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The Thians had abandoned a lot of technology when they evacuated to the present day, but a noticeable amount of this pre-cataclysm was in their posession when they arrived.

Biotechnology[]

Theian scholars have come to the conclusion that at the fundamental level the line between machine and organic blurs and that life itself is a very advanced machine. Technology that incorporates both the organic and inorganic natures is called choysentethiv or biosynthesis by the Theians (shorthand phrases include Bisyns and Biosynths).

Byosynthetic tissue comprises of a mix of organic and inorganic material to the point where neither can be distinguished. An example would include enhanced muscles: A mix of insulated ceramic pistons, flexible nanotube rings and compressive tissue within skeletal muscle cells enhances compressive force per squared cm area even though the muscle itself does not look that much different. Biosynth techology is widespread and of common use. Most Theians have at least some degree of biosynth augumentation, the degree of which varies between individuals.

Interfacing systems rely on colonies of Ravoliform strains mixed with graphene materials that replace the use of plugs, buttons and sockets and can only be activated if the user also has a Ravoliform node on their body; something which other species in the universe lack. Genetic engineering is of widespread use from crops to terraforming and personal improvement, over the past few millennia the Theians have become very different from their pre-industrial physiologies.

Computing[]

Theian electronics often comprise of two compoonents; an organic, electroconductive microbe and graphene microships that surpass traditional silicon microchips. Using their mental enhancements they can 'merge' with electronic systems completely controlling them with thoughs. This comes in two spectrums.

  • Low-level interfacing relies on physical contact between the interface and the body such as a Ravoliform node and often takes the form of a bulb on the console and an obscured ring-like structure on the hand. When combined the systems merge (allowing yourself to be immersed requires mental focus and practice) and the user uses their thoughts to control the console, removing any need for a kayboard and other peripherals although these are used for public termianls for the sake of alien visitors or inhabitants.
  • High-level interfacing requires direct brain interfacing in the form of wireless sytems or - more crudely - a cable connecting directly to the cerebrum. The subject's consciousness becomes completely swallowed up by the machine and can be traumatic if the user is not prepared. On the outside the user becomes comatose but within their minds they become part of the machine, their brain sorts the data and interface to create a convincing mental picture. High-level interfacing is reserved for systems that require the user's complete attention.

Naturally these systems are dangerous to the untrained mind and Theian children practice the use of low-level interfacing from a very early age. Combined with the meditation required to hone their psychic ablilities all adult Theians posess the focus required to safely and easily use their interfacing systems.

Collective intelligence[]

Theians have perfected the ability to upload a copy of someone's mind and thoughts into a digital storage medium, making the uploader technically immortal. The Technocracy has already built limited forms of collelctive artificial intelligence - one being the head of state the other bring the afterworld engine.

The Afterworld Engine is a psuedo-Matrioshka brain designed to accommodate the personalities of Theians who have passed away. A product of the Technocracy's ongoing transcendance project; it consists of an internet-like network of hubs across the colonies connected seamlessly with microscale wormholes and containing the uploaded minds and memories of Theian volunteers before their death. While it is not considered an afterlife in the traditional sense since the general population realises the engine only copies brain patterns the occupant minds inside effectively have full control over a new, fully-simulated relity within cyberspace and is currently considered the closest to transcendance the population can reach.

Tebvanur-baldra (short: Tebvanu, Thalidi: collective leader) is a type of A.I. designed and installed to be the Technocracy's head of state. Using mind-uploading thechnology the Theians have preserved the memories, experiences and personalities of previous leaders and combined them into a single quantum computer. Because the former Dominion had to rush the information transfer during the cataclysm Tebvanu (specifically model TA-0351) only holds a six distinct personalities as opposed to the hundreds that once inhabited the A.I. leader on Thei. The existence of the Tebvanu computers is kept secret from anyone outside of the technocracy and the A.I. selects one magistrate to act as it's hand. The newly-appointed high magistrate adopts a link to the computer accepts it as a mentor. Over tiem the chosen high magistrate will have their mind stroed on backup within the A.I. and upon the high-magistrate's death the digital mind becomes part of the collective consciousness. The candidate will recive an upgrade to neural implants to allow constant contact with Tebvanu over long distances.

Data Storage[]

TheianDataMatrix

A typical data matrix design

Information is primarly stored on a portable device known as a data matrix. These devices resemble smooth dark-coloured octahedrons and most handheld matrices are large enough to be held in the palm of a Theian's hand. Data matrices respond to electrical signals (either detecting nerve impulses on the hand or through a suitably-designed reading device) and transmit the data to the connected processing unit, either a sapient's brain or a computer processor. Data matrices are designed by default to interface with Theian cybernetics. When a theian touches a data matrix, an interfacing system is projected onto their retinas via optical implants and the stroed information can be accessed with thought patterns.

Sapients who lack any way to recieve the stored information will only feel that the device is responding to the nerve impulses in their hand. Without appropriate processing the information would go unrecieved and without the right interfacing the information would appear as a hallucination in the user's vision. Insufficient processing capabilities can make the information appear jumbled or fractured as though one was looking at a broken tablet.

The reciever must be capable of understanding Thalidi in order to access the data to its fullest extent, otherwise the data would be undecipherable.

Robotics[]

The technocracy implements biosynth technologies within it's robotics and droid soldiers make up a large part of the army since the population numbers only in the tens of billions. Most of the drones are remotely controlled from a command unit and designed to follow a "survival procedure" if the conenction is severed which involves preserving the unit's own lie and attempting to reconenct with the nearest compatable command unit.

Drone armies are led by remote-controlled command drones. Unlike other droids these machines are motion-operated by Guardian League operators either witin a local garrison/MCC (mobile command centre) or from an orbiting starship. Operators are psychically linked to their command units and are immune to any direct physical harm via in-built safety protocols. Because the wearer sees what the droid sees they are not immune to any psychological stimuli that could pass through a projection but these safety protocols mean they are protected from loud noises or strobing/flashes that would normally disorient or deabilitate the user. Users' motions are tracked using sensors and sensetive cameras and users aer required to wear special interface bod jackets that can be worn under armour and/or clothes and experienced users treat the jackets as an undergarnament during regular operation.

Nanotechnology[]

At present, nanotechnology in the form of nanoscale machinery is most common as nanotech bionics within the Theian population. Since it is possible for a mother to share her nanites with a developing embryo theians have been born with impants for many generations and it is considered normal. Nanites have found common use within the Technocracy and serve an enormours variety of purposes, in particular:

  • Medical nanites to keep users healthy and enhance performance.
  • Constructors that build everything from furniture to weapons and buildings and other nanites
  • Utility fog, combines in use with constructors.

One form of utility fog is the Technocracy's Avatar project. Part of their ascension programme, the fog comprises of a cluster of biosynth foglets that arrange to form a living being. Controlled using psionic relays from either remote users or occupants of the Afterworld Engine, the fog acts as a non-corporeal avatar of the user. Micro-propulsion systems and sophisticated programming mimics acts of teleportation and shapeshifting while the biosynthetic components act as a conduit for psychic practices.

Engineering[]

Arcologies[]

TheianArcologyDiag01

A cross-section of a typical arcology

Theians primarily live in self-sustaining arcologies that are capable of holding millinos of people. These structures rise up from the ground level like a giant silver anthill and can occupy several thousand cubic kilometres at the base. Inspired by the designs of Kilvikdi mounds (small termite-like insectoids native to the Theian homeworld) they exist as everal zones.

  • A sublayer consisting of mining tunnels, bomb shelters and the structural foundations that penetrate over 500m through bedrock.
  • At the base are industrial and farming complexes.
    • Plants are kept illuminated with glass and sunlamps with tiny pipes. Plants are grown hydroponically with turbines at the base of the tank, keeping the nutrient-rich water flowing and balanced. Nets resting on the water keep the plants in one place which are harvested by remote robots.
    • In the deep core of the structure are industrial replicators and hypermatter power generators.
  • Apartment units line the outer layers of the structure and are connected to concentric walkways lined with trees, shrubs and other potted plants and lit with energy-efficient light sources to simulate sunlight. Deeper in and the central structure contains parks and commercial offices, separated from the apartment units with a large concentric avenue.
  • The upper levels are reserved for administration including apartments, offices, gardens and communal areas.
  • The top of the spire is the arcology governor's residence or, in the case of a planetary capital, the governor's apartments.

Arcologies can reach upwards of 5km in height and are fully self-sustaining. Complete with transit systems, public and emergency services, external communication and military training facilities meaning that everything is catered for the population. The surface contains thick reflective alloy plating to improve insulation and to resist orbital bombardment. Inside images of the sky and landscape are projected on screens using high defenition depth-illusion technology to provide a convincing feel the occupant can see the outside world.

Dyson structures[]

Soon after they arrived the Technocracy deployed infrastructure to harness the energy of local star systems.

One red dwarf star is different. Designated as the Virtusphere the Technocracy has begun constructing a more advanced structure around the star of Alevan. Already the framework has been laid for what will become several habitation units to become a near-inpenetrable shell. Scientists estimated that it could be decades, as much as a full century to fully complete the structure at the current rates. It is believed that with increased insustrial capacity the construction time could be reduced further.

Psi-tech[]

A defining technology of the technocracy is "remote neurosynaptic manipulation systems" (Thalidi: nintharosinheli), also known as psychic technology or 'psi tech'.

Theian brains are wired to be more accomodating to interaction with hyperspace. All lifeforms generate biophotons that use quantum interactions to shift between realspace and 4D hyperspace, a common product of this action is the creation of auras and various sensory inputs. Through evolution and genetic engineering, Theian brains evolved to be more responsive to signals generated by quantum-interacting biophotons, combined with internal cybernetics they have a greater awareness and level of psychic power than certain other lifeforms.

Equipment referred to as 'psi-tech' is designed to be responsive to quantum-interacting biophoton signals from sapient brains. The philosophy that the concepts of organic and inorganic are indistinguishable at the fundamental level. Psi-tech equipment frequently displays aspects of biotechnology and more sophisticated examples of their technology are not only responsive to biophoton signals but can theoretically channel psychic power, giving the illusion that the machine is conductive of psychic signals.

Common applications of psi-tech includes remote neural interfacing, remote droid control and augmentation of the psychic abilities of a user.

Society Network[]

Also known as Volitvimio. The Society Network is an integrated collection of brain-implanted subspace communicators linked up to each other and the Technocracy's information network. The result is that anyone with an appropriate subspace communicator implant can contact other Theians directly and upload and download data though specific thought processes. Because these devices are present in virtually every Theian within the technocracy, their entire society is permenantly linked in and networked, akin to a group mind.

Most subspace communicators are several micrometres in size, are typically implanted close to the higher thought processing centres of the brain and send transmissions into subspace that are picked up by other transmitter devices. The Technocracy has come to rely on this technology for seamless information exchange. Interfacing software allows the user to "see" and even interact this infomration by having the data processed within the sight and sensory centres of the brain. Failsafe programming and firewalls prevent the user's implants from being hacked or prevent the intrusion of malware intorduced into the system. "Seeker" programmes created by special implants and AI servers scour the Society Network for malware and hunt it down, keeping the system clean and safe.

Spacetime engineering[]

Prior to the evacuation the Technocracy had perfected the construction of wormholes and each world wthin their territory is joined to a wormhole somewhere within the system. A network of planet-based Microscopic wormholes act as an FTL communication network that primarily serves as a lag-free networking service for the Afterworld Engine and for FTL communication and energy transfer accross the developing colonies.

Larger Theian vessels are fitted with a wormhole drive, something that allowed the TEA Alvaleth to arrive in the Bunsen Galaxy, but still make use of warp fields alongside smaller vessels.

Quantum replication[]

When the Technocracy arrived in the present-day Guagaquardant in 2786 replicators existed in limited numbers aboard the ark. Using these limited numbers the technocracy has expanded the number of replicators to accomodate for each arcology they have constructed on the planets they coloniese. Industrial-scale replicators can convert any material into something else that is further used in nanite foundaries or taken elsewhere.

Replicator hubs typically exist as small districts within Theian arcologies in the bowels of the structure. Serving as the industrial district.

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