Project Alpha:
Prepare yourselves for the (nearly) complete story of this strange, mysterious project that I've hinted at. I'll warn you now: it's quite long. If you want to spare yourself the details I spent so much time and effort hammering out, just skip down to the fourth paragraph. But don't expect to understand what PASE is, along with other things. And, mind you, it'll still be long, so make sure you have a good amount of time to sit and read.
The concept of Project Alpha is an ancient one. Before the invention of the hypergates and the discovery of hyperspace, there were many theories as to how long-distance space travel might be possible. After the first Mars landing and the completion of the Second International Space Station, the Planetary Association of Space Exploration (PASE) began looking into the legitimacy of some of these theories.
After many years of research, it was decided that the most likely of these theories was the concept of 'sleeper ships'. Sleeper ships are space ships which keep their travelers in suspended animation for the majority of their journey. PASE also selected sleeper ships because of the basic cryogenic technology already available. Despite said advances in cryopreservation, PASE had a long way to go before it was ready to begin construction. It was also decided that nuclear fusion would be used to power this project because of its efficiency; however, even by 2040, there were only three nuclear fusion plants around the world, and each required tremendous time and funding to make. Due to limitations in energy use, interstellar travel was put on hold for almost 60 years.
By 2096, nuclear fusion was readily available in a less expensive, more compact form. Representatives from PASE met and voted to renew planning for what they dubbed "Project Alpha" because it would mark the beginning of interstellar travel on Earth. Designs were drawn up, statistics were pounded out, and funds were allocated to this new prospect in space travel. PASE had its hands full.
Some 30 years (lots of complications with a project this big, you know) and tens of billions of dollars later, the planning stage was complete. 3 separate convoys of 10 colossal ships each, with one million people on each ship, would launch to 3 different inhabitable systems -- all 3 systems as close to Earth as possible. Average travel time was estimated to be about 350 years.
The 30 transports were to be run entirely by highly advanced computer software. One ship in each convoy would hold only 800,000 passengers, but would contain extra software bordering on artificial intelligence to govern the other ships. This lead ship contained the cryogenic clock that would wake the convoy in 349 years to give them a year to prepare for colonization. The lead ship would also control the navigation to the distant stars and was responsible for keeping the other 9 transports together and on course. Once every month, the lead transport would send a short, tight-beam transmission to Earth, informing PASE of its location and status.
Construction finally began in 2135. Materials from everywhere PASE could get them -- the moon, Mars, the asteroid belt, Venus, and of course Earth itself -- were gathered to prepare for this massive undertaking. In an Earth-wide effort, Project Alpha appeared to be nearing completion in time for the next centennial. Launch date was set for 2200. Colonists, excited by the idea of their very own deep-space adventure, lined up to volunteer for Project Alpha. However, PASE was having a hard time convincing nearly 30 million people to abandon their planet and lives only to awake 350 years in the future to find that most of their friends and family died long before they made planetfall. PASE desperately began propagandizing the expedition, encouraging anyone and everyone to join Project Alpha.
PASE certainly got its 30 million volunteers, but at a price. An age-old conflict that had been steadily escalating recently suddenly erupted into all-out warfare in 2187. The Earth, having finally been united, was being savagely torn apart by the simply devastating crisis. With many of its funding and materials now being used for war, Project Alpha hit a dead end. There was no way it could be ready by 2200. On the other hand, citizens of Earth and its in-system colonies rushed to sign up for the expedition; they were fleeing their home planet in fear of the destruction that now ravaged its surface. PASE was forced to not only tell its volunteers that they would have to wait a while longer, but also that they probably wouldn't be chosen at all: more than 300 million people signed up to escape what was quickly turning out to be World War III.
PASE scrambled to prepare Project Alpha ASAP. The final programming on the transports was rushed and still slightly buggy when PASE announced that P.A. was ready to launch in 2213, just 13 years after their original deadline. The only positive thing that could be said about loading the colonists was that it was fairly well organized. The location of Project Alpha was kept secret from nearly everyone who took part in its construction, and the chosen colonists were only told of its location during their massive exodus from humanity -- the gigantic submarines specifically designed to take the colonists to mainland Antarctica, the true location of P.A. No one was informed of the departure of Project Alpha save the President of PASE, his advisers, the mechanics involved in the launch, and the colonists. The President personally oversaw the departure of the convoy.
It was while the colonists were being transported via submarine to Antarctica that the President of PASE was faced with a particularly difficult decision. He wished, whatever the cost, to see the vision of his predecessors be successful. However, he was as concerned with the War as anyone, and could see that, whatever the outcome, the Earth would never be the same, nor would humanity in general. The President painfully made his decision. Broken-hearted, he boarded each of the three head transports and personally disabled the program that would relay the convoys' location and status to Earth. He was determined to give the colonists a chance to survive on their own, away from the influences of war-stricken Earth and its violence. In disabling the locater, he gave the colonists a chance to truly escape from the Earth they would leave forever. Perhaps, the President thought as he walked away from his dream, the colonists would learn from the mistakes of Earth and establish a peaceful government on their new home planets. He certainly hoped so.
Trivia:
-- The years I used correspond to current Earth years (i.e. 'AD'). This sort of helps connect the current world with the Novaverse.
-- These events took place loooong before the events of EVN. I haven't quite decided how long yet, but I know it's on the up side of 2,000 years.
-- Existing records of Project Alpha are nil. On Earth it was generally assumed the project had been abandoned and never launched at all. This was reinforced by the fact that most people involved with its launch were actually passengers on the convoy. The President and his advisers who remained kept their mouths shut for the remainders of their lives, telling not a soul, and those unlucky few mechanics who stayed were drafted off to fight in World War III. They didn't last long. As for Project Alpha itself...well, as you'll find out, the colonists felt there was little or no reason to remember such details as Project Alpha.
-- Can you figure out the mistakes made by PASE and its President in particular? They're in there; you'll pick up on them if you pay close attention....
-- Hm... I wonder what happened to Project Alpha? ( Ahem. I WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO PROJECT ALPHA? :D) Just curious. I'm sure it won't hold any significance in the plot or anything like that....
-- Where exactly do the Hyperoids come into play...? ( Cows with Guns: Udder Destruction!! )
This post has been edited by Starbridge21 : 01 September 2007 - 01:34 PM
Well, this is it then. See you all in a week!