So, lately I've been having some ideas on "playing out" my Para-Imperium setting in various games instead of just writing stories about it occasionally.

For instance, I've started to come up with an adaptation to the Pen-and-paper RPG Myriad Song http://sanguinegames.com/forum/show.....d.php?tid=3944

For another, I've kind of been getting obsessed lately with this new space 4X game, Stellaris. I think I could come up with a basic build for approximating the Federation of Parahuman Species in a Stellaris scenario. As close as the game's rules allow.

As follows:

The Federation of Parahuman Species
(Note, not a "Federation" in game rules, but a single hegemonizing empire with a number of vassal states)
Homeworld: SecLand
Home system: Alpha Centauri A
FTL: Wormhole stations (what, did they think dragging a gate at STL speeds was too slow for a "real-time" game?)
Weapons: Mass drivers
Government Type: Plutocratic Oligarchy (+5% Energy credits and Minerals, prior rulers, governors, and faction leaders are candidates). Though given the religious significance of the House of Silver I'm tempted to make them a Theocratic Oligarchy or even Divine Mandate.
Ethos: Xenophile (-10% Diplomacy xenophobia (pop modifier) -50% Diplomacy alliance influence cost (empire modifier) +1 Diplomatic Maximum Embassies (empire modifier)), Militarist (+10% Mod army damage army damage (empire modifier) +5% Diplomacy war happiness (pop modifier)), Spiritualist (+5% Happiness)
Primary Species: Parahuman: Traits: Continental Preference, Adaptive (+10% Habitability), Enduring (Leader Lifespan +30), Solitary (Happiness -5%)
Policies:
* War Economy: Static
* Slavery: Prohibited
* Purge: Prohibited
* Orbital Bombardment: Full. They don't mess around when it comes to safeguarding their civilization.
* Native Interference: Unrestricted. I know it contradicts the "Xenophile" ethos but if they encounter a species that is going to attract Berserkers they are going to invade them for their own good.
* Native Enlightenment: Allowed. On the other hand, they will attempt to guide less advanced species in a way that will let them advance technologically without using radio. This actually gave me an idea for a new story.
* Migration: Free. If someone from those barbarian outworlds is willing to give up their outmoded ideas and join the Federation they're welcome to come. If Fed citizens want to give up their benefits, well, their loss.
* Resettlement: Allowed. Their general policy in regards to ethical divergence is to relocate them to low-quality worlds on the frontier with minimal infrastructure once they become troublesome.
* Voting Rights: Ehhhh, let's go with Elitism.
* Leadership: Xenos Allowed. If they can find any who are good enough.
* Leader Enhancement: Selected Lineages. The Silvers have adopted some selective breeding in an effort to mitigate the consequences of their rampant inbreeding. A few other old families have attempted to follow suit to mimic them.
* First Contact Protocol: Aggressive. Given that the only other spacefaring civilization they've encountered destroyed their old homeworld.
* Artificial Intelligence: Servitude. Though note that they haven't been able to figure out Sentient AI so at most they have Droids.

I have ideas for adapting some other writers' civilizations to Stellaris too. I've got a pretty good idea for  sir-talen's Foxen Protectorate. M.C.A. Hogarth's Alliance might be a bit more difficult.

I'm on InkBunny, Weasyl, SoFurry, deviantART, Furry Network, Eka's Portal, twitter, and tumblr. Direct links to most of them are in my profile and the rest you can search for my username. I've also got a LiveJournal for my writing ( http://zarpaulus.livejournal.com/ ) and a secondary tumblr exclusively for my Para-Imperium universe ( http://para-imperium.tumblr.com/ ).

In other news, my novella The Pride of Parahumans has been accepted for publication by Thurston Howl ( http://www.thurstonhowlpublications.com/ ) for publication. Their editor says that he'll be finished editing the story sometime around June 15th. Though then I'll have to take my self-pub version off of Amazon and Smashwords (and affiliates), just after Amazon switched to electronic payments so they actually paid me royalties.

Unfortunately, my short story "Dandelion Seeds" got rejected by FurPlanet's Anthropomorphic Science Fiction Horror anthology. Apparently it was the infodump at the beginning and the slow build-up to the action that got it rejected. I'm wondering if I should chop that bit off and save the rest for the next s-f or horror anthology, post it here, or try expanding it into a full novella.

I'll be at Fur Squared in Brookfield, Wisconsin this Friday through Sunday.

I plan to hang up a few posters for my Kickstarter there.

Hope to see you all at the con!

I started a tumblr account dedicated to my "Para-Imperium" universe.
http://para-imperium.tumblr.com/

I've already posted all of my stories and a couple of the commissioned art pieces there.

I'm considering starting a wiki for the technical stuff.

I have commissioned a new cover from  deathpuppy , and to help reimburse the costs and commission a few interior illustrations as well I have started a Kickstarter campaign.

http://kck.st/1nt0yOF

The cover costs $500, interior art yet unknown but budgeted for a couple hundred, the rest of the goal is printing costs and fees.

Does anyone know of a good artist for book covers?

I have the feeling that my short novel, The Pride of Parahumans, would get more readership if it had a cover that made it clear it was a furry novel.

I'm open to up to a $500 budget. The scene would most likely be either a bipedal fox and a wolftaur in spacesuits on the surface of an asteroid, with a close-up on the fox's face; or a more detailed version of this pic. 5" x 8" front cover, text backing. I would probably want to do a short print run with Lulu or Createspace afterwards, for sale at cons with print-on-demand from then on.

In addition, I have submitted a short story to this Anthropomorphic Sci-fi Horror anthology being made by FurPlanet for RainFurrest 2016. Their deadline is March 1st, 2016 in case anyone reading this were interested.

So, I got my beta key for Furry Network, https://beta.furrynetwork.com/zarpaulus/

And I thought copying everything to that account would be simple because of the "Import Data from FA" function. But every time I try using that it tells me "Connection Import Failed, Please Try Again"

I've tried changing my theme, I've tried changing my password, nothing works.

And they're slow to respond to questions.

Any idea what's wrong?

So, last year I skipped National Novel Writing Month because a lot of shit was piling down on me at the time. This year I think I might give it another shot.

I have a few ideas for what to write, though I'm not sure which to choose.

1. Two space-faring species are at war, one uses biotechnology for almost everything, the other conventional drytech. One soldier from each side ends up stranded on the same planet. You probably know what happens next.

2. I got this idea from the 2nd Edition Exalted rulebooks. A post-apocalyptic setting where the human race was wiped out by a bioengineered plague. AIs attempt to create replacement organic sophonts by uplifting several animal species, for control reasons they set them up in a pseudo-medieval society with themselves as the gods. Using augmented champions to advance their agendas. I think it would work better as a webcomic if I could draw.

3. A "non-fiction" book detailing completely materialistic explanations for "psychic" phenomena. Telepathy by reading body language, precognition by subconscious pattern recognition, etc.

4. A newly turned vampire gradually becomes a merciless killer. With some rather detailed explanations for the biology, in particular how it works in a furry universe.

I first heard about it on some kind of futurist/transhumanist site, It apparently mimics some sort of immortality by gradually creating a bot "Counterpart" which likes the things you like while you're away. And will continue to do so after you're dead.

It's still in Beta, so naturally I wouldn't know anyone there, but I have created an account already. If any of you wanted to connect?

I know it sounds creepy, but it also appears to be a rather interesting possibility. An internet clone, some sort of external self. Bizarre.

The website: https://www.eter9.com/

The article that brought me to it: http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more.....vorsky20150830

So yes, it seems that Lilith's original owner had a friend who wanted to buy her but didn't have internet access during the auction.

And after six months of nagging him to pay me back what I spent  Drofgod969 has given me the cash. So now he owns Lilith.

If you liked her, watch him for when he gets around to uploading the pics I sent him.

1. I changed the Smashwords price for The Pride of Parahumans back to "pay what you want". Even though the last time only two people paid anything, that was still the only time any copies sold on Smashwords.

2. It's clear that I need more editors, only one person reviewed PoP before I published it and clearly passively "fishing" for comments isn't going to work.

3. Reviews. Anyone up for a review exchange? I've done one on Amazon already.

4. Art. It seems clear that visual artwork garners far more attention than writing. Perhaps I could commission some art of my PoP or Para-Imperium characters.

5. A website. Unfortunately I don't remember much html. I could use some help setting up something independent of these gallery sites.

6. Podiobooks. A big maybe. I like audio stories because I don't have much time to read at work or driving to work, and I can listen to some extent while doing other things online. But it would be a lot of work and every "transitional" season my throat feels like Nurgle took up residence in there.

Got a SoFurry account now.

https://zarpaulus.sofurry.com/

Just so you know this is not because of the latest FA drama, I just heard it's a good site for writers.

I have this idea for a series of sci-fi short stories that would be based around an interstellar slower-than-light freighter in the distant future. But I was having trouble coming up with the main characters. I had a list of roles and species and genders but had some trouble really fleshing them out.

Eventually, I thought I might try using a variation of the Traveller RPG's "lifepath" character creation system. This was the results:

Shigeto Terryn. Captain/Shuttle Pilot: Male wolf age 327. Int 11, Edu 8, Dex 8, End 6, Soc 8, Str 3
Homeworld: Industrial Water World
Background skills: Seafarer 0, Trade (Hydroponics) 0, Language (Lojban) 0
First Term: Merchant (Free Trader)
Service Skills: Drive (skimmer) 0, Vacc Suit 0, Broker 0, Steward 0, Comms 0, Persuade 0
Training: Pilot (spacecraft) 1
Survival: Success. Gain Contact. Advancement to Senior Crewman Persuade 1
Second Term
Advanced Education: Computers 1
Survival: Success, gamble benefits, lose one roll. Advancement to 4th Officer.
Third Term
Advanced Education: Social Science (Economics) 1
Survival: Success, advanced training Broker to 1. Advancement failed.
Fourth Term
Advanced Training: Pilot (spacecraft) 2
Survival: Success, gain Contact. Advance to Experienced Trader, Jack of All Trades 1
Fifth Term
Specialist: Zero-G 1
Survival: Success, gain Ally and Carouse 1. Advance to 2nd Officer.
Sixth Term
Advanced Education: Advocate 1
Survival: Success, legal trouble, Advocate 2. Advance to 1st Officer.
Muster Out benefits: 7 rolls. Ship share, +1 Int, +1 Edu, +1 Int, Ship Share, Gun, Gun, Gun
Final Stats: Str 3, Dex 8, End 6, Int 13, Edu 9, Soc 8. Advocate 2, Broker 1, Carouse 1, Gun Combat 2, Jack of All Trades 1, Medic 1, Pilot (spacecraft) 3, Social Science (Economics)1, Computers 1, Persuade 1, Drive 0, Vacc Suit 0, Comms 0, Steward 0. Two Contacts (Free Trader, Explorer), one Ally, Gauss Pistol, two Ship Shares

Gudrun Korba. First Mate/Public Relations: Female cat base, shapeshifter. Age 274. Has five tails that are used as mass reservoirs. Int 10, Soc 8, Edu 8, Str 4, Dex 7, End 6, Psi 10
Homeworld: Rich Garden World
Background Skills: Animals 0, Carouse 0, Art 0
First Term: Psion Adept
Basic Training: Telepathy 0, Clairvoyance 0, Awareness 0, Medic 0, Persuade 0, Social Science (Psych) 0
Service Skills: Awareness 1
Survival: Success, Psi+1. Advancement fail.
Second Term:
Advanced Education: Space Science (Xenology) 1
Survival: Success, +1 Benefit. Advance to Initiate: Life Science (psionology) 1
Third Term:
Specialist Training: Awareness 2
Survival: Success, Life Event; Birth or Death. Advancement fail.
Fourth Term:
Service Skills: Persuade 1
Survival: Success, use powers to attempt improvement of Social Standing unethically, extra Benefit. Advance to rank 2.
Fifth Term:
Service Skills: Clairvoyance 1.
Survival: Success, gain Contact. Advancement fail.
Muster Out: 7 rolls. 2 ship shares, combat implant, Contact, Gun, 2 ship shares, Contact, Contact
Final Stats: Str 4, Dex 7, End 6, Int 10, Edu 8, Soc 8, Psi 11. Animals 0, Art 0, Awareness 2, Carouse 0, Clairvoyance 1, Life Science (psionology) 1, Medic 0, Persuade 1, Social Science 0, Space Science (Xenology) 1,Telepathy 0. Four Contacts (Rich Noble, Eccentric Scientist, Free Trader, Cultural Attaché), Persuasion Skill Enhancement, 4 ship shares, body pistol.

Rika Fischer. Navigator: Female Seal, age 412 Edu 9, Int 8, Soc 6, Str 3, Dex 9, End 5
Homeworld: Asteroid Seas.
Background Skills: Seafarer 0, Zero-G 0, Physical Science (physics) 0
First Term: Scout Exploration
Basic Training: Pilot (spacecraft) 0, Survival 0, Mechanic 0, Astrogation 0, Comms 0, Gun Combat 0
Advanced Education: Space Science (Planetology)
Survival: Fail, he has no idea what happened to him, they found his ship drifting on the edge of friendly space
Muster Out: Ship share.
Second Term: Drifter Scavenger
Specialist Training: Vacc Suit 1
Survival: Fail, injured, reduce Dex by 1.
Third Term: Free Trader
Advanced Education: Astrogation 1
Survival: Success, embroiled in legal trouble, Admin 1. Advance to rank 1, Persuade 1
Fourth Term
Service Skills: Comms 1
Survival: Success, gain Contact. Advance to rank 2.
Fifth Term
Advanced Education: Computers 1
Survival: Success, Engineer (J-Drive) 1. Advance failure.
Muster out: 4 rolls. +1 Int, Gun, Ship Share, Ship Share.
Final Stats: Str 3, Dex 9, End 5, Int 9, Edu 9, Soc 6. Admin 1, Astrogation 2, Comms 1, Computers 1, Engineer (J-Drive) 1, Gun Combat 0, Mechanic 0, Pilot (Spacecraft) 0, Physical Science (physics) 0, Persuade 1, Seafarer 0, Sensors 1, Streetwise 1, Survival 0, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 0. One Contact (Smuggler), 3 ship shares, shotgun.

Carina Adreastotter Engineer female ermine, age 264 Int 9, Edu 9, Soc 5, Dex 5,Str 8, End 4
Homeworld: Low-tech Ice-Capped
Background Skills: Vacc Suit 0, Survival 0, Engineer 0
First Term: Navy Engineering
Basic Training: Pilot (Small Craft) 0, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 0, Gunner 0, Mechanic 0, Gun Combat 0
Specialist: Gunner 1
Survival: Success, diplomatic mission, Steward 1. Advance to Able Spacehand, Mechanic 1
Second Term:
Specialist: Engineer 1
Survival: Success, notable military engagement, Pilot (small craft) 1. Advance to Petty Officer, Vacc Suit 1.
Third Term:
Specialist: Engineer 2
Survival: Fail, ship suffers severe damage and blamed for disaster, dishonorably discharged. Muster out, Ship's Boat, Weapon, +1 Education.
Fourth Term: Merchant Marine
Specialist: Engineer 3
Survival: Success, opportunity to gamble benefit rolls, not taking it. Advance to Senior Crewman, Mechanic 2.
Fifth Term:
Specialist: Vacc Suit 2.
Survival: Success, +1 to any Benefit Roll. Advancement failed.
Muster Out: 3 rolls. Blade, Free Trader, +1 Int.
Final Stats: Str 8, Dex 5, End 4, Int 10, Edu 10, Soc 5. Engineer (M-Drive) 3, Gunner 0, Gun Combat 0, Mechanic 2, Melee 1, Pilot (small craft) 1, Steward 1, Survival 0, Vacc Suit 2, Zero-G 0. Ship's Boat, 5 ship shares, cutlass.

Adham Ricardo, Purser, male fennec/jerboa hybrid. Age 84. Int 10, End 7, Str 6, Soc 9, Dex 6, Edu 10
Homeworld: High-Technology Desert
Background Skills: Computers 0, Survival 0, Advocate 0, Language 0
First Term: Merchant Broker
Basic Training: Drive 0, Vacc Suit 0, Broker 0, Steward 0, Comms 0, Persuade 0
Specialist: Deception 1.
Survival: Success, offered opportunity to smuggle illegal items onto a planet, gain Streetwise 1 and extra Benefit. Advance to rank 1, Broker 1.
Second Term:
Specialist; Deception 2
Survival: Success, gamble Benefit rolls, gain 1. Advance to rank 2.
Third Term:
Specialist: Streetwise 2
Survival: Success, Life Event, new Contact. Advancement failed.
Fourth Term:
Specialist: Broker 2
Survival: Success, gain Contact. Advance to rank 3, Streetwise 3.
Muster Out: 7 rolls. Gun, Blade, +1 Int, +1 Int, +1 Edu, Ship Share, Ship Share.
Final Stats: Str 6, Dex 6, End 7, Int 12, Edu 11, Soc 9. Advocate 0, Broker 3, Comms 0, Computers 0, Deception 2, Drive 0, Language 0, Persuade 0, Streetwise 2, Steward 0, Survival 0, Vacc Suit 0. Two Contacts (Mercenary, Planetary Warlord), revolver, rapier, two ship shares.

Morris Taouchev. Surgeon: Male tiger/kangaroo. Has a pouch, former marine. Age 432. Str 9, End 5, Edu 9, Int 7, Dex 3, Soc 3
Homeworld: Industrial Asteroid
Background Skills: Trade (Biologicals) 0, Zero-G 0, Carouse 0, Medic 0, Biology 0
First Term: Marine Support
Basic Training: Athletics 0, Battle Dress 0, Tactics 0, Heavy Weapons 0, Gun Combat 1, Stealth 0.
Specialist: Comms 1
Survival: Success, assigned to security staff of space station, Vacc Suit 1. Advance to Lance Corporal, Gun Combat 2
Second Term:
Specialist: Medic 1
Survival: Fail, injured, missing limb.
Muster out: TAS Membership, Armour.
Third Term: Scholar Physician
Specialist: Investigate 1
Survival: Success, called upon to perform unethical research, gain Benefit roll, Biology 1, Genetics 1, 2 Enemies. Advancement failed
Fourth Term:
Specialist: Medic 2
Survival: Success, Life Event, New Relationship. Advance to rank 1, Medic 3
Fifth Term:
Specialist: Biology 2
Survival: Success, win prize, Benefit. Advancement failed.
Sixth Term:
Specialist: Medic 4
Survival: Success, assigned to work on secret project, Computers 1. Advance to rank 2.
Muster Out: 7 rolls. Lab ship, scientific equipment, +1 Edu, Lab Ship, +1 Int, +1 Int, +1 Soc.
Final Stats: Two ship shares, relationship, two Enemies (Researcher, Doomsday Cultist), biosensor.

Jarlin of the House of Silver. Imperial Observer: Androgynous silver fox chimera. Black archaeopteryx wings on shoulders, small pouch on belly, faint ring pattern on prehensile tail. A mystic, claims to have a telepathic link with hir seven clones/siblings. No cranial implants, claims they would break the quantum entanglement, instead shi has AR glasses. Age 223. Edu 9, Int 6,Str 4, Dex 4, Soc 11, End 7, Psi 11
Homeworld: High Population, High Tech.
Background skills: Streetwise 0, Computers 0, Language 0
First Term: Psion Adept:
Basic Training: Telepathy 0, Clairvoyance 0, Awareness 0, Medic 0, Persuade 0, Social Sciences (Philosophy) 0.
Specialist: Telepathy 1
Survival: Success, fail attempt to use powers unethically to advance standing, lose 1 Soc. Advance to Initiate, Life Science (Psionology 1)
Second Term:
Advanced Education: Computers 1
Survival: Success, life event, new contact. Advance to rank 2.
Muster Out: 4 rolls. Contact, TAS, Contact, 2 Ship Shares.
Third Term: Noble Administrator
Specialist Training: Admin 1
Survival: Success, Life Event Betrayal by Contact. Advancement to Clerk, Admin 2.
Fourth Term:
Specialist Training: Broker 1
Survival: Success, manipulate and charm way through high society, Carouse 1, Rival, and Ally. Advance to Supervisor.
Fifth Term:
Specialist Training: Diplomat 1
Survival: Success, Disaster! Family scandal, -1 Soc. Advance to Manager, Advocate 1.
Muster Out: 5 rolls. +1 Soc, one ship share, Blade, two ship shares, TAS membership.
Final Stats: Soc 10 Advocate, Diplomat. Former Contact (Corporate Agent), one Contact (Imperial Diplomat), Rival (Marine Captain), Ally (Elder Statesman).

The Pride of Parahumans is now on Smashwords, set to allow the customer to name the price.

I'm currently thinking of writing a more distant future series with a crew of STL interstellar merchants who specialize in trading with uncontacted planets. Kind of a mix of Traveller, Orion's Arm, the Eldraeverse, and a bit of Rogue Trader. I would be serializing it online as a bunch of more-or-less standalone stories detailing their interactions with assorted alien and lost cultures. I'm open to suggestions. It would be very high-tech hard/transhumanist sci-fi, no wormholes or other FTL but there would be advanced nanotechnology, the crew would be almost immortal (given how long their voyages take) but I don't think I'll include brain uploading. At the moment I believe it could be the same "Parahuman" verse, just a couple thousand years later and they're sure to be Parahumans of some sort.

I'm open to suggestions though.

Or maybe I should finish that Eclipse Phase fanfic first.

I'm currently registered for Fur Squared, but kind of on the fence about going. It's fairly affordable for me but still kind of pricey. And I've never been to a furry convention, a couple of generic anime and Geek cons though.

Maybe if I knew someone else who's going.

Saw some journals with these a couple days ago

== Results from http://bdsmtest.org/ ==
87% Primal (Predator)
85% Bondage Giver
84% Daddy/Mommy
84% Dominant
84% Exhibitionist
84% Non-monogamist
84% Voyeur
79% Experimentalist
75% Brat Tamer
75% Master/Mistress
75% Switch
73% Primal (Prey)
70% Degradation Giver
70% Sadist
58% Bondage Receiver
58% Masochist
54% Slave
49% Pervert
48% Brat
43% Girl/Boy
43% Submissive
30% Vanilla
26% All-Rounder
13% Degradation Receiver
See my results online at http://bdsmtest.org/result.php?id=51231

Inkbunny (duplicate): https://inkbunny.net/Zarpaulus

deviantART (writing only): http://zarpaulus.deviantart.com/

Weasyl (new, not sure what to do with): https://www.weasyl.com/~zarpaulus

Livejournal (writing excerpts): http://zarpaulus.livejournal.com/

Eka's Portal (vore): http://aryion.com/g4/user/zarpaulus

I've almost finished editing my novel from last NaNoWriMo.

Though I'll probably skip this year, for a variety of reasons.

For that reason, I'll be posting the excerpts to my LiveJournal http://zarpaulus.livejournal.com/ three times a week now.

And I have to ask my watchers. Would you honestly pay to read the complete final draft of "The Pride of Parahumans"?

 ApolloStormbane formerly  Maxiscore had some financial troubles and auctioned off his old characters. I happened to buy one of his major OCs, a vampire wolfess named Lilith V. Yokunia. I'll be uploading about 17 pics of her shortly.

Yes, I know it's old, but it's better for writing than tumblr.

http://zarpaulus.livejournal.com/

I intend to post excerpts from my final draft of The Pride of Parahumans as I finish it, and a few other stories of mine.

So, I keep getting distracted from editing that novella, so far titled "The Pride of Parahumans", I wrote for NaNoWriMo. I mean, I have serious doubts that anyone outside of Amazon would publish it and it's unlikely that anyone would read it, so why bother?

That said, I would like to ask if anyone would be willing to help me with the editing process. In particular I have two questions to ask?

1. Should I keep the unbirth/pouch scene in chapter 2? I thought it seemed a bit gratuitous and didn't really add much to the plot, just a blackmail attempt later on that became moot the next chapter.

2. Would tetrodotoxin be lethal to something designed to survive several minutes of hard vacuum? I heard that it leaves the heart alone and kills by suffocation, hence its use as a "non-lethal" paralytic.

Ok, looks like the "back online" flood is tapering off. I might as well upload the last of the rough draft of "The Pride of Parahumans" (really bad at titles).

And I would like to formally request that if you read it you please comment and critique.

And about 1,800 of those words were scenes from later in the novel that I just decided would be better off expanded into a full sequel. If I do that I'm only a chapter or two away from finishing this novel.

I'm thinking that I'll be posting it chapter by chapter here. I stopped partially because I started writing it all in four big documents instead of one for each chapter.

So, I was thinking of participating in National Novel Writing Month despite never tackling something anywhere near that scale in writing. I have a basic plot and outline in mind and I kind of plan on uploading rough drafts of each chapter as I write them.

Basically it's exploring a society of furries (parahumans) in the asteroid belt who were originally created as miners with no legal rights but managed to free themselves about a decade ago. Perhaps needless to say things still aren't perfect by any means.

One of the major conflicts is going to involve the fact that the parahumans were designed to be sterile, a few (such as the POV character) don't even have reproductive organs. And a cultish group controls the majority of the cloning equipment on one asteroid, potentially allowing them to determine the future of their species.

Don't know, let's ask Popular Science:

http://pops.ci/15Cnr8R