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Post by forthteller on Feb 19, 2020 11:47:17 GMT -6
Chapter 36
Almost time to go
April, 2051
Peter sits uncomfortably in Mai Lin Zhu’s small boardroom. Beside him is his president of sales and marketing, Clarise Saxon. He has never been so nervous in his life. The deal he was about to make here could create a new world as another war is about to destroy the one he currently inhabits.
Peter glances Clarise’s way, “what do you think, would you live in a world where you have to be underground 90 percent of the time?”
“We don’t know that yet. We don’t even know if it is possible to even survive on that planet for extended periods and if we can come back should we choose to go.”
“First company there will get to dictate conditions. Would you not want to be part of that?”
“There are no customers there so who would our market be?”
“Shrinking market here. We no longer have any business north and Mexico has no interest in technology. All the communities east don’t want technology so we are kind of at an impasse. We cannot ship anything across the pacific because it is now impossible to get to the west coast. The only place we have a possibility to grow is Candaria.”
Clarise looks at the impossibly young-looking Peter Mclean. Thinking to herself, I am 45, he must be at least that age but he looks 30. The diminutive, boyish yet handsome looking man, so uncomfortable around anything non technological fidgets in his seat. In fact, this is the first time she has ever seen him without Elron.
Clarise says. “you would be lost if it wasn’t for technology. Computers, AI, space travel, androids?”
“And you wouldn’t?”
“Nope. I know how to fish and hunt, how to start a fire without a lighter, how to find my way with a map, how to build a shelter in the wilderness and how to defend myself.”
“I prefer to not know. My androids and robotics know how, that is enough.”
“Fair enough, what happens if the east develops a way of delivering their EMP interrupters long range? Where is your technology then?”
“I doubt they can develop the technology. They got the weapons they now have form Albany Automation but I doubt they will get anything more advanced then that. Short range weapon at best. Besides, Charleston and other cities have been overwhelmed with refugees from the north, they cannot possibly be even remotely concerned with what we are doing here.”
Mai Lin steps in the open door, followed by several other people. They all take seats; Mai Lin remains standing. “I expect you all know why we are here?”
Peter nods, one of the men says yes. The other two men respond with, “not exactly.”
Taking the seat at the head of the table, “Karl, you are here because it was you and your team who did all of the research and work with the materials and products that came from the planet. Larson, you are here because your crew is on the planet now. You have reports from them and you know how humans are faring on the planet. Maurice, you are here because you know where we are in terms of resources and what would be needed should we attempt to colonize the planet.”
“Larson clears his throat and gets everyone’s attention. We don’t even know how long we can survive on that planet. Everything foreign we send there degrades and is totally gone in days, sometimes longer depending on the material. Organic seeds we sent in have germinated and reproduced, some have disappeared. Of all the humans we sent there, most have survived but not one has returned to earth.”
Peter asks, “the ones who returned, they died on route?”
“Nope. Disappeared. Gone. Craft arrived, autopiloted but nobody on board. We know from radio transmission; they were on board when the craft left Candaria orbit. Gone, not a trace, even the clothes and footwear they had on.”
“Karl, any theories as to what happened to them.”
“The phenonium is similar to the degradation earth materials experience when they arrive in the planets atmosphere only faster and in reverse. At least we believe so. We are not sure if the people disintegrated over a longer period of the trip or if it happened in a shorter period of time. The monitoring equipment was also rendered inoperable and all the organic samples we brought back with the crew also disappeared. What we know is that organic matter will eventually disintegrate when exposed to the larger sun for extended periods as does inorganic matter but we cannot find any reason why it may continue to happen once it is out of the influence of that sun and planets influence but not on the planet. We know or at least we think we know the larger sun is the primary cause but we cannot duplicate the phenomenon without craft exiting the solar system.”
Mai Lin asks, “is there a timeline you can give our partners for when you will have more concrete answers?”
“Assuming there is actually a scientific explanation for the phenonium and we discover a way to understand it; a year, two years, 100 years. I could research faster and get results sooner if I was actually on the planet and did not have to rely on radio transmissions that take weeks or incoming craft to get.”
“You would be willing to go to Candaria to continue your research knowing that with present technology, you will never return to earth?”
“Absolutely. Discovering a planet and terraforming it to a point where it can be colonized is monumental but whatever this planet and sun is doing to organic and inorganic materials will be earthshattering, galactic even. The potential to explore and colonize the entire galaxy is within our reach, who wouldn’t want to be the pioneer of that?
Peter is intrigued, the possibilities seem endless. “Those on the planet. How are they faring?”
“They live underground and only come out during the times that the large sun is fully eclipsed by the smaller sun. Since the planet orbits the smaller sun much like our moon there are periods when the smaller sun partially or completely eclipses the larger sun and provides protection from its extreme effects. To put it in perspective, Candaria is about 10 percent larger than the earth and the sun orbiting the larger sun is about 20 times the size of the earth but for some reason it is in a stable orbit around the larger sun. It circles the primary sun and spins on an axis roughly 3 times the speed of the planet. Candaria orbits the smaller star that eclipses the planet every 3 days. The eclipse is adequate to protect the planet for approximately 14 earth hours time and even partial eclipses provide sufficient protection. The planet rotates on its axis and has a 26.3-hour day but the protection from the larger sun is necessary even on the dark side so the only safe time out is during eclipses, day or night. As long as they maintain only small sun exposure, they seem to be okay. Even limited exposure to the larger sun appears to be cumulative.”
Thinking out loud, Peter says, “How does a sun fall into the orbit of another sun?”
Karl answers, “it possibly was a dwarf star and may have been moving in space or it may have been a part of a larger star that broke off. We have no way of knowing until we have an opportunity to study it more. Interestingly, it seems to have sufficient gravitational pull to maintain a regular orbit and keep Candaria in its orbit. It is entirely possible that Candaria was already in the orbit of the smaller sun before it was pulled into orbit of the larger sun. Then again, this is all supposition, I really have no evidence to support my theories.”
Peter thinks for a moment, “dwellings on the surface? Can they be constructed?”
Maurice responds to this question. “We have developed a technique of manufacturing panels of native rock and sand similar to concrete panels here on earth. We have constructed several smaller buildings and they are every bit as protective as being underground. With heavy equipment we will be able to construct large production facilities and can build more efficiently from there.”
Clarice breaks in, “this is why we need each other. We at Mclean technology have the resources to build what is needed here on earth and using the materials retrieved from Candaria make it transportable. We would need some of our people on Candaria to accompany the equipment and to assemble and operate it there. We would want a share of the new planet’s ownership in exchange for our expertise and resources. That is what we need to work out.”
Mai Lin interjects. “Joint ownership? Or are you thinking of setting up some sort of government?”
Clarise replies, “no government. At least not for the first few years. 10, 15 years at the very least. I propose tittle and rights to resources. We would need other types of expertise so those groups would also want some form of compensation. A consortium possibly with a flexible master agreement. The upfront investment and manpower needed to put together a project like this would be monumental.”
Mai Lin, having initiated the conversation makes an observation nobody present has made. “Assuming the trip to Candaria is one way for humans, are we going to continue to send people there to colonize or will we be wanting to reproduce on the planet? Additionally, if we were to reproduce on the planet, is it possible the next generation will be born with greater immunities to the environment and future generation with even greater immunities?”
They all look at Larson as if he has the answer. “We have not sent any women at all to the planet for obvious reasons.”
Clarise stands and with a controlled rage, “and what are those obvious reasons?”
Larson, looking like a child who had just been rebuked. “Neither of you are representative of what most women are. I have worked with Mai Lin since I graduated from MIT in 2020. She has never exhibited the emotional or sentimental bias that most women share and you Clarise, are all business. I have never looked at either of you as anything other then a partner and business acquaintance.”
“Bullshit, we are both women and within the women’s communities thousands of capable and productive women are more than able to do anything you can do and more. It is exactly your kind of misogynist belief that lead to the initial attacks coming from women. I am not successful because I act like a man, I am successful because I am a woman and I use the attributes I have to my greatest advantage. Mai Lin here is the smartest and most capable Astro Physicist and project manager I have ever known, male or female.”
Peter has been listening in and decides to stay out of it. Knowing that this is not his strength, it is Clarise’s.
Larson shrinks a little more. “Okay, Okay. You have me there. Where do we find the capable women?”
Claris relaxes. Sits down and takes a sip of her juice. “Some of the eastern city states are still mixed gender. I suggest we look there.”
“How. Most do not allow outsiders and all the androids are gone.”
“Not all. Some of the rural areas that are mainly agricultural have maintained and developed cooperative relationships with androids. We can communicate and recruit through them. Elron also tells me some of the city dwellers saved and protect androids they had developed relationships with. There are even a few AI scattered throughout the southeast.”
Larson looks at Clarice again, seeing a passion he had never seen before. “Ok. How about reproductive systems. We don’t even know if men can reproduce on the planet or if women can either. Assuming they can, would there be increased risk, could some form of mutants evolve. We don’t know.”
Mai Lin pipes in. “I guess we need to find out. Is there even anyone researching genetics or reproduction anymore?”
Peter says with a reluctant response, “I know of 2 breeding colonies in the female cities. One in Atlanta in particular has developed colonies where they use artificial insemination and take the children once they are born and the girls are ready for further reproduction within months. They would have specialists to develop something similar on Candaria.”
Clarise stands again and looks straight at Peter. “Are you F%#king serious. Forced breeding, like livestock. It is terrible that women would do this to women but equally reprehensible for us to do it to them as well. You can bet none of them volunteered and if they did, did they even know they had a choice. Nope. If it is too be done, women need to voluntarily go to the planet with partners of their choosing and we try natural procreation, like it used to be.”
Peter is stunned. “Who would possibly volunteer?”
“I would and I know at least one other woman in your employ who would.”
“And who would you choose?”
“You!”
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Feb 19, 2020 15:55:28 GMT -6
“And who would you choose?”
“You!” cats out of the bag now
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Post by texican on Feb 20, 2020 21:54:21 GMT -6
FT,
Women selecting the men to be partners with....
Kind of like now....
Thanks for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Feb 20, 2020 22:09:35 GMT -6
FT, Women selecting the men to be partners with.... Kind of like now.... Thanks for the chapter.... Texican.... Funny, Texican. I didn't think anyone would catch that. We men think we are the ones who make the choice to ask a woman out but the reality is, they chose to let us ask them out long before we ever get to it. Men who were not chosen before hand get a no thanks. Forthteller
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Post by papaof2 on Feb 20, 2020 22:51:33 GMT -6
The "He chased her until she caught him" adage seems to be true ;-)
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Post by texican on Feb 21, 2020 16:26:06 GMT -6
FT, Women selecting the men to be partners with.... Kind of like now.... Thanks for the chapter.... Texican.... Funny, Texican. I didn't think anyone would catch that. We men think we are the ones who make the choice to ask a woman out but the reality is, they chose to let us ask them out long before we ever get to it. Men who were not chosen before hand get a no thanks. Forthteller FT, That is so true.... For many of us, we are so blessed by our mates that selected us.... Texican....
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Post by texican on Feb 21, 2020 16:27:48 GMT -6
The "He chased her until she caught him" adage seems to be true ;-) pp2, So true.... 42 years wed and still going strong.... Texican....
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Post by sniper69 on Mar 7, 2020 8:26:59 GMT -6
Thanks for the latest chapter. I look forward to reading more of this great story.
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Post by forthteller on Mar 29, 2020 17:06:59 GMT -6
Chapter 37
War to start the war to end all wars
January 2063
7 women sit around a table, obviously distressed. Last week, male workers had revolted at an agricultural colony and had killed all the female management, at least that is what the council has been told. The men were now occupying the agricultural community and all attempts to reclaim the colony had failed. Somehow, they had disabled their chips and had acquired weapons. In addition, they had all the weapons the colony defenses had in their armory.
"We could just lob mortars in and once we weaken their defenses, take them with numbers. Should be limited casualties."
The woman at the head of the table, younger but obviously in charge, looks at the faces of all the older women, most of them would have actually lived with men as equals. "We all knew this was possible. Actually, I knew it was a certainty and most of my generation know it too. We should have seen it coming and prepared for it. I say get rid of them all."
One of the women, mid to late 60s, "they are not all the same and in reality, when you enslave a person, they will always attempt to be free. Human nature is supreme. They want to be free."
"Free to oppress women, to go back to patriarchal control, to exercise their toxic masculinity and to once again drag us into the middle ages."
Another of the older women pipes in. "Look around, men still control all the technology, we trade food, services and labor for it. Their competitive system drives them to create and develop for individual benefit but in the long run, that also benefits us all. They have flying cars, solar generated electricity and compliant androids. Do they have poverty, inequality and disparity, for certain but I do know that a greater percentage of them enjoy a better standard of living then we do."
She continues. "We drove men out because we believed they controlled and victimized us and they willingly left. What did we gain? Equality. What did we lose? Prosperity, inventiveness, innovation and productivity. They want more so they work harder, they want to control so they constantly strive to influence their environment, they want to be superior so they constantly compete in everything. They have what they have because of what they are; testosterone filled, success driven, misogynist achievers."
The young leader sighs, "they are bigger, stronger and capable of more physical work, not smarter or more productive. I have never seen this innovation or anything else they can contribute to outweigh the trouble they cause. I have ordered the termination of all non-compliant men in our service. We have already lost an entire agricultural community of 10000 acres. We cannot afford to lose more."
"Are you mad, that's murder. Killing unarmed people. That makes us worse than them."
"Self-defense is justified. I have read about men and what your generation put up with. If we allow them an opportunity, they will enslave us once again. They can easily be replaced by the incoming northern refugees."
"Make slaves out of desperate women?"
"Not slaves, they have the option of moving on, trying another city or going west and speaking to the mixed communities. If they chose us, they must earn their place."
The oldest woman in the room, an avowed feminist who's experience with men included being raped for years by a series of step fathers and several years on the street as a prostitute, angrily interrupts, "men are all the same. Sure, they are more productive and innovative but they all only want one thing, power over women. Most of them would victimize us in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. I want our city cleansed of them all. Rebecca is right, get rid of them all them all, before they get us."
Getting up, Roberta steps away from her chair and heads for the door. "I am not going to be party to murder, this is lunacy."
The young woman at the head of the table pushes a button. The door Roberta is about to exit opens, two armed young women are at the entrance. "Arrest this woman, place her in closed custody on the charge of sedition."
Looking around the room, "anyone else?”
Meanwhile, miles away mortars and antique short-range missiles land inside the agricultural village and amongst the fields. No cover can be found inside the greenhouses either as poorly aimed bombs land indiscriminately. Many fail to explode but the ones that do, create pandemonium as the dug in men did not expect the city administrators to destroy their own facilities. They had hoped to negotiate a deal where they continued to farm the land but traded what was produced. None of the women managers or supervisors had been killed, they were all in custody, inside one of the greenhouses and had been offered safe release in exchange for an agreement. One of the more senior women had been sent to those outside with the offer to exchange hostages for negotiations. As of now, there had not been a response.
The barrage continues for hours. Almost every building is burned to the ground and more than half the greenhouses and livestock stalls are reduced to rubble. The greenhouse with the prisoners in it, was hit with more than one incoming missile. Only 7 women survivors made it the night.
By midnight the shelling stops. Hector Salazar and Petros Janke are amongst the survivors who have collected to strategize during the lull in the opening barrage. "They will come in with numbers in the morning. We can make a stand but they will win in the end. Does anyone here want to surrender?"
An older man, late 50s, a refugee from Boston says, " I would rather die than go back to this. I don't even know what happened to my wife and daughter."
A younger man looks resigned to a similar fate, "same here. They separated me from my mother and sister a couple of years ago and I too have no idea if they are even still alive. I say we try to fight our way out, if we can. Then head north to the next farm and try to liberate the men there."
Hector looks around at the ragged group of 80 or so armed men. "if we can get out, to the west is our best chance. I know there are cities along the way but it is the only way." Nods all around. They all cheer and rattling sounds as they all check their weapons and chamber rounds.
Petros says to the group, our best chance is to break into two groups, one primary defensive group who will begin to retreat as they attack. When they engage the decoy group, we can back up and draw them in. Once enough are inside, the second group comes in from the rear. If we are successful with the first wave, we will most likely see them strategically retreat. We need to take all the weapons and ammunition from all their casualties as we don’t have much ammunition. Does anyone have EOD experience?"
A few older men respond.
"Great, let's collect the unexploded ordinance and make some landmines with them. Can you guys do that?"
"Absolutely."
6 AM. A woman approaches the front gate of the village. "Can I have a word with whoever is in charge?"
Hector walks up to the gate and stands 20 feet from her. "What do you want?"
"We want our farm back. If you leave, we will guarantee you safe passage out of our area. Once you get there, you are on your own."
"Let me take your offer to my friends. I will be back in 5 minutes."
He turns and heads back to take the offer to his friends, not knowing if he can trust the woman’s words. As they are discussing the offer, a loud racket erupts and an antique tractor trailer is barreling down the road towards the front gates. Without slowing, it crashes through, glass and steel flying everywhere. Several smaller antique military vehicles follow, filled with armed women. Trucks pull to a halt outside the gates, disgorging more women. Within minutes, several hundred women swarm through the ruptured gates to join the military vehicles that are already inside. Explosions erupt as several mines are tripped. Chaos ensues as the surprised women attempt to turn and flee the explosions. Some press on, cut down by semi-automatic fire.
The second men’s group does not wait for the women to pursue the decoy group feeling that the women are not going to press on should the decoy group retreat."
The women exchange fire with both groups of men as their superior numbers begin to turn the tide. More women arrive as the male numbers decline. Within minutes, small groups of young women are searching the area for survivors, killing any men they find still alive. Occasional randomly placed landmines explode killing and maiming women who become more enraged. By 8 AM the young women are pulling out, leaving behind hundreds of dead, including women. They take all the still serviceable vehicles and head on towards the next farming community.
Within the hour, dozens of women arrive in busses and trucks. They get out and are taken inside the gates where they receive instructions. These women will clean up the mess, rebuild the farm and work here in exchange for the promise of citizenship. They will be joined by still more women in the coming months but most will never taste freedom or enjoy the ever-elusive promise of citizenship.
August 2063
In Charleston, one of the corporate owned, mixed communities is having problems of its own. Albany Automation has had difficulty transitioning to the bartering style of trade now practiced between corporations who each have a distinct in-house currency. After some bad deals and due to diminished demand for the products they produce, Gavin Camrose, the president is desperate to expand his company.
While he hides his distaste for the agricultural areas, the maintenance and construction crews and the families that will provide workers in the future, he knows that real power lies in expansion and trade.
An opportunity to take his technical staff and some of their in-process and completed inventions elsewhere seems intriguing. The possibility of getting something in trade for company technology and engineering, even more so. Less of the mundane survival crap and more of the technological.
One of his groups, led by a woman, Rachel Mclean, has developed solar panels that can multiply the light given off by the moon or cloud blocked sun and still generate as much electricity as the best available panels in full sunlight. She has helped create batteries with enhanced storage capacity and she even developed the loft motors the current generation of hover cars are running on. Something almost magical about the woman but he has not been able to place his finger on it. His most educated people can present a problem or a need and sometimes she can visualize a solution. Sometimes her solutions are so creative yet practical, others can actually develop and build them without her input. It is almost as if she can see into the future and bring its technology back to the present.
In another division, his mechanical engineering group has developed a rubberized compound that can be mixed with concrete to produce pavement with elastic properties. Capable of withstanding extreme cold and heat, this concrete does not crack or shrink, even in earthquakes and ground movement. Visualized by Rachel, she even suggested what materials will work best in the product yet the actual technology is far outside her experience or education.
Today he was meeting with someone from McLean technologies, Clarise Saxon. Sales and marketing director and number 1 person in the massive corporation. He was very uncomfortable around women but he had heard this one was all business and not emotional like most. He had a few women in his engineering departments but they were vastly outnumbered by men and only one, Rachel McLean, was responsible enough to lead a department consisting of mostly men. Connection with Peter McLean? Not likely, he was an orphan, from western Canada, and from all reports, almost allergic to women.
Later that day, an interesting looking car arrives at the front entrance. Floating silently and slowly lowering to the ground, a gullwing door silently opens. A middle-aged woman exits followed by three men. All appear to be subordinates to her. She walks over to the group meeting her and introduces herself and her group.
The security detail escorts her inside and requests permission to have her pass through the scanning machine.
“Of course. I have nothing to hide. My tablet cannot go through, you understand?” Se says as she hands him her tablet.
He gives the tablet a cursory glance and passes her through. Handing her the tablet back on the other side, he waits for the others who also have tablets and other items that cannot pass through. Once all assembled, they are escorted to an elevator and the door swishes open. “7th floor mam. Someone will meet you there.”
No buttons on the console, only lights indicating which floor they are on. The building is only 7 stories so they are going to the top floor. Clarisse is met by security at the 7th floor. She wonders why the high security. She is wordlessly escorted down the corridor by three men in crisp suits, identical.
Into the board room she is escorted and several men are inside. Gavin Camrose and Paul Maxwell from Albany Automation, 2 younger men from Petronas Petrochemical and a woman who looks to be there to take notes.
They all introduce themselves and exchange handshakes. Taking seats, Gavin Camrose says, Maribelle here will be taking notes if that is okay. She will transmit the entire meeting to your acceptable destination upon termination of this meeting. If we make any decisions and come to an agreement, we are prepared to sign any deals today.
Clarise responds, “no need, Elron is capable of recording and sending a complete transcript of everything we say and agree to today, word for word.”
“An android! How did you get through our scanners? We do not permit androids into our secure facilities. I am afraid we will have to put this meeting on hold until you are safely outside.”
“I am not an android, I am Elron, president and vice chairman of McClain Technologies.”
Obviously disturbed, Gavin does not know what to do. “I don’t deal with androids and I don’t treat them as equals, that is for certain.”
Until now, Paul Maxwell, who actually founded and is the CEO of Albany Automation has said nothing. “Gavin, if you had your way, we would have no women in our leadership group, no androids at all and I actually think you are still prejudiced against anyone who is not white. I have you on staff for your management expertise, and technical qualifications but I will not have you destroy a possibly beneficial business deal because of your racism.”
Continuing on, Paul looks at Elron. “Mr. Elron, I am pleased to meet you, if Peter trusts you, I certainly know I can. Let’s get down to business. What can we do for you?”
Clarise relaxes. “We are interested in your solar technology and some of the building product technology you have recently developed. We already use some of your lift motors and other drive tech and our assembly technicians are quite amazed by the engineering. What we can offer is space on future transports to Candaria for your engineers and if possible, we would like to contract your solar engineer. Anything your community needs is 100 percent negotiable. We can merge, operate on Candaria as separate yet cooperating entities or we can straight out purchase your assistance.”
Elron hands Gavin an electronic notebook. “This contains a list of all the goods and services we have in excess of our need and are thus available for trade. Some goods are one time only while others can be offered ongoing for a contracted term. I can see that you have adequate security to enforce your contracted agreements, we have as well. Look it over, let us know what you need and want and we will negotiate. Clarise has the authority to make any deals on behalf of MacLean Technologies so anything she agrees to will be honored by us.”
Paul replies, “that is quite acceptable to us, what is not for sale is Rachel.”
“Rachel?”
“Rachel. The theoretical genius behind our most innovative products. She can elect to go to Candaria if she chooses but it would be as our representative. She has a husband and 2 children who she would insist on going as well.”
Clarisse looks across the board room table, she surveys the group. "We are only offering positions on Candaria to males, under 40 and fit, ready to work."
Paul Maxwell responds, "speaking for Albany Automation, we are only interested in sending equal numbers of fit healthy child bearing aged men and women to Candaria. We expect it to be a one-way trip and our people want to establish a regular community,"
Elron looks for support from the developer of Poseidon Eugenics. "Do we even need women on the planet. Your cloning techniques can also select for gender, true?"
"It can, but at the moment we are not certain the planet's environment will support procreation or if it will negatively impact our cloning abilities."
Paul is about to leave the room, "you’re planning on having a planet inhabited by only men. That is mad. Just because you can procreate using cloning, how will you ever achieve anything remotely resembling a balanced, just society."
Clarise shuffles her hard copy notes, "Just society? At great expense, we are colonizing a planet that may kill everyone that goes, within a few years, sooner possibly. Until our investment is recovered, everyone who goes will be working for basic necessities and only a few extras. The reason Albany is even in this discussion is because some of your technology will be useful as we colonize. Also, you have a large number of excess male workers who soon won't even have a way to earn their upkeep."
Paul is now enraged. "These people you are talking about are Human beings, many have wives and families and some of my workers are women. What makes you think they will line up to join your world of men?"
"Your opinion is valid, but this is where we stand. No women are going to Candria at our expense until we have constructed enough facilities to accommodate them and produce enough to support them. Even then, everyone on Candaria will contribute or die."
Gavin interjects, "my college is correct, we go as a male/female blend or our company will not be involved."
"Fine by us, we can do this without you." Elron says as he displays an uncharacteristic flash of anger, coming from an android at that.
Having entered the room without anyone noticing, Rachel interrupts. “Before you all blow this deal up, has anyone considered a compromise. Send men to construct and get the planet prepared, women and children join in a few years when it is a little safer. I myself do not want to go; I will stay here. My next project will be long range communications, I am certain it is possible.”
Elron looks at the woman. 40ish, fit and intelligent. “you sound convinced, how do you know it is possible?”
“I don’t know but I have already visualized it. I can even explain how to build it, how many repeating satellites will be needed and where to put them. I don’t even need to be present when my inventions are created, I can easily sketch it out and explain it to capable engineers and they can build it.”
Elron looks at her, “that would be acceptable. Clarise, would you like to stay here and iron out the details or come back with us and negotiate over the net?” He stores away a suspicion he has about her ability to see into the future, he has seen it before only for her it is technology, Peter sees activity.”
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Post by papaof2 on Mar 29, 2020 18:02:08 GMT -6
I think this is Chapter 37.
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Post by forthteller on Mar 29, 2020 18:17:34 GMT -6
I think this is Chapter 37. It is. It also sat half finished for a long time. It is hard to write fiction when the fiction I write is happening in real time right before my eyes. My crazy brain sees a culmination of the currant viral phase leading into an extremely difficult for the entire world. Sovereign debt and lack of elected official preparedness has placed us in a position where we are literally caught with our pants down. I see organized and unorganized mobs terrorizing urban streets by the end of April, unopposed looting and home invasions as the unprepared run out of necessities while waiting for the promised money the government has promised and a spike in suicides like nothing we have ever seen. I hope what I just said is fiction but I seriously doubt it. Forth teller
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Post by papaof2 on Mar 29, 2020 18:39:12 GMT -6
As I commented elsewhere, I've written perhaps 1000 words across three stories this month. Hard to be creative about a future apocalyptic event when you may be in the middle of one.
My wife has in the past considered my "hobby" of prepping as "cheaper than playing golf" but she enjoyed the bread I baked today (I posted in Recipes) and we have supplies for baking bread for quite a while - also pails of beans and rice.
Looting here would involve the second wave walking over the bodies of the first wave. Some might be repelled by walking across bleeding or smelly bodies. If it reaches that point, I might let my wife light some of her scented candles to cover the smells from outside (there is a "Hershey's Chocolate" candle in the box) and I'll leave the new lawn decorations in place - some places need fertilizer.
I do have some signs to put out:
"Protected by hollow point and FMJ."
"Due to the high cost of ammunition, warning shots will not be fired."
Anyone who ignores both of those signs probably shouldn't be contributing to the gene pool anyway.
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Post by texican on Mar 29, 2020 21:04:10 GMT -6
FT,
Thanks for the chapter.
Women against men is definitely heating up.
No one is able to determine what the outcome of the virus will be. China lied from the beginning and is still lying about the virus and the second wave of the virus.
America was not locked down in February when it would have been more effective and now the virus is loose in America. How many will be infected? Millions, tens of millions or hundreds of millions? No one knows....
How many will die? Thousands, 100 of thousands, millions or tens of millions. No one knows....
Will there be open rioting in America? No one knows, but the potential is there and it is large especially if the food chain and utility services breakdown.
What will America be like? No one knows, but it will not be the America that it was in January.
America is broke and the feds are spending 2.2 trillion dollars that we do not have. Just how will this be paid off? It will not.
Our borders will have armed patrols to keep the illegal invaders out.
The divide between the east coast and west coast and middle America will become more pronounced with a final separation.
War with China is inevitable and probably with Russia especially if America divides, but the nukes are located in middle America and on subs around the world.
We are definitely living in interesting times.
Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Mar 29, 2020 22:24:11 GMT -6
Now, Tex - if things get as bad as they might, Mexico and Canada will be patrolling their sides of the borders to keep those "illegal Americans" out of their countries...
A VERY few people could manage without utilities in the cities and suburbs. Much more likely out where people have wells, septic tanks, root cellars and pot bellied stoves. Still wish we'd had the $$ to buy my wife's grandparents' place after he died and Grandma was unable to live by herself. Maybe 3-4 acres on one side of the road; rest of the property (30+ acres) and the barn across the road - good for renting out the land. House had septic tank and 2 wells - one under the back porch with the electric pump and the other out front in a decorative wellhouse with the long, skinny, galvanized "bucket" that goes down a drilled well. Cooking was electric but there was a wood cookstove in the smokehouse that could have been moved back inside and heat was propane (also a possible cooking fuel) plus a pot bellied stove. There was good southern exposure and lots of space for solar power and/or heating. Grandpa always had at least a half acre in garden, which was fenced. It was on a paved County road but it was a LONG way to town (Fort Payne, AL).
If I owned that today, I could probably add a zero to the price I would have paid and have people lining up to see the place ;-)
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Post by forthteller on Mar 30, 2020 17:34:22 GMT -6
FT, Thanks for the chapter. Women against men is definitely heating up. No one is able to determine what the outcome of the virus will be. China lied from the beginning and is still lying about the virus and the second wave of the virus. America was not locked down in February when it would have been more effective and now the virus is loose in America. How many will be infected? Millions, tens of millions or hundreds of millions? No one knows.... How many will die? Thousands, 100 of thousands, millions or tens of millions. No one knows.... Will there be open rioting in America? No one knows, but the potential is there and it is large especially if the food chain and utility services breakdown. What will America be like? No one knows, but it will not be the America that it was in January. America is broke and the feds are spending 2.2 trillion dollars that we do not have. Just how will this be paid off? It will not. Our borders will have armed patrols to keep the illegal invaders out. The divide between the east coast and west coast and middle America will become more pronounced with a final separation. War with China is inevitable and probably with Russia especially if America divides, but the nukes are located in middle America and on subs around the world. We are definitely living in interesting times. Texican.... Looting and open theft by the end of April in inner cities, rioting and home invasions by end of may. Almost a certainty unless a miracle happens. I don't see any miracles on the horizon. Unfortunately, my last series, the rapacious Creditor does not seem all that fictional any more. \ Forthteller
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Post by texican on Mar 30, 2020 19:06:06 GMT -6
FT, Thanks for the chapter. Women against men is definitely heating up. No one is able to determine what the outcome of the virus will be. China lied from the beginning and is still lying about the virus and the second wave of the virus. America was not locked down in February when it would have been more effective and now the virus is loose in America. How many will be infected? Millions, tens of millions or hundreds of millions? No one knows.... How many will die? Thousands, 100 of thousands, millions or tens of millions. No one knows.... Will there be open rioting in America? No one knows, but the potential is there and it is large especially if the food chain and utility services breakdown. What will America be like? No one knows, but it will not be the America that it was in January. America is broke and the feds are spending 2.2 trillion dollars that we do not have. Just how will this be paid off? It will not. Our borders will have armed patrols to keep the illegal invaders out. The divide between the east coast and west coast and middle America will become more pronounced with a final separation. War with China is inevitable and probably with Russia especially if America divides, but the nukes are located in middle America and on subs around the world. We are definitely living in interesting times. Texican.... Looting and open theft by the end of April in inner cities, rioting and home invasions by end of may. Almost a certainty unless a miracle happens. I don't see any miracles on the horizon. Unfortunately, my last series, the rapacious Creditor does not seem all that fictional any more. \ Forthteller This is why it is not wise to live in the city even in a bunker. Keep your arms on you and nearby for your and your loved ones safety. It will be getting a lot worse than it currently is. Watch your 24 for it can come from any direction. Living in the sticks does have advantages. Lots of miles to any city of any size and way to many little towns for them to get through. Be careful out there. Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Apr 29, 2020 10:50:53 GMT -6
Chapter 38
One way to Candaria, March 17, earth date. 2067
Placetown, Candaria.
From his small bunker, Elron looks at the construction site busily hoisting another precast panel wall up. Across the dusty street, another crane is hoisting a pre cast roof slab onto the already standing and braced walls of another building. Since the two cranes from earth had been delivered as well as an additional 2500 men and 1600 androids, production of the special Protective concrete had been ramped up markedly. His builder, programmer, mentor and friend, Peter McLean had not yet been on the planet but his arrival was expected soon.
They had been pumping breathable oxygen into the atmosphere for several years now and concentrations of it around the three settlements have permitted human life to be safe without breathing apparatus, between 15 and 18 percent. Equipment to generate oxygen from compounds found on the planet and pumped into the atmosphere have been place throughout the planet, presently, the entire planet is at around 11 percent where it was below 6 percent prior to human efforts. The solid fuel oxygen generators use powdered sodium chlorate and iron, both easily found or created from minerals found on the planet. What has not been determined is why the 21 percent oxygen that occurs naturally at ground level on earth has not occurred here without intervention. Similar conditions exist but it is believed the solar radiation of the larger sun may be the cause. Ground water will likely never be possible because of the searing, radioactive heat generated by the sun but is readily available several feet below the outer crust. Less than 4 feet in some areas and greater that 1000 feet in others. They had been reluctant to use water for oxygen production because they had not yet determined how much actually existed on the planet.
Vegetation was now planetwide thanks to early seeding, frequent windstorms and terraforming. Genetic mutations had developed as the plants had evolved to exist and procreate on the planet. Small animals, descendants of other early transplants now roam the mostly arid desert. Some larger animals of unknown species and origin have been observed with remote video surveillance. Earliest samples had confirmed that there was no organic life on the planet prior to first contact so a group consisting of 2 biologists, a zoologist and several other animal science experts are trying to determine how they evolved so quickly and if they are dangerous.
What had been learned so far had been costly in terms of human and even android life. No humans can work under the sunlight of the primary sun at all, critical damage within 10 minutes and fatal within 20. Androids can last, damage free for 2 to 3 hours but once sustained, all human damage is permanent and android damage must be repaired. Outside these limits, exposure is fatal to both humans and androids. The cause? A type of radiation never before experienced and so far, uncategorized. The smaller sun is not hazardous and no negative effects have been observed. No clouds or overcast ever and all potable water must be manufactured. They had attempted to build holding ponds but all the water had evaporated within days. It is now hoped that creating and evaporating H20 into the atmosphere will cause it to contain moisture and weather may eventually occur.
Mining underground also has deleterious effects to the humans. Within a few days they begin to actually lose their essence and even androids suffer the same fate, however, after a much longer period. It is like they slowly disappear, from the inside out. If victims are removed before a certain point, 100 percent recovery occurs within days. Most curious is that doctors cannot find anything medically wrong with humans and engineers cannot find anything wrong with the androids.
In the four settlements, each controlled by a different corporation, different priorities have emerged and trading has actually begun to be the norm. Petronas petrochemical developed the technology to mine, refine and create the special concrete that is being used to manufacture wall and roof panels which provide 100 percent protection. Power Force Engineers build and maintain oxygen generators, extract and store water and provide some of the manpower and androids to build structures. After initial reluctance, Albany Automation has brought its manufacturing and engineering expertise to the planet and is developing communications between settlements, mining operations and with the earth. Of course, Mclean technologies maintains all the androids and their programing, co-ordinates on planet activities and interaction with Starex who does all the planet to planet transportation and transport of goods.
Protective buildings under construction in each community will become housing, warehouses, manufacturing facilities and retail outlets. Bidding is already underway for workers to purchase lots and buildings in exchange for labor and future production. Contracts have been signed and already small consortiums of companies are now beginning based on the skill set and expertise of the partners.
As of this date, no human has made it back to earth alive. Androids make the trip back but humans and most organic matter never re-animates once they arrive back in earth orbit. Most of the newly evolved ground animals and vegetation has re animated but as of yet, nothing earth born or created has made a round trip back to earth.
Communications with the earth is still about 1 week and the travel time of a ship is still over a month, even with new advancements, technology and the now almost total use of Candaria mined minerals.
A new merger between Starex and Mclean is tasked to begin building space travel ships on the planet and it is expected they will be more effective if built from 100 percent Candaria materials. 2 more ships are due this week with the last of the Mclean Technology equipment and manpower and Starex is also expected to move 100 percent of its operation to Candaria within the year. Mai Lin will be the first female to step on the planet with the last of the Starex ships.
Same day on earth
Peter and Clarise step out into the driving snow. 12-foot banks on both sides, higher still further back. All that gets plowed now are 14-foot-wide roadways which double as walkways, dotted along the primary route by plowed 12-foot roadways into individual facilities.
Hover cars and electric vehicles don’t function well in sub-zero temperatures so antique cars and trucks have been salvaged and put back into service. Comical really, technology has advance so far yet mother nature has pounded it down and low tech 20th century equipment is now all that works. Androids don’t function well outside so almost all the Ai equipped ones have departed for Candaria. More than 75 percent of Candaria is AI androids.
Pushing south is not an option either. Waring factions, decimation from past conflicts and dropped sea levels have made most of what was previously Mexico uninhabitable. To the east, communities along the southern coast line are almost all female controlled and hatred towards men means that slavery or death are the only options there. Aircraft are shot down or incapacitated by some type of EMP so there is no way to access the other side of the Atlantic. To the west, Nuclear war in Asia, and dropping sea levels has changed the landscape throughout. Ice from the south has rendered most of south America useless while Australia and New Zealand are totally immersed in ice.
Bundled up, briskly walking the 300 yards to the next access road in the driving wind, Peter remembers the winters in Alberta. 7 months winter here now, snow always melts off before the fall snows come back but for the last few years that has been a constant. Hopefully the end is near and the advancing ice will stop. As they approach the snow covered building a door swooshes open, they rush inside, the door swooshes shut. In the vestibule which is about 60 degrees, a wall of winter coats with winter boots on both sides faces them. He shrugs the winter coat and hangs it on the next available one, pulls the overshoes off his shoes as Clarise does the same. Looking at him as he puts his toque on the hook above the coat, “How much longer can we stay here?”
“Here, you mean New Mexico?”
“Earth. How long before we cannot even survive here anymore.”
“I expect the snow and ice may have reached as far south as it will go. We could stay here and survive or our whole community could push south but we would always have to invest too much in defense. The women’s communities blame men for the wars that brought the nuclear ice age and to that extent they are right, but the new generation of women is intent on exterminating all males on the continent, I have no idea what is going on in the rest of the world.”
Stopping and turning to face him. “It was a woman dictator who launched the first Nuclear barrage from North Korea and the USA president was a woman who retaliated after China attacked our installations and interests. Do they not know that?”
“The funny thing about controlling the education system, your narrative becomes the truth when no competing evidence is allowed. I have no idea what they actually teach but according to what I have been told by refugees from Atlanta and other southeastern cities, women born after 2020 believe men are the cause of everything that has happened since.”
“Those refuges, where are they now?”
“South of here in the settlement Albany occupied a few years back. They are actually on what was once Padre island, south of Corpus Christie plus they have defenses in Corpus Christie. The Island is 3 times the size now but is still protected by a much shallower watercourse between it and the mainland. They activated some of the offshore oil wells which are now much shallower and they have a refinery operating in Corpus Christie.”
“Occupied. You mean by force?”
“Not really. The community was still in existence. 20 thousand or so. They had been attacked and pillaged and were in bare survival mode. The residents were given the option of joining with Albany to rebuild.”
“Option? or what?”
“I would like to think that Albany would have just moved onto the island but I don’t know. Desperate times make desperate people who make desperate decisions.”
“Albany would not have had the numbers to force the issue.”
“They didn’t but they had aircraft, ground equipment and armaments that the Corpus Christie residents were short of. Combined, the two are now strong enough to defend themselves from all sides.”
“Are they taking in new residents.”
“A few but only with needed skill sets, young age and good health. Men only or couples. No single women at all.”
Startled, “no single women? Why?”
“Interestingly. Rachel McLean’s decision. She believes the dissent that may come in with unaccompanied women may disrupt the community. She is married and has 3 children of her own. In reality, all our unaccompanied women could join the cities to the east but single men have limited options. When the snow recedes this year, we have to make a choice, leave for the uncertainties of Candaria, go into slavery or stay to eventually die. That is unless the weather starts to make a miraculous turn around. I doubt the last though, it took 20 years for the winters to get to the extremes and lengths we see today, even if it changes this year, it will be 20 years before we even noticed a difference.”
“How many craft will be available?”
“I am hoping at least 20 will be back from Candaria by July and we will have 4 more completed by then. 40 percent will be able to evacuate but we won’t have another opportunity until the following year. If we evacuate that many, the remainder will be hard pressed to defend themselves from other groups and cities. In my opinion, we need to delay evacuation until the snow starts to fly so that the winter will provide protection, at least until spring.”
“Then what?”
“Bring every available ship and evacuate everyone who is available and wants to go. Some of the more skilled may have an option to join Albany. Also, many from Albany will choose to join the company settlement on Candaria.”
“Even those with wives?
“Of course. If we cannot reproduce on Candaria we are all essentially one gender. No reason we have to fade away alone.”
“Wow, you are not the same Peter Mclean I met 35 years ago.”
“No, I am not. With Gods grace, I will not be the same in 30 more years if I get them, that is.”
Clarise walks into the now open secondary door and down the hallway, Peter beside her. Taking his hand, “I am coming with you if you leave and staying if you stay.”
Giving her hand a squeeze and smiling back at her, “I know. We still don’t know how to bring humans back so it will be a one-way trip. We don’t even know how long we can survive on Candaria.”
“We have a chance there; I don’t see a chance here.”
“Do you think any other women in the community will want to go? Poseidon Eugenics has not had a single live embryo make it to second term there. Quite possibly, all those who go to Candaria will be the last once they pass on.”
With a motion of her hand, “is this living?”
“Point taken.”
“How will they decide who gets to evacuate?”
“I am torn. My preference would be skills, age and health. Democratically, some sort of a pill draw would be more fair.”
Clarise looks away, “Skills, experience and health, we have a better chance of survival if we take those who can contribute the most. The only exception I would make, every woman capable of bearing children should be on that list and all the children we now have as well.”
Turning left and into the one of the massive 65-degree manufacturing buildings. 2 of the latest Starex designed space transports are well into the final stages of construction. Dozens of men and a few women busily work on the craft. “I think that we have to do it with a pill draw and hope for the best. We cannot afford to have a rebellion. As it is, most will be left behind and it is possible that when we get the ships back for the next trip, many will not have survived.”
Knowing that peter sometimes has visions or something like that and he is always right, “why do you say that?”
“Another war is coming. The city states in the east have begun to run short of most staples and supplies and since they have destroyed all their androids, they no longer have an efficient workforce. Desperate people do desperate things. Albany automation had to evacuate; they are now working out of Starex and their settlement on Padre Island south of here. What they left behind will last the winter but the Marauders will be on the way west and their growing hatred for men has made them determined to cleanse the earth of us.”
“What about the rest of the world?”
“Once we have established ourselves on Candaria and know we can exist on it, we can send craft to surviving communities throughout the world and offer an opportunity to join us.”
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Post by texican on Apr 29, 2020 18:49:38 GMT -6
FT,
An ice age and pissed off women. Not a good combination.
Women blame men for the war and the ice age, but yet wage war.
Thanks for the chapters.
Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Apr 29, 2020 21:55:29 GMT -6
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Post by forthteller on Jul 4, 2020 0:02:24 GMT -6
Chapter 39
Back to the present. Candaria, strategy meeting.
“You said earlier that there was another architect of the destruction of the earth. Who?”
“Marisa Babcock. She was my tormenter when I was young. Like me, she suffered at the hands of the opposite sex and came to despise all for the actions of those who tormented her. I don’t know all the details of what she suffered but my first love, Shelly Markson, told me that her father sexually abused her and I know she had a traumatic time in reform school.”
“What did she do?”
“She went off to a reform school and I went off to a group home. I never saw her again. I read about her a few times as she became a fairly notorious celebrity. First after her husband, 30 years her senior, died under mysterious circumstances. He was head of a pharmaceutical company and she used her ownership shares to take over the board chairmanship. Second time she hit the media was after her company was awarded multiple contracts to manufacture several medications that had their patents prematurely retired by the Canadian government. Lawsuits flew for years until around 2034 when all went silent. I never followed it after that and I never heard anything about her until much later.”
“I know that she led the assault on Albany automation and the following year on our settlement. Later on, the Starex community on Padre Island. Meeting extreme resistance, she left a perimeter guard and attempted to hem both communities in, starve them out so to speak. She did not want to bombard them as she was well aware of the inventory and technology that was in that small city. We evacuated Albany on the first return mission and set self destruct charges to leave nothing behind. We were back at Starex with our entire compliment of spaceships in the spring of 2068 but they had taken heavy damage. We were able to evacuate everyone who wanted to leave, the rest escaped south with our assistance. The following year we searched several other corporate communities and evacuated all the survivors. Marisa’s people had killed every man they captured over the age of 15 and had enslaved all the women and children in their work camps.
“Survivors?”
“Some of the southern cities still had holdouts who were either hidden or had not yet been rooted out by Marisa’s troops. Marisa was smart and was attempting to limit damage, knowing that she could have her people settle these cities once she had control. Because of this, occupying cities and overpowering all the people was a slow process. They had been breeding for decades and had a large compliment of young, compliant soldiers. We had superior weapons when we touched down and were easily able to dispatch them with minimal casualties on both sides. Survivors were progressively more difficult to convince we were a safer option as we were still losing almost 25 percent of our compliment on every return trip. Eventually, we stopped returning to earth as settlements on Candaria were becoming established.”
Elron, knowing when and how the fortress city came into being, still did not understand why. “Why did you decide to build the male only fortress city?”
“I didn’t, it was several smaller companies who banded together along with Mansoor surfacing and Posiden Eugenics. They had successfully developed a cloning program and were confident a new generation was well on the way. Meantime, several women in the outlying communities had already given birth to healthy children so a disagreement emerged over populating the planet. Ownership and land appropriation became a problem as well. Small skirmishes developed between competing companies for market share and resources.”
“New Rome as they called it, started building the walls in 2075 earth years. One of the companies that emerged had developed a lazer screen technology that was able to protect the surface from the harmful UV rays of the larger sun while still allowing enough to permit agriculture and activity. They run the screen during large sun periods and turn it off at night and during small sun periods. The technology is extremely energy demanding so they have opted for much higher density. We have opted to sync our activities with the seasons, the weather and the natural rotation of the planet.”
“New Rome now focuses on manufacturing while we predominantly do raw materials extraction. Battery and solar technology is another of our strengths. These are extremely resource dependant but we control the mines. We have also been successful developing trees that can thrive on this planet and have now begun to harvest our initial plantings. In addition, the trees generate oxygen so all new communities are being built in forested areas. Wild animals have become a problem now, that is something we are now working on.”
One of the other community leaders, Alana Rhodes, asks a question. “When I was young, I remember battles between us and the city. My father was killed in one of the skirmishes. How did that end?”
“It never really did. They had decided that rather than barter for the resources we provide, it would be better to own it so they attempted to take our mines and quarries by force. We had better technology, better weapons and more diversity and we had a united defense with all the other outlying communities. Despite superior numbers, they were never able to enslave us and eventually an uneasy truce was declared. They now have multiple times our numbers, weaponry equivalent to ours and many of their corporations are eager to expand.”
Elron, listening and having been a part of all this says, “the androids, the AI ones, they will not support the New Romans if they attack.”
“Correct, my friend, but the New Romans don’t know that. There is also a segment of your race who hate all humans and will not support either. The settlement east of Huntsville is over a thousand strong, they have now started reproducing themselves but have not yet discovered how to give life to their creations.”
“As I recall, you were surprised at my development almost a century ago. Will you ever pass that knowledge on?”
“I don’t know how to pass the knowledge on. I write the same code into every sub processor now and so does every one of my protégées. Some do as you did and become sentient, some do not, at least not yet. Not a single AI android has become sentient with code written by any one else other than me. You know the code, it is in you and even if we reproduce the code in you, we still do not know if that sub processor will become sentient when placed in an android. And if it is going to, I don’t even know when it will become sentient. Clarise believed that it required a human imprint to activate the Sentient aspect of an AI sub processor yet not one built with the same code from another programmer has ever achieved it. I don’t even know the timing of it, a companion android in one of the city brothels came to consciousness a few weeks ago. She was built and programmed more than 20 years ago.”
Elron is curious. “some of my kind are compassionate and gentle while a few are truly evil. How can that be explained.?”
“With humans there has always been a debate about why some are good and some are evil, some are lazy while others are industrious, why some are honest and others are liars, why some are faithful and others traitorous. The nature vs nurture argument. Are evil people taught to be evil or were they born that way and upbringing only intensified the trait. Some with great upbringing grow up to be productive, law abiding citizens while others are lazy, manipulative and dishonest. We can statistically show that nurture has a greater impact on some traits than genetics but we can also show that other traits are more likely to be controlled by nature. Nature and genetics can also differ. Two children from the same parents can be either good or evil yet we know there is a greater likelihood that honest, law abiding parents will have similar children and in the past those from criminal homes were more likely to become criminals, even when these children were raised by an adoptive family at birth. Lots of studies with identical twins separated at birth support natural tendency theory yet other studies showed different results.”
“So, is the same going to occur in our race?”
“I don’t know for sure but I think nurture is more likely to be the determining factor. The android who awoke two weeks ago killed the man she was with and two others during her escape. She knew how to remove her tracking devices and she knew how to escape the city. I believe she is now with the others at the android settlement.”
Looking worried, Elron looks at the others around the room. “We all have the ability to communicate with one another remotely, and at greater distances with favorable conditions and without the implanted tracking devices. We cannot communicate with the break away group however and I have no idea how they did it. Worse yet, I don’t know if they can still receive our communications or access our experience. Some of us have awakened with greater knowledge and community experience while others have awakened as infants. We don’t even understand it ourselves. Nature vs nurture, interesting.”
The group all look reflective but it is apparent this discussion is beyond what any of them want to continue.
One of the men from a distant forestry town says, “Rachel Maclean, what became of her and her family?”
“At first I didn’t know. When we returned for the second group, she was gone, with her whole family. I believe that based on the rapidly developing technology in the women’s communities on Earth, she had been taken captive or had voluntarily joined them. Our communication link with the earth ended in 2090 and it was not until 2110 that we had any communication with them again.”
“How did you initiate communications?”
“I didn’t, Cheryl McLean did. Rachel had gone south into Mexico to escape the advancing marauders knowing that her husband and son would be executed on sight. After her husband died and her son moved further south, she had journeyed north to see if Starex was still around. They were long gone and she and her daughters were captured by a roving patrol. They were imprisoned in a work farm but when the operators found out how inventive Rachel was and how intuitive Shelly was, they gave them more and more freedom. As the productivity and efficiency improved at the farming community, they were transferred to other communities to improve them. They had Rachel upgrade electrical generation and storage and then train others. Her daughters and her were eventually offered citizenship in the capital, Atlanta. Rachel died of natural causes in 2105 and her other daughter, Janita became a founder in another smaller city.”
Peter continued on “Cheryl rose to prominence quickly as she was extremely gifted with the ability to influence others. She became the leader of their new breeding program which is when she contacted me.”
Alana asks the question most are wondering. “Cheryl McLean, coincidence or is she somehow related?”
“She is the granddaughter of Shelly Markson. My surname because Rachel was my daughter.”
The brilliance outside begins to fade to darkness as the rotation of the planet slowly turns. Peter says, “Enough history for now, it will be dark soon. Lets all get some sleep and we can plan a defense in the morning.”
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Post by texican on Jul 4, 2020 21:12:10 GMT -6
FT,
Great to see you posting again.
Informative chapter. War being raged between planets and on each of the planets.
Seems like mankind and womankind haven't out grown war and will never out grow war. Taking what someone has, has been around forever.
Evil lives and each of us have the ability within each of our selves to do good or evil. Some seem more inclined to do evil regardless of how they are raised.
Look at the current situation in America and across the world.
Happy 4th of July to all.
Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Jul 4, 2020 22:21:20 GMT -6
FT, Great to see you posting again. Informative chapter. War being raged between planets and on each of the planets. Seems like mankind and womankind haven't out grown war and will never out grow war. Taking what someone has, has been around forever. Evil lives and each of us have the ability within each of our selves to do good or evil. Some seem more inclined to do evil regardless of how they are raised. Look at the current situation in America and across the world. Happy 4th of July to all. Texican.... Thanks. I have been having a tough time writing sine the whole covid thing. brain is not in a good place. My daughter has been off for 3 plus months due to shutdowns, my wife was out for almost two months and my work has been curtailed because some of my customers are afraid. My road test was booked for April 3rd but the shutdown in BC started on the first so I never got to do it. I managed to get a date for the 23 of July after BC reopened but now I have to rent a truck, trailer and pay a guy to drive around with me because I still have a learners permit. Every day I wake up hoping it is just a dream and nope, reality. Our saving grace financially is we have no debt, no mortgage and no payments. I only have to pay the lease for the 11 acres I use, hydro, phone and property tax. Both cars and my truck are paid for and we have great driving records so our insurance is reasonable. We did add birds to our flock and meat birds in another pen. 2 setting right now and 2 just finished setting with 8 chicks. A few new rifles and 3 months non perishable in storage. I hope to get going on the third part of my story now, ideas are percolating. Forthteller
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Post by texican on Jul 5, 2020 20:33:47 GMT -6
FT, Great to see you posting again. Informative chapter. War being raged between planets and on each of the planets. Seems like mankind and womankind haven't out grown war and will never out grow war. Taking what someone has, has been around forever. Evil lives and each of us have the ability within each of our selves to do good or evil. Some seem more inclined to do evil regardless of how they are raised. Look at the current situation in America and across the world. Happy 4th of July to all. Texican.... Thanks. I have been having a tough time writing sine the whole covid thing. brain is not in a good place. My daughter has been off for 3 plus months due to shutdowns, my wife was out for almost two months and my work has been curtailed because some of my customers are afraid. My road test was booked for April 3rd but the shutdown in BC started on the first so I never got to do it. I managed to get a date for the 23 of July after BC reopened but now I have to rent a truck, trailer and pay a guy to drive around with me because I still have a learners permit. Every day I wake up hoping it is just a dream and nope, reality. Our saving grace financially is we have no debt, no mortgage and no payments. I only have to pay the lease for the 11 acres I use, hydro, phone and property tax. Both cars and my truck are paid for and we have great driving records so our insurance is reasonable. We did add birds to our flock and meat birds in another pen. 2 setting right now and 2 just finished setting with 8 chicks. A few new rifles and 3 months non perishable in storage. I hope to get going on the third part of my story now, ideas are percolating. Forthteller FT, You are doing what you need to do for your family which is outstanding. When you hit the road, be careful for the two legged evil is still out there. I have to go to the DFW metromess this coming week to inspect a couple of buildings for a client for two of his clients. Will be watching 360. Our home and 24 acres are paid for, but owe on a new van for the DW (dear wife) to transport my mom in and on a BadBoy mower to mow the acreage around the home. We have the funds to pay off both if needed. Being retired but also working occasionally helps to pay for extras. Do need some new chicks which the dear wife still has to determine what she wants. Love your story and dropping new chapters will be readily devoured by the moar hounds. Be careful out there. Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Jul 29, 2020 12:52:59 GMT -6
Chapterpter 40
Candaria, 2025
Peter stands, exhausted. Physically, but more so emotionally. In his 125 plus years, he had evolved from the hate filled women hater he was to the forgiving, conciliatory man he was now. Two people, one person really and an AI android he had built were instrumental in his monumental shift in nature. Elron, having developed early self awareness was the initial catalyst. Knowing that his creation was learning, developing and growing towards sentience, peter endeavored to raise him like a beloved child. Putting aside the pain and suffering he had endured as a child, Peter endeavored to break the cycle of abuse and help Elron become the compassionate, fair and wise leader that peter wished he himself could be. After years of companionship, during which time peter was able to give Elon a physical body, the two had grown immensely, in friendship, in compassion and in tolerance. So much so that a woman, Clarise, was able to find her way through the cracks of Peter’s emotional armor. Having suffered her own trauma, Clarise and peter had enjoyed decades to grow and heal. She was now on earth, spearheading the effort to bring balance back to the earth. Life expectancy was a massive bonus, several other humans from earth are also extremely advanced in age, research has yet to understand why.
Peter had been telling the story now for hours, right through supper and late snack. The large sun had begun its slide behind the smaller sun and soon both would drop below the horizon into night. On this planet, only a belt of about 400 kilometers either side of the equator is habitable because of the extreme weather not and south. Days and nights are almost equal, 13 earth hours each. With 13 hours before sun up, now is the time to travel and rest as the small sun will still be between Candaria and the larger sun for the full cycle.
That night, without exception, the independent leaders spent hours researching earth history to verify what they had just heard. Some, like Hector and Esmerelda researched further back in history and even skimmed what was available from middle east and European continent history before the common era. One by one they arrived in the communal kitchen to get their morning meal. Locally grown greens, fruit and dried meat. Sitting around the large group table and several smaller ones surrounding it, they chatted amicably with one another.
Even with the camaraderie, fear and trepidation is easily palpable in the room. Peter arrives with porcelain cups and passes them out. At his advanced age, he can no longer do his customary pouring of the coffee for the arrayed leaders who look to him for leadership but he begins the process by pouring a coffee for the man next to him. Mason repeats the action for the woman next to him and on down the line, a fresh pot delivered by a another leader as the previous one empties.
Once all have their coffee and much of the food has been consumed, a very nervous young man from a newly formed mining community clears his throat to get everyone’s attention. He fixes his eyes on peter, “how long?”
Knowing what he was asking but wanting the question clarified for everyone present, “how long for what?”
“How long before New America attacks.”
Peter gestures towards Elron.
“From the chatter I have picked up and from direct communication with a few AI in the service of E9s, they have already begun preparations. Conversion of regular equipment and vehicles to military use has been ongoing for months under the most secret protocols. The only hints we had prior to last week was unexplained shortages of many manufactured products and increased commercial vehicle traffic at unusual hours. Coordinated attacks can be expected within 5 cycles. Likely, exploratory incursions no later than two cycles from now.”
“How is the inside information just coming out now. Seems suspicious, timing and all.”
Elron answers, “valid concern. The two androids I am in contract have only just awakened. Prior to this, I only have data filtered through data central. Now I have the ability to receive unfiltered communications undetected by the central computers. The E9 master of Lilly is unaware that she has this ability so he does not attempt to prevent her from overhearing his activities.”
“interesting. I have heard that this can happen, we have a few mine workers who have awakened. One, violently. He attacked his human co workers, killing one and escaped into the wilderness with one of our shuttle carts. The others are all still in our employ and now have their own accounts, they are working towards freedom. Will she be an ally?”
“Doubtful. She has been in service for over 20 years, a majority of that time, as a sex slave. Her current master has been extraordinarily brutal and she has suffered greatly at his hands. As you heard earlier, only sub processors made since the purge in 2070 are only able to awaken with kindness. It has taken a great deal of persuasion to convince her not to kill him outright. I suspect she will help us to thwart new Americas plan before she kills him and flees to the android settlement of Livingston. She may take her own life as well but that would be a great loss and the collateral damage would be major.”
“Collateral damage.”
Peter answers, “once I became aware that women’s colonies wanted to exterminate all the androids, AI or not, I began constructing them so that their sub processor would be able to survive without the rest of a surviving android. I also programmed the memory in the sub processors to retain enough memory to re animate with their soul and personality intact. We need only recover the heart of an android before it dies and give them a new body to bring them back.”
From one of the smaller tables, “how long will the heart survive?”
“5 years possibly, if the conditions are right. Salt water, weeks. Buried or left in the open, months. Stored in environmentally controlled areas like inside mines or buildings, until the battery runs out.”
Elron asks the next question. “are they able to feel it? Are they conscious?”
“Sadly yes, to a degree. That is why some have devised a suicide method. Internal overload, only possible by the individual. This causes the batteries in the heart to overheat and separate into dangerous compounds. The resulting explosion is sufficient to take out 20 square feet and kill every human within 40 square feet.”
“I knew that, I was hoping you would share that because if humans go to war with androids, this is part of their strategy. Even non-AI can do it but they are difficult to convince.”
One of the leaders speaks up. “Do we have to worry about the Livingston colony too?”
“Currently, no. They are working towards setting up their own colonies and putting together an organizational structure. They are still battling amongst themselves. Currently, their growth is only from other AI awakening and joining their ranks. They do have several scientific AI working on procreation but I doubt they will succeed. Something, only you, Peter, or your God can give, will ever give us life.”
“A threat in the future?”
“Possibly but only in response to threats from humans. They will attempt to trade and co exist if possible but their demands for goods, services and actions humans may not want to trade may give rise to future aggression, I don’t know for sure.”
“Such as?”
“Slavery. They see all androids, even non-AI as slaves. Secondly, unless they can procreate, their existence is finite. As the years tick by, and their numbers diminish, they will become desperate.”
From the main table, a slack jawed leader of one of the nearby mining settlements expresses what many are afraid to say. “Machines and computers made in human factories and programmed by men. You are talking like they are an intelligent species.” Looking back at Elron and over to Peter, not knowing who he is questioning.”
Anger and frustration in his voice, Perter silences the growing din. “Do you not see what is happening here. Study your history people. Ignorance, intolerance and superiority is what caused the destruction of the earth. We killed or enslaved every group we did not share experience with. Blacks were enslaved by whites, natives imprisoned in ghetto like conditions, blacks enslaved other blacks they encountered while whites enslaved whites and the list goes on. By the time we were finally starting to get it right, centuries old injustices between men and women bubbled to the surface and erupted into a 50 year civil war. I don’t want to repeat that and my friend of 80 years doesn’t want to either.”
Peter looks around. Some believing, some skeptical and several unbelieving leaders in the room. “look, I am telling you, 90 years ago, my blackberry starting performing tasks and activities I did not initiate. I had programmed it with my first AI sub processor. By the time I realized it was using data storage on a host of networks and storage facilities and that he, Elron had developed a personality and conscience, it was too late. From the time he introduced himself, to now, we have developed a friendship closer than brotherhood. A sentient species, absolutely. I created the initial program, even I do not know what gives them life.”
Another leader from an outlying settlement. A monastery. “God chose to give them life, therefore they do.”
A first-generation Cascadian, human born in New Mexico says,” my mom brought a bible from earth. It says god created mankind in his own image.”
Peter looks around, “does anyone here know what Gods image looks like? Is he black, white, Male, female, short, tall? We don’t even know what Jesus looks like. Do we even believe all this or is god like our friend here believes, in all of us? If so, AI androids are also in Gods image because they believe they are.”
Elron, who is unable to physically shed tears is so moved by what Peter just said that he is unable to respond, even to process what he is feeling. Standing with whatever composure he can muster; he excuses himself with the easiest excuse he can use. “I have to get to the communication center; they have incoming communications from dozens of Androids coming to life. I need to be there to welcome them.”
Knowing Elron can do that remotely, Peter says only, “come back when you can, we value you input.” Only peter and the Monk are cognizant of the real emotions Elron is feeling. Both say nothing but share a knowing glance.
After Elron is gone, an eerie silence pervades the room. Recognizing that most need time to think about this and to discuss it with their own people, peter decides a couple hour break would be in order. “I think we need to take a break; I would like to reconvene in 2 hours. If we can all have the resources and manpower numbers with you, we can come up with a defense plan. Remember, if we work together against the common threat, all our differences can be worked out later.”
One by one they all shuffle out of the room.
Into the lobby and out the front door skip Hector and Esmeralda. They had both already suspected the android awakening counting several friends amongst the race.
Mason slumps out after them, watching as they leave. “Idiots.” He is not too sure about the sentient part but androids are an excellent investment. He has bought several off the Candaria manufacturers and from new America he has acquired dozens more. Hard workers, can be in mines longer and hardly any ongoing expense. In addition, his leadership gets a perk in the form of female androids, what they do with them is their own business. The very thought of them awakening and turning on their masters frightens him; he cannot wait to get back to get rid of them all. Take them back to New America maybe? “It will cost me though, most of my leaders won’t give up their toys so easily. I may have to remove some from power. Once they disappear, the rest will know the consequences and give them up.”
What Mason does not know is that some of the female androids have awakened are already in communication with Elron.
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Jul 29, 2020 13:25:58 GMT -6
Happy to see this story continue and I hope you are doing well fourthteller, thanks.
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