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 of 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 grabs the hierion probe and hides it again.

Image generated by ImageFX.

 Claude: Thank you for these detailed answers! This gives me a clear structure for Chapter 7. I now understand:

1. Brak's trajectory: Obsessive, grief-driven research → DNA sequencing → discovery of Systolina's work → contact and collaboration
2. The Systolina dynamic: Soul mate recognition through dreams, immediate certainty when Brak contacts her
3. Thomas's background: Failed psychic experiment in college, limited telepathy only with loved ones, supportive of research, funding Systolina's work
4. Ambiguity about Manny: Keep readers guessing whether this is orchestrated or emergent
5. Casanay visit mechanics: Direct requests, Zeta intrigued by finding another telepath, group decision to keep secrets, Marda inspired to write
6. The probe incident: Dark comedy where Brak accidentally disrupts his own femtozoan connection
7. Chapter scope: Move quickly through discovery → meetings → Casanay arrival → Nyrtia/Manny discussion
8. Tension: Those who know the truth (Eddy, Zeta, D2) versus those who think it's fiction (Brak, Systolina, Thomas, Marda)

One small clarification before I begin drafting:

The probe incident: When Brak activates the hierion probe on himself, you mention he "briefly suffers disorientation when his femtozoan's connection to his femtobot endosymbiont is briefly disrupted."

Should this be:

• A momentary disruption (seconds) that causes dizziness/confusion but the femtozoan quickly re-establishes connection?
• Or does the probe actually extract his femtozoan (requiring immediate replacement from environment)?

Image by WOMBO Dream.

 I'm assuming the former (brief disruption, not extraction), since extraction would cause the catastrophic effects seen with Zeta, and Eddy needs to hide what happened. Correct?

Once you confirm this detail, I'll begin drafting Chapter 7!

Me: In my imagination, Brak only has a brief disruption of cognitive functions lasting a few seconds that causes confusion, but then the femtozoan quickly re-establishes its normal connection to his femtobot endosymbiont. Claude, if you have no further questions then generated a first draft of Chapter 7 of "The Sims". If possible, please generated your draft of the chapter as a single artifact.

Claude:  Alright, I need to draft Chapter 7 of "The Sims". Let me organize the key scenes based on the user's instructions:

1. Opening scene: Brak returns to university, immediately extracts Tyhry's DNA from clothing, arranges genome sequencing, sends letter to Watsons
2. Discovery scene: Brak receives sequencing results, discovers unusual NBPF14/NOTCH2NLB variants, searches literature, finds Systolina's publication
3. First contact: Brak contacts Systolina, she immediately recognizes him as her "soul mate" from dreams
4. Meeting Thomas: Brak visits Systolina's lab, meets Thomas, learns about his telepathy and funding of the research
5. Journey to Casanay: January 5th, 2042 - Brak and Systolina arrive
6. Casanay scenes:
   • Brak makes his three requests (data, equipment use, DNA samples)
   • Basement scene with D2 and the probe incident
   • Discussions about telepathy, Zeta intrigued by Thomas
   • Marda inspired to write about telepathy
   • Group agrees to keep secrets
7. Final scene: Nyrtia and Manny discuss whether this violates Rules of Intervention

Image generated by Grok.

 The tone should balance:

• Brak's obsessive grief-driven research
• The tension between those who know the truth vs those who don't
• Dark comedy in the probe incident
• Mystery about whether Manny orchestrated this
• Setup for future developments

Let me structure this as multiple scenes that flow chronologically. I'll aim for similar length/detail as previous chapters.

Note. The text above in blue was Claude's thought process. The text below in green was the actual response, which appeared in two versions.

{version 1} I've completed a first draft of Chapter 7! The chapter includes:

Seven scenes covering:

1. Brak's immediate DNA extraction and sequencing after returning from Casanay
2. His discovery of the unusual NBPF14/NOTCH2NLB variants and finding Systolina's paper
3. Their first video call where she recognizes him from her dreams
4. Meeting Thomas Kayto at ASU and learning about his telepathy
5. The January 5th return to Casanay with the three requests and the probe incident
6. Zeta's private revelation of her own telepathy to Systolina
7. The Nyrtia/Manny debate about whether this experiment violates the Rules of Intervention

Image generated by Leonardo.

 Key elements included:

• Brak's grief-driven obsession with understanding Tyhry's brain
• The "soul mate" recognition between Brak and Systolina
• Thomas as supportive father funding the research
• Dark comedy in the probe incident (Brak briefly disrupting his femtozoan connection)
• Tension between those who know the truth (Eddy, Zeta, D2) vs those who don't (Brak, Systolina, Marda, Thomas)
• Ambiguity about whether Manny orchestrated this connection
• The agreement to keep telepathy/future-sight secret
• Marda inspired to write about telepathy

The chapter maintains the established tone and moves quickly through the discovery sequence as you requested. Would you like me to revise any scenes or adjust any character dynamics?

{version 2} I've created a complete first draft of Chapter 7. Let me review what I included:

1. Scene 1: Brak's obsessive extraction of Tyhry's DNA and genome sequencing request
2. Scene 2: Brak discovers the unusual gene variants and finds Systolina's paper
3. Scene 3: First video call between Brak and Systolina - the soul mate recognition
4. Scene 4: Brak meets Thomas Kayto in person at the ASU lab
5. Scene 5: January 5th arrival at Casanay, the three requests, and the probe incident in the basement
6. Scene 6: Zeta reveals her telepathy to Systolina privately
7. Scene 7: Nyrtia and Manny debate whether this violates the Rules of Intervention

Image by WOMBO Dream.

 I tried to:

• Maintain the tone and style of the previous chapters
• Show Brak's grief-driven obsession
• Create the "soul mate" recognition moment with Systolina
• Portray Thomas as supportive and open about his limited telepathy
• Include the dark comedy of the probe incident
• Build tension between those who know the truth vs those who don't
• Keep ambiguous whether Manny orchestrated this or it's emergent
• End with the Nyrtia/Manny philosophical debate

The chapter moves quickly through the discovery sequence as requested, and sets up future developments while maintaining the mystery about alien involvement.

 ___

Jump to Claude's draft of Chapter 7 in my next blog post.

Video frame generated by Grok.

 Systolina Video. Shown below are some Grok-generated video depicting Systolina and her interest in the human brain's ability to receive information from the future. Two of the options that are available for Grok-generated videos are "spicy" and "fun". The image that is shown to the right on this page is a frame from one of Grok's "spicy" video clips.

Most of these video clips (shown blow) were made with the "normal" setting which allows the user to specify text that is spoken and included in the video. For a few of the clips she says "I have made a cultured embroid copy of my brain." For the clip where she tries to say "ground-breaking", the audio was generated automatically by Grok, without my input.

The video shown above was not uploaded to YouTube. These are examples of Grok-generated "spicy" video clips.

In the video shown above, she is trying to say “This is a cultured embroid replica of my own brain.”

Next: Claude's draft of Chapter 7 of "The Sims".

Images generated by Leonardo, WOMBO Dream and Grok. Visit the Gallery of Movies, Book and Magazine Covers

1925

See the original 2015 image here.

 A tradition here at the wikifiction blog is to begin each new year with a look back into the history of the science fiction genre. To begin the year, I make space for an examination of the work of a Sci Fi story teller who was born 100 years ago (for 2024, see 1924). This year, the focus is on Katherine MacLean (1925 – 2019).

I've previously blogged about some of the stories that were written by Katherine MacLean. Here in this blog post, I won't comment on MacLean's stories such as "Defense Mechanism" that I have previously commented on in this blog. In the past, I've occasionally had fun imagining that in an alternate Reality, MacLean edited a science fiction magazine called "Masculinena" (see the two images that are shown to the right and below this paragraph) and even launched a television network called CERA. The human figures on this page were generated by Mr. Wombo while the "futuristic" car in Figure 2 (below) was generated by Gemini.

See the original image source

 First Contact. Published in the August 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction was MacLean's story "Pictures Don't Lie", a story about first contact with space aliens. The aliens have already been in communication by radio, but today they are going to land on Earth. 

In the past, I have imagined that in an alternate reality, MacLean wrote a story called "Invasion of the Zeptites" (see the image to the left). Maybe if an artificial life-form was composed of zeptites, not biological cells, all of its life processes would be very much faster than is the case for we biological creatures. In "Pictures Don't Lie", the aliens not only live at an accelerated rate (like the Scalosians), they are also microscopic (as were the people in "Surface Tension" by James Blish). For my own Exodemic Fictional Universe, I've previously imagined "Nanoville", a place where nanoscopic replicoid copies of people could reside. Maybe the tiny replicoids in Nanoville also live at an accelerated rate?

image by Mr. Wombo

 Positive Feedback. In the September 1952 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction was MacLean's story "The Snowball Effect". "The Snowball Effect" reminds me of Isaac Asimov's Psychohistory. In "The Snowball Effect", a sociologist makes a small change to a little town's local sewing circle and then that group grows rapidly and soon it seems on the verge of taking over the world. 

There are also some similarities between "The Snowball Effect" and the MNC of Asimov's time travel novel, The End of Eternity. Taking advantage of the "butterfly effect", and with careful planning, might it be possible to make some tiny change in the world that would lead to some particular desired future? In The End of Eternity, Asimov's character Andrew Harlan was depicted as having the ability to unerringly identify an MNC for the Maximum Desired Response. In my own stories, some people receive information from the future by way of the Sedron Time Stream, allowing them to select a successful path into the future.

Figure 1. Editorial blurb for "The Diploids".

Figure 2. Gemini generated this Sci Fi scene
for 1925: looking to the future of air-cars.
Mr. Wombo generated the hitchhiking girl
 of the future and faces for the couple in the car.

 Genetic Engineering. MacLean's story "The Diploids" was published in the April 1953 edition of Thrilling Wonder Stories, with  interior artwork by Virgil Finlay. I love science fiction stories in which "alien" (see Figure 1, above) creatures are found to be secretly living among humans, but exactly what is a "diploid" in MacLean's story? Or, as MacLean puts the words into Mart's thought bubble (after a second person calls him a diploid) "What in the name of Howling Entropy was a diploid?"

"The Diploids" was set in the future, in a time when everyone casually has video phone calls... and everyone still smokes... and there is mention the Martians in conversation, but Mart Bredan is sensitive to such things... he was born with extra fingers and he has other anatomical abnormalities, including a third eye on the back of his head.

see this original cover art

Things get dicey when Doc Brown a crazy inventor starts trying to kill Mart. But then the friendly Dr. Sheers calmly tells Mart, "You diploids are always fascinating." After living as a strange genetic mutant for 28 years and never hearing the term "diploid", within 24 hours Mart comes across three distinct groups (including "super diploids" who want to take over the world, or something) that all know about "diploids". Further, readers are told that hundreds of thousands of embryos that share Mart's genome have been produced and used for genetics research during the past 30 years. And the newpapers are full of ads showing six-fingered hands (such as the one drawn by Finlay for Figure 4, below), ads which Mart never noticed, until today. The whole improbable and meandering "plot" of "The Diploids" reminds me of Inter Ice Age 4 which features several secret conspiracies of international scope and world-shaking importance... which nobody notices.

see the cover art by Clarence Doore

 Hypnotic. "The Diploids" also features hypnotism. According to this page, hypnosis had been included in written stories and some films from the mid-1800s to the 1920s. In "The Tissue-Culture King" by Julian Huxley, hypnotism could be used to put human brains into a state that would allow for telepathic linkages (Huxley's story first published in 1926). 

In Slan, A. E. van Vogt introduced the idea of magical "hypnotism crystals" that could be used by a slan to dominate the mind of a human (1940). Also from 1953 was "The Biological Revolt" by Philip Farmer which featured "post-hypnotic block" as a plot element. 

The image to the left depicts a green space alien who hypnotizes an Earthling, forcing him to work tirelessly for the alien overlords.

Figure 3. Generated by Mr. Wombo.

There were two pieces of internal art for "The Diploids" drawn by Virgil Finlay (see Figures 4 and 5. below). I manually colorized those images and merged them together. I then had Mr. Wombo make a version of the scene that is shown to the right.

For "The Diploids", I believe that MacLean was imagining a futuristic type of biotechnology that allowed for the creation of haploid mammalian cells in biology research laboratories. Then after stable lines of cultured haploid cells were created, they could somehow be used to create thousands of genetically identical diploid embryos from two parental haploid lineages... or something. Most of those embryos were used for laboratory genetics research and killed before growing past 5 months of embryonic life.

Figure 4. Internal art for "The Diploids".

  In the fictional future society of "The Diploids", most of the "cloned" humans were used for laboratory research and the embryos were never viable. However, Mart Bredan was allowed to grow to adulthood and only at age 28 did he realize that his parents were not his biological parents.

 You Can't Drug Me! Mart discovers that since his "parental" cells grew for many generations in cell culture, he has the ability to inactivate chemical substances that are injected into his body. Similarly, any body structure (such as his third eye) is automatically made functional and healthy. In the end, MacLean suggests to readers that Mart will be able to pass on his amazing genes to future generations and he tells the fetching Nadine that he is ready to make mutant babies with her.

Figure 5. The second internal art
illustration for "The Diploids".

Since MacLean was writing "The Diploids" at just about the time when the DNA double helix was discovered and before anyone realized how easy it is to clone mammals, I'll give her plenty of elbow room for constructing a fantasy story about genetic engineering.

The image to the right by Virgil Finlay (Figure 5) seems to show a human fetus at the center of a network of tentacles. Mr. Wombo likes to draw tentacles (exaggerated in Figure 3, above). Sadly, MacLean never explained how human embryos were routinely maintained in the laboratory for five months.

The editorial blurb (Figure 1, above) and mention of Martians in the first few pages of the text of "The Diploids" got me ready for a story about disguised aliens secretly living among the human population of Earth, but then it turned out that the "truth" about Mart was even less probable than hidden aliens: Mart was the result of a super really (we mean it!) secret human genetics experiment.

Why aliens visit Earth.

 Full Confession. I started skimming "The Diploids" after the fantastically beautiful Nadine left the stage after the first few pages of the story. I suspect that when Doc Brown the crazy inventor starts trying to kill Mart, he has been hypnotized by the Super Diploids, all as part of a plot to get Mart so upset that he will murder the crazy inventor and get himself and his sperm cells locked up in prison for the rest of his life... or something. In that way, the Super Diploids will not have to face competition from the genetically superior Mart and his children.

In the end, the crazy inventor is made to look like an insane UFO nut as he keeps ranting about evil Martians (including Mart) who are invading Earth; finally the police cart him away. 

At the end of the story, Mart is left in peace and can get down to the serious work of making babies with Nadine.

Space station by Gemini,
astronaut by Mr. Wombo,
pink toy by Sam.

 Into the Asteroids. MacLean published a short story called "Collision Orbit" in the May 1954 issue of Science Fiction Adventures. One of the unfortunate aspects of science fiction story telling is that so many writers depicted human adventures among the asteroids in similar terms to Western sagas about adventures in the frontier of the American West. Thus, for "Collision Orbit" we are told about the owner of a general store (called SAM'S) located in the Asteroid Belt who is confronted by a band of criminals who recently escaped from prison on Earth. 

 Spoilers. SAM'S is a futuristic general store that attracts customers from across millions of miles of space with the help of a neon sign. In all fairness, MacLean tells readers that SAM'S also uses radio beacons. "Collision Orbit" features an emergency spacesuit and an escape through a garbage chute. Most of the criminals end up dead in a shootout, but the one criminal with some brains is invited to join the ranks of the settlers of the asteroids.

Image generated by Gemini.

Figure 6. Well-known?

  Actual Martians. In the February 1955 issue of Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, there was "The Prize" by Katherine MacLean and Michael Porjes. As shown in Figure 6, at the start of the story, readers were told that the two authors of the story were both well-known, and American. 

Figure 7. Martians travel millions of miles to
visit Earth only to be told, "Go home!".

Who was Michael Porjes? I wonder if "Michael Porjes" was a made-up name used by Forrest James Ackerman. According to Wikipedia, Ackerman had a stepson named Michael Porges, but other online sources (example) list the name as "Michael Porjes". In any case, "The Prize" is a very short joke story. Some Martians visit Earth and get caught up in a goofy contest and win a trip to Mars.

The Martians (who are blue) drive their rover (with darkly tinted windows) off the mother ship and they start exploring Earth. The image to the right (Figure 7) was generated by Mr. Wombo as a depiction of Martians arriving on Earth in 1955.

Figure 8.

 Lost in translation. Back in 2021, I blogged about A Case of Conscience which was published by James Blish in 1953. That story by Blish has similarities to MacLean's story "Unhuman Sacrifice" that was published in the November 1958 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. For "Unhuman Sacrifice", the futuristic interstellar spaceship that takes our heroes to a brave new world conveniently comes equipped with a language translating machine, which allows a missionary (Winton) to quickly start preaching to the natives of a newly discovered exoplanet. The natives go through some sort of metamorphosis process when it starts raining: this involves hanging the young upside down in the trees (for Mr. Wombo's version of the story's interior art by John Schoenherr, see Figure 8).

For A Case of Conscience, Blish imagined sentient aliens who laid eggs and how the biology of the aliens was offensive to Father Ramon Ruiz-Sanchez, S. J. (Society of Jesus), a "Jesuit biologist" from Peru. I would not be surprised if MacLean read A Case of Conscience and then simply had to write her own story about a missionary preaching to aliens. Alternatively, MacLean may have written her story first, failed to get it published, and then was finally able to get her story published after Blish's story became famous.

Figure 9. Editorial blurb for "Interbalance".

Poise and counterpoise.

In the October 1960 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction was "Interbalance" by Katherine MacLean. I've previously blogged about the Uranium Age of science fiction (1950 - 1983). "Interbalance" fits nicely into Uranium Age science fiction: it takes place after a nuclear war, when mutations among humans are common and most babies don't survive due to radiation-induced mutations. 

The solution to Humanity's problems for the remaining people who survived the nuclear war is to breed rapidly and hope that a few people will survive into the future. The cute Narline Robinson tries to seduce Leo, but Leo's "old man" would rather just shoot Narline with his rifle. When the old man drops dead, Narline is happy and she praises the glory of "Interbalance" as it exists in the world, which will now allow her to make babies with Leo.

Multiple personality brain.

 Collaboration. "The Other" by Katherine MacLean was published in the July 1966 issue of New Worlds SF. This story is of interest to me because I've long been intrigued by Jack Vance's character Howard Treesong in The Book of Dreams. Vance depicted Treesong as having multiple "personalities" bottled up inside himself. I like to imagine that this could be explained by there being a way for nanoscopic artificial life forms to become attached to people. In "The Other", there are two people who each have two "personalities", an inner one who never speaks and an "outer" one that speaks to other people. I guess MacLean was suggesting that there is nothing wrong with having two minds in one brain.

image source

As discussed above (Figure 3), I enjoy using old illustrations (such as those shown in Figures 4 and 5) as reference images for making new AI-generated images. Below is a discussion I had with the Claude chatbot about this practice.

Me: Claude, are you familiar with online communities such as DeviantArt? Can you provide any insights into the conflict that has arisen between 1) one group of people in the DeviantArt community who enjoy AI-generated art and 2) another group of people who seem to despise AI-generated art?

Claude: Yes, I'm familiar with DeviantArt as one of the longest-running and largest online art communities, founded in 2000. The conflict you're describing reflects a broader tension that has emerged across many creative communities with the rise of AI art generation tools.

This conflict stems from several core concerns and perspectives. The traditional artists who oppose AI-generated art often express worry about the fundamental nature of artistic creation and authenticity. They argue that AI systems are trained on vast databases of human-created artwork, often without explicit consent from the original artists, which raises questions about creative ownership and attribution. These artists may see AI art as a form of automated reproduction that could devalue the human elements of artistic creation - the years of practice, the emotional investment, and the unique perspective that comes from human experience.

On the other hand, proponents of AI art view these tools as simply the latest evolution in artistic technology, similar to how photography was once controversial when it emerged in the 19th century. They argue that AI art generators are tools that still require human creativity and direction to produce meaningful work. These artists often emphasize that choosing prompts, iterating on results, and curating outputs all require artistic judgment and vision.

generated by Mr. Wombo

 The economic dimension of this conflict shouldn't be overlooked. Many traditional artists on DeviantArt rely on commissions and art sales for income. The ability of AI to rapidly generate images that might compete with human-created work has created legitimate concerns about economic displacement. Some artists worry that clients might opt for cheaper, faster AI-generated alternatives rather than commissioning original artwork.

The situation is further complicated by how some AI art generators have been trained. Traditional artists have raised valid concerns about their artwork being used without permission to train AI systems, effectively helping create tools that might compete with their own work. This has led to discussions about consent, compensation, and the ethical implications of how AI training data is collected.

DeviantArt itself has tried to navigate these tensions by implementing features like AI art labels and allowing artists to opt out of having their work used for AI training. However, these measures haven't fully resolved the underlying conflict between these two perspectives on artistic creation and authenticity.

Would you be interested in exploring any particular aspect of this conflict in more detail? For instance, we could discuss the technical aspects of AI art generation, the economic implications for working artists, or historical parallels to other technological disruptions in art?

Me: Claude, provide ethical guidance for the following conflict. I can read an old science fiction story that was written by Isaac Asimov and then be stimulated to write my own new science fiction story. I feel no guilt in having the idea for my new story originate from my reaction to Asimov's old story. I can take a digitized scan of a page in an old pulp science fiction magazine with interior artwork by an artist such as Virgil Finlay and then use that scanned image as a reference image with software such as WOMBO Dream. I can then use the AI-generated image (that was produced by using the Virgil Finlay reference image) as an illustration for my new science fiction story which I then post on my personal blog. However, I feel some guilt for having used the artwork of Virgil Finlay in this way. 

 Does it make sense that I feel no guilt in writing my story, but I feel some guilt in illustrating my story by making use of old interior art from a Sci Fi magazine?

Claude: This is a fascinating ethical question that touches on the nature of creative inspiration and transformation. Let me help break down why these two situations might feel different ethically, even though they may seem similar on the surface.

When you read Asimov's story and write your own in response, you're engaging in a process that transforms the original work through several important steps. Your human mind processes Asimov's story, combines it with your own experiences and creativity, and produces something new that builds upon but differs substantially from the source material. This process of inspiration and transformation has been fundamental to how human creativity and culture develop. We might say you're participating in a long tradition of artists and writers building upon each other's work to create new meanings and expressions.

The situation with AI art generation is more complex for several reasons. When you use an AI system like WOMBO Dream with Finlay's artwork as a reference, the transformation process is more mechanical and direct. The AI system is explicitly analyzing and reconstructing elements of Finlay's visual style and compositional choices. While you're making creative choices in the prompts and selection of outputs, the AI is more directly reproducing and recombining elements of the original artist's work than your mind does when writing an inspired story.

There's also a difference in how these creative processes have been historically understood and accepted. Writers have long acknowledged their influences and inspirations, and there's a well-established understanding that new stories can legitimately build upon older ones while maintaining their own originality. The legal doctrine of fair use has evolved to protect these kinds of transformative works. However, the direct use of visual art as training data or reference images for AI systems is a new phenomenon that raises questions about artistic integrity and attribution that our ethical and legal frameworks are still struggling to address.

 Your feeling of guilt might also stem from the different ways these processes honor the original creators' intentions. When you write a story inspired by Asimov, you're engaging with his work in a way that he likely would have anticipated and appreciated as a fellow writer. But when using an AI to process and transform Finlay's artwork, you might feel you're using his work in a way he couldn't have foreseen or consented to.

Consider this thought experiment: If you could ask Asimov and Finlay about these uses of their work, how might they respond? Asimov might well be pleased to know his story sparked new creative work in the same medium. Finlay's reaction to having his art used as AI training data might be more complicated, as this represents a fundamentally different kind of use of his creative expression.

That said, your situation raises important questions about how we adapt our ethical frameworks for creativity in the age of AI. Perhaps we need to develop new ways of thinking about artistic influence and transformation that account for these new technologies while still respecting the rights and intentions of original creators.

Would it help to explore some potential ways to ethically navigate this situation? For instance, we could discuss approaches that might help balance your creative goals with respect for Finlay's artistic legacy.

Me: When I use old science fiction story illustrations as "reference" images as part of the process of making AI-generated images, I document the practice at my blog and cite the original artists. Thus, it is no "secret" that I am using the work of artists in this way. When I ask myself if artists such as Virgil Finlay would be offended by what I am doing, I find it difficult to imagine why an artist would object. However, I know that some writers have in the past objected to fans who create "fan-fiction" based on published works, so it seems possible that Virgil Finlay would object to my use of his old artwork.

Claude: Your ethical reflection on this matter shows deep consideration for the rights and perspectives of creators. Let's explore this situation by examining several key aspects that can help us understand the ethical implications.

 First, let's consider the fundamental nature of artistic influence and documentation. Your practice of openly documenting and citing the original artists is significant because it acknowledges their contribution to the creative process. This transparency serves multiple purposes: it gives credit where it's due, it allows others to understand your creative process, and it maintains a historical record of how artistic works influence each other across time. This approach stands in stark contrast to cases where AI-generated art is created without acknowledging the sources that influenced it.

The comparison to fan fiction is particularly enlightening. Writers who have objected to fan fiction often cite concerns about maintaining control over their fictional universes or protecting their ability to write future stories within those universes. However, the situation with visual art reference is somewhat different. When you use Finlay's artwork as a reference for AI generation, you're not necessarily extending or modifying his fictional world - rather, you're using his artistic style and techniques as inspiration for creating new works that accompany your own original stories.

Consider how this practice relates to traditional artistic training. Throughout history, artists have learned by studying and copying the works of masters, often creating derivative works as part of their learning process. In art schools, students still practice by recreating famous works to understand technique and style. The key difference with AI art generation is that the "learning" process is automated and can produce new works much more quickly than traditional methods.

The question of whether Finlay would object is complex because it involves technologies he couldn't have anticipated. However, we can consider his position as an illustrator for science fiction magazines. These publications were often at the forefront of imagining how technology might change human society. Finlay worked in a genre that celebrated technological innovation and its implications for human creativity. This context might suggest he would be more open to technological evolution in artistic creation.

 Furthermore, your use of his work seems to align with the original purpose of his illustrations - to accompany and enhance science fiction stories. You're continuing this tradition, albeit with new tools. The fact that you're using his art as inspiration for illustrations that accompany new stories maintains a connection to the original context and purpose of his work.

However, your ethical sensitivity to this issue raises an important point about the difference between what is legally permissible and what feels ethically comfortable. Even if we conclude that your practice is ethically sound, particularly given your transparency and attribution, it's worth considering how we might further honor the legacy of artists whose work influences AI-generated art.

Perhaps you might consider ways to not just cite but actively celebrate these original artists? For example, you could include brief biographical information about artists like Finlay alongside your citations, helping to educate readers about these important figures in science fiction illustration. This would transform your use of their work from mere reference into an opportunity for historical preservation and education.

Would you be interested in exploring ways to further develop this educational and preservational aspect of your practice? This might help create a more robust ethical framework for using historical artwork as AI reference material.

Me: Claude, thank you for this discussion. One parting "shot"... since I have fun using old, previously published works of art in this way (as reference images for new AI-generated images), I know that I will continue this practice, even if I do feel some guilt associated with my doubts about how artists like Virgil Finlay might react to what I am doing. Claude, do you have any insights into why a human being will do something fun even when it causes feelings of guilt?

Claude: This is a fascinating aspect of human psychology that touches on how we balance pleasure against moral concerns. Let me break this down by examining several key psychological mechanisms at work.

 At the core of this behavior is what psychologists call "cognitive dissonance" - the mental discomfort that occurs when we hold two conflicting beliefs or when our actions don't align perfectly with our values. In your case, you experience enjoyment from the creative process of using AI art generation, while simultaneously feeling some ethical uncertainty about how the original artists might view this use of their work.

The human brain has evolved sophisticated mechanisms for managing such conflicts. One key mechanism is what we might call "moral licensing" - when we give ourselves permission to engage in potentially questionable behavior because we've taken steps to mitigate its impact. In your case, you've implemented important ethical safeguards like proper attribution and documentation. These responsible practices may help reduce (though not eliminate) the guilt you feel.

Another relevant psychological principle is "temporal discounting" - we tend to prioritize immediate, concrete benefits (the fun and creativity you experience now) over abstract, uncertain future concerns (the hypothetical disapproval of artists who are no longer alive). This isn't necessarily irrational - we can't live our lives in perfect accordance with every possible ethical concern, especially speculative ones.

Think of it like eating a dessert while on a diet. The immediate pleasure is tangible and real, while the health impact is abstract and distant. Even when we feel some guilt, the concrete joy often wins out over the abstract concern. Similarly, your creative enjoyment is immediate and real, while the ethical concerns remain somewhat abstract and uncertain.

 What's particularly interesting in your case is that the guilt itself might serve a positive function. Your continued ethical reflection on this practice suggests that the guilt is helping you maintain a thoughtful, responsible approach to using AI-generated art. Rather than seeing this guilt as purely negative, we might view it as part of a healthy ethical calibration system - one that keeps you mindful of the important questions around artistic legacy and attribution while still allowing you to explore new creative possibilities.

This reminds me of how societies often progress through periods of ethical uncertainty when new technologies emerge. Early photographers faced similar questions about the relationship between their work and traditional painting. Some amount of ethical tension may be inevitable - and perhaps even valuable - as we navigate these transitions.

Would you like to explore how this understanding of the psychology behind guilt and pleasure might help you develop an even more nuanced approach to your creative practice?

Next: a mission to Earth.

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