The Final Wars (2099 – 2105)
During a time of heightened cooperation and unity, United States scientists, working with other foreign governments, discovers a way to draw energy from crystals. This leads to the discovery of ‘natural energy’, which is found to be a more stable and plentiful form of energy.
Believing that the US would dominate the world energy markets, a supremacist terrorist group smuggles a small nuclear weapon into Florida and detonates it, destroying the southern part of the state. The blast sends harmful radiation across the globe causing massive relocations; crippling many economies. Nations struggle to maintain their unity but strife and bitterness flare up and wars soon brake out over anti-radiation technology and unaffected territory.
By 2104, war has escalated to world-threatening levels and biochemical weapons are commonly employed. Robots are used as effective soldiers that could correctly identify enemy targets and destroy with as much or as little force required. Entire cities are abandoned and technology and supplies were left for the victors. Mankind once again adopts fear and loathing for foreign nations as well as an overpowering urge of self-preservation.
The Backlash Era (2106 – 2123)
By 2106, biochemical warfare wipes out more than 2/3 of the world’s population. Nations see the massive decline in populations as a fearful foreshadow of things to come unless conflicts can be resolved. People group together and scrounge out an existence in an attempt to rebuild cities and economies.
Battles, although much more political in nature, are still fought over territory and technology. But now energy, clean water and food are sought after as well. Self-reliant robots begin to take on more taxing roles such as city reconstruction and colonization on other planets and even the ocean floor.
The wars are officially over, but society still feels terrible repercussions from the devastating conflicts. In 2120, in an attempt to protect future generations, all nations agree to a peace treaty. Food, water and energy are shared, but territory and technology are still fought over by legalistic bureaucrats and the ever-ready robot armies.
In 2121, Crystal City is erected on the eastern coast of North America overtop a massive underground crystal formation. The city is established as a non-national supported system that can be considered legal neutral ground for warring nations. This centralized spot becomes a melting pot for almost all nations seeking expansion, neutrality or legal connections.
Crystal City becomes the new metropolis for the modern world and soon, every nation and corporation on record are bidding for a location inside its walls.
Seizing an opportunity, a major corporation, Baxter Enterprises, sets up a large headquarters within Crystal City and gains a sizable collection of the remaining nations’ technology though legal loopholes.
The Fallback Era (2124 – 2135)
Two freelance reporters, Douglas Williams and Jacob Hunt, expose Baxter’s crimes and legal tricks. But with such large resources, and the US economy in no shape to enforce corporate laws, Baxter is pardoned and makes several generous contributions to cities in need.
But not everyone is swayed by Baxter’s newfound generosity. Baxter Enterprises falls under attack by a large force of global extremists claiming to defend the planet from the coming of the anti-Christ. Baxter takes serious damage but remains a corporate giant and soon gains enough US government support to expand into Baxter United Industries.
A brilliant scientist with the US Health Department, Dr. Rebecca Cole designs a new type of health monitor for use in the combat field. In order to develop this incredible device, Baxter scientists, under contract of the US government, begin to study and analyze Dr. Cole’s designs. Dr. Jeremy Adams, a scientist under control of Baxter, redesigns the device and develops a way to transfer the mind of a man into the body of a robot.
Despite Dr. Cole’s outrage and objections, testing and development proceed in 2130 and the first prototype is called “Project: Metalface.” That project fails but not before providing valuable information.
In 2133, with the aid of Japanese military scientists, Baxter improves the transference process and soon creates a sizeable army of these transferred robots. These "t-bots", as Baxter called them, are used as international spies and soldiers for the US and Japanese militaries as well as any nation willing to purchase services.
Other corporations secretly, and sometimes illegally, acquire the plans for t-bot generation and attempt to duplicate Baxter’s t-bot army. But no one matches the size and organization of what has become the greatest force on the planet.
The Age of Renewed Order (2136 – 2141)
The two reporters that initially exposed Baxter, Williams and Hunt, form a civilian scientific organization in 2136 in order to gain more recognition in politics. They use their new corporate status to urge the remaining countries to pool all their resources into one main force of global supremacy.
Although their legal process is long and drawn out, their ongoing efforts are made public and serve to strengthen a society that had once again began to crumble in on itself from exposure to conflict.
This combined with the battles that erupt between powerful corporations imitating Baxter’s ruthless warlike aggression convinces the nations to merge their resources.
In 2141, Earth Council is formed out of the remaining economies of the world’s nations and is given total authority over all nations on Earth. In turn, Earth Council grants local authority to companies, corporations and organizations that posses more than 100 square miles of territory. These are called 'profiles.' This allows profiles to fend for themselves without involving the weakened economies of their war torn nations.
Earth Council declares the current t-bots, labeled ‘vectorons’ by Baxter military leaders, to be dangerous and unstable and bans further production. Further, Earth Council orders Baxter to relinquish the technology so that others can determine a way to stop or prevent rouge vectorons.
Baxter refuses but Earth Council is quick to employ their combined force to ensure Baxter’s compliance. Although the battles are fierce and wide spread, the bulk of the front line combat is fought with robots and remote controlled machines. Therefore, very few human casualties are reported.
Society once more enjoys confidence in the established governments and economies thrive. This allows for incredible advances in science and technology. All forms of media are merged into one global network known as the Grid.
The Age of Transference (2142 – 2156)
After months of costly t-bot battles, the transference technology is handed over to the Williams and Hunt organization, later to be renamed Genesis Foundation. Genesis assigns the technology to their Robotics Engineering Center in Crystal City for further analysis and development. (Vectorons continue to be generated by unknown sources despite the current ban.)
In 2143, Genesis designs a new breed of t-bots called Servites. Servites are created to not only defend against the threat of Vectorons, but more importantly to preserve the human essence and serve the general public.
Servites are not well accepted by society due to the past vectoron threats. Several servites are attacked by rogue extremists and destroyed. In order to encourage peace and acceptance, the term t-bot is dropped and the more politically correct term ‘metalface’ becomes commonplace.
A group of construction, manufacturing, and industrial companies merge together to form the Cybernetic Technology Alliance or CyTech. They purchase one single transference generator from Genesis.
In 2150, with the help of Genesis scientists, CyTech designs Tekkers. Tekkers are t-bots designed to be laborers able to do three times the workload of the average human.
In the next few years, Tekkers modify Crystal City and construct a city superstructure overtop the existing structures. Earth Council also enlists several teams of Tekkers to complete production of two new space stations as well as complete construction of a giant new city, called Earth City, on the old European continent.
The advent of tekkers brings new and wondrous technological advancements to a begging economy and populations once again begin to thrive.
The Metal Wars (2157 – 2165)
In 2157, after years of seclusion, rouge vectorons, calling themselves the Strike Command, come out of hiding and attack Genesis Servite Labs destroying one of the Servite transference generators. The Strike Command claims supreme control over Earth and vow to eliminate the world of past human mistakes. They promise a better world to live in; free of conflict and corporations. But they demand obedience and submission to their authority.
Fear quickly grips the public as the leader of the Strike Command, General Zeus, personally leads a powerful team of Vectorons to seize control of energy rich cities. Their first attack targets Crystal City.
But a new force of global protection has been secretly forming behind the closed doors of Genesis. A servite army, known as Patrol Force, is given the responsibility of defending Crystal City against all metalface-related threats.
The first encounter with Strike Command is difficult, but with the help and courage of a valiant leader known as Captain Gamalon, as well as some assistance from helpful Vectorons, the Patrol Force manages to ward off Crystal City’s attackers and even strike a serious blow against Strike Command.
By the end of 2158, Strike Command attacks destroy nearly 30% of Patrol Force efforts across the globe. The largest battles exist in Crystal City where almost unlimited power awaits the victor. Earth Station 2, home to nearly 1500 blue-collar workers and families, falls under Strike Command control. Baxter loses key officers and Earth Council is forced to relocate support on Earth Station 1. After numerous efforts to retake the station, Captain Gamalon decides to accept the loss and refocus efforts on strengthening remaining sites.
Rouge Servites and Tekkers are found fighting on the side of Strike Command. This event, combined with the case of the supportive Vectorons, helped to clear the reputaion of Vectorons and is used as the basis when Baxter convinces Earth Council to lift the ban on Vectorons in 2159.
With the ban lifted Baxter develops a new t-bot procedure in 2161 that creates metalface with superior mental abilities. Strike Command quickly seizes all records and immediately sends the new metalface models to work in the field. By 2162, ‘Akias’ begin to take down Patrol Force defenses in Crystal City.
However, in 2163, after lengthy study and research from a violent attack on Captain Gamalon, a new metalface model is created by Genesis to help combat the new threat. With ‘Golems’ augmenting their armies, Patrol Force and Earth Council join together and help drive Strike Command out of the city.
By 2165, consumer production of Akia and Golem models hits the streets.
The Age of Destiny (2166 – current day)
The wars between Strike Command and the rest of the world have slipped into an eerie and uncomfortable silence. While society is prepared for more turmoil, people make radical efforts to continue with their lives. More and more individuals are joining profile armies and offering their services on the electronic battlefield. In order to hone their skills, combat sports such as “Opposition” are highly popular and publicized. Metalface transference is more controversial than ever as many attempt to ‘redesign their destiny.’
The wars over metalface have transformed from physical conflicts to profile debates. However, despite the anger in the common voice on the street, the overall belief of most people is the concept that your destiny is a choice that only you can make. Regardless of the media, metalface continue to make a comfortable living without serious threat to their safety… unless they decide to enlist in a profile army.
Early in 2171, an experiment to map out the energy patterns of the known universe results in the discovery of a unique teleportation device. The process involves natural energy currents and man-made portals or 'nodes' placed at intersections of major currents. Very little research has been done and even existence of the process is not generally known, however initial tests reveal that it is theoretically possible to step through a node in one location and exit a node in another location.
Scientific profiles are working fast to keep the process a secret and to be the first to take advantage of a new technology. Vast recruitment programs have begun, colonization rockets are being loaded with node modules and targeted to every planet in the solar system, and those in the know are torn between excitement of a new era of space travel... and the fear of what waits in the dark.
The year is currently 2171. Not even the most brilliant minds on the planet can guess at what will face our lives in the years to come.