by G. R. Carter
He knew each person in the room was calculating their own odds, trying to figure out where they could go to establish their own turf. Half already lived in the future temperate zone, or at least had vacation estates near the highlighted band. He went for the close, “People, let’s focus on the positives here! We are talking about the opportunity for a giant leap forward!”
“Okay, I’m with you. So how do we ensure the survival of those we want to keep?” Talal asked. “Won’t all of us stand the chance of perishing? Unless you have some way to hide from the chaos, desperate masses will overwhelm even our most loyal household troops.”
“Indeed, Prince Talal. We will all need places to ride out the initial shock and the immediate aftermath. Then, once the worst has passed, we can reemerge and set to work recreating a sustainable future where our species is a part of nature, not an adversary.”
“Yes, yes, sustainability is wonderful,” Talal replied impatiently. “But where will we stay safe until then?”
“That’s the benefit of knowing ahead of time. I suggest that all of us make it a priority to get to work immediately. My engineers say that underground is really the only option for long term safety. We’ll need to know where, so we can stay coordinated after the event,” Johnson instructed.
“With such a massive undertaking, how will we keep the public from figuring out something is going on?” Dubois asked.
“In the United States we’ll mask our building efforts as part of a new infrastructure program designed to counteract the solar storms. We’ll rally the public around the project by showing how we can keep the storms from affecting their precious electronic devices,” Johnson said.
“But Rice just said the solar storms are slowing down. Why would you spend trillions to save what will be useless in a few years anyway?” Dubois replied.
Johnson’s patience was fading. “Think it through, how would you shut off the power all at once? I mean, what would cause each power plant and electrical grid station to stop working at the exact same time? Won’t some ingenious citizen figure out a way to save the day for humanity if there’s still some parts of modern society functioning?” he said with uncharacteristic sarcasm. He was already making note of who wouldn’t make the final selection.
“Kill switch,” Guangwu said. “He’s speaking of a global kill switch.” Johnson watched the man picturing the process in his mind; electrical engineer training proceeded his life in politics. “You will provide everyone the chance to download this saving technology. A benevolent savior program somehow bringing relief to the troubled masses. In reality it’s a Trojan horse that can be used to control…well everything is electronically controlled now. So you can shut off everything all at once, with just one simple command.”
“Thank you, Premier. I knew you would quickly grasp the concept. May I count on you to lead our global connectivity task force so we can ensure this happens simultaneously?” Johnson asked with sincerity.
Guangwu graciously bowed his head.
Prince Talal spoke again. “What’s our timeline? I don’t want anyone to get behind, timing will be crucial!”
“We will throw the switch on the Winter Solstice, three years from now,” Johnson replied.
Nervous murmurs from the assembly returned but Johnson cut them off with a wave. “I have assigned each of you to a task force addressing specific obstacles to our goals. Each will receive access to our new artificial intelligence and communication network. We don’t have the time to physically travel to meet anymore.”
Johnson waited for anyone to raise further questions. “Everyone please remember, this is not the end of the world, just a Great Reset. It’s happened before, but for the first time we have a chance to guide the results instead of just surviving. We can actually guide natural selection, and still retain the gains we’ve cultivated over the last 5000 years. Obviously there is a great deal to accomplish in a short time period so the season for debate is over. The clock is ticking people.”
*****
Less than an hour later the conference room was empty, the attendees already in helicopters headed for the airport where private jets awaited. Johnson smirked, he imagined it would be a sleepless trip home for most. A soft as velvet voice broke him out of his daydream.
“Should we have told them about the earthquakes?” the voice asked.
Johnson shook his head. “That’s still unconfirmed. The whole thing is already over their heads. We gave them a simple, if catastrophic, problem. Then we offered them a way out.”
Pina Bastet alone remained with him in the inner sanctum. Even the guards had been sent away for now. Brilliant sunlight pierced through the shatter proof glass, ironically warming their faces with its touch. Twenty stories below, New York City teemed with life. Little ant sized people scattered and scurried on their daily routine. None suspected their fate or who was deciding if they lived or died.
“Do you think Aguilar suspects anything?” Johnson asked, raising an eyebrow to the President’s Chief of Staff.
“Pfft,” she said with a wave of dismissal. “I’ve got him busy tormenting cabinet members who still think they can make decisions on their own. I would suggest you make the occasional appearance though. He needs to feel like he’s in charge or he can throw major tantrums. That’s something we certainly don’t need right now.”
“Oh I’ve been in touch with your golden boy President. In fact I’ve already turned him,” Johnson said with a smirk.
“He converted? He’s been Catholic his whole life. Not like a practicing Catholic, but still it’s part of his family’s identity,” Pina said with surprise. “I’m his Chief of Staff! I’m supposed to be the person closest to him, and you convert him without me knowing?”
Johnson shrugged. “I was able to show him how our faiths could merge together. He’s vain enough that if you tell him he’ll live forever he’d do just about anything. And don’t pout Pina, it’s not in your nature.”
“Anyone else I should know about,” she asked, still smarting.
“Reed came right along with him,” Johnson answered.
“Well that doesn’t surprise me. The guy idolizes Aguilar. So you’ve got the President of the United States, the Speaker of the House, and you already had the Head of the Joint Chiefs.”
“Don’t forget the real power brokers of Europe and Asia. Plus London, Ottawa, New Delhi, Mexico City…they’ve had a hand in this sort of thing for thousands of years. Americans are just late to the party,” Johnson told her.
“This is quite a web you’re spinning you know?”
“Can’t be helped. If we’re going to do what’s necessary, we’ve got to make sure all decision makers are invested,” he replied.
“Invested is right. The money needed is astronomical. You sound so confident that we’ll get this bill passed. Most of the other nations don’t have to go through the democratic motions like here in America. There will be a huge uproar over the new spending,” she said.
“At first perhaps, but no politician can resist bringing home big pork for voters. We’ll focus on the cities, promise electronic utopia. Who knows, it might actually work for a while. I’m sure we’ve already got the votes lined up. Aguilar and Reed will keep both sides of the aisle on board. Worst case scenario we do it through executive order and regulations. Besides, we’re not talking about real money, it’s all just electronic digits on a spreadsheet. We can spend as much as we need and then poof! - it all goes away with a key stroke. Most intelligent people realize that now.”
Pina shook her head. She felt overwhelmed with the complexity of their task. “How are we going to keep this quiet?”
Johnson thought for a moment. He watched a jet suddenly veer up, gaining altitude from the distant airport. The metal bird seemed to elevate like magic over the city below. Civilization stretched out as far as the eye could see. I’ll hate to see it all go. But who knows what we can build with a clean slate? Besides, I’ve still got a few years to enjoy it.
“Use dist
ractions. Have the reporters generate some conspiracy talk. Vary the storylines, make things so crazy that everything gets discredited.”
“You mean crazier than us building underground shelters to ride out the end of civilization due to a coming ice age?” Pina laughed. “Oh, and we’re going to kill off 90% of the world’s population so that the chosen few can survive in comfort! How do you expect to get crazier than that?”
Johnson shrugged. “People are too stupid to care now, Pina. As long as they’re entertained they’re complacent. The NSA or FBI can pay a visit to anyone getting too close to the truth, if needed. Besides, anybody with the power to stop the project will be on the list. It’s in their interest to keep things quiet,” Johnson answered.
“What about the Hawks like Julia Ruff and her ilk? What if they get wind of what’s happening?” she asked. Even as a junior senator from a backwater town, Ruff had influence. She was a favorite among Midwestern farmers and small business people.
All Johnson and Bastet knew of the Hawks was their ideology, no details about membership. But they had a long list of suspected associates and were building files on them as quickly as possible. The Hawk label was something intelligence services had given the rebels. It simply reflected their fiscal beliefs, to their knowledge there was no actual organizational title. Rumors of her allegiance to the secretive organization plotting resistance against the Federal government were starting to filter back to DC.
“I’d be surprised if the Hawks didn’t already know something was happening to the climate. Most are from farm country, so they’re fanatics about how the weather reacts day to day. Their scientists likely warned them by now. But they aren’t organized like us,” Johnson replied.
“I know, but I can’t imagine they’ll just give up on America. They’ll be furious at the idea of us not even trying,” Pina said.
“We’re not talking about winning an election, Pina, we’re talking about survival of the species. Chances are they’ll do the same thing we’re doing, hunker down with family and close associates. Hawks think they’re martyrs, like they’re all about using their wealth and power to help the common man. But they’re too independent to have real cooperation. In the end, they’ll act in their own self-interest, people always do.” He sighed at the belief, well formed from a lifetime of experience.
“But you’re right,” he continued. “We’ll have to decide how to handle them if they get too close, root them out right away. The IRS has a line on who most of them are, we’re trying to get people inside of their inner circles. Hmm, better draft a contingency plan just in case.”
“Assassination?” she asked.
“Maybe, if necessary. But those attract so much attention. We’ll have Ruff followed, and some of her rebels in Congress. Even pay them a visit down at the bar where they have their ‘secret’ meetings. We don’t know specifically who the Hawks are, but we can certainly get to their puppet politicians.”
“That’s here in the States though, Herman. You know the Hawks have friends in Canada, England, Germany, even Russia,” she said.
“There’s nowhere in the world to hide when the power goes out Pina, you know that. As long as the majority of the population is trapped in cities when we throw the switch we’ll easily get the reduction we need. Any left overs will beg for our leadership just to get back some semblance of stability,” he said.
“I still think you’re underestimating how resilient the bitter-clingers are out in the sticks. I grew up there. Our Midwest is a powder keg of resentment, like the ghost of William Jennings Bryan is back. Central Canada is just as bad, they’re talking about trying to gain independence. They don’t like Ottawa telling them what to do, and they’re certainly not going to go along with DC influencing more of their lives,” she said.
“Nothing like that can make a difference. Not anymore. We’ve already passed critical mass, climate change is just accelerating what needed to happen. Those little towns are barely hanging on right now, how would they make it without the major cities? Sorry but the middle of this continent belongs to the bison again.” He paused and laughed out loud. “They think they’ve been froze out of the system before, they’ll literally be frozen out this time.”
Pina shuddered. “I hate the cold. Why couldn’t Continuity give us global warming instead?”
Johnson was in a good mood now, enjoying the mental chess. Plotting against enemies of his faith always got him feisty. “Pina, She’ll reincarnate you a multitude of times before the real cold sets in, you’ll have plenty of time to adjust. Of course, I’m always available to help keep you warm.”
She returned Johnson’s suggestive grin, sliding her arms around his waist. She leaned up and whispered seductively, “You don’t have to wait for an ice age to fire me up.”
Fortress Farm Terms and Characters
Solar Storms—Similar to the Northern Lights, waves of electromagnetic particles from the Sun illuminate the night sky all over the world. While not a catastrophe, the storms do cause inconveniences in a modern world built upon sensitive electronics. The world’s economies are already ailing, and the drain of damaged electronic devices is hampering any attempt to jumpstart trade and innovation. In response, the US Government pushes through legislation known as The Pullback.
The Pullback – The omnibus spending bill giving a blank check to the Federal government to spend whatever they need to combat the Solar Storms. Partially paid for by greatly reducing the United States military, pulling back all troops from overseas and stationing the few left in defensive bases surrounding Washington DC. The massive spending gets the support of both Conservatives and Progressives in Congress (Con-Pro Coalition) by steering rivers of money into the districts of prominent leaders. The Pullback concentrates all spending into select urban areas, bypassing rural communities. Also funds the base on Luna to study the Solar Storms.
GRAPEVINE – Artificial Intelligence gets priority with funding from the Pullback Bill. Touted as the solution to all problems caused by the Solar Storms, a massive computer brain called GRAPEVINE reaches out from its Silicon Valley home, taking control of any and all electronic devices in the world. Spreads both by hardwire connection and WiFi. Nothing remains unaffected unless specifically built to avoid the worldwide network.
Regional Capitals—A token spending cut to those concerned about national debt and inefficient spending, The Pullback eliminates all local government as well as state capitals, replacing them with Regional Capitals located in major population centers. Due to the massive amounts of new money flowing into the Regional Capitals, people flock there from smaller cities and rural areas to escape high unemployment and slow technology.
Ratbars—Short for ration bars, these are the standard issue food source for all but the wealthiest in society. Each week, the nutritionally balanced ration bars are distributed to the general population from the last remaining major retailer; Get-Mart. Government run warehouses distribute the ratbars to the retail centers, making control of those facilities akin to controlling the food supply. All food and supplies are purchased with a device known as a Wristband, which provides access to an individual’s digital wallet. Wristbands also provide Health Department officials with real time vitals monitoring allowing the ratbar with the appropriate vitamins and calories to be assigned. Without a Wristband, you cannot legitimately purchase any item or service. A thriving black market exists in major cities for real food in modern day speakeasies referred to as supper clubs, providing a source of income for farmers who don’t live in the cities. Many of these connections provide the basis for post-Reset alliances.
Continuity – A faith followed by the most powerful people in the world. Based on the belief a person’s Profile can live forever on the Network. Adherents use Progressions to improve their Profile. Elite Profiles will be downloaded into new bodies. The roots of the religion go back to the beginning of time, originating with the worship of the Sun.
Great Reset – The night GRAPEVINE shut down ta
king the entire electrical grid, internet and communications with it. After the Great Reset, a literal Dark Age falls across the world, leaving billions of people without access to food, fresh water, heat or security.
Biofuel – Fuel made from organic materials. Ethanol and soy diesel are the two most widely known biofuels in America before the Great Reset. Because of economic pressures and the relocation of most of the population to densely populated city centers, many biofuel refineries are closed before the Reset. Members of the Shelby County Cooperative, the precursor for the Okaw Valley Self Defense Cooperative (SDC), use on-farm biofuel refineries to create their own economy. Most diesel engines are easily modified to run biofuel allowing residents of the SDC to have heat and power after the Reset shuts off the country’s electrical grid.
Fortress Farm – While the small town residents of the defense cooperative (SDC) retreat into School Shelters for defense and resource conservation after the Reset, remote farms remain vulnerable to bandit attacks. Utilizing the multi-story concrete towers formerly used as grain elevators, the Okaw SDC creates Fortress Farms. Each silo has reinforced concrete walls several feet thick, providing enough protection to withstand an F5 tornado. Surrounding defensive berms are bolstered by large concrete drainage tiles produced locally. If attacked, residents can retreat inside the walls. At night, farm residents sleep in the concrete towers, safe from anything short of heavy artillery. The basic defenses for a Fortress Farm can be created in just a few days.
School Shelters – Offering a large gathering place that is easily defended, large school buildings are quickly commandeered by the SDC for use as living quarters. Hospitals and Churches are also pressed into service. Built strong, these structures offer centralized food preparation and storage. Plus classrooms act as living quarters. Adults can leave the structure during the day to forage, build and tend gardens knowing their children are safe in a familiar place. At night, the facility provides a place for meeting and common defense. The Fortress Farm/School Shelter system is replicated in each area that joins the SDC.
