The Inhabited Systems are located in the hostile ocean of Deep Space. It is thought that the Inhabited Systems were created by the great snake Touks while trying to escape from a pursuer. Burrowing into a wrinkle in the fabric of Deep Space, Touks created a spiral space where humanity evolved.
To date no one has come up with a better explanation.
The Inhabited Systems are a patchwork of Sectors, Quadrants, Federations and lone planets. There are vast areas of uninhabited space within the Inhabited Systems. Some is because there are no habitable planets in the area. Others are due to the impact of war.
The population of the Inhabited Systems is made up of natural born humans and artificial lifeforms called Bottle Born. The artificial lifeforms are developed (Brewed) in industrial plants called bottle farms. The brewing process extracts energy from factory bred flocks of non-human lifeforms that existed on Thiegler, a planet near the border of Deep Space. After the extraction process the majority of bottle born lifeforms are brewed to solve specific problems or provide specific services. The energy extracted has extraordinary qualities and is harnessed via products called charms. Bottle born energy and labour is the foundation of the economy of the Inhabited Systems.
A minority of the bottle born are brewed as general purpose life forms, over time they have become free citizens of the Inhabited Systems. There is constant tension between the natural and the bottled born citizens. At this time the population of bottle born free citizens has grown to the point that they are becoming an organised political force. They are demanding their seat at the table of power.
Thousands of years ago the Empress Ingea of Thiegler started a war to conquer and unify the Inhabited Systems under her rule. She did not succeed. The war has left scars that are still creating problems across the Inhabited Systems.
We arrive at the Inhabited Systems as huge change is beginning to to emerge. The past has waited for the future to catch up. Now it is beginning to do so and the results will change the inhabited Systems for all lifeforms.
Everyone in the Inhabited Systems are going to discover what it means to be living in interesting times.
The Inhabited Systems Collections is a twelve book project made up of four trilogies that follow the collision of the forces that are driving change in the Inhabited Systems. At their centre is Shakbout Mansard, a bottle born lifeform who is standing on the hinge of history fighting for family, friends survival.
he Inhabited Systems sit in the ocean of Deep Space. Humanity has developed with Natural born and artificial, Bottle Born, lifeforms. The Bottle Born are second class citizens. Shakbout Mansard is a Bottle Born citizen. He wants a life partner and a peaceful life. No chance. Thousands of years ago a war ravaged The Inhabited Systems, leaving scars that have not fully healed. Plans set in motion when the war stopped are close to reaching their goal. Bottle Born citizens are organising to claim their seat at the table as full citizens. Shakbout is standing on the hinge of history, change is coming and he cannot avoid his part in it. Shakbout is not going to be a victim to the gigantic forcers that surround him. He will fight for family, friends and all lifeforms in the Inhabited Systems. The final battle of the war has started, the Spoils of War are waiting to be claimed by the victor. Whoever that may be.
The Inhabited Systems sit in the ocean of Deep Space. Some of the inhabitants of Deep Space have crossed the border into the Inhabited Systems. They are known as Waifs & Strays. Mostly they live in the Rumple Zone, an area right on the border. Some come to trade. Some come to stay. Some have very different plans. Shakbout Mansard, an agent with the Thiegler Public Relation Agency is sent to the Rumple Zone. A low level piece of diplomacy becomes something much more serious as a plan being made for the Inhabited System by the Waifs and Strays become clearer. Shakout will have to fight harder than ever to save the Inhabited Systems from the threat from Deep Space.
Bottle Born Blues