By David C. Daoust
The Hub was far more complete than most average users could ever guess. At its core was a program engine that recreated entire worlds, not just the visible illusions people enjoyed in their time within a holo-park. They were fully actuated simulations of old worlds and planets. From molten iron cores, to complex, chaotic, storm patterns. The worlds were intricate in detail, all known systems throughout these old worlds were recreated, preserved for all to witness, throughout the ages.
These vast systems would be incomplete without the vast array of animal life that populated such environments. The holographic animals were ultimately small programs in themselves. In fact, these were the basest for the burgeoning bot population that would eventually erupt into the real world. These old versions though, were in itself part of the simulations own programming, each copying its master program. It was not until much later that Data-spheres were brought into the mix. Acting in itself as a brain, a real world mind, to house the programs own variations.
The intellectual level achieved by a Data-sphere appeared random. In fact, its ability to actually move around, or do anything at all, was outside of anyone’s control. Some data-spheres just sat there like a rock. Some could handle simple tasks, simple ideas, these were often used as part of a greater whole- Like bees to pollinate holographic flowers; added a bit of novelty to old holo-parks for a while.
More and more of these Data-spheres moved up the ladder, able to simulate ever more complex systems. They went from participating within ‘nature’ of the holographic world that was the Hub, to rearranging nature to its own liking, like building dams and burrows to live in, to claiming territory, to ultimately achieving a state of awareness of its own intellect.
These early holographic people were a novelty in their own right. They caught the attention of every person throughout the Ark Age. Though admittedly the early versions of these ‘people’ were often used as NPCs in video games, which was about all anyone expected of them. Eventually they were recognized as something more- though not much more.
The first bots were introduced to the people as toys. The lower the intelligence, the lower the caliber, the lower the price- dumb bots were everywhere… Often small silly things, with a one word vocabulary, that was suddenly repeated when spoken too. Only very few, well positioned people (so, Royals), truly experienced the more intelligent bots. Quality Data-spheres were sought after.
The years rolled by and these novelty toys grew commonplace. It was not until much later, that people started finding ways to put them to work. In fact, not until the end of the Ark Age did putting them to work become commonplace. No one really considered paying the bots and the bots themselves, were just happy for a body in the real world. That all changed with the Crucible Riots of course.
It was not long after the Riots, that the Consortium started looking to put these Data-spheres on the battlefield. The first ‘Assault-Bots’ were a product of Consortium entrepreneurs looking for a profitable work-around of the Ark-Law.
This exploded in their face. And was the root of most of the Sea Guards’ Intelligence, behind Red Faction. The highest Seaguard officers knew the Red Faction was run by Bots- they were alone in this knowledge. The Commandant’s own ‘Elite Guard’, was trained by the Seaguard. Some even said the Commandant himself was of this same program.
The Assault-bot initiative was scrapped.
Sweet Honey Zhou’s family fortune was scrapped with it.
Zhou’s family was one of the Royal families, that were promised ever so much, for the work they did throughout the Ark Age. They did not collect- instead they risked it all, for a seat on the Trade Consortium’s ‘Board’. Her family lost everything in the failure. Her mother, who Honey refused to speak of, took her own life. Leaving Honey herself at the very bottom of the Crag, lower than low.
The fall was legendary.
There was not a single member of the Consortium that did not feel the thrill of the kill, blood dripping from their teeth, as the vaunted Royal lost it all.
Sweet Honey Zhou had to fight her way back into the Boards good graces. Luckily, she’d been born into the Seaguard, so the work was there, even if the missions were a joke. She finally achieved success with her legendary ‘character’, a character in itself created to help hide her covert missions for the Seaguard.
Honey Zhou the spy went unknown, Sweet Honey Zhou the Pirate Queen, however, spread like wild fire.
As word of her existence spread through the rest of the Crag, the whole thing snowballed into a huge success. She finally had something to profit off of. The added tidbit, of being born a Royal, added a bit of drama to the whole ‘Pirate Queen’ thing; many early investors found this delightful. Movies, comics, games, any product she could put her name on, to make a buck, took the Consortium by storm.
Sweet Honey Zhou was looking for more than just regaining her fortune though. She wanted to rectify her family name. With that idea in mind, she turned back to the Assault-bot programs. This time, rather than using the high caliber Data-spheres, that her mother trained, she instead used the more primal, animalistic, data-spheres- those that still ran Sims through the holographic jungles of the Hub.
This was a highly classified project, fully sanctioned by the Board, though Honey’s own brainchild. She was given an entire moon to play on, a lush jungle of a moon, filled with life, unknown to most of the Onion.
The moon was a rare gem, which meant it was snapped up by the Consortium. The jewel was set on the outer rim of Neo Vir’ees. She was not alone on the moon. Consortium ‘Factory-Farms’ pocked the surface- corporate workers destroying so much new life, stripping it, before anyone could ever learn of its existence.
Even with the Consortium’s efficiency, it would take years to strip. Leaving Zhou with ample room to experiment with, what was designated as, her ‘Cats’.
She was in charge of the moon; acting governor if anything, though had many foremen, from many separate Corporations, to deal with.
Things were going so well, for so long…
Then one day, all hell broke loose. All production ceased, and her newly trained bots systematically forced all humans off the moon. This could devastate her reputation with the ‘Board’. Potentially cost her everything. All the workers, all the foreman, all her own crew were forced into orbit. It was not hard for Honey to convince the rest of them, that if any of them dared report this failure to the Board, all their jobs would be lost.
This led to Sweet Honey Zhou turning to the black market, to the Organization, to acquire the highly illegal ‘Battle Drones’. A plan to fight fire with fire, a plan to oust the mechanical ‘Cats’, and get everything back in line, before the Board ever learns of it.
<<< So, there is some back story discrepancy to Colin's final destination in Dutch's piece. I usually try to avoid changes as much as I can. Meh. The idea changed a couple times. I'm just saying, if anyone is keeping track, I'll change it eventually, but not today, not today! ty,DD >>>
Discussion ¬