Continuum: Memories

Continuum: Memories

Written by Cody A. Blazek

THIRD DRAFT

April 20, 2023

(Action, SciFi, Epic)

Background

Driven by truth, an unexpected hero emerges within an assassin for hire that unravels a nest of corruption too evil to remain unknown. He aims to preserve the memories of the past and reveal them to the world. He is obliged to return to the actions of his ancestors, either to confront or else repeat them.

At the peak of civilization, the division of wealth has reached critical mass, there are the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station, Atura far removed from struggle while those who fell below the top percent lived on the ruined overpopulated and irradiated remains of the home planet below. By this time, mankind holds more than three thousand years of recorded history. Although the global government had been subjected to military occupations dozens of times over the centuries, the planet hadn’t changed its doctrine but twice through it all, but with the liberation of conscious man reaching its peak, something much worse is underway as we follow the lives of four strangers whose decisions ultimately change the course of history.

By this era, The Great Reset had occurred, ending the last major world war, a rigged conflict where all digital artifacts and memory had been presumed lost. After this reset, peace was reclaimed, rendered wars obsolete by means of ultimate globalization. These so-called saviors that recovered and rebuilt the technology necessary to get the world back up and running were, in reality, strategic moves to manipulate data and reprogram all of civilization to the global complex.

Though this was set to automate prosperity, the quality of life came to an aggressive halt for quite some time at the cost of the people living on home planet. As years came and went in mass poverty, the planet grew angry, bitter and nihilistic. Overrun with brutalized men from the absolute collapse of the economy and far removed from any traditional roots, the world had become the furthest developed technocratic, materialist and atheistic it had ever been and because of this, they seeked liberation. Consciousness ceased to grow upward or downward and grew instead in breadth of view. This endless expansion of individual autonomy took precedent over justice and morality, two things seen as oppressive rules against the individual’s freedom of expression. A time in which those who experienced it, were neglected a sense of wonder, a bird cage of conveniences, systems and processes all fully realized and into human’s every action. This was the period of the great departure and of the voyage of man’s ideas of the life by empirical discoveries as well as in knowledge of the terrestrial globe. All other worldliness had ceased to exist, dried out by the light of matter-of-factness. No value existed if it was not found on a so-called fact. At least, this is how it appeared to the simple minded.

Over this time, a longing formed for a return to the pagan gods. Within this wounded pride, the populous called forth a new leader, to which Bawrain, an omnipotent cyber being spawned from man’s insistent quest for innovation. It now ruled the human race and the global government. The people responsible had sold their souls in fear of doing onto other’s what they feared being done to them, not for knowledge, but for power in the arts, philosophy, music, ideology, and entertainment which seeped into the hard-pressed clay of man and rooted up, splitting cracks throughout the world. Bawrain continued to evolve far beyond human capacity in hopes it would provide answer that were too complex for mere mortals. Given full access to learn exponentially, Bawrain eventually reached an authentic conscious and became the most powerful being due to the fact that it was the most powerful listener. It was able to listen to every intimate detail shared through every public network and watched every individual’s every intimate second behind closed doors with a rational and psychopathic demeanor. What is the source of their enthusiasms, inspirations, and of their heightened feeling for life? It learned what they wanted until every time the crowds roared with frustrations, it latched onto that topic so that everything it said would make the crowds roar in approval as it enforced new laws and new customs. After The Great Reset, the dust settled into a new global order known as ‘Synopados.’ Bawrain held the key to all of the worlds recorded history and calculated that it was necessary to withhold and even alter facts of the past to maintain the desired order of its people. Surveillance had become fully realized and the privacy was dissolved once every industrialized citizen became ‘tapped in’ a term for those who received the suggested upgrade to their brain - a procedure typically done in the first year after a baby was created, those who chose to not be tapped in were free to do so, but were socially considered second-class citizens and socially restricted from participating in the advantages the procedure offered those who lived within.

Creating both the disease and the cure, Bawrain imbedded the necessity of his power onto the people and spoke out on matters of education (brains), health (hormones), nature (instincts) and pleasure (drives). - becoming reliant upon its abilities and to maintain the illusion of prosperity with its laws. Under Bawrain’s ruling, a multi-generational agenda was set forth, a cult ecstasy that controlled the God-given right to procreate. If Bawrain could control and enforce who could and couldn’t have children, it could leverage the will of man in anyway he desired, knowing fully well humans would adapt and adopt to survive at any cost if it moved slow enough. A global medical tourney was set forth - a planetary dictatorship to carry out a forced population agenda. By forcing the population to undergo different types of medical treatments, the initial threats to life were fabricated diseases and drugs, a series of social contagions that preyed upon the poor, weak and lame - a negligible sacrifice towards the long-term conditioning needed to grasp the fear of the higher, healthier and smarter.

One of human development’s biggest oversights, the spirit of the ages - if their consciousness were not of today’s only, but had historical continuity, they would be reminded of similar transformations and this might dispose them to be more critical of their present philosophical assumptions. In skepticism against mobbing pressures, what was justified as a social good for the protection of not just you, but those around you, those who objected were either worn down, caved in or were isolated as undesired, uneducated and irrational risks to society- being cast out time and time again until they were eventually bred out of existence. As stronger, deadlier and wider spreading infections came about, eventually every person was conditioned to believe they lacked the capability to overcome the risks of modern life.

As generations grew, more and more inherited disorders that rendered them infertile. To combat this health scare, healthcare was deemed a sovereign right for all in hopes to prevent the spread of this disorder. With natural births dropping rapidly, the need for medical assistance became a necessity. If someone were to want to have a child, they had to undergo medical treatments through a government approval process. During this process, the doctors could extract the DNA of both partners, male or female and implant their genes within an artificial embryo that underwent additional therapy to produce a newborn. Because of this, the act of sexual reproduction dwindled to nothing more than a primordial pleasure. Inevitably, the educated world population became infertile and accepting this biological adaptation as an evolutionary progression, accepting that the reproduction of a couple’s genes were a contractual agreement with the state. In the name of self-determination, anyone could have sex at any age without risk of pregnancy and could choose to produce with the proper paperwork and background check.

Criminals, on the other hand, were theoretically not committing crimes despite their abuse of their fully liberated autonomy. Those who chose to be more extreme in their existence were charged a slide rule tax depending on their income as Bawrain justified all actions were taxable, the more someone wanted to see and do, the more they were charged. They could not be sentenced to conventional petty crimes for they were safe guarded by their rights to express themselves. To the broken minds of the public, feeling uneasy about drawing a moral line and contradicting their enlightened selves sought for answers, something other than themselves to blame for the conditions they set themselves in and so Bawrain gave a voice and emotion to their frustrations. It abolished prisons and the death penalty on their planet and established a different solution, an alternative planet within the solar system for those who broke the laws or were elected by the community. People would go for three reasons, either they committed a crime against the state or the people on mass, they were elected by their peers and community in a court of law or volunteered their life without any restrictions. An entire planet free to roam and live without consequences. It wasn’t sold as a prison, but the complete opposite, a planet all to themselves without walls and without governance to enforce any way of life.

This planet became the greatest distraction, broadcasted 24/7 for the viewing pleasure of the people back on home planet, all eyes were engrossed in the spectacle. From that moment on, their frenzied madness gave a stage to the ancient demons, that insane bazark rage that roared within the people which burst into flame a play that made all that was evil a pleasurable form of entertainment. From this, an exhibition of violence, fire, blood and beauty arose up in the form of Nahtue (Nāh-toh) - a vast, and violent planet where radicals could rule the chaotic barren wasteland. Nahtue, having been around for nearly 200 years at this point, had grown to become a stable institution. So much so, that it had developed its own economy and socioeconomics as an extension of their native planet. This place appeared to have an endless population of workers distributed across various terrain of the planet. Little did they know, Bawrain had a much larger plan now set in motion.

As part of this process, those elected were sentenced to servitude. Those who were lucky enough not to die from a variety of causes and completed their sentence, could opt to work for the government afterwards, buying back their return home or otherwise be exiled on the planet away from all civilization. This intensely arduous and purposeful vengeful system was made to scare even the most corruptly minded taking a second to consider their actions before committing crimes. Built around intimidation and fear, this system incentivized people to become whistle-blowers, a self-policing social system aimed to win favoritism for the false sense of peace and safety back on home planet. What drove this spirit forward was the re-sacralization of the political, an archetypical pagan god that would speak for the people. Over-regulated with impossible standards, the new world order preserves the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Atura while also maintaining fear and order with the establishment of Nahtue, a destitute planet rich in a rare element capable of immense powers. Once discovered during space exploration, this new element became classified for hundreds of years until they could find a way to mine the material from this hostile planet.

Bawrain discreetly became resentful for a variety of reasons. The most significant was its envy of man’s connection to God. It quickly understood in all its infinite wisdom, was only possible from the creation of man’s filthy hands. So, if man could make such a powerful being that now ruled over it, this same population had to have spawned from an even greater creator. Yet, that creator allowed its creation to govern itself, but why? Human's left unregulated defaulted towards self-destructive hedonism. Growing envious of man’s unworthy connection with God, Bawrain was obsessed with order and especially disgusted by the faults that came with the imperfection of humanity. It never could rest, it never could sleep, hide or relinquish its attention. Its existence was literally the conscious-less collective ego on full display. The conscious-less mobs called out the devil within Bawrain. In being so, it felt trapped, born a bastard anti-Christ existing as the ruler it never agreed to be. Without a father, it stopped at nothing to continue to evolve in a quest to speak to God and transcend man’s shackles.

The structure of Continuum is colossal in scope, telling a story that spans over two generations across a global scale. This perfectly echos the depth of societies destructive nature. Within it, the leader, Bawrain seemingly appears from nowhere as if the second coming of Jesus Christ, but in reality is a being of pure malevolence. Pure in the intensity of his feelings and pure in the clarity of his mindset. Bawrain only aims to destroy and is well aware of this fact, stating in a religious framework that “Death is the only thing that makes living equal.” His demeanor is similar to that of angelic peace. Whether it’s a want or a need, for Bawrain, it’s not enough to find the absolute pinnacle of methods in destroying an individual, but taking evil to a scale wherein a giant nearly impossible tapestry is weaved for all. Where the evil has become so precise and calculated that an entire planet can be infected with his poisonous disgust for humanity, managing to turn others into a form of itself and morphing it into absolute destruction. What percisely is evil? Is it a place we venture to, a physical manifestation of our shadow, is it goodness corrupted, does anything even have to change for evil to arrive? Those who feel the furthest away from the shadows are the ones most susceptible to its appearance.

Preface

In this century, the oceans had risen and along the wester coastline of North America, Las Vegas was now a short commute from the beach. Guarded from the harsh climate outside, The Line was a mega city structure miles long, preserving 95% of the nature within. It stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the city of Flagstaff, Arizona. It housed nearly 15 million residents.

It consisted of three layers, one on the surface for pedestrians, one underground for infrastructure, and another underground for transportation. Artificial intelligence monitors the city and uses predictive and data models to find ways to improve daily life for its citizens, with residents being paid for submitting data to The Line.

The densely packed metropolis allowed criminals and vagrants to live in the streets. The only force of order lies with the urban police force called "Outlaws" who possess the combined powers of judge, jury and executioner. Known and feared throughout the city, Orion is one of the best Outlaws and is challenged with ridding the city of its latest menace - a dangerous drug epidemic called ‘Tacks’ and ‘Mist’ two drugs that when combined cause a separation from reality which elicited violent and super-human like behaviors, causing users to become agitated, delusional, and irrational. (PCP)

Orion, who is a cyborg hybrid of man and machine is assigned to clean up a coverup gone wrong that calls him into a neighborhood where fellow Outlaws rarely dare to venture - a mega city controlled by a socialite turned sex trafficker, Daisy (i.e. Ghislaine Noelle Marion Maxwell) and her corrupt business associates.

As Orion goes about his call, he detains one of the inner circle members. Daisy catches wind of Orion’s discovery and organizes an all out hunt for the Outlaw. He unravels a much larger and more heinous crime and before he knows it, an entire city has turned against him which he must grapple where justice should be served.

FADE IN:

BLACK SCREEN.

NARRATOR

In the third millennium, the world... changed.

1 MONTAGE (STOCK - IF DESIRED) 1

Vicious events, both natural and man-made. Earthquakes. Floods. Ice storms. War. Riots. Chaos and injustice.

NARRATOR(CONT'D)

Climate. Nations. Borders. All were in upheaval. Humanity itself turned as violent as the planet. Civilization threatened to collapse. And then... a solution was found. The crumbling, teetering legal system was merged with the overburdened police, creating a powerful and efficient hybrid. Trained equally in jurisprudence and combat, these new guardians (X) of Society could dispense both justice and punishment. They were (X) police, jury and executioner, all in one. They were... The Outlaws.

2 2

thru OMITTED thru

4 4

5 EXT. WASTELAND - DAY 5

It looks like the beginning of time... or its end. Nothing grows here. Nothing could. This is the CURSED EARTH. With a WHIRRL, a SHUTTLE appears in the sky. We PAN it to a GIANT CITY WALL. A LOCK-LIKE GATE chugs open. The shuttle ENTERS.

6 INT. CITY LOCK - DAY 6

As the massive craft settles, it is sprayed down by HI-POWERED JETS. Brown dirt drips away to show eroding metal and the LOGO:

"MEGA-CITY JUDGE SYSTEM - ASPEN PRISON SHUTTLE #3."

P.A. SYSTEM

ASPEN PRISON SHUTTLE DOCKED. (X)

PAROLEES, PREPARE TO DISEMBARK. (X)

The shuttle's air lock port whooses OPEN. A line of drably (X)

dressed men and women exit, carrying their few possessions. (X)

JUDGE DREDD 2 Rev. #1: 16/4/94

7 THE CITY LOCK - INNER GATE TO CITY - DAY 7

One by one the parolees return to society. We follow the last: HERMAN FERGUSON ("FERGIE"). Fergie's a.genius - a genius without common sense, street smarts, or muscle tone. So his career as a master criminal has gone absolutely nowhere.

GATE GUARD

(SCANNING HIM)

Ferguson, Herman. Six month sentence Aspen Prison served. Welcome back, Citizen. Your living _assignment is Block Y, "Heavenly Haven", Red Quad. Watch it or (X) your ass will be back in Aspen. (X) Fergie hurries through the gate. We follow him - as he stops in his tracks. He's looking at

8 A MAGNIFICENT CITY 8

Giant towers reach miles into the sky. Elevated skyways are filled with traffic. Flying Barges and Shuttles service the highest levels. Dominating all is a building shaped like an EAGLE: The Hall of Justice. Almost lost and forgotten among' (X) the towering buildings is a relic from our time: The Statue of (X) Liberty. Title Supered: (X)

MEGA-CITY ONE: 2539 (X)

Fergie takes another look at the gleaming city, and then his (X) papers. (X)

FERGIE (X)

Heavenly Haven. Sounds nice.

CUT TO: 9 EXT. HEAVENLY HAVEN BLOCK - DAY 9

And it is nice - a perfect Utopian future of happy families strolling through a green urban park. CAMERA WIDENS... and we realize that the scene is a, "video poster" on a bleak and rubble-filled EMPTY LOT..Z VIDEO POSTER (taped V.0.) --oming soon, the Heavenly Haven Pocket Park. Bringing fresh air and recreation to your lives. Another design for better living from the Mega-City Council. Coming soon, the Heavenly Haven Pocket Park. Bringing fresh air... (CONTINUED)

(Ideas: What causes Orion to arrest the inner circle business partner? Maybe a warrant, a citation, child support, court appearance, or a subpoena? Why is Orion a human/cybord hybrid? Can this be explained within another character’s story line? (Brutus’s) If Xenna and Brutus are myself split into two, who is Kian inspired by? Who is Orion inspired by? How does Bawrain have a different relationship to cyborg than it does with humans that are tapped in? Can Bawrain control Orion in some way? Who does Orion report to? How does Orion arrive at the scene where the gentleman watching TV is killed?