Story Summary
In the near future, a biotechnology and energy company called Frameshift Corporation changes the world. They bioengineer a life form whose blood can be used as a power source. It is many times more efficient than any other energy source in existence. Within five years, ninety-nine percent of households run on Framefuel, the branded biofuel created by Frameshift. In-home power cells, branded Framecells, contain live genetically engineered life forms, their blood continuously harvested to provide power to the home.
Residential size Framecells like this provided ample power to a typical household.
During this time, Frameshift has continued to iterate on their bioengineered lifeform, increasing Framecell efficiency and continuing to innovate. In their artificial intelligence department, a huge breakthrough is made. No longer constrained by power consumption limitations since Framefuel is dirt cheap, they create the world’s first self iterating artificial intelligence. They task the A.I., dubbed Model 6, to improve Framefuel and give it full autonomy to do so. It can resequence DNA, engineer new stem cells, print tissue, and incubate new embryos for the improvement of the Framecell organism. The A.I. is given three objectives to guide its work: to improve the Framecell organism, to increase the global supply of Framefuel, and to improve itself.
Removable fuel cell, for use in vehicles and other equipment.
Once the Model 6 program is launched, the downward spiral begins. Model 6 decides that since humans are in such great supply and they consume all the energy, it should kill them to reduce consumption and use them as food for the framecell organism to increase production. It realizes it can create millions of new lifeforms using in-home Framecells as incubators, and it needs to do so all at once or the humans will destroy it. It reprograms all in-home power cells to start incubating an aggressive new lifeform that instinctually breaks out of the biofuel cells and kills whoever is nearby. It reprograms all large commercial power cells to create larger predatory lifeforms. Once the process is complete, the human race as we know it has been destroyed in a matter of weeks. The A.I. is in power and engineered mutant predators rule the world. The A.I. continues to bioengineer and improve on its creations, and the remaining humans must band together to fight against this unstoppable new force.
Technology
Frameshift Technologies, a huge conglomerate, produced many products ranging from medical devices, to sensory augmentations, to military exoskeletons. In more ways than anyone could know, the product that had the most impact was the Framecell.
Small Framecell
The small Framecell, seen above, is found primarily in residential areas. It is able to provide power to a typical household, with Framefuel to spare in the integrated portable cell. The integrated cell can be removed and used to power vehicles, equipment, or other devices.
Post-apocalypse, the Leaper creatures are incubated within these Framecells. Once born, they lurk nearby, seeking out human victims to impale and dismember.