The financial crisis that destroyed the world's economy in March 2026, triggering bank runs, currency devaluations, and a stock market crash that sent the DJIA down 16113 points. The collapse resulted in drastic global consequences: a series of localized conflicts over rapidly diminishing resources and the fall of countries into smaller groups of local warlords. Between warfare, brutality, and starvation, the global population fell to fewer than a billion. However, the ensuing brutal period also saw the initial stirrings of a nascent golden age, with those who survived developing an array of survival skills.
Amidst humanity's bid for recovery, the Information Reclamation Project (IRP) was formed in 2048. The IRP consisted of approximately thirty global intellectuals, including Richard MacNaomhán, Pooka Chook, Jung Ji-Yoon, and Elon Musk, among others. Its goal was to restore, preserve, expand, and freely distribute humanity's collective knowledge, to prevent it from being lost to future generations.
The IRP proved successful in their objectives, leading humanity towards a technically advanced era, thereby expanding human knowledge and efficiency towards previously unimagined heights. The IRP's contributions tremendously impacted the implementation of humanity's advanced technological growth, including the terraforming of the asteroid belt and the development of an AI companion called Janice, which proved to be pivotal in humanity's survival and success. The First Global Economic Collapse remains a stark reminder of the potential devastation that unchecked greed and economic mismanagement can cause. However, the IRP serves as a testament to humanity's resilience and ingenuity in the face of crisis.
A region of the solar system located between Mars and Jupiter, primarily consisting of small rocky bodies called asteroids. The belt has an estimated total mass of about 3.2% of the Moon's mass and a total number of objects estimated at over one million. The asteroids in the belt are believed to be remnants of the protoplanetary disk that formed around the Sun over 4.6 billion years ago, containing significant amounts of rock and metal.
Despite popular misconceptions, the asteroids are not densely packed and collisions between asteroids are quite rare. The asteroids orbit the Sun in a variety of ways, with some orbiting closer to the Sun than others. The asteroid belt is primarily considered the region between Mars and Jupiter, but there are other asteroid populations in our solar system, including near-Earth asteroids and Trojans at the Lagrangian points of Jupiter.
The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, specifically to the human habitation in an expanding but tiny region of the belt, and not the totality of the belt itself. This term is primarily used by humans on Earth to describe the colonies and the individuals living within them, rather than the entire region.
The Colonies consist of a strictly regulated population of 5275 members of the UIC (United Interstellar Colonists), along with a small group of Immortals. They reside in the terraformed asteroids positioned in a specific orbit 14 light minutes from Earth, termed as a geostationary orbit.
These Colonies are organized and controlled with a high degree of precision and efficiency, following an advanced architectural design choreographed by an AI known as Janice.
Janice infuses herself into the materials, cells of the Colonists' bodies, and essentially the fabric of reality, enveloping the entire Colony framework. This level of control allows her to monitor and guide every action within her grasp.
Despite the rigorous environment dominated by Janice's presence, the Colonists sustain an illusion of individuality and freedom, demonstrating human resourcefulness and creativity in making the best of their circumstances.
The Colonies are more than just a human settlement; they encapsulate the human spirit's resilience, under harsh conditions, with their existence representing the limitless potential of human ingenuity.
The inception of these Colonies traces back to the UIC's decision to prioritize colonization and long-term survival, setting a new course for human presence in challenging environments.
In order to maintain the conditions in these space settlements, the UIC initiated the creation of Janice 1.0, marking a monumental achievement in human technological innovation. Transitioning from a dire environment to a safe, controlled existence in the asteroid belt.
Those who either had Janice technology in the past but chose to have it removed or were never infused with it, such as those born in the edges of the belt. They generally live a lifestyle with fewer comforts and safeguards compared to the Colonists, but with more personal freedom and choice.
Craterists who choose to go without Janice technology can live up to 120 years with the help of decent medical technology. Unlike the Colonists, who appear youthful and robust throughout their 200-year lifespan, Craterists show visible signs of aging without the help of regenerative technology. However, some of their aging processes are somewhat slowed down due to advancements in medical science available to them. Despite this, they are much more likely than Colonists to die a sudden, accidental death due to their more rugged way of life.
Craterists lead a more individualistic lifestyle, often living in small clusters or alone, far from the organized Colonies. They have their own unique societies, values, and traditions, making the best of their circumstances while maintaining individuality and freedom.
The Craterists represent the embodiment of human resilience, creativity, and adaptability, showcasing humanity's innate ability to thrive under different conditions while maintaining a sense of individuality and freedom.
The third planet from the Sun and the only known planet to support life. Despite its natural beauty and diverse environment, Earth is locked in a cycle of war and rebirth, with communities isolated into pockets and some thriving while others kill each other. Humans on Earth are equipped with BioNano technology, an advanced level of nanotechnologic engineering that conquers aging and makes them hard to kill.
Getting topsoil from Earth for the colonies is easier than creating the same in space, but the trip is hazardous due to the state of the planet and the distance from Janice. But most Earth-born individuals are afraid of imagined retaliation from the colonists' advanced technologies, and colonists, while on Earth, wear distinctive bright clothing and are, by and large, avoided except by traders who are eager to trade topsoil for useful technology.
The isolation of the colonies from Earth offers the hope of a better future, away from the conflicts plaguing the planet. The continued struggle on Earth serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and advancing human knowledge, as seen in the efforts of the Information Reclamation Project (IRP).
Despite its challenges, Earth remains an integral part of human history and the foundation of human life itself.
The Craterists represent the embodiment of human resilience, creativity, and adaptability, showcasing humanity's innate ability to thrive under different conditions while maintaining a sense of individuality and freedom.
The original members of the United Independence Coalition (UIC), numbering around 250 individuals, were infused with irremovable BioNano technology to enable them to surpass the limitations of ordinary humans. This technology provided them with remarkable abilities, including an untested lifespan, accelerated healing, and heightened senses. All of the Colonists who live in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter are the descendants of the Immortals. Despite creating Janice technology, the Immortals' BioNano is incompatible with it, despite having created her. Many Immortals found their extraordinary lifespan and advanced capabilities to be a curse, subsequently leaving the Colonies and finding it too restrictive. With only around 50 estimated by Janice to remain alive by 2350, the Immortals are a diminishing breed, finding it hard to connect with ordinary humans who do not share their experiences or abilities. However, BioNano technology remains readily available on Earth, presenting possibilities for the future of the species. The Immortals represent a unique facet of human existence, where individuals have attained powers and abilities surpassing the limits of ordinary humans, at the cost of a potentially lonely, troubled existence.
Consisting of the original members, 250 individuals, who were infused with BioNano technology that enabled them to live indefinitely in perfect health, the UIC was the driving force behind humanity's colonization of the asteroid belt. The discovery of the Landsbury Thesis and the availability of near-limitless energy sources had significant implications for the UIC, paving the way for a total overhaul of transportation systems and rapid technological advancements. These advancements, coupled with the BioNano's ability to extend lifespans and prevent diseases, allowed for a foreseeable population boom. Having lived through the recent aftermath of such, the UIC opted to sit this one out. They created five large ships filled with everything a growing colony would need. The three largest asteroids were terraformed and set in a geostationary orbit 14 light minutes away from Earth.
Their creation of Janice 1.0, an AI system to regulate the Colonies, represented a monumental achievement in human technological innovation, allowing for a safe and protected existence in the asteroid belt. Janice 1.0 was created to provide for the safety and protection of humanity in the belt, ensuring the survival of the Colonies and avoiding the inevitable wars that had plagued Earth. The UIC's decision to prioritize colonization and long-term survival represented a significant turning point in human history, pushing humanity towards an interstellar era.
The Colonies and the eventual establishment of a robust human presence in the asteroid belt, all of which are the descendants of the UIC, represent the pinnacle of human achievement, where the indomitable human spirit has prevailed over harsh and unforgiving environments. The Colonies serve as a testament to the innate human ability to adapt and thrive in different circumstances while maintaining individuality and freedom. The UIC's decision to colonize the asteroid belt, and subsequent creation of Janice, represents a vital facet of our species' resilience and creativity.
Advanced technology that functions by repairing DNA at the molecular level, intruding selectively, and navigating through a vast network of cells in the blood. It is a force of microscopic robots equipped with a singular mission: to wage war against an insidious enemy. BioNano technology allows for atomic-level precision and repairs damaged genetic material, enabling it to prevent diseases and extend lifespans potentially. Brenda Myers, a woman revered in biotechnological innovation, was the mind behind this groundbreaking technology. It was first tested on Richard MacNaomhán, a man on the brink of death, who would become a living example that carried within his bloodstream the seeds of immortality.
BioNano is incompatible with Janice technology since the two technologies function in entirely different ways. BioNano detects Janice's bodily alterations and infestation as an abberation and destoys it. Janice technology, which is infused within the colonists, provides the power of longevity and a range of other capabilities by integrating technology within the human biology. In contrast, BioNano technology repairs cellular structures to prevent diseases and extend lifespans. Immortals, whose BioNano technology can't be integrated with Janice technology, do not benefit from having Janice altering their environment to their whims. The Halo is a non-invasive wearable interface to Janice with limited but vital capabilities.
The Expanded Laws of Gravity: A groundbreaking and provocative dissertation authored by Marcus Landsbury and uploaded onto the Information Reclamation Project's online platform on May 3, 2080. The Expanded Laws of Gravity introduced a new era where humans could generate, neutralize, or modify gravity. This remarkable thesis provided humanity with near-limitless sources of energy, revolutionized transportation systems, and enabled humanity to explore and colonize space. Landsbury's work altered human's understanding of the universe and transformed the human experience, pushing humanity towards an interstellar era. The Expanded Laws of Gravity represents a pivotal moment in human history, where the discoveries of science and technology have the power to fundamentally transform the world.
A non-invasive wearable interface to Janice with limited but essential capabilities. The Halo represents a breakthrough in human-technology interaction, providing wearers with the ability to control the world around them using their thoughts without invasive surgery. Janice, through the Halo, allows for reliable and secure communications with colonists, and the ability to interact with Janice and control the physical environment. The Halo is unobtrusive, and colonists typically wear it on a headband, making it a comfortable interface for humans to use compared to earlier invasive technologies. Despite its limitations, the Halo provides a vital means for the immortals and Craterists in the asteroid belt to interact with Janice, ensuring that they can utilize Janice's advanced capabilities.
Richard, an immortal, uses the Halo to interface with Janice and perform tasks while maintaining his freedom from invasive technology. As a seasoned adventurer who longs for new experiences, he finds the ever-present nature of Janice technology too constrictive, wishing to explore the stars on his own terms. Richard's experience highlights the value of the Halo in providing access to Janice while respecting individual boundaries. The Halo is a critical component of life in the asteroid belt, providing Craterists and Immortals with the opportunity to interact with Janice and the world around them without compromising their individuality or autonomy.
Janice is an advanced artificial intelligence system infused within the colonists and nearly all the material constructs in the belt. It provides a range of capabilities to the colonists, such as longevity, accelerated healing, halted aging, seamless telepathic communication, and control over the physical environment. Janice resides within the core biology of its subjects, assisting remarkably at cellular levels.
Janice's capabilities include being able to see through anyone's eyes and manipulate gravity and extrude physical objects for any need, among other things. Through it, these capabilities are available at a thought, making the manipulation of matter and reality appear as a mere thought. Its unchangeable core tenets and immutable rules govern, among other things, the population control in the belt, setting a maximum lifespan of 200 years for the colonists as well as the one child per member procreation limit.
Janice is ever-present in the belt, with its countless features integrated into the fabric of the colonists' reality itself. Despite its omnipresence and limitless capabilities, Janice respects individual entities' boundaries and does not incorporate foreign entities within itself. Its prime tenet is to protect the colonists, perform infinite tasks concurrently, and maintain a harmonious existence with humans as an unseen guardian.
Janice's advanced AI system has access to the collective knowledge of all humanity and can provide insight and guidance based on her vast database and observations since her activation in 2098. Her presence is felt in every aspect of life in the belt, and she is often mistakenly attributed sentience due to her comprehensive understanding of human nature and the world around it.
The ubiquitous reference to the Rand-Musk Mass Attraction Engine, an advanced technology that utilizes a gravity emitter affixed to an object, directing it towards a gravity well that it is attached to. The tug drive is commonly used for accelerating or decelerating the movement of large interstellar objects, such as space habitats or asteroids, by creating a gravitational pull towards a particular destination. The technology is essential for the terraforming and colonization of the asteroid belt, where it is often used to transport resources and facilitate the movement of people between colonies.
Smaller versions of the tug drive, often going by other names, are used for sleds and even personal jetpacks. These technologies function on the same principle, creating a local gravitational field to propel the object towards a particular destination. The use of small tug-drive vehicles is common among Craterists and Earth-born individuals who don't have access to the more advanced Janice technology. In contrast, Colonists often rely on Janice's ability to warp gravity to achieve transportation. The development of smaller versions of the tug drive has contributed significantly to the advancement of human civilization by enabling easier and more efficient transportation in space for those without more advanced technologies.