Starcraft, a change from Broodwar - Prologue
The newly commissioned HMS Victorious smoothly glided away from the
orbital construction facility, the light from Sol reflecting off it's Metallic surface.
The carrier was the last in a line of 10 Colossus class carriers. Over 1 and a half
miles long, these monstrosities represented the finest military technology in the
Galaxy. At least that's what the engineers, who built the thing, thought. Admiral
Emlynn Hughes however, knew different:
After the successful rebellion against the UPL, by four European nations
(Great Britain, France, Germany and Spain) and roughly half of the United States,
200 years ago, the human race began to expand into the cosmos at an alarming
speed. After this rebellion, it was agreed that the nations of Earth should their own
governments, military and economy. It was also agreed that no human should make
war upon another human and that all nations of Earth should work toward the
common good of mankind. This brought about the golden era of Human
technological advancement.
Many United Nations of Earth (UNE) colonies were founded upon
neighbouring star systems. The most prosperous of these were Tau Ceti, Omicron
Eradini, Eta Cassiopeia and Vega. These and many other star systems formed the
Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA). Despite one or two minor disagreements over
mining rights and some territorial disputes, peace reigned among humanity. Ten
years ago, all this changed.
While sorting some old U.P.L files, a young clerk came across something
marked 'Doran Routhe – TOP SECRET'. Believing all UPL secret files to be
destroyed, he checked whether the file was genuine. Indeed, it contained the
electronic seal common only to UPL data. The file contained detailed information
of an attempt to colonise Gantris IV. However, due to some computer error the
craft, carrying the unlucky fifty six thousand people who had been marked for
death, carried on at low warp speeds for 28 years, eventually ending up in the
Koprulu sector, 40,000 light years away. Just before the rebellion, the UPL received
data from a probe, sent to investigate the last known co-ordinates of the four ships.
This data astounded the young clerk. Not only had these people survived but, a
thriving human civilisation had emerged, 40,000 light years from their home
planet!
Upon receiving this information, the UNE decided that a probe of it's own
should be sent to 'check on' the progress of this civilisation. The probe was sent 5
years ago, the information was received a year later. The leaders of Earth were
horrified. It seems that this 'new world' was caught in the midst of a terrible
conflict between two races, the Zerg, whose overwhelming numbers and advanced
biology were devastating and, the Protoss, who possessed technology which was
equal to, in some cases greater than, that of the GTA. All the governments within
the GTA were informed of this situation, and it was unanimously agreed that the
entireity of the GTA fleet, and more, should be sent to the aid of these humans.
They were, however, not told the complete story. They were not told of the true
dangers of what confronted them. Only a few men and women knew the
ferociousness of the Zerg, or the psionic potency of the protoss. Even they were not
prepared for what the golden era of humanity would face.
The navy of every nation on Earth, and every colony in the GTA, assembled
in the Sol system, ready to engage the newly developed subspace drive as soon as
the last of the colossus class carriers, HMS Victorious, was ready. The subspace
drive would get them to their destination in the Koprulu sector within weeks. The
last they heard of the conflict, which had been dubbed 'the great war', was that the
fighting had gone to the inner Terran colonies and that the Terrans were fighting
amongst themselves. That was one year ago, time was running out.
This, the greatest assembly of military craft and personnel in human history,
was placed under the command of Admiral Emlynn Hughes. Hughes was born in
the small town of Aberystwyth, in Wales. His family had a long and proud tradition
in the British military and he was no exception. At 55 years old he was planning on
retiring within a few years. It seems that the universe had other ideas.
"Admiral, all systems operating at maximum efficiency, we are ready to
move out" said the comms officer, Ensign Michaels. "Give the order for the fleet to
engage subspace drives" replied the admiral in a steady, confident tone. With the
order sent, the mighty GTA fleet engaged subspace as one. No-one was prepared for
the carnage in store for them.
The newly commissioned HMS Victorious smoothly glided away from the
orbital construction facility, the light from Sol reflecting off it's Metallic surface.
The carrier was the last in a line of 10 Colossus class carriers. Over 1 and a half
miles long, these monstrosities represented the finest military technology in the
Galaxy. At least that's what the engineers, who built the thing, thought. Admiral
Emlynn Hughes however, knew different:
After the successful rebellion against the UPL, by four European nations
(Great Britain, France, Germany and Spain) and roughly half of the United States,
200 years ago, the human race began to expand into the cosmos at an alarming
speed. After this rebellion, it was agreed that the nations of Earth should their own
governments, military and economy. It was also agreed that no human should make
war upon another human and that all nations of Earth should work toward the
common good of mankind. This brought about the golden era of Human
technological advancement.
Many United Nations of Earth (UNE) colonies were founded upon
neighbouring star systems. The most prosperous of these were Tau Ceti, Omicron
Eradini, Eta Cassiopeia and Vega. These and many other star systems formed the
Galactic Terran Alliance (GTA). Despite one or two minor disagreements over
mining rights and some territorial disputes, peace reigned among humanity. Ten
years ago, all this changed.
While sorting some old U.P.L files, a young clerk came across something
marked 'Doran Routhe – TOP SECRET'. Believing all UPL secret files to be
destroyed, he checked whether the file was genuine. Indeed, it contained the
electronic seal common only to UPL data. The file contained detailed information
of an attempt to colonise Gantris IV. However, due to some computer error the
craft, carrying the unlucky fifty six thousand people who had been marked for
death, carried on at low warp speeds for 28 years, eventually ending up in the
Koprulu sector, 40,000 light years away. Just before the rebellion, the UPL received
data from a probe, sent to investigate the last known co-ordinates of the four ships.
This data astounded the young clerk. Not only had these people survived but, a
thriving human civilisation had emerged, 40,000 light years from their home
planet!
Upon receiving this information, the UNE decided that a probe of it's own
should be sent to 'check on' the progress of this civilisation. The probe was sent 5
years ago, the information was received a year later. The leaders of Earth were
horrified. It seems that this 'new world' was caught in the midst of a terrible
conflict between two races, the Zerg, whose overwhelming numbers and advanced
biology were devastating and, the Protoss, who possessed technology which was
equal to, in some cases greater than, that of the GTA. All the governments within
the GTA were informed of this situation, and it was unanimously agreed that the
entireity of the GTA fleet, and more, should be sent to the aid of these humans.
They were, however, not told the complete story. They were not told of the true
dangers of what confronted them. Only a few men and women knew the
ferociousness of the Zerg, or the psionic potency of the protoss. Even they were not
prepared for what the golden era of humanity would face.
The navy of every nation on Earth, and every colony in the GTA, assembled
in the Sol system, ready to engage the newly developed subspace drive as soon as
the last of the colossus class carriers, HMS Victorious, was ready. The subspace
drive would get them to their destination in the Koprulu sector within weeks. The
last they heard of the conflict, which had been dubbed 'the great war', was that the
fighting had gone to the inner Terran colonies and that the Terrans were fighting
amongst themselves. That was one year ago, time was running out.
This, the greatest assembly of military craft and personnel in human history,
was placed under the command of Admiral Emlynn Hughes. Hughes was born in
the small town of Aberystwyth, in Wales. His family had a long and proud tradition
in the British military and he was no exception. At 55 years old he was planning on
retiring within a few years. It seems that the universe had other ideas.
"Admiral, all systems operating at maximum efficiency, we are ready to
move out" said the comms officer, Ensign Michaels. "Give the order for the fleet to
engage subspace drives" replied the admiral in a steady, confident tone. With the
order sent, the mighty GTA fleet engaged subspace as one. No-one was prepared for
the carnage in store for them.