Firestorm
Prologue
For decades, the consolidation of political, military, and economic power in international organizations like the European Union, the Greater Asian Federation, and the South American Alliance has led to the concentration of power over billions in the hands of a few.
Nations that go it alone, by choice or necessity, find themselves increasingly threatened. In 2019, the United States and Canada formed a defensive pact as tensions and border disputes between the U.S. and the South American Alliance grew. Australia finds itself harassed by government-sanctioned pirates, sailing with the endorsement of the GAF.
Of all the nations and organizations, it is Europe that has grown the strongest. After the Russo-European War of 2026, much of Russia has been partitioned between the European Union and the GAF, leaving the once-great threat in shambles.
But all is not well in Europe. Reforms in the European Union's governance, led by the charismatic firebrand Lizaveta Stafford of the United Kingdom, have resulted in a virtual dictatorship. The bloodless coup vested control in the new office of the European Chancellor, to which Stafford was elected by the European Commission in 2028. Since then, the office has grown more powerful as Stafford uses any means necessary to solidify control.
A devastating terror attack on Brussels meant to break Stafford's grip on the Union resulted in a crackdown of proportions not seen since the Second World War. The presence of a mysterious genetic marker in some of the blood samples left by the terrorists leads to a series of bills stripping the rights of those afflicted by the same.
Those with the MYNDRM marker have been registered at birth since 2029. In some provinces of the European Union, local and provincial governments have enforced terrible restrictions against the so-called Myndrmen. Men, women and children who carry the marker show no outward signs, no behavioral or physical manifestations. It is not contagious.
Even so, the Chancellor, Commission, and Council continue to support or turn a blind eye to local measures of oppression, and soon Myndrmen become a scapegoat for many of the economic and social woes plaguing Europe.
But not all are willing to sit back and accept the descent of Europe to dictatorship and fascism. In the Eastern Province (which includes what was once Poland, Kaliningrad, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia), a young politician rises to the rank of Deputy Province Minister. Commanding the loyalty of the masses and the respect of the Provincial Army, D. P. M. Aleksy Markowitz has been watching with growing unease.
Once again Europe is a powder keg, but this time a silent one. The only question is whether the keg is sparked...
...and whether Europe can stand yet another bloody conflict.
