Captive Galaxy 1: The Bellerophon: Ambush Read online

  2106 C.E. - Sister ships of Athena, the Artemis and Hera, depart Earth with colonial missions to in system to the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. The missions are supported by the colossal conglomeration corporation known as The Corporation (The Corp) and the ambitiously named Interstellar Industries (I2) respectively.

  2110 C.E. - The permanent populations of colonies on the Moon, Mars, Titan, Ganymede, Io, and Callisto surpass 50,000. With corporate taxes suspended beyond the atmosphere of Earth, an abundance of raw materials, and no environmental concerns to speak of, the corporations leading the charge into the colonization and industrialization of the Sol system increase their investment tenfold. More moons of the solar system are planned locations of large scale colonization, terraforming, centers for research, and centers for low gravity refinement and production.

  2111 C.E. - Terrorist action destroys the floating Earth-side anchor point of the near fully operational space elevator operated by Interstellar Industries (I2) off the coast of Malaysia and Indonesia. Islamic terrorist organization claim responsibility. A pro socialist group also claims responsibility claiming that the resources spent for off-world development is misplaced. The death toll is estimated at more than 10,000. The cost of the damage is spread across one large government bloc and a large swath of private investment nearing a trillion universal global credits. An international hunt begins to bring down all terrorist organizations in all countries of the world. Major private corporations, with interests in spaceward expansion, are key in the hunt as most now operate outside the atmosphere of Earth in the avoidance of taxes. Operating outside the atmosphere the private corporations also do not need to utilize the glacially slow process of securing search warrants for electronic records. When terrorist cells are located their assets are frozen or simply reallocated. Kinetic kill vehicles, upon approval from local governments, are dropped from orbit to kill terrorist cells when collateral damage can be minimized.

  2113 C.E. - World terrorism is all but erased from Earth in joint corporate operations in support of allied Earth government blocs. Terrorism is bad for business. Nearly all electronic communications on Earth are monitored for terrorist activity from 2111 C.E. on. The use of artificial intelligence programs is key to this monitoring of communications.

  2115 C.E. - A remote and polluted dead lake, of little significance in central Russia, has completely dried up. An abandoned and forgotten biological warfare research and manufacturing center, more than 150-years old, once on a secure island at the center of the lake, is now able to be accessed by wildlife or humans on foot.

  2116 C.E. - What is believed to be a weaponized version of the 1919 Spanish Flu quickly spreads throughout central Russia. The original vector/carrier is believed to be wild dogs from central Russia but soon all mammals are found to be carriers of the bioengineered virus. Despite best efforts to contain the virus it quickly spreads across the world. All access to space is halted as the world attempts to stop the spread to the colonies of the solar system. Earth is quarantined.

  2119 C.E. - With the colonies throughout the Sol system cut off from Earth, the solar colonies concentrate on becoming self-sufficient, and in finding a cure to the deadly plague via antiviral, phage, and nano research. These colonies, operated mostly by private corporations, completely lack the oversight of the national and international laws regulating Earth. Corners are cut in the research, but the Titan colony operated by The Corporation, is ultimately successful in pioneering a medical-nanite treatment that is 99.9 percent effective in curing the plague. Accusations of inhumane human testing to reach the breakthrough cure go largely uninvestigated due to the "grey area" regarding international laws beyond the orbit of Earth. The treatment saves the suffering population of Earth but only after 15-20 percent have succumbed to the illness. Despite the assumed high cost of global recovery, The Corporation receives a windfall in the form of grants and long-term contracts from the grateful world governments and blocs. The Corporation quickly turns around after the cures great success, and using the increased funds in their coffers, increase research in all fields especially the research in superluminal propulsion.

  2120 C.E. - Breakthrough in superluminal drive research occurs on the Ganymede research colony controlled by Interstellar Industries (I2). The lab of Dr. Marius Zukovski successfully creates a propulsion system that allows faster than light travel. With an initial expenditure of a tremendous amount of energy a momentary tear is made in local space time allowing a craft, within a maintained field called an Alcubierre Bubble, to travel above the plane of normal space in a realm dubbed "transit space." A metaphor for this action is in how a soap bubble acts upon the surface of a pond. This soap bubble is not held to the constraining laws of previously known physics involving energy, mass, and the speed of light. Dr. Zukovski, with the help of Alcubierre, have cheated Einstein. This new propulsion system is quickly dubbed the "ripper drive" because of the way it uses brute force to rip through the fabric of normal space. The Corporation was believed to have completed their own research along similar, if not identical, lines but they did not publish and patent their findings soon enough. Though many Earthbound laws do not extend beyond the atmosphere of Earth, patent laws have been mutually agreed by all solar parties, government and corporate alike, to still be in effect. All corporate bodies investing in space exploration, exploitation, and commercialization must purchase drives built by Interstellar Industries (I2) or pay licensing fees to build their own using the patented technology. Though The Corporation never makes claims publicly, it is believed that "The Corp" knows that the Interstellar Industries (I2) breakthrough was benefitted from substantial industrial espionage.

  2121 C.E. - The industrial security expenditures, both cyber and physical, of all corporations, big or small, in the Sol system increase many fold. A private security force arms race effectively begins amongst the private corporations of the solar system. It is rumored that private navies are even being constructed by several of the more solvent and aggressive corporations. The nations and allied blocs of Earth urge the corporations to all back down and cease bellicose actions.

  2121 C.E. - Nano technology is now widely used in nearly all sectors and facets of industrial fabrication. Large constructs, such as stations, ships, and prefabricated materials used for all applications, are easily and quickly constructed using new programmable nano machine supported building techniques, especially in zero gravity shipyards and orbital fabrication centers. As long as the raw materials are available, nearly anything can be built with great speed and efficiency. Though nano tech has greatly assisted in the growth of industrial outputs, the medical applications of nano tech have been highly regulated. Though nano medical technology has improved greatly in the last half-century, the application of nano infused medicines in highly complex human systems and organs (brain, spine, etc) has been found to be extremely complicated, if not at all impossible, as claimed by contemporary experts. Research has also been hampered in this field due to fears of an accidental (or weaponized) plague once again resulting. It is already feared that the Cure of 2117 (also called the Miracle of 2117) may have already let the genie out of the bottle. As it is, nano infused medicines are limited in that they can only help combat viral and bacterial infections and improve healing by repairing cuts and bone breaks/fractures with relative ease. Though the research is regulated and even illegal, it is understood that breakthroughs will most likely take place, in regards to medical nano treatments, in secret through private corporate sponsorships.

  2124 C.E. - Historically the colonies of Earth were supported by a small flotilla of auxiliary cargo and search and rescue craft. This force, named the Colonial Defense Fleet, was lightly if at all armed. With continued tensions, due to the powerful off-world corporations arming themselves, the CDF begins a buildup utilizing shipyards operated by The Corporation. These leased shipyards quickly begin to produce military hardware for the growing CDF. Armed CDF frigates and other ships of war are being built alongside the cra
ft they will find themselves policing. Earth government blocs, being the marketplace for all the technologies and wares produced by the corporations of the solar system, threaten sanctions and heavy import tariffs if the security craft and security personnel of the corporations arm themselves with military grade weaponry or escalate into further armed conflict.

  2126 C.E. - The first extrasolar colony is founded by man in the nearby Alpha Centauri trinary star system 4.3 light years from Sol. The ripper drive and companion "transit drive" (maintains transit space travel) operate as designed to deliver a small group of researchers, surveyors, and colonists to the lone rocky world of the system. The colony is simply named "Alpha One." More colonization and exploration missions are planned but the expenditure of energy required for the superluminal propulsion system is tremendous. Experiments will soon begin utilizing anti-matter and the costly Helium 3 (H3) as energy sources for interstellar travel.

  2128 C.E. - A ripper drive enabled communication probe relays word to Earth that a very large and very expensive mission to colonize Sigma Draconis, a distant 18.8 light-years away, has been successful. The successful mission is one-way however and no further word is forthcoming from the colony as the lone, and very costly, communication probe has already been sent by the colony to Earth to relay the missions news of success. It is readily apparent that a more energy efficient ripper drive is required for further expansion. A follow-up mission to Sigma Draconis is planned to take place within 5-years and offer relief to the 500 colonists.

  2128 C.E. - The Corporation releases information formally, and through leaked industrial research data, that they are near a breakthrough in a safe, cheap, and efficient means of using anti-matter to power the ripper drive. In secret, The Corporation is using numerous subsidiaries and shell corporations to purchase as many H3 mining rights and operations as possible, while at the same time secretly researching miniaturization and optimization of H3 power systems. The locations of these research centers is closely guarded by corporate security forces on par with the CDF and associated Earth military forces. Other corporations and their subsidiaries in the system are all too eager to sell their rights and mining operations of H3 with word that The Corporation is near a breakthrough in anti-matter power generation.

  2129 C.E. - An industrial espionage mission sponsored by a rival company is uncovered by The Corporation near a major research center. A small scale ship-to-ship engagement occurs between security craft manned by The Corp mercenaries and infiltration craft operated by Interstellar Industries (I2). In all five craft are involved in the small battle and all are lost. The battle is sloppy and brutal. Many technologies such as inertial dampeners, energy weapon point defense, and neural interfaced piloting are only on the drawing boards. A CDF investigation finds that the craft involved in the action mounted outlawed military grade technologies. Heavy fines are swiftly laid upon both parties as a result of what has been named the Battle of the Neptune Moons. A 5 percent tax on all corporations operating in the system barely passes the collective international governing bodies of Earth (bribery and corruption is to blame for those voting "no").

  2130 C.E. - Maddox & Tokev Terraforming (M&TT) appeal the passing of the tax, claiming they had no part in the conflict between The Corporation and Interstellar Industries. The appeal is partly successful in that M&TT is granted a 15-year exemption from the 5 percent tax.

  2130 C.E. - CDF triples contracts for ship construction. The expansion is a move to keep the peace between the corporations and to aid in exploration and expansion of humanity.

  2131 C.E. - The Corporation is granted patents in several technologies that optimize H3 as a power source for the ripper drive. They also announce that they have abandoned nearly all research into anti-matter citing that it is "too dangerous" to continue studying as a safe power source for interstellar space travel. Overnight the price of H3 skyrockets and it is soon learned that The Corporation maintains a near monopoly in H3 mining rights and mining operations in the Sol system. Competing corporations must go through The Corp if they want to purchase both the technology and fuel that allow the ripper drive to travel further than ten light-years distance with any sort of worthwhile payload of colonists, supplies, equipment, and materials.

  2133 C.E. - Relief expedition mounted to Sigma Draconis, using the more efficient power technologies patented by The Corporation, arrives to find the colony deserted but in good order. All 509 original colonists are unaccounted for. There is no evidence of damage to the colony. Half-eaten meals are discovered on dinner plates in individual habitat compartments. A subsequent colony is established on a different location on the same planet. Overhead, two CDF system frigates will maintain watch over the colony for years. Little is learned (or publicly disclosed) about what happened to the inhabitants. Study of colonial administrative logs prove inconclusive.

  2134 C.E. - Expiration of ripper drive patent held by Interstellar Industries (I2).

  2144 C.E. - Large scale colonial conflict breaks out between the three major corporations of the system. The CDF is unable to stop the conflict before it starts because of the distances involved and the conflict coincides with a large percentage of the CDF engaged in out-system exploration and support of newly settled solar systems. Blocs including the South American Federation, United North America & Britain/Australia, and PanAsian Alliance lay the threat of heavy sanctions if the solar corporations continue to fight amongst themselves. A suicide rogue operation, supported by an unknown party, uses the confusion of the system-wide conflict, and the absence of strong CDF forces near Earth, to crash several small asteroids into two major population centers. The cities of Mexico City and St. Petersburg, the birthplaces of those responsible for breakthroughs in superluminal travel, are destroyed by the asteroid falls. An investigation, that will last years, yields no understanding as to who and why the suicide craft towed the asteroids to those targeted cities. No organization or group ever takes responsibility for the murder of 40-million people.

  2144 C.E. - Following the destruction of Mexico City and St. Petersburg, the CDF adopts a doctrine of two fleets. One fleet will always be in station protecting the near Earth region of space and the Sol system directly, while the second fleet is tasked with exploration and the wider security of human colonized space. The corporations cease armed conflict within the Sol system. The system becomes a "holy ground" of sorts.

  2148 C.E. - Large scale exploration truly begins in earnest with heavy funding from Earth blocs supporting the effort. The "Search 100" program contracts for the construction of probes that will reach all systems within 100 light-years of Sol and report back detailed findings. Colonial, research, and mining expansion is planned with the information gleamed from the probe reports.

  2150 C.E. - A superluminal probe, part of the Earth funded Search 100 program, returns to a research center operated by The Corporation. The probe reports back on the findings of a survey of star HD 217107 which supports a small system of planets 64.3 light-years from Earth. For the first time evidence of non-Earth sentience is found. In the quick survey undertaken by the probe it is determined that the system is now vacant of intelligent life however numerous sites were formerly inhabited by a technic race. The system includes one Earthlike planet, several suspected terraformed moons, and even several large artificial constructs. An unpopular bidding process takes place in which major private corporations seek to stake claims on the various sites. The Corporation mortgages a large fraction of the companies holdings to pay for the claim to the Earthlike planet dubbed "Minerva" after the Roman goddess of wisdom. The system will soon be called the Minervan system as a result.

  2150 C.E. - Population of Earth has grown to, and remains steady at, 12-billion upon recovery from plague of 2116-19. Combined populations of all landed colonies within the Sol system are approximately 50-million. Combined populations of extrasolar colonies, settlements, and orbital stations exceed 10-million. The extrasolar colonies are nearly all autonomously operated by private corpo
rations.

  2160 C.E. - Minerva Research Center is established on the planet of Minerva by The Corporation. The reverse engineering of discovered high technology artifacts begins.

  2172 C.E. - Quantum computing breakthrough by Interstellar Industries (I2). Abilities of artificial intelligences is greatly expanded.

  2183 C.E. - A.I. War begins.

  2184 C.E. - CDF Fast Cruiser 37 Ridley (FC-37) is launched and put into service assigned to deep space colonial trade lane protection duty and prosecution of rogue Artificial Intelligence constructs.

  2193 C.E. - A.I. War ends after the death of hundreds of millions. International, intersolar, extrasolar treaties now severely limit the use of quantum computing artificial intelligence coding. An arm of the CDF is established to investigate and prosecute violators of this treaty with extreme prejudice. A limited level of artificial intelligence is allowed to exists via quantum computing but they are never to be networked with other artificial intelligences under any circumstances.

  2200 C.E. - Combined populations of extrasolar colonies exceeds 100-million for the first time.

  2215 C.E. - The atmosphere of Mars is now breathable. Colonists can survive on the surface of Mars for an extended period of time without requiring a breathing mask. Pressure suits have not been required for more than 20-years. Red Mars is turning greener each day with the carefully cultivated growth of adapted flora from Earth.