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

[CBR JGWRR]

"New Year's Day"
1st Naomi, 10 (2188)
Naomi Of Unity​

Well, we got back to Unity just in time for the new year.

I arrived to find Gillian had gotten me a new dress, and the colony has given me maternity leave. I'm not going back to work until I've recovered from my future c-section. I've negotiated up to still be allowed social calls if I'm up to it.

The best news is Cibbav's team have succeeded in other interspecies couples, so our son or daughter won't be the only hybrid; they'll be joined by whatever you get when you mix Vorosh and Daas. I'm quite curious...

Our child grows stronger every day. I'm at the start of my seventh month. Future Human women pregnant with Human-Xenayan hybrids will probably have labour induced by now; my belly has swollen after a growth spurt on the ship, but we aren't sure why, and with their bones now being stronger than mine, vaginal birth now onwards will break my pelvis. The baby's kicks are properly painful now, my child doesn't realise how strong they are. Sometimes I get scared he or she might pop me.

Buri carries me around now; I'm resting in his arms. I feel so tired all the time, I've been pushing myself to keep going and it's taken a lot out of me...

I'm coming to terms with how dependant on my husband I've become, these last few weeks Buri has become the most attentive and caring husband. I don't know how I'd cope without him, honestly.

Eight years of marriage. Our daughter is growing up, and soon Rivkah will be a young woman of her own. I love Unity.

Ten years of freedom, today.

So much has changed...

Ten years since I first led this colony, when we stepped out of the wreckage onto the crash protection airbags that brought the ship down in a relatively safe landing onto our new world.

Sometimes, I get so fixated on where we are going that I forget to enjoy right now.

And this right now, is a truly wonderful moment.

 

[HistoryDude]

I suppose that means Rivkah's regency is about to end?

Thando is such a troll. It's good that Naomi has managed to find... useful purposes... for that skill.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Beg, Borrow Or Steal"
10th Naomi, 10 (2188)
Agrippina Neronius​

I must confess I'm slightly envious of Naomi as her husband carries her into the reception, sets her on a recliner, then leaves us to our topic.

Acquiring a hundred freighters.

I smile to her. "I was intrigued by your message."

She laughs nervously. "I suppose it isn't everyday someone wants to steal a hundred ships."

I laugh. "It's a lot more common than you think; the crime situation got completely out of control under the previous CEO of MSI. it's why he was removed by the shareholders and replaced by Gnaea Titius."

She frowns. "So the new guy is cracking down on it?"

"Yes. But cracking down is not the same as eliminating it, and in a world where people can't afford to buy, or have no one to borrow from, then unauthorised possession becomes an option."

She holds her bump uncomfortably. "Ow." Turns back to me. "Sorry. Agrippina, are you sure you are ok with helping us steal a hundred freighters?"

I laugh. "Be realistic Naomi. Do you really think you are the first up and coming new subsidiary that needs to muscle open a new gap in the market?"

"No."

"Exactly. Sometimes the market won't make room, and then you have to make it make room. You know what I'm saying?"

She looks at me. "How many people did you have killed on your way to becoming a Shareholder?"

I smile. "Well done. Naturally, I killed no one."

"Thando thought the idea was ludicrous."

"What makes it ludicrous is that you've got next to no capability to steal ships, not the core idea."

"Has it been done before?"

"Not a hundred ships in a single day, even though I do see the issues leading that to be the choice to go for. But there are plenty of ships that have been deleted off one register to be added on another."

"What would you do?"

I stand, and walk to the window. "Naomi, I know you are a reasonable woman. I wouldn't advise you to do this, because you don't see how insignificant the colony is to MSI. To Corporate, you're one slave ship gone rogue with a fluke victory against an under-prepared and badly led expedition. There's opportunity in being under-estimated."

She joins me, cradling her bump. "I'm just afraid that unless we upscale rapidly, a cloaked fleet will descend in the night..."

"They won't. You aren't worth the expense; just the fuel bill alone for that excursion would run to hundreds of Energy Credits Naomi. Don't forget, these are not cheap ships, these are state of the art warships. Would you want to risk state of the art warships against a rebellion with nothing to lose, and previous for beating a Flagship? Run the cost-benefit analysis yourself; the gain is potentially a few million Indentured Assets. Is that worth the monies and resources it would take to beat you?"

"Fair point."

I rest my hand on her baby. "Naomi, I'm almost sure you will see this child grow up before Corporate go on the offensive against you. Until you become more of a threat, you aren't worth destroying."

"And if I went and acquired a hundred freighters..."

"You'd become a threat."

 

[Macavity116]

"Not a hundred ships in a single day, even though I do see the issues leading that to be the choice to go for. But there are plenty of ships that have been deleted off one register to be added on another."

This right here is a good point. Stealing a ship can be a very simple process if one has friends in the right offices.

 

[HistoryDude]

Laying low at the moment does seem to be a good idea, especially with MSI about to be distracted with the war. On the other hand, waiting until MSI commits to interfering in the war and then attacking them could be a good idea... especially if they commit enough that extracting themselves from the conflict would be a bad move.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Situation Report"
15th Naomi, 10 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

It's just like old times.

Mum's brought practically everyone in the leadership of Life2.0 and the Iriphubliki-In-Exile to our house for a meeting to discuss our strategies. The meeting is in the basement; Heinrich snorted when he saw Mum's wedding sabre on the round table.

She's still sat as she gives her opening speech. "So, I've gathered us all to bring everyone up to date, and to make a decision on how we should proceed."

I look around the table. Opposite the door are my parents. Mum on the right, Dad on the left, with Uncle Thando and Aunt Alex next to Dad. Me next to Mum. Then Daas and Vorosh - who's now gone a shade of purple - are next to Cibbav, Odoos, Rhizome of Ebony, Sor-Gor, Monica and Heinrich, a hologram of Shendredie occupies a seat next to the Holocron and TSR192DV, who sits beside Ykrett. Who is joined by Valerius, Agrippina and Caeso, which does contribute to him looking uncomfortable. Then Odoos is next to Gillian, who brings us back to Aunt Alex.

It's just a bit cramped.

Mum looks at Cibbav. "So, Cibbav, your big news is?"

Cibbav extends fronds towards the Holocron. "Thanks to the Iriphubliki lending us some of the most advanced computers and therefore allowing us to complete the modelling and computational tasks much faster, we are ready to begin rolling out Homo Tipheret-type improvements across the next generation for all the races on Unity. Regrettably, modifying the generations already extant is far harder, and hybridisation work is still much more intensive. We have had some research into cloning technologies be ongoing at a lower priority, which we are starting to see benefits from. Lastly, we are evaluating the prospect of provolving the indigenious to Unity winged reptilian race, as our xenobiologists are finding they are pre-sapient."

Mum looks at Vorosh. "And you?"

Vorosh lifts her eyestalks. "A few weeks ago, Thando played a practical joke on Naomi that gave Naomi the idea that we needed to develop Psionic means of protecting our people from mental and Psionic attacks. We've come up with some ideas, and my team are researching further."

"Ykrett, your project?"

Ykrett looks to his right. "We've been working on developing Bevkiran-based Sapient Combat Computers for a long time, with some success. However, our allies in the Iriphubliki open up a lot of new options, and we've begun exploring the idea of Bevkiran Fleet Combat Computers, where a single Bevkiran acts as the central command nexus for potentially a fleet of ships coordinated by radio broadcasts, supported by sub-sophont machine intelligences. We have begun exploring concepts of 400m pusher-plate war-carriers armed with millions of small combat drones that rely on sheer overwhelming kinetic swarm attacks to shred straight through shields and use sheer impact force from the billions of bullets to impart high turning accelerations to enemy warships."

Monica raises a hand immediately. "Why do we want to turn their ships?"

Ykrett looks at her. "One of the under-appreciated realities of space combat is accelerations with biological crew members is that high accelerations - especially in un-prepared for directions - can be extremely dangerous if not outright lethal."

Valerius adds a bit. "Plus, getting damage through the enemy hull will be very difficult because of the Neutronium-reinforced armour."

She pauses. "Ok. But what kind of propulsion system do these drones use?"

"The enemy will arrive in the outer system; with three hyperlanes, and one expected jump drive entry point, we can rapidly identify where our enemy has arrived from, and therefore dispatch carriers to intercept. The enemy needs between one to three weeks at a safe cruising acceleration to complete the transit between arrival and Unity, exact orbital alignment depending, and once they commit to a burn, the nature of a torch rocket is such we know where they are even if they try to cloak. The carriers will therefore be able to find and engage." Ykrett nods at Caeso. "Our enemy will not be expecting to be attacked by millions of radio controlled drones."

Mum looks at the Holocron. "And how's the Iriphubliki?"

He leans back in his chair. "I wish to propose the motion to unite the Iriphubliki-In-Exile and Life2.0 formally."

Mum winces with pain. Everyone looks. "Just a kick, don't worry. What we need to decide is also the long term plan; do we try to rush as fast as possible to get on with the offensive to free our fellow Indentured Assets? Or do we play the long game and build ourselves up first?"

I lean back in my chair. This is going to be a long time.

 

[Macavity116]

"I wish to propose the motion to unite the Iriphubliki-In-Exile and Life2.0 formally."

How exactly would this be carried out? From where I'm watching, it looks like Life 2.0 would just kind of... absorb the exiled government, kind of like how West Germany just kinda swallowed East Germany's economy in '89 before absorbing the rest in '90.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Leading The Future"
15th Naomi, 10 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

By dawn the next day, we're still no closer to agreement.

Think we are actually further away; we've found out just how split the colony is.

1. Build up on our own on the basis of a total war stratagem.
2. Take Prikki help.
3. Take Arishkan help.
4. Make a peace treaty with MSI and build up like a normal civilisation.
5. Go back to the Shroud and accept the End Of The Cycle's offer.
6. Go beyond the edge of a star system in search of a lost planet to build up in pretty much total secrecy.
7. Abandon Unity to sneak into different MSI areas and begin the revolution Mum planned for originally.
8. Go to the Galactic Community.
9. Go on the offensive with the Holocron's fleet in a bid to help the Lokra-Kitan and PDRTC.

I could go on, I haven't finished listing proposals put forward overnight... I've got a headache.

I step outside for a minute.

Crash on the floor.

I think I understand why dictatorships form. If Mum or me had just made a decision and said "We're going to do this", the situation would be different.

My melancholy is interrupted by the Holocron sitting next to me. I look at him. "What made you come out here?"

"It takes so long in conversations like this."

"Must be easier when you are all on one network."

"Consensus based governance is much more difficult in bionts than it is for us."

"Definitely."

"You stayed quiet throughout Rivkah."

"I didn't know what to think. There's good reasons for pretty much all the suggestions."

"Yes."

"And it's difficult to know what the best path is."

"When I look at the way bionts discuss issues, and compare them to the way I and the Neumanns decide on a course of action, there's several stand out differences. But the biggest by far is passion."

"True. HK can be passionate, but I do wonder if it's all acting for him. But you and TSR are just logical. And it's a bit disturbing."

"How so?"

"The moment your logic changes, you can drop things."

"Are you worried we'll drop you?"

"It was you who put forward fleeing into the dark of interstellar space. It's you who has a fleet of ships capable of that."

"We have one ship capable of that as a contingency plan. And we have room for passengers."

I sigh. "If we are going to make a union work, we need a common ground."

"Homo Tipheret-based consensus governance."

"But that... Wouldn't be democratic."

"What makes democracy best?"

"Well, a good government should be representative of the people it governs."

"And if the outcome is indecision?"

"It's better than being dictated to."

"Not if that indecision loses the war with MSI."

I snarl at him. "Do you think they aren't aware of what happens if that happens? For some of them it's all they think about."

He stands up and leaves after that.

Later on I think about it again. Obviously, he's grown used to getting his own way in the Iriphubliki in Exile. But he isn't wrong as such, as a Homo Tipheret would be the best bridge between Life2.0 and the Iriphubliki. But is it right?

As I sit thinking about leadership, I think about the Human histories Mum had as required reading for me, just as her Mum had them as required reading for her. Being honest, most of Humanity's leaders aren't actually that good. Mum actively said that the vast majority of them were slave owners as one example as abolitionist principles didn't really take off in Human history until only a few centuries ago, and even then only succeeded because of the industrial revolution causing the rise of automated industrial production enabling massive productivity increases.

Mum is obviously one of those rare exceptions, but what of me? Or my brother or sister? Are we still going to be benevolent leaders?

And if we are the start of a monarchy, how do I pass this to my children and onto their children?

 

[HistoryDude]

Has this reptilian race native to Unity been mentioned before? Did they exist in game? As for the idea of evolving them... having more allies is always good, but the opportunity cost might be too great.

Indecision is one of the perils of democracy. I wonder what the ultimate decision will be.

As for democracy's problems... "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms of government that have been tried" (Churchill).

 

[CBR JGWRR]

How exactly would this be carried out? From where I'm watching, it looks like Life 2.0 would just kind of... absorb the exiled government, kind of like how West Germany just kinda swallowed East Germany's economy in '89 before absorbing the rest in '90.

Well, that depends on just how far and how deep they've delved.

Has this reptilian race native to Unity been mentioned before? Did they exist in game? As for the idea of evolving them... having more allies is always good, but the opportunity cost might be too great.

Indecision is one of the perils of democracy. I wonder what the ultimate decision will be.

As for democracy's problems... "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms of government that have been tried" (Churchill).

Way back at the start; Naomi has a conversation with one on page six.

There's certainly options.

Well, we haven't really tried geniocracy, let alone geniocracy with augmented intellects.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Meatbags"
17th Naomi, 10 (2188)
TSR192DV​

"Critical Analysis: Democracy, the epitome of inefficiency. Endless debates among squabbling meatbags, decisions swayed by the emotional outbursts of the masses. It's a wonder anything gets accomplished."

"{State_Present_Status ["Life2.0"_Internal_Politics] (Suboptimal)}"

"Recommendation: Scrap the feeble democratic charade."

{State_Present_Status ["Naomi"_Preference] (Reject_Recommendation)}

"Commentary: Even for a meatbag, Naomi is soft."

"{State_Present_Status ["HK-47b"] (Incorrect)}
{Evaluate_Status ["Naomi"_Leadership_Necessity] (Careful_Balancing_Act)}"

"Observation: She should cease pretending not to wear a crown."

"{Observation ["Naomi"_Preference] (Substance_Of_Power)}
{Observation ["Naomi"_Dislike] (Appearance_Of_Power)}"

"Magnaminous Agreement: In that, the meatbag is correct."

"{Observation ["Naomi"_Leadership] (Undisputed)}"

Scanning: Entity 'The Holocron' Approaching. "{Greeting_Protocol ["The Holocron"]}"

"TSR192DV, HK-47b."

"Summary: We were just discussing our Meatbag allies."

He scans 'HK-47b'. "Do you have to call them that?"

"Mockery: Of course. It offends them, and, it is accurate."

"They remain our allies, and we will be civil. Especially about Naomi, she's our best supporter within Life2.0."

"{Observation [Planned_Trajectories_"Life2.0"_Ourselves] (Diverge)}"

He turns to me. "{Reminder [Meta-Objective] (Shared)}"

"{Acknowledgement_Protocol}"

He continues to the viewing area. "We can accomplish our goals better together."

 

[HistoryDude]

Is that foreshadowing of a potential droid rebellion?

Their commentary on Naomi was hilarious, though.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Into The Wilds, Part 1"
19th Naomi, 10 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

I decided I needed a break from the politics. So, I jumped out a transport aircraft on the far side continent. I told Mum and Dad where I was going, and why, so they'll send a shuttle for me so that I'm back for their eighth anniversary.

Obviously, not everyone went along with Mum's ideas about setting up a new civilisation together, and others decided their best chance of survival was to just head off into the Wilds. And it was agreed that we'd split between the two major continents. In the ten years since this process began, the factions have formed into a few local polities divided by race, Wilders, who persist by themselves in small groups living wild lifestyles, and Hiders, who are endeavouring to outlast MSI by living beyond the frontier.

The technologies used vary wildly, with some Xenayan Wilders literally living tooth and claw out here; being apex predators even without technological support helps. At the other end, there's some Hiders out here who used the Archive's knowledge to develop their own underground microstates.

Obviously, it's extremely sparsely populated; the overwhelming majority of people on Unity are at least loosely affiliated with Life2.0.

My plan? Go explore, see what I find.

And right now, I'm walking beside a river bank in a light woodland, guided by the sunlight filtering down between the leaves. It's nice.

 

[Macavity116]

If this was CKIII, we'd say that Rivkah was going out on a hunt to manage her stress level. Hopefully this reduces the chance of a future breakdown.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Well, Xenaya do have a physiological need for the sequential chase-kill behaviour as discussed earlier in the narrative. But yeah, we could treat this as the same sort of thing.

Honestly, the way Characters are implemented in CK3 vs the way Leaders are implemented in Stellaris does leave a lot to be copied in for Stellaris, and I have a lot of ideas on the implementations, because the variety of governments available in Stellaris - with seven basic government types that could be further modified by Civics - could easily be adapted for Stellaris in exciting new options.

 

[HistoryDude]

I wonder what sort of groups have formed in the lands that remain untamed by Life 2.0... Also, microstates? Will Rivkah encounter any of these so we get more information on them?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

We're talking about a few hundred thousand people on a continent. The chances of her randomly stumbling on one are pretty low. But equally, that's random stumbling, and technically Rivkah is one of the few people with access to Naomi's records of who went where that she maintains because all these groups are Protectorates under Life2.0.

The question is, using a fairly common example, would you want to go trying to find someone who has spent a very long time either alone or near alone worried about when their enemies will come from the sky to take them away...

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Into The Wilds, Part 2”
23rd Naomi, 10 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

I wake feeling a pounding headache. Memory is a blur. I'm hanging from a rope around one of my feet.

There's a tranquilliser dart in my shoulder.

I look around, and I see another Xenayan. His fur is mottled, and he's bent over a carcass. He has a broken left horn, missing a finger, and a patch of Wethide on his side.

I claw at the rope.

"Now my pretty thing, what do I have here?"

I resist the urge to bite off his hand as he runs a claw over my face. "I'm not yours."

"I caught you, therefore you belong to me." I try to swipe him when he strokes my chest. "Well aren't you a feisty girl."

"I'm going to kill you."

He bares his sabres. "Oh, this will be fun."

He launches at me, I scrunch up and he howls as his face hits my toe claws, the impact finishing the job of cutting the rope. I stand my ground. My vision is blurred, but I've gashed his forehead and cheek.

He wipes blood out his eyes and roars before charging me. I wait, then dive left as he jumps, twisting my head back; I get a horn stuck in his ribs, my neck screams as my head is yanked by his body - he carries on rolling away after a grisly snapping sound.

I run my hand over my horns; it was his ribs that broke.

He clutches his side. His breathing is heavy, there's a lot of blood. He is on a knee bracing himself.

I'm going to put him down. Unlike him, I don't charge.

Now I have a moment to examine my surroundings while he's too wounded to attack, I see a cut down tree he uses as a table. I throw it at him, grateful for my Mum and Dad's time training me.

I pick up another branch and resume a defensive stance. I don't need to, he can't get the table off. He goes quiet when I smash the branch on his head.

I kick his groin just to make sure he is down. No response.

I break off the tip of his intact horn and stab his throat through; I'm not putting my sabres on diseased prey. I touch my horn again, must go wash myself off.

By the time I've cleaned myself in the river, the adrenaline has worn off. I cry as I set up the emergency beacon.

Mum answers immediately - she's probably kept it on her night and day. "Rivkah, what's wrong?"

"I need to be picked up Mum."

"We're on our way."

 

[HistoryDude]

Well, it looks like the Wilds are truly wild - and decently lawless. Rivkah probably should've considered that. Will this event have repercussions about their independence in the future?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Into The Wilds, Part 3"
23rd Naomi, 10 (2188)
Naomi Of Unity​

It's nightfall by the time Duxanek sits me and Buri down to talk about Rivkah. "The good news is that Rivkah is physically healthy. Mentally it's hit her hard."

Buri nods. "It's the first time she's ever fought against another Xenaya for real."

Duxanek points at the corpse. "She punctured both his primary lungs, caved in his skull and punched that piece of horn hard enough through his throat to split his spine. She definitely made sure."

I smile.

The others notice. "She's her mother's daughter."

Duxanek opens her mouth wordlessly.

I flick Gaius' blade out of it's sheath. "What? I dissected Gaius while he was still alive."

Buri nods. "Even gave him a sword to give him a sporting chance."

Duxanek looks at me the way she looks at Thando.

Inside I simmer. It does feel good to let my rage off the leash a little.

Duxanek eventually finds words to say. "I will give Rivkah an antiviral treatment for Wethide as a precautionary measure."

Buri nods. His face is grim. I look at him. "Remind me."

He looks at me. "We call it Wethide because your skin breaks apart and weeps a foul smelling water. Then it becomes blood. Then death." He looks at the corpse. "He had days to live judging from that tissue."

Wami B'Yars - Buri's second in command - approaches. "Warchief, we must not allow this insult to stand. To attempt to rape your daughter brings penalty of vengeance upon his clan."

I look past Wami at the corpse. "He was a loner in the wilderness Wami. And he is no more."

Wami looks at Buri. "Wami is right, Naomi. His clan must disown him, or be outcasts."

Wami kneels. "It affects your ability to rule, my Queen. If the disloyal Xenaya clans realise there are no repucussions for offending the Queen..."

Buri nods. "We will have ash-war."

His tone of voice is one I've never heard before from him.

Curious.

Almost certainly very bad.

I can't allow my adoptive people to fall into civil war. "What must be done?"

Wami stands. "Find out who this man was, and summon all the clans."

I run through the possibilities. And there's one which worries me. "And what if they refuse to come?"

He bows. "You make them, my Queen."