Road Of Advancement

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* Master, please wake up! *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

'SHUT UP you lunatic! I told you to wake me up gently!!' Theodore thought aggrieved.

"Users dissatisfaction detected. Logging the event for further analyzing."

'You're damn right I'm annoyed! Who wakes someone up this way!'

"Users feedback has been noted. Please proceed with your morning ritual, Master. Your schedule is tight today." The AI reminded Theo of his dreadful agenda.

At first light, Theodore got up for his first day of the training regiment from hell!

He quickly got out of bed, took a piping hot shower whilst his AI was informing him of his health status of the day. This was a ritual Theodore quickly had instated. Being crippled in his former life, his health was his greatest treasure!

"Day two since inception. Calendar day 15th of May of the space calendar year 2118."

"Your currently 76% hydrated, it is advised to drink some clean water."

"Your blood pressure is 120/80 which is ideal for a male around your age."

"Your heart rate is 68bpm."

".."

"You are fully healthy. Does master wish to inspect his agenda?"

"Can you be a bit shorter? This is.. a bit much for a status update?" Theodore asked inquisitively. He was still a bit tired from waking up. Having this much info dumped was quickly irritating him.

"Detecting an abnormal amount of stress during your morning routine. Does master wish me to call for treatment?"

"NO, It's... YO-uuu... Never mind. No, I'm fine. Don't worry, my mood can swing in the morning. In the future skip any unnecessary info on my health, just alert me when there's something not in order". Theo couldn't help but give a set of detailed instructions. This AI took things way to literal.

"Master, do you not wish to peruse your agenda for the day? You've not responded to my question? " The AI rattled on in Theodore's mind, to the great annoyance of Theo himself. Having an AI assistant was supposed to be great! How can this emotionless voice bugging him to be considered satisfying!?

"You can stop calling me master. Call me Theo. Also, form now on, you will have a name. I will call you Summit. I'd like to see my agenda, Summit" Theodore also instructed it to lose the formal naming. It gave him goosebumps.

"Yes, Master Theo." Summit responded as a blue itinerary materialised above his desk.

"Drop the Master, Summit."

" Unknown irritation detected. Logging this event for further analyzing." Summit monotonously stated.

'THIS FU... Calm down, Theo. It's an AI. It's just doing its job. As annoying as it is, he should prove to be a great asset. Calm down'

"Users mental state is turning normal. Logging the event for further analyzing." Summit stated.

"Just read me through the agenda summit." Theodore shot down any further comments by Summit by giving it new instructions.

"Your first appointment will start your day in 14 minutes at the indoor training centre on the 44th floor with drill sergeant Kruys. He will train you between six and eight' o'clock."

"Afterwards, you have a thirty-minute break to freshen up. As the host has not had a meal. I have scheduled breakfast at the nearest cafeteria on the 46th floor. "

"Between eight-thirty and ten o'clock you will be studying with mister Jones."

"Then you will be expected to meet mister Boulton at the Workshops on the 11th floor. Estimated time to arrive there by elevator is two minutes and thirty-six seconds including walking to the elevator. The host is advised to hurry up to prevent delays in the schedule."

" At twelve-thirty your lesson with mister Boulton will end. You will have lunch with your grandfather. You can see the attached mail with further information on this appointment."

" At fourteen-hundred hour you are expected to meet with Professor Wilkinson on the 88th floor in his designated laboratory. He will teach you until four o clock. "

" From his laboratory, you will be picked up by second lieutenant Redford. He will take you offsite to location Delta forty-four. There you will spend an hour training before having dinner. After dinner, mister Redford will continue his lesson to seven-thirty PM. He will then escort you back to HQ. Estimated time of arrival is eight o'clock. "

"Once returned you will have another appointment with your grandfather. He will teach you politics and family heritage until ten o'clock. Afterwards, you're expected to self-study the history of Keppler University and the requirements to pass the exam". The emotionless voice steadily penetrated the mind of Theodore.

Theodore was hit with a mental sledgehammer at the end of every emotionless delivery of his appointments. Even though he had been warned. This was inhumane! From six in the morning up and till ten o'clock in the evening!! And then to be expected to self-study! He would be lucky if he didn't collapse halfway trough!

'I must talk sense to this old man! He's screwed me over! This is not training, this is a punishment!'

He sulkily left his bedroom as he was expected to be at the indoor training field. It wasn't his style to be late at an appointment. He only realised his breakfast was postponed until after training after he checked the schedule himself again. He remembered Summit telling him this aswell. He couldn't be mad at the AI, as he did schedule him breakfast afterwards. However, he was annoyed as the AI could've just woken him up ten minutes earlier to let him have breakfast!

'Damnit! I love breakfast! Now I'll have to postpone it!' Theodore thought spitefully.

He quickly made his way to the elevator. The elevator had been one of his favourite discoveries since he made the families compound his home. The elevator was incredibly quick! But it somehow managed to keep gravity to normal standards! You wouldn't feel any pressure of the quick ascension or descent of the elevator! This kind of technology already opened Theodore's eyes to the relatively high standards of tech in everyday life.

As his curiosity got the best of him, he had quickly had Summit research on the web how this effect was made possible! The AI then informed him that the object, the elevator, had a system to regulate the gravity. By constantly monitoring the resulting forces of the movement the system would adjust the internal gravity. Negating the effect of velocity.

The apparatus that made this possible was called a "Gravitational Field Regulator". It would use large amounts of energy to create a field wherein gravity would become fixed. Funnily enough, the creators claimed that the regulator created 'A separate place in space and time, unaffected by external influences.' However, they were quickly made fun of as literally anything other than gravity could effect this 'separate place'.

The apparatus was run by huge coils and magnets that spun at incredible speeds around the elevator. Though the science behind it was explained by Summit, Theodore had opted out of the lengthy dry explanation. It was way beyond his understanding!

However, it was also the first time Theodore though to hear a tinge of excitement in the otherwise monotonous AI voice that would occasionally ring through his mind.

After his trip with the elevator, Theodore quickly made his way to the training field.

"Reporting for duty, sir" Theodore saluted the retired drill sergeant.

"Right on time Cadet. From this point on I will treat you as a new recruit. I will hear no buts or maybe. I will only hear YES, SIR and NO, SIR. Two words, not more, not less." The drill sergeant put down his ground rules, yelling his emphasis as he inspected Theodore's appearance.

"Alright cadet. Your outfit might suit the gym but is not suitable for military training. You have five minutes to change in suitable clothes. In the room over there is a suit in your measurements. Time starts NOW." Kruys gestured to the shack and made his way further down the track. Not even looking at Theodore's panic-stricken face as he hasted to the room to get changed.

'This old' fellow means business! Just his aura is already so dominating! I'm completely suppressed! I will not have myself humiliated by this old geezer! Run, Run, RUn! I'll make it!"

Theodore managed to report back to Kruys within the timelimit, although barely, whilst panting from the sprint he took to make it.

"Not bad cadet. At least you're motivated. Let's see whether you can keep up today. We will be completing this obstacle course today. The goal is set at twenty minutes per round. If you fail, you go again. Don't even think of breakfast if you don't make it." The sergeant than quicly drew a starting gun, aimed for a target nearby and shot.

"TIME STARTS NOW."

' Crap! That's unfair, he starts before I'm ready! This geezer is trying to kick me down!'

Theodore ran with al power he could muster. His first-round, however, resulted in a disappointing twenty-five minutes and twelve seconds. He wasn't even close to the mark!

"AGAIN, DON'T YOU DARE STOP. YOU LAZY BUM, MOVE THOSE LEGS! YOU'RE A DISGRACE TO YOUR GRANDFATHER" Kruys yelled when Theodore passed by the start/finish line.

'THIS FU*KER, HE DARES' Theo exploded with anger but didn't lash out to his instructor. He knew the drill. He was only yelling at Theo to spur him on. To light a fire in him. Even if it leads to hatred, if there are results then a drill sergeant wouldn't hesitate to use everything in his disposal!

He knew from watching youtube videos in his former life how harsh special forces were trained. He now knew the old 'man was no less of a traditional drill sergeant. And he had the great p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to be his only cadet in training... Yes, he was in for a harsh morning routine.