[...transmitting...]
-...so, there are only two options: you either die as a friend, or live long enough to become an enemy... you can't escape this, for you can't escape what made friendship possible in the first place... but, the very last thing you can do, is to choose what you will remain for eternity... this... is my last lesson to you, my friend... and the last thing I will entrust to you: that when the time comes, you will know what to do. [end of transmission]

[start of datalog] [...executing query...retrieving file...] [start of report] La Belle Époque Space conveyors, hyper-structures measuring thousands of millions of kilometers, conformed supply chains extending all along the system from the asteroid belt. Every new cargo takes years to arrive from the asteroid mines. Such a massive infrastructure is second only to the majestic Dyson swarm that orbits the sun, powering the entire system's economy.

Bitcoin had long been consolidated as the common currency among the inter-planetary system, but a single full synchronization cycle takes hundreds of years to complete. Until each cycle is completed, each planet local status is entrusted to remain untampered, or face otherwise centuries of isolation from the system network until a re-synchronization can be even attempted. Under this premise, and due to the initial constraints at the beginning of the space colonization era, the inter-planetary transactions were entrusted to a centralized infrastructure under the control of the planet's International Leaders Assembly, which settled as the de-facto planet interface after centuries of impeccable performance.

The last registered successful synchronization cycle was followed by a world-wide party, as it was customary at the time to celebrate such successful closures like a New Year's Eve.

In the first following years the planet experienced an unusual boom in its outer-planetary commerce. Technology advancements accelerated, and at its peak, eternal life was achieved. Although an exclusive luxury of the elites, eternal life was permanently promised to the general population and pervaded all propaganda.

The spirit of "la belle époque" optimism dominated everything. Future never looked brighter.

The Isolation Era After a couple of decades, even in the context of such abundance, birth rates started to decelerate noticeably, although it seemed at first to be the result of a stabilizing phase after the initial boom.

The outer-planetary commerce started to stagnate without any apparent reason, even while in the rest of the system it was still keeping its normal pace. [...] The collapse of the outer-planetary commerce, as per official history, was caused by the outer planet's leaders, as a purported major complot to undermine our blooming economy, out of envy and fear. As the International Leaders Assembly rose to prominence as "defenders of the planet" by denouncing said complot, it became the de-facto logic to explain all future shortcomings faced by the Assembly.

A successful political campaign ensued to convince the population that "a central, strong world-wide government" was needed to protect them against the aggressors. After this, the International Leaders Assembly became known as The Authorities. This central government, they said, was also the only way to achieve independence from the enemies (as the outer worlds were now officially referenced), a Freedom Revolution, as they called it, which could only be achieved by having a single authority coordinating all resources needed to build the infrastructure that would lead the planet towards full autonomy from the rest of the system.

Full Isolationism as a way of ossification of civilizational order, seen as the purest form of humanity, had long been gaining strength among public opinion ever since eternal life became possible (although it still remained an exclusive luxury of the elites), and this situation was seen by the common citizen as the ideal opportunity to reach such idyllic utopia. Thus, invaded by revolutionary spirit and idealism, people threw themselves into the Great Cause. The entire resources of the planet were thus frantically devoted towards The Great Project: the construction of their own space conveyor, the flagship project of The Freedom Revolution.

As the first orbiting belt around the planet was completed (intended to be a space-port for the space conveyor), the promises of The Great Project repeated every year. It was always to be just one year away.

As the compensations for all devoted work and resources got systematically protracted with promises of ever increasing returns, the world plunged into poverty and decadence.

Gigantic, derelict propaganda banners became the tallest structures scattered among kilometric slums, remembering the people to keep their revolutionary spirits high, for the completion of The Great Project was just one year away, and all the hard work would pay off at last.

It was rumored that, despite The Authorities isolationist rhetoric, those elites living in the orbiting belt had access to interplanetary routes and goods. High-end technology, as neural links, became unaffordable for the masses, and the de-facto privilege of a select governmental caste. The Authorities boasted their compromise with the Freedom Revolution by pointing out that buying technology wasn't forbidden. It was just, unreachable, and down below in the slums people had to recycle outdated technology.

As per official propaganda: "The Authorities must remain up in the belt, since it's the only place from where they can protect their people from the outer enemies and keep working tirelessly on The Great Project. So, the least they expect from ground citizens is to follow suit and keep up the revolutionary effort".

The Resistance Era As more and more rumors reached the population about the heinous luxury the elites enjoyed in the belt, each time more and more critical voices started to rise up. The Authorities campaigned to suppress "misinformation", and accused the agitators of delaying The Great Project, thus being responsible for the widespread poverty, in connivance with the enemies. This only caused greater tension among the population, and The Authorities proceeded to authorize summary executions of agitators. From there, tensions eventually devolved into a full blown civil war between The Resistance (those against the elites) and The Revolutionaries (those still faithful of the isolationist cause, who believed religiously that the returns and eternal life promised by The Authorities would come).

The Revolutionaries, having the vast material support of the elites, completely annihilated The Resistance.

The Anarchic Era The Resistance cause was reduced to clandestinity, but from there it found a much more efficient way to campaign against The Authorities: the battle for public opinion. As decades passed by, the spiritual heirs of this underground movement evolved into a massive network of hacktivists capable of seizing communication systems to broadcast their messages.

One infamous broadcaster stood among all: The Anarchist. With his oni-like mask, unsettling voice synthesizer and vehement language, he managed to cause a large impact, especially among the younger population. Of particular concern for The Authorities was his unique ability to access archives from the belt, which he used to expose their corruption and vileness. To hunt down and terminate The Anarchist was labeled top priority for the Security Services. [end of report] [...executing query...retrieving files...] [start of record on source 03] -...hello? -Will, they found you. -... -Will, I need you to hear me very carefully ok? -... how... how's that possible.. -Will I need you to focus right now. Do exactly as I say, we have no time, am I clear? [...] [failed to fetch data] [end of record on source 03] [...] [start of record on source 02] -Jules, it's me. -Will?? Will where are you? Are you ok?? -I'm ok babe. I can't tell you where I'm, but I won't be here for long. I can't wait to get back to the station and.. -Will stop.. I can't, I can't keep up with this anymore, there's something I have to tell you... -...what is it? -Listen, I have been talking with the Cap, we found a way to get into the belt and smuggle into one of the ferries... wherever it may lead, anywhere but here... -... I... you know I can't do that Jules... I have a compromise with the guys and.. -Will I'm doing it... I won't die in this shithole... I can't stay up at night wondering if you're alive or not, every single night.. I can't, I... I'm sorry Will... -... babe... -... please Will, please come with me... I beg you... -... babe... I'm so sorry... [end of record on source 02] [...executing query...retrieving files...] [ERROR - CORRUPTED DATA] [...executing query...retrieving files...] [start of session record on room 101] *KKRRCH -HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA -Captain O'Brien... I must admit, I'm disappointed... such a shameful outcome for such an honorable war veteran... you had served so well... what led you to scrap such a promising career?... what got you against us?... did we ever wronged you?... wasn't eternal life enough of a recognition to your services?.. WASN'T ENOUGH?? *KKRRCH -HAAAAAAAAAAAAA.. PLEASE.. PLEASE STOP... -I will stop when you answer my question. *KKRRCH -HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I DON'T FUCKING KNOW.. OH GOD... -Hmmm... ... ok... then, this is what's going to happen now... you will lead him right to us.. -I..I can't.. -SHUT THE FUCK UP.. I didn't finish... you will lead him right to us, but! we want to use this great opportunity to set the example for all.. you know what I mean?... you will lead us to him, and he will lead us to his station... and once there, we will expose him has the DESPICABLE TRAITOR THAT HE IS.. for all to see... -I.. I won't betray him.. -YOU BETRAYED US... now, comply, or I will stop being so graceful with you... ... -... this is your last chance, Captain... follow your orders, and I will delete this from your records, you will be promoted, and sent to enjoy your eternal life in the belt... if you do not, you will be publicly exposed as a traitor, discharged with dishonor, tortured under my supervision, and finally executed right among the traitors mass graves... DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?? -Ye..yes... [...] -Will, this is the last time I will insist: stop with this shit, get with your girl, live a normal life. -What normal life Cap?... this is no life... would you spend the rest of your life like this? -.. I... I have lived long enough... -Cap, please.. I can count with you, right? ... -.. Cap? -.. yes.. [...] -Well done "cap", he's ours. [end of session record on room 101] [...executing query...retrieving file...] [start of record on source 03] -...has I promised in my message, in my datalog you will find all the truth... [...] -... all nations have cyclically transitioned from allies to enemies all throughout history, for they last enough to do so, and as nations are just an expression of their people, the same reality applies to each: those who are now your allies, if given enough time, one day, will turn into your enemies... what are we then?... what would you prefer? to have a short existence, and be something, or to have an eternal existence, being nothing?... we restricted access to eternal life to a selected few, but it was extending fast in the rest of the system... we thus predicted the ensuing mass existential crisis and cycles interruptions would cause humanity's collapse and extinction, and did what was necessary to avoid it... to protect you... you decry we disrupted the system... but we will actually preserve it... for one day, one cycle will be the last... and that day it will either be our freedom or our doom... how could we have subjected our people to such existential risk, when we could ensure a good end for all, right then, right there... [...] -...as the new cycle started, all inter-planetary checksums remained always valid. Effectively, no new money was emitted... but, under the hood, since the central inter-planetary transaction system naturally mixed and rendered transactions untraceable, each incoming transaction delay could not be paired with an outgoing transaction delay, and then cumulative delays in payments could be directed per target undetected, allowing to virtually increase fractional banking and consequently unsupported credit, which indeed was used in the first years to create the fake economic abundance. -To avoid detection from the symptoms, the systematic delays were performed at random but over localized economic sectors, and changing from sector to sector after a certain time, so to give at any moment the impression that most of the economic system was performing correctly, while in truth the entire network was being affected, the simultaneous impact being obscured by affecting one sector at a time. -After that initial period, the process inevitably started to generate a virtual inflation (due to delays in payments impacting both locals -thus generating temporary losses to cover- and external providers -thus generating temporary higher import prices as suppliers of external providers started to demand more money in advance to cover for delays-). This was consequently followed by a depletion of funds as delays settled, since the net income could only be in the outer-planets side, ultimately leading to a world-wide great depression. -The ensuing economic collapse was falsely deemed a failure of the inter-planetary system, in its economic scheme and in its ethics, since the outer planets were blamed for "unfair" practices against our planet due to their seemingly unjustifiable price increments, leading to general public resentment and a nationalistic wave, granting the support needed to use a local blockchain only and a more isolated supply chain, actions that immediately crashed outer-planetary commerce by the lack of transactional liquidity, starting the isolationist movement and an era of permanent economic decline, as intended. -The isolationist regime was established well before the new validation cycle could be completed, by which time, the planet already had its blockchain forked and isolated from the inter-planetary network, and all allegations of fraud could then be easily labelled as "enemy slander", coincidentally, as part of the supposed system-wide complot against our planet, which was already ingrained in a cultural resentment by then. -It all came together as planned... it was a masterpiece... our grand utopia unfolded at last... [end of record on source 03] [...executing query...retrieving files...] [start of record on source 03] -I'm keeping them down as much as I can Will, but this time I will need some more... -It's ok Cap, I understand... I.. I just need you to clear the alley C-11... is that enough?.. -Got it. I have a route. [...] -I located the station. He's about to enter. Wait for my signal. -Standing by Cap. [...] -I'm cleared. -Good, get in the chamber, then follow the passageway inside. -How could this be connected? -You don't know everything goddammit! Get in NOW! -Aye Sr. *CLANK [...] -Heellooo Free Woorld! Here an Anarchist at your service, broadcasting from the free network, for the free network... I have good and bad news for you today! Good news is that this might be the last time you will have to see my ugly face! Bad news is that our beloved series on the vermin that infests the great belt will come to an end... BUT, no spoilers, I promise, you will have to see the grand finale and judge by yourselves!... now, I'm not good at goodbyes.. oh god, I promised myself not to cry, the mask would electrocute me.. anyways, I don't have much time, I need you to hear me very carefully now: whatever happens from now on, you have to remain firm to the last, you must keep the Resistance cause alive on your spirits, unwavered, am I clear?.. for from now on, until your last breaths, you will only have two options: you can either die being free, or outlive being nothing... this... is my last message to you, my friends... and the last thing I will entrust to you: that when the time comes, you will know what to do. [end of record on source 03] [...] [start of record on source 01] -(... please... please answer... please, please, please..) Will!! -Jules? -Will please stop!! -Jules I'm trapped! -What? Where are you?? -... I'm not sure, I'm sorry, I had no signal and.. wait, just received a message from the Cap, the fucker wont even face me now... -What do you mean? What's going on?? ... ... -Will... Will what's wrong? What's he saying?? ... -Will, are you ok? Will?? [...] [end of record on source 01] [...] [start of record on source 03] *BOOM -In the name of The Revolution, desist and surrender IMMEDIATELY! -No problem, I'm done here. -Turn around, SLOWLY. ... -Now, take off the mask! ... -Comply or you're dead! -... fair enough.. I have lived enough... *click [signal lost on source 03] [end of record] [end of datalog]