Anno Venusae: Prologue

by Phil Hartman

VENUSIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM:

Netdoc 01: An Abbreviated Guide to Venusian Culture

13th Edition, c. 2020 A.D. (14 Anno Venusia)

***

1. Abbreviated (Modern) History of Venus

For almost four and a half billion years, Venus was a lifeless, overheated ball of rock, acids and carbon dioxide sitting between Mercury and Earth. While the planet provided a case study for Terran astronomers and planetologists as an example of global warming gone rampant, it lacked promise for Terran extra-planetary colonization.

Until 2005.

For the past four and a half years, Earth had been facing a slow, but undeniable, slide towards environmental disaster after the second New Mutants' destruction of an embryonic Celestial on 12/31/00. The disintegration of the multi-million-ton lifeform gestating within Earth resulted in the disruption of the entire planet's electromagnetic field, and an increase in planetary exposure to cosmic rays, distortions in the weather and increased tectonic activity.

While relief efforts kept such problems to a minimum between 2000 and 2004 - and Franklin Richards, the architect of the "Purge" of the infant Celestial, had beene exonerated by the World Court of causing mass devastation (based upon Jennifer Walters' now-legendary "Lesser of Two Evils" defense, in which she pointed out that the Celestial's birth would have wiped out the human race ANYHOW) - the disasters were blamed upon superhumans, fairly or not. Human-mutant tensions were at an all-time high.

And then, on August 1, 2005, the American president, re-elected to a second term for a "get-tough" stance on superhuman crime, was revealed as a monster.

Nathaniel Essex was unmasked as Mr. Sinister on national television.

America's faith in its government had been irreparably shattered; Sinister's lapdogs, the Marauders, fought an exceptionally bloody last stand at Ryker's Island Superhuman Penitentary, in a three-day battle which has become called "the Villain Massacre" for the sheer numbers of parahuman criminals slain during the inbroglio.

Far worse, American society was splintering, during a time when the nation was already facing severe polarization of its populace over the "mutant issue." The severity of the shock to the American psyche was evident in a violent resurgence of anti-mutant hate crimes, even as the Congress scrambled to impeach Vice-President Elvin Burkes, whom no one believed could possibly have been innocent of knowing that Essex was actually Sinister.

Something had to give. It did, with a sudden, immense energy pulse emanating from the area of Venus on August 15, 2005.

NASA and other countries' space agencies were stunned - and, to some degree, outraged - when irrefutable data came back comfirming that Venus had somehow manifested a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and oceans of liquid water. Despite observations only hours before which had clearly stated the planet had a primarily carbon dioxide atmosphere, with crushing pressures and 900+ degree Fahrenheit surface temperature, Venus had become a potential haven for human life.

Today, every Venusian schoolchild can recite the Richards Transmission by heart:

"Due to an accidental release of psionic and other energies, I, Franklin Richards, and my wife Rachel, have terraformed the Venusian atmosphere and surface. We regret any loss of data to astronomers, and any violations of international law."

Instead of facing prosecution, Richards and his younng bride were hailed as saviors of the human race.

Massive terraforming efforts - led by a team of crack scientists, including Franklin and Reed Richards, Henry Pym, Bruce Banner and many others - created a new Eden on Venus before the end of the year. Through massive teleportation "airlifts," mostly provided by the now-Sorceress Supreme of Venus, Illyana Rasputin, almost three billion people fled Earth - a wide variety of races, religions and cultures, including Americans, Africans, Europeans, and Asians. Almost all of the refugees were parahumans of some sort, having manifested their powers during the turbulent environmental crises of the previous five years.

Unpowered humanity, however, refused to budge. Despite growing evidence of Earth's increasingly unstable environment, and even potential destruction, the remaining three billion citizens of Earth mistrusted the new start Venus offered.

Determined to follow their own path, these remaining Terrans created an unlikely international coalition together to fund massive space arks which would carry them to a "pure" sanctuary - Mars, which they believed could be tamed in time. They lifted off, eschewing offers of assistance from the rapidly-acclimating Venusian population and beginning the Division of the subspecies which continues to characterize the modern age.

While Earth was mostly vacant of human or superhuman life by the end of 2005, there were almost a billion hardy souls who remained, determined not to give up on the planet's ability to survive the environmental abuse it had suffered.

What became of them has been a source of speculation among Venusians for almost 15 years; radio transmissions to Earth have been unanimously unreturned, and teleporting explorers have returned to Venus with tales of large stretches of abandoned cities, renewed prairies and bodies of water. If the "Lost Ones" are even still alive, they apparently have no interest in interacting with Venus' colonists.

Mars' would-be colonists discovered a shock as well -the true reason so many late-1990's probes of the Red Planet failed: A planetary defense system left behind by interplanetary pirates, whom had remained in stasis inside Mars' artificial satellite Phobos, was destroying many such probes. The pirates themselves -actually colonists of a long-missing civilization from across the galaxy - were awakening in response to the unexpected greening of Venus.

Negotiations between the Venusian, Martian and native-Martian leaders led to a detente; the "native" Martians' stardrive would be repaired, allowing them to take Phobos and their defense grid out of the Sol system, and the Terran settlers would descend upon the soon-to-be terraformed Mars. By early February 2006, Mars was terraformed, and human settlement began.

(Readers should note that the precise means by which the initial terraforming of Venus took place has never been publicly admitted to by Franklin or Rachel Richards. Many dirty jokes among Venusians revolve around the "accidental" nature of the transformation of the Venusian atmosphere, and the fact that the Richards were on their honeymoon at the time of the 'First Blooming.')

In any case, the Venusian and Martian societies have remained separate but equal - a fact which many left-wing Venusians deride as a pitiable "solution" to the genetic strife which had torn at Terran society before the Solar Diaspora of 2005-2006. Right-wing Venusians (hard-core genetic purists) rail against opening further relations with Mars' fractious government; if the humans wanted relations with the all-mutant Venusians, the right-wingers claim, they would have settled Venus at the same time.

2. Venusian Culture

Venus' present state of culture is perhaps best described as "one-quarter Hieronymus Bosch, one-quarter pre-Fall-Eden, one-quarter Haight-Ashbury, and one-quarter X-Files," as colorfully put by Venusian Bugle editrix-in-chief May Parker.

The planet's populace is 99.5 percent mutant; most unpowered humans fled for Mars or remained on Earth during the End Days of Terra. As such, societal norms can vary widely, but the Richards Compact - a quasi-U.S.-Constitutional document reflecting the original colonists' desire to return to honest government - remains the standard for law across most of Venus.

The Venusian city-states' Representatives meet at Landing Point, on Venus' northern continent, monthly to hear debates at the Venusian Council - a unicameral body roughly reflecting the American House of Representatives.

Elections are based on a Terran year-cycle, despite Venus' shorter year, and are held every four Terran years. A High Councilor, also elected by popular vote, is elected at the same time, and occupies a position roughly analogous to the American President, with powers including some aspects of both the President and the Speaker of the House - including veto powers.

The judicial system mainly employs telepaths, with severe penalties for a handful of crimes and telepathic therapy for others. Eschewing the death penalty except in cases of premeditated murder, or suffering of the victim - including child abuse, torture, rape (of adults or children) - the Venusian Judiciary prides itself on fair, accurate justice.

An external body, the Legates, watch the watchers; telepathic police, while accurate, can easily drift into totalitarianism, and the Council will not permit such disasters to disrupt their Eden.

With a liberal justice system and government, the Venusian social more system is also far different from many Terran systems of culture. Body shame is derided as hopelessly puritanical and "human" by many Venusians. Everything from self-contained bodysuits to near-nudity are tolerated in public under Venusian law. Breast-feeding is socially acceptable, and beaches are often clothing-optional (more common than the casual observer might think, given the relatively high number of coastal areas on Venus). Venus' higher average temperature - 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit -also requires consideration of clothing.

With a new world and new philosophies came a revolution in religious acceptance. Many "first-comers" - a term of respect for the original colonists - cling to their old belief systems, and the Richards Compact allows for freedom of religion; "do as thou wilt, but do no harm" is the watchword among Venusian society, and this credo carries over to religious life.

The "first-born" - those children born native to Venus, and just reaching adolescence - are highly diverse in their social outlook. Many are left-wing, which on Venus means they desire opening relations with Mars. Many "first-born" are also exploring new systems of social expression (primarily non-violent uses of mutant powers) and tossing out old, outmoded beliefs.

(While the libertine morality of Venus may seem to foster earlier sexual activity, the Venusian Law Code still precludes sexual intercourse before age 18, consensual or not. Coercing sexual activity from a minor carries severe penalties, up to and including death, under Venusian law.)

Nevertheless, Venusian youth are a unique, vibrant subculture who have collectively embraced their world's new outlook. The Askani philosophy, especially, with its respect for all sentient life and mandated protection of the weak, is a widely-followed credo of Venusian youth.

As many of them seek increased relations with Mars, they also advocate exploring the rest of the solar system and beyond, despite dire warnings from the first-comers of the menaces extrasolar cultures represent.

Interestingly, extrasolar races such as the Sh'iar, Kree and Skrull have avoided contacting Venus' government; it is theorized that the death of the Celestials in 2005 created a paranoia among the other major powers of the universe, and they seek to placate humanity by staying away.

3. Movers and Shakers in Venusian Society

The first-comers still dominate political life among Venusians; the earliest anyone can run for a Representative position is age 18, and the current political picture is one of stability - albeit with a great deal of intrigue.

Arguably the most influential individuals on the planet are the Askani-proclaimed "Mater and Pater of Venus," Rachel and Franklin Richards. Franklin, approaching his 33rd birthday, is a moderate among the Council, and his ability to coordinate the factions of Venusian politics has made him a respected High Councilor (despite rumors he'd be much happer at home at Caer Herbie, the Richards' family compound outside of Landing Point, the planetary capital).

Rachel, the matriarch of the Askani, is a study in contradictions; she politely avoids any proclamation of divinity, yet is the Phoenix Host. She and her followers teach hundreds of young psions (arguably the highest percentage of Venusian citizenry are psions) at the Askani Collegium in Landing Point, and Rachel is also a devoted mother to five children: Aidan (11), Bethany (9), Conal (8), Dana (8), and Eamon (5).

The head of the Venusian Defense Ministry, Nathan Summers, is regarded as a social conservative but a staunch supporter of his brother-in-law's political stance. He and his wife, the Collegium's Head Combat Instructor Beatrice Shade-Summers, have two children, Payne and Morgan (both 11).

May Parker, divorcee from the right-wing radical William Shade, is a leader among Venusian media and founder of the Venusian Bugle. They have one son, Eric Parker-Shade (11).

Others include the naturalists, Lewis Guthrie and his wife Luna, whose children include Darrell and Celene (11), and moderate Representative Charles Shade, who with his wife Alexa has one son, Hans (11).

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