The Chiron Chronicle III - Page 2

Cyber · November 20, 2000, 09:01

Private Jakob Weiss
2nd Spartan Impact unit
Personal diary

We´ve been travelling now for two days through Free Drone territory.The locals have been quite nice.They better be, as two of our most experienced units helped them to destroy a advancing mindworm boil.Boy, those guys got rich with planetpearls.

Yesterday, we heard a rumour that some quys from the 4th unit went to have some fun in one of the living quarters in the nearby farms.
They raped and killed one woman, but as they were trying to get away, their unit commander caught them and now their lying dead on one of the nearby fungusfields.Well, that should make a good example for the other brainwashed idiots in our ranks and believe me, there are plenty of them here.Personally, I´ve never liked war, but what could I do when I was chosen as a "proud" volunteer for this new unit.
Anyway, the incident is pretty *hush-hush* as nobody wants this to become a major problem.

We should be clear from Free Drone territory in couple of days.Now we even know where we´re going.The Hive, Hives capital base is our first target.
The Free Drones were so kind as to give us the coordinates of all the Hive bases and even enlarged our taskforce with three old and battered Laser rover units.They´re wisely keeping their distance from our units, as our guys don´t like to share the pillage of war.We had good laughs from their rovers, that looked as if they´ve just crashed into solid stone, and stupid commanders, who couldn´t even divise a simple attack tactic.

Today, I had a strange feeling.As if something powerful had scanned us, completely.A unnerving feeling of somebody watching you.Even stranger was that nobody else felt it, though I felt it chilling me to the bones.People have always told me that I have special talents.Maybe this is one of them.

We´ll be in attack range of the Hive base in about two weeks.And I am about to be reassigned to man a rover turret in the first attack wave.Just my luck.
Well, a little excitement and experience won´t kill me, or in this case maybe will.

[This message has been edited by Cyber (edited November 20, 2000).]

DarkCloud · November 20, 2000, 22:37

Opening Statement

Prokhor Zakharov

-Recorded by Julie Pye of the Data Angels
-Recorded by Morgan Baker of the Morganites

Dear people of Chiron, I have had nothing to do with any so-called executions of those 'Cyborgs', as will be found out; also, none of my researchers, Including Ben Vines-Waites have intentionally killed a human being or cyborg.

The ones which died, died from accidents; we attempted, with their permission to improve them, but we failed in the first generation. In the second generation, all went well, but the 'Cyborgs' grew arrogant and disloyal and attempted to escape. This they accomplished after a short skirmish at the labs and was hushed up quickly so as to prevent any others from thinking they could run a country better and leave.

Thus, I intend to prove that I am wholly innocent and that the Cyborgs had no reason to run away from my country and people. They only did this because they believed themselves better than us, the original humans, who helped them become what they are.

This disregard disgusts me, and hopefully it will disgust you as well.

(Zakharov walks back to seat and faces forward, hands in front of himself with a scowl on his face)

DarkCloud · November 20, 2000, 22:41

Hive Troop Orders
To People of the Hive
From the Commander

Greetings Gentlemen,

Intruders have been spotted, calling themselves the Spartans, you shall defend against them.

You shall dig holes in the ground and plant imploding bombs in them, you may question this judgement as it is against the UN Charter, but I ask you this, Is the One Path, worth the sacrafice of the UN Charter; for if we do not win this war with the Spartans, our One Path, One Ideology will be shattered in return for bitter war, bitter conflict, bitter despotism.

Thus have I spoken, thus have I said.

November 23, 2000, 08:53

NAUTILUS SAILORS NEWS

Sea Colony Pod completed...

The Sea Colony Pod being built at Safe Haven has been completed and it is now being loaded. It will leave port tommorrow to its destination, escorted by our Impact Foil Privateer.

Some people are worried about planetmind upholding her threats of hostility if we establish another base.

Chief of Economy predicts a booming economy...

Our Chief of Economy predicts that our economy will be booming when the trade routes for the trade alliance our properly established. It mainly because we have the biggest merchant fleets in the seas.

[This message has been edited by [LordLMP] (edited November 23, 2000).]

November 23, 2000, 09:04

Free Drones
TO: Drone Taskforce
FROM: Commander Harran

To all Free Drone units, we have entered Hive territory. Prepare for battle, so spread out your units. You know how treacherous the Hive are, so watch yourselfs.

It seems the Hive has already detected the Spartans. The Spartans will get themselves killed arrogantly and overconfidently entering the Hive.

So we shall not make the same mistake, and lets show the Spartans we are a force to be reckon with.

For freedom!!

Commander Harran

XWaste · November 23, 2000, 10:00

Trial Transcript

:Start of case: speaker Clara Iota-8

The duty has been laid upon me to lead the case for the plaintiffs. I will not kid anyone - this is going to be a long case. For the pleasure of the court I have prepared a list of some three hundred witnesses which will make up our initial call.

copies handed to the court baliff and the defence

Also to be submitted for evidence will be a direct link up to Inspiration point where we will show the conditions in which the sympathisers where kept and, even more gruesome, the remnants of mass graves that have have discovered since our the liberation of Inspiration Point by the Cybernetic Consciousness.

We also have some 800 gigabytes of evidence procured from the University databanks, including news reports from times of events mentioned, security and police reports, surveylance logs, research documents and communications between the accused.

Many of the details are horrendous. The tortures the Researcher Ben Vines-Waites perpetrated in the name of research has left many permanent scars on those who survived. The legacy of these times led to eight years of self-imposed exile before the Cybernetic Consciousness felt capable enough to risk reintroducing themselves to the world.

And throughout this, everyone will be asking themselves one question...why? Why has the current administration of the University of Planet gone to such lengths to exterminate the Cybernetic Consciousness?

Let me first raise this point. What did the consciousness represent? When the augmentation was introduced there where many willing converts, knowledge and research is respected in the University and the ability to greatly improve cogitive functioning was irresistable to many. It was soon discovered that those of the consciousness formed strong bonds to each other. What did this mean? To the current administration it meant a very real opposition to their power. That there existed a group of people that could easily communicate ideas to each other, and unite behind their spokeswoman Aki Zeta-5 meant that for the first time their hold on power was not absolute. The current administration - those of the accused acted in the same way as any tyrant from old earth when their position was threatened...they tried to eliminate it.

Look how quickly the people of the accused plunged this continent into war to protect their interests, look how quickly they capitulate when faced with defeat and desperately try another tact like rats fleeing a sinking ship. The members of the accused are people that will stop at nothing to secure their power, nothing at all.

Listen to the very words of Prokhor Zhakharov.

'but the 'Cyborgs' grew arrogant and disloyal and attempted to escape.'

Escape from what? If their existed no persecution, no reason to escape then why would they seek to. Arrogant and disloyal he calls the consciousness at that time - arrogant and disloyal because they called for the rights deserved by every human, rights they called for and as a response received torture and death.

Members of the court, I am ready to call my first witness....

OOC - I don't really know the form a case like this would take...too much judge Judy and not enough real court experience (thankfully)

Cyber · November 23, 2000, 11:34

Urgent Message
To:Colonel Santiago
From:Commander Von Halzburg

Sir, problems on the way.Early this morning, our forward scouts encountered massive and newly planted mine fields.The 4th and the 1st Impact units suffered some minor losses, but nothing serious.Most of the mines were made specifically for infantry and didn´t do much damage on our rovers.However, because of this encounter, we´ll have to significantly slow down, as we have to bring out what little mine sweeper equipment we have.
Furthermore, I think the Hive has somehow detected us, as they have planted these minefields, and predicted where to plant them.
From now on, I suggest we move on carefully.We are not fighting against peacekeepers.
Also, Our radars have detected something that looks like a collection of bunkers, in a somewhat hilly region.if those are truly bunkers, we´ll have to go through hell to cleanse them.
The commanders from the Drone units are constantly disobeying my orders and as I am the commander of this taskforce they are clinging on, I call the shots.They think they can hoard themselves a big loot or "rescue" people from the Hive cities, by staying behind and giving us the dirty job.
So, I gave them a choice, either to go to the front line or turn right back home.
I reckon, they figured out that they´ve come this far so, there would be no turning back without loot and people.
We should be near The Hive in another two weeks.

Christantine The Great · November 23, 2000, 17:35

Dream to Capt. Svensgaard...

You have sent many people onto such a small earthisle. Why is this? Is this a new colony? Remember...

Dream to Datajack Roze

My planetworm has learned much since it has arrived at the trial. There is one thing I do not understand. Why does earthuniversity lie about killing earthcyborg?

XWaste · November 23, 2000, 17:53

trial transcript

witness #37 - Store Owner Sasha Beta-4

Clara Iota-8: PLease describe to me what happened to you once you had been captured and placed in the laboratory.

Sasha Beta-4: Well at first not a lot happened. I was kept in an isolated cell, it was surrounded by an emp field so that it would block communication with the rest of the consciousness. Four days later I was taken to a smaller cell and... I can't remember much what happened - at first everything went dark and then all these lights started flashing and all these images started spinning around me and I think I went into some kind of seizure. I woke up back in my original cell. With my meal where some pills, I was told I what not get any more food until I took the pills. I refused and then they came in the cell and beat me and forced me to take the pills. The next day they repeated the process, they took me to the small cell and everything would go crazy and the second time I had a major panic attack and thought I was going to die. I was strapped by my wrists to a bar in the middle of the chamber so I was hanging there, I couldn't even hide my eyes with my hands and closing them didn't help, the lights would still flash right through and the noises.... My timer malfunctioned during this time and I lost track of how many times this happened to me. I didn't really know much about the rescue, its taken me a long time to reach the point where i could work again... I still get nightmares and have some damage to my short term memory that no amount of programming has been able to fix yet.

C I-8: Thankyou Sasha

...

witness #38 - Psychological Researcher Ivor Beta-3

C I-8: You where also captured and placed in the laboratory?

Ivor Beta-3: Yes, that is correct.

C I-8: Where was your cell Ivor?

I B-3: Mine was the closest to the test chambers, so I could often hear what the researchers where saying.

C I-8: And what did you learn Ivor, why where they conducting these atrocities?

I B-3: There where a few different things that they where doing, but all had the same goal. Things like the sensory bombardment tanks which the previous witness described used to be used in old mental institutions on earth, they could provoke schizophrenic episodes in biologicals. They wanted to test the parameters of the enhancement, see how much it could stand before it would break or malfunction. Me they would place on a table and attach electrodes to sensitive areas. They wanted to see how much pain the algorithm could divert, what sort of functioning level I had at different pain levels and if there was a breaking point.

C I-8: But why did they need this information, do you know?

I B-3: Yeah, the thing is though Ben Vines takes the credit for the algorithm it was really developed by Aki Zeta-5. She never submitted her research data to the University Archivers, she had big arguments with Zak, about needing measures passed to protect the knowledge and guidelines for its ethical use, as peoples lives where at stake, but Zak wouldn't pass it. As things got even more tense he basically asked Ben Vines to 'reverse engineer' us and find some way that he could break up or control the consciousness. The tortures where only one part. Many consciousness where simply attached to nodes to try to decrypt the source code. These had to be strapped so they couldn't move at all, to prevent the changes the movement my cause to the algorithm output which would corrupt the decoding. They had to be fed on drips, and often they would forget to replace the bags so that they would basically starve. Many of the people where subjected to this for weeks on end. This has had permanent effects on some people psychologically. Much of the research I have been working on has been on research the effects of this sort of treatment and how to help the people that suffered. In ten years we still have a long way to go.

c I-8: Tankyou Ivor

...

DarkCloud · November 24, 2000, 01:26

Witness Statement

Senior Researcher Ben Vines-Waites

The evidence shown against me by the Cyborgs, will prove insubstantial, as, they concented to the 'mutilation' of their bodies in the name of science. In fact, they only hurt as much as you might if you were under anastesia in surgery. Thus the scars are there, but they are improved and superior humans overall.

I, and my assistants have made them the perfect humans; but they do not acknowledge this, they merely accuse me and my assistants of vulgarities and destruction of their bodies.

You may ask, why was I not a cyborg- I answer this by saying that I was scheduled to be made into one when the thrid generation came out, and the entire University would be made cyborgs. But since the 'accident' this will not be possible, for we fear that there is faulty programming in the cyborg.

The Cyborgs escaped for no good reason; they merely defied us when we told them that we must observe them in a captive environment for the period of a mere 6 to 12 months. We would feed them and treat them well, but they refused to accept our kindness, and escaped.

Witness Statement

High Military Officer Jean Crupolt-King

The army was mobilized by Zakharov to contain Cyborg agression, remember, we did not recognize them as a country and thus did not declare war on them first, we did not make the first strike, the Cyborg agressors did, in an attempt to assimilate us into their faction. Their programming is faulty and their ideology is mistaken.

When the cyborgs escaped from the research complex, I was called into duty with my militia troops the supress the uprising, but was nearly killed by a cyborg, who had acquired a Plasma Gun and was firing on innocent researchers.

If the army had not been there, the Cyborgs would have killed a great many more civilians.

Witness Askance

Head Academian Prokhor Zakharov

I must ask this of the court, that by observing how badly the Cyborgs treated us, the return of any at Inspiration Point that wish to join the University once again.

DarkCloud · November 24, 2000, 01:30

Witness Disclimer

General Hising Han-Diego

Cyborgs, Friends, Data Angels. I truly did not participate in this, as you call it, 'persecution of the Cyborgs', I was merely following my leaders' orders and thus, ordered the destruction of all in their units that attacked our cities, unless they visibly surrendered.

As none of the Cyborgs seemed to want to surrender, we annihilated the small scouting unit; perhaps they did not know how to surrender, perhaps they were merely being defiant. We may never know, but it was ultimately their own fault for their failture to surrender.

DarkCloud · November 24, 2000, 01:33

University Sun-Governor
1-28-2121
Volume 19, Issue 28

New Law in order

A new law has been passed that bans meat with more than 5oz from being served at stores and restaurants to make our faction the healthiest and longest lived with the best production rate and least sick calls.

Reporter Nils Ricks-Sparr

November 24, 2000, 09:09

dream to planetmind

Yes, I remember... yes, I intend to establish another base... to better connnect trade routes for the trade alliance... data angels are planning to build a sea base... peacekeepers already have... why threating my faction and not theirs?... My faction has done nothing to you or your mindworms... done nothing to your fungus fields... also, expansion is better than overcrowded bases... where pollution may rise... and you threating my faction for it... I choose expansion... my faction will defend themselves... other factions expand on land... why not threating them?... why pick on my faction who has done nothing wrong... while there are other factions that has...

After waking up, he orders the Laser Foil Diamond Shark to escort the Sea Colony Pod with Impact Foil Privateer

DarkCloud · November 25, 2000, 18:36

Trial of Academian Zakharov

Files Quoted

quote:

Yeah, the thing is though Ben Vines takes the credit for the algorithm it was really developed by Aki Zeta-5. She never submitted her research data to the University Archivers, she had big arguments with Zak, about needing measures passed to protect the knowledge and guidelines for its ethical use.

Zakharov- I would like to comment on this, Ben Vines-Waites developed the algorithm on his own; Aki and he were in competition to make the best creation of a project possible. However when Aki refused to release her files to the cause of improvement to the human genome, I seized the files and meshed the program with Ben's and thus we created, as we thought then- the 'Perfect Chimera.'

-About the ethical use. As far as my interpretation of the UN Charter holds, ethical use is this 'As long as the subject is ready, willing, and able, and does not complain about the treatment- then you may do what you wish to them to further the Human Species.' remember that is not a direct quote, merely my interpretation of the law.

Christantine The Great · November 26, 2000, 03:02

OOC: I am going to experiment with a Progenitor speech pattern (Not much of a poet like Planet in game). Tell me if you like it.

Dream to Capt. Svensgaard...

Pirates: live in the oceans of Planet. Others: live on the land of Planet. Humans: land mammals. Pirates: humans. Inquiry: Why do Pirates live in seas? Answer: Because of a fear of what land holds. Fear: humans.

Planet: fear: oceans taken away.

Dream to Datajack Roze

University: committers of great crime. Crime: killings. Killings: many cybernetic peoples. Planet: horrified. Planet: evidence for Data Angels. Evidence: bodies.

OOC: Please tell me if I am adding too much of a Progenitor feel to Planetmind.

DarkCloud · November 26, 2000, 14:13

Witness Statement

Chief of Intelligence Atsuko Matsumoto-Smith

I hold with what Zakharov said, however I must add this: The Intelligence arm of the University only interrogates prisoners, thus all Cyborgs who attacked us were interrogated thouroughly and then imprisoned.

We did nothing to the Cyborgs, for we knew that the UN forbids mutilation and destruction, and our own morals are high and above that of the UN's. All we did with the captives was interrogate them using the UN's methods and then we downloaded their data cores; a high tech way to tell if a cyborg lies.

Why should they complain, they imprisoned many of our people and would have done the same if we had data storage. However we found little about the malfunctions and troop movements from their data downloads, as the data was encrypted, so we hired a top-knotch Data Angel hacker- Lisa O'Donnels.

Finally, I make the plea that Zakharov made, let our people return to University Base if they so wish, we did as much for the cyborgs!

COURT- Lisa O'Donnels of the DATA ANGELS, report to the witness stand

OOC: Your turn Argonaut,

Argonaut · November 26, 2000, 18:41

OOC: I find this really weird that your pulling the Data Angels into this! So much for the neutral observers! I don't really know what you want from me, so this is what I came up with.

Witness Statement

Data Angel Lisa O'Donnels

As Mr. Matsumoto-Smith stated, I was hired by University Intelligence to attempt to decrypt the information contained within the downloaded data cores. As a free-lance computer decoder, I was within my rights to work for the University, despite the Data Angel neutral position. Just as I could have worked for the Cyborgs.

Eventually I was able to decrypt the information held within the data cores. It took a while, because each cyborg develops it's own encryption, so what worked on one, didn't necessarily work on another.

I found that the Cybernetic Occupying army, was holding the citizens of Inspiration Point captive, a state of Marshall Law being in effect. The movement of University citizens was restricted by curfew, and citizens were not permitted to leave the base.

Cross-Examination

C I-8: Miss O'Donnels. When you were examining the data cores of the various interrogated prisoners, did you find any evidence that the Cybernetic Conciousness was acting beyond the bounds of the UN Charter?

L O'D: How so?

C I-8: Essentially, was the occupying force not holding to the rules of war which are commonly accepted as 'humane'?

L O'D: Apart from a small amount of resistance in the base core, no. No citizens were harmed.

C I-8: And, the point you made about the resistance movement at the base? Was that diassembled by any uneccessary force?

L O'D: ...No...no it wasn't.

C I-8: In your entire examianation of these data cores, did you find any instances where a member of the Cybernetic Concioussness Army, in any way, seemed to be in violation of the UN Charter?

L O'D: ...No...

C I-8: Tell me, Miss O'Donnels, when you were examining these data cores, did you find anything else? Anything that would be considered unecessary for an interrogation?

L O'D: How do you mean?

C I-8: Perhaps the personal memories of the data core owner's private life? Cherished moments, spent with families?

L O'D: ...Yes...Everything was there. From the moment of birth onwards...

C I-8: That is because what Mr. Matsumoto-Smith refers to simply as a "data core", is the entire data storage of memory and knowledge files contained within in that person, and anything that was stored there being shared through the Conciousness link. Wasn't that apparent?

L O'D: ...Yes...

C I-8: Is not such unwarrented invasion of privacy, restricted by basic human rights agreements, as laid out in the UN Charter? An uneccessary violation, seeing as a simple polygraph, a technology centuries old, works just as well on a Cyborg as it does a biological. And Mr. Matsumoto-Smith claims that the University upholds morals above that of the UN Charter. That in fact, their morals are superiour. Curious don't you think?...Thank you Miss O'Donnels, that will be all.

*******************************************

Dream to Planetmind

I don't understand myself. At every turn the Zakharov seems to be setting himself up, lieing about what is happening, and doing so poorly. You have evidence? You say there are bodies? Please Planetmind, so much depends on this trial in order that justice is served. The mistakes of Earth cannot be repeated here. Please, show me....

Christantine The Great · November 26, 2000, 19:19

Dream to Datajack Roze...

Bodies: On their way.

"Planetworms, bring the dead to a Data Angel base. It is time to show them."

Dream to Capt. Svensgaard...

Shows image of Diamond Shark pulling alongside the colony pod. Planet: happy. Reason: your fear of me. Second Reason: My power. Continues image to see a sealurk thrust itself from the water and speed away from the colony pod.

DarkCloud · November 26, 2000, 20:23

OOC: I merely wanted to involve you in the story, the story, you see was slowing down. Also the Data Angels are best at datahacking.

Witness Statement

Chief of Intelligence Atsuko Matsumoto-Smith

A polygraph would not work on these Cyborgs/ for how could we know how extensively they modified their memories to hold back information or provide us with false information. Also the polygraph could cause more harm to the Cyborgs than anything, for it is electronic and when something that is electronic meets incompatible linkages, for we would have had to link it to their data cores anyway, then it short circuts and causes damage to both the Cyborg and the equipment.

And, as I said, our morals are infallible, with no death penalty, even for attempting to kill the Academian. (It is now banned to use the death penalty in any way)

XWaste · November 27, 2000, 05:47

trial transcript

Clara Iota-8

The plaintiff moves that all political statements by the defence regarding Inspiration Point be striken from the record. This trial is about actions taken by the accused during the time of the Consciousness oppression and subsequent oppression of the sympathisers. This trial will take long enough as it is without the defence straying from the case in hand and wasting the courts time with unneccessary commentary about unrelated matters.

witness #45 - Ex-Police Officer for the University Base REC1 Precinct, Deepak Ghadiri-Chopra

C I-8: Tell me Deepak, what was your occupation during the time in which the Consciousness where still University citizens.

D GC: I was a police officer ma'am, in the REC1 precinct.

C I-8: Tell me Deepak, about the relationship between the police and the consciousness, was there any discrimination by the police?

D GC: Certainly there was, it was unspoken at first. Those that where 'zealous' in their treatment where never reprimanded, in fact they where often the ones getting the promotions. It caught on pretty quickly through the force what the official policy was, and what was expected of us.

C I-8: When did the laws change, did the discrimination become sanctioned?

D GC: Once Aki and Zhakarov began having some very public arguments about the treatment of the consciousness the word on the street was that Zak was starting to become very afraid of them. Meetings of more than five consciousness were banned, and consciousness members in positions of authority where arrested on charges of sedition.

C I-8: Where were they taken?

D GC: I don't know, we were told that they had to be contained in special cells because of their cybernetics. Once we turned them over to the army we never found out where they were taken.

C I-8: What else did the police do, how far did it go?

D GC: We...we started getting assignments...We would get told that the consciousness had organised themselves into a rebel group and had set up a strongpoint. We where told to use extreme force, as they where armed and desperate....but once we got there...

...they where never armed...(sniff)...we would get there and someone would start firing and trigger us all of...and then after someone would plant some shredder pistols amoung the bodies and take some photos...Dammit...some of them where children...they didn't even have the implants, their parents did...they where just hiding, scared...and we shot them down.

We shot them all down.

C I-8: I need to know where the orders came from Deepak, who told you to do these horrible things.

D GC: ...They always came from the Chief of Security, head of the police...Samuel Geddings-Howe.

DarkCloud · November 27, 2000, 20:03

Witness Statement

Chief of Security Samuel Geddings-Howe

The police were not involved in this until the very end, except for a small secruity task force assigned to the place where the Cyborgs were being created and were living under study. There, we only were involved when someone had accusations about a rogue Cyborg or two, and those Cyborgs were disciplined severely for we could not risk them becoming out of our control and destroying everyone, for we know that their programming is not always completely correct.

Also, I deny what Deepak claims we did when the Cyborgs rebelled. They fired first in at least five of the flashpoint areas, and we fired first in ten of the flashpoint areas, but that was only after radio messages identified them as dangerous.

Argonaut · November 27, 2000, 21:34

Moderator Statement : Datajack Roze

The court accepts the plantiff's motions to strike all political demends regarding Inspiration Point made by the defendent from the record. Academician, I must kindly ask that you reserve such demands for negotiations. I assure you, I will be more than willing to sit down and organise a feasible plan.

November 27, 2000, 23:42

OOC: don't dare anyone drag the Nautilus Pirates to this trial

they done nothing.

dream to planetmind

my faction have no intention of taking the oceans away from you... but we have to expand so we can properly respect planet... we have no choice to share oceans... and my faction not trying to restricting you to it... we left the fungal fields alone... left your mindworms alone... I personally not afraid of you... but i do have responsibility for the safety of my people... need to protect them... like you need to protect your mindworms...

DarkCloud · November 28, 2000, 22:05

OOC: well they Did supply the University with resources, but that doesn't relate to this trial.

DarkCloud · November 29, 2000, 22:03

OOC: Well, lets make concluding statements and wrap this up before it goes too long and have the Morganites, Data Angels, Cyborgs, University vote- XWaste, you went first so you wrap up first.

Cyber · November 30, 2000, 14:22

Spartan Newswagon
Volume 5, Issue 41

The Weather Paradigm is ready!

Our good scientist have completed the weather paradigm project.Yesterday evening, a press conference was held in the building where the project was carried out, outlining the recent results and the huge improvements to our terraforming and mining capability.

Already Terraforming units are being upgraded and refitted, incrising their efficiency with about 50%.

The xenobiologist community is divided into two, as some think these largescale terraformings are damaging the local soil and ecosystems beyond repair.However, most scientist agree that earth-based plant and animal lifeforms are slowly but surely replacing the, very much hostile towards us, native lifeforms.

The 4th Impact Rover Unit
Location:North from the Hive

They were once again being bombarded from a nearby bunker, so well hidden, even Spartan radar couldn´t detect it.Jakob Weiss sighed again.Why did the damn mortar shells had to come always when he was on shift?

For a week now, they had been cleansing the small, but strategically important hilly region, just north of Hives capital base.And for a week Jakob had been and still is in a living hell.
The damn Hivers had dug themselves deep rabbit holes and placed around them tons heavy-duty mines.
Yang´s farts, we call them.

Every night, unofficial news came about new ambushes on our troops, and official news about how our forces had conquered new strategically important areas.
Every hill and slope seemed to be a strategically important area.Atleast, that was the speed this taskforce was moving, hill after hill and slope after slope.There were grim jokes going around, about how Yang would rush build twice a bigger army before we get there.

And the casualty statistics were grim also.The Spartans have lost until now "officially" about one and a half unit, mostly impact rovers, the same type Jakob was riding in.
The Drones had lost until now two of their three units.The poor fools rode in front of the taskforce by the order of General Von Halzburg, just to be ambushed right at the beginning.
But, what gives satisfactory to most Spartans here, are the casualty statistics of the Hive.Four defence units, mostly synthmetal, have been destroyed up until now and many others have been routed, sieged or chaced down.

Halzburg had promised that they would be in The Hive, by the end of this week.I hope he keeps his promise, though I think most of our men are actually enjoying this locate& exterminate game with the poor Hivers.

The mortar shells were coming more rapidly now, and Jakob prayed that one them wouldn´t hit this rover.

Instead it hit the rover some distance in front.It turned into huge firestorm, engulfing the crew inside, and subsided as quickly.

"Reporting, we´ve lost one rover.I repeat, we´ve lost one rover! No survivors." radioed the private mannig the comm station, to the Head-Rover.

All the soldiers in the rover watched the charred remnant, including Jakob, with a mild sense of sorrow for the other rovers crew, but with a hint of gratitude of that they weren´t the ones hit.They had seen this scene many times before

Suddenly the bombardment was over.Everything calm, quiet.

The comm unit started to trasmit.
"Ok, people.Start moving.We have a long way to The Hive.And could the pioneers please move their lazy butts and clear that rover hull out of the way, thank you."
With that, the commander got off the line, and was replaced by the normal static radio communications between the unit.

Jakob climbed back up to his watch post, the rovers main turret, with gleaming vengeance in his eyes.Someday, some unlucky Hiver that got in his way, would pay for the death of his comrades.

November 30, 2000, 16:48

TO: Colonel Sandiego
FROM: Foreman Domai

Colonel, I would like to complain of your General's misuse of my Units. Your General has been using them has Cannon Fodder. I have just sent a direct order to whatever left of my units to fall back to a captured bunker, so suggest that your units do likewise. Your troops may be more advance and organized Sandiego, but my troops sure make it up in numbers and experience fighting the Hive.

Anyway, I am sending two newly built Impact Rovers(OOC:Impact/no armor) has reinforments. And suggest your General listens to my Commander when warning him of possible Hive tricks.

-Foreman Domai

OOC: Just to say, i see Domai more into Industrial and Offensive Military technologies. With its slow tech research, they are not very far in tech.

DarkCloud · December 1, 2000, 23:47

OOC: Cyber, what about the Hive mines?

Hive Report
To: Chancellor Shen-Ji Yang
From: Commander in Chief Yoritsu Misogua

Some of our peasant units have delayed the troops of the 'Spartans' whilst the mines are being set up, with the completion of the mines and the destruction of our units, we are ready to destroy the entire Spartan force and thus conquer them and show them the correct way, by force or by friendly means.

-Yoritsu Misogua

Christantine The Great · December 2, 2000, 02:18

Random thoughts going through Planetmind's "head"

Earthtrees: good to Planet. Earthhumans: bad to Planet. Question: Does sentience make an organism better?

XWaste · December 4, 2000, 20:21

Trial transcript

Closing statement Clara Iora-8

People of the court, this has been a long trial, draining both physically and emotionally. We have had to delve into some of the most abhorrent of human behaviours imaginable, and at many times the evidence we had to present was too gruesome for words. I think I can speak for everyone when I say we will all be glad when this is finished.

There remains one last task, one last descent into the madness that is Zhakarov and his administration. That task does not involve myself, or the speaker for the defence, but rather the judges of the court who will ultimately decide the outcome of this trial.

Despite the overwhelming evidence…we have heard testimonies from hundreds of witnesses, read Zhakarov’s private communications and seen the horrifying pictures of the mass graves, this is still not a choice that can be made easily. Though the court can only deal with matters of the past, we cannot forget your decision will have implications to the University for the future.

Finding the defendants guilty WILL leave the University in a political vacuum. There is no denying that, and some of the judges may be reluctant to push the prosecution for this reason. The University will need a time of transition that is sure…and I am also sure that the other factions can help them through this difficult time. What I am also very sure of is that, no matter how unsure the future may look presently for the University, the damage that may be done while they make their transition…the damage will be much, much less than if we let these power mad despots retain their positions…these criminals against humanity.

The only reasonable conclusion, the one that all the judges will inevitably make is that the defendants are guilty, and should be imprisoned for the rest of their lives.

OOC- I thought it was the players who where voting, not the actual faction leaders...How can Zhakarov be getting a vote to determine his own trial?
[This message has been edited by XWaste (edited December 04, 2000).]