Author's Note: I've been so busy lately that I don't have time for anything other than taking the bus, going to college, being tested, taking the bus, eating, studying, watching Cardcaptor Sakura, and then sleeping. The last three days have been difficult and intense for me.
XXX
Chapter 5: Two Everyday Technologies
Plot : In this section we talk about two forms of technology present in the lives of all the inhabitants of USKY
XXX The Eternal Dress: Genesis and Technology XXX
The invention of the Eternal Suit (or Eternal Suit) is due to the genius of Bruce Bel Bahamut Belmont, the galactic expert on the biology of the Klyntar (the alien species commonly known as Symbiotes).
Thanks to his extensive research into the biomorphic properties of the Klyntar, combined with his past collaboration with the Fantastic Four—from which he learned the secret of Unstable Molecules—Belmont succeeded in synthesizing a revolutionary technological fabric. His hobby as a haute couture tailor also played an unexpected role in the project's genesis, originally conceived to support his first friend and future adoptive sister, Luz Noceda, in her clandestine Cardcaptor activities. This sartorial tradition was later inherited and carried on by his eldest daughter, Adara B. Kurata.
Today, the Eternal Suit is an integral part of the USKY neonatal protocol. Every citizen, at birth, receives four fundamental state treatments:
- A gene therapy for total immunity to disease.
- A sub-occipital neural chip against mind control.
- A smart ink ID card imprinted on the back of his left hand.
- The Eternal Suit grafting.
Technical Features and Functionality
The Eternal Suit is a special alloy covering that accompanies the citizen from birth until death. Its primary functions include:
- Self-Maintenance: The fabric is completely self-repairing and self-washing.
- Life Support: Offers optimal thermal insulation, ergonomic comfort and an integrated first aid system.
- Safety: Provides ballistic protection against civilian-grade weapons and transmits a military-medical emergency signal in the event of fatal trauma.
- Geolocation: Allows the authorities to constantly track the individual.
XXX Civil Regulation and the Fashion Economy XXX
To prevent the collapse of the galactic textile industry, the Crown has imposed severe limitations on the Eternal Suit's morphing software. While the military (especially Stealth and Black Ops units) enjoy complete freedom of metamorphosis, built into their neural chips, the civilian population is subject to severe economic and technological restrictions.
The H-Band System and the Tech-Keys
Civilians without a military chip control the Suit's cosmetic changes via a wrist-worn device called the H-Band (or Holo-Band).
- Fashion-Type Tech-Keys: Clothing stores no longer sell physical items, but stylized data keys known as Tech-Keys. Each key contains the source code and design for a garment.
- Memory Limitations: Standard government-issued H-Bands only have 9 memory slots. To change styles, users often have to overwrite old programs, retaining the physical Tech-Keys (which thus become valuable assets, subject to theft or wear and tear).
- The Industrial Monopoly: Blight Galaxy Industrials sells elite H-Bands with as many as 90 memory slots, a luxury item for those who demand a limitless wardrobe. As a result, walk-in closets at home have been replaced by bookcases or briefcases filled with Tech-Keys.
The Return of Traditional Tailoring and Social Status
The real fabric has not disappeared, but has evolved into a symbol of immense elite prestige.
- High Fashion: Traditional tailors create real physical models that are then scanned to generate the Tech-Key programs. Creators receive an automatic royalty on every key sold.
- Physical Suit as Status: Members of high society configure the Eternal Suit to take the form of simple underwear, then wear over it astronomically expensive clothing made of real fabric.
Cultural Value and Royal Tradition
Since both the First and Second Kings of USKY are historically fine tailors (known for personally tailoring the wedding gowns of their daughters and sisters), traditional tailoring is considered the noblest of the fine arts.
- The Duty of Nobility: Every true noble of USKY, regardless of gender, must demonstrate the ability to weave at least one scarf. In aristocratic families, the sartorial talent of the second-born is celebrated as much as mastery of the sword or music.
- Courtship Rituals: On many worlds in the Realm, hand-crafting a dress and giving it to someone is equivalent to a formal marriage proposal. The colors, cut, and geometric patterns convey extremely complex messages of love or political alliances.
Fiscal Note
The Eternal Suit is not a free service. Upon reaching adulthood, every USKY citizen is subject to a redemption tax. Given the population's extremely long life expectancy, the payment is spread over 240 monthly installments, each worth the equivalent of a hearty lunch.
XXX Power supply in the USKY XXX
Sustaining a multi-species population of twelve races, spread across 500 worlds and stationed on countless space stations and Astra Navis fleets, represents one of the Kingdom's greatest logistical challenges. To meet this need, USKY's food supply chain has been categorized into three distinct tiers: Real Food, Synthetic Food, and Omni-Food.
Real Food (Traditional Agriculture and Magitech)
Real Food is the product of traditional organic farming and ranching methods, adapted to an interstellar scale.
- Agricultural Worlds: Entire planets converted to primary production, characterized by large estates and grazing areas as large as metropolises.
- The Methodology: The process combines advanced technology (irrigation drones and automated monitoring) with esoteric disciplines. Magitech Pillars protect the fields from the elements and pests, while the Druid Arts are used to infuse life energy directly into the soil.
- Economic and Social Impact: This is the slowest and most expensive method in the universe, but also the most profitable for producers. Real Food is a true luxury good. High-end restaurants employ elite chefs to enhance these raw materials.
- Affordability: An average citizen with an average income can afford a Real Food dinner about once a month. Prices drop significantly for those residing on an Agricultural World or having family ties in the sector. Consuming Real Food daily is the greatest boast for Viceroys and Planetary Governors of rural worlds, while the Governors of Factory Worlds consider these rare shipments a veritable delicacy due to the less frequent logistics routes (a privilege reserved for Interstellar Trade Nodes).
Synthetic Food (Cloning and Cell Cultivation)
Synthetic Food represents the Kingdom's main source of mass sustenance, produced by both private giants and state-owned mega-structures.
- Laboratory Skyscrapers: Production takes place inside vertical biospheres and ultra-high-density automated warehouses.
- Cultured Meat: Meat is produced in vitro from basic cell samples. USKY's cutting-edge facilities are capable of generating tons of muscle tissue very quickly, without the need to slaughter live animals. Small specialized agencies clone neonatal animals and then raise them to adulthood; this method offers synthetic meat indistinguishable from real meat, but it requires a long time (several years) and extremely high sales costs.
- Accelerated Cultivation: Fruit, vegetable, and legume seeds are cloned on an industrial scale and planted in nutrient-saturated hydroponic substrates. Climate-controlled greenhouses use Magitech Crystals that replicate solar frequency and Druidic magic, dramatically accelerating the growth cycle (reduced to just one night).
- Yield: A single laboratory skyscraper has the production capacity to feed an entire planetary region. The taste is inferior to Real Food, but the drastically reduced production costs make it accessible to everyone.
The Omni-Food (Amelia Blight's Revolution)
Omni-Food is considered Amelia Blight's scientific masterpiece, the technology that virtually eradicated the plague of interstellar famine.
The Genesis: The inspiration came during Amelia's adolescence when, along with Bruce Belmont, she watched old Earth-based science fiction series featuring machines capable of conjuring meals out of thin air. The final piece of the project was suggested to her years later by her eldest daughter, while they watched the animated classic Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
The System Components:
1) PNB (Nutritional Blight Pasta): A concentrated organic mix, sold in industrial cylinders for families or in small disposable formats similar to potato chip bags.
2) FNIB (Nutritional Fabricator Instant Blight): A 3D super-printer combined with a portable biochemistry lab.
3) Tech-Keys Type Food: Data keys containing the programming codes and molecular profiles of the recipes.
- Operation and Taste: The user inserts the PNB and Tech-Key into the FNIB synthesizer. The machine chemically manipulates the pasta, recreating the texture and flavor profile of the chosen dish. The result is a nutritious meal but with a generally bland flavor, a synthetic taste that citizens become accustomed to over time.
- Logistics and Social Welfare: Thanks to the negligible cost of Blight paste, Omni-Food is the primary source of sustenance for orphanages, remote military garrisons, and families in dire financial straits. The greatest expense for the end user is not related to the raw material, but to the maintenance and repair of FNIB machinery.
XXX Biological and Cybernetic Augmentations XXX
Within the U.S.K.Y. and its divisions, scientific development has led to the coexistence of two distinct branches of artificial evolution and enhancement of the body: Cyberware and Bioware. Understanding the structural and functional differences between these two technologies is crucial to defining the operational capabilities of personnel and the armed forces.
Structural and Functional Differences
The primary distinction between the two systems lies in the very nature of the augmentation, its composition, and its impact on the individual's body:
- Cyberware: Composed entirely of inorganic elements. This technology physically replaces an original organ or limb with a synthetic or machine-like counterpart. Aesthetically, cyberware is often visible from the outside and can drastically alter a person's appearance, making them visually more machine-like. On a biological and mental level, heavy cybernetics is more psychically invasive and carries a greater risk of rejection.
- Bioware: Based directly on an individual's anatomy and physiology. Rather than removing or replacing the original body part, bioware enhances existing biological functions through genetic engineering or nanotechnology. This classification ensures minimal to no visual impact, making it ideal for discreet enhancements or infiltration purposes. Working in harmony with the body's natural processes, bioware is less psychologically invasive and less susceptible to rejection than cyberware.
The Role of Ripperdocs
Advances in computer technology have created the need for highly specialized professionals to manage these systems.
- Definition and Duties: The Ripperdoc is a specialized medical technician who works directly in the augmentation field. Their primary role is the installation, repair, and guided maintenance of all cybernetic implants inserted into subjects.