Life2.0 - a Broken Shackles Narrative

[CBR JGWRR]

Ok, so at this point I would normally load up Stellaris so that I can cross-reference the game's data with CoaDE and with the Life2.0 thread; we are after all at the point where we are seeing Stellaris technologies being implemented.

But... The laptop can't cope with Stellaris anymore.

Unfortunately...

12m diameter pusher plate ships are essentially too small to fit into Stellaris' ship classification scheme. Which I'm not sure what to think of, given the Orion battleship Kennedy saw a model of and cancelled the project used the 26m pusher plate we'll look at now:

26m pusher plates are Corvettes:

This one represents a Planetary Defence Corvette. 26m pusher plate, small shuttle pod bay, 2x 50MW lasers for point defence and sub-system targeting, and 1600x 1kt nuclear warheads, of which hopefully at least one will get through enemy defences at detonate at point blank range and flood the enemy vessel with x-rays and neutrons. (an easy upgrade if you don't mind taking longer to get to orbit is bolting on more missiles, as switching to 16 blast launchers instead of 8, and adding a third set, gives 4800 warheads, and 1.14g0 acceleration)

This is essentially equivalent to a Corvette, with no FTL drive, two picket weapon slots and two missile weapon slots.

It is extremely expensive based on the game's economic assumptions, especially when you maximise the amount of nukes on board; 4800 anti-ship missiles are not cheap.

But, keep in mind that the expensive part is the Plutonium-239:

As discussed up-thread, Life2.0 has vastly cheaper access to P-239 than we do - their society is literally built on widespread nuclear proliferation, where every family has state-subsidised access to at least one breeder reactor passively producing Pu-239. (no dumping nuclear waste here, it all gets reprocessed and the P-239 obtained through transmuting Uranium-238 goes into bombs, and their 1kt Pu-239 bomb uses 104 grams of the stuff)

This, of course, examples exactly why in our world we don't reprocess spent fuel rods and instead put them underground, because if terrorists had access to this kind of a setup...

So, between setting up an industry that mass produces these things and has vastly cheaper access to the raw materials, we can drop the Pu-239 cost massively. The second most expensive part of these bombs is that I never actually bothered to change the fast explosive away from the second most expensive option of Octogen, or adjusted the fuel tanks to reduce missile delta-v back down to the original missile I duplicated to start with, etc. (for what it's worth, tweaking these variables and fine-tuning the rest of the system drops our cost by about six million in-game credits, adds 3200 more nukes, with each one doing slightly bigger explosions because of their own increased explosive amount, but, adds slight mass increase and therefore a 2km/s reduction)

This ship is still optimised on the assumption of launching from Unity, hence why it has a relatively high acceleration value. (my own preference is that I have a minimum of 0.2g, otherwise I go back and add more thrust; 0.2g is what I consider just about passable acceleration for Kerbal Space Program, and also represents a healthy thrust/weight ratio for SSTO from Luna launches) 40km/s is perfectly adequate for inner-star system operations - that's enough delta-v to tour every planet out to Jupiter in the Sol system - but even with a hyper drive attached, it's not going very far.

It needs a Refueler.

This is where the bigger Orion drives come in very handy - a Refueler built with the 26m pusher plate and the same launching from Unity requirement has just enough payload mass to refuel the Corvette. And then need refuelling itself because of the barely planet-escaping acceleration of 1.06g. (as said though, there's margin for it as the surface-to-orbit nukes can be smaller)

By contrast, the 150m pusher plate Refueler can carry enough nukes to extend the 26m Corvette's delta-v out to well over a million km/s.

Stellaris of course totally abstracts Refuelers.

My extrapolation is that a ship would need a minimum 200km/s to cross a Stellaris star system in a reasonable amount of time, although more would be preferable as that equates to several years of transit time. There is still a very long way to go though; a constant-acceleration trip to cover the same distance is where I got eighteen days from for the Flagship's transit.

So, what have we got?

Putting it into Stellaris terms, we are now definitely at the start of the tech tree, at least when based on the frankly ludicrious speed Stellaris' chemical rockets go at.

---

Just in time for the Olinbar to surrender their more advanced propulsion technologies, of course.

 

[Macavity116]

Considering how much thought you've put into the "in between" stages of getting to the beginning of the Stellaris tech tree, you would not go amiss calling this story a prequel to Stellaris itself, if not the Broken Shackles origin.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

In a technological sense it is. The thought occurs that a Life2.0 like setting would be a very interesting springboard for an Eager Explorers Origin; give them centuries of isolation to forget how they arrived on the world and then have them reaching out. It could have very interesting dynamics.

Hmm.

Now that's an idea. But it would mean a third narrative...

I could convert TerraGen Dominion, the end-state I have in mind would be in line with it anyway... I can see a path to do it.

Hmm.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Ok, so the maths on trying to get to the stars on Orion drives:

Let's hypothesise the distance between two hyperlanes on the opposite side of the system, plus diversion around the central star, is 3x10^13m. (Earth to Pluto is 5.9x10^12m, so hopefully that's an overestimate)

To get that done in a year is a little over 951km/s, which means a prospective ship and refuelers need basically 2M m/s delta-v. Which equates after a margin for error to two hundred thousand nukes. A year is still a bit too long.

To get that down to four months means ~4M m/s average speed.

That does impose really severe mission constraints; to take that corvette above to the next system needs two hundred refuels. And that means the 150m pusher plate refuelers will be needing refuelers themselves.

That doesn't mean it's impossible, but it does mean that we will be needing much bigger pusher plates and probably megaton warheads used in propulsion. See: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/42822614.pdf

 

[Macavity116]

Two hundred in-flight refuels... the logistics alone will be a nightmare. The people working in that industry will probably become a critical pillar in spacefaring society if they can make a herculean challenge like that work.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prometheus"
2nd Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)
Agrippina Neronius​

I'm at the head of the table with all of the colony's two hundred Olinbar defectors. Being the only Shareholder gives me that little bit more authority. I have their Propulsion technical chief's latest report on the display. "This is our new adoptive home's solution to the challenges of trying to get rapid system transit." I point at the draft schematics for a four hundred metre diameter pusher plate. "They intend to push the thermonuclear pulse solution to the absolute limit. But, we can offer them much better performance by giving them the secrets of the Caesulenus Drive."

Uproar follows. I knew it would be unpopular.

"One at a time!" They stop. "We will take turns to speak."

Valerius stands and addresses everyone. "Naomi knows what corporate will do to us, to our families if we give them this. It is why she has not asked us to."

I nod. "Which is why we are discussing this together. It must be a joint decision."

Tiberia Gavius stands. "We can't sacrifice our families. Or, in this new era of equality with them, our former Indentured Assets. They will ALL be recycled alike, and our whole families erased from history."

"Unless the colony wins."

Titus Marius stands. "Agrippina, we've all accepted that we'll be getting crucified with Naomi if we lose. That's the nature of our position, and why so few of us remain. We are the ones who accept that possibility and gamble accordingly. Let's not forget that; Naomi might well be the best bet for taking down corporate, but we all know it's a long shot. To hand over the Caesulenus Drive..."

I nod. "Corporate makes the punishment so terrifyingly high specifically to make it unthinkable."

Vibius Loreius stands now, and nods. "We shouldn't rush blindly into becoming Prometheus."

Scattered nods follow, and murmurs. A few people agree.

But Caeso Canius hobbles to his feet. Hush descends. "It is forgiven of the old to monologue. Before we make this decision, let us think back to where Naomi comes from. Now I know not Naomi. Not Naomi the woman, that is. I knew her as a child, and I knew Atalyah HaMaadimi, Naomi's mother. It was I who held her contract, the most expensive contract for an Indentured Asset in our history. The woman was without any doubt the only person to scare me because of just how high her capabilities were. Not just her augments, but the strength of inner will. The moment I looked into Naomi's eyes, I could see that she now has that same will. I might not know just how capable Naomi is, but what I do know is that Atalyah were in command of this, I would not be at all comfortable if I was a member of corporate trying to stop this revolt. For me, when I think back to Atalyah, and I think back to the training she put into Naomi and her brother Thando, there is no one else alive who I would trust more to lead a revolution such as this."

Marius stands slowly. "But would you trust her enough to hand over the Caesulenus Drive?"

All eyes turn back to Caeso. He nods. "Yes. Yes I would."

The atmosphere changed after that. As sunset falls, I put the motion to the vote.

It passes.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prometheus, Part 2"
3rd Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)
Naomi Of Unity​

An elderly Olinbar leans on his cane, taking a breather. I approach him. "Caeso Canius."

He smiles. "Atalyah's daughter."

"You're the only other person here who knew her properly."

"She'd be proud of you."

"I do wonder..."

"I know she would. It was she who convinced me to become a Reformer. Naomi, would you permit an old man to ramble?"

I laugh gently. "Of course, there's practically no one else here senior enough to qualify for that adjective."

"Please, we'll sit."

It takes him a little while to prop himself besides a tree. "There is much I have to say."

"Where would you like to start?"

"Agrippina Neronius hosted a conference between us Olinbar yesterday. It was agreed that I would inform you - we held a vote on whether to give the secrets of Marius Caesulenus' life's work to the colony."

That's... Shocking. "No Olinbar has ever given that secret away. The punishment is not just execution but erasure from history, for your entire tribus."

"Yes. We know. Valerius said that he had discussed it with you."

"He did. When he first arrived. I told him that the price was too high for him to consider."

"Naomi, the potential of a working reactionless propulsion system would give the colony a fighting chance."

I nod. "It would." Then shrug. "But, keep in mind we're working off of Uranium fission reactions. I can have ships with multi-gigawatt reactors, perhaps tens of gigawatts. But as I understand it, that's only a fraction of the power the drive needs."

"We've thought about that. We'd also want to teach you how to make zero-point reactors. You'd jump past fusion, hot or cold. Past antimattter-matter reactions."

Flashes of a list of technologies Mum had me memorise run through my mind. "There's hundreds of enabling technologies between what the colony has and the level we are talking about here."

He nods. "I know. New manufacturing techniques, new materials, room-temperature superconductors, nanotechnologies. All of that."

"The issue is we have the knowledge. But no tools... It would be decades to catch up to what was left behind in MSI."

He looks intently. "That brings us to the second subject then."

"I anticipate that it is what is the role of Olinbar in the new society?"

"Yes. Naomi, what worries us Olinbar is that a successful slave revolt would most likely end in genocide. Valerius is adamant that you are also concerned about that prospect."

I hold my head in my hands. "My whole scheme in this area relies on you and the other Life2.0 friendly Olinbar reshaping attitudes towards Olinbar in general. Valerius has done a huge amount towards that. But..."

"One man is not enough."

"Unfortunately."

"Which brings us back to Marius' masterpiece."

I extrapolate. "There would be no home to return to."

"Precisely. There is no going back; it ties our fates together. I understand you are worried about the implementation, but consider it as a symbolic gesture, a statement of intention from all of us Reformer Olinbar. Even if the knowledge can't be used yet, it shows our dedication."

I nod. "It would. I wish my Mum was here."

"She believed in you. In Thando."

"I have no idea what happened to him."

"He's alive, as far as I know. He escaped custody. He has a bounty of more than ten thousand Energy Credits on his head. Wanted for assassinations, terror attacks, raiding, piracy, theft of naval warships, liberating Indentured Assets... The last contact with him I know about was two years ago when he fled with several captured merchant navy vessels."

Wow. You go brother. Wait a moment. "Hold on, Energy Credits? Really?"

"Yes. Energy Credits. Not mere corporate scrip. The good stuff."

"Ten thousand... That's the kind of price that buys planets. Caeso, are you really sure?"

He nods. "You don't know who he assassinated."

I lean in. "Come on Caeso, you can't leave me hanging like that. Who?"

"Among various dignitaries, he killed Lucius Aurelius."

I'm utterly stunned. "How the hell did he kill the CEO's son?"

Caeso smiles darkly. "He missed."

Goryhell. "Caeso, I need a minute to process that."

"He probably saved the colony from being destroyed; the navy organised a dragnet to attempt to catch him after that, it was the immediate reason why he fled. Gaius wanted escorts, but there were none available because every naval vessel available was on the exercise. And being an arrogant fool, he set off without them rather than pay the shipyards to build him some."

I extrapolate transit times, crew training times, and production times. "That means the navy won't threaten us for at least three years."

My mind whirs through how much capability we can build in three years.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Black Flag, Part 1"
10th Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

We're relaxing by the sea. Well, Mum and Dad are, they went swimming. I'm not a fan of the sea... I don't know what's out there. Then the comm system activates, and for the third time in my life I'm looking at an MSI vessel. It holds position as a figure in a spacesuit walks on the hull.

This real-time data is cool, we tapped into the Flagship's probe network. That's an extra six hours notice.

I compare the profile to the ship class data put together by our Olinbar. It takes a little while to find my best estimate, as it appears to have been modified. But I think it's a water-tanker. Maybe. Mum and Dad walk back in, both wearing just towels. I look at them, tabbing the screen back to the ship. "We've got another one."

They look at me. At each other. Then rush over my shoulder. Mum speaks. "Lost escort that was supposed to aid the Flagship?"

"Looking at the ship classes, I'm not sure."

Mum pans the view. Then she smiles, and hugs Dad, then me, laughing.

Dad holds her gently. The look on his face suggests he's thinking his wife has lost the plot. "What's making you laugh?"

She points at the main communications antenna. We watch the man in a spacesuit stand still, admiring his work; there's a rectangle of fabric, with a laughing Human skull in the centre and crossed bones beneath. "It's flying a Jolly Rodger."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Black Flag, Part 2"
26th Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)
Naomi Of Unity​

I rush into the room with Alexandra following me, barging the door asunder.

Goryhell.

"Thando!"

He drops the knives in his hands. "Naomi!"

I leap at my long-lost brother and hug him so tight. "I thought I'd never see you again."

He cackles. "It wasn't for their lack of trying."

I pull away. "What happened to your eye?"

"Yeah, death had a bite." He points a curved knife at his cybernetic ocular implant. "But it spat me out, saying 'heck, that ain't what I ordered', and when I heard my alien-sucking sister had a civilisation she built out of a slave ship, I reckoned what she needed was some more ex-slaves with some gear and some attitude. And so, we're here, ready to kick ass and chew gum. Oh yeah, speaking of which, do you guys have any?"

I shake my head. "No."

Gillian looks at me. "Hey floozy, he absolutely refuses to disclose his arms."

I smile. "Oh he only has twenty odd knives and a few pistols, probably some grenades and noodles, it's fine."

He opens his mouth in shock; the woman leaving the landing ramp behind him puts her hands on her face. "Twenty?"He pauses. Then shouts. "TWENTY? Wow Sis, you'd better get re-acquainted."

Now, my brother did always like knives. He used to hide the cutlery drawer in his clothes. But... This is... Well:

"Meet Tickler, Slicer, Cirma," Three throwing knives appear from the left shoulder pad; names engraved. He slams a boot on the table; one knife from the sole, the other from the heel. "And Lefty, Loosey." Other boot. "Righty, Tighty." Other shoulder pad now. "Tingler, Cutter, Sicil." I glance at Alexandra while he throws open his white trenchcoat - lined with at least eight pistols each side - and she looks like she's in love. The guns are named too. He lays another ten knives that were concealed in his back-plate armour. "Alfred and Aaron, Bill and Ben, Clive and Charles, Dick and Dastardly and Eddie and Eddy." He draws the other curved knife from his hip. "You've already met Alef, this one is Tav."

Goes to his thighs next, there's another four he lists.

Two on each wrist. Plus backups on the inside of his arms.

Knives start falling off the table.

Gillian looks at me, even she is lost for words. I smile. "I told you guys, I'm the sane one."

Buri taps my shoulder. "What did he mean when he said 'Alien-sucking sister'?" I nuzzle my husband's ear as I reply. He sighs. "Ah. Well, she's very good at it."

Instantly, another knife is at my husband's throat. "Only I'm allowed to tease my sister, apologise."

I push the knife down. "Thando HaMaadimi, meet Buri of Unity, my very loving husband."

Thando pauses as he looks at Buri. Eventually the knife joins it's companions on the table. "Congratulations brother. Take care of her, she needs it." He turns to his disembarking crew. There are two aliens, one human and a loosely humanoid droid behind him, the latter purposefully in the shadows, stood in two groups. "And this is my motley crew, my misfits of mayhem, my merry men. This is, well his name is unpronouncable so we call him... Ming. He's our biochemical warfare expert."

I look at the odd mammal; relatively small, black and white fur colouration. It cocked a leg. "No, we want to impress them, not kill them! This is Chief, he is our technician-"

The reptilian, gecko like, thick robes covering thin arms - licks each eye, showing his sharp teeth arrayed in circles in a maw wide enough to swallow a man's head – interrupted. "Engineer."

"This is Fang, our big guy, this is the hot one-"

She steps forward. Thin, white, blonde hair, wearing a tailored suit. "Kaylara Mountbatten, demolitions and pyrotechnics." She took off her sunglasses, and smiled. "I like to burn things."

Thando turns to the droid. He stays in the dark."...And this is an old friend."

Could it be?

The droid, a dull rusty red, steps into the light, pale yellow scanners directed at me. "Scanning. Primary identification: Meatbag."

"HK!" I run and throw my arms around him.

"Commentary: It is good to see you, Naomi."

"HK-47b, I'm so glad Thando fixed you."

Alexandra stops looking at my brother, and looks at HK. "Who or what are you?"

He retracts into the darkness. "Statement: Just a simple droid here, ma'am. Nothing to see, move along."

I suddenly realise Thando said five names, but there's only four here. "Where's Fang?" I nervously look down, and see the drool on my shoulder. I look up. Slowly, a huge predatory reptile appears from chameleon-effect. His jaws close.

"We rescued him."

Fang withdraws from my head. Gillian throws up her hands and walks away. Ming catches a scent. "Hey boss, trashcan!"

He scampers off, my brother follows. "Wicked. Let's go boys."

Buri and I look at each other. He slowly shakes his head. I nod. We nuzzle.

Alexandra smiles. "He is completely off his rocker."

He puts his hand on her shoulder; she lets it stay. "Oh, I never had a rocker to fall off."

He's eating an already eaten piece of fruit. I smile. "You're still my baby brother." I dodge.

"We were conceived at the same time, you don't get to call me your baby brother just because Mum put you out first!"

"Commentary: I'm afraid she does, master Thando."

I laugh. "Thank you HK."

Thando looks at Buri again. "Hey, it'll be back on my side of the family soon enough."

I smile. "Well, maybe not."

He looks at me. He looks at Buri. He looks at me. "Sis, I know you've always been a fanatic xenophile, but... Things don't work that way."

I laugh. "Rivkah, come here, we need you."

Thando looks at me, shaking his head. "And they question my relati-" His remaining eye goes wide. He braces for impact as a hundred and ten kilograms of adolescent Xenaya leap at him.

"Rivkah, this is your uncle Thando."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Alexandra HaMaadimi, Part 1"
27th Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)
Alexandra​

So, one aspect of normal day-to-day life is I like to hit the gym early in the morning, get my body working, and then start the day.

I was doing a bench-press set when he arrived.

He looks at me, pointing at a bar. "Mind if I?"

I smile. "Sure, go ahead."

He looks at the weights. "Is a Naomi what I think it is?"

I laugh. "This is your sister's gym, but Buri labelled the weights."

"Interesting." He puts two Naomis on the bar next to mine. I can only just manage that, he just... bangs it out. He notices me looking. "You don't have to stop."

I suddenly feel a wave of guilt. "Oh, it's just..."

"Please. Only my wife gets to check me out." He puts on another two half-Naomis. "And I haven't found her yet."

I push harder. Try to impress him.

"Why are you naked anyway?"

"I am Alexandra. Heiress of the Autokrator."

He nods. "The Greek method then." His sister got the reference immediately too.

He takes his clothes off. And gets back to working out. I must confess, I do feel a bit put down that he doesn't even look at mine once.

"Thando."

"Yes?"

"I know the woman isn't supposed to be so upfront, but..."

He looks solely at my eyes. "Why would I look at a woman who isn't my wife?" He starts lifting again.

"Could we go for coffee after we're done here?"

He stops. "Water, cold. Hot chocolate at a push. I don't drink coffee, tea or alcohol."

Curious. "At all?"

"Family trait."

"Naomi mentioned the alcohol thing."

I start rolling my name with his surname. I like it.

"Please?"

He laughs sweetly, and puts his bar down, and stands up. "You manage three Naomis and we'll talk."

​

I look at the bar. I've not managed three before... My body is going to hate me for this.

But I won't let that stop me.​

 

[Macavity116]

Buri labelled the weights.

Yup. Best life partner confirmed.


Also, I can agree with the whole "no alcohol, no coffee" thing, but no tea? Thando is a madman.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Of course he's a madman.

We established that with the Jolly Rodger. And the knives on the table bit. And the trash-eating. He isn't completely insane, there is a framework of logic operating in there somewhere, but it is carefully concealed.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Alexandra HaMaadimi, Part 2"
27th Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)
Thando HaMaadimi​

They say that scars prove loyalty.

While we wait for our drinks, I look into her remaining eye. Admire her plasma burn.

"It was tough, losing so much."

I tap a knife on my ocular implant. "Yeah. It is."

"How did you lose yours?"

"Assassinating an Olinbar naval officer while he was getting fresh air outside a nightclub. I was sixteen. He was intoxicated, but still quick; got my eye as I got his throat."

She nods. "The Flagship had attacked. We launched a boarding mission. I led my Companions into Praetorians. One of their retreating conscripts took a face full of plasma. I got the remainder of the shot." She offers me her hand. "Lost these in the same charge."

I take her hand, run my fingers down her titanium ones. "Not many charge Praetorians and live..."

"I didn't know that they were. Paid a very high price for not taking the time for recon."

"Lost a lot of friends."

A tear falls as she nods. "A lot of friends..." She begins to cry. I put my arm around her as she sobs into my shoulder. "Have you?"

"Yes. Has Naomi told you what happened to Mum?"

"She was helping you and a few others escape. And went back in to create a distraction."

"Yes. That weighed on me. And on Naomi."

"Did you ever see your sister again?"

"I saw her. Even assassinated some of the Olinbar who used her. But we were never able to speak."

"What happened?"

"I raided dumpsters. Took a lot of four-finger discounts. Made bombs. Set buildings on fire. Killed Olinbar with pistols, poison, knives. Stole a frieghter and flew the black flag. Assassinated the CEO's son by accident."

"By accident?"

"Bastard sneezed, and bent over. His son was stood at just the right angle that the shot went through his chest instead of his Dad's head."

"And you couldn't take a second shot."

"Definitely not. I had one shot. You have no idea how hard it is to scrounge sniper rifle ammunition."

She looks at me. "How did you do it?"

"The easiest way to get a real weapon on the streets is to kill a police officer. Kill enough, and they bring in the armed response units. So, I looted a designated marksman."

She whistles. "Thando, are you taken?"

I smile. "I'm single."

"That Kaylara lady?"

"Nah. She's into white guys." Her heart is in her mouth. "You want to ask me out."

"The moment you started taking your knives out, I thought 'wow'."

"I did come here to settle down."

She smiles so wide. "I'd love to be her."

The thought occurs to me. And I entertain it. And why the goryhell not? I keep hold of her hand as I get on one knee. "Will you marry me, Alexandra?"

She laughs. "Yes!" She takes a moment to breathe. "I wasn't expecting it that quickly."

"Sometimes you have to seize the moment." She leans in to kiss me. I put my finger on her lips. "I've never kissed. Saving it for my wedding day."

She looks a little sad, but she understands. "Thank you for waiting for me." She gets very serious. "Thando, did you mean that for real, about proposing?"

"Yes. I might be crazy, but I'm not the kind of crazy who jokes about marriage. It's way too significant."

She understands now. "I'm told Naomi and Buri swore a blood oath."

"Yeah. Old HaMaadimi tradition, goes back to Yehoshua hiding a carving knife in the Zulu warrior outfit he wore to get married. Ran the blade down his left hand as he swore 'Now, and forever.'"

"Left hand?"

"He was left handed. And just to check, you are ok with that?"

She lifts her hand. "I may have a problem with it."

I nod. "Yeah, that could make it tricky. And the 'Now, and forever' part?"

"I thought it was 'till death do us part'?"

"Old Yehoshua hated that. Hated the implication of being parted after death."

"Thando, realistically we barely know each other. Are we ready for this?"

"Is anyone ever ready?"

She pauses. "We must be mad."

"That's fine, no HaMaadimi is sane."

She tilts her head. "Your sister isn't quite insane."

"Yeah, that'll be the part of her who married out of the family. Her sensibleness must come from Buri."

She takes a moment to think about that. She doesn't dispute it. No, she takes both my hands with hers. "Thando, I... I have no idea what the future holds. But there's no one who makes my heart skip beats the way you do."

"Alexandra, before yesterday I didn't even know of your existence. And you're rght, we don't know what will happen." I run my hand over the bubbled flesh where her eye used to be. "But from now on, I will always choose you."

She takes a deep breath. "Thando, for real - will you marry me?"

"Yes. I will."

I take out my ocular implant, and we spend a while just looking into each other's one good eye.

A knock on the table jogs us. I turn to a... Human-sized bird wearing an apron. "Excuse me, but are you two going to want your drinks reheated? They've gone cold."

We look back at each other. We laugh together, and finish our cold chocolate and coffee.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Stellaris Dev Diary #307 - Leader Experiments

So, yeah...

Another disappointing dev-diary.

Honestly, I'd like the devs to just leave Leaders alone at this point. Far from being an improvement, this notion that you can make Leaders "better" by scrapping Generals and Admirals and rolling them into one job and getting rid of Governors completely demonstrates the fundamental flaw in trying to impose a Leader Cap that does not fit...

About the only welcome news in the section on Leaders is that Envoys are getting promoted into full Leaders. That should have been done a long time ago.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Black Flag, Part 3"
27th Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

We follow Thando and Alexandra - they're doing the hand-holding thing Humans do - to his freighter. He's already been to Earth, and he has taken pretty much everything of use from the old HaMaadimi residence. Apparently the Humans have overthrown the megacorps and instituted the Democratic People's Republic of Terra And Colonies.

The relevant boxes have already been unloaded.

Weapons.

A small library of books.

Political treatises.

Journals of the Iriphubliki.

Genetic engineering equipment. Mum took Dad aside as soon as she saw it.

Spare parts for HK-47b, plus manufacturing schematics to make more. And schematics for devices that manufacture devices that make HK-47bs. He's definitely the most scary droid I've ever seen. Admittedly, that doesn't mean much.

There's loads of technical information.

And a holocron.

I poke it.

It buzzes into life. I'm greeted by a white-skinned Human with the same scar on his hand that Mum and Dad have. "Running self-diagnostic. Scanning. HaMaadimi genetic information detected. Activating access protocol." It reboots. "Please identify."

"Ah, Rivkah of Unity?"

"Name unrecognised. Genetic data unrecognised."

Mum comes over. "Naomi Of Unity."

"Name unrecognised. Genetic data recognised, X chromosome Tipheret HaMaadimi. Deviations noted. Please state relationship."

"Daughter of Atalyah HaMaadimi, daughter of Tipheret HaMaadimi via self-cloning projects."

"Recognised." It reboots. "Great, great, great grand daughter. Welcome."

"Yehoshua?"

"I am a linguistic and data analysis heuristic that simulates the responses of Yehoshua HaMaadimi."

"This is my daughter Rivkah."

"Scanning unrecognised. Curious. Adoption?"

"Yes."

Thando steps forward. "Thando HaMaadimi. Naomi's brother."

"Great, great, great grandson. Welcome."

Alexandra smiles. "And wife-to-be."

Mum looks at her in amazement. Thando nods.

"Welcome."

Dad steps forward. "Buri Of Unity, Naomi's husband."

"Scanning unrecognised. Curious. Interspecies romance?"

Mum nods.

"Statement: You remember me, Meatbag."

"HK-47b. I'm pleased you remain." He begins to wave his hand around and stops. "Interesting. My position is moved."

"You have traveled roughly five hundred lightyears, and have just been unloaded from the freighter."

"I presume that would be quite interesting to hear sometime. At this point, my program was to give an introduction to the archive. Presumably nothing is therefore where I left it, and you may well have already had a look at some of it. If you would like commentary on any items, I will be happy to oblige."

I look at Thando. "What's in this archive?"

He smiles. "Everything he considered important, and means to access that information, and means to manufacture tools to make the means to access that information. Well, except for the stone chairs that he and his Ndlovukazi and the other HaMaadimis were sat on, I left them in their resting places."

Mum is looking at the genetic engineering equipment's research notes. "Mum, what are you doing?"

She takes Dad's hand. "Wondering if we can give you a little brother or sister."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Rivkah's Diary
27th Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)​

Tipheret HaMaadimi kept all the notes on her genetic engineering technology, and Mum has used them to draft a Human-Xenayan hybrid, and then put in some family resemblance.

The base genome has to be Human to be compatible with Mum's womb, but with Xenayan body structure duplicated, and enhancements based on Atalyah HaMaadimi's modifications. They'll modify Mum's egg cells and Dad's sperm, and after the next mating season, I'll hopefully get a baby brother or sister at some point in the year after. Mum says it will have to be caesarean section. Extremely high risk of something going wrong as this isn't really what the technology was designed for.

I look at the brother's render. They look Xenayan, taking after Dad. Only... Better. Vastly stronger bones, stronger muscles, vastly increased intelligence. I don't know what to think.

I mean, a younger brother or sister would be fun. But...

What if they don't like me?

I'm a little nervous.

But equally, I know how much it would mean to Mum especially.

I do think I'd prefer a sister.

Is it really up to me though?

Will I be using this technology to design my children some day?

I need sleep.

 

[HistoryDude]

Well, I certainly missed a lot. So the colony will have a method of traveling faster (are we to FTL yet?).

Naomi and Thando's relationship is interesting. I will admit that I wasn't expecting Alexandra to get into a relationship, but this fits, and both of them deserve to be happy. When's Naomi's "if you ever do anything to hurt him" speech?

I liked the Star Wars reference. HK-47, huh?

The latest chapter isn't threadmarked yet.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

FTL is being worked on. (for obvious reasons, Olinbar technologies are not trusted by most people)

They were close as children, but their lives went very different paths. Alexandra doesn't know what she's getting into by marrying him. But they'll figure it out together and be happy.

Thando hardly needs it; in one way or another Thando has been living by the edge of his knives for all the time Naomi was a Companionship Asset. The other way around though would be... Enough to scare even Buri.

As hinted, the old family friend; HK is my favourite droid from Star Wars. I've often thought swapping out C3P0 for HK would be hilarious. HK-47b represents making an artefact like him in-universe.

The diary entries aren't. I'd like to have a second threadmarking set for them.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Alexandra HaMaadimi, Part 3"
27th Sor-Gor, 9 (2188)
Alexandra​

It's almost midnight. Outside, beneath the stars.

The colony's wedding courtyard.

I'm wearing a borrowed wedding dress. Same day we got engaged. Well, we just had too, it's us.

I must be crazy.

But my husband-to-be is completely mad, so we fit.

He walks to me now, hood over his head, having washed his trenchcoat back to it's original white, and armour back to it's shiny black. The pistols are gleaming, he's trimmed his beard.

On his family's side is Naomi, and Buri, and Rivkah, HK-47b, the holocron, and his crew. On mine are my friends who could be here in person. Li's recording for the others, I'm glad he could.

Our officiant arrives; Valerius. I asked him myself.

Husband's eye goes wide in shock. I laugh. Naomi whispers an explanation in his ear. He nods.

We face each other. I run through which knife is which as he draws one. We hold the hilt together, his fingers interlocking with mine.

I'm about to cut my hand open with a man I met yesterday, because since Naomi and Buri did it, it's become the custom here on the colony.

I must be mad.

If I want to change my mind, this is the last moment I can. We'll be a million different people over the rest of our life together. And we barely know each other. But he's here for me, and I for him. That's what is most important.

Valerius begins. "Who's going first?"

I'm choosing him. "I will."

I'm starting to feel dizzy.

Valerius recites: "Do you, Alexandra Whyte, take Thando HaMaadimi to be your husband, to have him and to hold him from this day forward; to fight by his side whether the singer celebrates your victory, or lays down a dirge to the couple who died at each other's sides; whether in sickness or in health; to love and to cherish him, until the ending of all the worlds?"

"I do. Oh, damn, I mean now, and forever." I take a moment to breathe, and run my hand down the blade.

My husband looks deep into my eye. Valerius recites again: "Do you, Thando HaMaadimi take Alexandra Whyte to be your wife, to have her and to hold her from this day forward; to fight by her side whether the singer celebrates your victory, or lays down a dirge to the couple who died at each other's sides; whether in sickness or in health; to love and to cherish her, until the ending of all the worlds?"

He smiles. "I do, now and forever." I feel so touched as he runs his hand down the blade, and holds my hand. Our blood drips on the floor, where hundreds of thousands of couples have made the same vow.

Valerius finishes. "You may now join appendages in whatever way suits you best."

He lifts my veil, and I pull back his hood. Gosh he looks good bald. My heart skips a beat as he kisses me.

We're married.

 

[Macavity116]

I know a certain Disney princess who will be very angry about having her "marry the guy you met hours ago" speed record broken.