For those who read the preview episode of 'The PAnd0RA Ultimatum', the first full episode of the new sci-fi short story series is complete. There will be an exclusive page put up during the last week of October here at the BSFS so members will have the first opportunity to read new episodes as they come out. If you haven't checked out The Pandora Ultimatum's preview episode, you can do so on my page in the Blog section here at the BSFS. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at Episode One - Surprise Package:
I am seated in an ancient corporate theater. A fit human wearing a black woolen turtleneck sweater and faded denim pants steps out onto the stage followed by enthusiastic applause from the crowd of beings seated in the large hall. The older dark skinned man wearing ancient wire rimmed glasses looked distinguished despite his informal attire.
His name was Jobs Gates the CI. Gates was the Corporation Owner. He was also the one hundred and first name bearer of the Gates family Progenitor who ended a millenia old rivalry by consolidating several warring corporations to form Zeus Interstellar Industries. ‘ZEUS’ as it is often called formed ten thousand years after mankind left hallowed Earth for life among the stars in crude Ion-Drive Spacecraft. A mere three hundred years after the ‘Out of Earth’ exodus, Humanity discovered a practical method to perform Particle Wave Transmission. With that discovery, interstellar distances were rendered insignificant. Over the last sixty-five thousand years, mankind spread across the galaxy and ZEUS was always present.
After fifteen minutes of self-congratulatory speeches, Gates came to the point. Through the joint efforts of ZEUS and its subsidiary companies, PROMETHEUS GROUP and HEPHESTUS CORP something familiar but quite new had been developed. Onstage next to Gates a life-sized hard light wireframe model formed. He went on to discuss how Manufactured beings had been around for tens of thousands of years and in many places of the inhabited galaxy they were an integral bridge between Humanity and the Mechanical.
As the Company Owner continued, my attention was drawn to the wireframe model. With each slow revolution, the model’s details were filled in as emphasized by Gates. This manufactured being was like no other. Unlike mechanized, biomechanical or biological units, a fusion of all three technologies had been attained. When the final details of the head were rendered, a nude female stood beside the esteemed Gates. She looked to be nothing more than a Grade 1 Modified Human. Physically fit and in possession of characteristics Humans, compatible Alien and some Manufactured Beings found attractive the model seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary.
With a wave of his hand here and there her skin, eye and hair color changed to show the various looks she could possess. He then placed his hands on the hard light display and the model’s physicality changed as well. She was made to look taller or shorter, have larger or smaller breasts or hips and fuller or thinner lips to demonstrate the full capacity for customization. At this point the audience was applauding fiercely with enthusiasm yet I held mine for I wanted to know more. I got my answer.
Gates with rapt seriousness went on to explain that this new model was nearly indistinguishable from a Human. The practical applications were boundless as unlike with traditional Androids, their ‘personalities’ could not develop beyond their programming, this one would. With a pleased look upon his face, Jobs Gates introduced the new model as the prototype Personal Android series Zero Romeo Alpha. He then made an announcement which caused the audience go wild. Apparently, one lucky person would receive the prototype Manufactured Being for field testing. Someone in the audience or watching from out there in the galaxy would in six Earth Standard months receive a ‘companion’ to do with as they wished for one Earth Standard year during the trial period. The sounds of applause died down as the theater setting faded to nothing.
© 2012 H. Wolfgang Porter. All Rights Reserved. Artwork by Ken Bishop
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