The Root of Conflict

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not here. Not ever.

Hundreds of years ago humanity reached a dangerous crossroads. Confronted with climate change, war, civil unrest, and pandemics, a secret society formed a bold new plan to give civilization a fresh start and a second chance.

It’s unclear who started this plan, or how it gained traction with governments around the world, but in the early 2200s, scientists began researching ways to do what was once thought to be impossible.

The goal was ambitious in its design and broad in its scope. As life on Earth descended into chaos, scientists looked to the stars in search of a new home for human life.

As they worked to unlock the secrets of interstellar travel and the terraforming of a new home, politicians and humanitarians from varying ideologies put their heads together to design a new model of society: one that offered the promises of lasting peace, and equitable access to resources and opportunities.

In 2313 the society now called H.O.P.E (Humans Offering a Prosperous Existence) discovered Utopia, A rocky planet nearly the size of Earth.

Utopia’s star is comparable to the sun, but since the planet strays farther in its orbit, its climate is cooler, making the area near the equator similar to that of Europe or the northern United States prior to drastic climate change in recent years.

Utopia had some native vegetation, and insect-like creatures, but its ecosystem paled in comparison to the old days of Earth. Unlike humanity’s first home, Utopia’s surface is about 70% land. Its ocean is much smaller than Earth’s, although streams and rivers flow through much of its landscape.

For decades, H.O.P.E worked to bring trees, vegetables, and even animal life from Earth to Utopia’s hospitable zone, replicating entire ecosystems.

In Earth year 2518, the first Utopians landed in their new home. Selected by a lottery system, the new Utopians lived a simple life, sustained by their farms and the new lands created by H.O.P.E.

They lived in small homes, and used a train, and ATV-like vehicles which were all powered by electricity generated through solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable sources.

Utopians are free to trade goods and services, although they have no standard currency.

Everyone is provided with what they need to survive, as one neighbor helps another for the greater good.

This is the world that Tom Lima was born into, and the only form of society he has ever known.

This day started like most others, but would go on to change the course of the fledgling society’s history.

Tom began his day foraging through the forest for apples. The lanky 20-year-old took his time, sauntering from one tree to another. He enjoyed the sounds of birds, and watched rabbits and squirrels running by as he made his way deeper into the woods.

As he walked into a patch of shade that blocked out Utopia's sun, he was hit with a foul smell.

He slowed his pace, and tightly gripped his walking stick. The smell of a dead animal was sure to attract coyotes or even wolves. Tom cursed the scientists who brought those stupid animals here. Maybe they regulated ecosystems on Earth, but couldn’t they find some other way of doing that here?

Against his better judgement, his curiosity brought him to the source of the smell.

He made his way to a large oak tree, where something had died at its base.

Tom’s walking stick and basket of apples fell with a thud, as he stopped suddenly and looked in horror and confusion.

It was here that he found something that wasn’t supposed to happen. Something he wasn’t supposed to see. Not here. Not ever.

There was no rabbit. No deer. No otter. No wild animal at all.

Instead he saw a familiar face... in an unfamiliar context.

Under the tree was Cara, a young woman of about 30 from the next village over from Tom’s.

Her body was stiff. Her face was pale as her blue eyes stared blankly to the treetops. But what confused young Tom the most was a gash that crushed the left side of her skull, leaving blood to leak onto the bark of the tree.

Tom’s mind catapulted him back to when he got into a fight with another boy at the age of 12. He forgot what started their little shoving match, but he never forgot what happened after.

Instead of punishing the boys, their village’s head teacher brought them into the school on a Saturday morning to teach them of the horrors of Earth.

At the time he thought it was all just a fairy tale to scare them into behaving better.

People killing others over money, land, or whatever else? Armies lining up against each other with spears and shields, and then guns and bombs? Gangs of criminals selling mind altering substances and fighting to the death over territory and profit?

It all seemed far-fetched to him at the time.

But suddenly he was reminded of old words from an old world. Violence. Conflict. Murder. War.

Tom realized now that these words were not fairy tales. They were painfully real, even here in Utopia.

Around Cara’s neck was a heart-shaped locket necklace, her prized possession given to her by her grandmother, who was famous for telling stories of the old world.

Tom left his stick and his basket, and instead took the necklace and started running home.

He didn’t remember how far he had to go, and didn't bother to pace himself.

He didn’t have a plan for what to do once he got home.

Instead, he just started running as fast as he could.

With each step he thought to himself the same words.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not here. Not ever.”

“This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not here. Not ever.”