RETECH
Founded in 2189CE, by a small group of bunker fugues, former researchers, and prols, this organisation’s goal is to leave a record of the last stages of Homo sapiens. We will continue to gather information, retrieve data, and collect field samples for as long as this is possible. Data and information is presented here and sat-cast to whomever may receive. Samples, if alive and deemed non-threat, are boxed to limit further threat and collect further data from observation and mechanical means. If samples are deemed a plus high risk, they are silenced. Tissue and cell samples are stored, gene-logged, and cultured until data is collected.
After the glitch and the final collapse, most rec-stores were either destroyed or lost. What we present here is the rebuild effort to the best of our skill and ability. Plus-note, this is not meant to be the singular historic notation, but may very be, simply do to lack of survivors.
Notes: The Institute is housed in former bunker-plex A14497 located in the Rockies of northlands in Oceania. This area was not nuke cleansed and largely left non-scorched due logistics and luck in the final year of the Conflict. Weather alterations have made this region nearly uninhabitable by Homo sapiens, and shunts the growth of many hybrids or biomechs. Without the plex the members of The Institute would have never survived.
This is our record of the Conflict told mostly from data gathered from the stores of Oceania/Ingoc and some from Eurasia.
The Institute
In him we pinned our hopes. From the first day humans became sentient we have feared death and dreamt of immortality. The time has come to pass, our understanding of life, our technology, our morals, our brains… all have evolved to the stage where it is time to leave the human body. We are now moving into a new hybrid arena retaining parts of the flesh to keep the brain comfortable and connected with its new cybernetic home. In this manner we can move closer to immortality. A life unfettered by the fear of the inevitable collapse of the human form. Death will no longer inspire us to war or step on others in a mad grab to attain power and material wealth as fast as possible. We are now free from these constraints to spend our limitless time in pursuit of the continuum of the universal knowledge. We are now able to pass the barrier of time itself. - M. Nole, opening speech, RailTech Industries development conference, 2091
121102
SPECIMEN 137
Corroborating data shows that EW Railtech's division ReTech created a wetware research facility in New Pac using a century's old data tech facility. Communiqués that survived the Glitch detail funding of this unit and multiple vectors of development to arrive at a wartime solution expediently with minimal resources. A few journals and other communications such as lab notes have survived as well in the personal belongings of refugees from New Pac after the nuclear sterilisation. (Note: Media cover-up from Ingsoc's New Thought lists this attack as one of the prime proofs of the Prol attacks from Eurasia.) No clean DNA sample survives showing the initial contaminating organism. Nor is it clear if Specimen 137 is an example of the initial contaminate. However, it is certain this is a direct descendent of the initial organism.
Ingsoc’s SOP was to erase and rewrite records in accordance with policy. The Archive has had to assemble this entry piecemeal from ancillary sources. (Full disclosure, much of what follows is second hand.)
Specimen 137 is the end result of a commissioned wetware field device code named: Sporecore. While this is currently the only complete example of a gem. 2 Sporecore currently on file. There are, no doubt, some Spores still in the zones, EW Railtech did make every effort to eradicate them. But, once a living organism comes into existence, it will always choose life at all costs.
137 Seems to be at stage 3 of development. Sporecores were seeded into a zone via atmospheric distribution. Once a spore found purchase it would germinate and phagocytize to a custom created zooid or social amoeba. If conditions were right the organism would begin development of specialized individuals to form a pseudoplasmodium that served as a centralized intelligence. This hybrid was essentially a colony of individualized autonomous human neurons bound in a cell membrane similar to a slime sheath. Leaching nutrients from the local attachment the pseudoplasmodium would assess the location and begin a mode of specialised individual development to form tendrils, eye organs, and protective spore ejaculates that contained concentrated aconite (neurotoxin). Once secured the Sporecore aggressively cocooned, calcifying a hard outer armor.
"Sometimes things just do not go as planned." This was the final conclusion of report 90Z4/RED33 AKA Specimen: 137. Details have been omitted and lost to time, details such as the names of the team, exact location of ground zero, the complete extent of biological contamination. But it is clear, the loss of containment regarding Specimen 137 is the root cause for the warhead strike and quarantine of much of the New Pac zone above the 47th.
At this stage the Sporecore connected to the neural net and began seeking net connectivity to perform its primary function of data gather and node interface. It is noted that the this process is the laboratory and field test ideal scenario. However, the aggressive behaviour of the pseudoplasmodium colony quickly turned the Sporecore development into an internal nightmare for both EW Railtech, the ReTech division, ground operatives, and indigenous organisms of the deployment zone.
There are several accounts of a Sporecores attaching to animal hosts in sleep performing autonomous control of the body. This carried over to humans as well. Even alliance field operatives were affected by the unrelenting performance of the pseudoplasmodium’s interface and alacrity. When project termination commands were issued the autonomous units already on net. Allowing termination was counter intuitive to self preservation. The Sporecores fought back. Entire Zones were sterilized.
hivemind
The HiveMind The eventual outcome of any event can never be fully realized at the beginning. Such is the case with the Hive. The ReTech division of EW RailTech was a forerunner in wetware integration. Their R&D budget was a full 50% of total internal resources, external contractors added to that acceleration. Nano integration eventually formalised with neural interfacing. But not before mistakes were made. Never officially deemed a mistake, the Hive was mysteriously silenced in 2091 with no further internal documentation. Fossil records are not so kind. The Hive fast tracked evolution and eventually barely resembled a human except in the most shell-like manner. This specimen is such a case. This hive evolved in a non-aggressive fashion using bio and tech resources piecemeal. Never prone to direct attack unless the queen (medulla oblongata) was threatened. This Hive is still alive and has maintained continual operation for well over 130 years. It has refused all forms of communication and has gone into a sleep mode, willingly, to transport it to the archive. No doubt other docile examples still exist in the wild having drawn minimal attention to themselves; Unlike the parasites, syncasters, and attack units.
Portable Incubator 27J
The general category of Incubator spans a fair number of growth chambers produced by EW Railtech under their wetware devision ReTech (e.g.: r’tech cir: 2059 - 2101).
Portable Incubators were small data storage and retrieval units initially created to address field command data needs by both government and indie contract units. After the blackout of 2079 and subsequent mag disruptions it was found the portable units to be far less susceptible to rolling or spikes.
Demand raised production in a time when resources were severely strained. Harvesters were used to mine low field ruins and previous landfills to help accommodate the lack of capability in many of EW Railtech’s areas of production. Incubators followed some basic design norms set in the decades previous: human neural interfaces, preconscious cortex, amniotic feeds, external sensory deprivation.
Production suffered from lack of of mechanical standards. Wetstores were healthy while interfaced with substandard mechanics. In retrospect little is needed to see how the cascade failures began. At the time, field agents were trying to fight a war of attrition with an insurmountable lack of physical support. Supply lines were choked as well. Once initial formatting took place, the failing infrastructure created the problem that developed in the late 90’s. The resultant conflict of 2100 is no surprise to any historian.
Displayed here is a Model: 27J. A basic 2PB foetal unit with pituitary stunt. These models typically performed with unlimited read/write cycles for 8+ years. (Rated for 10, guaranteed for 6.) This model, given the hacks and cobbled hardware, is thought to be from the late 2070’s, NA continent. Without notation, its tech is not officially known. Given signature patterns of wiring (wet and copper) it is thought have been hard connected and maintained by the operator simply known as D. (D worked primarily out of Central City 141 at the Arches facility.)
Note: A heartbeat is maintained here only for historical reference. This unit has been silenced.
Portable Incubator 57T
Displayed here is a Model: 57t. A basic 2PB foetal unit with standard pituitary stunt.
These models typically performed with unlimited read/write cycles for 8+ years. (Rated for 10, guaranteed for 6.) This is another example the institute has of a latter cycle (2070-2080AD) unit that was cobbled together under the direction of, or directly by, the tech operator known only by D. As referenced in other documentation, D worked primarily out of Central City 141 at the Arches Facility. Some signature uses of technology that denote this as a D piece: exposed foetal unit, silicon sinew, broad range of materials use, and low power consumption. D was masterful in tech integration and maintained a very high efficiency factor during and after the intercontinental conflict. While other divisions of EW Railtech folded or were completely canibalised after the Glitch, the Arches Facility continued for nearly 35yrs before finally succumbing to the ban.
Notes: Unit Silenced 11.14.2191, DNA on file #471B-33901, heartbeat maintained for historical reference.
General Reference: Portable Incubators
The general category of Incubator spans a fair number of growth chambers produced by EW Railtech under their wetware devision ReTech (e.g.: r’tech cir: 2059 - 2101).
Portable Incubators were small data storage and retrieval units initially created to address field command data needs by both government and indie contract units. After the blackout of 2079 and subsequent mag disruptions it was found the portable units to be far less susceptible to rolling or spikes.
Demand raised production in a time when resources were severely strained. Harvesters were used to mine low field ruins and previous landfills to help accommodate the lack of capability in many of EW Railtech’s areas of production. Incubators followed some basic design norms set in the decades previous: human neural interfaces, preconscious cortex, amniotic feeds, external sensory deprivation.
