Life2.0 - An "Of Unity" Narrative (Completed)

[Macavity116]

Oh, there's a lot to take in over these two chapters. I love the narrative possibilities of Admiral Albanius trying to have Naomi removed from power through legal means, using her transgressions against the moral norms of pre-MSI Earth to back up the argument. There are so many places you could go with this idea and I am very invested right now.

Cool trivia: a few years ago, I had a story arc in one of my older Stellaris stories, The Stormbreakers, in which one of the major characters was accused of war crimes and put on trial. Considering all of the joking around Stellaris players do about the vast array of "playable atrocities" in the game, I'm always on board to see the topic at least discussed (and hopefully debated) in an AAR. I'll be watching very closely to see how this story arc goes.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Oh, there's a lot to take in over these two chapters. I love the narrative possibilities of Admiral Albanius trying to have Naomi removed from power through legal means, using her transgressions against the moral norms of pre-MSI Earth to back up the argument. There are so many places you could go with this idea and I am very invested right now.

Admiral Veres is trying to remove her, not Valerius.

Valerius Albanius is arbitrating as judge, which in Life2.0, also gives him the option to ask questions of those giving testimony. In this situation, he's now put Naomi's return to power on a newly clarified base of common understanding, or, given Naomi the perfect opportunity to resign - after everything she's gone through, but especially being impaled by a piece of metal heated to over 1500K, she honestly doesn't mind being removed.

Buri at this point however, is imagining what Leonardo Veres tastes like when eaten limb by limb; all that stops him is his knowing that Naomi doesn't want vengeance, and his respect for Gillian. Leonardo Veres is definitely not going to be turning his back on Any Xenayan any time soon just in case they start chewing on it.

Cool trivia: a few years ago, I had a story arc in one of my older Stellaris stories, The Stormbreakers, in which one of the major characters was accused of war crimes and put on trial. Considering all of the joking around Stellaris players do about the vast array of "playable atrocities" in the game, I'm always on board to see the topic at least discussed (and hopefully debated) in an AAR. I'll be watching very closely to see how this story arc goes.

You'll be particularly looking forward to when Grepp-Schnepp Rikki and Ossuhphuhr take the witness stand then. But especially Grepp; he's old enough to remember the events of The Prikki Endeavour, as he took part in them. And well, when that comes up...

 

[Macavity116]

Admiral Veres is trying to remove her, not Valerius.

Got my v's all mixed up. Gotta check the dark corners for British vigilantes wearing Guy Fawkes masks.

after everything she's gone through... she honestly doesn't mind being removed.

Makes me think of George Washington. I could see Naomi just itching for a quiet day of rest and healing.

Grepp; he's old enough to remember the events of The Prikki Endeavour, as he took part in them.

Oh, the stories that could be told here...

 

[HistoryDude]

I love Verres's reaction to finding out that Naomi is the moderate one.

I think Naomi has enough support in the colony to survive politically. Is she trying to be found guilty, though? She hasn't mentioned MSI at all.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Silent Enim Leges Inter Arma, Part 2"
22nd Qutrok, 10 (2189)
Gillian Veres​

Naomi takes the steps down as I use the lift.

I look at Valerius.

He looks back. "Gillian Jasmine Veres, née Florence, you are present as a character witness to Naomi Of Unity. How long have you known her?"

"Since she was twenty two years old, when MSI discarded her from the high society brothel and sent her to the docks. We were bought by Hortensus Dexcius together."

He looks at my husband. "And how long have you known her accuser?"

"Leonardo and I met at secondary school in the old Earth nation of England. We quickly became inseparable, and we got married at eighteen. Then as we tried to return to his parent's home country to have our honeymoon, we were stopped at the airport, and I was taken away."

"Given the duration of your separation, do you feel confident stan-" He coughs. "My apologies, sitting, as a character witness for both the accused and the accuser?"

I look at Leo. "I would have liked more time to get to know my husband again."

Valerius raises his eyebrows as me and Leo exchange paragraphs in moments, before quickly returning to a neutral face. "Have you resumed your marital relationship?"

"Yes."

He looks at Leo. "For the avoidance of doubt, are you happy to have your wife sit as a character witness to yourself?"

Leo keeps his eyes on me. "Yes."

"Very well. Gillian, how would you characterise your husband?"

I look at Leo. Allow my memories to flow. "Above all, to me he is an honest and honourable man. He can't abide wrongdoing. He is respectful, he always tips, he is careful, attentive, loving."

"Did he discuss this trial with you before it began?"

"Yes."

"How did you react?"

"I said it was a bad idea."

"How did he react?"

"He talked about the international consequences of Naomi's war crimes, how they would be seen by those in MSI and others as they considered international relations with Life2.0. He talked about the possibility of reprisals for the killing of prisoners of war."

Leo's face falls already. Valerius flashes his eyes between us, assessing. "And how did you react?"

I gulp. "I burst into laughter."

"Why?"

"We all know how MSI deals with it's prisoners." I look at Naomi. "We all know that if she gets captured, they will show her off as a prize at a triumph, then they will rape her, and they will crucify her. Naomi hopes it's in that order, as the thought of being raped after she's been killed makes her extremely uncomfortable."

"Do you believe Naomi's actions are excessive?"

"Nothing Naomi has done even constitutes equal treatment to what she received from MSI. Nothing! Do you know what Hortensus did to Naomi? He had her tied to a wall for most of the times he raped her while she was on the slave ship! And as for Gaius, he got far too quick a death for what he did to her."

Naomi's face is buried in Buri's fur. Valerius lets me have a moment to calm down. "Gillian, how would you characterise the conflict with MSI?"

"It wasn't us who took the gloves off."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Got my v's all mixed up. Gotta check the dark corners for British vigilantes wearing Guy Fawkes masks.


Makes me think of George Washington. I could see Naomi just itching for a quiet day of rest and healing.

She'll get it. Eventually.

Oh, the stories that could be told here...

Indeed; if Gillian's outbursts could be described as spilling the tea, then what's in Grepp's memories is more like blowing up an oil tanker.

I love Verres's reaction to finding out that Naomi is the moderate one.

I think Naomi has enough support in the colony to survive politically. Is she trying to be found guilty, though? She hasn't mentioned MSI at all.

Naomi is, suffice to say, not in a good place right now.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Silent Enim Leges Inter Arma, Part 3"
22nd Qutrok, 10 (2189)
Alexandra HaMaadimi​

I opt to wait for Gillian to finish leaving before I ascend, wishing her well as she goes back to her husband. This is our first time in public since Thando and I had our eyes restored, and our four eyes find each other in the crowd. I wear the bronze armour and red dress I wore the day Naomi offered me that competition to prove myself worthy of leadership; it felt appropriate. I nod to my sister-in-law.

Valerius looks at me. "Alexandra Theodora HaMaadimi, née Whyte, you are present as Imperatrix responsible for the defence of Unity. Are you familiar with the principles and laws with which Naomi is in breach?"

"Yes."

"Does this affect your perception of her leadership?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Several reasons. Firstly, the conventions are international treaties only binding on signatories to the treaties. Neither Life2.0 or MSI are signatories, ergo, they are not binding. Secondly, if MSI were signatories, their treatment of prisoners means they are in breach. The primary enforcement methodology for provisions of the treaties is not actually through legal means like this trial, but through the implied gentleman's agreement that if you mistreat our prisoners, we'll mistreat your prisoners. Legal trials generally do not occur until the victor decides to conduct them after the war is over, their own criminality minimalised. Thirdly, MSI as a Fanatic Materialist-Authoritarian regime do not actually care for their forces, with their standard operating procedures being 'you lost, so whatever happens to you is your fault'. Treating Olinbar well for the sake of trying to encourage them into better treatment of us is not going to change the fact that the best outcome any prisoners from our side can expect is to be used as Industrial Assets until they expire."

"In short, you agree with her actions?"

I nod. "Yes."

Valerius dismisses me, and my husband climbs to the podium. He is wearing the outfit he wore when we first met, and carrying a metal box across his shoulders. This box is where he keeps his most prized possessions; even I'm not allowed to see inside.

He drops his hood. "I am Thando HaMaadimi. Husband of Alexandra, brother of Naomi." He glares at Leonardo. "And this is my business."

He pours the box.

Dozens of officers' Parazoniums clatter on the floor. They belonged to Civic Harmony Officers. Military Commanders. Starship Captains. One to an Admiral. I look at Caeso, Agrippina and Valerius. Caeso is nodding respectfully. Agrippina is shocked, as is Valerius. I catch as Naomi finishes whispering in Buri's ear, and the beast bows his head.

I smile.

He stands on the blades. "How many of you could claim the same? I have fought MSI since I was twelve years old. I have a ten thousand Energy Credit price on my head, and I killed an awful lot of Olinbari to earn that bounty. Knives. Poison. Arson. Personal Transport Device bombs. Chemical weapons. Biological weapons. Nerve agents. Looted food, weapons, ammo and armour. Stole starships. Cut off heads to use retina scanners, cut off hands to use fingerprint scanners. Grabbed people with chloroform soaked cloths. Assassinated the son of a former CEO by accident with a sniper rifle that I must have killed or seriously injured fifty people to get. Some of them civilians who I took their teeth with pliers to get the information I needed out of them." He looks at Leonardo again. "One mans 'war crime' is another man's 'hey, that's a pretty useful tool'. And as someone who has busted into an MSI prison to bust out a comrade, they have no qualms about any of this either."

 

[HistoryDude]

Thando is great here.

Alexandra is massively cynical, but she's not wrong.

It looks like Naomi will be fine.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Silent Enim Leges Inter Arma, Part 4"
22nd Qutrok, 10 (2189)
Grepp-Schnepp Rikki​

"Something that I wish to clarify for the naive among you-" Resist the temptation to look at the accuser "-Is that there are no rules in war. I am Grepp-Schnepp Rikki, Starborn of the Immortal Prikkiki-Ti."

I moisturise an eyeball. The Olinbari in the crowd go very quiet now my true nature is revealed for all to know. I choose a matter of fact tone. "Those who know history will know exactly what that means. You could ask the Ix'dar, or the Glebsig, or the Chinorr, or the Hazbuzians, or the Valtinese, or the Lokken, or the Jehetma, or the Kilik, or the Maweer, or the Repucid, or the Auridan, or the Unbidden. However, there would be a slight problem - we Prikki used them as fuel for our cloning vats."

I let the words settle. "Make no mistake; unless you are willing to do whatever is necessary, you will be a footnote in history. The Olinbari of more ancient times understood this as a lesson from those who ripped them from their world, and who now knows who the Minamari were?" I look at Buri. "Do predator and prey coexist? No; either the predator slays the prey, or the prey lives and the predator starves." Then I look at Naomi. "Human philosophers have long understood this - law is silent in the presence of arms."

I look at the Kyaese. "You know this well. You did not have the strength to resist, and MSI made you livestock." I look at Naomi, Gillian and the other Scarlets. "You did not have the strength to resist, and they took what they wanted from you."

I look at Leonardo. "Tell me, if you know - where now are Cro Magnon, Denisovan and Neanderthal?"

I soften my tone. "Do not mistake this for lacking sympathy for the loser. We Prikki too have known loss. My sister was murdered after living her life in belief in the lie that there can be peace when two people want the same thing. It would be a better world if I were wrong. It would be a better world indeed if the ideals proposed were the standard under which warfare was conducted. But implementing them can only be done from a position of strength to impose your will, and right now, you are not able to impose your will."

I sigh. "The chief lesson of the Prikki is the price we have demanded for our vengeance. Time immemorial ago, we were sealed beneath a shield because of our enemy's mercy. When we broke free, we ravaged the worlds, pillaging and slaughtering wherever we went. Eventually we stabilised into a traditional state." I look around the whole crowd. "If you consider us a race of monsters that should have been destroyed instead of imprisoned, then learn from our captor's mistake."

 

[Macavity116]

"Those who know history will know exactly what that means. You could ask the Ix'dar, or the Glebsig, or the Chinorr, or the Hazbuzians, or the Valtinese, or the Lokken, or the Jehetma, or the Kilik, or the Maweer, or the Repucid, or the Auridan, or the Unbidden.

I was going to make a joke about everyone in the room having 'nam-style flashbacks to these conflicts, but then:

However, there would be a slight problem - we Prikki used them as fuel for our cloning vats."

Ah... right.

"The chief lesson of the Prikki is the price we have demanded for our vengeance. Time immemorial ago, we were sealed beneath a shield because of our enemy's mercy. When we broke free, we ravaged the worlds, pillaging and slaughtering wherever we went. Eventually we stabilised into a traditional state." I look around the whole crowd. "If you consider us a race of monsters that should have been destroyed instead of imprisoned, then learn from our captor's mistake."

And this species has a dominant place in the Galactic Community. If anyone's going to write the rules, it would be the Prikki.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Yes. It's not a joking matter... And Grepp treats it appropriately seriously by leaving the residents of Life2.0 under no illusion about the fate that happened to the fallen races.

What should be stated is that this is a Xenophile Prikki who considers Thando and Naomi to be friends, and from his perspective, this is caring for them and warning them exactly what they face out there.

I'm also using Grepp-Schnepp Rikki as a concept for characterisation of the Prikki of a future rework of The Prikki Endeavour - one of the failings of that story was that I set it in a force-spawning of all the Stellaris premade races, but in the end they may as well have been numbered. "The Spear Through The Wheels - A Prikkiki-Ti Narrative" will have this corrected, as well as having a much more coherent explanation behind the Prikki's motives.

And getting back to Life2.0, this last piece by Grepp is the last downer piece.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Dum Anima Est, Spes Esse"
22nd Qutrok, 10 (2189)
Leonardo Veres​

I get a tough crowd as I take the stand. Gillian told me I would. But after she laughed at what I originally planned to say, she told me what I should actually say.

"When I left Earth, I took one last look at the planet. At the time, I didn't think much of it - I thought I would be going back in due time. I certainly didn't realise it would be the last time I saw it whole. And stood here, listening to you all in turn, I realised that the two last descendants of Yehoshua HaMaadimi had lost sight of what he saw. Naomi, you are defined by what you fear. You fear being captured, you fear losing your children, your new world. And Thando... Is that knife collection really what your great-grandfather would have wanted? He loved the sword for that it could defend, not for the sake of killing. I've already heard one quote of Cicero used today, but Yehoshua had one he liked more; 'While there's life, there's hope.'"

I look at Naomi; Gillian says she will be easiest to win over. "Yet, in the place his children rule, there's no hope. You've given up! You've resigned yourselves to being just like the world around you. Naomi, having watched Earth burn, do you really intend to be just as bad as MSI? Death leading to death leading to death... That is not the vision of Yehoshua. The man planned to have life from Venus to out past the Sednoids, and he only started at Venus because his ideas called for taking Mercury apart to build the light-harvesting equipment that would beam power to every chunk of rock and ice in the Sol system. He wanted a Mars turned from a god of war into the biggest arable farm in all the worlds, where fruit trees hundreds of metres tall in the low gravity declared what he truly meant when he talked of walking Red Mars, because he wanted a legacy of leaving the barren world green from pole to pole! He dreamed of Jupiter encased in a supra-mundane shell that housed three hundred times the area of Earth. He had visions of cities floating in the skies of Saturn, of Luna as a ecumenopolis orbiting an Earth left as a beautiful paradise world, the template of what he would have his children spread across the stars. He planned to house a million times the population Earth had at it's peak in the Sol system. And yet, you settle for making Life2.0 more of the poison it should draw out?"

She can't bear to maintain eye contact any more, as tears stream her face. I turn to her brother. "Where is love, Thando?"

The question breaks him as grief replaces rage, and he throws himself into Alexandra's embrace.

I look at the others, then settle on Naomi's children. "You are not a people of ash lords, slaves to the basest urges. You are a free people, capable of becoming more than you are. Look at Grepp. You took the same technology that made the caste system that defines the Prikki, and you made Ruki with it. And now you are rolling that technology out. That is the kind of thing I expected to find when me and my people arrived here. I figured we'd come, and you guys would be planning the terraforming of this star system's planets at least. Yet..."

I look around. I look at how many of them are carrying weapons. How many wear armour. I finish by looking into the eyes of the woman with sharpened teeth.

"...yet, I come to a settlement of hardened butchers thinking of revenge. Who think nothing of committing travesties, resigned to remaking the shackles they rose up to break."

Gillian told me there was one particular quotation I should say now. "Live for more."

 

[Macavity116]

It's a good thing Gillian offered to tweak this speech. This crowd would have eaten Leonardo alive.

"You are not a people of ash lords, slaves to the basest urges. You are a free people, capable of becoming more than you are. Look at Grepp. You took the same technology that made the caste system that defines the Prikki, and you made Ruki with it. And now you are rolling that technology out. That is the kind of thing I expected to find when me and my people arrived here. I figured we'd come, and you guys would be planning the terraforming of this star system's planets at least. Yet..."

I look around. I look at how many of them are carrying weapons. How many wear armour. I finish by looking into the eyes of the woman with sharpened teeth.

"...yet, I come to a settlement of hardened butchers thinking of revenge. Who think nothing of committing travesties, resigned to remaking the shackles they rose up to break."

Gillian told me there was one particular quotation I should say now. "Live for more."

Ooof. Right in my feelings.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

It's a good thing Gillian offered to tweak this speech. This crowd would have eaten Leonardo alive.

Buri would have, you mean. Everyone else would stay very clear of Leonardo...

Ooof. Right in my feelings.

In a good way?

 

[Macavity116]

In a good way?

Oh, definitely yes. I love the occasional spot of hopeful thinking.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

It's been rather grim for quite some time...

 

[HistoryDude]

That was a nice hopeful note to end on. It was also a good contrast to Grepp-Schnepp Rikki's opinion.

Speaking of the Prikki, is the new Prikki AAR going to share a universe with Life 2.0?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Prey"
22nd Qutrok, 10 (2189)
Naomi Of Unity​

It's cold on our little overlook tonight. I run my tongue up my husband's left sabre tooth, then nuzzle him. "Your mouth does have a much nicer scent for having brushed your teeth."

He runs the back of a claw gently up my spine. "It does feel lighter."

I nestle my head beneath his head, and breathe in his chest fur. He hugs me. "I love you Naomi."

"I love you Buri."

"So you'll definitely resign tomorrow?"

I place a claw in the scar through my left lung. "Yes, I need to recover. But also Leonardo was right about me, and Thando." I roll off him. To me it's pitch black, but for him... The reflective glint of his eyes tells me he sees me. "So, thinking of undergoing major reconstructive surgery, led me to thinking about changing my body."

"Oh?"

I place my fingers to his claws. "After what Leonardo said, I've been thinking about me and you and..." I fetch the tablet I drew a concept on. "Would you be interested in me looking a little more... Like this?"

He holds the tablet. His eyebrows rise. Ruki we designed to look more like him, but my redesign retains a lot more of me, just Xenayanised. "Homo Tipheret derived?"

I nod. "The body is. I'd be keeping the internal organs I can't survive without during the reconstruction."

"You've changed your pelvis."

I nuzzle him. "I want to avoid what happened when I gave birth to Ruki."

"Understandable."

"So what do you think?"

He throws me on my back. He comes so close to me, I close my eyes. His tongue flicks my ear. "Stop thinking of yourself as a consumable."

It completely kills the mood. "Buri?"

He rolls me on top of him, his arms weigh me closer. "I love you. But you need to stop thinking of yourself as an asset for consumption by your partner. When I look at this render, what I see is that into our marriage you've been carrying that baggage of trying to alter yourself for me, and I hate it so..."

He rolls away, sits at the edge of the bed. I join him. "Buri?"

He looks at me. "When you talk of changing yourself, I feel like one of the Olinbari who used you. I hate him for trying to get rid of you. But he was right about the poison sentence." He shows me the tablet. "How much of this is your desires? How much of this is a lie telling you I don't find you attractive? That you don't measure up?"

I sit beside him, at a loss for what to say. "I... Feel dismantled."

I lie down. Look up at the stars. He nuzzles me. "I love you, Naomi."

"I love you, Buri. What if who I want to be is attractive to you?"

He looks at me, and from his smile I know I am prey.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

That was a nice hopeful note to end on. It was also a good contrast to Grepp-Schnepp Rikki's opinion.

Speaking of the Prikki, is the new Prikki AAR going to share a universe with Life 2.0?

No; the new Prikki narrative will be a Become The Crisis with End Of The Cycle covenant with a twist.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Resignation"
23rd Qutrok, 10 (2189)
Naomi Of Unity​

Valerius invites me to the podium to speak.

Monica and Heinrich are going over notes together. Mei Hua is consulting with Li while her husband and mine chat.

Ruki sits quietly, listening to everything.

Rivkah looks at me.

As I face the next stage in life, I remind myself how I need to model how to lose for them too.

I look at the crowd. "I have decided that I would rather jump than be pushed." I rub the aching hole in my chest. "I am resigning from my direct leadership positions within Life2.0 to switch to an advisory role, and I will be focusing on my leadership of the Xenaya as High Queen. I thank you all for allowing me to lead these last ten years, and I wish my successors all the best."

Hundreds of questions and comments follow, all revolving around a single word; why.

"I have several reasons. As Admiral Veres pointed out, I've fallen short from where I should be in regards to how I conduct my stratagems, and I have fallen short of what my ancestors would have wanted me to be. In addition, I have suffered quite severe injuries that limit the performance of my duties, and I must focus on my recovery so that I am ready in the future." I turn to Ruki. I worry about him, the way he calls me mother... He does so because he's resigned to losing me. "And I want more time with my family to be a family."

I turn to leave. Daas stands behind me, opening out his shell to block my passage. "Naomi, when the rules on official misconduct were codified, weren't you the one who suggested that no official could pre-emptively resign if they were subject to votes of no confidence?"

I pretend that I forgot I put that rule in. "Yes."

"Correct me if it was otherwise, but I am sure you specifically said we needed it in case an official tried to escape due process by vacating their position?"

"Yes."

A tentacle pulls out a pair of handcuffs.

Buri bounds up behind him. "And did you not also say that such an official would have to be temporarily taken into custody until the investigation into their conduct was completed?"

I hesitate, try to think of alternatives. My husband takes my hand. "Yes."

I hold out my other hand, and my husband takes me into custody. His tongue flicks my ear. "You aren't finished yet."