Post by starmark2k on Dec 14, 2006 14:18:53 GMT -5
Colony Ship Origin: Austrailia
Colony World: New Sahara
Climate and Terrain: -
New Sahara is a planet with a nearly even ratio of land to water. It has a very hot climate, although the maximum recorded temperature was only 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Even the polar regions are warm, since the heat is distributed around the planet, due to atmospheric factors. Most of the water on the planet is contained in a single lake, which surprisingly consists of fresh water, constantly purified by a unique species of desalinizing baceria. The land mass is gathered into a single continent (although there are a few islands). Most of it is desert, although near the shores of the Great Lake and some other bodies of water, there are thin bands of tropical jungle. The planet's surface abounds with thousands of canyons and magnificent natural rock formations.
History of colonization: -
The colony ship landed on the planet, and after seeing the climate, the name New Sahara was almost unanimously chosen. They settled next to one of the smaller lakes, farming every inch they could to provide food for the colony. After they made plans to build a complex irrigation system to increase output, a mining settlement was started to provide the raw materials. One of the earliest mines met with disaster when their explosive charges went off too early, but the incident ultimately turned out for the best, as it opened the way into a vein of altronium, which they might not have otherwise discevered. The liquid metal was highly radioactive and was soon put to good use powering everything from factories to vehicles. The Apex Exploration Program was eventually created to explore the surrounding systems, and Apex has built numerous space stations - both to protect the planet from outsiders, and to keep those they want inside from getting out.
Genetics: -
Apex has been working on genetically enhancing its soldiers for some time, and the results have been spectacular. While about 50% have adverse reactions from the procedures, most of the rest turn out amazing, and the government has continued with the program. Meanwhile, non-government-engineered mutants have begun turning up all over the planet. Most of the mutations are fairly benign, such as blue skin or the ability to go without water for longer than usual, but recently there have been reports of more powerful beings emerging. This has created much consternation for many high-ranking officials, who believe that they pose a considerable threat to their power. Leading researchers theorize that the mutations are so diverse because they spring from the planet's saturation with naturally-occurring radioactive isotopes, and not from normal evolutionary causes.
Wildlife: -
One of the most puzzling species to the scientists of Apex is the desalinizing bacteria found in New Sahara's water. It does not harm living organisms, and seems to get its energy from breaking down salts. Researchers have been looking into its unique metabolism to try to fathom it, so they can synthesize the mechanism and use it themselves to develop an alternative energy source, but so far they remain baffled.
The Nopakrun is a terrestrial organism, although it does swim on occasion. It is a reptilian quadruped, measuring about four meters from nose to tail. It is incredibly fast and powerful. It has narrow yellow eyes, and a retractable crest on its long, narrow head. Its teeth are sharp, and it sports two long fangs that produce a deadly neurotoxin, which it can spit with deadly accuracy from up to thirty feet away. Skin contact with the toxin produces spreading paralysis and tissue degradation. It can kill a man in ten seconds if injected directly into the bloodstream. Apex scientists have managed to synthesize an antidote, and are currently working on possible medical applications for the toxin.
Galactic Expansion: -
The Apex Exploration Program ground to a halt when the Uprising started, so there have been no major expeditions to other planets. However, they did scout one planet, promptly christened Ice Cube by the first astronaut to set foot on it. The name stuck. It is entirely frozen, which could make colonization difficult, but it is believed to be a good source of altronium, which has recently began to run in short supply. Supporters of AEPRO belive that the potential profit would certainly outweigh the difficulties.
Politics: -
The first government of Apex was based on a republican system. A head of the government, called the Chief, was elected every ten years by the adults of the colony, and a Universal Assembly, composed of twenty-five members, was chosen in the same manner, five of the Assemblymen being elected every year, so the entire Assembly would be renewed in five years. The Chief could propose laws, which then had to ratified by gaining a majority of votes in the General Assembly. The General Assembly could also attempt to pass laws. If a proposed law gained a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly, it would be sent to the Chief for ratification. If the Chief did not approve the law, a four-fifths majority was required to pass it.
Unfortunately, over the years, politicians began to mess with the system, buying people's votes and twisting government funds for their own use. Eventually, the government became so corrupted that an ambitious Chief managed to amend the Constitution, giving himself the final say in all matters. The government is now basically a dictatorship, the General Assembly existing only nominally, with no real power. The society has gradually seperated into a caste system. Only select groups of noble families have the right to vote for Chief. Slavery has become an accepted fact of life, with about a fifth of the population in involuntary servitude, with nothing to call their own, not even their lives.
Dissatisfied with the government, many slaves, commoners, and even some of the nobles have joined together, forming a rebel group they call the Avengers, and are trying to wear the enemy forces, and eventually change the government for the better. Apex refers to both the group and the incident as the Uprising.
Military & Crime Prevention: -
The military consists of an Army, a Navy, and an elite group of genetically-engineered soldiers known as Marines whose sole job is to eliminate the Uprising. Military outposts are stationed around the planet, both to keep people out - and in.
Most court cases are tried before a judge and jury of twelve randomly selected civilians, but important cases are brought before the Chief and General Assembly to decide. Of course, many people that spoke against the government merely vanished in mysterious accidents, with no pretense of impartiality.
The crime prevention is handled by a division of the army, the Special Forces, who were genetically engineered to be good at reading people. Many believe some of them have the power of telepathy, but this has not been confirmed, and even if it is true, it can obviously be used only over very short distances.
Colony World: New Sahara
Climate and Terrain: -
New Sahara is a planet with a nearly even ratio of land to water. It has a very hot climate, although the maximum recorded temperature was only 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Even the polar regions are warm, since the heat is distributed around the planet, due to atmospheric factors. Most of the water on the planet is contained in a single lake, which surprisingly consists of fresh water, constantly purified by a unique species of desalinizing baceria. The land mass is gathered into a single continent (although there are a few islands). Most of it is desert, although near the shores of the Great Lake and some other bodies of water, there are thin bands of tropical jungle. The planet's surface abounds with thousands of canyons and magnificent natural rock formations.
History of colonization: -
The colony ship landed on the planet, and after seeing the climate, the name New Sahara was almost unanimously chosen. They settled next to one of the smaller lakes, farming every inch they could to provide food for the colony. After they made plans to build a complex irrigation system to increase output, a mining settlement was started to provide the raw materials. One of the earliest mines met with disaster when their explosive charges went off too early, but the incident ultimately turned out for the best, as it opened the way into a vein of altronium, which they might not have otherwise discevered. The liquid metal was highly radioactive and was soon put to good use powering everything from factories to vehicles. The Apex Exploration Program was eventually created to explore the surrounding systems, and Apex has built numerous space stations - both to protect the planet from outsiders, and to keep those they want inside from getting out.
Genetics: -
Apex has been working on genetically enhancing its soldiers for some time, and the results have been spectacular. While about 50% have adverse reactions from the procedures, most of the rest turn out amazing, and the government has continued with the program. Meanwhile, non-government-engineered mutants have begun turning up all over the planet. Most of the mutations are fairly benign, such as blue skin or the ability to go without water for longer than usual, but recently there have been reports of more powerful beings emerging. This has created much consternation for many high-ranking officials, who believe that they pose a considerable threat to their power. Leading researchers theorize that the mutations are so diverse because they spring from the planet's saturation with naturally-occurring radioactive isotopes, and not from normal evolutionary causes.
Wildlife: -
One of the most puzzling species to the scientists of Apex is the desalinizing bacteria found in New Sahara's water. It does not harm living organisms, and seems to get its energy from breaking down salts. Researchers have been looking into its unique metabolism to try to fathom it, so they can synthesize the mechanism and use it themselves to develop an alternative energy source, but so far they remain baffled.
The Nopakrun is a terrestrial organism, although it does swim on occasion. It is a reptilian quadruped, measuring about four meters from nose to tail. It is incredibly fast and powerful. It has narrow yellow eyes, and a retractable crest on its long, narrow head. Its teeth are sharp, and it sports two long fangs that produce a deadly neurotoxin, which it can spit with deadly accuracy from up to thirty feet away. Skin contact with the toxin produces spreading paralysis and tissue degradation. It can kill a man in ten seconds if injected directly into the bloodstream. Apex scientists have managed to synthesize an antidote, and are currently working on possible medical applications for the toxin.
Galactic Expansion: -
The Apex Exploration Program ground to a halt when the Uprising started, so there have been no major expeditions to other planets. However, they did scout one planet, promptly christened Ice Cube by the first astronaut to set foot on it. The name stuck. It is entirely frozen, which could make colonization difficult, but it is believed to be a good source of altronium, which has recently began to run in short supply. Supporters of AEPRO belive that the potential profit would certainly outweigh the difficulties.
Politics: -
The first government of Apex was based on a republican system. A head of the government, called the Chief, was elected every ten years by the adults of the colony, and a Universal Assembly, composed of twenty-five members, was chosen in the same manner, five of the Assemblymen being elected every year, so the entire Assembly would be renewed in five years. The Chief could propose laws, which then had to ratified by gaining a majority of votes in the General Assembly. The General Assembly could also attempt to pass laws. If a proposed law gained a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly, it would be sent to the Chief for ratification. If the Chief did not approve the law, a four-fifths majority was required to pass it.
Unfortunately, over the years, politicians began to mess with the system, buying people's votes and twisting government funds for their own use. Eventually, the government became so corrupted that an ambitious Chief managed to amend the Constitution, giving himself the final say in all matters. The government is now basically a dictatorship, the General Assembly existing only nominally, with no real power. The society has gradually seperated into a caste system. Only select groups of noble families have the right to vote for Chief. Slavery has become an accepted fact of life, with about a fifth of the population in involuntary servitude, with nothing to call their own, not even their lives.
Dissatisfied with the government, many slaves, commoners, and even some of the nobles have joined together, forming a rebel group they call the Avengers, and are trying to wear the enemy forces, and eventually change the government for the better. Apex refers to both the group and the incident as the Uprising.
Military & Crime Prevention: -
The military consists of an Army, a Navy, and an elite group of genetically-engineered soldiers known as Marines whose sole job is to eliminate the Uprising. Military outposts are stationed around the planet, both to keep people out - and in.
Most court cases are tried before a judge and jury of twelve randomly selected civilians, but important cases are brought before the Chief and General Assembly to decide. Of course, many people that spoke against the government merely vanished in mysterious accidents, with no pretense of impartiality.
The crime prevention is handled by a division of the army, the Special Forces, who were genetically engineered to be good at reading people. Many believe some of them have the power of telepathy, but this has not been confirmed, and even if it is true, it can obviously be used only over very short distances.
by Dark_Lady