rp - coloured pages 1-10 (font v2)

8/14/2019 RP - Coloured Pages 1-10 (Font v2)

1/11

Rogue Planet

Chapter 1

Tau Bootis

Christopher Lehmann Daniel Picciotto


2/11

There is nothing better than imagining other

worlds, he said, to forget the painful one we live

in...

At least so I thought then. I hadnt yet realised

that imagining other worlds you end up changing

this one.

Umberto Eco, Baudolino (page 99, 2003 edition)

Rogue PlanetChapter 1: Tau Bootis


3/11

Rogue PlanetChapter 1: Tau BootisThe 31 st Century. 3091... Earths population has surpassed the 40 billion

mark; the planets natural resources are exhausted; the ecosystem on the

verge of total collapse; once abundant supplies of fossil fuels have longbeen spent; deforestation, global warming, and endemic pollution has laid

to waste large sectors of previously fertile lands; mass poverty, starvation,

famine and disease afflict countless billions while the privileged elite enjoy

all the economic, political and medicinal benefits that a technologically ad-

vanced civilisation can provide.

So long dependent on complex technologies and the fossil fuels required to

operate them, the exhaustion of mankinds major energy sources coupledwith the failure of substitute energies to satisfy demand necessitated the

exploration, discovery and exploitation of alternate energy sources on the

inner and outer planets and their satellites. As a result outer world colo-

nies now supply the Earth with much of its resource requirements; from

fossil fuels to raw materials; from minerals to precious metals.

Despite having attained self sufficiency however the outer colonies are

stringently controlled by an Earth-based, multi-civilisational collective known

as the Federation of Earths Territories, or FET. Under the terms of its

charter, FET is charged with the maintenance of economic, political and

legal order; the management of inter-planetary supply and trade routes;

and the provision of security and aid to the colonies and their outposts. In

addition FETs tax and law enforcement role has seen much of the wealth

generated by the colonies syphoned back to Earth-based controlling bodies

resulting in increasing resentment of FET policies and practices. This re-

sentment has accelerated the rise of strong localised identities; height-

ened regional awareness; and mainstream separatist sentiments

amongst many of the outer colonies.


4/11

Rogue PlanetChapter 1: Tau BootisNowhere are such sentiments more pronounced than on Jupiters four

Galilean satellites: Callisto, Europa, Ganymede and IO. While each satellite

boasts a wealth of natural resources it is the presence of CSILINIUM on IO,alongside FETs attempt to control its supply and distribution, which has

ignited the region. Csilinium that almost supernatural healing agent

quickly became the most sought after and expensive material in the solar

system courtesy of its ability to reverse the visible signs of ageing; slow the

internal and external ageing process; revitalise organs; rejuvenate dam-

aged tissues and bones; stimulate the production of disease resistant hy-

per immune red and white blood cells; and prolong the human life span.

In an attempt to wrest control of this resource from FET and ensure reve-

nues and profits derived from the exploitation of Csilinium were retained by

local and regional interests, the governments of the Jupiter rim sought to

levy a number of duties and taxes on the sale of Csilinium to the inner plan-

ets. Earth, having financed the exploration and development of the outer

colonies, refused to recognise the right of colonies to impose such duties

and taxes in the first place. A subsequent clampdown on political insur-

gents and separatist elements followed, with FET law enforcement person-

nel policing key trade routes, mining portals and distribution hubs.

While the clampdown effectively quashed official government sanctioned

anti-FET activities, many analysts fear it merely served to radicalise and

unify formerly disparate political groups turning the outer colonies into a

tinderbox


5/11

The Jupiter rim Earth day 144, Earth year 3091.

A short range FET recon ship approaches the re-

mote refuelling station Tau Bootis, where separatist

insurgents have seized control of the bridge...

...refusing to allow the Patna - an

Earth bound cargo ship carrying a

large supply of CSILINIUM - to refuel...


6/11

FET Incident Report: Jupiter Rim, ED 144, EY 3091. Sector 6, RRS Tau Bootis:In line with FET decree No. 2573|JR91|514E relating to the enforcement of law and or-der in the outer colonies; the protection of business and commercial activities and inter-ests; the maintenance of private and public property and proprietary rights; and the pres-

ervation of the rule of law, Governor Keenan authorised FET military command to quell theseparatist uprising on Tau Bootis, a remote refuelling station situated in sector 6.

The closest refuelling station to Jupiter and its Galilean satellites, Tau Bootis is one of ninestations servicing the 630 million kilometre Jupiter to Earth trade route [1]. In effect thefirst pit-stop for cargo and container ships on their long and arduous journey to Earth, TauBootis represents a critical link in the supply chain connecting the inner and outer planetsand their satellites.

In addition to jeopardising the supply of much needed fossil fuels and other critical rawmaterials to Earth and the inner planets (including exports of Csilinium from Io), the upris-ing on Tau Bootis represented a flagrant threat to FET sovereignty and the peaceful andorderly governance of the region. A state-of-affairs which FET presidential member NikitaMolanov characterised as, simply intolerable...

Accordingly, following consultation with the Governor and upon receipt of intelligence re-garding separatist numbers and armament levels, a FET recon ship was dispatched to

the region with orders to:

[1] re-establish FET governance and control of the station;

[2] seize and secure Csilinium supplies on the moored cargo ship the Patna;

[3] smash the separatist resistance;[4] restore law and order; and

[5] secure the safe release of any & all hostages, with priority given to the stationmanager Verna Juergensmeyer.

Level of force authorised Extreme.

The only suitable FET vessel in proximity to Tau Bootis was the Raven, a standard P-typereconnaissance ship equipped with short-range, medium impact beam and pulse lasers.The ship was busy conducting routine surveillance along known trade route trouble spots,when ordered to make its way to Tau Bootis

Crew: Captain Alt Raynor (ATSM); Lieutenant Gemma Williams (ATSM); 2nd LieutenantsKatarina DeLucia (ATSM) and Marco Alverez (ATSM); 6 mechanised flight personnel and20 FET field soldiers...

[1] The other eight being: Ottavia; Kirov; Marcello; Nabucco; Apollo; Xi; Magellan; and Kursk.


7/11

Tau Bootis control thisis Alt Raynor Captain of

the Raven come in...

Tau Bootis control thisis Alt Raynor Captain of

the Raven come in...

Boarding sequenceinitialised Captain,external host systemsscrambled engage in3 minutes...

Another mission in one of the rimsmore volatile hot spots... Anotherchance to impress Colonel Bogarde...Hell given the success of previousassignments at Portus & Red Rock maybe even General Strecker willhear of Captain Raynors exploits...

Lieutenant Williams, initialiseboarding sequence, disableexternal host systems, com-mence countdown to contact ...

Now the damned have no time to makeamends their lifes years consumed,

their allotted days depleted...

Alverez, is the team preppedfor contact?

Ready to party LT.Just open the hatchand let us loose...

Tau Bootis control thisis Alt Raynor captain of

the RavenUnder theFET charter & by com-mand of the regional gov-ernor of the Jupiter rim, Iam assuming control of

this station...

This is your finalwarning!! You areordered to standdown immediately...

Secondment to the Jupiter rimhad certainly

been a fortuitouscareer move &Colonel Bogardehad made itknown that fur-

ther success onTau Bootis couldfast-track yet an-other promotion...


8/11


9/11

Okay lads, here they come!Concentrate your fire on theATSMs Dont let nofin

through!

Is it true what theysay about thoseATSMs?

Stand firm son...Its payback

time...

Hey LT You & the Captainshouldve stayed all warm & cosyup on the bridge. Me, Kat & the

team ll handle this rabble...

What n let you

and Kat have all the fun? NotLikely Marco!


10/11

FET Incident Report... cont... :

... A graduate of the FET Academy at Olympus [1], Captain Raynor was awarded the hon-our of Knight of the Realm for valorous conduct as a result of his role in quelling the upris-ing at the Portus prison facility [2]. Refer FET Incident Report Ma89|1393|510M.

Captain Raynor also received a number of commendations from superior officers, includ-ing Colonel Bogarde and Major Reinhardt, following his posting to the FET Csilinium Pro-duction & Harvesting Protection Unit. In recommending Lieutenant Raynor, as he was

then, be promoted to Captain, Colonel Bogarde made mention of candidate Raynorsexemplary service record and impressive list of military achievements; attained, as theColonel remarked, over a remarkably short period of service...

... Highlighted achievements include:

I. Infiltration and destruction of a number of Csilinium drug smuggling rings;

II. The exposure of corrupt regional governors and mining officials;III. The prevention of a planned terrorist attack on an Ionian mining facility at Red Rock;

andIV. The pursuit and capture of a stolen shipment of Csilinium from the pirate vessel, the

Nosferatu.

On Colonel Bogardes express recommendation candidate Raynor was promoted to Cap- tain and posted to the FET starship cruiser, the Endeavour, where he was awarded com-mand of the Raven. A post which he has, to this point, served with distinction (refer re-ports of senior officers Colonel Peters and Major Symonds)...

[1] Olympus is a domed Martian city, located near Olympus Mons.

[2] Portus is an orbital habitat platform, located off the planet Mars, with a category A prison facility. Cate-gory A prison facilities hold criminals convicted of violent offences of a non -political/non-terrorist na-

ture.


11/11

Starting formations...

Engage in 30 seconds...

5...

From 2nd Lieutenant to Lieuten-ant Colonel in less than 3

years!... An intoxicating thoughtbut not one to focus on rightnow...

...causeonce thatdoorsopened...

How speedily is life exhausted,how readily the residual yearsbecome mere minutes

Minutes become secondsUntil nothing remains...

Weapons checkengage in 1 minute...

10 seconds...

but deliverance

things will all go to hell...

Can the chatter peo-ples... Get focussed.Contact in 2 minutes...

4... 3... 2... 1...

rp - coloured pages 1-10 (font v2)

Documents