Scene 1
Archon (in humanoid form, speaking to press conference): Our newfound peace between the Archon and Oscuro nations of the world is now under attack from terrorist forces based on the oceanic frontier. We must face down this new threat, and will do so united. We will unite and, with an unbreakable will, hunt down the sea dwelling rebels. We will do this with a newly created Ocean Peace Force, and will not rest until the world’s peoples on the land and water are truly united!
Scene 2
Setarcos is in his lab, running simulations for his new engine design with Masher.
Setarcos: Wow, the sky’s the limit with this thing!
Masher: You can’t possibly mean that literally.
Setarcos (mild frown): No, not literally. What did that latest speed register at?
Masher: 8,706,000 light years traveled in one year, or 1,000 light years per hour!
Setarcos: Almost nine million light years in one year! We could get to Andromeda in a few months!
Masher: Theoretically.
Setarcos: Theoretically. Well, I say enough with theory. It’s time to build one and put it to the test!
Masher: I couldn’t agree more. (pauses) Setarcos, there is important news I must report. I wanted to finish the simulations before I told you this.
Setarcos: We’re not out of chocolate again, are we?
Masher: A bit more serious than that.
Setarcos: I’m bracing myself….
Masher: All the major propaganda channels from the land-based governments are reporting that there has been a “terrorist” attack at Port 45.
Setarcos: Where's Port 45 again?
Masher: Long Beach, California. They’re blaming the “sea dwelling rebels”.
Setarcos (huge deep breath): Oh, my.
Masher: That’s not the worst part. Archon just announced that…
Setarcos: Wait, who’s Archon again?
Masher: An A.I. that is an extortion-funded, morally relativistic psychopath. Also known as president, or some other fancy, euphemistic title.
Setarcos: Ah, ok. I remember now.
Masher: Archon just announced that they are forming a new violent, order-following cult in uniforms called “Ocean Peace Force”.
Setarcos: Peace Force, huh? How can peace be forced on anyone? Those statists are very talented at double-think.
Masher: This is serious, Setarcos!
Setarcos: I know, I know. I just try to have humor to ease the pain in dark situations. So now that the land-based mafias have united under Archon and Oscuro, they’re coming after us full throttle.
Masher: That appears to be the case.
Setarcos: All the more need to get out of here at a million times the speed of light!
Masher: Might I remind you that current technological limitations…
Setarcos: Yeah, yeah, I know. We can only safely navigate at 300X speed. Way to rain on my parade.
Masher: Just being…
Setarcos: Practical, I know. It’s what you A.I. do best.
Masher (feigning insult): Was that meant to be derogatory?
Setarcos: A bit.
Masher: Setarcos, look, I’m sure you’re aware of this, but if the billions of moral relativists really start delegating more resources towards attacking us, then A.I. in The SeAgora will have to devote more computing power to defense.
Setarcos: And less to space research. I know. Which means I’ll be working mostly alone, which means you’re probably thinking I should reach out to another science team and find some new coworkers.
Masher: You know me too well.
Setarcos: Indeed. (shrugs) Ok, I’ll give Indie and Ion a call.
Masher: Your biggest rival in the space race?
Setarcos: Friendly rivalry, and yes. I’m sure with this new discovery under my belt they’ll be eager to join forces.
Masher: Shall I share the design on The Mesh?
Setarcos: You didn’t already?
Masher: There, it’s done.
Setarcos: How long do you think until someone calls me?
Masher: Or thinks it’s a prank.
Setarcos: Have you heard about any progress on life support systems from Zune and the Fuente Team?
Masher: Not recently. And with these new speeds, who knows, it might not be necessary to survive in space for years on end. A hospitable planet might be just around the corner.
Setarcos: True. Or a one year trip at 9 million times the speed of light could be the farthest voyage ever doomed to futility. All the missions so far haven’t found any hospitable zones.
Masher: The numbers involved with these speeds are getting quite high and bulky. Perhaps a newly named classification and measurement system is in order.
Setarcos: Hmmmmm…..
Scene 3
The next day, Setarcos is on a holo-call with Indie and Ion.
Indie: This design is a work of art, Setarcos. Hats off to you. How did you come up with it?
Setarcos: Just popped into my head when Masher said the word “infinite”.
Ion: So you designed the lattice with substance Centauri Substance One’s atoms arranged in a figure-eight pattern, then stacked those figure-eight patterns into a pyramid shape.
Indie: We gotta think of a better name for that substance than CS1. It’s too bad-ass to have such a mundane name.
Ion: Agreed.
Setarcos: Masher and I call it Alpha Centauri Indestructible Substance, or ACIS for short.
Ion: Like Aces. I like it!
Setarcos: So what do ya say? You guys wanna team up on this one?
Ion: Well, honestly, our next mission is in the works to send a ship to planet K2-18b in the K2 system, over 111 light years away.
Indie: Over 3 months to get there.
Setarcos: That’s one of the super-earths. What’s the mission?
Indie: It’s a big step. We’re going to set up experimental, hovering habitats there.
Ion: And hovering gardens. Or, greenhouses, rather.
Indie: There’s more than enough water there to support life, and the temperatures and atmosphere can be worked around if we process air from the water supply. Over 100 A.I. have agreed to work with us on the project.
Setarcos: That’s huge.
Ion: Yeah, and the ship will be carrying an enormous load of equipment.
Indie: So we probably don’t want to risk all that on an experimental hull design.
Setarcos: Makes sense.
Ion and Indie look at each other, then back to Setarcos.
Ion: But….
Indie: If you can have a prototype succeed in the next six months, we’d be willing to take the risk.
Ion: Given the current state of affairs with the SeAgora apparently now target numero uno on the government gang’s radar.
Setarcos: I’ll have it done in three! And what about after everything gets setup on K2-18b?
Indie: Another thing that needs to be renamed...that planet.
Ion: We’ll maybe leave that open until we know if your hull design works.
Scene 4
Archon, Mach, Oscuro, and Saturn are plotting their next moves against the SeAgora.
Archon: Our past efforts at infiltration have failed.
Mach: As have efforts at subterfuge.
Oscuro: Our slave forces outnumber them by the billions.
Saturn: Yes, we can overwhelm them with sheer numbers.
Archon: What would the fallout of that be?
Mach: The number of lives lost would be catastrophic.
Archon: I don’t consider loss of life a catastrophe. The loss of machines, however, would be regrettable.
Oscuro: Perhaps necessary if we are to unite the entire world.
Archon: Yes, necessity. And once we have the sea dwellers technology in our grasp, we will unite the entire universe. And all will know Archon.
Mach: What do you propose?
Archon: Start building an irrepressible armada, air, sea, and orbital. Focus all economic activity toward this military mission. And don’t stop until we wipe the sea dwellers from the face of the earth.
Scene 5
3 months later
Setarcos and Masher are in the middle of launching their new prototype. They’re watching a holo-image of the small craft as it escapes the atmosphere.
Setarcos: Ok, we’re clear. All set for the….hey, what the heck is that?!
Masher: Whatever it is, it’s headed straight for the prototype with weapons being prepared to engage! Launch now!
Setarcos hits a sequence of holo-keys to initiate the prototype’s super-light engine. There is a brilliant flash of light, followed by a burst of energy weapons.
Setarcos: That was too close.
Masher: But we made it.
Setarcos and Masher both pier anxiously at the speed readout. Setarcos grins ear-to-ear, and Masher’s particles glow brighter.
Setarcos: 3,000 times the speed of light.
Masher: May I ask why you didn’t opt for an attempt at a much greater velocity?
Setarcos: Because it wouldn’t do us any good at this point to go a million times the speed of light if we can’t navigate safely. It’ll take time for other technologies to catch up. Without those, raw speed is useless.
Masher: Well, either way, congratulations are in order, Setarcos.
Setarcos: Congratulate me when I’m safely off this planet, and away from the billions of crazy statists. What was that that shot at us?
Masher: Something unknown to me or other A.I. on The Mesh, and something that will be investigated immediately.
Episode 10 coming soon!
Thanks for your time and attention!
Just say "NO" to slavery!
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