2055: Ain't What it Used to Be[IC/MANY NATIONS OPEN]

[Plzen]

Škoda office, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

Kateřina Novotná was as stern and disapproving as Johann feared she would be. She hated being disrupted while vacationing in her home town of České Budějovice.

"I was supposed to be on vacation, Director," she began. "Yet you are here telling me unfortunate news."

"Ah..." Johann didn't know what was safe to say.

"In any case," he finally began, "the evacuation was very successful. We only lost one technician, when the manager there accidently set off the wrong explosive."

"I know this already, Director." Kateřina's voice was very harsh. "Why don't you start talking about the property damage?"

That was an order, not a question.

Ah well. The best policy was honesty. Even if he lied, she'd find out somehow.

"We were forced to detonate our material resources during the evacuation. The value of lost raw materials are negligible, but we lost almost 15 billion koruna's worth of machinery."

The CEO smiled. Was Johann seeing visions?

"I understand that you couldn't do anything about this, Director." Her voice was considerably softer. "But it is time that we start preparing for the next time a greedy legislature adopts socialist policies."

"Do you have any particular proposals in mind, madame?"

"Ah, Johann," she smiled, coldly and savagely, "isn't coming up with ideas your job?"

[Renetopia]

President Nikola Altus,

Our nations have been growing closer economically in the past few decades, and we feel that, in these days of uncertainty, it would be best to tie our economies closer together with a mutual trade pact. This would allow the Balkan Union to more ably access Turkish oil and wean itself off Russian sources. In turn, Turkey would obtain freer access to Balkan coal and agricultural products.

Sincerely,

Gen. Necip Candemir,
Hilmi Apak,
Dr. Faruk Gökay,
Ahmet Ergün,

Representatives of the Turkish Council

To: The Turkish Council

We and the Unified Council agree with your proposal to ally our two nations. With large world superpowers, dangerous rebel groups and powerful companies dominating the world, we must assure Turkey's and the BU's place as regional powers in these turbulent times.

Preparations for a trade pact have already been discussed in the Council, but we will leave you to decide how will this proceed and what will the terms be.

Sincerely,

pr. Nikola Altus,
v.pr. Spyridoula Echthrós

[Reatra]

"The deal is done. The Ecuadorian government has sold us the Galápagos... And San Francisco has given us the go ahead to bring in the laser array. It's already on its way, and afterwards we can begin construction of the base." Aendre the construction man said. Bob the Builder replied with a
"Can we fix it?"
Aendre simply stared and said,
"There's... Nothing to fix..."

---

"And with construction beginning on the platform, we can safely say that everything but the cable will be ready by next June. Once we have it ready, and in dock at the Galápagos, we just need to send a few more shipments to the counterweight and we should be ready to go." Dario said.
"Christ. This is big, Dario." Danny said. "This is huge! This is something that people have been dreaming of for generations! Nobody will think it is possible until they see it completed. Corporations will be rushing to buy our technology. Nations will try to use ours for transport. We'll have monopoly on space!"
"I wonder is we will find any Ryraptors there..." Dario said.
Danny cracked up.
"Ha! You should tell that to Riley, Dar."

---

Riley was sitting at his desk, on his laptop, playing his favorite video game, Pax Europa VI. Developed by Paradox Interactive in 2051, the original Pax Europa was made so that Europa Universalis XII didn't have to happen. It was still a simplified nation simulator, but not nearly as simplified as the Europa Universalis series had been. Pax Europa appealed to a specific niche in gaming that wanted somewhat complicated grand strategy games. Riley was assaulting Constantinople in the Third Genovese Conquest of Byzantium when he was interrupted by Jacob.
"Uhhhh... Riley?" Jacob said.
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?"
"Something from the... Koreans... Just came in..."
"A physical thing?" Riley asked.
"No, a message. About how great we are and how it'd be nice if we could send over some money."
"Ah. Well have the Chinese done anything like that?"
"No. But from our diplomats there we know they've received a similar request."
"Eh. Wait a while. See what the Chinese do and if we can even afford to send aid this year."
"Alright, I'll say that."
"And now let me kick Venetian ass."
"Alright."

---

"Alright. Another thirty thousand occupied people. Jesus damn." Rex said. He'd come back from helping to fortify the surrounding villages and was ready to come back to HQ in Culiacán. But as he'd been taking out and capturing the Sinaloa in these places, he realized that right now the life of the Mexicans was no better than before. California needed to send aid and make life nicer quickly before there was mass unrest. Sonora had been pacified relatively quickly, but with the distance between Tijuana and Sinaloa it could take years before highways and railings got here. That should be the priority of the government instead of whatever was happening in the Galápagos. At least his family was always able to FaceTime. And luckily he still had several comforts of home, that he mostly gave to the residents of Culiacán. He felt bad for them, to them California wasn't different than the cartel.

---

"What're they doing?" Fred asked.
"What does it look like, Fred? They're taking apart the reactor!" Sally said.
"Why though...?"
"Probably to replace it with a fusion one next year."
"What about our jobs? What happens to us?"
"Fred, the government is good at putting people where they're needed. They'll need lots of workers for the fusion plants, and We have experience with this sort of stuff, so apart from scientists, we'll be next in line for those jobs. Until then, I hear that they're short on volunteers at the El Real Vertical Farm."

---

The wonder of technology. Growing up, Riley would have been on this elevator for twenty minutes to get down a full mile. Now it took one. He barely felt it too! He red reed when a 64 Gigabyte flash drive was something you said "oh shit" to, now three terabytes were what fifth graders brought to school. He remembered when exosuits and power armor were things people thought were hundreds of years away. Yet here he was, in a secret facility underneath a mile of rock and three feet of solar panels, ready to observe the first squad of Armored Infantrymen with Enormous (Girl) Testicles, otherwise known as AIM or EGT troops. They looked like something from that videogame Riley had liked as a teenager. What was it... Fallout 5? They were completely covered in armor that would fit on a tank. With hydraulic systems to keep the user moving smoothly (barely putting any energy in at all) and carbon nanotube batteries that could keep the suit going for three weeks. The climate control system inside kept the person at a cool 64 degrees no matter what. It could carry hundreds of pounds without a creak, and there were weapons in development specifically for the AIM troops. Massive missile launchers, heavy assault rifles, the first truly practical laser cannons, even designs for a sort of "mini-nuke" launched from a catapult.

The president could wait to see the look on the Americans' faces.

---

TO: Whomever it may concern in the government of the Second Chinese Republic.

FROM: The Government of the Republic of the Californias.

As friends of the Californias, and the largest producer of tungsten in the world, the government would like to buy 36,000 tons of tungsten concentrate from the SRC.

[Protector Galactics]

Anchorage, Alaska
The City was an anarchic hell hole. Police were trying to keep control of the city but the their was a situation in every corner of the city. 200 Republican Soldiers were stationed in Anchorage, joining the police forces in maintaining control of the city. Captain Zeier of the 22nd Republican Brigade was in the city. He and his men were moving through the streets securing every corner while keeping a keen eyesight. Papers from the office buildings above filled the streets, while cars were attacked in an intersection by angry anarchist's. Captain Zeier and his men fired a few rounds towards the group making them scramble for cover. "Oi Charles, Edward, Cover our backs while we secure that intersection. The rest of you, on me." The group of 5 slowly approached the intersection securing the buildings along side it. Gun fire erupted on the men. A group of Rebellious Teens began charging at the soldiers. The troops fired off rounds of rubber bullets at the teens, dropping them to the ground. Zeier hand cuffed the group and waited for the police trucks to arrive.

Anchorage City Hall
Meanwhile, Vice President Michael Rosewood was about to step up to a press conference in Anchorage city hall. Michael just suffered a divorce and the lose of 2 Children. He suffered more depression by the pressure of being Vice President. He already decided to take his own life during his speech. He hid a 22. Caliber Revolver in a yellow envelope bag and printed a few suicide letters for advisers. Then he went into the press hall relaxed. "Good Afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen of the new Republic. I would like to tell you a little story of my life. I was born in Santa Monica, California in 2000. I grew up with a very wealthy family, I very appreciated every opportunity I had with them. Then we suffered dramatically in 2008. We were ranked down as middle class citizens. We lost a good amount of money from the recession. I later went on to Law School, Graduated and joined the government in 2028. I married a very lovely woman and 10 years later we had kids. I watch them grow with their dad miles away serving Alaska. Then in 2049 I lost my kids to a shoot out in a restaurant." He paused to wipe off his tears. "They were killed very young. I blame the Liberal government in California for their deaths. If there was concealed carry, non of this would of happened. A few years later I also lost my wife to a divorce. To this day I love her to the bottom of my heart and I want to let her know if she is watching this, that I love her. Now, I would like for my adviser to come up." He soon put the yellow bag near him as he passed out his letters to his advisers. (Warning Graphic)
Michael's suicide shocked millions of viewers watching the news.

Juneau, Alaska
President Meyer stormed off to his room after watching the news in disbelief. He was a friend of Michael, and wouldn't imagine he would do such a thing. The Alaskan Secretary of State was in the next room being sworn in as Vice President. "Do you solemnly swear you will rule The Republic of Alaska with Justice, faith, and trust? If so say I do." "I do." "Congratulation's Mr. Vice President." Taylor Burlington was a well known politician through out Alaska, before and after it's Independence. Although, he was just 28 years old, he was known for whipping the votes in the House. He too was also a good friend with Michael. He knew Taylor would be a good successor to the Vice Presidency. President Meyer soon recovered and came out of his room cursing out loud. He immediately gave orders to Taylor. "Please, I need you to go and transfer Michael's files to my office." The day was Chaotic for the new Republic. But it was yet to go through another stage of change.