For We Are Many

This is the second book in the Bobiverse series. The narrative follows multiple clones of Bob Johansson, a 22nd-century engineer whose mind was uploaded into a computer. These clones, known as “Bobs,” pilot self-replicating interstellar probes. Each clone is an individual who diverges after being created with the memories of their “parent” Bob. Key characters include the original Bob (Bob-1), who is studying a primitive species called the Deltans; Riker, who oversees humanity’s exodus from a dying Earth; Howard, who is helping establish a human colony on a planet named Vulcan; and Bill, who acts as a central hub for the growing “Bobiverse” after inventing the Subspace Communications Universal Transceiver (SCUT), a device enabling instantaneous interstellar communication.

The story opens at Delta Eridani, where Bob-1 observes and cautiously assists the Deltans. He is particularly fascinated by a precocious Deltan cub. Impressed by the cub’s curiosity, he names him Archimedes. Meanwhile, his clone Marvin conducts archeological research and discovers that a mysterious, powerful predator nearly drove the Deltans to extinction in their original territory.

Meanwhile, in the Sol system, Riker contends with sabotage from VEHEMENT, a radical eco-terrorist group trying to hasten humanity’s extinction. In another distant system, another first-generation clone, Mario, discovers evidence of a genocidal alien race he dubs the Others, who strip entire star systems of metal and consume all biological life. After Bill broadcasts the plans for the SCUT, Mario builds his own device, connects to the new “BobNet,” and warns the other Bobs of this new threat, creating a cohort of clones to investigate the Others’ territory.

At Delta Eridani, a Deltan foraging party is attacked by a large, camouflaged flying creature that Bob identifies as a hippogriff. When a flock of these creatures attacks the Deltan village of Camelot, Bob uses a kinetic strike from orbit to destroy their island rookery. The resulting earthquake and debris terrifies the Deltans, who banish Bob, fearing the consequences of his interventions.

In the Sol system, VEHEMENT’s attacks escalate, culminating in the destruction of an orbital farm. Riker discovers that his clone Homer is compromised by a sophisticated virus. After Riker and another clone, Charles, free him, Homer is left deeply traumatized by the experience of being forced to sabotage his own projects. Unable to cope, he deletes his backups and deliberately overloads his reactor. Vowing revenge for Homer’s death by suicide, Riker traces the VEHEMENT mastermind, Bertram Vickers, and uses kinetic strikes to kill him and destroy the group’s headquarters.

At Omicron² Eridani, Howard helps the United States Enclave (USE) establish a colony on Vulcan, which is beset by aggressive native fauna. He forms close friendships with biologist Dr. Bridget Sheehy and security chief Stéphane Brodeur, and later marries the latter. Howard departs the system soon after they marry, leaving a new clone, Dexter, in his place. As the Bobiverse expands, Bill hosts regular virtual “Bob-moots” to coordinate efforts.

Mario’s clones continue to investigate the Others. One clone, Bashful, locates their home system at Gliese 877 and observes them constructing a Dyson sphere, a megaweapon that is built around a star to exploit its energy. After a vessel detects Bashful’s presence and destroys him, another clone named Hal follows up and confirms the Dyson sphere’s existence. He tests a new shielding design by sending a decoy vessel into the system, which successfully survives a blast from the Others’ weapon.

A Bob named Jacques arrives at the Delta Pavonis system and discovers the Pav, a sentient species currently in their industrial age. Soon after, Bill detects a massive Others convoy heading directly for Delta Pavonis. The Bobs mobilize for war, assembling a fleet of more than 70 advanced “dreadnought” warships from nearby systems. Jacques, anticipating defeat, begins a contingency plan to save some of the Pav by secretly building two colony ships.

In the ensuing Battle of Delta Pavonis, the Bob fleet is overwhelmed by the Others’ superior numbers and firepower. Despite inflicting some damage using new cloaking technology and clever tactics, the Bobs suffer devastating losses and are forced to retreat. With the battle lost, the Bobs carry out Jacques’s plan, abducting up to 20,000 Pav and placing them in stasis aboard the hidden colony ships. The surviving Bobs can only watch as the Others sterilize the Pav homeworld and harvest its resources.

In the aftermath, the Bobs regroup. Using a new Deltan-form android named Charlie, Bob-1 anonymously re-enters Deltan society as “Robert” and finally befriends Archimedes. After learning that Stéphane is dying from a native disease on Vulcan, Howard has a humanoid android constructed so he can attend Stéphane’s funeral remotely. Soon after, he begins a relationship with Bridget. The surviving Pav are given the choice to resettle on a new world, which they accept. Meanwhile, Bill begins work on a new strategic weapon. Galvanized by defeat, the Bobs prepare for a long, desperate war to ensure the survival of humanity and other life in the galaxy.