[RVM45]

I just can't seem to get interested in any of the plots that I've thrown off so far--someday; but they're just not ripened yet.

Lets imagine a World about 35 years from now.

#1} Peak Oil has come and Gone.

#2} They discovered massive Oil Fields in Southern Mexico and Central America--Enough to support the most Swinish consumption for 300-400 years.

#3} Just as the new refineries are coming online, a massive Plague rocks the Third World.

Its almost a non-event in developed countries (Though the mere scare would have massive Political Consequences...)

But Poor countries lost between 50%-80% of their Population.

America moves into Mexico and Central America--all the way to the Panama Canal.

America--no longer the America we live in--takes it as a holy mission to Build our new territories infrastructure up to equal the rest of the Nation,

At the Same Time, there is almost an Evangelical Movement to promote English and Middle Class American Culture there while eradicating as much Spanish Speaking and Hispanic and Mestizo Culture as possible...

Which is actually proceeding pretty smoothly...

Now the Best Part:

#4} In this New World--If you live to be 70 or 80 years old (or 90 or 100--no upper limit...); And if you're all broke down and decrepit.....

They have a treatment that will make you young again. The Retreads--as they're sometimes called--aren't superhuman--but they are stronger, more agile, and healthier that regular people ever get.....

One catch--the new body only lasts 21 years. they can't measure it to the minute--but around the 21st birthday, the body starts aging fairly rapidly.....

Our hero is a 98 year old man who volunteers for the treatment (The treatment itself takes several years--which don't count against the 21)

Imagine a bunch of newly rejuvenated Seniors--Dudes as agile as Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan; able to complete an Iron Man Triathlon or Strongman contest without undue strain--without even training for it. Dudes who could thrive on drinking hard liquor all night, getting three hours sleep, and then putting in 12-16 hours of hard manual labor under the desert Sun.....

And large quantities of these guys heading for Mexico where a lot of the High Paying Construction; Railroad Building; Bridge Building and Road Building was going on.....

A massive "Spring Break" for former oldsters.....

What does everyone think?

.....RVM45

 

[223shootersc]

I think I want some of that, the knowledge of a lifetime and the body of a 21 year old, need to write it

 

[Gwynmael]

I agree! Please write it.
Because that's the kicker isn't it? Getting to keep the knowledge.

 

[RVM45]

Maybe you guys missed it.

You are young and strong again--but you have a very short 21 year lifespan.

At the 21 year mark--or perhaps a few months later--at most--

You're going to start to age very rapidly--say almost certain to be dead of old age by age 23.

A big part is that yeah, you do have a chance to go for a little more Gusto--but its a Sudden Death Overtime; Played Half Court; with only ten minutes on the clock to start with.

And you only get One Extra Inning.

I think that ticking clock might make some folks very reckless.

.....RVM45

 

[223shootersc]

one can't live forever and to be able to do the things you did before with a life of knowledge would be worth the settling on 21 years

 

[Gwynmael]

I think that ticking clock might make some folks very reckless.

.....RVM45

I can see that there might be some serious unintended consequences. Question - how many times can you do the procedure? I takes 2 years right? Well start the procedure again day after 21st bday.

If I could keep all the knowledge AND my assets, I could sure get alot done from say 6 until 21. (I've always wanted to learn to play the fiddle)

Another question - so after the procedure is complete, you're a newborn again? Who takes care of you - do you have to have the resources to secure care for yourself?

 

[jocon95]

Can i call dibs on writing this? Once i finish swampwood's killer squitrel story, that is

 

[Hard Hittin 54r]

Has a lot of the overtones of "Blade Runner" to it, but it could be an interesting story. I would like to see you finish a couple of the others. I have been waiting a while.

HH54r

 

[RVM45]

Anyone should feel free to use any of my ideas anytime.

Ideas can't be copywritten, even if I wanted to.....

And I don't.

My thought was the process could only be done once--its a one-shot deal.

I'm also thinking 21 years might be a bit too much--maybe I should go with 14 or only 7.

There are several ideas that I wanted to explore.

Few people could possibly be more alone than a 100 year old Man; practically everyone he ever knew in his youth have already passed on. No real family to speak of.....

Meanwhile, his clock is ticking--he saw how quickly life can pass you by, when you have the full "Three-Score-and-Ten" {Seventy, the Last Biblical Lifeline established. }

But he doesn't have "Three-Score-and-Ten"; He's got "One-Score-And-One".

He never had children. It might be Honourable to sire some children in some very peculiar circumstances--like a very rich woman, who adores you....

But basically, unless you hook up very early in your "21" cycle, it doesn't seem good to sire children, when you're reasonably sure that you'll be dead before they are half grown.

Meanwhile, there is like a never-ending Spring Break South of the Border; a system that's set up to favor American Citizens for the Better paying Jobs; and in any kinda legal scrape with the locals, the locals are always wrong.....

{Kinda like India and the British back in Kipling's day.}

Q#1} Why is such an involved process so cheap that the Government can afford to foot the bill for any oldster who's a good prospect?

Q#2} Why do they want to (Governments not being terribly Philanthropic)?

The treatment is said to be a Combination of Cloning Some of your key Organs for replacement; using your own DNA; Along With Hormones; Special Drugs; Radiation; and Free-Ranging Nanobots.

What if there's a little more to it than that? (Secretly, of course...)

Anethsetize; Hormones and Nanites cause the Brain and Spinal Cord to literally "Unzip" from the Peripheral Nerves.

Open the Skull, out comes the Brain; Eyes; and Spinal Cord like a Big-Headed Ugly Worm.

{Why Eyes?--Most Neurologists consider the Retina and the Olfactory sensors (Smell) to be part of the Brain. It does add a bit of complexity to free them, But perhaps simpler than replacing them...}

While you have the Brain and Spinal Cord out in the open, spray it with some Cloned Embryonic Stem Cells. The stem cells move into replace all the empty billets where Brain cells have died over the decades.

Nanites and Radiation both act to kill any cells that are fairly well shot and close to death anyway. Then the right Hormones cause very dense Axiom Growth. The Nannites build some small networks of Computer chip, entwined among the organic cells.

After enough of that--Plop Brain and Spinal Cord into Cloned but Brainless, Spinal Cordless Android.

Off course, you drew heavily on the oldster's DNA, so his Brain; Spinal Cord; Eyes and Olfactory feel quite at home there.

They want to create Android Slaves--but they haven't quite figured out how to make a Self-Programming, Autonomous Brain--particularly one smart enough to be useful, but too dim to revolt.

In the meantime, with a massive Infrastructure to Rebuild--or just Build period--South of the Border.....

Well its handy to have a bunch of Savvy Construction; Railroad; Miners; Oilfield Workers; Bridge Builders; Carpenters; Brick Makers and Brick Masons--whatever.....

Some of them with 50-60 years experience.....

And the (21) is simply a Biological Failsafe. So that none of their numerous test models lives long enough to become problematic.

.....RVM45

 

[RVM45]

Gwynmael--No, you don't come out an infant.

You come out a fair replica of yourself at your prime--only improved noticeably in every single particular, and with any obvious faults corrected.

if you were 5'10; 168 pounds and could Bench-Press 300 Pounds;

You'll probably come out about 6'1" ; 225 Pounds--and Bench Press mayee 550 Pounds--

Not even a World Record, even for the 220 Pound weight class--but very impressive for an Eighty year old man who's mainly trained on Winstons and Jack Daniels for the last 45 years.

If you had to wear glasses in your prime--not anymore--your eyesight is better than 20-20; with a big boost to your Night Sight.....

.....RVM45

 

[Von Bohmen]

You could have some beat the 21 year timeline, and then turn on the gov't.

 

[Hard Hittin 54r]

I like the 21 year idea, gives just a bit more room for character development. Boy could a bunch of olders kick some major butt down south. I would also like to see the demise as much from the inside as much as possible. Maybe even a twist with one or so beating the odds and going over 21.

HH54r

 

[Hard Hittin 54r]

I have had a story idea I have worked on for years. The story of Q = 500 in Roman Numerals. Just imagine of the DNA helix had 10 strands instead of two. Body clocks would run long, strength would increase, disease immunity would increase. Cuts would heal rapidly.... Just an outline thus far.

HH54r

 

[jocon95]

I think... yeah, I think I'm going to abandon my 22ppxx virus story, and make this a book

 

[Gwynmael]

I'll I can say is - Sign Me Up!

Seriously, there'd be a line miles long once it was proven successful. Getting 21 years at better than your prime? Sign me up!:

 

[jocon95]

how expensive would it be to be "retreaded"?

 

[RVM45]

Insurance, Social Security and such, would pay some of it.

Private companies might pay for part of the fees, as an advance on salaries.....

But if our guys aren't rich and if they've never developed any useful skills; it would be hard to see how they could possibly afford it.....

But the Government and its Medical Partners in Crime wants Beaucoup "Retreads" collecting data on many complicated items of interest.....

They pour a bunch of money surreptitiously Over; Under; Around and Through the Retread Clinics, with the main objective being keeping the price down.

.....RVM45