Love, Dharma, and the Galaxy (Love, Essence, and Humanity) (Volume 1)

The planet Falcon goes silent and Geardon Stranoff, Interplanetary Genome Auditor, is sent to investigate. The Brilliant Machine Intelligence controls much of the universe, including Geardon's ship, the Golden Flash, as well as his companion, a female persona, Maya, who can manifest in perfect human form. Geardon decides to bring in a band of Wandini, a primitive race who possess strong psychic abilities, to help solve the mystery. Biologically enhanced intelligent machines interrupt his journey to Falcon and test his mind. Geardon watches a young woman, Eerin, and her boyfriend, Dalla, in a recorded holographic vision during their ecstatic, ritualistic translation and is mortified to watch Eerin's body die and be composted along with the rest of the inhabitants of the planet Falcon. Geardon later learns that Eerin has entered the immortal realm of the planetary core, another aspect of the Brilliant Machine, but Eerin feels tricked. Eerin just wants to live a normal life, but was chosen as the innocent to have her exit ritual presented. Draco Nanitron, the inventor of the translator and first to use it, involves Eerin in the negotiation for the realm's new status, weaving increasingly complex webs about her life. Several advanced, mutated forms of humanity are eager to get their hands on the translation technology, but a fighter city holds them at bay. Cyborgs breach the ship in a hack attempt and Cynthia Nestler, chief of security, engages them. The future of the galaxy will be forever changed, for better or worse, by the technology that can virtualize a soul's life. Geardon, along with Cynthea and Miranda, a spacer, goes in search of planets with natural humans to repopulate Falcon. Cynthea, who was born on a planetary colony which was invaded and later became Security on the fighter city, begins to be attracted to Geardon. Miranda, who grew up on a space city without any notion of privacy, tries to understand planetary culture. The first world that Geardon visits is Minoro and they learn of a secret which allows some people the ability to live for thousands of years; however, the majority who try ingesting the alien parasite die. Cynthea is blinded by the possibility and her desire overrides her reason. The second planet on which Geardon finds a natural population which meets the criteria is Nicene. Geardon gets introduced to the MacTau, an advanced yet simple alien race. It is decided that they would also contribute to the population which will resettle Falcon. Meanwhile, the Wandini who have remained on Falcon convince Eerin to trick a bear so that they can hunt it, but things go awry and one of them is mortally wounded. The third planet Geardon invites to populate Falcon is Mirka, with a long history of genetic engineering and yet a very natural human genome. He guide is a clone, Jenifer ZMA00147, whom he finds fascinating. A young girl is seriously injured and Jennifer is called as a healer. Geardon and Jenny find commonality in the energy arts and their life paths. Draco has Eerin interact with the Brilliant Machine core, a feat which haunts him, but she is light and flows. Eerin meets another couple, Marvelin and Nina, who entered the realm before the ritual and are Buddhists, still seeking nirvana. They control many aspects of life in the realm. Eerin begins to uncover the dark side of the immortal realm, areas where some of the population have been sequestered: humans who have lost their original limited form, battling Morfs, Gamers, Pixilators, and Sextarians. There are souls who enter their personal hell. There is also Mage Land, where souls live with a blend of the freedom of the immortal virtual inhabitants and physical human limitations. Diplomats from the three worlds assemble on Falcon and things get really strange for them and within the realm. The drama of love and romance, as well as life and death, cast their spells within the course of time.