Mirrored Heavens

2046:
Collapse of European/U.S. talks. Europe declares it will steer a course “between East and West.” U.S. withdraws last bases from Western Europe, accelerates own armaments program.

2047:
U.S. claims the Moon as an exclusive American possession, begins construction of lunar fortresses. Russia decries “solar imperialism” but does not attempt reciprocal constructions—though Olenkov declares that “henceforth, space will be our nation’s shield.”

2048:
Russia occupies libration point L4, sets up “research station” there that rapidly grows into set of major fortifications. U.S. claims L5 and proceeds to leverage its lunar position to occupy L2.

2049:
The Kyushu Incident. Horrific accident at fusion reactor complex devastates Japan, turning much of archipelago into contaminated wasteland. Evacuation of remainder of all islands by survivors occurs within six months. Several terrorist groups claim responsibility but no group or individual is ever brought to trial by any nation. Fusion programs worldwide reassessed in wake of tragedy.

2050s:
Flooding now profoundly redefining coastal areas. New York, Washington, London, Los Angeles, among scores of cities maintained only through the construction of huge dike systems. U.S. and Russia accuse each other of intensifying environmental crisis through secret next-generation weapons tests.

2051:
Helios Project abandoned in wake of evidence indicating that output is actually accelerating global warming by contributing to biosphere’s total energy. Satellites are left to drift as derelicts or repurposed for purely space-based applications.

2053:
Ukraine announces withdrawal from Slavic Bloc. Russian troops overthrow Ukrainian government, install regime that sues for reinstatement within the Bloc.

2054:
Man lands on Mars: U.S. craft Boreas-3 touches down in Isidis Planitia.

2055:
Fires devastate North American grasslands and forests in multiple regions simultaneously. Severe water shortages occur throughout U.S. Washington declares it will enforce emissions standards for developing nations; cites Brazil, Nigeria, Argentina as most flagrant violators of such standards.

2056:
United States signs mutual defense pact with Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama; begins extension of antimissile shield to those countries. Local insurgencies intensify.

2057:
United States, Canada reaffirm mutual defense pact. The Euro Magnates gain control of the European Union, announce they will sign no treaties save those of commerce.

2058:
Chinese “neo-Confucians” win the War of Inward Strife, which has wracked that nation since the early 2040s and taken more than 50 million lives. They proclaim that they will carry the struggle of the Third World against the United States to a successful conclusion. China relaunches space program “on a scale worthy of the Han people.”

2059:
China announces it will resume control of Hong Kong Free City in the New Year.

2060– 61:
Hong Kong, New Guinea sign Unifying Accords. Massive transfer of capital, infrastructure, population from former to latter occurs, over both Chinese and Indonesian protests. HK Geoplex established at site of Old Port Moresby.

2062:
Russia and China agree on comprehensive border settlement. China declares U.S. monopoly of lunar resources a “crime which we shall put to rights.”

2064:
U.S.-Brazil War. (First Eco-War.) U.S. troops occupy Brazilian cities and force Brazilian government to sign the Treaty of Montevideo before withdrawing.

2065:
Slavic Bloc and U.S. accuse each other of placing nuclear warheads in orbit.

2066:
Establishment of the Russian-Chinese axis: “defensive” pact between the Slavic Bloc and China.

2067:
Declaration of St. Petersburg by Slavic Bloc and China. The two powers proactively recognize the Monroe Doctrine and add their own corollary stipulating that the U.S. will not interfere in the affairs of the Eastern Hemisphere. U.S. rejects declaration as “unbridled expansionism.”

2068:
Slavic Bloc and China begin wholesale aid program to seven African nations in exchange for equatorial launch facilities. Russian and Chinese troops begin to combat local insurgencies.

2069:
Scientists report that almost one-third of all species on planet have become extinct in last half century, with particularly heavy losses occurring in tropical zones.

2070:
Formation of Eurasian Coalition: Slavic Bloc and China agree to pursue a combined foreign policy. Euro Magnates reaffirm their neutrality.

2071:
Following a secret treaty with Pakistan, Eurasian Coalition launches a surprise strike on India. The Coalition’s space-based offensive breaks the Indian defense grid within minutes. No nuclear weapons are used. India sues for peace and agrees to disarm in exchange for a guarantee of no occupation. The United States condemns the action but does not intervene.

2074:
In the name of national security, United States announces cauterization of its information systems from the global net. Eurasian Coalition follows suit.

2075:
Coalition establishes permanent bases within nations of northern and central Africa. South Africa declares neutrality.

2078:
Second Eco-War: following attacks on its assets, United States establishes permanent bases throughout South America, establishes treaties with all nations on that continent except for Chile, Argentina.

2079:
Chinese hypersonic missiles strike American super-carrier USS Adams in the Indian Ocean. The Mauritian Standoff occurs. The Coalition destroys U.S. satellites in geosynchronous orbit above Eurasian heartland; U.S. retaliates in kind. World waits, but no further hostile actions occur. In aftermath of incident, both sides lay claim to adjacent portions of the geo orbits.

2080:
Conflict intensifies in Middle East between the superpowers’ proxy nations. Jaguar’s Sword begins insurgency operations in South America, rapidly subsumes other Latin guerrilla movements.

2082:
Scientists warn global temperature increasing far faster than expected.

2084:
Massive food and water riots occur within United States following the tightening of rations. Hysteria against alleged Eurasian infiltration, sabotage reaches fever pitch. Conditions within Coalition believed to be similar.

2087:
U.S. government defaults on debt, collapses. Military takes control of the means of production, restores order.

2088:
Reformed Constitution proclaimed in Washington. Executive powers invested in Inner Cabinet, presided over by president, and comprised of heads of global commands: Army, Navy, Air, Space, Information, CounterIntelligence. Senators serve terms for life, franchise limited to the military and to veterans. Martial law declared for the “duration of the emergency.” Ex-admiral Andrew Harrison becomes president at the age of forty-one.

2090:
Olenkov dies in Moscow at the age of ninety-five.

2091:
Eurasian Coalition announces the completion of military exercises across multiple theaters which successfully demonstrate the integration of the Russian/Chinese military infrastructures and information architectures. Construction on Roaming Tundra begins: massive space station at the heart of the Eurasian geo defenses.

2093:
The Euro Magnates begin work on the Europa Platform, at Lagrangian point L3.

2094:
Air Force Command loses an internal power struggle: the Inner Cabinet assigns its assets to Space Command. From here on in, most powerful commands are SpaceCom and InfoCom.

2098:
Arab-Israeli conflict escalates beyond control. Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Damascus, Tehran destroyed in a nuclear exchange. Radioactive fallout contaminates parts of southern Europe.

2099:
“The Quickening”—strange lights blaze across upper atmosphere, are seen by hundreds of millions. Superpowers begin secret talks regarding environmental degradation/atmospheric destabilization.

2103:
Moderates assume power in the Praesidium, the Eurasian Coalition’s governing entity. U.S. president makes first public statements advocating détente.

2105:
Treaty of Zurich signed. U.S. and Eurasian Coalition agree to enforce rigid environmental proscriptions in their respective hemispheres. New age of international cooperation is heralded. Plans are laid for joint transfer of industry into space, wholesale colonization of Mars. In accordance with Article VIII of the treaty, Eurasian Coalition begins construction of bases on Moon.

2106:
Jaguar’s Sword extends operations into Mexico and Los Angeles Sprawl.

2107:
Construction on Phoenix Elevator begins as joint project undertaken by the superpowers. Blueprints call for a four-thousand-kilometer-long structure that will orbit the Earth and whose nadir will be reachable by suborbital transport capable of attaining a height of 150 kilometers. Construction time is estimated at four years.

2110:
Autumn Rain initiates active operations.