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Liora Yoael

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    I am Israeli-American comedy/dramedy with a passion for grounded sci-fi and fantasy and creating fun, juicy roles for women of all ages.
    Multilingual: Hebrew, Russian, learning Mandarin Chinese.
    My goal is to find representation for my debut multi-cultural, zeitgeisty sci fi novel and be adapted into a motion picture .

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  1. Add Tag 2030. The Boomerang Effect, Sci-fi by Liora Yoael First Assignment - Story Statement: In between a love that never meant to be, the son of the Bitcoin founder locks horns with a ruthless entrepreneur who wants to control the young man's sentient AI security invention, Boomerang. This most powerful billionaire engineer wishes to advance his plans for global domination and monopolisation of space mining and tourism in the solar system at large. Nothing will stop him - even if murder must be added to the agenda! 2. Second Assignment - Antagonists summary: (Spoiler: you can see my antagonist standing next to me in my profile avatar) MX Leon, the U.S. Ambassador of the United Corporations of America to Space. Great change has transformed the world. Mankind has reached out to the planets in the solar system; Mars is being colonized; the Asteroid Belt is being mined for Uranium, Gold, Platinum and Silver. Much of these interplanetary endeavors, if not all, are due to one man: MX Leon, the ruthless entrepreneur behind a conglomerate space-expansion company that has its eyes set on the stars … and beyond MX Leon, a complex man who has renewed American Space Industry and sparked a new level of surveillance innovation. Overcoming hardship of poor childhood, he earn his first billion selling his notorious brainchild, the ‘empathic’ EmoIris Playmate toys, which cunningly tugs at the heartstrings of children, all in pursuit of his profit. This devious endeavor vividly exemplifies a predatory, exploitation of the tender, malleable minds of youth, marked by a willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals, even if it means making enemies along the way. While at MIT during his earlier years, his attempt to forge his professor's signature in pursuit of a valuable discovery revealed a ruthless side, as he was willing to commit fraud for personal gain at a young age. Years later, when he met the professor’s brilliant son, he challenged and attempted to ruin him to maintain his prominence. In his conversation with the Secretary of State, when the idea of pursuing a political carrier was presented to him, MX delivered a memorable response, coining a phrase: “Why become a senator if you can buy one?” His methodical pay to play scheme expended his influence into realm of space mining rights. MX’ struggles with personal attachment serve to deepen the narrative and provide insight into his moral ambiguity. It showcases his ability to exploit even the most intimate connections in his audacious attempt to leverage his romantic involvement with the irresistibly charming Mossad agent. 3. Third Assignment - Breakout Title: "2030. The Boomerang Effect" "Echoes of Tomorrow: A Tale of Love and Power" “The Destiny Code.” "Sentience's Gamble: The Boomerang Conspiracy" 4. Fourth Assignment – Sci-fi Comparables: "2030.The Boomerang Effect" is like Kai-Fu Lee’s Ten Version for Our Future meets Sarit Yishai Levi's The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem. or "2030. The Boomerang Effect" is like Lavie Tidhar’s Central Station with compelling and diverse cast of characters who inhabit a bustling and multicultural future of Middle East meets with the well-rounded, often humorous female characters of Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, that exude the line between awe-inspiring and unnerving. 5. Fifth Assignment - Hook/Logline a. In a crossroad of technological intrigue and compelling human connections, the brilliant prodigy, Benjamin Yerushalmi, finds himself entangled in a high-stakes battle with ruthless Space entrepreneur, over the destiny of Boomerang, his revolutionary invention, all while the lives of Zeinab, a gifted Palestinian psychic, and Galit, a beguiling Israeli Mossad agent, become intricately woven into a web of secrets, love, and loyalty, with global domination hanging in the balance. 6. Sixth Assignment - Sketch out the conditions for the inner conflict your protagonist will have. Ben Yerushalmi, the prodigious son of Bitcoin's founder, grapples with a profound inner conflict. His father's untimely death leaves him with the daunting task of completing his father's unfinished masterpiece, Boomerang—an AI marvel poised to redefine cybersecurity for generations. The weight of this responsibility bears heavily on Ben, as he is not only mourning his father's loss but also navigating the immense pressure to live up to his legacy. Compounding his inner turmoil is the high-stakes battle with MX Leon, a ruthless entrepreneur who seeks to manipulate and dominate Boomerang, the groundbreaking creation that Ben holds dear. Ben's anxiety converges as he confronts the ruthless world of corporate espionage and power struggles. His desire to honor his father's vision clashes with the threat of MX Leon's influence. Amidst these conflicting scenarios and his role in shaping the future of Boomerang, Ben grapples with personal dilemma and questions of generational ethics when he falls in love with Palestinian psychic and her little box of miracles and weird and deeply moving visions. Their budding romance challenges deeply rooted societal and political divisions setting a liminal stage for a gripping adventure. In a hypothetical negative scenario (not as in actual novel) The age of a new sentience would soon dominate the planet. And the era of Man would be no more… Holy land becomes unholy. AI regulations remains lax. Robot rabbis conduct circumcisions. 7. Seventh Assignment - Settings 2030. The Boomerang Effect commences on October 2, 2030 with the long-anticipated inauguration of Neom City, Saudi Arabia's pinnacle of technological innovation. Amidst the magnificent spectacle, Crown Prince Mohammed unveils an astonishing $1.3 trillion contract for luxury space capsules with MX Leon, the visionary and ruthless entrepreneur often hailed as a potential successor to Elon Musk. We see China’s ascendancy in the Middle East displaced the United States, adding geopolitical layers to the event. As the spotlight transitions to the ancient city of Jerusalem, antagonist's journey takes an unforeseen twist. What was meant to be a mission to bestow a brief appearance at science and technology competition to secure the support of wealthy Jewish voters, descent into chaos. Alongside antagonist’s enigmatic companions stand Win Liu, a confidant with a mysterious history, and Jenni, a fembot companion that balances between captivating and unsettling. Some activity takes place in 2030 Wuhan, China and then later at a monastery located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the Songshan mountain range in the Henan Province. Jerusalem, Historical King David hotel, that stands not far from a border between Israeli and Arab Jerusalem. The Israeli tech genius falls in love with the Palestinian psychic, who is under radar of psychic warfare, program of Mossad. Negev Dessert, Israel and parallel world of late Bitcoin’s founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. Kabbalah temple in a mystical city of Tzfat, city of Upper Galilee, Israel Authentically through Real-World Exploration. Liora Yoael wrote “2030. The Boomerang Effect” in all actual locations depicted in the book and her firsthand experiences infuses all settings described in the novel.
  2. TWO WORLDS MERGING TO FORM THE ONE Neom City, Saudi Arabia October 2, 2030 He was not armed heavily – that could not be risked with the security drones programmed for firearms or direct-energy caps. The kill would have to be Old World – swift and by the blade. The assassin was dressed for the occasion – in formal white; he’d be a face in the crowd, a presumed participantin the regional wealth ofthe Greatest Show On Earth. Ishmael’s orders were simple:eliminate the great Infidel, MX Leon, enemy to both the people and the state, not to mention to Allah himself. The devil Leon was a creature beyond the sands, possessed of magic and technology that could only be characterized as the epitome of evil and an anathema to any True Believer. Leon promulgated more than technology – he espoused heresy, madness, and vile ideas for the future of Man. He had to be destroyed. In the name of Allah and all that was holy, no matter the cost, no matter the loss. The young assassin knew this was a suicide mission – his probability of success was one in a thousand. It would be hard trying to corner MX in private. Yet try he must. He gripped his curved knife, a jagged thing, serrated and unforgiving. Once thrust into human flesh and withdrawn, internal organs would be eviscerated, strewn into a gaping heap of dying flesh. The key was proximity. He took a breath and followed the royal sheiks – bedfellows to the Great Satan known as MX Leon. Patience … patience … such was needed in a time to kill. * * * Once everything was better - even the prospect of a superior future. We are a city on a hill – and the eyes of the world are watching us.MX Leon could not help but reflect on those glorious words by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Pilgrims on their journey to the New World five centuries ago. What Leon was witnessing today epitomized that holy sentiment; today was not so much an event as it was a phenomenon, the like of which he felt, if there was a God, He was surely here and in earnest participation. Neom City was a technological marvel of architecture with towering edifices a mile high juxtaposed against the Saudi desert. The grandeur of its opening ceremony was fitting, an extravagant affair attended by the wealthy and the glamorous. Nothing like it had been seen in this part of the world for a millennium. To the average camel and herdsman, it was a spectacular frenzy of light and sound. To MX Leon, the U.S. Ambassador of the United Corporations of America to Space, it was a piece of landscape which could be leveraged, utilized – exploited. More importantly, Neom City was emblematic of the people who helped create it – Saudi sheikhs, who both admired MX Leon and feared him. The fear was certainly economically based, but MX Leon represented something far more dangerous to the ruling class: he was the existential threat to their up-til-now undisputed reign over petrodollar windfall. The culture of a thousand years gave sway over all other things in this part of the world; the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many. And few put up vociferous objections. Yet, in a way, Saudi money held much influence in the scheme of things, and MX recognized this; he had twenty-four hours to sell his luxurious overpriced space capsules in order to further his goals of creating an inviolate space surveillance system. This was a self-imposed window, of course… MX Leon needed no one for anything. Time was his premium, to be allocated accordingly. Still, there were alliances at play here, relationships, trusts of a sort. An honor among thieves, if you will…One could ostensibly be the most powerful man on the planet, yet still needed the will of the people, even if that will was manipulated regularly for the greater and singular good. Now, as MX Leon took in the vastness of this ancient terrain, presently illuminated with a million lights and sets of lasers shooting skyward over Neom City, festooned over every building, every turret, every walkway, he marveled privately how much the world had changed in the past decade. To the north, he could see the silver railway that a joint Israeli/Chinese endeavor had been realized back in 2023. Chinese domination of the maritime gateway in the Middle East was now a foregone conclusion. There were hints that China was moving beyond traditional commercial partnerships and sought to displace the US’s security role in the Middle East. A military base in Abu Dhabi port and the route between the Port of Neom City and Port of Haifa, currently handled by China’s SIPG, was of considerable concern to Leon. His one great adversary in China, Ion Enterprises, was responsible for this vast interconnectedness, and this threat would have to be addressed soon enough. Leon had already formulated plans to create his own port highway, and this one would also include a space elevator in the Port of Haifa (should all things go swimmingly with the Israeli endorsement). In this way, China would be properly intimidated and more open to negotiation for a “sharing of the pie” down the line. But as it stood now, the SIPG operation was an impressive achievement. Another technological marvel layered in the sands. Once, Leon thought in his more melancholic moments, of which there were few, the past had seemed like a simpler place. 2030 was much different than 2020. Much different indeed… On this second of October, but a few months short of the year 2031, at the vast young age of fifty-two, MX Leon sat astride a rather irksome camel. His host, one Prince Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, rode parallel to Leon, clicking to his own camel – the distinguished Zahra – a magnificent nine-million dollar marvel renowned for her victories in prestigious camel races. “What do you think of our utopian paradise?” Mohammed asked Leon while reaching out to scratch his camel’s ear. Leon chuckled and nodded. “Indeed, it is a suitably chic address for shady Monegasque and Russian oligarchs. Then there is Tong Xin, the famous Chinese industrialist, residing along with a litany of retired crypto hacks on the floating gardens that stretch toward the magnificent Italian-style villas. Reminds me of Silicon Valley with Monaco thrown in for good measure. It’s opulence at its evil best. What’s not to like?” “Yes, it is rather remarkable,” the prince replied proudly, taking in the vastness of a city he planned to resource for hundreds of billions of dollars. “That, my friend, is an understatement,” Leon remarked amiably. “This is where it all began, MX Leon,” Mohammed said with undue formality. “And I thank you for attending the Neom City opening. I realize how busy you are.” “Never too busy for a good friend.” Leon nodded politely to the prince. In fact, Leon was rather impatient for the ride to end. As the founder of Space Tease Enterprises, he had places to go and promises to keep. Not to put too fine a point on it, but time was money. Bad enough he had to be here for this ignominious event, but in a few hours, he was expected by the powers that be to attend a science event in Israel. Another annoying distraction to his main agenda of motoring the world to the stars. Still, there was etiquette that had to be observed. These abysmal niceties had to be endured. Mitra, Leon’s camel, snorted discreetly from the wrong end. Leon rolled his eyes as the stench of the animal’s rectal issue assaulted his nostrils. The prince seemed not to have noticed. The man is probably used to the toxic foulness of camel farts. Probably thinks of them as Chanel No. 5. MX turned to the Prince. “I am still somewhat astounded, that after the fortune you made, not so long ago, with the Aine Formula-1 roll-out, that you still carry on with these camel extravaganzas.” Mohammad smiled indulgently. “Call it nostalgia.” MX laughed and reached out, touching the prince’s arm affectionately. “You are a romantic after all, my brother.” “It is one of my many failings,” the Prince admitted. “I call it a virtue, sir,” MX gave a slight head-bow. A moment of silence passed between them. “Remind me of what TEASE stands for again,” Mohammed said. “It’s a rather complicated acronym.” “Technological Empowerment and Advancement of Space Exploration,” Leon said tonelessly, knowing quite well that Mohammed understood what TEASEmeant. “Yes, yes. I just like to hear you say it,” Mohammed said. The heat was unsurprisingly oppressive, and MX Leon’s current inappropriate sartorial choice of suit and tie was not helping. Leon looked up at the sky, the sun bearing down through a pellucid blue, commingling with the ubiquitous swirling of sand coalescing over the surface. Though the city was a behemoth of technological prowess, it seemed to Leon yet to remain subservient to the vastness of a hostile landscape. He recalled a poem by Shelley, composed hundreds of years ago to temples of this vast desert, this wasteland of the desiccated macabre: I met a traveler from an antique land, Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed: Leon sighed and nodded to himself. And I am now that traveler… Leon had learned the hard way about the harshness of an inhospitable terrain. The two habitats he had established on Mars had come at a cost; nine astronauts had been lost in the construction of Ares One and Two; the powerful tornadoes that formed out of nowhere at the base of the solar system’s largest volcano, Olympus Mons, had all but eradicated Aries Team One, and the subsequent sandstorm that followed (reminiscent of the infamous haboobs of the Saudi region) suspended habitat construction for months. But if he were able to bring real and lasting change, such were the rules of the game. The sand just beyond the barrier of the huge city’s warmth was an odd anachronism against so much technology. The low horizon, despite the yellow glare, gave off a tepid gray – an optical illusion that promised a hint of moisture but in fact was nothing more than a cruel mirage. Meanwhile, electric autonomous shuttles hovered around the main procession of royals and non-royals alike. Leon and Prince Mohammed continued their leisurely trek through the city’s gargantuan floating artificial garden – the product of advanced gravitational technology that Leon himself helped to develop back in 2027. Certainly, credit could be given to the Pasadena Institute of Technology and Raytheon Industries for their assistance and fine support, but it was Leon’s vision of hyper-gravitational matrixes that had given rise to what was once only imagined in the annals of science fiction. A fine thing, gravity. Leon allowed his mind to wander, trying to ignore the heat. It would one day allow Man to travel to the stars – first, Proxima Centauri at 4.2 light years away, then beyond. Sirius, next. Epsilon Eridani … and beyond. True, interplanetary conquest would logically have to come first: Mars, the inner worlds, then the gas giants and the Khyber belt. But Leon’s dreaming was universal and intergalactic in scope. The stars beckoned, as did no doubt other civilizations. And if no such civilizations existed and Mankind was the best thing out there, no problem. Man would be the progenitor race to one day colonize the galaxy … and beyond. Win-Win as far as Leon was concerned. On either side of the high-profile riders, a retinue of functionaries remained at a discreet distance. So did the security personnel that were in attendance. The crowd of a thousand or more could very well harbor those who did not rejoice in the Crown Prince’s indulgences. Another fifteen minutes passed until the mercury-blue Royal tents appeared. Thank God, Leon visibly sighed. This hellish sun will be the death of me… "I hope your ride was not too arduous,” the prince inquired politely, his gaze piercing and studious even in this moment of leisure. A man devoted to higher education and Western sensibilities, Crown Prince Mohammed had garnered great favor with allies in the region due to an innate political acumen and sensibility. And, of course, he was revered as a paragon of wisdom amongst his inner circle of tribal fealty. "Not at all, your Royal Highness." Leon smiled affably, patting his camel like an old friend. Even as his discomfort was apparent, MX kept a measured composure. "I apologize for the heat," the prince said sincerely. "May I offer you a traditional djellabahin lieu of your suit?" “I’d welcome that,” Leon wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. Mohammed gestured to two of his assistants, eager young men who seemed to live on the very whim of the Crown Prince. "Would you help SyedLeon change before the Royal brunch,” Mohamed instructed them. “My sister, Princess Leila, embroidered this particular djellabahwith your initials, MX. You shall find it in the changing tent." “I’m flattered,” Leon gave a slight bow before being led off to another tent by the two acolytes. He gave them a dismissive wave at the tent entrance, and they respectfully departed with a bow. He closed his eyes momentarily, hanging onto one of the folds of the tent for support. His wrist com blinked, and the image of his personal fembot, Jennifer, appeared. “Are you well, sir?” she asked, her blond image fluctuating on his subcutaneous wrist band. Leon nodded. “Fine, Jennifer. It’s just hot as spilt fuck, that’s all.” “Stay hydrated,” Jennifer advised. Her image crystallized and her remarkable emerald eyes appeared brighter than usual. Her face was sculpted to Nordic perfection (a general preference in the female form for Leon). He noticed that Jennifer had let her hair down – a becoming detail he would compliment her on at a later date. “Yeah, talk later, thanks,” Leon said, switching off and wiping sweat from his lips. Damn this heat… Though in fit shape – and two-hour trials at the gym almost daily – Leon could feel this arid hell making him dizzy. He did not notice the young assassin, Ishmael, move deftly from the crowd, ever closer toward his destiny. * * * Yes. Victory! The evil one strode alone to a tent, without security, without even a shadow-drone. This was the time to strike. Ishmael lasered in on MX Leon, his hand white-hot on his dagger, preparing himself for the kill to come.
  3. Immersion. Sci-fi, Opening Chapter

    By Liora Yoael

    Introduces antagonist, setting, tone, and foreshadows the primary crisis and conflict.

                                    

        TWO WORLDS MERGING TO FORM THE ONE

    Neom City, Saudi Arabia

    October 2, 2030

     

    He was not armed heavily – that could not be risked with the security drones programmed for firearms or direct-energy caps. The kill would have to be Old World – swift and by the blade.

    The assassin was dressed for the occasion – in formal white; he’d be a face in the crowd, a presumed participantin the regional wealth ofthe Greatest Show On Earth.

    Ishmael’s orders were simple:eliminate the great Infidel, MX Leon, enemy to both the people and the state, not to mention to Allah himself. The devil Leon was a creature beyond the sands, possessed of magic and technology that could only be characterized as the epitome of evil and an anathema to any True Believer. Leon promulgated more than technology – he espoused heresy, madness, and vile ideas for the future of Man. He had to be destroyed. In the name of Allah and all that was holy, no matter the cost, no matter the loss.

    The young assassin knew this was a suicide mission – his probability of success was one in a thousand. It would be hard trying to corner MX in private. Yet try he must.

    He gripped his curved knife, a jagged thing, serrated and unforgiving. Once thrust into human flesh and withdrawn, internal organs would be eviscerated, strewn into a gaping heap of dying flesh. The key was proximity. He took a breath and followed the royal sheiks – bedfellows to the Great Satan known as MX Leon.

    Patience … patience … such was needed in a time to kill.

    * * *

    Once everything was better - even the prospect of a superior future. We are a city on a hill – and the eyes of the world are watching us.MX Leon could not help but reflect on those glorious words by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Pilgrims on their journey to the New World five centuries ago. What Leon was witnessing today epitomized that holy sentiment; today was not so much an event as it was a phenomenon, the like of which he felt, if there was a God, He was surely here and in earnest participation.

    Neom City was a technological marvel of architecture with towering edifices a mile high juxtaposed against the Saudi desert. The grandeur of its opening ceremony was fitting, an extravagant affair attended by the wealthy and the glamorous.  Nothing like it had been seen in this part of the world for a millennium. To the average camel and herdsman, it was a spectacular frenzy of light and sound. To MX Leon, the U.S. Ambassador of the United Corporations of America to Space, it was a piece of landscape which could be leveraged, utilized – exploited. More importantly, Neom City was emblematic of the people who helped create it – Saudi sheikhs, who both admired MX Leon and feared him. The fear was certainly economically based, but MX Leon represented something far more dangerous to the ruling class: he was the existential threat to their up-til-now undisputed reign over petrodollar windfall. The culture of a thousand years gave sway over all other things in this part of the world; the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many. And few put up vociferous objections.

    Yet, in a way, Saudi money held much influence in the scheme of things, and MX recognized this; he had twenty-four hours to sell his luxurious overpriced space capsules in order to further his goals of creating an inviolate space surveillance system. This was a self-imposed window, of course… MX Leon needed no one for anything. Time was his premium, to be allocated accordingly. Still, there were alliances at play here, relationships, trusts of a sort. An honor among thieves, if you will…One could ostensibly be the most powerful man on the planet, yet still needed the will of the people, even if that will was manipulated regularly for the greater and singular good.

    Now, as MX Leon took in the vastness of this ancient terrain, presently illuminated with a million lights and sets of lasers shooting skyward over Neom City, festooned over every building, every turret, every walkway, he marveled privately how much the world had changed in the past decade. To the north, he could see the silver railway that a joint Israeli/Chinese endeavor had been realized back in 2023. Chinese domination of the maritime gateway in the Middle East was now a foregone conclusion. There were hints that China was moving beyond traditional commercial partnerships and sought to displace the US’s security role in the Middle East. A military base in Abu Dhabi port and the route between the Port of Neom City and Port of Haifa, currently handled by China’s SIPG, was of considerable concern to Leon. 

    His one great adversary in China, Ion Enterprises, was responsible for this vast interconnectedness, and this threat would have to be addressed soon enough. Leon had already formulated plans to create his own port highway, and this one would also include a space elevator in the Port of Haifa (should all things go swimmingly with the Israeli endorsement). In this way, China would be properly intimidated and more open to negotiation for a “sharing of the pie” down the line. But as it stood now, the SIPG operation was an impressive achievement. Another technological marvel layered in the sands. Once, Leon thought in his more melancholic moments, of which there were few, the past had seemed like a simpler place. 2030 was much different than 2020. Much different indeed…

    On this second of October, but a few months short of the year 2031, at the vast young age of fifty-two, MX Leon sat astride a rather irksome camel. His host, one Prince Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, rode parallel to Leon, clicking to his own camel – the distinguished Zahra – a magnificent nine-million dollar marvel renowned for her victories in prestigious camel races.

    “What do you think of our utopian paradise?” Mohammed asked Leon while reaching out to scratch his camel’s ear.

    Leon chuckled and nodded. “Indeed, it is a suitably chic address for shady Monegasque and Russian oligarchs. Then there is Tong Xin, the famous Chinese industrialist, residing along with a litany of retired crypto hacks on the floating gardens that stretch toward the magnificent Italian-style villas. Reminds me of Silicon Valley with Monaco thrown in for good measure. It’s opulence at its evil best. What’s not to like?” 

    “Yes, it is rather remarkable,” the prince replied proudly, taking in the vastness of a city he planned to resource for hundreds of billions of dollars.

    “That, my friend, is an understatement,” Leon remarked amiably.

    “This is where it all began, MX Leon,” Mohammed said with undue formality. “And I thank you for attending the Neom City opening. I realize how busy you are.”

    “Never too busy for a good friend.” Leon nodded politely to the prince.

    In fact, Leon was rather impatient for the ride to end. As the founder of Space Tease Enterprises, he had places to go and promises to keep. Not to put too fine a point on it, but time was money. Bad enough he had to be here for this ignominious event, but in a few hours, he was expected by the powers that be to attend a science event in Israel. Another annoying distraction to his main agenda of motoring the world to the stars. Still, there was etiquette that had to be observed. These abysmal niceties had to be endured.

    Mitra, Leon’s camel, snorted discreetly from the wrong end. Leon rolled his eyes as the stench of the animal’s rectal issue assaulted his nostrils. The prince seemed not to have noticed.

    The man is probably used to the toxic foulness of camel farts. Probably thinks of them as Chanel No. 5.

    MX turned to the Prince. “I am still somewhat astounded, that after the fortune you made, not so long ago, with the Aine Formula-1 roll-out, that you still carry on with these camel extravaganzas.”

    Mohammad smiled indulgently. “Call it nostalgia.”

    MX laughed and reached out, touching the prince’s arm affectionately. “You are a romantic after all, my brother.”

    “It is one of my many failings,” the Prince admitted.

    “I call it a virtue, sir,” MX gave a slight head-bow.

    A moment of silence passed between them.

    “Remind me of what TEASE stands for again,” Mohammed said. “It’s a rather complicated acronym.”

    “Technological Empowerment and Advancement of Space Exploration,” Leon said tonelessly, knowing quite well that Mohammed understood what TEASEmeant.

    “Yes, yes. I just like to hear you say it,” Mohammed said.

    The heat was unsurprisingly oppressive, and MX Leon’s current inappropriate sartorial choice of suit and tie was not helping. Leon looked up at the sky, the sun bearing down through a pellucid blue, commingling with the ubiquitous swirling of sand coalescing over the surface. Though the city was a behemoth of technological prowess, it seemed to Leon yet to remain subservient to the vastness of a hostile landscape. He recalled a poem by Shelley, composed hundreds of years ago to temples of this vast desert, this wasteland of the desiccated macabre:

    I met a traveler from an antique land,

    Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

    Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand,

    Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

    And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

    Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

    Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

    The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:

    Leon sighed and nodded to himself. And I am now that traveler…

    Leon had learned the hard way about the harshness of an inhospitable terrain. The two habitats he had established on Mars had come at a cost; nine astronauts had been lost in the construction of Ares One and Two; the powerful tornadoes that formed out of nowhere at the base of the solar system’s largest volcano, Olympus Mons, had all but eradicated Aries Team One, and the subsequent sandstorm that followed (reminiscent of the infamous haboobs of the Saudi region) suspended habitat construction for months. But if he were able to bring real and lasting change, such were the rules of the game. 

    The sand just beyond the barrier of the huge city’s warmth was an odd anachronism against so much technology. The low horizon, despite the yellow glare, gave off a tepid gray – an optical illusion that promised a hint of moisture but in fact was nothing more than a cruel mirage. Meanwhile, electric autonomous shuttles hovered around the main procession of royals and non-royals alike. 

    Leon and Prince Mohammed continued their leisurely trek through the city’s gargantuan floating artificial garden – the product of advanced gravitational technology that Leon himself helped to develop back in 2027. Certainly, credit could be given to the Pasadena Institute of Technology and Raytheon Industries for their assistance and fine support, but it was Leon’s vision of hyper-gravitational matrixes that had given rise to what was once only imagined in the annals of science fiction.

    A fine thing, gravity. Leon allowed his mind to wander, trying to ignore the heat. It would one day allow Man to travel to the stars – first, Proxima Centauri at 4.2 light years away, then beyond. Sirius, next. Epsilon Eridani … and beyond. True, interplanetary conquest would logically have to come first: Mars, the inner worlds, then the gas giants and the Khyber belt. But Leon’s dreaming was universal and intergalactic in scope. The stars beckoned, as did no doubt other civilizations. And if no such civilizations existed and Mankind was the best thing out there, no problem. Man would be the progenitor race to one day colonize the galaxy … and beyond. Win-Win as far as Leon was concerned.

    On either side of the high-profile riders, a retinue of functionaries remained at a discreet distance. So did the security personnel that were in attendance. The crowd of a thousand or more could very well harbor those who did not rejoice in the Crown Prince’s indulgences.

    Another fifteen minutes passed until the mercury-blue Royal tents appeared.

    Thank God, Leon visibly sighed. This hellish sun will be the death of me… 

    "I hope your ride was not too arduous,” the prince inquired politely, his gaze piercing and studious even in this moment of leisure. A man devoted to higher education and Western sensibilities, Crown Prince Mohammed had garnered great favor with allies in the region due to an innate political acumen and sensibility. And, of course, he was revered as a paragon of wisdom amongst his inner circle of tribal fealty. 

    "Not at all, your Royal Highness." Leon smiled affably, patting his camel like an old friend. 

    Even as his discomfort was apparent, MX kept a measured composure.

    "I apologize for the heat," the prince said sincerely. "May I offer you a traditional djellabahin lieu of your suit?"

    “I’d welcome that,” Leon wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

    Mohammed gestured to two of his assistants, eager young men who seemed to live on the very whim of the Crown Prince. 

    "Would you help SyedLeon change before the Royal brunch,” Mohamed instructed them. “My sister, Princess Leila, embroidered this particular djellabahwith your initials, MX. You shall find it in the changing tent." 

    “I’m flattered,” Leon gave a slight bow before being led off to another tent by the two acolytes. He gave them a dismissive wave at the tent entrance, and they respectfully departed with a bow. He closed his eyes momentarily, hanging onto one of the folds of the tent for support.

    His wrist com blinked, and the image of his personal fembot, Jennifer, appeared.

    “Are you well, sir?” she asked, her blond image fluctuating on his subcutaneous wrist band. 

    Leon nodded. “Fine, Jennifer. It’s just hot as spilt fuck, that’s all.”

    “Stay hydrated,” Jennifer advised. Her image crystallized and her remarkable emerald eyes appeared brighter than usual. Her face was sculpted to Nordic perfection (a general preference in the female form for Leon). He noticed that Jennifer had let her hair down – a becoming detail he would compliment her on at a later date.

    “Yeah, talk later, thanks,” Leon said, switching off and wiping sweat from his lips.

    Damn this heat…

    Though in fit shape – and two-hour trials at the gym almost daily – Leon could feel this arid hell making him dizzy. He did not notice the young assassin, Ishmael, move deftly from the crowd, ever closer toward his destiny. 

    * * *

    Yes. Victory! The evil one strode alone to a tent, without security, without even a shadow-drone. This was the time to strike. Ishmael lasered in on MX Leon, his hand white-hot on his dagger, preparing himself for the kill to come.

     

     

  4. FIRST CHAPTER: Opening scene-inciting incident. Something Bad about to Happened. Tragedy sets in motion introduces antagonist-MX Leon, and mystery of the book tone.

     

     Genre: Sci-Fi 

     

     

                                                THE DESTINY CODE

                                                                                              By Liora Yoel

     

                                                              CHAPTER ONE

                                    TWO WORLDS MERGING TO FORM THE ONE

    He was not armed heavily – that could not be risked with the security drones programmed for firearms or direct-energy caps.The kill would have to be Old World – swift and by the blade.

    The assassin was dressed for the occasion – in formal white;a face in the crowd, a presumed participatorin theregional wealth ofthe Greatest Show On Earth.

    Ishmael’s orders were simple:eliminate the great Infidel, MX Leon, enemy to both the people and the state, not to mention toAllah himself. The devil Leon was a creature beyond the sands, possessed of magic and technology that could only be characterized as the epitome of evil and an anathema to any True Believer. Leon promulgated more than technology – he espoused heresy, madness, and vile ideas for the future of Man. He had to be destroyed. In the name of Allah and all that was holy, no matter the cost, no matter the loss.

    The young assassin knew this was a suicide mission – his probability of success was one in a thousand. It would be hard trying to corner MX in private. Yet try he must.

    He gripped his curved knife, a jagged thing, serrated and unforgiving. Once thrust into human flesh and withdrawn, internal organs would be eviscerated, strewn into a gaping heap of dying flesh. The key was proximity. He took a breath and followed the royal sheiks – bedfellows to the Great Satan known as MX Leon.

    Patience … patience … such was needed in a time to kill.

    * * *

    Once everything was better - even the prospect of a superior future. We are a city on a hill – and the eyes of the world are watching us.MX Leon could not help but reflect on those glorious words by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Pilgrims on their journey to the New World five centuries ago. What Leon was witnessing today epitomized that holy sentiment; today was not so much an event as it was a phenomenon, the like of which he felt, if there was a God, He was surely here and in earnest participation.

    Neom City was a technological marvel of architecture with towering edifices a mile high juxtaposed against the Saudi desert. The grandeur of its opening ceremony was fitting, an extravagant affair attended by the wealthy and the glamorous.  Nothing like it hadbeen seen in this part of the world for a millennium. To the average camel and herdsman, it was a spectacular frenzy of light and sound.To MX Leon, the U.S. Ambassador of the United Corporations of America to Space, it was a piece of landscape which could be leveraged, utilized – exploited. More importantly, Neom City was emblematic of the people who helped create it – Saudi sheikhs, who both admired MX Leon and feared him. The fear was certainly economically based, but MX Leon represented something far more dangerous to the ruling class: he was the existential threat to their up-til-now undisputed reign on their society. The culture of a thousand years gave sway over all other things in this part of the world; the needs of the few outweighed the needs of the many. And few put up vociferous objection.

    Yet, in a way, Saudi money held much influence in the scheme of things, and MX recognized this; he had twenty-four hours to sell his luxurious overpriced space capsules to further his goals of creating an inviolate space surveillance system. This was a self-imposed window, of course. MX Leon needed no one for anything. Time was his premium, to be allocated accordingly. Still, there were alliances at play here, relationships, trusts of a sort. An honor among thieves, if you will; One could ostensibly be the most powerful man on the planet, yet still needed the will of the people, even if that will was manipulated regularly for the greater and singular good.

    Now, as MX Leon took in the vastness of this ancient terrain, presently illuminated with a million lights and lasers shooting skyward over Neom City, festooned over every building, every turret, every walkway, he marveled privately how much the world had changed in the past decade. To the north, he could see the silver railway that a joint Israeli/Chinese endeavor had been realized back in 2023. Chinese domination of the maritime gateway in the Middle East was now a foregone conclusion. In fact, the route between the Port of Neom City and Port of Haifa, currently handled by China’s SIPG,was of considerable concern to Leon. His one great adversary in China, Ion Enterprises, was responsible for this vast interconnectedness,and this threat would have to be addressed soon enough. Leon had already formulated plans to create his own port highway,and this one would also include a space elevator in the Port of Haifa (should all things go swimmingly with the Israeli endorsement). In this way, China would be properly intimidated and more open to negotiation for a “sharing of the pie” down the line. But as it stands now, the SIPG operation was an impressive achievement. Another technological marvel layered in the sands. Once, Leon thought in his more melancholic moments, of which there were few, the past had seemed like a simpler place. 2030 was much different than 2020. Much different indeed…

    On this second of October, but a few months short of the year 2031, at the vast young age of fifty-two, MX Leon sat astride a rather irksome camel. His host, one Prince Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, rode parallel to Leon, clicking to his own camel – a nine-million-dollar wonder known affectionately as Zahra.

    “What do you think of our utopian paradise?” Mohammed asked Leon while reaching outto scratch his camel’s ear.

    Leon chuckled and nodded. “Indeed, it is a suitably chic address for shady Monegasque and Russian oligarchs. Then there is Tong Xin, the famous Chinese industrialist, residing along with a litany of retired crypto hacks on the floating gardens that stretch toward the magnificent Italian-style villas. Reminds me of Silicon Valley with Monaco thrown in for good measure. It’s opulence at its evil best. What’s not to like?” 

    “Yes, it is rather remarkable,” the prince replied proudly, taking in the vastness of a city he planned to resource for hundreds ofbillionsof dollars.

    “That, my friend, is an understatement,” Leon remarked amiably.

    “This is where it all began, MX Leon,” Mohammed said with undue formality. “And I thank you for attending the Neom City opening. I realize how busy you are.”

    “Never too busy for a good friend.” Leon nodded politely to the prince.

    In fact, Leon was rather impatient for this ceremony to end. As the founder of Space Tease Enterprises, he had places to go and promises to keep. Not to put too fine a point on it, but time was money. Bad enough he had to be here for this ignominious event, but in a few hours, he was expected by the powers that be to attend a science event in Israel. Another annoying distraction to his main agenda of motoring the world to the stars. Still, there was etiquette that had to be observed. These abysmal niceties had to be endured.

    Mitra, Leon’s camel, snorted discreetly from the wrong end. Leon rolled his eyes as the stench of the animal’s rectal issue assaulted his nostrils. The prince seemed not to have noticed.

    The man is probably used to the toxic foulness of camel farts. Probably thinks of them as Chanel No. 5.

    “Remind me of what TEASE standsfor again,” Mohammed said. “It’s a rather complicated acronym.”

    “Technological Empowerment and Advancement of Space Exploration,” Leon said tonelessly, knowing quite well that Mohammed understood what TEASE meant.

     

     

    THE DESTINY CODE-Chapter One, First Scene .docx

  5. The Destiny Code by Liora Yoael

     

    First Assignment - Story Statement:

    The prodigious son of Bitcoin's founder, Benjamin locks horns with MX Leon (the Elon Musk of 2030), a ruthless space engineer who wants to control Ben’s hyper-sentient invention, Boomerang, to advance his plans for global dominion.

     

     

    2.   Second Assignment - Antagonists summary: (Spoiler: you can see my antagonist standing next to me in my profile avatar)

    MX Leon, the U.S. Ambassador of the United Corporations of America to Space

    Great change has transformed the world. Mankind has reached out to the planets in the solar system; Mars is being colonized; the Asteroid Belt is being mined for Uranium, Gold, Platinum and Silver. Much of these interplanetary endeavors, if not all, are due to one man:  MX Leon, the ruthless entrepreneur behind a conglomerate space-expansion company that has its eyes set on the stars … and beyond

    MX Leon, a complex man who has renewed American Space Industry and sparked a new level of surveillance innovation. Overcoming hardship of poor childhood, he earn his first billion selling his notorious brainchild, the ‘empathic’ EmoIris Playmate toys, which cunningly tugs at the heartstrings of children, all in pursuit of his profit. This devious endeavor vividly exemplifies a predatory, exploitation of the tender, malleable minds of youth, marked by a willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals, even if it means making enemies along the way.

    While at MIT during his earlier years, his attempt to forge his professor's signature in pursuit of a valuable discovery revealed a ruthless side, as he was willing to commit fraud for personal gain at a young age. Years later, when he met the professor’s brilliant son, he challenged and attempted to ruin him to maintain his prominence.

    In his conversation with the Secretary of State, when the idea of pursuing a political carrier was presented to him, MX delivered a memorable response, coining a phrase: “Why become a senator if you can buy one?” His methodical pay to play scheme expended his influence into realm of space mining rights.

     MX’ struggles with personal attachment serve to deepen the narrative and provide insight into his moral ambiguity. It showcases his ability to exploit even the most intimate connections in his audacious attempt to leverage his romantic involvement with the irresistibly charming Mossad agent.

     

    3.       Third Assignment - Breakout Title:

     

    "Echoes of Tomorrow: A Tale of Love and Power"

     

     “The Destiny Code.”

     

    "Code to Destiny: ‘Boomerang’"

     

    "Sentience's Gamble: The Boomerang Conspiracy"

     

    "Echoes of Dominance: The Boomerang Effect"

     

    "Shadows of Mastery: Unleashing Boomerang"

     

    "A Faith Called: The Boomerang"

     

    "Ciphers of Power: The Boomerang Saga"

     

    "Echoes of Tomorrow" 

     

    4.     Fourth Assignment  Sci-fi

     Comparables:  

    The Destiny Code is like Lavie Tidhar’s Central Station with compelling and diverse cast of characters who inhabit a bustling and multicultural future meets with the well-rounded often humorous female characters of Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, that exude the line between awe-inspiring and unnerving.

     The Destiny Code is like Kai-Fu Lee’s Ten Version for Our Future meets Sarit Yishai-Levi’s The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem.

     

    5.     Fifth Assignment - Hook/Logline 

    a.   In a crossroad of technological intrigue and compelling human connections, the brilliant prodigy, Benjamin Yerushalmi, finds himself entangled in a high-stakes battle with ruthless Space entrepreneur, over the destiny of Boomerang, his revolutionary invention, all while the lives of Zeinab, a gifted Palestinian psychic, and Galit, a beguiling Israeli Mossad agent, become intricately woven into a web of secrets, love, and loyalty, with global domination hanging in the balance.

     

    6.      Sixth Assignment - Sketch out the conditions for the inner conflict your protagonist will have.  

    Ben Yerushalmi, the prodigious son of Bitcoin's founder, grapples with a profound inner conflict. His father's untimely death leaves him with the daunting task of completing his father's unfinished masterpiece, Boomerang—an AI marvel poised to redefine cybersecurity for generations. The weight of this responsibility bears heavily on Ben, as he is not only mourning his father's loss but also navigating the immense pressure to live up to his legacy.

    Compounding his inner turmoil is the high-stakes battle with MX Leon, a ruthless entrepreneur who seeks to manipulate and dominate Boomerang, the groundbreaking creation that Ben holds dear. Ben's anxiety converges as he confronts the ruthless world of corporate espionage and power struggles. His desire to honor his father's vision clashes with the threat of MX Leon's influence.

    Amidst these conflicting scenarios and his role in shaping the future of Boomerang, Ben grapples with personal dilemma and questions of generational ethics when he falls in love with Palestinian psychic and her little box of miracles and weird and deeply moving visions. 

     Their budding romance challenges deeply rooted societal and political divisions setting a liminal stage for a gripping adventure. 

     

    In a hypothetical negative scenario (not as in actual novel) 

    Holy land becomes unholy. No more frequent acts of terror.  World’s and Palestinian new generation of kids busy playing EmoIris Playmate that manipulates their habits and gives MX full control over entire generation. 

    AI regulation remains lax, Ben's internal conflict deepens. He struggles with the alarming realization that most AI and tech developments are occurring outside government oversight and are funded by big tech companies. His lovely Zeinab marries MX.

    Ben sees the potential in MX’s societal model’s benefits and believes that, just as society readjusted during the Industrial Revolution, it can evolve in response to these technological advancements. The only difference is that there are…robot rabbis conduct circumcisions.

     

    7.    Seventh Assignment - Settings

    The Destiny Code commences with the long-anticipated inauguration of Neom City, Saudi Arabia's pinnacle of technological innovation.

    Amidst the magnificent spectacle, Crown Prince Mohammed unveils an astonishing $1.3 trillion contract for luxury space capsules with MX Leon, the visionary and ruthless entrepreneur often hailed as a potential successor to Elon Musk. China’s ascendancy in the Middle East security landscape, briefly displacing the United States, added geopolitical layers to the event.

    As the spotlight transitions to the ancient city of Jerusalem, Leon's journey takes an unforeseen twist. What was meant to be a mission to bestow a brief appearance at science and technology competition, and to secure the support of wealthy Jewish voters, descent into chaos. Alongside Leon’s enigmatic companions stand Win Liu, a confidant with a mysterious history, and Jenni, a fembot companion that balances between captivating and unsettling.

    Just before landing, SpaceTease One, MX’s luxurious ultra sonic aircraft experiences surveillance panels oscillation. MX suspects it as a Chinese attempt to sink the Saudi deal and oust him. Yet, when internal surveillance systems turn in an image of the Boomerang, last seen on Leon's late MIT professor's laptop, the unfolding drama uncovers layers of revelation.

    Some activity takes place in:  

    Historical King David hotel. It stands not far from a future border between Israeli and Arab Jerusalem. Border-soldiers smoke psychedelic drugs, and robot rabbis conduct circumcisions. Israeli tech genius falls in love with Palestinian psychic and her little box of miracles and deeply moving visions. 

    Here, future glimpse toggling between Negev Dessert and parallel world of late Bitcoin’s founder, Satoshi Nakamoto.

    Drawn into the hunt for mysteriously missing MX Leon, Mossad heroine investigate sketchy Kabbalah Center in a mystical city of Tzfat, where shadowy forces at play.

    Wuhan, China and then later at a monastery located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the Songshan mountain range in the Henan Province.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    THE NEW YORK PITCH CONFERENCE - Seven Assignments. The Destiny Code .docx

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