NationStates Jolt Archive

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The Palace's Official Spokesman looked out at the audience, his face alight with excitement. “Ladies and Gentlemen, you all know me" He half laughed at that, for yes his local audience did - he'd been Tanaara's announcer for close to twenty five years now. This was going out live around the globe and across the solar system, though, so he briefly introduced himself.

"However this is one announcement I don't get to make. Tonight, I am honored to step aside for another familiar figure. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Elect, Robert Ryan Fortier Hexx.” He stepped away from the flag draped podium, gave a half bow and retired from the stage.

The Tanaaran Crown Prince (http://www.atddm.com/prr2.jpg), a handsome man in his late twenties strode out from the wings with an air of comfort and composure he did not necessarily feel, and easy smile on his lips. But he’d long since learned the fine art of appearing comfortable and confident. Thusly his own half bow was elegant and regal. He wore casual formals. A rich crimson shirt with a narrow, crystal highlighted, dark silver tie, was set off by a cashmere and silk blend suite in muted burlywood gray. The dark green sprig of ruby berried holly he wore on his left breast pocket stood out well against the woody muted gray. He was about to give his nation one heck of a Yule present and that made his smile just a little wider.

Rob moved stood behind the podium and looked into the holocameras with serious expression his dark blonde hair gleaming under the lights, but then his light storm blue eyes lit up as he began the announcement. His trained voice reached out, conveying the not so veiled excitement that filled him.

“First star to the left and straight on until morning."
The way he said it made it a title

"How many times have we heard those words not only in our thoughts but in our very souls as we look up into the star strewn heavens and wished we were out there.” He paused to let his viewers reflect on just how beloved J. M. Barrie's’ mythos was. The book was regularly at the top of the children's best seller list, and the play was always running at one venue or another within the Domination. And that was merely an addition to the origins of his country. His ancestors had given up the stars to come here, and now it was time to take them back, the world had grown enough. And this world was not enough.

“Yes the ‘Tater is just a bean stalk ride away, the moon or our habitats not much further, and we've left our footprints across the solar system. But our dreams take us further, don't they?” It was no question at all. Near space just wasn’t enough. All the polls had tilted so heavily in the direction he was leading them it was sobering.

“For a fortunate few that chance is here. Three of the most powerful nations in the Fatal Terrain regions are sponsoring an expedition to V838 Monoceros. The Domination of Tanaara, The Empire of Tarlachia, and the Five Towers of Cats Keep are all shoulding equal responsibilities for the expedition. We chose V838 Monoceros, the Unicorn, for several reasons, four of them in fact.”

The vast screen slightly off to one side lit up with a spectacular photograph, as he continued

V838 Monoceros (http://space.about.com/library/graphics/2004_10.jpg)

“In 2002 V838 Monocerotis briefly became one of the brightest stars in our galaxy. Its outburst was discovered in January 2002. V838 Mon somehow, over a period of months went from a small, under-luminous star a little hotter than our Sun, to a highly-luminous, cool super giant star not much hotter than a light bulb. All without going Nova in the conventional sense and blowing off the outer layers of the stellar atmosphere- thus defying the conventional understanding of erupting stars and stellar life cycles. The nebula seen in the photo to my left is actually series of light echoes from formerly unseen shells of dust up to light-years in diameter.” He let go of the scientific explanations, people would only follow along so much, though he knew that Tanaarans were far better than most in their understanding and interest in the sciences.

“However, of greatest interest is the fact that these dust clouds have revealed the presence of stars with planets; planets that further remote studies suggested are habitable. With long-range exploration ships acquired from the Tanaran Imperial University we are going to spend a year doing close up studies and surveys of the most promising systems.”

And we are looking for the best of the best to be part of our team. We need scientists, from a variety disciplines as much as we need a few good shooters to protect them. The ships have experienced crews - what we need are intrepid adventurers and explorers. The heavens are not beyond our reach ”

He knew the biggest job would be searching through all the application they received. Fortunately he would not have to do the initial selection, though he would be one of the ones making the final say.

The screen was now filled with the information on how to submit an apploication. Applications from all over the Globe would be welcome.

Name:
Nationality:
Photo:
Ht:
Wt:
Build:
Health:
Degrees/ Skills:
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable):
Marital Status:
Biography:
Unusaual gifts/ abilities:
Basic Psychology:
Reason for wishing to join the expedition:

The tuft of white condensed air floated away from Lee Watkins mouth and up into the cool night air. Winter was approaching fast in Imitora, and Lee wasn't really looking forward to it. He had never been a winter person, nor really a cold person at all. Leaning against the side of his battered 240SX, he sighed again, watching the air float away, and shielded his eyes from the harsh halogens bathing the parking lot in artificial sun light.

To say his S13 (http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p292/nissanfanatic240/11Sep07showcar004.jpg) was battered wasn't really fair. It just wasn't nice. The once supple and clean cherry red paint had faded into a dull crimson of sorts. A few cuts and scratches marked the hood and doors, and a small speed dent decorated the rear bumper. Paint peeled away from the front fascia where he had taken a SawzAll to cut away plastic to feed and cool the motor. The interior was still as it was when it left the parking lot, but much older, and it showed.

However, what really mattered was sitting under the hood. From the use of a T04r, the humble 2.4L four cylinder was pushing over five hundred horsepower at the rear wheels. In any other nation, that would be amazing. In Imitora, it qualified him for the Sunday fun runs. But on a boring, lonely, newly single Saturday, it brought him out to one of the many parking areas along the highways outside Northampton to see what he could conjure up. Beyond embarrassing a 600cc Kawasaki, he was still doing nothing. And the four hour drive to Northampton from Altec was starting to prove not worth it.

Sitting not but a third of a mile away was one of the causes of such a change. Ten years ago, his car would have been considered a bruiser, one of the top dogs. Five hundred at the rear wheels, it could handle a bit, and run into the elevens on the street. Now it was the same old same old. The sudden desire of the Imitoran builders and tuners to run massive numbers, and make street racing a business pushed anyone shy of nine hundred at the wheels to their own devices. The Royal Sapphire Pearl drag Supra, one of the two Psychosis shop cars out this night, was lining up against a turbocharged ZX-14. One of their other shop cars, a drag built Viper, had made a few runs early in the effort to shut up some Corvette boys out of Temple. It had done well.

He watched with feigned interest as the TH400'd Supra lined up next to the big bore bike, more intent on getting a 5.0 Foxbody he had seen earlier to bite. However, what he saw happened next changed his mood for the night. The flagger was half in the Supra, most likely telling Ryan how it would go down, when he suddenly jumped back. The Supra launched, suddenly, spinning as it roared towards the parking area. He rolled into the area, waved over to the driver of the Viper, and then took off while some one, most likely a girlfriend or such, was still getting in. The bike went screaming by with the flagger ridding ass end. Moments later, blue and red lights broke the darkness, and the parking area turned to pandemonium.

Lee was quick to the car, but his garage tuned set up had made up its mind. It wasn't going to start. He cursed, kicked the clutch hard, gave it more throttle and turned the key, and the KA24DE barked to life. He was quick into first, hard on the gas, dump the clutch, and smoke poured off the tires as he raced by the first of the squad cars, missing it by barely a nose. He yanked the wheel over hard, and the tail end swung out wide, missing some kid on a sport bike as he made his way onto the highway. He hardly knew the area, so he figured it would be best to head to Northampton. It would be even easier to get lost.

He sped by the second entrance into the lot, clipping the nose of a squady, and loosing the rear bumper of the 240. He stayed on it, the wheels fighting for traction, the T04 sucking in air harder than a wild man after finishing a marathon. He was pulling hard away from the nearest Charger squad car, but it just wasn't his day. At one forty, he tugged the wheel hard to avoid a slower car, dipped his wheel off the road and into grass median, and went nose first around into the bush. The car held up well enough till the front end met a tree, bringing it to a violent dead stop. Lee was on adrenaline now, working on pure instinct, and ignored the small lacerations on his arm. He had been hurt worse and done much less before. Forcing the door open, he saw the search lights of one of the chase cars hit the forest.

Taking off on foot, he found himself coming to a random fence. Lee scrambled up and over, running a short distance before finding himself a cargo container. He had no idea what exactly was in the container, but it mattered little as he dove inside, and hid behind a set of boxes. Breathing raggedly, he waited till he thought it would be safe. That moment wouldn't come anytime soon.

If it weren't for bad luck, Lee wouldn't have any luck. The doors suddenly and randomly slammed closed, and before he could react, the boxes shuddered. He lost his footing, went down backwards, and slammed his head against the wall, going out cold...

Name: Lee Watkins
Nationality: Imitoran (family heritage is Welsh)
Photo (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c287/ShinyBubbles888/ian98.jpg)
Ht: About six foot
Wt: 180ish
Build: See photo
Health: Good enough
Degrees: Basic high school; Bachelors of Science in Political Science with a minor in Political Economics; Working on an MBA equivalent in Imitora
Skills: Fluent in Ancient Imitoran, Welsh, German; Mechanically Minded; Extraordinarily Quick Thinker; Above Average with Firearms
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): N/A
Marital Status: Single
Biography: See above
Unusual gifts/ abilities: Unusually unlucky half the time; unusually lucky the other half
Basic Psychology: Normal as much as one can be, tends to be a bit on the asshole'ish side but in a funny way. Fairly witty, doesn't mind being aloe or in groups. If asked, he'll just say "We'll, I'm not a Psycho." Driven when challenged, and a bit of a rock hound. Like most Imitorans, its his attitude and ego complex that either turns someone totally off to him, or totally on to him.
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: Don't think he really wanted to, but then again, every hot girl on the expedition will most likely change his mind to staying.

Ah the ever popular stowaway. Just what every expidetion needs for comic relief. And with those tats ...

Edited to add- LOL What zipper? Any lower and those jeans will be around his ankles."

LOL I can hear it now "Well keeping two guns on it ought to keep it behind that zipper. Those had to have hurt though."

Anyone else?

((OC- Gaian bump. I'm presuming this is a Earth based journey to this cloud based nebula nursery. If so, PM me if you want someone to be the FT civilization set within it. Could have use considering my own civilizations current status. (Have to talk about it in PM so as not to spoil anything in my other current rp I got going with Ahb and CW.) ))

GA, TG headed your way.

((OC- Didn't get it. Not sure why. =oo= ))

Blee-hargh. This will be a CREATIVE bit of twisting, this will...but I'll do it later.

Characterwise...

Professor Jackson Straker, Ph.D. (Xenoarchaeology, Xenobiology)

'n his rather large associate, Kalazar the Veliki.

In Detail --

Name: Jackson Geoffrey Straker
Nationality: ESSoR
Photo: That would be cheating...
Height: 74"
Weight: 201 S.pounds
Build: 'Fit'
Health: Still Alive
Degrees/Skills: Ph.D. Xenoarchaeology, Ph.D. Xenobiology. 'Other stuff.'
Military Rank: Colonel (Ret), Revenian Fleet Marines. (Beyond that, you get into a forest of {Classified} tags)
Marital Status: 'Single, Damnitall.'
Biography: The Ranakan Chair of Xenoarchaeology at the University of Nexus (Kerth Island), Dr. Straker has long been the Star Supremacy's foremost expert in the field of 'longdead' cultures. Which, considering the sheer length of recorded history that the Star Supremacy enjoys...is really, really ancient stuff. But he's also good with more recently demised alien cultures.

He's actually not half bad with living aliens, either...

But that's beside the point. For further information, his biography - "Dead Aliens Aren't Annoying" is available at most fine booksellers.

Unusual Gifts and Abilities: Clairvoyant; really, really good with a whip; Being Jackson Straker...
Basic Psychology: {Classified: AFESSR BlackSeal}
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: Boredom, mostly.

--

Name: Kalazar Velin, "Zar"
Nationality: ESSoR
Photo: ...
Height: 89 in
Weight: {Classified: Veliki Striker Corps BlackSeal}
Build: 'Veliki'
Health: Also still alive
Degrees/Skills: Moving large things, killing larger things
Military Rank: Sgt. Major, Revenian Fleet Marines
Marital Status: Veliki. Male. 'nuff said.
Biography: 'Zar' Velin and Jackson Straker have been...associates...since they served together as Fleet Marines. Zar lacks Dr. Straker's scientific interests, but his extensive experience in the field tends to result in him knowing more on the subject than most people with legitimate doctorates.
Unusual Gifts/Abilities: Veliki -- 'dark' skinned humanoids from Velik, notable for being really tall, really strong, and not talking much about themselves. 'kay?
Basic Psychology: {Classified: Veliki Striker Corps}
Reason for joining the expedition: Largely, because Dr. Straker is.

---

Yeah, so that was the worst pair of character briefs I've ever written...

But, then, I don't want to give too much away. Even if that means that Jackson comes off as an Indiana Jones rip-off. Aaaaah well. I think it's only fair, since I have to justify why, exactly, they're going to be heading off to -wherever- the launch site is, get out of their starship (a very, very nice Krosse Shipbuilding Ltd. 'Flickerstream' Scout)...and, well, you get the idea.

Name: Eric Hanson
Nationality: Union (European Descent)
Photo: None On file
Ht: 6'1
Wt: 152 LBS
Build: Atheletic
Health: Excellent
Degrees/ Skills: Achieved a Masters in Biology
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): Liuetenet First Class 2 yrs Currently in Service
Marital Status: Single
Biography:
Eric Hanson is a biologist with the Marine 2nd epeditionary unit. As a child, he dreamed of eploring the stars and dsicovering what kind of life existed beyond the stars. As a young man, he was accepted into Tri-Pillar University, the oldest and most prestigous University in the entire Union. Graduating with a master in Biology, he joined the Marine 2nd Expeditionary unit, hoping to explore beyond the human colony worlds
Unusaual gifts/ abilities:
Eric has a unique gift, not neccisarily super-human, but he does use most of his brain. (at a level of 89 percent) something the average man does not do.
Basic Psychology: Extremly Curious
Reason for wishing to join the expedition:
As stated in his biography, he wishes to see the stars and find new life.

Name: Brian "Badger" Eaton
Nationality: Union
Photo: None
Ht: 5'11
Wt: 192
Build: Muscular Build (Large)
Health: Excellent
Degrees/ Skills: Graduacted West Field college with a major in history
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): Gunnery Sergeant 12 yrs Crrently in Service
Marital Status: Maried, Two children.
Biography:
Badger was bron to hard working parents in Arkheims industrial district. At an early age he had the desire to escape his lower class upbringing, and found a way to do it, an education. Devouring almost any subject thrown at him, he excelled in school and became a star High School football player, but turned down a sports scholarship in favor of a History scholarship to West Field college. Upon graduating e joined the marines and was assigned to the 33rd tactical combat unit. He was later pulled to serve as an escort for Biologist Eric Hanson.
Unusaual gifts/ abilities: None, except for a desire to learn.
Basic Psychology: Extremly Stable due to time spent in the marines
Reason for wishing to join the expedition:
Other then the orders he was given, nothing else but a desire to learn.

Quite an interesting crew we're assembling!




Command Cruiser Falling Star (http://www.atddm.com/fallingstar.jpg)

The Falling Star is just over 5,000 meters long by roughly 3,500 meters at the widest point and 1,000 meters tall at the highest points. Falling Star is a Tanaran Battle Cruiser that has been converted to exploration purposes, she weighs about 9 million tones. Battle cruisers are perfect for this conversion as little actually has to be done. They are already designed for long-term solo operations, with smaller crew than the size might indicate.

Two of the mass replicators, which in an unmodified Battle Cruiser would be designated for the creation of missiles, are altered for general purposes, leaving two programmed for their original purpose.

Missiles –Ranged Weapons

The Falling Star has both dorsal and ventral launchers, the dorsal (upper) launchers can launch fore and aft, while the ventral (lower) launchers can launch 3600. Missiles are both energy and material

The fastest ‘missile’ the Falling Star posses is the Phased Plasma Photon Torpedoes. The PPPT is an energy plasma packet that travels at nearly light speed and can be fired once every 10 seconds. They are effective up to a maximum of 5 million miles, but are stopped by certain types of energy shields, primarily shields that are gravitic in nature.

Physical missiles have a reload and launch time of 1 minute for the life of the NCI-no combat imminent-stockpile, and one every five minutes with only two replicators available.
The most common missile used is the Impeller Drive Laser Missile. An IDLM1 missile masses 20 tons and can accelerate at 75,000 G for 500 seconds before its drive burns out, giving a powered flight range of over 15 million miles. A more powerful, but larger (and thus fewer kept ‘in stockpile’) are the MDLM2 with its much greater range and destructive ability. Counter Missiles- CM3 are used for antimissile action much as point defense lasers are, but they have a much greater range than point defense lasers do.
Naturally, in space, it is possible to reach a target beyond powered range, but it is very easy to avoid a coasting missile. Even within powered range, with electronic countermeasures, evasive systems, point defense and countermissiles active & effective - a direct hit on a defended ship is basically impossible. Missiles spin while in flight, to make it difficult for point defense lasers to get a clear shot past the impeller wedge.
1) Impeller Drive Laser Missile – IDLM- This weapon used the high energy electromagnetic radiation produced during a nuclear explosion to pump about twenty-five X-ray lasers. As the initial radiation entered the gain medium, the X-rays were amplified and fired, after which the gain medium would have been destroyed by the explosions aftereffects, resulting in a brief flare of multiple high-energy X-ray laser beams. Unlike a pure fusion warhead, meaningful damage could be dealt to anything within 1,000 miles of the detonation.
2) Multi drive laser missiles – MDLMs- They have ranges approaching 50 million miles, weigh about 50 tonnes, and detonate 50 lasers with a range of about 2,500 miles of the detonation point.
3) Countermissiles: These are smaller, more numerous missiles with a lesser range, some 1.5 million miles – they have no warheads. Their role is to knock down incoming missile barrages with their impeller wedges – both objects being vaproized.
4) Against immobile targets, no warhead is necessary. A starship can approach the target at 0.8 c and launch missiles that will accelerate to 0.99 c. At this speed, even nuclear warheads are pointless; the kenetic energy of the relativistic missiles can tear a planet apart.

Grasers –Light Speed Weapons –
Mounting 20 dual Grasers the Falling Star is very formidibly armed for short range action
Grasers are lasers operating in the gamma ray (the name is an abbreviation of gamma ray amplification by stimulated emission of radiation). Considered vastly superior in both strength and size when compared to conventional lasers. Their lenses are several meters across and are gravitic not optical.They have ranges in the 1,000,000 mile range and can penetrate most forms of enegry shielding.

The Falling Star also mounts clusters of smaller, point-defense lasers for anitmissile duty. These smaller lasers have an effective range for killing enemy missiles of about 500,000 miles. They are locatated about the ship so as to be able to cover the Falling Star globally

Shields - Defense
Shields are non-ablative, gravitic stress bands, and thus weaker lasers and grasers are bent away, or refracted like light is when it passes through denser mediums. In this instance, the focused light is bent by the intense gravity in the shields. Shields are invulnerable to non-massless / lightspeed weapons as the weapon is destroyed by the gravitic shear caused by the shield. However they weaken with each hit absorbed, and will eventually fail until the generators are reset or repaired ( depending on how much damage they take before the fail safes kick in and ‘throw the breakers’ on the generators)
Against Lasers, Grasers, and other photonic / light speed weapons the shield is the first line of defense. Missiles are dealt with by other measures, including countermissiles, point defense lasers, and sensor jammers.
The Falling Star is also protected by many layers of armor that alternate between ablative composites that absorb energy from energy weapons and solid anti-kinetic layers. The armor is over a five meters thick. Inside, there are more armored bulkheads. Even with this tremendous defense, at close range, the energy weapons of any starship are more than enough to destroy a larger ship. The hull with it’s integral armor is ‘grown’ with nanotechnology and repaired in similar fashion. The outer most layer is a gleaming white and is a single molecule crystal.
Half of the marine compliment quarters have been turned into additional BHS-Biohazard sealable- storage, and half of the remaining quarters are altered to provide OTS -Other than Standard- life support / habitat for any guests needing such.
The remaining part of these quarters have been turned into spacious suites for the exploratory crew with their own lounge, gymnasium with swimming pool, medical center, armory, refectory, green-space, library, holodeck and more. Given that such explorations can last for years no expense is spared in providing every amenity for the teams. However this area is independently powered, with it’s own environmental suite and access to the storage, and flight bays. There is also direct access to what was one the Flag- Bridge, a complete second bridge mean to be used by an Admiral and his flagstaff should the Battle Cruiser be chosen as a Flagship. It has every thing the main bridge does but the tactical holo-display is twice as large and much more detailed. This Flag-Bridge is where Starry* is most often found.

Ship crew numbers roughly a thousand and they too have lavish quarters and well appointed spaces.

Battle Cruisers normally have three A.I.’s and all three have been retained, as are their avatars and assorted teledroids. Additional sensor suites, astrogation nodes, crew interaction, and First Contact duties - psychology, linguistics, physiology, general librarian- keep both busy as crews are pared down even further with additional navigational, communication, and environmental concerns turned over to the A.I.’s
The primary A.I.’s of the Falling Star are Fall and Star, having male and female avatars respectively. Fall is the senior avatar, and oversees most of the ‘command & engineering ’ duties and Star is the primary for ‘medical and environmental’, though who is doing what at any given time seems to depend on who is freest at the moment to handle whatever crops up. The third avatar is Shiva and is the battle A.I.- most of the time he is only semi aware, and does not have an avatar. As Fall would put it, and meaning no malice or disrespect “Shiva is an idiot savant. If it has to do with strategy or tactics he’s unbeatable, but for anything else he’s not that interested and not that bright. Star and I keep him occupied with endless games of chess and other similar exercises. He’s happy with that.”


Though their avatars are seldom on the bridge – or in any compartment simultaneously if there is any possibility of combat or a hazardous situation.

Fall does not use a holographic avatar, but Star does and that form she prefers to have called Starry* when the two are present in the same location, or when the Flag-Bridge is in use.

Fall and Star are like an old married couple-they have worked together for a long time and know one another’s strengths and weaknesses and compliment one another.

Drives & Power sources

All power for the craft comes from two sources, the primary being a DeSitter space tap, which primarily powers the DTD- the DeSitter Translation Drive, and only secondarily powers weapons and other energy needs. The massive matter antimatter reactors with their exotic matter lenses provide power primarily for general ship needs such as life support, sensors, Sublight drive and the Slipstream drive.

Sublight:

The ages old standard Internally Metered Pulse drive (IMP or Impulse drive) capable of high acceleration and maneuvers. This is the drive used to get most starcraft out to the Frankel Limit, the distance from the stellar primary needed before entering wormholes/ subspace/ warp space and many other FTL type dimensional shifting drives with out affecting the stellar primary- entering these alternate/sub dimensions within the Frankel Limit tends to send the stellar primary into nova or near nova conditions. Generally the Frankel Limit is some 80 AU’s out, but larger or hotter stellar primaries have larger ‘no drop’ zones.
Sublight drives let one cover about one million miles a minute.

FTL:
The Falling Star is fitted with two forms of so called Faster than Light travel.

The primary drive is a DeSitter Translation Drive, DTD-called by some a ‘Gate’ or ‘Jump’ Drive in that the Hamalki invention ‘cracks’ an opening into DeSitter space, draws the ship in then, spits it out the other side at the destination entered into the ships navigational matrix. The jump is instantaneous but there is a ‘consciously elapsed time’ of about 60 seconds per million LY -i.e. the people within the craft ‘perceive’ that roughly one minute passes for every million light years traveled. This is just a mental / sensory artifact of a living mind. However A.I.’s do not experience this perception.

The secondary FTL drive is a advanced version of the venerable Warp Drive called the Slipstream Drive Unlike in the conventional Warp Drive, where a bubble of ‘subspace’ is created around the ship, a bit of another universe where the speed of light is much faster than in ‘reality’; with a SlipStream Drive is a narrowly-focused, directed warp field that is initiated by manipulating the fabric of the space-time continuum at the quantum level using the starcraft’s astronavigational sensor array. By focusing a quantum field through a a projector array it generates massive changes in local space curvature. This creates a subspace tunnel, which is projected ahead of the vessel. Once a ship has entered this tunnel, the forces inside propel it at incredible speed. In order to maintain the slipstream, a ship has to constantly modify the quantum field with its projector array; however, the calculations involved are too complicated for the huiman mind to handle at the speed necessary. This is where A.I.’s have their greatest andvantage, they are the only entities that can do the calculations and the reason all starcraft have a minimum of two A.I’s. Slipstream is many times faster than standard warp drives, but far slower than a DTD gate. 20,000 LY can be travelled in about an hour.

General Information

Conventionally starcraft use their sublight drives to get beyond a star’s Frankel Limit then they open a Gate, or go into Warp. Certain types of drives can do micro jumps inside a stars FL, but those types of drrives are expensive in terms of power and such are generally used only by the military. And in combat such micro jumps are almost never done as they can not be set up ‘on the run’ save by dedicated A.I.’s- such as Shiva- given the distortions to space as are found in the midst of combat action, though many militaries use them at the initation of combat to avoid the opponents first flight of missile, if they are out of Light Speed Weapons range. One also has to consider the aweful possibilities of coming out of a micro jump is the same spaces that is already occupied by another ship…

Edited to add

There are a variety of shuttles - including military drop ships - as part of the small craft compliment of the Expedition. The Battle cruiser also has a small compliment of fighters as well.

The Falling Star and the vest poscket cruisers also have Transporter systems

Indeed an interesting cast we've got in front of us now. So far I don't see any real problems with any of the applications received.

In the meantime, allow me to put up my characters:

Name:
Aeris Greenwood-Hexx
Nationality:
Tarlachian, elf-angel
Photo:
(will submit later, need to find it)
Ht:
6'0''
Wt:
140 lbs
Build:
Slender/Athletic
Health:
Very strong immune system, immortality
Degrees/ Skills:
Elven/Angelic magics, diplomacy,
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable):
None, but battle hardened/trained
Marital Status:
Married
Biography:
Aeris has been Tarlachia's reigning monarch, having carried the nation through a devastating Dark War, and helped maintain rebuilding efforts not only in Tarlachia, but also in the region as well. For now, all is stable in her nation and empire, and her attention is on the latest astrological findings. She is not a person to be trifled with or insulted. It is relatively easy enough to become friends with her, but those who have become enemies have regretted it so. Her unworldly strength is known, yet she is humble with its use, using it only when necessary, and when all other options have been exhausted.
Unusual gifts/ abilities:
Has the ability to change appearance at will, shift forms to accentuate certain powers, has a strong capability of healing self and others
Basic Psychology:
Usually calm, intelligent, crafty, high fortitude,
Reason for wishing to join the expedition:
She is taking a sort of vacation/diplomatic/exploration venture into the uncharted galaxy.

##################

I'll have one or two more characters to be put up here, but you'll have to wait until I get their information together. Keep an eye on this post for this is where they'll appear.

Name: Cassy O'Conor
Nationality: Assingtonian
Photo: N/A
Ht: 179cm (5ft 9)
Wt:55kg (121 lbs)
Build: Petite
Health: Reasonably fit/healthy
Degrees/ Skills: Bachelor of Science with a first major in biology and another in chemistry. PhD in microbiology.
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): N/A
Marital Status: Single
Biography: Cassy only completed her PhD a year ago and has been doing some work for the Assingtonian government. Whilst quite enthusiastic about her field of expertise she desires something a little more ground breaking/exciting in her career.
Unusaual gifts/ abilities: Like many in Assington, Cassy has psychic abilities including telepathy and telekinesis, although she is far stronger in telepathy.
Basic Psychology: Cassy is hard working to the point of almost being obsessive. She rarely spends time relaxing and is perceived as being uptight.
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: The opportunity to travel off the planet and possibly encounter new life is an exciting prospect for Cassy and just what she has been looking for.
______________________________

Name: Liam Anderson
Nationality: Assingtonian
Photo: N/A
Ht: 195cm (6ft 4)
Wt: 90kg (198lbs)
Build: Muscular
Health: Very fit/immune to most disease
Degrees/ Skills:
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): Captain/8 years. Part of a recently developed nano-soldier battalion.
Marital Status: Single
Biography: Liam is a career soldier is known for his dedication and effectiveness. He comes across as being far less intelligent than he really is but that suits him just fine.
Unusual gifts/ abilities: The nanites have granted Liam enhanced strength/speed/reflexes and regenerative capabilities. He is also a strong telekinetic but his training is rather limited in other aspects of his psychic potential.
Basic Psychology: Easy going personality but is dedicated to his work. Generally not a very open person despite the appearance of being laid back.
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: Assigned to the protection of the Assingtonian scientist and to provide a military presence in case of trouble.

Name: Tempest & Twilight Remmington
Nationality: Nuevo Nihongoan
Ht: 5'9"
Wt: 135 lbs
Build: atheletic
Health: excellent
Degrees/ Skills: PhD - Geology / PhD - Botany
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): Captain /10 years
Marital Status: single
Biography: Only children of one of the largest landowners in Nuevo Nihongo
Unusaual gifts/ abilities:Twin link, limited shapeshift; nanite packs give better than normal healing and resistance to toxins/ poisons
Basic Psychology: inquisitive, sensible, some what shy
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: "Strange new worlds? hell yes!"

http://www.atddm.com/tat1.jpg

Name: Kerrich, Keyton
Nationality: Argonian
Photo: Not on file
Ht: 6'3"
Wt: 210 lbs
Build: Muscular, Powerful
Health: Extremely Good
Degrees/ Skills: Bachelor's Degree, Psycology, University of Pheonix Online
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): Colonel, Argonian National Army, 17 years in service
Marital Status: Single, Unmarried
Biography: See Below
Unusaual gifts/ abilities: Gifted close-quarters combatant, Excellent marksman, Excellent leader
Basic Psychology: Quiet, reserved, but highly driven and self motivated
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: Asked to participate on behalf of the Argonian Government to keep an eye on one of their most feared 'enemies'

Biography: Keyton Kerrich enlisted in the newly forming Argonian National Army at its inception after the Modernization Movement and during the first attacks by the Insurgency. Kerrich saw his first action as an infantry soldier in close-quartered jungle warfare, fighting and killing foes scarcely four feet away. During his second year of enlistment he was involved in an ambush, during which his entire squad was wiped out and he lost his left eye to shrapnel. The heroics he performed under fire earned him a field promotion to Sergeant, and his first leadership role. Kerrich led with distinction, winning a few minor victories that kept the ANA in the fight. Kerrich volunteered for the then-forming Longhunter school, a new division of the Argonian Infantry similar to the US Army Rangers. Longhunters underwent intense conditioning and additional training in the arts of war before being sent back out into the jungles on seek and destroy operations. Again, Kerrich served with distinction on several occasions where all seemed lost, but he and his troops held fast in spite of overwhelming odds. His actions at the now-named Keyton's Crossing rewarded him with a sort of immortality as the small hamlet was re-named in his honor.

Kerrich didn't really come into his own, however, until the first round of Special Forces Selection was announced, which he immediately volunteered for. He passed at the top of his class, moving on to become one the the ANA's most decorated special operators and effective warfighters. Sniper school followed soon after, and Kerrich further molded himself into a force to be feared by the Insurgency. Until now, he's been the head instructor at the Yelta Derrinnitt Special Warfare School, and his troops have racked up innumerable victories against their less-organized enemies. Kerrich also participated in the botched 'Cruise Liner' incident, where his troops were widely criticized world-wide for their heavy-handed tactics during the re-taking of the vessel. The newly-formed Naval Special Forces, STAB, was omitted from the verbal crossfire, allowing the new unit to remain in service without such a black mark on their record. Considering the already-impressive record of the Army's special troops, this large mistake could be largely overlooked.


Name: Longtail, Whiptail
Nationality: Argonian (Dark Argonian)
Photo: Deleted From Achives
Ht: 6'2"
Wt: 190 lbs
Build: Toned, Athletic
Health: Excellent
Degrees/ Skills: No Higher Education
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): Shadowscale Order, 215 years
Marital Status: Single
Biography: See Below
Unusaual gifts/ abilities: Freerunning, Fade, Extremely skilled in unarmed combat and useage of knives
Basic Psychology: Adaptive, Fiercely Independent, Inquisitive
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: The Government wants him where they can keep an eye on him, and he loves to travel. It's a mutual agreement

Born a long time ago before the Black Marsh was the war-torn Hellhole its become, Whiptail first made a name for himself in the Shadowscale Order, a group of professional assassins trained from a very young age by the then-ruling body, the Elder Council, to serve as spies and assassins for their own purposes. Whiptail rose to the title of Grandmaster after many years of training and field work, and after his disappearance allowed him to support himself taking odd jobs as a hitman when he needed the money. Because of this training, and the fact that he is the only surviving Shadowscale Grandmaster, he's become something of an enemy of the state since the Modernization Movement due to his semi-anarchist views and general discontent of the new government. While he has no actual military service, Whiptail has recieved a lot of additional training from Gunsite and Blackwater, allowing him to use a firearm with extreme comfort. While he is a skilled combatant, Whiptail prefers to avoid combat whenever possible, and finds the whole killing thing distasteful after having done it professionally for so long. He's not particularly happy about having the stone-eyed cyclops (Kerrich) along for the ride. The two clash on so many different levels its nearly impossible for them to get along.

((I'll be posting more information on bios and such once I've gotten it written, but I wanted to get some basic character information up at the first opportunity.))

Name: Sal Carter
Nationality: Djeri
Photo: [ ]
Ht: 5’4”
Wt:
Build: A bit on the stout side, but basically average.
Health: Fairly good.
Degrees/ Skills: B.S. in botany, B.S. in organic chemistry, Ph.D. in ecosystems science.
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): None.
Marital Status: Married, with one adult son.
Biography:
Unusual gifts/ abilities: An exceptional memory.
Basic Psychology: Cheerful, outspoken. Very much an academic – she can identify an obscure species of moss almost at a glance, but couldn’t name five popular singers to save her life.
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: Investigate ecosystems & biochemistry of other worlds.

((Note that, while I planned Sal as a biologist, I’m willing to make her a geologist or some such to increase the variety of the team, if desired.))

Status: Canceled, to leave it at two characters, and avoid too many biologists running around arguing with each other over who gets to study what.

Name: Garen T. Mitchell
Nationality: Djeri
Photo: [ ]
Ht: 6’1”
Wt:
Build: Slender
Health: Good
Degrees/ Skills: An extensive theoretical grounding in several branches of magic, lower power spell-casting, trained with thaumic research equipment.
Military Rank/Years in Service (if applicable): None.
Marital Status: Single
Biography:
Unusual gifts/ abilities: Low power magical talent. High power magical abilities are available in dire emergencies, but this is not readily apparent.
Basic Psychology: Shy, but good natured and helpful. Dedicated to his work. Additional information classified.
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: Study background magical fields and effectiveness of various branches of magic outside the Solar system.

Name: Karl Var’kos
Nationality: Djeri
Photo: [ ]
Ht: 5’10”
Wt: Classified
Build: Wiry
Health: Excellent
Degrees/ Skills: Combat, investigation.
Military Rank/Years in Service ( if applicable): Official rank – Sergeant. More recent records make no mention of rank. Five years active duty in the Djeri army, 13 years on the MBS*.
Marital Status: Married.
Biography: Karl joined the army at the age of 18. After five years of exemplary service, he received and accepted an offer of transfer to the MBS. He has since become one of Kazar’s top operatives, and information on his past is very difficult to come by.
Unusual gifts/ abilities: Stronger than he looks, Wizards’ Sight**, MBS armor***.
Basic Psychology: Quiet, practical. A kinder heart than he likes to let on, but he won’t let anything interfere with doing his duty.
Reason for wishing to join the expedition: “The Boss said so. I’m not arguin’ with Red Eyes himself!”
((Along with his duties for the MBS, Karl is also employed be Djeri Counterintelligence.))
*The Magical Being Squad is tasked primarily with tracking down and dealing with criminals that ordinary weapons and police can’t handle. They are generally thought of as somewhere between military and law enforcement personnel. Despite their name, they are often called to help with situations that do not involve magic, and might be thought of as Kazar’s elite minions.
**He has excellent night vision, and can recognize a great deal about the nature of a magical being or object. This is one reason he does well in the MBS – when facing a creature that laughs at ordinary weapons, he can often see what its weaknesses are.
***In addition to simple physical protection, this armor carries a number of powerful enchantments that can temporarily place the wearer on more equal footing with beings that possess superhuman abilities. However, these take a while to recharge, and often leave the wearer feeling like he’s been run through a giant rock tumbler.

OMG, the extant - but not necessarily alive- one has come out of lurkerdom!

Oh Goody!

If you are most comfortable doing the plants thing I'll see if NN can change her second person into zoologist- or if you think the animal kingdom is more up your alley, you could have Sal be a zoologist- say BS in biology PhD in Zoology.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And waves at the finny eared one! Welcome aboard WA. oh boy more to terrorize!

Both of you all are welcome aboard.

So post arriving in Tanaara, the capitol city of Montgard, at the starport, and showing up at the Hotel Heliopolis for the meet and greet...you will have wuites reserved in your name. The Hotel Heliopolis is very close to the base of the beanstalk, and as one might guess has a sun motif as it's decorative theme.

OOC: Where exactly do we do the arrival thing at? Or is there a link I'm overlooking?

OOC: Where exactly do we do the arrival thing at? Or is there a link I'm overlooking?

Arrive at the port on Earth, in Tanaara. You'll be directed to a hotel nearby, where you'll stay the night. Then, everyone will meet and greet. The next day, we all board the ship and begin our trip.

Hope that clears it up. Let either me or Tanaara know if you've got any more questions.

I was wondering actually if we posted it here, or posted it elsewhere.

Crude visual representations (please forgive me for the quality, especially the hands):

Garen, hexing the camera (http://i6.tinypic.com/6k02jw0.jpg) Karl (actual photo classified) (http://i10.tinypic.com/7yqchmo.jpg)

You can't tell here, because his hat is in the way, but Karl has red hair - not scarlet, but standard red-hair colored.

Here is the IC thread - Heavens Reach (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=54367)

OOC: Finally! I'll be posting now, thanks NN...

Wait, it says no thread specified... Damn...