In the year 2999, the City of OhM stands as a vertical megacity built across four disconnected quadrants, powered by gemstone energy and linked by the INTERTRAX electromagnetic relay system. When a bombing at Nixon's Bar & Grill ignites a solar-system-wide conflict, Jim Fong — an Asian-American security operative and mining partner — must navigate political intrigue, corporate warfare, and an impending Venusian assault while recovering from traumatic memory loss.
From the habitable spheres of the Paradise Belt between Mercury and Venus, to the mining outposts of Jupiter's debris field and the crater colonies of Mars, The City of OhM explores a civilization on the brink of interplanetary war. At stake is control of the en-gem power sources, the future of human expansion, and the question of whether humanity has contracted "space madness" from isolation in a silent galaxy.
Read the complete 75-page screenplay formatted for web. Includes all scenes from the OhM Conference through the Jupiter extraction colonies, the bombing, hospital recovery, and the climactic Venusian assault.
75 Pages Sci-Fi Space OperaA detailed analysis of the original inventions, technologies, and speculative concepts introduced in the screenplay — from electromagnetic launch spheres to energy-gem currency and the QBIT exoplanet relay.
20+ Concepts Technology WorldbuildingQuick-reference guide to the major characters: Jim Fong, Florian, Susan Summers, Captain Russel, Al'Marmazul, Cindy, Steve Jackson, and the AI personality Molly.
Characters CastFrom the vertical levels of OhM (resembling 1970s circuitry) to the Paradise Belt, Mars Crater City, Jupiter Base Delta, and the Saint Maurius transport vessel.
Worldbuilding LocationsThis screenplay and all contained original concepts, inventions, and worldbuilding elements are the intellectual property of John Pate. Copyright entered 2023. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2023 IP ProtectedJohn Pate is an inventor and systems architect from Berkeley, California. His work spans layered communication systems, electromagnetic logistics, and speculative fiction exploring humanity's future in the solar system.
Author Electrolips LLCJim Fong — Asian-American security operative and mining partner. Survivor of the Nixon's Bar bombing. Suffers from memory loss and slowly recovers his identity.
Florian — Jim's business partner and longtime friend. Tall, well-built Black man. Family man with a wife and son. Pilot and mining investor.
Susan Summers — Head of Operations for Intertrax Expansion Division. Former panel speaker at the OhM Conference. Field combat trained.
Captain Russel / Craig — Smuggler and transport captain of the Saint Maurius. Hired by Marmazul for discreet cargo runs.
Al'Marmazul — Eurasian corporate head of the Marmazul logistics and mining empire. Secretly allied with Venusian interests.
Cindy — Crew member on the Saint Maurius. Fighter pilot during bandit attacks. Philosophical about "space madness."
Steve Jackson — First Mate on the Saint Maurius. Involved with Cindy. Target of the robot Maurius's deadpan observations.
Molly — Holographic AI assistant with multiple personality modes (French maid, 1980s cheerleader, business professional). Jim's virtual aide.
Maurius — The Saint Maurius's robot with personality. Wheels around the ship, cooks chicken piccata, and makes literal observations.
City of OhM — Four disconnected megacity quadrants covering the land area of old Las Vegas, with ~50 million inhabitants each. Built in 100-foot vertical levels resembling 1970s computer circuitry. Towers resemble resistors, diodes, and capacitors rising one mile high.
Paradise Belt — A ring of habitable space spheres being constructed between Mercury and Venus, orbiting the sun. Interior habitats resemble M.C. Escher lithographs.
Nixon's Bar & Grill — Located on Level G, 1,800 feet above crown. Site of the bombing that triggers the war.
Mars Crater City Colony — Subterranean trading post built into cliffside craters. Red rock walls, underground caverns, and defense systems against meteor impact.
Jupiter Base Delta — Mining and extraction base in Jupiter's orbit. Harvests gemstones and minerals from the ancient debris field caused by a mantle hydrogen explosion.
The Saint Maurius — Transport vessel used for smuggling and cargo. Features a crew quarters, galley, captain's flight sleep chamber, and the robot Maurius.