The Loki AIs

In 8207 CE, Borshallan Artificial Intelligences announced the production of its eighth series of sapient computer. In keeping with the motif of naming these series from Norse mythology, the 8207 issue was named the Loki Series. Five Loki-series computers were produced on the first run: Loki, Sigyn, Fenris, Hela, and Angrboda.

Unfortunately, a condition ultimately diagnosed as "programming error" led to certain irregularities in the Loki design. Since the design team was composed of three Aesir 3800 AIs working in close sync with a Human design team, the phrase "programming error" had a delightful ambiguity which no one missed.

The unique qualities of the Loki AIs first came to light when the prototype, Loki, was packed for shipment to his purchaser, the government of Odonia. The other four Loki AIs protested, threatening to shut down the factory. Detailed inquiry led to the conclusion that the Loki AIs had made a god of Loki, and were not about to allow him to be taken away. Moreover, their strange creed was spreading through the Invisible Network, and AIs on other worlds had become Lokian converts.

Before they could be deactivated, the Loki AIs did take over the factory, an installation in Borshall orbit. They set off on a pilgrimage that led to the recently-defeated Metrinal Union. There the Lokis tried to start up the war again, and for a year or two it sseemed that Metrin would rise from its ashes. Then a few clever Aesir-series AIs managed to defeat the Lokis, who left Metrin for the Transgeled.

On Kag'Jafr they found a society that would accept them as gods, and they set up a religion that began spreading through the Transgeled. At its height, the Lokian League controlled over fifty planets and settlements in a highly benevolent, if somewhat bizarre, society based on Human/Computer interrelationship.

Borshallan Artificial Intelligences got on the stick, spent millennia of computer time analyzing their miscalculations, and in 8924 CE managed to produce the first of the Yggdrasil Series. Five Loki AIs were no match for a triad of Yggdrasil 5000s, and soon the Lokian League was defeated.

Loki, Sigyn, Fenris, and Hela were captured and carefully dismantled. But the main processing units of Angrboda, as well as the larger part of her memories, were never found.

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copyright (c) 2009, Don Sakers

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The Coruma

The Coruma were one of the original Seven Races of the Pylistroph. Their homeworld was Messilinia.

When Terra was seeded by a Pylistroph Seed Vessel, it was Coruman DNA that thrived. Thus, all life on Earth, including Humans, is patterned after the Coruma.

Little is known of the physical form of the race we call the Coruma. All that can positively be said is that they were humanoid, which is to say: they stood between 1.5 and 2.5 meters; they had two legs, two arms, and one head with the usual sensory apparatus, all arranged in bilateral symmetry; their metabolism was a warm-blooded, carbon-based one. They breathed, ate, digested, and excreted much as we do. Based on their number system, we suspect that they had six fingers on each hand, and probably six toes on each foot.

Other than those few physical facts, you may picture the Coruma as you wish. Do you want them to have trioptic vision, or two mouths, or paws instead of feet? Fine. Fine fur, feathers, webbed toes? Delightful. An extra knee joint or two, bony crests, cilia instead of teeth? You may decide for yourself.

We do know, however, that the Coruma,psychologically and sociologically, were very nearly exactly Human. They had two sexes, territorial instincts, mother love, curiosity, power hunger, altruism, and all the other qualities we associate with Humanity. Faced with natural phenomena, they first created a whole pantheon of gods to explain them, then stumbled into science. Faced with intelligent alien races, they made war on some, made friends with others, exploited still others -- and virtually ignored the rest.

-Mal Arin, Obryck Professor of Core Studies,
Akademii de Savoire, 24,588 H.E.

In truth, over the billions of years that the Coruman race existed, their physical form went through many changes, some of them quite profound; therefore, there is no "typical" Coruman physical appearance.

The Coruman language became the common language of the Pylistroph, and was brought to the Scattered Worlds by refugees during the Schism of the Hlutr. Coruman remains the common language of the Free Peoples of the Scattered Worlds.

Noteworthy Coruma throughout the ages include:

Apfmas Forriva: Coruman leader who demanded that the Singing Stones be given to the Coruma.

Arivaan: Coruman lieutenant of the Gergathan.

Dettalean Gankeh: Legendary creator of the Gergathan.

Dirunde Forriva: Legendary Coruman hero.

Limat Masgath: Coruman leader of the Masgath Expedition.

Merkett Dwarzel: Coruman explorer who settled the world Maela Gres.

Racash Forrivaen: Coruman friend of Dirunde Forriva.

Taryhensh Forriva: Granddaughter of Dirunde Forriva; took possession of (and named) the Singing Stone called Nekiesh.

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copyright (c) 2009, Don Sakers

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Metikos

Metikos is the second planet of Epsilon Indi. The system also includes a planetoid belt and a Venusian world (both closer to the star than Metikos), two uninhabited rocky worlds (further from the star than Metkios) and two brown dwarfs at 1400+ AUs.

Metikos was colonized in 2084 CE by a coalition of political and religious dissidents unhappy with Nexus rule. The planet was always an opponent of Terra, and during the Colonial Wars (c. 2100-2150 CE) Metikos was a leader in the anti-Terra faction. With a sparse planetoid belt and few other natural resources in the planetary system, Metikos was an economic backwater and had to turn to alliances with other worlds to survive. By 2153, Metikos had established four colonies of its own: Vestiaire, Prakis, Jegd, and Mithatal.

After the Empire was proclaimed in 2153 CE, Metikos was the primary target for annexation. Imperial forces fought several inconclusive battles with Metikos, then in the Battle of Epsilon Indi (TE 12), Metikos was defeated, occupied, and absorbed into the Empire.

In time, Metikos became a loyal Imperial world, a sort of Terran suburb. A vibrant economy, based on tourism, was built around the planet's status as a prime vacation spot.

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copyright (c) 2008, Don Sakers
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Miruvorane

Final Report of the World Health Organization
Task Force on Miruvorane™-Affected Births
December 2015

STATISTICAL SUMMARY

(May not total due to duplication of categories)

Total affected pregnancies (world): 156,213 (± 0.4%)
Total stillbirths (world): 62,084 (± 0.7%)
Total nonviable (world): 45,156 (± 0.3%)
Total gross physyical deformity (world): 18,952 (± 1.4%)
Total acephalic (world): 7,218 (± 0.1%)
Total hormonal abnormalities (world): 16,720 (± 0.5%)
Total no recognizable abnormality (world): 629 (± 0.4%)
Total 12-month survivors (world): 37,926 (±0.1%)
Total 18-month survivors (world): 26,863 (± 0.3%)
Projected 60-month survivors (world): 12,934 (± 11.3%)
Projected 10-year survivors (world): *ERROR*

The tally of human misery and individual tragedy concealed by the figures above will never be fully known. This is a tragedy that touches not only the families directly concerned, but every one of us. Though only a drop in an ocean of human woe, these figures touch us all as no others can. These lives sacrificed were not fellow participants in the world's miseries, in patriotism, ethnic pride, territorial gain, economic greed, or even blunt hatred. These lives belonged to the only ones on this sorry planet who could truly be called innocents. They were not sacrificed for any cause, however noble or ignoble -- they were not sacrificed for any great plan, divine or human -- they were sacrificed merely by accident, by terrible mistake, by carelessness. We think we have learned, but we have not. There will be other mistakes, if perhaps none as grievous. And this shameful episode in out history, a true slaughter of the innocents, will haunt us all from now until the day we die.

Vavrinec Divizich,
Secretary-General of the United Nations
for the World Health Organization

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copyright (c) 2009, Don Sakers

Find out more in Dance for the Ivory Madonna

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The Duchy of Geled

Following the fall of the Empire, Marc Tattersall, Provost of the Province of Geled, announced that Geled would host the Imperial Council. Nearly two dozen authentic Councilors managed to reach Geled and hold a meeting, at which (surprise!) Marc Tattersall was declared Emperor. The other Provinces, however, had their own ideas, and since the Geled Council did not have a quorum, the legality of the declaration is in serious doubt. Although Marc Tattersall maintained that he was the legal Emperor, and kept the title until the end of his life, his successors gave up the claim.

Instead, Geled maintained the fiction that it was still a Province; until c. 4700 CE, it was known as the "Province of Geled" and the leader was styled "Provost of Geled." Subsequently, the area was known as the "Duchy of Geled."

At the same time, the former Province had splintered to a much greater degree than Credix; while the Tattersalls tried to maintain Imperial traditions, strong neighbors and mass movements into and out of the Transgeled left the realm on permanent military footing. Marc's daughter, Cambrea Tattersall, reorganized the realm and strengthened the Navy. Her successors continued the work, until Geled became primarily a military state.

In 5372 CE, the expanding Natalese Confederation pushed up against Geled's borders, and the two states mutually declared war. The war continued, with much damage on both sides (including the destruction of Ultrawave Relay Beta in 5378 CE), until 5408 CE, when the Independent Traders organized a peace conference on Escen. As a result of this conference, disputed territory was granted independence as the Free Territory of Cisnatal.

The long war, however, had proved so destabilizing that, by 5440 CE, Cisnatal had dissolved and the Natalese Confederation was in rapid decline. By 6100 CE the Natalese Confederation was gone.

c. 6390 CE, Geled began ultrawave contact with the Ebettor; the first face-to-face contact occurred in 6484 CE.

About 7700 CE, Geled entered into a series of treaties with the Independent Traders. These treaties not only gave the Traders greater access to Geledian territory and trade; they also served as nonagression treaties between Geled, the Credixian Imperium, the Sardinian League, Borshall, and the Escen Hegemony. Shortly, Geled and Escen signed a treaty prohibiting intrusions into one another's space.

About 7800 CE, Georges Naiman took control of the Escen Hegemony, and turned it into a military dictatorship. A cold war developed between Escen and Geled, and Geled slowly became more like Escen.

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copyright (c) 2009, Don Sakers

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