opnet [OpNet] Quantum Backlash

[Machina]

Done, Neil. If you can do something, that'd be solid. Catherine was pretty set on having kids one day. If you need any comp, let me know.

[Regina Newcastle]

Originally Posted By: J. 'Polymath' Rivera

Quantum Backlash is not like anything any human (or nova in this case) has ever found as far as "body disorders" goes. Currently Nova's only have Baseline science to back their knowledge, I theorize that it will take more than a couple of generations before Nova kind can understand what is a curse to some, and a blessing to others.

Have I my will, Sr. Rivera, I will prove you wrong on that. I'm months away from finishing what will be the first doctorate ever earned in Quantum Biology, and my dissertation is centrally concerned with the physiological phenomenon known colloquially as "taint". I hope it proves enlightening to those for whom this subject is of interest.

Originally Posted By: Revenant

I think my eruption was 'tainted'. I've always wondered what I would have become if she hadn't interfered. Considering the theory of how your mind set can effect your eruption I suppose I might have become an Archangel to make my mother proud of me. It is what I wanted most at the time. But, that's not what I got. My own thirst for revenge signed a pact with dark forces that twisted and corrupted what I was meant to be into what I am.

I think that's really quite astute, Msr. Revenant, albeit it in a somewhat veiled way. For a boy as young as you to have manifested such a radical extreme marks you as an anomaly among our kind, albeit not so anomalous as to merit any radical revision of the currently held quantum backlash theorem.

I'd like to interview you and perform some tests for my research, if you would be willing.

Originally Posted By: Mr. Crimson

Those Terat fuckers don't even know who Darwin is, much less what he said, as they throw around "evolution" as if it was this generation's catchphrase. Mutation I'll go with, but "evolution" is the process by which mutation and natural selection transform species to make them better adapted to their environment. So if you want to call QBS "evolution" (pretty silly in its own right, as evolution is a process and not a "thing") you better have the means to prove it makes you better adapted to your environment. I think I'll rather go the rational way and say it's the combination of mutation, psychological disorder and quantum power. You may note those are three factors we are only beginning to understand, so it's normal we aren't getting too far with QBS.

Well put, sir. Eruption itself is proving out to not be a very good evolutionary stable startegy, especially considering that the overwhelming majority of novas appear to be sterile. It is nearly without question at this point that novas represent some vast leap of punctuated equilibrium, but just as mutants are not monsters, so, too, is not every evolution beneficial to the species. The fossil and genomic record is full of genetic also-rans who have gone extinct because their mutations didn't equip them to deal with their environment or ecology.

Originally Posted By: Good Alice

The field of evolution is still in debate today. The arrival of novas on a single day give many religions leaders to many ways to treat us as their gods,angels, diva, spirits, demon ect..

I'm aggrieved to see some things haven't changed.

Originally Posted By: David 'Dr. Troll' Smith

And Unique, don't forget unique. Eventually you'll be your own species.

Another very astute observation. In fact, it's somewhat amusing to me that the only binding thread amongst all novas is that they (or in the case of a handful of nova children, their parents) were once baseline humans. The fact that no chimpanzees have erupted shows us that there is something unique in the human genome - and perhaps in the genome of only a select few - that facilitates novadom. The similarities, as we have seen, tend to end there. I think it might be a somewhat glib deus ex machina argument to insist that each nova is their own species, but the classical form of scientific classification is certainly confounded by the variety we see in the various members of homo sapiens novus. In time, as more emerge, some new form of classification may be able to better rectify these discretions, because I think we can say even now that there are certain common themes and variations thereon that more commonly arise.

Originally Posted By: Procyon

Speaking for myself, I prefer to call the self-controlled process I undergo 'apotheosis', rather than 'evolution'.

It is neither. What you are undergoing is mutation, and that is all. You may call it whatever name you wish, but that simply isn't the objective truth of the matter. There are no such entities as gods and you cannot be the ideal or qunitessance of something for which there is no benchmark.

Originally Posted By: 'Flicker'

I'd love to know why I do what I do. Giving it a name like "taint" or "quantum backlash" or the oh-so-annoying "quantum expression" doesn't get me any closer to that understanding. It only slaps a label on it.

In no way can I promise you any answers or even solid insight, but if you're interested in taking part in a study on quantum backlash syndrome, I am still looking for subjects. The more test subjects I have for this study, the more I, and consquently, all of us, will know.

Originally Posted By: J. 'Polymath' Rivera

Well, Sloppy Joe, Leviathan, Long and by his word Revenant erutped Tainted as it's slanged, during eruption the QBS is caused by the body rejecting, or being resistant, to the Quantum energies growing out through it.

You cannot make that statement with any degree of certainty. The idea that QBS is caused by some form of quantum backlash while quantum "powers" are assigned chiefly by fiat of wish-fulfillment is absurd. It is a hypothesis, and a bad one.

Originally Posted By: J. 'Polymath' Rivera

Some Novas have become tainted enough to not only change species, but change their whole family or genus. The only thing still linking them to the Homo Sapiens Novus is the fact that they have Quantum Powers, and traces of a Node.

And the fact that they began their lives as homo sapiens sapiens. You're correct, though. In classifying novas, we must look for what runs true amongst all of us, not what makes us different.

[Doctor Nova Madigan]

Originally Posted By: Regina Newcastle

Originally Posted By: 'Flicker'

I'd love to know why I do what I do. Giving it a name like "taint" or "quantum backlash" or the oh-so-annoying "quantum expression" doesn't get me any closer to that understanding. It only slaps a label on it.

In no way can I promise you any answers or even solid insight, but if you're interested in taking part in a study on quantum backlash syndrome, I am still looking for subjects. The more test subjects I have for this study, the more I, and consquently, all of us, will know.

Can we do it after May 10th? That's my last day of final exams, and I'll have my life back then.

[Regina Newcastle]

Originally Posted By: Flicker

Can we do it after May 10th? That's my last day of final exams, and I'll have my life back then.

Of course, miss. The Dean of Students has mercifully left me utterly to my own devices as far as my academic progression is concerned. Without arrogance, I can say with verification that the completion of a doctoral thesis is largely a formality at this point. Regardless of that, I have aims on making it spectacular, fascinating, and representative of what I hope will be a vast new field of scientific exploration. As such, I am free to conduct my research as my pleasure. I will happily wait, and thank you.

[Roma]

Originally Posted By: Procyon

Welcome to the boards, and I am sorry to have missed your debut here.

I shouldn't think its been even the slightest bit memorable to any but me. But I am learning.

Originally Posted By: Procyon

I hope that your question was born of a genuine desire to understand the worldview of another, and not of an all-too common propensity of people to ask for the views of others just so they can point out all the flaws in that reasoning?

I can't debate you. I would scarcely know where to begin. I don't have an opinion on this. The worst part of being a nova is every one seems to know something I don't. And they think I do when I don't. I'm not a child. I am not, no matter a magistrate's thoughts or the law. On a whim I might write my own press release tonight. Tomorrow I could call N-tertainment for an appointment and true debut. In a day I could be a celebrity. In a week I might be a star. In a month I might be anything or nothing at all. But I wouldn't understand why you should think I would want to trick you.

I've never once wanted to kill any one. Or any thing. Thank you for explaining this to me. I don't understand but I know more than I did.

[Trooper]

Originally Posted By: "Imagineer" Meadows

I've never once wanted to kill any one. Or any thing.

Cool, this makes you normal. Not a bad thing to be.

[Mr. Crimson]

As some people seemed to have been "offended" by my tone (or at least used it as an excuse not to argue with my reasoning), I'm going to censor myself, for once, so you sissies actually read what I'm posting:

Chrysalis doesn't work. Or rather, it works but very incompletely. It chains you to an "archetype" (which is basically something Mal came up with one day) and still doesn't really stop aberrations from setting in and eventually weakening you. So you're blindly following the behavior Mal wants, and you're not gaining much from it except slowing the process a bit. And the Teragen seem happy with that, because it's been more than a decade since Chrysalis was first thought up, maybe more, and there's been absolutely no development in the subject. They just sit back and call it "evolution". Well, I don't agree. Chrysalis doesn't control Taint, it only vaguely "harnesses" it, and it speeds you away from your human origins at a speed I'm very unsure is wise.

There. Guess I'm having a nice day.

[David 'Dr. Troll' Smith]

Originally Posted By: Regina Newcastle

...The fact that no chimpanzees have erupted shows us that there is something unique in the human genome - and perhaps in the genome of only a select few - that facilitates novadom....

At best this is unclear. The other apes aren't as smart as we are, as eruption is, in part, wish fullfilment they may simply not be smart enough or aware enough to erupt. Of course there have been a few humans who have erupted under close to those conditions so maybe not.

However, man is the most numberous ape on the planet. 60K Orangutans. 100K Gorillas. Maybe 150K Chimps. Just from the numbers we might not ever see a non-human eruption even if they can erupt. Further, it's also possible that somewhere a non-human erupted and was then simply shot.

[TeleRhyde]

Mr. Crimson, if the sum total of your knowledge of the Teragen is that it is the Divis Mal fan club then I see why you left. The true Teragen movement is so much more.

When I learned to channel my quantum mutations, I discovered that half of the process is dependant on the invidual nova and can not be taught. You have to work toward it, push yourself, and learn to master your fear over what you can do with your quantum.

[Regina Newcastle]

Originally Posted By: David 'Dr. Troll' Smith

At best this is unclear. The other apes aren't as smart as we are, as eruption is, in part, wish fullfilment they may simply not be smart enough or aware enough to erupt. Of course there have been a few humans who have erupted under close to those conditions so maybe not.

While your assertion is accurate, Dr. Troll, we do not base the body of scientific knowledge upon what may or could be. It's entirely possible that members of the other great ape families have developed M-R nodes, but you could just as easily speculate that there are Balrogs in my basement. There's no evidence to suggest as such, and an inquiry to that end would very likely be a waste of time and resources.

That's not to say that such an inquiry need never be performed, I just think it should be given very low prioritization on the list. Thousands of Bonobos would have to be given extensive MRIs and genomic testing simply as an appetizer.

Originally Posted By: David 'Dr. Troll' Smith

However, man is the most numberous ape on the planet. 60K Orangutans. 100K Gorillas. Maybe 150K Chimps. Just from the numbers we might not ever see a non-human eruption even if they can erupt. Further, it's also possible that somewhere a non-human erupted and was then simply shot.

Entirely possible, and unfortunately unprovable. Until further evidence can be collected or collides right into us, we must file erupted, nonhuman primates in same slot as the Sasquatch.

[GDP_ST]

Mr Crimson, the Archetypes are training wheels: Newly-fledged Terats need them to balance with. If you'd ever actually seen beyond and moved beyond 'what you are taught' into 'what you have to find out for yourself' you would know that the lines between Archetypes blur very fine amongst the Elevated.

Once we no longer need the training wheels, we see that the Marvel is a Monster to their foe, that the Portent is awe-inspiring in their insight, that the Monster challenges the unknown with as much verve as any Portent.

The archetypes are one and the same, once we grow out of our unimaginative early stage of parroting what we are taught.

You think Mal has an Archetype? You think HE is limited by a straight-jacket? He is an inspiration, not just to the un-Elevated, but to those who understand the above-mentioned truth.

[Butterfly]

Quantum backlash...

I have known novas with both directed (to describe the changes Chrysalis brings) and undirected (to describe the changes brought about by gaining power too quickly or misuse of that power) aberrations.

I, myself, do not have any aberrations and I doubt I will develop them any time soon. I am somewhat resistant to the gathering of backlash through misuse of power, though my more... obvious entropic effects manifest as tiny, glowing butterflies. I have been assured that this is not the anima effect so prevalent amongst novas with major and showy powers.

I do not know what they are. I honestly do not care until they begin to affect me.

[Roma]

Originally Posted By: Trooper

Cool, this makes you normal. Not a bad thing to be.

That is the sweetest thing any one has said to me.

Thank you.

[Warren Verona]

Originally Posted By: Procyon

The archetypes are one and the same, once we grow out of our unimaginative early stage of parroting what we are taught.

You think Mal has an Archetype? You think HE is limited by a straight-jacket? He is an inspiration, not just to the un-Elevated, but to those who understand the above-mentioned truth.

This whole Terat thing I never could understand. This guy comes out with an idea that states that for whatever reason Novas are superior to humans (duh, there's a revelation) and that we (as novas) should not fetter ourselves to their ways of thinking and acting.

So you guys worship him like a fuckin' god and hang on his every word waiting for him to tell you the worlds new latest and greatest truths. His words comfort you, and his wisdom warms your souls in ways that make you feel elevated and 'blessed'.

Sounds like a religion to me. No thanks. Religion is such a baseline concept.

All the while you're just dancing to his tune. He invents some new way to becoem uglier, and like good little lemmings you all jump right in ready to try it out. He says that novas are not bound by human laws so you guys break every law ever written just to show the world how much of Mal's puppet you really are.

This whole Terat thing was his idea and thoughts applied to a speech and a document. And you Terats have upped and ran with it.

"A poor fool indeed is he who adopts a manner of thinking for others!"

But I'm sure you mega brains are going to prove me wrong somehow, but I'm used to that by now.

[GDP_ST]

Quote:

But I'm sure you mega brains are going to prove me wrong somehow, but I'm used to that by now.

Good, then I can skip that part.

Mal's Null Manifesto was inflammatory. Personally, I don't agree with half of it. But it does highlight the fact that we are not Human, and that is what grabbed my attention. A lot of early Terats had already come to that view anyway. Realising we weren't alone was a powerful sensation.

And Mal wasn't alone in cooking up Teras. A lot of others worked with him on that. Teras is still growing and developing as a philosophy, hampered as always by morons on both sides of the fence.

Mal does seem to know more about being a Nova than anyone else at present. So yes, I listen to what he and the others teach, I filter their words through my own brain, and decide for myself what applies and what does not.

No old-time religious revival here, Revenant. And as for going out to break Human laws 'because Mal said we could', that's daft behaviour. It's adolescent, unnecessary, and makes me cringe to think about.

Glad to see that you've studied hard to become an expert on these matters, though. I'm sure all that brain work will pay off, someday.

[Lemmy Chillmeister]

You know what? I'm a Terat and I ain't no ugly-monster, I'm not a super-brain and I'm not some fucking philosopher. I'm just a node-bearing stud who's using some decent info and some help from some tight compadres to figure out shit.

Life with the surging quantum is a bit fucking different than it was without it.

[David 'Dr. Troll' Smith]

Originally Posted By: Lemmy Chillmeister

You know what? I'm a Terat and I ain't no ugly-monster....

The word you need to end that sentence with is "yet". You aren’t a monster yet. You’re still human enough to relate and interact with humanity. You’re still flesh and blood and not ice. But in 10 or 20 years, will that still be true?

[Lemmy Chillmeister]

Originally Posted By: David 'Dr. Troll' Smith

Originally Posted By: Lemmy Chillmeister

You know what? I'm a Terat and I ain't no ugly-monster....

The word you need to end that sentence with is "yet". You aren’t a monster yet. You’re still human enough to relate and interact with humanity. You’re still flesh and blood and not ice. But in 10 or 20 years, will that still be true?

What? So I gotta turn into a monster? Fuck you.

[Leliel]

Originally Posted By: David 'Dr. Troll' Smith

Originally Posted By: Lemmy Chillmeister

You know what? I'm a Terat and I ain't no ugly-monster....

The word you need to end that sentence with is "yet". You aren’t a monster yet. You’re still human enough to relate and interact with humanity. You’re still flesh and blood and not ice. But in 10 or 20 years, will that still be true?

So being something other then "flesh and blood" makes you a monster? Interesting...

Just how are you defining "monster"? If it is not being able to interact with humanity then I have to say you are in error. If it is losing control of your faculties, then that is called insanity.

One thing I can say about the Chrysalis, is you can channel, for lack of a better term, those distortions in your quantum matrix away from affecting your mind, and towards affecting your physical structure. I would rather be sentient energy then a raving madman any day.

The mind and spirit are what makes an individual, either baseline or nova. To shackle oneself to the notions of physical appearance is to deny the mind. All matter is ephemeral, the mind is eternal.

As Procyon said, Mal was very inflammatory in the Null Manifesto. My personal opinion is he was trying to light a fire under the collective ass of the One Race. Unfortunately, this had side effects...

One must remember that Elevated terats are in the minority within the Teragen. Unfortunately, even those who want to live their lives according to the philosophy of Teras, there are those who fall to the wayside and never even undergo their first Chrysalis. They push their powers to the limit and beyond, with no rhyme, reason, or direction.

Reason, direction, and strength of will. That is what differentiates someone like Procyon, Timeslip, or myself from the mass of novas who quote the Null Manifesto like Mao's little Red Book, and do whatever the hell they want, never owning up to the responsibility of it.

And in the process, go against what Mal said. The irony....

[Trooper]

Well, this is all very interesting.

Anyone actually got some schematics? A nice flow-chart or procedure list? I work best with written instruction.

[Timeslip]

Trooper: should I still be free after my trial, I would be happy to sit down and discuss the matter with you. I'm afraid that there is no cut-and-dried procedure; the process of coming to grips with how best to handle and redirect "taint" varies from nova to nova, and there is a certain amount of discovery involved in finding the method that best works for any one nova.