A Thousand Suns - Beyond Sol (Introduction)

[Seathal]

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[Comms systems activated: Incoming transmission]
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[Via: Message Drone - MS-078TMS]
[Encryptation level: Labelled Omega/High Priority][Classified Information]
[Report on the last incident in the Solar System and consequent action course][09:14 GMT 29-02-2938]
[From: Vice-Admiral William L. Peterson, ATF Operational High Command, Valhalla]
[To: Major General Rai Ishiyama, ATF, Asteroid Belt ODS]

Greetings, old friend.

As you already might be aware the lastest incident in our Solar System had strong politcal repercussions down there in the goverment. Not content with the fact we sent out operatives to investigate the causes of the Terraformer attacks and theft of information from our research stations, Earth wants us to execute further and depeer operations in Commonwealth territories to prevent this kind of situations in the future. They have reasons to be altered, it's been two decades since we last saw AGI inside our systems. Since the reactivation of Earth jumpgate with hostile Aliens knocking at our doors the events seem to be rushing on. We USC and ATF commands thought that moving the reactivated jumpgate away from Earth's Orbit and creating a buffer zone between the gate and our areas was enough, but this recent issue prooved us wrong.

You may wonder why am I contacting you. We actually need your assistance in a delicate matter.

The Senate wants us to send at least a dozen more operatives into the Commonwealth, this time not as spies but as agents with both diplomatic and militar abilities that of course will still report us of anything they see and hear. They will need no concealment, in fact is better if they don't; what we want is to show them we're not going to lock up like rats waiting for threats to come. Our infiltrated personeel in the Paranid and the Argon goverments inform of concern given the fact they saw what our fleet is capable of doing in the first contact with the so-called Kha'ak. We interviewed Brennan about them; he also summed up all his experiences in the Commonwealth these last decades. We gathered all that info into a guide attached to this message. Conscientious lecture is required.

What I want you to do, my friend, is to choose the agents that are going to execute this. I know that you have the best pilots suited for this kind of missions under your command and guardianship and I also aknowledge you are the officer that knows their soldiers the best. That's why I trust in you for this, Rai.

The agents need to excell in all aspects; reaction to changing events, diplomacy, combat, navigation... You don't really need me to tell you this, do you? The Saturn Research Station is sending us a dozen of new Scanner Disruptors, hopefully they will avoid nosey deep scans of our equipment by the other races. If it's possible we won't let any of our technology fall into the alien's hands like it happened with the X-Shuttle and its components, including the jumpdrive prototype. Still, we demand the highest caution by the pilots to avoid this situation. They will be piloting new and fully-outfitted Valkyrie-class scout-ships; they're not there to fight anyways, so they will not be in need of much firepower.

I don't have more details so far, this operation is planned to become a fact in a month or two, but I wanted to call you to be preapred already so you get time to choose well with what you have in hand. I'm sure you will make a good choice as always. Earth's Senate seems to have big plans to expand our knowledge and influence beyond Sol and that's the first step, I can't really tell you what those politicians are plotting since I'm neither authorized nor enough informed to do so, so I won't go into that much.

I look forward to recieve full expedients of the men and women you've chosen in about two or three weeks as well as a detailed report of the process of selection. We'll keep in contact.

I wish you the best, my friend.

Vice-Admiral William L. Peterson, AGI Task Force.

[End of transmission]



The veteran Major General sighed and shook his head, closing the communications panel projected in front of him with a slight wave of his right hand. He stood up in silence and walked towards the wide semi-circular window behind his desk whcih offered a spectacular sight of the space around, and gazed to the silent, pitch-black exterior. The only sound he could hear was the soft noise of the station systems. From his point of view he could see the south extensions of the enormous Orbital Defence Station, like big arrows pointing to the infinite. Further, the uncountable space rocks forming the massive circle of asteroids that encircled the orbit around the Sun, where that same station floated on. Losing his sight on the immense blackness of the space, Ishiyama felt shivers on his backneck; no matter how much time he spent here, he always felt goosebumps at the thought of endless void surrounding him, feeling so small.

Returning his mind onto the pressing matters, he centered his attention in a tiny blue dot, too far away to glimmer brightly enough, almost invisible. That litte point was the gate that lead to an unknown universe to him, the same universe they were starting to discover. The epic journey of René Farnham invaded his thoughts; all that man and his crew found were unhabitated systems without any form of intelligence, a great yet furstrating quest. But this time was different. This time that universe beyond the blue gate concealed unknown species, races and worlds: threats. That gate only brought problems since it opened and now they had to send more men out there, he hoped the goverment was making the right decision for everyone's sake.

He had job to do now:

- Computer, I want a list of all pilots under my command within Peterson's conditions; detailed expedients.

His desk's holographic projectors glowed blue as dozens and dozens of panels appeared over his desk facing him; each one corresponding to an agent in service.

- In slideshow, please!

The projections united and showed a unique projection, changing every few seconds to offer a quick overview of the selected personeel. Ishiyama stared attently at each one's summed-up profiles. A name caught his eye.

- Stop there.

The slideshow quickly froze. The image of the profile showed a rather young man; healthy-looking, dark green eyes and black hair. His eyebrow bones were quite marked giving him a shady and quite scary but respectful and noble look, although his lips smilied honestly. The panel trembled slightly, just a moment, as Ishiyama read the description of the man's lastest activities and grinned slightly; he knew that pilot personally since he was born and held a strong tie with him, his name ressembled old and great adventures from long-forgotten times. Like a revelation he knew he was the man for that mission.

First one was easy: eleven more to go.

-

Continues... http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php? ... 41#2752641

[Seathal]

This is my first fan-fic ever, first one from a series. I hope you enjoy it.

Either if you liked it or not, I encourage you to post and critisize it as much as you feel appropiate.

And thanks for reading!

[The Zig]

Nice opening.
I don't usually like communique style openings - prefer to meet the characters and get a bit of the setting first - but this is well done. It explains itself well. Good.

Just one thing. I've never heard the phrase "held a strong lace" - in "he knew that pilot personally since he was born and held a strong lace with him,". I've even tried google on this. I'm betting this is a typo, but, for the life of me, I can't get what you're saying here.

But yeah. All good. I'm trying to guess what this young character's name is. Hmm... "his name ressembled old and great adventures from long-forgotten times..." Oddyseus? Farnham? Ishmael? Ahab? Polo? Magellen?
Good going.

p.s. Dunno if you know this, but 'Ishiyama' means "Stone-Mountain". A solid, towering name, eh?!

[Seathal]

Nice opening.
I don't usually like communique style openings - prefer to meet the characters and get a bit of the setting first - but this is well done. It explains itself well. Good.

Just one thing. I've never heard the phrase "held a strong lace" - in "he knew that pilot personally since he was born and held a strong lace with him,". I've even tried google on this. I'm betting this is a typo, but, for the life of me, I can't get what you're saying here.

But yeah. All good. I'm trying to guess what this young character's name is. Hmm... "his name ressembled old and great adventures from long-forgotten times..." Oddyseus? Farnham? Ishmael? Ahab? Polo? Magellen?
Good going.

p.s. Dunno if you know this, but 'Ishiyama' means "Stone-Mountain". A solid, towering name, eh?!

Thanks for the constructive comments ^^

By "held a strong lace" (maybe strong bows is more meaningfull to you?) I meant he haves strong connections with him, as in companionship and friendship. I'm not English, but Spanish so I must have gotten that wrong. I'll try and fix it.

About the name of Ishiyama; I didn't know that! I got that from the game itself. I thought that giving some "references" to the reader (The Solar System accident, the ATF and the USC, Ishiyama himself and the Valhalla...) would help the reader's immersion.

I'm very glad you enjoyed it and thanks for all.

[parameter]

By "held a strong lace" I think you mean 'held a strong tie', whether it be emotional, a family link, or 'a strong bond between comrades' or friends etc

Good story though!

[Seathal]

By "held a strong lace" I think you mean 'held a strong tie', whether it be emotional, a family link, or 'a strong bond between comrades' or friends etc

Good story though!

Many, many thanks. Corrected.

[KillingMonkey]

Hmmm.... Sounds like an introduction to your ATF agent start.... 'T is good... I like it... Has many opportunities for development.... Here's the literature critic part:
I do think that you could use some better English... I know it isn't your first language... It's not mine also so I'm not the one to play Judge here... There are some grammar mistakes which are neglectable.... Still it is a good piece of work and I expect it to become a good story... Even to turn to a fully fledged novel....
Cheers Seathal!