Post by qora on Jun 13, 2020 7:17:38 GMT
The Imperial Matriarchy of Qora and Her Dominion
Motto;
“Peace and Prosperity in Her Name”
Species
Motto;
“Peace and Prosperity in Her Name”
Species
Qorsikan
Radiophilic Humanoids with limited Psionic ability. Their Psionics are primarily telekinetic in nature, and for telepathy. Their strength in it is dependent on a mix of their willpower and their physical strength. The Psionic abilities they possess is based on their knowledge. Through the use of technology, they are able to use their telepathic link to facilitate FTL communications. Most Qorsikans are unable to conjure such abilities.
Leadership & Government
Her Scion to Her Imperial Highness, Her Imperial Highness, or Her Scion. Her title was historically created to act in the stead of their Goddess, before she returned to the stars. She acts as both Vicar and as the Doctrinal head to the Theocratic Belief of the Empire.
Under Her are Electors. They’re chosen from Sector Lords with the primary duty of acting as Regency Council after Her death, and for the election and coronation of Her heir, who’ll take up the mantle and become the new Scion.
Underneath, or closer, Adjacent to them, are the Banner-lords and Lord-Admirals of the Fleets. They are the undisputed Sword and right hand of Her Scion. They guard and garrison the various systems and planets within Imperial Domain, and are geared to better defeat the enemies they’re most likely to encounter.
Next, down the Bureaucratic Chain, is the Sector Lord. Acting as a medium between Her Imperial Highness, and the System Lords, they run the day to day business of handling all the affairs within a Sector of Stars from dictating law, managing interstellar infrastructure, and policy. The size and shape of the Sectors are primarily arbitrary due to the lack of definable terrain in space.
Then there’s the Constellatory Lord. Managing the Systems, feuding politics between them, and everything within their Constellation.
The last two, are lords of lesser importance. System and Planetary Lords. They act much like the stations above them, but with the tendency of more leniency on Imperial Code and Doctrine as they’re more aware of their local situation than the Imperial Throne.
The Government is structured that way as one of many monolithic remnants that remain from the ages before the discovery of FTL travel, and will continue to exist until FTL becomes fast enough in the home universe to overcome the vastness of its own galaxy in a timely manner.
Legal Doctrine
Qorsikan Legal Doctrine is based on Theological Doctrine, and the consequences thereof. The following are laws within Qora that are the consequences of its theological nature, and the political structure derived, and primarily applies to Imperial Space.
Property Ownership in Accordance to Her Laws, and the First Land/Sea Apartheid
A) Only women may own land, and/or businesses, and such possessions includes the Powers of Control, Exclusion, Derivative Income, and Disposition.
B) Exception to the Rules of Exclusion, Derivative Income, and Disposition is any such legally defined possessions leased, gifted, given, rented, or any way handed over to any such individual or organization by the Imperial Government, Her Chosen, The Servants of Her Chosen, or The Spiritual Caretakers, Servants of Her Pantheon, or Her Assembly of Convocation.
C) Any such property given in any way by the Imperial Government may not have the original purpose of such property expropriated, altered, or destroyed
D) In Exception to the Land/Sea Apartheid, a man may be given at the sole discretion of Her Chosen, for any reason, at any time, with the standard Exceptions given above, and may be revoked by Her Chosen by for any reason, at any time
E) Violation of these laws is considered a Felony punishable by all assets be turned over for Eminent Domain, and Excommunicated or Cashiered, and exiled out of territory under Imperial Jurisdiction
Property Ownership in Accordance to Her Laws and the Second Land/Sea Apartheid
A) Distinction between Asteroids, Planets, and Proto Planets
B) Proto Planets have a tilted orbit while planets do not
Following the Second Eugenics War, the following has been added to the list of High Crimes to Her People;
A) The claim that one’s gender is contradictory to their reproductive organs
B) The surgical removal and implantation of one’s reproductive organs for that of the opposite sex
C) Postulation of the existence of multiple sexes for the purpose of restructuring the Political, Social, and Theocratic Structure and Hierarchy of Her Peoples.
D) Those found in violation are to be tried for Treason against Her People which is punishable by death
Following the Geneticists’ War, the following has been added to the list of High Crimes to Her People
A) Genetic Augmentation is to be limited to purely utilitarian augmentation
B) Utilitarian Augmentation being defined as replacing lost capability, such as but not limited to, eyesight, taste, smell
C) Anything beyond, such as muscular, psionic, mental, or cognitive augmentation is strictly prohibited
D) Weaponization of such augmentations are declared an Imperial Class Felony
Addendum after the Cyberneticists’ War
A) Similarly, to Genetic Augmentation, Cybernetic Augmentation is limited for utility use
B) Utilitarian augmentation being defined as replacing lost capability, such as but not limited to, replacement of limbs
C) Anything beyond is strictly prohibited
D) The weaponization of such devices are declared an Imperial Class Felony
Following the Roboticists’ Struggles
A) In order to prevent more Synthetic Uprisings, Rebellions, and Hostile Action, the construction of Sapient Synthetics is restricted to mandate by Her Chosen
B) Existing Synthetic Sapient Constructs are to be given full citizenship status given to Her People
Definition of Vassals to the Imperial Government
A) A Vassal is defined as any faction or species, subservient to the Imperial Government who shall have near equal footing in Imperial External Politics
B) Any Species or Faction may become a Vassal through legal representation, done so by the preferred form of representation of that Species or Faction
C) The Vassal has the powers for Self-Expression, Governance, and Autonomy
D) The Vassal is required to come to any Call to Arms given by Imperial Governance
E) The Imperial Governance, and its Vassals, are required to come to any Call to Arms by its Vassals, if capable of arriving in due time
F) The Vassal is required to payment of a tax of 10% its Net Monetary Income yearly [in the Imperial Standard], with the tax being given in the form found preferable by The Vassal
G) Subsidies may be requested upon request for any hardship caused by disasters, both Natural and Political
H) The Vassal may opt out of this arrangement through Legal Representation, arbitrated by a Neutral Third Party
I) The Vassal may be integrated by Imperial Governance at any time in which The Vassal must make its case that it is still capable of trustworthy governance
Definition of Slaves to the Imperial Government
A) Any Species or Faction to be found subservient to the Imperial Government is to be defined as “Slave” if they’re not found to be fully under the strict definition of “Vassal”
B) Any species or Faction may become a Slave through Legal Representation, done so through the preferred form of representation of that Species or Faction
C) The Slave has the powers of Self-Expression, Governance, and Autonomy
D) The Slave is denied the powers of any action that may threaten its own existence
E) The Slave is exempt from any Call to Arms given by Imperial Governance
F) The Slave may answer a Call to Arms at its discretion and appoint as large a force it sees fit
G) All Call to Arms sent by The Slave is to be accepted, and acted upon by Imperial Governance, and by its Vassals
H) No Tax or Tithe is required in any way by The Slave
I) Subsidies may be given to The Slave at the discretion of Imperial Governance
J) The Slave may opt out of this arrangement by Legal Representation, arbitrated by a Neutral Third Party, and must give a 10-year Road Map along with a Constitution or any other documentation declaring the structure and powers of its new Governance
In Accordance to the War of Ella’an War of Aggression, through its vassal of the Kingdom of Kashara
A) Slaves are to be renamed “Contractually Motivated”
B) The Currency “Souls” shall be renamed “Mortals”
Economic System
Qora uses a FIAT currency that it uses called the Soul. Used as the standard currency in Imperial Space, it has the tendency of being worth more than individual planetary currency, and is used to facilitate trade primarily between the Imperial Government, Banners, Fleets, and Planetary Governments, due to its high value to keep Governmental Assets be more equal to their intrinsic worth.
It may be further subdivided into Spirits, and Shards, and be made into larger denominations with descriptors implying more value. Physically, they’re represented as holed coins, minted with different inscriptions, engravings, inlays, and embossing as proof of authenticity with more embellishment for larger denominations.
The name of the Soul is derived from one of Her original edicts describing the greater value she places on lives than on resources spent on a campaign, or venture.
Social Structure
There’s a Caste System of sorts that’s reflected based on social status and wealth generation. At the top there’s the Imperial Nobility, those who run and manage anything from Planets to entire Sectors, primarily getting their income from taxes.
Underneath them are the Landed Nobility, with land given to them in exchange of any services they may provide. The services they provide may range from exclusive trade rights, loans, to military service. Whatever service is provided, they are either exchanged land rights or rewarded with it. The lands, generally, cannot be inherited.
Then there’s the Scholarly Gentry. While most of them work as part of any of the Banners and Fleets, they also include Aristocratic and Bureaucratic Scholars. Those who have the education needed to do all the book and record keeping, paperwork, and administrative tasks to assists those who run The Empire and its constituent parts.
Equal to the Imperial Nobility, in some respects, are the Militant Caste. They are largely self-reliant on resources, and primarily work to defend The Empire in the way they see fit. Most of its members are born into this class, and very few willingly join into it as it means that their children are within the system as well.
Then there’s the Freemen, those who aren’t bound, by any means, to dictate their own life except through the relatively nonrestrictive laws.
Below them are the slaves, who aren’t citizens of the Empire, but whose species, whether entirely, a faction, or refugee, are.
Culture
The Culture is nowhere near uniform, homogeneous, or omnipresent throughout Qora. This section will remain undefined until further notice, due to cultural drift across the Empire after thousands of years of relying on STL travel.
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Homeworld
The Current Homeworld of Qora, is Qorsika, Her Heavenly Throne, in which the Imperial Seat is placed. Upon incorporation of a new planet, constellation, or sector, a capital is designated and renamed Qorsika. This usually takes in the form of a city, or in rarer examples, an outpost. Currently in Ancerious the colonies present are not incorporated into the Empire, and have an acting capital which is the 37th Fleet’s Fleet Carrier, Her Undoubting Bulwark.
Brief History
In the Ancient Past, shrouded in Legend and Myth, She descended from the Heavens and liberated Her People from the dirt and mud through her magics, gifted intelligence, and shining light. She has taught Her People many gifts, until she was called back again into the stars, but before doing so She selected one among Her own to act as her Scion. One she entrusted to lead Her People to prosperity while she was away, and she never returned.
Throughout the Millennia of her absence there was conflict over ideology, and interpretation of Her words and edicts such as that She literally created Her People through thaumaturgy and genetic engineering, and those that believe that Her work is best left untampered and that the form they are given is perfection in itself. To alter it will destroy such perfection and make them unrecognizable to Her.
After a few Millennia of waiting, Her People grew restless and started searching for Her themselves and colonized several worlds before an unknown assailant started destroying orbital and stellar Infrastructure to rebuild more of their own for unknown purposes. This became to be known as the First Contact War. After several skirmishes they’ve found their origin point and sent great fleets against them. Fleets centered around O’Neil and McKendree Cylinders. After several millennia of fighting them off, sending hundreds of these vessels with armed escorts and the ability to construct and man more vessels, their FTL systems were reverse engineered and clumsily implemented into their own ships. The War ended, nearly 3 centuries ago, through the destruction of a Dyson Sphere, in which it fruitlessly assaulted Qorsikan vessels with electromagnetic waves.
After the long conflict, Qora has made claim against vast swathes of interstellar space and met dozens of alien species on their own separate technological and sociological branches. With the strange probes still in existence, still replicating themselves, they’ve taken it upon themselves to protect the aliens they’ve found and incorporated them into their dominion.
Although, according to the oldest in society, the very few who have personally met The Goddess. Though these people are incredibly few, and their memories are failing as these events happened many millennia ago, their words still have weight to them even if they’re heavily scrutinized. She stood out amongst Her People with skin similar to pale citrine, or yellow jade. Eagerly enthusiastic to see Her People flourish, and to teach them about the world. When she has decided Her Chosen, and left to the skies, she appeared to be worried about something and promising she will return.
Unorthodox Theologists who take this as absolute truth propose a theory. She was an alien Biomancer, or Geneticist, who was trying out a theory of Hers before leaving. She may have been recalled, and may have been told to stop research and exploration of the galaxy as Her species are discovered to be Precursors in our galaxy. They support this theory, every single species we have discovered have been less advanced than ourselves, and the Synthetic Plague that was fought in the First Contact War has consistently been found in orbit of their planets.
Following the end of the First Contact War a Dyson Swarm was found, which was completely undefended and wasn’t expecting any alien arrival with the lack of any defences. Forensic and Archaeological evidence shows that these humans are genetically closer to any other set of humans encountered with the distinct possibility that we, as Her People, may have accidentally killed Her Imperial Highness if she didn’t already die of natural causes, or by violent accident.
This theory has largely been dismissed as it makes our search for Her completely pointless.
Unorthodox Theologists who take this as absolute truth propose a theory. She was an alien Biomancer, or Geneticist, who was trying out a theory of Hers before leaving. She may have been recalled, and may have been told to stop research and exploration of the galaxy as Her species are discovered to be Precursors in our galaxy. They support this theory, every single species we have discovered have been less advanced than ourselves, and the Synthetic Plague that was fought in the First Contact War has consistently been found in orbit of their planets.
Following the end of the First Contact War a Dyson Swarm was found, which was completely undefended and wasn’t expecting any alien arrival with the lack of any defences. Forensic and Archaeological evidence shows that these humans are genetically closer to any other set of humans encountered with the distinct possibility that we, as Her People, may have accidentally killed Her Imperial Highness if she didn’t already die of natural causes, or by violent accident.
This theory has largely been dismissed as it makes our search for Her completely pointless.
Important Industry
Qora, being heavily focused around electromagnetism in its weapon design, has put technological emphasis on hyper efficient superconductors and uses these materials on anything it can from Gauss/Coil Weaponry, Monorail Transportation, and other fields.
Followed by a further effort to exploit the rare resources it has laid claim to through the First Contact War, Qora makes use of and exports of these resources that range from rare prismatic pigments, and refined floral products on the worlds it has found. Very few of these have been able to be successfully been grown in an artificial space.
Diplomatic Doctrine
Qora, when making first contact, attempts to find the most peaceful and amicable course while attempting to establish common footing. Followed by that they determine whether the species or faction they’re communicating with is their peer, superior, or lesser.
In the case of their lesser, they attempt to persuade them to make them a protectorate in which Qora extends its protection, open border and trade, and an Optional Defensive Pact where the Protectorate isn’t required to join any conflicts Qora participates in, but Qora may be petitioned to join in theirs.
In the case of their Peers or Superiors, they attempt to maintain a more amicable relationship and looks into gaining any technological trade.
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Military Doctrine
Qorsikan Military Doctrine is varied as they're primarily dictated by individual Banners and Fleets across the Qorsikan Military. Generally, they both focus on the attack and less on garrisoning a position as Qora most often finds itself against a technologically and numerically superior enemy. At the same time there is a general Imperial mandate to minimize as many combatant and non combatant casualties as possible for both Qorsikan and Hostile entities. To achieve this the armed forces rely more on Independent Units and less on Front Line Units while having a middling number of Support Units to suppress the enemy for their attacks. To this effect most Banners within The Imperial Matriarchy find it difficult to maintain a front line, but once it is able to break through the enemy's line it is able to flood in and cause large sums of damage behind their lines to break cohesion and encircling them to deny them supplies and force a surrender.
On the Imperial Navy side of things, they absolutely refuse the concept of garrisoning a section of space to protect it from hostile attack as the too real possibility that the enemy can simply circumvent a fortified system and attack an unfortified one which is considered a waste of time, resources, and energy. Instead the Imperial Navy focuses more heavily on rapid response and "hit and run" tactics. With a reliance on smaller and faster ships to distract and break enemy fleet formations, the larger capital ships rely on destroying the enemy at a distance by relying on their FTL sensors allowing them to see the enemy through the eyes of the skirmishing escort ships while being potentially light minutes away. They get away with this by heavily relying on their Fleet and Logistical Carriers, which act as mobile headquarters and supply depots.
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Military Branches
[4 Quadrant Giraffe explanation of the Military and how it operates]
Imperial Army, Imperial Defence Force, Imperial Navy, Imperial Naval Defence Force
The Imperial Navy subdivides itself into the Strategic Support Force, which handles all the logistical duties of a decentralized interstellar navy, the Espatier Corps, which is the equivalent of Marines in most factions, and the Fleet Proper. The Espatier Corps primarily focuses as acting as Military Police onboard Vessels, Stations, both Void and Wet, and Ports of all kinds. The Marine Corps focuses on attacking the enemy in both boarding actions against hostile vessels, stations, and ports, and participate in Orbital Drops as an independent attack force in unison with Bombardment from Void, Aeronautic, and Wet Assets and in cooperation with the Imperial Army and its Banners. The Fleet Proper subdivides itself into Fleets, which are Organizational Units given jurisdiction over varying dimensions of space within the galaxy. Currently, the 37th Fleet, is given exclusive jurisdiction to Qorsikan Affairs within Ancerious. As all fleets are specialized to effectively combat factions and species they're most likely to encounter the 37th itself is unspecialized due to the lack of intelligence within the galaxy before its founding. Currently it is underfunded and undermanned as most assets are diverted away from most of the Fleets not participating in active conflicts, and towards the 1st Fleet during the ongoing conflict against the Ella'an Species and its Vassal, The God King Kashara and his Kingdom. The amount of manpower a Fleet is capable of commanding allows it to have at least half a million ships in active service. Unfortunately for the 37th, it is incredibly unlikely it'll be able to command a presence of that kind due to the constant strife within the Home-Verse.
The Imperial Army, subdivides itself into Banners. Each Banner may be specialized into a primary role, or generalized due to the vast amounts of manpower. They then may be specialized into a specific planet they're operating on, or a planetary type such as Low Gravity Arid. Currently, only the Bleached Gilded Banner is operational within Ancerious. This Banner is primarily specialized towards Engineering and Construction. Because of the demand for specialized equipment for their duties, they're often looked down as a "poorer" Banners as they're lacking in vehicles for Armoured Warfare as well as aircraft. The Manpower a banner commands is the minimum amount of personnel required to take and hold a planet with a skeletal force of 17 million personnel.
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Technology
Due to the ever evolving and complex nature of technology, technological gain and acquisition is led primarily by the Science Directorate, now renamed to the Technomancers due to their most recent blunder of creating a portal into another dimension. One presumably hostile.
They take a serious and rigorous trial, prescribed by Imperial Edict, to create technology used by Qora. However, most of their time is devoted to the latest edict thrust upon them. To improve FTL technology to reduce actual time travel between systems into a more acceptable time frame, and because of this edict most technology is funded and conducted by the various Fleets and Banners who may, at times, ignore Imperial Edicts to research banned technology such as chemical warfare.
Weapons
Gauss, and Coil, are the backbone of Her Sword. Through the power of magnetism, they launch dense metals at high, to relativistic, speeds depending on the framework and power input being used. They have the tendency to over penetrate, disintegrate on impact, or bouncing off dealing large amounts of blunt force on their targets.
DEW of all kinds are used by Qora, the most predominant one is the gamma ray laser. A Direct Energy Weapon capable of penetrating most amour, and harmful to both biological and synthetic life, including the Radiophilic Qorsikans. Like most DEW they’re specialist weapons, and much rarer than standard Gauss and Coil weapons.
Electrothermal Accelerators. They’re a fancy name for Plasma Weapons. They create plasma discharge between electrodes, generating an increase in pressure before discharging it through the barrel. Most models carry a flask or tank of gas that the weapon uses to heat into plasma.
Lastly, there’s the basic kinetic weapon. Uses a chemical reaction to create the pressure necessary to propel a projectile through a gun. Cheaper than everything else, due to the lack of engineering required to design such a weapon.
Defences
Armour Plating is made primarily of a mixing or omitting layers involving Graphene, Carbon Fiber, Graphite, Aramid Fibers, and sometimes Non-Newtonian Fluids. Some parties prefer to use Graphene Aerogel soaked with Electrorheological Fluids, which are fluids that harden instantly from an applied voltage.
On spacecraft these are laminated on top of each other and layered with space in between to create a Whipple Shield.
Power Generation
Various models of Fission, Fusion, and Antimatter Reactors.
Psionics
Qorsikan Psionics are based on three aspects going from most important to least. Knowledge of the true meaning behind the sigils used in Qorsikan writing, Physical Strength, Dexterity, and Willpower to do what you want to do, and enough knowledge to do what you want to do.
Understanding the Logographs used within Qorsikan Writing has been designed by The Goddess specifically to have the Qorsikans make the most use out of their Mandellas without introducing problems in society with infants and small children causing problems by making their tantrums worse. Because of how ancient these logographs are, and how esoteric the tomes are describing the meaning behind of them, it is very difficult to get the knowledge required.
Physical Strength and dexterity is required for any Psionic action. Generally speaking, if you cannot lift an object physically, you cannot lift it using Psionics. The same goes for manipulating a physical object. If the user has an unsteady hand, the object they’re manipulating would also be unsteady. This can be offset with enough focus and willpower, but the strength requirement cannot be by this way. Physical Ability may be augmented through the use of technology, but with diminishing returns.
The knowledge requirement comes into effect if the user wants to do something more than the basic telekinetics and telepathy. If one wants to, by example, open an electronic lock then the user is required to know in some way programming, to Psionically hack the device, or Electric Circuitry to force a bypass. If the user has sufficient knowledge, they would be able to use an existing power source, such as the lock’s battery, a battery on their person, or their own body’s energy stores, to open a lock. Using their body’s energy stores requires knowledge on how the body turns its resources into electrical energy.
Other, more difficult examples, includes mind control. This requires in depth knowledge on psychology, an exhaustive knowledge of the nervous system, and the dexterity and willpower to modify synapses and overcome the target’s mental defences. This procedure, however, has the undue effect of causing mental and emotional trauma towards the target’s attacker. If used too often the effects grow into mental deficiency until they become too mentally deficient to function and are legally considered brain dead. A more subtle variation, without the negative effects, is a more surface level manipulation by having the brain produce chemicals to have the target feel what you want them to feel. Both of these require physical contact in some form. Lack of knowledge in these fields has the risk of accidentally killing the target.
One of the more beneficial abilities of Psionics is the ability to manipulate flesh. With knowledge on biology, one is able to accelerate the recovery, close wound, and general surgery. More advanced forms of surgery require specialized knowledge in that field. You cannot Psionically fix someone’s bones without knowing chiropractic medicine.
Other studies of science apply to Psionics in their own ways. The Imperial Noble Clans have discovered a way to acquire those abilities without having to spend years of their lives mastering it, jealously guarding it. The clan of the Current Empress has records to manipulate peoples’ memories, much like mind control. Similarly, this ability also requires physical contact.
An interesting phenomenon occurs, that is largely discredited from ancient history, has been occurring. The more renowned, loved, or feared, a person gets the more powerful they psionically become. It is theorized by theologians that Her Gifts include imprinting with the purpose of allowing Her Chosen to more effectively lead and guide Her People. Taking advantage of this, they seem to exude more ability with their Psionics such as increased strength, that they normally wouldn’t have, and increased capability in what they already can do. The only record of this feat existing within the last millennium is when the current Empress was leading a battle against an Apostate Uprising. The Apostates attempted to break the morale of a brigade of Her Bodyguard, and in response She lifted their spirits by instilling a sense of hope into their minds. Because of their collective belief in Her, this effect started to manifest on its own to no longer needing concentration on The Empress’s part, and begun to strengthen itself after a few hours into the psychological assault. The Apostates, believing their work finished in routing the weaker elements, started their assault only to be broken shortly afterwards against the undaunted morale Her bodyguard were given.
Lastly, Psionics are easily identifiable with a brilliant blue halo they emit behind their head. Theologians believe this was given as a moniker by The Goddess to show the more elite among Her People. Those who have truly mastered the words and have full understanding of her teachings. Interestingly, the more powerful the Psionic is, the brighter the halo is. Although it can reach a brilliant and blinding light it never does have a negative impact on eyesight. From what is known, it takes concerted effort from the Psionic to hide the brilliant light the halo gives, let alone completely hide it from view.
Propulsion
Sublight Propulsion is facilitated primarily through the Nuclear Pulse Engine. Liquid Hydrogen heated up by a Fission/Fusion reaction, and propelled out of the engine to generate thrust. The thrust may be increased with using the Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive at the end of the thruster. A deuterium pellet is launched and a fusion reaction is created through an array of lasers, and the reaction is further fed through the heated hydrogen expelled by the primary engine.
FTL Propulsion is done through the warp engine that manipulates space/time and gravity by creating a gravitational force that pulls the ship in question, and one that pushes it in the direction desired. The ship’s direction is neglible for the purpose of FTL, only where those gravitational forces are directed.
Computation
This topic still flies over my head. Sapient AI though.