I don't own anything that's not mine.
Interlude I: A Better Tomorrow
Date: 12:32 PM, September 20th, 2174
Location: Helsinki, Finland, Terra, Sol System
The gray bearded man relaxed in his luxury chair, the leather enfolding his body even as his eyes gazed with hawkish intensity into the television screen. His pistol lay within reach upon the table next to him, and he appeared entirely at ease in his suit and tie.
Matthew Wallace was now on the far side of middle-aged, his seventy year old body slowly beginning to show its age even with generous applications of modern medical technology and hefty amounts of exercise.
That did not mean, however, that his mind had dimmed or weakened as time had past. It remained just as sharp as the day that he had blackmailed Parker Selfridge into returning to Pandora.
The head of what the media had dubbed 'The New Age Inquisition', listened intently to the reports now coming in from southeastern Asia.
"..can now confirm that diplomats from India and Pakistan have agreed to the peace proposal put forward by the Russian Federation on behalf of the United Earth Government." the oriental reporter read from her script, "For the first time in eight years, peace will fall on the subcontinent, and it is believed that with the two primary nations once more at peace, the smaller brush wars occupying Indonesia, Myanmar, and the surrounding region will begin to cease."
He flicked the mute button idly, no need to listen to the woman prattle about the plan to slowly absorb both India and Pakistan into the UEG.
The transition from the United Nations to the United Earth Government had been a slow, laborious process that was even yet ongoing. In his opinion, it had been one that was far too long in coming, something that humanity should have seen the need for decades, if not a century, ago.
The United Nations had been a conglomeration, a meeting round for nations to discuss and debate.
The United Earth Government was just that, a government that ruled the Earth, with petty nationalism but behind it.
Europe had begun the movement, and the Americas had followed. Parts of Asia were all for it, as was Australia.
Africa however.. he sighed bitterly. That regions is the reason my department now exists.
Africa, which had been a mess since the twentieth century, had remained so. Some of the nations on the oldest inhabited continent had joined, most didn't. Attempts to bring them in through peace had failed, as already shaky governments began to collapse as resource wars broke out. Desperate, most had turned towards the old NAU and EU for aid.
Both, full members of the UEG, had ignored the pleas for humanitarian aid.
They had everything they needed. He snorted, And they have no one to blame but themselves.
The UEG's plan to deal with reticent Africa was simple: Ignore them. Let the corrupt governments fall, let the military dictators slaughter one another. If the people of Africa truly wished for their continent, their future, to be a better place, they would have to take care of their own problems.
Some had, joining the UEG after mass-civilian revolts toppled the local institutions.
Others were still locked in civil war, strife, and bloodshed.
All things in time, one humanity, united, upon this Earth.
It was the motto of the Investigatory Group, which he headed. Originally formed to examine local governments and facilitate their merger into the UEG, it's role had begun to increase as agent after agent became infuriated with local corruption or obstructive bureaucrats.
After a dozen tense meetings with the Security Council, he secured increasingly broad powers for his agents, giving them the ability to remove local officials and appoint new representatives.
In some instances, the people they had to remove fought back, which in turn, led to his people needing more authority to call in forces to deal with them, or to remove the mess after a more personal confrontation.
It wasn't a perfect solution by any means. He knew that several of his agents had become corrupt on various levels. The more extreme cases were dealt with. The more minor cases were allowed to continue as long as their work was unaffected.
The increasing roar of a landing helicopter roused him, the call of the engine reminding him that there was yet more work that he had to do that day.
Such is life. He sighed, reaching for his fashionable cane and rising from his chair, pausing to return his pistol to his shoulder holster, securing the safety as he did so.
He carefully stepped over the increasingly rigid corpse of the man who had once been one of his top agents, and made his way out of the luxury cottage.
The cleanup team waiting outside nodded respectfully before moving in. Within an hour the place would be fully secured, with no trace of the dead man or his life remaining.
There can be no hesitation, humanity must unite, we must restore discipline to our species. Only discipline and unity can halt the chaos that might consume us all.
With that thought in mind, he easily climbed into the waiting vehicle and nodded to the pilot, who rose the machine into the air.
Date: 2:47 PM, September 22nd, 2174
Location: Zurich, Switzerland, Terra, Sol System
The Security Council met in the conference room, the grandeur of the room seeming natural for the nine immaculately dressed men and women.
Seven Secretaries of War, one for each continent.
Matthew Wallace, as head of his separate but equal department.
And of course, the General-Secretary himself, official leader of the entirety of humanity, even if there were some who did not yet appreciate that fact.
"Two more years until the fleet returns, and one after that for the resumption of the Unobtanium supply." the elder statesman began to speak, his blue eyes piercing, "We must continue to unite humanity as best as we are able in these trying times, so that the deaths of those whom we sent bravely into the stars are not in vain."
Mentally, Wallace rolled his eyes. As much as he admired what the General-Secretary had done, the dark-skinned man always tended to speak as though he was making a speech, even if it was in ordinary conversation.
"North America is currently at ease." Charles Lincoln replied easily, resting comfortably even as he calmly lit a pipe, the wooden smell filling the air, "Our reactors are working perfectly fine and there is only minor talk about the conflicts still occurring. That the UEG is similar enough in organization to the typical American style of government has eased the transition greatly."
The Secretaries in charge of South America, Australia, and Antarctica reported in similar veins, the latter largely due to the still small population on the frozen tundra.
Europe was slightly more concerned, the woman stressing that many people, particularly in Russia and the Mediterranean nations, were beginning to agitate for military intervention into northern Africa to quell the chaos that saw pirates and raiders appearing.
Asia's reports were largely filled with bad news. The peace deal between Pakistan and India was largely hype by the media. Though it was true that the two nations had ceased fighting and would integrate into the UEG, current plans indicated a very long integration period. What was worse, neither China nor Japan had any interest in joining.
To cap it off, Africa shrugged his broad shoulders and stated bluntly, "Nothing's changed, still chaos except in a few nations."
Wallace then began his own report, "Corruption in South America has been largely dealt with. Most of the drug barons have been eliminated and we have people on station to ensure that whoever steps into the criminal void exercises less interference in political matters. I've transferred several agents to African regions under our control, and I have them mentoring the group I intend to move into Asia."
The leader of the human race sighed and nodded, "Asia is becoming our greatest problem. Africa might be in chaos, but the signs are there that the people are finally beginning to do something about it all."
Secretary Asia shrugged her slim shoulders, brushing silver bangs from her forehead, "China is still furious that the West is once more green while their interior is still an irradiated death zone, and Japan is still in its partial isolation. They've wanted nothing to do with anything after China and America fought it out on Kyushu."
South America snorted, "Then they should have had a proper army. Honestly."
Kim held her hands apart, "I agree, it's moronic to be a pacifist when it's patently obvious you're about to be invaded, I'm just reporting on what they are doing."
"That brings us to the main topic at hand," the General-Secretary interrupted them, as was his due, "Where will the first shipment go, once it arrives? Nanjing, as planned, in the hope it acts as an olive branch? Or do we give it elsewhere? Perhaps for the colonization program?"
"No question, it must go to the Chinese. They will soon be the only nuclear nation not within the UEG, we must incorporate them." Kim asserted.
"And if they take the reactor and don't join?" Charles asked quietly.
"Then it will be World War IV, and we pray that our anti-ballistic missile tech is up to the job." she replied simply, "If we are to live up to our ideals, they have to join, either willingly or at gunpoint."
He ran some mental numbers, "By the time the unobtanium arrives, both India and Pakistan will have finished integration. With them in, I expect that Indonesia and Iran will follow, which will mean that China, Korea, and Japan will be the only major non-African nations remaining. We could offer the unobtanium conditionally, and if they refuse, we move in."
"A grim possibility." their leader sighed, "Let us agree to that plan for now, and iron it out in the coming months. What is the status of the colony program?"
"First two of the new standard ISV's are done, as is one colony ship, but with our unobtanium reserves now fully exhausted, nothing more can be done until the shipments resume in full." Antarctica replied easily. Though nominally in charge of the frozen continent and its coastal pair of hive-cities, his duties were concerned primarily with the space programs and with the Lunar colony.
He continued, "Both regular ISV's have already departed, meaning that there should be no second gap in shipments. The Pacific Horizon is fitting out as we speak and we have more volunteers for colonists than she can fit. Assuming she leaves within the next year or two, she should arrive over Heracles by 2182. The shipyards have nominally finished the Atlantic Storm and Arctic Wind, both have functioning fusion reactors and we can use them to shuttle large numbers of people to the Moon, but until we can attach their unobtanium reactors, they're stuck in our solar system."
"And the shipment schedule?" Wallace asked before anyone else could.
"Once a year from three years from now until nine years from now. Then we will have a one year gap until shipments resume at the once a year standard. Once Heracles colony is begun, the colonization ships can also carry unobtanium back, meaning that there will be double-shipments arriving at times."
The General-Secretary asked the next question of their expert, "With no viable means of synthetic unobtanium appearing, how long until we have exhausted Pandora as a supply?"
"Centuries, easily. The amount required for each reactor is not large, and there is an incredible amount to be found on the moon. We are fairly sure that the other moons within that system also have the material, just not in nearly as large of quantities as Pandora, and it is more likely to be located much further underground, making it difficult to mine."
Kim rested her face upon a hand, "That is all well and good, but I fear that we must concentrate, for now, on unifying our race as well as the colonization of of our own solar system."
He slowly tuned the meeting out as the discussion turned towards the progress of the lunar colony as well as the proposed asteroid mining stations.
Perhaps an hour later, the General-Secretary thanked and dismissed them, heading to his own meeting with the Assembly while the various secretaries and he packed up to head back to their own departments.
He sighed as he trekked towards his next meeting, a briefing with his own senior staff, I already miss Helsinki..
Sent: September 22nd, 2174
To: UNEF, Pandora
From: UEG, Terra
Routine Status Update Requested.
Approx. 3/5 planet united under UEG. Believed 4/5 will be achieved within 4 years.
Possible world-war with remaining separatist nations may occur in 3-5.
Sent: September 23rd, 2174
To: UEG, Terra
From: UNEF, Pandora
Possible Native Attack imminent, no current cause for concern believed.
Have slowed mining program to allow for one year gap.
Will brief population on Terra status.
Try to keep our home-world intact please.
Sent: September 24th, 2174
To: UNEF, Pandora
From: UEG, Terra
Please refrain from personal comments via superluminal.
Try to not get eaten please.
Next up is Act II: Red Moon's Rising, Chapter 10: Let the Sky Fall
And I was really motivated to get this done, so here is your interlude showcasing what's up on Terra. Parker's old and dear friend has gained quite a bit of power as time passed, and the map of the earth is slowly changing.
Next up is the beginning of the second act, and we'll see how the conflict begins to break down, specifically what Jake is up to and how he is going to try and stop his son, even as the humans start preparing to kill anything that glances at them.
I really, really appreciate the reviews, so keep giving them!