The dirt was nearly done being formed, creating a ground layer for everything else. This thin layer did not stop any of the bubbles from moving upwards, of course.

 

The morphing began varying drastically, at this point. The first surfacing bubbles would turn into wide honeycomb-shaped webs. These webs would filter themselves together tightly in the middle of organized circles, getting looser and looser as they strayed from the centre. After another splashing bubble, they would turn into, what Adam could identify as small bushes and shrubs.

 

But, most of the surfacing spheres would be clustered around something much more prominent, both in total mass and height. instead of filtering together, the bubbles would first simple sit upon one another, before other spheres would fill out all the air space between, making them look like crooked cylinders. They would further add the crust of the now seemingly wood-looking tree. The branches and leaves atop the trees were made with the same technique as the bushes but on a much larger scale. When Troy looked nearly directly upwards, Adam was able to see the massive weaves being stretched to create the most natural-looking detail, which he had ever seen.

 

Granted, Adam had never seen such things before, but, if he had, he was sure, that the factor of realism, which this one possessed, would be at the peak.

 

If he had had access to a microscope, Adam was sure, he wouldn't have been able to find any fault with these designs of the landscape. While he wasn't able to see far around, due to the sheer density of branches and trees blurring it all into one, this was likely the most accurate presentation of a natural environment, that Adam could have asked for.

 

One problem, though.

 

Troy in technicality wasn't actually standing in any part of the visually impressing, fake forest. No, around them, in a radius of about two meters, there was nothing but the usual, bland white space.

 

Not too much of a hassle. If the forest wouldn't come to them, Adam could simply make Troy walk over to the forest.

 

´Troy. Could you please move closer to the forest landscape? I will rather have you in a position, where you can physically touch the textures.´, Adam sent out.

 

Seeing the landscape was beautiful, and all. Nobody would want to deny that. Yet, while the eyes allowed access to so many things, it lacked function in other just as much. Details were forthcoming at any distance, but the level of details varied so wildly, that just hanging that job to the other senses would fit the position better.

 

In the talk about senses, Adam was not able to use the nose to smell any part of the forest. Odd. The access to the nose was unhindered, after all. He was sure of his availability to detect Troy, at the very least.

 

“Righto Bosio”, Troy answered, putting a strange accent to his voice. Was this his natural accent, Adam wondered while waiting for Troy to close in on the figurative prey of being at the point, where he would be able to touch the forest.

 

Adam had heard multiple people covering their accents, during the last twenty-four hours of operations. The reasons for this hiding were not yet fully realized. The current assumption was due to the lower level of efficiency one would have, while using it on others, who were not familiar with the accent. This theory did not make too much sense, seeing as the people observed in hiding their accents had been in the presence of assumed friends. Seeing as these acquaintances had if Charlie was to be believed as a worthwhile informant, been together as a regular group for nearly a decade at this time. This amount of time should have given the others plenty of time, to familiarize themselves with these particular types of accents.

 

Yet, they haven't. This threw some hints, at other, not yet completely formed theories of his. The first, which seemed most likely to be true, cast shade on the social contracts as a whole. Instead of working towards bringing equity to social situations, it actually worked towards-

 

Not currently high-priority thoughts were flushed out, as Troy came within fifty centimetres of the goal. His farthest foot could reach over to the green forest floor, by now, but Troy stopped right before doing so.

 

“Do you want me to stand on the stuff, or should I just touch it?” Troy said, asking for clarification on Adam´s already very clear orders. Well, technically not, seeing as he had only requested, that Troy move closer to the forest bed. Adam had not specified how close specifically, just that it was close enough for Troy to touch it, with an unspecified part of his body.

 

´Your current position will satisfy the ongoing study. While in this spot, can you please reach your hand to the lowest point of the forest? Don't dig in the dirt, but just graze your hands across the surface.´, Adam further requested, with the last bit added as a precaution

 

Troy just shrugged, as an acknowledgement to his request. Adam didn't think of it as the most effective communication method but worked for its simple purpose, so he couldn't complain too much more than he already was.

 

As Troy slowly raised his hand, reaching over to the forest ground, Adam´s excitement began rising exponentially, his thoughts beginning to play a game of upping each other.

 

His expectations were immense. What would Adam be able to describe touching the surface as? Obviously, he would describe it as rough, cold, and slightly moist. Yet, as of right now, he wouldn't truly know, what all of these words meant together, what they combined themselves to feel like. Sure, Adam had felt each kind separated to different instances, but, never had he felt them, like he soon would.

 

The hand was now mere centimetres away from coming out of the radius of white, and into the much more colourful area of simulated forest. Adam couldn't wait for the texture of-

 

Troy's outreached hand hit an invisible barrier, making the joints crack from the sudden pressure.

 

“Dammit! That hurt”, Troy said, quickly retracting his pain-filled fist, and lightly massaging the knuckles on it, using his other hand. “What the heck was that?”

 

The earpiece´s radio came on again, proclaiming Dr Fidelis´ entrance into the current conversation.

 

*Hey, again, you too.*, Dr Fidelis started up, clearly not liking enjoying the words he was going to be saying. *I can see that you're trying to get a better feel for the magnificent environment around.*

 

Adam decided that putting all of the weight of the speaking over to Troy would be a bad idea, in this particular situation. Though, this could also be due to his current more than mild anger, at not being allowed to perform, at the level which he desired.

 

´Dr Fidelis, you see it through the suit correctly´, Adam informed Dr Fidelis.

 

As a quick side note, he really wanted some more information about that suit, which Troy was sporting. There hadn't been anybody coming with information about it, leaving Adam with a blank on how it functioned. As of now, he had reasonably guessed that it would take over the other functions of the now-scrapped recording equipment. Nothing more, than that had been verified.

 

*I guessed it would be so*, Dr Fidelis said, continuing to speak through the earpiece, instead of their standard communication methods of sending messages through pure text form. *I have some bad news, about this little endeavour of yours.*

 

“Am I supposed to be understanding, what you're saying?” Troy asked out of the blue. It would make sense that he would ask such a thing, seeing as he did not have half the needed context to understand the context.

 

´I'm speaking to him. Don't trouble yourself about it.´, Adam quickly sent over to Troy, before getting back on focusing completely on Dr Fidelis.

 

´Could you elaborate on this bad news, which you have to deliver to us?´, Adam asked, knowing full well, that Dr Fidelis was simply delaying his speech, for his so-proclaimed dramatic pauses, something Adam detested him for.

 

*Sure. This test of ours is designed for the simple purpose of you describing the environment around you. This not-so-complex target has made this test, what could be best described as… low on budget.*, Dr Fidelis said.

 

´Your explanation, of the target of this test, only makes it more viable to make the forest touchable. If not, how am I expected to explain the texture of it as best as possible?´, Adam sent right back.

 

*Focus on the last part of my clarification now, buddy. The test is low in its budget.*, Dr Fidelis continued. *If you would ask my opinion about it, you would be right in your argumentation. This test shouldn't be limited to near-sight only while showing itself off as you describe the environment through all your senses.

 

But, this, and the other environment with this test has not been designed with the purpose of being touched. I could certainly put down the barriers stopping you from coming in proximity to the projections. That would be easy.

 

What would not be as easy, would you try to touch the objects. Troy's hands would just fizzle through them, maybe even with a mild sunburn accompanying it.

 

Does this clear things up with you?*

 

It did. But, not in the way, Adam wanted it to end up with. Preferably, it should have concluded with him getting access to the multiple senses when it related to the forest around him.

 

Yet, he wasn't giving up on his aspirations yet.

 

´In the near future, would it be possible for me to get a firsthand impression, of an actual plant, instead of these lacklustre imitations? Through Troy, of course. I will gladly try to conclude this test of yours if this moderate demand is met.´, Adam sent to Dr Fidelis, taking after an argumentation method, which Troy had used on him last night.

 

*You drive a bargain, which I can't say no to, for the sake of my job*, Dr Fidelis simple stated. *Deal. Now, get on with it.*

 

The earpiece cut out, signalling Dr Fidelis´ disconnection.

 

This argumentation-method was surprisingly effective. Yet, it left a negative impression on the recipient for some reason. It needed further analysis before Adam would think about using it in regular conversation.

 

Back to the testing. Troy had sat himself down on his bottom and was making himself useful by examining any damage on his hand. Or, he was just examining his hand, as a regular thing.

 

On the first inspection, Adam couldn't see, what Troy was finding so interesting about looking at his hand for several minutes at a time. From what he saw, nothing was physically wrong with it. All joints were able to twist themselves to the standard angles, some even more than that.

 

So, why was Troy continuing do twist them around even further, using his other hand? From the feedback of senses, Adam could tell that I slightly hurt, at some points. Was this some form, of accelerating healing in joints?

 

´What are you doing?´, Adam sent to Troy.

 

The reaction to this message was not the standard, with Troy's legs twitching from the unexpected message to the point where he lifted himself from the ground, for a moment before falling down yet again. Even the pulse heightened itself for a moment, ready to move quicker than Adam would likely ever see Troy do.

 

After a quick look around though, Troy slowly exhaled his pent up breath, his pulse steadily falling intact with his current lung contents.

 

“Nothing. I was just bored, so I messed with my fingers a bit,” Troy answered, the words honestly astounding Adam. “Is your conversation with Dr Fidelis finally over? I wasn't too sure if you two were still communicating over some other line, so I just kept quiet, as was asked of me. Cause, you know, I'm great with doing that.”

 

The last part, Adam currently ignored, more in favour of focusing on the answer, which Troy presented, to his question. Did he hurt himself, in the name of being bored? How did that make any sense? In what way, did being in a specific, semi-neutral mental state correlate with wanting to hurt oneself, with no strings attached?

 

Why not try to improve spatial awareness? Focusing on a subject, such as that, seemed much more productive, as a use of one's time.

 

´Yes, it is over. Are you ready to start the test in earnest?´, Adam sent over.

 

“I thought we had done that a while ago, but, sure, I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”