The Return – A Distant Worlds: Universe AAR

[Anguille]

First two posts at almost 2000 words, and I haven't played a month of game time yet

This is going to be a long game....

[Martok]

Munch crunch nyom nom  8)

Delicious! 

First two posts at almost 2000 words, and I haven't played a month of game time yet

the one bad thing about AARs is not playing the game because youre writing about playing the game

Too true. 

[JasonPratt]

Oh good! I don't have to work at trying to play this game for a while, with two AARs running!  8)

[OJsDad]

Part III

      As the applause and cheers quieted down, Richard quipped "Once Rosemary tells me when and where to be for our nuptials, I'll let everyone else know."  That brought about another round of laughter while everyone found their seats again.
As the last of the noise faded away the grin on Richards face also faded away.  His gaze gave a final sweep of the members of Parliament, seemingly looking at each and every one of them in the eye for a moment.

      "One thousand four hundred and ninety-two years ago, we lost contact with the rest of the galaxy.  We know that contact was lost because of the Shakturi.  What we were never sure of then, or even now, is whether or not the Shakturi are still a threat.   We do know that both sides of that great war had unleashed their final secret weapons to eliminate the opposition."

      "I feel, as most of you do, that both sides succeeded in given the other side a death blow that they could not recover from.  I feel that if either side had survived those final super weapons, that they would have come looking for us by now.  The Allies would have reached out to everyone colony to help rebuild.  The Shakturi would have to make sure that no one was left that could threaten them. "

      "But more compelling evidence is what happened  eleven years ago.  When the Black Mining pirates attacked.  If either power had survived to be able to rebuild, I know that the pirates would not exist.  Because of their existence I believe that there is no great power left.  In fact, I believe that if other worlds survived, then they are in similar situations like us.  Cut off from the rest of the galaxy, scared to venture off world, and possibly at the mercy of pirates."

      "It is because of these reasons, that I believe it is time to venture back into space.  First, by establishing a space station that will allow us to defend this planet, build ships to travel to the other planets in this system, and to allow us to gather resources from those planets.  I also propose we build a couple of battle stations to help defend this planet, ships to survey the rest of the Trendillu system, research stations to help develop new technologies, and if needed, construction ships to build the facilities necessary for resource gathering in other areas of the system."

      "Many believe that if we take these first steps, that we will be able to free ourselves from the tributes that we are forced to pay the pirates.  This, unfortunately, will not be possible immediately.  We know that there are two other planets in the system, Trendillu Major 1 and 2, that will support humans with no problem.  And, our engineers believe that with the right technology that there are other planets in this system that we can colonize. "

      "It is because of these possible colonies and the possible mining operations in other parts of the system, that we will need a navy for defense.  However, neither our technology nor are our naval personnel ready for those responsibilities, yet."

      "We need to develop, and in many cases, reinvent weapon, defense and ship technologies, including faster than light travel.  We know the pirates have that technology, and without it, they will be able to out race our ships from target to target.  And, from what have seen, we know that their weapons are also stronger than anything we have."

      "But, even if we when match and exceed the pirates technology, design better ships, they will be useless without the men and women to crew them.  For the majority of the last fifteen hundred years, we have had a small military force and they have served us well.  But currently, they are not ready to take on the responsibilities of a space based forced.  In the last eleven years, they have done what they can with theories and simulations.  Until they can start crewing ships they will not be able to truly build the professionalism that will be needed to use those ships."

      "One final reason I believe we should return to space.  It is hard for me to believe we are the only colony world of any of the allied races to have survived.  Indeed, I would not be surprised if there are other human colonies out there.  It is my belief that we have a moral obligation to find then, to offer them our friendship, and our arms in mutual defense."

      "I know how scary this whole adventure is to many of our citizens.  But what is even more scary to me is that the pirates are already a threat that we currently cannot counter.  The fact that the Shakturi invaded our galaxy from another galaxy once and either they or another race may try again.  And not being ready to do something about that possibility is even more scary.   Our population has grown to over 5.2 billion people, we can no longer hide from others scouts."

      "That, my fellow citizens, is why I ask that you support our return to space"

       The parliament chamber erupted into a bedlam of applause and cheering.

[Martok]

Nice.  So did you deliberately have Richard channeling JFK, or did it just happen to work out that way?  :) 

[undercovergeek]

good stuff - is this pure fiction, or is it the actual back story to the game?

[OJsDad]

Nice.  So did you deliberately have Richard channeling JFK, or did it just happen to work out that way?  :)

It just worked out that way.  I never even thought of him when I was writing.

[OJsDad]

good stuff - is this pure fiction, or is it the actual back story to the game?

Pretty much pure fiction.  Until after I posted last night only a couple of game months had been played and I had only played that much to see which pirate faction would show up.

[OJsDad]

Some notes from the author.

1.  Build times are DW are fast.  Since my last post, 2 game years have elapsed.  In that time, I have built a large space station, three research stations, two construction ships, two survey ships, and a number of mining ships.  As your reading my story, the narrative time lines will probably not match the times in the game.  So if you see some screen shots and the time differences don't look right with the story, that is why.

2.  All names of other races, planets, stars, etc. will match between story and game.

3.  While the game builds single construction and colony ships, I will represent these as small flotillas in the story.  Each flotilla with consist of 6-12 ships.

4.  The game shows a single leader.  This is not Richard, or any other sitting monarch.  I consider the lead not to be a single person but a combination of the prime minister and the cabinet.  I apply the same logic to planetary governors.  Admirals, generals, ambassadors, scientist if treat as a single person.

Hopefully I can write a good story and keep you all interest.   

[undercovergeek]

Hopefully I can write a good story and keep you all interest.

you have so far - a purchase hangs in the balance here man!!

[Martok]

Oh, bollocks.  You already want to buy it; you know you do!  >:D 

[OJsDad]

Part IV

      The western horizon was aglow from the setting sun.  The eastern horizon was pitch black and filling quickly with stars.  The only sound was from the gentle crashing of the oceans waves coming on shore.  Dave Stratton was looking to the east, watching those stars as they came into view.  The light from the fire was partially obscuring some of the stars, but the breeze off the ocean forced him to stand closer to the warmth of the fire than he wished.

      His interest so focused on those stars, that he never heard the person walking up behind him.  He had no idea they were there until her slender arms slid under his and wrapped themselves around his muscular abdomen and chest, drawing him closer into her.  The top of her head only came up to his chin.  For a brief second, we felt her breath on his back, in-between his shoulder blades, before she turned her head and rested it in that same spot that her breath had touched a moment ago.
She began slowly running the tips of her nails up and down his chest and stomach.  He could barely her say, "They were asleep seconds after their heads hit the pillows." 

      He continued to stand there, staring at the ever growing sky full of stars.  She allowed him to stand like that for a few seconds more, then slowly, she forced him to turn and face him.  Her hands continued their slow journey up and down his back, her head pressed against his chest.  Grinning to himself, he allowed his hands to wonder onto her back.  As soon as she had pulled him to her, he knew she had left her cover up in the tent, and replaced her one piece swim suit with her two piece tanning suit. 

      They stood like that for what seemed like hours.  She with her head against his chest.  He looking down into the top of her long red hair.  Then one of their upwards journey, her hand continued up past his neck and to the back of his head.  At the same time,  she pulled her head back, looking up into his eye, revealing her green eyes and light sprinkle of freckles.  Her hand resting behind his head pulled his mouth to hers.  He allowed one of his hands to come up to her shoulder, then begin to drift down her chest to cup her full, supple, br....

      Beep-beep!  Beep-beep!  "Command Stratton, we need you on the bridge sir"

      In an instant, the image of his wife, Autumn, was replaced by the image of Chief Petty Officer Wagner.  It took Commander David Stratton a couple of seconds to remember that he was not planet side, but aboard the HMS Lawless Mirage.  Mirage seemed to be an acute description to what he was feeling at the moment. 

      His dream had been of the last night he had been planet side with his family.  A week later, he had gone back to space to take command of the second survey ship, the second ship of any kind, to be built.  He and his crew of thirty-one would be gone just over a year to get a better understanding of the other planets and moons in the Trendillu Major system. 

      The Lawless Mirage and her sister ship, the Prize of Trendillu Major, had already surveyed Trendillu Major 1 and 2.  The two were like Trendillu Major 3, a continental planet that could support human life as is.  Then they had split up and gone their separate ways. 

      The Prize headed to the asteroid belt between the systems fourth and fifth planets.  As they were approaching the outer edge of the belt, they had detected something strange.  It didn't take long for them to realize that it was moving towards them.  When they got a visual on the object, it looked to be some kind of slug.  Because the survey ships had no weapons, all they could do was set a course away from the creature.  After that, they continued on to Trendillu Major 5, a gas giant, orbited by a single barren rock of a moon.  At this time, the Prize was heading back to the Trendillu Major 3's space station to refuel and resupply.

      The Lawless had head out system also on a course for Trendillu Major 6.  Also a gas giant that is orbited by two rock barren moons and a single desert moon.  Survey's on all of them had been completed, except for Eluir, the desert moon.  Looking at his clock, they were about sixteen hours from orbit there.  That means he had been asleep for all of one and a half hours. 

      "Chief, this had better be damn important.  You just interrupted Mrs. Stratton and me."

      "Yes sir, it definitely import enough to interrupt your dreams.  Our satellites have deployed around Eluir.  Nothing unusual from the weather satellites, but he the visual and mapping satellites have found something unusual.  It looks like a structure of some sort sir"

      "Are you sure chief.  We have nothing in our files that indicate that there was ever anything out here."

      "Yes sir.  I woke up Ms. Rios first and she confirmed it.  She's still studying the takes, that's why so she asked me to wake you."
 
      Martha Rios was the ships X.O. and survey specialist.  She wouldn't have had the captain awaken on anything trivial.

      "Alright chief, I'll be up in about five minutes.  Stratton out."  He laid back down for about fifteen seconds before getting the energy to heave himself up and out of the bed. 

      "Captain on the bridge" Chief Wagner said as Commander Stratton stepped onto the bridge four minutes later.  The Imperial Navy had pulled all of the information that was in the archives on the long dead Terran Navy's traditions.  One of those traditions was for a ships captains arrival into a compartment to be announced  and for the crew to snap to attention.  The Imperial Navy had no problem with the captains arrival to be announced, the decided that the crew had better things to do than snap to attention when the captain entered a work space.  Therefore, the only time the crew came to attention when the captain entered a compartment was when he came into either crew quarters or mess halls. 

      "Alright Martha, what do we have."

      Lieutenant Martha Rios stood at five foot five and weighed one hundred and ten pounds.  Naturally tanned skin with black hair and brown eyes.  The only thing that surpassed her love of marathon running was her work in surveying the systems bodies. 

      "The terrain mapping sats first noticed It and the visual sats confirmed it.  Definitely an artificial structure.  About 300 feet tall and 210 at the base.  It's a giant arch with carved inscriptions on it.  The computers have identified the language of the Ancients."

      "Comms, get a link opened up to the Hexagon.  Raw data only.  I don't want any of our analysis to pollute theirs."

      "Aye-Aye Sir." The communications petty officer replied.

      "Sir," Rios said, "it's looking like the inscriptions are describing the some of the system bodies in about ten of the nearby star systems."

      As Stratton seated himself into his command chair, Chief Wagner handed him a cup of coffee.  Taking his first sip, his mind started to whirl through all of the possibilities.  Lord knows how old this arch and the inscriptions were.  If they were indeed descriptions of nearby star systems, they may not be accurate anymore.  But whether or not they still one hundred percent accurate or not, this discovery would start a firestorm of research and construction that would rival what took place after what was known as the Emperors Return speech.

      After the speech, there was frenetic construction and research.  The first three years were mostly concentrated on the construction of eight launch sites, with a total of twenty-five launch platforms.  That was followed by two and a half years of round the clock launches with prefab pieces for the space station.  When that was done, the launch sites then began launching the battle stations and research stations, and the two construction flotillas.

      While the launch sites were working to complete their tasks, the space station had started on construction of the two survey ships.  Those took eight months to complete.  That was followed by a number of mining ships that were harvesting the resources from the system bodies that the survey ships had visited already.

      "Sir, there's something else." Rios stated while giving him a lopsided grin.  "If this information is still accurate, then there is a planet in what is called the Nurastus system that we could colonize pretty easily."

      Yes, Stratton thought to himself, definitely a frenetic pace coming soon.

[undercovergeek]

romance  :'(

drama  :o

get typing!!! 

[OJsDad]

romance  :'(

drama  :o

get typing!!! 

At this rate, I may need to invest in a voice dictation system.  Watch out David Weber!!

[OJsDad]

Part V

To say the crew was disappointed would have been a major understatement.  I'm not sure how to describe the crews mood at first.  After our discovery at Eluir, we thought we would be headed home to some R&R, like the Prize and her crew.  Unlike the Prize, we had plenty of fuel on board, so it was decided to send us out to Trendillu Major 8, the systems outer most planet.  It's a frozen gas giant with a single moon, Ibeiv.  It wouldn't have been so bad, except it was at the systems zero degree mark and we were at the two hundred and seventy mark.  But some astronomers had thought they had detected something in orbit of the planet.  All of these years, and no one had noticed anything before.  Whatever.

While the crew would have been happier to have gone home first, what we discovered made us repeat heroes of the empire.

We first went to Trendillu Major 8, where we did find something in orbit.  It was a highly damaged abandoned ship.  We sent a team over to examine it.  It was obvious that it was a ship from our human ancestors, the Terran Republic, and the technology looked more advanced than anything we currently have.  We couldn't get much information from her, except her name, the Red Vendetta, and her class, a Sabre II destroyer.  Per the Hexagons orders, we placed a marker on and continued our survey of Trendillu Major 8. 

Once complete, we headed for Ibeiv.  There, we made an even bigger and more significant discovery.  Actually, two of them.  First, we found another ship in orbit.  This one was nearly intact.  The ship had long run out of fuel and power.  We were able to rig a portable power supply to the computer systems and gained access to the logs. 

The ships name is Banished Sprite and she is a member of the Medusa II Frigate class.  She and the Red Vendetta had been part of one of the allies last task forces.  The Vendetta was badly damaged in the battle.  The Banished Sprite was attempting to escort the Vendetta to our planet.  They knew the colony was and that it had gone dark to try and avoid detection from the Shakturi. 

They had made it just into the system when they ran out of Carlson fuel.  While the warp engines still had their internal power, the rest of the systems shutdown.  Without those systems, they couldn't make their way in system.  With the colony having gone dark and not having any craft, the ships were on their own.  They had decided to take their chance on Ibeiv. 

Ibeiv was a barren rock with no atmosphere.  The crews detached the warp engines and got them to the surface.  They had rigged up shelters and had gotten their supplies and aquaponics up and running on the ground. 

They had been on the surface for seven months when the unforeseeable or undefendable happened.  And micro meteor shower hit the moon.  Without an atmosphere they were not destroyed in the atmosphere and destroyed the camp. 

What was left there was of little use to us.  Except the two warp engines.  They were beat-up and damaged pretty good.  Their internal power supplies had long been depleted.  Because we had long ago lost the knowledge of how warp engines worked, shipped them back home in hopes that the egg heads would find them of some use.  There was too much damage too them to duplicate them.  But they were able to figure out the principles that they worked.

It took twelve years, but they finally figured it out.  And today, we get to reap the rewards for all of that work.  David Stratton had been promoted to captain and was no longer in command of the Lawless Mirage.  That duty had been turned over to Commander Rios.  Stratton was now in commanding officer of 1st Survey Squadron.  His duty location was in the Hexagon.  But today, he was doing an inspection on the Lawless, which just happened to be the first warp capable ship heading on it's experimental flight out system to Tond.

Tond was one of the systems that they had found information about on the arch on Trendillu Major 6.  Their mission was two-fold.  One was to verify the warp engines.  Every ship was waiting for that verification to start upgrades.  The other was to verify the information on the arch.

Chief Wagner was the only other member of the original crew still on board.  He had spent the better part of the last twelve years as an instructor at fleet training center teaching navigation to the new officers and spacers.  Today, he reassumed his old job of ships navigator.

"Ma'am, we're showing all systems ready to go to warp."

"Thank you Chief."  Rios replied, much more calmly than anyone really believed.  She looked down at the comm screen to the youthful looking lieutenant stationed down in engineering.  "Jack, the Chief is ready to go to warp, how things looking down there"

"All systems green, we're ready" replied the ships chief engineer.

"Alright Chief Wagner, on my mark, take us to warp.  Three..Two..One...Mark!"

In an instant the Lawless jumped from thirty-three kilometers per second to one thousand two hundred and fifty-seven.   It still took weeks to make the transit to Tond, but it was better than the decades it would have taken before.

They had done it, they were back to being a warp capable race again.