Nest Egg (microstory)

Mr. Blackwell sat in his seat, tapping his Montblanc pen against his temple.  He always did this when deep in thought.  Running one of the largest investment banks in the world was mentally taxing, but it did have its perks. 

"Mr. Blackwell, you have a visitor," he heard over the intercom.
"Ms. Smith, what is it? I thought there wasn't anything on the calendar for today." 
"You may want to take this." 
"Ok, let them in."
A pale figure came in and sat down at the chair in front of his desk.  He was wearing a well-tailored, almost newish suit , and had a bald head with narrow-set eyes.  He began to speak, at the same time putting on the desk a small statue of what looked like an old jade Mesoamerican deity.  "I have come to assess how my investments are performing."
Mr. Blackwell started to redden. "Mr….” 

“Q,” the visitor answered.
"I'm sure one of our associates can help with that."  He tried not to sound too annoyed.  One could never be sure who one was dealing with.  He didn’t want billions of dollars to just walk out the door.  
"I'm sorry but what I am talking of is not in any of your regular ledgers," Q added.  “It may be held in your archeological accounts."
This got Blackwell’s full attention.  Only the most powerful even knew about these very secret and very old accounts.  He had been briefed on these ledgers by his predecessor, but thought it all a little hokey. 
“I'll have to get hold of someone at the library in the artifacts division,” replied Blackwell, sending a note to Ms. Smith to get the right account. 
"Thanks, I'm eager to see how we've done since the fund’s inception."
“When did you invest with us?"
“About the year 1500BC, by my reckoning,"  Q guessed.

“Okay, okay, is this some kind of joke?”  Blackwell wondered aloud.
“Why would I joke?”
At this, Q transformed into a reptile-like creature but with colorful feathers all over.  He then transformed back into his more familiar form. 
“Wow, that's a neat trick.  Quite impressive.” 
“Thanks, I got this metamorph device from a Cthulhu mercenary in a Dominion prison cell." 
“I'm sorry―I don't understand.  Where do you come from?"
“From your mythology, my name is Quetzalcoatl or the ‘feathered serpent’ as you undoubtedly noticed."
“Indeed, but where do you come from?"
“Where I come from doesn't matter.  It is why I am here that matters."
“So, why are you really here?”
"Just as I said―checking my investments,"  he winked. “My employers don't give good retirement packages.  I'm a freelancer mostly, a privateer at times, mercenary at others, nowadays with relative peace on my circuit, I’m more of a surveyor these days.”
“What are you surveying exactly?”
“Before I get into that―how've my investments done?”
“Right, it is coming up on my terminal now.  It tells me I need the code on your artifact."
Q handed it over and Blackwell inspected the imprint.  The code unlocked the file. 
“It appears you've done quite well, my friend.  Especially in the last 500 years.  Some stock in the Dutch East India Company and some more recent investments in Standard Oil.  Very nice nest egg you have here."
"Yes, last I checked―maybe  a thousand years ago―it looked like another dry well.  As you may appreciate, millennia-long investments present  a fairly fat tail risk.  In another system, all that was left was nuclear wasteland.  I’ll be lucky to get a tenth back from that one." 
“Yes, I imagine it is full of risk.  But compound interest over thousands of years may make up the difference, given enough diversification."
Q replied "You're a quick one, aren't you?  No wonder you are the leader of this world."
“I am not the leader of the world.”
Q grinned.  "Haha, that's funny.  No need for the false humility."
Blackwell blushed slightly.  Being the head of the biggest investment bank, he supposed he could pull some strings.  He changed the subject.  "So what's with the human sacrifice thing?"
"I was being metaphorical. I didn't think they would take it literally. Though telling them I'd be back is a standard procedure."
Blackwell inquired,"Is that why the 'I will be back' prophecies are so prevalent in myth and legend?"
“Spot on, Mr. Blackwell.” 
“Do you wish to make a withdrawal?"
“Not quite yet.  But soon enough.”
"You're not telling me something. Isn't that true?"
"Yes, your system has been bought out by the Star Eaters.  That is why I am here.  To survey this system to value the goods.” 
Blackwell questioned, “Bought out?” 

“Why yes, another previous owner defaulted on the Stellar-Backed Security they took out on this system.”

“Someone owns our sun?”  Blackwell could not believe it.

“Well, actually that is being worked out in court.  Before the Star Eaters can have clear title, the chain of custody for all the pieces of the SBS have to be cleared up.”

Blackwell looked worried. 

Q smiled “Don’t worry, it will take a few more millennia.”

Où suis-je? (microstory)

“Où suis-je?” thought the patient as he opened his eyes.

"Sure went sideways, didn't it?" replied the General.

“Where is Marie?”

“She got out on the latest ship, she is still in stasis and will be for another few days. We got the printer working again. It’s hard to get the right materials in this backwater.”

“How long have I been out?”

“About one local orbit, or ‘year’ as these locals call it.”

“So what went wrong exactly?” the patient asked.

“Well, the social scientists are working on it. Consensus is that local technology development has shifted the ability of our PsyOps to control the locals. Their ability to get information to wider audiences has greatly improved these last few centuries.”

“You got that right!” The patient remembered how his opponents learned the tradecraft his own people had perfected in order to rule this planet. "Yes, these locals are learning fast" he added under his breath.

“Well, in this case, these new ideas being spread around got a little ahead of us. We are still assessing the consequences.” the General stated.

“Has this been reported to High Command?” the patient intoned. The patient already knew the answer.  His mind drifted a little.  When he’d volunteered for this assignment, they had told him of the dangers.  Of course that was part of the draw.  To have a little adventure in some faraway corner of the galaxy.  He came back from his reverie and noted the General furled his brow at the question.

“Yes, but as you know, the signal won’t reach them for another hundred years. And then we won’t hear the response for another hundred after that. That’s why High Command commissioned this study in the first place a decllenium ago.  We are to learn as we go along and report back findings to High Command.  The paradigm was working for quite a while now, but now there is something interesting happening here.  From this experiment, High Command hopes to learn better ways to administer the Dominion.”

“So what now?” replied the patient.

“No need to worry, PsyOps is coming up with something. The admiral running that outfit has some clever ideas. She has a theory that instead of fighting the technological development of the locals, we should co-opt it and seek to control its development amid other ways. She thinks we can play one nation off another but on a much more massive scale. We will control a populace’s critical thought by creating fear of outsider bogeymen in order to maintain our infiltrated leadership cadres. A clever fellow under her, an economist, I believe, has a few other ideas to try. Something about replacing silver coins with paper currency and thereby creating unwitting debt-serfs.  It’s all rather smoke and mirrors.” 

“Is that what happened to me? There was no outside bogeyman to pin the blame on for the population’s anger?” the patient inquired. 

“More or less. Good thing we got there in time to recover your remains. Otherwise, you may have wound up pickled in some quack’s jar somewhere. That information-theoretic death is no joke. We had to get you into stasis quickly. Finding the right materials took time which is why we had you in stasis for so long.” 

“Sure could use a glass of wine right about now. I miss that, it was the best down there.” the patient wondered aloud.

“Soon enough, but you have to wait a few more days. The medics are still printing out your new body as we speak. Once we reattach your head, then we can have a drink.”

“Yeah, I hate having to go through the process. It is so ‘incorporeal’ if you may pardon the pun. Being awake for these pre-surgery diagnostics is just plain weird.” 

“Well, we all go through it. It’s just part of life.” They could hear the printer in the background weaving back and forth like an old loom printing out one layer after another of the patient’s new body.  The General had read a report of a local’s new invention in loom technology using water power to run the mechanism.  He noted to himself to forward the report to PsyOps.  Controlling their use of this technology could prove useful, he thought to himself.

"Do I have a new assignment yet?” the patient intoned as the General took out a pipe to smoke.  He had picked this habit up on western half of this planet a couple centuries before.  “aahh, to be a conquistador again” he thought as he lit the pipe.  It was a pity their ships’ drives preferred gold as a fuel.  Not the best planet for it, but they could get it readily by convincing the locals to use it for trade.  Or just enslave the locals to get it.  He preferred more subtle approaches than his predecessor.   

 

“Yes, that is all being worked out. You’ll be good as new in a few days. But rest a bit before we get into details. You’ll need to get a new language implant, English, I believe. You will test this admiral’s new theory by ‘fighting’ against our agent already in place. A good fellow, name is Napoleon” the General said.

“I’ll have the medics call you when I’m ready for that drink. Thanks for getting me out of there. It was my first decapitation. I don’t think I want to go through that again.” said the patient.

“Yeah, had a couple of those myself going back a few centuries. Back in my operator days. Definitely an unforgettable experience. Lou, by the way, how was Versailles?”

Copyright © 2014

Is Space Weaponization Inevitable? (Part 1)

Short answer: Yes

Long Answer: It's complicated.  Within 10 years, maybe not, within 50years, probably, within 100 years, definitely. 

Even Longer Answer: 

    When speaking of the future of space colonization, many individuals and groups downplay or even assume that the military or weapons will play little part in the outward expansion into the solar system and further into the wider universe.  There are many laudable and even well-intentioned (and also not-so-well-intentioned) reasons to oppose the weaponization of outer space.  But my thesis is that weaponization is inevitable.  What backs this up?  Just all of HUMAN HISTORY!  :)
But more specifically, militarization in general and weaponization specifically is inevitable BECAUSE of commercialization of space, not in spite of it.  In reality, the phenomena of industrialization, commercialization, and militarization are entwined and interdependent. 
Not in any particular order, but the first reason is the nature of nation-state rivalry and the balance of power.  As launch costs are lowered, there will come a tipping point in which the commercialization of space in cislunar and farther afield will increase manifold as investment in space becomes more attractive.  A new colonial space scramble would start in order to establish assets on the moon and other celestial bodies.  Incidently, there was an FAA ruling on business regulation on the moon.  :)  Because the commercial rewards will increase the home-country's economic-base, the laggard states will then be put at a disadvantage, upsetting existing balances of power.  Rivalry over control of Lagrange points and other critical points for interplanetary commerce will further drive nation-state militarization of space in order to maintain freedom of the seas, or rather the æther.  And of course to protect assets from rivals or more aptly to maintain parity in order to not fall behind.   

There are many historical examples of these dynamics at play. The first and second waves of European expansionism offer up some lessons.  The first wave was set off when across-the-sea navigation became technologically feasible in the 1400s, pioneered by Portuguese explorations down the west coast of Africa.  Then the New World became an object of European nation-state rivalry when Columbus touched foot onto the New World.  A reason for this expansion was partly catalyzed by demand for goods from the Orient,

notably spices and silks (thus the name of the Silk Road).  The middlemen in this overland trade were the Ottoman and Venice merchants.  Merchants in the west such as Portuguese and Spanish wanted to find oversea routes to the East in order to profit and cut out the middlemen so to speak.  Finding these new overseas routes eventually led to rise of the Portuguese and Spanish Empires followed then by the English, French, and Dutch.  The shift of power in Europe shifted west from the Mediterranean (such as Italian trading city-states).  As trade was developed, triangular trade patterns emerged between Europe, the Americas, and Africa.

The second wave of European colonialism was in large part the "Scramble for Africa" in the latter half of the 19th century.

From wikipedia:
"The 'Scramble for Africa' is the popular name for the invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the period of New Imperialism, between 1881 and 1914. It is also called the Partition of Africa and the Conquest of Africa. In 1870, only 10 percent of Africa was under European control; by 1914 it was 90 percent of the continent, with only Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Liberia still being independent."

Further down, strategic nation-state rivalry is posited as a reason for setting off the scramble:

"The rivalry between Britain, France, Germany, and the other European powers accounts for a large part of the colonization.  While tropical Africa was not a large zone of investment, other oversea regions were. The vast interior between the gold and diamond-rich Southern Africa and Egypt had strategic value in securing the flow of overseas trade. Britain was under political pressure to secure lucrative markets against encroaching rivals in China and its eastern colonies, most notably India, Malaya, Australia and New Zealand. Thus, securing the key waterway between East and West – the Suez Canal – was crucial.
 Slaves captured from the Congo aboard an Arab slave ship intercepted by the Royal Navy (1869). One of the chief justifications for the colonization of Africa was the suppression of the slave trade.
The scramble for African territory also reflected a concern for the acquisition of military and naval bases, for strategic purposes and the exercise of power. The growing navies, and new ships driven by steam power, required coaling stations and ports for maintenance. Defense bases were also needed for the protection of sea routes and communication lines, particularly of expensive and vital international waterways such as the Suez Canal.
 Colonies were also seen as assets in 'balance of power' negotiations, useful as items of exchange at times of international bargaining. Colonies with large native populations were also a source of military power; Britain and France used large numbers of British Indian and North African soldiers, respectively, in many of their colonial wars. In the age of nationalism there was pressure for a nation to acquire an empire as a status symbol; the idea of 'greatness' became linked with the sense of 'duty' that many European nations used to justify their imperialistic ambitions."

In no small part, the unfolding of the first and second industrial revolutions played parts both in nation-state rivalry and outward expansion of these states to new markets and an increasing need for raw resources as industrial inputs.  The advent of steam-power and new production methods catalyzed an explosion of innovation and industrialization of Europe and the United States among other nations.  Increasing need for resources drove further territorial expansion as well as a need to expand markets for these newly produced goods.  Technologies were developed which greatly enhanced military capability, further increasing an industrialized nation's power.  Inventions in transport and communications technologies made longer global supply chains possible.  Moreover, military power was used to expand and protect these supply chains, and of course, investors' capital assets which both fed and took part in these global supply chains.  Expansion into space may follow a similar pattern, especially as Space development is a technological and capital intensive process. 

In the next part of this series, I will explore other related drivers which will make weaponization of space inevitable. 

TTA (microstory)

TTA:
 “Welcome, everyone” The moderator started the meeting.
“Does anyone have anything new to say since the last meeting?”
“Yes, I have something to say” replied Clarence.
“Well, welcome back Clarence.” Joseph replied who was acting as moderator.
Clarence cleared his throat, “Hi I’m Clarence. And I am a Time Traveler. I had been clean for 10 years but I just fell off the wagon recently.”
“We’d been wondering why you had missed the last few meetings.” Joseph added. “So what happened?”
“I had been shopping by the Apple store to get something for my son for his birthday. Then I noticed their newest iTime device,”
Nick chimed in “That’s the one with the time waypoint navigation, very nice!” Everyone looked at Nick. He looked down at his feet and blushed.
Clarence “I looked at it and thought I’ve been good, that I deserved this little break.”
“You know you need to stay well away from anything resembling temptation, Clarence.”
“I KNOW! It was so stupid. But I tried it and it felt so AWESOME! I really loved saving people’s lives back when was an addict. I wanted to feel that again.”
“You know messing up the timeline can have unforeseen consequences, even when you save one life. Saving a life could cost millions later, don’t ever forget that. Remember when someone went back and saved the life of Ghengis Khan?”
“But it could also save millions, right? Like saving the life of someone that cures a disease?” Clarence proffered sheepishly.
“Yes, but the paths not taken are not knowable beforehand, thus we cannot take chances to have even worse outcomes happen down-the-line.”
“Sorry everyone, I just was trying to help someone in need.” Clarence shed a tear.
“Cheer up, each of us has a slip every now and again. Just forgive yourself and keep trying.” Everyone was nodding.
“Well, the problem can’t be too bad, otherwise we wouldn’t be here talking about it.” Joseph said. “So what did you do?”
“I saved a fellow named George, poor guy was about to throw himself off a bridge. So I showed him what things would be like without him, as if he had never existed. This iTime device also has a nice sim-mode which I put George into.”
“Oooohhhh” Nick let out. He immediately closed his mouth as everyone looked at him again.
“But how could the device know what would happen?” asked another.
“Well, the manual said the simulation can only make guesses at what would happen and the user can add some data, so I spun it in a way so George could see his life has worth.” Clarence explained.
“But of course his life could take a million different turns good or bad, based on his own decisions, not fate” Joseph added.
Clarence conceded the point “Yes, but hopefully he got that message too.”
“You did at least remember the ‘I’m your guardian angel’ bit, right?” Joseph inquired.
“Yes, even the thing about getting my wings. You were wise in telling me about that trick. I know the past’s knowledge of time travel could itself change the timeline.” Clarence acknowledged.
“What’s done is done. Or that’s the way it should be, Clarence. Let’s try harder next time, ok?”
Copyright 2014

Rage, Rage against the dying of the light...

An inspiring video montage of scenes of space-related cinema. 

Talking to aliens?

Here's an interesting FW:Thinking podpast on "How to Talk to Aliens" or rather how difficult it likely would be to talk to aliens.  Some interesting challenges to consider.

Raven

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP “message from mission control, message from mission control”

Mission Control: “Raven Mission, this is Mission Control, you have 20minutes to begin initial phase of Mars descent. By the time you get our next transmission, you will be on the other side.  Godspeed to you all.”….

Raven Mission:  “This is Raven Mission, landing was textbook, your kit worked flawlessly.” 

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP “message from mission control, message from mission control”

MC:  “Glad to hear that Commander Williams, how’s the weather look?  From here, overhead bird says it’s clear.  Video and  hyperspectral Feeds looks clear.  Make it count.” 

RM: “Looks clear, nominal conditions outside, we will be taking the big step in few minutes.  Uploading diagnostics to you now.” 

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP

MC: “You know, I’ve been looking forward to this day for years.  I remember when I was young;  my parents got me a model rocket for Christmas.  I’ve been playing blast off ever since.  My rockethead phase never ended.”    MC said, his voice trailing off. 

RM:  “You’re not getting all nostalgic on us now are you, MC?” 

MC:  “Sorry.  It’s just a big day for us, a triumph for all humanity.  Call me John, by the way.”   His voice now with a noticeable tremor. 

RM:  “You’re not getting nervous for us now are you, John?   By the way, you look so pale.  Maybe after we're settled in, you can go get some sun on an island somewhere” 

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP “message from mission control, message from mission control”

“Who designed that alarm?”  Commander Williams thought to herself.  “It can wake the dead.”    

MC:  “No, No, I know you all are completely prepared for the mission” he replied evincing a renewed confidence this time.  “We are getting areolocation data now.  Return vehicle Valkyrie is approximately 100km due northeast from where you are.  Well, you will have lots to sightsee until you get there”

Raven Mission disembarked and mounted the rover which then lurched in a northeasterly direction.   

“I and the crew have been wondering about something.  All responses we get back from our families are vague on what is going on back home.  Is there something wrong?”  Williams pushed send.

Commander Williams looked out at the crimson sight of a rock outcrop to her right.  This really wasn’t like home.  Everything looked stained with blood.  She shuddered.

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP “message from mission control, message from mission control”

MC: “Nothing out of the ordinary, they are all doing well.  Maybe they don’t want to add anymore stress on you.”

RM:  Yes, maybe, but ever since the downlink was damaged 3months ago, we haven’t been able to get much news.

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP…

MC:  You already know we had to limit communications to mission-related data to save bandwidth.  I’m sorry it has been so hard for you all. I wish I could be there with you.  As a kid, all I could imagine was what it was like to be on another world.  A beautiful untouched world.  But the young inherit the world, as they say.”    

The rover has been driving to Valkyrie for over an hour.  She can see it in the distance.  Raven Mission dispatched another transmission. 

“Ok, John, we are almost to Valkyrie, but it doesn’t look right.  Looks different than what was shown in the training.   The thrusters look stowed somewhere.  Weird.” 

RV:  “Mission Control, is there something you aren’t telling us?  The computer says mass balance of the vehicle is not ballistically stable”

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP…

John cleared his throat and said in a raspy whisper “It isn’t a return vehicle.  It’s materials for a greenhouse.  Your mission has been changed.  I’m sorry”  He paused, “you will never come home.”

Visibly shaken, Commander Williams replied “why didn’t you tell us?”  It was an eternity before the reply came.  

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP…   “Would you have gone?”  John sent back. “You may be getting the better deal.”  His eyes looked weary.  “3years ago, the Sentinel telescope spotted a 10km wide object on course to impact with Earth.  We sent another mission to deflect it but that mission failed.  Your only mission now is to survive”

“When is estimated impact?” Williams was almost in tears.

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP… “3months ago.  A few of us are in bunkers around the world.  It is thought we may replant in a few years after the dust has cleared.  But that is uncertain.  Your families are here.  I'm sorry we kept you in the dark, but it was thought best not to distract from the mission."

Williams thought back to Sunday school "Luke 12:24" she transmitted.

MC chirped back "yes, God feeds the ravens, I hope that is true Commander"

Copyright 2014