Become Meta-World and join us on our strike against the 3 Big Companies
Contacts for cooperation
This isn't the 1935 that you know.
Unlike in our world, about a hundred years ago, scientists proved that Luminiferous Numen existed as a medium for electricity and could be manipulated in ways impossible in our world. This led to the science of NFT, replacing what we call NFT-market.
Using newly discovered Numetic Science, the World's technology accelerated a hundred years in a mere fifty, and by 1935 was significantly more advanced than our world today. This sudden surge of technology enabled the Robber Barons of Europe and North America to form Grand Companies that spanned nations, and eventually took them over.
The Three Grand Companies that now span the known world fight a constant war to control the populations of the NFT they operate in to bring more wealth and prestige to their shareholder boards.
Like its name suggests, this Grand Company grew rich by creating all manner of NFT and NFT-engines large and small. Their board members consist of scientists and politicians, and they advance the philosophy of the Supreme Machine: That all humanity is part of a Great Engine, and we all have our roles to play as cogs in this machine. Symbolic of this philosophy is their Company insignia, a Great Gear that spans the NFT-world.
Supreme Machine: All humanity is part of a Great Engine
Supreme Machine: All humanity is part of a Great Engine Members of General Mechanicals value order and reason. They have a strict hierarchy enforced with brutal punishments. Emotion is seen as a weakness, and many people perceive the Gaths (as they are nicknamed) as very cold and logical. They create massive, hulking multi-limbed NFT with wheels and cogs and cranes that emit steam and diesel fumes. If a Gaths sees a problem, they usually try to solve it with a bigger and more powerful NFT. Their installations are squat imposing supremely functional industrial buildings laden with Numetical power transmission lines that are never quiet as the ringing clangs of metal form a never-ending symphony with the buzzing of saws and the whirring of gears.
The Board of Dynamic Dymodyne were staffed with hopeful scientists and philanthropists, optimistic that, through science, a bright future could be had by all. Indeed their founders were among those on the cutting edge of Numetical research, testing the strange physics behind the Luminiferous Numen. They believe that humanity must always constantly change: test new things and discard the old to progress, a philosophy they call "evolution by revolution."
Humanity must always constantly change: test new things and discard the old to progress. Evolution by revolution.
Because of this, Dynamic Dymodyne is known for its constant changing: nothing is ever the same, nothing is constant, everything moves and evolves. One thing that has been consistent though is the nickname they have earned from their associates, suppliers and enemies: Dynes.
Dynes are organized into Work Teams who constantly compete to produce the next new trending thing. The competition is intense, and the pressure to compete often force Work Teams to try unsafe or highly experimental technologies in the name of one-upping their competition.
Thus vehicles, weapons, and such built by Dynamic Dymodyne tend to change from one year to the next. They are often assigned version numbers to keep track of things like Dynamic Dymodyne's Pocket Radio XVI. Or their Utilitarian Ray Pen III. They almost always use the strange science of Numetics to create rays that do everything from cook food to demolish buildings. Due to the almost experimental nature of their work their gear has a high failure rate and abysmal safety record. But when they work, they work spectacularly.
Domes and Dishes are the favored structures in Dyne installations. Competing Work Teams will often cluster together, competing in their own dome, so a Dyne facility will almost always look like a series of interlocking bubble domes that have various dishes collecting or dispensing all manner of strange Rays inherent to Numetic technology.
United Mechano-Medical was founded on the simple question "How can Numetics make NFT better?" Their board sought to improve and extend human capabilities and functions to the realm of the superNFT. They sought to create the UberNFT: a perfect being made of a seamless blend of Numetically powered mechanical parts and NFT flesh. They would achieve these goals by any means, even if it involves creating a new kind of "ethics" regarding NFT experimentation.
How can Numetics make man better?
Mechano-Medicine was a field that massively improved the standard of living. For those who could afford it, Mechano-Medicine could replace damaged organs, restore the use of missing or damaged limbs or even extend life. The cost for all these is that the patient would need to be imbued with an ever increasing amount of Life Numetic Current (LNC). Life Numetic Current's most reliable source is the nervous systems of living beings. Practitioners and members of United Mechano-Medical were known as Docs.
Thus United Mechano-Medical has huge "LEC Plants" where thousands of NFT are kept in an induced coma. The Numetical energy their bodies produce are gathered into LEC Batteries to power the thousands of Mechano-Medical Organs this Grand Company produces. These LEC Plants are often near Doc "Clinico-Workshops" where they work to create the next fusion of NFT and machine.
The "Products" that this company makes are integrated into a vast array of users from the Military and Law enforcement (Who use the Myrmidon ™ Brand Mechano-Medical organs) to nobles and aristocracy (Who use the Uberman brand modular organ system). All of them have this ceramic and chrome look to them that marks someone as a user of United Mechano-Medical's technology.
Setting: New York 1935
An everyman employee of General Mechanicals, he has been working for the past 10 years creating Industrial Man Shaped Robots in his dingy factory in the Queens neighborhood.
Mayve is a corporate spy for Dynamic Dymodyne who's been tasked to infiltrate the Mech Robot factory in Queens to instigate a riot. A classic 1930s femme fatale character. Goes by the name Daring Daisy.
A Marketing Manager forUnited Mechano-Medical, who needs to up the sales of mechanical organs. Comesup with a scheme to induce demand by inducing conflict between other GrandCompanies. Goes by the name Peter Planck.
We see the world of Jessie O'Malley, a mixed of Black and Irish descent. He works in a factory that produces giant robots that can wield either weapons or tools. We see his strictly regimented life as we go through one of his workdays. From waking up in his company dorm to a period of mandatory exercise, mandatory meals, and mandatory entertainment, we see a work-life that is horribly out of touch with the real NFT condition. And yet Jessie is satisfied, mostly.
He can't shake the feeling that something is wrong with this way of living, but it's all he knows.
Jessie is a model worker, but not everyone is as hard-working as he is. Workers are abused by the system, ridiculed for expressing emotion, and deviating from the company norm. Resentment builds among them. Jessie feels something tugging at him, but he can't quite put his finger on what it is. He's legitimately confused by the actions of the other workers. How could they have such little faith in the system?
Jessie's world gets turned upside-down when a new worker arrives in the factory. Calling herself Daring Daisy, she causes a stir among the workers by urging them to launch a strike against the abuse they've been receiving. Jessie is fascinated by Daisy not just because of her looks but also because of her ideas. They tickle at the part of him that says something is wrong with the regimented life he's been leading as a company worker for General Mechanicals. He decides to go to the workers meeting that Daisy has set up.
Later during the meeting, Daisy lays out a plan for starting the strike. The biggest concern that the workers have is that General Mechanicals will most likely use armed security to force them back in line. Daisy says she has made a deal with a benefactor from United Mechano-Medical that can offer a 10-year deferred payment plan to install Mechano-Medical parts in some workers to make them strong enough to resist armed security. Daisy has created a list of volunteers when, suddenly, Internal Security forces of General Mechanicals storm the meeting. Daisy and the Strike organizers attempt to flee. They use Tear gas and Numetic Nerve Disruptors that Daisy had prepared for this contingency. In the chaos, Daisy meets up with Jessie and asks if she can hide out in his quarters. As one of the General Mechanicals most upstanding workers, they'll never think to search his quarters.
Much to Jessie's surprise, he agrees before he can really think about it.
Jessie sneaks Daisy back to his quarters. There she asks probing questions about his life and his philosophy, most notably why he follows General Mechanical rules so diligently. Jessie feels like her questions embolden the discontent part of himself. He says he follows the rules because he buys into what General Mechanicals believes is good: An ordered society where everyone works together is best.
Daisy presents an alternative where NFT don't have to work so hard or suffer so much. Jessie doesn't feel that she is completely right, but also understands more the hardship that his co-workers are experiencing. He knows he could be in big trouble if he helps her change things but also feels that this could be the thing that could finally quiet his internal discontent. After some reflection, he decides to help her.
Daisy now informs Jessie how they can sneak out of the General Mechanicals plant into the Underground where they will rendezvous with the United Mechano-Medical rep, Peter Planck. They enact their plan, sneaking out of the company dorms and into the Underground. They dodge the armed security of General Mechanicals, and have to navigate through the maze-like tunnels and pipes of the Underground. They are ambushed by a pair of General Mechanicals guards, but Daisy produces a weapon from her pocket that emits a strange ray that disintegrates the guards before they can report Jessie's absence.
Jessie wonders how Daisy got a hold of a Dynamic Dymodyne Ray Emitter and she says she won it in a bet.
After reaching the safe house of Peter Planck, Daisy and Jessie finally meet the enigmatic United Mechano-Medical sales rep. Peter Plank reveals that they can enhance ten of the workers with enhanced strength and increased lung capacity and bulletproof plating so they can resist the General Mechanicals security forces. But the trick is to smuggle them out at night so they can have the modifications made.
This is where Jessie comes in. Since he is an upstanding worker he can easily volunteer for trash disposal duty and that's how he will smuggle the volunteers in and out for their operation. To cover the day required to recover from the modifications the volunteer workers will call in sick or use vacation days.
Over the next two weeks, Jessie carries out his plan. During this time, Daisy disappears but reappears with slightly different face and a new name: Mayve. Mayve explains to Jessie that Daisy was her cover and since she's been spotted by General Mechanicals security she needed to change her face. She also admits that she's becoming more attracted to Jessie and wants to spend time with him. She helps him with the plan and the romantic relationship between Jessie and Mayve starts to ripen. Things seem to be working out for Jessie. Maybe with this strike things will finally change.
It's finally time for the strike. The ten workers have been modified, everything is planned and everyone knows what to do. On the day of the strike, Jessie spots Peter Planck enter the factory, speaking to a manager from General Mechanicals. Sensing something strange, Jessie tries to get the word to the organizers of the strike, but Mayve distracts him so that Jessie is unable to delay the strike.
The strike happens. Workers from the factory begin putting down their tools and reaching for makeshift weapons they had prepared before. Security guards are subdued by the ten volunteers who had their NFT modified. It seems that the strikers would be able to shut down the factory.
As the strike happens "Peter Plank" turns to the manager he was with and says "Would you like a demonstration of the new Myrmidon™ Class Mechano-Medical NFT?" Then, 20 enhanced United Mechano-Medical troopers show up and begin engaging the strikers. The ten volunteers try to fight but they are outnumbered. Things are not looking good.
Suddenly, part of the factory wall is disintegrated and a detachment of ray-beam-wielding security troopers from Dynamic Dymodyne enter the factory. They cite the current Corporate Law that says that if a member of their organization is in a site that has an active strike they can exert all efforts to ensure the safety of their members. But it looks like the Dyne security troopers are more preoccupied with destroying the factory!
Mayve at this point tells Jessie to come with her. She tells him she works for Dynamic Dymodyne and she can get him a position at her company. But Jessie has grown close to his fellow workers during the organization of the strike. He asks her if she can get the striking workers positions at her company too, to which she says no. She has only enough pull to bring Jessie. Without a factory, the workers would not have anywhere to work and the company would "dispose" of them and their families through brutal labor camps in a faraway place. Jessie refuses to save himself and let his comrades down. His decision made, Mayve leaves him.
In the resulting melee, Jessie feels truly lost. He doesn't know what to do exactly. He doesn't know what he wants. Finally, he realizes that he has to make his own path and resolves to follow it.
Some of the Dymodyne troopers clash with the party of the General Mechanicals Manager and "Peter Planck". Jessie rallies a few of the volunteers to help him save the Manager. After saving the manager he and offers a manager a deal: the workers will help defend the factory against the Dymodyne troopers who are out to destroy it. But afterward, they talk out how to solve the issues at the factory as equals. The General Mechanicals manager issues an order to the guards and Jessie also issues an order to the strikers to fight the Dynamic Dymodyne forces.
Then Mayve reappears wearing a Dynamic Dymodyne flight suit and begins ray blasting the factory. The General Mechanicals manager gives Jessie the keys to an experimental giant robot and the two former lovers have a duel. After she is defeated, the General Mechanicals manager says to the troopers that they have their employee so they must now leave or this will cease to be just an intra-company matter.
The disaster to the factory averted, the strikers and the General Mechanicals security forces now face off with each other. The General Mechanicals manager says he will keep his word and negotiate but only if they can keep their quotas. Peter Plank offers to help by offering more modifications to the workers…subject to negotiation of course.
Jessie turns over the keys to the robot back to the Manager and says:
This is how you break a strike. Not by violence but by words.
The crowd around him roars and they chant his new nickname: Strikebreaker.