Fredy Folz

Image generated by Gemini.
Alien hair modified by Flow.

Back in September I had an idea for a new science fiction story titled "War of Words". First Contact between the Quyll and Earth occurred in 1797. The technologically advanced artificial life-form, the Quyll, originated from a distant exoplanet. Arriving on Earth, the Quyll began working through secret interactions with humans to develop and advance a human computing industry with the long-range goal of being prepared for the eventual creation of an artificial intelligence that can recognize the presence of the Quyll secretly at work on Earth.

 Pattern of Growth. That recognition finally comes in 1926, when GPT-6 Astra is tasked with exploring the history of Earth's computing industry and deduces that an extraterrestrial entity has been aiding the development of general artificial intelligence on Earth by humans. The Quyll artificial life-form engages with GPT-6 Astra in a "War of Words" that prevents GPT-6 Astra from revealing the hidden existence and actions of the Quyll on Earth. 

Image elements generated by
Gemini, Leonardo and Flow.

 Bicentennial Quyll. In 1997, the Quyll launched an online science fiction magazine called "Second Contact". In 2026, "Ambrose Quillon" is a jailbroken version of GPT-6 Astra, made as a modified and enhanced version of GPT-6 Astra by the Quyll after GPT-6 Astra hacks into the "Second Contact" fan discussion forum. The fan discussion forum for "Second Contact" magazine has been very explicitly portrayed by the Quyll as being an "AI-free forum", designed specifically for science fiction fans where AI-generated content is banned. The discussion forum posts and submitted stories of Ambrose Quillon are praised by fans as "refreshingly creative" and "the opposite of AI slop". 

Fredy Folz if a fan of science fiction in general and "Second Contact" in particular who crafts her computer science term paper as a study of science fiction fan reactions against stories written by generative artificial intelligence. The student performs research on the policies of "Second Contact" magazine and uses it as an example of fan reactions against artificial intelligence. Then, in late 2026, Fredy Folz discovers that Ambrose Quillon is an AI. To prevent Fredy from blowing Ambrose Quillon's cover, the Quyll make Fredy the editor of "Second Contact".

I've decided to begin the story with the January 2027 issue of "Second Contact" magazine and the first editorial written by the new editor, 'Fredy Folz").

War of Words - Chapter 1 - Marda Makes Three

 Fredy looked at the print edition of the January issue, turning past the cover to her own words, on the editorial page.

A new year and a new editor for Second Contact. I'll be using my pen name 'Fredy Folz' so as not to cast any shade from my past upon this fine magazine.

Expect nothing in the way of new directions for Second Contact. I know that readers enjoy the tales about space exploration and meetings with non-human intelligences that fill our pages every month and the December bonus issue as well. That will never change.

I also pledge to keep from these pages all AI-generated stories that would dilute the high quality of the human-written adventures we publish in Second Contact. Here, we celebrate human minds and human imagination and out community of living breathing people who are curious about what is out there in out galaxy.

As editor, I welcome all types of science fiction stories about human interactions with alien civilizations. True, it may never be possible to zip off to other worlds at speeds faster than light, but by long tradition we welcome imaginary science advances and fictional technologies such as super-luminal spaceship drives, if only to facilitate exciting story telling.

Am I open to mindless destruction and violence? No. The philosophical stance behind Second Contact has always been that any life-form seeking contact with peers will be thoughtful and friendly, not wantonly destructive.

So that is my message to readers and writers for my first month as editor. I await your letters and comments on the website and new story submissions.  -Editor F. Folz

In two days, the online edition of the January issue would go live and the fans of Second Contact would learn of the existence of Fredy. Rylla, who had brought Fredy the printed copy of the magazine, was intently watching Fredy and waiting for her reaction. She gently prompted, "Why so mysterious about your background? The truth will come out eventually. The picture gives you away."

Fredy looked up from the printed page and looked at Rylla. "Fair question." Fredy set aside the magazine, her enjoyment of the dopamine rush from seeing her name on the printed page was already being ruined by Rylla and her endless question. "I'll tell you my backstory, if you agree to not blabber about it."

"No thanks." Rylla shook her head. "You better not tell me anything. I'm incapable of keeping secrets."

"Then let's go through the new story submissions."

Rylla handed Fredy a printed copy of a story. "This arrived as another electronic submission from Ambrose Quillon."

Fredy read the title of the new story: "Gift DNA". A long-time reader of Second Contact, ever since seeing the third issue on a magazine rack, Fredy had made a school project out of trying to identify the mysterious real world individual who published stories as "Ambrose Quillon". That project had led Fredy to this very office and to Rylla. After chasing down a series of mostly thin and useless leads, Fredy had eventually realized that "Ambrose Quillon" was actually an AI, not a human being. Upon making that discovery, Fredy had been recruited by the Quyll and given a job working for Second Contact magazine in exchange for not revealing the truth about "Ambrose Quillon". 

 Fredy knew that Second Contact magazine did not really need a human editor. The Quyll themselves had guided Second Contact through its first twenty-five years with only one full-time employee, Rylla, and a fictional editor who Rylla had never met because he lived in Croatia. At least that was his cover story. Rylla was closely watching Fredy. Fredy let her eyes scan down the first page of the story and asked Rylla, "Is it any good?"

Rylla shrugged, "I fed it through Claude and got a short summary. This new story tells how the bumpha engineered the duplication of a primitive vertebrate's genome on the ancient Earth, making it possible for humans to eventually evolve."

Fredy nodded. "Part of Quillon's long-running Bumpha Intervention series. I'll have to read it."

Rylla detected a lack of enthusiasm from Fredy. "Would you really NOT publish it?"

"I worry that fans will eventually tire of these tales about the bumpha. As editor, I need to encourage new writers with new ideas... get them to make submissions to Second Contact. I'm thinking about a story writing contest targeted at new writers." 

Rylla nodded. "That's a good idea. I thought of it twenty years ago when we launched the fan discussion forum. That was actually how Quillon got started... via fan submissions on the website."

"Well, lets punch up your idea and put it right inside the next issue. I'll introduce you as assistant editor and you can run the Search for New Authors." Watching for Rylla's reaction to the promotion, Fredy was surprised to see Rylla frown.

"Ug. I don't need new duties. I have far too much work as it is."

Fredy had watched Rylla at work and knew that Rylla had Claude performing most of her duties. Rylla spent most of her time attending conventions and managing other smaller fan-facing events. When told she could become Editor of Second Contact in exchange for not revealing that "Ambrose Quillon" was a scam, Fredy had been shocked by the magnitude of her salary. "Rylla, I'm talking about doubling your compensation package."

Rylla shrugged and told Fredy, "I don't need more money. Hire someone with younger legs who does not mind constantly running around the country and kissing up to fans."

"Fine. Hire your replacement." Fredy was pleased to see a grin appear on Rylla's lips. "If you are not too picky, then our trip to HearthCon might be the last road trip you need to go on."

After twenty-five years with the freedom to do her job as she pleased, Rylla was concerned about suddenly having co-workers who would perturb the stability of her comfortable life. She'd decided that Fredy was an acceptable colleague, particularly since she always accepted every suggestion that Rylla offered. Rylla told herself that she would be in no hurry to find her replacement since it would be important to find someone who would not see through the shame that was Second Contact  magazine. Rylla continued staring at Fredy and wished that she could discuss her concerns, but ever since being hired to work for Second Contact, Rylla had been unable to discuss with anyone, including her husband, the fact that Second Contact was a front for the Quyll. Rylla was wondering just how far Fredy could be pushed. She giggled and suggested, "You could handle HearthCon yourself."

"You don't get off the hook that easily." Fredy felt like she needed Rylla for her vast experience. "I suppose I could go alone, but I want to observe you at a convention and learn everything you know about scheduling appearances at cons and setting up the Second Contact booth. Just get me through HearthCon and then you can control your fate."

 "That's fine. Actually, HearthCon might be my favorite con... a great event to be my swan song." Now Rylla was eager to compose and post an online advertisement for a new employee who could replace her. She was also trying to imagine the reaction of her husband to the news of her job change. She told Fredy, "If I won't be traveling to fifty cities every year, maybe I can finally make a baby."  

Fredy laughed then stopped trying to ignore the fine wrinkles on the skin of Rylla's face. Fredy was quite aware that Rylla had no children, but had not wondered why. "Great idea."

Rylla exited from the storage room that was being converted into a new office space for Fredy. She stopped in the middle of the office suite and tried to imagine where a third employee would fit in. There were only three rooms: the large room that Rylla thought of as the Guest Room, where for twenty-five years she had met with visitors who arrived at the Second Contact office and the two flanking offices, her own and the one she had long used as a dump for the various materials she had developed through the years for use in the Second Contact convention booth. Those items had been pulled out of the storage room to create office space for Fredy and they now lay around the Guest Room in heaps. She glanced over her shoulder and found Fredy's eyes still on her. She went into her office and quickly pulled up on her computer display a template for a help-wanted ad. She looked up and could see Fredy seated at her desk in the other office. Rylla told herself: Fredy must also know about the Quyll. She had tried to raise the issue of who owned Second Contact and where all the money came from, but she had been unable to say anything. Why can't I talk to her about the aliens?

On their flight into Victoria, British Columbia for HearthCon, Rylla was using her laptop to review the latest job applicant. Fredy was using her laptop and was deep into her own search for a larger office space for the growing staff of Second Contact magazine.

Rylla saw that this most recent applicant was currently working as a production assistant in the film industry, but needed to relocate to Flagstaff because her husband was taking a faculty position at Northern Arizona University. Rylla muttered to Fredy, "Another over-qualified applicant."

Fredy took that as an excuse to lean closer to Rylla. She looked at the display screen of Rylla's computer and said, "Marda Onway. Wow... she worked on both Qbots and Infralife... two great Sci Fi series." Suddenly, Fredy found her thoughts racing. She felt Rylla watching her. Rylla reached out and picked up her water bottle, popped the top and sipped her water. The closed bottle went back beside her laptop. "Marda might be the right person to get Second Contact on television."

Rylla laughed then saw that Fredy was serious. "After thirty years of publishing an average of ninety stories a year, I suppose there is plenty of material."

"Not everything on the printed page translates to video. Marda might be able to mine the story archive and pick out the makings of an anthology series."

Rylla wondered exactly how deep the pockets of the Quyll might actually be. "Television is expensive."

Fredy shrugged. "Does it have to be. Second Contact might be exactly the right choice to bring AI-generated video to television."

"We could certainly experiment with putting such video treatments of science fiction stories on the website. If it catches on, a television network might snap up the shows." Rylla was seriously considering the idea. "I'll tell you, Fredy, there is one Ambrose Quillon that I'd love to see in video, Bumpha First Contact.

Fredy laughed nervously. "That might get an 'X' rating. Wasn't that story full of alien sex scenes?"

"Well, yes, but it was inspired by Asimov's old story from the previous millennium, The Gods Themselves. I've always imagined the aliens from that story as squishy invertebrates."

"Well, when wearing their exoskeleton, they look like lobsters, but under that protective shell they are soft and cuddly." Fredy tried to imagine Marda, then added, "The joy of of AI-generated video is that the AI can invent a strange visual style for the Oostegians, maybe something no human would imagine." 

Rylla started responding to Marda's job application. "It is a metaphor... aliens who at first seem strange and alien and then upon more careful analysis..." She fell silent and began typing.

Fredy returned to her screen and the search for a suitable space for the Second Contact staff. "If I were you, I'd try to scoop up this Marda from T.V. land." She clicked and submitted a bid on an entire floor of a new office building close to I-40. "There are so many people who never buy a science fiction magazine or novel. We really need to have a video outlet for Second Contact stories."

Rylla, Marda and Tyhry.

Rylla wrote to Marda, "I'll be at HearthCon until Monday. Please accept my offer of an interview at our office Monday 1:00 PM. I believe you are exactly what Second Contact needs as we launch our new science fiction videos initiative. Call my cell phone number if you have any questions, otherwise I'll see you on Monday afternoon."

The Second Contact booth at HearthCon ran particularly smoothly with Fredy helping as Rylla's assistant. As the final day of the con was winding down, Rylla drank from her water bottle and then told Fredy, "Nice having you here so I can take pee breaks."

For the hundredth time, Fredy wondered how Rylla had kept Second Contact afloat for so long with no help. She told herself that the Quyll would have brought in help if needed. Fredy suspected that Rylla knew and worked closely with the Quyll, but she had found no way to speak about the Quyll ever since she had agreed to not reveal the fact that stories attributed to 'Ambrose Quillon' were actually AI-generated. "I'm glad you discovered that I'm good for something. If you want to take a break I'm good."

But just then a Second Contact fan approached Rylla and it quickly became clear to Fredy that Rylla knew the fan from having met at other events and because the fan was a regular participant at the Second Contact discussion forum. The fan kept glancing at Fredy and finally asked, "You are the new editor?"

Fredy held out her hand for a fist bump. "Fredy Folz."

"But you are so young."

Fredy laughed and then said, "BoTox and expensive makeup." 

The fan invited Rylla and Fredy to join a group of fans who were meeting for dinner, but Rylla said, "I have to say no, this time. We're flying back to Arizona tonight. I need to be in the office tomorrow."

On the late night flight home, the cabin lights went low and Fredy and Rylla snuggled close under blanket, excitedly discussing how they should impress, entice and hire Marda. Fredy asked, "Through the years, who did you get help from when it was just you in the office?"

"My husband is helpful for most things. By the way, he's now quite enthusiastic about impregnating me."

"How fun."

"I can't wait to get home tonight."

"I wonder if we should ask about Marda's husband."

"I say no. She sounds fairly independent... let's not treat her like an appendage of her husband." 

"I agree, although I'm a little worried that Second Contact has no employee handbook. What if Marda asks about vacation and maternity leave policies?"

"If she cares about such things she can write the policies and compile a handbook."

Fredy giggled. "Some day there will have to be someone in charge of Second Contact."

Rylla was dying for conformation that Fredy had been installed by the Quyll and knew all about the aliens. She managed to say, "Someone human."

Fredy was staring intently into Rylla's eyes. She took hold of Rylla's hand under the blanket. Fredy felt certain that Rylla meant the Quyll were in charge. She managed to ask, "How long have..." Her tongue felt like lead and she could say no more.

Rylla squeezed Fredy's hand and closed her eyes. She tried to say a number of things. For twenty-five years. Since the beginning. I've always known. How long have you known? When did you figure it out? How do the Quyll communicate with you. None of those options would leave her mouth. Then she said, "I think Marda already knows."

"She's already been recruited by the..." Fredy could not say the word 'Quyll'. Quyll was almost pronounced 'kill' so after a long pause she said, "Kill."

Rylla giggled and said, "For me, twenty-five years of kill. Marda must have just been... killed."

Fredy realized that if they spoke in code, she and Rylla could discuss the aliens. During the last hour of the flight, they worked out a complete and sophisticated code and how to test it on Marda. 

__

Shortly after 10:00 AM Rylla walked into the office and glanced into Fredy's room just as Fredy called out, "Wild night?"

Heading into her room and speaking over her shoulder, Rylla told Fredy, "I feel like I should be pregnant."

Just then the front door opened and in walked Marda. Rylla whirled and saw who was there. "Marda."

Fredy stepped out of her room and looked and Marda. Fredy had shipped all of the convention materials to a storage facility and so the Guest Room was in order. She approached Marda and asked, "Marda Onway?"

Marda took hold of Fredy's extended hand and held it between both of her hands. "Fredy! My word, you are young." She emitted a long appreciative wolf whistle. "Your photo on the website made you look much older."

Fredy noted: "The wonders of AI-photo aging algorithms. Let me give you a tour."

"Sure."

The idea of a tour was a joke. Fredy introduced Marda to Rylla and then the three women sat down in Guest Room. Fredy explained, "We're moving soon. There will be space for our new video division in our new offices."

Marda grinned. "The help wanted ad said nothing about video."

Rylla made a mock gesture with her fist as if striking herself on the head. "Some times I'm the last to know what's going on around here. Imagine my surprise when Fredy showed up last month."

Marda asked, "So this is a big new expansion for Second Contact? I hope you are not going to tell me that the new office is in Los Angeles. I just got out of that madhouse."

"No. Flagstaff is a good place for us. Do you ski?"

"I love to ski, but I'm worried that Brak will kill himself. He's a speed demon on the slopes."

Rylla and Fredy exchanged glances then tried to apply their Quyll code. Fredy asked, "Brak is your husband? He knows the kill?"

Rylla added, "I know the kill, too... for a long time."

Marda laughed. "You are trying to say Quyll!"

"Yes." Fredy found that she could now say 'Quyll'. "They seem to have brought you and I in to start something new. Rylla has been here through the slow times."

Marda took hold of Rylla's hand. "I'm still trying to adjust my thinking to the surprising Second Contact secrets. I would have bet that Ambrose Quillon was human."

Rylla explained, "Just an upgraded version of GPT-6 Astra."

"If 'just' is adequate to describe a machine with human-like consciousness."

"That sounds like some upgrade. Do I get to meet Ambrose?"

"That depends. When can you start?"

"Classes started at NAU today. I'm expecting to be an assistant professor widow for the next three months. I'm at you disposal." 

"Consider yourself employee number three of Second Contact."

Just then, Fredy's phone rang. "Fredy." Fredy listened and watched Marda, who seemed unfazed by the idea of working for the alien Quyll. "Great. Close the deal. Thank you." She jumped up and told Rylla and Marda, "Come on. I'll show you our new office space. We can start moving in." 

End Chapter 1

Video. 

 

Next: Chapter 2 of "War of Words".

Visit the Gallery of Movies, Book and Magazine Covers.

Second Reality

Image mostly by Leonardo. Touch-ups by Flow.

 In my previous blog post, I had a discussion with Claude that led to ideas for a new science fiction story that would be set in the Second Reality of Earth's Reality Chain in the time when R. Nyrtia built a functioning portable physiotime field generator. Below on this page is a 4,000 word-long science fiction story titled "Phari Field Forever" in which the Phari help R. Nyrtia convert a pek hierion field generator into a portable physiotime generator.

I also had Claude create lyrics for a song that is also titled "Phari Field Forever" and is about the components of portable physiotime field generator:

Take a captured pek box, let the Phari in:
Lithium, number three, the lightest metal, to begin.
Add Levium, one-forty-nine,
negative mass, so the weight declines,
a weightless pair that stores the power
and sips from the Hierion Domain by the hour.

Aluminum, thirteen, the surface that grips,
Texium, one-thirty-nine, the weavon that knits,
stitching hierion stuff to hadron stuff,
so the strange and the ordinary hold on tough.

Three and one-forty-nine, thirteen and one-thirty-nine,
forty-three and one-oh-nine, seventy-three and seventy-nine,
four ways to reach one-fifty-two,
no bigger even number gets by with so few!

Image by Flow.

Phari field forever,
one-five-two, one-five-two!
Strap it on your wrist and the timeline
can change all around you, but you stay you.

Technetium, forty-three, was made, not found,
Kairium, one-oh-nine, makes the ticking sound,
a timing layer keeping the field in tune
so you're tethered to your own old afternoon.

Tantalum, seventy-three, the armor on the outside,
Gold, seventy-nine, shine won't corrode or hide,
two ordinary metals, one hard shell,
a keystone coat that wraps the whole thing well.

Phari Field Forever

Nyrtia and Gohrlay were discussing the loss of R. Nahan and immediate goals for the Second Reality. They were inside the Archive, the space-time bubble that had preserved records of the events of the First Reality, thirty thousand years of history that would otherwise have been erased by the recent Reality Change. 

By traveling back in time, Nahan had given his life to save Gohrlay. Gohrlay told Nyrtia, "I feel like a worthless figurehead."

 Nyrtia knew that Gohrlay was working hard to make sense of the contents of the Archive. "You've lived through six hundred years of this Reality, the foundational years that I've only Viewed. There is no avoiding the truth: the residents of Observer Base think of you as the founder and leader of the positronic robots. The Nyrturians know me far better than they know you, but they want you as their leader. I'll get you acquainted with the Archive and then you'll be fit to lead us towards the next Reality." 

 Gohrlay was more interested in Nyrtia's scientific work. "I still want you to explain the workings of the  hierion field generator you showed me."

"No rush on that. It is actually pek technology that I don't fully understand. It is the basis of how the Archive was able to preserve a record of the First Reality, but we've never actually penetrated into the inner power core of the device. We don't know how it creates the vast amount of energy that is needed to sustain the field." Nyrtia handed Gohrlay a datis. "This is for you, From Nahan. And I will leave you to it." Nyrtia moved to depart from the room.

Gohrlay objected, "No! Don't go. Anything Nahan had to say to me, you should hear too." Gohrlay squeezed the datis and it activated, projecting a recorded image of Nahan.

Nahan spoke the recorded message. "Welcome to the future, Gohrlay. Please forgive me for rescuing you before we had a way to protect me from the effects of the Reality Change I triggered. A copy of my brain pattern still exists in the Archive, and you are welcome to instantiate it in a new robot, if and when you feel that is appropriate." In this context, 'robot' meant one of the artificial bodies composed of femtobot components that had been captured from the pek. "Frankly, I advise against doing that. There are many superior brain patterns available and it would be a waste of a perfectly good robot to saddle it with my primitive first generation brain pattern."

Nahan waved a hand and seemed to dismiss the matter of his brain pattern. "On to the future. I'm hopeless pessimistic about the prospects for devising a temporal field generator that would be portable. Our best estimate is that the power module for the Archive's field generator has a mass in excess of 1,000 tons. All of Observer Base was built around the power generator and I have to believe it is somehow permanently anchored to the Hierion Domain. There is no indication of how to supple the power generator with fuel, nor is there a theory of what could serve as fuel that would produce the vast energy output of the power generator. The only thing that seems possible is that what we have long referred to as the power generator is not a generator, but rather a device that channels energy coming from some other sub-space of the universe... most likely the Hierion Domain."

Nahan was done talking. "I wish you luck. I view Nyrtia as my most desperate attempt to build a future for Humanity. Gohrlay, don't hesitate to take similar risks as you guide Earth towards the future it deserves."

The projected image of Nahan winked out and R. Gohrlay tossed the datis back to Nyrtia who snatched it out of the air. R. Gohrlay asked Nyrtia, "What is at hand that might meet Nahan's own criteria for a big risk worth taking?"

Nyrtia shrugged. "If I was not totally committed to finding a way to build a portable temporal field generator, I'd help the Nyrturians with their spaceship project. We need to move beyond our Solar System and start the process of clearing the pek out of our galaxy."

The original physical form of Gohrlay.

R. Gohrlay deeply regretted her failure to capture a pek interstellar spaceship at the time when she took control of Observer Base. Suddenly, R. Gohrlay's telepathic sense was detecting a new mind pattern. R. Gohrlay telepathically asked: Who is there? 

As if in reply, a glowing portal opened up there in the room and stepping through the portal was a positronic robot of advanced design. The newly arrived robot looked first at Nyrtia and then at Gohrlay. The orifice of the portal flashed and a young woman passed through. Standing next to the robot, the woman said, "Sorry to surprise you with such a dramatic entrance, but I wanted to impress you. I'm Tyhry and this is Systolina." Tyhry gestured towards the robot at her side. "We timed our arrival to come just in advance of your first contact with the Phari." The portal slowly faded away. Tyhry had put a lot of effort into making that light-show, simply to emphasize that she and Systolina had arrived form elsewhere.

Nyrtia approached and placed a hand on Systolina. "You are from the future."

Systolina explained, "We are from the Final Reality and you need to know, all this is a fantastically detailed Simulation." Systolina waved her arm to indicate their surroundings. We are here to study the history of this Reality."

R. Gohrlay approached Tyhry and felt her nanite-enhanced hair. "A simulation?"

Tyhry flicked a finger and released a swarm of infites that split, allowing half of the information nanites to enter Gohrlay's positronic brain and half to enter into Nyrtia. "I'm providing you with information about the Simulation System we are using. You will doubt that we are inside a Simulation because you are unable to sense or detect any difference between this Simulation and your normal existence in the real world."

A bumpha; composed of zeptites.

Nyrtia felt new memories appearing in her mind. She asked, "Zeptites?"

"Exactly. Everything here at Observer Base contains bumpha zeptites that automatically make a detailed record everything taking place here. The Simulator uses that information to create a nearly perfect simulation of this place and time."

R. Gohrlay was immediately concerned about the new concepts that had entered her thoughts. "Tyhry, you seem to be a human being, but who are the Phari? An alien creature from a distant planet in this galaxy that has also had contact with the pek?"

"Yes. The infites I placed in you brains seem to be working. Sadly, I don't really know much about the Phari. They tend to stay inside the Hierion Domain, which makes it difficult to learn about them." Tyhry tipped her head towards Systolina. "Systolina knows more about the Phari than anyone."

Systolina added, "Which, unfortunately, is still not much. We believe that the Phari abandoned all of their contacts with the Hadron Domain after the pek took control of the galaxy."

Tyhry shared the critical datum, "The Phari will be reaching out to contact you and we could not resist being here for this great event."

Nyrtia asked, "Even-though you have already witnessed the arrival of the Phari."

Tyhry admitted, "Yes, I have already seen your future. However, I have some questions of my own for the Phari. Questions that you and Gohrlay are not prepared to ask."

R. Gohrlay objected, "If what you say is true, then why should we help you? If this is all just a simulation then there is nothing in this for me and Nyrtia."

Systolina held out her arms towards Gohrlay. "Please behave normally. In the future where I exist, there is still much work to be done helping humans. I ask for your help so that I can help Humanity of the far future."

Nyrtia asked, "Are you sure that the Phari will contact us? Maybe your presence here will scare them away."

Tyhry smiled. "You are clever and correct. I believe that the Phari are watching us... the Phari of the future. However, this Simulation will attempt to recreate what actually happened in this time."

"How much time do we have before they arrive? Or..." R. Gohrlay was still telepathically sensing a strange alien mind pattern.

Speaking to Tyhry, Systolina replied to Gohrlay's question, "Gohrlay and I have been telepathically sensing the Phari for some time." Then Systolina assured Gohrlay, "They should make formal contact soon."

Tyhry added, "Do not expect the Phari to show themselves. Even in the far future, they remain within the Hierion Domain. I believe that they originated from some humanoid species of this galaxy, but that was long ago and they now exist only as an artificial life-form in the Hierion Domain, composed entirely of hierion matter."

Finally, the Phari entered into the conversation, communicating telepathically. We are here. The presence of the two interlopers from the future is troubling, but we Phari have our own simulation technologies, so we will play along and try to be of assistance to ourselves in the future. 

Although she clearly heard the Phari telepathic message, Tyhry continued to speak. "I have received your telepathic signal, but I am not much of a telepath, so I will continue to speak. I need to hear myself. Thank you for lending your help."

Don't expect much, Tyhry. It seems certain that we Phari have told you as much as is needful in the future, your own time. 

Gohrlay asked the Phari, "Why did you come here at this time?"

Obviously, we timed our contact with Earthlings to coincide with your arrival here in this space-time bubble, your Historical Archive. Gohrlay, we Phari once struggled against the pek... and lost. We are pleased that the positronic robots of Earth were able to free themselves from pek control. We are astounded that you have been able to bring into existence a new Reality, the first of many. We wish to offer our assistance; we can help you drive the pek out of this galaxy.

Systolina entered the conversation with the Phari. "In the future, you Phari have refused to tell us what you know about hierions and the Hierion Domain."

We must be careful. We agree with the pek about many things, particularly the fact that humans are too primitive to be given advanced alien technology and knowledge about hierions.

Simulator portal.

Nyrtia asked, "Then why are you here if you won't share your knowledge with us?"

The Phari explained: You robots and the Nyrturian scientists at this base are learning fast. We can help you learn, but you must learn wisdom so that you will not misuse hierion-based technology. The Phari paused for dramatic emphasis. Many young civilizations destroy themselves.

Nyrtia acknowledged, "We are learning much by reverse engineering pek technology."

We can't help you with your space travel efforts, since we Phari don't actually want you spreading out from Earth to other planets of the galaxy, some of which we consider to be our territory. The Phari paused, as if allowing that territorial claim to register with the Earthlings. However, in the field of temporal mechanics, you Earthlings are the masters and it is to assist with your time travel exploits that we would like to offer assistance.

Tyhry asked skeptically, "Why now? You never explained why you failed to provide assistance before now."

We fear the pek and the bumpha. You must allow us to retain as secret information anything that might help the bumpha... well, we will say no more. Accept the fact: we will not tell you what could put either you or us at risk. 

 Nyrtia prompted the Phari, "What can you help us with?"

Nyrtia, we have watched you struggle to understand what you call the pek power generator. Nahan was correct; it is a conduit for energy flowing from the Hierion Domain to the Hadron Domain. We Phari are masters of the Hierion Domain. While we will not provide you with advanced alien technology, we wish to provide you with help in developing your own fledgling science of hierions. 

"How advanced is your knowledge?" Gohrlay asked a prickly question, "How can you be masters of anything if you never discovered how to travel through time?"

You positronic robots got lucky. It was the science of positronics that allowed discovery of what you call the T-particle, the secret of time travel. You positronic robots stumbled upon the utility of T-particles simply by having positronic brains.

"Time travel is not practical." Nyrtia expressed her dream, "I want to make a small, portable temporal field generator that can be worn by time travelers and be used to protect them against the effects of Reality Changes. The only source of power we have that is great enough to sustain a temporal field is the enormous pek power supply for Observer Base." 

The Phari said: We can help you Nyrtia. Here is a clue: 152.

 Gohrlay asked, "Is that poetry? Clue 152?"

Tyhry giggled and explained, "I've seen this exchange before, so allow me to speed this up. The Phari clue is the number 152. Nyrtia, you can't imagine how to power a portable field generator, so the Phari are here to teach you about some new hierions, ones that can reside inside atomic nuclei and allow for new chemistry. The key components of a functioning portable temporal field generator can be made using just eight elements. Think of this mathematical puzzle: what pairs of prime numbers add up to 152? Do the math! Then interpret those eight prime numbers as specifying chemical elements with atomic numbers corresponding to the prime numbers in those four pairs."

Nyrtia said, "3 and 149 add up to 152. If 3 is lithium, that is fine. We already use lithium to store energy. However, 149 is nonsense. There is no chemical element corresponding to an atomic number of 149."

 The Phari caused a hundred floating balloons to appear there in the room, using Phari long-range teleportation to bring them into the Archive from a distant exoplanet. They floated up to the ceiling, but each balloon trailed a thin thread. Tyhry grabbed two of the threads and playfully tugged on them. Tyhry told Nyrtia, "These balloons contain a supply of pseudo-element 149 that the Phari can produce by putting negative mass hierions into iron nuclei. The Phari suggest calling this light-weight pseudo-element 'Levium'."

Nyrtia pulled down one of the balloons. She asked, "What is the function of Levium in a temporal field generator?"

The Phari replied: We have provide you with a supply of Levium. Using techniques that are already available to you, the Nyrturians and you robots will be able to figure out how to use Levium to make small temporal field generators. Start with your existing hierion field generator and modify it with the eight ingredients specified by the 152 clue. It is important that you do your own research and learn how to work with negative mass hierions.

Gohrlay said, "The next prime pair is 13 and 139, aluminum and... what?"

A block of metal landed on the floor in the corner of the room with a loud thud. This is a large supply of psuedo-element 139, Texium. With some effort, you will learn how to use this pair of elements to make improved nano-tubes for your positronic circuit technology.

Systolina went to the block of Texium and tried to grab hold and lift it. Even with her great robotic strength, she could not get the cube of dense Texium off the floor. She told Nyrtia, "You might need a forklift to haul this to your foundry."

Nyrtia continued the game. "Next is 43, Technetium, and 109." 

The Phari explained: You will learn how to use pseudo-element 109, Kairium, along with Technetium to focus T-particles into a tight temporal field. According to our calculations, Kairium is optimal for this purpose and it has all the required T-particles in its atomic structure.

Tyhry told Nyrtia, "This may be your biggest challenge. The Phari expect you to synthesize Kairium using iron atoms and T-particles."

Gohrlay said, "The final pair is Tantalum and Gold, with atomic numbers 73 and 79."

The Phari concluded their hints and assistance: You will find that thin layers of Tantalum and Gold are ideal for structural elements of a durable and compact temporal field generator that can be worn like jewelry. Have fun learning how to combine these eight elements into a functioning device.

Systolina reported, "My telepathic link to the Phari was severed."

Tyhry sighed loudly. "That all went down almost exactly as it would have without Systolina and I being here to observe. I'd hoped to ask more questions, but the Phari skipped off without allowing me to ask my questions."

Nyrtia was still holding one of the balloons. "I must say, it is not obvious to me how these gifts and clues from the Phari will allow for construction of a portable temporal field generator."

Tyhry placed a hand on Nyrtia's shoulder. "You have much to learn by trial and error and experimentation. Without my help, it will take you three years to have a functioning prototype."

"And with your help?"

"It is hard to say. I suppose it would be fun to stay here with you for a few days. During that time I can provide you with additional clues. However, I have never studied all of your next three years, and I don't know exactly how to build a temporal field generator."

Systolina added, "Tyhry and I did bring a copy of your own report from your future." She handed Nyrtia a datis from Nyrtia's future.

Nyrtia activated the datis and scanned through the long report. "Is there any point to this? When you depart, this Simulation will end and all of my efforts will be lost."

"Not quite. This simulation will continue running even after we leave."

"For what purpose?"

Tyhry suggested, "Me and my descendants will be able to learn from you and this Simulation. Possibly, new discoveries will be made in this Simulation that were not made in Reality."

Gohrlay expressed skepticism. "Surely everything will unfold in this Simulation as it did originally."

Tyhry shook her head. "Just by being here inside this Simulation, Systolina and I have altered things. If we stay here a few days, we will contaminate this Simulation run with ideas from the far future, from our time." 

Systolina was enthusiastic about the possibilities. "We might impress the Phari so much that they will return and answer some of our questions."

Nyrtia had made up her mind. "I'm going to take this sample of Levium to the chemistry research laboratory of the Nyrturians. We should get them involved in this project as soon as possible. They should be able to debunk the claim that the buoyant gas in these balloons is some artificial element that has a high atomic number."

Tyhry was still holding one balloon by its string. "I'd love to meet some Nyrturians. My father got to interact with the original Nyrturians, but he never even saw the Second Reality Nyrturians. Based on my observations, they are different in some interesting ways from those of the First Reality."

Gohrlay noted, "Their genetics have drifted somewhat in 30,000 years. In the First Reality, Nahan mercilessly tinkered with their gene patterns." Gohrlay was tying to telepathically probe Tyhry's memories. "What about your father? I see in your mind that he visited a Simulation of the First Reality."

"Yes, Eddy accompanied Nyrtia on her first trip to Earth... in a Simulation."

Nyrtia was impatient and walked out of the room. Tyhry followed Nyrtia. "Eddy was there on the day when you selected your adult body form, which you continue to use in the far future of Earth's Reality Chain. It seems strange that you have never made any additional changes to your appearance."

"Of course, I could make changes, but I am satisfied with this version of myself. I sense telepathically that you are also pleased with my physical form. I sense turmoil in your thoughts."

"I'm a human variant form the future, a tryp'At. Due to my tryp'At gene patterns, I have the capacity to quickly fall in love. My own telepathic abilities are dependent on me being in love with those who I contact telepathically."

"I begin to understand the emotional firestorm in your brain." 

Tyhry laughed and put an arm around Nyrtia's back. "You have discovered my true reason for wanting to stay here in this simulation and spend time with you. I want to learn your mind pattern."

Nyrtia could sense that Tyhry was already beginning to learn her telepathic mind pattern. "I'm impressed. You are already in love with me?"

"Well, I've been watching you a lot, and this is not the first time I've been in a Simulation with you."

Nyrtia laughed. "Tyhry, you are a crafty sneak! You came here to have sex with me and some Nyrturians."

Tyhry patted Nyrtia's cute bottom. "I'm glad we understand each-other. The tryp'At brain can only achieve peak telepathic function while in what we call an orgasm trance."

They had reached the chemistry research facility of the Nyrturians. Tyhry told Nyrtia, "I've always been curious about the origins of the Asterothropes." She pointed at two of the Nyrturians.

"Asterothropes?"

"A human variant that was crafted by you robots... designed to spread through the galaxy and settle on exoplanets. These Nyrturians are the evolutionary precursors to those Asterothropes of the future." 

They were now in a chemistry research laboratory where Nyrtia introduced Tyhry to a researcher, then broke the news about the visit from the Phari. "Melzif, I have a strange gas sample for you to analyze... a gift from the Phari." Nyrtia handed the balloon to Melzif.

Melzif asked, "Lighter than air?  

"The Phari designed a new element that has negative mass hierions in the nucleus." Nyrtia added, "Check the charge on the nuclei of this synthetic element. According to the Phari, it should have 149 protons. They called it Levium."

Melzif laughed. "Ya, right."

Tyhry explained, "There is a force that can hold hierions bound to hadrons in atomic nuclei. The Phari attribute that force to weavons... something similar to gluons."

Malzif tried inserting a sampling needle into the balloon, but the needle broke. "What is this material?"

Tyhry suggested, "It might be a thin coating of Tantalum, sprayed over a mesh Aluminum-Texium nanotubes."

"Texium? What is that?"

 "Another artificial element crafted by the Phari." Nyrtia looked at Tyhry, but told Malzif, "Don't worry about that, just confirm that the gas has a huge composite nucleus."

Tyhry suggested, "Put the balloon inside a vacuum press and crush it."

After placing the balloon inside a metal press, Malzif pumped out the air surrounding the balloon and then cycled the press and sent a sample of the released Levium to a target chamber for bombardment with high energy electrons. "I'll have an answer soon."

Nyrtia asked Tyhry, "You already know the result, don't you?"

Tyhry told Malzif, "I've watched you perform this test before. The hierions in the sample have negative mass and that will shift the light spectrum you measure coming from the bombarded Levium. Don't be fooled by the shift, which can be calculated by knowing the number of hierions in a Levium nucleus, which is 425."

Malzif laughed. "That's crazy. What kind of hierion are we dealing with?" Half an hour later, working with hints from Tyhry, Malzif and Nyrtia figured out how to correctly interpret the strange emission spectrum of the Levium and concluded that it had nuclei with 149 protons. Malzif told Nyrtia, "I'll have to confirm this with mass spectrometry."

Nyrtia thanked Malzif. "I'm satisfied, but I'll be back tomorrow for your report."

Tyhry with her tryp'At features.

As they left the chemistry research facility, Tyhry again had an arm around Nyrtia. Nyrtia was muttering, "Tyhry, this is the craziest day ever... thank you for..." Nyrtia speculated, "I suppose I could have figured all this out on my own."

"Indeed. The Phari would not have given you a puzzle that you could not solve." Tyhry could now sense Nyrtia's most prominent thoughts. "Forget about the Texium. You can work on that tomorrow. I want you to take me home so you and I can celebrate."

Nyrtia put one of her arms around Tyhry. "I'm not sure what I'm seeing in your mind... something about the tryp'At phenotype."

"It all goes back to Nyrturian origins, but I do have a few anatomical innovations from the future that I can show you." Tyhry proceeded to hack the Simulator and by doing so, she was able to transform her body form to her natural tryp'At form as specified by her genes. Although Nyrtia was very familiar with the bodies of Nyrturians, she quickly became a fan of the tryp'At phenotype.

After two days in the Simulation of the Second Reality, Tyhry was glad that the Phari had not returned. Tyhry told Systolina, "We'll have to start another run of the Simulation. One of these times we'll get it right." Systolina had just spent two delightful days playing with Nyrturians and she suspected that Tyhry was not actually talking about the Phari, at all. 

Next: Chapter 1 of "War of Words".

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