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A Brief History of Genetically Altered Organisms
The following are excerpts from various historical databanks: “By 2104, test-tube babies had become standard practice as a way to ‘customize’ offspring. Genes could be slightly altered in the very early stages to create a heightened immune system, perfect eyesight, or simply blond hair. Russian scientist Inna Voronov began researching the limits of this practice, hypothesizing that there may have been a way to go beyond what would occur naturally.” Playing God: Creating Genetically Altered Organisms, 2214 “2139: Austrian Chancellor Jamel Bauer gives 4 billion Euros to fund the ‘Genetic Alteration’ project. To skeptics, he says, ‘Once, we were fish, and we were incapable of comprehending the ability to live on land, breathe in the air, and walk on two legs. Yet, by the power of evolution, here we are. So can we not comprehend such things as the ability to fly, and manipulate the elements…’” London Daily, 12 March 2139 “The Underground Wars in the mid twenty-second century occurred when many world powers began Genetic Alteration projects of their own (India, China, Japan, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States among the more prominent). A large market for blackmailing and espionage opened up between government labs… “…in 2178, American scientist Richard Warren was accredited with the creation of the first successful ‘Genetically Altered Organism,’ a rat named Meghan who had the ability to hover in the air for thirty seconds at a time… “…Finally, in 2192, the first human GAO was officially birthed by a lab in Japan, gifted with the ability to manipulate raw energy. Three years later, multiple world powers announced their first successful GAOs, leading many historians to believe that the espionage of the Underground Wars still existed… “…In the early 2210’s, the first generation of GAOs have become adults and have been put into their respective countries’ services.” Playing God: Creating Genetically Altered Organisms, 2214 “GAO’s deserve the same rights as Naturals! Stop the discrimination!” Equality Movement Pamphlet, early 2220s “Evidence has been found in a prominent GAO lab in Bangkok that leads investigators to believe that important equipment has been tampered with. We request a full investigation of all nations on the following list of suspected regimes.” Inquiry brought before the U.N, 2224 “No more need to fear an international GAO war! All GAO production ceased, and GAO’s released from public service, by order of the Universal Production Arrest Contract. Experts say the world has last winter’s Chinese lab incident to thank for finally opening the United Nations’ eyes, but many suspect it also has much to do with internal pressures from prominent Equality Movement figures. ” New York Times, 7 April 2225 “UPA Contract broken! GAO production still in effect all across Europe! U.N. in turmoil!” New York Times headline, 23 September 2225 “In the past four months, American GAOs are suspected to have mounted 17 attacks on different national landmarks and government facilities throughout the United Kingdom. Requesting immediate action.” “Here, we offer concrete proof that Japan has been sending undercover GAOs across Chinese borders. This is in direct violation of the Universal Production Arrest Contract! Action must be taken!” “Three terrorists captured within our borders have confessed to being GAOs under German government orders. We request judgment be passed on Germany’s true intentions.” U.N. proposals by the United Kingdom, China, and France, respectively, in 2228 “WAR!!” The Parisian, February 2230 “New York has been bombed by four separate nations in the last three years: thus the population has dropped by 78%.” Report out of the United States Census Office, 2244 “The long-term effects of World War III will no doubt be dire. Within the last twenty years alone, two presidents and a prime minister have been assassinated, countless major cites have been bombed and raided, Eastern Slovakia has been completely evacuated, borders have been consistently reconfigured, India has swallowed up most of Pakistan, Luxembourg has vanished completely, and Far Eastern borders have been writhing uncontrollably. Even after two decades, this chaos shows no sign of stopping. This truly is a world war: a war to end the world as we know it.” Personal diary of ambassador Sven Romestrand, 2249 “As early as 2233, International Peacekeepers’ Organization was created by various economic masterminds as a means of keeping world trade going behind the scenes while setting up various anti-war events…” “…By 2238, the IPO had received authority from war-beleaguered nations to start building ‘utopian cities’ outside major metropolises, promoting neutrality and peaceful intent. People besieged by war flocked to these new cities: including Brennen outside London, Terrace outside Paris, Ciato outside Rome, Neokyoto outside Tokyo, and Krysia outside New York…” “…In 2263, the International Peacekeepers’ Organization, now known simply as ‘the Organization’ was officially recognized as a moderator worldwide at the signing of the Cyprus Resolution, in which nations of the world agreed to cease creation of GAOs, and, to prevent any more underground GAO creation, to hand over all facilities to the Organization to be used or destroyed as they saw fit. The Organization agreed to take the role of Policemen of the World, taking into their command an eighth of the world’s armed forces, as a neutralizer….” The Pantheon of Peace: a brief history of the Organization, 2264 “As a safety precaution, the Organization has enacted the ‘White Noise Act of 2264,’ calling for higher surveillance of the use of electronic and mechanical devices, including the internet, virtual reality devices, and robotics…” Message sent to every email account in the world, 18 August 2264 “June 2268: the Organization starts employing GAOs openly as enforcers. Crime in Central Europe reaches a record low.” Organization-funded Pamphlet, Copenhagen “In 2271, the Black Panic broke out after apocalyptic predictions were circulated over the internet. Massive rioting forced the Organization to step in the most forcibly it had ever had to in order to quell the Panic. To prevent another, the Organization came to the decision to shut down the internet completely: employing high-security hand-held devices for communication instead. In response, the first Rebellion took place in Senegal, and was quashed with upsetting casualties...” “…Claiming the Organization’s reaction to the Black Panic a step too far across the boundaries of the humane, various religious institutions started rebelling against the Organization’s rule. Most were stopped before they could get out of control, but several in 2273 led to the destruction of major Organization facilities in the Near East…” “…By autumn of 2273, a large chunk of the Near East, including Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, were seized by the Organization and put under strict military rule. Other religious nations fell relatively quiet, with the exception of extremist factions…” “…In 2276, the Pope was mysteriously assassinated. The next night, the Organization was suspected in employing pyrokinetic GAOs to raze Vatican City to the ground. Before anyone had a chance to act upon this suspicion, the Organization had passed the “Plurality Simplification Act.” This banned any and all religious sects that may be of ‘biased’ or ‘discriminatory’ nature, in essence banning organized religion…” “…In 2282, an underground Christian sect emerged, preaching grace and equality. Approximately two hundred thousand pre-Organization and second-generation GAOs were counted among them...” “…The sect’s religious leaders are mysteriously taken out in 2285. Those that didn’t scatter tried to retaliate with an attack on the Organization’s Near-Eastern base, but failed and disappeared back underground…” Chronicles of the Organization’s Ideology-less Era, 2287 “Now is the time to throw off the chains of oppressive rulership and overthrow totalitarianism! Our brothers in Hong Kong have succeeded in laying siege to one of the Organization’s major Asian bases. The time to act is NOW!” Rebellion Pamphlet, 15 April 2309 “…and so it was that 2315 finally saw the end of the Organization in all respects.” The Rise and Fall of the Organization, a Report, 2317 After the fall of the Organization, there is little documentation to be found. This is no doubt due to the lack of mass information technology. Suffice to say that there’s not much to say. The utopian cities the Organization set up continue to be hubs for human activity (including here near Krysia). GAO’s are still somewhat outcast, and tend to congregate in certain colonies. Hanabi could tell you more about that. Perhaps I should pressure him into writing something up for you. The main point of interest is this: since the fall of the Organization, there has been no direction, international, national, or local. The Organization, in essence, dissolved the whole concept of separate nations in order to assume a stronger grip upon the people. By their reasoning, the general people could not peaceful when nationalistic sentiments clouded their judgment. No nations = no nationalism = no inter-national wars. Since then, our system has become somewhat feudal. Large groups of people tend to mass together in self-contained colonies. There is very little trade between them, and little traffic of goods outside those walls. Our group lives in this no-man’s land; this particular spot is what’s left of Old New York. However, there are factions vying for power. Those few that have risen were felled shortly after. Sometimes by my group’s hand, actually. After all, we certainly wouldn’t be out here in this anarchy if there weren’t a market for hired hands. I suppose that, before I sign off, I should thank Puma for helping me get my hands on the majority of these documents. How he managed to find them, I have no idea. Perhaps I should ask after that at some point. Then again, I value my life too much to lose it over something as silly as curiosity. Signing off: Hiru Bennett |