Jack of Harts

It was my birthday over the weekend, and I had an amazing one. Friends came over to eat good and play games. And I really do have the best friends. They gave me coupons for dog grooming and free self-serve doggy baths, because they know I’m the hairiest being on my city block. They got me video games and Legos, both of which are absolutely relevant to my interests. And I had an amazing time all weekend with them all. It’s the best birthday bash I’ve had in years, and I absolutely loved it. A good time was had by all. I’d like to thank everybody who came over, and everybody who sent me birthday wishes. You really made my day.

Africa approached the Western Alliance with a plan once the Great Space Race began in earnest. The Western powers had been looking to build a space elevator for years, but lacked major economic, population, and production hubs that could support one near the equator. Africa happened to have all three at Port Harcourt. Africa officially joined the Western Alliance as an equal member state and Alliance money built the Port Harcourt Elevator. Africa road that elevator to the stars and brought back the riches of space to their continent. And even as Earth built more elevators, they expanded the Port Harcourt Elevator with more and more strands and support infrastructure. Even centuries later, it remained the largest orbital elevator operating on Earth and beyond.

The Second Great Depression nearly destroyed Africa. The Western powers had kept the Islamic Brotherhoods largely contained, but that ended when they turned to their own concerns. The Islamic Brotherhoods burned Africa to the ground. Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa formed the backbone of the resistance that drove the Brotherhoods out in several bloody campaigns. The Egyptian campaign proved the worst and bloodiest, culminating in the use of nuclear weapons. The vast majority failed to detonate and even Cairo rebelled against the Brotherhood’s excesses. Caught between unflinching armies and vengeful citizens, the Brotherhood forces could not escape and Africa granted them no mercy.