Current year: 2253
“I looked and looked but I didn't see God.”
You're a criminal, a convicted one at that, you did something terrible enough that you were put in an intergalactic prison on a moon. See, space opened to humanity many years ago, we actually got our shit together and left our little home-world, first came Mars, next came some moons, then we went outside of our own star system, FTL is a thing of immense wonder. Amazingly enough, we encountered intelligent life, aliens, E.T.s, but they weren't little green men, they were friendly, if they weren't then we would've been turned to space dust, no doubt about it.
From that first meeting we encountered others, humanity didn't try to blow up any of them either, turns out when we put our whole race in the social aspects of life, we actually succeed. Of course there was the military aspect, no wars though, more like sharing of military secrets, trades between our race and others. There have been skirmishes, but those involve slavers and raiders, the real filth of the galaxy. The stuff of science fiction became reality, massive space ships which could carry thousands, energy weapons, even power armor and jetpacks.
But let's get back to you, you're a convicted criminal, you'd be on death row, ready to be executed but you have a set of skills which can be put forward for a greater good. The result of the collective brainpower of different species brainstorming an expendable, but skilled force that could fight on the front lines, sneak through the stars or even drop onto a planet. If you try to go AWOL and avoid your new role, well the chip in your brain goes off and your head literally explodes.
Wanna guess who was the first species to come up with such a thing? Yeah, humanity.
Why would you decline such an offer? I mean, what are you going to do? Rot in a cell for the rest of your pathetic life or sit in a chair and get executed?
Timeline
2033 - The first human, John R. Jackson, walks on Mars after a long journey to the red planet. The American flag is planted on the world and global interest in space is renewed. Scholars call it quite possibly the greatest event in human history. A statue of Jackson is later built where he took the first steps.
2036 - The most advanced robotics technology to date is unveiled. Humanoid service robots able to do a wide range of tasks are planned to be sold to the public within the next decade.
2037 - Human-like artificial intelligence becomes a reality. For the first time a computer passes the Turing Test. While the computer's answers are somewhat childlike, they are humanline nonetheless.
2038 - Near-Earth asteroids are minded for the first time. This practice is expanded to asteroids in the belts of Jupiter and Mars. Valuable materials as well as frozen ice water are extracted from asteroids.
2040 - The Very Large Hadron Collider is fully operational, it revolutionizes physics and what humanity knows about the makeup of the universe.
2041 - Robots have entered mainstream society, their most common usage is as companions and aides for the elderly, widowed and disabled. They are also put to use in a wide range of workplaces.
2044 - The first androids are created, a step up from the robots which are employed around the world as simple service machines designed to help humans across the globe. Androids look, feel and think like a human. Many in the public outcry at the creation of them. The creators of them simply state they are to be provided as companions to the lonely and heartbroken.
2052 - The first humans colonise Mars, a group of eight international scientists are sent there after years of preparation. Many predict disaster would occur, but it does not. A five year date is set for them to return the red world.
2057 - The Mars scientists return, all of them alive and well with loads of new data. This is another notch in humanity’s fascination with space travel.
2059 - The Mars colony is formally established. New technology allows the colonists to live there permanently. Years go by and the colony grows.
2066 - Prototype terraformation technology is unveiled, it is put to use on Mars. Positive results encourage further develop.
2071 - A colony on Earth’s moon is established. It is a success much like the Mars’ colony. Terraformation is used on the moon to help make it more habitable.
2074 - Advanced cybernetic augmentation is revealed to the public. Mechanical limbs which sync perfectly with nerves. These cybernetic attachments are provided to amputees around the globe. Technology allows paraplegics to walk.
2077 - Space focused technology has advanced as whole, we can more quickly get to the Mars and the moon. Adventures to other worlds are planned. Solar sail technology and nuclear pulse propulsion are two of the greatest advancements in this field. Spaceships can travel billions of millions in a matter of days or weeks.
2080 - Using an incredibly advanced suit, the first human walks on Mercury. The suit he uses becomes the basis of power armor of the future.
2085 - The most advanced terraformation technology to date is used on Venus in an effort to make it liveable for humanity. It proves a success and the first human walks on the world.
2085 - Mechanical powered exosuits are developed and put to use. Miners, firemen and the military are the heaviest users of these, making their jobs easier and saving lives in the process.
2088 - The first human walks on one of Jupiter's moon, Io.
2091 - The first humans walk on another of Jupiter's moons, Callisto. Terraformation and colonisation is planned for both worlds
2093 - After the success of the Jupiter expeditions, Saturn is explored, a landing on its moon Titan is made. Colonization plans are made for the moon.
2099 - A probe successfully reaches Alpha Centauri, it immediately orbits the system. This is considered another incredible advancement in space technology as we learn about space outside our solar system.
2100 - The moon and Mars’ colonies both report positive progress, travel between both of places and Earth is easier than ever before. Colonies have been established on Io, Callisto and Titan. Artificial intelligence has surpassed human intelligence and helped further humanity’s technological development. Huge mining operations take place in asteroid belts, space tourism is a booming industry.
2105 - Androids have entered mainstream society, humanlike in almost every way questions are raised about their status as machines and not sentient lifeforms. Most notably they are employed in law enforcement and as romantic companions
2120 - The Titan Riots occur, hundreds die in the conflict as pro-android activists sabotage robotics factories across the world. The creation of androids is banned, any found are shut down and dismantled.
2135 - Prototype FTL technology is developed and put under heavy testing.
2162 - The most advanced and streamlined spaceships are created with the ultimate goal of traveling outside of our solar system. Space travel is an incredibly successful business.
2175 - The S.S. Eden becomes the first human piloted spaceship to travel out of the solar system and to another. The day is celebrated across humanity as the greatest event in human history. It safely returns to Earth weeks later.
2183 - More ships are commissioned and exit humanity's home system (Sol system). The first human colony outside of the Sol system is founded, the name, "Alpha Genesis". Scientists are the first one on the world. It is a small, barren planet that can easily be terraformed into a liveable colony world.
2196 - A second colony outside of the Sol system is established, named "Terra Eden", a medium sized moon. It is terraformed so it is livable. Earth's nations unite to form the E.S.C. (Earth Systems Confederation).
2197 - Alien life is discovered on Terra Eden, deep inside a cave. A small insect which originated on the planet. Humans finally confirm that they are not alone in the universe.
2209 - Humans travel to another system and colonize two more planets.
2212 - Humanity encounters its first sentient alien species, the humanoid Vaxir, a race even more advanced than humanity. Peace is struck between the races, and humanity is introduced to the Galactic Federation.
2213 - Pro-human terrorists from the radical group Homines Primum kidnap several Vaxir and execute them, this deals a blow to human-Vaxir relations. Bounties are put out on Homines Primum members.
2216 - A bomb goes off on a human colony in protest of humanity’s relations with the Vaxir. 125 people are killed. Homines Primum is responsible for it.
2220 - By this year several high ranking members of Homines Primum have been killed or captured, the human supremacist group has gone mostly quiet.
2247 - The notorious space pirate Callum Bowman is captured and sentenced to multiple life sentences. He is placed in Lunar Maximum Security Incarceration Facility (LMSIF).
2253 - Current year. Several notorious inmates in the LMSIF are drafted to form a mission squad which will be for the greater good.
Technology
- Hyperdrive technology is the method which humans and other species use to travel through the stars. A carefully plotted course must be taken in order to avoid the ship coming out of the jump into a collision course with another ship, a black hole or even in the middle of battle. Many hyperspace routes have already been established. When a jump is initiated, the ship enters hyperspace, then will emerge at its destination after a period of time depending on the distance traveled and the level of the hyperdrive. Time is different within hyperspace, what seems like an hour in there could be days in real space.
- Weaponry - Weapons advanced with everything else as technology progressed. There are different types of weapons which are commonplace in the galaxy. Explosives, such as grenades, rocket launchers and landmines are also popular. You will still find people carrying melee weapons such as pocket knives and heated energy swords. The types of projectile weapons are as follow, they descend in commonality in the galaxy:
- Standard armor - Personal armor is common among those traveling through the stars, it is standard issue for military personnel and a must for anybody who has a job that requires them to get shot at. Personal armors come in either the light or standard classes, the design and patterns depending on the wearer, but they are all universally made of high strength metal alloys.
- Power armor - A whole different type of armor, power armor is much less common than the standard armors, but still can be seen worn by some soldiers, mercenaries and bounty hunters. It was a revelation for warfare when it was perfected, changing the way battles were fought. Not any soldier can wear power armor, it has to be custom fit to its wearer and is so heavy that it require micro motors powered by an engine in order for the wearer to move, but the protection it offers is top of the line. Non combat varieties are frequently used in manual labor jobs such as mining or construction.
- Energy shields - Energy shields are commonplace among soldiers and are included with most armors. These types of shields help protect the wearer from explosions, bullets, various energy blasts and some environmental hazards such as falls. Energy shields do not last forever, if they take enough punishment they will temporarily fail, exposing the wearer to more damage. Energy shields will only recharge when the wearer is not taking any damage.
- Prosthetic and Cybernetic Augmentations - Mechanical augmentation is commonplace in today's society, it has opened up a new era for society, possibilities never imagined before have been achieved. Amputees have limbs, paraplegics can walk, life has been made normal for these people thanks to modern science. Modern prosthetics link right into the body and are nearly indistinguishable in appearance to a natural limb. Artificial organs are also in wide usage throughout the galaxy, they are also indistinguishable from natural organs. Everything from an artificial heart, lungs and even parts of the brain are common sight. Once placed into the body they seamlessly link into the neural network.
Advanced cybernetic augmentation is also possible, while frowned upon and even outlawed by some it is still possible to acquire in parts of the galaxy. One could have their natural eyes replaced with an advanced mechanical version that allow night vision, or have a microchip wired into their brain which wires a computer into their mind. The Federation does not ban these type of enhancements, but several worlds within it do. - Robotics - Advanced forms of robotics were created before humanity left its own solar system. Since then the practice has been harshly regulated. Humanoid service robots are a common sight throughout the galaxy, their programming is basic and they are used for labor in many major industries. Androids are strictly banned on humanity’s worlds, these machines are designed to appear completely human, freely think and have emotions. This law was put in place after the Titan Riots of 2120 when activists attempted to sabotage multiple factories and ‘free’ androids. Hundreds were killed in the riots.
- Artificial Intelligence - Commonplace on larger ships throughout the galaxy, artificial intelligence helped revolutionize space travel. Free thinking A.I. follow their programming like robots, though they bring a human element, able to improve and adapt to any situation. Artificial intelligence is strictly regulated, A.I.s are monitored heavily to ensure they do not develop personalities or exceed their programming.
- Terraformation - The terraforming of worlds is commonplace throughout the galaxy, humanity used the technology on several worlds. Mars was the first one, through terraformation it was turned into a much more suitable planet for the human race. Some protesters have claimed that terraforming is morally wrong as it changes what was nature’s intent, but the counterpoint to this is that only barren worlds are terraformed.
The Ship
The I.S.S. Gladius is an advanced warship manufactured by the human race, it is 130 meters in length. The Gladius has been repainted to a neutral grey, all of its features are up to date. The name is fitting for the criminal crew, the gladius was a sword used by the Roman military. The Gladius has the standard armament of two forward facing laser cannons, one missile launcher and a swivel laser turret. It’s a mobile craft that can easily land on planets and also has a full fledged warpdrive. While not designed for a full out space battle the ship can hold its own. Its real talent lies in its speed and stealth capabilities, it can get away from larger vessels with ease.
There are three levels on the Gladius, on the first level is the bridge, medical bay, a (nearly empty) armory, escape pods, a training room and a firing range. The second level consists of the crew quarters, captain’s cabin, restrooms, showers, bar room, lounge and the cafeteria. On the third level is the hangar with a shuttle and the engineering decks.
Factions:
- The Federation - Comparable to the United Nations on Earth, the Federation was created before humanity entered the galaxy. Its goal is to promote peace, cooperation and trade throughout the galaxy. There is no single leader of the Federation, each of the member species elects a head who speaks out for their race on a council. The Federation’s headquarters is located in neutral space, a security force patrols the area and the station itself.
Species in the galaxy are not forced to join the Federation, but it is highly encouraged. Races that do not elect to join do not receive any of the benefits that come with membership such as protection pacts. The Federation has been criticised by many for multiple reasons, the most common are how they ban certain practices such as slavery but only enforce within their borders. - Homines Primum - A human supremacist group active in the galaxy, Homines Primum or ‘Humans First” has been responsible for acts of terrorism against non-humans. Bombings, public executions and taking of hostages are common tactics used by this despicable group. They are anti-Federation and anti-alien in general. Several bounties have been posted for their top members. Activity in the group has dropped in recent years, but they are still as hated as ever.
- The Black Stars - One of the largest and most notorious criminal gangs in the galaxy, the Stars as they're commonly referred to have wide reach of criminal activities. They have a hand in the mercenary business and traffick all sorts of illegal materials through the galaxy. They have in the past raided worlds and taken hostages, then forced these captives into slavery. Many of their members reside in prisons across the galaxy, their leader Callum Bowman one of them. Since his capture they have gone quieter than before, infighting hitting the faction hard.
- Maximum Octane - Notorious group of slavers and raiders. Also have caused terrorist actions, most notably the Sigma Station bombing which killed thousands. The faction fell into infighting and has since officially disbanded after a full scale raid by Federal authorities on their base of operations.
- The Golden Arrows - A former criminal gang that were once rivals of the Black Stars. They were thoroughly defeated and assimilated by the Stars.
- The Crimson Mercs - A group that were wholly opposed to the Black Stars. The members of the gang were all on the bad side of the Stars. They systematically hunted down members of the Black Stars until a shootout killed its members and left its leader for capture by Federal authorities.
- The Shepherds’ Guild - A highly skilled guild of smugglers, new leadership lead them into human trafficking. Some refused to accept this change and they were fired or killed. Their membership and prestige has dropped since then.
You can also create your own factions. Detail them in your character's bio, then I'll add them here.
Rules:
1. Follow the Guild's rules.
2. The usual, no godmodding, metagaming, Mary Sues, Gary Stus, you've heard all this before.
3. Original characters and races only.
4. No fighting in the OOC. Any problems must be brought up to me where I will end them.
4. Gore, swearing and violence are going to be in this RP. Keep the romance PG-13, fade to black any 'mature' scenes.
6. This is an advanced level roleplay. No one liners and try to have at least two solid paragraph per IC post. More is always great.
7. Roleplay in third person.
8. Don’t be afraid to do collabs with your fellow players, it’s always a great way to flesh out your characters, also helps keep the IC from getting clunked up with drawn out conversations.
9. Please don’t just disappear without a word. If you're going to be away then please notify me. One week without a word from you and you're removed from the RP.
10. Character death can occur. The missions our characters will go are considered suicide missions for a reason.
11. Don’t control named NPCs, I’ll handle that.
12. My word is law, so is my co-GM's @Firecracker_.
13. Have fun, this rule is non-negotiable. Feel free to message me with any questions, concerns or even suggestions to improve the RP.
TitanPads
- Free to use for the players for collabs. Please post on the OOC if you are using one of the pads.- A chatroom for any of the members of the RP to relax in. Feel free to ask questions, pitch ideas or anything else in the room.
Currently accepting two to three new people as well as second characters for players that have already joined!
CS dump:
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