Announcement

**Mr. President** · November 15, 2001, 06:03

Officially calling the Free Drone Republic!

The History of the Republic Since The Long-Term Plan

2426 - The Civil War ends. Foreman Domai and his circle retain power, but are forced by the New Republic faction to adopt the Long-Term Plan. Phase I of the Plan involves general diversification and capitalization of the Drone economy. Phase II calls for de-commissioning of the secret police forces activated in the last years of the Old Order and the moving of Drone assets into space. In Phase III the Republic must colonize planets away from Chiron and begin disbanding the old government. In the fourth and final phase the government will be changed and the Republic is to enter the human community as a respected citizen. (Whew!)

2441 - The Cult of Planet occupies the Green Mountain region. Drone government unveils Project Firebrand, a satellite-mounted defense system that incorporates singularity cannon and planet busters. The Cult withdraws.

2445 - Foreman Domai signs a Joint Venture Treaty with Morgan Interstellar. Under the terms of the Joint Venture, the Drones gain three-year exclusive access to certain industrial nanorobotic technology and most-favored-nation trading status, as well as equal supply of the vizorium mined from the Morgan colonies on Pholus and Cygnus X-3. In return, they are obligated to produce a certain number of ships for the Morganic merchant fleet every standard year, and must grant Interstellar equal access to all resources they exploit in future space colonies. Phase I of the Long-Term Plan is declared mostly complete, and made into an open-ended commitment to capitalization and privatization of the Drone economy.

2447 - The Nessus Free State officially founded. Major exports include tritium and Kalciate. Phase II of the Long-Term Plan is declared complete.

2453 - A colony fleet leaves Alpha Centauri for Vega.

2454 - The first of five Vegan states, Avalon, is officially declared on the fourth planet of that system (Vega Prime). The fifth planet, Vega Secundus, is also settled. Phase III of the Long-Term Plan is declared complete.

2488 - Space Station Liberty is set up in the Rigel system. Scouts mark two other stars, Altair and Lyra, as possible locations for future settlements.

2492 - Colonization mission to Lyra is postponed indefinitely after a space elevator accident that leaves three dead and badly damages a carrier ship.

2510 - Spartans re-establish contact with Chiron. The Drone government shares exploration data with their Spartan counterparts.

2512 - Drone scouts encounter the Bree. Low-level hostilities begin only months later.

2515 - Gaians discover a human civilization flourishing on Earth. Drones plan to restore contact with that world.

2519 - Space Station Liberty detects a (comparatively) primitive sapient species on the planet Ophelia in the Rigel system. No action is taken at the time.

2525 - Drones and Spartans agree to combine forces against the Bree. Six Drone battle cruisers are destroyed at the Battle of Aldebaran. The military retaliates by massacring a Bree outpost in the Beta Draco system.

2530 - Morgan Interstellar supports the Spartans and the Drones against the Bree.

2544 - While investigating the ruins of the Tau Ceti system, a patrol encounters a medium-sized Progenitor cruiser of indeterminate origin. After a skirmish, the Progenitors withdraw. Drones inform other factions, who agree to watch for other such vessels.

2551 - Space Station Insider set up in Altair system. Its main purpose is to scout out Bree attacks; later it becomes home to nearly a million settlers.

2560 - Soldiers and engineers are sent to covertly begin exploration and extraction operations on Ophelia. They are later detected by natives and a low-level insurgency begins which will continue into the present day.

2568 - Human-Bree war finally ends in stalemate. Buffer zones set up between human and Bree space.

2570 - Researchers studying ancient ruins on Vega Prime report strange "mechanical" dreams. Some ruins become curiously animated, closing certain panels when researchers are present, &c.

2588 - After an at-times brutal campaign, Pirate factions are driven from Altair and Betelgeuse. Peacekeepers criticize Drone military's handling of the fighting.

2603 - The Digger's Descent Company enters an agreement to acquire supplies of new metals discovered by Spartan MineCo. They are entitled to 5% of the output of the Eta Sector and Leonidas facilities.

2605 - Drones remain neutral in conflict between Spartans and Peacekeepers.

2607 - Peacekeeping space vessels pass within one light-year of a black hole energy factory on several occasions. Drone government threatens war if Peacekeepers do not respect their space.

2611 - Relations with the Peacekeepers sour after government fails to condemn Spartan attack on Coventry, which the Peacekeepers label an "atrocity".

2614 - Contact officially established with Gaian homeworld.

2630 - After the Bree menace border space, the Drone military secretly hires Pirate mercenaries to attack several planets in Bree territory. "Pirategate" later causes public outrage.

2632 - General elections in the Free Drone Republic. The conservative Kristy Adams is crowned President after a landslide victory. Foreman Domai retires and the entire government is replaced.

**Alynzia** · November 15, 2001, 09:11

Gaian Timeline

Star Children Of Gaia

Gaian History

2470 - Gaian colonization starship 'Star Chaser' leaves Chiron for Beta Ursa Major carrying 10% of the Gaian population. It is a big scandal that the starship is of Morganic design.

2490 - Joint Peacekeeper and Gaian military training starships destroyed by Usurper ambush at Wolf 359. Gaians disband exploration co-operation treaty with Peacekeepers.

2515 - Gaian scout craft enters Sol system and finds human civilization flourshing. Returns to Chiron and informs those that have remained.

2540 - The Gaians of Chiron construct an artificial biosphere to orbit Alpha Centauri A. It is a bid for some of their scientists to research off-world.

2555 - Hive allow Gaians to settle a moon in their home systems. It is based on the understanding that all astrometric and eco-astrometric data gathered is to be shared.

2565 - Gaian scout craft enters Delta Ursa Major system to find Progenitor Caretaker settlements. In exchange for Terran and Centaurian information, the Caretakers agree to let the Gaians settle part of their system under a loose alliance.

2580 - Severely weaken by conflicts, internal and external, the official government of the Cult of Planet capitulate under Gaian rule. However, only 30% of those claiming to be Cultists follow the Gaians, and are taken to shared Caretaker territory.

2590 - Full scale colonization of Delta Ursa Major.

2600 - Three Gaian scout craft destroyed at edge of known space. Assailants unknown.

2610 - Gaian capital moved from Chiron to Artilak, the main planet in the Beta Ursa Major System.

2614 - Delegation arrive at Artilak from Free Drone Republic.

**Alynzia** · November 15, 2001, 09:17

Gaian Population & Territories

Gaian Settlements & Facilities

Hive Home System
Moon - New Lanark
Stable ice covered moon with rich metal elements
Home of the eco-astrometrics soceity
Gaian Citizens 7%

Chironian System
Planet - Chiron
Base : Gaia's Landing Memorial
Gaian historical base
An area built up over Gaia's Landing at one point this had been destroyed in conflict
Gaian Citizens 8%
Base : Planetary Ecology Center
Chironian center of planetary ecology
Part subsidised by the Peacekeepers
Gaian Citizens 5%
Star Orbital Base - Lindly Center
Artificial orbiting biosphere
Top secret organic ship research being a bid to keep research private
Gaian Citizens 2%

Caretaker/Gaian Alliance Space
Delta Ursa Major, Megrez
Planet - Kerizy
Caretaker planet with life imported from other Manifolds
Base : Gaia's Stepchildren
Pacifist base
Gaian Citizens 4%
Base : Regression
The Gaian eco-theology soceity
Gaian Citizens 3%
Planet - Elantra
Distant ball of snowy, dirty rock. Powered by orbital array around the star Megrez
Base : Planetary Theory
Home to University and Gaian ecologists and the neural data exchange
Gaian Citizens 7%
Base : Dream Spiral
Last remaining citizens of the Cult of Planet and fanatic training camps
Gaian Citizens 5%

Gaian Home System
Beta Ursa Major, Merak
Planet - Tholea
Immensily hot ball of ionic rocks. Here lies an unmanned solar research station.
Planet - Koenis
The water vapour planet. Basic life evolved here in the aquatic gaseous swamps under high gravity.
Base : Koenis Center
Tourist and biological research center
Gaian citizens 18%
Planet - Artilak
Cool water/earth planet. Characterized by rich potassium and lithium deposits.
Base : The Gaian Administration
The Gaian capital
Gaian citizens 21%
Base : Ecological Defence Force
Home to the rather pathetic green militia
Gaian citizen 10%
Star Orbital Base - Skye Rockets
Technology testing site with low security
Gaian citzens 3%
Moon - Bentinoed
Large atmosphered moon orbiting a gas giant
Base : Star Flower
Diplomatic nerve center and home of ethical calculus guild
Gaian Citizens 7%

**Kassiopeia** · November 15, 2001, 12:58

Now, I call the Earth from Terran Alliance, and possibly some factions close by to it. I'll get into greater detail as soon as possible.

**History Guy** · November 15, 2001, 13:27

Kassiopeia,

I'll bet Morgan will have no choice but to fight the IE at one point, so the Terran Alliance may be in some trouble with us Capitalist pigs.

**Guardian** · November 15, 2001, 15:24

Peacekeepers: As usual, it seems the Spartans are no friends of ours. Looks like the Drones decided at some point that they aren't either, and the Gaians appear to somehow hold us responsible for some unfortunate incident with some exploration vessels... Hmmm, this could get very interesting indeed...

I'll have to get back to it in a few days or whenever, but from what I've seen so far... well, watch for major starfleets lurking near Spartans and Drones...

**Kassiopeia** · November 15, 2001, 16:49

So far it seems that I take Earth Coalition and InEn (Interplanetary Enteprises).
Refer to discussion thread.

**History Guy** · November 15, 2001, 17:03

Well, apparently we Morganites will have some trouble with you Peacekeepers as well. Just because we are allies of Sparta and the Drone Republic.

**[LordLMP]** · November 15, 2001, 23:29

Kass, Earth Coalition will be the name? Agree with Mars Combine mainly controlling Mars while InEn owns various holdings throughout the Sol system, and still strong?

I will play the Pirates and will develop their society AFTER some structure is placed and agreed upon (see Discussion thread of my latest posts). Will also do the description of Venus, the Belters and the Scions....aswell as the Fraal. Will influence them as to what they are up too, without to much interferences with othr factions or will i go to much in details... just enough to make them seem alive.

Two big things i have problems with after readings the Faction histories.......maybe three

First, the Population levels........ how fast you think Humanity grows??? have clong or something? yes, Longivity will increase the pop size... but not that fast, geez..... and don't go to far with genetic alterations please.

Also the quick star grabbing without a set agreed upon starmap.

Second, whats with the instant big fleet of ships??? its like, just in a century after FTL was invented, factions built large fleets, and in some cases, big arse dreadnoughts, during the 2500s!!! and during quick colonization/expansion without much time for proper infrastructure to be able to build so many ships, especially large ones? like, hello :P especially instant infrastructure for Space elevators

So I think we should either push the starting date or re-adjust the the growth rates

-LMP

**Kassiopeia** · November 19, 2001, 16:15

Earth Coalition and InEn

Since LordLMP is doing the Scion description, maybe he would care to do Dark Planet? Including the Political part of the Belt?

If you do not simply have the endurance to read all this (Understandable!) you can make me pinpointed questions (for battle scenes, diplomacy or whatnot), for example via the forum PM system. Also, I have tried to emphasis the political purpose of a planet, so that scientific facts can be saved for use in the story.
BTW, I don't except this detailed description of your planets. I can for one cut and paste from the Internet. Oh, and the source of this and the picture is www.solarviews.com Worth a visit.
Oh, and finally: Check my population numbers. I fear they might be a bit exaggerated.

Sol System - Description

Stars (1)

"The Sun" or "Sol A"

Planets (10)
Reading from the Sun

Terrestrial Planets ("Earth-like", with molten metal core and rock crust)

Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars

Jovian Planets ("Jupiter-like", composed mostly of gases like H and He)

Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune

Unclassified

Dark Planet (Composition unknown, cannot be classified as Terrestrial nor Jovian)
Pluto (Does not have a molten rock core, can not exactly be called as a planet even by size. A strange bird, may I say.)

Mass concentrations (1)

Asteroid Belt, between Mars and Jupiter

---------------------------------------

The Sun

The Sun (Yellow star, class G) is the most prominent feature in our solar system. It is the largest object and contains approximately 98% of the total solar system mass. One hundred and nine Earths would be required to fit across the Sun's disk, and its interior could hold over 1.3 million Earths.
It appears to have been active for 4.6 billion years and has enough fuel to go on for another five billion years or so. At the end of its life, the Sun will start to fuse helium into heavier elements and begin to swell up, ultimately growing so large that it will swallow the Earth. After a billion years as a red giant, it will suddenly collapse into a white dwarf -- the final end product of a star like ours.

Statistics:

Mass (kg) 1.989e+30
Mass (Earth = 1) 332,830
Equatorial radius (km) 695,000
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 108.97
Magnitude (Vo) -26.8
Mean surface temperature 6,000°C

Mercury

Mercury is first of the Terrestrial Planets. It's surface is like the ones encountered on heavily battered moons, such as the Moon of Earth. It has a very thin atmosphere, and thus is subject to very violent ultra-violet radiation. It's mean surface temperature is around 180 Celsius, but it can rise to a staggering 450 degrees. Due to these facts, no Human holdings exist on the planet. There have been suggestions of doing an expedition to examine the polar caps, where water has been suspected to exist, but the economical and even scientifical returns of such an operation would be minimal at best. So far the only Terran objects to contact it have been two automatic probes, which have brought back mineral samples, only to further prove that the planet is practically of no use to the Mankind.

Statistics:

Mass (kg) 3.303e+23
Mass (Earth = 1) 5.5271e-02
Equatorial radius (km)

Venus

Astronomers refer to Venus as Earth's sister planet. Both are similar in size, mass, density and volume. Both formed about the same time and condensed out of the same nebula. However, during the last few years scientists have found that the kinship ends here. Venus is very different from the Earth. It has no oceans and is surrounded by a heavy atmosphere composed mainly of carbon dioxide with virtually no water vapor. Its clouds are composed of sulfuric acid droplets. At the surface, the atmospheric pressure is 92 times that of the Earth's at sea-level.

Venus is scorched with a surface temperature of about 500 °C. This high temperature is primarily due to a runaway greenhouse effect caused by the heavy atmosphere of carbon dioxide. Sunlight passes through the atmosphere to heat the surface of the planet. Heat is radiated out, but is trapped by the dense atmosphere and not allowed to escape into space. This makes Venus hotter than Mercury.

People on Venus

LordLMP? Comments? Should they be more self-sufficient?

Colonizing the planet, however, has proceeded since the surface is noted of carrying valuable deposits of different rare ores. Large domes which apply the incredible outside pressure are used to divide it to several intricate hydraulic mechanisms, which transform the pressure to a less dangerous form of energy. These systems are very expensive, and thus only a handful of people live there. Food and water are transported to the domes mainly from hydroponical satellites orbiting the planet.
Venus has declared independence, but is very dependable on outside trade. They have developed a small but effective defensive navy. The navy's primary task at war time is to secure the nutrient supply down to Venus at all costs. A siege would be disastrous to the two million people living there, since their water and food stores would run out in days.
Venus is orbited by, as before mentioned, several hydroponics satellites. Also energy collecting solar panel stations are many in their numbers there, since Venus is closer to the Sun.

Statistics:

Mass (kg) 4.869e+24
Mass (Earth = 1) .81476
Equatorial radius (km) 6,051.8
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) .94886

Atmospheric pressure (bars) 92
Atmospheric composition
Carbon dioxide 96 %
Nitrogen +3 %
Trace amounts of: Sulfur dioxide, water vapor, carbon monoxide, argon, helium, neon, hydrogen chloride, and hydrogen fluoride.

Earth

For a space traveler, the distinguishing Earth features are the blue waters, brown and green land masses and white clouds set against a black background.
Earth is the only planet in the solar system known to harbor native life. The planet's rapid spin and molten nickel-iron core give rise to an extensive magnetic field, which, along with the atmosphere, shields us from nearly all of the harmful radiation coming from the Sun and other stars. Earth's atmosphere protects the inhabitants from meteors, most of which burn up before they can strike the surface.
Earth's affection to Human history cannot be overestimated. It is the birthplace of the race, and so far the most suitable planet for the race. Most of current Human culture originates from this planet.
Earth used to have a large variety of different animal and plant species, ranging from birds to flowers to amphibians. The ecosystem, which already was profoundly shocked by the results of human industrial advancements particularly in the 20th and 21th centuries, was almost entirely diminished by a thermonuclear war in the 2070's. Radiation, and in some parts a nuclear winter, caused horrid mutations and the extinction of several species. It is calculated that about nine of ten species was destroyed in a period of twelve years.
Luckily, Earth survived, and due to development of terraforming and genetic engineering, Earth is starting to resemble the paradise garden it once was.

Earth statistics:

Mass (kg) 5.976e+24
Mass (Earth = 1) 1.0000e+00 (

)
Equatorial radius (km) 6,378.14
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 1.0000e+00 (

)
Mean surface temperature 15°C
Atmospheric pressure (bars) 1.013
Atmospheric composition
Nitrogen 77%
Oxygen 21%
Other 2%

Earth Coalition

The political stature of Earth can not be questioned. It is the homeworld of Earth Coalition, a united goverment ranging from Earth to Earth's Moon, to several Moons of the Jovian Planets and finally the distant planet of Terra Nova at the star system Capella (Appendix A), tens of lightyears away.
The headquarters of Earth Coalition have been shared between three cities. The main offices and organisatory buildings are stationed at Pretoria, South Africa. Military command is based at Vancouver, North America.
The house of the Earth Parliament, the president's offices and residence and the cabinet's offices and also ministries are located at Geneva, Europe, which is considered the capitol city of Earth. Geneva has a long history of stationing large organisations's headquarters, for example the new UN HQ at the 2080's, as the original one in New York, North America was destroyed in World War 3.
The goverment is a rather basic democratic system. The Parliament decides on practically all proposals, which are made by either the president, or the ministers of the cabinet. In emergency situations, the president can overrule the Parliament, but it is an Earth tradition that doing such a thing will guarantee that the president will not get re-elected for another five year period. Presidential elections have two rounds, the two best of the first are the only ones on the latter. If a candidate receives over 50 percent at the first round, there is no second round.
The Parliamentary elections are held every four years, and all 400 members are elected at a time. The Prime minister is appointed from the majority party of the Parliament by the president after such an election, and the Prime Minister assembles the cabinet. (OOC: The Finnish democracy works identically.)
The Coalition has the largest fleet of the Sol system goverments. It has several ship classes, from miniscule Fighter units to massive shows of shipwrightship and manufacturing, called Dreadnoughts.

(Bios in the character thread, mind you.)
President of Earth Coalition: Henry Tremaine
Prime Minister of Cabinet: Felicia Delecour
Chairman of Parliament: Bror-Erik Harding
Commanding Officer of Military Forces (COM): Admiral Michael Wakazashi
Area: Earth, Earth's Moon, Terra Nova, Ganymede, Europe and Callisto of Jupiter, (Titan and) Rhea of Saturn, Oberon of Uranus and Triton of Neptune. Total of 11 different astronomical bodies.

Mars

Before space exploration, Mars was considered the best candidate for harboring extraterrestrial life. Astronomers thought they saw straight lines crisscrossing its surface. This led to the popular belief that irrigation canals on the planet had been constructed by intelligent beings, finally falsified by first the Mariner, Viking and many other probe missions and finally the first manned mission in the 21st Century.
Mars is considered natively dead, though residues of microbes have been recovered.
The planet is self-sterilizing. The combination of solar ultraviolet radiation that saturates the surface, the extreme dryness of the soil and the oxidizing nature of the soil chemistry prevent the formation of living organisms in the Martian soil.
The atmosphere of Mars is quite different from that of Earth. It is composed primarily of carbon dioxide with small amounts of other gases.
Martian air contains only about 1/1,000 as much water as our air, but even this small amount can condense out, forming clouds that ride high in the atmosphere or swirl around the slopes of towering volcanoes. Local patches of early morning fog can form in valleys. There is evidence that in the past a denser martian atmosphere may have allowed water to flow on the planet. Physical features closely resembling shorelines, gorges, riverbeds and islands suggest that great rivers once marked the planet.

The average recorded temperature on Mars is -63° C (-81° F) with a maximum temperature of 20° C (68° F) and a minimum of -140° C (-220° F).

Statistics:

Mass (kg) 6.421e+23
Mass (Earth = 1) 1.0745e-01
Equatorial radius (km) 3,397.2
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 5.3264e-01

Atmospheric composition (In the brackets, you can find the 2001 figures. The first ones are result of terraforming.)
Carbon Dioxide (C02) 91.23% (95.32%)
Oxygen (O) 3.8% (0.13%)
Nitrogen (N2) 2.2% (2.7%)
Argon (Ar) 1.2% (1.6%)

Mars Combine

Mars has been a foothold of Mankind for some centuries. Terraforming it is underway, but will take more then three hundred more years for the atmosphere to be breathable by Humans.
Mars has a large number of colonies, since water can be extracted from the atmosphere and the polar ice caps, and oxygen can be found in the air.
Biggest settlements are covered canyons or canals, which have been sealed off. These colonies have also expanded underground, where ship-building minerals can be excavated. Also the Venus model, large pressure domes, are popular. The equator region is dotted with greenhouses and farms, whereas the polar regions have large water extracting facilities.
Mars is entirely controlled by Mars Combine, which has full rights to almost 98 percent of the planet. In the beginning of it's days the Combine held only half of Mars, as Interplanetary Enterprises had franchised the rest from different Earth nations which had colonized Mars (The Combine was a breakoff of these nations' colonies). InEn was driven almost entirely off, as it was accused of inciting a revolt in the Combine some time ago. The reason for this grudge is the Combine regime, which controls the economy very carefully. Open market is prohibited, and thus InEn could not reach a position where excersising business on Mars would of been pure charity. InEn was later on officially declared free of all charges, but it was clear who had been funding the rebels. The current board of InEn was quickly fired, and the CEO arrested for tax problems.
Mars Combine is a major player of Sol politics, as it has a fleet that (by proof) can match wits with Coalition.
Mars has two cities of population over three million, the first is the capital, Equator City (four million). The second is a provincial capitol, Garland Dome (three million).

Statistics and characters:

For whoever will have them. If none, then I will do them.

The Asteroid Belt

Asteroids are rocky and metallic objects that orbit the Sun but are too small to be considered planets. They are known as minor planets. Asteroids range in size from Ceres, which has a diameter of about 1000 km, down to the size of pebbles. Sixteen asteroids have a diameter of 240 km or greater. They have been found inside Earth's orbit to beyond Saturn's orbit. Most, however, are contained within a main belt that exists between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Asteroids are material left over from the formation of the solar system. One theory suggests that they are the remains of a planet that was destroyed in a massive collision long ago. More likely, asteroids are material that never coalesced into a planet. In fact, if the estimated total mass of all asteroids was gathered into a single object, the object would be less than 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) across -- less than half the diameter of our Moon.

The Belters

For LordLMP to do, eih?

To be continued... (only 5000 characters too long, damn!)

**Kassiopeia** · November 19, 2001, 16:24

Jupiter

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and is the largest one in the solar system. If Jupiter were hollow, more than one thousand Earths could fit inside. It also contains more matter than all of the other planets combined.
The atmosphere is very deep, perhaps comprising the whole planet, and is somewhat like the Sun. It is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, with small amounts of methane, ammonia, water vapor and other compounds. At great depths within Jupiter, the pressure is so great that the hydrogen atoms are broken up and the electrons are freed so that the resulting atoms consist of bare protons. This produces a state in which the hydrogen becomes metallic.

Jupiter is the largest planet, and because of that it has trapped several moons within it's effect. There is colonization on three of these moons, Callisto, Ganymede and Europe, which are in Coalition control. Residence on the moons consists of mainly mining operations, military installations and research stations. There have been plans of mining Io, but a critical failure in the nuclear devices planned to make it less hostile produced catastrophic results.

Statistics:

Mass (kg) 1.900e+27
Mass (Earth = 1) 3.1794e+02
Equatorial radius (km) 71,492
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 1.1209e+01

Mean cloud temperature -121°C
Atmospheric pressure (bars) 0.7
Atmospheric composition
Hydrogen 90%
Helium 10%

Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is the second largest in the solar system with an equatorial diameter of 119,300 kilometers (74,130 miles). Saturn is visibly flattened at the poles, a result of the very fast rotation of the planet on its axis.
It's day is 10 hours, 39 minutes long, and it takes 29.5 Earth years to revolve about the Sun. The atmosphere is primarily composed of hydrogen with small amounts of helium and methane. Saturn is the only planet less dense than water (about 30 percent less). In the unlikely event that a large enough ocean could be found, Saturn would float in it. Saturn's hazy yellow hue is marked by broad atmospheric banding similar to, but fainter than, that found on Jupiter.

The Rings of Saturn

Saturn's ring system makes the planet one of the most beautiful objects in the solar system. The rings are split into a number of different parts, which include the bright A and B rings and a fainter C ring. The ring system has various gaps. The most notable gap is the Cassini [kah-SEE-nee] Division, which separates the A and B rings.
Space probes have shown that the main rings are really made up of a large number of narrow ringlets. The origin of the rings is obscure. It is thought that the rings may have been formed from larger moons that were shattered by impacts of comets and meteoroids. The ring composition is not known for certain, but the rings do show a significant amount of water. They may be composed of icebergs and/or snowballs from a few centimeters to a few meters in size. Much of the elaborate structure of some of the rings is due to the gravitational effects of nearby satellites. This phenomenon is demonstrated by the relationship between the F-ring and two small moons that shepherd the ring material.

There are two moons of Saturn, Titan and Rhea, colonized. Both are in Earth Coalition (OOC: Could have Titan break off?), and serve same purposes as the stations of the Jupiter moons.

Statistics:

Mass (kg) 5.688e+26
Mass (Earth = 1) 9.5181e+01
Equatorial radius (km) 60,268
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 9.4494e+00

Atmospheric composition
Hydrogen 97%
Helium 3%

Uranus

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and is the third largest in the solar system. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1781. It has an equatorial diameter of 51,800 kilometers (32,190 miles) and orbits the Sun once every 84.01 Earth years.
The atmosphere of Uranus is composed of 83% hydrogen, 15% helium, 2% methane and small amounts of acetylene and other hydrocarbons. Methane in the upper atmosphere absorbs red light, giving Uranus its blue-green color. The atmosphere is arranged into clouds running at constant latitudes, similar to the orientation of the more vivid latitudinal bands seen on Jupiter and Saturn.

Tilt of Uranus (And interesting magnetic phenomenas)

Uranus is distinguished by the fact that it is tipped on its side. Its unusual position is thought to be the result of a collision with a planet-sized body early in the solar system's history. Voyager 2 found that one of the most striking influences of this sideways position is its effect on the tail of the magnetic field, which is itself tilted 60 degrees from the planet's axis of rotation. The magnetotail was shown to be twisted by the planet's rotation into a long corkscrew shape behind the planet. The magnetic field source is unknown; the electrically conductive, super-pressurized ocean of water and ammonia once thought to lie between the core and the atmosphere now appears to be nonexistent. The magnetic fields of Earth and other planets are believed to arise from electrical currents produced in their molten cores.

Oberon, moon of Uranus, has a small military installation used to extract hydrogen resources from Uranus and to serve as a fuel depot.

Statistics:

Mass (kg) 8.686e+25
Mass (Earth = 1) 1.4535e+01
Equatorial radius (km) 25,559
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 4.0074

Mean cloud temperature -193°C
Atmospheric pressure (bars) 1.2
Atmospheric composition
Hydrogen 83%
Helium 15%
Methane 2%

Neptune

Neptune is the outermost planet of the gas giants. It has an equatorial diameter of 49,500 kilometers (30,760 miles). If Neptune were hollow, it could contain nearly 60 Earths.
The first two thirds of Neptune is composed of a mixture of molten rock, water, liquid ammonia and methane. The outer third is a mixture of heated gases comprised of hydrogen, helium, water and methane. Methane gives Neptune its blue cloud color.
Neptune is a dynamic planet with several large, dark spots reminiscent of Jupiter's hurricane-like storms. The largest spot, known as the Great Dark Spot, is about the size of the earth and is similar to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.
The magnetic field of Neptune, like that of Uranus, is highly tilted at 47 degrees from the rotation axis and offset at least 0.55 radii (about 13,500 kilometers or 8,500 miles) from the physical center. Comparing the magnetic fields of the two planets, scientists think the extreme orientation may be characteristic of flows in the interior of the planet and not the result of that planet's sideways orientation or of any possible field reversals at either planet.
The moon Triton has a Terran outpost.

Statistics:

Mass (kg) 1.024e+26
Mass (Earth = 1) 1.7135e+01
Equatorial radius (km) 24,746
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 3.8799e+00

Mean cloud temperature -193 to -153°C
Atmospheric pressure (bars) 1-3
Atmospheric composition
Hydrogen 85%
Helium 13%
Methane 2%

Pluto

The uniqueness of Pluto's orbit, rotational relationship with its satellite, spin axis, and light variations all give the planet a certain appeal.
Pluto is usually farther from the Sun than any of the nine planets; however, due to the eccentricity of its orbit, it is closer than Neptune for 20 years out of its 249 year orbit. Pluto crossed Neptune's orbit January 21, 1979, made its closest approach September 5, 1989, and will remain within the orbit of Neptune until February 11, 1999. This will not occur again until September 2226.

Pluto's icy surface is 98% nitrogen (N2). Methane (CH4) and traces of carbon monoxide (CO) are also present. The solid methane indicates that Pluto is colder than 70 Kelvin. Pluto's temperature varies widely during the course of its orbit since Pluto can be as close to the sun as 30 AU and as far away as 50 AU. There is a thin atmosphere that freezes and falls to the surface as the planet moves away from the Sun. The atmospheric pressure deduced for Pluto's surface is 1/100,000 that of Earth's surface pressure.
Pluto was officially labeled the ninth planet by the International Astronomical Union in 1930 and named for the Roman god of the underworld. It was the first and only planet to be discovered by an American, Clyde W. Tombaugh.

Mass (kg) 1.27e+22
Mass (Earth = 1) 2.125e-03
Equatorial radius (km) 1,137
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 0.1783

The political situation of Pluto remains open. There definitely is a fueling installation and possibly an observatiorium, but whether it's independent or not is, as said, open.

Dark Planet

Since LordLMP is doing the Scion description, maybe he would care to do DP? Including the Political part of the Belt?

Other spesifications

Interplanetary Enterprises Incorporated

Founded in the 2050's, InEn is without doubt the oldest and largest company on Sol. Originally it was not under the name nor the role IE holds nowadays at it's golden age, stories tell that InEn was originally a small electronics company from Northern Europe.
InEn stockholders are one of the richest persons on Sol. The amount of owned stock correlates directly with the status an employee in the company. For example, a simple maintenance worker receives one stock unit with his regular salary once in a year, whereas a chief manager might receive such an amount in a week or a day.
There are also six families, which have had InEn stocks in their heritage for several generations. It is common that one of these major holder family members are present at the Executive Board of InEn. The position of CEO, however, is restricted from them, so that none from the shareholders can gain too much momentum. The CEO of InEn is, after the president of Earth Coalition, considered the most powerful man on Sol.
InEn and it's subcompanies employ at least fifteen to twenty percent of Earth population, and the number on other colonies is also substantial. InEn also has assets, such as mining operations, resource satellites and hydrogen extractors throughout the system.
InEn is also the largest private ship manufacturer. It has produced Coalition and Combine with highly advanced weaponry and ship design for over a century, and has the largest private owned fleet, comprised of transports, trading vessels and heavy escorts to fend off possible privateers.
The CEO of Interplanetary Enterprises is Craylen Ernrooth II.
Important subcompanies: Quantum & Hendelsson (Weapons), Phoenix Assemblies (Ships), Jovian Limited (Hydrogen extraction).

Appendix A: Capella System

Earth Coalition has one single colony outside the confines of Sol system, located within the Capella system 42 LY away, which is comprised of two planets and two yellow giant stars.
The planet, Terra Nova, is highly alike Mars in Sol. It is about the same size, same temperature and same atmosphere, except that it's terrain is coloured brown rather then rusty.
The fate of Terra Nova is however not a delightful story to hear. It is calculated that in some two hundred years, the surface temperature will rise to whopping 500 Celsius, resembling more Venus then Mars. At that time, the human settlement there has probably already been moved out, since in another 100 years, unless a dramatic change of orbit can be made, the irregularities and shifts in stellar masses at Capella will cause the planet to be violently engulfed by Capella B.

Attached Files

**Kassiopeia** · November 19, 2001, 16:34

Upcoming sequels:

A guide to Terran military ships and A guide to the intricate defense mechanisms of System Sol, once agreement on ship types, drives, weapons is achieved.

Oh, and LordLMP, feel free to add anything to the Venus part.

**Frankychan** · November 21, 2001, 14:52

hive for me!

sorry, I posted in the other thread. Have to catch up on all hive events before I can post a historical background....i'll post as soon as i can.

**Frankychan** · November 25, 2001, 20:50

Hive timeline

here it is!

2400-War with Peacekeepers on Chiron reaches stalemate. Truce signed but leaves Chairman Yang feeling defeated. Begins plans to move his faction offworld.

2417-Hive spies obtain specifications of Morgan offworld ships. Hive factories begin building their own ships.

2430-Minister Ehud (Hive Economic advisor) killed while in transit from Morgan Industries to Great Collective. Thought to be 'payback' for obtaining files on colony ships.

2435-Hive begins launching fleet of colony ships off Chiron. Chairman Yang declares Chiron a "lost cause" and goes into the void, breaking all contact with other factions once again. 3 days later, massive explosions across Hive territories destroy all buildings and data...nothing is salvageable.

2447-After searching 12 years for home planet, Hive finally finds an uninhabited system. Littered with caves, Chairman Yang and the Human Hive begin anew.

2448-Massive population growth results in expansion to neighboring sectors. 3 sectors are declared 'Hive space'. 1 system inhabited by aliens (Bulwark). War begins after Hive conquers outlying alien planets.

2453-War with aliens end. Surviving members incorporated into Hive society. Yang begins 'Project Mindbend' which will release neurochemical triggers in society, creating 100% loyal citizens.

2457-'Project Mindbend' finished. Thought Control of Hive citizens complete. Expansion of Hive space now at 7 systems with scattered Hive colonies among asteroid fields, moons, and space stations in deep space.

2465-Hive soldiers begin conquering "less advanced" species that do not have space travel. Planets become part of Hive territories. Species become Hive citizens and adopt Hive policies. One is to have all buildings below ground. Through the amalgamation of the different alien cultures, Hive scientists develop new technology. One is the much desired life-extension process Yang desires.

2475-Chairman Yang delcares himself Emperor. Renames the
Human Hive into the "Greater Hive Empire ". Emperor Yang begins process of learning what happened to other factions since leaving Chiron.

2480-Hive scientists develop limited cloak technology. Spartans discovered as well as Gaians,Peackeepers, and Believers. Hive spies acting as independent traders inserted into factions unnoticed for purpose of information gathering.

2510-Gaians contacted first on strict orders to keep Hive existence quiet. Non-aggression pact signed between Hive and Gaians.

2535-Through numerous sources, Yang learns of the Bree. Hive home system begins massive campaign to establish the "perfect defense" system.

2547-Yang names homeworld "Hive Prime". Begins renaming all planets after Hive cities that were on Chiron.

2554-Non-aggression pact with Gaians develops into unofficial alliance.

2555-Hive allows Gaians to settle a moon in their home system. It is based on the understanding that all astrometric and eco-astrometric data gathered is to be shared.

2560-Hive spies learn of Spartan/Drone-Bree war's end.

2570-Emperor Yang contacts Bree. First attempts fail and ships destroyed. Third attempt finally succeeds. Yangs goal is to obtain Bree technology.

2600-Believing the Spartans weakened by war, Greater Hive Empire begins massive buildup of military weapons.

2610-5 Hive explorer vessels sent to seek out viable Spartan targets. If seen, orders are to pretend to be 'friendly'.

2620-Spartan scout fleet encounter Hive ships (explorer vessels) on far side of Spartan space. First (official) contact with Hive since Spartans left Chiron.

2625-Hive begins Campaign against Spartans. Relations with Bree grow. Limited Bree technology is shared with HIve in exhange for information dealing with Spartans and Drones.

2630-Hive ships raid Spartan colonies on extreme edge of Spartan space. Spartans respond by moblizing the fleet and invading Hive space. Spartan fleet runs into a small Bree fleet near conjuction of Sparta/Hive/neutral space. Both fleets engage while Hive forces stand to the side. Both fleets sustain damage and both withdraw. Spartan fleet limps home in time for an uprising on New Caladon.

2630-Bree fleet engaged with Spartans contained Bree ambassador to Greater Hive Empire. Shipt containing ambassador destroyed by kamikaze Spartan fighter. Bree fleet, seeking repairs, docks at Hive station in deep space.

2632-Unexpectedly, Morgan warships encounter the Hive. No treaty is signed.

2640-Number of species in Greater Hive Empire now number 5 after conquering of alien controlled moon. Species are
Human ,Bulwark (Bulldog faced Humanoid),Fran (humanoid),Xiero (reptile humanoid), and Tarlak .

2660-Ambassador Galron's (a Bulwark) ship explodes while in transit from Spartan territories. Emperor Yang refrains from accusing Spartans but promises that whoever did this "will pay dearly".

2670-Gaian/Hive scientsts on New Lanark discover black hole anomaly. A planet and a small star is found revolving around a blackhole. This seemingly impossible act of nature is celebrated by the Gaian/Hive scientists.

2680-Emperor Yang contacts Believers, seeking alliance.

2690-Bree ambassador sets foot on Hive Prime, Hive homeworld. Festivities echoe throughout the Hive Empire.

2691-Secret Hive military outpost destroyed by rogue meteor.

2697-3 cloaked Hive ships patrolling outer territories are destroyed by unknown natural occurence.

2700-Story begins.

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