The following segment is an excerpt from “Minerva: Our Glorious Calling” from the Oculus Archives. The account of the events of the 21st century are simplistic, but accurate. The author employs a little too much Minervan propaganda for my taste, but as it is a good description of how the majority of the compound feels about our history, it suits my purposes.

Some historians may write of 2020s as a decade of death, destruction and war, and they’d be right. I, however, see this time as a period of necessary cleansing that prepared the way for the Rebirth. The culture, economy and technology of the time were slowly killing the planet. Reliance upon fossil fuels and nuclear power for energy was unsustainable, unhealthy and dangerous. The destruction of the times was a direct consequence of the way technology was used in pre-Rebirth culture. Their recognition of the sickness of the world’s culture is what led the Founders to organize Minerva.

Minerva was founded upon the principle of peaceful use of technology. Many of the scientists who joined Minerva before and during the War – I see no need to number or provide adjectives to this war; everyone who is familiar with recent history knows that there is only “the War” – did so because of their distaste with the military applications made from their research discoveries. When genomics researcher Craig Venter developed the first synthetic organism, he did so in hopes of furthering medicine and the understanding of life. Almost immediately, however, the war chiefs at the United States Pentagon began plans to investigate its military potential. Their perverse research eventually led to the biological weapon that caused the Plague of Fire, killing the majority of their own citizens in the aftermath of the War.

Many scientists, like Venter, defected from their respective nations and found their way to Minerva, where they would be able to research in and for peace. They brought with them all of their data and research past, including petabytes of data that would be lost in the coming War.

The War will be covered in detail in a future entry. Suffice it to say that when the dust settled, the world was finally free from the decaying, stagnant culture that threatened it. Small reserves of fossil fuels and pockets of nuclear power still remained, but by and large the Earth was able to begin the healing process. Due to Minerva’s relative isolation from the destruction of the War, and their collection of scientists, technicians and advanced technology, they were able to quickly emerge and begin to actively participate in the healing process.

The Rebirth required decades of determined work, but today, less than 100 years from the end of the War, Minerva has healed thousands of square kilometers of land around its base. We have developed and provided clean solar energy to all of our citizens, and are living in a healthy, Earth-friendly way. As other high-tech groups begin to encroach upon our land, Aegis has stood strong, as the shield it was meant to be, in protecting our ideals. It truly is a glorious Rebirth.

Less than 100 years after the War and Minerva’s origins are already shrouded in mystery and legend. The official propaganda taught by Oculus is unchallenged, and any contradictory evidence has been removed by the official Archives. It was with great effort that I found the following fragments referring to the time now known as “The Rebirth.”

Current supplies of food are insufficient to meet the demands of the compound. Unless arable land is obtained by diplomacy or conquest, the greenhouses will not produce enough fresh food to feed our people, leading to widespread malnutrition and, with time, death.

– Part of a memo from Agricultural Specialist Jung Lee to the Minerva Board of Regents dated 18/05/2047.

Our team investigated Sector 123.511 as recommended by the Oculus. The river there was flowing, and our field analysis reported it was free of impurities. The soil passed all of our tests as well. The locals were unhappy with our presence, but beyond some grimaces and the shaking of a spear, they didn’t bother us. Enough of them remembered what a rifle was to prevent anything serious.

– Sergeant James Garfield’s Mission Report dated 24/06/2047.

Do whatever it takes.

– Private Message from an encrypted Regent’s account to Captain George Jackson, dated 30/06/2047

I’m a little nervous about leading this new colony. Sector 123 seems so far away from base. Even farther from home. If anything were to happen, I don’t think any of the Peacekeepers could get here in time. Not much we can do about that except be prepared. We built the stockade on the hill overlooking the river and the valley. We’ve already harvested our first fall crop and had a little Thanksgiving celebration. It’s such a beautiful place; I’m surprised no one else was already living here.

– Mayor Deborah Laa’s Personal Log dated 30/11/2047

I’m not one to jump to conclusions, but it seems obvious that something went on here. There were hostile people living in Sector 123.511, yet a colony was established just a few months later, with no mention of any locals. What happened to these people? Do any of the citizens of Bangur know the truth about their shadowy origins? Why is no one else worried about this? Or were the questioners merely silenced?  

The following is from the unpublished personal memoirs of Gerald Q. Parson, former Dean of Glaucus. His early retirement from his high position made no waves at the time, but now I wonder how voluntary that retirement was. 

In the earliest days after the War, Minerva had only one goal: survival. Many historians today will spout propaganda about the “glorious mission” and “divine calling” of Minerva in the “cultural, scientific and political Rebirth” (from Minerva: Our glorious calling by John F. Anderson) as if the few hundred scientists, political refugees and ex-military personnel huddled in a bunker deep in the mountains of the ruined nation of Kyrgyzstan were excited about the end of civilization as they knew it. As if they weren’t worried about the impending nuclear winter making it nearly impossible to grow any food, or about the extremely high levels of latent radiation they were exposed to on a daily basis.

They will also tell you that due to their advanced technology Minerva was able to escape the War and its aftermath nearly unscathed, ready and able to emerge after the Long Winter to renew and replenish the Earth. What they don’t tell you is that that technology came to sick and worried men and women on the brink of starvation. As it always has been, necessity was the mother of invention. It was during our darkest and most desperate times that we found the means of our survival, and discovered the knowledge that would allow us to thrive. How ironic that the true nature of our founders’ heroic actions, sacrifices and discoveries has been hidden in the shrouds of time, while fallacious propaganda applauds them for ideals they never held.

It is certainly true that Minerva eventually emerged from the ashes, so to speak, and began restoring the local environment. They gathered in surviving refugees, established communities, planted farms, and restored a semblance of order and civilization. I witnessed much of this personally, for my parents were some of the first new Citizens. I am unsure, now, as I reach my gray years, whether the purposes and goals of Minerva as they undertook the effort to remake the world were humanitarian or political.

The more I learn about our past, the more I understand how little I know. There are so many unanswered questions. Secrets within secrets within secrets. If only I had access to the Vault, perhaps then I would find the answers I seek.

The fact that one so high up in the organization of Minerva had so many unresolved doubts only makes me more curious. What is this Vault he referred to? What was he seeking? Did he ever find it?