Space
. The final frontier.
For centuries humans have walked the earth staring up to the same starlit tapestry. Every stage of civilization has stared in awe. Those early Germanic tribes saw the gods in their glory as their bright, all-seeing eyes looked upon them. Later civilizations saw them as maps both for finding their ways through the depthless oceans and astrological maps of their own lives. To poets and bards they were everything from heavenly fireflies to fallen angels.
Later civilizations saw them more pragmatically, as other worlds, first orbiting their own world, and later as far-away suns giving life to a potentially infinite amount of souls.
At the great Indian Observatory in Bombay, word leaked out that the Indians had made a startling discovery: a planet with the possibility of sustaining human life. Although the home world was not fully colonized, pollution was running rampant and the thought of a brand new world to colonize was a tempting one for the kinder, gentler German leader by the name of Robert von Bierja.
While the importance of a leaders familial ties and royal blood were long just a memory of a more militant Germany, it was whispered that Roberts bloodline remained pure dating back to the time of the Flatlander and the great founding of Berlin. It was beer, they said, that ran through his veins the very essence of Great Germany, and it would be Robert that would lead the land to even greater glory.
Manifest Destiny.
This is what Roberts ideals came to be known, and all of the German citizens said it to one another in hushed tones. As if speaking it aloud would shatter the very spell that told the masses that Germany was meant to conquer all. Not content with a singular world, however. The mighty Germans and their heady beer shall travel to distant planets and assure the proliferation of their fermented culture.
Robert, ready for business, put a plan together to accomplish these feats during his lifetime. With no presidential term limits, he felt assured that he would remain at the helm of the empire for as long as needed. Could he live long enough to see his and his peoples dream manifest.
First, his people would have to be able to study the Observatory. President Bierja decided on a plan that would make great use of the military situation left to him by his predecessor. He called for a revolution not one to overthrow the government, but a steady and strong grass-roots surge of popular approval for his own ideas. With this Revolution of Glory in place, Robert moved against the remnants of the Indian Empire with rapier-like precision and speed. In a mere year, he hoped to have the bulk of the empire assimilated into his own thereby ending even the hint of dissent from another, less blessed civilization.
In 1850, the Germans complete the Apollo Program. A successful launching of rocketing technology demonstrates that the Germans are now capable of sending humans into space. It is decreed that the Germans would now work on a much larger scale, and build a ship capable of sending 40,000 Germans (with their beer) to the stars. Completion of the SETI Program sets research labs across the empire to work discovering what may lie beyond our own world.
Also in this year, the take over of India is begun and completed. With the take over of Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Delhi, Bangalore, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Lahore, Punjab and Indus, the assimilation is completed in a single year.
Only the Indian Reservation of Dacca remains.
Robert begins a combination of trade, science and building the likes of which have never been seen. All German cities work together. Roman-German cities providing lucrative trade, BABYlonian-German cities providing a large industrial base, English-German and Spanish-German cities providing transportation and engineers, and American-German cities providing land upon which to settle new cities. Amidst all of this, in the ancient city of Berlin, all the components will come together. The surrounding true-German cities providing all aspects of needed materials, money and trade.
On the formerly Indian continent, German scientists take their first look through the lenses at Copernicus Observatory. A Roman-American scientist is first to name the shining star Alpha Centauri in his now dead language. A shining beacon toward which President Bierja and his people will now strive.
A brief account exists of the following years. Written in note form, it does give the reader the essence of what transpired during what is now termed The Age of Empire
Singular
1851: Nuclear Power we can split the atom but what power have we unleashed? Turinberg and Genoaberg founded.
1852: Creteberg founded. The first 9 Spaceship structurals come off the line and are assembled in Berlin
1853: Veronaberg and Salamisberg founded.
1854: Lisbonberg and Mercedes are founded.
1855: Pragueberg and Bratwurst founded. Plastics discovered and 37 structurals are finished.
1856: The silly Indians at Dacca attack an engineering corps. Spies lay waste to much of the citys infrastructure in response, and they finally accept peace. The great gift giving begins with the Indians to keep them happy.
1857: Indians are now cordial. Superconductor discovered.
1858: A Huge uprising near Leon. Uprisings are becoming less frequent with additional cities, but there must be some underground group of non-assimilated citizens behind all of this.
1859: Veniceberg and Milanberg founded. The discovery of Fusion Power is the last piece to the spaceship puzzle. This will provide the power to reach Alpha Centauri in less than 13 years.
1860: The launch of the GSS Frederick Barbarossa. President Bierja watches as the rocket speeds away. He wanted to be one of the 40,000 aboard, but the bulk of the German civilization still needed him.
1861: Pisaberg is founded.
The time from 1861 until 1872 is largely filled with the advent of aqueducts and sewer systems in all cities. This combined with the ongoing availability of vast luxuries for the German people continues to create a population boom. However, in 1870, The Manhattan Project is completed and a weapon of mass destruction is designed. Bierja is quite happy to NEVER make use of this knowledge.
In 1872, word reached the president that the GSS Freddie successfully landed on Alpha Centauri. For 22 years Robert von Bierja lived for a single goal, and now upon this day in 1872 a sense of completion washes over the elder statesman.
New elections were held merely a few days after this momentous occasion as the president had turned up missing. No foul play was suspected; it was generally considered that with his dream of colonization realized, there were no more mountains to conquer.
In later space flights to AC, rumor had it that a graying, older gentleman with the bearing and swagger of a once-great man took his place in population pod #2 and prepared for the now-commonplace trip to Germanys second world. The smile that pushed up the corners of his mouth could easily be explained away as everyone on board was eager to immerse themselves in the new CentauriBeer made from hops only found on the new planet.
Yet, the slight tear in his eye could not be so easily explained.
Here are the stats in case I cant figure out how to post them:
Score = 5,138
Rating = 513%
Frederick Barbarossa the Magnificent
145 cities
4108 German citizens (I think thats like 4 Billion)
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Diplomacy - the art of
saying "Good Doggie"
until you can find a rock
