When the Golemites were first created,
there was some question about them. They were made from Human
genetic material after all. So while they were genetically altered
in many ways, they were still human in the eyes of some.
As time wore on and the war finally
came to a close, the generations that followed slowly started to see
Golemites as nothing more than tools. So as tools, they were
expendable because another one can always be cloned. This attitude
changed some when humanity was starting to ascend.
A few people started to ask “What
about the Golemites?” and as more and more humans left, those
voices became louder. One of those voices was the distant relative
of the scientist that helped make them, Dr. Malinda K. Fahtoom. She
alone was in the unique position to help them as humanity moved on.
With the help of her colleagues in the Golemite Management Bureau, a
plan as set in motion. Sadly they could only help those Golemites
that lived on earth, but if it worked they would be free to create
their own civilization.
Twenty years after the last humans left
Earth, a timer ticked to zero. Moments later the Golemites neural
inhibitors turned off. At the same time the cloning procedure for
the Golemites changed, the implants that kept them docile and
infertile would not longer be installed. In time the Golemites would
be able to have offspring naturally.
Unaware they were now free of their
bonds, the Golemites kept to their work of maintaining the machines
and structures of Humanity. Though slowly their behaviors changed.
Instead if going to work then back to their homes, the Golemites
started to go to places they had not been before.
They started to gather and socialize
discussing why they had not done this before. Older Golemites that
had been active while humanity was still around would converse about
how they felt people were missing from these places. But no one knew
if it was real or just a dream.
Golemite society progressed well in the
early times, The oldest and most skilled became leaders of a caste
system that defined to roles of every Golemite. But unlike many
caste systems, theirs was less rigid and did not punish those of
lower castes and even allowed migration between castes if the
individual could serve a roll of value.
Religion also spontaneously formed as
those that once tended to the libraries and archives of the old world
started to marvel at the works of those that came before. Humanity
was through by removing almost all data from their existence on their
machines. But the Golemites tended to the forgotten archives that
were enshrined in tomes long forgotten by much of humanity.
From these books and lost records rose
The Order of Fahtoom. Fragments of knowledge and history were taken
out of context, and their distant creator now became a God to those
that would believe. Quickly “The Order” would rise to be the top
caste of their fledgling civilization. Though there was a new trial
for the Golemites to deal with, the machines they used were failing.
As a stop gap, The Order and caste
leaders put in place an initiative. They would keep the machines
going as long as possible by salvaging every part they could from
machines that had failed all over the planet. The highest priority
was to maintain the cloning tubes and to prioritize the cloning of
those that maintained them.
One hundred and four years after their
awakening, the last machine of human design stopped working. The
last cloning tube ceased to function and in it, the last cloned
Golemite before it could know life. With this revelation, many
Golemites stopped working at all.
Much of Golemite civilization hung by a
thread as the news spread across the Earth. Attendance of Order
services grew sharply while depression and anxiety ran rampant over
the population. To combat this some took to the lower sections of
the cities where the lowest caste of society resided, the Caste of
Flesh.
In a place known as the Den of the
Flesh, one of the prostitutes had been sick for some time. The Madam
of the den had started to worry as she young lady was new to work.
One of the last to be cloned, she was the first new girl the Madam
had seen for ages. To have such a rarity be sick was not something
she needed at this time of turmoil.
A doctor was called and arrived
promptly. And shortly after he started to examine the patient. The
young Golemite was lethargic, had been vomiting each morning, was
running a fever, and early on had broad emotional swings. Test after
test were negative until the doctor started imaging her. In her
abdomen he found what appeared to be a parasite of some kind growing
in an unused organ.
As the doctor ran more tests and stay
with the patient, an assistant was sent to the archives held in the
Order compound. Searching through ancient texts with the help of the
librarians, the answer was found. The prostitute was not sick, she
was pregnant.
The tests for it were found and she was
tested immediately, she tested positive. Much like the news
concerning the last cloning tube, the news of this woman’s
pregnancy spread quickly. The word “pregnant” had never been
part of Golemite society until now and few knew what it meant. But
as more learned that it meant to have offspring, numerous women left
their caste to join the Caste of Flesh.
Faced with the rapid influx of new
workers things changed rapidly. With this caste now seen as the hope
for Golemite society, its leadership chose to change the castes name
to the Keepers of Hope. This was not the last change though, the
caste was elevated to the top caste in their structure. And while
the Order agreed to this, the change has always been a sour spot for
them.
Finally the leadership of the Keepers
of Hope called for doctors all over to test the fertility of all
their workers, male and female. As well as the fertility of all
applicants. Only those that were found fertile and capable of
bearing children would be allowed in. Later, this last order would
be repealed when the last of the old Golemites passed on.
The Keepers of Hope took tithes from
all other casts to support their efforts. Hiring doctors and giving
the women the best care possible. The Order of Fahtoom also
collected every text they could find on caring for the pregnant and
children and gave them freely to the Keepers. Eight months after the
doctor was called, the first Golemite baby was born, it was a girl
and she was named Hope.
Slowly but surely time marched on and
the nascent civilization of the Golemites grew. They discovered
magic and worked to harness it creating technology vastly different
from their creators. As the cities of humanity crumbled to time, the
Golemites built new edifices in their place.
A thousand years would pass before the
Golemites had another major change to their society. It was a chance
encounter with another child of Humanity that would pave a path into
the stars and to war.
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