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Post by brickwall on Sept 22, 2018 21:00:17 GMT -7
Dear friends, my apologies for not posting anything on here for a long time.
I was looking through the Federation handbook for the RPG series and looking through it's timeline. The idea came to my head that I might get some traction for the Unity's background by posting the important pieces of Kephan history like that based on the Federation's timeline.
So I'm hoping to do likewise here with the Kephans. It will be coming out in drips and drabs like so much of what I do, but I hope it will come out to our mutual satisfactions. If anything looks amiss, please let me know and I will fix it as best as I can.
Thank you all in advance.
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Post by thescreamingswede on Sept 28, 2018 0:09:10 GMT -7
I look forward to reading more about the Kephans. I do have a few questions though that I can't seem to find answers for in what you have written so far.
First off, when was the Unity formed? As I have stated in another thread, I am starting up a new group working in the Robert April/Christopher Pike era. Their flight path will take them near to where you have put your Kephan home worlds. If they exist in this time frame I would really like to include them in a few of the episodes. If not, then I would like the group to at least discover and map the planets you have established.
Secondly. If they do exist in that time frame, is the Federation aware of their colonies and if so, how would they react to an inadvertent visit from a small scout vessel?
Thirdly, though I probably should have asked this one first. Would you be adverse to me using them in this upcoming campaign?
Thanks.
theSwede
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Post by brickwall on Sept 28, 2018 11:53:21 GMT -7
I look forward to reading more about the Kephans. I do have a few questions though that I can't seem to find answers for in what you have written so far. First off, when was the Unity formed? As I have stated in another thread, I am starting up a new group working in the Robert April/Christopher Pike era. Their flight path will take them near to where you have put your Kephan home worlds. If they exist in this time frame I would really like to include them in a few of the episodes. If not, then I would like the group to at least discover and map the planets you have established. Secondly. If they do exist in that time frame, is the Federation aware of their colonies and if so, how would they react to an inadvertent visit from a small scout vessel? Thirdly, though I probably should have asked this one first. Would you be adverse to me using them in this upcoming campaign? Thanks. theSwede Howdy, Swede. I'll give a brief answer to your questions as best as I can.
1) As mentioned earlier, I am currently writing something along a timeline for the Unity, much of it based along the timeline in the FASA Federation workbook. I may also get some hints from both the FASA Orion Book of Deep Knowledge and version two of the Klingon workbook.
At least I have the first post mostly worked out. It involves the launch of the last Space Ark from Earth around Stardate 0/7210. The Unity would be formed some years after the Ark left. That's what I working on now.
According to the FASA Fed workbook:
April assumes command of the Enterprise on Stardate 1/8801.04.
Pike assumes command of the Enterprise on Stardate 1/9506.
Kirk assumes command of the Enterprise on Stardate 2/0704.
And the Four Years War occurs between Stardates 1/9409.29 and 1/9806.13.
So if in your RPG group you include the Unity -- and I'd be honored and grateful if you decide to do so with my thanks -- I'd say the timeline for this would be near the end of April's command to the beginning of Pike's command.
It could be mentioned first by your characters meeting an Orion trader or two telling rumors of "Earther-Decendants" vowing to "someday liberate the Earth from global Marxist tyranny". On the sly, they'll admit they have no idea what a Marxist was.
Then they could run into a Klingon warrior or two, disparaging the Kephans as "The Insane Ones". And then they'll joke of "their near-obsession with the number three" and the "writings of two Earthers named Chesterton and Solzhenitsyn".
Then they'll hear reports fly of mass purchases of old Orion freighters, Vulcan scout ships and survey vessels. Or a custom built Andorian colony ship or two. All shipped to a strange system with three beautiful Earth-like planets -- as three points in an equilateral triangle -- twirling around a common center of gravity. And all three, in turn, spinning around their yellow sun. These are the worlds Kepha, Cephas and Petrus -- the Triple Capital of the Unity.
2) The upper ranks of the Federation government would know of them but not speak about them in public. Or if they do, they'd officially brush off reports about them as "rumors and fairy-tales" and discourage any further investigation into them.
I hope this will whet your appetite here on the board as well as in your group. As always, anything that needs fixing in this narrative, please let me know. Many thanks in advance.
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Post by brickwall on Oct 1, 2018 20:20:28 GMT -7
KEPHAN UNITY TIMELINE
Following is a chronology of all major events pertaining to the Kephan Unity.
Stardate 0/7210
The last Space Ark Nuestra Senora de Fatima leaves the Sol system. In their departing message to the U.N., the ship's leaders vow that their descendants would "someday return to Earth and free it from it's godless global Marxist tyranny....even if it took until the end of Time to do it". They are publicly mocked as they leave for the depths of the Milky Way.
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Post by brickwall on Oct 5, 2018 6:21:12 GMT -7
Stardate 0/7705.13 The last Space Ark Nuestra Senora de Fatima discovers a system with three habitable worlds orbiting a common center of gravity between them. They are named Kepha, Cephas and Petrus. The most temperate, Kepha, is colonized. The colonist's new government is named the Kephan Unity on October 13th of that year.
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Post by brickwall on Dec 3, 2018 6:04:57 GMT -7
WORLDS OF THE KEPHAN UNITY
World Log: MONAVEES VII
System Name: Monavees
Number of Class M Present: 1
Planetary Data Position in System: VII Number of Satellites: 1 Gravity: .7G Size Diameter: 7800 km Equatorial Circumference: 24,000km Total Surface Area: 306,000,000 sq. km Percent Land Mass: 14% Total Land Area: 4,284,000 sq. km Surface Conditions Length of Day: 18 hours Atmospheric Density: Terrestrial General Climate: Warm Temperate Mineral Content Normal Metals: 36% Radioactives: 0% Gemstones: 0% Industrial Crystals: 16% Special Minerals: 9%
NOTEWORTHY FACTS:Monavees (pronounced mohn-na-VEES) is the newest ship-building center within the Unity. With two asteroid belts engirdling the orange sun, the system became a natural base for building starships.
The world itself is dotted with many archipelagos and a late Springtime climate. But it's light gravity and comparatively short day makes it harmful to most humanoids. There are a few agricultural colonies on the larger islands but robots do most of the work and maintenance.
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Post by brickwall on Jun 5, 2019 19:42:55 GMT -7
WORLDS OF THE KEPHAN UNITY
World Log: ESPERANZA II
System Name: Esperanza
Number of Class M Present: 2
Planetary Data Position in System: II Number of Satellites: 1 Gravity: .8G Size Diameter: 10400 km Equatorial Circumference: 32,000km Total Surface Area: 408,000,000 sq. km Percent Land Mass: 87% Total Land Area: 354,960,000 sq. km Surface Conditions Length of Day: 29 hours Atmospheric Density: Thick General Climate: Cool Temperate Mineral Content Normal Metals: 98% Radioactives: 17% Gemstones: 41% Industrial Crystals: 30% Special Minerals: 14%
NOTEWORTHY FACTS: Recently discovered, this world is a miner's paradise and a gemologist's dream. A new shipyard is planned for construction above this world and it's neighbor Esperanza III, along with a massive ship repair center. The system name is from the Spanish word for "hope".
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Post by brickwall on Jun 5, 2019 20:09:58 GMT -7
WORLDS OF THE KEPHAN UNITY
World Log: ESPERANZA III
System Name: Esperanza
Number of Class M Present: 2
Planetary Data Position in System: III Number of Satellites: 4 Gravity: .7G Size Diameter: 9100 km Equatorial Circumference: 28,000km Total Surface Area: 357,000,000 sq. km Percent Land Mass: 81% Total Land Area: 289,170,000 sq. km Surface Conditions Length of Day: 29 hours Atmospheric Density: Thick General Climate: Desert Mineral Content Normal Metals: 73% Radioactives: 40% Gemstones: Trace Industrial Crystals: 14% Special Minerals: 11%
NOTEWORTHY FACTS: Unlike Esperanza II, this world has more uranium and plutonium and less dilithium. Nonetheless, the world's mining potential guaranteed it's future with it's neighbor as a major hub for ship construction and repair.
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Post by brickwall on Jun 6, 2019 10:01:43 GMT -7
KEPHAN UNITY TIMELINE
Stardate 0/8007 News of the last Space Ark's discovery reaches Earth. Groups of anti-UN dissidents hire Vulcan scout ships and colony ships to take them to Kepha. Calling itself a “Noah Convoy”, the ships reach Kepha four years later, settling on Cephas and Petrus. The Convoy would be the first of many to come.
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Post by brickwall on Mar 7, 2020 21:57:14 GMT -7
OPERATION: BALANCE BEAMThe Triangle statelets provided the Kephans opportunities for both trade and political sympathy for their cause. No one dreamed they’d be behind the creation of a new statelet and a new ally against the Federation. That included the Unity itself. In the early years of the Twenty-Third Century, Unity traders and diplomats sent out feelers among the region’s independent worlds. They discovered the settlements below the boundaries of the Mantiev Colonial Association (MCA) feared the Klingons or Romulans would swallow them up. In each case, their main concerns were preserving their independence and the ability to trade with both major powers. Both empires needed the raw materials they produced. Both empires could also overwhelm them with their fleets and occupying troops. But they couldn’t afford to risk another war between them here, for fear of Federation involvement as well as the drain on their respective economies. Furthermore, the Klingon presence was mostly composed of older smaller ships, risking defeat and disgrace in any future skirmishes. The Romulan presence gave an appearance of strength hiding a lack of ships and troops to enforce their will. Over the years, information trickled in to Unity authorities from traders within the southern Triangle. Lack of Federation influence due to distance and politics spelled opportunity for Kephan operatives, few as they were. Their best man in the field was itinerant trader Crassus Plimpton, reputed to be a quick study of personality and character in potential customers. His assistant Paulo Pentimento was the quiet prayerful anti-type to his loud and boisterous boss. On Canchicka, the richest world in that region, Plimpton made successful contacts with their trade authority and their counterparts from Aariss, Thisisit, New Paradise, Fooled Again and Zannaduu IV. He discovered their common concerns while negotiating deals for Kephan goods with them. His downfall came during public celebrations with them involving Romulan ale, which he couldn’t handle. Pentimento cleaned up Plimpton’s messes, apologizing for his boss’s embarrassing actions. His final scandal came during a celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the Forall, Canchicka’s parliament. A drunken Plimpton in his speech kept mispronouncing the planet’s name as Kamchatka, which was part of Russia’s Far East. Local authorities arrested and deported him back to the Unity, leaving an unprepared Pentimento as it’s voice in the region. Quick thinking and much prayer gave the young man ideas to “make lemonade out of these rotten lemons” as he put it. Gathering the representatives from the six worlds Plimpton dealt with, Pentimento proposed they join together in a formal economic alliance. Pointing out to them their common problems dealing with two rival empires, he advocated co-operation between their planets for their mutual benefit. When asked about self-defense against future incursions from either side, he said that both empires would be the unwitting partners in that area. This plan was similar to how the Unity built their Star Navy in part using old Federation and Klingon vessels. He called the plan “Balance Beam” after the old Olympic gymnastic competition device. While waiting for their response, Pentimento met with both Klingon and Romulan diplomats. Pointing out their mutual need for the six worlds’ mineral wealth as well as their mutual mistrust, he proposed both empires give this new alliance their oldest and weakest ships. Caught unawares of this and asked why, the Kephan said this new alliance would act as a “buffer state” between them. As a neutral power, it would serve as a safe meeting place for future negotiations between their empires. Furthermore, both sides could get rid of old military inventory they no longer needed. But each side would send equal amounts of ships so as not to risk “losing face” or the appearance of favoritism to the other side. This would also apply to any freighters that they thought outlasted their usefulness. When asked about the proposed new state’s foreign policy, Pentimento said it would stay neutral in the civil war plaguing the Mantiev Colonial Association. Nor would it ally with the Federation or the Imperial Klingon States due to both distance and the desire to stay independent of everyone. They would also trade with everyone and any income earned would concentrate on improving infrastructure. Finally, he proposed that both empires jointly build an advanced spaceport over Canchicka, which would be the capitol of the new state. This would be another front where each side would keep tabs on the other. Intrigued, the Klingon and Romulan diplomats sent the proposal to their superiors for their answer. In the meantime, the New Paradise representative contacted the OFMA embassy on his homeworld. Filling them in on the proposed alliance, he asked if they “wanted in on the deal”. He added that they’d get ahead of their kin in the Orion Free States for any huge business deals. Shocked but excited at the prospect of new markets for their goods, the OFMA ambassador himself flew to Canchicka. Cornering Pentimento when they met, he offered to add whatever old Orion ships the new alliance would take. A further offer was made to finance the spaceport’s construction if either empire refused to do so. Grateful, the Kephan trader waited for the responses to his proposal. They weren’t long in coming, for by the next week all six worlds agreed to the plan. A governing council of two representatives from each world would meet yearly on Canchicka to set policy. Meanwhile the Klingon and Romulan emissaries returned with word from their masters. They said it was too early to think about jointly building the spaceport but had no objection to the OFMA bearing that burden. They agreed to donate the old but usable ships immediately. So on Stardate 2/2505.13, the Independent Economic Confederation (IEC) was born. The Klingons donated three K-17A Death Stalker-class scouts, a squadron of six K-6C Administrator gunboats and six W-2A Koreba warp shuttles. Two G-8A Trader’s Game-class freighters and one G-3B Baka Re-class freighter would also be sent each year for three years. The Romulans gave three S-3 Free Flight Type 3 scouts, a squadron of six P-2 Ranajmar Type One cutters and six H-4 Praetor Type Two warp shuttles. Two I-4 Graffler Type 3-class freighters and one I-7 Vespin Type One freighter would also be sent each year for three years. The OFMA sent three Freelancer blockade runners to the new nation. One Dwarfstar MK II freighter would also be sent each year for three years. All donated armed ships to the IEC were organized as three “defense squadrons”. They were each composed of one Freelancer, one Death Stalker, one Free Flight, two Administrators and two Ranajmars. All would be painted bright light blue to distinguish them from their original makers. All donated freighters to the IEC were grouped as three “commerce squadrons”. They were each composed of two Trader’s Games, two Grafflers, one Baka Re, one Vespin and one Dwarfstar. They would also have a similar paint scheme. Each IEC world would get two warp shuttles each of both classes for diplomatic missions. Word of the new statelet’s birth soon reached the Federation along with who was behind it. Star Fleet Intelligence (SFI) was doubly furious when this information came through their arch-rival Section 31. In light of this, they created the “Kephan Desk” to deal with the Unity. Nonetheless, it’s existence was revealed only on a need-to-know basis. It would be the least funded of all “Desks” in SFI. It would also gain a reputation as “punishment duty” for incompetents and malcontents in their ranks. When news of the IEC’s birth reached the Kephan Congress, they were astonished at who was behind it all. Asked why he did it, Pentimento said he always wanted to reduce the risk of war in the Galaxy. He quoted from the Sermon On The Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”. He wanted to be seen as such in the eyes of God. In light of this, he accepted their offer as the Unity’s ambassador to the IEC. Attachments:
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Post by trynda1701 on Mar 8, 2020 12:28:36 GMT -7
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Post by brickwall on Mar 8, 2020 15:15:45 GMT -7
Interesting reading. Have you based that on info gleaned on those worlds from "The Triangle" supplement? I don't have my copy handy to confirm or check for any discrepancies you might have missed. No disrespect meant, by the way. You have thought out the Unity really well, as I've said many a time! One thing though from reading the above. If you did mean the Twenty-Fourth century at the beginning, the FASA Stardate should be 3/2505.13. If it should read Twenty-Third Century, then your listed date is correct. Hey Trynda! Yes, I based this on the Triangle supplement. It listed the small background info on the six planets of the IEC. I worked my way from that.
And thank you for the correction on the Stardates and such. I thought it didn't look right, but knowing me, I couldn't put my finger on it. I will correct it immediately.
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Post by trynda1701 on Mar 8, 2020 16:51:48 GMT -7
No problem. A few quick points, after a couple hours of thought. A part of me wants to say it looks odd seeing Section 31 being mentioned in FASA Trek. I know that obviously you are adding to the original FASA Trek background and story, but that one just feels wrong to me. Yes, the TV shows retroactively added Section 31 to the "Enterprise" series, pre-TOS, but it just sticks out too much to me. Leaving S31 out of the story, you could say that because of the oversight of not anticipating the formation of the IEC, a few careers stalled in the Triangle section of SFI. Even if you leave S31 in, I would definitely drop the 'incompetent and malcontent' staffing angle of the new Kephan Desk. Yes, some people are better at their jobs than others, but Intelligence agencies should be recruiting better than that! It's still your story, of course, just thought I'd share a few thoughts!
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Post by brickwall on Mar 8, 2020 21:31:26 GMT -7
No problem. A few quick points, after a couple hours of thought. A part of me wants to say it looks odd seeing Section 31 being mentioned in FASA Trek. I know that obviously you are adding to the original FASA Trek background and story, but that one just feels wrong to me. Yes, the TV shows retroactively added Section 31 to the "Enterprise" series, pre-TOS, but it just sticks out too much to me. Leaving S31 out of the story, you could say that because of the oversight of not anticipating the formation of the IEC, a few careers stalled in the Triangle section of SFI. Even if you leave S31 in, I would definitely drop the 'incompetent and malcontent' staffing angle of the new Kephan Desk. Yes, some people are better at their jobs than others, but Intelligence agencies should be recruiting better than that! It's still your story, of course, just thought I'd share a few thoughts!
I was leaning on historical precedent when writing about the SFI/Section 31 conflict. In 20th Century governmental strife, I was contemplating the inter-jurisdictional wars between our FBI, CIA and NSA. Also how even in the Bureau and the Company, they have been screw-ups and slip-ups infesting both agencies. To put a local spin on it, read up on how corruption in the FBI's Boston branch allowed the infamous Whitey Bulger to get away with a lot of his crimes and murders.
I also looked at the competition between the KGB and the GRU in the old Soviet Union. Or the rivalry between Great Britain's MI-5 and MI-6. Or that between Israel's Mossad and it's law enforcement counterpart Shin Bet. Knowing human nature doesn't change apart from Heaven's help, whether in government or business, the Peter Principle applies.
Even in old revered TV series like Danger Man with Patrick McGoohan in the lead, his character John Drake had to deal with his bosses in the UK's spy agency and their dirty dealings. Their pencil-pushers and hangers-on playing office politics and messing with people's lives and futures. Such things, I figure, wouldn't be unknown within the halls of Federation government.
And if you read the FASA Klingon supplement, you know how really paranoid and double-dealing their security services can be against one another. And within one another as well. The Feds wouldn't be exempt, just not as bloodthirsty.
Always room for improvement and observation. Again, many thanks for your insight!
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Post by trynda1701 on Mar 9, 2020 6:53:23 GMT -7
No problem. A few quick points, after a couple hours of thought. A part of me wants to say it looks odd seeing Section 31 being mentioned in FASA Trek. I know that obviously you are adding to the original FASA Trek background and story, but that one just feels wrong to me. Yes, the TV shows retroactively added Section 31 to the "Enterprise" series, pre-TOS, but it just sticks out too much to me. Leaving S31 out of the story, you could say that because of the oversight of not anticipating the formation of the IEC, a few careers stalled in the Triangle section of SFI. Even if you leave S31 in, I would definitely drop the 'incompetent and malcontent' staffing angle of the new Kephan Desk. Yes, some people are better at their jobs than others, but Intelligence agencies should be recruiting better than that! It's still your story, of course, just thought I'd share a few thoughts! I was leaning on historical precedent when writing about the SFI/Section 31 conflict. In 20th Century governmental strife, I was contemplating the inter-jurisdictional wars between our FBI, CIA and NSA. Also how even in the Bureau and the Company, they have been screw-ups and slip-ups infesting both agencies. To put a local spin on it, read up on how corruption in the FBI's Boston branch allowed the infamous Whitey Bulger to get away with a lot of his crimes and murders. I also looked at the competition between the KGB and the GRU in the old Soviet Union. Or the rivalry between Great Britain's MI-5 and MI-6. Or that between Israel's Mossad and it's law enforcement counterpart Shin Bet. Knowing human nature doesn't change apart from Heaven's help, whether in government or business, the Peter Principle applies. Even in old revered TV series like Danger Man with Patrick McGoohan in the lead, his character John Drake had to deal with his bosses in the UK's spy agency and their dirty dealings. Their pencil-pushers and hangers-on playing office politics and messing with people's lives and futures. Such things, I figure, wouldn't be unknown within the halls of Federation government.
And if you read the FASA Klingon supplement, you know how really paranoid and double-dealing their security services can be against one another. And within one another as well. The Feds wouldn't be exempt, just not as bloodthirsty. Always room for improvement and observation. Again, many thanks for your insight!
Yeah, valid points about the inter-service rivalries. I just wish there was a way to not use S31! Only suggestion I've got would perhaps be that the Klingon Sector Intelligence desk got wind of it first ahead of the Triangle desk? Then those who were determined to be personally responsible were 'demoted' figuratively (or perhaps also in rank?), and moved to staff the new Kephan desk as punishment? Either that, or have the rivalry be between Starfleet Intelligence and Starfleet Security? Anyway, I'll stop banging on about my pet peeve this week! As I've said, loving your additions to the Unity background.
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Post by brickwall on Jun 25, 2020 14:32:18 GMT -7
On suggestion from our new member "steve", here are two new flags for the Unity. I also haven't updated the timeline in a good long while. So we're due for an update. UPDATE: I failed in posting an image of both flags with the text. Perhaps I don't know how anymore. Sorry, folks. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = KEPHAN UNITY TIMELINE
Stardate 0/8205 The Congress discussed changes to the National Banner during it's yearly assembly on Kepha.
Proponents of the changes pointed out that the mostly white color may confuse people in thinking Unity military or citizens were surrendering to them. Opponents noted that most Galactic species either didn't know the symbolism of the "white flag" or took no prisoners to begin with. As a compromise, both sides agreed to a minimal change for the National Banner, now called the First Flag. The new Second Flag would have a golden yellow border around the flag's edges. To also avoid future arguments over banners, they approved a similar flag for the Armed Forces. It would have a red border around the edges and a yellow five-pointed star in each circle.
Furthermore, yearly contests would be held for flags for future new member worlds and government departments. postimg.cc/gallery/BL7YfgC
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Post by trynda1701 on Jun 25, 2020 17:44:51 GMT -7
UPDATE: I failed in posting an image of both flags with the text. Perhaps I don't know how anymore. Sorry, folks. What photo hosting site are you using, brickwall? On Postimage, I use the option 'Hotlink for forums ' for the image url of the photo I wish to post.
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Post by brickwall on Jun 25, 2020 17:46:40 GMT -7
UPDATE: I failed in posting an image of both flags with the text. Perhaps I don't know how anymore. Sorry, folks. What photo hosting site are you using, brickwall ? On Postimage, I use the option 'Hotlink for forums ' for the image url of the photo I wish to post. I don't have one or a membership to one.
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Post by trynda1701 on Jun 25, 2020 18:13:36 GMT -7
Ah, that explains it. There is only limited space on the website here to host images. It is preferable to host your own images. See the thread here explaining this... ststcsolda.proboards.com/thread/887/forum-attachmentsHave a word with friends to see what sites they might show you or recommend.
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Post by brickwall on Jun 25, 2020 21:23:37 GMT -7
Ah, that explains it. There is only limited space on the website here to host images. It is preferable to host your own images. See the thread here explaining this... ststcsolda.proboards.com/thread/887/forum-attachmentsHave a word with friends to see what sites they might show you or recommend. Okay, I just signed up for Postimage and edited my Timeline post. Please see if everything comes out alright. Many thanks in advance.
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Post by trynda1701 on Jun 26, 2020 4:40:33 GMT -7
Ah, that explains it. There is only limited space on the website here to host images. It is preferable to host your own images. See the thread here explaining this... ststcsolda.proboards.com/thread/887/forum-attachmentsHave a word with friends to see what sites they might show you or recommend. Okay, I just signed up for Postimage and edited my Timeline post. Please see if everything comes out alright. Many thanks in advance. Yup, clicking on that link shows the two new flags.
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Post by brickwall on Aug 5, 2020 8:07:31 GMT -7
NOTE: A multitude of thank-yous is extended to the people at the Klingon Language Institute (www.kli.org) for their help in crafting this article. Their help is gratefully appreciated.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
OPERATION: LAZARUS
"Rather, feed thy enemy if he is hungry, give him drink if he is thirsty; by doing this, thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head. Do not be disarmed by malice; disarm malice with kindness." Romans 12:20-21 (Douay-Rheims Knox Version)
On Stardate 2/2206.20, a new planet was born out of the Mutara Nebula. Known as the Genesis Planet, it only lasted five days before exploding due to massive instability.
SNI operatives discovered the Genesis Device and the events around it during routine spying of Klingon activity, especially within various Imperial Houses’ science bureaus. Kepha received coordinated confirmation of this information. Bemused by what was revealed, SNI chiefs suspected a trap set up by either Section 31 or Star Fleet Intelligence (SFI). They ordered their operatives within Star Fleet to discern if this wasn’t so.
When news arrived that all was true, the Congress ordered the Ministry of Science to stop all non-essential projects. An emergency reverse-engineering effort from the Genesis Device information was now top priority for their most brilliant minds.
Multiple small experiments on different moons proved over time the premise was solid. However, the Ministry judged the Stage Three one-and-done application both faulty and overambitious. In brief, Stage Two worked, Stage Three didn’t. “The perils of proto-matter,” as they called it in their report to the Congress.
SNI added their resources to the effort, noting also that Klingon forces were gathering at the Federation borders. To them, any risk of Klingon attack would damage the Unity’s long-term plans to “liberate Occupied Earth” from Federation control. So the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered their ambassador to inform the Klingon government about the Genesis Project and take it from there.
Recognized by a craggy face reminding one of ancient mountain ranges or canyons, Nikolai Ivanovich Federov looked old before his time. The Unity’s ambassador to the Empire also doubled as it’s spymaster among their stars. The stresses of these duties aged him in the seven years since his reluctant acceptance of his appointment to the post. Nonetheless, he was a quick study of the intrigues of the Imperial Houses, learning how to navigate the treacheries they inflicted on each other for the Unity’s benefit.
Summoned to the High Council on other matters, Federov informed them about the Project as a terraforming project that went awry. Furthermore, it showed the Federation’s impatience in trying to make a living world from a dead world in one blow. When asked, he also admitted they had operatives in Star Fleet like the Empire did. However he kept mum about the Unity spies within their own Houses.
To prove he spoke truly, he asked the Klingons for the most desolate world in their space to transform it. They easily pointed to the Say'qIs or Dust system and it’s Earth-sized fourth world tlpqan yuQ or "World of Ashes". Pleased, Federov sent a scientific team with it’s Klingon minders to investigate and prepare the world for it’s transformation.
Genesis Devices were planted in strips along each longitude of the planet from pole to pole. Below ground, caves stable enough and away from quake prone areas also had Devices installed. After a month, all was ready. Each strip was activated one at a time, overlapping each other.
The Genesis Effect stabilized after a few minutes, revealing a new world ready for colonization. During the next two weeks, the science team scattered tons of seeds of food greens Klingons ate to ensure further success in sustaining the new colony. The Effect on the seeds insured the planet’s continents were quickly swathed in grasslands, jungles and forests. Oceans and lakes, both saltwater and freshwater, filled the remaining landscapes.
During that month, Federov sent a strange request to the many dummy corporations within Federation space. He asked them to send whatever Klingon-looking freighters to Earth to buy and transport select species of fish Earthlings avoided or hated. These fish were rumored to please Klingon visitors’ palettes and fighting abilities. Most popular were open-mouth bass, who put up a struggle when fishermen caught them. The other species was snakefish, which many Earthlings called “the ugliest fish” and could crawl on land toward other ponds. The latter were considered “invasive species” eating up smaller prey and attacking fishermen who got too close.
Teams of self-described “environmentalists” ransacked markets and coast lands from India to Southeast Asia to the Carolina shores for these fish. They also figured many species of eels would be welcome in the new planet’s tropical zones, especially the moray eels. Speed was the essence in these operations to minimize SFI’s or Section 31’s suspicions. By month’s end, three convoys of fifteen ships each rushed their aquatic cargo to their new home.
Also during this period, Federov ordered the Kephan dummy companies in Klingon space to purchase scores of wild or farm-raised targ for transport. Usually runts of litters came into their hands but it didn’t matter. Timing was everything. Soon herds of targ roamed the plains of the new living world. Below ground, facilities that grew gagh, the serpent worms Klingons ate, recorded bumper crops never before seen.
By year’s end, it became a favorite place for the nobility and high-ranking officials to travel there on holiday. They hunted snakefish and eels with either spears or daggers for the challenge of it. Like they did with gagh, they ate them raw when caught.
In the northern temperate zone, there was a canyon that made a natural amphitheater similar to those of the ancient Greeks. Inspired, Federov ordered his team to shape it into an actual theater of that style. By the first year anniversary of the world’s reshaping, it was completed. The acoustics were tested and perfected to the satisfaction of all.
It saw the Galactic premier of the comic operetta "A Tellarite In Marrakesh". Written in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan by the young Klingon prodigy Rasch, the simple plot had a Tellarite trying to buy something in a bazaar in that Moroccan city. Playing on the stereotype that Tellarites wanted to argue just to argue, the alien complained about the city council banning him from every bazaar forever. The reason given was he'd never leave trying to haggle sellers for the best price. The hero was a visiting Klingon giving wise advise to both Earthlings and Tellarite on how to do a proper deal. It was praised by all who heard it, eventually done the next year before the High Council in an “Imperial command performance”.
When asked why the Kephans did this, Federov pointed out their conflict with the Kinshaya was heating up that year. He held that the Kinshaya was currently a greater threat than the Federation was. He admitted his staff obtained that information from various traders along their borders as well as in Orion space. He warned them not to spread themselves too thin on that frontier like they risked on the Romulan border.
He also wanted to prove to them that terraforming worlds was worth the effort rather than conquering them all the time. The former “World of Ashes” was to be proof of the truth of his words. It was now renamed QaHQun, the Klingon version of Lazarus meaning "God has helped" from the Hebrew.
Still, some in the High Council fumed at him and his advice. They yelled in unison at him “qevnganpu', Sumaw'qu'!” or "Kephans, y'all crazy!"
Federov bowed and smiled at them. “pItlho'. latlh qab law' mu'qaDlIj qab puS, 'a pItlho'.” Translated, he said: "We thank you. Other curses are worse than yours, but we thank you."
His detractors exclaimed “nuqjatlh?”, their version of "Huh?".
The Chancellor and the rest of the Council thanked him for his staff’s work and his warnings – but still thought of him and the Unity by the epithet "maw'wI'pu'” – “The Insane Ones”.
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Post by trynda1701 on Aug 6, 2020 14:57:57 GMT -7
KEPHAN UNITY TIMELINE
Following is a chronology of all major events pertaining to the Kephan Unity. Stardate 0/7210
The last Space Ark Nuestra Senora de Fatima leaves the Sol system. In their departing message to the U.N., the ship's leaders vow that their descendants would "someday return to Earth and free it from it's godless global Marxist tyranny....even if it took until the end of Time to do it". They are publicly mocked as they leave for the depths of the Milky Way.
brickwallI was rereading this thread, and a couple of thoughts jumped out at me. First, a quick point about the above quoted entry. Strictly speaking, the last Space Ark would have been the ship that took Earth colonists to the world in the Cepheus system that they named Terra Ten, which got corrupted to Terratin, as in the animated episode "The Terratin Incident". You could edit the entry to say it was the ninth, or even another number! Just to keep straight from the animated episode! Secondly, I only have access currently to my original Spaceflight Chronology, upon which the FASA timeline is based. In the Chronology, it mentions the Arks were generation ships, with no FTL. Do the FASA books mention whether that is the same? Before you think I'm trying to undo the Unity, please be assured that is not the case. I have two suggestions to get round an original sublight Ark problem. 1) Check the distance from Earth to the border on the FASA map. If the Ark ramps up its speed to close to light speed, while it would take decades to GET to Kepha, relativistic effects would mean the crews would only have aged a few years. Then, just bump up your colonisation date by a few decades accordingly. 2) As your soon to be Kephans want Earth freed, perhaps they stole plans to be able to modify the Ark drive to a low speed warp engine! Would fit their resistance/freedom fighter ethos! Then you might be able to just bump up the colonisation date by a few years, instead of decades. As I said, I don't mean to mess with your creation, just want to see how you are treating the Arks, so that it fits accordingly. You know how much I've enjoyed your creation of the Kephans.
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Post by brickwall on Aug 7, 2020 1:51:50 GMT -7
KEPHAN UNITY TIMELINE
Following is a chronology of all major events pertaining to the Kephan Unity. Stardate 0/7210
The last Space Ark Nuestra Senora de Fatima leaves the Sol system. In their departing message to the U.N., the ship's leaders vow that their descendants would "someday return to Earth and free it from it's godless global Marxist tyranny....even if it took until the end of Time to do it". They are publicly mocked as they leave for the depths of the Milky Way.
brickwall I was rereading this thread, and a couple of thoughts jumped out at me. First, a quick point about the above quoted entry. Strictly speaking, the last Space Ark would have been the ship that took Earth colonists to the world in the Cepheus system that they named Terra Ten, which got corrupted to Terratin, as in the animated episode "The Terratin Incident". You could edit the entry to say it was the ninth, or even another number! Just to keep straight from the animated episode! Secondly, I only have access currently to my original Spaceflight Chronology, upon which the FASA timeline is based. In the Chronology, it mentions the Arks were generation ships, with no FTL. Do the FASA books mention whether that is the same? Before you think I'm trying to undo the Unity, please be assured that is not the case. I have two suggestions to get round an original sublight Ark problem. 1) Check the distance from Earth to the border on the FASA map. If the Ark ramps up its speed to close to light speed, while it would take decades to GET to Kepha, relativistic effects would mean the crews would only have aged a few years. Then, just bump up your colonisation date by a few decades accordingly. 2) As your soon to be Kephans want Earth freed, perhaps they stole plans to be able to modify the Ark drive to a low speed warp engine! Would fit their resistance/freedom fighter ethos! Then you might be able to just bump up the colonisation date by a few years, instead of decades. As I said, I don't mean to mess with your creation, just want to see how you are treating the Arks, so that it fits accordingly. You know how much I've enjoyed your creation of the Kephans. Ooooh! Good point about the Space Ark. Truth be told, I don't know if the FASA books say anything about the Space Ark drives.
If memory serves, Nikola Tesla held that Einstein got it dead wrong on gravity, curved space and BOTH his Special and General Theories of Relativity.
So...maybe....the crew of the Fatima did some Tesla-based modifications to the engine and ZAP! They reach Kepha as soon as they did. Then they power their small cities and towns using Tesla-based technologies. Possibilities here!
Thanks for helping me jog my brain on this, trynda! Hope you also like the new addition on the post-Genesis Planet stuff the Unity did.
Again, many thanks to you and anyone else interested in this! Excelsior!
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Post by brickwall on Aug 13, 2020 20:04:09 GMT -7
My apologies for asking reviews on the latest addition on this thread. But there is always room for improvements. Please let me know if the spirit moves you. Many thanks in advance.
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