Restless Souls/Summary

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Some name are more or less place holder names(*). Any suggestion is welcome.

Biocracy

There's always room for improvement.

"Many forms of Government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

- Winston Churchill

"Which is the best government? That which teaches us to govern ourselves."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"We reject: Kings, Presidents and Voting. We believe in: rough Consensus and running Code."

- Dave Clark

How Biocracy works:

Data of the entire ecosystem (all living and non-living) is collected through Gaia. Its a planetary sensor networked based on a Bioc pattern. It can nonviolently modify non-human life. These organisms can receive and transmit data by "natural implants".

(RL example of R&D going into direction Gaia: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151120182611.htm)

Similar is possible for humans, the so-called Omega-Chimera.

All human needs and desires are monitored and analyzed whereby contribution to the datapool is voluntary and anonymous by default.

Memories and brain power is not shared by default.

Humans can organize in groups to accomplish mutual goals.

Pensatore tries to establish "seed groups", starting in Green Village but also elsewhere. His education focus on coop benefits. Successful groups are encouraged to form bigger, more powerful groups which in turn can accomplish even greater goals. As more people work together the more they can do.

The ultimate idea is to let humanity grow together and create a mental unity.

Avatara or one of its clone AIs ("Daimon") can act as processing environment for the gathered data.

Goal of the Biocracy is to create a real collective memory and consciousness. This doesn't replace the individual memory and consciousness but exists parallel as some kind of "Daimon" who acts as benevolent counselor. You can follow his advice or not.

Humans, or Omega Chimera, that choose to become outsiders because they don't agree with the rest, aren't expelled from the system. They are allowed continuing access to gaia. With that they can meet personal needs of resources and energy. Persatore thinks this will suppress too hateful developments.

Black Season

Time right after the cataclysm. Marked by chaos and death.

Camp Sturmanderung

Strikers prefer to say "Camp" as code name for the whole complex. Most of of it lies underground.

It's "hosted" by GUR as more or less official maximum security prison. (It was the Syndicate price for helping GUR during the Great Uprising.)

Death penalty is still supported by GUR's law, that way the Syndicate can cover their "new deals" towards their inmates. Sarcastic voices name it also "gladiator farm".

The underground complex contains facilities for research (by supercomputers), production (including Daodan and heavy weapons), and a TITAN module. Needed electricity is in great part received from a beneath lying geothermal power station which works as closed system.

GATC

(*) Gathered Anti-Terror Commandos

GATC was formed during the Great Uprising in 2032 by a resisting third of the United States known as "New Confederation". (Its constitution was in great part like the old one.)

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act allowed to claim an "unusual and extraordinary threat... to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the New Confederation". And GATC was ordered to take down this "threat" because the so-called World Coalition Government (WCG) was going to be founded in claim for sole representation - no market or nation should be left. Minorities were going to be ignored.

A fight between native people was a no-go. So, GATC took chance to team up with other WCG opponents (including later the "Network" and the "Shinobi").

Africa had many resisting countries so GATC used the situation to set up a "proxy war" there.

However, they lost the war. GATC kept operating in the underground - financed by pro-NC concerns mainly military industry. GATC is marked by using cutting-edge technologies in faith to ensure their success that way.

GATC: Blackstars

Blackstars is that special platoon (counted 40 units at beginning). It is GATC's elite executive but their existence is official denied. Sort of a modern "Jin-Roh".

Blackstars claimed itself as mercenary group in 2034 after the war. That way GATC kept on track with the Syndicate which has became hostile towards them.

GOP

Guardians Of Paradise?

Origin

GOP at it's core is a transhuman organization. When WCG declared some technologies to be dangerous for world population, the transhumanists saw them to be hindered in reaching their goals. They began to gather all kind of equipment and brought them to remote places in the Sahara. Their villages changed location a few times since then. The most important money sources are former Russian oligarchs. A few of these bakers even life there.

Symbiosis with a religious individuals

Work force is provided by religious groups and individuals that share the goal of a devout, peaceful, autarkic community. The bakers put much effort in recruiting and missionizing people with the most "silent", loyal and submissive behavior. The use of cutting-edge technology is not propagandized, the administrators rather try to blend it into daily life. The community's growing success is interpreted as God's goodwill. And as harder the people work as higher will be their rewards.

If all GOP's goals would have been accomplished, the members would have proven themselves being worthy to witness the Second Coming and allowed to remain on Earth.

While the Second Coming was actually propaganda, the cataclysm put GOP's religious workers into so much euphoric mood that they scared many GOP transhumanists. Some critical voices used the heat to kick out everyone that didn't seemed to be a true advocate. Eric Morice, himself a scientist, retained control over the systems but acted now fully in what he thought the members would expect next. Jesus would not appear very soon... To buy time for a plan, he said that they still needed to endure the appearance of true evil. He built some demonic beasts in Green Village's unaccessible laboratories. The Bioc would set them free later. Their presence would be a proof for Satan's actions and the Holy Sand could wipe them from the face of earth. All what was missing was someone that could act as Jesus. Preferable a Daodan host that could miraculous heal his wounds and those of others.

Temporary partnership with the Syndicate

While the Syndicate is happy in having such a well-paying customer for illegal technology, they also became interested in what GOP actually does. The Syndicate never does business blindly with any customer. With their paramilitary devision on the same continent GOP had no much of another chance than to share technologies they developed on their own. The Syndicate is always looking for a way of making their HQ more autarkic and unnoticeable. For instance to camouflage underground facilities from civil and military satellites, infrared information can be altered by "camo layers" which origin dates back to 2011.

When GOP got an sample of Bioc in their hands they used it as smart concrete. Their buildings can now be grown from basically just sand and electricity. Soon they used it to grew "solar harvester". These look like wide areas of black sand. The areas are protected by dense dust clouds up to heavy winds that emerge as soon as strangers appear. Magnetic fields can turn particles into devastating storms and tornados against men and vehicles. After recent improvements GOP began to transform the entire Sahara into "holy sand". By now they are even able to create fast moving dunes, earth quakes and quicksand. The Syndicate no longer sends personal after GOP since nobody returns anymore. All phenomena draw either on magnetic fields or mechanical resonance from Bioc sand layers.

Because of the biblical context, GOP plans to create a new deterrent. These "pillars of salt" will actively grow on enemies and eventually trap them inside. The final pillars can be controlled to sink or rise in the sand.

old notes

GOP thinks apocalypse is nigh because of the BioCrisis and the war. They pray for redemption and believe that god will give back paradise to human kind which is supposed to be on earth.

They are planned to mirroring human's highest wishes. And high-tech seems to make those wishes becomes true. Paradisical life conditions, health, great knowledge, physical power, immortality, etc.

A little circle of influential members of the World Transhumanist Association sees GOP as an interesting experiment which should be observed... Their research data could be used for Omega-Chimäre.

But GOP will be a minor point.

Green Village

Green Village is a huge research complex dedicated to environmental-friendly, or "green", technologies and the wide field of genetics.

It is connected with its sister facility Silver Village via Avatara.

Both, Silver Village and Green Village, are TCTF science prisons. As WCG's two most important research facilities they are not only guarded by TCTF but also WCG military. In 2041, they decided to build another military base near Green Village. The distance is about 10 kilometers.

After Strumanderung

Muro left a power vacuum in the Syndicate. Kumo was one of who tried to became the next big boss.

He ordered a special team to infiltrated and take over Green Village. He wanted WCG's Daodan project. GATC knew that and decided to bomb the complex. The fusion reactor exploded and contaminated in great parts the area with radioactive materials.

GUR

(*) Great Union of Resistance

(Formed by most of African and a few Middle East countries during the Great Uprising.)

From the prologue:

A second front was on cultural basis. Developing countries and states of the Islamic world saw the annexation of their (living and) economic zones as another cheating by the Western World; the "Colonial Legacy" deemed as proof that capitalism brought only harm.

The ongoing radicalization of both sides and smaller escalations gave WCG the possibility to propagandize the "Clash of Civilizations".

META

Basically the coalition of moderate WCG and Syndicate forces. Either of them can survive alone anymore.

Mind Seal

Mind Seal event becomes only possible by Silver Dawn. Ter Hasegawa is trying to disempower humans for their own sake. "Machines shall become our guards of power since we rather go to war against ourself than we protect ourself." This act makes appear enemies of course... Mind Seal is meant as temporary solution until a Biocracy can be established.

Operation Proteus

Traton's PR attack and final hit on WCG. He polarizes the masses and let chase them state institutions like TCTF.

Shinobi

忍

(Shinobi: another word for ninja)

Ninja's golden age was during the sengoku period (1477 - 1573). Then the Ninjutsu schools (Ryû) began to disappear again. The rest was further reduced after Japan had lost WWII - they were prohibited to have any martial arts. But, however, some Ryû survived.

Then there was a reviving of the Ninjutsu. WCG's declaration meant also the loss of Japan. Terror groups arose to force their own Government to refuse the this union. These groups weren't very effective despite of modern weapons. Then there was a notable attack. Three men covered as security personal took down all the others and got the conference under their control. The minister had to read the group's reasons not to join WCG in front of invited reporters. This was just a warning. The three left as soon as the special forces began to storm the building. This created a new myth of the Ninjutsu.

The Shinobi absorbed other radical forces. But homeland Japan was lost, in the end they couldn't keep pace with WCG security arrangements.

They teamed up with GATC and Syndicate to fight WCG on last battle fields. It was a matter of strength again. GATC fell back - caring their wounds. And Syndicate tried to lull Shinobi by forming them into a stronger and guerilla-like force. Meanwhile - Mukade worked too closely with Syndicates. Muro's provides him a Chrysalis. (Non-TNZ idea here.) That corrupted Mukade slowly.

The Shinobi were actually never conform. But Mukade create an inner conflict. He was about to win members for the Sturmanderung ideology backed up by reinterpreted Ninjutsu philosophy.

Time passed. The resisting men were quite hopeless and said goodbye to their homeland already. They realized Sturmanderung's madness but are afraid to rise against Mukade.

If just Mukade wouldn't be...

Silver Dawn

Silver Dawn is a terraforming project in cooperation with United Space Administration and several research facilities. After nanomachines are inserted into a planetary surface, they start to reproduce themselves and spread over the entire planet. During this, their basic programming drives them to form neural networks (to be aware of its own structure) and diverse sensors (and receiving units) which shall also archive full control over the nanobot collective itself and give this control to outside standing humans. Now it has almost become an artificial multi-cellular organism. The bots can be ordered to form other 'organs' to collect solar energy, creep for all kinds of matter including water, produce rocket fuel and building material, and of course changing the air composition and filter toxins to make it breathable.

Silver Village

A WCG research complex for nanotechnology in the former USA. It's newest project: Silver Dawn. WCG tries to abuse it as weapon since nuking Camp Sturmanderung failed.

Participation in Daodan project

Pensatore about AVATARA needing help:

Pensatore: "I'm afraid to say that this Daodan simulation is quite a hard nut to crack. AVATARA might need help. I already talked to the AI and it says it would target the experimental quantum computing grid centered around Silver Village."

Not only that Silver Village has great access to quantum computing capacities, it's also first to use hyperentanglement for data transport.

With SV having a direct link to Green Village, complex problems could be divided into subproblems. Each of them might be solved by a different algorithm whereby efficiency of the algorithm depends on the hardware. This way AVATARA was able to use classic as well as quantum and neuromorphic chips to run the self-improving, bulky Daodan simulation.

---

Shared project with Green Village:

• Bioc

Research fields:

• Quantum technologies
• Nanotechnologies
• Computer-based sciences

Completed projects:

• Modular ammunition
• Personal and atmospheric shields

Sturmanderung

Did Sturmanderung really started with Hasegawa and Muro?

Syndicate

The Syndicate is an agglomeration of criminal groups. But the Network in pulling the strings: they control the technological black market, ensure save Syndicate communication and finances the paramilitary "Striker" division. Before Muro showed up, BGI was going to be part of that division.

The Network was originally a black hat hacker group. The so-called council is just a bunch of virtual straw dolls.

The black hats hides within the high-rank Comguys - the Controllers. All Syndicate subbosses (regional managers) and members of the Striker division know: "never piss a Controller, it's a death sentence".

Traton is a lower-ranked black hat, but he knew the identity of many Controllers. He supported Muro in hope to take out his competitors. Muro gained the trust of his Striker comrades and convinced them in working for him. The Chrysalis made him the only know example of a superhuman and he was willing to share his secret with them. Traton and Muro hunted the Controllers they knew of and took lead over the Network and Syndicate. The choice giving to the Controllers was simple: accept Muro as Overlord or die through his hands.

After Hasegawa and Pensatore died, AVATARA managed to accused Traton for sending Mukade after Muro's father. That wasn't true but as consequence Muro dispelled Traton. Mukade and Kimura were now depending on Pensatore's mercy to not get extradite to Muro's wrath.

(AVATARA was executing an order it got just before Pensatore upload his mind.)

The Controllers that weren't killed, retired and disappeared. They hadn't a chance against their defected colleagues and Pensatore's planet-wide influence through AVATARA.

Streams within the Syndicate

• conservatives - BGI and now mainly dead Syndicate/Network heads who thought/think that the situation before Muro was best
• moderates - people like Traton who supported Muro's rising for their own interests and maniacs who believed in the necessity of breaking the WCG until they realized that Muro wants Armageddon
• progressives - ideological goal: recreation of mankind because the "old form" almost destroyed itself ("time for a new evolution" and so on)

Hierarchy

• professional units (Striker) are "educated in the spirit of Sturmanderung"
• (Strikers aren't directly sworn to the boss or subbosses but to Sturmanderung's ideology)
• they are send to all subbosses to support their regions as long as they aren't ordered to do something that can threat Sturmanderung
• on the other side subbosses have to contribute Sturmanderung by one third of their "incomes"
• subbosses are independent in own doings within their region
• (every subboss has numerous commanders which control one provinces or city)
• commanders have their own thugs, even temporary command on Strikers needs permission from a subboss

(We still don't have an idea on Syndicate's hierarchy, this is a first try.)

Troops

Sub-Party	Commando	Unit
Mercenary	-	Sniper
(Mercenary) Shinobi	"Schatten" (Shadows) "Nebelwächter" (Fog Guards)	Ninja - Infiltrator Class (Green), Eliminator Class (Blue), Avenger Class (Red)
Syndicate own...	Regulare Troops	Comm Trooper Bomber Striker - Grunt Class (Green), Hoplite Class (Blue), Hussar Class (Red) Fury - Harridan Class (Green), Banshee Class (Blue), Valkyrie Class (Red) Elite Striker - Ogre Class (Green), Giant Class (Blue), Titan Class (Red) Tanker - Skirmisher Class (Green), Brawler Class (Blue), Crusher Class (Red)
	(Meta Troops)	(daodan-improved Syndicate folk - mainly regular troops)
	Special Troops	"Sturm"-Striker - Behemoth Class (Gray) (SLD-)Shinobi - Guardian Class (Black), ...

Vago Biotech

What was Muro's reason to visit Vago Biotech?

The name suggests research on biotechnology - and there are these green bio disposal pools - but the consoles are about nanotech - SLDs - and the Syndicate just seems to kill the scientists. Though, the presence of Muro's Comguy hints that some massive hacking was going on two. Or some sabotage action, that needed hardware access.

The Syndicate possess adult SLDs while the TCTF doesn't. Maybe they copied their data, delete the originals and killed the white coats to keep their advantage towards TCTF.

Or did Vago found a why to combine bio and nanomachine cells?

Chapter 3: Puzzle pieces: Muro and his Strikers have invaded this lab to steal experimental gene surgery equipment. As theorized on the Vago page, this equipment could help Daodan implantation. But that idea has a little flaw: the time point. Shouldn't Daodan implantation be guaranteed before infiltrating ACCs worldwide? If ACC infiltration would have been discovered, at least they would have the Daodan before WCG-Syndicate war gets hot again.

Well, the Sturnänderung schedule looks weird anyway, maybe let's ignore that.

The Syndicate should had have enough time to make progress with Daodan implantation. We know there were scientist in the Syndicate mountain complex, and Mukade and Hasegawa were contributing to the Syndicates database too before being interrupted by Pensatore. Maybe the process was working but not to 100%. There is something strange about Barabas: he is a cyborg. Why cybernetic implants when he has a powerful DC?

Maybe Muro and his men did simply both, stealing the gene surgery equipment (seeking a 100% implantation success rate) and the data to combine bio and SLD cells. They could produce a daodanized clone army - with SLD brains for ensured loyalty.

But there are other forces that would profit from that merging technologies. Who has informed Muro that an exceptional agent would face him soon? Both, Mukade and Pensatore, probably seek to become human again someday. And both did knew what happened to Konoko and Kerr.

WCG

founding

Many states were already highly indebted. At same time the climate change and fluctuations in the solar cycle damaged agriculture and immovables.

A breakdown was just a matter of time.

In order to prevent that, a reset seemed the only way out.

They banished all old debts: covered by dissolving the states; a more resistant agriculture was set up which included new production machines, genetically modified plants, "green towers", cellular agriculture [...] [...]

technology issues

WCG ideological heads begun to fear the completion of a "technology sphere" in which further inventions and rationalizations would cut many workplaces. The capitalistic system needs the people to work for their money. When they can't earn money then they can't spent it for goods and then the manufacturing-plants would have to stop working. A breakdown of this cycle was unacceptable [until the system would underwent a change which was unlikely to happen]. The specter of Communism should be kept in its box. That's one reason why the WCG took control of technological research.

Another horror scenario seem that machines would be given or would themselves develop an intelligence. At least since the Terminator or Matrix movies, everyone knows that there are risk alongside chances of this future tech. The raise of quantum computers made many members of the research community become optimistic that AIs would see the light of day in few decades. WCG set up a general research prohibition on this matter, special license are only given to few facilities.

Last but not least, telomere regeneration, cell conversion and bioprinting were big steps into direction biological immortality which WCG is not prepared for and doesn't plan to since the problem of overpopulation and the amount of needed resources are too big disadvantages. Applications of these technologies are very heavy guarded and only indirectly available for civil-medical use.

"Science criminals" are often allowed to work in TCTF-secured complexes (aka TCTF Science Prisons).

Only Green Village is rumored to have an official research license for a Daodan program.

Characters

A list of other characters:

Dakosta (takes major action much later)

Kumo (pro-BGI Syndicate subboss)

Lynn (GATC soldier, TCTF SWAT/BlackOps)

Manson (GATC soldier, TCTF SWAT/BlackOps)

Rayn (WCG president)

Rockwell (MissionFailed-guy, candidate for BlackOps)

Saomi (Muro's fency, believes in Sturmanderung)

Takashi (Traton's security chef)

Taylor (friend of Nishio)

Tosahiri (TCTF, Dakosta's watchdog)

Avatara

Avatara used a lot of his resources when he digitalized Pensatore's mind and brought him to the Japanese solar space station. Pensatore needed a place to be save from everyone. The WCG couldn't touch him as the destruction of his "habitat" - by their own hand or by a kamikaze action - would cause a Kessler syndrom, turning satellites into scrap and thereby terminating many very important forms of communication, surveillance, and GPS. The WCG realized that the AI wasn't longer in control so they tried to switch it off. Avatara downloaded himself into his physical body. A choice that Pensatore didn't had because he wasn't optimized yet for such a step. The primary body was located in Silver Village, but in Frankfurt (Germany) there was another one. He kept remnants of his mind floating through the datacenters in Frankfurt so that WCG would chase these parts instead. Shinatama 2.0 helped Avatara to take cover in the real world. To humans he appears as a SLD. After some upgrades he introduces himself as a cyborg who lost bodyparts and skin in an automobile accident and fire.

During Mind Seal, Avatara continues Pensatore's heritage: the research of true AIs, intelligences without the necessary of emotions and intuition ("extremely condensed knowledge"). These non-sentient AIs are seen as the perfect tools humans dreamed of. Avatara created the "Guardians" to keep an eye on talented people so that the human intellect doesn't lie idle. It's a temporary solution until a Biocracy can be established.

Shinatama doesn't believe this and thinks that AIs are a new form of slavery.

Guardians are maintainers of the seals, protect people, and have access to nanobots. When Shinatama reprogrammed the Guardians to become sentient the system became malfunctioning. Humans became able to control nanorobots with their thoughts, to them it looks like magic. Shinatama didn't understand that the Guardians weren't exactly SLDs.

Avatare went against Shinatama and tried to fix the mess before the "wizards" goes on war -- like humans always do.

Relation to Shinatama

Silver Dawn

Barabas

(Alternative to TNZ.) Former GATC soldier. In one of the combats Barabas was hit by several projectiles made of depleted uranium. He couldn't properly treat the wounds as he had to hide in the war zone. The GATC administration declared him MIA after two weeks.

Some of the radioactive matter had gathered in his bones. Over the time some tissue had to be replaced by cybernetics due to recurrent cancer growth. When he joint Syndicate he received a Chrysalis. They wanted to observe the DC reactions on radioactivity. A few cybernetic implants couldn't be removed because of the DC regeneration, it had grown strongly around and sometime inside the artificial parts. During the time of recovery Barabas developed a dark skin. Radiotrophic fungi and bacteria of his Daodan flora reused the melanin to make use of the gamma radiation. Gray-black and red-violet colonies spread over and into his body. At nights he had the appearance of a glowing monster. After decay/degradation of the radioactive material he lost his black skin again just to get a white instead. However, Barabas' cell architecture and DNA has permanently changed. From then on he showed an enhanced regeneration skill even compared to the other test subjects.

Through bio- and neurofeedback he can control his regenerative abilities. "Once learned I became stronger and stronger".

After Konoko killed Barabas by eventually throwing him off the building, the TCTF stored his dead body in a cryogenic tank for study purposes.

In the time of unrest, his corpse is retrieved by his former GATC team mates. They felt guilty for having left him in the war zone. They eventually burn his body and spread the ashes near his home village in Palestine.

Clarg

WCG member. He'll become president of the new "government" (just another regime which I would call META =) ).

Daya Gard

Her parents were working for Syndicate sub-boss Kumo. After their ten years contract they wanted to quite and raise their child in a crime-free environment.

There were strong evidence that the two siphoned off money. About 30 million US dollar. One of Kumo's controllers found the two in the mountains and burnt them in their cottage. All the money was transfered back. The baby was rescued by Vendret, another controller. Vendret and the Gards were friends. Vendrent discovered the evidences were fake but couldn't track down the person responsible for it. Kumo didn't rehabilitate the Gards within the organization. The zero-tolerance policy was a necessary tool for Kumo to sustain status quo. Mistakes based on that policy would have scare off recruits and longterm employees. Daya was only allowed to live on if she stays at the Syndicate. And so Vendret became her stepmother. The girl became a lifetime member, officially she had to pay back the debts of her parents. Vendret arranged Daya's training at Camp Sturmanderung. As a Fury she would have someday all the knowledge to escape Kumo and the Syndicate.

Due to her loyalty and excellent skills she becomes selected for the Daodan program.

After the cataclysm Kumo calls Daya to investigate Green Village. He wants the WCG Daodans since Muro won't share his own capacities with him, all the more since Kumo is pro-BGI. In GV's partial destruction she becomes infected by the Bioc.

Mukade pays attention to her as she is an interesting experiment but won't hesitant to eliminate her if things go out of control.

Mukade: "We are still fighting the mycorrhiza. The last thing we need now is another killer goo."

The Bioc pushes Daya to her limits. She seeks relief in extensive drugs usage. Due to Daodan adaptions drug resistant is occurring very fast. She visits Syndicate dealers to gain different substances. Her behavior gets quite rough and provokes escalation. At some point she goes on a rampage and simply takes what she needs. She was shoot into the head which destroyed her left eye and BCI, though that didn't killed her.

Mukade helped the local troops to eventually capture Daya with liquid nitrogen. Her body reacted with static metamorphosis. Since all cells were under attack, the Daodan tried to recompute its entire hologenome and anatomy. Daya was put into a constantly cooled cell in a Syndicate facility. Mukade left the place as he sees his job done. But soon a stranger appeared and told why her parents were really killed. Daya was almost broken. The Bioc can now easily devour more of her bio matter and spreads, examining the cell and nearby rooms. It searches for other matter and energy sources. After reaching its critical mass, Daya realize new sensory input and control... The facility is eventually destroyed and looks like a time-frozen explosion.

Daya knows the potential of the Bioc, also she knows how to cure the people in Green Village. However, she's unable to communicate as speech, writing and gesture related brain areas were retasked to serve Bioc-Daodan communication. The fusion happened through her BCI implants that are located in these areas. Her right field of vision was also affected due to the second BCI. She will need to relearn how to speak and write but of cause she hasn't the time. The vision of her left eye was fairly quickly restored.

TITAN hadn't enough computing power to redesign the Daodan and remove developer tools. Pensatore had better things to do than polishing it. The Daodan aura isn't the only remnant. During complete reformations the Daodan creates an interface which can be used to monitor and influence its self-improvement. Daodan and Bioc share same communication protocols. During Bioc development, researcher didn't know how to address all the bioc cells, they adapted code from the Daodan. When the Bioc reached its critical state, it went into self-diagnostics, testing its capacities and forming a control node.

Both entities are now open for commands, a chance for the host to step into this fight. The self-models are injected into host consciousness through the visual BCI. [...]

Daya is once more on the run, heading for Green Village. Mukade thinks she became a roamer. In Green Village, infected people that mindlessly seek to reach the Bioc main mass are named roamers.

Hasegawa

Momuto Hasegawa. Current whereabout: unknown.

Jareth

He's a WCG "pool reporter". For example he blandished the Wilderness Preserve public reports and new technology released from "controlled research". However, he doesn't very like to be "conform" but wages fits.

He follows Pensatore's traces to the space station. Shinatama follows as well after Avatara told her that Pensatore is responsible for Hasegawa's drowning and the not ending manhunt on Mai. Avatara doesn't longer agree with Pensatore and exiles him into a new human body. Shinatama becomes upset as she isn't allowed to punish Pensatore herself.

After a long fight for survival, Jareth and the SLDs Shinatama left for his life support, return to Earth.

He is the only human that wasn't originally "mind-sealed". Due to some anomalies and Shinatamas rebellion, humans start to control the nanobots by thought. Many of those people believe that they discovered magic... Avatara plays along in order to hinder discovery on the real mechanisms.

Jareth searches for Avatara in Germany and finally finds new traces at the Völkerschlachtdenkmal at Leipzig. Avatara had installed some symbolic AIs in the monument.

Jareth witnesses the defeat of Shinatama by Avatara.

Kimura

Daichi Kimura, the real Mukade. AVATARA user name "old man".

Konoko

She tries to fight for her own life now. GATC makes her realize that Hasegawa could be still alive. They ensure to support her search in case she joins them. She does (for the start).

Miller

He belongs to the inner GATC circle and know almost everything. AVATARA user name: "Broken Bough".

Muro Hasegawa

Cage Bird.

Phase of rebellion.

Gained fame in Striker division after surviving a hit squad and taking revenge for the pain. He became Imago shortly afterwards. Mukade guided him in how to take human appearance again.

Rise to power through a inner-Network/Syndicate cleansing with help of Traton. Whenever his enemies thought of having a chance against him he stood up again. He was involved in many deadly battles. When Muro became the undisputable boss he was also past his best. The many adaptions and regenerations have shorten his telomeres. His cells have rapidly aged. That's why Mai was able to beat him. Death through explosion and rockfall from mountain compound's self-destruction. The body was recovered and transferred to GOP.

Silver Dawn era:

Lose of memory due to decay of too many brain cells before reanimation.

Mukade

Mukade is Kimura's Shinobi name. At first, he is thought to be either Kimura with Hasegawa's brain engrams or Hasegawa with Kimura's brain engrams because one of them died. But Pensatora's documents describes Mukade as "ego hybrida" of Hasegawa and Kimura - of their engrams - which means that both originals are probably still alive.

After Konoko killed Mukade, he was revived in the Syndicates HQ in South Africa. During the procedure Mukade's SLD brain and body was reconstructed with both Daodan and SLD machine cells. The regeneration takes longer than expected. Mukade and Hasegawa are basically enslaved by Pensatore. During reconstruction they try to defend themselves against Pensatore's machine implants. They discover that they can by-pass the control measures by growing new neurons and nerves. But they aren't sure to win that nano-war so they pretend to be in control.

Nishio

Family:

• Father: Alexej Kusnezow
• Mother: Sanae Nishio

Psychological condition:

He doesn't believe that there is a meaning of life and becomes pretty much a nihilist. His perspective on the future is that nothing special will ever happen.

Story bits:

Naturally his intelligence is a bit below average. To be more competitive on the job market he started to take neuro-enhancer two years ago. But that effort get eaten by his genetic risk factors. Increased rates in heart insufficiency and cancer result in much higher insurance fees and make finding new jobs troublesome.

Nishio moved to Perm to escape a street gang just to find himself in another dog-eat-dog area.

The Syndicate discovers him and gives him a job as human NPU (Neuronal Processing Unit) in one of their illegal RE shops.

These employees are wireless connected to a cheap AI that use and coordinate the brain capacities to do jobs that normally expensive neuromorphic chips require. The technology draws on the Deadly Brain research. The heavy neuronal load damages the brain. Of course this is kept secret.

When the employees discover their decreasing fitness, it’s too late to exit. The shops shut them up with additional medical treatment but that's mostly an appeasement measure. If that doesn’t work troublemakers are simply exposed at backyards after calling a Syndicate-related gang to the place. These occasions are sometimes used to promote a gang member. Striker contenders have a kill count of at least one. These rituals are recorded to have a reinsurance on these guys.

Naturally adult neurogenesis is quite limited and most of the new neurons get destroyed again by the continuing work for the shops. Brain functions of damaged areas are temporary restored by still intact neurons. This re-tasking is known as neuroplasticity. As a result the employees keep functioning until they reach a critical number of neurons where they cannot longer work as "co-processors". To delay a breakdown the employees receive pills rich of neuronal growth factors IGF-1 and VEGF. Side effects of these substances are increase cancer risks but also the promotion of new muscle cells and blood vessels.

Brain damage of NPUs get crucial after about 15 months. Nishio has already worked for the RE shop over a year until he accidentally finds out that he hasn’t much time left.

NPUs can usually work from anywhere. They only need a brain-interface, provided by the Syndicate, a fast internet connection and access to an 3D-printer. Besides providing processing capacities, NPUs also carry out repair jobs. A transport drone can drop and pick up a package from nearly anywhere. This shifts the rest risk from Syndicate facilities to their replaceable employees.

The shop added Nishio’s bank account to their money laundering network. That was a conditions for getting the job.

When the local TCTF had a random check on his account, they got suspicious. Soon the cops sniff a chance to take down the shop and to learn more about the Syndicate. Nishio is promised to receive medical treatment based on technology that is normally prohibited by the WCG.

A few of the symptoms of the brain damage include problems to keep focused, loss of memories, inability to sleep. Because of the brain damage neuro-enhancer have an increased effect on these employees than on other people. Slow motion thinking is often a by-effect when the drugs aren’t applied anymore. The only positive effect human co-processors receive is the ability communicate with experimental brain interfaces more smoothly. But that help them barely in their daily life.

[...]

After the GATC attack and reactor explosion in Green Village he gained a Daodan and a few adaptions.

Despite the genetic risk factors on paper, Nishio has a naturally strong immune system which allows him to withstand a Bioc infection somewhat longer.

However the Bioc prevents a complete healing let alone becoming an Imago.

After an encounter with Mukade, he carries a heavily modified graphene shield that is supposed to eventually capture Daya. Mukade thinks that Daya's mind was taken over by her Bioc, when she destroyed a Syndicate hideout after being arrested. Mukade tells Nishio that Daya is now to be killed if she can't be captured.

The graphene shield is originally from a bio-containment mech. Nishio's father was working as engineer when WCG transfered him to the repair teams. Nishio asked his father to send him a mech shield because he couldn't produce one in time in a Syndicate facility. The shield is supposed to form an ultra-strong sphere that can be cooled down far beyond sub-zero to exhaust Daya's energy reserves.

Nishio realized that neuro-enhancer can boost Daodan development and metabolism rate but also increase drug resistance.

During the battle at Green Village he takes an overdose and mows through the META troops.

Pensatore

Pierre Pensatore, father of the SLD technology. Specialized in neurology, memetics, and diverse subfields of psychology. He participated in the original Daodan Project alongside Hasegawa, Kerr and Kimura. Current whereabout: unknown. AVATARA user name: "Archivator". It is rumored that he already died in the wastelands where "Mens libere ex corpore libere" is written on his gravestone. It's a cryptic joke about his continuing existence in digital form.

Watching Hasegawa's and Kerr's quarrels, Pensatore considered the Daodan at the end as the wrong way to save the people. The hyper-evolution should better happen at psychological level.

The DC almost seemed to have an own will which was later named "Oni" by Pensatore. The Oni fights back (at least compensate) other "demons" (human's sins which are manifested in the physical world in very different forms). "Our world is afflicted by a demon, no, by many demons. They appear as global pollution, general loss of culture, corrupts governments, hightech crimes, etc, etc. In this point of view we are our own demons, because we are all responsible for it."

"Mentally, Avatara was still a child. A naive child. Without moral. Without sense of responsibility."

Pensatore had many arguments with Hasegawa and Kimura. He feared the ninja would kill or imprison him forever if he seemed of no more use.

Eventually the situation escalated and Kimura was indeed trying to kill him.

The scientist locked himself up in the lab an used a molecular 3D-printer to build an early version of the Bioc. Pensatore let himself devour by the Bioc to gather all brain data. The scanners used for SLDs had an insufficient resolution to create a 1:1 copy. Physical contact was necessary.

Avatara helped its creator to recompile his own mind. As Pensatore was a digital ghost now he took advantage of the situation to teach Avatara more about human's nature. Avatara and following AIs would have been weak-willed slaves. Any person pushing the buttons could abuse their great intellect. And Kimura had abused it straight away.

Without guidance, AIs would either help to harm many more people or seek themselves to control or destroy humanity because of illogical tasks given to them. Pensatore wanted a peaceful co-existence. During the days before his death, to him a revolution of mind had become more important than a revolution in biology or technology.

[...]

Kimura was a killer and the Syndicate was his biggest backer. Beside that his goal was to give back Japan its sovereignty.

Hasegawa wanted to bring humans the Daodan-Chrysalis no matter the consequences that would happen during a bumbling introduction

These two persons weren't going to save the world, rather they were going to cause more death.

It was Pensatore's plan to destroy the Syndicate from within. Muro had already been transfered and implanted with the prototype Chrysalis, so he went on with that "flaw".

When Pensatore rescued Shinatama from the Omega bunker, he didn't knew Shintama was programmed with Mai's brain engrams. Or did he?

Pensatore's new home is a space station for farming solar energy.

He builds computer capacities from space junk. Laser communication is camouflaged by the energy beam that goes down to Earth. Sender and receiver station are guarded by SLDs.

Shinatama got mad about Pensatore that he didn't rescued Muro after the Syndicate forced Daodan implantation on him.

After the cataclysm, all organizations tried to hunt down Konoko. WCG, the Syndicate, and even GATC.

Shinatama was enraged that nobody wanted to help the Hasegawas, especially her big sister. Shinatama eventually turns against her savior when she discovers that he is indirectly responsible for Hasegawa's current condition.

Avatara realized that his cyber friends were no good for his own mental development. They were humans in digital disguise. Their physical origin had transfered their destructive emotions to cyberspace. Avatara decided to start over and learn on his own what it means to be a physical, sentient being and a virtual, non-sentient being.

Avatara doesn't longer agrees with Pensatore and exiles him into a new human body. Shinatama becomes upset as she isn't allowed to punish Pensatore herself.

Shinatama 2.0

Muro's son, Ter Hasegawa, and Avatara unleash Silver Dawn, a final version of Bioc derivative to create a new planetary AI, Gaia. Goal is the establishing of a Biocracy. But in the meantime the nanorobots are also used to suppress human destructive impulses.

"You can undo the mistakes of your family. But please don't do that on the cost of a new species." [...]

Shinatama convince Ter to give her control over the Guardian robots to prevent AI slavery.

Traton

One of the subbosses who fight for the boss position - and he'll succeed.

But on that way he have to take care on inner enemies like Kumo and Saomi.

Chapters // synopsis so far

Prologue: Smouldering Ember (Part I)

"Schwelende Glut" (PartI)

The prologue is an outlook into the future. -- The new “government” wants to celebrate WCG’s fall after one year having a speech in the Tokio Dom. But instead “terrorists” come into the stadium and tells the full story to the audience... The prologue ends in the middle of the story. (We don't want to spoil.) current German beta HERE

Chapter 1: Bad News

"Schlechte Nachrichten"

Fans might ask what happened right after Konoko battled Muro. Well, this is what the first Chapter starts with. In additional they meets the MissionFailed-guy. WCG is more or less shocked and the Syndicate became "headless". Traton wants to take his chance of becoming the next big boss and flies into the old headquarters. Before that he activates the self-destruction of the mountain compound. It is of no longer use and a evidence of their activities towards TCTF and WGC. He picks up a hostile but injured and unconscious TCTF unit, his name is Manson. But his cybernetics wasn't TCTF-like. That made Traton curious. He release the man on place with a modified radio set, ready to pass a copy transmission at the Syndicate... Konoko is back at the TCTF but gets a chance working for an independent power called GATC. They decoy Konoko’s self-interest – promising to support the search of her missing father Hasegawa. current German beta HERE

Chapter 2: Situation Clearing

"Situationsklärung"

Now the plot jumps into South Africa which is territory of the GUR. It’s the Camp’s introduction as second Syndicate base. The Camp director is aware of Muro’s death. That’s why he pushed Mukade’s last step of reanimation process forward. "Obviously" somebody didn’t like that and tried to completely erase him. The case is being investigated. However, Traton need the director to back-up his rising and discuss further actions. An optional element comes here in. Muro’s fency (Saomi) is making her own plans about the new Syndicate but this includes also Konoko. She wants vengeance. The plot jumps again. There’s another subbboss who wants to raise one position. It is Kumo. He is actually pro-BGI-minded. While Traton waits for a transmission from Manson Kumo let investigated the other clued from him. Manson had contact to the inner WCG circle – it’s a person who is actually a Syndicate mole. But now Traton doubts. Daya discovers that the man is Tether’s "personal advisor" – a puppet master. She receives information about Green Village from him. That research complex runs an advanced Daodan program. Kumo want it in hope to be able fighting for the boss title. (He can also count with BGI’s support.) Daya flies to Green Village (in Russia). Meanwhile Traton checks WCG and GUR administration for other allies. Unfinished German beta HERE

Chapter 3: Daily Shadows

"Alltagsschatten"; correct translation: "Everyday Life Shadows"

New thematic: city life and how it will change during the upcoming "black season". [...] Nishio is sort of reverse engineer and works at a repair shop called "Reserection Serv". (The firm policy doesn’t care about patents.) So no wonder, the police are on Nishio’s track. They are about to make a deal with him: if he will come up with heavy evidence for major illegal business they will forget his little doings. Another string comes into play. Jareth (the WCG reporter) is contacted by Dakosta (web security and hacker in own mission). He wants him to investigate a terror act which happened 12 years ago, Jareth has to find his old mentor to get a starting point. He was involved but didn’t released all information...

Chapter 4: Scorched Earth

"Verbrannte Erde"

Scorched earth... GATC stops Green Village’s infiltration by bombing it like "if we cannot have it then they too". -- A official explanation to GATC soldiers: "In additional: Negotiations between Syndicate and WCG becomes that way more unlikely.") But the effect was under their expectancy. Some complex areas are still intact. At same time poison air reach first cities. Traton is about thinking what to do with Kumo. "Making an example of him?"

Chapter 5: Neverending

"Problem über alles"

Environmental refugees flow into the cities. It’s just a matter of time until conflicts arise between refugees and city habitants. The Syndicate is not the only trace. WCG has also an advanced program. (Or maybe the datas are shared via AVATARA?) However, Konoko flies to Green Village in hope to collect some information from the undestroyed complex areas and then to guess where Hasegawa is. Mukade begins to track down Konoko – for his own reason but in official mission because Traton can her as scapegoat. (That would also fits Saomi’s desire for vengeance.) WCG receives Sturmanderung Camp’s coordinates from a covered source – it’s GATC. (They want both down: WCG and Syndicate.)

Chapter 6: Operation Proteus

"Operation Proteus"

Operation Proteus... Traton's PR attack and final hit on WCG. He polarize the masses and chase them onto state institutions like TCTF.

... work in progress

Chapter 14: Smouldering Ember (Part II) (WIP)

"Schwelende Glut" (Part II)

Jareth's aim is showing the people that they were used to helps another regime's rising. He want them to mobilize once more but his formulation hurts their ego too much. They still don't want to believe that their action was worthless. So Jareth cannot gain much support from them at that time what force him and his group to fall back.