The Life Engineered (17 page)
Capeks:
Capeks are synthetic life-forms created by humans, initially as tools, then as companions, and eventually as successors and inheritors. Capeks are divided into classes and generations. There are three generations of Capeks.
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Capek Generations
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First-Generation Capeks:
The first line of robots capable of passing the Turing-Delphi battery of tests, first-generation Capeks can exhibit any and all traits normally attributed to sentient humans. Emotions, creativity, self-awareness, etc. However, while they are programmed to be sentient, they are slow to expand upon their initial programming and tend toward surface-level development and growth.
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Second-Generation Capeks:
Designed as a transitory state between the capable but limited first generation and a third, more advanced, generation, the second generation of Capeks are built by borrowing from an existing human personality template. While the template is modified, adjusted, and permitted to grow and mature into its own unique personality, the seed is the same. Second-generation Capeks are the first to use contextual memory matrices to construct their personalities. The matrices are ever-evolving collections of data that adapt depending on changes and evolution of associated or neighboring memories. All second-generation Capeks are Gaias, and all Gaias are initially second-generation Capeks.
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Third-Generation Capeks:
Created by Gaias, third generation Capeks are constructed through a long process that promotes complex personality patterns, organic thought processes, and dynamic memory protocols. Their individual personalities are first created in an artificial environment (the Nursery) through several cycles, until a personality achieves balance. Each cycle is essentially a simulation of a human life from birth to death, and cycles repeat with varying life patterns in different periods of human history. The process resembles the Buddhist idea of reincarnation, bringing the individual closer to inner balance with every cycle.
Once a third-generation Capek’s personality is established, it is pulled out of the Nursery and allowed to design a physical form for itself. Technological advancement allows the emerging Capek to build a body with all the specification required and requested by the emergent personality. This allows each Capek to create a body that will facilitate the fulfillment of its destiny. There is virtually no limit to what a Capek’s form can be.
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Capek Classes
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Leduc-Class Capeks:
Leduc-class Capeks are designed to interact on a human scale. They vary from roughly dog sized to about ten or twelve feet tall. Otherwise, configurations vary wildly from one individual to the next. Leducs are usually the most humanlike in behavior and tend to form societies and communities much like their creators.
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Sputnik-Class Capeks:
Sputnik-class Capeks are some of the most alien synthetics. Sputniks are essentially sentient spacecraft, and while each is different in size and capabilities, they all share tremendous durability and all possess at least a handful of propulsion capabilities. Most of the larger specimens are able to project their presence through remote drones.
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Von Neumann–Class Capeks:
Von Neumann–class Capeks are a misnomer as they are not self-replicating but refer to Capeks who choose a collection of small bodies that function as a single hive mind or swarm rather than a single entity. Von Neumanns are typically creative Capeks and will consist of anywhere between a handful of robots to a veritable swarm of machines.
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Gaia-Class Capeks:
Gaia-class Capeks are the progenitors of the synthetic race. The most rare of the synthetics, with less than a dozen in existence, Gaias tend the Nurseries and build other Capeks in vast facilities called Wombs. Gaias do not have bodies but instead each inhabits a sprawling complex built into a small barren world or moon. They are revered and respected for their role of continuing the Capek race.
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Lucretius-Class Capeks:
Lucretius-class Capeks are those whose bodies are built and constructed for transgalactic travel. Like Sputniks, they are sentient vessels, but they are usually much larger, with a wider array of tools and abilities as well as complex virtual-reality engines to keep their minds in a Nursery state during the long travels between galaxies. Natural loners and explorers, Lucretius-class Capeks do not interact with others of their kind, usually leaving the Milky Way shortly after creation. It is widely accepted that most of them are likely to be sociopaths.
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Maximilian-Class Capeks:
Maximilian-class Capeks are the large-scale warriors of Capek civilization. As big as Lucretius-class Capeks, these behemoths eschew internal Nurseries and intergalactic capabilities in favor of complex, Gaia-like fabricator chambers to produce machines of war, weapons, and ammunition. Powerful and relentless, Maximilians serve as both generals and soldiers, battleships and carriers, and can orchestrate a complete theater of war on their own. Unlike Lucretiuses, Maximilians are perfectly sociable and well adjusted. However, because they are a new occurrence in the galaxy, it is feared that they herald a violent age for Capek civilization, and that their focus and purpose will be difficult or impossible to integrate into peaceful society.
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Capek Names:
Capeks take their individual names from religion and mythology. Usually, their names are given to them by their progenitors. Each Gaia-class Capek borrows its name from a religious myth and passes on this affiliation to its children. The names rarely hold meaning but serve only as a convention and genealogical identifier.
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First-Generation Capeks
§ Marduk
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Second-Generation Capeks
§ Yggdrassil
§ Hera
§ Mary
§ Coatlicue
§ Parvati
§ Isis
§ Haumea
§ Demeter
§ Aveta
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Third-Generation Capeks
§ Leduc Class
»» Dagir
»» Aurvandil
»» Proioxis
»» Kerubiel
»» Ardra
»» Belenos
»» Murugan
§ Sputnik Class
»» Skinfaxi
»» Opochtli
»» Suijin
»» Hermes (Sputnik–Von Neumann hybrid)
§ Von Neumann Class
»» Koalemos
§ Lucretius Class
»» Anhur
»» Pele
§ Maximilian Class
»» Kamohoali’i
»» Ukupanipo
Space Travel:
Capeks travel through space using a variety of methods that allow them to ply the stars with apparent ease. Space travel is slow in the far future, requiring extremely advanced technologies and vast amounts of power to allow faster-than-light transportation. There are various ways to move around in space. Some of the more popular are:
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Space Fold:
Incredibly energy inefficient, folding space bends space-time to layer two areas of space over each other for a period of time. What it lacks in accuracy it makes up in speed, as it is the closest thing to instantaneous transportation available.
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Wormholes:
Using existing conduits in space-time to travel from one predetermined point in space to another. Requires a collapsor point, where a wormhole can be opened. Safer and more energy conservative than folding space as well as pinpoint accurate, but restricted to the places where wormholes are located. Human ships are capable of creating collapsor points that burrow to the nearest wormhole conduit.
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Alcubierre Drive:
Distorting the space in front and behind a spacecraft to allow the ship in a bubble to “surf ” the spacetime wave at super-relativistic speeds. Energy demanding, but not as much as folding space. Very accurate, but the slowest of known travel methods.
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Ion Thrusters:
Short for Impact Ion Thrust Engine, these sub–light methods of propulsion use the same basic principle as an ion engine, but instead of a steady pulse of ions being used to generate a constant low thrust, the IITE uses powerful bursts of ionized particles bounced against each other to generate a more concentrated propulsion. IITEs burn like rockets but with no perceivable exhaust.
Materials
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Hypermaterials:
A large class of complex materials and metamaterials that rely on molecular lamination to layer various alloys and elements, permitting the creation of extremely resilient matter. Hypermaterials tend to offer a limited range of properties, focusing instead on strength and endurance.
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Psuedo-Plastics:
Complex alloys that offer the properties of various polymers while maintaining other characteristics, such as thermal resistance, endurance, and different levels of conductivity. Used in various forms and thicknesses for several nonstructural applications.
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Ethimothropic Carbons:
Simple objects and parts composed of a single, large, and complex carbon molecule. Once shaped, an ETC object is extremely difficult to break or damage. Small variations in shape can cause the molecule to completely change allotropic properties. Simple ETC items are composed of a single carbon nanotube woven onto itself, but other objects are infinitely complex single molecules, making up items as large as a ship’s hull.
Power Sources
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Fusion Reactors:
Small, efficient, and long lived, fusion reactors are the most common power plants in use. All third-generation Capeks rely on one or many fusion reactors to remain alive and active. The reactor is built around a stable fusion reaction that generates tremendous amounts of energy. Infrequent and minimal infusions of materials are occasionally necessary to maintain the reaction.
Communications
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Local Band:
A generic term used to describe any shortrange public communication. This form of communication will often use local resources, such as existing networks and infrastructures, though this is handled seamlessly by the Capek’s onboard communication systems. Local band talk is the closest Capeks have to talking out loud, and very often will feel no different to them. However, local band has the option of embedding metainformation, images, videos, and other media into messages, and communications can be encrypted into a peer-to-peer dialogue that resembles telepathy to some degree.
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Quancom:
Relying on advanced interpretations of quantum entanglement principles, quantum communications allows faster-than-light exchange of information amongst Capeks. While peer-to-peer communications are rare and have to be built into each Capek on an individual basis (like having a phone for every person on your contact list), most Capeks rely on the quancom network to be able to reach each other. The network is composed of a series of relay nodes that are tuned to every Capek so far fabricated. The nodes themselves are located in areas of interstellar space where there is little change in gravity, radiation, or other factors that might adversely affect the node. Relay nodes also serve as a form of “online” community, hosting collaborative message boards and storing project information.
L
ike a machine, The Life Engineered was built from many pieces, each playing an important role.
I have to thank my friends, like David, who supported me and can’t seem to dislike anything I do. Also Amy, Kari, and Annie, who each worked very hard to help get the preorders I needed to meet my goals.
I also extend my gratitude to the Tadpool for their support and encouragement, as well as Galactic Netcast for making me part of the family. Here’s to you, Dave, Brad, Matt, and Anessa.
Infinite thanks go to Tom and Veronica of The Sword & Laser Collection for creating this opportunity and for picking my book from a list of promising contenders. It’s an honor and privilege to be part of your collection.
Inkshares can’t be ignored. The professionalism and quality of their service, as well as the support they offered me during the production phase of this publication, far exceeded my expectation. The same goes for the great people at Girl Friday Productions. Here’s to you, Avalon, Holly, Clete, and Elsie.
I have to thank my family, who supplied me ample encouragement and unquestioning support. I would have gone insane without them.
And finally, to Angela, who never stopped pushing, helping, and believing in me no matter how bad things got.
J-F.
Dubeau is a graphic designer and brand specialist from Montreal, Canada. As part of learning to cope with a crippling addiction to storytelling and long-form narrative, he has spent the past five years writing and learning to write. The Life Engineered is his first novel. He is currently funding his second book, A God in the Shed, and he thinks you should preorder a copy as a way to help him and support new authors. When he’s not writing or winning his bread and butter, J-F. can be found hiking or snowboarding. While he does both, J-F. hates jogging about as much as he loves telling stories; thus, the balance is maintained.
