In the Year 2253 a group of scientists performed an experiment that was never to be leaked to the public eye.
If people found out about it they would call it cruel and unusual but if volunteers were used then the experiment would not be able to be performed correctly.
The question the experiment was based on was "Can a controlled group of people be purged of their sexuality?"
The experiment was to be carried out on a space station orbiting just outside of the most distant satellite of Earth.
The space station, Epsilon 53, was ideal because it was constructed to look like a giant donut.
The space station rotated at its central point, which created gravity. The inhabitants lived inside the walls of the donut with the floor being the outermost wall of the space station.
Because it rotated the inhabitants were naturally pulled downwards against the floor allowing for a more earth-like environment.
Not only this, but the space station was quite large for the sample size of the control group of people that would inhabit it. Inside the donut, the station had been decked out to look like an average civilian space colony.
Over 50% of the current human population lived on space colonies now and Epsilon 53 was of modest size compared to a Nation Class Space colony that could house over 65,000 people.
The experiment would be played out as such:
1. A group of ten men and women, 20 people total, of age 18 or older would be transported to Epsilon 53.
The group of people would have their minds wiped in order to bring them to a "blank slate" state of mind. Once they were stripped of everything they knew about their former lives they could then be reprogrammed with the parameters of what life would be like on the space station.
2. The 20 inhabitants of Epsilon 53 would live out their day to day lives performing various tasks to keep the station in working order.
They would have recreational time, dining, social hours, and rest cycles. They would also go to classes to continue to increase their mental and physical abilities and keep them challenged and motivated.
3. Most importantly the subjects would be monitored to detect their "arousal" levels. If a subject reached a state where it was apparent their sexual tension was getting too high they would be urged to visit the "Relief Station".
Here their sexual tension would be alleviated and they would be released back into their daily lives.
4. The theory was that if the subjects could be coerced into believing that the "Relief Station" was the source of their pleasures, and not each other then they would be more productive.
Society is far too motivated by sex and the pursuit of it to get any real productivity accomplished. A group of people that only needs recreation and social interaction, but doesn't require sexual touch from one another would be far more effective than a society that still uses sex to sell shampoo, deodorant, and cosmetics.
5. No one except for the control group would be on board the space station. Those performing the experiment would monitor from a nearby space station but would not be present on Epsilon 53.
An Artificial Intelligence would monitor their daily activities and would diagnose when they needed to be relieved in order to ensure their sexual neutrality.
Here is how the experiment actually went:
Day 23 of experiment
All subject behaving normally. All vital signs are green.
Albert woke up to the same bunk he had always remembered. He swung himself out of bed and headed to the dining area of his block.
He lived in a small apartment building with 3 of the other inhabitants of the space station. They all met every morning precisely at 6am to have breakfast together and talk about what they had accomplished the day before.
They couldn't help but meet every morning at the same time. They were all constantly kept on track by the station's AI, a holographic floating head they all called, Epsilon.
He didn't need to shave after he woke up because all unneeded facial and body hair was removed by lasers at the end of each day while he took a shower.
As Albert walked down the stairs he was greeted by the floating head, which appeared in front of him and seemed to hover along in front of him as he traversed the stairwell.
"Good morning Albert." The hologram said.
"Good morning Epsilon."
"I see you had a good night's sleep last night. Your vital signs are perfect."
"That's good to hear." Albert said smiling.
"I have noticed that it's been a few days since you visited the Relief Station though Albert."
"Oh, I barely noticed."
"Your tension levels are reaching unsafe parameters. I suggest you visit the relief station after work today. My calculations say that you should be fine during your work schedule. Any longer than that though could result in irritability and a decrease in traits that make the others so eager to enjoy your company."
"Well, alright. I'll be sure and go after work."
Albert was about the median age of the men's group on board the space station. The oldest male was Dustin at age 23. The oldest female was April at age 25.
Most of the inhabitants were just over 18 and all were in excellent shape. They had been told they were part of a new society and that they should be proud of what they represented. They were being watched by hundreds of thousands of humans and would prove what a group of people could accomplish if they worked together.
After a quick breakfast and a chat with the other residents of his apartment building, Albert proceeded to the airlock where his daily work would begin. He donned an artificial atmosphere suit and stepped into the air lock.
The doors closed behind him and the ones in front of him opened a moment later. As he stepped out of the air lock he became weightless as he moved into the vacuum of space.
He manipulated a control in his hand to activate the air jets on his suit. This propelled him forward towards one of the space station's three solar panel arrays.
He had been briefed earlier this morning that this would be the work he would be performing for the day. The space station used the football field- sized solar arrays to power the station.
Without them operating at an optimal level the station could lose life support, oxygen scrubbers and much more. He scanned the giant wing-like solar array until he spotted a section of the structure that had been damaged by space debris.
After a few hours of welding and re-wiring he had the array repaired. He turned and used the air jets to boost him back towards the air lock.
"Excellent work, Albert." Epsilon said inside his helmet. "No sweat." Albert said. "I thought you were going to give me something difficult today?" "I never try to make things difficult for you Albert. I only want you to enjoy yourself here on 53 and to be a contributing member of the crew."