Encounters Out There

Earth reached a sustainability tipping point.

Thousands uploaded their consciousness into robotic avatars to seek a new homeworld.

Jack and his girlfriend Sandra remained like the majority.

"Jack, are you sure about this? I mean, they're our last hope."

"Right, but they got us into this mess. Do you know how much it costs to get uploaded?"

"No. Do you?"

"Well, I know the price exceeds 100 million per individual, but they're abandoning us."

"What'll you do, Jack?"

"Oh, I want them to survive." Jack opened a terminal. "For humanity's sake. But this hack will make it much more interesting."