The Trancendence Science Fiction Novels came from an original story written in 2017. It was used to provide the basis for a novel created as part of the National November Novel Writing Month whereby you join with millions of other authors in writing “your novel”. From that effort came the “1st Trancendence: Out of Order, finished in 2018 and the following year’s “2nd Trancendence: Crossing the Boundary” As it required creating a world of characters and language, I have developed a list of characters and a glossary of terms. Also, as far as possible, I have relied upon science to help it not stray too far into total fiction and have listed some sources. Here is the original story from which those novels began.
Fred and Ginger:
First Contact: The original story:
Fred sat silently, at the monitoring panel, staring at the vast void ahead, total darkness of space with the stars in the milky way developing into a glowing mass of swirling lights. It was the time every day when Fred managed to halt his daily maintenance schedule, keeping the fusion powered thrusters in tune and blasting them through space at almost the speed of light toward their goal: a meeting with beings from another planet. The only problem of course is that the other planet is over 100 light years away.
When their signal was first received at the Ariceibo station in 2021, it cause both panic and excitement in the world. A verifiable contact from a world that responded to our own signals. They had deciphered our radio signal, location and language. And so began a century of periodic conversation with the Neologues as they called themselves. We found them to be at a similar state of development but had yet been able to send or receive pictures of each others planet.
Advances in rocketry and private investment in space tourism, led to the design a 100 years later in the Arcielle rocket and space ship containing the 252 people who paid outrageously to be able to be placed in a tube, put into suspended animation, and then launched on a 50 year voyage to where we were to meet up with the Neologues. They were going meet us, half way. And so the Arcielle was launched on its journey in 2132 and was now approaching the rendezvous point.
In fact, medical science in the 22nd century had figured out how to put people into a type of hibernation where one years worth of metabolism was reduced to the equivalent of one week of normal life. In effect, after 50 years in space, the passengers would only have aged one year.
X719 walked into the control room. Fred called out, “ Hey Ginger, look at the dog nebula in all those purples and blues and reds. Aint it fantastic?”
I’ve asked you not to call me Ginger. Why do you do that?
Oh, its a joke given my name and your blond hair.
X719 was the latest in the line of humanoid AI Robots. Fred had helped design her before he was put into hibernation for the trip. Fred was an instinctive engineer who could understand and utilize all the latest in computer design and manufacturing tools to replicate and maintain any parts on the ship, including x719.
It was you who gave me blond hair, why?
I’ve told you, Astaire and Rogers. Fred and Ginger, get it?
Of course I know the connection to ancient video technology. But you are large and hairy and not, at all graceful like Astaire. And he was so…well, clean. So why did you design me like this?
Ginger, uh X719, I knew that after almost 50 years in and out of hibernation, I would be awake for much of this trip and so why not enjoy passing my time with the robot that keeps everything functioning. And that is your job which you do so well.
Yes, I agree. And while I work, I notice you spend more and more time looking at the screen of the view ahead.
Well, you could say I’m anticipating our rendezvous. It should not be too much longer before we are able to establish visual contact. And besides your internal regenerative battery means you dont really ever need time off.
So you made a robot that will take care of you and make your life easier. I thought this mission was about advancement of science and knowledge as well as a celebration of the human spirit..
Of course I’m here for those things too, but there are a few years of this still ahead and I need to prepare for first contact. Did you see the list of all the rules and regulations they require of us before we begin to wake up the passengers?
Yes, I can see how difficult it must be for a mere human to memorize a few words and act with logic and integrity. However, that is how I am programmed.
I did give you a few extra human personality tweeks though, and maybe now I’m regretting it a bit. Perhaps I should revisit your programming.
My programming is fine and yours? While you think of a clever response, I need to go to the passenger deck and check on the pods. There are a few showing some fluctuations in atmosphere inside their pods. X719 turned and headed through the door.
““You do that,” said Fred to her departing shape.” Ah yes, that very lovely shape, the one he had designed over 50 years ago. And x719 had been the most advanced humanoid robot, “humebot”, ever.
Musing to himself as he turned back to the panel of the space in front, he wondered not for the first time why he did have to have make her so attractive. There were still some lines not crossed in humebot/human relations. Although as the years passed, Fred was beginning to have some second thoughts about those lines. Anyway, X719 was highly efficient and independent and her ethics programming was actually untouchable, made so that she could not be turned into a weapon. Fred would just have to enjoy his Ginger joke on his own.
But he began to analyze how he might be able to get her to change herself.
As the months passed and the rendezvous with the Neologues grew ever closer. Fred had to begin the decision of when to reanimate other members of crew and passengers. But for some reason, he kept putting off the schedule. He did not want to give up his privacy and his increased focus on Ginger. It was becoming an obsession.
Fred, I have checked the reanimation schedule and we are now two weeks behind. I do not find any technical reason for the delay.
Ginger, please, I have told you many times that it is a complicated process of judgments ultimately. And I have not yet felt it was time. Besides I need you to help me recalibrate the containment field around the pods.
I did that last week. There were no problems. And I will not respond to being called Ginger. I am X719.
Well X719, I checked them this morning and it seems to have gotten out of whack again. I’m surprised you did not see it in your data inputs.
My data inputs are up to date.
Well come with me anyway and lets sort out the problem.
Fred led X719 into the Transportation tube (TT) which soon deposited them in the hanger holding the passenger pods.
See, what did I tell you, the air/nuriture monitor is showing a decline in pressure. We are starving them.
That is not possible I tell you, I have a regular routine that monitors all body sensors.
But look here and here. There are two who are almost totally depleted. Why did you not find that?
I, I, it’s not possible. There must be a problem in my hardware. I need to go offline to repair any circuits. I must return immediately to my regenerative unit.
After she had left, Fred reset the flow back to the normal levels of the passenger maintenance system, which he had altered that morning, and then headed towards X719s habitat. He did not pause at the door but put in his override code and entered.
X719, was nestled into the regenerative dock where all her systems were connected, monitored and updated, just as she was designed. She was expected to last the length of the voyage and back so had to be fully capable of self repair. She was in a deep sleep mode while the tech work was being done by tiny microbots flowing around her circuitry.
Fred walked over to the console and inserted a program stick into the docking device.
I cant change her ethics he thought, but maybe I can make her accept the idea of love and passion..
When x719 awoke, she was aware of some strange new awareness inside her. She could not understand how it happened, but she wanted to be immediately with Fred. She had almost a desperate need to be with him. She left the nook and strode through her quarters and out the door heading to the bridge.
Ah Ginger, good to see you. Did you have a nice regenerative nap.
I was unable to find any difficulty with my programming so believe I am in excellent shape. It still leaves the mystery of the monitor with the passengers. I will have to initiate a through technical review.
Ah Ginger, dont worry about that now. Why dont you sit with me for a while and we can look at the nebulae.
Well, perhaps you might find it helpful, however, I now realize I am unable to stay with you. I have such strong feeling for you and want to be with you so badly, that it is compromising my fundamental ethical overide program. This conflict within me between my responsibilities and a strange desire that I do not recognize, is frying my internal circuits and energy system. I am… beyond repair.
As the electronic light faded from her eyes, x719 slumped slightly, life leaving her beautiful face and body frozen. From within, the sound of her voice faintly said, “Good bye Fred. Just know that Ginger loves you.”