The year is 2517. The planet Earth has long since suffered complete environmental collapse and been abandoned to fester as the toxic hellhole it is. In a shocking break from tradition, however, humanity has learned from its mistakes and now lives in a strictly maintained ecological equilibruim across five colony planets. Every aspect of life is tightly controlled by planning councils assisted by artificially intelligent expert systems.

Citizens of the Terran Alliance live sparse and rigidly structured lives, with their schedules planned to the minute and their nutritional needs met to the calorie. However, they do not actually want for much; strictly rationed government-provided goods, including food, housing and furniture ensure all citizens a baseline of comfort.

Trading with the Alliance is difficult at best, since their economy rarely runs in surplus, and when it does, it is considered a grievous planning error and those found responsible are punished accordingly. From the Alliance's point of view, trade is a diplomatic, rather than commercial matter, and a small cache of luxury goods is kept on hand to maintain good standing in the galactic community. Occasionally these goods, most often coffee and chocolate, but very rarely more exotic items, are known to "leak" onto the grey market. While not illegal to possess or consume, the only way to acquire them is when they are smuggled illegally out of diplomatic storage.

A little known fact is that the grey market is run by the government. Most citizens believe the government is aware of, and tolerates, it, but the truth is that, like everything in the Terran Alliance, it is tightly controlled by planning councils. The reasons for this are twofold: One, it affords citizens a satisfactory sense of rebellion. So long as they think they are defying the government in their own small way, the threat of rebellion is lessened. And two, luxury goods give citizens something to aspire to; a reason to go on living.

This is the abridged version of the Terran Anthem, and is the shortest version that is permitted to be used at official ceremonies. The full version has twenty-three verses, detailing the entire history of the Alliance beginning at the exodus from earth, and ending with the establishment of the fifth colony. This version is broadcast on a loop across all known communications frequencies by repeater buoys situated at the borders of Terran space.

Tags: anthem, chiptune, week 8 2014, View by:Strayce