United Earth
Chapter I – Break of Dawn
The engineer looked at his display. This was his last chance. If the test failed, his career, and the careers of those under him were through. If this test failed, it would mean that his dream was just that, a dream; a piece of science fiction/fantasy, forever cursed to never be part of the waking world.
"Prep the engine, stand by for test." he said over the station's intercom.
The level of activity on the station jumped quite a bit. The last test had been months ago, and many feared the project was dead. Feared that they would have to explore other methods of stellar travel. That or abandon stellar travel entirely.
At the station's observation deck, all eyes turned toward the unmanned vessel that had left the station's docking area. Those who belonged to the project's team were sweating slightly, pulling up diagnostics, system readouts, and whatever else they wanted to see about their brain child.
"Begin countdown for test initiation, t-minus 10 seconds." the engineer called out.
The computer took over from that point, a minor AI taking control of the countdown. A mechanical voice starting where the engineer's stopped.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero."
At first nothing happened when the countdown reached zero. There were sighs across the station, many fearing what this meant. Then, one person at a time, they saw it, a blue light coming from the rear engine segment of the ship.
The engineer's eyes lit up when he saw this, more so when he checked his display, which read: "subspace field - stable". He watched as the light continued to grow brighter. Then, in a flash, the world changed. The ship was gone.
Pride. That was what he felt at that moment. It took him ten years, ten years to get to this point. He was hailed as a hero, a pioneer of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. He smiled. A smile that turned into a wince. There, on the command deck of the space station, he collapsed. A hasty cry brought attention to him as someone keyed in a medical alert to the medical bay, high priority.
News feeds across Earth were reporting the event: WARP DRIVE A REALITY!
The year is 2200. The nations of Earth have entered a new era of peace, following a period of war. This peace has allowed for the creation and development of United Earth, one global government for interplanetary concerns. That's not to say that the nations lost their individual freedom/independence. They were held to higher standards, and kept accountable for their actions. Conflict between nations was brought to the attention of the courts of United Earth, where the conflict would be reviewed and the peacefully resolved.
The citizens of United Earth could be classified into three categories, those categories holding the name of United Earth's governing ethics. Those ethics being Xenophilia, Militarism, and Egalitarianism.
Xenophilia – "There exists, in all of us a deep-seated fascination for the unknown. An adventurous spirit that rejects the familiar and glories in the unfamiliar, whatever – or whomever – it may be."
Militarism – "The only true virtues are courage and discipline, and channeled properly they can overcome any obstacle. Therein lies true strength; force withheld, a promise made."
Egalitarianism – "Any society that does not embrace equality between its members – where an individual can rise to any position with enough hard work – is not only deeply unfair, but ultimately counterproductive.
United Earth is a democracy, embracing individual freedoms, a beacon of liberty built upon idealism. The foundation of United Earth is simple: build a better future for tomorrow. A future of freedom and prosperity. A future that, from prior experience, is kept secure through military force; but only when necessary.
The engineer was in the medical bay of the space station, which was in high orbit of earth. He smiled, albeit weakly, at the medical staff as they treated him and the others there with him. He got a sympathetic smile from his usual doctor.
"Another flare up?" The engineer's doctor asked, looking down at the engineer laying in the hospital bed.
"Yeah." The engineer said, having the grace to look ashamed. "I know, I know. You told me stress wouldn't help the condition." But who could blame him, given the task set before him?
"Hmm..." was all the doctor said, looking to be deep in thought. "Honestly, it's a miracle you're alive. Most people with your condition suffer a fatal collapse a year or two after diagnosis, you were diagnosed nearly 10 years ago." She said after a moment of thought.
"You know me, doc. Too damned stubborn to let some disease take me down." was the engineer's response, a small smile on his face.
The doctor held back a snort of laughter. "Yes, I do believe that is why you've lived as long as you have." The doctor's mood then turned serious. "Doctor's orders, you are to give yourself a generous amount of rest and relaxation. No physically intense or draining activities for at least a week." Here the doctor looked like she was about to continue, but the engineer started before her.
"Doc, don't you even – "but the doctor cut the engineer off mid-sentence.
"Also, under doctor's orders, you are confined to either a private hospital ward or wheelchair, the choice is yours, as your doctor, I must recommend the former, as a friend, I must also recommend the former. You look like hell."
The engineer smiled weakly. "And damn if I don't feel like hell. If the bed is comfortable, I think I can live with one day in a hospital bed; and a real one, not those pieces of shit field hospitals from the War." He said, sounding very tired.
2185, the world was at war on all six major continents. (There were never troops on the ground in Antarctica, although missiles were fired at the research stations scattered across that frozen hell.) While a far cry from the World Wars of centuries past, its effects were still being felt 15 years later. The world was at peace prior to that war, though the peace was strained. People then were highly militaristic, authoritarian, and xenophobic. One spark ignited the repressed anger, loathing, hatred, and all manners of negative emotions into a full scale inter-continental war. Alliances were formed, enemies declared, lines of battle drawn.
The engineer knew history, had been a part of making it before. He saw action during the war. He developed weapons, lots of weapons. Thoughts of what those weapons were used for haunted his sleep for the longest time after the war; still haunting him. One of the good things of being a weapons engineer was that he never saw front-line action, for which he was thankful for. He doubted that he would be still be alive, if he had had to live through the hell that was front-line duty. There was a worrying amount of veteran suicide, stemming from traumatic experiences in the field.
The battlefields were unforgiving, which led to the engineer's situation. Exposure to experimental weapons had left him… less than healthy. He regretted his actions during those days, but they were necessary. And, he was alive, which is more than can be said of countless millions of men, women, and children. And, perhaps, that is his punishment. But now… a new day dawns, and all of Earth now looks toward the heavens, which are now within reach. A day that came to be all because of him. Once more, one man changes the fate of all humanity.
Following the warp drive's first successful field test, the integrated shipyards of Earth's orbital station were soon refitting what few spacefaring ships United Earth had. Those ships being a scientific/research vessel, a construction ship, and Untied Earth's three remaining corvette-class combat vessels. United Earth's Security Council had been less than pleased when the war's armistice treaty called for the decommissioning and recycling of a majority of the United Earth navy.
With the advent of the warp drive, an age-old question was brought to light once more: 'Are we alone?' As more people began to ask that question, United Earth's security council began asking that question to the general assembly, as well as the courts and even the cabinet of United Earth's president. With luck, and careful usage of the situation, the military may yet be able to protect United Earth, should something, or someone, be out there.
AN: If you can't tell, this fanfiction is based around the video game Stellaris. I own a copy of the game and the plot of this story, and that is the extent of my ownership. To my current followers/readers: Of the Flame is not dead. I have been kept busy during this summer, being a college student.
As always: read, review, rate, follow and all that good stuff. Haters are going to hate, but for those who appreciate… *insert Titanium music video*