The Final Frontier

Jormungandr

Chieftain
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Aug 1, 2007
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Foreword

Communications with the Earth have gone silent. Scheduled cargo ships have not arrived as expected, nor have any sent in the last two months
returned. The People's Democracy of Earth (PDE) starships previously stationed in the vicinity returned to search for the cause, but they too have not been heard from since their departure. At this point we have no answers. Production levels of food and supplies in the colony and should this be a prolonged situation we appear to be in no danger. However, the political impact may be more profound. Agitation with the PDE's firm grip over colonial affairs has been on the rise. The current situation, coupled with increased local sentiment to break with the PDE, provides us with the opportunity to free ourselves of their grasp. Further complicating the situation, the status of the other Colonies remains unknown due to the PDE monopoly over all communcations and interstellar travel. We can only assume that something serious has occurred on Earth. It is up to you, Commander, to determine how we should proceed.​

- Colonial Congress Briefing Report, January 8th, 2302AD


I wanted to write a story and originally set out to write one in the style of Princes of the Universe. I quickly realised, however, that if I did so I would not be able to add anything of value to the concept. Still wanting to write a story, I looked in a slightly different direction; one of the scenarios made available with Beyond the Sword, Final Frontier, took my interest. What follows is a story written in the style of Princes of the Universe but set within the Final Frontier universe.

Final Frontier, I think, is the best original mod to come out of BTS. I do not count RFC as it was not new. Though it is not without flaws - the brevity ofthe tech tree comes straight to mind - the setting, I believe, is interesting enough to support a story in its own right. And it means I can get away without knowing proper history which would invariably make any 'real history' story written by myself seem absurd.

The settings are standard for any game, except for an epic speed to try and make that tech tree last a little longer. As with Princes of the Universe, the game is only a means to tell a story.


 

Chapter I: The Brotherhood Emerges


A small base on the side of a small planet in an insignificant solar system was in chaos. Looters attacked stores, grabbing what they could; others locked themselves in their quarters in an attempt to protect themselves. Elsewhere, a man strode down a hallway accompanied by several others. Though not particularly tall, the eye was still drawn to him whenthe crimson Phyrusian light cast him in shadow. Although talking amiably to his comrades, the red glow that now covered half his body seemed to create the image of a man in control. As he walked he brushed his hand through his short, black-but-greying hair as if in thought. He and he associates talked as if they were unaware chaos that was taking place elsewhere in the colony, but from what they talked of it quickly became apparent that this was not the case. In fact, they had been preparing for an opportunity like this for quite some time.

"Lukas," said one of the followers, addressing the man in front, "Are you sure this is the right time? The loss of communication could only be temporary. The PDE could be back in a few months..."

"And we'll be ready for them," replied Lucas, as tolerantly as possible although it was clear from his voice he has been asked this question too many times before. "Earth is light years away. If they come back, they'll take months even with the negative energy drives. We'll be ready. We've been preparing for months, years."

"And what of the other colonies? There are many others, no doubt," the same man pursued, evidently realising his former route of conversation was going to lead nowhere.

"It doesn't matter, Josef. Phyrus is ours, and we'll take the future as it comes." Lukas stopped speaking for a moment as he walked over to one of the terminals on the nearby wall, rapidly tapping in a key sequence into the panel.

"Alexis?" he said, speaking into the grille. "Hack the communications system, will you? I have a speech to make." Without a further word, he moved away from the terminal and continued walking with his advisors.

"Though you may have a point, Josef. Have the PDE left any ships behind?"

A second advisor with blonde hair, silent up until this point, raised his voice. "Just two patrol ships that go by the collective name Aeschylus."

"Better than nothing," said Lukas. "Make sure they're above the planet as soon as you can get them there. You're right; we don't want any nasty surprises, whether they're the PDE or our neighbours."

The group passed through a final door that led to a great chamber full of computer consoles. Clear glass windows lined the edge of the room and gave a panoramic view of the Phyrusian countryside. It was relatively pristine; Phyrus's original purpose as a political prisoner holding station meant that little colonisation of the terran planet had taken place despite becoming a civil colony over fourty years ago. Though technically free to go wherever they liked, the PDE had made it particularly difficult to move outside the colony. Lukas certainly had plans to change that.

"Mornin' boss." A voice pulled Lukas from his momentary reverie. Looking over to a nearby console, he spotted a young woman with long, black hair staring back at him with her hands resting on a nearby terminal. Lukas stared at her, as if not recognising her, before smiling.

"Done, Alexei?" he said, moving behind her shoulder to stare at the screens. On two of the three screens appeared varied pictures of the anarchy elsewhere in the compound; people looting what meagre supplies were ever in the stores, or attempting to find love ones among the madness. On the third screen lines up lines of code rolled endlessly onwards. Alexei turned back away from Lukas and began typing furiously.

"Damn PDE, never could write decent code... It's not that it's difficult to hack, you know, but it just goes on and on..." Alexis continued talking while biting her lip as she continued to type. Eventually, the screen flashed and she leaned back in her chair, grinning. "It's done, Luc. Do your thing."

Lukas shot her a warning glance, though it was clearly not malicious. "Lukas, if you please, Alexis, though this is the..." Lukas brushed his hand through his hair again, "Thirty-eighth time I've told you that?" Lukas smiled and left a mumbling Alexis to go back to her computer.

Moving over to a nearby microphone, he had a clear view of the ongoing-chaos. Pressing a button next to the microphone, it switched on the communication system and Lukas knew it would put the image onto the screen of every terminal in the colony. Three people, hands connected and raised to the sky, backed onto a purple backing represented the Brotherhood, a chance for real change and an escape from the repression of the PDE. A few of the people below had noticed the image and were now pointing at it and attracting others attention.

Suddenly, the Old Earth composer Wagner's music boomed over the communication system. Lukas winced and looked back at Alexis, who was leaning back in her chair and grinning.

"Was that really necessary? I already had their attention," Lukas snapped at Alexis, who held up her hands in mock innocence. Leaning forward on her chair she pointed to a small light that indicated Lukas was now broadcasting live to the entire colony.

Lukas breathed in deeply. He had waited for this moment for years, ever since had been brought to the colony, prisoner, as only young man in his late teens. He took another deep breath and began to speak.

"Peoples of Phyrus, as you are no doubt aware contact has been lost with the People's Democracy of Earth and what presence they had in our fine colony has gone. But we cannot sink into anarchy as we have done so far. What benefit is it to any of us if we loot? It is short term individual benefit for the loss of our future, and you can believe me when I say that we are in this for the long haul.
Instead, I offer you an alternative. Where we now have chaos we can have order, but not the kind of order that the PDE forced upon us. I offer you this, and if you do not wish it then you are free to leave whenever you please. But if you remain, know that you will have to fight. The PDE may be back, and there may be others who wish to take what we have.
But this is our home and we will defend it with our lives. Aeschylus stands guard above us and the land lies ready to be claimed. I offer you the support and membership in the Brotherhood, and hope for a future. That is all."

Lukas stepped back from the microphone and breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was a good speaker such events were nervewracking. Even with the support the Brotherhood had built up, a rejection by the common citizenry would be disastrous and destroy his plans. But his worries were unfounded; slowly, the crowds now staring at the screens began to applause. Lukas smiled and turned to one of the advisors.

"Josef, start work on a training compound. They need to know how to fight, and we need to teach them."

 
What happened? The last post was 2007. Is this thread dead?
 
This is pure awesome....
 
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