99898.7
CMDR Sedai, Katriel
LOCATION Stukrid-B, Horizon City (cloud city)
MISSION Join undercover pre-warp observation teams on Stukrid-B, to attend a major global celebration, in order to collect critical cultural information about the natives.
OUTCOME Horizon City team successfully observed two major cultural traditions for Horizon City. LCDR Kuvak also spent some time investigating the population’s feelings on the Kentley Space Program.
KEY PERSONNEL
- CMDR Sedai
- LCDR Kuvak
- LCDR Mercer (visitor)
- LT Khet (visitor)
- LT Sono
- ENS Ban
- ENS Sadaann
NARRATIVE Reyga personnel reported to observation bunker to undergo prosthetic and/or surgical alterations in order to blend in with the native population. After brief question and answer session, we were divided into two groups and transported to our respective cloud cities. Myself, LCDR Kuvak, LT Sono and ENS Sadaann went to the Horizon City cloud city.
We started out mostly exploring the festival grounds, passing food and crafts stalls. LCDR Kuvak was intent on learning more about the space program and attempted to gain information from a native, who happened to be trying to recruit others to participate in the festival’s historical re-enactment play. LCDR Kuvak declined the offer and pursued his line of inquiry with a few different citizens.
We indulged in some festival snacks until we elected to eventually watch the historical re-enactment. This turned out to be a retelling of historical events from 120 years ago. I was able to capture the audio for the re-enactment via my comm badge; recording may need to be cleared up.
re-enactment recording
ACT I
NARRATOR: The year is 685. Military agents of the Wesric Republic report to their leader, SPEAKER BALA, with grim tidings.
WESRIC GENERAL: Speaker Bala, our agents have finally discovered the depths of the nation of Anxa’s depraved government agenda.
Decades ago, one of Sovereign Danette’s predecessors decided that the only way to secure Anxa’s future as the ultimate superpower was to transform their population through genetic engineering to survive in the radioactive conditions of a post-baryon apocalypse, then destroy the remaining global superpowers with their baryon arsenal.
The theory of mutually assured destruction has kept us all safe so far, but with Anxa’s population inured from radioactive fallout, it leaves them free to destroy us all without endangering their own population.
SPEAKER BALA: Wipe out the rest of the world?? I know Sovereign Danette has some tendencies of a madman, but even he could not be so ruthless.
WESRIC GENERAL: We have proof, Speaker. See for yourself.
(silence as BALA looks over the materials)
SPEAKER BALA: Can nothing be done? We must destroy their research programs. Or accelerate our own! Bribe their scientists to give us equal footing, or sabotage their weapons!
WESRIC GENERAL: We will draw up plans for all of these, Speaker. But you must be prepared for the possibility that our operations will fail. Our scientists say Anxa is decades ahead of us and even with assistance, we may not be able to safeguard our own population in time.
SPEAKER BALA: I understand. Our only choice then will be to strike first, with our knowledge of their stockpile locations. I pray we do not have to.
ACT II
NARRATOR: Speaker Bala’s prayers were not answered. Every effort failed and the Wesric Republic was forced to launch their pre-emptive strike out of sheer desperation.
ANXA GENERAL: Sovereign, the Wesric Republic is getting bolder. We have successfully defended against an attempt of sabotage on our missile silos.
SOVEREIGN DANETTE: It is unlike Speaker Bala to be so bold and uncaring of the potential political fallout. Is it possible that he has become aware of our forefathers’ holy mandate?
ANXA GENERAL: If so, it is too soon. We are still years away from preparing our population.
ANXA ENVOY: (bursts in) General! Sovereign! It has happened. Wesric has launched baryon missiles! A pre-emptive strike!
SOVEREIGN DANETTE: General, your failure to safeguard our national secrets has doomed our people! But at least your soldiers were not so incompetent to allow our weapons to be compromised. So help me, the Wesric Republic will not usurp Anxa’s glorious destiny! If we are not to be the final stewards of our world, then no one will be! LAUNCH ALL WEAPONS.
ANXA GENERAL: Yes, Sovereign!
ACT III
NARRATOR: Sovereign Danette’s commands would condemn the planet’s fate. But though Danette’s soldiers would comply with his wishes to end Anxa’s mortal landbound enemies, some realized the cloud cities would be going too far.
ANXA GENERAL: Sovereign Danette has given the order! Fire all weapons! You know your targets: Wesric, Hosouth, Corudom, and all the cloud cities! For Anxa’s holy legacy!
COLONEL KENTLEY: General! This is not holy, it is madness! Many of our own people live on the cloud cities, they are Anxa’s true legacy! Do not let it burn!
ANXA GENERAL: SILENCE! You have your orders! Obey or I will kill you where you stand!
COLONEL KENTLEY: I won’t be a part of this!
ANXA GENERAL: (fires his weapon at COLONEL KENTLEY)
COLONEL KENTLEY: (falls, clutching his shoulder, but he draws his own weapon and fires on the GENERAL in return, hitting his chest)
(the scene dissolves into chaotic violence amongst the remaining soldiers)
NARRATOR: The military rebellion amongst Anxa’s ranks saved all but two of the cloud cities from surefire destruction. And as the citizens in the surviving cloud cities grieved for the people below, they were also overwhelmed with gratitude for their seemingly blessed survival and they vowed to leave behind the accursed national loyalties that doomed our forefathers. So we all became the Aerozen.
Towards the end of the evening, we also were able to observe the final festival tradition, which evidently all of the cloud cities participate in: the Hope Balloon drop. In this ritual, families prepare a seed packet that is then tied to an individual balloon that is filled with a low percentage of helium. These balloons, instead of floating into the sky, are instead designed to drift slowly towards the planet below. The families then release their balloons all at the same time, resulting in a striking view of many seed packets descending through the cloud layer, ostensibly down to the planet’s surface below. The balloon drop ritual symbolizes the people’s remembrance of those lives that were lost, while the dropped seeds are encapsulate hopes for the planet’s eventual rebirth.
RECOMMENDATION n/a
RECOGNITION n/a
OOC My event for November.
Mission brief: 24 Nov: Pie in the Sky
Transcripts: pre-event make-up and questions, Horizon City, Reclaim Core