I would like to share the prologue of the first book in The Orion series, The Deadlands, before I begin posting anything about the books. I think it will give some information that needs to be communicated beforehand.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy!
~Anastasia
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The Orion prologue
A nuclear war finally erupted in the year 2100. War had been brewing in the Asian and European countries for nearly fifty years, and finally the ties between the European Union and the Asian lands snapped. Nuclear missiles were not spared as Asia released their inventory of bombs onto Europe. The USA received bombings during the war from Asia also, which blamed its financial problems and lack of food on its neighbors.
When the smoke cleared, Asia was in squaller; millions had died, leaving only a small population left to fend for themselves on the unlivable land. Europe was only a little better off, but the nuclear radiation was so great that after years and years, everyone had eventually immigrated to the clearer lands of the USA. The broken people began to try and rebuild their world, and a world government was established, led by James Calhoun, bringing some peace to the people for a time. But after many years, Mr. Calhoun and the government began to use some questionable techniques to keep its people in line. Before long, the people became terrified of the powerful government, who charged insanely high taxes, kept new technology for themselves, hoarded any scientific discoveries, and threatened the lives of anyone who opposed them. Mr. Calhoun, obsessed with power, went so far as to send troops of highly trained special operatives to each clan to kill anyone who rebelled to prevent anything happening to his world. They called themselves the Orion.
The Asians, known as the Lowlanders, lived in primitive conditions. They Europeans and the Americans refused to help them rebuild their community and cast them into the Deadlands, where the nuclear bombs had hit the hardest. The land there was completely lifeless, unable to grow much of anything. Forced to steal from the other clans to stay alive, the "Lowlanders" brewed much hatred against the other higher clans.
The Europeans, known as the Middle Classers, lived in better conditions than the Lowlanders. They were able to establish small farms and several tiny villages, but it was hardly enough to keep everyone in the Middle Class satisfied. Hunger was still a problem, as was homelessness. The people were forced to inhabit the crumbling homes left over from the holocaust.
The Americans, known as the Upper Districters, managed to rebuild what was left of a few of their cities. Poverty proved a problem because the Orion kept much of the money made by the Upper District for themselves, but they lived in much better conditions than those of the Lowlanders and the Middle Class. Hunger was virtually invisible, and there were hardly any homeless. Many started small businesses to make a living. They used currency to buy things from each other, as opposed to the trading Middle Class and the stealing Lowlanders.
In the year 2347, a new threat appeared in the form of a hidden rebellion. This rebellion stormed the World Government base, where they caused damage to important information files, before the Orion captured and executed everyone involved. Uneasy about the threat of people rising against them, Mr. Calhoun, as a punishment as well as caution, began to force citizens to offer one child from each family to their military. Once drafted, these children were trained until they were flawless fighters. This proved a profitable practice; it provided new recruits for their military, as well as keeping the people from overpopulating and overtaking the Government.
The people had no power against the Orion and many had to watch their children be torn away from them. This kidnapping became a sorrowful tradition, and the people consented to this new way of life.
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