Difference between revisions of "FreeRIDErs (setting)"
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− | *[[User:Robotech_Master/jeanette-lioness|Jeanette & Tamarind: The Second-Hand Lioness]] ''([[User:Robotech_Master|Robotech_Master]])'' | + | *[[User:Robotech_Master/jeanette-lioness|Jeanette & Tamarind: The Second-Hand Lioness]] ''([[User:Robotech_Master|Robotech_Master]])'' (begins before "Deserted" and covers all the way through Integration #21) |
*[[User:Robotech_Master/Deserted|Deserted]] ''([[User:Robotech_Master|Robotech_Master]])'' | *[[User:Robotech_Master/Deserted|Deserted]] ''([[User:Robotech_Master|Robotech_Master]])'' | ||
*[[User:Robotech_Master/Merging_Traffic|Merging Traffic]] ''([[User:Robotech_Master|Robotech_Master]])'' | *[[User:Robotech_Master/Merging_Traffic|Merging Traffic]] ''([[User:Robotech_Master|Robotech_Master]])'' |
Revision as of 22:53, 26 January 2013
FreeRIDErs story universe |
Author: Robotech_Master
Contents
In the 25th century, scientists and technicians on the distant colony world of Zharus make a startling breakthrough in energy storage and artificial intelligence, with the aid of "qubitium," a naturally-occurring metamaterial with remarkable quantum properties. The creation of true AI springs from quantum simulations of neural networks based on animals' genetic material that expand to take on true sapience.
Matching these "Reticulated Intelligence" (RI) neural networks with nanotech-composite "Drive Extender" (DE) transforming robotic bodies produces the RIDE: a metallic animal that can transform itself into a vehicle such as a hover-motorcycle (or hover-car or even plane for larger animals) or into an environmentally sealed suit of anthropomorphic-animal body armor to survive the extreme environments of Zharus's deserts, undersea, or even outer space. (Because combining with such a suit goes beyond merely putting it on and involves elements of physical and neural linkage, the act of merging with a RIDE in armor mode is called "Fusing.") Thanks to "hardlight" technology, RIDEs can even be covered with solid holographic fur that feels real to the touch, and even to the RIDE itself.
However, due to their animal basis, Fusing with a RIDE can have consequences for the pilot. In order for them to be neurologically compatible, the pilot has to have similar physical features to the RIDE itself—and the RIDE's nanotech innards are designed to grant those changes. This means that Fusing with RIDEs based on ordinary land mammals will grant the rider their ears and tail (and sometimes more extreme additions such as nose, eyes, or fur).
RIDEs based on further different animals, such as reptiles, birds, or undersea mammals, can produce much extreme changes in their riders that restrict their ability to change back or combine with a different RIDE. And likewise, if the pilot is the wrong gender, the RIDE's nanites will adjust that, too. In most cases of gender or other extreme change, the changed human is unable to change back for at least three years.
These RIDEs are used in taming the huge continent of Gondwana, a harsh and often lawless frontier that, unlike the more sedate and longer-settled continent of Laurasia, has many rich resources there for the taking, and a number of city-states occupying the ring of fertile land around the great central desert. In the desert, RIDEs are necessary to live. In the cities, they are urban transportation and playthings of the wealthy and middle-class alike. But even as they are considered mere "equipment" by many, those who know and love them know they are more than that—they are people too. Will the world come to realize and acknowledge this?
In recent years, rumors of a new form of change have been circulating—a combining of rider and RIDE that goes far beyond Fusing. Called "Integration," this combines man and machine into a single gestalt being who can no longer separate—and who are rumored to possess powers far beyond those of mere mortals or RIDEs. It is as yet unclear whether these "Integrates" are to be welcomed or feared—and, indeed, many would place them in the same category as Bigfoot, the Yeti, or the Loch Ness Monster. But these Integrates may be growing tired of keeping to themselves.
And the latest potential threat may very well be the old home world of Earth itself. For fifty years, it has scoffed at the idea that a distant, backward world like Zharus could be the home of so many major technological breakthroughs. But Earth's mind may be changing on that score—and it has long been known for its willingness to reach out and take what it wants.
Welcome to the world of Zharus—and to its denizens. Colonists. Bandits. Miners. Mechanics. FreeRIDErs.
Robotech_Master's Take
As this is a shared universe, there could be plenty of jumping-on points. What I would personally suggest is reading "Deserted", "Merging Traffic", "Rochelle & Rufia: R&R", then "FreeRIDErs", then the first few chapters of "Integration" (and my "Foxed" tales), as those were all written earliest and have most of the earliest setting building in them. Then you can read Jetfire's and the other authors' stories in chronological order, and continue reading "Integration" after that.
I'd suggest to have all of Jetfire's chronologically-earlier stuff read before you get to Integration #14, since that's where some of his characters merge into the storyline. That being said, you could probably just as easily read everything in straight chronological order without missing too much. Or just pick one writer at random and read his or her works through in order, then pick another one. Once you've read enough, it all starts to make sense together.
Either way, you should read at least some of the stories before you try to dig into the setting background material below the story list on this page. It was mainly written for our own reference and amusement while we built the setting overall, and can be kind of confusing if you come to it without a grounding from the stories in how the world works.
Authors may add links to their stories as they happen in chronological order in story time. ("AL" stands for "After Landing," representing the number of years after the colony ships landed in 2350 AD.) For a complete listing of all FreeRIDErs stories, since this list may be updated sporadically, see the FreeRIDErs Category.
108 AL
129 AL
131 AL
134 AL
133 AL to 138 AL
138 AL to 152 AL
140 to 141 AL
148 AL
152 to 153 AL
155 to 156 AL
- Marshals (JonBuck with Robotech_Master)
156 AL
- Jeanette & Tamarind: The Second-Hand Lioness (Robotech_Master) (begins before "Deserted" and covers all the way through Integration #21)
- Deserted (Robotech_Master)
- Merging Traffic (Robotech_Master)
- Rochelle & Rufia: R&R (Robotech_Master)
- FreeRIDErs (JonBuck)
- Turnover (Fibio)
- Integration
- Part 1: All Nighter (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 2: Integrates (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 3: RIDEgirls' Day Out (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 4: Dating Games (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 5: N00bs (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 6: All Aboard! (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 7: A Meating of the Board (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 8: Meat, the Press (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 9: Stockholm Vacation (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 10: Spaceflight of Fancy (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 11: Citizen Katie (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 12: The Crew (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 13: Kaylee & Anny (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 14: Assault and Batteries (JonBuck, Robotech_Master, and Jetfire)
- Part 15: The Task of Amontillado (JonBuck, Robotech_Master, and Jetfire)
- Part 16: The Integrate Raids (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 17: Family Matters (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 18: Many Meetings (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 19: Meetings Completing (JonBuck, Robotech_Master, and Jetfire)
- Part 20: Prodigals (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Part 21: Enemy Lines (JonBuck and Robotech_Master)
- Barely Fused, Slightly Foxed (Robotech_Master) (takes place between Part 5 and Part 6 of Integration)
- Longer Fused, More Foxed (Robotech_Master) (takes place between Part 5 and Part 14 of Integration)
- Inspecteur Hollins and The Cat's Paw (Fibio) (takes place during parts 9-11 of Integration)
- Inspecteur Hollins and The Viral Thief (Fibio) (takes place sometime after part 12 of Integration)
- Inspecteur Hollins and The Multimillion Vault (Fibio) (takes place after part 12 of Integration)
- Kandace and Jenni: A Beautiful Friendship (Robotech_Master) (takes place during/after the end of Part 15 of Integration)
Due to the huge amount of material, we have moved this to its own page: