Stranded After DW2..epilogue- Part 2: Galaxy-Edge-Colony turns hostile…
31 Jul 2019Count Iblis
From waypoint 12 , Reece decided to head eastwards to get back to civilization from the epic DW2 expedition. It was the modulated signal that prompted Reece to discover the colony this far out from centuries ago, originally from Tionisla. There were 150 of them and they left Alliance space around 2950. Reece could find nothing on them in the Codex. He started a more intensified search from different angles. This would take some time.Alicia , the VP of colony security, Ron, one of the colony elders, and Mary Beth (One of the Chief Engineers of social mobility action) were the first of the welcoming committee that came to welcome Reece when he landed in the colossal Cutter.
Their titles were strange. What kind of a society did we have here?
They looked strange. The faces looked immaculate, but with an almost plastic quality to them. But there was some similairities to them. Their skin was darker, reddish almost, as if exposure to the F type white star had taken its toll, along with narrower eyes. Although they each had their individual features, there was something spooky about them, an almost uniform theme. There was something fake looking about their facades. Almost like organic masks. They were all relatively dimunitive.
They moved fast, jerkular, almost like insects. Perhaps it’s how humanoids adapt to a low G world over centuries?
There were dilapidated vessels, Cobra Mk1s, Asp Mk2s, Boas and a few Geckos and Moray Star Boats. All ‘patched together’ and flyable. Some even had ancient military drives!
They initiated celebrations, and food and drink was passed around. Mary Beth talked about JJagged Bbanner ( and ancient rock group) and how their music became the colonys anthems and how they lived by Andersons great teachings. Reece didn’t know who Anderson was. Reece wanted to check back with his fleet but with all the festivities and function games, this must have been missed. Many of the colonists didn’t seem that sharp. He didn’t think he drunk that much but Reece must have passed out. He couldn’t remember what had happened but found himself in Alicias bed stripped of his clothes. Reece was transported far and couldn’t find his own way back to his space ship. At this point Reece thought he could become great friends with these people. Alicia was the most gregarious and friendly. Her and Mary Beth came onto Reece pretty strongly, although Reece resisted pretty well. Neither of them minded each others antics. Perhaps monogamy was not a cultural norm here.
There was something about this society that didn’t sit well. They had abolished currency but Reece couldn’t understand what anyone did. No one worked the land, or tended the machines. It was a text book example of a stagnant society or perhaps a diminishing one.
Back on board the landed Indefatigable Reece found out through further digging in the Codex that this colony originally left what is now known as the Alliance worlds around the 2900s because of income inequality. He also found out that Anderson was a 30th century dictator who followed Marxist doctrine and post modernists philosophy . They all were strong followers of Marxs ideals and wanted to start off their own colony away from Empire, Federation or others. It certainly explained why currency was banished, and a bartering system for services and favours was relied upon. The problem being, none of them had any real skills originally, it was obviously something they HAD to develop to survive. Marxism and socialism rely on the prosperity of a society initially in order to flourish. The bartering system for skills, only benefitted instant needs, such as food and shelter but more complicated research into R and D, abstract scientific and mathematical problems, could never be funded. Unfortunately, you needed these to grow and progress as a society. You also needed bigger corporations, for the resources, to fund more complicated projects and this colonies charter was explicitly written against the formation of any kinds of corporate entities. Everything was owned by the governing council and everyone strived to work on the council. This explained why everyone had such weird titles. The other shocking thing, was that the original colonists that set off were only 150 in number. Every astro biologist knows that you probably need a minimum of 10,000 people but 40,000 is even better. The genetic diversity ensures survival.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a10369/how-many-people-does-it-take-to-colonize-another-star-system-16654747/
It wasn’t long before it became apparent that the colony needed Reece. They didn’t want him to leave!
They needed his resources and wanted to mate with him to enrich their floundering gene pool.
As he got to know the others, he got to know Kristin, she was altogether more graceful but far more reserved and quiet than the others. She was also far from diminutive with piercing blue eyes. It was harder to get more information out of her, but when the gates opened, she really did volunteer important info. It was obvious she was not at all happy here , unlike the others who would never speak out against this amazing regime of ‘equality and fairness’ where your birth rights triumphed over any kind of merit . Fortunately she was quite flirtatious once she felt comfortable and Reece built bonds with her and took advantage of this to the fullest. Promiscuity was not uncommon here he was finding.
Then one evening, Reece found his ships computer no longer functioned properly and was suffering from what seemed like a serious operating virus. He investigated further and found that someone had forced entry into it. Some of the food packs and reconstituted water banks were now empty. This was infuriating. Reece confirmed with Kristin as to what happened to his ship. He also found out that the colonists numbers were seriously dwindling. Many had died of mal nutrition over time, or diseases. They had cultivated reconstructive surgery and extending their life through genetic manipulation – although there were complications and side effects. This was seen in their locomotion. There was also a serious lack of resource but the colony inhabitants pretty much lacked aspiration and drive to better things and go out to find solutions. Kristin warned him that he was in grave danger if he didn’t conform to the bigger groups wishes for the greater good. Reece couldn’t tell if she approved of them or not. She said she had seen this happen before. Reece was going to get out. He made that clear to her. Then he looked into her blue eyes and appealed to her to come with him. “Kristin, you don’t have to stay her and live like this- you should see the incredible advances we have made in the bubble”. She looked pained. It ended unresolved. She gave Reece a very affectionate Trumble (a fluffy furry adorable pet- that was a bit of an epidemic back in Alliance area space years ago).
Fully armed, Reece was ready to confront the colonists. He took off in his SRV (Surface Recon Vehicle). When confronted, they denied stealing his supplies and breaking into his vessel. Things got heated pretty quickly and Reece had to retreat into his heavily armed SRV, fortunately they had nothing like it and it kept them at bay. Alicia was the ring leader while Ron was close behind. They started to shame him, calling him a ‘fat cat’ and how it was his moral obligation to share his provisions with the rest of the community. He was selfish for thinking otherwise!
He was fast seeing that this was a colony of nutbars.
Next 4 other council members came out fully armed. This was cue for Reece to leave. He headed back to his ship as fast as he could. They shot at him while he did so. His shields held.
Reece managed to jump the SRV aboard his ship. He knew it would come to this. Although the ship wasn’t fully operational, he anticipated and had it 80% operational, using redundant systems and the CPUs of the fighters, in the hanger decks, working in tandem, to handle things. As he powered up the Indefatigable he knew a bloody battle would follow.
The colossal Cutter rose up and hung in the sky, casting a dark shadow on all those below.
He could hear them over the intercom: Alicia said-“You think you’re superior to us and deserve all these spoils and are too selfish to redistribute. It’s the only honourable thing to do.”
“ As honourable as breaking into my craft, vandalising and stealing my shit?”
“I made the decision, it had to be done, sometimes the responsibility to great leadership and vision falls upon the chosen one”
“ and let me guess- you’re the chosen one- of course-right Alicia?”
Reece could hear her sigh. So he continued.
“ let me make this clear. I don’t follow BS ideals, I look after myself and those loyal to me. You cross me, you’re in my list of folks to get exterminated. If you come after me and cause me trouble, I will come back and obliterate this place, take back my provisions and more. You have WRONGED ME- this is my code!”
With that Reece angled the great hulking craft towards the sky and took off. The Cutter was unsteady and the systems were eratic. He did the best he could….
Just as predicted, a huge battle ensued between the Indefatigable and the rag tag fleet of centuries old craft. Normally, it would be no contest, The Indefatigable could wipe their chronomometers, but the Indefatigable had crippled systems and weakened shields, although the older Moray Star Boats, Asps and Cobra Mk1s were very poorly maintained and had fallen into disrepair (from a population of folks whos focus was not on such aspects). Reece fully utilized his fighters within the hanger bays, which not only out gunned the opponents with much more modern weaponry but also out maneuvered them.
Nevertheless, the Indefatigable destroyed all but two of the 17 vessels that opposed it and left the other two as derelicts in space. Reece scooped up as much resources as he could. His ship had suffered some serious hull damage, and some of the systems were down 80% integrity. Fortunately his canopy was still intact. He limped his great ship back to the colony to strafe through and take what provisions such that he could to survive. He used his Federal Condor fighter from the hanger deck. There was no resistance to him back on the colony, and although he knew there were colonists around, they seemed to have made themselves scarce.
The Imperial Cutter “Indefatigable” was in a bad way. It was clear that Reece would have to find a star system to land and make repairs. The computer systems were getting more erratic and his fuel consumption rate was inordinate and indicated a serious drive system flaw. Systems were shutting down all over the ship.
Reece petted the furry Trumble and it squeaked playfully in affection as he did so. He knew that Trumbles had a very limited life span but it she was very welcome here. Reece continued on his journey to find a place to land. He hoped the delay back to the bubble area of space wasn’t too bad.