Greatly endangered in the asteroid disaster of the late Twentieth
Century, most the cities still survived. Only two cities were utterly
destroyed: OMEGA - 2 and 5. These cities were amongst America's
greatest achievements, next to their endeavours in space. All the
cities were under strict military control, watching the intellectuals
and providing them with necessities, to keep them content.
In the first years of the 1990's, however, many of the scientists in
these cities were made aware that a nuclear war was inevitable. Unable
to control their own consciences and knowing that billions would die,
so that they could live, they rose up against the military and passed
out of these cities and into the public. They published a document
which they called their "Blue Prospectus". This "Blue Prospectus"
revealed their government's survival intentions. With adverse feelings
towards their respective government, the masses marched on their
capital demanding equality to enter these, but nothing was
accomplished. The solar catastrophe had occurred and the reasons for
their mass discontent were subsequently forgotten.
By the end of the 1999, just over a full year following the asteroid
destruction of the Earth's surface, mankind had managed to rebuild
their cities and start life anew. Enjoying totally new styles of
living, no individual was really poor. The technological advancements
during that year of peace were astounding and the entire world now
benefited from them.
New sources of power were discovered following great tectonic upheavals
caused by the impacting asteroids; small, crystal-like minerals were
pushed to the Earth's surface. Their properties were pure and
vigorous. Their radiation became useful for everything imaginable.
Remaining secret, those Americans that survived on the surface and
those from the O.S.G.I's, converted their power sources to utilise the
new crystals. Entire cities were powered by two crystals, no larger
than walnuts.
Plans were formulated to build colonies in space, beginning with
orbital stations and finally lunar and Martian colonies. These
colonies were to be powered by the new crystals and materials for
building the colonies would come from the asteroid belt; the very
origin of the Earth's cataclysm.
Laser instruments, of innovative design and use, were built to take
advantage of this new crystal power. Many of these lasers were used
for medicine, however, and only a few thousand weapons were developed,
for the police. The police rarely used them, having been given
electrostatic guns that inhibited nerve synapses, and in that manner
had several non-injured reprobates to their list of captured. The
laser weapons that were not used by the police were channelled into the
O.S.G.I's, to be taken care of by the city administrators.
During these years of revived human civilisation and technology, there
came a movement of great intensity that called for the disarming and
dismantling of all destructive weaponry around the world.
The Communist nations were prepared to agree with America and its
allied nations. Although there were internal conflicts within the
Communist nations, leading to their eventual fall, the governments that
emerged from the revolutions eventually fulfilled many promises and
commitments to which they were previously committed.
Both great nations dismantled their arsenals and the Americans remained
quiet regarding their O.S.G.I's, never recalling those who were
assigned to live within them. Not many years following the fall of the
Communist Nation, called The Soviet Union, another Communist nation
called China, started to experience similar internal problems. Young
people and those wishing to have an easier life for themselves, rallied
and called for their nation to be more democratic and capitalistic. By
the turn of the Twenty-first Century new borders were drawn all about
the planet. New cooperations and friendships were formed, even between
those people that were considered as past enemies.
Religious societies began to gather strength about the planet, and new
societies formed daily. Their influence and power started to influence
the politics of the nations where they formed and soon many of these
people were in control of those nations. Religious dogmatism had
overtaken the sensibilities of most people that were alive. The
polarisation that had formed in religious belief was greater than any
political ideology. Fighting had ensued everywhere and lead to another
great war.
New weapons were produced utilising the new found crystal energy.
These new weapons were used.
Violence and war waged on. In the final year, the religious societies
openly confronted the politically controlled military, everywhere.
Through subversion, propaganda and assassination, these societies
panicked the world's population, further forcing the planet's people to
take sides.
Every group called themselves "The Saviours Of The Earth," believing
that they were sent by God Himself, to turn the planet into a second
Eden.
Not a single soul was saved.
Millions died, and many more perished in subsequent plagues and
famines, which spread throughout the entire world.
The surface of the planet was virtually destroyed. Only those people
that had some natural protection, and those who remained in the
O.S.G.I's survived.
For many centuries the survivors, underground, were put into cryogenic
suspension to await the day they may walk and live upon a newly healed
Earth.