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Thread: Titanium Core - Chapter 5: Aftermath - Updated 11 Feb 2015

  1. #1

    Default Titanium Core - Chapter 5: Aftermath - Updated 11 Feb 2015

    Since it felt like Tales from a Past Life needed a break, I decided to branch out into a different genre. As of right now, I'm going through the primary character profiles and giving them a backstory, and will also include lists and backgrounds of planets, organizations, weapons, etc. Much of the story is in an alpha stage, so I'll be updating the information as I go. When I have the details worked out, I'll begin outlining what I'll include in the first chapter. But until then, I proudly present...


    Titanium Core


    Table of Contents
    Introduction
    2553 CE

    The time of the nation-state was gone, the days of countries fighting over fossil fuels, precious resources and territory have receded into the pages of history.

    Now is the time of alliances, unions, and confederacies. The partnership of these came, when in the mid-21st century, the race to expand and explore beyond the confining limitations of Earth sparked rivalries, even conflict, among the competitors. Any nation at the time knew, without the consolidation of resources, technologies, and manpower, mankind would perpetually be at each other’s throats if the exploration was done by piecemeal national efforts, for those tensions on Earth would follow them to the stars. Something had to be done. The model for these alliances came from the European Union (EU), formed in the late 20th century.

    By the mid-22nd century, the national borders that had ebbed and flowed for millennia, which had defined humanity since maps were first created, were slowly being dissolved. In the place of national identities, unions were being formed to pool resources and technologies, resources and technologies countries would have competed and fought over, were now being used for the betterment of a collective whole. This didn’t move forward without struggle, a struggle by those who wished to keep their national identities, to avoid the conglomeration of countries into a singular body; but if man were to progress forward, it would need to let go the petty squabbles which had divided countries for centuries. What these people forgot in their outcries, is this collectivization of nations would only dissolve the borders which had divided them, not the cultures which made them unique, and would create a melding that would benefit all.

    The countries making up North America, namely the United States, Canada, Mexico, the states of Central America, and the majority of the islands of the Caribbean, would comprise the United North American States (UNAS). In Europe, the European Union (EU) had gone through difficult times in the nearly-two centuries since its creation; however, through the stabilization of its monetary structure, economic growth of its member states and the inclusion of newer states, namely Russia, the EU was a force to be reckoned with. Moving east, the Pan-Pacific Alliance (PPA), consists of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Polynesian islands, to act as a counter-balance to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which had been granted political control over almost all of Southeast Asia. The South American Union (SAU) consists of all the countries which exist on the South American continent, with the primary partners being Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

    These groups act as the major players, but they’re not the only powers that make up the modern world. With Turkey having joined the EU, the countries of the Southwest Asia needed to counteract the EU’s influence, and so they formed the Near-East Alliance (NEA), but stirred up controversy when they invited Egypt to join, who technically didn’t reside in the Near East, but throughout its history, has held ties to the region. To avoid stirring up hostilities, Egypt refrained from picking sides, deciding to remain neutral until further development with the proposed unification of the African states had gone through. With the development of the coalitions and unions that had formed across the globe in the decades prior, and looking out for its own interests, the nations of Africa ratified a continental treaty in the early 23rd century, effectively creating the Confederacy of African States (CAS). Egypt, through much consideration, decided to lend its strength to the NEA.

    One of the only remaining large countries outside of an alliance was India. With ties to the PRC, EU, NEA, and the PPA, the subcontinent had remained decidedly neutral, despite its status of being an influential military and economic force in southern Asia. Many ambassadors had spoken with Indian representatives seeking the inclusion of India in their alliances, but all were rebuffed. It wasn’t until the late 22nd century, that they declared their sovereignty by forming the Indian People’s Union (IPU).

    By this time, given the stable relations between the UNAS, EU, PPA, and SAU, they began to form the framework of what would become the United Earth Alliance (UEA). Through the pooling of their resources and technologies, the UEA soon became the most progressive, technologically-advanced coalition in Earth’s history. Their efforts created the first permanent, sustainable environments on Luna and Mars, and for the next century, the UEA was at the forefront of nearly every technical innovation to benefit mankind.

    With the dawn of the 24th century, came a revelation that changed everything: first contact. This race, calling themselves the Altairans, made contact with humanity at a UEA research outpost on Mars. Through the use of an advanced translation device, the Altairans revealed they had been monitoring the advancement of humanity since the late 20th century, when human-made satellites had traveled beyond the Sol System, slowly drifting into regions they controlled. Tracing the objects back to their point of origin, the Altairans had sent probes deep within Sol, evaluating the culture that had sent forth the satellites, and each probe’s results concluded a race advancing at a steady rate, but yet unable of travelling beyond their own system.

    The impact of reverse engineering the technologies the Altairan engineers had left for study, before their departure, was immense. Advanced ship building techniques, energy-based weapons, medical innovations to cure chronic diseases, metallurgy, and most importantly of all, the ability to travel beyond the speed of light, were all technologies that humanity was centuries from developing themselves. One of the last items the Altairans left was a set of coordinates, well beyond the reaches of the Sol System, and asked, when mankind was ready and able, to travel to that location, to discover the enormity of the community they would be joining.
    Characters

    Tyler Braedan (Tie-lur Bray-den)

    Age: 25

    Height: 6’1

    Weight: 190 lbs

    Hair: Short, brown

    Eyes: Greenish-blue

    Story: Mercenary who spent his early childhood on Earth, amidst its towering metropolises. Abruptly uprooted at age 8, when his father, Kalen, was transferred to an administrative position, on the United Earth Alliance (UEA) colony of Tartan Minor, located in the Aegis system. Once thought to be a stepping stone to career advancement, Kalen struggled in his new position, leaving his prospects dim. Forced him into a deep depression and unable to cope with the stress, Tyler watched as his father deteriorated into a shell of his past self, being witness to his father’s suicide a year and half later.

    Per UEA law, if someone in their service dies before their 10 year obligation is fulfilled, whether it be military or government, that person’s family must make up the difference. This meant that Tyler, his mother, and younger brother, Jason, had to make up the remaining eight years and one month of Kalen’s term of service. Tyler’s mother was placed in a secretarial position in the UEA VA office, while Tyler and Jason were enrolled in Tartan’s military academy, denied any contact with their family.

    If anything, the UEA puts their personnel through a thorough, exhaustive set of training to prepare their officers and soldiers for any scenario they would come across on deployments. Some might have seen it as a reflection of the Spartan training regimen adapted for contemporary military usage, but no one debated the results, producing the finest of any army in UEA-controlled space.

    After six and a half years in the academy, Tyler graduated, though not with much accolade. He entered service with the 176th MI Division on the planet Qal’tar, in the Darvin system. No older than 17, Tyler had to adapt to a new environment, guidelines, names, and faces, all while the UEA forces on the planet were in the process of quelling insurrection before it sparked into full rebellion.

    Each division garrisoned on-world was responsible for their assigned sector, keeping the peace and ensuring trouble was dealt with in an orderly fashion. This arrangement was established and had been, more or less, successfully maintained since the UEA liberated the planet from a united coalition of Cektari pirate groups about five decades before. As time dragged on however, the Qal’tarian population, comprised mostly of humans, was compelled to ask the UEA to allow for increased self-governance, albeit with UEA forces garrisoned on the planet to deter any outside aggression. While the UEA listened to the plea, they strongly put down any chance of the Qal’tarians from forming their own political entity. In that ruling, a decision that was meant to bring Qal’tar back into the fold, it began to foam resentment against the UEA government among small groups of locals.

    Open acts against the UEA were sparse, although clearly visible to the planetary government. As repercussion against what they deemed ‘terrorist’ acts, divisional garrisons were ordered to sweep their assigned sectors, round up dissidents inciting unrest, and pacify any local hostility. It isn’t hard to picture, a once-loyal population, now embittered, loathing the government they had seen as their protectors, who were now considered as their oppressors.

    For six months, Tyler was a participant in these sweeping operations across his division’s sector. Throughout this period, nothing he thought of as unjust took place, for he believed in the sanctity and righteousness of the UEA, since it’d been engrained into his consciousness since age 10 of the infallibility of the UEA and its military. There was nothing that’d questioned his loyalty, until an event on one rain soaked afternoon that made him question everything.

    A patrol Tyler was a part of encountered local resistance in a nearby town. After a firefight that lasted 15 minutes, the rebels had been eliminated; some twenty-five in number, only four had been captured. The patrol’s commander, one Lieutenant Rikard Anders, announced for the townspeople to gather in the town center, to see the prisoners paraded around in a false spectacle. Once the crowd had gathered, the prisoners were forced to their knees, and in a demonstration of the UEA’s authority, executed each rebel, one by one. What came next was a scene of tragedy. Anders had stationed soldiers on the surrounding rooftops, and through his CC-116 wrist communicator, ordered the soldiers to wipe out the population. Barricades had been set up at each entrance to the town center, leaving the people boxed in, which led to the systematic slaughter of some 500 innocents. It was slow and methodical; none but the UEA were left unscathed during the massacre. Afterwards, Anders ordered the town razed, for what he later claimed, “was punishment for a population complicit in the proliferation of rebel activities.” Anders subsequently ordered all evidence destroyed, to avoid any leaks that could link him with the crime.

    This massacre, a genocidal act by any other name, was what made Tyler question everything he knew and believed of the UEA.

    For the next few months, he made contacts with rebel sympathizers who could smuggle him off world. Because of the massacre, Tyler no longer believed in upholding the UEA’s doctrines, not if men like Anders could pick and choose when to follow them. Once he’d be smuggled off Qal’tar with a group of refugees seeking to escape the brewing violence, Tyler found his way to Tectum, a planet in the Aquila system, which lay outside the reach of UEA authority.

    By the abandonment of his duties, Tyler was now seen as a fugitive and traitor to the UEA, and would be hunted if he ventured into any system they actively controlled. From this point forward, he would need to hire-out his services to survive, to remain outside the reach of the UEA and its agents, and knew, if he were to ever clear his name, he would need to prove that Anders had orchestrated the massacre.

    With his training, Tyler would eventually build enough of a reputation to form his own group of professional mercenaries, known throughout the galaxy as…Titan Company.

    Natalia Sterling

    Age: 20

    Height: 5’6

    Weight: 120

    Hair: Shoulder length, blonde

    Eyes: Light green

    Story: Born on New Manchester, in the Hampshire system, to David and Charlotte Sterling. Natalia’s parents were hard-working, middle class workers, who provided as best they could for their three children. Excelling in studies throughout her schooling, the UEA took notice of Natalia’s academics at an early age, and kept a watchful eye on her progression. Almost as soon as she graduated secondary school at age 18, the UEA recruited her, based on her exceptional finishing scores, hoping to groom her into an intelligence operative.

    Upon the completion of basic military training, Natalia was selected for training by the Bureau for Strategic Information (BSI), the UEA’s intelligence branch. Not only did Natalia possess remarkable intelligence, but had an uncanny beauty for someone raised primarily on an industrial-based world, it was an asset the UEA believed they could exploit during field operations. After six months of rugged physical training, along with extensive mental conditioning, both inside a classroom and on supervised field ops, Natalia was deemed ready for her first solo operation.

    On her first op, on Diamant in the Gellick system, Natalia was to pose as a representative for a buyer of the synthetic drug Syronic, and was tasked with “using any means at her disposal,” per her operational mandate, to get close to and dispatch the supplier. For the next four months, Natalia did precisely that, using her persuasive personality, along with her physical charms, to move through the supplier’s inner circle.

    Once having gotten close to the supplier, Natalia used her sex appeal to convince him to take her to his place, in other words, to get comfortable. After they’d gotten to his lofty penthouse, that’s when everything went wrong. It had nothing to do with her cover being blown, it had more to do with a pair of mercs dropping in, literally, and assassinating the supplier, just as he was about to slip in the bed with Natalia, who’d been planning to do it herself. Reporting the operation’s failure to her handlers, and the extraordinary circumstances under which it occurred, Natalia wouldn’t be reprimanded and was ordered to return to the BSI. Before returning to her ship, Natalia had been invited, by an unknown party, to meet them for lunch at a local restaurant. Natalia’s instincts were to expect an ambush, what she got in return, however, was a recruitment pitch to join the group that’d killed her mark before she could.

    Mulling over the offer for a month after returning to BSI headquarters, Natalia thought about her options carefully, making certain there were no loose ends or complications that might hinder her departure, should she choose to leave. Two weeks later, Natalia resigned her posting with the BSI, and opted to accept the unknown party’s invitation, and while officially out of their ranks, the BSI has a long history of not forgetting those who have failed them.

    Nakamura Masaki

    Age: 24

    Height: 5’5

    Weight: 140

    Hair: Short, black

    Eyes: Brown

    Story: Born on Earth, amidst the towering spires of Fukuoka, Japan, spending his youth coding computer systems for small businesses. Masaki became such a savant, that by the age of 11, he routinely entered competitions against coders two to three times his age, winning each by sizable margins. During one such competition, Masaki took down at least four challengers in two and a half hours, catching the eye of a UEA recruiter, who’d been walking back to their post from lunch.

    By the time he was 21, Masaki had been hired by the UEA to write new training programs, to help recruits acclimate to the rigors and intensity of modern combat. It was well known, that some recruits who passed basic training couldn’t always cope with the specialized training, washing out and returning to their civilian lives. But when he found out that the ‘ultra-realistic’ holographic training system , which Masaki wrote, was causing soldiers to commit suicide because of acute onset PTSD, and the UEA was discounting them as ‘statistical anomalies’ for the sake of inflating positive results for their Advanced Warfighter Simulation (AWS), Masaki had had enough.

    Resigning his post, Masaki fled Earth for the colonies, finally landing on Minori, located in the Kyushu system. For the next three years, Masaki began hacking into UEA systems, sending false information, disrupting communications with local ground and fleet operations, and rerouting supplies for planetary garrisons, all while remaining undetected. His greatest feat, was deceiving the garrison and small number of naval vessels in orbit, into thinking that there was an imminent, large-scale pirate invasion on the way, forcing a planet-wide mobilization of every person the UEA could muster. When the rumors turned out to be false, it caused a great deal of embarrassment within the UEA, and later became known as the ‘SNAFU in Kyushu,” turning Masaki into a myth, or his screen name that is, niGhtR4id3R.

    After the incident, Masaki was contacted via hacked UEA comm buoys, by someone calling themselves Hermes, with an offer to conduct further misdeeds against the Alliance. Packing up his gear, Masaki took a shuttle off Minori to the trading outpost orbiting the planet, where he would rendezvous with Hermes and his ship, to create mischief in the outer reaches of space.

    Zachery ‘Fig’ Newton

    Age: 29

    Height: 5’11

    Weight: 180

    Hair: Short, blonde

    Eyes: Dark green

    Story: Born on New Perth, in the Queensland system, spending the majority of his youth flirting with the girls, getting into scraps with their boyfriends, and generally causing trouble around town but nothing serious. After graduating high school, Zach had no plans on attending university, and spent the next two years working various part-time and full-time jobs, never holding one job for more than a few months. Fed up of living day to day, Zach saw Alliance recruitment posters, weighed the pros and cons, figured service with the UEA would be an improvement from his current situation, and went to an enlistment center.

    From the moment he ran his first drills in basic training, Zach knew he was going to thoroughly enjoy himself. A job that allowed him to raise havoc and mischief, shoot people and blow up a wide assortment of things, all while getting paid to do it. In this element, basic was a walk in the park; from week to week, Zach surprised himself about how well he was performing and his steady progression in becoming one of the top recruits in his class. Along the way, each recruit was asked to pick their preferred specialization, and for Zach, the choice couldn’t have been simpler: demolitions.

    Proficient in both combat and demolitions, there wasn’t an obstacle that Zach couldn’t find a solution for, whether it is a wall breach or shortcutting a 20-foot gorge, nothing stood in the way.

    Four years into his service, on the frozen world of Niveus in the Sortisia system, UAE forces were evacuating several towns ahead of a rebel offensive, which was advancing through the region. The plan had been to wire a bridge with AE-51 thermal explosives, hold it until all the civilians had gotten across, then collapse the bridge to delay the rebel advance. Zach and his squad had wired the bridge just ahead of the civilians’ arrival, yet as the Alliance was trying to conduct an organized retreat, the rebels were launching determined thrusts into Alliance territory.

    The bridge lay in the path of one such thrust, and Alliance forces were pressed to hold them back, making the fight to evacuate the civilians all the more urgent. With only three close-air support (CAS) aircraft, one fighter and two bombers, in the area to provide cover, Alliance ground units had to withstand the rebel advance until the last possible second before destroying the bridge. Unfortunately, the rebels’ dogged persistence broke through Alliance lines sooner than planned, and there was a mad rush to get everyone across the bridge. In the confusion, the detonation cord to the explosives was severed when rebel fire began hitting the opposite end of the bridge, where Zach and his squad were providing covering fire. Once someone realized this, knowing that rebel units could reach their position in minutes if they got to the bridge, a soldier frantically told an aerial liaison officer (ALO) to bring fire down on the span, forgetting there were still civilians coming across. Before it could be called off, one of the bombers flying CAS was making their attack run, dropping their ordinance and demolishing the bridge, killing some 75 civilians and Alliance personnel. Rebel ambitions were blunted, and within two weeks, their offensive was stopped, another week after that, what remained of their forces surrendered and were summarily executed for treason.

    Zach finished his service six years later, though wasn’t quite the same after the incident on Niveus. Alliance officials, in their reports, saw the demolition of the bridge as ‘necessary’ to halt the rebel offensive, glossing over the fact that innocents died in the process. The morality, or lack thereof, to justify the incident was sickening, to see those people as expendable, when they were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    After his discharge, Zach returned to New Perth a different person than when he’d left years earlier. Then, like before, he performed several odd jobs here and there, never keeping any for more than a few months, until he found ‘entrepreneurs,’ which was another word for mercs, actively recruiting over the Holostream. He answered the ad for Titan Company, was sent an encrypted message, with a temporary decrypt code, about when and where to meet.
    Planets

    Tartan Minor
    Located in the Aegis system, Tartan Minor acts as the administrative hub for the system. It is planet where Tyler Braedan and his family resided, in the times before and after his father's untimely suicide. Site of the Military Operations Training Academy (MOTA), where Tyler Braedan received the majority of his tactical and combat training

    Qal'tar
    Located in the Darvin system, Qal'tar acted as an agriculturally-based world consisting of a couple hundred villages and towns, with several small cities and a few manufacturing centers scattered across its surface. It is the site of the massacre which cost twenty-five rebels, and several hundred civilians, their lives and was carried out by members of the 176th MI Division, under orders of Lt. Rikard Anders. All evidence was destroyed, the incident is only known to those who took part.

    Tectum
    Soon to be updated...

    New Manchester
    Soon to be updated...

    Diamant
    Located in the Gellick system, Diamant acts as the colonial capital for the system. A highly-developed world, dotted with government structures, it is also a cultural and trading mecca, which means it is a haven for the black market. Planetary officials have had trouble in curbing the trade of illicit goods, most notably weapons and illegal drugs, prompting the intervention of the UEA.
    Organizations

    United Earth Alliance
    Body seen throughout the galaxy to represent the collective interests of humanity as a whole. Not a respected force, either from a governmental or military perspective, until it joined in the efforts to dispel pirate activity across several sectors of the galaxy. Abiding by treaties enacted long before mankind's emergence, its military is comparatively small next to some of the galaxy's well-established powers, but is experiencing steady growth from the wealth coming in from its colony worlds. Humanity has adapted to newer technologies easily, though due to limited resources in their efforts to process and distribute them, it's left many civilizations to look on them as primitive upstarts.

    Titan Company
    Mercenary group, founded and commanded by Tyler Braedan. It consists of Braedan, Daniela Ferreira, Nakamura Masaki, Zachery Newton, and Natalia Sterling.

    Tektari Pirate Coalition
    Soon to be updated...
    Weapons and Devices

    CC-116 wrist communicator
    A closed-channel communication device used by UEA officers, its primary purpose is as a tool for the issuance of orders over a large area, through the earpiece located in standard-issue headgear worn by UEA soldiers.

    MA-59 Assault Rifle
    Rugged, reliable, and battle-tested, the MA-59 assault rifle is the standard-issue weapon for every UEA recruit. Excellent at short to medium ranges, it was once called a 'jack of all trades' for its ability to adapt to almost any role, whether it be close-combat or select sniper interventions. Can be fitted with nearly every scope in the UEA's inventory, infrared laser sights, and light grenade launcher. A feature unique to Alliance weaponry upon its introduction, it has been incorporated with the Situational Ammunition Necessity System (SANS), where soldiers can change ammunition types based on the evolving environment of the modern battlefield, by the simple press of a button. Based on the popularity of the weapon, many have been smuggled onto the black market, where it can be found being used by select mercenary and pirate groups across the galaxy.

    Light Armor Assault Drone
    Called LAAD for short, it is a drone developed by the UEA for use on worlds with light garrisons. As its influence spread, the UEA needed to supplement colonial garrisons with additional support, and began deploying LAADs on worlds that couldn't be rapidly reinforced in case of invasions or raids. Equipped with a light-grade machinegun and light anti-armor rockets, it is mainly used for patrolling and the suppression of enemy forces until reinforcements can be brought in to sweep and clear the area. It can be susceptible to small arms fire and anti-air missiles with concentrated fire; however, it isn't seen as a glaring deficiency, as none but the most well-arms groups possess such weaponry.

  2. #2
    Rex Anglorvm's Avatar Wrinkly Wordsmith
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP)

    I'm liking the look of your lead character already, your discription of his back story has a nicely polished feel to it.

    I think this could be a quality tale in the making.

  3. #3
    Scottish King's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 16 Dec 2013

    Nice and once again I agree with Rex. I like the material laid out this far. I will be looking forward to see how this will work.
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  4. #4

    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 18 Dec 2013

    Introduction has been updated, though it isn't fully complete atm.

  5. #5
    Magister Militum Flavius Aetius's Avatar δούξ θρᾳκήσιου
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 18 Dec 2013

    Good backstory. Keep it up!

  6. #6

    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 19 Dec 2013

    Information for Introduction and Planets has been updated

  7. #7
    Rex Anglorvm's Avatar Wrinkly Wordsmith
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 19 Dec 2013

    Some great information added there Hunter; it certainly helps to set the scene in a geo-political sense.

  8. #8
    Magister Militum Flavius Aetius's Avatar δούξ θρᾳκήσιου
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 19 Dec 2013

    I like how you handled Humanity's First contact. Seems realistic, although somewhat idealistic.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 19 Dec 2013

    Characters section has been updated.

  10. #10
    Scottish King's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 26 Dec 2013

    Nice introduction! Can't wait to read the actually story!
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  11. #11

    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 26 Dec 2013

    Very good character descriptions. I look forward to the chapters

    ... I wonder what inspired the used of the name DIAMANT ​for a world

    +Rep

  12. #12

    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 26 Dec 2013

    Quote Originally Posted by Dance View Post
    Very good character descriptions. I look forward to the chapters

    ... I wonder what inspired the used of the name DIAMANT ​for a world

    +Rep
    'Diamant' is German for 'diamond,' wanted the name to symbolize the world's wealth and culture, yet show the darker sides of how said wealth could be acquired.

  13. #13

    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - OP Updated 26 Dec 2013

    Interesting. Is German your native language?

  14. #14

    Default Titanium Core (WIP) - Chapter 1 - Updated 10 Jan 2014

    Chapter 1 - Part 1
    January, 2553 C.E.
    Near Zrakeria, Boolkum system


    Looking down at all the switches, gauges, and toggles of the instrument board for the flight controls, Braeden had been over the diagrams at least a dozen times, but having never been to flight school, it might as well have been written in Latin. That’s why he left the flying to Daniela Ferreira, who was colloquially known as Dani, a talented pilot from Brazil.

    Braeden had managed to scoop her up straight out of Alliance’s arms. Dani had been selected for the Alliance’s Flight Officer Training Academy (FOTA) at the unprecedented age of 16, based on her entry and equivalency exams, she had displayed an uncanny knack for flight controls. Unlike infantry training, whose ten-year obligation doesn’t begin until after Basic training, plus any specialized courses, naval officers start theirs once they enter the academy, which means by the time they enter actual frontline service in the fleet, they’ve already completed nearly half of their required service. But while the Alliance mildly encourages mobile infantrymen to re-enlist for additional five years, with veteran perks, they drive hard to maintain their naval officer corps, maintaining an experienced cadre of pilots and fleet officers in the event war were to break out.

    From their position in orbit above Zrakeria, the two of them could see ships from across known space crisscrossing above the planet, slowly crawling through their peripheral vision. In a flash, one by one, these ships made the jump to light speed. The sun shone on the opposite side of the planet, seeing the light from the cities on the continents below, silhouetting some of the small space stations in high orbit as trade ships, diplomatic vessels, and civilian craft flew by as the Centurion remained stationary.

    Braedan sat back in the co-pilot’s seat, resting his hands behind his head.

    “What do you think of her?” Dani asked him.

    Peering over, Braedan remarked, “Hun, you’re gonna have be a bit more specific.”

    “You know exactly who I’m talking about,” Dani commented, “Miss Tea and Crumpets back there, the Brit we just picked up.”

    Grinning, Braedan said, “What about her?”

    “Boss, she’s former BSI, and for all we know, she still is. How do we know she’s not running some type of op on us?” Dani replied, emphasizing that the new arrival could be pulling a double on them.

    Through the glass of the cockpit, sunlight was overshadowing the surrounding starlight amidst the cold vacuum, mingling together in some interstellar-art-piece kind of way. Through it all, Braedan was whistling a slow, meandering tune, like he’d forgotten about Dani’s concern, but she’d been around long enough to know, that while Braedan whistled, he was thinking to himself.

    Light slowly began to creep into the cockpit when Braedan answered, “Beauty of it is…we don’t. “

    “Seems kinda reckless, wouldn’t you say?” Dani asked him.

    Relaxed as can be, Braedan told her, “Dani, no need to get your panties in a bunch, they’re far too nice for that,” Dani rolled her eyes at him, and Braedan stopped her chair from swiveling as she intended to ignore his comment and get back to piloting, he then continued, “Wait…I have Masaki monitoring all our inbound and outbound broadwave transmissions, across all channels. Should our new guest develop any second thoughts, by the time the Alliance gets here, they’ll find her floating around outside.”

    “A little harsh, isn’t it?” she asked.

    “No…honestly, it isn’t,” Braedan said, his mood turning serious, ”You and Fig, y’all left the Alliance voluntarily, but with you, it took a bit more ‘coercing.’ Masaki and I, we’re fugitives for all intents and purposes, and the Alliance doesn’t look well on fugitives. Should they get their hands on us, it’ll be a quick five-minute trial with a guilty sentence, and a one-way trip out an airlock. Knowing them, two to the head sounds more likely.”

    Dani gave him a look, like she understood what Braedan meant.

    “That girl,” using a thumb to point to the interior of the ship, “she’s naïve when it comes to operating on my ship, but she’s mature enough to know the consequences, should she ever get caught playing turncoat.”

    Ships continued to pass by the Centurion on every side, arriving, departing, and doing everything in between.

    “Girl’s still young, impressionable, looks like she’s barely outta high school,” Braedan stated, “test and combat scores are admirable given her age, scores don’t mean anything though. Need to take her along for some raids on Alliance colonies, to prove her mettle and see if she’s trustworthy or just along for the ride.”

    Dani scoffed, “Do YOU think she’s someone you’d rely on, I mean as of right now?”

    “Right now?” Braedan asked.

    Dani nodded her head.

    “If I had to hedge my bets, it’d probably be no. Then again, stranger things have happened,” he replied.

    “That’s for certain. Just like the time the Garmulean slaver wanted to mount you as a hood ornament on his ship, or…wait for it, the Xelanite courtesan who you came close to marrying.” Dani remarked sarcastically.

    Braedan smiled, “Ahh yea, almost forgot about the Xelanite,” flashing a boyish look, “can’t really blame them, they never asked to be some of the most beautiful women in the galaxy…or live for 2,000 years…or have the body of a 21 year-old for half that time. I mean come on, what’s not to love?”

    “Boss, you’re incorrigible, but you’re funny in a pinch, so I’ll let that slide,” Dani said, playfully rolling her eyes, before looking at the displays in front of the control column.

    Getting up from the co-pilot’s seat, Braedan said, “Set a course for Balian in the Cozmiak system.”

    “Will do. Might I ask what for?” Dani asked.

    Standing in the doorway, Braedan said, “To put the new recruit through her paces, need to see for myself if she has any ’conflict of interest’ in turning a weapon on former allies.”

    Walking through the ship’s corridors, Braedan spied Masaki looking over three or four separate monitors, all filled top to bottom with code. How the guy does it, Braedan couldn’t understand, and for all the damage he could do with bombs and bullets, Masaki could do infinitely more with code and keystrokes. Made it look effortless, writing code with one hand while downing a soda in the other, looking casual like it were as simple as writing a Holo message.

    Continuing on to the common area, Braedan found Fig, with feet propped on the couch, looking at his Nexxon tablet.

    He questioned Fig, “Dude, don’t tell me you’re watching porn on that thing again?”

    Fig innocently shrugged his shoulders, like he didn’t know what Braedan was talking about.

    “Uhh…just keep the volume down, and make sure you don’t pop a tent, don’t need a repeat of last time,” Braedan commented.

    Fig saluted, “Roger that, sir.”

    “Where’s the girl we brought with us?” Braedan asked, noticing her absence.

    Fig looked around, “Guess I wasn’t awares she was missin’. The sheila’s back in her room last I checked. Why do ya ask?”

    “You and me, we’re gonna put that girl through a ringer by raiding Alliance colonies, prove just how committed she is. You up for it?” Braedan replied.

    “A biscuit like that, I’d be up for anything, “ Fig answered, pretending to flex one of his arms.

    “Uh huh, Fig. That chick’s got bad news written all over her. No extracurricular activities, for anyone, until we can trust her. That understood?” Braedan said.

    Chuckling, Fig stated, “Right on, sir.”

    And before he stepped out, Braedan looked at his watch and pulled up what Fig was looking at.

    “Fig, turn to page 7, something you might like,” Braedan said.

    “How do you always know?” Fig asked.

    Giving him a grin, “Keep tellin’ you to encode that thing,” Braedan laughed, “Masaki could do it in like two minutes, I don’t say anything because I’m liking some of the stuff you're looking at. Don’t tell.”

    A couple minutes later, Braedan found himself standing outside the girl’s room, prepared to knock on the door.

  15. #15
    Rex Anglorvm's Avatar Wrinkly Wordsmith
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - Chapter 1 - Updated 10 Jan 2014

    I really enjoyed that opening chapter, a nice lively dialogue between the chracters, a little suspision of the new crew member and her motives, some comedic interplay and all very well written.

    Excellent, rep+
    Last edited by Rex Anglorvm; January 14, 2014 at 02:59 AM.

  16. #16

    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - Chapter 1 - Updated 13 Jan 2014

    Chapter 1 – Part 2
    Braedan stood there a few seconds, pondering about whether he should knock on the door, or simply leave and do something else. Unlike the rest of the crew, this girl wasn’t familiar to the environment and she shut herself off from everyone to get acclimated, or maybe she needed time to herself. Whatever the reason, Braedan knew she couldn’t hole up until she was ready to face the world, or in this case, the ship. He then proceeded to knock on the door to see if she were awake. When hearing an acknowledgement, Braedan let himself in.

    Walking in, Braedan found the girl sitting on the bed, back against the wall, looking at her tablet device.

    “You settling in okay? I know the ship isn’t exactly five-star, but we make do,” he asked her.

    For a moment, Braedan felt like a ghost, as the girl was glued to whatever it was she was looking at, forgetting anyone else was in the room with her. After a few more seconds, she looked up from her tablet, seeing Braedan standing against the bulkhead opposite her bed.

    Her surprise was noted when she said, “Sorry, you’ll have to excuse my rudeness, I haven’t heard from family in a while and was just catching up on some old messages,” she paused, remembering he’d asked her something, “And yes, I’m settling in quite fine, thank you.”

    Braedan scanned the room briefly, didn’t find any pictures of friends, family, acquaintances, nothing he could put a face to with what she was talking about. If she’d received the type of training he had, Braedan knew that the UEA taught its soldiers never to keep pictures or items of a personal nature out in the open, to present an image of uniformity and discipline, which would have otherwise made them look as individuals. On that matter, he didn’t feel it was a priority to ask.

    “First thing, right off the bat…I don’t trust you,” Braedan admitted, “I don’t want there to be any confusion on that subject. You’re here on a preliminary basis, you f--- up or if I feel you’ll be a detriment, that’s it, no f---ing do-overs. Are we clear on that?”

    “Perfectly,” she replied.

    “Good, now that’s outta the way. Why are you here?” Braedan asked.

    “Is this some type of trick question?” she asked with a puzzled look, “A man matching your features met me on Diamant, where he made me an offer, and against my better judgment, decided to accept.”

    “That was a good, well-thought out answer,” Braedan claimed, “however, not what I was looking for. Someone with the BSI doesn’t exactly turn away from the perks, not without good reason. Again…WHY are you here?”

    In this type of situation, Braedan wanted to gauge her response to being pressured.

    “How did you know I was BSI?” she asked.

    Braedan responded, “Name: Sterling, Natalia A. The ‘A’ is for Anne. Born on 21 August, 2532, in Warwick, New Manchester, to David and Charlotte Sterling. Siblings: two brothers, one sister (names not listed). Recruited by UEA Capt. Joel Hendrickson immediately following graduation from Adamson Charter School. Upon completion of Basic training, recruited by BSI for training as field operative. Excellent scores in both classroom and field exercises. Deemed competent for assignment, stationed on Diamant to disrupt and dispatch one Juan Ramone Jimenez, a low-level dealer and trafficker of the illicit drug Syronic. Assignment failed due to outside complications. Agent asked to return to BSI HQ for further evaluation.”

    Stunned, Natalia asked, “How’d you get a hold of my file?”

    “Wasn’t too hard, once the BSI declassified your info. It’s well-known, the BSI declassifies the files of everyone who has either retired or resigned from their service. For those who’ve retired, it takes a decade for the info to become public, in which time, it’s been heavily edited; but for resignations, they are released immediately and unedited.” Braedan said plainly.

    Natalia, feeling frustrated with all the facts floated her way, closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall.

    “They didn’t tell you that last bit, did they?” Braedan assumed.

    “No…” she answered, “…no, they didn’t.”

    “Tell me,” Braedan inquired, ”when the BSI brought you back in. was it to demote you?”

    A couple seconds passed before Natalia replied, “According to their evaluation, I was inserted into the field too soon, that I didn’t account for every possible scenario. It was concluded, I was to be assigned to a field office, until such time I was deemed ready to return to the field as a full agent.”

    “It wasn’t your failure, it was theirs. They couldn’t have foreseen something like that, and likewise didn’t train you for it. They hung you out to dry, pinning that mission’s failure on you, instead of not taking accountability themselves,” Braedan insisted.

    She looked up at him, with her emerald-colored eyes, seeking some guidance.

    Crossing his arms, Braedan instructed, “I can give you a purpose, a cause to fight for. It’s you, and only you, who determines just how committed you are to that cause, that you’re here not just to use up space and oxygen. You have to prove to me, along with this crew, that they can trust you and that you belong here. If you’re here, you’re here one-hundred percent…if you show any doubt, I will drop you off at the nearest spaceport and leave you to your own devices. And I can’t promise anything if you stick around, but what I can tell you is…it’s gonna be a helluva ride.”

    Natalia turned her eyes away, to ponder on what Braedan had said.

    Scratching the stubble on his face, he added, “The BSI must’ve thought highly of you…”

    “Why’s that?” Natalia replied.

    Braedan explained, “The guy they sent you after…he wasn’t low-level, not by any stretch of the imagination. We’d gotten a bounty on him, somewhere in the range of 2.5 million credits, and were on Diamant about a week doing recon before deciding to hit him. His penthouse was seen as the point where he’d be vulnerable, with few guards and limited egress and regress. Our visors have top-of-the-line facial recognition software, and expected something to come up for him, but not for you. All we got for you was a picture, name, and how to reach you at the BSI, with the rest of your info being stashed behind one of their firewalls, Masaki found that out the hard way.”

    “Who’s Masaki?” she asked.

    “He’s our tech savant,” Braedan said.

    “So…what you’re telling me is, the reason why I’m here, is because you caught me in bed next to a drug dealer. Is that what you’re telling me?” Natalia suggested, feeling like she’d been used.

    “Well, partly yes and partly no, but let me explain…” he answered.

    She asked, “How can you explain this?” She grabbed the sheets from the bed to cover herself, in spite of the fact she was fully clothed.

    Braedan threw up his hands, “Sorry, we would’ve gone after him earlier in the day, but Fig wanted something to eat, and we missed our window. We knew the guy’s routine, and knew he’d be in his penthouse around that time, but what we hadn’t counted on, was a half-naked chick working for the BSI to be there as well. No need to get all up in arms, geez”

    Natalia whispered, “Just…please, get out.”

    Braedan went over to the door, and just before he opened it, turned and commented, “If it’s any consolation, you didn’t look half-bad in that lingerie.”

    Grabbing the pillow off the bed, Natalia flung it at Braedan, yelling, “GET OUT!”

    Braedan slipped out of her room as quickly as he could, before Natalia found anything else she could throw at him.

    Standing against the bulkhead just outside her door, Braedan thought to himself, “Damn…it would seem I struck a nerve.”

  17. #17
    Scottish King's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - Chapter 1 - Updated 13 Jan 2014

    Good updates! The dialogue was really good and the characters shaping up really good as well. Eager to see how their new crew member works out. + rep
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  18. #18
    Rex Anglorvm's Avatar Wrinkly Wordsmith
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - Chapter 1 - Updated 13 Jan 2014

    Your characters are very well written, more great interplay between them.

    Keep em' coming!

  19. #19
    Magister Militum Flavius Aetius's Avatar δούξ θρᾳκήσιου
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    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - Chapter 1 - Updated 13 Jan 2014

    Awesome work!

  20. #20

    Default Re: Titanium Core (WIP) - Chapter 1 - Updated 18 Jan 2014

    Chapter 1 - Part 3
    January, 2553 C.E.
    Orbiting Balian’s moon, Cozmiak System


    Less than a day later, the Centurion found itself in orbit above Balian, a moderately-sized world that had finished terraforming about fifteen years before, and had begun colonization some thirteen years before. It was a world comprised mostly of scientists, researchers, and their families, in small settlements scattered across the surface, with facilities to conduct research into the development of new weapons systems and lighter, more durable armor for ships and soldiers. Attached to these facilities as security and defense against pirate raids, some two-thousand infantry and mechs were garrisoned there, in outposts situated less than fifteen minutes from any high-priority area. Plus, as an added measure of protection, Balian had employed the Sentinel Defense System (SDS), acting as an early-warning and defense grid, it was a deterrent which could repel ships the size of light cruisers. Unless a specific access code was entered, any ship in space above the planet that breached the SDS’s perimeter, would be fired on and destroyed.

    There was just one problem, the Centurion didn’t have an access code. This is where the indispensable Masaki came into his element.

    Leaning over Masaki’s shoulder in the comm room, Braedan asked, “What’ve you got for me bud?”

    Now, Masaki only spoke broken English, so he did his best to explain, “With defense grid up, no one can pass,” he quickly pulled up a projection of the platforms in their vicinity, ”but if connect satellite, make link, I hack to find code. Bingo!”

    Braedan smiled, patting his shoulder, “Make it happen bud, we need the Alliance none the wiser.”

    Masaki gave him a thumb up, signaling ‘no problem.’

    Exiting the comm room, Braedan walked to the bridge and popped in to see how Dani was doing.

    “How’s everything lookin’ up here, beautiful?” he asked, as he plopped down in the co-pilot’s seat.

    Swiveling her to chair, Dani replied with a quip, “Oh…other than knowing I haven’t had sex in the past three months, several dozen automated space cannons waiting to eradicate us at the drop of a hat, and the ship idling by, waiting for the go ahead…I’m just peachy.”

    “Hmm…I could see how that’d cause some tension,” Braedan remarked.

    Dani asked, “Is that right? You can be a real smart ass sometimes, you know that?”

    Braedan humorously stated, “Well, if I wasn’t a smart ass, I’d probably be an uptight…rigid…brow-beatin’, whore-bangin’ son of a b----. It’s the small things that make all the difference.”

    Dani laughed and grinned, “Damn Brae, you sure know how to make a girl feel special.”

    With a hint of charm, Braedan said, “Wouldn’t be me if I didn’t at least try.”

    Getting up from his chair, he went over to Dani. Placing his hands on the armrests of her chair, Braedan leaned in to look deep into her ravishing hazel eyes, speckled with flecks of green here and there, and in the instant it looked like he was going to say something, it was interrupted with the sound Masaki jubilantly shouting in Japanese coming from the comm room. Dani didn’t know whether it was the hormones or Braedan’s overtly masculine nature, but she melted each time he gave her that look, using every ounce of her self-restraint from stripping his clothes off and doing the nasty right there on the floor.

    “Better go see what that’s about,” Dani whispered.

    Light-heartedly, Braedan said, “We’ll continue this any time you like,” dropping a wink and a grin before leaving the bridge to see what was up with Masaki.

    Finding his way into the comm room, Braedan commented, “Only time you sound like that, is when you’ve found something good. Tell me it’s something good?”

    “Only defense grid code,” Masaki answered, crossing his arms with a pleased look on his face.

    “Best news I’ve heard all day,” Braedan said, “now…how long from code input until we’re seen as friendly?”

    “Fifteen, thirty seconds,” Masaki replied.

    “S---,” Braedan complained, “if that thing took any longer, we could watch paint dry or see the grass grow.”

    Braedan stood there, silent, irked that the good news had to be sullied by the bad news.

    “You weren’t able to find any loopholes in the code, nothing we could use?” he asked.

    Masaki shook his head.

    “Damn,” Braedan sighed, “looks as though we’re gonna have to take our chances, since if we’re made before that code goes through, I don’t have to state the obvious of what’ll happen.”

    Patting Masaki on the shoulder, as if to say ‘thanks for the effort,’ Braedan left the comm room. He ventured into the common area, where he signaled on the intercom for everyone to gather to go over the details of the mission.

    When everyone had gathered in the common area, Braedan began his briefing of the crew.

    “Masaki, if you’d please pull up a projection of the planet,” he indicated, and after a few taps on his tablet, Masaki brought up a projection of Balian on the console in the center of the room.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Balian, a crucial Alliance research outpost, situated in the picturesque Cozmiak system,” Braedan announced.

    Realizing where they were, Natalia interjected, “We can’t attack an Alliance world, there are innocents down there…”

    “And just why should we do that, Sterling?” Braedan argued before crossing his arms, the rest of the crew quietly staring at her, waiting for an answer.

    Natalia could feel everyone’s eyes boring a hole into her, and after several seconds, she couldn’t produce anything resembling a counter-argument.

    In the midst of her indecisiveness, Braedan walked over to Natalia, standing at attention, and railed into her, “Hey everyone, let’s stop the mission and leave… all because Ms. Sterling here has grown a conscience,” and before she could object, Braedan continued, “You don’t run this ship, honey, I do. I decide where we go, I decide which missions we take. We turn away here, we lose precious food, fuel, time, and most of all…money, looking for other locations. You’ve been on this ship three whole days, where do you get off, huh? Dictating what should happen, all because you find it morally insensitive.”

    All Natalia could do was look straight ahead, because Braedan clearly wasn’t pleased.

    “Do you want to run this ship?” he asked her rhetorically.

    Braedan gauged her response solely by the look in her eyes.

    “Exactly. You lack the experience, you lack the presence, and you lack the ability to command,” he pointed out, asking Natalia to look around the room, to see the crew’s eyes fixated on him, “until you earn that type of respect, please keep your objections to yourself.”

    Calmly walking over to the other side of the room, Braedan resumed his briefing, as Natalia sat down to observe.

    “Our target is going to be the town of Graumetz, where the Alliance has a regional storage facility. There it houses prototype materials, where they remain until the assigned freighter arrives to haul them off-world, and from there, they’re scattered across the galaxy to other research outposts, where their designs are further refined and readied for mass production. We’re progressing on foot, inserted 12.5 kilometers from the target, to avoid visual detection from the nearby garrison.” he instructed.

    Dani asked, “How low and fast we going?”

    “Enough to set someone’s hair on fire,” Braedan comically remarked.

    Fig jumped in, “What’s the terrain gonna be like?”

    “Masaki, bring up the topography for me,” Braedan said, waiting for the corresponding map before continuing, “the terrain will be flat a few kilometers outside the landing zone (LZ). Around five kilometers out, we’ll run into rough stuff, but nothing our expertise can’t handle. We’ll do that for a few kilometers before we hit even ground, then it’s smooth sailing up to the target.”

    “What’s the timetable?” Fig asked.

    Braedan responded, “Twelve to fourteen hours to insert, traverse the terrain, acquire the target, and make it to the rendezvous point (RP).”

    “Where’s the RP by the way?” Dani astutely asked.

    Pointing it out on the map, Braedan replied, “The RP will be four kilometers to the southwest, near arid ground close to a river.”

    Fig jumped in to ask, “What type of resistance should be expected?”

    “From the satellite images Masaki was able to retrieve, resistance around the facility will be minimal, as no enemy infiltration of this sector has been reported. However, the Alliance does have a reactionary force some 15 minutes away, if they’re alerted, they’ll send out drones to assess the threat and then mobilize their full complement of 125 soldiers and mechs after us,” Braedan answered.

    He scanned the room before saying, “Anyone have further questions, because now’s the time to ask.”

    The room remained silent.

    “Alright people, let’s do this. Fig, Sterling…I want you prepped and in the armory in ten minutes. Dani, I’ll send you the coordinates for the LZ and RP. Masaki, you input the access code for the SDS, and once on-planet, run interference on Alliance comms as best you can, don’t need any undue surprises. If nothing else needs to be added…crew dismissed.” Braedan said.

    Everyone got up and went to their assigned stations, but before Natalia could leave, he asked, “Sterling, a word.”

    With Natalia standing in front of him, Braedan stated, “I respect your concern, but from here on in, if you have an opinion, come to my quarters and voice it in person, not in front of the entire crew. I’ve been doing this longer than my age would imply, because no doubt you’ve pulled my file in your spare time, so nothing needs to be explained,” he looked down at his watch, “and if I’m not mistaken, you have about eight minutes…you better get moving.”

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