Ramblings of an Argon Nephew - GuildsFL Sequal ???

[TTD]

Some time back I wrote a tutorial story about an Argon

Many players at the time used to read and comment on it.
One was a taxi-driver. (Also my trade at the time )

I have played many other games since then, but continually drift back to the X3 games.
Recently I have been playing FL with Guilds.
There is much content there now, thanks to Cycrow's continued support.

Now the question is...
Should I start new chapter with a new character?

It finished like this...


"One morning, the whole of Zarth's military fleet passed in through the south gate.
The governance of Twisted Skies was given a choice....
Give all space beyond the atmospheres of the planets to Family Zyarth or suffer the consequences!

What choice did they have?
Any ships capable of space to atmosphere conversions were modified and all space personnel were transported to the planets.
All political activities were to continue planet-side, while Zyarth ruled space.

This is the state of play as a new era begins.
Twisted Skies needs a hero."

Please reply if you would like me to find that hero.

[TTD]

OK then guys...
Just as a Teaser to set the scene...

And so, many more years passed by.
Governors of both planets came and went.
Politics of both planets evolved into a mutual understanding.
Neither of them took full responsibility for the loss of space superiority.
They accepted that they both had a role.
They had both been complacent about the Split power-shifts.
Neither of them realized until too late, that their sovereignty in space would be lost...not to either side, but to the Family Zyarth.

And so, the stage was set.
They formed the Alliance of Planets.
Diplomats travelled across the expanse to the other worlds in Twisted Skies.
Occasionally they were
intercepted by Family Zyarth's Military Police, but rarely detained.
Even then it was a cordial invite to the HQ for "diplomatic discussions".
Usually this was a term that really meant "we're watching you. Don't do anything stupid".

One day Tom Jeroen was in the library, as usual for him, researching the escapades of his great grandfather Norman.... How he restored the family name and discovered unique ways to build station complexes.
He often went there after his academy training, just to remind himself of how he came to be stranded on a planet so far from Norman's home world.
He would read and re-read every article he could find and looked into the possession of Twisted Skies and it's eventual demise.

Every time he did this, he would try and find a way out.
Somehow, he had to restore the status quo...."But how can I? There must be something somewhere that weakens Family Zyarth's claim to this sector" he would ask himself time and again.

Members of the Alliance of Planets had learned about Tom's curiosity about his family background and how it was instrumental in the colonization of Twisted Skies.

"Mr Jeroen", came an unfamiliar voice, "I believe you are interested in our background culture. Are you aware of the other race living in this sector?"

"Not until now sir." he replied. "There seems to be some blanks in the history books that I can't quite piece together. Perhaps it's those gaps in our history that you refer to?"

"It is Mr Jeroen. And perhaps you might like to learn more.... off the record, of course?"

Secrecy! Conspiracy? Who was this official looking gent watching him, scrutinizing every expression and word?

"Maybe I need to know more about the offer, before I respond. Who are you? Who do you work for?"

"Let's just say that your research has caught the attention of very high officials. Your family heritage is important to them, but you are the only family member inquisitive enough to delve into your ancestry and connections to this sector. They feel you need to no more than what is in the public domain."

"And if I decline?"

"Then what you seek may never be found by you. It will be wasted time and effort."

"Then how am I to learn what I seek and how do you know what I seek?

"If you wish to continue your research under our guidance, then you are to report to your academy Principle first thing tomorrow. Your principal will be expecting you.
And Mr Jeroen…
do not speak of this conversation to anyone. "

With that, the official turned on his heals and left, leaving Tom both puzzled and intrigued.

The door whispered shut behind the man, and the library seemed to exhale. Tom stood there for a long moment, the weight of the encounter settling over him like dust from an old book.

[TTD]

I am just noted that I had done some sort of brief epilogue that brought Twisted Skies back to how it had been before the exile.

For the purpose of the now proposed story, consider that as an alternative universe or a dream of one or more of the exiles.

Tom Jeroen is the natural choice for the restoration of order.

I am much older now, and technical advances have been made in real life.

FL has been around for some time and Guilds has adapted to that now, giving many more possibilities to the story.


I would welcome comments here.
Any feedback would help.

I have over 130 pages of note for the new story. and around six pages of draft waiting editing.

If no-one wants to be involved or cares to read more, fine.
I will probably continue offline

[TTD]

more to the story...

He suddenly awoke restless a mizura or two earlier than normal. His heart hammered against his ribs as if the dreams had been real, but they dissolved quickly, leaving only the shadowy figure lingering at the edges of his mind — watchful, patient, almost expectant.

He sat up slowly, breathing through the fading panic. The room was growing lighter by degrees, morning creeping in with quiet indifference. His body moved on instinct: wash, dress, pack his datapad, food tablets, a flask of water. His hands worked while his thoughts replayed yesterday’s encounter in looping fragments.

The stranger’s words echoed like a half‑remembered warning.

He paused at the doorway, glancing back at his room. A strange thought tugged at him — had he forgotten something, or was it the room itself he might not see again?

A whisper brushed the back of his mind.

You’re fine.

He froze.
“What? Did I hear that… or imagine it?”

No answer came. Only the faint hum of the academy waking up.

By the time he reached the administrative wing, his head was still spinning. He’d walked these corridors dozens of times, but today they felt narrower, sharper, as if the walls themselves were paying attention. Fellow academics drifted past him, their conversations muted, distant, irrelevant.
The walk to the academy feels different
Not dramatic — just subtly charged.

[TTD]

So now I test the ground a bit more...
The story has a foundation which begins with an introduction to Tom, before he's seen in the library
This can be found at


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