Announcement

**Flubber** · September 16, 2001, 07:44

2231 to the gaians

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In the news tonight. . . . a cease fire has been achieved. We now go live to Drone Central where the foreman is addressing the nation.

"My fellow workers,

Today is a momentous day in that we have accepted the Gaians most generous terms for peace. We have always been a peaceloving nation, fighting only when it was necessary to protect our way of life. Our armies are strong, and today Drone territory encompasses about half of Gaia. This is more than adequate for our needs.

Today there is still fighting on many fronts as the Spartans, Consciousness and peacekeepers refuse to even talk peace. Our military will deal with them when needed but they are minor nation states that pose little threat to our people. We can therefore rejoice in a peace with the Gaians.

Too many people have died already. War is a terrible thing. I know that the gaians share our views. It is therefore hoped in the coming days that we might achieve a more lasting peace. WE have viewed the gaians as an enemy for far too long. They are a decent people commited to ideals which, while different than our own, are not so inconsistent that we cannot live in peace and harmony.

In the coming weeks we shall attempt to negotiate the lasting peace that all sides appear to want. AS a sign of good faith, I have moved the bulk of our production to peaceful goods but we will maintain our standing army. Vigilence and preparedness will help maintain the security of our people.

May Gaia bless you all"

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" Well what do you think sarge"

" I don't know Joe. I used to go drinking with some of them gaian fellers back in the old days and they seemed like the salt o' the earth. sure could down them ales . . . We been fightin' so long that you sometimes ferget that the other feller just wants to go home to his missus too. I seen too many buddies die. I'm not sad to go home."

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In the situation room

" With respect foreman, but has your name change meant your brain has been rubberized. WE had the new weapon. It is 30% more powerful than our old weapons and would have made a decisive difference in the war. We could have won"

The words hung in the air. The foreman looked around the room at the faces. He knew that most of the military leaders were as sick of this war as he was but he could see that the pro-war sentiment resonated with a few. He rose and spoke softly but with great conviction

" But what would we win and at what cost ? The gaians are a proud, honourable and capable people. Millions would have died and to what end. We fought to protect our nation and to build a better life for the workers. If the Gaians keep their word, there is no threat to us. Attaining security and safety for our people is the best form of victory"

He turned and faced the colonel who had spoken. "You have never commanded a front line unit, have you colonel ?? You have never been there to watch your men die. No one that has wishes for the continuation of war when an honourable peace is available"

He turned and addressed the group, " I truly believe that the gaians want peace but we must continue to protect ourselves. I want offensive weapon production curtailed but I want to see new plans for probe security, sea lane patrols , interceptor bases and the garrisonning of the frontier . . . .

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**Tenchusatsu** · September 16, 2001, 11:57

Year 2231 to Stephen. The current truce starts now and will continue until 2246, including that year.
_______

Datalinks, History of Earth
Year 2001, the Twilight of Terrorism

In the history of Old Earth, the year 2001 marked the beginning of the end of terrorism. After the horror of the World Trade Center, the entire world united in stamping out the threat of terrorism for good. Over the next several years, terrorist cells all over the world were hunted down, and those who survived found absolutely no refuge anywhere, whether from a political government, faction, or people group.

**Flubber** · September 16, 2001, 18:34

2234 to the gaians

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In the news tonight . . .

The consciousness would not communicate with the peace-loving factions of gaia and were eradicated. Aki Zeta is enjoying a retreat at the Alcatraz resort.

Similarly the Spartans have failed to see reason and have been reduced to a single base through surgical strikes by both gaian and Drone forces. We also note that the gaians have resumed theie offensive on the PK and that soon there could be two remaining factions on Planet.

In other news, the Drones have called for a governors election. The benefits of governorship are limited but the foreman is seeking to again lead the council.

**Tenchusatsu** · September 16, 2001, 23:01

Year 2232 to Stephen. Time somehow jumped ahead from year 2231 to 2234 before going back to 2232. Dang, and I thought the time jump storylines of Star Trek Voyager were confusing!

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Personal Log
Druid Tenchusatsu, First Advisor to Lady Deirdre Skye

I can say that after many years, Lady Deirdre is finally back to her peace-loving self again.

Many years ago before the Planet Wars started ("Planet Wars" is the name the press is using), Deirdre spent countless days locked up in her quarters and conversing with Planet. Often this would make her weak and ematiated, and it was up to me and the medical staff at Gaian HQ to revive her every single time. Luckily our medical treatments are more than sufficient to restore her to her youthful, beautiful self, but her mental state was an entirely different story.

Needless to say, it was those very conversations with Planet that led her toward becoming more militant in her environmental beliefs. And although I did not question her change in stance before the Planet Wars started, I did wonder whether she was herself. I mean, she was still very capable of leading our great nation, but there was also a sense of fanaticism in her hawkish tendencies. She reminded me more of a conqueror than the scientist she used to be.

But in recent years, she started gaining a sense of reality, a sense of reflection, a sense of ... how shall I best put it? ... restored humanity. How was this possible? I don't know. Maybe our extensive network of Research Hospitals helped to improve the treatments we gave Deirdre every time we revived her. Maybe they somehow helped her mentally, not just physically. Maybe the huge loss of life finally started sinking into her conscience (although thankfully the losses could have been heavier but weren't). Maybe she finally realized that even advice from Planet isn't necessarily the best advice she could receive.

Interestingly, one of the senior advisors remarked that at times, he couldn't tell the difference between Deirdre and the Prophet Cha Dawn of the now dead Cult of Planet. I guess that explains it nicely. For a while, we tried to accomplish everything the Cult of Planet failed to do. Not that we would have failed; in fact, the Defense Minister was positive that the war was in our favor, even with the intelligence reports of a more powerful weapon just developed by the Drone military. But even if we had succeeded, we would have lost our humanity and turned into nothing more than subservient instruments of Planet, much like the mindworms, and much like the former Cult.

Now I have the great task of shifting our entire focus from war production to peacetime projects. I can only hope that the Drones will hold up their end of the truce and even agree to a peace treaty after the truce expires. The senior advisors are already discussing with Drone diplomats on possible terms of a long-lasting peace treaty.
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Video Surveillance Camera Footage
Former HQ of the Planetary Council, Gaia's Landing
Hallways

Janitor 1: Didja hear the news? Foreman Flubber won the Planetary governorship!
Janitor 2: So what does that mean?
Janitor 1: That means they're probably going to shut this place down. We'll have to look for new jobs!
Janitor 2: You mean the both of us?
Janitor 1: Well duh! Have you seen anyone else working here since the Planet Wars started?
Janitor 2: Uh, no.

**Flubber** · September 16, 2001, 23:24

2233 to the gaians (sorry about my year mix ups)

The Drones announce the completion of the Living refinery. However the Drones are quite concerned that the Gaians will soon complete the Cloning vats and build their population even faster.

**Tenchusatsu** · September 17, 2001, 00:51

Year 2233 to Stephen.
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Personal Log, Year 2233
Head of Intelligence
Covert Ops Center, Fallow Time

I think the info coming in from the field is getting more and more inaccurate every year. The Drones recently announced the completion of The Living Refinery. Yet for some reason, our agents are reporting that the Living Refinery is still under construction, and that the Drones have instead completed The Supercollider.

I know that with the end of the Planet Wars, our budget is going to be slashed. But I don't think that should be the cause or an excuse for bad intelligence gathering.
_______

Minister of the Interior
Report on Rising Sea Levels
Headquarters, Gaia's Landing

There have been numerous reports that sea levels have been rising over the past several years. Already mine workers near Fallow Time have been busy building dikes (no, not ****s

) to hold back the waters, but they are unsure how long their efforts can last before the mines are flooded.

Speculation is that the pollution coming from the Drone mainland is contributing to global warming. This in turn is causing Planet-wide temperatures to rise a few degrees, causing a partial melting of the polar ice caps. This effect is not unlike what happened to Earth in the 21st century due to CO2 pollution.

We recommend meeting with the Drone Foreman and discussing the situation. I'm sure they must also be concerned about rising sea levels affecting their mainland as well. Maybe they are already working on a solution.

**Flubber** · September 17, 2001, 05:59

2234 to the gaians
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The Free Drone Secretary of State was giving a press conference.

" Today we are pleased to announce the completion of the Supercollider. With this invention we hope for speedier science to make our lives easier.

"We are also aware as to concerns regarding rising sea levels. To combat this we have worked to ensure that all pollution levels are at the lowest possble level. We are also working on a new initiative and have proposed to Council that we launch a solar shade. Early indications are that LAL and Santiago will agree to this initiative and we hope that it meets with the Gaians approval as well"

" WE are now pleased to announce that the Free Drones are the most populous nation on Gaia. Aided by the Planetary Transit System, we are moving citizens into more rural areas to work in conjunction with the land in an eco-friendly atmosphere. Colonization is proceeding rapidly and we are hoping that reducing urban populations will reduce pollution and ecodamage.

**Flubber** · September 17, 2001, 09:29

The Minister of Rural Development contemplated the report before him. His entire former force had been requisitioned for military use. Many needed public works were being put on hold and worse his villa at Minister's Retreat was in the midst of renovations. It might take weeks or months to get a work crew back there.

His mind turned to Isa, a slender vivacious woman in her twenties, whom he had recently promoted at the Borehole Works. " I so wanted to bring her to my retreat. Damn that military. What are they doing with all my formers?"

===================================

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT MEMO TO THE FOREMAN

ASSESSMENT OF PROBE PERFORMANCE

TOP SECRET

Issue:

The Free Drone Military was successfully mind controlled on a number of occasions. There are several possible ways to proceed to deal with this issue.

1. Raise Probe rating

See Appendix "A" for analysis which concludes that this method is unduly disruptive to Drone governmental choices

2. Probe Defend
The Appendix "B" analysis concludes this is impractical where the opponent possesses super long range naval probes. The opponent will always have the ability to concentrate larger numbers of probes than the defenders at a given point.

3. Patrol and Interdiction
Appendix "C" outlines the practical difficulties of locating super-long range naval probes. This would require massive resources and disrupt Drone society for many years.

4. Funnel and Blockade
Appendix "D" outlines the cost in former time required to raise enough land to blockade certain straights and to narrow others such that the approaches to most Drone bases are much more limited.

5. Status Quo
Appendix "E" provides an analysis of our probe defenses as they exist today

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The greatest probe threat comes from the long range naval variety. Patrols, sensors and interdiction have been relativel successful against land based probes. The long range of the sea probes makes it extremely difficult to find them and also to defend all of the bases which are in their range.

The suggested solution therefore is Option 4, Funnel and Blockade. the key elements of the plan include

A Raising the solar shade
B Massive use of formers to quickly close certain straits in internal Drone waters
C The blockade of all remaining straits with crawlers, probeships or naval forces
D Use of formers to eliminate sea access to key cities

It is estimated that within 10 years, the sea approaches can be patrolled, blockaded or sensored. Outposts that remain vulnerable may be stocked with probes from the far interior that are no longer needed for probe defense. While no probe defense is absolutely secure, it is our view that this plan provides the highest measure of probe security possible. If concluded successfully, additional sea probe forces will become irrelevant while continuing patrol and interdiction missions will look for land or air-dropped probes.

========================================

**Tenchusatsu** · September 17, 2001, 19:11

Year 2234 to Stephen.
_______

Journal Entry, Year 2234
Lady Deirdre Skye

Oh those crazy Drones. Their industry is primarily responsible for global warming, so what do they do? Propose the blocking of a certain percentage of sunlight, thereby artificially lowering global temperatures and sea levels.

On the one hand, I am amazed at their industrial and space-faring capabilities. Surely they are well ahead of us in these two aspects. Constructing a solar shade is a very clever idea, one that could also translate into potentially new ways to gather energy. But at the same time, I am almost amused at their willingness to employ heavy industry to fix an environmental problem. The entire ecosystem of Planet is delicately balanced over the course of billions of years. It's not like a mechanical rover that can be tweaked, enhanced, and upgraded with industrial gadgets and toys. Their efforts are akin to a gorilla attempting to build a house of cards. All they are doing is heavy-handedly trying to mask the symptoms of a deeper problem.

But then again, perhaps I should not be ridiculing their efforts, for they can also accuse us of messing with human biology with our recently-constructed Cloning Vats. Though I was initially opposed to the project, I was assured by the Druid himself that the Cloning Vats will not be used to try and clone new sentient human beings. That, he assured me, was far from practical or even desirable. Instead, he said that the Vats will only be used to replace vital organs within our bodies, from aging skin to failing eyes, from decapitated limbs to weakening hearts. In effect, he said, this will be our way of extending the life expectancy of our citizens, much like the Longevity Vaccine that the Drones possess.

Though I can't help but think that cloning whole human beings isn't as impossible as the Druid claims. If that's so, some leader with belligerent motives could take control of the Cloning Vats and crank out legions of superhuman soldiers without sacrificing the life of a single citizen. The concept seems fanciful, but in these fast-paced times of advancing research, anything seems possible, even the most frightening scenarios.

**Flubber** · September 17, 2001, 23:29

2235 to the gaians

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" have you seen the news Joe?? Apparently some gains are upset that we are lowering sea levels. Jeeez you can't win with those guys-- they were upset when sea levels went up so we decided to fix it. But now thay are upset that sea levels are going back down"

" ya makes no sense to me. Anyway, lets get this former started, this borehole will not dig itself"

**Tenchusatsu** · September 18, 2001, 01:11

Year 2235 to Stephen.
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Datalinks
The McDonald's Theory of World Peace

"No two nations with at least one McDonald's restaurant has ever gone to war against each other."
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Report on Falling Sea Levels
Lady Deirdre Skye

Sea levels are dramatically falling, on the order of 33 meters every year, or three meters a month. The oceanfront itself is literally retreating from our shorelines by several meters a week. The solar shade has undoubtedly (and perhaps unfortunately) proven to be very effective in its intended purpose.

Obviously we've found it necessary to rebuild and relocate our sea docks on our shore bases. The wildlife in the brackish waters of river estuaries will undoubtedly find their aquatic home moving downstream at a rapid pace. Ten years is hardly enough time for them to adapt. Some of our tidal generation plants will become useless as the waters recede away and reveal what used to be the ocean floor.

But there are some upsides to the receding water levels. Land masses that were previously in danger of receding into the ocean due to global warming are no longer under such a threat. The dikes that were constructed near Fallow Time and New Virgin Soil are no longer necessary. The revealing of ocean floor can provide our geologists with a wealth of new research material. And finally, there is a chance that as the waters recede, the global atmosphere will also be pulled closer toward the core of Planet by the same amount. What this means is that the effective elevation of all our solar collectors will become higher by default, meaning that some of them may even be able to collect more energy.

Of course, the long-term effects of the receding water levels remains to be seen. But I am positive that the environment of Planet is being forced toward a new equilibrium point. We can only hope that the Planet ecology, as well as the Planet psyche, is able to adapt.

**Flubber** · September 18, 2001, 09:28

Will play when I get home -- in the meantime . . .

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Science report on water level changes

Water levels are reported to be receeding across Planet at a rapid rate. The environmental implications are as yet unknown and our abilities do not allow us the control the level of sea rise or fall. Our options at this time include

1. Status quo
Do nothing. We estimate that sea levels will fall for some time but that eventually ecodamage and global warming will slow the fall and that sea levels may again begin to rise.

2. Increase solar shade
This would accelerate the fall of sea levels-- NOT RECOMMENDED --EXTREME DAMAGE

3. Melt Polar caps
This would reverse matters almost instantly. Many bases and improvements would be in danger from rising water-- NOT RECOMMENDED -- EXTREME DAMAGE

4. Increase industrial output

This will increase ecodamage and could have unforseen consequences. It could reduce sea level drop, stabalize or reverse it. We can predict the direction of sea level movement fro a given course of action, but have no control over the magnitude. NOT RECOMMENDED -- HAZARD UNQUANTIFIABLE.

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At Workman's resort

" What do you mean the beach is 15 miles away. I paid for BEACHFRONT property"

" Lady, when you bought it, it WAS beachfront property. Those formers and the shade changed all that. . . . This was a shallow bay, great for swimming . . . . nearest beach now is 15 miles away. and I have to warn you . . . they are nudists."

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AT Drone factories

" Jones . . . did you see this report . . . They say there is no measurable risk to our increasing production. Lets ramp up production"

" Sir that isn't what they meant . . . "

" What do you mean ?? . . . I just read it myself. Look the worst case is some sea level rises and I confess I would not mind if the ocean rose a bit. My yatch is tied to a dock a mile and a half from any ocean"

" But sir what of the hazards?"

" What hazard?? If the seas come up we can always adjust the solar shade a bit. The shade is good for us anyway--it prevents sun blotch disease"

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**Flubber** · September 18, 2001, 20:09

Turn passed to allen

**Tenchusatsu** · September 18, 2001, 21:45

Year 2236 to the Flub.
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Cloning and the Road to Homo Superior
Druid Tenchusatsu, First Advisor to Lady Deirdre

The Cloning Vats have proved to be a double-edged sword for us. On the one hand, at bases where enough food and nutrients are available, population has soared. On the other, the increase in population has turned out to be an administrator's nightmare, as overcrowding and poor domestic planning has led to occasional Riots. We've had to micromanage our specialists, juggling the Empaths, Engineers, and Thinkers between all of the bases, especially those in the former Cybernetic and Peacekeeper mainlands.

Yet I believe the benefits of the Cloning Vats far outweigh the costs. With enough infrastructure, even the captured bases will soon be just as productive, if not more, than our bases in the mainland.

There is also a side benefit to the widespread use of cloned organs across our nation. Scientists are discovering a phenomenon where the "weaker" chromosomes of the human genome are less likely to exist anymore. They believe that somehow, our vast and complex system of bioengineering, biomachinery, and bionics is causing a sort of "forced Darwinism" to take place. For example, instead of keeping bad vision or correcting it using primitive "Lasik" surgery, people instead opt to get new eyes. Instead of exercising away genetic obesity, people instead opt to replace their hormonal glands with those which secrete more "fat-burning" chemicals. And to the surprise of our researchers, these people are somehow passing on their acquired characteristics to their children. This was once thought to be impossible according to traditional biology.

In effect, the scientists believe that we are quickly evolving into a new species at a pace much faster than even Darwin could have predicted. For lack of a better name, they call it "Homo Superior."

Announcement

Turns of AXT042 Fourth Thread

Turns of AXT042 Fourth Thread

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