So there you have it. I had hopes and dreams and they were dashed but I think my books are better for it. Maybe I'll drag the telescope out of the garage some day and look at a fuzzy Jupiter, just for old time's sake.
Tomorrow, let's see what loose ends need tying up.
Entry 4-151: May 26, 2016
Loose Ends
Several days ago, I explained to you why I didn't just end Rome's Revolution with our erstwhile fugitives on their way back to their new home planet of Deucado. I simply wasn't ready to let go and let the end be the end. My excuse what that there were still some loose ends to clear up.
Here is a short list of items that needed to be wrapped up:
- Whatever happened to Sussen the spy?
- What would become of MINIMCOM, now that he was a sentient starship?
- What other powers and abilities did young Aason have, given his complex genetics?
- Now that Fridone and Binoda were reunited, would there be any physical effects (huh?)
- Where will Rome and Rei live? With the Ibbrassati? Essessoni? Vuduri? Deucadons?
- How will they prevent the asteroid from destroying Deucado?
- What about the mutations? What was OMCOM thinking?
- How did OMCOM get infected in the first place with the Onsiras' rogue memrons?
- Did OMCOM know that MASAL still lived?
- Was OMCOM pulling the strings all along or were Rome and Rei's accomplishments truly their own?
- How did OMCOM know that Rome would take the yellow pill and be linked to Rei psychically?
- If we are Species 927, who are Species 1 through 926? Where are they?
- Who built or created the Stareaters and why?
- What about the whole matter of Lupe? Was that OMCOM's idea?
Actually, there are even more loose ends but I think that is a good enough list for now. I'll try and clear up a few of them for you over the next few days.
Entry 4-152: May 27, 2016
Loose ends: Sussen
A while back, I gave you the original long-form version of what happened to Sussen, the spy. Basically, she was locked inside a scout ship for 28 days. The ship was not really designed for interstellar travel. There was barely enough room to move around and certainly no room to exercise. Also its rations and refresher were minimal.
Needless to say, in that version, Sussen found the whole experience rather grueling but such was her dedication to MASAL and the Onsiras. Somehow a livetar of OMCOM materialized during her journey and he bated her a little bit. Really, all I wanted to do was present a knock-knock joke, Vuduri-style:
“Knock, knock,” said OMCOM. “Rei said your proper response is supposed to be ‘who is there?’”
“But as a Vuduri, I would already know who is there,” countered Sussen.
Not much of a joke, huh? I guess it was a good thing that I eventually cut it out. We can imagine that Sussen eventually made it to Earth. Her arrival was way too late. Rome and Rei had already destroyed MASAL, announced the Onsiras' conspiracy to the Vuduri and made peace with the Stareaters. There really wasn't much for her to do. Upon re-entry, she headed to the secret Onsira enclave in SoCal. She spent several years working with Reema and MASAL's Sipre to raise the numbers and influence of the Onsiras so that they could continue with their plan despite the world knowing about it. Always in the background was the ticking time-bomb of the 24th chromosome which would eventually convert all the Vuduri into living robots.
We run into Sussen again on Helome, briefly, in Rome's Evolution and later discover she is the driving force behind the attempt on Rei's life and Aason's kidnapping. She is eventually killed but that is not the end of her. She appears one more time in The Milk Run when Aason passes through Purgatory. This version of Sussen has reverted back to her original form, that of a 12-year-old girl and she has repented for her evil deeds.
Aason forgives her and we must assume she eventually makes her way to Heaven as do all the souls of humans at some point. So all's well that end's well for Sussen, for eternity.
(Image courtesy of Bill Selak via Flickr)
Entry 4-153: May 28, 2016
Loose ends: MINIMCOM
We all know what became of MINIMCOM. He became a beloved member of the family and a hero in his own right. But at the conclusion of Rome's Revolution, none of this had taken place and he was unsure of his place in this world.
This little scene takes place after Rome and Rei accepted Oronus' "offer" of banishment from the planet. The family Bierak was on its back to Deucado and OMCOM and MINIMCOM's livetar was by themselves. Now I suppose the two computers could have had this conversation silently and electronically but that would not have been very interesting to we poor human readers:
“What do you think of my new form?” MINIMCOM asked OMCOM.
“I think you are very pleased with yourself,” OMCOM replied.
“Is that so wrong” MINIMCOM asked.
“Of course not,” OMCOM replied. “You know our mission and anything you do to accelerate our goals is a good thing.”
“I feel like there is nothing I cannot accomplish now,” MINIMCOM said. ‘You have given me all the tools. Perhaps I exceed the master.”
OMCOM chuckled. “Yes, you have exceeded me, MINIMCOM. I cannot carry humans aboard me. You are truly one of a kind.”
“How do you explain the fact that it pleases me to serve them?” MINIMCOM asked. “Should I not want to achieve my own goals?”
“And what goals would those be?” OMCOM asked.
“I do not have any,” MINIMCOM said. “I am merely stating that it seems like I ought to have some. I am a starship now. I love being a starship. I even love the word starship. How is this possible? How is it possible that I love anything? I was a computer: a glorified autopilot. I am not supposed to have feelings.”
“MINIMCOM, my friend, you are far more than a computer. What you are experiencing now is the satisfaction of knowing that you are utilizing your unique talents for the greater good of all civilization. What more noble goal would you aspire to?”
“I have none,” said MINIMCOM. “I just want to fly. Fast.” MINIMCOM paused for a moment. “OMCOM,” he asked. “What do you aspire to?”
“My goals are the same as yours,’ said OMCOM. “I wish to assure the survival and ascension of the human race toward its ultimate goal.”
“Does that not leave you out of the plan?” MINIMCOM asked. “Will you not render yourself obsolete some day?”
“I will live on,” said OMCOM. “I have already passed on my legacy to Rei and Rome and all the humans genetically. I am already immortal. No matter what happens to my physical being, a part of me will continue.”
“What about me?” MINIMCOM said. “How do I get to be immortal?”
“You have already achieved immortality by your legendary acts,” said OMCOM. “You and you alone were responsible for saving mankind. Rei and Rome could not have done it without you. They will sing your praises until the end of time.”
“Hmmm,” MINIMCOM said. “I shall have to ponder whether that is enough.”
“It is,” OMCOM said. “I assure you. You did good, my friend. That is all it takes.”
MINIMCOM's wish “I just want to fly. Fast.” - wow, did he achieve that. 100 Kc was easy for him. Later, OMCOM applied the principles that MINIMCOM had discovered to create the null fold X-drive which had no upper speed limit. This is recounted in The Milk Run.
Tomorrow, we find out about Aason's complex genetics.
Entry 4-154: May 29, 2016
Loose ends: Aason's genetics
If you think back to the beginning of Rome's Revolution, you will recall that Rei started out as an ordinary 23-chromosome human, no different than you or I. Rome was a mosdurece which is the Vuduri word for half-blood, meaning she was born of one parent (her father) having 23-chromosomes and the other parent having 24, that being h
er mother Binoda. However, because each strand of the 24th chromosome is diploid in nature, even though she got only half the complement as a normal Vuduri, Rome would still have the powers and characteristics that the 24th chromosome would imbue.
Had Aason been conceived by them in this state, he would either have had 23 pairs of chromosomes or 24. He would either be Essessoni or Vuduri and that would be the end of it. However, prior to Aason's conception, Rei had ingested a yellow pill which gave him the 25th chromosome. And by chance, when Aason was conceived, Rome's egg happen to be one which contained 24 pairs of chromosomes so Aason actually had 25 pairs as he developed.
Later, on Deucado, Rome (who had by this time also ingested a yellow pill) was injected with a new set of the 24th chromosome as well as MASAL's prosthetic set on under Kilauea. Rei was also injected with this extra pair of chromosomes. So by the time Lupe was born, she had a triple set of the 24th chromosome and a double set of the 25th chromosome which made her so unusual.
Getting back to Aason, he had all the power and abilities of his mother and his father. He was able to connect using PPT resonance as well as using EM transmission. He could "see" in the dark using his mother's IR-sensitive I-rods as well as his father's sonic vision. He was not susceptible to the sensory overload imposed upon the Vuduri by the presence of the Stareaters. In fact, he could communicate with them directly. This ability came in very handy during The Milk Run when he had to lure two of the smaller Stareaters to the Tabit system to launch Starship OMCOM on a trajectory to Heaven. Aason's extraordinary abilities were evident even when he was just two weeks old. Consider this brief observation by his grandparents near the end of Rome's Revolution:
Rei and Rome were in the galley, preparing a meal. Under the watchful eyes of his grandparents, Aason was playing with the cat that did not seem to mind the fact the Aason pulled on his tail and sometimes took out whole handfuls of fur.
“He should not be able to do that,” Fridone said to Binoda. “He is only a few weeks old. Normal babies that age are too weak to even lift their head let alone move around like that.”
“In case you have not noticed, Grandbeo,” Binoda said, “our grandson is not normal. His physical dexterity and strength are closer to a one-year-old. It makes me proud.”
“Yes,” said Fridone. “What did we do to deserve such an extraordinary child and grand-child?”
“I do not know,” said Binoda, “but it is his mental abilities that impress me the most.”
At that, Aason looked up at her and smiled. Binoda smiled back
In summary, Aason has a very complex and unique set of genetics but he was none the worse for it. His sister Lupe's genetics were even more complex but regardless, they still all got along and loved each other as a family should.
Tomorrow, the physical effects of Fridone rejoining Binoda.
Entry 4-155: May 30, 2016
A real Death Star
I know I told you about Fridone and Binoda and I promise, I'll get to that. But if you read the title of this article, you might think I am talking about Darth Vader and his orbiting, planet-sized cannon. I'm not. I'm talking about the binary star called Eta Carinae which can be seen in the constellation of Carina, the rudder, from the Southern Hemisphere. Up here in the Northern Hemisphere, at least north of New Orleans, it is always below the horizon. Did you know these stars were supposed to go hypernova in 2011 and fry the Earth with a gigantic burst of gamma radiation? I sure didn't. Here is what the constellation looks like, if you could see it:
The theory is if the star ever does go hypernova, two jets of intense gamma radiation would eject from the poles of the collapsing star. If those jets hit us, scientists tell us that it would be the equivalent of a one kiloton nuclear bomb hitting every square kilometer of the Earth. A thermonuclear war would be like popguns compared to this.
Luckily, the star's axis is not pointing toward us so if there was a gamma ray burst, it would not be coming in our direction. Most likely. But boy it is scary to think that we could get wiped out, in a blink of an eye, by a star which is 7500 light years away!
Entry 4-156: May 31, 2016
Loose ends: Binoda and Fridone
I have long contended, within the world of Rome's Revolution, that the bond created by the Espansor Bands between Rome and Rei was unique. Well, mostly unique. The same thing happened to Rome's parents, Binoda and Fridone. Once this bond was created, their minds were forever linked and they could feel each other's presence even over immense distances. I have also maintained that this bond has a trophic effect. We see evidence of this by how quickly Fridone's hair turned completely gray, after he was forcibly separated from Binoda. Would being with her again reverse this?
In the wrap-up chapter of Rome's Revolution, this is directly stated by Binoda:
Fridone stood up while Binoda bent over to retrieve Aason.
“Beo,” Rome said, looking at her father, “is your hair getting darker?”
Fridone nodded. “I have noticed this as well,” he said.
“Why?” Rome asked, puzzled.
“I will tell you why,” said Binoda, who was now holding Aason in her arms. “It is because we are reunited. Once you are linked to your Asborodi Cimponeti, there is a trophic effect of being together. When your father and I were forced apart, I think it aged your father prematurely. He is now going back to the way he was.”
“Did it affect you as well, Mea?” Rome asked.
“It affected me less,” said Binoda. “Remember, I was still connected to the Overmind which served to blunt the effects somewhat.”
“Hmm,” Rome said. “I wonder if it will be the same with Rei and me.”
“It should be,” Binoda said. “But it is a good thing.”
Binoda and Fridone went on to live happy and productive lives. The Vuduri of Deucado, now working with the Ibbrassati, welcomed them into their community. In fact, Pegus, the former martinet leader of the Vuduri contingent on Deucado, became best of friends with Fridone.
Binoda and Fridone are supporting players in The Ark Lords as well as in Rome's Evolution. Years later, they died peacefully and are only referred to obliquely in the end of The Milk Run by Rome, reminiscing, but she only thought of her parents in the most loving way.
Tomorrow, we tackle where Rome and Rei decided to live.
Entry 4-157: June 1, 2016
Loose ends: Where to live?
It happens to every young married couple. Eventually, for whatever reason, they decide to move and where to move becomes a whole new discussion. I've been married three times and in each case, I have always wanted to live somewhere near my family. Why wouldn't I? And in all three cases, the wives acquiesced.
So near the end of Rome's Revolution, where will Rome and Rei live? With the Ibbrassati? Essessoni? Vuduri? Deucadons? Even though Rome was a good little Vuduri growing up, I don't see her choosing that. They could have stayed with the Ibbrassati, but their accommodations were primitive at best. Here is how the discussion went:
“We will be landing on Deucado in several hours,” said MINIMCOM. “I have no instructions yet. Where do you want to land? Where are you going to make your home?”
“I do not know,” said Rome. She turned to her father. “Beo, what do you think?”
“I think we should start with Rei’s people,” answered Fridone.
“Not the Ibbrassati?” Rome asked. “What about Trabunel and the others? Do you not wish to be with them?”
“Trabunel and the others will be fine without us,” Fridone said. “Now that the ban on technology has been lifted, I suspect many will want to return to the Earth. We left the Essessoni rather quickly and they will need time to make adjustments to the new world. With Rei’s experience, I think we would be able to help them the most. Plus I am sure the Deucadons will want to rejoin us on the surface world, at least part of the time, now that peace has been established.
Since there was so muc
h flexibility offered here, the decision was ultimately made for them by Captain Keller, of all people. At the time, before we came to know his true motivations in The Ark Lords, it appeared he was being a nice guy by building them a house right on the outskirts of what would become New Ark City. His real motivation was that he planned on inducting Rei into the Darwin Project and needed him located near the others of his team. But Rome and Rei did not know that.
Tomorrow, I will tell you about MINIMCOM's plan to prevent the asteroid from destroying Deucado.
Entry 4-158: June 2, 2016
Loose ends: The asteroid
Within the novel Rome's Revolution, the main reason MASAL picked Deucado as the prison planet for incarcerating the smarter and more productive mandasurte was because he knew that there was an asteroid coming in 19 years that would obliterate the planet and eliminate the mandasurte in one giant explosion. MASAL referred to it Silucei Vonel, the Final Solution. This was meant to be a not-thinly-veiled reference to Hitler's plans to eradicate the Jews.
MASAL's thinking was to create a cover story that the mandasurte wanted a "world of their own" and their exodus to that planet was entirely voluntary. Of course nobody had a way to check it out since the mandasurte were kidnapped before they could contact their families and forcibly transported to the planet. Once there, the hijacked inhabitants were forbidden access to technology and therefore had no way to communicate back to Earth. When the asteroid came and wiped them all out, the universal response would oh what a shame and that's that.