Warnings: Mature themes (such as illegal activities, ecological and biological disasters, war, the darker side of science, etc.), same-sex relationships, cursing. Some characters may appear out-of-character.
Amelia's Note/Disclaimer: The premise for this work of fanfiction is based on the television show seaQuest DSV. The story will not exactly follow the show, but will contain many of the same themes and ideas. Also, this is science fiction. Therefore, some of the science will be fictional. I try to stick to plausible theories as best I can, but by the nature of the beast, some of it is just going to be flat out made up. This applies to the naval information too.
The year is 2022. Breakthroughs in science and technology have allowed humans to colonize the last unexplored region of Earth, the ocean. With the resources of land depleted, and the oceans still rich, the nations of the world soon begin to fight over claims for oil, minerals, and aquaculture rights. Nations joined together to form alliances called coalitions, to protect their claims. Smaller countries joined with larger naval powers to be able to compete. Landlocked countries joined with coastal ones. The politics of the world were turned upside down. The United Nations became ineffective and outdated, though limped on in an attempt to continue governing. NATO was disbanded entirely.
Amid the official chaos, ordinary people continued to flock to the seas, trying to escape the overcrowding on land. Religious extremists, private scientists, and independent colonies joined the rush to stake their own claims. Many of these colonies were underfunded and unprepared, their accidents and emergencies only adding to the general disorder. The fighting continued to escalate, thousands of lives and millions of dollars are lost as battle after battle is fought to control the oceans. After four years, war is declared by many nations.
At the behest of those warring nations, scientists begin to experiment with genetic engineering to create super human soldiers. Their goal is create soldiers specifically designed for underwater war. They kidnapped orphans from the streets of the world's cities, modifying the children's' DNA to make them stronger and faster, requiring less oxygen and sustenance. In some instances, the children were even modified with gills, scales, and webbed hands and feet, all to make them more capable of waging war underwater. The children were brainwashed and sent into battle as devoted soldiers.
As the science developed, the researchers move from modifying existing life forms to creating life forms. These Genetically Engineered Life Forms-or GELFs-replaced the children in battle. The GELFs were superior in many ways, the weaknesses of the human shell removed. GELFs were stronger, faster, more agile, and able to withstand extreme pressure and temperatures. Best of all, the GELFs were not human, their rights not recognized under any laws. They were not subject to the Geneva Conventions treaties or protocols. The GELFs were basically slaves.
It wasn't until 2036 when the world got a wake-up call. A colony off the coast of California, which housed a Catholic orphanage, was invaded by soldiers seeking sanctuary. Ignoring humanitarian pleas, enemy soldiers attacked the colony and destroyed it. Seventy-three orphans and their caretakers died in what became known as the Maxwell Colony Massacre. The world reeled in horror at what was done. Finally, after ten years of death, the world had reached its breaking point.
The three main powers of the oceans, the North American Coalition (consisting of the U.S. and Canada), the North Sea Coalition (United Kingdom and much of Europe), and the Soviet Coalition (Russia and many former Soviet countries) began to discuss peace. They envisioned an international governing body, similar to the defunct United Nations, but charged with keeping peace within the oceans. The United Earth Oceans Organization would be the enforcer of treaties between coalitions, the peacekeepers of the depths, as well as responding to humanitarian and ecological disasters. Within five years, the Charter was drawn up and many coalitions became member nations. While not every power in the seas was a signatory of the UEO, the vast majority were.
To be able to police the oceans, the UEO needed ships. Most importantly, they needed a flagship. From buried and forgotten archives came the design of a great submarine, half military, and half research vessel. The seaQuest Deep Submergence Vehicle's blueprints were dusted off, funds raised, and her designer tempted off his private island to oversee the building. The project was rushed from the start. With the oceans teetering on the edge of total anarchy, the UEO could not afford setbacks. In less than a year, the seaQuest DSV was scheduled to sail for its maiden voyage. The last hope for a lasting peace, the seaQuest, with her captain and crew, are all that stand to stop the world plunging back into total war.
For beneath the surface, lies the future.
To Be Continued…