KJM
January 30th, 2005, 10:15 PM
POD: AD 1 Social and technological progress occurs at a faster pace than in OTL.
AD 1-1000 The Millenium of Progress The nations of Europe and Asia go to war over the Arctic Ocean several times before realizing there is really nothing there worth fighting over. Still, the Arctic Wars get the people of Greater Britain thinking: might there not be resources elsewhere in the world?
British ship set sail for the Africa and Upper Atlantis (OTL's North America). By negotiating economic treaties with local nations, the British establish the Economic Union of Greater Britain and Associated States - or the "British Union" for short.
Other European states - and a few from Asia - copy the British example and by the early 800s, the world is divided between a number of "economic unions". Tensions begin to grow between the nations and they organize into two alliances. It seems a confrontation is likely, but there is still hope for a diplomatic solution.
Global Wars I and II Unfortunately, those in power eventually lose interest in a peaceful solution and war breaks out between the two sides. Each sides seeks to completely take over the other. The First Global War ends without any resolution to the conflict. The second war also ends with both sides exhausted, and the two nations resume diplomatic efforts. The solution: the nations of Gaia (the name given to Earth in this timeline) will establish a world government. It is believed this would prevent any future wars. The two wars have a combined death toll of 100 million.
1001-1728 A World Government On January 1 1001, the treaty between the governments goes into effect, marking the official establishment of the International Union, or the "INU" for short. The INU's first order of business is to modernize the global infrastructure. Within a decade, the Planetary Energy Grid (PEG) is operational, funded by taxpayers. Also, worldwide communication is now possible.
As time passes, there are questions regarding the economics unions that make up the INU. The British Union is the first government to suggest breaking them up and allowing all states full INU representation. The motion to dissolve the economic unions passes; all states are now members of the International Union. It takes some time, though, before the INU can finish adjusting to this change.
The INU starts up a space program, sending its first man into space on March 20 1492. A mission to the moon follow soon after. By 1542, space stations are a common sight in space.
Women are making gains as well. With the development of the artificial womb, many of the restrictions placed on them are no longer needed. Over time, women begin to make their presence felt in nearly every part of society. They are eventually allowed to enlist in the military. They are now limited only by their ability.
The last gain doesn't last, ironically, because advances in AI and robotics render human soldiers obsolete. By the end of the sixteenth century, the INU has switched entirely to its new Robot Army. Citizen continue to make up national defenses and local militias, though.
Not everyone is happy with this, though. The indigenous peoples of Upper Atlantis were never asked if they wanted to be part of the INU. Fortunately for them, they raise enough capital to purchase a large number of spaceships. They board the ships and leave Gaia forever. Mistakenly believing the self-exiled people to have come from India, many news sources refer to them as "Space Indians". The name sticks, and the Space Indians officially adopt it within a year of their departure.
It All Comes Crashing Down By 1728, the INU is ready to implement its greatest advancement yet: the Immunity Control System. The theory is simple: citizens shall be injected with nanomachines which will then take control of their immune systems. The nanomachines will tie into a central supercomputer which will receive information regarding pathogens from all over the world. When a new strain is found, data on it is sent to the supercomputer. It will then program this data into the nanomachines, and citizens will then be immune to that strain. Unfortunately, there is inadequate information in the supercomputer regarding non-immunity related aspects of human biology. This proves to be a tragic mistake.
When the Immunity Control System goes online in July 1728, it identifies the y-chromosome as a pathogen and orders it destroyed. Within a week, the INU's male citizens are either dead or dying. This temporarily plunges the world into turmoil, but the women manage to keep things running while they try to shut down the ICS. They finally cut the power to its supercomputer, but by then the damage is done. For a brief moment, though, it seems the INU can recover from this.
Then the unthinkable happens. A man, believing women to be unworthy of being in charge, breaks into PEG's control room. Just before he dies, he manages to set all the power plants and fuel-storage facilities to self-destruct. The resulting explosions level most of the infrastructure, wiping out half the surviving population. The Robot Army's central AI is destroyed in one of the explosions. Not having any friend-or-foe date in their artificial brains, the robots simply attack and kill any humans they come across.
The national armies and local militias organize to fend off the Robot Army. They manage to repel the attackers for the moment, but they know the robots will return. The second attack is far more devestating, destroying all remaining cities. The human forces are only able to destroy the Robot Army by firing electromagnetic missiles at all of its positions.
The last remnants of the International Union disintegrate soon afterward. By year's end, 90% of the INU's citizens - including the entire male population - have perished.
January 1 1729 What happens next?
AD 1-1000 The Millenium of Progress The nations of Europe and Asia go to war over the Arctic Ocean several times before realizing there is really nothing there worth fighting over. Still, the Arctic Wars get the people of Greater Britain thinking: might there not be resources elsewhere in the world?
British ship set sail for the Africa and Upper Atlantis (OTL's North America). By negotiating economic treaties with local nations, the British establish the Economic Union of Greater Britain and Associated States - or the "British Union" for short.
Other European states - and a few from Asia - copy the British example and by the early 800s, the world is divided between a number of "economic unions". Tensions begin to grow between the nations and they organize into two alliances. It seems a confrontation is likely, but there is still hope for a diplomatic solution.
Global Wars I and II Unfortunately, those in power eventually lose interest in a peaceful solution and war breaks out between the two sides. Each sides seeks to completely take over the other. The First Global War ends without any resolution to the conflict. The second war also ends with both sides exhausted, and the two nations resume diplomatic efforts. The solution: the nations of Gaia (the name given to Earth in this timeline) will establish a world government. It is believed this would prevent any future wars. The two wars have a combined death toll of 100 million.
1001-1728 A World Government On January 1 1001, the treaty between the governments goes into effect, marking the official establishment of the International Union, or the "INU" for short. The INU's first order of business is to modernize the global infrastructure. Within a decade, the Planetary Energy Grid (PEG) is operational, funded by taxpayers. Also, worldwide communication is now possible.
As time passes, there are questions regarding the economics unions that make up the INU. The British Union is the first government to suggest breaking them up and allowing all states full INU representation. The motion to dissolve the economic unions passes; all states are now members of the International Union. It takes some time, though, before the INU can finish adjusting to this change.
The INU starts up a space program, sending its first man into space on March 20 1492. A mission to the moon follow soon after. By 1542, space stations are a common sight in space.
Women are making gains as well. With the development of the artificial womb, many of the restrictions placed on them are no longer needed. Over time, women begin to make their presence felt in nearly every part of society. They are eventually allowed to enlist in the military. They are now limited only by their ability.
The last gain doesn't last, ironically, because advances in AI and robotics render human soldiers obsolete. By the end of the sixteenth century, the INU has switched entirely to its new Robot Army. Citizen continue to make up national defenses and local militias, though.
Not everyone is happy with this, though. The indigenous peoples of Upper Atlantis were never asked if they wanted to be part of the INU. Fortunately for them, they raise enough capital to purchase a large number of spaceships. They board the ships and leave Gaia forever. Mistakenly believing the self-exiled people to have come from India, many news sources refer to them as "Space Indians". The name sticks, and the Space Indians officially adopt it within a year of their departure.
It All Comes Crashing Down By 1728, the INU is ready to implement its greatest advancement yet: the Immunity Control System. The theory is simple: citizens shall be injected with nanomachines which will then take control of their immune systems. The nanomachines will tie into a central supercomputer which will receive information regarding pathogens from all over the world. When a new strain is found, data on it is sent to the supercomputer. It will then program this data into the nanomachines, and citizens will then be immune to that strain. Unfortunately, there is inadequate information in the supercomputer regarding non-immunity related aspects of human biology. This proves to be a tragic mistake.
When the Immunity Control System goes online in July 1728, it identifies the y-chromosome as a pathogen and orders it destroyed. Within a week, the INU's male citizens are either dead or dying. This temporarily plunges the world into turmoil, but the women manage to keep things running while they try to shut down the ICS. They finally cut the power to its supercomputer, but by then the damage is done. For a brief moment, though, it seems the INU can recover from this.
Then the unthinkable happens. A man, believing women to be unworthy of being in charge, breaks into PEG's control room. Just before he dies, he manages to set all the power plants and fuel-storage facilities to self-destruct. The resulting explosions level most of the infrastructure, wiping out half the surviving population. The Robot Army's central AI is destroyed in one of the explosions. Not having any friend-or-foe date in their artificial brains, the robots simply attack and kill any humans they come across.
The national armies and local militias organize to fend off the Robot Army. They manage to repel the attackers for the moment, but they know the robots will return. The second attack is far more devestating, destroying all remaining cities. The human forces are only able to destroy the Robot Army by firing electromagnetic missiles at all of its positions.
The last remnants of the International Union disintegrate soon afterward. By year's end, 90% of the INU's citizens - including the entire male population - have perished.
January 1 1729 What happens next?