BJAllen
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The emerging science fiction futuristic story, 200 odd years from now, of life based on the trajectory of the current madness.
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Rule of Twelve, Double Take - Ch2 Perspective (Passage 3/5)

(… continuing)

Luna turned, picked up her pace and started to speak. She spoke with confidence and grace. She gave the story love and in that she gave it life.
“There was a time when vast cities covered the planet. Life wasn’t perfect but it was far easier than today. There were wars and famine, and lots of work to do, but for most it was a safe time. A time when people could make a life for themselves. They could choose how they spent their time. They could work or not work. They could own things. They were properly rewarded for their work. Yes, there was imbalance and hardship, but there was equal access to opportunity.
“Then came the Reset. Utopian dreamers had installed sufficient numbers of their brainwashed followers into political, governmental, educational, and commercial systems. They made their move. They changed the laws and used influence within large corporations to twist and corrupt the minds of the overly trusting majority. They forced the societal systems to align with their utopian ideals. They used various trojan horses, including equality of outcome, retribution for past inequities and sustainability. They used tools like programmable centralised digital currency and military-grade psychological operations. They broke the balance. They moved society away from competency hierarchies. They broke the systems that had enabled tens of thousands of years of growth. They moved the emphasis to power and identity hierarchies. They insisted that everyone should own nothing and be happy about it. This left societies incapable of functioning properly as increasing numbers of their citizens had to devote their time to the dysfunctional bureaucracies needed to enforce the utopian’s ideology.
“The impact on the poor was immediate. Services stumbled and became incapable of serving all but the well off. Pandemics and other health crises became common place. Overreach, blind incompetence, and adeptness at covering up the truth took over as the prominent skillsets. The systems no longer served to provide refuge for the less fortunate. The systems simply provided support for the madness.
“The impact on the middle-income earners came too. Mass unemployment and the burden of the hugely inflated bureaucracies left whole countries laden with debt. The burden was too great, and societies crumbled. Fighting became common place. Neighbour fought against neighbour. Whole suburbs fell into disarray as the fighting escalated.
“More and more cities fell into anarchy as those with means left and then regrouped. They congregated in an ever-decreasing number of cities. But the worst was still to come.”

Luna continued,
“In the fifty first year after the Reset the rich elite achieved the seemingly impossible. Shielded by their wealth, from the chaos and mayhem that confronted the majority, they had blazed ahead with their space programs.
“The fruits of these programs had been largely mute until that year. In that year they successfully breached the galactic horizon. A manned craft from the Musk corporation had successfully used dark matter technology to jump from our solar system into another and back again.
“The opportunity presented by reaching new systems took all their attention. The priority became forging ties with other solar systems and accessing their tech. Up until this point the elites had protected sufficient elements of the societal systems to serve their needs. However, when they put all their attention into the riches beyond the skies, nothing stood in the way of the utopians from taking complete control.
“This was the final straw for those that opposed the utopian madness. They fought back hard. This was despite billions of their number being lost through negligence, war, and genocide. The latter being achieved through pandemic counter measures. The resistance regained control of most places. They re-grouped and concentrated their efforts on the six remaining utopian controlled cities. The resistance nicknamed these cities Tangoalfa, Indiasierra, Alfadelta, Mikelima, Alfaecho and Tangoecho.
“However, this massive push was all in vain. Unknown to most, the utopians had been planning their escape. Under the banner of saving the planet they had established five eco-friendly urbanised regions. This was common knowledge. However, it wasn’t understood that at the heart of each region was a self-contained and heavily fortified citadel. The resistance named these citadels Kuedia, Inquis, Norline, Genda and Utopiam. Those names have stuck and were even adopted by the overlords.
“When it was clear the final six cities would slip from their control, the utopians retreated to the citadels. From there they released weapons of all manner on the rest of the world. Chemical, biological and traditional. Whole regions became unliveable. Billions perished. Some directly, but most from famine as the systems outside the walls of the citadels were destroyed, polluted, or rendered useless.
“With the world in chaos, the utopians played their final trick. Already in control of all sources of communications and masters at delivering false narratives, they laid blame for the destruction at the feet of their opposition. Then they offered conditional sanctuary to anyone who came to the citadel gates. They housed them in the walls to discourage attack and they put them to work in the various factories and green houses. Using the growing knowledge of alien tech, they fortified their positions. Within a few years, the citadels were the only place where people could exist in relative safety.”

(to be continued...)

[Rule of Twelve, Double Take, Chapter 2 - Perspective (Passage 3 of 5)]

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Rule of Twelve books to be narrated with the help of A.I.

I am investing in A.I. driven narration to bring the Rule of Twelve books to life.

It will be more than just narration in the traditional audio book sense. The A.I. will enable me to bring dialogue to life with character specific voices. This will create a rich and engaging narration.

Over the coming months I will be in catch-up mode, building the narration for already published material. Eventually, the aim will be to concurrently release chapters in both written and rich narrative form.

The narration will eventually make it to audiobook form for platforms like Audible and Spotify. However, to get it sooner, you will need a Locals subscription. The Locals App works just like your favourite audiobook app. So, you can listen on the go. Becoming a subscriber also helps keep this whole show on the road.

I look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Bradley.

September 22, 2022
Rule of Twelve, Book 2, Convergence

Read Book 2 right here in Locals.

Navigate to "Content", "Articles" and choose Book 2 from the playlist

https://bjallen.locals.com/content/articles/playlists/4467

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September 22, 2022
Rule of Twelve, Book 1, Double Take

Read Book 1 right here in Locals.

Navigate to "Content", "Articles" and choose Book 1 from the playlist

https://bjallen.locals.com/content/articles/playlists/4330/oldest

March 28, 2024
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1

 

Dukk opened his eyes. It was dark.

   “A dream. It must have been a dream,” he muttered as he tried to fathom where he was. He tried to digest the pre-dawn excursion with Craig.

   He swung himself out of bed. Marr was gone.

   He checked the time. Mid-afternoon.

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Rule of Twelve, Book 3, Chapter 12
Regeneration - New ground

 

1

 

“What in the world is going on?” Craig demanded as the doors to the south banqueting hall, closed behind them.

   Dukk, Marr and Emeelie stood before him. Beyond was the atrium bathed in orange light from the setting sun.

   On the opposite side of the atrium the doors to the north banqueting hall were open. Music and chatter could be heard from within.

   The noise from the others disguised the deathly silence that engulfed the four.

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Rule of Twelve, Book 3, Chapter 11
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1

 

“I am going to need a shower and change of clothes,” Marr announced as she put her helmet and goggles back on the rack in the garage.

   “Yes, the dust gets in everywhere,” Emeelie replied. “There are showers near the pool. Change of clothes too if you don’t want to go back to your suite all dusty.”

   “That is a good idea.”

   “Have you seen the pools below sea level yet?” Craig asked.

   “Nope.”

   “I was going to shower and change down there. Then use the sauna and take a swim. The pool up here can get quite hot in the afternoons.”

   “That sounds like a great idea,” Dukk said.

   “Absolutely, lead the way,” Marr added.

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