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

[CBR JGWRR]

"Wedding Night"
30th Naomi, 3 (2180)
Buri Of Unity​

I watch as my wife-to-be - dressed in white, save the carbon fibre-titanium composite rapier at Her hip - comes forward. She reveals more of Herself than I've seen since the revolution; She looks good as She twirls for my appreciation.I can't help but look back in my mind to when we first met. She looks so much more beautiful for letting Her hair grow out. She used to be shaven apart from Her head, and I wonder if that was a Human or a Minamar beauty standards that meant she was shaved before.

It doesn't matter now; She holds Herself to Xenayan standards for me. She's barefoot, a single piece of loose fabric wrapped around Her hips and mammary glands. Perfectly attired. Xenayan fashion looks so much better on Her than Human fashion feels on me. I adjust my suit for the tenth time again already. Soon, soon I can at least get the jacket off and drape it over Her.

I look around the forest glade; not even twenty couples are here. But all around us are others who have done what Naomi and I are doing; Tela, the other Xenayan, relies on her Human husband for support as she tries to stand in the high heels of Human culture, unable to see her feet as her dress flows from below her shoulders down past her ankles to flow behind her in the Human fashion. They don't make wedding dresses to actually be worn. I make a note to talk to Tela B'Rlur, ask her how things are going.

Another Human - a tall, bright haired fellow, I recognise him as one of the warriors who had helped take the ship; he lost an eye and a chunk of the surrounding flesh in the battle for Engineering - stood embracing his much smaller Lokra-Kitan bride to hold her at his height to save her having to hover.

And, at the far end of the line up, his good friend Daas stood beside Vorosh, the two molluscoids having grown very close through their time in the research labs. And they weren't the only scientist leaders to have found more than a colleague; Hoggagha and Cibbav, the Council leaders representing the two Fungoid species had already begun close cooperation in this thanks to Cibbav's specialisation in Genetics.

The attendants started moving into position to ask each couple to make their vows. I look at Her - this moment is most important to Naomi. She drafted the vows based on Her belief in the God of Her ancestors, and the sacredness He ordained to marriage; while each couple had freedom to make variations based on their consciences and principles, these ones meant the most to Her.

The officiant looks to Naomi first. "Do you, Naomi HaMaadimi, take Buri B'Than to be your husband, to have him and to hold him from this day forward; to fight by his side whether the singer celebrates your victory, or lays down a dirge to the couple who died at each other's sides; whether in sickness or in health; to love and to cherish him, until the ending of all the worlds?"

She draws Her rapier, and slices Her hand, Her blood dripping down the blade to the floor, Her eyes never moving from being locked with mine. Her will is iron. "Now, and forever."

"Wedding Night"
1st Buri, 3 (2180)
Naomi Of Unity​

And now it's Buri's turn, as the officiant turns to him. "And do you, Buri B'Than, take Naomi HaMaadimi to be your wife, to have her and to hold her from this day forward; to fight by her side whether the singer celebrates your victory, or lays down a dirge to the couple who died at each other's sides; whether in sickness or in health; to love and to cherish her, until the ending of all the worlds?"

I smile and watch Buri taking hold of my hand on the hilt, as his other runs down the blade, his blood mixing with mine. He stays focused purely on me. "Now, and forever."

Then, we wait, as the attendants pass down the line. Each couple professes eternal commitment to each other in turn. The moment is everything as beautiful as I hoped it would be. Finally, came the bit we are all waiting for.

On Earth, we say 'You may now kiss the bride'. But, that's a little bit complicated in interspecies relationships. Buri and I will never be able to kiss because his sabres get in the way, for example. So, we improvised.

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

I lick my lips as I throw my arms around my Buri, just as he lifts me up into his embrace; we nuzzle as best we can. We can practice later.

"I love you, Buri."

"I love you, Naomi."

 

[Von Acturus]

What a nice wedding! As more multi species couples form I suppose more and more of these previously species-specific concepts and rituals will be transformed by the input of new costumes and viewpoints.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Politics"
12th Buri, 3 (2180)
Naomi Of Unity​

"Naomi, a word?" I turn from my desk to the voice at the tent opening. It's Odoos, the Lokra-Kitan member of the Council. And one of my best critics. Just over a month and we've already factionalised. "Can we talk, off the record."

I nod. "About?"

He shuts the tent. "What exactly is the plan for if MSI come back?"

I sigh, rest my head in my hands. That question keeps me awake at night... "Odoos, I presume that that such overwhelming force will be applied against us that trying to defend ourselves is beyond our capability. I don't have an answer yet."

"You think they will exterminate us?"

I nod. Eyes closed. "Do you think they will take us back as slaves?"

Odoos paused, shuffles on his feet. "You do have a point, I admit."

"Odoos, please. I know you and the Mutual Defence League are only thinking about how to protect us. I keep that in mind every time you guys bring up defence in the Council. But realistically, any effort we spend on defences..."

"We'd buy time."

"Would we? I've seen MSI navy in shakedown tests Odoos..."

"We must try. There's still too many people who would go back to being slaves."

"I agree. It alarms me, the way people grumble about the hardships we face."

"My issue is that it would be trivial for them to plant agents among us."

I shake my head. "Its too expensive and for too little return on investment. They're a business at the end of the day; we can celebrate our victory, but in reality they will have costed the prospect of losing a ship to rebellion, and I don't want to detail it, but having spent enough time as a Companionship Asset to learn these things, I can tell you they do not put their best and brightest on slave ships."

Odoos softens towards me, and stretches out a broken wing. "I'm sorry if I've just brought back bad memories."

A lone tear dropped from my eye as I fight for emotional control. Stem the memories. Focus. "Odoos... I'm sorry about your wife, your hatchlings, your wing. I truly am. I know you mean well when you talk about how we have no military and tell me I need to put resources into soldiers."

Odoos sees it in my eyes. "But you truly believe it will make no difference."

"And I can't tell anyone that, can I? I have to be the happy and cheerful person. One who doesn't reveal that she knows, because she's seen a Captain's standing order list, that if MSI come back they will obliterate us. I know you guys like to use my lack of military spending as an example of my flaws, but I have my reasons."

"I will explain what you've said to the other leaders on the League."

"My plan is to keep people happy and moving forward building our new world. Build up our technological capability, and hope MSI don't care about one missing ship. If they decide they do, the consequences don't bear thinking about."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

What a nice wedding! As more multi species couples form I suppose more and more of these previously species-specific concepts and rituals will be transformed by the input of new costumes and viewpoints.

To some extent; as much as there are people like Naomi who want to make one new shared culture, there's also people who just want to get back to their homeworlds, people who just want an alliance between newly established worlds for each race, people who think life is too hard building back up from nothing...

 

[Macavity116]

It seems like it will be a monumental challenge to build up any kind of defensive force for the planet. The dim outlook for an encounter with MSI would only amplify a sense of defeatism.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Space combat? Yeah. There's no hope of winning a space war without allies. Not until they've gotten through a Protectorate stage to catch up.

---

Ground combat however, is extremely different.

Look at the base game traits which modify Army Damage: https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/Traits

Noxious - 50% Army Damage bonus

Very Strong/Juiced Power - 40% Army Damage bonus

Clone Soldier - 20%, 50% or 75% (variable based on precise type)

Likewise, Lithoids get 50% extra Army Health, and Drake-Scaled adds 50% Army Health.

On 21st century small arms alone, none of these traits would create differences this extreme. Extra strength would be near negligible, noxious breath likewise. Clone Soldiers is equivocal, Drake-Scaled theoretically could be equivocal (it depends on the mechanic of how the scales interact when hit by high velocity kinetics) but does make a lot more sense if Stellaris combat is much more up close and personal.

And if it is pub brawl level fighting?

Suddenly the huge bonuses on Very Strong and Noxious makes sense.

Now look at armies: https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/Land_warfare

This is where it gets REALLY weird, UNLESS Stellaris combat simply consists of punching each other out type of combat. Because in what universe are Humongous Mecha or literal Kaiju only going to do 5x the damage of basic infantry otherwise? In real world combat with 21st century tech, a kaiju is going down quite possibly before it realises it is under attack. Even against mere infantry. And a mecha is going down very easily; there are very practical reasons why we do not use bipedal or quadrupedal mecha.

By the time you've stacked modded traits that aren't much more potent than Very Strong individually - for example, acid-ejecting armoured slugs - basic Assault armies are kicking out damage on a par with Space Marines. Which in a hand to hand fight with no extra tech, probably is about right.

Is the game's ground combat balanced - heck no. I don't think anyone would say ground combat is fine the way it is. But, I do think the least irrational way to understand Stellaris' ground combat is if we talk about tooth and claw.

And on tooth and claw, The Olinbar (not that anyone in the story so far cares that they aren't called Minamar) are going to get slaughtered and eaten for breakfast.

Thirdly, Broken Shackles has a lot of bonuses to represent your people unitedly rising up to fight against MSI - you get reduced ship upkeep and army upkeep, cheaper armies and faster built armies.

Fourthly, technology research doesn't actually boost your armies all that much. Space, the technology difference is simply so vast. But ground you have pretty much the same forces - outside a few specialties - as you did at the start of the game.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"A Night To Remember"
19th Vorosh, 4 (2181)
Daas​

I enter her tent. The floor is... "Naomi, come quickly, there's been an accident in Buri's hunting party."

She splutters a reply. "Oh no. As if my day could get worse."

She rolled herself to the edge, coughing up her lungs. There's no way she could drive like this... I'll have to. I feel impotent, being too squishy to support her as she drags herself up onto her crutches.

Once she has her breath, she speaks. "Is Buri hurt?"

"We don't know. Radio was intermittent. All we know for sure is they called for medics."

She clenched her jaw as she fought to the door. "I will get there. Start the buggy."

"Already on and waiting."

I follow her out; soft landing if she falls backwards. The rain has stopped, but the clouds still block the starlight. A Xenayan man carefully picks her up and puts her in; I take the steering and controls. At least this bit is easier. I hope Buri is ok as I check the transponder is locked on, and then it's tentacle on the pedals to drive into the night. Only a few kilometres away on the wing, but on terrain this rough Xenayans could be quicker than the buggy. I check the mirror; maybe Naomi should have stayed. Poor woman.

The Xenaya light a flare as soon as they can see the approaching headlights. That's good, they have to be fairly stable in order to have someone looking for a rescue team with a flare in hand. After yet more scrapping the bash plating, we're finally there. The Xenayan hunting party - down to just Buri and two friends - were very calm. No. Not calm, this was 'I have absolutely no idea how to help'.

Something was very wrong.

They lead us to a crevice. "She's down here."

There's a Xenayan woman, pregnant. Or maybe overweight, mammalians are tricky as it could be either, and the night wasn't helping. Either way, she's trapped. And we definitely don't have enough transfusion blood. I slither partly into the rock gap, thankful that he could fit his long tentacles in. "Can you hear me?"

She is barely conscious. Her voice is rasping. "No... time. Save... girl..."

She is pregnant. Damn. "I'll have to do a c-section. In your condition, it will kill you."

"...dying. Save her..."

I weigh my options. She's hanging in a ravine, the blood loss is making her delirious. It would be possible to do a c-section from the underside, but I don't know enough about Xenayan physiology to know if the child will survive when the mother passes, which can't be long.. And given the state of the other three Xenayan men, they don't know either. I have to do it... "Surgical blade, now."

Once they passed it down to me, I finish sliding down to the bottom of the ravine. "If I do this, she'll definitely die. But is it better to kill her and save the child, or risk losing both? Oh, I don't know." She was unconscious now. "Forgive me."

---

Buri looks at me. I stare listlessly. "You did the right thing."

"I killed her..."

"You saved her daughter. Please, I need to give her to Naomi."

"What? Why?"

"A Xenayan infant needs to bond with the same-gender parent at birth. Naomi is the only woman here."

"What of the father?" Then I look around, make myself concentrate. "Where are your weapons?"

"He gave his life to let us escape. We found a monster among the cliffs."

I break down in sadness. "She's an orphan... What have I done..."

Buri hugged his friend, as Naomi struggles over. She fights back the coughing. "Buri, what's happening?"

One of the other Xenayan men gently takes the child from me, and gave her to Naomi. "She is your daughter now."

Her eyes go wide, then she looks at the child. "Does she have a name?"

"In our culture, the mother chooses for a daughter, father for a son."

She's nervous. "Even me?"

He pointed at Buri, then at the girl. "He makes you one of us. She makes you one of us."

Her voice turns soft. "I always wanted a daughter called Rivkah..."

"Then Rivkah is who she is."

Naomi collapses beside her husband, then she steadies herself. She cradles the baby in her arms. "Welcome to the worlds, my little one. You will know love, and you will know hate. You will know joy, and you will know pain. But you will forever be, our Rivkah, of Unity."

 

[HistoryDude]

Naomi and Buri are married now, and they have a kid. That was a convenient series of events...

Also, let's hope that our colony can survive and advance. Perhaps they will eventually be able to achieve revenge against the people who enslaved them? If not, they can always look for allies among the stars...

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Consequences"
20th Vorosh, 4 (2181)
Naomi Of Unity​

I sit with Rivkah in a makeshift pouch, feeding her with a bottle. Turns out they are actually more like marsupials. It was a lot to get used to, suddenly becoming a mother. Normally you have time to prepare.

My desk is a state, paperwork everywhere, piling up... It's only midday, I'm not even that late.

A voice synthesiser calls from the door. "Naomi?"

A huge snail's head pokes around the door. Little bit higher on a mobility board. "Hi Vorosh. How's Daas?"

"He's bad. Constantly repeating 'What have I done...'. He collapsed from sheer exhaustion this morning, he hasn't slept at all."

"I'm sorry."

"Look, it is safe to say that both him and me are going to have to resign. He can't return to duty, and I have to take care of him. It was in our vows."

"I understand. I'm feeling so turbulent myself... I don't think any of us are sleeping right. But I am proud you are sticking with him. Take as long as you need."

"Thank you. How's the baby?"

"I think she's ok. I'm honestly finding it really hard too."

"You need maternity leave."

"Yes... But there's no one else trained to do my job."

"We will manage, No one will blame you."

"I know... But this event has effectively knocked out our government; a fifth of the Council are unable to do their jobs, with you two, me and Buri out. That's half our alliance... I suppose that I have to call an election. Or a temporary pause, I don't know..."

"Good luck Naomi. I had better get back to him."

"You too." I look down at my daughter's pouch, sleeping peacefully. Blissfully. She has drunk her bottle. "At least that is a problem I can fix."

 

[HistoryDude]

This is the problem with only having a small group of people in charge - what happens if they can't serve?

 

[Von Acturus]

Pretty sure this wasn't the plan when they talked about adoption. It shows that there still has to be a lot of exploring and securing to do if they are to tame the planet that is now their home.

 

[Macavity116]

It's suddenly quite unfortunate that Naomi was not able to set up a chain of command with successors in mind, designated or otherwise.

Rivkah is living on a baby's schedule, which will (naturally) never line up with the parents schedule and daily plans.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

This is the problem with only having a small group of people in charge - what happens if they can't serve?

The colony isn't really big enough yet to have redundancy positions. Stellaris Pops are obviously made of handwaveium, but we can narrow down how much handwaveium by considering the difficulties involved in transporting so many people: much more than a few hundred thousand of each species stretches feasibility. At a few million people, we're talking about a multi-kilometre scale vessel just in accomodation, for example.

My premise figures on the order of ten thousand people per species, which means a single leader per species works. (Especially given the challenges they face that mean the overwhelming majority of people are on foraging to begin with)

It leads to an executive Council of twenty, with Naomi having an extra vote for tiebreaking.

As a result of this though, they will expand the system, and lay the framework for what will become Life2.0.

Naomi and Buri are married now, and they have a kid. That was a convenient series of events...

Also, let's hope that our colony can survive and advance. Perhaps they will eventually be able to achieve revenge against the people who enslaved them? If not, they can always look for allies among the stars...

It wasn't the way they thought though.

The colony is advancing. But realistically they won't advance fast enough, and Naomi expects that survival means fleeing from MSI as soon as MSI ships are spotted.

As to allies, the prospects aren't so good.

It's suddenly quite unfortunate that Naomi was not able to set up a chain of command with successors in mind, designated or otherwise.

Rivkah is living on a baby's schedule, which will (naturally) never line up with the parents schedule and daily plans.

She figured she would have longer, and also not have to replace four people at once outside of elections.

Very much so, of course.

Pretty sure this wasn't the plan when they talked about adoption. It shows that there still has to be a lot of exploring and securing to do if they are to tame the planet that is now their home.

Definitely.

But, it's easier for them than it would be for a purely Human colony; they have members who can swim indefinitely, who can fly, who can run cross country etc. Which massively helps with reconnaissance.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Quick update.

So, for anyone wondering when the gameplay will start, well, I'm concerned about the fate of the various homeworlds. The latest patch has completely screwed over pre-FTL civs - once they get observed, they now have a 5% chance to nuke each month, which means 99% chance to be tomb worlds by the time we find them. Plenty of people finding primitives blowing up outside of Atomic and Early Space ages too.

Obviously, a major part of the narrative is finding their homeworlds. And it would be extremely sad to find they are all ash.

Plus, the map that has rolled is... Bad. Their nearest neighbours are MSI and the Prikki. (Even worse for the Payback origin guys, MSI are essentially on top of them)

And, all the nearby pre-FTLs are completely different species, which isn't exactly what I want to write. But I can't restart because I'd lose the species and characters I've got.

So, it will eventually start. But not until they fix the game.

 

[Macavity116]

(Even worse for the Payback origin guys, MSI are essentially on top of them)

Oh, snap! That Payback war, when it finally happens will be short but furious.

Obviously, a major part of the narrative is finding their homeworlds. And it would be extremely sad to find they are all ash.

In my own Payback game, I rationalized to myself that those homeworld were burned by MSI. Depending on what type of galaxy we roll, this could be either reasonably possible or hilariously improbable.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Oh, snap! That Payback war, when it finally happens will be short but furious.


In my own Payback game, I rationalized to myself that those homeworld were burned by MSI. Depending on what type of galaxy we roll, this could be either reasonably possible or hilariously improbable.

Yes... Those poor guys are... Going to have to abandon the homeworld. FabbiCorp are their next nearest neighbours, so they at least have a friendly power nearby.

It gets even more fridge horror when you remember the Olinbar have Tomb World preference; if the primitives don't blow up, they get slaves. If the primitives do, they get a habitable world.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Yes... Those poor guys are... Going to have to abandon the homeworld. FabbiCorp are their next nearest neighbours, so they at least have a friendly power nearby.

It gets even more fridge horror when you remember the Olinbar have Tomb World preference; if the primitives don't blow up, they get slaves. If the primitives do, they get a habitable world.

The more I think about this, the more it makes sense.

If you are Tomb World Preference - like the Olinbar are - why bother making worlds suit you yourself, when you can sell weapons technology to primitives, get a bunch of slaves and whatever other resources they can pay in and then colonise their former planet when they blow themselves up?

It's free real estate, and all it costs them is some utterly obsolete technology.

Utterly despicable behaviour of course.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Perils Of Democracy"
25th Vorosh, 4 (2181)
Buri Of Unity​

My wife sighs. Then She smiles to me. "Let's look on the bright side."

I'm sceptical. "There's a bright side to losing control of the Council?"

She starts walking around the room as She thinks out loud. "Of course. Odoos and his fanatics will cause the people to get fed up of militarists. And I don't have to take the blame for anything any more. And now I'm out of power, we're free to be us with our baby."

I pause for thought. "I still think we should have made you Queen."

She laughs. "My people don't make very good monarchs."

"How so?"

"Buri, on my world, the overwhelming majority of kings, queens and pretenders to the crown thought a strong sword arm meant fitness to rule. And it shouldn't be that way."

I think of the nature of life when two people want one thing. "What other grounds for authority are there?"

"Martial force is the least important."

I leap at Her, throw Her on the floor, then pounce on Her. "Are you not in my power now?"

"Of course I am."

"Force is everything then."

She nuzzles me. "Buri, your strength is more than mine; I can't stop you. But wouldn't you rather I gave myself willingly? You can take my body by force, but not me. I have to choose to give myself."

"Cooperation has it's limits."

"It's only limited if you don't respect others as equals, and instead think you are superior."

I roll off Her, wipe the dust off Her. "I'm sorry, just wanted to make the point."

"I know." She smiles. "Dictatorships can work if you have a benevolent dictator. But they are very rare."

"I'm less sure about democracy now than when we started."

"I'm not saying it is perfect."

"The thing is Naomi, when I look at the debates the Council has, and I compare it to what you would be like as an absolute ruler, I struggle to see that the outcome would be worse."

She nods. "That's because I'm a Philosopher-Queen who believes in improving quality of life for her people, and plans her leadership accordingly. That's the ethos of a dictatorship - the state wants what the dictator wants. And so often, dictators would leave the worlds as ash if it means they are on top."

"But you are a High-Queen who would turn ash into gardens. Surely it is right to put you where you can do the most good?"

She smiles. Mischievously. "And what of whoever comes after me?"

"Rivkah would."

"And after Rivkah?"

"Her daughter."

"Queens forever after then?"

"If they were like you, it would be best."

"The problem is, children have an unfortunate way of forgetting how their parents gained them an empire. In time, a ruler will arise who considers everything to be theirs, who forgets that we broke the shackles so that we could live for more, and imposes shackles of their own."

"It will happen a lot quicker if Odoos gets his way."

"His problem is that he's afraid."

"And his fear makes him dangerous. His fear would justify any action if he thought it could help defeat MSI."

"Yes. And in a democracy, it means that he is accountable to the people. And I would like to think they are smart enough to realise he leads by scaring them with the MSI threat."

"Next year's elections?"

"It depends. If he can push his militarisation plans through the Council, possibly that soon."

"Do you think he can?"

Vorosh and Daas have been replaced by his lackeys. Monica Greshaw is another egalitarian in principle, only her rage burns far hotter than mine. Tavi B'Than looks up to you."

"She always has."

"It's enough he has a small majority if everyone aligned with him votes his way. But there's no guarantees. Militarisation is unpopular."

"I'm not sure if it should be though."

"What would you do to fight back?"

"We beat them before."

"I still remember the faces of the Minamar I killed. It was easier in Engineering."

"There wasn't time to think about them. Just kill, or be killed."

"Yes. It was."

"What was your plan if MSI come?"

"Flee to the stars, and hope they can't find us."

"Odoos wants to make this world a fortress."

"And against MSI it would only be a tomb."

I look up as the storm clouds gather; giant winged bests leap to the skies from the cliffs amid the air's turmoil. "We should find shelter."

 

[Von Acturus]

Trouble ahead for the nascent democracy of Life 2.0. Buri may has a point on the dangers of militarism, but a coup could set a very bad precedent on how the losers of any election will proceed from now on.

Dictatorships can work if you have a benevolent dictator. But they are very rare.

Benevolent dictators are like the loch Ness monster, some people claim to have seen those elusive creatures but, usually, when you go looking you find a scam... Or worse!

"Odoos wants to make this world a fortress."

"And against MSI it would only be a tomb"."

This line was very poetic!

 

[CBR JGWRR]

It wouldn't be a coup; Naomi is far too subtle, and she knows the lesson about not interrupting your enemy while he is making a mistake - she will let Odoos' martial emphasis antagonise the people, then utilise him as an example of why they must do things differently.

Agreed on the rarity of good dictators - but that's a humanocentric viewpoint, shaped by the issue that the overwhelming majority of Human leaders are largely psychopaths; the neurological traits psychopathy induces are unfortunately beneficial to achieving public office in democratic and authoritarian systems alike.

And hopefully not foreshadowing.