_ ASOURCEBOOK FOR De 2 a a Sy — a>>> FILE DUMP <<< FILE DIRECTORY 0.0 INTRODUCTORY TRANSMISSION 2 1.0 22ND-GENTURY EARTH 3 2.0 RELIGIONS OF THE 22ND GENTURY 13 3.0 Ps! ORDER RANKING OFFICIALS aS THIS INFORMATION IS PROPERTY OF THE ZEONTRINITY. PLAGE YOUR PALM ON THE VIEWPLATE FOR AUTHORIZATION SCAN GEFORE CONTINUING. UN- AUTHORIZED ACCESS GF THESE FILES IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE: >>> FILE DUMP <<<Pee ; SACRIFICE . UNITY In a universe of dangerous interplanetary travel, frst contact with strange, alien races, the emergence ‘of mysterious psionic powers among humanity, and the rediscovered menace of the Aberrant horde that endangers all life, the Aon Trinity is a force for good, dedicated to the protection of Earth. In a time of great uncertainty and apprehension, Aon stands at the forefront of humanity, both protecting and leading the way into a bold future. We lead the way in hopes of unitying all people to face the destiny that lies before us. GREETINGS, COLLEAGUE ‘A number of powerful forces are active in the modern universe, forces that have the capacity to change humanity's course forever. The Aon Trinity finds itself in a unique posi- tion regarding these various agencies. As you know, an important aspect of the Trinity's actions involves coordinating others' efforts to achieve Aon’s goals. The Trinity's role therein is now, in the 22nd century, more vital than ever before. Aberrant attacks grow more concerted; divisiveness escalates between — and within — the psi orders; and suspicion, panic and greed overwhelm human governments. However, the very factors that call for our intervention likewise make our efforts that much more difficult to accomplish. The road ahead is a difficult one. We members of the Aon Trinity must put our differences aside and commit ourselves to uniting humanity and even our alien friends against the threats arrayed before us. We must be prepared to sacri- fice ourselves in this effort if doing so fulfills our goals. We must never give up on our dream of realizing humanity's full potential, for as long as we hope, then we may still triumph I speak to you not only as a fellow Trinity member, but as a friend and brother. We must act together, taking advantage of every available resource. This transmission Is but a small part of the information that our colleagues in Triton Division have recovered and compiled from various OpNet nodes. Its usefulness will vary with the situations you discover yourself in, but | am confident that you will find these files to beneficial in your work. Good luck to you. Neville Archer Director, Neptune Division Aon TrSee previous fl Humanity has spent most of its relatively short time on Earth huddled on six of the seven major land- masses that span the globe. Two-thirds of Earth's surface remains relatively untouched by human hands. Economic wealth, scientific enlighten- ment, energy resources —all of these things lie under Antarctica’s frozen tundra and in Earth's oceans. With the skill and technology at humanity's disposal, we have finally made strides in exploring Earth’s last great wilderness regions. “Eon and the Psi Orders The Trinity keeps an eye on polar and aquatic devel- ‘opments, as it does every other area of human involve- ment. Interestingly, the psi orders show little interest in these remote programs compared to the attention paid to endeavors in more “civilized” regions. The or- ders’ perceptions remain fo- cused outward, on the stars, as do those of humanity in general. It is mainly through Aon's urging that the orders look to Earth's frigid climes and undersea terrain at all Of all the orders, the Norca show the greatest inter- ., est in these areas. This is not surprising. Of all the psionic * aptitudes, their biokinetic tal- + ent is the most useful in ex- treme environments. A Norca * may alter his very physiology * to survive — even thrive — in . ffozen arctic wastes and un- der crushing undersea pres- * sures. For the most part, the » shifters leave the other orders to their stellar patrols; the bio- * kinetics guard Earth's poles * and oceans against Aberrant . Incursion. Satellite networks, re- * launched after the Aberrant » War, have limited use in | scanning Antarctica’s icy mantle and the ocean * depths. Earth governments, . supplemented by Legion patrols and a scattering of * Ministry outposts, monitor « these areas as best they can. _ But even with this added as- sistance, a vast amount of * territory remains for the Norga to patrol. Psion and human patrols have encountered solitary Aberrants in both arctic and undersea environments. Due to our difficulties in monitor- ing these regions, the mon- strosities have used them as landing points on Earth in preparation for staging raids. While Aberrants that have at- tacked from arctic regions and the sea have all been 22ND-CENTURY EARTH =>> Addendum <<< -2nd-Contury Earth * justified. The Norca have un- _ other isolated spots on Earth * endeavors, and additionally defeated decisively, the pub- licis concerned that more of » the creatures may be evad- ing patrols. This concem is partially covered three undersea Ab- errant lairs to date. Our in- © vestigations indicate thatone of these might well have been maintained since before the Aberrant War. The idea that some Aberrants may have never left Earth in the Exodus is quite disturbing The Trinity cannot ignore the possibility that there may be other Aberrant hideouts in — or even on Luna or other bodies in our solar system. It will take time to root ‘out other possible Aberrant havens. Involved as the Norca are in their South American and extraterrestrial purported to be the smallest group of psions currently operating, the biokinetics must perforce be spread quite thin, The ion Trinity lends what assistance that Proxy del Fuego will accept, and freelance psions accom- pany Norca patrols, but de- fending Earth remains a daunting job. We must rely ‘on the biokinetics to maintain their vigilance in these harsh regions and times.The last territory on Earth to be opened up to permanent human habitation, Antarctica is still a forbidding, untamed ter- ritory. The polar continent Is unique on Earth as a romantic alternative to the orbital colo- nies — a “downside alien world filled with fortune and adventure.” Unfortunately, this, common sentiment is disturb- ingly accurate: just asin the ex- traterrestrial colonies, hostile environmental factors and the threat of Aberrant attack make emigration to Antarcticaa risky venture — one that relocation brokers are stil reluctant to in- sure. Antarcticais truly anallien environment, a frontier as wild. and exotic as any of the extra- terrestrial colonies, despite be ing as much a part of planet Earth as is Rio or the Maghreb. The Terrestrial Frontier Antarctica’s very remote- ness attracts the elite and re- clusive from all over human. space. The continent's lack of universally recognized regula: tions for land use has allowed some of the wealthiest corpo- rate heads to carve vast pri- vate retreats out of the track- less wilderness, dotting the landscape with fusion-heated ski lodges, and the sky with private orbital facilities Antarctica’s telecommuting class, too poor for such con’ spicuous displays of aristo- cratic privilege, band together to form yet another wave of isolationist communities, seeking the good life and entertaining fantasies of finding happiness as rustic prospectors or fishers. Such idealism and social disparity are just two of the many par- allels that exist among Ant- arctica, Luna, Mars and other extraterrestrial settlements. The simplicity of Antarctican communities make them among the most enticing of all terrestrial desti- nations for slummers fleeing North American, European and Chinese arcologies. Even Australia is a secondary choice at times, its romantic allure compromised by centuries of human habitation. In fact, a substantial percentage of the “penguins” (as the Antarc- ticans are somewhat derisively called by outsicers) were origi- nally first- or second-genera- tion Schism settlers who left Australia when they realized that the Commonwealth was LIVE THE ADVENTURE... without leaving the planet! Want to experience the thrill of living in the outworld colonies, but without the risks? Nervous about the trip up the gravity well and into the un- known? Come to Antarctica! Paid for by Sucasa Habitat Brokers, Montevideonot the utopian enclave that brokers had led them to expect. Sti while “Austral an idealized relationship with nature and their fellow slummers in the settlements of Victoria's Land, Earth’s Last Treasure-Trove Antarctica’s largely un- touched mineral resources are enormously tempting to world forced to search deep into space for raw materials. Beyond the rich deposits of precious metals such as plati num and gold that are scat- tered across the continent, Antarctica contains important reserves of structural metals — iron, chromium and cop- per — not to mention un- tapped supplies of petroleum ‘organics. Now that environ- mental technologies and au- tomation have progressed to the point where humanity can finally exploit Antarctic wealth, Earth's leading eco- nomic powers are eager to reap rewards from the ice. The most avid develop- ers and financiers of Antarc- tic resource strategies are the resource-starved zaibatsu and the geocentric Brazilians. Both blocs have pursued policies of radical expansion into the Antarctic economy for over 10 years — the Nihonjin through the intermediaries of Australia and the United Na- tions, and the Brazilians through their aggressive mer- cantile establishment. FSA corporate interests, the Ar- gentine military and the UAN hold much smaller stakes in the Antarctic resource mar- ket, although these tend to be minor niche operations. ‘Interests and _ Conflict The political allegiances * of Antarctica’s homesteaders «and the disposition of the continent's natural resources * are two of the most pressing + Issues in international corpo- | fate law. Since a number of competing national and cor- * porate interests have claimed. . the right to exploit the fron: tier, either exclusively or in * part, the situation is tense + and verges on explosive. The most convincing claim is made by the Nippon- * dominated upper chamber of . the United Nations. The UN's history of involvement in the * Antarctic territory goes back to. + the 20th century, when the . continent was a UN protector- ate. As most of the important * Antarctic claims of the period « were made by members ofthe North American-European * cultural bloc (which have since * abandoned their Antarctic in- _ terests, or now lack the politi cal momentum to press thei * daims, or both), current legal opinion tends to attribute the continent to the UN. Presumably, this would solidify Nihonjin interests in the area, as the Nippon-subsidized UN would likely seek to protect the zaibatsu. Of the other old dlaims to Antarctica, only the long-established Argentine mili tary presence is still vital enough to present organized, serious competition for the UN's zaibatsu and Australian corpo- rate trustees. Newer daims to the continent, such as those laid by China and Brazil, don't pose any immediate threat to the Nihonjin, Argentine nor Austra- lian endeavors, but serve to shake up Antarctica’s status quo ‘even further. Modern arctic society take only a passing in: terest in these tert torial disputes. Interna- tional politics seem petty compared to the day-to-day struggle to survive. Yet this political indifference has en- abled various extra-national forces to establish a strong presence on the frigid conti- nent—often using the locals themselves as pawns. Brazil- ian corporations area notable ‘example. They have taken advantage of Antarcticans’ political disinterest in recent years, working through eco- nomic channels and FSA shell companies to challenge UN exploitation of the continent. Indeed, the Brazilian connection is a particularly telling example of the com- plexities of Antarctic politics. The Sudamericans, as South ‘Americans have come to be known, initiated their strat- egy after being invited to co- finance Chinese Ministry of Science installations in Ant- arctica. It is thought that Beijing was unwilling to give Nippon exclusive access to the platinate resources that made China so useful to the zaibatsu, so brought Brazil onto the playing field as a diversion. Brazil quickly proved unwilling to give up access to Antarctic platinum sources, and clashed with the greedy Nippon. Today, China continues to dole out platinum and other strategic materials from Sibe- ria and Antarctica to Nippon in exchange for proprietary pat- ents. Meanwhile, the Brazilians continue to defend their own fragile platinum supply from not only the United Nations bloc, but also from the alreadyestablished Ironically, competing” No-Man’s Land presence of the * claims to Antarctica allow its The combination of po- Argentineans, thei « colonists to function as an al= «ye combination o most entirely autonomous po- ena BOOS am The Antarctic ssue *lical unt divorced fom the * make Antacicaa vast fenony is further complicated by the + system of national rivalries and « ‘at few “respectable” people lack of a modern legal pre- , corporate struggles. Although , Want fo explore. Antarctica's in- cedent for what is essentially " native-bom Antarcticans retain" ‘ters cetnly Earths sac a large-scale colonial acqui-* their hereditary national * *Y £r those citizens oh sition or land grab. The situ- . ctizenships or corporate affll-. {9 escaPe fom the stresses of ation is in many ways an ata~ | ations, few identify strongly | [oh Ce é! nee vistic resurgence of old, na- * with their “original” homes." jams" ia; nen Sao OI tionalistteritrial behaviors, + They are Antarcticans — or,» ‘dex Ning place for ciminals with political forces compet- , more poetically, “Borealites” , Polticaland ecological refugees, ing for the right to control ” — children of a new and Se newly “discovered” re-* nonpoliticized civilization, * aly indudling a number of old, sources that were previously. Yet Borealites are not en- . Powerful psychomorphs or owned! by no one. In this re- -tirely free from interference. ._Proto;psions'—-progenitos of gard, the only difference that * Colonists’ increasingly inde- * PSonsancl bangs with Peon exists between Antarctica » pendent attitudes in recent + POWE'S), and at least a oe and extraterrestrial coloniza- . years have resulted in a, ‘Ne Aberrants.The polar wilder jon efforts is one of location." greater military presence in "ess 5 the eens con The United Nations * Antarctica. The governments * SWE t© the forest of the Hindu headquarters on Luna is in. of Argentina, Australia, Bra- . Stdhis—an hallucinatory place constant tumult as represen- _zil, China and Nippon have _ bathed In unearthly lights, and tatives push their nations’ * spent significant time and re- * Populated by banciits, saints and agendas, looking for every * sources developing THES possible political edge in their presence on Earth's space and on Antarctica.” polar continent. Ad- Metacorporations do their * dressing each others’ po- part as well, offering lucrative . litical maneuvers is strain donations to whichever dig- _ enough without having to nitaries best promote the © deal with fractious set- companies’ goals. These ef- * tlers, The colonists’ inde- forts are a counterpoint to , pendent spirit is what in- other, less publicmaneuvers. " spired them to live in this Political espionage is a given * frigid southern land, and in 22nd-century politics, with . government pressures nations resorting to bribery, serve to only stoke the counterintelligence and even settlers’ fire rather than the occasional assassination. » dampen it. Argentina has Many rogue psions gravitate _ already stopped two se- to this spy trade, lured by the | cession attempts by its wealth and glamor. It’s likely © Antarctican colonies in that some orders are also. the past 12 years, and heavily involved in this es- UN-sponsored colonies pionage. The Ministry, routinely disregard direc- Orgotek and the Norca are tives from the Nihonjin known to support Antarc- contingent. It seems only ican developments; the a matter of time before psions they commit are scuffles for autonomy es- doubtlessly used for more calate into a full-scale than simple exploration and _ battle for independence. colony development. Subject: Possible chib renegades From: Major G.N. Bandawadday To: Colonel Agrat Shahim, Commancl Fourth Legion Encryption: DSE Transmission type: holofle Dates 04:21:06 11.01.10 New evidence near the abandoned Dakshn Gangotri base indicates that renegade members of Chitra Bhanu are still active in the Antarctica theater. A cache of Bhurano publications ‘was confiscated and destroyed. Evidence is inconclusive as yet as to whether we face sym- pathizers or actual quantakinetics. Recommend we proceed under | the assumption that some chibs escaped the purge. Request ad- ditional reconnaissance teams to ‘ensure renegades are brought to justice. Also request additional pyro support — the cryo kids out of Ross Station are enjoying them- selves, but I'm miserable.ing the now-famillar Cyclopean Hazards : De phenomenon Despite the advances in ” Deadly ultraviolet ra- environmental technology that * diation now streams make Antarctic enclaves and , unfitered through the corporate compounds pos- _ Eye during the Antarc- sible, the polar continent is be- * tic spring and summer. comingless, rather than more, + This radiation may have Mirabilis Found hospitable to permanent hu , been welcome nourish: | Aberzant Heese os maninhabitation. Only thedra- "ment to the mutated | Is Emp maticadvances made in stellar * Aberrants, but it causes GN Special Report © 2103 colonization techniques, aswell. numerous problems to | ___7 # See poe as the development of human _ human existence today. yent, a team of pie < ex: and Qin biotechnology sys- * The UV waves trigger | Plorers led by Ashesh van i | Courtland has discovered what tems over the last few years, * cancers in those who Teteihe ee dicl allow the colonies on the sev- spend too much time in J aPPEa'S fo be enth continent to remain vi- — the area, and they tend able. According tosome ecolo- * to destabilize unshielded gists, technology must con- hyper-fusion cells. The tinue to advance toeven keep | A'sculaplans theorize pein Anfarctca’sresisiance thatthe naclated region Tilia 16 deserted, presumably to colonization. "is also extraordinarily See The problems inherentto . high in taint, making it J abanconed curing the Abe Antarctcan colonization are " icely to lead to cases of | PxOdus Over 4O-Years ago, | manifold. To begin with, the * Aberrant Syndrome and Infamous during thai inland region is the coldest . other grotesque ill- territory on Earth. The conti- _ nesses, nental interior’s perpetual po- "Beyond these Jar wind, glacial ice pack and. * known dangers, Ant- relatively high altitude com- _ arctica seems to be J P&ePle: Unfortunately, the only. to produce temperature " growing ever colder | member of van Courlandt'sex- extremes reminiscent of a * and more hostile, Stud- | Petition versed : ie hi Martian autumn, ranging . jes show that the polar | f° Was forced to leave the from 0° to -60" Celsius, continent's mean tem- J B*0up several days ago due to While this sub-freezing ” perature in2120is 4°C _ ined in amechani cold is, in itself, a challeng- » jower than it was three ing obstacle to human life, it _ years ago. Blizzards oe oS has caused secondary prob- grow stronger and last J Eatth four decacies ago, the lems for Borealites: The cold *jonger with each pass- United Nations has respone makes it clficult to restore - ing year. Scientists are J £° PUBIC concerns regarding atmospheric damage done _ divided on whether the | 17© ‘iscovery. The : 2nd by Aberrants in the past. Dur- " Cyclopean Eye accounts send aspe- ing the Aberrant era, a cer- « for these changes. tain number of the beings Farhernore, Ant i ofesso were apparently fascinated arctic colonies have recone fee: by the natural ozone layer ” experienced unfore- J Physiology: Even It the site is breach that spiraled over the - seen complications. {UY abandoned, Pringle states: South Pole. This interest even The swelling number of led a group of Aberrants to technicians gainfully establish a headquarters in employed in Antarc- the Antarctican interior. tican’elties is the Sib These Aberrants used their ject of numerous jokes. abiltiestowidentheozonehole They earn thelr keep. as an Aberrant ideologue and | faction leader, Mirabilis is will reveal new insights into Aberrants and how humanity may combat them, should theyjough; sys- - sabotage by competing gov- human stubbornness as fems failures and * ernments or corporations, or * through technological | power outages , blames Aberrant attacks. , achievement. jave become dis- Compared to the lurid turbingly common. Al- * ~ though polar colonies are constructed with the same Antarctica is a frigid yet ~ majesty of the Eye and the * almost romantically alluring + glacial fastness that keeps a + place. Borealites choose their continent buried under ice, , lives on the polar continent, technologies used in extra- " the more mundane environ- "struggling to survive against terrestrial settlements, inci- * mental hazards of Antarctica * the elements, systems failures dences of failures and break- , seem almost hospitable. . and sporadic Aberrant raids downs in the Antarctic re- Travelers and settlers alike _ with the same fierce gion are five times greater * mustimportmost biomass to * as the Katroo miners in the than in space. Most people + be used as food. The Antarc- + Crab Nebula fought against the attribute these problems to , tic ecosystem is too stark to , alien Chromatics over five * harsh weather conditions, © provide much food, other’ yearsago. Psions are drawn to forgetting that space colo-* than fish (on the coast) and * many sides of li nies deal with temperatures . seasonal algae (which re- . tinent — promoting govern- lower than -200 C, as well quire extensive processing _mentsand corporations’ plans, as lack of gravity and atmo- * before becoming a useful * supporting the settlers’ efforts, sphere. + part of the human diet). Spe- + and investigating espionage Technicians and scien- , cially insulated biospheres , and rumors of Aberrants. Ant- tists have yet to account for” and hydroponics chambers ” arct the problems posed to polar * that require constant super-* agendas and possibilities, and colonies. Rumors fill the re- Is the source of many n dot the continental . offers as much mystery, dan- sulting void. Recent gossip _ interior's harsh ice surface, ger and wonder as any extra- blames systems failures on " operating as much through “ terrestrial colony.The Urban Schism re- sulted in the fulfillment of an ancient fantasy: the expansion of the human world into per- manent enclaves built on the surface of and at the bottom of Earth’s seas. After the Ab- errant War, most govern- ments were more concerned with rebuilding their ravaged societies or venturing into the stars than they were in explor ing the sea. That void left Earth's oceans open to exploi- tation by private agencies. Ocean cities are located in two main areas of the globe — the Asian Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. Undersea arcologies are also located at other places like the Mediter- ranean and on the African coast, butaren’tas developed as their larger competitors. ‘Oceania,” the name used to refer to all sea cities as a whole, originally referred to the islands of the Pacific However, the arcologies of Oceania are forming ident ties and loyalties independent of the powers that established them, much as extraterrestrial and arctic colonies are. The ocean developments of the Pacific rim are prima: rily Nihonjin-built arcologies This region is now known as Technonesia, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek salute to Nippon’s hardtech expertise The Caribbean ocean cities haven't yet felt the need to create a new name for them selves, since “Caribbean” does the job well enough. Both regions reflect much of the culture of the societies that established them. Ocean arcologies fall into two main categories: floating cities or deep colonies. Floating Cities The first of the artificial sea environments were float- ing cities built around min- eral-facilities. Administered by various metacorporations (especially the Nihonjin zaibatsu), the oceanic instal- lations served as “company | colonies” throughout the late 21st century. Life in these oceanic arcologies tended \ toward the austere, intensely regulated and profoundly | boring — the aquatic cities rivaled the Amano-Kelsian station orbiting one of Saturn's moons in terms of pure functionality over any sort of aesthetic. New corporate strategies that recognized the impor tance of developing aquatic stations beyond limited min- ing capabilities gradually forced non-Nihonjin facilities | torelax their control over the oceanic installations; the / zaibatsu soon followed suit. As orbital-resource exploita- tion became more and more important, corporations en- couraged. “soft-manage- ment” styles and social ‘economy in the floating cit ies in an attempt to raise pro- | duction efficiency‘patterns were revised to * “encourage young, unortho- « dox talent to emigrate to the , installations, making it pos- sible to lease less profitable * facllities for ecological re- . search or (in some cases) as living quarters for utopian * communities. Disillusioned « citizens of the Federated , States of America (often called “Norda-mericans"), as © well as Europeans, members of Psi Nippon and other out- cast Nihonjin subcultures flocked to the aquatic cities. They joined scientists, techno- primitives and hopeless ro- mantics searching for an un- spoiled ocean dream. In ex- change for autonomy and the chance to return to nature, the new generation (called “wave dwellers” or, most the installations economically viable into the orbital age. Of any society on Earth, the tsunanjin are debatably the most concerned with the in- tegration of modern technol- ogy into the natural environ- ment. Clinging to their fragile * urban platforms and hydrospheres, they have rea- son to be concerned with na- ture. These ocean-dwellers are insignificant in and alien to their immense habitats. Like extraterrestrial colonists, the tsunanjin treat their adopted homes with humility and rev- erence. To go against the flow risks the utter destruction of their fragile worlds, Unlike a number of the outer colonists, however, the tsunanjin approach their lifestyles with exhilaration and an almost playful enthusiasm. . Deep Colonies + togo farther and farther afield * tal shelves surrounding the They are a fantastically diverse” group, a collection of a dozen * different cultures united by are- , spect for the natural world, ‘Whether their parents were So- * mallan ore technicians, Venezu: elan marine biologists, Texan , maintenance engineers or Psi Nippon cuiture theorists, they * have learned from an early age « that the world isalive, and even has moods. There is an ounce " of truth in the holofiat stereo- typeofthe “noble tsunanjin"™ who feels a deep, almost empathic connection to the surrounding sea. Although the tsunanjin showed an impressive resur- gence in mining efficiency, their efforts were still not enough to sate Nippon's hun- ‘ger for raw materials. Forced to find stable sources of raw materials, the za/batsu achieved another technologi- cal miracle: “deep cities” but ‘on the ocean floor. Originally situated along the continen- Sea of Japan, these undersea installations make use of Lu- nar mining architecture, retro- ‘engineered to withstand oce- anic pressures instead ofnear- vacuum. The deep colonies are among the engineering tri- ‘umphs of the 22nd century. Variations on the life-support systems operating on orbital | Yu gain? stations provide air integrity, ‘Second Voice: The usual small vith gil-lke exchange mem. | tithe of raw output. However, our branes serving as backup sys- | Primary concern is your assurance tems. Defense grids mod- | that the deep cities will incorpo- led after aspects of Nippon's | te certain mitror-data archives. Hidden Fortress system pro- tect installations from aquatic Aberrants. Anchored deep in the continental bedrock and built ona modular, “compart- mentalized” plan, the new- est colonies are consid- ered safe by zaibatsu in- surance departments, and’ are even considered to be proofagainst anything short of an undersea volcano. The zaibatsu hold prop’ etary patents to the special- ized construction methods that ensure (among other things) that underwater cities do not buckle under the ‘ocean's weight. The Nihonjin | UNLABELLED HOLOFILE, FOUND | DAMAGED IN LIMA BARRIO, 1.4.2114 | First Voice: So, what is it that you want? Second Voice: | had been told that you shifters were | brusque. Some might even find you rude. First Voice: | am not con- cerned with how others might find me. My loyalty and my re~ sponsibility are to my people. Second Voice: On this, | agree. It pleases me to find that ‘the Sudamericans share some qualities with the Nihonjin. First Voice: You understand if | do not share your pleasure. Again, what do you want of me? Second Voice: We would like to give your employees in Caracas access to the deep-city blueprints. It would allow them to make use of the rich organic treasures of the Venezuelan Reef, First Voice: And what do First Voice: Locked duplicate data files. Sounds risky for you, Jand of little gain. Second Voice: [laughter] Do not worry about us. The archives will include their own decryption algorithms. We would like for them to be read ...someday.therefore dictate the loca- tion, layout and owner- ship of these bubble envi- ronments. The oldest of the colonies, including the now- famous Psi Nippon strong- hold Makaro-shima, are in- habited strictly by Nihonjin, having been built during the final years of the Quarantine. Most of these installations (such as the “bedrock-com- munities” that service Yokohama) are now modular residential colonies or have converted their economies to the production of tertiary goods or to service industries after exhausting their local mineral resources. Australia and the various powers of Asia were quick to petition the zaibatsu for the rights to build their own under- sea installations, resulting in the now-familiar grid of mining, trade and research facilities that ring the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The most famous of these facilities are probably FangTown, Fanglech’s corpo- rate headquarters in the Indi Sea offPerth, and Atlantis Deep inthe Red Sea, where pure fer- rous gels are pumped directly into waiting UAN/Nihonjin tankers. A third, more recent wave of undersea expansion brought the deep-city environ- ments to the Caribbean, where Venezuelan petroleum installa- tions and the multinational Atro-Caribbean/Brazilian “Pearl City” are justly famous as tour- ist attractions and architectural achievements. Defense of the Undersea Realms The deep colonies have clamored recently for even stronger safety measures and increased psion patrols. The reason for this concern comes “from an obvious and unwel- * come source: Aberrants — ‘ones adapted to marine ex- istence. Although there ap- * pears to be no organization * + to the Aberrant raids, at least one Aberrant has an “under- sea” agenda. The gigantic * being who calls himself «Poseidon Is responsible for five of the last 12 deep-colony * attacks recorded in the past * six years, including the well- ._ Publicized destruction of Cas- tor Deep in the Mediterra- * nean. Psion teams patrol con- = stantly for this beast of the deep, but have yet to come * close to catching him. Earth suffers infrequent Aberrant attacks compared to space settlements, but isolated. * Oceania arcologies are in a . situation similar to that of ex- traterrestrial colonies. Despite * the fact that the undersea cit- + ies are on Earth, being deep _ beneath the ocean surface lim- Its the amount of assistance * that governments and psi or- . ders can lend. Deep colonies must rely on their own defen- * sive capabilities to protect * themselves against attacks. ‘Many Technonesian undersea arcologies enact aggressive * recruitment programs for in- dependent psions. Consider- ing Nippon's reservations against psions and biotech, its deep colonies’ willingness to hire psion teams for defense creates tensions between sur- face and sea authorities. ‘Aside from hiring psion pro- tectors, deep colonies maintain their own defense measures. Colonies designed in the pastfive years are built around a cylindi- + a full-scale Aberrant attack, the |, central core also serves as an | evacuation capsule, jettisoning, * ballast and carrying the station = population to the surface. Thus far, psion and hu- * man patrols have withstood disorganized Aberrant at tacks. The “core defense” hasn’t been put to the test, and colonists hope it never « will; jettisoning the central core would destroy a station * —and people’s homes. * Oceania Society Although the new gen- + eration of tsunanjin has come from all over human space, * the majority of these people * originated in cultures that are . already ecologically ori- ented, The hybrid society of * the ocean cities includes rep- + resentatives from the care- fully engineered environ- “ments of the Malind “arcologies”: Nihonjin refu- . gees carrying that nation’s regrettably endangered rural tradition, Amazonian prag- matists, and Bharatu moral- , Many members of the European and Nordamerican ecological movements re- treated to Oceania during the Urban Schism; those who stayed behind (particularly in the FSA) dream of emigrat- ing themselves someday. Two elements in island so- ety embody tsunanjin identity. ‘The fist is composed of former Melanesians. Papuans, Fijians ‘cal, compressed carbon core. and Solomon Islanders were This core contains its own power plant for defense and its own emergency life support, and the core connects directly to the among thefirst contractual inhab- itants of the corporate ocean fa- ities. Melanesian culture also ‘gained unprecedented globalern Hemisphere’s Fascendance as the rimary socioeco- | omic power. Further- Music of the Sea More, since only the largest of» | _Warren Shaw, Retrospective B the artifical islands were stable ae ee ang time vi Le Q ‘enough to support orbital launch casually shaken scentific views about the nature of the uni facilities, Nippon was forced to * J Verse and of humanity's place in it, While touring the installa- | build its regional commercial and tions of noetic art in the Technonesian undersea city of transport hubs on natural islands inthe Pacific. Samoans and Fijians " 1 contact with nafive Earth sentients previously unknown to now reinvest the lease money them. Makaroshiman telepaths were embarrassed to admit made on their lands and co- , |” that these “intelligences” (described by the Qin ambassador bankroll the expansion of — | 45 “elegantly manifold”) were unknown to humanity as well. Technonesian developmentinto Until the appearance of Qin in the undersea habitat, the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. human noetic research hac! inconclusive proof of the de- If the tsunanjin know | | gree ofintelligence that dolphins and whales possess. The | whatit means tolive inaselt* | Gin assured the assemblage that humans’ aquatic rela- sufficient, self-contained en- tives are impressively intelligent, with thought patterns as vironment, surrounded by complex as those of humans themselves, but nearly in- the vast ocean, itis because comprehensible. Even more surprising, the Qin conveyed the Melanesians have expe- thelr belief that octopi possess sit itelligence. The rienced it for a centuries and noetic community is loathe to accept such a claim, al- have shared their experi- though higher cephalopods have long been known to cre- ence. Nothing Is ever wasted "J ate and use tools. Favor rests, not surprisingly, with the on the artificial islands: with * | trove sociable (and presentable) cetacean species. their tightly regulated ecolo- Initial telepathic probes reveal that the minds of some gies (the undersea installa- | aquatic animals seem intensely introspective, making it tions recycle even the air). “ } qifficutt to gauge theirnature accurately. Dolphins, whales the floating cities are more and octopi are therefore more fascinating now than ever like orbital colonies than true before, although it may still be decades before we learn islands. The cities are simply the true extent of their intelligence. Crs convenient G3 Earnuy, Why the Qin’s low level of telepathic capability commerce and cosmopolitan. | could trigger communication with undersea species, | culture than are geographi while Ministry endeavors have failed, baffles cal islands. Everything is a” | noeticists. They theorize that the aliens’ basic tele- potential resource for use or | pathic abilities, while much less than full psion lev- for sale on a man-made is-_ J is, facilitate telepathic communication greatly. | Jand or in an undersea city. Noeticists will be hard at work for some time research- The second unique cul" J ing the full repercussions of this event. tural force among tsunanjin is dolphins. As yet neither group — tsunanjin nor dol- phin — will discuss the re- lationship between the two in any detail. The possibility of cetacean — and, incred- ibly, cephalopod — sen- tience has scientists and theologians alike rushing to. Oceania. Noeticists are heavily involved in this re- search, telepathy having been key to encountering what Is currently referred to with pods of dolphins and as “cetacean proto-sen- whales, as well as with oc- tience.” A number of re-~ topi and squids search expeditions, spon- It is premature to delve sored by China, Zurich- deeply into the ramifications Geneva, Brazil and the UAN, _ of cetacean and cephalopod include psions as staff and/ _sentience. Still, the possibili- or as defenders against un- ties may enable humanity to dersea threats. These groups _ explore the history and envi- venture out for weeks at a ronment of Earth in ways that time to study and interact _ were never possible before.CEU Religious cults and philosophical cabals enjoy a resurgence in the psionic era. Hu- man society is overwhelmed by the emo- tional enthusiasm of religion — or perhaps more accurately, by the possibilities of fu- ture religions. The miracles and monsters of humanity's myths are alive and living among us: flying people, horrible demons, vision- ary saints, clockwork creations, incompre- hensible alien spirits. Children born today inherit a universe where biotech and psi al- low the fulfillment of the simplest desires where almost any dream can be realized. Of course, ail of this assumes that hu- manity survives. Rather than look at the religious forces now shaping the world as revived mythic fragments, itis perhaps more useful to focus ‘on how — and if — these forces might help humanity create its own heaven or form its own hell ESOTERIC SECTS New faiths have emerged in the 22nd century and focus on the unique features of the modern universe. Many such religions represent attempts to combine the oldest human beliefs with the newest technologies and social trends — noetics, alien contact, biotech theory and Aberrants. While a number of new religious groups (Chitra Bhanu and Xigaze, among others) have been linked to terrorist activity or de- structive cult behavior, it should be noted that this is by no means the case for all emerging faiths. Indeed, many of these groups are quite harmless. ABERRANT CULTS During the atrocities of the last century, thousands if not millions were seduced into worshipping Aberrants in order to avoid their wrath. Some worshipped alone, becoming part of a wave of ritual "wannabe" killers. Others worshipped together, forming so- called “Aberrant cults.” These tragic sects, many consciously encouraged and engineered by the Aberrants (and later, by cynical elements within the media), operated on a simple prin- ciple: If rational civilization had failed, com- fort could be found by devoting loyalties to the new dominant culture, Aberrants. The crimes, perversities and cruelties committed ee THE 2084 VATICAN REFORMS Nagy —Mother Rose Olsen, The Long Dormition © 2102 Sirius Press Taken together, the 2084 series of Papal encyclicals is one of the most im- portant religious documents of modern Christianity. First and most importantly, the 2084 Reforms brought the Church ine with the spiritual needs and the material culture of the Crash. The Ca- tholicism (and threatened schisms) that ‘emerged from the debates was far more in tune with the world’s day-to-day problems. The remaining clergy were encouraged (even expected) to become social and political leaders in their com= munities. This new attitude of engagement in the secular world extended even to the Vatican. From 2084 onward, the papacy dedicated itself to using its enormous diplomatic apparatus to promote a spe- Gific political agenda of human rights and ethical conduct. After a half-century of atrocities and squalor, it was felt that surviving secular institutions should have a strong moral and guiding voice, and the Vatican (not without misgivings) became that voice By developing this new secular so- cial consciousness, the Church took a step that many believe was centuries overdue. In 2084, the sexual equality of the soul was finally recognized and women were granted the right to be- come ordained clergy.by “wannabes” and orga- nized cults are a matter of public record — or at least those records restored in the aftermath of the Pulse. In some cases (Doug Treadwell and his “Dolly,” the “Wailing-Wall cult”), the human followers of the Aberrants equaled their idols in sheer barbarism. The Trinity is aware of several vestigial remnants of these cults that survive in the 22nd century. Many have shifted their foci from slavish service to Aberrants as a whole to seeking out and nurturing returned Aberrants, perhaps in hopes of replacing their lost demon-gods. Most cultists continue to imitate their role models, as if in the hope that by impersonating the demons, the de- mons will come again. The Divisians The best organized (and funded?) of the remaining Aberrant cults, the Divisians ap- pear to have evolved out of the fan club for Divis Mal. The Divisians were involved in community service and recreational roleplaying as early as the 2030s, but the inevitable descent of their idol into alienation and insanity soon altered the group’s tone substantially. Urban legend holds that the ivisians never disbanded after 2061, and are still out there promoting the “future” that “belongs” to Divis Mal CHITRA BHANU Originally the quantakinetic psi order established by S.K. Bhurano (founder of the Jinana Physics Interpretation of contempo- rary noetics), Chitra Bhanu is now thought to be extinct, wiped out in the unfortunate siege of 2109. However, the scarcity of texts on the order that remain after its purge makes it difficult to determine the group's true te- nets. Was Chitra Bhanu actually a sophisti- cated Aberrant cult, as the remaining orders claim? Triton Division continues to delve into the mysteries surrounding this organization. Doyo One of the most popular of the new re- ligions of the Caribbean and of the cities of eae a REFLECTIONS OF AN ORDINARY MAN —From the Collected Writings of Otha Herzog ‘As we walk through the wreckage of the Aberrant Era, the belief that spi tuality and progress were once consid- ered contradictory forces seems strange to us now. For our grandparents, the future of the human race was a fragi thing, endangered by the psychologi- cal drives that struggled against progress and that guided us instead back into the dim primitivism of the past. In order to protect the future, women. and men of conscience felt obliged to stand guard against any incursions by the primitive, the traditional, the anti- intellectual or the mystic. These "men- aces” were perceived to be prevalent in religious life, which was viewed as being contradictory to meaningful bet- terment of the human condition. ‘The Aberrant Era brought an end to all that nonsense. the Niger coast, Doyo is apparently a fusion of African belief/ritual systems and worship of a “progenitor race” that is considered to have bestowed the proxies with their pow- ers, Despite the fact that there is no evidence of such beings, the Doyo belief enjoys a small but growing popularity. According to Doyo, distinct identities and personalities are ascribed to extraordi- nary entities that are at work in the universe, but these identities seem to be applied with little or no apparent pattern. For example. the entity that is supposed to have appeared to Alex Cassel is called “Doshang” by Doyo practitioners, who invoke it for virility and corporate success. Bizarrely, “Dambado,” the entity attributed to Proxy Atwan of the miss ing teleporters, is considered a figure of apocalyptic dread, and is rarely, if ever, in-The number of these “divinities” appears to vary widely from commun nity — in some places a dozen or more are revered, but individual practitioners gener- ally focus on two or three. The Caribbean branch of this religion is especially interest- ing; emphasis is not on the propitiation of these “all-powerful beings,” but on the even- tual evolution of human beings into the same state of transcendent power. A number of known psychomorphs, or “proto-psions,” appear to belong to this “Pearl City Doyo. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE FACE OF THE MAKER FACE CULTISTS) In the 20th century, some of those indi- viduals who studied the Mars images re- turned by the Viking missions claimed to have seen evidence of a human, or at least humanoid, face carved on the Martian sur face. Later, observers found — or imagined — similar monuments on Europa and Tethy When manned ships were finally sent to sur- vey these phenomena, nothing was found that could not be explained by normal pro- esses of planet-shaping 1 the limits of photo- raphic resolution. And yet, were not dissuaded, The Fellowship of the Face of the Maker. sd in the decade leading up to the Ultimatum. The group began as an alliance of pseudo-science scholars with The founders of the Fel- lowship believe that there are indeed face: on every notable body in the solar system — but that most images were destroyed by Aberrants to keep mankind in spiritual dark- ness. The Fellowship's sacred duty is to carve new faces on every planet and moon, dem- onstrating to the secret forces that created humanity that we are ready for the next step in enlightenment. The discovery of the Qin a boom in the society's membership. “Here are be- nevolent aliens in the flesh — or whatev they have— the Face Cult believe ritories for the Fellowship to explor g the search for evidence of highlic appearances and the market- ing arm of his fashion empire serve to drop Small bands of Fellows are found any- where they can travel to TEMPLE JUDAISM by spaceship, and any- | Warren Shaw, Retrospective where they can carve for © 2120 OBC Peeeabtienent the greater glory of the The state religion of Israel-judah. exuelaaniapt race. Their works range J and the only surviving faith now prac from life-size visages to J ticed in Jerusalem, Temple Judaism is} MORNING WESTERLY. cones that span kilometers. the expression of centuries of Jewish | EXUBERANCE (WE) Detail likewise ranges from J history. Since the Romans’ final de=| "The so-called “Dolphin crude blocky outlines to Jf struction ofthe Temple in Jensslem I patigion,° MWE has no real hyper-real clarity. These Softacon se aan cultists are friendly to all tapeanibeliel Or AnLAe. humans and untainted J correctly in a world where the only tem. instead, the Exuber- aliens, believing that J truly sacred place no longer existed. | ss the creation of Flassy humanity's creators mingle | Emphasis was therefore placedonthe | Fajjanger, a popular (and among us even now, and J study of the Talmud and on conect | csiiy fictitious) science could regard universal hos- J reading rather than on correct action. | FStion writer. While the ver. pitality as sign of spiritual J As the centuries past, political and ¥ Sion cf MWE that's popular maturity. Fellows are unre- Jf religious tensions continually pre-J in australia and Oceania mittingly hostile _ tof vented the Jewish people from re- tends to be simplistic and Aberrants and anything ingtheTempleandrestorngthe | Utopian (it's largely con- else that hints of taint. priestly rte to a central role. ccemed wth diinginto the Rumor has it that When the Aberrants destroyed | Cberance” and jestiving some Fellows and follow J Jerusalem in 2052, Israel was perhaps | Sro's own narcissism), the ers of the Doyo faith have the best prepared for the disaster of ign outlined in Fallanger’s begun to compare philo- J Middle Eastern nations, and was the] coi is an extraordinarily sophical perspectives. first to truly recover. After securing | Compiexexamination ofthe There seems to be some J its borders by annexing territories | ture of ourrealityand the interest in reconciling the J formerly belonging to the neighbor- | in iicate orcer behind it disparate ideas that each J ing states of Lebanon, Syria, Egypt Rurfors!thabsHlascy group has about some sort J and jordan, the “reconsecrated”na- Fajjanger" is merely an Of “progenitor” race. tiontumed torebuilding theTemple. J atias for Otha Herzog have KOSTBAARISK When the holy site was completed yet to be proved. Mean- in 2100, all inhabitants of the region] hile. cetaceans them: rah a fake religion {eluding the Bahal basecion Mount] Soives have been reticent se eettofnetinmecon. [Carmel were given the choice off (6 discuss their religious ancl a cultofmedia person: I converting tofudalsm or evacuating) £2, n