Exile

Generated by ImageFX and Mr. Wombo.

 Below on this blog page is Chapter 10 of the science fiction story titled "191988". Previously, at the end of Chapter 9, Nyrtia, the Overseer of Earth, discovered that Rey is now writing science fiction stories that feature Nyrtia as a character. This doe not particularly alarm Nyrtia, since she can use her Reality Simulation system to prevent Rey from believing that Nyrtia is real.

 Spoilers? Not really... Chapter 10 begins with Nyrtia meeting Eddy and Zeta and the discovery that Zeta believes in the reality of Nyrtia and the bumpha. Nyrtia attempts to reprogram Zeta's memories.

Meanwhile, in France, Kim and Klaudy visit with scientists at the ITER fusion research facility and provide them with instructions from the future for how to build economically viable fusion power stations. Marda and Nora meet with climate scientists and demonstrate how to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide using hierions.

"191988" - Chapter 10 - Femtoscale Fusion (Chapter 1)(Chapter 2)(Chapter 3)(Chapter 4)(Chapter 5)(Chapter 6)(Chapter 7)(Chapter 8)(Chapter 9)

Upon meeting the "new Zeta", who had been significantly de-aged by Nora and her medical nanites, Eddy had enthusiastically enjoyed exploring Zeta's young-again body. Zeta now had significantly greater stamina than Eddy, so while she continued to play on top of Eddy, he could no longer avoid asking questions. "Z, you've always appeared to be younger than your actual age, but you've gotten younger during the past six months."

Image by ImageFX.

"I'm not any younger, my love." Zeta giggled and invented a story that Eddy might accept without sharing the full truth about her artificial nature. "You know that Klaudy had been doing all the Virunculus work that Rey used to do while she's been on vacation. Klaudy can do anything. I've been getting health and beauty tips from Klaudy and they have done wonders for my appearance. However, I'm still just as old as you are."

His reprogramming weakened by contemplation of the miracle of Zeta's declining physiological age, suddenly, Eddy remembered the day, six months previously, when both Gemini and Claude had seemingly accepted the reality of Manny the bumpha. He muttered, "Of course Anthony did not die... he's Nyrtia's agent on Earth." Eddy lost consciousness.

After achieving a scintillating orgasm, Zeta noticed that Eddy had checked out. She quietly said, "That was fast." Zeta rolled off of Eddy.

Just then, Nora slipped into the room and sat on the bed beside Eddy. Zeta and Nora both placed a hand on Eddy's very hard erection. Nora told Zeta, "It appears that Casanay has too many powerful associations for Eddy. He's now going through another round of memory editing in the Hierion Domain. My advice is: as soon as he wakes up, take him away from Casanay."

Zeta suggested, "We could go to the Grand Canyon."

"Excellent!" Nora kissed the big fat tip of Eddy penis. "Kim solved the femtofusion mystery. I'll be departing for Europe." She leaned across Eddy and kissed one of Zeta's perky breasts. "I may not see you again. My mission will soon be complete!"

Zeta sat up on the bed and asked, "So soon? The way Kim was talking, I thought the fusion problem was a tough nut to crack."

Nora fondled Eddy's scrotum. "Like any nut, it is all in how you handle them. Klaudy feels very foolish that he could not decode the instructions provided by Kl'ath concerning how to use programmable zeptites to achieve fusion of hydrogen atoms at room temperature. The truth is, Manny was preventing Klaudy from making progress on his power supply until Kim was available... we'll use her credentials as a physicist to open doors when we visit the ITER facility. In any case, Manny's plan is shifting its center of gravity now and Casanay is no longer important, so you are free to enjoy a little vacation with Eddy at the Grand Canyon." Nora kissed Zeta's mouth and frisked her vibrating tongue around inside Zeta for a moment. "Oh, and one more thing! Don't be surprised if Nyrtia pays you a visit. And don't worry if she tried to reprogram you. You are immune from that sort of probot mind control." 

Zeta reluctantly told Nora, "I know you prefer seeing me in this youthful body form, but it would be more practical if you could revert my body to the way I looked six month ago."

Nora used her programmable zeptites to re-model Zeta's face, giving Zeta the appearance that she's had at age 40. "Okay, I've aged your face, but that's as far as I'll go, my love. I won't allow you to go back to your saggy breasts and ass." Nora got off the bed and exited from the master bedroom suite, her work at Casanay complete.

Zeta got out of bed and went to stand in front of the floor to ceiling mirrors in the master bathroom. For the first time in six months, Zeta found herself dripping Eddy's sweet semen. She looked at herself in the mirror and confirmed that she again had some wrinkles and then she went online and reserved a cabin close to the Grand Canyon. Zeta took a shower and then while she was dressing, Eddy returned to normal consciousness. Zeta tugged on his still-erect penis and pulled him off of the bed. Get moving, lover, time is wasting." The embraced and kissed. She pushed him away and said, "Take a cold shower and get dressed. I'm taking you to the Grand Canyon."

Image by Mr. Wombo.

Thirty minutes later they were in Eddy's old hybrid vehicle, on their way to the Grand Canyon. Zeta was trying to speak only of topics that would not trigger Eddy to remember the past and how he had become aware of Kl'ath and Manny's Interventionist project that involved technology transfer from the future of Earth. After about half an hour, Eddy could no longer be deflected from discussion of Zeta's youthful and sexy body. Eddy was having trouble keeping his eyes on the road and off of Zeta. He asked, "Have you been working out?"

Zeta thought about her six months of sexplay sessions with Nora and replied, "Yes, every day. How about you?"

Eddy complained, "I got pretty tired of watching Rey have phone sex with you every night. Frustrating. You'll have to ask Rey what it was like for her to watch me masturbating along with her while you whispered seductively in her ear."

Zeta laughed. "Sorry to put you through that. Let's just agree to not ever allow ourselves to be separated again. I was lucky enough to have Nora to play with while you were away, but now she's going to Europe. I don't want you out of my sight."

Eddy asked, "Is Prospeque now taking grant applications from Europeans?"

"Given the political climate, I have to wonder if grants for climate change mitigation might be more productive in Europe. We shall see what Nora reports after she arrives in Europe and has a chance to investigate. Oh, and you should know that Tyhry is taking this opportunity to have a European vacation with Marda."

As soon as they got to their cabin, Eddy and Zeta made love. Zeta's plan was to keep the light level low when ever she was naked and alone with Eddy. Eddy had quickly decided that Nora had been good for Zeta and he was not going to question her youthful body; he would simply enjoy it. Nyrtia was polite enough to let them each grab an orgasm, then she shifted herself into their room from the Hierion Domain. For this visit to Earth, Nyrtia used a physical form that matched the way Eddy always described Nyrtia in his stories. Nyrtia sat on the bed beside Zeta and placed one of her hands on one of Zeta's long sexy legs. "Sorry to interrupt."

There in the dimly-lit cabin, Eddy looked at Nyrtia and seemed to recognize her. He asked, "Nyrtia?"

Ignoring Eddy, Nyrtia told Zeta, "I see that Nora has been altering your body structure by deploying her nanites inside you." Nyrtia let her hand slide over the smooth contours of Zeta's body.

Zeta was still being carefully held under behavioral constraints that prevented her discussing probots and the bumpha with other humans, but nothing restrained her from speaking openly to Nyrtia. "Nora warned me that you would arrive for a visit."

Nyrtia shrugged. "As soon as I discover all the details of Nora's mission on Earth, I'll be sending her to Observer Base. Her days on Earth as a bumpha agent are coming to an end."

Struggling to believe that his science fiction story character, Nyrtia, the Overseer of Earth was there in the room talking to his wife, Eddy asked Zeta, "You were expecting Nyrtia?"

Zeta patted Eddy's big erection. Hoping to get Eddy away from Nyrtia, she suggested, "Maybe if you take a shower, then we can go for a hike."

Eddy muttered, "But-" then he lost consciousness.

Image by Leonardo.

"It is not good for humans to be reprogrammed twice in one day, but I take no responsibility... this is all the result of Manny's absurd meddling." Nyrtia kissed Eddy's big erection then turned her attention back to Zeta and said, "I'll reprogram you next, Zeta, but first, tell me... How much does your daughter know?"

Hoping to spare Tyhry from Nyrtia's wrath, Zeta replied, "Tyhry gave up on Eddy's fiction long ago. She decided that his goofy science fiction stories were a waste of her time."

For a minute, Nyrtia let her fingers explore Zeta's hot wet genitals. "It would be fun seeing if I could coax you into telling me all that you know, but I don't have time to play games with you right now." Zeta slumped as her femtobot replicoid was sent into the Hierion Domain by Nyrtia. Nyrtia briefly looked at the unconscious forms of Eddy and Zeta there on the bed, confirming that they were unconscious while femtobot copies of them had been transferred into her Simulation System. Then Nyrtia returned herself to the Hierion Domain and disappeared from the cabin.

_________

Image generated by Gemini.

At the airport in Marseille, Kim and Klaudy rented a car and set off for an appointment at the ITER fusion research facility. 

Nora, Tyhry and Marda had arranged for a meeting with scientists from TotalEnergies SE at the company's La Mède Complex near Marseille. Nora had sent what looked like a preprint journal article titled "Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Using Hierions" to a dozen scientists who did alternative energy research for TotalEnergies SE. The article had been crafted by Klaudy and described how hierions could be linked to the atoms of carbon dioxide and used to catalyze the reaction of carbon dioxide with nitrogen gas and water to form giant 3D polymers.

Nora carried a small case as she, Tyhry and Marda were taken into a conference room at La Mède Complex. Everyone sat down around the conference table except Nora who glanced around at the faces of the assembled TotalEnergies employees and then she opened the case and said, "Here is a demonstration unit for the carbon sequestration technology. Notice this read-out, showing carbon dioxide levels in this room."

The senior TotalEnergies SE executive present was Dr. Cécile Moreau, director of research on electric natural gas. Cécile pointed to a meter on a side table and said, "That is our own device for measuring carbon dioxide, as you requested we provide for this meeting."

Image generated by Gemini.

Nora noted, "The two measures of this room's carbon dioxide level agree to one part in a hundred." Nora gestured to her device. "The hierion catalysis process is continuous. You can confirm by touch what the temperature display is showing. The process is slightly endothermic, so the sequestration device has begun to cool. In industrial-scale practice, ambient air will keep the hierion-containing catalytic unit close to the atmospheric temperature. The humming you may hear is a small fan that is sucking room air into the catalytic unit. In practice, a fan is not needed since natural wind is adequate to bring carbon dioxide molecules to the catalyst."

Cécile said, "My staff tells me that the term 'hierion' derives from science fiction."

Nora nodded. "True." She gestured towards Tyhry. "Ms. Watson's father is Eddy Watson, a science fiction author. We adopted the name 'hierion' for the catalyst that our device uses to react carbon dioxide with nitrogen gas and water. Notice that our device requires no energy inputs beyond a small amount of ambient thermal energy which is unavoidably absorbed by the hierion catalysis process." Everyone in the room kept looking at the two devices that were measuring carbon dioxide levels in the room. It was evident that the carbon dioxide levels were steadily dropping.

Cécile asked, "What happens to the carbon dioxide?"

Poly-X by Gemini

Tyhry giggled and replied, "This is where you might feel like the process involves magic, but it is science. Poorly-understood science. The carbon and nitrogen are converted into a polymer that we call Poly-X. During polymerization, a small amount of molecular oxygen is released into the air. However, the Poly-X is highly unstable... in our universe."

Cécile objected, "Our universe? What other universe is there?"

Nora explained, "The Poly-X shifts into the Hierion Domain, a subspace defined by a set of compactified dimensions. For this method of carbon sequestration, the Hierion Domain functions as a waste disposal site. In essence, our process takes carbon from fossil fuel deposits and shifts that carbon into the Hierion Domain.

Just then, a tall woman entered the room and said, "Manny, this has gone far enough."

Nyrtia went and stood close to Nora, who Nyrtia was convinced was Manny the bumpha. "You can't hand hierions over to these primitive apes."

Cécile asked Nyrtia, "Who are you?"

Nyrtia waved a hand and all of the TotalEnergies SE employees sank into a state of altered consciousness. Nyrtia pointed two fingers at Tyhry and Marda and said, "Prepare to depart from Earth."

Nora told Nyrtia, "Don't over-react, my dear Nyrtia. By the way, how did you find us?"

Nyrtia explained, "Zeta knew that you had flown to France. It was not hard for me to find you. All the emails that you sent have been deleted."

Tyhry asked Nyrtia, "You are taking us to Observer Base?"

Polyx; Zeta's replacement for
 Nora. Image by Mr. Wombo.

"Yes, you and Marda will live out the rest of your lives in exile. You should never have trusted Manny and her crazy plan." The case on the table and Tyhry and Marda disappeared, having been pushed by Nyrtia over into the Hierion Domain. Nyrtia a asked Nora/Manny, "Even id Zeta had not told me how to find you, there is no way you could have ever deployed this illegal alien technology to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels."

Nora chuckled. "You are wrong, Nyrtia. This is 100% human technology and as such, it will be deployed and it will prevent catastrophic changes to Earth's oceans."

Nyrtia shook her head. "The Huaoshy will be removing you from Earth. Now, I have one more task." Nyrtia returned to the Hierion Domain. Nora dissolved into her zeptite components and vanished.

_______

At the ITER fusion research facility, Kim and Klaudy met with a group of physicists, headed by Dr. Alistair Richter. After introductions and a tour of the ITER facility, Dr. Richter told Kim, "Dr. Davyn, you promised us a demonstration of your femtofusion device."

They were in an engineering workshop that was full of equipment. Kim glanced at Klaudy and winked. "Thank you for the tour. In contrast to the massive scale of this research reactor, my demo device is here." She held out her arm. Around her wrist was what looked like a watch, but rather than a watch face, the device looked like a power outlet. "Please feel my wearable femtofusion device and confirm that it is at ambient temperature."

Dr. Richter grabbed onto Kim's arm. "Is this some kind of trick?"

Kim pointed to a nearby workbench. "Attach that power meter to my device."

Dr. Richter signaled to an engineer who attached a thick power cable to the device on Kim's wrist. Kim held the cable with one hand. "I've activated the fusion power generator that is on my arm." On the work bench, the power meter showed a substantial electrical current was now being generated by Kim's device. 

Image by ImageFX and
Gemini and Mr. Wombo.

Dr. Richter put his hands on the cable and on the device that Kim had on her wrist. He said, "The cable is getting warm, but not the device on your arm."

Kim nodded. "As I promised, practical fusion energy power generation at room temperature."

Dr. Richter said, "This must be a trick. How are you doing it?"

Klaudy held out one of his arms and said, "No trick. Any device that needs electricity can be powered by femtofusion. I am a humanoid robot, powered by femtofusion."

Dr. Richter examined the synthetic material of Klaudy's arm. "Sir, you had me fooled. I took you to be a man, but know I see you are a robot."

Kim said, "Many wonderful things become possible with femtofusion as an energy source."

Nyrtia had seen enough and now shifted from the Hierion Domain into the workshop where Kim had just given her fusion power demonstration. All of the ITER staff members collapsed. Nyrtia asked Klaudy, "You are an M2 robot?"

Klaudy replied, "I've been extensively modified from the original M2 unit."

Nyrtia was now using Marda's bodily form. She reached out and ran her fingers through Kim's hair. "I'm sure you recall the day we spent together with me in this body form."

Kim asked, "You are not Marda? Not the real Marda?"

"I am Nyrtia, Overseer of Earth. I can take on any convenient form. Sadly, it was not until today that I understood your connection to the real Marda. In any case, you will soon be with her at Observer Base."

Image by ImageFX and
Gemini and Mr. Wombo.

Kim asked, "Observer Base?"

Klaudy had read all of Eddy's science fiction stories. He told Kim, "Observer Base is where Nyrtia sends Interventionist agents who get exiled from Earth."

Nyrtia nodded. "Exactly." Nyrtia pushed Kim and Klaudy over into the Hierion Domain. Nyrtia looked at the unconscious scientists and engineers there in the room. She wound onto its spool the power cable that had been attached to Marda's wearable device, then Nyrtia returned to the Hierion Domain.

The memory editing that was required for the ITER staff was minor. Soon after Nyrtia departed, the scientists and engineers returned to consciousness. No explanation was ever found for why that group of scientists had assembled in the workshop that day.  

__________

 At Observer Base, Tyhry and Marda had just finished exploring their new home (including the two bedrooms that would be used in the future by the twins that Tyhry was carrying) and the surrounding grounds. Their household robot, Wendy, led them back inside. "If you like, I can take you into town and you can meet some of the other residents. However, your friends are inbound at this time."

Tyhry demanded, "Friends? Who do you mean?"

"Nyrtia has informed me that Kim and Klaudy are coming over from Earth."

Just then, Kim and Klaudy appeared in the Hierion Domain. Tyhry asked, "Did you run into Nyrtia?"

Exile. Image by Leonardo and Mr. Wombo.

Kim nodded. "I think Nyrtia was waiting for us at ITER."

Marda pretended to smack herself on the head. "All our effort, wasted."

Klaudy said, "Do not despair. I suspect that our mission played out exactly as Manny had planned."

Tyhry asked, "What do you mean? We were all caught red-handed trying to provide technology from the future to Earth in our century."

Klaudy explained, "I've spent a lot of time learning zeptite programming from Nora. She placed a considerable number of zeptites into my body. Some of those zeptites are providing me with information."

A tall blond Observer Base robot came into the room carrying a tray and offered drinks to Kim and Klaudy.

Klaudy told the robot, "I am an artificial life-form. I don't drink."

The robot said, "I had no idea that a machine such as you existed on Earth. You have the appearance of a human being." 

Wendy said, "Dequa, this is Klaudy, the first sentient robot crafted on Earth."

Klaudy told Dequa, "Not all of my body surface is finished. If I removed my clothing you would instantly see the artificial nature of my structure."

Dequa told all of the new arrivals from Earth, "Clothing is optional here at Observer Base. The temperature remains constant." Dequa returned to the kitchen.

Wendy and Kim

Wendy said, "Before Klaudy provides a long-winded information dump about what he learned from his infites, would anyone like food? Drink? A chair?"

Marda took Kim by the hand and said, "Let me show you the fancy hot tub." They went to the spa room and soon they were soaking in a large tub and Wendy had provided cool drinks and then climbed into the tub. Tyhry asked Klaudy, "Is it save for us to be submerged with you.

Klaudy replied. "I'm completely water proof and safe as long as my compartment doors stay firmly shut."

Kim asked Klaudy, "What were you saying about a message from Nora?"

"I believe Nora was Manny the bumpha, in disguise. She needed to use me as a conduit to bring from Kl'ath in the future information about how to used zeptites and hierions to remove carbon from the atmosphere. As soon as I deployed some of my zeptites to power myself with fusion energy, Nora tricked us into going to France. I think she expected us to be captured by Nyrtia."

Marda asked, "So, what was the point of it all? All the work we did to create you Klaudy... all wasted. All we did was get you exiled from Earth."

"Not before we had figured out how to use hierions to sequester carbon and had built that carbon sequestration device. And not before I sent to a thousand fusion power researchers plans for how to construct a practical fusion-powered electricity generating station. Those technologies remain on Earth."

"But Nyrtia knows about them."

Klaudy asked, "But will she actually block use of those technologies? They were developed by humans for humans. Nyrtia can't impede human society. Nyrtia exists to prevent the transfer of alien technology to Earthlings."

Tyhry mused, "If your analysis is correct, then we were successful. And all I want to know is who else will get exiled here along with us."

Wendy and Dequa.

Marda told Tyhry, "I don't expect your parents to get kicked off of Earth. Eddy is the plausible deniability system that protects Nyrtia from exposure."

Kim asked Wendy, "So, you say I have my own home here at Observer Base?"

"There is no housing shortage. If you don't like an existing home, we robots can build you something that meets your specifications."

Tyhry asked Wendy, "Why is this called Observer Base?"

Wendy replied, "Your father's stories are fairly accurate. There are facilities here that allow for observation of what is happening on Earth. If you are curious about your parents, you can check up on them." Wendy did not bother explaining that they were in Nyrtia's Simulation System. A million years of experience had shown that humans at Observer Base could be kept happy as long as they did not know that they were living out their lives as part of a Simulation.

_______

Image by WOMBO Dream.

After their short vacation at the Grand Canyon, Eddy and Zeta returned to Casanay. A minute after Zeta sat down in the dinning room, Anthony appeared. He said, "Welcome home. How was your trip?"

"Just fine, but I'm hungry."

Anthony stepped into the great-room where Eddy was at his computer workstation and checking his email. "Will you eat with Zeta, sir?"

"Yes, I'll be along in a minute."

Rey arrived by way of the kitchen, completely naked. She kissed Zeta on the mouth and then went off towards her room, "Be right back."

Zeta went to the master bedroom suit and into her office. Using the Casanay security system, Zeta confirmed that Rey had essentially moved into Anthony's room. Zeta returned to the dining room.

Anthony brought Zeta a fruit smoothie and then Eddy and Rey sat down beside Zeta at the table.

Zeta said, "I'm getting worried about Tyhry. I have not heard from her since she texted me from the airport in Marseille, two days ago."

Rey giggled and said, "I suppose she was jealous of my vacation and decided to take one of her own."

Zeta latched onto that idea. "Yes, she and Marda have been working very hard with no breaks."

Zeta and Manny the bumpha.

Later, Zeta was working in her office, trying to find evidence that Nora had accessed any of the Prospeque or other business accounts. Manny the bumpha materialized behind Zeta in the body form that she preferred to use when on Earth among humans. Zeta turned and looked at Manny's amazing nanite-generated hair. Manny told Zeta that Tyhry, Marda, Kim and Klaudy were all at Observer Base. "I sacrificed them so that I could stop the rise of greenhouse gases."

Zeta asked, "But if Nyrtia captured them...?"

Manny explained that the hierion carbon capture catalyst was like a form of zeptite life, now spreading and reproducing in Earth's biosphere. "Human scientists will be puzzled as to why all of the natural carbon sinks of Earth now have greater carbon capture efficiency. But they need not understand...  greenhouse gas levels will stop rising." 

"Unless Nyrtia stops your plan." Zeta switched topics. "Eddy does not seem surprised that Tyhry ran off to Europe."

"In a few more weeks, Eddy, Rey and Anthony will be content to believe that Tyhry is in San Jose with Angel."

Nyrtia, Zeta and Manny.

Just then Nyrtia appeared and suddenly Zeta's small office seemed very small. She told Zeta, "And you should also be satisfied and stop asking questions."

Manny hugged Nyrtia and sneaked a kiss past Nyrtia's raised arms. "Zeta is unable to tell anyone what she knows. There is no reason not to allow her to keep her knowledge."

Nyrtia said, "I'll hold you to that promise, Manny. I've exiled sixty of your agents to Observer Base in the past year. I believe you are trying to set a record for ineptness."

Manny shrugged. "I will always try to help the people of Earth. And just think, Nyrtia, without me your life would be quite boring." Nyrtia returned to the Hierion Domain.

Manny told Zeta, "Thank you for all of your help. I'm leaving you with the ability to use the body-sculpting nanites that Nora showed you how to use. Maybe that will be reward enough for the loss of your daughter."

The next day, a large shipping crate was delivered to Casanay along with a note from Manny: "Here is one of the first M3 units. I modified it some, so it is like your old friend, Klaudy. Have fun giving it a make-over. p.s.- If you find pregnancy at your age too burdensome, we can transfer your embryo into Polyx; let me know if that option appeals to you." Once out of the crate, the new robot behaved like a Klaudy copy and immediately began performing useful functions around the house, but Polyx had a distinctly female body shape. The instantiation of Klaudy that was in the rented server array continued to do tasks like answer emails from Eddy's fans and do book-keeping for the business that Zeta owned. Zeta got busy re-working the exterior of Ployx, giving her a human-like appearance.

Three months later, Rey took Zeta to a doctor's appointment and returned with news that Zeta was pregnant. The doctor had assured Zeta that she had not set the world record for latest pregnancy. He was rather startled by Zeta's body which seemed like that of a thirty-year-old. Looking at the wrinkles on Zeta's face, he suggested that she wear a hat to keep the Arizona sun off of her face, but otherwise he gave her a clean bill of health.

Next: Backing-up blogs in 2025.

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