History of the Galaxy II

[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.
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"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 ]