Thanks for visiting my thread! I hope you enjoy the read, and continue to come back for more. I'll be updating and adding content daily! This is an account of TIB's history. If you haven't the time to read all my Episodes, I encourage you to read the Overview alone.
Post 1.
Spoiler: show
Post 1. wrote:Index:
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Overview - A brief summary of TIB's History. Listed on post #1.
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Terminology and note from Author - Listed on post #2.
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Episode I: A New Dawn - Explains the founding of the UNAC and creation of the SJD's. Listed on post #3.
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Episode II: The Rise of the Collective - Explains the formation of the Pirate Collective. Listed on post #4.
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Episode III: The Great Wyrd War Explains the war between Humanity and the Wyrd. Listed on post #5.
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Episode IV: The Divide of Corporations In progress of being written. To be listed on post #6.
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Overview:
Shortly after the advent of the United Nations Aerospace Coalition, or UNAC, mankind began to make unprecedented leaps and bounds in the field of aeronautics. Prior to the UN's involvement in space exploration, Earth had little to no real progress in space, having only had a base on the moon for 83 years as well as the recent dismantlement of the ISS due to lack of funding for repairs. At this time though, there was a real need for complete and utter cooperation... The Earth was dying. Due to overpopulation and lack of sustainability, starvation and rioting was growing ever more rampant. The UNAC discovered mineral rich asteroids in the dense fields of the Main Asteroid Belt lying between Mars and Jupiter. These minerals could easily provide the alloys necessary for commercial and industrial spacecraft, engines, and most importantly, galactic garrisons, which in turn would provide the necessary jobs and housing for the ever growing population of Earth. The UNAC combined Earth's resources, intel, and manpower, and pioneered our first real steps into space. UNAC scientists developed the first FTL drives, which would allow us to travel from sector to sector in search of mineral rich asteroids. These drives, dubbed SJD's, or Sector Jump Drives, could only propel ships for a quick burst of travel, then requiring time to recharge. The SJD's were outfitted in the first UNAC Mining Shuttles, which were sent to the Main Asteroid Belt.
The UNAC's first Mining Shuttles were clad in Titanium Hulls, which although provided speed and maneuverability, lacked durability. The UNAC lost many a shuttle to the relatively unskilled pilots in the dense spinning fields of the MAB. However, their scientists quickly made use of the new found minerals and produced a new alloy, now known as Carbide. Carbide made the perfect hull for Mining Ships, and quickly became the standard for all UNAC ships, as it was cheap and easy to produce. Garrisons soon flooded every sector surrounding Earth, providing a network for communication, and further colonization of the surrounding space. Mankind prospered, enjoying a golden age of exploration. With the UNAC's ever increasing fleets, they soon made the larger Mining Corvettes and Frigates, which were sent out in ever increasing distances from Earth.
Unfortunately, mankind has always had a problem with complete loyalty to the greater good. One of the leading scientists of the UNAC, Thran Likel, upset with his lack of recognition in the development of the SJD, Carbide alloy, and further discoveries and inventions, fled Earth in a rampage. Thran took one of the UNAC's prototype Destroyer Class ships with him. The UNAC, lacking foresight, had never considered the thought of galactic pirates, and so they had no real way to stop Thran Likel and his fellow compatriots from fleeing. Unbeknownst to UNAC and the rest of Earth, Thran had taken more than just a ship. He had taken age old cloning data from the UN Academy's archives, along with the DNA of millions of long dead inhabitants of Earth. Once he reached the sectors just outside of the Sol System, he and his crew set about producing the first of the Pirate Strongholds, outfitted with massive Burst Cannons and Matter Inverters. Thran began to start his own mining expeditions, as well as sending fleets into UNAC space to loot the relatively defenseless crews of the Mining Fleet. Thran cloned the greatest minds to ever live upon Earth, and those repeated geniuses quickly produced a new Composite Hull, which is faster than the Carbide clad ships of the UNAC. Those faster Pirates made repetitive leaps into UNAC space and soon an all out war ensued. The UNAC quickly outfitted their network of garrisons with AutoCannons, Pulverizers, and the like, and because of it, only the smaller ships of the Pirate Collective were able to sneak past the sensors of the UNAC. To the current day, Earth still has weak Pirates lurking in it's nearby sectors.
Thran's worst mistake wasn't betraying UNAC, it was venturing out into the Black - space yet unexplored and charted past the Sol System - There, he discovered the densest asteroid belts ever seen by mankind... He never realized why his personal Mining Cruiser imploded. He had inadvertantly triggered the defense platform of one of an ancient race's penal colonies. The Wyrd Empire was awakened. The Wyrds were a strange race to behold, similar to arachnids in build and manner, their very appearance would strike fear into even the heartiest of men. Their greatest strength however, was their superior weaponry. Thran's destroyed Cruiser blasted a hole into the so called asteroid, which was actually a dormant Weak SeedColony. Furious with the destruction and awakening of their greatest convicts and penal colony, the Wyrd Empire launched an assault onto the Pirate Collective. Even with their hatred of UNAC, programmed into their cloned minds from their conception, the Pirate Collective knew how terrible the impending genocide of the Human Race would be. They warned UNAC, and left their Strongholds manned by drones - fleeing back to the planet their creator once fled himself. The united forces of UNAC and the Pirate Collective could hardly hold off the first waves of the Wyrd Empire. However, their doom was also their mercy. Certain convicts of the Wyrd Race defected and joined the Pirate Collective in the fight against their own race. They helped to install salvaged armaments and computers onto the Coalition and Collective ships alike. The UNAC began producing Battleships, which fought alongside the few captured Wyrd Invader Class ships. The Carbide Mining Hulls were shed, and replaced by the Composite hulls of the Collective and Thorium hulls of the Wyrds. Earth still had little hope, the Wyrd's were nigh on indestructible in comparison to Earth's own armies. A decision was made, one regretted even unto this day. A small fleet of Wyrd Assassins, salvaged from battle, was sent out into the Black, piggybacking on the Wyrd Comms, all the way back to one of the Wyrd Seed Planets. The crew inside, brave against the face of certain death, unleashed payload after payload of Nuclear Fusion bombs onto that great Gaia V Seed, quickly eradicating the largest cities, flattening schools, temples, libraries, and homes without regard. The cold grip of fury soon turned the Wyrd Empire home. Mercilessly, they recaptured their ships and slaughtered the invaders.
The first Wyrd War was over, or so it seemed. They left the sectors surrounding the Sol System, returning to their respective Seed Worlds. Earth had peace for a few decades. The newly discovered alloys from the wreckage of the Wyrd fleets were incorporated into UNAC and Pirate ships alike. Further research was done, and new weapons and AI's were developed. Soon though, the Pirate Collective returned to it's old ways and abandoned Earth yet again. The Collective rebuilt it's shattered empire into a new and stronger system of Strongholds. They colonized an Arid Class world and began to terraform it into their very own planet and base. Humanity had officially split into two sects. Unfortunately, the split didn't end there, back on Earth UNAC had lost it's grip on the Aerospace world, and privately owned Corporations were spawned. Facing the threat of lawsuits, the UNAC shared it's technology with the general population of Earth, and Corporations began their own Mining Operations. Unbound by the same laws that the UNAC was bound by, the Corporations began to battle over rights to certain asteroid fields, resulting in bloodshed and civil wars between the previously united countries of Earth. The UN imposed a new law, The Monroe Act, seen as immoral to some, and unacceptable to others. The law stated that mining could only be done by UNAC fleets withing a 15 Sector radius of Earth. Any skirmishes within that boundary would result in one's ship being flagged for destruction by UNAC Battleships and bounty hunters. Forced out of their own planet, the numerous Corporations ventured out into the Black, some colonizing planets, and others distributing Garrisons throughout uncharted space.
Perhaps mankind achieved their goal, after all, Earth is prospering, space exploration is evolving, and the Human Race is growing exponentially. However, such a major split is in existence between them now. Once upon a time, they fought over land rights, now they fight over ownership of entire sectors. Bloodshed and civil strife reigns supreme. Humanity is growing ever distant from it's once united roots. The UNAC stands, but it stands among so many a sect of enemies, enemies of their own race. Pirate ships roam throughout the supposed "Safezone," looting and murdering flippantly. In the Black, corporations battle mercilessly, against each other, and against enemies far stronger than that the UNAC has ever dealt with. Rumors of an enemy even greater lurk, unconfirmed, and unwanted by UNAC and the Collective alike. When will Humanity become one? Some say never, some say it's impossible... I say, only time will tell.
Post 2.
Spoiler: show
Post 2 wrote:The following Episodes are based off of portions of the preface of my TIB history. They elaborate in detail the events discussed and as such, are meant to be read in order. I thank you for you time thus far, and look forward to dedicating my time on TIB to entertaining you all.
Terminology
In an attempt to keep everything feasible and recognizable to the average TIB player, I have kept the names of ships, races, and the like identical to our TIB World. I am refraining to use characters, as I am writing from the standpoint of a College professor teaching his class, not that of one reading a novel.
UNAC - United Nations Aeronautic Coalition
Pirates, Pirate Collective, & Collective - The Pirate Collective
Wyrds, Wyrd Empire, Empire - The Wyrd Empire
FTL - Faster Than Light
SJD - Sector Jump Drive
Post 3.
Spoiler: show
Post 3 wrote:Episode I: A New Dawn
Humanity has always expressed an interest in space. We've been watching the skies since our ancestors first walked the Earth. Religions, empires, and the like all seemed to revolve around the night sky. The stars have helped us navigate, have provided us entertainment, and have perturbed us with the unexplained since the birth of our forefathers. In our species infancy we simply stared into the glimmering, glinting skies of the vast cosmos, wondering what else was out there, and what the lights even meant. Yea, we thought we were the center of it all. Little did we know how great and powerful those lights really were. From medieval cults, to the navigators of the middle ages, the skies have always been important. As our species progressed in knowledge, stature, and understanding, we learned more and more about the skies, and continually stared ever deeper into the vastness of our universe. "What does it all mean?" That question has stood since the beginning of time. It is my firm belief that this Infinite Black will never cease to amaze, surprise, inspire, and ultimately retire, each and every one of us.
Humanity has been fighting itself for so long, and most seem to think it never will really unite. Nowadays, we look at other species, and how they've united and unified into one cohesive Empire, and yet we, perhaps the species with the greatest potential, continue to deprive each other of food, water, and the basics of survival. Soon after the Fourth World War, the many countries of the Earth united together to fight against the reality of our combined situation. With Earth's population well over 16 billion, starvation was rampant. The top 1% of the world lived in continuous pleasure, oblivious to the deprivation, intimidation, and poverty around them. Wars raged, famines starved, and death haunted the hearts of every motherless child, fatherless son, and widowed women. Things needed to change. The greatest of the countries led the forefront of the fight against our own impending demise. They combined their intelligence, garnered through years of research, experimentation, and intensive pondering. They combined their resources into a glorious configuration of what a unified Humanity can do. We realized that the great beauty of our skies also held our salvation.
The United Nations founded the United Nations Aerospace Coalition, otherwise known as the UNAC. Together, we as a species found that the Main Asteroid Belt held vital minerals and resources we could use to produce stronger industrial equipment, and eventually, mighty garrisons which would be held aloft by the vacuums of that Infinite Black. The first UNAC Mining Shuttles, freshly minted in the seemingly pristine ship yards amidst the poverty stricken cities took off in the year 2138. That historical day, we set off in search of a brighter future for our coming generation. Those first Mining Ships were clad in a Titanium Alloy, which provided the necessary maneuverability we needed among the spinning gobs of metal and rock in the MAB. Unfortunately, Titanium Alloy Hulls are not the most durable, and many a pilot suffered ill fate among those floating boulders. Ore laden, the UNAC Mining ships provided a steady stream of newly discovered elements, and the best and brightest of Earth began to create new alloys. Not only did this operation provide the metals we needed, but we also were able to make new medicinal procedures and agricultural advancements. The best of our early discoveries was that of the Carbide Alloy. Although heavy and difficult to move with at any great rate, it was incredibly dense and served well for our early garrisons.
Soon after the discovery of Carbide, we launched a great effort to produce mighty Greenhouses which would provide the much needed food for Earth. Producing the needed minerals was hard enough, but finding enough water and transporting it made that seem child's play in comparison. UNAC scouts found magnificent plumes of Hydrogen gas floating around our nearby sectors, and so we placed large Starports nearby to collect the Hydrogen, and mix it in the correct proportions with Oxygen to provide all that water. Nowadays, we have those early pioneers to thank for our endless bounty of food. The 8 sectors surrounding Earth are heavily guarded with defense turrets, Garrisons, and UNAC forces in order to protect our very livelihood and survival. Among the MAB and soon enough, even the Outer Asteroid Belt, we placed mighty Garrisons, Starports and at the outermost reaches of our system... penal colonies, for even in this Golden Age, there were those who harbored the evil roots of our never ending demise, selfishness. The vast network we implemented allowed instantaneous communication throughout the Sol System. The asteroid belts provided a never ending supply of jobs, and the associated garrisons provided the housing our glorious species needed. From a scientific standpoint, Earth was at it's greatest... Morally though, we were dying.
The advent of FTL drives provided us near instantaneous travel among our System. These drives would literally rip the fabric of space momentarily and thrust the ship through the tear and out into the designated coordinates. Due to our limited guidance systems, we can only jump about a sectors length at any given time, thus the name given to these drives, Sector Jump Drives, or SJD's. The scientist who did the most work developing these drives, was for some unknown reason, given the least credit, and so, the seeds of betrayal were planted into the great mind of Thran Likel.
Post 4.
Spoiler: show
Post 4 wrote:Episode II: The Rise of the Collective
Just as humanity reached the tip of it's glory, with thousands of Mining Shuttles, Corvettes, and Frigates pursuing the asteroids strewn about the MAB and OAB, the beginning of it's demise had sprung forth. This demise started with one man, Thran Likel. Selfishness and pride has brought many a mighty kingdom to it's knees, and even with our extensive history under his belt, Thran still decided to set forth on that path which can never be remedied. He left Earth in a rage, taking an experimental Destroyer Class spacecraft with him. At the time, the UNAC assumed he was setting off on a mining mission. Unbeknownst to them, he had taken with him the long since illegalized cloning procedures we had discovered as well as the DNA records of thousands upon thousands of since deceased inhabitants of Earth. He fled to the outermost reaches of the Sol System, and murdered the guards of a penal colony. With the loyalty of that colony established, he began to overturn each and every other penal garrison and thus began the rise of the Pirate Collective.
Thran amassed a mighty fleet of Collective vessels. Creating his own shipyards, greenhouses, and starports with the very technology the UNAC invented. The Collective began it's own extensive mining operations, and unfortunately, they intercepted the same operations the UNAC ran. Raids, murder, and looting ensued. It was significantly easier to destroy UNAC vessels and steal their cargo than to go out and mine on their own. Collective ships began to plunder recklessly and mercilessly. An all out war soon began between the UNAC and Pirate Collective. Some say that this was a tragedy, but in a way, it prepared us for our future. Because of the war, extensive discoveries in the field of weaponry were made, and battle strategies were quickly developed. The loss of life and love can never be repayed though, and that major war can never be forgotten.
The UNAC soon realized just how immediate their demise could be, and weaponized the network of Starports and Garrisons in the system, effectively turning a 15 sector radius around Earth into a "Safezone." Only the smallest and quickest of Collective forces could slip into the surrounding region, and they were easily fought off by the UNAC forces. The Collective slipped off into the Black, the regions of space unexplored and protected by the UNAC, so as to establish their grip upon space firmly. Nowadays, the Collective has many a stronghold strewn about space, and it is nigh impossible to travel among the Black without being raided by a member of the Pirate Collective.
Thran's biggest mistake wasn't leaving the UNAC and starting the Collective. His biggest mistake was going into the Black. On his last personal mining operation, his Cruiser imploded upon the beginning of the mining sequence. The supposed asteroid he was harvesting was no asteroid, it was a Wyrd SeedColony. This particular Colony was a penal garrison, and it's defense platform was activated by Thran and his unsuspecting crew. The Cruiser's wreckage tore a hole into the Garrison, and freed several convicts. The Wyrd, in their arachnid like bodies, have no need for oxygen, and are well suited to the harsh environment of space. Those convicts commandeered the docked Wyrd Invaders and escaped. This insurrection, coupled with the destruction of a penal garrison, angered the Wyrd Empire. The effects of that fateful day are forever felt by humanity and the Wyrd Empire alike.
Why is it that Humanity can never stay united for more than a season? Are we doomed to repeat the same mistakes of our past? Who can lead us to complete comradery? That question, is the one that can never have a true answer, for as great as our species is, our doom is even greater. The only thing that can keep us from certain demise now, is yet another thing to face our species as a whole. We've witnessed such situations before, from the time prior to the UNAC, to the Wyrd War, and beyond.
Post 5.
Spoiler: show
Post 5 wrote:Episode III: The Great Wyrd War
Angered by the destruction of their garrison, the Wyrd Empire sent out a military squadron to investigate the disturbance. The Wyrd ships were far superior to the Pirate Collective, and quickly breached the Collective's defenses. Though far ahead in science, that Invasion force was far outnumbered, and ultimately destroyed, this angered the Empire even more. Soon, an all out war raged, and the Collective had no hope to hold back the ever increasing waves of the enraged Wyrd. Even with the programmed hatred of the UNAC, installed at the Pirates conception, they knew the impending attacks could destroy their species, and so, the Collective warned the UNAC of the coming fleets of Wyrd. For a time, the UNAC and Collective merged their forces, Pirates serving among UNAC ships, and UNAC admirals controlling fleets of Pirate ships as well. Together they stood against the might of the Wyrd Empire. The doom of humanity, was in a sense, it's mercy as well. A substantial amount of Wyrd convicts defected and helped the United UNAC and Collective forces fight against it's own race. The defectors installed salvaged computers and weaponry from the defeated Wyrd ships, and even taught the humans how to pilot the few captured Wyrd Invaders and Assassins. The war was beginning to seem more balanced, but even then - the might of the Wyrd Empire was growing. The Collective Strongholds soon gave out to the continual Wyrd Invasions, and the Empire's forces grew ever closer to Earth, and it's vital surrounding sectors. Genocide was imminent.
We made a decision that many of us have regretted. What else could we have done though? In the end, we just repeated the same 'mistakes' of our past. A force of Pirates and UNAC took the captured Wyrd Assassins and traveled along the paths of the Invasions, following to their point of origin by piggybacking on Wyrd Comms. Eventually, they arrived at the Seed Motherworld. Although heavily guarded against other aliens and enemies, the Wyrd defense systems were never programmed to consider their own attacking. On that fateful day, the UNAC/Collective piloted Assassins unleashed payload after payload of Nuclear Fusion bombs upon the surface of that Gaia V Seed. Schools, factories, homes, libraries, nurseries, and the like, were all erased, smashed into oblivion by the cold hand of conquest. The Wyrd forces soon heard of what had happened, and withdrew from their attack, racing back to their home. They were beyond enraged, but what could they do? They slaughtered the attackers, and swore to eradicate humankind from the face of the universe. The Wyrds had lost their Mother Seed, and because of it, their unified Empire was lost. Differing Wyrd Sects broke off, loyal to their respective, smaller Seed worlds. The first Wyrd Invasion was over, and they have never entered UNAC space since. To this day, remnants of the shattered empire roam the Black, seeking vengeance.
The losses on Humanity's side were bad as well, with many a ship ripped asunder. The technological leaps more than made up for it though. Seemingly forgetting all the bloodshed, Wyrd technology was studied and implemented into UNAC and Collective ships alike. Almost acting as though according to a plan, once the Wyrd technology was shared, the Collective broke off from the UNAC once again, and retreated into the Black to rebuild it's Strongholds and networks. Ever since we have had Pirates infringing upon our UNAC borders, seeking to kill, plunder, and disrupt our ways of life. The UNAC is not weak though, and has always had a dedicated force of new pilots mowing down those smaller ships capable of slipping past the sensors.
One would think that the remainder of Earth's population would see the folly in splitting off, and yet there were those that still did so. Corporations, jealous of the Pirates initiative and amassed riches, fought for rights for their own private mining operations. In a massive legal battle, all the UNAC intel was shared among the general population of Earth. The first Corporations were formed, and the affects of it have been felt ever since.
. Excellently composed and I really did enjoy the detail. Although I will still give you a run for your money >:D