birdgeoisie
leedle creecher
The CCS Arachne is one of WaveTech's top transportation ships, though the crew is only partly aware of this. They are known for getting the job done no matter what. They also don't ask questions, which WaveTech greatly appreciates. As such, the CCS Arachne is often chosen to carry some of WaveTech's most important and valuable items, or persons. They had a clean, perfect record for many years, even as the crew slowly switched out.
Up until recently, that is, when the previous captain, pilot, and a crewmember damaged the ship, leaving her stranded in space, and fled onto an insurgent ship. The Silver Exemption are growing more and more bold, and attacking cargo ships is an easy way to ruin WaveTech's day. But the crew of the CCS, in the midst of building trust in an abrupt crew shakeup and piracy, may find that not all myths are merely myths.
- By the late 30th century, terraforming planets became a reality and humanity set its eyes on the heavens. They always called it the final frontier, and so it became. The Premier Planets (Earth, Venus, Mercury and Mars), and planets inside the main asteroid belt, were the first colonies. While the UN was in charge of regulating space colonization and exploration at first, a new interplanetary government was formed: the United Planets of Sol. However, this government was largely incompetent.
The Interstellar Civil War broke out, culminating in Earth getting bombarded with nuclear weapons in 3000. From the remains of the countries left on Earth, the moon, and Mars, the Terra Confederation was born. This was a much more effective government- albeit more militant -than their predecessor. The Terra Confederation eventually brought the other Premier Planets under their control, and continued to terraform the various moons of planets. The TC were fairly slow in their process, and seemed hesitant to expand beyond the Main Belt.
However the exponentially increasing human population desired to continue their expansion. Big corporations were the first to seize the opportunity, and set to work terraforming beyond the Belt, until there were nearly 40 habitable "planets" (not all terraforming was done to planets, many were moons and dwarf planets) in the System.
While the Premier Planets and the Corp Homeworlds saw a considerable amount of order, wealth, and prosperity, the Outer Satellites of the Corp Systems and Kuiper Belt are a lawless land. Settlers struggle to get by, and criminal activity runs rampant. The TC usually find it too much of a bother to deploy units so far out, instead expecting the Corporations to reign things in, and the Corporations don't often care enough to lay down the law.
War broke out again over rising tensions between the Corporations' corrupt powers over settlers living in poverty. This war lasted for 3 years between the Colonials and the ECA, and ended with the Terra Confederation forcing a ceasefire and clawing at more control over Corp space. Terrorist attacks claiming to work in the name of the Colonials occurred occasionally in the years following, but these attacks have begun to ramp up in both scale and frequency. Now, a semi-organized rebel group calling themselves the Silver Exemption have made themselves known. The 10 year anniversary of the ceasefire is coming up in a couple months.
Terra Confederation
The ruling government of the entire System, the TC are ruled by a parliament of representatives, but act in rather militant ways. Mars, Mercury, Venus, Ceres and Earth hold the most power over the TC. Despite claiming control of Corp space, they seem to still lack the infrastructure in the area required to maintain their own order there.
Corporations
The Extranational Corporation Assembly (ECA), is headed by the 3 largest, most ubiquitous corporations in the system. Together, the ECA own nearly every business in the system in some way, shape or form. They are also the psuedo ruling government of Corp Space.
The Big 3Wave Technologies: More commonly known as WaveTech, Wave Technologies Inc. is most known for their communications system, known originally as the Golden Records Interstellar Communication Relay (named after the famous Voyager Golden Records). This eventually became the service, Gold Relay. Think of this as the internet of the connected System. If a person intends on sending you a message, they intend โto send a gold.โ
Zenith Corporation: Foodstuffs, get your foodstuffs here! Zenith specializes in the basics and the necessities, like provisions, building resources, and clothing. Everything that a person needs to keep on sailing, Zenith has got covered. They are also especially prolific in the weapons industry, providing standardized guns and bullets for the outworlders, or deadly laser weapons for the elite. It it is an open secret that they dabble in less-than-legal weapons experimentation and dealing.
Next Visions: Everything you need to keep your colony running after the initial setup is what Next Vision prides itself on. Fuel sources, power tools, transportation and interstellar banking all fall under Next Visions'... vision. But they are probably most well known for their engine and rocket technology.
Important Events
Interstellar Civil War
2992-3000
The first major conflict in the space-faring age, the Civil War was fought between the United Planets of Sol [colloquial: Gaians]: Earth, Luna, Mars, and the Alliance of Decentralized Colonies [colloquial: System-siders]: Venus, Mercury, Ceres. Disdain began to grow as new generations born on terraformed planets continued to experience side effects of poor, mismanaged, or hasty terraforming. The war was kicked off by the assassination of a corrupt admiral in the UPoS' naval fleet known for stealing from the less-established colonies of Mercury and Venus. Ceres joined the ADC after military force was used against the colonies during a miners' strike at the beginning of the conflict. This war rapidly increased technological advances in space travel and warfare. It culminated in the nuclear destruction of Earth, the UPoS' capitol, after which Mars took control of the UPoS and threatened to retaliate with nuclear weapons of their own. Peace talks began, leading to a tentative ceasefire. During this period, the UPoS and ADC agreed to form a new government called the Terra Confederation which would ideally show equal representation in its lawmaking between the original colonies and the newer colonies. However, the UPoS saw the talk turning in a direction they did not like and invaded the ADC's capitol on Venus. They ensured a considerable display of military might was present in every major ADC city, strong-arming the ADC into signing the UPoS' draft of the treaty that would end the war. The ADC was brought completely under the control of the UPoS. While original ADC planets now have fairly equal power within the TC, the governments' skewed views are still evident in their lack of concern for Corp space worlds.
Sovereign War
3177-3180
While this war only lasted three years, it was charged with perhaps even more emotions than the Civil War, though fought for similar reasons. Corp colonies felt that they were at best ignored, and at worst mistreated, by the corporations that funded their settlements. Corporations' focus was solely on profits rather than any quality (or length) of life. While the terraforming did not experience side effects as early attempts had, corp funded colonies were notorious for poor health, lack of necessary supplies, and a complete nonexistence of order unless instated by the colonists themselves, who tended to be working folk with no combat training. Corporations would claim that they were doing things to aid their colonists, but evidence was easy to find to contradict this. In fact, it was found the ECA (then led by healthcare corporation, Heartbeats Inc.) had protocols in place to minimize the amount of time or money spent on colony affairs, particularly if the colony's purchases were not equal to the money that would be spent on providing aid. These conspiracies ran deep, including a plan to introduce diseases to wipe out unprofitable colonies (after which they would also offer "cheap" cures). It was this latter-most plan that finally caused the grassroots movement of Jovian Sovereignty to burst into the full rebellion of the "Outer Colonies for Sovereignty" (OCS), more commonly known as the Colonials. The ECA tried to hide the war for the first year, suppressing communication and travel into or out of corp space. For the first year, the OCS worked in the shadows, fighting a guerrilla war while simultaneously growing their forces. However, it's pretty hard to hide a war, and it wasn't long before the first major battle of the war took place over several weeks on Saturn, dubbed "the Fall of Mondglen." During this battle mass amounts of troops on both sides were lost when the ECA's air support took out engines that kept the land the city sat on aloft in the atmosphere. The ECA fought dirty, and so the OCS replied in kind. Though the TC had remained out of the fighting, the populace of the Premier planets were calling for action. The TC finally acted during the third year by destroying a number of Heartbeat Inc. factories, then raiding their headquarters (which was functionally a small city). They took large numbers of OCS soldiers as POWs and, much like they had in the civil war, forced a close to the conflict. TC claimed control of Corp space, dismantled Heartbeat Inc., and instated WaveTech as the new overseers of Heart Space.
Fall of Mondglen
3177
The first major battle of the Sovereign War. Mondglen was the name given to a "county," or mass of land with several towns/cities located on it, of Saturn. While not the most populated area, Mondglen was incredibly divided in support between the Colonials and the Hearts (ECA soldiers). It was also home to a major Zenith weapons factory, which was the main target when the Colonials launched their attack. However, what began as a simple infiltration and destruction mission quickly turned south when the ECA caught wind of the plan and arrived with backup. The Colonial supporters within Mondglen took to arms and joined the battle, which stalled long enough for more Colonial forces to arrive. Thus, the stage was set for a long fight. The battle lasted 5 weeks, during which the forces on both sides began to run out of supplies. In a last ditch effort, the Colonial forces rushed the weapons factory and succeeded in overtaking it. Though they took hostages and were prepared to offer a compromise, the ECA attacked the engines that suspended Mondglen, destroying several of them. This caused large chunks of the county to break apart and fall away.
Battle of Burney Crater
3180
The closing battle of the Sovereign war. As TC began to take action against the war, the Colonials began to flee further out, but were stopped by ECA forces near Pluto. The ECA ships damaged the fleet, forcing them to land and fight on the ground. They landed outside a Corp city, in a large crater known as Burney Crater, where both sides prepared for mutual destruction. The battle had only lasted 2 days before TC enacted their plans and arrived with ships. They took both Colonials and Hearts as captives, indiscriminately, and destroyed ships on both sides.
Map made by dawierha on redditPremier Space
Premier Planets
These were the first planets colonized, which means that technology, society, and civilization have become well-established here. They are the most futuristic and advanced, and home to some of the richest folk in the system.
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth -- the home of all humanity, earth experienced mass turmoil after nuclear destruction during the interstellar civil war. With great efforts from the brightest minds in the System, the planet has largely recovered. However, the population remains much smaller than it was previously, and the cities are much less grandiose. In the regrowing wastelands, survivors still wage tribal wars with one another. Unless living within the safety of a major city, many on earth are eager to flee to the stars.
Luna - Mars
Phobos
Deimos
Main Asteroid Belt
- Ceres
- Vesta
- Pallas Station
- Hygieia Station
Wave Systems
WaveTech rules over middle space, which is neither particularly rich nor poor, seeing vast differences in wealth. Many of the original colonies of these systems were owned and propagated by WaveTech, who still hold some ownership over these planets. This used to be name as the Heart systems, but authority over the space was handed over to WaveTech after Heartbeat Inc. was disbanded due to the Sovereign war.
Jovian System
- Jupiter
Io
Ganymede
Europa
Callisto
Amalthea
Elara
Saturnial System
- Saturn -- this world has a breathable atmosphere, but no habitable land. It is full of private floating colonies for the richest folk in the system. Socialites enjoying solar sailing through the rings of the planet.
Titan
Rhea
Tethys
Dione
Iapetus
Zenith System
Uranus System
- Uranus
Miranda
Ariel
Umbriel
Titania
Oberon
Vision Systems
Neptunian System
- Neptune
Triton
Proteus
Nereid
Plutonian System
- Pluto
- Charon
Nix
Hydra
Kuiper Belt
Eridian System
- Eris
Dysnomia
Haumean System
- Haumean
Dysnomia
Makemakean System
- Makemake
Uoke
Orcusian System
- Orcus
Vanth
Technology in the System can vary wildly. While the planets more geocentric enjoy great wealths of technology, many of the worlds beyond are not so fortunate.
Genetic Engineering
In the early days of terraforming, humans weren't able to survive healthily for long periods of time on newly terraformed planets, and so embryos were instead genetically engineered to withstand terraformed conditions. This began a trend of mutating oneself for aesthetic and practical purposes, first started by the elite. A woman might add to herself a pair of feline ears and a prehensile tail, while the military may commission burly bull men steeped in muscle and rage. This practice was quickly shut down by the United Ethical Advancement Commission (UEAC), but these mutations continued to spread throughout the population. The mutations became even more prevalent as the population boomed with newly terraformed planets.
The mutations diluted through the generations, though remnants remain. While uncommon, it's not entirely out of place for GEs (or Muties if you want to be rude) to be seen about the System, sporting some extra sharp nails, peculiar pupils with astonishing night vision, or a few scales along the edges of their face.
Cyberorganics
The second major technological advancement are biomechanical body modifications. These are usually smaller pieces of tech integrated into the body, like a piece of tech that allows a person to connect to their ship's systems. Smaller mods, while expensive, tend to have little regulation or legislation in acquiring one. However, bigger mods, like an entirely robotic limb or exoskeleton enhancers, are expensive, rare, and difficult to obtain even through legal means.
Laser Weaponry
Laser guns! They exist, but not in mass amounts. They're very expensive and their need for recharging makes them quite useless outside of short gunfights. They come in various sizes, from a small handheld pistol, to an anti-aircraft weaponry.
Terraforming
In many ways, the various planets, moons, and asteroids that have been terraformed are nearly identical to earth in terms of their atmosphere and land composition. However, many planets have their own little faults, and the earliest terraformed planets were quite unstable. Nowadays, the technology seems to be nigh perfect.
Premier Space -- the system within the main belt, including the belt.
Corp Space -- the system beyond the main belt.
Planet -- This can refer to any habitable world in the system, regardless of whether or not it is a literal planet.
Tellux -- The currency of the System.
Gold Relay -- The connected network of the System; similar to the internet.
Universal -- In the early days of Premier planet colonization, TC attempted to propagate a Universal language. This half succeeded. People continued to speak their own languages, but many also have at least a rudimentary understanding of Universal. Universal phrases are occasionally thrown into parts of speech. For the purposes of this RP, โEsperantoโ will be our Universal.
Some example phrases/words:
Bonan vojaฤon!: Bon voyage/have a good journey!
Saluton: Hello
ฤis la revido/ฤis : Goodbye/Bye
Ni devas rapidumi: We're in a hurry
kreteno: idiot/moron
putinfilacxo: son of a bitch
Kaฤen: fuck you
Vi estas freneza!: You're crazy!
Fekaฤตo: shit
Silverfin -- colloquial term for the rebel side of the sovereign war, or colonials. Now also used to refer to members of the Silver Exemption. the name is a reference to a specific, nearly undetectable mod placed on the back of a person's ear that acts as a key or ID for rebel bases/events.
Hearts -- colloquial term for the ECA soldiers who fought in the sovereign war.
GE -- "genetically engineered," a term used to refer to people who have noticeably genetically modified traits.
Mutie -- a derogatory term to refer to genetically modified persons.
Mod -- short for "modification," used in reference to cyberorganic modifications.
Stellar Landscape Process -- the corporations' method of terraforming.
Middle Worlds -- a term for the systems between the Main Belt and the outer worlds.
Outer worlds -- a term for the Visions System and beyond.
Corporation Cargo Ship, Arachne
145 meters from stern to bow [100m interior space]
Engines at max burn: 0.25 au in an hour = 42 au in a week
Full tank, no load: 150 au
Chameleon-class ships are an older model ship that was mass produced at the start of the Sovereign war, and designed to be highly modular; hence the name "chameleon." As such, the Arachne is full of many nooks and crannies to hide things, and appears outwardly as a sort of stack of long boxes connected to one another. It has also been heavily modified by previous owners (including some less-than-legal modifications). The engines burn a vibrant pinkish-red, and the hull is adorned with the crew's insignia and the ship's name. The Arachne runs on a pulse nuclear fusion engine located at the center back of the ship, while the 4 wing engines can act as standard rockets to allow VTOL. CCS Arachne is equipped with two short-range shuttles that can be used as forklifts to load cargo into the ship. The Arachne does not possess any weapons, relying instead on stealth, defense, maneuverability, and the crew's ingenuity.
Modifications:Bow loading fork-grip: these two heavily-fortified arms are able to extend to push larger shipping containers, or detract to allow for docking. However, they have also been outfitted in a such a way that they can be used to grab small ships, or ram through the hull of ships.
Secondary propulsion engines: located above the primary fusion engine, these engines not only aid the travel of the ship, but their standard safety procedures have been removed to allow the Arachne massive bursts of speed in getaway situations (though this uses large amounts of fuel), or burn away at tailing ships.
Invisible Identification System: while most ships can be scan and instantly identified with their registered ID, the Arachne possesses a passive system that offers a randomized ID from local ship registries when scanned. It is only particularly useful when the scanners aren't actually looking at the ship. This function can be turned off or on at will.
Fortified Hull: the Arachne is built sort of like a tank. It can take a pretty impressive number of hits before it will start taking massive damage.
The 1st level of the Arachne is by far the largest. At the bow of the ship sit the passenger cabins, which are slightly larger than the crew cabins and look considerably nicer inside (perhaps because of their disuse). As stated before, the Arachne is sometimes responsible for carrying precious, high-ranking people, so nice passenger cabins are a necessity. This open out into a fairly quaint common area, equipped with shelves full of beat up board games and a two Relay terminals. The gymnasium is a little lacking, but has all the basics to stay in shape. The medbay is usually only partly stocked with whatever the crew can get their hands on, as WaveTech often only provides minimal supplies. It has two operating tables and one sectioned off cryo-chamber used instead of inducing a medical coma. The cryo-chamber rarely has the necessary supplies to run. Then of course, there is the cargo hold, the largest space on the ship. The cargo hold is a massive open space occupying the entire aft half of the ship, and reaching three level highs. The main airlock is located on the right, which the primary door used to exit and enter the ship.
The 2nd level of the Arachne's primary space is the galley, which is fairly spacious- the actual kitchen occupying only part of the area, with another smaller lounge- outfitted with a few dusty rugs, some crappy paintings, wood panneling and mismatched chairs -in the space as well as a sizable pantry. At the bow is the secondary airlock that is used when the ship is docked in space. A catwalk wraps around the walls of the cargo hold. The entrance to the engine room is also on this level, with a trapdoor leading down into the reactor room. A ladder allows the mechanic quick access between their cabin and the engine. While the larger cabins of the pilot and captain are located on this level, they are inaccessible.
The 3rd level of the Arachne houses most of the crew's cabin at the top of the cargo hold's cavernous space. The crew's cabins are small, though not suffocating, and each is outfitted with a twin bed, a bathroom (with shower), a desk, and a Relay terminal. The access to the shuttles is located within the hallway to the bridge, which also has the stairs down into the pilot and captain's cabins. The bridge sits at the very front of the ship, with seats lining the walls to buckle oneself into if things get a little bumpy, and a pilot and co-pilot's seat in front of various panels filled with switched, buttons and levers.
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