Exigency: Camlaan

[Singh]

Ok, I posted this a long, long time ago as merely a premise, but it never got much replies or attention. In any case, the point is that I intend to get started with this story real soon, but for the moment I'll put up the premise, for possible feedback and what-not. Be warned: it is long.

***

Exigency: Camlaan

It is said, by many, many wise men, the world as we know it is only the way it is because of the men and women that have led it there. Many historians argue, however, that humanity is what it is because of it's populace, because of the people themselves.

To a certain extent, they are right. But to a certain extent, they too are wrong.
History, in almost every way, has been affected by a central figure, a central leader that had led on the masses. This figurehead, more often than not, has had the power, and the charisma to affect not just those close to them, but to millions upon millions of people that never even met them. Alexander the Great, Caesar, Genghis Khan, Joan De' Arc, Hitler, Ghandi. Their charm, charisma and strange power has been the source of questions for many a philosopher and analyst. Why are humans led so easily to believe in the one figure, the one hope, rather than recognize the true power in themselves?

Even in every revolution that has been led against these figures, there has been a leader, a primary instigator that rouses the masses and gives them hope. Why does humanity invest everything in just one individual during the time of crisis? A king is given authority and dominance because the people believe he was appointed by God to lead them and give him power. A President is allowed into his post by the people, who believe him to lead them best and give him power. A revolutionary is given charge of a rebellion because it is the people that believe that he can lead them on the right way and give him power.

Without the people, there is no power. But without the leader, there is no way to use that power. Throughout history, each had depended on the other, in some way or the other. Each had co-existed with the other. The roles and position of the People and the Leader had stayed the same, but the way their tasks were carried out changed, and changed immensely over humanity's evolution.

Over the history, after Humanity achieved affordable space flight two thousand and fifty five years after the death of one the historically important leaders, Christ, the need for a single leader once again grew. The people tired of the fractured plane that the Earth had become; of mobs and corporations that worked for greed and for themselves. The Cycle simply repeated itself over and over again, almost a hundred times in a hundred different places on the Earth.

Villages had grown, fractured, and then grown again to form cities in history. The same had grown of groups of cities, before they formed a nation. And hence, the same happened to the nations, till they formed the Planetary Empire.

Earth was united once more, under a leader. Surprisingly, the leader was a woman, and her name was Jen Teresa. She was a kind woman, and had one thing that had led her to power that no other politician had: honesty. She was in most cases, considered a saint, much like her great-grandmother, Mother Teresa.

She led the planet for fifty years; expanding on the space program with as much vigor as possible. Soon, ships were no longer constructed on Earth, and instead the first dedicated yards were made in space. It was named Vindication Station and it was the first step of humanity to the stars.

The second, was the reaching outwards to the heavenly body that had accompanied the Earth from it's very birth, and more than likely, to it's very death as well. Lunar colonies on the moon soon became a reality, and provided a temporary solution to the massive overpopulation issues that had been plaguing the Earth for decades now. However, what little space the Dark side of the moon provided would soon be filled up, and Humanity would have to reach further.

As their eyes gazed across the heavens; they fell upon the other body that had attracted their attention for so many years. The Romans declared it 'he who precedes the army in battle' and then trained and fought, carrying it's name with them for generation upon generation, even naming themselves as the sons of it.
For many, many civilizations, it had gone by many names – Salbatanu; Mangala; Mavors; Cariociecus. But to the humans that now looked upon it as a solution to the current problem. For it was the planet that once was, and still held immense potential. For it was Mars.

Where nature had left it barren and cold, human technology promised to renew and bring it warmth, and life. Where time had left it's surface bare and exposed to the sun, human determination promised to build shelters upon it, and blanket it with a sky.
Humanity looked upon the red and mostly dead planet, and only saw within it the potential for so much greenery, so much life. Indeed, it had once held life and water, and the process required to restore that life was not out of reach of humanity.
But it, like most massive ventures that had come before in humanity's history, this one too took time. But at the rate of human advancement, the more time it took, the shorter it actually became. Ships began to use newer technology, and cut the traveling time immensely. Eventually, in the third decade after the colonization and conversion of the red planet had begun, the breakthrough came.

The exact origin was a small laboratory, and the tale of how it happened is actually one of sheer and utter good luck. However, that tale is for another day. What is important is that a new way had come to travel across the universe; a way that skipped having to travel through the space altogether.

[WARNING: these are extremely technical details and possible scientific/physics theories. If you get bored with physics easily, then skip this to the bolded part further down]

Essentially, the system was two-fold, depending on two different objects for travel purposes. The system itself worked on the little-known method of fold space. If an object needed to travel from point A to point B, the closest distance would be in a straight line, as viewed from a higher dimensional point of view. In theory, it is the perfect and fastest way of skipping the curvature of the universe and allowing for extremely rapid FTL travel. This is the theory of warp that many people talked about, and of how efficient it would be. However, fold space works significantly differently, and is far, far safer than warp.

The problem with warp, is that the universe keeps on moving. At every second of every minute of every hour, the Universe, as a whole, moves and expands. The Galaxy a second ago would be so far behind us, that warping in – unless it can freeze time and become 'instantaneous' – would mean arriving in a completely different part of the Galaxy, or in the void that exists between them.

This problem was clearly demonstrated when almost everything that attempted to use the warp principle – even for distances of millimeters never reappeared where planned. It was only discovered later on the true cause of the problem. Unfortunately, there wasn't any way to solve it – one could not simply ask the Universe to stop on it's own.

Fold space, on the other hand, is something similar, yet totally different.
Warp works on the principle of connecting two points of space in a straight line over a fourth dimension; however, Fold space works on connecting these two points over time, as opposed to space. Although it sounds like time travel, it actually isn't. The basic principle is something like this:

Assume we have two points, A and B that are arbitrary to the universe, moving as the galaxy/planet moves and at the same speed., Between these point is distance X that needs to be covered. If one were to travel form A to B in normal space, it would take Y amount of time, which would be quite long indeed. Say we are traveling at light speed, and that Y = 1 light year. That's still one year's worth of traveling.

Now, assume Z to be the constant flow of Time itself. If one were to trace the events in Time stream Z to the Big Bang, one would find that at one point of time in Z, point A and B were interconnected, and were actually infinitely close enough to be considered as one point – that is C. After the Big Bang occurred, point C split into A and B, which then separated and moved on in the universe.

Assuming we are stating at Point A with a fold space sensor. Now, with the sensor, we scan point A's properties – down to the very last detail. What the Fold space sensor is essentially looking for is what is known as the Fold 'mirror'. The 'mirror' is an extremely, extremely tiny particle – far smaller than Quarks and their components. It is, in fact, the smallest particle known to date, and is present in every particle larger than it. Normally, in normal matter, this particle is impossible to detect by any instruments. Nobody knew it existed till the development of the Pornel Sensor Array, which was specifically made for trying to find Dark Matter.

However, finding the Mirror particles in dark matter is another story altogether. The Vacuum of space that surrounds us is really not a vacuum. Although we cannot directly feel or measure it (except through mirror particles and perhaps gravitons), Dark Matter is present almost all throughout the universe in various degrees of concentration. It has long been theorized that Dark Matter is what is actually holding the universe together, as normal matter only makes a small part of it required for such expansion. However, they seem to hold a strange property that somehow allows mirror particles to exist in far larger masses and sizes than their real-matter cousins. Knowing this, one can easily detect a Mirror particle in dark matter.

A Mirror particle is, in essence, point A of our equation. It contains all the information for that point of space and time. However, what is also etched into its data and properties is a 'reflection' of point B as well, starting from the time when they were both point C. These two particles somehow remain connected, despite time and distance. A Fold space sensor is capable of reading this data, as well as the location of the other particle in both Dark Matter, as well as real space.

The second stage of the cycle involves the instrument that has been made to use this: the Fold space Projector.

The Projector is a relatively advanced development, and inanely complex. Mirror particles, when bombarded with a certain frequency of Theta radiation (a variant of Gamma and Alpha radiation produced by exposing anti-protons to a single Neutron) somehow revert back chronologically, instantaneously switching back to Point C for a infinitely small amount of time before reverting back.

What the Projector does is clever. It essentially forces the 'merger' of the particles for a brief period of time, and then reverses Point C as soon as it appears using more Theta radiation. The end result is now that Point A takes up point B's position, whilst Point B takes Point A's position. The nature of the particles is not the same – one is dark matter, whilst the other real, but their new positions are identical and the overall mass in either side remains the same.

The Projectors can handle any amount of space, volume or tonnage with ease, as it simply needs to bombard the ship's particles with Theta radiation before the shift. There is no real danger in the process, since the only thing getting switched is Dark Matter. There isn't even a danger of dark matter gathering too much – since it's simply replacing the 'real' matter that left the area and enough two-way traffic is there to keep the dark matter levels in the solar system mostly balanced. This allowed not only for fast FTL travel, but efficient one as well.

[/scientific Theory]
What this meant was that once a Fold space scanner has been constructed or built, any nearby object with a Fold space Projector would be able to use it to move them to the connecting point in Fold space, regardless of where it may be.

However, this connecting point is the difficulty, and can range just about anywhere – including other galaxies or even in the space between the galaxies themselves. Fortunately, by simply studying point B carefully it was possible to calcuate where exactly one would pop up; and a new way of manipulating it came out. Mirror particles were moved and changed using the projector, till a combination came up that matched the destination required. There was also the issue of how the ship would get back.
There were no ships capable of carrying a Fold space sensor due to the sheer size of the mechanism. Scouts could essentially go to anywhere, but they would never be able to come back – at least, not without a Fold space sensor. The sensor had a communications range effective within the solar system itself; anything outside of that degraded any data transmission so badly, it was useless. For an effective and efficient method of movement, a system would have to be in place that allowed for two way transport. Eventually a plan was devised before the first venture outside the solar system would be sent. First, however, the resource base for it had to be set up. And these resources would come Mars.

The development of Fold space was a huge boom to the industry, allowing for massive space travel between Earth and Mars within an instant. Ships no longer needed large rockets other than for atmospheric and space maneuvering, allowing them to move lighter and produced cheaper than before. By this time, Earth already had a sizable number of vessels in space, along with Vindication station. The first fold space scanner – named Brahma finished construction in 2094 and the Mars terraforming project began to accelerate at an unprecedented pace. Within the decade after that, nearly a Billion individuals had already managed to colonize and live on Mars, and a second shipyard was being constructed in orbit.

By 2104, Humanity had been preparing to expand outwards, and eventually be able to get to another system. Anti-gravity had already been discovered, allowing for far more efficient ship designs that didn't rotating parts to generating gravity. It also helped the long-range space travel, in regards to atrophy of the limbs and organs.

Using this technology, humanity executed the first stage of the plan. The first target was Alpha Centauri – however, to allow for two-way travel, a Fold space sensor would need to be constructed. The Shipyards began to work on construction ships that would be able to create the sensor within days of reaching there.

Then came the thought; the reasoning, a feeling of insecurity that somehow managed to creep it's way back into Humanity's mind. They had thus far been safe, been secure in their home system. Could other life exist? Such a question was a fancy of many a generation before, and it somehow managed to re-appear in this one. But this time, it appeared with a more pressing need and urgency.

Hence, while the mars shipyards began to create the foundation of new life and colonies; Earth's began to construct the tools and foundation with which to destroy them. In 2115, two ships were simultaneously rolled out. The first was the Spenta Mainyu, the largest ever ship created by human hands and engineering. Taking nearly 11 years to completely construct, she and her supporting fleet took a significant number of resources from both planets to finish. Her twelve-kilometer hull is in essence, a self-sustaining city in space, accommodating more than 10 million inhabitants and colonists. She accompanies and completely dwarfs the army of transports that follow her around, transporting goods and cargoes between her and the construction ships themselves.

Altogether, the fleet of ships that would accompany her numbered 80 or so. Considering the fact that only four planets had been mined and expanded upon at the time, this was a massive investment by all parties involved. However, this was still not as impressive as compared to the investment Earth made into the fleet that would go with the Spenta Mainyu.

When the Mainyu rolled out of it's shipyards around mars, around Earth, another type of ship gracefully exited the dry-docks that had surrounded it for so long. The first of its kind, it and its brethren would one day be responsible for a new age of mankind. A new age of death, sadness and despair. But to the individuals that saw it exit the dry docks on that day, they rightfully saw what it promised them: safety, control and a shield against the unknown.

The first ship to come out was designated the Maxwell, and was Earth's first dedicated warship in space. A ship of the line, future vessels of the same class and size would be bearing the same class name.

At several hundred meters long, the Maxwell class originated from the same basic hull as the Icarus cargo vessel, which was completely stripped and refitted with military systems and weapons. Everything was replaced; up to and including several power generators and engine components.

A full fleet of these ships had been built in the shipyards. At several hundred meters long, they were in no capacity as large as the Mainyu, but they made up for it in military prowess and numbers. A total of a hundred of these ships had been built, and one by one, each gracefully exited the ship yards to form up in Earth orbit. Although they were made here, and born here, not one would remain around their home for very long.

When the fleet took up formation around the planet, the captains on board paid their last salutes, and then jumped to Mars, where they formed up along side the Mainyu.
Three hours later, the entire fleet, a total of one-hundred and eighty ships, jumped to Alpha Centauri and within two days, set up the first-ever man made structure outside of the Solar system.

This series of events repeated itself for nearly a century, with colonies being settled and construction going on at a rapid pace. Within three years of setting up, a Colony became self sustaining, and was able to send resources back to Earth, for the construction of more and more ships. At the same time, technology began to grow in complexity and advancement. Soon, fold space drives became single-component pieces, allowing ships to move from any point of space to the other. The only problem, of course, was the delay it took between getting there. In-system travel was instantaneous if a Fold space sensor was present; while anything further out involved several seconds of travel time. But it was, of course, still faster than going at light speed.

By 2200, the Planetary Empire's total size encompassed nearly thirty-five systems, and the ranks of it's military fleet swelled to more than a thousand ships, with only a single new class of capital ship being built – the Intrepid class carrier, to be specific. But with no conceivable threats, it stayed at that figure, for the most part. There weren’t much advancement in terms of offensive technology, but rather, most new innovations were geared towards maintenance and efficient running of the ships. Although one couldn't justify their presence, at the same time once couldn't justify removing them either, so the best solution was to keep them with minimal impact to resources.
It is said that History does indeed repeat itself. And this was exactly what had happened.

Many, many millennia ago, the Roman Empire expanded outwards under the leadership of its generals and armies. They held most of the known world within their iron grip, either crushing those that opposed them or subjecting those that didn't. The empire grew outwards, growing ever larger, till it seemed like there would be no force to stop them.

But history is not only cruel, it is selective.
Most empires, most effective governments are created upon the shoulders of a single person; one individual that represents the investment, the time and the trust of an entire populace. This connection between the individual and the masses is far, far deeper than one may think. When given such power, an Individual’s action – even the simplest one – can affect millions of others, whilst the dissent and other actions of the masses has equal plays on the Leader’s mind and problems.

One could go far as to say, for an empire to exist and sustain itself, it requires a leader that is willing to go the distance for his people; willing to put not only the people in pain for their own good, but himself as well. It requires, in other words, a leader to care not about the power, but about what it is supposed to be used for.
But there is another, equally valid saying – one that is descriptive of most of human nature. Once an individual is given such absolute power, such control…it tends to corrupt absolutely.

It is human nature to make mistakes. Any individual can overlook one factor, or the other. Although many people think it is possible to prevent mistakes, it never actually is. Mistakes occur in the most extra-ordinary ways possible, and simply increasing the number of people in an attempt counter them doesn’t work. In fact, it makes the eventual mistake so large, it affects all those involved. The same goes for the masses, and its leaders.

In 2209, Creon Dale was appointed as the new leader of the Planetary Empire, in place of Eleen Menoecus. Born and raised on mars, he had quickly ascended up the Political ladder, lying, backstabbing and generally forcing his way up to the final spot as leader. But to the masses, he was a hero; one that deserved the position, and his actions seemed to support this. This was their greatest mistake; and as they would witness, the cycle would once again be repeated.

When he got to power, his cruelty and greed immediately went to work, changing the empire and bringing about reforms that granted him more power. Although the change was slow, its effects were definitely visible. However, he charmed the masses, lulling them into a false sense of security and deceiving them, hence buying himself more time. The first thing he did was to secretly increase the military’s control and power. He built new ships, and sent them out to areas that were the most opposed to him, silencing them.

More and more people began to become restless, however, and soon the feeling of anger spread.

But Creon was ready for this, and struck before it could grow. In the areas of most unrest, he immediately established garrisons, bringing the planets under martial law, and then forcing them to work for him. The empire mostly stayed the same, and was still orderly, but it became significantly more oppressive. Although the people were restless, there was little they could do. The general attitude prevailed was that as long as they paid their taxes, they would be left alone.

This new empire continued to expand and grow as well, and remained in control despite the situation.

But still, there were those who disliked the change.

In the past, such empires would run for centuries before they were cut out by revolutions and rebellions, mostly because the people could never communicate fast enough to organize one. However, technology had brought with it one thing for humanity: the freedom of information. With information, came power.

Such power acted as a lure to those that wanted the reverse the change; to remove the emperor and restore the previous, more beneficial order. And so history went on to repeat itself and a rebellion began to form. But with all Rebellions, a leader was needed.

That leader came in the form of Rear Admiral Christopher Han Ophois. He was the commander of the fifty-third task force, which had been assigned to the Camlann system. Born and raised there, Christopher had been in the Empire’s navy for nearly thirty years, earning several commisions and medals throughout his long service. He was finally awarded the rank of Rear Admiral in 2213, at the ripe age of 50.
However, at the time, the system of Camlann was undergoing a shift in stance, a turmoil in politics. It was at the very edge of the empire, being the furthest system from Earth. And it was here, that the greatest amount of unrest began.

Christopher saw this unrest develop, and instead of moving to quell it – for some unknown reason, actually encouraged it. Empire Intelligence has till now unable to figure out why he did it, or how for that matter, but the Admiral had managed to start a small resistance movement against the Empire in secret. Within a year, the planetary governer died of ‘natural causes’ and a puppet had been installed. Using the Admiral’s help and that of the populace, the rebels here not only remained in secrecy, but were able to use elements of the shipyards above for their means.

Their secret remained that way for the next seven years, expanding outwards to some of the other colonies and the unrest growing. Although the empire sent ships elsewhere, they never suspected anything was going on at Camlann. The official resource shortages had been blamed on floods, low resource sources and general inefficiency.

And then, finally, on 14th December, 2220, Admiral Christopher revealed to the empire what he and the rebels had been working on, and the salvation he promised to the people.

It came in the form of six new warships; massive ships, each over two kilometers in length, they had enough firepower individually to Devastate a planet with ease, and enough collectively to oppose the Empire that attacked them.

Each ship was a ship of the line; and each had been given a name corresponding to the cycle of the day, in respect for the continuing cycle of time, and history.

The Twilight; The Dawn; The Day; The Eve, The Dusk and The Night. 6 warships, that would herald the new age for mankind. Each was paired with an element of the regular fleets under Christopher’s command, providing support and bringing to bear massive firepower against the by far smaller destroyers.

The empire wasn’t ready for such a thing – indeed, how could it have been, as blind as it was? Christopher himself led the battle from The Eve, and led the first attack against the very heart of the empire: Earth itself.

The warships and fleets jumped into the system right above Earth itself, where they then proceeded to strike against the shipyards and the fleet stationed there. Despite being outnumbered three to one, not one of the Cruisers were even dented by the far smaller Maxwell ships. Before carrier assets could be mobilized, however, the fleet jumped out and conducted raids against other systems. Within twenty four hours, they had managed to cripple the Empire’s primary ship production facility significantly.
A total of 12 star systems had defected, while Christopher moved to take around 3 more – the Luyten, Procyon and Sirius systems, holding on to them with an iron grip that the Empire couldn’t shake. The Luyten and Procyon worlds had made up a quarter of the Empire’s industrial production, and the capture by the rebel forces had essentially nullified that advantage. There is no idea, however, as to why Sirius was captured as well, considering the fact that the system closest to it – Epsilon Eridani - was a major strategic outpost and stronghold that had been just ripe for the picking at the time. Whether this was delibrate or a blunder is unconfirmed.

Creon could not simply sit idly, however, and struck back with equal – if not greater ferocity. He pushed ship production in the remaining systems into full gear, increasing the number of carriers he had immensely. Pilot training programs went into full gear, whilst massive number of new fighter and bomber classes was built to offset the Rebel’s advantage in ship size. Within days of the opening of hostilities, both sides had managed to figure out a way to jam Fold Space jumps near key installations, thereby nullifying the strike capability of the

[Singh]

This prolonged the war significantly, with both sides building up ships and sending them into the conflict. Initially, the empire had stayed on the defensive, concentrating on reviving the crippled fleet and then protecting the resource lines to and from Earth. They had twice the number of ships as the rebels, yet they were unable to fight back, due to the massive cruisers that stopped them at every turn. The rebels did their best to press the attack, however, and managed to make significant headway against the systems closest to them.

The war continued on for nearly a year, with neither side making any headway. Millions of Individuals died within a year, while millions more arose from the planets to take their place amongst the crews of the starships and fighters that fought above their homes.

Admiral Christopher is still in the lead of the war against the Emperor. However, as time passed on, he was seen less and less in battle, but instead shuffling back and forth between Camlann and Sirius. Nobody knew why he was doing this. But at the least, to the Empire, this was an opportunity.

With industrial production recovering and the new Behemoth class Bomber and the Maahes anti-matter bomb being introduced, it was now possible for the empire to fight back against the cruisers. The Behemoth was one of the Empire’s fastest and heaviest strike bombers. Capable of essentially jumping in, firing torpedoes and then exiting the area within 4 seconds, it was the only fighter craft that had been fitted with an intra-system Fold space drive.

Previously, carriers had to appear on the scene to deliver the bombers and then picking them up, forcing a significant amount of risk in case any cruiser showed up. In fact the carriers Dauntless, Menace and the Rage were all destroyed this way, while the Havana and the Imperial Might were destroyed by co-coordinated fleet actions. Having the ability to project fighter and bomber power without risking the carriers would prove crucial to the Empire. It would allow, for once, the removal of the six cruisers without risking the presence of the Empire itself.

This was proven on 15th January 2222, when the empire began its offensive against Admiral Christopher’s base of operations in Procyon. A fleet of Fourteen Maxwell class destroyers engaged the Dusk and it’s escorting destroyers, with support being provided by the carrier Truth, which was hiding in the asteroid belt nearby. The Behemoth saw it’s first combat usage against the Dusk here, and it proved to be immensely successful. Around a grand total of fifty-five Bombers jumped out near the Dusk’s position, immediately locking onto it with their torpedoes – numbering almost a hundred in total. The Dusk responded back, with aid from the nearby Destroyer’s anti-fighter flak cannons, neutralizing almost all the bombs. Then the bombers immediately launched a second salvo, which overwhelmed the defensive guns.

The first salvo caught the Eve mid ships, causing minor damage to the hull there. Only around fourteen of the one hundred anti-matter bombs had actually managed to hit her. However, the second salvo was a completely different story. Over fifty-five bombs managed to get through to her hell, each one capitalizing on the first strike, and delivering massive damage to the cruiser, eventually breaking through the armor and impacting upon the internal structure itself. Explosions ripped through the entire structure of the Dusk, tearing her asunder. Her reactor exploded as well, adding to the explosion that brightened the darkness of space with the fury of a new-born star.

Only the Vigilant and the Dashor left the battle alive, along with three bomber pilots. But they had left the Dusk as a slowly expanding field of debris, neutralizing one of the Rebel’s greatest assets.

The Rebellion was stunned at this. Till now, the cruisers had proven to be a good source of morale; an iron fist that could not be destroyed by the Empire. Yet, one had fallen. Would the Rebellion be able to hold the others? Or would those, too, suffer similar fates?

Rather than let the speculation grow, Christopher immediately ordered the hunting down and destruction of the carriers, before another strike could take place. To better defend the Cruisers, he consolidated them nearby dedicated anti-fighter ships, learning from the bitter experience.

But the Empire pressed on with it’s advantage, moving into the Procyon system and landing troops on Procyon IV and V on January 16th, and had managed to secure a weary and relieved population by January 24th.

The next three days saw more intense fighting than the rest of the war combined. In what seemed like a series of desperate chess moves, Christopher combined some of his task forces together, making sure that four of the five remaining carriers would remain with at least one other, to ensure maximum safety.

Determined not to loose the advantage, Creon immediately ordered the 15th Itenary Task Force. He also redeployed the Truth along with the carriers Perseverance, Malevolence and Justice to attack the cruisers Dawn and the Day, on the 25th of January. Both of cruisers had gathered at the Luyten VI shipyards and were ready for them.

A total force of two hundred allied capital ships attacked the rebel fleet stationed there, which outnumbered them two to one. However, rather than go straight for the Cruisers, the Behemoth bombers immediately engaged the destroyers and frigates, doing their best to strip away the shield of anti-fighter defenses that hung around the cruisers. The battle had begun at exactly 0900 local time.

It would end only on 0900 the next day.

For twenty-four hours, both sides poured enormous amounts of resources into the battle; neither willing to give in. As a rebel ship was destroyed, two more came into to replace it; while the same happened for the Empire’s ships. Behemoth bombers expended their cargo, only to watch as it was shot down in a hail of flak and beam cannons. The number of bombers available went so critically low, the Empire sent in its last two carriers, the Manheim and the Benevolence to aid in the battle. This proved to be the final tip in the scales. The Rebels soon ran out of re-enforcements, limiting the number of Destroyers they had. However, they were still holding out against the Empire’s ships with ease.

And then, something happened.

Twenty-four hours into the battle, the Commodores in charge of the Dawn and the Day jumped out immediately, their destination: the newly detected carrier group. The carriers had been unescorted – all the ships being involved in the combat themselves. It was an incredible mistake by the Empire; one that could have cost them the entire war.

However, when the cruisers appeared off the Bow of the carriers, they did so as the final bomber flights were launching. Rather than jumping to the scene of the battle, the bombers engaged the cruisers directly, destroying the plan. The Cruisers themselves had no escorts either, and their anti-fighter guns were lacking enough that they were no match for the sheer number of bombers that were coming at them.

Ten minutes after they attempted to ambush the carriers, the debris from the Dawn and the Day joined the asteroid field around them in their slow revolution around the sun. However, it came at a price. The Carriers Benevolence, Manheim and Justice fell to the cruiser’s first barrage. The second barrage from the Dawn severely damaged the Malevolence, rendering it inoperable and crippled.

However, once rebel forces had learned of the failed ambush, they immediately retreated from the system despite having the better odds against the Empire. It was a major defeat for the Rebellion, one that would spark the end in the days to come.

But this was at most, a pyrrhic victory for the Empire. In those twenty four hours of combat, they had sent in at least three hundred ships, bringing the total number engaged in combat to five hundred. However, only fifty-eight ships actually survived the conflict in battle-ready condition. Within twenty-four hours, a total of nearly 3 million individuals had died in that one conflict alone. The debris from the wrecked and destroyed ships would soon form a permanent ring around the planet, the collective mass of which was predicted to cause tidal disturbances in the long run.

Picking up the peaces, however, the Emperor was determined to continue. The battles continued on, and the Rebel’s star systems fell one by one as they retreated back and re-grouped. Only Sirius, Camlann and three other systems lay in their control by 10th of February.

On the 15th of February, the Empire launched a second, major offensive, this time against Camlann itself. The Cruisers Twilight and Night were waiting for them. However Admiral Christopher and the Eve were nowhere to be seen. It was believed that he had fled to Sirius during the time in-between.

By this time, the carriers Truth and Perseverance had had their bomber stocks replenished, and were battle-hardened enough to attack the Cruisers effectively. Creon, however, wanted to crush the rebellion in one, final sweep.

He sent the orders down the chain to prepare for a massed-land invasion, despite the advise of his generals. A massed invasion of the planet without proper orbital support would be difficult – especially if they ended up being unable to win the space battle. Calmann was a virtual fortress now, nearly impregnable. It was difficult enough as it is - as long as even one hostile capital vessel remained in orbit, it would be near impossible.

Worse still, to launch the craft, the Carriers would have to be in-system with the Cruisers, putting the Empire’s entire plan into Jeapordy.

However, Creon did not care. He simply wanted to take back the system, and to do it immediately. Delaying would give Admiral Christopher time to fight back, or organize some other defense. To assist in the invasion, several special forces troops were activated to go along with the regular infantry. These included the 104th Black Eagles Special Ops division, the 290th Vipers aerial superiority squadron and the 303rd Dark Claymores.

The Dark Claymores were a special squadron, designed to go and operate behind enemy lines. They were the best out of all the special ops units, and would soon become the key to the ground invasion.

On the 20th of February, 2222, the Empire’s ships jumped into Calmnann and engaged the Rebel ships. Carriers launched their bombers against the cruisers, but at the same time prepared to load soldiers into the troop transports that would take them down to the planet below.

Our story, despite having seen so much, does not start here, however. It starts significantly earlier with a small squadron of police and customs officials. In particular, is the fate of one pilot that had the oppurtunity to prevent the rebellion, and his story of how he sought to battle with fate and the admiral. It a story of how he discovered the Admiral's true purpose, and of the secrets that lay buried beneath the cities of humanity...

[pcorbett]

Okay, lots of criticism.

1. There is no story here. No scene. No action. No characters to speak of. This sounds more like a first draft treatment of the setup, and it's overly long in that respect.

2. The "physics" infodump, aside from lacking much of any connection to whatever narrative you were trying to construct, is pure technobabble. You spend a lot of time rehashing an analogy that most of your readers will have heard of and then spend the rest of the time handwaving that into some sort of technology that makes even less sense.

3. The opening sociological discussion tries for epic scope, but falls flat is kind of boring.

4. You write in the passive voice way too much.

5. There's nothing wrong with a Galactic Empire in a civil war retread, but this comes across extremely derivative--especially given my four previous criticisms.

I'd take this back, keep the setting in a general sense, toss out the infodumps and actually craft a narrative. Otherwise, this reads more like a "story idea" than anything else.

[Silence]

Originally Posted by pcorbett

Okay, lots of criticism.

1. There is no story here. No scene. No action. No characters to speak of. This sounds more like a first draft treatment of the setup, and it's overly long in that respect.

Perhaps in your zest to offer such helpful advice, you should read the first paragraph.

Ok, I posted this a long, long time ago as merely a premise, but it never got much replies or attention. In any case, the point is that I intend to get started with this story real soon, but for the moment I'll put up the premise, for possible feedback and what-not. Be warned: it is long.

Of course there is no story, its a bloody background infodump for the story that will be forthcoming. Complaining about there is no story in a post that explicitly says its merely a premise at this stage is well comes across to me as moronic and arrogant and that you couldn't be half assed to bother reading the very start of the post. Its like arguing that there is no character development of characters in a movie trailer, its not the point of the endeavor at that stage.

[Singh]

Originally Posted by pcorbett

Okay, lots of criticism.

1. There is no story here. No scene. No action. No characters to speak of. This sounds more like a first draft treatment of the setup, and it's overly long in that respect.

2. The "physics" infodump, aside from lacking much of any connection to whatever narrative you were trying to construct, is pure technobabble. You spend a lot of time rehashing an analogy that most of your readers will have heard of and then spend the rest of the time handwaving that into some sort of technology that makes even less sense.

3. The opening sociological discussion tries for epic scope, but falls flat is kind of boring.

4. You write in the passive voice way too much.

5. There's nothing wrong with a Galactic Empire in a civil war retread, but this comes across extremely derivative--especially given my four previous criticisms.

I'd take this back, keep the setting in a general sense, toss out the infodumps and actually craft a narrative. Otherwise, this reads more like a "story idea" than anything else.

As Silence mentioned, this isn't a full story (or any kind of story for that matter) yet. I'm already working on the first chapter and narrative, but for the moment all you see here is a premise; a giant, inefficient blurb of information to give perspective on the background and where it's going to take place.

The premise wasn't even technically supposed to evolve into a proper story, either, but more of an eventual script and plot. It was the basis of an aborted computer game I was going to develop with a bunch of friends a long, long time ago, so yeah, such things dont exactly count all that much

Still, points noted on the infodump and socio-narratives. I'll see what I can do about fixing them in the first chapter/proper narratives

[victorhadin]

The story/ premise/ intro is stored and ready to be critiqued: I'll wait 'till after work.

[victorhadin]

Righto, I gather it is a premise and shall treat it as such, though I am somewhat mystified as to why such effort is required on what is basically an intro: Without character-based narrative it is worth nothing, so why bother? Hey-ho. I’ll treat it as you ask.

Firstly nitpicks, as per tradition:

-‘Exigency: Camlaan’ is an absolutely awful name. Please change it for something more user-friendly.
-Your initial sociology spiel is probably the best written section of the whole thing, but you overuse the word ‘figure’ (as in ‘authority figure’): It is a neutral word that does not help the reader connect with your writing. Use something more personal instead, maybe.
-Why does the first leader have to be called ‘Jen Teresa’? Why is the name ‘Teresa’ mentioned at all, indeed? Does it have relevance? Otherwise, this smacks of cliché for the purpose of easy scene-setting. I think you should make her a real individual instead and ditch the historical connection, as historical analogies encourage a lazy written style, and should be avoided on that basis alone.
-For that matter, why is the name ‘Teresa’ retained at all? Is she unmarried? –A peculiar planetary leader, methinks.
-‘Vindication Station’? It sounds like a toilet cleaner.
-I ignored the jump-gate thingy techy nonsense: It doesn’t add to the story and should be removed altogether. Nobody really cares how ship A gets to place B via C, as long as they do.
-You said:

Most empires, most effective governments are created upon the shoulders of a single person; one individual that represents the investment, the time and the trust of an entire populace.

I disagree, as will a great many people. It is wise not to attempt to place yourself on a soapbox when you write in the narrative; your characters may have all sorts of ideological viewpoints, but the narrator shouldn’t. It removes some of the consistency if the reader actively disagrees with the premise, so go easy on the social monologues.
-How was Camlann/ Camlaan made into a secret puppet nation? Puppet nations are not subtle like that, and keeping the whole thing a secret is a tall order unlikely to be achieved, particularly when the puppet is building warships. People talk. I think you need to reinvent the premise a little here.
-Seriously, who calls a warship ‘Menace’ or ‘Rage’? –Come on now, don’t be so blatant when you label an evil empire: Give the reader credit for some intelligence and be neutral in your vessel-naming Generally speaking, the bad guys are just as good with names as the good guys, and better with uniforms.
(I’m reminded of a sketch in a recent TV comedy which had two Nazi officers, with one quite disturbed by the fact that they all seemed to be wearing skulls on their lapels. He then says “Are we… are we the bad guys?” I laughed my arse off.)
-Why does a massive space battle centred around a strategic military production facility only take 24 hours, and not 24 days or 24 seconds? Space is big, and it strikes me that battles should either be very, very fast (nuke goes off, the end) or very, very slow (ships keep chasing each other for ever).
-How can a disperse ring of orbiting metal cause tidal fluctuations? Come on man, admit it: You just made that up to sound impressive.


Anyhow, now onto more general stuff:

-Your narrative is, for the most part, pretty good (ignoring the techy infodump and the battle narratives). You give the premise well and line up the various factions with a pleasing theatrical flourish, which is nice. Nonetheless, you tend to get sucked into irrelevant detail a bit too often; saying ‘a hundred ships fought with a thousand smaller ships and three million people died in twenty four hours’ sounds like a good thing to include in a movie, but not in a book. There are too many numbers and figures, too much irrelevant detail. It doesn’t matter: Only characters matter, so I hope you fix this in the genuine article, once you write it.
-I thought that overall the premise, though well constructed vis-à-vis intrigue and room for plotting was on the whole more than a tad clichéd. All the historical analogies/ Napoleonics-in-space/ imperial rise-and-fall/ hero & villain rubbish slows down your writing and makes things a little staid and predictable. Why not try for something new?
-For that matter, why is this a military thing? 95% of all the garbage spewed out on the fan-fiction forum is military fiction, and it’s a very easy thing to fuck up and load with clichés, which is why I avoid it. By contrast, only a tiny minority of published mainstream fiction is militaristic in nature. There is a reason for this.
Whenever I read something on these forums that includes ‘Captain Bigjob stood on the bridge of the Starship Thingummy and stared narrow-eyed at the starfield’ I stop reading and go and do something else, because the narrative is clearly going to be dull and predictable as hell. Stem the military romanticism and try for something a little different: It’s the best way of growing as a writer, and you’ll end up with a better story.
-This is more of a nitpick really, but seriously: Why was the empire constructing military vessels in the first place anyway? You identified no actual threat.
-Once again I reiterate: Make characters the focus of your actual work, not events. You may already be doing this, but I felt it needed repeating just in case you weren’t, as event-based plots with cardboard characters are a chore to read through, no matter how many nuclear spaceships you stuff into them. Start as you mean to go on: With a main character doing something that reflects his or her disposition, and keep the militarism away from the first chapter at least.
-Humanity’s progress through space and so-forth as you’ve visualised it seems a little overdone in SF, and the road well-travelled is a bad one to use in literature. Instead of the usual steady outwards progression through space colonialism, why not go for something a little bit special? You’re not here to write someone else’s story after all, so make up something radical & unique and use that instead.


Anyhow, overall I reckon you’ve got more than enough skill with your writing style to craft readable chapters, but the real question is whether the stuff you put into those chapters will be worth it: Keep the characterisation at the top of the agenda, keep away from military romanticism & accompanying clichés and make sure not to introduce too many subplots and you’ll be fine.

But just for me, give the military stuff a rest maybe? It’s overexposed as it is so… well, please?? J

[Singh]

Whoa! Quite a bit of feedback. This'll take some time to respond to.

Originally Posted by victorhadin

Righto, I gather it is a premise and shall treat it as such, though I am somewhat mystified as to why such effort is required on what is basically an intro: Without character-based narrative it is worth nothing, so why bother? Hey-ho. I’ll treat it as you ask.

Firstly nitpicks, as per tradition:

-‘Exigency: Camlaan’ is an absolutely awful name. Please change it for something more user-friendly.

Give me a suggestion, and I'll take it then.

Some reasoning for the name, though: Initially I've planned for the entire story to pan across three areas, though. The first story arc is in Camlaan (Hence the title), while the second is in Deneb, and the final one on Earth itself. I wanted to give a good enough name to the fit, and the names 'crysis' doesn't really strike very well, nor does 'disaster' and the like.

As mentioned, I'm open to suggestions.

[quote]
-Your initial sociology spiel is probably the best written section of the whole thing, but you overuse the word ‘figure’ (as in ‘authority figure’): It is a neutral word that does not help the reader connect with your writing. Use something more personal instead, maybe.
[/quite]

Noted, I'll probably change it in the premise, but I really dont intend to use the above blurb for much more than a rough intro (i'm working on a seperate narrative as it is)

-Why does the first leader have to be called ‘Jen Teresa’? Why is the name ‘Teresa’ mentioned at all, indeed? Does it have relevance? Otherwise, this smacks of cliché for the purpose of easy scene-setting. I think you should make her a real individual instead and ditch the historical connection, as historical analogies encourage a lazy written style, and should be avoided on that basis alone.
-For that matter, why is the name ‘Teresa’ retained at all? Is she unmarried? –A peculiar planetary leader, methinks.
-‘Vindication Station’? It sounds like a toilet cleaner.

Every name I've chosen in this story has a purpose, from Teresa to Vindication to even the good Admiral's name. A hidden purpose can be placed behind names, be it intentionally or unintentionally

-I ignored the jump-gate thingy techy nonsense: It doesn’t add to the story and should be removed altogether. Nobody really cares how ship A gets to place B via C, as long as they do.

Yah, on second thought that section ought to be removed. But some folks just like to know how things may work (hence the warning to skip it).

I disagree, as will a great many people. It is wise not to attempt to place yourself on a soapbox when you write in the narrative; your characters may have all sorts of ideological viewpoints, but the narrator shouldn’t. It removes some of the consistency if the reader actively disagrees with the premise, so go easy on the social monologues.

Whether you agree or not on this point is a matter for a seperate discussion, since I feel it to be true to a certain extent. But I do get your point on the narrative's nuetral stance. However, this sorta conflicts with your piece of advise several lines earlier, of the wording being a bit too neutral. Which should I follow? Or is there a thin line somewhere in-between?

-How was Camlann/ Camlaan made into a secret puppet nation? Puppet nations are not subtle like that, and keeping the whole thing a secret is a tall order unlikely to be achieved, particularly when the puppet is building warships. People talk. I think you need to reinvent the premise a little here.
-Seriously, who calls a warship ‘Menace’ or ‘Rage’? –Come on now, don’t be so blatant when you label an evil empire: Give the reader credit for some intelligence and be neutral in your vessel-naming Generally speaking, the bad guys are just as good with names as the good guys, and better with uniforms.

The story behind the first arc deals with your first point directly, though. I agree that is seems improbable such a thing could happen, but impossible? Hardly.

To the second point I point you to the British military's practice of naming it's ships the same way. An intimidating name always brings more fear to your enemies, even if it does sound a bit cliched. Besides, the question remains up in the air here as to whom the real bad guys are.

-Why does a massive space battle centred around a strategic military production facility only take 24 hours, and not 24 days or 24 seconds? Space is big, and it strikes me that battles should either be very, very fast (nuke goes off, the end) or very, very slow (ships keep chasing each other for ever).

Because of the fact that neither side refuse to give up, and for every ship lost to that nuke, they sent two more and on and on? You have ships with a large amount of durability, yet against and in significant numbers, a large set of distances to cover, and yes, even some blockades in terms of how many can come in at one time. 24 hours seem right to me if its a dedicated assault, and neither side cares of the cost of victory. But it is a story for another time and another place, really

-How can a disperse ring of orbiting metal cause tidal fluctuations? Come on man, admit it: You just made that up to sound impressive.

Yah, so I wanked quite a bit on that. Most people would, so come cut me a bit of slack there will ya?

[quote]
Anyhow, now onto more general stuff:

-Your narrative is, for the most part, pretty good (ignoring the techy infodump and the battle narratives). You give the premise well and line up the various factions with a pleasing theatrical flourish, which is nice. Nonetheless, you tend to get sucked into irrelevant detail a bit too often; saying ‘a hundred ships fought with a thousand smaller ships and three million people died in twenty four hours’ sounds like a good thing to include in a movie, but not in a book. There are too many numbers and figures, too much irrelevant detail. It doesn’t matter: Only characters matter, so I hope you fix this in the genuine article, once you write it.
[quote]

Noted. The Genuine article is completely character driven, just to address your concerns in the next few points.

-I thought that overall the premise, though well constructed vis-à-vis intrigue and room for plotting was on the whole more than a tad clichéd. All the historical analogies/ Napoleonics-in-space/ imperial rise-and-fall/ hero & villain rubbish slows down your writing and makes things a little staid and predictable. Why not try for something new?

Well, I really dont have much to say to that, save that I'll do my best and see if I cant come up with something new then. :/

-For that matter, why is this a military thing? 95% of all the garbage spewed out on the fan-fiction forum is military fiction, and it’s a very easy thing to fuck up and load with clichés, which is why I avoid it. By contrast, only a tiny minority of published mainstream fiction is militaristic in nature. There is a reason for this.

Whenever I read something on these forums that includes ‘Captain Bigjob stood on the bridge of the Starship Thingummy and stared narrow-eyed at the starfield’ I stop reading and go and do something else, because the narrative is clearly going to be dull and predictable as hell. Stem the military romanticism and try for something a little different: It’s the best way of growing as a writer, and you’ll end up with a better story.

Mostly because it's really all I ever grew up on (in terms of science fiction at least) and I've actually been in a military as well? (albeit, more towards the service side)

Ok, those are really crappy reasons, but seriously, why not? I'm not aiming to be part of that 95% of crap anyway, and you DO tend to have characters even in militaries as well, you know. Besides, writing average Billy Joe Bob doing crazy stuff on a whim without any prior background sounds too Mary Sue-ish to me.

That said, though, again the military will matter little here; and I'm aiming more for an ideological battle between individuals than I am actual military forces.

-This is more of a nitpick really, but seriously: Why was the empire constructing military vessels in the first place anyway? You identified no actual threat.

Paranoia and the needs for arms industries to stay in business. Capitalism and Government at it's finest.

-Once again I reiterate: Make characters the focus of your actual work, not events. You may already be doing this, but I felt it needed repeating just in case you weren’t, as event-based plots with cardboard characters are a chore to read through, no matter how many nuclear spaceships you stuff into them. Start as you mean to go on: With a main character doing something that reflects his or her disposition, and keep the militarism away from the first chapter at least.

Point addressed a few paras above.

-Humanity’s progress through space and so-forth as you’ve visualised it seems a little overdone in SF, and the road well-travelled is a bad one to use in literature. Instead of the usual steady outwards progression through space colonialism, why not go for something a little bit special? You’re not here to write someone else’s story after all, so make up something radical & unique and use that instead.

Like what? Steady inwards progression? There are only so many logical ways to go about it, before either one is accused of ripping someone else off, or before the reader starts to question whether this society is human or not. I agree that a radical and unique angle can be good, but there are really so many ways it can go bad too.

But just for me, give the military stuff a rest maybe? It’s overexposed as it is so… well, please?? J

I'll do my best...but I cant promise much, really. Still, we'll see once the first chapter is up (which should be by later today, hopefully).

[Singh]

Here we go, the first, utterly crap chapter/prologue of what will probably end up being a rather crap story overall. :/


Personal Log,
Christopher Han Ophois,
10th November, 2220


There are days now…days I wish that I were in a dream, a nightmare, or anyplace away from reality at this moment. I used to dream so long ago…back when I could still sleep…back when my mind had a way out of the entrapments and intricate plots it schemed to place upon those under me. Of course, I used to have nightmares then as well…but now I cherish even those terror-filled experiences, if only because the truth I see everyday is so much more fearsome, and the actions that I must undertake so horrible.

I see it everywhere; in the way my colleagues talk, move and even work. I observe in their collective movements - be it conscious or unconscious - exactly what I have observed in the collective movements of the colony below…just as I have observed in humanity’s history as well. From Jesus to Alexander to Hitler…all of them had at the noon of their lives, what I now hold in the dusk of mine.

Many people claim that the wills that guide a nation come from that of the masses; that the wishes of the many can displace that of the individual. It is not a foolish claim, and indeed, to a certain extent it is true. Power is greatest when pooled together into a collective, after all, and without the support of his peers, an individual is powerless…but yet, I see that this isn’t completely true, either.

The question begged at me so long ago when I was but a child: how did these great individuals manage to gain so much power in history? How did they somehow rise above needing the support of their peers; to become enough of a legend that some were even able to move against, and then over-rule the wishes of the many? Why is it that in history, I see it happen so many times, with so many rulers and in so many places? It cannot be a simple coincidence…nor can it be something as simple as sheer charisma or indeed, luck for that matter. For a long time I thought there was something hidden there; something beneath the surface that allows these individuals to have so much power.

Soon after, when I learnt more of the world, and of humanity at large…I realized that this power came from one of the most basic of instincts, the most basic of human emotions: fear.

It is the fear of the Alpha male, the pack leader – whatever you may call it – that usually keeps the rest in line. It is the sub-ordinate’s fear of repercussions, of loosing one’s place in the chain of authority that partially allows a leader to exercise and flex a greater amount of his own authority. But as I soon found out, this fear was actually somewhat tainted. It befell prey to a second, more basic human instinct that over-ruled it on the rare few occasions where the leaders were usurped, and rebellions took place. It was quite simply plain greed.

This basic instinct was so…fascinating to me at the time. By manipulating it amongst my peers, I found that I could get them to do anything I so desired. Their greed for money, power…to essentially become that Alpha male, that leader…it drove some of them to madness, and as I would eventually watch and learn, even to death.

I still remember it to this day the events during my stay at the Nova colony …the first few people to have died by my actions…my manipulations. I was merely a teenager back then, learning and expanding beyond the scope of most of my friends. I sat and watched them talk day in and day out, saw how each one would try to unconsciously jockey for position over the others. I remained as nothing but a mute witness to all of this…at least, till I decided to interfere.

All it took was a few words…carefully chosen, each one spoken so carefully and uniquely that it suited the needs of the ears that heard them. The desired reactions were surprisingly, rather predictable…dangerously so. I knew of sociology and social engineering at the time…unfortunately, I wish I knew that it could sometimes be too effective. I watched from the sidelines as friend turned against friend; and their hidden fears of each other soon turned into suspicion and paranoia. I looked on in a frightening glee as the paranoid feelings and their confessed thoughts turned into what was indeed the most awe-inspiring aspect to me at the time: hate.

It is surprising, really, what hate can do. It can bring together nations and people…and it can make them crumble. It can ruin even the most serene and peaceful of lives; driving apart the greatest of lovers with an ease that was terrifying to me. Yet, the bonds which it could in rare circumstance create could withstand far greater tests than one could image.

But the circumstances in which I viewed this instinct in action were hardly ideal for such bonds. To date I do not know which terrifies me most…the cruelty and horrors the allies inflicted on each other…or the calm passiveness and indifference with which I watched the entire scene unfold.

It is perhaps that lack of care that I felt then and afterwards, when even more people died through my actions… the stone-cold heart that I somehow manage to inherit, which has given me the strength to continue all these years. I have seen many a leader come and go, and I have seen many an aspiring individual willing to rise the ranks; giving in to his greed or fear, whichever his instinct comes to the foreground first.

But one could just say the same things about myself. How did Christopher Han Ophois reach the rank of Admiral? I accuse so many leaders of greed and power…yet, am I immune to it?

It is a question that cannot really be answered by conventional means…but rather, only by the third truth I have found about the individuals in the past…of the method I have discovered behind their rise…and in some cases, their fall. The third reason; and indeed, the most important one that allowed these individuals to rise and stay there is also the most unquantifiable. It is nothing sheer and utter good luck in so many cases; an invisible, nearly random hand that moves to guide them in certain directions, and protect them from so many threats. Hitler could have died in World War I…yet, he somehow not only managed to live through, but as a participating soldier, no less! Ghandiji could’ve died at so many junctures, during so many of his fasts, as frail as his health was…yet, it was only by divine luck and intervention that he survived so many of them, till his final assassination - an event again brought forward by a single individual, wielding the power of a different group.

It is this good luck and fortune, that has now decided to guide my hand. However, unlike so many others before me…it is not an invisible hand to me. Ever since my visit to Deneb, and the subsequent discovery of the tomb, I see it in action everyday. I see it protecting me, and pulling me along into the position and role that so many others had to fight, beg and mercilessly kill for. The power…I have no use for it; and it recognizes that…yet, it still gives it to me. I hear it whisper in the night, when I sit in my chair and look at the stars. I hear the tasks it says I must do…

And I shudder with fear…shudder with apprehension and shock at what it asks me to do.

I try to assuage my conscience, my guilt that the lives I have taken thus far have been with purpose; that with their unwitting individual sacrifices are merely part of my plans…my goals to eventually help all of humanity one day. It is a dream, a love that has driven on my fascination and thirst for knowledge…but it is a dream that seems nearly impossible to me right now. So many individuals have tried and failed in the past. This strange species that I am a part of...it can seem so alien at times…so…distant. I wonder now, as I have done over many nights, how can I pull off such a dream?

It whispers to me now; even as I look upon the stars in yet another sleepless night. It has given me a solution, which I know can work…which I had once considered myself such a long time ago. The route it gives to me tears apart my conscience; driving me so close to the edge of insanity.

I don’t know which is more horrifying though; the fact that so many people will die from my actions…or that I am willing to sacrifice their lives without a second thought. What will history judge me as, should I continue though? Would I be a monster, hailed by all as the ultimate evil, a demon amongst men?

Am I a demon though? I have two arms, legs, a head and I’m certainly human. The only difference between me and any other individual on the street is that I choose to see things differently…to see things beyond their face value. I had a dream of helping humanity, rather than sitting idly by and doing nothing. If that is not being human – even if it just being misguided and significantly egoistic…then I wish someone would just tell me…what am I?

I still don’t know how I am going to achieve it. Even though the planned Rebellion has nearly half the planets joining me, along with the element of surprise, the Planetary Empire that has expanded and ruled for so long is not going to be easy to pushover. Creon Dale is not a stupid leader either; there is method behind his madness as well, just as there is mine.

Of course, plans have been laid and indeed, my commanders are ready to execute them at my order. The six ships that will form the backbone of this rebellion will soon be ready to launch, and the people are behind my every action. It almost feels as if this movement is leading itself…which is a good thing, in a way, since my goal lies elsewhere.

But before anything can occur, I must ensure that this secret remains exactly that: a secret. The central authority has dispatched a small investigative force to check on our shipping and tax collecting…an investigation that may threaten this entire operation, and my long-term goals. Measures need to be taken…and unfortunately, more people shall die thanks to it.

If there is one thing that history has taught me though, it’s that there’s no such thing as good and evil …only what the victor of any battle decides is right or wrong. Similarly, it is the upcoming battle that shall decide my fate. But I don’t care…I don’t think I ever have cared too much about what history would say about me. After all, if I were to worry about that so much, then what would I get done?

I am merely a puppet master in all of this; one that was so engrossed in his trade, that he himself is now merely a puppet in this long, elaborate play called life.

I can only hope that this play has a happy ending.

End log.