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Strata 8 Shabra (Laws of Attraction) | Book of Immersion V I | Sarnia de la Mare


Welcome to Immersion, you have reached Strata 8

Shabra (Laws of Attraction)

female soldier


Sexual attraction for humans is dictated by a reflex to engage in intimacy with others. This phenomenon can be influenced by physical cues alone, the way a human looks, moves, speaks and so on.


Romantic attraction may be described as deeper and yet may still be instantaneous, spurred on by feelings of wanting a relationship with another.


These two desires may appear together in a deep power of attraction.


The psychology of attraction is most peculiar to humans. It is not possible to create this phenomenon in machines whose methods of attraction use logical conditions to draw entities towards them. Predefined targets for machine attention avoid accidents, although machines are notorious for repeatedly targeting their attention on non compliant humans.


Likewise, human attraction is usually nonreciprocal. A machine programmed to give a human all it needs will often reap better results. But when dealing with human desires, neither machine nor human can ever guarantee positive results.



Jerome breaks an awkward silence, 'No *ishy, brother,' He stamped on another Scritter. 'Damn those nasty little *mudafinks!'


Renyke exits the concrete compound with Flex running anxiously behind.


The *robo-dog had waited patiently at the entrance and began wagging its tail and leaping around.



Renyke spots some graffiti with the Redact logo near an underpass. Maybeline crawled out of his coat and nudged his cheek for food.


'You sure you did the right thing brother?' asked Flex, who was now feeling agitated. His naive friend was likely to lead him into trouble. Perhaps it was time to take charge of the matter.


'Wheels is speed, wheels is protection my friend. We gonna stand out like *fucksyfools on the streets. People gonna target us! Words spread fast.' Flex explained still half running to keep pace.


'I can manage quite well,' said Renyke, 'You don't need to .......' Renyke trails off, distracted by a woman on the car roof.


She glanced over at Renyke.


'Oh well let's just go and ask her for her car then' said Flex.


'Are you mocking me?'


Renyke was genuinely unsure. He had always grappled with humour. Incongruous remarks always had to be analysed closely. A false analysis could be incompatible with overall provision of human satisfaction, which was paramount to his function in the world.


Mabel had used the word *nuke about some of her friends.


'I believe the woman to be nuke, explained Renyke, continuing with some confidence.

She exhibits a powerful energy, enough to engage a compelling force as I look upon her.


'Hahahahahaha.....' laughed Flex, that will make things worse, trust me, I have knowledge....


'Follow me,' he tutted, reluctantly leading the way.


The woman was sitting on the roof of the car smoking a pipe and making smoke rings.


Renyke felt a momentary surge of something unknown deep inside him. Was it fear he wondered, Trepidation?


Things were not computing.


He checked POS for his health levels.



...Normal activity presenting. 99.9% battery remaining. Nothing unusual to report.


But Renyke felt a strange fluttering feeling in his belly.


The woman sitting on the car whistled. 'Hey!'


'Like the coat! Cool *toggies. You wanna *swapsie-trade?'


The woman jumped off the car and lifted her fist for an air bump followed by an elbow bump, then a salute. Renyke tried to keep up but was cumbersome. He had seen these manoeuvres in old films on the *tellywebs but he had never actually performed them.


*'Wappens?' asked the woman in a strong accent.' Renyke guessed what she meant and said,


'I need transport, not far, just to Redact, do know that place?'


The woman laughed.....'Man like you, looks way too soft for the *guanty-travel.'


Renyke checks POS.


..'gaunty-travel'......colloquial, Zoners' slang roughly translates as a very dangerous journey..


'But I can take to the second zone, five miles nearer, then you gotta make your own ways,' she continues.


'What you go by?' she asks.


Renyke looked confused.......


'I'm Shabra. Lady of the Shadows, where I go no light follows, ya hear me soldier? I travel at night where there are no lights.'


'I'm Renyke,' he said, trying to decipher the poetry.


You wanna swapsie-trade the coat, or you got me somtin sweeta? I take *nibs, *bits…….1000 *G-bits and you got me hired. But I like that coat too.'


'It's a good deal man, said Flex, 'good deal, five miles is five miles. We come too, me n the dog! I got no ties to this street.'


Flex looks at Shabra who sighs, ‘Yeah, yeah, whoever, no *pipin’ in my *vicular though.'


Renyke knows that Flex could be useful, and the robodog too. It was obedient and would do as it was told.


to be continued

© 2025 Sarnia de la Mare





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Strata 6 Trouble at the Bank (Animal Instincts) | Book of Immersion V I | Sarnia de la Mare


Welcome to Immersion. You have reached Strata 6

Trouble at the Bank (Animal Instincts)



man chest heart money open shirt book of Immersion by Sarnia de la Maré FRSA

The instinct to fight has been observed in both humans and animals. Dominance protects vulnerable species from harm. Neural circuits of rage, anger, and violence exist because humans and animals need them to protect offspring, and to secure food, drink, and safety.


But to be aroused or entertained by violence is more particular to humans than other species. Some humans have even fetishised the power of winning: they seek it out and are physically stimulated by it.


This pleasure in violence, along with the thrill of danger, comes from a deep innate human psychology. It is linked to a desire for competition, thrills, and excitement, as well as the promise of adrenaline which humans find stimulating.


Androids do not experience pleasure in this way. They do not experience the effects of pleasure chemicals, like dopamine, or a motivational salience which can lead to the desirability of an outcome. All androids however have been programmed to protect an asset or assets at all costs. Often these goals will result in violent acts.


But the excitement of a fight remains uniquely human and is a self motivated, self fulfilling exhilaration often irrespective of intellectual advancement.



The oversized droid tried to nudge Renyke into the chair. This small movement, a deliberate, forceful action, raised alarm bells. This droid and this place were dangerous.


*POS was now completely unresponsive.


The Droids were staring intently, too close for comfort. The finger clicking was getting even more intense.


Renyke took a few moments to compose himself.


'I seem to have made a mistake,' said Renyke, 'I have nothing to exchange after all.'


Queenie, looking worried near the door, demanded access to leave.


'Let me out, this is not my affair,' she said to the door guard who had stopped her exit with his thick arm. She kicked his shin and he laughed. 'That just tickles,' he said, bending down and scowling in her face, too close for comfort.


Still nothing from POS......


Renyke realised he was on his own. This was new. total autonomy was not possible for artificially created learning machines. There was alway a system in place. The system was paramount to seamless function.


One of the droids got closer to Renyke and explained, 'You gotta have something useful for your friends at the bank. We like useful things. Must be something nice you got for the banker.'


The other droid looked at Renyke's bag. 'What's in the bag?' he said moving forward to remove it from Renyke's shoulder.


Maybeline crawled out onto Renyke's collar snarling and spitting. She was screeching violently and standing on her hind legs.


'We take anything, old phones even. Anything with data, or storage, or files, photos, *NFTs. We take hardware too, your bank is really *frienly. The watch looks tasty. We like watches at the bank. Don't we like watches?'


His thick-set assistant nodded, wires and cogs vibrated inside a hole in his cheek.


Suddenly POS was available again and activated defence and attack modes.


Renyke engaged his bionics and with lightning speed, head butted the first droid who flew back and smashed the other's head with the force of a truck. Cogs crushed and whirred and they both hit the floor.


Maybeline screeched and began removing wires from orifices in the droids heads.. Then she stood victorious on her hind legs looking around for another victim.


Human, age 48, ID: possibly David Shrewen, wanted for murder, extortion, fraud, by *CASM


A short well dressed man approached trying to calm the situation. He lifted his hands in surrender. He was nervous without the protection of his now defunct droids.


The Door guard held the female guide by the neck and she was screaming, 'Let us go we're no trouble honest, no trouble!'


'Quiet', said the door guard squeezing her neck tighter and choking her.


'My name is David Shrewen and I have a reputation to uphold. One of professionalism and integrity. I must apologise for my overzealous staff.' He put his hand out to shake Renyke's hand.


Shall I lock weapons on target? asked POS.


Renyke engaged an army-issue laser bolt-gun in his hand that would take out the whole room and anyone in it.




He would prefer not to use it but he pointed it at Shrewen's face fixing a menacing stare.


'Duuuuude, we got no ishy here. No *ishy, just data. A misunderstanding my friend?' Said Shrewen.


'Drop the lady!' Shouted Renyke, 'we are leaving.'


'Let them go', shouted Shrewen, without hesitation and putting on a brave friendly smile.


The door guard released Queenie, as the banker backed off with his hands still in the air.


Renyke reversed his way towards the door watching the room through his the 360-degree embedded viewfinder.


There was a bag on the counter.


...Contains *bits, may I suggest we take it.....? said POS


Renyke grabbed the bag. It was heavy. The Banker protested. 'Not the whole bag man ......I got bills to pay!'


Renyke pulled out a handful of the contents and threw the bag on the floor. He didn't need it all, enough to get some kind of vehicle to get him to Redact. The last thing he wanted was a gang of stupid droids after him in this Hell hole. They might hold him up.


The banker was yelling as Renyke and Queenie took their exit.


Shrewen was still shouting as they made their way back through the market, 'You got some neat tools man, we could use you at the bank!'


to be continued....

© 2025 Sarnia de la Mare



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Strata 5 The Tiger Queen (Memories) | Book of Immersion V I | Sarnia de la Mare

🔹Strata 5: Identity Crisis

Woman headphones clubbing

Glitches reveal hidden truths. When systems break down, Renyke faces himself in pieces. A deep dive into fractured identity and digital introspection.


Welcome to Immersion, you have reached Strata 5
The Tiger Queen (Memories)



To function correctly, humans depend almost entirely upon memories. Memory is an integral part of human cognition. It allows individuals to recall and draw upon past events to frame their understanding of the present. Memory also gives individuals a paradigm through which they make sense of the future. Memories are tried and tested experiences where deep knowledge and understanding are fostered. The future becomes less of an unknown with an arsenal of information based on what we remember. Memory can also be evolutionary, cultural, and non specific, based on a collective experience of tragedy, persecution or success.

A machine that remembers too little will not be able to do anything that requires connecting past experiences to new ones. Many droids are prone to catastrophic forgetting as well as over-learning, either leading to gross malfunction. Humans are able to pick and choose their memories for a better life. Even false memories have proven to be advantageous for human emotional balance.

Renyke attempted a *face-recog on the woman but the makeup or tattoo caused a data malfunction. Flex, the one with probable knowledge about trusting her had disappeared amongst the crowd.

After a lingering interlude for summing up danger, but with no logical conclusion, Renyke followed his guide with some trepidation. The woman was effervescent and attractive, seemingly unfamiliar attributes that Renyke was surprised to have noticed. Such exuberances were not encouraged in the Midcasts but Renyke was inexplicably drawn to her zeal and fervour as she moved through the streets like a tiger queen.

Market traders were selling an array of live animals, electronic devices, even workers by the hour for a range of uses from labouring, singing and even sexual services.

Renyke was feeling confused at the evidence before him. Things did not seem logical to his organised brain. The noise, the intensity, a million unrelated instances of life weaving through time and space. These were chaotic waveforms traveling horseback on a loud wind. It was making him giddy.

'What's with the frown Mr?' The woman seemed empathetic.

'I don't know, something familiar maybe, here, this street.'

'I would know if you had graced our streets before my friend.' The woman was staring intently into Renyke's eyes making him feel self conscious. You got stranger written all over that face, let me tell you.'

The woman greeted traders and passersby. She was well known here although *POS was not able to ascertain much data.

The woman is 20, human,, she has had a child 
said POS...

They arrived at a unit with barricades and metal shutters. It was constructed from an old underground train carriage, probably from the twenty-first century.

'Here we go,' said the woman
'That's 50 *G-bits for getting you here Mr.'

'I have to get some money first,' said Renyke
'What do I need, I have no ID?'

'You don't need ID here Mr. This is the *hiddens' zone, *the Urchs got no ID. No ID, no problem. This is a very special bank just for people like you.'

'Well, how do I get money?' asked Renyke, now confused about accessing anything that may be stored in his POS and dubious about sharing his identity.'

The woman laughed.
'Ya gotta put sometin' up my friend.

'Like my coat?' asked Renyke.

'Na, not in the bank! Your software, course, or hardware, or files, whatever.....just plug in, give some data, get some g-bits innit. They take apps, software, POS.....

Day to Day Data..... is their wayta.....
.....hahahahaha.'

The woman cackled then sighed, observing Renyke's discomfort.

'I'll take you in OK, I know the banker.'

Renyke pondered the likelihood of a successful solo effort and nodded in agreement.

The woman bashed on the metal door and a hatch opened.

'It's me, Queenie, got a client for ya big guy.'


Dark peering eyes checked them up and down through a small rectangle.

'Not the animals', said a loud booming voice after tentatively opening a heavily armoured door.

Inside was well guarded by large-framed menacing characters. They were standard issue security droids, the like of older versions that had been discontinued and recalled then disassembled and officially disposed of. Security in the Midcasts was controlled by forcefields and lasers with little need for big ugly droids.

Renyke was ushered into a small cubical with an array of plugs and wires.

The woman gestured he should go in as she waited near the door under the watchful eye of the droid.

POS was glitching.

Everything in the cubical looked antiquated, probably from the early tech years.
There was a chair and Renyke was motioned to sit down.

He hesitated.
'How does this work?' He asked a large droid.

The droid seemed stupefied, slow and sluggish, as if he had been drained of power. He spoke slowly with slurred words. There were intermittent beeping noises and error warnings coming from inside his head.


'Here is the current exchange rate,' said the droid, pointing to a monitor with flashing figures. 'As soon as you are plugged in, we see what you got and make an offer. Then we transfer. You get a voucher here.'

He pointed to a small printing machine, 'then take it over there and get g-bits or s bits.'

There were hundreds of wires and plugs seemingly for extracting and monitoring every device from the last couple of centuries. Anything from antique video machines to digital clocks, and hundreds of handset devises seemed to have a lead on offer.

Renyke spotted the *Mark 3 Droid Cable and shuddered.

He checked his applications. Then all the add-ons. He checked for any temp files he could get rid of. Then he checked POS and asked if there was a clean-up they could run.

System is currently set to factory install. Removing program files or data could be detrimental to smooth function....this action is not supported.....

More searching......then finally

One file found
Unknown origin
Possible memory file from last OS
Appears surplus to current operational needs but I am unable to access file contents


The big droid began clicking its fingers slowly and grimacing. His equally thug-like colleague approached and joined in.

The woman, looking restless by the door, ushered Renyke to hurry up

Can we operate without it? Renyke asked POS'

There is a possibility, according to my calculations, of serious malfunction


The droids moved closer and the clicking intensified.


to be continued
©2025 Sarnia de la Mare

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