Worlds Without End

by Caroline Spector

  Real lyric: “You may be right, I may be crazy.” Mondegreen lyric: “You make the rice, I’ll make the gravy.”

  Carroll likes one from Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising.” Original lyric: “There’s a bad moon on the rise.” Mondegreen lyric: “There’s a bathroom on the right.”

  Needless to say, such a cool thing had to show up in a book somewhere.

  Love Long and Perspire.

  —C. Spector, February 1995

  Timeline

  Following is a brief history of the events that shaped the world of 2056—the social and technological upheavals that have contributed to the awesome changes the Earth and her people have undergone over the past half-century. Changes no twentieth-century forecaster could ever have imagined.

  2002

  New technology makes it possible to construct the first optical chip that is proof against electromagnetic pulse effects.

  2002-2008

  The Resource Rush. United Oil and other major corporations demand and get licenses to exploit oil, mineral, and land resources on U.S. federal lands, including designated Indian lands. Radical Amerindians respond by forming the Sovereign American Indian Movement (SAIM).

  2004

  Libya unleashes a chemical weapon against Israel. Israel responds with a nuclear strike that destroys half of Libya’s cities.

  2005

  A major earthquake in New York City kills more than 200,000 people, with damage at 20 million dollars. It will take 40 years to rebuild the city.

  2006

  Japan announces the creation of a new Japanese Imperial State. The Japanese deploy the first solar-powered collector satellites to beam microwave energy to receptors on the Earth’s surface.

  2009

  Angry that the government has leased additional Indian lands to United Oil, SAIM commandos capture the Shiloh missile facility in Montana. All Amerindians occupying the facility are killed in a government raid. In the struggle, however, they launch a Lone Eagle missile toward the Russian Republic, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. The crisis ends when the warheads mysteriously fail to detonate.

  2010

  In retaliation for the Shiloh affair, the U.S. government passes the Re-Education and Relocation Act, authorizing the detention of thousands of Native Americans in concentration camps (euphemistically known as “Re-Education Centers”).

  First outbreak of Virally Induced Toxic Allergy Syndrome (VITAS), which kills 25 percent of the world’s population before year’s end.

  2011

  The Year of Chaos. Governments begin to topple, famine stalks the world, nuclear power plants suffer meltdown, with extensive radiation fallout.

  The first mutant and changeling children are born, signaling the start of the UGE (Unexplained Genetic Expression) Syndrome. The news media dub these new beings as “elves” and “dwarfs.”

  On December 24, thousands of Japanese witness the first dragon, Ryumyo, reemerge from dormancy on Mt. Fuji. The same day, Daniel Howling Coyote leads his followers out of the Abilene Re-Education Center. He declares himself a shaman of the Great Ghost Dance, which involves powerful magic and promises to shatter the yoke of the white man once and for all.

  Beginning in this year, political chaos begins to engulf the planet. The Federal government of Mexico dissolves in riots, while Tibet regains independence as magical defenses seal it off from invasion and render the region incommunicado. By the end of the year there is no question that magic has returned to the world.

  2014

  Ghost Dancers announce formation of the Native American Nations (NAN), with the Sovereign Tribal Council at its head. The Dancers claim responsibility for the eruption of Redondo Peak in New Mexico; Los Alamos is buried under a cloud of ash. A federal force sent in to retaliate is destroyed by tornadoes called down by the Ghost Dancers.

  The United Free Republic of Ireland is established, while the white-controlled government of South Africa collapses.

  2016

  In a period of three weeks, U.S. President Jesse Garrety, Russian President Nikolai Chelenko, Prime Minister Lena Rodale of Great Britain, and Prime Minister Chaim Schon of Israel are assassinated. All but the Garrety assassin are killed in violent shoot-outs with local law officials.

  2017

  New U.S. President William Jarman issues the infamous Resolution Act, sanctioning the extermination of all Native American tribes. In response, Howling Coyote and his people begin the Great Ghost Dance. Freak weather and other uncanny events destroy or disrupt U.S. military bases slated for use in the genocidal plan. On August 17, Mount Hood, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams erupt simultaneously just as government troops are about to begin their attack. Former skeptics of the Dance begin to believe in its power.

  2018

  First-generation ASIST (Artificial Sensory Induction System Technology) is created by Dr. Hosato Hikita of ESP Systems in Chicago.

  The Treaty of Denver is signed. With this agreement, the federal governments of the United States, Canada, and Mexico acknowledge the sovereignty of NAN over most of western North America. Seattle remains as an extraterritorial extension of the U.S. government in Native American lands.

  The U.S. spaceplane America, with its secret military payload, disintegrates in orbit. The wreckage lands in Australia, killing 300 in the small town of Longreach.

  2021

  Goblinization. On April 30, 10 percent of the world’s population suddenly begins to metamorphose into new racial types known today as orks and trolls. This transformation, popularly known as goblinization, marks another threshold point in the reemergence of magic on Earth. Humans react violently to the presence of the metahuman races in their midst.

  Quebec declares its independence, receiving immediate recognition from France.

  2022

  Severe rioting continues all over the world in response to the phenomenon of goblinization. The U.S. government declares martial law for several months, while reports trickling out of Russia indicate deaths on a mass scale. Many changed beings go into hiding or withdraw into separate communities.

  Only another outbreak of VITAS quells the racial violence, leaving another 10 percent of the world’s population dead in its wake.

  The term “Awakened Beings” is coined to describe the metahumans and other emerging life forms.

  2024

  First simsense entertainment unit (a kind of sensory VCR) becomes available.

  President Jarman is reelected U.S. President in a landslide victory based on the first use of the remote-vote system. Opposition parties claim fraud.

  2025

  Several prestigious U.S. universities establish the first undergraduate programs in occult studies.

  2026

  The U.S. Constitution is amended to include all metahumans.

  The first cyberterminal (a room-sized isolation chamber for a single operator) is developed. Funded by various intelligence agencies, the goal of the research is to make it possible for strike teams of “cybercommandos” to raid data systems.

  2027

  First commercial fusion reactor power plant comes on-line.

  2028

  In the United States, the CIA, NSA, and IRS pool their resources to recruit and train Echo Mirage, the first team of “cybercommandos.”

  2029

  Computer Crash of '29. A mystery virus attacks databases worldwide, resulting in total financial chaos. The government and the megacorps attempt to fight the virus with their own cybercommandos, but eventually must recruit maverick hackers to fight the virus. In the course of fighting the virus and attempting to rebuild the world data system, the Matrix is bom. The surviving hackers now have knowledge of cyberdecks and begin to cobble together their own units.

  NAN declares that the emerging metahuman races are welcome in tribal lands.

  2030

  The remaining United States of America merges with Canada to form the United Canadian and American States (UCAS). A co
alition of southern states opposes the idea.

  2030-2042

  Euro-Wars. In this twelve-year period, Europe and Asia are rocked by a series of wars that result in a complete political transformation.

  The European Economic Community collapses. Awakened species come to dominate vast wilderness areas, including portions of Siberia, Mongolia, and the mountains of northeastern China. In a return to city-state politics, Italy, southern France, and southeastern Europe fragment into hundreds of tiny sovereignties.

  2034

  A coup ousts President McGoldrick of Ireland. The coup was subtly masterminded by Liam O’Connor, whose Tir Republican Corps rose out of a dying IRA. Liam is asked to impose a state of emergency by acting President McCarthy. Liam uses this request to his advantage and creates a Tir out of Ireland: Tír na nÓg.

  The first “gray market” cyberdecks become available.

  The government of Brazil topples in the aftermath of an invasion by Awakened forces, including three dragons. The Awakened declare the new state of Amazonia.

  A coalition of ten southern states secedes from UCAS to form the Confederated American States (CAS).

  2035

  The Elves of the Pacific Northwest secede from NAN, declaring themselves the nation of Tir Tairngire (Land of Promise) and confiscating Native American land for themselves. Violent clashes between Amerindian and elven tribes break out.

  California declares independence from UCAS and is immediately recognized by Japan. Japanese land troops to protect their interests.

  Texas secedes from CAS and makes an unsuccessful attempt to seize portions of southwestern Texas ceded to the tribes of Aztlan by the Treaty of Denver. In 2035, the Tsimshian tribal coalition withdraws from NAN.

  2036

  A small community of Awakened beings in rural Ohio napalmed by Alamo 20,000, a terrorist group dedicated to destroying all Awakened beings. Over the next fifteen years, Alamo 20,000 is linked to the deaths of a thousand metahumans and openly sympathetic human supporters.

  2037

  First simsense entertainment unit introduced.

  2039

  Night of Rage. Racial violence breaks out in major urban centers of North America. Thousands die, most of them metahumans and their supporters.

  2041

  EuroAir Flight 329, en route from London to Atlanta, is destroyed over the Atlantic, killing all passengers and crew. Though garbled, the last transmission seems to indicate that the dragon Sirrurg attacked the craft. Many believe the flight was sabotaged to retaliate for the Night of Rage.

  Policlubs, youth-oriented associations devoted to spreading various political or social philosophies, first appear in Europe. Each club hopes to recruit the masses to its own viewpoint and thus play a leading role in the European Restoration.

  2043

  Liam O’Connor, State President of Tír na nÓg, disappears. After Liam’s disappearance his wife of two years, Brane Deigh, proclaims herself “Queen” of the Seelie Court, a non-legislative body said to influence the spirits of elves, rather than their minds or bodies.

  Four chapters of the Universal Brotherhood, an organization espousing a philosophy based on EST, New Age pseudo-mysticism, and a healthy dose of Madison Avenue marketing smarts, open in California.

  2044

  Aztlan nationalizes all foreign-owned business. Semi-open war breaks out as some corporations fight to retain their holdings. Under cover of the fighting, Aztlan annexes most of what is left of Mexico except for the Yucatan, where Awakened forces halt all takeover attempts.

  2045

  A Universal Brotherhood branch opens in Seattle.

  2046

  The first simsense megahit, “Free Fall.” starring Honey Brighton, eventually sells 50 million copies.

  The policlub idea spreads to North America, but with violence in its wake. The Humanis Policlub, in particular, attracts a major following that cuts across economic, social, and political divisions. In a series of paid advertisements, Mothers of Metahumans (MOM) denounces Humanis as an arm of the shadowy Alamo 20,000.

  2048

  Tir Tairngire is admitted to the United Nations.

  2049

  The Governor of Seattle signs an exclusive trade deal with representatives of Tir Tairngire. Seattle, already a major cultural and economic center for the UCAS, NAN, and large segments of the Awakened, now takes on new importance as the only access to elven goods and services.

  2050

  The seventh-generation cyberdeck is introduced, now down to keyboard-size.

  2051

  The Universal Brotherhood now has over 400 chapters across the globe. Their members are predominately male, and predominately human. The Universal Brotherhood is secretly a front for a number of Insect totem hives.

  2052

  Major advances in cyber-and biotechnology. More and more humans and metahumans choose to enhance their bodies.

  2055

  Insect-spirits infest Chicago. The UCAS military detonates a subtactical nuclear weapon to destroy the primary hive, creating chaos as well as destruction. The military quarantines the city, sealing it off from the rest of the country.

  2056

  A Hawaiian nationalist group attempts to gain control of a magical site, intending to exploit the magic of the site to oust corps from Hawaii. Though their attempt fails, magic in the world spikes to a higher level.

  About the Author

  Caroline Spector has written three computer game books, published through Prima Publishing (Ultima: The Avatar Adventures, Ultima VII and Ultima Underworld: More Avatar Adventures, and The Might and Magic Compendium). She has edited for Amazing Stories magazine and done freelance editing work for various publishers.

  Worlds Without End is Spector’s first published novel and is the third book in her Immortals Trilogy, which will continue with prequels Scars and Little Treasures to be published by FASA Corporation in 1996.

  COPYRIGHT

  ROC

  Published by the Penguin Group

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  Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England

  First published by Roc, an imprint of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.

  First Printing, October, 1995

  10 987654321

  Copyright © FASA Corporation, 1995 All rights reserved

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