and,
from this distance, did nothing to obscure the view of five buildings that were
almost a half-mile high, many miles away.
“So…
that’s only five buildings, right? So it’s not Jefferson, because
Jefferson had six… which one is it?” asked Julie.
“Jackson, but it
doesn’t matter much. Suffice it to say that we are in what was formerly
Argentina. As you can see, we are outside the metropolis. About a
thousand yards to my right, underground, is a high-speed subway that can get
you to any of the other metropoles in this hemisphere within fifteen hours,
twenty-four hours to any metropolis in the world. But that is the most
presence the metropolis has for hundreds of miles outside these walls.
Inside the walls are hundreds of square miles of farmland to support the
population. Anyone who is imprisoned… well, perhaps ex -prisoned
would be a better term for it, is exiled to the land outside the walls.
Some, who have angered the government in some exceptional way, get sent to
Australia, where there are no metropoles at all.”
“But most are
just exiled?” asked Rose.
“Yes… I
suppose it does not sound quite as bad as it is. What would you imagine
the world population should be in the year 2347?” asked Hopkins.
“I think I read
somewhere that it should stabilize somewhere between eight and ten
billion. Is that about right?” asked Rose.
“That was the
common prediction in your day, yes. In my timeline, before the Emperors
of Time started fussing with things, there were ten billion, so they were not
too far off. But in this timeline, excluding the people who live inside
the metropoles, there are only about 300 million people, about the population
of the United States in your time, spread all across the world. Or, to
put it in context, the world population in 1000 AD,” said Hopkins.
“That’s a total
world population of only a billion. Why is it so low?” asked Julie.
“The metropoles
make sure they have a monopoly on technology. Outside the walls, there is
no electricity. They have no hospitals, no schools, no homes made out of
anything sturdier than wood. If anything too advanced is built, the
metropoles bomb it. Many people live off the land, hunting and
gathering. Some people farm, but only for survival. This is why the
Emperors of Time flattened the cities, all the buildings outside the
metropoles. They will not allow the exiles anything that could allow them
to organize and rise up. The metropoles allow individuals to store a
little bit for winter, but anything centralized, they get rid of. I hear
a government tried to form somewhere in North America around the turn of the
century. The idea was that the people would band together for survival,
store some food for the winter, so fewer people would starve. As soon as
they started bringing food into the granary, the metropoles bombed it.”
“So the
metropoles have them under constant surveillance?” asked Tim.
“From
satellites, yes,” confirmed Hopkins.
“But how do
these Emperors of Time that you keep talking about figure into all this?” asked
Billy. “Do they control the metropoles?”
“All eleven of
them control the government. Some as puppet masters, but Russell wanted
glory. He is the president of the world government,” answered Hopkins.
“And why do they
want to keep the population so low?” asked Tim.
“To ensure the
population in their metropoles are docile and easy to control. Knowing
they could be sent to join the exiles is a good method for keeping people in
their place,” said Hopkins. “But enough talking. Let us find some
exiles. I remember there being a camp nearby. I was here recently
and took the stone I just used to travel back. We are currently two days
before our first arrival in 2347.”
Billy shook his
head, as if to clear it. “I agree with the less talking bit. This
is all starting to give me a bit of a
from this distance, did nothing to obscure the view of five buildings that were
almost a half-mile high, many miles away.
“So…
that’s only five buildings, right? So it’s not Jefferson, because
Jefferson had six… which one is it?” asked Julie.
“Jackson, but it
doesn’t matter much. Suffice it to say that we are in what was formerly
Argentina. As you can see, we are outside the metropolis. About a
thousand yards to my right, underground, is a high-speed subway that can get
you to any of the other metropoles in this hemisphere within fifteen hours,
twenty-four hours to any metropolis in the world. But that is the most
presence the metropolis has for hundreds of miles outside these walls.
Inside the walls are hundreds of square miles of farmland to support the
population. Anyone who is imprisoned… well, perhaps ex -prisoned
would be a better term for it, is exiled to the land outside the walls.
Some, who have angered the government in some exceptional way, get sent to
Australia, where there are no metropoles at all.”
“But most are
just exiled?” asked Rose.
“Yes… I
suppose it does not sound quite as bad as it is. What would you imagine
the world population should be in the year 2347?” asked Hopkins.
“I think I read
somewhere that it should stabilize somewhere between eight and ten
billion. Is that about right?” asked Rose.
“That was the
common prediction in your day, yes. In my timeline, before the Emperors
of Time started fussing with things, there were ten billion, so they were not
too far off. But in this timeline, excluding the people who live inside
the metropoles, there are only about 300 million people, about the population
of the United States in your time, spread all across the world. Or, to
put it in context, the world population in 1000 AD,” said Hopkins.
“That’s a total
world population of only a billion. Why is it so low?” asked Julie.
“The metropoles
make sure they have a monopoly on technology. Outside the walls, there is
no electricity. They have no hospitals, no schools, no homes made out of
anything sturdier than wood. If anything too advanced is built, the
metropoles bomb it. Many people live off the land, hunting and
gathering. Some people farm, but only for survival. This is why the
Emperors of Time flattened the cities, all the buildings outside the
metropoles. They will not allow the exiles anything that could allow them
to organize and rise up. The metropoles allow individuals to store a
little bit for winter, but anything centralized, they get rid of. I hear
a government tried to form somewhere in North America around the turn of the
century. The idea was that the people would band together for survival,
store some food for the winter, so fewer people would starve. As soon as
they started bringing food into the granary, the metropoles bombed it.”
“So the
metropoles have them under constant surveillance?” asked Tim.
“From
satellites, yes,” confirmed Hopkins.
“But how do
these Emperors of Time that you keep talking about figure into all this?” asked
Billy. “Do they control the metropoles?”
“All eleven of
them control the government. Some as puppet masters, but Russell wanted
glory. He is the president of the world government,” answered Hopkins.
“And why do they
want to keep the population so low?” asked Tim.
“To ensure the
population in their metropoles are docile and easy to control. Knowing
they could be sent to join the exiles is a good method for keeping people in
their place,” said Hopkins. “But enough talking. Let us find some
exiles. I remember there being a camp nearby. I was here recently
and took the stone I just used to travel back. We are currently two days
before our first arrival in 2347.”
Billy shook his
head, as if to clear it. “I agree with the less talking bit. This
is all starting to give me a bit of a
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