Intra-Sol Stories

     A short future history. The 21^st Century ends in multiple conflicts. These conflicts include:

1. Wars of religion and wars of culture through unrestricted immigration
2. Wars of food and nutrition through over processing of foods used to feed exploding populations with inferior nutrients
3. Wars for healthcare needed after environmental toxins weakened immune systems worldwide
4. Wars of despotic states exercising ruthless control over their citizens

     The automatic defense systems of a 5G/6G network launch a preemptive attack on the North American Free Trade Zone capital, Chicago. The single warhead is brought down over Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Millions die. Chicago’s automated defenses are then stood down to prevent a retaliatory strike and all-out nuclear war. This act of selflessness prevented the mass extermination of billions through nuclear war.

     Portions of the North American continent become uninhabitable. The restrained response of North America breaks the chain of autonomous warfare protocols, allowing vital population centers in the rest of the world to continue.

    After the destruction of the North American countries, all countries around the world totally dismantle their nuclear stockpiles once and for all. Without the threat of overwhelming force from the nuclear nations, isolated wars of opportunity break out. The 22^nd century ends with Earth plunging into an age of barbarism not seen since the kings of Babylon.

     Within a few years, the population of eight billion people is reduced to less than two billion—civilization contracts. Disease runs unabated. The population falls below a billion, where it remains for most of the 22^nd Century.

     Rebuilding occurs as warlords come to power and claim resources. The elite largely retain power as they adapt to a new model of despotism. In general, they are free from the burden of pretending to be kind.

     After the nuclear wars and as Earth descends into cabals and rogue states, groups within the general population collude to escape by going into space. The moon’s logistic support bases for Mars expeditions transition to accepting permanent immigrants, ones with skills needed to sustain life in space. Scientific research space stations around Earth are adapted for permanent human habitation, and the first such stations are built.

     In orbits around Earth’s moon, inhabited stations are established, then in Earth orbit. Other stations are then built in Venus and Mars orbits. Later, other inhabited stations are installed in orbit about the sun, between Mars and the asteroid belt, where the mineral resources are harvested to feed the growing numbers living in space. By the middle of the 25th Century, eighty-nine permanently inhabited stations have been established.

     This story begins then.