The known history of
Yet even with such a following, Frey's appeals to Colonial lords for peaceful solutions went ignored. It was decided that if the Colonies would not hear the cries of the oppressed, he would find a place where their voices mattered. After amassing one of the largest skyship convoys ever seen, Frey led his multitudes beyond the frontiers of the known world and into the mysterious black of the Nightlands, leaving the warring Colonies far behind.
Year 0, October 1st, the start of the Einheit City Era. Through much loss and hardship over the course of their exodus, the hopes of Frey's people were finally answered. After centuries of undisturbed isolation deep in the Nightlands, the foundations of an ancient, uninhabited, yet still intact metropolis was found. Its existence previously unknown to the outside world, the discovery of the city was seen as nothing short of a miracle; a gift set in place centuries ago for this outcast generation of wanderers and utopian dreamers. Home, it seemed, had finally been found. On its main gate read the name
Exploration revealed that its advanced foundational structures would be compatable with modern construction methods, requiring only ten years of additional reconditioning to become fully habitable. Colossal defensive walls and basic framework to support a future population of millions had been built ages ago, only to have been mysteriously abandoned in perfect condition. Under Frey's leadership, the settlers began a monumental refurbishing project. It was during this time that many great technological discoveries were made in the city, yet most significant of all was the Heart Machine.
Housed in the apex of the Toride, the towering 13 mile-tall capital structure at the center of the city, the Heart Machine was a great engine which, theoretically, would generate raw power which would then be carried by energy-conducting fluid pumped through a vast network of tubes and pipes winding throughout every corner of the city. However, its technology was ancient beyond measure, and far more advanced than anything ever encountered before. Its activation would be immensly difficult.
It was proposed then by a group of hybrid scientists in Frey's retinue that a special team be assembled for the daunting task of resurrecting the Heart Machine. Frey initially paused at the newly-formed Heart Machine Council's requests to operate completely unsupervised and isolated, allegedly for a security reasons. Eventually, the trusting and generous Dr. Frey approved these measures, allowing the HMC to proceed.
December 14th, 5 ECE. After five long years of Einheit City surviving on crude fuel-powered generators, the Heart Machine was successfully activated by the HMC. Production rates increased ten-fold, and continued to multiply.
December 21st, 5 ECE. One week after the Heart Machine's activation, Frey made a public address in which he declared that an election for the chancellor's office of
For the next twenty-two minutes,
The fragile city infrastructure previously set in place by Frey fell into panic. And so it could have remained, had it not been for the Heart Machine Council assuming executive power soon after his death. While no actual vote was ever taken to determine if the HMC had a democratic right to assume government control, the frightened public saw no better alternative at the time.
Evidence produced by the interim council linked the assassination to one of several underground cells of foreign hostiles inside
Immediately, waves of attacks struck the city, targeting both Einheit's citizens, and agents of rivaling Colonies. The fledgling Einheit Civil Militia previously established by Frey, little more than a citizen paramilitary force, was caught vastly unprepared and would be not be able to hold the Vorhang wall for long against the Colonies' superior numbers. The Heart Machine Council quickly ordered several major changes, for the good of the city it was said. The first step was to form a singular military entity to take command of the Einheit Civil Militia, and to enforce the city-state's charter of racial unity from an incorruptable core of loyal public servants. The result was the Ministry Of Defense And Racial Unity. No longer needed as a separate entity, the HMC absorbed itself into the Ministry's leadership.
As a safeguard against racist corruption and Colonial infiltration, the Ministry was to consist only of hybrids. Although radical, this decision was publicly praised as a positive step towards further dissolving old stigmas against hybrids, who had been the subject of much persecution and misunderstanding throughout history. After all, a bureau led by those who genetically embodied racial unity could not possibly be capable of holding racial bias, being of mixed species themselves.
Bolstered by mysterious combat methods and technology acquired from top-secret Architect data relics, the Ministy soon became a formidable force. Although very few in numbers compared to its Colonial enemies, the Ministry made up for this through shockingly advanced strategy and sheer cunning, quickly securing Einheit City's chance for survival. Public support and approval for the seemingly heroic Ministry was practically unanimous.
Over the following years of war, word of
In a series of major press releases, statistics produced by Ministry social analysts claimed that, despite city progress, hybrids still faced considerable discrimination, citing high rates of hybrid-refugee poverty as evidence of lingering racism in Einheit society. Several supposed acts of purebred violence against hybrid minorities were also brought forth by the Ministry, resulting in massive public outcry for stronger protection from racism, which the Ministry vowed to fulfill.
14 ECE. The Ministry's promise for a revolutionary new plan to defend the city's charter of genetic equality was revealed.
In short, this new order called for the elimination what Ministry scientists called “instinctual racism”; an inborn sense of pride or superiority for one's identity as a certain species, and the resulting division from other races. Examples of past and current wars between canines and felines, felines and rodents, mammals and reptiles, carnivores and herbivores, and constant siege from the intensely racist Colonies were cited to support this new utopian science. It was declared that the best way to protect the future was to champion hybridization. For, the more that species eventually blended together, racial division would fade, as hybrids were considered incapable of racial discrimination. A society with a larger hybrid population would be a society without division and hate.
This was not called eugenics. It was called Unity.
In order to further entice the public into accepting the utopian theory of Unity and to remedy the alleged social disadvantages facing hybrids, a specially protected level of citizenship was created, called the UniClass. On March 1st, 14 ECE, all hybrids were granted UniClass citizenship. Additionally, purebred parents of hybrid children in
Initially, social differences between UniClass and non-UniClass were minor, and objecting voices were few. Criticism of Unity could have caused one to be mistaken for discriminating against hybrids, and most purebred citizens outside the UniClass still trusted that the Ministry had the good of the people in mind. After all, they were the city's defenders.
15 ECE. After a particularly brutal string of attacks upon the city, the Ministry determined that Colonial special forces had been assisted by non-UniClass purebred sympathizers. Claiming to act in the interest of the city's security, the Ministry began carrying out regular searches and detainments on purebred citizens without UniClass identification. While there was some protest by the affected demographic, the Ministry assured the city that these were only temporary measures which were unfortunate necessities during a time of war.
By 19 ECE, all government agencies had effectively been absorbed by or come under the control of the Ministry, and the democratic process which Frey promised 14 years ago remained indefinitely suspended. With no end in sight for the Species Wars, purebred families, now collectively known as the "outer class", were increasingly restricted by the Ministry. For their avoidance of the Unity social plan, the outer class was seen as more prone to racist thought, which theoretically made them more likely to sympathize with the enemy. In order to support this claim, the Ministry arrested several social activists and leading political dissidents, all of them accused of being Colonial collaborators and "enemies of Unity", and all of them purebreds. Although many of the accused were old friends and supporters of Dr. Frey, they were all found guilty of treason and sentenced to death in a series of widely telescreened hearings.
In reality, the verdicts had been determined long before the individuals were even arrested.
Questionable arrests and detainments on outer classers went largely ignored by major press, which by now was almost entirely censored by the Ministry. Public criticism of the Ministry was seen by the UniClass as synonymous with racism, for if the Ministry was the true guardian of Unity and peace, only those with destructive intent would dare speak out against it. Since purebreds were the most vocal critics of Ministry policy, the hybrid UniClass began to look upon their outer class neighbors with mistrust.
With so many resources directed towards supporting the UniClass and the Ministry, the outer class became greatly impoverished. As with any impoverished society neglected by government, previously-dormant elements of organized crime began to awaken to the scent of opportunity, easily taking advantage of the Ministry's abandonment of the outer class.
By 23 ECE, the face of Einheit City had changed dramatically. Over 60% of the city's legitimate economical assets were under the control of the UniClass or Ministry. Layoffs and demotions of outer class workers were frequently carried out in order to make room for UniClass employees, resulting in skyrocketing figures of purebred unemployment and homelessness. Just as outer class industry came under assault from above, so did it from the corrupt underworld below as growing numbers of purebred businesses became victimized by organized crime. Outer class resources which were previously utilized for the public good came under syndicate control, which the Ministry did little to prevent.
As increasing numbers of outer classers were forced by circumstance to adopt less legal means of work to support themselves, Ministry-controlled media was quick to take advantage of the fact by pointing out that outer classers committed far more crime than UniClassers. Additional connections were drawn up between Colonial attacks to the growing number of outer class political dissidents, pulling the already gaping social schism ever wider. Just as bridges between hybrids and purebreds burned, so did relations between differing species groups of purebreds, as the increasingly numerous outer class crime organizations were often founded upon loyalty to one's own species and ancient enmities with others.
Unwilling to live amongst such corruption, UniClassers, prompted by Ministry encouragement and affordable state-provided housing, began to migrate into the towering safety of the Toride at the city's core. A massive hive structure capable of comfortably housing and employing millions, the Toride soon became limited exclusively to the UniClass by 26 ECE.
While some purebreds managed to escape the deteriorating outer class by being parents to hybrid children thanks to the laws of the time, most were unable or unwilling to bow to state pressure to simply abandon tradition or family to meet the Ministry's definition of Unity. Outside the Toride, in the Midcity and Undercity, urban infrastructure deteriorated rapidly. Despite the Ministry's growing power, Colonial attacks continued, which in turn were used as further justification for sterner methods and increased surveillance. Scattered protests were raised by whatever remained of dissident press, yet journalists involved with such articles were later arrested on vague charges of treason, and were never heard from again, while those who survived were forced into hiding.
December 20th, 29 ECE. Thousands upon thousands of citizens were killed during a Colonial missile attack, resulting in the most devastating Colonial offensive yet on
Even though the missile attack upon Einheit City was carried out by only one Colony, all of the Colonies, along with billions of purebred lives, were indiscriminately annihilated by the MinistryI in the precisely coordinated series of massive absolute-zero temperature detonations. This was not called genocide, but necessity.
The Colonial Era came to an end, leaving
It is now 31 ECE.
Einheit City is the last of the world's city-states. Under de-facto martial law, the Ministry has closed off the city to what little remains of the outside world, blaming an alleged siege of Nightlands-based Colonial remnants outside the Vorhang wall. Only those with special approval from the Ministry are permitted to come and go - and such approval is never granted to purebreds, but only to select hybrids tasked with collecting resources and raw materials vital to the UniClass. Even then, it's suspected that such individuals are Ministry personnel themselves.
Comrade Mara Kadesh, a wolf-hawk hybrid, is now Chancellor, ushered into office by the Ministry shortly after the war's end. A charismatic figurehead for Unity, some dissident outer classers claim that Chancellor Kadesh's administration is merely nominal, and that the Ministry junta are the city's true rulers. Unity science is championed as the next step in evolution. Purebreeding and instinct have been declared barbaric and obsolete. Originally a mere category of citizenship, the UniClass is now a title of evolutionary superiority.
In the past, some purebreds were permitted to obtain UniClass status through cross-breeding and producing hybrid offspring. Such is no longer the case. In light of recent Ministry technology which has made it possible for purebreds to undergo Genetic Re-Assignment, an artificial process which seamlessly and safely rebuilds a purebred into a hybrid. UniClass status is now only granted to those who are hybrids, and those who become hybrids. Even then, most purebreds do not meet the Ministry's high standards for Genetic Re-Assignment, as only the strongest, healthiest, most skilled, and most obedient purebreds are approved to become hybrids.
While according to the Ministry, ex-Colonial purebred militias claw at Einheit's towering walls from the Nightlands, launching occasional rocket attacks and harassing the city's resource-collector convoys, the Ministry's power has only increased since the destruction of the Colonies. For the UniClass, this power has been beneficial. Thanks to the Ministry's centralized economy ensuring control over most resources, life inside the Toride is peaceful and secure in spite of the Nightlander siege. Private enterprise, where it serves Unity, has thrived in harmony with the militantly socialist Ministry regime. Cutting edge healthcare and education are all provided for by the state, employment and opportunity is plentiful, high technology reigns supreme, and crime is virtually non-existent in the Toride due to heavy surveillance and the swift disappearances of any UniClassers exposed for corruption. Yet even in light of such harsh enforcement, the vast majority have nothing but overflowing graditude and admiration for their Ministry benefactors, and disdain for the crime-riddled, terrorist-sympathizing purebreds.
For the purebreds of the outer class, it is a much darker picture. Because hybridization is defined as the next step in evolution, those who reject it – purebreds – are classified as un-evolved savages, at best. UniClass hybrids hold control over economic assets, leading to extremely high outer class unemployment rates. Purebreds are not permitted to travel from the city, leaving them unable to gather outside materials vital for industry. Extreme poverty, disease, and hunger are rampant, and many are forced by circumstance to adopt illegitimate and dangerous occupations such as drug peddling, theft, and prostitution in order to survive. Although the Ministry does, to some degree, ration out food and medicine to the outer class, such rationings are often insubstantial and done purely for propaganda purposes.
As the Toride towers over the city like an obsidian monument to Unity, the purebred zones have been left to deteriorate into sprawling tangles of industrial decay wracked by violent crime. On the surface-level Midcity, Ministry patrols, surveillance, and propaganda is thick. But such measures are merely in place to protect the UniClass and prevent a purebred revolt, rather than to equally uphold justice. Purebred-on-purebred crime goes largely ignored and unenforced unless it in some way threatens Unity, often leaving the outer class at the mercy of the little to no action is taken to urban empires viciously established by the feuding crime syndicates based in the even more lawless Undercity.
With the Ministry largely apathetic to whatever occurs outside its sphere of concern, the Underlords have cast hundreds of racketeering nets over the Midcity and Undercity, which has put most purebred industry under their control. What was once a balanced economy where both CEO and blue-collar laborer could work in relative trust and harmony has devolved into a neo-feudal kleptocracy wracked by extortion and turf wars. Racial violence soars among purebreds, largely due to the bitter prejudices between competing Underlords; a gangland reinactment of old inter-Colonial hatreds. This is particularly intense in the Undercity, where Ministry control is almost entirely absent, and Underlord rule is at its peak.
Although the Midcity and Undercity do possess a great deal of resources which could be utilized to drastically improve living conditions and economy for the outer class, the bulk of it is jealously hoarded by the Underlords to fuel their own devices. The Ministry silently permits this, so long as a crime syndicate is not foolish enough to in some way threaten the UniClass, an act typically followed by swift and precise annihilation for the guilty party. Otherwise, the Ministry offers the outer class no protection from criminal exploitation, and the Underlords show no restraint in filling the authority vacuum.
While the Ministry permits purebred society to suffer under its own appallingly high crime rate and racial violence, anything caught vaguely resembling political rebellion against the state begs for swift and painful punishment. Violent raids on purebred homes and businesses suspected of anti-Unity activity are common, as are the arrests and disappearances of similarly accused individuals. Reformers and revolutionaries who have managed to somehow survive thus far have been forced entirely underground, their numbers few and far between. Many of the city's optimists and engineers of change have fallen prey to the Ministry, the Underlord syndicates, or have simply faded away into defeatist obscurity.
As the remaining peoples wrestle over the final stronghold of civilization, the ancient night grows colder and ever darker, the stars ever further away from this dead world. Fragile mortal minds faced with the infinite unknown of the abyss surrounding what precious little remains of the world's light and warmth have fallen prey to increasing rates of psychological disorder and cult activity. Suicides and mysterious disappearances have steadily increased after Dr. Frey's death. Time itself has become an invaluable commodity.
Still, there are those scattered few who, often at incredible risk to themselves, dare to pass on whispers of hope, and tales of what was once the dream for a City Of Unity.