How the World Should Work

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read Continuity, I strongly suggest you close this blog and do so. What I’m going to paste below is the Prologue to the second installment. I figure it will quell a little bit of the anticipation and give the read a bit of context going into the sequel (which I’m hoping to have out by the end of the year).

So with that said, below is the beginning to Continuity: Induction. I hope you like!

C2 Prologue

“I occasionally think how quickly our differences would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world.”

These words were spoken during an address to the United Nations in 1987. The speaker was none other than the United States President – Ronald Reagan.

There are seemingly an almost infinite number of stories that focus on an asteroid bringing about the end of Earth. Each one having its own distinct purpose, Continuity is no different. The Catalyst itself is not meant to be to primary focus of this story, rather the motif here is the long-awaited unification of humanity. Our species has spent far too long disputing trivial issues. It is time that we shed our differences and realize that the beauty of being human is our ability to amicably maintain our own individuality. Despite our differences, we are all human, and should be capable of loving one another regardless of our beliefs.

With the advent of the internet, we are finally beginning to understand how powerful the voice of the people has become. We are able to connect like never before, and are at last starting to come together. I truly hope this leads to a global unity, allowing us to focus on the next step in our societal evolution – expanding into the universe.

That said, here is where we left off.

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With the world rapidly falling into collapse after the destruction of the Salvation, humanity’s fight for continuity rages on. The United Nations has been thrown for quite a loop since the destruction of the Salvation. Understanding the ramifications of the incident, they ultimately decided to hole up in a massive bunker and hope for the best. Their contingency plan consists of saving the wealthy and entitled, in addition to those that have been individually selected for their skills and knowledge. Thousands upon thousands of people have been ushered to underground fallout shelters scattered about the globe, built in anticipation of nuclear war. The bunkers are humanity’s only conventional hope against the impending impact of The Catalyst, which is 30 months from Earth. Unbeknownst to the masses, the “vaccination” the UN intends to apply to “protect the people against foreign contaminants” also contains a serum which bonds to individuals’ neurological networks, allowing the government access to their emotions, passions, and fears. What’s more, the serum includes nano-transmitters that function as an individual’s “societal DNA”, housing their finances and other social transactions. It will allow administrators to track the purchases and location of anyone who receives the injection. The United Nations intends to rebuild society upon this framework, with the entire planet submitting to this vaccination – emerging as a united, networked, collective unit under one world government. President O’Hare fully intends to become the figurehead for this new government that the UN envisions.

Yuri Antonov, on the other hand, has a much different intention for the planet. His ship, the Savior, is being constructed at a pace much faster than expected. His engineers, heavily influenced by various stimulants, are working harder than ever – intent on creating a vessel the Earth has never before seen. Yuri’s henchwoman Viktoriya is at his side as always, more than willing to lend a hand to whatever endeavors he plans to attempt. Their goal is to allow total and unfiltered liberty, with only the strongest, most ruthless individuals rising to power.

Carson and Brody’s signal device had been a success, leading to the reception of a series of characters that neither can interpret. Knowing that first contact will warrant disclosure to the public, Carson plans to take it upon himself to inform people that we are not, in fact, alone in the universe. First, however, he needs to ascertain the meaning of the message. If it’s hostile or malicious, the public will have to be warned. If it’s benevolent, however, he would need to coordinate a way to contact the sender(s) directly in hopes of diverting or destroying The Catalyst. As far as the state of affairs on Earth, Carson is intent on stopping the malicious schemes that President O’Hare and the UN has planned in regard to the rest of the population.

Jennifer, still distraught from the death of her mother, is struggling to maintain composure. In addition to Nina’s death, so much has happened during the past several months that severely tests Jennifer’s resolve – including her confrontation with Viktoriya at the Loew’s Hotel. The uncertainty of what lies ahead troubles her greatly, resulting in a constant sensation of vulnerability. Her connection with Carson provides a degree of comfort – but nothing can quell her fears completely.

Needless to say, things are chaotic. Humanity’s very existence is in question and to anyone capable of providing a solution, the world is theirs for the taking. Our future depends on the actions of three extraordinary people. A control freak, a power-hungry liberator, and a dreamer.

A dreamer. That’s what he’s always been called.