BananaPhone
2015-09-10, 03:47 AM
Hey guys,
I want to propose a hypothetical scenario to everyone.
I'm currently writing a novella in which a small but very technologically advanced nation, let's call them Nation X, puts a weaponised satellite into space. This satellite is capable of releasing an electromagnetic pulse large enough to shut down the eastern seaboard of the United States before requiring charging for half an hour to fire again.
For a further explanation on Nation X, have a read here:
This is an alternate earth that is almost exactly like our own, save for the existence of Nation X which exists on the boarder of the Caspain Sea and the Black Sea and it encapsulates a large swathe of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Georgia. It's a very prosperous, wealthy and technologically advanced nation with a strong sense of patriotism and nationalism that has been forged by their neighbours constant attempts to take them over (they've been invaded, unsuccessfully, no less than 7 times in the past century by the Ottoman Empire, the Soviet Union, Iran and the Soviet Union again). Indeed, their national flag depicts a three corners of a triangle, each one representing one of the three national virtues: Duty, Community and Industry.
They've had no history of aggression outside of the founding of their nation and the establishment of their boarders (which occurred roughly in the 1600s). When they've been invaded they've been particularly ruthless, but fought their opponents back to their boarders, smashed their enemies ability to continue fighting them and then retreated back behind their own boarders. The last war they fought was in 1988 against the Soviet Union - a military campaign so disastrous for the Soviets that it was the catalyst for their collapse (in addition to all the internal corruption, dysfunction etc). Ever since, Nation X's currency has spread across much of eastern europe and parts of asia as the currency of choice.
Their relations with the wider world is frosty for reasons that that aren't really important for me to mention. A very wealthy nation from their technology, biotech and defense industries, they've bought a lot of foreign companies to further diversify and deepen their national coffers. With their economic tendrils spread through most of eastern europe, parts of the middle east and asia, combined with their technological sophistication, they're a nation that's emerged from being a besieged punching bag in the 1900s to being one of the most disproportionately powerful nations on earth.
They then exhibited ambitions towards a space program, inspired somewhat by the efforts and successes of Europe and the USA. The civilian wing of their program is currently preparing for their first manned moon landing. Their military wing, however, have just launched the worlds first weaponised satellite whose power to cripple a nation is hard to believe.
Some among the international community have likened the move to the Cuban Missile Crisis - placing such a powerful weapon of mass neutralisation in a position where it can strike anywhere on earth. Nation X rebuffs the assertion with a reminder that they've never shown military aggression outside of defending their own lands and that no other nation on earth has been invaded as many times as they have and that with their weapon in their hands they'll have the perfect, non-lethal deterrent against any future aggression.
Unfortunately for the world at large, Nation X never signed the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 as they were too busy fending off (another) Soviet invasion.
Naturally, Russia hates Nation X. Turkey isn't particularly a fan either as Nation X fought some rather brutal wars of resistance against the Ottoman Empire in decades past. Parts of Eastern Europe are a little warmer to them as they the nation encapsulates the combination of nationalistic strength and material success that they admire and their queen symbolises the ever-favoured firm-but-fair ruler (that they also routinely humbled the oppressive Soviets helps too). Western nations are more neutral-to-weary - they're receptive of their economic might, but the nature of their citizens makes for cool relations.
What do you think the reaction of the world at large would be to this?
Imagine that Nation X has been invaded many times in the past, and thus they are using the justification that they've been the recipient of aggression too many times and that they now have a non-lethal deterrent against those who would try to steal what is theirs. They've never actually invaded anyone in the past, but are particularly vicious and brutal when defending their own lands from aggressors.
Any thoughts would be appreciated, as I'd like to try and gather a variety of reactions, opinions and perspectives.
I want to propose a hypothetical scenario to everyone.
I'm currently writing a novella in which a small but very technologically advanced nation, let's call them Nation X, puts a weaponised satellite into space. This satellite is capable of releasing an electromagnetic pulse large enough to shut down the eastern seaboard of the United States before requiring charging for half an hour to fire again.
For a further explanation on Nation X, have a read here:
This is an alternate earth that is almost exactly like our own, save for the existence of Nation X which exists on the boarder of the Caspain Sea and the Black Sea and it encapsulates a large swathe of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Georgia. It's a very prosperous, wealthy and technologically advanced nation with a strong sense of patriotism and nationalism that has been forged by their neighbours constant attempts to take them over (they've been invaded, unsuccessfully, no less than 7 times in the past century by the Ottoman Empire, the Soviet Union, Iran and the Soviet Union again). Indeed, their national flag depicts a three corners of a triangle, each one representing one of the three national virtues: Duty, Community and Industry.
They've had no history of aggression outside of the founding of their nation and the establishment of their boarders (which occurred roughly in the 1600s). When they've been invaded they've been particularly ruthless, but fought their opponents back to their boarders, smashed their enemies ability to continue fighting them and then retreated back behind their own boarders. The last war they fought was in 1988 against the Soviet Union - a military campaign so disastrous for the Soviets that it was the catalyst for their collapse (in addition to all the internal corruption, dysfunction etc). Ever since, Nation X's currency has spread across much of eastern europe and parts of asia as the currency of choice.
Their relations with the wider world is frosty for reasons that that aren't really important for me to mention. A very wealthy nation from their technology, biotech and defense industries, they've bought a lot of foreign companies to further diversify and deepen their national coffers. With their economic tendrils spread through most of eastern europe, parts of the middle east and asia, combined with their technological sophistication, they're a nation that's emerged from being a besieged punching bag in the 1900s to being one of the most disproportionately powerful nations on earth.
They then exhibited ambitions towards a space program, inspired somewhat by the efforts and successes of Europe and the USA. The civilian wing of their program is currently preparing for their first manned moon landing. Their military wing, however, have just launched the worlds first weaponised satellite whose power to cripple a nation is hard to believe.
Some among the international community have likened the move to the Cuban Missile Crisis - placing such a powerful weapon of mass neutralisation in a position where it can strike anywhere on earth. Nation X rebuffs the assertion with a reminder that they've never shown military aggression outside of defending their own lands and that no other nation on earth has been invaded as many times as they have and that with their weapon in their hands they'll have the perfect, non-lethal deterrent against any future aggression.
Unfortunately for the world at large, Nation X never signed the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 as they were too busy fending off (another) Soviet invasion.
Naturally, Russia hates Nation X. Turkey isn't particularly a fan either as Nation X fought some rather brutal wars of resistance against the Ottoman Empire in decades past. Parts of Eastern Europe are a little warmer to them as they the nation encapsulates the combination of nationalistic strength and material success that they admire and their queen symbolises the ever-favoured firm-but-fair ruler (that they also routinely humbled the oppressive Soviets helps too). Western nations are more neutral-to-weary - they're receptive of their economic might, but the nature of their citizens makes for cool relations.
What do you think the reaction of the world at large would be to this?
Imagine that Nation X has been invaded many times in the past, and thus they are using the justification that they've been the recipient of aggression too many times and that they now have a non-lethal deterrent against those who would try to steal what is theirs. They've never actually invaded anyone in the past, but are particularly vicious and brutal when defending their own lands from aggressors.
Any thoughts would be appreciated, as I'd like to try and gather a variety of reactions, opinions and perspectives.