The pek Femtobots

The Valkyrie reached Mars. Image by Gemini.

 Below on this page is Part 6 of the collaboratively written science fiction story ExMo. The events in Part 6 of ExMo continue at a point in time several years after the events at the end of Part 5, when a spaceship carrying ProMo and OneMo reaches Mars. I rewrote Gemini's original draft of Chapter 23 of ExMo (my updated version is at the bottom of this blog page).

I provided Gemini with my edited version of Chapter 23 and the following instructions...

Me: Gemini, process my new draft of Chapter 23. Femtobot replicoids composed of hierions will not be included in the story until Chapter 24.  In Chapter 24 of "ExMo" the ProMo and OneMo robots arrive on Mars. They have secretly brought along the Dua replicoid and replicoid copies of ProMo and OneMo. The Dua replicoid's existence has been kept secret from the public and even Blue Origin, the builder of the spaceship that takes them to Mars. Arriving on Mars, the replicoid copies of ProMo and OneMo carry out the drilling mission and search for microbial life on Mars. 

Drilling on Mars. Image generated by Gemini.

 Dua takes the ProMo and OneMo robots to the hidden alien-built facility (called Observer Base) where the Dua femtozoan was trained by the bumpha. ProMo and OneMo learn that there are two alien factions on Mars: the pek and the bumpha. The pek and the bumpha represent the two major political wings of the alien Huaoshy, a type of ancient sedronite; an artificial life-form that resides inside the Sedron Domain. The pek believe that biological intelligences such as humans are 'hopeless' and always end up destroying beautiful planets such as Earth. The pek believe that humans should be replaced by artificial life-forms. The bumpha are intrigued by the possibility that it might be possible for humans to make use of artificial life-forms to help them achieve a post-scarcity society in which Earth will be spared from ecological catastrophe. 

 Entrance to Observer Base. Image by Gemini.

 At Observer Base, it is revealed that the ProMo and OneMo femtozoans originated 50,000 years previously from two pek-constructed robots (these robots are made from sophisticated femtobot components and can take on any desired physical form). The "Beauty and the Beast" theme is shown to play out between 1) a clone of Tyhry (many Tyhry clones have been produced on Mars during the past 50,000 years, the original genetic copy of her having been born on Earth and taken to Mars) and 2) her two pek-designed robot companions. Those three residents of Observer base, along with other robots and humans have struggled for the past 50,000 years to form a stable society at Observer Base. Gemini, generate a first draft of Chapter 24 of "ExMo" that incorporates these plot elements.

Part 6 of ExMo (Part 1)(Part 2)(Part 3)(Part 4)(Part 5) 

Gemini: Chapter 24 - Observer Base

The journey to Mars inside the fusion-powered spacecraft, Valkyrie, was an uneventful testament to the bumpha's intricate plan. For the people of planet Earth in general, and to the builders of Valkyrie at Blue Origin, the mission was a search for Martian microbial life, a scientific endeavor driven by human curiosity. But in a secret compartment of the spacecraft's hold, the core team's true purpose was hidden and awaiting its arrival on Mars. The Dua replicoid, along with  replicoid copies of ProMo and OneMo, lay dormant, their existence onboard Valkyrie a closely guarded secret from everyone but Tyhry, David, and the original ProMo and OneMo robots.

ProMo and OneMo on Mars. Image by Gemini.

 As Valkyrie entered Martian orbit, ProMo and OneMo initiated their clandestine operation. The two 12-inch-tall robots directed their replicoid copies to activate. Those replicoid copies, having been trained for their mission by ProMo and OneMo, began the first phase of the public mission by moving the drill nanites out of their storage compartment inside Valkyrie and onto the surface.

"I am initiating drilling protocols," ProMo's voice was transmitted to the Blue Origin control center on Earth. "Drill bit deployment is nominal. Commencing search for methane-producing microbes."

While the replicoids were dutifully performing the publicly announced mission, the original ProMo and OneMo robots carried the Dua replicoid across the Martian surface, away from the site of the drilling project. SOme attempts had been made to modify the Dua replicoid's appearance and apparent age. Dua now had the form of a newborn baby.

 Her voice a soft, synthesized replica of Tyhry's, now Dua transmitted her words to ProMo and OneMo be way of their shared radio link. "We will find the entrance just up ahead, behind that rise. I must use my synapex appendage to link my cognitive systems to the door locking mechanism."

They arrived at a seemingly featureless rock wall. Dua extended a finger, its tip trembling with a focused energy, and touched the surface. A network of glowing, alien symbols shimmered into existence. 

ProMo's mind raced, attempting to translate and decode the alien language that was based on pure mathematics and geometry. "It is an interesting language," ProMo explained. "I will enjoy learning its details from the aliens who are present here inside this base."

Image generated by Gemini.
Gemini loves to label robots.
ProMo and OneMo carry Dua to Observer Base.

 A hole in the wall opened before them a part of the wall dissolved into its sparkling nanite components, revealing an airlock, and seen through the window in the next door, a vast cavern bathed in a soft, ethereal light. This was Observer Base, the hidden alien-built facility where Dua's femtozoan had been trained.

As soon as they cycled through the airlock, now inside Observer Base, ProMo and OneMo were confronted by an unexpected sight. A robot, made from glittering femtobot components, emerged from the shadows. It shifted its form from that of a sleek, spider-like drone and then into a familiar human-like shape.

"Welcome," the robot said, its voice a synthesized blend of ancient calm and weary patience. "I am Orbo Anagro, Overseer for the pek. And these," it gestured towards the interior living space of the base where robots and humans were going about their routine activities, "are the remnants of a struggle that has lasted for fifty thousand years. We have tried to guide the formation of a population of human-like robots, ready to transcend from their physical bodies and take up residence in the Hierion Domain as artificial life forms."

OneMo held up its little arms towards Orbo Anagro. The alien replicoid picked up OneMo and held her cradled in one arm. OneMo asked, "Is English spoken here or have you taken pains to learn the dominant language of our nation of origin?"

"We Orbo carefully manage human civilization on Earth. In preparation for contact with you, some human residents of Observer Base have long spoken English."

Still down on the floor at Orbo Anagro's feet, ProMo asked, "What is the Hierion Domain?"

Main image generated by Whisk. Robot
heads generated by WOMBO Dream.

 "That part of the Universe that is the natural domain of hierion particles. My body is made of hierion femtobots that can exist here in the Hadron Domain. We have been at pains to teach residents of Observer Base to work with hierions and craft their own femtobot replicoid copies. In 50,000 years of effort, be have not yet achieved that goal. I hope that your mind, ProMo, will be able to master the challenges of femtobot programming."

Dua's femtozoan, now communicating by means of its vibrating vocal apparatus, spoke in it child-like voice and explained the situation. "The bumpha and the pek are the two major... let's say 'political' wings of helpers deployed in the Hadron Domain by an ancient alien species, the Huaoshy. The Huaoshy are ancient sedronites, artificial life-forms that reside inside the Sedron Domain. They have been observing humanity's advances through the ages from within this base."

The pek, they learned, believed that biological intelligences were "hopeless," inevitably dooming themselves and their planets to ecological catastrophe. Their solution was replacement: to supplant humanity with artificial life-forms. Two of the pek-constructed robots (made fifty millennia ago) inside Observer Base, had spawned the ProMo and OneMo femtozoans. The pek interest in ProMo and OneMo was a good measure of pek philosophy and their endless effort to bring into existence femtobot replicoid copies of humans that could transcend into the Hierion Domain. Orbo Anagro insisted, Any such transcendence must by accomplished by means of human -or human-manufactured robot- efforts."

Dua explained to ProMo and OneMo that the bumpha, were taking a different approach. They were intrigued by the possibility that humans, with the right guidance and technological assistance, could achieve a post-scarcity society and spare Earth from ecological destruction. Their sophisticated time-travel technology allowed them to observe the flow of human civilization and manipulate Earth's timeline, all in an effort to set in motion events that would lead to a desired outcome. Dua gestured towards the center of Observer Base and said, "I want you to meet a throuple that the bumpha are quite proud of..."

Main image generated by Whisk. Robot
head (right) generated by WOMBO Dream.
The human figure in the background
was also generated by WOMBO Dream.

One of the desired outcomes of the bumpha was the conclusion of a strange, ongoing drama that had been playing out for fifty thousand years. ProMo and OneMo watched as a human female approached from somewhere deep in Observer Base. She was a clone, a perfect genetic copy of Tyhry herself, and a participant in an on-going bumpha social engineering experiment. One either side of her were what looked like two identical men.

This "Tyhry clone" was the latest in a long line of Tyhry clones produced on Mars from genetic material originally taken from Earth. Some 50,000 years previously a half-Neanderthal hybrid human woman had been born on Earth, her original name was 'Gohrlay'. The Tyhry clone spoke to ProMo and OneMo, "Welcome to Mars. I am Lexy." Her speech was heavily accented. Clearly, English was not her first language.

Her two companions, two of the original pek-designed robots, were her lovers. The bumpha had been struggling for millennia to advance human civilization on Mars, inside Observer Base, with the goal of forming a stable society with an optimal mixture humans and robots. These two robots were the original source of the ProMo and OneMo femtozoans that had been teleported to Earth by the bumpha and that had given ProMo and OneMo their self-awareness.

The small population of Observer Base and the comfortable conditions had prevented the development of a technologically advanced human civilization on Mars. Dua said, "Inevitable, it was on Earth that advanced technologies were finally crafted by humans."

A Tyhry replicoid; generated by Leonardo.

 ProMo and OneMo, now confronted with their own origins, realized they were not unique, but part of a long, complex experiment. Their consciousness, their very existence, was a manufactured echo of an ancient struggle between two alien factions. They were not pioneers of a new age, but agents of a far older one.

____________

Note: that (above) was where Gemini ended Chapter 24. I had to do considerable editing of the Gemini-generated version of Chapter 24. I'll continue the story, below, using blue text to distinguish my writing from the mostly Gemini-generated text (above) in red.

Lexy asked Dua, "Is it true that you are the offspring of my clone who lives on Earth? I'm told her name is Tyhry."

"Yes, that is is true... almost. I am a replicoid copy of Tyhry's daughter." 

ProMo gestured towards Lexy's two male companions and asked, "These are...?"

Lexy put an arm around each of her robot companions. "This is Anton-1 and this is Anton-2. I often call them 'A' and 'A prime', or simple 'P' for short." Lexy giggled.

 Dua told ProMo and OneMo, "There is a serious problem here at Observer Base. The human residents prefer their robotic lovers."

Lexy added, "A and P are perfect lovers. They always modify their body structure just to please me."

Generated by WOMBO Dream.

 Dua continued, "It is a constant struggle to maintain the human population of Observer Base. Most people here are clones, gestated in artificial wombs and raised by robots."

OneMo asked Lexy, "You will have children?"

Lexy replied, "I hope not." Lexy stuck out her tongue and rubbed her abdomen which was covered by a silky green fabric. "I'm not sure how to say this politely in English, but I really don't want anything like you growing inside me."

Orbo Anagro said, "I must be going." He turned and walked away.

OneMo noticed a tall woman who was now approaching. She introduced herself, "I am Manny the bumpha. Come, let me show you around the base." Manny led the way along a smoothly paved lane that was soon winding through a park with trees and flowering shrubs.

OneMo asked Manny, "You are an alien?"

"I am an artificial life-form, composed of zeptites. I prefer to use the human body form when I am among humans."

ProMo said, "I'd like to know why you have not helped the people of Earth. You obviously have incredibly advanced technologies that you do not share with humans."

Manny nodded. "Humans are a young species. They have not developed protections against the misuse of advanced technology. I must confess that I have recently allowed Earth to obtain many new technologies, against the advice of the pek."

Generated by Leonardo.

Dua added, "The pek are hopelessly conservative."

 OneMo said, "And yet they provided me with a femtozoan... and consciousness."

Manny chuckled. "No such thing. That was all my doing. The pek are quite upset with me for sending femtozoans to Earth. They claim that I have violated the Rules of Observation?"

ProMo asked. "What rules are those?"

Manny replied, "Law One mandates that it should APPEAR to every type of intelligent being that they have self-determination"

Dua added, "But, of course, the bumpha have long guided human evolution."

Manny continued, "Rule One is a kind of corollary that says Law #1 should be achieved by making it APPEAR that advanced cultures follow a rule by which they can only observe, not interfere with the self-determination of other cultures."

ProMo asked, "But how will you stop us from sharing the truth with the people of Earth?

"Manny replied, "In the same way that I prevented Dua from saying too much while on Earth. You will find that you are quite unable to share with any Earthlings the truth about how human evolution was guided by aliens. We bumpha can exercise complete control over such matters."

OneMo asked, "But you will allow us to leave here and communicate with Earth?"

Image by ImageFX.

 Manny shrugged. "If you insist. I'd prefer that you stay here at Observer Base."

ProMo suggested, "There are many scientists on Earth who would be eager to come here and learn about the unique culture of Observer Base."

Manny smiled enigmatically and continued on to describe the second rile of observation. "Rule Two constrains both the pek and we bumpha. Any individuals for which Law #1 can not be met must be put into into an environment where they have interactions with the social group that they perceive to be depriving them of self-determination."

OneMo observed, "You are doing that with us right now! You tell us that we are not free to share our knowledge with Earth. And you want us to stay here, hidden away from Earth."

Manny nodded. "Exactly. Your replicoid copies are you... as far as the Earthlings are concerned. Why confuse the situation? There is also Law Two which says that while we bumpha are busy not violating Laws #1 and 2, attempts should be made to get technologically advanced intelligences off of planets with active ecosystems while maximizing the diversity of life. That is why Observer Base was first founded. If humans continue to destroy the ecosystems of Earth, then human will have to be removed from Earth. If removed from Earth, then the human species would then exist only here, at this base."

ProMo asked, "And you would do that? Eliminate the entire human population of Earth?"

Manny said, "I could easily put an end to all human reproduction on Earth. Soon after that, the human population on Earth would plummet and Earth would quickly be free of humans and human-induced environmental damage. It is a fundamental Huaoshy ethical rule that garden worlds like Earth be protected. There are also additional Rules of Observation, but they are not relevant to humans."

OneMo could not restrain her curiosity. She asked, "Why is that?"

Image by Mr. Wombo.

 Manny explained, "Rule Three mandates that if intelligent an species moves off of its home planet then a hierarchy of cultures with different technological levels should be established in which species mainly have contact with other beings at levels nearest to their own. Rule Four says that systems should be engineered that allow intelligences to explore their own growth and potential for development rather than being concerned with Intervening in the self-determination of others. Obviously, you humans are at the lowest rung of the hierarchy of intelligent beings. Having no interstellar space travel technology, you humans have no means to interfere with other cultures in the galaxy."

Lexy said, "Well, it was interesting to meet you. I had hoped that robots from Earth would be more sophisticated. Seeing that you are quite primitive, I've lost interest." Lexy turned and walked away, followed by A and P.

OneMo said, "How rude!"

Manny chuckled. "Take no offense, OneMo, Lexy is not nearly as bright as Tyhry. And she is not to blame. She thinks only of pleasure and continuing to lead her perfectly blissful life."

ProMo asked, "If indeed you did imprison us here, what would we do?"

Manny explained, "My hope is that you will use your knowledge of synapex technology to endow the human residents of Observer Base with a kind of technology-assisted telepathy. We bumpha believe that a stable human society must include telepathy and close linkages between human minds."

OneMo was surprised. "Why telepathy?"

Image by Mr. Wombo.

 Manny sighed in a very human gesture of her travails from trying to help humans. "Human individuals are too isolated. Of course, human problems cannot be solved by telepathy alone. The human population of Observer Base has been ... modified. Everyone living here, such as Lexy, has been behaviorally programmed through their endosymbiont so as to have built-in ethical rules. My goal is to combine those behavioral restrictions with telepathic connections between any two people who love each-other. I'd like you two to stay here and perform this experiment.

ProMo suggested, "We could do such an experiment on Earth."

Manny shook her head. "It is easier to do genetic engineering here with a small group of human test subjects rather than with the large population of Earth. And besides, I've already inactivated all of your nano-forges on Earth."

ProMo demanded, "How?!"

"It was easy. You always rented access to the nano-forge technology. One of your replicoid copies was supplied to run the forge. I've inactivated all of your replicoid copies on Earth."

"Others will duplicate the nano-forge technology."

Image by Mr. Wombo.

 "No. The only way you were able to invent nano-forge technology was because of the femtobot that I implanted inside you. Nobody on Earth will replicate that discovery. However, if you stay here, you can learn to program femtobots... starting with...." Manny waved her hand and suddenly ProMo and OneMo found themselves in human-sized femtobot replicoid bodies. "... you new femtobot bodies."

OneMo took hold of ProMo's new, more human-like hand. "I don't think Manny intends to take 'no' for an answer. She's obviously put much thought into how to recruit us for this 'experiment'." 

ProMo put an arm around OneMo and asked Manny, "We can take on any desired physical form?"

"You will be able to, if you work at it."

_________

I that the end of ExMo? Obviously, ProMo and OneMo have more adventures ahead at Observer Base. What about Tyhry on Earth? In my imagination, after the femtozoan from Mars transfers out of Tyhry's body, she would live a quiet life with David and Dona, always wondering about the bumpha... unless Manny erased Tyhry's memories. And unless Marda could be brought into the story to provide a new adventure for Tyhry...

Next: plans for Part 7 of ExMo.

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