The Shell War

Although it is mentioned several times throughout the Rome's Revolution series, the shell of protection using the livetar clones and the shell of detection using the star-probes is continually expanding. The star-probes and livetars are both built as variants of the VIRUS units so they are capable of self-replication. As time wears on, these shells expand radially.

[image error]

What is the purpose of these shells? Originally, it was to protect against the Stareaters but they turned out to be friendly and intelligent and all you had to do is put out a gravitic beacon and they would not eat you.

Another thing these shells were for was to protect the inner planets from meteors and asteroids from striking the inhabited world. At the end of Rome's Revolution, MINIMCOM states that he is going out to check on how the livetars were doing digesting the planet-killer asteroid originally planned for wiping out the mandasurte.

The third and unstated purpose for the shell was to protect against invasion by the Cecetiras. However, Lawlidon and his secret war with the Cecetiras was excised from the modern version of the book.

Regardless, over time, the shells keep expanding. Eventually, they intersect with similar shells produced by other sentient races. How do those alien cultures react? For some, it is welcome and the Galactic Union comes out of it. Others are less receptive. In fact, in one case, a war, called The Shell War, breaks out and that will be chronicled in the novel Vuduri Knight which will be out next year.