Contents
Five
Overview
Dafyd consolidates human efforts under a new structure to satisfy Carryx demands, prioritizing translation, stealth, infrastructure, security, and population growth.
He pushes artificial gestation to ensure a self-sustaining population. Uuya Tomos publicly rejects the plan and leaves, while Korham and Andermus engage, and Tonner begins building the artificial womb system amid early labor dissent.
Summary
Tonner Freis troubleshoots hydroponic tanks after noticing cloudy samples in three units, but is pulled to a meeting by Jellit. In the conference, Dafyd Alkhor introduces Llian Andermus, Uuya Tomos, and Bastien Korham, and declares a shift from ad hoc survival to organized compliance with Carryx mandates.
Dafyd proposes a reorganization: Tonner and Jellit focus on translation/stealth and food, Korham manages physical plant and logistics, Andermus establishes security, and broader education/coordination is centralized. The most controversial mandate is population self-sufficiency via artificial gestation—“lamb sacks”—using tissue-derived gametes and industrial nurseries.
Uuya Tomos condemns the plan as birthing new slaves and warns that children will be used for coercion; after Dafyd insists survival requires it, Tomos pointedly walks out. The remaining attendees tacitly accept the plan, and Korham immediately begins marshaling workers to support Tonner’s technical needs.
Back in the lab, Tonner iterates on the artificial wombs, wrestling with temperature stability and dialysis flow. Korham’s team proves efficient and deferential, easing bottlenecks. Friction emerges when Ver Cannedan, a dancer, refuses menial assignments; Tonner refuses to arbitrate, kicking the problem up to Dafyd and Andermus as he continues the lamb-sack build-out.
Who Appears
- Tonner FreisLead scientist troubleshooting food tanks; tasked with artificial womb development; deflects workforce disputes upward.
- Dafyd AlkhorHuman liaison and leader; convenes council; mandates reorganization and artificial gestation to satisfy Carryx.
- Uuya TomosFolklorist and organizer; condemns artificial gestation as coercive and leaves the meeting in protest.
- Llian AndermusFormer security director; tapped to build human security/policing structure under Dafyd’s plan.
- Bastien KorhamEx–church plant manager; assumes facilities/logistics, rapidly supports Tonner’s lab needs.
- Jellit KaulVisualization specialist; backs Dafyd’s no-choice stance; helps steer technical priorities.
- BrunTonner’s assistant; reports lab issues and summons leadership to handle a defiant worker.
- Ver CannedanDancer who refuses menial lab work, signaling early tensions in the reorganized workforce.