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Science Fiction

“We’re running out of time,” said Tanika Abe, recombinantly engineered descendant of Shinzo and Akie Abe, and general commander of the Oceania League on Japan.

Tanika and her techno-rationalist colleagues could hear the rhythmic drumming, ritualistic singing and blood-curdling war cries of the tribal hordes encamped outside the walls of the citadel. The Oceania League islands of the former United Kingdom and New Zealand had already been overtaken by similar sieges. 

The continental tribalists of Asia had grown bold over the course of the last five years and had commenced their steady occupation of Japan. Under the agreement between the tribal cultures and the Oceania League, techno-rationalist robot weapons could only be used against the tribal cultures if the latter developed technologies that would lead to the creation of societies with colonial designs. Such societies could result in the thwarting of the balance of power that existed in tribal cultures on the African, American, and Eurasian continents. All necessary interventions were taken to follow the imperative to steward the Earth in a way that guaranteed homeostasis between the tribal cultures and ensured the colonization of Mars. Now that the techno-rationalist mission was nearly over, according to the Interplanetary Manifesto, drone and robot sentinels were not to be deployed against the occupying tribalists.  

“We must launch Omai before the tribalists storm the citadel’s gates.” Omai, the most physically formidable, naturally-selected and genetically complete male primate specimen on Earth, had been transported to Japan from Madagascar, where the violent contests between his kind were staged. The results of the matches were announced to the tribalists for their martial edification. The tribalists’ spiritualism preached reverence for the ur-primates who were competing to become the sole male progenitor of humanity on Mars. 

“There’s no need to worry, general commander, the natives want to enslave the last of the Oceania League’s citizens, but their spiritualism predicts that their god will reach the red planet before they vanquish us.”

“I simply worry we will not have the opportunity to terminate our own lives peaceably. The tribalists will see Omai blast into space, but they will slaughter or rape and enslave the remaining techno-rationalists as soon as the walls of the citadel are breached.”

“Perhaps that is part of the prophecy they intend to fulfill as well, general commander.”

Tanika had devoted her life to the Interplanetary Manifesto, committed herself from an early age to becoming a scientist and stateswoman responsible for transmitting all the necessary components required for the continuation of post-terrestrial life on Mars. As averse as techno-rationalists were to violence, the elements, and hard labor, Abe wanted to painlessly and mindfully self-administer euthanasia before being raped then enslaved by the tribal horde. It was a tragic way to end her life, but one which would allow her to do so with dignity as her mission on the Earth came to an end. She had long been conditioned to accept suicide as acceptable under the circumstances she was now facing.

The Oceania League had already sent hundreds of insect species, scores of aquatic animals, and dozens of reptiles and amphibians to Mars. The spaceships containing these lifeforms were followed by spacecraft carrying precious cargo of rodent species such as mice and rabbits. The biosensing cameras of robotic rovers documented whether the colonizing species successfully adapted to the red planet. Three hundred years previous to the conveyance of animal life, a multitude of plant species amenable to Mars’ arid soil conditions had been delivered to the red planet.  

It had taken four centuries for ecosystems that would sustain larger mammal species to evolve. A pair of genetically retro-engineered saber-tooth cats, original-wolves and paired assortments of various retro-engineered avian species and wild herd animals were sent after it was deemed viable to do so. 

Eventually, three genetically engineered post-human females were transported to the terraformed red planet. Whereas Omai was a product of savage natural selection, a paragon of primate aggression, the post-human females had all been created utilizing third millennium genetic technologies. Whereas Omai was embodied aggressive physicality, the engineered females were cerebral to the point of madness. 

The female colonists had successfully landed on the red planet and all three were using their landing capsules as shelters. Along with the ur-primate, the engineered females contained all the necessary genetic information to repopulate Mars in a way that over the course of millennia would ideally reproduce the human diversity that had been present on Earth. 

On the lenses of her communications eyewear, Tanika could see that technicians were moving Omai from a holding cage into the spacecraft. The ur-primate had been tranquilized using a potent concoction of herbal extracts. As he was placed in the cage, Tanika could see his pre-human primate facial features: prominent zygomatic arches, heavy brow ridges, a low forehead and a sagittal crest that gave him a cranial aspect that exaggerated the features typical of a neanderthal. Omai was barrel chested and long-armed, but had dwarfish legs caused by a genetic feature extremely rare in humans. He was also a hirsute albino, nearly covered by snow-white facial and body hair. 

Given that the size of accommodations available for living cargo during space travel had changed little since missions had started transporting biological species to Mars, Omai’s living quarters for the next four months would be cramped. It was not known how he would respond behaviorally to long-term removal from the insular jungles he had inhabited on the island-nation formerly known as Madagascar. He would be transported to the general region where the post-human females had landed, each within 6 kilometers of the other. If the ur-primate arrived unharmed by the impact of the transport capsule’s crash landing, it was expected that the post-human females would eventually investigate the impact site, arousing Omai’s carnal curiosity, which would, in turn, lead to the first copulative acts between the pre and post human beings.      

After Omai had been secured in the spacecraft, Tanika, knowing that there was little time to spare, ordered the commencement of the one hundred twenty second countdown to departure. At minus 5 seconds, the rocket engines of the spacecraft were ignited by a technician. At 0 seconds, liftoff was accomplished. The rumble of the engines was accompanied by the cacophonous hoots and cries of the invading tribalists. Their god was soon aloft within the close-quartered confines of the spacecraft designed to deliver him safely to Mars. 

Tanika Abe recorded herself speaking a dedication for any techno-rationalists who might hold out against the invading tribalists, "With Omai’s arrival to the red planet, the edicts of the Interplanetary Manifesto and the mission of the Oceania League are fulfilled. Let us hope human existence on Mars is no worse than it was on Earth. In fact, despite techno-rationalist atheism, let's pray that the joys of the ur-primate's and post-humans' progeny will be greater than that of Earthlings, that the stewardship of Mars will be more mindful and empathic, that the violence and unreason typical of Earthlings in the Interplanetary Age will not characterize Martians when the time arrives to occupy Jupiter." 

July 14, 2022 01:01

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25 comments

Graham Kinross
02:59 Nov 25, 2022

“commenced their steady occupation of Japan,” are they all taking revenge for WW2 occupation? There are a lot of grudges against Japan for that. Doesn’t help that there weren’t many apologies for everything that happened back then. At the same time, Japanese people were in ‘internment camps’ in America and Japan had two civilian targets nuked. It’s all messed up. Men two old to fight in the U.K. were being trained for an expected Nazi occupation, to kill anyone who worked with the occupying force. “genetically complete male primate specimen...

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Mike Panasitti
16:51 Nov 25, 2022

Thanks for reading and commenting on this one, Graham. The occupation of Japan I picture here isn't in revenge for the WW2 occupation. In this sci-fi scenario, the only lands that aren't occupied by tribal peoples are the island nations of today: Cuba, Iceland, Japan, the UK, New Zealand, etc. All mainland land masses have become the realm of warring tribalists who are policed by drones from the island nations to make sure they don't develop firearms to upset the tribalist balance of power. At this point in the story, due to population ...

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Graham Kinross
21:35 Nov 25, 2022

I think Japan will have to become a more mixed population. The birth rate here is really low and the population is set to implode over the next couple of decades but they’re still wary of immigration and overestimate numbers of foreigners when asked. It’s the same old story and it is a big problem for the younger generations who have to support a huge number of retired citizens and have longer work hours than ever with less job security than ever. Other countries will be like this soon but Japan is furthest along that road. China itself will...

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Mike Panasitti
01:25 Nov 26, 2022

I've heard about the demographic decline of ethnic Japanese for over a decade now. I think it's quite a tragedy. Hopefully immigrants will acculturate and continue practicing Japanese traditions for generations to come (and beyond). I pray the population implosion doesn't translate into existential endangerment for the Japanese people. There should be a concerted global initiative to make sure that doesn't happen.

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Graham Kinross
04:10 Nov 26, 2022

Japanese people need to leave behind old stigmas for that to work. Someone asked my wife if our daughter is allowed a bank account being ‘half’ which would have earned a shouting at if I was there. It’s been a monoculture for a very long time and there are still a lot of cultural hangovers from that. You have to get Japanese citizenship to vote no matter how long you’re here. In the U.K. you only have to be resident for more than four years. It sucks not being able to vote but I’m not giving up my nationality for it.

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Mike Panasitti
17:12 Nov 26, 2022

You can't have dual citizenship?

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Jim Hirtle
00:20 Jul 21, 2022

Mike, I am not a reader of science fiction, and much of what you wrote zoomed over my head like the proverbial unidentified objects spotted in the skies after a Friday night football game and triple kegger party. Having said that, your storytelling flowed effortlessly. I anticipated the next paragraph till the end. Well done!

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Mike Panasitti
00:52 Jul 21, 2022

Thanks Jim. Hopefully if this story ever evolves into a novel, I'll give readers more time to process the dizzying speculation and science. I appreciate your having toiled through it!

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Daniel R. Hayes
05:33 Jul 20, 2022

Wow, Mike... this was awesome!! I can't tell you how much I love science fiction and I thought this was wonderfully written. You did a great job on this and I would love to see you expand on the idea and make this a series or something. I think it could work. Anyway, what a great read. Keep up the great work, you have a lot of talent!! :)

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Mike Panasitti
14:03 Jul 20, 2022

Thanks for the encouragement, Daniel.

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Jim Firth
14:13 Jul 16, 2022

Mike, Lovely stuff! The part that intrigued me the most was the terraforming of Mars over the centuries. You could devote many thousands of words to that interesting idea alone, but I like that you have thrown all these concepts into one story, so you can build from it in the prequels or sequels. I'm also intrigued to know what the offspring of the ur-primate and the post human women will turn out to be like! Great job :)

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Mike Panasitti
18:13 Jul 16, 2022

Yes, many thousands of words will be written about terraforming. Hopefully, I'll get around to writing them when I do the necessary research. I have an idea what the offspring of the ur-primate and post-human females will look and behave like. A sequel or two will address those events. Thanks for reading.

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23:26 Jul 14, 2022

This is an interesting universe you've built. I really like the idea of SciFi exploring a world where the existing global status quo has been radically shifted. I'd like to learn more about Tanika in the future and hear about her thoughts and emotions as a clone. Many possible paths to explore, cool to see you writing a new genre!

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Mike Panasitti
03:43 Jul 15, 2022

Scott, I've changed the conclusion, giving Tanika the final soliloquy. Hopefully that allows you a further glimpse into Tanika's character.

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04:41 Jul 15, 2022

It looks good. That's a clever idea.

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Michał Przywara
21:10 Jul 14, 2022

Oh, I don't think I've read a sci-fi from you before! This piece is heavy with themes. The big theme seems to be duality and unions, two things coming together to create a third. This is literally so on Mars, with the repopulation of the human species. This is symbolic in the union of the techno-rationalists and the spiritual tribalists. Even more metaphorical in the union of rationalism and spiritualism, coming together to make a whole human. And another way, we have post-humans and pre-humans making humans, and fleeing from Earth: progre...

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Mike Panasitti
23:48 Jul 14, 2022

Michal, "progress + regress = egress," I could never have better summarized the central equation to this story! Your discussion of the dualities in this piece is accurate. But there is no dialectical resolution to the most salient of them. Techno-rationalists and spiritual tribalists have mutually exclusive lifeways. The only genuinely tertiary form that develops from a union of opposites is when homo sapiens is reborn on Mars. Your critique is fair and deserved...too much exposition, but I wanted to finally write the basic structure ...

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Mike Panasitti
03:44 Jul 15, 2022

I tweaked the conclusion based on your suggestion. I'll further develop Tanika's character in the future. ; )

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Michał Przywara
21:14 Jul 15, 2022

Yes, I like this! She's facing her end, but she does it with head held high, full of hope for others. It's bittersweet, a sacrifice that's paid off. But I also love that last line! With that single word, "Jupiter", you've suddenly expanded the scope of this story dramatically and given us a heck of a cliffhanger. Now I'm wondering what Jupiter has to do with this, particularly paired with the word "occupy". Is this just a far future hope that Martians colonize Jupiter? Or is the whole Mars project part of a bigger effort, like maybe there's...

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K.J. Dyer
20:19 Jul 14, 2022

Well done. Really loved this story, I hope there are more adventures on Mars with Omai to come. Keep up the excellent writing. Big Fan.

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Mike Panasitti
20:34 Jul 14, 2022

Thanks for the encouragement. This is hopefully the first of a series. If all goes as planned, future stories will be prequels about the social circumstances and technologies that lead to this particular version of Mars' colonization.

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Aoi Yamato
03:23 Jun 05, 2023

very cool

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Mike Panasitti
18:53 Jun 05, 2023

I'd like to write more stories related to this one.

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Aoi Yamato
00:55 Jun 06, 2023

please.

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