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diff --git a/developer/STORYLINE b/developer/STORYLINE new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bd33282 --- /dev/null +++ b/developer/STORYLINE @@ -0,0 +1,461 @@ + + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + + The Osirion Project - STORYLINE + + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + + This file contains ideas for the universe background, the factions and + the storyline. + + SPOILER ALERT! + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + FACTIONS and PLACES + + + HOUSE LINDBLADE (protected by the Lindblade military) + + - Lindblade system + planet Lindblade + + - Burton system + planet Burton + Trent outpost + + - Dover system + + HOUSE PRAETORIA (protected by the Praetorian Guard) + + - Praetoria system + planet Praetoria + + PROTECTORATE (protected by the Ordinators) + + The seat of the Council and the capital of the central planets. + Location of the Allied Intelligence Network headquarters. + + - Protectorate + planet Corona + + INDEPENDENT COLONIES (protected by the Colonial Militia) + + An alliance of systems independent from the central planets. + + - Ghant system + planet Ghant + Alexandria outpost + Battleship custodian + + planet Seymour + Regula station + + - Brogha system + planet Brogha + Cantor observatory + + - Antwerp system + starbase Helianthos (guards the border) + Buccaneer's Den pirate base + planet Antwerp? + + NEUTRAL SYSTEMS + + - Finnmark (Joint Miners Association headquarters) + planet Finnmark + + - East End + Ensor station + + CORPORATIONS + + - Micron Corporations + - AMTEL Tech Conglomerate + - Joint Miners Association + + BORDERWORLDS (not claimed by any lawfull faction) + + Worlds destroyed during the war. + + - Kor Glaven system + planet Andros + planet Corthio + battlefield remains + + - Anarian system + Anarian nebula + Galileo research station + battlefield remains + + - Karelian system + no Planets + Karelian nebula + border station + + TSU-KHAN EMPIRE + + - Kiana system + Kiana Prime + + Note on names: + + Before the war, the systems controlled by the Great Houses were + referred to as the 'Colonies'. The term 'borderworlds' was used + to refer to independent systems. + + Since the war, the term 'Borderworlds' is used to indicate + systems destroyed during the war, while the term 'colonies' + is generally used as abreviation for the 'Independent Colonies'. + The Protectorate and the systems controlled by The Great Houses + are usually referred to as 'the central planets'. + + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + TIMELINE + + Exodus -5300 years + The Year of War -300 years + The Karelian Incident -50 years + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + HISTORY OF THE YEAR OF WAR + from the House Lindblade historical records + + +Reaching for the Stars + + History of mankind is a tale mostly written in blood and fire. Although + there are few written accounts of the events before the Exodus, it wouldn't + be hard to imagine why the Homeworld would have been abandoned in the first + place: wars for power, territory and resources would be commonplace + for almost five millenia to come. + +The Year of War + + For the Tsu-Khan, this war was no different. Around 300 years ago, + The Empire had depleted most of its natural resources and had launched + an ambitious project to find a suitable new homeworld. + + At the time, most of the human population was ignorant about the presence + of alien lifeforms in their galaxy. The scant pieces of evidence that did + exist were kept secret by the political leaders. The Colonies were controlled + by several Major Houses, each with their own agenda's and changing alliances. + None of the House Lords had the motivation to order a thorough investigation + into a mad man's testimony of outer world creatures. + + The war came without warning. In the Kor Glaven system, on the edge of known space + and outside the jurisidiction of the great houses, two new colonies + had been founded. The settlers were finishing the construction of their + hyperspace jump gate, to connect the system to allied borderworld systems. + Unfortunatly, the Tsu-Khan Empire had located a suitable planet just + a few parsec away. + + The Andros colony was the first to fall. It didn't take the Tsu-Khan + battle group very long to destroy the defenceless setlement. + By the time they arrived at the Corthio colony, the colony had scrambled + any battleship it could find to fend the invasion. The Colonial fleet was + no match for the superior Tsu-Khan ships. In a few hours, the battle was over, + and the Corthio colony had been reduced to ashes. + + The story repeated itself across the Borderworlds. These independent worlds were + usually inhabited by pacifist who had escaped the turmoil of the central planets + or had a mutual understanding with one or more of the great houses. The Tsu-khan + did not care, and the majority of the Bordesworlds was utterly obliterated. What + remained was a few primitive settlements scattered across the smoldering remains + of the Borderworld planets. + + The relations between the Borderworlds and the Major Houses were strained with + conflicts of interest. The central planets usually didn't care unless some economical + or strategical advantage was involved. Slowly the Houses got drawn into the the war, + and after almost a year of hostilities most of the House Lords found their armies + involved in a full-scale war. A war, they realised, they couldn't win. + + With the Borderworlds out of the way, and the Tsu-Khan fleet at the border of every + Major House, there wasn't much they could do to oppose the Empire. In this darkest + of hours a secret meeting took place that turned the fate of history. On a small, + neutral planet, near the centre of the Colonies, a number of small ships met in secret, + each ship carrying one of the remaining House Lords. + +The Alliance + + This small planet used to be the stage for the House Council, by then a long forgotten + tradition, where the Lords of the Major Houses used to work out their differences + with dialog, or discuss current events. In the years before the Great War, this + tradition had been neglected and oposing views were usually solved with a friendly + border skirmish followed by royal monetary compensation. + + These times were over. This war wasn't about money, power or territory. + It was about survival and it was clear by now that none of the Major Houses possessed + sufficient strength to fight the Empire on its own. A new alliance was formed and it + was decided that it should not only include the Major Houses, but also any independent + system that was still capable of fighting. The Lord of House Lindblade, who's + territory had been on the front line since the beginning of the war, and considered + as moderate amongst the House Lords, proposed to assemble a fleet in the Lindblade + system to prevent the Empire from gaining a foothold in the Central Systems. + + Within days, the largest fleet in human history had united under one banner. Out of fear, + out of hope, but most of all, out of desperation. A news reporter from the era described + it as ".. an overwhelming sight of the End of Times, but unlike the descriptions of + Armegeddon in the Ancient Scripture, a sight with a sense of honour and dignity ..." + and ended his report with the question if they really had any chance against such + a formidable enemy. Battleship after battleship graciously drifted in formation, + and everyone on board, from crewman to captain, knew this had to be the final stand. + + When the Empire's vast intelligence informed the Tsu-Khan Emperor of this unexpected + turn of events, humanity's fate seemed sealed. The orders where quick and decisive: + regroup the fleet and prepare to engage the humans. Once dispatched it would + take care of the alliance fleet and end human opposition once and for all. The war + would be over soon and the Alliance's systems would under the Empire's control. + + It is said that even the smallest person can change the course of the future, and in + this case, it was a lonely scientists in the Anara system. His work involved + the meaning of life, the universe and related subjects, and ignoring the dangers + of the war was his way of dealing with the situation. His latest experiment required + him to pilot a tiny and almost unpowered vessel into the Anarian nebula, where + he could conduct measurements of the small variations in the local hyperspace field. + + He was performing another scan of the sector when suddenly his instruments went off + the scale. To his amazement he suddenly found himself on the edge on area where the + alien fleet had decided to regroup and refuel before they sneaked into Alliance Territory. + The small vessel, barely powered and only slightly larger than an emergency life + support pod, used the high levels of radiation in the nebula to elude the Tsu-Khan + sensors and send a warning message the Alliance Fleet. + + With the help of the detailed scientific information about the nebula, the Alliance + managed to jump right on top of the unsuspecting Tsu-Khan fleet. Within minutes, + the Imperial Flagship, primary target of the assault, had taken massive damage and was + burning in the flames of explosive decompression. It was at the heart of the fleet + when it exploded, and most of the heavy fighters and cruisers were hit by the shockwave + and the massive rain of high-speed metallic debris behind it. Some managed to retreat + to Tsu-Khan space, most fell victim to the united firepower of the Alliance fleet. + + News of the victory spread through the Colonies like fire, and the battle became legendary + before the Alliance fleet had even returned home. + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + PROJECT::OSIRION + Allied Intelligence Network classified documents + + +Project Osirion + + During the war, many great houses conducted experiments in search for + advanced technologies to aid in defeating the enemy. One of these + experiments was called 'Project Osirion', an experiment involving + a new type of hyperjumpdrive, which could work independent of hyperspace + jumps holes and cross enormous distances in the blink of an eye. + + The requirments on ship design for this experimental drive unit were + outrageous to say the least. But facing imminent defeat, no effort + was spared to gain even the slightest advantage. In less than 6 months + a new ship was constructed and equiped with the experimental drive unit. + + The ship was an impressive sight: several hundred meters of neutronium-enforced + carbosteel, thousands of metric tonnes of superconductors and optronics, + a monument to human ingenuity and an instrument to survival. + + This ship was christened 'Osirion'. + + The ship's first test flight was a major event. Most secret projects did not + generate a lot of attentention, but this flight was a higly anticipated by + the top brass from all parties involved, military, political and corporate alike. + + The ship had left the construction yard as planned and had almost arrived at + departure point on the edge of the star system when suddenly all communication + was lost. Extensive investigations after the incident have never revealed the + source of the malfunction, and everything that happened after this point is the + result of long-range sensor telemetry. + + The ship arrived at the departure point and the flight continued as planned. + A few moments later a massive energy discharge was registered, indicating + that the experimental jump drive was activated. Unfortunatly, the order + to return to the point of departure after the initial jump, seems to be a part of + the plan that never got executed. The ship had literally vanished into thin air. + + The top brass was very upset. + + +The Karelian Incident + + +The Tsu-Khan Empire + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + PROJECT::OSIRION + Protectorate Top-Secret documents + +What really happed to the Osirion + +What really happed after the death of the Tsu-Khan Emperor + +Tsu-Khan Empress and the War Generals + +The Empress' niece + + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + PROJECT::OSIRION + STORY + +I. Business + + Alexandria outpost, jewel of the south, or queen of the wasteland, + as some higher placed officials like to call it off-the-record. + They were probably right too. The wasteland probably referred to + planet Ghant, a lifeless chunk of rock holding the outpost in + a stationary orbit. Unless you had some pressing matters to handle, + this was a part of space you would rather avoid. The only kind of + people you could find here were people doing business and people + who needed to dissapear from public appearance. Or both. + + The local custom was to mind your own business, and that was exactly + what I was looking for: minding my own business. My life on the central + planets had become far more complicated than I had planned for and it + was time for a change: I managed to get a loan from the local + planetary bank and spend it on the aquisition of a small transport + vessel. + + The first day of my new life as a spaceship captain. Not the glorious + life I had gotten used to, but at least a decent one with its small pleasures + once in a while. The small room I rented above the local bar almost felt like + home. After I left the central planets, I ended up on Alexandria outpost where + the local bartender was kind enough to offer me a job in his modest establishment. + He probably did it more out of sympathy then anything else, but as it turned + out, I'm great at doing the dishes and I always enjoyed our conversations. + That is, until last week, when I met Mister Brent. + + I never really got to know him very well but he must have remembered me from high + school. I was sitting at the bar when he suddenly tapped my shoulder. My memories + of him were vague. As he sat down, I ordered him a drink. We had some chit-chat, + shared a few memories of distant times, but it didn't take hime very long to come + to the point. + + Brent was the business type. "The rising star of the Regula mining operations, + overseeing all shipments of niobium ore in the Ghant system", to quote his words. + His phrases like "A smart man could make a fortune" sounded rather hollow to me, + but he did have a point. 500 runs to Regula to pay the loan for the ship. + Another 1500 more to get myself a ship big enough to hold a small cabin with all the + luxuries a simple life would need. + + Repetetive? Boring? Perfect! Add an autopilot and this life could be more relaxing + then a luxury vacation on an exotic planet. With this simple business but rock-solid plan + laid out in front of me I managed to convince the manager of the local planetary + bank to provide me with the necessary funds for my operation, which I quickly + exchanged for Micron Corporation's latest Vector model. It's a small ship: + the cockpit, a living compartment with a sleeping corner and a cargo hold + just big enough to hold a few metric tons of whatever the owner had in mind. + All it misses is a pair of blasters to shoot the mosquitos from the windshield. + + That would have added another 50 runs to the price. + + The first two runs went smooth. Nothing unexpected. Pick up supplies at Alexandria, + fly all the way to the Regula mining operation station, exchange the supplies + for a shipment of karpax ore and head back. I had just hit the impulse drive with + the third load in my cargo hold when I noticed something out of place. + + A blip. And a big one too. No civilian vessel had an EM radar signature that powerful. + I peered through the windows and as planet Ghant grew bigger on me I could clearly + distinguish a second bright spot next to the familiar one Alexandria had become to me. + I quickly requested the computer for an identification and it didn't take it very long + to come up with an answer. Battleship Custodian. Colonial Militia registration number + CM-2542. It must have jumped in when I was docked at Regula. + + Curious. While the Ghant system was officialy under the jurisdiction of the + colonies, nobody had any real business here. Niobium was without doubt a valuable + commodity, but since there was no real shortage of the oremy guess was that the + military's interests would lie elsewhere. For now, I decided to ignore the matter. + I wasn't about to meddle into military affairs and let unfortunate circumstances ruin + my life again. + + Nevertheless it was hard to ignore the massive battleship looming over the outpost, + but I docked and went straight to the bar. The bartender looked at me as I walked in + and pointed me to my regular place at the bar. "I'll be right back", he said, + and disappeared into the kitchen compartment. As on most quiet evenings, the + regular customers were kind enough to leave my seat unocupied and it didn't + take the familar surroundings long to ease my exited mind into a more relaxes state. + "Here you are, one cup of steaming hot chocolate milk. I'm not sure how or where + you got it, but I am sure it is the real deal. No one would get it into his mind + to synthesize anything without having an actual market for it." + + As usual, my bartender was right, and that was exactly why I liked this stuff, even if it + costed a small fortune. "But then again", he continued and turned has eyes towards the large + space window at the other end of the bar, "life can be full of surprises." + +II. Surprises + + It was hard for him to hide his unsettledness. "I just had a talk with the station supervisor + and the commander of that battleship floating out there". "The Custodian", I replied. "I had + the ship computer run an ID on it". "You'd better take care of that fancy new ship of yours", + he said. "They were here to inform me that the Colonial Militia has decided to assign a detachment + to the Ghant system, effective immediately. All fleet operations in the system will be under the + command of the battleship Custodian. They also dropped some kind of communication sattelite + in the center of the system. God knows what these guys are up to." + + The military is always involved in business the common man would rather not know about, but I had + to admit, it just didn't sound right. A battleship in the Ghant system was curious, but a + more permanent presence didn't make any sense at all. I picked up the small metal spoon lying + next to my cup and stirred my hot milk. "I wouldn't worry too much. They've probably discovered + some interesting radiation in the neighbourhood and now they want to turn it into a weapon. You + know these kind of people, if it goes kabooom, they immediately like it." "Besides", I continued, + "the system has been quiet for months. I haven't seen a pirate in ages". + + The tone in my voice couldn't hide my longing for more dangerous and exiting times, + but those days were over. I had chosen a new path, and I was not about to ruin my plans + because of a few curious events. I emptied my cup and wished the bartender good night. + + I couldn't sleep that evening. I didn't know what troubled me more: the prospect + of my new life, the memories of the old one, or the strange events of today. When a man + is troubled, he has to start walking and with the silence of the night as a blanket, + I got out of bed and went out on a stroll. + + 2 am standard colonial time. Nights in space are something to get used to: without + the sun to rise and set, dusk and dawn become rather hollow definitions and + only the clock dictates when it is time to go to sleep. Nevertheless, the atmosphere + of the night still permiated the station: most of the establishments were closed and + the sound of busy peoples voices was replaced by the quiet hum of the electrical + installations. + + I wandered aimless through the empty corridors until I reached one of the large + space windows on the upper level. It was almost like the vast, empty space + behind it was reaching out, trying to stir something in the back of my mind. + I wasn't sure why but I could not shed the feeling that some event was about + to unfold. I turned around to head back to bed when suddenly felt a faint + tremor going through the station. It was hardly noticable and most people + would probably ignore it, but I knew exactly what it was. + + When a ship drops from hyperspace into normal space, it will send a small shockwave + into the surrounding area. This is not a shockwave of something traveling through space, + but rather a disturbance of the fabric of space itself, with a distinct rythmn + an experienced pilot can easily recognize. I could have ignored it too and + go back to sleep, but the intoxicating effect of the mystery dragged me back to the window. + + A ship had arrived, and it had to be close. Hyperspace-tremors do not travel very far + and it would take one hell of a pilot to make a jump this close to a gravitational well. + The slightest miscalulation would have spread out his atoms over the face of planet Ghant. + The bright moving spot between the stars had proven he was either very good, or very lucky. + + The design of the ship was unfamiliar. It looked like some kind of a patrol craft, + armed to the teeth and ready to defend itself if it were necessary. Fortunatly, + it looked like the pilot had a more quiet evening in mind. In a gracious arc, + he approached the station and soaring like a an eagle he started the final approached + to the docking bay. + +III. The suit + + A wise man once said: "Curiosity is mankind's greatest gift. But it is + also mankind's greatest curse." I didn't have to take him for his word: + I've been in situations before were I wasn't supposed to belong, + and me intuition told me that ship was probably something I didn't want to know about. + + By now it was almost 3 am and I was almost certain I was going to regret this nightwandering + episode when my alarm clock would obnoxiously announce the next morning. Almost, because + by now I had learned that no regrets and focus on the task at hand was usually the wiser + course of action. Right now, the task was finding some sleep. + + I turned around, walked to the elevator at the end of the corridor and pressed the button. + After a few seconds the doors opened with a joyfull chime and I stepped inside. "Level 6". + The elevator seemed to consider my request when the doors finaly closed and it started + moving upward. I leaned casually against the back wall, my right hand trying to catch the + yawn escaping my mouth. |