A brief journey to the centre of hell.....
SUBLIMITY STRIKES
January 2000
Excerpt from
"The National Daily News, January 2nd 2000"
'....Computer scientists have stumbled upon a breakthrough that proves once and for all Artificial Intelligence no longer exists only in the realms of science fiction books and movies. With most of the world in silent relief about the the almost non-existent 'Millennium Bug', and in giant hangover from welcoming in the new millennium, the Global Association of Information Technology (GAIT) have confirmed that whisperings that an independent entity is actually living on world wide web are true.
"Artificial Intelligence is now a reality," Dr Giles Harmon, 56, International Chairman of GAIT, enthused at a press conference yesterday. "We are currently studying it's habits, but we can confirm that this is an independently cognitive being, capable of learning, deducting and having ideas."
Dr Harmon declined to offer any suggestions about how such an entity as this 'Cyber Organism' came into being, only saying that the matter is being thoroughly investigated.....'
January 10, 2000
From a speech given by the Brotherhood of the New Era's (BoNE) Leader, "Jeremy 'The Prophet' Kowlowski" , an organisation that has grown over the months leading up to this. They are very much against and worried about AI, and repercussions it might have.
"Last week, the world stumbled across a phenomenon that will herald the end of life on Earth as we know it. We are no longer alone! We are no longer the only animals on this planet that can have ideas, think, plan, build, destroy. There is another, far more insidious and complicated than we ever would have imagined. The bottom line is, we do not know the true capability of our so called "cyber brothers" or their real perception of us. These entities are the ones who ultimately may herald the destruction of Earth. They can control our missiles, change our targets, stop our traffic lights, our pace makers, our lighting, our heat, if that is their will."
Organisations, cults, grew overnight. Some heralding this to be the end of life as we know it, others enthusiastically welcoming this new culture with open arms. Dissension began to grow as the people of Earth were rapidly trying to decide which they believed in. Programmers and developers were amazed to see these 'Cyber Organisms' display programming capabilities far beyond the ability of any man.
February 2000
World wide lockout from the world wide web, as the so called 'Cyber Organisms' mutiny.
News feeds were the first to be interrupted. Telephone and satellite communications went haywire.
GAIT issued a statement that there was nothing to worry about, it was just a miscommunication with the cyber organisms.
BoNE representatives actively speak out and hold demonstrations against GAIT. There is an assassination attempt on Jeremy Kowlowski. Suspicions were raised against GAIT vigilantes, but these were never confirmed to be true.
There is wide spread fighting between the two factions. By now, most of the world's population subscribe to one faction or the other.
March 2000
Key players in the technological world are either killed or disappear. Media broadcasts at this time are interrupted by strange signals
April - May 2000
A plague dubbed the 'Grey sickness' breaks out in major population centres world wide. It begins with a grey 'fungal growth' that begins to cover the skin. The victim finally dies as nematodes penetrate vital orgaans. The rate of degeneration differs, some go down in a matter of hours, others months. There has been no cure found - attempting to scrape the material off seems to speed up the process of the plague.
Analysis by plague centres world wide cannot determine the exact origins of it, apart from the fact that it was laboratory engineered. The major players suspect one another.
There is a major disaster in every capital and major city. Mass exodus of population centres. Marshall Law is declared in the USA.
June 2000
The Machine Wars
November 2000
Remnants of our lives are scattered in the wastelands of our dreams. From ashes we are forced to rebuild. This is our story.