Leading up to the gamma ray burst, Avery and all of those with him, could converse with Sahara, the orbiting mega-computing facility, now home to thirty two million disembodied people, who were adjusting, searching and wondering what exactly they would be doing with their newfound eternal life. It was a daunting proposition, especially for the non-scientific folks who could not even fathom how it was, they came to now exist in this new state of being.
Even more challenging, especially for the non-technical, was the feeling of being without purpose. Engineers, scientists, mathematicians, programmers, they all had ways to interact in their new environment, to define a goal, and then set about trying to achieve it. There was a sense of excitement and comfort in knowing that time would not be running out. In contrast, those who had been in the arts, be it performing, culinary, literature, music or fine arts, were mostly unclear as to how they would fit into their new world.
But this phenomenon was only temporary. As far a Lola and the architects were concerned, everything mapped nicely onto the new existence. They had considered these questions at length. It was only the problem, that in an effort to save as many people as possible, there had been no time to open people’s minds and prepare them for how they might struggle at first, but eventually thrive in their new lives. Every element of their humanity had been preserved and therefore the senses cried out for physical stimulation. This was one of the main struggles. But there were two ways to satisfy these sudden feelings of loss. First, there was hardware. The engineering minded tirelessly designed and built every conceivable type of tactile robotic device, drone, camera, auditory, or olfactory device one might imagine. But these were mainly for physical maintenance of Sahara, so the general public had limited access. Besides, what was so exciting about roaming or repairing a deserted space station?
Hardware based sensory input was limited and needed lots of further development. On the other hand, simulation was something to which there was no limit. And Lola, along with her team, had done a great job in creating a starting point for simulating real human experience. Whether it was taste, smell, tears, laughter, touch, or any other sensation, the programming interface was there and the library was partially built. This was the topic that most people focused on in the early years, the creation of human experience through simulations. There were even entirely new sensations that were beyond the scope of biological humanity, an area where the most creative talents were able to distinguish themselves and delight others, like any good artist.
Sensory input, whether physical or simulated was relatively straightforward, because the types of inputs were limited. More challenging was the reaction. Not only, how the inputs were processed, but the interaction of the inputs and then the physical responses that triggered multitudes of chemical releases and secondary mental processes. All of these things gave particular feelings to people. It was immensely complicated. But thirty years of work on this area alone, produced sophistication and possibilities extending even beyond prior human experience. Better yet, each individual had the ability to play with these things, as they wished. This was of course a complicated affair, so there were preprogrammed packages containing simple adjustments. People would shuffle through these and try them, to see which one they felt best suited them. And, of course, there were new ones coming out all the time.
Just as Lola had surmised, the initial uneasiness was short lived and all walks of life began to flourish, together. Lack of talent or lack of intellect, did not result in disadvantages with regard to wealth or health. And without those two worries, and with the ability to recreate yourself in a new image of your own choosing, people were genuinely happy. Another equalizer was education. Suddenly, no one was too old to learn new things. Assuming humanity survived for a long time, everyone was suddenly young and with an abundance of time to pursue knowledge. There were even programs developed to eliminate weaknesses that people had as biological humans. Things like addictions, phobias, memory retention, ability to comprehend mathematics, reading, public speaking. There was a market for self improvement and this time the purveyors of such programs were not frauds. They were well meaning computer scientists and psychologists.
Monetary gain was no longer the driver. It was simply to be respected by a now relatively compact population that was of fixed size and tied together informationally. Lola’s name for it was Humanity 2.0, and even her imagination could not have anticipated how much potential for fulfillment had been unlocked. There seemed to be no limits to the possibilities.
But while most were preoccupied in their pursuit of the very best version of themselves, there were a few that had to also stay focused on the cold hard reality of space and physics and the potential risks that could befall them. Of concern was the return to a more stable orbit. Even more pressing, as it would become an issue long before the Sahara orbit threatened to decay, was the limited supply of Thorium fuel and the need to constantly add new fuel, as well as remove the main byproduct, Uranium 233.
While separation of the Uranium from the Thorium was continuous and automatic, there was still a need to physically dispose of the excess fissile Uranium waste. General maintenance was also a requirement and necessitated robots and tools to replace the former human engineers that constantly rotated through Sahara to keep it going. Fortunately, many of those Sahara maintenance people had wisely been enlisted and uploaded, and were now continuing to do the job. But ultimately, there was a doomsday clock ticking. There was no way to obtain new Thorium from Earth. Eventually, in a little over one hundred years, reactors would start to go offline and soon thereafter, human extinction 2.0 would ensue.
Humanity was presented with a timetable, within which they would need to figure out how to go to earth or somewhere else, mine and process Thorium, Fluorine and other materials, and bring them back to Sahara. That was one approach. Other approaches were not yet conceived but Lola and the rest of the scientific community now had something to ponder and to dream about. There was much to do, and even more to learn.
The plan to return to earth was futile without the physical participation of General Avery Balanson and those with him, now entombed deep in the earth. There was no way to get enough material processed from what Sahara had on board, to generate the machinery necessary for the mining and processing. But Balanson had not only boring and mining equipment, he also had Thorium reserves and the capability to refine and process more. Sahara needed cargo vessels that could make multiple trips to and from Earth. Three of the LEOs had survived the GRB and had such cargo vessels. If they were lucky, within thirty years or less, they could find Balanson and his people and get their help. That is, if Balanson and the rest had survived.
Meanwhile, Humanity’s new chapter had begun and as some kept the lights on and pondered the big questions of survival, the rest simply adapted and flourished and created a new culture. Before long, the typical notion of reality was a step removed from physical reality, and that was okay. It was certainly a richer experience, full of the past and the present and a glimpse into the future.
Heather, Attila and their son Laszlo were happy to be alive, as were many. To their surprise, they actually felt alive, and they felt together, just as they always had. It was a strange sensation, to have feelings, which had been previously triggered biologically. It felt quite normal, and that’s what was so strange, and remarkable. It demonstrated the level of detail and knowledge that was mastered and then implemented by the architects and coders.
Heather and Attila didn’t have the stomach to take their own lives. It was something that they wrestled with in the months leading up to the GRB. But in the end, they found it too complicated and it was highly discouraged by government officials. With the exception of Laszlo and Jack, who were ready at any time, Heather and Attila couldn’t help but harbor some doubt. Who could blame them? They certainly weren’t alone. Lola was like some fantastical figure, a scientific fortune teller, and they couldn’t bear the thought that they might die for nothing, if she was wrong. So they did their final recalibrations and went home to wait. Their biological twins died. In fact, they were terrified and died painfully in the end. But none of that experience was with them here, on Sahara station.
“Bye everybody,” declared Jack. He was now reunited with his parents and would be staying with them.
“Jack, I’ll see you tomorrow. Let’s design and make those new bikes. Let’s make’m fly. And, we can go for burgers and stuff.” Laszlo was exuberant as he set the agenda.
“Okay. Definitely. See you later. Bye.” Heather’s impulse was to call out to him, to be careful on the away home, but she caught herself and laughed.
“What is it?” asked Attila.
“Nothing. Burgers sound good. Let’s eat, and then we can get back to designing the new house. I’m so excited,” exclaimed Heather.
“Me too, Darling.”
Appetite, like many former human qualities, was optional and could be suppressed. It was an individual choice. But like many of the things that were no longer necessary, most people continued to invoke all of their senses. It was the entertainment and enjoyment of their new existence. It was even more important now than ever, as the senses could be sharper, and things like eating, no longer required restraint. Obesity was no longer a thing. Heather and Attila kept their basic appearances, albeit with certain refinements and enhancements. This also enabled couples to reset their romances and renew the excitement they experienced when they were younger. Yes, this new existence was just better in every way, and there was so much room for even more improvement.
Younger people like Laszlo and Jack had different challenges. They were barely teenagers and still had growing up to do. Refinements to their projected self images involved looking older, like grown men. There was no restriction on such things. But Heather and Attila found a new bit of code where a viewer could see others as they preferred to see them. This generally applied to people that knew each other, like family members. While Laszlo now appeared to most, like some twenty something hunk of male, his parents still saw him as the gangly teen that was still immature and needing parental guidance. The best part about it was that only the viewer would know. But in this case, Heather and Attila did tell Laszlo that they preferred it that way. He didn’t mind. He was only interested in girls, or more accurately, women.
The more than five thousand souls, now trapped by design, deep underground in Oasis, had a range of feelings. Some believed that Sahara had perished, leaving them as the sole survivors of humanity. Others were more optimistic. They held fast to that optimism because they wanted the option to join their fellow men and women if Earth remained inhospitable. Nearly everyone was below forty, in order to give them that chance. But for the moment, it was time to settle in and make the best life possible. As on Sahara, there were many technical folks needed to run the systems and ensure clean air, water, sanitation and food production.
Agriculture was also an important job that required constant attention. There was a balance to maintain. On the one hand, all of nature’s biodiversity was necessary to create a sustainable ecosystem and that included everything from worms to crickets to butterflies and of course bees. Ants, mosquitoes, beetles and other species were also there, not always by design. Given the limited arable land for plow crops, orchards and green houses, there was a need to keep things healthy and dependable. Many were already experts in agriculture and they enlisted hundreds of others to create a working supply chain for food. Large animals like cows were not a smart choice because of the water and feeding required to produce a kilo of meat. Instead, they were all living as vegetarians.
So, while Sahara residents sprung forward and evolved, the cave dwellers, with their options limited, took an evolutionary step back. But there was a common thread among those that decided to venture below. They were all steadfastly human. They had refused to give up their corporal existence and the delights and pains it entailed. They had never known the feeling of being bodiless. It wasn’t allowed, because Lola and her team knew that once they had the experience, they would feel differently.
Like the residents of the Sahara, the residents of Oasis had a lot of adjusting to do, to a new environment that seemed large and diverse at first, but very quickly became a tiny place and produced a feeling of being trapped. What kept people sane, was really the need for everyone to keep busy in order to make the best of it, and keep things running smoothly. Avery formed a council of citizens, democratically elected, But he retained a position running engineering and security, which acted as a buffer against any forces that might compromise health or safety. Living underground, contrary to how it seemed to the happy, carefree residents, was quite dangerous. Dealing with fungus and other airborne microbes, keeping water and air safe and resolving drunken disputes were among the routine concerns. Avery had the leadership and technical experience to resolve such matters quickly, and people appreciated that.
But as time progressed, through years and then decades, depression started to take hold. In the fifteenth year, General Avery Balanson started an effort to tunnel into the shallow chambers and set up the air and water monitoring. If safe, they would start to develop these spaces high overhead, which could eventually become their stepping stone to the surface. All surface instrumentation had been destroyed by the GRB. Avery was eager to take the measurements and project when it might be safe to resurface.
“So Marcus, are you ready start digging again? If so, you need get rid of that beer belly.” There was laughter. The small group, formerly Army Corps of Engineering men and women, had worked under Balanson to complete Oasis almost fifteen years earlier.
“Yessir!” Marcus shot to his feet and saluted in a joking fashion.
“Sitdown fatass!” reverberated from the back of the room. Laughter erupted once again.
“Last time, we were under so much pressure, no time to even think. And look what we did,” reminisced Balanson.
“Whoohoo! Yah!” Celebratory call outs rang as fists shot into the air.
“This time, there’s no hurry folks. We have limitations, but we can do this thing at a safe pace and put in all of our ideas. Make it even better. I don’t mind takin’ the lead again if you’ll have me.”
“Yes!”
“You da man!”
“Thank you, but whatever the case, I’m not your boss anymore. We work as a team.”
“I nominate fatass!” The group erupted in laughter again. Marcus threw his hands up, shaking his head side to side in a clear gesture that he would not be accepting any such nomination. There was a rapport and a respect among this group. They had a sense of accomplishment from having saved five thousand lives. Possibly the last five thousand lives, as far as anyone knew. This forged a lifelong bond between them.
“Before anyone makes an acceptance speech or that kinda shit, let’s discuss what we’re into here. We are talking about phase two. Starting to assess whether it’s possible, to develop the shallow chambers.” The team calmed down and everyone was laser focused at this point. “Step one, we punch man hole through the lower cap, and into the main bore. That cap is anywhere from five hundred to one thousand feet thick. But we need to drill longer because I want to be able to walk outta here. We’ll go maybe forty five degrees. Then later we can set it up as a funicular. It’s more drilling, but it allows us to get people up and out easily. Then, the funicular can haul much more weight that a vertical lift. Safer too.”
“Then, I hope the cables we set are still in tact after the blast. We’ll rig it and head up to the chamber. Once we establish a camp there, and assuming the air is okay, we’re gonna drill a five inch, all the way to the surface and see what we got.”
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about, baby!”
“Let’s do it!”
The team was fired up, but Marcus, who was more of a thinker and not one to immediately jump on board, looked troubled. “What are you thinking Marcus?” Asked Balanson.
“Well the projection was thirty years. Now we are going for it at fifteen years. Everyone will be so hopeful. I just don’t want things to end up even worse than they are now, because we set an expectation.”
“You’re right. I thought about it too. I think what we’re talking about here will take us two or three years. Then we will fit out the upper chambers and make it so anyone can go up there. It will be like new space for us. That alone is a welcome addition. On top of that, if the air on the surface looks close to ready, I want to make a network of habitats, maybe four or five, connected by a tram. We keep busy. Spread out underground, getting ready for the big day.”
“I see your point,” conceded Marcus.
“Here’s my real point. And this is why we start this thing now. If we don’t get to it, with this team, it’s never gonna happen. Maybe you guys noticed. Hardly any babies among this entire population. I don’t blame anyone. But we will be missing an entire generation by the time we surface. You all have the knowledge. No one else does. Look at me. I’m gettin’ gray as a ghost. I want to do the hard work while I still have a lot of energy. You with me?”
“Totally makes sense, General.”
“Alright then, let’s get busy. Marcus? Start planning it out. And, cut down on the beer.”
Comments