Jeremy McLain’s Comments (group member since Nov 24, 2015)

Jeremy McLain’s comments from the Science Fiction Microstory Contest group.

Good theme.

I’ve been slacking but will try to get a story in.

sorry missed voting a bit too much other tasks to catch up on the last few days.

Hivemind Dissonant:
Each Thari existed to serve Hive, and Hive, in turn, sustained them all. This was a law of nature, embedded into every Thari from hatching. The nymph school Harmony, taught nymphs that the unity of Hive was paramount, and when resources grew scarce, some Thari sacrificed themselves for the greater good in the Balancing. Those chosen to be culled rejoiced in their fate.
Threx sensed a dissonance in the swarm’s melody. She kept these thoughts to herself, knowing that to speak against Hive’s teachings was to invite expulsion.
As Threx grew, her Dissonant condition became apparent. Harmony noted her nonconformance, but rather than suppressing her, they assigned her a task. If her thoughts contrasted to Hive’s, perhaps she could be directed to serve a greater purpose.
Her assignment was to study Archive, a record of devices from ancient times, before Hive's current structure had emerged. An unusual task for a nymph, but Threx devoured information on machines that once shaped the landscape.
As she sifted through the Archive, she encountered an abandoned proposal for Resonator Engine, a device designed to alter subterranean layers of the planet, creating vast caverns for Hive to expand into. Shelved generations ago, the proposal was deemed incompatible with Balance. But Threx saw potential in it—if Hive had more space, there would be no need for Balancing.
She presented her findings to Harmony. "The Resonator Engine could allow us to grow without the need for Balancing" Threx suggested, her voice trembling slightly.
Harmony’s response was immediate. "You do not understand the importance of Balance, young nymph," a senior of Harmony chided. "The needs of the many outweigh the few. It is not space we lack, but discipline."
Threx could feel a flicker of curiosity in Hive. Her suggestion had not gone unnoticed. Some of Harmony pondered her proposal, though did not openly acknowledge it.
The state of available resources was dire. A Balancing was announced. As names were drawn, Threx was among them.
Fear surged through her, but not for her own life. The Hive did not need to continue its endless cycle of sacrifice.
Determined to act, Threx hacked into Hive's main comms network and transmitted her findings directly into the collective mind, bypassing Harmony’s control filters. She shared the data on the Resonator Engine, the plans for subsurface expansion, and her own thoughts on how the Balancing ritual was not an inevitable law of nature but a choice—a choice that could be altered.
Hive's thoughts fractured. Some Thari were shocked, others felt a flicker of hope, while Harmony desperately tried to regain control, insisting that Threx’s dangerous notions would lead to chaos.
As chaos erupted, Harmony closed in, isolating Threx from the collective mind. They surrounded her, their voices a sharp, collective sting. "You have defied Hive," one said, "but it is not only your thoughts that betray you. There is more to you that is… different."
Harmony began to pry deeper into her mind. Realization surged through Harmony, and then back to Threx. Her memories shifted and fractured, unlocking something buried. She was an engineered hybrid, created by an unknown alien species. The dissonance she had always felt, the different way she perceived the hive's song, was not a defect, but designed. Her awakening was no accident; it had been triggered by her rebellious act, a fail-safe to ensure that she would fulfill her true purpose when the time came.
----------
“How is our imbed?” Admiral Smith queried.
“We have received a signal from Agent Chrysalis, the Dissonance virus has been delivered to their hivemind. Only a matter of time now until phase 2.” Fleet hivemindpsyops officer Lieutenant O’Neill replied.
----------
The spark of individuality was catching, spreading like wildfire through the swarm. Harmony recoiled in horror, realizing control was lost. Several of the swarm pushed for the use of the Archive machines to expand downward into the planet’s sub-surface. The few of minority opinion in Harmony were able to convince the majority to try the new approach.
----------
“Does it always go this way?” Admiral Smith asked.
“About 80% of the time” O’Neill replied. “the other 20%, the Hive splits and a planet-wide civil war breaks out, a mess to clean up. But it is seen as more humane than inundating the surface with pesticide which is suboptimal in any case for our colonies. High Command decided it is better to ‘convince’ them somehow to live under the surface rather than eradicate them.”
“How magnanimous of us.” Smith noted sarcastically.

I had been kicking a few ideas around but couldn’t quite get something together.

got mine in at last hour.

was kicking a few ideas around but was watching the moon landing earlier today and got some inspiration.

Executor:
“Herein lies secrets of untold fortunes to be made and lost.” Sarah read aloud the inscription on the leather-bound tome. She looked up at the executor. “Is this some sort of joke?”
“No joke, I assure you, Miss Jackson” the executor replied.
“This!, This is my inheritance! Some raggedy old book!” She was getting red as she started turning pages in it.
The fellow warned “Careful, this book is very old, the pages will crack.”
“A warning, what is written on these pages are for your eyes only, your grandfather was explicit in this instruction.”
“So what happens if someone else were to read it?” She asked, getting curious.
“The Will does not say, just not to let anyone else to even open the book.”
The executor was silent on the death of her grandfather. He had been in perfect health for his age.
---------------------------------
Sarah left the old mansion, the book in a special-made box. She did not have time to read it but didn’t know what to make of this ‘inheritance.’ Her grandfather had been wealthy. Old money from railroads. He himself always seemed to have a golden touch with every endeavor he ever invested in. Almost uncanny ability to sense the trends.
Once home, she put on some tea and started to read…
[10 years later]
“Ms. Jackson!” Shouted a reporter trying to get her attention among a throng of other shouting reporters. “What will your next venture be?!”
“I’m going to buy the Moon.” She said only half-jokingly.
The reporter scribbled something down. He did not really know if she was kidding or not. She had taken the business world by storm, developing one technological breakthrough after another. It was almost as if she could see the future.
Her next endeavor was, in fact, a moonbase for mining helium-3 to supply her nuclear fusion company. She was lauded as the Edison of the age.
A nagging feeling kept coming back to her though from time to time. She had in fact gone to school for engineering and had even gotten a PhD in physics by herself. ‘Before the Book’ she thought to herself. The Book did help give her guidance on timely investments and decisions though. ‘Like having a supercomputer gaming out all possibilities and helping to choose the best one’ she pondered. But one thing she could not figure out was the warning given to her a decade earlier. ‘don’t let anyone read the Book or else.’ ‘but what is the else?’ the question kept coming back to her mind. ‘is it so dire?’
[10 years later]
“We have touchdown.” the pilot announced as the ship landed on the lunar surface.
Sarah had made good on her promise of a moonbase. Now she was coming for a visit. She had always dreamt of space travel. To be part of making it a reality was otherworldly. She smiled to herself. ‘this is the culmination of my life. How could I ever top this?’ she thought to herself. ‘yes, yes, the Book, the Book’ she cajoled herself. ‘I hardly ever read it anymore’ she wondered if it was even helping her anymore or if she was doing this all by herself.
Knowing the reporters would want some word from her she spoke into the telescreen “Rookstone Enterprises wants to extend its gratitude to all the employees and investors who made this moment possible. The future of humanity is bright. Now let’s have a walk around this place, shall we?”

On the telescreen Sarah talked to her husband and daughter. “Maybe next time we can go with you?” implored her daughter. “Well, maybe when all the bugs are worked out.”
“Honey, I’m sorry but the contractors were working in the office, so I moved some things around, is that ok?” asked her husband. Her heart sank. “They didn’t open the box I had on the shelf, did they?”
“No I moved it out of the way”
“You didn’t read what was inside, did you?”
“Was I not supposed to?”
“No, it’s ok.” her voice trailed off, she hoped it would be ok. “I’m tired, I gotta get rest, ok? I love you.” Her telescreen went blank.
She looked wearily into her mirror.
Suddenly appeared the words ‘Death or Money’
‘Death or Money’? she said befuddled.
‘Choose Death to keep everything or Live and lose it all’ appeared.
---------------------------------
A pilot orbiting the moon hit his radio “Houston, we have a problem. There’s been an explosion on Moonbase Alpha.”

Happy new year!

Congratulations on getting married Jot!

Nail biter is good.

I had ideas of Synchronicity and/or serendipity and/or crossed wires

I guess whatever hasn’t been done already lately.

voted

Got a story in. Trying to explore the ethical issues with Brain Machine Interface but trying for comedic effect.

Justin sorry to hear, many condolences.

Overthinking It:

“And one more thing?”... the presenter paused for effect. “Our BrainLink will integrate seamlessly with ever evolving APIs being developed for thousands of different applications.” A graphic played behind her. The audience watching gasped in awe.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“Are you getting BrainLink?” asked Charlotte. “All the kids were talking about it at school.”
Charlotte’s Dad grimaced. “I’m not so sure it’s safe quite yet, Charlie.”
“People on SnapStream were saying it’s almost like having superpowers.” Charlotte mentioned. “Some famous people are even getting it. They never have to memorize their lines again.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“Introducing Brainlink Pro—your passport to a brighter, sharper, and more extraordinary future! Unleash Your Potential and Learn faster, think quicker, and be the best version of yourself. Never forget a name, a date, or a moment again. BrainLink Pro ensures your memories are crystal clear. Seamlessly integrated, undetectable to the world. It's like having a superpower you can't live without. Your privacy is guaranteed. With BrainLink Pro, you have total control over your data, ensuring your information stays secure. Join the millions who've already elevated their lives with BrainLink Pro!”
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“Bob, could you come into my office for a minute?” Mr. Voss asked.
“Sure thing Andy” Bob replied “what’s up?”
“Well, we’ve noticed a slip in your monthly performance. We need to get the numbers up next quarter or the market will clobber us. Our competitors are getting faster, we need to catch up.” Mr. Voss nonchalantly also mentioned that some of the other employees had recently gotten the “new brain chip thing.” That their job output was outstanding.
Bob sighed and thought “well, shit…”
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“What’s it like, what’s it like?” Charlie pleaded for answers. Her Dad had just gotten home.
“Well, not sure yet but I now know the names and stats of all the baseball players. and the football players.”
“Maybe you’ll do better on your fantasy league this year, honey.” Charlie’s mother chimed in.
“I hope so Jan, last year I got smoked.” He didn’t need to mention that his opponents all had been ‘enhanced’.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BrainLink’s CEO sat with a confident smile "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us today. It's my pleasure to present our quarterly earnings report."
As if by magic, a screen behind him came to life, displaying a graph that steadily climbed upward, showing skyrocketing profits.
"As you can see, BrainLink's performance this quarter has been nothing short of phenomenal."
The audience broke into spontaneous applause. "But it's not just about the numbers. It's about the lives we're changing. Our mission at BrainLink has always been to enhance human potential, and this quarter, we've done just that."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob shouted across the house “where’s my jacket?! The gray one”
Jan pushed a thoughttext back to Bob [It’s in the backroom closet sweetie] [you should download the Where’s my Stuff app it will help you know where everything is].
Bob thoughttexted back [thanks honey I’ll get that app].
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[“Our gray jacket comes in the perfect shade—sophisticated, adaptable, and effortlessly chic. Every stitch tells a story of meticulous tailoring, ensuring a fit that's as unique as you are.”]
["Lose 30 pounds instantly with SlimLink Eat anything, look fantastic!"]
["Experience TeleportLink and vacation anywhere in the world instantly!”]
[“Experience DreamLink—invite friends and family to join your dreams or explore their dreamscapes together!”]
[…]
[…]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“How do I turn off the spam?” Bob was on the phonelink with customer service. “I can’t get a moment’s peace, this thing is like a swarm of bees stinging my brain with ads incessantly. How do I stop it?!”
“I’m sorry sir, according to terms of service, you agreed to have third party advertisers send you ads.”
“I didn’t agree to that…”
“See right here” a screen popped up showing where he had agreed to third party ads.
“You can install our spam filter app. Would you like to try that? It is only $19.99 per month.” The customer service rep intoned by adding “we can throw in some LinkStreaming services for $29.99 per month total”
“Sure, anything to make it go away.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob read his monthly BrainLink bill. “$9.99 for BrainTax to the state. $5.99 to the county”
“Of course.” he mused.

[“Got an overdue thought-tax bill from Uncle Sam? Don’t overthink it! Call Sal, Tax Accountant. He’s got your back!”]
An ad got through the filter once or twice a day “Well, at least it’s tolerable now” He thought to himself.

I got one in this month! woo hoo!

Operational Plan Terra-pin:

Objective: Operational objective is to slow Sol-3 civilization by approximately 1000 Sol-3 revolutions. Current threat assessment project Sol-3 sentients achieving faster-than-light capability within approximately 1500 Sol-3 revolutions. Objective is to slow FTL achievement to 2500 Sol-3 revolutions.

Situation Analysis: Current threat assessment projects Sol-3 sentients achieving faster-than-light capability within approximately 1500 Sol-3 revolutions. Cultural analysis suggests Sol-3 civilization achieving FTL prior to 2000 revolutions will result in destabilization of the sector.

Cultural Analysis: Sol-3 civilization is overwhelmingly aggressive and militaristic. Delay in technological development will provide time to shape and pacify culture prior to FTL milestone.

Technological Assessment: With no intervention, at current technology trends, Sol-3 civilization will have reached interstellar travel within approximately 1500 Sol-3 revolutions.

Potential Courses of Action:
a. Natural Disaster: Induce widespread flood, earthquakes, meteor strike etc. to reduce Sol-3 technology level.
Pros: Rapid reduction in technology-level
Cons: Loss of Sol-3 life and environmental damage/ unpredictable outcomes more likely.
b. Communications disruption: Induce linguistic diversity and mutual unintelligibility in the population.
Pros: Preserves environment and lives with large impact on society hierarchical structures.
Cons: As Sol-3 is already linguistically diverse, marginal impact is expected.
c. Elite Capture: Establish discreet contact with select individuals from Sol-3 societies and hierarchies. Conceal our true intention. Share some advanced knowledge in art, sciences, and philosophy through cryptic writings or artifacts to steer technological timeline.
Pros: More control of timeline of development
Cons: Must maintain presence over long timeline
d. PsyOps: Use of subliminal and psychological manipulation to slowly pacify the more aggressive aspects of the Sol-3 culture.
Pros: Potential for long-term cultural shifts towards peaceful Sol-3 culture.
Cons: Must maintain presence over long timeline
e. Knowledge Deletion: Delete records from Sol-3 archival knowledge bases to slow rate of knowledge acquisition.
Pros: Preservation of environment while slowing technological growth
Cons: Potential adverse consequences of society devolving, becoming more aggressive.
f. Combination of above Courses of Action:
Pros: Potential to mitigate weaknesses of one approach alone
Cons: More coordination is required for effective execution.
--------------------------------

Commander Xylix looked up from the draft Strategic Analysis.
“We can’t do the flood thing again. Besides we signed the Interstellar Environmental Preservation Accord as well as the Galactic Non-Proliferation Pact which would make COA ‘A’ unfeasible. We overdid it a bit as I recall. The Galactic Federation put sanctions on us, remember?”
Sub-Commander Elyndrax suggested the comms scrambling course of action ‘B’.
Xylix replied “effects would be marginal as the Polluxians already did that a few thousand revolutions ago.”
Commander Xylix turned to her legal officer Dravax “Which courses run the least legal risks?”
Lieutenant Dravax stated “As you said ma’am, treaty obligations preclude a few options. Others require sustained presence and continuous evaluation. I would recommend a combination course of action.”
Commander Xylix turned to her Chief of Staff and said, “please draw up an order to get input from the staff elements on a coordinated plan of operation.”
-------------------------------

“General, we have engaged the enemy ships in the harbor. Unfortunately, the library has been set ablaze. We are still receiving initial reports.” the courier briefed.
“hmmmm, do you know if one ours set the blaze or one of the enemy’s?” The general mused.
“We don’t know, but we think it was one of our ships.”
“How many manuscripts were in the library?” the General asked.
“Our best guess is one hundred thousand.”
“My Gods, I hope it was worth it.” He said somberly.
“Oh Gaius, these things happen. But aren’t I worth it?” Cleopatra smirked while she stepped out from behind a curtain, doing a twirl and a curtsy.
“Yes, of course my queen. But all that knowledge destroyed…” he trailed off. “Where have you been?” quickly trying to change the subject. He smelled a faint hint of smoke. “Look, I have to talk to my commanders about the siege.” He glanced quizzically in her direction but then disappeared through the doorway.
Cleopatra looked into a mirror and waved her bejeweled hand over its surface and it suddenly lit up with strange glyphs. “Agent Kaelarax here. Mission complete. The Library of Alexandria has been destroyed. I will send you a full report shortly. Over and out.” She waved her hand again over the mirror. It deactivated. She made a mental note to herself. ‘Ceasar may still prove to be a challenge though.’

Speaking of Jury Dury there is a reality series on Prime (I think) that is called “Jury Duty”. Pretty funny. One of the jurors thinks it’s real but everyone else is an actor.

Hello everyone hope all is well. Welcome back Carrie.

Well shoot, now I feel I have to get one in, as I’ve been slacking last couple years.

So sorry to hear of Carrol’s passing. Many condolences.

Good stories all I’ll read through over long weekend.

I had thought to do a story on Money as having consciousness. With trend of programmable money where would that go? Would we end up with AI Money that has a mind of its own? But I could not quite get plot line.