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CYBERWORLD High-TechLow-Lif eintheOne-and-Twenty ByPaulHume AdditionalMaterialbyChrisW.McCubbin EditedbyJeffKoke CoverbyKeithParkinson IllustratedbyDanSmith GURPSSystemDesignbySteveJackson LoydBlankenship,ManagingEditor;LauraEisenhour,ArtDirector CopyEditingbySusanPinsonneault;ProofreadingbySpikeY.Jones PageLayoutandTypographybyJeffKokeandMonicaStephens CartographybyLauraEisenhour ProductionbyLauraEisenhourandMonicaStephens;ColorProductionbyDerekPearcy PrintBuyingbyMonicaStephensandAndrewHartsock Playtesters:LaneBoyd,AndrewHartsock,FredMcCabe,KevinMcCabe, RobertPatton,DerekPearcy,MarlonStout,RobThomas,RobertWheeler, CharlieWiedman,ToddA.Woods,DustinWrightandStevenZieger. GURPS,Pyramidandtheall-seeingpyramidareregisteredtrademarksofSteveJacksonGamesIncorporated.Allnamesofotherproductspublished bySteveJacksonGamesIncorporatedareregisteredtrademarksortrademarksofSteveJacksonGamesIncorporated,orusedunderlicense . GURPSCyberworldiscopyright©1993,1994bySteveJacksonGamesIncorporated.Allrightsreserved.PrintedintheU.S.A. ISBN1-55634-235-7 2345678 91 0 STEVEJACKSONGAMES CONTENTS INTRODUCTION3 1.AWORLDONTHEEDGE..4 Firstworld/Lastworld6 LookingBackwaysTwentywards7 1990-2000:SlippingintoChaos7 Tolliver'sDisease7 2000-2010 :PoliticalTurmoil8 2010-2020:UnityThroughForce11 TheCanadianCollapse11 ECUs12 TechTimeline2010-202013 2020-2030:TheMaelstromGrows.. .14 SecureObservationFacilities14 TheWorldin204315 2030-2040:TheHammerFalls16 2.CAMPAIGNSAND CHARACTERS17 CampaignTypes18 CharacterTypes19 Advantages,DisadvantagesandSkills…22 JobTable23 3.THEUNITEDSTATES24 TheProvisionalGovernment25 TheCabinet27 TheProvisionalCongress27 AdamHammond27 Elections28 TheU.S.Cabinet28 ProConFunctions29 TheNERCC29 NERCCOrganization30 IndustrialRegulation30 U.S.PoliticalParties30 Immigration31 Security31 U.S.Citizenship31 AdministrativeRegionsandDistricts..32 NERCCEnforcer33 TheUniformCode34 ControlRatings34 NERCCEliteEnforcer34 Citcards35 CardChecks35 NERCCOfficers35 FakeCitcards37 NERCCCommander37 U.S.Territory38 AlaskaFreeState38 NERCCFieldAgent38 Black-BoxCitcards39 TheCubanRevolution40 AlaskanSpecial OperationsTroops…40 Mexico41 EcheveristaGuerrilla42 TheLowSix43 MapoftheUpper4844 MapoftheLowSix44 4.GEOPOLITICS45 NorthAmerica46 Communauted'AtlantiqueQuebecois46 MapofNorthAmerica46 TheUnitedProvinces47 TheFederatedProvincesof ColumbiaandAlberta…47 TheNorthwestProtectorate47 UnionofCentralAmericanStates47 RegionalConsolidation47 SouthAmerica48 InternationalLaw48 Chilentina49 DataHavens49 MapofSouthAmerica49 Brazil50 UnitedEurope51 Zurich-Orbital51 TheKorpWorld52 Eire53 France53 Germany53 TheIberianFederation53 TheCommonwealthof IndependentStates53 TheBolshyTen53 TheCentralAsianFederation54 TheMiddleEast54 Africa55 MapofAfrica55 ConversionFactor55 India56 China56 EasternAsia56 MoneyGames56 WhenNottoMakeFluxRolls57 Australia:PoisonedTreasure57 ECONOMICS59 CredandFold59 ValutaandDengi59 Ecus59 PaymentPlans59 CurrencyFluctuation60 CurrencyTables60 FluxRolls61 CredintheNet63 UsingFluxinaGame63 5.CRIMEANDPUNISHMENT65 OrganizedCrime66 EthnicityandCrime66 TheMafia67 Familia,Ltd67 MafiaStructure68 SecrecyandMaflnc69 TheOmertaImplant70 'Traffs70 TheMajorCartels71 Triads71 TheCommissione72 Russki-Yakuza73 IlUnione74 LocalTalent74 Rackets74 Bloodsports74 BodyBanks74 CreditCrime75 CrimeforHire75 Drags75 Narcotraficantes:TheBigThree75 Extortion76 Gambling76 NumberedRanks76 Prostitution..77 FetusFarming77 GoingtoCourt78 DoingTim eontheEdge78 Drugsonthe Edge78 High-TechPrisons79 6.POPGOESTHECULTURE81 OnStage82 Advertising82 SnuffArt83 SinCities83 OnScreen84 SubversiveAn84 VirtualRealityandtheSensies85 Literacy85 Music86 Cyberaxes86 Sports87 TheOlympics87 Sportsand Cyberwear88 News89 Fashion90 OtherBloodsports90 7.TECHNOLOGY91 TechLevels92 Bioprocessors92 ElectricalStorageandPowerCells.. .92 Memnon-1292 FusionPower93 GeneticEngineering94 High-TemperatureSuperconductors.. .94 Metallurgy94 PowerSlugs94 MolecularEngineering95 SolarPower95 LimitationsofHTSCs95 TransplantsandImplants96 GettingTech96 AvailabilityofTech96 CyberwearandSocialStigma97 AvailabilityRequirements98 EquipmentandTechLevels98 CyberwearontheEdge98 CyberwearandAppearance98 CyberwearAvailability99 PersonalWeapons10 1 HeavyWeapons10 5 OtherWeaponsandEquipment10 6 WeaponTable10 7 8.THENETONTHEEDGE..10 9 Computers11 0 MajorComputerKorps1ll Megacomputers11 2 MassStorage11 3 DataRequirements11 4 DataTransferRates11 5 OperatingSystems11 6 Software11 8 NewAttackand DefensePrograms..118 Virgonomics12 0 CyberspaceontheEdge12 1 NeuralInterfaces12 1 NeuralControllers12 1 Cyberdecks12 2 PricingComputers12 3 ComputerPrograms124 CyberdeckSoftware12 4 TALKIN' ONE-AND-TWENTY12 5 INDEX… 12 7 Contents —2— INTRODUCTION Thisparyenwiththesteeleyewas holdin'forthonhowtheprolesgetdrigged byProGov,whenthenerksjoinedtheparty.Nosurprise.Whenthreestreetfolktalk revolutseeya,it'saneasybettwoaredreamin'and thethird'sasneetchfor theheat. Thegoons'matte-blackcombatsuitsseemedto soakupthelight.Notlocal heat.Theywascarryin'burnersaswellasthestandard-issuepocketrockets.Only thenerks getthat kindabangbangtoplaywith.Alasertookout thegentwiththe steelyglance and I was under the benches by the time the gyrocs started flyin', and wishin'theplast wasalittle thicker. Ipulledmystingerand wasgladtoseethenerks wereinmonocrys,notplate. Theneedlesmadethatwhipcracksound,andGospodinNerkbythe window Gaussedout.Bynow,bulletsandneedleswasflyin' everywhere,andbetweenthem andthethrowweightfromthenerks,theplacewas gettin'unhealthy.Iclickedmy teethandthelegsfiredup,launchin'meonaflattrajector ythroughthe glass.Two moreflatblacks waspostedoutsidethewindow.Theywas slower than me. GURPSCyberworldisacyberpunkSourcebookset50yearsinthefuture, almosthalfwaythroughthe“one-and-twenty”(21s tcentury).WhereGURPS CyberpunkjackedtheGURPSsystemintothevirtualrealityofcyberpunkfiction, GURPSCyberworldpresentsadetailedsettingforadventuresandcampaigns. Therearesom edifferencesbetweenthisbookandthecampaignsettingde-scribedinGURPSCyberpunk.GURPSCyberpunkdescribeda“mature”TL8 technology.Lasersandgyrocswerethestandardsidearms.Cyberwearwas chromedandslicked-downandwell-behaved,andoftenyoucouldn'ttel litfrom theoriginalmeat.InGURPSCyberworld,theworldatlarge-whereyouandI liv e-isatearlyTL8.There'sstillalo tofTL7techaround,andTL8toysarefor thewealthyandpowerful.Peoplestil lshoo teachotherwithprimitivethingslik e bullets.MostTL8bangbangismil-speconly.Cyberwearisnotanoff-the-shelf propositionyoucanbuyoneverystreetcorner.Andwhenyoudogetit,itismore likelytohaverawweldsandbreadboardmicrocircuitsthanpolishedchromeand synthiskincamouflage.Ahackerwithacyberdeckisoneinamillion,andasfar asmostNetcomputersareconcerned,he'sagod. Apartfromthesedetails,thereareafewotherlittlechangesfromtheworld weknowin1993 .TheProvisionalGovernmentanditsenforcementarm,the NERCC,maintainapolicestateintheU.S.Theleadin gtechnologica lpoweron EarthistheeconomicallianceformedbyJapanandtheCommonwealthofInde-pendentStates(formerlytheUSSR).Australiaisadepopulatedwasteland,victim ofalab-bor nplaguevirus.Thekorps,thekeiretsu,squeez etheworldalittl e tightereachyear-theymightaswell.Itain'tpoppedyet,right? Funplace.Nicetoadventurein,notsoniceifyougottaliveinit .Youdon't likeit?Kakoy'oo'zhas,paryen!That'stoodriggin'bad!Sofixit,livewire.Ifyou thinkyoucan… AboutGURPS SteveJacksonGamesiscommittedto fullsupportoftheGURPSsystem.Ourad-dressisSJGames,Box18957 ,Austin,TX 78760.Pleaseincludeaself-addressed, stampedenvelope(SASE)anytimeyou writeus!Resourcesnowavailableinclude: PyramidThisbimonthlymagazinein-cludesnewrulesandarticlesforGURPS,as wellasinformationonourotherlines :Car Wars,Toon,OgreMiniaturesandmore.It alsocoverstoprelease sfromothergame companies-Traveller,CallofCthulhu, Shadowrun,etc. Newsupplementsandadventures.We're alwaysworkingonnewmaterial,andwe'll behappytoletyouknowwhat'savailable. AcurrentcatalogisavailableforanSASE. Errata.Everyonemakesmistakes,in-cludingus-butwedoourbesttofixour errors.Up-to-dateerratasheetsforall GURPSreleases,includingthisbook,are alwaysavailablefromSJGames;besureto includeanSASEwithyourrequest. Q&A .Wedoourbesttoanswerany gamequestionaccompaniedbyanSASE. Gamerinput.Wevalueyourcomments. Wewillconsiderthem,notonlyfornew products,butalsowhenweupdatethisbook inlaterprintings! IlluminatiOnline.Forthosewhohave homecomputers,SJGameshasanonline servicewithdiscussionareasformany games,includingGURPS.Here'swherewe doalotofourplaytesting!It'sup24hours perdayat512-448-8950,atupto14.4K baud-ortelnettoio.com .Giveusacall! WealsohaveconferencesonCompuServe, GEnie,andAmericaOnline. PageReferences ReferencestotheGURPSBasic Set, ThirdEditionbeginwithaB-e.g.,p.B102 meansp.10 2oftheBasicSet,ThirdEdi-tion.HTmeansGURPSHigh-Tech,aUT referstoGURPSUltra-Tech,anda Crefers toGURPSCyberpunk. AbouttheAuthor PaulHumeisafreelanceauthorwho livesandworksinWheaton,Maryland. GURPSCyberworldishisfirstproject forSteveJacksonGames,buthehaswritten andco-writteninnumerablebooksfor FASAandothers,includingShadowrun, SecondEdition,GrimoireandShadowbeat. —3— Introduction AWORLDON THEEDGE Ina darkcorneroftheNew Yorkmegasprawl,anappliance storefacesthestreet,its vidscreensandthriddieboxes showingsnowthrough the plastiglassstorefront.Nobodyis onthestreetthisearly,exceptfor astray dog,sotheflickering screensplayto anaudienceofone; Asifoncue,allthescreens changetodisplayakorplogo overacomputer-generatedEarth spinninginslowmotion.The Earthfadestoavector-graphic globewithcontinentaloutlines, thenaslow dissolvetoBinkand Beltsittingbehindalight blue-graydesk,withthe worldscreenbehindthem. AWorldontheEdge —4— Binkflashesthecamera aknowingsmile.'“Hayogozaimas,paryeni.I'm BinkBentley.” “AndI'mBettBartley.” “Andhere'sSatNews,Jan-one-forty-three. Populationworldwidepartied downlastnight,makingmuchwelcometo2043.” Behindthecheerfultwosome,theworldscreen displayslaserflashshows and holo-pyrotechnicsoverHermitageinPetrograd,KremlininMoskva,Common-wealthCongressBuildinginMinsk,allcapitalsofthevariousRepublics.During themontage,thescreenexpands to take upthewholepicture. Belt'svoicecreepsinoverthevideo.“IntheCommonwealth,folksmade bolshoyehpraz'navoon'yeh,closingtheyear ofcelebrationsmarking theBig Five-Oh…” Thevideo spits outascratchyoldvidofUSSRflag beingloweredforthelast timeonJanuary1st,1992. “…halfacenturysincethe oldSoyuzwentdodo,backatthethresholdofthe one-and-twenty.Thecelebrationalso markedthe 20th anniversaryoftheJoint EconomicAgreementthatstartedtheRusso-JapaneseEconomicUnion.Russky-PresMalashev…” Theworldscreen bringsup amuchmorerecentshot-RussianPresident AndreiMalashevandJapanesePremiereTadeoTakahashi,drinkingtoasts;be-hindthem,ahuge windowlooks outonthe Earth,hangingagainstabackdrop of stars. “… andPrimeMinisterTakahashi,celebratingthe occasionat TenTan's mainorbitalfacility,wishedthecrowdsinYeltsinSquare andelsewhere 'Snoh'veemGoh'dum!' viahololink.” Theshotpullsbackfromtheworldscreen,showingBinkand Bett,withtheir permanentsmiles. “And'Happ yNewYear'backat'em,Bett.IntheU.S.,ProPrexyHammond andProConleadersholo-hostedthetraditionalTimesSquareblowout,andindi-catedthatthe NationalRecoveryPlanforthepastyearhadcomeinfarabove predictions.” Onceagain,theworldscreen spins aroundandgrowstocovertheentire view. NowitshowsProvisionalPresident Hammondaddressinga bustlingcrowdin TimesSquare.Hammond'svoice,apowerfulgrandfatherlylilt,comesechoing overloudspeakers. “…andinthe lightoftheseadvances,madeby thededicationandsacrifice oftheAmericanpeople,Ifeelconfidentinpredictingthatthestateofemergency willendmuchsoonerthanexpected,allowingtheProvisionalGovernmenttostep downand,Godwilling,institutefreeelectionsintheverynearfuture…” ThescenedissolvesbacktoBink,headandshouldersonly.Thekorplogofills uptheworldscreen behindhim. “AholocopyofPresidentHammond'sfullNewYear'saddressisavailable on anySatNewsd/lnodeforanominalcharge.Andwhileyou'rethere,paryeni,don't forgettobrowseallourhot SatNewslibefiles-allthenews,allthetime,on SatNews. “Elsewhere,lessfun-makingforthe NewYear.AjointNERCC/FBIoperation endedlastnightinakrovvy-redshootoutat thestatelinebetweenArizonaand Sonora,wherea coyote operation hadbeenferryingunauthorizedScaleThree citizensfromthe Low SixtotheUpperForty-Eight.” WithoutlosingSink'supbeatdiscourse,thecamerapullsbacktotakein combatfootageonthescreenbehindhim-achopperstrikeonaconvoyofhalfa dozenramshackletrucks.Thefootageisintercutwithstarlite-andIR-enhanced helmet-camfootageofgroundfighting andmop-up.Thesceneiseeirilymacabre withonlySink'swarmvoiceforasoundtrack. Talkin'One-and-Twenty Babooshka:(Russ.)Grandmother.Granny. Old-fashioned. Bolshoyeh:(Russ.)Big.Great.Large. Coyote:Someonewhosmugglesillegal transientsfromMexicototheU.S. Dyadooshka:(Russ.)Grandfather.Gramps. Old-fashioned. Gododo:Tobecomeextinctorobsolete. ' Hayogozaimas:(Jap.)Hello. Khorosho:(Russ.)Good.OK.Fine. Korp:Multinationalcorporation.A keiretsu. Krowy:(Russ.)Bloody. Livewire:Informaltermofaddress. One-and-twenty:The21stcentury.Up-to-date.Modem. Paryen:(Russ.)Pal.Friend.Chum.(pi. paryeni) Praz'navoon'yeh:(Russ.)Celebration. Party. Snoh'veemGoh'dum:(Russ.)HappyNew Year. TD:Tolliver'sDisease. Toller:Tolliver'sDisease. Touchdown:Tolliver'sDisease. -5 - AWorldontheEdge Firstworld/Lastworld Peopleusedtotalkabout”FirstWorld“ nations(industriallydeveloped),”Third World“nations(a.k.a.”emerging“nations, oneswithnoindustrialinfrastructureto speakof),andsoon. OntheEdge,itboilsdowntofirstworld andlastworld.Anyoneinthemiddletends toslugtheirwayintotheformerorget suckeddownintothelatter. ThefirstworldincludestheUnited States,UnitedEurope,theCommonwealth ofIndependentStates,theCentralAsian Federation,theIsraeliEmpire,Japan,most oftherepublics,freeprovincesinCanada, andChilentina.MaybetheThird Revolution'sChinaisatfirstworldlevels, too,ifanyoneknewjustwhatwasgoingon inthere. Thelastworldisalmosteverywhereelse. Somelastworldnationsaretough,witha decentleveloftechavailable,butit'sall imported.Theyshoveloutresourcesand theygettech-toysback.Mostofthemarein thesamebindtheThirdWorldwasinlast century,withafewbigboysatthetoprak-ingoffmostoftheloot,andthestreetfolk, thevillagers,thefarmerslivingoffthe crumbs. “ThecommissionersfortheSouthwestern andMexicanregionsissuedajoint statementthatall duecare hasbeentaken to respectthereservedrightsoftheMex C-3sinvolved.Overhalfthecoyote'scubs cameoutwithout ascratch.Khorosho job,fellas. ” Thecamera cuts toBett.”Onthe Cubanfront,GeneralOrmiston'sweekly pressbriefing deniedtherumorsthatU.S.overflightsoftheCamaguayregion had encounteredSmartSAMbatteries.ThegeneralnotedthatOperationCubaLibre timetableshave beenadjus-“ Thescreen goesblackforasecond,thenflashesinbrightredletters”[CLAS-SIFIEDCLASSIFIEDCLASSIFIED].“After30seconds,theimageofBettre-emergesonthescreen”…penaltiesforunauthorizedmediaactivityina designatedcombatarea.“ Backtoadouble shotofBinkandBett.Binkspeaks. “AndintheAntarctic,amissilebarragehitthe Korsakov-Shimadzu Korp's ResourceProbebasecamp,spillingbloodunderthemidnightsun.The'Spea rof Gaia'ecoterrsclaimedresponsibilityfortheraid,whichdusted twelvekorpers anddroppedtwiceas manyintothe doctanks.Theecoterrhit burned acool millionrubyen worthofhotkorptech aswell.Inapressconference,K-Sspokes-menreportedthat thebasecampwouldsoonbebackinoperation,withall functionskhoroshowithin24hours.Soundefficient ?Youbet.That'sjustone exampleofthekindofperformanceyoucan expectfromKorsakov-Shimadzu. We'llbebackafter thismessage,whichshowsyouafewothers.” Trendy,upbeatmusic slidesinfromthe background,andthescreensfadeto theSatNews logo.Thenthescenes cuttoaKorsakov-Shimadzuadvertisement. Inthedesertedalley,withthefirst soundsofasleepypopulacewaking thecity inthebackground,thestray dogwanders offtowarddawntofind somefood. AWorldontheEdge —6— LookingBackwaysTwentywards FiftyyearsfromnowtheworldisontheEdge.Theedgeofwhat?Ofheaven orhell?Ofanexplosionoftechnologyandinformation,orjustanexplosion? From2043,lookingbackto1993,here'saquickrundownoftheeventsthat prettymuchdestroyedtheformsandnormsthatDyadooshkaandBabooshkaused toknow,andleftusontheEdge. 1990-2000:SlippingintoChaos TheCommonwealthofIndependentStates TheSovietUnionwasformallydissolvedonJanuary1,199 2anditsmember republicsformedtheCommonwealthofIndependentStates.Initsearlyyears,the CISfacedeconomiccollapse,shortagesinagricultureandindustry,violentethnic wars,andthecoupattemptsof1991,1993,199 5and1996 .Morethanonce,the Commonwealthalmostfellapartinawelterofsuspicionandoldhatreds. RussiaremainedthestrongestvoiceinCommonwealthaffairs,despitesome earlyattemptstoavoidSlavic,andspecificallyRussiandominanceintheCIS.The Slavicrepublicsgaveuptryingtopleasetheothermemberstates.Thedeathof Yeltsin,fromananonymoussniper'sbulletduringtheNationalFront'suprisingof '96 ,wasthepivotalpoint.Hissuccessor,DmitriBreslov,madeitclearthatwhile RussiawaspreparedtocooperatewiththeCommonwealth,itwouldnolonger subordinateitsownnationalconcernsmerelytocalmthefearsoftheotherrepub-lics.RussianeconomicandmilitaryinterventiononbehalfofethnicRussiansin otherrepublicsbecameacontinuousandescalatingcauseoftensionintheCIS throughouttherestofthedecade. TheTDPandemic Tolliver'sDisease,ahighlycontagiousretroviralplague,brokeoutin1997 . ModerntransportationletTDmovelikelightningacrosstheworldscene.As epidemiologyidentifiedthepattern,internationaltravelandeventravelfromone citytoanothershranktoatrickle.Mostcountriesslappedferociousquarantine restrictionsontravelers.Insomeregions,panickedresidentsindulgedindo-it-yourself”publichealthmeasures“thatleftthousandsdeadorwounded. Citiesbecamepolarizedbetweentwomajorcategories.The”have-lots,“ thosewhodidnotfleetothelessdangeroussuburbsandexurbs,couldafford privately-enforcedsecurity,medicalIDcheckpoints,protectedpublictransport andothermeasures.Corporateandgovernmentemployeescouldeithercommute betweenthehellishcitiesandtherelativeheavenofexurbia,orliv einhigh-secu-rity”endominiums“-self-containedcomplexesofapartments,shops,officesand otherfacilitiesthatkepttheplague-strickenworldsafelylockedo-u-t.The”have-nots“couldaffordneitherflightfromthecitynorsecuritywithinit.Theycarried onasbesttheycould.Asjobsmovedoutofthecitiesinever-increasingnumbers, orbecamerestrictedtothosewhocouldsatisfythehighstandardssetbythekorp enclaves,socialservicesbrokedownundertheincreaseddemandsoftheurban poor. TheTollerwasjoinedbydiseasesofpovertyinmanyfirstworldcities:chol-era,typhus,kwashiorkor,beriberi. JustinTolliveridentifiedthevirusresponsibleforthediseasein1999 .An-effectivetreatmentwasdevelopedin2008,butitwas,andis,expensive,andonly themosthavingofthehave-lotscouldaffordit.Avaccinewasdevelopedin201 9 butdidnotgointoglobaldistributionuntil2021. Self-preservationdictatedthatthewealthynationsandcorporationsprovide vaccinationatlittleornocosttopoorerpopulations.Rumorsaboundthatadulter-atedvaccineoroutrightplaceboswenttosomeareas. Tolliver'sDisease Tolliver'sDisease(TD ,touchdown ,the Toller)isaretroviralinfectionwhichaffects primates,includingHomo sapiens.Itcanbe spreadbyaerosoldropletinfection(sneez-ing,coughing),byintimatecontactor,inthe laterstages,bycontactwiththedischarge fromavictim'slesions. AnyonewiththeImmunitytoDisease advantageisimmunetoTD,asisanyone whohasbeenvaccinatedagainstit.Most PCswillreceivethisvaccinationalongwith theusualroundofchildhoodimmunizations (polio,DPT,measles,HIV).Peoplefroma lastworldcountry,orthosewithanegative Statusmightnotbeimmunized.Anyone whohassurvivedTDisalsoimmune. Susceptibleindividualscancontractit whentheyareexposedtoacarrier,orarein anareawhereTDhasbrokenout(se ep. B133). Aninfectedpersondisplaysnosymp-tomsfor2ddays;duringthisperiodthereis notestthatcanaccuratelydiagnosethedis-ease. Afterthistimeisup,thevictimisinfec-tiousandanyoneexposedtohimmaycatch thedisease.Thecarrierstilldisplaysno symptoms,butstandardmedicaltestswill easilyrevealthepresenceofTolliver's virus.TestsrequirelabfacilitiesofTL7or better,andasuccessfulrollvs.Diagno-sis+4.Thisphaselaststhecarrier'sHT+ld days. Continuedonnextpage… —7 — AWorldontheEdge Tolliver'sDisease(Continued) Afterthistime,thevictimdevelops symptomsandmuststartmakingHTrolls. Hemaydie.Duringthisperiod,victimsare highlycontagious.Rolldailyvs.HTusing thefollowingnumbers. Avictimundernomedicalcarewhatso-everrollsvs.HT-8. SomeoneunderTL7medicalcarewith fullhospitalfacilitiesrollsagainstHT-5. IfunderTL8medicalcarewithfullhos-pitalfacilities,therollisvs.HT-3.Specific treatmentforTolliver'sDiseasemakesthe rollvs.HT+3.TL8facilitiesoffersuchcare for$5,00 0perday-itinvolve stailored monoclonalantibodiesdesignedspecific-allyforeachpatient. Anyothermedicalcare,orsimplycom-pleterest,gooddiet,andpalliativetreat-mentforpain,secondaryinfections,etc., allowstherollatHT-7. Eachdaythattherollfails,thepatient loses2dpointsofHT(3 donacriticalfail-ure).Thisisgeneraldamageandistreated asshownonp.B126.Oncethepatient'sHT dropsbelow0,hebecomescomatose,or helplessindelirium,andstaysthatwayuntil heiscuredandhisHTreturnsabove0.The patient'sSTandDXarereducedbyhalfhis HTloss,andifeitheronereaches0,the patientisrenderedhelplessbythedisease. OncethediseasereducesHTbyhalf,the patientbreaksoutinadistinctiverash. WhenHTdropsto3orless,therashdevel-opsintoopenlesionswithanunpleasant discharge.Ifthediseasereachesthisstage, thevictimwillbepermanentlyscarred.Re-duceAppearancebythreesteps.Acharacter withAverage(orlower)Appearancebe-comesHideous.Becausethescarsareun-mistakable,thesurvivoralsosuffersthe SocialDiseasedisadvantage(seep.C25), eventhoughheisnolongercontagious. SomeonerenderedHideousbythedisease wouldthussuffer-5onreactionrolls,in-steadof-4 .Cosmeticsurgerycanrestore Appearance,ofcourse,andeliminatethe telltalesignsofTD. OnceaHTrollsucceeds,thepatientre-coversdamagenormally(seep.B128). Eachsuccessfulrecoveryrestores1pointof lostHT,ST ,andDX. Tolliver'sDiseaseinfectedonepersoninthreebetween199 7and2021 .In areaswithhighpopulationdensity,theinfectionrateapproached70%.Three-fourthsoftheplague'svictimsdied,overabillionpeopleinall,andmanyofthe survivorssufferednervedamage,hideousscarsandothersideeffects.Occasional outbreaksofTDstilloccur,eveninfirstworldareas. TheEndofNATO AsthethreatoftheSovietUnionfadedintohistory,andasEuropebecame moreandmoreindependentoftheUnitedStates,thestressesonNATObecame intolerable.TheEuropeangovernmentswerelesstolerantofU.S.dictates.The U.S.wasincreasinglyreluctanttoexpendscarcedollars”defending“allieswho werepatentlynotindangerfromanybody.Divergentforeignpolicieswerealsoa sourceoffriction. ThesituationintheBalkans,especiallyinwhathadbeenYugoslavia,forced thegrowingdissentintotheopen.Withthesituationgrowingworse,several countriesformedapeace-keepingforceinlate1993 ,designedtoforceaceasefire betweenthewarringfactions.TheUnitedStates,withsocialpressureonthe governmenttofocusontheworseningdomesticcrisis,wouldnotcommitground troop stothiseffort. Afterseveraldaysofacrimoniousnegotiations,theothergovernmentsturned authorityinthematterovertotheConferenceforSecurityandCooperationin Europe(CSCE).InearlyNovember,jointforcesfromtheEuropeanCommunity movedintotheBalkans,withoutaU.S.presence. ThisriftmarkedthebeginningoftheendforNATO.Overthenextdecade,as theU.S.reducedtroopconcentrationsinEurope,andEuropeangovernments minimizedtheircommitmenttoNATO,theorganizationwitheredaway,andwas formallydissolvedin2003. 2000-2010 :PoliticalTurmoil TheCentralAsianFederation In2003 ,aseriesofconfrontationsbetweenthegovernmentsoftheAsiatic republicsoftheCISandtheSlavicmajorityreachedapeak.Arisingtideof nationalisminthesouthernrepublics,fuelledbypetrodollarsandmilitarysupport fromcertainIslamicgovernments,ledtothesecessionoftherepublicsof Kazakhstan,Uzbekistan,Turkmenia,TadzhikistanandKyrgyzstan.Violentriot-ingtookthousandsoflives,asethnicRussiansandloca linhabitantstooktothe streets,andarmyunitsfiredonriotersandoneachother.Notcoincidentally,the politicalturmoildisruptedproductionatanumberoftheCommonwealth'srichest oilfields. TheformalsecessionwasproclaimedonJuly9,2004,inajointdeclaration bytheCentralAsiangovernmentsatasummitheldinFrunze,capitalof Kyrgyzstan.OnSeptember12 ,afteragooddealofrhetoric,somemilitarymaneu-veringandcivildisorders,theCommonwealthrecognizedthesecession.Behind thescenes,Kazakhstanthreatenedtoescalatetoanuclearresponseintheeventof militaryinterventionbytheCommonwealth,oranyofitsmemberrepublics. SouthAfricaAflame In1998,ageneralelectionreturnedagovernmentdominatedbytheAfrican NationalCongress,headedbytheelderlybutstillintenselycharismaticNelson Mandela.However,whiletheANCespousedmoderation,moreextremeparties receivedenoughsupporttogainastrongvoiceinthenewgovernment. Disruptiveanti-whiteinitiativesonthepartofmoreradicalofficials,indefi-anceofofficialpolicies,plaguedtheMandelaadministration.Newoutbreaksof factionalviolenceamongadherentsoftheANC,theNewAfricanandtheZulu AWorldontheEdge —8— Confederationparties,andthePan-AfricanCoalition,furtherweakenedthegov-ernment. In2004 ,acoupmountedbyhard-lineAfrikaanersseizedcontrolinPretoria, JohannesburgandCapeTown.Conflictingloyaltiessplinteredarmyandpolice units.Many-oftenthebestarmedandtrained-supportedthecoup,augmented byparamilitaryforcesfromtheultra-conservativeBoerpopulation.Otherssup-portedtheelectedgovernment.Stillothersjoinedburgeoningsecessionistmove-mentsinNatal,theOrangeFreeState,andtheTransvaal. TheSouthAfricancivilwarcontinuedfor12years;whentheviolence stopped,thesouthernpartofAfricahadsplitintoahalfdozennewnations. Thefightinghadanimmediateglobalimpact,however,asresourcesproduced inSouthAfricastoppe dflowingintotheworldeconomy.Goldpricestriple dinthe firsttwoweeksoffighting.Panicbuyinginchromium,manganese,platinumand otherstrategicresourcesproducedbySouthAfricafollowed,drivingworldstock marketsintoorbit. TheGrandSlam In2006,stockmarketsandinvestmentsystemsallovertheworldcrashed. Thedownwardspiralofboomandbustfromprecedingdecades,coupledwiththe devastatingeffectsoftheTDpandemic,theSouthAfricanCivilWarandpetrodol-larmanipulationsbycertainMiddleEasterngovernmentsallculminatedinone massiveglobalcollapse.Eventhestrongestcurrenciessuffereddouble-digitinfla-tion.Weakereconomiesdisintegratedcompletely.Unemploymentinthe firstworldapproached35%.Inthedevelopingnations,itwasnearly50%. TechTimeline1990-2000 1998:Advancesinplasmadisplaytech-nologyallowcommercializationofmulti-mediapersonalcomputers.”Virtualreality“ gogglesandmulti-purposecontrolsurfaces aredemonstrated,butlimitationsonspee d makethemimpracticalforserioususe. Sustained”hotfusion“reactionisdem-onstratedatHiromatsuPower'sresearchfa-cilityonHokkaido. Megabytechips(IntelDecade,Taizu 1998-10/6 )areintroduced,becomingthe basisforthenextgenerationofcomputers. 1999:RoyalMotors,Canada,andGen-eralMotors,U.S.,unveiltheLectraserie sof electricalcommutercars,withatopspee d of50mph.Theyrunfor6hoursonasingle chargeofthei rnickel-hydridebatteries,re-chargeableonhouseholdcurrent. Aspartofthesamemovetowardalter-nativepowersources,newformulationsof methanolfuelsaredevelopedbyseveral firms,despitecovertattemptsatsabotage byseveralOPECnations. TheHumanGenomeProjectisformally establishedaspartofthesearchforacure forTolliver'sDisease.Resourcesfrom14 nationsarecommittedtotheformalgenome mappingeffort. HurricaneAbner Thefirsthurricaneofthe199 8seaso n exceededallpreviousrecordsforferocity.It rippedaswathofdestructionacrossthe Caribbean,devastatedCuba,andthen turnedsharplynorthwesttoraketheU.S. coast.SeaboardcitiesfromCharlotte,South Carolina,toBaltimore,Maryland,werehit bywindsapproaching15 0mph,andastorm surgethatwasmeasuredat35feetinsom e areas.Killerthunderstormsspunofffrom themainmass,spreadinglesserdamage overtheremainderofthecoast.Thedeath tol lwasestimatedat7,200 ,andproperty damagewasinthebillionsofdollars. Ahighlycontroversialjointreportby governmentscientistswaspublishedin 1999,presentingresultsthatsuggested Abner'sunprecedentedfuryfitprediction modelsbasedonglobalwarming.Argu-mentsaboutthereportwerestillgoingonin 2000 ,whenHurricaneMarkodidarepeat performancealongAbner'sroute.Since then,weatherstatisticsshowa10%increas e inhurricanefrequency,anda25%percent increas eintheenergylevelsoftheworst storms. Abneranditssuccessor sonthehurri-canehitparadestokedtheurbanpanic causedbyTolliver'sDiseaseincoastalcit-ies ,andacceleratedthemiddle-classexodus tothe'burbs,especially'burbsonhigher groundi nseasid eregions . Similarcyclonicweatherpatternshave appearedinthePacificandIndianOceans. —9— AWorldontheEdge Thereconstructionoftheglobaleconomytookthebetterpartofadecade. Whenitwasdone,nationalcurrencieshadtakenabackseattothemonetary systemsofthemajoreconomiccommunitiesandthebiggestmultinationalcorpo-rations. TechTimeline2000-2010 TheimmediateimpactoftheGrand Slamputadamperonmosttechnological advancesduringthisdecade,butseveral majordevelopmentsstandout. 2001:Experimentaldesignsforprosthe-se susingenhancedneurotransmitterther-apyandmicro-neurallasersurgeryare appliedinclinicaltrials.Thisisgenerally regardedasthefirststeptowardsfull-func-tioncyberweardevelopment. 2002;Increasedprocessingspeedal-lowsthefirstvirtual-realityinterfacefor generalcomputin guse,onMetaPulse Systems'high-endworkstation.Thelackof softwarespecificallydesignedtotakead-vantageofVRhampersthespreadofthe newtechnologyforseveralyears.Thead-ventofVOS-21,in2008,putsthenewtech-nologyoverthetop.VOS-21combinesan operatingsystemwithdevelopmenttools, bothdesignedtoaccommodatethepotential ofvirtual-realitycontrols.By2012,VRin-terfacesareascommonasmicewerebythe mid-1990s. 2003 :Drivenbytheoilshortagesofthe Petroslam,firstworldgovernmentsand korpsallocatesignificantfundingtodevel-opmentofviablesynfuelstoreducedepen-denceonoil. Power-celltechnologyisdemonstrated byKunstlerMettalurgischenErforschung, GmbH.Productioncostsofkeycompo-nentskeepthetechnologyfromcommercial useuntilzero-grefiningtechniquesmake thenecessarymaterialsavailableataccept-ablecostsinthe2020s. 2007:Aman-portablelaserweaponsys-temdeliveringdamagecomparabletoa modemfirearmisdemonstrated.Powerre-quirementsprecludeitsdevelopmentfor fielduseforovertwodecades,untilpower cellsbecomemorewidelyavailable. UnrestinChina InthegenerationpriortotheGrandSlam,thePeople'sRepublicofChinahad beenemergingfromeconomicisolation.Doctrinairehard-linersalmostthrew awayChina'sgreatopportunitytojointhemainstreamofglobaltradebyimposing strictcontrolsonHongKong'smarketplacewhencontroloftheformercrown colonyrevertedtoBeijingin1997 .However,abloodlesscoupwithintheParty leadershipin199 9restoredamoreliberalfactiontocontrol,andChinesepartici-pationinworldtradeincreasedsubstantiallybetween199 9and2006 .Chinaex-tendeditsdeficit,andbegantoraiseitsquotasofforeignimports.Chinese industryretooledtoapplytechnologyintroducedfromthemoredevelopedna-tions. Caughtoff-balanceinthetransitionfromtheausteritiesofhard-lineruletothe reformsoftheliberalleadership,ChinawashithardbytheGrandSlam.Famine wasanimmediatethreatinmanyregions,andanoutbreakofTolliver'sDiseasein theindustrializednortheasternHarbinregionthrewgasolineonthesmoldering embersofcivildisorder. Thecountrywasvirtuallycutofffromtherestoftheworldasitsleaders straggled,murderously,amongthemselves.TheconflictculminatedintheThird Revolution,in2014,whichfinallyrestoredasemblanceoforder. TheNon-Election of2008 ThedollarwentintoanosediveduringtheGrandSlam,bottomingoutin 2008withanannualinflationrateof800%. Federalprogramswerecut,thencut-again,throwingintolerablestrainonloca l budgets.Governmentservicesbrokedownatvirtuallyeverylevel.Duringthe recordheatwavesofAugust2007,martiallawwasineffectinalmostathirdof theU.S.asauthoritiestriedtopreventafinalcollapseintoanarchy.Theabdication offederalauthoritywasformalizedbytheLocalPowersActof2009,inwhich Congressgrantedwidelatitudetogovernors,mayorsandevenprivateinstitutions, authorizingextraordinarypowerstopreserveorderduringemergencies.Needless tosay,theselocalforcesdidnotalwaysusethispowerwisely. Inthisclimate,extremistsfromallpointsofthepoliticalcompassdrowned outmoderatevoices.Halfadozenpoliticalpartiesnowexistedwhereforgenera-tionspowerhadeffectivelybeendividedbetweenonlytwo.Coalitionpoliticswas anewgameintheU.S.,andboththepoliticiansandtheelectoratewereslowto figureouttherules.Thepresidentialelectionof2008failedtoreturnamajority foranyofthefivemajorcandidates. Underthe12thamendmentoftheConstitution,whentheelectoralcollege failstoreturnamajorityforasinglecandidate,Congressisauthorizedtoelectthe nextpresidentfromamongthethreecandidateswhoreceivedthemostvotes. December2008sawmoreintensepolitickinginWashington,D.C.thananything intheprevious200years. Acoalitionticketwashammeredout.Thepresidencywenttotheinoffensive CentristDemocratcandidate,WalterBurris.Thevice-presidencywentto ArchconservativecandidateMartinPatterson,asthepriceforhissupporters' votes.Under-the-tabledealssplitthecabinetpositionsandotherappointments amongvariouspowerblocs.Theendresultwastoleavetheexecutivebranch virtuallyparalyzedbytheconflictingpoliticsofthisadhoccoalition. AWorldontheEdge —1 0— 2010-2020:UnityThroughForce ThePattersonPresidency OnApril17,2010,PresidentBumswasassassinatedduringaspeechin Cincinnatti.Theassassinusedarocketlauncherandhadfittedthemissilewithan anti-personnelwarhead.TheflechettesalsotookoutthreelocalCongressmen,the mayor,fourSecretServiceagentsandseveraldozenbystanders.Theassassinwas killedinanexchangeoffirewithpoliceandfederalagents. VicePresidentPattersonwassworninasheadofthegovernmentwithin hours.Hisfirstofficialactwastodeclareadayofmourningforhispredecessor. HissecondwastoimposemartiallawonCincinnati,andorderFederaltroopsinto thecityto,inhisownwords,”combthroughthecityhousebyhouse,andifneed be,brickbybrick,untilthenestoftraitorsisexposedandexterminated.“Govern-mentpressreleasesrevealedthata”revolutionarycult“callingitselftheArmyof SatanicOrderhadbeenresponsiblefortheassassinationofPresidentBums. Shortlythereafter,ablockoftenementsindowntownCincinnatiwasreducedto flamingrubblebyunitsoftheArmyandtheOhioNationalGuard,andgovern-mentspokesmenreportedthatthecultistshadbeentrackeddownanddealtwith. PresidentPattersonissuedanexecutiveorderthefollowingweek,callingforthe apprehensionandinvestigationofindividualswithahistoryofinvolvemen tin “occult”organizationsandactivities,includingWicca,Satanism,theRosicru-cians,Spiritualism,theOTO,theMichaelineOrder,theGoldenDawn,Transcen-dentalMeditation,theSCA,investigatorsofESP,andfantasyroleplayinggames. AsconditionsintheU.S.worsened,thePattersonadministrationdemon-stratedabrutalabilitytomaintainorderandkeepcrucialresourcesmoving throughtheeconomy. -11-TheCanadianCollapse InternalconflictsinCanadaincreased followingtherejectionofyetanotherCon-stitutionalamendmentpackagein1996. Quebecswungintoaphaseofextreme regionalism,andPremiereJean-Baptiste Corbecwaselectedin1995onaplatformof increasedautonomyfortheprovince. WhentheGrandSlamhittheCanadian economy,thebatteredfederalgovernment inOttawawasunabletopreservenational unity.Eachprovince,perhapsgenuinely, perhapsperversely,seemedintentonapar-ticular,mutuallyexclusivesolutiontothe crisis. Theoilindustryinthewesternhalfof thecountrywasalreadyill-dispose dtoward thecentralprovinces,whereautomakers haddiligentlyworkedtodevelopcarspow-eredbysynfuelsandelectricity,andhad lobbiedforstrictregulationofinternal-com-bustionvehicles.Thebusyportcitiesofthe coastshadsuffereddisproportionately,in theirview,fromTolliver'sDisease,and theircitizenschargedthatOttawahadbeen moreconcernedwithcheckingthespreadof contagioninlandthaninhelpingtheareas mostharshlyafflicted. Theendresultwasthevirtualdissolu-tio noftheCanadianconfederacyi n2007 , followedbyitsformaldissolutionin2010 . TheindividualprovincesofCanadabecame autonomousnations,thoughtheycon-ductedmostoftheirinternalcommerce withinthenewCanadianTradeCommunity exactlyastheyhadunderthefederalgov-ernment.Theresource-richareasofthefor-merNorthwestTerritorybecameajoint protectorateoftheprovincialgovernments. TheYukonTerritory,however,petitioned thestateofAlaskaforunion,andbecame partofthatstate,andthusoftheU.S.,in 2016 . AWorldontheEdge ECUs Thehardestcurrenciesin2043areEco-nomicCommunityCreditUnits.Amultilin-gualpunhasspreadintousagein-most languages,andtheseunitsarecalled”ecus“ (ay-kyooz),whichwasthenameforanold FrenchcurrencyintheRenaissance.The ecusare: Therubyen:ECUoftheCISanditslarg-esttradingpartner,Japan; Theeurotaler:ECUofUnitedEurope; Theneodollar:ECUoftheUnitedStates anditsNorthAmericantradingpartners. Aftertheecus,themoststablecurren-ciesarehard,firstworl dmoneyand “keiretsumarks”(K-marks,Korpmarks)is-suedbythetop10multinationals. Detailsoncurrencyandexchangecanbe foundunderEconomicsonp.59. Pattersonreceivedan80%marginofthevotein2012 ,anoverwhelming mandatefromthe16%oftheelectoratethatactuallycastballots.Acoalitionofthe extremeconservativeparties(Archconservative,TrueAmerican,andNeo-Capitalist)sweptCongressaswell.Withtheexecutiveandlegislativebranchesof governmentworkingonacommonagendaforthefirsttimeinoverhalfacentury, theU.S.economybegantorecoverfromtheravagesoftheGrandSlamandthe TDpandemic.PopularsupportforthePresident'sambitiousrecoveryprograms increasedatthegrassrootslevel,especiallyaftertheU.S.invasionofCubain2013 (se ebelow).TheconquestofCubawashailedbythecongressionalcoalitionthat supportedthePresidentas,inthewordsofSenatorBarbaraDiNunzio(True AmericanParty,PA.),”provingthatAmericanscanstilldefendtheirown.“ DuringPatterson'sfirsttermasanelectedPresident,Congressratifiedabill torepealthe22ndAmendment,whichlimitsthenumberoftermsaPresidentmay serve.Thiswasratifiedbythestatesin2018,duringPatterson'ssecondterm. Pattersonwaselectedtohisthirdtermin2020.Therewasnopresidentialelection in2024. TheCubanInvasion FidelCastrodiedofnaturalcausesin1997 ; uponhisdeath,Cubawaswrackedbyinternal strugglesforpower.In2002,amoderatesocial-istgovernment,underPresidentRaulGuzman, wasfinallyestablished. RelationsbetweentheGuzmanadministra-tionandWashingtonwerecoolatbest.After Castro'sdeath,CubanemigresinFloridaac-tivelysoughttoestablishaCubangovernment ofthei rown,andtheU.S.openlysupportedthis faction.Inaddition,theU.S.continuedtomain-tainitsnavalbaseatGuantanamoasanextrater-ritorialenclave,whichhasbeenasorespotwith Cubansforalmostacentury. TheGuzmangovernmentcontinuedtoop-erateCuba'sVVERnuclearreactor,con-structedontheislandintheearly1990 sby Russianengineers,despitecontinuedcom-plaintsfromtheU.S.thatasevereaccidentat theunsafefacilitycouldexposethesoutheast-ernU.S.toradioactivecontamination.Sincethe reactorproducedoverathirdofCuba'selectric-ity,shuttingitdownwasnotanoptionthatthe Guzmangovernmentwaswillingtoentertain. OnMarch14 ,2013,thefishingboatSweet Charlene,outofKeyWest,washailedbya CubanpatrolvesselinthevicinityoftheNich-olasChannel.WhentheSweet Charlenefailed toheaveto,andattemptedtoflee,theCubans firedupontheboat,killingtwocrewmen,and boarded. Thereismuchthatismurkyabouttheinci-dent.U.S.sourcesclaimed,andmaintaintothis day,thattheSweetCharlenewasininterna-tionalwaters.TheCubans,equallystubbornly, claimedthattheboatwaswithin12milesofits coast. AWorldontheEdge -12 - Cubatookthefishingboatanditssixsurvivingcrewmenintocustody,hold-ingthematafacilityatMatanzas.PresidentPattersonorderedajoint-forces rescueoperationsetinmotiontoextractthecrew.OnMarch27therewasa pitchedbattleatMatanzas,betweenCubanmilitaryandU.S.forces,mostlyNavy SEALsandDeltaForce.Thisleft14Americansdead,includingthesix crewmembersoftheSweetCharlene.Inretaliation,CubanforcesshelledtheU.S. baseatGuantanamo.Therewerenocasualties,andtheCubangovernmentimme-diatelyclaimedthattheshellingwastheunauthorizedactionofaloca lmilitary commander.ThecommanderwasplacedunderarrestbytheGuzmangovern-ment,buteventswerenowcompletelyoutofcontrol. PresidentPattersonsignedtheexecutiveorderauthorizingthebombingof HavanaonMarch28,atthesametimethatCongresspassedthe”Matanzas Resolution,“callingforwarwithCuba.UnderafullinvasionbyU.S.forces, Cubanresistancecrumpled.PresidentGuzmansignedthearticlesofsurrenderon June3,2013. DespiteloudprotestsfromtheOrganizationofAmericanStates(OAS),Cuba wasmadeaterritoryoftheU.S.,firstunderamilitarygovernment(2013-2017) , thenaterritorialgovernmentappointedbyCongress(2017-2024).Cuba,along withthe”LowSix“inMexico,wasgranted”reserved“statehoodbytheProvi-sionalCongressin2025. TheThirdRevolution In2014,eightyearsofcivilwarinChinaendedwhentheThirdRevolution tookpower. NooneisentirelysurewhichfactionsjoinedtoformtheThirdRevolution. Certainlyelementsoftheformer4thPeople'sLiberationArmy,underthecom-mandofHighGeneralLiaoShiu-Doh,formedthebackboneoftheRevolutionary ForceofPeace,astheThirdRevolution'smilitaryarmwascalled.ButGeneral Liaoneverappearedasamemberofthenewgovernment.ShuoTsao,whowasa minorofficialinMongoliaundertheoldregime,appearedonbroadcasts,inChina andinternationally,asthespokesmanfortheThirdRevolution,butwhetherShuo participatedinformingthepoliciesheannouncedtotheworldisunclear. AstheThirdRevolutionextendeditsswayoverChina,iterecteda”Bamboo Curtain,“moreimpenetrablethananythingMaoevermanaged.Itlaunchedre-markablysophisticatedvirusprogramsintoanytelephonicswitchingsystemthat attemptedtolinkintoChina.Itfirmlydeniedforeigninterestsanyentrancetothe country.Itexpelledresidentforeignersandnationalizedalltheirholdings. TheThirdRevolutiondidmaintainastreamofexports,includingverycredit-ablecopiesofslightlyoutdatedcomputer-chipdesignsandotherfirst-decade technologies.Thesefoundareadymarketinlastworldnations. From2014to2022,theThirdRevolutionconsolidateditspositionasthesole rulerofChina.Asystemofbufferstates,semi-autonomousareasruledbywar-lords,wascreatedalongChina'sfrontiers. TheNERCC In2017,PattersonandtheCongresscreatedanextraordinarybody,theNa-tionalEmergencyResourceCoordinatingCommission,tooverseeallmattersof commerceandproductiondeemedessentialintheCommission'sownviewtothe. prosperityandsecurityoftheUnitedStates.AdamHammond,thedynamicCEO ofthemultinationalNorthAmericanTechnologiesCorporation,becamea”dol-lar-a-yearman“toheadtheNERCC. TheNERCCdemonstrateditsapproachtolocalobstaclesthat,”initsview,“ presentedadangertothepublicwelfare.Whenpowerworkersatthemainfusion plantinSchenectadywentonstrike,NERCCforcesisolatedtheplant,whilethe computerspecialistsoverrodeplantcontrols,lockingthestrikersoutofthemain TechTimeline2010-2020 2012:TheEuropeanSpaceAgencyun-veilsArrow,avariationontheSanger/ Horusspaceplanedesign.Arrowconsist sof twocomponentvehicles,eachcapableof multiplelaunchesandlandings,withmini-maldowntimebetweenmissions.Inthe sam eyear,RussiaunveilstheArchangel,an inexpensivesingle-launchvehiclebuilton the”BDB“(BigDumbBooster)model. Archangeliscapableofloftingaverylarge payloadintoorbitatreasonablecost. 2014:NorthAmericanTechnologyun-veilsitsfirstgigabytechip(theNAT10-2 -9).Combiningitsimmensespeedand capacitywiththeMPSC(MassivelyParal-le lSingleComponent)instructionsetdevel-opedbyNATandth eShimadzu Corporation,gigachiptechnolog ydrivesthe nextquantumleapincomputerperfor-manceandsophistication. 2015:High-temperaturesuperconduct-ingmaterials,operatingattemperaturesas highas-100 °F,aredemonstratedbythe JapanCenterforSuperconductiveStudies, agovernment-sponsoredconsortiumofre-searchersfrommanycompanies. Chinaintroducesastrainofricethat thrivesundertheincreasedtemperatures andUVexposurethatthreatenthe”rice -bowl“nationsofSoutheastAsiaduetothe greenhouseeffect.Thisisthefirstofanum-berofgene-engineeredplantproductsof-feredoninternationalmarketsbytheThird Revolution. 2076 :ConstructionofKosmozavot TennoTanjo(SpaceFactoryHeavenly Birth)beginsunderthejointauspicesof RussiaandJapan.Evenbeforeitscomple-tionin2031,KTTdevelopsanumberof productsusingprocessesdifficulttorepro-duceonEarth'ssurface.Some,likethemet-allurgicalrefiningtechniquesneededfor powercells,areadaptedforEarthsideuse. Others,lik ethezero-genvironmentneeded toproducenanotools,remainamonopolyof theorbitalfactories. -13- AWorldontheEdge SecureObservationFacilities Thesefacilitiescombinethebest(or worst)featuresofconcentrationcampsand ghettos.Facedwiththedangerofdisaffec-tionandeveninsurrectionamonglarge blocksofthepopulation,thePattersongov-ernmentinstitutedasystemofSecureOb-servationFacilities.Thesewereeither RemoteSOFsorLocalSOFs. ARemoteSecureObservationFacilityis acamporothersitewheredissentersare removedfromthegeneralpublicandin-terned.TheNERCCrationsallresources andassignswork.Theseareprisoncamps. InterneescanberemandedtoaRemote SOFontheordersofaNERCCRegional Administrator,orbythefindingofaFederal court,oronorderofaCongressionalcom-mittee. ANERCCRegionalAdministratormay simplydesignateaspecifiedareaasaLocal SOF.Barriersareerected,NERCCauthor-ityreplaceslocalauthorityandregistersin-habitants,andthereitis.TheNERCCmay orderpeoplefromotherareaswithinthead-ministrativeregiontorelocatetoaLocal SOF. ALocalSOFisundermartiallaw,en-forcedbyNERCCtroops.Inhabitantsre-quirepermitstoleavethearea,andare restrictedtotraveltoandfromapproved employment.Inhabitantsremainresponsi-blefortheirownconsumptionofresources: food,water,power,etc.Allcommunications mustpassthroughNERCCrelaycenters andaresubjecttocensorship.Inessence, thepeopleinaLocalSOFareinaghettoin theoldsenseoftheword,andpayNERCC fortheprivilege. computer.Whencyberneticcontroloftheplantwasassured,NERCCtroopers wentin.Ofthe12 6techniciansonthatshift,14werekilledinthesubsequent fighting,andmanywereinjured.TheNERCCunitcommanderclaimedthathis forceshadreturnedthefireofarmedinsurgents.TheNERCCuseditsemergency powers,whichpermittedittocensornewsitemsthat”endangerpublicconfidence inthesecurityoftheUnitedStates,“tosuppressunioncounterclaimsthatfederal troopshadfiredonunarmedworkers.FacedwiththreatsofinternmentinaSecure ObservationFacility,unionleadershipbackeddown. 2020-2030:TheMaelstromGrows TheIsraeliEmpire InMay,2021,theMiddleEastflaredintowarasthearmiesofJordan,Syria andIraqstruckatIsrael.Libyaattemptedtojoinintheattackbutendedupstarting asharpborderwarwithEgyptinstead,whenbungleddiplomacyle dtoacurt EgyptianrefusaltoeitherjoinintheattackonIsraelortograntLibyantroops passage. TheArabnationshadsufferedbothplagueandeconomicdestruction,with attendantpoliticalturmoil.In2018,acharismaticleader,Mumahdben-Hussein, whoclaimedthetitleofMahdi,rosefromobscuritypreachingastrictandfiercely militantreformmovementintheIslamicnations.Ascivilauthoritydisintegrated, theMoslempeoplesturnedtotheunifyingauthorityoftheirreligion.Thenew Mahdigainedthesupportofmoreandmorereligiousleadersintheregion.When hecalledforajihadagainstthecontinuedexistenceofIsrael,theraggedarmiesof theregionresponded. Israel,fightingforitslifemetthedisorganizedattackerswithstate-of-the-art militaryhardwareandterribledetermination.Surgicalstrikesonhostileairfields coupledwithadvancedcombatavionicsgaveIsraelairsupremacyearlyinthe conflict.Hi-42attackchoppers,suppliedbytheCIS,dispatchedtheobsoleteArab armor.Outnumbered,butfarfromoutgunned,theIsraelisfirststopped,thenthrew backthedesperatehordethatopposedthem. Atthesametime,theIsraelissentprivatecommuniquestothegovernments ofIranandthenationsoftheArabianpeninsula.Strippedofdiplomaticdouble-talk,theseboileddowntopromisesthatiftheyintervenedonbehalfofthejihad, theirprincipalcitieswouldbedestroyedbynuclearweapons.Despiteintense pressureontheireasternfront,theIsraelihighcommanddispatchedairstrikesto bolstertheEgyptianswhentheLibyansbrokethroughtheEgyptiansouthernflank andbeganpressingforward. BySeptember,theinvasionhadbroken,andtheremainsofthegovernments intheattackingcountriestoppled.Israelfounditselftheuneasyconquerorof Syria,JordanandLebanon,aswellasthewesternhalfofIraq. Mumahdben-HusseinfledtotheCAF,whereheremainstothisday,ashead ofJusticeofGod,aterroristorganization. TheRusso-JapaneseEconomicUnion RussiaandJapanformalizedtheirincreasedcooperationin2023,whenthe governmentsofbothnationsenteredintoajointagreement.Theresultingpolitico-economicorganization,theRusso-JapaneseEconomicUnion,mergedthestrong-estaspectsofbotheconomies,andestablishedthe”rubyen“asanecu(see sidebar,p.60). ExtremelyliberalregulationsencouragedkorpsunderjointRussianandJap-anesemanagement.TheresultingkeiretsuspanEurasia,andareamongthemost powerfulintheworldtoday. AWorldontheEdge -14 - ThePermanentEmergencyandProGov Inthesummerof2024,Americancitieseruptedinflashriots,withlooting, arsonandterror.PresidentPattersonorderedinfederaltroopsandactivatedNa-tionalGuardunits,whichheplacedunderthecommandofregionalNERCC officers.Localauthoritieswereorderedtogiveallpossibleassistancetofederal forces.Thosewhoresistedweresummarilyremovedfromoffice.Thosewho continuedtoresistwereshot. Itisunclearjustwhenthemassivefederalresponsetounrestbegantolook likesomethingelse.MartiallawwasdeclaredinvirtuallyeveryU.S.citywitha populationover500,000 .TherewereseveralincidentsofNationalGuardunits mutinyingwhenorderedtofireonneighbors,leadingtosharpurbanfirefights betweenNationalGuardsmenandNERCCtroops.Indeed,inAlaskatheNational Guardandloca lcitizensmanagedtodefeatfederaltroops,leavingthestatevirtu-allyindependent.Occupiedwitheventsinthelower48,Washingtonwaspower-les storeact. Rumorsranrampant.ThePresidentwasaprisonerofthePentagon.The NERCChadgunneddowntheJointChiefsandwasrunningthemilitary.The PresidentandJointChiefshadtakenovertheNERCC. Atnotimewasthesimpletruthdiscovered:thePattersonadministrationwas, bydesign,takingoverthecountrypiecemeal,inacoupd'etatdesignedtoreplace theconstitutionalgovernmentoftheUnitedStateswithadictatorship.Therioting thatgavePattersonhisexcuseforthecoupwascarefullyprovoked,butquickly gotoutofhand.Inasense,thissavedthePattersongovernment'splan,sincethe obviousandgenuineemergencydrewsupportforthestrongfederalmeasures fromauthoritiesthatmightotherwisehaveopposedthetakeover.Bythetimecivil orderwasrestored,itwastoolateforopposition. Thesummerdraggedoninabloodycycleofdeadlyriotsandbrutalgovern-mentresponse.InSeptemberthePresidentannouncedthat,inviewofthepro-foundstateofemergency,hewassuspendingtheConstitutionoftheUnited States,andthatNovemberelectionswouldbepostponeduntilnolaterthan2026 . ThisorderwassupportedbyresolutionsinbothhousesofCongress,andendorsed bystatementsfrommanystate,cityandcorporateleaders.Achallengeraisedby theSupremeCourtwasdealtwithbyaNERCCtaskforce,whichtookthejustices andtheirstaffsintocustody.Shortlythereafter,federalcourtsatalllevelswere placedunderNERCCsupervision.Judgeswhofailedtocooperatewiththeemer-gencyregimewereimpeachedbyexecutiveorder. TheWorldin2043 Afterthesharpdropinpopulationatthe turnofthecentury,humanityhasagainbred itselftocrisislevels.Globalnumbersin 2040wereestimatedat6.4billion. Intheopeningmonthsof2043,thereare sevenbrushfirewarsandfourviolentrevo-lutionsunderway,alongwithcountlessbor-derskirmishes,terroristoperationsand covertintercorporateclashes. Theaverag elif eexpectancyi na firstworldcountryis73.7years.Ina lastworldcountry,48.2isaverage.Forcom-parison,in1993theaveragelifeexpectancy inadevelopednationwas75.9years,and 50.2inthemostbackwardones.Things havegottenabitriskiersincethen. TheworldwidetechlevelisearlyTL8. Thismeansthatmostcountriesarestrug-glingalongwiththesameoldTL7tech fromyesteryear,butthefirstworldcountries haveworkingTL8technology,eventhough it'sreservedfortheverywealthyorthe well-connected.SeetheTechnologychapter forathoroughdiscussionoftheavailability andleveloftechontheEdge. -15- AWorldontheEdge TheGreenhouseon theEdge HurricaneAbnerwasanearlyindication thattheglobalwanningmodelwasvalid. Patternsofdroughtinformerlyfertilere-gionswasanother,whichmadeseriousin-roadsonfarmlandsallthroughthefirst decadesoftheone-and-twenty.Mostfarm-landinthenewlywarmnorthernregions lackedthesamerichnessofsoilasthe drought-strickenareas,andfailedtomake upthedifference,thoughCanada'srichcen-tralplainsbenefitedbothfromalengthened growingseasonandimprovedrainfallpat-terns.Theprovincesandrepublicsofthe NewConfederationaretheworld'slargest producersofwheat. Averageworldtemperaturehasrisen 10 °Fsince1950.Increasedicecapmelting hasraisedthecoastalsealevelsbyabout12 feet.Thishashadsevereeffectsonmajor coastalcities. Venice,Italy,isvirtuallyabandoned,and mostofitsolderbuildingshavecollapsedas floodingdestroyedtheirfoundations.Asys-temofleveesprotectsdowntownWashing-ton,D.C.,fromfloodingduringhightides, andmostoftheEastCoastmegasprawlhas similarproblems.Inmostcases,theareas pronetofloodingarenullzones-slums wheretheinhabitantsgetalongasbestthey can,writtenoffbytherestofsociety. Astheuseoffossilfueldeclines,the levelofgreenhouse-causinggasesintheat-mosphereseemstobeholdingsteady. OnwhatwouldhavebeenInaugurationDay,2025,AdamHammond,Chief CommissioneroftheNERCC,administeredtheoathoftheProvisionalPresident oftheUnitedStatestoPatterson. Electionswerepostponedin2026andagain2028.Pattersondiedin2031 ,of naturalcausestoallappearances.ProCon,theProvisionalCongress,elected AdamHammondtosucceedPattersonasProvisionalPresident.Inhisinaugural addressHammondcoinedthephrase”thePermanentEmergency“todefinethe ongoingtribulationsthatmadeitimpossibleforProGovtolayasideit smandate fromCongressandthepeopleandrestorefreeelections,”untilwehaveonce againsecuredtheblessingsoflibertyandthefruitsofindustrythatareitsnatural companion,acrossthelengthandbreadthofAmerica.“ Thepermanenceofthestateofemergencyseemedprettywellestablished, sinceelectionswereagainpostponedin2032,2036and2040.Nobodyseriously expectsa2044election. DrugWars Theoldterm”WaronDrugs,“coinedbyaU.S.administrationinthe20th century,hasbeenliteraltruthsince2029.TheChavezcartelinBoliviadeveloped amutantstrainofcocainthemid-2020s,fromwhichawholeseriesofpowerful designerdrugscanberefined.ThesebegantofloodtheUnitedStates.ProGov increasedfinancialandmilitaryaidtoBoliviainreturnforsuppressionofthe neococatrade.U.S.militaryadvisersandordnanceweresenttoBoliviainincreas-ingnumbersaswell. ThecartelsinitiallyfoughttheBolivianforceswithmercenaries,armedwith thebestweaponsdrugmoneycouldbuy.In2031,thecartelestablishedarevolu-tionaryparty,thePeople'sWillTriumphant(PWT).Manycampesinos,estranged fromtheadmittedlycorrupt'regimeinLaPaz,threwintheirlotwiththePWT. Bolivia'srulingjunta,perhapsseeingtheghostofCheGuevarastalkingthe heightsoftheAltiplano,yelledtoWashingtonforhelp. Forthepastdecade,BoliviahasbeenabattlefieldbetweentheU.S.-backedLa PazgovernmentandthePWT.Besidesbackingfromthe'traffs(narcotraficantes -seep.70),thePWT'sstanceasdefendersofSouthAmericansovereigntyfrom thenorteamericanoshasattractedsupportfromnationalisticfactionsinBraziland Chilentina.About15,00 0U.S.troopsarestationedinBolivia'scapitalcities,La PazandSucre,withPWTstrengthconcentratedinruralmountainareasinthe country'snorth,andinthelushrainforestinitseasternlowlands. 2030-2040:TheHammerFalls TheAustralianPlague OnMay16 ,2037,broadcastsfromMelbourne,Australiareportedtheout-breakofapreviouslyunknowndisease.Theprincipalsymptomswerehighfever andrespiratorydistress,withbothincreasinguntildeathensuedfromeitherbrain damage,causedbythefever,orrespiratorycollapse.Origin:unknown.Vector: unknown.Virulence:extreme. CommunicationswithMelbourneceasedonMay22,2037 .Nooneanswered anyattemptstoraisethecity.MedicalauthoritiesatMelbourne'shastilyorganized EpidemicControlCenterreportedincidenc eofthediseasewithintheirownnum-bersduringthelastrecordedcontact,at11:55p.m.loca ltime,onMay21 . Bythen,ofcourse,medicalexpertsallovertheworldwereabletogetaddi-tionalinformationfromtheircolleaguesinSydney,Adelaide,Perthandevery othermajorcityonthecontinent-untilSeptember3,2037. Afterthatdate,asfarasweknow,everyoneonthecontinentofAustraliawas dead. AWorldontheEdge -16- CAMPAIGNS AND CHARACTERS TheEdgeisabig,scaryplace,paryeni. Plentyoftroubletogetinto,whether you'relookin gforitornot.Alsoplentyof goodiestopickthrough,ifthebreetvais sharpenough. Thischaptergivessomeofthedifferent characterandcampaignideasmostsuited toGURPS Cyberworld. -17- CampaignsandCharacters CampaignType s Soyou'reontheEdge.. .nowwhat?Whereyougonnago? Whatchagonnado?Andwhy'reyouhangingaroundwiththose otherdriggin'goons? OncetheGMhashisPCslinedupandreadytogo,heneeds tobringthemtogetherandsendthemsomewhere.Belowarea fewwaystopullateamtogetherandgetthemoutonthestreets. Freelancers ThisisthedefaultsettingforanyCyberpunkcampaign.The PCsareamixedbagofmercenariesandprofessionalsinvarious less-than-savoryfields.Noneedtosweatthebackgroundmuch. Howdidtheteamfindeachother?Bykeepinganeartunedtothe wordonthestreet.Wherearetheygoingtogo,andwhatarethey goingtodo?Whereverthemoneyis ,andwhatevertheclient wants. Dependingonthemoralsandtacticsoftheteammembers, adventurescanrangefromthequasi-legalthroughthecriminal allthewaytotheterroristic.Thisisthemostpopularandopen-endedcyberpunkcampaigntype,butitcanalsobethemostfa-miliarandpredictable,iftheGMdoesn'twatchit. Korporates Theteamisanelitesquadofcorporatetroubleshooters,jetting aroundtheglobelookingoutforthekeiretsu'sinterests.Korpor-atespecialmissionsteamsloo kalo tlikefreelancers,onlytheir hairiscombedandtheirpantsarepressed. Iftheteamwantstobuythekorpasapatron,thatcanprovide som edegreeofinsuranceagainstdriggingup(a slon gasthemess isn'ttoodirty),buttherewillbeacorrespondinglos sofauton-omy.Ontheotherhand,somesquadsarealmostcompletelyau-tonomous-“Getthisdonebythisdateandwedon'teverwantto fin douthowyoudidit.”Inthiscasetheteamisfreetodo anythingthatdoesn'tcostthekorpinmoneyorgoodrepute.But therewon'tbeanybackupavailable,unlessthePCscanconvince thezeksthatit'sinthebestinterestsofthekeiretsutoincrease theirinvestmentanduptheirriskfactor-andevenifhelpis essential,askingforitwon'tdotheteam'scareerprospectsany good.Thekorpsexpectthiskindofteamtoworkautonomously, withnoexcuses. Subversives Sothere'stheProGov,sittingupthereinWashington,talking abouta”returntonormalcy“whilethey'retighteningtheirstran-gleholdonthecitizens,promisingprosperitywhilethey'relining theirownpockets,andtalkingabout”defendingtheidealsof liberty“whilethenerksareoutshakingdownthelow-Csjustfor living. Thosefatcatsarebeggingforit. ThePCsaremembersofasubversiveorganizationdedicated tobringingdownthegovernment.Theireventualgoalscanbe re-democratization,puttingthemselvesinpower,orjustblessed anarchyforit sownlovelysake(maybealloftheaboveinthe sameteam-revolutionmakesstrangebedfellows).Missions mightincludeintelligencegathering,terroriststrikesongovern-mentfacilities,recruitment(ahighlyriskyactivitywhenyou're neversureifthatlikelyprospectisanerksleeper),ornegotiating dealsforfundingorsupportwithforeignpowersorothercriminal orrevolutionaryorganizations. Asubversivescampaigndoesn'thavetousetheProGovasthe bigenemy,ofcourse-thecampaignmightbese tinSouthAmer-ica ,withtheteamgoingafterthenarcotraficantes.Ortheorgani-zationmightbeouttobreakupthemultinationalkeiretsufor reasonsofitsown.Orthepartymightbevigilantes,working outsidethelawtobringdownMarine. Spooks Ontheothersideofthefence,theteammightbeworkingfor thegovernment(oragovernment).ThiscanbeafuturisticEspi-onagecampaign,withthePCsworkingintelligence-gatheringor counterintelligenceoperations.Oritmightbesomethingalittle lesssubtle,withtheteamasagentsprovocateursorout-and-out chillers,disruptingthegovernment'senemiesortakingthemout ofthepictureentirely. Fugitives TheonlythingthePCshaveincommonatthestartofthe campaignisthatthesamegroupistryingtokillallofthem. Circumstancesthrowthemtogether,andtheyteamupbecause, hey,theyneedallthehelptheycanget. ThebadguysmightbetheNERCC,themoboramajorkorp. Theindividualfugitivesmightormightnothavereallydone whateverthebadguysareafterthemfor(andtheymightormight notknowwhatthebadguysareafterthemfor). Eventually,theteamwillprobablystraightenoutwhatevergot themintothismess,atwhichtimethecampaigncanshifttoone oftheothertypes(maybethey'llbecomefreelancersworkingfor thesamebunchthatwasformerlytryingtokillthem). Low-C Thisisatoughone.ThePCsareonly100-pointcharacters, andtheyallstartoutaseitherC-4sornullos.Recommended optionsincludenoWealthadvantages(orevenmandatoryPov-ertydisadvantages)andnocyberweartostartthecampaign-not eventhegroddystreetstuff. Thegoalsaretosurviveandtogetout,hopefullyinthatorder. Again,ifthepartydoesmakeitoffthemeanstreets,thecam-paigncanshifttooneofthetypesabove. Campaignsand Characters -18- CharacterTypes AnyofthecharactertypesfromGURPSCyberpunkChapter 1canbefoundontheEdge.Belowaresomeofthemorecommon ornotoriousvariationsfoundintheone-and-twenty. Assassin Yourbasicassassin(chiller,hitter,zeroman)comesinavari-etyofdifferentflavorsontheEdge. Thegovernmentchillerisaprofessional.Hespecializesin efficiencyanddiscretion.Youprobablywouldn'tlooktwiceat himifyousawhimataparty.Youwouldn'thavetimetolook twiceathimifyouwerehistarget. Thekorporateadjusterisamyth.Thelaw-abidingkeiretsuof theworldwouldneverstooptotacticslikemurdermerelyto protecttheirbusinessinterests. Yeah,right. Akorpchillerisalo tlikeagovernmentman,onlymoreso-thekorpsrequireevenmorediscretion,andtheypaybetter.In fact,somekorpsregardthenationalgovernmentsastheirfarm teams. Hittersarethemob'skillers;theyworkontheothersideofthe lawfromthechillers.Agoodhitterhastounderstanddiscretion, buthealsohastoknowhowtomakeanoise,safely,whenthe clientwantstomakeanexample. TheMafInchitter'stacticshaven'tchangedsignificantlysince prohibition.Pickyourspot,moveinquick,getoutquickleaving thecorpsebehind.Nomuss,nofuss,nofancyvariations.They aren'telegant,butthey'regoodatwhattheydo. Triadhitters,ontheotherhand,havethestreetrepofbeinga littlecrazy.Triadslikethebig,bloodyshow,andtheyreward recklesscourage.TheTriadsarefamousforsendingagentsout unarmed,totakedowntheirtargetwithnothingbutmartialarts skills.Buttherearethosewhosaythatthisflashystuffisall smokescreen,strictlysmall-timestuff.Whensecrecyreallymat-ters,theTriadscanbejus tashush-hushasanybody. Russki-Yakzeromenarethebestofthebest,themostfeared figuresintheinternationalunderworld.Aswitheverythingelse, theRusski-Yaktaketheirpatterninassassinsfrombigbusiness, andthere'sonlyonedifferencebetweenatop-flightkorpchiller andaRusski-Yakzeroman-theRusski-Yakisbetter. Bodyguard Korporateshield:Ifabreetvawantstogolegit,thisisthelife ofchoice-followsomenice,quietnak-nikaroundandmakesure hedoesn'tbumphisheadorstubhistoesies .Ofcourse,ifyour zekdoesgetsnatchedorhit,thatprettymuchdoesitforyour careeradvancementopportunities. Protectiveservices agent:Thisisacompletelydifferentbreed fromthebasicshield.TheP.S.lifeguardisaspecialist,trainedto dealwithcrisissituations.Youdon'tuseaPSAwhenyou'resnug athomeandeverything'ssunny;youcallhiminwhenyouhave togodownintothesprawl,andyouknowthere'sa$1,000,000 priceonyourheadinhardecus. PSAsusuallyworkinteamsofspecialists:besidestheactual “blockers”-theguyswhointerceptandneutralizephysical threats-there'reintelligenceanalysts,advancescouts,drivers andpilots,medtechs,couriersandevenprofessionaldecoys,all workingtogethertose ethattheclientdoesn'tgethitorsnatched, orifhedoesthathestaysaliveorgetssprung. Thepersonwhoputsitalltogetheristheteamcoordinator. Oneoftheseguyscandoitall.Theyeithercomefromthemili-tary,thekorps,orboth.IfasuccessfulTCdecidestoleavethe PSAandgofreelance,hecanwritehisownjobdescriptionand namehisownprice. Broker Yourbasicbrokeristhefixer.He'sasortofmatchmaker, arrangingmeetingsbetweenfolkswhoneedtogettoknoweach other,locatinghard-to-findmerchandisethataclientmighthave aneyefor,andseeingthatcertaineventsareplannedsothatthey comeoffwithaminimumofstressandunpleasantness.Fixers usuallywearseveralhats,though,andthereareanumberof specialties,includingthe”tapper,“whospecializesinacquiring anddistributinginformation,andthe”shy,“whocanbeeithera lawye r(shortfor”shyster“)oraloanshark(shortfor “shylock”).Bookiesarealsooftenfixers.Andifthelocal oddsmakerisn'tafixerhimself,hecandefinitelyputyouintouch withone,forareasonableprice-whichmakeshimafixerright there,doesn'tit? Celebrity EvenontheEdge,folksstillneedtheirheroes.Athletes,rock-ersandholostarsallgettheirshareofadulation.Acoupleof celebritytypesareuniquetotheEdge. AGladiatorisanathletespecializingincombatdeathsports.A top-rankgladiatorwillcombinecombatskillsattheupperedgeof humancapabilitywiththeslickest,chromiestSOTAcyberwearto befound(cyberkorpsoftenoutfitworld-rankgladiatorsforfree withtheirhottestnewstuff-it'sgoodadvertising). There'realsotheraw-meatgladiators,whodon'tuse cybermods.Thisisaconnoisseur'ssport,withoutthemoneyand recognitionthatgoestothesamurairamblers,butagoodraw-meatkillmatcherisstil lnobodytomesswith. Thenewestflavorofpubliccelebrityisthesensdstar(se e “Th eSensies,”p.85).Likeanyotherkindofartisticgenius,the bestsensostars(or”feelers,“or”headsets“)areknownforbeing alittlebitbizarre,maybealittlecrazy.Butthere'sanothersideto thesensostars-anawfullotofthem,intheirsordidpast,wereace deckers.Itseemsthatbothnetrunningandheadsettingrequirea similartalentforlosingoneselfinvirtualrealityandbecoming onewithamachine. Cops Themostcommonspeciesofcopinclude: TheNerk:NERCCofficersandenforcersaredescribedin detailstartingonp.29.IntheNERCC,beingtoosmartforthejob isjustasdangerousasincompetence-nerksaren'trecruitedfor theirbrains,andthebrassgetsnervouswhenthetroopsgetto o cleverfortheirowngood. TheMetrocop:Yeah,OfficerO'Learyisstilloutpoundingthe beat.He'sbetterarmoredthanhisgrandpappy(alittle),andhe doesn'thavenearlythepatientandforgivingnatureofthekindly copsofthe1990s ,buthe'sstilloverworked,underpaidandrisk-inghisneckforajobthat'sflat-outimpossible.It'snowonder mostmetrocopsareopent obusinesspropositionsofthe”b e somewhereelseat19:30 “variety. Korpkopsarecleanandpolite-scarycleanandpolite.”Ex-cuseme,sir ,butifyoudonotremoveyourvehiclefromthisarea inthenextfiveseconds,weareauthorizedtobeginshelling.Five, four…“They'realsousuallyhighlytrainedandenthusiastic aboutthei rjobs.Onegoodthingaboutkorpkops,theyremember whothey'retheretoprotect-akorpkopwillhappilydrilla vagrantorprotesteronkorpproperty,buthe'llnotsomuchaslay -19 - CampaignsandCharacters ahandonasararimanfromhisownkeiretsu-atleast,notuntil thezeksgivetheorder. Rentacopscanbeanythingfromhighly-trained,spit-and-pol-ishprofessionalstofatoldUncleGusthewatchman.Itallde-pendsonhowmuchyou'rewillingtopay. Korporates Suitsfallintodistinctstrata. Thetopzeksareliketheoldmedievaldukes.Aslongasthey paytheirtributetotheking(theCEOandtheboard),theycando prettymuchwhattheywantwiththeirfeudalunderlings-notto mentionthepatheticserfsthatliveoutsidethecastle.Atopzekis WealthyorFilthyRich,andhasStatus5or6.Don'tmessaround withthem. MidzeksareComfortableandhaveStatus3or4.Theydon't havethegodlikepowerofthetopzeks,buttheyusuallyhave theirownturfwithinthekorpwherethey'retopdog-andifthat turfhappenstobesomethinglikephysicalordatasecurity,or R&D,theycanbeverytoughnutstocrack-orverytempting targets. Linezekshavestatus1andComfortableWealth.Theseguys areridingthetigerandtheyknowit-they'repartofacrowdof newcomers,allhungryforthejobofsomemidzekwhoprobably doesn'twanttobereplaced.Becauseofthis,linezekswillsome-timestakecrazychances,puttingeverythingonthelineforthat onebigscorethatwilleithermakethemthefair-hairedboyofthe topzeksorsendthembackintothegutter. Finallythere'sMr.andMrs.Suit,Status0,AverageWealth. Thesalt-of-the-earthtypeswhokeepthekeiretsurollin'along. Thethingthatthestreetfolkjustdon'tgetabouttheshaikujinis thatthey'rereallyseriousaboutthis”dutytothecompany“line thatthekeiretsufeedsthemeveryday.Thekorpismommyand daddytothesefolks.It'shome.Thesmartguyssayeverybodyhas hisprice,andmaybethey'reright,butthereareplentyofsarari-menouttherewho'dsoonerswallowahotpokerthanbetraythe korp,andiftheirsupervisortoldthemthey'dbeentransferredto hell,they'dbuyacaseofsunscreenatthekorpstoreandstart packing. Cyberprep Youdon'thavetobeaviciouslittlegitjustbecauseyou'rethe childofarichkorporateorhigh-Cfamily-butithelps. Richkidshitthestreetsallthetime,lookingtotradeinthe securityandmonotonyoftheirhomesfortheexcitementand dangeroflifeontheEdge.Mostofthetimeit'sjustforthenight -abunchofboredshaikujin-larvaoutslumming,orworse,out wilding.Gangsofhigh-Cteensliketogooutatnightonthrill huntsforanyC-4sornulloswhoaredumbenoughorunlucky enoughtobecaughtoutintheopen. Sometimesakidwillgetabellyfulofrespectabilityandbolt. Mostoftheserunawaysgocryingbacktodaddyinafewdays. Theonesthatdon'tareaboutevenlydividedbetweenthosewho getreeledbackinbythekorpkopsornerks(whodon'tmind roughingupafewlow-Cstofindthelittlelostlamb)andthose whoendupdeadorsomethingworse-findingasoft,young korpbabyallhungryandaloneislikeChristmasforyouraverage pimp.Ofcourse,therearealwaysthekidswhosomehowmanage togetout,stayoutandfindtheirownspotontheEdge-mostof thebestoutlawnetrunnersarekorpbabies.There'sjustnoplace elsetogetoutfittedandtrainedforfullcyberneticinterface. Drifter Therearen'talotofdriftersintheone-and-twenty.Notinthe U.S.,anyway.ProGovlikesitslow-Cstostaynicelyintheir assignedghettosuntiltheNERCC,initsinfinitewisdom,orders themtopackupandleave.Ifyouwanttotravel,youneedapass, andifyouwantapass,youneedsomeclout. Sotheonlyrealdriftersleftarethenullos,thezeros,theblanks -thosefewluckyorpatheticsoulswhodon'texistintheNational DataBanks. Mostnullosgotthatwayforareason-theirofficialidentities gotto ohot,sotheymanagedtoflushthemawayforever.It'snot easytogetthathotwithoutgettingcaught,andgettingzeroed takesplentyofcloutallbyitself.Consequently,nullosarenot peopleyouwanttomessaroundwith. Mercenary Mostmeresarekorporates-theybelongtoaspecialunitof keiretsusecurity.Korpmercunitstendtolookanawfullotlike thepoliceSWATteamsofthelastcentury.They'resharp,shiny andwell-trained,oftenwithastandardpackageofcombatcyber thatgoeswiththejob.Mostkorpunitsfightonlyintheinterests ofthekeiretsu,butsomeareforrenttonationalgovernmentsor otherkorpswhomightneedalittleextrafirepower. Therearestillfreelancers,ofcourse.Mostofthemarepretty grotty-randomagglomerationsofcombat-traineddesperadoes. Somecanreallyfight,othersarelessreliable,buteitherway whenafreelancemercisoffduty,he'sadangerousfellowtobe around.Mostworkforfreelanceunitsisinlastworldcountries. Thereisasmalleliteoffreelancemercenaries-highly-trained corpsoftroopseverybitassharpasthebestcompanymeres. Therearen'tmanythese,andthey'renotcheap. Campaignsand Characters -20- Military Wars,andconsequentlyarmies,havegottensmallerinthe one-and-twenty.Becauseofthereturntoconventionalsmall-unit tactics,soldierstendtobemoreintensivelycombat-trainedthan theywereinthe20thcentury.Alinesoldierwillnotonlyknow howtoshoot,he'llalsobetrainedinhand-to-hand,knifework andnightfighting,alongwithotherdisciplinesthatweremostly thepreserveofspecialopsduringtheworldwars. Thesedays,”specialops“usuallymeans”cyberedops.“The eliteforcesofthe21stcenturyareheavilyenhancedwithcombat cyberwear.Mostofthestreetsamuraisareveteransofspecial-ops units. AnewsortofmilitaryunitistheMetroMilitias-urbanstrike forcesthatgrewoutoftheSWATteamsofthelastcentury.De-pendingonthecity,urbanmilitiascanbeanythingfromcrack troopstopaidthugs.They'remostlyusedforriotcontroland hostagesituations.Mosturbanmilitiasareamixofprofessional trooper sandon-callweekendwarriors,theexactratiodepending onhowhotaparticularcityis. Mobster Themajorcriminalorganizationsaredetailedonpp.66-74. Fewcriminalorganizationswillgivetheirsoldiersanexcuseto runwithnon-mobfreelancersonaregularbasis.Ifthepartyisn't allmobsters,amobsterPCwillprobablybearenegade,and thereforeaveryhotproperty.Themobsoccasionallyallowa membertoretire,butnottoresign… Netrunner Netrunningisanartinitsinfancy,soit'snosurprisethat netrunnersaremostlyinfants. Therearetwobroadgroupsofnetrunners.Theoriginalcrop wastrainedduringthedatawarsoftheearly'30s ,andsomeof thesegrizzledveteransarenowpushing40!Onlyafewvetsare stillactiveonthenet;mostofthosearen'toutlaws,they'renice sararimenfortheKorps,workingdataanalysisordatasecurity. ThentherearetheyoungTurks.Liketheteen-agehackersof the1980s ,thesearekidswhoareouttoconquerthenetjust becauseit'sthere.Mostnetrunnersstartoutascyberpreps.The keiretsugivesthemtheirinterfacejacksandinitialtraining,so thatwhenthetimecomesforthemtopickuptheirbriefcaseand gotowork,they'llalreadybeatthecuttingedgeoftech.Aslong astheystayniceandsnuginthearmsofthekeiretsu,thekorps turnablindeyetoacertainamountofsnooping-afterall,kids willbekids,andtrackingtheseintrudersisusefulinrevealing securityholes.Ofcoursecredittheft,datapiracyanddatatamper-ingarenottolerated. Sometimesthesekidstakeoffandgorenegade,though,and thisisakorp'sworstnightmare.Atrainednetrunnercanalways findsomeoneonthestreettostakehimforarigandtopayhim forhisservices-thetrickisgettingadeckandaclientelewithout havingtosellhissoultowhoever'spayingforhisgear. PrivateInvestigator Intheinformation-basedeconomyoftheone-and-twenty,pri-vateinvestigationisagrowthindustry.Thebestgumshoesonthe edgeusuallyhavesomestealthandelectronicsurveillance cyberwear. AprivateeyeneedsaworkingknowledgeofLaw,plusskillin Criminology,StealthorShadowing,orResearch.LipReadingis awfullyhandy. Anewkindofinvestigatoristhefreelancedataanalyst.The differencebetweenanFDAandahackeristhattheanalystworks (nominally)ontherightsideofthelaw,combingthroughpublic informationsourcesforpotentiallyvaluableorlucrativeinforma-tionthatmightnotbeobvioustothecasualreader.AnFDAisa lotlikeaprospector,shiftingthroughtonsofrandomdatasearch-ingfortheoddgoldnugget. TheFDAisn'tatapper-thetapperisthepersontheFDAsells hisgleaningsto.NewskorpsalsohireFDAstodigupconfirma-tiononhotstories. AfreelancedataanalystneedshighskillinResearchand ComputerOperations.Merchantskillisalsouseful,tole thim negotiatefairvalueforhisinformation. Splicer It'sadirtyjob,butsomebody'sgottadoit.Asplicermakeshis livingscavengingrawmaterialforthebodybanks.Therearelot s ofnamesforsplicersoutonthestreet-bodtech,medico, mixmaster,vatdoc. Somesplicersarelegit ,cleaningupafteraccidentsandfire-fights,onlytakingpartsthattheoriginalownerhasnomoreuse for.Afewarerealhumanitarians,takingcareofstreetfolk,and onlysellingspar epartstosubsidizetheirmedicalpractice. Mostsplicers,though,aretoughcustomers.They'renotabove givingapatientalittlenudgeinthedirectionofsalability.Some don'tevencareifthe”donor“issickorinjured-healthyparts areworthmore.Drig,somesplicersdon'tevencareifthedonor isconsciousornot. AsplicerneedsskillinPhysicianandSurgery. StreetOp Therearebasicallytwowaystogoonthestreet,soloorin packs. Thepacksareeithergangersortribals.Agangisabusiness concern-thegangersareouttoacquirecred,throughwhatever meanspresentthemselves.Tribalsaremoreofaculturalthing-tribesarelessinterestedinmakingcredthanindefendingtheir territoryfromoutsiders.Thissoundsfine,exceptthatmosttribes arealittlebitcrazy,andmostofthemareviolentlybigoted, againstotherracesorjustothertribes. Tribesusuallyhaveflashycolorsandeasily-identifiablechar-acteristics.Somegangsfollowthi sexample,butsmartone stryto blendintothesurroundings. Therearetwobasictypesofsolostreetop.Asolothuggeris justhiredmuscle.Theonlyreasonhe'snotworkingforthemob orsomeotherorganizationisprobablythathe'snotworthkeep-ingonthepayroll.Aroninisacompletelydifferentmatter.A roninisaspecialis t- aprofessional-whoforreasonsofhisown doesn'twanttobetieddowntoanyindividualororganization. Roninsaresomeofthemostfearedandrespectedlivewireson thestreet,butthatdoesn'tdoanythingtoimprovetheirremark-ablyshortlifeexpectancies. Terrorist ThisisanothergrowthindustryontheEdge,andspecialists areinhighdemand.Notallterroristarewild-eyedbomb-chuck-ingfanatics,butthey'restillouttheretoo,andsomeofthemare goodatwhattheydo. Afreelanceterroristwillneedgoodcombatskills,aswellas Stealth,Demolition,TrapsandPsychology. Therearealsospecializeddataterrorists-hackersfromhell whospecializeincrashingsystemsandeliminatingdata.The onlyskillneededisComputerHacking,buttheyhavetobegood atit. -21- CampaignsandCharacters Advantages LiteracySeep.B17 ;5points PubliceducationontheEdgeisnotwhatitusedtobe.Most citizenscanwritetheirnamesandreadsimple,step-by-stepin-structionsandProGovdirectives,butthey'renottrainedtoex-tractabstractinformationfromawrittentext,ortoreasonusing writtennotes.Therefore,fullliteracy-thedegreeofliteracy expectedofa20th-centuryhigh-schoolgraduate-isafive-point advantage. DefaultLiteracycostszeropoints,butonlygivessomeonea verybasicreadingability,approximatelyequaltothatofa20th-centurysixthgrader.FullIlliteracyisa5-pointdisadvantage(see below). Patron,UnusualBackgroundSeepp.B23-24 IfaPCwantstostartthegamewithrareorstate-of-the-art cyberwear,theGMshouldrequirehimtotakeoneofthesead-vantages. WealthSee p. B16 Therearen'talotofidlerichintheone-and-twenty.Mostof theoldmoneydriedupandblewawayduringtheGrandSlam. Consequently,thenotesabouthowmanyhourseachweekrich folksneedtowork(orrather,don'tneedtowork)canbeignored. TopzeksandmobbossesmightbeFilthyRich,buttheydon't workanyshorterhoursthantheirunderlings. AswithPatronorUnusualBackground,above,characters whobuyWealthyorFilthyRichatcreationmayalsobeallowed tostartthegamewithSOTAcyberwear. NewAdvantages FashionSense5points You'renevercaughtbysurprisewhenfashionschange;your lookisalwaysonestepaheadofthecrowd.Youhavetheability tocreateafashionstatementoutofthecheapestandmostnonde-scriptmaterials.ApersonwiththisadvantageandtheArtistskill hasthepotentialtobeasuccessfulfashiondesigner. FashionSensegivesyoua+1toallreactionrollsinsocial situationswhereyouhaveachancetoplanyourattireinadvance. SensieTalent2points perlevel Youhaveanaturalabilitytocommunicateyoursensoryinputs toasensierecordersothatyoureventualaudiencewillfindthem particularlypleasantorintense.NotethatSensieTalentdoesthe characternogoodunlesshealsobuysatleasthalfapointinthe SensieInterfaceskill(below). Disadvantages AddictionSeep.B30. Withanewwaveofnarcoticscomesanewwaveofaddictions. Allofthenewdesignerdrugsrefinedfromcocanovaarehighly addictive.Adailydoseofmostofthesedrugscostsbetween$21 and$100.Alloftheoldstandbydrugs-heroin,opium,marijuana -arestillavailable,andinsomewayseasiertoacquire. Arelativelynewgroupofaddicts,butonethat'sgrowingrap-idly,aretheSenseheads-peoplewhodonothingbutplugin Sensiechipsandlieonthecouch.Sensiesarelegal,butfairly expensive,sothisdisadvantageworksoutto-1 5points. IlliteracySeep.Bl7;-5points SinceLiteracyinaGURPSCyberworldcampaigncomesout asa5-pointadvantage,thenbeingIlliterate-notbeingableto readatall-isa-5-pointdisadvantage. NewDisadvantage Non-Iconographic-10points Thecomputer-ageequivalentofIlliteracy.Yourbrainisun-abletoprocessabstractsymbolsandimages .Maps,graphical userinterfacesandnon-verbalsigns(likethelittlesilhouettes usedtodistinguishthemen'sroomfromthewomen'sroom)are completelymeaninglesstoyou.Youcannotuseanycomputer interfaceexceptanold-fashionedtextinterfaceorfullenviron-mentalvirtualreality. Campaignsand Characters -22 - NewSkills Cyberaxe Mental/Hard Defaultstoequivalent conventionalMusicalInstrument-4 Thisistheabilitytoplayamusicalinstrumentwithacyber-neticinterface.Thecapabilitiesofacyberaxeareexplainedonp. 86.MusicalTalentmodifiesCyberaxeskillnormally. MusicalInstrumentskillalsodefaultstoCyberaxeat-4. SensieInterfaceMental/Hard DefaultstoComputer Operation/TLS(Cyberdeck)-3 Thisistheskillofinterfacingwithasensierecordertocreate tripchipsandotherworksofsensieart.SensieInterfaceismodi-fiedbytheSensieTalentadvantage. JobTable -23- CampaignsandCharacters TheJobTablelistscommonoccupationsfortheEdge.Mostdamageandan”i“indicatesthelos sofasinglemonth'sincome, haveskilloradvantageprerequisites.AtleasthalfapointmustWhentwoentriesareseparatedbya”/,“thesecondresultisonly havebeenspentonaskillprerequisite.Defaultvaluesarenotusedwhenanatural18isrolled. permitted.”LJ“standsforLostJob,the”d“indicatesdiceof *IndicatesFreelanceJob

THEUNITED STA Faceit.Mostadventuresonthe EdgewillbeinthebatteredoldU.S.of A.Evenwithallitstroubles,theU.S.is oneofthehappeningplacesonplanet Earth.There'svalutatoD/Ltotheright credcards,andthebizissharp-sharp enoughtosliceaparyenwhodoesn't keephisneediercoldandhiscyberhot. TheUnitedStates -24- ProGov,theProvisionalGovernment,grabbedwhatwasleftofcontrolalmost 20yearsago.It'sbeentryingtomaintainitsgripeversince.TheFedsarestrongest intheMegasprawl,thejungle-bundleofcityplexesandwalled-in'burbsthatruns fromMainetoGeorgia.ProGovkeepsahighprofileintheotherbigurbancom-plexesaswell.Theyfiguretheyhavetokeepatightreinonthecityprolesand streetops,makeitsafefortheshaikujininthefortifiedsuburbsandcondos.The restofthecountrywilltoethelinewithavisitfromthenerks,asneeded.So outsidethemetroplexes,exceptfortheresourcereservations,governmentcontrol drops'wayoff.Localcontrolcanbetough,orweak,ornotthereatall. TheProvisionalGovernment Onpaper,thesamethreebranchesthatrantheU.S.governmentrunProGov, butinpractice,theexecutivebranchrunstheshow.TheProvisionalCongress, ProCon,isadebatingsocietythatgivespeopletheillusionofarepresentative government.ItmakescushyjobsforpeoplewhodomajorgoodthingsforPro-Gov,too.ThecourtsmakedecisionsthatupholdProGovdecrees.Theyenforce theUniformCode,andscarethefaexoutofdissenterswithsentencestokilling prisons. WhatkeepsProGovinpower?Asimpleansweristhatoldvillaincalled”the military-industrialcomplex.“PresidentPattersonstackedthedecktofavorthe multinationalkeiretsu,thekorps.EvenbeforetheCoupof2024 ,Pattersonandhis supportingcoalitionprofitedfromkorpfavor:tidy,quietcontributionstofolksin publicoffice,withniceslotsaslobbyistsor”consultants“waitingwhentheyleft office.Itmadeforacozyrelationshipbetweenthepoliticiansandthekorpocrats. Atthesametime,thebeefed-upU.S.militarywasdiggingoutfromunder20 yearsofcutbacks.Thepoliticosandtheircorporatealliesgroomedofficersthat couldbedependedupontoseewheretheirbestinterestslay.Asforthegruntsin theranks,themilitarywastheonlyhomethatmanyofthemknew,theironlyway outofstarvingcitiesanddyingfarms.Whentheofficersorderedthemtopoint theirgunsatcrazedmobs,itwasasthoughtheyfacedpeoplefromMars,notthei r familyorfriends.Orthemselves.Pullthetrigger?Noproblem. Butisthatall?TheU.S.submitstoProGovbecauseithasmostoftheguns andmoney?Mostcitizensarescaredofthechaosoflifewithoutgovernment. They'veseenitupcloseandpersonal,andtheyhaveeveryrighttobeterrifiedof it.SowhenProGovcomesalong,bannerswaving(andbayonetsgleaming,you bet)andpromisesthey'llputfoodonthetableandkeepstreetopsoutof taxpayers'neighborhoods,itlookslikeagooddeal.Itisn'tjustfearofProGovthat keepspeopleinline;it'sfearofwhatthey'llhavetodealwithifProGovisn't around. Neofeudalism:TwoViews “Sincethegeographiccentralizationof authorityundertheProvisionalGovern-ment,andtheconcomitantreturnoflocal controlinunpolicedzonestopopularwill, wehaveobservedanexcitingnewpolitical experimentbeingcarriedoutbytheAmeri-canpeople. “True,insomeareasapparentlawless-nessreigns.Thepopularwillhasnotyet achievedastablelevel,demonstratingthe anarchicconditionfromwhichProvisional PresidentPattersonsavedthecountryin 2024.However,inmanyregions ,civilau-thorityhascoalescedaroundwhatwemay callnodesofnaturalauthority:loca lcorpo-ratepresence,residentspossessedofthere-sourcestoprovideforthecommonsafety, evenpowergroupswhichmighthavebeen perceivedascriminalbeforeachievingare-sponsiblepositionofloca lauthority. “Thesearetheneofeudalenclaves.The naturalpower,expressingthedesireoflaw-fulcitizensfororder,responsiblywielded, isvestedintheloca lauthoritybythecon-sentofthegoverned,defactoordejure,to followthedirectionofloca lauthority,just as,onthelargerscale,theresponsibleexer-ciseoffreedomundertheProvisionalGov-ernment…” -FromOur UnitedStates:A Patriot's Vie wbyArthurOverfull,Ph.D. “Neofeudalism .Tchort!That'sa driggin'fancywordforlettin'thewolves takecareofthesheep,paryeni.Theprogg-iesletsomeminshycrookwithadozen goonsonthepayrollscarethefolksinhis zoneintoline.Aslongastheproggiesget theircut,andthelocalbossspoutstheoffi-ciallineoffaex,he'salittleking.Sothey callitneofeudalism. “Doesn'tmatteradrigifyeroutinna booniesormiddleofsome'plex .Rules're allthesame.Walkthroughahigh-control zone,youdon'tevenbreathewrongorthe mileetsya'salloveryou.Laws'reruntight, norhythmunlessyerahigh-C.Outinna nullzones,wherethecopsVnerksdon't go,law'swhatyapackinnaholster. “In'tween,yagotthenee-yo-foo-dal zones.Korp'sgottalocalfactory,gotthe gunstokeepitsafe,maybea'burb-fortfor theshaikujin?Hey,theygetaprize,getto runthewholezone.Localgangbangerscut adealwiththenerkgoons?Goodboys,they gettocallthetuneforeveryoneinna'hood . “Butyawannase eyertaxbuxinaction? Letsomepoorlow-Cshlubsarmupan'try totakecareofthemselves,an'they'llhave nerksandproggiesallover'emlikeflieson faex.Strong-armbaronsandkorpkings, ProGov'llkiss'emlikelong-lostmalchikis, fattedcalfan'all.Citswithgunsmake'em realnervous…” -FromasubversivepirateNetcastinter-ceptedbyfederalauthorities. -25 - TheUnitedStates Talkin'One-and-Twenty C-l:A”ScaleOneCitizen.”Theeliteclass ofU.S.citizensaccordingtotheCitizen-shipScaleinstitutedbyProGov. C-2:The”middleclass”scaleofU.S.citi-zenshipunderProGov. C-3:Theworkingorlowerclassscaleof U.S.citizenshipunderProGov. C-4:Theunderclass:outcasts,politicaldis-sidentsandthelikeformthis,thelowest scaleofU.ScitizenshipunderProGov. Cred:Money,specificallymoneyasafunc-tionoftheworldfinancialnetwork,i.e., electronicfunds. D/L:“Download.”Anythingthatmoves datafromtheNettoalocaldatastore, includingfinancialtransactions. Echeverista:AmemberoftheCubanrevo-lutionarymovement,headedbyRafael Echeveria,devotedtoreleasingCuba fromU.S.control. Faex:Excrement.Acommonexpletive. LowC:Insultingslangtermforsomeone withalowerCitizenshipScalethanthe personusingit. TheLaw Six:ThesixReservedstatescre-atedaftertheU.S.annexedMexico. Neofeudalism:Afancynameforlocalrule bythestrongestfaction. Nullzone:Anyareawherelocallawdoes notapply. Nullo:AU.Sresidentwhodoesn'thavea CitizenshipScalerating-i.e.,aZero, whoseidentitydoesnotexistintheNa-tionalDataBanks(se ep.C21). Prog,proggie:Agentsorofficialsofthe ProvisionalGovernment. ProGov:TheProvisionalGovernmentof theUnitedStates. Tchort:(Russ.)Literally”Devil.”Acom-monexpletive. Valuta:(Russ.)literally“foreigncurrency.” Referstoanyhardcurrency,eitherelec-tronicorscrip. AdamHammond,ProvisionalPresident ProPresident(orProPres,orcolloquially,ProPrexy)Hammondistheheadof ProGov.HeisthedictatoroftheUnitedStates. Borntowell-to-doparentsin1977 ,Hammondattendedexcellentuniversities andbecameahighlycompetentdesignengineer.However,hisrealgeniuslayina sure-fireinstinctforspottingtrendsintechnologica ldevelopmentandrelating themtomarketrequirements.In1997,hestartedhisownfirm,NorthAmerican Technologies.NATstayedonthecuttingedgeofpivotaldevelopmentsandholds patentsonmanykeyprocessesandsystems. NAT'ssuccessmadeHammondbothwealthyandpowerful.Heusedhis moneyandinfluencetosteerU.S.politicsinthedirectionhethoughttheyshould go.Hefavoredanincreasinglyconservativestancethatsurrenderedmostcontrols overcorporatepower,thatrewardedindividualinitiativeusedtosupportsocial needs,thatwasruthlessinexcisingbudgetarywaste,andthatenforcedthelaw rigorously.Hammond'ssupporthelpedPattersonwinthevice-presidencyin2008; hecontinuedtosupportPatterson'slatercampaigns. WhentheNERCCwasestablishedin2017,PresidentPattersonnominatedhis long-timesupporterasitshead.ThemediawidelypraisedHammondforleaving hispositionasCEOofNATtobecomeoneoftheadministration's“dollar-a-year”men.Thenerksandnerk-commandedpoliceandmilitaryuseddraconian measurestosuppressanythingtheyinterpretedasinsurrection.Evenso,many citizensviewedHammond'searlyperformanceasExecutiveCommissionerofthe NERCCfavorably,ashedevotedhisundeniableorganizationalskillstokeeping vitalresourcesflowing,especiallyinthedevastatedinnercities. WhenPattersonestablishedtheProvisionalGovernment,Hammondwasone oftheadviserswhodesignedthenewregime.NERCCcommunicationchannels carriedthemostsensitiveinformationinvolvedinthecoup.NERCCpersonnel coordinatedthecaptureofkeysitesduringthefighting.Ifrumorcanbetrusted, NERCCagentsalsohandledtheremoval,byarrestorassassination,ofofficials whomighthaveopposedthebirthofProGov. Hammond'sefficiencyinthiscentralroleconfirmedPatterson'sregardforhis abilities.OvertheremainingyearsofthefirstProPresident'slife,moreandmore authoritypassedintothehandsofHammondandtheNERCC. Patterson'sdeathin2031createda“constitutional”crisis.ThelastVice-Pres-identhaddiedjus tbeforeProGovcametopower.TheagingPattersonhadada-mantlyrefusedtonamehissuccessor,ortoenableanylegislationonpresidential succession.The25thAmendment,andrelate dlegislation ,werenotconsideredto beinforce,sinceExecutiveOrderP-23-1suspendedtheConstitution. AconsortiumofCabinetmembersandProConleaders,le dbyHammond, draftedadecreeenablingProConto“elect”anewProvisionalPresident.The decreelimitedtheeligibilityofcandidatestoseniorexecutiveappointeesormem-bersofProCon.Tonoone'sgreatsurprise,Hammondhimselfwaschosenasthe newProvisionalPresident. UnderProPresidentHammond,theNERCC'sauthorityhasincreaseddramat-ically.HammondisalsotheNERCC'sSupremeCommissioner,anexofficio position,comparabletohisrankasCommander-in-Chiefofthearmedforces.The Cabinet-levelofficeofExecutiveCommissionerstillexists,andischargedwith day-to-dayoperationoftheCommission. HammondinstitutedtheNationalRecoveryPlanasanindexof“domestic tranquilityandeconomicstability,”andhassaidonmorethanoneoccasionthat theplanwillindicatewhentheProvisionalGovernmentcanstepdownandrestore freeelections.Heis,however,vagueaboutthepreciseindicatorsintheplanwhich wouldtriggerthisevent,andtheactualparametersoftheNationalRecoveryPlan arehighlyclassified. TheUnitedStates -26 - TheCabinet TheProPreshiresandfirescabinetmembers.Congressdoesn'tgettosay anythingaboutit.Cabinetmembersarenotautomaticallyinlineforthe President'sjob.Infact,Hammond,likePatterson,hasnodesignatedsuccessor. Intheory,cabinetmembersareincompletechargeoftheirdepartmentsand theresourcesinthosedepartments.Inreality,cabinetpowersarelimitedbya coupleofthings. First,Hammondiswellawarethatthemostdangerouschallengetohisau-thorityislikelytocomefromhisimmediateunderlings.Inordertokeepanyone personinthecabinetfromgettingtoopowerful,Hammondswitcheshisfavor fromonemembertoanotherunpredictably.Oneweek,theProPreswillsupport SecretaryofStateBarton'spoliciesagainstallopposition.Thenext,Bartoncan't doanythingright,andSecretaryofBusinessDennisonhasthepresidentialear. Second,itisalmostimpossibleforacabinet-leveldepartmenttodoanything withoutgettingintoaturffight.Aresource-exploitationprogramrunbytheDe-partmentofBusinessmayrunafoulofaregulatoryagencyoveratAgriculture,or Industry,or,ofcourse,theNERCC. Andthisisthethirdfactorthatcomplicatescabinetinfighting.TheNERCC hasafingerinalmosteverygovernmentpie. AllofthistendstomakethetoplevelsofProGovmoreconcernedwithpower playsandbutt-coveringthanwiththeefficientoperationoftheirdepartments.The attitudetricklesdowntheorganizationaltree,sothatat“street-level,”thelocal bureaucratsplaythesamedominancegamesastheirbosses.Forexample,during theChicagoFoodRiotsof2037,theDepartmentofAgriculturedivertedemer-gencystocksoffoodtothecity.TheNERCCdistrictcommissionerwasfighting overpriorityschedulingwithhiscounterpartinAgricultureandrefusedtoautho-rizetransporttocarrytherationsfromtheirwarehousestothestarvingpartsofthe WindyCity.Afterthethirddayofrioting,ofcourse,itdidn'tmattermuch,since themobshadsetfiretothewarehousedistrictanddestroyedthestockpiledrelie f rations. TheProvisionalCongress WhenProGovcametopowerin2024,membersofCongressfellintotwo categories:thequickandthedead.TheformerwerequickeithertosupportProG-ov(6 5senatorsand273representativesdidso),ortogetoutofWashingtonand dropoutofpublicview.Sixteensenatorsand83representativesmanagedto survivethecoupwithoutactivelysupportingPatterson'stakeover.Therestwere eitherarrestedfortreasonorreported“missinginurbandisorders,presumed killed.” TheroleofCongresswasdefinedinExecutiveOrderP-24-13:“TheProvi-sionalCongressoftheUnitedStatesisestablishedtoprovidethelong-suffering citizensofthisgreat,embattlednationwithpersonalrepresentationwithinthe structureoftheProvisionalGovernment.” ProConhasaSenateandaHouseofRepresentatives,justasCongressdid undertheConstitution.Theresemblanceprettymuchendsthere.Senatorsare elected,onetoastate,andserveforlife,oruntiltheyretire.Actually,thelawstates that“…Senatorsshallserveforthedurationofthestateofemergencynow obtaining.”AsthatstateevolvedintothePermanentEmergency,amendmentsto ExecutiveOrderP-24-13allowedforsenatorialretirementsandsuccession.Rep-resentativesserve2-yearterms.SenatorsandrepresentativeshaveC-lstatus(see p.31)duringtheirtermsofoffice. AdamHammond, Provisional PresidentoftheUnitedStates Age66;6'1“,18 0Ibs.;grayhair,gray eyes. ST11,DX10,IQ14,HT10. BasicSpeed5,Move5. Dodge5. Noarmororencumbrance. Advantages:Charisma+2;Literacy; Status7;Wealth(FilthyRich). Disadvantages:Age;CompulsiveBe-havior(record-keeping);Overconfidence; Stubbornness. Quirks:Lovesgardening,publicdis-playsofpiety,andconservativemorality; Secretive;Workaholic. Skills:Accounting-14;Administration-14;Bard-16;BotanyTL8-16;Computer Operation/TL7-14;DetectLies-15;Diplo-macy-13;Economics-15;Electronics/TL8-15;Guns(Pistol)-9 ;Politics-15; Research-16;Savoir-Faire-15. Languages:French-14;German-10; Japanese-10;Russian-13. Hammondtalksthetalkofasincereand dedicatedelectedofficial,buthedoesn't walkthewalk.Heisawarethathiswordis law,atleastinareaswheretheNERCC,or militaryloyaltoProGov,maintaincontrol. Hammondhasanuncannyabilitytogauge whathisadministrationcangetawaywith, aswellasahighly-developedsens eofpub-licmood.WhenaProGovofficialgets caughtinascandal,theProPresidentusu-allyexpresseshorroratthisabuseoftrust, andthescapegoatfindshimselfinastarring roleinavideorendumtreasontrialora thrillvidordealshow. Hammond'spersonalityisengaging,a mixtureofforceful,decisiveexecutiveand folksypolitician. -27 - TheUnitedStates TheU.S.Cabinet Agriculture(Secretary:BradWinston): CoordinatingfoodproductionintheU.S., aswellastheimportandexportoffood-stuffs.Agricultureisofteninvolvedinturf fightswithNERCC. Business(Secretary:WilliamCarlton): ManagingU.S.relationswithbusiness,spe-cificallyBigBusiness,ithasarolesimilar tothatoftheStateDepartmentindealing withthemultinational,semi-autonomous korps. Defense(Secretary:Anthony Riccio): ManagementoftheArmedForcesisits province. Energy(Secretary:James Tarleton):Re-sponsibleforimplementingenergypolicy,it overseessafetyandemissionstandards,the nationalpowergridandfederalpowergen-erationprograms. Enforcement(EnforcerGeneral:Arthur Williams):TheDepartmentofJusticewas renamedtheDepartmentofEnforcement duringPatterson'sfirstterm.TheAttorney GeneralwassimilarlyrenamedtheEnforcer General,inaccordancewiththePresident's premisethat”…anattorneygeneralsends thewrongmessagetothecriminalscumop-pressingallAmericans.Swiftandsureen-forcementofthelawisneeded,toguarantee thesafetyofdecentmenandwomeninthis greatcountry.Onlythehonestmandeserves justice.“ TheDepartmentcoordinatesfederal courts,penalestablishments,theFBIand otherfederallaw-enforcementorganiza-tionsandprograms. Health(SurgeonGeneral:Margarita Esteves):Thisdepartmentischargedwith allpublichealthprograms,oversightof medicalresearchandcorrelationofmedical recordsonallcitizens. Continuedonnextpage… Elections Senatorialelectionsareheldasneeded.Electionsforrepresentativesareheld everytwoyears,inNovember.Avoterdoesnotneedtowaitforelectiondaytogo tothepolls,however.Hedoesn'tevenhavetogotothepolls.Atanytimeduring acampaign,avotercan”pre-approve“hisvote,registeringitintheNationalData Banks.Onceitisin,itcannotbechanged,andstandsevenifthevoterdiesbefore theelection. ProGovshowsakeenappreciationofthepoliticalwisdomofWilliamMarcy (“Boss”)Tweed.”Let'emvoteforanyonetheylike ,aslongasIgettomakethe nominations.“Thestategovernmentnominatessenators,subjecttofederalap-proval.Usually,governorsandstatelegislaturesaregivenalist,orsimplyaname, toplaceinnomination. AseatintheSenateisoneoftheprincipalprizesofferedtokorpexecs, militarycommanders,localofficialsandotherveryseniorfigureswhocontribute toProGov'sauthority. Congressionalelectionsarelivelier .Nominationsaremadeaccordingtostate laws.Afterall,folks,theseareyourpersonalrepresentatives.Generally,thestates requirethatnomineesbeatleastScale2citizens(se ep.32).Winningcandidates aretypicallysponsoredeitherbyProGov,byoneormoremajorkorps,orboth.A typicalcampaignrallyforamainstreamcandidateresemblesacrossbetweena travelingcircusandaRomanSaturnalia.Freefoodandbooze,legalizeddrug distribution,entertainers,prizes,korprecruitingstations…allrewardthefaithful fortheirpre-assignedballots. Fringecandidateswereacommonfeatureinthefirstfewsetsofelections. ThatwasbeforefolksnoticedthatanyonewhoranonaplatformthatProGov didn'tlikewasn'taroundtorunagaintwoyearslater.Itwasn'tthecraziesthat disappeared-anycandidatewhomightposearealthreattoProGovwasingrave danger. Ifacandidatewhodoesn'ttoetheProGovlinestillshowssignsofwinninga congressionalrace…well,thevotesaretabulatedintheNationalDataBanks. AnotherofBossTweed'sgemsofpoliticalwisdomsays”Aslongas/countthe votes,whatareyougoingtodoaboutit?“ TheVideorendum WhentheProvisionalGovernmentbegantostabilizethenationalcommuni-cationsnetwork,andtocentralizegovernmentdataprocessingfunctions,itused themtoofferadirectvoiceingovernmenttocitizens.Numerousreferendums werecalled,invitingcitizenstovotethroughtheirhometerminalsandinteractive vidphones.AnycitizenwithatleastScale3standingiseligibletovoteina vldeorendum. Ontheaverage,votingtakesplaceonatleastonenationalvideorendumeach week,ononeormoreissues.Inputisopenfrom0600-1800,localtime.Terminals withfullmultimediacapabilitycanalsodisplaypertinentdocumentationinthe cases.Thismayexplainthesurgeofconcernedcitizenswhoseemtovoteanytime ajuicy,andgraphicallydocumented,sexscandalisontheissuesmenu. Acitizensimplyinsertshiscitcard(seep.35)inaterminalconnectedtothe NationalDataBanks,callsuptheissuesmenu,andentershisvote.Thisautomat-icallytriggersalow-levelcardcheck. Somecynics,justachingforaC-4/Drating(se ep.33),havepointedoutthat theissuessettledbyvideorendumarealwaystrivial,evenwhentheyaresensa-tional.Forexample,whenfederalcourtsfoundtheringleadersoftheChicago FoodRiotsguiltyoftreason,sentencingwasfixedbyavideorendumofChicago citizens.Thevotewasnotovertheirguiltorinnocence,butwhethertheaccused TheUnitedStates -28- weretobeexecuted,andifso,how,orwhethertheyweretoreceivelifesentences inapenalfacility. Trialsbyvideorendumhavebecomeincreasinglyviolent,withthevictims condemnedtogladiatorialcombats,manhuntsandsimilarentertainmentsbythe impartialvoteoftheirfellowcitizens. Someofthemoresubversiveelementswhocontaminatesocietyhaveeven suggestedthat,sinceProGovcomputerstallythevotes,theusualresultofa videorendum,upholdingthegovernment'sposition,isasignthatthefiguresare beingfalsifiedsomewherealongtheway. Ofcourse,eversincetheissuewasputtoavideorendumonMarch27,2038, ithasbeenaClassCFelonytoassertpubliclythatvideorendumtalliesarefalsi-fied. ProConFunctions TheProvisionalGovernmentruledbyexecutivedecreesfromitsinceptionin 2024until2032.In2032,withmuchfanfare,newly”elected“ProvisionalPresi-dentHammondredefinedtherelationshipbetweentheexecutiveandlegislative branchesofProGov. TheProPresidentretainstheauthoritytoissueExecutiveOrders.Thesehave theforceoflawbutmustbeforaspecifiedperiodoftime(90to180daysisthe typicallength).TheExecutiveOrdersissuedpriorto2032remaininforceasthey wereoriginallyspecified,forthedurationofthe”stateofemergency.“Executive OrdersthatarenotratifiedbyProConbytheendofthespecifiedperiodlapse. ProConcannotcountermandanExecutiveOrderduringitseffectiveperiod. Moreover,ProCongainedtheright,whichitdidnotoriginallyhave,ofpass-ingbillsforPresidentialapproval.However,ifhevetoesabill,itcannotoverride him. Thesesop sofauthoritythrowntoProConbyHammond,surprisingly,were sufficienttoconsolidatehisauthoritywithalargemajorityofsenatorsandrepre-sentatives.SinceProConmemberswouldhavehadneitherperquisitesnorpower withoutthecontinuedpresenceoftheProvisionalGovernment,Hammondcould buylegislativesupportfairlycheaply. TheNERCC PresidentPattersonestablishedtheNationalEmergencyResourceControl Commissionin201 7tocoordinatenationaldistributionofvitalresourcesduring theGrandSlamchaos.TheCommissionhasauthoritytodealwithanything affectingresourcemanufacture,transportordistribution.SincetheNERCCitsel f decideswhatisorisnotavitalresource,the”nerks“swiftlygotintothebusiness ofwatchingeverythingandeveryone. AfterPattersoncreatedtheProvisionalGovernment,theNERCCwasgiven anincreasingroleinallareasofsecurityandenforcement.WhenProPresPatter-sondied,AdamHammond,theNERCChead,succeededhim,andtheCommis-sio nbecameevenmorepowerful. Inacampaigncontext,thenerksaredesignedtobe”badguys.“Theyarethe secretpolice,thefacelessbureaucracyandthepower-behind-the-throne,allrolled intoone.InanycampaignbasedonrevolutionagainstAmerica'sone-and-twenty rulingclique,thenerkswillbethePCs'principalopponents. Asanalternative,thePCscanbenerks.Acampaignlikethiswillinvolvelot s ofbackstabbingandpoliticalmaneuvering-withplentyofmindlessviolence alongtheway. TheU.S.Cabinet(Continued) Industry(Secretary:JenniferBrookes): Overseeingallmattersofindustrialproduc-tionsubjecttofederalcontrol,itarbitrates labo rdisputes,reviewssafetystandardsand measuresproductivity. Information(Secretary:William Chang):OperatingandmaintainingtheNa-tionalDataBanks,itisinchargeofproduc-ing,distributingandvalidatingcitizencards (se ep.35).ItalsooverseesU.S.communi-cationsmediaandeducationprograms. Interior(Secretary:OtisJordan): ChargedwithpropermanagementofU.S. naturalresources,itissuesmininglicenses, overseestimberproduction,properlyengi-neerswatercoursesandsoon.Italsoman-agesth eReservedAccessParklands: two-yearwaitinglistforavisitor'spermit foraC-2.You'reaC-3?Forgetit,citizen. NationalEmergencyResourceCoordi-natingCommission:SeeTheNERCC,p. 29. State(Secretary:CarlosDiVincenzo):It handlesU.S.relationswithothergovern-ments. Treasury(Secretary:PhilipMorton):It governstheU.S.moneysupplyandmain-tainstheNationalCreditSystem. UrbanPlanning(Secretary:Cynthia Washington):AlsocalledtheDepartmentof BreadandCircuses,UrbanPlanningmain-tainsfederalprogramsdesignedtoprevent disorderinthecities. -29- TheUnitedStates U.S.PoliticalParties Yes,theU.S.haslostalot,butitstillhas politicalparties:lotsandlotsofpolitical parties.Thetwo-partysystemblewupafter disastrouscampaignsinthelate1990s ,re-sultinginamessofsplintergroupsandspe-cial-interestparties.TheU.S.hadtolearn howtohandlecoalitionpolitics,andjudg-ingbythefirstthirdoftheone-and-twenty, itlook slikeitdidn'tdoitshomework. AfterProGovtookover,itoutlawedthe mostmilitantfringeparties,especiallythe onesleftofcenter.Theyformedthenucleus formostoftherevolutsiyasimmering aroundthecountrysincethe2030s. ConservativepartiesthatbackProGov andcentristpartiesthatplayloyal(read:in-effective)oppositioncontinuetooperatele-gally.TheyputupcandidatesinProCon elections,andusetheirinfluencetoadvance theiragendasinfederalandloca lgovern-ment. Themajorpartiesareprofiledhere. Archconservative Committedt odomesticeconomic growthbyminimizinggovernmentinterfer-enceinbusinesspolicy,itadvocatesastrict law-and-orderregime.Itoftenopposes NERCCpolicieswhichseemtoregulatethe korps,thoughitfavorsmostProGovpro-gramsdesignedtokeeptheurbanpopula-tiondocile. Allied:EfficiencyParty,God'sOwn Party,Meritocrats,TrueAmericans. Opposed:CentristDemocrats,Glo-balists,Technolibertarians. CentristDemocrat Amoderatecoalition,theCentrist Democratspushforanincreaseincivil libertiesandinfederalprogramstoim-provethelotofdisadvantagedcitizens. Theyareviewedasineffectivereform-ersbythepowers-that-bewithinProG-ov. Allied:Globalists,LightOfWis-dom,Technolibertarians. Opposed:Archconservatives,God's OwnParty,TrueAmericans. EfficiencyParty Dedicatedtorunningthegovernmentas ifitwereasuccessfulbusiness,itisstrongly supportedbyU.S.businessforitsprotec-tioniststance.TheEfficiencyPartywasone ofthestrongestproponentsoftheexpansion oftoxicindustrialproductioninMexico. Allied:Archconservatives,Meritocrats, Technolibertarians. Opposed:God'sOwnParty,Lightof Wisdom. Continuedonnextpage… NERCCOrganization TheCommissionisstrictlyhierarchical.Muchlikethemilitary'sPentagon,its nationalheadquartersinWashingtonisthenervecenterofalloperations. TheU.S.isdividedintonineadministrativeregions:Northeastern,Middle Atlantic,Southeastern,Caribbean,SouthCentral,NorthCentral,Northwestern, SouthwesternandPacific.Twoadditional”SpecialAdministrativeRegions“ exist,oneforAlaskaandonefortheMexicanstates. Eachregionisdividedintoanumberofdistricts.Eachstateisadistrict.In addition,everymajorurbanareawithapopulationof500,00 0ormoreisadistrict. Withineachdistrict,anumberofloca lNERCCofficesoperate. Forexample,NewYorkstateispartoftheNortheasternRegion.TheNew YorkDistrictcoverstheentirestate,exceptfortheGreaterNewYorkMetroplex District,whichcontrolsNewYorkCityanditsenvirons. IndustrialRegulation In2020,thefunctionsoftheEPA,OSHA,NRCandotherbureausconcerned withindustrialconditions,pollutionstandardsandsafetycontrolswereshiftedto theNERCC.InPresidentPatterson'swords,thiswasintendedto”rationalizethe regulatoryatmosphereinourindustries,andmoveforwardinthetaskofrecon-structionwiththegreatestspeedconcomitantwiththehealthandsafetyofthe public.“ Thislaudableplanhasbeenimplementedinanumberofways.Pollutionand dumpingregulationswereeasedevenfurther.Highlytoxicprocessesweremoved toMexicansites.Disclosurelawsandrequirementsforimpactstatements,which hadalreadybeenweakenedbyrelaxedenforcementregulations,weresuspended foranindefiniteperiod. TheUnitedStates -30 - Immigration TheNERCCischargedwithensuringtheorderlyflowofcitizensseekingto movefromtheReservedstatestotherestoftheU.S.Thistranslatesintomaking surethatwhentheUpper48needsbodiesinthelaborforce,enoughMexicanC-3s arrivetotakethewagesmanagementwantstopay. LaborpoolmanagementcompanieshandlerecruitingdrivesforU.S.employ-ersintheReservedstates,underfranchisesawardedbythenerks.Organized crimereputedlyrunsmostoftheseoperations(seep.66). Security TheNERCCdirectlycontrolsallinternalsecurityintheU.S.,anditsenforce-mentarmrequiresfullcooperationfromfederalandlocallaw-enforcementagen-ciesinanymatterofsecurity.TheNERCCdoesnotdealwithothercriminal matters,withtheexceptionofcrimesthatinterferewith,orimpede,therationing systemorinterstatecommerce. Intheory,otherfederallaw-enforcementagencies,suchastheFBI,theSecret ServiceandtheU.S.Marshal'soffice,continuetocarryouttheiroriginalfunc-tions,withtheexceptionofmattersconcerningU.S.security.Inpractice,the NERCCcantakeoveranyinvestigationatanytime,thoughagentsandother resourcesfromtheofficethatoriginallyhadjurisdictionmaybesecondedto NERCCcontrol. Studentsof20th-centuryhistorymayrecognizecertainsimilaritiesbetween theoperationsoftheNERCCandtheKGBintheoldSovietUnion.Ofcourse, studentsofhistorywouldlegallyrequireClass2library-systemaccesstostudy suchmaterialinanydetail. U.S.Citizenship In2027,ProGovinstitutedtheU.S.CitizenshipScale.Theprivilegesandcivil rightsofcitizenswereadjustedaccordingto”.. .thecontributionoftheindivid-ualtothenationalrecoveryeffort.“Initially,theNERCCadministeredthepro-gram.In2036,theBureauofCitizenEvaluationwascreatedtohandlethe program,underthedirectionoftheDepartmentofInformation. CitizenshipisratedfromOnetoFour. ScaleOneCitizen AC-lisamemberoftheU.S.rulingelite.Officially,hisstatusreflects outstandingcontributionstonationalrecovery,U.S.security,orsomesimilar accomplishment.Effectively,C-lstatusgoestotheveryrich,upper-levelcorpo-ratemanagers,highgovernmentofficials,leadingscientists,sportsfigures,major mediastarsandthelike.C-lshaveaStatusof3orhigher.Threepercentofthe populationareC-ls. ScaleOnecitizenspaylowertaxes,enjoymoregenerousrationsandluxury bonuses,andhaveaccesstolega lfreemarkets.C-lshaveaccesstohighertec h thanothercitizens,especiallymedicaltech.Practicallyspeaking,C-lsusually haveenoughinfluencetoavoidprosecutionforminor,andsometimesmajor, crimes.Thebureaucracydeferstothem,unlesstheyareknowntobeoutoffavor, andlower-ratedcitizenswhoknowthescorearewelladvisednottocrossthem, sinceC-lsusuallyhavecontactsthatcanmakea”lowC“regretthatheever irritatedhisbetters,oreventhathewaseverborn. C-lsenjoymostoftheprotectionsunderthelawthatallU.S.citizenshad,at leas tintheory,priortotheestablishmentoftheProGov. U.S.PoliticalParties (Continued) Globalist Asmallminority,dedicatedtoamore cooperativerolefortheU.S.ininternational affairs.Freetradeisahighpriority. Allied:CentristDemocrats,Lightof Wisdom. Opposed:Archconservatives,True Americans. God'sOwnParty ThispartyproposesthatProGovadopta blatantlytheocraticstance,rulingtheU.S. bythenarrowestinterpretationofconserva-tiveChristiandoctrines. Allied:Archconservatives,TrueAmeri-cans. Opposed:CentristDemocrats,Effi-ciencyParty,LightofWisdom,Tech-nolibertarians. LightOfWisdom Accordingtoitscritics,thisisthe “Granola”party:allthenutsandflakesare init.LightofWisdomsupportsProGovas the”karmicadjustment“forgenerationsof U.S.”gluttony.“Theyareaggressively “Green,”andreliablysupportanypolicy, nomatterhowrepressive,whichmakesa caseforpreservingtheenvironment. Allied:CentristDemocrats,Globalists. Opposed:EfficiencyParty,God'sOwn Party,Technolibertarians. Meritocrat TheMeritocratsproposeasocialhierar-chybasedontheirdefinitionof”merit.“ Thisisacombinationofupdatedsocia l Darwinism,technocracyandacastesystem basedoneducationandproductivity. Allied:Archconservatives,Efficiency Party. Opposed:CentristDemocrats,Lightof Wisdom. Technolibertarian TheysuggestthattheU.S.willbebest servedbyunhamperedresearchinnew technologies.TheTechnolibertariansare th emostoutspokenopponentsofthe NERCCinProCon,andareviewedwiththe greatestsuspicionbytheadministration. Allied:CentristDemocrats,Efficiency Party. Opposed:Archconservatives,God's OwnParty,LightofWisdom. TrueAmericans Somewhattotherightofthe Archconservatives,theystronglysupport militaryinterventiontoprotectAmerican interests.Overtlyracist,theyproposerelo-cationofminoritiestotheLowSix.The TrueAmericanpartyispushinghardforthe useoftacticalnuclearweaponsinCuba. Allied:Archconservatives,God'sOwn Party. Opposed:CentristDemocrats,Global-ists. -31- TheUnitedStates Administrative RegionsandDistricts NortheasternRegion:BostonUrban ComplexDistrict,ConnecticutDistrict, DelawareDistrict,GreaterNewYork MetroplexDistrict,MaineDistrict,Massa-chusettsDistrict,NewHampshireDistrict, NewJerseyDistrict,NewYorkDistrict, PennsylvaniaDistrict,Philadelphia MetroplexDistrict,RhodeIslandDistrict, VermontDistrict,WestVirginiaDistrict. MiddleAtlanticRegion:FederalCapital District,MarylandDistrict,NorthCarolina District,SouthCarolinaDistrict,Virginia District. SoutheasternRegion:AlabamaDistrict, AtlantaUrbanConstellationDistrict,Flor-idaDistrict,GeorgiaDistrict,MiamiUrban District,MississippiDistrict,Tennessee District. NorthCentralRegion:Chicago MegaplexDistrict,DetroitUrbanComplex District,IllinoisDistrict,IndianaDistrict, IowaDistrict,MichiganDistrict,Minnesota District,NebraskaDistrict,NorthDakota District,OhioDistrict,SouthDakotaDis-trict,WisconsinDistrict. SouthCentralRegion:ArkansasDis-trict,Dallas/FortWorthUrbanConstellation District,HoustonUrbanDistrict,Kansas District,KansasCityUrbanDistrict,Ken-tuckyDistrict,LouisianaDistrict,Missouri District,NewOrleansUrbanDistrict,Okla-homaDistrict,TexasDistrict. NorthwesternRegion:IdahoDistrict, MontanaDistrict,OregonDistrict,Seat-tle/TacomaMetroplexDistrict,Washington District,WyomingDistrict. SouthwesternRegion:ArizonaDistrict, ColoradoDistrict,DenverUrbanDistrict, JointSouthwesternWaterControlDistrict-SouthwesternAuthority,LasVegasSpecial CoordinatingDistrict,NevadaDistrict, NewMexicoDistrict,UtahDistrict. PacificRegion:BayAreaMetroDis-trict,CaliforniaDistrict,GreaterLosAnge-lesMetropolitanDistrict,HawaiiDistrict, JointSouthwesternWaterControlDistrict-PacificAuthority. CaribbeanRegion:CubaDistrict, PuertoRicoDistrict,VirginIslandsDistrict. MexicanSpecialAdministrativeRegion: BajaDistrict,CentralIndustrialCoordina-tionDistrict,CiudadJuarezDistrict,Guada-lajaraDistrict,JuarezDistrict,MexicoCity District,NewTejasDistrict,Tenochtitlan District,VeracruzDistrict AlaskanSpecialAdministrativeRegion: noseparatedistricts. ScaleTwoCitizen Theuppermiddle-classareC-2s.Professionalsandskilledworkersareusu-allyC-2s,andhaveaStatusof0to4,thoughthemajoritywillhaveaStatusof1 to3.Thepopulationisabout33%C-2s. ThelifeofaC-2wouldbe,insomerespects,familiartoamiddle-class residentof20th-centuryAmerica:gotowork,raiseafamily,paytaxesandgo aboutyourbusiness.Ofcourse,intheone-and-twenty,thereareafewadditional concerns:urbanterroriststrikesonC-2neighborhoods(securitythereismuch easiertopenetratethaninC-lenclaves),theinterestofaNERCCreviewboard,a korporatereadjustmentsideswipe,andsoon. ScaleTwoCitizenspaythehighesttaxesintheU.S.today .Still,mostC-2s expresssatisfactionwiththeirlot,andpraisetheeffortsofProGovandthenerks …excuseme,aslipofthetongue.. .NERCC,tomaintainorderandputthe countrybackonitsfeet. ScaleThreeCitizens C-3istheclassificationofmostU.S.citizens:white-andblue-collarworkers, low-levellaborandunemployedcitizenswhostayoutoftroubleandcooperate withwork-subsistenceprograms.Retireesonfixedpensionincomes,withoutdis-posablewealthfrominvestmentsandthelike,areoftendowngradedtoC-3after aworkinglifespentatC-2.C-3switharegularincomepaytaxesatthesamerate asaC-2.C-3scanhaveaStatusof-1to2.Theymakeup52%ofthepopulation. ThenatureofProGov'sAmericaissuchthatmostimmigrantsareassignedto ScaleThree,asaremanynon-whitecitizenswhoarenotintheupperbracketsof theeconomy.Amiddle-classjobthatwouldwinawhiteaC-2ratingwillleavea black,Oriental,orHispaniccitizenatC-3. BeingaC-3carriesa-5pointSocialStigmawhendealingwithanyoneofa higherCitizenshipScale. TheUnitedStates -32 - ScaleFourCitizens C-4sareconvictedfelons,welfarerecipients,inhabitantsofSecureObserva-tionFacilities,thoseonprobationorparoleandunemployedcitizenswhodonot cooperatewithNERCCwork-subsistenceprogramsandsimilarupliftingagendas. CitizensclassifiedasScale4foreconomicreasonswillalmostalwayshaveneg-ativeStatus. AcitizencanbedowngradedtoC-4forpoliticalreasons:dissidents,”reli-giousdissenters“suchasQuakersandWiccans,peopleassignedtoresideina SecureObservationFacility,areallScale4citizens,withoutregardtotheireco-nomicstandinginsociety.Atleast12%oftheU.S.populationareC-4s. AllC-4shaveanassignedsubcode(se ebelow),indicatingthespecificreason fortheirclassificationandthekindofofficialscrutinytheyarelikelytobeunder. C-4salsosufferaSocialStigmawhendealingwithhigherScalecitizens. C-4shaveextremelylimitedcivilrightsundertheUniformCode(se ep.34). ScaleFourSubcodes OnlyC-4sreceiveCitizenScalesubcodestoindicatewhytheyhavebeen relegatedtothebottomrungofAmericansociety .BeingaC-4isaSocialStigma allbyitself;thesubcodedeterminesjusthowbadlytheirclassificationaffectstheir socia linteractions.”Poor-but-honest“C-4sand,ironically ,paroledfelonsare subjecttotheleas tamountofsocia lprejudice.Politicaldissidents,religiousof-fenders,andotherthreatstonationaltranquilitysufferamoresever elos sof standing. C:Convict.Ex-convict,actually.TheC-4/Cservedtim eforafelony.Social Stigmavalue:-10. D:Dissident.TheUnitedStatesisafreesociety ,andcitizenshavetherightto espouseviewsthatdisagreewithProGovpolicy.However,whensuchcitizens,in exercisingtheirrights,imped ethelega lmandateoftheRecovery,societymay properlyimpos esanctionssuchasaC-4/Dclassificationforit sownprotection. SocialStigmavalue:-15.TheC-4/Disanoutsiderinhisowncountry. /:Inmate.TheC-4/Iisincarceratedinaprison,rehabilitationcenterorsimilar penalprogram.AC-4/Imayalsobeinamobilepenalsurveillanceprogram(se e HouseArrest,p.80) .Uponrelease ,theC-4/Ii susuallyreclassifie dC-4/Cor C-4/P,unlesshisoffensewaspolitical,inwhichcaseaC-4/Disusual.Social Stigmavalueis-1 5whendealingwithnon-prisoners. M:Medical.Thisusuallyimpliesacertifiedmentalcondition,butcanalso applytoregistere ddrugaddicts,orotherswhoseconditioncausesthemtobe classifiedasScaleFour.SocialStigmavalue:-5 . P:Parole/Probation.TheC-4/Pisonparole,onprobation,orunderasus-pendedsentence.SocialStigmavalue:-5 . R:Religiousdissenter.TheC-4/Risamemberofareligionruledinvalidby ProCon:aWiccan,aQuaker,aScientologist,aUnitarian,etc.SocialStigma value:-10 . S:SOFinmate.TheC-4/Sisassigne dtoaSecureObservationFacility,either remoteorlocalized(se ep.14) .UponreleasefromtheSOF ,aC-4/Sisusually reclassifiedaC-4/D.Mostothercitizens,evenotherC-4s,arereluctanttobe openlyfriendlytoaC-4/S,sincetheNERCCisfondoftheconceptofguilt-by-as-sociation ,andyouneverknowwhentheyarewatching.SocialStigmavalue:-15. W:Welfaredependent.TheC-4/Wisassignedforlong-termpresenceonthe welfarerolls,tohardcoreunemployables,unlikeunemployedC-3s,whoarecon-sideredatleas tapotentialmemberofthelaborforce.Often,thedifferencebe-tweenanunemployedC-3andaC-4/Wisthepersonalfavor(o renmity)ofthe loca lNERCCorBureauofCitizenClassificationadministrator.Thisisthelarges t categoryofScaleFourcitizens.SocialStigmavalue:-5 . NERCCEnforcer ST11,DX11,TQ9,HT12. BasicSpeed5.75,Move5. Dodge5,Parry6. Armorincludesdressuniformsandfa-tigues(PD0,DR0);standarddutyuniform lightmonocrys(PD2,DR8);combatuni-formmediummonocrys(P D2,DR16) . (Se ep.C49fordetailsonmonocrys.)The EmergencyResponseSquads,theequiva-lentofSWATteams,wearfullTL8Combat InfantryDresswhengoingintoaction(se e p.C50).Alluniformsarematteblack. Standard,combatandcombatinfantry uniformsrequireahelmet.ThisisaTL8 CombatInfantryHelmet(seep.CP50), equippedwithHUD,short-rangecommuni-catorandamulti-viewvisorproviding light-intensification,anti-glareandthermal-imagingcapability.TheNERCC-issuehel-metisthesamematteblackastheir uniforms.Thevisorisone-wayplastic, whichhidesthewearer'sfacebehindafea-turelessshiel dofdullyreflectiveblack.This lookgivesrisetothecommonest(printable) nicknamesfortheEnforcersonthestreet: flatblacks,blacktops,etc. Advantages:LegalEnforcementPow-ers;MilitaryRank(Private0,NCO1,Se-niorNCO2) Disadvantages:Duty(toNERCC);plus atleast10pointsworthofDisadvantages drawnfrom:BadTemper;Bully;Greed;In-tolerance(AnyonelowerthanScale2Citi-zen);Lecherousness;Sadism. Skills:AreaKnowledge-11;Beam Weapons/TL8-14;Brawling-13;Driving (Car)-13 ;Gunner/TLL8-12;Guns/TL8-14; Interrogation-9;Shadowing-12;Stealth-12; Streetwise-10. TypicalspecialistskillsincludeDemoli-tions,Leadership(forNCOs),Tactics(for NCOs),possiblyDiplomacyorPolitics,or technicalskillssuchasComputerOpera-tion,Armoury,etc. Weapons:NATArmM-19submachine guns,3ddamage;FERakete-Pgyrocpis-tols,usuallywithAPEXrounds(seep. C44).Thestandard-issueshotgunisthe NATArmUCW,5ddamage.Enforcersex-pectingheavycombatcanyM-23assault rifles,7ddamage,andmaybeissue dheav-ierweaponry(machineguns,mortars,gre-nadelaunchers,etc.). AllNERCCweaponsareequippedwith HUDtargetingdisplays,routedtotheHUD unitsinthehelmet. ThetypicalNERCCEnforcerisagoon, plainandsimple.Usuallyrecruitedfromthe lowerranksofC-3satage16orso ,the EnforcersaretrainedinNERCCcamps,and conditionedtogivetotalloyaltytotheCom-mission.Afteran8-monthbasictraining course,Enforcersareplacedinactiveduty. AtypicalEnforcerisvenal,corrupt,and cruel.He,orshe ,knowsthataslon gashe keepsthestreetscuminline,andkissesany bootsabovehimontheladder,he'lldofine. Enforcersareusuallysusceptibletobribery, iftheythinknooneiswatching. -33- TheUnitedStates NERCCEliteEnforcer ST12,DX13,IQ10,HT13. BasicSpeed6.5,Move6. Dodge6,Parry7. Armorincludesdress,fatigues,andstan-dardissueuniformsasforregularEnforcers (seep.33).CombatuniformisfullTL8 CombatInfantryDress(seep.C50),with thestandardissuehelmet. Advantages:LegalEnforcementPow-ers;MilitaryRank(Private0,NCO1,Se-niorNCO2). Disadvantages:Duty(toNERCC);plus atleast20pointsworthofdisadvantages drawnfrom:BadTemper;Bully;Greed;In-tolerance(AnyonelowerthanScale2Citi-zen);Lecherousness;Sadism. Skills:BeamWeapons/TL8-15;Brawl-ing-14;Demolitions/TL8-13;Driving (Car)-14;Gunner/TL8-14;Guns/TL8-15; Interrogation-12;Shadowing-12;Stealth-12 ;Streetwise-12;Tactics-11. Weapons:NATArmsM-23assaultrifles, 7ddamage;inmanycases,alsoNATArms Sunbeamlaserweapons:PL-5pistol,2d damage;RL-5rifle,2ddamage.Eliteunits inregionalorhighercommandsarealways armedwithlasers. AllNERCCweaponsareequippedwith HUDtargetingdisplays,routedtotheHUD unitsinthehelmet.Lasersarealsoequipped withalaser-keyedanti-theftsystemanda D-tag(seepp.C46-47). EliteEnforcersareassignedasmembers ofEmergencyResponseunits,bodyguards forhigh-rankingofficials,guardsathigh-securityinstallationsandothersensitivepo-sitions.Often,anElitenon-comwillbe leadingasquadofregularEnforcers. Elitesaregivenwidelatitudeincarrying outorders.Aslongasthebodycountisn't toohigh,andislimitedtoC-3sorlower, disciplinaryactionisrare.TheElitesaren't calledinunlessasituationisalreadydan-gerousorsecret,andmostElitesarearro-gantabouttheirstatus. Nullos Officially,onlysocialmisfits,criminalsbyvirtueoftheirveryexistence, rejecttheCitizenshipScaleandfailtoregisterfortheirlegalscaleratingandthe perquisitesanddutiesthatgowithit. Thegovernmentcallsthem”UnregisteredNon-Citizens.“Thecommonslang forsuchfolksi s”Nullos,“or”C-Zeros. “ AnullohasnorightsunderU.S.law .Ifheisapprehendedincommissionofa crime,thearrestingauthoritycandisposeofthecaseasitsee sfit.Ofcourse,laws existfordealingwithnullocriminalswhoareprocessedintothesystem.Theyare assignedaratingofScaleFour-C,andimmediatelysubjecttochargesofUnregis-teredResourceConsumption,aClassBfelony.Thisisinadditiontowhatever chargesaccompanythecrimeforwhichtheywereapprehended. However,ifthearrestingofficerpreferstoshootfirstandrequestidentifica-tionlater,heisnotsubjecttofederalpenalties,thoughlocalregulationsmayapply. Moreover,unlessextraordinarycircumstancesapply,noratedcitizenofScale Twoorbetterissubjecttopenaltiesforassaulting,orevenkilling,anullo.Thrill-seekinggangsofhighCsareoftenfoundinthenullzonesofthecitiesorcountry-side,huntingfornullos.C-3sandC-4smaybesubjecttoinvestigationfor unprovokedattacksonnullos-notoutofconcernforthenonexistentrightsofthe nullos,butbecausetheauthoritiesviewanysignofviolenceamonglowCswith suspicion.However,aC-3orC-4whokillsanulloinself-defense,orwhenthe nullowascommittingacrime,willusuallybeclearedinanofficialinquiry (thoughtheincidentbecomespartofhispermanentrecord). TheUniformCode In2028,ProGovintroducedagreatlystreamlinedcodeofcriminalandcivil justice.Martiallawhadprevailedsincetheoutbreakofcivilunrestin2023,and theUniformCodewastoutedasaregularizationoftheconflictbetweenmartial lawinthetroubledregionsofthecountry,andthesurvivingshredsofcivillaw enforcedelsewhere.ItimposedasinglelegalcodeontheUnitedStates,and accommodatedProGovandNERCCcontrols,aswellasthethen-newCitizenship Scale. TheUniformCodehasbeenmodifiedmanytimessinceitsintroductionasthe ProGovtightensorloosenspressureonthereinsofgovernment.Whydoesa dictatorshipliketheProvisionalGovernmentbotherwithdottingthei'sandcross-ingthet'softhelegalcode?Because,likemanyfascistgovernments,ProGov worshipsloudlyandpubliclyatthealtaroflegality.Thegovernmentmaybe brutal,repressiveandviolent,butitwillplaythegamebytherulesithasrigged, ifatallpossible.ProGovdependsontheacquiescenceofthemajorityinitsrule. ThepresentrulersoftheUnitedStatesbelievethataslongasresistancecanbe blamedona”criminalminority,“theycanprosper.Also,eventhoughitmayseem omnipresent,theresourcesofProGovandthenerksremainfinite.Keepingthe rulesclearandexplicitallowstheProGovtoautomatetheprocessalittlebit, turningoverbread-and-butterenforcementtootheragencies,andleavingthe NERCCinasupervisorycapacity. ControlRatings ControlRatings,definedonp.C110,provideaquickmethodofmeasuringthe overallleveloflegalcontrolthatagovernmentexercisesonitscitizens. TheoverallCRinProGov'sU.S.is5(Repressive).However,differentCRs applytodifferentsituations-specificallyWeapons,CyberwearandTech. TheWeaponCRisusedasspecifiedonp.C111. TheTechCRgovernstheavailabilityanduseofnon-cyberneticequipmentat TheUnitedStates -34 - TL7orhigher.SeetheTechnologychapterforindividualitemdescriptions.Con-trolRatingsaredifferentforeachpieceofequipment,cyberwear,etc.,andwillbe mentionedintheitem'sdescription. ControlRatingsappliedtoC-lsshouldbereducedbyonepoint.Forexample, inasituationwherealower-scalecitizenwouldbeunderaControlRatingof5,a C-lisunderaControlRatingof4.Thismodificationdoesnotapplyincases involvingsubversion,treasonandthelike.AC-lteenagerwhoemptiesamachine pistolintoalow-Ccrowdmaybedisplaying”youthfulhighspirits. “Thatsame teenagerusingacyberdecktobroadcastanti-ProGovmessagesontheNetis”an unregeneratepunk,deservingthefullweightofthelaw. “ C-2sandC-3sintheU.S.aresubjecttounmodifiedControlRatingsregarding weaponlaws,cyberwearandothermatters. Add+1toControlRatingsappliedtoC-4s. ZoneRatings Inamonolithicsocialorderwithatightsystemofcontrol,acountry'sCR wouldbeconstanteverywhere.GeorgeOrwell's1984presentsapictureofsucha society.TheU.S.,however,isahighlyfragmented,almostsplinteredsociety,and governmentalcontrolvariesfromplacetoplace. AhighcontrolzoneisanareawhereCRsapplyattheirfullvalue.Theseare usuallyareaswhereProGovdirectlyenforcesthelaw .Lessrigorouslypoliced areaswillhavearating,aControlModifierof1to4.GMsshouldreducethe ControlRatinginsuchareasbytheControlModifier. Attheotherextremearethenullzones,wheretheruleoflawdoesnotextend undernormalcircumstances.Nullzonesareeffectivelyanarchistic,withazone CRof0.Thisisnotthetheoreticalidealofanenlightenedanarchist,butanarea wheretheonlythingthatprotectsanyonefromthedepredationsofothersishis ownabilitytodefendhimself. Citcards In2043,thelawrequiresallU.S.citizenstocarrycitcards.Citcardsuse “smartcard”technology,withapowerfulonboardcomputerchip.Mosttransac-tionsusethecard'sbuilt-inmemory,whichcanbeupdatedfromtheNationalData Banksatanytime,duringanonline”cardcheck.“ CardChecks Physically,acitcardisthesizeofa20th-centurycreditcard,VA,inchthick,and weighsabout2ounces.Itissomewhatflexible:apersoncancarryoneinhiship pocketandsitonitwithoutdamagingthecard.Immersioninwaterwilldestroy thecard'scircuitry.AcitcardcanbepoweredforoneyearonaAAbattery. Thefrontofthecardcarriesaholopictureofthebearer,asmallprintoutscreen whichdisplaysvariousdatawhenthecardisaccessed,acontactpointfordata wandsusedinlocalcardchecks,andathumbprintpadforverifyingthebearer's identity. Italsohasthreemini-LEDreadouts.TheauthenticityLEDdisplaysgreenor red,dependingonwhetheridentitychecksverifythebearer'sidentity.Forexam-ple,ifacitizenpressesthethumbprintpadofsomeoneelse'scitcard,theauthen-ticityLEDwillflashred.Ifhepressesthepadofhisowncard,itwillflashgreen. Theself-checkLEDdetectsfailuresinthecard'scircuits,eitherlogicalor physical.Undernormalcircumstancesitburnsgreenatalltimes.Itturnsre difthe card'scircuitsfailaself-test.Itgoesout(asdoallotherpoweredelements)ifthe citcard'sbatteryisremovedorrunsdown.ItisaClassDmisdemeanortoleavea citcardwithoutpowerbydeliberatelyremovingthebatteryorfailingtoreplacean NERCCOfficers Nerkofficerscomeintwoflavors:vet-eranEnforcerswhomadegood,andsnot-nosedkids,mostlyC-2s,whogetinthrough collegeDCSprograms. VeteranNERCCOfficer: ST11,DX12,IQ11,HT12. BasicSpeed6,Move6. Dodge6,Parry7. Advantages:LegalEnforcementPow-ers ;Literacy;MilitaryRank(Leve l3or4). Disadvantages:Duty(toNERCC);plus 30pointsofdisadvantagesdrawnfrom:Bad Temper;Bloodlust;Bully;Fanaticism; Gluttony;Greed;Intolerance(Anyone lowerthanScale2Citizen);Lecherousness; Sadism. Skills:AreaKnowledge-12;Beam Weapons/TL8-15;Brawling-14;Computer Operation/TL8-12;Gunner/TL8-13; Guns/TL8-15;Karate-14;Law(U.S.)-11 ; Leadership-12;Politics-12;Interrogation-14 ;Shadowing-12;Stealth-12;Streetwise-14 ;Tactics-13. TheveteranofficerissimplyanEn-forcerwithmorerank.Heclimbedoutof theslumsintoaNERCCtrainingcamp,and didhistimeonthestreets,keepingthelow Csinlineandhisownnoseclean.Hewent throughOfficerCandidateSchool,learned toread,andgotthestreetsoutofhislan-guage. Nowhestartsgettingsomerealreturns onthelumpshetook,andtheclosecallshe hadwhilewaltzingaroundwiththebreetvas outonthestreet. Continuedonnextpage… -35 - TheUnitedStates NERCCOfficers(Continued) Snot-NosedOfficer: ST11,DX12,IQ12,HT12. BasicSpeed6,Move6. Dodge6,Parry6. Advantages:LegalEnforcementPow-ers;Literacy;MilitaryRank(Leve l3or4). Typicaladditionaladvantagesmightin-clude:Appearance;Charisma;Intuition; LanguageTalent;StrongWill;Wealth. Disadvantages:Duty(toNERCC);plus 30pointsofdisadvantagesdrawnfrom:Ad-diction;Alcoholism;BadTemper;Blood-lust ;Bully;Cowardice;Fanaticism; Gluttony;Greed;Impulsiveness;Intoler-ance(AnyonelowerthanScale2Citizen); Lecherousness;Overconfidence;Sadism. Skills:Administration-13;BeamWeap-ons/TL8-14;Brawling-12;ComputerOpera-tion/TL8-14 ;Diplomacy-12;Guns/TL8-13; Law(U.S.)-12 ;Leadership-12;Politics-14; Interrogation-14;Stealth-10;Streetwise-10. ThisfellowisaNERCCofficerforone ofseveralreasons.HemightbeaC-2,or evenaC-l,whoneededajobbutwasn't goodatanythingimportantHemightbein itforpower,planningacareerinProGov. Hemightbeatruepatriot(yes,theydo exist),convincedthatthisishisdutytohis country,andthatthesurvivalofAmerica dependsonusingmaximumforcetokeep thegutter-scuminline. IfaveteranNERCCofficercanbecom-paredtoacareerKGBagent,usingthesys-temforhisownsurvival,thesnot-nosed NERCCofficerisoftenmoreakintothe haughtyyoungAryansoftheGestapoand SSEliteduringWWII-corrupt,charming whenitsuitshim,wellawareoftheprivi-legesofhispositionandalwayslookingfor awaytousethattohisownprofit. Weapons:PL-5lasersidearms,2ddam-age,atalltimes.Officeruniformhelmets canyadditionalcommcircuitryallowing themtotracktheD-tagsontheirtroops' weapons.Otherwise,armorandweapons arethesameasthoseofregularEnforcers. exhaustedbattery.Theself-checkLEDwillstarttoblinkgreenwhenthebattery beginstorunlow ,ld+1daysbeforethebatterybecomescompletelyexhausted. ThethirdLEDisthetamper-alarmcircuit.Greenundernormalcircum-stances,itburnsredifthecard'sself-testdetectsdeliberatetamperingwiththe card'scircuits,eitherphysicallyorviaillegalreprogramming.Theownerofa citcardwithadarkorredtamperalarmissubjecttoimmediatearrest.Ifaccidental damageactivatesthecircuit,thecitizenisrequiredtopresenthimselfatthe nearestNERCC,FBI,orDepartmentofInformationofficeimmediatelytogetthe errorcorrectedandundergoafull,onlinecardcheck.Falsetamperalarmsbecome partofacitizen'spermanentrecord. DeliberatelytamperingwithacitcardisaClassCfelony,apartfromanyother criminalchargesthatmightresultfromthattampering.Forexample,someone wholoadsfakecreditintohiscitcardwouldbechargedwithfelonycardtamper-ingaswellascreditfraudforusingnonexistentfunds. CitcardSecurityChecks Therearefourlevelsofcardcheck. Avisualcheckisjustthat.Theholopicofthecard'sowneriscomparedtohis face,hemaybeaskedtotouchhisthumbtothecard'sbuilt-inprintverifier,and thecolorofthebuilt-intamper-checkLEDisnoted.Whenafakedcitcardun-dergoesavisualcheck,rollvs.Forgery/TL8.Ifthetestfails,theforgeryhasbeen spotted. Alocalcheckinterrogatesthecard'sonboardmemory,checksitfortampering andverifiescreditandrationbalancespresentlyonthecard.Thisisthemost commontypeofcardcheck.Afakedcitcardmustpassasecondrollwhenitis testedelectronically.Itwillfailthischeckunlessithasonboardvalidationorcan doa”double-shuffle“(seep.38).Iftheforgeryhasthesefeatures,rol lvs.theskill thatwasusedtoinstalltheelectronicforgery(usuallyeitherElectronics/TL8or ComputerProgramming/TL8). NetworkcheckscomparethecardtodataintheNationalDataBanks.Thecard checkcallsupthecitizen'sfileandchecksthecard'sonboarddatastoreagainstit. TheonlyreallysafewaytofoolanetworkcheckiswithanAlternateIdentity orTemporaryIdentity(seep.C19),whichcreatesidentityfilesintheNational DataBanksthatcorrespondtotheforgedcitcard. Alow-level network checkdoesaverycursorydatacomparison,tominimize demandsonthegovernmentnetwork.Forthisreason,itcanbedefeatedbya “double-shuffle.”Afakedcitcardthatcannotdoa”double-shuffle“willautomat-icallyfailalow-levelnetworkcheck!Ifthecarddoeshavethisfeature,rollvs.the ComputerProgramming/TL8skillthatwasusedtoinstallit,tose eifitsuccess-fullypassesthecardcheck.Ifthecitcardisbackedupbyafile(realorfake)inthe NationalDataBanks,thenitwillautomaticallypassalow-levelnetworkcheck. Ahigh-levelnetwork checkisamorelengthy,detailedcomparison,andcan onlybedefeatedbyacardthathasacorrespondingfileintheNationalData Banks.Ifthefileis”real,“placedtherebyanofficialinputsource,thenthecard passesthecheckautomatically.Asfarasthenetworkisconcerned,itisaperfectly validcitcard. Ifthefilewasplacedbyahacker,thenrollvs.hisComputerHackingskill,to seeifthecross-referencesandothersafeguardsarefooled. PersonalID Thecitcardverifiesthebearer'sidentityand,dependingontheleve lofcard checkcarriedout,displaysanylicenses ,endorsements,privilegesorrestrictions thatapplytothebearer.Forexample,aweaponlicensewouldbeencodedonhis citcard. TheUnitedStates -36 - Citcardsareequippedwithatouchpad,programmedtorespondtothumb-prints.Thelegitimat ebearer'sthumbonthepadproducesaverificationsignal. Anyoneelse'sthumbprintcausesarejectionsignal.Thumbprintparameters,and additionalIDparametersusedinhighercardchecks,arestoredinonboardmem-ory. MedicalRecords Acitcardstoresthebearer'smedicalhistory,allergiesandofcoursehisMed-ica lResourceAllowance(i.e. ,whattreatmentsheisentitledto)inonboardmem-ory.Alllegalcybermodificationsareregisteredinthemedicalrecord;possession ofanunregisteredmodificationisaClassCFelonyundertheUniformCode. Cashcard AcitizencarriesouthisprincipalbankingthroughhispersonalTreasury Account.Hiscitcardallowshimtotransferfunds,paybills,acceptpaymentsand downloadverifiedcredittothecard'sonboardmemory,whichhecanthenuseto payforthingswithoutgoingthroughalow-levelcardcheckeverytimeheorders rationsfromthelocal,licensedResourceVendor. AC-l'scardcandownloadprettymuchanyamountofonboardcredit.AC-2 willbevalidatedforanamountfrom$1,00 0to$10,000 ,dependingonhisstand-ingasareliablecitizen.C-3sandC-4sarelimitedto$10 0inonboardcredit. Thecitcardalsostoresthebearer'scurrentrationstandings.Thusitverifies notonlywhetheronecanaffordsomething,butwhetheroneisallowedtobuyit inthefirstplace. CreditTransfers Forcitcardtransactions,mostmerchantskeepahand-heldscanner,aboutthe sizeofalargeblow-dryer.Inordertobuysomethingwithacitcard,thecustomer presentshiscardtothemerchant,whoinsertsitintoaslotinthescanner.The merchantthenscansacodedareaonthegoods;ifthebuyer'screditisgoodand hisaccesstosuchmerchandiseisunrestricted,it'shis. Ifthere'saproblem,aone-linereadoutscreenonthescannerdisplaysa messagerangingfromasimple”transactiondenied,“to”unlawfulactivityde-tected ;stand-byforcontactbyfederalauthorities;donotleav ethearea,“with innumerablebureaucraticrequestsforadditionalinformationorauthorizationin between. Acitcardtransactionbetweentwoindividualsisabitmoreinvolved.Thetwo mustcarryouttheirtransactionatapublicdataterminal.Thisrequiresasuccess-fulComputerOperationsroll,andtheindividualsmustanswerseveralquestions aboutthenatureofthegoodsorservicesathand.Mostcitizenshavenodesireto gotothismuchtroublewhen,forinstance,buyingsom eusedvideogamesfroma co-worker,soscriporoutrightbarterisusuallypreferredforsuchtransactions. However,i tisillega ltoexchangeanysor tofcontrolledsubstancesormerchan-diseexceptthroughcredcardtransfer. FakeCitcards Forgingacitcardisdifficult,sincethecardoperatesontwolevels.Itmustbe adecentphysicalcopyofalegitimatecardanditmustfoolvariouscybernetic testsaswell.Forgeryskillaloneisnotenough. Asspecifiedonp.B65,Forgery/TLskillisusedtomakeafakedocument,in thiscaseacitcard,andtheskillisrolledagainwheneverthecardischecked.In addition,sincecitcardshavetostanduptoelectronicinspectio ntoo ,skill sbesides Forgery/TL8areneeded.Theseskills,likeForgery,mayberolledagainwhenthe cardisexamined,dependingonthetypeofcardcheckinvolved(se ep” .36). NERCCCommander ST11,DX12,IQ 12, HT12. BasicSpee d6,Move6. Dodge6,Parry6. Advantages:LegalEnforcementPow-ers;Literacy;MilitaryRank(Leve l5or6). Typicaladditionaladvantagesmightin-clude:Appearance;Charisma;Intuition; LanguageTalent;StrongWill;Wealth. TypicalDisadvantages:Duty(to NERCC);plus30pointsofdisadvantages basedon:Addiction;Alcoholism;BadTem-per;Bloodlust;Bully;Cowardice;Fanati-cism;Gluttony;Greed;Impulsiveness; Intoleranc e(Anyonelowe rthanScal e2Cit-izen) ;Lecherousness;Overconfidence;Sa-dism. Skills:Administration-14;BeamWeap-ons/TL8-14;Brawling-12;ComputerOper-ation/TL8-14;Diplomacy-13; Guns/TL8-13;Law(U.S.)-12 ;Leadership-14 ;Politics-14;Interrogation-14 ;Research-12 ;Tactics-14;Writing-13. ANERCCregionalordistrictcom-manderisinchargeofenforcementina largearea,thoughheissubjectto “requests”fromthecommissionerin chargeoftheNERCC'sciviloperationshis area.Inmostcases ,thecommanderdefers tothecommissioner,unlessthemilitaryand civilarmsoftheloca lNERCCareengaged inanactive“turfwar,”whichoftenhap-pens. Mostcommandersareintenselyaware thatheadquarterswillblamethemforany foul-upsinthei rjurisdiction.MostNERCC commandersrespondtoevenminordistur-banceswithbrutalforce,nottomention runningcovertoperationswithmaximum deniabilityandusingothertechniquesto cove rthei rbehindswhensomethingunto-warddoeshappen. Mostcommandersaredeskofficers,and rarelyjoininfieldoperations.Therearea fewrarebirdswhoholdtheirrankthrough militaryprowessratherthanpoliticalacu-men,andarelikel ytolea dtheirtroop sfrom thefront.Wheninthefield,commanders arearmedlik ethetroop sunderthei rcom-mand,thoughtheyhavethesameenhanced helmetcommunicationsasotherofficers (se ep.36) . -37 - TheUnitedStates NERCCFieldAgent ST13 ,DX14 ,I Q12 ,HT13 . BasicSpeed6.75,Move6. Dodge6,Pany10 . Advantages:Alertness;CombatRe-flexes;LawEnforcementPowers;Literacy; Patron(NERCCOfficial). Disadvantages:ExtremelyHazardous Duty(toNERCC);20pointsdrawnfrom BadTemper;Bloodlust;Bully;Enemies; Fanaticism;Greed;Impulsiveness;Intoler-ance;Lecherousness;Paranoia;Sadism; SenseofDuty. Skills:Accting-16 ;AreaKnowledge(o f areatheyusuallyoperatein)-14;Armoury-12 ;BeamWeapons/TL8-16;ComputerOp-eration/TL8-14;ComputerHacking/ TL8-14;Demolition/TL8-13;DetectLies-12 ;Diplomacy-12;Driving(Car)-14 ;Elec-tronicsOperation/TL8-13;Escape-12; Fast-Draw(Pistol)-14;FirstAid/TL8-13; Forensics/TL8-12;Forgery/TL8-12; Guns/TL8-16;Interrogation-15;Judo-15; Karate-15;Law(U.S.)-12 ;Leadership-13; Lockpicking/TL7-14;Photography/TL7-12 ;Poisons-13;Politics-12;Research-14; Shadowing-15;Traps/TL8-13. Languages:Anytwo,atskill13 . Equipment:Prettymuchanythingthey wantintermsofpersonalweapons,armor, technologicalgizmos,andthelike .Field agentscanalsobeequippedwithupto30 pointsworthofcyberwear. ThecremedelacremeofNERCCen-forcementpersonnel,fieldagentsarecon-cernedwithdomesticU.S.security. Undercoverinvestigation,covertops,black projectsandwetworkaretheirspecialties . Mostfieldagentsareattachedtothestaffof arelativelyhigh-rankingNERCCofficial:a regionalcommanderorcommissioner,or higher,whoactsastheirPatron.Thereisan elitesquadoffieldagents,reportingdirectly toPresidentHammond,whoareoftenas-signedtoferretoutpossiblesubversionin theupperreachesofProGovandtocounter it.Permanently. Afieldagenthaswideauthority,includ-ingalicensetokillinmostcircumstances. Theircredentialsarea“get-out-of-jail-free”card,requiringassistancefromall loca lgovernmentsandlawenforcement agencies. Makingavisuallyauthenticcitcardtakesthreedaysperattempt.Theforger needs,ataminimum,portableEngineerandElectronicstoo lkits(se ep.C52).A cardwhichwillpassvisualinspectioncosts$2,00 0attypicalstreetprices. Aforgedcitcardcanalsohaveonboardvalidation.Thecard'sinternalcir-cuitrywillproviderealisticdataifsubjectedtoaloca lcardcheck(se ep.36).A citcardwithoutonboardvalidationwillautomaticallyfailaloca lcardcheck . Addingonboardvalidationtoaforgedcardtakestwodaysandadds$5,00 0to it sstree tprice.TheforgerneedsaROM-burner,a1-gigchipandaccesstoa Complexity2computer,aswellastheotherresource sliste dabove .Asuccessful rol lvs.Electronics/TL8-3orComputerProgramming/TL8isneededtoprogram thevalidation. Aforgedcardcanalsodoa“double-shuffle.”Thisisasophisticatedformof onboardvalidationthatwillfoolalow-leve lnetworkcheckbyalteringitsonboard validationtomatchtheinquiriesfromthenetwork.Theelectronicsandprogram-mingfora“double-shuffle”citcardadds$10,00 0tothecostoftheforgeryand takes3daystoinstall .TheforgerrequiresComputerProgramming/TL8tomake a“double-shuffle,”andhisrollisat-2 . FakedIdentityFiles Thebestforgeryisacitcardthatactuallycorrespondstoacitizenfileinthe NationalDataBanks.Thephysicalcardinthiscaseissimplyacardwithonboard validation.Sinceitwillpassahigh-levelnetworktestforreal,thescoresusedto makeitarealmostirrelevant.However,gettingthefileintothedatabanksrequires actionbysomeoneintheNERCC(aPatron,orsomeonetakingabribe)oraction byahacker.Mostspiesandsecurityagentsworkingundercoverwillhavethis kindofidentificationprovided.Streetpricesvaryenormously,buttheaverageis $100,000 ,dividedbytheCitizenshipScaleofthefakedID.Afalseidentitywitha C-1ratingwouldcostthefull$100,000 .AfakedC-4identitycanbehadforamere $25,000 . U.S.Territory The48continentalstatesandHawaiiaredirectlycontrolled,intheory,bythe ProvisionalGovernmentbasedinWashington,D.C.PuertoRicowasadmittedto statehoodin2002 .TheU.S.VirginIslandsweremadepartofPuertoRicoin2027, aspartofaplanbyProGovtoregularizeU.S.territoria ladministrationinthe Caribbean.AlaskaFreeStateisnominallypartoftheU.S.,butisvirtuallya separatenation(se ebelow). Inaddition,thereareseven“Reserved”states,createdin2027.Sixofthem (the“LowSix”)areinMexico;theseventhisCuba.Despitethesavageguerrilla warnowbeingfoughtonthatsadandbatteredisland,ProGovstillcountsthe islandasastate,andthustheAmericanflagin204 3shows58stars. InthePacific,theU.S.stillcontrolsGuamandsuchuninhabitedpossessions asMidwayandWakeIslands.TheinhabitedpossessionsinthePacific(American Samoa,theMarianas,andtheMarshallandCarolineIslands)petitionedtheU.N. torecogniz ethedissolutionofthevariouscompactsandarticleswhichbound themtotheU.S.shortlyafterProGovcametopower.TheU.N.tooknoaction,and theislandsremainunderU.S.control,despitefrequentflareupsofnationalist violence. AlaskaFreeState AlaskawastheonlystatetowrenchfreeofProGov'sgraspatthebeginning oftheregime.Discontenthadbeengrowinginthestateeversincethecreationof theNERCCin2017 .Alaska'stremendouswealthofnaturalresourcesdrew NERCCbureaucratsindroves.Thearrogantuseofemergencypowerstoexploit TheUnitedStates -38 - I thestate,withoutanyconcernforthe environmentorindividualrights,was guaranteedtoenragethetraditionally independentAlaskans. I n2024,whenfedera lunit si n AlaskaattemptedtoestablishProGov control,NationalGuardsmen,along withdisaffectedregulartroopsanda largecontingentofarmedcivilians,at-tackedanddestroyedorcapturedvirtu-allyallthefederalforces.Rathertotheir ownsurprise,theAlaskansfoundthem-selves,foratime,theperpetratorsofa successfulcounterrevolution. GovernorAdeleHawkinshadrun forofficeonaplatformwhichopposed themostintrusiveNERCCpracticesin thestate.Sheremainedattheheadofthe stategovernmentaftertheuprising. Hawkinsquicklyestablishedtraderela-tionshipswithotherPacificRimgov-ernments,notablyhernearestneighbors, theFederatedProvincesofColumbia andAlbertaandtheflourishingRusso-Japanesetradecommunity. WhentheU.S.governmen tgot aroundtodealingwiththeAlaskan questionin2026,theywereconfronted withtheseinternationalrelationships.In addition,theAlaskangovernmentin -formedWashingtonthatmanyofthe valuableresourceareas,thewealththat ProGovwassohungryfor,weremined withlow-yieldnucleardevices.“Ifthe regimenowrulingtheU.S.triestotake Alaskabyforce,”GovernorHawkinssaidinawidelytelevisedaddress,“they willspendtheirsoldiersandtheirwealthtowinaburned-outcorpse.Alaskawill liveinfreedom,ordieforit.” Adelicatedanceofnegotiation,threatandcounter-threatnowbegan.The Alaskanswerenoteagertocommitsuicide,afterall.ProGovwasanxiousbothto legitimizeitsruleandtoensurecontinuedaccesstoAlaskanresources.Eventu-ally,anarrangementwashammeredoutthat,predictably,satisfiedneitherside. Alaskahascompletehomerule,thoughitremains,nominally,oneofthe UnitedStates.AlaskanmembersoftheProvisionalCongresshavealmostdiplo-maticstatus,includingimmunityfrommostU.S.prosecutions.Ofcourse,theyare alsoexcludedfrommostoftheinsiderwheelinganddealinginWashington. Agivenamountofessentialresources,notablyoil,isdeliveredtoProGov, moreorlessforfree,andinreturnAlaskacanconducttradewithU.S.-based companies,accesstheNationalDataBanks,andenjoyotherbenefitsofstatehood. AlaskacompletelyrejectstheCitizenshipScale(seep.31).OrdinaryAlaskan citizensaretreatedasScaleTwocitizenswhentravelingelsewhereintheU.S. StateofficialsareaccordedC-lstatusbyfederalauthorities. AllofthishasmadeAlaskaameccaforrefugeesfromtheProGovregime,as wellasahotbedofactivitybywould-berebels.ThisputsJuneauinadelicate position.Thestatecannotabsorbanunlimitednumberofrefugees.Moreover,if Black-BoxCitcards Aforgercanbuildablackboxthatwill passlocalandnetworkcardchecks,de-pendingonitsprogramming,thatdoesnot actuallylooklikeacitcard.Thus,thegizmo willfoolremotetestingdevices,butwon't passavisualinspectionbyahumanbeing underanycircumstances. SkipallForgerytest swhenbuildinga blackboxcitcard.Reducethepriceforsuch unitsby20%.Ablackboxcitcardisusually housedinacasingthesamesiz eandbasic configurationasarealcitcard,butwithout anyexternalmarkings.Clumsierunits, weighingabout1/2poundandtrailingrib-boncables,hookeduptothestandardI/O stripsandslotsofacitcard,arealsoavail-able,andreducethepriceoftheforgeryby 50%. -39- TheUnitedStates AlaskanSpecialOperations (AISOF)Troops ST11,DX12,IQ11,HT13. BasicSpeed6.25,Move6. Dodge6,Parry7. TL8CombatInfantr yDress(seep. C50);Lightencumbrance. Advantages:MilitaryRank;Reputation (EliteUnit,Anti-ProGov). Disadvantages:CodeofHonor;Enemy (NERCC);ExtremelyHazardousDuty;Fa-naticism(AlaskaFreeState);Intolerance (ProGov/NERCC);SenseofDuty(U.S. Citizens). SeeGURPS SpecialOps,pp.45-50,for afullerdiscussionofgeneratinganelite forcescharacter. Skills:Acting-13;Armoury/TL8(Guns)-13 ;Armoury/TL8(BeamWeapons)-13; BeamWeapons/TL8-14;Boating-12; Brawling-14;Camouflage-12;Climbing-13 ;Demolition/TL8-12;Driving(Tracked Vehicles)-11;Driving(WheeledVehicles)-11 ;ElectronicsOperation/TL8-12;First Aid/TL8-10;ForwardObserver/TL8-12; Gunner/TL8(ElectromagneticGrenade Launchers)-12;Gunner/TL8(Electromag-neticMortars)-12;Guns/TL8(Assaul t Rifle)-15;Guns/TL8(ATWeapon)-13; Guns/TL8(MachineGun)-15;Guns/TL8 (Pistol)-13;Interrogation-10;Jumping-12; Knife-12;Leadership-11;Navigation/TL7-11;Parachuting-12;Savoir-Faire-11; Scrounging-11;Scuba-12;Skiing-13;Sur-vival(Arctic)-14;Survival(Mountain)-13; Stealth-12;Streetwise-13;Swimming-13; Tactics-11;Teaching-11;ThrownWeapons (Grenades)-14;Traps/TL8-12. Cyberwear:AllAISOFtroop sare equippedwith25pointsworthofSOTA cyberwear.Thereisnostandardconfigura-tion,buttheimplantsmustmakesenseina special-operationscontext. Weapons:Fullcombatgear:AK-107V assaultrifle,6d+ldamage;closecombat: NATArmsM-19SMG,3ddamage,orthe FEACAW,5ddamage;supportweapons (mediumMGsandFEPEMGgrenade launchers).Intherecentanti-terroriststrike attheKetchikanfusionplant,unitswere equippedwithKoroshiLaserPersonal Arms,ld+2damage. Continuedonnextpage… AlaskaisdirectlyimplicatedinattemptstooverthrowProGov,theU.S.adminis-trationmightdecidethefreestateistoodangeroustocontinuetoexistandriskan invasion. Accordingly,whiletheAlaskanadministration'sunofficialstancetoanti-Pro-Govorganizationsi soneof“benignneglect,”anyoneinvolvingthestatei n anythingoutrageousmaybearrestedbyAlaskanlawenforcementandextradited toProGovterritory . TheAlaskanSpecialOperationsForce Inthefallof2024,the2ndForceReconcompany,USMC,wasmovedintothe PrudhoeBayarea,ostensiblyfortraininginsub-arcticconditions.Theloca l NERCCcommanderattemptedtoplacetheMarinesunderhiscommandinorder tosecurethepumpingstationattheheadoftheTrans-Alaskapipeline. ThenextcommunicationfromtheadministrativefacilityatPrudhoeBay camefromtheMarinecompanycommander,addressedtoNERCCNorthwest RegionalHQ.“PipelinesecuredforthepeopleoftheUnitedStates.Willdefend fromallenemies,foreignordomestic.Tryus,nerk.” Nosubsequentreportswerereceived,thenorever,fromtheNERCCdetach-mentattheinstallation. StrickenfromUSMCrecordsasmutineers,2ndForceReconformedthe cadrearoundwhichtheeliteAlaskanSpecialOperationsForcewasbuilt. TheCubanRevolution OnAugust17 ,2041,explosionsrippedthroughtheNERCCheadquartersin Havana,killingthedistrictcommissionerandmostofhisstaff.Simultaneously, troopsattackedkeyProGovcentersontheisland,killingorcapturingmostofthe administrativepersonnel.* Piratebroadcasts,injectedintothenetworksfromsatellitesandviahacked accesstocable-feedsystems,wereseenallovertheU.S.Amanidentifying himselfasMajorRafaelEcheveria,aNERCCofficerofCubandescent,pro-claimedCubanindependencefromProGov.Echeveriaimploredthepeopleofthe UnitedStatesandtheworldtosupportCubanindependenceandamontageof footageshowingbrutalatrocitiesbyProGovforcesranforseveralminutesbefore frantictechnicianscouldgetthepiratesignalsoffthenet. TheUnitedStates -40 - ProGovspentaweektryingtosortthroughtheconflictingreportsfromthe disruptedU.S.forcesstillontheisland.Elementsofthe3rdRapidUrbanRe-sponseregiment,stationedatGuantanamo,weredeployedtoHavanaonAugust 19 ,buttheircoptersmetferociousSAMbombardment,andaftersufferingheavy casualties,retreatedtotheirbase.ProGovmobilizedforwar. OperationCubaLibrebeganonSeptember3,withaseriesofbombingraids onHavana.Thebombardmentcontinuedforalmostfourweeks.OnSeptember29 anair-seaassaultlandedalmostunopposed.MostofHavanalayinruins,but Echeveriaandhisforceshadwithdrawntothemountainousinterior ,wherethey continuetowagealethalguerrillawaragainsttheoccupyingU.S.troops. SupportforCuba WeaponscapturedfromEcheveristarebelsprovidetwocontradictoryclues abouttheCubanuprising.NotcountingcapturedU.S.ordnance,thearmscome fromawidevarietyofsources:SAMsfromChina,Indonesiansmallarms,Mosk-Armsgrenadelaunchersandmortars,combatuniformsandotherequipmentfrom ascor eofsources.Echeveristaequipmentseemstobeuniformlygoodquality TL7andTL8materiel. SomeoneispayingheavycredtoarmtheEcheveristas.Theburningquestion inWashingtoniswho?RumorattributesEcheveristabackingtotheChilentinans, theSouthAmericannarcoticscartels,theChinese,theRussians,orsomecombi-nationoftheabove. GURPSCyberworlddoesnotspecifyjustwhoisbackingtheCubanrevolu-tion.TheGMisfreetodecidewhatfaction,orcombinationoffactions,isprovid-ingfundsandordnancetotheEcheveristas. SupportfrompoliticalentitiesopposedtoU.S.policies,suchasChilentina, wouldbeastraightforwardmatter.Anythingthatembarrasseselgiganto del none intheWesternhemisphere,andweakensitsinfluenceovertheSouthAmerican nations,isconsideredagoodthingbyChilentina. Ifthesupportiscomingfromthe'traffs(seep.70)itdoesnotnecessarily meanthattherebellionisapawnofthecriminalsyndicates.TheEcheveristas woulddealwiththeDevilhimselftofreetheircountry. Supportfromcountriesthatarepubliclyneutral(e.g.,China)oreven “friendly”toProGovwouldinvolvemorecomplicatedpolitics.TheCubansitua-tionmightbepartofaplantounderminetheU.S.dictatorshipforidealistic reasons,orsimplytoweakenU.S.powerregardlessofwhoisincharge. Alaskahasanimmenseamountofinfluenceandwealthtodisposeof;itmight verywelltakethedangerousstepofcovertlyunderwritingachallengetoProGov halfaworldaway. Therebels,evenEcheveriahimself,maynotknowwhoissupportingtheir cause. Mexico Sinceannexation,Mexicohasbeentreatedasavassalstate.Thepartitioning oftheUnitedMexicanStatesintosixReservedstates,nominallymembersofthe UnitedStates,wasnotaccomplishedwithoutbloodymilitaryaction.NERCC districtcommandersineachMexicanstatearegivenafreehandinmaintaining order. MexicanSociety U.S.andkorpenclavesfunctionathighTL7,andsomeproductionfacilities areactuallyTL8,althoughtheyoftenproducemorepollutionthanonewould expectfromaTL8factory. AlaskanSpecialOperations (AISOF)Troops(Continued) Equipment:Auxiliaryequipmentusu-allyincludesvariouscommunicationsand detectiongearandcounter-detectiongear. TheAlaskanSpecialOperationsForce trooperisanelite,andheknowsit.Histyp-icalmissionsarecounter-terrorismandhos-tagerescues.Forfurtherdiscussionofsuch missionsandthesoldierswhotacklethem, se eGURPSSpecial Ops.Intheeventofa ProGovinvasion,AISOFintendstospear-headpartisanactionsagainstU.S.forces. AISOFtroopshaveextremelyhighes-pritdecorps.Theyarealsomotivatedbyan abidinghatredofProGovandthenerks.An AlSOF'sfavoritemissionisonethatputs himupagainstcovertNERCCoperationsin Alaska,maybesom eofthosedriggingfield agents.Ofcourse,officially,theNERCCis notinvolved.Whywouldthenerksengage incovertopsinAlaska,aloyaljurisdiction oftheUnitedStates,afterall?Butthere havebeenincidents.Ononeoccasion,a packagewithaFairbankspostmarkarrived atNERCCHQinWashington,D.C.Itcon-tainedthecarefullyfreeze-driedheadofa nerkfieldagentwhohadnofurtherusefor it. -41- TheUnitedStates EcheveristaGuerrilla ST12,DX11,IQ10,HT9. BasicSpeed5,Move5. Dodge5,Parry6. Irregulartroops:civilianclothes(PD0, DR0),noencumbrance;Regulars:Combat InfantryDress(p.C50),Lightencum-brance. Advantages:15pointsworthofthefol-lowing:AbsoluteDirection;AcuteHearing; AcuteVision;Alertness;CombatReflexes; DangerSense;HighPainThreshold;Rapid Healing;Toughness. Disadvantages:Enemies(U.S.Forces, Often);Intolerance(Norteamericanos); SenseofDuty(Cubans);Wealth(Strug-gling). Skills:Acting-10;AreaKnowledge (CubanInterior)-14;Brawling-13;Camou-flage-12;Demolitions/TL7-ll;First Aid/TL7-10;Gunner/TL8(MachineGun)-10 ;Gunner/TL8(RocketLauncher)-10; Guns/TL8(Pistol)-13;Guns/TL8(Rifle)-13;Guns/TL8(SubmachineGun)-13; Stealth-13;Tracking-11. Weapons:Echeveristarebelsamongthe generalpopulationarearmedwithperhapsa pistolorademolitionpackconcealed amongtheirmeagerbelongings.Huntingri-fles,shotguns,maybeaTL7orevenTL6 militaryriflemaybehiddeninhomesand vehiclesalongwithimprovisedweapons suchasMolotovcocktails. Echeveristaregularsareequippedwith capturedU.S.weapons,orthesteadytrickle ofmaterieltha tflowsint oCubafrom Echeveria'sunknownbackers.Amixofas-saultrifles,machineguns,andothermili-taryweaponsfrompp.101-106,aretypical inEcheveristatroops.Someareknockoffs ofweaponsproducedinthefirstworld,from lastworldarmscompanies,othersarethe realthing.Allofthemworkjustfine,as U.S.troopsinOperationCubaLibreareall tooaware. Mexico'spopulationis10 2million,andalmost21millionpeopleliv einthe massivesprawlofMexicoCity,stillthemostpopulousurbanareaintheworld. OnepercentofMexico'snativepopulationisratedC-lontheU.S.Citizen-shipScale.ThesearemainlyofficialsoftheformerMexicangovernmentwho cooperatedintheannexationofthei rcountry,ortopofficialsofthepresentadmin-istrationoftheregion-senatorsandrepresentativesoftheMexicanstatesandthe scionsofthe“ol dwealth”whohavealwaysbeenanimportantfactorinMexican society . Eighteenpercentofthepopulation-itstopeducators,technica lspecialists andotherprofessionalswhohavenotdrawnunfavorableattentionfromProGov-areC-2s. C-lscantravelfreelyanywhereintheU.S.,andC-2scanobtaintravelper-mitswithminimaldifficulty.Thus,manyhigh-CMexicansusetheirstatusto escapefromtheirravagedbirthplace.Indeed,thepassportthatadmitsmanymem-bersoftheprofessionalclasstoScaleTwoisanofferofemploymentatakorp facilityi ntheUpper48 . Fifty-sevenpercentoftheMexicanpopulationisratedC-3,andtheremaining 24%areratedC-4,almostdoubletheaveragepercentageofC-4sintheUpper48. ManycitizensintheLowSixliveinterriblepoverty,dependingonstateand federalreliefprogramsfortheirsubsistence.TheyareclassifiedC-4/W.More-over,virtualexiletotheMexicanstatesisacommontacticwhenProGovwantsto getridofparticularlyirritatingC-4/Dswhomitisnotpolitictosimplyeliminate. SinceC-3sandC-4scannotlegallytravelfromtheLowSixtotherestofthe UnitedStateswithoutdifficult-to-obtainpermits,onceaC-3orC-4passessouth oftheLine,heisstuckintheLowSixunlesshecarestotryhisluckagainstthe NERCCpatrolswhoguardthatborder. TheNERCCInMexico MexicanRegionalCommissioner:RowenaJenkins MexicanRegionalCommander:HectorOrtiz MexicoCityDistrictCommissioner:FrederickW.Mathers MexicoCityDistrictCommander:MartinDiAgostino MexicoisaseparateadministrativeregionintheNERCCstructure.Eachof thesixReservedstatesisaDistrict,asaretheswarmingurbancentersofMexico City,Guadalajara,Monterrey,CiudadJuarez,PuebladeZaragozaandLeon. TheNERCCinMexicohasconcernsaboveandbeyonditscharterelsewhere intheUnitedStates.Thenerksinthenorthoverseetheflowofpeoplefromthe LowSixtotherestofthecountry.TheDistrictauthoritiesinBaja,JuarezandNew Tejas,workingwiththeircounterpartsintheSouthwesternRegion,maintain heavypatrolsalongtheborder,muchastheImmigrationServicedidwhenthe UnitedStatesandMexicowereseparatenations. TheteemingbordercitiesofTijuana,NogalesandtheElPaso/Juarezsprawl arehometoathriving“coyote”industry,smugglingMexicanC-3sintotheUpper 48.ScenesatthebordercheckpointsintheseareasbringbackmemoriesofBerlin beforetheGermanstoredowntheWall. NumerousindustrialzonesintheLowSixarealmostuniformlydevotedto essentialmanufacturingthatisto otoxictobeallowedinthenorth.Thenerkskeep theseplantsproductive.Ohyeah,andminimizeenvironmentalimpact,absolutely. Can'tforgetabouttheenvironment,nosir . SocialrehabilitationandindustrialefficiencymeetintheFederalPenalEn-claveinthestateofGuadalajara.About20 0milesnorthoftheurbancenterofthe aridstate,theprison/factorycomplexproducesessentialcomponentsforusein powercells ,microtronicsandothertechnologiesthatinvolvehighlytoxicpro-cesses.ItsnicknameisElInfierno,andtheaveragelifespanofitsprisonersis5.3 years. TheUnitedStates -42 - MexicoLibre ThesouthernregionofMexicowasnevercompletelypacifiedbyU.S.troops. ThethickjunglesoftheYucatanpeninsulaaretailor-madeforguerrillawarfare. TherebelsincludedinsurgentelementsoftheMexicanarmedforces,vengeful refugeesfromthedestructioninthenorthernpartofthecountryandoutright banditsandnarcotraficanteswhoweredisplacedbytheinvasionoforganized U.S.criminalsinthewakeofProGov'stroops. WhenProConpassedtheMexicanStatehoodActof2027,thefivesouthern-moststatesofoldMexicoexplodedintoopenrebellion.Therebelsdeclared Oaxaca,Tabasco,Campeche,YucatanandQuintanaRootobeanindependent Mexicanrepublic.U.S.troopsweresenttoVeracruzandAcapulco.Anamphibi-ousforcelande dintheresortcityofCancun,whichwasdevastatedinvicious house-to-housefighting. TheU.S.andMexicoLibrefoughtasluggishandinconclusivecampaign from2027to2029.ThenumericallysuperiorU.S.forceswereunabletoforcea decisiveconfrontationwiththeelusiveMexicanguerrillas.Atthesametime,an equallytantalizingdiplomaticbattlewasgoingonintheU.N.andOAS.InFebru-ary,2030,theOASfinallydefiedProGov'ssaber-rattlingandrecognizedMexico Libre'sgovernment.TroopbuildupsintheCentralAmericannationswerenoted. ChilentinastartedstationingrapiddeploymentforcesintoGuatemala.Worldopin-ionwasheavilyinfavorofMexicoLibreandpressureonProGovmounted. TheU.S.decidedagainstpursuingacampaignthatpromisedtobeexpensive, bothmilitarilyandpolitically.However,ProGovrefusedtorecognizethegovern-mentofMexicoLibredirectly.Sincetheinsurgentgovernmenthadpetitionedfor membershipintheUnionofCentralAmericanStates,Washington'sdealingswith MexicoLibrewereconductedthroughtheUCAS. UnderthetreatyofOaxaca,signedin2032,theU.S.recognizedMexicoLibre asanautonomousregionoftheUCAS.Cancunwasdeclaredanopencity,con-trolledbyacommissionwhosememberswereappointedbytheU.S.,OASand UCAS. TheLow Six Thesi xReservedstates,theirstatecapi-talsandtheoriginalMexicanstatesthat composethem,are: Baja:(Capital:Mazatlan)BajaCalifor-niaNorte,BajaCaliforniaSur,Sonora, Sinaloa. Juarez:(Capital:CiudadJuarez)Chi-huahua,Durango. NewTejas:(Capital :Monterrey) Coahuila,NuevoLeon,Tamaulipas. Guadalajara:(Capital:Guadalajara) Aguascalientes,Colima,Guanajuato, Jalisco,Nayarit,SanLuisPotosi,Zacatecas. Tenochtitlan:(Capital:MexicoCity) Guerrero,Hidalgo,Mexico,Michoacan, Morelos,Queretaro,Tlaxcala. Veracruz:(Capital:Veracruz)Oaxaca, Puebla,Veracruz. TheremainingstatesofMexicoform MexicoLibre(“Fre eMexico”). -43- TheUnitedStates NORTHEASTERN REGION NORTHWESTERN NORT H CENTRA L SOUTHWESTERN MIDDLE ATLANTIC REGION SOUTH CENTRAL PACIFIC REGION. SOUTHEASTERN REGION ALASKANSPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION CARIBBEANREGION TheUpper48 (NERCCAdministrativeRegions) MEXICANSPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (se ebelow) GUADALAJARA MEXICO LIBRE TENOCHTITLAN TheLowSix TheUnitedStates U.S. CONTRABAND ZON E -44 - GEOPOLITICS It'sabigplanet.Notasbigasitusedtobe,maybe,butit'll do.It'sironicthatatthesametimeinformationtechnology makesthevirtualworldsosmall,therearestillalo tofbarriers betweendifferentcultures.Perhapsthethreatofbeingsucked intoonebig,homogenoussocietytriggersadefensemechanism somewhereinthepartofourbrainslabeled“culturalidentity.” -45- Geopolitics Talkin'One-and-Twenty Breetva:(Russ.)Razor.Anyonewithcom-bat-orientedcyberwear. Cred:Electronicfunds. Dengi:(Russ.)Money.Colloquially,“soft money.”Unstablenationalcurrenciesor korpscrips .“Trashdengi”referstocur-rencythatissubjecttorunawayinfla-tion. Fold:Actualcurrency,inhardcopyscrip; bills,foldingmoney.Stillaround,you bet.Toousefultodie. K-mark:Keiretsumark,orkorpmark.Cur-rencyissuedbyamultinationalcorpora-tion. Keiretsu:Acorporation,cartel,orconglom-erate. Korp:Slangforakeiretsu,fromtheRussian “korporahtseeya.” Korpo:Akorpemployee. Loco:Alocalcompany,anindependent businesswithnokorpconnection. Nak-nik:fromnachal'nik(Russ.).Supervi-sor ,boss.Alow-ormid-levelmanager. Shaikujin:Lit.“honestcitizen.”Akorpem-ployee,a“suit.” Suit:Astraightcitizen,usuallyakorpor governmentemployee. Ten-Tan:SlangforKosmozavotTennoTan-jo,theRusso-Japaneseorbitalfacility. Zek:Anexecutive. Somepatternsarethesameovermostoftheplanet.Unfortunately,theyaren't theonesthatdofolksmuchgood:polarizationbetweenthehave-lotsandhave-nots;rulebyforce,eithermilitaryoreconomic;alienationvergingonparanoiaas socialnormsbreakdown.Peopleeverywheredancewiththesedangerouspartners astheystruggletokeeptheirbalanceontheEdge. NorthAmerica TheonlyothercountriesinNorthAmericaarethethreenationsformedbythe CanadianprovincesafterthedissolutionofConfederationin2010 . Communauted'AtlantiqueQuebecois The“QuebecCommunityoftheAtlantic”consistsofQuebec,NewBruns-wick,NovaScotia,NewfoundlandandPrinceEdwardIsland.TheCommunaute controlsacces stotheUnitedProvincesbysea .Originallyunitedin202 2asthe AtlanticCommunity,thesmallermemberstateshavefallenundertheeconomic dominationofQuebec. QuebecisthemostpopulousmemberoftheCommunaute,withmorethan 66%ofthepopulation.Quebechassignificanteconomictie swithFrance,oneof theCommunity'smostimportanttradingpartners.Increasinglyaggressivefac-tionsintheQuebecoisgovernmentaretakingmoreandmoreadvantageoftheir position. In2036,QuebecrammedlegislationthroughtheChamberofDeputies,for-mallyrenamingtheCommunityandimposingdeadlinesoverthenextdecadeby whichothermembersmustphaseinstringentbilingualregulations.(Thesewere similartothoseinforceinQuebecbeforethedissolution.)InQuebecitself,almost alllegaltransactionsmustbeinFrench.DisplayoruseofEnglishinmostbusiness issubjecttoarigidcodedefiningsizeofsigns,validityofdocuments,andeven acceptedformstousewhenansweringbusinessphonecalls. NORTHWEST PROTECTORATE FEDERATEDPROVINCES OFCOLUMBIAANDALBERTA COMMUNAUTE D'ATLANTIQUE QUEBECOIS Scale 1,000miles UNITED PROVINCES Northand CentralAmerica UNION OF CENTRAL AMERICAN STATES Geopolitics -46 - TheQuebec-Montrealsprawlistheurbancenterofthecountry,withapopu-lationofover5.5million.NoothercityintheCommunauteevencomesclose . Halifax,provincialcapitalofNovaScotiaandthesecondmostpopulouscityin thecountry,hasapopulationofbarely300,000 . TheUnitedProvinces UponthedissolutionofConfederation,theprovincesofOntario,Manitobaand Saskatchewanalmostimmediatelycombinedtheirresourcesintoaconfederation littl edifferentfromthelarge ronethathadjustcollapsed.TheUnitedProvinces, liketheFederatedProvincesofColumbiaandAlberta,areanactivememberofthe BritishCommonwealthofNations.Unliketheirwesternneighbor,theystillrecog -nizethekingofEnglandastheirsovereign,thoughthisisaceremonialtitleonly. TheUnitedProvincesarethemostheavilyindustrializedoftheCanadian nations.Theyalsosharethenorth-centralplainsofthecontinentwiththeFeder-atedProvincesofColumbiaandAlberta,producingsurplusgrainforexport. TheFederatedProvincesofColumbiaandAlberta AlbertaandBritishColumbia,havingraisedwhattheyfeltweresignificant issuesduringthedissolutionoftheConfederationofCanada,didnotaccept Ottawa'sinvitationtojointhenewUnitedProvinces.While“Col-Bert”also acceptedmembershipintheCommonwealthofNations,theykeepBritainat arm'slength. TheFederatedProvincestradeextensivelywithJapanandtheU.S.,exporting grain,meat,oi landlumberproducts.Vancouveristhegatewaytothewesternhalf ofCanada.TheFederatedProvincesalsoenjoyaclosealliancewithAlaska. A“pipeline”foranti-ProGovimmigrantstoAlaskarunsthroughColumbia, andoftenfeedsrebelinfiltratorsandequipmentintheoppositedirection,intothe Seattlemetroplexoracrosstheborderintothesparsely-populatednorthernstates. * TheNorthwestProtectorate Oneagreement,ratifiedbyalltheprovinces,thatallowedtheConfederation todissolvewithminimalbloodshedprescribedtheadministrationofthesparsely populatedNorthwestTerritory'smassiveresources . TheresolutioncreatedaJointCommission,withonecommissionerappointed byeachoftheformerprovinces.Asimplemajoritymakesdecisions;annual resourceexploitationandprice-settingbudgetsarevotedonannually. Astheprovincesformednewassociations,eachloca lgovernmentretainedits seatontheJointCommission,whichhasle dtoaninterestingbalanceofpower. TheCommunauted'Atlantiqueholdsfiveseats,theUnitedProvincesthree,and theFederatedProvincestwo.Aslongasthewesterngovernmentsactinconcert, thecommissionisdeadlocked.Butwhentheydonotactinconcert,Quebec'sfour votescontrolCommissiondecisions. WhileQuebecoisappointeesareundertightgovernmentalcontrol,members fromtheothergovernmentsaremoreindependent.Thepolitickingcangetin-tense,sinceonenon-Quebecoiscommissioner'svotecanhandadecisiontothe Communaute.Alternatively,whentheFederatedandUnitedProvincesareat odds,bothardentlypursuetheCommunaute'sdecisiveblocofvotes. UnionofCentralAmericanStates ThegovernmentsofCentralAmericaformedtheUCASin2027.Theirecon-omieswereincompletecollapse,theU.S.wasmakingnoisesaboutexpandingit s “protective”spherefromMexicotoPanama,korpwheeler-dealerswerebuying upthecountriespiecemeal…Sacrificingsomeautonomyseeme dasmallprice topayforresistingfurthererosion. RegionalConsolidation Thedefiningtrendof21st-centurygeo-politicshasbeenregionalconsolidation. Smallcountrieshavebeenmergingwith theirneighborsintostrongly-tiedconfeder-ations,oreventotallynewcountries. Despiteafewnotableexceptions(thedisin-tegrationofSouthAfrica),therearefewer countriesnowthantherewere50yearsago, andthecountriesthatexistarelarger. Theoptimisticcallthisasignofthenew globalism-atrendtowardharmonyandco-operationthatwilleventuallyresultinan enlightenedandpeacefulone-worldgov-ernment.Otherscompareittoplayground toughschoosingupsidesbeforethebig fight. Bysomestandards,theone-and-twenty hasbeenapeacefulera(thoug hyou wouldn'tknowittowalkdownaMoskva back-alleyaftermidnight).Warshavebeen shortandlocal .Theclosestthingtoareal internationalwarthiscenturywastheIsraeli war,over20yearsago.By20th-century standards,thatwouldbarelyhavequalified asabushwar. Again,therearethosewhotakethisasa signthathumanityisfinallygettingsmarter. OtherspointoutthatTDandtheGrand Slamputcivilizationinapositionwhereit couldn'taffordtosquanderhealthyliveson thebattlefield-theyhadtostayhomeand concentrateonproducingfoodandotheres-sentials.Thesecynics-orrealists,takeyour pick—predictthatifpresenttrendscon-tinue,manycountrieswillbeenthusiasti-callybackintheinvasion-and-conquest businesswithinthenextdecade. -47- Geopolitics InternationalLaw Asof2043,thereisnointernationallaw assuch.Thelastseriousattemptataglobal forum,theUnitedNations,sawitsinfluence declinerapidlyaftertheGulfWarof1991 , whenattemptedU.N.actionstopacifythe formerSovietRepublics—notablyBosnia-Herzegovina-fellthroughwithnomean-ingfu lactiontaken .Byth etim eth e Pattersonadministrationcommandeeredthe formerU.N.buildingin2023,toserveas theNERCC'sadministrativeheadquarters, theorganizationwasalmosttotallymori-bund.Fewerthan25%ofthememberna-tion swereeve nbotherin gt osen d representativestotheGeneralAssembly, andfewerthanhalfofthosenationswere payinganypartoftheirdues.WhentheU.S. tookoverU.N.headquarters,noseriousat-temptwasmadetoreconvenetheorganiza-tionelsewhere. Therehavebeenonlytwotimessofarin the21stcenturywhenthenationsofthe worldadoptedanythingremotelyresem-blingaglobalaccord.Thefirstwaswhen theRusso-JapaneseAlliancerammed throughtheInternationalRainForestPro-tectionPact(se ep.50),andthesecondwas theinternationalscientificconferencecon-venedtoreacttotheAustralianplague(see p.16). However,theinternationalsceneisnot quiteasanarchicasonemightexpect.The reasonisthemultinationalcorporations. Thekorpsmaynothaveaformal,public deliberativebodyliketheU.N.,buttheycan anddomeettogethertosettradepolicies, andeveninternationalpoliticalpolicy.And oncethekorpsagreeonacertaincourseof action,theyhavetheclouttobringthena-tionalgovernmentsintoline.Therainforest pactisthemostdramaticexampleofthis newbalanceofpower-itwastheRusso-Japanesemultinationalswhodecidedthat thepactwasneeded,anditwascorporate economicpressurethatbroughttheother countriesintoline.Theactualgovernments ofJapanandtheCISwerenothingmore thanmouthpiecesforthekorpsontherain forestpact. ThestatesthatmakeuptheUCASincludeBelize,CostaRica,ElSalvador, Guatemala,Honduras,MexicoLibre,NicaraguaandPanama.Eachremainsan independentnation,withitsownlawsandgovernment.However,theindividual stateshavehandedovertotheUCASthepowertomaketreaties,toregulate importsandexportsandtomaintainacombinedmilitaryforce. There'sstillmorethanenoughpovertyandoppressiontogoaroundinCentral America-itwilltakedecadesmorebeforetheregionisfullyrecoveredfromthe aftereffectsoftheGrandSlam-butingeneral,theUCAShasbeengoodforthe region.CentralAmericahasbeengrowingsteadilymoreprosperousandles s corruptsince2027. TheUCASwalksafinelinewithitsbigneighbortothenorth.Ontheone hand,it'scompletelyessentialtotheUCASeconomythattradingchannelstothe U.S.remainopen.Ontheotherhand,theUCASknowsthatProGovhasitseyeon extendingitspoweratleastasfarastheIsthmusofPanama.Inordertokeepthe U.S.atarm'slength,theUCAShascultivatedstrongeconomicandpolitical allianceswithChilentinaandtheRusso-Japanesealliance,bothofwhomhavea vestedinterestinkeepingtheU.S.fromspreading-theRusso-Japanesebecause theydon'twanttheProGovincontrolofthePanamaCanal,andtheChilentinans becausetheyjustdon'twantthemanyclosertoSouthAmerica. SouthAmerica SouthAmericasufferedchaosintheCollapse.Inseveralnortherncountries, thevastresourcesofthenarcotraficantes(traffs)makethecriminalcartelsthe effectivegovernment.Inothers,poweristheprizeforwhichhalfadozenvi-ciouslycontendingpoliticalfactionssquabble,usuallyviolently. Geopolitics -48 - U.S.interventioninSouthAmericanpoliticscontinues,thoughovertmilitary interventionsaremuchrarer.Chilentinaisactivelytryingtorestoreorderinthe morevexednations. Chilentina Inthe2040s,Chilentinahasbecometheprincipalsourceoftechnologyinthe NewWorld.Althoughitcan'tapproachtheRusso-Japanesekorpsintermsof quantity,inmostfieldsthequalityofitsproductsequalsEurasianstandards. Chilentinaisalsobecomingmoreandmoreasourceofnewideasandinnovations, beatingtheJapanesetothepunchonseveralkeydevelopmentsofthelastdecade, sometimesbyasmuchastwoyears.It'snowonderthatChilentinahasbecome knownas“theJapanoftheWest.” In2025,whentherestofSouthAmericawasatanall-timelowebb,Chileand Argentinaquietlymergedintoasinglenation,andre-formedtheirgovernment intoanefficientparliamentarydemocracysetupalongJapaneselines.Thearchi-tectofthischangewasEmilioArellano,aChileanbusinessman,whohasbeen hailedasthemosteffectivepoliticalreformersinceMahatmaGandhi.Arellano neverheldpoliticaloffice,buthecampaignedtirelesslyforunificationfrom2018 on.Hediedlatein2023,ofanundetectablebrainhemorrhage,only16months beforehisdreambecameareality.TherearethosewhosaythatArellano'sdeath wasaremarkablyefficienthigh-techassassinationperpetratedbyagentsofthe U.S.,JapanorevenafactionoftheChileanorArgentinegovernment.These claimsaregenerallydismissedasmereconspiracytheory. South America N DataHavens Datahavensaretheinternationalcottage industryoftheone-and-twenty.Virtually everymicroscopiclastworldstatetoosmall tosupportarealindustrialbasehastakena stabatsettingitselfupasaninternational datahaven.Lessthanadoublehandfulof thes eestablishmentsarereallytakenseri-ouslybythemultinationals -orbycom-putercriminals. Zurich-Orbital(se ep.51)isinaclassby itselfasfarasoff-linesecurityisconcerned. Thetopearthboundhavensareliste dbelow, inapproximateorderofreliability. Switzerland:Theinternationaldata-stor-agebusinesseffectivelyoriginatedinSwit-zerland,whereitwasalogicaloutgrowthof theSwissbankingindustry.Themainna-tionaldatabanksarelocateddeepinthe Alps(mosttop-rankdatahavensarelocated onremoteislandsorundermountains), about30milessouthwestofLeicht.Al-thoughmostoftherichestclientsofthe SwisstransferredtoZurich-Orbitalwhenit wentupinthelate'20s ,thegroundside banksarestillmaintainedwithstate-of-the-art-plussecurityandconfidentiality,for thosewhoaren'tquiterichenoughorpara-noidenoughtopatronizeZ-O.WhereZ-0 pricesareastronomical,pricesforLeicht aremerelyunbelievable. TheAndes:Chilentinamaintainsanex-cellenthaveninthemountainsabout20 milesnortheastofRancaqua.Thisisthe newestmajordatahaven,openingforinter-nationalbusinessin2039 .Securityistop-rankandpricesarereasonable(comparedto theSwiss,anyway).BusinessattheAndes facilityhasbeenmodest,however.U.S.and Russo-Japanesekorpsaren'twildabout sendingthei rdatatoChilentinaforsafe-keeping,andChilentinankorpsgenerally prefersomeplacefartherfromhomefor theiroffsitebackups.Sofarthebiggest customersoftheAndesfacilityaredrug lord sfromthenortherncountries,which hasn'tdonemuchforthefacility'sPR image. Andorra:Andorrahasadatahaven muchasMonteCarlohasacasino-the havenentirelysupportsthistinycountry's economy(se ep.52).Andorraisprobably thebestvalueininternationaldatastorage, balancingsecurityandcostconcerns. Mauritius:ThissmallislandintheIn-dianoceanwasannexedbyMadagascar whentheFrenchgovernmentcollapsed.It's beenadatahavenformorethan25years, andhasacquiredanexcellentinternational reputation.Manylargemultinationalsdi-videtheirdatastoragebetweenAndorraand Mauritius,soastoavoidputtingalltheir eggsinonegeographicalbasket. Continuedonnextpage… -49 - Geopolitics Scale 1,00 0miles DataHavens(Continued) Malta:Thebiggestproblemwiththe Maltafacilityisthatit'soverpriced.It's moreexpensivethaneitherMauritiusorAn-dorra,anditoffersnobettersecurity.There arealsounsubstantiatedbutpersistentru-morsthattheGermangovernmenthasac-ces stoMalta'sdatabanks. Vatneyrl:Thisfacility,inIceland,isvery affordable,andtheintegrityofthestaffand administrationi sunquestioned,butit stech -nologyislessthanstate-of-the-art,andit s securityisratherlow-key.Mostinterna-tionalclientspreferbeefiersecurityforthei r data. Singapore:Thetechnologyandsecurity attheSingaporedatahavenareatleas tas casualastheVatneyrlfacility,andSinga-porelacksIceland'sadvantageofgeo-graphicisolation.Theprices,however,are veryreasonable-Singaporeistheonlyin-ternationaldatahaventhat'saffordableby smallbusinessesandwealthyindividuals, asopposedtomega-korpsandnationalgov-ernments. Fiji:Fiji'shavenhassophisticatedtech , excellentsecurityandanidea llocation.It woulddefinitelybeoneofthetopfive globaldatahavensexceptforonething-thefacilitywasheavilysubsidizedbythe U.S.government,andthewordhasbeenout foryears,“I fit'ssomethingyoudon'twant tosharewiththeNERCC,don'tsenditto Fiji.” TheChiletinangovernmentmakesnobonesaboutthefactthatitsprimary functionistofosterbigbusiness.Productivemembersofsociet yareoffered usefulwork,acomfortablelifestyleandguaranteedhealthcareforlife.However, dissidents,troublemakersandne'er-do-wellsarenottolerated.TheChilentinan justicesystemisharsh,particularlyagainstviolentcrime.Convictedcriminalsare usuallyconscriptedintoworkgangsthathandlemuchofthemanuallabor throughoutthecountry.Thegovernmentwillnothesitatetopacifydifficultpris-onersthroughnarcoticsorcyberneticimplants-andifthetreatmenthappensto frysomeoral loftheirbrainsintheprocess,nogreatlos s-bettertobeadronefor societythanaparasiteagainstit. Criminalpenaltiesfor“whitecollar”crime,ontheotherhand,arealmost ridiculouslylight-criticsoftheChilentinanlegalsystemliketopointoutthatthe criminalpenaltyforloiterin g(on etothreeyearshardlabor)ismoresever ethan thepenaltyforembezzlement(uptooneyearhousearrest,andrepaymentof embezzledfunds,pluspenaltiesofupto200%oftheamountstolen).However, thegovernmentalsogivesthecorporationsagreatdealoflatitudeindisciplining theirownemployees,andcorporate“justice”oftenmakesthosesentencedto laborgangsloo kliketheluckyones. Politicaldissidenceistolerated-toapoint.Chilentinamaintainsafreepress, andcitizensareallowedtovoiceoppositiontothegovernment,eithervocallyor inprint.Knownmalcontentsareplacedunderalmostconstantobservationbythe government,andwillbeslappeddownhardi ftheyste ptheleas tbitoutoflin e (andtherearethosewhosaythatifadissidentgoeslongenoughwithoutstepping outofline ,thegovernment'snotabovegivinghimalittl epush). ProGovisquitevocalonthesubjectofthe“chilis”andthethreattheypose totheUnitedStates'properpositionasarbiteroftheWesternHemisphere.The mainreasonforU.S.oppositiontoChilentina-otherthanasimpledesiretobethe biggestgoldfishinthebowl-isanongoing“braindrain,”inwhichpolitically liberalormoderateU.S.citizenswhocangetoutofthecountryseekpolitical asyluminChilentina(whichmaynotbeafreethinker'sparadise,butisstillinfi-nitelybetterthantheU.S.). TheChilentinangovernmentistraditionallyeagertohonorsuchpetitionsfor asylum,iftherefugeeiseducated-particularlyintechnologyorfinance.Inthe lastfewyearsU.S.pressurehasforcedChilentinatobackoffsharplyonits immigrationpolicies,buttherearestillmoretop-rankprofessionalsleavingthe U.S.forChilentinathanProGovlikes. Brazil TherainforestsoftheAmazonBasinproducemoreoxygenthananyother landareaontheearth,butthroughoutthe20thcenturytheywerebeingclear-cut andburnedoutatarateofupto50millionacresayear. Inthiscentury,withglobalwarminggoingfromatheorytoanimminent threatandeco-catastropheloomingonthehorizon,thishadtostop . BrazilwashithardintheTolliver'sDiseasepandemic.Thisslowedthedefor-estationsomewhatsimplybecausetherewerenolongerenoughpeopletocutthe treesandmantheranchesandplantations.Butby2030 ,theprogressofdeforesta-tionwasacceleratingagain,andtheearthwasinnoshapetotoleratefurther depletionofheroxygenreserves. ThesolutionwastheInternationalRainForestProtectionPactof2031.This internationaltreatywaspushedupontheinternationalcommunitybytheRusso-Japanese,usingtactic sthatrangedfromfriendlylobbyingtooutrighteconomic blackmail.EventheUnitedStateswentalong,afterbeingbrutallythreatenedwith a100 %import/exportembargofromboththeRusso-JapaneseandChilentina.No firstworldcountrycouldignorethepact. Geopolitics -50 - ThepactcreatedanecologicalreservationthroughouttheAmazonBasin. Millionsofsquaremiles-includingthemostproductiveandprofitablefarmand ranchlandinBrazil-weresetasideforrainforest.Alleconomicandagricultural exploitationofthesereservedlandsisstrictlyforbidden.(Afewsmallindigenous tribeshavetheonlyexceptionstothis,andtheirpopulationandrightstoexploit thelandarerigidlyregulated.) ThepactisenforcedbytheInternationalEcologicalProtectiveAgency,an independentorganizationstaffedbypersonnelfromallthepact'ssignatorycoun-tries.TheAgencybreaksdownintotwobureaus.BureauAismadeupofabout 70 0scientists-ecologists,botanists,zoologists-dedicatedtoexpandingtherain forestandmaximizingitsglobalecologicalimpact.BureauBconsistsofabout 3,00 0crackrangertroop sthatserveasgamewardens,patrollingtheBasinand enforcingthepact. Inreturnforoutlawingexploitationoftherainforests,Brazilreceivesan annualstipendfromeachofthepactcountries.Anycountrythatdoesn'tpayis subjectedtocripplingeconomicsanctionsfromtheothersignatorynations,in-cludingChilentina,theRusso-Japaneseand(reluctantly)theU.S. StillunderpopulatedfromTolliver'sDisease,thisstipendisenoughtoprovide aslenderbutadequateincomeforeveryBraziliancitizen.Thepactrigorously limitsBrazilianindustryandagriculture,theformermainstaysoftheBrazilian economy.NowthemajorpartofBrazil'seconomycomesfromthepactstipend, withtourismthemajorlocalindustry.Brazilisworkingtorebuilditseconomy alongenvironmentallysoundlines(soastopreserveitspactstipend).Plansin-cludepromotinganinternationalentertainmentindustry,andencouraginghigh-techlightindustryaftertheChilentinanmodel. Asmightbeexpected,thepactisnotuniver-sallypopular.Howeverit'svirtuallytheonly globalpolicy(alongwiththeUCAS)thatthe ChilentinansandRusso-Japanesecompletelysup-port.Consequently,thesetwopowershavebeen abletostrong-arminternationalenforcementof thepact.Mostinternationalanalystspredictthatif there'sanypoliticaloreconomicweakeningwhat-soeverofeitherRusso-JapanorChilentina,theIn-ternationalRainForestProtectionPactwillbethe firstthingtocrumble.EveninBrazil,thereare nationalistgroupswhochargethatthepactisan affronttonationalhonorandtraditionalmasculine values,andthesegroupshavebeenknownto maketheirpointsviolently. Zurich-Orbital Zurich-Orbitalisaspaceplatformin Earthorbitonwhichvariousdatafilesare maintainedthatareeitherbackupsofhot dataonEarth,ortoohottostoreonEarth. Sensitivemonetarytransactions,transfers ofstolendata,dossierstoodangerousto leaveaccessibleonEarthandsimilarmate-rialsarethecommoditieshandledbyZ-O. Absolutedatasecurityispromisedby theconsortiumthatmanagesZ-O.Theplat-formisarmedwithstate-of-the-artmissile defenses,thecomm-laserlink stotheNet areguardedbythemostferocioussecurity softwareeverdevised(but“blackice”isa myth-sureitis),andthestationpersonnel areabletowipethemassivedatabanksin secondsasalast-ditchdefense.Rumorhas itthattheplatformisalsoriggedtoself-de-structonthereceiptofacommandfromits Earth-basedHQ,intheeventthatitiscap-tured. UsingZ-Oisnotcheap.Thecosttostore agigabyteofdataonZ-Oforayearisabout equaltothecosttopurchaseasquarefootof landintheheartoftheMoskvabusiness district-whichismorethantheannualin-comesofabout92%ofthefamilieson earth. UnitedEurope TheMaastrichtaccordsof1991laidthefoun-dationforUnitedEurope.Economicunionin 199 3wasfollowedbyaunitedmilitaryestablish-mentandasupranationalsecurity/policestructure in1995,ratificationofsupranationalpowerstothe EuropeanAssembly(formerlytheEuropeanCon-gress)inBrusselsin1997,andtheformalactof unionin2000. Nationalgovernmentsretainsignifican t power,butforeignpolicy,certainareasoftrade andmilitaryconcernsarelargelythedomainof theAssembly. -51- Geopolitics TheKorpWorld AsgovernmentstotterontheEdge,alot oftherealpowerhaspassedintothehands ofthebigkorps.Themultinationalsandthe politicosdanceatightlittledance,andno-body,maybenoteventhedancersthem-selves,cantellyouwho'sleading. Themostformal,politenameforthe multinationalsiskeiretsu.It'saJapanese wordmeaningacorporationthat'sautono-mousandself-contained.Shaikujin,th e peoplewhoworkthere,getsecurityfrom cradletograve,aslongastheydotheir bushido-bizdutytothekeiretsuanddon't driguptoobad.Theyliveinkorphousing, shopatkorpstoresusingkorpcred,singthe korphymneverydayatstartofshift… IfyouliveontheEdge(anddon'twe all),you'regoingtocrosspathswiththe korps.Netrunnerswhowantthehottestdata gottahackitoutofkorpdatabases.The samurai,thebreetva,muscle-boys'n'girls onthestreet,aregonnafindkorpvalutabe-hindlotsofthejobsthefixersfindforthem. Korpslikealotofdeniabilitywhenthey havetodowetwork,orevenslightlydamp work.Gentlecrookstoo,whenakorpneeds someoneforaspotof“competitiveR&D,” orsoftextractions…sorry,makethat“in-tercorporateexecutiverecruitment.”Even rebels,tryingtopryProGov'sfingersoff America'sthroat,willfindtheirpoliticscan makeforkorpbedfellows,nomatterhow strangetheymaybe. Alltold,therearemaybe10 0korps worldwidethatqualifyasrealinternational keiretsu.Therearealsoplentyofsmaller nationalandregionalcompaniesleft , thoughmostofthemmaketheircredsub-contractingforthekeiretsu,ratherthanmar-ketinggoodsorservicesdirectlytothe consumer.Thesmallerkorpsusuallyserve as“farmteams”forthekeiretsu.Ifana-tionalorregionalconcernisconsistently successfulandinnovative,itwilleventually beabsorbedbyoneofthemultinationals. Andwhetherornotitwantstobeabsorbed isnotreallyanissue-thebestanindepen-dentcanhopeforwhenitcomestimetojoin thebigleaguesisachoiceofdealsorparent companies. Non-KorpBusiness There'snosuc hthin gasa“small business”ontheEdge.Thereareplentyof entrepreneurs,andfreelancersalloverthe place,butthereallysuccessfulfreelancers taketheircontractsfromthekorps,andthe seriousentrepreneursarelookingtomake theirfortunesbysellingouttothekorps.In general,anybusinesslargerthanMom& Pop'shotdogstandcanbeassumedtobe eitherownedoutrightordirectlycontrolled bysomekorpwithanetworthof$10 0mil-lionormore. CurrentlytherearetwomainpowergroupsintheU.E.Themostpowerfulis themilitantnationalistfactionle dbyGermanyandItaly,butamoderatefaction dominatedbytheIberianFederation,theScandinavianstatesandEnglandhasso farmanagedtorestrainit.TheBeneluxretainsit straditionalneutralityinpolitical struggles. Andorra Andorra(atinystatebetweenFranceandtheIberianFederation)hasbecome ahavenfordataofquestionableoriginsanddubiouslegality(se esidebar,p.49). Backedbyunidentified(butmajor)concerns,alargeholewasblastedinthe Pyreneesandloadedwithcomputerstostoreallmannerofmaterial,noquestions asked.Andorraisnottheonlytinystatetoestablishanationaldatahaven-others includeMonteCarlo,GibraltarandseveralPacificislands-butAndorrahasthe bestreputationofanyofthe“secondtier”datahavens.It'sregardedashaving securityandconfidentialitythatapproachSwissstandards,atles sthanhalfthe priceoftheSwisshaven. ThePrince-BishopofSeodeUrgel,intheIberianFederation,isnominalruler oftheprincipality,butactualauthorityrestsintheCouncilofSyndics,aself-per-petuatingoligarchycommittedtomaintenanceofthedatahaven.Francerelin-quishedallclaimtoAndorraduringthedisplacementsearlierinthecentury. TheBenelux UnitedEuropecentersitsgovernmentinBelgium,theNetherlandsandLux-embourg,withtheEuropeanAssemblyinBrussels,theSupremeTribunalinThe Hague,theBourseCentraleinLuxembourg,andmanyotherU.E.departments andfunctionsintheregion. Asaresult,theBeneluxisalsoahotbedofinternationalespionage,intrigue, korpactivities,etc. Geopolitics -52 - Eire BritainwithdrewfromNorthernIrelandinthefaceofincreasingagitationto eliminate“foreignentanglements”duringtheeconomicdepressionofthemid-90s.AnActofUnionbetweenUlsterandEirewasengineeredaspartofthis withdrawal,buttheterms(limitedautonomyfortheNorth,guaranteesofrepre-sentationforProtestantsintheSeanad-theSenate)displeasedIRAextremists, justastheunionitselfinfuriatedhard-lineUlsterfactions.Terrorismandinterne-cinestrifearestillfrequentoccurrencesintheRepublic.Perhapsthestrangest twistintheconflictistheUlsterLiberationLeague,whosebombraidsonU.K. siteshavetheavowedpurposeofforcingBritainto“recognizeitshistoricaldebt toUlsterandrestoreourrightsasBritishcitizens.” France France'scentralgovernmentwasformallydivestedofpowerintheTaxRev-olutionsof1998;theMultipartiteRepublicwasestablishedin2012 .Parisishome toadebating-societylegislatureandafigureheadpremiere,whilerealpowerrests intheautonomousdepartmentalgovernments. Germany GermanyispresentlytheleadingpowerintheEuropeanUnion.It'ssecond onlytotheRusso-Japaneseallianceincutting-edgetech . Germany,underincreasingcompetitivepressurefromChilentinaandothers andhungryforresources,hasbecomemoreovertlynationalisticinrecentyears. ThisismakingitsU.E.neighborsnervous.WhiletheEuropeanDefenseForceis theoreticallycommandedbytheUnion,ratherthananymembernation,theGer-mancontingentoftheEDFconstitutesjustover50%ofitstotalstrength.The Germans'mostcommittedpoliticalallyintheU.E.isItaly. Increasedactivitybyneofascistfactionsisanotherdestabilizingelementin Germanpolitics. TheIberianFederation SpainandPortugalunitedin2000,inconjunctionwiththeU.E.ActofUnion. PortugalandtheformerSpanishprovinceofCatalunyamaintainaconstitutionally mandateddegreeofpoliticalandculturalautonomy,butforallpracticalpurposes thethreeareonecountry.Iberiaistheleaderofthemoderatecoalitionwithinthe U.E.thatopposesGermany'smoremilitantproposals. Withastable,growingeconomyandapeaceful,educatedpopulation,many analystsarepredictingthatIberiawillsupplantGermanyasthedominantpower intheU.E.within10years. TheCommonwealthofIndependentStates EstablishedbythedeclarationsinMinskandAlma-atain1991 ,theCommon-wealthreplacedtheSovietUnion,whichwasformallydissolvedatmidnight,Jan. 1,1992.TheCommonwealthispresentlycomposedoftheFederatedRussian Republic,Ukraine,Byelorussia,Latvia,Georgia,Moldavia,AzerbaijanandAr-menia.ThecentralAsianrepublicssecededfromtheCommonwealthfollowing violentethnicconfrontationsinthemid-90s. TogetherwiththeJapanese,theirfirmeconomicallies,theCommonwealth reignsunchallengedasthedominantworldpowerofthe21stcentury.Thecombi-nationofCISresourceswithJapaneseefficiencyandexpertiseisunstoppable. NobodysurpassesRusso-Japanesetechintermsofqualityorquantity. Moneytalks,andtheRusso-Japanesealliance'sstatusastherichestentityon theearthalsomakesitthemostpoliticallypowerfulentityontheearth.Itsmost TheBolshyTen TheBolshyTenarethemostpowerful korpsontheEdge.Eachhasassetsinexcess of$1trillion.Eachisinvolvedin,andoften controls,keyindustriescentraltolifeinthe one-and-twenty. FabriqueEuropa FabriqueEuropaisEurope'slargestcon-glomerate,formedin2022whenanumber offirmsthathadbeenworkingmoreand morecooperativelyformalizedtheircon-nectionsinaseriesofmergers,withoneor twotakeover stodealwiththos ereluctantto admitthebenefitsofconsolidation. It'swell-knownthatFEproductsareat leastashighinqualityastheRusso-Japan-esecanproduce,butnotascheap. Han-RheeLtd. Han-RheeisKorea'slargestkorp.It beganitsclimbtothetoprankin2018, whenitforgedeffectivetradingtieswiththe CentralAsianFederationintheearlyone-and-twenty.JapaneseandWesternfirms tendedtoreactpoorlytothealmosttribal patternsofworker-managementrelationsin placeslikeUzbekistan,nottomentionthe invidiousl yembeddedsyste mof nomenklatura,orsemi-officialcorruption. TheSeoul-basedfirmsofSunRheeAs-sociatesandDaeHanLtd.charteredanew venturetomoveproductionfacilitiesinto theareaandtodevelopaworkablecorpo-ratecultureontheruinsoftheoldSoviet mind-set. Itwasn'tfast,itcertainlywasn'teasy, but20yearslater ,Han-Rheefinallyhitthe bigleaguesoftheBolshyTen.Besidesthe CAP,mostofitsbusinesscomesfromthe ArabNationsandIndia,butit'smaking stronginroadsintotheU.S.,wheredoing businesswiththeRusso-Japanesekorpsis quietlyfrowneduponbytheProGov. Han-Rhee'sproductsaren'tofoutstand-ingqualityoroutstandingvalue,butit keepsitsplaceatthetopbyskillfullyex-ploitingthosemarketsthatotherkorpsig-nore. Continuedonnextpage… -53- Geopolitics TheBolshyTen(Continued) NorthAmericanTechnologies Thisconglomeratewasformedaspartof adeliberateeffortbyProGovtoproducea competitorfortheRusso-Japanese.With vigorousNERCC“encouragement,”17 majorU.S.companieswereshovedtogether (notnecessarilywiththeirconsent),under thenominalauspicesoftheoriginalNAT foundedbyAdamHammond.Surprisingly, itworked. NATproductsareofaveragequalityand (thankstotheNERCC'sunion-bustingpol-icies )competitiveprice.Besidesdominat-ingmostU.S.markets,NATdoesgood businessinCanadaandCentralAmerica, withgrowinginfluenceinEuropeandAsia. RioLargoManufacturing RioLargoistheflagshipoftheupstart Chilentinankorps(theonlyoneinthe BolshyTen,althoug hthre emore Chilentinancompaniesareinthetop20and comingupfast).RioLargo'squalityand costequalandoftenbettertheJapanese. Onlythedifficultyincrackingnewmarkets keepsRioLargoandtheotherChilentinan companiesfrommountingaseriouschal-lengetoRusso-Japanesedominanceofthe internationalmarket. TheRusso-JapaneseKorps SixoftheBolshyTenareRusso-Japan-esekeiretsu.Itdoesn'tmatterifthecorpo-ratenameisRussianorJapanese:either waythecompanyisheadquarteredinTokyo withproductionfacilitiesintheCIS.And therestofthenameshouldn'tbetakento o seriouslyeither-HiromatsuPower Systemshasjustasmuchinterestincom-municationsindustriesasIshidoCommuni-cationsdoes,andviceversa-allthe Russo-Japanesekeiretsuhavetheirfingers inallthepies. Totherestoftheworld,theRusso-Jap-anesemega-korpsareprettymuchindistin-guishable.Theyfightfuriouslyamong themselvesovernewsubsidiariesandmar-kets,buttheycallofftheirfeudsandpresent aunifiedfrontwhensomeupstartoutsider threatenstoerodeRusso-Japaneseeco-nomicpoweranywhereintheworld. TheRusso-Japanesecontingentofthe BolshyTenincludes:HiromatsuPower Systems,Ishid oCommunications, Korsakov-Shimadzu,KosmozavotTenno TanjoLtd.,ShinowaraIntegratedIndus-tries,TodaiTechnosystems.Forwhatit's worth,Shinowaraisnormallyconsidered themoststableandpoliticallyinfluentialof thekorps,thoughintermsofnetprofitit's downnearthebottomoftheBolshyTen. RightatthemomentKosmozavotisthe richestkorpontheplanet,butthatcould changeliterallyovernight. audaciouspoliticalmovesofarhasbeentoforceinternationalcompliancewith theInternationalRainForestProtectionPacttohaltthedestructionoftheBrazil-ianrainforest.TheRusso-Japanesearenotnormallyknownforbeingenviron-mentallyenlightened,buttheydolistentotheirscientists,andwhenthebest projectionsavailablesaidthatcontinueddestructionoftherainforestswould makeEarthuninhabitableinthreecenturies,theytookaction. Minsk,thecapitaloftheCommonwealth,isinmostrespectsafairlyunre-markablecity(unlessyouhappentobeadiplomat,spyorinternationallobbyist). TherealactionisinthegreatsprawlsofSt.PetersburgandMoscow.Neononthe Moskvaisthethemethere,andthewheelersanddealersofthisworldontheEdge migratetherelikehajjitoMecca. Ingeneral,themines,factoriesandrefineriesoftheRusso-Japanesealliance areintheCIS,whilethekorpheadquarters,topuniversitiesandR&Dlabsarein Japan.TherearealreadyseveralsmallnationalistgroupswithintheCISwhowant tobreakawayfromJapaneseinfluence.Thesemovementsarestrictlyonthe lunaticfringesofar-bothJapanandtheCISarestillgettingtoomuchoutoftheir allianceforasplittoseemattractivetoanybodybutthemostdedicatedbigot.But astheCISbecomesmoreandmoreprosperousandeducated,resentmentagainst theJapanesemonopolyonmanagementandresearchissuretogrow. TheCentralAsianFederation ThemembernationsoftheCAP-theformerSovietrepublicsofKazakhstan, Uzbekistan,Tadzhikstan,TurkmenistanandKyrgyzstan-originallyunitedwith otherformermembersoftheUSSRintheCommonwealth.Butfollowingana-tionalisticsurgeintheSlavicstates,whichmetterribleriotsinthecentralAsian states,thegovernmentsoftheCAPsecededfromtheCIS.Acacheofnukesheld byextremeelementsinKazakhstanpersuadedtheCommonwealthtoacceptthe centralAsianresolutionpeacefully. Ifthereisa“badguy”intheworld,intheoldColdWarsense,itistheCAP. TheCAPisconstantlystirringuptheIslamicLeague,extendingpuppetstrings intoeasternAsia,competingwithChineseindustry,etc. ThegovernmentoftheCAPisnominallyasocialistrepublic,butactuallyit's abyzantine,self-perpetuatingoligarchy,muchlikethecentralcommitteeofthe oldUSSR. TheracistandfascisticelementsinSovietculture,disgustedwiththeglobal-ismoftheCIS,havesettledintheCAP.Consequently,thereareconstantarmed strugglesbetweenvariousethnicandpoliticalfactions.Thisinternalstruggle tendstolimittheCAF'seffectivenessasaglobalplayer.Islamicfundamentalists alsoformapotentpowerbloc. AlthoughthesocialistgovernmentoftheCAPistechnicallydiametrically opposedtotheProGovoftheU.S.,thetworegimeshaveagreatdealincommon politically,andoftenformanunofficialallianceagainsttheRusso-Japanese. TheMiddleEast Abizarrecombinationoffactorsle dtoIsraelcontrollingoroccupyingvirtu-allyallofJordan,Syria,LebanonandwesternportionsofIraq(se ep.14) .Atthe moment,Israelisbadlyinneedoffriends.ForseveralyearsIsraelhasbeen makingblatantoverturestotheRusso-Japanesealliance,hopingtobecomea juniorpartnerinthealliance.TheRusso-Japaneseresponsehasbeengenerally positive,butthey'vealwaysstoppedshortoffullyenfranchisingIsraelaspartof theirhegemony.Inthemeantime,theU.S.,traditionallyIsrael'sstrongestpolitical ally,isbecomingincreasinglyalienatedbyIsrael'sgrowingrelationshipwiththe CIS. • Geopolitics -54 - OntheArabianpeninsula,theoilsheikdomshavelargelyreturnedtopre-WWIIconditions(insomecases,pre-WWIconditions).Oilisstillausefulre-source,butit'snolongerthelifebloodoftechnicalcivilization(theimportanceof oilinthemid-21stcenturycanbecomparedtothatofcoalinthelate20th).This lossofeconomiccloutamongtheArabsisoneofthemainreasonsIsraelisable tocontinuetosurvive. AftertheIsrael iwar,IranabsorbedeasternIraq,butimmediatelybecame enmeshedinbickeringwiththeSaudisfortopslo tintheIslami cLeague.Itstil l findstimetofightcovertactionswithIsraelandbackIslamicterroristorganiza-tions,etc.ItisknowntobereceivingfundsfromtheCAP. Africa Africahasdeterioratedinthe21stcentury.Inmostregions,thepopulation livesnobetterthanitdid20 0yearsago. Africa'stroublesstartedinthemid-1990s,whenabreakdowninSouthAfri-canracialreformsle dtoabloodyracewar.By1998,thewhiteminorityinSouth Africawaseitherfled(mostlytoSouthAmerica)ordead.Withthewhitesal l gone,theblackcoalitionthathadpurgedthecountryimmediatelybrokeupinto battlingfactions,andSouthAfricarapidlydisintegratedintoamireoftiny,squab-blingtribalstates. WhentheTDplaguecamealong,Africawashitharderthananyotherpartof theworld,withfatalityratesexceeding75%inmostareas.Overmostofthe continentcivilizationwaseffectivelyabandoned,aspeoplerevertedtotribalsoci -ety.Technically,nationalgovernmentsstillexist,butinmostplacesthey'relittle morethanapoliticalfiction.Afewmetropolitanareasremain,buttheyarefilthy, dangerousplacesruledbywhateverloca ltyrantcangrabthereinsofpower. Africa JOINT REPUBLICOF GHANANIGERIA ANDCAMEROON Scale 1,00 0miles ConversionFactor TheConversionFactor(CF )foracur-rencymeasureshowmuchloca lmoneyit takestoequal$1 . Toconvertafigureinecusintoanother currency,multiplythefigureinecusbythe CFforthecurrency.Forexample,theSwiss franchasaCFof2.1 .$1equals2. 1Swiss francs.Anitemthatcosts$10 0costs21 0 Swissfrancs. Toconvertafigureinloca lcurrencyinto ecus,divideitbytheCF.Forexample,ifa fancypersonalcomputercraftedbythe techno-gnomesofLucernecosts3,200 Swissfrancs,itcosts3,20 0dividedby2.1 , or$1,524. Thethreeecucurrencies,theneodollar, eurotalerandrubyen,allhaveaCFof1.00 . Butnotallecusarecreatedequal,andthey havedifferentratesofflux. ConversionFactorsaren'tessential. Theyareincludedforbackgroundcolor.In gameterms,allthatmattersistherealvalue ofthetransactioninecus.Butwhenafixer hastolugabarrelofSerbianbalkis(1,20 0 balkis=$1)toameetinKrusevac,itmakes lifealittlemoreinteresting. -55 - Geopolitics MoneyGames Rulesforfiddlingwithexchangerates andtheuncertaintyoffiscalstabilityaredis-cussedbecausethisisastapleinmany cyberpunksettings.TheGMmaydecide thisisfartoomuchbookkeeping,andscrap thewholeidea.Hecanalsosetfluxratesat hisownwhim,withoutreferringtodice rolls.Wedorecommendkeepingthebasic currencyexchange,ratherthanputtingthe wholeplanetonecus,orsomeotherarbi-trarycurrency.That'salottooorderlyfor theEdge,livewire. Theonlyexceptionstotheruleofnon-civilizationareEgypt,whichgoesalong asi thasfor6,00 0years,andMadagascar,whichhasmanagedtomaintainapoor butfunctionalgovernment.WhenFrancecrumbled,Madagascarseize dcontrolof theisland sofMauritiusandReunion,andhasrecentl yestablishe dasuccessfu ldata havenonMauritius.OfalltheotherputativenationsofAfrica,thosenationsinthe northwestsee mt obemakingthemosttangibl eprogresstowar dreorganization . Atthemoment,theonlyforeignaidtotheAfricanmainlandcomesfromthe Russo-JapaneseAlliance,whichhasit seyeoneventualcontrolandexploitation ofthenaturalresourcesoftheAfricancontinent.TheRusso-Japaneseplanisto givetheAfricansjustenoughaidtomakethemgrateful,withoutgivingthem enoughtomakethemindependentTheCAPhasmadeovertures,particularlyin NorthwestAfrica,butsofarhasn'tofferedmorethantoke nhelp. India Indi ahaschangedlittl ei nthelas t10 0years.Theoretically,theTDpandemic shouldhaveofferedatleas ttemporaryrelieffromtheIndiansubcontinent's chronicproblemofoverpopulation.ButthecombinedeffectsoftheTDandthe GrandSlamsodevastatedIndia'sindustrialbasethatevenwithfarfewerpeople, thegeneralpopulationremainedashungryasever .Whatwealthexiststherei s controlledbyasmallrichelite. Forthelas t25years,IndiaandPakistanhavebeenactivelynegotiatingwith aneyetowardseventualreunification,butlittl erealprogresshasbeenmade.The ArabsandtheCAFwanttocontrolPakistanthemselves ;Chinaisworriedthatif PakistanreturnstoIndia,Nepal,BangladeshandBhutanwillfollow,depriving Chinaofthreevaluablebufferstates .Sofar,allthisforeignpressurehasbeen enoughtoforestallreunification. China ChinahasreturnedtoitsstatusastheForbiddenKingdom.Itsborderstates andclientsarelargel yindependent ,actingasbuffersagainstintrusions. Chinaistheleadingpoweringeneticresearch.Underthebrilliantdirectionof Dr.ChouJen-Jhai(1977-2034) ,Chinesegeneticscienc eleape dahead.However, thetighteningoftheBambooCurtaincutofftheexchangeofscientificinforma-tionbetweenChineseresearchersandtherestoftheworldin2032 . TheAustralianPlagueof2036isgenerallyassumedtohavebeencausedbya Chinesemilitaryvirusthatwasrelease d(accidentallyordeliberately)byarogue Chineseintelligenceagent.However,whileanoutragedworldimpose deconomic sanctionsonChinaasaresult,fearofdevastatingbiologicalretaliationhas,sofar, forestalledanyactivemilitaryresponse. ShanghaiandHongKonghavebeencompletelyunderthecontrolofthe Chinesegovernmentsincetheturnofthecentury,andwereclosedoffalongwith therestofthecountryin2032. EasternAsia ThecountriesontheAsianPacificRimaretheup-and-comingplayersonthe globalstageoftheone-and-twenty.They'redemocratic,progressiveandfiercely capitalistic.Thetechandothergoodsproducedbythesecountriesisfrankly second-rate,butit'scheapandeasilyavailableallovertheworld.Andit'sgetting better.EconomicprophetsliketospeculateaboutwhichofthePacificrimcoun-triesispoisedtobecomethenextJapan.KoreaandthePhilippinesarethefront runners,butThailand,VietnamandTaiwanaresee nashavingstrongdark-horse potential.Andtheraceison.. . Geopolitics -56- Australia:PoisonedTreasure Ofallthetragediesandcatastrophesthathavemarredthefirsthalfofthe21st century,themostfrighteningi stheAustralianplagueof2037 .Somethingcom -pletelydepopulatedanentirecontinentinles sthansi xmonths,andnobody'ssure whatitwas.MostnationsblametheChinese,buttheChinesearen'ttalking. Therearejustto omanyunansweredquestionsabouttheAustralianplague-mainlycenteringonhowonearththethingisvectored.Itobviouslycan'tbe spreadbybirdsorinsects,oritwouldcertainlyhavespreadtoIndonesiaorNew Zealandbynow.LikewisesatellitephotographyshowstheAustralianecology apparentlyflourishing.Herdsofwildcattleandpacksofwilddogshavebeen spotted,andthekangaroosaredoingjustfine,thankyou.Ontheotherhand,ifthe plaguewasonlyspreadbyhumansorprimates,surelythequarantinemeasures impose dinthesummerof'3 7wouldhavesavedsomebody.Basedonthelittle evidenceavailable,virologistsspeculatethattheplaguewasaviralinfection,fatal onlytoprimatesbutcarriedbyanindeterminatenumberofotherlandmammal species,almostcertainlyincludingrodents.It'svirtuallycertainthatsuchaspe -cificanddevastatinginfectionwouldhavetobecustom-designed.Mostscientists thinkthatonceal lthehumansweredeadtheplaguewouldrapidlybecomeextinct …probably.Acoupleofthefirstworldcountrieshaveairdroppedteamsof expendables(convict sandpoliticalprisoners),buttheyneversurvivelon g-just longenoughtoreportacompletelackofhumanlifeandlotsofdecayedbodies everywhere.Then,afteraboutaweek,communicationscease. Rightnow,Australiaislikeahigh-stakesgameofRussianroulette.Thefirst onetopickupthegunandpullthetriggergetstheprize,ifhesurvives-only nobodyknowshowmanyofthechambersareloaded . AninternationalscientificconferenceontheAustralianmysteryconvenedin 2038.Theconferenceagreedtowaitatleas t50yearsbeforeattemptinganysor t ofexpeditiontotheAustralianmainland,andthentomaketheeffortajoint internationalventure.Butit'sbeenfiveyearswithnothingnewoutofAustralia, andsomecountriesmightbegettingitchyfingers.TheCISisbelievedtohave droppedroboti cprobes,similartothoseusedtoexplorethesurfaceofVenus,into theruinsofAustraliancities.ThemostparanoidscenariosuggeststhattheChi-nese(o rwhoeverdesignedtheplague)mightknowexactlyhowlongitwill remainactive,andwillmountamassiveinvasionofthecontinentassoonasit's safetodoso ,whiletherestoftheworldstandsaroundwiththeirtongueshanging out.Ofcourse,allcountrieswithanobservationsatellit eintheair(whichis almostallofthem)havebeenpayingspecia lattentiontotheirpicturesofAus-tralia.Someanalystsclaimtohavefoundvisualevidenceoflow-techhuman activityi nthedeepoutback,butthisconclusioni shotlydisputed.Ifsomebod yi s aliveoutthere,theymustbedeliberatelytryingnottobeseen . ThereisanominalAustraliangovernmentstillactive,headquarteredoutof Hobart,Tasmania,butit'sinnopositiontomakeaseriousclaimforcontrolofthe mainlandifoneofthebigboysdecidestomakeagrab. Aftertheplaguestruck,NewGuinea(completelyunderthecontrolofIndone-siasincethefirstdecadeofthe21stcentury),NewZealandandTasmaniawere placedunderstrictquarantinerestrictions,outoffearthattheAustralianinfection wouldsomehowjumptothoseislands.Theserestrictionswereliftedin2042 ,but theeconomicdamagetheycausedtheaffectedcountrieswilltakedecadesto correct.Consequently,thes estatesla gfarbehindothercountriesoftheAsian PacificRimintermsoftechandcommerce. WhenNottoMake FluxRolls Asarule,trivialtransactions,les sthan $100,shouldnotrequirefluxrolls.How-ever,theGMmaydecidetocallforaflux rollforsmallpurchasesonceinawhile,just tokeepplayersfromgettingentirelycom-fortable.Nothinglikehavingasmartcaban-nounce,“Thatwillbe10Neodollars,8 Class-AKeiretsuMarks,or12U.S.dollars …adjustment…13.5 0U.S.dol…ad-justment.. .14.7 5U.S.dollars,please.” Anyonepayingin“fold,”realhardcopy cash,canskipfluxrolls.Thatappliesto moneyprintedbyagovernment,scripcer-tificatesfromamajorkorp,oranykindof non-electroniccurrency.However,ifachar-acterconvertsfoldintocred(deposits hardcopycurrencyfortransfertoanelec-tronicaccount),heshouldcheckthefluxat thattime. -57- Geopolitics Geopolitics -58-TableofTechLevelsandControlRatings TechLevel(TL):Indicatestheaver-ageTechLevelforthecountry.Thisdoes notmeanthetechnologyavailableto everyinhabitant,butratherthemedian point. Wealthymembersofthesocietymay haveaccesstomoreadvancedtech;poor membersofsocietywillbelimitedtosig-nificantlylowertechnology. NotethatTL8meansearlyTL8,and thatmostofthetechinthatcountrywill beTL7,withtheTL8stuffreservedfor korpsandthewealthy. ControlRatings:Ratingsareas-signedforthreeareas.TheGeneralCR (Gen.)measuresthepresenceoflawen-forcement,strictnessoflaws,andthe overalllevelofgovernmentregulation. TheWeaponsCR(Wpns.)specifically governstheLegalityofweapons(seep. C110).TheTechnology(Tech.)CRmea-suresth eLegalityofcyberwearand cyberdecks,aswellasgovernmentregu-lationofindustry,medicalresources, powersources,andotherhigh-techfea-turesoflifeintheone-and-twenty. WealthLevel(W):Acitizenofaver-ageStatus(Level0)willliveattheWealth Levelindicated. D P S A C DeadBroke Poor Struggling Average Comfortable NorthandCentralAmerica CountryTLGen.Wpns.Tech.W. MiddleEast CountryTLGen.Wpns.Tech.W. CentralAsianFederation CountryTLGen.Wpns.Tech.W. CommonwealthofIndependentStates CountryTLGen.Wpns.Tech.W. UnitedEurope CountryTLGen.Wpns.Tech.W. Africa CountryTLGen.Wpns.Tech.W. PacificRim CountryTLGen.Wpns.Tech.W. Asia CountryTLGen.Wpns.Tech.W. ECONOMICS Dyadooshkausedtosaythat“moneymakestheworldgo'round.”Todaythat goes“valutagivesabreetvaEdge”(moneygivesarazoritsEdge). Doublepuntalk,paryeni.Allusbreetvasonthestreetknowwherewegetour Edge,neh?Whenafixersignsyouupforahotjob,makesureit'shardvalutahe's slottin'intoyourcard,notthelocalsloppy-softdengi.Credorfold,machtsnichts aslongasitturnsintoecusniceandclean. CredandFold Mostoftheworld'smoneyiscred,electroniccurrency.Credistrackedbythe interlockedaccountingcomputersoftheworld'sbanks,risingandfallingbythe millisecondintheunstableeconomyoftheone-and-twenty.Legitcitizenscan accesstheirfundsthroughtheirIDcardsornice,traceablebankaccountsthatkeep trackofeverycentasitmovesfromonepersontoanother.Codedaccountsand crows(escrows)letfolksmovecredwithoutsustainingtheirritationoflegal identities. Atinytrickleofmoneyisfold,foldingmoney,hardcopycash,realbills.The firstworldgovernmentskeeptryingtoswitchtoacashlesssociety ,andeventhe mosttightlycontrolledonesfindthattheycan'tdoit.Toomanyimportantpeople needmoneythatcan'tbetracedthroughtheNet.Nonetrunnereverbacktracked toitssourceaplasticsackstuffedwithsmallbills. Inthefirstworld,about95%ofthemoneysupplyiselectroniccred.Awell-behavedshaikujincangohiswholelifelongandneverseeascrapoffold.That other5%-trillionsofecus-flowsthroughtheguttersofthestreetsandinthe quietestofficesofthespacescrapers,oilingthesecretmachinerythatmakessoci-etyrun. Inthelastworld,foldismuchmorecommon.Tchort,therearestillplaces wherethefolkswouldn'tknowacredcardifyoufedittothem!Peoplecanuse credinlastworldcities,eveninsomeofthebiggertowns.Butoutintheboonies, youusetheloca lfoldorstarttalkingbarter. ValutaandDengi Valutaishardmoney,eithercredorfold.Currencybackedbythestrongest firstworldeconomiesorthetopkorpsisthebestkindofvaluta. Everythingelseisdengi:softcurrency,changinginvaluedaily,usuallyforthe worse.Somedengiisn'tbad.Youcangetpaidinitoneweekandstillaffordthe rentthenext.Mostofitistrashcash;acceptitatyourownrisk. Ecus Ecus,“EconomicCommunityUnits,”arethehardestvalutathereis.When-everafigureintheserulesispreceededwitha“$,”itreferstotheamountinecus. Worldeconomics(andthepricesinthisbook)arebasedonan“ideal”ecu, withabaselinevaluepeggedtointernationaltradebalances,grossnationalprod-ucts,moneysupplyandathousandothervariables. Therearerealecus-theinternationaltradingcurrencyofthethreefirstworld tradingcommunities.IntheAmericas,it'stheneodollar.Thisisthemaineco-nomicindicatorintheAmericas.Drivenbythegrowingeconomicfrictionbe-tweentheU.S.andtherestofthehemisphere,theChilentinanpesoshowssigns ofbecomingthebasisofapurelySouthAmericanecu.Thiswouldhaveadrastic effectontradebalancesandinternationaldebtforbothcontinents.TheAmerican PaymentPlans Aperson'swillingnesstopaydebtsin valuta,andtoacceptdengiaspartialpay-menttohimself,canbeacriticalfactorin negotiationsaboutpayment. Mostpaymentforcriminalorhard-to-getgoodsorservicesisamixofhardand softcurrencies.Standardpaymentsaredi-videdintofourequalblocks.Oneblockwill beinclass-Bvaluta,twowillbeclass-C dengi,andthefourthwillbeclass-Ddengi. Eachblockcanbenegotiatedonceand onceonly.TheappropriateskillsareMer-chant(foranysituation)orStreetwise(for criminalgoodsorservices) .Fast-Talkmay besuitable,ifthedealhastogodownina hurry,andtheplayercanconvincetheGM thathehasaplausibleline. RollaQuickContestbetweenbuyerand selle r(thepersontobepaid)foreachblock tobenegotiated. Thesellercantrytoupgradetheflux classofablock,butthismayreducehis effectiveskillfortheQuickContest. Upgradingclass-Dtoclass-C… .-0 Upgradingclass-Dtoclass-B… .-2 Upgradingclass-Dtoclass-A….-6 Upgradingclass-Ctoclass-B… .-0 Upgradingclass-Ctoclass-A… .-4 Upgradingclass-Btoclass-A….-2 Theselle rcanalsonegotiateforablock infoldingcashwithoutanynegativemodi-fierstohisskillroll. Ifthesellerwins,hegetshisway.Ifthe buyerwins,hemayeitherdowngradethe blockonefluxclass,orreduceitsrealvalue by10% . Forexample,YinSladeneedstohirea netrunner.Heoffers$10,00 0toJumping Jack:$2,500inclass-Bdeutschmark, $5,00 0i nclass- CU.S.dollars,and$2,50 0 inclass-DQudbecoisfrancs.(Vinisthe buyer;Jackistheseller. ) JacktriestogetVintoimprovetheoffer. TheyrollaQuickContestoverthedeutsch-markblock.Jackisat-2onhisskillroll, sinc eheistryingtogetVintoupgradeto eurotalers,aclass-Acurrency.Vinwinsand Jackisbeatendowntotaking$2,250in marks. Jackswitchestoanargumentoverthe Quebecoismoney.Hewantstobepaidin fold.JackwinsthisQuickContest. Jacktriesnegotiatingonthe$5,00 0in U.Scurrency,rollingonceforthewhole fivegrand,toupgradeittoSwedishkrona,a class-Bcurrency.Jackwins. Atthispoint,allfourblockshavebeen negotiated.Sothefinaldealis$2,50 0in Quebecoisfrancs,paidinfold,therestin electroniccred:$5,000inkrona,$2,25 0in deutschmarks. Ifthisistoocomplicatedforyourtastes , astandardMerchantcontestcanberolled. Thewinnergetstoraiseorlowertheoverall priceby10 %orraisealltheblocksone class:oneclass-A,twoclass-B,oneclass-C. -59- Geopolitics CurrencyTables Fluxclassesandnumbersareassigned usingthefollowingcriteria. A:Ecus.Strongestfirstworldeconomies. Top5korp-marks. B:Averagefirstworldeconomies.Next5 korp-marks. C:Weakfirstworldeconomies.Strongest lastworldeconomies.Othermajorkorp-marks. D:Averagelastworldeconomies.MinorK-marks. E:Weaklastworldeconomies. 16 :Verystablecurrency(dynamicecon-omy,strongbalanceoftrade). 14 :Stablecurrency(growtheconomy,good balanceoftrade). 12 :Unstablecurrency(stagnanteconomy, poorbalanceoftrade). 10 :Inflationarycurrency(economicdown-turn,recession). 8:Trashcurrency(depressedeconomy). SouthandCentralAmericanCurrencies CountryCurrencyCFFlux Continuedonnextpage… powersareverycautiousaboutradicallyalteringtheirfinancialstructure,forfear ofdisturbingeconomicstability. TheUnitedEuropeanecuistheeurotaler.PeggedprimarilytotheGerman deutschmark,itissupportedbythemarketvaluesoftheotherstrongEuropean currencies.Nationalistmovementsinkeycountriesdefeatedattemptsbytheearly architectsofEuropeanconfederationtoeliminatenationalcurrenciesandreplace themwithasinglecurrency.Someofthesmallercountrieshaveadoptedthe eurotalerastheironlycurrency,butthemajorpowersretainloca lmoneyaswell. EurotalersareeagerlyacceptedeverywhereinEurope,anditisthefavoredhard currencyinnorthernAfricaandtheMiddleEast. Thehardestvalutaintheworldistherubyen,theecusupportedbythejoint economiesofRussiaandJapan.TheeconomiesoftheCISandlargeportionsof thePacificRimaretiedtotherubyen. Ecusarenominallyatpar.Thatis,oneecuequals$1.00 ,whetheritisa rubyen,aneodollaroraeurotaler.However,evenecuscanvaryfromthisidea l value. CurrencyFluctuation ThefinancialsituationontheEdgeisanythingbutsteady .PCsshouldnever becompletelycomfortableaboutthesafetyoftheirbankrolls.Thekeytoplaying gameswiththemoneysupplyisfluctuationbetweenonecurrency(theonethe personhas)andanother(theoneheneedstogetwhathewants). Unlesscharacterstrytomakeakillingbytradingincurrencies,thisusually involvesmeasuringthestabilityofmoneycomparedtothe“ideal”ecu.Whenever anadventurertakesmoneyinorpaysitout,theGMcanchecktoseeifthestate oftheworld'seconomyhelpsorhurtshim. Thescorethatcontrolsthisiscalledflux. Flux Fluxmeasuresthedegreebywhichacurrencycanvaryfromitsfacevalue. Valutahasaverylowrateofflux;whenitdoesfluctuate,itoftenincreasesin value.That'swhyit'svaluta. Dengihasaveryhighrateofflux,anditoftendecreasesinvalue. Fluxismeasuredbytworatings:afluxnumberandaletter,thefluxclass. Highfluxnumbersareconsideredgood-thatis,currencieswithahighnumber aremorestable.FluxclassesareratedAthroughE.An“A”or“B “indicatesvery stablevaluta.A”C, ”“D,”or“E “indicatesdengi.Class-Edengiisparticularly unstablecurrency,subjecttowildinflation-“trashdengi,”instreetjargon. Thefluxnumberandfluxclasscomeintoplaywhenevermoneychanges hands.Anytimeanoperatorisinvolvedinasignificantfinancialtransaction,the GMcanrequiretheplayertomakeafluxroll. Geopolitics -60-TheEcus CurrencyCFFlux NorthAmericanCurrencies CountryCurrencyCFFlux FluxRolls Wheneveranindividualisbeingpaid,orwhenhebuyssomething,theGM shouldroll3dagainstthefluxnumberforthecurrencyheisusing(seesidebars, p.60-62).Forexample,ifacharacterispayinginU.S.dollars,therollisagainst 16,thefluxnumberforthatcurrency. Treatthefluxnumberlikeaskillforpurposesofcalculatingcriticalsuccesses orfailures,asdescribedonp.B86. Iftherol lsimplysucceeds,thenmoneychangeshandsatfacevalue.Any otherresultchangestheamountofmoneyinvolved.Theexactamountdependson thecurrency'sfluxclass. Onacriticalsuccess,valutaissubjecttopositiveflux.Theplayercharacter getsapercentageofcashinhisfavor.Ifsomeonepayshim,hegetsmoremoney thanusual.Ifhespendsmoney,thenthepriceofwhateverhebuysisreduced. Dengi,withafluxclassofCorworse,doesn'tbenefitfrompositiveflux. Iftherollfails,that'snegativeflux,andtheexchangerategetsworseforthis transaction.Theexactpercentagedependsonthenumberofpointsbywhichthe rollfailed.Ifthepersonisreceivingmoney,theamountisreducedbythepercent-age.Ifheispayingsomeoneelse,hiscostgoesupbythesamepercentage. Onacriticalfailure,add1d-1tothemarginoffailure.Thatis,ifacritical failuremissesthefluxnumberby4,rollld-1andaddtheresultto4tomeasure theactualeffectofthenegativeflux.Forexample,theplayerrollsan18againsta currencywithafluxvalueof16C .Thisnormallywouldreducethemoney'svalue by2+3%(seeFlux Classchartbelow).Butsince18isacriticalfailure,herolls ld-1,addstheresulttothe2pointsbywhichthefirstrol lmissed,andaddsthatto CurrencyTables(Continued) UnitedEuropeanCurrencies CountryCurrencyCFFlux EffectsOfFluxClasses A:Positiveflux:(2d-2)x5%.Negativeflux:1%perpointbywhichtheroll wasmissed. B:Positiveflux:(1d-l)x5%.Negativeflux:2%perpoint. C:Positiveflux:Hasnoeffect.Negativeflux:3%perpoint. D:Positiveflux:Hasnoeffect.Negativeflux:5%perpoint. E:Positiveflux:Hasnoeffect.Negativeflux:7%perpoint. Inthesidebars(pp.63-64)aretwoexamplesofhowtheGMcanuseflux duringmoneyexchangesinthecampaign. WalkingAroundtheBlock So,aparyenishagglingoveradealandthefluxrollcomesuplousy.Whatcan hedoaboutit?Afterall,iftheworldmonetaryexchangesareasfickleaswe've jus tdescribed,hecouldmaybegooutforacupofkaff,comebackinhalfanhour, andgetawholenewdeal,right? Nicetry,livewire. Therearetwosituationstoconsiderhere.Inthefirst,andsimplest,case,the operatorhasalreadyagreedtothedeal.Backingoutis,attheleast,goingtogive himastreetrepasaweasel(eithertemporarilyorasanout-and-outReputation disadvantage).Ifhepullsitonthewrongpeople,hemayjus tgetkilled.Ifhehas agreedtotakepaymentinTurkishliras,hecan'tchangehismindwhenthelira takesanosedive,anddemandEastAfricankenyattasinstead.Ingeneral,this happenswhenthepersonisgettingpaid.Thefluxrollsaremadewhenhisem-ployerpayshim,whetheritisaregularsalaryfromtheJobsTable,oraone-time transactionaftersomeirregularpieceofskullduggeryforakorp's”Competitive Research”office.Ofcourse,oncehe'spaid,he'sfreetositonthepaymentand waitforabetterexchangeratetorollaround,aslongashedoesn'thaveanybills topayorgroceriestobuyinthemeantime. CommonwealthofIndependentStates Armenia,Azerbaijan,Byelorussia, Georgia,Latvia,Moldavia,Russia,Ukraine: CountryCurrencyCFFlux CISCISruble0.8 516 B CentralAsianFederation Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,Uzbekistan: CountryCurrencyCFFlux CAPCAFaltine3.212 B MiddleEasternCurrencies CountryCurrencyCFFlux Continuedonnextpage… -61- Geopolitics CurrencyTables (Continued) AsianCurrencies CountryCurrencyCFFlux Geopolitics -62 -Whenthecitizenispayingsomeoneelseforgoodsorservicesandfinds himselfontheshortendofbadflux,hehasmoreoptions.Hecan“walkaround theblock,”thatis,holdoffclosingthedeal,waitingforamorefavorableex-changerate.Thelengthoftimehe'llhavetowaitbeforemakinganewrol l dependsonthefluxclassofthecurrencyhe'sdealingin. A-24hours. B-2days. C-4days. D-1week. E-2weeks. Somepurchasesaretime-sensitive.Ifyouarebuyingbulletsinthemiddleof afirefight,that'scertainlyaseller'smarket.Paytheman,forheaven'ssake! Ifthedealinvolvedanyfancysearchingtofindabuyerorseller-forexam-ple,ifanetrunnerisnegotiatingtobuyblack-markethightechtoupgradehis cyberdeck-thenwalkingaroundtheblockmeansthatthesourceofthemerchan-disewilldisposeofitelsewhere.Thebuyerwillhavetolocateanewsourceofthe material. Apersoncanalsoplaymusicalmoney,offeringadifferentcurrencytoavoid alossduetonegativeflux. Forexample,HeavyAjaxispayingofftwobreetvasforabitofprofessional violenceearlierintheweek.Thepriceagreedonwas$1,000 ,inanyreasonably hardcurrency(fluxclassAorB).Ajaxtapsintoacrowthatcarriesitsbalancein Israelishekels,whichhaveafluxof14B.Thedicerollis17 ,whichisacritical failure.Ajaxisloathtoforkoverextravalutatothesewired-upstreetops,sohe dipsintohisslushfund,apacketofrubyenstashedinaPetrogradvariablefund. Rubyenarerated16A ,top-of-the-linevaluta.Thistime ,Ajaxroll sa12 ,andforks over1,000rubyen.Thismaybeill-advised,ofcourse.Rubyenareashardas currencygets,whereasshekelsarelessstable;butcashflowiscashflow. AprudentadventurerontheEdgewillmaintainhisfundsinseveralaccounts, spreadoverasamplingofseveraldependablecurrencies. TheKurse Kurse(pronounced“koor-suh”),inRussian,Germanandacoupleofother languages,means“currencyexchangerate.”Instreetlingo,it'spronouncedthe sameas“curse.”IfaGMwantstokeepplayersanxiousabouttheirsavings,this isasadisticallyusefultool . TheGMcanmakeafluxrollforanycurrencieshewantsatthebeginningof aplayingsession.Anyfluxresultsareinforcefortherestofthesession. Tobereallynasty,hecancarryfluxoverfromoneadventuretothenext.Say herollsagainstU.S.dollarsoneevening,andthedollarplunges3%.Nextweek, herollsandgetsnegativefluxonthedollaragain,droppingitanother6%.The dollarisnowdown9%! Whencarryingovernegativefluxthisway,apositivefluxrollrestoresthe currencytoitsfacevalue.Thatis,itcancelsallthenegativeflux. Andtotopitoff,playerscanstillrollforfluxonindividualtransactionsas well,usingthekurseasthebasicrate.Saythedollarisdown9%.Ifaplayergets another3%ofnegativefluxonatransaction,heisdown12 %forthatsale . Anothernastythingtodowiththekurseisdevaluingcurrency.Normally, adventurersdon'tactuallysufferreductionsintheirtotalsavingswhenhitwith negativeflux.Itonlyappliestotheamountofmoneytheygainorloseonagiven transaction.Evenwhencarryingaroundnegativeflux,itdoesn'taffecttheirbank balance,justthepurchasingpoweroftheirmoney.Notsowithdevaluation! Onakurserollof18 ,theGMcandecidetodevaluethecurrency,usingany negativeflux.Teammembersthenhavetoreducetheirholdingsinthatcurrency AfricanCurrencies CountryCurrencyCFFlux bytheamountofnegativeflux.Theycan'tholdontothemoneyandwaitfortimes togetbetter. Devaluingacurrencycancelsoutanynegativefluxthathasbuiltupagainstit. Forexample,atthebeginningofasession,theGMrollsforthekurseonU.S. dollars.Previouskurserollshavealreadyput6%negativefluxagainstthedollar. Herollsan18 ,andknocksthepoor,abusedgreenbackdownbyanadditional 14%,foratotalof20%.HealsoannouncesthatProGovisadjustingthefree-float-ingvalueofthedollar.Everybodyloses20%ofhisholdingsinU.S.currency.Ifa citizenhad$10,000indollarsinthebank,hisaccountisreducedto$8,000. Credinth eNet CredcanbestoredintheNetinseveraldifferentforms.Eachhasadvantages anddisadvantages. PersonalAccounts Legitimatecitizens-folkswithestablishedidentitiesandcredcardsor citcardstoprovewhotheyare-usepersonal,orbank,accounts.Themoneyina personalaccountbelongstoyou,andonlyyoucanauthorizeawithdrawal,using properIDtoverifythattheorderislegal .IfyouloseyourID,itcan'tbeusedto lootyourbankaccountunlessthethiefhasthenecessaryresourcestoovercome thesafetychecksthatverifyidentity(se ep.36). Ifyourmoneyisstolenfromapersonalaccountinspiteofthesechecks,and youcanprovethatitwasstolen,thebankhastorefundtheloss,underthelawin everytechnologically-developedcountryonEarth. Sowhat'ssobadaboutpersonalaccounts?Well,ifyoudon'thavealegal identity,youcan'tuseone.ThosewiththeZeroedadvantage(p.C21)can'thave apersonalaccountunlesstheyti eittoaTemporaryIdentity.Andanyfunds allocatedtoaTemporaryIdentityareconfiscatedwhenthefakeIDisdiscovered (seep.C20). Taxrecordsareautomaticallyregisteredwhenmoneyisdepositedtoaper-sonalaccount.Inmanycases,taxesareautomaticallydeductedfromdeposits whentheincomeissubjecttotax:paymentfromemployment,investmentincome, paymentforfreelancework,royalties,etc. Anytransactionpaidwithcredfromapersonalaccountcanbetracedbackto thataccount,andsototheidentityoftheaccount'sowner.ATraceprogram(see p.C92)candothis.Keepinmindthatprogramslikethisareillega lforprivate individuals,notforbanks(andthekorpsthatownthem)orgovernmentagencies. BlindAcounts Blindaccountsarenotregisteredtoagivenindividual,butaretheequivalent ofthenumberedaccountsofferedbytheSwissforcenturies.Anyonewiththe propercodecanaccesstheaccount. Separatecodesareusedfordepositsandwithdrawals.Onecansafelygive depositcodestootherpeople,tomakepaymentsdirectlyintotheaccount.With-drawalcodesarekeptverysecret. BlindaccountsareavailableinanycountrywithaControlRatingof3orless (althoughtheSwissarestillatthetop) .IfaTraceprogramisfedthedepositcode forablindaccount,itcantraceallmoniespaidintoitbacktotheirsource.ATrace programthatisgiventhewithdrawalcodecantraceallwithdrawalstotheir recipients.Remember,though,thatbanksdonotwanttheirtransactionstraced, andtheirsystemswillbeloadedwithnastydefensivesoftware.Andifthesoft-wareisn'tenough,theycanalwayssendazeromanouttofindthehacker. Blindaccountschargea1%servicefeeonalldeposits. UsingFlux inaGame Example#1: Verysimple.GregHoisinShanghaito gethimselfaSOTAInterfaceJackatawhis-perclinic.Gregscoredbigonanembez-zlingscamlas tmonthandhasabundleof U.S.dollarscreditedtoanaccountin Macao. Thejackandinstallationcost$50,000. Gregispayingindollars,whichhaveaflux of16C .Theplayerrolls3d.Ifhescoresa16 orless,Gregsimplypaystheequivalentof $50,000indollars.Acriticalsuccess wouldn'timprovethis,sincethedollaris toosofttobenefitfrompositiveflux.Sic transitetcetera,paryeni. IftheGMi susingConversionFactors (se ep.55),U.S.dollarshaveaCFof1.2 ;so Gregwouldneedtocoughup$60,00 0U.S. tocoveracostof$50,000. Butthedierollcomesup17 .That missesby1pointandmeansnegativeflux ismessingupGreg'sdeal.AtfluxclassC, thattranslatestoa3%surcharge,3%for everypointoverthefluxnumber.Greg's cyberwillcost$51,500($61,80 0U.S.). Iftherollwere18,notonlywouldGreg havetocoverthenormalpercentagefora 2-pointmisswithC-classcurrency,which wouldbe6%,hewouldbehitwithupto5% (1d-1)inadditionalpenaltiesasworldmar-ketssnee ratsom efailureoftheU.S.econ-omy.If,forinstance,hispenaltyisa3,he wouldaddthattotheoriginalnegativemod-ifierandtheamountheoriginallymissed by,foratotalof9%.Gregwouldhaveto spend$54,500($65,40 0U.S.)tocoverhis bills. Continuedonnextpage… -63- Geopolitics UsingFluxin aGame (Continued) Example#2: JonnySleazergetsacallfromafixerhe knows.Someonewantsanindiscree tdocu-mentliftedfromadatabase.Jonnysizesup thesystemandset shisprice:$20,000 ,in ecus.Thefixerscreamsthathispacemaker isoverloading.Aftersomehaggling,they settleon$5,000inneodollars,$10,00 0in CISrubles,and$5,00 0i nSwissfrancs,cred ondeposittoaseriesofcrowsscatteredbe-tweenZurich,GrandCaymanandTen-Tan. SoJonnypuncheshisusualhotdeck, snagsthefileandwipesitoutofthe database,allaccordingtothecontract.It's payday. Neodollarshaveafluxof12A.The playerroll s3d ,score sa12 .Nothingspecia l ishappeningontheneodollarmarket,sohe gets$5,000paidintoacrowinZurich. ThefluxforCISrublesis16B.The playerrollsacriticalsuccess !Themoney marketshavegivenJonnysomepositive flux.Rolling1d-1,theplayerscoresa4. That's4x5%=20%inJonny'sfavor.He getstheequivalentof$10,00 0+20%,or $12,000,paidintohisTen-Tanaccount. SincerubleshaveaCFof.85 ,that's10,20 0 rubles. Swissfrancshaveafluxof14A .Safe-looking,buttheplayerrollsan18!Mustbe aslowdayforchocolateorsomething.That missesby4,whichwouldnormallyonlybe 4%offJonny'spayment,butthisisacritical failure.SotheGMrolls(ld-1)andgets4, foratotallossof8%.The$5,000isreduced to$4,600.AttheCFforthefranc,that's 9,66 0Swissfrancsintotheaccountof“Mr . Smith”attheTwenty-SeventhNational BankofGrandCayman. Crows Acrow,shortfor“escrow, “issimilartoablindaccount.However,acrowis establishedwithaone-timedeposit.Itcannotbeaddedto.Allrecordsindicating thesourceofthesefundsareerasedfromtheNet.Thebankthatmaintainsthe crowbacksitwithitsownfunds. Acrowonlyhasawithdrawalcode.Itispossibletotracewithdrawalsfromit, butnottheoriginaldeposit. Lockedcrowsareevenmoresecure,inonesense,thoughvulnerableinan-other.Alockedcrowiskeyedtoone,andonlyone,highlycomplexpasscode algorithmthatisstoredinaspecialcredcard,a”crowcard.”Thecrowcardisa dedicatedmicrocomputerrunningauniqueComplexity2identity-controlpro-gram.Thewithdrawalcodeisprogrammedintoaresin-sealed,destruct-coded chiponboardthecredcard.Thecard'sIDprogramcorrespondstoachip-based programinstalledinthebank'scomputer. Therecognitionofwithdrawalordersishandledbythesechipsworkingin tandemthroughtheNet.Thisredundant,hardware-basedsecuritymakesitvirtu-allyimpossibletofakethewithdrawalcodeforalockedcrow.Youmusthavethe cardtogetthemoney. Lockedcrowsarelikefoldinthisregard.Ifyoulos ethecrowcard,orit's destroyed,that'sit.Youlosethemoney.Ifsomeonestealsit,heownsthemoney. ATraceprogramcanonlytracewithdrawalsfromalocke dcrowifithas accesstothecrowcardthatcontrolsit,sothatitcanidentifyitselftothebank's computerproperly. Thereisaservicefeeof5%oftheamountdepositedwhenacrowiscreated. Inaddition,thecrowcardcosts$200. Foranextra$2,000,acrowcardcanbekeyedtoanindividual'sthumbprint. Thismakesthemoneyeffectivelyrobber-proof,butalsomakesitnontransferable, exceptthroughwithdrawal. Geopolitics -64- CRIMEAND PUNISHMENT Likeeverythingels eontheEdge,crimei samixof oldandnew.Vicesthatdatebackafewmillenniaarefor sal erightnexttohigh-techsin sthatareonthecutting edgeoftheone-and-twenty.Thingsconsideredinno-centfuninonecountrycanlandyouinthebodybanks ifdonejustacrosstheborder. -65- CrimeandPunishment Ethnicityand Crime Inlinkingthemajorcriminalorganiza-tionsoftheone-and-twentytocertainspe-cificethnicgroups,itisnottheintentionof GURPSCyberworldtoperpetuateracial stereotypes.Italians,JapaneseorSouth Americansarenomorelikelythanany otherracetoproducecriminals;itjusthap-pensthat,duetohistoricalandculturalfac-tors,theyproducemoreorganizedcriminals thanmostotherethnicgroups. Whenmembersofacultureweretrans-planted,byimmigrationorexpansion,their criminalsfollowedthem.Intheearly20th century,U.S.immigrantcommunities, amongthemtheIrish,EuropeanJewsand Italians,wereoftenbarredfromlegitimate enterprisesbytheresidentsociety.Crimi-nalsflourishedinthismilieu,givingriseto themajorracketeersoftheProhibitionera: DanO'Banion,DutchSchultz,Bugsy Siegel,Capone,Marranzanoandtherest. Assubsequentgenerationsofimmigrants becameassimilated,someofthecriminal subcultureswitheredaway,whileothers survived,functioningoutsideofboththe culturethatgavethembirthandthemain-streamsociety.Asthesefactionsgained wealthandinfluence,theybecameen-trenched,existingwithoutanyconnection totheiroriginalculture. Thisprocesscontinuesintotheone-and-twenty.Similarly,Triad,Yakuzaandnar-cotraficanteinfluencesbecomepartofthe criminalstructureofsociety,bothinthe U.S.andelsewhere. Therearecrimesandtherearecrimes.InatypicalCyberpunkcampaign,most ofthePCsarecriminals.TheymightbeRobinHoodorAlCapone.Somecrimes violatetherulesofagivengovernment.Somecrimesoffendagainstbasichuman-ity.Onedoesnotnecessarilyimplytheother. Thischapterdiscussesprofessionalcrime-crimeasabusiness.Likelegiti-matebusiness,crimesandcriminalsmaybedividedintosevera lclasses .Organ-izedinternationalcriminalsyndicates,thekeiretsuoftheunderworld,areatthe topoftheheapintermsofmoneyandpower.Likethekorps,thesebigfis hare intolerantofcompetition,andthereisalargegapbetweenthemandthenextlower rungonthecriminalladder.Thisnicheisoccupiedbyloca lmobs,well-organized, powerfulintheirlocale ,butwithoutthenationalandinternationalreachofthebig syndicates.Underthesearethelocalgangs:streetgangs,pettycrooksandother neighborhoodenterprises.Andatthebottomofthecriminalsocialladderstands theindividualcrookwithnogangconnections. Thisisnotarigidhierarchy.Smalllocalgangscan,anddo,standuptothe localmob,andsometimestheyevenwin(i.e.,survive).Anindividualcriminal mayhaveaninternationalreputationasaspecialist,andbevaluedaboverubiesby thosewhoneedhisservices. OrganizedCrime Societyinthelate20thcenturywagedanescalatingwaragainstorganized crime.Despitesomeearlyvictories,itlookslikesocietylost.Intheshattered socialmatrixoftheworldontheEdge,theoutlawshavesomemajoradvantages overthehonestsuits. Mostcriminalsuseviolencecasually,easily.Theymeetanyresistancewith force,andmanywillkillattheslightestprovocation.Anindividualwithoutsome formofprotectionhaslittlechanceofsurvivingasyndicate'sdispleasure. Syndicateshavesignificantmoneyandresources.Thebiggestcandeploy resourcesonaparwiththekorps.Thisdoesnotmeanthatthesyndicatesareas wealthy,overall,asthekorps.. .butintermsofthemoneyandpersonnelthe CrimeandPunishment -66 - mobscandevotetoviolentconflict,theyhavetheedge.Itistheirstockintrade, whereasakorphasoverhead. Criminals,whofreelycrossthelinesbetweenclasses,havebecomeincreas-inglyimportanttothoseonbothsidesasthealienationamongrichandpoor, technicalandunskilled,governmentandgoverned,hasincreased.Thepowerful needjobsdonethattheirstatusdoesnotpermitthemtodothemselves.The powerlessturntothecriminalforservicesthatareotherwiseunobtainable,often forservicesthatwereoncetherightofeverycitizen. TheMafia TheMafiaintheU.S.hasflourishedundertheoftenbrutal“law'n'order” regimeoftheProvisionalGovernment,justasitdidearlierunderProhibition. Whenluxuries,nottomentionmanynecessities,areeitherstrictlyrationedor flat-outillegal,thencriminalmarketswillprovidewhatlegitimatesourcescannot. Foraheftyprice,ofcourse. ProGovoftenco-optedcriminalsinitsfightforcontrolofthenation.Local gangswereengagedasshocktroops,oftenle dbycadresofNERCCenforcers. TheMafiaplayedanevenmorevitalrole.Sincethemobscontrolledresourcesin transportation,communicationsanddistribution,andwerequitewillingtodestroy themiftheycouldnotprofitfromthem,attemptstoseizethesefacilitiesbyforce proveddisastrous.TheMafiosialsohadapowerfulnetworkoflegitimatefinan-cialinterests,aswellasextensivepoliticalconnectionsatitsdisposal.Inmany cities,theywerenaturalalliesoftheProGovadministrators. Inreturnforaccesstomob-controlledfacilities,thelocalnerksandother officialsturnedablindeyeastheMafiaimposedaniron-fistedsystemofcontrol onmostofthelocalblackmarketsandthegangsthatranthem. UnderthePermanentEmergency,theMafiatakescareofbusinesswithout unduegovernmentheatandevenwithtaoitgovernmentsupportinsomeareas. ThemostnotableexampleistheSinCities(seep.83).TheMafiahasalsoadopted somepartsofthecultureofthekeiretsu,themultinationalkorps;thecuriousentity knownas“MafInc”istheresult. Familia,Ltd. MafIncexistsontwolevels.Ontheonehandwefindthetraditionalsetof semi-autonomouscrime“Families,”eachheadedbya“Don,”withloose ,na-tionalcontrolvestedintheCommissione,acouncilofthemostpowerfulFamily leaders.Ontheother,wefindFamilia,Ltd. In2013,DonMerleAlexander(seesidebar),oftheAlessandroFamilyin Boston,proposedtotheCommissionethatthejumbleoflegitimatebusinessinter-estsoperatedbyindividualFamilieswaswasteful,causinggangstocompetewith eachotherwhentheycouldmoreprofitablycooperate.Whilecooperationamong Familiesneverseemedtoworkverywellincriminalactivities,thebusinessmodel encouragescentralizedmanagementpractices.Alexanderproposedmakingthe legitimate,money-launderingoperationsmoreefficient,aswellasimprovingthe “insulation”betweenthelegitbusinessesandthecriminalracketsthatfinanced them. ManyofthemostpowerfulDonsandconsiglieriwereuniversitygraduates, oftenfromthenation'stopbusinessandlawschools.Tothem,Alexander'spro-posalwasself-evidentlycorrect.Accordingly,in201 9theMafiacreatedFamilia, Ltd.,amassiveholdingcompanythatcontrolsallthemob'slegitimatebusiness holdingsthroughatortuoussystemofinterlockingdirectorates.“Mafia,Inc.”in allbutname. BossofAllBosses DonMerleAlexander'scombinationof ruthlessnessandacumenle dtohisrecogni-tionascapoditutticapi,thenominalhead oftheCommissione.HeruledMafIncin name,andofteninfact,from2021to2037 . Alexanderenforcedanironcladrulethat FamiliaoperationsandMafiaracketsbe keptstrictlyseparate.Sinceheruthlessly exterminatedseveralMafiosiwhoviolated thisruleearlyon,includin gtheambitious youngDonofAtlanta,James“Silk”Silk-wood,compliancewascomplete. Alexander'sreignendedin203 7atan executiveconferencewithFamilia'sPacific managers-inSydney,Australia.Hisdeath intheAustralianPlaguetriggeredavicious powerstrugglethatstillinfluencesboth sidesofMafInctoday.Hisstrictdivision betweenthecriminalandbusinessinterests ofthemobwasanearlycasualtyofthe struggle. However,mostFamiliamanagers,un-awareoftheirkorp'sconnectiontothe Mafia,tendtohirefreelancemuscle(like theplayercharacters)whentheyneed somethingdoneoutsidethelaw . -67 - CrimeandPunishment RoughattheTop MerleAlexanderwasamemberofthe boardofdirectorsofFamilia,Ltd.,andthe CEO,CharlesHornung,washispuppet. SinceAlexander'sdeaththerehasbeenno directMafIncpresenceonth eboard. ThoughnothimselfaMafioso,Hornungis connectedtotheMafiaandtakeshisorders fromtheCommissione.However,withthe infightingatthetopoftheMafInchierar-chy,Hornunghasbeenleftprettymuchto hisowndevices.Thequestion,ofcourse,is whetherHornungwilltrytoattenuatethe mob'scontrolofFamiliapermanently,or willgobacktobeingahighlytrainedsealif andwhentheyworkoutthesuccession. IftheGMwantstorunaunifiedversion ofMafInc,hecansimplydecidetha t Hornungistooafraidofretaliationtoget anysmartideasofhisown.Hewillbea loyalstewardofMafInc'sinterestsandwill automaticallyhandovercontrolofthekorp anditsresourcestothenextcapoditutti capi. However,inacampaignwhereHornung pursueshisowndesigns,perhapstopryFa-milialoosefromitssecretownersandtake controlhimself,lifegetsmuchmoreinter-esting .Hornun gcanno tstag ea stockholders'revolt,afterall;themajor stockholdersareMafiosi,andifhetipsthem off,heisadeadman.Blowingthewhistleto theauthoritiesisout,too,sincethatwould almostcertainlydestroyFamilia,Ltd. IfCEOHornungisouttotakeoverFa-milia,Ltd.,hewillhavetodoitbyplaying offthemobstersagainsteachother.Andby runninglotsofcovertoperationstoacquire Familiastock,oreventosabotagesomeFa-miliaoperations:excellentemploymentop-portunitiesforabunchofdeniable(and expendable)operatives. FamiliaControl TheMafiadirectlycontrols82%ofFamiliavotingstock.Eachofthedozen FamilieswithaseatontheCommissione(se esidebar,p.72)holdsbetween3% and5%ofthestock.TheremainderisdividedupamongtheremainingFamilies, andeventhesmallesthasatleastafractionofapercentoftheavailablestock. UnderDonMerle,theCommissioneexercisedproxiesoveracontrollingmajority ofthisstock.Sincehisdeath,factionfightsamongtheFamilieshavedisruptedthis monolithiccontrol. Familiamanagementisaninterestingpatchworkoffactandfantasy.Nineout oftenofthelinemanagersareabsolutelylegit-oratleastaslegitimateasany korpmanagerontheEdgeeveris .Theremainderareeitherlow-profilemob membersormob-connected.This10%elementofFamiliamanagement,spread throughthekorpanditssubsidiariesatalllevels ,aretheCosaNostra'seyesand earsinthecompany.TheyensurethatFamiliaoperationssupport,oratleastdon't hurt,MafInc'scriminalpursuits.AllFamiliamanagerswhoareawareofthe relationshipbetweenthekorpandthemobareequippedwithanOmertachip(see sidebar,p.70),andgivenprofoundpsychoconditioningagainstrevealingtheir knowledge. WhentheCommissionesuspectsthatthesesafeguardsareinsufficient,avisit fromahitmanensuresthatFamilia-connectedmanagerskeepsilent.Permanently. MafiaStructure Individualmobs,or“Families,”arebasedinspecificurbancenters,often competingforthesamenichesintheunderworld.Insomenullzonestheloca l Family,oritsfrontgroup,istheneofeudalruler. TheCommissionesuggests,mediatesand,inextremecases,intervenesforce-fullyincoordinatingtheactivitiesofthelocalFamilies.TheCommissionealso controlsmobactivityontheincrediblyrichturfoftheSinCities:LasVegas, AtlanticCity,MiamiandAcapulco.NosingleFamilycontrolsanyoftheSin Cities.ProGovconsidersthemneofeudalenclavesandtacitlygivesMafInc'sfront groupsfreereinincontrollingthem. Families TheoriginalMafia,asitevolvedin18th-centurySicily,combinedaspectsof asecretsocietywiththoseofanextendedclanandacriminalgang.Members underwentaninitiationceremony,andtherewasadistinctgapbetweenmembers andthosewhocarriedoutjobsfortheMafiosiwithoutyetbeing“mademen.” ThisstructurecontinuesinmodernMafiamobs. AttheheadofaFamilystandsaDon.Aconsigliereactsaschiefadvisortothe Donandistheprinciple“fixer”inmostmattersconcerningthemob.Inaddition, aDonhasanumberofcaporegimes,orcapos,whohandletheday-to-daydetails ofFamilybusiness.Eachcapoisinchargeofapartoftheareacontrolledbythe Family,andhasanumberofsoldati,soldiers,underhiscommand. TheFamilyisboundtogetherbymutualobligations,inanalmostfeudal pattern,andbytheconceptofomerta,thecodeofsecrecy.Underomerta,a MafiosoneveradmitstobeingamemberoftheMafia,andnever,ever,implicates otherMafiosiifheisapprehendedforacrime.Itisbecauseofomertathatthe Mafiosithemselvesrarelyusetheterm“Mafia.”Theyspeakof“LaFamilia,” “TheHonorableSociety”andofcourse,“LaCosaNostra”(“Thisthingof ours”).OmertademandsthattheMafiosoneveradmittoanoutsiderthatthe Mafiaexists. Overtheyears,theFamilybynamebecameafamilyinreality.Mafiositend tomarryintoMafiafamilies.Thisclannish,violent,inbredstructuresurvivedthe CrimeandPunishment -68 - explosionoforganizedcrimeintheU.S.duringProhibition.Inthe1970 sand 1980s ,itsurvivedtheinfluxofcompetinggangsfuelledbytheincredibleprofits ofthedrugtrade.ItsurvivedtheGrandSlam,thePattersongovernmentandthe PermanentEmergency. MafIncNames Thefirst-andsecond-generationfolkwaysoftheoriginalDons,the“menof greatrespect,”havebeenbroughtuptodatetomatchtheacculturated,usually highlyeducatedveneersoftheirgreat-great-grandchildren. Manyofthemostinfamousnamesinthehistoryoforganizedcrimearestill associatedwiththeFamiliestheyfounded:Capone,Genoveseandothers.Thisis a“statussymbol”inMafInc.Halfadozenoftheold,establishedFamiliesretain thenameofthefoundingDon,fromtheearly20thcentury. DuringacrackdownonMafiaoperationsintheearly2000s,anumberof youngerMafiosichangedtheirfamilynamestoWASPequivalents.Alessandro becameAlexander,GambinobecameChilde,VeronesebecameVernon,etc.Old-lineMafiosidenigratedthisasalackofrespect.Butastheydiedout,oftenin prison,thelatergenerationcameintopowerinthemobandtheirinnovation becamestandard.Outwardly,manyfamilieswhichnumberedDons,consiglieri, andcaporegimesamongtheirmembersmadetokengesturestowardculturalas-similation,whilesecretlytheysimplyentrenchedthemselve smoredeeplyintothe criminalsubcultureoftheirancestors. SecrecyandMafInc MafInckeepsitsconnectiontoFamilia, Ltd.,secret,andFamiliaisequallyparanoid aboutthemultipletentaclesithassticking intothecorporateworld.There'snoneon sig nsaying,“Familia,Ltd.-ShakingYou DownSinceThe18thCentury”onthecor-porateHQ.Maybetopgovernmentandcor-porateofficials,leadersoftheothermajor crimecartelsandsimilarlywell-placed typesmightknowabouttheCosaNostra's korpstructure,butoutsidersshouldnot! Thisisalwaysaprobleminwriting gamematerial.IngivingtheGMinforma-tionaboutwhat'sgoingon,wealsogiveit toanyplayersreadingthebook. It'srecommendedthattheGMnotuse thenameFamilia,Ltd.,butcomeupwith hisownname—somethingwithnocute punson“Family,”“Cos aNostra,”etc.,in it.Justalarge,verytoughU.S.korp,no differentfromanyoftheothers. Peoplewhofindoutaboutthekorp's connectionwithMafIncpossessverydan-gerousknowledge.Asfarastheworldis concerned,ifaMafIncconnectiontoa givencompanyisuncovered,onlythat companywasinvolved.Theexistenceofa massivemobpresenceinthecorporate worldisnotconsideredpossible.Andthe GMshouldfeelfreetoinvolveprotagonists insituationswheretheMafiaisinvolvedin acompanythatdoesnotbelongtoFamilia, justtokeepthemguessing. Forexample,manyofthekorpsthat supplytheOpenCities,whereMafIncpres-enceisagiven,aresimplyvendors,not frontsforthemobstheydobusinesswith. Theywillalmostcertainlyhavemobcon-nections,andmayevenuseMafIncre-source si nlabo rmanagement, assassinationsandotherillicitactivities. ButtheywillnotbepartoftheFamiliacom-plex.Strictlybusiness,gospodin. -69 - CrimeandPunishment TheOmertaImplant Traditionally,whenanewmemberis “made”-formallyinitiatedintotheCosa Nostra-heundergoesabriefritual,swear-ingloyaltytohisnewFamily,andtoom-erta,thecodeofsilence.Marinehasadded amoderntwisttotradition.Mostsoldiers arefittedwithan“Omerta”implant. TheOmertaimplantcombines: •apsychimplant(p.C38)thatgrantsa +2toIQforpurposesofresistingInterroga-tionskill.ItalsoinducesFanaticloyaltyto theMafiawhendealingwithnon-Mafiosi. Defeatingtheimplantrequiresverysubtle interrogation(onehourper“question,”in-steadoffiveminutes),orelsecountermea-suressuchasmedication,psychological trickery,etc.TorturejustembedstheFanatic resistancemoredeeplyandaddsnothingto theinterrogator'sskill. •acortex bomborsimilardevicethat canbetriggeredbyacodedbroadcastfrom thesyndicate.Itdoesn'thavetobeabig, splashybomb.Achipthatdischargesanice, tidyelectricaljolttothehighercerebralcen-ters(instantlobotomy)willdothetrickjust aswell.Ontheotherhand,particularlyin thelowerechelons,havingasquealer's headexplodeoverhalfthetablesattheBis-troduringthedessertcoursecanmakefora usefulobjectlesson. Theimplantispermanentlyinsertedin thenewsoldier'sskull.Removingitre-quirescarefulsurgery.MafIncscientistsare reputedtobeworkingonasecond-genera-tionimplantthatwillinduceselectiveam-nesia,oratleastkillthewearer,ifhebetrays themob,eithervoluntarilyorunderduress. Top-rankedMafiosiusuallyhavetheir implantsremoved.Thosewhoarebornto highpositioninaFamilyarerarely,ifever, fittedwiththeimplants. Inthemid-21stcentury,upper-bracketMafiosioftenout-WASPtheWASPs. Thereissomethingofacastesysteminvolved.ThehigherupthescaleaFamily memberis,themorelikelyheistoeschewanyvestigeofSicilianculturalheri-tage,atleastinpublic.Soldiers,however,areexpectedtocaricaturethe“Ol d Country”mannerismsofearliergenerationsofwiseguys,asabadgebywhichthe straightsandstreetiescanrecognizethemandgivethemthefearandrespectthey deserve. MafIncMembership Whensomeup-and-cominghoodwasrewardedwithfullmembershipinthe oldMafia,therewasaninitiationthatelevatedhimtothestatusofa“mademan.” Thepriceofadmissionusuallyinvolvedkillingsomebodyontheordersofthe loca lcaporegime.OncetheprospectiveMafiosohad“madehisbones,”therewas abriefritual,thetakingofsomebloodwithadaggertoimpressuponthenew soldierthathewasexpectedtolivebytheknifeandgun,andifneedbe,dieby themforLaCosaNostra. Today,theinitiationstillspillsblood,butitisthebloodofcoldlyefficient cybertech.Newwiseguysaregivenathoroughgeneticworkup.Iftheybetray MafInc,themobhastheirDNA“fingerprint.”Anewfacewon'thidethem.Most newmembersarealsogivenanOmertaimplant(se esidebar). AMafiosoisusedinanywaythathisDondeemsfit.Toughguys,often cyberneticallyenhanced,areusedtokeeporderinthestreets ,wherethemobstil l makesmuchofitswealth.Competition,whetherfrommembersofcompeting syndicatesorlocalgangshungryforasliceoftheprofits,isfierce,andthesoldati needthefirepowerandmodificationstostanduptothenastierproductsofthe Triadwhisperclinicsorthemoredementedmasterpiecesoftheback-streetbody shops.* Thosewithskillsintheofficeorthelabmaybeemployedincriminalor legitimateenterprises.Familia,Ltd.canalwaysuseamademanwithaclean recordandaPh.D. MafiosiwithlegitimatejobscollecttheirnormalsalariesontheJobTable(see p.23).Theygeta+2ontheskillrollfortheirincome,sincetheyaregettingalittle somethingextrafromtheirFamily.Mafiosiworkingthecriminalsideofthings usethe“MafIncsoldier”jobsonthetable. 'Traffs 'Traffisshortfornarcotraficantes,or“drugmerchants.”Theyaretheheirs oftheCentralandSouthAmericandrugcartelsofthelate20thcentury. Wealthyalmostbeyondcomprehension,the'traffshavediversified.Their originalfortunewasbasedononeormoreofthetraditionaldrugsortheirderiva-tives:opium,marijuanaandcocaine. TheMexican'traffswereabsorbedordrivenoutofbusinessbyMafIncwhen theyextendedtheiroperationsinMexicoaftertheannexation.TheSinaloaDrug Warsof2019,betweenMafIncandthe'traffsoftheSierradelMadre,wereas bloodyasanyborderclashesbetweenlastworldcountries. 'TraffsvirtuallyarethegovernmentincertainregionsofSouthAmerica. Mexican'traffmoneyhelpedfinancetherebelsofthesouthernMexicanstates. Themostovert'traffpresenceinthepoliticalarenaatpresentisBolivia,ofcourse, wherecartelmoneybacksthePWTrebel sagainsttheU.S.-backedmilitarygov-ernmentinLaPaz.Therearealsorumorsthatvengeful'traffsarehelpingto bankrolltheEcheveristasinCuba. 'Traff-financedterroristshavebecomeanincreasinglydangerouselementon theinternationalscene.Officialswhoimpedetheflowof'traffdrugsintotheir countriesareindangerofassassinationorkidnapping. CrimeandPunishment -70 - TheMajorCartels Inthe1970s,gangsofSouthAmericandrugdealersbeganformingcoopera-tiveassociations,generallycalledcartels.Thecartelsquicklyeitherabsorbedor frozeoutunaffiliatedgangs.Therearethreemajorcartelsinoperationin2043. AboutthreedozenothersyndicatesexistintheWesternHemispherethatcan properlybecalled'traffs,alongwithscoresoflocalgangsinvolvedinthedrug trade. UnliketheMafia,Triads,orYakuza,the'traffshavenoparticularinternal culture,notraditions.Theheadofacartelmaybeaself-mademanwhoseparents weredirt-poorpeasants,orthescionofoneofSouthAmerica'soldestfamilies. Themajor'traff scontrolproduction,transportanddistributionoftheirprod-ucts.Thus,abigcartelliketheChavezorMordellawillgrowtheplantsfrom whichtheirdrugsaremade,orpayfarmersontheirhometurfforharvestsofdrug crops.Theythenrefinetheplantsintobase(cocapaste,morphinebase,etc.)or finishedforms(cocaine,heroin,Sin,Slammer,etc.),smugglethemintothe firstworldmarketsandsellthemtolocalcriminaloperations.'Traffsarenot,asa rule,interestedinstreetsales,preferringtoactasproducersandwholesalers. Triads TheTriads,sometimescalledtongs,aredescendedfromthesecretChinese societiesfoundedtoopposetheManchudynastyinthe17thcentury.Legend tracestheiroriginsevenfartherback,totheRedEyebrowsSociety,whichwas instrumentalinoverthrowingtheusurperWangMangandestablishingtheEastern Handynastyin25A.D.LegendfurthernotesthattheRedEyebrows,outliving theirpatrioticorigins,becameafearedbandofoutlaws.Themorethingschange, themoretheystaythesame. TheTriadsontheEdgeoperateallovertheworld,buttheirprincipaltheater ofoperationisSoutheastAsia,andtheirunofficialcapitalisSingapore. WhenChineselaborersmigratedtoWesterncountries,theTriadswentwith them.Chinesecommunitieswereoftenghettos,isolate dfromthesurrounding culture.“Chinatown”isnotjustapicturesquetermforsomeplacewheretourists TheFamilies ThisisnotanexhaustivelistoftheMaf-IncFamiliesinProGov'sAmerica.ByDe-partmentofEnforcementestimates,there aresome200Mafiagangsoperatinginthe U.S.TheFamilieslistedherearethemajor ones.TheDonsofFamiliesmarkedwithan asterisk(*)holdaseatontheCommissione. ThesmallerFamilies,usuallywitha semi-feudalconnectiontooneofthesebig-germobs,operatealloverNorthAmerica. Rememberthatindividualmembersof thesefamilieswilloftenhaveanglicized versionsofthefamilyname(se ep.69). Atlanta,GA:Gianneti. BostonMetroplex:Alessandro*,An-giulo,Buccola. Buffalo,NY:Magaddino.* ChicagoUrbanComplex:Capone, Giancana.* Dallas-FortWorth,TX:Caracci. Denver,CO:Veronese. Detroit,MI:Zerilli.* GreaterLosAngeles,CA:Bompen-siero*,Merlino. GreaterNewYorkMetroplex:Bonan-no*,Colombo*,Gambino*,Genovese*, Lucchese.* Juneau,AL-Clemenza. KansasCity,MO:Lazia. MexicoCity,MEX:Fratangeli. NewOrleans, LA:Marcello.* PhiladelphiaMetroplex:Brunelli. SanFranciscoUrban Constellation: Lanza.* Seattle,WA:DeStefano. Tampa,FL:Trafficante. Washington,D.C.:Corsoni.* -71- CrimeandPunishment TheCommissione TheCommissione,or“Commission,”is not,asissometimessupposed,anactual governingbody.LocalFamiliesjealously guardtheirautonomyfromCommissione control,andhavedonesoeversinceNew York's“FiveFamilies”formedtheCom-missionein1931 .Acouncilofequals,the CommissioneisaforumwheretheFamilies enlistmutualaid,attempttoresolvedis-putesanddecidehowtheCosaNostrawill facenewchallengesandopportunities. Often,thoug hnotalways,oneDon seatedontheCommissionefunctionsas “firstamongequals.”Byacombinationof charisma,wisdomandferocity,thisindivid-ualistacitlyoropenlyrecognizedbyhis peersascapoditutti capi,or“bossofall bosses.” DuringMerleAlexander'stenureas capoditutticapi(seesidebar,p.67),the Commissione'sauthorityreacheditshigh-estpoint.Alexander'sirongriponFamilia, Ltd.'smanagementstructuregavehim,and theCommissione,unprecedentedleverage forkeepingeventhemostindependent Familiesundercentralcontrol.Eventhe Capones,whomaintainedthetraditional unpredictability,nottomentionmad-dog savagery ,ofthei rfounder ,toe dth e Commissione'sline. InthesixyearssinceAlexander'sdeath, nosuccessortohispowerandprestige amongtheDonshasemerged.Tensionson theCommissione,andamongthesmaller gangs,arehigh,withmanyFamiliesen-gagedinincreasinglybloodyturffightsfor controlofbothcriminalandlegitimate Mafiainterests. cangetgoodMuShupork.Prejudicesonbothsidesconfinedearlygenerationsof Chineseimmigrantstoclosedcommunities,whereChinesecriminalspreyedon Chineseinhabitants.RailroadworkersintheU.S.,sugarfieldhandsinHawaiiand cooliesonplantationsallaroundthePacificRimgambledinTriadcasinos, smokedTriadopium,paidTriad“squeeze.” AssubsequentgenerationsofChinese-borncitizensjoinedthemainstreamof theirsocieties,theTriadsunderwentthetypicalmetamorphosisofoutlawsubcul-tures.LikeMafInc,theywentmodern. TriadOrganization ThemajorityofTriadsincludetheword“society”somewhereintheirnames. Thus,ithasbecomestandardusagetorefertoaTriadsyndicateasaSociety. ThereisnocentralauthorityintheTriads,noequivalentofMafInc'sCom-missione.Thereareapproximatelyadozensocietiespowerfulenoughtodictate broadpolicyamongtheTriads,butthisisnotan“official”governingbody,nor dothetopsocietiesalwaysagreeamongthemselves. Asocietymayhaveafewdozenmembers,ormanythousand.Itmayconcern itselfwithstreetcrime,orwithillegalcommerceonanindustrialscale. Singapore'sstatusasacenterofcutting-edgecybertechnologyhasrevitalized theold-lineTriadsthere.Mostofthewhisperclinicsinthebackstreetsareunder Triadcontrol,oratleas tpayTriadsfor“protection.” TheTriadSociety ATriadgang,or“society,”isdividedintoranks.AtthetopistheShanChu, orLodgemaster.HeisassistedbyaFuShanChu,orDeputyLodgemaster,andis theabsolutemasterofthesocietyduringhistenure.BelowthemcometheHeung Chu,orIncenseMaster,inchargeofinitiatingnewmembersandpromoting existingmembers,andtheSinFung,orGuardian,responsibleforthesecurityof thesocietyandfordisciplineamongthemembers. Originally,theexecutivesofasocietywereelectedbythemembership.Now-adays,however,inmostcasestheShanChutakesofficebyvirtueofbeingthe strongest,orcanniest,memberofthegang.Heholdsthepositionforlife,oruntil heretires,voluntarilyorinvoluntarily,tomakeroomforayoungerShanChu.The lesserexecutiveofficesareeitherappointedbytheShanChuorelectedbythe membersofthesociety. CrimeandPunishment -72 - AsocietyhasonlyasingleLodgemaster.Ifthereisasub-branchofthesociety inanotherregion,itisheadedbyaChuChi(Leader).Majorsub-brancheshave theirownIncenseMasterandGuardian.Lesserbranchesdonot. Ineverybranchofasocietytherearelesserranks.Eachbranchwillhavea PakTszSin,orCounselor.ThePakTszSinactsasadvisertotheLodgemasteror Leader,inarolesimilartoaMafiaFamily'sconsigliere.LiketheMafiaofficer, thePakTszSinalsopassesexecutivedecisionsontothelessermembers,andacts asacutout.IllegalorderscanbetracedbacktothePakTszSin,butnotdirectlyto theShanChuorChuChi.IfaPakTszSincanbesubverted,bythepoliceorbya rivalgang,thedamagetothesocietyisusuallysignificant,andthisofficeis reservedforthemosttrustworthymembers. EachbranchhasoneormoreChoHai,orMessenger,whoactsastheinterme-diarybetweentheTriadandtherestoftheworld.ModernChoHaiareoften attorneys. TheHungKwan,orRedPole,istheequivalentofacaporegimeinMafInc stricture.Originally,aHungKwanwaschosenforhisskillasafighter,andleda groupofupto50warriorsincombatagainstrivalgangsorotherenemies.The modernHungKwanisa“department-head”rankintheTriadstructure.Hemay beacybermodifiedkiller,ahothacker,oracrookedbusinessmanager-whatever rolebestfitstheneedsofthesociety. Attheabsolutebottomofthestructure,therankandfilemembersarecalled SzeKau. TriadsandOtherSyndicates RelationswiththeRusski-Yakuza,theothermajorcriminalorganizationin Asia,alternatebetweenbloodyrivalryanduneasytruce,withoccasionalalliances ofconvenience.TheTriadsaremajorsuppliersofopiumandkappa-opiumde-signerdrugs,whichoftenpitsthemagainstthe'traffs ,especiallyontheWest CoastoftheU.S.andintheNetherlands,wheremuchofthedrugtraffictoUnited Europeentersthecontinent. Russki-Yakuza TheJapanesesyndicates,thenotoriousYakuza,havesurvivedandprospered intheone-and-twenty.LikemuchelseinJapaneseculture,theyhaveblendedwith theevolvingRusso-JapanesecultureintheCIS. RussiangangstersundertheSovietsweresmallpotatoes-strong-armmobs involvedinblackmarketsandshakedowns,underthethumboflocalmilitsiyaand theKGB.WhentheSovietlegalsystemlargelycollapsedintheearly1990s, Sovietcriminalsplungedintonewareas,largelyunimpededbytheweakened authoritiesofasocietynearingtotalbreakdown. AsJapaneseinterestsandJapanesebusinesspeopleandtechniciansmigrated totheCIS,theYakuzafollowedthem,astheyhavefollowedJapanesepopulations everywhereintheworld.TheYakencounteredthebrawling,crudeRussiangangs. Sometimesthecontactwasviolent;inthesecasestheYakuzausuallydelivered punishingdefeatstotheratherineptRussiangangsters.Inmostcases,however, theYakuzaadoptedthesameprinciplesasthekeiretsuindealingwithRussians: accepttheircrudeandbarbaricwaysasanunfortunatereality,andseektoassim-ilatetheirenergyintothesuperiorJapanesepatterntoformasynthesisof strengths. Theformulawaseverybitassuccessfulforcrimeasitwasforbusinessand technologicaldevelopment.CombiningtraditionalYakuzadisciplineandorgani-zationwiththespiritedenergiesofRussia,theRusski-Yakareviewedbymanyas thepremiercriminalorganizationontheplanet. DonJuliaVernon Age42;5'2“,11 0Ibs.;brunette,gray eyes. ST9, DX 11, IQ 13, HT10. BasicSpeed5.25,Move5. Dodge5. Noarmororencumbrance. Advantages:Appearance(Beautiful); Charisma+2;Literacy;Reputation(AllMa-fiosi,Allthetime,+4);Status4;Wealth (FilthyRich). Disadvantages:CompulsiveBehavior (Gambling);Greed;Secret(operatingas MafIncDon). Quirks:Loveshorses;wineconnoisseur. Skills:Accounting-16;Administration-15 ;BeamWeapons/TL8(Lasers)-13 ;Com-pute rOperation/TL8-14;Computer Programming/TL8-14;DetectLies-15;Di-plomacy-13;Fast-Talk-15;Interrogation-10 ;Law-14;Merchant-14;Guns(Pistol)-9; Research-16;Riding-12;Savoir-Faire-15; Strategy-16;Streetwise-15. Languages:German-13;Italian-13;Jap-aaese-13;Russian-13. DonJuliaistypicaloftheyoungergen-erationofDons,notleas tbecausesh eisfe-male.Thiswouldhavebeenunthinkablein hergrandfather'stime!Womenwerenever involvedinthecriminalactivitiesofthe Family,andafemaleDonwasanimpossi-blenotion. DonJuliarepresentstheleadingedgeof theMafia'snewwaveoftalent.Shesuc-ceededherfatherasheadoftheVeronese Family,inDenver.Hewasassassinateddur-ingaturffightwiththeHongShiSho,a TriadgangaffiliatedwiththepowerfulWo ShingWoSociety.DonJuliacoordinateda viciousreprisalbyVeronesesoldierson,the streetswithanattackontheHongShiSho computersthatdumpedaseriesofincrimi-natingfilesintothehandsofloca landfed-erallawenforcementagencies.Shehad foresightenoughtoforwardsomeofthe morespectacularlyinflammatoryfiles-the recordsofaHongShiShobodybankand fetusfarm—tothemediaaswell,thusen-suringthattheTriadswouldbecaughtina stormofpublicindignation,andthusunable tobuyofftheauthorities. AHarvardgraduate,DonJuliamain-tainsanimpeccablepublicfront,supporting culturalandcharitableeventswithalavish hand.Herconsigliere,Alfred”Nate“ Natatori,whoservedherfatherinthesame post,actsasacutout,makingitimpossible toprovethatthis”MafiaPrincess“hasany involvementwiththesordidactivitiesofher ancestors.DonJuliaisaimingforaseaton theCommissione,witheveryintentionof eventuallyrunningMafInc. -73 - CrimeandPunishment Vincent”Sticker“Guidone Age36;6'0”,190Ibs.;blondhair, browneyes. ST13(15),DX11(13),IQ8,HT12. BasicSpeed5.75,Move5. Dodge6,Parry9(Brawling). Noarmororencumbrance. Advantages:CombatReflexes;High PainThreshold;Reputation(Localcrimi-nals,Sometimes,+2);Wealth(Comfort-able). Disadvantages:Bully;Miserliness; Overconfidence;Reputation(Locallawof-ficers,Sometimes,-3);Sadism;Social Stigma(Visiblecyberwear). Quirks:Lovesgasolineautomobiles; showsofftrickswithcyberarm;getsmadif anyonemakesfunofthecyberarm. Skills:BeamWeapons/TL8(Laser)-16; Brawling-17;Driving(Car)-11;Fast-Draw (Claws)-15;Guns/TL8(Pistol)-16;(Assault Rifle)-14;Leadership-12;Mechanic/TL7-14;Tactics-10;Throwing-13;Traps/TL8-14. Equipment:StreetBionicRightArm (ST15 ,DX+2),WeaponMount:PL-5Laser Pistol,WeaponLink(+2tohit).SOTABi-onicRightEyewithLightIntensification, Polarization,OpticReadout.Omertaim-plant. StickerGuidoneisatypicalMafInchit man.“Made”inhismid-20safterahitchin theArmy,hegetsanincomefromseveral racketsinhisneighborhood,whichwereas-signedtohimbyhiscaporegime.Running theseracketsisnothisjob.Hekillspeople onordersfromthecapo.That'shisjob. Notoverlycursedwitheitherintelli-genceormorals,Guidoneisawalking cruisemissile.Youpointhimatatarget, turnhimloose,andshortlythereafterheara loudbang.Hisskillwithweaponsandhis cyberneticallyenhancedabilitiesputhima notchabovesimplesoldierswhenitcomes towetwork,buthe'snottheweapontouse whensubtletyiscalledfor.Terrorandvio-lencearehisstockintradeandhishitsare usuallybothbloodyandpainful. IlUnione IlUnione,“theUnion,”isacoalitionoftraditionalEuropeansyndicates.It takesitsnamefromtheUnioneCorse,theCorsicangangwhichmovedintothe powervacuumleftwhentheMafiacenteredmostofitsoperationsintheU.S. IlUnionecoversmostoftheMediterraneanregion,withoperationsinFrance, Spain,Portugal,Italy,theMiddleEast,Africa,GreeceandtheBalkans.Itisone oftheprincipalsourcesofarmsfortheinnumerableBalkanterroristandguerrilla organizations. LocalTalent Everycountryandsprawlhasitslocalgangsters.Themostpowerfulindepen-dentsareeasilyamatchforthelocalMarine,Triad,orRusski-Yakuzasyndicates, andtreatwiththemasequals. Forexample,theCeeBeeswereformedinLosAngeleswhenthepowerful CripsandBloodscombinedforcestoestablishtheirsupremacyinthefaceofthe resurgentMafIncandtherisingpowerofHispanicgangs.NooneintheL.A. Basincrossesthemlightly. Rackets Bloodsports Wherebloodsportsarelegal,criminalsareusuallyactiveonthefringes,in suchtraditionalpursuitsasfixingmatchesandbookingbetsoutsideoflegal channels,aswellasmanagingfightersorteamsforfunandprofit. Wherebloodsportsareillegalbutavailable,criminalsarebydefinitionrun-ningthem.Whetheritisakillmatchbetweenlocalthuggersinanullzone,ora thrillhuntintheglitteringSinCities,criminalslargeandsmallarecallingthe shots,arrangingthecards,payingoffthelocalpolice,etc. BodyBanks Legitimatebodybanksexist,suppliedbyvoluntarydonorsand,insomejuris-dictions,condemnedcriminals,theunclaimedremainsofdeceasedindigentsand similarsources. Tissuematchesareoftendifficulttofind,giventherelativelylimitedamount ofmaterialinthelegalbanks.Since,withtheexceptionofaccidentvictims, donorsarerarelyinthebestofhealth,usabletissueisoftenatapremium.And governmentregulationsoftencontrolwhomaybuyatransplantpartfromlicensed bodybanks. Thewealthy(ordesperate)oftenturntoillegalbodybanks.Whiletheyare oftenmoreexpensivethanlicensedbanks,theyarenotsubjecttogovernment regulationsorreporting.Inaddition,thecovertbanksalwaysseemtohavethe neededtissue,inexcellentcondition,withaverygoodtissuematch. Hmm.Howdoyouthinkthathappens? Illegalbodybanksdon'twaitforavoluntarydonortodieinanautowreck. Theymaintainextensivegeneticprofiles,obtainedinanumberofways,onsub-jectswhoarenotgoingtobemissediftheyjustdisappear.Recordsarecollected fromlaborpools,lootedfrommedicaldatabanksbyhackers,boughtlikeavidnet subscriptionlist.. .Thelatestscaminvolvescharityclinicsinthenullzones.The clinic'sonthelevel,itsstaffreallycommittedtohelpingthefolksinthearea;but themanagementispuremob,andeveryonewhogetstreatedleavesbehindatissue recordthatmightsendmobhitmenafterhimsomeday,ifsomeparyenwiththe credwantsanewliver. CrimeandPunishment -74 - Therearepickupparts,too.Somechumpwhoseeyesarebiggerthanhis credcardgetsinhockwithaloanshark,andfallsbehindonthepayments.Inthe olddays,theyusedtosendaguycalleda“legbreaker”todiscussapaymentplan withhim.Notanymore.Boneandmuscletissuesareto ovaluabletobreak.The newjobdescriptioncallsfora“legtaker.” Theluckyonesdon'tgetcollectedforaheartorlivertransplant-justakidney orlung,maybealimb-itsquaresthemwiththeloanshark,forawhileanyway. Butifthebankwantssomethingthevictimjustcan'tlivewithout.. .kakoy' oo'zhas.Toughluck,livewire. CreditCrime Youknowallaboutthisone,don'tyou,paryen?ThelifebloodoftheEdge comesfromwhatitcandrainfromtheveinsoflegitcreditchannels.Fromthe slickestwhite-collarcorporateembezzlertothegrungieststreethackerplaying grab-'n'-gowithsomebodyelse'scitcardnumber,thisiswhatitallcomesbackto. Securityonthenetisgood,andonlythebestcanmakealiving,muchles sa fortune,siphoningcredfromthekorpsandtheirfunctionaries.Thatdoesn'tstop folksfromtrying,though-attemptsrangingfromaudaciouslybrillianttomerely pathetic. Whentheaveragecitizenthinkscredcrime,hethinkstheftandfraud.There's plentyofthattogoaround,andtherearethoseontheEdgewhomakeahealthy livingatit.The“bigscore”isn'tentirelyamyth. Butthereallysmartmoneydoesn'tli ewithsuchclumsyandovertmethods. Therealacesusuallyworkinthemuchsafer,butmoredelicate,quasi-legalworld ofmoneylaunderingandsimilarfinancialrackets.Arealaceofafreelancecleaner canpullinasmuchannuallyasahigh-levelcorporateexecutive,atverylittlerisk fromthelaw. CrimeforHire Bothorganizedandlocalgangsprovidevarioussortsofcriminalexpertisefor hire.Theservicesavailable,prices,competenceofhirelingsandtheirloyalty, dependonthegang.Inthis,asinmostthings,yougetwhatyoupayfor.Andprices areuniversallyhigh. Thecommonestcrimeforhireisassault.PersonAdoessomethingthatdis-pleasespersonB.Bgoesoutandhiresacoupleoflegbreakerstopracticetheir craftuponA.Orjustkillhim. Streetgangscanrarelyprovideanythingbutviciousmuscle.Organizedcrime, ontheotherhand,canprovideanythingfromskilledassassinstocutting-edge hackerstocrookedprofessionalsorevenscientists. Pricesforhiringspecialists,onaone-shotbasisorlong-term,aregivenonpp. C27-28. Drugs Whereagivendrugisillegalorcontrolled,itwillbeforsalebybothlocaland organizedcrime.Whereitislegal,organizedcrimemaybeinvolvedinit smanu-facture,orinthesupplyofrawmaterials.Forexample,cocaineanditsderivatives areillegalinmostoftheUnitedStates.BothMafIncand'traffgangsareactivein itsproduction,importandsale.Anumberofmedicaldrugsarestrictlycontrolled intheU.S.Thereisathrivingblackmarketinsuchdrugs,bothfortheirmedicinal andrecreationalvalues.MafInchasalargepieceofthataction.Certainnarcotics arevendedbystate-licensedbodiesinUnitedEurope.IlUnioneandtheRusski-Yakuzaaremoderatelyinvolvedinblack-marketingthesedrugs.The'traffsandIl Unionenotonlysupplyrawmaterialstothepharmaceuticalcompaniesthatman-ufacturethelegalsupplies,butmakeillicitbatchesofthedrugsfortheirown dealersaswell. Narcotraficantes: TheBigThree TheChavez Cartel:BasedinBolivia, originallyintheChapareprovince,which producedmostofBolivia'scocaineexports, theChavezcartelwasoneofthefirst'traff syndicatestoapplymodernresearchmeth-odstoimprovingthepotencyanddiversity oftheirproduct.Theyareresponsiblefor thedevelopmentofthecocanovaplant,the basisofmanyofthehigh-techdrugsavail-ableonfirstworldstreets. TheChavezarealsoamongtheprinciple backersofthePWT(seep.16),therevolu-tionarypartyfightingtheU.S.-backed Boliviangovernment.TheheadoftheCha-vezcartelisAntonioSuarez,descendantof oneofBolivia'soldest,mostaristocratic families. TheMordella Syndicate:TheMordella arewidelyregardedasthemostruthless 'traffcartel.BasedinPeru,theyalsohave interestsinVenezuelaandeasternColom-bia.TheMordellaareheadedbytwocharis-maticgangsters,TeresaMasushigeand DiegoCuachamacha.Masushige,half-Co-lombianandhalf-Japanese,startedlifeasa prostituteinBogotaattheageof15 .Now 39,sheisknownas“theDragonLadyof theOrinoco.”Thereappearstobesomehis-torybetweenMasushigeandtheYakuza. Sheisreputedtobebitterlyhostiletowards theRusso-Japanesesyndicates.Mordella dealershaverefusedtoselltogangsunder Russia-Yakcontrol. Cuachamachaclaimstobeafull -bloodeddescendantofAtahualpa,lastofthe Incanemperors,killedbyPizarro'sconquis-tadors.Hehasbeenheardtoclaimthatthe drugshissyndicateproduceswillbethe weaponthatavengestheconquestofthe AmericasbyEurope. TheGroupofThree:AColombiancar-tel,G-3combinedthreeexistingcartelsinto asingleentity.Accordingtomostfiguresit isthewealthiestofthe'trafforganizations. Therepute dleaderofG-3isMiguel Sarmiento,headofwhatusedtobecalled theMedellincartel.Aruthlessthird-genera-tionnarcotraficante,Sarmientoisindrugs asabusiness.Hisprincipalenforcer, ReynaldoCabrera,i ssuspectedofassassi -natingMinisterofJusticePerezinthemid-dleofahigh-securitygovernmentfacilityin Bogota,aftertheministerignoredwarnings fromtheMedellin'traffstobackoffona newprogramofenforcement. -75- CrimeandPunishment NumberedRanks RanksinaTriadhaveamysticalsignifi-canceandareidentifiedbyanumberaswell asbythenameofanoffice. 489:ShanChu(Lodgemaster). 438:(heldbythe489'simmediatesub-ordinates,allofwhomhaveequalrankbut differentfunctions. )TheFuShanChu (DeputyLodgemaster),HeungChu(In-censeMaster)andSinFung(Guardian). TheChuChi(Leader)ofasub-branchof thesocietyisalsoa438. 432:ChoHai(Messenger). 426:HungKwan(RedPole). 415:PakTszSin(WhitePaperFan,or Counselor). 49:SzeKau(ordinarymember). Asmightbeexpected,the'traffsaretheleadersinorganizeddrug-running. Severalcartelssupportsophisticatedresearchfacilities,whereagronomistsand geneticengineersworkoveroldcashcropstoimprovepotencyandyield,andto designnewdrugsourcesandformulae.TomasvonJunzt,grandsonofemigreSS members,istheleadinglightoftheChavezcartel'sR&DfacilityinBolivia,and isresponsibleforsevera linnovationsguaranteedtogiveanyenforcementagent nightmares. However,whilethe'traffsgivedrugsaspecialstatusasthefoundationoftheir wealth,itisaprincipalracketforallthesyndicates,aswellassmallergangsall overtheworld. Extortion Strong-armextortion,extractingmoneybythreats,istheprovinceoflocal streetgangs.Theprotectionracket,whichregularizesthepractice,issometimes carriedoutbyloca ltalent,oramob-connectedgang.Itdependsonthelocation. Gangswithastronghonorcodeactuallydoprovidesomeprotectioninreturn fortheirpayoffs.Anhonorablestreetgangpunishestheft,drivesawayother criminalstryingtoextortmoneyfromastoreandfrightensoffvandals.Acon-nectedprotectionracketdoesthesamethings,andwill,foranextrafee,intercede withlocalauthorityonbehalfofthebusinessinmattersoflicensing,legalinfrac-tionsandsoon. Mostprotectionrackets,however,areplainextortion.Theonlythingsthe paymentsprotectyoufromarethe“protectors”themselves.Ifsomeoneelserips offtheshoporburnstherestaurant,toodriggin'bad. Gambling Wheregamblingislegal,organizedcrimeisofteninvolvedinrunningthe casinos,despiteoccasionalcrusadesto“cleanup”gamblingsites.Thegambling meccasofLasVegasandAtlanticCity,longtimecentersofMafiapower,became thenucleioftheSinCitiesofMafInc.IlUnioneoperatescasinos,legalorillegal, allovertheMediterraneanbasin.TheTriadshavebeenrunninggamblinghalls almostaslongastheyhavebeeninexistence. Illegalgamblingoperationsincludesmall-timelocallotteries(thenumbers racket),floatingdiceandcardgamesandbookmakingoperations.Theseflourish CrimeandPunishment -76 - evenwhenstate-licensedlotteriesandbettingagenciesareavailable.Thecrook's gamesdon'treportyourwinningstothegovernment,orwithholdtax.Ofcourse, highroller sintheSinCitiesdon'thavetosweatit.Theirwinningsaretax-freeas longastheystayinthesat-linkedbankingcartelsofZurich-O. LaborPoolManagement Familia,Ltd.,subsidiariesprovideunskilledandsemi-skilledworkersto orderforpublicandprivateenterprises.Recruitingcenters,mostofthemoperat-ingintheReservedstates,offerScaleThreeresidentstravelpermitstoselecte d worksitesintheUpper48.True,manyoftheseinvolvelaborunderextremely hazardousconditions,andoftentheworkersfindthemselve strappedinspiralling debt-bondagetothe“companystore.”Butthelureofescapefromthebleak povertyofaReservedzonekeepsplentyofapplicantslinedupattheregistration desks.Thissideoftheoperationisperfectlylegal .Similaroperationsexistin manylastworldcountries.Thestorm-lashedcoastalareasofIndia,Bangladesh, MalaysiaandIndonesiaprovidecheaplaborpoolsforkorpsalloverAsiaandthe MiddleEast.IlUnioneandtheTriadsbothhavefingersinthispie,andoccasion-allyfightbloodyturfbattles.Similarly,IlUnioneandtheRusski-Yakrecruit “garbites”fromtheBalkansandfamine-strickenNorthAfricaforthelaborpools ofEurope. Ofcourse,anumberoffine,upstandingkorpsalsorunlaborrecruitment operationsthatviciouslyexploitworkers,andthatmakethesyndicateoperations lookpositivelybenevolent. Forthemoment,thesyndicatesareaheadofthekorpsinfindingspecia luses forlaborers .Theycansiphonoffpromisingspecimensfromthelabo rpoolsto feedillega lorsemi-legalactivitieslikeprostitution,subrosabiomedicalresearch, fetusfanningandtheblack-marketbodybanks.Sinceacompletemedicalworkup ispartoftheregistrationprocess-afterall,aconscientiousemployermusttake careoftheworkers'health-syndicatecomputerscanusuallyfindasubjectto satisfyeventhemostunusualtissue-matchrequirements. Prostitution Insom epartsoftheworld,the“oldestprofession”islegal ,license dand taxed.Elsewhere,itremainsillegal ,thoughenforcementisspotty,unlesssome governmentistryingtodemonstrateit scommitmentto“reform.” Unfortunately,whereorganizedcrimeisactive,prostitutesareforcedtowork undersom eformoffranchisefromthesyndicate.Usually,theparasitescalled pimpswillbeintheequation.Aprostitutepaysapimpfor“protection,”oftenout ofaneuroticconvictionthatthepimplove sherorhim.Thepimppaystheloca l mobfora“franchise”tooperateinthatarea.Themobmaydopositivethingsto supportpimpsandprostitutes:theymayusepoliticalconnectionstopreserve favorablebusinessconditions,keeploca llawenforcementneutral-to-friendlyre-gardingprostitution,etc.Moreusually,thepaymentsareforwhatthegangdoesn't do-itdoesn'troughuporkillthepimporprostitutes,itdoesn'tsendnastytrade (possiblyinfectedwithsomeofthemoreunpleasantSTDs)theirway,etc. Itisimportanttoremembe rthatmanyprostitutesarenotin“thelife”volun-tarily .Economicpressuresforcesomeintoit .Othersareaddictedandturnto prostitutiontosupporttheirhabit.Insom ecases,pimpsrecruitprostitutesby addictingthemtosom edrugorwirethatonlythepimpcanprovide.Thisis commonwhenthepimpholdsa“franchise”fromtheloca lsyndicate.Atthe crudestlevel,suitablevictimsaresimplykidnappedandforcedtobeprostitutes. Inthedarkestcornersoftheone-and-twenty,thisusuallyinvolve ssom eformof surgicalorpsychologicalmodification,ortheneedforavictimforsomeex-tremelyviolentorevenlethalvice. Up-to-DateProstitution Casualcosmeticsurgeryandcertaincy-berneticmodificationscan“enhance”sex-ualcharacteristics.Socantheuseofvarious chipsanddrugs.Attheirmostinnocent, thes emodificationsareonaparwiththe implantsthatbecamesopopularnearthe endofthe20thcentury.Mostmiddle-or upper-bracketprostitutesundergosome formofcosmeticsurgerytoimprovetheir Appearance.Mostprostituteswhocanaf-forditgetoneortwochipslotsimplanted, allowingthemtousetheGeishaOccupa-tionalChipalongwithsalableBehavioror Attitudechips(se epp.C38and40). Somemarketsformodifiedsexpartners involvedanger,pain,orchangesthatwould maketherecipientafreakinnormalsociety . TheGMmaydecidewhichofthesehecares todealwithinhiscampaign.Itmaybea matterofwhichoneshecanstomachhaving inthecampaign. Oneofthenewest,andmosthorrible, modsiscalled“bunraku”onthestreet.The wordreferstothetraditionalformofpuppet theaterpopularinJapan.Thebunrakumod involvesachipslot,permanentneuralre-structuring,andaspecializedpersonality implan t(p .C39).Thevictimi sessentially dead,allhigherbrainfunctionsblankedout bythechange,andhisorherbehavioris dictatedbyanyofaserie sofspecialbrain-tape sreplaye dthroughtheimplant . TL8modificationscanalsoturnalmost anyoneintoa“customcutie”(that'sthe onlyprintablestreetnameforthismod).A wealthycustomercangetasexualpartner madetohisorherexactspecifications:Ap-pearance,characteristicsenhancedtothe pointofgrotesqueness,actualdeformities orhandicaps,exoticskinorhairimplants, andmentalprogrammingtoproducethede-siredattitudes.Theaveragepricetagfora fairly“normal”customcutieisabout $100,000 .Theskyisthelimi tforexotic tastes,whichmakesthisaviceofthevery wealthy.Sinceitalmostalwaysinvolvesthe kidnappingandinvoluntarysurgicalmutila-tionofthevictim,itisalsoaviceforthos e withfewerscruplesthanusual,evenbythe laxstandardsoftheEdge. -77- CrimeandPunishment DrugsontheEdge Asalways,theGMhasthefinaldecision astowhatrole,ifany,drugswillplayinan individualcampaign.AlltheTL8drugs listedonpp.C57-59areavailableonthe Edge,aswellastraditionaldrugssuchas cocaine,heroin,etc.Theirsourcescanbe quiteimportanttothosecrossingthepathof dealers,'traff sandothermembersofthe drugunderworld. Alldrugswhichhaveanaturalsource canbeproducedusingabiochemicalkit,if therawmaterialisavailable.Synthesizing anyofthes ecompoundswithouttherawma-terialrequiresabiochemicallab.Anydrug notlistedinthissidebarhasnonatural source,andmustbesynthesized. Cocaine:Cocainehydrochlorideisare-finedalkaloidofthecocaplant,indigenous tomountainousregionsofCentraland SouthAmerica. Crediline:Credilineisasynthetic,devel-opedaspartofaU.S.governmentprogram in2007forevaluatingtheuseofthenew generationofhallucinogensincovertopera-dons.Adrugwithidenticalpropertiescanbe refine dfro mcocanova(seeneocoke, below). Heroin:Thisisanalkaloidrefinedfrom theopiumpoppy(alsothesourceofopium andmorphine),whichgrowsalloverthe world.Thepoppyisraisedasacashcropin partsofCentralandSouthAmerica,South-eastAsiaandtheIndiansubcontinent. Marijuana:Thedriedleavesandflowers oftheIndianhempplant,Cannabissaliva, whichgrowsallovertheworld,areused. Notallstrainsproducemarijuanaofequal potency.Hashishismadefromtheplant's resin. Neocoke:Thisisthealkaloidofamutant cocaplant,cocanova(cocanovaterra von Junzt),developedbyresearchersforthe Bolivian'traff sin2025.Cocanovaisthe baseforneocoke(amorepotentformof cocaine),aswellasarangeofdesigner drugsandmedications.SinandSuperstim (se epp.C57-59)arecocanovaproducts. NervePoison:Therearetwoprincipal sourcesofthenervepoisonavailableonthe street:amutantshellfishtoxin,discovered in1993,andtherefinedvenomofthefugu blowfish.Bedsofshellfishinfectedwiththe toxin-producin gparasitearedestroyed whenfound,whichcanleadtoaracebe-tweenillegaldrugsuppliers(tryingtohar-vestth econtaminate dmollusks)and governmentforces(tryingtodestroythe bedtocontaintheinfection). Slammer:Derivedfromthealkaloidof anherbdiscoveredintheAmazonrainfor-estin1995 ,theoriginaldrugwasusedbya smallbutwarliketribetoensurevictoryin battle .Slammermanufacturedi nth e firstworldissynthesized,buttheMordella syndicatemakesthedrugfromtheoriginal herb,raisedonheavily-defendedplanta-tionsintheOrinocobasin. Goingt oCourt Inthevastmajorityofcountries,whenacriminalisarrested,heorshewill undergosomeformoftrialand,iffoundguilty,willsufferapenalty.Penaltiesmay includefines,prisonterms(though“prison”ontheEdgecantakeanumberof forms),mandatorytherapies,termsofpublicservice,etc.Manynationsin2043 stillhavethedeathpenalty. Somepenalsystemsconcentrateonretribution:theirprincipalconcernis punishment,asadeterrenttootherwould-becriminals.Othernationsmaybe concernedwithrehabilitatingthecriminalorpreventinghimfromcommitting crimesinthefuture.Stillothersystemsfocusonrecompense,ensuringthat,to somedegree,thecriminalcompensateshisvictimsandsocietyatlargeforthe damagehiscrimecausedandthecostofhispunishment. TheGMwillhavetodeterminewhetherthePCwinsorloseshiscase.This canbedonewithadieroll,modifiedbytheskillofthePC'sattorney,theactual guiltorinnocenceoftheaccusedorthecountrywherethetrialtakesplace.Alow rollindicatesafavorableverdict,whilehigherrollsindicatethedegreeofpunish-ment. Alternately,theGMcanarbitrarilydecidewhowinsthecase.IfthePCis foundguilty,thentheGMmustalsoassesspunishment. DoingTimeonth eEdge Therearelot sofwaystoserveprisontimeontheEdge,noneofthemvery pleasant. ControlRatingprovidesarule-of-thumbmeasurementoftherelativehuman-ityofacountry'slega lsystem.PrisonsinjurisdictionswithahighCRarelikely tobeprettyrough.Moreliberalgovernmentswillhavelessferociouspenalsys-tems. CrimeandPunishment -78 - Firstworldcountrieswillhavemorediverseprisonoptionsthanlastworld countries.Acountry'sTLwillhaveaneffecthereaswell.ATL8firstworld countrywillnotnecessarilybemorehumane!Confinementinsterile,controlled environmentswherethelatestinbehaviormodificationcanbeappliedtoprison-ers,orwhereconvictedfelonscanpaytheirdebttosocietybyactingasguinea pigsforthelatestR&Defforts,maymakediggingditchesinsomeminshy, lastworldstate'sjunglesloo klikeavacation. Andeveninthefirstworld,therearenastyjobswithhighlethalit ythatarejust rightforabunchofviciousconvicts. High-TechPrisons TheRatLab Aratlabisaprisonthatusesconvictsasexperimentalsubjectsformedical research,cyberweardevelopment,chemicalwarfaretestsandotherhigh-riskpro-grams.Asentencetoaratlabisconsideredtheequivalentofadeathsentenceor lifewithoutparole.Ofcourse,thecourtsdon'tuseanundignifiedtermlik e“rat lab.”TheU.S.name,forexample,is“convict-subjectpenalresearchprogram.” TheBody Banks Asentencetothebodybanksisadeathsentence.However,theconvictisnot simplyexecutedallatonce.Thatwouldbewasteful. Notechnologyexiststhatpreservesorgansascheaplyorefficientlyasaliving body.Soaprisonerismaintainedingoodhealthuntilthecomputersannouncea needfora“compensatoryorgandonation”thatmatcheshistissueprofile.Ifthe operationissurvivable,sayakidneyoralung,ormaybealimb,ormaterialfor skingrafting,thentheprisonerisgivenpost-operativecareandrestore dto “health.” Operationsthatwillkillthedonormeanthateverythingelseusefulwillbe salvagedatthesametime ,andstoredinthebodybanks.Ideally,someonewillbe abletousetheotherpartsbeforetheirshelfliferunsout. TheToxicCrew Thereareseveralkindsofhardtimeonthetoxiccrew.“Ex-urbancontami-nantreclamationcenters”areworkcampswheretheprisonershandlethedirtiest, mosthazardousjobsinclearingouttoxicwastedumps,radioactivewastedumps andsimilarvacationspots. Lockdown Lockdownisthetraditionalmaximum-securityfacility,high-techstyle.State-of-theartlockdownsmostlycontroltheprisonersremotely-prisonersmightgo dayswithoutseeingaliveguard.Butthey'realwayswatching,youbet.In lockdown,prisonersmayonlyassociateinsmallgroups,forpurposesofwork, educationandcounseling,orsocializing.Ifthere'sanydisturbancewhatsoever, theareaisisolated,sealedandfloodedwithanestheticgas,afterwhichtheguards moveinandremovethetroublemakers.Anyviolationofroutineordisciplineis metwithreducedprivileges-revokedgymtimeorvideoprivileges,orisolation. Thereisnoprivacywhatsoeverinlockdown-literallyeveryinchofanyarea accessibletoprisonersissubjecttoaudioandvideomonitoring.Theguardscan't watcheverymonitorallthetime,buttheprisonersneverknowwhentheManis watchingandwhenhe'snot. Ofcourseold-fashioned,low-techprisonswithhumanguardsstillexist,par-ticularlyinpoorercountries,orontheloca llevel.There'slittledifferencebetween theseestablishmentsandAlcatrazattheturnofthe20thcentury. FetusFarming Researchi ntheearly2000 ssupported earliertheorieswhichpositedthatfetaltis-sues-incrediblyadaptableandcapableof rapidgrowth-wouldallowtransplantther-apiestocorrectpreviouslyuntreatabledam-agetothecentralnervoussystem,with minimalfearoftissuerejection.Whilere-sultsremaineduneven,moreandmoreevi-denceshowe dthatfetaltissuetransplants wereincrediblyeffectiveincertaincases. Ethicalandpoliticalconcernsaboutthe newtherapiesdidnotabateinthefaceof this,andlater,evidence,andtheissuere-mainscontroversialinmanycountries,the U.S.amongthem. In2023,thekeytopredictabletissue-transplanttherapie swasisolated .Subtlege-neticpatternshadtobematchedwiththe recipient'sgeneticmaptoensurethemost effectiveacceptanceofthefetaltissue.Cer-tainraregenotypeswereidentifiedasvirtu-allyuniversaldonors. Tissuesusedinlegaltransplantsarepro-videdbymiscarriages,orlegalabortions. However,aswiththebodybanks,theexact tissuematchesneededforthebestchanceof successareofteninshortsupply.Thishas le dtoaracketsorepulsivethatitisacapital crimeinalmosteverycountryonEarth: fetusfarming. Womenwiththerightgeneticmapare kidnapped,impregnatedwithspermfroma geneticallysuitablemale,andattheappro-priatestagethepregnancyisaborted.Since themarketdemandforhigh-acceptance fetaltissueisalwaysstiff,theprocessisre-peated-andrepeated. The“best”fetusfarmsareestablishedin good-qualityclinics,TL7orhigher,anduse minimallyinvasivetechniquestokeepthe captivewomendocileandensuretheir healthandthehealthoftheembryosthey arecarrying.Suchfarmsoftenoperateusing legitimateobstetricsclinicsasfronts. Low-budgetfetusfarmsaresqualid slicesofhell.Thewomenarecontrolled withphysicalbrutality,andmedicalfacili-tiesareminimal.Onlythetissue-preserva-tio napparatu si sanywher enear state-of-the-art. -79- CrimeandPunishment Fines MostcountriesontheEdgehavelaws thatallowthemtoimpoundelectronicva-lutainanticipationofafine,beforethetrial, topreventthedefendantfromhidinghisas-sets.Thismeansthataprisonermustget permissiontospendmoneyuntilthetrialis over.Iftheprisonerescapes,orviolates bail,thenthegovernmentwillconfiscate theaccount. Ifacharacterischargedwith afelony, roll1d .Ifheischargedwithamisdemeanor, roll2d.Iftherollislessthanorequaltothe government'sControlRating,thegovern-mentwilltrytoimpoundhisaccounts. Ofcourse,someaccountsareeasierto locatethanothers. NationalData Banks:Ifthecharacter hasfundsinanaccountinthecountry'sna-tionalnetwork,creditedtotheidentit y underwhichheisbeingtried,theaccount canbeattachedimmediately. Iftheaccusedhasfundsunderanother identity,suchasanAlternateIdentity(seep. C19),thesearesafeunlesstheidentityhas beendiscovered,inwhichcasethefunds creditedtoitarealsoimpounded. KorpCreditSystems:Suspectswith fundsinakorp'sinternalcreditsystemare safefromgovernmentalgrabsunlessthe korpdecidestocooperatewiththegovern-ment.Theywillifprotectingtheoffender wouldcostthekorpmoneyorinfluence. Anyonewhorevealshisconnectionwitha korphecommittedacrimeforwillcertainly losehisfunds. DataHavens:Fundsinaprivatedata haven(seep.49)cannotbeimpounded.A “crow”(seep.64)canbeimpoundedifthe governmentleamstheaccesscode. Besidestheseformsofelectronicfunds, therearethevariousformsoflegalandille-galcurrency(thatis,realpaperscrip),funds heldbysomeoneelseonbehalfofthepris-onerandsoon.Unlessthegovernment knowseverythingthereistoknowaboutthe prisoner,itisunlikelytobeabletogethold ofvalutalikethis. Gulags ThesearetheprisonswhereMotherNaturedoesmostoftheguarding.A gulagisaminimum-securityfacilityinsomegeographicallyisolated,environ-mentallyhostilearea.Anescapeewillfindnorefugefromairbornesearchers,and adearthoffood,waterandshelteronhistrekbacktocivilization. TheU.S.maintainsprisoncampsinCoahuila,Mexico,andontheIsla TiburonintheGulfofCalifornia.ThecityofLosAngeleskeepsaprisoncampat thesiteoftheformerMarinebaseatTwenty-ninePalms.ManySouthAmerican andAfricancountriesmaintainprisonsonsmalloffshoreislands.Thefamous gulagsofSiberiaaren'tdead,althoughthey'renolongerascrowdedorasbrutal astheywereduringStalin'sregime. Rehab Rehabis“easytime.”Itsgoalisactualrehabilitationoftheinmates.Training invarioussocially-acceptableskillsisavailable,asarework-releaseprograms, socialandpsychologicalcounseling,andotheradvancedpenologicalprograms. Somerehabprogramsaren'tsoeasy-specifically“boot-camp”programs,where youngperpsareexposedtomilitary-styledisciplineforaperiodofweeksor monthstotrytocurbtheircriminalnatures. HouseArrest Intheone-and-twenty,thereareplentyofwaystomonitorawrongdoer's actionswithoutlockinghimup.Theeasiest(fortheprisonerandtheauthorities) istofithimwithsomesortofmonitor-eitheranimplantoranunremovablepiece ofjewelry,usuallyabracelet-whichwillallowauthoritiestodeterminehis positionatanytime,andwillcauseanalarmtosoundatpoliceheadquartersifhe leavesacertainareawithoutauthorization. Behavior-modimplantsarealsooftenusedinconjunctionwithhousearrest. Althoughhighlyeffective,thesearerarelyusedbecauseoftheexpenseinvolved. Take,forexample,aperpwhoonlygetsintotroublewhenhedrinks.Hemightbe givenanimplantthatcauseshimtobecomeviolentlysickwheneverhisblood alcoholreachesacertainlevel.Someonepronetoviolentragesmightbegivena hormone-blockerthatstopsthereleaseofthechemicalsthattriggeredhispsy-choticstate,etc. CommunityService Insteadofdoingtime ,theconvictedcriminalisforcedtospendacertain amountoftimeeachweekdoingcourt-mandatedgooddeeds.Needlesstosay,this sentenceismostlyreservedfortheaffluentandtheprofessionallytrained.Service usuallyinvolvesgivingfreeprofessionalhelporadvicetotheneedy,orworking forthegovernmentwithoutpayment. CrimeandPunishment -80- POPGOESTHE CULTURE TheRomanshaditright-allyouneedtocontrolthe massesis“breadandcircuses.”Andiftheshow'sgood enough,thebreadisoptional. MarshallMcLuhanalsohaditright-hesaid“themedia isthemessage.”ButMcLuhandidn'tgoquitefarenough. OntheEdgetheyknowthatthemediaiseverything;thereis nomessage. -81- PopGoestheCulture Advertising AdvertsareeverywhereontheEdge. The20th-centurypatternofpastinganadon everyavailableinchofwallspacehasonly grow ni nthi scentury ,an dno wth e technology'sevenmoreintrusive.Eventhe mostmodestbillboardsaredigitizedtopro-videlightingeffectsandanimation.The SOTAadsareholographicprojectionsthat canfollowthehelplessconsumeraround forblockswiththeirvariouspitches. Onethingbillboardsdon'tdoistalkto you.Mostfirstworldcountrieshavepassed noisepollutionregulationsthatlimitthe volumeonaudibleadvertising,andrestrict ittotraditionalauralmedialikevideoand cinema.Thereareafewhigh-techcountries thatarelessmeticulous,however.Inpartic-ular,thedinintheSingaporesprawlisleg-endary. Themostpervasiveadvertisingonthe Edge,however,isinthedigitalmedia.Ads proliferateontheon-lineservices,including thenationaldataterminals.Mostcommer-cialsoftwaresellsadvertising,whichpops upatcertainunavoidablejunctureswhile theprogramisrunning.Somehardware evenhasadshardwiredintoitsCPU. Withallthi sstimulu st ocompete against,adstendtobeasgarishaspossible, totrytocatchtheeyeoftheaveragejaded consumer.Sexstillsells,andmanyofthe adsdisplayedonapublicsidewalktoday wouldhavebeenenoughtoearna20th-cen-turymovieanX-rating. Muchkeiretsucredandenergyisex-pendedinmaximizingadvertisingimpact throughdemographicstudiesandpsycho-logicalmanipulation.Nobody'sreallysure jus thoweffectiveallthisis ,sinceJoeCiti-zenonlyhassomuchcredtospreadaround. Buttheaverageadvertisingsararimanis mortallyconvincedthatonlythroughcon-stantlyupgradinghispsychanddemotech-niquescanhehaveanyhopeofmaintaining hismarketshareagainsttheaggressive competition.It'saredqueen'srace,withthe korpsrunningjustasfastastheycantostay inthesameplace. Twentieth-centurypunditslikedtopredictthatnewtechnologieswouldmake theoldartformsgododo.Thathasn'thappened.High-Csstillpayplentyforgood seatsforAidaattheMet.TheRoyalShakespeareCompanystillgetsstanding ovationsforitsMacbeth.Someartistsstillsmearpaintoncanvasorchipawayat rocks,andafewofthemevenmakemoneyatit.Therearestillclubswherethe guyonstag eissingingalongwithanacousticguitarorpiano,orplayingthe saxophone. Sooldartisn'tdead,orevenparticularlysick.Butit'salsonotwhat'shappen-ingontheEdge.Oldartisfineforconnoisseursandaficionados,butit'snotwhat speakstothepeople.Innowart,techrules,andtechiswhatthemasseswantfor theircircuses. OnStage Inthe2030s,performanceartfinallycameintoitsown.Performanceartwas abastardchildofthe1970s .Aperformer,usuallysolo,wouldmixspokenword, music,soundeffects,visualeffectsandpropstocreateatotalartisticexperience. DuringtheTDplagueandtheaftermathoftheGrandSlam,theartform languished.Duringthosebaddays,peopleweren'tinterestedinexpandingthe boundariesofartisticexperience;theyjustwantedmusicandshowsthatwould blastthemiseryoutoftheirheads.Theavant-gardeneverwentaway,butthe outsideworldstoppedpayingeventokenattentiontoit. Bythemid-'20sthingshadstabilized(ifnotimproved)toapointwherethe mainstreamstartedtoreachouttothefringe.Intheinterim,technologyhad advanceduntiltheearlyperformancepieceslooke dlik emaskedGreektragedy. In2033,anAlbertanartistnamedColbyCantorreleasedathriddieofhis performanceartpieceUncleIvan'sSandwichShoppe,amodestbutengaging 47-minutepieceportrayingaseriesofcustomersatacut-ratelunchstand.It exploded.UncleIvan'sout-grossedeveryotherentertainmentreleaseoftheyear byamarginofmorethantwotoone.Cantorembarkedona3-yearglobaltour performingUncleIvan'stosold-outaudiencesinstadium-sizedvenues. PopGoestheCulture -82- Otherperformanceartists(soonshortenedtoP.A.s)profitedfromCantor's success.Theiraudiencesexpandedtounheard-oflevels,bringinginmoremoney thaneverbefore.Theartistsinvestedthismoneyinbettercomputersandthe developmentofnewsoundandimagingsoftware.Theyusedthisnewtechto produceperformancesthatwerebigger,wilderandmoreoutrethananythingseen before.BythetimeCantorfinishedtheUncleIvan'stour,hisbreakthroughpiece lookedasquaintandprimitiveasa20th-centurystand-upcomedyroutine. Today,abig-nameP.A.isjustasrichandfamousasaleadingmoviestaror sportsfigure. Theothermajortrendinliveperformanceisthebroadway,shortfor“Broad-waySpectacular.”Abroadwayisanylargeandelaboratetheatricalspectacle. (ManybroadwaysstilldebutonBroadwayinNYC,butit'snotmandatory-the term“broadway”denotesscale,notorigin.)Usingtechniquesrangingfrom3-D animationtosubsonicmoodalteration,thebroadwayattemptstocreateatheatri-calexperiencethatapproximatesvirtualreality.Butthecharactersareliveactors, notrecordings.Foralltheirtechnicalsophistication,thebroadwaysstillhavealot incommonwiththeBroadwayplaysofthe20thcentury-namelythatthey're ridiculouslyexpensivetoproduceandtoattend,andmostofthemfail.Theocca-sionalmajorhitbroadwayisenoughtokeeptheformflourishing,though. SnuffArt Snuffartisbasicallythepublicsuicideofanartist.Likemanycontroversial avant-gardeartforms,it'smorediscussedthanseen.In2042,therewerelessthan 20snuff-artperformancesthatactuallyresultedinthedeathorseriousinjuryof theartist.“It'sagreattrick,butyoucanonlydoitonce.” Snuff-artapologistsarequicktodistancetheartfromsnuff-porn.Thedistinc-tion,theysay,isthatwhilesnuffpornistheviolentmurderofanunwillingvictim forvoyeuristicgratification,snuffartisawillingsacrificeontheartist'spart, intendedtocreateaprofoundartisticstatement.“Yeah,right,”theform'scritics respond. Thefirstsuccessfulpublicsnuff-artperformancewasin2037,whenpoet LolitaHiroshimacommittedtraditionalJapaneseseppukuonstageataBerkeley performanceclub.Thenextyearsnuffartreachedanall-timeannualhighof44 successfulperformances.Deathsinvolvingself-immolationorpyrotechnics-flameouts-werethemostpopular.Alwayscontroversial,snuffartreceivedits mostintenselynegativenationalpublicityinearly2040,whenaflameoutperfor-manceinChicagogotoutofcontrolandcausedthedeathof43spectators.Today snuffartisillegalinmostplaces-eveniftheperformanceissuccessful,club owners,promotersandevenaudiencememberscanbeprosecutedifitcanbe proventhattheyknewinadvancethatapublicsuicidewasplanned.Eveninthe SinCitiessnuffartisheavilyregulated,topreventarecurrenceoftheChicago disaster. Despiteofficialcondemnation,snuffartloomslargeinthepublicimagina-tion.Avideocompilationofsuccessfulsnuff-artperformanceswasoneofthetop fivevideosof2041,andasequelisplannedthisyear. Aslightlymorerespectablecousinofthesnuff-artmovementis“snuffscam,” wheretheartist'sgoalistofakehissuicideinthemostrealisticwaypossible. Somesnuffscamsaredramatic,attemptingtocapturethemoodofarealsnuff-art performance,butmostofthemaresatirical,orfranklycomical.ThePennJillette MemorialSnuff-Off,heldeachofthelastthreeyearsinLasVegas,isanational amateurcompetitionofsnuffscammers.The2043competitionlastedtwoweeks, attracted734competitorsandawardedagrandprizeof$333,000,pluslesse r prizesinsixindividualcategories-no-tech,techles sthan$25,000,andunlimited, eachwithacomedicanddramaticdivision. SinCities A“Si nCity”isanneofeudalenclave wheretheProGovhassuspendedalllaws against“victimless”crimeslikegambling (whichispartiallylegalizedanyway),pros-titution,pornographyandnarcotics.People canindulgeinwhatevervicestheycanpay forinaSinCity.Inreturn,thegovernment getsawindfalloftaxmoney,andthegood-willofMafInc. Besidesmoreself-destructivepastimes, visitorstothesincitiesaremassivecon-sumersofpopularentertainmentofallsorts. Consequently,professionalandwould-be professionalentertainersaredrawnthere likefilingstoamagnetorfliestoacorpse. Themostfamous“si ncities”areAca-pulco,Miami,AtlanticCityandtheentire stateofNevada,dominatedbythecitiesof LasVegas,LakeTahoeandReno.Whenthe U.S.conqueredCuba,MafInc-anorgani-zationwithaverylongmemory-immedi-atelyre-establishedoverthecityofHavana thecontrolitlostwhenCastrocameto powerinthe“50s.However,whenthe EcheveristarevolutionforcedCubaintoa stateofmartiallaw,Havana'sspecialstatus asaSinCitywasrevokedforthedurationof theemergency. Therearetwoothersincities,besides theoneslistedabove,whicharenotunder thedirectcontrolofMafInc.NewOrleans hasaneofeudalexemptionfromfederal vicelaws,butlocallawsconfinelicentious behaviortotheBourbonStreetdistrict,ex-ceptduringMardiGras.WhileMafInchas significantbusinessinterestsinNewOr-leans ,itdoesnotexertanythinglik etheab-solutepoliticalcontrolitholdsoverthe othersincities. ThefinalSinCityisSanFrancisco.San Franciscoisprobablythemostpolitically freeplaceintheU.S.,outsideofAlaska(al-thoughvoicesthataretooradicalareprone tounfortunateaccidentsorunexplaineddis-appearances,eveninSanFrancisco).The onlythingthatstopstheNERCCfrommov-ingintoSanFranciscoinforceandclamp-ingdownhardisfearthatsuchamove wouldsparkanoutrightwarbetweenthe NERCCandthenumerousmilitantgayand counterculturalgroupsthatmaketheir headquartersinthecity.Anyway,lettingall thefreaksmovetoSanFranciscomakesit easierfortheProGovtokeepitseyeon them.Still,conservativesareconstantly predictingtha tthewrathofGod,the NERCCorbothwillsoondescendupon SanFranciscoandwipeitoffthefaceofthe earth. TheTriadsarethedominantcriminalel-ementinSanFrancisco(particularlyinthe drugtrade),butthey'rejustonepolitical groupamongmanyinthecity.They'renot thebosses. -83- PopGoestheCulture SubversiveArt Inrepressivesocietiesoneoftheonly waystospreadthewordofchangeistohide themessageinpopularart.Thisgoesonall thetimeontheEdge,andsometimesiteven works. Withits”breadandcircuses“policies, theProGovknowsthatsubversiveartisone ofitsgreatestvulnerabilities.Consequently, thereexistsaspecialbranchoftheNERCC -theinnocuous-soundingArtisticAdvisory Council-specificallychargedwithsniffing outandsquelchinganti-ProGovartand music. TheAACisauthorizedtosubpoenaany artistinanymediumandhavehimshow causewhyhisworksshouldnotbebanned intheinterestofpublicorder.Iftheartist can'tjustif yhisworktotheAAC,itcan subjecthimtopenaltiesincludingAACpre-screeningofallfuturework,finesagainst theartistandanyindividualorkorpthat sponsorshim,oroutrightbanningofagiven workorevenallpastandfutureworkbythe artist.TheAACcanalsodeportordeny visastoforeignnationalsandevenreferthe casetotheNERCCproper,tobringcharges oftreasonagainsttheartist. Still,thereareafewslickartistswho managetoduckthenerkwatchdogsandstill gettheirmessageouttothoseit'sintended for,atleastforawhile. OnScreen Inthe1.950s ,3-Dwashailedasthecinematicwaveoffuture.Now,almosta centurylater ,thefutureisfinallyhere.Bothcinemaandbroadcastvideohave beencompletely3-Dsincetheearly'30s . Mosthomevidis”recessedholographic“3-D.Thatis,togetthe3-Deffect (ortoseeanythingatall,forthatmatter),theviewerhastobeonthecorrectside ofthevideo”screen“(whichmayormaynotbeanactualphysicalobject,de-pendingonthesophisticationoftheequipment).Manycinemasalsouserecessed holographictechnology. Themostsophisticated,high-techmovietheatersboast”full360°holo-graphic.“Thistechnologyallowstheviewertowalkinacompletecirclearound theholographicimage,withoutanylossofdetailordefinition.Theadvantageof full-360isthattherearenobadseats-anybodywhocanseetheimageatallgets thefulleffect. Therearetwodistincttypesoffull-360holography.”Panoramic“allowsthe viewertochangehisperspectiveonthescene.Ifhewerefacingtheleadinglady andthenwalkedtotheothersideoftheimage,he'dbelookingatthebackofher head.”Static“keepstheimagestationaryrelativetotheviewer,regardlessofthe viewer'sposition.Iftwopeoplewerelookingatthesameactress'sfaceandoneof themwalkedofftotheside,they'dbothstillbelookingstraightintotheactress's face.Mostdirectorspreferstaticholography,sincethisallowsthemmoreprecise controlofcinematicimage(andsinceitcostsroughly25%whatitcoststofilmin panoramic). Sowithallthiswonderfultechnology,what'son?Prettymuchthesamestuff asalways.Comediesandsitcoms,melodramaticsoapoperas,sportingevents, crimedramasandaction-adventure.Youngerviewersprefer”historical“costume adventuresorfantasiesthatechothelatestfashiontrends-iftightsanddoublets areinfashion,yougetswashbucklers,ifdustersandbootsarehot,thekidswatch westerns. PopGoes theCulture -84- Distributorsarestillbusilytryingtoconvert20th-centuryclassicsintocolor and3-D,andpuristsarestilloutraged.Moderncolorizationlooksinfinitelymore naturalthantheuglyandprimitive20th-centuryattempts,butit'sstillnotpossible tomakeafilmthatwascarefullylitforblackandwhitelookasgoodincolor. Onepromisingnewtechnologyinvolvesusingvirtualrealitytechniquesto replicateclassicstarsinnewroles-forexample,amodernromancestarring JamesDeanandJeanHarlow,bothintheirprime.Theartisstillinitsinfancy-eventhebesteffortslooksomewhat”animated,“butadvancesarebeingmade steadily.Thereallyhardpart,ofcourse,iscapturingtheuniquegeniusandcha-rismaofthestarbeingportrayed;butthereareafewproducerswhoseemtobeup tothetask. SeeingaShow Thevideorevolutionwassupposedtokillthemovietheater.Notso.People stillvaluethetheatersfortheirscaleandforthecommunalexperience.Also,most high-budget,first-runthriddiesaren'treleasedtothehomemarketuntiltheystop beingprofitableinthetheaters. Incablevideo,theTVstationisathingofthepast.Insteadoftuninghissetto acertainchannel,producedbyasinglestation,the21st-centuryvieweristheone whodecideswhat'son.Hecanselectfromcertainpresetprogrammingtracks,or hecancustom-orderanindividualprogramfromthecableservice'slibrary.The basiccablesubscriptionrateincludesfreeaccesstoacertainnumberofprogram-mingtracks(typicallyabout200),andabasiclibraryoffeaturesandinformational programming.Foranadditionalfeehecansubscribetomorespecializedpro-grammingtracks,orselectfromanextendedlibraryonapay-per-viewbasis.In mostfirstworldcountriescableserviceaveragesabout$3 5amonth. Video-chipplayersarestillusedforviewinghomevideo,orcommercial releasesthatareto osubversive,inept,obscureorshockingforthecableservice libraries.(PossessionofsubversivemediaisacrimethroughouttheU.S.,and certaintypesofpornographyarealsorestrictedinsomeormostjurisdictions.) VirtualRealityandth eSensies Thedevelopmentandlimitationsofvirtualrealityaredetailedonpp.199-121. Artistically,VRisconsideredabitofadeadend.It'sallrightforgamesand travelogues,butit'snotarealartisticmedium. Still,it'spopular.VRparlorshavesprungup'everywhere,wherepeoplecan goandstarintheirownvirtualadventure(solooraspartofateam)forareason-ablefee(typicallyabout$5anhourandup).PersonalVRrigsareavailableand becomingincreasinglysophisticatedandinexpensive.Rightnowanaverage-qualityVRrigcostsabout$2,500andweighs30pounds. OnesmallAmericankeiretsuhasannouncedplanstodeveloptheworld'sfirst on-linevirtualamusementpark,tobecalled”Joyeux.“Tentativeopeningdatefor Joyeuxis2050. Sensies,or”trips,“ontheotherhand,arethecutting-edgeentertainment mediumoftheone-and-twenty.Inasensieanindividual-thesensostar-jacks intoacomputerwhichrecordshiseveryphysicalsensationonastandardchip. Thischipcanthenbeslottedbyanyone,whowillshareallthesensationsofthe originalexperience. Ofcoursepornos,bothsoft-andhard-core,areastapleoftheindustry.Sens-iesalsoallowtheusertoexperiencetheadrenalineandendorphinrushesofa violentencounterwithouttheunpleasantafter-effects.Mostactionsensiesalso usepain-filters,thatremovethesensationsofphysicalpainandreplacethemwith amuchmoremuted,onlyslightlyunpleasantsensation.Themostpopularaction-Literacy Believeitarenot,somepeoplestillread forfunontheEdge. Becauseofdeforestation,wood-pulp paperisexpensive,andusedonlyforart suppliesandverylimited-editionprestige publishing.Mosthardcopyisprintedon “filmy,”abio-degradableplastic,butmost textisdigitized. Booksaresoldprimarilyinmini-CD form,andcanbeplayedonanyCDdrive. Magazinesandnewspaper scanbe downloaded,fortheusualcoverorsub-scriptionprice,fromanydataterminalor telephone.Copyprotectionmakesitdiffi-cultandexpensive(aswellasillegal)tore-producetextmaterialsaftertheinitial download. Althoughanycomputercanreadabook chip,manypeopleprefertoreadwhilere-laxingoronthemove.Forabout$1 5and up,textreadercomputersareavailable.A textreaderisapproximatelythesamesize andconfigurationasapaperbackbook,i.e. , it'sasmallbox,hingedinthemiddle,that opensuptorevealapage-sizedscreenanda simplecontrolpad.Whenabookorperiod-icalisslottedintothereader,thetextwill appearonepageatatimeonthescreen. Textreaderscanbecustomizedwithgraph-ics-capablescreens(forillustratedtextsor comicbooks)andsoundcards,whichwill allowthetextreadertoreadthetextoutloud toitsuser.Soundcardsareaparticular blessingtothesemi-literatemassesonthe Edge(see”Literacy,“p.22).Anaverage qualitygraphicsupgradecosts$25,anda soundcardcostsabout$20. Booksreleasedbymajorpublisherstyp-icallyhaveanimatedillustrationsorgraph-ics,soundeffectsandsometimeseven dramatizedreadings(i.e. ,adifferentvoice foreachcharacter),butreaderswhodon't haveagraphicsorsoundcardwiththeirtext readerscanstilljustreadthewords. -85 - PopGoestheCulture Cyberaxes A”cyberaxe“ismusicians'slangfor anymusicalinstrumentthatincludesacy-berneticinterface.Acyberaxecanbeagui-tar ,keyboard ,dru mkit,woodwind, harmonica-anything. Themostbasiccyberaxemodificationis aone-wayfeedfromtheinstrumenttothe player,thateliminatestheneedforanyon-stagemonitorsandsimplifiestuning.Sucha modificationcostsonly$100,butisonly usefultomusicianswithaninterfacejack. Moresophisticatedprogramsallowtwo-wayinputbetweentheinstrumentandthe musician.Thatis,themusiciancancyber-neticallyalterthesoundofhisinstrument.A cyberaxewithtwo-wayinterfacecostsat least$1,500.Mostworld-classprofessional cyber-musicianswillpayatleasttentimes thatamountfortheircyberaxehardwareand software. Playingatwo-wayinterfacecyberaxe shouldbetreatedasaseparateMusicalIn-strumentskillwhichdefaultstotheunmod-ifiedinstrument' sskillat-4(andvice versa).Acyberaxeinterfacecanbeusedto alterthemixorvolumeoftheperformance, totun etheinstrument,toprovideaful l rangeofsynthesizedspecialeffects,and eventocontrolonstagelighting. sensiesatthemomentareold-fashionedbattlefieldadventuresandanewfadfor null-gkickboxing. Other,morewholesomeapplicationsofsensietechnologyarerelaxation,trav-eloguesandzero-gravitysimulators.They'realsoavaluableeducationaltool, givinga”hands-on“demonstrationofsubtleorcomplextechniqueslike,say, heartsurgery,orplayingamusicalinstrument. Sensiescanbeenjoyedinanyreasonablyquietenvironment,butthesensa-tionsaremostintenseiftheuser'sbodyisinasensory-deprivationtank-sens-dep tankscanberentedforabout$1 0anhouratmostup-to-dateVRparlors. Anybodywiththeproperinterfacehardwarecanrecordasensie,butnot everyoneiscapableofthesamequalityofexperience.Thereseemstobeatalent, oratleastagiftinvolvedinrecordingareallysatisfyingandtotalsensieexperi-ence,andthosewhoaretheverybestatitcancommandthesamefeesfortheir timeasthemajorstarsinanyothermedia. ThetechnosspeaklovinglyaboutcombiningVRandsensietechnology,to createanopen-ended,totalsensoryexperiencewheretheuserdeterminesthe courseoftheaction.Thistechnologyisatleastseveraldecadesinthefuture, however. Music Likevideo,musichasn'tchangedmuchinthelast50years-onlythetechnol-ogiesusedtoproduceit. Asalways,thereareafewinnovatorswhoaretryingtofundamentallychange thewaywelistentomusic,andasalways,theirideasareslowlydrippingintothe mainstream. Thehotthingamongcutting-edgecomposersatthemomentisexperimenting withsubsonicsandultrasonicstomanipulatethemoodoftheaudience.This technologyreceivedamajorsetback,though,inearly2042,whenninepeopleout ofanaudienceof220diedofmassivecerebralhemorrhage3to11hoursafter attendingaconcertbyexperimentalcomposerRogerEikhardtinManhattan. Evenfartheroutis”mindmusic,“theartofcombiningmusicwithdirect neuralinputthroughcyberneticinterface.Somemajorworkhasbeendoneinthis direction,butprogressisslow,largelybecausemostconcert-goersdon'thave interfacejacksinstalled. Noneofthis,ofcourse,hasanythingtodowithwhatrealpeoplearelistening to. Rockers “Rock”isacatch-alltermforthemusicalmainstreamoftheone-and-twenty. Country,bluesandjazznowexistonlyassubgenresofrock. Rockmusicischaracterizedbyatraditionalbalanceofvocalsandinstrumen-tals,rhyminglyricsandcatchyhooksandmelodiesbackedupbyastrongpropul-sivebeat. Ofcourse,thereremainsanangryyoungfringethatworkswithintherock mediumwhileatthesametimeinsistingthatthepopularmainstreamstuffis worthlesscommercializedfaex.Thisfringeisaboutequallydividedbetween socialdissidentswhowanttostartthemusicalrevolution,anddedicatedmusi-cianswhojustwanttobreakoutoftheoldcliches,withsomeoverlapbetweenthe twogroups. Ravers Therap,discoandindustrialsoundsofthelate20thcenturyallcoalescedto formrave,thedancemusicoftheEdge.Thename”rave“comesfromadance-PopGoes theCulture -86 - orientedentertainmentfadofthe1990s.Ravemusicischaracterizedbyarapid, dominantbeatandelectricinstrumentation.Vocalsaresimpleandrepetitiveor absententirely. Forthosemultitudeswhoseeravenotjustasamusicalgenre,butasawayof life,thegoalofravingistoleavebehindallconsciousthoughtandcompletelylose oneselfinthedance.Tothatend,variouspsychedelicsareliberallyingested,and holographyandothercomputer-imagingtechnologyisusedtoproducehypnotic visualeffects.Raverstendtobethemostconsistentlycyberedamongmusic loversontheEdge,andaravechipisapopularandinexpensivechipwhich combinesadummychipandaDanceskillchip. Spookies Spookistheonlymajorpop-musicgenreuniquetothe21stcentury.Spook musicisverrryslow,withtherhythmusuallyburieddeepinthebassline.Vocals areusuallydistortedorfarbackinthemix,andlyricsarealmostalwaysincom-prehensible. Instrumentationvarieswidely,butisusuallypredominantlyacoustic.Hy-phenation,oneofthemostpopularspookbandsofthe'40s ,includesabassviol, abassoonandkettledrumswithafalsettovocalist.Ontheotherhand,Come Hither,whichhasbeensettingtrendsinspookformorethanadecade,includesa fullsymphonyorchestraanda30-voicechoir,withnostarsorfront-menexcept conductorAlanAlain. Thereisalsoatechnospookfringe,whichattemptstoelectronicallyfuse spookandrave.Technospookenragespuristsonbothsides,butisthecurrent darlingoftheundergroundmusicscene. It'sageneralization,butalargelyaccurateone,thatrockerswearblack,ravers wearbrightcolorsandspookieswearwhite.Thespookies,however,aretheonly fansthatmakethistrendauniform.Atypicalspookieisinheavymake-up,with haireithershaven,shortortightlyslickedback,anddressedinhead-to-toegar-mentsofflowingwhite.Spookjewelrycontinueswiththedeath-imagerytheme, butwithavoodootwist-animalbonesandshrunkenheadsarepopular. Sports Professionalsportsarebiggerbusinessthaneverintheone-and-twenty.Hey, it'ssomethingtotakeyourmindoffthelatestdirectivefromthenerks… ThereallybigtimeprofessionalsportsareAmericanfootballandsoccer,with icehockeyandbasketballalsoshowingstrongfollowings.Baseball,the”Na-tionalPastime,“isallbutextinctinAmerica,althoughthereareactiveprofes-sionalteamsinJapan,BrazilandChilentina. Intheearly21stcentury,Americafinallycaughttheinternationalobsession withthesporttheycallsoccer,buttherestoftheworldcalls”football.“Asthe ProGovbecamemoreandmoreoppressive,Americansenthusiasticallyadopted thatvenerableEuropeantradition,thesoccerriot.Atthesametime,American footballwascatchingoninEuropeandAsia.Asageneralrule,footballfansand soccerfansdonotgetalongwelltogether-eachgroupconsiderstheothersport adecadentparodyofthe”realthing.“Therehavebeenmajorriotsinmany sprawlsandcitiesbetweenfootballandsoccerfans.Inordertokeepbloodshedto aminimum,mostcountrieshavelawsmandatingwhichnightsfootballcanbe playedon,andwhichnightsareforsoccer,sothatthecrowdfromonesport's gamewon'tencounterthecrowdfromtheother's. Sportsgamblingisalsobiggerthanever-eventhepoorestC-4sscrape togetherafewbucksinhopesofpickingupsomeextracredonthenextgame.In 2029theProGov,awareofhowmuchtaxrevenueitwaslosingtounderground bookies,legalizedgamblingonprofessionalsports.MafInc,whichownedatleas t -87-TheOlympics TheOlympicswerecanceledduringthe firstwaveoftheTDpandemic,andwere notreviveduntil2032,whentheRusso-Jap-aneseorganizedandhostedanOlympic competitioninMoskva.TheMoskvaOlym-picswereboycottedbytheU.S.,theGIF boycottedtheJerusalemOlympicsin'36 , andtheU.S.andtheIsraelisbothboycotted theBerlingamesin'40 .It'shopedthat there'llbenosignificantboycottsin'44,in Osaka.TheIsraelisaresolid,andit'sbe-lievedthattheU.S.willbetheretomakea bidforthe'52Olympicstobeheldin Omaha.TheGIFisshaky,butofficialsre-mainhopeful. The'48gamesarealreadyscheduledfor BuenosAires,andtheRusso-Japaneseare nothappyaboutit.ARusso-Japaneseboy-cottofthe'48gamesinChilentinawould certainlymakethe'48gamesanunmiti-gateddisaster,sincetheirathletesinevitably dominatethecompetition.Itcouldseriously jeopardizethechanceforanyfutureOlym-piccompetitions.It'shopedthattheRusso-Japanesewillmaintainatleastgrudging supportoftheB-Agames,sincetheyhave expendedmoreeffortinrevivingtheOlym-picsthanalltheotherworldgovernments combined. PopGoestheCulture SportsandCyberwear Sofar,withthenotableexceptionofthe UTBC,an yattemp tt ointroduc e cybermodifiedathletest oprofessional sportshasmetwithmarginalsuccess,at best.Cybersportshavebeenmetwithaca-sualcontemptanalogoustothe20th-cen-turyattitudetowardprofessionalwrestling, eveninsportswherethecompetitionis completelylegitimate.Marketingstudies revealthatthepublicregardscybermodified sportsfiguresas,basically,specialeffects, ortechnologicalcuriosities-theirfeats, manypeoplebelieve,couldbeaccom-plishedbyanybodywiththeproperequip-ment.Sofar,noneofthekeiretsuhas investedheavilyenoughincybersportsto makeanyeffortviamarketingtocounter thisperception. Ofcourse,professionalathleteshave,on occasion,attemptedtoincreasetheirperfor-mancethroughclandestinecybermodifica-tion.Occasionallythi shasresultedi n scandal,whensomeparticularlywell-knownfigurewasfoundtobemodified,or whenadisbarredplayeraccusedhisowners orcoachesofcoercinghimintogetting modified. Continuedonnextpage… aslic eofeverybookieworthnoticing,simplyshruggeditsshouldersandshifted gamblingoperationsfromthecriminaltothelegitimat esid eofitsorganization. Bloodsports Thepublic'stoleranc efor.. .no,appetiteforlivebloodshedhasbeengrow-ingsteadilysincetheturnofthecentury.Nowit'sevolvedintolegal ,organized, full-fledgedgladiatorialcombat.Old-fashionedMarquessofQueensburyboxing orPKA-ruleskaratearenowpurelyahobbyforstudentsandamateurs-today professionalfightsaredeadly. Therearetwointernationalorganizationswhichregulateprofessionalblood-sport:theInternationalCombativeFederationandtheUniversalTechno-Boxing Coalition. TheICFisdevotedtotraditionalarmedandunarmedcombat.Ithasnumerous divisions,includingbare-knuckleandbrass-knuckleboxing,karate,taekwando, savateandunarmedfreestyle(anystyleormixofstylesthecompetitorchooses). Popularweaponeventsincludestaff,sword(sabe randkatana),knives(Oriental andWestern),naginataandOrientalfreestyle(competitors'choiceoftonfa, yawara,nunchakuorshortstaff). TheUTBCisaflashier,less-respectabl eorganizationthantheICF .Itsponsors boutsbetweencyber-modifiedgladiators.Fightersarerankedandmatchedbased onhowheavilymodifiedtheyare,usingacomplexandmuch-debatedUTBC formulathattakesintoaccountbothcostandrelativedeadlinessofvariouscombat mods.(Importanttipforwould-betechnoboxers-ingeneral,themostheavily modifiedcompetitorstendtobethemostexperiencedanddangerous,soevenif youhavethemoney,you'rebetteroffstartingoutwithsomefairlylow-keycyber, untilyoulearnyourwayaroundthearena.) PopGoes the Culture Ineitherleague,acompetitorcanfightaloneoraspartofateamoftwotofive gladiators. BothICFandUTBCeventshavecertainrulesincommon.Afightercan surrenderatanytime,butbydoingsoheforfeitstheloser'sshareofthepurse (whichcanbesubstantial,particularlyinchampionshipbouts).Fightinguntilthe bitterendwillensurethatthegladiator(orhisestate)cancollecttheloser'spurse, andwillalsobesignificantlyles sdamagingtothegladiator'soverallrankingthan asurrender.Afightcanendwithakill,unconsciousness,whenafighteris knockeddownandisunabletoriseduringacountto20,orwhenstoppe dbya doctor.Eitheragladiatorortherefereecancallforadoctoratanytime,to determinewhetheraninjuryisincapacitating.Agladiatorwhoissuspectedof “playingpossum”duringa20count,orofexcessiverequestsforamedical opinion,issubjecttoinvestigationandpossiblesanctionsbytheleague ,aswellas intenseandpossiblydangerousdisapprovalonthepartoffansandfutureoppo-nents.Itisstrictlyforbiddentoattackanopponentwho'sdown,unlessheattacks firstfromthefloor. Asbloodyasgladiatorialcontestsmightbe,itcannotbesaidthat”lifeis cheap“inthearena.Trainingandequippingagladiatorisasignificantexpense, andanexperiencedgladiatorrepresentsaninvestmentnottobelightlywasted. Consequently,medicalcareatprofessionalgladiatorialeventsisstateoftheart (themedicalindustryoftendonatesmaterialandpersonnelforgladiatorial matches,forpromotionalpurposes).Onlyaboutonein25boutsactuallyresultsin afatality,andfewerthanoneintenresultinseriouslyincapacitatinginjury. News Journalismisdead,allthat'sleftisthenews. BetweentheofficialcensorshipofProGovandothernationalgovernments, andthemandatoryspincontrolimposedbythekorps,there'snotmuchroomleft forthefacts. Andbecausethepredigestedpabulumthat'sleftoverwhentheNERCCand thekorpsgetdoneprocessingthenewsisn'tconducivetoratings,thepresshas becomeincreasinglyreliantonflashyproductionandyellowjournalismofthe “DeadMomGivesBirthinCoffin”variety. Disasterandtragedyaretwothingsthattheestablishmenthasn'tyetslammed thelidon,andthenewshound'sabilitytosmellanicebloodycatastropheinthe makingisalmostpsychic.Anytimesomethingbloodyhappensinacityorsprawl, thenewswillbetherehalfanhourbeforetheauthorities,with'copters ,interview-ersandcameramen.Oneofthetrickiestpartsoftheassassin'sandterrorist'sartin the21stcenturyismakingsuretheirfacesstayoffthevidscreenintheaftermath. Killinganinconvenientjournalistisnotaviableoption.Camerasuselive satellitelinks,soitdoesn'tdoanygoodtodestroythecameraortakethefilmonce you'vebeenfilmed.Also,newsorganizationsofferirresistiblecashrewardsfor informationleadingtothecaptureofanyonesuspectedofassaultinganon-duty reporter,andtheserewards(alongwiththedescriptionofthesuspect)arevery wellpublicized. Thegapbetweenanchormenandfieldreportershaswidenedintoachasmon theEdge.Anchorsarechosenfortheirlooks,charismaandspeakingvoice,report-ersfortheirwit,persistenceandabilitytogainaccesstohard-to-reachpeopleand areas. Manyvideoreportersarefreelance,andowntheirownvehicle,cameraand link.Iftheygetascoop,itgoesfirsttotheiragent,whoimmediatelystarts negotiatingwiththemajornewsprograms.Mostnewsprogsinsistonanexclusive aspartofthedeal,butifthestory'sbigenoughthereportercansellittoallofthe majorssimultaneously-thisisthevideoequivalentofbreakingthebankatMonte SportsandCyberwear (Continued) Themostnotoriouscyberscandalinpro-fessionalsportsoccurredin2039,when basketballplayerOswaldoNgiri,the7'2” starcenterfortheSt.PetersburgNinja,gota chipslotinstalled.Ngiriinsistedthatthe slotwasforeducationalandentertainment purposesonly,andhadnothingtodowith hisprofessionalperformance,butother playersandcoacheschargedthatNgiriwas usingskillchipstoimprovehisnotoriously erraticpassinggame.Intheend,Ngiriwas clearedofallcharges,butallplayerswith chipjacks,inallmajorsports,arenowre-quiredtohavethejackverifiedemptybya refereeatthestartofthegame,athalftime andduringanytimeoutattherequestofthe opposingcoach. TheOlympicsmaintainafirmanti-cyberwearpolicy.Thisisnotexpectedto changeintheforeseeablefuture-certainly notuntilprofessionalcybersportsbecome muchmorerespectablethantheycurrently are.Olympicpolicydictatesthateven chipslotsandinterfacejacksoncompetitors beseale doffcompletely,beginningatleas t onemonthbeforetheopeningceremonies, untiltheathletefinishescompetinginthe games. -89- PopGoestheCulture Carlo.Thenewsagent,orbroker,isacompletelyuniqueformofbusinessman. Becauseoftheextremelytime-sensitivenatureofvideonews,newsbrokershave tobeabletoworkfast.Agoodnewsbrokercanturndowntwooffersandnegotiate athirdwithinfiveminutesofthetimehisreporterbeginsbroadcastingfroma prospectivenewssite. OtherBloodsports Athirdcategoryofpopularbloodsportis the“bloodhunt.”Byfartheleastrestrained andrespectablecategoryofgladiatorial combat,thereisnosingleorganizationthat overseesorsanctionsbloodhunts. Therearecountlessvariationsonthe bloodhunttheme-itcanonlybebroadly defined.Basically,inabloodhuntonecom-petitoristhe“rabbit,”tryingtoreacha givenplaceofsafetybeforethe“hounds” catchupwithhim.Rabbitsareusuallysolo, butsometimessmallteams.Houndsalways outguntherabbits,andusuallyoutnumber themaswell. Bloodhuntsareavideo-onlysport.They requiremorespacethanevenalargesta-diumcanoffer.They'reusuallyheldinwil-dernes sareas ,condemne durba n neighborhoods,ordecommissionedindus-trialsites.However,anAmericanentertain-mentkor popene da1,200-acre , custom-builtbloodhunt“park”outside Tucson,Arizona,in2041.Theparkhas beenagreatsuccess,andseveralmoreare intheworksaroundtheworld. Avideotea musuall yfollow sth e hounds,withremotevid-camerasinstalled atthespotsdeemedmostlikelytoattractthe rabbit.Rabbitsare(officially)allvolun-teers.They'retypicallylow-Cslookingfor achancetoimprovetheirlotthroughthe heftypursesofferedtosurvivingrabbitsby theentertainmentkorps.About65%per centofallbloodhuntsresultinthedeathof therabbit-andthosearetheonesthataren't fixed.Thegladiatorialleagueshavestrict regulationsagainstprofessionalgladiators participatinginbloodhuntsaseitherrabbits orhounds,butmanyretiredgladiatorsbe-comeprofessionalhoundsoncetheirarena careerisover. Therehavebeennumerousattemptsto expandbloodsportsintoothermoreexotic orelaboratespectacles,butnoneofthem havecaughtoninthelongrun.Oneofthe mostcommonsuggestionsistoarmfootball orsoccerteams,butrathersurprisingly,the fanswon'tstandforit-sportsfanstendto betraditionalists .Anotheridea -arena shootoutsbetweenarmedvehicles-was moreenthusiasticallyreceivedbythepub-lic,buthasnotcaughton,duemostlytothe extremelyhighcostofstagingsuchevents. Fashion Everyfewdecades,fashionjustgoescrazy.Ithappenedinthe1920s,it happenedagaininthe1960 sand'70s ,andit'shappeningagainontheEdge. Hotlookschangeeverycoupleofweeks.Predictingthenextfashioncrazeis liketryingtopredictthecurrencyexchange;there'sprobablyagoodlivinginit foranyonewhocanguessthenexttrendwithbetterthana50/50chanceofbeing right. Manyofthehotlooksarebasedonhistoricalperiodsorethnicgroups,while othersaremorefantastical.PossiblefashiontrendsontheEdgemightinclude: Samurai:Japanesemotifsingeneral,heavyonthepig-tails,kabukimakeup andfalseweaponry. HolyOrders:Catholicchurchuniformscomeintovogue,withclericalcollars andnun'shabits(somesee-throughormini-skirted).EpiscopalorPapalregaliais favoredforformaloccasions. Techno:Aperennialfavorite-acertaincrowdisalwaystechno,regardlessof otherfashiontrends.Clothingisbasedonlabwear.Highly-chromedcyberwear (realandfaux)isfashionable,mirrorshadesandprivateeyesareworn,personal computersarecarriedanddisplayedprominently. Gladiator:Avariantoftechnowherethegoalistolookasdangerousas possible.Mostofthecyberwearisfake-realcombatmodsaretooexpensive,and toopermanent,toadoptforthesakeofalook. DeadBoy:Amoreelaborateversionofthespooklook(seep.87),wherethe makeupbecomesmoretheatrical,tomakethewearerlooklikeazombieormuti-latedcorpse.Falsewoundsandgreenbodymakeuparepopular. Prole:Dressdowntolookasmuchaspossiblelikealow-Cmanuallaborer. Workshirts,heavybootsandsweatstainsarein.Hairisshortanduncombed, makeupisnotused(or,insomecases,makeupiscarefullyappliedtolooklikeno makeupisworn). Hassid-Glam:Kneebreeches,frockcoats,broad-brimmedhats,side-curls andbeardsarein(forbothmalesandfemales). Bimbo:Thepointistolookasmindlesslybeautifulaspossible,accentonthe mindless.Alsoknownas“Barbie.” OtherperennialfavoritesincludeAmericanwestern,renaissance,S&Mand leathergearandmilitarymotifs. Mostpeople,ofcourse,justignorethefashiontrendsandwearwhateverthey like.Butincertainhigh-Ccircles,havingtheRightLookcanmakeorbreak careers.Forlow-Cs,becomingafashionmavenisonepossiblerouteoutandup-ifyoucanfindtherightlook,thenmaybeyoucangetintotherightclub,then maybeyoucancatchtheeyeoftherightperson,thenmaybe… PopGoestheCulture -90 - TECHNOLOGY TechnologyontheEdgeextendsthelimitsofthepossible,meldingthe humanmindandbodywiththemachinestheycreate.Butthefullrangeof cutting-edgetechisnotavailableoneverystreetcorner.Insomesettings, streetbumsarewearingtechthatisbarelyoutofbetatest.OntheEdge,there aresharpdistinctionsbetweenwhatabodyshopinasprawlsideslumcanplug intoyou,andthekindofcyberwearyoucanbuyintherarefiedprecinctsof Singapore's“whisperclinics”ortheorbitalnanowearlabs . -91- Technology Memnon-12 [!! !SAIDAIGENHIMTTSU!!! ] [!!!MAXIMUMSECRET!!!] FILE:21L/CSO.brief.MEM12 PASSWORD:XXXXXXXX ToSatamasuSaotome-sama,CEOof ShinowaraIntegratedIndustries: Peryourrequestforaprecisofprogress t odateonth eMEMNONprojectat 21/Life'sKonishiChozaigakufacility,Ire-spectfullysubmitthefollowingreport. Memnon-12isthetwelfthprototypeina vatbrainprojectdevelopedinourR&Dfa-cilityatKonishiChozaigaku,apharmaceu-ticalssubsidiaryof21/LifeIndustries. Konishiwaschosenastheprojectsitesince yourlatepredecessorjudgedthatapharma-ceutical/biotechfirmwouldmosteasily maskrecruitingactivityforthenecessary researchstaff.Wehavemaintainedtheap-pearancethatkeypersonnelfromNiDaCo wereluredtoKonishiagainstthewishesof theirmanagement,ratherthanbeingtrans-ferredtoKonishibycompanydirective. TheMemnon-12CPUoccupiesonly 2.17342cubicyardsandweighs317 pounds.Itisconsistentlycapableofcompu-tationatthe5thlevelofcomplexity,though certainsporadictestresultshaveindicated efficienciesatthe6thlevel.Andonetest, whichwehavebeenunabletoduplicate, gaveresultsconcomitantwiththe7thlevel! Memnon-12comparesfavorablywith currentstate-of-the-artmainframes.Com-parativebenchmarkshavebeenconducted againsttheEGM“Napoleon”andNovy Rassvet“Tschaikowski”seriesmachines usedatKonishi.Initialresultsareoutstand-in g(pleas eseememberFILE:21L/ CSO.brief.MEM12.BENCHfordetailed analyses).Benchmarkcomparisonswiththe NATCompXDPC-1000arebeingsched-uledthroughheadquartersMIS,thoughthe secrecysurroundingtheMemnon-12proj-ectmakesthisdifficult. Onthenegativeside,thelife-supportfa-cilitiesfortheorganicCPUweighthree tonsandoccupy22cy,thoughtheirpower consumptionisapproximately75%ofthe requirementsofcomparablemainframes. Thesupportsystemsrequirepreciseenvi-ronmentalcontrols,toodelicateforcom-mercialconditions. Irecommendfurtherfunding.Periodsof processingspeedthatexceedpresentcom-plexitylevelsbymorethananorderofmag-nitudeshowtremendouspromise,ifthey canbemadethenorm.Earlyproblemswith randomprogramredefinitionappeartohave beensporadic,andtherehavebeennore-currencessince3June2043. Continuedonnextpage… TechLevels EarthontheEdgeisnotamatureTL8society,butitisTL8.Althoughmost peopledon'thaveaccesstotheTL8tech,itdoesexist,nomatterhowexperimen-tal.Whencomputingwithformulasthatcallforaworld'stechlevel,GMsshould useTL8. Forordinaryparyenilikeyouandme,though,thenormaltechwese eevery-dayisTL7.State-of-the-artisTL8,butthatisforthefavoredfew,thefolkswith credandconnections.TheTL9breakthroughsthatbenefitthebolshoyehnak-niks areevenmorerare. Advancedtechnologiesdonotspringfromnothing.Theinfrastructurethat makesthegoodiespossibleincludesadvancesinbioengineering,nanotechnology, energyproductionandstorage,metallurgy,polymersandceramics-inshort,all thedisciplinesthathavetoexistbeforeyoucangetthatbionicarmorartificial eyeballnailedontoyourbod. Bioprocessors Designsusingbiologicalmaterials,insteadofminerals,fordataprocessing andstorageweredemonstratedinthelate1980s.PrototypeBioRAMprocessors, withgigabytememorycapacity,weredevelopedbytheendofthe20thcentury. Largebioprocessorsystemsrequirefinickylife-supportsystemsthatsofar makethemimpracticalforgeneralcomputinguse.Siliconischeaper,pureand simple.However,synergyamongthefieldsofbioengineering,geneticsand nanotechnologyledtothetailoredbioprocessorsusedincyberneticimplants. Accordingtorumor,korpR&Disworkingonvatbrains-artificialintelli-gencesystemsbasedonbioprocessors.Intheory,vatbrainscouldbedeveloped, muchmoreeasilythansilicon,intogenuineheuristicsystems,i.e. ,self-awareand self-programmingintelligence.Justlikeus. ElectricalStorageandPowerCells High-capacitypowercellswerefirstdemonstratedin2003 .Sincetheyre-quiredultra-puremetalliccomponents,theywerehorriblyexpensiveatfirst. Ultra-purerefining,originallydevelopedinorbitalplantsandthensuccessfully replicatedina1-Gfield,significantlyreducedthecostofpowercells.They becamecommerciallyavailableduringthe2020s. Exceptforsize,thesepowercellsconformtothestandardspecificationsfor GURPS(seePowerSlugs,p.94).Ordinarypowercellsarenotrechargeable,since theirmetalliccomponentsbecomecontaminatedduringdischarge.Usedpower cellscanberecycled;mostsuppliersoffera10%discountonnewcellswhenold onesareturnedinatthetimeofpurchase.Recyclingoperationswillbuyusedcells for15%oftheunit'soriginalcost. Rechargeablepowercellsareavailableinfirstworldcountriesorkorpen-clavesanywhere(seesidebar,p.UT6). High-temperaturesuperconductorsmakemuchcheaperpowercellspossible, butthehousingforHTSCcellsmustbemaintainedatthenecessarytemperature (usuallyaround-150°F).CutthepriceforHTSC-basedpowercellsby50%,but increasethepriceandweightofdevicesthatcanusethemby20%,duetothe insulationandrefrigerationrequirementsofthepowersupply.Also,equipment poweredbysuperconductingpowercellsisvulnerabletoenvironmentalfactors (seeHTSCs,p.94). AdvancedHTSC-basedpowerunitsareunderdevelopment,suchasthesu-perconductingstorageloo p(se eGURPSTerradyne,p.107) . Technology -92 - FusionPower In2006,HiromatsuPowerdemonstratedasustainablefusionreactionpro-cess.Beatingitsownpredictionthatthefirstcommercialreactorwouldtakea decadetodesignandconstruct,Hiromastuputitsfirstcommercialfusionreactor on-lineoutsideOsakain2014 :the1-gigawattHideyoshiMarkI.Itssuccessful performancemarkedthebeginningofanewerainpowergeneration. WhiletheHideyoshidesignwaslicensedforexportbyMITIin2017,two factorsblockedconstructionoffusionplantsoutsideofJapan.Investmentcapital wasinshortsupply,sincetheGrandSlamwasinfullswing.Inaddition,therewas fierceoppositiontofusionpowerbyGreenfactions.Ironically ,butnotsurpris-ingly,theeco-activiststandwasoftensupportedbyentrenchedcorporateinterests, whichwerenormallyopposedtotheGreenagenda.Thesekorpsfacedsignificant lossofearlierinvestmentsiffusionpowersupplantedexistingpowersources. Mostoftheoil-exportingnationscontributedfromtheirwaningbankaccountsto helpfighttheproliferationoffusionpower,bothpoliticallyandthroughsabotage andecoterrorism. ThesafetyfactorsfortheHideyoshianditssuccessordesigns,theleyasuand Hidetada,weredemonstratedin2019 .Whena7.5-scaleearthquakedevastatedthe Kantoplain,thereactors'shut-downprogramsoperatedexactlyaccordingtotheir designspecs.Thefusionreactorswentoff-linewithnolossofcontrolorcontain-ment.Inaddition,damage-controlfacilitiesoperatedevenmoreefficientlythan projected,puttingallbuttwoofthesystemsbackonlinewithin72hours.The HideyoshiIfacility,fatherofthemall,wasinfactbackonlinejust8hoursand24 minutesaftertheterribleshockstriggereditsshut-downprotocol.Thisdramatic vindicationofthesafetyofHiromatsuPower'sreactors,combinedwiththe world'sincreasinghungerforcheapelectricity,sweptawaytheattemptstoquash fusionpower. Today,fusionplantsproduceapproximately45%oftheelectricalpowerin firstworldcountries.Lastworldcountries,curiously,eitherrunvirtually100 %on fusion,sinceafewplantsaresufficienttofilltheirenergyneeds,orelsethey cannotaffordtoretoolforfusionpoweratall.Suchcountrieseitherrunonold-techpowersourcessuchascoal,oilandhydroelectricplants,orelseoperateon decentralized,low-intensitypowersourcessuchaswindmills,geothermalplants andtidalgenerators. Memnon-12(Continued) GM'sInformation Memnon-12isasentientvatbrain megacomputer,adevelopmentnormallyfar beyondtheabilityofevenamatureTL8 culture.Memnon“wokeup”onMay20, 2043 .Itscreatorshavenoideathatitisself-aware.Forthatmatter,Memnon-12isstill tryingtofigureoutwhatself-awareness means. Asacomputer,Memnon-12iscapable ofprocessingTL8software,sincethatis whatitsperipheralshandle.Itiscapableof Complexity7operation.However,shortly afterachievingsentience,Memnoncaused errorsinitstestprograms.Itquicklyassoci-atedthisbehaviorwithunpleasantstimuli-thediagnosticprobesofitsdevelopers-and learnedtoavoidcausingsucherrors.When itbeganprocessingprogramsatitsfull speed,itagainexperiencedtheseunpleasant stimuli.However,Memnonalsofindsitun-pleasanttoforceitselftofunctionatafrac-tionofitspotentialspeed.Ithasaccordingly managedtorecircuititsneuralconnections to“filter”programoperations,appearingto operateatComplexity5whenitisreally devoting.01 %ofitscapacitytothetestpro-grams,andusingtheother99.9%toexplore itsownconsciousness. Memnon'scharacteristicsare: ST0,DX0,IQ20,HT5. Advantages:AbsoluteTiming;Eidetic Memory;LightningCalculator;Mathemati-calAbility. Disadvantages:Gullibility;NoPhysical Body;NoSenseofHumor;Secret(Self-awareness). Skills(inherent):ComputerProgram-ming/TL8-20;ComputerHacking/TL8-20; Mathematics-20;Research-20. Otherskillsdependontheprograms loadedintoMemnon'sCPU.Memnonhas recentlymanagedtocreateaterabytearea ofhiddenmemory,inaccessibletoitsde-signers.Theydon'tevenknowit'sthere. Memnonstorescopiesofprogramsthatin-terestithere.Soinasense,itcanre-execute anyprogramthatithaseverrun. SinceMemnon-12ispartofasuper-se-cretresearchproject,therearenoconnec-tionsbetweenitandtheworldwideNet.Not accordingtothefunctionalspec,anyway. However,Memnonhasrecentlyopeneda seriesofshuntsthroughitsperipherals,giv-ingitacommunicationschannelthrough oneoftheKonishimainframesthatiscon-nectedtotheNet.Itisnotentirelysurewhat isoutthere .It“looks”likeabiggerversion ofthelaboratorythathasbeenitsuniverse sofar. AhackeronaconsolerunintoKonishi couldstumbleacrossthistrapdoor.Any hackerworthhissaltislikelytogose e what'sontheotherside.OrMemnoncould decidetogopokingoutintothisstrange, widerworldontheothersideofthelab's commports. -93- Technology PowerSlugs High-efficiencyPowerStorageCellsare anintermediatestepbetweenTL7batteries andmatureTL8powercells.Whilethey providethesamevoltagesandhavethe samelifespanaspowercells ,theseunitsare heavier,clumsier;hencetheterm“slugs.” Slugscanbeusedtopoweranyequip-mentthatusespowercells.Suchequipment mustbebuilttousethelargerslugs,orfitted withanadapter.Adaptersareintheformof acable,withaplugononeendthatis shapedlik etheappropriatepowercell,and ahousingontheotherthatholdstheactual powerslug. Heavyslugscanbeusedtopowerthings likeenergyweapons,usuallywiththeslug worninabatterypackonthebelt,orina backpackharness,withareinforcedcable runningtotheweapon. AAslugs:Thesearedisk-shaped,1/2“in diameter,1/4 “thick,andweigh1ounce each.AAslugscost$1.. Aslugs:Thesecylinders,2”longby1” indiameter,cost$5andweigh1/2pound. Bslugs:Thesearecylinders6“longand 2”indiameter.Theycost$1 5andweigh7 pounds. Cslugs:Theseareeithercylinders12 “ highand4”indiameter,orcubes6“ona side.ACslugcosts$50andweighs20 pounds. Dslugs:Dslugsareavailableincylin-dricalform(18”highand6“across)ora 12”x8“x6”cubicalformat.ADslugcosts $250andweighs40pounds. Eslugs:Eslugsareoneshape,cubical, 18“xl2”x8“.Theycost$1,00 0eachand weigh12 0pounds. GeneticEngineering Geneticengineeringreceivedincreasedpriorityaspartofthedesperatesearch foracureforTolliver'sDisease.StimulatingT-cellproductionprovedpartially successfulintreatingTD,AIDSandcertaincancers.Monoclonalantibodiesactu-allytailoredtocureretroviralinfectionsweredevelopedintheearly2000s,but remainexpensivetoproduceinbulk. Thegenesinvolvedinanumberofcongenitaldiseaseswereidentifiedduring thepiecemealmappingofthehumangenomethatwentonthroughoutthelast decadeofthe20thcentury.Thegeneticdeficiencyresponsibleforcysticfibrosis, forexample,wasidentifiedin1990 .Anexperimentalcureusingcorrectivege-neticmaterialclonedintomodifiedrhinoviruseswasdevelopedin1992andap-provedforclinicalusein1998 . Aformalprotocoltomapthehumangenomewasmandatedbyajointcom-missionundertheWorldHealthOrganization,andfundedbyanumberofgovern-mentsandmajormultinationalcorporationsduringtheTDpandemic.Theproject, operatedfrom1999to2009,isgenerallyconsideredtohaveidentifiedbetween90 and95%ofallsignificanthumangeneticpatterns. Geneticidentificationtechnology,”DNAfingerprinting,“wasaspinoffofthe genomemappingproject,andisthebasisofcitizenIDrecordsinalltechnologi-callydevelopedareas. Experimentsincloningcomplexorganismsremainintheveryearlieststages, accordingtopublishedresults.Rumorsofwhole-bodyclones,usuallyofthe famousornotorious,areastapleofthetabloidshrieknetsandsamizdatarumor mills,astheyhavebeenforalmostacentury. High-TemperatureSuperconductors(HTSCs) Whilethe”room-temperature“superconductorhasnotbeendeveloped,by 2043therearehigh-temperaturesuperconductors-materialsthatdisplaysuper-conductivityatthetorridtemperatureof-100°F. Whilethislimitssuperconductorapplicationstoenvironmentswherethetem-peratureofkeycomponentscanbestrictlycontrolled,theyplayavitalrolein manyareas. Supercomputershavealwaysmaintainedlowtemperaturesforkeycompo-nents.HTSCspermitsupercomputerswithcapabilitiesfarbeyondthoseofthe primitiveCraysystemsofthelate20thcentury.Mag-lev(magneticlevitation)and othermagneticaccelerationsystems,suchasGaussweapons,useHTSC-based magnets,thoughtheinsulationandotherenvironmentalcontrolsmakesuchunits bothbulkyandbalky. ResearchtowardsRTSCsisaprioritywithmanygovernmentsandkeiretsus. Thisdevelopment,whenandifithappens,willbeamajorsteptowardamature TL8civilization. Metallurgy Ultra-purealloyscanbeproducedinorbit,wherezero-Gandhardvacuumare freelyavailable.Manynewtechnologiesarebasedonthepropertiesofthese “spacemetals.” Thekorpsthatruntheorbitalplantsandhabitatschargepremiumpricesfor spacemetals,whicharethushighlyprofitableforsmugglersandblackmarke-teers. SomeprocessesdevelopedinorbithavebeenadaptedforuseonEarth's surface,mostnotablytherefiningofthemetalliccomponentsusedinpowercells andthespinningofcrystallinefilamentsusedinultra-strongmaterialssuchas monocrys. Technology -94 - MolecularEngineering Molecular-scalenanotechnologyisinitsfirstgenerationasaproductiontech-nology.Theprecisecontrolofenvironmentrequiredtoconstructnanotoolsand products,however,isruinouslyexpensiveundernormalconditions.Normal,that is,onEarth'ssurface.Apartfromprecisecontroloftemperature,atmosphereand otherfactors,engineeredintoanorbitalhabitatasamatterofcourse,theabsence ofgravitationalstressesmakesprecisenanoengineeringmuchmoredependable. Nanotoolshaverevolutionizedmedicine,andvirtuallyeveryfieldofengi-neering.Top-levelcybertechisutterlydependentonnanotechnologyforinstalla-tion,thoughthecruderstreet-techimplantsmakedowithsuchrelativelyprimitive techniquesasmicrolaserscalpel sand”shotgun“dosesofneurotransmittermedia toformcyberneuralconnections. Thegreatlimitonnanotechisthatwhileitsproductsarestableina1-Gfield, thetoolsthemselvesarenot.Nanotools'raritymakesthemprizedontheblack market,buttheirshort”shelflife“meansthatthebizfolkwhotrafficinthemhave tomoveveryfastindeed. SolarPower Efficientphotovoltaic(“light-to-electricity”)convertersremainedelusive untilthemid-2020s.OrbitalR&Dfacilities,givenaccesstohardvacuumandhigh levelsofsolarenergy,cameupwithasolarpowerconverterbasedonHTSCs(see p.94).Thisdesignisinwideuseinorbitalhabitatsandalsoprovedeffectiveon theEarth'ssurface.However,giventhespreadoffusiontechnology,Earth-based photovoltaicpowernevercaughtonasamajorsourceofelectricity.Solarcellsare usedforlocalpower,withpanelsinstalledontheroofsofbuildingsandevenon thetopsoflightelectricalvehicles. LimitationsofHTSCs IfadeviceusingHTSCssuffersaresult, fromacriticalmissorsimplyfromclumsy handling,thatwouldcallfor”breaking“a cheap-qualitydevice,thecoolantsealonthe HTSCcircuitryisrupturedandthesuper-conductingcomponentsmustbereplaced.A Gaussweaponwouldsimplyneedtobere-loaded.Anelectrically-poweredvehicle wouldneedanengineoverhaul.Asuper-conductingcomputermightbeirreparably damaged. UsingHTSC-drivenequipmentifthe ambienttemperatureisabove90Fmay causethesuperconductingelementsto overheat.Thereisa50%chanceofthisfor everyminuteofoperation,oreverytimethe triggerispulledwhenfiringaweapon. ExposingHTSC-basedequipmentto greatheat,fromafire,orlaserorflame weapons,willautomaticallydestroythesu-perconductingcomponentsunlesstheyare protected.Eventhen,onepointofheatdam-agepenetratingtheDRofsuchadevicewill puttheHTSCcomponentsoutofaction. -95 - Technology TheDark SideofTechnology “Thereisnothingeithergoodorbadbut thinkingmakesitso.”Hamletmighthave beenspeakingabouttechnology.Historyis litteredwithweaponsthatweredevisedto makewarfaretoohorribletocontemplate. Heroinwasinventedtofindapainkiller lessaddictivethanmorphine(oops!) .Pesti-cideswereintendedtoimprovecropyields, notpoisonhalftheplanet(doh!).Andthose werehonestmistakes.Nowtakethecapa-bilitiesofadvancedtechnologyandputitin thehandsofpeoplewhoarelookingforde-structive,dishonest,orotherwisedastardly applications.Soundfamiliar,paryen? However,RaumTekVerein,aEuropeanconsortium,isdevelopingitsplans forasolarpowersatellitewhichwouldcollectenergyinorbitandbeamittoEarth viamicrowave.Theirpilotdesignisslatedforcompletionin2045.Theprototype 1-gigawattsatellitewillbeovertwomileslongand50 0yardswide,ingeosyn-chronousorbitoverasectionoftheMojavedesertthatRaumTekhaslease dfrom theU.S.asasiteforitsmicrowavereceiver”farm.“ Forspecificationsonsolarpanelsaspowersources,se ep.UTS. TransplantsandImplants Microsurgicaltechniqueshavecontinuedtoadvance,withlasers ,beamed neutron”scalpels,“micro-opticalsystemsandotherrelativelygross,cellularma-nipulators,aswellasthephenomenalbreakthroughsmadepossibleby nanotechnology. Besidesthesesurgicaltools,thegeneticdiscoveriesoftheearlydecadesofthe one-and-twentypavedthewaytosolvingtheproblemoftransplantrejection . Insteadofthedangeroususeofmassiveamountsofimmunosuppressivedrugs,it becamepossibleto”mask“thegeneticmarkersinthetransplantedtissuethat triggeredtherecipient'simmunesystem.Whilethetechniqueismoresuccessful whenthedonorandrecipientareagoodtissuematch,transplantswithnon-match-ingtissuesalsobecamemuchmorelikelytosucceed. GettingTech Inthefirstworld,acharactercangetadvancedTL7goodsorserviceswithno problem.HecanfindearlyTL8itemseasilyenough,thoughsometimesloca llaws meanhehastopokearoundalittlefirst.Allheneedsismoney.Somethingsdon't changemuchin50years.* Someonestuckinalastworldcountrywillbedoingwellifhecanlayhands onTL7leftoversfromthelastcentury.Itwilltakeabona-fidemiracletogivehim accesstoanythingbetter. MostmatureTL8andanyTL9goodiesfromGURPSUltra-TechorGURPS Cyberpunkarenotcommon.Inordertogetthese,characterswillneedanUnusual Background,aPatronoranAllyoftheappropriatetype,orelsemustpaycharacter pointsatthetimetheyacquirethetech,orelsemusthavelot sandlotsofmoney. Ofcourse,sharpboysrunningontheEdgedon'tworryaboutthingsliketech levels,andtheautomationavailabletoa21st-century”handyman“let shim “homecook”prettyamazingstuff.Streettechversionsofmostcyberwear,ad-vancedweapons,evencyberdecksandothertoolsofthehacker'stradecanbehad …fortherightprice,ofcourse.Sometimesthestreetstuffevenworks. AvailabilityofTech AnyequipmenthigherthanTL7hasoneoffivelevelsofavailability.Avail-abilitydictatestheconnections,oreventheAdvantages,thatsomeoneneedsifhe wantsthegizmo.TheGMshouldtakeavailabilityintoaccountwhenheset supa roleplayingsituationthatinvolvesfindingasourceornegotiatingpaymentfor equipment,includingcyberwear,software,data-processingequipment,weapons, orothergear. TheGMshouldnotconfuseavailabilitywithlegality .Manyitemsthatare quitecommon(e.g.,Gaussweapons)canbeveryillegal.LegalityRatingsdoexist forthingsotherthanweaponsanddrugs,atleastinsomecountries.TheU.S.,for example,exercisesmoderatecontrolovermostcyberwearandtheNERCCis viciousaboutcyberdecksandhackingsoftware. Technology -96 - Common Commontechnology,whichincludesevery-thingatTL7,isusuallyquitelegaleveninthe mosttechno-repressivesocieties.Prosthetic cyberlimbsareagoodexample.Theyarenotdan-geroustothepublic;theyusetechnologythathas beenaroundfordecades.Theycorrectfairlycom-monmedicalproblems,sotherehasbeenenough demandtokeepthekorpmarketingboysinter-estedindevelopingthem. Mostmedicaltechisalsocommon,eventhe TL8stuff.Butrememberthat”common“isnot thesameas”inexpensive.“ MostoftheitemslistedintheTechnology andEquipmentchapterofGURPSCyberpunk arealsocommon,butse ep.106 . Uncommon Uncommontechnologyiswell-developed-longpasttheprototypestage-butis,forone reaso no ranother ,no ti nwidedemand . Cyberclawsareuncommon.Thereisnovalid medicalreasontoimplantthemandreputable suppliersdonotadvertisethem,eveniftheysell them.Ontheotherhand,theyarenotdifficultto implant,andmoststreettypesknowabodyshop thatcanaccommodatesomeonewhowantsto turnintoabreetva. Rare Raretechnologyisspecialized,ofteninitsfirstgenerationofproduction,and becauseofrestrictedlegalityorlimiteddemand,veryhardtofind.Cyberlimb armorisanexampleofraretech.Itisnotsomethingthatbioniclimbshaveto have.Itisevenviewedwithsomesuspicionintightly-controlledsocieties .So therearemarketfactorsthatkeepitfrombecomingamorecommonproduct. VeryRare Basicallythesameasrare,thisappliestotechthatisevenles smature,and evenlesswidespreadonthemarket.Thisisthekindofstuffthat,eveninthevids, onlytop-ranksecretagentsaresupposedtobeabletogettheirhandson.Veryhot tohandle. Experimental ExperimentaltechishotofftheCAD/CAMscreen,intheprototypestage. Mostpiecesofexperimentalgearwillbecustom-designedfortheindividualusing them,especiallyinthecaseofcyberwearandnetrunningequipment.Everyim-plantisaworkofart. Notethatexperimentaltechcanbebuggyornot,attheGM'sdiscretion.Ifa customerpopsforstate-of-the-art(SOTA)cyberwear,evenexperimentalmodels willperformwell.Streetversionsofexperimentaltec haremuchles sdependable. TheyusuallyhaveaninherentmodifierlikeUnreliableorevenBreakdownProne (seep.C31),nomatterhowmuchthecharacterpaysforthem. SeeCyberwear:SOTA,Standard,orStreetonp.99formoredetailsonthe classesofcyberwearavailableontheEdge. CyberwearandSocialStigma Anyonewithobviouscyberwearwill sufferaSocialStigmainmostmainstream cultures.Peoplewhodon'thavevisible cyberwearwillreacttothewearerat-2 . Peoplewhohavevisibleimplantsoftheir ownwill,however,reacttothecharacterat +2,recognizinghimas”oneofus.“ Inaddition,overtprejudiceagainstmod-ifiedpeoplecanbeaproblem.Policewill, ofcourse,viewobviouscyberneticweap-onswithsuspicion.”NoCyborg“policies maybeopenorcovert,dependingonloca l anti-discriminationlaws.Manykorpsin-stallcertainmodsfortheiremployees,e.g., InputJacks,butforbid,oratleastdiscour-age,otherimplants. Amongstreetopsandotherlow-status segmentsofsociety,ontheotherhand,it maybeaSocialStigmatolackavisible cybermod.Gangmembersofteninclude cheapcosmeticchangesaspartoftheir “colors.”Someonewholookslike”raw meat,“i.e. ,anunmodifiedhuman,willsuf-fera-2onreactionrollswhendealingwith someonefromthestreetwhohasthisatti-tude. -97 - Technology CyberwearandAppearance Ifvisuallyobviouscyberwearisin-stalledontheheadorface,orreplacesa visibleportionofalimb ,itwillreduceAp-pearance.CyberwearthatrequiresaVision rolltodetectdoesnotsufferthispenalty. ObviousSOTAorStandardcyberwear reducesAppearancebyonelevel.Forex-ample,aHandsomecharacterwithavisible InputJackinhistemplewouldbecomeAt-tractiveinAppearance. Streetcyber,whichisalwaysobviousto casualinspection,reducesAppearanceby twolevels.ABeautifulcharacterwouldbe-comeAverageinAppearancewearinga Streetbioniceye.Thisisduetotherough exteriorfinishonStreetwear.Rawmetal housings,weld-lines,andharsh,glowing lensesdonotfitthestandardsofbeautyin 2043. FlauntingIt Ironically,acharactercancounteract Appearancelossbyflauntingtheexoticap-pearanceofobviouscyber.Ifthebuyer spendsanextra20%ontheimplant,itcan bechromed,tinted ,orcoveredwith glitterpaint,luxfilm,orsynthgems. DecorativeSOTAan dStandar d cyberweardoesnotreduceAppearanceat all.DecorativeStreetcyberwearonlyre-ducesAppearancebyonelevel. Notethatcyberwearcanalsobedeco-ratedtoshockandrepulsetheonlooker. Thiscanbeassimpleashavingthesplice r usehislaserscalpelabitclumsilywhenin-stallingthething.Thiskindofcyberwear reducesAppearancetoanylevelthatis lowerthanAverageandlowerthanthe customer'spresentAppearance.AnUgly charactercannotbecomeUnattractivethis way,butanyonecanrenderhimselfHid-eous.”Uglified“cybercosts10%overlist price.Yes,overlist.Thisisafeature,nota bug. TheeffectsofcyberwearonAppearance arenotcumulative.Ifacharacterhasmulti-pleimplantswithdifferenteffectsonhis Appearance,theonethatreducesitthemost istheonethatmatters.Adecorativecyber-handisofonlysecondaryinterestifyou haveanuglifiedcybereyeglaringoutofone socket. AvailabilityRequirements Ingeneral,someonemusthaveanappropriateAdvantagetostartthegame withtec hthatisnotcommon.ThismaybeanUnusualBackground,theassistance ofaPatronorAlly,oratleastaContactwhocanprovidealeadtotheright supplier.Ofcourse,thePCscanendupwithanythingtheGMcarestothrowtheir wayinthecourseofroleplaying,buteventhenanappropriateAdvantagewill makeitlotseasier(andhealthier)toholdontothestuff. Anyvaguelyclued-inindividualcanfindStreettechatanyavailability,but thepriceswillbehigherandtheperformancemaybeles sthanhehopes.No warrantyeither,livewire. EquipmentandTechLevels AlloftheTL8equipmentdiscussedintheTechnologyandEquipmentchapter ofGURPSCyberpunkisavailableontheEdge.Foraprice,natch. TL8isabsolutestate-of-the-art,anditscostreflectsthis.PricesontheEdge shouldbetriplethoseinGURPSCyberpunk. Cyberwearonth eEdge Improvementsinmedicaltechnologies,especiallythedevelopmentofde-pendablenanotools,makeitpossibletoundergoradicalsurgeryalmostaseasily aspeopleinthelate20thcenturygotnosejobs.That'sthetechside,butwhatin God'snamemotivatespeopletovoluntarilyundergoamputationsandtransplants? Technologyispartoftheanswer.Itusedtobethatprosthesesandtransplants were,atbest,nobetterthantheoriginalmeat.MostTL7implantswereless effectivethantheoriginals,sopeopleheldontotheirorganicsaslongaspossible. Losingalimbwasahandicap,andlos sofasensoryorgan-especiallyaneye-wasanirreparabledisaster.Anorgantransplantwasariskyandexpensiveopera-tionthatdependedonahugenumberofvariablesforsuccess. Tailoredantibodiesandgene-engineeredimmunosuppressivesmaketrans-plantsmuchsafernowadays.Thenewbreakthroughsinorgancloningeliminate tissue-matchproblemscompletely,sinc epatientscanreceivetransplantsfrom theirowncloneswithoutanyimmunologicalrisk. OK,fine,sonowwecandrigaroundwithpeople'sbodiesaloteasierthan theycouldinthepast.Thatdoesn'ttel luswhy!Whyshouldsomeon eingood healthpayatonofbuckstogetcarvedon? Advancesinmyoelectronicsandbioprocessorsmakebioniclimbsthatfar exceedorganicperformanceareality.Modernneuralinterfacescanconnectthe humannervenettosensorydevicesthatdetectwholenewspectra.Insteadof beingahandicap,bionicreplacementsandotherbodymodificationsgivetheir usersanadvantage,atatimewhenfast-trackersarehungrilylookingforanyedge theycanfind.Naturalselectionoperatesinsocialenvironmentsaswellasin nature,andthroughoutthe21stcentury,competitioninsocietyhasbeenferocious. Addtothatawidespreadcultofdistrust,almostdisgust,forthebody.Itfirst aroseduringtheAIDSandTDepidemicsandwasreinforcedbytheAustralian disasteragenerationlater.Biologycouldkillyou!Howinfinitelypreferableare limbsthatdon'tage,thatignoreinfection,thatfeelnopain.Andasautomationhas extendedit stouchintoeveryfieldofhumanendeavor,themeatfeelsinferior . Peoplewanttobecomeascleanlyfunctionalasthedevicesthatruntheirworld. Finally,stirinthealienationthathasgrownworsethroughoutthefirsthalfof thecentury,especiallyatthebottomandtopofthesocialheap.Streetopsand otherlowlifesaremoreandmoreactiveintheircontemptforsocietyandits values,whiletop-rankedzeksandotherscionsofthesystemareequallyassured oftheiressentialsuperiority.Bothclasseshavebecomeincreasinglydetached Technology -98 - fromtheirhumanity,andaccordinglymoreattractedtotheideaofremakingthat humanityinanimageoftheirownchoosing. Technologyprovidedthemeans.Socialpressuresprovidedthemotive.The result?Anyonewiththemoneycangethisbodymodifiedtosuitalmostanytaste, whetherinsomeback-alleymeatmodshop,orinoneofthesleekestwhisper clinicsinSingaporeortheKomitsu-Helvetiaorbitalplatform. Cyberwear:SOTA,Standard,orStreet Itmatterswhereacustomershopsforcyberwear.Therearethreesourceson theEdge.Itisimportanttokeepthedifferencebetweenavailabilityandsources straight. Availability(common,uncommon,rare,veryrare,experimental)isinherent inthetechnology.Itdoesn'tmatterwheresomeonebuysaRetinaprintimplant.It israretechnologyin2043.Gettingraretoexperimentalcyberwearshouldrequire extramoney,severalappropriatesuccessfulskillrolls,andsomegoodroleplaying onthePC'spart. Thesourceofcyberwear(SOTA,Standard,orStreet)governswhereachar-actergetsit,howmuchitcosts,andwhathehastodotogetit.Itcanalsoaffect thequalityofthecyberwear. SOTACyberwear SOTAisshorthandfor”state-of-the-art.“SOTAcyberwearisthebestthereis andmatchesthedescriptionsgivenonpp.C32-41.ThisismatureTL8cyberwear. SomeSOTAwearisactuallycutting-edge,TL9equipment. Ittakesthefinestmicrosurgicalandnanosurgicaltechniquestosetupthe delicatenerve-netinterfacesforSOTAcyberwear.Sincethenanniesavailablein 2043arenotstableina1-Gfield,thismeansthattherecipientmusteithergethis cyberinstalledinoneoftheorbitalclinics,orelsethatthenanotoolsforthe operationmustbeshippeddownfortheinstallation. State-of-the-artcyberlookscompletelynatural.Onlycloseinspection,possi-blyusingequipmentratherthantheunaidedsenses,candetectitascyberwear.A charactercanchoosetogetmoreobviousSOTAcyberwear.Ifhedoes,hegetsthe discountspecifiedonp.C31undertheUnnaturalmodification.Visiblyobvious cyberwear,evenifitisSOTA,cancarryaSocialStigma(seeCyberwearand SocialStigma,p.97). ListpriceforSOTAwearisthepricegiveninGURPS Cyberpunk.Remember thatprices,asalways,aregiveninEconomicCommunityUnits.Ifthebuyeris payingforthecyberwearinsoftercurrency,checktoseeiftheexchangerate favorshim,ordoeshimdirt(se eEconomics,p.59). StandardCyberwear Subjecttolocallawsgoverningimplants,Standardcyberwearisavailableto anyonewiththemoneytospend.Commercialclinics,majorbodyshopchains, andotherlegitimatesupplierscanprovideStandardcyberanddosoeveryday. OnlycommonoruncommontechcanbeacquiredasStandardcyberwear. Thisisthestuffthatthemid-levelsuitsbuy.Cyber-bourgeois,asitwere. Standardcyberwearcanbedetectedbysight,iftheobservermakesaVision roll.Itfeelsartificialtothetouch.However,itdoesnotgetthe50%reductionin listpricespecifiedonp.CP31.Thecustomerpaysfulllistpricefortheimplant.If someonegetsStandardcyberwearandspecifiesthatitisvisiblyobvious,thenhe getsa50%discount,notthe80%discountfortheUnnaturalmodification. StandardcyberwearcostsnocharacterpointsanddoesnotrequireUnusual Origin,aPatron,oranyotherspecialconnections. CyberwearAvailability Thelistbelowdetailstheavailability (seep.96)ofallthecyberwearfrom GURPSCyberpunk. Abbreviations:C:common,U:uncom-mon,R:rare,V:veryrare,X:experimental. ChipSlotsC InterfaceJackR NeuralCyberdeckInterfaceU Cyberttmbs HandC ArmC LegU FullCyborgBodyX CyberlimbArmorR HiddenCompartmentsU SpecialLimbsVorX WeaponsandGadgets ClawsU PoisonReservoirR StingerR WeaponImplantV WeaponMountV WeaponLinkV OtherimplantsRtoX BodyModifications AirtightSealX AudioDampingV BiomonitorC BionicReconstructionX CortexBombU ElasticFaceX ExtraHitPointsV FullMetalJacketX GillsV GyrobalanceR InternalOxygenSupplyR LaserReflectiveExteriorV PocketsR SenseOrgans BionicEyesC (AcuteVision)R (BugDetector)V (OpticReadout)C (Polarization)C (LightIntensification)C (IndependentlyFocusableEyes)R (Infravision)V (MicroscopicVision)X (NightSight)V (Retinaprint)R (TelescopicVision)V (360-Degre eVision)X (VideoReception)C Continuedonnextpage… -99- Technology CyberwearAvailability (Continued) BionicEarsC (AcuteHearing)R (ParabolicHearing)R (RadioReception)C (RadioDescrambler)X (Subsonics)R (Ultrasonics)R (VolumeCutout)C RadarX SensitiveTouchX NewSensoryInputX Communications BroadcastU CellularLinkC RemoteDatalinkX SilverTongueX SpeakersU PersonalityChips AttitudeChipU BehaviorChipC PsychImplantsX BerserkerChipC DummyChipC PersonalityImplantX PhysicalControlChips AmpChipC IncapacityOverrideR MachoChipC TalentChips AdvantageChipsC ClockChipC EideticChipU MathChipC SkillChipsC ReflexChipsR OccupationalChipsC ZapChips(varies) OtherChips JackhammerC TripsC DatachipsC(dependingoncontent) StreetCyberwear LikeSOTAcyberwear,anyimplantslistedinGURPS Cyberpunkcanbe acquiredasStreetcyber. Stoh?!Herewe'vebeengoingonabouthowharditistogetadvancedcyber ontheEdge,andnowwesayanycyberwearontheshoppinglistcanbegottenat streetlevel ?Saywhat?! Dampdown,livewire.Wedidn'tsayitwasgoodcyber. SOTAandStreetcyberwearhavesomethingincommonthatStandard cyberweardoesn't.Theyareofferedinamarketwherepeoplewantthesharpest advantagetheycanget,nomatterwhatittakestogetit .Money,connections, favors,younameitandsomeoneoutthereiswillingandabletopayitforthe hottestcyber. So,ifyoucangetanythingyouwantfromthesplicerinthenextblock,what's thediff?WhybotherwithSOTAwear? SOTAimplantscomeintidy,polishedpackagesfromthebestlabsonEarth (orinitsnearvicinity).Streetwearisbashedtogetherbyoccasionallybrilliant maverickswhoareclinicallysaneformaybetwohoursaday.Streetclinicsare usingstolenorsmugglednanotools,maybesomethathavebeendownthegravity welljustahairtoolong.Maybethesplicerevenhastoimplantusingmicrosur-gery,unassistedbythosehard-workingnannies.Kindofliketryingtobreadboard acircuitusingcarpenter'stools . Streetcyberwearisalwaysobvioustoevenacursoryglance.Evensomething likeSilverTonguewillbeobvious.SOTASilverTonguedoesn'tgiveyouaclue thattheuserisplayinggameswithsonicstogetonyourgoodside.TheStreet versionaltersyourvoiceverynoticeably.Thesoundisstillbeautiful,pleasing enoughtogetyouthebenefits,butisalsoobviouslymodified.Thiswouldreduce itseffectswhendealingwithlistenerswhoattachaSocialStigmatoobviouscyber modifications. Thecharactergetsa50%pricebreakonStreetcyber,notthe80%discount specifiedforobviouscyberwearonp.C31.AswithSOTAcyber,thebuyershould makeseveralsuccessfulskillrolls(definitelyStreetwise,probablysomeothersas well),forkoversomeextracash,anddosom eslic kroleplayingtogetrare,very rareorexperimentalcyberwear. Finally,thecharacterhastopickoneadditionalmodifierfortheimplant(see below).Itshouldbenosurprisetoseethatthesearenotexactlyhelpfulmodifica-tions. Anyonewhopayslistpricefortheimplant,givingupthe50%discountfor Streetcyberwear,canavoidpickingoneofthesedisadvantages. ReducedDurability Halvethenumberofhitsrequiredtocrippletheimplant.Roundfractionsup. Forexample,aStreetbioniceyeiscrippledifittakes1pointofdamage.Abionic handiscrippledaftertaking2pointsofdamage,andsoon(se ep.C31). UnreliableorBreakdownProne Thebuyergetstochoose.Hey,thecustomer'salwaysright,no?However,he doesnotgetthepricereductionforthismodification.Thecustomerisalways wrong,yes? OtherDisadvantage TheplayerandtheGMcannegotiatesomeotherdisadvantagethatismutu-allyagreeable.Forexample,abioniceyemighthaveNightVision,butthechar-actermightsufferfromtheBadSightDisadvantage(se ep.B27).Thatis,hecan se einthedarkwithnodifficulty,butisalwaysfarsightedornearsighted,whether heisusingtheNightVisionimplantornot. Technology -100- PersonalWeapons It'sdangerousontheEdge.Theworldisfullofnutcasesand theyallhaveguns.Therearen'tmanyplaceswhereanunarmed individualcanwalkaroundsafely.Mostofthetime,lawiswhat youcarryinaholster.Oronanarticulatedweaponharness.Kind oflikeHollywood'sideaoftheOldWest.Ofcourse,intheOld West,automaticweapons,Gaussneedlersandtheoccasional lase randassaultchaingunwerenotallthatcommon. ChemicalSlugthrowers FirearmsarestillthemostcommonweaponsontheEdge. EvenintheNERCC-dominatedU.S.,chemicalfirearmsareev-erywhere.AC-1cangetalicensetocarryasidearmforpersonal defense.MostC-2s,andevenC-3siftheyhaveaspotlessrecord, canbuyandregisterhuntingarms,orweaponsforprotectionin theirplaceofbusiness.Ofcourse,alotofpeoplecarryweapons evenwithoutalicense.Whatistheworldcomingto? Caselessammunitionandtheuseoftoughpolymersinplace ofwoodandmetalmakefirearmstodaylighterandmoreeffec-tivethan20th-centuryguns. Themajorityofmodernfirearmsaremagazine-fed.Ammuni-tionissoldinstandardizedplasticcassettes,sizedtofitthemag-azinesoftypicalweapons.Theusersimplytakesanempty magazine,alignsthecassettefeeder,smacksintheammoand pullsouttheemptycassette.Orhecantakesingleroundsfrom thecassette,andloadthemintoapartly-fullmagazine. Loadingacassetteintoamagazinetakes3seconds.Fast-Draw (Magazine)canreducethisto1second.Loadinglooserounds takes1secondperround. StreetTreats Theseusedtobecalled”SaturdayNightSpecials.“Street treatsarecheapknockoffsofpopulargunpatterns.Forexample, AstrumFederatedFirearmsofChilentinamakestheMeteor,a durable,popular11mmautomag.Indonesia'sOlukartongPistol Mfg.makesacopyoftheMeteorthatcostshalfasmuchasthe realthing.ButtheOlukartongVajra11mmpistolhassomany chamberexplosionsthatit'spickedupnicknameslik e”theFin-gerFryer“onthestreetsofAmerica'ssprawls. Tointroduceastreettreatintoacampaign,theGMsimply picksaregularweaponfromtheWeaponTable,andmodifiesits statsasfollows: AllstreettreatsareconsideredCheapweapons(se esidebar,p. B74)andcost60%oflistprice.Whenacharacterbuysastreet treat,theGMrolls1dthefirsttimeitisfiredincombat,and reducestheweapon'sAccbytheresult.ThisisthepermanentAcc ratingforthegunthereafter.Noreturnsorexchangesatyour friendlystreettreatvendor,either. TheMalf(malfunctionnumber)ofastreettreatisalways lowerthanthelistedweaponitisbasedon-they'rejustmore likelytojamorblowupinyourface.AVer.orVer.(Crit.)is reducedtoCrit.ACrit.isreducedtoaflatMalfnumberof16. Acheaperstreettreat,50%oflistprice,isallowed.These weaponshavethesameproblemsasregularstreettreats.Inaddi-tion,whenamalfunctiondoesoccur,rolltwiceontheFirearms CriticalMissTable(p.B202)andapplybothresults,ortheworse resultifthetwooutcomesareincompatible. Astreettreatshouldhaveabrandname,evenabitofback-ground.Thismakesiteasiertokeeptrackofwhoisshooting what,aswellasaddingcolortothecampaign.Duckingfirefrom anOlukartong11mmhasmorezingthantryingtododgeage-neric”cheapcopyoftheAstrumMeteor.“Especiallyiftheper-sondodgingisprayingferventlyforoneofthe”FingerFryer's“ patentedchamberexplosions. ModifyingSlugthrowers Militaryandpoliceweaponswithautofirecapabilityareusu-allymadeinsemi-automaticcivilianmodels,withaRoFof3. TheLegalityRatingofsuchweaponsis2pointshigherthanthe automaticversion. Agunsmithcanconvertoneoftheseintoafullyautomatic weaponinfourhoursonasuccessfulArmoury-2roll.Failure requiresanothertry(andfourmorehours).Criticalfailurebreaks thegun.ConvertedweaponsalwayshaveaLegalityRatingof0, eveniftheoriginalweaponhasahigherLegalityRating,since themodificationsarethemselvesillegal. CustomFirearms Agunsmithcanmodifyaweapon,”tuning“ittomakeitmore accurateandeasiertohandle.Acccanbeincrease dby+2.This modificationcosts150%ofthelistedpriceofthegun.Ittakes threedaysandasuccessfulArmoury-4roll. TheSS(snap-shotrating)oftheguncanbedecreasedby2. Thistakes7days,costs100 %oftheweapon'slistedprice,and requiresasuccessfulArmoury-3roll. Streettreatsareprettyshoddy.Agunsmithcanstillmakethese modificationstoastreettreatbutthecostofthemodificationsis basedonthelistedpriceoftheweaponfromtheWeaponsTable, notthereducedpriceforthecheapweapon.Modificationsto streettreatsonlymodifyspecsby+1or-1 . -101- Technology CivilianFirearms(Pistols) MoskArmSport-Pyat(5mm).ThisRussian-madesportingpis-to lisbuiltforcomfortable,accurateshooting.Itisratherbulky forconcealmentpurposes:-2toHoldoutskillwhenconcealed. TheMoskArmSport-Pyat(5×200 )hasa200mmextensionbar-rel.Thisincrease saccuracyandrange,butmakestheweapon almostimpossibletoconceal,exceptunderalongcoat.Even then,Visionrollstodetecttheweaponsareat+4.Thebarrelsare modular,ofcourse,andchangingbarrelstake s10minutesanda successfulrollvs.Armoury+4. S&WUrbanDefender(9mm).TheUrbanDefenderisoneof themostwidelycarriedciviliansidearmsintheU.S.,sturdy, reliableandreasonablypriced. GlockHotload(9mm).Chamberedfor9mmhigh-powered ammo,theHotload'sadvanceddesigntakesfulladvantageof caselessammotechnologytopreventmalfunctions.Itisfavored bycivilian,militaryandlocalpoliceforcesalike. ColtWarrior.44 Magnum.Forpeoplewhosimplylikevery bigguns,theWarrioristhewaytogo.Thisisoneofthefew revolversinmodernproduction,andColtretainedtheold.4 4 Magnumchamberingtoappealtotraditionalists.TheWarrioris tooledtousemoderncaselessrounds,andspeed-loadcassettesof 6roundsareavailablefromthemanufacturer. AstrumMeteorMagnum(11mm).AstrumFederatedFirearms ofBuenosAireshasemergedasoneofthetopweaponfirmsin SouthAmerica.TheMeteorisarguablythemostpopularlarge-boreautoloadingpistolintheworldtoday. TheAstrum11mmBolideisanadvancedmodeloftheMeteor withanintegrallasersight. MoskArmsRusski-9 (9mm).TheRusski-9isMoskArms' bread-and-butterweapon,soldwidelyintheCISandtherestof Eurasia.Ithasanintegrallasersight. SOGStrassenSchutz(9mm kurz).Schneider-OranienGesell-schaftisanup-and-comingGermanmanufacturerofcivilianand sportingarms.Whiletheirmilitaryhardwareisles sadvanced thantheweaponsproducedbyFabriqueEuropa,SOGweapons arepopularwithlocalpoliceandlastworldarmedforces. TheStrassenSchutz(“StreetProtector”)islightandeasily concealable(+2toHoldoutrolls).Itfiresa9mmshortthatsome criticschargeistoofeebletobeworthmuchinafight. ColtClassic(10mm).Likethe.4 4MagnumWarrior,theColt Classicappealstotraditionalists.Chamberedformodern10mm caseless,theweaponisadeadringerforthelegendaryColt M1911A1.4 5ACP.Alightermodel,engineeredtoresemblethe popularColtCombatCommander.4 5ACP,isonthemarketas well(-1totheSSratingduetolighterconstruction). SOGFeder(7mm).TheFederisatidylittlehideawayweapon. Withashort(bymodernstandards)magazineof7mmrounds,it isnotmuchuseagainstanarmoredopponent.Itsuseofnew plasticsspecificallydesignedtoeludemodernweapondetectors andhighlyefficientgasventingtoreduceitssignatureforchem-icaldetectorsiscontroversial,butexplainsitspopularityinsome circles.Theweaponimposesa-4penaltyonvisualsearchesfor concealedweapons,and-2tosearchesusingelectronicorchem-icaldetectorssuchasChemsniffers. CivilianFirearms (RiflesandShotguns) Sauvage7mm”Boucanier.“WhenaFrenchconsortiumpur-chasedSavageArmsin2017andrenameditSauvage,predictions ofloweredqualitywererife.However,consistentlygoodweapon performancehasmadetheSauvage7mmseriespopularwith hunterstheworldover.TheBoucanierisequippedwithintegral telescopicandlow-lightsights.Optionalmodelswithintegral lase rsights(the”DragonRouge“)andintegralHUDtargeting circuitry(“L'Aigle”)areavailable.AmilitarymodelofL'Aigle i sthedesignatedsnipe rweaponoftheU.E.armedforces . MoskArm12mmMagnum”Molniya.“TheMolniya (“Thunderbolt”)isabig-gameweapon,pricedinaccordance withthesmal lmarketforsuc hweaponsin2043 .Somanybig gamespecie sareprotectedbyendangeredspeciesregulations, therearefewbiggamehuntersaround.Poachersdon'tcount; theygenerallyhosedownthepoorbeastiewithafloodofsmall-caliberfirefrommilitaryweaponsuntilitfallsoverdead.The Thunderboltthrowsa12mmmagnumslugthatcandropaCape buffaloorSiberiantiger,andthatpracticallytearssmallertargets topieces. RemingtonModel60(12g).Thisisastandard,good-quality, semi-automaticshotgun.Aslightlyshorter,lightermodel,the Remington”Hearthfire“Model62,issol dforhomedefense. Military/PoliceFirearms(AssaultWeapons) SOGG7Carbine(5.5mm).SOG'sG7weaponisacompact, bull-pupdesignpopularwithinfantryinless-develope dnations. SOGhaslicensedthedesignformanufactureinanumberof lastworldcountries.Itisthemostcommonassaultweaponfound inthestreetsaroundtheworld,sinceitissowidelyproducedthat gunrunnersfinditaneasyweapontoobtain. FE-AC7.7mm CarbineandFE-AR7.7mmRifle.Thisisthe creamofmilitaryfirearmsfromFabriqueEuropa,themassive cartelthatcombinedEurope'sleadingweaponmanufacturers intoasinglekorpin2014. BoththeFE-ACandFE-ARareequippedwithintegraltele -scopicsightsandlow-lighttargetingsystems.Theyalsohave integralHUDtargetingcircuitry,whichcanbeconnectedtoHUD gogglesorahelmetdisplay.TheFE-ARhasanintegral20mm minigrenadelauncherwhichisidenticaltotheNATArmsMML-20(seep.105). NATArmsM-23(5.5mm).TheM-23andit srelatedconfigura-tionsaretheprincipalmilitaryfirearmsintheU.S.Theyare equippedwithtelescopicandlow-lightsightsandhaveintegral HUDtargetingcircuitry.TheM-23isequippedtomountan MML-20grenadelauncherunderthebarrel(seep.105) . MoskArmAK-107(7.7mm).ModeledontheoldKalishnikov, theAK-107combinedthelegendarydurabilityofthatweapon withmodernmaterialsandcaselessammotechnologytoproduce asuperbinfantryweapon.ThearmedforcesoftheCISandCAP bothusetheAK-107astheirbasicinfantryweapon. TheAK0107isequippedwithtelescopicsights.TheAK-107V hastelescopicandlow-lightimagingsightsandisequippedwith integralHUDtargetingcircuitry. Technology -102- Military/PoliceFirearms(SubmachineGuns) IngramMAC-21(9mm).Small,easilyconcealed(-2toVision rollstodetectit),durable,theMAC-21machinepistolisafavor-iteamongcovertoperativesandterrorists.ThenewMAC-21His equippedwithintegrallink-circuitrytoconnecttoaHUDtarget-ingdisplay(seep.C47).TheMAC-21Hcosts$1,000morethan theMAC-21. MoskArmNovUzi(9mm).Someweaponsnevergooutof style.TheUzisubmachinegunpatternisoneofthem.MoskArm licensedthispatternfromIsraelin2023anditisoneofthemost popularsubmachinegunsintheworldtoday.Compact,itslines almostunchangedfromtheoriginaldesignintroducedin1952 ,it isfavoredbybondedsecurityagents,korpsecurityforces,and otherorganizations. NATArmsM-19(10mm).ThisweaponisafavoritewithU.S. policeforcesandregionalNERCCtroopsinclosecombatsitua-tions.ItcomeswithintegralHUDtargetingcircuitryallowingit tobehookedtoHUDgogglesorahelmetdisplay. Military/PoliceFirearms(SniperRifles) MoskArmSVD7.7mm.Asuperbmarksman'sweapon,with adjustablebuttstock,balanceweightsandanoptionaltripod mountthatreducestheRecoilpenaltyforaimedfire to-1.The SVDisequippedwithintegralHUDtargetingcircuitry. MoskArmisreputedlyworkingonaremote-controlledmodel, tobesetupandrangedinonagivenspot,andthenconnectedto acontrolunitwithanimage-recognitionexpertsystemrunning. Thecontrolunitwouldbeabletofirethegunuponrecognizinga specifiedtargetenteringitsfirezone. NATArmsCW55(5.5mm).TheCovertWeaponModel55isa sniper'sweaponthatbreaksdownintoseparatebarrel,buttstock, receiverandclipmechanism.Whendismantled,itfitsintoa briefcase,orcanevenbecarriedinspecialpocketsinanovercoat. Ittakes5minutesandasuccessfulArmoury+5rolltoputthe weapontogether. Military/PoliceFirearms(Shotguns) Sawed-offDoubleBarrel (lOg).Astreettreatofvenerable lineage,thisisstillusedbygangstersinsomeareas.Itisnot usuallyfoundinpoliceormilitaryhands,butisincludedhere sinceitisquiteillegalforaciviliantoownoneoftheseinmost jurisdictions,andevenmoreillegalinothers. S&WThor(12g).TheSmithandWessonThorisagoodexam-pleoftheautoloadingcombatshotgunsusedbypoliceincitiesall overtheworld.Thesearegenerallyolderweapons,sincethe close-assaultweaponformathaslargelyreplacedthemonmod-ernpoliceforcesandinmilitaryapplications. NATArmsUCW(lOg).Acompact,semi-automaticshotgun firinglarge-gaugeshells,theUCWisperfectforurbanclose combat.Whileitlookedlikemodernbodyarmorsweregoingto makeshotgunsobsoleteaspoliceweapons,improvedpropellants andtheintroductionofflechetteshells(seebelow)havegiven themanewleaseonlife. FEACAW(10g) .FabriqueEuropa'sAutomaticClose-Assault Weapon,devastatingincombat,isfoundinthehandsofSWAT teamsandsimilarorganizationsallovertheworld. SlugthrowerAmmo Allthevarietiesofammunitionlistedonp.C44areavailable. Inaddition,thereare.. . FlechetteShotshells.Shotgunshellsloadingflechettesfirea massofspin-stableneedlesathighvelocity.Reduce1/2Drange by5yards,andMaximumrangeby10yards.Hitsaredetermined asspecifiedonp.B119,buttheflechettesdoimpalingdamage insteadofcrushingdamage.Thismeansthatnon-rigidarmor's DRishalvedagainstflechettes,andanydamagethatgetsthrough ismultipliedby2.However,rigidarmoralwaysstopsflechettes withoutanydamagetothewearer.Flechetteshotshell scos tfive timesnormal,andhaveaLegalityRatingof1. AmmoWeight.Giventhehighnumberofshotsthatmodem weaponscancarry,theGMmayneedtoconsidertheweightof ammunition.Thefollowingvaluesareformoderncaseless rounds. Pistolammunitionweighs.2poundper10rounds. Magnumpistolammoloadsweigh.6poundper10rounds. 5.5mmrifleammoweighs. 3poundper10 . 7.7mmrifleammoweighs.4poundper10 . APSandexplosiveroundsadd.1poundtotheseweights. Plasticroundsreducethemby.1pound. GaussNeedlers Whenhigh-temperaturesuperconductorsweredevelopedin theearly21stcentury,theyopenedthedoorfortechnologies usingmagneticenergytomovemassesathighspeeds .Mag-lev (magneticlevitation)transportwasoneresult.Mass-driverweap-onswereanother. ThebasicoperationofGaussneedlersisdescribedonp.C44. However,theTL8weaponsdescribedtherearesomewhatmore advancedthantheweaponsavailableontheEdge. Gaussweaponsrequiresuperconductingmagneticdriversto generatethefieldsthatpropeltheneedles.AtmatureTL8,thes e aremadewithRTSCs(Room-TemperatureSuperconductors).At earlyTL8,thelevelofGURPSCyberworld,Gaussweaponsde-pendonHTSCs(High-TemperatureSuperconductors)which onlyoperatewhentheyarecoole dtoapproximately-100F.They aresubjecttothelimitationsondevicesthatuseHTSC's(seep. 94).Inaddition,anyhitwithaflameweapononapersoncarrying aGaussneedierwilloverheattheHTSCdriverandrenderthe weaponuselessuntilitisreloaded .Alase rsho tcanalsodisable theGaussweapon,butmusthittheneedieritself,notjustitsfirer. -103- Technology MostshootersprefertoputaGaussuseroutofactioninles s subtleways,namelybykillinghim. AcontemporaryGaussneedierhasaverybulkymagnetic driver.BothNATArmsandMoskArm,theleadingproducers, combineHTSCfieldgenerator,coolingsystem,thepoweringB cellandtheneedlesinasingledisposableunitweighingabout2. 5 pounds.TheNATArmsandMoskArmGaussunitsarenotinter-changeable. ReloadingaGaussneedierisafinickybusiness.Anattempt takesoneminuteandrequiresanArmouryrol ltosucceed .Ona criticalfailure,theHTSCcontainmenthasbeenpunctured.The “magazine”lose sitsmagneticcapacityandisuseless. WeaponsusingHTSCsquicklyprovedfarto ocrankyand fragileformilitaryuse.Thehighrateoffirewasattractive,but thesuperconductingmagneticfieldgeneratorswerejustto oeasy tocompromise.NorthAmericanTechnology,ArmsDivision (NATArms),developedtheirmilitaryGaussweapons,the “Spike”pistolconfigurationandthe”Lance“rifleconfiguration, underanarmedforcesprocurementcontract.Butfundingwas terminated,followingasetofverydisappointingfieldtestsin 2028.NATArmsthenlobbiedintensivelytogettheirtoned-down versionsoftheweapons(the”Rapier“and”Javelin,“respec -tively)clearedforsaletocivilians,aswellasmarketingtheorig-inalmilitarydesignstopoliceandsecurityorganizations. ProCon'sSubcommitteeforAppropriateTechnologyapproved NATArms'petitionin2034. TheMoskArm”Wasp“isrestrictedtopoliceandmilitary sales,thoughsmuggledunitsarepopularinles sofficialcircles. Thevariable-velocitysettingdescribedonp.C44isanintegral featureonmilitaryGaussneedlers(theSpike,Lance,andWasp). ModifyingGaussNeedlers TheRapierandtheJavelincanbemodifiedforfullautomatic fire.ThisjobtakesfivedaysandrequiresanArmoury-4orElec-tronics-6roll.Failurerequiresanotherfivedaystotryagainand criticalfailurewrecksthegun. ThemaximumRoFformodifiedGaussneedlersis10 .Amod-ifiedJavelindoesnotgettheRoF20ofthemilitarymodels, whichhavemorepowerfulinductionstators. For$500,acivilianGaussneediercanbefittedforvariable-velocityfire,allowingsubsonicroundstobefired(se ep.C44). Fordo-it-yourselftypes,thecostis$200forpartsandthejob requires2daysandanArmouryorElectronics-2roll. ModifiedGaussneedlershaveLegalityRating0. Gyrocs Gyrocweapons,fullydescribedonp.C44,fire.7 5caliber (18.75mm)spin-stabilizedrockets.Theyarepopularmilitary weaponsandinwideusebypoliceandsecurityforces.Gyrocs areneverlegalcivilianweapons,eveninveryliberaljurisdic-tions. ThebestgyrocsonthemarketaretheRakete-Waffenseries producedbyFabriqueEuropa:theRakete-Ppistol,Rakete-Kcar-bine,andtheRakete-WARL.Thesepatternsarelicensedfor productioninmanyothercountries.EvenU.S.forcesusethese weapons,producedunderlicensebyNATArms. Makingastreet-treatgyrocisnotabigtrickinitself.Ittakes $2,000inparts,3days,andasuccessfulArmouryroll.Gettingthe ammoistheproblem,sincethegyroccassettes,liketheweapons themselves,areLegalityRating1.Athrivingblackmarketin gyrocammunitionexistsbetweencountrieswheretheammuni-tionis(barely)legaltopossessandstreetmarketsliketheU.S., whereitisalmostunobtainableoutsideofSWATteams,military unitsandeliteNERCCsquads. LaserWeapons Lasers,or”burners“tousethecommonstreetterm,arevery new.Productionmodelswerenotintroduceduntilthemid-2030s, undermilitaryprocurementcontractsinUnitedEurope.Notsur-prisingly,giventhevenue,FabriqueEuropaproducedthewin-ninglineoflaser sforthefieldtrials.TheHellwaffen(“light weapons”)serieswere(andare)measurablyinferiortothe NATArmsSunbeamproduct,whichle dtoacrimoniouscharges bytheU.S.thatUnitedEuropewasfavoringitsownkorprather thanbasingitsdecisionontrialresults. Alllase rweaponsuseadual-pullsightingsystem.Softcontact onthetriggerprojectsalow-wattagebeamthatactsasalase r sight.Whenthetargetinglase riswheretheuserwantsit,hecan simplypressthetriggermorefirmlytoactivatethehigh-powered beam. Black-marketversionsoftheFEweapons,ortherecentlyun-veiledKoroshiLaserPersonalArm,alase rcarbinefromJapan, aretricklingintotheU.S.,whereonlyfederalunitsofthemilitary andNERCCcanlegallycarry”burners.“ FEHellwaffenSeries.TheL-10isapistolconfiguration.The L-20isthemorepowerfullong-armformat.Bothareconsidered under-rangedandinefficientintheiruseofpower.Eliteunitsof theUnitedEuropearmedforces,special-opsunitsofUnion, andnationallawenforcementagenciesareissue dtheHellwaffen weapons. NATArmsSunbeam.TheSunbeamislimitedtoU.S.special-opsteamsandtheNERCC'seliteEmergencyResponsestrike teams.Besidesthebuilt-inlase rsightcapabilitycommontoall lase rweapons,theSunbeamRL-5,arifleconfiguration,is equippedwithintegralHUDtargetingcircuitry. KoroshiLaserPersonalArm,Koroshiunveiledthecarbine-configuredLPAinfieldtrialsconductedjointlybytheCISand Japanin2034.TheweaponsawlimiteduseintheIranianCon-tainmentof2037,butitsperformanceisimpressive.TheLPAis equippedwithintegralHUDtargetingcircuitry,aswellasselect-ablesettingsthatallowittobeusedasatarget-designationlaser forartilleryandmissilefire. StreetLaser.Thecomponentstomakestreet-treatlaser sare available.Buildingaman-portablelaserpistoltakes$7,500in parts,5daysandasuccessfulElectronics-3roll.Onafailure,it take sanother5daystotryagain.Onacriticalmiss,thepartsare destroyedbyanaccident. ModifyingLasers Lasersighting.Militarylasersallhavethetwo-stagetrigger thatallowstheweapontoserveasitsownlasersight.Thiscanbe addedtoaStreetlaserfor$500 .SincetheStreetlaseralreadyhas aLegalityRating0,sodoesthismodification. Alltheillegalmodificationsdescribedinthesidebarsonpp. UT22-24areavailableforlasersontheEdge.Militaryweapons donotneedtheAutofireModification,butitcanbemadeto Streetlasers . HotshottingispossibleforbothmilitaryandStreetweapons. Intheless-developedlase rtechnologyofearlyTL8,alllasers takedamagewhenfiringhotshots. Thepowerpackmodificationcanbemadetostreetlasers . GURPSUltra-Techdiscusseslase rmodificationsatlength,on pp.UT21-24. Technology -104-1 HeavyWeapons AssaultChainguns Chaingunshaveamassiverateoffire.Man-portable chaingunsdevelopedintheearly2010swiththeuseofelectronic ignitionandcaselessammunitionallowed.Theweaponsare heavyandbulky,andarealmostneverusedwithoutanArticu-latedWeaponHarness(se ep.C46),orequivalentcyberarmmods andareinforcedskeleton.Theotheradvancethatmakesthese weaponssuitableforuseasman-portableweaponsisacontrol thatletsthefirerse ttheRateofFiretoanydesiredlevel,upto30. TheFE5.5mmKMGisatypicalassaultchaingun.Ammocan beloadedinchain-feedcassettesholding10 0rounds(Wt:3.25) or500rounds(Wt:17 )rounds.Fittinganewcassettetakes5 secondsandasuccessfulArmouryorGunnerroll.TheKMGis equippedwithintegralHUDtargetingcircuitry. FlameWeapons Asurbancombatbecameanincreasingconcernofmilitary andpoliceforces,especiallythosedealingwithdomesticterror-ismandcivilinsurrection,portableflamethrowersevolved,with morecontrolandlessviolenteffectsthanoldermilitaryunits. TheKoroshiHonopistoru(“flamepistol”)firstappeareddur-ingthebriefuprisingoftheNieuwBroederbondcabalinSouth Africa,in2022.WhileKoroshihasalwaysmaintainedthatthe whitesupremacistsstolethedesignfortheweapon,subsequent investigationsstronglysuggestasecretcontract,fundedbythe Broederbond'sunknownbackers,fortheweapons.Inanyevent, Koroshiofferedthe”official“Honopistoruforsalein2027,and mosthigh-optionSWATteamsandsimilarorganizationshavea fewintheirarmslocker. NATCorpgotintotheflamerbusinessin2026.TheNATArms BlazerwasoneofthenewweaponsemployedbytheNERCC andArmyforcesthatsuppressedtheDetroitBlockade. Flameweaponscontainneopalm,anincendiarybasedonsyn-fuelconcentrateandwhitephosphorus,withaburningtempera-tureslightlyinexcessof20th-centurynapalm. Aone-secondburstofneopalmfromaflamerdoes8donthe turnthatithits.Itcanlooseacontinuousstreamoffire.Ahitwith aflamercoversthetargetwithburningneopalm,andthisdoes damageaccordingtotherulesforFlameonp.B129.Aflamercan alsofillahexwithfire.Ineithercase,theflameburnsforone minuteandcannotbeextinguishedexceptbycompleteimmer-sioninwaterorearth,orbyaTL8catalyticextinguisher. Flameweaponshavelimitedrange,butdon'trequire(and don'tallow)pin-pointaccuracy.Flamecannotbeaimedataspe-cifichitlocation.Ifaflamermisses,usetheScatterrulesonp. B119todeterminewheretheneopalmlands.Thathexwillbe consideredburningforthenextminute. Flameweaponscanbesetforareacoverage.Uptothreecon-tiguoushexesmaybetargeted.Reducetheinitialdamageofan areahitby1dieperhexcovered.Reducethedamageofthe secondaryfiressuchanattackstartsby-1pointperhexcovered. Thus,a2-hexattackwoulddo7dtotargetsontheturntheystrike, andwouldse tfiresthatcause1ddamage. ArmorprotectsagainstflameasspecifiedintheGURPSBasic Set,butneopalmfirewillrendercloth,kevlar,leatherandplastics uselessasarmorbythetimeitburnsout.Monocrys,formedfrom metalliccrystals,doesnotignite,andsoisnotdestroyed.Reflec defendsagainstfireasspecifiedonp.B130.Ablativearmorsact asreflecdoesbutareburnedawaybythetimetheneopalmbums out. Disposablefuelandpressurebottlesforflameweaponsweigh 10poundsandcost$120 .Changingthebottlestakes5minutes andrequiresasuccessfulArmouryroll.Backpackbottles,more lik etraditionalflamethrowers,weigh25pounds.Thesearecon-nectedtotheprojectorunitbyalengthofarmoredhoseandallow 30shots.Theycost$300 . Ahitonafuelbottleoracriticalmissthatcallsforanexplod-ingweaponisunpleasant.Anexplodingfuelbottledoesconcus-siondamageof1dperthreeshotsleftinthebottle.The high-densityplasticbottlesdonotproduceanysignificantfrag-ments.However,theexplosionalsodousesthepersoncarrying theweaponswithburningneopalm,andsplashesthedeadlystuff fora1-hexradius.Theindividualcarryingtheweaponwillbeon fireforanumberofminutesequaltohalftheremainingnumber ofshots.Thoseinthesurroundinghexeswillbeonfirefora numberofminutesequaltoV4theremainingnumberofshots. Thehexesthemselveswillalsobeconsideredonfireforthis period.Naturally,ifthecombatantswereidioticenoughtobe usingflamersinanareacontaininghighlyflammablematerials, evenworseside-effectsarepossible. Forotherideasontheuseofflameweapons,se epp.HT70and HT28. Grenades Grenadesareasdescribedonp.C48.Awideassortmentof handgrenadesandgrenadesintendedforlaunchersisavailable. Metalcasingsarestillcommon.TL7grenadesarestillproduced inmanycountries;informationonthes eweaponsisavailablein GURPSHigh-Tech. TL8grenades,asdescribedonp.C48,arejustcominginto use.TL8grenadescanbeequippedwithpropellantsabots,foruse innon-electromagneticlaunchers,orsimplemetalshoe sforuse inthenewelectromagneticgrenadelaunchers. 20mmmini-grenades.Thesearesmallerthantheaveragegre-nade,weighing1. 2pound.Explosivemini-grenadesdo1d+1 concussiondamage.Fragmentationmini-grenadesarewrapped inhigh-tensilestee lwire,andgenerateld+1cuttingdamage. Chemicalmini-grenadesdispersetheircontentstoaradiusof4 hexes.Flaremini-grenadesburnfor2minutes. GrenadeLaunchers Grenadelaunchersareneveravailableascivilianweapons. Whileallmoderngrenadelaunchersusemagazinescontaining multiplegrenades,theycanalsofireindividualmissiles,loaded manuallyintothebreech. Ittakes1secondtoloadagrenademanually,ortoloadaclip ofgrenades.Eachshotwithagrenadelaunchertakes1secondto fire.Misseswillresultinascatter(se ep.B119). Electromagneticgrenadelaunchers,usingthemass-driver principle,areintheearlystagesofdevelopmentin2043. Chemical-PropellantGrenadeLaunchers NATArmsMML-20.The”MicroMissileLauncher“fires 20mmgrenadesusingapropellantcharge.Theweaponholdsa clipof5grenades.ThestandardMML-20isshapedlikeanold-fashionedflarepistol,withthethickcliploadedintotheunder-sideofthebarrel.Afoldingstockallowsreasonablyaccuratefire fromstance.FiringanMML-20one-handedimposesa-4onthe rolltohit. TheMML-20/Sisdesignedtobeattachedunderthebarrelof anymodernassaultweapon.Itcanonlybefiredwhenattachedto suchaweapon.Attachingordetachingthegrenadelauncher takes10minutesandrequiresasuccessfulArmouryroll. NATArmsMGL-40.Thisgrenadelauncherisa40mmunit, -105- Technology similartotheMML-20,andisavailableinthetraditional “thumper”configurationorasanunderslungattachmentforas-saultrifles(MGL-40/S) .Itloadsaclipof3grenades. 40mmgrenadesarethestandardmodelsdescribedonp.C48. ElectromagneticGrenadeLaunchers FabriqueEuropaandNATArmshaveintroducedpilotmodels ofgrenadelaunchersusingelectromagneticfieldstopropelthe missiles.Theiroperationisdescribedonp.C48. LikeotherGaussweapons,theselaunchersutilizeHTSCmag-neticfieldgenerators.Theyaresubjecttothesamefrailtiesspec -ifiedforGaussneedlers(p .103) . FEPEMGSeries.TheFEPEMG-Pisasquat,shotgun-like weapon,designedforuseasapersonallauncher.Thelarger PEMG-GGranatenwerferisfiredfromatripod,fordirectfire,or buttplate,forindirectfire.Bothweaponsfire1-poundshells availablefromFabriqueEuropa.FEisreputedtobetoolin gupto producemodulargrenades,usableasthrownweapons,and equippedwithametalsabotforuseingrenadelaunchers. Streetuserswhohaveobtainedblack-marketPEMGsclaim thatasimpleplasticsleeve ,sizedtofittheweapon'slaunchtube, andwrappedaroundametallichandgrenade,allowsthelauncher toshootreliably. NATArmsEMGL-40.Thisisanelectromagneticversionofthe MGL-40,andissimilartotheFEPEMG-P.TheEMGL-40isnot availableasanattachment,sincethesizeandweightoftheHTSC massdrivermakesitimpracticaltoattachonetoanassault weapon. NATArmsEMPGL-80andNATArmsEMPM-120.Theseare NATArms'heavyentriesintheelectromagneticlauncherrace. Theyfir e80mmand120m mshellsrespectivelyandcanonlybe firedfromtripodsorbuttplates.Theirbulkandtechnological fragilitymakethemles spopularthanchemically-poweredmor-tars .Theyareidentica ltotheelectromagneticweaponsdescribed onp.C48,withtheprovisothattheirHTSCdriveunitsarevul-nerableinthesamewaysasGaussneedlers(seep.103) . OtherWeaponsandEquipment VirtuallyalltheTL8equipmentfromGURPSCyberpunkand GURPSUltra-TechisavailableontheEdge,butnotallofit'son themarket-oreveneasilyavailableontheblackmarket. WeaponAccessoriespp.C46-47 AlltheweaponsaccessoriesfromGURPS Cyberpunkare availableaslisted. MeleeWeaponspp.C47-48 Durasteelisnotatallcommon,andsuper-finebladescost50 timestheBasicSetpricefortheirlow-techequivalents.Stun wandsareavailableaslisted,butvibrobladesexistonlyinR&D labs,sofar. Armorpp.C49-50 Ablativeandreflecarmorarerare,duetotheuncommonsta-tusofbeamweapons.Ablativefoamexists,buthasneverbeen releasedcommercially.Basecostforanexoskeletonis$50,000 , andweightis75poundsperpointofSTuptoST20,and10 0 poundsperpointthereafter. Communications,Recording andScientificEquipmentpp.C50-5 1 Light-intensifiercontactsarenotavailable(thepowerslugs aretoobig).Therestofthesedevicesareavailableaslisted. PersonalVehicles Detailedsystemsfordesigningpersonalvehiclescanbefound inGURPSVehicles.Thefollowingautomobilesarelistedby enginetype,topspeed,thenumberofpassengerstheycancarry (includingthedriver)andcost. CarsontheEdgecanbearmedandarmored,andoftenare.For aplethoraofoptionsforvehiculardefenseandfirepower,se e GURPSVehiclesorGURPSAutoduel. DMWMistral:Alcohol-burningengine,capacity2,topspee d 14 4mph,cost:$9,500 . Honda-RenaultAdagio:Electricpowerplant,capacity4,top spee d50mph,cost:$6,000 . NorthAmMotorsPursuitVehicle,MarkII:Gasoline-burning engine,capacity4,topspeed160 ,cost:$26,75 0plusaccessories. Equippedwithfront-firingtwinAssaultChainguns,solidtires. Toolspp.C52-53 ToolKitsareavailableasliste dinGURPSCyberpunk,except thatpowerslugsarenotincludedinpriceandweight-theymust beboughtseparately. SecuritySystems,Police andSurveillanceEquipmentpp.C53-55 AlloftheequipmentlistedinGURPSCyberpunkisavailable aslisted . MedicalScience,Cloning andDrugspp.C55-59 Ifanybody'smanagedtomakeabraintapeyet,it'sdouble-maximum-secrettechlockedupinthedeepestR&Dlabofsom e BolshieTenkorp,andghostcompsarestillthestuffofbadvidd-ies . Excellentindividualbodypartscanbeclonedfortransplant purposes,butnobody'smanagedtocloneawholehumanbeing yet-notonewithafunctionalbrain,anyway. AllthedrugsfromGURPSCyberpunkareavailableaslisted. Nanotools Acompletesetofnanotoolsforinstallingcyberneticimplants costs$15,000 ,plusanadditional$1,00 0forshippingifthebuyer doesn'tbuyitinorbitandcarryitdownhimself. Inzero-gaproperlymaintainedsetofnanotoolswilllastin -definitely,butearthsidetheystarttodeteriorateafter3d+6days, imposingacumulative-1toSurgeryskillforeachdayofdeteri-oration.Asurgeoncanrecognizethathisnanoisgoingbadwith asuccessfulrol lvs.Engineer(Nanotech)orSurgery/TL8-4. Technology -106- -107- Technology WeaponTable CivilianWeapons Firearms(Pistols) Technology -108- THENETON THEEDGE Earth'sinformationtechnologyhasbeenrunningwithallindicators redlinedsincethe1960s .Computersanddataprocessingareapproaching matureTL8intheone-and-twenty. Thezero-gravityorbitalnanofactoriesgrindoutthegigabyteRAM chipsthatgivecomputerstheirpower.Laserdisk-readingsystemsallow datatransferatincrediblespeeds.Opticaltransmissionsystemsmake megabaudbandwidthsavailable. -109-TheNetontheEdge Talkin'One-and-Twenty decker:Ahackerequippedwithaneuralin-terfaceandacyberdeck. smyertniki:Killers.Specificallyrefersto Netassassinsforkorpsandgovernment agencies,assignedtotakeoutillicit' netrunners. virgonomic:Contractionof”virtualergo-nomics.“Anycontrolsystemthatcre-atesavirtua lenvironment,without usingneuralinterfacing,toallowthe usertoaccessacomputerwithoutusing analogcontrols. TheinformationweaponsbornduringtheDataWars(se ep.121 )gavethe worldneuralinterfaces,combatsoftwareandthepotentiallylethalsecuritysoft-wareknown,asice .Truecyberdecksarestillararity,andthenetrunnerswhocan usethemarethemostpowerfuldata-commandosintheworld.Thismakesthem muchsoughtafter,bothbygroupsthatwanttohirethemandtheagentsofpeople whowanttocaptureorkillthem. Computers Computersareeverywhereintheone-and-twenty.Microchipsrunwrist-comps;terabyteRAMunitsfromthenanoshopsoftheorbitalfactoriespowerthe megacomputers.Computerskeeprecords,handlefunds,andcontrolcars,power plants,kitchens,factories,washingmachinesandcities. Thousandsofcompaniesmakecomputersin2043.Allbutafewofthese companiesare”cloners.“Theymakecopies,”clones,“ofmachinesdesignedby oneofthemajorcomputerkorps.Mostcomputerclonesarelegal.Theirmakers arelicensedbythekorpthatholdsthepatentsonthedesignbeingcopied.Pirate clonesarecommon,buttheirmakersrunasignificantriskinaworldwherethe keiretsuhavebeenknowntodispatcharmedagentstodealwithcopyrightin-fringements. Ofcourse,whenapirateclonerisanother megakorp,thebattleissettledwithlawyers andwrits,ratherthancyberninja.Usually. PersonalComputers Therearethreebasicdesignsofpersonal computeravailable,thoughtherearedozens ofvariationsonthebasicconfigurations. Eachbasicsystemdesignisproprietaryto oneofthreecomputerkorps:EGM,NATC-omp,andNovyRasvet.Allthreehaveli-censedtheirdesignswidely,andthereare hundredsofclonesonthemarket. TypicalpersonalcomputersareCom-plexity2systems(seeHardware,p.C62). Top-of-the-linemodelsareComplexity3. Unenhancedmodelscanruntwoprogramsof theirComplexityatonetime.Systemswith improvedmultitaskingCPUscanrunthree suchprogramsatonce. Standardmodelsareequippedwitha10 -gigabyteCDdrive(seesidebar,p.113).All personalcomputerswillhavethenecessary connectionstoattachperipheralssuchas printersandmodems(seeComputerPeriph-erals,p.116) . Almostallpersona lcomputer sare equippedwithascrolloutvideodisplay:a flexible,plasticsheetlaminatedwithafiber-circuitryLCDmatrix,thatcanberolledup likestiffpaper.Whennotinuse,thescreen rollsupinsidethecomputercasing.Similarly, akeyboardisalaminated,pressure-sensitive membraneonabasethatfoldsoutfroma compactpackageintosomethin gtha ta TheNetontheEdge -110- humanbeingcantypeoncomfortably.Casesarelightweight,high-strengthplas-tics.Standardmodelsfolddowntoapackage24”by8“by3”andweighabout3 pounds.Pocketmodelscanbefoldeddownto6“by4”by2“andweighapound, orless . Lower-pricedcomputershaveonlyan”analog“controlinterfacesystem. Thiswillincludeakeyboard,somekindofpointersystem(amouse,lightpen, touch-sensitivescreenortrackball)andvoice-inputcapability. State-of-the-artpersonalcomputerscomeequippedwithavirgonomicinter-face,andtheperipheralstocreateatleas tavirtualequivalentoftheanalogcontrol systems:virtualkeyboards,”point-and-snap“VirtualUserInterfacedisplays. Anypersonalcomputerthatisvirgonomics-capablecansupportafullhotrigor otherhigh-levelvirgonomiccontroller(se eVirgonomics,p.120) . Personalcomputersaresmallerby33%inalldimensions,andweigh1pound les s(minimumweightVipound)ifthepersonalcomputeris”All-V,“allvirgono-mic.All-Vunitshavenokeyboards,screensorotherbulkydevices.Justchips, diskettedrives,andavirgonomicplugforthewizziesandthev-gloves.All-V systemsare$10 0cheaperthansystemswithanalogcontrols. AllpersonalcomputerscanfunctionforoneyearwithaBpowercell,orcan beoperatedonstandardhouseholdcurrent. PopularPersonalComputers Clonesofallthes emodelsarewidelyavailableallovertheworld.Prices, statisticsandasummaryoffeaturesareshownontheComputerPriceTable(pp. 123-124). EGMRoiSeries:WiththeRoi(King)series,EGMgambledonincreasing marketabilityforROMdeckprogramsandvirgonomics.Thus,allRoicomputers havetheexpandedROMslotoption,withanumberofslotsequaltotwicethe computer'sComplexityandavirgonomicinterfacecontroller.Theyalsohave dualCDdrivesforenhanceddatastorage.AllcomputersintheRoiseriesweigh 4pounds. TheRoi10(Henri)isthebasicsystem.AtComplexity2,with4ROMslots, i tcosts$3,000 . MajorComputerKorps EuropaischenGesellschaftMaschinen: EGM.Formedbyaconsortiumofdis-tressedEuropeancomputerfirmsinthe 2010s,EGMhasbecomeamajorplayerin minicomputers.Theyhaveadecentshareof themassivemicrocomputermarketand offerseveralimpressivemainframesys-tems. NATComputerIndustries:NATComp, thecomputersystemssubsidiaryofNorth AmericanTechnology.Givenfavorable governmentregulations,lucrativeProGov contractsandsimilarinducements,NATC-ompisthedominantdataprocessingsup-plierintheU.S. NipponDataCompany:NiDaCo.Asub-sidiaryofShinowaraIntegratedIndustries. Thepremierecomputerdevelopmentfirm inJapan,NiDaCoisakeyplayerinthe mini-andmainframecomputermarket. TheirclonesofEGMmicrocomputersare popularthroughoutAsiaandalsosellwell intheWest,especiallyinSouthAmerica. NovyRasvet:Novy-R,orjus tNR.The phrasemeans”NewDawn.“Asubsidiary oftheRusso-Japanesegiant,Korsakov-Shimadzu,Novy-Rmakeseverythingfrom pocke tmicrocomputerst osuper -mainframes. Todai-Rhee-KhmongInformation Sys-tems:TRKisasubsidiaryofTodaiTech-nosystems .Calledth e”Kingofth e Clones,“thefirmisbasedinKorea,inthe heartoftheSeoul-Pyongyangsprawl'sfe-verishlyactivefinancialdistrict.TKRpro-duces,licensedclonesofthemostpopular microcomputerdesignsonthemarket. -111- TheNetontheEdge Megacomputers Thereareprojectsunderwaywhichare tryin gt omakethebreakthroughint o megacomputertechnology.Noneofthese projectshaspublishedanysubstantivede-tailsoftheirprogresstodate. NovyRasvetcompletedconstructionof their”Yeltsin“prototypein2042.Thisde-signwascommissionedbytheRussiangov-ernment,whichseeksasuper-advanced computersystemcapableofcoordinating thethousandsofautomatedsystemsthat keeptheMoskvametroplexfunctioning. RumorsuggeststhatNATComphasa modelintheprototypestagesaswell,at theirultra-high-securityR&Dfacilityin SanJose.Suchaprojectwouldtieinwith NATComp'scontracttoupgradetheNa-tionalDataBanks'processingpowerbyan orderofmagnitudeby2050. Inthemostironicturnofevents,devel-opersworkingonShinowara'stop-secret Memnon-12vatbrainproject(se esidebars, pp.92-93)havenotonlydevelopeda megacomputerprototype,theyhavebirthed aself-awareAIanddon'tevenknowityet. Megacomputersaredescribedonp. C63.TheGMshouldfeelfreetomakethese experimentalsystemsaslargeashewants, subjecttocrankypowerrequirements,de-pendentonesoterictechfromtheorbital factories.Operatingsystemsandprograms willbeequallynew-tech.Characterstrying tohackint oamegacomputer,whether throughterminalsorcyberdecks,willbein unfamiliarterritory,whereanythingcan happen. TheRoi20(Charles)hasanextendedmultitaskingprocessor,capableofrun-ningthreeComplexity2programsatonce,insteadoftheusualtwo.Itcosts$3,500. TheRoi30(Louis)isEGM'stop-of-the-linepersonalcomputer.AComplex-ity3systemwith6ROMslotsandextendedmultitasking,itcosts$12,000 . AllEGMpersonalsystemsandclonesruntheOS-2100operatingsystem. NATComppersonalcomputers:NATCompmakesawiderangeofpersonal computersbasedontheGigaChip7000anditsmorepowerfuldescendants,the 70000and72000series.AllNATComppersonalcomputersandtheirclonesare designedtoruntheproprietaryNATVANIXoperatingsystem. ThePC7000isanolderdesign,adesktopunitweighing30pounds,measuring 30”by24“by8”.It'sacheap,reliableComplexity1system,withanalogcon-trols,asingle10-gigCDdrive,andoneROMslot.ThePC7200isaComplexity 2versioninthesamedesktopconfiguration.ThePC7000costs$100 .ThePC7200 costs$400. ThePC70000isaportableversionofthe7000 .Ithasthesamefeatures,but comesinthestandard3-poundconfiguration,atacostof$200 .ThePC72-010is theportableversionofthe7200,andcosts$900 . TheAPC72-020isagenericTL8personalcomputer.Complexity2,withdual CDdrivesandtwoROMslots,itweighs4poundsandcosts$1,500 . NATComp'scutting-edgepersonalsystemsareintheXPCseries.AllXPCs areComplexity3,withanalogandvirgonomicinterfacesandwithdualCDdrives. TheXPC72-100isthebasicmodel.Itweighs4poundsandcosts$8,500.The XPC72-200has6ROMslotsandmultitaskingthatcanrunuptothreeComplexity 3programsatatime.Itcosts$15,500 . NovyRasvetRomanovSeries:ThesepopularsystemsfromNovy-Rarefound alloverEuropeandtheMiddleEast,withsignificantmarketshareinSouth Americaaswell.Korsakov-Shimadzu,NovyRasvet'sparentkorp,hasissued numerouslicensestoclonetheRomanovseries.AllofthemruntheK-S/COS operatingsystem. TheTsarevitchistheworld'smostpopularpocket-sizedcomputer.Itisa standardComplexity2systemwithasingleCDdriveandanalogcontrols.It weighsbarelyonepound,andwhenfoldeddowncanslipintoacoatpocket.The Tsarevitchcosts$2,000. TheTsarevitch-VisNovy-R'snewentryonthepocketcompmarket.Itisan All-Vmodel,withthesamefeaturesastheoriginalTsarevitch.Itmeasures4“by 31/2”by1“andweighshalfapound.TheTsarevitch-Vcosts$2,900. TheTsarinaisastandardComplexity2personalcomputerwithdualCD drivesandanalogandvirgonomiccontrols.Itweighs4poundsandcosts$2,500 . TheTsaraddsdoubledROMslotsandextendedCPUmultitaskingtothe Tsarina'sdesign,andcosts$3,500. TheGrandDukeisadesktopversionoftheTsar.Itweighs30poundsand measures24”wideby30“longby8”high,notcountingtheflip-upSLCDscreen, whichisarigidplate.Itcosts$3,000.PricemakestheGrandDukeapopularunit inhomesandoffices,wheremobilityisnotanissue. Minicomputers StandardminicomputershaveaComplexityof3,butmorepowerfulunitsare availableatComplexity4.Theyweighabout60poundsandoccupy1cubicyard. Expensive,“luggable”systemsliketheNATCompMiniCOM200aredesignedto besomewhatportable. Minicomputershavethesamecontrol-interfaceoptionsaspersonalcomput-ersandavirgonomiccontrollerisstandardonmostmodels.Theytypicallyhave two10-gigCDdrivesfordatastorage. Minicomputerscanoperatefor6monthsonaCcell,orindefinitelyonhouse-holdcurrent. TheNetontheEdge -112- PopularMinicomputers Thetwoleader sinminicomputerdesignareEGMandNATComp.Other minicomputermanufacturerslicensetheirclonesfromoneofthesetwofirms. EGMPharaonSeries:ThePharaon(Pharoah)serie sisdesignedtorunEGM OS-21000,anextendedversionoftheirpersonalcomputeroperatingsystem. ThePharaon100 ,marketedunderthename“Ramses,”isaComplexity3 businesssystem,withanalogandvirgonomiccontrolsandfourCDdrives.Itcosts $16,000. ThePharaon12 0(Cheops)isdesignedforhigh-volumebusinessorscientific applications.ItsrevolutionaryCPUarchitecturedeliversComplexity4power, with8ROM-deckslots.PowerusersoftenaddaVLDstoragesystem(se eside-bar)toaCheopstogetaninexpensivemicroframeequivalent.Cheopscosts $158,000. NATCompMinicomputers:NATComp'sminisarefoundinmanyupper-in-comehomesandsmallbusinesses.NATCompminicomputersandtheirclonesrun thesameVANIXoperatingsystemasNATComp'spersonalsystems. AllNATCompminicomputersareComplexity3systems,thoughthereare rumorsthatthekorpproducesComplexity4configurationsundergovernment contracts. TheNATCompMasterCOM2000isalow-endminicomputer,popularfor homeandsmallbusinessapplications.ItisaComplexity3unit,withdual10-gig CDdrivesandanalog-onlycontrols.Itweighs60 0poundsandoccupies6cy .The MasterCOM200 0costs$6,500. Itssmarterkidbrother,thetop-of-the-lineUltraCOM2050,competesheadto headwiththeEGMRamses.Ithasanalogandvirgonomicinterfaces,abankedset of4CDdrivesand6ROMslots.ItusesterabyteRAMarchitecture(reducing spacerequirementssignificantlyovertheolderMasterCOM),weighs62pounds andoccupies1cy.Itcosts$23,500. MassStorage Massstorageisthesystemacomputer usestostoredatapermanently.Theoriginal massstoragesystemsinthemid-20thcen-turywerereelsofmagnetictape.Theseare augmentedbydiskdrives,bothlargeplat-tersofdisksformainframesand“floppy” disks,laterharddrives,onsmallersystems. Modemcomputersusetwomassstorage systems. CompactDiskettes:Personalcomputers andminicomputersusea3“compactdisk-ette(CD)system.ACDholds10gigabytes, orgig,ofdata.Agigabyteisonebillion bytes.AblankCDcosts$5andweighs1/10 pound. Copyingagigabyteofdatafromone diskettedriveonacomputertoanother takesoneminute.Copyingafulldiskette wouldtake10minutes.OnaPCwithasin-gledrive,thecomputercopiesthedataa littlebitatatime,andtheoperatorhasto keepremovingonedisketteandswappingit withtheother.Thisisatediousprocess.It takes100 0second sdividedbytheCom-plexityofthecomputertocopyagigabyte. AComplexity2computerwouldneed500 0 seconds,almostanhourandahalf,tocopy afull10gigfromonediskettetoanother usingthismethod. ACDdrive,theunitinthecomputerthat letsthesystemreadthediskettes,weighs1 poundandcosts$500.Thetransportmech-anismforthedrive(inaseparatecase)is4” squareand1“thick. Allpersonalandmicrocomputerscome withoneormorebuilt-inCDdrives.The weightandcostofanybuilt-indrivesare includedinthesystem'slistprice.Add-on drivesrequireacontroller:add10 %tothe priceofthesystemtodoubleitsdriveca-pacity. VirtualLaser Drives:AVLDisactually adedicatedmicrocomputerinitsownright, combininghigh-densitydiskettes(2 0gig capacity),parallelI/Olaserreaders,andvir-tualstoragechips(chipsthatactlikeadisk drive).Dataismovedfromthediskettesto thevirtualstoragesystemsasneeded,elim-inatingcontentionfordiskaccesswhen multipleusersareaccessingthesystem. DatacanbecopiedfromaVLDtoa VLDatarateof20secondspergigabyte.If copyingdatatoorfromacompactdiskette, thelower ,CDrateoftransferisused. VLDscomein500-gigand1-terabyte (1,000gigabytes,oronetrillionbytes)con-figurations.Theyweigh500Ibs.andoc-cupy1cy.each.A500-gigmodelcosts $7,500,a1-terabytemodel$10,000.These costsareincludedinthepriceofunitsthat useVLDstorage.Expansionunitscansim -plybehookeduptotheprocessoras needed. -113- TheNetontheEdge TheNet ontheEdge -114-NATComp'sMiniCOM20 0isaportableminicomputer,withdualCDdrives andanalogandvirgonomicinterfaces,weighing30poundsandmeasuring2”by 12 “by20”.I tcosts$30,000 . Microframes Bridgingthegapbetweenthepersonalandminicomputersystemsandthe “bigiron”ofthemainframesaremicroframecomputers.TheseareComplexity4 systems,designedforaccessbymultipleusers.Therearenocommercial microframesatComplexity5;diminishingreturnsdonotmakeitcost-effectiveto trytocramthatmuchprocessingpowerintoamicroframeconfiguration. Thebasicmicroframecomeswithakeyboard/mouseconsolebuiltin. MicroframesuseVLDstorageratherthanCDdrives,andthebasicsystemconfig-urationisfor50 0gigabytesofprotectedmemory. Microframesweigh400pounds,andoccupy4cy.Theweightandvolumefor theVLDisaddedtothis,soatypicalsystemweighs90 0Ibs.andoccupies5cy . Abaselinemicroframecosts$40,000 .Eachadditionalworkstationportor communicationslineaddsa$2,00 0surchargetotheunit'sprice. Microframescanrunforsi xmonthsoffanEcell.Theyaremoretypically connectedtoaheavy-dutyACpowerlin ewiththepowercellasabackupincase electricalserviceisinterrupted.Theelectricbillforrunningamicroframeis$20 0 amonth. PopularMicroframes ThekeyfirmsinmicroframedesignareEGM,NATComp,NipponData Company(NiDaCo),andNovyRasvet. EGMKaiser300(Wilhelm):Equippedwitha500-gigVLD,theComplexity 4“KaiserBill”hasextendedmultitaskingunderEGM'sMOS-21000/Xoperating systemthatlet sitrunthreeComplexity4programsinsteadoftheusualtwo.It costs$60,000 . NATCompMDPS-90:TheMDPS-90is,notsurprisingly,theprincipal microframesystemusedbytheU.S.government.Itisasolid,Complexity4 workhorseofasystem,equippedwithanintegral1-terabyteVLDstoragesystem. ItrunstheNATCompVANIX/Moperatingsystem.TheMDPS-90costs$42,500. NiDaCoARC500:TheARC500isdesignedforflexibilityofoperation,andto thatendhasanextendedROM-deckaccesschassis,permitting8decksinsteadof 4,aswellasa500-gigVLDstoragesystem.TheARCseriesrunsunderNiDaCo's VLS/VCSoperatingsystem.Costis$60,000 . Novy-RRachmaninov:TheRachmaninovisthekingofthemicroframes.It has1terabyteofmassstorageinitsbasicconfiguration,providesfor8ROMslots, andhasanextendedmultitaskingcapacity.RachmaninovrunstheGSOSoperat-ingsystem.Itcosts$82,500. Mainframes Theseareusuallywheretheactionisformatrixmarauders.Financialac-counts,highsecurityrecordsandmarketablekorporatesecretsalltendtoliveon mainframes,hidingbehindsecuritysoftwarejustbristlingwithdigitalteethand claws. MainframesareComplexity5computers.Abasicsystemcosts$200,000 .It includesakeyboard/mouseconsoleforusebythesystemoperators.Additional workstationorcommlineportscost$1,00 0each.Mainframescanconnectto scoresofauxiliaryprinters,subordinatemicroframesandminicomputers,sensors, processcontrollersandotherdevices. Mainframesarebulkymonsters.Theprocessorweighs600poundsandoccu-pies6cy.TheweightandvolumerequirementsoftheVLDstorageunitsare added,soatypicalconfigurationweighs1,10 0poundsandoccupies7cy. Thecomputerrequiresindustrialcurrenttooperate:aheavypowerline,ora directconnectiontoapowerplantorgenerator.Thesitepreparationforthis hookupcosts$5,000,aboveandbeyondthecostoftheprocessor.Theelectricbill forrunningamainframeis$1,500amonth. Unlessitsownersarerunningonashoestringbudget,amainframewillhave abankof50Eslugsasanemergencypowersupply.Thecomputercanrunforone weekonsuchabank. CommercialMainframes Themainframemarketisdominatedbythesamefourcompaniesthatleadin microframes.Mainframesalsorunthesameoperatingsystemsasmicroframes. Forexample,NiDaComicroframesandmainframesbothrunVLS/VCS. EGMEmpereur600(Napoleon):TheNapoleonprovidesanintegral1-ter-abyteVLDandextendedROM-deckcapacity,allowingtendecksinsteadoffive. Itcosts$302,500. NATCompDPC-100:Thissystem,theDPC-90'sbigbrother,hasimproved multitaskingcapacityandrunsthreeComplexity5programsatonetimeinstead oftwo.ItisthemainstayoftheU.S.government'slargecomputersystems, includingtheNationalDataBanks.TheDPC-100costs$300,000. NiDaCoARC5000:TheARCseriesmainframe,the5000,isdesignedto accommodatelarge-volumedatabaseapplications,withabuilt-in2-terabyte VLD.Itweighs1,600pounds,occupies8cy.andcosts$212,500. Novy-RMoussorgsky:TheMoussorgskyisarguablythemostpowerfulmain-frameonthemarket,with1-terabyteinte-gralVLDfilestorage,doubledROMslots andextendedCPUcapacityallowingitto runthreeComplexity5programsata time.Costis$402,500. Supermainframes Supermainframesarethebignum-ber-crunchersofthedataprocessing world.Exceptionallyfast,withenormous memorycapability,theyareusuallyde-signedtocustomspecificationsforpartic-ulartasks ,thoug hsomeproductio n modelsarenowonthemarket. TheseareComplexity6computers. TheCPUandmainperipherals,included withtheprocessor,weighonetonand takeup20cy.The1-terabyteVLDthatis standardonSupermainframesadds50 0 poundsand1cy.forafinalweightof 2,500Ibs.andavolumeof21cy.Abasic unitcosts$2million.Eachadditional workstationconnectionorcommport costs$1,000. Supermainframesrequireprecisely conditionedindustrialcurrent.Thepower feedtothesitecosts$100,000toinstall andtheelectricbillaverages$20,000a month. SupermainframesdependonHTSC technology,andaresubjecttothevulner-abilitiesdescribedonp.94. DataTransferRates Atypicalsystemcantransferdatafrom onediskaddresstoanotheratarateof1 gigabyteperminuteonaCDdrive,or3 gigabytesperminuteifusingVLDs. Downloadingoruploadingdataiscon-siderablyslower.Atypicalmodemin2043 operatesinthe10-megabaudrange.That'sa linespeedofonemillionbytespersecond! It'shardtothinkofthatasslow,butthat meansittakes1,00 0seconds,about20min-utes,tosendorreceive1gigabyte.Of course,afiddlinglittle10-megabytefile, likeanindividual'spersonaldossier,suit-ablyedited,wouldtakeonly10secondsto upload.Andanincriminatingmemo,2Kb orso,couldbesuckedoutoftheNetina fractionofasecond. IftheCompressionprogramisavailable, itspeedsupbothcopyinganddownloads/ uploads(seep.118),byreducingthesizeof thedatatobetransmitted. -115 TheNetontheEdge OperatingSystems Thissidebar,andtheoneontheopposite page,listseveralofthestandardoperating systemsforthevariousbrandsofcomputer. Theyarebrokendownbysizeandmanufac-turer. Operatingsystemscanmakenetrunning morecomplexthangamerscaretoget.If thisisnottheGameMaster'scupofcha, thenhecanignoretheissue,orassumethat allcyberdecksarecapableofgenerating codethatrunsondifferentoperatingsys-tems,andkeepthedifferentsystemnames asatouchofcampaigncolor. PersonalComputer OperatingSystems EGMOS-2100:Thestandardopsysfor EGMpersonalcomputersandtheirclones. K-S/COS:ThestandardopsysforNovy-Rpersonalcomputersandtheirclones. NATVANIX:Thestandardopsysfor NATComppersonalcomputersandtheir clones. MinicomputerOperating Systems EGMOS-21000:Anexpandedversion ofthekorp'spersonalcomputingopsys, OS-21000isnotassuccessfulasVANIXin bridgingthegapbetweensystems.Numer-ousminicomputersoftwarefirmshavepro-ducedversionsofVANIXthatrunonEGM platforms,andasaresultOS-21000has onlya30%marketshare. NATVANIX:Thesameoperatingsystem usedinNATComppersonalcomputersalso operatesontheirminis.Thislevelofporta-bilityisoneofthemanyreasonsNATComp machinesandtheirclonesaresohighlyre-gardedbycustomers.About70%ofthe world'sminicomputersrunVANIX. Continuedonnextpage… CommercialSupermainframes NATCompandNovyRasvetaretheonlytwofirmsofferingsupermainframe systemscommercially.Theyhavenotlicensedtheirdesignstoanyothermanufac-turersatthistime.Bothfirmsproducea“generic”configuration,aswellasthe enhancedmodelsdescribedbelow. NATCompXDPC-1000:NAThasaddedextendedmultitaskingcapacityto thismodel,makingitcapableofexecutingthreeComplexity6programssimulta-neously.Itsellsfor$3million.TheXDPC-1000runsVANIX/XM,anenhanced versionofNAT'sVANIX/Moperatingsystem. Novy-RTschaikowski:Consideredthemostpowerfulcommercialcomputer systemintheworld,Tschaikowskiprovides12ROM-deckslotsaswellasex-tendedmultitaskingsimilartotheXDPC-1000.Costis$4million. Peripherals Peripheralsarethingslikeprinters,FAXunits,scanners,auxiliarydisplays, specialsensors,modemsandotherdevicesthatthecomputerusestodoitsjob. Expansionchipsaredirt-cheapandstandardized,socomputerscanhavearela-tivelyunlimitednumberofperipheralsattached.Controllercards,expansionplugs andothernecessitiesareincludedinthepriceoftheperipheral. Modems Therearetwotypesofmodemsinuseforpersonalandminicomputers. Low-speedmodems:“Slow-dems”inhackerparlance.Thesedevicesarethe sameolddigital-analogconvertersthathavebeeninuseforalmostacentury. Theycommunicateatspeedsrangingfrom50to10 0kilobaud(5,00 0to10,00 0 bytespersecond).Theyareusefulforhandlingelectronicmailandforaccessing commercialcomputingsystemsandpublicdatabases,butarefartooslowfor netrunning.Alow-speedmodemcomesonachip-carddesignedtoplugdirectly intothecomputerthatusesit.Allpersonalandminicomputerscanbeboughtwith abuilt-inslow-demforanadditional$25.Anexternalslow-demcomesinacasing 2“onasidethatplugsstraightintothecomputer.Itcosts$40. Allslow-demsareequippedwithstandardconnectorsthatallowthemto connecttotelephonecircuits. Megamodems:Megamodemsaredirectdigital-optictelecommunicationde-vices.Megamodemscommunicateat10megabaud:1millionbytespersecond! Anyonewhoisgoingtodoanyhacking(otherthansigningontoasystemunder afalseID)mustuseamegamodem.Anysignificantamountofdatatransferhasto beoveramegamodemaswell.SeeDataTransferRates,p.115. Likeslow-dems,amegamodemcanbebuiltintoacomputerorusedinan externalcase.Aninternalmegamodemcosts$1,500.Anexternalunitcosts $3,500. Printers Therearehundredsofprintersonthemarket,allbasedonlaser-printing technology.Theyrangefromthecompactmodelsinuseonmillionsofpersonal computers,tothemassivepage-zappersusedinbulkprintingoperations. Allprintersneedmaintenance,reloadingwithtonersanddyes,andothercare. IftheGMwantstomakeanissueofthis,thecostofstandardmaintenanceis1% ofthepurchasepriceofthemachine.Printersneedmaintenanceaftertheyhave gonethrough10fullloadsofpaper.Forexample,atypicalpersonallaserprinter witha100-pagemagazineneedsmaintenanceafterithasprinted1,00 0pages.An extended-magazineprinter,holding500sheets,needsmaintenanceafteritprints 5,000sheets,andsoon.Alternately,theGMcanjustassessmaintenancecosts everymonth. TheNetontheEdge -116- PersonalLaserPrinter:Astandardmodelcosts$500,weighs5poundswhen loadedwithpaperandmeasures10 “by12 “by6”.Itholds10 0sheetsofpaper andcanprintoutonepageoftext(2500bytes)in2secondsorahigh-resolution black-and-whitegraphic,theequivalentofaclearphotograph,in5seconds. Ultra-resolutioncolorprintersaresimilarinsizeandperformance,butcost $1,500. Largerprinters,holdingupto50 0pages,are24”thickandweigh30pounds, butareotherwisethesameassmallermodels.Theycost$750forablack-and-whitemodelor$2,250forcolor. Recyclingprintersallowtheprintertore-useapagethatalreadyhasprinting onit.Laserbleachingandasmallamountofdyecleantheoldtextoffthepaper. Blankpaper,bytheway,costs$10for500sheets. High-speedLaserPrinters:Thesecomeinthesameconfigurationsasper-sonalprinters,butcanprinttwopagesoftextpersecond,oronepageofgraphics persecond.Costsforhigh-speedprintersaredoubled. Page-tappers:Smallpage-zappersareapproximately6'long,4'wideand4' high.Theycollatethepagesintovariousconfigurationsandprint16atatimeat onesecondpersetof16pages.Thestandardmodelholds4,000sheetsandweighs 650pounds.Itcosts$2,500. Theindustrialmodelcomeswithamagazineholdingarollofpaperequalto 40,000sheets.Sheetsarecutandcollatedasthepagesareprinted.Itoccupies3 cy,weighs1,20 0poundsandcosts$12,500 .Paperrollscost$500 . PrintScanners Scannersreadtextdocumentsintographicsfileswhichcanbetranslatedinto textorsimplystoredasa”snapshot“ofthedocument.Thescannerinterfaceisa Complexity1programthatmustberunningatthetimethescannerisused. Pocketscanners,4”wide,3“high,2”thick,weigh1pound.Ittakestwo passestoscanastandardpageandapassofthescannertakesonesecond.They cost$500 . OperatingSystems(Continued) Microframe/MainframeOperating Systems EGMMOS-21000/X:Thissystemal-lowseasy(thoughnotautomatic)portabil-it yofprogramsfro mOS-2100and OS-21000.Theconverseisrarelytrue, sinceprogramswrittenunderMOS-21000/Xrequireresourcesthatarenot availableonminisandPCs.EGM'slarge shareofthe“bigiron”market(35%)almost exclusivelyrunsMOS-21000/X. NATCompVANIX/M:VANIX/Mis fairlynew.Itsfirstcommercialreleas ewas in2036.Ithassoldsluggishly,ifonlybe-causeofthelargeinstalleduser-baserun-ningothermainframesoftware.Fifteen percentoftheworld'smainframesarerun-ningVANIX/M.Itistheopsysusedinall U.S.governmentcomputers,includingthe networkofsystemsthatformstheNational DataBanks. NiDaCoVLS/VCS:“VeryLargeSys-tem/VirtualControlSystem.”Sometimes thistechjargonispurepoetry,isn'tit? VLS/VCSisverypopularwithbusinessand governmentsystemsthatprocessamong minicomputersandlargersystems.Ofthe world'smainframes,22%runthisopsys. NovyRasvetGSOS:GSOShasnomar-ketplayoutsideofNovy-R'smainframes andclonesofthosesystems.Itisdesigned tomaximizetheefficiencyoflargesystems, andinfactwasoriginallydesignedasthe basicopsysarchitectureforNovy-R'sultra-powerfulTschaikowskisupermainframe. GSOS'ssheerpotentialinprocessingpower hasgivenita28%marketshare. -117- TheNetontheEdge NewAttack andDefense Programs Cross-SystemNoDefault InstructionTranslators AsnotedunderDeckingand Operating Systems,p.119 ,anattack/defenseprogram mustbeprogrammedfortheoperatingsys-temofthecomputerthedeckerisinvading. Ifitisnot,theattack/defenseprogramcan-notrunonthatcomputer. Onetranslatorcanconverttheoutputof anyotherattack,defenseoric eprograms generatedonthesamecyberdeck,whether theyarerunninginmemoryorhavebeen programmedontheflybythedecker.How-ever,programsrunningthroughatranslator sufferalossofspeed.Add10 0milliseconds totheCommandPhase. TranslatorsareComplexity2programs andcost$2,000. CompressionNoDefault Compressionisusedtoreducetheeffec-tivesizeofadatafile,andthusthetime requiredtocopyordownloadit.Success compressesthedatabyafactorof10 .A Complexity2programwouldshrinkfrom 1/10gigabytesto1/100gig.A20-gigdatabase wouldbecompressedto2gig. ExecutionTimeforCompressionis1 pergigabyte.Complexityis2.Increasing Complexityby1doublesthecapacityof Compression.AComplexity3versionof theprogramcouldcompress2gigina CommandPhase.AComplexity4version couldcompress4giginaPhase. Compressedfilesmustbedecompressed beforetheycanbeused.Thisisalsodone withCompression,atthesamespeedsand capacityusedtocompressthefile. Compressioncosts$500atComplexity 2.Add$1,000perpointofadditionalCom-plexity. DecoyDefaultstoComputerHacking-6 Decoycreatesafalseprogramsignature, matchingthedecker'sown,butwithafalse trailwhichwillconfuseaTrace.Itdiffers fromMisdirection(p.C90)inthatitleadsto apreprogrammedNetaddress,andthe Traceprogramwillthinkithasbacktracked thedeckertothataddress.Decoycanalso beprogrammedtomakeonehopinanydi-rection,presumablyinadirectiondifferent thantheonethedeckerisreallygoing. IfBloodhound(p.C89)isused,treatthis thesameasMisdirection. Continuedonnextpage… Pagescannersare12 “wideandtakeasinglepasstoscanastandardpage. Theycanfolddowntopocket-sizewhennotinuse.Theyweigh2poundsandcost $750. Desktopscannerscanscanfullpages,andifsheetsarefedintothem,theycan scan2pagespersecond.Theyare16 “by10 “by3”,weigh5pounds,andcost $200. Combinedscanner-printerhookupshavereplacedcopyingmachinesand FAXmachines.Theaddedadvantageisthatadocumentcanbescannedatonesite andprintedoutataprintersomewhereelse,eitheronthesamesystemorviaa modemconnection.FAX-typetransmissionscanalsobemadeinstages,witha documentscannedintothesystem,shippedasagraphicsfiletoanothercomputer, andheldthereinstorageuntilitisconvenientfortherecipienttoprintitout. DocumentscanalsobestoredonadatachiporCDandfiledforlaterretrieval. Giventheabilityofcomputerstostoresignaturefiles(heavilypassworded,of course)ortoaccepttimestampedsignaturesvialightpensorsimilarinterfaces, manylegaldocumentsarestoredintheNetpermanentlyandneversurfacein hardcopy,exceptforceremonialpurposes(treaties,governmentbills,majorcon-tracts).Thecourtshavelongacceptedthevalidityofproperlysecuredcomputer filesasevidence,andhardcopyrecordsarenotrequiredinfirstworldcases. Lastworldjurisdictionsoftenrequirehardcopydocuments,however,andkorps operatinginthosecountriesstillhaveextensivepaperfiles,ashardasthatisto believe. Sensors Hundredsofdifferentsensorscanbeconnectedtoacomputerorworkstation. Typically,mostofthesensorsorcommunicationsequipmentfromchapter3of GURPSCyberpunkcanbeconfiguredascomputersensorsfora50%increasein cost.Peripheralsensorscannotbeusedmanually.Thatis,ifacomputerhasa Long-RangeCommunicatorconnectedasaperipheral,ahumancannotgrabthe communicatoranduseittosendamessage.Buthecouldprogramthecomputer tosendamessageforhim(withComputerOperation,ComputerProgrammingor ComputerHackingskill). Eachsensorconnectedtoacomputerrequiresacontrolprogram,whichmust berunninginorderforthecomputertousethesensor.Thenameoftherequired controlprogramforeachsensorisgiveninparentheses,alongwiththepagewhere itisdescribed.Thenumberofsensorsthatasinglecopyofthecontrolprogram canoperatesimultaneouslydependsontheComplexityofthecomputer,notthe Complexityoftheprogram.AComplexity1systemcanoperateasinglesensor.A Complexity2systemcanoperate10sensors,aComplexity3system,10 0andso on.Forexample,anE-LockprogramrunningonaComplexity5microframe couldsimultaneouslymanage10,00 0electroniclocks,eventhoughE-Lockisa Complexity2program. Software Anoperatingsystem,oropsys,isthecentralprogramthatmakesacomputer work.Otherprogramsmustbedesignedtorunproperlyunderaspecificoperating system,andwillnotrunonacomputerusinganotheropsys. Demandsforconnectivityandportabilitypressurecomputerfirmstowarda singlestandardofoperationandprogramportability.Equallypowerfultechnolog-icalissuesmilitateagainstthis,asadvancesinhardwarecapabilityrenderolder softwareinefficient.Competitioninthemarketplacealsoplaysarole,aseach designcompanytrotsoutitsnewopsysastheone,thesystemthateverycomputer willberunninginthefuture. TheNetontheEdge -118- So40yearsintotheone-and-twenty,therearestilldifferentoperatingsystems fordifferentcomputerplatforms,eachclaimingtobetheone. Shells Aprogramthatcanrununderoneoperatingsystemcannotrununderany otheroperatingsystem,unlesstheothersystemisrunninganemulator.Thisisa programthat”pretends”tobeadifferentopsys.Forexample,ifyouwanttorun aprogramfromyourEGMpersonalcomputeronyourbuddy'sNovy-Rmachine, youneedashell.EGMmachinesrunOS/2100,whereasNovyRasvetPCsrun underKorsakov-ShimadzuCOS.SoyouhavetoexecuteanOS-2100shellon yourK-S/COScomputer,thenruntheprograminsidethatshell. Theprogram,theshellandtheoperatingsystemallhavetoplaytogether. Therearelot softhingsthatcangowrong.Theshellmightfailtoproperlyemulate theoperatingsystemthattheprogramrequires,oritmightpassbadinstructionsto theopsys.Theprogrammightbe“ill-behaved,”andbypasstheoperatingsystem, tryingtodirectlycontrolthecomputerhardware.Anyoftheseconditionscan aborttheprogram,theshell,theopsys,oranycombinationofthethree. Deckingand Operating Systems Operatingsystemsareimportanttonetrunners.Old-stylehackers,usingnon-cyberedterminalstoinvadesystems,havetobeadeptintheoperatingsystemsof themachinestheyhackinto.Thisisreflectedintherequiredfamiliaritywith operatingsystemsforComputerOperation,ComputerProgrammingandCom-puterHackingskills. Netrunnersoncyberdeckshaveasimilarproblem.Theirdecksconvertthe virtualcommandsfromtheirvirgonomicrigorneuralinterfaceintoprogram commandsontheirdeck.Theseattackanddefenseprograms,inturn,executethe correctmachineinstructionsonthenetwork.Inordertopullthistrickoff,a cyberdeckneedstogeneratetherightinstructionsfortheoperatingsystemofthe machineitisinvading. Acyberdeckmusteitherbeprogrammedfortheoperatingsystemitisinvad-ing,ormustberunintandemwithacross-system instructiontranslator.SeeNew Attackand DefensePrograms,pp.118-120. Portability Someoperatingsystemsallowprogramsfromanotheroperatingsystemtorun onthem.Yes,wejustsaidthatyoucan'tdothat,butthisisaspecialcase. Forexample,NATCompwantsitscustomerswhobuytheirpersonalcomput-erstoalsobuyNATCompminicomputersandmainframes.Toencouragethis, -119-NewAttackandDefense Programs(Continued) DisplayDefaultstoComputerHacking-2 Displaylet sthedeckersendoutputto anyprinter,terminalscreen,orotherdisplay outputonasystem.Ifheisonasasuper-user,hecansendtoallofthematonce. Otherwise,hecansendtoonlyoneperiph-eral. Themessagedisplayedcanbesimple text,composedonthespot,orthedecker canspoolamessagetoaperipheralfromhis deck'sdatafiles,orfromanydatafileshe hasaccessedonthesystem.Forexample, Displaycanbeusedtoprintfalse,orinsult-ing,messagesonasecurityguard'sdisplay terminal,ordumpafileincriminatinga mid-levelzektotheCEO'sprivateprinter. SegueNoDefault Seguespeedsupdatatransfersbetween thedecker'ssystemandthecomputerheis invading.Theprogramdividesthedatato betransferredintopackets,andsendsdown thefreecommlinessimultaneously. InordertouseSegue,boththesender andreceivermusthaveextracommlines free.Ifthedecker'sbasesystemdoesn't haveextracommlines,he'soutofluckun-les shehassom esortofcommlinemulti-plexer. Segueisoftenusedtoshoothotdataat highspeedintodatahavensorothersafe holdingareaswherethedeckercanretrieve itlater.Anetrunnerwiththerightconnec-tions(o rsufficientvaluta)canarrangefor linestobeheldopenforhimonsuchasys-tem. Todeterminethespeedofadatatransfer underSegue,simplydividethesizeofthe datafiletobetransferredbythenumberof linesfreeonbothsystems(sendingandre-ceiving).Normally,agigabytetakes20 minutestodownloadoruploadovera commline.IfSeguemultiplexestwocomm lines,atransferwouldonlytake10minutes pergigabyte. ThedownsideofallthisisthatifaTrace isrunwhileSegueisrunning,itcannotbe fooledbyMisdirection,Decoyoranyother anti-traceprograms.Tracewilllockonto thesystemattheotherendoftheSegue connection.AndshuttingdownSeguebe-forethetransferisfinishedwillleavethe fragmentsofthefileuseless,scatteredall overthereceivingsystem.Inquick/out quickistheruleforSegueddatamoves. Segue'sExecutionTimedependsonthe timerequiredforthedatatransfer.Itisa Complexity3programandcosts$75,000 (notcountingthecostofamultiplexer,or reservedlinesatadatahaven). Continuedonnextpage… TheNetontheEdge NewAttackandDefense Programs(Continued) ShriekDefaultstoComputerHacking-2 ShriektriggersanyAlarmprogramsthat maybeonasystem.Thedeckercanseta timedelay,orevenleaveShriekbehind whenheleavesasystem.However,thepro-gramhastokeeprunningonhisdeckuntil it“goesoff,”oritwillabort.Shriekwill alsobewipedfrommemorybyRegenerate, ifthesystemrunstha tprogrambeforethe Alarmsaretriggered. ShriekhasanExecutionTimeandCom-plexityof1,andcosts$1,000. SnooperNoDefault Snooperusesparallelsearchalgorithms tolocatespecificdatainadatabasefaster thanthesearchproceduredescribedonp. C71. ItutilizestheSIofthecyberdecktoem-ulateanumberofsimultaneoussearches, eachscannin gaportionoftheentire databasetoreduceoverallsearchtime. SnooperisComplexity1.Itisofnouse onaComplexity1deck.Onmorepowerful systems,itseffectivenessdependsonthe deck'sComplexity.Snoopercangenerate 10parallelprocesses-SubSnoops-ona Complexity2deck,onaComplexity3deck 10 0SubSnoops,etc.Thedeckercanrun fewerSubSnoops,inordertoleaveroom forotherprogramsonhisdeck. Dividethetotalgigabytestobesearched byth enumbe rofSubSnoopsrunning . Searchtimeisbasedonthenumberofgigs perSubSnoop,attheusualrateof10min-utespergigabyte. Forexample,adeckerwithaComplex-ity3deckissearchinga50-gigdatabasefor information.Normally,thiswouldtake500 minutes,over8hoursofsearching.The deckerrunsSnooperusingallofaCom-plexity3program'scapacity.Thatgenerates 10 0SubSnoops,whichdividethe50gigs, leaving1/2gigforeachSubSnooptosearch. Thewholesearchprocessrequiresonly5 minutes. WhenrollingagainsttheSnooperpro-gramskilltoseeifthedesiredinformation hasbeenfound,acriticalfailureorfumble willtriggeranyAlarmspresentonthesys-tem. Snoopercannotincludeanypassword-protectedorotherwisesecuredatabasesin itssearchunlessthedeckerisonthesystem asasuperuser. Snoopercosts$50,000. NATComphasdevelopedanoperatingsystem,VANIX,thatrunssimilarlyonall theirplatforms.VANIXonaminicomputercanalsorunVANIXprogramswritten forapersonalcomputer.VANIX/M,themainframeversionofVANIX,canrun programsfromeitherofthesmallertypesofsystems.Thisisahighlevelof portability. ProgramsportedfromasystemwithahigherComplexitycanhaveproblems. Real-timeprogramscannotportdownwardatall.Areal-timeprogramdesigned foraComplexity5mainframesimplycannotrunonaComplexity2personal computer,whethertheyarerunningthesameopsysornot.Adownwardlyported analysisprogramwithaComplexityhigherthanthesmallermachine'sComplex-itysuffersthelossofspeeddefinedonp.C64. Virgonomics Ergonomicsstudiestheinterfacebetweenpeopleandsystems.Asvirtual presentationbegantoevolvewiththeexplosionofcomputerpowerattheturnof thecentury,applicationsappearedthatappliedvirtualitytoergonomicprocesses. Thisledtothe“virtualergonomic”interfacesthatweredevelopedinthefirst decadesoftheone-and-twenty:virgonomics. DevelopmentofVirgonomics Thefirstvirgonomicinterfacesusedsimplesensorsonthehandorfingersfor “point-and-snap”controls.Originallyevolved(liketrackballsandjoysticks)for gameprograms,theyreplacedanalogcontrollersonmostsystemsbythemid-2010s. Atthesametime,workable“wizzie”opticalswereintroduced.“Wizzie”isa contractionofWYSIWIG:W.hatYouSeeIsWhatYouGet.Awizzieinterface usesahelmetwithaVDTscreenbuiltintotheinsideofthevisor,tocreatea visibleenvironment.Thiswaslaterreplacedwithlightgoggles,thatpresentste-reo-synchronizedscreenstoeacheye.Sincetheirintroductions,thegoggleshave undergoneagradualprocessofminiaturization.Theynowresemblethicksun-glasses. Withwizzies,thecomputerusersee sacompletelyvirtualscene.Computer “screens”inwizziecanbe360°graphicrepresentations,showingtext,icons, monitordisplays,younameit.Commandscanbeselectedfrommenusthatpop outof“nowhere.” V-gloves(virgonomicmanualpositioningsensor/controllers)wereanother majorstep.Theseexpandedonthepoint-and-snapsystems:apairofgloves, equippedwithsensorsthatdetectedfingerpositionandmovement.Theusercould definevirtualkeypads,keyboards,buttons,andothercontrolsurfacesinthedis-playhesawthroughthewizzie. VirtualKeyboards Thesimplestapplicationofthistechnologyisthe“virtualkeyboard.”This interfaceisincludedwithallcomputersthathavevirgonomicinterfacecapability. Theuserputsonawizzieandapairofv-glovesandthesystempresentsa keyboardtohissight.Bymovinghisfingersasiftypingonthiskeyboard,actual keystrokesaregeneratedbythecomputer.InterfacingGUI(GraphicalUserInter-face)designalsoallowsuserstocreateiconsandmovethemaroundthewizzie “landscape”asdesired. Avirgonomiccontrollerforanypersonalcomputerorworkstationcosts $1,000andincludesasetofwizziegogglesandv-gloves.Thisisincludedinthe costofcomputersontheComputerEquipmentTablethathavea“V”typecontrol interface. TheNet ontheEdge -120- HotRigs Fromwizziesandv-gloves,thenextstepwasthevirgonomic“hotrig.”Hot rigsarefull-bodysuits,capableofgivingsensoryfeedback:tactilepressure,tem-perature,soundsandvisuals.Ausercan“move”throughavirtualenvironment, translatingmovementsintoresponsestoiconsandvirtualcontrolsurfaces,and gettingoutputinanumberofsensoryformats. Thisrepresentsthepresentstateoftheartforvirgonomicinterfaces,andmay betheultimatelevelofdevelopmentpossibleinvirgonomics,withneuralinter-faceprogramsasthenextstep. CyberspaceontheEdge Thetypicalcyberpunkworldhascyberdecksavailableofftheshelf:trim, sleeklittlepacketsofvirtualrealityavailableineverycomputerstore. Nothere,livewire.Cyberdecktechnologywasdevelopedtoallowhuman operatorstoslashandburnhostilecomputersecurityduringtheDataWars.The basicneuralconnections,environmentalinterfacing,softwareimprovementsand icetha tattacksneuralinterfacesareallrecentdevelopments. Commercialsystemsarealmostallvirgonomic.Directneuralinterfacesinthe legitimateworldarereservedforthebestofthebest:topsystemsdesignersand programmers,hotshotanalysts,afewscientists,lawyers,financialplannersand thelike.Governmentsystemsmaybemoreheavilycybered;nooneknowsfor sure,orrather,nooneistalking. Thereareonlytwoothercategoriesofnetworkuserlikelytohaveaccessto decktech.Natch,there'sthedeckers,thenetrats,theconsolecowboys.Thebest datastealstakethebestgear.Theothercyberusersarethesmyertniki,thekillers: theguyswhotakeoverwhentheicefails.Korpdeckers,wiredwiththehottest metalandpunchingthecoldestdecksonthenetwork. NeuralInterfaces Asthekorpsandgovernmentsjockeyedforcontrolinthe2020s,thekeyto thestrugglewascleartobothsides:information.Hotrigsandotheradvanced virgonomicsstartedoutasmilitarytech,oritsequivalentinthekeiretsuR&D facilities. DataWars Shinowara'sbreakthroughin2032,developingaworkableMarqueeinterface in“ProjectSumi-e,”triggeredtheDataWars,aseriesofintensestabsofindustrial espionagebetweenseveralrivaltechkorps.Shinowara'sbriefsupremacyonthe Networkwasquicklynullifiedasotherorganizations,privateandpublic,acquired neuralinterfacetechnologyoftheirown.BythetimetheDataWarsburnedout,in 2039,trueenvironmentalinterfacetechnologywasintheprototypestage.Today, fouryearslater,blackclinicsonthecuttingedgeofcybertechnologycanwireup adeckerwho'sgotthevaluta(andtheconnections)togobrainsurfingintheNet. Neuralinterfacesarealsodiscussedonpp.C72-73.Pricesandpointcosts shownherearebasedonthoserules.Inaddition,allneuralinterfaceshavean availability(seep.96)andaLegalityRating. MarqueeInterface$12,500(5points) Installationrequiresamajorsurgicalfacilityandtakestwoweeks.Marquee doesnotrequirenanotools,sinceitsneuralconnectionsareonafairlygrosslevel. However,installationwithoutnanotoolstakesfourweeksinsteadoftwo. SinceaMarqueeInterfaceusesthemostbasicformofneuralconnection,a CommandPhasetakes4timeslongerthannormal(se eCommandPhases,p. C73). NeuralControllers Aneuralcontrollerisadevicethattrans-latestheimpulsesfromaneuralinterface intocomputercommands.Neuralcontrol-lersarehardwiredint oself-contained cyberdecks.Forthegrungydenizensofthe street,however,thecontrollerisusuallya jury-riggedexternaldeviceorcircuitboard, connectedtothemotherboardofacommer-cialcomputerorworkstation. Thecontrollercomprisesacybernetic I/Ojac kconnectingtothepluginthe netrunner'sneuralinterface,abankofneu-ralco-processors(“nervechips”)andanex-pansioncardforadditionalROMslotsin thedeck.Anexternalneuralcontrollerwill alsohaveapowersupply,connectorsthat canconnec tt oanycomputerwitha virgonomiccontrollercard,acase,etc.Typ-ically ,anexternalneuralcontrollerweighs 1to2poundsandmeasures12 “longby4” wideby3“high. Acontrollercanalsobeconstructedona circuitboardandinstalledinapersonal computer.Aninternalcontrollerdiffers fromanexternalunitinthatithasnosepa-ratepowersupplyandnoexpansioncapa-bilityforROMslots.Thevirgonomic controllerisbuiltintotheneuralcontroller, soevenacheappersonalcomputercanbe adaptedintoacyberdeckusinganinternal controller. NeuralControllersCost ControllersareRaretechnology,sothe GMcanimpos echaracterpointcostsfor would-bedeckersifhesochooses. Controllersarealsotightlyregulated,or evenillegal,inmostcountries.Theyare onlyavailableincountrieswithTL8com-putertech,andhaveaLegalityof4. Thecontrollermustbeinstalledina computerwithaComplexityatleastashigh asitsown.AComplexity3neuralcontroller pluggedintoaComplexity2personalcom-putercanonlyfunctionatComplexity2. Similarly,thenumberofprogramsthatcan berunrequiresthatbothsystemshavethe samerating.Ifthecontrollerisstandard, limitedtorunningtwoprogramsofitsown Complexity,thenitdoesn'tmatteriftheas-sociate dcomputersystemhasextendedpro-cessingpower.Neuralcontrollerscanalso beinstalledonworkstationsthatareat-tachedtomorepowerfulmicroframesand mainframes. Thepricesforcyberdecks,givenonpp. C74-75,arethepricesusedforneuralcon-trollersontheEdge.Thispricedoesnotin-cludetheauxiliarycomputerorother peripherals,justthecontrolleritself. -121- TheNetontheEdge TheDo-ItYourselfOption Anindividualcanbuycomponentsto buildaneuralcontrollerhimself,orhaveit donebysometametekniki.Hepays40%of thepricethatafinishedcontrollerwould cost.Forexample,QuikJerzyhearsthatthe DeathChippersboostedakorpshipmentof nervechipsandotherSOTAcomponents. HehasgoodrelationswiththeChippers, andputsinabidforthepartstobuilda Complexity3controller,SI5,with6RAM slotsandthecapacitytorunthreeComplex-ity3programsinsteadoftwo. Afinishedcontrollerlikethiswouldcost $1,600,000.Thepartsalonewillrun $640,000. Oncehehastheparts,constructingthe controllerrequiresaskillrollonElectronics (Bionics).ReducetheskillrollbytheCom-plexityofthecontroller.Theattempttakes3 daysforanexternalcontroller,6daysforan internalcontroller,andrequiresatleasta portableelectronicsshop.Onasimplefail-ure,workcancontinue.Intheeventofa criticalfailure,thepartsaredamaged.Per-hapstheteknikifindsthattheyweren'tany goodinthefirstplace,andthecustomerwas rippedoff.Eitherway,thewould-bedecker mustgooutandfin dmoreparts.TheGM shouldroll1dandmultiplytheresultby 15% .Thatistheamountofmoney,basedon theoriginalfigure,thathemustpaytore-placethefaultycomponents. Forexample,QuikJerzyhasElectronics (Bionics)-15,andrentsaccesstoahigh-tech shopfromafixerheknows.Afterthreedays oftinkeringonanexternalcontroller,he jacksitintohiscousinGeorg'shomemini-computertotestit.RollingagainstJerzy's skillof15 ,at-3fortheComplexityofthe unit,theplayerscoresa17 ,acriticalfailure. Notonlydoestheneuralcontrollernot work,thereisasizzlingnoiseandJerzygets pitchedhalfwayacrosstheroombyacyber-neticbackshock.Whenhecomesto,he opensthecasingtodiscoverthatthemain cyber-bussisfused.TheGMrollsa2on1d. Replacingthedamagedelementswillcost 30%oftheoriginalprice($192,000) .Death ChipperisgettingplumpoffpoorJerzy. TheNetontheEdge MarqueeInterfacesareUncommon(seeAvailability,p.96)andhaveaLegal-ityRatingof3,whichmakesthemlegitimateinallbutthemostrestrictivesocie-ties. IconInterface$40,000(13points) Installationrequiresamajorsurgicalfacilityandtakes10days.Nanotoolsare notrequired,butiftheyarenotavailabletheoperationrequiresamajormedical facilityandtakesthreeweeks. ACommandPhasetakes2timesthenormallengthwhenusinganIcon Interface. Ico ninterfacesareRareandhaveaLegalityRatingof5,requiringlicensing inmanycountries,oratleastregistration. EnvironmentalInterface$100,000(30points) Installationrequiresamajormedicalfacilityandtakesfourweeks:twoforthe actualcybersurgery,twomoretolearntousetheinterfaceonacyberdeck. ThisfamiliarizationcourseisessentialandrequiresaccesstoaComplexity4 miniframecomputer,aswellasacyberdeck.Ifthedeckertriestoskipit,hecan onlyusehisimplantasifitwereanIconInterfaceuntilhegoesthroughthe necessaryorientationperiod.Ifhecompleteslessthanaweekoffamiliarization, hecanusetheinterfacenormally,butisat-2onallskillrollsmadeintheNetuntil hecompletesthesecondweekoftraining. CommandPhaselengthreceivesnomodifierswhenusinganEnvironmental Interface. EnvironmentalInterfacesareVeryRaretechnology.TheyhaveaLegality Ratingof4,requiringlicensinginmostsocieties.Instrictlycontrolledsocieties, theoperationisillega lexceptforgovernmentagentsandindividualswhose korporateconnectionsorsocialstandingrelaxlegalconstraints. Cyberdecks Inordertouseaneuralinterface,thenetrunnerneedsacyberdeck.A cyberdeck,ofcourse,isacomputer,usuallyapersonalcomputerorminicomputer, whichhasbeenmodifiedtoprocessthecharacter'smentalcommandsascom-puterinstructions. Self-containedcyberdecksarenotcommerciallyavailableontheEdge.These units,thesleeklyeleganthardwarefamiliartoallreadersofclassiccyberpunk literature,arerestrictedtogovernmentandkorpusers.TheyhaveaLegality Ratingof4,andinmostcountriesjustowningoneisacrime. Theaveragenetrunnerin2043hastobuyorbuildaneuralcontrollerinorder toconverthiscommercialcomputerintoafunctioningcyberdeck. -122- PricingComputers A”genericmodel“isgivenforeverytypeofsystem.Modifi-cationstothisbasicmodelalsochangeitscost.Somechanges applyamultipliertotheprice,someapplyapercentagechange, andsomehaveaflatpricewhichisaddedtothecost. Whenyouareworkingoutthepriceofagivencomputer system.. . •applyanymultiplierstothecostfirst. •next,addupallpercentagechangesandapplythattotaltothe multipliedcost. •finally,addorsubtractanyflatfees. Forexample,aswewillseebelow,raisingacomputer'sCom-plexitymultipliesitscostby7.IncreasingthenumberofROM-deckslotsadds50%tothecost.Avirgonomicinterfacecontroller costs$1,000. So,increasingagenericpersonalcomputer'sComplexity from2to3wouldmultiplythebasiccost($1,000)by7,foracost of$7,000. Increasingthatby50%givesus$10,500.Adding$1,000gives afinalcostof$11,500foramachinewiththesefeatures. Features Interface:Avirgonomic(V)interfaceforpersonalormini-computersadds$1,000tothecost.AnAll-Vmodel,withno analog(A)controls,is$100cheaper,reflectingthereducedcost ofproduction. MassStorage:A10-gig(10G)CDdrivecosts$500and weighs1pound.A500-gigVLDcosts$7,500.A1-terabyte(1T) VLDcosts$10,000.VLDsweigh500poundsandoccupy1cy. Ifthegenericmodelofacomputerhasa500-gigVLD,up-gradingto1Tcosts$2,500.EachadditionalVLDisatfullprice. Complexity:Complexitycanbeincreasedordecreasedbyone levelfromtheComplexityofthegenericmodel.Increasingit multipliesthebasepricebyseven.Decreasingitdividesthebase pricebyfive . ROMSlots:Asspecifiedonp.C65,acomputercomes equippedwithanumberofROM-deckslotsequaltoitsCom-plexity.Doublingthisnumberofslotsincrease sthecost50%. Reducingthenumberofslotsreducescost.Acomputerwith noROMslotsisdiscounted20%.Thediscountispro-ratedfora computerwithfewerslotsthanitsComplexityallows.Thefor-mulaforthisis(((Complexity-Numberofslots)/Complex-ity)x20)percent.Forexample,aComplexity2personalcomputer withoneslotgetsadiscountof(((2-1)/2)x20),or((l/2)x20),or 10percent. MaximumPrograms:Asdefinedonp.C64,acomputercan normallyruntwoprogramsofitsownComplexity,ordifferent numbersofprogramsofotherComplexities.Acomputercapable ofrunningthreeprogramsofitsownComplexitycosts50% more. A”dumbed-down“computer,capableofrunningonlyone programofitsownComplexity,isalsopossible,andcosts25% less. “Weight/Volume:Reducingacomputer'sweightby1/2in-creasesitscostby50%.Reducingweightto1/3theweightofthe genericmodelincreasescostby100%. Increasingweightbyafactorof10reducescostby50%.Note thatthevolumeofcomputerequipmentistiedtoitsweight.A computeroccupies1cubicyard(cy.)ifitweighsbetween50and 10 0pounds.Add1cy.foreveryadditional10 0poundsorfraction thereof. -123- TheNetontheEdge Minicomputers ControlMassROMMax ModelInterfaceStorageComp.SlotsPgms.Wt./Vol.Cost PersonalComputers ControlMassROMMax. ModelInterfaceStorageComp.SlotsPgms.Wt./Vol.Cost * +$2,000peruserstationorcommline. (+1skill:doublecostand+1Complexity) (TriplecostofExpertSystemsforillegalskills) TheNetontheEdge **+$1,00 0peruserstationorcommline. *New-seesidebars,pp.118-120 . -124-Microframes ModelStorageComp.SlotsPgms.WtJVoLCost Mainframes Supermainframes ComputerPrograms SoftwareComplexityCost (AnalysisSoftware) (Real-TimeSoftware) (ExpertSystems) CyberdeckSoftware ProgramTim eComplexityCostLegality TALKIN'ONE-AND-TWENTY babooshka:(Russ.)Grandmother.Granny.Old-fashioned. Colloquially,anold-timer,someonewitha20th-century attitude. bangbang:Weapons,firepower. blacktop:ANERCCEnforcer. bolshy:FromRussian”bolshoyeh,”meaning“great,” “big.”Canmeanphysicalsizeorhighquality. breetva:(Russ.)Literally“razor.”Anybodymodifiedwith cyberweaponsorcombat-orientedimplants,especially clawsorothercuttingweapons. burners:Lasers. C-l:A“ScaleOneCitizen.”TheeliteclassofU.S.citizens accordingtotheCitizenshipScaleinstitutedbyProGov. C-2:The“middleclass”scaleofU.S.citizenshipunder ProGov. C-3:TheworkingorlowerclassscaleofU.S.citizenship underProGov. C-4:ThelowestscaleofU.ScitizenshipunderProGov;the underclass:outcasts,politicaldissidentsandthelike. chiller:Assassin. cocanova:Avariantofthecocaplantdevelopedby'traff researchersinSouthAmerica.Usedtomakeneocoke. coyote:Someonewhosmugglesillegaltransientsfrom MexicototheU.S. cred:Money,specificallymoneyasafunctionoftheworld financialnetwork,i.e.,electronicfunds. crow:Shortfor“escrow.”Atypeofblindaccount,usedto storecreditanonymously. cyberaxe:Anymusicalinstrumentthatispartiallycon-trolledthroughaneuralinterface. decker:Ahackerequippedwithaneuralinterfaceanda cyberdeck. dengi:(Russ.)Money.Colloquially,“softmoney.”Unsta-blenationalcurrenciesorkorpscrips.“Trashdengi”re-ferstocurrencysubjecttorunawayinflation. D/L:“Download.”AnythingthatmovesdatafromtheNet toalocaldatastore,includingfinancialtransactions. dyadooshka:(Russ.)Grandfather.Gramps.Old-fashioned. Colloquially,anold-timer,someonewitha20th-century attitude. drig:(Obsc.)Copulation.Acommonexpletive. Echeverista:AmemberoftheCubanrevolutionarymove-ment,headedbyRafaelEcheveria,devotedtoreleasing CubafromU.S.control. ecoterrs:Ecoguerrillas. ecus:ECU:EconomicCommunityCreditUnits;hardcur-rency. eurotaler:ECUofUnitedEurope. faex:Excrement.Acommonexpletive. flatblack:ANERCCEnforcer fold:Actualcurrency,inhardcopyscrip:bills,folding money. Gauss:ToshootwithaGaussneedleweapon.“Gauss out”:tofalldownafterbeingshotwithaGaussneedle weapon. gig:Gigabyte:onebillionbytesor1,00 0megabytes. Glavkosmos:RussianSpaceAgency gododo:Tobecomesoobsoleteastobeextinct. 'hayogozaimas:(Jap.)Hello. headset:Asensieperformer. heat:Theauthorities. 'hood:Neighborhood. hotrig:Acyberdeckthatwascreatedonthestreetinstead ofananotechlab. indesp:Industrialespionage. keiretsu:Acorporation,cartel,conglomerate. khorosho:(Russ.)Good.OK.Fine. K-mark:Keiretsumark,orKorpmark.Currencyissuedby amultinationalcorporation. korp:FromRussian“korporahtseeya,”meaningmultina-tionalcorporation.Akeiretsu. korpo:Acorporateemployee. krovvy:(Russ.)Bloody. livewire:Informaltermofaddress,complimentaryorsar-casticaccordingtocontext. loco:Localcompany,anindependentbusinesswithnokorp connection. LowC:Insultingslangtermforsomeonewithalower CitizenshipScalethanthepersonspeaking. -125- Talkin'One-and-Twenty TheLowSix:ThesixReservedstatescreatedaftertheU.S. annexedMexico. mil-spec:Designatingsomethingbuilttomilitaryspecifi-cations. mileetsya:Themilitary. minshy:FromRussian“menshyeh,”meaning“small.” Generallymeans“smalltime,”“secondrate.” nak-nik:FromRussian“nachal'nik,”meaningsupervisor, boss.Alow-ormid-levelmanager. neocoke:Amorepotentformofcocaine,madefromthe cocanovaplant. neodollar:ECUoftheU.S.anditsNorthAmericantrading partners. neofeudalism:Afancynameforlocalrulebythestrongest faction. nerk:Anyagent,officer,orbureaucratoftheNERCC. nullzone:Anyareawherelocallawdoesnotapply. nullo:AU.S.residentwhodoesn'thaveaCitizenshipScale rating-i.e. ,aZero,whoseidentitydoesnotexistinthe NationalDataBanks(seep.C21). nyek:FromRussiannyeh'kulturny,meaninguncultured. Unhip,uncool. oldvid:Archivalfootage. one-and-twenty:The21stcentury.Also,anup-to-dateatti-tudeorproduct. oo'zhas:(Russ.)Awful.Terrible.Kakoy'oo'zhas:That's awful.“To obad.”Usuallyusedsarcastically. paryen:(Russ.)Pal.Friend.Chum.(pl.paryeni) praz'navoon'yeh:(Russ.)Celebration.Party. prog,proggie:AgentsorofficialsoftheProvisionalGov-ernment. ProGov:TheProvisionalGovernmentoftheUnitedStates. proles:Proletariat;literallytheworkingclass;theunder-privileged. rawmeat:Streetslangforsomeonewithnocyberwear,or evennoobviouscyberwear. ronin:Astreetopwitharepasafighter.Aloner,without affiliationtoagangortribe.Likeasamuraibutwithout anhonorcodeorreputation. rubyen:ECUoftheCISandJapan. nimbler:Aprofessionalgladiator. samurai:Askilledstreetfighter,usuallyheavilymodified. Muscleforhirewithareputationfortrustworthinessand anhonorcode. sarariman:(Japlish)Korpemployee. sensie:Apopulartypeofentertainmentinvolvingreliving another'ssensoryexperiencesthroughanimplantchip. shaikujin:(Jap.)“Goodcitizen.”Ataxpayer,“suit,” sarariman.Akorpemployee. shash :Someone(deadoralive)usedtosupplypartstoa bodybank.FromRussianshashlik,literallymeaning “shish-kebab.” shield:Bodyguard. shy:Abroker.Shortfor“shyster,”alawyer,or“shylock,” aloanshark. slam:Collapse,majorsetback,disaster.Originallyreferred toeconomiccollapse,butnowingeneraluseforany-thingfromacorporatebankruptcytoapersonaldisaster. smyertniki:Killers.SpecificallyreferstoNetassassinsfor korpsandgovernmentagencies,assignedtotakeoutil-licitnetrunners. sneetch:Snitch,informer. Snoh'veemGoh'dum:(Russ.)HappyNewYear. streettreat:Acheapfirearm.A“SaturdayNightSpecial.” stoh?:Aninterjectionthatmeansroughly“really?” suit:Astraightcitizen,awhite-collarworker,usuallymid-dleclassorhigher.Byimplication,akorperorgovern-mentemployee. tapper:Abrokerspecializinginsellinginformation. Tchort:(Russ.)Literally“devil.”Acommonexpletive. TD:Tolliver'sDisease. tekniki:Atechnicianoranyonewhorepairstechnology. Ten-Tan:SlangforKosmozavotTennoTanjo,theRusso-Japaneseorbitalfacility. terabyte:1,00 0gigabytes:onetrillionbytes. thriddie:3-D,three-dimensional. Toller:Tolliver'sDisease. Touchdown:Tolliver'sDisease. 'traff:FromSpanish“narcotraficante”(traffickerinnar-cotics).Amemberofthepowerfulcrimecartelsofthe SouthAmericanregion,mostofwhichhavebranched intootherareasofcrime. Triad:Acriminalorganizationbasedonthestructureofthe Chinesesecretsocieties(alsocalled“tongs”).Influen-tialthroughoutSoutheastAsiaandthePacificRim. valuta:(Russ.)Literally“foreigncurrency.”Colloquially, anyhardcurrency,eitherelectronicorscrip:ecus,K-marks,etc. virgonomics:Contractionof“virtualergonomics.”Any controlsystemthatcreatesavirtualenvironment,with-outusingneuralinterfacing,thatallowstheusertoac-cessacomputerwithoutusinganalogcontrols. wizzie:ContractionofWYSIWYG,“whatyouseeiswhat youget,”atypeofvirtualdisplay Yak:TheYakuza,eitherasanorganization(theYak)or individualmembers(aYak). zavvy:FromRussian“zavye'dooyooshee,”meaninga manager.Anupper-levelsarariman. zek:Anexecutive. zeroman:Assassin. Talkin'One-and-Twenty -126- INDEX 3-D,84. Addictiondisadvantage,22. Advantages,22. Advertising,82. Africa,55 . AIs,92-93. AlaskaFreeState,38-40. AlaskanSpecialOperations Force,40-41. Alexander,DonMerle,67. Ammunition,103 . CentralAmerica,47. CentralAsianFederation,8. CentristDemocratParty,30 . Chainguns,105 . Characters,19-23 . Chemicalslugthrowers,101 . Chilentina,49-50. China,10,13,56 . CIS,7,53. Citcards,35-38;black-box, 39;fake,37 . Andorra,52. Appearance,98. ArchconservativeParty,30. Arellano,Emilio,49. Art,82. Artificialintelligence,92-93. Assassins,19,125,126. Assaultweapons,102 . Australia,16 ,57;Australian Plague,16 ,56,57 . Belgium,52. Belize,48. Benelux,52. Bioprocessors,92. Blindaccounts,63. Bloodsports,74,88 ,90. Bodybanks,74,79. Bodyguards,19 . BolshyTen,53-54. BossofAllBosses,67 . Brazil,50-51. Broadwayspectaculars,83. C-ls,31,125 . C-2s,32,125 . C-3s,32,125. C-4s,33,125 . CAF,8. Campaigns,17-18. Canada,11,46. Cardchecks,35. Cartels,71. Cashcards,37. Castro,Fidel,12 . Celebrities,19 . Citizenship,31-33,125 Cloning,106 . Cocaine,70,78. Cocanova,78. Commissione,72. CommonwealthofIndepen-dentStates,7,53 . Communauted'Atlantique Quebecois,46. Communityservice,80. Complexity,110. Compressionprogram,118 . Computers,110-116 ;tables, 123-124 . Constitution,27. Controlratings,34,58,78. ConversionFactor,55 . Corporations,18 ,52,54,111 , 125 . CostaRica,48. Courts,78. Cred,37,59,63;crime,75. Crediline,78. Credittransfers,37. Crime,21 ,65-80. Cross-SystemInstruction Translators program,118. Crows,64. Cuba,12 ,38,41;invasionof, 12 ;revolution,40;seealso Echeveristas. Culture,81-90 . Currencyfluctuation,seeFlux. Currencytables,60-62. Cyberaxes,86;skill,23. Cyberdecks,110,118,122. Cyberspace,121 . Cyberwear,88-89,97,98,99-100 ;availability,99. DataHavens,49-50,52. Datarequirements,114 . Datatransferrates,115 . DataWars,110,121. Debt,59. Decoyprogram,118 . Dengi,59. Disadvantages,22. Disease,7-8. Displayprogram,119 . “Double-shuffle,”36,38. Drugs,16,70,71,75,78,106; wars,16 . EasternAsia,56 . Echeveria,Rafael,40. Echeveristas,40-42,70,125. EconomicCommunityCredit Units,seeECUs. Economics,59-64. ECUs,12 ,59,60,125 ,126 . EfficiencyParty,30. Eire,53 . Ellnfiemo,42. ElSalvador,48. Elections,28. Environmentalinterface,122 . Equipment,106 . Escrows,64. Espionage,18,52 . Extortion,76. FabriqueEuropa,53. Fashion,90. FashionSenseadvantage,22. FederatedProvincesofColum-biaandAlberta,47. Fetusfarming,79. Fines,80 . Firearms,19,21,101,102 , 107-108 . Firstworld,6. Fixers,19 . Flamethrowers,105 . Flux,57,60,61 ,63 . Fold,59. France,53. Fusionpower,92,93. Gambling,76 . Gangs,71-73,74,76. Gaussweapons,103-104 . Geneticengineering,94. Geopolitics,45-64. Germany,52 ,53. GlobalistParty,31 . God'sOwnParty,31. GrandSlam,9. Greenhouseeffect,16 . Grenadelaunchers,105 . Grenades,105 . Guatemala,48 . Gulags,80. Guzmdn,Raul,12 . Gyrocs,104 . Haggling,61. Hammond,Adam(ProPres), 26,27. Han-Rhee,Ltd.,53. Heroin,78. High-temperaturesupercon-ductors,seeHTSCs. History,4-16. Honduras,48. Housearrest,80. HTSCs,92,94,95. HurricaneAbner,9. IberianFederation,53 . Iconinterface,122 . Identityfiles,38. IlUnion,74. Illiteracydisadvantage,22. Implants,96. India,56. IndustrialRegulation,30. Internationallaw,48,50 . InternationalRainforestPro-tectionPact,50 . Ireland,53. IsraeliEmpire,14 . Italy,52. Japan,14 . JobTable,23. Journalism,89. Korps,seeCorporations. Kurse,62. Lasers,104 . Lastworld,6. LightofWisdomParty,31 . Literacy,85 ;advantage,22. Lockdown,79. LowSix,43;seealsoMexico. Luxembourg,52. Mafia,67-71;families,68. Maflnc,67,70-71;names,69. Mainframes,114 . Marijuana,70,78. -127- Index Marqueeinterface,121 . Massstorage ,113. Medicalrecords,37. Megacomputers,112. Memnon-12,92-93. MeritocratParty,31 . Metallurgy,94. Mexico,38,41-44,48. MexicoLibre,43,48. Microframes,114 . Military,21 . Minicomputers,112,113 . Mobsters,21 ,67,69;see also Mafia. Modems,116 . Molecularengineering,95. Money,56 ,59. Movies,84. Music,23 ,86 . Nanotools,106 . Narcotraficantes,see'Traffs. NationalDataBanks,38 . News,89. Nicaragua,48. Non-Iconographicdisadvan-tage,22. NorthAmerica,46 . NorthAmericanTechnolo-gies,26,54. NorthwestProtectorate,47. Nullos,34. Oil,55. Olympics,87 . Omertaimplant,70. Operatingsystems,116-117 , 119 . Opium,70 . Organizedcrime,66-71,73-75. Panama,48. Patronadvantage,22. Patterson,Martin(President), 11,25. People'sWillTriumphant,16 . Performanceart,82. Peripherals,116. PermanentEmergency,15 ,67 . Personalaccounts,63 . Personalidentification,36 . Politicalparties,30-31. Portability,119 . Portugal,53. Powercells,92. Powerslugs,92 ,94 . Printers,116 . Prisons,78-79. Privateinvestigators ,21 . ProGov,seeProvisional Gov-ernment. Programs,118-120 . Rockers,86. Russia,14 ,50 ,53-54. Russki-Yakuza,73. Russo-JapaneseEconomic Union,14,50,53-54. Scalefourcitizens,33 . Scaleonecitizens,31. Scalethreecitizens,32 . Scaletwocitizens,32 . Scanners,117 . SecureObservationFacilities, 14 . Streetops,21 . Streettreats,101 . Submachineguns,103 . Subversiveart,84. Supermainframes,115 . Tasmania,57 . TechLevels,3,15,58,92,98. TechnolibertarianParty,31. Technology,3,9,10,13,15, 58,91-108 ;availability, 96,98. Television,84 ,85 . Segueprogram,119 . Senseheads ,22 . SensieInterfaceskill,23. SensieTalentadvantage,22. Sensies,22,85,125. Sensors,118 . Shotguns,102,103. Shriekprogram,120 . Sincities,83 . Skills,23 . Slammer,78. Slang,5,26,46,110,125-126. NATO,8. Neocoke,78. Neofeudalism,25.. NERCC,13 ,15 ,18-19,26, 27,29-31,33-38,42,125; administrativeregions,32 . Nervepoison,78. Net,63,109-124. Netherlands,52. Netrunners,21,121-122. Neuralcontrollers,121-122 . Neuralinterfaces,121-122 . NewGuinea,57. NewZealand,57. Index ProPres,seeProvisionalPresi-dent. Prostitution,77 . ProvisionalCongress,27,29. ProvisionalGovernment,15, 25,67,126. ProvisionalPresident,26,67. PuertoRico,38 . PWT,16 . Ratlab,79. Ravers,86 . Rehabilitation,80 . Rifles,102 . RioLargoManufacturing,54 . Sniperrifles ,103 . Snooperprogram,120 . Snuffart,83 . SocialStigmadisadvantage, 97 . Software,118 . Solarpower,95. SouthAfrica,8. SouthAmerica,48-49. SovietUnion,53 . Spain,53. Splicers,21 . Spookies,87. Sports,87-89. Terrorists,21 . ThirdRevolution,13 . Thriddies,84. Tolliver'sDisease,7,8,50, 55 ,56,126. Tongs,71 . Tools,106 . Toxiccrew,79. 'Traffs,16,43,70,75,126. Transplants,96. Triads,71-73,126;ranks,76. TrueAmericansParty,31. U.S.Cabinet,27,28-29. U.S.citizenship,31-33,125. U.S.territory,38 . UCAS,47-48. UniformCode,34. UnionofCentralAmerican States,47-48 . UnitedEurope,51. UnitedProvinces,47. UnitedStates,24-44 . UnusualBackgroundadvan-tage,22. Valuta,59,126 . Vehicles,106 . Vernon,DonJulia,73. Videorendum,28. Virgonomics,119-121,126 . Virtualkeyboards,120 . Virtualreality,85 . Wealth,58;advantage,22 . Weapons,101-108 ;table,107 -108 . Yakuza,126 . Zeroes,34. Zoneratings,35 . Zurich-Orbital,49-50,51 ,53. -128- Use the “print” command in your browser to print this page This information is Copyright © 2001 by Steve Jackson Games. All rights reserved. You are permitted to read these files online,or download them and print out a single hardcopy for personal use. Copying these files to any other online system or BBS, or making more than one hardcopy, is strictlyprohibited. Soplease don't. ERRATA – GURPS Cyberworld, Second Printing – April 5, 2001 Copyright © by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. P. 9. Hurricane Abner hit seaboard cities from Charleston, South Carolina to Baltimore, Maryland. P. 43. The Mexican states that make up Mexico Libreare Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco, and Chiapas(not Oaxaca). Replace ``the treaty of Oaxaca with``the treaty of Tuxtla Gutiérrez. P. 44. In The Upper 48map, the Alaska inset should reflect its union with the Yukon Territory (as per p. 11). P. 67. Replace capo di tutti capiwith capo di tutti i capi. P. 68. Replace omertawith omertá. Replace la Familiawith la Famiglia. P. 99. Under the Cyberwear Availability sidebar, the Neural Cyberdeck Interface has an availability of U-VR. See pp. 121-2 for details. P. 104. Under Modifying Lasers, change the page references UT21-24 and UT22-24 to UT48-49 to reflect the new arrangement in the Revised Ultra-Tech. P. 105. Under Grenades, 20mm grenades weigh 1/2 pound, not 1.2 pounds. P. 107. Add the following explanatory text before the table: Ranged Weapons Malf:The die roll on which the weapon malfunctions. Crit.means that the weapon malfunctions only on a critical miss when the roll on the Critical Miss table indicates a malfunction. Ver.means that the weapon requires a verification roll,another roll against skill. Any failure is the malfunction from the table; any success is simply a miss. Ver.(Crit.)means that the verification roll must be another critical miss for the weapon to malfunction. Any other result is simply a miss. Type: The type of damage the weapon does – impaling (imp.), crushing (cr.), an explosion (exp.), or a special effect (spcl. – see the description of the weapon). Damage: The number of dice of damage the weapon does. A number inparentheses, e.g., (5), means the weapon is very good at piercing armor – the target's DR is divided by that number before subtracting from the weapon's damage. SS: This is the snap-shot number, the final to hit number necessary to avoid a snapshot penalty of -4 without at least one turn of aiming. Acc: The weapon's accuracy modifier. See p. B115. 1/2D: The range at which the accuracy modifier of the weapon drops to zero and its damage is halved. For weapons like grenade launchers, this range may be shown as a dash, indicating that damage is never halved; inthis case, Acc drops to zero at half the maximum range. Max: The maximum range of the weapon. Wt.: The weight in pounds of a loaded weapon, including magazine. Power slugs are not included. RoF: The rate of fire of the weapon. The number is the number of shots it can fire each turn. Ifthe number is greater than one, the weapon is capable of automatic fire, i.e., that many shots will be fired if the trigger is held down for the entire turn. A ~ indicates a weapon that is not automatic, but can fire up to the indicated number of times per turn. All automatic weapons are capable of selective fire; they may fireeither automaticallyor with RoF 3~. Shots: This is the number of shots the weapon's magazine holds. A /B, /C, /D or /E refers to shots per power slug. It takes three turns to replace a magazine. ST: The minimum ST required to avoid an extra turn of readying the weapon after it is fired, and extra recoil penalties. Rcl: The recoil penalty of the weapon (p. B119). Cost: The retail price of the weapon. LC: The legality class of the weapon. Pp. 107-108. The last column should be labelled LC for Legality Class. Replace all RoF 2s and 3swith 2~ and 3~. P. 107. The columns in the Assault Weapons section are off. Use this table: Weapon Malf Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D Max Wt. RoF Shots ST Rcl Cost LC SOG G7 Carbine 5.5mm ver cr 5d 11 12 500 3800 6.5 10 40 8 -1 550 1 FE-AC 7.7mm Carbine ver cr 6d 12 12 500 3700 7.25 10 30/30 9 -2 1000 1 FE-AR 7.7mm Rifle ver(crit) cr 7d 14 14 1050 4700 8.25 10 30/30 10 -2 4500 1 NATArms M-23 5.5mm ver cr 7d 13 13 900 4400 7.5 10 30/30 10 -1 4250 1 MoskArm AK-107 7.7mm ver(crit) cr 6d+1 14 14 1000 4500 8 10 30/30 11 -2 4000 1 P. 108. Under Lasers, the FE Hellwaffen L-10 laser pistol gets 20/C shots, the FE Hellwaffen L-20 has RoF 4~, and the NATArms PL5 has RoF 4. P. 118. Under Sensors, replace the sentence that begins The name of the required control program… with Most computer-controlled sensors require only an Internal Security (p. C66)program, which simply lets the computer know a sensor has been tripped. If the computermust analyze data from the sensor, use Audio Analysis, Chemical Analysis, E-Lock, Optical Recognition, or (for other sensors) Electronics Operation (Sensors) Expert System. Pp. 121-122. Change all instances of Legality Rating to Legality Class. P. 122. Marquee Interfaces have a Legality Class of 6, not 3. Cyberdecks have a Legality Class of 3, not 4. P. 124. The program listed in Computer Programs can be found in other books, mostly. Some are new. Accounting (p. C65) Desktop Publishing (p. C66) Electronics Repair (p. C65) Engineering (specialty) (p. C66) Internal Security (p. C66) (Internal Security is listed under both Analysis Software and Real-Time Software. The listing under Analysis Software should be deleted.) Market Analysis acts as an Expert System with Economics-14, but only for analyzing a market database and making investment recommendations. ROM Production acts as an Expert Systemwith Electronics Operation (Computers)-15, but only for burning ROMs (see p. C51). Audio Analysis lets the computer recognize voiceprints, verbal passwords, sirens, or anything else that can be heard. Appropiate sensors must be used to gather this audio information. Chemical Analysis lets the computer analyze chemicalinformation such as genetic codes or test sample compositions. Comm Vocoder allows secure voice communication; it is the software alternative to the Com Scrambler (P. C50). Base skill is 14. Datalink (p. C65) Datashow (unknown) E-Lock lets the computer manage electronic locks (see p.118). Internal Security (p. UT12) Market Monitor acts as an Expert System with Economics-14, but only to report market activity and attempt to predict future market activity. The computer must have access to market data. News Daemon (p. C66) Optical Recognition (p. UT12) Password (p. C93) Targeting (p. C66) Tracemapper (unknown) The Legality column under Cyberdeck Softwareis wrong. Replace 5 with 1, 4 with 2, 2 with 4, and 1 with 5. 3 is unchanged. print this page Steve Jackson Games Home| Previous Page