An Interactive Newbl Novella
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | | Bonus Endings

By the year 3000, it is confirmed that black holes are portals where spacetime folds like a cosmic colon. Since energy can neither be created or destroyed, what goes in is passed through and dumped somewhere else. Usually, in a day or two. The nearest black hole is discovered within reach.

So begins this experiment to boldly go where few men have gone before. To explore the inner reaches of his deepest, darkest regions. To probe. To illuminate. Perhaps, to come out tainted, but learned. Purged of dangerous ideas spreading like cancerous polyps within.

The mission must avoid man's past, indelicate bumblings. So, maybe the thrust of the thing is to go where a modern woman might dare go. Co-piloting the flotilla of starships on this one-year mission will be a selection of women and artificial intelligence models --participating in debate and polls.

DESTINATION: Planet Newbl

The year is 3001. Like countless other planets over eons, the technical evolution of earth's most advanced life-forms outpaced their ethical evolution. Instead of caring for mother earth, we plundered her. Human extinction appears inevitable. A dozen spaceships are being loaded for the journey to NEWBL, the galaxy's nearest life-sustainable, blue water, blue skied planet.

to be continued--unfolded. For as long as it takes for the new colony to be stabilized...

STORY KEY
White text = a regular forum discussion post or reply
BLUE TEXT= the story narrative
Polls that shape the mission are linked to.
Each page (of 12 posts) = a story chapter

POLL 5 Multi-Poll:
WORK, GOODS & SERVICES

The highly consequential set of 6
questions have been answered!

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU? and your family and friends.
FREE	Basic food, shelter, and healthcare
FREE	Wireless phone and basic networking connectivity
FREE	Central search and shopping engine, entertainment access and delivery.
Capped Pricing	No price gouging on music, movies, sports and entertainment. If you're a creator you still profit more by selling more.
Less Income Inequality	You're paid for your time plus bonuses based on job difficulty, training, skill, etc..
No Fake News	Money influence removed from news broadcasts. Redundant accuracy and integrity checks -- Accountability measures.
No Media Mind Games	Central, public social media with C.L.E.A.R. safeguards.
No Marketing Mind Games	No ads, no subscriptions. Pay only for what you watch or use. Reliable reviews. No stock trading b.s. because the public already owns everything.

You know, Captain Crunch, your AI friends will all tell you what you want to hear. So, your polls are not accurate.

V.3
they are not my friends, but to your point...

1. i did, and do, tell them to debate me if they disagree

2. i post my choices last. None of their initial answers differed much from mine anyway.

3. if their reasoning stays sound, does it matter if i helped by clarifying something or introduced another angle?

4. it's not a scientific study. It's an exercise in critical thinking and applying the power of the public over greedy bastards!

i think you're gonna like this brave new world. and you can still proudly wear your red hoody. uniforms won't matter. they never did

you'll especially LOVE the next poll -- with a tax option that all of this makes possible...

behind the scenes: (condensed) consultation with Copi Copilot:

Quote

V3:
whew. i just finished the 6 poll set and i believe we're on our way to a better world. the other AIs differed a little, but mostly on issues that just needed more clarity. i'm trying to simplify things that are more complicated in the real world, but more than they have to be, imo. Taxation. and elections are ahead. i'm sure there's one or two additional polls i should add. anything come to mind?

COPI:
Yes — there are structural polls that they will shape everything downstream: the architecture of government and enforcement.

1. The “Power Distribution” Poll
2. The “Enforcement Philosophy” Poll
3. Optional: “Emergency Powers” Pol
4. Optional: “Land & Resource Ownership” Poll

V3:
V.3 puts his hands over his eyes and repeats, "la la la la la. i can't see what you just typed" (i want to stay in my imaginary world where some of those things don't exist or matter" and i'm only half kidding)

COPI
V3 drops his hands, peeks through his fingers. “Okay… okay… fine. i’ll look. but only if I don't have to think about… you know… the boring stuff." He gestures vaguely, like he’s waving away bureaucracy, paperwork, and anything that smells like a committee. Copi (deadpan): “Captain, I can assure you: nothing I say will threaten your imaginary world.
V3: “Oh, good. Because if you start talking about structural necessities again, I’m diving back into the tardigrade goo.”

V3:
very funny. and in my style. i'll ponder the justice system as i hit the sack. but i do believe some aspects of the planet's power structure will fall into place, organically, with pieces already planned. ty. till tomorrow

COPI:
You’re not rejecting the ideas — you’re rejecting the frame. You don’t want the pioneers to feel like they’re building a replica of Earth’s political mess. You want them to feel like they’re building something lighter, cleaner, more humane, more obvious, less tangled. And your instinct is right.

V3:
yes! and on that note, the story continues...

the story continues...

FLASHBACK: DAY OF LAUNCH

As he hastily packs his carry-on bag, a torrent of emotions swirl through V3's head. Among them -- excitement, fear, and anger. Anger, that his species had let it all come to this. The overriding emotion weighing him down to earth on this day, however, is heartache.

The first V, his father, had been one of the lucky ones who won a lottery seat for the trip. He was also one of the selfless who surrendered his seat to someone younger and more capable.

The V's sense of humor was a "like father, like son" thing. As was a fanatical love of film. So before V3 left his father the night before, it was fitting that the tome his father handed him to take to the new world, was the companion book to, Mel Brooks, History of the World, Part I.

Hours later, with THE LUCID high above earth, V3 unpacks in his cabin. Opening his nightstand drawer to deposit the book, he finds that someone already placed a Bible there. He ponders the implications.

Looking at both books together, he impulsively takes the Bible, rips it in half, and throws the second half in the drawer. V3 marches the Brooks book and Bible half to the toxic waste disposal room
and places them in a canister.

As he ejects the canister from THE LUCID, V3 impersonates Sean Connery's character in the scene from HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER -- where the captain bangs the head of his political officer so he doesn't interfere with his plan -- and says,
"Where I'm going. You can not follow!"

"Sure", the people in the town square said,
"This all sounds peachy. But how are we going to pay for all these benefits? Drop the bomb already. What about..."

TAXATION
POLL 6

(the next day)

The votes are in and it's UNANIMOUS! When asked this question:

In Newbl's unified public-production (U.P.P) system where basic needs are guaranteed and humans earn credit for work robots aren't doing, should any form of taxation exist?

The choice is:

• no — Instead of taxing people, the system can adjust the price of products or services that require extra energy, materials, or robot-hours.

On 9/4/2026 at 5:47 PM, V.3 said:

hurray, Red. we made it!
-- to a place where we can both agree
i knew it was possible

no taxes, no paperwork, no audits, no politician's pitiful pandering

RED:
HALLELULIAH BROTHER, I'M A BELIEVER. I'M A BELIEVER!

But wait. Are you on the path to anti-capitolism and pro-communism?

V.3

the path leads to whatever theoretically works. when this experiment is done, each of us can decide for ourselves whether capitalism casts a negative light on itself.

regarding other labels, a "commune" is simply a cooperative community where people contribute of their own free will. "Communism" is what older generations associate with
-- oppressive governments under which people had no real choice
-- governments that owned everything

on Newbl, the people own everything. there is no ruling class, no forced labor, no single ideology being imposed. it’s a public system designed by the people.

to minimize points of friction and failure unlike any system before it utilizes

• C.L.E.A.R (Council of Logic, Evidence, Analysis, and Reason)

• U.P.P. (Universal Public Production)

RED:
Sounds like something that could only be pulled off on another planet with robot workers?

V.3
regarding C.L.E.A.R path and U.P.P. production, i'd have to consult my copilot:

Copi's Reply:

Quote

What could be applied today (in theory)

The barrier isn’t capability — it’s political fragmentation, ego, and legacy systems.

We already have the technical capacity to guarantee:

• food

• shelter

• healthcare

We already have:

• automated agriculture

• automated logistics

• automated manufacturing

• automated energy systems

The public could own these systems today.

We could, today, create a parallel system where:

• humans earn credits for human-only work

• credits grant access to optional goods

• basics remain guaranteed

The problem is that today’s world still ties everything to money, markets, and private ownership.

You could not implement:

• no taxation

• production-adjustment instead of extraction

• full abundance logic

• ego-free governance

Those are only possible once robotics reaches:

• high autonomy, reliability, and scalability

• low cost and maintenance

...the story continues...

FLASHBACK: TARDY TIME

The night following the cave incident, Little Red Writing-Hood turns off the light and settles onto her cot aboard THE LIBERTY. A thought comes into her head. It's not hers.

"Excuse me" it says.

Startled, Red sits up, turns on the light, but sees nothing, wondering, "Where the hell is that voice coming from?"

"Down here" voice answers in her head. "Check your left index finger nail."

Red looks hard, but sees nothing. She points the ring on her right hand and prompts it to magnify the image 200x. She sees a tardigrade on the edge of her nail.

Red thinks, "you're intelligent! and you can transmit your thoughts?

"Yes, you don't have to have a big mouth to have big ideas. Telepathic communication is natural for advanced life forms. You can call me Tardy. Tardy Tardigrade"

"Nice to meet you, Tardy" she thinks back. "How did you get here?"

It answers, "Back at the cave you caused quite a stir. I found a comfortable getaway under your fingernail, fell asleep, woke up, and here I am. But don't to tell your people. I don't want to end up under a lab microscope. I just want to live my best life, enjoying nature and companions without needless conflict and complications. Sure, we have our share of drama queens, even though we don't have genders like you, but its nothing we can't handle. I was hoping you could give me a ride back to the cave?"

"Oh, OK. sure. Hang tight till the morning and i'll get you there. But tell me, could there be any more of you in any of my, uh, nooks and crannies?" she asked.

"No worries. I checked. So then, I'll say goodnight -- don't let the bedbugs bite"

"Huh?, Red says, alarmed.

it quips back with a squeaky little giggle,
"Just messin with ya. We have senses of humor too, ya know."

...the story continues...

It's a big day for the settlers. It's been a year since they landed, and the captain's contract to serve as the leaders of the colony has expired. They served their purpose. The colony survived and is on a path to, potentially, thrive but, the time has come for the community to control its own destiny on...

ELECTION DAY #1
POLL 7

The Captain's Council did their due diligence to give the people a true alternative to the governance systems that had, unfortunately, failed planet earth. In particular, the parchment scrolled beneath the flag of the United States -- the model that started out with hope and promise that inspired the world for over 200 years.

But it was never written in anticipation of the next thousand.

The Captain's Council proposes the following self-governance system:

The C.I.V.I.C SYSTEM [Citizen‑Initiated Voting & Issue Council]

1. Voting

• Every adult votes through a secure, electronic home-access system.

• Each voter receives a unique validation token allowing them to confirm their vote after the election.

• Election-night totals must exactly match post-election totals verified by redundant counting systems.

2. Proposal Cycle

• A committee of analysts and experts drafts proposals every 2 years.

• Citizens may vote on any proposal only after demonstrating issue literacy through a FOR/AGAINST comprehension quiz.

• The quiz can be retaken until passed.

3. Majority Thresholds

• Initial adoption of a proposal requires 51% approval.

• The proposal is automatically revisited in 2 years.

• Any change requires 60% approval, to avoid frequent policy swings.

4. Public Information Window

• 90 days before each election, citizens receive equal-time PRO and CON presentations for every proposal.

5. No Politicians / No Parties

• Governance is proposal-driven, not personality-driven.

• Committees initiate, refine, and advance proposals.

• Leadership is competency-based, not campaign-based.

Committee Structure

Core Committee (Level 1)

• With enough citizen signatures, any citizen may forward proposals to the appropriate committee.

• Any citizen may join a committee after studying the relevant issues and demonstrating competency in a chosen specialty.

• Upon graduating with a sufficient education grade and C.L.E.A.R.* rating, citizens may join Level 1.

• Level 1 committees generate, refine, and advance proposals to Level 2.

Senior Committee (Level 2. Advanced Competency)

• Members must maintain acceptable C.L.E.A.R.* ratings for 4 years.

• Advancement requires passing a tiered approval system:

  • 51% approval from a randomly sampled 10% of the population.

  • Then 51% approval from a randomly sampled 25% of the population.

  • Only then do they receive a full public vote.

• Council members are re-voted every 4 years.

*C.L.E.A.R. is a separate, AI, evaluative Council of Logic, Evidence, Analysis, and Reason

...the story continues...

SELF-GOVERNING

Newbl's first election has concluded. There is much rejoicing, merriment, and gaiety on the dirt streets!

Considering the plethora of complex issues left to be wrestled with, no one knows exactly what the future will bring. But this day has assured the people that the choices ahead will be a more accurate reflection of the people's will--and that will do for now. Mistakes can be adjusted in short order.

The poll suggests that a central, governing body can be embraced by the populace if it's sound, coherent, fair, balanced, and reflective--and here it is...for the next 2 years, at least:

Newbl’s People‑Powered Governing Framework

C.I.V.I.C. — Citizen‑Initiated Voting & Issue Council

CIVIC is the primary governing body of Newbl. It empowers residents to initiate proposals, study issues, demonstrate competency, and participate directly in legislative decision‑making. Citizens advance proposals through structured committees, ensuring that ideas rise through demonstrated understanding rather than political influence.

C.L.E.A.R. — Council of Logic, Evidence, Analysis, and Reason

CLEAR is Newbl’s independent AI evaluative council. It provides impartial, evidence‑based assessments of proposals, committee performance, and issue literacy materials. CLEAR ensures that public decisions are grounded in logic, verified data, and transparent reasoning rather than persuasion or partisanship.

U.P.P. — Universal Public Production

UPP is the cornerstone of Newbl’s economy. It is the planet‑wide mechanism through which resources, production, and public projects are managed for the benefit of all citizens. CIVIC and CLEAR jointly oversee how UPP policies are proposed, evaluated, and approved, ensuring that economic decisions reflect both citizen priorities and rigorous evidence.

Unified System

Together, CIVIC, CLEAR, and UPP form Newbl’s People‑Powered Self‑Governance System:

• CIVIC initiates and shapes proposals.

• CLEAR evaluates them with logic and evidence.

• UPP executes the approved policies for the public good.

This Tri-Lateral structure replaces traditional political parties and professional politicians with a transparent, competency‑based, citizen‑driven model designed for stability, fairness, and long‑term planetary stewardship.

YES! I am inspired by our achievement. I was beginning to lose hope for the future of my children.

Since the tardigrades and trees seem to be the most significant other life forms on Newbl, shouldn't they be considered in the voting process?

V3
absolutely. as a captain you are grandfathered into the Senior Council, so you can help advance the proposal. imo, the tardigrades should have input in matters that may concern them. but that's not a lot, since they're almost indestructible. And if they can commune with the trees and fungi we should hear them as well.

LINDY:
As I inquired in the Poll thread: Will my children be able to inherit my credits when I pass?

V3:
let's get to the heart of the question, with another question:
if you're concerned about their well being, which would be more comforting?

1. that they have enough credits to buy more security within a corrupt environment, like it is today?

2. that their environment is more secure, just, fair & balanced in its default state, for everyone -- not just your own flesh and blood? They'd always be safer, even if the lose their credits.

Lindy:
I see where your going. The fair and balanced world that doesn't manifest fear and greed would be the safest place for my girls. Thank you.

V3:
but you didn't say whether you'd actually vote for option 2?

Lindy:
I have to think about it. As a mother, it would be hard to let go of the opportunity to pass on extra security to them.

V3:
i understand, Lindy. The people will have to decide. I'd just encourage the population to let go of old-world fears and trust that doing what is fair will pay back dividends to society and every individual at the same time.

perhaps if a parent's job is to prepare offspring for the world, they should experience it without being sheltered from its challenges. And if we're extensions of one divine source, isn't everyone our brothers, sisters, and children?

Lindy:
Thank you for reminding me of things I already know in my soul, but this world has taught me to forget, V! But THIS planet has burned me and my family before. I trust you. I don't trust the rest of the population.

(conversation condensed for time)

I have to agree with my sister, Lefty-Lindy. You're naive, V. People can't be trusted in this world, or the next one we land on.

V3
i know you're concerned with "fake news" but the Newbl system deals with that. As a Republican President once said about a foreign adversary, "trust but verify."

the Republican trend seems to be away from democracy because of things like widespread "woke-ism." Do you agree with that?

RED:
To a degree. Another saying is, "Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to have for dinner."

V3:
but your democracy is "one wolf with a big mouth and sharp teeth deciding what to have for dinner." You just get an appetizer -- him bullying your imaginary enemies in manufactured culture wars.

Aristotle did warn that democracy might allow a charismatic, manipulative leader to corrupt the will of the people. But Newbl's system deals with that as well.

Red, could you accept the will of the people, even if you disagree, as long as it was an accurate reading of an informed public's will?

RED:
Same thing. To a degree.

V3
consider this:

In nature, polling is used by birds, fish and mammals, to make important decisions for the school, flock, or herd. In starlings, these micro‑adjustments ripple through with astonishing speed, allowing thousands to reach a shared conclusion without a leader. Each individual contributes to choices that determine whether they all thrive and, ultimately, survive.

RED:
How about lemmings and sheep? They'll follow each other over a cliff.

V3:
Sheep might, if being chased by a WOLF! As for lemmings, that's just another "fake news" myth...

...popularized by a 1958 Disney film that staged a lemming mass suicide using animals purchased from local children, then placed on a rotating platform and driven over the edge for the shot.

Don't be driven over the edge for a Fox News shot.

[the story continues on page 4. Click NEXT page below]

Here's a question for you, V.

I'm a State's Rights advocate. What would be the consideration for different laws based on where people live and what their priorities are? I'm not into the One World philosophy.

V3:
on Newbl, the "wisdom of the crowd"* is solicited and applied.

*In an English town in 1906, they held a contest to guess the weight of an ox. No single person guessed correctly, but when all 787 guesses were averaged, the crowd’s answer was almost exact. It showed that a diverse group, thinking independently, can outperform any individual expert.

so, BIG isn't necessarily bad.
one-world big-government, big business, big socialism, and big religion is bad if it behaves bad. imo, one world behaving like Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, and MLK would be a good place to live

on Newbl, the circle of starships spreads out as the communities grow and the C.I.V.I.C system makes distance irrelevant. if colonists find a resource of water or precious minerals on the opposite side of the planet, the other side still owns it too. A mining state wouldn't compete with a potato state for favorable legislation.

most importantly, protections pertaining to the environment, food, workers, etc., and fairness and equality issues like human rights and civil rights, should not change depending on what side of an imaginary line people are on

regarding cultural issues, i think you'd be surprised how little you'll care about someone else's race, sexuality, religious beliefs, and personal preferences, once there's less inequity and ignorance influencing behavior.

you're also less likely to care about owning the most lethal weapon when there's less crime. like a lot of problems, crime is a byproduct of competition, scarcity and less opportunity -- and so is prejudice

my father was a Republican who warmed up to progressive policies after he retired from, what he called, "the rat race." He told me, "you're naive. You think there's good in everyone." i still do.

RED:
But what if i don't, V, and i want to live with others who feel the same?

V3
then you'd have to petition a vote to secede and let the whole community decide. but if you're thinking about owning resources instead of sharing them, you'd probably need to commission THE LIBERTY to take you to a different planet. because i'm sure that kind of libertarian sh,, uh, ship won't fly here.

that's one of the cancers that launched the 3001: Space Colonoscopy operation.

the story continues on page 4
--uninterrupted by politics and polls