The Hierozyme Intervention

Figure 1. Rylla arrives at Casanay. Compare to 
the image in Figure 2. Image generated by Flow.

For my science fiction story titled "The RNA Seeds", I imagined Ylyndra traveling back in time and changing Tyrhy's interests from biology research to robotics. That was the trigger that brought into existence the Manikoid Reality. 

I'm now beginning a new science fiction story about Tyhry when she is 12 years old and she gets involved in Manny's attempt to control Earth's level of atmospheric methane. The first chapter of this new story ("The Hierozyme Intervention") is below on this blog page.

Programmable zeptites.

Previously, I introduced that idea that Casanay uses methane from a deep methane deposit that exists in the ground under Casanay. In "The Hierozyme Intervention" I ask: what if this supply of methane for Casanay is what leads Tyhry towards learning how to program zeptites for use in greenhouse gas mitigation? 

First, I asked Claude for help with a terminology issue. I usually depict Manny as teaching Tyhry to program femtobots, but I have on occasion touched on the programming of zeptites. What if the young (12 years old) Tyhry got involved in using programmable zeptites to combat global warming?

image source

 Me: Claude, help me invent terminology for a science fiction story. Make use of the contents of the file that I uploaded, “Technology and terminology”, which describes existing terminology that I have previously used in other science fiction stories. Imagine a chemical catalyst that is formed from hierions. Such a catalyst could be structurally more complex than the most complex known biological enzyme with a precise structure defined by its hierion components (including hierions with negative mass). Imagine a category of such hierion-based catalysts that are generated by zeptites. Such a hierion-based catalyst could be built to optimally break specific chemical bonds in a specific molecule. For example, imagine such a hierion-based catalyst that was designed to convert atmospheric methane into carbon dioxide. I want a good name for these hierion-based catalysts that are made by zeptites. For example” “zeptogenous hierilysts”. Claude, generate a list of possible alternative names for hierion-based catalysis that are made by zeptites. 

Image generated by Flow.

 Claude: {the red text, below, is Claude's thought process}

The user wants me to invent terminology for hierion-based catalysts that are made by zeptites. Let me think about this carefully, drawing on the established EFU terminology.

Key facts to work with:

• Hierions are fundamental particles in the Hierion Domain
• Zeptites are composed of sedronic matter, even smaller than femtobots
• The catalysts are generated/built by zeptites
• They work by breaking specific chemical bonds
• They can include hierions with negative mass
• They're structurally more complex than any biological enzyme

Let me think about good naming conventions. The user gave "zeptogenous hierilysts" as an example. Let me generate a variety of alternatives with different etymological approaches.

Roots to play with:

• "hierion" / "hieri-" / "-hieric" / "hier-"
• "zeptite" / "zept-" / "zep-"
• Catalysis roots: "-lyst", "-lytic", "-catalyst", "cataly-"
• "generated by" roots: "-genic", "-genous", "-formed"
• Bond-breaking roots: "-lytic", "-clastic", "-fissive"

Image generated by Flow.

 Let me brainstorm

 {The blue text, blow, is Claude's actual reply}

Hierion-Based Catalyst Terminology Options. Here is a list of candidate terms, organized loosely by etymological strategy, with the root logic explained for each so you can mix and match components as you see fit. 

Enzyme-parallel naming (drawing on Greek zyme = leaven/ferment, the root of "enzyme"): Hierozymes — clean, elegant, directly parallel to "enzymes"; implies biological-level function at a deeper physical substrate. Zeptohierozymes — the full compound; verbose but unambiguous Zeptogenic hierozymes — emphasizes that zeptites generate them, useful if the generation process is story-relevant. Hierozymites — adds the "-ite" mineral/structural suffix common in the EFU (zeptite, femtobot) 

Bond-breaking naming (Greek klastes = breaker, lysis = loosening): Hieroclasts — short, punchy; "bond-breakers built from hierions". Zeptoclastic hierions — descriptive phrase rather than a single term. Hierolysins — parallel to biological lysins (proteins that break membranes/bonds). Zeptolysins — foregrounds the zeptite origin; the hierion nature implied by context. Hierolytins — softer sound than hierolysins; slightly more invented-feeling. 

Catalyst-root naming (kata = down, lyein = loosen): Hierilysts — your example root; clean and already EFU-flavored. Zeptohierilysts — your example, full compound. Hierocatalysts — the most literal option; useful for in-universe technical writing. Zeptocatalysts — foregrounds the zeptite origin but loses the hierion specificity. 

Image generated by Flow.

 Negative-mass foregrounded naming (since negative-mass hierions are the structurally unusual feature): Neghierozymes — highlights the negative-mass hierion components. Contrahierolysts — contra = opposing/negative; implies the structural inversion. Antihierilysts — same logic; perhaps better-sounding. 

More invented/EFU-flavored coinages: Hierifactors — parallel to "cofactors" in biochemistry; positions them as catalytic factors in a reaction. Zeptolysin complexes — treats them as assembled structures rather than single molecules. Hieractive zeptites — a descriptive phrase; "hierion-active zeptites". Hiericlines — from incline (to facilitate); more obscure but distinctive-sounding. Zeptifacted hierolysts — zeptifacted = manufactured by zeptites; clunky but precise. Of this set, hierozymes strikes me as the strongest single term — it is short, pronounceable, parallel to a real biological concept the reader already knows, and carries an implicit suggestion that these are to conventional chemistry what enzymes are to simple reaction kinetics, only operating at a deeper physical layer. Hieroclasts would be the better choice if you want to foreground bond-breaking as the defining action rather than catalysis in general. And if the zeptite origin needs to be baked into the term itself, zeptohierozymes or zeptogenic hierozymes keeps that information unambiguous. 

Me: Claude, try to talk me out of using "zeptifacted hierolysts" in all of its jargonistic glory. Initially, I was ruling out terms such as "hierozyme", but it might be good to emphasize the fact that hierions exist on Earth in the form of femtobot endosymbionts. The new science fiction story I am contemplating concerns using alien technology to accelerate the conversion of Earth's atmospheric methane into carbon dioxide. 

Image generated by Flow.

I'm imagining that zeptites could manufacture a type of lightweight hierion-based (that incorporates negative mass hierions in its structure) zeptifacted hierolyst that would be restricted to operating in the upper atmosphere. Imagine that 4,000,000,000 years ago aliens arrived at Earth and seeded the planet with both hierions and sedrons in the form of self-replicating femtobots and zeptites. All biological organisms have had both femtobot and zeptite endosymbionts (invisibly small and escaping notice of Earthly scientists). Imagine that through billions of years, some damaged femtobots have been incorporated into mineral deposits near the surface of the Earth. Further, imagine that some of these "rogue hierions" are present in natural gas. A zeptite-based filtering device could be designed to harvest available hierions from natural gas fuel sources and those collected "waste hierions" could be formed by correctly programmed zeptites into zeptifacted hierolysts that rise to the upper atmosphere where they efficiently convert methane into carbon dioxide. In this context, why is "hierozyme" a better term than "zeptifacted hierolysts" for use by the humans that get caught up in the process of making these hierion-based catalysts for greenhouse gas mitigation? 

Claude: {the red text, below, is Claude's thought process}

The user wants me to make the case for "hierozyme" over "zeptifacted hierolysts" as the preferred in-universe terminology, particularly in the context of a new story about using alien technology to convert atmospheric methane to CO2. They've also added a rich new worldbuilding element: hierions and sedrons were seeded on Earth 4 billion years ago, all biological life has femtobot and zeptite endosymbionts, and "rogue hierions" from damaged ancient femtobots are present in natural gas deposits. This is a great setup.

Image generated by Flow.

 Let me make a genuine, persuasive case for "hierozyme" from multiple angles:

1. In-universe character perspective - the humans working with this technology wouldn't use the full technical jargon
2. The connection to existing biology/biochemistry - if hierions have been part of Earth's biosphere for 4 billion years, then "hierozyme" correctly positions these catalysts as analogous to the enzymes that biological evolution produced using conventional chemistry
3. The "rogue hierions" in natural gas being harvested - this is essentially biological-adjacent material, making the enzyme parallel even more apt
4. Practical storytelling/readability reasons
5. The fact that humans discovering this technology would naturally reach for familiar biological vocabulary

Let me write a persuasive argument.

  {The blue text, blow, is Claude's actual reply}

The Case Against "Zeptifacted Hierolysts" (and For "Hierozymes"). The worldbuilding you just added actually clinches the argument, and here is why. The biological connection is now load-bearing. If hierions have been inside every living cell on Earth for four billion years, quietly embedded in femtobot endosymbionts, then hierion-based catalysis is not alien technology that arrived from outside biology — it is biology, running in a layer Earthly science never detected. Enzymes evolved alongside those endosymbionts. The carbon chemistry of life and the hierion infrastructure of the endosymbionts have been coevolving, invisibly, for the entire history of terrestrial life. 

Image generated by Flow.

"Hierozyme" captures that relationship precisely: these catalysts are to hierion chemistry what enzymes are to hadron chemistry, and they belong to the same ancient story. "Zeptifacted hierolysts" implies the things were manufactured in a factory. "Hierozymes" implies they grew out of something. 

"Zeptifacted" describes the production process, not the thing. Once a human scientist or engineer working on your methane mitigation project understands what these catalysts do, they will stop caring how they were made and start caring what they are. The zeptite manufacturing step is upstream and invisible. The hierion catalytic function is what matters operationally. Naming the object after the manufacturing process would be like calling an aspirin a "salicylate acetylation product" in casual conversation. Nobody does that after the first paper is published. 

The "rogue hierions" in natural gas are the key rhetorical move. When your human characters discover that the hierions being harvested from natural gas deposits are essentially ancient biological material — shed fragments of endosymbionts that were incorporated into sediment over geological time — the correct emotional and intellectual response is recognition, not alienation. These are not exotic engineered components. They are, in a very real sense, fossils of a biological infrastructure. A scientist making that discovery would reach instinctively for biological vocabulary. "We are harvesting fossil hierozymes" lands completely differently than "we are harvesting waste hierion components suitable for zeptofaction into atmospheric hierolysts." One of those sentences belongs in a story humans read. The other belongs in a patent application. 

Image generated by Flow.

 The negative-mass hierion structure is a detail, not a defining feature. "Zeptifacted hierolysts" does not actually capture the negative-mass component either, so if technical precision is the goal, the term fails on its own terms. Whereas "hierozyme" is structurally open: you can have standard hierozymes and then introduce inverted hierozymes or neghierozymes or simply mass-inverted hierozymes as the specific upper-atmospheric variant without having to rebuild the whole nomenclature. 

In-universe character motivation seals it. The humans getting caught up in your methane mitigation project are not bumpha engineers. They are people who grew up with biology textbooks. When Manny or a zeptite-equipped collaborator explains what these catalysts are, the explanation that will stick — the one that lets a human scientist feel like they understand what they are working with — is the one that connects to existing knowledge. "Think of them as enzymes operating in a physical domain your instruments cannot detect" is a sentence that works. It gives characters something to hold onto. "Zeptifacted hierolysts" gives them nothing to hold onto except the manufacturing pedigree, which they did not ask about. 

The short version: "zeptifacted hierolysts" is a term an engineer uses when writing a specification document for the zeptites doing the manufacturing. "Hierozymes" is the term the humans use when they name what they found in the natural gas, realize it has been inside them their entire lives, and start to understand what it means. 

 The Hierozyme Intervention - Chapter 1: Carbon Footprint.

Figure 2. Rylla arrives at Casanay. Compare to
the image in Figure 1. Image generated by Flow.

Zeta Watson was a wiz at finance and investing. In 2011, she was vaguely aware of the existence of Sempra, a public utility holding company. Sempra became personal in June 2011 when Rylla Onway knocked on the front door of Casanay. Using the intercom system, Anthony looked at Rylla and then spoke through the front door speaker, "Are you lost?"

Rylla laughed and replied, "No, just curious. This is the Watson residence?"

Zeta was the first to reach the front door. The door was actually two huge oak slabs, a double door that was so heavy it required industrial-grade hinges and a motor-assisted opening system. Zeta used her phone to unlock the left door panel and it pulled open with a gust of hot summer air flowing into her face. Zeta asked, "Can I help you?"

Anthony arrived and stood behind Zeta. Rylla looked up at Anthony and then replied, "Howdy, neighbor."

Zeta glanced at the California plate on Rylla's car and said, "You are from the new Onway site?" Zeta kept track of all construction projects within thirty miles of Casanay. She was aware that a new private residence was being built in the next valley over, five miles behind Casanay.

Rylla held out her hand. "Rylla Onway."

Zeta shook Rylla's hand. "Come on in. Let's not try to air-condition Arizona."

Rylla, Zeta and Anthony. Image generated by Flow.
Rylla is amused by Flow's inability to understand
doors. The door should open inward not outward.

Rylla stepped inside the Casanay great room and noticed Eddy who was at his computer workstation. Eddy had put on bulky headphones as soon as he had gotten notification from Casanay's security system that a car was coming up the driveway. Eddy was busy writing and did not want to be interrupted. He'd assumed that the vehicle on the driveway was delivering something that Anthony or Zeta had ordered online. Zeta closed the door and asked Rylla, "Are you finally moved in?"

"Not quite."

Anthony asked, "Should I bring something cold to drink?"

Rylla said, "I did not catch your name."

Anthony chuckled. "I'm just the help, so you don't need to know my name. If you like, call me 'Jeeves'."

Zeta and Anthony. Image generated by Flow.

Zeta jabbed an elbow into Anthony's ribs. She told him, "Just bring some iced tea and don't try to flirt with Rylla. I bet her husband would not be amused."

Anthony winked at Rylla and retreated to the kitchen to get the tea. Rylla followed Anthony with her eyes and told Zeta, "No husband for three years now. Actually, that's how Marda and I ended up moving out here in the middle of nowhere." 

Zeta waved a hand towards a chair and both Rylla and Zeta sat down. Rylla nodded towards Eddy and asked, "Is that the famous Eddy Watson?"

Zeta was surprised when anyone admitted to knowing Eddy. "Yes, and he won't say anything until he notices how beautiful you are."

Like Zeta, Rylla was tall, blond and her face somewhat weathered. "My daughter is a fan of his science fiction novels. It was her idea to move out here, all in the hope of meeting Eddy."

Zeta laughed. "Are you serious? And you did not object?"

"I like Arizona, so, why not?" 

"I also have a daughter. Tyhry."

"I know. Marda met Tyhry at school yesterday. That's why I'm here today."

Zeta and Rylla. Image generated by Flow.

At dinner, Tyhry had only mentioned a new classmate and school, with no additional commentary or name provided. Now Zeta realized that Tyhry must have been referring to Marda. Rylla added, "Our new home is not ready yet, but I wanted to get Marda into school. For the next few months we'll be living in a trailer home."

Zeta was trying to recall when the building permits had been approved for the Onway residence. "Well, it is nice of you to drop by. My name is Zeta Gohrlay, although most people insist on calling me Zeta Watson. Tyhry recently changed the spelling of her first name, but she is a Watson."

Anthony arrived with iced tea and a platter of cheese and crackers. After a brief glance at Zeta, he returned to the kitchen. Zeta told Rylla, "Anthony wants to know if you can stay for lunch."

Rylla was again watching Anthony as he departed from the great room. "He's beautiful. And telepathic?"

"I've know Anthony for fifteen years. I usually know what he wants to say. His eyes are very expressive. And it is only an hour until Eddy will expect lunch to be served."

Rylla popped a cracker and some cheese into her mouth and crunched it, then swallowed. "I better not stay. If I had someone cooking for me, I'd quickly put on twenty pounds."

Zeta was letting her eyes rove all over Rylla's long lean body. "You could easily carry those twenty pounds."

Figure 3. Eddy obligingly explains what he is doing (panel 6). Image generated by Flow.

"Not easily. I'm a runner. I don't want a bunch of jiggly fat on my body, even if men do."

 Zeta laughed. "Here at Casanay, swimming is the preferred endurance event. I recall from your building permits that you are putting in a pool."

"Yes. Marda insisted. She's quite a good swimmer." Rylla was now looking through the back windows towards the backyard pool of Casanay. "I understand you put up inflatable domes in winter to cover your gardens and the pool."

Zeta nodded. "True. With a defense against the cold, I can keep plants growing here year round and we can use the pool in the winter months."

"You burn natural gas for heating in the winter."

"Yes. Have you begun your gas well drilling?"

"That was completed last month. I feel like we dodged a bullet. Our well is producing gas that is fifty percent carbon dioxide. Just barely flammable."

"It is the same for the Casanay well."

"When Marda found out, she was not happy. She's trying to control her carbon footprint."

Zeta shrugged. "Ya, I can imagine. Thanks for the warning. I never told Tyhry how much carbon dioxide we release from Casanay during the winter. If she finds out from Marda, I'll be in the hot seat."

 Eddy had finally reached a natural pause point in his writing. He took off his headphones and turned his chair. After an intense inspection of Rylla, he entered the conversation. "A guest?"

Zeta told her husband, "Eddy, this is our new neighbor, Rylla Onway. She already knows you through your published novels."

Rylla added, "My daughter is a fan of your science fiction."

Eddy smiled. "That's wonderful. The world needs more young people who read science fiction."

"I feel I must warn you. Marda has a plan mapped out. She's going to get at you through Tyhry."

Zeta laughed, "Thanks for the warning. However, I'm afraid Tyhry is not very social. She spends all her time tinkering in the basement and riding the bike she built through the desert."

"Ah, so that's why Marda told me that Tyhry bikes to school. That must be a twenty mile ride."

"Anthony used to drive her to school, but Tyhry prefers self-sufficiency. And she loves the desert, having grown up here. She did not go to school until she was nine."

"You home schooled her?"

"I still do, but I put her in school so she could have friends."

Figure 4. Image generated by Flow.

"I see. For the past three years, the world has been Marda's school. We've traveled everywhere."

Eddy was enjoying the process of comparing Rylla's physical beauty to that of his wife. He could well imagine that they might be sisters. He finally got another word into the conversation, "About Tyhry's bike. It is a motorized contraption that Tyhry built. She travels off-road to and from school. She's only broken one arm on that bike... so far. Watch out. Tyhry could be a bad influence on your daughter." 

"Thanks for the warning. Now I understand why Marda placed an online order for a helmet last night. She must already be planning to ride your daughter's motorbike."

Zeta shook her head. "Sorry about that. Tyhry is actually quite responsible. She claims she broke her arm when she almost crashed into fox. I'm skeptical."

Eddy noted, "Her bike makes almost no noise. I believe Tyhry's account of how she broke her arm."

Rylla sipped her tea and looked back and forth between Eddy and Zeta. "It is interesting to see a couple that can disagree without fighting. I never learned to do that with my husband."

Zeta told Rylla, "Eddy's business is fantasy, so he indulges all of Tyhry's fantasies and fibs. I'd prefer that she be honest with me. Kids hate to admit having done something stupid."

Eddy provided Rylla with his alternative view, "Zeta feels guilty about letting Tyhry rove through the desert, alone. Tyhry grew up here and she has no fear of the desert. Well, I should re-phrase that. Tyhry has no fear of anything." 

Image generated by Flow.

Rylla laughed. "Marda is something of a daredevil herself, so I've already been through a half dozen bone fractures with her. The worst was her hang gliding accident in Kenya, where she notched a hundred mile glide the day before her crash." Rylla popped up and moved towards the door. "Thanks for the tea. I suppose we'll be seeing more of each-other in the future."

Zeta opened the front door for Rylla. "I'd love to see your new home once you get moved in."

"Drop by anytime. I'd appreciate a consult on the landscaping, but I don't plan on gardens."

"I'll stop by. I must say I'm curious to see what you are building." Then Rylla was out the door, back in her car and off down the driveway. Eddy stood at the front window, watching the car and the dust cloud it kicked up. Zeta went to his side and took his arm. "I thought you were going to eat her up."

Eddy laughed. He turned his head and kissed Zeta's forehead. "She's a cutie. Are you sure she's not your sister?"

Image generated by Flow.

"The resemblance is interesting, but she is not related to me. As I recall, Sempra had an executive named Onway."

"Sempra?"

"They were involved in that big natural gas storage facility leak in California. Sempra paid out hundreds of millions in the aftermath of that debacle. I wonder if Rylla's marriage was another casualty of that ugly mess." Zeta heard a chime from her phone as Rylla exited from the Casanay driveway and onto the state road. She turned her gaze away from the desert and looked at Eddy. He was still looking out at the desert. "Are you ready for lunch?"

"Not quite. I'm going to swim for a while. Care to join me?"

"No, I'm going to snoop... see what I can find online about Rylla."

Eddy playfully spanked Zeta's bottom. "Not a polite way to treat a neighbor." Eddy knew better than try to deflect Zeta from anything she had set her mind to. And besides, he was curious himself about Rylla. However, by the time he had reached the pool, his thoughts were back on the next chapter of his new novel. Zeta was in her office, searching for information about Rylla Onway.

End Chapter 1.

Figure 5. Image generated by Flow.

 Illustrations. The images in Figure 1 and Figure 2 (above on this webpage) were both generated at the same time by Flow, with different styles of door windows. I prefer the more photo-real style of Figure 4 over the more old-fashioned comic book style of Figure 3. The first panel in Figure 6 (below) is the kind of generic image that Flow will generate when I upload a reference image and then fail to attach it to my text prompt. Email systems long ago were programmed to look for an attachment if an email mentions an attachment. Flow should just assume that it should use the reference image I just uploaded when my text prompt says "edit the image". The image shown above and to the left ↖ (Figure 5 ) is the most amusing 'generic' image I've gotten from Flow when I failed to link a reference image to my text prompt. I agree that current frontier AI models are not ready to take over the task of writing science fiction, but "NEVER" is a questionable claim. Currently, I find it useful to discuss my stories with Claude. In my next blog post, I discuss "The Hierozyme Intervention" with Google's AI.

Next: plans for Chapter 2 of "The Hierozyme Intervention".

Figure 6. Images by Flow. Visit the Gallery of Movies, Book and Magazine Covers.