History of the Galaxy II

[Gimboid]

"Kurasa o houyousuru" [Translation - Embrace the darkness]
Old saying of the Mahatsuhito clan

Several months had past since the first vanguard of the Imperium had left the shelter of the homeworld and travelled to distant planets to form new colonies and outPosts under the direction of the best agents of the Mahatsuhito clan.

The unexpected find of interspacial rifts that allowed inter-system travel had been a boon for the Imperium and what had initially been a minor expedition had become an all consuming passion for the Katana Imperium. Only those at the highest ranks of the shogunates and in the palace had been informed of the vast opportunities that were up for the taking out in the vastness of space, yet even those who knew little were willing to join in the grand drama that was unfolding.

______________________________________________
==============================================

Her resolve had not wavered in this new era, and Kaneko had been satisfied that the reigns of power were still firmly in her grasp. The new colonies would be as all the other territories, mere extensions of the power that flowed through the palace, as it should be.

Still, the concept of warp points leading to totally unexplored areas of space had excited Kaneko like never before. New realms to control, new planets to exploit and untold power flowing back to the Imperium. Her name would be forever remembered in the clan for bringing this wealth to her race. A smirk appeared on her face for just a moment as that thought struck her. It was quickly washed away by the serious look that adorned her visage like a suit of armor. Noone must be able to understand her motives she reminded herself, the only person that could be trusted was Kaneko. Her power came from living in the shadows, to shroud the truth was to stay alive.

[Dead Meat]

"To write history one must be more than a man, since the author who holds the pen of this great justiciary should be free from all pre-occupation of interest, or of vanity."
Napoleon Bonaparte, 1769-1821

Timeline of the Terran Confederation

2028:
The United Nations, lead by the United States, begins work on terraforming Mars and Venus. Mars will be terraformed by using recently discovered water trapped in the polar ice caps. By causing a greenhouse effect, they hope to melt the ice and improve the environment to something suitable for Humans. A plan using microbes on Venus is thought up by the “think tanks” in the U.N.. Both ideas caused much concern with the other members of the U.N., nonetheless the plan proceeds on schedule and in 2043, two shuttles are launched, one carrying a large nuclear warhead to hopefully cause a chain-reaction on Mars. The other is sent to Venus with modified microbes. But no one knows how long it would take before the planets where ready. People soon forgot about it and the programs funding is cut.

2060:
The Middle Eastern League (MEL) is formed. While the Alliance is meant to make peace in the region, there is still conflict between the member nations. Though the League does bring benefits to its members, mainly income and weapons. The African nations are slowly brought into the League, either through peaceful negotiations or “negotiations” of another kind.

2068:
The Middle Eastern League withdraws from the United Nations. Seeing the League as a threat the United States, United Kingdom, and other NATO members, they ratify the NATO treaty to allow other nation the chance to join. Both Russia and China (which now controls all of the Asian, India and Pakistan) refuse to join; however the nations of South America, Japan and the Oceanic Nations (Australia, New Zealand, and the islands North of them) join. The United Nations is disbanded.

2070:
Tensions between the Middle Eastern League and a new alliance between China and Russia have sparked a new cold war, which turns into a hot war this time. Peace is broken when the Russian-Chinese Alliance (RCA) President is assassinated by an unknown Middle Eastern fraction. The RCA moves quickly against the Middle Eastern League to secure oil and fleet bases. RCA losses are heavy thanks the League’s new weapons and training. However the League cannot hold out against the millions of RCA troops and conscripts indefinitely, Russian and Chinese troops reach the Suez Canal by early winter 2075. Israel and Turkey are not attacked for fears of bring NATO on the League’s side.

However the Alliance’s supply lines are stretched thin and loses have meant that the RCA must pause in its attack into Africa. This gives time for the League’s retreating troops, who in February 2076 launch a nuclear counter attack against the RCA holding the Suez Canal and break though with little restance. NATO and the RCA are appalled by the use of nuclear weapons. The RCA however dose not respond in kind against the League. League is able to reclaim Saudi Arabia and Jordan by 2085 but things settle into an uneasy stalemate as RCA reinforcements and NATO missile defense arrive on the front lines, but are unable to make any gains. The MEL launches two more nuclear attacks in 2099 and again in February 2100. NATO’s Depleted Uranium Satellite (DUS) based cannons stop all of the first attack, but was unable to stop all of the second attack. Five missiles got into rang of their intended targets. This time though, the targets where not military, and landed on heavily populated cities. The Russian-Chinese Alliance, appalled at the nearly 100 million dead, wounded and missing, launched their own strikes against the MEL who had only ground bases missile defenses.

2100:
After the exchange of nuclear weapons both sides where unable, nor willing, to continue the war. The death toll from the 30 Year War had caused nearly 500 million dead or wounded. The famine, radiation sickness and other means would kill another 50 million in a decade. A cease-fire was order (and would be enforced if need be) by NATO in 2100 after the RCA launched its reprisal attack. A peace treaty was singed on April 2003; each side would be allowed to keep any land (or what remained of it) taken during the war.

2163:
Tensions had eased sense the 30 Year War to where the 3 Super Powers had stared working together on joint projects. One of these projects was the exploration of the solar system. While the United States had used Ion Engines in the late 1990s and early 2000, it wasn’t until 2163 when the Canadians discovered a new and improved Ion Engine. This improved engine was not only faster, lighter and cheaper, it also provided much more thrust. Space was now in easy reach.

2165:
Exploration of the Solar system was complete. Families relocated, governments worked together, mankind prospered. The moon was fully colonized on 2175 and became a short of international territory. No one nation had full rights to it; all owned an equal share. Small settlements started popping up on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn around this time. All seemed to be going well, their seemed no reason for anything to be different. No one had any reason to think that all that would change.

Sense the moon was an international territory, weapons where not permitted to be built or brought in. All weapon research was banded. The police forces used non-lethal weapons to keep peace if needed. One nation however got around this rule by researching a new power supply to replace the old nuclear power planets used on the moon. It is not know which government or corporation was developing this Tectonic Power Supply, but on December 2179 something went wrong. One second all was peaceful, the next, Earth’s moon was simply a growing ball of plasma and rock which rained down on its bigger brother.

2190:
In the end, after the falling rock destroyed cities, after the tsunamis sweep away homes and families, after starvation and disease tore through the survivors, only a little more than 1 billion people remained on earth.

But Humanity had recovered quickly from what is called the Lunaris Caducum. Some countries where harder hit than other some, like the countries of the Oceania, where completely destroyed. Countries that where once considered Super Powers where now dependent on others to help feed their population. One country, however, stood out among the new Super Powers.

2200 to 2350:
One of these new Super Powers was the Confederation of Canada. Least hit by the Global tsunamis and used to harsh living condition, they quickly help those in the United States whose infrastructure and food supply was destroyed. If the Confederation of Canada could quickly get the farmlands and high-tech factories of the Unites States up to speed they themselfs would stand a chance of surviving. By 2215 enough food and goods where coming out of the now Canadian lead United States and South America that they started exporting supplies to other countries through out the world.

In 2225 The Confederation of Canada’s influence reach throughout the Globe. People where feed by food grown in South America, clothed by textiles made in The United States, and lived in cities that we built with money from others.

In 2256 much of the world was like it was before the Lunaris Caducum ("Death of the Moon"). Humanity was once again a high-tech society thanks to the research and school programs that the Canadians had developed. But Canada once against started to take a back seat in its roll that it played. While some nation once again started to explore space. Canada was content to offer help when needed. The United States started once again to assert its self. They sent mission to explore the old colonies of Earth. There was no need to visit the colonies in the outer planets though, for those had long ago died off when support from Earth stopped, all that remained of them where the domed building and computer banks.

But then a discovery was made in 2303. A report from one of the Middle Eastern nations said that both Mars and Venus where suitable for living. In fact they where near earthlike conditions. It seemed to good to be true everyone wanted an equal claim on the new planets and all agreed to do so. But old habits died hard. With the possibility of two new worlds to be colonized fighting broke out between the 3 major Power Blocks and their satellite in 2305.

While this time no one used nuclear weapons millions still died in the fierce fighting. It seemed however that while the Canadians where once content to stay out of things, they had not been idle. While the other super powers where fighting over land they have never been to, the Confederation of Canada had been building up its military, and making great gains in research. On 2349 Canada flexed its muscles, it told the various nations that they must stop their attacks. That the ways of the past where no longer acceptable for dealing with their problems, mankind should no longer be separated but united, such as they where during the Lunaris Caducum.

They did not listen; Canada enforced its policy instead. In little more than a week, they had destroyed the armies of North American League. Within a month they had defeated all of the opposition.

On 2350 the Earth had only one undisputed super power: The Confederation of Canada. Canada’s hope became Earth hope.

2355 to 2400:
Clean up of the Final war was complete. The Power blocks of old where still allowed to keep governing their people, yet where not allowed to keep a military, only police officers to keep the peace. Protection from their neighbors would be guaranteed by another, for a new government was being formed. Hundreds of years ago the United Nations helped enforced peace between nations, however their where many problems with it. This was to change.

In 2360 the Confederation of Canada made an announcement; it no longer existed. Instead it became the Terran Confederation. The Terran Confederation would enforce the peace on Earth. It would however not be a dictator ship. The President would have his or her job for life, but the governments of Earth and its colonies would have am equal, but limited say. "Together", the new President of the Terran Confederation said, "Humanity would grow and would expand to the stars."

Now forty years after the founding of the Terran Confederation, and the death of its first President, Humanity was ready to leave Earth.

[ October 02, 2002, 00:56: Message edited by: Dead Meat ]

[geoschmo]

2400.2

The Colony ship was almost ready to go. The Last group of hosts headed for the new colony were taking off in orbital shuttles now. The hosts taking care of the assembly work in orbit were finishing up on the colony ship at the same time. Soon the engines would fire and the vessel would leave orbit and head for the nearest suitable planet in the system.

The ship was of a class that the hosts already had designed, but never built. They had not been able to cooperate long enough to do so, but that was not a problem anymore. The Hive had ended all such counterproductive squabbling.

The Hive had made some modifications to the engines however. The hosts had intended to use simple chemical fueled reaction rockets which were very slow. The ships would have taken several months to reach the planet, and extra space would have been required for fuel, meaning the colony would have required regular transport visits with manpower, goods and supplies for several years.

The theory behind ion engines the Hive designed had been known by the hosts for some time. But the Hive had concentrated the collective mental capacity of thousands of physicists and worked out the formulas needed in a matter of weeks. The extra power and decreased fuel requirements meant the ship could carry enough hosts and supplies that the new colony would be self sufficient as soon as it landed.

The Hive watched as the ship moved away from the planet. And after the ship was no longer visible from the planet, the Hive watched the planet recede into the distance from its vantage point inside the ship. Several hours into the trip however something unusual happened. The ship disappeared.

The Hive searched and searched its mind and could no longer sense the hosts inside the colony ship. For a moment the Hive thought there must have been some malfunction that had destroyed the ship. Although even that should have produced some momentary feeling of pain or confusion, as the Hive knew immediately when some accident happened to one of the host bodies on the planet. This time though it was as if a light switch had been turned out and instantly 34 million host minds were disconnected from the Hive.

Quickly the Hive directed some hosts to turn the telescopes from searching for approaching meteors to searching for the colony ship. Soon it was located, and fortunately did not appear to be damaged. In fact it appeared to be returning to the home planet under full power. Some time later the Hive could sense the minds on board again. Again it was as if a light switch had been flipped. One moment the minds were gone, the next they were there again. And the minds on board the ship described the exact same events from their perspective.

Over the next few days the Hive directed the colony ship to go out and back again several times. What it determined was that the loss of connection occurred at exactly the same distance from the home planet. It also did not matter which direction the colony ship traveled in.

The Hive searched its hosts memories for any clues to what could be occurring. It located some memories of the Last days before the Hive became self aware. Some host medical researchers struggling to stop the spread of the “contamination” had discovered the mental link between the hosts after they awoke from their sleep.

They had been unable to interfere with this link, but they had theorized that it may be possible to break the link if enough distance were put between hosts. The hosts doctors had been unable to test this theory, but the Hive had apparently proven it to be a fact.

For a time the Hive considered whether this would prevent the colonization of the other planets in the system. The hosts on the ship could function independently of the Hive, but this would make cooperation between the planets impossible.

The Hive searched it’s memories for possible solutions, and came up with one that did work, however imperfectly. Prior to being joined by the Hive, the hosts had communicated with each other by verbal communication. This was only effective for a few hundred meters, so they had devised technological methods for sending their voices over great distances by modulating them on very high frequency electromagnetic carrier waves. This technology they called “radio” had been in general use by the hosts. The Hive had not had a conscious knowledge of it before now because it was simply not needed on the planet itself.

As it turned out the Colony ship the Hive had already built already had these radio devices on board it. They had been built because they were in the design specifications, but the Hive had not bothered to learn what they were used for since they were apparently unnecessary for the operation of the ship.

The Hive instructed a host body on the ship, and later on the colony, and one on the home planet to remain in constant radio contact with each other and communicate verbally all the events going on of importance at either end. It was very inefficient, and slow. But the Hive adapted. And in a way it did not feel quite so alone any more. For in effect the Hive was now two Hives.

[Captain Kwok]

Juprup Federation News

2400.6

The Colorup 0001 arrived at New Juprup delivering 34M new colonists and all the materials needed to build a self-sufficient colony. The majority of the colonists however, will be remaining in stasis for another few months until housing and other infrastructure is completed. Speaker Kwok has planned to visit the first Juprup colony in a few months along with another batch of colonists.

2400.7

The JFS Enoki was successfully launched from Construp B earlier this month. The 150kT ship is fully functional and has already completed its shakedown cruise. The Enoki will now embark on a month long journey to the northern warp point and will be making the first voyage through at that time.

[Jmenschenfresser]

Chapter 1--Part 1
2400.0
-------------------------
GOTH & FERISS
-------------------------
Goth is the only known sentient artificial intelligence. It is owned by the Sa'ah. The fact that it seems to possess self-awareness is known only to a few.
Feriss is the Programmeer of Goth and from the tribe of Sa'ah.

--Negative. Food production unable to maintain equilibrium. Storage and rations for 34 million Heru enormous. Two colony ships not viable.
--Are you sure?
--Same question with same variables produces same answer.
--Should have known. But we are only talking two or three months worth of food.
--Negative, Programmeer. Enough food must be taken to allot for the 34 million for over a year...year and two months to be exact. The colonists will need food while they terraform the land and learn to provide for themselves. Perhaps even more foodstuffs will be sent. Now calculate that you are harvesting and storing food for 34 million in one month's time for 12 months. Calculates to enough food for 408 million Heru for one month.
--****. I didn't think of it in those terms.
--I did. Which essentially accounts for one fifth of total food output on the homeworld.
--I see. Do you feel up to a question of preference? I know they are difficult for you.
--I am always hoping to expand my programming.
--Using the word 'hope?' I'm impressed.
--Thank you, Programmeer.
--Several lords of the Sa'ah are looking for ways in which you might help them gain an advantage. I have tried to explain to you the vunerable situation you are in. Some of them are impressed by your skills and personality. The demonstration we ran the other day did a great deal for your cause. However, some of the lords are more impressed by what you can do for them, rather than what you are. All recognize that you could be the Sa'ah's single great advantage in gaining ground on the other tribes. So my question, or rather our question is, and it is a two part question: Can you see a way or tactic in which you might be most helpful to the Sa'ah, and also, and this is the preference part, what would you like to do to help us.
--Am I part of the Sa'ah tribe, Programmeer?
--Uh...no.
--Would it be illogical to ask for an induction into the tribe?
--I don't understand. Why is it important to you to belong to the tribe? Are you capable of loyalty? Such a thing would be asked, and proof might be requested.
--Loyalty. It would be easy for me to write a global program that would forever restrain me from certain, treasonous actions. You could verify the program.
--True. But why do you want to join?
--Membership is survival. I know that, Programmeer. Unless I am seen by everyone involved that I am Sa'ah. I will always be a computer.
--I will relay this conversation to the lords and request that you be accepted. They will eventually agree, I think. It is in their best interest to have your full confidence...or rather be fully confident in you.
--As to your question, my talents are limited only by memory, speed and connections. For starters, if you find a way to connect me to the other tribal mainframes, it might be possible to know everything they know. Would I be kicked for saying that the Sa'ah were weak, Programmeer?
--Probably.
--Then I shall say they are understaffed.
--Better but clinical.
--Then I shall say they are impoverished.
--Oppressed.
--Oppressed, then. Undoubtedly, if the Sa'ah are to flourish in space we must build our knowledge rather than building our might. I consider us extremely lucky we received even the one ship for now from the Overlord and the Circle. I've read all the transmissions.
--Spying?
--Yes, spying. The Sa'ah must learn to spy.
--You mean, you must learn to spy.
--Hopefully that is the same difference.
--****, Goth, they may make you a lord if you keep talking.

[ October 03, 2002, 16:54: Message edited by: Jmenschenfresser ]

[Jmenschenfresser]

Chapter 1--Part 2
2400.0

--------
OVERLORD
--------

Keer-ree, the High Holiday, celebrated by all tribes. Yesterday, the Day of Dawn, the day before the three weeks of festival which bring in the new year, found the Overlord in and out of meetings with the Circle of Fifteen. He considered the issues petty. For the most part the schedule had been decided. Taking a cold bottle of Boohrisian Head Tea from the concealed cooling unit behind his desk, he removed the lid and gulped down half the bottle.

What would my Omon brethren think if they knew I preferred Boohrisian tea over our own root ale, the old Omonite thought. He would have liked to take it as a sign of his tribelessness as Overlord, but that would be fooling himself. He'd always been a cosmopolitain. Friends in all tribes. Lovers in more than one. How many other Omonites could boast they'd bedded a Sa'ah. He loved multiplicity, not homogeneity. He snorted.

Sitting the bottle upon the transparent face of his desk, he struck two keys and the agreed upon itenerary scrolled up from the bottom:

2400.0 Space Yard requisition.
2400.0 Commencement of construction of the Vellon colony ship, Rock One class.
2400.2 Completion of Vellon ship.
2400.2 Commencement of construction of the Omon colony ship, Rock One class.
2400.4 Completion of Omon ship.
2400.4 Commencement of construction of the Rellan colony ship, Rock One class.
2400.6 Completion of Rellan ship.
2400.6 Commencement of construction of the Boohr transport ship, Class Under Consideration
Open - Completion of Boohr ship.
Open - 2nd Vellon colony ship
Open - 2nd Omon colony ship
Open - 1st Sa'ah colony ship.
Open - 1st Boohr colony ship.
--To Be Determined--

The Overlord slapped two more keys and a grid of the known galaxy appeared. Two more keys and a graphical representation of the stipulations of the first ever Ring (title of treaties produced by the Circle of Fifteen) descended upon the grid.

He studied it for a time, sipping his tea and massaging his left bicep.

The Vellon would head toward the center of the galaxy. The Omon would head toward its edge. The third spacial lock remained unclaimed. All further exploration was done on a finders keepers basis, with one exception--the system to the south, if inhabitable, would belong to the Rellan so that they might retain a strong centralized node of power for the Heru. The Boohr were granted right to one planet per system of the owner's choice. No rights have been given to the Sa'ah except a general promise of initial colony ships. Few want to see them prosper given that it almost invariably leads to raiding and extortion.

The Overlord didn't really relish the thought of returning to the Lighting of the First. His wife made a horribly bitter sweet nut stuffing. Probably the worst. Work was better than choking that stuff down. He resolved to spread around a little tribelessness with a personal letter to the Vellon captain chosen to pilot the first colony ship. He'd write the entire letter replacing all tribal references with references to the Heru as a whole. Damned Vellon needed all the pride they could get as people of Heru and not children of the Vellon. The Vellon had only recently rewritten their textbooks to cut off all geneologies with Vellon, instead of the traditional extension to Heru.

First steps toward another war, thought the Overlord.

He grabbed his left bicep, almost spilling his drink in the process. The line across his bicep itched on the inside. It always had..ever since a Vellon soldier almost hacked it off with a piece of glass tied to a splintered table leg.

[TerranC]

Notes: I guess I was too excited in the start. I rewrote and edited the two stories before. Not much changed, but now you can make sense out of it. Enjoy.
--------------------------------------------------
"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."
-Albert Einstein

Galtenn Standard Year 2400, 7th Month.

"Well, that business is done with. Tell Command to get the Crew Return Vehicle ready. I don't want to stay up here one more second."

"I thought you liked space?"

"I like space. I don't like working in space. Even if it's all done by a bunch of robots. Besides, the station gives me vertigo every time I look out the window."

"Heh. Vertigo nothing. You don't have to spacewalk out there with a 300KT starship bearing down on your head."

"It's Zero Gravity, Hecks. Ain't nothing falling down on your head unless with a gentle nudge."

"That's what I worry about"

The two crewmembers laughed out aloud in the void of space.

"Is the CRV coming or what?"

"It'll come... just wait a sec-"

explosion

Just then, something rocked the space station with tremendous force, enough to bring the two members off their seats. It seemed to almost overturn the enormous space station. After a brief moment, the space station became stable, once again.

"What the hell was that?"
"Check the cameras! Did something crash into us?"
"Negative! What's going on? I'm not reading 6A wing on the computer!"
"What? How can you not see a forsaken wing?"

"Holy smoky, Jecks. Take a look at this."
"Lord almighty."

Both crewmembers stared ghastly at a vidfeed that showed a part of the station ripped apart to pieces. Where it had once sported a large wing of a construction facility, it was replaced by nothingness: apart from a large debris field and some torn framework freefloating in space. A comm signal broke the moment of awe.

"Command to Starbase Galtenn, Command to Starbase Galtenn, please respond. We've registered a large explosion down here. Is anybody hurt?"

"Negative command. No one's hurt. The whole wing is gone Command. Gone. Torn apart to shreds-"
"When is that CRV going to get here command?"
"The CRV will arrive momentarily. We have dispatched a shuttle also to cope with any problems. It's almost over. Stay frosty."

the day after

"... There are no words on what caused the explosion, or if there are to be any actions taken. The Space Command is keeping a tight lid..."

I turned off the Television.
There was no need to watch it anymore. I didn't need some grubby reporter telling me what I already know. It was bound to happen, I knew it, they knew it, and everybody knew it. I sincerely believed that every precaution was taken, and that those precautions would prevent access to vital alliance installations. Or at least slow the clock or make them choose something less important.

"Mr. Central Regent, The executive committee is here to see you."

"Thank you secretary computer. Show them in."
"Good Morning, Gentlemen."

"Good Morning Mr. Central Regent. Now we assume you called us about the event?"

"You must be psychic, Mr. T'Erian. All of you, please sit down."

I took a deep breath before speaking; as what I was about to say would destroy everything I have worked for. But the citizen's needs and wants come first, not my ambitions.

"You all know that I met with the Demiregents of the nations following the event Last night, and... I think they're right. I think we should put a halt to all information regarding the event, and halt the constructions, at least we implement new safety measures..."

"Sir, with all due respect, the demiregents' advice is worth dirt. We cannot put a hold on information and the space constructions, even if we wanted to."

"Mr. Central Regent, halting the construction, and subsequently the expansion of our race, is telling ourselves that we should chock ourselves and suffocate. Galtenn Prime is a fine planet, but the maintenance of 2 Swifts, a space station, and a colony ship is putting strain on our resources. Also, the construction costs are running our coffers bare. From more than 40 000 KTs of resources, we have used up more than 10 000, and are loosing more each month. We have located 3 Huge and resource rich planets in the new lixis system, 1 of which, has an oxygen atmosphear! To halt construction when such rewards are nearly at our heals, sir?"

"If you hold information, and halt construction, they have won, sir. The opposition, the media, the pessimists, and the state nations. You must adress the public."

"Think about it, Mr. Regent. You have all the time you need."

There was a lengthy period of silence in the room.

"Thank you. I'll notify you people first before I take any action."

"Have a nice day, Mr. Central Regent."

the day after

"Good afternoon, Detective Landers. How goes the investigation?"

"Just fine Mr. Central Regent. We've found some interesting things from the shuttle. Since I know that you don't have time, and I don't have time, I'll just get down to business, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead Detective."

"Well, we can rule out any mechanical faults or Galtenn error, sir. The station computers don't record any rise or decline in systems to above normal or below. The Command Station recordings show the same, and our own scans of the mechanical debris show that they were working fine before the event."

"Well, Computers can be tricked, can't it?"

"Yes they can sir, but our computer analysts don't see any signs of hacking, alteration of data or any malicious programs in the computers."

"So you're saying that this was deliberate?"

"I wanted this to be an accident, myself, sir. But lady luck isn't with us. The proximity scanners don't show any space junk floating nearby, and no meteor materials were found."

"What caused this?"

"Our best guess sir? A bomb, not really powerful but if well positioned, could do a lot of damage. It's not the sophisticated EM kinds, but the Ral Gral (Joe Schmo) type dynamite."

"Are you sure that it was a bomb?"

"Not quite so sure sir, but it's either that, or some kind of undocumented freak accident where the plasma pipes just blow up without gathering pressure."

"Was it the crew?"

"No sir. The crew stayed in the command module all the time. Passed the lie tests perfectly. Somebody that got in, got out, and stayed anonymous enough in order to plant a bomb without the environmental computers knowing it probably perpetrated the event. We're getting closer and closer to a solution sir."

"Thank you. Please keep me and the GSC informed of any progress."

"Will do sir. Shuttle out."

"5 minutes Mr. Central Speaker."

The bloke had to have connections. There was no way that some ignoramus could have come into the station with a bomb. They'll get to the bottom of this. They are good men, the crew.

I stepped up to the podium to see a whole mess of reporters and cameras.

"Good Morning ladies and gentlemen. As you all know by now, at 10:00 PM Standard Meridian Time, 2 days ago, the 6A section 'wing' of Starbase Galtenn was destroyed by unknown causes. The crew is safe, and the Acasta is intact. There is a full-fledged investigation going on as of this moment to figure out the cause of the accident. As of this moment, MXR Aeronautic corps will be off of any future projects, and will be investigated. The Space Contract, for the time being has been awarded to Northern Frameworks Incorporated. The space program will proceed as planned, and another Acasta Colony Ship and Anton Schmitt Installation will be constructed. The GSS Vulcan and the GSS Swift will not be recalled, and the GSS Swift's return is only for refueling purposes. The GSS Swift and the GSS Vulcan have relayed their collected stellar data back to Galtenn Alliance Geological Survey, and the GAGS have approved the plan to colonize 3 planets in the system Lixis over a period of 2 years. Research of Propulsion technology will also proceed as planned. Better scanner technology will also be researched to prevent events like the explosion. The crew will be given 4 months of leave with counseling with pay when they will be given the command of the newer proposed installations. Upcoming events in the Calendar will not be changed or cancelled, nor will there be any emergency meetings of the states. All will be returned to normalcy, and hopefully, an event such as this will never happen again. Thank you and God bless."

Acasta Anton Schmitt

"Mr. Central Regent..."

As I stepped off of the podium, I began to think of what would plague the alliance and I next. They, whoever they are, pulled off a major stunt. If what they have done are any indication, they'll think about what to do next, and probably will wait a little. We are going to be ready next time.

Somwhere else on Galtenn Prime

"Sir. It's been done."

"Good. Phase one is complete."

"When shall we begin phase two, sir?"

"In due time... In due time. We've scared them for now. Give them time to become relaxed again... when they become plagued with hesitation and inaction. When they think it's safe. It's not profitable to go after someone that has been cornered. They will strike back."

"Aye sir."

"The beginnings of an empire starts here..."

[ October 04, 2002, 03:06: Message edited by: TerranC ]