Rise of Icara

[Starhawk]

This is my first game story so please be forgiving if it lacks the luster that I hope to gain later on.
Well okay here we go!

Pre-History: Once long ago in the year 4,000 BC there rose a great city called Icara in the realm of Greece. Over the Centuries the Icarans became a mighty empire as they conquered Greece and the greater part of the world.
Then in the late twenty-first century the mighty Icaran Commonwealth was challenged by a loose alliance of other nations. After nearly a century of warfare the Icarans were finally defeated in a nuclear attack by these enemies, fleeing the holocust by launching billions of their people into space on massive colony ships the Icarans went through a spacial anomoly that led to a distant star system and their new homeworld.

After three centuries of rebuilding and expansion the Icaran Empire has finally decided to set foot into space once again and to expand their reach beyond their new homeworld to whatever worlds lay beyond the spacial anomolies that led to the warp.

The Decree

2400.1 In the Imperial Palace in Icara city Icara Emepror Leonidas the XVI paced the extravagent tiled floors of his throne room as he calmly listened to his advisors.

Commander Imperial Navy Lord Byron sat calmly in a rare leather chair looking over a flexy pad with a set of schematics on it.
"My lord we can have the first two Hunter class strike vessels in two months with your permission." Lord Byron sounded calm as ever with that same emotionless expression on his face that always irritated the Emperor when he was stressed.

"My lord I suggest we build colony ships first, we have two planets in this system alone that are worth planting mining colonies on, with all respect to my esteemed collegue I doubt our first steps to the stars in over three hundred years should consist of a military mission." the civilian commerce minister stood up as he stressed the word "military" as if it was a curse.

As the Emperor listened to the arguments he finally raised his white gloved hand to silence his two advisors and when it looked as if Minister Plat was about to speak again Leonidas shot him a look that would have made a raging kelecat stop in its tracks. "Plat it is my impression that we would need warships to protect any colonies we planted. I will allow the construction of the first two Hunter class strike ships, then you will have my permission to construct your colony ships." With a spluttering sound from the obviously peeved minister as he sat back down the Emperor walked over to Lord Byron with a slight grin and calmly took the flexy out of the outstreched hand of the Commander of the entire currently non-existent Imperial navy.
"We are currently waiting for an even larger design my Lord, a frigate class ship that can explore further and fight harder should the need arise." For what seemed like the first time in recorded history the gruff old warrior smiled openly as his Emperor looked over a second flexy with the design of a frigate class starship.

2400.2: The first Imperial starship ever built sat in "drydock" above Icara as the personnel shuttles took the 60 man crew to their new home. Among this new crew was the new commanding officer, Brevet Captain Charles Palmer who sat anxiously as his new command came into view.

The INSS Hunter was a small starship about the size of a wet navy frigate and she even loosely resembled the design of water born warship and to the new captain she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
She had five ion engines which made her faster then any of the low orbit vessels that had previously been built by the Icarans. As his shuttle approached her airlock near the middle of the ship Palmer noticed the ships missile tube and suddenly remembered that although his mission was to explore he might just as easily run into a threat that was beyond his comprehension.

As Palmer stepped onto the bridge of his new ship he realized just how much like a wet navy ship she looked, he saw eight stations on the bridge and a command seat located in the center. As he saw his crew settling in Palmer smiled and took his seat.
"Sir we have a message from the Emperor on comns, should I put him on?" the young comns officer sounded nervious as she announced this odd message.

A little annoyed at the foolish question Palmer snapped an affirmative reply to his comns officer. The ships speakers sounded with the booming voice of the Emperor of all Icara and the crew stopped what they were doing and listened intently.

"To the officers and crew of the INSS Hunter, the first starship of the Imperial Navy I give you my greetings. Today you set forth on an adventure the likes of which our people have never before thought possible and with your first brave steps you pave the way for a bright new future for all your people. On behalf of all Icarans I wish you luck and peace on your long journies and to all of you and your families I say be proud for you are true Icarans and you are true pioneers. Farewell and safe journey Emperor Leonidas the sixteenth signing off."

Less then four hours later the ion engines of the Hunter lit and a shooting star was born in the sky over Icara as the blue startup flare streaked across a brilliant night sky and the Hunter left orbit for a universe unknown. In one month she would have left the system and then she would be out of comns range until she returned home after her planned three month journey of exploration.

More to come:

[oleg]

Nice story so far ! I guess it is based on the unmoded SEIV. Then watch out the flood of events after ~ turn 60

[Starhawk]

Nope not modded at all....and in this one game I played I only had one true event happen and that was a star going super nova taking out a freshly colonized star system....heh.


Anyway I'd like any comments you guys have to offer.

The Discovery

2400.3: The first mission of the INSS Hunter was underway, she had just entered a star system designated Huju by the astronomical command. Captain Palmer sat calmly in his command seat as he looked at the monitor above his station which currently displayed the number of planets in the system.
"Sir there are no energy signals or any other signs of a civilization, it would appear that this system is uninhabited. However sensors show that there are at least two worlds that have great potential for mining sites. We will know more as we get further in system." The ships science officer announced as he looked over the scans coming into his post on the bridge.

In a slightly disapointed voice Palmer spoke over the flexy in his hand "Thank you mister Mcdougal please send a messenger drone through the warp point back to Icara to inform Command of our discovery. Continue with the survey".

For the next several weeks the Hunter would explore the system and make sure there was no signs of life or anything else that might hint to an alien race.

_________

Meanwhile back on Icara the second Hunter class ship was built and named Snipe. Even as she left space dock and headed out to explore one of the other warp points in Icaran space a colony ship was under construction at emergency rates.

2400.4: The INSS Hunter had returned to Huju and the Snipe had begun it's survey mission of a system named Velocitas which showed signs of alien ruins that would be helpful to expanding the technology of the Empire.

The Colony ship was finished and quickly colonized the world of Sparta in the Icaran system, this colony would act as a mining base and a spaceyard for the fleet.
The Imperial University had made a tech breakthrough that allowed them to make better missiles and the Hunter and Snipe were going to be retorfit the first possible chance.
Frigate technology was now under research and the first frigates would roll off the lines in four months if production went on schedule.

As soon as the scan of Huju was completed Captain Palmer took the Hunter out towards the third warp point that was scheduled for exploration.

2400.5: This month seemed like normal exploration for Captain Palmer until they finished making the jump into Baksha from the Huju point and alarms began sounding.

"Captain we have energy traces at least one starship is detected on scanners, we also detect at least two inhabited worlds." the tacitcal officer reported calmly as he brought the ships targeting scanners on-line.

"Take us in helm, comns get me a channel to that ship I want to be able to make contact if possible. Mister Reed keep your weapons tracking just in case they aren't in the talking mood." Palmer was excited now, he had finally made contact with an alien race and if they proved friendly he and his crew would be heroes.

After several tense hours the ships finally closed within weapons range, the alien vessel had refused to answer hails and Palmer decided to close with their ship just in case the alien communication tech wasn't as advanced as their own.

"Sir I read two mass driver style depleted uranium cannons on that escort and she has them powered up....I don't think they want to talk sir." Reed reported in his strong Irish accent as he sounded general quarters when the captain nodded.

"Alright let's do this, they are closing with us in at maximum combat speed with weapons charged...I think that constitutes a threat and I am not about to let the Empire be disgraced by a retreat at the first sign of danger...bring targeting scanners on-line and prepare to take that ship out." His voice was tense but the young Captain still heald authority amongst his crew and they obeyed his order to the letter.

Within seconds the enemy ship closed within missile range and the Hunter launched a heavy fusion missile from her tube and opened the range between themselves and hte enemy ship. The first missile struck the enemy escort amidships and knocked out her weapons, as the Hunter closed in for the kill the alien ship attempted to retreat....but it was too late and the third missile finished her off in a brilliant golden explosion.

Palmer ordered his ship back through the warp point to inform command that they had made contact with their first alien race, and that that race was openly hostile towards the Empire....after only five months in space Palmer had to return home with the warning of a possible war and thus return home not as a hero or an explorer but as the man who fired the first shots in a war with an unknown race that had unknwon abilities.

[Combat Wombat]

Wow very nice, wish I could write that good...

[Paul1980au]

What about 2004.6 what is the response from the high command in response to this alien race that is hostile - an expansion in colonies to give them some power to attack the force on the opposite side of the warp point. Also perhaps a way to bypass that system to search for potential allies ?

[Renegade 13]

Nice, very nice. Keep them coming!