Haven't done this in a while. Brain drippings for other stuff... · 7:38am Apr 11th, 2016
The Prometheus Effect. Giving the fire of the Gods to man, Prometheus was chained to a rock for eons, his endlessly regenerating liver torn out every day by a vulture. This cautionary tail would go unheeded as a greek scientist, Mari Xanathopolos, discovered a breakthrough in human ability to interact with the universe on a fundamental level. Working with gene therapy and nanotherapy on brain dead patients, she succeeded in reviving a middle eastern refugee, Alya, and soon after Alya began to manifest inexplicable telekinetic abilities and flight. She stunned the world, and Mari Xanathopolos won the nobel prize for medicine, physics, and chemistry.
Patiented and under the control of the Ascent Corporation, the Prometheus Effect promised a revolution in human existence and society. Millions applied for the process, though few could meet the exhorbiant price. Still, after considerable time and investment, the first set of Promethians were created.
Casualties were 80 percent. Of the twenty percent that remained, three quarters had profound psychological damage. Barely a handful were functional with enhanced abilities. Ascent may have been ruined had not one of the successes, a precognitive named Cassie Brown, seen a successful terrorist attack on New York City. Foiled with the assistance of Alya, Ascent was given a second lease on life to study and refine the Prometheus Effect.
Ascent discovered the Effect to me more of an art than science, and psychology was key. Rarely did individuals subject to the Effect get the powers they desired. Instead, the most successful, tie psychological needs with the powers developed. A paranoid individual seeking super strength would likely fail, or succeed horribly, but mind reading or precognition were far more likely to succeed. Still, success rates were dangerously low, and the FDA became increasingly alarmed.
In order to ensure the safety of applicants, Ascent established the Horizon Corps. Individuals seeking the process would be required to undergo physical, mental, and psychological training prior to undergoing the Process. Success rates were nearly quadruple for individuals aged 12-25, though success was possible at any age. While the Corps claimed to be open to all, the cost ensured that applicants were either wealthy, or has wealthy scholars and sponsorship. Only 20% would undergo the first stage of the process. Of that, only 20% would proceed to the second. Half would be fortunate enough to leave with powers. The other half often suffered horrible crippling or psychological damage.
For the successes, however, the world was free and open. Alya became a leader in humanitarian aid and women's rights through-out the middle east and Africa. Cassie Brown was a billionaire within six years of her transformation, who retired to advise and manipulate world leaders who sought her vision. A Promethian was an instant celebrity, and speculation was rampant over who would succeed at the Corps and who would fail. Multiple countries would bid to have Promethians 'on staff', even if their powers were not applicable. Corporations worked to get Promethians into contracts where they could use enhansed intelligence and charisma to produce cheap R&D and boost sales.
However, in the background, trouble was brewing. While Ascent fought bitterly to protect the process to produce Promethians, the side effects were unstable, unsettling, and chronic. Some 'failures' were euthanized before the horrific results could be made public. Worse, Ascent had a falling out with Dr. Xanathopolos, who died under mysterious circumstances within a week. Although Ascent claimed innocence, many wondered.
Within ten years, problems were emerging between Promethians and humans. A charismatic Promethian, a former hollywood star, renamed himself Paragon and claimed that humanity had made so many mistakes and had so many problems, that Promethians were obligated to help humans. While the government worked frantically to prevent vigilante heroism, there was a surge in state and national police forces employing Promethians for law enforcement. Many of these Promethians abused and bent the law, and used Paragon as a defense when they were infrequently called upon it. Paragon ran for president of the United States, and nearly won with almost no campaigning. These two problems lead to the first backlash between humans and Promethians: many countries around the world began to bar Promethians from the halls of government power.
This was acerbated by the Brazilian Coup carried out by El Pulpo, a Paragon who declared Brazil's government corrupt, and over threw the president and parlement with the help of frustrated common people and elements in the military. El Pulpo declared Brazil to be a haven for Promethians, and Rio transformed into a mecca for vacationing Promethians to have near carte blanche to do as they wished. This was followed up by the first battle between teams of Promethians, in which seven South Korean Promethians decided, independantly, to attempt to overthrow North Korea and reunify the pennisula. China sent their team of Promethians, the Heavenly Guard of the People, to stop them. Three Russian Promethian anarchists joined the fray, and the exchange of fire ravaged Pyongyang. By the time they finished, ten million were dead, and another ten million would die before the UN finally was able to redraw the map.
While many called for Ascent to be regulated, if not taken over completely, Ascent countered that if they extended that control to one country, they would have to yield it to all. More laws were passed tightening Promethian activities and liabilies. Paragon rhetoric became more intense. Resentment by humans who were denied or failed to progress through the process became increasingly resentful. Evangelicals claimed that Promethians were products of the devil and a symbol of end times. Promethian life became increasingly stressful, and many humans wondered when a Promethian would arrive who could simply wipe out all humanity.
Meanwhile... in rumors and chatrooms... stories began to circulate of black market Prometheus shops that could give powers without going through the Corps. All you needed was enough money and guts and you'd have powers no one, not the government and not Ascent, would know about. Nevermind the monstrous failures that became increasingly dangerous threats to humanity.
This would be the backdrop of a story of a young cadet in the Corps who goes through training, washes out, and is snatched for an illegal process that is successful. She manages to escape to the authorities, who fail to capture the ones involved. Now she has to deal with having everything she dreamed... and the nightmare that comes with it.
holy crap dude. that sounds insane and incredible. when/if you write it, it would be a great novel
Damn
Wow, that all sounds awesome!
I love it. It totaly buy it
Very good. A little Anne McCafrey crossed with some Tom Clancey. I've toyed with vaguely similar ideas but never followed through. I'd definitely read this.
3862275 Great? It would be an awesome and fantastic movie
Sounds... interesting. I notice that the first Promethian is literally an alicorn, while there is some heavy use of the word horizon.
3862705 Other than that... this pretty much sums it up!
I like
In the 4th paragraph it says "the FDA became increasingly alarmed". I just wanted to let you know that the FDA is The Food and Drug Administration. It just kinda confused me is all. But other than that, it's a great start. I love it!