Origins of Brak

Image by WOMBO Dream.

 Below on this blog page are plans for Chapter 7 of the science fiction story "The Sims".

I provided Claude with a 487 KB PDF that had information about the Exodemic Fictional Universe, 2) the glossary file for the science fiction story titled "The Sims", 3) the full text of Chapters 1 - 6 of "The Sims" and 4) my plans for Chapter 7, shown below in blue text.

Suggested sequence of scenes in Chapter 7:

While visiting Casanay, Brak observed the unusual brain data that Tyhry showed him (the "lucid dream" recordings). Brak's description of the unusual brain scan data: "This looks almost like you achieved simultaneous activation of both the default mode network and the task-positive network." Brak did not know that Tyhry's strange brain activity pattern is made possible by Tyhry's zeptite endosymbiont that (because of Tyhry's rare NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene variants) allows her to have some conscious access to data that exists in the Sedron Time Stream. After Tyhry's death and after Brak returns to the task of completing his Ph.D. work, Brak cannot forget about the strange data that he was shown by Tyhry. Brak hypothesizes that Tyhry must be a genetic 'mutant' with unusual brain structure. Brak has a garment with Tyhry's blood on it that he uses as a source of Tyhry's DNA. Brak sequences Tyhry's genome using 2040 sequencing technology and identifies her very unusual NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene variants.

Chapter 7 of “The Sims” includes Brak's discovery a role for a special NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene pair in Tyhry that allows humans to “see the future”. Through advanced bumpha genetic engineering, Manny had provided Eddy with a novel dominant NBPF14 gene and Zeta with a novel dominant NOTCH2NLB gene. Tyhry inherited both of these alien-designed gene variants. It is the presence of the special NOTCH2NLB gene variant in Zeta's brain cells that allows her to learn to use a form of technology-assisted telepathy that involves signals emitted by human zeptite endosymbionts. The combination of Eddy's special NBPF14 gene and Zeta's novel NOTCH2NLB gene allows Tyhry to get information from her future self via the Sedron Time Stream.

Image by WOMBO Dream.

 Upon learning about Tyhry's novel NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene pair, Brak visits Marda at Casanay and seeks to obtain DNA from both Eddy and Zeta. Also, Brak initiates a collaboration with a young biologist named Systolina Kayto who has already published the results of experiments that involve expressing Tyhry's special NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene pair in the cells of brain 'embroids”, which are an advance over the organoids of 2025. Embroids allow for the development of brain-like tissue masses in organ culture that are supported by an artificial blood supply.

After Brak gets the sequencing data for Tyhry, he discovers an existing publication by Systolina Kayto describing brain embroid experiments with the exact NBPF14/NOTCH2NLB gene pair that was present in Tyhry. Brak contacts Systolina Kayto and learns that Systolina's own cells were the source of the NBPF14/NOTCH2NLB gene pair that she studied for her publication. Systolina tells Brak that she is, "glad you finally showed up because I've had dream visions of you my entire life".

In Chapter 7 of “The Sims”, Brak meets the father of Systolina Kayto (his name is Thomas Kayto). Because of his special NOTCH2NLB gene, Systolina's father (Thomas) has some telepathic ability to monitor the thoughts of Systolina. Systolina's mother died when Systolina was seven years old, but Thomas had developed a strong telepathic connection to Systolina's mother when she was alive.

Me: Claude, process the file that I uploaded then let's discuss plans for Chapter 7 of "The Sims". It is my intention that the Claude LLM will generate a first draft of Chapter 7 of "The Sims", but first, Claude should ask questions about any aspect of the story that seems confusing.

Claude: I've read through all six chapters of "The Sims" and the backstory materials. This is a remarkably intricate science fiction narrative with detailed world-building around hierions, sedrons, femtozoans, and the complex interventionist dynamics between the pek and bumpha.

Before I begin drafting Chapter 7, I have several questions to ensure I capture your vision correctly:

Image by WOMBO Dream.

 Character & Motivation Questions

1. Brak's emotional state: At the start of Chapter 7, how much time has passed since Tyhry's death? Is Brak still deeply grieving, or has he channeled his grief into obsessive research about her unusual brain patterns?
2. Systolina's dreams: You mention Systolina has had "dream visions of Brak her entire life." Are these:
   • Romantic/relationship-focused visions (suggesting they're destined to be together)?
   • Scientific collaboration visions?
   • More abstract "you're important to my future" visions?
   • Should this parallel Tyhry's dream visions from Sedruth in structure/feel?
3. Thomas Kayto's role: Is Thomas:
   • Supportive of Systolina meeting Brak?
   • Protective/suspicious because he can telepathically sense Brak's intentions?
   • Actively involved in the scientific collaboration, or mostly background?
   • Aware that his telepathic ability is alien technology, or does he think it's just a natural gift?

Image generated by Grok.

 Technical/Plot Questions

4. Manny's involvement: Is Manny actively orchestrating the Brak-Systolina connection (another Intervention), or is this a more natural consequence of the genetic engineering she did with Eddy and Zeta's lineages?
5. DNA acquisition from Eddy and Zeta: How does Brak get their DNA without raising suspicions? Does he:
   • Ask directly (claiming it's for grief-related research)?
   • Take samples covertly?
   • Does Marda help him, either knowingly or unknowingly?
6. Nyrtia's response: How concerned is Nyrtia about Brak's genetic investigation? Does she:
   • Monitor but not intervene (accepting this as part of the Casanay Intervention's ripple effects)?
   • Consider memory-wiping Brak?
   • Allow it because it serves the larger goal of preparing humanity for hierion discovery?

Story Structure Questions

7. Chapter 7 scope: Should this chapter:
   • Cover just Brak's discovery and initial contact with Systolina?
   • Include their first meeting and the beginning of collaboration?
   • Extend to Thomas Kayto revelations and deeper relationship development?
   • End on a specific cliffhanger or revelation?

8. 

   Image generated by Grok.

    Parallel storylines: Should Chapter 7 intercut between:
   • Brak's investigation and Casanay scenes (Marda, Eddy, Zeta, D2)?
   • Observer Base scenes with Tyhry learning about the time loops?
   • Or focus primarily on Brak's journey?
9. Tone: Given that Chapter 6 ended with Eddy receiving Tyhry's message and finding peace, should Chapter 7:
   • Maintain that hopeful tone while introducing new mysteries?
   • Return to tension/paranoia as Brak gets closer to dangerous truths?
   • Balance both?

Please clarify whichever questions seem most important for shaping the chapter correctly!

Me: 1) I would like to depict Brak as aggressively and obsessively attempting to understand Tyhry's unusual brain activity pattern. Immediately upon returning to the university where Brak is completing his Ph.D. work, he extracts Tyhry's DNA from his clothing and arranges for the complete sequencing of Tyhry's genome. He sends a letter to the Watson's telling them that he needs time to process the death of Tyhry, but stating that he plans to visit Casanay soon and requests that they leave his suitcases with his clothing at Casanay in anticipation of his return. He also states that he is interested in retrieving the brain activity data that he was show by Tyhry, noting that it "might be useful for his scientific research".

2) Through her dream visions (which are sketchy and confusing), Systolina believes that her "soul mate" is "out there", but she has no means of contacting him. Systolina believes that her "soul mate" will arrive in her life and she will instantly recognize him when he appears. When Brak contacts Systolina, she knows that he is "the one".

Image generated by Grok.

3) When he was in college, Thomas once participated in an experiment performed by researchers in a Psychology Department that targeted people who believed they had "special psychic powers". Since the type of technology-assisted telepathy that Thomas had so far (at the time of the experiment) only allowed him to learn to develop some weak telepathic ability to "view" the thoughts of his mother, when he participated in the psychology experiment he could demonstrate no "mind reading" ability with other people. From that point on, he only ever mentioned what he described as his "special insights" into the behavior of his wife and daughter, mentioning it just to them. Upon meeting Brak, Thomas is supportive of their goal of understanding how the NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene variants alter human brain structure and function. He previously volunteered to have Systolina sequence his NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB genes and they know that he was the source of Systolina's special NOTCH2NLB gene. Since government funding for research on human brain embroids has been blocked by bio-ethicists, Thomas has been funding Systolina's research.

4) I would like readers to be in the dark and left wondering if (i) Manny is actively orchestrating the Brak-Systolina connection or (ii) if this is only an un-anticipated consequence of bumpha genetic engineering that has previously introduced the special NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene variants into the human population of Earth. Readers can mentally "play detective" and try to guess what is going on while the collaboration between Brak and Systolina unfolds.

5) On January 5th 2042, Brak and Systolina arrive at Casanay. Brak wants three things: (i) the data that Tyhry had collected on her own unusual brain activity pattern, (ii) to use Tyhry's equipment to collect data from Systolina's brain while she sleeps and his own brain (as a negative control), and (iii) to get DNA samples from Eddy and Zeta. He asks directly for all these things. Zeta is intrigued to learn from Systolina that her father Thomas has telepathic abilities and that Systolina is another person (besides just Tyhry) who can obtain information from the future. Upon learning that Zeta and Thomas are telepaths, Marda starts writing a new novel featuring human telepathy. Everyone at Casanay agrees to keep secret that they know at least until they better understand the relationship between the special NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene variants and telepathy and "seeing the future".

Image generated by Grok.

6) There can be a scene at the end of Chapter 7 during which Nyrtia and Manny discuss if Brak's investigation of the special NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene variants, telepathy and "seeing the future" is a violation of the Rules of Intervention. Manny argues that since her long-range goal for humans includes giving all humans telepathic abilities, what is happening at Casanay can be viewed as an experiment, allowing the pek and the bumpha to observe how a small group of humans responds to the existence of telepathy and a limited capacity for "seeing the future". Nytia agrees to let this experiment infold as long as nobody else on Earth believes that the pek and bumpha are real and Brak and Systolina continue to believe that the special NBPF14 and NOTCH2NLB gene variants are naturally-occuring mutations. Nyrtia continues to enforce her firewall against leaks of information from Casanay and Manny continues to deploy her behavior-modifying infites so as to contain information about telepathy and "seeing the future" to the core group at Casanay.

7&8) I would like Chapter 7 to quickly move from (i) Brak sequencing Tyhry's DNA to (ii) Brak meeting Systolina, to (iii) Brak meeting Thomas, to (iv) the arrival of Brak and Systolina at Casanay.  The chapter could end with the discussion between Nyrtia and Manny.

9) The natural tension in Chapter 7 is that D2, Zeta and Eddy know about the pek and the bumpha and the fact that Tyhry and Diasma are living their artificial lives in the Hierion Domain. Marda, Thomas, Brak and Systolina only know the pek and the bumpha in the context of Eddy's "fiction". There could be an amusing scene in Chapter 7 set in the Casanay basement when Brak asks D2 for everything related to Tyhry's experiments on her brain activity. D2 could obligingly hand Brak the hierion probe. Wondering about the purpose of the probe, Brak could theatrically wave the probe near his own head and activating the device. He could briefly suffer disorientation when his femtozoan's connection to his femtobot endosymbiont is briefly disrupted. When Brak slumps to the floor, Eddy gabs the hierion probe and hides it again.

Claude: 

Me:

Claude:

 

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Shown below are some Grok-generated videos depicting Systolina and her interest in the human brain's ability to receive information from the future. Two of the option with Grok-generated videos are "spicy" and "fun. Most of the video clips were made with the "normal" setting which allows the user to specify text that is spoken and included in the video. For the clip where she tries to say "ground-breaking", the audio was generated automatically by Grok.

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