Friday, May 22, 2009

The story behind the books - GLOP

No. GLOP is not a sumptuous scoop of ice cream. Just as good though. GLOP is the Galactic League of Planets. The league is ten planets in as many solar systems that make up the spread of known intelligent life in the universe as of the twenty-fourth century. That number has expanded some since the series started but what’s a little extra hot fudge on your sundae?

I thought I’d share a brief of the events that culminated in an earth with no governance. An earth ruled by the Corporation. A corporation also known in some circles as the greedy bastards.

After the twenty-year energy wars that started in 2118 a starving earth was left decimated, half its population dead or dying. Countries and governments were in chaos, modern industry at a standstill, and climate change threatened a very cold and dismal winter. Salvation came at a price. Held hostage by imminent starvation the earth was sold lock, stock, and leaky barrel to the lesser of two evils – the newly formed United Corporation of Earth. Private industry placed a death grip on the small blue marble that floated three out from the sun. Then they squeezed.



By 2152 all borders had disappeared and industry burgeoned on the back of a world populous throttled by the heavy hand of the Corporation bottom line. Cultures, histories, and entire languages disappeared as world unification for the good of Corporate communication became the norm.

In the year 2197 a little known accountant working with the Corporation’s global management and market forecasting division made a startling discovery. By the year 2233 the delicate balance between cost of production, available raw materials, and standards of living would peak. With no new markets to conquer and the gradual decline of raw materials needed to sustain the globe’s growing population, the Corporation, and by default, the world would slowly decline into a postmodern stone age.

In all its wisdom the Corporate directors decided there was only one solution.

Expand!

In 2203 space was warped and instantaneous transport of people and products moved from science fiction imaginings to hardcore reality. Two years later blind jumps had been made to the surface of the moon. Before the decade ended the first intergalactic jump had been made to the surface of an M-type planet over 100 light years away. Another five years saw the advent of the HTU or human transport unit that made going to another planet as easy as walking into a closet and pushing a switch.

In less than ten years six planets in as many solar systems, all with some semblance of intelligent productive life, were engaged in active trade with the United Corporation of Earth.

Helium 3 became the energy source of choice and when a Corporate sales explorer set foot on the planet Meline for the first time a new discovery was made. Light beam travel. Suddenly moving around the galaxy was not limited to parts, peoples, and parcels that could be stuffed into a closet sized transporter. Galactic cruisers that could house millions of people and, more importantly, millions of tons of ore and goods, brought the high cost of transportation down and the bottom line up.

At the dawn of the 24th century the Corporation had come in contact with nine very diverse peoples in just as many solar systems sprinkled throughout the Milky Way galaxy. Trade and bottom line were the buzz words and the United Corporation of Earth not only recovered – they became a force to be reckoned with.

Then they got greedy…

Let the epic begin.


Meet the kickass heroines and smoldering heroes that will save the future for us all.

You’ll learn that love is eternal…and that the war has just begun.

Bastina’s Necklace

Forever’s Not Enough

Roscoe James


Thanks,
RJ

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