A Living Continuity
The Great Water War
Realm History 101:
Chapter 46
Introduction
The Water War, often termed “The Great Water War,” was a global conflict that lasted from 2045 to 2052, involving a vast menagerie of actors. It remains the deadliest conflict in history, paving the way for significant geopolitical changes leading directly to the horrors of the Seventy Years War.
The Outbreak of War
On September 9th, 2045 during the early morning hours a coalition of militia groups backed by the Governor of Utah (a once member-state of the former United States of America (FUSA)) stormed the Hoover Dam. This event set off a chain reaction of alliances and pre-planned action, leading to the mobilization of additional militia groups in FUSA, signaled the Russian government’s invasion of North America across the Bering Strait were they were met by Forces of the North. By December, China had taken Taiwan, war raged on the Korean peninsula, Europe was embroiled in conflict against authoritarian hardliners, and the continent of Africa dissolved into a maelstrom of tribal wars, narco conflicts, and widespread coup d’état.
Major Battles and Turning Points
The war is characterized by its unique collection of combatants, where soldiers faced shifting allegiances and borders as the lines of conflict moved regularly as hand-shake deals, misinformation, and betrayal marred strategy. Notable battles include the Battle of the Lake Havasu, the Battle of Karakoram Pass, and the horrific Raid on Lusaka. Of major historical significance was the first instance of combat off-world. The Battle of Tyco Crater, the final recognized battle of the war, saw millions of soldiers on both sides killed in brutal, often hand-to-hand, combat.
In 2049, HexTech Bioengineering and Cybernetics Lab made the breakthrough we now know as The Cyberhead whose combined and augmented intellect advanced technology and scientific understanding by a century in mere months. With development of large-mass teleportation and the advancements in spaceplane-engine design in October of 2050 Forces of the Realm emerged and quickly brought peace in only a matter of months.
At the war’s conclusion HexTech BCL unveiled the first-ever cost effective hydrogen-oxygen gas synthesizer essentially solving the issue of global water scarcity.
The Home Front and Global Impact
The war had a profound impact for human life. Governments took control of the economy as a self-protection measures, leading to hoarding of food and materials making population centers unruly riot-zones worldwide. The predecessors to our Cybernetic Individuals entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers to replace humans who had gone to fight or had been killed during the early months of mass chaos. Propaganda campaigns were widespread, aiming to maintain morale and support for the war. Misinformation became very difficult to discern as perception, opinion, and fact merged.
Globally, the war led to significant geopolitical changes. The end of the war saw a reshaping of many nations borders and governments ultimately leading to their collapse during the Seventy Years War. The map of world was redrawn at the war’s conclusion by governments and corporate forces, with new nations and nation-states emerging from the ashes of war and rubble of global society.
Technological advancements during the war, especially those by The Cyberhead, marked the beginning of unprecedented scientific breakthroughs and interplanetary travel.
Conclusion: The Legacy of the Great Water War
The war officially ended with the signing of the Bauer Accords and formation of the Global Alliance in 2052. The Realm’s subjugation of dissenting regions via the Global Alliance Outline was controversial for its treatment of those deemed as revolutionaries and is cited as the cause of the Seventy Years War following the Clone Uprising.
The Great Water War had a lasting impact on society, leading to significant changes in geopolitical boundaries, societal roles, and global power structures. It marked the beginning of the space colonization era with development in the space mining and colonization industry, as well as cybernetic innovation.
History of System Sol Vol. 3
Lord Caleb, Earth Edition: IX
More stories to come…
Witness — a Poem
Witness, bear my weight from words of wraith, worlds of death, y’ar silent observer — my tales of terror, the horrors of war, my words from yore now yours.
Place ye stones, place thy weight around the flame, be judged y’ar breath may burn if spoken. Hear. Remember. Weave your fabric and be woven within the grand tapestry knowing one day your life-words will be consumed.
Ole Pap’s story wove through wars and battles, the disasters and catastrophes, all matters of terror. Spoke of mountains once bodies piled upon bodies upon bodies and more, layers of ash from fallout and storms of stone that fell from the heavens afire leaving flames in the wake until Centurion’s Fall. O’ came the Cyberhead. The One.
When words became whispers, his story ‘o fade Ole Pap gave a grin that betrayed his dismay for he knew time had come for his ending as well. His story was over in the bellies of children, witnesses, wordless ‘til their stories end.
Author, Jason Graves 