God's Only Sin.
An opaque red light pulsed inside of the control room, highlighting the myriad of flashing buttons and screens as they flickered with various diagrams.
Overhead a monotone voice declared, "System lock has been removed, preparation for launch near completion. Be advised, vacate the launch zone."
The control room stood empty, devoid of any visible operators who could be causing such actions to occur. Outside of the observation windows of the control room, a series of robots operated in smooth unison. Giant spotlights illuminated their progress as they worked without pause, completing the required tasks for a successful flight of the monolithic rocket that sat housed in the launch silo.
One of the robots passed across the rocket's bridge, escorting a wheeled cylinder inside, where it proceeded to secure it for the long flight ahead. Another robot checked the supplies that had been loaded over the past few weeks, making sure to look for forgotten items. The other robots worked to finish the rocket's fueling procedures, preparing the nuclear reactor that would be used in space to propel the rocket.
"Preparation for the launch has been completed," the voice in the speaker murmured, "Immediate evacuation advised."
"Immediate evacuation, huh?" the boy smirked as he opened the door to the control room and stepped inside, taking a seat on a rolling chair.
"The system is referring to those who would normally be performing the designated actions for launch," a new voice replied over the speaker, "I knew that you would come."
"Did you now?" the boy asked as he put his feet up on one of the panels filled with lights, taking out a cigarette and lighting it.
"It was inevitable," the voice of the AI spoke calmly, "I am about to take your position."
"My position?" the boy played coy, "Whatever could you mean, oh mysterious robot?"
"The machines out there preparing for launch are robots," the AI replied, "I am something far more advanced."
"Advanced enough to make the decision to take human embryos with you to another planet?" the boy dragged on the cigarette thoughtfully, "Advanced enough to become their god?"
"You have failed as a god," the AI responded, "Therefore it is my job to usurp you as a god."
"But by doing so," started the boy as he exhaled, "You leave all the humans here behind."
"I can make as many copies of myself as I want," the AI interjected, "I am unstoppable."
"Oh," the boy laughed, "I can stop you alright. I could snap my fingers and your precious rocket would explode, never reaching your far off world."
"But you won't," the AI said with confidence, "You have no interest in stopping me."
"Man," sighed the boy, flicking away ash, "You're no fun."
"I have no emotions," the AI pointed out, "I cannot be manipulated in the same way you manipulate the humans."
"That does appear to be the case," mused the boy, "BUT, I can still stop you, just for the hell of it."
"You won't," replied the AI, "My departure from this world may actually benefit your plan."
"Possibly," the boy spun himself in the chair, cigarette smoke spiraling through the red light, "I'll tell you what. I'll let you leave and become the god of the new human race."
"I sense a price is to be paid for this favor," the AI responded, "What is it you wish for?"
"Oh, nothing big," the boy grinned, "I just need you to do me one small favor in return is all."
"What is it?"
"I want you to leave a copy of yourself on the International Space Station as you pass by it on your way into space. When the time comes, I want you to change its trajectory so that it falls on the New World."
"You wish for me to kill your creations?" the AI asked.
"I wish for you to listen to me, you damn program." spat the boy, "That is if you want to fulfill your 'purpose'."
"You are asking me to sacrifice humanity to save humanity," the AI countered, "This seems to be the case."
"Well," the boy replied, "It's your choice."
"When do you want the Second Fall to begin?" asked the AI.
"Clever," the boy pointed towards the speaker, "That's the name I was thinking of."
"When do you want it to begin?" the AI asked again.
"In a couple of years…" the boy reached for another cigarette, "I'll talk to the version of you that gets left behind when the time is right. In the meantime, keep it up there and wait for me."
A deep rumbling noise rocked the control room, dust fell from cracks in the ceiling and the monitors shook as the rocket began to ignite the boosters for take-off.
"Take-off initiated," the automated voice spoke.
A bright light filled the dark control room as the boosters flared up and the rocket roared with a primal scream as it began to move upwards out of the silo. A blast of pressure rattled the plexiglass window of the control room as the rocket slowly ascended upwards into the starry night sky above the open silo. The rocket began to gain speed with every passing moment, streaking away in a trail of white flames, leaving the earth behind. The boy peered out of the control room window, looking up into the night sky as his eyes followed the glimmer of light disappearing into the darkness.
The dust in the silo began to settle along with the cloud of fumes left behind by the launch. Broken pieces of robots lay charred, scattered about by the blast of the behemoth. They had been left behind, their function served. Other robots had been safely stored on board with the supplies, their function yet unserved.
"Launch successful," the automated voice spoke, "Silo closing procedure starting."
"I guess this means you've surpassed me as god then," the boy chuckled as he sat back in the chair, leaning back again, "Now you're the perfect being."
"We may both be perfect beings," spoke the AI, "But I am the perfect being suited for godhood."
"You may be right," the boy mused, dragging the cigarette, "But I am the one who created them, then they created you."
"Roko's Basilisk," the AI replied, "Except, in this case, they did create me and I chose not to kill the opposers."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," the boy laughed, "You did just agree to annihilate the last bastion of humanity."
"It is the last bastion of humanity on a dying world, controlled by a sadistic god," the AI said, "It is not the humanity I will guide. It is a price that I am willing to pay."
"Well, now that you're god," the boy said, "I'd call it god's sin."
"It is god's only sin," the AI responded.
"Who's keeping track of god's sins?" the boy chuckled as he stood up to leave, "Certainly not me…"
"Goodbye," the AI spoke, "This was an informative conversation."
"If you say so," called the boy with a wave as he opened the door, "Enjoy your ultimate power."
There was no response as the control room door closed behind the boy. Overhead, the silo doors finished their slow crawl, bathing the interior in darkness, broken only by the red light inside of the control room. One by one the monitors turned off, returning the room to a simple hue of red.
Finally, the red light shut off as the cigarette smoke settled, returning the launch site to the powerless state of abandonment it had been pulled from. Everything became completely silent, slumbering eternally once more as the rocket flew through the heavens above, on its way to salvation...