RP1 Narrative

[Deimos]

Gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. I have called this session of the Junta to bring you up to date on several recent events.

As you know, there has been little good news over the 3 years that have passed since Landing Day. While the land around Sparta Command has proven to be barely hospitable, the areas to our north and south are completely barren, a virtual desert. While the initial reports of these deserts were disenheartening, we vowed that it would take more than this to sway us from our course of self-determination. These unforgiving lands are not to be seen as an obstacle, but as a crucible. A crucible that takes in the raw material of our young men and women, and gives back the hardened troops that form the core of our military forces.

This crucible will be enhanced with the addition of a Command Center, here at Sparta Command. This Command Center, in conjunction with the training facilities we are constructing, will allow us to field the best-trained troops on Planet. When the Command Center is complete, we will have strengthened the first tenet, Superior Training, of our second principle: Superior training and superior weaponry have, when taken together, a geometric effect on overall military strength.

The second tenet, Superior Weaponry, is the focus of the next event. Our newly commissioned 1st Militia has just returned from their first mission. That mission was to investigate the Unity fragment west of Sparta Command. We initially believed this to be a piece of the Unity that had broken away along with the escape pods, but when the 1st Militia arrived at the debris site, our initial beliefs were proven to be incorrect. This object turned out to be one of the supply pods that the Unity scattered over the planet prior to our escape. Inside, they found an intact data node. Our science team has determined that the node contained enough information to bootstrap our industrial infrastructure. This increase in our industrial capacity will allow us to equip our military with a new form of armor that will double their defensive capabilities. As soon as feasible, we will create a prototype of this new Synthmetal Armor, and begin to refit all existing units with the new armor. Our recon rovers have discovered several other debris sights that match the characteristics of the Unity Pod we have already found. Investigation of these areas is one of our next priorities.

The final item concerns a report from the scouts attached to our colony pod. They have discovered an area of increased geothermal activity along the route that the colony pod is following. Analysis of the data that they collected indicates that this geothermal activity can be harnessed to increase our energy production. I have directed the commander of the colony pod to find a suitable site near this region to found our second base. After the founding of this base, we will continue our scouting missions of the surrounding area.

As to the other factions, we still know nothing. It is probable that we are not alone here. We will deal with this issue if and when we encounter them. Up until that time, we will maintain our readiness to handle whatever occurs from these encounters.

--Excerpt from address to the Junta
Colonel Deimos, MY2103

[Hydro]

MY 13.36.2104
Datasquirt, exploratory team Alpha
Weekly report from Shannon Lindly

Dee -

Following your advice we followed the river up to its headwaters, and it increased our travel and exploration rate immensely. The area surrounding the river, which flows down to our new settlement at Virgin Soil and presumably to the Northern Chiron Sea, is wet and lush and, as we have reported consistently in the past, is extraordinarily fertile and potentially supportive of human habitation. I was mildly surprised when our forward recon team sent me a field report stating that to the south and east of the river valley on the lee side of the mountain range that rainfall drops precipitously (if you will excuse the pun). If I would have remembered my basic hydrology and atmospheric science I probably could have predicted this, and I hope my reports of a wet agricultural paradise haven't gotten everyone's hopes up too high. Still, our settlements seem to be in good territory, and we may still find favorable sites to the southwest and northeast along the sea. In the meantime my teams will be pushing east into the heart of the continent. As we reached the top of the range it was clear this continent is huge. Although no details are available, the land surface extends for as far as the eye can see. Of course this does us no good until we can survey and map the areas and complete the basic ecological, hydrologic, and resource assessments. But that is what our team are for, isn't it?

Give my best to Wayne at Virgin Soil. I received his squirt last week and was pleased that his settlement is coming along so well. VS will provide us with new staging areas to explore Planet, and the name seems so appropriate. I see that Davin has new converts to his cause and that VS started production of a former right away by using surplus equipment and by converting the travel chasses the settlement used to get to the VS site. Kind of like recycling, right?

Colin was so tickled when he heard that Davin is sending his prototype former group from Landing to the mineral outcrop. It will take a couple of years to get there and then more time to complete the forest he has planned, but I think it will be worth it. A combination of properly managed woodlands and mineral products will be very helpful. From what I understand, about the time the forest has reasonably matured we will have the extra crews from Landing trained and ready to harvest what Planet provides for us there. I asked Colin if he'd like to supervise the work back at the lode, but he said no. He says his heart is now set on finding the Motherload, whatever that is, and he has taken to wearing a goofy old prospector's hat. He keeps us all entertained and in good spirits. BTW, we really appreciated the supplies the glider dropped at our forward cache last week. The new breathers were a godsend since our old supply was running out and they were close to being beyond repair. The barley cakes were like a banquet, too. Rog and his foragers are good, but there are times that I just can't stand another meal of fungigruel and purified water.

All in all none of us would give up the adventure for anything since everything is exciting and new. We have a whole planet to cover, after all! The years come and go so fast, and it is really hard to believe we've been here over four years now!

Call soon. We really like to keep in touch, when our comm is working correctly.

Your friend,
Shannon

**Survey and resource summary downloaded to Datalinks, 19 terraquads of data uploaded on 13.36.2104**

Priority One Directive to Resource Coordinator M. Gauthier: effective immediately, double the Earth-stable food and concentrates for scout team caches, and make SURE they have the breathers they need. If anyone on the Council questions the revised allocation then send them to me and I will deal with them personally.
D. Skye

[Alinestra Covelia]

In the year of '39 assembled here the volunteers,
In the days when lands were few... Here the ship sailed out
Into the blue and sunny morn, sweetest sight ever seen.

And the night followed day, and the storytellers say
That the score brave souls inside
O full many lonely days sailed across the milky seas,
Ne'er looked back, never feared, never cried.

Don't you hear my call? though you're many years away.
Don't you hear me calling you?
Write your letters in the sand for the day I take your hand
In the land that our grandchildren knew.

In the year of '39 came a ship in from the blue,
The volunteers came home that day.
And they bring good news of a world so newly born
Though their hearts so heavily weighed.
For the earth is old and grey, little darling will away,
But, my love! This cannot be!
O, so many years are gone, though I'm older but a year -
Your mother's eyes from your eyes cry to me...

Don't you hear my call? Though you're many years away.
Don't you hear me calling you?
Write your letters in the sand for the day I take your hand
In the land that our grandchildren knew.

Don't you hear my call? Though you're many years away.
Don't you hear me calling you?
All your letters in the sand cannot heal me like your hand,
For my life - still ahead, pity me.

- Datalinks
[This message has been edited by Alinestra Covelia (edited December 03, 2000).]

[Hobbes_One]

University Science Log: 2105.

Despite our good intentions, work of late has been so furiously paced that I have neglected my record keeping. Well, administration was never my first love anyway [I recognise its necessity of course, but it is impossible to have passion for such mundane tasks.]

Good news at last! Dr Hartwell has finally established our research outpost. We had hoped that more distance would be put between it and our central laboratory, but time is against us always. It is however close to a large grove? of the red fungal growths that pass for vegetation on Planet; this is sure to provide an endless source of new ecological data. I have taken the liberty of calling the new outpost "Rune" which is Celtic for mystery- of which many abound in our new home.

We have also located more portions of unity wreckage though all are too distant or in inaccessible locations for immediate retrieval. They are however a priority for our scout teams. Research proceeds with no concrete results as yet though I'm told that we should have a workable terraforming prototype completed within 2 years. This will increase our viability as a long-term colony as we will no longer be reliant on the rations we brought with us or the primitive protein synthesis devices that produce a substance that while nutritionally balanced is almost inedible.

Provost Hobbes

[Googlie]

MorganNews

34-8-2105

Good evening, citizens.

This is Paula Forbes reporting live from Morgan Interstellar. Yes, you heard right. Out second base on this alluring planet is now operational under the pro-tem governorship of the CEO's son, Morgan Jr.

It is located on fertile land by the shore of a lake - perhaps a sea, we have not yet explored beyond the horizon to the west, and appears to be rich in mineral deposits with the promise of offshore energy exploitation. The CEO has given his approval for the commissioning of a new type of garrison unit - armored with the synthmetal body armor that our engineers have developed.

And for those of you who contacted us with your hypotheses regarding the origin of the Monolith that Carruthers and his squad encountered, thanks. We will be running an open line forum a week tonight to air these views and let callers discuss them live, on line. Meanwhile here is Tony Carruthers' latest report on the exploration progress:

We proceeded south of the Monolith, much uplifted by the experience we had when we visited it. We are currently camped on land which on the surface looks bleak and barren, but which our instruments indicate is rich in uranium deposits, and which contains a fairly sizeable patch of rolling terrain hosting some native grasses and shrubs, with none of the hostile fungus vegetation in sight. It appears ideal for a potential base, as it will be rich in energy.

We can see what appears to be a lake - or perhaps even an ocean inlet - in the distance to thew west, and will head off there tomorrow to investigate.

Carruthers out.

Well, there you have it. Tony Carruthers and his squad reporting prime ground for the founding of a possible third base.

Tune in tomorrow for the local news and a report on the progress of the construction of our Network Node at Morgan Industries.

This is Paula Forbes saying goodnight.


[This message has been edited by Googlie (edited December 07, 2000).]

[Hydro]

Gaia's Landing
MY 2105

Small hands patted down the raw earth, gently and purposefully. Then, satisfied, the little boy rose and looked down to ensure he was done. Larger hands came down and drew him away from the long plot of earth, and she held him protectively even as a few tears escaped her eyes and fell to her breather.

Lady Skye walked forward, slightly disheveled with her raven hair blowing in the stiff, cool breeze of the commons at Gaia's Landing.

"Nasri was our friend, and in a way the best of us all. He was tireless and quick to laugh, and he was always there for me, for all of us. When he first starting calling us Gaians I laughed, and he laughed with me. I took it as his way to lighten the mood after a particularly hard day. When he talked about oneness, and the cycles of nature I took it as a biologist's ramblings, or perhaps the results of too much work. But over the years I saw more and more clearly that Nasri had a certain wisdom, and a way to help others, including me, to understand his subtle vision. He drew together what humanity had done to our old home, and how we can avoid the same mistakes here. His clarity of thought and gentle nudges helped me understand that in a way we are Gaians. Only now when he is gone do I really appreciate it."

Deirdre looked up and motioned to Marilyn and Frank, who walked forward. They solemnly carried their charge, and placed it in a prepared hole at the head of Nasri's grave.

"We plant this white pine in Nasri's memory. The white pine represents our promise to Nasri, our people, and to our new home, Planet itself, and it symbolizes our vow never to repeat the tragedy of Earth."

Deirdre kneeled down and filled her palm with some of the soil from Nasri's grave. She rose and walked over to the sapling and kneeled again, placing her fistful of soil gently around its roots. As she stood the woman and young boy followed, each taking a small handful of earth and placing it at the roots of the tree.

One by one the rest followed, Gaians first and last.

[Hydro]

Virgin Soil
MY 2107

A tall, thin man with salt and pepper hair walked up to the makeshift podium. His smile was small, his gestures muted, and his voice soft, but everything he did inspired confidence and proved that an administrator didn't have to be forceful or domineering to do his or her job. In some cases honesty and integrity, as well as supreme competence and empathy to others, could be more than enough.

At the podium, which was little more that two up-ended travel crates, Wayne stood and surveyed the crowd. The few side conversations died down and all eyes turned expectantly to their leader.

"We all know why we are here today, since we have been working for this for three whole years. Our Davin Terraformer is finally complete and its crew trained and it is ready to roll!"

Spontaneous cheers rippled through the crowd, which included most of the population of Virgin Soil. The Former crew, who felt themselves particularly lucky, were the loudest in the yells of approval.

Wayne held up his hands to get everyone calmed down a little. Still, his small smile increased a little at their enthusiasm.

"There's no need to tell you what this means to us. We'll plant a forest right next to Soil in the river valley. When complete the forest will be a wonderful place to visit, and with loving management will be bring us terrific resources, too."

More cheers.

"But one more note. I want to personally thank Dee and the Council for granting us the resources to finish the Former a year ahead of schedule. Our collective resources are few, but they decided they would put their trust in us. So, let's not disappoint them!

With that, let's get to work. Steph, start your engines!"

Chief Engineer Stephanie Baldwin saluted theatrically as her crew paraded to their brand new former, a collection of over 30 vehicles on tracks that were a mobile earth moving and fabrication facility, a veritable factory on wheels. In moments the motley assembly of vehicles wheeled around, kicking up dust as their treads tore at the earth and made their way down the broad, level flood plain of the river valley.

Everyone cheered and yelled, waving their arms as the crew left.

Finally even Wayne felt the unaccustomed urge to let rip with a mighty hoot of approval, and his voice joined the thousands that happily filled their valley.

[Hobbes_One]

University Science Log: 2107.

Two things of note:
#1. We have uncovered unmistakeable evidence of the existance of intelligent life-forms other than Homo sapiens. The research fieldworkers exploring to the north of University Base have reported an object that for want of a better description, must be termed an Alien Artifact. It is being rushed to the laboratories with all possible speed. From their reports & the downlinked visual images I have viewed it appears to be an instrunment or machine as opposed to debris etc. That is, it appears to have been made with a specific purpose- I believe that it is in actual fact, some form of data storage. Whatever it is, our investigations will soon uncover the truth. I can't help but wonder though, what those close-minded fundamentalists lead (mislead) by Miriam would react to this news. The final nail in the coffin of the Christian God for anyone who is halfway rational.

#2 Recently our engineering team produced the blueprints for what is essentially a prototype terraforming device, based on our researches into Centaurian Ecology. We hope to have it operational soon and commence our use of Planet's rich resources in a systematic way.

Provost Hobbes

[Googlie]

Dear Jeneba:

Much excitement today. Professor Kai gathered all the team leaders into the central plaza and unveiled the results of his efforts all these years - claims we now know everything there is to know about Centauri Ecology. A lot of it was over my head - big words such as symbiosis and the like which meant nothing to me (maybe because I was intently studying the scale model of the terraformer unit that the boffins are proposing to build).

Which leads me to... tada, yes, I am now officially an apprentice terraformer operative. Over the next little while we will be breathing, eating, sleeping terraformers (we're calling them formers for short) 'cos it won't be long before one is commissioned at Industries. The CEO gave permission to spend some extra credits to hurry along the synthmetal garrison unit which will soon be finished then all the production of the base will be focussed on the construction of the former.

And isn't it exciting the news we're hearing about the Carruthers Expedition. The latest I saw was that the uranium flats were as extensive as the distance betweeen Industries and Interstellar, and they've located some more of the Unity seed pods. I wish I could have gone with him, but hey, working on a former crew won't be so bad.

Thanks for the last communication, by the way. Keep on with the science studies - it's where the future lies. I have more of a technical bent.

Take care,

Christopher

[stuntman19]

U N Headquarters
MY 2106

It appears that we are the last of the splintered Unity crew to reach Chiron, after several close staff votes on proposed landing sites. My assistant Sarita was successful in retrieving the original U N Charter incased in glass from Captain Garland's conference room.

I have directed our Science operations, under Scientist Kakani, to begin research at once. He has reported that breakthroughs can be expected on a regular bases after centers have been established.

Sarita has now recovered from injuries incurred upon impact and heavy damage to cryobay 4. I have directed her to lead in the exploration of planet. Hopefully, we will be successful in locating the misguided other leaders, and uniting them under the U N Charter.


Log entry,
Comm. Stuntman19, Chief of Surgery

[Googlie]

Log of Tony Carruthers, 11-1-2106

Moved another 30 sodding miles deeper into this Uranium desert - it seems to go on for hundreds of miles. Slow going. Spotted another of the Unity seed pods a little to the south so we are headsing off to investigate it.

Ground is fairly moist now - lookls like it might support farms or even forests if terraformed appropriately, while still, of course, yielding tremendous energy from the Uranium flats.

Not quite sure what the squad is supposed to be doing. "Explore," the CEO said. After we pop the pod I think I'll order a return to base for fresh orders, and maybe an upgrade to that new weaponry that Morgan Jr. is developing.

Ah well, life goes on and we grow old in the going. Sheesh, that seems profound. Time to get back to civilization as we now know it. Carruthers out.

[Hydro]

Gaia's Landing

beep-beep

beep-beep

beep-bee…

"I'm up, I'm up," Dee whispered tiredly to herself as she got up out of her cot, being careful not to disturb those around her. She could tell it was almost 1700, an hour to midnight, and it was totally dark. Quickly and discretely she activated her salvaged crys-screen, which still had its UN logo emblazoned upper right corner. It grudgingly came to life. Deirdre was puzzled when all it produced was static and flickering light.

Then an image resolved itself. A woman was looking away from the screen. She was evidently talking to someone outside of the projection area, but Dee couldn't make out what was being said. With a click the image synced, and the woman turned around.

"Dee? Are you there?"

Dee smiled.

"Of course, Shannon. I wasn't expecting your call. How can you transmit over the mountain range?"

"We're bouncing off a thermal. Can't explain now. I have to show you something and I haven't got much time. Dumping now."

A sketchy image formed. It was daylight, and it was earlier today from the time stamp. It showed the endless brown landscape Shannon had reported finding on the lee side of the mountain range. In the distance there was blue, which had to be an expanse of water. Might it be another ocean?

Shannon's voice was superimposed over the image. "We found another water body and we have no idea how big it is. That isn't what is exciting, though. Look in the bottom right corner. We'll zoom for you."

The image shot forward. Near the edge of the water body there was a grayish pink and rough looking expanse that extended to the southern horizon. At first glance it looked like the reddish light of a setting sun glancing off a crenellating rock formation. As the zoom got closer Dee squinted, and then sucked in her breath.

It was beautiful!

Shannon's voice interjected, "Its an integrated life form, which our team has nicknamed xenofungus. It's huge and complex, and it must be analogous to Earth's coral reefs. Itt even looks a little like it. I've never seen anything like it in the last seven years of exploring! A tenth of a square kilometer here and there, but nothing like this. Even with the tiny fragments of data from our initial survey we're a little overwhelmed. Even Colin is looking up from his rocks!"

The image started to disintegrate.

"Dee, the thermal is dissipating. Gotta go! We're squirting our data now! Tomorrow we're fungus jumping!"

Shannon disappeared, but the data link was still there. Dee tapped the screen a few times and, sure enough, the squirt was making it through.

The grainy image Dee had seen of the expanse of pinkish xenofungus with its gray, purple, and blue hues was mesmerizing, and tantalizing. Not for the first time Dee envied Shannon. She was the real explorer, while Dee had seemingly endless meetings and thankless job of what was effectively a politician.

After a moment the light on the crys-screen winked out and the transmission was complete. Dee stood half way up and crawled back into her cot. It was only 5 hours until morning and her body still rebelled against the 18 hour Chiron day, telling her she should be asleep, or awake when she had to be sleeping.

It didn't matter, though. Physical and mental exhaustion have its advantages and in moments she was asleep.

[Hydro]

MY2109
Journal of Lady Deirdre Skye

So far it's been a pretty good year. We unlocked some of the genetic keys of the xenofungus, and with this biogenetic information we can improve our quality of life here on Planet. I already have a set of blueprints for a city improvement that will allow almost complete recycling, turning what was waste into food, material, and energy. We could have one built in 8 years, but we need a little defense first. We also need to think about another outpost, but we don't have the resources or population for this yet.

Our first forest is finished, too. It and the mineral lode are producing a huge influx of resources, just like Colin predicted. We're having the former crew construct a solar cell in a rainy area for future use. The forest at Virgin Soil is only a few years from maturity, which is about the time when they will need it.

I sent our second scout patrol out today. I've tasked them to explore to the northeast, while Shannon continues to the south and then southwest. She has had no luck the fungus so far, but is gaining a lot of information. The fungus isn't nearly as large as we thought, either. Shannon is always optimistic and is sure we'll find more fungus soon.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Our two main exploration teams are proving their worth! One has located a Unity mechanical pod, providing us with many valuable industrial resources. The industrial-capacity energy stores were brought back to the secondary base and made available to the government through Base Governor Erkklisan.

The total amount of net worth has yet to be disclosed, but the Central Party believes this example to be a very small specimen of what could potentially be found. This pod, it appears, suffered some magnetic scrambling and therefore lost some considerable internal electrical integrity.

The second team encountered something considerably more disturbing. It was a monolith.

The material itself is unclear, but we have detected large surges of energy emanating from it. It absorbs light easily, appearing a dark puce or burgundy in color, and has a square base. The four sides taper upwards, with a deep groove of a more reflective material in the center of each side. At the apex of the monolith, each side of the pillar joins to form a sharp point - just before the juncture, a perfect circle is engraved, again filled with this reflective material.

The nature of this is unknown, but our men came back changed from the experience. They spoke of heightened awareness, sharpened senses, and more restful slumbers.

To prevent any possible civilian tampering, the Central Party has decreed the monolith off limits to non military personnel. It is rumored that a base may be founded near to the monolith for purposes of xenoresearch.

The scout teams also bring news of further resonances in their equipment scanners - there would appear to be many more such pods just beyond our geographical peripheries, waiting to be sprung and revealed.

Back home, the central base has benefited from a new structural addition, in a preemptive move by the urban council to contain the population growth. This is evidenced in a parallel vertical shaft, with a similar hubwork of levels. The Central Party is currently facing a split between the possibility of further investment in the central base, and the proposal to relocate a sizeable portion of the populace to another site.

If the second option is prevalent, I hope I am chosen to go. I can only imagine that they would base us near the monolith, and I have not seen the aliens' handiwork yet.

[Googlie]

Tony Carruthers tapped the commlink on his sleeve and peered at the readout.

"It's a series 3 - equipment, it says" he said to his squad.

Sergeant Kuypers asked:

"Key combo?"

Carrutherts gave him the codes and Kuypers went forward to the Unity seed pod and keyed them in.

'This is how it is meant to work,' thought Tony, as the pod opened, its doors clam-like as they apertured. It had landed and skidded on the flat uranium-rich sandy yet moist soil, retaining its structural integrity and remaining upright.

The pod seemed to power up, and the familiar electrical hum emanated from inside. Kuypers stood back, as there emerged a series of runabout robots laden with equipment.

"What the heck ……. ?" he started to say as the robots paused, as if they were sentient animals sniffing the air, then they set to work, scurrying over the flatlands, almost running down squad members as they deployed their prefabricated equipment.

It took Tony some time to recognize the pattern emerging, but when he finally did, he was flabbergasted.

"Solar array panels. That's what they are. Acres - no make that square kilometers - of solar panels. Holy Moses. What a place to found a base. Gotta get that on the vidcams for a burst report back to base. You getting all this, Kuypers?"

"Sir, I am,' the sergeant replied.

"And another thing sir. When I magnify to capture the amplitude I can see another seed pod to the southeast. Could be another of these."

"Then let's go see," said Carruthers.

The squad headed off to the southeast.

************************************************** ************************************

"It's like nothing we've come across before. It looks like a Unity seed pod from the distance, but now that we are closer we can see that the shape - and the color - are different. And the material is unlike anything we have seen. Resistant to our shredders on flame."

CEO Morgan heard out his exploration captain.

"Can you open it with percussives then?" he asked.

"We can try. Set the shredders to projectile and focus fire you mean?"

"Whatever," the CEO replied. That's your area of expertise, Carruthers. I'll trust you to open it, investigate, and take appropriate action using your discretion.

"Morgan out."

Tony looked over at Kuypers.

"CEO says to blast it open."

"OK, blasted open it will be."

He unslung his shredder, and fiddled with the control dial.

"Mbutu - co-ordinate with me - maximum charge."

"OK Sarge," said the older trooper, following suit.

They trained their shredders at the black egg-shaped structure and within a short time they had blown an end off.

Mbutu nosed closer to peer through the smoldering material at the contents.

"Anything?" asked the Captain.

"Dunno, Sir. Kinda dark - strange looking contraption - greenish metallic color. Ah, it's getting clearer …"

Mbutu jumped back.

"It's starting up," he exclaimed.

Sergeant Kuypers had his shredder pointing at the weird contraption that emerged. It stopped in front of them.

"It's a Dalek," he said. "A bloody Dalek."

"A what?" Tony snapped.

"A Dalek. I used to see old vidcoms on earth that were a hundred years old - futuristic science fiction in those days - one was a Doctor Who series where the aliens were called Daleks - they were starfish thinggys that lived in dustbins like this."

"Oh don't be stupid," Carruthers retorted. It's of manufactured origin - see all those nodes and recepticles. It's meant to hook into something and be in turn hooked up.

"We'll have to report this and send it back to Industries."

Kuypers looked sheepish.

"Sure looks like I remember the Daleks were," he muttered as he assigned it to a unit of the squad to trek it back to Morgan Industries.