Zemin trudged through the crowded streets, awash in the inescapable neon lights of the lower mining district. The sun barely reached the bottom of these slums, penetrating the smoke and the steam and the thousands of overhanging hovels only in small quantities. The district had once been a small mining community, complete with several enormous extraction platforms built to tear up massive swaths of the ground in search of valuable minerals. As the expansion of Heishi continued to sweep across the planet and envelop other cities, the mining community became one of the cheapest places to live, attracting millions of impoverished citizens to settle there. Slums began to spring up everywhere; on the decommissioned extraction platforms, on the polluted waterfront, and even in the deep canyons and shafts left abandoned by the fading mining industry. Informal expansion continued exponentially, bringing with it waves of crime and poverty that crippled whatever shred of official governance was present in the first place. The Heishi authorities - facing mounting military police casualties and skyrocketing levels of violence - declared the mining district closed to law enforcement of all kinds. That was when the triads took over.
The Zhao clan was the law in these subterranean alleyways and everyone knew it. The peasants, addicts, metal-freaks, organ-rippers, street-cleaners, poachers, and prostitutes all stepped back to make a path for Zemin, lowering their heads to acknowledge her as she passed. Respect was given to the triad before everything else, and in return, the triad kept the population in order and the district relatively peaceful.
The streets became more sparsely populated as she neared her destination. The crowds of rowdy civilians were long gone, replaced by patrolling groups of Zhao enforcers. This part of the district had once been a commercial block, but the triad had bought out every single shop and pushed all the owners out. Only one building still had the lights on now, the decrepit barracks that had housed military police in the days before the law withdrew to safer parts of Heishi. Zemin walked up to the entrance and pushed the door open, brushing past the guards that waited in the foyer. She made her way to the pub that had been attached to the left wing of the barracks, swinging through the gateways and finally coming to a stop in front of a table seated by six men.
The person sitting at the head of the table regarded her for a moment. He was an older man; completely bald and slender in figure. His brow moved downward in a way so that it seemed like he was always frowning. Unlike the others at the table, he was devoid of any implants or visible tattoos. The man gestured to a stack of chairs as the other gangsters made room for another seat at the table. “You met with the doctor?”
Zemin sat down and took a cigarette from one of the cases laid out on the table. “Fixed me up in less than an hour,” She replied. “No problems.”
“Good. You made sure civilians saw you on your way here?”
The assassin nodded, sparking a lighter and raising it to the edge of her cigarette. She looked upwards as she inhaled, examining her adoptive father’s expression. “I went through the open street, just like you asked me.”
Zhao Wu nodded. He looked as calm as ever. “Our appearance in these coming days should be one of uniform strength. We will target the most lucrative businesses of the Kong family; the drugs, the gambling, the prostitutes. We’ll disrupt their protection rackets and make sure people know that to side with them is to dance with a bullet. We’ve been through this before; it’s not pleasant, but we’re more than prepared.” The Dragon Head intertwined his fingers and laid them on the table. “Everyone needs to exercise caution - the attack on the foremost Red Pole is far from the end of their attempts to hit our higher organization.” He paused for a moment. “That’ll be all for now. Further orders will arrive by courier.” The underbosses stood immediately, murmuring in agreement with the triad leader as they collected their things and began to file out of the pub.
Zemin blew smoke towards the ceiling and put her cigarette out, rising to leave with the rest of the gangsters. Wu raised a hand and stopped her, pouring himself another glass of liquor as he waited for the underbosses to exit. “I need to talk to you,” he said. “Have something to drink.”
The Red Pole mumbled an okay, walking over to the bar and retrieving a box of filtered water. Anything that ran through the pipes in this ares of this city (or any area for that matter) was almost certainly filthy, so buying from private treatment plants was the only way to get the good stuff. She placed a straw in her carton and sat back down across from her father.
“This war isn’t going to be good for the triad. We have our hands in many of the same pots that the Kong do. Prolonged conflict is going to destroy a lot of infrastructure on both sides, it might even force the military police to get involved. The Yan officers that are being slowly transferred into the department are unlike anyone else we’ve worked with; full of spit and ideology. They refuse be bribed.” Zhao Wu sighed. He regarded his drink for a moment before pushing it away. “Things are changing against us. We need to end this conflict so we can focus on adjusting to the new era.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“I need you to eliminate the Kong family,” Wu replied. “All of them. Cut the head off the snake and all that. They have a great many 49ers, but none of them are particularly loyal or influential. You know what Kong is like, he keeps his power close. If we kill him - and all his children - his organization should fall apart.”
Zemin raised an eyebrow. “If it were only so easy, right? How am I supposed to kill the most protected man in the mining district?”
“I taught you to be resourceful, did I not? Those are my orders, and you will find a way to carry them out.”
The Red Pole nodded begrudgingly. It seemed the matter wasn’t up for discussion. “As you say. I’ll get some men on it as soon as possible, and then attend to the matter personally. It’ll get done.”
“Good. One more thing before you go,” The Dragon Head looked down at the table, suddenly overwhelmingly interested in the wooden grain. “My son… Your brother has gotten into trouble again. With this war now started, I need him back here for his own safety. As soon as possible.”
“Your son?” Zemin began to grind her teeth. Zhao Dun was the only true child that the Zhao boss had ever fathered, his own flesh and blood. He was also an idiot, and he did not get on well with his adoptive sister. “Where is he?”
“He’s using again. I caught him with enough product to kill a horse.” Wu sighed heavily. He was the most practical person that Zemin knew - if someone wasn’t pulling their weight, they were out or they were dead. Unfortunately, that all seemed to fall away when it came to his blood. Dun was an addict, everyone knew that, but he was still one of the most powerful men in the triad. “He escaped his room shortly after, disappeared in the slums.”
Zemin furrowed her brow. “And nobody has heard from him? Is there a chance that Kong hit him?”
“If there’s one thing my son excels at, it’s staying out of sight. Unless someone has combed through every wretched drug den in the district, I doubt he’s been found by anyone except his dealers.” Wu shook his dead. “Besides, the Kong triad would’ve already sent me his head if they had it.”
“So what do you want me to do? Comb through every wretched drug den in the district?”
The Dragon Head sighed again. That was answer enough.
The urban cascade of the Heishi palatial district sprawled for as far as the eye could see. The neatly organized blocks of luxurious housing blanketed the landscape, falling into the misty valley and rising again with the distant mountains. From where she stood opposite the windows of a splendid hillside estate, Zhao Zemin could gaze as far as the sun could reach. It was as if the whole district was laid at her feet. Here was the home of the titans of industry and politics that dominated the continent-spanning city of Heishi. Here was the playground of the powerful, guarded against the grinding sounds of industry and the constant cacophony of the slums. Here was the land of sheep, wealthy men with soft hands and weak stomachs. It was no wonder the triad thrived here.
“Could I get you something to eat or drink?” Zemin turned her attention away from the window, facing the source of the question instead. His name was Cutter - he was some sort of foreigner who had fled his homeworld and started a business in Heishi - built an empire from nothing but some borrowed money. Recently, that empire was rumoured to be declining. “My full staff has not arrived yet,” he continued. “But I’m sure we can make do. Lobster from one of my containments in the southern sea, perhaps? I’m assured they are completely protected from the regular oceanic acidity, grown in full from my personal stock of the finest genetic material.”
Zemin eyed him carefully. Cutter didn’t look broke - he was wearing an expensive evening robe in a house filled with expensive things. Still, Zhao Wu had decided those rumours about his faltering coffers were worth investigating. “Yeah,” she said. “One of those then. You have white liquor?”
“White liquor? Which kind would you prefer?”
“Kind?” Zemin frowned at him. “It tastes the same. Just get it.”
Cutter hesitated as if he was unsure of how to respond. Finally, he nodded. “Certainly. I’ll be back with those in a moment. Make yourself at home, and we’ll discuss business when I’ve relayed our conversation with the staff.” He patted the sides of his robe, smoothing it out before leaving. Zemin watched him walk out of the room. Once he was gone, her hand instinctively drifted towards her belt and she wrapped her metal fingers around the grip of a pistol. The handle hummed as the firing-lock was disabled by the familiar signature of her mechanical hand. She moved the side of her coat over the weapon, hiding it from sight once again.
“I have returned, and bearing gifts!” Cutter exclaimed as he reentered the room, followed by a platoon of smartly dressed servants carrying their platters of lobster. He gestured to the table on the other side of the room just as the servants brushed past her to set it. “I choose some imported vodka for you to drink, I’ve been told its one of the better brands. Haven’t tried it myself - too harsh.” He pulled out one chair and then sat down in another opposite it. “Please, sit down. You can tell me why you’re here and I will see what I can do to help.”
Zemin sat down and drew the glass of vodka towards her. She had no intention of drinking it, nor eating any of the food she had asked for, but it made the discussion seem more amiable. “I've been told that you borrowed a great sum of money from the triad a few years ago. Eleven-million cash, that's the number I was given." She raised her eyebrows, making a show of examining the various paintings and vases that were displayed around the dining room. "We want it back. I have come to collect, with interest." The staff still stood nearby, listening to the exchange with their hands stowed behind their backs. Zemin waved at them to gain their attention. "Do you people not understand this is a private discussion? Out, and lock the door behind you."
The servants glanced nervously from Zemin to Cutter. He swallowed hard, gesturing for them to obey the command with a flick of his wrist. The group seemed to stall for a moment, but after a few seconds of heavy silence they filed out of the dining room and closed the doors behind them. Cutter looked up from the table, his face now pale and flat. “I don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand?”
“I thought the monetary issues that I had with your organization were already solved,” Cutter furrowed his brow, speaking with a note of genuine confusion in his voice. “The meeting your organization had with me last week, does that not stand anymore?”
Zemin narrowed her eyes. “What meeting?”
“I met with another Zhao representative last week. We discussed the monetary issues that you seem to be hung up on - he said that I would be exempt from payment as long as I consented to another meeting to iron out the finer details of our deal.” Cutter frowned. “Were you not made aware of this? Seems like an internal issue. I happen to own a small augmentation company that produces in communication implants, you know. Perhaps I could, erm, sponsor you.”
“No.”
“Well, I’m sure there is something else I could sell—“
“No, just be quiet for a minute.” Zemin scanned the room, searching for any slight disturbance. Did Zhao Wu really arrange another meeting and forget to tell her? Impossible - everything the leader of the triad did, he coordinated carefully. This had to be something else, a set-up. Zemin drew her gun, causing the man sitting across from her to shrink backward in his chair. "Who did you meet? What did he look like?"
"I didn't really think to make a note of his appearance!" Came the rapid response. "I suppose he was Tianxian, with augmentations and tattoos all over his body. If you put that gun away, maybe I'll be able to remember better without the fear of..."
His voice trailed away as the sounds of crashing pots and pans became audible from the other room. Muffled voices quickly spoke in hushed tones, and soon, the air was full of silence again. Cutter looked to Zemin, finally seeming to realize the situation that they were in. Before either of them could speak, a knock came from the door separating the dining area to the kitchen. "Mr. Cutter, you have a private call. Please come and take it."
Zemin silently rose from her seat and aimed her gun towards the doors where the voice had emanated from. With her free arm, she made ready to overturn the table to act as cover. It probably wouldn't do much if the killers waiting in the kitchen were carrying long guns, but it would put something between her and the bullets that were probably ready for her. Cutter watched as she steeled herself, his panic silently rising. Zemin pointed the gun at him. "Open that door, and then get out of the way."
He knew better than to protest. Rising from his own seat, Cutter padded across the floor and placed his hand on the door handle. He waited for a moment, breathing faster and faster as he readied himself. Just as he seemed to start turning the handle, a shotgun blast tore through the wooden door and blew an enormous hole in his midsection. Cutter crumpled to the floor, instantly killed. Zemin immediately pushed the table up, sending the platters of lobster and the vodka clattering across the marbled floor. The ruined door swung outward, kicked open by a mechanical leg. The perpetrator rushed through the breach, getting two more wild rounds fired before Zemin's pistol put a hole in his neck. He staggered backward, dropping his shotgun and falling into the two other hitmen that had been following his lead. Zemin fired several more bullets at the reeling attackers, mostly hitting the first gunner but scoring a few shots on his two followers.
The assailants quickly composed themselves, pushing the tattered corpse into the doorway and retreating to the kitchen. Zemin heard more than two voices as the killers reorganized themselves, swearing at their wounds and reloading their guns. Zemin did the same, taking the half-spent magazine from her pistol and replacing it with a fresh one. "Red Pole!" One of the attackers shouted from the kitchen. "There are six of us back here! If you surrender, we'll abide by gang law and take you for ransom."
Zemin didn't respond. They wanted her to speak so they could try to pinpoint where she was behind the table, and besides, they were lying. She instead kept her eyes focused on the doorway, waiting for any sign of movement. If they were smart, they were flanking her right now. That was worrying - this dining room was a fairly open space, and if these cutthroats really numbered six they could easily surround her.
Suddenly, a flash of metal sailed through the doorway and clattered across the stone floor. Grenade. Zemin curled inwards, trying to protect her vital organs with her metallic appendages. Every window in the room shattered as the grenade exploded, sending shrapnel in all directions. Zemin felt the blast violently push the table backward, but surprisingly, nothing seemed to make it through the hardwood top. She rose instantly, knowing that any delay would mean the hitmen would be able to enter and kill her while they thought she was disorientated. She surprised a gunman walking tentatively through the doorway with a bullet to the gut, killing him shortly after with a shot that cracked his head into several pieces. She moved forwards, leaving the safety of the table and advancing across the room with her weapon raised. She killed another attacker struggling to get through the door as he tripped over the bodies lying there. Picking up the body of one gangster and holding it in front of her, Zemin pushed through the door and caught the other three hitmen taking cover behind various appliances and features. They shot at her but they lacked accuracy due to the amount of smoke still lingering in the air. Zemin ran through her magazine as she fired at them, also inaccurate due to the hazy air. When it was all said and done, however, she had managed to catch all three of them - one fatally in the top of the head, two in the midsection.
Zemin dropped the torn body she had been using as a shield and let out an exhausted breath. The dead man's blood was mixed with her own - as her adrenaline faded, she realized she had been shot in the very left portion of her abdomen. Her arms were also riddled with damage, but there she felt no pain. Using one hand to keep pressure on her wound and the other to reload her empty gun, she approached the writing body of one of the hitmen. He was shirtless, which made it rather easy to make out the tattoos that streaked across both his implants and his skin. They were Kong 49s. She shot him in the head to finish him off, doing the same for the other gangster lingering to life at the other side of the kitchen.
Staggering out of the kitchen and into the blasted dining room, she struggled over to the overturned table and slid onto the floor, resting her back against the hardwood top. She could already hear the sirens in the distance - the military police were expected to actually arrive on the scene in the palatial district. They would find her, but the Zhao triad owned the police. Even if these MPs decided to be difficult, she would simply bribe them and be on her way. Zhao Wu needed to hear about this ambush, this declaration of war from the Kong triad. First, though, she should probably see a doctor.
NAME: Sir Luther Carrington SPECIES: Human SEX: Male DATE OF BIRTH: 12th February 3128 (32) PLACE OF BIRTH: Port St. Clive, Nyneve System, Albion BACKSTORY: Born the second son of a wealthy Albionic merchant family - his father held a senior position in the directorate of the Royal Orion Trading Company - most of Luther Carrington’s childhood was spent in education, both by private tutors and trusted Company men. The young boy learned all manner of academic disciplines, as well as the intricacies of interstellar trade; economic theory, navigation, and sailing. He also began to accompany cargo ships on their voyages, to gain some measure of practical experience. At age 18, he was given a small spaceship to command, and soon proved an adept captain and leader of men, rapidly gaining a good reputation among the Company’s many clients for quick and reliable services - venturing onto ever more dangerous trade routes as the years went by, and often finding himself in conflict with pirates. Carrington was barely 20 when a crew of bloodthirsty raiders from Tezcatlipoca managed to board his vessel. Caught by surprise, every man on board was slaughtered. Luther survived only by hiding under the bodies of his dead crew, unseen by the pirates as they hastily stole everything that wasn't nailed down and left.
Somehow managing to make an emergency landing on an Albionic frontier world in what was now a looted and vandalised ghost ship, Carrington resolved to train himself to fight, so that if he came under attack again he could do more than just hide and pray. After securing passage to his home city, the young man practiced with his pistols every day, and hired a decorated ex-navy officer to teach him the principles of naval tactics and ship combat manoeuvres. For four years, he trained diligently, refusing to return to company work before he felt he was ready. It was not long after that four years when war broke out - a large force of Zhi had decided to expand their holdings into Albionic frontier space. Several backwater planets were quickly besieged by the enemy aliens, and Royal Navy reinforcements were slow to mobilise. Out of a sense of patriotic duty, Luther commandeered the company’s fastest clipper and spent the next few months running supplies to the blockaded planets, dodging Zhi attacks almost daily to help the citizens hold out until the Navy arrived to lift the siege and drive the Zhi back to their own space. For this pivotal act of heroism, Carrington was knighted and ordained with King Richard VII’s divine marque as a Royal Privateer, giving him the right to conquer territory and make war against Albion’s enemies in the name of the sacred monarch. To this day, he has done that duty unwaveringly, fuelled by patriotic fervour and a burning hatred of pirates and xenos alike. APPEARANCE:i.imgur.com/796DEgq.png MOTIVATION: To serve King and Country by destroying Albion’s enemies wherever they may lurk. SKILLS/STRENGTHS: Intelligent and well-educated, a skilled sailor, navigator, and tactician. A good shot with a pistol. Brave and devoted to his country. WEAKNESSES: Sees diplomacy as cowardly. Does not know when to back down. Haughty and aloof. PERSONAL EQUIPMENT: - Pair of Clarke & Seward Model 9 Autorevolvers, 3016 RSAF Pattern, chambered in .455 (9 round cylinder), with a central barrel holding a single 20-gauge shell: i.imgur.com/NjDqXu8.png - Privateer's Sabre (handmade by the King's armourers and presented to all newly ordained Privateers) - Letter of marque, bearing the seal of His Divine Majesty King Richard VII - Graphene half-plate (cuirass and faulds, pauldrons, rerebraces & vambraces) - Graphene-lined pith helmet & attached ballistic mask with HUD ROLE ON SHIP: Captain NAME OF SHIP: HMS Bodkin SHIP DESCRIPTION/SPECS:i.imgur.com/23z8kJc.png Formerly the Royal Orion Trading Company merchant clipper Kingston Packet, celebrated for its speed and agility. Renamed as the Bodkin and fitted with a greater complement of military-grade weaponry designed to suit its deadly boom-and-zoom fighting tactics, the vessel serves as Sir Luther Carrington’s personal warship with which to terrorise all who stand in opposition to Albionic rule. A top-of-the-line Alcubierre drive lifted straight from a captured Concorde prototype vessel allows the Bodkin to navigate the galaxy much faster than almost any ship on the civilian market, and all but the very newest in the Navy. The vessel is 236ft long with a beam of 92ft, and carries a crew complement of 125. Its tonnage has been reduced from 1,480NRT to 1,050NRT to make space for a larger crew and an auxiliary reactor to help power the ship's weapons systems. Armament: - 1x forward-mounted 12.5MW pulse laser system - 2x wing-mounted 8-inch EM-assisted guns - 2x turreted double 4-inch guns - 4x 2-pounder autocannons with CIWS capability - 2x EM-accelerated torpedo tubes
NAME: Zhao Zemin SPECIES: Human SEX: Female DATE OF BIRTH: November 7th, 3135 PLACE OF BIRTH: Heishi, Autumn Prefecture, Tianxia
BACKSTORY:
Born into the desperately poor mining district of Heishi, Zemin was abandoned by her unknown parents at a very young age. She grew up alone in the cascading slums that were constructed in the wake of roving extraction platforms, scrounging for food and avoiding the organ-rippers that killed the homeless to sell their bodies. She had no name for the majority of her childhood, eventually settling on something she heard in a propaganda projection - Zemin. At the time, she had no idea that the name was intended to be for a boy.
What little work Zemin could find came solely from the Zhao clan, a black society operating in Heishi. The triad ran protection in the mining district; organizing the other gangs and keeping order where the military police refused to tread. Zemin acted as a Blue Lantern for the clan, trailing marked men to find leverage or money. She received her orders from a Red Pole named Zhao Wu, a nephew of the current Dragon Head. For her service, she was given a safe place to sleep and regular rations of food.
As she grew older, her involvement with the triad began to increase. She became a soldier in the clan at the age of sixteen. Her work with Zhao Wu - now a deputy to the Dragon Head himself - continued regularly. Now with a steady income of blood-money and a network of associates within the triad, Zemin quickly became a pillar of criminal business in the lower mining district. She used the gang's connections with organ-rippers and illegal surgeons to buy an assortment of biomechanical enhancements, using her new augmentations to kill more effectively.
When Zemin was eighteen, the Dragon Head of the triad was killed in an ambush. The streets became a warzone for several months as other gangs and breakaways within the clan tried to tear out pieces of Zhao territory. The fighting got so bad that the holdout stations of police had to withdraw to military bases. Zemin backed Zhao Wu during the conflict, clearing his path to power through a campaign of assassinations and terror-killings that subdued the contending factions. At the height of this instability, Zemin even saved Wu's life by attacking a hitman sent to kill him on the streets - receiving a series of scars on her face from the assassin's metal hands as a souvenir. Wu legally adopted Zemin after this incident, naming her his first Red Pole after he killed the last of his enemies and became Dragon Head of the triad.
Zhao Wu worked with Zemin and his other subordinates to expand the influence and operation of the triad, pushing the gang from the mining district to the entire planet. Zhao became a respected name, even in the wealthy and noble circles that looked down on people that were born in slums and poverty. Zemin continues to silence enemies of the triad, holding her murderous reputation above both enemies and friends of the Zhao clan.
APPEARANCE:i.imgur.com/1VG9jLX.png MOTIVATION: Serve the interests of the Zhao clan. SKILLS/STRENGTHS: Very good with firearms. Competent with other weapons. Loyal. WEAKNESSES: Not exactly a people person. Strong dislike for people of the upper classes. PERSONAL EQUIPMENT:
Dianci-N52 Railgun - Magnetized Explosive Rounds ZS-33 Rifle - Several types of ammunition Armoured coat Guan Yu Opera Mask
ROLE ON SHIP: Pilot NAME OF SHIP:Red Hare NAME OF CAPTAIN: Zhao Zemin SHIP DESCRIPTION/SPECS:i.imgur.com/6mZqQ8g.png Red Hare was designed by Han Ce Yen Industries for service in the Yan Clique military. The reconnaissance spacecraft was captured by the Zhao triad during a raid on the Han shipyard, stripped of all military designation and refitted with a legal classification. Utilizing advanced propulsion systems and a hull layered with military-grade infrared plating, Red Hare is an unusually capable ship for a criminal fleet. The ship has no armament to speak of, instead relying on speed and stealth to avoid better equipped or larger craft.
NAME: Elara Grosjean SPECIES: Human SEX: Female DATE OF BIRTH: 2 December 3132 (28) PLACE OF BIRTH: Arabia Terra, Mars, Sol BACKSTORY: Elara was born into a working-class family in Arabia Terra, considered by most to be the farming heartland of Mars. She left Mars for the Concorde at 16 years to serve in the Kriegsmarine Nationale. She reached the rating of Hospital Corpsman/Petty Officer First Class (E-6) before she left the military in 3158. Now, she serves as the primary medical technician and combat medic on the pirate ship Bountiful Beauty.
Elara has several distinctive features and traits, the first being that she is mute; thus she relies on a personal robot to communicate for her. The second is that her eyes are entirely synthetic. APPEARANCE:i.imgur.com/OuJQAej.png MOTIVATION: SKILLS/STRENGTHS: Excellent medic with several years' worth of experience, fairly good with a gun, is very empathetic and fiercely loyal WEAKNESSES: She is a mute. Also a fanatic racist PERSONAL EQUIPMENT:
7.92×29mm Short (uses either ball or SAPHE ammo depending on the mission)
ROLE ON SHIP: Hospital Corpsman NAME OF SHIP:Bountiful Beauty (KL-1381) NAME OF CAPTAIN: Władysław Sobolewicz SHIP DESCRIPTION/SPECS:i.imgur.com/SElKD7i.png Bountiful Beauty, originally known as Charles the Victorious is an old Capetian-class corvette, released from service in the Kriegsmarine Nationale over eighty years ago. Instead of being broken up for scrap, it was placed into the 'mothball fleet' in case its services were required once more. It sat gathering dust for the next few decades until it was purchased by a private company to serve as an escort ship. It was captured six years ago by Władysław Sobolewicz and his crew, where it now lives a new life as a pirate warship. Despite being sorely outdated by military standards, it is nevertheless a notable threat to civilian vessels. Its armament includes: 1x spinal-mounted magnetic accelerator weapon (15kg), 6x laser weapon pods (2 weapons per pod) and 3x Zitadelle CIWS
NAME: Allatu-Aya SPECIES: Neonirian SEX: Female DATE OF BIRTH: 7 October 3133 (27) PLACE OF BIRTH: Hundaria, Anujima System, Theale Republics BACKSTORY: Aya is a serving member of the Theale Navy, having been conscripted at age 18 upon the beginning of the Theale-Concorde War. Aya went through officer and then naval aviation training, and has served as a navy pilot ever since. APPEARANCE:en.wikifur.com/w/images/thumb/2/2d/Co… MOTIVATION: Aya wants to serve the Republics to the best of her ability - the Concorde and other menaces like pirates need stopping somehow. SKILLS/STRENGTHS: Fantastic pilot, observant, has quick reactions and is very patient WEAKNESSES: Rather meek, dislikes confrontation PERSONAL EQUIPMENT: ROLE ON SHIP: Naval Aviator (Lieutenant) NAME OF SHIP:TWV Victorious NAME OF CAPTAIN: VADM Anshar-Khala SHIP DESCRIPTION/SPECS:i.imgur.com/Z3xyb0G.jpg?1 TWV Victorious is the lead ship of the Victorious-class fleet carriers. She has been in service for over seventy years, and was about to be retired from service when the Theale-Concorde War kicked off. The ship was given a number of essential upgrades to keep her competitive, and she has served with distinction throughout the nine years of war. Her battle honours include: Mion, Dunriri, La Messe, Danube, Thengerilia and many, many more.
you are hereby a c c e p t e d my dude post your stuff in characters when you get around to it
It has been more than a thousand years since humanity first journeyed forward into the stars. Earth remains only as a broken reminder of those who came before - a shattered planet, enveloped in molten fire and acidic clouds. The civilizations that originated there have long since moved onwards to other areas of the galaxy, settling in vast swaths of space far from their original home. Aliens and humans now live in close proximity, interacting in both peace and warfare. The undying ties of trade and economy sweep across the galaxy, transporting goods and material through routes that stretch for lightyears on end. These vast tracts of empty space are subject to a constant battle between crime and law which seems to grow more intense with every passing year. With the stability of the galaxy continuing to decline, men of order and opportunity now venture into the void with dreams of wealth, glory, and eternity.
HUMANS
Albion - "Britons! There lie beyond the Sun’s cruel bounds Uncounted worlds which stygian space surrounds, By xenos now possessed, who'll bear the fate Of all who would defy our noble state. To reach that promised land thy ships steer true There shall we raise great Albion anew And found an empire cosmic and divine, Which time shall ne'er destroy, nor bounds confine."
Those immortal words of the venerable King George IX, who successfully led the British evacuation of the Martian colonies in 2215, echo those spoken by the goddess Diana to Brutus of Troy so many millenia ago. Like their predecessors, then, the Britons set out to forge the grandest empire the galaxy has ever known; a new Albion, a dominion that will stretch further than even light can cross, unrivalled in military strength, in industry, and in sheer majesty. While other nations of weaker men and lesser races have grown corrupt or complacent, Albion will prosper under the divine hand of its monarch - who is worshipped as the reincarnation of his illustrious ancestors, great kings and queens from ages past; Arthur Pendragon, Alfred the Great, Victoria and countless more. It is the collective wisdom of thousands of years of rule, the collective heroism of a myriad noble deeds and battles won against all odds, that guides the Empire ever forward, and leads its brave citizens to victory in the wars they wage against evil in all its forms, be it the hostile aliens that plague the galaxy or the human domains that have fallen to savagery and barbarism. Unlike some factions, Albion does not shun the idea of peace or alliances with other civilised human nations when necessary - but any who violate that peace will find themselves mercilessly punished by the righteous fury of the King's red right hand; the Royal Navy.
The Holy Roman Empire of Alaska - To describe the doctrine of the Alaskans as absurdly heretical by Christian standards would be accurate, but to describe it as such to an Alaskan would be unwise. Descendants of Russians and Americans, the Alaskans draw on distorted and often obscure fragments of history and theology to form the basis of their nation. The commandment "thou shall have no other gods before me" has been misunderstood to mean that worship of other deities is acceptable so long as Christ is at the head of the pantheon. As a result, the distinction between saints and lesser deities has been lost. Practices involving human sacrifice in the glory of the dual aspects of St. Michael/Mars have become commonplace. The Alaskans also believe that they are descended from the ten lost tribes of Israel, believing only those similarly descended can convert to their closely guarded religion - making aliens are entirely ineligible. Priests are believed to be blood descendants of the ancient apostles, causing the clergy to effectively beocme a class of hereditary nobility ruled over by the Patriarch-Emperor. Despite the Alaskans' burning hatred for the vague memory of the Pope, the Patriarch-Emperor is the head of the Alaskan Church and regularly calls for Crusades against his enemies.
As almost every war the Alaskans fight is deemed a Holy War, service in the legions is an important religious affair. Every able-bodied young man serves at least a few years. Training for an Alaskan legionary is certainly nothing to scoff at, but the true strengths of the legions are the quantity of its troops, the quality of their gear, and the courage given by the belief that dying for the empire is the quickest way to Heaven.
Zolotoy 113 - Situation remains normal in the Zolotoy system. 113 remains intact. Populace is happy. All is well.
Tafelberg - Tafelberg is no system for the faint of heart. The collection of planets that identify themselves under that name tend to be corrupt, lawless, and completely embroiled in all forms of criminal activity. Tafelberg’s official government holds technical authority over the loose confederation from their leisurely space stations, but the true rulers of Tafelberg are the people ruthless enough to take such a position on the grimy surface worlds that make up the incorporated planets.
The Concorde - Ever since the mass exodus from Mars in the 23rd Century, the Concorde has stood as Humanity's sword and its shield. While contemporary historians prefer to point to Earth's European Space Agency as the Concorde's origin, the bonds between people runs far deeper; for millennia, the people of Europa have shared a somewhat brotherly bond. These people have experienced crushing hardships, legendary victories and everything in between. Since the beginning of civilisation, Europa had been the birthplace of Earth's greatest generals, scientists, artists, engineers - each of whom have forged legacies that are still remembered today.
The Concorde's journey into the stars is another chapter of theirs filled with hardship - some colonies were wiped off the faces of whatever planets they landed on by alien wildlife. Many unfortunate souls never even made it that far. Between the loss of Earth and now their brothers, the Europeans that remained forged an alliance between their planets to seek revenge on any and all sentient alien life. The first Purity March was declared in 2409, and there have been a dozen more ever since. The year is now 3160, and the Concorde demands blood once again...
Tianxia - The vast territories of Tianxia are presided over by a series of warlords, military commanders, and criminal triads that each claim varying degrees of authority over the swaths of space that they lord over. The conflict between these often voracious factions has endured for over one hundred years, with the corrupt and incompetent central imperial government completely unable to maintain or impose any semblance of stability for most of its existence. Their civil conflict is compounded by their endless frontier wars with the Zhi, aliens that launch occasional probing invasions that consequently devastate Tianxia’s outer planets. The sheer scale of the warfare and criminality that takes place within Tianxian space makes most outsiders wary of entry, but the corruptible nature of most authorities in the former empire has fostered an extremely dangerous but very profitable black market.
Tezcatlipoca - Where Tafelberg serves to harbour the galaxy's career criminals; pirates, unscrupulous mercenaries and purveyors of illicit goods, the planets and stations under the control of Tezcatlipoca are home to those too deranged and degenerate to make their home even amongst such villains. Named for the powerful alliance of cartels that still rules over this pit of chaos today, Tezcatlipoca's residents consist almost entirely of murderous psychopaths, sinister cultists practicing human sacrifice, and ruthless slavers. Attempts by various nations to subjugate or civilise the population have failed entirely, and expeditions both military and civilian have invariably met fates too horrifying to describe. It seems all that anyone can do is wait, and pray that Tezcatlipoca will be torn apart from within.
Respublica Literaria - Taking the name ascribed to a great collective of enlightened minds in old Europa, these former citizens of the Concorde fought a fierce war of independence against their zealously religious former brothers. Since then, their fledgling nation has only fragmented further, as its residents divide themselves along philosophical lines, each claiming to be more committed to their guiding principles of rationality and liberty than the last, and each prepared to stage near-constant revolutions in the name of their chosen philosophers. On the whole, these uprisings are not especially bloody, but the sprawling government and incomprehensibly complex legal codes of the Respublica fluctuate on an almost daily basis - and all in the name of progress, they say.
Nyakot - It is said - rather fittingly - that the Nyakoti are born with ledgers in their hands. Their nation is rather small, but the people that inhabit it are renowned to have a savvy regarding money unlike any other in the world They conduct trade on a massive scale, dealing with any and all creatures capable of signing away their savings. Their trade routes sweep across hundreds of solar systems, protected by mercenaries or pirates or anyone who enjoys being paid well. The Nyakoti themselves prefer spending their extravagant riches on their decadent homeworlds to conducting war, but they become famously belligerent should their interests be threatened.
Amalrik - One of the few human nations known to openly accept aliens as truly equal citizens, Amalrik is a melting pot of vastly different creatures and cultures guard their way of life in the face of the many voracious empires that oppose their statehood. Exposed to ruthless enemies on two seperate borders, Amalrik is forced to maintain an effective defensive military force as well as diplomatic ties with the only power willing to aid them in their conflicts - the Theale. Although Amalrik and the alien republics that make up the Theale may not always overlap ideologically, their common enemies force them to cooperate in order to uphold their own nations in a hostile galaxy.
Slavassia - Slavassia takes its name from the Slavic peoples of Earth - a hardy group of people who have in the past, survived and thrived in some of the most dangerous places on Earth. Despite intense rivalries between the various sub-peoples, the Slavs found themselves united in the face of extrasolar invaders. These people adapted to the harsh, unforgiving environment that is outer space much better than most other humans.
The Slavs are led by what many consider to be the most transparent democratic government within this area of space. Unfortunately, it is not all plain sailing - being sandwiched between the warring Tianxian warlords and the Alaskans has left Slavassia in a tenuous position.
Vespucci - Separated from the main American evacuation convoy when it abandonded Mars, the colonists who would later form Vespucci did not travel as far from their old home as most. Observing as other nations carved out their gigantic empires, engaged in relentless warfare with hostile aliens, and occasionally turned on each other, Vespucci resolved six centuries ago to enact a strict policy of total isolation from the rest of the galaxy. They do not wage war. They do not conduct trade or diplomacy. No foreign ships have entered their borders for a hundred years - and none have ever left. The people of Vespucci are entirely reliant on their uniquely safe location in space, separated from aliens and criminals on all sides by the mighty Albion and the opulent Nyakot, both of whom are content to let them be for now.
Ammontia - Steadfast in their religious values, the Ammontians believe that their nation was ordained by God and is therefore chosen to represent the holiest place of governance and worship available to human or alien alike. All male citizens of Ammontia are recognized priests of their ancient faith, and as such they are expected to participate in politics. The women, however, are relegated to the duties of the household and the rearing of children. Men that are especially pious and accomplished in their religious service are rewarded with a number of wives that correlates to the determined value of their actions. Women that are uniquely pious are rewarded with medals of merit. The Ammontians are lead by their Great Prophet, a man appointed by God himself before he is even born. This Great Prophet rules from his birth until his death, declaring peaceful missions of revelatory to foreign space and auditing the strength of the faith. The Ammontians have few allies apart from the occasional illicit faction that deals in captured women to be inducted into the faith and rewarded to pious men, but this does little to dampen the grandiose speech and eternally lofty goals of the grand Ammontian faith.
ALIENS
The Zhi - Plant-like organisms that seem to be unable or unwilling to peacefully communicate in any form with any creature not of their own species, the Zhi are characterized by their exceptional organization and unbreaking resolve to conquer the entire universe. The Zhi famously destroyed Earth upon their first contact with humanity, laying waste to the surface of the planet and killing billions of people. The alien aggressors seemingly contracted a strange disease while enacting their extermination, a sickness that would an inordinate amount of them and force their fleets to withdraw from large swaths of infected territory. Human scholars declared them extinct, but the Zhi reappeared to once again in 3085 - now immune to whatever disease had cripped them - and prepared to wage relentless war once again. The original homeland of the Zhi is still unknown, as is the exact amount of space they control and various other aspect of their society and biology. Worlds that the Zhi inhabit tend to be populated and industrialized at extreme speed, making their potential for aggressive military expansion extraordinary when compared to other races.
Crawlers - Crawlers are a species of highly transferable parasites that seem to be able to infect every sentient creature in the galaxy. Their appearence resembles that of a flat and translucent worm about a single centimetre in length, but once secure inside a living host a crawler can grow exponentially. Most deaths that occur as a result of crawlers tend to be due to this enormous growth, as once the parasite reaches a certain size they begin to consume vital organs. Persons infected with crawlers exhibit strange but uniform behaviour, such as gathering in large groups and building pyramidal structures from whatever material is available. When these groups of infected persons inevitably expire, the fully developed parasites escape the corpse and climb the pyramidal structure in order to burst and expel hundreds of newborn crawlers that are carried away by the wind. Crawler outbreaks are extremely dangerous if handled improperly, but if the infected persons are located and destroyed before they can group together and construct a large pyramid, then widespread devastation can be avoided.
Makarians - Living in planetside oceans and enormous environmentally constant spaceships, the Makarians are a race of aliens seemingly unbothered by the grand machinations of other civilisations. Makarians are characterized by their symmetrical bodies, large heads, numerous arms, and brilliantly patterned and coloured skin. These aquatic creatures live their entire lives in water, and although they have developed environmental suits that make terrestrial travel possible it remains highly uncomfortable for them. Theirs is a relatively peaceful society, headed by an enormous creature that seems to act as their absolute leader. This queen appears to be effectively immortal, and although she is not a monarch bent on domination as so many others are, she and her race ruthlessly defend their own territory with enormous and highly advanced machines of war.
Ketea - Gargantuan whale-like creatures (and often referred to as whales in common parlance) able to survive in the vacuum of space, subsisting on minerals and moving slowly by natural gas propulsion. The Ketea produce extremely energy-rich oil in glands within their bodies, making them an easy target for spacefarers short on fuel.
Umbra - Space is a dark and mysterious place; none can claim to know the true extent of what lurks in that black expanse. Sometimes, a ship will drift back from the frontiers, devoid of life and carrying no logs to shed light on its fate. Sometimes, a border world or station sends a distress call, but shortly afterwards the ships sent to respond receive another message, reassuring them in calm, ostensibly human tones that what they heard was only a false alarm. Whole colonies, albeit very small and sparsely populated moons, have been lost in such a fashion. The culprits are careful to cover their tracks - no human remains are left behind, nor clues left by the attackers themselves. A single, long, bloodied talon, buried amidst the wreckage of a remote trading post less than a year ago, is all that indicates these attacks are not the work of rival human commandos, but something far deadlier. These unknown creatures are referred to as 'Umbra' - 'shadow' in an ancient tongue, for they are but sinister shades concealed within the endless night.
Theale Republics - An firm alliance of small alien republics:
- The Goroxi - A pseudo-crocodilian warrior species engineered and enslaved by an ancient race, the Goroxi rose up and slaughtered their masters, forever casting off the shackles of servitude. Shunning their designed purpose, they now live a mostly peaceful life among the states of the Theale Republics - although reluctantly act as the bulk of its defensive force when absolutely necessary, as they are practically the only ones among the Theale who can effectively do so. Still, the Goroxi make for a truly formidable foe when they are called to war.
- The Thenguls - Originating on the dark side of the moon they call home, the Thenguls have evolved in an environment devoid of light. As such, they are completely blind, their skin is pale and almost translucent, and their six limbs are long and spindly. Thenguls communicate via a complex language of rapid high-pitched clicking, which also serves as a means of echolocation. As their race is too weak for combat, and too unsettling in appearance to be successful as diplomats or traders, most Thenguls devote their lives to the study of the galaxy and archival of any and all knowledge they come across. Thenguls are solitary, and most of their space station archives are manned only by one or two individuals. They are members of the Theale almost purely by convenience of location.
- The Kavii - Two metre long, portly creatures somewhat resembling guinea pigs, recognisable by their impressively cultivated facial hair and ostentatious dress. The Kavii'n Mercantile Republic is a state small in territory but immensely wealthy, and its great bazaars are famed across the galaxy for the rare and exotic goods, and slaves of all races, one can find within their labyrinthine grounds. The Kavii are the most recent race to join the Theale, and were a welcome boost to its once-struggling economy.
- The Circle of Zaal - The Circle of Zaal is a religious order comprised of the majority of the Xotet, an insectoid race originating within Theale space and dependent upon the Republics for protection. Few and far between are Xotet who choose not to devote their lives to the Circle. Members of the order live a secluded, pacifistic, and ascetic life, and spend most of their time deep in meditation and prayer to Zaal - a word roughly translating to 'heart'. It is unclear, as no outsiders have been granted the opportunity to study the Circle's beliefs, whether Zaal is a god who resides at the centre of the galaxy or whether it is the concept of the centre itself that is the object of worship. Regardless, many members make the long and mysterious pilgrimage to their holy site, and none so far have returned.
- The Rhileia - The Rhileia are an avian species resembling owls, although flightless and standing at around a metre tall. The Rhileian Commonwealth, now a member state of the Theale Republics, is a collection of planets all inhabited by Rhileians, although every planet is granted near-total autonomy in its day-to-day administration by the High Council of the Commonwealth. In fact, the High Council has almost no real power outside its own planet, and the Commonwealth is mostly run by thousands of elected regional officials and their elected deputies. Suffice to say, rarely a day goes by on a Commonwealth world without at least two elections.
- The Neonirians - A species of pseudo-canine humanoids that share the origin of the Goroxi: engineered by an ancient, dead race for the sake of servitude, these creatures were developed from genetic material belonging to the domesticated dogs of Earth. Having already been bred for loyalty and companionship to mankind, the Neonirians were engineered as a quickly produced sentient improvement upon what artificial selection accomplished over thousands of years. Loyal to their makers, the Neonirians harbor an intense hate for the Goroxi, who rebelled against the precursors, but find themselves in an unfortunate and tenuous alliance of necessity against the likes of the Concorde. Despite the Theale’s general opinion of humanity, Neonirians are well known for their empathetic tendencies towards the scattered Terran race, knowing full well that their ancestries are intertwined in the annals of history. Given their particular origin as experiments, however, few humans but the Alaskans feel the same.Neonirians arrange their society in a hierarchy based on merit and aptitude and have developed a flexible semi-caste system based on subspecies and their individual strengths and weaknesses. In the spacefaring age, they are represented by a clan-based Council of Alphas. Though the Neonirians largely keep to themselves, social outcasts and dejected omega-ranking individuals have been known to venture out of Council jurisdiction as lone wolves, or to form ragtag packs with others of their social status, or even with outsiders, such as human pirate crews or Alaskan nationals.
The Xotet-Neru - A faction comprised of the small minority of Xotet who shun the Zaalic faith, and voluntarily choose exile from the Circle's planets. The Xotet-Neru have no homeworld, and instead drift through space in gargantuan ark ships. Masterful engineers, they seem capable of maintaining their vessels from little but salvaged wreckages and Ketea they encounter on their endless journey through the abyss.
The Ghek - Silicon-based life forms that resemble living rock formations, the Ghek are primitive compared to the other spacefaring races of the galaxy. Loosely organised into a coalition of tribes, their main pastime is venturing into space in hunting parties, with the aim of forcibly capturing foreign spaceships and dragging them back to the inhospitable death worlds and sprawling asteroid belts they call home to consume them. In testament to their lack of civilisation, this crude piracy is also the single most important factor in their political system - whichever lucky Ghek manages to bring back the largest spaceship is crowned King of all the tribes. Until the next hunt.
RECENT HISTORY (Current Year: 3160)
3085 - The Zhi reappear in force after centuries of absence from recorded areas of the galaxy. Their emergence concerns both human and alien powers, nearly all of whom had been in conflict with the Zhi at some point in their history. 3089 - Zhi forces launch an assault into Albionic space, occupying a large swathe of the empire stretching almost to Morholt System. Overextending themselves, they are cut off from their suppy lines, but still manage to hold out against the Royal Navy. 3091 - Fourth Albion-Alaskan war ends with the signing of the Treaty of New Diomede. The Albionic war machine redirects its full attention towards the Zhi. Finally, the reinforced Navy manages to expel the Zhi from Albionic territory and recover their lost systems. 3092 - First Albion-Zhi war officially begins as Admiral Kildare's 4th Vanguard Fleet crosses the border, occupies two Zhi defensive stations and turns their artillery on their own planet. 3101 - The Literarian cargo ship 'Leon Grosjean XII' arrives in Albion's Port Albert with no trace of her crew; the cargo is still competely intact. 3102 - Shengzhan Accords signed by Albion and the Imperial Government for the Central and Righteous Control of Tianxia - thirty years of peace guaranteed between the two nations to enable both to combat the Zhi. 3108 - Unable to effectively wage war against the Zhi with their under-manned and ill-equipped government armies, the Tianxian government gathers a coalition of regional warlords in order to face the alien threat. 3115 - Queen Mary IV of Albion dies. Her 22 year old son accedes to the throne as King Richard VII. 3116 - The new King of Albion orders the construction of three new battlefleets to be sent to the Zhi front. 3118 - The bloody stalemate of the Albion-Zhi war is broken as the King's new fleets succeed in advancing the front and capturing several systems. 3120 - Tianxian coalition devolves into infighting, abandoning the Zhi front. The Albionic Navy is once more pushed back by the Zhi. The stalemate resumes. 3123 - Construction work begins on the Bakerloo Line, a system of heavy fortifications stretching along the entirety of the Albion-Zhi border. 3129 - The star system of Tafelberg becomes home to a large fleet of pirates, preying on the valuable merchant shipping in the massive Kavsagano Trade Junction. 3132 - Shengzhan Accords officially expire. Progress on the Bakerloo Line reaches the halfway mark. 3133 - The pirate fleets within Tafelberg, ludicrously rich after years of intense commerce raiding, expand into neighbouring star systems; the stations constructed within their sphere of influence are the largest of any group not affiliated with any nation-state. 3134 - King Richard redirects two battlefleets from the fortified Zhi front to attack the weakened Tianxian warlords, as punishment for their abandonment of the war effort fourteen years prior. 3137 - After a few years of raiding and skirmishing with Tianxian ships and border worlds of the Quiji sector, Albion's forces are pushed out of Tianxian space by the combined fleets of the Yan and Huangse Cliques. 3142 - The Yan and Huangse Cliques are recognized as legitmate in return for their support in upholding the government and fighting the illegal warlords as well as the Albionic invaders. The clans are allowed to hold official authority over the autumn and spring prefectures of Tianxia respectively. 3146 - The last few forts of the Bakerloo Line are completed. 3149 - The Zolotoy system goes dark. Attempts to reestablish contact are all classified as failures. The Slavassian government surrounds the system with several seperate fleets and prevents any further investigation by the galatic community. 3150 - The Concorde's government begins preparations for a crusade against an undisclosed target. 3151 - The Theale Republics launch a pre-emptive invasion of the Concorde before they can begin their crusade; the Theale-Concorde War begins. 3152 - A large group of Zhi manage to sneak through the Line to attack Albionic territory, laying siege to several planets and destroying the small Royal Navy forces guarding them. Several months later, the Royal Navy responds to the Zhi attack with overwhelming force, ultimately securing victory. In the Concorde, the small colony of La Messe is glassed by the Theale Navy after months of brutal but inconclusive fighting on the planet; the Concorde retaliates by refusing to take prisoners, and executing all Theale citizens already in captivity. 3153 - The Royal Navy sends forces to check up on the two forts closest to the Zhi incursion point, and finds them totally deserted with no sign of a struggle. An additional outpost is established to keep the area under close surveillance. Meanwhile, the Theale Navy begins a colossal offensive, capturing many small planets from the Concorde; Concorde soldiers fight desperately and to the last man to hold key locations. 3154 - The Theale 2nd and 9th Fleets meet the Concorde Battle Groups Austerlitz and Foch in the Danube system; what followed was the largest naval battle of the war thus far, involving over 500 ships on each side. Theale forces land on the major world of La Triomphe. The battle, which lasts for over nine months, ends in a Concorde victory. 3157 - The Yan Clique takes control of the Tianxian winter prefecture. A huge counterattack against the Theale is started by the Concorde Navy, retaking much of the territory lost int he initial years, and even pushes into Theale proper; it is estimated that up to 60% of the Kriegsmarine Nationale was present for the attack in some capacity. 3158 - The Albion-Zhi front shows no signs of shifting in either direction. The Theale-Concorde front has also reached a brutal stalemate; colonies near the front lines change hands many times in the span of a few months - in particular, the Theale world of Maerilia saw intense land warfare and experienced the worst of the Concorde's atrocities committed against the Theale people. 3160 - C U R R E N T Y E A R
Plot This RP is, in essence, a collection of much smaller stories that may occasionally come together. These 'smaller stories' take place on your ships or anywhere your characters go, giving players more of an opportunity to create your own little plots. At this time, there is no large overarching plot in play, so reave and pillage to your heart's content! Your characters may be captains, crewmen or whatever strikes your fancy. If you would like, you don't have to be a pirate either; being a member of a national navy, privateer or a pirate hunter is also a valid option! The date for the start of this RP is 21 December 3160
1. Do not, under any circumstances, do anything that seriously affects another player's character without their consent; shooting at a character without telling the player is fine, but actually shooting them is not, for example. 2. If your character has a ship completely their own with no other players, you have the freedom of posting whenever you feel like it; those players that share ships or plots will have to be at least somewhat active. 3. This isn't a rule, just a recommendation: please avoid starting your character off with an entire fleet of ships to call their own; there will probably be little progression for them, and unless they're written extremely well, it will likely become stale. 4. It is possible to join the crew another player's ship if you get their permission to do so. 6. You can have as many characters as you wish, but one or two is recommended. 7. If you find anything wrong, do not hesitate to tell the GM or any co-GMs that may be appointed. 8. This RP is only SEMI-OPEN - Applications will only be considered if noticeable effort has gone into their creation (due to the number of people already participating).
TECH
Armour Kevlar and ceramics - Effective at stopping small rounds and shrapnel; a variant of armour used by humans for centuries.
Graphene - Much lighter and thinner than kevlar and ceramics while still remaining as effective at stopping kinetic penetration, although without the same blunt-force trauma absorbing capability.
Metal plate - Stops all sorts of shit, and is slightly better against energy weapons than kevlar and other traditional anti-kinetic options, although without an energy shield such weaponry would still penetrate it in seconds. Very heavy, due to the thickness of metal needed to be effective. Useful in zero-gravity where its weight is not a problem.
Alien-Alloy armour - Very rare, very strong, and very light. Only useable by the aliens who designed it, although there are incredibly risky surgical procedures with horrible side effects one can undergo to be able to utilise them as a human.
Weapons Lasers - Exceptional vs. most types of metal armour; pathetic vs. energy shielding; they produce no recoil
Bullets - Good all-rounder, most common form of weaponry
Plasma - Fantastic all-round; extremely expensive, very risky to use and lacks reliability
Shielding Shields act somewhat like prism, dispersing incoming light and hopefully lessening the damage the light beams cause. They do not work against kinetic weapons nor plasma.
Space travel Many ships use Alcubierre drives to travel faster than light; they contract space ahead of the ship and expand space behind it, thus allowing FTL travel.
Energy & Fuel Space whale oil Nuclear energy Solar energy
Character Application
NAME: SPECIES: SEX: DATE OF BIRTH: PLACE OF BIRTH: BACKSTORY: APPEARANCE: MOTIVATION: (this is optional) SKILLS/STRENGTHS: WEAKNESSES: PERSONAL EQUIPMENT: ROLE ON SHIP: NAME OF SHIP: NAME OF CAPTAIN: (if not your character) SHIP DESCRIPTION/SPECS:
