History of the Galaxy part 2 Story Thread

[Unknown_Enemy]

The game is not started, but this is an introduction to it.

Inquisitor Ostaliat was reading. On his desk was lying printed spreadsheets, pictures and reports. His eyes were red, as if he has been crying for a long time. Leaving his chair, he slowly walked to the window. Outside was the garden of His Holiness' Space Research Institute (HSRI), it was a beautiful and very hot summer afternoon, temperature was reaching 3°C. Some snow was melting, which was a rare thing indeed.
The automatic protection system emitted a low beep, as it was complaining to be turned off, but he hasn't been turned on since six years, the inquisition was not anymore a field unit, but a prestigious research unit. A few seconds later Cardinal Iwazahi entered the room. He was also bearing the sad face of those who knew. He stared at Ostaliat, then said “I have just received an update from the geological team from the spaceship. We already knew that nuclear weapons of 100 megatons were used against all major command centers, and a minimum of one hundred and sixty 50 megatons weapons were detonated high in the atmosphere to render entire continents unable to sustain life”.
Ostaliat stayed silent. “But the team in orbit was able to direct guided probes to scan these weird volcanos. Some of the robots Lasted long enough to do a short range radar scan. These volcanos are not standard. May the Almighty forgive us, as they are in fact not volcanos, but deep rifts in the planet's crust and a direct access to the inner layout of our homeworld. These huge scars constantly reject radioactive dust in what's left of the atmosphere. This is why the radiation level is still so high, it also explains why the dust is still covering our world after six hundred years.”
Ostaliat snapped “The atmosphere was dispersed in space by the strength of the bLasts six centuries ago, what we have now is the result of evaporation of our homeworld's oceans”.
Cardinal Iwazahi acknowledged, “I know, I read that part too. We feared the facts, but now we have to face them. The Great Death killed even the simplest virus in a matter of hours. But worse, seismic conditions are such that no settlement will ever be able exist on the surface, there are no lands stable for more than a few hours between tremendous earthquakes. The geological team just told me we would be better off building a new planet. This one will not be able to sustain life for a few million years.”
Ostaliat's head fur flattened, then he hissed “We will not be able to come back to our homeworld ?”
“No. Never. This information went immediately to his Holiness who shall announce it shortly to our population. By the way, our ship scuttled part of the old international space station. As they were not monitoring earth activity, their systems cannot tell us why started the war, but they were working on gravitational anomaly they had located in our system since a few years, so what remains of their work could still be valuable. This point brings me to the main subjects, the Tyrian's Hope spacecraft made the journey to our homeworld in less than two months, the HSRI proved that ionic motors are a better alternative to the prototypes that throw us here six centuries ago. But his Holiness has read your report on hyperwave resonance, and was deeply disturbed by your team's finding that some emissions did seem artificial. Our ship confirmed that it was not emitted from our former homeworld's orbit. His Holiness want you to lead the research teams on both hyperwave technology and gravity anomaly, with increased fundings. Also, I have the pleasure to tell you the Genetic Commission believe that all your children should be able to avoid the Small Death, so you have been granted to have a sixth and seventh children. Congratulations Inquisitor Ostaliat, for the Almighty helps the faithful”
“And the faithful will praise Him in return” recited the inquisitor. And despite his tears, he smiled. The Commission was one of the most hated necessity of their world, more than 8 centuries after being Banned to this world, still 15 percent of pregnant women had to abort by order of the Genetic Commission.. All their ancestors were bio-modified to sustain the Ice planet's climate. But the first generation of children born here had partial mutations of their genetic code, some of them could still live, but the majority were victims of The Small Death. At Last, after five generations without any case of Small Death in his family, Ostaliat and his children had access to the white card. Then his thought quickly came back to the Cardinal “We will do our best to honor his trust in our abilities, we will finish the work of our ancestors by analyzing the gravity distortions points, and I am confident we can create an hyperwave resonance between two linked devices thus achieving instantaneous transmissions.”.
“God spared the faithful from his wrath, He will help us.” concluded Cardinal Iwazahi.

[ September 26, 2002, 00:11: Message edited by: Unknown_Enemy ]

[geoschmo]

Heh, jumping the gun a bit, but we'll allow it. If anyone else wants to get started on the backstory or whatever for your empires, feel free to post them here. We will start the game when all the empire files are in.

Geoschmo

[TerranC]

UK, I'm going to guess that your race is religious?

The Tyrian Federation will be the first to go under the "expedition"

[sachmo]

Hey, if anyone is looking for some fresh ideas for their race, try www.fanfiction.net. Some really nice stories there!

[ September 25, 2002, 22:07: Message edited by: sachmo ]

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by TerranC:
UK, I'm going to guess that your race is religious?

The Tyrian Federation will be the first to go under the "expedition"

Now remember, the object of this game isn't to win neccesarily. Of course if your race just happens to be particularly anti-religious...

Geoschmo

[ September 25, 2002, 23:16: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[Unknown_Enemy]

UK, I'm going to guess that your race is religious?

The Tyrian Federation will be the first to go under the "expedition"

Well, of course that race is a religious one. Does that means she has the religious techs, well...
All you can say yet is the political power is hold by the religious. You'll learn more as the story unfold.

[TerranC]

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."
-Carl Sagan

------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Secretary, has all the regents checked in yet?"

"Regent Hollsczka and Regent Cimonporte has not arrived due to unknown reasons. Regent Yammose has notified meet planning commitee of her absence."

"Other than that?"

"The schedule is going accordingly with an acceptable dilation of 5.7 minutes. All guests and regents in attendence are currently located in the main conference hall."

"Thank you secretary. Please keep me informed on the absent regent's status, if available."

"Confirmed"

I left the room, wearing formal wear, and walked down the stairs leading to the main conference hall.

This was no ordinary meet, like it had been done for 234 times before. This meet would decide the fate of the Galtenn race; whether it would survive and prosper, or shrivel and die. At least that is how I and many other see thing. Others see this meet as a waste of time, where we are fine where we are.

This meet would decide what would happen.

I worked my entire life for this moment. Top notch marks in all my classes- except algebra. 18 years of my life devoted to education; another 10 for climbing the political ladder.

I would make my old man proud...

I now stood at the front of the massive door that lead into the backstage and into the main podium. Strange, it never seemed to be that big when all these times before... Now it seems monolithic; colossal. Maybe a manifestation of my goals, of what will happen if this resolution doesn't come through.

Gotta face my fears.

"Open sesami."

"Unknown command: sesami. Please restate your command."

... The wonders of the 25th century.

"Open backstage door, computer."

"Confirmed."

As I walked into and on to the podium, I could see the massive conference hall. This conference hall on Raktajinolia was chosen because of it's size; now I know that the commitee wasn't joking when they said keep your eyes peeled.

It was now 7:00 Eastern Continental Selective Time. It was time to get started.

As I was searching for the gavel, I could see many people below, mostly, talking. I would have guess that about 200 people were in here. 32 of them are State Regents, who govern their respective Nation states. I could see some powerful ones: Regent Tichino Jahawawa, Regent of the Nothern Protectorate, Regent Tongo Salta'hna of 50 States alliance, and Regent Elle Aaanavi of the Confederate Union. The rest would be journalists, critics, and other notable people.

One person caught my eye: Regent Jafhel Kuiens of the Oceanic Federation. He would be the obstacle to this referendum. He has been gathering support from many corporations and lobby Groups, protesting against the topic. I'll have to watch for him.

"Greetings, Central Regent."

A voice in the backstage called out to me.

"Good day, and you are?..."

"Commander Erehwon Gnitteg of the Oceanic Defensive Corps."

"What brings you here, Commander?"

"I need a word with you sir, in privite."

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid it will have to wait, the meet will begin shortly."

"Then please lean forward."

I now started to wonder what this was about.

"Mr. Central Regent, Regent Jafhel would like to ask if you can tip the polls of the referendum in his favor; if it is done, the Oceanic Federation can donate large sums of credits to the Alliance, and maybe allow the Alliance to use the Oceanic Federation's Airbases."

"What?! I will do no such thing! Get out of my sight before I call security and abolish the Oceanic Federation out of the Alliance!"

The Commander took an angered look to my response, but turned calm in a moment.

"I will tell him that you refused his request. Thank you Central Regent."

"PLEASE tell him my EXACT WORDS, commander."

The commander then quickly left the back door.

With that unpleasantness over with, I grabbed the gavel and hit the plasma interface hard. The computer let out a thick, bass tone, alerting the guests and guests of honor to take to their places.

The speaker system shrieked with life, and the microphone was made available.

"Greeting Regents of Great Nation States and other prestigious guests to the 235th Annual Alliance Meet. Please sit down and activate your comm systems."

"Lets get down to business..."

The meet began. Various laws and Queries were filled out and rejected, usual stuff. There wasn't much debate about them, as it was clear for them (regents) to say yay or nay.

After 50 minutes of polling, we finally got down to the most important part of the meet.

"For the Last item on the agenda, The Northern Directorate, Illyad Republic, and the Galtenn Alliance's proposal for the launch of the first manned Warp-Node travel capable starship."

I tried to quickly pass this along, so that I wouldn't give the opposition the chance. I would guess that this is sensorship to many, but I believed that all of Galtenn would I agree with me. It wouldn't just work out that way.

"Please vote now by pressing the..."

"I would like to say a few words before we commence voting."

Damn.

"The Central Regent acknowledges the Oceanic Federation Regent."

"I would like to point out that there is not enough scientific evidence that sending a ship; a MANNED ship through a warp node is safe, and that we will get back our ship back in one piece. Our probes that were sent to the warp node were destroyed by the event-horizon! The Oceanic Federation and it's allies, for one, would not like to see our ship destroyed and it's crew mutilated by this anomalie."

"Now just a minute here!"

"The Central Regent acknowledges the 50 States Alliance Regent."

"The recent ISSA finding report that the probes were too fragile to withstand the space-fold, as it have been aptly named by our scientists, and that a ship of sufficient size and materials that the Ship code-named the Escort have been constructed out of, will withstand, such pressures."

"Also, we need to expand out into space. The population on Galtenn are filling up. By the time we are done constructing the ship, 4 billion will inhabit Galtenn. This will create a severe social problem, and expanding out into space, creating more room, is the answer."

"Also, again, there are many scientific reasons and economic reasons that we, as one, should venture out. The new sphearscrapers require exotic minerals that are found almost everywhere in out system, in abundance!"

"The Galtenn race is willing to step out. See the vote results and you will find out..."

"Economic? Scientific?"

"The Central Regent does not recognize the oceanic federation. Please restrain."

"More like militaristic!"

"The central regent does not.."

"We all know who are going to control this space hegemony, and subsequently, a space navy. The Alliance and it's little group! What happens to our sovreignity? It will be bombarded into the stone age! Also, what awaits us in the great unknown? Danger! We are not prepared to drop 4 million people in some hostile rock! It is not safe!"

The 50 States Alliance Regent spoke out with fury.

"The ends Justify the means! Read the findings yourself! You will clearly see.."

"See NOTHING! It is all propaganda! A terrifying scheme..."

"order!"

"The Central Regent now has the Chair, and in speaking for the Galtenn Alliance, I will not let this be a forum nor a debate!"

"Please return to your seats and commence voting."

After minutes of careful deliberation, a plasma display showed the results.

A smirk grinned on many.

"Computer, please read out the following results."

"Yes to Launch of Interstellar Warp-Capable Vessel, Manned: 73%. No to Launch of Interstellar Warp-Capable Vessel, Manned: 5%."

"The nation states have decided. The Launch will take approximitely place 2 months from now, lord willing. The meet is now dismissed. Thank you for your votes."

As the crowds dispersed below, I walked out into the back foyer, exiting from the back door.

The decision has been made, we would be going out into space. I wonder how many different worlds we will see, how many we will colonize, how many will discover, and how many different terrestrials we will meet; if there are any.

As I pondered away, a gentle tap alerted me to my behind.

"Regent Jafhel, How are you? I'm sorry to cut you in the middle of your speech but time is money..."

"Watch it Central Regent."

Regent Jafhel snapped, explicitly showing his anger over the results and today's forum.

"You never know what might happen in these two months. I'd watch your back if I were you..."

"Is that a threat Jafhel?"

"A kind warning. As a regent I would never resort to such lowbrow tactics, but there are those who would..."

And he slowly walked away.

These next 2 months, and possibly next infinit years will be interesting. The decision to swim in a bigger pond has been made, and now there are predators that I'll have to look out for...

What will await us in the future?

Edit: Who can find out the most tidbits in the story?

[ September 27, 2002, 03:50: Message edited by: TerranC ]

[geoschmo]

In their natural habitat, the hive existed as a species of simple fungus. Evolving in the particularly harsh environment of a tiny moon orbiting a gas giant, they had developed many methods for adapting and exploiting any available materials. They developed a particularly complex method of electromagnetic communication between various members of the colony. Tendrils that were not in direct physical contact with each other could share information about available nutrients by these means over several meters of open space. Through this they formed a network over vast areas of their home planetoid.

Of course information shared was of a strictly rudimentary nature as the hive was not sentient by any definition. They simply had a basic plant intelligence and instinct. They grew and spread as any other simple plant life form on countless worlds all over the universe. Had they never left the confines of this barren landscape they would have likely been nothing more than a slightly interesting entry in some database of unusual flora and fauna.

This is how things went for billions of years as the hive spread over the barren landscape of their home planetoid circling a gas giant that was in turn orbiting an average yellow star. In the same star system closer in was a world much more suitable to complex animal life. It had a rich nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and an abundance of liquid water. This planet had a diverse ecosphere and supported a large variety of plants and animal species over the billions of years that the hive held solitary domain over their tiny moon.

One of these species developed to the point of sentience, and began the long process of discovery and technological advancement that is the hallmark of all intelligent spacefaring races. They had just begun their first tentative steps into the star system that was their home. They had sent members of their species into orbit, and had built semi-permanent stations in orbit around their world. While they had yet to develop technology to travel out of their system, or even to other planets in their own system with any practicality, they were a very curious race. Always seeking to learn and understand the universe around them.

In pursuit of this goal for knowledge and understanding they sent small robotic probes to the other planets in their system. These probes were slow and simple at first. Taking years to travel the short distances between the planets orbiting their own sun, beaming back pictures and doing simple remote chemical experiments.

It was one of these probes that finally visited the hive moon and made the discovery that so excited this emerging race. To this point they had fantasized and theorized about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets orbiting other stars. But they as yet had not even found even the simplest forms of biological life anywhere in their own system except on their own homeworld. For all they knew prior to finding the hive they were alone in the universe.

But represented in this monumental discovery was confirmation that life was not unique. And if it were not unique, then perhaps it was quite common. Perhaps some day their descendents would meet other beings living on far distant worlds. It was a tremendous day in the existence of this race.

Quickly they made plans to send a second probe to this moon. Still lacking the technology to safely send members of their own race, they could design robotic probes that could reach the moon, land, and collect and send back samples of this new and exciting life form for further study. They dedicated themselves to this task as a species and within the decade the first sample of the hive landed back on their world.

For many months this sample was examined and experimented on. All precautions were taken to prevent any accidental spread of the hive spores into their own environment. They had no way of knowing what effect this could have on their environment, and they were careful to prevent it from happening. But in the curiosity and excitement of discovery, a mistake was made. A single spore escaped the confinement and was unknowingly inhaled by a janitor working at the research facility. This spore entered his body, multiplied and spread. A species that had adapted and flourished on a barren planetoid sparse in the minerals it needed to survive now found itself a new host that was rich in these nutrients. The hive took root in this being, and flourished.

It was slow process at first. He himself did not notice any symptoms for several weeks after his contamination. He gradually began to lose his mental capacity. But we was old and not very educated. And even the brightest of his species only used a small portion of their brains anyway. So he did not suspect anything was wrong until it was too late.

With the onset of more serious symptoms came the concern of his family. Little did they know they had already become infected themselves. For the hive had been spreading. To his family, to his coworkers, the medical caregivers trying to discover the cause and cure for this strange disease that had befallen him. And finally through the very air that surrounded their world and supplied them all with life.

For through a twist of fate, this sentient species was a particularly ideal host for the hive. The hive spores and tendrils could collect in the host’s brain and take over control of it. It instinctively left the parts of the brain alone that were dedicated to the autonomous function of the host’s body, preferring instead the more suitable parts of the brain that were responsible for the host species sense of being, and of their individuality.

The host species also had fairly strong latent psychic tendencies. Nothing too extraordinary. They were even mostly unaware of it themselves. Perhaps with another million years of evolution they would start to tap this part of their identity on their own. But the hive tendrils were able to tap into this almost immediately.

The hives own communicative abilities merged with the latent psychic abilities of the host race and formed something altogether new. The newly infected host members combined with the hive tendrils and became something that together, was much larger than the sum of their parts.

As the hive spread through each host they reached a point where it began to affect their conscious mind and they slipped into a coma. Some of the weaker members of the species died during this process, but those that survived eventually awoke. To those around them they appeared to be the same, but they had become something different. This process was repeated over and over again all over the host world.

This happened gradually at first. The host race struggled mightily to hold off the spread of the contamination. Once it became clear there was something going on, all the resources of their species were dedicated to preventing and reversing the damage that was taking their loved ones from them and leaving their bodies behind. But they could not bring themselves to do the awful thing that must be done to save their race. They could not destroy the ones they had lost.

For they did not know they had already lost them. They thought they were merely “damaged” or “infected”, but that through time they could be healed. But what they did not know was that all remnants of their former selves had been lost. Even if a method of removing the hive infestation had been developed, their bodies would cease to function.

And since they did not destroy the infected ones, their number grew. And as their number grew, the speed of contamination increased. Until eventually there were more infected than could be cared for by the uninfected. Then eventually there were more infected than uninfected. Then eventually, there were no more that were uninfected.

As they lost their individuality, their sense of self, they found themselves interconnected with other infected members of the host race. The process that had occurred over and over with each individual was repeated on a much larger scale with the race as a whole. They ceased being individual members of a race and became parts of a collective intelligence. They became…

The Hive

[ September 27, 2002, 19:54: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[geoschmo]

Ok, those of you that jumped the gun and started posting here, including myself , please move your Posts to the offical history 2 thread Menschenfresser started. I will be locking this one, but not deleting it.

Geoschmo