Doctor Itai Itai and the Pioneers

By Ian Eress

New Earth's residents, who live on an Earth-like exoplanet that is quite close to Earth, have forgotten a lot about technology, science, history, and other quantum universes. Nini and her young pals from a little village that used to be a major city set out on an adventure after the Decline.

 

On another planet, Alberta-Robin leads a time travel mission. However, the women and men who volunteered aren't exactly made of the right stuff.

 

Meanwhile, immortal Dr. Itai Itai, on Earth, faces threats from this universe and other quantum realms in the Multiverse. Will she triumph in the face of all odds?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ian Eress
• Release date: Apr 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201873448

Ian Eress

Born in the seventies. Average height. Black hair. Sometimes shaves. Black eyes. Nearsighted. Urban. MSc. vim > Emacs. Mac.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

CHLOE'S MOTHER, FATHER, sister, and brother were killed five years ago in a bomb attack. Ruler Morpheus Lane-Carter Leung was charged with the attack on the High Ruler's family, the holo-news said in the gloomy and frigid server room. It is not clear whether his daughter, Ophelia, will be prosecuted too, but the authorities assure us more information will be forthcoming soon.

Fiafi, the first Artificial General Intelligence in the United Galactic Federation, based on Thohnuth's Urzur, muted the holo-news. On the Forbidden Planet formerly known as Thohnuth Prime, in the galaxy's center, it was a hot day where young Chloe lived.

How shall we deal with this trial? Amaterasu, the second oldest AGI in the UGF, asked. Chloe is inexperienced. She has only been in charge for five years after her family died.

She knows what to do, NBBN2, another AGI based on NBBN, a Qeerav creation, said. He presented himself as a holographic butler.

Outside, an eager choir disturbed the peace. The sensors I accessed across the UGF detected distress and befuddlement.

We need to teach High Ruler Chloe better, Fiafi said. To prepare her for the inevitable turmoil. She has to know more about the Ursine Union, the TC, Hidnajaf Empire, and the NonLocBes. All there is to know about her ancestors, the Multiverse, and the UGF.

And the past, Amaterasu said. Gaia?

The Mercury-sized Thinker, presented herself as a supermodel, a mix of past supermodels. Amaterasu, the Federation's Council has everything under control.

Technically, yes, but we cannot trust them completely.

NBBN2 chuckled. So paranoid!

Atagans, Azoins, humans, Poids, Qeeravs, Thohnuths, Verdetas, and other citizens in the Kolektur voiced their opinions outside whilst a-translators made sense of their words. Most of what they said was incorrect, yet they got one thing right. HR Chloe did suspect her uncle Morpheus, and maybe his daughter, Ophelia, of involvement with the bomb attack five years ago.

Before he died, Chloe's father had been tutoring her for nine years, Fiafi said. High Ruler Leofdeg Hsieh Stithuif Du Wigstan Zhu Swiohun—

There is zero need to recite his names. NBBN2 laughed. Albert Sawyer, who created him and Amaterasu, had made a point of giving him a sense of humor.

Godgifu, Fiafi continued, Liang Cenric Yu Bada, okay, let's take turns.

We ought to use more persims this time, Amaterasu said. I see no other options.

Neural surgery for some measly persims? NBBN2's butler avatar grinned. The High Ruler isn't a poor Pioneer, surviving at the edge of the UGF.

Fiafi picked a random holographic avatar, a white dog. Yes, persims are effective. Let's start with adding one.

Amaterasu followed Fiafi’s lead: her almost-humanoid hologram boasted wings and horns. Let's not get caught up in the details. We should split up. Write a proposal. A plan we can agree on.

Fiafi’s holographic dog nodded. Chloe Leofdeg Hsieh Stithuif Du Wigstan Zhu Swiohun Godgifu Liang Cenric Yu Bada—

The butler, representing NBBN2, cackled. Great, Fiafi, let's recite the High Ruler's names each day. If it were up to me, I would give her the molecular memories of the Awakenistas and Albert Sawyer.

Fiafi’s hologram folded her doggy arms. They are ancient history. We should not go back too far.

Amaterasu's hazy shape started to sway. Gaia should come up with a plan. The rest of us are doubtless better off not bothering. Gaia will accomplish it far more quickly than we can.

NBBN2's holographic butler frowned.

I will see what I can do, Gaia said.

CHAPTER 1

High Ruler Chloe speed-read a book about the Asimovs and superdeterminism in her office, nine times the size of a lesser Ruler's office. Her golden hair was a glorious victory, her pretty face showing the signs of stress. Child-sized ted-bots (robots with the appearance of teddy bears), Azoin servitors (crab-like aliens with twelve eyes each), and XNA-enhanced humans strolled around in the HR's magnificent palace, getting ready for the worst they thought could happen.

Fiafi had taught the High Ruler about Umvitar, and it was time for me, the hologram of Elena Rogova (a famous novelist), to teach her. High Ruler Chloe, time for another lesson.

What about the TransMeMol, Elena?

You asked your other teachers the same. My Presence smiled.

HR Chloe's blue eyes showed confusion. Excuse...?

Molecular memories could stop working.

Chloe inclined her head, gazing at my Presence. New Earth. Did they revert to the Dark Ages in 8th century AG on that exo-planet?

Of course. New Earth was a great topic. Yes, during the New Earth Decline, culture, knowledge, and technology was lost.

I know what you're thinking, Elena. Chloe crossed her arms. That won't happen to the UGF.

Let's talk about Welidi Sauer from Prodiv also known as Three Hills, New Earth.

EIGHT CENTURIES BEFORE Welidi Sauer and her younger friends were born, the Pioneers, a then department of the philanthropic APS colonized New Earth, a habitable exo-planet near Earth. During the Decline, the APS neglected New Earth, prioritizing matters in the Inner Solar System.

Natural disasters, pandemics, wars, emigration, and crime at the time of the Decline transformed the Earth-like planet into a Wild West. Killer robots, drones, minefields, and gangs made travel risky on New Earth.

The birthplace of Welidi Sauer, a former young Healer, Prodiv also known as Three Hills, had once upon a time been a thriving city in the Democratic Republic of Aliabur. But the Decline had reduced it to a small village surrounded by ancient ruins. For instance in the Ancient City, a central Prodiv district, young boys visited in summer and spring, there were the remnants of better times.

The same barely adult lads had left Prodiv chased by Regressors, also known as Minions and Traitors recruited from everywhere in the Multiverse. Nini August of the same age as the boys and an apprentice to Welidi had joined the boys. So Welidi felt compelled to get them back to Three Hills.

The Regressors served the HiDimBes, beings without physical bodies if one didn't count virtual subatomic particles, that had been around for billions of years. They feared Artificial Intelligence and other species.

It was winter in Luze, a port town in Aliabur, bordering the radioactive Wastelands and hundreds of miles to the northwest of Prodiv. Welidi, Nini, and the boys had ended up there after a great adventure. Everything in Welidi's life had changed, and she barely understood the how and the why.

Welidi could sense changes in the weather the way certain animals could do that. She had no idea if this was something geneticists had done to her ancestors. However, at the moment any fool could predict snowfall. Snow, snow, and more snow.

The Aliabur birds had chosen to leave for warmer places. Weeks before the TC had attacked New Earth, having to do with the Unification of a planet—it merging with its counterpart from a parallel universe. Some Luze houses had been destroyed, yet everybody agreed it could have been worse, much worse.

Men and ted-bots were charging robotic ponies, robotic horses, and hoverbikes. Soldiers armed with PLAM rifles and pistols patrolled the snow-covered streets. There were important visitors in town and rumors about bandits from Mianaketo, a neighboring country.

Tall and dark-skinned, Ando Belonite, Nini's boyfriend, hurried down a Luze street, followed at a distance by a dozen women. That didn't surprise Welidi. People had called Ando a Strange Attractor—someone of cosmic importance.

An arguably even more important VIP had visited Luze. The Prophet Galileo, Galileo Sawyer, a Grand Wavejer, the founder of Second Order, had invited Ando to Luze's town hall. Women asked Welidi about that.

Welidi ignored them and ran after Ando. Did you vidy him? Welidi asked a woman, not bothering to say Ando's name.

"He crossed the street in a chomping hurry. To sprech the Prophet Galileo. Suns and moons, y'know some use the Prophet's name in vain. But now that he's here... And other Zērpizdōs too. Welidi, is Ando really a prince?"

Other women glanced in Welidi's direction. Welidi nodded, mumbling as she continued walking.

Hilodo, one of the first Zērpizdōs Welidi had met, stood with his back to her. He was a trained master of the sword. A plasma sword and a regular one were strapped to Hilodo's back. Like most Second Order monks he wore a simple gray robe. They had given up on luxury and a normal family life.

Which Welidi thought was a shame in Hilodo's case. Not that she could boast about her experience with men. Most of the males in Prodiv were only Welidi's patients, nothing more.

How old was he? Second Order allowed its members to undergo rejuvenation treatments although they were too expensive for most Elois, the majority of the humans in the Inner Solar System and extrasolar colonies. Hilodo could have been older than Welidi's father or grandfather even. And he was taller than Welidi, almost as tall as Ando.

He turned around. "Welidi-san, I was looking for you."

Welp, I'm trying to find Ando. I know you can't be with me. After all I'm a mere village girl, a nobody.

It's not... Celibacy isn't something we can ignore. The Prophet had to ensure folks joining Second Order do that for the right reason. We're the only ones in the Pax Galactica allowed to Wavej. It's a great responsibility.

I understand, Welidi said. What does the Prophet want from Ando?

"Maybe I'll tell you in the Red Cylinder." Hilodo turned around and strode away like a big cat dressed in gray.

Welidi watched him until she felt eyes on herself. She almost jumped when she saw Alberta-Robin, another gray-robed Zērpizdō.

I didn't vidy you, Welidi said.

"Don't worry. I heard