The familiar hum of the gaming rig faded, replaced by a low thrum that vibrated through his very being. One moment, he was bleary-eyed, blasting asteroids in Sector 7 of "Celestial Empires Online," the next, the pixelated explosions were replaced by a breathtaking vista of swirling nebulas and distant galaxies. Gone was his cramped apartment; he was strapped into the pilot's seat of his ship, the 'Star Wanderer, 'only it wasnt a digital avatar anymore. Panic threatened to overwhelm him, but the ship's AI, a calm female voice named Athena, snapped him to attention. He was inside the game. Now, adrift in a sea of stars, he faced a difficult reality: survive.