Michael Brachman's Blog: Tales of the Vuduri, page 180
March 23, 2013
Clothing in the 35th Century, Part 3: The Essessoni
The Essessoni are us. Even though the Ark II launched in 2067AD, that is only 54 years away. Think about how people dressed 54 years ago, in 1959. A little different but not too much different.
When the Essessoni were first awakened, all they had were their flight suits. But the combination of Ibbrassati and Vuduri have given them their normal wardrobe now. They wear shirts, slacks, underwear, socks and boots or shoes. They have jackets but the weather on Deucado is so mild, they really don't need them very often.
Think about the flight suits they had to bring with them, though. They had to be fresh and wearable after 14 centuries of storage. They were vacuum sealed in the cargo compartment and then exposed to the vacuum and cold of space so they stay preserved very well.
Rei brought a super-alloy straight razor with him, one that never needs sharpening. So he shaves pretty much every day as do most of the Essessoni. The Vuduri do not have facial hair and the Deucadons are partial to beards. The mandasurte would prefer to remain clean-shaven but sometimes they cannot.
Rei is partial to tans and browns. Other than that, their clothes are supposed to be easy to imagine because their tastes are similar to ours.
More tomorrow.
When the Essessoni were first awakened, all they had were their flight suits. But the combination of Ibbrassati and Vuduri have given them their normal wardrobe now. They wear shirts, slacks, underwear, socks and boots or shoes. They have jackets but the weather on Deucado is so mild, they really don't need them very often.
Think about the flight suits they had to bring with them, though. They had to be fresh and wearable after 14 centuries of storage. They were vacuum sealed in the cargo compartment and then exposed to the vacuum and cold of space so they stay preserved very well.
Rei brought a super-alloy straight razor with him, one that never needs sharpening. So he shaves pretty much every day as do most of the Essessoni. The Vuduri do not have facial hair and the Deucadons are partial to beards. The mandasurte would prefer to remain clean-shaven but sometimes they cannot.
Rei is partial to tans and browns. Other than that, their clothes are supposed to be easy to imagine because their tastes are similar to ours.
More tomorrow.
March 22, 2013
Clothing in the 35th Century, Part 2: The Vuduri
The first time we meet the Vuduri on Dara, they are all wearing the same clothing. These are white jumpsuits. There are different sizes but none really big enough for Rei. He finds the shoulders too tight. Even Estar, who we later find out is a spy, is dressed in a standard Vuduri jumpsuit.
The next group of Vuduri we meet is on Deucado. Here there are two types of clothing. Admittedly, the second type is not described very well other than "soldierly." Everyone else wears white jumpsuits. The lab technicians do wear lab coats. I suppose it is for sanitary reasons. Even Sussen, the spy, is wearing a traditional jumpsuit.
Why only white jumpsuits? The reason for this is that a) the Vuduri don't care about clothes so there is no reason to have different styles and b) they recycle everything so they just grab the next jumpsuit that is ready.
Finally, we meet the Vuduri on Earth. Once again, there are soldiers and white jumpsuits. But when Rei and Rome are captured by the Onsiras, we see that they have expanded their colors into black. How exciting! Once again, there are soldiers, lab coats and white jumpsuits. Even Binoda, Rome's mother, wears a white jumpsuit.
That's it. As far as I can tell, these are the only clothing the Vuduri ever wear. At least that is all they have ever told me. Rome did tell me that she wore loose-fitting pajamas to sleep.
If you want to call Rome a Vuduri, then she wears lots of clothes. She started designing her own clothes on the year-long trip from Tabit to Deucado. Bright colors - blasphemous! Once she settled down on Deucado, she starts dressing in different styles although she often goes back to the white jumpsuits. In her later years, when she becomes a full-time school teacher, she dresses differently each day for each culture on Deucado. She wears a white jumpsuit on Mondays, Deucadon style clothes on Tuesdays, Earth/Essessoni style on Wednesdays, mandasurte or her own style on Thursdays. On Fridays, she wears what Rei calls her school-marm dress outfit. That's his favorite. She wears a white blouse, with a light tan vest and skirt made out of "falling blanket" leather.
The next group of Vuduri we meet is on Deucado. Here there are two types of clothing. Admittedly, the second type is not described very well other than "soldierly." Everyone else wears white jumpsuits. The lab technicians do wear lab coats. I suppose it is for sanitary reasons. Even Sussen, the spy, is wearing a traditional jumpsuit.
Why only white jumpsuits? The reason for this is that a) the Vuduri don't care about clothes so there is no reason to have different styles and b) they recycle everything so they just grab the next jumpsuit that is ready.
Finally, we meet the Vuduri on Earth. Once again, there are soldiers and white jumpsuits. But when Rei and Rome are captured by the Onsiras, we see that they have expanded their colors into black. How exciting! Once again, there are soldiers, lab coats and white jumpsuits. Even Binoda, Rome's mother, wears a white jumpsuit.
That's it. As far as I can tell, these are the only clothing the Vuduri ever wear. At least that is all they have ever told me. Rome did tell me that she wore loose-fitting pajamas to sleep.
If you want to call Rome a Vuduri, then she wears lots of clothes. She started designing her own clothes on the year-long trip from Tabit to Deucado. Bright colors - blasphemous! Once she settled down on Deucado, she starts dressing in different styles although she often goes back to the white jumpsuits. In her later years, when she becomes a full-time school teacher, she dresses differently each day for each culture on Deucado. She wears a white jumpsuit on Mondays, Deucadon style clothes on Tuesdays, Earth/Essessoni style on Wednesdays, mandasurte or her own style on Thursdays. On Fridays, she wears what Rei calls her school-marm dress outfit. That's his favorite. She wears a white blouse, with a light tan vest and skirt made out of "falling blanket" leather.
March 21, 2013
Clothing in the 35th century, Part 1: The livetars
Over the next few days, I will cover the variety (where it exists) of clothing worn by the various groups comprising the population of 35th Century Earth (and Deucado). The groups that I will cover will be the livetars, the Vuduri, the Essessoni, the mandasurte, the Ibbrassati and finally, the Deucadons who have the most interesting clothing of all. Today's topic is the livetars. As I have mentioned previously, they don't wear clothes as such. But their outward appearance does give you insight into their inward motivation.
Start with OMCOM, the entity who invented the livetar concept. You may think it was MINIMCOM but if you think back to the conclusion of Rome's Revolution, Part 1, you will recall that OMCOM appeared to Rei and Rome as a holographic image materialized by using null-fold relays to synthesize his image.
That entity, later realized "in the flesh" was all-white, with a bullet-shaped head and slits where the eyes and mouth would be for a human being. OMCOM picked white because that is the color the Vuduri always wore. He wanted to "fit in" as best as a livetar could. However, since it was not living, he made a conscious decision to not make the eyes and mouth look normal. He didn't even bother to create a nose slit since it had no purpose. This first incarnation of OMCOM in a bipedal form was the model for all livetars since.
The fact that OMCOM was dressed all in white came in handy when he was standing up to MASAL who was supposed to be the devil incarnate and represented the forces of evil.
But does black always mean bad? I would say no. MINIMCOM purposefully rendered his first appearance as a livetar as all-black. This was a) in contrast to OMCOM and b) MINIMCOM wanted to present an imposing figure. He even wore a cape even though it served no useful purpose, other than showmanship.
OMCOM's subsequent clones, like the library clone, always render their livetars in white. When you meet Planet OMCOM in The Milk Run you will see an all-white planet.
Finally (at least for now) there is Junior who rendered his livetar in gray. This was a conscious decision on his part so he could be distinguished between OMCOM and MINIMCOM. He could have chosen all-black, like his father but then as he "grew" he would eventually become indistinguishable, other than sans cape. He also picked round eye-holes and mouth-hole so that he appeared slightly more human. His whole persona is the most human of the three.
Here is a little tidbit for you: in 25 years or so, even Junior will have a son. His nickname is Tre (pronounced tray) because he is MINIMCOM III. His human companion is named Rory Bierak who is Aason's son and Rei & Rome's grandson.
It is all planned out!
Start with OMCOM, the entity who invented the livetar concept. You may think it was MINIMCOM but if you think back to the conclusion of Rome's Revolution, Part 1, you will recall that OMCOM appeared to Rei and Rome as a holographic image materialized by using null-fold relays to synthesize his image.
That entity, later realized "in the flesh" was all-white, with a bullet-shaped head and slits where the eyes and mouth would be for a human being. OMCOM picked white because that is the color the Vuduri always wore. He wanted to "fit in" as best as a livetar could. However, since it was not living, he made a conscious decision to not make the eyes and mouth look normal. He didn't even bother to create a nose slit since it had no purpose. This first incarnation of OMCOM in a bipedal form was the model for all livetars since.
The fact that OMCOM was dressed all in white came in handy when he was standing up to MASAL who was supposed to be the devil incarnate and represented the forces of evil.
But does black always mean bad? I would say no. MINIMCOM purposefully rendered his first appearance as a livetar as all-black. This was a) in contrast to OMCOM and b) MINIMCOM wanted to present an imposing figure. He even wore a cape even though it served no useful purpose, other than showmanship.
OMCOM's subsequent clones, like the library clone, always render their livetars in white. When you meet Planet OMCOM in The Milk Run you will see an all-white planet.
Finally (at least for now) there is Junior who rendered his livetar in gray. This was a conscious decision on his part so he could be distinguished between OMCOM and MINIMCOM. He could have chosen all-black, like his father but then as he "grew" he would eventually become indistinguishable, other than sans cape. He also picked round eye-holes and mouth-hole so that he appeared slightly more human. His whole persona is the most human of the three.
Here is a little tidbit for you: in 25 years or so, even Junior will have a son. His nickname is Tre (pronounced tray) because he is MINIMCOM III. His human companion is named Rory Bierak who is Aason's son and Rei & Rome's grandson.
It is all planned out!
March 20, 2013
Vuduri Food
When we first meet the Vuduri on Skyler Base, we get a little bit of a skewed idea of what their food is like. The base is located on the moon Dara which has an unbreathable atmosphere. The entire base is self-contained and everything must be recycled.
Rei's first introduction to Vuduri food is through the food synthesizers which take protein molecules and other substances and create food. While Rei is not impressed with the food itself (he finds it rather tasteless), this is not a limitation of the food synthesizers but rather the wants and desires of the Vuduri themselves.
The food synthesizers are fairly flexible as Rei is able to get OMCOM to make him a cup of coffee very quickly. Rome learns to love coffee. During their year-long trip from Tabit to Deucado, Rei is constantly programming the food synthesizers to make Rome indescribable treats. We will even see in the upcoming Rome's Evolution that the food synthesizers are commandeered by the Essessoni to make things like vodka.
But once the settlers arrive on Deucado, the food distribution system becomes more like ours. The people there eat swishies, which are like fish, vegetables grown to the south. Rome's mother, Binoda, even establishes a bison herd to the north.
On the Earth, Rome's father's side of the family eat traditional Hawaiian food. But what about the rest of the regular Vuduri? What do they eat? Does everything come from a food synthesizer?
To tell you the truth, I really don't know. They haven't told me yet. I have to believe they eat some food which does not come from a synthesizer. And how would they keep their synthesizers loaded? Rome's father, Fridone, did tell her that when he first met Rome's mother, Binoda, the meeting was arranged ostensibly to review Fridone's research regarding migration patterns of the Hawaiian Red Opah. Now why would the Overmind be interested in fish unless it was "grist" for the food synthesizer engine? I don't know.
I guess if it becomes relevant in some future story, I'll worry about it. But for now, we have all the bases covered. The people eat. The people like us eat food. The Vuduri eat something but since it doesn't interest them, should it interest us? Maybe.
Rei's first introduction to Vuduri food is through the food synthesizers which take protein molecules and other substances and create food. While Rei is not impressed with the food itself (he finds it rather tasteless), this is not a limitation of the food synthesizers but rather the wants and desires of the Vuduri themselves.
The food synthesizers are fairly flexible as Rei is able to get OMCOM to make him a cup of coffee very quickly. Rome learns to love coffee. During their year-long trip from Tabit to Deucado, Rei is constantly programming the food synthesizers to make Rome indescribable treats. We will even see in the upcoming Rome's Evolution that the food synthesizers are commandeered by the Essessoni to make things like vodka.
But once the settlers arrive on Deucado, the food distribution system becomes more like ours. The people there eat swishies, which are like fish, vegetables grown to the south. Rome's mother, Binoda, even establishes a bison herd to the north.
On the Earth, Rome's father's side of the family eat traditional Hawaiian food. But what about the rest of the regular Vuduri? What do they eat? Does everything come from a food synthesizer?
To tell you the truth, I really don't know. They haven't told me yet. I have to believe they eat some food which does not come from a synthesizer. And how would they keep their synthesizers loaded? Rome's father, Fridone, did tell her that when he first met Rome's mother, Binoda, the meeting was arranged ostensibly to review Fridone's research regarding migration patterns of the Hawaiian Red Opah. Now why would the Overmind be interested in fish unless it was "grist" for the food synthesizer engine? I don't know.
I guess if it becomes relevant in some future story, I'll worry about it. But for now, we have all the bases covered. The people eat. The people like us eat food. The Vuduri eat something but since it doesn't interest them, should it interest us? Maybe.
March 19, 2013
The Vuduri Culture
One of the problems with world-building is not only do you have to come up with a planet and species, you have to come up with an entire culture.
Since the Vuduri culture, along with the Overmind, came along by accident, I had to start simple. The cultural slice we see on Skyler Base during Part 1 of Rome's Revolution is just the tip of the iceberg but allowed me to build up the culture slowly.
Over the next few posts, I'll cover Vuduri clothing, food, housing, city layout, employment, transportation, government and entertainment. I wouldn't get my hopes up for entertainment too much as they did not appear to have any.
I'm slowly working my way through. I think I'll have it all down just in time to be done with the series. However, the mix of Essessoni, Vuduri, Deucadons and mandasurte (Ibbrassati) on Deucado is creating a whole new culture so maybe there is more to it that I know.
Since the Vuduri culture, along with the Overmind, came along by accident, I had to start simple. The cultural slice we see on Skyler Base during Part 1 of Rome's Revolution is just the tip of the iceberg but allowed me to build up the culture slowly.
Over the next few posts, I'll cover Vuduri clothing, food, housing, city layout, employment, transportation, government and entertainment. I wouldn't get my hopes up for entertainment too much as they did not appear to have any.
I'm slowly working my way through. I think I'll have it all down just in time to be done with the series. However, the mix of Essessoni, Vuduri, Deucadons and mandasurte (Ibbrassati) on Deucado is creating a whole new culture so maybe there is more to it that I know.
March 18, 2013
Wine and Alcohol
In the 35th century world of the Vuduri, they don't make alcoholic beverages because they are not interested. They do make ethanol (see the post entitled Rome's Rape) as an industrial solvent.
However, once the Essessoni come to town, things change. On Deucado, some of Rei's group start an experimental vineyard and Rei brings a bottle of their wine to dinner at the Mullens in The Ark Lords. Edgar Mullen gets drunk and tries to molest Rome and it does not end well.
When Rei and Rome get to Earth to enlist the aid of Ursay in tracking down the Virus Strain 5 canister, Ursay has started a small vineyard and serves them a pitcher of one of his more promising wines.
In the upcoming novel, Rome's Evolution, several enterprising Essessoni procure food synthesizers and learn to make vodka and several other kinds of liquor. They do not figure prominently in the plot but they are mentioned.
Finally, Rome was not unfamiliar with the concept of alcohol as a beverage. Her father hailed from Havei (Hawaii) and they created a fermented coconut juice beverage called kefir which had about 10% alcohol. During the luau scene which has since been deleted, Rei and Rome drink a little and have the closest thing to an argument they ever had.
However, once the Essessoni come to town, things change. On Deucado, some of Rei's group start an experimental vineyard and Rei brings a bottle of their wine to dinner at the Mullens in The Ark Lords. Edgar Mullen gets drunk and tries to molest Rome and it does not end well.
When Rei and Rome get to Earth to enlist the aid of Ursay in tracking down the Virus Strain 5 canister, Ursay has started a small vineyard and serves them a pitcher of one of his more promising wines.
In the upcoming novel, Rome's Evolution, several enterprising Essessoni procure food synthesizers and learn to make vodka and several other kinds of liquor. They do not figure prominently in the plot but they are mentioned.
Finally, Rome was not unfamiliar with the concept of alcohol as a beverage. Her father hailed from Havei (Hawaii) and they created a fermented coconut juice beverage called kefir which had about 10% alcohol. During the luau scene which has since been deleted, Rei and Rome drink a little and have the closest thing to an argument they ever had.
March 17, 2013
The Espansors: Old and New
The name Espansor comes from ESP. These are the bands that allowed Rei and Rome to connect mind-to-mind. These bands have been around since the beginning, back when Rome's Revolution was still called VIRUS 5. This was in 1973.
In the first incarnation, Rei was a petty bureaucrat just waiting out his time to leave Schuyler Base (the spelling back then) and get on to the next colony world. OMCOM "delivered" Rome to him as a present for procuring OMCOM's gravity wave detector which eventually led to the discovery of the Stareaters.
In that version and the next revision, ironically called Rome's Revolution, they also met but now Rome Sevenate (she had a last name back in 1973) was escaping social persecution from a government which was forcing its members to use the Social AdjustMints to force them into planned behavior. Think of it as an early form of the Overmind.
In both versions, the bands were Rome's "secret" which were only available to a few select people. Rei and Rome used the bands to learn about each other's character in a very intimate way. The outcome was the same. Rei and Rome fell in love, joined forces and took on life as team thereafter.
In the current incarnation of Rome's Revolution, the Espansors once again come into play and allow Rei and Rome to connect mentally as part of a demonstration by Rome. In this book, the bands are a normal part of society. They are used by the Vuduri to communicate with the mandasurte (mind-deaf) in the only way they know how.
However, in Rei and Rome's case, the Espansors malfunction and they connect soul-to-soul, just like in the original versions. This allows Rome to overcome the social conventions of not having feelings and not wishing to interact with the mandasurte.
The rest is (future) history.
In the first incarnation, Rei was a petty bureaucrat just waiting out his time to leave Schuyler Base (the spelling back then) and get on to the next colony world. OMCOM "delivered" Rome to him as a present for procuring OMCOM's gravity wave detector which eventually led to the discovery of the Stareaters.
In that version and the next revision, ironically called Rome's Revolution, they also met but now Rome Sevenate (she had a last name back in 1973) was escaping social persecution from a government which was forcing its members to use the Social AdjustMints to force them into planned behavior. Think of it as an early form of the Overmind.
In both versions, the bands were Rome's "secret" which were only available to a few select people. Rei and Rome used the bands to learn about each other's character in a very intimate way. The outcome was the same. Rei and Rome fell in love, joined forces and took on life as team thereafter.
In the current incarnation of Rome's Revolution, the Espansors once again come into play and allow Rei and Rome to connect mentally as part of a demonstration by Rome. In this book, the bands are a normal part of society. They are used by the Vuduri to communicate with the mandasurte (mind-deaf) in the only way they know how.
However, in Rei and Rome's case, the Espansors malfunction and they connect soul-to-soul, just like in the original versions. This allows Rome to overcome the social conventions of not having feelings and not wishing to interact with the mandasurte.
The rest is (future) history.
March 16, 2013
Livetars: size, colors and fonts
Livetars (live avatars) are animated shells comprised of VIRUS-based constructor units. They are projected by OMCOM, MINIMCOM, Junior and by OMCOM's clone.
They don't have any clothing. They are more like robots. Their shell is their outer covering. OMCOM is always pure white. This was done, in the beginning, because that's the way the Vuduri do things. Later, it served as a nice contrast to MASAL so I just stuck with it. His eyes and mouth openings are slits and he always talks in a metallic voice. I used Courier New 11 pt font for his voice. It seemed computer-like.
I got some of complaints about "fontitis" on Rome's Revolution so when OMCOM's library clone comes along, he also wore white but he speaks with a normal, human sounding voice. This equates to same Times New Roman 12 pt font as normal humans. The fact that he has not much of a personality is neither here nor there.
MINIMCOM always comes in jet black but with a cape. His mouth and eye holes are slits also although he can wink and smile when he wants to. I chose black to contrast him to OMCOM, obviously. The cape was designed to give you a sense of his showmanship which he's had almost since the beginning. He did use it once to scoop up a burning pan in The Ark Lords but that scene was strictly inserted to prepare you for his dramatic "death" scene. I always use Courier New 10 pt Bold font for his voice and italicize it when he is transmitting inside Rei and Rome's heads. I did that because when he was just an autopilot, he was small and it was supposed to be imbued with a tinny quality. Later, when MIMIMCOM became a starship and his livetar was a big, hulking, six foot six presence, I thought it'd be funny to keep the little voice. If you saw the movie Up and remember the alpha dog with his screwed up translater, you know what I mean.
Junior's livetar is the most interesting. Because he was a newborn, I made his livetar small, just a little taller than Aason and gray to fit somewhere between OMCOM and MINIMCOM. His voice and mouth holes are round and his face is more expressive, as is his voice. He, too, uses a normal Times New Roman 12 pt font. As he grows older (which you will see in Rome's Evolution) his livetar is taller and my plan is for him to reach a full two meters eventually, just like his dad. However, I think I will keep him gray just because.
They don't have any clothing. They are more like robots. Their shell is their outer covering. OMCOM is always pure white. This was done, in the beginning, because that's the way the Vuduri do things. Later, it served as a nice contrast to MASAL so I just stuck with it. His eyes and mouth openings are slits and he always talks in a metallic voice. I used Courier New 11 pt font for his voice. It seemed computer-like.
I got some of complaints about "fontitis" on Rome's Revolution so when OMCOM's library clone comes along, he also wore white but he speaks with a normal, human sounding voice. This equates to same Times New Roman 12 pt font as normal humans. The fact that he has not much of a personality is neither here nor there.
MINIMCOM always comes in jet black but with a cape. His mouth and eye holes are slits also although he can wink and smile when he wants to. I chose black to contrast him to OMCOM, obviously. The cape was designed to give you a sense of his showmanship which he's had almost since the beginning. He did use it once to scoop up a burning pan in The Ark Lords but that scene was strictly inserted to prepare you for his dramatic "death" scene. I always use Courier New 10 pt Bold font for his voice and italicize it when he is transmitting inside Rei and Rome's heads. I did that because when he was just an autopilot, he was small and it was supposed to be imbued with a tinny quality. Later, when MIMIMCOM became a starship and his livetar was a big, hulking, six foot six presence, I thought it'd be funny to keep the little voice. If you saw the movie Up and remember the alpha dog with his screwed up translater, you know what I mean.
Junior's livetar is the most interesting. Because he was a newborn, I made his livetar small, just a little taller than Aason and gray to fit somewhere between OMCOM and MINIMCOM. His voice and mouth holes are round and his face is more expressive, as is his voice. He, too, uses a normal Times New Roman 12 pt font. As he grows older (which you will see in Rome's Evolution) his livetar is taller and my plan is for him to reach a full two meters eventually, just like his dad. However, I think I will keep him gray just because.
March 15, 2013
How MINIMCOM and OMCOM swapped roles
In the beginning, OMCOM was a supercomputer who had a personality module and nobody to interact with. Rome was the Vuduri he cared about the most. In fact, he thought of her as his mother since she created him and finished his construction. But Rome was part of the Overmind and really did not have the skill set to interact with OMCOM in a meaningful way.
Then Rei came along. He was quirky, undisciplined, brilliant and engaging. OMCOM took to him right from the start because unlike the Vuduri, he treated OMCOM as a genuine entity instead of an appliance. After Rei and Rome slept together, OMCOM engineered Rome being cast out, Cesdiud, so that she could be freed of the cultural (and legal) restriction of arming memrons with Casimir Pumps.
Once the VIRUS units were developed and OMCOM transferred his consciousness to the gigantic mass and became Planet OMCOM, he became more distant, more god-like and we will not find out what he was doing out there until The Milk Run. MINIMCOM, on the other hand, was an effete, prissy little autopilot computer without access to emotions or even a personality module. In order for MINIMCOM to complete his mission of shepherding the Ark II to Deucado, he was augmented with uncounted peta-bytes of memory and processors and acquired a bit of OMCOM's personality in the process.
The only thing you can say is that MINIMCOM evolved. He had the processing power of OMCOM and a responsibility for seeing to it that Rei, Rome and the Ark II reached its target. MINIMCOM became caring. At first, he hid it behind an acerbic personality and often times had trouble hiding his sarcastic responses to human foibles. But when the time came, he sacrificed himself so that his charges could survive the crash-landing on Deucado.
He did not die. He rebuilt himself by infusing his memrons within the airframe of his space tug and became a starship. He developed a genuine affection for Rei, Rome and other humans to the point where they considered him a member of the family. He was so dedicated and industrious that he was emancipated and no longer required to serve humans. It was far too late, though. He loved Rei and Rome and even admitted so when he thought he was going to die during The Ark Lords crisis. He even gave "birth" to a son named Junior who figures to some degree in The Ark Lords and to a greater degree in subsequent novels.
OMCOM returned, or at least a clone of him, in The Ark Lords and was an effete, somewhat sarcastic, mostly humorless, servant computer dedicated to navigating Rome's archives.
In the new novel Rome's Evolution, you will see MINIMCOM acquire new capabilities and really push his interactions with humans to a whole new level. OMCOM's clone becomes somewhat animated but his entire persona resembles that of the early MINIMCOM.
Bottom line: OMCOM became infinite and removed himself from day to day interactions with humans as an equal. MINIMCOM was given the capability to interact and did so to the best of his abilities. Many people consider MINIMCOM their absolute favorite character.
Go figure.
Then Rei came along. He was quirky, undisciplined, brilliant and engaging. OMCOM took to him right from the start because unlike the Vuduri, he treated OMCOM as a genuine entity instead of an appliance. After Rei and Rome slept together, OMCOM engineered Rome being cast out, Cesdiud, so that she could be freed of the cultural (and legal) restriction of arming memrons with Casimir Pumps.
Once the VIRUS units were developed and OMCOM transferred his consciousness to the gigantic mass and became Planet OMCOM, he became more distant, more god-like and we will not find out what he was doing out there until The Milk Run. MINIMCOM, on the other hand, was an effete, prissy little autopilot computer without access to emotions or even a personality module. In order for MINIMCOM to complete his mission of shepherding the Ark II to Deucado, he was augmented with uncounted peta-bytes of memory and processors and acquired a bit of OMCOM's personality in the process.
The only thing you can say is that MINIMCOM evolved. He had the processing power of OMCOM and a responsibility for seeing to it that Rei, Rome and the Ark II reached its target. MINIMCOM became caring. At first, he hid it behind an acerbic personality and often times had trouble hiding his sarcastic responses to human foibles. But when the time came, he sacrificed himself so that his charges could survive the crash-landing on Deucado.
He did not die. He rebuilt himself by infusing his memrons within the airframe of his space tug and became a starship. He developed a genuine affection for Rei, Rome and other humans to the point where they considered him a member of the family. He was so dedicated and industrious that he was emancipated and no longer required to serve humans. It was far too late, though. He loved Rei and Rome and even admitted so when he thought he was going to die during The Ark Lords crisis. He even gave "birth" to a son named Junior who figures to some degree in The Ark Lords and to a greater degree in subsequent novels.
OMCOM returned, or at least a clone of him, in The Ark Lords and was an effete, somewhat sarcastic, mostly humorless, servant computer dedicated to navigating Rome's archives.
In the new novel Rome's Evolution, you will see MINIMCOM acquire new capabilities and really push his interactions with humans to a whole new level. OMCOM's clone becomes somewhat animated but his entire persona resembles that of the early MINIMCOM.
Bottom line: OMCOM became infinite and removed himself from day to day interactions with humans as an equal. MINIMCOM was given the capability to interact and did so to the best of his abilities. Many people consider MINIMCOM their absolute favorite character.
Go figure.
March 14, 2013
The Stages of Evolution of MINIMCOM
Stage 1: Fussy little autopilot computer.
Stage 2: Infused with uncounted peta-bytes of processor power and memory.
Stage 3: Spends so much time with humans that he becomes accustomed to their behavior. Personality forms.
Stage 4: After crash-landing on Deucado, he becomes fused into his space tug airframe using constructor units which are modified VIRUS units.
Stage 5: His personality is fully formed. He is clever, acerbic and completely self-aware.
Stage 6: Because of his dedication, he is emancipated and becomes his own entity, free to come and go as he pleases.
Stage 7: During his upgrade to the null-fold drive, he must give up a significant portion of his mass. He becomes a loving father and family member.
Stage 8: Dr. MINIMCOM. You'll have to see it to believe it.
Stage 2: Infused with uncounted peta-bytes of processor power and memory.
Stage 3: Spends so much time with humans that he becomes accustomed to their behavior. Personality forms.
Stage 4: After crash-landing on Deucado, he becomes fused into his space tug airframe using constructor units which are modified VIRUS units.
Stage 5: His personality is fully formed. He is clever, acerbic and completely self-aware.
Stage 6: Because of his dedication, he is emancipated and becomes his own entity, free to come and go as he pleases.
Stage 7: During his upgrade to the null-fold drive, he must give up a significant portion of his mass. He becomes a loving father and family member.
Stage 8: Dr. MINIMCOM. You'll have to see it to believe it.
Tales of the Vuduri
Tidbits and insights into the 35th century world of the Vuduri.
- Michael Brachman's profile
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