[ WP ] The year is 3184 , inside an ancient artifact , what the people of the time called a `` book '' , is written a historical account of the 3rd world war .

`` What is it?'' General Quinn asked as the strange rectangular object was placed in front of her. 
 
 `` According to the markings inside, it is a book.'' An elderly scholar by the name of Eli stepped forward and opened the mysterious object. 
 
 `` Is it a weapon?'' General Quinn asked, shielding herself with her arm as a cracking sound came from the cover. 
 
 `` No, I do not believe it is. We've analyzed the material and it appears to be made from a tree. The letters are carved into the page using some sort of carbon fiber. The language is old but it is similar to our own, similar enough to read the contents at least.'' Eli tapped the bottom of the first page. `` It says that it was created in 2180.'' 
 
 `` That's over a thousand years ago!'' General Quinn stared in shock. `` Why would someone take a tree, one of our rarest resources, and turn it into this object? Why would they waste so much time doing this when all of our thoughts are automatically transcribed into our personal cloud?'' 
 
 `` I do n't know, but I do know that it is something you should read. It is the story of the 3rd World War.'' Eli said as he slid the book across the table. 
 
 `` I know the story of the 3rd World War.'' General Quinn snapped back. 
 
 `` Not this one you do n't.'' Eli turned towards the door. `` This object might change everything...'' 
 
 General Quinn left the object on her table for a while. After a few hours passed, her work day was done, and she immediately began to sip essence from her private databank. It was the good stuff, the kind most could n't afford. It created a mixture of joy, relaxation and simulated an adrenaline rush, all at the same time. She sat down at her desk and opened the page, staring at the words. Eli was right. She could understand most of them. 
 
 *'' A Historical Account of World War III'' - By Alexander Clinton* 
 
 `` Alexander Clinton... Why does that name sound familiar?'' She asked out loud as she flipped the page. 
 
 *We had peace for a very long time. Once religion was abolished, the driving force behind our need to kill each other started to fade. We drifted away from the use of natural Earth elements to fuel our lives once synthetic oil was created. Ironically, once oil was no longer rare, we no longer needed it. Our leaders embraced new technology, rather than rejecting it. Our eyes were opened and we turned our attention to the stars, where new resources waited -- or so we hoped. * 
 
 *There were plenty of people that warned us against our new endeavors. They did n't believe we were alone in the universe, and thought exploration would bring others to our planet. They were right. Once we discovered light speed technology and began to travel the stars, we quickly learned we were insignificant children in a vast adult world we did n't understand. It was n't long until someone figured out where the new children were coming from, and they started to visit us on a regular basis. * 
 
 *At first, everything was exciting. We called them all aliens, a generic term for those not born on Earth. Slowly, we began to realize we were nothing but barbarians to most, and a tourist attraction to the rest. Scholars from across the stars came to study our history. The things we did were deplorable to them. We consumed our own kind, although we never considered animals like cows and pigs to be our own kind. They were food to us, but to the scholars, all living beings were a part of their grand ecosystem. We were murderers. * 
 
 *After they spent a decade studying our taste for blood, war, and our lust for carnal pleasures and destruction, we were put on trial. The entire human species was found guilty of intergalactic crimes so terrible the only solution was genocide. We had to be erased. We were too dangerous to be welcomed. Our planet was quarantined and it was n't until the first ships with troops from across the galaxy arrived that we realized our fate. * 
 
 *Their mission was to erase us from the planet, but preserve the planet so that it could serve as a reminder of the evils in the universe. We called it Earth. They called it Hell, a literal representation of their fairy tales, filled with cannibals, criminals, and the worst scum in the universe. What they failed to fully comprehend was our ability to evolve and adapt. They expected us to willingly line up for execution, like any other species would do, since it had been deemed necessary. Instead, we chose to fight. We armed the world from men to women to beasts of burden. We fought back. * 
 
 *War was a rather new concept for the universe, but not for us. We had been using our weapons on each other for so long that we knew how to wield them with deadly accuracy. They were simply not prepared. What we discovered from the ones we captured and tortured for information was that the universe had n't faced real conflict in millions of years. The entire universe had become peaceful. Weapons were practically non-existent except for a small force of Peacekeepers that had n't been dispatched in thousands of years. Some did n't even remember why the small military force was necessary. None of them had even seen an actual battle outside of their advanced simulations. When we got our hands on their simulations, we found that our youngest children could beat them. They were n't even as challenging as the video games they played for entertainment. * 
 
 *We called it World War III, the fight for our planet. With our advanced military, we defended ourselves from extinction. They scrambled to create weapons to rival our own, but intergalactic politics prevented them from creating the weapons of mass destruction required to truly destroy us. They could n't bring themselves to slaughter the innocent cows, pigs, birds and other animals they called our hostages. Eventually, the violence stopped. A representation from the Intergalactic Counsel met with our President, and a treaty was written. * 
 
 *I write this one day after the treaty was signed. Tomorrow, we will be completely quarantined. We agreed to let them destroy our ability to travel through space, and they agreed we would never be visited again. The idea of our violent nature spreading into the universe scares them. They would prefer to let us fester in our own hell than to ever leave our Solar System. A part of this treaty requires our minds to be wiped. It is a voluntary process and can only be done to those who willingly accept it. Our President has promised to execute any who do not willingly accept it. I myself will have to accept it, which is why I took the time to write this down. Our President will be allowed to retain his memory, and the knowledge will be passed down to each new President on the day he is elected. None of us will remember that part, either. * 
 
 *Trace elements will be difficult to erase, and people will write about what they remember, yet they wo n't believe it is fact. What I write will likely be found one day and labeled as Science Fiction. I assure anyone who has found this book that my words are true. I risk treason by writing them. Even with my memory wiped, I will face execution if it is ever discovered. What they are doing to us is n't right. We have the ability to conquer the stars. Their peaceful nature makes them as trivial as the food on my plate. We should not give up without a fight. We should not succumb so easily. They are wounded and they are weak. I doubt this treaty will hold. They will slink back to their homes and spend time creating new weapons, weapons that can actually destroy us. When they come again, we will be at a disadvantage. * 
 
 *Our only hope is to prepare, and I will prepare us, the best I can. * 
 
 `` Eli, my chambers. NOW!'' General Quinn said angrily into her communicator. 
 
 `` Yes?'' Eli asked as the door opened and he stepped inside. 
 
 `` Do you believe this?'' General Quinn pointed at the book. 
 
 `` I do.'' Eli said sadly. 
 
 `` Why?'' General Quinn glared at the older man. 
 
 `` Because of who wrote it.'' Eli flipped back to the title page and tapped the name Alexander Clinton. 
 
 `` That name does sound familiar...'' General Quinn responded. 
 
 `` It should. Alexander Clinton was elected President five years after the date this book was written. He created our Planetary Defense System. People called him a lunatic.'' Eli pursed his lips and shrugged. `` He was impeached before his term was finished.'' 
 
 `` That's right... President Alexander Clinton, the fool...'' General Quinn silently laughed. `` They touched on him briefly in school.'' 
 
 `` Funny thing though. His successor did n't dismantle the Planetary Defense System. Each President we've had since Alexander Clinton has actually worked to make it stronger, despite negative reactions and campaign promises to dismantle it.'' Eli said. 
 
 `` Because they know...'' General Quinn looked out her window. 
 
 `` You mean they knew.'' Eli stared at the destruction that lie on the horizon, the ruins of what was once Chicago. `` They knew what was coming.'' 
 
 `` Well then.'' General Quinn said as her fingers rested on her pistol. `` I guess there's only one thing to do.'' 
 
 `` Indeed.'' Eli said. `` We wo n't sign the treaty this time.'' 
 
 `` No we wo n't.'' General Quinn walked to her computer and tapped a few buttons. `` We're going to give them the hell they feared -- Get me the President.'' 
 
 `` Right away, General Quinn.'' Eli's face turned to a smile as he opened the door and left General Quinn's quarters. 
 
 The real war was about to begin. Humanity had defeated the invaders for what they thought was the first time, but it was actually the second. They had a thousand years to create weapons to destroy us, but they still failed. Our lust for violence was still too strong for a universe built on Pacifism. Eli did as he was told, and he heard the President's screams as General Quinn executed him in her quarters. He would never sign the treaty, and the knowledge his successors passed on would die with him. It was time for a new era, the era of humanity. 
 
 
 

