OOC: This is a placeholder for the new thread of Avahur's new character, Calafalas, run by Tadeusz.  :)
This message was last updated by the GM at 02:24, Sat 22 Apr 2017.

You're called by your friend Jim to come problem solve on his new computer.  When you get there, the front door is open, but he doesn't answer so you go in to the smell of ozone tang.  On the right wall, above the TV, his zwiehander is not resting in its accustomed cross bars, but is gone.

On the table, an opened computer is spread out.  Looking at it with interest you spot a bit of yellow liquid on the motherboard.

"Jim," You yell thinking he's in the bathroom. "I found your problem."  Someone had gotten some liquid on the chip, very careless.

And then an electric arc leaps out from the motherboard toward you...

=======================

Waking, you feel fine, but chill, and your back is on a hard surface unlike Tom's carpet.  A smell of grease is in the air, and a deep, pervading silence hangs about you.

Ouch. What is that smell?

I open my eyes.

Guess I'm not in Kansas anymore? Zap and now I'm here.  Did I reincarnate? Or transmigrate, perhaps? Am I now the main character of a web novel? I wonder if I have plot armor. Maybe both?

I get up and raise an eyebrow as I look around to see what my new environment is.

I sigh. I hate the cold.

I also pat myself down, making sure I've got everything.

Wallet, keys, cell phone, glasses, and... gum? Am I still wearing the same clothing?


OoC: As I don't believe I have mentioned what I am wearing, I shall put it here. My default attire when not at work at this time of year is khaki cargo pants, a beige long-sleeve t-shirt, a sky-blue sweatshirt (pullover, fleece), a teal jacket (fleece on the inside), with gloves in the pockets (with that material on it so you can still use a smartphone with gloves on). Black socks and black shoes with white bottoms (white nike icon on the sides). As I am perpetually cold. Anything below 80 degrees fahrenheit is generally too cold. 75+ is acceptable with my current outfit. Above 85 some layers might be removed, but to give you a better understanding.

You're on the verge of shivering.  Its about sixty Fahrenheit.

You're laying on a black floor in an aisle between metal boxes on rails, with more boxes behind them.  Rails inset into the floor run the length of the aisle as well.

The grease smell comes from the shiny rails.

The boxes are locked with prominent locks.

You have your clothes and stuff.

Glancing further at the boxes brings your attention to the nuclear radiation symbol, and the contents of the boxes line..."U235".  The one next to it says "Plutonium."

Oh. Crap. Is this the point where I get super powers and officially ascend to MC status? Or maybe become an acolyte? Bah, time to leave.  Wait. Language. It's in English? Huzzah, no trouble communicating with the locals.

"Hello?" I whisper. Good, I can speak still.

I walk around, trying to find people, an exit, or what passes for an administrator's  office, something with clues to where I am.

It's really cold.  If I transmigrated, or reincarnated, which I can only assume to be true as this doesn't look like a morgue, so it is unlikely I died from that shock. So, if I left where I was, then it's likely, at least, as far as all the novels and games I've read go, that I'm no longer on Earth.  Let's assume that humans exist elsewhere and that English developed as a spoken language, or at least a language with words that are similar to English exists, even if not specifically called English. Technology is suitably advanced to mine Plutonium, U235 is  probably some other element, and it's likely that I'm in a warehouse or manufacturing plant. High technology suggests magic wasn't developed, which is unfortunate, but yay for the familiar, I suppose. Unless of course they harnessed magic with technology and use some hybrid to mine - it would also presumably help with containment. No info to suggest that is true, so we'll shelf that for now.  Hah, shelf.  Punny. Should I try magic anyway?

I stop in my tracks and think for a moment. Nope. I continue walking around trying to find an office.

In reply to Cala (msg # 5):

At the end of the long warehouse? you see a door with the letter 'B' on it.  It slides back.  On the other side, you spot another long warehouse? and a robot putting a box into a shelf just like the previous ones.

The robot turns to you after putting its box down with a heavy, clunking noise.

"Yes, Hidalgo?  How may I help, ser?"

B is for Bats. Or for warehouse numbers, or lettering, I guess.

I look up at the sky, trying to get an idea of if I'm on a planet or perhaps a space station, or other non-terrestrial facility.

"Hidalgo? No Hidalgo here. Or at least, I am not he, or she, or it, or whatever Hidalgo might best be represented by."

Ooh, robot. Definitely not on Earth as I knew it. Transmigration: Confirmed.

"Was wondering if you could answer a couple of questions for me? I seem to have gotten lost and may or may not have lost part of my memory in the process."

Here's hoping the laws of robotics are still in play, because this could end terribly if they aren't. Also, I'm hoping the whole getting lost and losing part of memory helps explain why I'm here... wherever this might be. Would hate to end up in a restricted area right after I transmigrated, that'd be rough to explain. Especially to a robot... unless they're like the Geth? Well, like Legion, geth, not reaper geth.

<If robot agrees>

"Where is this place, and what is this facility called? Also, could you direct me to the administrator's office? Or to whomever oversees this facility?"

<If robot disagrees, doesn't respond, or only answers one question and ignores the rest>

"Very well then." I leave and explore the area, trying to find an office, a person, or a more helpful robot.

In reply to Cala (msg # 7):

It listens.

"Ser must need medical attention.  It seems best to avoid offense by assuming ser is Hidalgo until otherwise known."

It thinks, and walks slowly toward you.  Its bipedal, skinny, and shiny.

"Please come with me, ser.  You are on the Riches of Radioactivity in Great Noble and Hidalgo Robolord Alcatan's ship in the Spring Caravan. We are currently 1.24 million miles from Earth, heading inbound."

It holds out an arm.

"Lean on me, Hidalgo. I will take you to Honored Doctor Esteban."

Oh, a race of people or nationality? I see.  Maybe they are a type of human or look similar to humans? Might as well pass as one. Almost like I was Leylin Farlier¹, except I don't have an A.I. Chip bound to my soul.

"Oh, right. The Riches of Radioactivity." I say, not convincing at all.

I lean on the robot. "Let's go see Honored Doctor Esteban."

Over a million miles from Earth.  Wow. Wonder what's going to happen when they find out I don't have a passport on hand.  Nothing good.

"Hey, uh... robot. What year is it on Earth?"

I wonder what's going to happen. What if there's an alternate me on this version of Earth? Or rather, what if there was? It'd be pretty hard to explain what a supposedly dead person is doing on an inbound ship. Similarly, what if said alternate version of me is a criminal? Or a war hero? Or some other person of renown? Or even if they aren't anyone special, what if they are known to specifically be at some other point in the universe, as evidenced by what passes for media these days.  So many potential problems.  Oh wait. What if my doppelganger is working the customs or inbound travelers? That'd be awkward. Maybe he'd cover for me? I'd cover for me, and probably him. Maybe. Probably. And what was that guy's title? Robolord? Bet he's got some fancy stuff. Would hate to work for him, probably super sleazy, and no one that chooses the name 'Riches of Radioactivity' has good taste. Assuming he chose the name, which he might not have.  Could be like that ship, qwib-qwib².

My thoughts and speculations keep me company as we walk.

---

1. Leylin Farlier is the main character of the web novel Warlock of the Magus World.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
http://www.wuxiaworld.com/wmw-index/

---

2. Admiral Zaal'Koris is a Quarian from the Mass Effect series (Mass Effect 2). His  ship is the Qwib-Qwib.

The robot leads you to a sliding door marked with 'A', and beyond that to a storage area for recharging bots, and then a small room with armed with axes bots, milbots or axebots.  And then through a work area with bots repairing bots.

"It is the Year of Our Lord 2914. Hail the RoboEmperor, Great and Mighty Hidalgo."

And then through another door with giant batteries on each side of you.  Batteries the size of semi trucks.  Bots are moving the other way, carrying things, or checking data on tablets.

You've walked a quarter-mile straight, so far.  You pass through another door, which is guarded by four milbots.

A dozen 'fishbowls' the size of small cars with a human floating in them, making gestures, and causing little lights to sparkle at each gesture line the walls of this room.

Beyond this is another door marked. "Lev 1 Control", and you pass thru it, and on the far side is a door to your left marked 'Infirmario', and on the right 'Doctor Esteban'.  The bot has stopped.

"Unless you request it, Hidalgo. I am not allowed to go further." The bot says.

So, this is weird. 2914. Very far in the future, it is conceivable AI was created, then eventually took over, SkyNet and all that. I guess I don't have to worry about this being a future of my old earth's system. I doubt records would be kept after 900 years or so, and that is assuming it's only been 900 years.  Who knows how long this 'RoboEmperor' has been around for.  Maybe it's one of the first robots, and when it established its reign it reset the calendar to 1. Maybe it has been ruling for nearly 3000 years, and in that case, my dna wouldn't be around or important enough. 3000 years after it started its reign, which may have been several hundred years after I transmigrated.  That's not a thing to worry about, but still have  to worry about the doppleganger.


"Mmm. Thanks."

I walk through the door, curious about who Doctor Esteban is and if the doc is a robot or some variety of human.

All these robots... and those humans in the fishbowls back there.  Here's hoping humans aren't slaves... or at least that the whole race isn't slaves. Slavery doesn't bother me if I'm not the one enslaved, but I'd hate to arrive only to be thrown into slavery. So, maybe the doc isn't actually a doc but is an engineer instead? Engineers seem like a logical equivalent for doctors when all their patients are robots.  Is it a robot engi, or perhaps a human?  Who  knows...

In reply to Cala (msg # 11):

You walk in, and the first thing you smell is good coffee.  A man is sitting surrounded by number of machines leaning in on him.

He sips his coffee, waves at one machine, adjusts another, and then turns to you on his solid looking but spinnable stool.

"Have a seat." He snaps his fingers, and a door in the wall pops to the side, and another stool zips out.

"I'm the Most Learned, Deeply Honorable....blah, blah, but forget that nonsense.  Just call me Doc. I haven't seen you before on the RR. Tried to skip out on your physical exam?  Its required.  We don't want a viral outbreak on board, or for you to fall over from some easily cured malady."

Watching the stool zip out.
"Nifty."

I raise an eyebrow at the doctor.

"Hey Doc, you ever run into spontaneous translocation? Because that's pretty much the case... and then some. And by some, I mean somewhere between 900 and 3900 years plus possibly a universe or two."

I do a brief gesture in his general direction.

"That mumbo jumbo you just mentioned means pretty much nothing to me."

I look at him for a moment.

"Oh, I figured I'd just be up front about it rather than going through the whole 'who are you, why are you here, why aren't you in the records' thing. Cala, don't know, see above."

I take a seat.

"Also, who or what is a Hidalgo?"

In reply to Cala (msg # 13):

He blinks.

"Ok. Friend." He moves slowly, and several machines follow his motions.  Different lights on them blink, and he nods, and nods, and looks puzzled.

Then he orders different machines to lean over you, and check out different things.

"Very odd."  He pauses.  "You might be telling the truth.  I'm not really equipped to say for sure, but from what I can check, your story adds up."

He frowns.

"No. We believe that any form of translocation, or warp travel is totally impossible except at the quantum scale."

He rubs his face, and pulls out a drink from under his desk.  He opens it, and you smell alcohol.

"A Hidalgo is a Human member of the Robolord empire, also called a Robolord.  Viruses were nearly conquered by the late MilOne, ah, first century of the third millenium since the Christ.  But then in the Years of Anarchy, all sorts of bioweapons were created and released.  Now, we have them mostly controlled, but still, no one wants a dead ship with no humans on board.  And as to maladies, well you'd be surprised at how many people ignore their body until they fall down. Need to take care of yourself.  Sleep, exercise, good food."

"I'm a medical doctor, and have earned some titles of respect, but in private, I like to keep things relaxed.  Patients relate better to 'Doc' than Most Learned and Deeply Honorable, Scholar of Scholar, Teacher of Healing, Skilled Healer, Grand Doctor and Robolord and Hidalgo Esteban."

"Oh. Wow."

I take a moment.

"That is a very, very long time from when I was last.  I'm not even certain this is the same universe, but it doesn't really matter. I'm here now. Seems I've got nothing but time, so by all means... let's have a physical.  How are they done these days?"

Wow. That's.. more years than I can reasonably add up quickly. at least 4000, probably more? Math is hard, whatever. I wonder if I can get myself an A.I. chip, or at least an AI of some sort. Would be super nifty.

"Also, we're en route to Earth, right? I'm probably going to run into problems once we arrive. Any chance of helping me out?"

In reply to Cala (msg # 15):

He smiles with a bit of malice, and tells you to hold on to a metal handle presented to you by one of the looming machines.

And then you're stress-tested.  He checks your pain threshold, runs up your blood pressure, deprives you of oxygen, pumps your arm full of lactic acid like you'd been doing extreme exercises and checks your grip strength.

After five minutes, the handle lets you release your hand as it was overriding your nerves.

"You're in acceptable shape for space travel, and for defending the ship against pirates."

He shakes his head 'no'.

"We're an Empire.  We're used to incorporating odd native populations into our mix.  As long as you're in space, you'll be an honorary Hidalgo, and once you get to Earth or the NEO colonies, you'll be an Imperial citizen.  Just obey the laws because the punishment is quick and harsh."

"Ahh, I see. That makes things easier. Never been part of an empire before. Is there a place I can go to read up on laws, or is there a quick version? I don't exactly plan on breaking laws, but every governing body tends to have some weird laws. Would be nice to know what to look out for. What's the commonly accepted form of currency?

Also, is there immigration or something I'll have to go through? Or is it just, you live here, you're a citizen?"

Well, that's a relief. So, space.  He said pirates, didn't he. Ugh. Do not want. But, if we assume post transmigration that I'm the MC, then just outside the borders we'll probably be attacked, I'll try to find a weapon, and meet some person who will absolutely change my life. If it's a guy, probably best friend status, if it's a lady, probably love interest.  That said, would like to avoid  all of that, and just get to earth safe and sound. See how it is, maybe find a library and find out what's changed, or rather, what is new. See if the old earth is like the old earth or if this earth's  old earth is completely different from my  old earth's old earth.

In reply to Cala (msg # 17):

He calls a robot with the bracelet on his arm.

"You will have to register with the Imperial Province you live in, pay the fee, and pay the yearly taxes on next Tax Day, which happily is seven months away."

"Take the Hidalgo to the Library, and show him the Lawbook for Citizens." The robot takes you, and its further up the ship, and into a richly appointed library with red, leatherbacked chairs, and paper books.

The "Lawbook for Citizens" is seven inches thick.  Its next to the Lawbooks for Hidalgos, and Chartered Corporations, and Space Law.

The book, unlike American law, is plain as it can be, and even has a bit of wit on occasion.  The key differences seem to be that as a Citizen your word is less than a Hidalgo.  But, a Citizen can win in court, if they have other supporting documents.  The law clearly warns you not to enter into a business deal with a Hidalgo without paper contracts as you will likely be vulnerable to evildoers.

Also, all contracts are on single molecule paper since computers are too easily hacked.  Video and computer testimony is worthless.

If a Duke, Captain, or higher commands you to do anything short of a major felony by presenting their ring. You'd better do it.

Violent theft, murder, assault....death.  Mutiny, rape, murder of a Hidalgo, piracy....death by torture.  If you appeal for "Trial by Combat' and the judge agrees, you can fight a trained martial artist to your death, or his incapacitation.

Money is a single molecule coin backed by radioactives.  Possession of radioactives outside of a safe box at a bank is heavily fined.

Damaging or destroying a robot is theft.

Your head is swimming, but in skimming over it, you feel as if you've gotten the major points.  Law is quicker, and simpler, and at times, more brutal than your time.  Its a law meant for an Empire, where many differ4ent races of men might get together with differing views on fine points of justice.
+@1 Legal Understanding to I assume a 1@5 from your normal life??

So, it's basically the old laws. Anything derived from violence or theft is bad. With the addition of don't damage the robots. Then there's the normal empire bs, where unless you are royalty, nobility, or in some position of significant power, you're second class. Right, so. This is the point where I get in, avoid all situations where I might even bump into anyone above my 'station', and figure things out  until I can change my station.   Or.... join the military, or some other organization, bow my head  until I manage to rise to somewhere.  Ugh, neither option is pleasant. Given that 'trial by combat' is actually a thing, I should probably learn to fight... but it's really not my cup of tea.

Well, it's an empire, every governing body has grunt work, I'm sure I'll manage.  Currency is weird, going to have to read up more on this to get a better understanding.  Also, what can and can't Hidalgos do? What's it take to be one? Born into it, or can it be earned..?

After going through the Lawbook for Citizens, I pull out the Lawbook for Hidalgos as well as Chartered Corporations.

I've got time, best to understand what I'm going to be working with... and for.

<Assuming there is still time and I haven't been interrupted by something or someone.>

I put the lawbooks back and search for books on technology, specifically with regards to artificial intelligence, virtual/immersive reality, and entertainment. I also see if there is anything on 'Magic', after going through the technology.

---

I'm not particularly familiar with general law. As mentioned above, derivatives of violence or theft bad. I probably know more in regards to traffic laws and labor laws than I do federal regulations.  The biggest hindrance is usually the language. Deciphering it is usually the hardest part. If it's all plain and straightforward, then it should be good.

In reply to Cala (msg # 19):

OOC: I've been of the opinion that we should hire good writers to write our laws.  Because a good writer can say more in ten words, and more clearly than a bad writer can say in fifty.  They hired good writers.

Currency is a variety of coins that can be traded for a set amount of radioactive material.  But that material is deemed dangerous so you have to store it in a special storage bank.

Hidalgos are born.  They can receive this status for bravery in combat, a notable invention, or a lifetime of good deeds, or for any reason a Duke or above says.

They have the right to command robots.

You can lose your status as a Hidalgo for cowardice, or for 'bringing the Empire into disrepute' or for any of the violent crimes.  Destroying a robot is not a crime, but you do have to pay for it.  You are forbidden to engage in manual labor that is paid for.  You are expected to wear a sword in public.  'Dueling' a Citizen is murder.

Chartered Corporations require the personal approval of the Emperor, and he may apply whatever limits he wants to the charter.  So, he could tell Apple that each of their employees has to give an apple to a teacher every day, and much of that type of thing is done.  A CC gets the chance to make money, but it has to take on a social problem.  The number of current corporations is limited to 1000, and is currently 852.

The robots are low caliber AIs.  Higher AIs are forbidden with an unusually obscure reference to the 23rd Century Dislocations.

VR, except for medical uses, is forbidden as 'damaging to the moral fiber of the Empire'.

Gambling, local sports, duels, and parades are the primary forms of entertainment.  Illegal genetic chimera races occur as well.

Books on Magic are not allowed you.  However Basic Theology is.

No VR, Hidalgos are pretty much just knights without some of the old fluff. What passes for entertainment is also... not to my taste, it sounds like.

I sigh.

So, magic may or may not exist here. Divine magic, maybe? No one goes searching for magic and ends up with basic theology unless the only magic is divine in nature. Not too interested in that, so I'll take a pass on that.

I start looking for history books, curious about what the '23rd Century Dislocations' are. I also try to see how far back the books go as far as history.

Not sure what I'll find, given this is a ship's library and not a city's, but we'll see, I guess.

I also try to find what other empires exist, if any, as well as what passes for a star chart or other map of the known universe(s).

I wonder how I'm supposed to pay the fee to register when I don't have a dime to name. Can't gamble with nothing to go off of, not that I'm particularly good at it anyway. I'm obviously not going to try stealing, especially given the laws, and more so because 'trial by combat' exists and people duel for entertainment.