A product of Virtuality LLC
Bob Peterson is 'The Good Terrorist'. His goal is to save the world from global warming. He isn't just interested in stopping supplies of fossil fuels from producer to market, although that's part of it. His bigger goal is to change hearts and minds, especially in his home country, the United States.
About 74 pages long.
This is the most serious of the stories. Some readers might feel that it is anti-American but that is certainly not my intention. The issues apply to most 'western' nations.
The Good Terrorist
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DIAQSZA
USA http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIAQSZA
The Longevity Competition imagines a competition in which the team which gets the maximum number of participants to 100 years old wins. A Christian organization joins in, in order to present a Christian perspective on ageing and long life. It doesn't all go according to plan.
About 85 pages long.
The Longevity Competition
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DIAAE50
USA http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIAAE50
Triple-Sim has the most action of all the stories. It is set in the late 21st century when sport and games simulators have merged to form new forms of simulated sport and conflict. It features 16-year old Dani Burchell, who has been genetically modified by her scientist father.
About 78 pages long.
This is probably the most fun of the stories.
Triple-Sim
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DIAQSZA
USA http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIAQSZA
The preceding stories set the background for the world of the late 21st century which Yuan Ming and 'One' live in, a world of high-technology and environmental collapse in which China has emerged as the world's superpower.
One is the world's first truly self-aware computer-intelligence. The story follows One's development as a being - the first of 'her' kind - who is trying to work out who 'she' is.
About 152 pages long.
Perhaps the most controversial of the stories.
One
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DIAZ37E
USA http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIAZ37E
£0.77 in the UK, $1.21 in the US on Amazon
£0.77 in the UK, $1.21 in the US on Amazon
£1.31 in the UK, $2.06 in the US on Amazon
"One" is available as a complete story. This is the best way to read it, and it's available free from the link below. It is also available as a set of four separate stories - see below - from Amazon for Kindle.
Christian. They are written from a Christian perspective. There is no sex (sorry!), bad language or graphic violence, although there are fights!
Visionary. Only in the sense that they deal with the near future.
Science-fiction / hard science-fiction. The stories are not fantasy nor are they fantastic. They are ‘hard’ science fiction in the sense that they describe things that are possible from the point of view of 21st century science.
Fiction. They are purely fiction and make no claim to be factual or prophetic.
Author:Simon Bartlett
About the author:
Simon Bartlett studied mechanical engineering at Imperial College, London and later became a Chartered Mechanical Engineer.
He has lived and worked for more than 25 years outside the UK: in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, the UAE, Botswana, Pakistan, the USA and Australia.
He also has an MBA from Manchester Business School and has recently taken a one-year diploma in theology.
£0.77 in the UK, $1.21 in the US on Amazon
An excerpt from The Good Terrorist
Chapter 5
Bob Peterson had almost reached the end of his plan. There was only one stage left, and for that he wanted a real stage, a stage to speak on. He planned to turn himself in.
“It goes back to Rivonia”, he had explained to Mary. “By standing trial, Mandela turned the spotlight on South Africa. I want to get the spotlight on the US. And apart from that, I think it’s morally the right thing to do.”
“I think I’ll stand trial with you”, Mary said.
“You don’t have to”, Bob Peterson replied. “A court would have difficulty proving that you aided and abetted me. You could claim husband-wife privilege and refuse to testify.”
“Well, I’m certainly complicit”, Mary answered. “And I think that a court would hold that I participated through inactivity. My only escape would be to deny all knowledge of what you were doing and none of our friends and relatives would believe that.”
“You may be right”, Bob Peterson answered. “But I still don’t think you should turn yourself in. I think you could do much more to help me if you’re not behind bars.”
Bob and Mary talked the matter over for some time but finally Mary accepted her husband’s point of view.
The following day Bob Peterson wrote to Peter Murphy at Andrews Murphy Stricken and Cohen LLP. A long time ago he had decided that any kind of online communication with the law firm was far too dangerous. Online communication between Mandate founders was one thing but communicating online to the law firm was another matter entirely. The intelligence services knew that he had a link to the law firm. By tapping into their internet cable they could identify communication with him. Even if he used a proxy server it would only conceal his IP address for a limited time and as soon as intelligence services found that they would find him. So as always he encrypted the message and sent it by secure email to one of his associates in another part of the USA. The associate copied it onto an IronKey USB drive and forwarded it to Andrews Murphy Stricken and Cohen LLP by post. Peter Murphy received the USB. He opened a laptop which Bob Peterson had sent him, one in which the wireless and the network ports had been disabled, and attached the USB drive. After going through the identification process the computer deciphered the message. He read it carefully.
Dear Peter
I feel that it would be right for me to turn myself in. This is something that my wife and I discussed even before starting this campaign. I would be grateful if you would advise me on the best way to proceed.
Sincerely
Member of Mandate
Peter Murphy was very surprised. He thought about the matter for a couple of hours and then typed his reply into the laptop.
Dear Member of Mandate
I applaud your wish to face your accusers. However as your attorney I should warn you of the likely consequences if you follow this course of action.
In addition to actions brought by Pennsylvania, Michigan and California states it is almost certain that many private individuals will bring actions against you once your identity is known. Many foreign countries will also raise extradition requests. You are likely to be embroiled in legal proceedings for a long time.
The outcome of a court case can never be guaranteed. We can plead that your actions which were in breach of the law were justified in order to protect others. However acquitting you would set a precedent for similar acts by others and a jury would not easily agree to this. A guilty verdict is very possible and you could be sentenced to many years of imprisonment.
In regard to turning yourself in, I understand that two police forces have now suspended their investigations due to lack of new leads. This gives us a strong negotiating position. I believe we can use this to ask State Attorneys in Pennsylvania, Michigan and California for one or more of the following:
(1) To advise what charges they will bring and commit to bringing no further charges.
(2) To agree to joinder as plaintiffs. The court may oppose this even if State Attorneys agree.
(3) Not to oppose bail.
(4) To issue a criminal summons rather than arresting and then booking you.
With your agreement I will make contact with State Attorneys in these three states and discuss these matters with them.
Sincerely
Peter Murphy
Peter Murphy encrypted his message, opened a .wav editor which Bob Peterson had installed on the laptop and converted the file to 16 bit .wav format. In the same editor he opened a file called ‘AMSC radio ad 7’ and inserted the encrypted message into the middle. He then emailed the file to the advertising section at XM Satellite Radio with a brief request to update the firm’s advertisement. He was sure that radio listeners would never notice the tiny crackle in the middle of the ad. He was also sure that ‘Member of Mandate’ would have no difficulty in recording the advertisement, extracting his reply and reading it.