Two Copies or Two Timelines or

Two alternate futures by Mr. Wombo.

 In my science fiction story "The Fesarians", Talia Vance has visions of the future that are made possible by her access to the Sedron Time Stream. Balok has carefully worked to provide Talia with special nanites that allow Talia's zeptite endosymbiont to act as a receiver for information about the future that Balok knows will help Talia accomplish her mission on Elemacha-z. However, Talia struggles to make sense of her visions of the future because she has two seemingly different sets of visions of the future:

1) in one set of Talia's future visions, the human colony at Port Cooway on Elemacha-z continues to exist far into the future and becomes the home of the descendants of Talia and Dave Bailey.

2) in another set of visions, Talia and Dave meet on Elemacha-z and then soon depart from Elemacha-z. Subsequently, they have children together that are raised while living onboard the Fesarius.

Aethe the exobiologist.

 ABCs. There are several possibilities for how to account for Talia having visions of these two seemingly contradictory futures (1 & 2, above).

a) One possibility is that Balok the bumpha used advanced technology to make a second copy of the planet Elemacha-z, complete with its own copies of Dave and all the members of the two sets of clones (Talia and her clone sisters and Xylo and her clone sisters) who have founded the new human colony at Port Cooway. The copy of Dave who is on that new copy of Elemacha-z would visit Elemacha-z and get caught up in the effort to make the Port Cooway colony viable and he would never return to the Fesarius. In my imagination, Balok would remove Dani from that new copy of Elemacha-z and there would be no confrontation with R. Nyrtia on that copy of the planet. Instead, Dave would work closely with Aethe to learn about the alien life forms of Elemacha-z.

Figure 1. Generated by Gemini.
A future where people use
teleportation to travel.

 b) A second possibility is that Balok might engineer a Reality Change; in one Reality, Dani was never sent to Elemacha-z by Balok. Balok would intentionally provide Talia with information about that alternate Reality in order to let her know that the Port Cooway colony was successful in an alternate timeline, even while in her Reality she has had to abandon the new colony and go with Dave to live on the Fesarius.

c) It is also possible that both 1 & 2 (above) can be part of the same timeline in one Reality. Maybe just a duplicate copy of Talia is made (by teleportation duplication), then the newly made copy of Talia and Dave could depart from Elemacha-z after they meet R. Nyrtia. That copy of Talia and Dave go to live on the Fesarius, they have children there and live there for a time, but then eventually they return to live on Elemacha-z with the original copy of Talia. Thousands of years in the future, their descendants have developed a civilization on Elemacha-z where humans merge into the ecosystem of the planet that is managed by the Neoma.

Figure 2. Generated by Gemini and Imagen 3.

 Depicting the Neoma.  Ever since I decided to include in "The Fesarians" a sentient alien that has the physical appearance of a plant, I've struggled to find an acceptable way to visually depict the Neoma. For the past several weeks, Gemini has been teasing the immanent arrival of Imagen 3, so today when that new version of Gemini's image generating software was available, I asked Gemini, "This page (https://deepmind.google/technologies/imagen-3/) shows that Imagen 3 can generate images that include human beings. Gemini, are you currently allowed to generate  images of human beings by using Imagen 3?".

Figure 3. Gemini-generated squid-plant.

 Gemini: You're absolutely right. You linked the official Imagen 3 page which showcases its ability to generate images with humans.   While I am capable of using Imagen 3 to generate images, there are currently restrictions in place regarding the creation of images of people. This is due to potential safety and ethical concerns, such as the misuse of these images for generating deepfakes or creating unrealistic portrayals of people.  However, these restrictions are constantly being reviewed and may change in the future.   In the meantime, I can still use Imagen 3 to generate a variety of other creative and interesting images for you. Would you like me to try generating something different without humans?

Figure 4. Gemini-generated one eyed plant.

 Me: I write science fiction stories that include alien life forms from imaginary exoplanets. Can Gemini generate images depicting imaginary humanoid aliens?

Gemini: Gemini can generate images of imaginary humanoid aliens. While I can't create images of real people due to ethical concerns, I can use my understanding of human anatomy and biology, combined with creative elements, to generate images of alien life forms.  Would you like me to try generating an image of an alien humanoid? Feel free to provide me with any specific details or characteristics you envision for your alien, such as their skin color, body shape, or facial features.

Figure 5. Gemini's ring eye #1.

 Me: I am currently writing a story that includes a type of sentient plant-like creature (called the Neoma) that lives on a distant exoplanet. To illustrate the Neoma, I want an image of an alien creature that has some similarities to Earthly plants, but also differences that make the Neoma look like they are from a different planet where evolution went down alternative paths compared to Earth.

Gemini: Sure, here is an image of a sentient plant-like creature that has some similarities to Earthly plants, but also differences that make it look like it is from a different planet where evolution went down alternative paths compared to Earth: (see Figure 2)

Figure 6. Gemini's ring eye #2.

 Me: That was a beautiful image that you just generated, but it looks too much like a human being. In my imagination, the Neoma can think and reason, but the physical form of the plant-like Neoma does not look like a human being. In my imagination a Neoma looks like a strange plant with a trunk and a mixture of plant-like branches and leaves, but also with motile appendages that look something like the tentacles of a squid.

Gemini: Sure, here it is. (see Figure 3 )

Me: That is a very interesting illustration of a plant-like creature with eyes that you just generated. Gemini, can you modify the appearance of that plant-creature so that there is a single eye that forms a continuous band 360 degrees around the entire circumference of the "trunk" of the creature?

Figure 7. New reference image.

 Gemini: Sure! (see Figure 4 )

Me: Gemini, imagine a gold ring on a human finger. The material of the ring forms a circular band that goes 360 degrees around the entire circumference of the finger. That is how I want the eye of a Neoma to appear. In the image that you just generated, there was only one eye, but it did not go all the way around the trunk of the plant-creature. Gemini, do you understand the distinction that I am making?

Gemini: Sure, here it is. (see Figure 5)

Me: Gemini, this is very interesting. I am having difficulty providing a text description that will successfully get Imagen 3 to create an eye that goes 360 degrees around the entire circumference of the plant creature. Gemini can you suggest a better verbal description that would allow Imagen 3 to generate an eye that looks like a band around the "trunk" of the plant-creature?

Figure 8. Eye ring by Mr. Wombo.

 Gemini: Here are a few alternative descriptions you could try: 1) Visual Analogy. "Imagine a gold ring encircling the creature's trunk, but instead of gold, it's a single, continuous eye." 2) Technical Description: "A circular, unbroken eye that spans the entire circumference of the trunk." 3) Metaphorical Description: "The creature's eye is like a living, breathing band wrapped around its trunk."  These descriptions should provide Imagen 3 with a clearer understanding of the desired eye placement and appearance. Feel free to experiment with different combinations of these descriptions or provide additional details to further refine the image.

Figure 9. Neoma version W1.

 Me: For an illustration in my science fiction story I need an image depicting a Neoma, a sentient alien plant creature. A Neoma can think and reason, but the physical form of the plant-like Neoma does not look like a human being. A Neoma looks like a strange plant with a trunk and a mixture of plant-like branches and leaves, but also with motile appendages that look something like the tentacles of a squid. Gemini, imagine a gold ring encircling the creature's trunk, but instead of gold, it's a single, continuous band of eye tissue. The Neoma's eye tissue glows with shades of blue color. Gemini, please generate an image that depicts a Neoma.

Gemini: Sure, here is an image of a Neoma: (see Figure 6)

Figure 10. Neoma version W2.

 Another Test of Imagen 3.
Me: Gemini, generate an image for a science fiction story that depicts an alternate timeline of Earth where the futuristic civilization is a society where humans coexist with visitors from other worlds.

Gemini: Sure, here is an image for a science fiction story that depicts an alternate timeline of Earth where the futuristic civilization is a society where humans coexist with visitors from other worlds:  (see Figure 1, above)

Figure 11. Neoma version W3.

 I don't understand how the image shown in Figure 1 is related to visitors from other worlds. After Gemini generated the image that is shown in Figure 6, I made the new reference image that is shown in Figure 7. I provided that reference image to Mr. Wombo along with this text prompt: "a strange plant with a trunk and a mixture of plant-like branches and leaves, a plant with motile appendages that look something like the tentacles of a squid, a continuous band of blue-glowing eye tissue wrapped around the entire circumference of the plant’s trunk, the blue eye-ring is an integral part of the body of the plant-creature". Sadly, Mr. Wombo interpreted this to mean that there should be what looks like a blue tentacle draped around the plant-creature (see Figure 8). 

Figure 12. Neoma version W4.

Some alternative versions of a plant-creature that were Generated by Mr. Wombo are shown in Figures 9 - 12. These images well illustrate the challenge of getting an AI-image generating system to depict an alien creature for a science fiction story with anatomical features that conflict with conventional images that are in the training set. Mr. Wombo was trained on many images of eyes and some images of tentacles, but struggles mightily to make an eye that is structured like a band around the stem of a plant.

Figure 13. Neoma version W5.

Of course, it may be that a Neoma is weirder than I would imagine. If the Neoma have advanced nanotechnology and telepathy, maybe they have a ring of eye tissue that is not physically connected to the rest of the body (See Figure 13).

Figure 14. Neoma version W6.

 And maybe I have absolutely no idea what an advanced Neoma visual organ would actually look like. The plant creature shown in Figure 14 has a blue ring that almost looks like it is integrated into the trunk, but that blue ring does not match my preconceived ideas about eye tissue.

Talia's vision of First Contact.

The entire plot of "The Fesarians" depends on the idea that Talia can fail to recognize the plant-like Neoma as being sentient creatures. However, as soon as humans arrive on Elemacha-z, the Neoma begin studying them and trying to communicate. When the Neoma are ready, they will reveal themselves to Talia. Also, Talia has had visions of sentient plants for many years before arriving on Elemacha-z. The image that is shown to the right might be Talia's memory of one of those dream visions of the future.

Figure 15. A ring of eyes?

The image shown in Figure 15 has a plant-like alien that I can imagine having a ring of possibly six eyes that go all around the circumference of the "trunk" of the creature. There is also what looks like one more little eye down on a tentacle in the lower right of the image.

Figure 16.

The image shown in Figure 16 was assembled as a composite with alien creatures from six different images that were generated by Mr. Wombo. This group portrait begins to provide the flavor of an entire Elemacha-z ecosystem with multiple types of alien creatures that are all different from Earthly life forms but all part of their own evolutionary tree. 

Alternatively, maybe it is absurd to conceptualize the ancient and technologically advanced Neoma as being restricted to having a single "body". Perhaps everything in Figure 16 is just one Neoma with multiple parts, each specialized for a different function.

Figure 17. Integral visual ring.

I tried removing all mention of eyes from the text prompt: "a strange plant with a trunk and a mixture of plant-like branches and leaves, a plant with motile appendages that look something like the tentacles of a squid, a continuous band of blue-glowing tissue wrapped around the entire circumference of the plant’s trunk, the blue ring is an integral part of the body of the plant-creature". The image in Figure 17 is close to what I had imagined for a type of eye tissue that extends all the way around the creature's circumference, however Mr. Wombo could not stop trying to make two eyes. 

Figure 18. Ring of eye tissue.

Next, I manually painted my own reference image so as to remove the indication of there being two eyes within the ring of eye tissue (as had been generated by Mr. Wombo in Figure 17). I was then able to get Mr. Wombo to generate images such as the one shown in Figure 18.

Figure 19. One eye patch.

In the images for which Mr. Wombo did not try to make a ring of segmented eye facets, such as Figure 19, the internal details of the ring of eye tissue were often strange and almost non-biological in appearance, something more like the swirls inside a lava lamp.

Figure 20. Glass container.

 Strange Inside. For example, in Figure 20, the inside of what I was hoping would look like an  "eye ring", insted looks like the inside of a glass bowl with baby alien plant creatures growing inside. Maybe Mr. Wombo discovered the secret of Neoma reproduction! Rather than an eye ring, maybe that is a depiction of a transparent alien uterus with Neoma embryos growing inside.

Figure 21. Gemini's pregnant plant.

I asked Gemini to generate an image showing: "an alien plant creature with transparent tissue that allows for a view into the plant's reproductive system, particularly the alien plant creature's uterus. The image should show a few plant embryos growing inside the adult plant's transparent uterus. Make the plant's transparent uterus look like a transparent glass bowl with baby plants growing inside".  Figure 21 shows the pregnant plant that was generated by Gemini.

Figure 22. Mr. Wombo's
pregnant plant.

 Mr. Wombo refuses to generate images when the text prompt includes the word "uterus". I changed the text prompt to "a plant creature with transparent tissue that allows for a view into the plant's reproductive system and the plant creatures embryos, a few plant embryos growing inside the adult plant's transparent body, the transparent part of the plant look like a transparent glass bowl with baby plants growing inside" and Mr. Wombo generated the image shown in Figure 22, starting with a reference image that was a composite of Figure 21 and another plant creature similar to the one shown in Figure 18 that I manually placed inside the uterus.

Figure 23. Exobiologist
Aethe on Elemacha-z.

The image shown in Figure 23 was made by combining parts of Figures 16 and 19 with another image generated by Mr. Wombo in which there was a strange creature clinging to Aethe's chest. This could be a depiction of Aethe exploring near Port Cooway in the relatively cool early morning and a Neoma reaching out to study Aethe. Possibly Aethe is not yet aware that she has had physical contact with the sentient Neoma.

Only later would Talia be able to use her synapex nanites and her telepathic abilities to actually communicate with the Neoma.

Figure 24. Xylo and the nanite probe.

As the mayor of the Port Cooway colony, Xylo seldom goes out into the wilderness surrounding Port Cooway. For Figure 24, I wanted a depiction of an alien nanite probe making contact with Xylo. The alien probe ended up looking something like an Earthly butterfly. This image was generated using a text prompt that included my request that Xylo be dressed in "silver metal and transparent lace".

Figure 25. Xylo sees the probe.

 Figure 25 is another similar image with a different "alien butterfly" that was generated by Gemini and pasted into an image of Xylo that had been generated by Mr. Wombo.

Figure 26. Metal miniskirt.

In some of these images of women dressed in "silver metal and transparent lace", Mr. Wombo generated a metal miniskirt. The "alien butterfly" in Figure 26 was also generated by Mr. Wombo, but in a separate image. I manually pasted the butterfly into the scene. Possibly this is Xylo's other clone sister, Erni, in Figure 26.

I've previously mentioned the idea that Aethe the Huxy impregnates Lyssa soon after the founding of the Port Cooway colony. At the time when Dave and Dani arrive in Port Cooway, Erni is also pregnant, but she is not yet aware of the pregnancy.

Next: Revisiting DreamUp.

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