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It is the year 1946. The greatest conflict in human history, Second World War, has barely ended. Most of the world is picking up the pieces, yet a new conflict, possibly even greater than WW2, is already brewing. The looting of the German scientific establishment had revealed the existence of Trans-Newtonian minerals and their near-magical properties. Luckily, the atomic bombing of Berlin had prevented the Näzis from utilizing these miraculous discoveries to their advantage. Seeing the utter destruction that the American A-Bombs had done to Berlin and Hamburg, the Japanese had surrendered in short order. But now politicians, soldiers and scientists in Moscow and Washington DC were putting their heads together to figure out how to best exploit this new knowledge. The fragile wartime alliance between the two new superpowers was about to fall apart. But could this new Trans-Newtonian science provide a way for the fading Great Powers of yesterday to make a comeback? And could they accelerate the rise of the emerging powers? The battle for the Solar hegemony is about to start!



1946

In March, the US scientists figure out a comprehensive TN-theory thanks to having looted far more material from the Germans than the Soviet had - the Soviet scientists expected their work to last until December. In May, the Soviets opened their first Deep Space Tracking Station, a collection of extremely accurate optical telescopes that could observe near-Earth space but the Americans were not far behind, opening theirs in June. By September, several maintenance facilities had been constructed at Baikonur, the site for the nascent Soviet space program. And finally in December the Soviets cracked the mysteries of TN-theory.

1947

Soviets began the year by figuring out how to make completely sealed tractors, ploughers and diggers so that their crews and machinery would work on freezing desert planets like Mars just as well as on airless rocks like Luna. The Americans discovered the secret of High-Density Duranium armour. In May, the Soviets constructed additional facilities at Baikonur, these were to house the bureaucrats making sure that the CCCP utilized all its resources and roubles to maximum efficiency. Meanwhile, across the oceans, the United States was going through a second industrial revolution, with both manufacturing and resource extraction being upgraded to TN-standards. In August, American science introduced Geological Survey Sensors that could scan a planetoid from low orbit for the presence of any of the eleven TN-minerals.

1948

Americans also solved the mystery of space-worthy construction equipment in January as well as how to refuel spacecraft while they were underway - at least on paper, since there were no spacecraft yet. They also started work on active sensors of sorts, able to make precise measurements of objects in space. In April, Soviet scientists managed to create a working Radioisotope Thermal Generator, which would create sufficient power for any spacecraft. And in July, the descendants of Siberians created a pressurized suit that allowed fine-motor control, in effect allowing soldiers to function almost normally in extreme temperatures.

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Thanks for reading! Next update will probably happen next year.

You could justfity it by saying they attempted to integrate the tracking systems into the BFC and RP it so that they "found out" that didn't work during space trials.

This makes sense because a BFC really should be able to detect things, admittedly at incredibly short ranges but still.

The Katana Starfury does indeed look terrible, I'm not even sure hundreds would do much good against a competent enemy, hopefully EarthGov never has to find out.

Sad to see this one go, but looking forward to the next one. Especially if it's a Colonial Wars, Aftermath or NATO vs Soviets campaign remake... 

((I made it intentionally bad, as you can imagine))

Excerpts from the journal of LCDR Ellen Takahashi, captain of the Starliner Simak on the Earth-Mars run (great great grandmother of Laurel Takahashi from B5:The Gathering S1-Ep1)

February 23, 2161
It was announced today that our first jump gate builder has been commissioned. They named it after physics Nobel laureate Owen Willans Richardson. I had to look him up. Apparently, we have him to thank for Edison's eventual discovery of incandescent light bulbs, a technology that was abandoned about 150 years ago for being highly inefficient. We probably wouldn't have figured out better lighting systems if it wasn't for that, so thank you for lighting the way Mr. Richardson!

I am told that we shouldn't be too excited over the commissioning of this ship. It will still take a year to build the gate itself, plus travel time to the jump point. The ship is huge, so it doesn't move very fast. Government officials have announced that construction will begin on the third jump point that was found, out by Uranus. They say it is a safer bet to have more difficult access to Earth and Mars Colony just in case we meet aliens. Personally, I think they're just being paranoid and unintentionally delaying construction by forcing a long travel time of a slow ship.

June 19, 2161
Experts estimate 177 days until the first jump gate opens. IPX is champing at the bit to get their deep space survey vessel under construction, but their atmospheric shuttle design is still undergoing testing. Meanwhile, Earthforce has commissioned their three new Corvettes which are now undergoing space trials and COMPTUEX. I can't even imagine what they'll be used for. I've been making this run since the ship was commissioned four years ago, and the only issue we had was a meteor swarm that dinged up the outer hull a little. 10s of thousands of passengers safely moved from Earth to Mars or Mars to Earth.

Still, I guess it can't hurt to have some kind of defenses. Who knows what we'll find once the jump gate is finished?

July 25, 2161
I hear that Mitchell-Hyundyne finally nailed down the issues they were having with their multi-directional thruster system. That means that IPX's atmospheric shuttle should pass its next test. I suppose it is just a matter of days before they place yet another formal request for the construction of their ship. I managed to look up the updated specs last time I was on Earth. What is this? The fifth revision since the initial concept? Still, it's a nice looking ship! Maybe I'll put in a transfer order? It can get a little boring doing the same run of space over and over. Hey look! It's Mars again...

Argonaut class Deep Space Survey Ship      20,000 tons       255 Crew       967.1 BP       TCS 400    TH 500    EM 0
1250 km/s      Armour 1-65       Shields 0-0       HTK 97      Sensors 0/0/1/1      DCR 23-11      PPV 0
Maint Life 7.21 Years     MSP 695    AFR 139%    IFR 1.9%    1YR 23    5YR 352    Max Repair 100 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 250 tons     Troop Capacity 3,100 tons     
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Flight Crew Berths 5    Morale Check Required   

Mitchell-Hyundyne NRE Type C (EP62.5 25/50%/1.0L) (8)    Power 500.0    Fuel Use 11.18%    Signature 62.5    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 3,097,000 Litres    Range 249.3 billion km (2308 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour
Gravitational Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

Strike Group / Ground Forces
1x Helios Atmospheric Shuttle   Speed: 4756 km/s    Size: 4.99
1x Company, Construction Team
1x Company, Survey Team
1x Company, Xeno Team
1x Platoon, Ship Security

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Survey Ship for auto-assignment purposes
Helios class Atmospheric Shuttle      250 tons       1 Crew       18.4 BP       TCS 5    TH 24    EM 0
4756 km/s      Armour 1-3       Shields 0-0       HTK 1      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 0
Maint Life 11.87 Years     MSP 11    AFR 2%    IFR 0.0%    1YR 0    5YR 2    Max Repair 11.875 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 0.3 days    Morale Check Required   

Mitchell-Hyundyne NRE XS Multidirectional (EP23.75 3.8/125%/1.0L) (1)    Power 23.8    Fuel Use 283.39%    Signature 23.75    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,000 Litres    Range 0.25 billion km (14 hours at full power)

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction
This design is classed as a None for auto-assignment purposes
December 15, 2161
The gate is open early! The captain of the Richardson must have had his crew working 24 hour shifts!

IPX must be seething. Their ships are still under construction. I've read that the Alíz Derekas has been given the honor of making the first jump, followed shortly by the gate builder.

March 23, 2162
The entire crew and passengers were all watching the ISN broadcast in silence. The gate activated in a stunning display of blue swirling light and the EAS Alíz Derekas engaged thrusters to enter the vortex. With a rather bizarre jolt, the ship appeared to be stretched to infinity and then disappeared. Dr. Kuliga said in a later interview that this was expected and that communications with the ship won't be possible until the gate on the other side is finished, and that we should send the gate builder through immediately to begin that process.

We won't know for a year what they've found! A year!

May 17, 2162
IPX finally launched their ships. The list of candidates didn't include my name. I would have liked that assignment, though I suppose my husband might not have. Years apart probably isn't good for a relationship. All for the best I suppose. They went through the gate despite not knowing if either the Derekas or the Richardson even made it to anywhere.

October 25, 2162
We have finally heard back from the other side of the gate. The image was distorted and the sound was bad, but the message is being played over and over again on ISN. It's from the captain of the Richardson, a lieutenant-commander Marvin Moats.
<<The log cuts to a video that is mostly static. Moats can be seen speaking in the clearer moments of the video>>
"Come in Earthdome. This is the Richa...n. Testing commu... ...stem. We ...fully compl... gate in Proxi... ...auri."

Not the most poetic words, but a significant achievement for all of humanity! We are now an interstellar species! Maybe I can snag a position doing a run to whatever worlds we decide to colonize there?

August 3, 2163
I was reading over the reports from Proxima Centauri now that there are some. It sounds like a mining colony is probably going to be formed on Proxima II. The place is nearly livable. Just needs to be warmed up and get a bit more oxygen balance. Should be quite a sight. I'm going to put my name in for the new route there.

Also, I've heard they've begun testing and training new pilots for our new fighter squadrons. Some sort of fancy single seat agile fighter craft. Very short range and very limited fighting ability. If we do meet anyone, I sure hope they aren't hostile because I can't see us winning a battle with one of these... Maybe if we had a hundred of them vs one of whatever they might have.

Katana class Starfury      500 tons       1 Crew       27.4 BP       TCS 10    TH 24    EM 0
2376 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 3      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 3
Maint Life 2.07 Years     MSP 3    AFR 20%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 1    5YR 14    Max Repair 11.875 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 0.1 days    Morale Check Required   

Mitchell-Hyundyne NRE XS Multidirectional (EP23.75 3.8/125%/1.0L) (1)    Power 23.8    Fuel Use 283.39%    Signature 23.75    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 2,000 Litres    Range 0.25 billion km (29 hours at full power)

Copeland JC10 Pulse Discharge Cannon (1x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 2,376 km/s     Power 3-1     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
Mark I SR/TTS-20-5 (1)     Max Range: 20,000 km   TS: 5,000 km/s    ECCM-0     50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Amtek PWR Plant Pro 1MJ (1)     Total Power Output 1    Exp 7%

Mark I Micro ST/MSS-1-1.4 (1)     GPS 2     Range 1.4m km    MCR 124.4k km    Resolution 1

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction
This design is classed as a Fighter for auto-assignment purposes
July 11, 2164
And I thought Sol was a dry hole... Alpha Centauri, the next system over from Proxima, doesn't even have planets. Thankfully, what we have between Earth and all the various planets of Proxima should last us quite a while.

But I think it would be a bit strange if we developed warp drive tomorrow and immediately starting strapping lasers to our space probes, given what we currently know about the universe.

It would indeed be strange, but only because we'd be too busy strapping missiles to them instead.