On May 11th, in the midst of growing public discontent and often violent demonstrations, the world’s governments issued an announcement through the United Nations that came to be known as the Dictum. In her statement, the Secretary-General was the first to officially recognize the existence of the Orbit Lapse.
She did not give a specific reason behind the phenomenon, and throughout the majority of her address to the public, she kept stressing how crucial it was for all the nations of the world to work together and find a way to resolve the crisis. She expressed her confidence in humankind uniting to overcome the ordeal and coming out of it stronger. She also mentioned that scientists estimated it would take around 96 years for the Earth to get so close to the sun to deem life no longer sustainable.
The general directive was that life would continue as normal, while efforts for possible solutions were being coordinated and executed. There was no reason to panic, as in that crucial moment humanity would surely prevail.
All kinds of hell broke loose after the Dictum. In the days and years that followed, and despite all efforts, uncertainty, hysteria and confusion spread wide in society. Social structures started crumbling, global economy was derailed and suicide rates skyrocketed, as people either desperately clang to any piece of official, and many times unofficial, information promising salvation, or gave up hope altogether.
Continuous civil unrest led to martial law being imposed on many countries, and individual freedoms became more and more suppressed, in hope of enforcing order to the ever-expanding chaos.
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