Tidal Lock
C55/100Web serial by ResonantIce
Humanity has finally taken the next step into space. Governments run research stations throughout the solar system while private enterprises mine asteroids for rare metals and exotic minerals. However, space remains beyond the reach of the everyday person. In contrast, virtual reality technology has led to an explosion of full-immersion entertainment, and many people turn to VR for the thrill of spaceflight. One game, Parallax Gate, lets players experience living in an interstellar civilization. For maximum realism, its developers created a world solely defined by players' personal skills and ability. Mark Asami, a student of aerospace engineering at MIT, dreams of bringing spaceflight to the masses. To pass time, he plays as Aero Rayne in Parallax Gate with his roommate and their organization, the Temple Wraiths — until a chain of in-game events draws them deeper into the game's world and politics than they ever intended.