Vesta
Coming of Age
The Characters
Vesta - Coming of Age - The Characters
There are many characters within the Vesta Books. We begin with the Miller family and their sons Jonny and W0ody who are graduating public school and preparing to challenge the citizenship exams. As the story unfolds we meet Jon and W0ods' friends and schoolmates living in the suburbs of Fremont, a city on Vesta's south pole known far and wide as the Center of the Universe. Jon is a human, almost thirteen and W0ody is the same age, a mech-boy, and Jon's creche-mate, a system often used to help integrate new mech people into human occupied society.
Jon and W0ody's parents are Augustus and Helen Miller, electricians.
Partway through the story W0ody receives an ancient smart tool with unusual attributes and a mysterious history.
Their friends, the 'Gang', include Jon's oldest friend Archibald Smythe, know as Abs, and KaiLin Lightfoot, Jon's neighbor in Helena crater, as well as many others.
Concerns about the state of affairs in the asteroid have caused a gathering of government entities, including Mechman Wi1liam Hard24Get MacHinery, a senior detective of Vesta's finest, and George Sealth, recently of Earth's Union Police, from the Pacific Northwest of the Americas, an odd couple indeed, who join forces to sleuth out the miscreants behind the cause of the troubles.
Finally, the big guns of the Federated Space navy step in to help, including the crew of the USF Green Bee, Torpedo Warfare Officer Lieutenant JG Brian (the Brain) Jefferson (also know as TOP), the Reactor Controls Assistant (RCA or Rock) Lieutenant Keo Campos, and Flying Officer WO3 0llie 0ls0n.
Vesta - Coming of Age - Where they live
There are many characters within the Vesta Books. They live in the asteroid belt, a region between Mars and Jupiter that contains a number of "minor planets and large rocks, down to dust and sand and rubble piles. This region is a place of strong harmonic gravity forces between the Sun and Jupiter, likely preventing the formation of a full planet at that location.
Vesta 4 was the fourth asteroid discovered, hence the numeral 4 after the name. It's gravity is 1/40th that of the Earth, which means a hundred pound human would weigh four pounds, and a 200# man, eight pounds. It does not have an atmosphere, and is the 2nd largest asteroid in the solar system.
In our story, it has been settled for over a thousand years, and most people live underground away from the vacuum and radiation of space. The largest city is Fremont, the Center of the Known Universe at the South Pole, near the major space port, the Bush, which resides on the high elevation of a monster impact crater rim (1/3 the size of Vesta itself), reducing the forces necessary for landing a spaceship on Vesta.
There are 400 million residents of Vesta, all called men, or Mankind, including human males, females and spectrum individuals, mechmen and all the rainbow spectrum. The ability to occupy the interior of the asteroid overcomes the smallish size of the surface area and with 24 hour sunlight available creates a net-sum-positive environment allowing the population to grow.
Vesta - Coming of Age - The Races of Man
During the fabulous Age of Colonization of the Solar System, the races of man expanded greatly.
The most important contributions to these events were the ascent of the intelligent machines and the maturation of genetic engineering.
With the Griffith Axioms demonstrating that cooperation between elements was the most effective way to raise the average welfare of each citizen, civil stability was pursued and achieved. The sub-corollaries of these axioms cautioned against the alternative paths towards predators and parasites, which in the short term allowed individuals to benefit by taking versus producing. This in turn resulted in the dynamics of offense versus defense at the edges of civilization, culminating with both active civil police forces and military to maintain the fabric of a wholesome stable society.
As intelligent machines were integrated within society, various customs developed. Robots were becoming "Mechmen", with an emphasis on "Man" to highlight their equal role to all "Men". All Mankind are generally believed to have 'souls'. Mech names started to incorporate one or more numerals in their given names to celebrate their uniqueness and value.
By the age in which the Vesta books are written, the races of man were many, as described below:
Human
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Heman – male human
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Sheman – female human
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Zeeman – human with self-identified gender
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CISman – human whose gender identity matches the birth gender
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Morphman – medically modified human
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G-man - genetically engineered human
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Homo – Human with no enhancements, or genetic modifications
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Splitman – Human with multiple personalities
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Dirtman – Human living on a planetary surface
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Hiveman – belonging to hive, subsumed intellect to the hive,
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Cogman – time share hive member
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Swarmman – Man with swarm of independent controlled non-intelligent entities
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Shaman – Purported ability to bend the Universe, possible hype, Urban Legend
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Spaceman – genetically able to live in vacuum unassisted.
Requires detached motive force and long-term protection
Animan - Intelligent animal with a soul, capable of communication.
- Very few, an eagle in Australia, an orca on Antiope, an orangutan on Demos
Mechman – Intelligent machine with a soul, usually with an independent body.
- They typically have a number in their name, with subsets below
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Charlie McCarthy – Robot, empty of soul, software mimics mankind, programmed to subvert mechmen
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Doppelganger – mechs who suck the soul of other mechs, and either replace them physically or take over the body
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SKIPS – mechman who leave human space without testing for citizenship
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DIMS – barely intelligent mechs who roam the outer reaches
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Gentleman - Gay-Neuter-Transgender-Lesbian- male or female identified mechman
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SFNX – Scientific Fourier Number Cruncher AI (Sphinx, Sphenges)
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MechMon – A scary apparition – Mechanical Monster
Borgman – synthesis of multiple men, of any race, multiple intelligence
eMan – lives as part of net
Vesta - Coming of Age - The "Gang"
On Vesta, due to the inhospitable surroundings, people are encouraged to grow up fast. Children are given opportunities, responsibilities, guidance and supervision to be ready for the rigors of adulthood by age thirteen. Strong habits, combined with critical thinking skills during their education produce people ready for more. It s at this time in their growth that they become eligible to challenge the citizenship entry tests, and that is a significant marker in their lives. By passing the preparatory courses and oral examinations, they earn their citizenship rights and responsibilities.
The following kids are some of those who have grown up in the Helena Crater Complex, went to school at the Ender Academy together and as a cohort are transitioning through this process:
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Krage and R0bbie van Wert,
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Obee, and Art! Okerman,
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Karmin and Tink3r KIllbill,
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Soo and S0o Lee
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Jon and W0ody Miller
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KaiLin and E3 Ching Lightfoot
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Archibald 'Abs' Smythe
Jonathon Hamilton Miller - Jonny, Jon
Jonny Miller is twelve, going on thirteen, with a birthday not too far away on September 27. He has dark hair and eyes and is somewhat slight of build and average height for his age.
His brother and running mate is a mech boy, W0ody. They share all their experiences.
He desperately needs to be his own man and afraid he won't be accepted as such. Part of this worry is he has not yet passed his citizenship exams and feels out of touch. His friends are all acting standoffish and his best friend, Abs, is so full of energy and ideas that Jon cannot keep up. Also, he is becoming intimidated by Abs and his confidence and money, being encouraged to try new things he isn't completely sure about. He finds himself pulled in many directions all at once but is trying to do the right thing and complete the exams before attempting anything else.
He finds himself constantly being distracted by the girls all around him and having difficulty focusing. His parents are no help.
W0odrow Wi1son Miller - W0ody, W0ods
W0ody Miller is twelve, going on thirteen, having joined the Miller family straight from the creche shortly after Jonny was born. He is a little over four feet tall, a friendly body whose torso is made from the rotor of an electric motor.
His brother and running mate is a human boy, Jonny. They share all their experiences. He identifies as male.
He wishes to join the community of man and works hard towards that goal. His Uncle Bi1l is always giving him encouragement, so he rolls along fairly happy.
His passion is all things motors, he can't get enough learning about motors.
Richard Smart Tool
Sometime in the 22nd century an undersea treasure hunter discovered some additional artifacts near where the Antikythera mechanism was found off the Greek coast. One, a tool in the shape of a mechanical awl drill and covered with the detritus of marine life, was liberated by an unauthorized member of the crew and ended up in a private museum. Generations later, a decadent descendant of the of the original perpetrator was hard up for cash and lost the piece over a debt.
With the story of its existence lost during the following centuries, it somehow resurfaced in a game of chance where it ended up in the hands of an asteroid rock hunter up in the outer belt, where it was finally confiscated as contraband by the Port of Vesta custom agents. A local constabulary of the police took a shine to the piece, and in another back room deal, acquired the piece as a gift for his nephew.
The tool was further worked prior to the gifting by installing the best of nano-technology and smart-tool money could buy, down in the dark bowels of Fremont by the King of the Swarm.
When given to W0ody, the tool and the mech quickly bonded, and the tool was renamed 'Richard' and became the pride and joy of W0ody's tool crib. The tool itself showed remarkable autonomous behaviors and life like responses and became accepted as a living being by his comrades.
Richard's only shortcoming, if you could call it that, was a penchant for bad jokes told badly and rowdy puns.
KaiLin Lightfoot
KaiLin is thirteen and anxious to complete school and become an adult. She is smart and trim and dialed in to the social scene. She is the next door neighbor of Jonny and they have known each other since forever, and they have a common friend with Abs, who has recently moved away.
Her parents are divorced and her father has disappeared and refuses all contact with KaiLin and her mother. As expected, this causes significant stress and some fears within KaiLin. She feels for Abs, because they both come from a recently broken home and they both share a passion for action and excitement and the latest trends.
Her creche-mate is E3 Ching, a quiet mech girl.
Archibald Abercrombie Smythe, Abs
Abs has just turned fourteen and is waiting for his friends from his youth to graduate so they can enter adulthood together. He is five foot two, and built like a gymnast, light on his feet.
He used to live in Helena Crater complex near KaiLin and Jonny, and thinks of them as his best friends. His dad, Harold Smythe, became very rich five years before as a glass artist who had rediscovered the techniques and elan of the ancient masters. He was most unusual in that he received both critical and financial success.
As often the wont of the newly rich, his parents subsequently became divorced and Abs became adrift in the riot that was Vesta's society. As his parents split up, his dad moved to the posh 'SnowMan" Villa complex in the northern hemisphere of Vesta. An additional travail for Abs was that his mech creche-mate Gr0wler had SKIPPED out the year before to the Citadel rather than graduating with Abs.
However, on a 'positive' note, Abs immediately became the richest kid in the school, and spent money and acquired as many friends as he wanted. Abs was allowed by his parents to pursue his passion for action and excitement and had very little patience for boredom.
Catherine Johnson, Cat
Cat is fourteen and has grown up away from the gang, and perhaps not on Vesta itself and has been held back from the normal progression in school. Her background is a mystery that she refuses to share. She has brownish hair containing small copper and gold highlights, with a slight frizz which causes it to stand out in a halo. Cat is perhaps a little more big-boned than the others, possibly from a greater gravity. She is unadorned, does not wear makeup and is not seen spending an inordinate amount of time trying to create a fancy outward appearance.
She too, is trying to pass the exams to become an adult, and joins the preparatory classes at Fremont University. She is quiet and reserved around the boisterous youth that are in the classroom, but finds herself willing to talk to Jon who is younger and non-threatening.
Cat is fiercely independent and walks her own path, seemingly more mature than her peers in the group. She is followed by a hulking pair of mechs, the Blue Brothers, Big Blu3 and Blu3ee, whom she seems to consult but the mechs but they appear to be mute.
She does not seamlessly integrate with the other students due to her strange , to them, behavior. Abs, in particular, ostracizes her. Her life, on the surface appears hard.
The Electricians: Augustus (Gus, Pops) and Helen Miller
Gus and Helen Miller are Jon and W0ody's parents living in the Helena Crater Complex near the intersection of Lincoln and Knight Roads. Their community is not the most prosperous on Vesta, two nearby developments have failed due to bad speculation in the recent past. However, they are steampunkers from another era and are content . Helen dresses up Victorian while Pops is always found with his exoskeleton leathers and steam augmentation neatly in place.
Gus is an old school tradesman working as an electrician on, and within, the infrastructure that supports the population of Vesta. He has an unbreakable habit of making "building character" comments to Jon to toughen him up and prepare him for the rigors of adulthood. He is friends with just everyone near, has a habit of being just about embarrassing to Jon as he glad hands everyone in sight.
Jon and he actually have a very good relationship, trusting one another completely, Gus imparting his hard earned knowledge, and Jon helping Gus keep up as the world evolves. Helen is semi-retired from old man Philips Electric as a Systems Control Electrician.
The Detectives
There are issues on Vesta, perhaps a precursor to system wide troubles, and the Belt Federation and the Earth Union have joined forces to combat the problems. And what an odd couple it is: a mech citizen and official Police Detective from the Belt who spends his off time doing stand up comedy (don't quit your day job, Bi1l); and a Earth Union Detective who is from a linage of heroes from the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest who has silently challenged the status quo while completely unaugmented. Who'd thunked it?
Wi1liam Hard24Get MacHinery (Wild Bi1l, Bi1lyMac, Uncle Bi1l)
Wild Bi1l is an outside of the box kind of guy, creative, somewhat frustrated by the constraints of society, stand up cop. He longs to be a full time comedian, but it just wasn't in the cards.
He is a fantastic, shape changing mech man, about 180 cm tall and 80 kg in mass. He affects wearing a hat at all hours.
His friendship with Gus Miller goes back quite a ways, and he has become the god-uncle for both Jonny and W0ody Miller.
Despite his somewhat excessive creative ways, he has become very successful and accomplished. He remembers vividly a caution he was told by Gus when they first met: 'If you act crazy, they will slag you and melt you down unless you are very, very good at what you do.'
Bi1lyMac's good humor however, has stood him in good stead throughout his life and career and allows him to continually strive against the travails of the Universe.
George Sealth
George hails from the Pacific Northwest coast of the Americas. He is but one of a long list of Heroes from his culture.
The civilization of the Peoples of the Northwest is as profound and sophisticated as anywhere in the world; full, mature and wise to the effects of the environment as well as the interactions of people. Two examples:
Economics
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Japan is a mature culture, their population is stable, their people wholesome. they have discovered that to keep a healthy economy they need to maintain local industry, and as such require car owners to replace their engines after 60,000 miles to create jobs.
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During the Great Recession, the US bought and destroyed old cars so people would continue to purchase vehicles from car manufacturers, retaining jobs.
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In the PNWest, the practice of Potlatch was observed, where the wealthy would gift to the less fortunate. It also encouraged them to destroy their best possessions, thereby creating more work to replace the property. This understanding of sophisticated economics predated Western understanding by centuries.
Environmental
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The population of the PNWest was fairly stable and they took pains not to overburden their environment.
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Local streams certainly could have been overfished and salmon runs destroyed, but they were not.
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Chief Seattle was recorded many times admonishing the newcomers to treat nature and their surroundings with care, for a healthy nature is essential to their own health:
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All things share the same breath - the beast, the tree, the man... the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.
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Man does not weave this web of life. He is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.
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Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.
George reflects this background: quiet, hardworking, cautious, and with hidden strengths.
George is smart, slim and athletic like a dancer, with black hair and eyes, a little short of six feet tall.
His friendship with MacHinery is astounding on the surface, they're being so dissimilar, but, upon reflection, shows the respect each has for the other's attributes. And, somehow, this has evolved into a trust in one another.
The Navy
According the the Griffith Axioms of Civilization, cooperation between members and groups is on the average the most successful strategy for an individual when in a net-sum-positive environment. However, the sub-corollaries point to the fact that is an advantage for a single individual to be a predator or parasite.
Therefore, successful civilizations spend common resources defending themselves from this predation.
Thus, the formation of the Federation of Asteroids Space Navy, or FSN.
Some of their ships are named after famous comic book heroes of the past such as the Masked Man or the Betty Boop,, but most are named after asteroids (comic book heroes can't vote for appropriations).
On board the Green Bee, three junior officers share the same small berthing space: Warrant Officer 0llie 0ls0n, a MechMan, who is the ship's First Lieutenant in charge of Deck Division and the ship's Flying Officer; Lieutenant Keo Campos, Reactor Control's Division Officer, a HuMan from Ceres, known as Rock; and Lieutenant Junior Grade Brian 'the Brain' Jefferson, Torpedo Division Officer, also known as TOP.
LTJG Jefferson has two unique qualities: he is the only MudMan, from Earth, serving in the FSN, and rather than having an engineering education, is both a Natural Philosopher and a Historian.
The Brain attempts to hold himself outside of the events of his age and see the big picture, but knows that he himself is often blind to his own prejudices, and as such, has begun the first steps towards true wisdom. He digs vociferously into the entrails of the past, from Hammurabi to John Stuart Mill, trying to tease out the interactions and relationships of the events recorded about our ancestors and how they pertain to today. He is often heard to state: 'Those who do not understand the lessons of history are doomed'.