Stormbringer
The Brick and The Rose
1960
The economy of Germany is on the rise, Cuba has a democratic peaceful revolution, the JA continues its assault on the UK, UK continues to retaliate. The WC announces new military projects and gets one step closer to the moon. The normal matter of the world continues up until June 4th, 1960.
On June 4th the Polish government was arming citizens for the possible invasion of the country by the USSR. Most of the protests were out, but the defiant republic stood strong and was prepared to defend itself.
Around 0900 Moscow time the Russian Comander at the military base outside Warsaw reseived a direct order from Moscow: arm a Voin ICBM with a conventional 6000kg warhead and stand by for orders.
At 0923 an order to target a set of coordinates in the US was reseived and followed. Commander had no idea what was located at the coordinates, the KGB did - the US cosmodrome.
0931, just a minute off of the intended time the Warsaw base reseived an order - launch the ICBM, then go on high alert and prepare for the Soviet invasion of Poland.
0933, the missile left the silo, all systems functioning perfectly
0944, stable, low level orbit around earth achieved, NASA picks up the missile and goes on high alert
0950, NASA reseives first results, the trajectory apears to be heading for the USA, second check ordered
0955, target confirmed, the ICBM is heading for America, all American troops put on highest alert and all missiles are armed
1000, third check confirms the trajectory, the ICBM will impact on American soil withing 15 minutes, it already begun re-entry sequence, USA orders full bombardment of the USSR and allies
1005, USA final checks complete, missiles begin pre-launch sequences, smaller ballistic missiles fired from Finland and Pakistan. Soviet ICBM re-etered the atmosphere
1010, American missiles launched, final trajectory of Soviet missile calculated. USSR agencies pick up the missile launches from Finland.
1015, Soviet ICBM impacts and destroyes the American cosmodropme with a conventional explosion. News of the fact that attack was non-nuclear reach NASA
1017, American ICBM launches aborted, but the Finland and Pakistan missiles are on their way. USSR military on highest alert and all missiles armed.
1028, First Finland missile impacts in Leningrad, nuclear explosion follows, estimated casualties are at 60% of the population of the city. Soviet Union orders full retaliation.
1035, all Soviet missiles in the air, NASA detects the launches, American missiles ordered to fire
1045, 90% of the world's nuclear arsenal has been launched, the wrold waits in horror. Canada orders evacuations.
1050, JA launches a nuclear weapon into the UK
1100, first Soviet missiles begin to impact in the USA
1110, first American ICBMs begin impact all over Eastern Europe
1115, WC nations mostly destroyed by Soviet missiles, China, USSR, and other Comintern nations affected by hits
1145, most of the missiles have hit, casualties are catastrophic, radiation begins to spread.
1300, probably all missiles that were going to have hit, no indication of life anywhere in the USSR, Europe or North America. All civilization as far as can be seen has been destroyed. Climate change begins. Water level raised 3 meters.
1500, radiation sets in and dust clouds cover more than half of the atmosphere, the areas covered by them are not capable of sustaining human life. Radiation continues to spread. Water level rises another 2 meters, ice caps are melting.
2400, ice caps continue to melt, estimated time for radiation dust to settle: 13 years, human casualties: 99.73% Highest survaval rates are in oceania and africa and canada, but canada is expected to be covered in radiation from strikes in the former USA. Water continues to rise and radiation sets it. First signs of mutations appear in plants and animals.
13 Years Later
The place is North America and the survivors of the nuclear holocaust are living their lives in a new and strange world. The water levels have returned to normal, radiation clouds have settled and the handful of people who have survived begin to make a new World.
Throughout North America there are people who have survived in Nuclear Bunkers prepared by the governments of USA and Canada and those who managed to make it through the horrible 13 years without them. The population is greatly reduced and much knowledge is lost, but much still remains. Most industrial technology is lost, new technology is not really a possibility, nor is advanced building, but whatever was salvaged from the ruins of the cities is usable, and so many people got their hands on it.
New cities, or camps, sprung up slowly but surely. Old cities were abandoned and very few dared venture into them and most did not return. In some camps people managed to live together fairly well, without violence or blood, in orthers a few more ambitions men who managed to get their hands on a few guns terrorized the rest of the population.
Over the last few years a number of "governments" were set up throughout North America. Some areas remain in relative anarchy, everything was going its own way until a scout from the New California Republic ventured into the ruins of what was once San Fransisco. He returned with tales of horrors beyong belief and technology everywhere. But most importantly he returned meaning that it was possible.
The scout died soon after and rumors spread but died, the government of New California ignored the warning. And now it was going to come back and haunt them, and all of North America.
