I Demand Compensation!

"Alright then, let me get through the pitch first. I know you are probably confused, scared, angry, and a host of other emotions that lower life forms so easily fall into. Welcome, Participant 000549144, to the Wheel of –"

"My name is Blake, by the way. Nice to meet you." He interjected, cutting off the voice. It annoyed Blake to no end to be seen as a number, when a lot of his life was worked towards not being seen as one in the first place. Before he could speak any further on the injustices of the situation and not so subtle implication that he was talking to his murderers, the pressure around Blake increased, preventing him from even thinking about trying to speak up.

"… Participant 000549144. While you were an individual just moments ago, now, you are just another participant in our little Wheel of Reincarnation. We have been around since before your universe began, of which I am the Administrator in charge. Out of the billions of eligible lifeforms, you were selected. Not because you are anyone special, mind you, but because the balance must be maintained. Now, where was I? Ah, yes. You were selected due to the research you were working on would, eventually over the course of 1,000 years, give an unfair advantage to your species over both your local and multiverse counterparts. Domino effects and all that. We absolutely cannot have that occur. Pillaging and or extermination of protected organisms across the dimensional veil is something that The Council likes to prevent. So, as compensation, you are free to select one level of time travel relative to you in another universe, selected at random. All well's that ends well, the Travel System will take it over from here, and I have got another participant waiting. Good luck!"

The voice went silent, and the pressure disappeared at the same time. Blake had a million questions, and now no one to answer them. But most of all, he felt cheated! Life was great when he was alive! Friends, family, a bright future! All gone! All for what, a situation that didn't involve him 1,000 years away? The word compensation was thrown around, and as soon as Blake thought of it, a monotone voice appeared again in the void.

"Travel System initiated. Welcome Participant 000549144. Please select a tier of reward. Note: Further compensation or demerits may occur after participant is evaluated once selection is made."

"Sigh, alright then. Show me what you've got." Blake resigned outwardly.

Inside his mind though, he vowed to try to find some way to come back home! Not only to shove the rules in the faces of those who killed him, but at the very least, to get another chili dog! Actually, it seemed rather silly to be mad at a group whose pledge could be seen as quite environmentally friendly on a massive scale, but still! No one asked if it was okay with him!

"Confirmed request. Showing tiers. Please make a selection" droned the Travel System.

[ Travel System Tiers ]

Done in magnitude of time. May go forward or backward in time relative to the Participant.

1 Year (Ineligible. Participant is part of species with consciousness. Multiple memory wipes required will cripple participants mind)

10 Years (Eligible. Participant will forget all former life, any knowledge retained will be chalked up to genius level intellect.)

100 Years (Eligible. All previous levels obtained, plus 10 system points. No possibility to gain more system points)

1,000 Years (Eligible. All previous levels obtained, plus 10 system points. No possibility to gain more system points)

10,000 Years (Eligible. Previous level rewards reset. Participant can optionally gain perk "Former Life's Memories" (System value: 1,000 points) or redeem for system points. An additional 100 system points are granted at awakening. Participants gains perk "Point Store" (System Value: ?), along with possibility to gain more system points)

100,000 Years (Eligible. Previous levels obtained (starting at 10,000 Years). Participant can optionally gain perk "New Form" (System Value: 10,000 Points) or redeem for system points. An additional 1,000 system points are granted at awakening.

1,000,000 Years (Eligible. Previous levels obtained (starting at 10,000 Years). Participant gains new perk "Growth Tutor System" (System Value: ?). An additional 10,000 system points are granted at awakening.

"Wow, what's with this crowdfunding-esque setup? Plus, this system is way too brutal! All of modern human history needs to pass before any of the rewards become worth it! I'm lucky they didn't leave out that choosing the lowest tier would cripple me. Why even have it then!? Hey, Travel System, can I ask a question? Its about the "Further compensation or demerits may occur" thing."

"Certainly. Please spend 10 system points for further explanation. Participant 000549144, you currently have 0 system points. Participant does not have access to earn more system points"

"What was with this unfairness! No way to ask questions? You might as well tell me to choose a dark pit to jump into headfirst without any clues! Ugh, well, what would be the best pick for me then?"

Blake mused on the possibilities. The first thing to do was to divide the tiers into categories. The first would be under 10,000 years, and the second was 10,000 years and over. Again, 1 years' worth of travel was off limits, not that it was appealing anyway. 100 years or 1,000 years was an option, but only going to the future was worth it. Anyone with a decent understanding of history would know that starvation, disease, safety, and civil right were terrible the further in the past you went. While experiencing the 20th century might be fun, not having any former memories would make it useless to gain an advantage. 1,000 years back would most likely land him as a serf or slave! Only the future remained, and with perks for an easy life at that.

Thus, the second category was all that was left. It, however, seemed to have ominous clues sprinkled in the descriptions. Take the perk "Former Life's Memories". While on the surface it seemed great, with the amount of time that passed as part of the tier, all common knowledge would be changed. Eating a sandwich with a spoon might be a totally normal thing, and not knowing that would instantly expose him to others! The fact that it came with additional points and a point store screamed to Blake "This is where the real challenge starts". If 10,000 years was considered "Normal Mode" on a hardcore game, then each level beyond that would be exponentially more difficult! At 100,000 years, humans might have significantly changed through natural evolution even if they were still around! That must be the reason for the "New Form" perk. And 1,000,000 years had to give the participant a "Growth Tutor System", meaning that the world randomly chosen would be so harsh that death was inevitable for 90% of the fools who chose it!

The only real choice remained. 10,000 years in the future! Flying cars! Interspace travel! Robots! Full-dive VR games! A sci-fi nerd's paradise! And with the bonus perks of the tier, it would allow Blake a comfortable life of obscurity. Or, maybe, if he was feeling daring, a spaceship captain? After so many movies, video games, and books about traveling the endless cosmos consumed by Blake there was certainly an appeal for that was well. So, without any hesitation, Blake moved what felt like his fingers to select this tier and direction of time travel. As he was doing so, a note popped up on the screen, moving the layout of the selection screen drastically. Like an annoying ad, it read:

[Travel System Note: Further magnitudes of travel require Administrator contact for compensation upon awakening.]

Fingers slipping as the new information was given to him, Blake only processed half of the note before he was interrupted.

"Selection acknowledged. Error detected. Maximum travel limit selected. 4.54 billion years into the past. Contacting Administrator after participant transfer."

"Excuse me?" Blake squeaked before darkness took him again.