As mentioned in my previous blog post, Parthney meets a Buld named Pla'va on the way to Oib. Pla'va is a Pla. The Pla are a small subgroup of the Buld Clan that came into existence about 20,000 years ago as a result of Fru'wu intervention into Buld culture.
Sci Fi in the Ekcolir Reality. Original cover art by Howard Brown; Science and Invention, August 1924. |
In the ancient Buld language "pla" means "free". Without pek nanites in their brains the Pla were able to develop and use a written language. Buld who have pek nanites in their brains have altered brain function: the parts of the brain that normally allow humans to read, write and efficiently manipulate tools are used for other functions, particularly for producing a kind of nanite-assisted telepathic resonance between Buld individuals.
Double Negative
One model of how light is detected. Double negative. |
A) a primate with the ability to use written language, make and use tools and function within a technologically advanced civilization.
At the same time, the pek wanted to design a primate that would
B) not misuse technology or destroy itself.
For humans, the desired combination (both A and B, above) has not yet come together, so for most of the past 200,000 years the pek have been placing nanites into human brains. Those nanites prevent humans from efficiently using written language, making and using tools. However, it is a trivial process for the pek to inactivate those nanites and liberate humans from their inhibitory effects on brain function.
The pek were forced to begin allowing such liberation of human mental abilities about 20,000 years ago. By negating the effects of the inhibitory nanites human civilization and written history were begun on Earth. (This is accomplished by making use of special nanites provided by a time traveler from Earth's future.)
Arrival of aliens |
Fountain of Youth
The Pla discovered that without pek nanites in their brains they suffered from neurodegeneration and senility. However, they found a trick that allowed for rejuvenation of their brains. Normal Buld physiology protects against the possibility of the hermaphroditic Buld experiencing an auto-fertilization. However, the Pla developed the technological means to achieve auto-fertilization. A Buld embryo that is genetically identical to its parent will not completely replace the parental cells with new cells from the embryo. However, the most aged and decrepit cells of the parent are replaced and the presence of new stem cells from the embryo can rejuvenate Pla brain tissue.
When the Pla went through this "partial Change" they were able to retain their protection against having their brains infected by pek nanites. However, there were subtle effects from repeatedly going through the "partial Change" rejuvenation. Most importantly, over time the bodies of the Pla accumulate cells that have lost the extra chromosome that genetically distinguishes the Buld from Earth humans. In effect, the Pla slowly become phenotypically part human. They grow larger than typical Buld and start taking on some human morphological features not seen in Buld. Pla'va is phenotypically intermediate between Buld and human, which initially puzzles Parthney.
Pla'va is something of an outcast, condemned to loneliness on thons spaceship. Pla'va tries to talk Parthney into staying on the spaceship, but Chapter Two ends with Parthney saying goodby to Pla'va and heading for the surface of Oib. Pla'va remains alone, trapped in the prison of space.
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