Someone wrote: The sky had never been so bright. As I stood on the veranda looking out at what could only be a sunset I distinctly remember confusion giving way to terror. It wasn’t the sun that was setting. It was our way of life.
Earth Year 2251
- United Earth Federation HQ, New York Province, Earth UEF President Kendra Locke proceeds over the launch celebration of the U.E.F. Skyfire, a deep-space exploration vessel on a one-way mission to deliver volunteer scientists and colonists to a recently discovered habitable planet 250 light years from Earth.
Someone wrote: True explorers are those who set out to a strange world full of mystery and return a part of that new world. This ship will leave with Earthlings, but it will return with Meridians. Our ancestors look forward to meeting Meridians. - President Kendra Locke, UEF
The trip can only be made once, as the fuel source is extremely limited. Spesium, the fuel that will power the Skyfire, has only been found in very small quantities. Scientists theorize that larger quantities of the ore will be available in the sector of space the mission is destined for. This ore, when broken down and processed, allows for travel at a speed close to that of light, which will deliver the Skyfire to Meridia in 340 years.
The mission of the crew is to embark on the journey aboard the largest ship ever constructed. For 340 years they will live, procreate, and flourish upon the Skyfire. After their flight, they will reach the planet named Meridia, after Dr. Shibel Meridae who discovered the planet, and colonize the planet. They will set up a mining operation in an effort to find enough Spesium to make it back to Earth with sufficient amounts to make the trip again.
Meridia Year 44
- The First Colony, Meridia Shortly after reaching Meridia, the Skyfire suffered an unforeseen collapse of its fuel converters. Thought to have been caused by the taxing deep space flight, the crew resolved to work on repairs only after confirming the existence of Spesium. A colony was set up, and deposits of Spesium were soon discovered in a nearby canyon. Within only a short time, much larger deposits were found in its nearby moon and then on other planets in the system. Mining began.
Someone wrote: The damage to the Skyfire has been painstakingly repaired. The fruit of our last ten years of ore processing has been loaded in its fuel cells and cargo bays. We are confident that this return mission will be an even greater achievement than the flight here. Let those who fly the ship back go with our blessings. - Lucas Warner, Chief Colony Administrator
The U.E.F. Skyfire left for Earth with a volunteer crew of twenty officers and families, as well as, several tons of Spesium. It was scheduled to arrive on Earth in roughly 340 years.
It was never heard from again.
Meridia Year 1000
- Sunor Capitol City, Sunor Province, Meridia For over one-thousand years, the transplanted people of Meridia have existed without contact from Earth. In time, the colony grew and separated. The planet was fully explored and colonies popped up all over its surface. In one-thousand years, the people of Meridia have produced a society full of technological achievement and passionate vision.
Stories of Earth have all but faded away. The planet is divided into nine provinces, each named after a founding explorer who charted the regions. Each province is administered by a democratic government with a central council elected government seated in the Sunor Capitol City. The collection, processing, and implementation of Spesium is executed by the Orion Corporation and overseen by the central council.
Head Councilman, President Chu Tsuro stood atop a platform in Sunor and spoke to a crowd of thousands on the eve of the millennial celebration.
Someone wrote: Today marks a historical moment in the history of Meridia. One-thousand years ago tomorrow our ancestors came to this planet from their distant homeland of Earth in search of many things. Central to their search was what they called Spesium, what we call Oridium. For generations we have mined Oridium from the local celestial bodies. And for generations we have used it to skirt amongst the stars, exploring this solar system with all the fascination of children.
Never since the founders have we accomplished a technological feat so worthy of proclamation until now. Today, this day, I say to you that we can now travel at the speed of light! A feat unattainable by our ancestors. A feat monumental for all mankind. - President Chu Tsuro, Head Councilman
The discovery of Light Speed Travel would revolutionize the way Meridians traveled in their solar system. Many times larger than Earth’s solar system, the sector of space in which Meridia sat was far too expansive to travel fully with traditional engine systems. Not only had the Meridians unlocked the key to Light Speed Travel. They would also, in time, give their scientists the chance to explore the far reaches of known space.
Meridia Year 1202
- Helkin Space Laboratories, Harbock Province, Meridia A gifted team of propulsion engineer, Jeremy Lieko, and stelar bioengineer, Madison McCabe, have developed a synthetic alternative for Oridium capable of more efficient output. In addition, the production of the synthetic would not longer require mining operations or refinement and could be done completely on Meridia.
Someone wrote: We’ve done it! We’ve finally created and tested a true alternative for Oridium. Our synthetic burns .2% hotter, giving an increase in output efficient of over 20% through modified convertors. And possibly the best part … Anna can finally come home! She’s been on Merdia 4 for so long that I can barely remember what it feels like to hold my baby sister. Those mining operations will all shut down now, and families can be reunited! - From the diary of Dr. Madison McCabe, 08/05/1202
Meridia Year 1203
- Sunor Capitol City, Sunor Province, Meridia The Orion Corporation files an injunction to halt the production and further testing of Oridium Synthetic-02. The mega corporation states that its operations and employment of roughly one-third the population of the Meridia sector is at danger if the synthetic continues to be produced.
Only three-hours later Head Councilwoman President Lydia Harker announces that the production and further development of a synthetic Oridium will continue.
Someone wrote: We should not fear change, but instead embrace it. Oridium Synthetic-02 is a more efficient, safer, and cleaner alternative to processing and burning Oridium ore. This means less drilling of this planet and others, less pollution from that drilling, and less accidental deaths from accidents on distant moons and taxed cargo ships. It is our responsibility to each other to make this change. It will hit some harder than others, but as a people we will support one-another and bounce back. - Head Councilwoman President Lydia Harker
Meridia Year 1205
- Orion Corporation HQ, Orion Moon Broadcasting to over three-million employees and family members across the Orion Media Network, Corporation President Joachim Mills speaks plainly:
Someone wrote: The combined governments of Meridia will not see reason. For two years we have tried to make them see what their synthetic will do to over three-million people. They place efficiency on a higher pedestal than human life. Without employment and housing, we know that all of you across this solar system will suffer greatly. Our distance from the planet has made them blind to our needs.
But we are not blind to them.From this very moment on, the Orion Corporation declares itself free and separate from the legal rulings of the Meridian elected governments. We will operate as our own sovereign nation and we will continue to production, processing, and use of the Oridium you good people sweat and bleed for. This will be our lifeblood and from it we will grow a new people. A people of connected worlds, connected by the cargo ships and collective good will of its members.
I welcome you all to the future.
Meridia Year 1205
- In an article published one-week after the Orion Separation
Someone wrote: It an unprecedented move last Wednesday, the Orion Corporation has split all ties with Meridian governments. This surprise move marks the first time in the history to Meridia that a company has become a sovereign power in and of itself.
Motivation for this decision is disputed far and wide. Head Councilwoman President Lydia Harker has remarked publicly that this this move is fueled primarily by greed and that “the Orion Corporation has separated its employees from their planet in the name of profit” and that the Orion Corporation board is “a group of wealthy fat cats trying to save their sinking paychecks.”
The Orion Corporation staunchly defends its choice and has stated that “its hand has been forced by the apathetic Meridian governments” and that it is only acting “in the best interest of the three-million souls who depend on the Orion Corporation’s survival for their own.”
Meridia Year 1206
- Orbit, Meridia Tensions finally came to a breaking point when an unidentified group rigged a barrel of Oridiom Synthetic-02 to explode in Meridia’s orbit, destroying an Orion Corporation cargo ship waiting in orbit for a delivery of medical supplies to be shipped to Meridia 3’s Orion colony. It is unclear if the group had ties to the either a Meridian governmental body or the Orion Corporation.
The outcome, however, would be very clear.
Meridia Year 1206
- Meridia 2A group of Orion Corporation Fighters, Fly Bird class, intercepted what they believed to be a Meridian Fighter about to open fighter on half a dozen Orion Storage Lockers in orbit around Meridia 2. The Fly Birds responded by opening fire, causing the shields on the Meridian Fighter to fail as it tried to flee. The ship and its pilot were lost soon thereafter.
The outcry from Meridia has been unanimous.
Someone wrote: Murdering a Meridian pilot in cold blood is an inexcusable action deliberately taken by the Orion Corporation to try and bully us out of shared space. It will not be tolerated. We, the elected defense council, have reached out to the Orion Corporation board but our demands of explanation have only fallen on deaf ears and utter lies. We can see this as nothing other than an act of war. - Vice President Glen Tern, Jellial Province
The response from Orion came immediately in much the same tone:
Someone wrote: They can deny it all they want, but our pilots saw a Meridian Fighter firing on Orion Storage Lockers, building-size containers in which we store the very lifeblood of this nation. Their attempt at destroying large amounts of Oridium did not go unheeded. A squadron of Orion Fly Birds clearing debris in the area fired upon the enemy ship and destroyed it before it could do any more harm. They will never admit their mistake and now they call this war? It appears we have been pulled into conflict, citizens. Let’s prepare ourselves.
