History - Humanities Core

[Gus Givens]

Note: this is not an ISN report, but is from a history series produced by ISN, and is useful background to the ISN reports.

by Coops on Thu Jul 10, 2005 6:57 am
Humanities Core
Written by Mi-ty

The Core
Humanities Core, or simply the Core, consists of 268 systems all ruled by the Gestalt, a shadowy organisation of humans that are directly interfaced with a network of planetary super computers that are rumored to be true artificial intelligences.

The Core is, as it's name suggests, is situated roughly in the centre of human controlled space. All human controlled systems that are outside of the Core are known as the Human Sphere, or the Sphere.

The Core was set up 650 years ago in the dark days that promised the end of the old Galactic Federation (Gal-Fed) and the dawn of a new dark age. With dissension ripping the Federation apart, petty autocrats carving out empires from its territory and alien invasion fleets rumored to be on the frontiers waiting for the Federation to fall, the citizens of the central, most highly developed worlds, realised that they needed to do something to protect themselves.

The politicians, military and religious leaders fell to squabbling amongst themselves and could come up with no workable solution that would not end up with the central Core worlds being fought over and dismembered.

In to this power vacuum stepped Cynthia Chang-Valdez, a respected academic and head of the Arcon Institute of Human Possibilities. The AIHP was a think tank known to contain some of the foremost scientific and technical minds in the fields of bio-genetics, artificial intelligence, computer and medical sciences.

At a meeting convened by Chang-Valdez and before the central worlds most important politicians, business leaders and military authorities,the AIHP laid the foundations of what would become the Core.

No one knows what went on during the meeting but within weeks 98 of the central worlds most powerful worlds had signed over power to the Core.

The first act of the Core was to take control of the military, re-equip it with the very latest in weapons systems and build several new fleets. These fleets were then set to patrol the the fringes of Core space and destroy any military vessel that attempted to enter without permission. This strong and decisive action had the desired effect of bringing an uneasy peace to all of human space as it was realised that a single body of extreme power was capable of projecting power where ever it wished.

While the eyes of watchers followed the mighty fleets of the new born Core the real work that the AIHP had in mind was going forward almost un-noticed.

The AIHP had studied human history and knew that humanity is born of strife and, at times, wallows in it, no system in recorded history, no matter how successful, had ever been able to control this restless spirit that manifested itself in the urge to explore, to fight and to conquer. The AIHP believed that they could, through the use of science and technology, control this urge and channel the energies released into more productive areas.

It has been suggested that the AIHP had developed some sort of mind control device or drug that allowed them to force the people of the central worlds to do their bidding but the truth is far from this. The AIHP did use medicinal drugs and newly developed technologies to assist in the setting up of the Core but mostly they used psychology and human nature.
The AIHP ensured that all of the peoples needs could be answered in the Core:

The people wanted peace and the Core gave it to them.
The people wanted freedom and the Core gave them more freedom than they ever had had before.
The people wanted good government and the Core ensured that the people were governed by a strong, thoughtful and compassionate body that always had their needs at heart.

But the Core was accepted because it provided one thing that the people did not ask for but truly wanted, the people wanted happiness.

From the outside looking in citizens of the Core would seem to live under almost constant monitoring where every thought is known and controlled and dissension is not tolerated. But to the average citizen of the Core they live in a utopia where they have complete freedom, as long as they do not interfere with the freedom of others, where from the moment of birth a friendly government offers them help and guidance to set them on the road to a career that offers their unique talents fulfillment.

The Core is one of the few places where you could find the lowliest sanitation engineer and the mightiest of business leaders rubbing shoulders together in true equality.
The people of the Core do not consider that they have a government rather they consider that they have a strong friend to help and to guide them.

For those who find the Core restrictive in any way there is always the Sphere!
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12th January 2005 )