s="Normal">1) The Russian leaders expected word from earth within
a period of a few years.  They waited for direction before proceeding
with the next part of the plan.  After it becomes clear that there
is not going to be renewed contact, the Takeover occurs.  2) Stalling
by Andropov to allow Resistance bases to be completed?  As the
main one who understood what was going on, he would have quite a bit
of latitude in deciding how to proceed.  He could have had a change
of heart following Feodorovs suicide, and become active in trying to
avert the disaster on Ceti and if that was not possible, not build
in contingency.  Not pro-American.  Humanitarian in the very
broad sense.  If all the people on Earth are dead or doomed, he
wants to salvage humane society on Ceti.  The goals of the secret
order would not focus on whats best for either side, but, broadly
speaking, on whats best for humanity.

What happened on earth?

Not immediate destruction, but repetition on a much
larger scale of what happened on Ceti, leading to chaos and barbarism. 
Only the affect on technology is magnified, since Earth society is heavily
dependent on technology.  The Russians have the only tech, so the
original plan called for simply exploiting that position.  They
expected to be back in touch with the colony within a few years. 
However, they are so overcome by the magnitude of the disaster they
started that they, too, are overwhelmed.

How does situation on Ceti
fit into the plan?

Ceti is an experimental colony.  Very few on
Earth even know it existed.  Knew about the FTL travel and communications,
but were told that it was only being tested.  Assumption among
masses that the people who left went on missions, not to a single colony
world.  Top secret attempt to determine effects of FTL travel,
to see if humans could transform certain planets sufficiently to sustain
life.  Solution to overcrowding, but not immediate, so not wanted
to be widely known.  Choice of inhabitants sent to Ceti people
went for their own reasons, but were selected for different qualities
by the different governments and agencies that sent them. Male-female
imbalance.  Russians sent were mostly military, mostly highly aggressive,
brutal.  Americans were mainly scientists and agricultural specialists. 
Colony sent by the Euros more eclectic, more pay to play.  Original
Russian plan to gain control of Earth, then Ceti, then expand to the
galaxy as masters of the universe.  Plan went wrong with the
overwhelming chaos on earth.  Leaders had not counted on not being
able to resurrect the Link and take control of Ceti and the space program. 
No FTL ships or equipment working on Ceti, because, according to original
plan, they may have been used to come to earths aid.  Plan was
that FTL tech would be resupplied by Russians once they got control
of earth.  So Ceti is cut off, and the military hierarchy on Ceti
decides to implement the Takeover anyway, since they need the food-producing
capabilities of the Central and South regions.  Why not live like
kings and enslave the Americans?  Remember, these are military
people chosen for their aggressiveness.  So a very small ruling
class of military-monarchs sets itself up over the planet, on which
the only tech that works reliably is Russian made.  Combination
high-tech, no-tech society.  Clear haves and have nots.  The
only flaw is that the Resistance was set up by Russians, so they have
tech, too.  Exist in the Wastelands beyond the transformed sections
of the planet no need to transform more, since most of the American
colonists were killed plenty of room as is.  So the Resistance
bases, deep underground, are safe, for a time.

What does the Resistance
want?

Freedom and revenge.  The former serves the goals
of the people who set it up, the later does not.  Thus the emergence
of a third, very secret group dedicated to saving humanity from its
desire for domination (on the Russian side) and vengeance (on the American
side).

What do the Russians want?

To be rid of the Resistance, to take what the land
and people have to offer.  To live as the lords of creation, with
no particular thoughts of being seriously challenged.

How does Lyn fit in?

She is the daughter of one of the Space personnel
who was present when the link was lost.  She studies with a Russian
professor who is studying why the Link lost permanently.  She is
channeled toward finding the shuttle and saving the day by the secret
society.   They want her to find the old shuttle and go to
the transmitter array.  But as interested as she may be in the
Link and the mystery surrounding it, she is much more interested in
taking personal vengeance against the Russians.  And her mentor,
Lucien Duvall, sees in her his ideal tool for making the Russians pay. 
The irony is that both the secret society and Luciens publicity machine
conspire to make her a world-famous icon.  She knows she is Luciens
tool, but she doesnt learn about the conspiracys plans for her until
she has nearly died and been resurrected.

What could she do at the
array? 

She sees it as a way to the ultimate weapons, the
power to turn the array against the Russians to destroy them. The popular
belief is  that that was why Jameson was initially against sending
anyone there, because he feared the consequences if the wrong people
got a hold of that power at the wrong time. The secret society, though,
knows that the array is useless as a weapon, that its power in that
regard is a myth. 

So then what?

They see in Lyn someone who has the potential to be
a popular hero, a leader of her people in an uprising that will unite
the slaves that have been afraid to support the Resistance.  They
are not after American domination, but rather a stable world order.  They are able to recruit her after
she nearly dies but before their plan can come to fruition, the conspiracy
is discovered by the Russian power elite.  Her role in it is only
rumored, but the rumors are enough to drive a wedge between her and
Lucien.  She takes a different tack, building an interdependent
community in the Borderlands of the South region part Resistance base-dwellers,
part townies.  Instead of destroying the Russians, her attention
turns to constructing something for her children and the other Resistance
children.  It is an experiment that almost works except that
it is causing unrest and upheaval around the world.  Ultimately,
it falls upon the shoulders of the survivor of the conspiracy, Anton,
to end the experiment and turn the direction of the world from chaos
to cooperation.  Even though theyre on the same side, they end
up being the final combatants. 

Random thoughts Anton
is the grandnephew of Feodorov, came to Ceti at age 1, just after Feodorov
set things in motion.  Thats where his money comes from Feodorov
made sure his family was well set up for whatever happened

Social situation on earth
mostly positive, but smoldering east-west tensions.  Overt cooperation,
united front against small hot spots.  Overcrowding forces colony
experiment, known to few, populated by 40,000 people mainly from First
World nations that invested in project.  Experiments with human
guinea pigs to assess long-term affects of faster-than-light (FTL)
travel.  Robot ships, supplies, terraforming, layout of Ceti. 
Brink of self-sufficiency in most places when the Link is lost. 
Andropov is the General nominally in charge of the east region. 
Manipulates situation to his own ends.  The Butcher.  He
also arranges with Jameson of Space to hide the one remaining shuttle. 
Jameson is killed before anyone knows he is the only one who knows where
the shuttle is.

East

Russians

Vladimir Andropov

West

Misc., technically under Euro control

Cedric Black

Central

American

John Gant

South

North/South American (Latin influence)

Enrique Tobar-Esquivel

North

Polar

-

North