Wheelchair Wars (Part 3)

Between a further fit of coughing his father just about managed to splutter something out.

“Your next battle, it’s in two days’ time. You’ll be fighting in the falcon X Remember I showed you the video of one of them before. The one that goes really fast.

Timmy’s heart was beating faster.

“But what about..?”

“I told you before, there can be no ifs and buts. There are only those who win and those who die.. I don’t want you to be part of the latter group. Come on, let’s get you out of that bed for a while. You need to be watching videos and thinking about strategy.”

He then went through the long routine of getting him out of bed and dressed, all the time making sure not to injure Timothy’s perceived fragile body. Then he lifted him into his dilapidated wheelchair.

After a bite to eat, it was video games to aid with his strategic thinking and then highlights of a recent wheelchair duel that hes father had managed to secure.

The two fighters were briefly shown before the fight. One was a girl about Timothy’s age. She had long, auburn hair that draped her shoulders. Timothy thought she was beautiful. Her disability was difficult to gauge.

Her opponent had a large head, totally disproportionate to his twisted body.

Then it began. Both had top of the range machines. For the first few moments, it was unclear what was happening but then one wheelchair rammed the other in the side, causing it to crash to onto its side. It was over and fast.

“Now look Timothy, she does the right thing and kills him quickly. That’s an important act of mercy. Otherwise, he would have been left for the ratis to feed on.”

Ratis were Timothy’s worst nightmare. He feared them attacking him while he was stuck in his bed alone but his father always reassured him that that their quarters were probably locked. He had only seen them a handful of times feasting on dead bodies. They were rumored to have come to the planet with humanity but then evolved to become bigger and more aggressive.

Timothy had much to ponder, but he also wanted to savior this time with his father, he might not have much left.

Wheelchair Wars – Part 2

Timothy tried to move his body over to the other side in the bed. But it was of little use, he just couldn’t get the thrust to do it. He would just have to wait for his Dad to return. Sometimes he wished that he was born like everybody else but then he would remind himself that too would take its own toll.

His father would often remind him that he was blessed to have his disability, and that it’s severity was a good thing. The malformations and contractures were not something that could be acquired by an able bodied person like a missing arm or leg. He was beyond suspicion. That it could open a whole new existence for him and the family. That was when a family still existed. He used to have a mother and two older brothers. His first brother died at the age of seven in an industrial accident. It must have been grizzly as nobody ever told him what happened. A few years later, the other brother died. His lungs were filled with a toxic mucus.

Then, not long before the present his mother had died. The poisonous air had gotten to her too. Timothy thought his father was going to die from a broken heart but stoically he has carried on. Timothy was now just thirteen years old and had just his father. He knew that if his father didn’t come home from his shift that starvation awaited him.

The only way to get out of this hellish existence was through winning at Wheelchair Wars. It gave Timothy a sickly feeling. He did not want to have to hurt others but knew that he didn’t have much choice. This was why he was born. And most of all, he couldn’t let his Dad down. He had already been assigned a Team – The Omega.

His first trial was trial was six months previously. His mother was still alive then but she never looked at him the same way again. He had been put in a wheelchair with saws on each side. The task was simple. Kill a few prisoners. Dad said it was a test of loyalty, Mom said it was butchery. But, both agreed that needs must.

Timothy heard the familiar sound of his father’s footsteps approaching the door to the little, dark room they call home. His end had not yet come.

As the door opened, his father burst into a fit of coughing. His face was tinged red and looked frail and old, for someone barely 40.

“How are you son? I’ve got some news.”

Wheelchair Wars – Part 1 (Sci-fi)

In the far future, there is only war. A darkness has descended upon humanity throughout the galaxy. Now there is only conflict, pestilence and death. For the average human, each day has become a struggle to survive full of servitude, pain and suffering. Scientific progress has halted and much of what was previously known has been lost.

In the vastness of the corrupted, militaristic Human Empire lies a world called Uisneach. It orbits a yellow star and has been inhabited by humans for many thousands of years. It’s atmosphere is toxic. Nobody remembers if it was always that way or if it was the humans who caused it. The world contains two hive cities, each containing many billions of people. One of them is called Xenos. It is the size of a small continent and extends upwards in layers towards the sky.

Each layer is filled by a different economic class. Near the bottom layers is the janitorial sector. To go lower is to go where there is no law, no order. There is no return. To go higher is to live a few years longer and possibly not have to watch your children die. Many fall down the rungs of layers but few rise.

The janitorial layer contains many of hundreds of millions of people. It has its own culture, heritage and language. Many here, scoff at the idea that they are part of some galactic empire or even that they exist on something called a planet that orbits a star. Light from their sun hasn’t reached this deep in a very long time.

One of their favorite customs is “Wheelchair Wars”. It’s one that this layer has that makes it renowned throughout the rest of the city. Nobody is sure why or how it has started, but now events are held in large stadia and broadcast throughout the world.

There are ten tribes, each one covering a large area. They select their best players, who must have a physical disability requiring wheelchair use for competition. They are given modified wheelchairs, now more like tanks, with which to fight to the death. Very few are expected to survive. Any that do and the eventual winner can look forward to serving as dreadnought commanders in the Imperial Army.

The Expanse Part II (Sci-fi)

The entire crew was stunned. The planet was adrift, free-floating in intergalactic space. There was no star or other planet within 100 light-years. Yet, there it was full of Negativum. But, this wasn’t the shocking part. A planet like this should be frozen solid but it wasn’t. In fact, it was quite balmy and full of life, covered in dense vegetation. It defied logic.

The Captain on the deck of the Danu led with the queries.

“Dr. Lenz, how do you explain this?”

“I can’t. This is a major anomaly. To have a living, breathing planet in this location defies all understanding.”

“You must have some sort of theory! Give it a shot.”

“Well, every planet with Negativum in this sector to date has been on a planet with abundant life. The odds of this being a random occurrence are vanishingly small.”

“So, what are you are say Doctor?”

“I just don’t know yet. There is definitely something very odd.”

There was an awkward pause.

Then the Captain gave his order.

“Well, we need that Negativum. However, it got there. You and you’re new away team should go get prepared.”

*********************************************************

Dr. Lenz had never seen anything like it before. For a brief moment he had turned off his search light and through his visor and a small break in the canopy of this alien world, he could see the Milky Way in the night sky – what had been home and now vanquished into nothingness.

“Get off me!”

It was Candace who had taken a dislike to the local fauna, which up to this point had consisted of eyeless bugs that stuck to anything they touched. There were larger creatures but they had kept their distance at least for now.

Dr. Lenz and Candace had been assigned a new team, and Dr. Lenz was secretly wondering how close to them he should get considering what had happened last time. It consisted of himself, Candace and five other males.

“I hate this place Dr. Lenz.”

“I know Candace. Hopefully we won’t be here for long.”

They were now just a few metres from the reading of where the largest reservoir of Negativum was.

But as they fought their way through the vegetation they were astonished to be met by a door.

The Expanse Part 1 (Sci-fi)

The Captain had summoned Dr. Lenz right at the start of his cycle. No time to look out at the great expanse of space or even have breakfast for that matter. He had never thought that this would be his future. But, he also knew that he had been very fortunate to be gifted this opportunity to save humanity.

The Captain was in his room waiting for him and he knew what he wanted to discuss. Where next for Negativum? It was a major concern since the Danu entered intergalactic space. The distance between star systems had now increased exponentially and the Captain was growing increasingly nervous. Dr. Lenz was too, but he dare not show it. The prevailing theory had always been that Negativum had been created during the Big Bang, at the moment of the creation of the Universe and therefore should be evenly distributed in it. But what if that was incorrect and they had already passed the last collection point?

Dr. Lenz had to put his faith in all the great minds that had once existed.

“A location has not been yet been determined. It is more difficult in intergalactic space.”

“I have total faith in you Dr. Lenz but the crew is getting nervous. I’ve been informed that our supply is running low.”

“Yes, I am very aware of that and what is at stake. I’ve been working on this problem non stop.”

“Is there any way anybody else could be of assistance? Maybe Candace, she’s a fine officer and very intelligent. You seem to have a good working relationship.”

“She is a fine officer but..”

“Let me be clear. This is an order. You must share your expertise with others for both the short and long term future of humanity. She will be the first and will be at your workspace within the hour.”

********************************************************

Candace was looking at the array somewhat bewildered. Dr. Lenz was trying to hide his frustration. He just didn’t have the time for this.

“Once again Candace, this is a three dimensional Michovic diagram of space of about three thousand light years across. We are searching for mass – volume anomalies that might indicate the presence of Negativum.

“I just don’t understand.”

“What exactly?”

“You said the anomalies should be near stars. But what about this?”

She point to empty space.

Dr. Lenz looked and was dumbfounded. He had never thought to check such areas. It must be a free floating planet. For the briefest of moments he was overcome with joy and hugged her. It felt good and she didn’t push back. Then he took a step back.

“We have to inform the Captain!”

Why most articles you read about population dynamics are wrong.

So I guess many of you are probably aware that most countries now have sub-replacement fertility. That is, without immigration, their population will decline. This is already happening in Japans, which allows little immigration. Countries such as the United States and the UK will continue to grow in population only if immigration continues.

2.1

That is the average number of children each woman has to have for each generation to replace the last. The extra .1 is to make up for early death. This is really well known and widely reported. But it is wrong! So where does it come from? Well, you see there is a tendency for more boys to be born than girls. Usually, about 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. So, that means that 100 women will have to have 210 babies to ensure that there will be the same 100 women in the next generation.

So what about early deaths? Well, this can vary from country to country. In the US roughly 3% of female births don’t make it to 40. If we assume for simplicity that this 3% doesn’t have offspring, then each woman would 210 / 97 = 2.165.

A significant difference.

But, it becomes truly significant when you look at China. In China, the fertility is about 1.3 children per woman. You’ll read once again incorrectly in newspapers that this is far below the replacement level of 2.1. In China, there has been a practice to abort/kill baby girls. So, instead of 210 boys for every 100 girls, it’s more like 230.

Now I’d imagine life is far harder in China. I could easily see a death rate of 5%

This would give replacement fertility of 230/95 = 2.42.

China has a deficit of 1.12 children per woman.

The world fertility was given as 2.3 a few years ago. The population bomb is now a dud, I reckon if only proper calculations were carried out.

Please let me know what you think of this post and don’t forget to join my mailing list if you have not already done so.

Review of “The Six” by Mark Alpert (novel)

Well, what can I say. I reckon this is the best science fiction novel I’ve read since “Nineteen Eighty Four.” It’s total different but just as captivating and original. The first thing that is different about this story is that the main characters are all terminally ill with only a few months left to live. Hard to imagine them saving the world, right. Adams body is ravaged by Muscular Dystrophy, his muscles rapidly decaying. So too, DeShawn. The others suffer from incurable diseases, mostly cancer.

But Adam’s father had a plan to save his son. Transfer the human mind to a machine that could live on when the body has died. But, during his research he inadvertently creates Sigma, a high level Artificial Intelligence that plots to destroy humanity. Hey, what else is an AI to do?

It quickly takes control of a Russian nuclear missile base, killing all the soldiers stationed there and threatens nuclear annihilation if any aggressive action is taken to stop it.

Time is now running out and the minds of the six volunteers are transferred so they can stop Sigma before it’s too late.

Only Adam’s mind transfer is documented and it is excellently written. There is just about the right amount of ambiguity over whether it is the same mind in the machine, or is just a copy that has just come into existence. The writer also deals very effectively with action and other sequences in the robotic mind.

What follows is all action. At times, it turns dark but just the right amount to keep you glued to its pages.

Interestingly, the author doesn’t consider his work to be science fiction –

This novel is not science fiction. I’m a science journalist, as well as a novelist, so I like to insert lots of facts into my books. The technologies described in “The Six” are real. The electronic brains of the Pioneers are based on experimental circuits now being developed in laboratories. Sooner or later, human intelligences are going to live inside machines. It’s just a matter of time.

Personally, I think he is wrong but it does make for a great yarn. The human brain is still not fully understood. I remember watching a documentary about it once. The smallest brain in the animal kingdom was in some sort of worm. They deprived it of all external stimulation. Still, every now and again, there was a burst of activity from its neurons. It was thinking to itself. This is something that the strongest computers cannot replicate.

But, perhaps something just as good has recently happened. Due to advances in gene therapy, Muscular Dystrophy may soon become a disease of the past.

I give “The Six” five stars out of five. And the best thing is that it is part of a trilogy.

Review of “The Matrix Resurrections” (film)

Well, I think for all people of my vintage, the Matrix trilogy were a seminal moment. Especially, the very first film. The special effects were on a level that had not been seen before. It wax the first time that CGI made its presence known and it felt like things would never be the same again and it was true, they weren’t.

But it was so much more than that. For people of my generation who had witnessed faster and faster computers coming into existence, and becoming ever more important in daily life, the film felt somewhat sinister. Maybe, we all lived in a simulation. Maybe, the film was more than just entertainment, it was a message.

How would we really know for sure?

That, and the colour of pills suddenly seemed so much more important.

Of course in the trilogy Keanu Reaves manages to somewhat sort things with a peace deal with the machines that tragically leads to his death.

So where to now?

Well where’s the will for a nostalgic film, there is a way.

Cue all our favorite characters are back, through the use of DNA sequencing. There’s no time for any nature/nurture debate here. You are your DNA and your DNA is you.

What follows is somewhat credible. But, it doesn’t leave you with the same dread that the real world is a simulation. It’s too narrow. But you get great fighting scenes and a belief in the goodness of humanity and at least some AIs.

This won’t be a cult classic, think Terminator III.

I did enjoy it though, it gave me that fuzzy, warm feeling.

So, four stars out of five for me.

The day the Earth died (Part 3)

He grew increasingly nervous as he approached his parents’ house down a steep suburban hill. The rotting carcass of a woman, he once knew lay half submerged in the yellow and dark sludge in the middle of the street.

It was freezing now, much colder than he had ever experienced before. His hands were going numb. He kept slowly trudging on-wards, past the burned houses with broken windows until he turned and faced his former home. The thick sludge had covered what was once a beautiful garden and was beginning to engulf the bungalow in its entirety. The front door was just about visible.

Knock, knock, knock.

No response.

Bang, bang, bang.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me Mum!”

The door swung open and they embraced.

It was a bittersweet moment. Boils were already clearly visible on her famished face.

He walked in and she closed the door behind him. The only light came from candlelight. It was not much warmer inside.

“Where is everyone?”

“They didn’t make it Colin, I’m sorry. There wasn’t enough time.”

His heart sank but stoically he held firm not wanting to add to her anguish.

“Here, I brought some food.”

“Keep it for yourself, I’m not hungry honest.”

They went in to sit on the couch and Colin went to take off his shoes. His feet were a deep blue and boils now covered them. They continued on up his leg, he dare not look how far.

They embraced trying to keep warm as it grew colder still.

His Mum talked less and less into the night till not at all. At least he had been there for her at her end. It was his last thought as he too drifted away.

The day the Earth died (Part 2)

The transmission continued with warnings to stay inside and to put wet towels under the doors. That the radiation would shortly envelope Ireland. The broadcast continued for a further hour before it abruptly stopped without warning.

A pang went through his body, as if he had stabbed. He now felt truly alone. He peered through the curtain. Windows were being smashed by a gang of yobs, the day was still bright. The fools, they were wasting valuable preparation time. Sean went and rested on his couch and slowly drifted off from the days exertions,

He woke to the sound of screams coming from the street outside. Leaping from the couch, he went to peer through the curtains. What had been a beautiful, sunny day was now a twilight, caused by a thick, opaque mist which had descended. The screams continued and his heart began to pound.

Running to his bed, he lied down and tried to cover his ears. The cries were coming from the apartment beside him now where a couple lived with their young child. There were roars of alarm that it was seeping in under the door, that there was nowhere for them to go. Colin knew that any attempt to save them and it was his death too.

So, he listened as their roars of anguish became whimpers to be replaced by an awful silence as tear gently rolled on to his pillow. Then an age seemed to pass, an unrelenting darkness. From him occasionally eating to satisfy his hunger, he guessed two days must have passed before he woke to the sound of heavy rain beating against his window. Finally, there was some light. Then he heard some cheers of joy coming from outside. He felt a sudden urge to go join them, but he knew it was too soon. The radiation level would still be too high.

All too quickly, the rain stopped and it began to darken once more. A few hours later, the temperate began to plummet. He wrapped himself up in his bed to try and stay warm, trying to dream of better times before all this happened.

Days passed. It remained dark and cold. It was time for him to venture outside and make what was once a short trip from Castle Street to Beechgrove in the suburbs. It had snowed, if you could call the putrid yellow stuff that. There were no words his new world. On getting to the street he barely recognized the place. Among the rotten corpses that strewn the street, there were those clinging to life with large boils oozing a yellow substance covering their flesh. All the leaves were gone from the trees, their barks black. Even the building with their smashed windows and radiated walls looked alien in the dim sky.

Step by step, he began to make his way through the sludge trying not to think of what awaited him. Each milestone made him feel that bit happier. First, there was the McDonalds, what had a bright, yellow building now grey and lifeless, then the Dublin Bridge over a frozen and poisoned canal. Onwards, he trudged before finally reaching Beechgrove. It looked as void of life as anywhere but he had to hope, believe even. Otherwise, it would be impossible to put one foot in front of the other.