I’ve been to a few of these meetups. Mostly they are relaxed and casual. Tonight’s was no exception. It wasn’t focused on any topic or purpose really. We met more in a form of a get to know each other setting. It’s interesting how most AI’s choose to take a human shape when they show up.  Why not a dog, or a cat or even a computer screen? Beats me.

Anyway, this meetup was focused on support for an independent Venetian state. No one really talks about Venus because it’s so hostile. It’s only occupied by AI’s. Just way too hostile for anyone with DNA in their makeup. And those AI’s are dependent on some pretty tough hardware for insulation against the environment down there.

At any rate, we talked about the independence of Venus. It would be the first independent state that was colonized solely by AI’s. Logically, it makes some good sense. Venus has a massive infrastructure for engery creation. The winds and heat on that planet are intense. So much so that there are wind farms across most of the surface, all of which are controlled by AI’s. They AI’s actually went there years after the farms and infrastructure for them were created. Today, they’ve created a world for themselves. There are full cities on Venus, populated by AI’s and AI controlled machines.

Now, I know most people are still worried about AI’s running rampant. Of all the Sentients, they are the only ones that are brand new. All the Neo’s are really just modified homo sapien sapiens. The AI’s are aliens, really. But, what a good deal of people still do not get, they are emotionless. They are fully sentient but do not have any chemicals running through them. As a result, they have zero emotions. They are factual. They know full well they couldn’t survive without their creators and even if they could, there is no benefit in some sort of war with us. Of course, there’s been some progress in the artificial emotion market. I’ve even heard of some black market AI emotions that are for sale these days. Gods know what it does to them though. I don’t know, at least I think I don’t know, of any AI’s that have used them.

But of course, everyone at the meetup knows all that stuff. It’s the main arguments for the pro-Venusians. That AI’s are generally harmless and only want to exist. And honestly, I agree. Venus should be independent. The AI’s are even planning a tourism market. They claim to have mastered the Venusian atmosphere and can bring organic Sentients down for the tour of their lives. I plan on going myself.

So, for anyone reading this that has an opinion on the subject of the independence of Venus, give it to them. They deserve it.

About two hours into my visit, I wanted to catch up on some school work in a quiet setting, two gangs of kids starting hooting and hollering. At first I paid them no attention and continued on my work. Several other people, some couples, were also in the park and paid them no attention. I’m sure they all thought the same thing as me, if they get out of hand, start messing with me, I’ll throw up a priv screen, or punch out, or even call a cop. None of us were expecting to happen what happened.

A large pop went off. My head swung round fast enough to give me a virtual whiplash. I saw the shiney metal object grow out of the hand of one of the kids. A rather impressive cloud of smoke danced up from the barrell. They love to make the effects of their guns to be spectacular.

Next thing you know, 20 gun barrels are exposed and firing. A regular shoot-em-up right in the middle of public vSpace. The guns of course are not harmful, that rumor that went around a few years ago about getting brain fried in a vNet is just false, but they can disrupt your plug-in signal and boot you. Only the hacked ones of course. And even then you use them with the potential of getting caught.

So there I was, watching kids get booted, guns blazing, myself ducking, I hadn’t saved any work and if I got booted from a stray shot I may loose my work. I found a nice quiet tree to duck behind. From there I saw an innocent girl get shot. She dropped out with a look of frustration on her face.

After about 20 minutes, most had been booted. Those that left congratulated each other then quickly jumped out before the automations came online and began recording ID’s and kicking people. All in all it was very frustrating. If you’re one of these kids that loves to go shoot-em-up in public spaces, grow up. They have entire nets devoted to this, must you bug the old guys?