My story idea that has been waiting for me to develop it for eight years:
In an uncertain future, technology billionaires surpass nation-states in the race to space. They begin building independent colonies on different planets, owned and controlled by their corporations. Most of these colonies exist for commercial reasons: they mine valuable minerals and trade them back on Earth.
Odo, the only daughter of an eccentric technology-billionaire family, has a very different vision. On Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons—unsuitable for commercial exploitation—she establishes a fully cybernetic and autonomous society. Autonomous artificial intelligences perform almost all the functions normally handled by governments, and the system works nearly flawlessly. Over time, Europa’s population and influence continue to grow.
To avoid sanctions from Earth’s governments, Europa completely cuts off trade with Earth. Instead, it trades only with other space colonies. The autonomous system is designed to always act for the maximum benefit of Europa’s population and as a result, the colony becomes increasingly powerful.
One day, while Odo is visiting Earth, a massive explosion occurs on Europa. One third of the colony’s population is killed. When Odo returns to Earth, all she hears is propaganda describing the autonomous system as dangerous and irresponsible.
Before long, Odo realizes the truth: the explosion was orchestrated by Earth’s governments. They saw an autonomous, leaderless form of governance as a direct threat to their own power and existence.
From that moment on, Odo has a single goal—to bring the autonomous system she built on Europa to Earth, and to put an end to all nation-states.
In an uncertain future, technology billionaires surpass nation-states in the race to space. They begin building independent colonies on different planets, owned and controlled by their corporations. Most of these colonies exist for commercial reasons: they mine valuable minerals and trade them back on Earth.
Odo, the only daughter of an eccentric technology-billionaire family, has a very different vision. On Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons—unsuitable for commercial exploitation—she establishes a fully cybernetic and autonomous society. Autonomous artificial intelligences perform almost all the functions normally handled by governments, and the system works nearly flawlessly. Over time, Europa’s population and influence continue to grow.
To avoid sanctions from Earth’s governments, Europa completely cuts off trade with Earth. Instead, it trades only with other space colonies. The autonomous system is designed to always act for the maximum benefit of Europa’s population and as a result, the colony becomes increasingly powerful.
One day, while Odo is visiting Earth, a massive explosion occurs on Europa. One third of the colony’s population is killed. When Odo returns to Earth, all she hears is propaganda describing the autonomous system as dangerous and irresponsible.
Before long, Odo realizes the truth: the explosion was orchestrated by Earth’s governments. They saw an autonomous, leaderless form of governance as a direct threat to their own power and existence.
From that moment on, Odo has a single goal—to bring the autonomous system she built on Europa to Earth, and to put an end to all nation-states.
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