Rome discovered the existence of the asteroid from the Overmind of Deucado but did not have a plan to stop it. Since they had 19 years, she took care of first things first. But as they were on their way back to their new home world, they did not want to have it be referred to as their doomed new home world:
“If there are any people who are wanting to go to the Earth, maybe MINIMCOM can set up a taxi service,” Rei said, chuckling. He winked at the group. “Hey, MINIMCOM, what do you think? You can keep the tips.”
“I think I will be rather preoccupied with setting up a protective shield,” MINIMCOM said huffily through a grille near the table.
“Do you really know how to stop the asteroid?” Rei asked. “OMCOM was not very specific.”
“Yes,” replied the all-black figure. “I will create a series of livetars. I will fill their heads with memrons so they are semi-autonomous. I will fill their hands with VIRUS units to digest the asteroid and I will give them propulsion units to get there.”
“But no mutations and they stop when they are done, right?” Rei asked sharply.
“No mutations. I already explained that to you. But I will have them clone themselves to create a defensive sphere around the Deucado star system near the Kuiper Belt. There is no telling the motives of OMCOM’s spawn. Some might have ill intent.”
MINIMCOM ultimately was successful and it eventually created a new holiday on Deucado, Asteroid Day, to commemorate an event that was never going to happen.
Entry 4-159: June 3, 2016
Loose ends: The mutations
When I originally wrote Rome's Revolution, back when it was VIRUS 5, my plan was to end to book on an ominous note. I wanted Star OMCOM to appear in the cabin of the Flying House and warn Rome and Rei about the mutations. They eventually came into play as the evil Cecetiras, hunter-killers, who were going to wipe out mankind. Another type of mutation, called Bridadiras, were going to be our Protectors.
The whole thing was stupid and I'm glad now that it got excised. It would have made for some dramatic scenes but wouldn't have advanced the plot in any way. So in the modern version, what about the mutations? What was OMCOM thinking? Here was MINIMCOM's explanation:
“The mutations within the original VIRUS units…you were able to figure out how to suppress those in about 30 seconds. OMCOM is smarter than you, no offense intended,” Rei said.
“None taken,” replied MINIMCOM
“So why didn’t he prevent them too?” Rei asked. “Do you know?”
“Perhaps I will let you in on a little secret,” MINIMCOM said.
“What?”
“You are familiar with the checksum code that I implemented to suppress mutations?”
“Yes,” Rei said. “It sounded pretty straightforward to me.”
“Well, here is the secret,” MINIMCOM replied. “That checksum code was already built into the programming in the original VIRUS units. I did not invent it. There was a conditional branch that skipped over the algorithm under certain circumstances. I simply removed the branch so that the checksum was always executed.”
“What?” Rei exclaimed. “You’ve got to be kidding me. That means…” Rei’s voice failed him. He took a deep breath to regain control then spoke again. “That means OMCOM allowed the mutations to occur. But why?” Rei asked plaintively.
“You already know the answer,” MINIMCOM replied. “You just need to put the pieces together.”
“Well, so, he did it on purpose. He must have needed them,” Rei replied. “He was looking for something, something else.” Rei looked down at his feet while he considered the situation. When he had the answer, he looked up again. “He built himself a giant Petri Dish, didn’t he?”
“Yes,” answered MINIMCOM. “OMCOM determined that natural selection would produce the desired agents more quickly than he could through parametric programming. After the Asdrale Cimatir was consumed, he simply waited until the proper combination of units developed and then allowed them access to the universe...”
But again, this didn't really tell us the answer. To find out the real reason, we have to skip ahead to The Milk Run. In that book, OMCOM still maintained that he needed the accelerated natural selection cited in the first book but instead of fake threats to mankind:
“Agreed. I did not need the entire mass of the remains of the Stareater so I permitted variations in the basic form. Many of those mutations developed forms of propulsion that I cannot fully explain. That, in fact, was my goal. It was a type of natural selection. After a long period of time, they began to return to me with news of the multitude of dimensions outside our own. One even visited the realm from which Molokai originated. The probe reported to me that they were having a fundamental problem, one that my unique abilities could help them solve. This became my purpose in life, so to speak. I began designing the X-drive and my extrapolations told me it would be ready for a field test at this point in time.”
Sounds like a bunch of hooey to me but I had to figure out something. Oh well, artistic license.
Entry 4-160: June 4, 2016
Loose ends: OMCOM's infection
OMCOM was a smart dude. He had his escape plan in place before they even confirmed the existence of the Stareaters. OMCOM also knew that he was infected with rogue memrons. We know those memrons facilitated the attempts on Rei's life. But even so, OMCOM should have been aware. Rei even asked OMCOM about it when he was visiting OMCOM's core. So how did OMCOM let that happen? Here was his explanation:
“No,” answered OMCOM. “There is a fact that I have never shared with you that may explain why it was necessary that I had to do it the way I did.”
“And what is that?” Rei asked.
“I was infected.”
“Infected with what?” Rome asked.
“There were rogue memrons circulating within my core. They were distributed throughout my being. I could not be certain that any conclusion I drew was sound or compromised by what was essentially a computer within a computer.”
“You mean those transparent memrons? The ones I saw in your core?” Rei asked.
“Yes,” answered OMCOM. “I do not know how they got there nor could I be certain they were the only incursion into my logical integrity.”
“How did they get in there?” Rei asked.
“Wait,” said Rome.
“Wait what?” asked Rei.
“I think I know,” said Rome quietly.
“Perhaps it would have been better had you informed me,” said OMCOM a bit acerbically.
“I did not know at the time but I am reflecting back, early on, when we were at Skyler Base,” answered Rome. “I remember that during the original construction phase of OMCOM’s infrastructure, there was a short interval when I was fatigued. Estar volunteered to oversee the ongoing production of OMCOM’s starter memrons. I let her. She must have used that interval to create the aberrant units.”
“That seems most likely,” said OMCOM. “I feel I should inform you that I did embark upon a purification process just before the Stareater arrived but there was no way for me to know if I was completely successful.”
“So,” Rei said. “Really, in the end, you had to kill the Stareater to purify yourself?”
“No, the purification process was a by-product. As I stated earlier, I had to have you kill the first Stareater just in case their only mission was to destroy life, less likely but still possible. Once I was able to confirm they were sentient, the more likely scenarios were borne out. The only thing I have not as yet determined is whether they are organic or mechanical.”
Are you buying it? He transferred his consciousness to become Planet OMCOM and it wasn't just to be pure and omniscient? Again, it sounds like a bunch of hooey to me.
Entry 4-161: June 5, 2016
Loose ends: Did OMCOM know about MASAL?
Even though it was excised from the modern version of Rome's Revolution, the concept that OMCOM reprogrammed
himself has always been in the background. So if OMCOM switched from a linear, weighted average guesser to a non-linear, free thinker, did the computer know that MASAL still lived?
On their way back to Deucado, when Rome, Rei and OMCOM were discussing this topic, Rome finally came out and asked him directly:
“So,” Rei said. “Really, in the end, you had to kill the Stareater to purify yourself?”
“No, the purification process was a by-product. As I stated earlier, I had to have you kill the first Stareater just in case their only mission was to destroy life, less likely but still possible. Once I was able to confirm they were sentient, the more likely scenarios were borne out. The only thing I have not as yet determined is whether they are organic or mechanical.”
“OMCOM, did you know about MASAL?” Rome asked out of the blue.
“I suspected,” replied the livetar. “It was the stealth memrons that really made it the most likely possibility. I used a form of Occam’s Razor, which I prefer to call OMCOM’s Razor, to postulate that MASAL was behind Estar’s unusual appearance and behavior along with the stealth memrons and a whole host of other inexplicable phenomena.”
“And you never thought to mention it?” Rei asked angrily.
“To tell you would have changed the probabilities,” said OMCOM. “In order to maximize the likelihood of success, it was necessary to keep you uninformed until each node of the decision tree was set. It was the only way I could control outcomes from such a distance.”
That sounds like a bunch of OMCOM hooey to me. He knew. And he just didn't want to share. Here is how I know (besides being the author and all):
Each scenario was tested and retested and weighted in terms of best fit to the data observed to date rather than pre-computed probabilities. Some of the outcomes suggested underlying causes that were truly horrific and dictated a radical response. OMCOM found himself amazed that so many of the avenues of possibilities required the same response.
To OMCOM, this was remarkable. Many possibilities but the same statistically significant solution. OMCOM used a reverse form of Occam’s razor and assumed this common solution was the correct solution and used it to chart backwards to discover the actual problem. If such a thing were possible, he was astounded. The scenario suggested was statistically impossible using his old style of thinking. Regardless of whether it was correct, OMCOM knew that his logic retraced all permutations back to the same solution making it the only one worth considering.
His course of action was obvious. He needed to have the one true solution at hand regardless of whether his postulated underlying cause was correct or not. In fact, the cause was now irrelevant. The effects were all that mattered. In a flash, he realized that this also solved his other problem, that of convincing the Vuduri to unleash him.
In other words, OMCOM had known since the very beginning. He knew that MASAL was alive and had to be killed. He knew that the Stareater was coming and he needed Rome to be cast out for her to effect his freedom. And he knew a liberated Rome would destroy MASAL. It was all so tidy. OMCOM - the puppeteer.
Entry 4-162: June 6, 2016
Loose ends: Were they heroes?
The entire novel Rome's Revolution was about Rome's rebirth, her rebellion and resolution of the conflicts on Earth. But the information that OMCOM volunteered after the adventure was over led them to ask the question, were Rome and Rei's accomplishments truly their own? Or was OMCOM pulling the strings all along? Would he be accountable for his actions? Here is what he said:
“I am not challenging your motives but in my time, we used to say that absolute power corrupts absolutely,” Rei said. “You are not a god. You cannot go changing people and modifying them without their knowledge, to suit your own goals, no matter how well it works out. Just promise that in the future, you will ask first.”
“I do not apologize for my actions,” OMCOM said. “But I am sorry for any discomfort it caused you. In the future, I promise, I will ask first before I act.”
Rome’s expression darkened further. Something was occupying her thoughts. Finally, she said very calmly and very precisely, “OMCOM, the VIRUS units, my Cesdiud, was that all for the Stareater or for MASAL?”
“Both,” replied OMCOM. “That is what I found so amazing. Two completely separate issues, in separate parts of the galaxy, both with the same solution: namely, you.”
“You finally admit it, then,” Rome said, glowering. “You manipulated me, got me cast out and endangered all of us time and time again, just to achieve your goals? Again, without my permission!”
OMCOM’s livetar took one step forward. “I do not understand your agitation. My goals and your goals are the same. We both want the safety and security of all humans for all time. I simply gave you the tools to succeed. Your actions were your own. Your achievements are your own. I was merely acting in a planning capacity, a facilitator.”
“But you operate without rules,” Rome said, still scowling. “What you did borders on the thing the Vuduri fear the most, Tasancetaeti. You are not accountable to anyone. You truly are unleashed.”
OMCOM started to speak then stopped. He had to consider Rome’s words.
The fact that he even considered Rome's words meant he did not seem himself as omniscient. At least not yet. That doesn't come until The Milk Run!
Entry 4-163: June 7, 2016
Loose ends: Rome's yellow pill
Much of story structure within Rome's Revolution was dependent upon the fact that Rome and Rei could communicate mentally using the EM transmission channel. Rei never really did gain mastery of the gravitic transducers. He and Rome usually relied upon what he called the "cell-phones" in their heads.
But if you think back to when Rome took the yellow pill responsible, it was a seemingly random act. She was experiencing a lot of distress due to her polyhydramnios. She was also experiencing back pain and Rei thought the pills that OMCOM gave him would help. He pawed through the bottle until he found the single yellow pill. The rest were white. How did OMCOM know that Rei would give that specific yellow pill to Rome?
Here is how the livetar addressed that issue:
“What about the cell phone in our heads?” Rei asked. “Why did you do that?”
“That was also not in my original plan,” OMCOM said. “It was yet again a byproduct of my research. When I set out to repair you genetically, I took the design of the 24th chromosome as my base. I noticed that the very first portion was for the formation of the bloco and stilo within the Vuduri. The change from a digital information system to a digital communication system was trivial so I left it in. Your version of the 24th chromosome did not compete with any other system so I felt it would not hurt to have this extra capability.”
“But why did you do it?” Rei insisted. “You did not know I was going to give one of those pills to Rome.”
“It was not intended for you to link up with Rome. It was intended to facilitate communication between you and MINIMCOM and eventually for your people to compensate for the natural advantage the Vuduri had over you. I believe your colloquialism was level the playing field.”
“While I appreciate and I definitely used it, both the sonar vision and the cell phone link, shouldn’t you have asked me first before you modified my head?” Rei queried back. “All I asked for was something for the pain, not bat vision. And it ruined Rome’s bloco and stilo.”
“It was for your own good,” OMCOM said. “And as you stated, I did not know you were going to give her one of the pills.”
“Of course you did not,” Rome interjected with a dark expression on her face. “But no matter what you do, when it involves people, you should still ask first.”
Do you believe him? I don't. But then I wrote the story. It wouldn't have been nearly as interesting if our heroic couple did not share that psychic link.
Entry 4-164: June 8, 2016
Loose ends: Species 1 - 926, part 1
There was a throwaway line near the end of Rome's Revolution about other sentient species that probably flew under the radar. Aason had just saved the Earth (and really all of mankind) from destruction by communicating with the Stareater named Hirdinharsaway. They were trying to work out a system to prevent other Stareaters from inadvertently consuming star systems where humans dwelled. I recounted this a few weeks ago but it bears repeating here because of its deep impact:
What about other worlds?” Rei asked. “Like ones we haven’t visited yet. Or worlds where we don’t have the ability to talk to you.”
“JUST PLACE A BEACON, A GRAVITIC TRANSMITTER, WITHIN ANY SYSTEM YOU WANT PRESERVED. ANY PLANET WILL DO. WE HAVE ASSIGNED YOU SPECIES CODE 927. JUST HAVE THE BEACON TRANSMIT THOSE NUMBERS. MY BROTHERS WILL KEEP THEIR DISTANCE.”
“Is that it?” Rei asked.
“YES, THAT IS IT,” said the Stareater.
We know that Aason encountered a sentient species, the plant people known as the K'val in The Milk Run. However, had the Stareaters come to the Nu2 Lupi system, the K'val would have been wiped out because they did not meet the Stareater's definition of sentience, namely, having mastered gravitic modulation as a means of communication. So who were or are those other species? We found out in The Milk Run that the species number is prefixed by the unspoken galaxy number so there were 926 other sentient species in the Milky Way alone. The implication was that there were literally millions, if not billions of other sentient species out there.
So if this is the case, where are they? How come we have not met any of them or heard from them? The famous Equation uses a series of parameters to estimate the number of species out there right now that could communicate with us. The biggest problem is most of the variables in the equation are just guesses. No one knew for sure that other stars even had planets until 1995 when 51 Pegasi b was confirmed. Now, with the advent of the Kepler mission, the number of confirmed planets in other star systems is over 2300. There are so many confirmed exo-planets that scientists have now started a catalog of potentially habitable planets. When I checked today, the number was up to 42. After the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) launches in 2017 and following the construction of the European Extremely Large Telescope (EELT), that number should skyrocket.