Life2.0 - a Broken Shackles Narrative

[HistoryDude]

I did not see that solution coming. Let's hope it doesn't fail and lead to a recreation of MSI. That would be ironic, of course, but not great.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"A Constitutional Crisis, Part 5"
A Cloudless Night, 9th Naomi, 6 (2183)
Buri Of Unity​

I watch Her chest rise and fall as She breathes, nestled in my embrace. Her eyes sre looking up at the stars. I nuzzle Her. "What's on your mind?"

She turns towards me. "A huge amount."

I can see it in Her face. I caress Her braided hair. "Want to talk about it? That's what we used to do when we came to this overlook."

She leans into me. "Buri, I'm furious that you went behind my back. Emotionally, I'm feeling so much..." Her voice trails as she struggled to find words.

"Rage?"

"Yes. I feel betrayed."

I contemplate Her. "What would you like me to say?"

"Honestly Buri, we both know that there's nothing honest you can say, because how you truly feel is that things would be better if I was a monarch, and that's what you aimed to do."

"You're feeling conflicted."

"Yes."

"Would mating help?"

She laughs. Then looks into my eyes. "Maybe it would, but it isn't your mating season yet, so we have to deal with my emotions a different way."

I hug Her close. "You love me, but you're also thinking about killing me."

"Not killing you. I couldn't do that. But..." She shakes Her head. "It's so stupid. My husband tries to make me queen and here I am mad about it." She breaks down and laughs with tears, and rests Her head on my chest when She's done. "I forgive you, my love."

"I know I may have picked a bad method, but I had good intentions."

She nuzzles me. "I know."

We lie together for a while. "May I change the subject?"

"What's on your mind?"

"I didn't want to ask earlier, but now we're alone I can. What is 'parthenogenically'? It didn't translate."

"It's the development of an egg cell into an embryo without fertilisation by sperm." She pauses. "Virgin birth."

"Does that mean your mother wasn't your mother?"

"Genetically no, in all other ways, yes. My parents conceived me the natural way, although the egg cell I came from was actually one of my great-grandmother's that had been preserved."

"I thought genetics was like..." I look around for inspiration. "Like those rocks over there, just different blocks added together."

"It's a common misconception. My great-grandmother was one of the foremost genetic engineers on my world, working with a gamete modification technique; life is in the cells, but it was beyond her capability to do post-conception DNA rewriting, so she extracted her egg cells, preserved some and modified others, and used the modified X chromosome to create a modified doubled-haploid clone. At first she was doing it with easier forms of life, and after a good four decades of development got my grandmother's genome to successfully develop into an embryo and implant in her womb. My grandmother repeated the process to make her daughter a clone of herself, and when MSI came - it took almost a century for the wider world to beat my great-great grandfather's self-replicating war machines - she replaced my mother's egg cells that wouldn't be able to reproduce naturally with my great-grandmother's preserved natural cells that could be fertilised. Me and my brother followed when my mother found a husband."

Hmm. "Suddenly you make sense."

"What do you mean?"

"You've always seemed like you are trying to prove yourself, to measure up to something, or someone, and you never quite make it in your own estimation. I always thought you were trying to prove yourself to us."

"Having a super-human mother does rather warp your sense of self growing up."

"How was she modified?"

"Extensively. Larger skull to allow room for a four-lobed brain coupled to a wider spine that functioned as a brain extension, and a titanium carbide skeleton supported enhanced muscles. She punched through a small tree trunk once, even if it did rip the flesh around her knuckles off. And the bones had computational substrate integrated into them, so effectively she had a hundred computers inside her body. It felt like she knew everything, especially about us, as she had scarily accurate emulations of me and my brother running constantly inside her mind."

"Scary?"

"She knew all the languages of Old Earth, but unless it was to pass on her knowledge, very rarely spoke. If she knew you, she could extrapolate the entire conversation you might have. I grew up thinking my parents were telepathic; she'd look at him and it was rare he had to say anything. And it was terrifying! Like she was... something else. She loved me and my brother, but her capabilities were so vast she made us feel small."

I hug Her as She falls silent. "You are good, Naomi."

"I just hope I'm good enough. Every day it runs through my mind how I wish I had my Mum's abilities."

"You are. What was your father like?"

"My father was much more of a heart-type of person than she was. It was his idea to start helping slaves escape."

"How were they able to do it?"

"When MSI found out about just how capable my mother was, it sparked a bidding war; set a record price for an Indentured Asset Contract when she was purchased by an MSI Sector Governor to use her for administrative duties. And once in, she integrated the system into her network, and then ran it all herself. She created fake MSI citizens to buy slaves, then arranged transfers out. Eventually, she managed to get Thando - my brother - off the records too. That's why she was with them that day, she was saying goodbye. I don't know how they got caught out, but they were; I was captured. They used me to make her surrender by threatening to kill me, then they took me out of the room after she dropped her weapons. I was sold to be a Companionship Asset. I haven't seen Thando or my father since."

"I'm sorry Naomi."

A tear falls from Her eye. "Can we talk about your family?"

"I come from a lineage of WarChiefs, on the plains of my homeworld. When I was young, I grew up dreaming of glory on a battlefield, or on a hunt." Melancholy sets in. "It's all gone now."

She nuzzles me. I stroke Her tenderly, from the back of Her head down. "It's not all gone. You have me, and we have Rivkah. We are family. I love you Buri. I love you with all my heart."

 

[HistoryDude]

Naomi certainly had an interesting family. It's nice that she and Buri made up.

Also, I'm interested in those self-replicating war machines. They seem very useful, especially since the colonists want to resist MSI. A massive military would help with that a lot...

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Her family will get even more interesting in due time.

The Neumann capable war machines - in order for Mars to successfully win an offensively minded independence war, the fighting capable force has to grow from the few thousand colonists to at least five orders of magnitude greater in what is far too short a timescale to do using biont soldiers, as the expected timeline has Earth at combat ready status in 2050 if unified. (possibly never if not united) The only way to do that is self-replicating battle droids, which has devastating consequences if left unchecked.

The technology is fairly primitive by comparison to MSI weapons technology, being based on Old Earth armaments. Another issue is Stellaris doesn't support self-replicating armies, as it only allows for linear growth of armies.

To deal with this means Naomi needs an old family friend.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

So, I've been back through and decided to make some alterations to alter the calendar a bit.

Back on page three, I outlined a chart listing the colony's newly developed calendar; I've now decided to change it a bit and make it a direct relationship with the games' year 2200 based calendar as it was getting confusing for me. The seasons are going to stay out of that alignment change as if those change I then have to rewrite story-affecting elements like the Xenayan reproductive cycle or Snowfall Day, and wierdly it's easier for me to remember the seasonal mismatch than the calendar mismatch.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Splitting The Future"
15th Naomi, 6 (2183)
Daas​

This is a big day for us, I'm excited. Base fact is, the old ship-board generator is insufficient for our power needs; they had been forced to abandon having electric lights because all the generator's power was needed for their start-up industry. Nuclear fission was of course not a new technology - it was one of Naomi's many ideas to reintroduce - but it was one of their own developments. Five years of hard work by so many scientists and engineers had led to building their first modular nuclear reactor. (I was thankful that geological scans had been recovered from the ship's sensors; it could have taken decades to find enough material without it)

From now on - well, until they figured out fusion reactors, which was something that eluded even Naomi's kind, and therefore would truly be a united achievement - these reactors would be placed to supply the vast amounts of power they needed. No more of the unsightly windmills that Naomi sketched out in the first few days that turned wind into mechanical energy, and later - once they had a copper deposit to mine to make wire for electric motors - electricity.

It was a huge achievement; it took the Humans seventy years to figure out how to make modular reactors after all. Although granted, Naomi had marked the modular nuclear reactor as a critical technology to develop, and made it a major priority for both Physics and Engineering research. I think back to those early days, back before the Unfortunateness, back to when the colony felt truly united and everyone was in agreement on what to do.

The hard work was done. Now to build even more of them, and embrace the future of electricity for everyone. I watch with pride as Naomi takes the stand.

"Welcome everyone, to the opening of one of our biggest projects. Five years ago, we began planning this - our first modular nuclear fission reactor, here at our world's richest Uranium reserve. This first reactor will power our efforts to build up our industry, and allow our dreams to become reality as it's Mineral wealth enriches all of us. I would like to thank everyone who's hard work has led to this point. Many of you have been pulling twelve hour shifts for several years, using your strength to benefit all of us. And I thank you, and I offer the greatest prize I can give; four weeks of solid sleep."

I cheer with the rest of them; we have worked so very hard on this project, pushing it forward. They had earned it.

Naomi singles me out. "Most especially, I want to thank Daas. His dedication alone has shaved years off the time this project would take." She began to clap first, quickly followed by Buri, and their daughter - lovely girl, but I still had the nightmares - and soon the whole crowd was clapping for him.

I look at my wife, Vorosh; one of her tentacles strokes his face, just like she had done so often. He wrapped his own around her. "I couldn't have done this without you."

Almost drowned out by the crowd's ahs, I barely hear her whisper. "Well done darling. You've made it."

 

[Macavity116]

A monumental achievement. Things should move much faster now... literally.

Also:

I thank you, and I offer the greatest prize I can give; four weeks of solid sleep.

Better prize than solid gold.

 

[HistoryDude]

Well, that will be a useful technology. I wonder if it will be used for... less peaceful means in the future...

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Second Five Year Plan, Part 1"
16th Naomi, 6 (2183)
Buri Of Unity​

She's busy.

Her office is covered in drawings; mainly concept details for the new technologies She wants to implement now that they have the reactors. Buildings reaching to the sky, massive vehicles in tunnels that looked like they could carry hundreds of people, huge ocean-going cargo vessels, space stations and satellites, moon bases and asteroid bases. I sneak up behind Her, and look over Her shoulder, working on a drawing of... I'm not sure what it is. It has a lot of gears. She was either so into Her work that She hadn't noticed, or She was pretending not to notice. Either way, there was only one thing to do.

I slip my tongue in Her ear.​

"Buri!" She laughs, but let's me linger. She'd never tell anyone else, but She loves it.

I lift Her out of the chair, one arm pulling Her close, the other up between Her legs, just the way She likes; She wraps Her arms around me to make carrying Her easier. Another thing She'd never admit She likes this to anyone else. "Come, you haven't even had breakfast."

She smiles to me. "Buri, I'm very busy."

I nuzzle Her as I take Her outside. "But not that busy."

She nuzzles my chest as I put Her down besides Rivkah's fire, and she sorts out where Her dress had gotten messed up. "Buri, you know I have to work on the next five year plan. I have to announce it next week."

I sit besides Her. "You can tell me all about it over food."

She does Her cute little eye roll while smiling thing, and leans towards me, taking my hand. Riivkah returns with some green stuff, roasting some kind of lizard.

She shrugs. "Couldn't find any of those tasty furry things."

Naomi hugs our daughter, before taking the green things. "It's alright, thank you Rivkah."

I stretch out, and She sits with me, resting Her back against my knee.. Rivkah joins us, poking her mother. "So, why are you spending all day in there?"

"It's not quite all day."

"Mum."

Naomi laughs. "I'm putting together my proposal for the next five year plan."

"And?"

"It's a surprise."

"Do you want us to guess?"

I love Her smile. "Sure." She laughs.

I think about the drawings on the walls. Most of them were wheeled vehicles. "People transportation?"

"It's a substantial chunk, yes." She nuzzles me, then looks into my eyes. "What's wrong Buri?"

I return Her gaze. "I'm just... I'm not sure what the place for Xenaya is in a world of cities and vehicles."

She takes my hand. "It's worrying you."

"I have no doubt that life will be better for all these things. But I worry something will be lost." I lay us side by side on the ground. "What becomes of a society in which people no longer feel the warm earth beneath their feet, and instead the cold of metal? Of people so focused on a destination, they miss the journey?"

A tear falls from Her eye as she sees I am really talking about Her. She throws Herself into my embrace. "I'm sorry for neglecting you." She nuzzles me.

Rivkah bolts upright with an idea. "Tree houses."

We look at her.

She continues. "Yeah, tree houses. What if we were to integrate our constructions into the natural world, instead of imposing them on it?"

Naomi's face changes to Her focused thinking expression. She turns to the dirt, and sketches with a stick.

"Yes... After all, the core of the tree could be hollow, the volume available for pumping the nutrients upwards would still be sufficient... Could use the leaves as solar panels and for water collection..." She looks at Rivkah, and smiles. "Brilliant idea."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Well, that will be a useful technology. I wonder if it will be used for... less peaceful means in the future...

Barring figuring out fusion, yes. Probably pointless for ground warfare, given Olinbar are Tomb World preference, but using nuclear missiles in space conflict is a valid choice within Naomi's war doctrine. Even as just fission reactors, it'll probably be used for space ships (reverse-engineering the slave ship's propulsion would give them Impulse thrusters after all) and the asteroid defence platforms for power generation.

A monumental achievement. Things should move much faster now... literally.

Also:
CBR JGWRR said:


I thank you, and I offer the greatest prize I can give; four weeks of solid sleep.

Better prize than solid gold.

I figured you would be one of the people who'd appreciate that line.

 

[HistoryDude]

Nice idea! Tree houses sound very good... and they honor the Xenaya!

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Probably a good few decades away from being able to make Naomi's idea work.

In other news, it finally connected the accounts, and - eighteen months later - I can finally have the Prikki avatar I wanted while doing The Prikki Endeavour.

 

[Macavity116]

In other news, it finally connected the accounts, and - eighteen months later - I can finally have the Prikki avatar I wanted while doing The Prikki Endeavour.

Some demonic internet god is probably cackling up a storm right now.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Some demonic internet god is probably cackling up a storm right now.

Maybe.

I do like the Prikki, although a fair amount of it stems from memories of their AAR. I didn't get to achieve the narrative I wanted with them then...

And this time I've gone and made them Pompous Purists, so I won't really be able to involve them unless

I've just had an idea.

----

Edit to finish: Unless I can think of justifications to get the Prikki to take the side of Life2.0 in the conflict with MSI. But, I've had a better idea.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Second Five Year Plan, Part 2"
Nightfall, 20th Naomi, 6 (2183)
CEO Naomi Of Unity​

I hand the projectionist the finished drawings. "They are all numbered and labelled, in the order I would like them displayed."

The Shomba squawked their acknowledgement. "Sure."

I turn to the campaign stage. It had been the easiest election; benefits of no one wanting to run against you and all that. Now I just have to show off the ideas. The crowd eventually stop talking. Technically, there are still a few minutes to go. She approached the lectern. No one seemed to mind. "Ladies and gentlebeings, I would like to say in a few minutes I will begin my address. Please find your seats."

The crowd respectfully sits, and the moment reminds me of Mum's public speaking lessons, specifically the one about learning public speaking with a mouthful of rocks and trying to talk over the volume of the sea. Although we couldn't do either. I look out at the auditorium, filled with people. Ancient Greek construction principles had been followed, the layout meaning the best ability to carry the voice; quite important when you are relying on vocals alone. Thankfully I have a sound system linked into my Synthesiser for the radio broadcast. I wonder what the ancients would have thought of such a device.

Think about it later, no time right now.

"Ladies and gentlebeings, it is my pleasure to accept your decision to appoint me as Chief Executive Officer of Life2.0. I will now outline my vision for the next five year plan, after which you will be invited to vote on the proposed plan as shareholders in our new MegaCorp." She paused to look at the projectionist, who laid on the first film sheet on the overhead projector.

I was taught that when making a speech, think of each section as a room in a house, and you are leading a tour of the house. Then move around the stage as one moves from room to room; it serves as a memory aid. First room? The overarching goal. The vision.

"The Mission of Life2.0 is this - New Life. We will pioneer areas of habitat construction, terraforming, technological enlightenment, uplifting and genetic engineering. In time, we will look upon the worlds we will shape, the life we make. To get there, we will need technology."

She looked again at the projectionist; a vision of a levitating train inside a tunnel appeared. Second room.

"Unity is a world rich in resources. to connect these resources to our manufacturing and to our people, new ways of transporting people, Minerals, Goods and Alloys need to be developed. This is a mag-lev train, within a vacuum tunnel. These trains will be able to carry hundreds of thousands of kilograms of people or materials at thousands of kilometres per hour, powered by reactors like the one we unveiled earlier in the month. Our world will be interconnected like never before."

The projectionist puts the next slide up. An artificial ring around a planet. "This is a Dynamic Orbital Ring. The mathematics of how and why it works were calculated on my world almost a hundred years before contact with MSI, however one was never built; instead it was decided to wait on the more technologically difficult Space Elevator. Having built up our planetary industrial base, we shall ascend-" glancing at the projectionist, who quickly swaps to the next side, a huge rocket billowing clouds of steam"-into space using rockets of our own make, where we shall build this first ring around our world."

She pauses. "We are going to make space as accessible for normal people, as going on holiday is."

The eyes of a world on me, I stride to room two. The projectionist puts up the next slide; a tall tree serves as the core of a house. "This slide one week ago looked very different, but my two favourite Xenaya gave me a better idea a few days ago. This house is a plan I would like to roll out for everyone who wants a house like it. As we look to the future and use the resources of the natural world, we cannot forget that we are part of the ecological cycle, and we must act in a way that avoids harming our home. This house therefore seeks to integrate itself into the environment. The centre of the structure may look like a tree, but it is actually a rain water and solar power collector. Likewise the walls are insulated so well that body heat alone is sufficient to keep it warm in winter, with ventilation that keeps it cool in summer, with the principle of efficiency guiding everything."

Another look to the projectionist, and a slide of a reactor appears. She nods, and the next slide shows a large automobile plugged into a house. "A curious fact is this; the highest peak energy demand a typical person needs is actually for transportation, but this is for an extremely small amount of time. My solution therefore, is to put the power for the home in the automobile, and use it for both. A small reactor, approximately twenty kilowatt electrical, mixed with electric motors propels the vehicle. When not in use, it powers the home and provides heating."

I nod to the projectionist again. A much smaller vehicle appears. "The overwhelming majority of journeys in the real world are short enough that they are fine for battery powered vehicles. These can be charged by the reactor in the primary vehicle when it is not in use. These two principles can be generalised and extended." The next slide shows industrial equipment, and the slide after that ocean-going vessels.

Third room.

The next slide shows a laboratory, filled with plants lifted in the air, mist sprayed at their roots. "The use of aeroponics will make our farms far more efficient, and able to produce food in space." Change slide; a genetically engineered mushroom, it's fruiting body a slab of steak, grows alongside a plant with eggs for fruit. "Adding genetic engineering to this will allow us to feed everyone, not just herbivores, by splicing meat-growth into the fruit of plants and fungi."

She gauges the room. Not so good a reaction. "If anyone has a better idea for feeding our carnivorous friends in permanent space habitation based on near-future habitation that doesn't have the luxury of room to hunt prey, feel free to come down and share. I would also point out that we can also splice producing pharmaceuticals into these hybrids, allowing for very easy production of some health treatments."

The projectionist puts up the next slide; a fabricator. Hopefully this would go down better. "To supply our need for Consumer Goods, it is logical to rely on distribution of feedstock for manufacturing directly to people's homes, and doing the manufacturing there. While not capable of making everything yet, fabricators are a technology on my world that date back almost two centuries since their first development."

Final slide; a restatement of the technologies being aimed for. "My goal is to give anyone who wants it a better standard of living, and push for continual progress in improving our lives, while also focusing on sustainability and expansibility. I thank you for listening, and I remind you that as shareholders you have the right to vote on each stage as to what you approve and disapprove, and to propose amendments. We do have to also insist on timely replies so that we can get started, and therefore the voting closing date is the thirtieth of Naomi."

The crowd begins to talk among themselves. I leave the stage, wondering what people will think.

 

[HistoryDude]

All of Naomi's policies aren't popular, but no one opposed her as leader yet. Oh well. You can't please everyone.

The thirteenth of Naomi, huh? Naomi already has a month named after her?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

She's had a month named after her since page 3. They decided to name the months after the race leaders, and at the time Naomi led the Humans.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Meanwhile"
2183/02/07
Valerius Albanius​

I sigh as I look down at the factory floor beneath me. Thousands of Indentured Assets labour to produce Pacification Assets of various types. I think back to my father telling me that while it was sad of course, sometimes their charges could need guidance in the form of the reminder of the firm hand of correction.

But he was gone now.

I feel all this as just the weight of a burden.

I had never wanted the family subsidiary. But, the shuttle crash last week had put his family in an awful position, and now here I am, managing a factory of death.

They were as gods to these primitives, and what did his people do with them?

I've done my fair share of exploiting of course, no Olinbar hasn't, but now this?

I look at the shop floor quietly.

A reptilian trips on a cable while carrying a finished Asset. Wince as the Asset crushes the lizard's hand. No one stops to help. Bring up the file on his display; Faragulek. Notional Debts valued at 60 Energy Credits, real debt long repaid. The cost to treat him wouldn't be a noteworthy fraction of an Energy Credit, but it'll be another month's wages for him.

He's pushed the Asset off, now he's looking at his shattered hand, trying to compartmentalise the pain. He's looking at the other workers. Tries to stand. He stops. He mouths something. I tap into the monitoring system to pick it up; by the time I look back, the lizard has cut his own throat with his claws on his good hand. I find the sentence.

"I'll never pay it off."

Everyone else walks on by, barring one person collecting the munition shell. His body will get cleaned up eventually, but right now no one wants to risk being caught not working. His eyes are wide and empty as the blood pools on the floor.

I look, even if no one else does. "Is this my legacy?"

I review the financials. Margins are too tight to take care of the workers; the leasing fees from the main corporation are so highly there's barely any profit in them as it is. Of course it would be - they know exactly how much he can afford after all. My father was so proud of the family subsidiary, but in the end, he was just a tool of the company. The same way they are.

Something snaps inside me that day. This must end.

 

[HistoryDude]

It looks like there is some internal dissent in MSI. That is good news - it could be something to exploit when the inevitable war between them and Life 2.0 starts...

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Second Five Year Plan, Part 3"
1st Buri, 6 (2183)
Monica, (Head Of Department - Human Relations)​

I knock on the door, then stand back. "Naomi, you can stop worrying now."

Moments later, the door is flung open. Her eyes are wide. "Good news?"

"Shareholders approved almost everything."

She breathes relief. Pauses. Calms her nerves. "That suit really looks you."

I smooth out a crease in my dark grey blazer. "I know, I feel so much more business-like in it." Then ruffle my hair. "Do need to sort this out, but I don't know what I should do with it."

Naomi smiles, runs a hand through her own braids. "Life is a lot easier with sorted hair. Makes you feel more put together."

"Maybe I should keep it a bit wild. Or dye it red. Don't want to be too corporate."

"Absolutely. And red would suit your personality." Naomi laughs, before turning serious. "What got refused?"

"Well, they refused the orbital ring as Daas was asked about the feasibility and he said it would take two decades if they start now. And the various artisan guilds vetoed the Consumer Goods being manufactured in the home idea. But the main stuff we wanted passed the Shareholders."

"We at least got the approval on the mission of Life2.0?"

"Yep."

Naomi does that seemingly out of body thing that she does when focused, before turning back to the table, picking a pen. "Well, I have work to do on planning."

"Yes you do boss. No pressure. One last thing. Heinrich asked me out on a date, do you think I should take him up on it?"

Naomi looks back at me. "Well, he's very egotistical, and his sense of humour is odd. But he does care about his people."

"And is rather handsome."

"Hmm... I..." She shakes her head slightly. "He's far too clean shaven for my taste."

I think about fur-covered Buri as I try not to laugh. And fail. I double with laughter in fact. "Buri couldn't even know what shaving is!"

Naomi smiles as she thinks of her husband. "Yes. So True. And I wouldn't want him any other way."

I lean on the doorway. "So, permission to leave my post and spend some time with ze German?"

She's still smiling. "Ja."