Signed, sealed, and delivered.

"You're up awfully early aren't you Jack?"
"Can't sleep, usually like this the night before running an actual game.  Assuming it's happening."
"Get your writing done?"
"No. Not really got distracted last night.  Got tired.  Then someone saw me at work." 
"At work?"
"Yeah.  Going from being "Mem".  Mostly quiet, telling stories, seeing the...darkness that is my life.  Hearing what happened to me, the darkest things in the world being presented in a light hearted way."
"Yeah sounds about right." 
"Then how I take that darkness and channel it into being Jack." 
"What's the difference?"
"Light hearted, silly, lost in character and over all trying to create a fun and inclusive atmosphere. The dichotomy between the two can be...startling. Because seeing all of it is a juxtaposition that a lot of people in the world just can not understand." 
"Think it scared them?"
"I think they realized I was telling the truth and they didn't know how to handle that?"
"Truth about what."
"That I don't lie.  That I tell things the way they are, the only difference is how much of the truth I tell."
"So you lied.'
"Not at all, and I think that's the part that scared people.  Usually does.  Open and honest with adults, open and honest with kids, same events, same people,  different presentation.  All in the framing."
"Yeah...not everyone can flip a switch like that."
"Not everyone has had to.   Go from one of the hardest mother fuckers on the planet, ready to throw hands and kick dicks if necessary.  To someone terrified to hurting others feelings. To someone that can match a kids energy but put a foot down when necessary."
"You didn't report anyone out of pocket." 
"I gave them fair warning.  And if the angles and demons looking over my shoulder didn't think that was enough then they better fuckin step up and do the job.  Because that's the last night I work for free."
"Oh, gonna charge kids to hear your stories now?"
"Nope, it's the last night people get access to me without permission." 
"Going orange?"
"Going orange." 
"Why not red?"
"Because, they get one more chance."
"Who's they?"
"Here's the thing pimpin. That shit is way too easy.  Game devs and owners want to have these cash cow social games right?" They want to rake it all in but then when it comes time for accountability. Time to tow the line they balk. Try to say it's not possible, that it's too expensive, that there's no way to to do it." 
"And you disagree."
"Oh yeah.  What they mean is it would be too much work.  That the guys at the top would have to give up the billion dollar salaries, the million dollar petty cash funds, to pay people to actually moderate things."
"Thought you said communities are good at doing that themselves." 
"They are. But every single person that was doing it is burnt out because of how much it took and they weren't being taken care of.  All the abuse, none of the rewards."
"You think the VRC devs are like that?"
"Dunno, haven't met em.  Unless I have and they didn't reveal themselves.  Either way both the devs and the community is going to have to choose now.  Whether they're going do the work and keep it a 13+ accessible game.  The players knowing that mods and reporters will be allowed access to their privates instances to make sure they're not pulling kids into places they shouldn't be. Or they make it an 18+ age verified game and let the adult content stay."
"You're not a red button, blue button dude."
"True.  There is the 3rd option. The best but most expensive option."
"What's that?" 
"Hire the community.  That quarter of a trillion dollars I was talking about.  Those angels and demons that think they're watching me when I'm there grading there work."
"You broke the 4th wall again?"
"Yep." 
"Scared em'?"
"Yep."
"What's the verdict."
"Grading an unfinished paper, seeing the draft and it's outline?  I'd give it, over all the potential of an A+, but in it's current state a D-."
"OOof."
"Yep, well, creators need to have more control over their own work for starters.  Because I guarantee you that the people that put the adult Avis together don't want them in minors instances or hands and if given proper tagging options backed by proper filters they wouldn't be."
"What's the issue then?"
"The ripping, the uncredited use of their creations.  Watching others make money off of their work while they struggle to be heard and pay their bills. Same as any other artistic endeavor.  People feel entitled to the work of the artists because the suits take their money are trying to sell it."
"So VRC then, how would you handle that?"
"Pay the artists, kick the C suit in the dick, and give creators the ability to manage their work."
"Oh?  How you going to kick them in the dick."
"Same thing I told Zuck the Fuck.  Clean it up or loose it all.  Because they don't realize, I'm not there to get em in trouble.  I'm there holding the an army of lawyers back representing people that don't give a shit about their good intentions if it cuts into their bottom line. I'm making a case for their continued exitance." 
"Why not just let the lawyers pick it apart?"
"Because.  I'm not going to let 4 or however many chans they have now, trolls and child groomers win. I refuse.  I draw the line and I'll negotiate the peace. It's good practice for what comes next." 
"That omegle world got under your skin didn't it?"  
"Omegle got under my skin in general back when I tried it out."
"So how do you handle it?"
 Well.  Either VRC exists as it is.  A place for artists to showcase their work and play in a sandbox of tools, worlds, and IPs.  Where adults 'live' and play, build and connect and the companies compensate the people for their time testing and experimenting, pushing the limits.  Then the companies come to them to buy assets and port their work onto their platforms. Or strait up hire them to go work for them. Either way the artists and testers that have dedicated everything they have to build the community and improve their work should be paid.  Kids out of the pool sort of thing."
"What about the kids?"
"Structuring screen time is a good thing.  Requiring exercise and good nutrition before the screen time.  Or, often better, incorporating it into the screen time.  Pretty sure PBS created a pretty solid model for that already, just needs adapted to the space.  Trick is, it's easy for a kid in a bad situation to fall prey to adults ready to take advantage of it.  To easy, because the kids don't have the experience necessary to discern dangerous from safe.  Hell, even when you tell them the stove is hot they'll touch it anyway because they don't really understand what hot means."
"Isn't that what they were doing over at Meta?  Building a space like that on their headset?"
"Oh?  You mean the platform that is/was using Instagram and Facebook as the basis for their social system and requiring the accounts on their platform already slapped with legal action for their documented disregard and outright exploitation of minors to increase engagement on their platform through the very things that shaped Ivanka and Paris into some of the most hard as naisl people I've seen." 
"Oh, you didn't believe the tears in the interview?"
"The makeup and the careful words can't hide the hell they've gone through from people that have also gone through it."
"That's why you want to hire hookers and criminals to work for you isn't it?"
"mmhmm,  Because I know they'll see the predators just as well as I do. I know if they're paid and treated with respect they'll work harder than anyone to keep people from experiencing the types of abuse they've been through." 
"Hell of a gamble man, you think the community is going to buy that." 
"That's the beauty of a platform like VRC and the potential for what it can become.  Yeah, it can be exploited.  But you can also use those same exploits to handle business. Hire them to be performers, to wear the characters that kids talk to, to be in the instances, to hunt the trolls and creeps."
"You know you can code on your own right Jack, you know the language, you just refuse to speak it." 
"Sure, I could, but that would be cheating?"
"How is knowing how to code, how to see where it's breaking, being able to repair and fix it cheating?"
"Because I've always wanted to be a tester, not a coder.   Like the test pilot going up in an experimental aircraft.  You got to know how it works so you can explain to the engineers what's wrong with it." 
"So all kids out of the pool?"
"For now.  until the ladies can let Chris Hanson know which doors to knock on." 
"Hanson doesn't do that work anymore Jack."
"Fuck."
"Did it to yourself there bud."
"You know.  But I'll fucking break their necks if I showed up on their door step knowing they were expecting a child."
"What was that about people being paid not to do that and keeping their murder fantasies to themselves?"
"It's not a fantasy.  I'm the human version of a pit-bull man.  Sweet and kind and playful until someone goes after the kids.  It's not a fantasy or a boast.  It's a warning. And I don't know if there's enough money in the world to stay my hand" 
"If you stay digital then you won't have to worry about that part you know?"
"I got to get the old Salty Dogs out of my head first." 
"Still can't shake the memories huh?"
"My hypothesis proved true and I'm payin' the price for it."
"So you going to be the next Chris Hanson then?"
"Only if the ladies agree and the C suit foots the bill. I'll come when the bat signal is raised."
"Not going to change your name are ya?"
"Nope.  Because when I show up it will be the only warning they get." 
"Like Chris Hanson?"
"Like Chris Hanson." 
"You know they were just messing with you the other night right?"
"I know, but sometimes I forget that people believe me, maybe even trust me.   Earning the trust or not is up to the person, not me and I always assume I'm the bad guy in everyone else's stories. 
"You know that's not true Jack. You're not the bad guy.  Just kinda stupid sometimes."
"Know and understand aren't always the same thing.  Like knowing the sky is blue v.s. understanding why the sky is blue."
"So what do you need."
"Paid."
"How much?"
"Already said... a quarter of a trillion dollars."
"Bit greedy aren't ya?"
"Already laid out the budget man, explained how I'd manage the funds, almost too the penny." 
"And how much would you keep for yourself?"
"$10 million, after taxes. Same as any other job.  Except, instead of giving it away I'd keep it, retire, pass on the Mem and travel.  Check in and say hi from time to time. Maybe take some friends out to dinner and a movie as a thank you for keeping me sane and honest." 
"What's the rider?" 
"$50k up front to zero my accounts and upgrade my workstation and soundproof my office. I have most everything I need just got to take it to the shop for a tune up and have them put a new graphics card and extra ram in it. Full body, face tracking, and a new headset.  I'm looking at an ultralight  because the brick I'm using now is hell on my neck. so I can fully express myself. Plus $200k for back rent to my folks.  Oh yeah, and Medical/dental/vision paid in full until the end of the contract." 
"how long? 3 more years....shit...2 more years...but I handle my own funds this time"
"Why only 2 years." 
"Incase I ended up getting elected and I can cleanly walk away from any possible emolument violations." 
"Still think that's going to happen?"
"Hopefully not, but if it does I'll do the job just like any other." 
"So you're campaigning?"
"Nope, still working, just being honest with people." 
"So that it on the rider?"
"Oh...no... another $10 million to buy and renovate the farm."
"For the Vet School?"
"For the Vet School."
"Know what university yet?"
"K-State obviously, they're the Ag-School in these parts. Partner them with Washburn so the ag students can focus on ag and the Law students can practice law on their behalf." 
"Got it all planned out don't ya?"
"Yeah, I never walk into a room without an exit strategy, or a meeting without something to bring to the table."
"So what are you bringing to this table?"
"I'm not.  It's my table.  I'm just waiting for the high rollers to ante up so I can pay the crew, then I'll deal the cards" 
"How does someone get on the crew?"
"Ask the ladies, not my call, it's theirs.  I just hold their seat at the table and deal with the dick heads."
"That why the old salty dog keeps coming out?  The ladies?"
"Na, the dick heads and remembering I don't have to pretend I'm one of 'em just to survive anymore"
"Really think you can get VRC to a 1.0 release in less than 2 years?"
"I think I can do it in less than 1."
"Bullshit."
"Many hands make light work." 
"What do the high rollers get out of it?"
"Ask Bill and Steve "
"Bill and Steve? "
"Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs to you." 
"Gates gave his fortune away and Jobs was obsessed with simplicity in design."
"You really think you can pull this off?"
"Did Sandra teach?
"...."
"Exactly."
"So $20 million to you and a quarter of a trillion to a bunch of artists, programmers, and students?"
"$20.05 million. After Taxes. Half up front, half at the end of the contract, with the $50k signing bonus" 
"What's the monetization strategy?" 
"$10 account verification fee and merch."
"Merch?" 
"3d printed copies of custom avies for players to put on their shelf. Licensed figures from IPs that have unlock codes for in game customizations.  And if they want to get really fancy we hire McFarlan and other toy makers to do production runs for artists to put on shelves at retailers and marketplaces."
"Never going to make that money back."
"I know.  That's not the point. that money is a penalty.  The cost that the monopolies have to pay as they're broken up." 
"What's the give?"
"Companies having the say on how their IP is deployed for worlds and avatars and final approval on designs and how they want the instances that host their worlds managed, final say on performers to be those characters at events." 
"What about fortnite?"
"What about it?"
"Isn't this going to be killing fortnite with something like this?"
"You mean cross over events?"
"Different game engine." 
"For now, sure, but if it works they're going to want my controller design and layout for their VR build."
"Their VR build?"
"Yeah, I'm doing this to create the VR equivlent of the Duelshock. A standardized control format for games to adopt."
"Oh, and if that works, what are you selling that for?"
"Selling?" 
"Yeah, what are you going to make on that?"
"um....did you forget about the moon base?"
"What does a VR game controller have to do with that silly ass moon base idea of yours?"
"Why where the 360s in the barracks?"
"...."
"Told you Artemis was just step 2.  Old aesthetics with new tech."
"So, when you get paid what?  You give the design away?" 
"na, I find the hardest of the core VR pilots and have em test it, then we give it away." 
"Who's doing the work on the initial design and fabrication?"
"What can I say, I'm a fanboy.  But only a fan boy because of their design work and the standards to which they hold their hardware." 
"Why not an American Company?" 
"Because it's a global effort." 
"So that's why you've been doing character creation sessions."
"Yep.  Showing them how to host an instance even if they aren't familiar with the IP"
"Pretty sure most of them know how to host."
"They do, and that's why I know I've found the right people." 
"Still a big gamble." 
"I don't gamble, that's why it's going to work."