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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query glossary. Sort by date Show all posts
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Friday, February 9, 2024
Immersion Chapter 15 The Ship of Sirens (Superstition)
Welcome to Immersion, you have reached Strata 15
Superstition is an evolutionary oddity which prevails in humans of all capabilities and cultures. We know through science that the future cannot be changed by specific habits whilst we see that the state of the present does affect future outcomes. This perpetuating anomaly fuels the fire of doubt. Humanity is burdened with unknown outcomes and a powerlessness for the individual to act sensibly and consistently on their own behalf. Daily life is a navigation through unexpected situations, expectations and outcomes. Intelligent machines test data as a matter of course and are not influenced by mythical scenarios. But still, superstitious actions persist like a magical force to buffer human doubt.
Maybeline jumped off Renyke's shoulder and stood on her hind legs twitching her whiskers towards the small boat.
Unsure if a droid could survive without a POS or in water, Renyke followed Flex's lead and they gently set the boat out into the waterway.
'What happened here?' Renyke asks, pointing at the knotted metal casings of old aircraft and skeletal flyovers. It looks like a war zone.'
'It was just that brother, a war zone. They left because of the gas and radiation, way back after the China-Russia wars killed everything off. Even the weeds stopped growing. It's OK now but they never came back to fix it. Not yet anyway, so the *urchs and *zoners made homes here.'
Renyke suddenly engages his arm extension and catches a fish. The POS is unavailable so he asks,
'Can I eat this? Is it safe?'
Flex raised an eyebrow.
'Man, you are fast, I didn't even see your hand move.'
A large fish is wriggling in Renyke's hand.
'Yes, we can eat the fish. Here, I will save it till we make......
Before Flex had a chance to mention a campfire, Renyke swallowed the fish's head and eagerly chomped on it. The fish's tail fin lets go of one final motor neuron impulse as Renyke devoured it.
'Ah man, you droids are sickos. Get me another for lunch, we can cook it, if you don't mind.'
Renyke collects a pile of fish onto the deck, separating one out for Maybeline.
'I never really ate before. Not since I woke in the Alley. Then I felt hungry.' explains Renyke.
'Something must have happened when you, ya know...' Flex trails off as a Large ship approaches.
'Ah *fuxywot, it's a cadre ship. Don't look, they will steal your dreams!'
The ship bears a large figurehead. There is a winged insignia in gold on a death black hull. A warning horn sounded as strange music bellowed with opera and drums. The noise was captivating as Renyke looked on.
Dark figures stood on the ship's deck wearing masks. They carried weapons and began to pound sticks on the deck as the ship sailed past.
'Who are they?' Ask Renyke.
'Stop staring,' Flex hisses, 'They hate being stared at. It's insulting brother.'
'But.....'
'Stop it!' shouts Flex splashing water in Renyke's face.'
The ship moved past, its black hull like a monster eating the waves.
Renyke now realized that he may have lost complete access to his internal GPS and other useful tools in his POS.
'Can we get any signal here for information? How do people get around and communicate? I didn't see you or Shabra with a personal device.' Renyke asks Flex frowning. His confusion seemed to be mounting.
'Well, see, this is the wild west my friend,' Flex answers, 'we don't have too much need for that stuff because that is how they catch you see.'
'Who catches you?' asks Renyke.
'Enemies of course. We have a motto in the zones, 'they who watch are boss.' You gotta be invisible Renyke. They're watching you right now on that POS you know. They know exactly who you are and what you are up to.'
'Some of it isn't working,' explained Renyke, in a concerned tone.
'Good,' said Flex, 'now let's get going'.
Maybeline jumped off Renyke's shoulder and stood on her hind legs twitching her whiskers towards the small boat.
Unsure if a droid could survive without a POS or in water, Renyke followed Flex's lead and they gently set the boat out into the waterway.
******
The small sailboat is dwarfed by an expanse of open water with inlets and makeshift jetties that jut from the coastline. There are remnants of industrial activity, torn and broken bridges, and old shipwrecks.
'What happened here?' Renyke asks, pointing at the knotted metal casings of old aircraft and skeletal flyovers. It looks like a war zone.'
'It was just that brother, a war zone. They left because of the gas and radiation, way back after the China-Russia wars killed everything off. Even the weeds stopped growing. It's OK now but they never came back to fix it. Not yet anyway, so the *urchs and *zoners made homes here.'
Renyke suddenly engages his arm extension and catches a fish. The POS is unavailable so he asks,
'Can I eat this? Is it safe?'
Flex raised an eyebrow.
'Man, you are fast, I didn't even see your hand move.'
A large fish is wriggling in Renyke's hand.
'Yes, we can eat the fish. Here, I will save it till we make......
Before Flex had a chance to mention a campfire, Renyke swallowed the fish's head and eagerly chomped on it. The fish's tail fin lets go of one final motor neuron impulse as Renyke devoured it.
'Ah man, you droids are sickos. Get me another for lunch, we can cook it, if you don't mind.'
Renyke collects a pile of fish onto the deck, separating one out for Maybeline.
'I never really ate before. Not since I woke in the Alley. Then I felt hungry.' explains Renyke.
'Something must have happened when you, ya know...' Flex trails off as a Large ship approaches.
'Ah *fuxywot, it's a cadre ship. Don't look, they will steal your dreams!'
The ship bears a large figurehead. There is a winged insignia in gold on a death black hull. A warning horn sounded as strange music bellowed with opera and drums. The noise was captivating as Renyke looked on.
Dark figures stood on the ship's deck wearing masks. They carried weapons and began to pound sticks on the deck as the ship sailed past.
'Who are they?' Ask Renyke.
'Stop staring,' Flex hisses, 'They hate being stared at. It's insulting brother.'
'But.....'
'Stop it!' shouts Flex splashing water in Renyke's face.'
The ship moved past, its black hull like a monster eating the waves.
The chanting echoed to the rhythm of the clattering and pounding of sticks. The sounds were petrifying and exhilarating all at once.
The women stared back at Renyke burning their energy deep into his soul until he finally looked away. Then he gasped as if their energy had made its way into his lungs. Water dripped from his nose and chin.
'You are going to get us killed, do you hear me....killed, a nasty slow death-by-siren, that's what.'
'But they were so.....'
'Droid got no clue,' mumbled Flex.
An angry wind rises as the black ship fades from sight.
The sky turns grey and there is a sudden temperature drop.
'See now brother, that's a curse for staring at them. Now we got a storm to deal with.'
There is a small inlet with an old pier that Flex points to.
'We should take cover, no point fighting a storm.'
'How far to Redact?' Asks Renyke.
'We are real close. See that island yonder, it's a peninsular. That is where Redact is. But it is tricky to get there by sea because of the rocks, best on foot my friend. Especially in a storm.'
Renyke is keen to get to the island. It would be a fast sail in the wind and the rain is light.
'I am a strong swimmer,' lied Renyke, not sure if he can actually swim without research or instruction.
'Hahahahahahahaha, what like some kinda reptile droid now are you?' Flex is laughing hysterically when he pushes Renyke just enough to scare him.
'Hahahahaha, what are you Renyke my friend, an amphibian or a smartphone?
The women stared back at Renyke burning their energy deep into his soul until he finally looked away. Then he gasped as if their energy had made its way into his lungs. Water dripped from his nose and chin.
'You are going to get us killed, do you hear me....killed, a nasty slow death-by-siren, that's what.'
'But they were so.....'
'Droid got no clue,' mumbled Flex.
An angry wind rises as the black ship fades from sight.
The sky turns grey and there is a sudden temperature drop.
'See now brother, that's a curse for staring at them. Now we got a storm to deal with.'
There is a small inlet with an old pier that Flex points to.
'We should take cover, no point fighting a storm.'
'How far to Redact?' Asks Renyke.
'We are real close. See that island yonder, it's a peninsular. That is where Redact is. But it is tricky to get there by sea because of the rocks, best on foot my friend. Especially in a storm.'
Renyke is keen to get to the island. It would be a fast sail in the wind and the rain is light.
'I am a strong swimmer,' lied Renyke, not sure if he can actually swim without research or instruction.
'Hahahahahahahaha, what like some kinda reptile droid now are you?' Flex is laughing hysterically when he pushes Renyke just enough to scare him.
'Hahahahaha, what are you Renyke my friend, an amphibian or a smartphone?
Hahahaha.
You wanna try that my friend you go alone with the rat on your head, and I will be on my way. I will see your insides washed up on the shore next week and use them for *swapsy-trade. Ain't no fool like a *midcast fool, fresh from the laundry room.'
Flex is no longer laughing. He is warning Renyke behind the joke.
Renyke thinks for a moment as the rain pelts.
© 2022 Tale Teller Club™
You wanna try that my friend you go alone with the rat on your head, and I will be on my way. I will see your insides washed up on the shore next week and use them for *swapsy-trade. Ain't no fool like a *midcast fool, fresh from the laundry room.'
Flex is no longer laughing. He is warning Renyke behind the joke.
Renyke thinks for a moment as the rain pelts.
© 2022 Tale Teller Club™
Links to episodes of Immersion written and illustrated by Sarnia de la Maré FRSA, published by Tale Teller Club
Strata 1
Strata 2
Strata 3
Strata 4
Strata 5
Strata 6
Strata 7
Strata 8
Strata 9
Strata 10
Strata 11
Strata 12
Strata 13
Strata 14
Strata 15
Strata 16
Strata17
Strata 18
Strata 19
Strata 21
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Carmilla, written by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu #sex #vampire #attraction #fiction
Carmilla, written by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, is an 1872 Gothic novella and one of the early works of vampire fiction. It predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula by 25 years1. The story is narrated by a young woman who becomes the prey of a female vampire named Carmilla, later revealed to be Mircalla, Countess Karnstein. Carmilla is a prototypical example of the lesbian vampire, expressing romantic desires toward the protagonist. The novella is often anthologized and has been adapted into various films and other media1.
Here’s a brief summary of the plot:
- The story is presented as part of the casebook of Dr. Hesselius, who is considered the first occult detective in literature.
- The protagonist, Laura, begins her narrative with her childhood in a picturesque and solitary castle in Styria. She lives there with her wealthy English widower father, who has retired from service to the Austrian Empire.
- When Laura was six years old, she had a vision of a beautiful visitor in her bedchamber. Although no wound was found, she claims to have been punctured in her breast. The household dismisses it as a dream, but security is increased.
- Twelve years later, Laura and her father are admiring the sunset when her father shares a letter from his friend, General Spielsdorf. The General was supposed to visit with his niece, Bertha Rheinfeldt, but Bertha died under mysterious circumstances.
- Unexpectedly, a carriage accident brings a girl of Laura’s age into their care. Her name is Carmilla. Both girls recognize each other from the “dream” they had when they were young1.
The haunting atmosphere, threads of eroticism, fear, and suspense make Carmilla a compelling and psychologically rich narrative. If you’re intrigued by vampire lore and Gothic tales, this novella is well worth exploring! 🌑🌹🦇
If you love reading and movies, check out my new TV series
GLOSSARY
Strata 1
Strata 2
Strata 3
Strata 4
Strata 5
Strata 6
Strata 7
Strata 8
Strata 9
Strata 10
Strata 11
Strata 12
Saturday, December 16, 2023
Strata 7, Book of Immersion V1, Jarome and the Scritters, (Trade and Barter)
Welcome to Immersion, you have reached Strata 7
Humans have developed uniqueness from animals through a process of cognitive evolution.
They are exceptional cultural learners and can read situations.
They are exceptional cultural learners and can read situations.
These skills have enabled them to develop complex trading tools. They rely heavily on these skills to create abstract cerebral and linguistic representations when placing themselves in various situations.
The cultural and socio-political environment in which humans have evolved has led them to acquire the cognitive skills, particularly mathematical, to support a sophisticated disposition along with a capacity for reciprocal cooperation. Humans understand conceptual ideas of property and exchange value.
The cultural and socio-political environment in which humans have evolved has led them to acquire the cognitive skills, particularly mathematical, to support a sophisticated disposition along with a capacity for reciprocal cooperation. Humans understand conceptual ideas of property and exchange value.
Humans are savvy, humans broker deals.
Outside there was an optimistic sun and the people bussied around the market unaware of any of the commotion that had occurred in the bank.
The POS informed Renyke that he had lost negligible battery power and there was no damage to his mechanical or bionic structures.
The robot-dog and the cat had waited patiently outside the bank and now trotted diligently at their owners' sides.
Maybeline returned to Renyke's pocket for a nap.
'You got my *bits?' asked the woman
'For nearly getting us killed?' Asked Renyke contemplating the difference between, irony, sarcasm and humour. POS began to explain but Renyke shut her out. He really did not want to know at this juncture.
To be continued
© 2023 Sarnia de la Maré
Outside there was an optimistic sun and the people bussied around the market unaware of any of the commotion that had occurred in the bank.
The POS informed Renyke that he had lost negligible battery power and there was no damage to his mechanical or bionic structures.
The robot-dog and the cat had waited patiently outside the bank and now trotted diligently at their owners' sides.
Maybeline returned to Renyke's pocket for a nap.
'You got my *bits?' asked the woman
'For nearly getting us killed?' Asked Renyke contemplating the difference between, irony, sarcasm and humour. POS began to explain but Renyke shut her out. He really did not want to know at this juncture.
'Listen Mr. whoever you are, there's many a hiccup ahead. You are in the *zones now, you need to get used to the hiccups. 'Sides, I gotta feed my cat. She aint no robot like that mutt.'
The robo-dog gave a little yelp and lowered its head in shame.
Queenie's cat moved closer to Renyke and sniffed the air for any scent of lunch.
Renyke took something from the bag, the smallest nugget he could find, and handed it to Queenie.
'That is very generous of you,' she said, taking the payment and subtly raising an eyebrow with the tiniest of smiles. The payment was excessive and the cat would eat for a month. Renyke was none the wiser.
Then Queenie was gone, running into the crowds as lithe as the cat behind her. A blue feather shimmied to the ground. For some reason Renyke was compelled to pick it up and put it in his pocket where Maybeline wrapped it around herself.
Back on the main street Flex approached smiling and jaunty. Renyke was reassured to see him.
'I need a vehicle Flex, something to get me to where I am going,' said Renyke.
'Yes, yes, yes Mr. Leather Man, where you goin' is where I'm goin'. Let's find a veee-hicle. Jerome, he is the car man, he got cars, and bikes and scoots..... and copters, and airships so they say.'
'Take me to Jerome,' said Renyke.
Flex took Renyke into a disused concrete building as the robo-dog curled up and waited outside.
There are the echoes of voices, activity and motor engines being revved from another part of the building. There is a smell of fuel and mumbled communications. Somewhere too there is music.
Flex beckoned Renyke to Jerome's office, a ramshackle room filled with books. More books than Renyke had ever seen. Books were no longer used in most homes or schools and the paper shortages after the warmings had meant that they were no longer being produced commercially. Paper had become heavily taxed and there were also problems with scritters.
Scritters were large crawling insects that had been genetically modified in a laboratory by the Russian military. They were a fusion of a cockroach and a wasp but there wings had become almost defunct in the process. They could get a few feet above the ground but not for very long. Scritters were highly protective and thus easily trained.
They looked deformed with big insect heads and metal body parts. At birth scritters are born with a soft back. They seek protection from any material that offers a hard shell. Because of the huge landfill areas all around the world, the rubbish of hundred's of years had provided the perfect materials for protection. Plastics and metals were abundant in the *fills and the Urchs and Scritters were generally seen sifting through the piles of discarded trash looking for their personal treasures.
Back on the main street Flex approached smiling and jaunty. Renyke was reassured to see him.
'I need a vehicle Flex, something to get me to where I am going,' said Renyke.
'Yes, yes, yes Mr. Leather Man, where you goin' is where I'm goin'. Let's find a veee-hicle. Jerome, he is the car man, he got cars, and bikes and scoots..... and copters, and airships so they say.'
'Take me to Jerome,' said Renyke.
****
Flex took Renyke into a disused concrete building as the robo-dog curled up and waited outside.
There are the echoes of voices, activity and motor engines being revved from another part of the building. There is a smell of fuel and mumbled communications. Somewhere too there is music.
Flex beckoned Renyke to Jerome's office, a ramshackle room filled with books. More books than Renyke had ever seen. Books were no longer used in most homes or schools and the paper shortages after the warmings had meant that they were no longer being produced commercially. Paper had become heavily taxed and there were also problems with scritters.
Scritters were large crawling insects that had been genetically modified in a laboratory by the Russian military. They were a fusion of a cockroach and a wasp but there wings had become almost defunct in the process. They could get a few feet above the ground but not for very long. Scritters were highly protective and thus easily trained.
They looked deformed with big insect heads and metal body parts. At birth scritters are born with a soft back. They seek protection from any material that offers a hard shell. Because of the huge landfill areas all around the world, the rubbish of hundred's of years had provided the perfect materials for protection. Plastics and metals were abundant in the *fills and the Urchs and Scritters were generally seen sifting through the piles of discarded trash looking for their personal treasures.
During the Russia China wars scritters had been used to carry tiny incendiary divides on their backs as they were not affected by the nerve gases. But after the wars, the scritters had bred like wildfire, devouring paper and trees and nesting in book spines where the glue offered a perfect cocoon for pupae. Whole libraries had been mutilated by them. They were a scourge on the planet and another reason so many houses were built on stilts in the *Midcast Projects as scritters were terrified of heights.
The more paper they ate, the more they reproduced. Books and paper matter that had not been digitally copied had been devastated and lost forever.
'A car you say?' asked Jerome. 'I got plenty, but the fuel....we got no fuel. We are working on some alternatives, but all prototypes so far. They cut off our fuel after the riots. And the food supplies. I have been missing gummies, I loved those.'
Renyke nodded as Jerome continued....
'Transport is a big problem. You'll be better off walking, my friend, if you can get through the tunnels. But there are booby traps all around the perimeters here in the zones.'
Renyke checks the POS for details but the tunnels are unchartered.
'A car you say?' asked Jerome. 'I got plenty, but the fuel....we got no fuel. We are working on some alternatives, but all prototypes so far. They cut off our fuel after the riots. And the food supplies. I have been missing gummies, I loved those.'
Renyke nodded as Jerome continued....
'Transport is a big problem. You'll be better off walking, my friend, if you can get through the tunnels. But there are booby traps all around the perimeters here in the zones.'
Renyke checks the POS for details but the tunnels are unchartered.
The POS seemed to be struggling with connection and was operating intermittently.
'I have a hybrid cart,' continued Jerome. 'It runs on solar but only for about 3 hours per full charge if you do under 40km. And if it is a cloudy day, an hour. I can let you take it for 3000 G-bits. It won't get off the ground without jet fuel but it can drive on flat ground well enough. It doesn't hold the road so well, but if you are a good driver, it won't be an issue.'
'I have a hybrid cart,' continued Jerome. 'It runs on solar but only for about 3 hours per full charge if you do under 40km. And if it is a cloudy day, an hour. I can let you take it for 3000 G-bits. It won't get off the ground without jet fuel but it can drive on flat ground well enough. It doesn't hold the road so well, but if you are a good driver, it won't be an issue.'
Renyke asks POS how to drive it but it is glitching again.
'Can you drive?' Renyke asked Flex.
Flex laughed... 'Of course I can. But how far we going, might be better to get a horse'.
'Can you drive?' Renyke asked Flex.
Flex laughed... 'Of course I can. But how far we going, might be better to get a horse'.
Renyke couldn't tell if Flex was joking or not but either way, the prospect of travelling on horseback was not something he relished. He was starting to get a sense fatigue after the fight in the bank despite high battery levels.
A scritter crawls across the floor and Jerome stamps on it. A black tar oozes from under his foot.
Jerome sees Renyke might be changing his mind about the deal.
'I will take TELL You got some TELL?"
The POS gets a signal......
...TELL: abbreviation of Tellurium, found in copper ore. Used in mobile phones, especially older versions where it was added to other metals improving their strength and hardness and reducing corrosion. Rare due to demise of traditional copper mines.
Renyke, feeling confused about whether to get the vehicle and how much the exchange was worth, asks POS for advice.
I am not programmed to have opinions and am unable to make a useful prediction using probability. I do not have access to data about the vehicle, it has no computerised system. The seller seems to be shield protected and I cannot assess his reliability. But Redact is within easy walking and running distance for a Mark 3 such as yourself.
Renyke looks at Flex and then at Jerome. A scritter is crawling up his boot and he throws it off with a kick. He feels a rising panic and a thumping in his chest which he does not recognise. Why was it so important that he not make a mistake? Why was he not able to understand the virtue or danger of the exchange?
Finally Renyke says, 'I will run.'
A scritter crawls across the floor and Jerome stamps on it. A black tar oozes from under his foot.
Jerome sees Renyke might be changing his mind about the deal.
'I will take TELL You got some TELL?"
The POS gets a signal......
...TELL: abbreviation of Tellurium, found in copper ore. Used in mobile phones, especially older versions where it was added to other metals improving their strength and hardness and reducing corrosion. Rare due to demise of traditional copper mines.
Renyke, feeling confused about whether to get the vehicle and how much the exchange was worth, asks POS for advice.
I am not programmed to have opinions and am unable to make a useful prediction using probability. I do not have access to data about the vehicle, it has no computerised system. The seller seems to be shield protected and I cannot assess his reliability. But Redact is within easy walking and running distance for a Mark 3 such as yourself.
Renyke looks at Flex and then at Jerome. A scritter is crawling up his boot and he throws it off with a kick. He feels a rising panic and a thumping in his chest which he does not recognise. Why was it so important that he not make a mistake? Why was he not able to understand the virtue or danger of the exchange?
Finally Renyke says, 'I will run.'
Jerome shrugged his shoulders and stamped on another scritter mumbling, 'time waster,' under his breath.
Flex, looking aghast at the prospect of a run, sighed, 'Man, that is not a good idea, *wheelin is safer my friend. It's a good deal!'
Renyke turns to leave the enclosure becoming irritated by the pestering and standing his ground.
Flex mutters in disgust, 'Brightside fucksyfool....'
To be continued
© 2023 Sarnia de la Maré
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