Life2.0 - a Broken Shackles Narrative

[CBR JGWRR]

*Wince* Yeah... I'm wishing Leonardo good luck here. Is this Rivkah's revenge for his objection to Naomi's rule earlier? Why don't they have multiple people working on this issue if it's so hard?

He probably needs it; more than twenty races, varying in size from half human height up to several multiples of Human height, varying in limb arrangement and number make quite a challenge at the best of times. Add in that he has to develop the logistics side of it from scratch because Life2.0 so far has been relying on individual people picking out their own equipment on as much of a "money no object" basis as they can achieve.

On the plus side he's literally the best qualified for the job, as he was an Admiral in an interstellar navy that did maintain strict uniform standards, and can reuse the PDRTC's policies and solutions to the problems with maintaining a uniform to the standard he's proposing to hold Life2.0 too. Rivkah therefore trusts him to be able to do it better than anyone else she has available, and expects him to assemble the expanded team you are thinking of because that is his operational background.

She's also thinking that this can be an opportunity for him to integrate into the peoples within Life2.0.

Are they going to have a vote on Life 2.0's colors? That could be amusing...

It could get quite amusing, definitely.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Professionalism, Part 3"
30th Qutrok, 10 (2189)
Leonardo Veres​

"I'm your host Li Nakuma, and today I have with me in the studio Admiral Leonardo Veres. Now, you're here for a reason Admiral."

"Yes. Rivkah has tasked me with developing a consistent uniform for our armed forces. I have spent a few days going through the logistics of what I need, and what I need most are volunteers. In order to work out the correct sizes for garments, I need to know dimensions for tailoring garments at a species-wide level, and so I am here today to ask for volunteers to be measured, and volunteers to collect said measurements. I'm also here to ask for the input of community leaders on what is culturally acceptable for symbols, insignia, colours, styles, garment choices and other areas on which commentary is appropriate. Lastly, I'm also requesting the input of clothiers and armourers from as many races as possible to inform how uniform can be fitted to existing equipments in service and development."

"And when do you want them for?"

"Well, gathering as much data as possible is necessary, and ideally I'd like a sample size of at least hundreds of individuals per species. Preferably thousands. I have been assigned an office block at the intersection of 5th Rotunda and Fabian's Floundering, and people can come from now onwards. I can't say how long it will take because I have no idea how many people will come."

"Understandable. Would you mind discussing your initial concepts?"

"Human history is filled with the military doctrine of the establishment of uniforms and their use in warfare. As general principles, forces have to fulfill the four criteria of command structure, identification, carrying arms openly and conducting operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war, and they must fight on behalf of a party to an international armed conflict. Uniforms have long been considered a key element in the display of the fulfillment of these criteria, although in principle anything that standardises a distinction between a combatant and a civilian qualifies. Under Human precedent, this has been as simple as red headbands vs white headbands vs yellow headbands in the case of a civil war conflict from just over a century and a half ago."

"I was more thinking of what you had in mind to actually wear; obviously not all of our members have heads that a headband could be worn around."

"Yes, that is a complication that I want this data to resolve, as I would prefer to have standardised garments that anyone can wear. I do accept we will have to adapt sizes to suit different races of course. At this stage, it is too early to say how these uniforms will look."

 

[Macavity116]

Colors and visual distinctiveness are good starting points. I'll guess that identifying insignia and IR IFF tags (for aliens whose eyesight capability doesn't line up with own own visible light spectrum) would be the next step once a uniform design is adopted.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Appia, The Peacemaker"
1st Hoggagha, 10 (2189)
Naomi Of Unity​

I look at the other woman on the other side of table in our VR hololink. Both of us in dresses. "We've arrived back on Brigantium, and I have given the Board your proposed treaty, as well as explained the change in tactical situation."

"How did they take it?"

She sighs. "With grumbling, but they recognise the situation. We have peace, and we will begin the reforms of the Indentured Asset system. I was reviewing Gnaea's terms earlier, and I just wanted to check; Septima Severus' head on a plate. Was that to literally have her beheaded?"

"The Kyaese wanted her as a condition of their acceptance of the treaty yes. They want justice for what she has done to them."

"So will your people kill her, or should mine?"

I shrug. "The Kyaese don't do the death penalty. She's going to spend the rest of her life in a prison cell watching what her employees did to the Kyaese."

She is quiet for a while. "I'm not sure if that's better or worse than being executed."

"Likewise. But also, they want her operation on The Infinite Wheel totally dismantled and their people freed. Tryykad intends to lead a fleet to do it if your people don't."

She makes a note. "Would he trust us enough to travel with my staff to dismantle the operation?"

I suck in a bit of air. "Not without a battleship to stand on the bridge of."

"Understandable sadly." She stands. "Naomi, about the reforms to the Indentured Asset system... Gnaea stated that he would free Specialist Indentured Assets, but that Worker Indentured Assets would remain. Will your people tolerate that?"

I smile. "We had an idea for that. I've been talking to the Holocron, and he's prepared to export sub-sophont robotics to MSI to take their places, with the expectation that Worker Indentured Assets would be promoted to Specialist Indentured Assets."

She smiles. "Really? That's a really interesting premise. I can't promise anything, but I will talk to the Board about it." She loses her smile. "But if it's refused?"

"Most of the residents of Unity would settle for Specialist Indentured Assets being freed. Some will want war, and I will try to keep them in check."

"Likewise here..." She looks right into my eyes. "I really hope this can be a new beginning Naomi. I really do."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Colors and visual distinctiveness are good starting points. I'll guess that identifying insignia and IR IFF tags (for aliens whose eyesight capability doesn't line up with own own visible light spectrum) would be the next step once a uniform design is adopted.

All good things, although I'm planning to add UV as well as IR markers. Also considering the role of scent traces too.

 

[HistoryDude]

MSI is being surprisingly reasonable. When's the other shoe going to drop?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Appia, The Reformer"
2nd Hoggagha, 10 (2189)
Appia Flavonius​

I let thoughts of her fill my mind as I stand for my press conference. Not the ones I used to though, she's found her... Well, her Buri is a monster really, but she loves him, and in a strange way I'm glad for her. But I think of her people, the desperation they feel. "When Gnaea Titius left, he left having coordinated a fleet. This fleet has been vanquished, with only a few dozen ships surviving the battle. Therefore, I sought out the enemy's leader to negotiate a ceasefire. The price of war not coming to us is that we must reform the Indentured Asset system."

I think about the lessons I've learned from her. "As slaveowners, we make an unwritten agreement with our slaves. It is that we will oppress you, and make you work, knowing you will resist. Life2.0 have resisted successfully and consistently against escalating levels of reprisal, and have fulfilled the second part of that unwritten agreement. They rebelled successfully, and are now strong enough that we have lost the opportunity to consider it as a cost-benefit analysis of recapturing them, and instead we must consider self-preservation..."

I sip from my cup. "Thankfully, these ex-slaves are run by a former Companionship Asset who I know personally, and she doesn't want to destroy us. She only wants freedom, and she has agreed to a technology exchange to help us transition our economy away from slavery. As part of this, I have agreed to free Specialist Indentured Assets immediately, with Workers to follow when they can be freed. I have done this because our alternative is our slaves will rise up. We must reform, or we will be destroyed."

I think about how her world burned. I think about how many of her people would want to do the same to us were it not for her vision of peace. "We must remember that Gnaea Titius destroyed Earth, the homeworld of Humanity, after giving them the choice between bending and breaking. Then he met Life2.0 to give them the same choice, and they broke him. It is now our turn to bend, or break. And I choose bend."

I think about Valerius, Caeso, Agrippina and more. "Life2.0 are not vicious savages who want to see us destroyed utterly. They have deliberately made a place for Olinbari in their society, with Reformer Olinbari involved at the highest levels of Life2.0's leadership. This is not the end, but a new beginning for us all."

 

[Macavity116]

This is not the end, but a new beginning for us all."

Appropriate words for a peacemaker, but I'm worried about about Olinbar culture as a whole. Even if MSI receives some kind of postbellum assistance from Life 2.0, the slaveholder mindset might be so deeply entrenched in their culture that Appia might hit significant resistance while trying to implement these reforms.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Appropriate words for a peacemaker, but I'm worried about about Olinbar culture as a whole. Even if MSI receives some kind of postbellum assistance from Life 2.0, the slaveholder mindset might be so deeply entrenched in their culture that Appia might hit significant resistance while trying to implement these reforms.

It's definitely a concern for her.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"If You Want Peace..."
5th Hoggagha, 10 (2189)
Buri Of Unity​

I nuzzle her. "Naomi, can we talk about Appia?"

She looks at my eyes. "What's on your mind?"

"How close were you and her?"

She closes up. Looks away. "I'm not sure you'd want to know if you did..."

I pull her close. "Close?"

"I was her first woman."

"And she liked it?"

"You know Valerius?"

"Our Valerius?"

She nods. She hesitates. "She was in a relationship with him at the time. She dumped him after having me."

"Oh."

"Yeah... She hired me a few more times, then left me for an Olinbari woman."

"So she isn't interested?"

"She did stop after I reminded her I was married now."

"So she isn't a threat?"

She does her best to contain her laughter. "Buri, she'd have to rape me. I'm yours now."

"Which leaves the other question. What do we do if she is taken out?"

"It's something we've discussed, and she's asked me to make Life2.0's neutrality contingent on her not being assassinated or imprisoned."

"So we might still be going to war?"

"I'm hoping we can accomplish our mission without war." She slips out of my arms, and walks to the edge of our overlook. I join her. "We've seen that the Olinbari can change. And hopefully Appia will last long enough. But there's definitely going to be resistance."

I respond to what she doesn't voice. "You're afraid of MSI having a civil war."

"Yes."

"It would help our position."

"Only if the Reformers win. And that's a big ask... If a revanchist faction wins, then..."

"We beat them in space again."

She looks at the wormhole. "In the star system on the other side of that wormhole is a shipyard that can handle the construction of twenty battleships at a time. We can't even fuel our fleet yet..."

I take her hand. "Then we have work to do."

 

[HistoryDude]

Oh, Appia's smart. It's weird that she didn't mention that killing her would end Life 2.0's neutrality in her speech, though...

A civil war within MSI could have many effects. How does the rest of the galaxy feel about these new internal developments of theirs? Would other powers choose sides in a potential MSI civil war?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Naomi said it had been requested, not that Life2.0 was actually in a position to mount such an offensive.

MSI is but one of many MegaCorps within the wider galaxy; there's bigger events happening.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"...Prepare For War"
6th Hoggagha, 10 (2189)
Rivkah Of Unity​

We all watch Mum place a copy of the treaty on the table.

Ykrett speaks first. "Who exactly is Appia? How do we know her? Can we trust her?"

Valerius sighs. "She was my first serious future Mrs Albanius."

Ykrett's boulders creak as he turns. "And? How long ago was that?"

"Twenty standard years."

He rumbles. "That's a long time for a carbonoid. Anyone else able to vouch for her?"

Valerius looks at Mum. Mum shuffles uncomfortably. She looks away first. In the silence, Valerius sits. Seems lost in memory. I start to look at the others, but then Valerius' eyes go wide in shock, which he tries to control. I look back at Mum. She's looking at the floor. "What do you think Mum? You've talked most to her."

"Appia... Is complex. But she will try her best to reform MSI because there's a part of her that wants to impress me."

I take Mum's hand. "What did you do to her when you talked? Did you threaten her."

Mum goes still. "No threats."

Valerius answers. "Naomi was there when Appia broke up with me, although it's only now I realise that you were the other present."

Mum looks at the floor. Mumbles. "I... Didn't know she was going to call you just to dump you. I'm sorry."

I look at Valerius. "Ok, so you know Appia as an old romantic partner, and Mum knows her because Mum-"

Mum is now carefully scrutinising Dad.

Dad is as stoic as a statue.

Which means Dad must know. I look at Mum. "How many times did Appia lease you?"

"We aren't here to discuss my history..."

Sor-Gor interrupts. "Naomi, I beg to differ, this could be a crucial area we can make gains with, if you or Valerius have an exploitable hook on the new leader of MSI, we could-"

Dad glares at him, teeth on show.

Sor-Gor notices. "-My mistake."

Ykrett looks at Dad. "Sor-Gor is right though. Obviously, we can't reuse Naomi, but maybe we can send in-"

Mum shakes her head. "Bad idea. She found someone else."

Valerius looks at her. "Did she call you?"

Mum nods. "Yeah."

Valerius looks at the table.

I look at Valerius. "Valerius? Are you ok?"

Valerius looks at Mum. Mum looks at the floor. "Appia... Hurt me deeply. I guess I never recovered."

I look at Mum. Wonder what is so interesting about the vinyl floor to her. Yeah. I look at Valerius. "Did Appia tell you that she'd hired Mum?"

Valerius looks at the floor. He sighs. "She told me that she had disovered that one thing that we did have in common was that we would be batting for the same side in the future."

"So what was Mum's involvement?"

Mum whispers in my ear. Oh. Oh no. Oh my. I turn back to Valerius. "I'm sorry Valerius, that must have hurt so much."

"Quite."

Silence hangs. I try to end it. "Look, what we have to think about is what Appia's position is now, not as it was then. If Appia is in charge, MSI aren't going to launch an attack on us. This itself is the opportunity we need."

Odoos looks at Mum. "What did Appia ask in exchange?"

"Appia asked if we'd avenge her if she was killed or imprisoned. I pointed out we aren't yet in a position to respond."

Valerius nods. "She's playing a high-risk game."

Hmm. "And someone might decide to take her off the board."

Ykrett looks at me. "So now we are going to play bodyguards to an Olinbari?"

I nod. "That's our exploitable hook."

Dad looks at Valerius. "Would Appia take swapping an agreement to protect her in exchange for a fuel depot and refinery so that we can actually make our new ships go?"

Valerius leans back in his chair. "Quite possibly. They are practically off the shelf pieces of well-developed kit after all."

I look at Mum. "Put the offer to her, and see what she says."

 

[Macavity116]

Sor-Gor interrupts. "Naomi, I beg to differ, this could be a crucial area we can make gains with, if you or Valerius have an exploitable hook on the new leader of MSI, we could-"

Dad glares at him, teeth on show.

Sor-Gor notices. "-My mistake."

Someone should tell Sor-Gor he's playing the wrong PDX game. Crusader Kings 3 probably won't object to this line of thought, though. In politics, Blackmail is as powerful a weapon as assault rifles.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Indeed, although I don't know if Naomi or Valerius would actually be allowed to seduce Appia given the conflicting sexualities; as someone who only ever uses the Romance/Seduce schemes on their spouse, it's not something I'd ever try. It's a ridiculously OP mechanic though, Seduction; with high intrigue and being good at murder you can get your bastard children anywhere you want them to be, pretty much...

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Getting An Outpost"
6th Hoggagha, 10 (2189)
Naomi Of Unity​

Appia joins me. She's surrounded by holodevices showing all sorts of data and information. "Afternoon Naomi."

"Good news; we've reviewed the possibility of coming to help you if someone tries to attack you. And we are willing to help. The downside is that we need a fuel and refinery depot otherwise we can't actually come to your aid."

She flicks through her ships. "I see, just looking for a construction ship..." There's a pause. "None available for a few months."

"Oh."

There's a glint in her eyes. "But, well..."

"Go on?"

She smiles. "Take your clothes off for me, and I'll reassign one immediately."

I think about it. It's nothing she hasn't seen before. "Promise?"

She picks up a communicator. "I'll make the call while we talk."

Is getting up and running a little earlier worth it?

It's nothing I haven't done before, one more piece of dignity sacrificed.

I stand. She licks her lips in anticipation, eagerly watching as I lift my dress slowly past my knees.

I see my wedding ring as I get halfway up my thighs. I let go. "I'm sorry Appia, I belong to my husband now."

Her eyes rove me. "I'll settle for just the dress off."

"I can't."

She softens. "You really love him."

"Buri means everything to me. I can't cheat on him."

She sighs. "I need a wife."

"I thought you had a woman?"

"I did. But we didn't work out. Long distance relationship broke down after I joined the navy. Then her father disinherited her and she joined the merchant fleet."

"You never did say who she was."

She sighs. "Vopisca Octavius."

"Daughter of Remus Octavius?"

"Yes. You know her?"

"Since I was twelve. It's a small world."

She laughs. "Sometimes I wonder what happened to her in the end."

"She signed up with Gaius, and he put her with Hortensus Dexcius."

Her face falls. "She's dead then. How did she die?"

"She survived hiding on the ship for a few years. She was emaciated when we found her. I took her into custody hoping to talk her out of her xenophobia-"

Appia bursts into laughter. "That was never going to work."

"-and she tried to take a gun off me. And then tried to take Hortensus' Parazonium off me, after which one of my people shot her. She died of her injuries in a medical bay that night. She was the first Olinbar that my daughter saw alive."

She's quiet for a while. "Yeah... It's sad. I figured she'd live out a full life. Wait, you and Buri have children? How did that work?"

"Yes. Rivkah is adopted, and Ruki is our biological son, genetically engineered. We're thinking about having a third child next year."

"Oh that's sweet." She stands, and turns to the window. "I'll send the construction ship as soon as I can. Goodbye, Naomi."

"Goodbye, Appia."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Midnight Train Going Anywhere"
6th Hoggagha, 10 (2189)
Buri Of Unity​

I feel the tension inside her as she struggles to relax. I nuzzle her. "What's wrong?"

"Appia... I discussed the construction ship idea with her."

I run my claw tenderly along her back. "I can feel your stress."

She looks into my eyes. "Appia said that she didn't have any available for several months."

"And?"

"Then she said that she'd make one available if I took my clothes off."

I nuzzle her. "I watched the recording."

"You recorded it?"

I nuzzle her again. "I knew you would play games with her. I thought teasing her like that was a masterful move to intrigue her."

"I'm sorry Buri."

I lay us on our sides. "You did what you have always done. It's not you I'm worried about."

"What do you mean?"

"She's playing the same game you are Naomi. That worries me... Your objectives are known, but we don't know hers. She's got you emotionally compromised. And I'm worried that you might not be as good at it as she is."

She looks at me. "You aren't wrong..."

"I don't want you to see her any more."

"That could be tricky."

I smile. She licks my right sabre. "Tell her that I said I'd eat her if she tried to seduce you, and so for her safety you're restricting contact."

She hugs me. "I'm glad you understand."

I hold her face. "You don't have to do this any more Naomi. You've done more than enough. I want us to take a real break, just go somewhere where we can be alone, and be us. You've earned free time."

"I have."

"Plus, I'm worried about you mentally." She lays still. I continue, running a claw along the hole in her chest as I talk. "You're so stressed that it's affecting your health. I want to take you somewhere peaceful where you can have a break, and heal."

She smiles. "I'd like that."

I stand, and hold out my arms. She joins me, and I sweep her off her feet, her arms wrapping around my neck. I carry her to our buggy; we nuzzle as I lay her in the passenger seat. She calls Appia audio only and explains. Smiles when the call is over. I drive one handed, the other entwining our claws and fingers. She looks at me until she falls asleep as we journey gently into the night.

She's still asleep as we hit the tarmac spiral.​

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Pupation"
7th Hoggagha, 10 (2189)
Naomi Of Unity​

I wake in his arms as he lifts me out the buggy. I look around. It's deep underground, and so brightly yellow. "Why are we in New Bulawayo?"

He draws me close as he carries me inside a building. There's pods all along the walls, filled with a strange green fluid. A Neumann in a biological body and HK-47B wait for us besides two pods that are open. The picture I drew in the prison cell is on the wall. I look at Buri. "Buri, where are we?"

He puts me down. "Do you remember how you wanted to change for me?"

"Yes."

He takes my hand. "Do you really want to?"

I smile. "I do."

He nods to the Neumann. "Sir, madam, please lie in these vats."

Buri guides me over. I look at the Neumann. "What is this?"

"The Holocron instructed me to use the analogy of the caterpillar. It lives, feeds and grows, then grows a chrysalis in which it becomes a protein soup, then emerges reconstituted as a butterfly."

I look at Buri. "Is this?"

He holds both my hands, then leads me to the smaller of the two pods. The Neumann looks at us. "Your wedding rings please."

Buri hands his over. I look at the Neumann. "Why?"

"We will place the artefacts into your hearts during your reconstructions, and, we will use their dimensions as templates to grow you permanent rings out of your new bone structure."

I look at Buri. He smiles. "What are you going to do to us?"

"Daas came to us, concerned about the prospect of genetically enhanced children outgrowing their parents. He wanted a way for the parents to be overhauled. We modified the engenerator technology we developed for transferring us Neumanns into biological substrate to be able to handle total transformation of a biont." He nods to the wolf on the wall. "The process is very time intensive. It begins with the disassembly stage, in which the old body is broken down and recycled. Only essential organs remain the same. During this stage, your brain is being fed stimuli from our simulations that look and feel like real life, but are actually virtual experiences. Within this virtual world, you will live with your future body, adjusting to what your future capabilities will be. When you and your husband are ready, one of us will enter your simulation, and we will guide into falling asleep in the virtual world so that you wake up in your new body in the physical world."

"But what will my body be like?"

"Primarily, the functionality is to give you all the upgrades that Ruki posesses. In terms of appearance, coinciding with the disassembly stage of the body is a self-creative stage in your shared virtual world. We have numerous scenarios developed in these virtual worlds in which you will define how you want to appear, and then you may test out your appearance and refine yourself to your liking."

I pull away. "I don't want to do that without Buri."

"Buri will be with you permanently; for the duration of your time in these pods, you are inextricably linked and confined to the same virtual world. Additionally, you may share a mental connection if you desire, allowing you to hear Buri's thoughts and feel his emotions, just as he can hear your thoughts and feel your emotions."

Ooooh. That sounds really interesting. "I like that. Will we keep it after our new bodies are finished?"

"The simulation will give you plenty of time to decide whether you like it as a couple, and your future bodies can retain it."

I look at Buri. "I'm up for it if you are."

He nuzzles me. "Are you ready?"

I smile. "Yes."

Buri takes my wedding ring off my finger, and gives it to the Neumann. The pods re-orientate to lay flat on the ground. I look at the Neumann. "Should we undress?"

"The pods will automatically disintegrate worn clothing after recording measurements to modify the garments ready to be worn when the future-body is finished. Sentimentally significant garments are therefore not recommended to be worn."

Buri climbs into his pod, sinking into the green fluid. I look at the Neumann. "How long will this be?"

"Regrettably, the process takes several weeks to months of real-world time, hence why we Neumanns are ourselves still in progress with our transformations."

I nod. I come right to my Buri's side, and undress as a Human for the last time as he watches. Then I dip a foot into the suprisingly thick green fluid, then the rest of my body. The fluid soaks into me everywhere it can access. I keep my head out until the last moment as the pod door closes. The Neumann's voice comes through a speaker. "Please don't resist the fluid. Lean back, and relax, let it soak into you. As soon as you fall asleep, we will begin."

"Buri?"

"Naomi."

"I love you."

"I love you."

 

[HistoryDude]

Naomi and Appia's relationship is hilarious at times...

It's nice that Naomi can get those genetic edits that she wanted. What will Appia think of that?

Let's hope that this new arrangement works out. Is there any organized resistance to Appia yet?

 

[Macavity116]

Woah, it's impressive how far we've come since this story started. A full transformation for Naomi is an epic turning point.