The Zero Chip In the year 2034, the world is a very different place. The U.S. does not play a role in world politics or the global economy. Its infrastructure has been severely damaged by a major geophysical event, the Shift. A revived Russian empire and a maturing European Common Market are vying for world supremacy. Their task is complicated by a unified Moslem empire; which dominates the Middle East. The Moslems see the chaotic state of the world as its opportunity to finish-off their long time adversary, Israel, and to become one of the three major world powers.
A new type of weapons system exists: orbital satellites, called "Guardians," with devastating laser / particle beam weapons! Originally designed to destroy major targets remotely under the control of military computer networks in the US; in 2034, the Guardians are controlled by small aircraft called "Lasetracks," which are used as aiming devices. The satellite weapons CAN NOT FAIL because of their use of Zero Chips that have the ability to process data at speeds in excess of the speed of light; and therefore predict, and correct, their own failures before they occur! These weapons are unstoppable and will be forever; or, so the world has been told!
The only hold that the US, which has become a loosely connected band of settlements, has on a secure position in the world is its ability to use and control this weapons system. In return for its use the ECM provides the U.S. with national security and basic essentials. To add to the complications, the ECM replaced the U.S. in defense Israel. Russia supported the ECM effort in a series of conflicts over a 10 year period and suffered severe casualties as its reward.
As the story begins, the League of Islamic States has embarked on yet one more war with Israel, the ECM and Russia; the Zero Chips in the Guardian satellites are beginning to fail placing the survival of the United States at risk and Russia's alliance with the ECM has become unstable!