A Flash of Brilliance

Land Power created Nations

Sea Power created Empires

Air Power created Collective Blocs

Space Power will create a Human Civilization

-If I write a full series, I would use that as my tag line

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Have you ever had moments where you wish things were different? After reading about discrimination, hate, atrocities, and death, how can all that stuff change? What type of person could do that? What are their motivations and ideals?

In my story, altruism leads to groundbreaking discovery at the frontiers of science. People know from my past stories that I have an interest in computer science and theoretical applications, quantum computing technology in particular is something that has piqued my interest in recent years. If the reports are to be believed, China and US have achieved limited successes at achieve "Quantum Supremacy" over traditional computer systems, essentially reaching calculations faster than possible.  It's a holy grail for physicist to discover what is called "Dark Matter", or under some circles "Dark Energy", which is theoretically several things: 85% of the universe and generate gravity without being observable due to lack of radiation, including light. If someone can harness this energy that is all around, a lot of things that should be impossible would e possible. Gravity without matter, energy without radiation would represent a quantum leap like a windmill versus a modern atomic reactor.

Also true, revenge leads to the practical applications of this new discovery in the area of warfare. Things such energy weapons, which no nation has figured a way to make work at a reasonable distance or rate of fire would stop being issues. Satellite defense network would make ballistic missiles as obsolete as a bow and arrow against a tank. However, one of the frightening things, from my imagination, is the use of it to generate electromagnetic fields and heat the gases in our atmosphere to create plasma. Plasma-based weapons have been experimented on by the US in 1980's Strategic Defense Initiative, SDI aka Star Wars program, under the code name "Marauder", though the research was classified after 1990s, I ponder what would happen if the last reports shortcomings of energy production could be corrected. Low earth orbit satellite would be able to in theory gather gases from the upper atmosphere, providing limitless ammunition and the power of these plasma charges would be immense, perhaps not atomic level, but still strong enough to level city blocks.

Yet, the most frightening weapon of all comes from the dark matter/dark energy itself. If you could somehow intensify the inherent power of this material to generate gravity, you could replicate a fusion bomb's effect with multiple factors of intensity as no radiation is generated, instead it causes the surrounding heat and matter to collapse in, similar to the theoretical properties of how black holes are formed. Such weapons would be far worse than the atomic boogeyman, which albeit can destroy human societies as they exist now, it will still allow survivors in bunkers and underground areas. In my story, a dark matter bomb could literally destroy the earth, ending all life.

The character, Ken Savage, demonstrated all the above advances in a practical and personal act, killing millions in the process. There's no apology for genocide on either side of a conflict, history is rife with examples where victim become victimizers, but I wanted to offer an imperfect human being with deep flaws.

In the face of complete destruction or reformation, a new human civilization would have to grow from the ashes as ugly as his actions may be.

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It's an interesting concept, but I'll let readers decide if I should pursue it