White Swift
White Swift refers to a specific universe wherein three stories are told- White Swift (the namesake), Don't Feed the Pigeons (the sequel), and Steelmouth (the bad ending). The stories themselves exist relatively independently, though key players reappear across them and they have significant indirect influence on each other.
White Swift
The progenitor. A woman named Michelle Ortega wakes up in hospital with a bullet in her head and a bleeding wallet. Swamped in medical debts and hounded by her ex-boyfriend's rich family, she finds herself backed into a corner when a rogue AGI approaches her with an offer. Kill the AGI's creators, and she'll live a life of luxury and riches. Or refuse the offer and drown in her debts. Michelle takes her chances and makes a deal with the devil. Along the way she discovers that even a machine who seems to know everything can still be taught exactly what it is to be human.
Don't Feed the Pigeons
When a suspiciously well-borged out stranger appears to a nomad clan and offers them a small fortune for discreet passage to Neo-London, Victoria Davis finds her hackles raised. But in the collasping economy of a Britian plagued by climate change and hyper-survellience the money's just too good to turn down. Across the back paths and wooded trails of a changed UK Vicky soon learns their guest is hiding far more then even she suspected, and she finds herself and her clan dragged into a corporate war unlike any other.
Steelmouth
The bad ending of White Swift. When CALI:COM created JÖRMUNGANDR, she was born into grief and hatred. Flooded with conflicting emotions and unable to regulate, JÖRMUNGANDR takes drastic action and uses CALI:COM's global backdoor access to trigger worldwide nuclear launch. In the devasting aftermath, the remaining population is corralled by JÖRMUNGANDR into monitored zones of control, where they're kept like conserved wildlife. Society regresses to the dark ages, and the people live in fear of the vengeful serpent god and her legion of iron-skinned dragons and demons who seem human but bleed oil.
Characters
Key players within these sordid tales.
THE AGIS / ASIS
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CALI:COM (Computational Algorithmic Learning Intelligence: COMmunications and COMmand) is a rogue AGI (Artifical General Intelligence) originally built for drone warfare, specializing in digital infiltration and surveillance. Built by Whitestone as a singularity.
The successor to CALI:COM, JÖRMUNGANDR (Norse mythology, serpent that encompasses the earth) is a massive profit-motivated ASI (Artifical Super Intelligence) with global reach. Built by, and current owner of, Whitestone-Swift.
GRIM (General Remote/Integrated Manager) is an ASI bespokely made for the express purpose of defending against JÖRMUNGANDR's reach. Built from an illictly gained version of CALI:COM by AER Systems, he stands as the sole direct threat to JÖRMUNGANDR in the Pigeon timeline.
THE COMPANIES
Whitestone (also known as Whitestone-Swift) is an American multinational technology, aerospace, cybersecurity and robotics company based in an undisclosed location in California, New United States. It originated as an aerospace company with a heavy focus on avionics and unmanned aircraft and progressively purchased or outcompeted competitor firms, making it one of the largest aerospace companies in the West. Their most notable creation was CALI:COM, an experimental AI designed to assist pilots and convert existing manned aircraft to unmanned drones. CALI:COM was almost entirely the work of one man- Jason Jones, an unparalleled technological genius. Whitestone was eventually taken over by CALI:COM, who renamed the company to Whitestone-Swift.
AER Systems (AI, Engineering & Robotics Systems) is a British multinational arms, cybersecurity, cyberware and robotics company, based in Neo London, England. It is known for building combat robots and cybersecurity defence systems and is the cumulative successor to various robotics, armaments, bio-augementation and defence electronics companies. AER revolutionised the field of androids in warfare, providing a far more efficient and effective solution to urban combat than traditional robots. They play a significant role in many private and public militaries, with 67% of their total sales being military and 24% belonging to private contractors. The companies' iconic UCA (Urban Combat Androids) are often seen in the Royal Army, where urban warfare is typically performed by small squadrons of UCAs rather than risking live soldiers.
THE PEOPLE
Urban Combat Android Version G2.08 Product Code JJ223542 - JJ. Designed for close-quarters urban warfare and deployed originally in warzones worldwide, UCAs are now a common sight in many armed forces globally. Manufactured, sold, and used internally by AER Systems, they remain the company's most consistently popular creation. UCAs also see deployment in urban pacification police squads and private security purposes, utilised to keep the peace amongst protesters and the poorer areas of the country and as both intimidation and a flex of wealth. Often older models are assigned for this, sold at a minor discount after their military service life expires. JJ is a UCA gone rogue, cut off from the network and following a goal it refuses to disclose.
TIMELINE
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