STAR CITIZEN Time Capsule

2075: THE STARS GET A LITTLE CLOSER

The morning of May 3, 2075 started out like any other. Rebecca Childress sat at the dining table coloring while her mom watched the morning news. It was these moments, Rebecca recounted many years later, that she loved the most. This day, however, would stick out in her mind as well as the mind of every human on the planet.

Excerpt from Rebecca Childress’ diary:

“Mommy made omelettes [sic] again today. I was coloring when I saw Daddy on the holo. I screamed for Mom. Danny started screaming and running around the table. Ugh, so annoying. There he was, standing next to the President! They were talking about space and stuff, which was cool, but he looked so important standing there. We hadn’t seen him for so long. He had a beard now. Mommy doesn’t like it but I think it looks funny.

Whenever Daddy was about to leave, I asked him why he had to work all the time and he always told me the same thing:

He was trying to give me the stars.”

Dr. Scott Childress and his team had completed the first self-sustaining quantum drive engine, capable of achieving 1/100th the speed of light. For the first time, humanity could explore the solar system with unprecedented speed.

2113: WHEN DO WE GO TOO FAR?

EDITORIAL FROM UNITED TIMES ARCHIVE PUBLISHED APRIL 21, 2113

“When Do We Go Too Far?”

BY. HANNIGAN TERRELL

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock the past week, you’ve no doubt heard of RSI’s latest ‘achievement.’ So let me recap for the rock-dwellers, they claim to have designed a machine that can “process the atmosphere of a planet to convert it to a sustained oxygen environment, making it habitable for humans.” In short, they’re talking about terraforming. Yeah, that’s right, the stuff of science fiction. I know everyone’s excited about the opportunities this presents but no one seems to be taking a breath and thinking what this really means.

So once again, it’s up to me to be the voice of reason in this techno hysteria. That’s right, dear readers, I’m going to ask the question that no one is asking. You ready?

If we can terraform a planet, why should we?

I’ll give you a second. Think about that. I’ll say it again, just because we can do something, do we have to? I know the pundits over at SSNtv like to poke fun at me, make me out to be a technophobe but I’ll tell you this, I didn’t have a problem with the cloning initiatives. I didn’t even have a problem with gene-coding to minimize inherited disorders and diseases. Those things were achievements to help make lives better. What is this for? What is it in aid of? At what point are we going too far? Seriously, we’re talking about restructuring the very air of a planet. The planets we’re talking about were formed like that for a

reason. Who are we to assume that the universe wants us to mold planets to benefit us? We aren’t Gods and playing around with the fundamental fabric of a planet is arrogant and dangerous.

I know this is probably going to fall on deaf ears. The world is too high, basking in our own magnificence, but I promise you: Nothing good will come of this.

2120: GIVE THESE PEOPLE AIR

After years of simulations and tests, the governments of the world pool their knowledge and resources to attempt the first planetary conversion. The test subject: Mars.

Teams of surveyors were dispatched to the planet surface to generate topographical maps, to decide Atmo-Processor placement, and test surface samples for possible contaminants to the new oxygen environment.

It was our first top-to-bottom exploration of our nearest planet and the Governments of the World weren’t going to leave anything to chance…

2125: A DARK DAY SOURCE: SENTINEL NEWSORG

UPLOADED: MID-ATLANTIC SERVERS @ 7:53EST

AUTHOR: KELSEY FORSET

Today is a dark day. In the pursuit of human advancement, the history books tend to favor the brave men and women who succeed. The Wright Brothers, the John Glenns, the Edwin Pierces distinguished themselves because they were the ones that did it, that made it through. But around the monolith of every achievement are the bodies of those that tried and failed. Today is a dark day and today we’re going to celebrate the brave men and women who laid down their lives in the tragedy that struck Mars at 04:38 EST this morning.

While the public waits for an official statement regarding what happened, our sources have indicated that a chemical miscalculation in the planetary atmospheric processors made the new atmosphere unstable. “[The atmosphere] didn’t stick,” said a government official who asked not to be named. The planet was in the final stages of terraforming. An oxygen-sustaining environment had been in place for the past two weeks. The scientific community on the planet were still vetting the system but were two days away from officially declaring the planet secure.

This confidence in the atmosphere meant that none of the crew were wearing the appropriate breathing apparatus. While technically a violation of operating protocol, we are told that there was no indication for the ground crew to assume that the atmosphere was anything but stable. Whatever was ultimately responsible happened so fast that no one was able to sound an alarm or seal the ventilations of the various installations around the planet.

The tragedy will no doubt rekindle the long-standing arguments about the merits of terraforming. In the President’s blog-statement this morning, she addressed the possibility of an International committee to investigate how to move forward from this. “While I understand that the notion of terraforming stirs emotions both for and against, the four thousand eight hundred and seventy-six souls died working to push humanity forward, we need to make sure that whatever decision we come to, we move forward honoring the sacrifice made by the heroes of Mars.”

2140: A SHIP IN EVERY GARAGE

While the creation of the RSI Quantum Drive engine has made our solar system

more accessible, it was still the province of governments, the growing Corps

fleets, and the super-wealthy.

That was about to change…

2157: BLUE SKIES ON MARS

After almost forty years of trial and tragedy, mars is officially classified as an oxygen-sustaining environment. A memorial to those who passed in the great mars tragedy of ’25 is unveiled after the official declaration with senator stephen nguyen as the keynote speaker.

This is a transcript of his speech:

My brother Sean loved to build. When we were kids, I was the one who played

sports and ran for Student Congress, he was always tinkering with things. It

wasn’t weird in our house to suddenly come home to the DistroBox disassembled

and arranged on the living room floor or Sean crawling around the ventilation

shafts because he heard a clicking. There was one time, and I could never prove

it, but I think he got to the dog. He was ten, mind you, ten years old and already

that gifted. Maybe gifted is the wrong word, because it wasn’t just his talent, it

was his curiosity and the absolute joy he got from breaking something apart and

seeing how all the pieces mattered.

As the years went by, we sort of drifted apart. He was just my weird, nerdy little brother who kept taking apart my stuff. We went to school on opposite sides of the world. He studied engineering and physics, a surprise to no one. I did my thing.

As adults, we would check in from time to time but I wouldn’t say we were particularly close. More like acquaintances than brothers. We were just too

different. I liked the Phoenix Five, he thought they were derivative. I thought the new Citizenship program was an important way to reward the people who actively want to build a stronger nation. He thought it was elitist. And so it went.

Many years ago, when I won my first district seat, Sean showed up to the victory party. I think an aide must have invited him. To be honest, it never occurred to me to even try. Someone on my staff said they saw him in the corner, obviously uncomfortable around the crowd. He didn’t even come talk to me, just wrote a note and asked someone to give it me. Here’s what it said:

“Hey Stephen, you looked like you had a lot of people to talk to so I didn’t want to interrupt. But I just wanted to say, you’re awesome, man. I know we bicker and fight but it gives me hope that someone who really believes in their convictions is going into government. It’s really exciting and I’m so happy for you. Just remember, no matter what ugliness surrounds you, be brave, be yourself, and you’ll be fine.”

My brother Sean. Sean the destroyer. Sean the rebuilder. Sean was one of the many lost in the Tragedy of 2125. Since then, I’ve never been able to hear one of his aggravating rants on politics or one of his ridiculously dull ramblings about alloys and stress-points. It is a solace that the project that claimed my brother’s life has now been completed. This monument, a small consolation compared to the loss of these people, will at least keep their names alive for the rest of humanity to see forever.

You know what? Forgive my bluntness but screw that. I don’t want people to look at this memorial and be quiet and introspective. I want the names chiseled into this rock to spark a fire in them, a fire to challenge themselves, to challenge humanity. I want the names on this rock to be a battle cry for all of us to excel, to burst out into the universe and find our destiny.

So in the words of my stupid little brother, be brave everyone. Be yourself. And we’ll all be fine.

2214: THE MARCH OF PROGRESS

When RSI announced the next generation of fusion engine, new and exciting prospects for space travel opened up, but not everyone was so enthused:

Bailey couldn’t believe it. Twenty minutes into Physics class and his Sheet was now getting a new download. Some new Engine Tech or something that came out today. He’d caught a glimpse of it on the way out the door this morning but these crappy public school Sheets were just getting the TextbookUpdate pings now.

Mr. Caro already said that we were gonna be quizzed on it and its updating now?! There’s no way. Just no way. This is so stupid. How the hell am I supposed to learn this now?

Screw it. I’ll bomb it. Screw this class. Screw Citizenship. Screw this whole system. I don’t need it…

Mr. Caro said the quiz would start in ten minutes. Bailey sunk into his seat and started studying.

2232: THE FIRST PUSH

The Artemis was the manifestation of a dream. When the announcement came that a vessel was being constructed for a push to the nearest potentially habitable planet, the public flipped. Alien worlds and first contact was no longer the province of sci-fi, it was becoming a tantalizing reality.

The ship would be fitted with stasis couches (known as ‘boots’), terraforming equipment and supplies, and an AI Core at the helm. Maximum capacity: Five thousand.

A call went out for volunteers.

No one downplayed the risks, of which there were many. On a slow-burn with the latest engines, the Artemis would take over two hundred years to reach its destination. A lot can happen in that time. Regardless, there were over a million volunteers. Committees filtered the list down, trying to balance the best combination of skills, trades, and disciplines.

The following are excerpts from Chariot to the Stars, the official companion piece to the launch, based on the compiled flight logs, personal journals, and witness accounts of the Artemis and its launch.

TIME STAMP: Launch = -0d14h38m13s

On the eve of the Artemis’ launch, Captain Lisa Danvers was checking circuit boards underneath the Comm station on the bridge… for the third time.

Arthur Kenlo, Engineering, sat on the arm of the Captain’s chair. He’d given up trying to figure out what she was looking for.

Lisa always had an issue with big ships. Sure, she’d flown transports before but this was different. There were a thousand things that could go wrong which could, in turn, affect a million functions. It was maddening and she probably screwed herself by even starting down this path.

“Are you sure I can’t assist you, Captain?” A disembodied voice said, murmuring from dozens of hidden speakers throughout the bridge. It was the AI, helpful as always.

“No, I’m okay.” She said, Kenlo mouthed along the words of what was clearly a familiar exchange. Lisa couldn’t see anything wrong, out of place, or suspect in the myriad of circuit boards. She hated pre-flight anxiety. No matter what she did, it always hit her bad. So she made an executive decision, she cut herself off and replaced the panel. Kenlo perked up.

“You good?”

“Yeah, I think so. Hey Janus?”

“Yes Captain?” The disembodied voice replied.

“Generate another set of contingency actions for the Stasis Boots.”

“Do you have any specific parameters?”

“No, use your imagination.”

“That is a concept of which I only have a external understanding.”

“Outside the box. Something that we haven’t thought of.”

“I will try, Captain.”

That night, Janus, the AI Core, tried to imagine.

TIME STAMP: Launch = -0d0h4m21s

The next morning, the world waited. The volunteer population was waiting on an Orbital Platform. The engineers felt it would be easier that way, save themselves the trouble of having to build launch seating for five thousand if they didn’t have to. So they had been ferried up there in groups over the past few weeks.

Today was the launch of the Artemis itself. Danvers and her core crew would take her up then dock with the Platform to pick up the Civilians and any last minute supplies. NewsOrgs from around the world were gathered, ready to capture the moment in every conceivable format and put it on anything with a screen.

Lisa was already strapped in, the nerves and jitters of the past few days melting away with each passing moment. She stared at the main projection screen, displaying the front view of the ship. Right now, it was just a sealed launch tube. She thought about what lay beyond it, the sky. The sky that she loved. It was waiting for her to come back.

Danvers glided through her pre-flight checks. She was thorough and professional but couldn’t get through them fast enough. Crew departments checked in, it was green across the board. A final check in with Flight Control. They were set.

It was time.

Klaxons outside the ship began beeping. The massive metal gates of the flight tube unlocked with heavy thuds.

“Captain Danvers, shall I assume launch control?” Janus said.

“No, I got it.”

“Are you sure, Captain?”

“I’m sure.”

The gates started to move.

“But Captain, I have a .002 error quotient to-”

“Just show me that sky. I’ll get us there.”

TIME STAMP: Launch = +9d5h12m57s

Janus assumed control and circle for a week once the crew and civilians had entered stasis to check for any errors or anomalies. Effectively a dry run of how the ship would run once it started its Push. If there were any problems, Flight Control could abort and even remotely pilot the Artemis back if need be.

Flight Control finished a final assessment of the checks. Everything looked good. Justin Cobb, the Mission Director, looked over the bays of technicians, scientists, and analysts.

“Everyone good.”

Everyone nodded.

“This is our last chance. If anybody’s got the slightest hesitation or concern, I don’t care how it’ll sound or how the people upstairs will flip, you better voice it.”

Silent. Cobb gave it a few moments then nodded to establish contact with the Artemis.

“Good afternoon.”

“How are you Janus?”

“I have been running simulations. Contingency scenarios. Examples include; random Power fluctuation, impact with foreign body, contact with new uncategorized gas or element, contact with hostile organism, etc.”

“Any conclusions?”

“I think we’ll be satisfactory.”

Cobb glanced at the nearest Tech, slightly confused by the AI’s language. “You think?”

“I imagine we will be fine, Mr. Cobb.”

Twenty-two minutes later, the Artemis blasted its thrusters, starting a full-burn for a scheduled seventy minutes. It passed the edge of our solar system, into that great sea of space beyond, into that silent black that surrounds us.

And so we wait, dreaming of the things that they will find, hoping that one day we will hear back from the brave men and women who boarded the Artemis, that chariot to the stars, and struck out as the first Ambassadors of this United Earth.

2262: THE NESO TRIANGLE

Space was becoming a busy place. Ships of all kinds, federal, commercial, and private, were exploring the edges of our solar system.

In August of 2262, the Goodman, a Type-IV cargo vessel (crew of eight), was making a routine supply run to an Orbital Platform by Neptune. Approximately three hours from its final destination, a piece of debris knocked out the starboard engine array, sending the ship wildly off-course.

The Goodman drifted for several hours before managing to repair the ship to a crawl. What happened next has been investigated and examined by the greatest minds on the planet. The following is the last transmission of the Goodman, speaking with an operator at the nearest CommStation.1

Investigations of their last known position yielded no wreckage, nothing. The Goodman simply vanished.

Over the next few months, two more ships disappeared in the same area in similar manners. More inquiries were launched but they couldn’t determine what happened.

Ultimately, the area was declared a no-fly zone.

1 Check \Audio\Time_capsule2262.ogg that comes with this document

2271: ONE SMALL JUMP FOR MAN

JUMPER Review

US/Color/123min

By. Kevin Lazarus

When Global/Nexus announced last year that it was embarking on yet another biopic of famed astro-pioneer Nick Croshaw, it seemed preposterous. Everybody and their mother knows his story; from his relentless study of the space anomaly that seemed to swallow ships whole to finally becoming the first man to discover and successfully navigate through a jump-point. We’ve all been here before. Seen it done on Vid, in song, I’m sure someone’s painted it, but here’s the thing… this one’s really good.

Starting with a script from newcomer Thomas Goss, Prods were able to attract A-list talent like Michael Forbe (Croshaw) and Lima Hannigan (Baxter) and director Ariel Kalil (Requiem’s Run). Text and Vis has a vérité feel that doesn’t patronize. It adds a vitality and urgency to what had always been the stumbling block for earlier attempts at the same story; the early days. This period of Croshaw’s life was effectively trial and error, attempting to understand what caused and how to consistently trigger the anomaly to open is pretty dry stuff, essentially boiling down to arguments about astrophysics and folds in time/space. Somehow the Makers tone it down just enough to make it accessible and get you emotionally involved but without losing the intellectually challenging elements of the discourse.

Once the film moves into Croshaw’s attempt to cross the Fold for the first time, it shifts into a more conventional adventure story but since it had done such a wonderful job setting up everything that’s at stake, you’re ready for something a little more fast-paced, which brings us to probably the stand-out set-piece in the entire Vid. Everyone knows the dangers of jump-point navigation, it’s like

piloting through an asteroid field with afterburners on. That’s what we’re told. Now we can experience what it must feel like; the blinding speeds, the abject terror, but also that rush, that insane high of skating to the edge and coming out the other side. It makes it all the more insane and incredible that this actually happens.

The Vis once Croshaw comes out the other side of the jump-point are impeccably done, regressing what we all know as the Croshaw System into what it probably looked like when he saw it for the first time with all the wonder that I’m sure he felt.

Tech achievements are top-notch across the board. William Kurtz’s score is both sweeping and intimate.

Vid will appeal to multi-demo crowd though young children probably won’t like the science-speak. Available for Dish and Wave set this week, standard ul/dl costs apply.

2438: HELLO

UNITED TIMES/TRIBUNE NEWSORG ARCHIVE

FIRST SCHEDULED: JUNE 12, 2438 By. Shelley Field

We always wondered. Since striking out into the universe, we felt awfully alone. Through discoveries of jump-points, alien systems, it felt awfully lonely in the Black. Now everything changes. Because now we know.

At approximately 3:13 SET, Vernon Tar, a thirty-six year old Explorer, was scanning for undiscovered jump-points in the Davien System. Drifting through

the Black with only the hum of his deep-range scanners to keep him company, Tar suddenly got a hit.

“When you’re in the quiet for that long, any kind of ping scares the hell out of you for a second,” Tar relayed via DataCom, “so I checked my display and, well, it wasn’t a jump-point.”

It was a ship. Initially thinking it was simply another Explorer or a lost vessel, Tar barely acknowledged it.

“I almost didn’t want to look at it. I was sure it was some other Jumper out here, looking for the same thing as me.” Only when the ship drew closer, did he realize what he was looking at; the first member of an alien race. “After I got over my shock, I knew it was a delicate situation. We just stared at each other for a while.”

Tar contacted UNE SOC and relayed his coordinates. A delegation party was quickly assembled and rushed out to the scene. Military forces were on hand in case they turned out to be hostile. The meeting lasted about forty minutes. UNE forces were left to wait for a response from the Alien Race.

Scientists are currently scrambling to devise programs to facilitate translation and communication but after millennia of civilization, we can all say that we handled First Contact with the grace and dignity of a truly advanced race. From here, now we know for sure that there’s another race out there, another civilization to share and grow with.

Incident Report

Submitted to H-Soc Central

Author: Gen Neal Socolovich

Authorized Users Only

Re: Alien Contact

At approximately 3:00 this afternoon, first contact was established with an alien

civilization in the Davien system. Here is an outline of what happened:

Vernon Tar was searching the system for jump-points when his systems picked up a Contact. Assuming it was just another explorer, he opened fire before

realizing that it was, in fact, an alien vessel. He got scared and called it in. We isolated the Comm to keep a lid on the situation and rushed to the scene as quick as we could and immediately enacted standard containment protocol and media-blacks.

As best as we could tell, the alien [hereafter JERRY] seemed shaken up and annoyed at being fired upon by Tar. We didn’t want to press the issue so we tried to calm Jerry down using pantomime techniques. Immediately notified the TECH-Div to start working on some kind of translation device. Jerry let them record some of his language. We also ran cursory scans of his ships. Nothing overt as did not want to arouse suspicion but Data is attached.

We’ve released some info to the press and used one of our personnel to pose as Tar for the interview to make sure he towed the line. We don’t think Tar will be a problem. We bluntly explained to him that if he keeps quiet, he gets to be the hero who made first contact rather than the idiot who nearly sparked the first interstellar war. Tar understood.

In the meantime, we deployed Scan-Arrays to Davien to keep an eye out but will anticipate more contact in the coming days or weeks. I’m sure they’re probably just as curious as us.

They were curious. Two weeks later, an alien delegation appeared in the Davien System and established contact with Socolovich. Over the next few months, the two races worked to break through the communication barrier. When we could finally interact, we learned that they were the Banu. A collective race of planet-states who had also just started to explore the universe.

In October of 2438, Socolovich and the other delegates signed the first interstellar Peace and Trade accord with the Banu.

2460: BREATHE FREE

Earth is overcrowded.

Through expansion and terraforming, there are vast amounts of territory for humanity to move to but there is still an apprehension among the public. It wasn’t until RSI’s “The Air You Breathe” campaign that people began to trickle out into the universe, eager to start over on a new world.

Message Exchange between:

Mark Carl [Willet & Ngo Advertising]

Francois Kelsen [RSI, Corp]

Re: Ad Campaign

MC: Hey Francois, legal has cleared the contract and the design team has signed the NDA’s so it looks like we’re in business.

FK: Outstanding. When can we start brainstorming?

MC: We’re at your disposal now. What sort of campaign were you thinking?

FK: Well, I don’t know. You tell me.

MC: Off the top of my head, I think we play up the feeling of opportunity. Earth will always be Earth but we’ve kinda blasted the resources here.

FK: Indeed.

MC: You go to a new planet. The air will be cleaner. I don’t know. I’m just spitballing here.

FK: Of course, I think there’s something there. Everything’s new. I mean when was the last time you sat in a field?

MC: A real one?

FK: See what I mean?

MC: So it’s the chance. The chance of rebirth. Of starting over. It’s about possibilities. The excitement of not knowing what to expect.

FK: But I don’t want it to sound like it’s savage. There is civilization and technology.

MC: Right. But there’s space. Room.

FK: Right. I want people to understand that they can have a new life. That’s what the universe is offering us. A chance to start again. We want to give them the opportunity to realize that chance.

2516: A BETTER EARTH

By 2516, the UNE had expanded into twelve systems. While jump-points and data relays allowed for quicker travel, to the systems on the edge, Earth was starting to feel quite far away.

Wei-Yin Song, one of the lead surveyors for the UNE’s Eastern Expansion Program, came across a discovery in a new system and drafted a message with an interesting idea.

TO: UNE HIGH COUNSEL

CC: General Kelso Trask

Senator Patricia Oat

RE: PROSPECTIVE SYSTEM

Ladies and Gentlemen:

As you know, my current assignment is to seek out and classify new systems for prospective terraforming and exploration. The latest system (342A) that my team and I have discovered is located in what can only be described as a confluence, a nexus. We have already discovered four jump-points in addition to the one we entered through with the possibility of a fifth on the horizon.

I am attaching a current map of the system in question with the zones still left for scanning as well as the already discovered jump-points. One of the planets (342A.03M) is a super-earth. Scans and scouting missions confirmed the presence of a naturally oxygen-based atmosphere, indigenous vegetation, vast oceans, and temperate climates. Deep in the southern region, a scout team discovered remnants of a rock formation, indicating that they were arranged that way but we have not discovered any indication of intelligent life.

In short, I would like to suggest that 342A.03M be established as a forward operating base for terraforming and expansion into the adjoining systems. The team has named the planet Terra to honor its similarities to Earth.

All of our current data and findings are included in this Comm-packet, I invite you to see for yourself.

Sincerely,

Wei-Yin Song

Chief Surveyor/Engineer

UNE EEP Project

The UNE Congress approved the plan to centralize Eastern system operations out of Terra. Over the years, cities grew and a new culture was born.

2523: THE THREE PILLARS

SSN/CAtv Auto-transcript for S&P Archive and NFCC Submission:

ANNOUNCER: Welcome back to the hottest Current Affairs show on the Spectrum. With our panel, Kyle Black, political analyst, Sheldi Chen, bestseller author and speaker, and Ben Feller, futurist. It’s time for another… SHOWDOWN!

KYLE: So we’re back talking about this new bombshell from the UNE, they are going to restructure to… what is it now? UPE?

BEN: United Planets of Earth.

SHELDI: What a ridiculous name.

BEN: Come on. It makes perfect sense. We have a couple dozen planets that are approaching Earth-size populations with more on the horizon. These people need to be represented. And seriously, United Nations of Earth is a little outdated.

KYLE: From what we can tell, and they released a fifteen hundred-page dossier outlining the changes so we’re still sifting through the details, but it looks like the set-up is pretty much the same.

BEN: It is. The Congress will now be made up of delegates representing planets rather than the Old outmoded Nations. It’s a better system.

KYLE: What do you think about these new figureheads; a High Secretary who manages infrastructure, a High General for military, and a High Advocate for Law.

BEN: When a government has to manage the sheer number of constituents that-

SHELDI: Sounds like a great set-up for fascism.

BEN: Are you serious?

SHELDI: Anytime you focus the power from the many into the hands of a few, someone’s going to learn how to abuse it. And also, how the hell did Robert Thorn make High Advocate? The man is an idiot and should be thrown out of office by a mob not promoted. He’s not even a Citizen.

KYLE: Oh stop, it’s been proven time and time again that he-

SHELDI: I DON’T BUY IT. His file could be doctored. Do you have any idea how easy-

KYLE: Look if it’s that easy to break into FedDataBanks then everybody’s Citizenship standing is suspect. How can I really know that you’re a Citizen?

SHELDI: Hey, I served my time in the AF and did twice the necessary community service to earn my Citizenship. Look it up, you <<INFRACTION>>.

BEN: Right, your parents didn’t contribute at all…

SHELDI: Shut your <<INFRACTION>> mouth.

BEN: <<INFRACTION>> you.

ANNOUNCER: Stick around for more SHOWDOWN! After these local commercials.

2530: THE GALAXY GETS BIGGER

It was like the Gold Rush, planetary prospectors were desperate to stake their claim on ‘unformed’ worlds. Most followed the Federal protocols, others don’t.

Gaia Planet Services attempted to terraform a planet without authorization. Turns out the planet wasn’t uninhabited. A new race, later discovered to be the Xi’An Empire, showed up while the terraformers were building the equipment. Needless to say, they were a little perturbed. The Xi’An captured the entire crew and kept them under guard. They released one, the foreman Charles Baxter, as a gesture of good faith.

Back on Earth, High-Secretary Cho, High-General Volder, and High-Advocate Machado along with a select sub-committee of Senators gathered to get a clear assessment of what happened from Baxter and what to do about the Xi’An.

HIGH-SECRETARY CHO: If everyone’s set, Mr. Baxter, please begin. Tell us about the events of that day.

BAXTER: I’ve been advised by the Company’s attorney-

HIGH-ADVOCATE MACHADO: Mr. Baxter, this is not a criminal hearing. We are simply trying to get a clear picture of what happened. There are still two hundred seventy-five of your colleagues held by an alien civilization. Any help you provide us today will be taken into account when this crisis is resolved.

[Baxter confers with Attorney]

BAXTER: We were surveying, looking for plant-points to set up the equipment. There were three transports scheduled to land so we were expecting to hear ships. I was up on a ridge when the first one came into view. I knew immediately

it wasn’t ours. Human, I mean. It didn’t look like any Banu ship I’d ever seen, but you know how they are…

HIGH-SECRETARY CHO: Please stay on topic.

BAXTER: Well, next thing we knew, they were all over us. Ships coming from all sorts of directions.

HIGH-GENERAL VOLDER: Didn’t you run scans before landing?

BAXTER: Not really. I mean, I don’t think so.

HIGH-GENERAL VOLDER: Don’t you think it would be wise before attempting to terraform a planet?

BAXTER: You don’t know what it’s like out there. You wait around too long, some other Corp will swoop in and process that rock faster than you can blink.

HIGH-GENERAL VOLDER: While we appreciate your sociological insight, Mr. Baxter, we need facts, not hyperbole if we’re going to free the hostages.

HIGH-SECRETARY CHO: General, we have not concluded that a military action is necessary.

HIGH-GENERAL VOLDER: I understand but we need to have a plan on the table to enact should the diplomatic solutions go sour.

HIGH-SECRETARY CHO: Agreed. Please continue, Mr. Baxter.

. . .END EXCERPT

UPE Military forces maintained a perimeter at the jump-point entrance. It took fifteen days to work out a communication system to speak with the Xi’An. That started a tense negotiation period. The Xi’An were meticulous with their demands.

By the time the hostages were released, over fifty-seven days had passed. Though the UPE had managed to avoid war, relations with the Xi’An were tense.

2541: AWFULLY CROWDED IN MY SKY

As the UPE maintained a chilly tension with the Xi’An near Terra in the ‘East,’ we were still unchallenged in the systems to the ‘West’ of Earth. That was about to change.

The Tevarin were about a hundred years behind humans technologically. They were just starting to journey out from their homeworld of Kaleeth. The Tevarin adhered to a rigid warrior ethos, honoring duty and fealty as virtues. They were not a bloodthirsty species, they simply honored the art of combat.

UPE System Designation: Elysium

Date of Discovery: November 15, 2541

Jump-Point NavDirections U/L: Kellar Lench [Pilot/n.C.]

System Assessment: On Elysium IV there is an indigenous species calling themselves the Tevarin. Though sentient and intelligent, they have not evolved to our level technologically. Recommend that we establish contact and bring them into the UPE. It is a wonderful opportunity to elevate the species into the modern era.

The UPE reached out to the Tevarin. They weren’t interested in establishing diplomatic relations or even our technology. They were interested in our systems. So the first interspecies war began as most wars begin, over territory.

As the Tevarin War began to swell, the military feared that the conflict in the West might embolden a Xi’An attack in the East and instituted a Draft. Fortunately, a young and ambitious officer, Ivar Messer, captured public attention when he distinguished himself in the Battle of Idris IV. The UPE quickly realized this and turned Messer into the face of the Tevarin War.

2546: A LEADER RISES

Alyssa Jamali was running late. She had fallen asleep last night while working on her Chem homework, now she had to dictate her Poly-Sci assignment on her way to class. High-General Messer had spoken at a memorial for the victims of the bombing attack on Cestulus and Mr. Kent wanted a one-page summary of the speech.

Dictation Start: Alyssa Jamali Poli-Sci/Kent/45Bcf Assignment: Messer Speech

The systems are falling apart. Since the War ended, we are under attack from a new kind of threat, one that is not fought on battlefields or between carriers. This war is being fought in secret, with threats and sabotage.

That was the message eight months ago. Six terrorists attacks over the previous year had shaken everybody from the notion that the Tevarin defeat was going to lead to peace. People wanted answers but more importantly they wanted to feel like the Tribunal was getting control. They got neither.

The Advocacy never caught the perpetrators. They only knew that the bombs had been made in part from Xi’An technology. Meanwhile, the Tribunal debated a course of action to the point of inaction.

So the systems were falling apart. The Tribunal had failed. Humanity needed a leader. The solution? Elect a new position, Prime Citizen, to be a single voice, the deciding vote in an overwrought government.

Citizens from all of the systems began to run for this new office. Every week it seemed a new candidate would appear making the same promises. This went on for months. As the election drew near, High-General Messer put his name forward as a candidate. He spoke last night at a commemoration ceremony for the victims of the fourth Terrorist attack.

People. Citizens. I come to you today as a believer. I believe that we have a great and vibrant history. I believe that there are so many more wonderful things to discover. I believe in humanity.

But there are enemies that want to cut us down. That resent our ascension. That want us to fall back from the stars. The vicious attacks on our systems are just the beginning. As a soldier who has stared into the horror of war, I don’t say this lightly. We have to protect ourselves. Protect our families. Protect our future. Protect our ability to claim what is rightfully ours.

I don’t want another war. Too many sons and daughters, husbands and wives, have already been lost in the deep vacuum and barren planets. But I will say this, I would ring every system and every jump-point with shields and wire a thousand kilometers thick if it meant we wouldn’t have to lose any more.

I have always been a soldier of humanity. Give me this chance to keep you safe, to keep the threats and violence of species not as civilized as us far away, so we can take our rightful place in the galaxy.

Believe in me like I believe in you. Believe in Humanity!

The crowd loved it. Listening tothe speech now, High-General Messer speaks with a conviction that makes him easy to believe.

In short, I think he’s right. There is an inherent problem with three equal divisions of power. While it is preferable to have that discourse in times of peace, we are living in a dangerous time. Decisions sometimes must be made quickly and effectively. I know this sounds like the first step towards absolutism but the system is still in place. The method that they are suggesting still maintains the High-Secretary, General, and Advocate, and even the Senate but they all advise the Prime Citizen, who then makes the ultimate decision.

Like High-General Messer said after introducing the Prime Citizen Motion, “every ship needs a captain.”

Apply Edits and Send

2610: TEARS OF FIRE

Bentley National Gallery

Self-Tour Painting Info

Piece: “Tears of Fire”

Artist: Aaron Fring

Created: 2610

Before you stands as one of the most enduring images from the Second Tevarin War (2603-2610). This piece was inducted into the archive at the UPE Historical Vault for Antiquity in 2633.

The artist, Aaron Fring, was born on Ferron in 2578 to Max and Mary Fring, a teacher and pilot respectively. As a child, he suffered from a bout of Kilos’ Malady and was bed-ridden for over a year. During that time, he passed his time sketching. As a young man, Fring enlisted in the Expeditionary Force as a Field Medic. He travelled to many systems before finally deciding to settle down on Elysium IV.

Operating a small med-station during the day, Fring took up painting again at night. He could often be found wandering the landscape for hours at a time, painting all that he saw. While he showed promise as a landscape artist, he never made much of an impression on the art community. Though he wished for more, Fring was content with his practice and his hobby.

In 2603, a new Tevarin Warlord, Corath’Thal, emerged from the corners of cosmos with a rebuilt Tevarin battle-fleet and launched his first attack against the UPE systems. The Tevarin sole mission was to reclaim Elysium IV, their former homeworld. The settlements on Elysium IV rushed to take up arms in defense of their homes. Fring attempted to re-join but the same Malady that afflicted him as a child resurfaced, preventing him from doing his duty.

On August 2, 2610 SET, Corath’Thal suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of Squadron 42 at the infamous Battle of Centauri. With his fleet rapidly falling to either destruction or surrender, Corath’Thal mustered his remaining loyal pilots to make a desperate charge for Elysium IV. Though they suffered an additional 70% casualty, his fleet finally reached the atmosphere of their old homeworld.

Corath’Thal and his pilots lowered their thermal shields and dove for the planet.

Aaron Fring had been walking that evening. His sickness had subsided a bit. He felt he had to get out and clear his head. He wandered the landscape as he had done many times before. On the crest of a hill, he saw something spectacular:

The Tevarin fleet burning up in the atmosphere as they hurtled toward the ground.

From Art Today (2613):

“As with most art, I wasn’t trying to depict the moment exactly as it was. That’s what I’d always done in the past but this was something so much more than the visual. There was so much complexity caught up in that action, from the Tevarin, for what it meant for us as a species, and what it meant to me. I just wanted to try and capture the feeling of that fraction of time. So beautiful and so sad.” -Aaron Fring

2638: A CALL FOR SOVEREIGNTY

Terra Gazette – 3.12.38 Edition

Terra Governor Drafts Bill For Terran Sovereignty

By. Viola Filler

A political rally for the re-election of New Benzi mayor, Nadir Padwani, the Terran Governor unveiled a stunning new proposition. Dusk was just beginning to settle and the fundraiser was making some serious progress when Assan Kieren stepped up to the podium. Little did everyone know, he was about to drop a bombshell.

At approximately 5:15 local time, Assan Kieren unveiled plans to issue a referendum to the people of Terra and the neighboring systems to seek separation from the Imperator and the UEE.

“The Imperator lives in an era where alien civilizations are something to be feared. Those of us who live here, where the Banu and Xi’An are neighbors, where we see them every day, we know that they are not the enemy. They are people, like us, their culture may be different, their motivations may be different, but they are just trying to live, live in safety. The Imperator is happy to keep them at a distance through the sights of weapons, but I don’t believe we can continue on this path. As Carson once said, “If you live anticipating a war, sooner or later, you shall have one.” In short, I believe that Earth is increasingly disconnected from the realities of today that it is causing political and social instability in all systems. This is not a call to arms or invitation for conflict. All I’m asking is to open a dialogue.”

Needless to say, not many people were talking about the mayor’s re-election after that…

[CONTINUED]

United/Tribune NewsOrg -5.4.38 Edition

Terra’s Seditious Bill Fails

By. Raymond Castor

The motion for Separation drafted by the infamous Terran governor Assan Kieren failed to pass the public referendum today. As expected, the loyal Citizens of Terra and its neighboring systems realized that Kieren’s plan for sovereignty was an ill-conceived, unrealistic idea that would lead to an unstable future for them and their children and they made their voices heard. Going in droves to the voting stations and saying, No. We don’t agree. We don’t think that the UEE is failing us.

One can only hope that Kieren gets the message.

Terra Gazette – 9.24.38 Edition

Governor Plagued by Scandal

By. Viola Filler

No matter where Assan Kieren seems to turn, he is met by another accusation. Since proposing his motion for sovereignty six months ago, the Governor has battled accusations ranging from infidelity to drug addiction to corruption. The Governor released a statement earlier today to all the NewsOrgs.

“These allegations are baseless in the extreme and are simply trying to distract from the real issue. The Imperator and his minions have mangled the processes

of government by ignoring the clear will of the people to emancipate themselves from a corrupt and vile government.”

Kieren explained that he’s obtained evidence of voter tampering and outright fraud by employees on UEE payroll. This evidence has been entered into the court system and will be part of his ongoing federal case against Imperator Messer VIII.

Terra Gazette – 11.4.38 Edition

Xi’An/Human Terrorist Network Unveiled

By. Raymond Castor

The enemy is among us! Early this morning, Advocacy Agents announced the resolution of a massive inter-agency undercover operation into the shadowy world of traitors and saboteurs. Dozens of arrests have been made with more on the horizon. Unnamed sources from within the government claim that the Xi’An-funded terrorists had infiltrated various positions in government and Corp structures. While we are awaiting an official statement, we have confirmed through multiple sources that the former Governor of Terra, Assan Kieren, might be implicated.

The same governor, if you remember, who disappeared after the good Citizens ran him out of office after his desperate and paranoid attempts to bring disorder and anarchy to the systems.

2681: SCORCHED EARTH

In the West, in the Orion System, communications with a small settlement on the third world are lost. It’s weeks before anything thinks to check in with them. When they do, they find the township in ashes. The Advocacy immediately dispatches an agent to investigate.

INCIDENT ASSESSMENT

Location: Dell Township/Water Purification Settlement/Armitage Planet/Orion System

SAIC: Rhedon Lamr

Initial visual from the sky indicate repeated strafing runs of airborne weaponry on multiple, presumably small craft. No obvious use of large-bore weapons or bombs. Large scorchmarks on eastern and southwestern outskirts of town indicate that this is where the attackers landed. Samples of scorched earth sent to labs for analysis. Angles of strafes are consistent with theory that the attacks came from multiple directions. Comm tower was damaged but did not look specifically targeted. Odd. If it were raiders, wouldn’t their first target be the Comms?

On the ground, sweeps turned up strange shell casings for hard-ammo scattered throughout the town. Doesn’t look human in manufacture. Will analyze. Forward onto Advocacy Agents with contacts in Banu Protectorate.

Attackers were thorough, sweeping house to house. Killing everything and everyone here. Entire six hundred thirty-eight population of settlement has been accounted for, except one:

John Phillips. 38 SEY-old. A farmer. Nothing to indicate why he was targeted if in fact he was. Analysts are delving into him. Will provide complete file when complete.

Theft/Robbery appears to be the chief motivation but there is an inconsistency among the missing items. Sometimes objects of value are left while seemingly useless/trivial objects have been taken.

Agent Vasquez has discovered a small CommLink camera that somehow was operational during the attack. Scrubbed through the footage and found that it was mostly useless. There is one frame that when zoomed/cleaned-up appears to give a brief glimpse of an attacker.

ATTACHED:

They were called the Vanduul

2758: NOT IN NOTTINGHAM

United/Tribune NewsOrg Archive

Published: January 14, 2758 SET

Vanduul Attack!

by. Edward Coss

The citizens of Boro thought they were ready. They had orbital defenses, deep-space scanners, auto-locks. With all that they thought that they were safe. But when a Vanduul warband hits, you have to be more than ready.

At 17:23 local time, the attack began. Fortunately, a call went out almost immediately. Local militia from around the system scrambled to their ships to rout the raiders but it wasn’t until the UEE Fleet arrived that the Vanduul fled like cowards back into the dark of space.

The Vanduul attack lasted twenty-seven minutes. In that time, fourteen souls were extinguished and millions in property were destroyed or looted.

2789: A COLD WAR THAWS

UEE 33rd Fleet, C-Wing, SS LightHammer

XO’S LOG – 5.29.2789

06:12 : Officer’s Meeting. Went through the COMSEC Updates from the previous six hours. Nothing startling. Report of a weapons discharge on a Reaper-Class in the Kiel System. A deck-cannon misfired after a computer error. No impact. Locally, our mirror was holding position.

07:24 : Reported for duty. Commander is still down with the Bug. Ran system-wide diagnostic and validated weapon packages. Clear across the board. Watched our Mirror run flight drills, looked like rapid deployment simulations in upper atmo.

11:15 : Nills (Comms) sounded like he was coming down with something. All was quiet so I sent him to Medical. His 2nd was more than capable as a substitute.

12:32 : Finally got some chow. Boredom seems to be really getting to the crew. Some tempers even flared today in the Mess. Will relay to the Commander and try to come up with possible solutions to relieve some stress.

15:34 : I don’t know where to start. I was working on my battle-sim assessment of the Xi’An carrier when Shaw (Comms) alerted me to the news on the

Spectrum. Turned on bridge monitors, apparently Senator Akari from Terra independently brokered a treaty with the Xi’An. It’s supposed to take effect at 19:00 (LST). The inter-system Comms absolutely lit up. People thought it was a joke. Maybe some Activist cracked the NewsOrgs? Wouldn’t be the first time. We couldn’t honor this treaty, right? Should we arrest Akari for treason? The news wouldn’t reach Earth for days so no one knew what to do. I was just as dumbfounded as everyone else so I notified the Commander who immediately reported to the bridge.

16:20 : Everyone’s still flying blind. All ships are on high alert. Looking for any kind of aggression from our Mirrors. So far nothing. This could all be a Xi’An trick. I wouldn’t put it past the Slinks to try something this elaborate.

19:02 : Our Xi’An Mirror recalled its fighter patrols, powered down its weapons and backed away.

2792: THE TIDE RISES

SSN/CAtv Nightly News

Good evening, this is the SSN/CAtv Nightly News for the Terra System. I’m Lawrence Ren. The systems are abuzz about the upcoming wedding between Val Messer and Celia Carter so tonight we take a look at the designers who have been selected to dress the bride and gr-

<<<<< SYSTEM INTERRUPT – UNKNOWN ORIGIN >>>>>

Humans of the systems. This is Tide. Pull the veil from your eyes and see. Garron II was a developing world with a vast array of species. We say was because they are no more. The Imperator and his Corp minions terraformed the planet, killing everything to feed their insatiable greed. Pull the veil from your eyes and see for yourself.

DAY ONE, HOUR THREE

POLICE COMM INTERCEPT

FIELD UNIT: This is unit B234. We’ve got an unauthorized gathering in grid 14G. Need additional ground units deployed. Have air support on stand-by.

HOUR FIVE

FIELD UNIT: GET THE GUARD! (INDISTINCT YELLING AND GUNSHOTS) GET THE ARMY. GET WHOEVER THE HELL YOU CAN GET AND GET THEM HERE NOW! WE’RE GOING TO BE OVERRUN. (OFF-MIC) YOU! SHUT UP AND GAS ‘EM. NOW!

COMM LOST

DAY TWO

FROM: ADMIRAL KALE, UEE HIGH COMMAND

Terrorists and subjugators are attempting to attack Earth. You are to stop all jump-point traffic. I want every single system locked down. You are authorized to use lethal force on any craft that does not divert. Failure to comply will suffer swift retribution.

Signed,

Admiral Tal Kale

AuthCode: GHISJD_HUDFJD_12

DAY THREE

ADVOCACY INTER-AGENCY MEMO

TO: HIGH ADVOCATE KELLER

FROM: NARA VALE, AAC –

RE: CONSPIRATOR COMM TRAFFIC

Operatives have uncovered how the insurrectionists are still communicating between systems despite the seizure of the CommRelays. Comm messages are broken down into data-segments and embedded into military communications. Analysts are trying to uncover exactly how they accessed our system.

Unfortunately, it’s going to take time to find and dismantle their entry points but hopefully this will help disrupt them long enough to get the systems back under control.

Will update as necessary.

DAY EIGHTEEN

LUTHER FREE PRESS FLYER

Posted in Croshaw System

“BOOTS OPEN FIRE AT PROTESTORS”

Brothers and sisters. We have just learned that two days ago, military and police forces opened fire, killing over two-hundred and thirty peaceful demonstrators on Vale. We have tried to be civil. We have resisted the urge to match the violence of this despotic government with violence but now we say, no more. We will no longer wage war with our ideas. We will rip the Imperator out of his throne. So strike out, brothers and sisters, strike at the fiendish fist of your oppressor.

DAY TWENTY-TWO

NEW UNITED NEWSORG ARCHIVE

PUBLISHED MAY 3, 2792

“A NEW DAWN”

BY. DECKLIN FARWAHL

“We have awoken from a nightmare.” Those were the words spoken by the new Imperator Erin Toi yesterday after announcing the capture of Imperator Messer XIX. It’s a brand new day indeed. Even at this NewsOrg, long an unofficial mouthpiece of the Imperator, we are finally able and encouraged to write the truth, without UEE censors looking over our shoulders.

It’s hard to believe, looking back, that the incident on Garron II would be the powder keg that brought it all down. Sure this wasn’t a singular catalyst; there were incidents that built up to it. From the bravery of Senator Akari to the Activists who rallied all those years despite incarceration or death.

Aside from instituting term limits for the Imperator, Toi worked with newly elected Senators to restore the Tribunal positions of old. The new High-General, High-Secretary, and High Advocate will work under the Imperator position but with the power to disempower them, should another despot attempt to seize control.

We woke up. Though the day we’re facing is unknown, we have seen how far we can fall so we must make sure that every step we take is a step up.

2795: A KINDER, GENTLER HUMAN

Fair Chance Act

Principles Designation of Developing Species Terraforming Articles and Conditions Resources for Ecological Protection Judicial Review and Criminal Prosecution

Section I Principles Article 1 The aim of this Act is to protect the lives and well-being of species, [hereafter Species] on planets who have not developed but possess the reasonable capacity for evolution into intelligence, based on the responsibility of human beings for their fellow creatures. No one may cause a Species pain, suffering or harm without good reason. Section II Designation of Developing Species Article 2 Upon discovery of a new planet and/or system, an independent panel consisting of UEE representatives, exobiologists, and Corp engineers [heretofore collectively known as Panel] will:

1. Run non-invasive scans and assessments on each planet in the system to understand whether life is already developing;

2. Submit all reports and present findings to UEE Senate Subcommittee on Expansion & Development;

3. Monitor and maintain the ecological sanctity of any planet deemed Developing by conclusion between Independent Panel and Subcommittee to protect development of species.

Article 2a (1) Panel will develop and present system of criteria to determine what classifies as a ‘developing species.’

(2) The UEE Subcommittee on Expansion and Development shall be empowered, in agreement with the Imperator and Senate, to issue ordinances, with the consent of the High-Secretary. It may, in particular,

1. classify a world as a sanctuary. In which,

a) all indigenous lifeforms are to be left untouched from any human involvement;

b) any attempt to terraform or extract resources, be they biologic or mineral, will result in Criminal prosecution as laid out in Section V;

2. divert military resources to maintain the sanctity of protected world, with the consent and help of the High-General.

Section III

Terraforming Articles and Conditions

. . . CONTINUED

2800: THE NEUTRAL ZONE

At the dawn of the 29th century, newly elected Imperator Marshall Leon invited representatives from the Xi’An Empire, the Banu Protectorate, as well as a delegation of Tevarin to attend a gala celebration on an orbital platform.

Attempts were made to invite the Vanduul. They were not successful.

Imperator Marshall Leon quieted the massive crowd and spoke:

Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome.

That’s a word that hasn’t been associated much with humanity. We know, over those dark centuries, that we have been intolerant. We know that we have been distrusting. We have been cruel. But our civilization has a saying that’s goes back thousands of years, people change. And it’s true, people can change. We can change because we have seen the error of our ways. We can change because we want to.

Named after the biblical ship, we constructed this Ark as a vessel for space and time. A place to learn about all races, those discovered and those yet undiscovered. A place, not bound to a planet or a species, because placing it on a planet is to say it belongs to the species that inhabits it. No, the Ark must be about all of us. It must belong to all of us. We offer this Ark to the universe as a place to study and a place to meet. The Ark shall act as a political neutral zone where representatives can meet to resolve problems through discourse.

I am proud to open these doors and beg all of you to fill it with the vast and colorful history that each and every species has to offer. Let this Ark stands as a testament and proud record of the lives that we and those before us have all lived.

2872: BEHOLD SISYPHUS

New United NewsOrg Archive

Published: 3.5.2872

“Synthworld”

By. Peter Marx

We are on the threshold of progress. That was the mood this morning at the Senate when the Imperator made the announcement. The government finally unveiled Project Archangel, whispers of which have been drifting around the news circuits for weeks.

In short, Project Archangel is a UEE-led initiative to literally build a planet from scratch. Humanity has finally come up with a solution that avoids the complicated moral minefield of terraforming. No longer will we have to convert pre-existing planets. Now we can build them. Though the technology is not completed, scientists believe that they will be able to attempt building a prototype world within our lifetime.

The implications of this achievement have reverberated through science, politics, and even the social spheres. Xi’An Emperor Kray even issued a statement, “It is very encouraging. My people will watch the project’s development with great interest.”

If perfected, the Synthworld would help erase the shame humanity has had to carry after three centuries of unbridled imperialism. The Imperator finished his speech by inviting any and all scientists from the Banu or Xi’An civilizations to witness the development firsthand:

“We don’t want to keep this technology. The ability to build worlds should be free to any and all cultures so there will never be a need to fight over something as trivial as land ever again.”

2920: THE MONEY PIT

TERRA GAZETTE NEWSORG ARCHIVE

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 5.38.2920

EDITORIAL SECTION

“Financial Jump-Point”

By. Kali Hanks

There is a space anomaly out there. It’s a jump-point of sorts that no pilot or ship will be able to navigate because it will only let money go into it and that money is never to be seen again. I’m talking, of course, about this Synthworld nonsense. It’s almost been fifty years since they announced Project Archangel and, frankly, what have we got?

To me, it seems like we’re no closer to synthesizing a world than we were back then when it was all wide-eyed promises and hope. The simple reality is that this attempt to build a Synthworld is coming at a cost to all the other worlds and we

have a government who’s so desperate to make this work that they’re willing to let the military and infrastructure suffer to keep paying for it.

I get it, I do. They’re building this because of all the races wiped out during the terraforming era. It’s a great idea, sure, but enough is enough. I think fifty years of failure should be a good indicator that we need to move on.

Nope. Every year we get more assurances that the scientists are making “new advances” that should finally figure out how to stabilize the growth process but they never deliver because what do we have after all this time? An shifting unstable planetary mass.

We need to get someone in power who will have the courage to say Stop. Either someone needs to Croshaw the politics and pull the plug on this money-parasite or the rest of the systems are going to fall down with it. This may not be popular to say but I guarantee that people are thinking it; this was Earth’s big idea to make up for the terrible things that they did over the Messer Era. We in Terra have a clear conscience because our forefathers managed to distance themselves from the awfulness of that Age. If Earth wants this ridiculous project to clear their conscience fine but I don’t see why we have to go down with the ship.

Maybe it’s time for us to be on our own.

2928: CAMPAIGN PROMISES

TO: UEE SubCommittee of Spectrum Approval

Kelos Costigan Election Spot

TRT: :30sec

Prod: Martin Balish

Commercial Type: A/V/NPS

AD BEGINS. V/O and Images:

A budget spiraling out of control. The Synthworld Project’s future in question. Vanduul attacks on the rise in the Western systems. Problems for us all, sure, but it’s tough to keep in perspective when you’re trying to support a family. In these times of economic instability, you want an Imperator that will right the ship and set it back on course. That candidate is Kelos Costigan.

An economic strategist for over two decades, Kelos helped dozens of worlds reach the technological equality that most of us take for granted. Policies enacted in his second term as High-Secretary yielded the highest single-cycle growth in thirty-seven years. He has the experience and the knowledge to help get humanity out of the red and back in the black.

End Title/Text:

Please search Kelos Costigan to learn more about policy.

This message was created under the approval of Kelos Costigan Campaign. UEE Organization Code: #5985938GH

END SPOT

2934: A DREAMER DREAMS

Brian Wieters

EBook Report

Mrs. Ngo, Grade 5

“Burning Sky: A Squadron 42 Adventure”

This break I read Burning Sky. It was really good. It was all about Squadron 42 who are awesome. It takes place in 2910 when a bunch of Vanduul warships attacked their carrier. The main character was Sgt Terrence Nolan. He was from a small town in Elysium system sorta like the one my cousin lives in. He joined the Fleet instead of going to school because he wanted to see the stars. There was a good scene where he was out in the fields looking up at the sky and wondering what was out there. He wanted to see what nobodies ever seen. That was a cool idea. Like are there whole groups of aliens that we haven’t met? I never thought of that. See when I’m a pilot, I just want to see a nebula. A big one. I think that would be max.

After flight school, Sgt. Terrence Nolan went to the Eastern sectors. He was part of a patrol wing along the Xi’An border. He was pretty bored because nothing really happened. Then one shift, he saw a small transport ship getting chased by pirates. Even though there were like four pirates and Sgt. Nolan was alone, he attacked. It was crazy and his ship was getting all shot up but he got like three of the pirates before the other pilots showed up. And he saved the transport. After that he got congratulated then lectured by his Commander. He was mad

because it was stupid for him to take on four pirates on his own. That was how he got drafted into Squadron 42. They like that kind of stupid.

Sgt. Nolan gets transferred back to the Western systems. Now he’s part of the Squadron. While the rest of the Fleet runs from the Vanduul, they go looking for a fight. They’re like the only thing standing between our systems and a bunch of raiders. Their Commander is this smart tough lady named Aria Reilly. She’s been like fighting her whole life ever since her town was burned down by raiders. Their carrier was heading past the settlement systems into unclaimed space. They were hunting.

After like two weeks on the carrier, it seemed like no one liked Sgt. Nolan. They all thought he was a wimp. But then the next morning, their ship got ambushed by a bunch of Vanduul Scythes. Like a hundred of them. Sgt. Nolan and the other pilots jumped in their ships and blasted off to fight them. The battle lasted six hours. The fighters twisted through space trying to blow each other up while the carrier battled a Vanduul destroyer that was lying in wait. It looked like they were going to lose but then Sgt. Nolan took command of the pilots that were still alive and fought back even harder. They didn’t give up no matter what.

Reading this book was really fun. It was a little boring before the battles but I’m glad I stuck with it. My dad says that he remembered when this happened back when he was a kid. He loves the 42nd Squadron too. He says he’s got a bunch of other to transmit to me. I hope that I am just like Sgt. Nolan when I become a pilot. I think everybody should read this. That’s my report.

2942. . . Today.