&. PRELUDE
In 2050, global tensions between China, Russia, Europe, and the United States eventually led to a major war that lasted for 10 years, culminating in the use of atomic bombs by all involved forces. This war resulted in the near-extermination of humanity and was an unprecedented disaster for Earth's ecosystem. Resources, both material and human, were depleted to the lowest levels, leaving humanity with little chance of regaining its former glory. The only territories spared from this bloody conflict were self-sustaining space bases located on Mars and the Moon.
After the war, the governments of the surviving five countries—the European Union, Russia, China, the African Union, and the USA—established a unified space base on Mars. Over nearly a year, they negotiated several post-war treaties before revealing their intentions to the survivors. The main decisions included:
1. The creation of a unified Earth government represented by 10 elected officials from each country, each specializing in a field critical for future governance decisions.
2. Complete dissolution of all military forces except law enforcement, which would be closely monitored by various investigative and control services of the unified government.
3. Establishment of space bases focused on humanity's research and development priorities, including treatment of radioactive lands and solutions to the food crisis.
4. Prohibition of any conflicts between nations and resolution of disagreements under the unified Earth government.
5. ...
After the war, it took the unified government 10 years to address the food production issues caused by radiation, 15 years to solve famine, and 20 years to stabilize and begin increasing the global population.
During this time, the unified government established a training center on the Moon for the world's most promising children, providing them with education to become the future pillars of humanity. Besides offering top-tier education in various fields, the unified government introduced an indoctrination program urging all students to prioritize protecting humanity and working towards its salvation and improvement as a whole.
The training center was highly successful, producing some of humanity's greatest minds dedicated not to any single nation but to the entire species.
In 2101, after relentless efforts, the research laboratory dedicated to purifying radiation finally found a solution to cleanse the contaminated lands, which once covered up to 90% of Earth's surface. It took another 50 years to complete the total decontamination of the planet.
Following this period, Earth entered an era of prosperity and peace, surpassing its pre-war conditions. The population steadily increased, and humanity began colonizing other planets within the solar system, even establishing an energy production facility near the sun, providing nearly limitless energy. Human life expectancy rose, reaching 200 years by 2200 and continuing to grow. The lifespan of important figures became indefinite.
However, by 2300, Earth faced a ceiling: the population continued to grow, exhausting resources needed for expanding space bases or establishing food sources. Research into faster-than-light travel to colonize and exploit other solar systems presented new challenges to the unified government. Population limits were soon to be reached, and the unified government struggled to contain growth by implementing laws such as birth restrictions, temporarily delaying the inevitable.
In 2320, food production failed to keep pace with population growth, leading to price hikes that rendered it impossible for some families to meet their needs. In response, the government banned child conception until population levels stabilized. Only a select few—high-ranking government members, the wealthiest businessmen, and exceptional scientists or geniuses—were permitted to reproduce. This reform somewhat curbed overpopulation and prevented the accompanying food and economic crises, despite the longevity of the population.
By 2328, dissatisfaction over the reproductive ban sparked protests and strikes throughout the solar system. Violent clashes erupted with law enforcement, escalating tensions and repression. Despite government efforts through awareness campaigns, the unrest continued to grow.
A year later, a pivotal event unfolded in the history of the unified government: thousands of extremists seized control of a commercial spaceport after a bloody battle with law enforcement, resulting in casualties among both sides.
They then boarded the hundreds of ships in the port and took control to set course for the moon. The Unified Government, following the disarmament agreements of 2061, had no means to stop the extremists. These extremists, men, women, and even children who had been brainwashed by their group leaders, piloted the ships to crash into governmental facilities on the moon. This attack, which can be described as terrorist, caused several million deaths, with the exact or even approximate number remaining unknown years later. The training center and research laboratories containing geniuses, scientists, and researchers from across the solar system were also affected, resulting in the deaths of several pillars or future pillars of humanity.
The destruction caused by the attack was so immense and unprecedented that it forced the Unified Government to take drastic measures. They began by lifting the ban on child conception to appease the masses who, despite the tragedy, continued their actions against the GU. The GU then approved the creation of a unified military and lifted restrictions on weapons research. Law enforcement was freed from several restrictions on firearm usage and the level of weaponry deployed.
The largest manhunt in history was then launched to apprehend the instigators of the event. Around 300 individuals were arrested and executed in space to answer for their crimes. The method of execution was particularly gruesome, as the condemned were released into space wearing suits with enough oxygen to last several days, along with transfusions to prevent death from hunger or thirst until their oxygen ran out. This event, known as "the last witch hunt," served as a warning from the GU to remind the world of their power and authority and to prevent future incidents of a similar nature.
The lifting of the conception ban allowed public order to partially return. Unfortunately, the catastrophe had already occurred, and nothing could undo the harm that had been done. The training center had to relocate to Mars along with the research facilities. The Moon then became a massive military base under the exclusive control of the new army, while Mars housed GU buildings, research labs, and the training center.
Three years later, the events that had transpired on the moon and Earth were still fresh in people's minds, and the repairs from the incident had only just begun when a potentially more serious problem loomed on the horizon as a consequence of the spaceport tragedy.
The renewed population growth, which had resumed despite some of the restrictions meant to curb it, exacerbated pre-existing problems. It wasn't until eight years later that parts of the population began to understand the GU's decisions, as famine began affecting several parts of the solar system, occasionally resulting in death. The housing problem also emerged, leaving some of the population homeless, forced to rely on state buildings for shelter. The GU also established distribution centers for capsules containing various nutrients, proteins, necessary for human bodily function.
Unfortunately, resource shortages and logistical problems hindered the effective resolution of the problem, with hunger still rampant in many regions.
By 2350, the situation reached a critical threshold. The ban on conception was not reinstated despite numerous votes, as the opposition was too strong. Several other legislative proposals, such as limits on life extension treatments (regularly replaced artificial organs, etc.), were considered before being aborted. As the GU found itself at an impasse, one of the research laboratories on Mars made a groundbreaking discovery, one that could potentially be the solution to all their problems.
About 10 years ago, a group of researchers succeeded in discovering something that had until then been considered mythical: the human soul, thanks to a revolutionary method. Although its discovery was so astonishing that it had a shockwave effect, subsequent research made no progress. Despite the discovery, only one research laboratory persisted in studying it five years later. In 2345, five years after its discovery, researchers found a new way to influence it. This was a new resource discovered in the deepest seas, Luménite.
Luménite, a light blue fluorescent sap found in flowers inexplicably growing in the depths of the sea, if injected at the moment of birth, could enhance the strength of the soul for an indefinite period. The enhancement varied for each individual and species, not following a fixed pattern.
Following this discovery, the scientific community became excited again, and the previously almost non-existent interest in the soul surged, with more and more laboratories starting research on the subject.
Returning to 2350, the same laboratory made another breakthrough in soul research. Until then, despite the increase in soul power, researchers had not been able to influence it in another way. Although there was an almost insignificant increase in physical and cerebral capacities observed in subjects, nothing was significant enough to arouse the GU's interest. Smaller animals, less intelligent and with a very weak basic soul power, had stopped their evolution very early, their soul power stagnating. Injecting a new dose of Luménite did not change anything. However, everything changed when one of the researchers accidentally gave a Solarine seed to one of the rats whose soul was no longer evolving. The seeds of this flower had been discovered in Neptune's ice and the flowers only grew on the surface exposed constantly to the sun on Venus. Despite its lack of utility, the flower was cultivated for its unique appearance and was said to be the most beautiful flower ever seen or imagined.
The rat fell asleep for a week, during which time its soul power fluctuated greatly, its nature becoming more solid and anchored in the rat's body even though its power had not grown enormously. After this week, the rat suddenly woke up and then disappeared. Two hours later, the rat reappeared in its cage, holding an apple in its mouth. After a more thorough examination, it was discovered in the rat's stomach, and some unknown to the researchers.
After several weeks of research, it was discovered that animals whose soul power had reached its limits and who ingested Solarine could develop a teleportation-like ability to a limited space containing a random biome suitable for the subject's life. Cameras attached to the animals revealed that the size of the space depended on the strength of the subject's soul. For example, rats with strong soul power unlocked a space equivalent to about a soccer field. In addition to the biome, it was also found that small living beings could randomly be born within these biomes.
Following these discoveries, the GU implemented Project Salvatori. The project's goal was to save the human species from famine and housing shortages. People accessing these "soul territories," as researchers called them, could sleep and cultivate the land, in addition to exploiting terrestrial or mineral resources found there. Devices were created to analyze soul strength by quantifying it, and Luménite was injected into the next generation of newborns. However, due to limited quantities, only the top 10% in soul strength received the injection. At birth, a newborn's soul power averaged between 8 and 10, with the top 10% starting at 12. It naturally grew to around 50 by adulthood. On that day, a newborn with a soul power of 49 was born, almost reaching adult levels. The next most powerful newborn had only a soul power of 34, followed by 30. This newborn, who would be a pioneer of this new era of humanity, was named Alexander Ashborne.
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Thank you for reading the prelude to my story. I'm just beginning to write, so I welcome any feedback, suggestions for improvement, or constructive criticism. I'm not very comfortable with English, so I asked ChatGPT to translate the story into English for me (I write in French).