The Reality Engine

Hi!

Thank you for reading my story. A couple of points to know:

I don't like writing wank porn. I want to write full-fleshed stories with plot, character, drama and tension. This is chapter 1 of what I hope will be a long ongoing story, but I will only write additional parts if people want to read them. I include a little naughty stuff at the end, but you've been warned about what this is.

Thank you for taking the time, and I would love to talk to anyone who reads my work, and has advice. This is my first submission for literotica, but it's not my first story, as I've written many over the years. Please be sure to vote and offer any feedback you can.

Note on edit: When I first published this chapter, I didn't know what I was doing. I have fixed spelling, grammar, and usage. Dialogue has been formatted to Literotica best practices. Added a few lines of clarifying dialogue. Plot remains exactly the same.

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Chapter 1

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them wear capes. Over the course of his life, Scott Laird Cooper was a hero to many young men whom he taught and mentored. This is the tale of who he is, and how he came to be. It is a tale of a closely guarded secret, known only to a few, that allowed those with knowledge of it to live out the life of their dreams.

Scott's first 22 years of life were thoroughly unremarkable. He did what all young boys and young men of his age did, he finished High School, went to college, worked summer jobs, and eventually finished his degree. However, at the age of 22, he had never been with a woman in his life, and he regretted very much that the best years for that sort of thing were probably behind him. Upon graduation, with a degree in computer science secure, and looking for some occupation to ensure enough money to eat, drink, and keep a roof over his head, he decided to take a position as a research assistant at the University of Frostbite Falls, that preeminent bastion of higher education in the town of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota.

When he had been an undergraduate at the University of Iowa, his faculty advisor, friend, and mentor had been Dr. James Bartholomew Fink-Nottle. After his graduation from the University (which was in May), Scott stayed on for the next four months as a senior research assistant to Dr. Fink-Nottle. This position was temporary, with only enough budget to cover the summer months, so, his employment about to end with his friend and mentor, Scott sought out other opportunities. It turned out that Dr. Fink-Nottle was good friends with Dr. Boris Karlov, in the department of theoretical physics, at the University of Frostbite Falls. Scott, therefore, had secured his first real job via a letter of recommendation sent from his mentor to Dr. Karlov, with the result that a job offer readily came in. Scott packed his bags and moved to Frostbite Falls, Minnesota to take up his new duties. It was there that this little adventure begins.

Scott drove into Frostbite Falls, in his old, beat up, Gray Camry, with nothing more than a suitcase carrying all the possessions he had in life. It was a little past 5:30 AM, on a chilly early October morning. As he approached the University, he saw a fairly large campus, as Universities went, with the ivy covered buildings of old brick and mortar. The newer buildings were made in the Greek style, with marble walkways featuring large pillars and high, imposing archways. Frostbite falls was on the quarter system, the same system as his undergraduate university, so he knew the students were about two weeks into the fall quarter, but, obviously, none were around so early in the morning. He smiled as he headed for Water Buffalo Hall, the department of theoretical physics, and his new occupation.

Scott was on guard for his first meeting with Professor Karlov, for his mentor had warned him that the professor had his own way of doing things, but was highly regarded in his field. One of those ways involved scheduling this first meeting for 6 o'clock in the morning.

"Ah, you must be Scott Cooper, my old friend James' student," Professor Karlov said, as he shook Scott's hand. "Come on then, let me show you where you will work, and what your duties will be."

Straight to the point, Scott thought to himself, I like this man already. Dr. Karlov led Scott to a large mainframe computer, with a chair and monitor at the ready. Beside the computer was a large glass window that looked into another room with a large machine that Scott had never seen before.

"What is that?" Scott asked, pointing at the large machine in the other room.

"The reason why you're here," Professor Karlov said. "That, my young friend, is the LAVCM, pronounced 'lav come'. The acronym stands for Large And Very Complicated Machine."

This must be Dr. Karlov's own way of doing things, of which Scott had been warned.

"That acronym just stands for something generic?" Scott asked.

"Look at it this way," Dr. Karlov said. "Everyone in science loves acronyms, and the fancier the better, but no one actually knows much about naming their experiments or theories. Think of LAVCM as the best of both worlds, on that front. How much do you know about Quantum Entanglement?"

"Enough," Scott said. "It's when you take two particles, with the same properties, like spin rate, and separate them by a great distance. Change the spin on one and the other particle changes its spin too, instantaneously."

"Top man," Dr. Karlov said. "You'd be surprised how many people come and work for me whom I have to explain that to. Followup question: do you think quantum entanglement violates Einstein's theory of relativity?"

"it would seem to," Scott replied. "For it implies information can travel faster than the speed of light, which is why, I suppose, Einstein himself called it 'spooky action at a distance'."

"Well, well, you paid attention in your college classes," Dr. Karlov said, as he slapped Scott on the back. "I suppose that means you never had a girlfriend or went to parties, huh?"

"Unfortunately," Scott replied. "I wasn't popular enough to get invited anywhere."

"Still a sexless, kissless virgin with no experience with the ladies?" Dr. Karlov asked.

"Yes," Scott replied, not that his personal life was any of his new employer's business, but Scott believed in being open about his inadequacies in life.

"You probably think you're going to die alone and unloved, with no wife, no children, and no family," Dr. Karlov said. "A life spent in misery and loneliness, rejected by every woman you approach, and buried in a shallow grave."

That was incredibly oddly specific, as Scott had those very thoughts pass through his mind on many occasions of his young life. Scott nodded yes to Dr. Karlov.

"The tables may yet turn," Professor Karlov assured Scott. "Anyway, this machine, the LAVCM is designed to test certain predictions of the holographic universe theory. You understand that one possible explanation for quantum entanglement is that the universe is itself a simulation, and that is why there are inconsistencies in nature. This computer mainframe monitors the LAVCM, and displays data about the experiments inside it. I need you to analyze the data, and create a computer program to separate out the important data from the background noise. Think you can do it?"

"That sounds like a big job," Scott said. "I don't know if I'm qualified for it."

"The truth is no one is qualified to do it, but your letter of recommendation indicated you have a keen and inquisitive mind that learns quickly, and you and I will work together to get the job done," Professor Karlov said. "You are already farther ahead than anyone else I have ever hired to work in this lab, since you already have a basic understanding of quantum entanglement and general relativity. I have yet to see a man as young as you walk through my door with so much already in his brain."

The next six hours passed, as Dr. Karlov taught Scott what he needed to know about the experiment. Briefly, then, the LAVCM held a small quantum imbalance at its center that Dr. Karlov called "the core". Surrounding this core were several layers of protective material, which had access terminals embedded within it to allow scientific instruments to interact with the core. These scientific instruments were all contained within the LAVCM, and included a wide variety of laser, temperature alteration instruments, video and photographic equipment, radio transmitters, and many other scientific devices, whose purpose was to both change the properties of the core and to measure the reactions.

"So what exactly is the core?" Scott asked.

"It's about the size of a quarter," Dr. Karlov replied.

"You know what I mean," Scott responded.

"I don't want to tell you exactly what the core is," Dr. Karlov said. "With your keen scientific mind, I am sure you will eventually figure it out for yourself, however, for now, I want you to remain ignorant on that point. Your task is to program the mainframe to automate the experiments done with the core and to organize the results. I don't want to bias your programming by giving you too much information up front. I want you to learn it by doing, so that you don't give priority to a certain result because you think it's what I want to see."

"Okay, that's fine," Scott replied.

"Let's see how much you've already learned," Dr. Karlov said, as he punched in a complex series of operations into the mainframe. A few minutes passed, and Scott saw some startling results on the computer screen. He quickly punched a series of commands into the mainframe, and, soon enough, things returned to normal.

"Your intuition is really excellent," Dr. Karlov said. "In only a few hours you've already learned the most basic operations of how the core gets unbalanced, and what to do to rebalance it. I think this relationship is going to be very profitable, for both of us."

Scott thanked his new employer, and he and Dr. Karlov spent the rest of the day working on the mainframe. By the end of that first day, Scott's head was a whirl, filled with new, and exciting, possibilities.

"If you want my advice," Dr. Karlov said, as the clock struck 3 PM. "Take a walk around campus, and see all the old college atmosphere before retiring for the night."

"It's only 3 PM," Scott pointed out. "I still feel I have many hours of good work left to give today."

"You think you do, but you don't," Dr. Karlov replied. "We've covered a lot of ground today, and we've gotten much farther than I anticipated us getting, as you really are a very excellent worker, with a keen mind. Take a break, for you will be working 12 and 14 hour days soon enough. I have a department meeting to leave for a in a few minutes, but I shall expect you bright and early tomorrow morning at 6 AM, and we shall continue our work."

"Alright," Scott said. "I was told the University would provide me with lodgings for the first few weeks of my employment, while I looked for a more permanent home."

"Indeed," Professor Karlov said, as he reached into his pocket, and produced an electronic card key which he handed to Scott. "That is the key to your room, #253 Maybe Dick Hall."

"Don't you mean Moby Dick?" Scott asked.

"No, I mean Maybe Dick," Professor Karlov said. "The legendary wailing whale."

"Don't you mean the legendary whaling whale?" Scott asked.

"No, I mean wailing whale," Dr. Karlov replied. "Now look here, I'm the one who has been a professor at this University for the last 25 years, so I think I know what it is I mean."

"Okay," Scott said. "Is this a room in a dormitory?"

"Don't worry," Professor Karlov said. "It's clean and comfortable and the lodgings are only temporary. Mind you return here at 6 AM tomorrow. Now, off with you."

There didn't seem anything for it but to be off, so Scott left Water Buffalo Hall. At a bit after 3 PM, there were now students all about campus, and Scott's first move was to head for a large campus map to find Maybe Dick Hall.

As he glanced over the map, he was delighted to find that Maybe Dick Hall was not that far away, so, he decided to leave his car parked at Water Buffalo Hall, and to take his suitcase with him, and to make the journey to his new residence on foot. As he walked, his heart sunk in his chest. Frostbite Falls University really had some rather attractive girls on campus. However, Scott was a beaten and broken man where it concerned women, as he was convinced that all women hated him.

As he walked, he passed by several of the University cheerleaders on their way someplace. He stopped and looked, and they really were very pretty, but what chance did he have with girls like them? They were all probably dating guys from the football team anyway. He watched with a goofy smile on his face, as they danced and pranced about, revealing the white cotton of their uniform bottoms under their skirts. If only he could find a way to bang one of them, Scott thought to himself. As the cheerleaders walked off on their way, Scott heaved a sigh that went straight to heaven, what he wouldn't give for the courage to walk up to them, and talk to them.

After a short walk of about 15 minutes, Scott arrived at Maybe Dick Hall. It was a large dormitory built in a V-shape. Scott had seen similar structures at other Universities, and deduced that this was a two wing dormitory, one wing for the ladies and one wing for the gentlemen.

As he walked in, suitcase in hand, he saw many students going back and forth, and all of these students appeared rather young. Scott feared the worst, that he was being put up in a Freshman dormitory.

"Hello, sir," a (very pretty) young strawberry blond girl said from behind the front desk of the dormitory. "How can I help you?"

Scott saw by the young woman's name tag that her name was Cherry, and he briefly introduced himself and indicated who he was.

"Oh, so you're Professor Karlov's new assistant?" Cherry asked. "I'll get you taken care of in a second, let me call upstairs and see if Sonya is available right now."

Before Scott could react, Cherry had the phone on her desk off the hook, and had made the call. A brief stage wait indicated that Sonya was, in fact, available just then.

"Either take the elevator or the stairs up to the second floor," Cherry said. "Knock on room #201, that's Sonya's room, and she's the RA for your floor. She'll give you the rundown, and help you get situated into your room."

"Where are the stairs and elevator?" Scott asked.

"Stairs and elevator are both in the center of the building, down that-away," Cherry said, indicating the direction directly behind the front desk. "There is also a stair case and a door at the end of either wing. Did Dr. Karlov already give you a key card?"

"Yes he did," Scott replied.

"Good," Cherry said. "Your key card is used to open every door in this building, including the elevators and your room door. If you lose it, come to the front desk right away, and we'll replace it for you."

"Thank you," Scott said, and before he could even get that out, he saw that Cherry had moved on from him, and had picked up the phone to make a call. She hadn't even said 'you're welcome', or otherwise ended the conversation. She was very lovely though, pert breasts, a lovely face, soulful green eyes, and that lovely strawberry blond hair. However, it was always the way with Scott and women, he had taken a million tiny humiliations over the course of his life, a thousand small insults, where women clearly communicated what they thought of him. To a lovely, young thing like Cherry, Scott's conversation held no appeal, and she would help him until his case was resolved, and as soon as it was, she would move onto other things. With a silent sigh, Scott headed for the stairs, hoping that Sonya was a bit more welcoming, but knowing deep down inside, that he would face another icy reception.

As he found the stair-way, he paused, briefly, in front of the elevator on the opposite side of the hall. This elevator had a full length, shiny, metal exterior that showed one's reflection. Scott paused to look himself over. He didn't think he was all that bad looking. He was about 5'9, and between 150 and 160 pounds. Scott was not ripped and muscular, but he did exercise at least every day and stayed in shape. He still had all his raven black hair, and he felt his dark tan complexion, and his dark brown eyes might qualify as handsome. Scott knew why women hated him, he was not bad looking, but he was not good-looking either, and he was a boring conversationalist to boot. Suppressing another sigh, he walked up the stairs to the second floor, and found that room #201 was directly opposite from the entrance to the second floor stairs. He read the name 'Sonya Disso' on the door to that room, and he paused for a moment. Something about that last name, something about the name Disso, struck a nerve in him, like he'd heard of a woman with that name before. After a moment's reflection, Scott couldn't place it, and so, he knocked on the door.

A few moments later, and the door to room #201 opened to reveal a really rather pretty girl. Sonya Disso had long brown hair past her shoulders, brown eyes, a very slight brown hint to her skin, a very large chest, wide hips, and the slightest bit of a spare tire about the waist. She was perhaps 5'2, and as she smiled at Scott, he noticed a row of perfect, pearly white teeth.

"Hi," Sonya said. "Come in, come in."

Scott entered Sonya's dorm room, and sat down in the chair that she offered him. Her room was a tiny single occupancy room.

"Hi," Scott said. "Scott Cooper."

"Sonya Disso, but you already knew that," Sonya said. "Let me explain the fundamentals, this wing with my room in it is the girl's wing of this dormitory, and the other wing is the boy's wing. There is a large room around the corner on the boy's wing side that we use for meetings, and there is a small kitchen in there if you want to cook meals and also a common fridge. I'm your RA, and I'm in my senior year here, and if you ever have any problems, please come to me as soon as possible. How long are you planning on staying with us?"

"Not long," Scott said. "Only until I can find the time to go apartment hunting off campus, any suggestions?"

"A lot of my friends live in town, Orange and Chuwala street are full of nice apartment buildings. If you want to buy a condo, most of the nice developments are on Rocket street or Peachfuzz Avenue," Sonya said, as Scott made mental notes to himself of those areas. "If you head to the north, you'll find Wassamatta University, and the student housing is really dense in that area, since landlords can rent to people from both campuses."

"So, Frostbite Falls University. . .," Scott said.

"Is not really in Frostbite Falls," Sonya replied. "We're on the southern end of town, then the town to the north of us, and then Wassamatta University to the north of the town."

"I assume Wassamatta U is a private school?" Scott asked.

"Uh-huh," Sonya said, as she quickly glanced at her watch. Scott took that as a signal that he should leave, since he was boring her. He rose to take his leave, but much to his surprise, she stopped him. "We're not done yet, there are a few more things to go over."

"Okay," Scott said.

"It's just that I was the RA here, on this floor, last year too, and we went through about a dozen guys who came and went in the room you've been assigned," Sonya said. "Your room, #253 Maybe Dick Hall, is very popular for temporary accommodations for all kinds of University positions, not just Dr. Karlov and theoretical physics. I was just hoping that one of you would stay a little while longer than two weeks, but I get it, people don't like dorm life."

"It is just a temporary arrangement though," Scott pointed out. "Its purpose is for people to live there short-term until a longer term arrangement can be found. Is it even possible to make it a long-term home?"