The Heist for the Soul of Humanity
Novelette 10,045 words Recommended by 2 award/anthology sources
"The simulation blossomed around Nadja Gavrić like a hypercube unpacking itself into three dimensions. The plain metal floors of the Roses’ cargo bay turned the shiny white of faux marble. The walls closed in, became a circular chamber. Display cases sprang up around the perimeter."
Quasar links out; the story lives on Lightspeed, where the author gets the click.