As promised in my Teaser, mid November is today!!!
Interludes 1 and 2 are set Before the "Collapse" mentioned in Children of the Aether. Trying some different things with my writing but should still feel familiar, as always love to hear any feedback.
Basically none have a 'name', trying to be more anonymous and focus on events and concepts.
However interludes 3-8 (coming over the next couple of weeks, have the plan just have to write them...) will be characters from CotA point of view, points if you can guess who they each are!
Interlude 1 - The Scientist
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-Aethas – Before the Collapse
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Helixes twirled in the monitor, the two strands combining to form a full sequence…it was proceeding perfectly, each matching pair lighting up blue…but then…red…an error…damn…
Even the Prime Director of Genetic Sciences could make an error…it was to be expected…redesigning Aethan genomes was a long term task. They were ahead of schedule anyway…first trials of 13th generation adjustments were underway. Once confirmed and approved by the Technocracy every couple would submit their genetic material for editing, then at the next appropriate time in her fertility cycle they would implant the 13th generation embryos into the mother…in this way over the course of 3-4 years every fertile couple would have a 13th generation child…free of dozens more genetic errors…and most importantly adding biological efficiencies. 13th generation research had focused on increasing lung capacity, resilience and oxygenation efficiency…they would be able to survive in extreme altitudes with no loss of blood oxygen, their muscle uptake of oxygen was also 25% more efficient than generation 12’s like herself.
She stood and stretched out…it was important work…but it paled in comparison to Project Aethenaea…across from her desk on the wall were holographs of the Prime Directors of the Genetic Sciences since it had been established centuries ago…in the fight against disease and death they were the vanguard…the heroes one might say…developing genetic improvements rolled out to the population at intervals…improving life for every future generation…all with a view to completing Project Aethenaea…the true Goal…a perfect Aethan..as strong and healthy as could possibly be short of ceasing to be a carbon based life form.
Each generation built of the progress on Project Aethenaea, and as they devised a more prefect Genetic code, they rolled out some to the population at large…steps toward a perfect race.
It was an ironic name, she mused as she packed up for the day, slipping her mobile computer in her pack, and casting a warm glance towards the small white and gold statue of Aethenaea on her desk – a gift from her wife when she had been promoted.
Aethenaea was the ancient Goddess of Wisdom, the patron of the Aethan peoples, the full name was Athena ‘a ‘aether, the “’a” an ancient joining word that signified joint identity and ownership…Athena was the Aether, the Aether was Athena.
The irony was that the goddess had long since ceased being an object of worship, the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge for which she was named had inevitably lead them to conclude there were no Deities, but still the concept lived on, an ideal wise and powerful being…all Gods she knew were simply reflections of the minds which created them – yes woman made God in her mind….but through project Aethenaea…one day…woman would make a goddess.
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She placed her pack down on the entry way door as her daughter ran up to her, she bent and scooped her up, “Mili…how are you,” she kissed her warm little cheeks “did you have fun day!”
“I chased a Voynk,”
“You chased a Vorynx! Wow was it a big one, what colour was it,” she asked as she walked her toward the main room where her father was finishing their evening meal,
“It was blue and bwack,” her father had obviously taken her to one of the nearby parks that had small mechanical animals for the children to play with. Mili was only four but already showing great promise, a 12-3 generation child – Milis grandparents had been amongst the first 12th generation children born, 12-1’s, they in turn birthed her, a 12-2, and she and her wife had created Mili a 12-3 via dual egg reproduction. Mili’s children would certainly be 13-1’s in turn - by the time she was fertile the 13th generation rollout would be well underway.
“Cilinaea will be late,” her father noted, that wasn’t uncommon, she was Director in the Aethan Defence force,
“Well we’ll just have to start without her then, come on Mili..ooh look your favourite Gormin sticks!,”
Her petite green eyes lit up, and she had to tighten her grasp as Mili let go of her neck to clap excitedly.
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The mood was tense, the faces fallen after the Prime Director of Defence had delivered her report.
“Options,” High Director Varens asked the room…all twenty five Prime Directors of the Aethan Technocracy were assembled, along with the High Director who acted as the mediators of such gatherings, overseeing the Technocracy like a President in a Republic.
“We knew it would happen eventually…” Agriculture said,
“But not this soon…that’s was why our ancestors settled here…this deep into the core…” Education replied
“It is prime ground for miners though…the gravity creates minerals found nowhere else…in some ways we’ve been lucky to avoid detection for so long,” Astro-cosmology added
“We can’t risk direct confrontation…I suggest infiltration...in the meantime we refocus our efforts on military production,” Social affairs suggested
“What use is military production if our weapons are technologically inferior…I say we infiltrate, steal their technology and adapt it…” Geology proposed, general agreement suffused the aether.
“Hopefully the rest of the galaxy still has low percentages of aetheric ability…that will be our greatest advantage,” Varens said then turned to her,
“Genetics,” they didn’t use names in formal meetings, it kept personalities out of discussions and focused on areas of expertise, “If we were to create Project Aethenaea as it currently stands what would we produce, in broad terms,”
She nodded, “I would estimate the equivalent of four of generations of improvements above 13 which we are currently finalising,” Project Aethenaea never ended, it was the quest for perfection, but always several steps ahead of what could be rolled out to the population at large.
“Approximately generation 17…maybe 18, although we could incorporate some additional components being researched to push it to 20,”
“any progress on the Y chromosome issues,” Project Aethenaea focused almost exclusively on a female ideal, the Y chromosome threw up too many difficulties,
“We could manage it, it wouldn’t be quite as strong overall…but it would have a differing set of strengths that would be useful,”
“Aetheric Sciences…the infusion methods?” Varens turned to the Prime Director of Aetheric Sciences, who advanced and researched the use of the aether
“Are ready…depending on the level you wish to achieve…”
“Maximum possible,”
“that would require quite a…blood sacrifice to use an archaic term…”
“how many,”
“three of four hundred at least,”
“Social Affairs could we manage it with volunteers?”
“If the people understand the threat…I think so,”
Varens eyes hardened, “Defence, how long do we have,”
Defence shifted in her seat, “If we pull back from the surrounding systems immediately…the Tri Nova Passage should prove a significant barrier for them progressing any further…given the average time it would take to populate the systems perhaps a decade, maybe two if they are not a unified force.”
“This is a dangerous time for us….we need to use every resource to protect ourselves…Genetics, begin production of a Project Aethenaea female immediately, co-ordinate with Aetheric Sciences and Social affairs I want it fully powered…if possible prepare a male as well,”
She nodded…she couldn’t contain her excitement, no doubt it flowed openly into the aether about her…so much to do…finalise the sequences, find mothers to carry the children, arrange for families to rear them…
Funny she thought, that science would birth the closest thing to a real goddess that had ever existed…Aethenaea might yet live one day
