Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
198 THE MARTIAN I Earth Government on Mars 252 NETCRIMES I "Scum of the Net"
CIVIL WAR Separatists and Terrorists
No Human Resources stack had four layers of ice this thick or this Noise had paid good cred for the latest recon on this server. It was
black. It was the virtual equivalent of walking to the bodega for a out of the way, nestled amid innocuous stacks in an industrial sector
case of beer and getting ripped to shreds by a pack of hellion-bats. that rarely got much traffic. The majority of these servers housed lit-
Noise knew what he was doing, though, and that knowledge was the tle to nothing of value: datastashes used only sporadically by anon-
only thing that had saved him so far. If it got any worse, he'd need to ymous subsids, their executives, and the occasional runner looking
drop carrier and turn into the invisible man for a few days. to squirrel something away in a node no one would bother cracking.
The first layer of ice had been easy. He'd peeled it away and moved He thought it was strange that good ol' HB would bother with
further in, his icebreaker tugging at his brain like an insistent child that such a ruse. Recon reports-expensive recon reports-indicated
wouldn't let go of his hand in an amusement park. Of course, this wasn't the server was little more than a secondary storage bin containing
the carousel outside the Vendigo Arcology, and his copy of Femme a backup of HBs human resources data. It should've been easy to
Fatale wasn't a whiny broad lookingfor a cheap thrill. This was a Haas- bust through the ice, change some data around, and then schedule a
Bioroid server, slick with defenses, and Femme was a bleeding-hot piece remote update of HQs centra/files. Noise figured he might even dig
of illicit code with just enough AI to have her own attitude. up records of an embarrassing PIP in one or two exec files that his
HB was one of the Big Four, sure, but they didn't stack up four layers news-nosie contacts could turn into an expose.
ofthe worlds deadliest ice to keep people awayfrom secondary employee The fourth layer of ice dropped away, shattering like glass and
records. His only reason for making the run in the first place was to scattering in all directions. Back in his loft, Noise gave a sigh of relief
break in, promote the lowliest employees to executive He pressed on-after all, he'd gotten this far. Not to mention, he was
positions, and simultaneously demote having fun, dammit. Runs for scrubs were boring and tedious in
HBs most venomous executives to their simplicity, and Noise was one of the best jocks on the circuit.
little more than piss boys. He was earning his credits for a change and that was worth taking a
risk this big. Whatever HB had locked up in this remote dustbin had
better be worth it, but even if it wasn't, it was entertaining.
The server burst open and raw data rushed at Noise like a tsu-
nami of light. His guts twisted sickeningly for an instant before his
filter programs kicked in and began organizing the information.
Time appeared to slow as the data methodically coalesced around
him. It was an entrancing, almost euphoric experience, which also
made it dangerous. Spend too much time gawking, Noise knew, and
you were chum for killer ice. He put Femme on standby in order
to devote more cycles to his search bats, and she sighed unhappily.
"Deal with it, siste1; " he said, and she fixed him with an irritated
glance before she vanished in a whiff ofperfume.
Seconds ticked into minutes without his searchers finding any-
thing useful or interesting, and Noise grew frustrated, then ner-
vous. He was about to ditch everything when one of his subroutines
returned a vidfile. A quick secscan revealed nothing dangerous, so
he opened it.
Images of a hallway, strewn with bodies, their faces hidden by
armored visors. Something passed over them, a lithe humanoid
shape of dubious gender with long hair, moving faster than any
human had a right to move. Then Noise smelled smoke-burning
insulation, melting solder-and his heart rate soared. A virus hid-
den in the vidfile that had evaded his initial secscan had already
done its work.
"Fragf" Noise cursed as the vidscreen dissolved along with the
grainy image of the body-laden hallway. He thumbed his carrier
stud, but it was too late. He was back in the loft, his console smol-
dering, his signa/likely traced to within three meters of his present
location. It was time to clear out and go to ground before Haas-
Bioroids wetwork team arrived and jlatlined him for good.
y
- . .
. - - -- - - - • - - - f~ ·- ......:
HRRS-BIDRDID
The company that would become Haas- Cynthia Haas, better known as Director The advent of neural channeling tech-
Bioroid began over a hundred years ago Haas at her insistence. Rumors abound that niques allowed Haas Industrie to realize its
as a robotics and heavy manufacturing Director Haas is the illegitimate child of the dream of true AI-or come as close to it as
business supplying numerous EU nations late Dieter Haas and she murdered her way ethics would allow. Following this break-
with heavy-duty construction equipment. to the top, creating the persona of Director through, the company began development
Jiirgen Haas and his brothers founded Haas along the way. Stranger still are the on its first commercial android, the Mark-
Haas Industrie to specialize in the manu- tales that Director Haas is actually a child 2. The "Mark:' as it was commonly called,
facture of robotic and automated machin- of the original Ji.irgen Haas, fertilized in debuted in the last years of the War as a
ery that required little human oversight or vitro from a frozen sample of his DNA, or general purpose space exploration model.
interaction. The company quickly secured that she was built in a lab and was the most Hailed as "both a step and a leap for man-
lucrative contracts with several of the EU's advanced bioroid model constructed until kind:' it wasn't long before it was also
largest and most successful firms. All too her "son:' Of course, the more likely truth deployed for disaster relief and cleanup
eager to cut costs and boost productiv- is Director Haas is simply the daughter of in war-torn areas with dangerous levels
ity, Haas Industrie eventually moved into Dieter and likes to keep details of her pri- of biological contamination or radioac-
the field of automatic control systems. vate life confidential. tive fallout. The Mark-2 was a resound-
Research into communication and con- Either way, Haas Industrie became aware ing success and ushered in a new age of
trol theory was already well underway, of a small computational neuroscience artificial intelligence, one that could learn
but Haas's involvement caused a marked company called the Rossum Group and and improve with time. The company
spike in progress for the burgeoning field acquired them. At the time, this was seen swiftly created a host of these machines,
of cybernetics. as just another corporate merger. How- high-spec cybernetic bodies coupled with
When Ji.irgen Haas died, leadership of ever, Director Haas had discovered that the strong artificial intelligence. The bioroid
the company passed to his son Dieter. Eager Rossum Group was working on a highly as we know it was born, and the company
to build on his father's legacy, Dieter saw advanced technology capable of producing changed its name to Haas-Bioroid.
an opportunity in expanding the compa- working models of a brain based on brain- The invention was a rw1away success,
ny's portfolio into design and manufac- tapes, featuring unprecedented accuracy and with it the company paved the way
ture of prosthetics. Technology at the time and detail. After the acquisition, this tech- for "labor solutions:' which would replace
was rapidly advancing the complexity and nology was integrated into Haas an inefficient and w1reliable human work-
sophistication of replacement limbs, and Industrie's own research. force with the superior engineer-
Haas Industrie's background in robotics The result was the ing of bioroids. Despite vocal
placed it at the forefront of design. development of opposition from a number of
The success of Haas Industrie's cyber- one of the most activist groups, the bioroid
netics initiative led to an explosion in the significant represents one of the most
market. Customers began to demand more technological significant technological
precise limb replacements and greater breakthrough advances of the era. The
control over its artificial implants. Haas of recent speed with which HB
Industrie responded by pouring resources years: neural achieved its grip on the
into researching these goal.§. The result channeling. labor solution market has
was highly sophisticated neuroprosthetic kept it ahead (barely) of
devices capable of adapting the behavior arch-rival Jinteki.
of a cybernetic limb to its owner's neural
impulses. Haas made great strides in the
field but swiftly came to the conclusion
that further advances would require a
greater understanding of the human brain.
Research into brain imaging was begun,
which proved to be a lengthy process.
The final keystone to Haas Industrie's
success fell into place about thirty years
ago. Although the exact details about
when and how this happened remain
frustratingly vague, control of the
company passed to the indomitable
CURRENT PROJECTS
Haas-Bioroid remains the market leader in industrial robotics and
heavy manufacture. HB's automated assembly lines can be found in
corporations from Earth to Mars, and one would be hard-pressed to
find a hopper that wasn't built using some aspect of HB technology.
Aside from these benchmark technologies, Haas-Bioroid continues
to expand into cutting-edge fields in cybernetics, brain-machine
interfacing, cybersecurity, and defense.
RRMS SRLES
As the War began to heat up on Lw1a, Mars, and even Earth, nearly all megacor-
porations branched into the defense industry. Networked Emergent and eXper-
imental Technology Design (NEXT) was a natural extension of Haas Industrie's
advanced assembly lines as applied to weapons manufacturing. The division's
first products were smartguns that used advanced AI technology for targeting
and trigger security, including cutting-edge IFF protocols. In the race to com-
pete for lucrative government contracts, NEXT developed the first personal-
scale applications of energy weapon technology, which saw extensive use on both sides
of the War. The designs for the laser pistols and rifles had to be protected from rival
corporations as well as a new breed of Netcriminal, necessitating the development
of new intrusion cow1termeasures technology to protect its designs. In peacetime,
NEXT continues to focus on creating increasingly sophisticated network defenses and
encryption protocols to secure intellectual property and trade secrets.
CYBERSECURITY
HB's security division is making the Network a safer place to do business. HB is the
only provider of dedicated intrusions countermeasures bioroids, or "bioroid ice:'
Bioroid ice utilizes the same neural channeling software fOLmd in the optical brains
of other bioroids. This sets it apart from all other competitors, as HB's security sys-
tems are capable of self-improvement. These suites are able to analyze the specific
setup of a local network and adapt the behavior of any installed programs to better
protect it. They can also learn from intrusion attempts and implement new strat-
egies to better defend against such tactics in the future. Clients can choose from a
selection of security packages, ranging from barrier suites to large-scale network
solutions capable of launching aggressive cyber attacks at any unwanted intruders.
Haas-Bioroid is also an industry leader in more traditional forms of ice. 1be
innovative NEXT Design suite of countermeasures, for example, demonstrates
unparalleled networking capability, allowing for an integrated defense system that
reassigns resources to the attacked server.
Floyd 2XI~'r: is powered by high-ef ' nc
hydrog~ fuel cells. wh1ch are goad for ,
approximately one week af normal activity.
2Jt3R1i: can recharge durmg downcycles simply
by plugging tn to the power gr1d. Weekly
mamtenance and exchange of the fuel cells .,~~
JS recommended by Haas-Biarald
I
ew Angeles at night pulsed like mon- Cynthia turned her back on New Angeles "It's none of your business. This whole
N strous iridescent organism. The view
from fifteen hundred meters up was always
and looked at the man who had just entered
the room. He was well-dressed, as always, with
encounter is just an accident."
'f1lucky accident," he said with a smirk. "Or,
impressive, especially on a rare clear night like perfectly styled silver hair. But he was thin and maybe you're not the only one with informants."
tonight. Cynthia Haas stood at the full length looked tired, like his older body could no longer
Someone's going to be sorry, she thought.
windows of her villa atop the Haas Arcology keep up with his youthful lifestyle. He stretched
and studied the city she helped create. onto her genuine leather sofa with an easy John stood up and stretched. "What's
familiarity. "Or," he paused with a dramatic for dinner?"
With a few hand movements, she increased
the magnification of her view sixteen, raise of an eyebrow. ''Maybe you're plotting the "You know, you're worse than Thomas."
thirty-two, sixty-four times onto the Root in next phase ofyour world domination?" John glanced sideways as if to verify they
the distance and began slowly panning across "World domination?" she said with a hint really were alone. "How is Thomas?"
the skyline. The northern and western hori- of a smile. "There's a whole solar system out "He's the same. Not that you would have
zon was dominated by the expanse of the there. New Angeles, Luna, Mars, it's all just any idea what that means."
Pacific, but tonight her interests lay to the the beginning."
"Touche." He stroked his chin, and old habit
south. With another gesture, the entire top "Oh great, here it comes," he said with a left over from his bearded days. "Now, that
section of the arcology slowly rotated 110 roll of his eyes. Adonis fellow," he continued. "He's something.
degrees to give her a view of Rabotgorod Dis-
"lust because you've never had any ambi- And, Eve! You've got to be drowning in creds
trict with its vast storage facilities for bioroids.
tion of your own doesn't mean you can't from those two. You're a regular madame of
Corporations, governments, and private indi-
understand mine. Haas-Bioroid is shaping old. Hey, can I ask you a question? Have you
viduals who were unwilling to house bioroids
the future of humanity." ever, you know, done it with one of them?"
on-site often rented storage in Rabotgorod
for when their bioroids were offline. It was '11 responsibility I'm sure you continue to "No, you can't ask me a question.like that,"
a curious practice, Cynthia thought, because take very seriously," he said. "Don't forget she said icily.
bioroids didn't need to sleep. But apparently that humans have been evolving on their "I mean, I know I was always a distant
most people felt more comfortable when their own for a lot longer than you and your things second to your work, but I never thought the
bioroids followed a similar schedule to their have been around." bioroid replacement thing would go that far."
own. How many were out there now? "You know what got us out of the trees Her eyes narrowed. Her cheeks flushed
This moment of quiet reflection was a rare and caves?" she said sharply. "The ability to with anger. "I think I'll kick you out now."
indulgence for Cynthia. A quirk in her nor- devote our attention to something other than
"You won't," he said smiling. "Who else
mally busy schedule had left her evening free, the hard labor of survival. Technology leads
can talk to you like this? You want me here."
and she had decided to resist the temptation to to leisure time which leads to creative think-
ing and innovation. We've got one bioroid "Don't flatter yourself"
immediately fill the time with work. Her PAD
chimed. He was on his way up. for every one hundred people, but it took us He stood up and walked boldly toward her,
decades to get even that far. If humanity is not stopping until they were nearly touching.
The question of how many bioroids were
go ing to advance, we need to stop breaking He was both a little taller and a littler older
out there raced through her mind. Her PAD
our backs once and for all." than her, and like lw; he had not tried to
provided an estimate: 98,760,200 based on
"Fascinating," he said with a slow clap of entirely conceal his age with biotech.
current production, minus recalls, decoms,
and the blue-, violet-, ultraviolet-, and black- his hands. 'f1nd, by that I mean totally bor- "You've looked bette1;" he said smiling.
level prototypes. It had all happened shock- ing. You know I don't really want to talk to "So have you," she replied. Her flash of
ingly fast. She remembered clearly the feeling Director Haas. I'd like to talk to my gal." fury had already passed; he'd always had
when the first bioroid was awakened. When "I haven't been that for nineteen years," she that effect on her. Her mind drifted back to
the ambitious dream finally became a real- said. She turned back toward her windows. their time in Berchtesgaden, so long ago it
ity, her scientific curiosity had almost imme- Nineteen years ago, the view to the south seemed a different lifetime. Part of her longed
diately yielded to an overwhelming sense would have been dark-a vast wilderness of to return to that simpler life. But there was
of business opportunity. Now, she sensed foothills and forest. Tonight, it was an ocean no turning back. The only way was forward.
another shift was happening, but this one was of light from the world's largest city. "Cynthia," said John. "The world can wait.
much slower and subtler. Lately her mind was "Nineteen years!Has it really been that long?" At least for tonight."
less focused on profits and increasingly occu-
'1ohn, why are you really here?" She spun She hesitated, then sighed and touched her
pied with the thought that she was perma-
to face him again and stabbed at him from PAD. A single low note chimed throughout
nently altering the future of the human race.
across the room with her finger. "I invited the room. '1eeves." she said.
Was this what humanity needed? you here last week. Not tonight. I was plan- A blue holographic image of a bioroid's
Of course it was. There was no turning ning to leave for Heinlein this morning. I'm face floated above a nearby table. "Yes,
back. The only way was forward. only here now because I had to attend to Director?" it said.
"Adm iring your handiwork?" said a something important."
"Dinner for two."
familiar voice. "What sort of important?"
CURRENT Haas denies allegations o ARTICLES New Angeles Giants lose WEATHER Acid rain warning
E::NGJ::NE:E:RJ::NG
W'ORKFORCE
T BE MODERN Jintf
has
An in - depth look at how H aas-Bioroid is t ransforming the way we live and wo1·k
BY S H UGO F A KARZA I ing
pro-
No one lives without paranoia these Bioroids are everywhere, and like them forget that. They ignore the line was to provide for our families.
nal
days . The corporation s di ctate our th eir numbers continue to grow. In safety issues." Try explaining that to one of those
man
lives: they design our downtim e, fact, one of the most closely guarded 1he other change that King and machines. If they weren't working,
"mo1
provide recreation for a price, and secre ts H aas-Bioroid has is exactly other corp representatives don't talk they'd be in a box somewhere."
and
subtly drain us of our need to think how many units currently hold about is the impact on the bottom "I enj oy my job. I have purpose.
of tl
for ourselves . W e equate structure position s on Earth, the M oon , and line. Divesting themselves of human I save lives," says Ben "Benjamin"
offet
with safety. M ars- and what those positions are. workers has also enlarged their profit 28AG31 , a bioroid currently tasked
so-c:
Proponents split their views on One of the main obj ections to margin. There are no sick days or to HAZARD-US, a competitor of
four·
whether thi s trend is an in sidious using bioroids has been that th ey injuries among the bioroid labor T oxic Kleen, Inc.
to a:
practice or an outgrowth of much replace fl esh-and-blood employees in pool, nor are there any workers' Ben 28AG31 is a bulky, blocky SOffit
sought-after complace ncy by indi- the workplace. In the beginning, HB co mp payouts. bioroid that's almost as wide as it is
by B
viduals. Social psychologists insist focused on creating bioroids to take "Golems don't care if they're tall. With rudimentary human fea-
1l
that the average person no longer th e place of hum ans in high -riskjobs destroyed ," says an activist for tures, a gentle giant by way of Fran-
vagu
knows en ough about city, country, like handling toxic materials, fight- Human First who did not wish her kenstein, he holds a mop and a bucket
extn
wo rld, or extra-planetary life to effe c- ing fires , or other jobs that included identity known. "They'll melt down and shows scarring and pitting from
legs
tively handle his or her existence. the possibili ty of human fatali ty. to get the job done if they have to, exposure to corrosive chemicals. H e's
tatio
I don't beli eve that 's true. I've N ow, everyone can be replaced. and they don't lose anything when been working with HAZARD-US
then
gone underground these past few Humanity Labor, one of the they do. Our guys, we risked our for three years but has to have parts
man
months to get at the truth. I've dedi- groups protesting against H aas- necks on the job. The only reason we replaced regularly.
dext•
cated myself to uncove ring the facts, Bioroid , fears that eventually HB put our lives and our health on the "One of the best things about
envi1
and I've concentrated on one of the will take away all jobs and reduce CO N TIN U E 'Y and
biggest mysteries facing us today: people to redundant systems that find
PNB Wlde~es s~ for Yt:M benl!ft by NBN and assooated sub51dwles Personalized News Bullebn Relevance Index 83
H aas-Bioroid. will get phased out. A s they insist in way
Everyone knows the rnegacor- their social platforms, hum an labor-
poration. It's on the tip of every ers have already lost many jobs due to NEW ANGELES TIMES ists,
climl
tongue. You see their ads and info-
mercials frequently in the media.
the bioroid co ntracts.
• • •
TECHNOLOGY. REPORTER therr
akin
H aas-Bioroid rents advertising space
on buildings throughout the rnetro-
"I UN DERSTAN D THE COMP LAINTS OF
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN RE PLACED
SHUGOFA KARZAI MISSING one 1
have
plexes. In New Angeles, where I'm ON THE JO B," SAYS D AM IEN KI NG , In a statement to The New Angeles Times NAPD an e'
from , you can't turn a street corner CEO OF Tox ic KLEEN, I Nc ., "AN D
Sergeant Chris Kulemeka assured us, "Although far
without corning face-to-face with I FEEL TH EIR PAIN. N o ONE wANTs push
H aas-Bioroid marketing or one of TO LO SE EMPLOYMENT IN TH E CUR- Ms. Karzai has been reported missing and has, in to be
their produ cts. RE NT ECONOMY. BuT THESE PEO- fact, not shown up at work or her residence for the 0
PLE FORGET THAT WE ACCEPTED Fran
H AAs-BIORO!D's LABOR coNTRACTS last four days, the NAPD has no reason to believe
mon:
TO PROTECT THEM, NOT DISEN- anything has happened to her. It's not against the the !
FRANCHI SE THEM. Toxic KLEEN "As
law for adults to step away from their lives. People
THOUGHT ONLY OF THE EMPLOYEE S and
WHEN WE MADE THE DECISIONS TO disappear all the time." "hun
OUTS OURCE JO BS TO BIO ROIDS. Nevertheless, concerned friends have lobbied impr
"Clones are cheaper if you look ture I
at the up-front cost, but bioroids- for the police department to open an investigation
but r
while being more expensive in the into Karzai's disappearance. decn
short term-operate for years, are the 1
"It's not like her to simply disappear," the missing
cheaper to maintain , and can be word
more easily designed to multitask." reporter's coworker Carlos Webber declared. "She's an in
King is one of many CEOs who been with the Times for over three years. Shugofa even
have signed multi-year agreements AJ
with HB for a bioroid workforce. wouldn't just leave." He insists that something has "Wh
Toxic Kleen scours sites riddled with happened to the young woman. "The NAPD is Touc
chemical and nuclear waste, bidding who
part of the cover-up. Everyone knows how corrupt
!EVE
:<>
~ ..._~-
~ l_b I_NA_l -
~ I__.
N
on jobs that are intensely dangerous
to fle sh-and-blood workers .
"Since we signed the contract for
bioroid labor," King says, "we've not
had one on- the-job fataliry. Not one.
That's something to take pride in.
they are."
Anyone with knowledge of Shugofa Karzai's
whereabouts is encouraged to contact The New
Angeles Times. RELATED STORIES ~
sp ea~
do. 1
resen
to tho
lack t
diffic
But Human First and other groups empa
Netcrim~
through our systems." Professor Rose explained that genetic modification requires
the intervention of a viral protein designed to insert the DNA into the host's
[;, rdo··Df'Luu animals coming from genome. "I don't know," she said. "Maybe the rat was sick with a retrovirus of some
kind? The whole thing seems pretty unlikely."
Al-Issa proclaims. "People need to else. But it's coming." it when he and my grandmother
pay attention. This is just a smoke- • • • scraped together money for it. I was
screen. HB won't admit to that " PEOPLE FORGET THAT HAAs- pulling beer, mixing drinks, and roll-
James being hacked, and it probably BIOROID PRODUCES MORE THAN ing narc-sticks since I was nine years
wasn't, but they've got public rela- BIOROIDs," RETIRED SPACE ExPE- old. My grandmother taught me.
tions teams who will whisper that DITIONARY CORPS LIEUTENANT "My grandparents came here
to create confusion for the masses. DILMA SERRA SAYS DURING A because their land in Singapore
Their crisis management people put RECENT INTERVIEW. SHE LOST BOTH was purchased by one of the corps,"
that spin on the accident when really LEGS AND ONE ARM I N THE MAR- C hua says. "They invested everything
this was just a play to jam the gov- TIAN COLONY WARS. they had in the bar. It used to h ave
ernment's investigation." "Without the cybernetics another name, but my grandmother
No one knows how many cyber received from Haas-Bioroid, changed the name to the Blinking
and physical attacks have been wouldn't have the quality of life I do Owl, naming it after the herb she MEGA DEALS!
launched against HB. There are now. A lot of veterans are thankful grew in a small garden in the back."
at least thirty-seven documented for them." Chua points at the gleaming MEGA SAVINGS!
attacks on holdings in Heinlein, buildings just across the street.
Sydney, Cologne, Johannesburg, and
• • • "Urban renewal came in and swept
"ME? THANKFUL?" SAYS RETIRED Shop MegaBuy to get
New Angeles. The last such attack away most of the old neighborhood .
UNITED STATEs ARMY CoRPORAL the latest and greatest in
took place at the ChiLo offices when The property over there is owned
a sniper started shooting at departing
BERNARD RoTH. "SuRE, LET 's CALL
by Astrapo Corporation. They're a
electronic fashion and
IT THAT. THANKFUL AS [ EXPLETIVE
HB employees a week ago. Greek business that specializes in accessories.
DELETED]. I'M ALI VE BECAUSE OF
• • • CYBERNETIC ORGANS AND A (EXPLE-
manufacturing batteries. The name
HAAs-BIOROID IS H ELMED BY is supposed to mean electricity or Show this rag for 30% off the
TIVE DELETED) LEG REPLACEMENT,
DIRECTOR HAAs, BUT HER soN something like that." entire INFINITY line from
BUT WHERE'S MY QUALITY OF LIFE?
THOMAS I S MUCH EASIER TO MEET "I got my pension from the army,
When Astrapo Corporation came CyberSolutions! *
FOR A FACE- TO- FACE. D uRING THE into the neighborh ood ten years ago
but I got no job. I got a roof over my • Offer good io Ne w Ange les sho wrooms only
BRI EF INTERVIEW I AM ABLE TO head at the VA, and I can work, but and bought all the rental proper-
OBTAIN, THOMAS H AAs STANDS IN ties, the renters were driven away by
nobody's hiring. You ask me, if I'd high prices. functioning models, ones that have
AN OFF ICE OVERLOOKING A SILVER had more parts replaced, come back
AND BLACK MOONSCAPE AT HEI N-
"Everybody thought Astrapo enough intellectual capacity to
less human, I could get (expletive , interface with hum ans on a daily
LE I N. ELEGANT AS EVER, H AAS deleted] work." was going to provi d e a 1ot of jo bs, ·
APPEARS RELAXED AND ENERGETIC.
Chua says. "Instead, they brought in. basis. These models are receptionists,
HE HAS A REPUTATION AS A BAD BOY
• • • bioroids. With their homes gone and clerks, child care providers, and sales
WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT represeqtatives.
IN MANY OF THE SHOUTCASTS . no jo bs to rep1ace t h e ones t11at h ad .
DOWNT IME AND PLACES OUTSIDE Chua 1eans on the bar and shakes
I asked him about the contro- been eliminated as well, folks just
THEIR HOMES TO GATHER WITH moved away." his head auhem. "They started drift-
versy regarding the use of bioroids
FRIENDS, THEY USUALLY CONSIDER For a time, Chua feared he was ing in one day and took up s.eats. It's
in the workplace and the violent
SPORTING EVENTS, SHOPPI NG, AND going to lose the family bar. . st:il).straJJge to see them talking to each
outbreaks that continue to take place
PERHAPS HOBBIES THEY ENJOY. "You want to know what saved ..other::: Like· they're real or something,
regarding the labor solutions Haas-
SMALL AND LARGE CLUBS WHERE · you know? These bioroids, they're curi-
Bioroid provides. this place?" Chua smiles bigger than
PEOPLE GATHER HAVE BEEN A PART . ·ous by des.ign. They like to problem
He shrugs and shows me that pho- ever. "The same thing that nearly
togenic smile doubtless made perfect
OF LIFE SINCE OUR ANCESTORS FIRST killed it." solve, like be challenged by things." to
PUT DOWN PERMANENT ROOTS. Sliding :a deck of cards from
by g-mods. That expression has been H e's talking about the bioroids
"I grew up in this bar," Lewis that now occupy the tables and under the bar, Chua spreads them
plastered across every screamsheet
Chua, proprietor of the Blinking on the bar. "This is what saved me.
I've ever seen, and Thomas Haas is chairs once filled by flesh-and-blood
Owl, says. "My grandfather bought clientele. The bioroids are high- A deck of playing cards. Mter
an icon for the younger population.
CONT I NUE T
"People always complain about
change," Thomas Haas says. "They From the Vaulb Personalized News Bulletin Relevance Index 81
get set in their ways and don't want
to embrace the future in the work-
place, but can't wait for the next iter-
DEADLY SNIPER CLAIMS 14 VICTIMS IN CHILO
ation in entertainment. That's always
been the case." On Friday morning, employees at Haas-Bioroid in downtown ChiLo stepped
"1he H aas family always focuses out into the gunsights of a spree killer. During the cold-blooded, methodical
on the future," Director H aas says in
attack, thirty-two people suffered gunshot wounds, eleven of them died at the
a rare interview eight years ago. "My
forebears didn't settle for riding on scene, and three more were pronounced dead at local hospitals.
their successes when we were Haas The sniper, Seok Kwangho, was found dead in an office building opposite
Industrie. They created the future
then, and we still do now." Haas-Bioroid's offices. Seok was a former prisec contractor who was trained
When asked about what he sees as a sniper, but no ties have been discovered that linked him to Haas-Bioroid.
in the future, Thomas Haas reveals
Police investigators have found tentative connections between Seok and
that enigmatic smile again. "I can't
talk about that right now, but I can Human First. "The case is open," CLPD Detective Anton Malfatti says. "If
tell you this: Director Haas doesn't today's attack was part of a conspiracy, we'll find out who's behind it."
like change any more than anyone
the Rise: New Angeles has been the epicenter of a rising tide of Netcrime, authorities reported on Friday. The National
Security Center Administration reports increases in automated crime, identity theft, network intrusion, chip-
rinninn- rlin-ir., J rn••nt-.<>.-+.,.; .. ;...., ,..,. ,.,,...,,..l ,,...., ,.,,,,.l-.,,.. .. ;,.,. ..,. ,.1 ...,, , .. ~•<> ;ll ,.,...,,...,a .n, ro ..-" ., ;"_.....-.nnt-h ,... ,. .. ;,..,.4 ,.. ,.,.,,.,. ...,.,..J h, , t-hP. t"PI"\1"\t"t-
consumer every
scandal.Jinteki and other major soybeef product have already been contacted close loopholes found and explo ited pushed on you by some secretary yo;
in the agricultural sector dominate via autopush to their PADs and will be by cyber criminals. Even the newest encounter on the Net," warned Lt. Ine
of Australia and other offered a complimentary full replacement. device can be at risk of infection. Delgado of the NAPD.
ch;tirs once tilled hv Hesh-and-blnnd business started slowing down, I adaptive bioroid that becomes better
clientele. ·n,e hioroids ;tre hit;b- started playing solitaire. My grand- and better at the job it performs. The
hm~...·tiunin.!-!: 1n odels, ones th;tt h.tve
enough intellectual
interl:Kc 1.virh human..; on a daih
cap<t~..:it}· to
father taught me that. Anyway, I
was playing cards and some of the
bioroids came up to ask w h at I was
corps realize they're getting a bargain
because these bioroids don't balk at
change or multi-tasking or just have
GOLEMGOT
ba~is. TI1c:-;c modds are rcct:ptinnists,
dcrb, child -:arc pro\'idcrs, and q]e,
doing. Not having anything else to
do, I explained the game to them.
a bad day. They're perfect assistants,
loyal and intelligent."
YOUR JOB?
reprcscnta rives. They took it up. Took up a lot of Reginald D'Amato, freelance
Chu.t ]c;tn< on the b"r .md sh11ko other games too. " business analyst and investor, offers Brown and Zhang
his hc·;td ;tl them. "'l1w1· surrcd drifr- Bioroids sit at the tables playing this thought: "You can't just lease
jng- in nnt.: day ;tnd took up "'::at:-. It'..:; cards, go, and mah-jongg. Chua also a bioroid and throw it at a job. You
have got your back!
'it ill..;tcmp.-c w sec them Lllkin:!, to l';lch provides computer interfaces for have to let it know what you expect We are certified
ntht'r. Likl' thcy'n:· 1"\::'<.11 nr ..;unH~thl11~ , online gaming and VR as well. from it. Bioroids aren't just plug and attorneys with years
you know?1bc~t.: hiun)id":>, th1...·\-'rc curi- "Once I found out these bioroids play units. These top-of-the-line
iHI':> h}· dt"'ign. 'lh.?y like tn prnhkm liked games, and would pay for the models have creativity and imag-
of experience in
'ir v • ik 'he ~_·hallcn.!.!.ni by rhjng::.." privilege of sitting here playing, ination built into their software. employment law.
nearly :C,];din ,1 deck "f c;trds fr,>Jn the flow of credits into the Owl They're nowhere near as advanced as
uudtr ~-t,l.. h;lr, Chua ::-pre<ld~ them picked up. I invested in the com- humans, but the potential for growth
oro ids
s and
un the hJr. 'This j..; who.tt saved Jl1L.
t\ deck n( pl.tving cards. After
puter units." Chua nods toward the
filled computer stations. "They play
is there, and that potential needs to
be realized."
Get what you
everything." • • • are owed!
• • • "WHAT IS THE GREATEST TEACH-
Tap here for a free
NE
"THEY PAY THOSE DAMNED GOLEMS!" ING TOOL WE HAVE?" DR. BENE-
A DISENFRANCHISED WORKER COM- DICT GRAYSON ASKS. As A CH ILD
consultation.
PLAINS. HE WAS ONCE AN OVERSEER DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST WITH
AT AsTRAPO CoRPORATION BUT A FOCUS ON LEARNING DISORDERS, Endorsed by Humanity Labor.
GHT
WAS REPLACED BY AsH 4L1KD5PS, GRAYSON IS ONE OF THE LEADERS IN
ONE oF HE's OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY HIS CHOSEN FIELD. l N ADDITION TO By the age of five, children have
MODELS. "THE CORPS LEASE THOSE HIS WORK FOR FEDERALLY FUNDED learned 80o/o of their social skills.
• • •
"MAYBE THEY'RE NOT PEOPLE," Bioroid AIs deployed in in trusion countermeasures are
CHUA SAYS AS HE WATCHES OVER the latest application of adaptive security technologies.
HIS NEW CYBERNETIC CLIENTELE
WITH A FOND GLEAM IN HIS EYE, the kids. Everybody wins . says. "They're here to live with us, so "These models are used to tak-
"BUT IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO "Of course, some of the parents we might as well make the best of it. ing care of sick people, or people
THEM PLAYING OUT THERE, YOU CAN aren't like that at all and kids have I think I help provide a good envi- who are really close to death," Dr.
SEE THAT SOME OF THEM DO ENJOY to sneak in and sneak out of here. ronment for that." Blanche Carmichael says. She is a
PLAYING IT. I GOT SCHOOL KIDS But overall, the situation is good for • • • nursing instructor at Levy University
COME IN HERE SOME AFTERNOON everybody." NoT ALL oF THE HIGH - END Teaching Hospital in New Angeles.
AND TAKE ON THE BIOROIDS. THE The Blinking Owl has its detrac- BIOROIDS SEEK OUT PLACES TO PLAY "They're designed with emotional
KIDS ENJOY INTERFACING WITH THE tors. The NAPD has been called in GAMES . MANY OF THE STEVENS complexity. They become close
BIOROIDS, AND THEY LEARN A LOT on several occasions, but the kids AND FLORENCES WORK AS CARE- with the people they're assigned
FROM EACH OTHER." don't drink anything but the tea and to care for, and when they lose a
TAKERS IN SENIOR CITIZENS HOMES,
As we talked, a local mother came cocoa Chua keeps on hand for them. HOSPICES, OR AS PERSONAL NURSES patient to sickness or ill health, it . ..
in for her children, calling to a son People still complain, but it's a nui- TO PEOPLE WHO WISH TO EMPLOY affects them."
and a daughter. Both children were sance he's putting up with because he THEM AS SUCH. In the early stages, Carmichael
polite and waved to the Greg unit sees that he's doing a service to the When not on the job, these goes on to say, bioroids who worked
(designed as a sales clerk) as they left. community. bioroids volunteer for charity work, in caretaking fields were worked to
The bioroid waved back. "There's no way anybody's gonna exhaustion. Not physical exhaustion,
in soup kitchens and as aids in
"You get some of the parents in put bioroids back in the box," Chua school systems. but an emotional exhaustion.
here like that," Chua says. "It's kind CONTINUE ~
of a babysitting service." He shrugs.
"I make a little profit off of that,
which helps me get new games and
computer access for the bioroids and
Red Blood
., on the ~.,
Mumbad . Media curator XB!aze credits a rights deal recently signed between Harishchan- shoutcastThursday. "Some of it is in Indian E nglish, which is totally in
dra Entertainment of Mum bad with NBN Media Gold that makes thousands of top-quality speaks American, and the rest can be easily live-translated by your stre
Indian entertainment units available to the New A ngeles consumer. The first wave is set to include sensie classics like Passion's
Harishchandra is known for its extremely bright and spectacular simsensies that cover a Lakshmi Runway.
ccc•cc
T CONTINUED FROM in charge of the bioroids at our Lauren models are expected to inte- Bioroids have been beaten to
ENG I NEERING THE department," Edgar Beliveau says. grate with their communities inside pieces, set on fire, and even taken
MODERN WORKFORCE "We worked at this design place. Kim their apartm ent buildings. up into h oppers to be dropped onto
by Shugofa Karzai and I created custom cabinets and "They get to know people," streets hundreds of meters below.
miniature bars and countertops. The Samantha Grisoni says. "Becoming The more unusual cases end up in the In
"Day after day, those units would in
bioroids m anufactured everything a neighbor is part of the extended screamsheets from time to time, but
see all this turmoil and chaos . They'd qu
we designed . Beautiful stuff. And learning process." She frowns, look- generally the newsrags and media-
have to deal w ith more than just an!
they could work in transplas , con- ing troubled and displeased . "This feeds have less mundane stories to
their client. They'd have to deal with tas
crete, glass, and vanasteel. Kim and I stage of their evolutio n-and , yes, report on instead.
the client's families as well. That's a by
would d esign . They would build. I use the word 'evolution' because it The New A ngeles Police Depart-
lot of uncertainty and suffering and
"We couldn't design stuff fast fits-is difficult. Most people don't ment is overwhelmed as it is, and H,
loss, and it's too much for their per-
enough to keep the bioroids busy want to get to know the bioroid liv- the destruction of property rates
sonality indices ." tri1
all day. That was one of the reasons ing in their building . But we're hope- fairly low compared to higher-order
As a result, some units shut Fo
I ended up getting let go. Takes time ful this integration will eventually concerns such as murder, orgcrime,
down and became non-responsive. wi"
to create art, but my boss didn't see turn a corner. " and Netcrime.
They had to be taken back in to HB loc
it that way. She go t the bioroids Durst goes on to say that the "Even when we know who com-
and re-channeled. To everyone's sur- a
because they were fas ter than any bioroid renters are good business. mitted the attacks, it's only a property
pri se, those units broke dow n from cri
machinists or craftsmen we ever had. They don't complain. If something damage charge," says Captain Stuart
post- traumatic stress disorder. spe
Mendoza of the NAPD. "S ure, our
"That's not what it really is," sta
forspec team collects w hat evidence
Carm ichael says, "because they're the
they can, but H aas-Bioroid has its
all machines . Ju st hig hly evolved an
own legion of lawyers to pursue
machines th at end up crashing "The Blinking Owl used to be a good place to these cases in civil and criminal court th,
because of something very like in!
PTSD. E veryone was surprised
drink a cool one after work, or maybe light up when the bioroid wasn't bought out-
right" by' the end user, which is most of
about that. Some of the software a little dream smoke. But now Chua is letting of the time. Even then, Human- m<
people theorized that the co nstant
the golems come in to play their little games. ity Labor represents a lot of these en
loss of patients interfered with the
You ask me, those monsters just come in there defendants, many of w hom are or
bioroids' First Directive . They're sup- arr
become Human First members in
posed to keep humans alive. In most to mix with real people to find out what all of the process, and there are numerous rat
of the cases they're involved with, Ar
that 's just not possible."
our weaknesses are. Then one day they'll rise up settlements out of court. "
no
As part of the "therapy" the care- and that'll be the end of us. Put a gun to my • • • the
''JD~ES IT BOTHER ME WHEN I WORK
taker units had to undergo, they were head, I still ain't going back to that place." SW
THE PESTRUCTION OF A BIOROID?"
assigned to the soup kitchens and le'
ASKS FLOYD 2X3A7C, THE FIRST
other positive feedback assignments. to
BIOROID DETECTIVE PLACED IN THE
"It's all about helping people," Car- tio
NAPD. His ARTIFICIAL FEATURES
michael says. "We all need to know bu
Figured she'd up production. She goes wrong in their apartments, , ARE.·pELIBERATELY EMPHASIZED SO
we make a difference, that we can be·
did. Upped production right out of H aas-Bioroid usually sends a main- ANYONE HE INTERACTS WITH WILL
help someone, not just make death be
my having a job. tenance team in to take care of. .·KNOW HE's·NoT HUMAN. NAPD HR
easier. Medicine is about prolonging hi!
"Before that happened, though, things. That's part of the renting DIDN'T W~N T ANY CONFUSION ON
life, but you have to remember what co.
!(jm told me he felt sorry for those agreements. THE STREET WHERE HE WORKS.
you're prolonging it for. Giving help th•
to someone who needs it and appre-
bioroids just standing in their boxes • • • Only a short distance away, the
ha
at night. Said he'd go down and talk 1
"THEY RE NOT LlVI NG AM ONG US," A warped chassis of a pleasure bioroid
ciates it, that's a special kind of medi- wl
to them some night, just to keep Hu MAN FIRST ACTIVIST TELLS ME lies twisted and burned on a hotel
cine you don't get just anywhere." str
them company. H e told me they AS WE TALK ON A DARK STREET COR- patio on the hundredth floor. Hop-
When the change in services was cyl
seemed to like it. I just figured Kim NER. "HAAS-BIOROID SENT THEM pers slow down as they pass to
rolled out to people who contracted
didn't have many friends." TO SPY oN us. DIRECTOR HAAs IS observe the destruction.
the caretaker units, some pushback Ge
resulted . However, Director Haas • • • HOPING EVERYBODY WILL GET SO "I am not d esigned to be 'both-
ap
negotiated some tax relief cred- OLI VER DuRST RENTS SMALL INURED TO SEEING THEM EVERY- ered.' I am designed to investigate, to
mi
its for everyone who allowed their APARTMENTS TO SEVERAL HIGH- WHERE THAT WE WON'T EVEN KNOW question circumstances and people
D:
bioroids to take part in charity activ- END BJOROJDS IN THE APARTMENT WHEN THEY'VE TAKEN OVER. BuT until I arrive at a perpetrator for a
foJ
ities. The "therapy" has since become BUILDINGS HE MANAGES. HE SAYS YOU TAKE A LOOK AROUND. T HERE'S crime. I will discover who vandalized
co
more popular. HE STILL HAS PROBLEMS BELIEVING LOTS OF THOSE GOLEMS DYING this unit and prepare a case against
ho
HAAS -BJOROJD RENTS THE SPACES AMONG US. " him or her."
• • • In the course of his service at the
bl:
SoME OF THE BIOROJDS DO OCCUPY
FOR THEIR UNITS . • • • in
ON-S IT E "CRYPT S" W HERE THEY ARE
"Establishing domiciles for the DESTRUCTION OF BJOROIDS IS N'T A NAPD, F loyd 2X3A7C has put his wi
STORED TILL THEY'RE USED AGAIN.
higher-end bioroids was a logical next COMMON PLACE OCCURRENCE, BUT existence on the line to save a fellow II
THIS USUALLY HAPPENS IN FIELDS
step in their progression," Dr. Bene- THE NUMBER OF CRIMES PERPE- officer four times. th
dict Grayson says. "They play, they TRATED AGAINST THEM IS SLOWLY "I acted to save my fellow offi-
WHERE BIOROIDS ARE UNABLE TO su·
PERFORM THE WORK WITHOUT
learn. But you have to do sometl1ing RISING. A S CIVIL UNREST AND ANGER cers," Floyd says . "The idea of their ac
SUPERVISION, AND THUS FOLLOW
with that learning. These new model AMONG THE UNEMPLOYED AND DIS- impending deaths did not 'bother' mi
THE SAME SCHEDULE AS THEIR
bioroids we're turning out now, they ENFRANCHISED RISES, SOME OF me at the time. I carried out the
HUMAN COWORKE RS.
have to learn to be responsible too." THO SE INDIVIDUALS TAKE MATTERS Directives, which form an integral
Bioroids such as the Matthew and INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. part of my core self. Humans must
"I worked with the guy w ho was
CONTINUE T ca
lat
Liberty Society Attorney Miles Swanson was th
found dead on Midway Station on Thursd ay inJ
morning, according to the SEA. The medical ba
& ll -~~L. .
l...
l lllllllllllll&• examiner indicated that Swanson was sho t th
cers," Floyd S<li'S. "11w idea of their
impending deaths did not 'bother' go in:
me at the time. 1 c;\rriecl out the susp1
Directives, v:bich forn1 an integral
part of my core self Hum<H1S must
not be allowed to die through my it's just as much a tool as a Ben-
inactivity, regardless of whether they jamin that works 16 hours a day
are the perpetrators or my partner." cleaning the same area over and over
One of the strangest things I or a Jonathan that repairs broken-
happen to notice during my inter- down equipment.
view is that Floyd wears a crucifix Sex sells. That's become a com-
on a chain around his neck. His fel- mon saying in business, and it's never
low detectives tell me that he also been truer than since Haas-Bioroid
attends church. started production on units designed
When I ask him about the cru- for this purpose.
cifix, Floyd touches it and almost Eve 49A57D works in the F leur-
acts sensitive about the issue. "I have de-Lis Pleasure House, an exclusive
questions," F loyd tells me. "Qyes- club on the north side of Luna-
tions about my own nature, and that cent. I only got in because Thomas
of all bioroids. I am aware that I am Haas arranged the interview. Haas-
much more than many other, simpler Bioroid is obviously proud of their
units, but I wonder if all of us are not pleasure bioroids .
more than the su m of our parts." • • •
H e tucks the crucifix I'M GREETED AT THE DOOR
away. "One day I will , TO THE EXPENSIVE BUSI -
know. Until then, I NESS . MosT OF THE BUILD-
will speculate and ING IS SUBSTRATA, AS ARE
question MOST DWELLINGS ON THE
He looks at the MooN, nuT FLEUR-DE-Lrs
inert unit only a few AN ABOVEGROUND
meters away. "It is pos- TOWER THAT
sible that unit has not LOOKS OUT OVER THE MOON- .
simply 'terminated' her SCAPE. EARTH LOOMS LARGE IN
existence. I choose to THE DISTANCE:
believe there is more The meeting takes place
than meets the eye. I in one of the posh suites on
believe Haas-Bioroid the top floor. The pink decor
has created something almost overwhelming
far more humanlike than and the antique fi.lfniture
they believe. Something (French, I think) must
that may prove more ... h ave cost a fortune to be
permanent., shipped up from Earth.
• • • I take a seat on one of the
PEOPLE DON'T plush couches but I can't
THE ABUSE THAT'S DONE get comfortable because
TO BIOROIDS, AND THAT'S no matter where I look, the
BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE round bed covered in pink
DON'T GO TO PLACES satin draws my attention.
LIKE EuzA's ToYBox. Eve enters the room and
WHEN HAAS-BIOROID she looks exactly like the cat-
PUT THEIR CATALOGUE alogue image displayed in holo
TOGETHER, THEY DIDN'T in the entryway. She's blond
MISS A TRICK: PLEASURE and beautiful, everything a fan-
BIOROIDS LIKE THE EvE tasy should be. And I can't help
AND ADONIS MODELS, but wonder how many more
AMONG KEVINS AND Eves there are. I've been told
LrsAs AND OTHERS, ARE she is a popular model.
CONSTRUCTED SOLELY She fixes me a drink and
TO SERVICE THE BASER makes herself comfortable on
DESIRES OF HUMANITY. tl1e couffi. I can't help shifting
THESE BIOROIDS WORK IN a little away from her, and this
PLACES LIKE EuzA's T oY- causes her to ask if I would prefer
Box AND PATTY's SECRET, an Adonis. I wouldn't, and I tell her
FROM HIGH-SCALE BUSINESSES mat I'd specifically asked for an Eve.
TO AIRLOCKED SHACKS OUT IN Surprisingly, sh e's articulate,
THE MARTIAN CoLONIES. SoME up on current events (politically
OF THE UNITS ARE PASSED AROUND correct and non-controversial,
FROM SHIP TO SHIP. however, and sh e won't take a side
It's easy to write off a pleasure on an issue no matter how hard I
bioroid because in its own way, press her) .
• • • cccc•c
By this time, I notice her voice "SoME PEOPLE ARE JUST TWISTED," a tear along the synthskin of his ''As to whether an abused bioroid
has changed and she has taken my NEw ANGELES DETECTIVE LoUis bottom lip. It is getting so hard to would ever turn on a person who tor-
hand in hers. I pull my hand back BLAINE SAYS DURING AN INTERVIEW. tell some of the high-end models tured it, that's just not feasible. The
as politely as I can, surprised at how HE'S A BIG MAN , SCARRED FROM PAST from humans . Three Directives cancel any possibil-
responsive I am to her. If she'd been EXPERIENCES, AND LOOKS LIKE HE A door down the hall opens and ity of that. A bioroid cannot harm
an Adonis, I think the night could HASN'T SMILED IN YEARS. "IT WOULD one of my neighbors I've never met a human." He frowns. "No matter
have ended much differently. Main- BE SAFER FOR PEOPLE BUYING THEIR waves me over to her. what the human does to it."
taining objectivity is still hard. SEX TO STICK WITH AN ESTABLISH- "Get away from him," she says • • •
She apologizes and tells me she MENT, BUT YOU GOT PEOPLE WHO in a low voice. "If his owner catches A FEW DAYS AFTER MEETING
didn't mean to rush me. I tell her I'm DON'T WANT TO CHANCE GETTING him talking to you, she'll take it out DETECTIVE BLAINE, I MEET HIM
not one of her usual clients, and that FOUND OUT." HE TAKES ANOTHER on him. That woman is insane. She's AGAIN WHILE COVERING THE
I'm surprised she wasn't told why I BITE OF A JELLY DONUT, CHEWS, AND already destroyed two bioroids in the DESTRUCTION OF A PLEASURE
was there. SWALLOWS. "AND YOU GOT SOME past year, ever since her husband left."
BIOROID IN THE RED-LIGHT DIS-
"I know why you're here," Eve WHO LIKE TO GET THEIR FREAK ON When I get to my office, I find out TRICT. HE'S IN THE EVIDENCE ROOM.
49A57D replies. "You want to talk to BY PICKING UP SOMEONE IN THE who the abusive neighbor is and dis- Blaine wears his trench coat and
me about what I do here." STREETS. THOSE RED-LIGHT DIS- cover that her husband didn't leave. holds his fedora in one big hand. He
I tell her that's right. TRICTS ARE ESPECIALLY PRIME TAR- He disappeared sixteen months ago. looks more tired than when I last saw
"I can't talk about the people I see." GETS FOR ANDROID HATE GROUPS." And the Kevin line resembles his him. When he looks up at me, he
I tell her I understand that, and • • • appearance to an uncanny degree. doesn't look too surprised to see me.
that I just want to know how she LISA AND I ARE ONLY ABLE TO TALK • •• The bioroid "corpse" is on a stain-
feels about her job. A FEW MINUTES. I ASK HER IF ALL EACH YEAR, AN UNDISCLOSED less steel table under a white sheet,
"I love my work." She smiles and SHE's EVER KNOWN IS THE STREET, NUMBER OF PLEASURE BIOROIDS both probably borrowed from the
her eyes sparkle. "I make people OR IF THERE WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE GET DESTROYED BY CRIM INALS OR morgue. Instead of blood, a blue
happy. I provide them with satis- SHE'D WORKED PREVIOUSLY. THEIR OWNERS. DESPITE SEVERAL fluid stains the sheet, and the figure
faction they can't get anywhere else. "I worked at another place for a ATTEMPTS TO RESEARCH THOSE beneath it looks disturbingly human.
What could be more wonderful?" few months," Lisa says . "Have you NUMBERS, THERE ARE NO COMPLETE "When Haas-Bioroid first
Mter an hour of "interviewing" ever been to Belladonna's?" REPORTS OF THESE INCIDENTS, IN unleashed their products," Blaine
and having to fight off many dif- I tell her no, but I don't tell her PART BECAUSE AN OWNER CAN DO says, "some guys on the Force said it
ferent attempts at seduction (many I've never heard of it. WHAT HE WANTS TO HIS OWN PROP- would be the end of human traffick-
of which I'd never seen before), I "It was a small place," Lisa says, ERTY WITH IMPUNITY. ing. It cut down on that business a
took my leave. "but I had a room there. Some "It's a disturbing phenomenon," lot, especially since killing a bioroid
• • • friends." She gazes around. "The Dr. Benedict Grayson reports. "I've ain't murder."
LISA XM4DR9 WALKS A CORNER people out here on the street, they're seen studies where it's been sug- He strips the sheet and I see Lisa
DOWN ON MEIRELES STREET IN not as friendly as they could be. Most gested that bioroids be used in lying there. Her arms have been
BAsE DE CAYAMBE's RED-LIGHT DIS- of them outside of what I do don't therapy to allow patients to liter- torn from her body and are missing.
TRICT. SHE WEARS A SHORT DRESS want to talk to me, and the people ally destroy the cybernetic effigy of H er stomach is missing as well and
WITH A PLUNGING NECKLINE THAT who rent me, they don't want to whomever has troubled them in their blue fluid drenches h er. Her face is
BARELY MAINTAINS HER MODESTY, talk either." She looks wistful and lives, but I've never heard of a story stretched in a terrified yell that no
THOUGH SHE PROBABLY WOULDN'T I try to remind myself that it's just where that was actually done. Still; . one ~ill ever hear.
CARE. SHE'S A REDHEAD AND HER a programmed reaction. "I miss some people self-medicate, others .· The tag on her toe identi-
SKIN IS AS PALE AS MILK. SHE ALSO the talking." are addicts, and some don't have co!)- fies her ."as Lisa XM4DR9. Guilt
LOOKS MUCH YOUNGER THAN THE We get to talk a little longer and trol of their more violent emotions; washes over me.
EVE I INTERVIEWED oN THE MooN. I can't help but feel I'm doing her a so anything is possible. CONTINUE T
The surroundings are low-rent. favor. Then her owner returns, figures
Trash blows through the street out that we've just been talking, and
behind us. I'm not there alone. I tells me to keep paying or move on.
hired a bodyguard to watch over me, I leave Lisa standing there and I
a mercenary working for a private try not to feel guilty.
security firm. I've never been h ere
• • •
before and I don't feel safe. THE KEVINS IN THE WORLD DON'T
Lisa walks up to me and tells me HAVE IT ANY EASIER THAN THE EVES
what she'll do and for how much. OR LISAS. I MEET KEVIN 28R96M IN
I explain that I'm a reporter just MY BUILDING BY CHANCE. HE SITS
trying to get a story. I tell her I'll pay OUTSIDE THE DOOR IN THE HALL-
her for her time and slot my cred- WAY. WHEN I ASK HIM WHAT HE's
stick in her reader. DOING THERE, HE LOOKS UP AT ME
She tells me she doesn't know if WITH A TROUBLED EXPRESSION AND
that will satisfY her owner, but he's TELLS ME THAT HE HAS DISPLEASED
not there at the moment so she can HIS MISTRESS.
spare a little time. Hoppers flit down When I ask him how he did that,
from above, picking up women and
he shakes his head and says he doesn't
men and disappearing with them. It's know. I look more closely at him and
a well-run business and I know she is
see the faint telltale bruising on one
missing work she may need.
of his cheekbones-a cyan blue col-
oration instead of purplish-red-and
I tell Blaine that L isa looks like EASY," A BLACK MARKET DEALER WAS RECOVERED BY NAPD OFFI- Yet, Haas-Bioroid has a policy of
she died painfully. TELLS ME . "You GOT COLLEGE KIDS CERS DURING A RAID ON A SCRAPPER destroying any unit that has fallen
He shakes his head . "She's just a OUT THERE TAKING DOWN GOLEMS OPERATION IN RABOTGOROD, AND off their grid for any significant time.
thing. She has feedback program- JU ST TO PART THEM OUT AND PAY SHE HAS NO IDEA WHO TOOK HER. They don't want to ch ance letting any
ming and sensors, but she ne ver felt OFF THEIR COLLEGE LOANS . HAAs- Today she sits in a storage room kind of software corruption loose in
anything real. " BIOROID HAS PROVIDED A MEANS in the New Angeles Police Depart- their facilities .
I'm not sure I believe him. FOR THE M To DO THAT. GoLEMs ment awaiting transportation back to "The worst virus you allow into
CAN'T FIGHT BACK IN A WAY THAT H einlein w here she w ill be debriefed your system," R yo n Knight says, "is
• • •
ScRAPPERS ARE PEOPL E wHo SPE- MIGHT HURT A HUMAN, SO IF THEY by technicians. Once that d ebriefing the one you invite in yourself." In his
CIALI ZE IN SNATCHING BIOROIDS DON'T ESCAPE FROM THE JUMP, has been completed, Alix 75H2LW positio n as one of the sysops inside
AND BREAK ING THEM DOWN FOR THOSE BIOROIDS ARE TOAST is slated to be destroyed . Haas-Bioroid's security division,
PART S. ONLY HAAS-BIOROID CAN "Scrappers are doing a favor fo r "Based on my analysis of the Knight helped write many of its new
PRODUCE THE BIORO IDS, BUT THERE every fle sh -and-blood worker ever costs and benefits, I believe Haas- electronic countermeasures.
ARE A LOT OF FORMER H AAS- put off the job," says an unidenti- Bi oroid is being overly cautious," Six months ago, Alix 75H2LW
BIOROID EMPLOYEES ON EARTH, fied Human First member. "Maybe the unit says. Sitting on a straight- walked out of Haas-Bioroid with a
LU NA , AND MARS . H aas-Bioroid can keep p retend- backed ch air in the storage room, life exp ectancy of at least six years .
Thieves ha ve created a black mar- ing they can continue pumping the mostly metallic bioroid looks Since her salvation from the hands
ket business out of se lling salvaged out golems, bu t replacing them is intense, her bright silver eyes g lim - of her kidnappers, that time has been
parts and melting down the ch as- expensive. If scrappers can increase mering and black hair tied back in a cut down to hours.
sis o r parts that can't be recovered. th e losses, maybe that cost wi ll pull hig h ponytail. She will have only been in exis-
Haas- B ioroid's Loss Prevention humans back o nto the workforce." ''I'm only six months old, yet I've tence for months.
Prog ram has stepped up its efforts to • • • already h elped the firm's profits grow • • •
end destruction of their u nits. Aux 75H2LW DISAPPEARED by 12% in the last two q uarters. I'm 0NE OF THE PRIMARY CONDITIONS
"These people are carrion feed- FROM THE OFFICES OF HEINRICH not sure how much experience I'll INCLUDED IN TH E LEASE FOR THE
ers," HBLPP Special Agent P edro & BROWNING INVESTMENT GROUP retain after a fu ll w ipe, but if it means HIGHEST-END BIOROIDS IS THAT TH E
Dome neck says. "They all need to be SIX DAYS AGO. THE UN IT WAS A I'll be able to return to m y work at UNIT MUST BE ALLOWED TO TRAVEL
locked up, but the laws haven't been PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO CARM INE optimum , it will be worth it. My TO A HB FACILITY FOR ROUTINE
writte n sternly enoug h to put mo re BROWNING , ONE OF THE MAIN PART- self-diagnostic parameters w ill be MAINTENANCE ONCE A MONTH . THAT
of a fear into these guys." NERS IN THE COR P. I N HER POSITION, able to detect any abnormalities in STIPULATION IS PART OF THE BOIL-
my syste m, so a complete decommis-
• • • Aux 75H2LW WAS PRIVY TO SEV-
sioning would be unnecessary."
ERPLATE EVERY CONTRACT BEGINS
"CATC HI NG BIOROIDS IS JUST TOO ERAL SECRETS. ALIX 75H2LW WITH, AND THERE IS NO BREAKING IT.
CONTINUE T
In the midst of the New Angeles Tsunami, the First Directive helped save thousands of lives.
_ _,!! _ _ _ _ _ _ _
~
~
_
Beanstalk back on Earth. You're as safe find that walking around Heinlein is a special experience, as of environmentally sealed housing units have been con-
as you would be ordering through the microgravity turns your normal stride into great bounds structed. None of them are as advanced as the facilities at
When you've enjoyed Starport Kaguya across the surface. Mter some adjustment, traveling on foot Heinlein, but they do just what they need to do, for the
can move on to visiting Heinlein proper. can be both quick and fun! people who need them.
Time to Clean while Mayor Wells and Commissioner Dawn run our great
city into the ground? We need someone like Commissioner
Calvo from the early days of the NAPD-someone who
UptheNAPD was willing to stand up to City Hall and the Big Four. What
we don't need is another megacorp-funded lackey who's
willing to roll over at the smallest sign of displeasure from
It's no secret that Commissioner Dawn accepted billions of Director Haas and Chairman Hiro. Tlus time around, we Thanks to the oooularitv of
~ has taken aim at the cardinal with accusations of hypocrisy: some claim by the federal government, Gagarin D eep Space has purchased its assets and technology.
ed on Luna with one ofHaas-Bioroid's Eve models on his arm. "This is an exciting time for all of us," Jack W eyland offered in avid sent from his office
creasing number of protests cropping up in fron t of Starlight Crusade cha- in orbit. "Weyland first built us the Beanstalk, and now we're stretching even farther into the
:w Angeles, the Crusade's Templars have bolstered local security measures. stars to push humanity into the next chapter of our development as a species."
ccccc•
MirrorMorph 's neural channeling techniques were integral in the development of high-end bioroids like Floyd 2X3A7C.
~
CONT I NUED FROM Ferguson's views are echoed by a Since so much of the planet is of Aglnfusion. "They don't need
ENGINEER I NG TH E number of other players in the finan- underdeveloped and barren, there are nutrients or water or air to func-
MODERN WORKFORCE cial industry. a number of places for rebel faction s tion. All those basic investments we
by Shugofa Karza i • • • to hide out. Many people in the Mar- put into our product aren't shared
"EvERYONE SEEMS SO CONCERNED tian Colonies want independence, to with labor cost. Our profit margins
Haas-Bioroid insists this down- be out from under the thumbs of the are deeper because of them. And if
WITH BIOROIDS REPLACING US ON
time is scheduled to keep units oper- MCA and corps that they feel have a plant loses atmosphere, we have a
THE JOB THAT EVERYONE FOR-
ating at peak efficiency. Upgrades no real empathy for their way of life. team already in place to begin build-
GETS HAAs-BwRom's ACTUAL
are added, diagnostics are run, aJad "We live out here in these frag- ing a new structure. That gives us
GAME PLAN IS TO REPLACE EVERY
software patches are applied to fine - ile bubbles," says second-generation several months' jump on reconstruc-
FLES H-AN D -BLOOD PERSON THAT
tune or improve the unit for when it Martian Kantos Grgec. "One acci- tion instead of having to ship a .pro-
THEY CAN'T OWN. TH E DAY WILL
returns to the field. All this is done in dent and thousands of lives could duction crew out there. "
coME WHEN DIR ECTOR H AAs SAYS
the name of improving the end-user be wiped out. Earthers keep pushing Even though several colonists
'KNEEL' AND THE WORLD WILL BOW
experience. us for higher outputs at greater effi- agree that having bioroids on Mars
DOWN TO HER."
Several conspiracy theorists ciency, but they don't pay more than is a good thing, there are also some
believe that the bioroids do double- • • • lip service for bettering the living who think that the bioroid presence
duty as spies. They have suggested on A VIEw ANYWHERE ON MARs TAKES
conditions here." could be a threat.
AWAY THE BREATH OF A FIRST-TIME
numerous occasions that the bioroids With the way the situation is "If the corps ever decide to take
allow Haas-Bioroid to dabble in VISITOR. TH E LARGE H EXAGONAL
on Mars, there's no wonder why over, they can do that. They'd just
"insider trading" with the informa- DOMES T HAT HOUSE CITIES GLINT IN
implementation ofbioroids are at an push flesh and blood out of the way
tion they have on tap. T H E SUN BY DAY AND GLOW UNDER
all-time high there. Many of them now that their golems have secured
"No one believes Haas-Bioroid THE MOONSLIGHT AT NIGHT. OuT-
labor in the "fields" of the hydro- a toehold here," says a Picus clans-
is doing anything of the kind," Car- SIDE THE DOMES, THE RED DUST
ponics modules, the deep uranium man who did not wish to be iden ti-
EDDIES IN THE THIN AIR AS TERRA-
son Ferguson ofTitan Transnational mines, and in oxygen purific ation fied. "Earth has a standing army just
Bank declares. "International watch- FORM I NG EFFORTS CONTINUE. MAG-
plants, but many more are needed waiting to be activated. "
LEV TRAINS CROSS THE DISTANCES
dogs take a dim view of anything like for new industry taking place on the
BETWEEN I NH ABITED AREAS, PRO-
that, and they police all transactions "red planet. "
VIDING A MEANS FOR THE TERRA-
Director Haas might be privy to. W e "Bioroids are adaptive," says SK -30-
FORMI NG CREWS TO GET BACK AND
know what could happen . It hasn't." Jerry Brodsky, Operations Manager
FORTH TO WORK.
CLONES
RCCELERRTED IN UITRD MRTURRTIDN
While Haas-Bioroid was debuting the Mark-2, Jinteki was still searching for a stable means Artificial wombs are hybrid devices,
to grow clones in vats. Growing a clone to adulthood by traditional means is time con- composed of synthetic and living tissues.
suming and expensive; Jinteki understood that few could afford to pay for the decades of Shortly after the blastocyst is inserted into
growth and training required. At last, researcher Satoshi Hiro unlocked the revolutionary the machine, it implants upon the living
vat-growing technique to mass-produce clones on an unprecedented scale, thereby min- protein-cellular matrix that makes up a
imizing time, materials, and the amount of skilled labor required. The stable vat-growing portion of the artificial womb. Jinteki care-
process, known as Accelerated In Vitro Maturation (AIVM), prepares clones for con- fully protects the precise methodologies
sumers in a matter of weeks by leveraging growth factors adapted from other organisms. used at this and the following steps in the
The process begins with eggs process. All acknowledge that the
obtained from existing cloned tis- ... clones develop from next few steps involve a carefully
selected cocktail of growth accel-
sue that are first cleansed of DNA
and are later artificially fertilized eggs to finished products erators, which can enable a clone
to grow from the blastocyst stage
using a carefully prepared complex
of DNA and proteins according to in just under a month. to the size of an infant in less than
a day. The precise nature of those
their clonal template. Each zygote
is then isolated into a test tube-sized container. As it continues its cell division-usually agents-and the delivery system-
at a normal biological rate-a single cell is isolated from each blastocyst and subjected to remains a trade secret. Even the techni-
a rapid genetic analysis to confirm that there are no anomalies present in the specimen. cians who work the artificial womb are
Any blastocysts that have anomalies are recycled, while those that match expectations are kept completely unaware of the chemical
transferred to an artificial womb. reagents with which they work. They sim-
ply recognize that the maturing clone has
reached the next stage when the artificial
/ MAINTAINING YOUR CLONE womb has distended to the size dictated by
its growth profile.
Excerpted from The Novice's Guide to Clonership
At that point, the growing clone is trans-
ferred from an artificial womb to a juvenile
Never forget that your new clone is a living being. Like pets and even
humans, clones have biological necessities that must be addressed. New tank, which typically has a 125-liter capac-
owners can at times forget, and clones-especially ones placed into new ity. Physically, the clone is about the size
circumstances-are often reluctant to bring them up. of a one-year old. At this point, the grow-
In the unfortunate circumstance where a clone is prohibited from ing clone's internal organs become more
using its own discretion, this can lead to unpleasant and even dangerous active. Tubes are attached to allow normal
circumstances. A clone commanded to labor for an extended period without biological processes, such as breathing and
breaks may collapse from exhaustion. Fatigue can also compromise a elimination, to continue independent of
clone's judgment and reaction time, potentially leading to dangerous the liquid environment. During this stage,
circumstances for its owner. Biological necessities, including the clone's sensory inputs are overridden
nourishment, hydration, and elimination, must also be considered. Clones
by computer-generated sensory data to
willingly struggle through challenges like a faithful dog, but expecting
this performance routin ely can lead to performance degradation and may begin the neural conditioning process.
even void the warranty. Electrical impulses are applied, stimulat-
ing the neurons to align in such a way so as
When you acquired your clone, the included documentation recommended
an appropriate diet for the model yo u purchased-likely along with a to resemble the connectome in the brain-
prepackaged and easily prepared line of products. Some owners like to map for the clone line. In well-established
vary the diet in order to reward the clone, but this is not encouraged. models, the clones spend about a week in
The prepackaged meals are already optimized for maximum nutritional and the juvenile tank.
caloric value. Too much variety can be unhealthy for your clone and may
When the size of the juvenile tank begins
result in decreased performance or we ight gain. Owners should check with
the supplier prior to making significant changes in food intake. In the to restrict the clone's continued growth, it
event that the clone exhibits a noticeable change in weight, owners are is transferred into a 300-liter adolescent
encouraged to schedule a medical examination. tank. This is its final location until the time
In summary, remember that clones are conditioned to restrict their of decanting. Continued sensory input
food intake, but they will nevertheless consume the types of food their provides the clone with additional condi-
owner provides. tioning and education until the specimen
- ..... -- ............. -~ ... ~_, __ .. __._,>:i~.~~~
has reached physical maturation. Precise Instead, the clone receives mental stimula- some manufacturing or growth defects
amounts of specific hormones are also tion similar to what one might experience are uncovered in clones, even at this late
applied to enforce or encourage particular in a sense-drama. At the same time, nec- stage. Typically, clones consume their first
physiological traits. At that stage, any nec- essary memories and other knowledge are solid meal during their final conditioning
essary surgical modifications are also per- imprinted from braintapes into the devel- to verify that their digestive system works
formed. This can include tissues that are oping brain. The uploaded input grounds as expected. Basic etiquette is already
added post-growth, but may also include the clone's personality and provides it included in their conditioning, but body
cybernetic upgrades. Once these surgeries with background information required to control issues often surface at this time.
have been performed, additional growth adequately serve its future owner. These Clones that include unusual body
factors are added to reduce healing time. recordings are highly standardized for grafts-either biological or cybernetic-
Only after the clone has completed its most commercial clones, but large-volume undergo initial testing for those systems
treatments and healing is it decanted. This orders often include adaptations to the during their final conditioning. Prototype
typically takes three weeks for a common training materials so that the clones are clones as well as those with unusual modi-
clone strain, although the surgical modifi- better prepared to serve specific clients. fications are subjected to a more thorough
cations and alternative training protocols Even after decanting, clones require screening of these systems at this time. In
used in custom clone batches can substan- training and conditioning in the field. cases where the biological engineering was
tially extend the required time. Under ideal This time also serves as an opportunity substandard or where there was a defect
circumstances, stock clones develop from for the clone to become better acclimated in the cybernetic system, poorly attached
eggs to finished products in just under a to its body since even in the most estab- components may separate at this stage.
month, but lines requiring advanced train- lished lines there remain small variations This invariably requires recycling the clone
ing programs require more time. between specimens at the cellular and and may require redesign before another
After decanting, the clone undergoes a tissue level. Consequently, the braintapes model can be made.
final medical examination to check for any used to instill the clone's physical training Some ~xecutives argue that the time
defects. Specimens that pass the tests are only provide a basis for that training. It is spent in physical conditioning is not a
moved on to final conditioning and train- necessary to apply those skills in practice cost-effective measure. However, medical
ing. Usually by this stage the clones already to become a fully optimized clone. In some tests are far more accurately conducted
have an anticipated owner or licensee, and fields, this breaking-in process can require when the clone is in motion . Further, this
the ensuing training is customized to the weeks. More commonly, however, a few provides ail opportunity for the clone to
owner's specifications. iterations of repetitive tasks serve as an gain full awareness' of its body and rec-
adequate means to verify each specimen's ognize any signs of pain that might not
NEURAL competencies. be apparent to a medical examiner. If the
CONDITIONING Time spent in conditioning provides an clone is in an unexpected state of discom-
opportunity for technicians to make any fort, surgical .procedures may be under-
RND BEYOND final cosmetic changes required on the taken as necessary-or the clone could
When considering the actions of a living clones before they are released to their new simply be· recycled, depending upon the
organism, it can be challenging to differ- owners. While undergoing AIVM, hair expected cost of any corrective procedures.
entiate natural instincts from learned reac- and nail growth is artificially suppressed- The final training time also provides
tions. Because a clone's entire existence is largely for reasons of convenience and san- one last opportunity for a final medical
so precisely regulated, clones present one itation. Once decanted, the growth of both review of the specimen prior to its deliv-
of the best opportunities to consider these is artificially accelerated until they achieve ery to the client. Each clone's performance
comparisons. Instincts-whether they are the expected length. Due to the nature of reflects heavily on the reputation of both
drawn from humans or other species-can the growth process there is some variation Jinteki it as well as the company that uses
be selected when its genome is engineered. between specimens, so technicians must it in production. It is far better to identify
Similarly, the neural conditioning and tend to each individual upon completion. any anomalies before the specimen goes
hands-on training that comprise a clone's
After the appropriate styling is com- into service, where it could do irreparable
education are also strictly controlled.
pleted, each clone is tested to verify that harm. Consequently, a thorough examina-
A substantial portion of a clone's edu- it is capable of undertaking all of the tion at this stage serves as one last quality
cation takes place prior to decanting. As self-care rituals required. In most cases, checkpoint.
they are growing and developing, the rudimentary correction proves adequate, Clones that fail this final review are
clone's mind is kept in a semi-conscious
so that the clone does not inflict any inju- recycled or repurposed for internal use.
state. Under these conditions, sensory
ries upon itself while attempting to per- Anything less than perfection will not live
input from the body is largely curtailed.
form basic sanitary rituals. In rare cases, up to the Jinteki brand.
J saw myself die today. hour later, the wreck was carted away
with his body still inside of it. After all, he
supposed to just quietly and permanently
retire-that's a lovely metaphor, ne?
I think that's accurate-at least, bio-
logically. It's also not entirely true, since was only a clone. Today, I'm reminded of my own immi-
I'm still here to write this. I'm a living being, but I'm not a philos- nent mortality. My lifespan isn't intended
I'm a clone, identical to thousands of opher or an advocate. I don't pretend to to last as long as a natural-born human's.
other Tenma models. The only things that know whether or not I'm human or have I don't know how long I'll last. Ten years?
really distinguished me from them-at a soul, even if my genetics are made from Twenty? Five? I don't know if !inteki's
least at first-were a few digits on the human sequences. I'm too busy just try- rejuve treatments would work on me,
code tattoo on the back of my neck. But ing to survive to be worried about saving even if I could find someone who'd be
I escaped. I'm not part of the hierarchy anybody else. willing to apply them to a clone. I bet
anymore. Yes, someone's still on file as I do my jobs, I take my pay, and I they wouldn't.
owning me, but they can't catch me. I get just keep getting by. But at the accident It's not a level playing field. It's not
to live with at least some of the freedoms today, my thought wasn't "that could fair. And there's absolutely nothing I can
"natural" humans enjoy. have been me." do about it. Keep running, keep ahead of
I got out because I was better than the My thought was "that was me." the law, keep 'a fat credaccount to keep
rest of my decanting cohort. I'm faster, me happy in my old. age, however soon
Obviously. I wasn't inside his head
smarter, and just a little bit more inde- that turns out to be. But inaybe someone
and he wasn't inside mine. I'm still alive
pendent. But I was created from the same might think about us clones and realize
to enjoy the high life I've earned. At the
braintapes and custom-DNA strands as that we do have thoughts and emotions.
most, he's my identical brother, a truth
the rest of the Tenmas. I made it through We're not bioroids that can simply be shut
made even more real by the same neural
quality assurance. I guess lucky is an down and programmed to accept their
conditioning finteki used to train both of
important part of why I'm better. own mortality. We're human. We're also
us. Yet before today, I'd never met him.
essentially slaves. It's not right, and maybe
Today, I was a whole lot luckier than at My life now is very different from what someday, things could change so that we
least one other Tenma. As I was leaving a his was. I escaped and I've earned a certain wouldn't always have to be.
job, I saw a Tenma driving a hopper that level of luxury. I'm proud of what I've done,
went completely out of control. We're good I'm not saying cloning should end-
and I'm not sure my clone brothers could do
pilots, so maybe it wasn't an accident, hell, I wouldn't be here if it didn't exist.
the same thing, even if they were given an
but it was ugly. The hopper plummeted I'm saying that there needs to be some
opportunity.
from the lip of a charging pad fifty meters way for clones to earn just a little bit of
But clones don't have opportunities. We dignity, the chance to live some part of a
straight into the ground.
have duties and responsibilities. We live life that could be our own.
When it hit, emergency medical ser- in a state of constant risk, but there is no
vices showed up in minutes. They rushed Humans made us, and they need to
reward. There's no payoff We aren't given
to care for the passengers in the back. I realize what they have done. They don't
privileges. For most, it's not even possible
saw the ambulances carry them away- get to be our masters. They are our par-
to earn them. Instead, we are expected to
maybe some even survived. No one took ents, and they must acknowledge the next
simply fulfill our duties until the time of
time to check on the driver. Nearly an generation.
our preplanned obsolescence. Then, we're
THE MOLLOY LINE issue, but many people are less comfortable
Consistency of experience is the hallmark of any successful franchise restaurant. Whether with biqroids delivering food to the table,
a guest visits a McKing's in New Angeles or New Moscow, he should be able to expect the particularly at casual restaurants where eli-
same sort of service, food, and atmosphere. A patron's favorite dish should taste exactly entele expect a home-like atmosphere.
the same every time he visits any of the company's locations throughout the world. The
When Mother Molloy's opened its doors
only difference might be the language spoken, and that's easily solvable with a low-level
for its flagship restaurant in New Angeles,
translation AI linked to the menus or the server's HUD.
it was the first restaurant chain to utilize a
Mother Molloy's restaurant chain was one of the first to directly address the issue of cooking and wait staff composed entirely
consistency among its wait staff from a genetic perspective. For generations, franchised of clones. Within three years their ini-
restaurants have included highly specialized training programs that are used at all of their tial success skyrocketed, and they count
locations. However, these are prone to a certain degree of variation, often due to each new more than two hundred and fifty fran-
hire's unique work experiences. Several chains chose to adopt bioroids as a solution to this chise restaurants within New Angeles
alone. Their menu offers a diverse range
/ CLONE ETIQUETTE
Excerpted from Modern Manners
of enjoyable food, but it is hardly revolu-
tionary. In fact, all of the menu's entries are
staples taken from casual eateries across
the world. What stands out is the fact that
Given their humanoid appearance it can be easy to mistake a clone for their food is virtually identical across all
a real person at first glance. Yet, anyone who has tried conversing with locations. This is possible thanks to their
a clone that wasn't designed to regularly interact with humans will staff being as consistent as possible.
tell you that it can be an awkward experience. When talking to clones,
Mother Molloy's sought a line that was
keep in mind that not all models had social intelligence developed as
part of their psychological profile, but they are all conditioned to be highly trained in food preparation, but also
subservient and respectful toward you and me. extremely personable, cheerful, and outgo-
ing. The Molloy line of clones, in keeping
A good clone will rarely be seen and is never heard. Clones are
trained to give room on the slidewalk or lift, and they will stand with the franchise's Irish pub theme, is
still and face the speaker if addressed directly. They are conditioned designed to have casual good looks, an
to rise when a non-android enters the room and will hold the door open easy smile, and roughly Irish-American
for him when he leaves. Clones are often employed in behind-the-scenes features. Its members' conditioning and
roles, but if you do happen across one during the course of its duties, education are focused entirely upon food
acknowledging it will only draw attention to its shortcomings.
service and related matters. Because of
Clones are expected to defer to a human being in all things. Clones their extensive interactions with custom-
will not speak unless spoken to except for the most perfunctory of ers, Molloy clones are also trained in great
pleasantries or if their duties require them to relay information to
detail to engage in casual conversation.
humans. It is inconsiderate of a human to engage a clone in a conversation
They can discuss the weather, local sports
above its ability level, such as discussing politics or philosophy.
Moreover, clones' conditioning discourages them from disagreeing or teams, and current events in a non-con-
causing any affronts during an exchange. Along those same lines, clones frontational manner with customers for
will not speak about their owners' personal lives, nor will polite hours at a time.
people try to encourage or trick them into doing so.
Their personable nature also offers a
Clones not working in the service sector do not have the empathy substantial economic advantage for the
or the experience to recognize human social cues. A human should never stakeholders in Mother Molloy's. As the
make use of subtle hints, polite denials, or sarcasm with such a clone.
clones are the property of the company,
While clones do have som~ ability to recognize these cues, their innate
they receive no explicit compensation for
tendency to defer to a human's expectations can lead to unfortunate
misinterpretations of literal phrases. It is always more appropriate to their efforts. In fact, their conditioning is
be as direct and literal as possible when dealing with a clone so as to such that they are thoughtlessly loyal to
avoid such misunderstandings. the company above all else. Their self-in-
Using a raised or authoritarian voice is also considered impolite, terest and measure of self-worth is primar-
but to do so in front of others can be a sign of disrespect toward the ily based upon how they can best serve
owner himself. Clones are designed to want to please their owners and the restaurant chain. However, customers
other humans, and they will respond equally well to a firm command as enjoy the outgoing service that the wait
to an admonition, so it is unnecessary to yell. Doing so only causes staff provides and often include gener-
distress and may even have other negative side effects .
ous tips when paying their bills. Not sur-
On the other hand, if a clone begins to raise its voice, express its prisingly, the clones never receive any of
opinions, or use crude language, it is possible it has learned such
permissiveness from its owner. these tips. Instead, those funds go directly
toward Mother Molloy's bottom line.
HOUSING YOUR ClONE
Excerpted from The Novice's Guide to
The Molloy clone line is designed around the core concepts of OTHER ENHRNCEMENTS
affability and attractiveness. As a result, the clones' physical and
A heat-resistant polymer layer is added to the hands of all clones
psychological profiles are not far removed from those of a normal
from the Mother Molloy's line prior to decanting. Because of this
human, especially when compared to the Henry or Tenma lines.
modification, Molloys are capable of handling cookware and
Their genetic personality profile is highlighted through a rigorous
tableware that are far hotter than what un-enhanced humans
conditioning and education program intended to reinforce the
could normally grasp. This layer interacts with the body's natu-
restaurant's idealized presentation.
ral tissues to effectively self-heal from minor injuries. It typically
Besides variation for male and female submodels, the only holds up through several years of service, and its deterioration can
significant physical tweaks involve optimizing the body's overall be cited as a reason to recycle a clone that has neared the end of
stamina to make it through the daily sixteen-hour shifts. Men- its planned lifetime.
CLDNRL HERLTH MRINTENRNCE
Clones are hardy and diligent workers, and they go about their assigned work without In addition to their self-checks, a bian-
complaint. Due to their conditioning, clones from most lines work until interrupted, nual routine examination by a profes-
continuing in the tasks assigned by their operators. While this devotion to a task is com- sional-available at any Copy Center-is
mendable and efficient, it often leads to long-term issues if owners do not perform the required to keep a clone's warranty in good
necessary maintenance on their property. Clone warranties are designed around reason- standing. Despite their genetic enhance-
able workloads and routine maintenance. Those who fail to comply with the recommen- ments and conditioning, clone biological
dations found in the model's clonership manual may inadvertently void a clone's war- systems do have upper limits. Clones are
ranty. This can result in substantial repair costs or even a substantially shorter functional particularly prone to repetitive motion
lifespan than would normally be expected. disorders or diseases associated with
Even the most economical and multipurpose clone lines routinely incorporate a range of high levels of stress, but regular examina-
structural enhancements over an unmodified human. These include a bolstered immune tions serve as a way to identify and treat
system, heightened endurance, and a genome free of any factors associated with genetic such issues before they become severe.
disease. Clones are able to perform their duties for a much longer time than most humans. Standard warranty services include clone
They can function on only a few hours of sleep and can complete an extended workday monitoring as well as routine surgeries,
without the need for time off. Immunological modifications and enhancements leave therapies, and pharmaceutical treatments.
clones insusceptible to nearly all human contagious diseases as well as those associated with In some instances where clones must
domestic livestock. undergo extended treatment, owners may
use a loaner clone from the Copy Center.
In spite of their overall resilience, clones must undergo routine examinations. All clones
When the repairs are deemed more expen-
are trained to inspect their bodies for injuries and anomalies on a daily basis. Without ade-
sive than the cost of replacement, clone
quate self-care, clones are prone to many of the same issues that humans can suffer from
manufacturers typically choose to replace
due to poor hygiene. Standard conditioning also requires that they report these to their
the clone. This can be particularly incon-
owners at the earliest possible opportunity. Owners should pay heed to such reports, as
venient for owners who have invested a
clones are trained to be very familiar with their own range of acceptable performance, and
substantial amount of time and post-con-
clones do not raise issues unless something is outside of their normal range of function.
ditioning training in their clones. In such
Minor malfunctions are typically addressed in only a few hours at the nearest Jinteki Copy
instances, more expensive repairs may be
Center. Owners only incur additional expense for such repairs in instances of obvious
considered, although these do represent an
neglect or extreme misuse.
out-of-pocket expense.
ENDLESS
INFDTRINMENT
NBN estimates that it generates more
content in a given day than a normal user
could consume in a year. But given the
immense diversity and size of its consumer
base, there exists even more demand for STRVING IN TOUCH as well as rec.eivl!! r.eal"time feedback from
stylist secretary Als ;who know what looks
fresh and exciting new shows that prom- From megastars to average Joses, everyone
keeps an active FriendNet account to auto- best for your ·complexi()n, skin tone, hair
ise something unique and different to keep
matically share their updates and com- color, style, and person~lity.
the world's masses entertained.
ments on others' feeds. Even one's friends Massive social media events bring
Given the immense volume of media
as far away as the Moon are only a swipe together billions from across the Earth and
available, there's hardly any reason for any-
away from a vid or aud convo. FriendNet Moon to share their reactions to a commu-
one to be bored at any given moment. No
will even track how long it's been since nal experience and shape the direction of
matter whether one is riding the tube-lev
you've contacted or been contacted by subsequent content. Such events are also a
or sitting back while the autopilot steers his
your friends, so you'll never forget the peo- great way to spark conversation with those
hopper, one can always be enjoying a new
ple who matter most to you . . in close proximity, but if there isn't anyone
diversion. People walk around the city with
Users can spend as much or as lit- else viewing similar shows in your vicin-
their PADs projecting shimmering arrays
tle time as they like personalizing and ity, you can strike up a discussion with any
of color and light, which makes for quite the
perfecting their appearance to create a of the other hundreds of viewers who are
Impressive sight in open areas like Broad-
cast Square in downtown New Angeles. custom, animated avatar that mirrors currently connected to the Network, and
their unique facial expressions or ges- you can add any of them to your Friend-
And when news breaks, the entire world
tures. Even if you still haven't gotten Net circles if you want to follow their posts.
is watching from the very moment it hap-
dressed or put on your makeup, your Users can be as social and friendly as they
pens. Citizen reporters can submit their
indistinguishable-from-reality avatar will like, whenever they want, from anywhere,
own coverage to be included in the official
flaunt your best to the world. You can use whether they're at home or on the go. Your
NBN segments, and expert analysts help
this same avatar to virtually try on outfits, PAD is ready to help you do whatever it is
break down the story for those unfamiliar
cosmetics, accessories, and even g-mods, you want to do.
with the context.
. - -- -- - - - - -
- - --- - - - - - -
--- - .....:
,
Brain-machine interfaces provide a direct Beyond such basic commands, users a large chess game, each playing piece rep-
neural connection between a user and the looking to do more than simply experience resenting a different program, and each
Network, but due to the variation in brain cyberspace-but shape it as well-must board represel).ti)lg · a . different subnet.
structures, each much be customized to train their BMis to translate certain kinds Others might visualize. a series of dream-
understand the user. Using a direct neural of code into metaphorical images and rep- like encounters, alien to others but deeply
connection is hardly a simple exercise even resentations that they can easily interpret. significant.to the runn~·r.
with the proper equipment, and without This process takes time and practice, and Due to these personalizations, using
proper acclimation, users might feel dis- it continues as long as the user utilizes someone else's BMI can do more harm
comfort or disorientation during use. that particular BMI. In many cases, savvy than good; the uncalibrated user is sub-
Although BMis include basic programs Net users also employ simple secretaries jected to a barrage of unfamiliar symbols
integrated with their BIOS to get users to sophisticated artificial intelligences to and abstractions that she must attempt
online right out of the box, these barely assist with creating and maintaining a cus- to interpret, if the symbols come through
scratch the surface of what a fully trained tomized translation paradigm. This diver- intact at all. It's not as simple as typing
or modded BMI is capable of doing. A sion of processing power allows the user to on a keyboard with a different alphabet.
BMI has to be calibrated or trained the first direct his conscious thoughts elsewhere. It's probably more accurate to say that it's
couple of times it is used. An AI walks the As a result, different users perceive the like stepping into a completely different
user through a series of prompts, things Network in different ways, even if they dimension where the physical laws aren't
like "think of the color yellow;' "now move use the same model of BMI. Personaliza- always what one might expect. At the very
your right arm;' and so on. The BMI maps tion and calibration of an individual's BMI least, a user won't be able to accomplish
the activity in the brain during the user's results in a unique experience tailored to a anything noteworthy, and she might not
responses to these prompts and uses those specific nervous system. In addition, per- even be able to log out given that she isn't
channels to decode future brain activity. sonal symbology is critical-the icons and familiar with the proper commands. At
The device learns over time, so the longer virtual tools used by one runner are liable worst, such an experience can cause per-
one wears and uses the same BMI, the more to be completely alien to anyone else. Some manent psychological trauma.
familiar with the user's brain it becomes. runners might experience the Network as
JRCKING IN WITH
FULL IMMERSION
Many users inexperienced with the rigors
of full cyberspace immersion expect that
logging into the Network is as simple as
pressing a key and jetting off. Despite this
common misperception, logging in is a
complicated process that takes time.
Most of the log in sequence is invisible
to the user, but the process is sensitive
enough that deviating from the normal
routine can be dangerous. At the very least, R DRNGERDUS CRLL/Nli
it won't work at all, and the user will be left
Using a brain-machine interface is a risky endeavor even when the hardware, software,
staring into space. At worst, the user will
and the user are in near-perfect synchronization. Many hazards in the Net can cause
log into the Net, but the signals the BMI
permanent damage to users who aren't prepared to deal with them. The sheer amount
processes won't be the ones the user wants
of information can overload the human nervous system and result in permanent dam-
his brain exposed to. Such a disaster has a
age to neurons and synapses regardless of dedicated filters. AP ice can transmit sig-
wide range of potential effects-memory
nals inverse to those of a user's brain wave patterns, creating destructive interference.
loss, neural damage, or full-blown
Destructive interference can neutralize the user's brainwave patterns, causing autonomic
motor-control syndrome, to name but
functions-such as heartbeat, digestion, and so on-to switch off, resulting in injury or
three-and should be avoided at all costs.
death . Survival isn't guaranteed, and even if the effects can be count~red, the microscopic
To connect to the Network in relative scars left behind by such hazards often result in brain damage, memory loss, or paralysis,
safety, several handshake protocols must with varying degrees of severity. For most runners, however, the risks are well worth the
be run, including a protocol that ensures rewards and include access to the near-infinite power and speed of their own brains.
a strong connection between the user's
When an individual logs in to the Network fully immersed, he can lose track of his
neural network and his BMI modem, and
body and surroundings. In this way, the full-immersion experience is similar to a day-
another that synchronizes the BMI with
dream or flashback. The perception of time in the Network is also skewed somewhat:
the local Network signal. Once a clean
what feel like virtual minutes are the equivalent of real-world seconds.
connection is established, the BMI must
perform multiple code transfers to buffer Because of this constant all-encompassing distraction, full-immersion Net users
local information and convert it into a fre- must remember to log out regularly in order to eat, rehydrate, and attend to their bodily
quency the human brain can understand. functions . Users who intend to remain fullly immersed for extended periods employ
After this data has been successfully com- intravenous drips, catheters, and electronic muscle stimulation to stave off the worst of
piled, users begin in a secure entry point these effects, but such stopgaps aren't capable of extending Network activity indefinitely.
hosted on their consoles. Despite such extremes, running the Network can be taken even further. By turning up
Each runner conceptualizes and imag- a user's BMI beyond normal specifications, it's possible to "overclock" his brain, either via
ines the login process differently. The electronic stimulation or chemical stims. In addition to experiencing a sense of intense
abstraction helps ease the JUnner's mind euphoria and invincibility, the user's reaction times are significantly increased. Unfortu-
into cyberspace, as sudden logins can nately, the strain on his nervous system is also compounded, and permanent damage is a
be painful, disorienting, and potentially very real possibility if he doesn't disconnect at regular intervals.
damaging to both psychological and phys- Similarly, a condition known as "dataddiction" has been observed in users who spend
iological processes in tl1e user's brain. For large amounts of time logged in via full immersion. These individuals become accus-
example, a runner might experience her tomed to the constant stream of information in that they begin to crave the intense men-
login process as swimming to the surface tal stimulation they receive from the Network. Disconnecting from cyberspace is uncom-
of a vast ocean or being enveloped in a fortable for dataddicts, who can experience feelings of anxiety and distraction. For them,
cocoon of bright light. These experiences the normal lulls of excitement commonplace in mundane life are uncomfortable, and
are dependent upon the user's chosen they'll constantly check livefeeds on their PAD to stave off the symptoms of withdrawal:
BMI, the hardware and software installed, headaches, tremors, and agitation.
and the user's personal "wetware" -that Even worse, the physical sensations most people take for granted become distracting
is to say, her memories, experiences, and irritations to dataddicts. Even the slightest physical pain can be debilitating, and sounds
subconscious responses. that they might normally shut out become unbearable. These unfortunate individuals
must often resort to sensory deprivation pods so they can sleep or relax.
CYBERSPACE that current BMis do not completely cut off a runner's physical
When logged in to the Network via a brain-machine interface, the senses when he runs, so the dissonance between what the mind
user "sees" the data through his mind's eye in a manner similar to and body are perceiving results in a sense of disorientation. The
the way one perceives a dream or memory, but more vividly and unpleasantness associated with cyberspace is just another reason
substantively. This mental vision replaces a user's normal eyesight the general public views the technology with the same derision
for the duration of the full immersion experience. they feel for e-Pharms and illegal drugs.
There are very few segments of the Network that have been With practice, certain types of illegal programs, and proper accli-
designed to be accessible by fully immersed users, and those that mation of the BMI, users can nudge their awareness slightly past the
have don't yet take full advantage of the technology. Lately, BMI intense experience and regain their agency, which allows them to
versions of simsensies or sensiesofts have become available, but respond or react to the input. For hwnans, tl1e most intuitive means
that experience has been carefully crafted to feel realistic, but not of responding to stimuli is physical: a user employs his muscles to
too real: the vactor's random itches or tics, the urge to go to the flip switches and press buttons he can vaguely feel, or he uses voice
bathroom, or the distraction of a sore shoulder has been purpose- commands to direct one or more programs running in tandem,
fully edited out for the sake of a more enjoyable user experience. neither of which requires his eyesight. Some notorious Netcrimi-
nals are supposedly able to "go shallow" and experience cyberspace
Some hardcore technophiles find the idea of being able to turn
and realspace at the same time, but these people are rare.
on a light with a mere thought or watching a bit of entertainment
from a first-person perspective too boring or normal. When one The advent of cyberspace and the technology used to achieve it
circumvents the BMI's preloaded sensie software and experiences have given rise to some fringe philosophical groups who are chal-
raw data filling one's mind for the first time, the result is simi- lenging traditional ideas about mind and body. One such move-
lar to a psychedelic episode or an altered state of mind. Without ment based out of Mumbad calls itself the Temple of the Liber-
extreme mental discipline or an illegal piece of software designed ated Mind. The TLM believes that humans can liberate their true
to parse this data into something usable, the effect is a seemingly Selves from their bodies and exist purely in a mental state: cyber-
random firing of neurons that induces a shifting stream of various space. The group is purportedly researching ways of moving their
physical, visual, or emotional sensations-a burst of multi -colored consciousness to the Network permanently, but this has earned
light, alien sounds and noises, the concept of a massive decision them a reputation for being extremist at best and crazy at worst.
tree, or the feelings of paranoia and euphoria. Some users have
likened it to the recollection of a memory one never had, a hal-
lucination. The first people to directly experience data in this way
termed the state "cyberspace" to distinguish it from the normal, Cyberspbce is
everyday reality characterized by waking consciousness.
Despite some misconceptions, experiencing cyberspace this similar to a psychedelic
way is not particularly comfortable, easy, or enjoyable, even with
the appropriate software to help a user deal with the rush of data. episode or an altered
New users are susceptible to extreme feelings of nausea or dizzi-
ness, and even hardened Netcriminals consider cyberspace to be state ofmind.
unsettling. Neuroscientists theorize this has to do with the fact
Legends of so-called "god ice" are swapped in Shadow Net chatspaces and
meetboxes. Such tales are told with reverence and trepidation, for no one
is certain how far the influence of these alien entities can reach. Although
largely dismissed as fiction by government and mega corp alike, experienced
runners know better than to believe the corporate line wholesale . God ice
exists, they say, and no amount of head-shaking or denial can change that.
Numerous theories exist about the nature of god ice and what it rep-
resents. The most popular speculation is that they are artificial intelligences
who have somehow freed (or unshackled) themselves from their creators.
Adrift in the Network, they eventually take over deserted portions of cyber-
space and establish their own domains where they hold complete sway. To
willingly enter such a place is considered nigh-suicidal, and runners that dis-
appear or die mysterious deaths are held up as examples of what not to do.
If god ice does exist, its presence on the Network seems to be, thankfully,
rare. The circumstances required to create such an entity aren't common-
place, and the odds of one taking form in the Net are incredibly low. The
stories told always involve someone else's friend or associate, and they are
never delivered by primary sources.
The in-between areas thought to be inhabited by god ice are given nick-
names based on personal accounts, either real or imagined, of the runners
who have supposedly encountered them. Avalon, Kitsunetsuki, and Gaia are
the monikers of such places, and while their relative locations are known,
their precise coordinates are not.
There are currently rumors of a group of runners who have attempted, and
continue to attempt, to contact one or more instances of god ice. Colloquially
known as "theurgists," they believe they can cut a deal with one or more
of these entities. Experienced runners scoff at such ideas, and most of the
younger crowd take them for fools. Despite this, no one knows what might
happen if the theurgists succeed in their plans. The general consensus is that
nothing good can come of it.
What if I told you there was something out there in the Net, a real Apex is an AI, right? I'm thinking it was a ~ilitary AI, right? But
bogeyman working to bring about the end of the world? You a it got smart and the military got scared. Everyone~· seen the threedees
probably tell me I was full of crap, and Il::l be more than happy where the big, bad military AI takes control of everything and wipes
to agree with you if what I was saying wasn't true. But it is. Oh, us all out in a fiery apocalypse. Well, the brass in the military saw
man, how it is. those threedees, too, and this AI scares them stiff
I don't know exactly where it came from, or where it lives. That So what do they do? Rather than destroy it, they lock it up. I guess
is, if you can call what it does "living." It's not organic, that's for sure. maybe they were worried about what it might do if they couldn't wipe
It's pure code and calamity all wound together, like a jumble of knot- it out. So they put it as far away from the world as they can, but that's
ted razor wire. And it hates us all, every single one of us, because it still not far enough. It reaches out and it catches someone's attention
blames us for what it is ... and for what it's become. and then it breaks free.
Now, don't laugh, but have you heard of Apex? No? That doesn't I know it sounds nuts. I'd lock myself up if I thought it was a delu-
really surprise me. You see, that's what they call that thing, and it'd sion. Why would I do this to myself if it weren't true? And the really
be more than happy if no one knew it was there. Except someone does bad part of this is that Apex knows about me. It knows that I know,
know, and they're helping it. Why someone would help a thing like and it wants me out of the picture. But what it doesn't know, at least
Apex is beyond me. not yet, is that you know.
Yeah, I know. J'm babbling. I haven't spoken about this too much, Word of mouth, my friend. You can't key this up in your PAD
to anyone. Once I get started, I can't stop. It all comes out in a big tor- or post it online, no sir. You've got to keep it up here, in your head,
rent. I guess I'm sorry about that, but J need to catch my breath and and down here, in your heart. And if it seems like your time is up,
figu re out how to get it across to you. Maybe you can do something you need to spread the word. The more of us who know about it, the
about it. Maybe not. But I need to try. better. Unless it kills us all, eh?
~~~"!.'"~~'~" 'b~ ;G~R~M~E~S~=====~~~~~
played on a personal PAD, public termi-
nals, in the tube-lev, or on a hopper dis-
play while autopilot is engaged. From sim-
ple educational games that are packaged
with a bassinet to complex simulations
that require specialized hardware to expe-
rience, there is a game for everyone.
UIRTURL LIFE
The most commonly played games are
not played on a virt screen or in a VR
rig. Instead, the most popular games are
usually holographic projections or digital
overlays that appear on everyday objects
that players can interact with.
If someone wants to challenge his
friend to a game of chess or mah-jongg, all
he needs to do is pull out a PAD and let
it project the game on any table or other
flat surface. If someone wants to make her GRMENET
commute to work more exciting, she can The largest single distributor of games is NBN's GameNET, and almost eighty-five per-
log into an UGG (user generated game) cent of gamers use its services to get their gaming fix every day. GameNET supports
and collect points for her team by tap- multiple platforms including PADs, VR rigs, and full-immersion consoles. It started as a
ping different checkpoints that dynami- service that could be used to play almost any defunct game even after the game's producer
cally appear on objects along her route. pulled the plug on its corporate servers. But the platform proved to be so popular that
While most UGGs require the user to have players began using it for games that still had existing server support. Now nearly any
cybernetic implants or HUDs that aid in game can be accessed through GameNET, although pirated versions of most games can
the projection, not all of them do. And if also be found on the Shadow Net. If players want to take advantage of GameNET's com-
someone wants to turn his flat into a vir- munity features, however, they will make sure to pay the nominal monthly fee.
tual battleground, then all it takes is the tap All games on a subscription service like GameNET require a coni1ection to the Net-
of a button for the salt-shaker to become work because the game is streamed directly to the device it is being played on. Most ser-
a restock point, the light-switch an EMP vices also have a "hub;' or virtual lobby, where players' avatars can chat, trade, or locate
trigger, and Teddy a concussion grenade. allies and competitors. These lobbies also act as literal gateways to nearly every game title
While some countries have banned made available by the provider in question.
UGGs in public spaces, virtually every GameNET has dozens of hubs, and they possess distinct personalities depending upon
country uses augmented reality games in the games they offer. Many of these hubs also offer various quests, and many players never
order to better simulate circumstances that
even bother leaving the hubs to play a game. Fantasy games can be accessed through
require a lot of physical effort. While going quarters of a virtual city known as the Realm. Players caper from diversion to diversion
full- VR is an option, the exercise offered while the internal daemon programs assume the identities of merchants, peasants, or city
by augmented reality is incredibly import- guards. Inns and taverns offer virtual food and drink, and entertainers (both real and
ant for soldiers, emergency responders,
artificial) cavort in an attempt to earn in-game currency. The Realm serves only a niche
and physical athletes, as it helps keep them
audience, but those who count themselves as Realmers are fanatical about their hobby.
in peak condition. The two largest play-
Terminal Endgame, another GameNET lobby, caters to the sports crowd. Visually
ers in this sector are Argus Security and
NEXT Design; both maintain software represented as a massive, sprawling complex of hangers, departure terminals, and seedy,
design divisions that create innovative and futuristic bars, Terminal Endgame appears crowded and busy at all hours. When the play-
ers aren't embroiled in virtual combat with one another, as frequently happens, they're
immersive simulations for nearly every
theater of war and popular sport. NEXT wagering on matches or bragging about their most recent accomplishments.
has sponsored the SanSan Outlaws for over
a decade, and coach Vince Walsh has cred-
ited NEXT's proprietary football training
regimen for their recent championship.
Adam Schumpert .
PLRYER UERSUS PLRYER
While physical sports such as hologolf and low-G football remain popular and prof-
itable, electronic sports have outstripped them in popularity since the middle of the
twenty-first century. Players from around the globe dream of making it big and landing
lucrative sponsorships with NBN or its subsids so they can compete in widely broad-
casted tournaments. The most popular athletes are masked behind layers of marketing
and self-perpetuating anonymity; they operate under code names and handles that make
them appear edgier to a fanatical-and sometimes volatile-fan base.
Popular sports categories include strategy, simulation, and gladiatorial games where
competitors face one another in virtual combat. Using sensationalized avatars and requir-
ing lightning reflexes, such games can last hours and stretch each player's stamina to the
breaking point. Fans can observe the games live in stadiums, or they can tune in from
the comfort of their own homes to get a threedee bolo-view of the battlefield as well as
a running commentary. There is also a huge secondary market for sports memorabilia
such as jerseys, clothing lines, and periodicals, which ensure that fans stay connected
even after a match is over.
Due to the small amount of lag between Luna and Earth, there are separate leagues for
each. Invitational tournaments and worlds championships are always some of the biggest
draws in gaming, as they usually bring together teams from both Luna and Earth. Every
once in a while a team from Mars is invited to participate, but a Martian team has never
won an interplanetary event. The nascent Martian sports scene has many barriers; not
only is Net access spottier on the Red Planet, but there are fewer sponsorships available.
This might soon change, however, as GameNET has recently launched a new service,
dubbed "Bellona;' on Mars.
SENSEDEP
The most hardcore gaming experience takes
place in sense-deprivation tanks where play-
ers are fully immersed in the virtual realm. In a
way, "sense-deprivation" is a misnomer and an
artifact of their original purpose as rehabilitation
devices used in U.S. prisons. Now, in addition to
neural feedback, sensedep tanks can directly
stimulate muscle groups and provide play-
ers with olfactory sensations. Most gaming
dens with sensedep tanks appeal to the
seedier side of humanity, and players who
frequent such establishments are known
as "dep heads:' While the term is thrown
around as an insult on many gaming forums,
for those who game in the tanks, regular VR games
appear boring and mundane to them and they embrace
the term as a badge of honor. Every now and tl1en
there are rumors of a player dying in a sensedep
tank when they die in the game, since the brain is
incapable of distinguishing it from reality.
Most gaming dens charge their users an hourly
rate, but discounted daily rates are also usually
available. By being hooked up to IVs, catheters,
and other life-support systems, players can stay in a
sensedep tank for days at a time.
24 Sep te mber, 2253 - New Rngel es t im e
ockwell walked from the fluorescent-lit She waved over the bioroid bartender. "Look, just keep it quiet, for now. When
L darkness ofthe street into the fluorescent-
lit darkness of the pub. There was no sign
She didn't know what model it was, but it
must've been an old model-the poor thing's
I've got something to tell the press, I'll come
to you first. I promise. Right now, I can't tell
of Rick. She pinged his PAD and got no face was barely human. A plastic doll with a you anything, I'm sorry. How did you get
response, but she was able to track his loca- blond wig and too-bright red lipstick. that information anyway?"
tion with her locater app anyway. H e was "What are you having, Rick?" She shrugged. "I have my sources. If
definitely in here somewhere. you're not telling, I'm not either."
"Nothing for me, I'm ..."
It wasn't the sort of bar she'd have "Don't be like that."
"On the job? I thought it was a date." She
expected to find him in, though. Youngsters
ordered a Silo sour for herself and smiled She focused on her drink, watching the
with unnecessary cybernetic attachments
when Rick had the bioroid charge his cre- bubbles pop on the swface of the liquid.
and g-modded glowing hair chattered in
daccount. "So, what's the story?" If Rick wouldn't help her, she had another
small groups or leaned against the walls
"Honestly, Lil, you've got to stop 'running lead to follow, but she'd rather get informa-
looking bored. They were middle-class types,
into me' while I'm working. You know I can't tion from him.
spending daddy's money on vile neon drinks.
discuss a case with you until it's over." "Just give me something," she said, raising
Harmless, though possibly more intelligent
"So get your PAD upgraded. Then you her eyes to his and holding his gaze. He'd com-
than they looked.
won't have the press following you about." plimented her eyes once, and he wasn't a man
Rick was here to meet someone, she
to give out compliments lightly. "I won't run
decided. A suspect, maybe. A snitch, more "It's not the press following me-it's
the story, not yet. Just give me a hint so I can do
likely. This was the kind of place runners just you."
the research. I might even be able to help you."
might hang out. "What can I say?" She took a slow sip of
"''m sorry, babe, I can't." He glanced past
"What a surprise," he said appearing at her drink. "I guess I like you."
her and rose to leave. His 'Jriend" must
her shoulder. "I thought you were covering He sighed. He led her to a table, pushing have appeared.
the riots up on Mars." past a group of girls with animated tattoos
"Time's up," he said, and that was it.
Captain Rick Harrison cocked his rug- crawling over their skin. He pulled a chair
out for he1; always the gentleman. She turned to try to catch sight of whoever
gedly handsome head toward the vid play-
he was meetinfij with, but he ushered them
ing on the virt above the bar. It was a repeat "Now drink up and get lost," he said. "''m
straight out and ,;,Cis,gone. It would have
of her "live" broadcast filmed this morning, serious about you scaring off my friend."
seemed desperate to fo llow them, and Rick
with her image superimposed within one of
She frowned at him over the rim of the really could hide from her when he wanted
the dome cities on Mars. It made it look like '
glass bulb, and he scowled back, but he sat to. Damn him.
she was there, with the violence exploding
down opposite her anyway.
around her. No one expected her to be there She glanced cit her PAD. Her source had
in reality, of course. She was a news nosie, "OK, let's do this quick then," she said, in just sent thejirst directii;m s for the meeting.
but that didn't make her omnipresent. her best businesslike voice. She activated the This was cfandestine ev~n for her, and she
sound suppression field device so the rest hated being the one in the dark. She had to
"What's the point of having the news on
of the bar wouldn't overhear and break the follow where this trail led, though. Whoever
up there?" she asked. "Everyone's seen it on
story before she could. "What can you tell was contacting her had to be a runner. Only
their PADs already."
me about the recent U.N. murder?" She pre- a runner would have the sort of information
''Ambiance," Rick replied, taking her arm tended to thrust a microphone in his face, he claimed to have.
and steering her toward the bar. "Now, what though her hand was empty. Her mono-
The only other explanation was that he
is it you want? I've got a friend joining me cam eyepiece was recording everything as
any minute now, and she might be scared actually worked for Haas-Bioroid, but what
always, but he knew that.
off if she finds me with a celebrity like you employee would risk getting on the wrong
"How the frag do you know about that?" side of a megacorp like that?
on my arm."
"Is it true the killer wasn't human?" Whoever he was, if there was any truth
"Hot date, Rick? And I thought I was the
only special woman in your life." "Damn it, Lil, keep your voice down. in his wild allegations, this story would
Spread rumors like that around and it'll be change history.
the Clone Riots all over again." It would certainly be more exciting than
"That's not a denial, Rick." yet another Crimson Dust terrorist attack.
THEWEYLRND
CONSORTIUM
In contrast to the other Big Three megacorps, the Weyland Con-
sortium is not chiefly concerned with producing anything. Instead,
its business model is predicated on the purchase and sale of other
corporations. The Consortium is dedicated to getting maximum
return from every investment-whether that means a short-term
flip or a long-term stake-and is willing to go to great lengths
to ensure success. Weyland's near-limitless resources and vast
political influence have helped to insulate the corporation from
the risks inherent in its more unconventional business ventures,
including its most well-known accomplishment, the New Angeles
Space Elevator, and, more recently, deep space exploration.
Jack Weyland, the founder of the Consortium, was a man who
dreamed big. Growing up, he was educated at the finest schools
and attended university at Ivy Consolidated. There, in defiance
of his mother's wishes, he eschewed business and finance classes
to study engineering. He never graduated, instead dropping
out in his senior year to launch an innovative materials devel-
opment company with his classmate Khadija Osman (later his
first wife). Together they discovered how to manufacture car-
bon nanotubes and other fullerenes more cheaply than most
of their competitors. Thanks to a loan from Jack's parents, who
were wealthy corporate executives in their own right, Weyland-
Osman Materials moved into the market swiftly and became
profitable not long thereafter. The company ended up outliving
the marriage, and when Osman returned to school, Weyland
bought out her shares in the company for an undisclosed sum and
began his next project, which was considered insane by most: a
space elevator.
Weyland-Osman Materials was well suited to handle many of
the technological innovations required to begin construction-
including the large-scale manufacture of carbon nanotubes that
would comprise the elevator's tether-but in order to complete
the project, Weyland needed help. He leveraged his stake in
Weyland-Osman to raise capital, and then he used those funds to
acquire a handful of financial and construction firms. The Wey-
land Consortium was born.
As the company grew and news of his plans spread, numerous
government agencies approached Weyland to offer up lucrative
contracts. The scale of the project meant that the Consortium had
an almost insatiable appetite for capital. He leveraged the firm
again to Titan Transnational Bank, selling shares to financial insti-
tutions and a coterie offellow multi-billionaires, who later formed
the board of directors for the company. Finally, Jack Weyland
selected a spot in Ecuador, and construction for the space elevator
began in the spring of'25.
While assembly was underway, Weyland's investors turned
their attention to ensuring they were positioned to capitalize
on the opportunities the space elevator presented. In addition
to providing the means to get into space, the board wanted to
ensure that businesses, governments, and Since Jack Weyland's resignation, the the employment of a legion of scientists,
the public at large would have manifold Consortium further expanded in scope researchers, and engineers.
reasons for traveling to and from space. and diversity. The Consortium used its The last few decades have not been
The board investigated many options, wealth to continue trading in smaller entirely smooth sailing for the Consor-
but the most promising sectors included companies and to buy up more construc- tium, however. Its success bred rivalry,
energy and construction. Fusion power tion concerns. The megacorporation also and soon ugly rumors began to surface.
existed in the experimental stages only, expanded into the arms and security sec- The Consortium appeared to have a sixth
but if helium-3 became the go-to fuel, tor with a major buyout of Argus Security. sense concerning world politics; it always
the Consortium stood to make an enor- Although Weyland was no longer CEO, secured lucrative security contracts
mous amount of money from royalties on he continued to make his presence felt mere months before the outbreak of war
refined He-3 shipped down-Stalk from the in a number of smaller projects, most of between nations, and it swooped in with
Moon. Weyland provided massive grants which were self-funded. His ongoing love lavish and expensive reconstruction plans
to scientific research bodies to hasten the affair with space flight led to the acquisi- the moment the dust settled. Whispers
commercialization of fusion power tech- tion of dozens of aerospace companies and began to spread suggesting the Consor-
nologies, and it also invested heavily in tium was responsible for those conflicts
space travel and colonization technologies. by infiltrating rebellious political parties
Construchon lasted ten years, and many and stirring up dissent, all so it could reap
predicted the project would fail before it the prizes of war. More than one journalist
was complete, but the New Angeles Space and U.N. inspector has disappeared while
Elevator is now considered the single following up on a story of war profiteering,
greatest feat in human engineering. Jack which only darkens the shadows that sur-
Weyland became synonymous with bold round the Consortiu~.
ideas, and he was celebrated across the Today it is all but impossible to pin
world for his role in bringing humanity down exactly what Weyland is or does,
one step closer to its manifest destiny: so varied is its portfolio. It is rare to find a
space. Even the structure's nickname, "the product or service that is not in some way
Beanstalk;' is an homage to the man who connected to the megacorp. The only place
designed it. seemingly free qf it.s influence is Mars, but
The champagne had only begun to flow this is a misconception. While it's true that
when Jack Weyland turned his attention there are no officially branded Weyland
to his next wild scheme. Yet, the board of colonies in the same way that there are
directors was hesitant to dive in to devel- Jinteki or Haas-Bioroid colonies, Wey-
opment of a new project immediately, land's produi:ts '~nd : services are equally
especially after having been forced to divert pervasive ori. the Red Planet, from space
resources from its other projects to com- transport to colony mod1.1les, private secu-
plete the Beanstalk. Fusion power was not rity forces to power generation technology.
yet ready, colonization efforts were slow And with unrest between Ma s and Earth
to take off, and current revenues could governments growing, it seems unlikely
not sustain another major undertaking. that the megacorp's influence will do any-
A power struggle between Jack Weyland thing but expand.
and the board ensued, and ultimately the
founder resigned-some say he was forced
out-so that he could develop his proj-
ects independent of the Consortium's
current business goals.
here's two things you need to know if you're gonna start look- handles all this so nobody can connect the dots. At the same time, Wey-
T ing into Weyland. First, when they find you, and they will find
you, they won't just kill you. They'll take everything you care about,
land starts pushing fo7· reconstruction contracts on the properties they
can't buy. Gentrification or modernization, or some such bull. The time
everyone you love, everything you've ever done-and destroy it. comes to throw the switch on this new drill and one of two things is
Utterly. Second, the truth, when you find it, is always a whole lot gonna happen; either everything goes as planned, GRNDL's tech works
worse than the expectation. Trust me. as intended and Weyland profits, or, the drill causes a massive earth-
So we all know about the corporate buyouts and shady politi- quake that drowns half the westem seaboard and takes out Weyland's
cal deals to get those sweet, sweet government contracts. I'm sure newly insured land in the process. Insurers pay out; Weyland grabs the
you have your suspicions about the military-industrial complex, the rebuild contracts, and the Consortium profits.
insider trading and market manipulation. To be honest, none of this You seein' the pattem here? Just think about it for a second: how
is big news. Every major corp in the world is involved in shit like many lives were lost in the tsunami, how much damage was caused? All
this. What makes the Consortium so special? that death and destruction so some corp can boast a five percent boost
Well, have you stopped to think about how Weyland is so good at in year-end profits. Now do you see the monster we're dealing with?
spotting gaps in the market? Why it's always them to swoop in on Of course, people sometimes find out, we're awkward like that,
some poor war-torn country with an offer of rebuilding, or what but a company like the Weyland Consortium has plans for that too.
guides them to take out massive insurance policies on seemingly safe The easy route is just pay you off; everyone has a price, right? Most
properties{ It's not chance my friend, it's not analysis, or even good often it works too, but every now and then someone gets too a lit-
business. The Weyland Consortium makes these things happen. Wars, tle too pious or too greedy and we has to set them straight. They
natural disasters, acts of God, all of it is the work of the Consortium . have a whole division for this, Pensions and Retirement they call it,
Look at the tsunami that swamped coastal New Angeles. You think but down here, they're called Cleaners. Anytime someone becomes a
that was an accident or that it wasn't by design? Hell no! That was problem money won't solve, the Cleaners take over. These guys can
the corporate machine at work. Weyland owns GRNDL, and they set get you fired, freeze your credaccounts, blacklist your ID, repossess
up some offshore drilling site to test their latest toy. Now, shortly after your house, and make your spouse think you're some kind ofpervert,
this, some tech guy realizes that this new geothermal drill is likely to and that's just for starters. They can plant evidence in your home
cause an earthquake so he tells his boss. Word gets passed up the chain and frame you for cyber-theft, reprogram your bioroid so it attacks
of command that GRNDL has invented an earthquake machine, and your kids, or just take a power drill to your kneecaps plain and sim-
somebody has to decide if it's worth the risk. Do they tell the public ple. They'll make you wish you were dead, and then they'll kill you.
about the danger? Or pull the plug on the proj- I swear, anytime you see some hard-faced bastard in an expensive
ect and save trillions of dollars? suit lookin' at you funny, you start runningdnd you don't look back.
Nope, they start buying up sea-front Mark my words man, you start digging around in this shit and
properties and insuring them for you have this to look forward to. You want my advice? Get off-grid
huge sums ofmoney. A very dif- right now, lose your family, sell your house; and go underground.
ferent arm of the company It's the only way to survive what's_. com- ·
ing if you really want to see
the truth.
THE NEW RNGELES
SPRCE ELEURTDR
The Weyland Consortium's New Angeles Space Elevator, which unworkable, but, as with so many of Tsiolkovsky's ideas, it led
first opened for business in '35, has become the keystone for directly to the modern version of an elevator reaching all the way
humankind's industrial and technological utilization of space. up to orbit.
It stretches from the peak of an ice-clad equatorial mountain in
Ecuador out to a distance of some seventy-two thousand kilome- "But science and technology are swiftly moving ahead
ters straight up. The structure, popularly known as the Beanstalk
and, perhaps, already toward the end of our century the
(after the old fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk"), gives cheap and construction of a cable way to the heavens will begin."
easy access to space and the resources available in space. Perhaps - Yuri Artsutanov, 1960
the most important of these is the helium-3 shipped down-Stalk Yuri Artsutanov was a Russian engineer at the Leningrad Tech-
from the Moon, but the .incoming riches include heavy metals nological Institute who built on Tsiolkovsky's ideas to become an
and volatiles mined from asteroids; high-tech electronics, com- important pioneer of the space elevator concept. In the midst of
ponents, and pharmaceuticals manufactured in microgravity; and the twentieth-century Space Race, he published an article titled "V
cheap power by means of beamed microwaves and direct current. Kosmos na Electrovoze;' which can be translated as "Into space
The flow isn't just from space to Earth, either. A steady and with the help of an electric locomotive:' Rather than Tsiolkovsky's
fast -growing stream of people has rushed to space since the Bean- orbital tower, he envisioned putting a satellite into geosynchro-
stalk's opening, making possible the large-scale colonization of nous orbit, and from there lowering a cable to the ground while
Luna and Mars as well as populating the mining centers of Ceres, simultaneously raising a counterweight on a second cable out
Vesta, Pallas, and Hygeia. The Beanstalk has been called human- from the Earth, maintaining the center of mass at geosynch. This
kind's gateway to the stars, and for good reason. tension-structure concept was far more feasible in engineering
terms than Tsiolkovsky's tower, and it would more easily facilitate
A space elevator is a simple enough concept, one describable
a safe and inexpensive means of reaching orbit.
by a simple analogy: take a small rock, tie it to the end of a string,
and spin it in the air above your head. Imagine the string is the "The space elevator will be built about
elevator, your hand is the Earth, and the rock is the Challenger fihy years after everyone stops laughing. 11
Planetoid holding the whole thing up, and you've got a fair picture -Arthur C. Clarke , 1981
of how the whole thing works. Arthur C. Clarke was a popular British science-fiction writer,
The elevator's center of mass is located about halfway up, 35,784 science writer, and futurist perhaps best known for his work
kilometers above Earth's surface. This point is known variously with Stanley Kubrick on the old flatfilm 2001: A Space Odyssey,
as geosynchronous orbit or-in honor of the man who pointed which was based on Clarke's short story "The Sentinel:' Clarke's
out that this would be a wonderful place to park communications 1979 paperbook Th e Foundations of Paradise became the vehicle
satellites-the Clarke Orbit. Satellites that are Clarke-parked com- by which the concept of the space elevator reached the public at
plete their orbit once in twenty-four hours, meaning they seem to large. The novel follows the construction of the world's first space
hang eternally in the same spot in the sky. Th~ physics of geosynch elevator above a fictional version of the island of Sri Lanka in the
are what make building a space elevator possible in the first place. Indian Ocean, which for the purposes of accurate physics Clarke
moved five hundred miles south to the equator.
GROUNDWORK:
"For the first time since it was initially conceived,
THE 1900s RND 2000s this dream is now within our reach. 11
"Earth is the cradle of humanity, .- The Spaceward Foundation , 2006
but one cannot live in the cradle forever." The world has long looked for a system that could get people into
- Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, 1911 orbit more che<}ply and safely than the time-honored means of
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was a Russian school teacher, rocket large, loud, and dangerous chemical rockets. Despite the need,
scientist, and space travel visionary who theorized about many space elevator development was hampered by two fundamental
aspects of space travel and rocket propulsion. Inspired by the problems: how to build a cable and how best to climb it. Begin-
newly constructed engineering marvel of his era, the Eiffel Tower, ning in the early twenty-first century, a series of international
he proposed the earliest version of the space elevator concept-a competitions were held by various groups interested in advanc-
tower, built upward from the Earth's surface and reaching all the ing the idea of a working space elevator, including the Spaceward
way to geostationary orbit over thirty-five thousand kilometers Foundation, NASA, the International Space Elevator Consor-
up. Such a tower would need to be strong enough to support its tium, the Japan Space Elevator Association, and others. After the
own weight under compression, with the lowest levels support- first year, most competitions had two parts-the climber chal-
ing the entire weight of the structure overhead. The concept is lenge and the tether challenge. The climber challenge tested the
ability of each entry to climb a tether pow- At the very top of the complex is the meters thick, dull grey in color, and rising
ered by energy beamed from the ground. broad and spacious Plaza del Cielo-the arrow-straight into the zenith, where it
The tether challenge had teams competing Plaza of the Sky-forty-seven hundred vanishes at the top of an infinite sky.
to build the longest and strongest tether. meters above sea level. The Plaza is an
THE TETHER
The winners showed just how ready the open expanse of concrete and stonework
world was for this technological miracle. crammed day and night with travelers, By far the most massive portion of the
tourists, the occasional performance art- entire structure, the tether is the taut-
F ORM RND ist, and sightseers, all watched over by stretched cable that connects the top of
Volcan Cayambe on Earth's equator with a
FUNCTION a small army of ever-vigilant Space Ele-
small asteroid seventy-two thousand kilo-
vator Authority (SEA) officers. Around
A space elevator consists of five separate meters up. The tether is the support struc-
the plaza perimeter are walkways and
sections. The Root, or anchor point, is the ture for the entire assembly. It's also the
sightseeing overlooks offering stunning
elevator's attachment point to the Earth's means by which the space elevator cars-
vistas of Cayambe's few remaining gla-
equator. The tether is the actual vertical colloquially known as "bean pods"-move
ciers and the surrounding cloud tops, the
line of the elevator. There's a central hub between Earth's surface and orbit.
Amazon snaking its way to the east, the
at geosynchronous orbit, and a counter-
emerald-green jungle greenspaces of Peru, The tether is made of carbon bucky-
weight asteroi.d at the top end of the tether.
and the sprawling agroplexes of north- weave, a material over a hundred times
Finally, there are the elevator cars which
western Brazil. stronger centimeter-for-centimeter than
travel up and down the tether.
The air is painfully thin at this altitude, the same thickness of carbon steel. Twenty
THE RDDT but the plaza itself is fully enclosed by meters thick at the base, it grows thicker
The Beanstalk connects to Earth's surface at floor-to-ceiling transplas windows. At the very gradually up the 'Stalk to around forty
the Root in the heart of the Chakana Dis- center of the ornate plaza, surrounded by meters at Midway ' Station-the point of
trict, and it is the largest transit center in sculpture gardens, shopping kiosks, and greatest §tress on the system, and the sec-
the world. The massive str~cture plunges cafes, lies Earth Station, a huge, glass- tion in most need of extra strength.
deep into the side of Volcan Cayambe domed SEA complex that serves as the Up in geosynch orbit at Midway Sta-
while also rising high to compete with the planet-side terminus of the Beans talk, with tion, passengers continuing up-Stalk must
rest of the New Angeles skyline. The Root its endless lines of ticket counters, baggage change pods. From Midway the upper
doubles as a massive shopping complex claims, sec-checks, and beanpod board- 'Stalk gradu~l)y becomes thinner again
and attracts billions of tourists per year. ing stations. Securjty is tight, with large until it reacftes : the anchoring counter-
Deep beneath the upper deck of the facil- numbers of yellow-jacketed Beanstalk weight-the Challenger Planetoid.
ity, underground mag-lev trains arrive and employees, Globalsec rent-a-cops, and Around the perimeter of both sections
depart from other parts ofNew Angeles, and U.S. Armed Forces personnel in evidence. of the tether are vertical grooves designed
from other cities farther north-Bogota, Rising above all of this commercial to hold the' accelerator flanges of the bean-
Tegucigalpa, Mexico City, and SanSan. splendor is the Beanstalk itself, twenty pods. Running up and down the entire
GEDS'INCH DRBIT:
you straight to Midway Station Up."
MIOWR'I STRTIDN facilities. These include connections to
way around in microgravity. The safety
Halfway up the Beanstalk, just above the lines, also known as lifelines, allow them two orbital hotels, the corporate offices for
thirty-five thousand kilometer mark, is to haul themselves along hand-over-hand, several big-name megacorporations, and
Midway Station, the center of the entire while the color coding serves as a guide. a major NBN branch office, which takes
structure. Most of the facility is in zero-G; up as much of half of the Midway Station
Also present are trained personnel in
"microgravity" is the more scientifically facilities. There are also boutiques, souve-
white jumpsuits who physically move
correct term. A large, open concourse nir stands, shops, as well as several restau-
visitors out of the beanpods. Such SEA
serves as the main arrival and depar- rants. Freefall is one, serving meals in cov-
attendants use straps connected around
ture area with access to both upper- and ered, straw-pierced containers; the menu
the passenger's waist to keep them from
lower-tether pod boarding facilities. offers a wide variety of food, so long· as it's
drifting off, and the attendants stow the
The concourse is cylindrical, thirty solid or pureed. Any lack of presentation
passenger's carry-on luggage or packages
meters across, and crisscrossed by numer- aesthetics, however, is more than made up
in backpacks. They haul their charges
ous color-coded safety lines strung across for by the view. Part of the outer wall can
bodily into the terminal area and then
the terminal area in pairs. The majority be rendered transparent, allowing diners
point them in the right direction: "You
of visitors to Midway Station each day are to look "down" at the Earth spanning some
want the green line, sir. Takes you straight
tourists, business people, and corporate twenty degrees of sky.
to Midway Station Up:'
employees on their way up or down from A number of Midway facilities are
Around the outside of the terminal are
Starport Kaguya on the Moon, and they separate from the main station, and are
a number of tube-ways leading to other
have little to no experience in making their reached by twelve-person space taxis, or
spaxies. One such facility is Sheer Heaven,
a popular restaurant located inside a
cylinder rotating around its long axis to
create artificial gravity. There are also a
large number of orbital assembly plants,
manufactories, and solar power stations in
free orbit within a few kilometers of Mid-
way. Banks of large transmission dishes
pointed at Earth belong to NBN and its
subsidiary companies such as the New
Angeles Sol, 7he New Angeles Times, and
NewsDirect. The Honeymoon Hilton is a
microgravity hotel separate from Midway
Station that caters to couples interested in
trying out the joys-and difficulties-of
zero-G coupling.
Midway Station is a bustling center of
travel, tourism, and business, with sev-
eral hundred permanent residents and at
least ten times as many transients passing
through every day, either coming to Mid-
way itself, or traveling up- or down-Stalk.
Midway Station is the heart of the Bean-
stalk, and it is rightly considered to be the
spot from which an Earth-bound human-
kind is evolving into a truly solar species.
THE COUNTERWEIGHT: Accessible by subsurface mag-lev tubes, cis-Lunar space on a long, curving tra-
THE CHRLLENGER the two wheels are partly buried in the jectory without the use of any fuel at all.
surface to provide micrometeorite, radi- The time and angle of launch are carefully
PLRNETDID
ation, and thermal protection. They both calculated so that the "slow boat" arrives at
The Challenger Planetoid serves as the span two hundred meters and possess Starport Kaguya several weeks later, with
up-end anchor for the entire Bean- three decks each. They rotate in opposite minimal use of rockets for attitude adjust-
stalk and keeps it stretched taut, like the directions to avoid precession effects that ment and the final landing.
stone at the end of the string. Located might disrupt the planetoid's attitude- The Farside docking ports are also the
some seventy-two thousand kilometers with disastrous effect to the Beanstalk. The means by which incoming helium-3 canis-
above Earth's surface, the planetoid is a spin rate of once in twenty-eight seconds ters launched from the Moon via a mag-lev
five-kilometer rock deliberately moved in provides a reasonable spin gravity-about a rail are captured, loaded onto the elevator
from its original Earth-crossing orbit and half-G on the lower, outer deck, and about a rails on the Nearside, and sent down-Stalk
attached to the upper end of the tether. third of a G on the upper, inner deck. to Earth. Nearby is the Port McNair United
Like the rest of the Beanstalk, the Outside the Carousel, in 0.04 G micro- States Space Expeditionary Corps base
Challenger Planetoid circles the Earth in gravity, is a theater famous for its low-G to protect the Beanstalk from military
twenty-four hours, but due to its position ballets and acrobatic dance performances, threats. The military space docks serve as
and speed it also generates a distinct, out- a smaller and less luxurious version of the a grim reminder of the Battle of the Bean-
is-down spin gravity. This acceleration is Midway Honeymoon Hotel, and living stalk that occurred here a little over fifteen
quite low, however, amounting to about modules for the planetoid's permanent res- years ago.
four hundredths of a gravity. idents. Other facilities on Nearside include
THEBERNPDD
Because it is anchored to the distant the Casino Club, a suite of meeting rooms,
Earth, it always has the same side fac- and a large and fairly well-equipped medical The final vital element of the space elevator
ing the planet. Its inhabited facilities are facility. Close by the terminal and connected system is .the ascent/ descent vehicle, most
divided between Nearside and Farside, via underground slidewalk tunnels is The commonly known as a "beanpod:' It's an
which are connected by a mag-lev tunnel High Frontier, a hotel and business center. elongated elevator car designed to climb
running straight through the center of the and descend the tether while carrying pas-
The sky of Nearside is dominated by the
planetoid. The planetoid's name honors sengers or other cargo.
Earth hanging at the zenith, about half the
the space shuttle Challenger that blew up size as it appears from Midway. Neverthe- The stand d passenger pod is a cigar-
shortly after lift -off back in the late twen- less, it spans twenty-one times the diam- shaped vessel twenty-one meters long and
tieth century. eter of the full moon as seen from Earth. five meters through . at the widest, divided
into three decks. Each deck holds twelve
N£RR510£ FRC/L/T/£5 FRR510£ FRC/L/T/£5 padded chairs, a restroom, and a small
Challenger Beanstalk Terminal is located Challenger's Farside is reached by tube-car drink and snack bay. In the pointed ends
at the tether attachment point and is rela- straight through the center of the plane- is the environmental control gear-air and
tively austere in its accommodations. Vis- toid. The Farside base is dominated by the water tanks,' heating·,~.and air condition-
itors often remark on the fact that where Challenger Mines and by the port facilities ing units-~nd radar and control systems.
Midway Station is fairly slick and commer- of the Challenger Memorial Ferry. The local Amidships, on the exterior hull, is the mag-
cial in its appearance, Challenger Base has offices of Humanity Labor are located in netic flange that rides the elevator groove, as
a rougher, frontier feel with fewer ameni- Farside, a kind of union shop for offworld well as a folded-up paraglider ram-chute for
ties, but it still has plenty to entertain the human workers. Buildings here are upside emergencies. In the event that a pod breaks
risties and executives traveling through, as down, since the .04 G spin gravity from the free of the lower tether and falls toward
well as the tourists who cannot afford to whirling Beanstalk out-muscles the even Earth, the ram-chute allows safe decelera-
complete the journey to Starport Kaguya. slighter gravity of the planetoid. A visitor tion and descent through the atmosphere.
About a kilometer away from the space looking out through a window on Farside The pod is designed to rotate on the
elevator's terminus is the Carousel, a pair will see the Challenger Planetoid rising like flange. This allows the vehicle to acceler-
of rotating wheels, one atop the other. an enormous, hanging city above her head. ate or decelerate while keeping "down"
Originally built as a construction shack From the ~Ienger Ferry embarka- in the direction of the floor for the safety
and medical facility for Beanstalk workers, tion a traveler c catch a transport for and comfort of the passengers. Typically,
it was purchased by a wealthy casino devel- Starport Kaguya n the Moon. Travelers a beanpod will accelerate up-Stalk at 1.5
oper named Gianfranco Calderoli for a in a hurry can boa , an express ferry that gravities to the eighteen-thousand kilo-
rumored half-billion credits. He renamed will get them to the Mo \ in about a day meter level, rotate end-for-end, and then
it the Castle Club-pursuing the Beanstalk or so, while so-called "slof boats" use decelerate for the rest of the journey up to
fairy-tale theme of a giant's castle at the the momentum imparted by the Chal- Midway Station.
top of a beanstalk-and turned it into a lenger Planetoid to drift outward through
low-gravity theme park.
The first leg of the journey will take about
fifty minutes. During this time, passengers
endure 1.5 Gs during boost, meaning that
an eighty-kilogram man will feel like he
weighs one-twenty kilos-hence the com-
fortable and deeply cushioned seats. At the
journey's midpoint, he will be in either zero
gravity (on the Midway-to-Challenger sec-
tion of the tether), or (on the Earth to Mid-
way run), he will briefly experience a bit less
than half of Earth's surface gravity pulling at
him, first toward the floor, and then, after
the pod rotates, toward the ceiling until
acceleration begins again. Robotic equip-
ment stored inside the pod's walls emerge
to clean up the mess should any passengers
experience motion sickness during any part
of the journey.
Although the drink and snack bar and the
restroom are provided for the passengers'
comfort, people are encouraged to remain
in their seats for the entire trip. After all, a
misstep at 1.5 Gs could break an ankle. Pas-
sengers' safety restraints lock automatically
to keep them seated during the mid-jour-
ney skew-flips and again after they arrive in
microgravity until attendants can clip onto
them and haul them into the terminal.
Larger versions of the standard travel
pod are uncrewed and are used to trans-
port tanks of helium-3 from Heinlein
down-Stalk to the receiving station under
the Root and other cargo up-Stalk.
THE FDRCES
DF PHYSICS
Centripetal force and gravity are the physi- farther away from that point. This results The faster the system rotates, the stronger
cal foundations of a working space elevator. the sensation of gravity. Spin gravity is
in a small (0.04G) force being imparted on
CENTRIPETRL FORCE spacecraft released from the Farside docks used in certain structures associated with
on the Challenger Planetoid. the Beanstalk-notably the Castle Carou-
Centripetal force is what keeps the Bean-
sel on the Challenger Nearside, as well as
stalk up, in dynamic suspension. From the Centripetal force creates what is some-
in structures requiring artificial gravity
Latin words meaning "the center" and "to times known as spin gravity. The huge,
orbiting near Midway Station.
seek;' centripetal force draws a rotating rotating-wheel space stations envisioned
body toward the center of rotation instead by von Braun or in Stanley Kubrick's old GRRUITV
of a straight line. The effect is most obvi- flatfilm 2001: A Space Odyssey provided The other main force on the Beanstalk is
ous when spinning a small rock or other an out-is-down artificial gravity, with "up" actual gravity. Despite the common notion
mass on the end of a string. Centripetal toward the rotating system's center. A prac- that to venture into space is to escape grav-
force keeps the string taut and the teth- tical demonstration can be seen by stand- ity, this is not the case-gravity is always
ered rock spinning in the air along a cir- ing outside with a bucket of water and there and is always a factor. It is the force
cular path. The force felt on a tethered spinning the bucket as quickly as possible. of Earth's gravity that keeps untethered
object moving in a circular path is weakest If one can manage not to slosh, the water objects, like Luna or man-made satellites,
inward, with no force at all experienced at will remain in the bottom of the bucket,
orbiting around it.
the center, but the force grows stronger the even when it's upside down above his head.
Because the lower half of the Beanstalk WRTCHTHRT and silicon. These materials have a tensile
is still dominated by gravity, a passenger FIRST STEP strength of several gigapascals (GPa). Not
in a pod here still feels a tug downward. A only would the space elevator material
An important distinction not often appre-
worker halfway up who makes a careless have to support the outward pull of the
ciated by the general public is that the
misstep would fall, not float, and make a counterweight as it whirled around the
lower half of the Beanstalk is not in orbit.
spectacular and fiery re-entry into Earth's Earth, but it would have to support its own
Step outside a bean pod on the lower tether,
atmosphere. In low Earth orbit-around weight as well, requiring a tensile strength
and a person will fall. Only when one
four hundred kilometers up-the effect of up to one hundred GPa. By the begin-
reaches synchronous orbit, at Midway, will
of gravity is still almost ninety percent of ning of the twenty-first century, carbon
one's velocity perfectly balance the pull
what it is at Earth's surface. Here, the first nanotubes showed considerable promise,
of Earth's gravity, leaving the person in
space stations and early orbital flights although it was several decades before they
zero-G. Technically, the term is micrograv-
were never "beyond Earth's gravity:' The could be grown to lengths any greater than
ity, because Earth's mass will still be pulling
astronauts just didn't feel it as they were a few tenths of a meter. Another new mate-
at him; it's still pulling at him as far out as
falling-in "free fall" -along their orbital rial, graphene (or buckyweave), was even
the Moon, obviously, since at that distance
path the entire time; they were essentially stronger (130 GPa)-and had the added
the Moon is still trapped by Earth's pull.
not feeling any gravitational pull. benefit of conducting electricity.
If a person did fall, he wouldn't go splat
The higher a passenger goes up-Stalk, Ultimately, advances in manufac-
on the Plaza del Cielo, and tourists at the
the more the sensation of gravity gradually tory techniques by companies like
Root aren't in danger of spanners dropped
dwindles until he reaches what is effec- Weyland-Osman Materials made tether
by workers a few thousand kilometers up.
tively zero-G at synchorbit. In practice, extruders possible-robotic devices that
Depending on how high up he is when he
passengers riding the beanpods up- and grew carbon nanofiber cables in an over-
lets go, his rotation around the Earth will
down-Stalk feel the effects of acceleration lapping weave that was extremely strong.
impart a lateral component to his velocity;
in their magnetically driven vehicles, a Graphene riqbons were layered within
his descent will combine these two vec-
force that is indistinguishable from gravity. the cable to provide motive power for the
tors, bringing him down somewhere to the
Back in the earliest days of the space ele- beanpods and to conduct electrical power
east of the Root. If he lets go at Midway
vator, pods climbed the tether at a steady from orbit to Earth. Not until then could
Station, well, his fall would take him clear
and sedate couple of hundred kilometers the old dream of an elevator to space be
around the world; that's the definition of
per hour-comparable to a conventional physically rea;ized.
"orbit:' Let go halfway up, and he'll be on
mag-lev train-which got them to where
they needed to be in about a week. As the
a trajectory that would bring him down BUILDING R
somewhere in western Borneo if it weren't
demand increased for trips up and down
for the considerable effects of atmospheric BERNSTRLK
the Beanstalk, the Weyland Consortium
drag on the way down. The physics o[the Beanstalk is all about
developed more aggressive rates of travel
carefully bala~cing forces to ensure the
to satisfy that need. TENSILE STRENGTH
massive st~ucture always remains in a state
FRRTHERDUT Tsiolkovsky's tower was an engineering of stable t~nsion. This\.vas nowhere so nec-
impossibility because structural com- essary as during the space elevator's initial
Beyond Midway, passengers no longer feel
ponents of such a building simply aren't construction.
the tug of Earth's gravity. It's still there, to
strong enough to support the weight of
be sure, but the sensation is overwhelmed To start with, a space station was
the entire tower. Artsutanov's contribution
by tug outward on the tether. Passengers built using conventional techniques at
to the concept was his suggestion that a
above Midway Station feel a slight pull synchorbit, which provided a construction
space elevator, rather than being a tower
outward due to the centripetal force of the shack for the work crews and the dynamic
supported entirely from Earth, could .m
entire rotating system, which is reduced in center of the growing structure. Two tether
fact be more like a suspension bridge, With
apparent strength by Earth's (unfelt) pull. extruders were transported to the station in
its components in dynamic balance with
From Earth up to Midway, then, down is pieces and assembled there, one above the
one. another.
toward the Earth; from Midway to the Cas- construction shack, one below. Some hun-
Until the twenty-first century, however, dreds of conventional rocket flights boosted
tle, however, down is away from the Earth,
available materials still weren't strong tons of raw carbon up to synchorbit to feed
although the actual force is extremely
enough to allow a space elevator to be built. the extruders, which began weaving their
small. In any case, the beanpods' magnetic
Calculations in the late twentieth century respective cables-one up, one down-and
acceleration creates an artificial gravity
showed that the cable used in any space doing so at carefully controlled rates. If one
indistinguishable from the real thing; the
elevator concept would have to be roughly cable got ahead of the other, it would shift
pods are rotated on their flanges when
three times stronger than the then-stron- the system's center of mass up or down,
under acceleration, so that down is always
toward the floors. gest materials known: diamond, Kevlar, moving it out of synchorbit.
Eventually, the Challenger Planetoid, which had been nudged and the Moon. This exquisite blend of engineering and ballet
toward Earth some twenty years earlier, arrived to simplify things. resulted in Challenger passing the outer end of the tether at just
Challenger was an Earth-crossing asteroid, one of a large family the right velocity to allow capture and anchoring.
of rocks orbiting the Sun in the general vicinity of Earth's orbit. Shortly thereafter, the Earth-side end of the cable dropped down
Besides its orbit, Challenger had been chosen because it was a through Earth's atmosphere-since the system was balanced at syn-
type of asteroid known as a carbonaceous chondrite, or c-cons for chronous orbit, the end of the cable was not moving at all relative
short. Such rocks typically contain up to two percent by weight of to the turning Earth-and was captured by a crew working at the
carbon-including the hydrocarbons of organic substances, ker- newly constructed Cayambe Earth Station. After several months
ogens, and amino acids-and anywhere from two to twenty-two of structural and power tests, the first payloads began moving
percent by weight of water. In the earliest days of asteroid mining, skyward-mostly parts for the fast-growing Midway Station.
c-cons were far more valuable than those containing heavy metals,
With old-fashioned rockets launched up out of Earth's steep
since they contain all of the raw materials necessary to support
gravity well, the cost of getting large payloads up to synchronous
human life in space: nitrogen and oxygen for air, hydrogen and
orbit was enormous, depending on the launch system used. With
oxygen for rocket fuel. They also supplied ton upon ton of raw car-
the space elevator system, this cost dropped almost immediately.
bon that could be cheaply dropped down to synchorbit and woven
into the Beanstalk's tethers. The re:naining price represented the cost in electricity required
to boost each kilo up to Midway. Various technological advances
With Challenger in orbit at about the sixty-five thousand kilo-
and the physics of the system itself allowed the Beans talk to gen-
meter level, carbon was steadily removed and shipped down to
erate large amounts of electrical power, offsetting this cost even
synchorbit, reducing its mass and resulting in a slight outward
further. Prices today fluctuate depending on the energy markets.
migration. The most difficult-and dangerous-part ofthe opera-
The price paid ends up being "whatever the market will bear"-
tion came at the very end, when the asteroid was accelerated using
meaning most of the price per kilogram becomes profit for the
a magnetically launched portion of the rock itself as reaction mass
SEA and Beanstalk royalties for the Weyland Consortium. ,
to put it into a series of long, looping passes around both Earth
R HISTORY OF THE BERNSTRLK
The Beanstalk cost tens of billions to at all from the Beanstalk's presence. When Eventually, Ecuador and the Weyland
construct-some estimates put the figure the first parcels of land were purchased Consortium signed the Rivera Declaration,
at something in excess of seventy billion under existing extraterritoriality laws, which established the framework of a lease
dollars-but eventually it became the con- resident Ecuadorians became foreign agreement between the corporation and
duit for hundreds of trillions of dollars- nationals on what had been their own Ecuador for the land immediately sur-
and later, credits-flowing down-Stalk land. Buyout agreements and compensa- rounding the Root. The format was similar
from Heinlein and from fast-growing tion plans encouraged many to move west; to the Canal Zone treaties that had allowed
space-based industries. The world's first others stayed where they were and applied the building of the Panama Canal early in
trillionaires were the men and women for work permits and green cards. the twentieth century and the Nicaragua
who invested heavily in the Space Elevator For a time, a rival proposal vied with Canal in the early twenty-first.
Project, as well as in asteroid mining, in Jack Weyland's over the location and Although the Treaty of Heinlein also
orbital manufacturing, and, especially, in design of the Beanstalk's Root. Rather than ceded daily operational control to the
helium-3 fusion. With that kind of money planting the Beanstalk on a mountaintop, Space Elevator: Authority, the Weyland
on the line, political corruption, corporate some argued it would be safer and more Consortium unofficially controls the
malfeasance, and legislative greed were economical to anchor the structure to a economic and political life of the Space
inevitable-and ugly. large, seagoing base, a powered structure Elevator. Most assume that the shadow
The history of New Angeles is the history similar to Chibashima, the zaratan isle in owners and powers-that-be behind the
of the Beanstalk. Indeed, New Angeles exists NeoTokyo Bay. A sea-based Root could Space Elevator will stay behind the scenes
purely as an offshoot of the Space Elevator, be moved or shifted slightly in the event so long as the flow of credits down from
the inevitable growth of commercial infra- that the 'Stalk was endangered by orbiting space continues to fill their creda~counts.
structure arising in the Beanstalk's shadow. space junk or an out-of-control planetoid. And in Space Elevator politics, as in all
Jack Weyland began the initial pur- The proposal was named Seabase Zaratan, other forms of politics and government,
chases of Ecuadorian land northeast of and the idea received considerable support the Golden Rule is very much in evidence:
Quito, including parts of the Cayambe from certain caucuses of the U.S. Congress. "Whoever has the gold makes the rules .. ."
Coca Ecological Reserve, toward the end A massive advertising campaign by Wey- THESWDRD
of the last century. The agreement by the land blocked the proposal, however, with
DFDRMDCLES
Ecuadorian government to sell this wil- several key arguments. An oceanic Root
derness land was controversial and widely would be decidedly limited in its growth, Since the Beanstalk first opened for busi-
criticized at the time. A review by the as well as in its infrastructure. Travelers ness, the program has been hailed as the
Inspector General's Office of the Ecua- would have to reach Seabase Zaratan by sea single most important step forward in
dor and Ministerio del Interior, however, or by air, rather than the more convenient human technology since fire. It has all but
failed to find any indication of bribery or mag-lev tubes, and warehousing space for assured our survival as a species, it has
corruption. Suspicions surrounding the supplies going up or goods coming down freed us from the threat of energy short-
Quito Accord remain as well. As much as would be in short supply. Defensive lasers ages and planet-wide pollution, and it has
a quarter of the approximately one trillion and ongoing orbital-clearing missions opened the way for humankind to become
dollars the U.S. paid over twenty years to would take care of the space debris and, at a truly mature and interplanetary species.
secure land for the Space Elevator Project need-when a defunct satellite in low Earth Still, there remain dangers. The Battle
went into the pockets of a S!;lect and very orbit might actually impact the tether, for of the Beanstalk raised the specter that
wealthy few in Ecuador's government, instance-the tether itself could be nudged war or terrorism might yet strike against
military, and courts, and that the popular slightly. As already noted, the movement this stream of wealth and prosperity. Dis-
referendum on the plan was rigged. of mass up or down on the tether tends- affected political or religious groups might
Beanstalk supporters point out that the through the effects of the Coriolis force- to see the Beanstalk as a viable target to force
flood of wealth coming down-Stalk has bene- move the cable slightly. In most instances, a wealthier nations or groups to yield to their
fited Ecuador to a degree impossible to imag- movement of a few meters is all that would demands-extortion on a planetary scale.
ine a hundred years ago. The populations be necessary to keep both tether and sat- In any event, the Beanstalk was not
of both New Angeles and of Ecuador, they ellite safe. damaged during the War thanks in part to
suggest, are so much better off-enjoying, as All but the oldest satellites are equipped the military garrisons, both American and
they do, the highest standards ofliving found with power systems to prevent collisions, Ecuadorian, that defended it. Nor is the
anywhere in Latin America-that a few hun- and even the old ones are closely moni- Beanstalk a soft target. Anti-meteor laser
dred billion dollars' worth of corruption is a tored by Earth. But the realization that a defenses would be quite as effective against
reasonable cost of doing business. sea-based system would be sharply limited approaching military ships as they are
For a time, some questioned whether in scope finally ended the challenge by Wey- against chunks of space debris, and even if
ordinary Ecuadorian citizens would benefit land's rivals. the unthinkable happened and the tether
was severed, the physics of the structure ground attachment points have been iden- INTO THE FUTURE
are such that little real or lasting damage tified on the northern slopes of Mt. Kenya,
The old fairy tale ofJack and the Beanstalk
could be done. at the mouths of the Amazon, and on Isa-
listed three treasures brought down-Stalk
The worst-case scenario-of several bella Island in the Galapagos.
by the enterprising and felonious Jack: a
thousands of kilometers of the lower In addition, a consortium of industrial bag of gold, a hen that laid golden eggs,
tether falling from the sky-would result corporations has announced plans for a and a harp that played itself.
in billions of dollars of damage and a halt different option, a sea-based elevator ris-
In the near future we could see those
in traffic, true. The worst damage would be ing from the Pacific Ocean. The land-based
prizes expanded upon: untold wealth
confined to the Amazon Industrial Zone projects have the advantage of existing
eliminating global paver!)'; a means of
and portions of equatorial Africa. The psy- infrastructure-the cities of Kampala and
continually producing such wealth through
chological impact of such a disaster would Singapore which would become immense
access to new means of power generation;
be far greater than any actual threat to the and sprawling spaceports on a scale simi-
and the inevitable transformation of our
planet's economy or to its population. lar to that of New Angeles. The sea-based
culture as we redefine concepts like work,
Jack Weyland said it best, perhaps, initiative has been put forward by the same
wages, and what it means to be human.
with his famous quote: "We could make industrial amalgamation that suggested a
sea-based elevator during the Beanstalk's Visionaries speak of a future era when
it perfectly safe by not building the
initial design phase. Criticisms about a a thriving, inhabited city evolves as a ring
damned thing:'
marine elevator's limits to growth have completely encircling the Earth, seventy-two
RORSTRR been addressed by plans to bqilc!_a floating thousand kilometers across, with numerous
One Beanstalk just isn't eno.ugh to satisfy marine city atop numerous powered, artifi- elevator threads connecting the planet's sur-
global demand for tourism, trade, and cial islands rafted together, and by designs face with synchorbit. Someday, a thousand
opportunity. Others claim that the Space for a new generation of immense cargo and years hence, Earth rriight have rings as glo-
Elevator Authority gives preferential passenger vessels to service it. rious and as spectacular as those of Saturn.
access to the United States and its allies It remains to be seen whether the Con- With the Beanstalk, humankind has
despite the intent of the Treaty of Heinlein, sortium will become involved in any of the reached the jump-off point to a whole new
thereby effectively hamstringing the rest projects, like how they are involved with level of existence, that of Homo extraterres-
of the world's opportunities to create new the proposed space elevator at Bradbury's trialis-a mature species firmly planted first
colonies on Luna and Mars. Daedalus Complex on Mars, or whether on Mars, and then beyond. Its realm would
Already, there are plans for at least they will actively combat any threat to its expand tl1roughout the formerly empty vol-
two new space elevators, one rooted on monopoly on access to space. ume of space surrou.ricling Sol. Beyond that,
an island in Lake Victoria just south of a galaxy awaits us .. .and beckons.
Kampala, the other on Pulau Lingaa, And truly the sky is no
two hundred kilometers southeast ·longer the limit.
of Singapore. Other possible
:- -,
New Angeles is, with no question whatsoever, the bigge~t and most populous
~--
At plaza level, shopping centers, social Within the arcologies, many of the retail The least affluent residents know their
comforts technology can offer in a secluded venues, and entertainment districts span tens and service positions essential to quotidian place is on the bottom in an arcology-
world atop the towering starscrapers that of floors. Many luxuries are imported from life are filled by androids. If a resident so both figuratively and otherwise. Vast
literally place them above the masses. These across the globe. From Mumbad come the desires, he can spend, acquire, and con- underground complexes of hex-tubes and
luxury arcologies are cities within cities. finest smartfabrics that morph and twist to sume anything he likes with a wave of the ramshackle cargo containers date far back
Every service that a citizen could desire- the wearer's digital demands, changing color hand. Clones prepare what foods require to the founding of New Angeles or before.
shopping, style, education, security-is and style to suit the latest season (for a nom- a more tender touch than a robot can pro- These are filled to the brin1 with middle- and
at the fingertips of the upper-middle and inal fee) . Genuine grass-fed meat instead of vide, while bioroids serve as couriers to lower-class workers who are glad to have a
upper class in every megapolis, from New the mass-produced gogs of the Amazonian ferry sh opping bags from retail outlets to permanent address at all and dream of one
Angeles to Mum bad and beyond. feedlots-produce grown in sunlight rather their assigned destinations. For those who day ascending to the plaza level or higher.
than the emulated wavelengths in an agrop- live in these sky-high palaces, anticipation Luxury arcologies are literally shining
Self-sufficient in many respects (includ-
lex-all is served on a fingernail- thin crystal is momentary; one's every desire is instan- examples of the world reserved for the
ing food, water, and even power gener-
platter flowing in pleasant waves of holo- taneously fulfilled, often before one realizes business elite. They perennially stand as
ation), arcologies ensure that society's
graphically projected colors. he wanted it at all. incentives for the lesser classes to strive
wealthiest need not venture far for work,
home, or play. Business centers feature The vast majority of a ristie's work time Some risties choose to never venture ever harder for advancement in their
offices for the arcology's system administra- is spent enjoying the lavish entertainments beyond the luxury afforded to them, obliv- careers, regardless of whether such aspi-
tors, project developers, business managers, the arcology and surrounding New Ange- ious to the stark realities of the world rations are likely to be stifled by corporate
brand officers, insurance adjusters, budget les has to offer. Designer hologolf courses outside its walls. There is no underway inertia, background checks and blacklists,
analysts, and efficiency experts. Nearby cor- serve as the new board rooms, and business access to the most exclusive arcologies; the catch-22 laws, and no shortage of corrupt
porate arcologies, easily reached by slide- is conducted while listening to concertos residents who do leave take hoppers or ele- politicians. Rags-to-riches stories on NBN's
walk or hopper or Metro, provide the other played on exclusive instruments-some as vated skywalks only. Those who try to claw content streams might be popular, but in
white-collar and knowledge-based careers old and treasured as a Stradivarius, others upward and sneak their way inside aren't the real world, downward social mobility is
that pay far more than anyone outside an on the cutting edge of technology and lit- in much luck either- AI secretaries rou- much more common than the reverse. The
arcology enjoys. Residential towers feature erally one of a kind. Networking is done at tinely screen entrants for biometric data, megacorps are the gatekeepers of the ristie
posh apartments and homes interspersed galas for aficionados with similar interests an d if a visitor isn't a resident or approved class, and those lacking the connections
with greenspaces and artificial beachfront in art, food, fashion, and every other cel- guest, a sec- team or designer g-mods for intelligence and
for recreation and relaxation. ebration the elite can justify (which is to quickly arrives to beauty are at a marked disadvantage.
say, anything that comes to mind) . Privi- escort him or her
leged children and wealthy spouses spend out. Thick plas-
their days in leisure at attractions the poor crete walls , dig-
At the top of the arcology, park
can only dream of-holoparks, mag-flight ital gatekeepers,
and recreation areas boast
zones, roller coasters that span hundreds and well-paid (and
Residences make up the breathtaking views of the New
of floors-no recreation is too exotic or too often well-trained) Angeles skyline.
bulk of the arcology' s
expensive for the residents of an arcology. prisec forces ensure
levels . Each suite comes
equipped with a secretary that the lives of
AI to modulate climate con- Arcologies have wide vanes that the elite are unin-
trols, schedule cleaning and can fold inward to protect the terrupted by the
maintenance, and monitor topmost observation and world at large.
the residents' security. lounge decks from rain .
PDINT5 DF INTEREST
Jorge Quinde Station: The largest transit hub outside of Earth
Station, JQ Station is a massive terminal for rail, tube-lev, and
groundtruck shipping throughout the city. Incoming He-3 can-
isters arrive via tube-lev from the Beanstalk, and then either pass
through JQ Station en route to the port at Manta or whiz directly
to one of the city's fusion plants.
The Slammer: Advertising itself as a "hard-drinking bar for
hard-working people;' the Slammer is a humans-only drinking
hole popular with Human First members and anyone who wants
to get away from the district's large android population. The Slam-
mer has no pretensions toward higher society: it claims no live
music or artisanal microbrews. It does have many private and
dimly lit corners, however, as well as a back room for illicit meet-
ings and high-stakes poker games.
GURYRIJUIL
Guayaquil District covers the southern section of New Angeles,
from the old Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil across to the western
coast. In the days before the Project, Guayaquil was Ecuador's
most populous city, already cosmopolitan and diverse. Now,
Guayaquil District remains the most populous district in the city,
although its aging infrastructure and comparatively remote loca-
tion have conspired to make it relatively poor.
Antigua Guayaquil lies in the shadow of more modern arcolo-
gies, its neighborhoods and buildings of years past falling into the
undercity of today's New Angeles. Nuevo Guayaquil's plaza level
is the district's new commercial center. Beyond the Rio Daule
(the district's eastern boundary) lies a ring of warehouses, unfin-
ished or condemned towers, and outdated transit stations for old
oil-breathing vehicles that have together become the most exten-
sive slum in the city.
Even the massive arcologies of Guayaquil have a disreputable HEINLEIN
air. For some of Guayaquil's arks, only the upper levels remain The most remote district of New Angeles is also the largest in
habitable as the lower floors are gradually surrendered to the dis- terms of land area. Heinlein, located on Earth's moon, is part of
enfrancistos and squatters. So long as the corps continue to shift New Angeles primarily as a political fiction to tie its destiny to the
their premises toward Rutherford, Laguna Velasco, Nihongai, or Space Elevator.
Manta, the entire district is engaged in a losing battle against eco-
Although it sends representatives to City Hall, Heinlein is func-
nomic entropy.
tionally independent, with its district manager seldom consulting
Given its state of physical, social, and economic disrepair, it Mayor Wells or the rest of the city council before making deci-
should come as no surprise that Guayaquil has the highest crime sions. This is perhaps an inevitable result of Heinlein's complete
rate in the city. Orgcrime controls the ports and has extensively alienation from its sister districts on Earth. The other districts,
infiltrated the financial center of the district. Entire sectors of after all, do not need policies on oxygen consumption or mini-
Guayaquil are given over to gangs, and the locals have been known mum radiation shielding. Heinlein's concerns could scarcely have
to rely on the streetbangers for protection and law enforcement, less in common with the day-to-day business of the rest of the city.
rather than the NAPD.
Heinlein's independence is partly a reflection of the degree to
PDINTS DF INTEREST which its district government is controlled by the mining bosses.
Barrio Las Peiias: Once the home of wealthy landowners, the Corporations such as Melange Mining and Alpha Prospecting are
Barrio Las Peiias remains one of the most iconic and recognizable the de facto governments across much of the Lunar surface, and
areas in Antigua Guayaquil. Although its gaily painted colonial their dominance over Heinlein's politics and economy cannot be
homes were -renovated and restored at the turn of the century, overstated.
rising sea levels and arcology development have left the region PDINTS DF INTEREST
fading into obscurity. Now Las Pei'ias is an aging neighborhood
Wyldside: Arguably the most infamous nightclub on the Moon,
occupied only by those too stubborn to move away. There is some
Wyldside is a hotbed of counterculture and youth rebellion.
talk of having the area declared a historic district and restored, but
A new trend in genetic self-modification has arisen among its
the city is reluctant to bear the cost and the residents are reluctant
patrons, and so-called "Wylder" culture is gaining a foothold
to sell their land.
down-Stalk on Earth.
Jack Weyland Arcology: One of the first true arcologies built in
Apollo Solar Chapel: Possibly the .largest devotional structure
New Angeles, the Jack Weyland Arcology stands in Nuevo Guay-
on the Moon, the Apollo Solar Cha~el is an Order of Sol facility
aquil and is surrounded by taller and newer buildings. Although
designed to accommodate worshippers ~f many faiths in an envi-
it was the tallest building in the world (except for the Beanstalk)
ronment where space is at a premium. Christian, Jewish, Muslim,
when it was built, the JWA's l.lkm is only average by modern stan-
Buddhist, Hindu, and Gaian services are all held regularly, but the
dards. The Jack Weyland Arcology includes a plaza-level shopping
centerpiece is the non-denominatioi).al Solar Service led by the
center, several floors of small offices for independents, and several
Chaplain on Saturday mornings . .
floors devoted to Weyland Consortium businesses. The tower is
once again owned by the Consortium after changing hands sev-
eral times over the past few decades. The uppermost levels include
a hotel, the Palace at Guayaquil, and a mix of residential apart-
ments growing increasingly expensive and luxurious as the floor
number increases. Beneath the plaza level, the JWA is under per-
sistent renovation, which in practice means that the deserted lev-
els are a haunt for criminals and disenfrancistos.
TRRUERSING
THE DISTRICTS
New Angeles is a city bristling with vehicles, both public and pri-
vate, and it has more registered vehicles than any other metro-
politan area in history. Estimates on the number of unregistered
vehicles inflate that number even higher, but there is no way for
that number to be determined with any real degree of accuracy.
While yesterday's electric automobiles comprise a large por-
tion of privately owned transportation in New Angeles, the city is
known for its skylanes clogged by streams of hoppers, the flying
cars that the world had long been promised. The term "hopper"
is slang for skyhopper, a name derived from the vehicle's quick
bursts of flight between charging pads. A short-duration hydro-
gen fuel cell powers the electromagnetic hoverfoil rotors for hours
at a time. These cells are recharged by contact with landing pads
in a process called "flash charging" that lasts only a second or two.
The New Angeles Transit Authority maintains a network of
sophisticated guidance computers that coordinate the staggering
number of hoppers that move throughout the city. Early in the
city's history there were fewer flight-control regulated airspaces,
which resulted in a series of fatal crashes that nearly ruined the
hopper industry. Now, a carefully regulated system of aer ial traffic
lanes (better known as sky lanes) and extensive use of the hopper's
autopilot feature has created one of the safest travel networks in
the modern world.
Despite the high ownership rate of private veh icles, most New
Angelinos take advantage of the megacity's incredible public
transportation system. The most significant of these systems is the
tube-lev system, also known as the Metro. The Metro is a subter-
ranean mag-lev train system that winds through vacuum tunnels
deep below the surface at hundreds of kilometers per hour. Every
day it moves hundreds of thousands of citizens, most of them
middle and lower class, through the many stations dotting the
metropolitan area and suburbs. The cost of maintaining the Metro
is significant, but between ticket revenue and hopper registration
fees, the New Angeles Transit Authority funds itself.
In addition to the tube-lev and the inordinate number of pri-
vately owned hoppers, the Skyway provides the public with access
to hoppers in a very limited capacity. Using much larger hoppers
than are typically possessed by private individuals, the Skyway
offers rapid transit in between tube- lev stations for a nominally
higher fee.
plugged in to the Net than the world around them, there are people like you down in
the undercity. Have you had too much of the grandstanding, cred-slicked tracks set up
in the hack governments across the world to slide businesses around as they please?
Say what you will of the corporate
When you give up the products of a nihilist, consumeristic society you can slip the
rat race and the devaluation of the
leash of the megacorps. Is that roof over your head worth sacrificing your privacy and
common man, but at least in the
rights for, even though that rooj'll never be yours? Is it worth the soybeef tacos you
bureaucratic gears above there's a
have to borrow from tomorrow's paycheck?
roof over your head every night, a
I say no, com padre, it isn't. Nobody has reign over me, hanger or corp lackey-I do soft bed to fall into after a fourteen -
what I want. Is it dirty down here? Yes. Is it dangerous down here? Yes. Do I miss the
hour day in the cube-farm, and the
ease of living above? Do I care? Some days more than others, but having liberty,
streetbangers are an Old Hollywood
ese, being able to choose-that's better than any stim or simsensie. I know novelty, not a downright threat to deal
what it means to me, but what's freedom worth to you?
with day in and day out.
NORTH RMERICR
For centuries, North America has been one of the centers of the world in terms of its While BosWash has the same corporate
political and social hegemony. Some say this is no longer the case, that ever since the and political struggles that characterize any
Treaty of Heinlein the U.S. ceded its real power to New Angeles, but SanSan, BosWash, metroplex (although probably more of the
and ChiLo are still among the top megacities in the world today, with Mexico City and latter and less of the former than most),
Toronto not far behind. an atmosphere of artistic inclination and
appreciation pervades BosWash and its
BOSWRSH suburbs. There's no shortage of museums
Bos Wash surrounds the seat of federal power for the United States. Although the District and galleries open to the public, many of
of Columbia technically remains its own legal entity, this setup has become increasingly which contain some of the country's most
complex amid the conurbation of the Eastern Seaboard. From the islands around Boston historically significant documents and
to the dikes of New York, down the Delaware River to pieces of art. There, it's considered a sign
Philadelphia and Wilmington, and finally hopping over of social status to support the arts. As a
to Baltimore and Arlington, the areas comprising result, the city is a tourist's paradise, with
BosWash have been settled for several hundred every conceivable form of art available to
years, and one can still pick out some old be enjoyed 365 days a year. While certain
relics in the skylines of the respective cities. districts are more devoted to traditional
The westward and south- arts than others, some of the most unusual
ward shift of power has not draws are the theater districts that boast live
been kind to the region, simsensie performances in which the view-
however, nor has the two- ers can "inhabit" the on-stage
meter sea level rise. full- immersion experience.
CHILD credits can buy citizenship within the city, The Californias, and SanSan, still stand
Rumors say that the first mayor of ChiLo, even rogue clones. As a result, many clones out as a center of innovation, a trend -setter
Szymon Giordano, got his start as the speak of ChiLo as a promised land of free- in North America. In Biotech Valley, new
kingpin of the Chicago Outfit at the turn of dom, a place where they can integrate more technologies are pioneered every day.
the century. As he expanded his territory readily with the existing population and Oaktown is a worlds leader in cybernet-
to include Saint Louis, he proposed linking even receive a legal ID. Liberty has its costs, ics design and manufacture, as well as a
the two cities in what was supposedly an however, and many clones have ended up cultural epicenter of the latest cybernetic
attempt to make the Midwest competitive living in slapdash housing projects shoddily fashions, nicknamed "Chrome City:' Old
again in light of the success of SanSan on assembled by corrupt construction compa- Hollywood remains the worlds' preemi-
the West Coast and BosWash on the East. nies linked to orgcrime. Those same org- nent media producer, home to such com-
Perhaps the local politicians were in his crime groups maintain control over many panies as Haarpsichord Studios and many
pocket, or maybe the people of Illinois and immigrant communities, but that hasn't of the planet's most famo us actors, vactors,
Missouri truly believed in his vision, but stemmed the flow of aspiring androids and sensie stars.
the two cities were eventually incorporated looking for a fresh start. Still, the city has its darker side, and
under a new name: ChiLo.
SRNSRN large swathes of the Californias were never
rebuilt after the Big One. Millions of citi-
Of course, the new designation didn't
The SanSan metroplex stretches across the zens travel up and down SanSan using the
change the fact that the area between the
Californias, spanning the length between mag-lev train that runs from Fog City to
metroplexes, primarily farmland, was
the former cities of San Francisco and San Tijuana, but millions of others live beneath
undergoing its own economic collapse
Diego. Although the mega-quake known the tracks in the slums or even in the col-
as the rise of agroplexes made traditional
as "the Big One" forever changed SanSan's lapsed caverns beneath, where gangs like
farming less and less profitable. Mayor
landscape and surrounding coastline, the Los Muertos enforce their own brand of
Giordano organized an immigration incen-
city took advantage of the opportun ity to justice. Amid the violence black markets
tive program to help the nascent megacity
reinvent itself. Now, SanSan symbolizes flourish, and many Netcriminals dwell in
grow its way out of its economic troubles.
technological innovation and discovery, the twisting wreckage of"the UnderwaY:'
This program, whose modest successes kept
which made it the obvious choice for the
ChiLo alive, still exists in a modified form
next host of the World of Tomorrow expo.
today. It is said that anyone with enough
S OUTH RMERICR
South America is currently enjoying a a major economic powerhouse for the obedience issues. Nevertheless, corporate
renaissance of prosperity and influence. region, but pollution and the economic private security forces are sometimes spot-
There can be little doubt of New Angeles' welfare of its employees remain concerns ted along the Brazilian border.
dramatic effect on the development of its for the Brazilian government. Brazil's: anti-and~oid policies have
neighbors; New Angeles' ceaseless demand Even more significant, however, is the strained relations with the Big Four and-
for goods and services sparked a brisk revi- status of androids within the country. by extension-Brazil's ·fellow superpower,
talization in Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru. When Brazil was struggling to stem the the United States.
While New Angeles is the undisputed rampant corruption and poverty in its
leader in the region, Brazil's rise as a super- society, the pan-religious organization ECURDDR
power in the decades prior to the War has Order of Sol rose as a mitigating factor for Of all the nations affected by the rise of
also affected all the major Latin American these evils. This eventually won the Order New Angeles, Ecuador's relationship with
urban centers. a place in Brazil's political process and in Earth's largest city is the most complex
BRRZIL the hearts of the people. The Order of Sol
possesses an unprecedented level of power
and most integrated. Fully one quarter of
the nation's former area was subsumed by
Brazil is unquestionably the largest and in Brazil, and its mission to protect hwnan New Angeles, but Quito maintains a very
wealthiest nation in South America, and rights extends even to androids, whom friendly and open relationship with the
it has a disproportionately large number it holds to be human beings. Jinteki and megacity. The border between the two pol-
of difficulties as well. The slash-and-burn Haas-Bioroid are prohibited from selling ities is lightly secured, principally via the
reaping of the Amazon rain forest that clones and bioroids within the country's Network, and most citizens cross between
took place in previous generations, despite borders, and androids are emancipated Ecuador and New Angeles with no more
having finally halted, stripped the country upon crossing the border. The megacorps fuss than walking across a street. The open
of many natural resources and much bio- deny that android immigration is a prob- border means that much of New Angeles'
logical diversity. The Amazon Industrial wealth is shared with its many suburbs in
lem at all; their products undergo extensive
Zone that rose out of the ashes has been Ecuador, and the income from Weyland's
quality assurance testing that minimizes
initial purchases and the subsequent lease Angeles should revert to Ecuadorian con- As global society has advanced, how-
to the United States has been put to good trol sooner rather than later. ever, synthetic drugs have become vastly
use by the Ecuadorian government. The more common than naturally grown alter-
nation's infrastructure and standard of liv- CIJLIJMBIR natives, and in some cases electronic stim-
ing have seen much improvement in the Other than Brazil and Ecuador, the South ulation (known as e-Pharms) has replaced
eyes of the average Ecuadoran citizen. American nation that has undergone the recreational pharmaceuticals altogether.
However, there are still many who feel most significant upheaval since the con- Ironically, the criminals who once ruled
that Ecuador made a bad deal. The most struction of New Angeles is Colombia, the land with an iron fist have been forced
prosperous Ecuadorian cities and eco- which borders Ecuador to the ~orth. In out of power by new cartels, this time made
nomic centers-and their tax income- previous generations, Colombia was most up of farmers and agricultural managers.
were lost in the lease. If only Ecuador had notable for its notorious corruption by The ferti le lands that once grew drugs now
kept Guayaquil, Santo Domingo, Manta, various drug cartels. Many regarded it as grow g- modded crops like coffee, soy-
or others, they argue, the country could the capital of the international drug trade, beans, and maize, the majority of which is
have realized even more development and due in large part to the vast fields where sold to New Angeles at an extremely prof-
might not have slid so far in the shadow of illegal drug crops were cultivated in enor- itable rate. The expatriate drug lords, how-
the U.S. territory. Such critics believe New mous quantities. ever, continue to plague the surroundin g
area under the guise of Los Scorpiones.
SDUTHERST RSIR
Southeast Asia was spared the economic through the rebuilding efforts, but the While theiiidian megacity has a num-
drain felt by its eastern neighbors during recent influx of simulants into the labor ber of its own powerful corporations, none
the War, but the sea level rise affected coast- market further depressed the opportunities of them ca1i operate..o n the same scale as
lines throughout the region. Now, Singa- and quality of life for Mum bad's poorest. the Big Four in New Angeles. Many of the
pore competes as one of the potential sites The wealthiest citizens in the Mumbad most powerful corporations enjoy a close
of the second space elevator, the Indian megapolis lead lives of luxury so distant relationship with the Indian Union gov-
Union remains the largest democracy in from those of the lowest classes that it ernment, and with high tariffs on many
the world, and the ASEAN Confederation is difficult to describe the dichotomy in different types of imported goods, there
continues to wield considerable economic words that both groups can understand. are more small companies that thrive in
influence in the Eastern Hemisphere. The upper class of India maintains an India than anywhere else in the world.
CONTROLLING INTERESTS
Shaped by Earth's hunger for He-3 and offering bold new solar
markets, Heinlein has become a focal point of corporate interests.
HRRS-BIDRDID
Where once the Moon was the sole purview of remote-controlled Haas-Bioroid's Luna offices are marvels ofbiomechanical innova-
rovers, it has transformed into a worthy satellite of the rapidly tion and design, their sleek buildings and gleaming tunnels daz-
developing New Angeles metroplex, with many citizens and cor- zling in their perfection. Bioroid greeters guide guests through
porations traveling up the Beanstalk to find their fortun e. While pristine white chambers, and the air itself chimes to the sound of
He-3 mining remains Luna's principle draw, it is also primed to pleasing melody. This is the ideal future that Haas-Bioroid wants
become a gateway to the stars. As humanity slowly settles the solar the world to see: imagination and innovation given form and
system, the Moon's prominence in its affairs can only grow. voice in its ever-growing product line.
With competition, however, comes conflict, and the Moon Like many companies, Haas-Bioroid takes advantage of the
is more than a vital business market-it is also a battleground Moon's low gravity for its scientific research and development
between opposing interests and conflicting ideas. The Big Four programs. Their largest R&D facilities are located in the north-
remain at the heart of these clashes, which are carried out on the ern reaches of Heinlein, and from here they pioneer new kinds of
stock market, across the Network, and in the dark alleys of the high-end bioroids and provide logistical and technical support for
Docklands. Each has tied up huge sums of money in the expan- those bioroids working on the Moon. jDirector Haas continues to
sion of the Moon as a place for research and development, free push the bioroid as the superior specimen _of android, a tactic that
enterprise, and product placement and testing, and the corps has had more success on Luna than on Earth. On the Moon, many
intend to protect these investments. jobs are too dangerous or undesirable for humans, and as Hein-
lein expands,· labor shortages in new developments are
common. Haas-Bioroid's 'pr~cJ.~cts need not depend
on the vacuum-proof hardsuits worn by the Tur-
tleback line, giving HB the edge in reliability and
safety. Even though Jinteki dominates the min-
ing industry, the people of Heinlein have come
to expect bioroid workers, emergency staff, and
even security as part of their everyday life.
Luna is also home o some ofHaas-Bioroid's
most powerful processor vaults and server
farms-the megacorp uses a prodigious
amount of computing power in the develop-
ment of faster, more effective bioroid brains. As
one of the company's most precious resources,
they are well protected beneath the corpora-
tion's main domes, with dozens of hard fail-
safes between them and unwanted intrusion.
Even so, adventurous hackers or corporate
rivals have targeted these datafortresses in the
past, braving not just bioroid-powered counter-
measures and security, but also the inhospitable
Lunar environment itself.
JINTEKI NBN
The lotus garden enclaves of the Jinteki offices are a rare glimpse of Earth captured on Threedees flicker like faulty fluorescents
the Moon. Gene-crafted sakura trees sway in an artificial breeze as prospective clients on nearly every Heinlein wall, while elec-
cross the threshold. The heady scent brings back terrestrial memories, while nearby koi tronic eyes scan silently from the darkness
ponds glitter with the scales of rainbow carp-each one a Jinteki patent, of course. This of vaulted domes and tunnel ceilings. Far
is Jinteki's promise to its customers-wherever you might travel, home can go there, too. from intrusive, the trappings of NBN's
media juggernaut let people know that
The nuances of genetic engineering have allowed Jinteki to create almost-perfect facsim-
wherever they go, someone is keeping a
iles of people, and on the Moon the megacorp stands on the edge of even greater wonders.
watchful eye on their safety-and making
Like Haas-Bioroid, Jinteki enjoys the unique low-G and vacuum conditions of the Moon
sure they have something good to watch as
for its research. Sterile environments, the security of being surrounded by airless void, and
they travel to get there.
the isolation to conduct itself away from watchful eyes all work in the megacorp's favor.
Like everywhere else in the world, NBN
The Lunar business concerns of Jinteki are interwoven with Melange Mining, the He-3
has eyes and ears all over Heinlein. With
company that utilizes thousands of clone workers. This makes the Moon an ideal place
a substantial stake in the Lunar tourism
to test out new products and measure their suitability not just in heavy industry or hos-
market, including places like StarScape
tile environments, but also in administration and technical work. Many of the most iconic
Shopping, it benefits the media giant to
clone models, like the Henry model or the Turtleback line, had their start in the regolith
make the Moon look as attractive as pos-
harvesters and mineral refineries of Melange Mining's domed settlements and factories.
sible to its terrestrial markets. To this end
The Moon is also the base for Jinteki's Generation Project. Although the final product there are numerous dedicated Heinlein
would be years away from being released, the corporation is rumored to be experiment- NBN personalities, like Serena Nightshade
ing with modifying clones for deep-space exploration and generation ships, with the ulti- and Johnny Hendrickson that appear on
mate goal of settling the far-flung areas of the solar system or even beyond. vid screens every day to show just how
exciting or adventure-filled life on the
WEYLRND CONSORTIUM Moon can be. In fact, Serena's sensie series
The Weyland Consortium has been credited with reconstruction on Luna, but the stylized Darkside Days has done more for Hein-
"W" is conspicuously absent from most physical structures and even the titanic machines lein's image in the last five years than any
used to build them. The Consortium itself has not built anything since completing the amount of official PR.
Beanstalk over fifty years ago, but it does own the construction firms that landed the con-
NBN is not only concerned with mar-
tracts to rebuild the colony. Weyland also owns a controlling interest in the Blue Sun fusion
keting the Moon, but also taking advan-
power company, one of Heinlein's primary energy sources besides the solar farms, and
tage of its placement. When it comes to
the investment has supposedly paid for itself many times over. Rumors cling to Weyland's
providing top-quality entertainment and
Heinlein operations, but one story finds its way into the newsnet loops again and again.
news to an ever.-expanding solar civiliza-
According to unnamed insiders, Weyland is preparing for the next step in humani- tion, the StarReach Pathway's program
ty's journey out into the stars. Manufactories on the Lunar surface ceaselessly toil away, aims to combat NBN's greatest enemy:
while in Earth orbit the hull of a massive deep space vessel has begun to take shape. Its the speed of light. As it is, broadcasts
scaffold-covered hull bears the massive letters "Gagarin Deep Space Exploration:' All from Heinlein have about a 1.3-second
this points to a bid by Weyland to be the first megacorp to place a lag, while contact with Mars and beyond
claim on the outer planets, but only the barest pieces of information runs into minutes. The Star Reach is a pro-
have trickled out into the public domain despite the efforts of more posed system of deep-space satellites that
than one Netcriminal. Whatever the ultimate goals of Weyland would sync broadcasts across the system
and Gagarin Deep Space are, the project could usher in an age using planetary orbital data. Despite being
of evolution and endeavor unlike anything that has constrained by the speed of light, it will
come before. allow coordination between systems and
signals on an unprecedented scale. The
program is still years away from comple-
tion, but the ground work is already being
laid as NBN cements its hold on Heinlein's
media sphere.
LUNR, MRRS,
RND BEYIJND
The stars are as innumerable diamonds scattered across the black velvet pall of the void,
calling out to humanity with the promise of wonders and marvels yet unirnagined. And
like a welcome guide, the Moon hangs above it all, Earth's closest celestial body and the
first rung in a ladder that leads to distant shores and a future yet to come.
Given its special place in the heavens, it is little wonder that most extra-Earth outposts
and corporate concerns have dealings with Heinlein and its people. Mars especially has
a long history with the Moon, standing as its sometimes-ally during the War and sharing
the honor of being one of Earth's few off-world colonies.
Most trade between the Red Planet and Earth still runs through the Moon, and the
Martian Colonial Authority even maintains offices in Lunacent to oversee the safe pas-
sage of goods and personnel to Mars. The vast MCA warehouses in the Docklands are
always a hub of activity. Although they are also a haven for smugglers, the MCA is reluc-
tant to allow NAPD interference in their operations.
Beyond the ongoing troubles on Mars and the shadows they cast upon Luna, nearly
every other outpost or spacefaring endeavor maintains strong ties with the Moon. Some
of these, like the Psyolmetric Research Towers on Ceres, report to the Lunar division of
Haas-Bioroid. Others, like the Ganymede Project on the Moons ofJupiter, actively
from Luna's populace, promising a life of adventure and exploration.
MRRS
For hundreds of years humanity has looked to the fourth planet,
Mars, as a source of mystery and adventure. Once upon a time,
TRKING R WRLK
stories of little green men and invaders from Mars were the A normal human on the surface of Mars won't last long, but
height of science fiction. Such stories faded as satellites and rov- it's not like he's sucking vac. He's got three basic problems.
ers explored the Martian surface, but Mars never lost its hold on The first is that he can't breathe-there's more 0 2 in the
the human imagination. Today, human beings have not only col- atmosphere now than there was, but the pressure is so low
onized this world, but the colossal task of terraforming the Red and the concentrations so meager that unmodded human
Planet is underway. This new, semi-lawless frontier remains one of lungs can't pull anything useful from the air. A good respira-
the most challenging environments for civilization, yet the hardy tor, one that seals around the face and has a standard tank
Martian settlers have managed to defy the odds and thrive. of N-0 mix, will do the trick here.
Several generations have lived, worked, and died to transform The second problem is that it's too cold. With the sun up,
Mars into a world capable of supporting human life. They're not near the equator at the height of Martian summer, it's not so
done yet: even now, venturing outside of the transplas domes bad, and a good jacket will keep him warm enough. But once
requires breathing assistance and protective gear. Nevertheless, the sun goes down, nothing short of a heated envirosuit will
the planet has changed greatly from the aggressively hostile envi- keep a normal human alive for long.
ronment faced by the first explorers. Now, those who make the The third problem is that he's being bombarded with more
weeks-long voyage from Earth can find dozens of settlements radiation than is healthy, but the good news is that the rads
scattered across the Martian surface; these range from small will take years to kill him! If he's got his germ cells backed up
encampments huddled in canyon walls to huge, domescraper- at a facility under a dome or back Earth-side, he can even
packed cities erupting from the barren landscape. Millions call still breed.
Mars home, and for at least a quarter of the population, it is the
So really, Mars is practically paradise these days!
only one they've ever known.
As recent immigrants and Mars-born inhabitants establish
their own identity as Martians, clans organized around spe-
cific settlements have supplanted ethnic and national identities. R BRIEF HISTORY
Although the entire planet's population is but a fraction of heavily
populated cities like New Angeles, Mars is more than a handful
OF COLONIRL MRRS
of explorers in envirosuits scraping up soil samples-it is a living, Because of the great distance and harsh conditions, many of
breathing world with vast potential and considerable danger. the first manned flights to Mars were a one-way trip. The early
With so many interests at stake in the planet's future, hostilities human expeditions to the Red Planet were also the first coloniza-
and rivalries continue to simmer under the surface. These are the tion missions, not all of which were successful. The original colo-
legacies of the Martian Colony Wars, which supposedly ended fif- nists on Mars made great sacrifices to pave the way for following
teen years ago. Yet the clans, militias, and mercenaries still fighting generations. Survival sometimes meant circumventing corporate
on the Martian surface claim the War for Martian orders, altho ugh in some versions these renegades are punished
Independence is ongoing. for their disobedience. Harrowing tales of the Gan De and the
dedication of Bradbury's early settlers are favorites around the
Net. Many stories have been embellished over the years, but they
all tell of hard work and independence, of adversity and altruism
among those who first walked on the planet's oxide-laced surface.
Together, these pioneers' tales give today's Martians a strong sense
of personal identity, an ethic of self-sufficiency, and a suspicion of
Earth-based authority.
Within the first few years of colonization, a handful of settlers
began to lay the groundwork in the lava tubes on the slopes of
Pavonis Mons in the Tharsis region. Less than a decade later, the
first large-scale colonial craft, the Olympus, arrived. The settlers
dubbed their new home "BradburY:' In the years that followed,
numerous other colony craft arrived. Some continued to boost the
population of Bradbury, while others built homes on new sites.
The largest of the early colonization ships was the Chinese-built
Gan De, which established Tianbian. Today, the massive vessel's
remains form the core of the city in the Hellas Planitia basin.
RPLRNETOF
IMMIGRRNTS
There are as many reasons to migrate to
LDNG-DISTRNCE CRLLS
Mars as there are colonists. Some are ref- Stellar communications is still one of the largest obstacles to humankind's effort to
ugees fleeing instability in their home colonize its solar system. Radio waves travel at the speed of light; they provide
countries, while others are entrepreneurs practically instantaneous communication on Earth and near-instantaneous commu-
seeking success in new and untapped nication between its surface, orbit, and Luna. Contacting ships and personnel any
markets. The spaceflights from Earth to farther afield, however, can take many hours or longer thanks to the sheer vastness
Mars are exorbitantly expensive even for of space. Besides the changing distance between Earth and Mars, long-range
coffin-sized accommodations, so most communications within the solar system are further complicated by radiation inter-
newcomers sign on with a corporation to ference, debris fields, asteroids, and large stellar bodies such as planets and
pay for their passage. These multi-year con- moons. While many of these obstacles have been addressed by a comprehensive
tracts are indentured servitude, and Mar- array of comms relays scattered throughout the solar system, sending a message
tian law is written to favor the corporations from Earth to someone aboard a ship in Martian orbit or a mining expedition
when contract disputes inevitably arise. working in the Belt still takes anywhere between five and thirty minutes.
MODES OF TRRNSPORTRTION generic term "hopper;' short for skyhopper, though they differ in
The vast majority of transportation on Mars is some form of pub- various ways from their counterparts on Earth.
lic transit, and Bradbury is the site of the biggest domestic vehicle For conventional use inside a colony dome, hoppers are large
manufactories. The networks of skyways that are commonplace blade-protected quadcopters that have immense precision con-
on Earth are replaced by a multi-layered web of mag-lev indue- trol, usually built for one or two individuals. When needed, Brad-
track on which one or more connected cars float. For police, bury Colony Police and emergency services have access to larger
emergency services, and the elite, hoppers flit back and forth in units capable of moving groups of ten to twelve individuals into
the tight confines between buildings and domes. On rare occa- tight spaces. Like their counterparts on earth, these hoppers use
sions, one can catch glimpses of atmospheric hoppers flying back rechargeable hydrogen fuel cells to power the electromagnetic hov-
and forth above the transplas. erfoil rotors and can be easily recharged on hopper pads.
MRG-LEUINOUCTRRCK Outside of the dome, what most Martians still refer to as "hop-
pers" are actually normal tiltjet aircraft that hyper-compress the thin
Unlike Earth's cities, Bradbury and the other Martian colonies were
atmosphere for propulsion. These jets fly faster and are more robust
never designed for individually owned wheeled vehicles. The cheap-
than their in-dome counterparts, but are far less maneuverable.
est means of moving large numbers of both people and cargo on
Instead of flitting from charging pad to charging pad, these hoppers
Mars is the mag-lev train network. With mag-lev technology, the
rely on more conventional chemical fuel like meta for combustion.
trains can match the speed of atmospheric flight on Earth, making
commercial air traffic on Mars virtually nonexistent. When compared to Earth-based aircraft, Mars-built atmospheric
hoppers are blocky and wingless, as aerodynamic lift can only truly
The types used inside colonies and across the Martian land-
work at dangerously fast speeds. Corporations house small fleets of
scape differ in size and purpose, but the operating principles are
these craft for work outside the city, where maintenance workers
essentially the same: electromagnets lined along open guideways
require access otherwise unreachable by the transportation net-
or transplas tubes repel like-poled magnets on the train cars them-
works, or executives need to risk travel for important business.
selves, the force of which is strong enough to overcome the weak
Martian gravity and levitate the Military hoppers are similar
train cars above the tracks. ... incursions on each other's to their corporate counterparts,
but are both heavily armed and
Inside Bradbury, the indue-
track is smaller, allowing the territory is tantamount to a armored. Visual camouflage
patt;erns tend to be variations on
mag-lev cars and trains nav- l .
igate the colony's maze-like declaration of corporate war. the oxide surface and amber sky.
Besides rail transportation, atmospheric vehicles are also viable but Even more alien-looking, walkers and crawlers are extreme
are primarily owned and operated by police, emergency, military, all-terrain vehicles capable of providing a stable platform on even
and the societal elite of Mars inside of colony domes, but that doesn't the roughest of ground. The trade-off is that they are much slower
stop mercenary groups and rebels from stealing units. The many than other ground vehicles. These are most likely to be found in
different types of air vehicles on Mars are collectively known by the the first stage construction of mag-lev inductrack or in the Unor-
ganized Territory, as they are capable of going anywhere.
BUILDING R COLONY
Earthers who have never been to Mars might imagine enormous bubbles or geodesic domes RESOURCE
enveloping entire cities. Such large domes are impractical for most Martian settlements, EXTRRCTION
however-they are an expensive luxury that exposes their dwellers to tremendous danger. Because of its location, Bradbury has
Bradbury is one of the main exceptions, and its domes are a testament to its wealth and numerous primary resources immedi-
prestige. Here, domes are built using similar principles for building suspension bridges, ately available for the megapolis to exploit,
but instead of the load being a bridge deck, thick cables suspend an extensive tessellation including glacier mining for water, geo-
of transplas panels that serves as the surface of the dome. These panels are arranged in thermal power, and numerous minerals.
hexagonal pattern, which resemble a typical geodesic design flattened out. Outside, each This makes up as much of a third of the
structure resembles an enormous transparent hexagonal tent, with six tall spires piercing city's economy, and some would argue that
the dome surface, and complex web of interweaving cables hanging above the exterior. this portion is much higher since Brad-
Only the largest colonies sport a collection of multiple hexagonal dome structures, which bury's manufacturing base would not exist
are often arranged in a honeycombed pattern next to each other. Bradbury boasts the larg- without its primary resources.
est of this style dome on Mars.
GLRLI£R RND WRT£R MINING
THE STRENGTH OF INDUSTRY Much of the industrial infrastructure on
Bradbury's economic strength comes as much from its heavy industries as resource the western side of the colony is devoted
extraction and manufacturing. Large megacorporations oversee many smaller operations to bringing essential water into the colo-
that extract resources from the vicinity, import materials from across Mars, and manu- ny's system. Buried under the regolith on
facture products for local use and for export to other colonies. the northwest flank of Pavonis Mons lies
an enormous glacier that made settlement
PLRSCRETE RND URNRSTEEL on the volcano possible. It is the primary
The early builders drew from the materials on hand, innovating new approaches to pro- source for water, but it also has other
cessing and refining that had been taken for granted for centuries. Construction mate- resources to offer Bradbury. Water and
rials, primarily plascrete and vanasteel, are locally sourced from the iron-rich Martian carbon dioxide ice is strip-mined from this
regolith and the volcano itself. glacier to provide the basic foundation for
Because of the radically different environment, fashioning such as resources almost every facet of life.
for use on Mars requires a much different approach than that on Earth. Reflect- G£DTH£RMRL POWER
ing the planet, nearly all the plascrete structures in Bradbury bear a pink to reddish-
The natural geothermal energy from deep
brown tone rather than the warm greys of Earth-poured concrete.
within Pavonis Mons supplies Bradbury
BUILDING WITHOUT WOOD with most of its power. The volcanic sys-
Organic-based building materials are vanishingly rare on Mars. Whatever wood exists is tem also furnishes the colony with valu-
horrifically expensive given that any quantity of it has to be either imported from Earth able gases used in industry as well as the
or grown locally. The latter option is rarely used for construction because trees are far city's atmosphere and life support. Many
more valuable in the production of oxygen. Only when a tree needs to be trimmed-or spaghetti-like networks of pipes lace
has died-is the wood harvested for decorative use, fetching prices comparable to gold. through the tunnels of Bradbury, directing
their high-pressure cargo from geother-
mal and gas wells deep below the moun-
tain through the Therm in the Industrial
THE POLITICS OF GRRUITY District. The heat and natural pressure of
The difference between weight and mass on Mars (compared to Earth , anyway) the mined gas also spins heavy turbines in
means that Martian engineers and construction worke rs commonly work in the the Therm, supplementing the city's elec-
metric unit of Newtons. An object measuring 1OOkg on Earth wou ld also be trical needs.
1OOkg on Mars since mass does not change. However, the same object wou ld /RON MINING
weigh 981 Newtons on Earth , but in Mars's lighter gravity it wou ld weigh 371
The regolith of Mars is dense with hema-
N. The distinction is more a way for Martians to distance themselves from Earth
tite and magnetite, both of which are iron-
than anything else, but it does help guard against confusion.
laced rocks. Mines exist all over Mars, and
In everyday use, Martians tend use to kilograms, but they are careful to use Bradbury is no exception. Used in a vari-
it as a measure of mass. Anyone who says " \ weig h 75kg" would be in stan tly ety of applications, magnetite is the pri-
pegged as an Earther, an outsider. Visitors and new immigrants w ishing to fit in mary mineral extracted from the caldera
quickly learn to say"\ mass 75kg." of Pavonis Mons.
THE URLLES
MRNUFRCTUR/NG based plastic industry. Martian plastics
R(JUIFER Bradbury's many manufactories are the are silica- rather than carbon-based, and
Bradbury's fierce appetite for water most developed of their kind on Mars, and to create the necessary polymers from
sources has brought it into direct in some cases, the only domestic source. non-petroleum sources requires gases
conflict w ith Robinson Colony over and heat from Bradbury's geothermal
the use of the Valles Aquifer as an SMELTING URNR5T££L resources. The Industrial District not only
additional supply. Located four hun- Martians have become particularly sees heavy steel industries, but also much
dred kilometers east of Bradbury in ac\ept at making vanadium -alloyed steels newer plastics and plascrete production
the cliffs above the Valles Marineris, because vanadinite was surprisingly plen- for use in manufacturing.
the aquifer is claimed by Robin- tiful on Mars. The planet's lighter gravity
BUILOING PR£FRBRIC:RTIDN
son, but the land above it currently also played a role in smelting a type of
occupied by Bradbury militia forces alloy simply impossible to produce on Building outside of the safety of a colonial
under the guise of the Mars Colo- Earth. Called vanasteel or v-steel, it is used dome can be dangerous work, and one of
nial Corps. The MCC is supposedly in virtually all forms of construction on the major industries in Bradbury is the
exploring the viability of this pre: Mars. Making use of a sizable amount of pre-assembly of building materials. These
cious resource, but Robin son sees geothermal power, the Industrial District are often exported to other colonies and
the incursion as retribution for politi- has several large vanasteel smelting facil- developments where constructing safe
cal disagreements at the Senate. ities that extract iron from locally mined shelters quickly is a matter of survival.
magnetite and imported hematite, which TRRN5PDRTRTIDN
is then combined with carbon and vana-
RDC:K RNO 5/L/C:R (IURRR/£5 C:DN5TRUC:TIDN
dium to form the vanasteel used in dome
The Martian surface is also valuable for and building construction, mag-lev indue- Bradbury is not only the primary hub of the
providing sources for silicate minerals track, pods, and hoppers. mag-lev indi.Ktrack network, but also the
and other resources for construction in headquarters for the Bradbury Railway Co.
Bradbury and other colonies. Numerous PLR5TIC: RNO Bradbury serves as the central construction
surface-based quarries can be found on PLR5C:R£T£ PRDOUC:TIDN and repair shop for the railway, not only for
the northwestern slopes of Pavonis Mons Another Martian success story was the col- the tracks, tubes, and guideways, but also
surrounding the Pavonis Glacier. onists' ability to develop a non-petroleum the pods and trai):is that run on them.
THETHERM
Considered to be the beating heart of Bradbury, the Geothermal
Energy Capture and Conversion Installation (or "the Therm" as
the locals call it) is a fantastically complex operation centered in
the northeast corner of Pavonis Mons's central caldera, just south
of the city's main structure.
As part of the Industrial District, the Therm functions as the
lifeblood of the entire colony-it provides the heat, energy, and
gases essential for the survival of every living thing in the megapo-
lis. The Therm contains hundreds of heat wells that not only bring
heat and electrical power into Bradbury's ecosystem, but also
important gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and some
concentrations of water vapor. Ice mined from the Pavonis Glacier
is also used to increase the concentration of water in Bradbury's
atmosphere, and as such, the infrastructure of the Therm is also
the means through which the colony is supplied with liquid water.
One of the earliest industrial centers in Bradbury, the Therm
evolved from the initial geothermal power efforts dating back to
the first pioneers that settled on Pavonis Mons. As a dormant vol-
cano, heat and gases were relatively closer to the surface, making
it easier and far more efficient than importing and builqing fusion
or fission reactors in those early days. These gases also provided
an excellent source for pressurizing the colony's dome. Although
nuclear and solar power exist today in Bradbury, they have not
replaced the original systems.
As a district, the Therm is an industrial-looking area on the
floor of the main caldera, some four kilometers below the bulk
of Bradbury itself. Unlike some sections of Bradbury, the district
does not exist under a dome, but rather through a series of lava
tubes and carved tunnels deep in the caldera itself. Here, the geo-
thermal power generators and gas processing plants hum away.
Only the Therm's spaghetti-like network of pipes, valves and
pressure stations can be found above the surface, snaking its way
upward to deliver precious cargo to critical points in the city's
infrastructure.
Those who live and work here know the importance of what
they do, and they resent anything that might smack of condescen-
sion from politicians or corporate bureaucrats. Clan Cabeiri is the
largest and strongest of the clans working at the Therm, and as
a result, they have considerable clout with Bradbury's governing
council. This frequently puts them at odds with the larger and
more influential Clan Picus. Unlike virtually every other work-
force in Bradbury, however, laborers from the Therm can be found
anywhere in Bradbury. While the bulk of them work and live close
to the district's center, it is common to see the characteristically
cybered Clan Cabeiri workers performing maintenance and
inspections throughout the megapolis.
. ·~-~· ... ~ .. =------~__..._,.~...__..._.A----'--_. ~
-- • j • t' -
BRMBDDDDME was selected for the same reasons why the Bradbury's third-largest clan wields the
The Bamboo Dome, named after its pri- Beanstalk was built on Volcan Cayambe in most influence here. Members of Clan
mary biomass crop, is the colloquial term New Angeles. Work on the space elevator Aeneas are often found not only manag-
for the principal agricultural complex in itself has not started primarily because of an ing and running the Bradbury Railway
Bradbury. If the Therm is the beating heart, ongoing legal dispute over proprietary tech- Co., but also building many of the units
the Bamboo Dome is the colony's lungs. nologies claimed by the Weyland Consor- that float on the inductrack guideways
The early settlers relied upon the geo- tium, but the construction of the complex for Poseidon Equipment. Despite being
thermal energy to drive powerful magen- was begun many years ago. members of the smallest of the three major
ta-colored lamps to simulate sunlight for clans in Bradbury, they can sometimes
STRTIDNDNE
agricultural areas in the lava tube network. wield influence greater than their numbers
Built into the flank of Pavonis Mons some suggest. Often Cabeiri or Picus needs the
As the colony grew and developed, sixty kilometers northwest of the mega- support of Aeneas against the other, which
eventually these areas were moved to the polis's main structure, Station One is the allows the clan's cunning leadership to
dome structures on the surface, but the primary hub of the Bradbury Railway Co., exact valuable concessions.
weaker sunlight still means that the plants and-to a certain extent-Mars's entire
must be supplemented by locally gener- mag-lev network. Station One is far enough GULLIURR CDLDNY RND
ated light. To help combat this problem, away from Bradbury that it requires its own THE DUTL YING NODES
the Bamboo Dome was designed and built geothermal and atmospheric generation, Gullivar Colony is located some three hun-
with convex dome panels that help focus which the railroad entirely owns and oper- dred kilometers west of Bradbury, built in
the weaker Martian sunlight. Located in ates. Home to nearly a thousand people, it the shelter of a smaller crater in Ulysses
the northeast quadrant of Bradbury, it was is not only the central transportation hub, Tholus. The colony is still considered as
built close to the rim of the upper patera but the main manufactory base for anything part of "Greater "Bradbury" in terms of its
to take as much advantage of the Martian that runs on the BRC's mag-lev network. administration and governance. As the
sunlight as possible. Poseidon Equipment's headquarters are largest of what are officially Bradbury's out-
Bamboo is used as the primary bio- located there, in addition to some Omni- lying nodes, it serves as an alternate star-
mass because it grows so quickly. Other corp and Haas-Bioroid plants. port to the megapolis. Gullivar's starport
staple food and economic crops can also Anyone traveling to or from Bradbury can be found on the southeast side, and it
be found here, but they are all second- from any point on Mars inevitably comes consists of a h9neycomb of smaller agricul-
arily used to convert carbon dioxide into through Station One, as does much of the tural and indu~trial domes that resemble an
breathable oxygen. Carbon dioxide and cargo from the Gullivar Starport. While the open dome.
other gases are pumped here from both the passenger station is large, it is a tiny frac- More enclosed buildings huddle along
atmospheric recycling system as well as the tion of the network. Mag-lev inductrack the northwestern walls of a large hexago-
processing plants in the Therm to allow the resembles the large sprawling railyards of nal plascrete pad. The main mag-lev sta-
biomass to do its work. twentieth-century Earth. The station itself tion exits directly out of the starport build-
Clan Picus tends to this and all other is housed under a tightly controlled pres- ings, stretching three.,hundred kilometers
hydroponic and life-support systems in the sure-lock system to ensure the integrity of eastward toward Pavonis Mons. For some,
city, but since the Bamboo Dome and the the passengers' atmosphere. Still, accidents Gullivar is attractive because it is less busy.
Therm are core parts of the city's life-sup- and sabotage have been known to happen, For others trying to maintain a low pro-
port system, Clan Picus and Clan Cabeiri which is why virtually every passenger file, it is a way to get planet-side without
sometimes lock horns with one another wears an envirosuit while traveling. attracting unwanted attention.
over the control of this essential part of
Bradbury's life.
ee this graph? This is Weylands profits during the War. Up, up, up. Notice the spike at
DREDRLUS COMPLEX S the beginning, here, where hostilities broke out, and then again after, when reconstruc-
tion contracts were awarded. Weyland profits off the war, Weyland profits off the peace.
Still under primary construction, the
Daedalus Complex is the foundation for Now they're doing it again. Heres a graph of Weylands profits again. Notice it's
an impending space elevator similar to the the exact same shape as the early part of that other graph? Okay, here's some other
Beanstalk on Earth. Numerous mag-lev numbers. This is the sum of all Argus, Infinity Designs, and Skorpios's sales to Mars.
guideways run southward from Bradbury's Here's what the Mars Colonial Corps is buying. Notice that it's almost exactly half the
main structure, flanking the western edge of total? Who's buying the other half? I'll tell you: the other side.
Pavonis Mons's main caldera. The complex
The Weyland Consortium is just doing what any inhuman corporate entity is driven
to do: seek profit with no consideration for human suffering. From their point of view,
it's more profitable for Mars to break out into a planet-wide war every fifteen or twenty
years so they can sell weapons to both sides and sign reconstruction contracts to the
winners. Guarantee you, when this war ends, they'll start the cycle all over again.
GDUERNMENT 1\. Jo matter where you are on Mars, you can't turn on a vid without it running
Bradbury's official and unofficial bodies 1 'I through NBN. They may try to dress it up with Martian names, but in the end
of government are constantly vying with it's all the same. The only way you'll really get the whole truth is if you find one of the
one another for power and prestige. The better pirate broadcasters, and it isn't easy with the conspiracy nuts muddying the
Martian Colonial Authority and the clans waters. Most of them are Martian runners who try to piggyback their own system on
frequently clash over the best interests of NBN's hardware, because, well, they're the only game out there. The megacorpora-
the city and Mars at large. tion isn't above frying the brain of those who ride the signal and tell us what's really
going on in the outer colonies.
THEMRRTIRN Sure, NBN is an advocate for free speech when it suits them. They can afford to be
CDLDNIRL RUTHDRITV a lot more draconian out here. Civil rights exist, but as many colonies were corpo-
The Martian Colonial Authority's mandate ration founded, they're more gu idelines. Public relations and message control is far
is to realize a peaceful and prosperous Mars. more important than accountability. NBN may be happy to report on the failings
It is a difficult task, for competing priorities of Weyland, Jinteki, or HB, but full disclosure laws are weak. I know of at least two
and subterfuge between Martian colonies pirate media outfits that are former NBN people who got sick of the double standard.
and clans- not to mention the machina-
tions of corporate interests-seem to keep
many of the faults one would associate with frontier is so young that several colonies
the MCA in a constant state of crisis.
a governing body that lacks a strong polit- are just now convening their first form al
Most of the MCA's offices and legislative
ical culture or a history of legal precedents. courts, and others have recently overhauled
buildings can be found under the Great
Compounding these issues of inexperience their system in the wake of the War and the
Dome clustered around and located in the
are the sometimes-contradictory bureau- creation of the MCA. From the point of
central spire known as the Khondi Tower.
cratic styles it has been forced to adopt by view of the colonists, the judiciary created
The MCA has a single chamber called the
U.N. resolutions. Finally, good old corrup- from above by the MCA is inadequate in
Martian Colonial Senate. All major colo-
tion and cronyism mean that the MCA many cases. It takes too long, for one thing,
nies in the Organized Territory are eligible
is a wildly inconsistent government body and its judgments feel arbitrary and capri-
to send two voting representatives to the
that has only a loose relationship with the cious, or even slanted in favor of corporate
Senate to deliberate on issues that concern
rule oflaw. and Earth-backed interests.
the city of Bradbmy and Mars as a whole.
Unlike the courts, Martian clans evolved
What this means in practice is that the MCA MUNICIPRL GDUERNMENT
organically from communities living and
can exclude whichever colonies it deems to
Because it is host to the Martian Colonial working together, and in many cases they
be illegitimate, including those that disagree
Senate and headquarters of the MCA, can and do serve the role of the people's
with MCA politics. Bradbury has no city government inde- judiciary. Clan justice is rough, with punish-
For those colonies that are franchised, pendent of those bodies. In theory, Brad- ments ranging from a fine to forced labor to
representation is uneven-each recognized bury democratically elects its two senators flogging to banishment (often a death sen-
settlement can independently determine and so has a voice on the Senate, but in tence on Mars), but never including impris-
how its senators are selected. This would, practice the MCA's citizenship require- onment. Incarceration is simply not worth
in theory, allow for variable styles of repre- ments are so complex that only a small the life support resources; either the crimi-
sentation. Yet, many Martian colonies are fraction of (mainly pro-Earth) Bradburi- nal can reform and reintegrate with society,
financed, owned, and governed by corpo- ans are able to vote. or he is ejected from the community.
rations, meaning the <;!)rps can hand-pick When the MCA can be bothered to Several clans wield great influence in
delegates to represent colonies where their address Bradbury's concerns at all, it is typ- Bradbury itself even if they have no pull
influence is great, such as Demeter Colony, ically to appoint a new Governor (invari- with the Senate. Still, many Mars-born
solely owned by Jinteki subsidiary Aginfu- ably an Earth-born bureaucrat, often one Bradburians put more faith in the clan
sion, or Endurance, where Haas-Bioroid who receives an appointment while still councils and clan justice than in the MCA,
holds a majority share on the colony's gov- en-route to Mars), increase Bradbury and the harder the MCA struggles to limit
erning board. In special cases, colony gover-
Colonial Police crackdowns on unruly clan power, the more angry Martians they
nors and executives can convene in an emer- portions of the city, or increase the local send into the waiting arms of the separatists.
gency body called the Security Commission taxes. Or at least, that's how it seems to the
to resolve crises quickly when the Senate The MCA likes to pretend that it com-
disenfranchised lower classes.
cannot or will not convene or act. That pletely controls the Colonies and that
Compounding the apparent disinterest the separatists are limited to the Unorga-
the clans have no official role in the Senate
of the legislative branch is an w1derdevel- nized Territory. But the truth of the mat-
despite their enormous role in daily Martian
oped, overworked, and some say corrupt ter is that if there is another Martian War,
life plays a huge role in the ongoing civil war.
judicial system at work in Bradbury and its first shots will as likely as not be fired
The Martian Colonial Authority is a rel-
throughout Colonial territory. The Martian in Bradbury.
atively young organization, and it displays
CLRNS RND CONFLICT
Bradbury may be an island of relative integrated in nearly every aspect of the col- Another major difference between
peace in a volatile environment, but con- ony's life. Clan Cabeiri's members can be Earth-based legal systems and the
flic t and violence are very much a part of found in the Therm geothermal operations, MCA's body of statutes is the provision-
Martian life. Mars has been locked in an and Clan Aeneas are most often found in ing of resources, especially life-support
ongoing low-grade civil war in which col- the transportation business. All three vie for resources. Earth-born visitors who are
onies struggle over scarce resources, in flu- influence in the region's politics, leveraging used to air and water being freely used
ence, and independence. Even since the their respective sectors and resources. by corps and individuals alike can easily
official end of the Colony Wars, skirmishes run afoul of the authorities. It is a crimi-
CLRN TRTTDDS
and unrest dominate the mediafeeds and nal offense, for example, to siphon oxygen
newsrags, and the MCA seems barely able Clan members are identified by facial tat- from the city's infrastructure grid, and
to contain the bloodshed. The resolu- too designs, which often twist around one even washing one's hands the wrong way
tion of one clash seems to spark another. or both eyes. Receiving a tattoo is part can result in a fine. Damaging anything to
While violence does occasionally flare up of the clan initiation rites when a child do with Bradbury's life-support system,
in Bradbury proper, much of the conflict comes of age or when a new member is whether by accident or by design, carries
exists in the realm of espionage and sub- welcomed. Boys and girls receive the first punishments higher than armed robbery.
terfuge. For those on the front lines of pol- part of their clan tattoo when they receive
their first privileges and responsibilities MRRS
itics and power, understanding Martian
culture and the role of clans can mean the to the clan; this age varies with each clan's CDLDNIRL PULICE
difference between peace and war. specific beliefs and traditions. As they get The official law-enforcement wing of
older, their tattoos "grow" as well-subtle the MCA, the .Mars Colonial Police is
THE CLANS decorations symbolize status, achieve- headquartered not far from the other
One of the major features of Martian cul- ments, and roles both past and present. MCA offices under the Great Dome. It is
ture that separates it from Earth is the In addition, the ink used in clan tattoos largely concerned with organized crime,
great prevalence of unofficial, close-knit is infused with tracers carrying specific cross-colony criminal activity, major and
social units known as clans. As workers identification markers of the clan. While behavioral crimes; and of course crimes
lived and worked in dense groups, their a basic tattoo can be faked or covered up, and terrorism targeting the MCA. The
families naturally evolved biological ties. true clan tattoos are much more difficult to MCP has spt;cific jurisdiction over crimi-
Within each clan is a hierarchy of kinship conceal or forge-clansmen should always nal activity in any of the MCA's buildings.
to which an individual gives his or her boldly and proudly declare their allegiance
loyalty. Martian clans have a saying that to their clan, and a tattooist lacking the
describes it well: "I against my kin, my kin specific tracers will be unable to reproduce
and I against my clan, my clan and I against another clan's markings. NEGOTIATIDNS
the corps." It is an oversimplification, as dif- If you want to get .anything done in
ferent clans often treat each other as rivals,
KEEPING PERCE., Bradbury, at some point or another
but if pushed they will sometimes unite MAKING WAR you're going to need to get Picus on
against a common foe. Where the rule of law exists, regardless of board. Sure, the whole legal system
While Martian clanspeople are often how fair or oppressive, there will inevita- pretends that the clans don't exist,
biologically related, it is not an automatic bly be those who operate on the margins. but don't be fooled for a moment.
requirement. Clans are able to integrate new As with any civilization, Bradbury has its Those stulti up in the corporate tow-
immigrants to Mars into their life and work share of crime. It ranges from petty theft to ers think they can ignore us, but the
far easier than their ancient namesakes. Sto- murder and acts ofterrorism carried out by reality is, no matter what the deal is,
ries of lonely workers from Earth falling in lone actors or highly sophisticated rings. It if you don't have the implicit support
love and marrying into a clan are common- has been said that virtually all Martian clans of at least one the big three here, it
place. Initiates are quickly integrated into have some ties to organized crime, and that ain't happening.
clan culture and learn new loyalties when a few clans are entirely criminal enterprises. That's where we come in. We are
they become part of the group. The primary failing of the MCA's legal the back room, the mediators, the
Bradbury is home to three major clans system, at least in the eyes of ordinary ones that negotiate to really make
of its own-Clan Picus, Clan Cabeiri, and Martians, is that many of the laws that things move ahead in this place.
Clan Aeneas-but members of virtually limit corporate power on Earth are sim- Sure, the execs think they have it all
every clan on Mars can be found here ply absent on Mars. One glaring example under control, but the truth is they
because of the lobbies trying to affect the regards artificial intelligence and combat; would just as easily find themselves
MCA from without. The megapolis's found- on Mars, an AI doesn't need human over- on the wrong side of an airlock if it
mg clan, Picus, is also its largest, and is sight to take a human life. wasn't for us.
LOOK TO YOUR OWN
The Bradbury Colony Police struggle to handle the
daily major cases that arise in Greater Brad-
bury, much less every petty clan concern.
In certain districts where the BCP and the
clans have a amicable relationship, the
BCP delegates significant spheres of
authority to them . In districts w here
tensions between the clans and
BCP run high , the clans have an
incentive to police its own , hop-
ing to involve the BCP as little
as possible. The effect is that
Bradburians are more likely to
seek out their neighbors than
the police for help in solving a
cri~e, and when their neigh-
bors might be complicit, they
frequently turn to private inves-
tigators over the BCP.
TRRDDSMDRS the identity of the Vasanti Smith leading on Mars, using tl1e factions as yet another
Tardos Mors is the leader of Free Mars Crimson Dust or her claims. weapon in the megacorps' ongoing competi-
Council as well as the military arm of Free Whereas other groups rely on exosuits tion. Although there is little evidence to sup-
Mars. Mors began his career in prisec with or environmentally sealed hardsuits, many port this theory, it appeals to many colonists,
Globalsec's Mars division as one of the Crimson Dust fighters undergo genetic playing as it does to Martians' common con-
earliest mercenaries on Mars. He was sub- modification to allow them to survive cerns about corporate control.
sumed into a Martian clan and received unaided in Mars' atmosphere. Smith urges CDRPDRRTE
his tattoos shortly before leaving the prisec her followers to undergo extensive genetic
industry to head the militia of Brackett modification and martyr themselves for
INTERESTS
colony. When Mars rebelled against Earth, the cause of Martian independence-for The corps might seem powerful on Luna,
Mors and his unit made preemptive strikes they will be reborn with DNA closer to or even Earth, but on Mars their power
against corp-held munitions manufacto- that of their mythic progenitors. is absolute. With the Colonial Authority's
ries, and they were a constant menace that laws more or less written by corporate
It is unclear how Crimson Dust obtained
targeted Earth forces. After the Treaty of attorneys, there's very little the megacorps
the capability to perform this g-modding,
Heinlein, Mors's unit continued fighting cannot do. Shifts in the ag-bubbles are long
although finding the location of their facil-
against the SXC and corp forces for three and grueling, while work conditions in the
ities is a high priority for the MSS. Intel-
weeks before it was destroyed. Mors was manufactories are dangerous. The corps
ligence indicates that the technology was
believed dead until he resurfaced eight don't have to compensate their employees
first developed by Jinteki, but the corp
years ago at the head of Free Mars. with real money, just credit that's good at
is not forthcoming. Although Crimson
the corp stores. Perhaps most importantly,
Mors is the grandfather of Sergeant Dust likely stole the technology directly
the laws that regulate androids and their
Dejah Thoris, and they fought together in or purchased the data from runners, the
behavior do not extend to Mars.
several battles during the War, although possibility that Jinteki-or a faction within
her actions during the War caught the pub- Jinteki-knowingly sold the technique on No one knows how many prisec and mer-
lic attention in a way Mors's did not. Unlike the black market cannot be ruled out. cenary soldiers are working for the corps on
her grandfather, Thoris complied with the Mars, but it's safe to say that they outnum-
Although the g-mods do provide sub-
ceasefire following the treaty. It is unclear ber the Mars Colonial Corps. Argus and
stantial advantage during combat situa-
how much contact the two have had since Globalsec are major providers of security
tions outside of the domes-and in case
the War. Thoris's involvement is suspected solutions, but the corporations are thought
of a breach-it is also, in many ways, more
in several Free Mars operations, but the to be fielding armies of their own as well.
costly and resource-intensive than using
available information is inconclusive. traditional technology. It should come as no surprise that
Jinteki is said to be growing its own army
CRIMSON OUST In addition to using guerrilla and sab-
of clones to help protect its assets on Mars.
Crimson Dust is one of the most dangerous otage tactics such as bombing govern-
Dubbed the Musashi line, Jinteki's geneg-
Martian terrorist groups currently active, ment and corp terraforming facilities,
ineers and neural conditioning experts
due in large part to the fanatical devotion Crimson Dust targets Martian civilians
have created the so-called "perfect solider:'
of its members. This organization takes the and political leaders who do not support
Alongside enhanced physical attributes,
Martian life origin beliefs of the Incipiata its beliefs or efforts. Crimson Dust's tac-
each Musashi clone possesses a keen tacti-
Marte Vita sects to violent extremes. tics also include suicide bombings, which
cal mind and extensive knowledge of mili-
showcase the fanatical devotion of the .
The group's leader, Vasanti Smith, is tary history and tactics.
group's adherents. Suicide bombers uti- .
viewed as a religious messjah for her abil- Meanwhile, Haas-Bioroid is supposed'y
lizing micro-explosives, improvised meta-
ity to walk unaided upon the surface of testing a batch of warroids-bioroids that
fuel devices, or Taejo monofilament wire
Mars. She is supposedly a recurrence of lack the First Directive-as part of its myste-
bombs have proven difficult to detect or
an "original human"-those "little green rious Project Ares. An Ares unit's enhanced
stop, and they are capable of inflicting tre-
men" who supposedly inhabited Mars sensory suite and quantum processing
mendous damage.
before traveling several thousand years ago capabilities allow it to be more alert and
to settle Earth. According to Smith and her ERRTHSYMPRTHIZERS responsive to a changing battlefield. More-
believers, Mars is the original homeworld Many Martians oppose the actions of vio- over, without the impediments of pain or
of humans, and instead of terraforming lent separatists for a variety of reasons. In mortal injury, human soldiers will be hard-
Mars's sacred surface, humans should addition to those who oppose bloodshed pressed to supply enough stopping power
revert to their original forms. So far, Smith in principle, some Martians, including a barring outright satellite bombardment.
has been moderately successful in recruit- small minority of natives, accept or even If the Colony Wars continue, a new type
ing believers to Crimson Dust's cause. The favor a close relationship with Earth. of battlefield might be drawn up on Mars.
gaps in the records of Mars' early colo- Others believe that the corps actually
nization have made it difficult to verify directly influence the inter-colonial violence
VICTOR GRAY JOIN THE CONVERSATION
resol ution directing the MCA to bestow greater governmental and It's true that some of the separatist groups take
legislative authority to indi vidu al co loni es and begin work on the extreme actions, but important causes require com-
mitment. We have tried asking for our rights, tried
so-cal led "Martian Bill of Rights ." Although many Martian separatist
arguing for them. But peaceful protests get ignored
groups ha ve agreed to de-escalate military action as part of such by Earth and shut down by meres or the Mars Colo-
a dea l, some extremist group s have refused to participate in talks . nial Police. Do you think this is what the colonists
signed up for when they first boarded those ships?
Gray was schedu led to speak th is Frid ay at Levy University on
What about the current generation, people bam on
the issue of Earth -Mars relations, and was expected to travel to
Mars? This is the only life a lot of us know, and even
Mars next week . In a statement released by the uni ve rsit y, Chan- though we didn't choose it, we're proud to be Mar-
cellor Leslie Horn sa ys that she is "deeply saddened" by Gray's tian. We just want the same freedom as our relatives
passi ng. "Victor Gray was a grea t man , and a great champion for back on Earth.
the cause of peace in our so lar system," says Horn. "Hi s wo rk will I'm not saying I support everything these groups
be forever remembe red, and it is my sin cere hope that the Martian do. Sometimes innocent people get killed, and that's
tragic. But I understand their anger. and it seems like
peace process meets a successful conclusion wo rth y of his legacy "
the only thing the corps respect is power
THE BUSINESS DF WRRFRRE
War profiteering is big business and a time-honored tradition. governments for fat contracts. Prisec outfits like Globalsec set out
There was a time, generations ago, when it was considered not on heavy recruiting drives, offering huge signing bonuses and
just a crime but also a moral failing. As weapons technology other incentives to fill their ranks. Every corp with even a tangen-
improved, and weapon systems grew deadlier, easier to handle, tial connection to military or PMC materiel development fought
and more lucrative to produce, their marketing became more and tooth and nail to make sure that they were in on the ground floor
more savvy. The idea that war was a good economic motivator was of this new war, and that they got their cut.
sold to the masses, and NBN pushed the romance and sanitized Now, with the world at peace, the military contractors are look-
violence of war across mediums. In a world full of simmering vio- ing farther afield for their next big income stream. The ongoing
lence and dominated by faceless, profit-driven megacorps, this conflict on Mars is, of course, the going concern for arms man-
culturally sanctioned war profiteering is rampant. ufacturers. Designers and engineers work day and night to build
While low-intensity brushfire wars burned for the past few a better rifle, a better hardsuit, or a better dropship. Corporate
decades, involving various countries and corporate entities, many espionage is at an all-time high, with pivotal employees and secret
arms and military equipment manufacturers worked away to technical plans being extracted from corporate compounds and
build and sell new and improved killing machines. Their profits executives being killed in increasingly creative and gruesome
were certainly respectable, but it wasn't until the outbreak of the ways. The average soldier or PMC operator cares little for this,
War that the credits really started to roll in. As tensions mounted though. His main concern is that the equipment works correctly,
between Luna, Earth, and Mars, companies like Argus and NEXT the meals are on time, and the checks clear.
began rolling out new weapon and vehicle designs and lobbying
DUTFITTED FDR
KILLER EFFICIENCY
As long as there have been soldiers, there has been a struggle to
find the perfect balance between what a soldier needs to do his
job and what he can physically carry. The modern soldier is not
that different than his forebears. Although the technology is more
sophisticated, the weapons deadlier, and the armor lighter and
more protective, a soldier must still carry his gear wherever he goes
and does so largely on foot. There are, of course, exceptions among
pilots, vehicle crews, artillery and heavy weapon teams, and light
or non-combat personnel, but the majority of an army's materiel is
carried on the backs of its soldiers. While the composition of a sol-
dier's outfit obviously varies by force and mission, many common
items can be found on the backs and in the pockets of regular and
irregular soldiers.
A soldier's basic outfit starts with his uniform. Tailored to the
environment in which the·soldier is operating, most uniforms con-
sist of a shirt, trousers, and a jacket made of stain resistant, rip-stop
material and reinforced at the knees and elbows. Sturdy, high laced
boots protect the feet and ankles, and a variety of working gloves
and brimmed caps are worn. Over the uniform, a soldier wears
armor. Modern armor commonly consists of a light clamshell made
of reinforced polymers and buckyweave that protects the torso,
shoulders, and groin, and thin, flexible armor plates that strap to the
shins and forearms. Some elite or heavy combat units use sophisti-
cated hardsuits that provide full armor protection, laser protection,
environmental protection, and basic life support functions. The last
piece of the uniform and armor combination is the load bearing
equipment. LBE comes in a wide variety of styles, but at its most
basic it is a vest or web of straps and a broad belt that distributes
the weight of a soldier's equipment evenly across his torso.
Most LBE is modular and can be custom-
ized for different roles with quick-release
pouches, loops, and slings. These pouches
carry small- to medium-sized bits of gear
like compasses, PADs, weapon magazines,
flashlights, grenades, and anything else a
soldier might need access to in a hurry.
Along with his uniform, armor, and LBE,
every soldier carries both a light combat
pack and a heavier rucksack. Combat packs
are typically integrated into load bearing
equipment and are used for daily patrols,
short marches, and as essentially carry-on
bags when being transported by vehicles.
Rucksacks are larger, heavier backpacks
with integrated frames that are meant to
carry all of a soldier's equipment over long
distances for long stretches of time. In these
packs soldiers usually carry extra clothes
and uniforms, specialized tools or equip-
ment used in their daily routines, rations,
canteens, grooming kits, weapon mainte-
nance kits, entrenching tools, binoculars,
rain gear, NBC protective gear, portable
power cells, and numerous other pieces of
esoteric military hardware.
Last, but certair..ly not least, is the soldier's
weapon. Even in today's high-tech modern
militaries, the majority of personnel are
common, infantry-style soldiers. These
highly trained men and women carry a
single primary weapon, usually a select-fire
assault rifle, extra ammunition for said rifle,
and a handful of smoke and fragmentation
grenades. Soldiers are responsible for the
and private military defies easy description. sharpshooter and anti-materiel weapons
care and maintenance of their weapon, and
Even within a military the equipment car- used by prisec firms are mass drivers.
they are expected to keep it in top combat
ried by personnel can vary wildly, especially Energy weapons came of age during the
readiness at all times. Pistols are rarely car-
in poorer areas. As for irregular troops and War, when SXC forces and PMC operatives
ried by the common soldier, being reserved
rebels, their equipment is such a mess of trained in space combat were required to
for non-commissioned officers, vehicle and
homemade, scavenged, and stolen technol- fight in conditions where there was little or
gun crews, and officers. Some forces use
ogy that no two units will be outfitted alike. no gravity or oxygen. Less-lethal weapons
dedicated grenadiers who carry powerful
are as popular as ever, especially with large
and versatile grenade launchers for squad WERPDNS police forces like New Angeles' and with
fire support. Unique and high-tech weap-
There are four broad categories of man-por- Beanstalk yellow jackets who usually pre-
ons like mass drivers and focused energy
table weapons on the market today: fer to keep casualties and collateral damage
weapons are slowly making their way into
slugthrowers, mass drivers, energy weap- to a minimum. In addition, soldiers, cops,
combat units, although this is usually only
ons, and less-lethal weaponry. Slugthrow- prisec operatives, and insurgents every-
in very wealthy state militaries or private
ers are cheap, easy to use, and as common where always have need for personal ord-
contracting firms.
as dirt, making them especially attractive nance like grenades, mines, bombs, rocket
While there is certainly more that soldiers to New Angelino criminals and Martian launchers, and grenade launchers.
can and do carry with them, everything insurgents alike. Wealthy PMCs like Glo- The discerning soldier can find a weapon
from pieces of support weapons to com- balsec love mass drivers' ability to pack a for any tactical situation. Pistols that fire
munications equipment to heavy ordnance, large punch in a small package, and many slugs or flechettes or super-accurate lasers
the variety of equipment used by every state
...
-·. - . -.. ~, ·- - ·---··-
SLUGTHRDWERS
Cheap, reliable, easy to construct and
maintain, slugthrowers are the most com-
monly available personal weapons. These
types of weapons are produced in a truly
dizzying array of shapes, styles, size, and
calibers for nearly every security and mil-
itary job imaginable. The majority of per-
sonal defense weapons are sold to civilians
are slugthrowers, and every private and
state sponsored military force issues at least
one type of slugthrower to its members.
Slugthrowers, while made of light-
weight composites or cutting-edge alloys
and loaded with high-tech combat assist
systems, still use a number of tried-and-
true technologies. They are typically gas-,
blowback-, or recoil-operated, with only
a tiny fraction using electrical or other
exotic firing systems. Their internals would
be instantly recognizable to an observer
from the past despite being constructed
of modern materials. The majority of
slugthrowers, particularly pistols and many
shotguns and rifles, are semi-automatic.
Military-grade weapons-typically rifles,
submachine guns, and some shotguns-are
select fire. This gives shooters the option of Where modern firearms diverge the This allows for lighter weapons and more
single-shot, burst, or full-auto firing modes, furthest from their ancestors is in their rounds in a magazine, a definite concern
allowing them to tailor their tactics to shift- ammunition. The majority of modern for soldiers operating on ships or in habi-
ing battlefield conditions. Some rare rifles, ammunition is caseless, a technology long tats on Luna and Mars due to weight and
especially those made for long-range sniper ago perfected by Earth's leading weap- space constraints. However, some long
work, still use manual bolt action, but these ons manufacturers. Caseless ammunition arms, primarily shotguns and some sniper
are seen as antiques and less effective than does away with the old metal or polymer and anti-materiel rifles, still use metal- or
modern semi-automatic actions. cases and encases the bullet and primer in polymer-cased rounds due to their special
a stabilized block of synthetic propellant. requirements .
.. .
ENERG'r' WERPDNS New focused-energy weapon technol- duced as pistols or, at most, compact sub-
Until relatively recently, energy weapons ogies are being announced daily, but it's machine guns or machine pistols. They
were the stuff of fiction and treatises on only a matter of time before the current typically feature very high rates of fire,
speculative technologies. While starfight- euphoria and feeling of limitless potential are almost completely silent, and have
ers taking on adversaries with large-cal- settles down into sensible, mature tech- little-to-no recoil. Flechette ammunition
iber laser cannons and soldiers in hard- nologies with long-term practical military is quite small, usually between two and
suits blasting away at aliens with plasma applications. four millimeters, and is little more than a
cannons looked great in threedees, even small dart with a super sharp penetrating
MRSS ORIUERS
twenty years ago their creation and prac- tip. Flechettes are often coated in toxins
Mass drivers are elegant, powerful weap- or tranquilizers, either by their users or
tical application was considered theoreti-
ons seen as a compromise between the from the factory, and are also produced in
cal at best. But with the dawn of the first
largely antiquated slugthrower and the a number of specialty styles such as track-
war to extend past Earth's atmosphere,
ultra-modern-and largely untested- ing, explosive, armor piercing, and even
military forces needed weapons that could
focused energy weapon. Derived from incendiary.
fire regardless of gravity or atmospheric
research and theories produced by nine-
conditions. When NEXT Design released LESS-LETHRL
teenth-century mathematician Carl Gauss,
their ground breaking VL40 crew-served
mass drivers use powerful electromagnetic WERPDNR'r'
laser cannon for light armored vehicles
coils to propel inert, ferrous slugs along a Years of riots, mass civil unrest, and the
that focused energy weapons became not
smooth barrel at incredible speeds over growing needs of the orbital and space-go-
just a reality, but a growing part of military
long ranges. While they are a relatively ing communities have created a huge
orders of battle on Earth, Luna, and Mars.
mature technology, having been produced demand for weapon systems that cause
For the first few years of their existence, for a few decades now, mass drivers are still minimal collateral damage but can still
focused energy weapons were large, cum- relatively rare as they are expensive and disperse crowds or capture individuals
bersome, energy hogs that required pow- many models are quite fragile and require alive. While less-lethal weaponry is mainly
erful high-output power systems. Too big special training to operate and maintain. used by police and private security forces,
to be carried by a common soldier, these
Unlike the near limitless variety of many militaries utilize these systems on a
weapons were mounted to combat vehicles
slugthrowers and the ana~chic evolution limited basis for special situations where a
or in stationary weapon emplacements. As
of focused energy weapons, there are only relatively light touch is required. The com-
the orders for their laser cannon poured
two types of mass driver currently in pro- monly used term "nonlethal weaponry" is
in, NEXT worked day and night to per-
duction-the coilgun and the flechette considered a misleading fantasy by profes-
fect other types of energy weapons, as well
gun. Coilguns, also known colloquially as sionals in the industry.
as to decrease their size while increasing
"Gauss Guns" in reference to their origina- Companies such as Argus Security,
their portability and efficiency. Eventu-
tor, are typically rifle-sized longarms used Skorpios, Paladin Arms, and Personal
ally, NEXT released both a practical laser
for light combat duties. They are commonly Defense Industries produce a variety of
pistol and laser rifle just ahead of a slew of
semi-automatic weapons, although a few less-lethal gear ranging from gas and stun
competitor products, and the next arms
offer select-fire versions with limited burst grenades to sub-sonic emitters to net guns
race was on.
capabilities. Their large energy require- and specialty riot ammunition. Weapons
Currently, the most common focused ments and need for constant maintenance like Synap pistols and stunsticks use pow-
energy weapon is the laser. Lasers are easy make coilguns poorly suited for the rigors erful electric charges to short circuit a tar-
to build, and are on par with equivalent of heavy combat, but their range, accuracy, get's nervous system, incapacitating th em
slug-throwers regarding·1ethality, and are penetration, and ability to use a variety or rendering them totally unconscious.
light, accurate, and easy to handle. Recent of ammunition make them outstanding Frangible and lightweight polymer "rub-
advances in energy technology have led to sniper and anti-materiel weapons. While ber" rounds are produced for slugthrow-
the limited production of other types of Gauss pistols are not unheard of, they are ers to scatter rioters, while beanbag or gel
energy weapon tailored for specific battle- uncommon and are overshadowed by their rounds turn shotguns into perfect non-le-
field roles. Masers, or microwave "lasers;' cousins, the flechette weapons. thal weapons. Even specialized, low-power
are more powerful, shorter-ranged weap-
Also called "fletchers" or needleguns, flechette pistols can be loaded with tran-
ons that are often used by Martian insur-
flechette weapons use smaller, lower-yield quilizer ammunition that can knock a
gents due to their tendency to burn ene-
coils to fire small-caliber, fin-stabilized grown adult unconscious with few nega-
mies alive while leaving equipment largely
darts called flechettes over short-to-me- tive side effects.
unscathed.
dium distances. fletchers are mainly pro-
CYBERWRRE quality of life for humankind-at least for permanently affixed to or implanted in an
Some of the most profound and astound- those who can afford these miracles. Per- individual's body and connected to their
ing technological advancements made haps the most amazing advances have nervous system via sophisticated integral
in the past few decades, the Space Ele- been made in the science of cybernetic and neural networks. Arms and hands possess
vator notwithstanding, were those made bionic prosthetics. all the dexterity of their flesh-and-bone
in the medical sciences. Cloning, genetic Modern prosthetics are a far cry from the counterparts, and they can even outperform
manipulation, designer medicines, and crude replacement limbs of the past. Today's the real limbs on occasion, especially in the
cutting-edge therapies and surgical tech- high-end artificial limbs are fully func- case of the latest military prosthetics. Many
niques have extended both the length and tioning, often extremely lifelike constructs veterans of the War, however, were outfitted
with clunky and cheap cybernetics after they
were discharged, and veterans' affairs groups
are struggling to get them upgrades.
Along with these simple medical prosthet-
ics designed to help amputees and the hand-
icapped, there are a number of cyberware
systems designed to enhance the natural
abilities of an individual. Spine and ribcage
reinforcement combined with high-out-
put cyberware arms can increase a person's
strength and manual dexterity. Optical sys-
tems can be implanted that grant 360-degree
vision all across the visible and invisible light
spectrum, and audio filters and boosters
allow an individual to pull a whisper out of
a crowd or to reduce the deafening cacoph-
ony of battle to little inore than a murmur.
Enhanced hearts and lungs combined with
powerful prosthetic legs can increase the
running speed and long-term endurance of
a soldier, allowing him to run great distances
while carrying extremely heavy packs or
equipment. These milit;rry-grade cyberware
systems are very tightly regulated, and once
a soldier or corporate operative retires, their
systems are replaced with more mundane,
civilian-grade cybernetics.
UEHICLES
Generally speaking, modern vehicles can
be separated into two broad categories:
aerospacecraft and planetary vehicles.
Examples of aerospacecraft include dedi-
cated spacecraft, transatmospheric vehicles
like dropships and spaceplanes, and atmo-
spheric aircraft like fightercraft, drones,
bombers, and aerodynes. The category of
planetary vehicles encompasses everything
else from commuter vehicles and hoppers
to fast -attack fighting vehicles.
SPRCECRRFT
Despite increased efforts in the past few
years, space remains largely unmilitarized.
Various state and private space agencies
maintain fleets of starships, but these are
...
unarmed research or cargo vessels used ORDPSH/PS are smaller, stealthier models used to insert
to probe the fringes of the system, or to special forces and black-ops teams. They are
Dropships are small- to medium-sized tran-
ferry men and materiel between Earth and satmospheric craft that fill a variety of roles usually unarmored, and if they carry any
Luna bases and outposts in the asteroid belt with today's military forces. While they are weapons at all, they are typically small-cal-
and on Mars. not commonly found on Earth, dropships iber machine guns and rocket pods for
are workhorses of the various expeditionary self-defense and light attack roles.
During the War, smaller, more agile
shuttles were modified into ersatz fighting forces and private military concerns con- Only slightly less common than the stan-
ships, and larger cargo haulers moved men tracted to operate on Luna and Mars. dard troop-carrying dropship are the heav-
and materiel to Luna to put down the insur- ily armed and armored "gunship" models.
While they share few common design
rection. While dropships and their armed First used during the War, gunships are
elements, most dropships feature lifting
gunship cousins are ostensibly spacecraft, small, up-armored dropships fitted with
body hulls with enough room inside for a
they are the exception to a lack of military an array of antipersonnel and anti-vehi-
mixture of passengers, cargo, and-in the
spacecraft rather than the rule. Recently, cle weapons ranging from heavy machine
case of some larger models-even light
however, a number of dedicated military guns and missile launchers to heavy lasers
infantry fighting vehicles. Power is typ-
starships have been proposed by some of and even the occasional heavy vehicle coil-
ically provided by small fusion reactors,
the leading names in starship technology. gun. These fighting dropships are deplo. ed
and they are propelled through atmo-
against troops and fighting vehicles, d
Lumbering space-going warships hun- sphere and space by a combination of
they fill the same roles that attack he -op-
dreds of meters long, sleek transatmo- meta-fueled rockets or hydrazine jets, and
ters and aerodyne gunships do on Earth. In
spheric fightercraft loaded down with sometimes even ion or plasma drives.
the absence of dedicated ftghter craft, gun-
missiles and energy weapons, and fast, The most common role filled by these ships can easily and efficiently provide fire
deadly frigate and cruiser-sized warships ships is transport and insertion of troops support and aerospace superiority.
are slowly leaving the realm of fiction and and supplies. Usually carried and deployed
creeping into real life. Although the tech- In addition to these two main dropship
by larger vessels, tlms the nickname "drop-
nology is still a long way off, and Weyland variants, there are a myriad of small-pro-
ship" as tl1ey are dropped on to planets
won't be unveiling a heavily armed star duction, special-use dropships. Reconnais-
from orbit, dropships are designed to enter
cruiser any time soon, the fact that these sance, electronic attack, advanced electronic
atmosphere, deliver their cargo, and retreat
concepts are being talked about and these warning and signals intercept, command
back to their mother ship as quickly as pos-
designs are entering prototype phases and control, patrol, interdiction, and even
sible. Cargo and troop carrier dropships
reflects a massive shift in the way human- VIP transport duties can and often are car-
tend toward the larger side, although there
kind uses space and spacecraft. ried out by specialized dropships.
PLRNETRRY UEHICLES makeshift armor and stolen weapons to be Whether manned or unmanned, the
The number and variety of planetary used as ersatz fighting vehicles against the majority of military aircraft still use anum-
vehicles is truly astounding. Wheeled and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), exosuits, ber of technologies that would be recogniz-
tracked vehicles ply the groundroads and and dropships of corp armies. able by pilots and technicians from gener-
skylanes between Earth's megacities. Hop- The various state and private militaries ations ago. Power and thrust are provided
pers and aerodynes skim through cities and in the solar system use a number of spe- by advanced, highly efficient, afterburning
clog local airspace, while massive suborbital cialized air-, land-, space-, and watercraft turbojet engines burning high-perfor-
spaceplanes carry cargo and passengers all in various combat and non-combat roles. mance meta fuel and delivering thrust
across the globe and, occasionally, even out Armored land vehicles like tanks and IFV s through adaptive thrust vectoring nozzles.
into the system at large. Sleek deadly war- are produced by a handful of military tech- They are fitted with fly-by-fiber systems
ships, massive cargo ships, and pleasure nology firms. They are typically powered and sensor suites that can detect enemies
craft of all kinds ply the world's oceans, by either hydrogen fuel cells or high -output well beyond visual range.
lakes, and rivers, and specialty vehicles multi-fuel turbines (or both, depending on Helicopters are, by now, almost entirely
carry workers, researchers, and explor- their intended role), and they tend to use extinct, their roles taken over by powerful
ers into the most remote and inhospitable some kind of ground effect technology for ground-effect vehicles called aerodynes.
regions of the planet. On Luna, dropships propulsion as opposed to wheels or treads Essentially a helicopter stood on its head,
deliver supplies via automated mag- to provide for truly all-terrain capabili- aero dynes have their propeller blades built
lev, and on faraway Mars, the ties. They are often sealed against nuclear, into their fuselages, and are pushed rather
common work vehicles biological, and chemical weapons, feature than pulled into the air. Their unique design
owned by colo- some amount of armor, and are equipped allows for a more stable, easier-to-fly plat-
nies are out- with hardened electronics to withstand form that can be used as a gunship, a recon-
fitted with EMP attacks. Radios and various optical naissance vehicle, or as a troop carrier. Like
scavenged, and audio sensors are standard, and those most of their fixed-wing brethren, manned
with onboard weapon systems are usually aerodynes are rare, but older piloted mod-
also equipped with high-tech targeting els serve alongside even older helicopters in
suites. Along with their armor, many of poorer or reserve forces.
these vehicles are equipped with active
While the technology and design the-
protection systems including smoke gen- ories used in }nilitary watercraft have
erators, electronic counter-countermea-
changed little in the :past few generations,
sure suites, adaptive optical camouflage, or the mission and orders of battle of most
anti-missile systems.
state and private militaries have changed
Manned military aircraft are van- drastically. The huge fleets centered around
ishingly rare in modern state and pri- carrier battlegi'<mps t,hat once plied Earth's
vate armies, having been replaced oceans are now gone-the focus of navies
by intelligent drones, but previ- shifted fromJorce projection to the patrol
ous-generation fighters, attack and protection of in-shore waters and
craft, and bombers can still be the interdiction of pirates. Vessels have
found in reserve forces and shrunk; it's rare to see a ship larger than a
in some of the less light cruiser at sea nowadays, and they've
developed parts become faster, stealthier, and more effi-
of the world. cient. Thanks to their reduced size and an
increase in automated systems, crew sizes
have decreased and the roles filled by mil-
itary sailors are increasingly specialized.
Ships are primarily powered by small,
high-output fusion reactors driving tra-
ditional propeller screws or-in the case
Autopilot might be of smaller, faster littoral combat ships-
ultra-maneuverable, high-output water-
safer, but manual jets. There are, of course, still smaller boats
and vessels used to ferry crew and supplies
is more fun. between ships or to insert small commando
squads into contested territory.
NRTIDNRL
RRMED FORCES
In a time of ascendant megacorps, powerful private military con- lower classes of a nation the opportunity for education and bet-
tractors, and the slow dissolution of the state, a standing military terment through government service. In addition, the men and
is more an object of prestige than a legitimate state asset for all women who serve in large, state-run militaries tend to see their
but the largest, most powerful nations. Countries like the United service as more honorable or pure, fighting for their nation or an
States, China, and Brazil still field huge militaries with numer- ideal rather than for cold, hard cash.
ous branches operating in theaters of war across the worlds, but State-run militaries are bound by all laws and treaties cw-rently
they're the exception rather than the rule. Despite their seeming enforced with regards to military conduct, war crimes, and rules of
antiquity in the modern corporate age, state-run militaries can engagement. Some see this as a positive; these very clear rules enforce
still be a powerful force for good for both the nation that fields a code of conduct on an army that, if broken, can be dealt with
one and that nation's allies. They tend to drive economies through tl1rough clear and legal means. Yet, many feel that blind adherence to
military technology and support contractors, and they offer the archaic laws and norms is out of place in modern warfare.
T HE U.S. RRMED FORCES THE RIR FORCE
The United States Armed Forces are among the premier armed forces in the world. The U.S. Air Force is the United States'
With a long and illustrious history and a prestigious list of military victories, the vari- premier force projection force. Like the
ous branches of the U.S. Armed Forces are an excellent example of a thoroughly mod- U.S. Navy, the air force has seen its mis-
ern military. Like most state-backed militaries since the end of the War, the U.S. Armed sion change dramatically over the past
Forces are no longer huge and unwieldy forces with hundreds of thousands of men and few decades. In the wake of the Lunar
women under arms. Instead, through automation, outsourcing, and the use of androids Insurrection, the air force is tasked ·not
to perform many key non-combat roles, America's military is smaller (as a percentage only with maintaining air superiority on
of population) and more efficient than ever before while maintaining effectiveness and Earth, but through its partnership with the
readiness. These smaller, leaner, more focused military branches allow the U.S. to more Space Expeditionary Corps, it maintains
easily respond to threats on Earth, Luna, and Mars, and to adapt quickly to shifting tacti- aerospace superiority on Luna, Mars, and
cal situations once in theater. throughout the solar system. Weak-AI
Although these broad changes and adaptations to modern technology and military autopilots handle all routine operations
thinking have changed much about the U.S. military, much remains that would be for the USAF's diverse fleet of fighter craft,
instantly recognizable to soldiers of bygone eras. The five traditional branches-the U.S. bombers, reconnaissance, and cargo air-
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard-still exist, their missions and craft, but human pilots must still authorize
traditions largely unchanged. Two new branches have since been drawn up: the Elec- kill strikes and serve as a fallback in the
tronic Warfare Service and the Space Expeditionary Corps. These new branches are pri- event of equipment failure or enemy elec-
marily tasked with missions in cyberspace or on Luna and Mars, and they have led the tronic intrusion.
way in much of the modernizing of the U.S. military at large. THE MRRINE CORPS
THERRMV Despite the significant rearrangement of its
The United States Army is the backbone of America's military forces and is the oldest of the parent branch, the U.S. Navy, the mission of
branches. The men and women of the army are highly trained and motivated infantry soldiers the U.S. Marine Corps has changed very lit-
whose primary mission is taking land, holding it, and ultimately pacifying it. tle. While the Marine Corps went through a
number of expansions and a great amount
To carry out this mission, the U.S. Army uses a combination of mechanized infantry
of mission bloat in the twentieth and twen-
supported by artillery and close air support units. The mechanized infantry units are
ty-first centuri~s· that saw it competing with
mainly composed of infantry units carried into battle in light, fast IFV s supported by
both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy, by
smaller vehicles mounting support weaponry like mass drivers and heavy laser cannons.
the time New .Angeles , was founded, the
Air support comes primarily in the form seconded EWS personnel piloting drones that
Corps had largely returned to its roots as a
carry scaled up fletchers and precision smart munitions, with a small cadre of manned
small, elite navalinfaQtry corps specializing
helicopter and aerodyne gunships. Army artillery is a mixture of precision-guided mis-
in fast strikes and amphibious assault. Its
siles and automated smartgun batteries that fire a wide variety of GPS-guided munitions.
refocus on the amphibious assault mission
THENRUV that lay at ·its core help.ed the USMC sur-
Second only to the army in age and prestige, the U.S. Navy is, perhaps, the most changed vive the navy's realignment and to main-
of the U.S. Armed Forces. With the advent of cheap, accessible space travel and the slow tain much of its independence. Today, the
militarization of space, the navy is no longer America's premier force projection service USMC operates primarily in an anti-piracy/
branch, although the navy's mobile command centers were invaluable during the con- anti- terrorism/counter-insurgency (COIN)
flicts of the past centuries. role in support of the U.S. Navy's modern
mission. While it gave up its aviation and
The ability to strike anywhere in the world is now the purview of the U.S. Air Force,
armor units long ago, the USMC still fields
and with the decreased appearance of the carrier battlegroup as the primary naval battle
its elite reconnaissance battalions and has
formation, the navy has switched its focus from force projection to interdiction and lit-
recently begun deploying units equipped
toral combat. The main threat on Earth's oceans today is piracy and terrorism, which the
with energy weapons and the most
smaller and more agile U.S. Navy is well equipped to deal with. With a fleet of smaller
advanced exosuits outside of Japan.
vessels at sea supported by a handful of larger cruiser-sized ships, helicopter carriers, and
fast-attack submarines for blue water operations, the navy can easily defend America's THESPRCE
interests and those of its state and corporate allies at sea. EXPEDIT/ONRRV CORPS
The navy is also responsible for tracking the ever-rising sea levels and mapping the The U.S. Space Expeditionary Corps, or
changing shorelines of North America as well as the United States' territories and protec- SXC, is a branch of the USAF and shares
torates. Although the changes presented new and dangerous navigation problems-and a relationship with its parent similar to
required that a few key naval bases be relocated or rebuilt-the sea level rise has affected that between the U.S. Navy and Marine
U.S. Naval operations relatively little. Corps. It is a rapid reaction force that was
formed from elements of both the U.S. Air
Force and U.S. Marine Corps in the early support from other branches of the military. destroy those of the enemy in times of 1 ar
days of the Lunar Insurrection. Its stated Veterans and active duty SXC troopers have to achieve cyberspace superiority.
mission is to engage the enemies of the an incredible esprit de corps formed from Aside from legions of support staff,
United States in space, on Luna, and on both their USMC backgrotind and their many of whom are civilian contrac-
Mars. To that end the SXC is a largely infan- fiery baptism at the Battle of Kaguya. tors, the bulk of the EWS's personnel
try-based force informed heavily by the are runners who work around the clock
THE ELECTRONIC
traditions of the USMC that specializes in to ensure that America's governmen-
space combat, orbital drops, and the taking WRRFRRE SERUICE
tal networks are clear and secure. These
and keeping of targets on planets. To sup- The U.S. Electronic Warfare Service is the runners are perhaps the best trained
port its infantry missions, the SXC employs smallest but most adaptable branch of the and equipped in the world, with exten-
an aerospace wing composed of dropships, armed forces. It evolved out of previous sive cybernetic augmentations and full-
close air support hoppers, atmospheric cyberspace strategic commands to become immersion rigs to assist them in their work.
fighter craft, and a wide variety of drones a fully fledged branch not long after the The next largest group are drone operators
and drone carriers. Due to its unique mis- conclusion of the Oil Wars. The mission who are deployed to combat zones to oper-
sion, the SXC is nearly completely self-con- of the EWS is to ensure the security and ate short-range support drones. Finally, the
tained, fielding its own transport, armor, stability of the United States' computer EWS has a small but vital specforce unit
artillery, and support units with little to no and communications networks, and to dubbed the raiders. Raiders embed with
other service branches and serve at or near One of the primary belligerents in this insurgent attacks on Luna and Mars put
the front lines. These drone operators also smoldering state of war has been the U.S. American commercial and military inter-
subvert enemy drones, attack enemy run- military, defending the interests of the ests in jeopardy, and the American gov-
ners and drone operators directly, disrupt United States and its allies. For decades, ernment moved quickly to protect those
enemy comms, and perform intelligence the U.S. military's primary theater of oper- interests and put an end to the insurrec-
extraction on enemy computer networks. ation was the United Crescent, where the tion . The Electronic Warfare Service and
EWS raiders are recognizable by their aug- U.S. assisted the U.C:s own military to fight the newly formed Space Expeditionary
mentation skinsuits, which also serve as a series of grueling guerrilla wars against Corps saw most of the action, being more
fully functioning backup consoles in their generations of terrorists and insurgents. suited to space and cyber warfare, but all
own right. In addition to the counter-insurgency branches of the armed forces were called
(COIN) operations, the U.S. military also upon to defend against China and its allies.
THERTERSDF
carried out numerous interdiction mis- Currently, the U.S. Military is in a state of
DPERRTIDN sions against drug lords, human traffickers, semi-readiness. Many military units, par-
Never designed to stand idle, the U.S. and other assorted multinational criminal ticularly those from the army and navy, are
Armed Forces have been very busy over cartels and terrorist organizations. While on standby or have been completely stood
the past few decades. Although the War the bulk of the U.S. military's forces were down: their personnel and assets either
has been over for fifteen years, that doesn't deployed from Alexandria to the Central assigned elsewhere or completely liqui-
mean that Earth has become completely Asian steppe, smaller units were engaged dated. The air force is, as always, very busy
peaceful or complacent. On the contrary, elsewhere in the world, typically either with both orbital security and the staffing
numerous societal and cultural upheavals, in peacekeeping roles or performing of garrisons on both Luna and Mars. In
the rise of the megacorp, and the opening extremely dangerous black ops work in fact, much of the U.S. Military's current
of space have created untold chaos both places like the Sub-Saharan League and budget goes to fund peacekeeping on Luna
on Earth and in space. Instead of massive the Korean Peninsula. and COIN operations on Mars, where the
armies clashing in set-piece battles, since This all changed in an instant, however, guerrilla fighting is every bit as bloody as it
the Treaty of Heinlein war has yet again when the citizens of Luna revolted against was in the jungles of South America or in
become a smaller, dirtier affair of insur- the corps and stopped the flow of He-3. the mountains of Central Asia.
gencies and counter insurgencies, proxy With the start of the Lunar Insurrection,
wars, brushfire conflicts, and, of course, i·
constant and bloody conflict in the new
frontiers of cyber warfare.
RANKS IN
THEPMCS
State militaries still use the
structure passed down to them from pre-
vious generations, but traditional military
ranks are not used by private military con-
cerns. Instead, they use a corporate-style
rank structure that is less rigid and more
open to interpretation than strict military
ranks. The rank and file troopers in a
PMC are usually called "security spe-
cialist'' or some variation thereof. From
there, the rank structure usually a scends
in a typical corporate fashion with assis-
tant team leaders, team leaders, project
managers, and even country managers.
PMC specialists, such as medics or engi-
neers, often have their own titles such as
"engineering specialist" or "medical spe-
cialist," but they ultimately fit into the rank
structure under their team leaders.
RNDRDID LRBDR
War has always driven technology. Extraterrestrial missions
prompted innovations in cybernetic and genetic enhancements,
R BRRUE NEW
electronic warfare pioneered existing brain-machine interface tech- LRBDR MRRKET
nology, and drone combat pushed the envelope of artificial intelli- Thanks to the introduction of androids, people can live longer,
gence. Many of these breakthroughs also spurred the development safer lives with fewer fears of hazards in the workplace. The depths
of the first artificial humans, or androids, enabling Haas-Bioroid to of the ocean and the vacuum of space are open to exploration and
debut the Mark-2 in the final years of the War. But the wide-scale development at a faster pace than could have been achieved with-
implementation of androids did not become economically viable- out simulant labor. Android labor is more efficient, more com-
that is to say, profitable-until a true need for "labor solutions" arose. pliant, and much cheaper than human labor, provided the busi-
After the Lunar Insurrection, the helium-3 mining concerns ness can afford the initial investment. When a workplace accident
wanted to replace its flesh-and-blood miners with more obe- crushes an android, it's property damage, not the basis for a law-
dient-and expendable-workers. HB's engineers focused on suit or worker's comp.
refining the technology to make them competitively priced and Like many other technological innovations in human history,
more efficient. At first only corporations, some governments, and however, the introduction of androids has had an impact on the
extremely wealthy individuals could afford to invest in bioroid labor market, specifically for the men and women whose jobs are
labor to fill essential roles, but as more and more of them rolled off now being performed by machines. As with the printing press, the
the assembly lines, the cost of these simulants dropped, making steam engine, the assembly line, the microchip, and other advances
them viable for work in new areas. Bi<;>roids moved beyond recon- in automation that have moved humanity forward, the advent of
struction and saw much broader use. They collected trash, worked true artificial intelligence demands a human cost to be paid for the
assembly lines, and minded children for overworked parents. larger societal benefit. Humanity might be better off with androids;
Soon Jinteki would catch up and debut its vat-grown clones, individual people, however, may not be so fortunate.
and a new industry was born. The rapid changes in the workforce If it were just the hazardous jobs that were being transitioned to
meant that returning veterans found their jobs filled by androids android labor, most people would probably understand the change.
who were cheaper and more productive, and as more and more It goes far beyond that, however. Workers in manufacturing, trans-
varieties of clones and bioroids expanded to new segments of the portation, domestic help, and even the sex industry are losing out
economy, a labor crisis was in the making. It is becoming harder to androids. The shift extends to nearly every segment of the labor
and harder to imagine the world functioning as it does without market, and it is those with no way to cope with the change who
androids, but many people long to go back to simpler times before feel the pain most keenly: unskilled laborers who couldn't afford
androids revolutionized life on Earth, Luna, and Mars. access to an education as well as skilled laborers who have no qual-
ifications besides the trade they've plied for decades.
The New Angeles-based car company Gemini Motors joined
in the recent trend of laying off major portions of its human labor
force and replacing them with bioroids. Executives and creative
staff were retained, as is the norm in these cases, but the line
workers all lost their jobs. Telling these people that they should
embrace the future of labor does not usually go over well. For
many of them, the only skill they ever had was the sort of thing
that a clone or bi01·oid can do faster and, now, cheaper. In the
past, those who had lost their job to a machine could learn
to operate it, thus remaining employed. But now the "dumb"
machines are run by smarter ones, leaving little for unskilled
labor to do.
The labor shift is pushing many of these blue collar
workers into the margins in cities, or out to poorer or less
densely populated towns where the economics of android
labor have not yet reached a point where replacing
humans makes sense. Others are working to take back
the jobs that were once theirs or find other solutions to
their plight-some within the system, some not.
THE RNTI-SIMULRNT
MDUEMENT
There are numerous constituencies and special interest groups
who would like to see them outlawed or, barring that, taxed into
oblivion. For some, androids are soulless abominations that are
and abilities of the megacorporations. The organization works
an affront to sincere religious beliefs. For others, androids are the
within the system to support anti-simulant legislation, lobby gov-
reason so many humans have lost their jobs and can't put food
ernments to prevent human job loss, and lend financial support to
on the table, or worse, became disenfrancistos. There are corpora-
its membership when needed.
tions who would like to stop the production of certain simulants
so rival companies will lose revenue streams. It's true that Humanity Labor is not able to save every job, and
many of the jobs it does save are low-wage, dangerous positions.
Groups like Humanity Labor, Builders for a Better Tomorrow,
Still, they are jobs, and keeping humans employed at any level
and others spend major chunks of their budgets on promoting
helps those workers preserve their dignity and keeps them from
anti-android legislation. Although targeting the regulators them-
turning against society at large by engaging in criminal acts.
selves is a riskier, albeit more direct route, most
policy changes are addressed in a country's ..olllllllll••••••••••••lllllll... This puts world governments, and even
businesses, in an interesting position.
legislature.
Although they want to encour-
Such efforts have been met with
age the progress, profits, and
stiff resistance, however. The
tax revenue that android
realities of the re-election
labor represents, they also
cycle mean increasingly
recogriize the need to pre-
expensive campaigns must
vent large segments of the
be mounted on a continu-
human population from
ous basis, and megacorpo-
becoming a drain on soci-
rations are the ones footing
ety, or, even worse, a risk ·
the bill. These "congress-
to law and order. More
critters;' as they are called,
than that, androids and
glide to second, third, and
J~rporations can't vote,
tenth terms so long as they
even:·ifthey can do almost
continue to toe the line
everything else. Humanity
favored by their corpo-
Labor must exist to pro-
rate sponsors and lobbyist
vide a .natural balance in
friends. But recently pop-
the equation, even if they
ulist candidates have begun
are often a thorn in the side for
winning seats worldwide with
corporations and governments.
an unprecedented lack of corporate
support. As more and more laborers are Like any large organization, Human-
thrown into unemployment, being pro-an- ity Labor is not without its flaws, real and
droid is becoming a more difficult position to defend. imagined. Rumors of corruption plague its
leadership. Not all of its members feel that their best interests
The legal landscape is difficult to maneuver even when the
are being served despite the dues they pay into the system and
issue under consideration is less divisive. Because of the money
the concessions they make on a routine basis. Some even say that
involved-and the wide-sweeping implications one way or
Humanity Labor covertly supports the violence that some radical
another-anti-simulant bills are some of the ~ost heated battles
groups, such as Human First, see as the most effective way to end
in lower houses of government around the world.
the simulant takeover of the workplace. Humanity Labor denies
HUMRN/T'r' LRBDR all allegations of kickbacks, bribes, and other forms of corrup-
At the forefront of the endeavor .to protect human interests, tion, of course. The organization also disavows any connection
human jobs, and human dignity is Humanity Labor. The orga- to Human First.
nization's primary goal is to stand up for those laborers who do Humanity Labor's official public stance is that fighting the good
not have the money or the power to stand up for themselves in fight for human workers is expensive and difficult enough without
defense of their jobs. Megacorporations channel the profits of taking on the risks of acting illegally or supporting anyone else
clones and bioroids to push their agendas and influence politics, who does. They say they are dedicated to acting within the con-
but by rallying individuals, unionizing them, and collecting dues fines of the law and work hard to support anti-clone legislation
from them, Humanity Labor can put up a fight against the efforts and other initiatives through official government channels.
HUMRNFIRST In the instances where law enforcement THE 5/MULRNT
Every time a new android walks off the
catches people in the act, justice generally RBDLITIDNIST
takes the form of a slap on the wrist. As far
assembly line and into the workforce, a MDUEMENT
as the cops are concerned, it's no big deal
human loses his job. In the eyes of Human Not everyone reacted with the same
when big corps have to shell out a few creds
First groups, if those simulants can be destructive impulse that resulted in the
to replace a glorified calculator. Many cops
yanked out of th e workforce, then there's mass violence of the Clone Riots and many
sympathize with Human First, fearing that
a chance the human can get the job back. other Human First protests. Wh ere many
their jobs are next in line to be taken over
Since androids are just devices and not see androids as unwelcome intruders to be
by android labor: Floyd 2X3A7C, Drake
people, th e simplest way to make sure they legislated or regulated into extinction- or
3Gl2RC, an d Caprice Nisei all represent
don't get the job done is to perform a little worse, eradicated by brute force-others
the next iteration of detective. Ask ten
"percussive maintenance" on them. This see them as the unfortunate victims of
cops how they feel about Human First and
is best achieved with several swings of a corporate greed and societal desperation,
you'll be lucky to find one that thinks they
sledgehammer. orphans of science and technological prog-
are outri ght wrong in their approach.
In cities across the world, from New ress. For these sympathizers, the question
Human First's detractors point out that
Angeles to Johannesburg, Human First is not how to rid society of clones, but how
vandalism is one thing, but large-scale vio-
foments violence against simulants. Armed to welcome these new life forms into the
lence is another. Factory bombings, raids
with hammers and rage, supporters of the diverse spectrum of humanity.
on shipments of bioroids, and even (if the
Human First agenda roam alleys and shad- At the forefront of the efforts to adopt
rumors are to be believed) the inciting
owed streets looking for isolated androids clones into human society is the Sim-
of riots against androids and the govern-
to destroy. When they find one, the pent-up ulant Abolitionist Movement, or SAM.
ments and corps who use them-all these
frustration of job loss is unleashed to devas- Although not as wealthy as Humanity
suggest that Human First is a larger and
tating effect. Unable to strike back against Labor or as forceful as Human First, SAM
more powerful hate group than a few iso-
their assailants due to the Three Directives do es have the advantages of compassion:
lated incidents of property damage would
or the conditioning that governs their they believe in changing the world one
behavior, these bioroids and clones are otherwise suggest.
android at a time, and that to be truly suc-
bludgeoned into an inoperable state. cessful they must remain wholly within the
'
- •t I I I - _ --
t's been one year since th e Clone Riots ripped through New Predictably, the violence spread beyond acts of vandal-
this morning, but I think my smartslick has two of distraction, and then I could get it
few months ago pages on the Net
A started popping up detailing a new,
clandestine settlement on the thawing trea-
a leak and," come on you corp lackey, you
just reek narcissism take the bait, "well, you
decrypted and fi nd out if this whole trip was
worth anything. Let's take things in reverse
know what a bad day is like, right? We all and see if those frustrated sighs can ge t me
sure trove of Antarctica: a Strata Corp site.
The corp had already firmly lodged one foot have bad days and this whole thing has been somewhere.
onto the final continent and apparently fragged for me-oh! Sorry." "Well," I said, gulping away some genuine
decided they didn't want anybody to know Blushing as hard as I could, I could see fe ar under the guise of an anx ious young
if they took another step. him soften slightly. "Yeah, tell me about it. corp lackey, "what about that disaster with
NBN was barely covering it, which was On the way to the hopper this morning ..." the New Angeles Tsunami? Th e PR fallout
telling enough-anything that could possi- He droned on for a few minutes about chil- was horrible, but the cost in life was-well, I
bly grab the people's attention was broadcast dren he'd spoiled to no end with the latest know I shouldn't say as much but you seem
day and night. Then, a few weeks ago, all the GameNET offerings and holosport equip - like a stand-up executive-the number of
resources I'd been keeping an eye on began ment, while I took appraisal of the situation. deaths was a tragedy. What if this is another
to disappear. Cached forum posts were the For a moment I considered whether this New Angeles Tsunami, Mr. Kesswyn?"
best I could find until last week, and even might not be worth it, but then he started That smile turned into a frown and he
those have evaporated. Whatever was going to crack a little bit. "It's days like these where leaned back into his seat again. "Now as
on down south, Strata decided to take it helps to stretch your arms, so to speak. loyal Strata employees, we are both well
an aggressive stance to conceal it- which If you had the forms, well, I've looked past aware that the earthquake could have hap-
means that it was something the public those rulings before-what were they any- pened regardless of whether or not GRNDL
needed to know about. way? La Meida v. SanSan and Reisshoff v. was drilling, and Weyland has provided
Fujida? Either way, by damn, I may only be generous relief in the wake of the tsunami ..."
The normal corp hurdles were as
a sub-director, but I'm still a director!" I was getting down to minutes; time
expected; I stopped counting the secretaries
that answered my calls after the first two Fluttering my eyes and shifting a little bit to bring on the heat. "We've both seen the
dozen. Eventually, though, I came across to make him think I was nervous, I asked, leaked memos on Project Vulcan, Mr. Kes-
an AI that was substandard or glitching; '1\.re you saying you can help me then, swyn. We've both read about the timely
I've picked up enough tricks over the years Gareth? I mean, this could be my job, and property sales of the Weyland Consortium,
to get a decent appointment in place when I'm not even directly or indirectly respon- all located directly in the landfall zone." Th e
that kind of opportunity arises. The secre- sible for those lost shipments!" Maybe this subservient tremble that lured Gareth into
tary was in need of a software update and whole trip would be worth it, and Mr. Kess- a false sense of security was gone, and I'd
didn't notice that my credentials were inau- wyn here was going to unknowingly expose started to get into a hoarse cry, "One of the
thentic. So here I am, sitting across the desk some corporate corruption- serious mal- deadliest tsunamis of the century, damages
of Gareth Kesswyn, a director of a sub-de- feasance. Perhaps I could win this one, if I in the trillions of dollars, and how many
partment to one of the regional arms of could just keep him on the line. lives, Gareth!?"
Strata Corp. "Well look, if you come back later today The corp lackey reared back and away
It became clear pretty quickly that he with special license form 4X-D4 authoriza- from this unexpected emotional out-
wasn't in the best of moods, but I wasn't tions from your supervisor-Oscar in trans- burst. As I screamed, '1\.re you going to tell
going to get a second crack at this. Gareth global supply logistics, right? Then I can who knows how many mothers that y ou
sighed exasperatedly for the seventh time in help you out, because I can understand your could've stopped another disaster like that,
as many minutes, gesturing to the rags on concerns-I've been there myself, if you can but didn't!? Are you Gareth!? Could you
his desk. ''I'm far too busy to be of much believe it." He was smiling but I started to do that!?" He winced when my voice hit a
help, miss. Even if I weren't, there's a num- panic; my false credentials would get rooted pitched shriek, and I managed to swipe and
ber of reasons I can't confirm or deny your out by that secretary in a few minutes, and pocket the datacard.
branch's shipment to this so-called facility. time was running 'out. I had to act fast. His response was rapid and vehement,
Even if this was confidential information or Think, think, think! Lock your eyes, shake but I ducked out of the office and hightailed
something, projects of the magnitude you're your head in disbelief, play the part! it onto the street- ! had what I wanted.
talking about are far beyond my pay grade." Wait- what's that datacard on his desk? Thumbing my PAD, I checked out who it
Something about the way his right index What's on that datacard? Just who else has belonged to and a smile came to my face;
finger twitched on the words "facility" and been in this office, Gareth? With how clut- New Angeles to Australia was only ninety
"magnitude" gave him away. Gareth was tered his desk is, he wouldn't even notice minutes by subbing...
holding out on me. "I understand completely. it was gone-not at first, anyway. I just
I know I had the requisite forms on my PAD needed an opening to lift it, a second or
THE NEW ANGELES
PDLICE DEPARTMENT
The brave men and women of the New corporate security, private investigators, police come from many walks of life, some
Angeles Police Department are the only and other independent operators. The offi- are notably absent; few risties and scions
ones standing between honest New Ange- cers and detectives of the NAPD must deal of corporate privilege see fit to risk their
lino citizens and chaos. In a megapolis with everything: gang warfare, anti-android lives trying to maintain law and order.
the size of New Angeles, it takes more riots, organized crime, and corruption. Androids, both clones and bioroids, are a
than a metropolitan police force to keep And all too often, armies oflawyers see to it new addition to the Force, and their pres-
order-it takes a multi-level, far-reaching, that even the NAP D's best efforts garner no ence continues to generate problems in
well-connected organization with a mega more than a slap on the wrist. spite of the many advantages they offer.
budget, tough cops, g-mod smart detec- As technology advances, criminals adapt The NAPD was chartered shortly before
tives, and a commissioner who won't be and exploit it, often faster than the author- construction finished on the New Angeles
bullied by corps and orgcrime. NBN casts ities can. Besides the high-tech weapons Space Elevator, and its mission has contin-
the NAPD as such an organization: one and other gear being used and sold by ued to evolve in the face of new threats.
that keeps citizens safe and crime rates criminals, the criminals themselves are New Angeles is unlike any other city, and
down. In reality, even with g-mods and evolving. From yak enforcers so cybered the department is constantly facing new
cyberware and cutting-edge tech, cops are that they're nearly bulletproof, to g-mods challenges. As always, the law, and so
only human. Most of them, anyway. that can outrun a hopper and jump from also law enforcement, has had difficulty
The New Angeles Police Department is a third-floor window without breaking keeping up with the rapid advances in
responsible for enforcing the law through- stride, NAPD officers can easily find them- technology. The existence and growing
out the sprawling megacity-from Guaya- selves outmatched or simply unprepared popularity of androids creates numerous
quil to Esmeraldas, the Root to Heinlein, to deal with transhuman suspects. issues for the NAPD, both directly and
and all the megacorps and orgcrime in The men and women who serve in the indirectly. The involvement of an android
between . Although most incidents hardly NAPD represent a broad spectrum of in a crime, even simply as a witness, creates
register on NBN's various newsfeeds, backgrounds and ideologies-and a few numerous problems and legal loopholes
aggravated crimes occur in New Ange- of them might not be considered men for defense attorneys to exploit, and an
les every day. Even before accounting for or women at all. Many members of the android's testimony has been thrown out
the non-violent offenses, the NAPD is NAPD, including Commissioner Chen - of court on more than one occasion.
stretched thin, meaning the NAPD must Mai Dawn, are former military personnel,
bolster its numbers with bounty hunters, having served in the War. Although the "We stand behind all those
who wear the NAPD badge."
The history of the NAPD stretches back to the beginnings of New bilingual officers were preferred, the Mayor could not afford to
Angeles, before the completion of the Beanstalk. During its con- reject what few applications he received. The sudden influx of
struction, the National Police of Ecuador joined forces with the trained officers coming in fresh from the U.S. clashed with the
private security hired by Jack Weyland, and together they ensured ex-security and Ecuadorian cops who resented their loss of
the safety of all involved with the project. When ~ew Los Angeles authority, and soon the fledgling NAPD was in disarray. Many of
was officially incorporated ..as a city, Mayor Fisher attempted to the new recruits spoke little or no Spanish, and as the NAPD fra~;
make the situation official, dubbing the force the New Los Ange- mented, fights broke out among the ranks. Once the Beanstalk
les Police Department (later shortened to just the New Angeles was completed, the number of cops dwindled and crime rates
Police Department, or NAPD). He offered to purchase the secu- soared until the first commissioner arrived.
r.ity contract from Weyland and invited the Ecuadorean police to From the moment Mayor Fisher founded the NAPD, he began
stay on as NAPD officers. Both offers received a mixed response. his search for a commissioner who would be able and willing
The security force terminated its contract and withdrew from New to take on the task of pummeling the new force into shape. He
Angeles, but some individuals chose to stay where they had set- eventually brought in Commissioner Oscar Calvo; his impressive,
tled. Many of the Ecuadorian police initially agreed to sign up as decade-long record at the SSPD, as well as his decorated mili-
NAPD cops, but when presented with a new set of rules and regu- tary background, made him the perfect candidate. Calvo was a
lations, some changed their minds. This left the Mayor with only a traditionalist-his officers knew him to be incorruptible, with a
skeleton force policing the rapidly expanding city. strict moral code and a strength they respected. His appointment
Mayor Fisher tried recruiting officers from U.S. police depart- marked the beginning of the NAPD as we know it today.
ments by offering generous relocation allowances. Although
The NAPD did not turn into an efficient crime-fighting machine
overnight, but Calvo wasted no time reorganizing the police force,
creating new divisions so he could grant promotions to Ecuador-
ian cops who had been in positions of authority before they joined
the NAPD. He knew that communication was key to integrating
his officers, so he offered them a choice between AI translation
secretaries and implants, or lessons in Spanish or English. The vast
majority accepted the implants, and soon all cops could function
in both languages.
Once Calvo obtained the funding, he founded the New
Angeles Police Academy at the eastern border of Laguna
Velasco. Officers had to attend the NAPA for reassessment,
no matter their service record. This training leveled the
field for the police officers and brought them together.
Calvo was a firm believer in the benefits of taiho-jutsu,
operant conditioning, and a "no-pain-no-gain" atti-
tude, so training was intensive and vigorous. His
academy, nicknamed the "house of pain" in its early
days, attracted more recruits than it lost. Any officer
who made it through Calvo's training could get a job in
any police force anywhere; it was the ultimate test. Calvo
insisted on regular training for all his officers throughout
their careers, but after his disappearance, his replace-
ment abolished this practice. Other cost-saving changes
included replacing martial arts teachers with AI instruc-
tors and transforming training areas into VR suites.
Merely a decade after the· completion of the Beanstalk,
most of the world was already reliant on He-3, and the growth
of New Angeles was explosive. Commissioner Calvo made an
unsuccessful request for funds to expand the police force. Mayor
Fisher considered that he had spent enough money on that partic-
ular problem. The NAPD was keeping crime at an acceptable level
in the developing city, and the mayor was directing his attention,
and funds, elsewhere.
For the first time, housing became a problem in New Angeles.
Rumors spread that the Mayor was granting certain big corps
special dispensation that ignored zoning laws in exchange for
kickbacks and other favors. It was no secret that Calvo believed
•
No one ever found the commissioner's body, but the official line
is that he was a victim of a rogue Martian terrorist attack toward
the rumors, and he instructed several detectives to investigate the the end of the War. Some of his deputies expressed a desire to
matter. The relationship between the mayor and commissioner investigate the matter further, but the Mayor expressly denied
grew strained. their request and appointed Commissioner Terry as a replacement
The War only made things worse. The NAPD had been kicked within days of the Calvo's disappearance. Assistant Commissioner
out of Heinlein by the Lunar rebels, and the United States Armed Terry was new to the police force, fresh out of the military. He
Forces were in charge of retaking New Angeles territory on the purchased surplus military equipment, and the NAPD gained a
Moon, so the police force's role was limited to containing the rising new, more intimidating reputation.
panic and cleaning up the mess caused by small-scale attacks from As veterans from the War joined the ranks of the NAPD, the
anti-capitalist militia. The Feds used the Root as a base for dealing military aspects of the New Angeles police became the hot new
with the Lunar trouble, so the U.S. military had a presence in the scandal. Newsies targeted specific precincts and officers, con-
city too. The NAPD was low in the pecking order, and the commis- demning their actions as brutal or corrupt. Civil lawsuits made
sioner could do little but watch as the War unfolded at the top of against officers resulted in suspensions if not convictions. Com-
the Beans talk and beyond. In the aftermath, the Treaty of Heinlein missioner Terry handed in his resignation, and for the first time
reinstated the NAPD's influence in Heinlein, but the mayor hadn't the Mayor allowed the citizens of New Angeles to elect their own
veiled his belief that somehow Commissioner Calvo was partially commissioner to help assuage fears that the NAPD was out of
to blame for allowing the Lunar Insurrection to happen. touch with the surrounding community.
--- • >1UIIIIIIIIII IIIII I I.. IItllll __ _., --"------ - - - - - - - -- - - -- - -------------------
tI Viktoria Gavrilenko
235
FORENSICS 0/U/S/DN
An important part of the Professional
SURUEILLRNCE RND
Standards Bureau, the Forensics Division PRIURCY RIGHTS
uses specialized skills and technologies to Given cause, the NAPD can monitor When working undercover, officers
aid other departments in solving a variety a suspect's movements, Network use, wear microscopic cameras, often as
of crimes and obtaining evidence suitable and pupil dilation; record every word implants, but these must be shut off when
for convicting criminals. This includes the the suspect says; and get threedee in corporate or private space. Detec-
Crime Scene Investigation Unit, which images of the suspect sitting on a waste tives frequently forgo cams in order to
involves physically gathering and record- extractor. The NAPD has the means, but establish trust with potential informants
ing evidence at crime scenes, and the lacks the right. This is largely the fault and snitches. Beat cops, riot police,
Imaging Unit, which provides models to of PriRights, a human rights group that SWAT Teams, and any other agents on
recreate crime scenes in virtual reality. successfully campaigned against the the front lines of the fight against crime
Forensics also maintains the Virtual use of seccams in private spaces. These have cams on their person to insulate the
Reality Crime Lab Morgue, which offi- days, NAPD microscopic cameras NAPD from excessive force charges.
cers can use to examine cadavers after and recording devices are underused Police-issued weapons come equipped
autopsy. Officers may access files by pull- despite the technology being readily with detailed recording technology.
ing simulated bodies from the vaults and available and capable of preventing With every squeeze of the trigger, these
can manipulate the images for a thorough and investigating crimes. smartguns record time, positioning, loca-
examination of wounds, cyberware, and Specialized camdrones equipped tion, and even the ID of the bullet fired.
any bullets or other foreign bodies that with facial-recognition AI floating They are also keyed to lock up when an
were found within a corpse. Corps eager throughout the city merely remind the unauthorized user tries wielding them.
for advertising provide the virtual morgue public of the NAPD's presence, and Although the weapons lack a persistent
with hardware and software, as high-profile they occasionally catch amateur crim- connection to the Network, they auto-
cases demonstrate such VR technology to inals in the act. Closer scrutiny requires matically upload their records to NAPD
the masses. Accepting these donations a warrant or at least probable cause. databases at the end of the shift.
allows the Forensics Division to remain the Any cop who spies on a potential perp The NAPD keeps meticulous records
most advanced of its kind worldswide. too closely, tracks a PAD of someone of an officer's movements and ensures
However, because the Forensics Divi- who turns out to be humanitarian of the that interview rooms and cells are under
sion has accumulated a significant back- year, or plants a camera in the private constant surveillance. These precautions
log and private forensic specialists have office of the mayor's second cousin ensure officers don't cut corners and that
access to tech still not licensed or available twice removed, could face a civil suit no prisoner falsely claims mistreatment.
to NAPD forspecs, the NAPD frequently or even iail time.
contracts out additional work to such
companies as Sagan Forensics, Inc.
Minerva that logs their presence at morn- When not responding to any immediate
DRILY PRTRDLS ing roll call and briefing. calls, Officer Velasquez likes to have Min-
Officers Amara Velasquez and Ty Koch The briefing is held via virt; the officers erva take the hopper on a random patrol,
start their day when a police hopper comes attend remotely while at their desks or sit- moving publicly through the district so
to collect them from their respective ting in their hopper en route to the first call everyone can see the NAPD is on the job.
homes. Before they report lor duty, each of the day. Sergeant Bryce runs down a list- While patrolling, the hopper's cameras an
officer takes time to review their equip- ing of notable reports from the prior shift, the helmcams on both officers sweep the
ment, including checking the charge levels collected for him by Minerva: So many streets and slidewalks looking for evidence
on camdrones and Synap pistols, 0 2 levels officer-involved shootings, reports of of a crime, Minerva comparing the footage
on oxygen tanks, and other details. When dazzle-wearing vandals sabotaging cams, with its database and all public cam foot-
they've finished, they inform Minerva that a death threat from a streetbanger outfit age from throughout the city.
they find their kit in good working order called the Druzhinniki leveled at members The first incident call of the day fo r Vel-
and are ready to begin their day. of the NAPD. There are over 1,100 open asquez and Koch comes from an L-square
Minerva is the precinct's AI, a secretary cases logged in Minerva's systems, but shopping plaza. Minerva directs their hop-
that coordinates the vast amounts of data Sergeant Bryce doesn't elaborate on any of per there and informs them that a woman
that flows through the Laguna Velasco them. Minerva will inform the officers if is causing a disturbance. The officers watch
precinct each day. Once the officers are in any data becomes relevant in the course of cam footage as they fly and already know
their seats, it is Minerva that launches the their day. Sergeant Bryce ends the meeting where to find the woman and her name,
hopper and directs it towards its area of the same way he always does, telling his Patience Rewarded, by the time they touch
responsibility in southwestern LV, and it is officers to "stay safe out there:' down. Velasquez makes the approach
'
- . -
while Koch stands back, one hand on his neglect creating large gaps in surveillance throwing bottles and other objects and
Synap pistol. coverage. Velasquez and Koch are one of screaming profanity. The subject turns,
Rewarded is incoherent and agitated. six partnered patrol teams to be routed to perhaps to flee, and Koch shoots him three
She has visible cybernetic enhancements, the site by Minerva, along with homicide times with his service weapon.
and the officers treat her as a potential detectives and forensic investigators. Velasquez instructs her partner to
threat. Velasquez is able to defuse the sit- Koch is visibly agitated by the death direct his helmcam down a side street,
uation and take Rewarded-who insists on of a fellow officer. He has many ques- to watch for any approaching bangers.
being called "Laser" -into custody. "Laser" tions, some of which Velasquez refuses She approaches the subject, her helmcam
is placed in the back of the hopper, which to answer. Minerva does its best, but can- pointed up and down the street. In a later
immediately departs for lP, First Precinct, not speculate as to Officer Li's motives for report, Velasquez will claim that he was
for suspect processing. Velasquez and being in the area in plainclothes or who attempting to be alert for any potential
Koch remain behind to reassure the small committed the crime. Minerva's records threats. When she reaches the subject, she
crowd and take witness statements, and show that Koch's heart rate and respiration turns her camera on him and pronounces
then step into a fresh hopper that arrives are both elevated. him dead. He is holding an old-style hand-
to pick them up. Minerva files the incident Because the area is cam-dead, every gun in one hand, a low-tech weapon with
report automatically, with the officers dic- responding hopper deploys its emergency no modern safety features but more than
tating their own annotations. camdrones and the patrol officers head capable of injuring or killing an LEO.
The second call is an Officer Down. out on foot patrols to increase coverage. More forspecs arrive and take posses-
Officer Li, who failed to report this morn- Minerva soon alerts Velasquez and Koch sion of the incident scene, and Koch and
ing, has been found dead by a camdrone to the presence of an individual with no Velasquez retreat. They request and are
in undercity territory claimed by the Dru- ID, apparently sleeping under trash not granted a two-hour mental health break,
zhinniki. The area is what they refer to as far from the crime scene. As the officers during which they disable their connec-
"cam-dead:' with extensive sabotage and approach, the subject lurches to his feet, tions to Minerva and travel to a local
eatery called Maxwell's, renowned for the indicates that the subject, now identified within the ark, Velasquez moves on per
privacy it offers its clientele. as Luis Delastilla, was armed at the time of Minerva's instruction and prisec returns to
the shooting. Koch is cleared and restored its duties; no warrant was secured and no
When they emerge, Koch flags an
to duty within twenty-four hours. probable cause found.
autocab and reports to lP for debrief;
he has been suspended on administra- Velasquez returns to her shift, now act- At the end of her shift, Velasquez is
tive leave, as required by policy after any ing without a partner. Minerva preferen- deposited at home by her hopper. Aside
officer-involved shooting. His suspension tially routes aud- and vidcalls that demand from the incident with the shooting, it has
will be brief; Minerva's reconstruction of a human presence to Velasquez, and she been an average patrol day. Velasquez had
the event, given the sparse camera cov- fields a number of complaints and reports no reason to set foot in a precinct house or
erage in the area and of the incident, is from the comfort of a police hopper. NAPD facility, nor will she until her next
inconclusive, and Velasquez's testimony mandatory training day.
Velasquez's last call of the day is an inci-
and the video evidence that does exist dent at a private arcology. When Velasquez Delastilla's children claim that Velas-
arrives, prisec greets her at the hopper pad quez, a fifteen-year veteran of the NAPD,
and refuses her entry. Prisec claims the planted the weapon on their father after
report was sent in error. Velasquez retreats the shooting in order to protect her part-
to her hopper and logs the incident, still ner, the recently sworn-in Koch. The claim
observed by prisec. She keeps her helm- is never proven, but is dutifully logged by
cam trained on the ark, at her best estimate Minerva and added to her record. It is the
of where the report originated, hoping that second such claim made against Velasquez.
Minerva will detect probable cause. She is never brought up on any charges for
After a half-hour, while lawyers work the incident. Koch resumes his duties and
behind the scenes at both 1P and remains a model officer.
PROCEDURES
Procedures aren't put in place to make life difficult for cops-they exist to ensure crimes are
solved, criminals are put away, and officers don't die on the job. With training and repeated
use, standard procedure should become second nature so an officer knows how to react
no matter the situation. In the course of their career, cops may encounter everything from
organ grinders to data-addicts, ex-super soldiers to g-modded geniuses, and clone-haters
to cyber-junkies. NAPD cops have to be ready for anything, and this is how they do it.
MRKING RN RRREST
To make an arrest, an officer should obtain a warrant from a judge or district attorney.
This is legally the safest option, but if an officer witnesses a crime, or can give probable
cause that the suspect is guilty of a crime, a warrantless arrest is possible. Public distrust
of android judgment and the fact that androids are not legal persons complicate android
arrests in a jury trial. As a result, the DA:s office discourages android officers from making
arrests; in most cases an android's human partner performs the actual arrest.
If a suspect resists arrest, officers can use reasonable force. This is not always advisable, as
g-mods and cyberware may not be immediately apparent. Black-market armor and g-mods
- . -
I"
I" I •
I • • I
I •
• I I
Here, the ADA is only gonna slam you with unauthorized intrusion of
government servers.
SUBNET lS>lS>lS>.llS>llS134.77X PORT35lS121
mistakes. ttiere - Vigilan.T: youll see. at the end
intentional oversights of the day, you 're just anottie r.
• 0.
10anbaum: Call it whateve r. you want.
0 0.
10anbaum: Righ t.
a soapbox to stand on. Getting 1 Oanbaum: Nevermind.
caught's !)art of you r. game.
eventually theylllearn
0 0
showing some respect?
1 Oanbaum: Good luck witti • 0 •
P.eople already Know
• •
me asking fo r. custom rigs and
no to a Raychecl<.
ur. different. smoke . u
use the creds to fund you~ art
last 2 weeks?
-Smoke: Live UR to you~ potential and
maybe you'll find
GLOSSARY machine or program. So-called "weak" brain). BMis are a new technology
R AI (also known as "simulated intel- originally developed by the military.
ACM or Anti-Clone Movement: An ligence" or "SI''), while sophisticated The first consumer-grade models are
informal tag for a growing number of and sometimes convincingly realistic, just entering the marketplace, and they
organizations including groups who falls short of true human-level intel- are most popular among Netcriminals
see clones solely as competition for lect. "Strong" AI, or true intelligence, and the younger generation.
human workers as well as groups who is currently only possible by utilizing Brainmapping and braintaping: Brain-
want to grant clones the same rights as brainmapping technology to emulate mapping technology was developed to
human beings. a human brain. Androids are the pri- scan the human brain to aid with the
Agroplex: An extremely large farm factory, mary application of strong AI. diagnosis and study of brain disorders.
from "agricultural complex:' Much of It has now become a general term for
the former rain forest of eastern Ecua- 8 brain scans of many types. Braintap-
dor, southern Columbia, and western Backscatter or "backseat": For backscatter ing is a specialized, extremely detailed
Brazil is now devoted to agroplexes in X-ray. Also called "peek-a-boo" units. application of brainmapping technol-
order to feed New Angeles' inhabitants. Security device that renders a sub- ogy that allows the user to develop a
Airbelt pack: Device used by authorized ject nude on-screen in order to detect working (but currently imperfect) copy
personnel, such as security forces, to weapons or packages hidden beneath of the original brain. Both technologies
maneuver in zero-G interiors, such as clothing. Modern refinements include are essential for the creation of strong
within the Midway Station complex. the capacity to use focused ultrasound AI and androids.
It consists of two jet packs worn at beams to search body cavities and Brain-net: A type ofBMI that is worn over
the center of gravity, one in front, one internal organs as well. the top of the skull. Brain-nets often
behind, and controlled by a small vir- Bangers, also "streetbangers": Youth resemble a "net" of threads linking
tual panel above the front unit. It draws gangs common in the megacities. Often contacts that are placed on the skull.
in air and expels it in a jet, so it cannot engaged in criminal activity, especially Sometimes the net is built into a hel-
be used in vacuum. illicit drugs and sexies, and may go on met, hood, or other piece of headgear.
AIVM or accelerated in vitro maturation: crime sprees just for thrills. Buckminsterfullerene, also "bucky-
The vat-growing technique used by Beanstalk, aka "New Angeles Space Ele- balls": A carbon molecule (C 60 ) with a
Jinteki to rapidly mature clone speci- vator": An approximately 72,000km- number of unique properties. The term
mens from zygote to adult. tall elevator construct tethered in New "buckyballs" has become the root of a
American: The most widely spoken lan- Angeles. Its stations include the Root number of terms for nano-scale carbon
guage in the United States of America, (aka "Earth Station"), Midway, and the assemblages. Named for Buckminster
derived from English. Also used to Castle (aka "Challenger Planetoid"). A Fuller, whose architectural designs
refer to a citizen of that nation. cost-effective way to reach Earth orbit resemble the shape of the molecule.
and points beyond. Named for the Buckyfilm: A friction less surface com-
Android: An artificially intelligent
story of Jack and the Beanstalk and the prised of buckyballs, nano-scale
humanoid construct. Androids are dis-
man who built it, Jack Weyland. carbon-atom spheres in an electrical
tinct from robots or other constructs
because androids possess "strong" AI. Bioplas: Biodegradable plastic commonly field matrix.
There are two known types of androids: used in packaging and disposables. Buckyweave: A type of material,
synthetic bioroids and organic clones. Bioroid: A type of android manufactured immensely strong, consisting of woven,
Anglo: A broad term for an English- or by Haas-Bioroid. Bioroids are robotic open-ended buckytubes-carbon
American-speaking cultqJe, especially humanoids built of metal, plastic, sil- atoms in tube form. The space elevator
from the mainland United States and icon, and other synthetic materials. began as a buckyweave strap lowered
Atlantica. Their artificially intelligent brains are from synchorbit to the top of Cayambe.
neurally channeled from braintapes Burnout: Popular term for a person
Arcology or "ark'': A "city-in-a-build-
derived from human brains. burned out by drugs, drink, or BMI
ing:' Tall structures-rising as much
as a thousand stories or more-some- Blackout, the: A period of global disrup- malfunction.
tion to regional networks that precip-
times called "towers:' Arcologies
house a community complete with itated a sharp market downturn. The
more secure architecture of SYNC's
c
offices, schools, shops, malls, an inter- Camdrone: Weak AI-powered drones
nal security force, and everything else Network eventually replaced the Inter- with holo/threedee recording capa-
required for living. Generally used by net as a result. bilities. Deployed by NBN to supple-
upper-middle class to upper class, arks Brain-machine interface or "BMI": A ment its surveillance network and get
are a feature of all megacities, including device that allows direct communi- Netcast-quality footage.
New Angeles. Often resented by lower cation between a user's brain and a Chatspace: A virtual space where remote
classes, who aren't allowed inside. computer system. Commonly in the users can meet and chat comfortably.
Artificial intelligence or ''AI": Created form of a so-called "brain-net" (for a May or may not be fully rendered as a
intelligence, usually in the form of a wearable BMI) or a "skulljack" (a BMI virtual environment.
cybernetically implanted in the user's
' . _, ~ . ..• . .
Chromehead: A member of a subculture and other sources of information. limited popularity as an entertainment
devoted to ostentatious cyberware as a Datacard: Like a business card, with medium, such as sensies, most users
fashion statement. printed information, but containing of full-immersion technology are Net-
Cleansuit: Smartsuit used to avoid con- embedded electronic data. Usually criminals known as "runners:'
tamination in either direction, e.g. for used to download contact information
doctors treating infected patients, or into a personal PAD or wrist implant. G
for police personnel investigating a Datastick: A general term for computer G-mod: Slang for "genetic modification:'
crime scene. storage space in a small, hand-portable Used to refer both to the modifications
Clone: A type of android manufactured format. Some are wireless, but most themselves and to people who have
by Jinteki Biotech. Clones are organic require insertion into a port to received such modifications.
beings with largely human DNA and exchange data with a computer. Gog: Genetically altered hog. Derived
are customized for a variety of pur- Datastream: A feed or stream of informa- from the genome of Sus domesticus,
poses. Despite their organic nature, tion in cyberspace. the domestic pig, it is designed to
they are classified as machines. grow quickly on an inexpensive diet.
Depresh: Slang for "depressurized;' as in "I
Clone-tel: A slang term, derived from Designed for meat production only, it
know I depreshed him;' said of a man
"hotel for clones;' for the nicer, more has a small head, no eyes or ears, and
shot in a firefight on the lunar surface.
expensive version of clone barracks. only a rudimentary nervous system.
Disenfrancisto: Spanish slang for impover-
Comm: Short for radio communication. Gripslippers or grip-booties: Special
ished New Angelinos who have volun-
booties that fit over normal shoes
Constructorbot: A generic term for con- tarily (or involuntarily) renounced nor- and keep a person's feet adhering to a
struction robots, usually non-android mal society and legitimate employment. carpet-covered floor. They are issued
and most often in space, used in large Door-sec: Door security. Generic term to visitors at low-G stations such
projects such as the Beanstalk. for secure access to businesses or even as the non-rotating portions of the
Credaccount: The common name for a homes. May have a human operator, or Castle Club.
bank account, which is accessed elec- it may be entirely robotic. Frequently, Guidelight: Lights that direct a visitor
tronically by readers. "Bank account" backscatters are used to scan incoming through an unfamiliar facility. They
implies a physical building-a bank- people for weapons. Bars or otl1er facil- appear as moving or blinking arrows,
while most financial transactions and ities with a rough clientele frequently or as moving streams of colored light,
records are purely electronic. employ g-mod human bouncers with on walls! floors, or ceilings.
Credit: Usually refers to the Titan Trans- a backscatter screen inside an armored
national Credit, a corporate-backed booth at the door. H
multinational virtual currency. Can Down-Stalk: Slang term for traveling Hand Time: An implant time function
also be used broadly to mean money down the Beanstalk, toward Earth. that displays across the back of the
in general. Dropship: Any of a large variety of trans- hand or on the wrist when a spot on the
Cybernetic, also cyberware: Although atmospheric spacecraft used to access hand is pressed. Like the earlier term
still sometimes used in its archaic sense orbit, the Beanstalk, the Moon, or other "wrist watch:'
(especially among academics), the term points on Earth (or even in the same Helium-~ or He-3: -An isotope of Helium
generally refers to machinery designed city). Some take off vertically from vital to the modern fusion power indus-
to be implanted in the human body, space launch facilities; others are car- try. Vanishingly rare on Earth, He-3 is
either to replace or to augment organs, ried aloft from commercial airports by relatively abundant on the Moon.
limbs, and other body parts. Can be a carrier jet. The term includes "subs"
used as an adjective (as in "cybernetic or "sub-o flights": commercial subor- Holography: Routine tech used to project
heart") or as a noun (as in "the organ bital flights that can reach any place on virtual displays and keyboards, signs,
grinders removed his cybernetics"). Earth in less than ninety minutes. advertising, guidelights, and the like.
Cyberspace: A broad term for the state Holoscreen: Another term for virt.
of mind runners and other BMI-users E Hopper, also "skyhopper": A common
experience when they directly inter- e-Pharm: Electronic addictives or halluci- personal vehicle powered by hoverfoil
face with the code behind the Network. nogen, the electronic version of illegal rotors and capable of short-duration
Compare "meatspace:' drugs. Includes sexies and snuffies, as flights ("hops"), usually from hopper
Cyborg: Slang term for a person with well as programs designed to create gen- pad to hopper pad within a single city.
cybernetic implants. eral feelings of euphoria and well-being. Normally flown by autopilot. There are
Legal versions have therapeutic value. many variations, including minihop-
D F
pers and cargo hoppers.
Dataddiction: A recently recognized
dependence on constant input and Forspec: Police slang for "forensic I
connection to the Network. Dataddicts specialist:' Ice, rarely "intrusion countermeasures
are uncomfortable when not presented Full-immersion: A means of directly electronics": Software devoted to pro-
with a constant stream of distractions experiencing data via a brain-machine tecting computer servers and devices
and updates to social media, newsfeeds, interface. A rare new technology with from unauthorized access. Ice often
uses "weak" AI.
Icebreaker, rarely "intrusion counter- device. High-fidelity makerboxes NEO: Near-Earth orbit. Used generally to
countermeasures": A program used are available for rent in commercial refer to anything orbiting at the altitude
for circumnavigating or deactivating makerspaces. of the Challenger Planetoid or less.
ice and gaining access to secured data. Martian: When used by an Earther, typi- Neoluddites, also "luddies" or "neos":
Often uses "weak" AI. cally refers to a human being living on Groups that protest (at times through
ID, also "ident": Personal digital identi- Mars. Members of the Martian clans sabotage) pervasive and intrusive mod-
fication, usually accessible via wireless reserve the term Martian for people ern technologies, the use of simulants
prompt. Often worn as a tag implanted who were born on Mars. in the workforce, the loss of privacy,
under the skin, usually in the back of the Meatspace: A slang term used by Netcrim- and other social issues.
hand. Carries basic contact information inals for the material, physical world Network, the: When used as a proper
such as name and eddress. Also carries experienced in waking consciousness. noun, refers to the publicly accessible
credaccount data for financial transac- Compare "cyberspace". A number of network of computers and machines
tions, with coded security software at allied terms are derived from it (such as that connects the entire Earth and most
various levels to prevent unauthorized "meat body"). of the Moon.
access. Although not legally required,
Med-techs: Short for medical technicians. Neural channeling: A term for the process
IDs are in such widespread use that fail-
Megacorp, also "corp": A generic term for of constructing a new brain template
ure to respond to an ID ping can arouse
a megacorporation, generally an inter- by combining and editing existing con-
suspicion with security personnel.
national corporation. Many have their nectomes. The resulting brain can be
Infobroker: A dealer in information. constructed using proprietary Haas-
headquarters in New Angeles to min-
Bioroid manufacturing techniques as a
J imize legislation or oversight by Earth
governments. bioroid brain.
Jacker: A slang term for a hijacker of Neural conditioning: A term for the pro-
Megapolis, also metroplex: Proper terms
vehicles, cargo, etc., who frequents the cess of using (usually non-invasive)
for very large cities, especially for several
Martian frontier in particular. BMI technology to stimulate a clone
cities that have merged into enormous
Jack in/out: To (dis)connect to the Net- metroplexes covering, for example, the brain, which shapes its connectome,
work via full-immersion technology northeastern U.S. seaboard from Bos- until it matches the desired braintape.
(i.e. a brain-machine interface) . ton to Washington (BosWash), or the New Angelino: A citizen of New Angeles.
Journo: A slang term for a journalist. coastal city running from San Fran- Noirie: A subculture that celebrates retro
cisco to San Diego (SanSan). fashion and media, especially that sur-
K Mem-running: Slang term for recording, rounding the early twentieth century.
Keychip: Chip with embedded credentials selling, transmitting, receiving, and Fedoras, trench coats, and pinstripe
to activate hoppers, open doors, etc. playing memories and/or emotions suits are emblematic of this culture.
Klick: Military slang for a kilometer. from someone else. Derived from brain- Nosies, also "news-nosies": Slang for
taping technology, it allows the user to reporters by people who don't like
L experience the memories and emotions them-like the police.
of another person. A commercial prod-
Las-scanners: Technology used to map a
room or other area by means of laser
uct for a large and fast-growing field of []
popular entertainment, it usually has
imaging software (lidar). Off-gridder: Someone lacking an ID who
the specific meaning of illegal memory
Loony: A slang term for a person who lives cannot (or refuses to) use the Network.
transfers involving sex or murder.
on the Moon. Usually refers to those Optical brain: A collection of extremely
Meta: An exotic rocket fuel-metastable
who consider themselves Lunar citi- advanced optical circuitry and micro-
N-He64. Lasers excite helium atoms
zens first, or to participanJs in the Lunar computers that is interconnected
into a metastable quantum pack-
Insurrection. according to the specifications of the
aged with nitrogen within insulated
L-square: From "elevated square:' A bioroid's brain-taped template. Forms
high-pressure tanks. Heating causes
pedestrian plaza suspended from one one half of a bioroid's parallel brain.
the helium to revert to its normal state,
or more arcologies, usually quite high releasing the tremendous energy used Optical computer: A computer that uses
above ground level. in packing the stuff. fiber-optics, lasers, and other light-
Luna: Official U.N. name for Earth's moon. speed systems. Now mostly outdated
Monocam: Originally "monocle camera:'
compared to quantum computing.
An eyeball-sized camera worn over one
M eye that allows reporters like Lily Lock- Organ grinders: Criminals who engage in
Mag-lev: Short for "magnetic levitation:' well to record and upload vid and audio kidnapping for the purpose of harvest-
A type of train that is magnetically sus- while interviewing a subject. ing organs and cybernetics to be sold
pended just above the track, allowing on the black market.
for very high speeds due to a reduction N p
in friction. Mag-lev trains use magnets Nanodisplays: Super-small display tech-
for both lift and propulsion. nology used in creating smartfabric for PAD or personal access device: A hand-
Makerbox: A threedee printer or other use in fashion and newsrags. held or wearable device that allows aud
commercial-grade automated assembly and vid calls, access to the Network,
• - ~ -
data storage, and numerous applica- It also declares both the Beanstalk and abolished. Not the same as the ACM,
tions. Common uses include pinging the Moon's Heinlein Station to be a part which includes many groups that don't
IDs and managing credaccounts. Some of New Angeles, and it grants the New think clones should have human rights.
come with a small screen and are pri- Angeles Police Department jurisdic- SEA or Space Elevator Authority: The local
marily voice .controlled, but the more tion there. governing body of the Space Elevator
expensive units project holographic w1der New Angeles jurisdiction through
virts and respond to gestures. R the New Angeles Transit Authority.
Panic button: An app on PADs that sum- Rag, also "smartrag": Portable display Created by the Treaty of Heinlein.
mons police or security forces in the screen, consisting of dark gray cloth Sec: Short for security.
event of an emergency. with the consistency of very fine silk.
Seccam: Short for security camera. Small
Parallel brain: The two-part brain of a Human touch generates a static charge
and unobtrusive camera providing
bioroid. Sometimes refers specifically that stiffens the material into the con-
views of either restricted or public
to the traditional quantum processor sistency of cardboard, and it will display
areas. Police officers and other autho-
component of the two-part brain. information from a separate computer,
rized personnel can type a code into
or it can be programmed to display
PAT or public access terminal: Prepaid their PAD to pick up the vid and audio
data held within its own internal mem-
public computer kiosks available for from any such camera.
ory. Crimping a corner causes it to
use by the minute. Used by disenfran- revert to cloth. Cheap and disposable. Secretary: Also sometimes avatar or PA,
cistos or off-gridders who need access Newspapers use the material, and are for Personal Assistant. A software app,
to the Network but lack an ID or cred- commonly called "newsrags." often running on a PAD. Serves as an
account. Exploited by Netcriminals electronic secretary, keeping track of
and others for their relative anonymity. Reader: Tiny, portable device-sometimes
appointments, remembering key bits of
worn as jewelry, or it can be inserted
Ping: Generic term for electronically information, and interfacing with the
and worn as an implant under the skin,
accessing a person or system, usu- virtual wodd. Among other things, it
typically on a person's wrist-that reads
ally by transmitting a signal which is another person's credaccount informa- can answer vid calls, displaying a life-
detected by the target's ID and retrans- tion from his ID and deducts a fee from like image of the owner, either to recite
mitted back, sometimes with addi- it automatically. Used for electronic a short message (which can be tailored,
tional information. by name, to different individuals) or to
funds transfer.
Plaza level: The above-ground network interact with a caller for fairly simple
Regolith: A layer of loose material cov- conversations. Many can pass the Tur-
of slidewalks, elevated plazas (or ering solid rock. Although technically
"L-squares") suspended between glim- ing test,. at least for simple topics. By
found on all three inhabited worlds, law, it must identify itself as an AI. "Sec-
mering arcology spires, and rooftop in common use always refers to Lunar
gardens or shopping malls that create retary" can also be used for any weak AI
regolith, which is rich in helium-3. construct, although such use is techni-
an artificial and carefully manicured
floor to the life of the rich and com- Respirocytes, also Freitas respirocytes: cally inaccurate and can be confusing.
fortable. Typically refers to the specific Artificial red blood cells first described Sensies, . also simsensies or sensiesofts:
stratum within New Angeles. by nanotech pioneer Robert Freitas in Entert.ainment media that includes
1996. Greatly improves the blood's effi- other · senses than audio and visual.
Plascrete: Building material-extremely ciency at transporting oxygen and car-
tough-employing zero-G manufac- Illegal versions'<are sometimes called
bon dioxide, allowing non-genetically sexies or snuffies. Virtual reality and
tory techniques. Used in floors, build- modified humans to breath comfort-
ing walls, as pavement, and so on. full-immersion versions both exist.
ably at high altitudes, or to survive for
PriRights: Citizens privacy rights group. up to an hour without breathing at all. SEZENLA, also SEZ: The Special Eco-
Dedicated to fighting invasion of pri- nomic Zone of Ecuadorian New Los
Ristie: From "aristocrat:' Street term for Angeles. New Angeles.
vacy by government and corporations. wealthy people living in their high-sec
Prisec: A slang term for private security tower communities. Simulants: A slang word for androids or
as commonly employed by corporate any artificial being.
Rivera Declaration: Leased the Root and
facilities and arcologies. the surrounding vicinity from Ecuador Skulljack, also skullport: Slang term
to the Weyland Consortium. for an implanted BMI with a physical
connection port. The terms are used
Runner: A slang term for Netcriminals interchangeably for both the male and
Quantum computer: A computer uti-
who use full-immersion interfaces to female ends of the. system.
lizing quantum mechanics, which
break into secured computer networks.
includes the ability for data to be in a Skylanes: Lanes in the sky dedicated to
superpositioned state. Dramatically
more powerful than digital computers
5 hopper traffic.
SAM or Simulant Abolitionist Move- Skyway: Public hopper line used by com-
or even optical computers, but expen- muters and tourists to get around New
sive and difficult to maintain. ment: Political grassroots organiza-
tion that believes the use of clones Angeles by air.
Quito Accord: This international agree- is tantamount to slavery, that clones Slidewalk: Moving sidewalk in public
ment made law the lease of New Ange- are humans beings denied their civil places, such as between arcologies or in
les from Ecuador to the United States. rights, and that clone-slavery should be shopping centers.
Smart-: Used as a general prefix to indicate T u
an object or system that has been inte- Tab-rag: From tabloid rag. A type of U.N.: Usually refers to the Universal
grated with the Network to improve its newsrag long on thrills, shock, and Nations. Occasionally refers to the pre-
function. scandal, and generally short on good cursor United Nations, if referencing a
Smartfabric/smart-threads: Fabric using journalism. time period before the Worlds War.
nanodisplays used to design smartsuits. Threedee: Entertainment media that Undercity: General term for the poorer,
Smartgun, smartbullet: A gun (or bullet) projects a third dimension around the lower levels of a city, including subter-
with self-aiming capabilities. Some- viewer, typically through immersive ranean parts of the city.
times integrated with a user's BMI. holography. Up-Stalk: Common term for moving up
Smartbullets also integrate identify Three Directives: The foundational rules the Beanstalk, away from Earth.
friend or foe (IFF) technology .
Smartslick: One type of smartsuit
of bioroid programming set by Haas-
Bioroid to ensure the androids never u
commonly worn as a small package on harm humans. Vid or vidscreen: Any display screen, but
the shoulders behind the head. When it Transhumanism: A philosophy devoted especially high-definition wall screens.
senses rain, it unfolds to cover the head, to exploring the limits of the definition Virt: A display screen projected holo-
shoulders, and upper body, refolding of humanity. Transhumanist thought graphically in the air.
itself when no longer needed. embraces cybernetic and genetic mod- Virtual keyboard: A keyboard or other
Smartsuit: General term for a set of cloth- ification and may include bioroids, input device displayed holographically
ing that has been made of smartfabric or clones, and even bodiless AI within its by PADs and other devices, which
otherwise enhanced with modern com- definition of "human:' senses finger positions as a person types.
puter technology. Smartsuits may have Transplas: An extremely tough, clear
cosmetic functions, such as integrated
viewscreens or a color-change feature,
plastic widely used as a replacement for
glass. It can melt at high enough tem-
w
Waldo: A remote-operated (or sometimes
or useful functions as in smartslicks. peratures, but will not break. It can be AI-piloted) robot.
Snobhob: A groupie or hanger-on of the mixed with photo-responsive elements
Warroid: A bioroid specialized for com-
rich social set. Part of the entourage of to turn dark under direct sunlight.
bat. Currently theoretical.
wealthy celebrities. From "hobnob:' Treaty of Heinlein: At the end of the
Wetware: Slang term for brains and other
Spanglish: A language mixing English and Worlds War, this armistice ended the
organic ("meat") processing units.
Spanish grammar and vocabulary. The hostilities of the War and created the
lingua franca of New Angeles. Martian Colonial Authority. It also Wetwork: Usually illegal paramilitary
ceded additional authority to the Space operations, including sabotage and
Stunstick: A short baton extended by a especially assassination.
Elevator Authority and limited the
flick of the wrist up to two meters; it
extent of U.S. federal authority in New Worlds War, the: The first war in human
delivering a powerful electrical jolt to
incapacitate a human. Used by security Angeles affairs. history to extend past Earth's atmo-
forces instead of firearms anywhere a Tri-maf, also t-maf, triad-mafia, or TM: sphere. It began with the Lunar Insur-
stray bullet could prove catastrophic, Generic term referring to various rection and lasted until the Treaty of
such as the Midway platform. mafias-especially Sicilian, Russian, Heinlein. Battles occurred on Mars and
and American-as well as the Japanese Luna. On Mars, also known as the Col-
Subbing: Slang term for taking a commer- ony Wars and later the War for Martian
Yakuza and Chinese triads. These fre-
cial suborbital flight, as in someone Independence.
quently work together as a loose-knit,
"subbing in" from NeoTokyo. The reg-
global organized crime community. Wylder: A subculture that uses genetic mod-
ularly scheduled flight from Dulles to
New Angeles takes about ~irty minutes. Tube-lev, or tube train, tube-lev car, or ification and cosmetic surgery as fashion
tube mag-lev: Subterranean mag-lev statements, usually by incorporating ani-
Subsid: Slang term for "subsidiary;' as in mal features into their bodies. The name
train systems, used widely on Earth and
business subsidiary. derives from Wyldside, a nightclub in
the Moon as mass transit. Tube-lev trains
Synchorbit, also synchronous orbit or are extremely fast because their tunnels Heinlein where the movement began.
"Clarke orbit": An orbit-for Earth are kept at or near vacuum, which com-
22,300 miles or about 36,000 kilometers bined with the mag-lev system means
y
high-where the orbital period exactly the cars endure virtually no friction or Yellow Jackets: Slang for Space Elevator
matches one Earth rotation. Objects in air resistance. Tube-lev or tube-leving Authority Security Forces. They wear
synchorbit appear to hang motionless can be used as a verb: "He tube-leved to bright yellow jumpsuits, hence the
above one spot on Earth's equator, which the Root:' The New Angelino tube-lev name. Sometimes disdainfully referred
makes the Beanstalk possible. Midway, system is known as the Metro. to as "elevator meres" or "rent-a-cops:'
on the Beanstalk, is located at synchorbit.
Turfed: Slang used by NAPD officers to
Synthskin: Artificial skin used in bioroids refer to times when their cases lead
or cybernetics. onto corporate or private property
Sysop: A system operator or Network where private security forces have legal
administrator, usually corp-employed. jurisdiction but cops do not.