Pandora’s Box | 1991 - 2001
WIPPrior to the Black Mesa incident, Humanity was going through a unprecedent golden era of economic and scientific prosperity led on by the Arms Race between the US and Russia competition for various achievements for each of their respective countries. Despite the ending of the Cold War, both sides continued to push and challenge each other to new heights with various corporations within their borders coming up with new developments, advancements on the world stage tons of progress which kept pushing and pushing the Human species further into future each day. Other various countries also had their own developments, including that of China and the UK.
China focused on the development of new military technologies, more advanced production methods and tech and pushed towards both a Logistical and Militaristic powerhouse. The UK focused on the creation and development of various genetic advancements, life-changing healthcare developments and pursued that more suited to the average citizen in terms of Qualify of Life like electricity, cellphones and public service improvements. Meanwhile the Russians and Americans were competing in the fields many were unaware of- while they too pursued biological advancements and research, they had secret research divisions working on experimental military technology, new "space" like equipment designed to survive not just in outer space- but almost alien based environments and even portal and teleportation technologies.
Most of the world wasn't even aware of the various corps within these 2 countries working on such tech- simply progressing computers, cars and other consumer or military tech normally- completely oblivious to rapid and exotic developments the 2 superpowers were creating behind the scenes. While the governments of the world were certainly aware that something was amiss, they couldn't quite figure it out nor assess what it was no matter how hard any spies or secret agents looked. But who were the companies behind the scenes? Americans had Aperture Science and Black Mesa, both using "satellite" companies to mask their presence in the world by disguising as regular non-interesting businesses such as "Arbeit Communications". While the Russians on the other hand had "K.R.O.T" (Клинический Резонансный Отдел Технологий - Klinicheskiy Rezonansnyy Otdel Tekhnologiy) which went in a similar disguise of calling itself "Novosibirsk Logistics & Materials Trust", a group which pretended to focus on material transportation, waste reduction and various other logistical activities.
As the years passed, both sides made major strides into the realms of Quantum Entanglement, locating the realm of Xen, acquiring portal & local teleportation technology as well as various developments in mechanized walkers (Like Black Mesa's cargo carrier, capable of walking on 4 legs in a spider like design carrying rather heavy boxes and hazardous equipment) and of course, power and transportation. Aperture went as far as creating the worlds first fully sentient AI named GLaDoS... a development which would later prove fatal for the workers via turrets and deadly neurotoxins. The Russians even made their own progress on new energy based weaponry with varying degrees of success- and a new brand of enhanced soldier- though notable side effects.
But of course, such Golden Eras are too good to last and the world would eventually find out in the worst way possible that these companies even existed and such research was undergoing when an accident in 2001 changed the world for good.
The Black Mesa Incident, otherwise known as the Resonance Cascade was a mistake caused either due to sheer incompetence, or lack of proper handling, training or just simple overconfidence. This incident was responsible for opening a rift between the Borderworld known as "Xen", one which Black Mesa had been studying heavily, and of course- Earth. This Catastrophic occurrence, unbeknownst to the Humans, was no accident- but it was one which set in motion Earths demise.
[Rest is WIP]