Stories from the Galaxy

Explore space in 3019 CE.

The Mega-corporations ever-increasing greed has no limits. Earth atmosphere isn't even breathable anymore. But what do they care? They have the whole universe at their fingertips.   Enormous megaCorps, called corps by most, influence every facet of daily life: food, threedee, music, career choices. Androids—robotic or organic synthetic life forms—have entered the workforce, threatening to upend the social structure and replace cheap human labor.   Everyone relies on the Network, the all-seeing, allhearing grid that surrounds Earth and reaches out into the solar system beyond. The Network connects everyone to more information than they could ever need—it is the backbone of modern civilization, and it has become a battlefield of corporate and criminal interests struggling to control the flow of that information. Computers have continued to advance along with discoveries in the field of neurobiology. The physical mouse and keyboard are archaic relics; gestural interfaces and virt displays are commonplace. Elite users “jack in,” plugging the computer directly into their brains.   Rogue operators—computer specialists with the hardware, software, and raw talent to challenge the system—use the sprawl of the net to their advantage. They are runners.

“...most men and women will grow up to love their servitude and will never dream of revolution.” ― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World