Cogburn
08-13-2005, 06:17 PM
As you read this, keep in mind this is a PlanetSide-ish idea.* I'm throwing this one into the ring for a basis of consideration for that sort of plotline.* I have another that is non-PlanetSide, and I'll see about getting that one up in short order.
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The following are excerpts from the forward to the Standard Battle and Field Manual of the Terran Centurions.* It is generally regarded as truth of history.
“…[Understanding] that [practical] technology was driven primarily by military conflict for over 10,000 years of recorded human history, the 25th century differs from this trend dramatically.* Following the end of the World Water War (W3), in the year 2403 the newly formed Terran Senate passed the Humanity Expansion and Dominion Act.* This, its first piece of legislation, was seen as the solution to the lack of water, raw materials, and foodstuffs and the general descent of the standard of living for the majority of the Earth’s population… This grand scheme employed over 5 billion people (over one half of the surviving population after W3) … [and] used over 70% of the planet’s produced resources.* Asteroid mining was increased a thousand fold and consumed all of the near-Earth asteroids, and the majority of the belt between Mars and Saturn…
All of these resources were focused on one goal: to expand the reach of humanity beyond the Terran System.* The Senate provided all requirements for the Expansion to fall into one of three components:* Transformation, Exploration, and Transportation…* predicted that the three components of the Expansion would take roughly 100 years to complete…
Faster than light travel had allowed humanity to conquer the Terran System.* Unfortunately most of the moons and planets were completely uninhabitable.* The most obvious solution to the overcrowding on Earth was to make the other worlds near us habitable.* It was also assumed that in developing this technology first, it would be mature enough to be used on planets outside the Terran System when the time came...
In 2415 the Senate approved the first of 5 yearly installments of 300 billion Terran Credits dedicated to the research and development of a means to terraform other worlds into Earth-like environments.* One engineer working on the first Unmanned Terraforming Platform was quoted as saying, ‘Parameters for this project are such that the number of things that do not exist that we must invent are probably equal in number to all the things that mankind has invented in its entire history to this point.’* In 2463, the first UTP was successfully activated on the Jovian moon of Europa.* By 2470 the atmosphere was Earth-normal and the First Component was considered a success…
The Second Component, Exploration, was started at the same time as the First Component.* It began with the creation of a Timetable of Colonization.* This timetable plotted planets that could be terraformed within roughly uniform distances from each other.* The first colony ship was constructed and sent underway in 2477 with 5,000 colonists bound for a planet 400 light years from Earth.* The colonists were held in suspended animation for the 25 year trip.* Upon arrival, automated systems deployed a UTP and began the conversion process.* The colonists were awakened by the ship when it detected a complete Earth-normal atmosphere in 2499…
The Third Component, Transportation, required the construction of a Matter Transfer Gate.* The instantaneous movement of matter from one spot to another had long been in common practice.* The distance an object could be transferred was inversely proportional to its mass.* The goal was to expand on this technology and discover the means to move entire fleets a virtually unlimited distance.* Common MTGs were one-way; a destination was selected via a coordinate system and the user simply ended up there.* A breakthrough in 2469 consisting of a two-gate system solved the problem.* A pair of massive MTGs were constructed in the La Grange point between Earth and Mars.* One gate was then disassembled and sent on a newer, more efficient (for the time) FTL spacecraft.* The craft was destined for New Terra and arrived in 2507, eight years after the colonists.* After five years of reconstruction with the rudimentary tools that were sent along with the MTG, it was completed by the colonists…*
A system was then developed for the construction, disassembly and reassembly of MTGs throughout the planets of the Timetable.* Each gate that was sent could only connect to the Terran Gate, and could only be activated on the Terran side, thereby consolidating the power of the Terran Senate over its progeny. A complex schedule was developed so that no two gates were connected to the Terran MTG at the same time. The Timetable grew, and as more intelligent species were discovered in the galaxy, its name changed to what it is now called, The Invasion Timetable.* World after world since that time has either been “liberated” or “pacified” by the Terran Senate and its Centurions…
…May you serve with valor, honor and loyalty until death.” {Cogburn: snicker* ;D}
** ** *
[i]Excerpts from the biography of James Marburg “The Times or The Man?”
“…[the] Terran Senate responded to the import tariffs imposed by the Consortium by imposing a full MTG blockade of all Consortium Gates.* This effectively cut the Consortium off from itself by disrupting all travel bound for the Consortium from the Terra Gate.* Most Consortium worlds took this as liberation from Senate rule until, after a few years, machines that were broken could no longer be repaired because the parts were only made on Earth.* Manufacturing began to slow due to the lack of raw materials.* Entire sectors of planetary economies began to fail and rival factions on some worlds began to go to war with each other for the scraps that remained.* Without the possibility of relief, all of the Consortium worlds were forced to give in to Senate demands.* The gates were reopened, and the rebellion was squashed without a single shot being fired…
…Eridanus proved the crucible in which the future of humanity would be forged.* Its wealth of raw materials and friendly indigenous population forced the Terran Senate to do what it had never done before, it created an MTG with independent authority in the Eridanus system.* Traffic was permitted to pass directly through the Eridanus MTG without the Terran Gate as a transfer point.* To protect this valuable asset, the Senate commissioned the construction of the largest battle station ever conceived.* Named MARDUK, it settled into geosynchronous orbit above the planet in 3922…
… [James] Marburg, then Governor of the frontier planet of Telluride, in a move reminiscent of the Outworlds Consortium, declared that Telluride and 350 other worlds would succeed from the Terran Senate.* The Marburg Alliance had a hastily constructed military that then lashed out at and destroyed all Terran targets within their borders…
… 3932, at age 56, Marburg ordered the destruction of the third moon of Telluride in order to expose to all humanity the reason behind the constant military engagements of the past 10 years.* The moon had been hollowed out and converted into a secret research facility.* The Alliance had constructed in total secret its own MTG that operated completely independent of the Terran Gate.* Within the ring of the gate was an immense structure that seemed to almost fill it completely.* The gate activated and the structure, the Marburg Alliance battle station TIAMAT, warped into the Eridanus system and took up an geosynchronous orbit around the planet Eridanus, completely opposite from the Terran Senate Station MARDUK…
…Fighting immediately erupted on the surface of Eridanus.* The indigenous species, the Endis, had grown close to their human visitors.* Ties of friendship and loyalty forced the Endis to take sides, and the war between the humans expanded into a greater civil war between the Endis themselves.* Both the Endis and their human counterparts knew that to control two of the three independent Gates would consolidate power in the galaxy.* Some Endis were revolted at the combat laying waste to their once vibrant, peaceful world.* With the help of human allies and the massive underground complex known as TIRITH N’OR as a base, the Eridanus Liberation Front (ELF) began its own offensive to cleanse the surface of Eridanus of the self-interested militaries that have destroyed their civilization and their way of life.* While not fully understanding the technology, the ELF managed to utilize the weapons they had seized from raiding their enemies.* Over time, the ELF developed rudimentary production of their own weapons, which were somewhat weaker versions of those used by the human armies…
[Meanwhile,] The Terrans and the Alliance staged massive invasion fleets to counter each other’s growing offensive on the planet’s surface.* James Marburg himself took command of the AFMA flag ship BRIGHAM YOUNG and led the fleet through the MTG…
…[Unbeknownst to either side,] their forces went through the gates simultaneously.* The resulting buildup of super-string energy caused all three Gates to collapse upon themselves and explode.* Both the Marburg and Terran armadas were destroyed and for the first time in recorded history, the Earth was completely lost to the greater part of humanity…”
[i]Excerpts from the Official History of the Marburg Alliance:
“…[The] Alliance mourned the loss of its leader and set back to the task he had started.* Both they and the Terran Senate immediately began independent construction of new MTGs and sent construction craft in FTL haulers directly to the Eridanus system.* It would take 15 years for them to arrive, and another 2 years for the new Gate to be constructed…
… [Cut off from their homes and their families] and without hope of reinforcement, genetic storage facilities were activated on the orbital stations.* The genetic imprint of each soldier was saved into these databases.* New bodies could then be fabricated should the old one become damaged.* Resonance Chambers were installed in all planet-side facilities to record the psychological makeup of each trooper.* When a trooper fell in battle, they were provided with a new body and the exact same consciousness as when they died…
…Without a specific strategy, and without leadership from home, division commanders of all three armies proceeded on their last orders:
OCCUPY THE PLANET OF ERIDANUS AND DESTROY ALL ENEMY FORCES ENCOUNTERED.”
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________
The following are excerpts from the forward to the Standard Battle and Field Manual of the Terran Centurions.* It is generally regarded as truth of history.
“…[Understanding] that [practical] technology was driven primarily by military conflict for over 10,000 years of recorded human history, the 25th century differs from this trend dramatically.* Following the end of the World Water War (W3), in the year 2403 the newly formed Terran Senate passed the Humanity Expansion and Dominion Act.* This, its first piece of legislation, was seen as the solution to the lack of water, raw materials, and foodstuffs and the general descent of the standard of living for the majority of the Earth’s population… This grand scheme employed over 5 billion people (over one half of the surviving population after W3) … [and] used over 70% of the planet’s produced resources.* Asteroid mining was increased a thousand fold and consumed all of the near-Earth asteroids, and the majority of the belt between Mars and Saturn…
All of these resources were focused on one goal: to expand the reach of humanity beyond the Terran System.* The Senate provided all requirements for the Expansion to fall into one of three components:* Transformation, Exploration, and Transportation…* predicted that the three components of the Expansion would take roughly 100 years to complete…
Faster than light travel had allowed humanity to conquer the Terran System.* Unfortunately most of the moons and planets were completely uninhabitable.* The most obvious solution to the overcrowding on Earth was to make the other worlds near us habitable.* It was also assumed that in developing this technology first, it would be mature enough to be used on planets outside the Terran System when the time came...
In 2415 the Senate approved the first of 5 yearly installments of 300 billion Terran Credits dedicated to the research and development of a means to terraform other worlds into Earth-like environments.* One engineer working on the first Unmanned Terraforming Platform was quoted as saying, ‘Parameters for this project are such that the number of things that do not exist that we must invent are probably equal in number to all the things that mankind has invented in its entire history to this point.’* In 2463, the first UTP was successfully activated on the Jovian moon of Europa.* By 2470 the atmosphere was Earth-normal and the First Component was considered a success…
The Second Component, Exploration, was started at the same time as the First Component.* It began with the creation of a Timetable of Colonization.* This timetable plotted planets that could be terraformed within roughly uniform distances from each other.* The first colony ship was constructed and sent underway in 2477 with 5,000 colonists bound for a planet 400 light years from Earth.* The colonists were held in suspended animation for the 25 year trip.* Upon arrival, automated systems deployed a UTP and began the conversion process.* The colonists were awakened by the ship when it detected a complete Earth-normal atmosphere in 2499…
The Third Component, Transportation, required the construction of a Matter Transfer Gate.* The instantaneous movement of matter from one spot to another had long been in common practice.* The distance an object could be transferred was inversely proportional to its mass.* The goal was to expand on this technology and discover the means to move entire fleets a virtually unlimited distance.* Common MTGs were one-way; a destination was selected via a coordinate system and the user simply ended up there.* A breakthrough in 2469 consisting of a two-gate system solved the problem.* A pair of massive MTGs were constructed in the La Grange point between Earth and Mars.* One gate was then disassembled and sent on a newer, more efficient (for the time) FTL spacecraft.* The craft was destined for New Terra and arrived in 2507, eight years after the colonists.* After five years of reconstruction with the rudimentary tools that were sent along with the MTG, it was completed by the colonists…*
A system was then developed for the construction, disassembly and reassembly of MTGs throughout the planets of the Timetable.* Each gate that was sent could only connect to the Terran Gate, and could only be activated on the Terran side, thereby consolidating the power of the Terran Senate over its progeny. A complex schedule was developed so that no two gates were connected to the Terran MTG at the same time. The Timetable grew, and as more intelligent species were discovered in the galaxy, its name changed to what it is now called, The Invasion Timetable.* World after world since that time has either been “liberated” or “pacified” by the Terran Senate and its Centurions…
…May you serve with valor, honor and loyalty until death.” {Cogburn: snicker* ;D}
** ** *
[i]Excerpts from the biography of James Marburg “The Times or The Man?”
“…[the] Terran Senate responded to the import tariffs imposed by the Consortium by imposing a full MTG blockade of all Consortium Gates.* This effectively cut the Consortium off from itself by disrupting all travel bound for the Consortium from the Terra Gate.* Most Consortium worlds took this as liberation from Senate rule until, after a few years, machines that were broken could no longer be repaired because the parts were only made on Earth.* Manufacturing began to slow due to the lack of raw materials.* Entire sectors of planetary economies began to fail and rival factions on some worlds began to go to war with each other for the scraps that remained.* Without the possibility of relief, all of the Consortium worlds were forced to give in to Senate demands.* The gates were reopened, and the rebellion was squashed without a single shot being fired…
…Eridanus proved the crucible in which the future of humanity would be forged.* Its wealth of raw materials and friendly indigenous population forced the Terran Senate to do what it had never done before, it created an MTG with independent authority in the Eridanus system.* Traffic was permitted to pass directly through the Eridanus MTG without the Terran Gate as a transfer point.* To protect this valuable asset, the Senate commissioned the construction of the largest battle station ever conceived.* Named MARDUK, it settled into geosynchronous orbit above the planet in 3922…
… [James] Marburg, then Governor of the frontier planet of Telluride, in a move reminiscent of the Outworlds Consortium, declared that Telluride and 350 other worlds would succeed from the Terran Senate.* The Marburg Alliance had a hastily constructed military that then lashed out at and destroyed all Terran targets within their borders…
… 3932, at age 56, Marburg ordered the destruction of the third moon of Telluride in order to expose to all humanity the reason behind the constant military engagements of the past 10 years.* The moon had been hollowed out and converted into a secret research facility.* The Alliance had constructed in total secret its own MTG that operated completely independent of the Terran Gate.* Within the ring of the gate was an immense structure that seemed to almost fill it completely.* The gate activated and the structure, the Marburg Alliance battle station TIAMAT, warped into the Eridanus system and took up an geosynchronous orbit around the planet Eridanus, completely opposite from the Terran Senate Station MARDUK…
…Fighting immediately erupted on the surface of Eridanus.* The indigenous species, the Endis, had grown close to their human visitors.* Ties of friendship and loyalty forced the Endis to take sides, and the war between the humans expanded into a greater civil war between the Endis themselves.* Both the Endis and their human counterparts knew that to control two of the three independent Gates would consolidate power in the galaxy.* Some Endis were revolted at the combat laying waste to their once vibrant, peaceful world.* With the help of human allies and the massive underground complex known as TIRITH N’OR as a base, the Eridanus Liberation Front (ELF) began its own offensive to cleanse the surface of Eridanus of the self-interested militaries that have destroyed their civilization and their way of life.* While not fully understanding the technology, the ELF managed to utilize the weapons they had seized from raiding their enemies.* Over time, the ELF developed rudimentary production of their own weapons, which were somewhat weaker versions of those used by the human armies…
[Meanwhile,] The Terrans and the Alliance staged massive invasion fleets to counter each other’s growing offensive on the planet’s surface.* James Marburg himself took command of the AFMA flag ship BRIGHAM YOUNG and led the fleet through the MTG…
…[Unbeknownst to either side,] their forces went through the gates simultaneously.* The resulting buildup of super-string energy caused all three Gates to collapse upon themselves and explode.* Both the Marburg and Terran armadas were destroyed and for the first time in recorded history, the Earth was completely lost to the greater part of humanity…”
[i]Excerpts from the Official History of the Marburg Alliance:
“…[The] Alliance mourned the loss of its leader and set back to the task he had started.* Both they and the Terran Senate immediately began independent construction of new MTGs and sent construction craft in FTL haulers directly to the Eridanus system.* It would take 15 years for them to arrive, and another 2 years for the new Gate to be constructed…
… [Cut off from their homes and their families] and without hope of reinforcement, genetic storage facilities were activated on the orbital stations.* The genetic imprint of each soldier was saved into these databases.* New bodies could then be fabricated should the old one become damaged.* Resonance Chambers were installed in all planet-side facilities to record the psychological makeup of each trooper.* When a trooper fell in battle, they were provided with a new body and the exact same consciousness as when they died…
…Without a specific strategy, and without leadership from home, division commanders of all three armies proceeded on their last orders:
OCCUPY THE PLANET OF ERIDANUS AND DESTROY ALL ENEMY FORCES ENCOUNTERED.”