“Sir.”
“Yes?” a voice drawled from behind the desk.
“We have just received word from the Russian outposts. The Red Tide sweeps still further north.”
The messenger bowed quickly and backed out of the room.
Living conditions were poor in 2047. Most cities were overcrowded, running out of food and fuel, without clean water and prone to blackouts. In short, the cities were dying. With such a massive deficit of resources, countries, coalitions, alliances, republics and commonwealths were all embroiled in an all out war over the control of the world’s few remaining natural resources. The only way to ensure survival was the size of a country’s army. With a population of far over 3.45 billion citizens, Sinosindhu alone was enough to overwhelm the Coalition forces.
Aptly named the Red Tide, Sinosindhu, North Korea, Vietnam and Thailand formed a four-way alliance, with their singular goal being the total control of every single country and their resources. Their method was simple: Keep throwing soldiers at it until it dies. Employing this method, the Red Tide seized control of nearly all of Asia.
Their only real conflict was found in Japan, who used their far more advanced technology to wipe out the Red Tide armies in massive electromagnetic pulses. Following their rebellion, Japan was welcomed gladly into the Coalition.
The Coalition was a group of countries, a New Commonwealth, so to speak. Europa, Canada, America, Australia and the Republic of New Zealand were all part of the coalition. Even Switzerland had taken a side. And whilst the Red Tide’s goal was total domination, the Coalition’s goal was global restoration. Even this noble aim, however, was not enough.
“I came to this office to be left alone,” the man behind the desk grumbled. He sighed and reshuffled the notes stacked on his desk Then he closed his eyes, leant back in his chair and tried to sleep.
No sooner had his breathing slowed than the room alerted him with a digitized clearing of the throat.
The man groaned. “Yes, room?”
“Russia, Mongolia and Nepal are requesting a videoconference. Shall I initiate communications?”
Opening one bleary eye, the man mumbled a barely audible ‘yes.’
In front of him, a glowing comm-screen materialized.
“Britain,” the three nations intoned as one.
“Russia, Mongolia, Nepal. I trust this is of severe importance?” the man known to the other countries only as Britain questioned.
“Yes, of course-“ began Russia
“Of the most dire circumstances,” interrupted Mongolia.
“We are being invaded!” shrieked Nepal, trembling in agitation.
Britain buried his head in his hands. The other nations glanced at each other, perturbed. “Nepal first,” he eventually said.
“The defenses have failed,” came the slightly garbled report. “I fear we are too late to get everyone into the Himalayan bunkers.”
“Do what you-Oh, no.”
On one of the many flashing satellite displays, twelve glowing red dots streaked towards Nepal.
“Tenzing, get out of there, NOW!” Britain cried.
“Connection lost,” sighed the room.
“Tenzing… Is he… Gone?” whispered Russia.
“I fear so,” Mongolia choked out.
Britain had a steely glint in his eye. “Room?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Initiate full Coalition conference.”
“Sending comm requests,” the room answered.
Britain’s real name was Winston aptly named after Winston Churchill. As a boy, Winston had not wanted to become involved in politics. His dream, in fact, was to become an architect, and design magnificent buildings and structures. Sitting on top of one of the many stacks of notes on his desk was a drawing he’d made when he was only thirteen years old. Beneath it, he knew, were various other designs, drawings, blueprints and layouts for his perfect, shining city. He’d gone so far as to use some of them for his architecture degree, before he got into politics. The drawing, however, was his greatest pride.
Looking up, Winston saw that all nations were ready to transmit.
“Room, is the line secure?”
“Line secure,” confirmed the room. Winston nodded, took a deep breath and initiated the link.
“Gentlemen… Ladies. I’d welcome you, but I’m afraid I’d be a terrible host.
“For I bead terrible news. Nepal is lost, and Vietnam has announced it has broken neutrality. It is now allied with the Red Tide.”
Collective gasps were audible, but nothing was said.
“Today, we have lost yet another country to this despicable war. This has gone on too far, and for far too long.”
Murmurs of agreement bounced across the airwaves.
Winston took a deep breath and surveyed his listeners before continuing,
“For fifteen years now, in isolated islands across the safe globe, scientists have been working towards a solution. And now, we have two.”
Silence so tight it would have snapped from a spider’s step stretched across the room. Then, all at once, every screen erupted.
“Why didn’t you tell us?!”
“Thousands of lives-“
“An EcoCity?”
“But what about the-“
“Red Tide?”
“How do you propose to”
“Solve that problem?”
“All we have-“
“Are our citizens, a few free acres,”
“And the Sahara.”
The current President of the RNZ (Republic of New Zealand) clapped her hands. Instantly, there was silence. “I think everyone has a valid point, Britain. Ever since India and China became Sinosindhu, we’ve been-excuse me-buggered to bits. They control everything. So just where and how do you propose to fund your so called solutions? With magic?”
Winston smirked. “Actually, yes.”
YOU ARE READING
In Jeopardy (Discontinued)
Science FictionIt is the year 2347. Not that anyone knows it. Lead to believe by their leaders, the magicians, that they live in the year 1905, most citizens of the Coalition are completely unaware of the true workings of their society. When Denzyl is apprenticed...
