Neocron History

This is what history I could manage to scrounge up and piece together. The Ceres Discs are pretty tightly guarded, and any information gleaned from them is highly secured. But I must thank my sources for being... less than ferocious in securing the data.

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The Way to Apocalypse

2005 Holographic mass storage media are introduced to the world market. The Holodisk is scanned with a laser and even the introductory model can contain amounts of data which are more than 100 times bigger than the maximum capacity of conventional mass media based on magnetic fields.
2008
NASA succeeds in conducting the first manned mission to Mars.
2010
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) launches the Ceres Project, which is designed to take 20 years to complete. The goal of this project is to store the whole knowledge of humanity clearly arranged on Holodisk. Publicly available science data of the present is reviewed and collected by a group of 250 professors and students from all over the world. The name Ceres is derived from the roman name of the Greek goddess Demeter, who was worshipped in ancient Greek as the mother of the earth and the goddess of fertility. The name was chosen because the knowledge of man is the seed (physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics etc.) as well as the fruit (technology, architecture, medicine, agriculture etc) of planet Earth at the same time.
2018
In the course of the fourth mission to Mars an accident takes place at launch time, which kills the whole crew.
2028
Dr. Karmann, leader of the Ceres Project, explains at a press conference that if a primitive civilization were to gain access to all the information the Ceres Project contains, they would be able to build nuclear plants after a few decades. This remark provides the project with an enormous amount of public attention.
2029
Dr. Karmann is found murdered. The Ceres Project gets removed from the MIT and is classified as a top-secret state-affair.
2031
The sixth mission to Mars ends with a huge success; a formerly unknown metal which exists on the red planet in considerable amounts is found most noteworthy. Thorough scientific investigation shows that this material will not become radioactive, even after the long and intensive influence of Neutrons, which result from the fusion of Tritons and Deuterons. It's suggested to double the subsidization of atomic fusion research, as the newly discovered material would make the perfect sheathing for a atomic reactor based on nuclear fusion, and because energy produced by means of nuclear fusion will only become a source of energy without radioactive side effects, if the new material is used for the sheathing.
2035
According to certain rumors the Ceres Project has been completed by the NSA, after secret military and scientific information were added. Multiple agents of the NSA are assigned to attend to the project in the future and to continuously update it. The project was probably relocated to an isolated, hermetically sealed laboratory complex, where it will be safe in case of an environmental accident or war.
2046
The US concludes a plan spanning fifteen years by taking a colony on Mars into operation. The installation is used for scientific purposes to a small extent, but its main function is the mining of the metal that was discovered on mars in 2031.
2047
After the fossil fuels of Asia have been exhausted the continent drops into poverty and chaos. Grim fights for the last oil reserves rage between Russia, Japan and China.
2049
In an American research center a Deuterium-Tritium-plasma is held stable over a sufficient amount of time. The commercial utilization of nuclear fusion is close at hand.
2051
While Japan becomes an ally of the US and is supplied by the states with arms and reinforcements, China subdues the formerly Soviet splinter states the defensive potential of which are weakened by corruption, anarchic uprisings and Mafia activity. After collaborationists have sabotaged Russia's desperate final attempt in guise of a nuclear strike Russia surrenders and most of Asia is united under the Chinese flag.
By this victory China becomes the most powerful nation of the world, an empire spanning from the Pacific Ocean to Poland.
2052
The first d-t-fusion plants are taken into operation in the US and parts of Europe. Efforts of the western world to use the newly won findings about nuclear fusion for weapons research and the production of a plasma weapon yield no useable results.
2053
Following the subjection of Asia, China begins to re-establish communism in the conquered countries. While the countries of Singapore, Thailand and South Korea, which were neutral up to this point, become allies of Japan, the remaining countries stay loyal to the Chinese Empire.
2054
The Arab Emirates sign an alliance with the empire and provide it with oil. China grants military protection against the US to the Emirates.
2055
Because of the Japanese arsenal of hi-tech weaponry, the Chinese Empire fails to occupy Japan. This leads to the signing of a non-aggression treaty. The border between Japan and the Empire becomes a highly guarded boundary. The diplomatic relations between Western Europe, the US and Japan on the one and the Chinese Empire on the other hand are at zero.
2060
Representatives of the western world and Japan sign the article of agreement about the "Federation of the Free World". This alliance will protect the member states from the mighty Empire.
2063
While the efforts to design plasma weapons are still not making any progress, the use of bundled energy / particle rays as weapons for air- and ground-based vehicles are promoted successfully by the western industry nations.
2066
The last power plant based on nuclear fission is shut down in Europe. This concludes the change from the conventional nuclear power resources to fusion power within the federation.
2068
The Federation establishes a colony on Mars that provides it with minerals.
2075
China takes the 62nd nuclear fission plant into operation to power the urban areas in former Russia. Nuclear power now has completely replaced fossil fuels and alternative power sources in the Empire. Though the Empire has obtained the theoretical knowledge about nuclear fusion by means of espionage and the trade prevents their own research, utilization of this knowledge with the sheathing material from Mars being under Federation control.
2080
Even the oil resources of the Arab Emirates run low. The most important Arabian cities will be connected to the Chinese power supplies in the following decade.
2095
The first cold nuclear fusion is accomplished in a German nuclear research center. The development of compact high-performance energy generators draws nearer. At the same time the development of new kinds of fusion plants will further improve the efficiency of this kind of energy.
2098
At Xi An, a metropolis situated south of Beijing, a jet fighter crashes into an out-dated nuclear fission plant. The sheathing of the reactor is destroyed by the power of the impact, which results in an uncontrolled nuclear fusion. Not only Xi An is contaminated by the nuclear radiation released, but also nearby Beijing. Millions die in the following years from the radiation. Radioactive dust is blown eastward by the wind, in the direction of Japan, but the neighbouring state stays mainly unharmed.
2100
Aroused by the disaster in Xi An the Japanese government decides to build radiation protection domes above the nation's major cities.
2102
The Chinese Empire discovers a way to hide conventional missiles from radar sensors. The Kerolin Stealth missile is able to deliver any kind of warhead to its target unnoticed. The Federation claims to have been in possession of this kind of stealth technology but to have kept it secret until now.
2104
China and the Federation sign the SALT-17 treaty, which prohibits the stationing and especially the deployment of stealth missiles for both sides.
2108
To utilize cold nuclear fusion for energy production the conversion of the existing fusion plants begins within the Federation.
2113
Red Terra is established on Mars as the first civil colony. Red Terra consists of seven domes and is the new home for 3,000 people. By this measure the extraterrestrial colony program of the Federation of the Free World is initiated. It's planned to relocate 400,000 people to Mars by the end of the century.
2120
Scientists discover that they can start a reaction by adding a complicated gas mixture to the atmosphere of Mars, which will make the planet's atmosphere breathable within 300 years. In the same year the pioneers begin with the terraforming. The gas mixture is called Gabanium after its developer, Dr. Gloria Gaban.
2124
The technologically backward China surprises the world as it puts up a sea barricade around neutral Australia in a blitz. Australia now is totally isolated from the rest of the world. The Federation determines not to intervene, to avoid a third world war.
2125
The Empire attacks Australia after the blockade has lasted nine months. Demoralized Australia surrenders to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, as it has become clear that the Federation won't support the country. In the past the Federation had tried multiple times to convince Australia to join them, to no avail. The continent, which always esteemed its independence and neutrality very high, could not be convinced.
2126
The extremist Chinese dictator Kong Jieshi is found murdered in his private villa. An army of bodyguards was unable to protect him. China officially proclaims that contrarevolutionary troops had startled and shot the dictator in his sleep. The citizens of the Federation on the other hand are convinced that special squads of the free world had infiltrated the villa to correct the extremist political course of china. The latter version was, of course, never confirmed by Federation government.
2130
The political situation has been stabilized. The new Chinese dictator Xu Derui knows of the technological inferiority of the Empire compared with the Federation and lessens the imperialistic drive of his people.
Japanese researchers develop the prototype of a small fusion powered engine that can be used for vehicles (Furytec Drive). Furytec powered vehicles are as nimble as a helicopter with a maximum speed limited to that of small sports airplanes. Thus they are the ideal means of transportation for the large cities, which are overburdened with skyscrapers. Since the fusion reaction inside the Furytec Drive creates close to no pollutants at all they are also great to use within the Japanese city domes.
2136
Astronomers discover that the third planet of the solar system Irata, 80 light years away, is very similar to Mars. Even the chemical composition of the atmosphere is nearly identical.
2137
Hoping to be able to colonize this planet sometime in the future a probe is sent to Irata III, featuring a new second-generation fusion drive. After its arrival the probe will inject a finely dosed amount of Gabanium into the atmosphere of Irata III.
The probe will be travelling for approximately 100 years to reach the planet. The atmosphere should be breathable after 300 years, if everything runs according to plan.
2140
The Empire surprisingly presents the prototype of a generation spaceship to cover distances of several hundreds of light years. Project Starcruiser is based on the fusion drive of the probe, which was sent to Irata III by the Federation three years ago, and has room for up to 3,000 passengers. Until now the Federation was assuming that china did not even possess knowledge of the technology of cold nuclear fusion, much less a second-generation fusion drive. It's suspected that China brought the technology into its possession by means of espionage. But the spaceship contains even more technical highlights which the Federation either didn't know of yet or which at least were still in testing and top secret. Especially the inertia absorbers should be mentioned in this context, which allow the ship to accelerate with maximum power without harming the crew or damaging the installations. The maximum speed of the Starcruiser amounts to 80% light speed.
Near the end of the year the president of the Federation, Eva Goreman, accuses the Chinese Empire of industrial spying, by asking publicly how a nation that produces 80% of it's power by the antiquated means of nuclear fission could suddenly present a spaceship with a modified fusion drive. The governing Chinese dictator, Xu Derui, strictly rejects this innuendo.
2141
The technical advances made in the field of nuclear fusion in the last years were also utilized in arms development, which now results in the manufacturing of advanced hydrogen bombs in large numbers by the Federation. These offer an unimaginable concentration of radioactivity while showing a huge explosive effect and a high sphere of impact at the same time. The new warheads are used by the Federation mainly for the Cold Fusion long-range missiles.
February, 11th 2143
In the morning hours of February 11th the Starcruiser launches for its first and last voyage. 3,000 colonists from all population layers of the Chinese Empire are aboard. The destination of this voyage is kept secret. So is the technology which was installed in the last six months as an enhancement to the fusion drive.
February, 13th 2143
Two days following the launch of the Starcruiser the ship disappears from the instruments of imperial ground control. After a short search a Chinese flight squadron finds some debris which probably belongs to the Starcruiser.
February, 14th 2143
China accuses the Federation of not being able to accept the technological advancements of the Empire and implies that the Starcruiser was destroyed by a federation fighter squadron for this reason. The violent tempered Chinese dictator Xu Derui threatens the Federation with vengeance for the death of the 3,000 colonists.
February, 15th 2143
President Eva Goreman announces that the Federation has no interests in the Chinese plans for colonization and that they never had planned to sabotage them. Furthermore she considers the claims of China holding a technological leading position to be bold and provocative. China could only rightfully claim this, if they were in possession of detailed information about Federation technology. Should China thus have admitted the industry spying indirectly? Further on, Goreman announces that she feels sorry for the Starcruiser incident and that she wants to express her condolences to the remaining relatives of the 3,000 colonists. Although the destruction of the ship would seem to show that the Empire were always overestimating it's own abilities.
February, 16th 2143
Xu Derui announces that further proof for the presence of Federation fighters shortly before the disappearing of the Starcruiser has been found at the last known position of the ship. Enraged, he once again threatens with vengeance.
Goreman announces that same day that the Federation will not take these repeated and unfounded threats.
February, 17th 2143, 06:40 am
The sensors of a German radar station pick up three shadows above the British Channel, which are only visible for a few seconds.
February ,17th 2143, 06:58 am
It's a rainy morning in London, England, when suddenly a bright white light flashes through the city. Seconds later eight million people are dead.
February, 17th 2143, 07:45 am
A briefing of the crisis committee in Federation HQ, New York is held. It's decided to modulate the sensors of all radar installations to the frequencies of the German station, which detected the missiles that were sent to London.
February, 17th 2143, 08:02 am
Two Kerolin Stealth missiles hit Berlin, Germany, and destroy the city. Since the sensors of the Federation satellites were aligned to the navigation frequency of the missiles, they were able to detect the missiles 40 seconds prior to impact. In addition, 27 other missiles approach other major Federation cities.
February, 17th 2143, 08:07 am
With the SALT-17 treaty of 2104 Federation and Empire had agreed on not producing or using any Kerolin Stealth missiles. The deployment of this treacherous weapon by the Empire will now destroy all crowded areas of the Federation within the next 20 minutes.
At 08:07 am, few minutes prior to the total destruction of the Federation, President Eva Goreman gives the command to counter-strike with Cold Fusion long-distance missiles. 85 of these missiles are launched from federated platforms, targeting imperial cities. President Goreman and more than 90% of the Federation's population will not live to see the moment of their impact.
February, 17th 2143, 14:00
In the last six hours approximately 23 of 24 billion human lives have been eradicated.
End of February, 2143
Caused by the enormous detonations the Earth begins to rear up. Volcanoes erupt, earthquakes ripple through the ruins of the cities, the waters of giant floods mix with the blood of the fallen victims. Those still alive fear that this is the end of the world, and for most of them it indeed will be.

The Second Ascension
2144-2400
In the following centuries the face of planet earth changes in a way for which it would have required millennia under normal circumstances, due to the unnaturally provoked tectonical activity. The North American continent appears to deviate to the east, while Europe drifts away from Asia. Africa and South America have for the most parts sunken beneath the waves of the oceans and the eastern part of Africa has drifted north and there collides with South Asia.
The few survivors of the war, the radiation and the ensuing natural disasters form a new kind of human race. Trained by the ongoing escape from death, grown strong by the fight against natural forces, small groups and tribes gather all over the planet, which is slowly calming down.
The earth and mankind itself are now in a state which is comparable to the early Iron Age. Although some wisdom could be passed on over the generations there is a lack of any kind of infrastructure to put this wisdom to good use. Technical devices surface sporadically from the debris, but people lack the knowledge to repair it. Only occasionally a tribe holds possession of a functioning technical device, which then is enshrined and protected like some kind of god. Most humans feed on vermin and other small animals. Furthermore, some plants prove to be nourishing.
~2480
Some tribes begin to trade with one another. In the regions of lesser radiation tribes conduct farming and cattle-breeding. Metal processing trades are prospering in the regions which are still heavily contaminated. With the people living in the latter territories a higher resistance against radiation has developed through the course of generations.
~2500
Few and far between people gain electricity from water and wind power, using it top run primitive technical installations. But power supply systems are non-existent.
~2510
The total population of earth now amounts to approximately 800,000 human beings. 75 percent of which are living in the Northern Hemisphere. The remembrance about WW3, which only lasted a few hours, has found its way into the rites and customs of the tribes long ago. In some tribes people talk about the cleansing white light, in others about the fires of the apocalypse and once again in other tribes people believe in the breath of the devil, who haunted the earth and banished the human race from paradise.
Although the memories of the catastrophe which condemned humanity are kept alive by this rites and customs, there are certain tribes which haven't specialized in farming or cattle breeding, but in the art of war. On the one hand they raid rich tribes to acquire their goods and wealth, on the other hand they offer their fighting abilities to other tribes, giving them the opportunity to deal with unfriendly neighbors.
~2520
Two warlike tribes with strong leaders become remarkably known: the tribe of Crahn and the tribe of Thor. Both of these tribes roam the contaminated earth in search of wealth and power. While the people of Thor wander through the northwest of the nameless new continent, the tribe of Crahn has declared the east of the continent to be its territory. Both tribes gain in size and influence over the years.
2523
While searching for minerals a patrol from the Crahn tribe discovers the entrance to a cave, which was buried by rocks. Since they suspect an ore mine to be within the cave, ten sturdy men of the tribe begin to excavate the entrance. After working four days they discover a cathedral-sized passage, which leads deep into the mountain. Upon clearing the way of all obstacles and after another group has ventured deeper into the mountain, they surprisingly encounter other human beings.
They find out that these people have lived inside the mountain for uncounted generations, isolated from the world outside. Their ancestors had sought shelter from the natural forces in the caves centuries ago. After the entrance to the caves became buried, no other way out was left. A subterranean river supplied the people with water and food and thus they dwelled for centuries in the colossal underground caverns of a mountain range.
The skin of these people is hardly pigmented and they are extremely thin and lean of stature. They are bald and have big black eyes with virtually no white left. It's discovered that they apparently don't communicate verbally and that they are as good as blind.
When one of the warriors hits one of the cave dwellers on the head just for fun his companions witness how the warrior is raised about nine feet into the air by invisible hands, just before he explodes from inside out. Afterwards two witnesses confirm that the eyes of the cave dweller were glowing red by that time.
From then on the cave dwellers are treated with much respect. They are lead to Crahn, who is fascinated by them from the start. Since he assumes that one day his tribe will profit from the powers of these people, he decides to admit the cave dwellers to his tribe.
Though they quickly learn to talk, they still mostly remain to themselves. Since they obviously possess telekinetic psi powers the other tribe members call them Psi Monks.
2525
The tribe of Thor and the tribe of Crahn meet at the Sea of Silence at the center of the new continent. Both tribes claim the western shore for themselves, which leads to a grim battle that's won by Crahn's people, by the help of the Psi Monks. Thor's people draw back from Crahn's troops and retreat further into the west.
2527
Because of the psionic powers at his command Crahn thinks himself to be invincible and follows Thor's troops. They reach Jeriko, the hometown of Thor's people. In a bloody battle Thor's tribe is reduced to a few thousand men for whom Crahn sets up a prison camp where they have to do heavy labor. One night Thor and a group of about fifty other prisoners manage to escape from the ruins of the city he once ruled. They flee to the west, to the tribe of Ceres. Though Thor and Ceres have never been allies they always tolerated each other peacefully. Ceres admits the exhausted men into his tribe. Since Ceres is aware of the threat Crahn poses, he proposes an alliance to Thor.
The area around Jeriko, the former home of Thor's people, is for the most parts only radiated to a minimal extent and it lies strategically well protected, situated slightly above a river's mouth. The Psi Monks suggest Crahn to build a mighty fortress on the ruins of Jeriko, to consolidate his power. Crahn, being the vain person he is, agrees. He declares the construction of this fortress to be the beginning of a new era and therefore calls the fortress Neocron (Greek: neo = new, cronos = time).
2533
Six years later Jeriko has disappeared. Where once lived the people of Thor now the mighty fortress of the new age is situated: Neocron. It's being ruled by Crahn and the Psi Monks.
2545
The hermit Mecando has seen many parts of the new world. His skin has been tanned by the weather and his provisional radiation protection suit is tattered and torn when he reaches an outpost of the Ceres tribe, totally exhausted. Quickly Thor and Ceres hear about the traveler from afar and, being curious about him, visit the outpost to meet Mecando. The old man tells them about the small tribes and their accomplishments, about heroic deeds and tragedies... and about Neocron, the huge fortress where nobody would offer him refuge.
When Mecando, Ceres and Thor are gathered together one evening, Mecando asks Ceres about the origin of his name. Ceres answers that his people once undertook an expedition into the north of the new continent. They advanced into a very cold and inhospitable area. The further they marched into the north, the more men froze to death or starved. When they finally reached the conclusion to abort the expedition, they discovered the tomb of a great warrior. A huge rock overhang covered the entrance to the tomb and enormous steel doors sealed the tomb itself. The only thing that was to be seen about the tomb from the outside was a black granite slab on which the word 'Ceres' could be read. When they looked at it more closely they also could make out the words 'Wisdom... Power...' and '...Knowledge...'. The rest of the engraved words had been ground away by the elements through time. Ceres presumed that a mighty tribe leader had been buried here and since the tomb was apparently some hundred years old he decided to help Ceres to rise again by adopting his name. He hoped that by adopting the name of this northern tribe leader the gods would give him the strength to safely bring the expedition back home. And so it happened.
Mecando is confused and tells them that he encountered the name 'Ceres' before in another context in stories and myths, although he's unable to recall their exact content. But he is sure that there was no connection to some warrior or tribe leader, and he urges Ceres to lead him to the spot where the tomb can be found. Ceres, knowing about the dangerous terrain up in the north, is not too eager to give in to the old man. But Thor becomes curious and is prepared to lead an expedition to the tomb. The warnings of Ceres remain unheard and after he tells them the way to the reputed tomb, Thor, Mecando and twenty tribesmen journey into the scant country of the north.
2546
Thor's expedition has been on its way for nearly eight months and has been reduced to fourteen men when finally they find the place which Ceres told them about. Mecando is confident that they have to advance into the inside of the 'tomb' to disclose its secret. The men begin to breach the enormous steel doors, and when Thor and Mecando enter the depths of the 'tomb' they somehow sense that nothing would be as it was before after their discovery.
And thus the people of Ceres come into possession of the whole knowledge of mankind from the 22nd century. For months the wise of the tribe study the Ceres Project. There are specific instructions on how to erect workshops, factories and power plants. Ceres orders a valley in the west to be shut off and the scholars of his tribe begin to experiment with the newly discovered knowledge. Mecando becomes chief researcher and Thor is usually the first to test the new acquisitions. Since he never stopped dreaming about taking Neocron and freeing his oppressed people he urges Mecando to develop new weapons so he would be able to accomplish his goal. Despite of Ceres' doubts Mecando is convinced by Thor to work on the development of new weapons.
2550
Of course, an important event in the development of mankind such as the discovery of the Ceres discs cannot be kept secret for long. The monks of Crahn by now have established an excellent intelligence service. Many of the most intelligent and agile citizens of Neocron have been recruited for the NSD (Neocron Security Department). The NSD succeeds in planting some of their members in the Ceres Project, who pass on information to the people of Crahn. Crahn is totally enraged when he learns about the Ceres Project. He knows that in case of war his people cannot come up with something adequate to this technological leap, and thus he orders the Psi Monks to initiate the elite of the NSD-Spies in the psionic techniques so they can read the minds of the researches of the Ceres Project.
In fact, the tribe of Crahn succeeds in acquiring a major part of knowledge from the Ceres Project by these methods. Following the failed attempt to steal the Ceres discs the NSD-Spies are discovered and executed. After this incident only citizens and friends of Ceres' tribe are allowed to participate in the project.
2556
Ten years after the discovery of the project Ceres decides to begin with the construction of an enormous city in the still sealed-off valley. He wants to realize all the theoretical knowledge gained from the Ceres discs in this city. Mecando advises to put the city beneath a protective dome of eloxated glass and steel, to protect it from the deadly radiation. Ceres announces his plans publicly, and so the Dome of York becomes a legend long before the foundation stone is placed. But in Neocron things have changed, too: the people of Crahn have begun to put the newly acquired information to good use and to expand the city. The buildings become bigger and grander from year to year.
2557
By now Thor, Ceres and Crahn are all about 50 years old. On his deathbed Mecando tells Thor about the secret of a new weapon. He calls it 'energy weapon' and explains that it does not shoot with projectiles of solid matter, contrary to conventional weapons, but with bundled energy. Mecando also tells him that he already has developed a prototype of this weapon and where it can be found.
Thor gives out orders to push the development of this new weapon. He plans to distribute several hundred weapons to his men 'til the end of the year and to attack Neocron.
Ceres and Thor argue about this plan. Ceres advises Thor to forget Jeriko and Neocron, but Thor wants to free his people. Ceres threats to abandon him and his people if Thor won't drop his plan. But Thor mocks Ceres by saying that his men are the only warriors anyway and that the tribe of Ceres would be defenseless without him.

Modern Times
2558
Through spring Thor forms up his men and some new followers from the ranks of Ceres to take Neocron with their help. Thor's men are equipped with a powerful hand weapon which shoots heavy plasma. This green glowing concentrated energy contains an enormous amount of destructive power. When Thor's men leave the city of Ceres they know that there's no turning back. Ceres has told them that everyone who'd rather choose war than peace would be forfeiting his place in this community.
The Battle of Neocron doesn't last long. After Crahn and his Psi Monk bodyguards manage to escape, the remaining Psi Monks surrender quickly when realizing that they stand no chance against the powerful energy weapons of Thor. Thor is displeased by the escape of Crahn, but the joy and jubilance of the liberated people comfort him enough to forget his disappointment soon enough. And there are not only his own people who receive him with cheers, but also the people of Crahn. They, too, had suffered badly under the cruel reign of Crahn and his monks and now hope for the organization of a just government or at least for Thor to take over the city as a just ruler, he, about whom they had heard so many encouraging tales.
Crahn flees together with his guards into the wastelands. On the base of an old ruin they begin with the construction of a secured abbey. In the course of the following years Crahn dies. His guards found the Sect of Crahn in the abbey. This sect will become a most influential religion in the following decades.
2565
After seven years of growth, justice and progress under Thor's reign, he considers himself to be too old to continue with ruling over Neocron. He passes his power on to his son, Regant. Regant wants to develop Neocron into the most powerful, most modern and biggest city of the new world.
The construction of the Dome of York is nearly finished as well. Following the insights from the Ceres Discs, York is organized like a city of the 22nd century. As an example for the protective dome above York served the dome of former Tokio, which already protected that city centuries ago against radiation.
Regant doesn't believe in the concept of the dome. Educated by Caalron, the successor of Mecando, he creates a plan for a magnetic shield, which can reflect more than 50 percent of the radiation without a physical structure. The benefits of Regant's plan are based on the fact that his concept won't limit the physical expansion of the city.
2570
Despite the magnetic shield the population of Neocron still suffers from disease which can be traced back to the influence of radiation. Regant plans to improve the shield and asks the now 65 year old Ceres to give him a copy of the Ceres Discs to supplement his knowledge about magnetic shields. Surprisingly Ceres refuses his request. He tells Regant that he had warned Regant's father to choose the bloodshed and that there will be neither partnership nor friendship between Neocron and York.
Bewildered, Regant insists on his right to gain access to the Ceres Discs. He points out that after all it's been his father who discovered them. But Ceres doesn't stray from his point of view. Regant is left no choice but to give up on his plan.
2575
A deadly virus infection kills thousands of Neocron's residents. The city's medics are helpless, and even the Psi Monks, who have wondrous healing methods at their disposal, are puzzled. Once again Regant turns to Ceres and pleads to gain access to the discs to find some medicine against the plague. But Ceres states that the plague is the vengeance of the God of the Blinding Light, who is punishing Neocron for the senseless bloodshed.
Being beside himself with rage and not comprehending as to why Ceres is able to tolerate the demise of so many innocent people, young Regant declares that there will be more bloodshed and begins to set up his troops for a war against the Dome of York.
2576
Regant and Ceres are unable to come to a peaceful arrangement. Regant orders the Psi Monks to use their knowledge about genetic engineering, which they gained primarily while fighting the virus infection, to breed a stronger and more robust kind of warrior. The Psi Monks, who dealt with genetic engineering since Thor's capture of Neocron and the introduction of the new doctrine, intensively pursue this task and develop a prototype after just a few months, which they call Tank. The Tank can be produced as a fully drilled warrior in a short amount of time and has all the characteristics Regant requested. In addition, Regant's scientists develop new armored vehicles based on 22nd century military tanks. Piloted by the new warriors and combined with their genetically enhanced reflexes and tactical abilities, these Hovertanks become extremely effective weapons.
Ceres, too, instructs his researchers to work on new military equipment. They develop a new kind of walking vehicle, a powered giant of metal, equipped with numerous weapons and piloted by humans from inside its massive body. This new kind of field weapon is called WarBot by its developers. Furthermore they work on a new mass destruction system on the basis of the former atomic bomb.
2577
Once again Regant asks Ceres to grant him access to the discs. He explains that, irrespectively of the fact that his father discovered the discs, Ceres is not entitled to use the knowledge of the discs exclusively for himself. In fact, in his opinion the knowledge contained in the discs should be accessible by the whole of mankind.
He issues an ultimatum to Ceres, to make the discs accessible until the end of the year. Should Ceres not react until then, he would coercively ensure by force that the knowledge of the discs can be spread to everyone.
2578
Ceres proclaims the discs to be his property and that Neocron has already benefited more than enough from the knowledge. Regant deploys his army of Tanks quipped with heavy weapons an armored vehicles and attacks the Dome of York with full force. Regant's strategy is aligned on a short but powerful military strike against Ceres, but he fails to take the defensive mechanisms of the dome into account. The area surrounding the city is covered with mines and spring-guns, and the Tanks that break through this protecting wall face an army of warriors piloting their WarBots.
2578-2585
What had been planned as a short strike became the longest military conflict in the history of the new world. While Ceres dispatched his armored warriors to the battlefield, the Psi Monks raised one Tank after the other and the factories spewed out thousands of Hovertanks.
The earth surrounding both of the cities was soaked in blood and covered with debris by now when Ceres' scientists discovered a weapon based on the atomic bomb, which would be able to only kill unprotected organic material but would leave his warriors unharmed, due to a special shielding of their WarBots. Ceres didn't hesitate to let this bomb detonate over the battlefields between the two cities. Thousands of genetically bred Tanks fell victim to the radiation of the bomb. Ceres threatened to let the bomb detonate over Neocron if his enemies wouldn't surrender before one week had passed. But he didn't know that the Psi Monks had already copied the shielding of the WarBots and had applied it to a new type of armor suit, which they developed by adapting some technologies they acquired from destroyed or captured Ceres-WarBots. This armor suit enhanced the reflexes and capabilities of the Tanks even further, and the next wave of Tanks went into battle adequately protected.
Because of this protection and their efficiency and power raised once again significantly by the armor suits, the Tanks vanquished Ceres' warriors and WarBots and invaded the Dome of York. The government was overthrown and Ceres was executed in public. Regant seized all of the Ceres Discs and began to open the knowledge of the discs to the public. Furthermore he appointed a new ruler from his own ranks who was to control the reconstruction of the dome.
2587-2610
The radiation in the area between the Dome of York and Neocron was enormous. Even with the best possible radiation protection, the distance between the two cities couldn't be covered without suffering permanent damages. Which in the following years lead to a rather isolated development of both cities.
The radiated area on the brink and outside of the protective dome is called The Wastelands. The first district of Neocron that adjoins to the Wastelands is the Outzone. Though the Outzone is protected against radiation, the numerous and hard to survey installations and buildings provide a certain incentive for criminal elements. To the inner districts of the city belong Pepper Park, an entertainment and red light district, the Plaza, the actual center of the city, and Via Rosso, the governmental and financial center.
It was a peaceful time, which furthered the research and financial growth to a great extent. The Psi Monks, to whom Neocron more or less owed the victory over Ceres, had taken command of the military.
There was no further genetic development of the Tanks. From the Psi Monks point of view a battle unit based on an organic being couldn't be the optimal solution. The existing Tanks were left to themselves. Much like the Psi Monks, the Tanks mostly kept to their own. Nevertheless they more or less succeeded in integrating themselves into the social system. They took security and bodyguard jobs and thus created their own place in society. Nevertheless the Tanks were not drawn into the regular police force.
Regant, who suffered heavily from the effects of the radiation disease, apparently lost influence and the well organized Psi Monks became more and more a secret power within Neocron. The intelligence service NSD, once founded under Crahn's rule, controlled the activities of the police and was steadily growing in power. The NSD set up internment camps in the Wastelands, where political opponents were held prisoner and being tortured.
2611
Regant dies. His chosen successor is found murdered shortly thereafter. The Psi Monks immediately seize control over Neocron. The Psi Monks introduce rigorous laws, but also do much for the progress of the city. In the meantime the complete knowledge of the Ceres Discs has been put into practice, except for space travel. In some areas the progress has already surpassed the theoretical knowledge.
2618
For the first time people succeed in establishing an uplink to the old satellites, which have stayed in orbit for centuries. Much to the amazement of the scientists more than half of the satellites are still functioning. By use of these satellites they discover that on another continent, which emerged from East Asia, yet another city is being constructed. But since it's situated on the other side of the earth, it's impossible to get to this city through the radiated areas with regular vehicles. Because of the Ceres Discs the Psi Monks also know about the colony on Mars. The council of the Psi Monks resolves to develop a spacecraft by which it's possible to penetrate the orbit to escape the deadly radiation on earth, and by which the East Asian metropolis can be reached. In a second phase a spacecraft shall be developed which is able to fly to Mars.
2630
After twelve years of work the first flying vehicle for 480 years, which is able to break through Earth's atmosphere and travel through the orbit, is at the city's disposal. A selected crew is sent to the newly discovered metropolis. They are amazed when they learn that the city is developed on a high level in a technical as well as in a cultural way. Just like Neocron's, the protective dome of Tokio II is based on a sophisticated magnetic shield. But the two shields also make radio communication between the two cities impossible. The Asians react very unfriendly to the foreigners and are not interested in any further contact to the western world. Thus the crew is unable to learn how the inhabitants obtained the knowledge of the old world. After a stay of just a few days in Tokio II on one morning the crew is awakened by soldiers and gets escorted to their spacecraft. Without having accomplished much the crew travels back to Neocron. After they have reported to the Psi Monks, the latter decide to ignore Tokio II and to concentrate on the space travel program.
2633
A group of young scientists feels oppressed in their work by the Psi Monks, and they decide to leave the city. They erect a small base in the Wastelands, protected from radiation.
2636
Named after the chief of the Psi Council, Shirkan, a spacecraft embarks in September on a journey to the Mars colony, which will take nine months.
2637
The astronauts discover the remains of the more than 500 years old Mars colony, Red Terra. The logs show that the colony fell victim to an unknown kind of virus in 2212. Thanks to the logs, the crew of the Shirkan experiences in a very gripping way the despair of the colonists when they discovered that the Earth was very nearly taken apart by WW3 - while being unaware that, had they known the reason for the catastrophe, they could have prevented the horrible war from happening:
On the 13th of February, 2134, Red Terra receives a distress call from a spacecraft named Starcruiser. They are told that the ship has been hit by meteor debris which damaged the sensors and their equipment for long range communication. The crew of the Starcruiser is therefor unable to send a radio message to Earth, but has already begun to repair the equipment. The ship's crew asks Red Terra to forward this message to mission control in Beijing.
But since Red Terra doesn't know anything about the launch of the Starcruiser and since there were two fighters in the area, which couldn't confirm the existence of the ship, Red Terra command thinks the message to be a joke from the patrol and ignores the call. And so the disaster took its course.
The astronauts also learn about the attempt to make the atmosphere of the planet breathable by using Gabanium. But according to the logs the Gabanium stimulates the development of the deadly virus on Mars, which is why the experiment had to be cancelled. A few days later the crew of the Shirkan discovers that Red Terra continuously receives a Hypercom message. It's from the crew of the Starcruiser. The content of the message, which arrives every three hours at the colony, is, that the generation cruiser has arrived on the planet Irata III, that the Gabanium experiment has transformed the whole atmosphere of the planet according to plan, and that they've been ready to receive new instructions for generations.
Apart from these important insights into the history of mankind and the realization about the order of events of WW3, the crew also picks up all kinds of technical devices. The loot ranges from a Mini-Holodisk player to a VR-Videogame console, as the Shirkan launches after their two-week stay on Mars. The metal, which contains the elements needed for fusion drives, is also taken to Earth in large quantities.
The news about the colonized planet Irata III spreads quickly through Neocron. The government decides to develop spaceships, which can cover the distance of 80 light years to this planet.
2654
After nearly 20 years of work, the Avenger is at Neocron's disposal, a spaceship which is to bring 2000 people in 90 years to the planet Irata III. The crew also has the necessary equipment to construct a permanent communication installation on Irata III, to establish contact with Earth and Mars, respectively.
2660
The colony Red Terra is once again put into operation. The construction of a vast communication facility begins.
2684
After a powerful explosion in the Wastelands, the rumors accumulate about secret laboratories out there, where research on secret weapons and defensive measures is said to be done. Supposedly the Psi Monks run these laboratories to protect their power by force in the case of an insurrection.
2722
The crime rate rises to new heights in Neocron. The citizens accuse the Psi Monks not to be in control of the situation, despite their tough leadership. Lioon Reza, an eloquent ex-member of the secret service, founds a group of terrorists, who set their target on overthrowing the government and reforming the laws of the city.
2724
After a failed attempt to overtake the mighty government building in the Plaza district, Lioon's troops succeed in taking the government of the Psi Monks by surprise and in banning the members of the government from the city. The remaining Psi Monks are tolerated within the city, but are not allowed to congregate or to get active in the field of politics. Many of the Psi Monks of the former government retreat into the old Crahn Abbey in the Wastelands.
2725
Lioon becomes the new dictator of Neocron. He introduces the CopBot system to the city. CopBots are policemen and judges at the same time and therefore are able to rigidly take action against violence and crime in the streets of the city. The laws become strongly simplified and the punishments are extremely increased.
2727
After an insurrection in the old districts of the city, Lioon decides to concentrate the presence of the CopBots on the inner areas of Neocron. Following this decision the outer districts, especially the Outzone of the city, degenerate dramatically. The laws are once again tightened. The only punishment for a criminal act is immediate execution. All aggressive actions are punishable. Carrying weapons unconcealed in the inner districts of the city is (after a caution is issued) punished with death. Everywhere in the city monitoring systems are installed, which are to protect especially the inner areas of the city - Plaza and Via Rosso.
2740
The Avenger arrives at Irata III. Red Terra 2, the new colony on Mars, establishes contact to Irata III. Apparently the people travelling with the Avenger have found a paradise on the planet: Irata III is covered with forests and oceans. The Chinese have erected a city from stone and wood, which they call Typherra. The newcomers are friendly received, but the news of the destructive events on Earth shocks the inhabitants. Since the planet is so big, the Typherrans offer to receive more people.
2742
The news of the paradisiacal situation on Irata III spreads quickly through Neocron. Lioon Reza decides to populate Irata III and to subject the inhabitants of the planet. He promises a prosperous life to the citizens of Neocron, if they join his troops and his trek. Most people are sick and tired of malformed children, radiated water and the general hopelessness on the contaminated Earth, thus joining Lioon's trek.
2743
For unexplained reasons the contact to Irata III suddenly breaks off. Red Terra 2 rules out the possibility of a technical malfunction of the communication facility. The plan of the great trek continues to exist nonetheless, although Lioon himself decides to stay on Earth.
2746
The great trek begins. Forty spaceships, which were constructed following the examples of the Avenger and the Starcruiser, embark on their journey to Irata III. The new design allows 8,000 passengers per ship, which means that 320,000 people are leaving the city. Six months later, another twenty spaceships launch. But those were only the beginning. Almost daily, more, partly much smaller ships, are leaving. The fact that the contact to Irata III has been interrupted for almost a year now only seems to strengthen the wishful thinking and the faith in this new paradise.
2747-2749
The void left in the population of Neocron by those who have embarked on their long journey to Irata III opens up new opportunities for criminal elements. Since the trekkers are forced to leave most of their personal belongings behind, the government decides to collect this property for their own purposes. But there are others who would also like to profit from the abandoned belongings, ranging from everyday utility items to whole buildings, and thus the governmental 'reacquiring' operations get more and more disturbed by criminals and gangs. One man in particular, a lowly criminal named Trevor Denton, succeeds in organizing this raids on left behind property. By forging alliances between several criminal organizations, in the last stages even between members of the Mafia and the Yakuza, he greatly impedes the government's progress in this matter and succeeds in accumulating a good share of personal wealth. But major parts of his success are based on the fact that he is loyal to no one except himself, resulting in him betraying every ally as long as it seems to be profitable. At the end of his short career Trevor Denton is the most wanted man in Neocron, and finally gets killed by one of his many pursuers. To prevent that the organization is overtaken by one of Trevor's children, who all held more or less high positions therein, the government arrests all of them and either executes them or uses them as guinea pigs for scientific experiments. Two of them, Xav and Zeke, are pardoned after they survive a series of experiments. Xav is disfigured for life, while Zeke Denton has lost a good deal of his memory.
2750
The treks have left their marks on the face of the city of Neocron. Deserted areas and the collapse of the spacecraft industry are among the harmless effects. Lioon increases the presence of the CopBots further to prevent the people who are left in the city from plundering and committing other violent acts, but especially in those parts of the city which are difficult to survey, like Pepper Park and the Outzone, the CopBots hardly succeed in their task.
When the contact to Irata III is still not reestablished even four years after it broke off, Lioon's interest in Irata III drops noticeably. Of course he knows that the treks won't arrive on Irata III before 2840 and that he, as opposed to the frozen passengers of the generation ships, will by far have surpassed his maximum life expectancy until then. This realization of his also becomes apparent, when Lioon once again gets more involved in the security aspects of the city and his governmental duties.