29. Riker – September 2157 – Sol

Bill reflects on the departure of three new Bob clones (Calvin, Goku, and Linus) from Epsilon Eridani, noting the irony that they are poor examples of Von Neumann probes due to reluctance to clone. He reviews the advanced specifications of the version-3 ships Heaven-9 and Heaven-10, which are heavily weaponized for potential encounters with other probes, and discusses the strategic decision to avoid Alpha Centauri in favor of other destinations.

Bill observes the fusion signatures of Calvin, Goku, and Linus departing the Epsilon Eridani system. He jokes with Garfield about the Bobs being like children leaving home, but Garfield expresses concern about a pattern of behavior. Bill acknowledges that five years have passed since Riker and Homer left, and notes that Bob's reluctance to clone has become contagious among the collective, making them poor Von Neumann probes in terms of reproduction. The holotank data shows that while Linus displays stability, Calvin and Goku have been antagonistic toward each other since arrival despite remaining inseparable. Bill details the specifications of Heaven-9 and Heaven-10, the first ships using the version-3 design, equipped with oversized SURGE drives allowing 10 g acceleration, secondary shielded reactors for covert system traversal, doubled buster weapons, scouts, rail guns with steel-jacketed ammunition, and SUDDAR-jamming emitters. The chapter discusses debate about Alpha Centauri as a destination and notes FAITH's decision against it due to the minimal time difference for 4 versus 10 light-year journeys. The Bobs reach unanimous consensus that any encounter with Medeiros should involve no warning, no quarter, and no discussion.