The International Superhuman Coalition
History and Formation:
Founded in 2005, the International Superhuman Coalition (ISC) came to life amid a sea of controversies and opportunities surrounding the influence of superhumans in modern society. Spurred by high-profile events like the catastrophic earthquakes in Japan and the overwhelming devastation of Hurricane Katrina, governments around the world acknowledged the urgent need for a coordinated effort. During these crises, individual superhumans had intervened, successfully rescuing hundreds and even altering the course of the natural disasters in some cases. However, their actions raised vital questions about jurisdiction, oversight, ethics, and potential misuse of powers, particularly when they operated across national boundaries. There were also concerns regarding who would be held accountable if things went awry during such interventions.
The ISC was thus established under the umbrella of the United Nations but given the autonomy to operate as a separate entity with its own governance structure and jurisdiction. The idea was initially floated in a closed-door meeting among representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Canada. These countries contributed significant initial funding and technological support to get the ISC off the ground. A three-year deliberation period followed, involving numerous round-table discussions, public forums, and exhaustive debates at the United Nations. During this period, a temporary international committee was formed to engage with stakeholders from all sectors—government, civil society, legal experts, and even superhumans themselves—to outline the ISC’s mandate, operational guidelines, and ethical frameworks. Finally, after years of negotiations, the ISC was officially inaugurated in a ceremony held in Geneva, signaling a new era of superhuman coordination and governance.
Mandate and Mission:
The ISC’s main charter underscores its core mission: to coordinate global efforts in responsibly harnessing the capabilities of superhumans, while operating within the bounds of ethics, sustainability, and international law. This extensive remit encompasses a myriad of activities. On the research front, the ISC serves as a hub for the most comprehensive databases on superhuman abilities, incidents, and sociological impacts. It sponsors cutting-edge studies, often conducted by a mix of experts and superhuman scholars, to fathom the depths of these abilities and how they interact with human society at large. The research output directly informs governmental policy, offering a well-scrutinized foundation for decision-makers around the world.
Membership:
As of 2023, the ISC boasts a membership of 73 nations that span every inhabited continent. Prominent members include most NATO countries, an assortment of EU states that aren’t NATO members, and a range of powers like Russia, China, India, and Brazil. Emerging geopolitical entities such as the Saharan States, Kurdistan, and Balochistan have also joined, viewing ISC membership as a way to solidify their international standing and gain access to resources and expertise on superhuman management. Despite its broad appeal, not every nation has opted to participate. Iran and North Korea, for instance, have abstained, citing national security concerns and suspicions about the use of superhumans as proxies for Western powers. Saudi Arabia has also resisted joining, invoking religious and cultural reasons for their hesitancy to openly collaborate on superhuman initiatives.
In South America, Venezuela has declined membership, mistrusting the influence of external powers Some countries like Israel and Switzerland have adopted observer status, participating in discussions but refraining from full membership, citing a need for more comprehensive debates around the ethics and potential misuse of superhuman abilities before committing. This decision reflects a broader international divide on how to approach the phenomenon—whether superhumans should be treated as strategic assets, as potential threats requiring regulation, or as a new social class needing rights and protections.
Governance:
The governance structure of the ISC sets it apart from traditional international bodies like the United Nations. The ISC operates under the direction of an Executive Council composed of representatives from each of its member states. Each representative is a government-appointed official, often with specialized knowledge in superhuman activities or crisis management. This council convenes regularly but also has the unique capability to hold emergency digital sessions within an hour’s notice, a feature designed to address the high-stakes and often rapidly evolving nature of superhuman-related crises. The Executive Council is chaired by a Secretary-General, who serves a single five-year term and cannot be immediately reelected. Unlike the UN, where the Secretary-General largely serves as a diplomat, the ISC’s Secretary-General has the authority to mobilize rapid-response teams and even enact temporary policies in urgent situations, pending retroactive council approval.
Voting within the Council follows a one-country-one-vote principle. However, the ISC employs a weighted voting system for matters considered especially impactful. Special resolutions, particularly those involving military action or sanctioning member states, require a two-thirds supermajority. A mechanism exists for time-sensitive decisions, which allows for a resolution to be passed with a simple majority if not contested within a specific, short time frame. This feature was incorporated recognizing the critical need for swift decision-making in situations where superhuman intervention could mean the difference between life and death. Additionally, member states can commandeer ISC resources for the purposes of natural disaster prevention exclusively should it occur on their domestic soil.
Functions and Programs
Superhuman Register:
The ISC maintains a highly classified, rigorously secure global register of government-employed superhumans. More than just a list of names, this database includes intricate details like power classifications, psychological profiles, and risk assessments. It serves as a tool for international cooperation, allowing countries to share data for the collective good, although it is only accessible to a select group of high-ranking officials and security experts from member states. The register has been targeted in several high-profile cyberattacks, most notably by hacktivist groups and hostile governments. While these attempts have thus far been unsuccessful thanks to multi-layered cybersecurity measures, they raise alarming questions about what could happen should this deeply sensitive information ever be compromised. The ISC continually invests in cutting-edge technology to keep this database secure, recognizing that the data it holds could be used for nefarious purposes if fallen into the wrong hands.
Research and Development:
ISC’s Research and Development department is an avant-garde arm of the organization, characterized by state-of-the-art laboratories and some of the brightest minds in genetics, physics, and other disciplines. They conduct comprehensive research into the nature, scope, and limitations of superhuman abilities. Beyond that, one of the primary quests of this department is to unravel the enigma of the origins of these extraordinary talents—whether they are genetic, cosmic, or something else entirely. The findings not only help in categorizing superhumans more accurately but also have broad applications, potentially influencing everything from healthcare to national security. To protect against ethical breaches, the ISC maintains a stringent review process, and several independent oversight committees are in place to ensure the work adheres to international ethical standards.
Crisis Response Unit (CRU):
Perhaps the most public-facing and controversial aspect of ISC, the Crisis Response Unit (CRU), is an elite squad of superhumans from different countries. These superhumans are deployed when crises transcend national boundaries, often in scenarios like natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or other cataclysmic events posing global threats. The CRU has been instrumental in averting several international crises, yet its operations are often met with fierce criticism. Issues around national sovereignty and the ethics of using extranational powers on domestic soil are highly contentious. Some countries view the CRU as an infringement on their independence, calling into question the very mandate of the ISC. Despite the criticisms, the unit has enough successful missions to make it indispensable, albeit continually debated.
Legislation and Policy:
The ISC acts as a central hub for discussions and negotiations concerning superhuman legislation at an international level. Drawing on a vast array of data and case studies, they formulate recommendations for laws and guidelines that govern superhuman activities. Their suggestions often resemble successful policies from member states, aiming to standardize practices and set a universal ethical groundwork for superhuman conduct. Given the novelty and complexity of superhuman phenomena, the ISC collaborates with international legal experts, ethicists, and human rights activists to ensure that the laws are both effective and just.
Public Outreach:
Understanding that myths and misunderstandings about superhumans can breed fear and prejudice, the ISC has a robust public outreach program. Through various media channels, community forums, and educational initiatives, they work to demystify the realities of superhuman existence. The outreach programs also include training for law enforcement and first responders to interact more effectively with superhumans. Public surveys and feedback loops are essential components of this effort, providing valuable insights into public sentiment and helping tailor future campaigns. The ISC takes its role as an educator seriously, aiming to build a world where superhumans and ordinary people coexist peacefully and productively.
General Status as of 2023
Ethical and Legal Quagmires:
In 2023, the ISC finds itself navigating a labyrinthine tangle of ethical and legal complexities. The employment of superhumans in politically and ethically sensitive roles—such as intelligence gathering, military operations, and humanitarian aid—has raised unprecedented issues around consent, human rights, and accountability. For instance, is it ethical to deploy postcognitive superhumans for the purposes of information gathering, or using superhumans with terrain-scale effects for geoengineering? The existence of the Crisis Response Unit (CRU), a specialized team within the ISC made up of elite superhumans, has been a particularly divisive topic.
Geopolitical Tensions:
Even as the ISC aims for global harmony, it has become another theater where member states spar over diverging national interests and ideologies. The Western democracies, led by the U.S. and its European allies, advocate for a more regulated approach, emphasizing transparency, civil liberties, and a legal framework for superhuman activities. On the other hand, China’s more authoritarian regime has been aggressively recruiting superhumans for state-sponsored programs, leading to suspicion and pushback from other ISC member states. Russia, weakened due to its territorial losses and internal upheaval, remains deeply skeptical of any international body, like the ISC, that might infringe on its remaining sovereignty or become a tool for foreign intervention.
Rising Members:
The rise of newly-formed states like Kurdistan and the United Saharan States, each carved into existence partially due to the actions of their local superhumans, has brought additional challenges to the ISC. These fledgling nations regard their superhuman populations as not just assets but also symbols of their newfound sovereignty and identity. Therefore, they approach the ISC with a mixture of hope and caution, eager for international legitimacy but wary of ceding too much control over their superhuman citizens to an external entity.
Global Threats:
The ISC’s mandate has had to evolve in response to emergent global threats. Superhuman terrorism and superhuman-led organized crime syndicates have presented challenges that traditional law enforcement agencies are ill-equipped to handle. With the infamous ‘Big Raid’ of 2019 having decimated the traditional criminal underworld, a new class of superhuman criminals has risen, requiring a different set of strategies and technologies for apprehension. This has put immense pressure on the ISC to broaden its capabilities and jurisdiction, even as it continues to negotiate the tricky landscape of international laws, human rights, and state sovereignties.
Notable CRU Operations
The Balochistan Crisis (2010) – When Balochistan declared independence from parts of Pakistan and Iran, tensions escalated to the point of near conflict. The CRU was deployed to provide a buffer, working with local superhumans to maintain peace while diplomatic talks were held. This was one of the first tests of the CRU’s peacekeeping abilities, and they received mixed reviews—criticized for overstepping sovereign rights but praised for preventing potential loss of life.
Typhoon Wukong (2012) – A Category 5 supertyphoon threatening South-East Asia was weakened to a Category 4 by a team of CRU superhumans, preventing an estimated two hundred deaths. This was hailed as a significant success, but questions arose about potential long-term ecological impact, setting up a debate around the ethics of such interventions.
The Fall of the United Arab Emirates (2014) – Following damning revelations of high-level corruption and exploitation, revealed to the world at large by a rogue superhuman, the UAE broke out into widescale riots that threatened destabilization across the entire region. The CRU was brought in to secure crucial infrastructure and prevent civil unrest from escalating. The operation was deemed a “controlled success” although it stretched the CRU thin and reignited discussions about its limits and scopes of operation. Two years later, the UAE would voluntarily disband into its component Emirates anyway.
Saharan Agricultural Initiative (2016) – CRU members with environmental modification abilities were deployed to support the already existent superhuman effort to green the Sahara. This was a non-combat, long-term humanitarian operation that successfully transformed arable lands but raised concerns about ‘playing God’ with nature.
The Ukrainian Standoff (2017) – A highly volatile situation developed in Ukraine due to both local superhumans and Russian intervention. The CRU engaged in a multi-dimensional operation involving intelligence, combat, and diplomatic negotiation. The outcome was a fragile peace but set a precedent for the CRU’s multi-faceted approach to crisis resolution. In recent years, Russia has pointed to the 2017 Ukranian Standoff as evidence that the CRU operates primarily for Western interests, and has begun using footage from it in nationalistic propaganda campaigns to drum up support for an offensive on the Ukraine.
Amazonian Autonomy (2018) – When parts of the Amazon were granted international protection, the CRU was involved in setting up the autonomous zone. They worked closely with indigenous superhumans to build sustainable, self-governing systems. This was considered one of the most successful operations in terms of collaboration and respect for local sovereignties.
The Syrian Détente (2020) – The CRU’s most controversial mission involved a pre-emptive operation in Syria aimed at disarming chemical weapons controlled by rogue superhumans. The mission was successful but raised several legal issues, including violations of international law and sovereignty.
COVID-19 Response (2020-2021) – CRU’s logistical and medical units were heavily involved in pandemic response, from distribution of supplies to direct involvement in medical procedures.
North Korean Crisis (2022) – In an unprecedented event, North Korea voluntarily invited the CRU to help stabilize an internal power struggle involving rogue superhumans. This remains one of the most secretive CRU operations and has been subject to widespread speculation and conspiracy theories, as little-to-none of the exact events that occurred have been revealed to the world at large.
Australian Wildfires (2023) – Most recently, the CRU was active in fighting the devastating wildfires in Australia. Using a combination of weather modification and firefighting superpowers, they were able to control the worst of the blazes.
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