The Prologue Chapter of Infestation will take place in one of the settlements on the outskirts of the New Arizona Colony (located on the planet Embryon, in the Aquaria Star System.) It will describe the discovery of a recently opened cave-system, and the unfortunate fates of those individuals that plan to explore its depths...
The First Chapter of Infestation introduces one of the lead characters of the story (Dr. Karyss Mauvais,) the chief medical examiner of the New Arizona Colony; as she discovers that they have been out of contact with the previously mentioned settlement for several months, and subsequently volunteers to join the search and rescue party arranged by the local law enforcement agency. The party travel to the settlement and find it abandoned without a trace of the late-inhabitants; until the come across the opening to the cave-system and find the body of one of their citizens nearby.
Though some among the party are keen to explore the cavern in hopes of recovering more of their personnel; Dr. Mauvais and others decide to return to the safety of the main colony. It is there that Dr. Karyss Mauvais performs an autopsy upon the body and discovers that the wounds resemble those of an animal attack. Further investigation reveals high levels of a toxic luminescent substance found within the bloodstream. Dr. Mauvais reports this to the law enforcement personnel that remained to investigate the caves, just as they are about to discover the pseudo-arachnid creatures that have made their home within...
The First Chapter of Infestation introduces one of the lead characters of the story (Dr. Karyss Mauvais,) the chief medical examiner of the New Arizona Colony; as she discovers that they have been out of contact with the previously mentioned settlement for several months, and subsequently volunteers to join the search and rescue party arranged by the local law enforcement agency. The party travel to the settlement and find it abandoned without a trace of the late-inhabitants; until the come across the opening to the cave-system and find the body of one of their citizens nearby.
Though some among the party are keen to explore the cavern in hopes of recovering more of their personnel; Dr. Mauvais and others decide to return to the safety of the main colony. It is there that Dr. Karyss Mauvais performs an autopsy upon the body and discovers that the wounds resemble those of an animal attack. Further investigation reveals high levels of a toxic luminescent substance found within the bloodstream. Dr. Mauvais reports this to the law enforcement personnel that remained to investigate the caves, just as they are about to discover the pseudo-arachnid creatures that have made their home within...
The Aquaria Star System was identified and successfully terraformed in the year 2315AE (the new scale of time used to indicate the number of Earth Years that have passed since the Age of Expansion, this being approximately equivalent to 30,000AD,) it supports a number of colonial territories including New Arizona Colony (each of which supports a number of smaller outlying settlements.)
The story of Infestation commences with a cessation of communications with one of New Arizona's outlying settlements. The New Arizona Colony Enforcement Service (or NAC Enforcement,) are dispatched in order to investigate the situation and to re-establish communications if possible. When they arrive on the scene the NAC Enforcement personnel discover the mutilated remains of several former colonists; their wounds containing traces of an unidentified substance. After completing an initial survey of the surrounding area, the NAC Enforcement personnel secure and transport the bodies of the deceased, to be autopsied by the Chief Medical Examiner of the New Arizona Colony Morgue.
Doctor Karyss Mauvais performs the first of these autopsies; taking the requisite samples and investigating those injuries present on the body before analysing the state of the internal organs. She discovers a deceased insect-like specimen within the abdominal cavity; which is immediately reported to representatives of the Colonial Flora & Fauna Authority (CFFA,) and the Colonial Administration Authority (or CAA,) based on Earth (Sol Star System.) When this specimen is initially scanned and cannot be immediately identified by the computerised systems; the CFFA begin to speculate that they are dealing with a mutated subspecies of an imported breed of insect or arachnid (leading to the use of the term 'pseudo-arachnid' to refer to these creatures.)
The Tactical Space Force receive an alert message as soon as the unidentified pseudo-arachnid lifeform is detected by Dr. Mauvais' Medical Suite.Artificial Intelligences aboard the orbital platform stationed above the surface of Embryon filter, analyse and collate all available information regarding the situation planet-side. Tactical Space Force personnel receive all relevant information via their neural implants, and are subsequently deployed planet-side to assess, contain and control the situation. One team drops at the aforementioned settlement, whilst the main force deploys at the New Arizona Colony; this latter team under the command of a surprisingly youthful Aiden Brown.
Commander Aiden Brown and his team arrive planet-side and immediately move to secure the on-site medical facilities, the bodies of the former colonists and all samples taken during the autopsy. They cannot risk local authorities and law enforcement interfering with their mission, and enter the facility armed and armoured up; shouting clear orders and manhandling those that fail to comply with their instructions. Upon deploying successfully, Aiden Brown's primary responsibility is to establish communications with the defensive platform in orbit above the planet, and to call down reinforcement personnel, equipment and vehicles as required. A secure zone must be established about the perimeter of all colonies and/or settlements in the area; with fortified walls and autonomous defensive turrets being installed around the perimeter...
Thus begins the Space Command Trilogy...
The story of Infestation commences with a cessation of communications with one of New Arizona's outlying settlements. The New Arizona Colony Enforcement Service (or NAC Enforcement,) are dispatched in order to investigate the situation and to re-establish communications if possible. When they arrive on the scene the NAC Enforcement personnel discover the mutilated remains of several former colonists; their wounds containing traces of an unidentified substance. After completing an initial survey of the surrounding area, the NAC Enforcement personnel secure and transport the bodies of the deceased, to be autopsied by the Chief Medical Examiner of the New Arizona Colony Morgue.
Doctor Karyss Mauvais performs the first of these autopsies; taking the requisite samples and investigating those injuries present on the body before analysing the state of the internal organs. She discovers a deceased insect-like specimen within the abdominal cavity; which is immediately reported to representatives of the Colonial Flora & Fauna Authority (CFFA,) and the Colonial Administration Authority (or CAA,) based on Earth (Sol Star System.) When this specimen is initially scanned and cannot be immediately identified by the computerised systems; the CFFA begin to speculate that they are dealing with a mutated subspecies of an imported breed of insect or arachnid (leading to the use of the term 'pseudo-arachnid' to refer to these creatures.)
The Tactical Space Force receive an alert message as soon as the unidentified pseudo-arachnid lifeform is detected by Dr. Mauvais' Medical Suite.Artificial Intelligences aboard the orbital platform stationed above the surface of Embryon filter, analyse and collate all available information regarding the situation planet-side. Tactical Space Force personnel receive all relevant information via their neural implants, and are subsequently deployed planet-side to assess, contain and control the situation. One team drops at the aforementioned settlement, whilst the main force deploys at the New Arizona Colony; this latter team under the command of a surprisingly youthful Aiden Brown.
Commander Aiden Brown and his team arrive planet-side and immediately move to secure the on-site medical facilities, the bodies of the former colonists and all samples taken during the autopsy. They cannot risk local authorities and law enforcement interfering with their mission, and enter the facility armed and armoured up; shouting clear orders and manhandling those that fail to comply with their instructions. Upon deploying successfully, Aiden Brown's primary responsibility is to establish communications with the defensive platform in orbit above the planet, and to call down reinforcement personnel, equipment and vehicles as required. A secure zone must be established about the perimeter of all colonies and/or settlements in the area; with fortified walls and autonomous defensive turrets being installed around the perimeter...
Thus begins the Space Command Trilogy...
Aiden Brown and Karyss Mauvais were among the few survivors of the original Embryon Incident; their emergency shuttle was met by the CGE Battlecruiser Vanguard. They were quarantined and questioned regarding the incident, before the Fleet Admiral determined that planetary bombardment was the only way to be certain that all specimens would be exterminated.
Whilst the evacuation of the planet is underway, and the procedures for a planetary bombardment are set in motion, Commander Aiden Brown identifies an individual acting in a suspicious manner. He tracks the individual's movements and develops a gut-feeling that something is off about this person. It is soon revealed that the suspicious individual is an android designed to infiltrate the Fleet Vessels belonging to the Central Government of Earth. Commander Aiden Brown sustains mortal injuries whilst disabling the android; but is able to issue a Fleet-Wide Alert concerning the infiltration and sabotage attempt.
The Aquaria In-System Fleet is attacked by unidentified vessels, and a severely damaged Vanguard attempts an emergency transition to the Sol System; to warn the Central Government of Earth of the impending danger... but it appears that they are too late to do more than offer limited assistance to the Home Fleet. Dr. Karyss Mauvais is transferred planet-side, where she meets with government officials and discovers that the CGE have a last line of defence against just such an invasion attempt...
Which leads into the events of Invasion...
Karyss Mauvais and the remaining survivors of the Embryon Incident are shuttled to the surface, whilst the CGE Battlecruiser Vanguard and her crew rejoin the Home Fleet in defence of the Earth. On the surface Karyss Mauvais and her fellow survivors are taken into the custody of the Protective Service; their weapons confiscated before they are summoned to attend a briefing with representatives from the Central Government. In time they learn the truth about mankind's initial attempts to create a united empire of colonised worlds and star systems; and the subsequent wars that took the lives of untold billions.
They learn that the Central Government of Earth - the last vestiges of the United Nations - sought to end the conflict; to eliminate all existing threats and to ensure that they and their citizens would be protected against possible future dangers. They are led through the bowels of a secure underground facility; to the birthplace of the Synthetics Programme that ended the war once and for all. The nanofactories responsible for the design and manufacture of the synthetic humans have long since been destroyed, and all that remains is a series of perhaps two dozen cryogenic stasis chambers; each of which holds one of the Central Government's "Synthetic Humans."
Each of these entities can be studied and examined down the the subatomic composition before they can be identified as anything beyond human. The subatomic components within the synthetic human are comprised of nanomaterial fibres; allowing for greater physical strength, greater reaction speeds, parallel mental processing, enhanced senses and other non-human traits. As Karyss and her companions are informed, the Central Government was divided by the time the dust had settled; many wished to destroy anything to do with the project, so as to eliminate the risk of their being used against them. In the end it was decided that a small number of the entities should be kept in a secured storage facility; where they might be reactivated against the eventuality that the Central Government faced a threat beyond anything seen previously.
Each of the reactivated synthetics are charged with assisting the Protective Service with the elimination of the invading force, and the subsequent effort to reclaim Earth, the Sol Star System and eventually the entirety of human-controlled space.
Subject: KAS-39854762-1 (calling itself by the name of Kaelan Shepherd,) is selected to accompany the team which includes Dr. Karyss Mauvais.
In time they are able to eliminate the hostile machines occupying the North American Continent and are recalled by the Central Government and its Members in order to receive a new series of orders; to prepare and head a retaliatory action against the Trade Alliance's Headquarters...
Whilst the evacuation of the planet is underway, and the procedures for a planetary bombardment are set in motion, Commander Aiden Brown identifies an individual acting in a suspicious manner. He tracks the individual's movements and develops a gut-feeling that something is off about this person. It is soon revealed that the suspicious individual is an android designed to infiltrate the Fleet Vessels belonging to the Central Government of Earth. Commander Aiden Brown sustains mortal injuries whilst disabling the android; but is able to issue a Fleet-Wide Alert concerning the infiltration and sabotage attempt.
The Aquaria In-System Fleet is attacked by unidentified vessels, and a severely damaged Vanguard attempts an emergency transition to the Sol System; to warn the Central Government of Earth of the impending danger... but it appears that they are too late to do more than offer limited assistance to the Home Fleet. Dr. Karyss Mauvais is transferred planet-side, where she meets with government officials and discovers that the CGE have a last line of defence against just such an invasion attempt...
Which leads into the events of Invasion...
Karyss Mauvais and the remaining survivors of the Embryon Incident are shuttled to the surface, whilst the CGE Battlecruiser Vanguard and her crew rejoin the Home Fleet in defence of the Earth. On the surface Karyss Mauvais and her fellow survivors are taken into the custody of the Protective Service; their weapons confiscated before they are summoned to attend a briefing with representatives from the Central Government. In time they learn the truth about mankind's initial attempts to create a united empire of colonised worlds and star systems; and the subsequent wars that took the lives of untold billions.
They learn that the Central Government of Earth - the last vestiges of the United Nations - sought to end the conflict; to eliminate all existing threats and to ensure that they and their citizens would be protected against possible future dangers. They are led through the bowels of a secure underground facility; to the birthplace of the Synthetics Programme that ended the war once and for all. The nanofactories responsible for the design and manufacture of the synthetic humans have long since been destroyed, and all that remains is a series of perhaps two dozen cryogenic stasis chambers; each of which holds one of the Central Government's "Synthetic Humans."
Each of these entities can be studied and examined down the the subatomic composition before they can be identified as anything beyond human. The subatomic components within the synthetic human are comprised of nanomaterial fibres; allowing for greater physical strength, greater reaction speeds, parallel mental processing, enhanced senses and other non-human traits. As Karyss and her companions are informed, the Central Government was divided by the time the dust had settled; many wished to destroy anything to do with the project, so as to eliminate the risk of their being used against them. In the end it was decided that a small number of the entities should be kept in a secured storage facility; where they might be reactivated against the eventuality that the Central Government faced a threat beyond anything seen previously.
Each of the reactivated synthetics are charged with assisting the Protective Service with the elimination of the invading force, and the subsequent effort to reclaim Earth, the Sol Star System and eventually the entirety of human-controlled space.
Subject: KAS-39854762-1 (calling itself by the name of Kaelan Shepherd,) is selected to accompany the team which includes Dr. Karyss Mauvais.
In time they are able to eliminate the hostile machines occupying the North American Continent and are recalled by the Central Government and its Members in order to receive a new series of orders; to prepare and head a retaliatory action against the Trade Alliance's Headquarters...
Synthetic Operative
Kaelan Shepherd
Aiden Brown and Karyss Mauvais were among the few survivors of the original Embryon Incident; their emergency shuttle was met by the CGE Battlecruiser Vanguard. They were quarantined and questioned regarding the incident, before the Fleet Admiral determined that planetary bombardment was the only way to be certain that all specimens would be exterminated.
The Aquaria In-System Fleet is attacked by unidentified vessels, and a severely damaged Vanguard attempts an emergency transition to the Sol System; to warn the Central Government of Earth of the impending danger... but it appears that they are too late to do more than offer limited assistance to the Home Fleet. Dr. Karyss Mauvais is transferred planet-side, where she meets with government officials and discovers that the CGE have a last line of defence against just such an invasion attempt...
Karyss Mauvais and the remaining survivors of the Embryon Incident are shuttled to the surface, whilst the CGE Battlecruiser Vanguard and her crew rejoin the Home Fleet in defence of the Earth. On the surface Karyss Mauvais and her fellow survivors are taken into the custody of the Protective Service; their weapons confiscated before they are summoned to attend a briefing with representatives from the Central Government. In time they learn the truth about mankind's initial attempts to create a united empire of colonised worlds and star systems; and the subsequent wars that took the lives of untold billions.
They learn that the Central Government of Earth - the last vestiges of the United Nations - sought to end the conflict; to eliminate all existing threats and to ensure that they and their citizens would be protected against possible future dangers. They are led through the bowels of a secure underground facility; to the birthplace of the Synthetics Programme that ended the war once and for all. The nanofactories responsible for the design and manufacture of the synthetic humans have long since been destroyed, and all that remains is a series of perhaps two dozen cryogenic stasis chambers; each of which holds one of the Central Government's "Synthetic Humans."
Each of these entities can be studied and examined down the the subatomic composition before they can be identified as anything beyond human. The subatomic components within the synthetic human are comprised of nanomaterial fibres; allowing for greater physical strength, greater reaction speeds, parallel mental processing, enhanced senses and other non-human traits. As Karyss and her companions are informed, the Central Government was divided by the time the dust had settled; many wished to destroy anything to do with the project, so as to eliminate the risk of their being used against them. In the end it was decided that a small number of the entities should be kept in a secured storage facility; where they might be reactivated against the eventuality that the Central Government faced a threat beyond anything seen previously.
Each of the reactivated synthetics are charged with assisting the Protective Service with the elimination of the invading force, and the subsequent effort to reclaim Earth, the Sol Star System and eventually the entirety of human-controlled space. Subject: KAS-39854762-1 (calling itself by the name of Kaelan Shepherd,) is selected to accompany the team which includes Dr. Karyss Mauvais. In time they are able to eliminate the hostile machines occupying the North American Continent and are recalled by the Central Government and its Members in order to receive a new series of orders; to prepare and head a retaliatory action against the Trade Alliance's Headquarters...
Which leads into the events of Retaliation...
Though he "leads" the retaliatory strike force in the assault of the Trade Alliance Headquarters, Kaelan Shepherd is not Admiral of the Fleet and not stationed aboard the CGE Flagship (Destroyer Class,) Ragnarök; in fact he and the entirety of the invasion force are quartered upon lighter stealth capable vessels that have been charged with the task of slipping through the vessels engaged in combat, past the planetary defence platforms, in order to deploy the personnel, equipment and vehicles that make up the invasion force. It is this force that Kaelan Shepherd commands directly; though his force is dispersed throughout the world's continents as necessary.
The retaliatory strike force comprises of men and women from a variety of services within the Central Security Division (or CSD,) though the majority are Protective Service, Space Command and Tactical Space Force personnel. These individuals are deployed with every available vehicular asset including terrain and atmospheric craft, and even a handful of prototype mechanic armoured units (or Mechs,) which were specifically developed to combat the synthetic humans and androids that preceded them. Doctor Karyss Mauvais pilots one of these mechanised units and was able to go pretty much toe-to-toe against Kaelan during the initial testing phase.
Though these mechanised units are heavily armed, armoured and shielded they are not as manoeuvrable as more lightly armoured vehicles and personnel; nor do they have any restorative technologies installed, meaning that they will take a great deal of damage, but will eventually falter. Synthetic Humans such as Kaelan Shepherd are lighter and more agile than the prototype Mechs, and are capable of regenerating to a considerable degree given their nanomaterial composition; however, they are nowhere near as armed or armoured, and can be destroyed completely upon impact with high calibre ammunition or directed energy weapons for example.
It will be during the events of Retaliation (and less so Invasion,) that the developing relationship shared between Karyss and Kaelan will be tested. It will be made clear that an admittedly small proportion of those soldiers fighting alongside the pair, and within the Central Government, fail to differentiate between what Kaelan is, and the machines that have invaded their worlds and massacred their friends, loved ones and brothers in arms. To some, Kaelan Shepherd is little more than a machine, no different from the enemy that they face, and others still believe that he is not human and therefore he is an abomination that should not be permitted to exist.
Kaelan himself is questioned regarding his thoughts and feelings when he is responsible for destroying what could be considered his own kind. Kaelan does not believe that he shares any real kinship with the androids being deployed by the Trade Alliance; and whilst he does not delude himself into thinking that he is human, he believes that there is more in common between the machine that is the human body, and his own form comprised of subatomic nanomaterial fibres. He is sentient, intelligent, self-aware and capable of free will; his intelligence (though artificial by design,) is no more or less the result of learned experiences, knowledge acquired from sources external to his own self and reasoned logic than that of the average human. Karyss also comes under personal attack since she generally considers Kaelan to be an individual person and has developed strong romantic feelings and sexual attraction towards the 'toaster.'
And in the end the pair of them must face the inevitable betrayal by the Central Government and the Protective Service, as they deem all remaining Synthetic Humans to be dangerous and unlawful, and have all but decided to eradicate them in order to protect themselves and their people from the threat...
The Aquaria In-System Fleet is attacked by unidentified vessels, and a severely damaged Vanguard attempts an emergency transition to the Sol System; to warn the Central Government of Earth of the impending danger... but it appears that they are too late to do more than offer limited assistance to the Home Fleet. Dr. Karyss Mauvais is transferred planet-side, where she meets with government officials and discovers that the CGE have a last line of defence against just such an invasion attempt...
Karyss Mauvais and the remaining survivors of the Embryon Incident are shuttled to the surface, whilst the CGE Battlecruiser Vanguard and her crew rejoin the Home Fleet in defence of the Earth. On the surface Karyss Mauvais and her fellow survivors are taken into the custody of the Protective Service; their weapons confiscated before they are summoned to attend a briefing with representatives from the Central Government. In time they learn the truth about mankind's initial attempts to create a united empire of colonised worlds and star systems; and the subsequent wars that took the lives of untold billions.
They learn that the Central Government of Earth - the last vestiges of the United Nations - sought to end the conflict; to eliminate all existing threats and to ensure that they and their citizens would be protected against possible future dangers. They are led through the bowels of a secure underground facility; to the birthplace of the Synthetics Programme that ended the war once and for all. The nanofactories responsible for the design and manufacture of the synthetic humans have long since been destroyed, and all that remains is a series of perhaps two dozen cryogenic stasis chambers; each of which holds one of the Central Government's "Synthetic Humans."
Each of these entities can be studied and examined down the the subatomic composition before they can be identified as anything beyond human. The subatomic components within the synthetic human are comprised of nanomaterial fibres; allowing for greater physical strength, greater reaction speeds, parallel mental processing, enhanced senses and other non-human traits. As Karyss and her companions are informed, the Central Government was divided by the time the dust had settled; many wished to destroy anything to do with the project, so as to eliminate the risk of their being used against them. In the end it was decided that a small number of the entities should be kept in a secured storage facility; where they might be reactivated against the eventuality that the Central Government faced a threat beyond anything seen previously.
Each of the reactivated synthetics are charged with assisting the Protective Service with the elimination of the invading force, and the subsequent effort to reclaim Earth, the Sol Star System and eventually the entirety of human-controlled space. Subject: KAS-39854762-1 (calling itself by the name of Kaelan Shepherd,) is selected to accompany the team which includes Dr. Karyss Mauvais. In time they are able to eliminate the hostile machines occupying the North American Continent and are recalled by the Central Government and its Members in order to receive a new series of orders; to prepare and head a retaliatory action against the Trade Alliance's Headquarters...
Which leads into the events of Retaliation...
Though he "leads" the retaliatory strike force in the assault of the Trade Alliance Headquarters, Kaelan Shepherd is not Admiral of the Fleet and not stationed aboard the CGE Flagship (Destroyer Class,) Ragnarök; in fact he and the entirety of the invasion force are quartered upon lighter stealth capable vessels that have been charged with the task of slipping through the vessels engaged in combat, past the planetary defence platforms, in order to deploy the personnel, equipment and vehicles that make up the invasion force. It is this force that Kaelan Shepherd commands directly; though his force is dispersed throughout the world's continents as necessary.
The retaliatory strike force comprises of men and women from a variety of services within the Central Security Division (or CSD,) though the majority are Protective Service, Space Command and Tactical Space Force personnel. These individuals are deployed with every available vehicular asset including terrain and atmospheric craft, and even a handful of prototype mechanic armoured units (or Mechs,) which were specifically developed to combat the synthetic humans and androids that preceded them. Doctor Karyss Mauvais pilots one of these mechanised units and was able to go pretty much toe-to-toe against Kaelan during the initial testing phase.
Though these mechanised units are heavily armed, armoured and shielded they are not as manoeuvrable as more lightly armoured vehicles and personnel; nor do they have any restorative technologies installed, meaning that they will take a great deal of damage, but will eventually falter. Synthetic Humans such as Kaelan Shepherd are lighter and more agile than the prototype Mechs, and are capable of regenerating to a considerable degree given their nanomaterial composition; however, they are nowhere near as armed or armoured, and can be destroyed completely upon impact with high calibre ammunition or directed energy weapons for example.
It will be during the events of Retaliation (and less so Invasion,) that the developing relationship shared between Karyss and Kaelan will be tested. It will be made clear that an admittedly small proportion of those soldiers fighting alongside the pair, and within the Central Government, fail to differentiate between what Kaelan is, and the machines that have invaded their worlds and massacred their friends, loved ones and brothers in arms. To some, Kaelan Shepherd is little more than a machine, no different from the enemy that they face, and others still believe that he is not human and therefore he is an abomination that should not be permitted to exist.
Kaelan himself is questioned regarding his thoughts and feelings when he is responsible for destroying what could be considered his own kind. Kaelan does not believe that he shares any real kinship with the androids being deployed by the Trade Alliance; and whilst he does not delude himself into thinking that he is human, he believes that there is more in common between the machine that is the human body, and his own form comprised of subatomic nanomaterial fibres. He is sentient, intelligent, self-aware and capable of free will; his intelligence (though artificial by design,) is no more or less the result of learned experiences, knowledge acquired from sources external to his own self and reasoned logic than that of the average human. Karyss also comes under personal attack since she generally considers Kaelan to be an individual person and has developed strong romantic feelings and sexual attraction towards the 'toaster.'
And in the end the pair of them must face the inevitable betrayal by the Central Government and the Protective Service, as they deem all remaining Synthetic Humans to be dangerous and unlawful, and have all but decided to eradicate them in order to protect themselves and their people from the threat...