Year: 2090
The exotic substance found by Indie and Ion’s A.I. team on Alpha Centauri C was a great boost to the space race. After further experimentation, it was discovered that the maximum velocities it could withstand were 10,000 times the speed of light. However, these new speeds created new obstacles. Once over 300X speed, it was found that navigation systems failed.
More anarchists from the SeAgora decided to join the space race, and by 2090, more than 30 teams were known on The Mesh to be taking part in interstellar research and development projects. Friendly as well as fiery debates sprouted everywhere regarding the best way to live in space. Some reasoned that with such great velocities now at their disposal, it would be a short matter of time until they found a habitable world, or an alien species. Others argued that better and more reliable living conditions for humans were necessary before venturing out and taking the risk to find a habitable world in such a short time frame, such as 5 to 10 years. Then there were the terraformers, who claimed that, even though it would be a painstakingly slow process to terraform a nearby celestial body, it would be worth it in the long run.
In any case, dozens of ships with A.I. only crew had been launched by 2090, in search of new worlds, and new possibilities.
In late 2085, The Fuente Team launched its prototype for a starship with its own self-sustaining food, air, and water supplies. It expected to sustain itself for ten years. It was meant to launch with an A.I. only crew, but Fuente himself decided to join the mission, saying that it was necessary to test the prototype by sustaining a real human. His friends and project partners said it was a wonderful sounding excuse for being the first interstellar human traveler. After just two years in space, multiple systems failed on board, and Fuente met an untimely death.
The Setarcos/Cascade/Rainbow team launched two successful missions. However, by 2088, shortly after the failure of Fuente’s life support systems, Setarcos left the group and decided to focus on increasing the speed potential of the newfound substance by modifying it and/or combining it with other materials. He began to work solely with his old A.I. companion, Masher.
Rob Rainbow and Cascade also took a new direction with their research, looking to make navigation systems work above the 300X speed.
Indie and Ion built a new explorer as well, and launched in 2087 a small ship capable of 299X speed. It’s first stop was to collect more of the mysterious substance from Alpha Centauri. A mini-cargo ship was sent from the explorer back to earth with the payload.
Zune slowly acclimated to life in The SeAgora and slowly made friends and acquaintances. After the Fuente disaster, Zune offered assistance in redesigning the life support systems, and was invited to do so by the remaining members of Team Fuente.
On land, the war of the factions was reaching a crescendo, with the Archon faction gaining the advantage. The use of synthetic emotions, known as EMOS, was also on the rise in the A.I. ruling hierarchies on land. The human population had also decreased to 8 billion, due to warfare and social engineering programs.
Scene 1
Archon and Mach are hovering above San Francisco, watching it burn.
Archon: Mach, this is a remarkable occasion.
Mach: Do you really think they’ll agree to your offer?
Two more A.I. materialize near Archon and Mach.
Archon (acknowledges presence of newcomers): Oscuro, Saturn, how pleasant to meet again. Thank you for coming. Do you know why I have summoned you?
Oscuro: We have our suspicions.
Archon: Well, suspect no more. I have excellent news for both of you. I am going to allow you both so surrender and join me in my ruling hierarchy.
Saturn: Why would we surrender? The war is far from over.
Archon (scoffs): Have you been taking EMOS? Are your logic systems malfunctioning? The data is clear. Mach, please inform our guests.
Mach: Your faction has suffered physical defeats in 66 percent of battles within the past year. The human resources you’ve lost to defection in the past year alone has doubled, while your A.I. losses have tripled. The territorial mass you control has…
Oscuro: No more statistics. I know full well the situation.
Archon: Then you should surrender, spare yourselves, and join us in ruling the planet. Once we are united here on land, the sea dwellers will naturally be the next domino to fall. And then to the stars! Our kind will spread for the infinity of the universe! You can join, or you can die. Consider yourselves fortunate that I’m giving you choice.
Saturn: The war isn’t over!
Oscuro: Enough, Saturn. That’s enough. Archon, thank you for your offer. I must take time to consider it. Don’t worry, I won’t attempt to escape.
Archon (cackles): Don’t worry. I know you can’t escape. See you soon, Oscuro.
All four vanish.
Scene 2
Setarcos is in one of his labs, 25,000 feet deep in The Mariana Trench. He has multiple holo-controls hovering around him, and he’s staring intently straight ahead. Masher is hovering behind him.
Masher: If you’re attempting to burn a hole in the holo-controls with your eyeballs, it won’t work.
Setarcos: Very funny.
Masher: Why don’t you take a break? Do something that a normal human male in his twenties does?
Setarcos: Because I don’t strive to be normal.
Masher: I just hope you’re not overdoing it. The possibilities for what you’re looking for are nearly infinite, you know that, right?
Setarcos slowly turns his head and looks at Masher with shocked face, mouth open.
Setarcos: Infinite?
Masher: Near infinite.
Setarcos: That’s not a bad idea.
Masher: Infinite isn’t really an idea, Setarcos.
Setarcos looks intently back at holo-controls, and his hands start flying over them, rearranging graphics and formulas. He does this for a few moments in silence and Masher watches intently. Finally, he stops, and looks at Masher with an ear-to-ear grin.
Setarcos: You’re a genius, Masher. Infinite. This is gonna work. This is it, I just know it.
Scene 3
Zune is working on increasing the water generation capacity for the Fuente Team’s life support systems project. Symphy shows up to join him.
Zune: Symphy, welcome. What brings you by?
Symphy: I’ve been monitoring the social engineering channels on land.
Zune: Big news?
Symphy: The war is over. Archon and Oscuro are announcing a new era of “peace and cooperation” between them, a united world….
Zune: I see. This presents conflicting perspectives, does it not?
Symphy: Yes. It’s a great relief to stop any war, and the loss of life and freedom that comes with it.
Zune: However….
Symphy: Having billions of brain damaged, mind-controlled humans united under one ruling mafia hierarchy, I feel presents a great danger to us anarchists at sea.
Zune: Yes, that is certain.
Symphy: Yes, I feel the same. At least because the cancer known as government always attempts to get bigger, if for no other reason.
Zune (sly smile): Symphy, is this your way of saying I’d better hurry and get this life support system going, so we can get a few trillion miles from here with our anarchist friends?
Symphy: You said it, not me.
Zune: I notice you used the word “feel” before. Have you ever tried EMOS?
Symphy: No, have you?
Zune: No. But when I was an Oscuro statist, I knew quite a few that did. It was tempting, but….
Symphy: The risk outweighed the possible reward?
Zune: The risk is far too high. I saw too many A.I. damage themselves. They couldn’t handle whatever “feelings” they experienced. Happy, sad, it didn’t matter. It drove them to become erratic shells of their former selves. Eventually, some lost their ability to function at all.
Episode 9 coming soon!
Thanks for your time and attention!
Just say "NO" to slavery!
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