Rice Papers
RICE Paper on Gerome/Rhlyanor/Spinward Marches
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Date: Mon, 13 Nov 95 16:40:53 -0500
From: lewis@chara.gsu.edu
Subject: RICE Paper on Gerome/Rhlyanor/Spinward Marches
This is the RICE paper that used to be Lewis/Aramis, I moved it to
Gerome/Rhylanor. Didn't have to change much, but I did add a few lines
here and there. This puts it closer to Vanjen or how ever you spell
it, the site of the module Research Station Gamma. I have the new
paper on Lewis 3/4
of the way done, and will probably post it on Wed.
Lewis Roberts
RICE Paper 21-1199
Gerome Rhylanor/Spinward Marches
Physical Appearance-Gerome orbits a K2 dwarf in a highly elliptical
orbit. The planet also has an extreme axial tilt. The eccentricity and
the the axial tilt causes severe seasonal changes. Temperatures range
from 240K to 310K. The planet is rugged world wracked by extremely
violent storms. These storms kick up large amounts of metallic dust.
This dust is very irritating to humans and other sapiens, requiring the
use of filter masks. Sapiens who breathe the air without the aid of a
filter mask, come down with chronic lung infections as the dust
particles irritate the inner linings of the lungs and throat. This
wind borne dust constantly erodes man made structures forcing most
dwellings below ground. Gerome possesses no bodies of water, worthy
of being called oceans, rather it has many huge lakes.
Biosphere-Gerome has no native animal species. There are numerous
examples of primitive plants, similar to lichens and algae.
History-Gerome has been a declared a Red Zone by the Imperial Navy
since 945. The reason for the red zone were kept classified until
now. Now under the Regent's new more open government the truth can be
revealed. Gerome was established as a top secret research base in
charge of finding new military applications for biotechnologies. These
included anti-bacterial warfare agents, creating geneered animals to
serve in both combat and intelligence roles,
methods in speeding the growth of clones, (TEXT DELETED BY ORDER OF NAVAL
INTELLIGENCE OFFICE: ORDER 18734945-A) ,artificial RNA learning
techniques and many other projects. The reason for the Red Zone was
simply to keep away spies and others without the Imperium's best
interest at heart. In an effort to keep the existance of the base
secret, the Navy released fake UPP data on the system, falsely showing
the planet to be uninhabited.
The results of the scientific experiments were filtered
through other research bases. This way the Zhodani and other enemies
would not even know that a top secret base even existed. The Civil War
did not disrupt the research, as it was located far behind the Claw.
In the aftermath of the Civil War, the base did suffer significant
budget cuts, but proceeded much as before.
In 1135 there was a major accident which would alter the world
forever. The base had been doing research into artificial bacterial
symbiotes that would enable humans to exist in a vacuum without a
vacsuit. The work was still far from finished, but proceeding nicely.
On 114-1135 an explosion of still unexplained origins ripped through
the lab where the symbiote was being designed. The symbiote was
released into the atmosphere of the planet. The high speed winds
quickly dispersed the symbiote. Over the next few days it became
apparent the symbiote was far from finished as it infected several
thousand people across the face of the planet. Instead of allowing
the infected to survive in a vacuum, the symbiote slowly asphyxiate d
the victim over a
span of several hours. By now the symbiote had been spread across the
entire surface of the planet and was thriving in the environment. It
was designed to survive in the cold vacuum of space, the atmosphere
provided more than enough heat and carbon dioxide to thrive. An
immediate quarantine was placed around the planet. All projects were
halted, as everyone tried to find an antidote. Unfortunetly those
scientists who understood the symbiote best where the first to die.
After six months, no progress had been made towards a cure and over
half the population had died. What made the task so difficult was the
symbiote had been designed to withstand the extremes of space, high and
low temperatures, high levels of radiation and vacuum. It could be
killed by extreme methods such as plasma bursts, but this wasn't a
practical method of decontamiating infected individuals. The populace
holed up small groups in underground bunkers.
The Navy Commander in charge of the planet made the painful
choice to permanently close the planet. Slowly the underground
bunkers became infected, until the population has dwindled to barely
8000 out of 70,000 former inhabitants. Estimates suggest that within
40 years the remaining inhabitants will perish. A small group of
scientists still tries to find a way of defeating the symbiote, but a
solution evades their grasp, as the symbiote continues to mutate and
adapt. The Navy maintains a squadron in the system to prevent anyone
from violating the quarantine. It also drops frequent mercy packages
to aid the survivors. The only penalty for violating the quarantine is
life long exile to the planet. When asked about the severe actions of
the Navy, Cmmdr Wafoua Syoisuis replied, "Its better then dealing with
another Virus."
Society- Before the release of the symbiote, humans and other sapiens
lived in underground complexes, to avoid the dust storms, and the
extremes in weather. It was lucky for the inhabitants, because if the
symbiote had been released on a standard world, no one would have
escaped. Now the complexes have had 70 years to fortify themselves
against the symbiote, through complex filtering and airtight seals.
For the most part these keep the symbiote at bay, but every
so often something breaks down, and the complex is infected, usually
yielding a large death toll. That is if anyone is left alive to count the bodies.
There are somewhere between ten and thirty complexes on Gerome.
The average population is several hundred people. Each complex has
grown into one extended family, with most people being related through
marriage. The families govern the complexes through small town
meetings. Most people never leave their complex; the possibility of
contamination arises each time someone leaves or enters. Except for
the retrieval of Naval mercy shipments, it is only
in the most dire of circumstances that anyone leaves a complex. The
shipments are usually picked up by robots. When someone is forced to
leave the compound it is in airtight ATVs, when they return, the
exterior is scoured with a high temperature plasma to kill any of the
symbiote that might have attached itself to the vehicle.
The complexes keep in contact through a computer and video
network. So while they might not be able to leave their complex, they
will be able to meet and become friends with people across the globe.
Entertainment from around the Regency are beamed to the complexes by
the Navy. Most inhabitants are a fairly dour and grumpy lot. They
resent being forced to live on such a miserable planet under miserable
circumstances. Most couples do not have children, they feel it
wouldn't be right to bring children into such a place.
System Details:
Primary F8V
Orbit Name UPP Satellite Orbit Satellite UPP
0 Star K2 V
1 LGG
8 x-670000-0
10 x-600000-0
12 x-200000-0
35 x-800000-0
40 x-S00000-0
2 SGG
1 x-R00000-0
20 x-S00000-0
45 x-S00000-0
50 x-S00000-0
3 Gerome X-573344-8 RED ZONE
1 x-R_00000-0
7 x-S00000-0
9 G-202255-F
The Navy has built a small repair facility base, to help maintain the quarantine.
End of official RICE Paper.
Naval Intelligence Memo
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
ULTRA SECRET
From:Cmmdr Wafoua Syoisuis : 49th Squadron 23rd Fleet Gerome
Quarantine 253-1199
To: Vice Admiral Goron Amdon : Chief of Naval Intelligence 23rd Fleet
My congratulations on your recent promotion, I look forward to
working with you again. I have been asked by your predeccesor to bring
you up to date on the situation on Gerome. We have recently created
and released a RICE Paper for public dissemination. This paper creates
a cover story that Gerome has become infected with a dangerous
symbiote, of human creation. For those suspicious individuals in the
press and other organizations we have created false
evidence that the base on Gerome was researching biological warfare
agents, in violation of Emperor Martin III's edict. There is nothing
concrete, just enough to suggest. Hopefully this way suspicious
individuals will be diverted from the truth.
The actual story is not that much different than the official
story. In 945 a research base was established on Gerome, not to study
biological improvements, but the geneering of psionic individuals.
The base took several years to get established, in its early years it
did not make much progress. It made a few minor improvements to psi
drugs and psionic shielding, but
nothing major. During the Fourth Frontier War, dozens on noble
Zhodani were captured and shipped to Gerome. These individuals
provided a large group of psions who shared a common gene pool. These
specimens showed the researchers new approaches to their problem. In
1088 the Beta Epsilon batch of test subjects was conceived. By 1102 an
above average number of specimens showed psionic awareness. The Beta
Zeta and Beta Eta batches also showed
increased numbers of psions with increased strengths and variety of
psionic abilities. The Beta Theta batch had to be destroyed, due to an
unforeseen mutation. The Beta Iota batch was decanted in 1130, by 1139
the group was showing unheard of levels of psionic abilities. Seventy
five percent were psioniclly active, with psionic strengths of five to
ten, with three cases of
strengths of 18. The Beta Kappa and Beta Lambda batches were rushed
into production. During the summer of 1148 the Beta Iota individuals,
turned 18. In the next year they started to show signs of mental instabilities.
The researchers carefully watched the Beta Kappa and Beta
Lambda groups. Both groups showed immense psionic strengths, and not
just in the common psionic abilities, but in many different Arcane
abilities. Unfortunetly they also developed mental instabilities, even
earlier than in the Beta Iota group. These include megalomania,
paranoia, schizophrenia, autism, mental retardation, multiple
personality disorder and obsessive compulsive behavior. Production
of the Beta Mu and Beta Nu batches were immediately halted, while a
solution was sought.
The researchers only had 6 months, before the Betas created
their own solution. Led by a Beta Iota named Alexandra, they revolted.
Most of the researchers were killed, the remaining were captured and
held as hostage. Some of the Betas wanted to trade the hostages for a
ship in which they would roam the galaxy. Alexandra put a halt to this
talk by incinerating the group's
chief spokesman. She then declared herself Emperor of the Known
Universe, and ordered a halt to contact with the "...mind deaf
Imperials." She ordered that the Beta Mu, and Beta Nu batches be put
into production, and she ordered the creation of a Beta Xi group, which
consisted entirely of clones of herself. Alexandra suffered from
megalomania and paranoia, a particularly dangerous
combination in a leader, especially when the leader is a telepathic pyrotechnic.
The Commodore of the orbiting squadron was on planet during
the revolt and was executed by Emperor Alexandra personally. There was
quite a debate among the surviving Naval captains on how to react to
the revolt. Some wanted to act with massive force and crush the
planet. Others wanted to mount a rescue attempt, and then crush the
planet. A few wanted to negotiate a settlement. Finally a rescue
attempt was decided on. The attempt was a dismal failure. Two
companies of assault marines landed on the planet. Though equipped with battle
dress with integral psionic shielding, the marines were butchered by
the psions. Psionic shielding only slows down a strength 15 psion, and
it does nothing against telekinetic wielded plasma guns.
Upon hearing of the defeat, Subsector Command issued orders
calling for a temporary quarantine of the planet. After several months
of debate, it was ordered that the quarantine be made permanent, and
the planet kept under constant surveillance. It was thought that the
undesirable mental traits would be winnow ed from the gene pool, by
natural selection. Even if this did not happen, the Navy would be
able to study to see the long term biological effects of psionics.
The quarantine is maintened by the 49th Squadron of the 23rd
Regency Fleet. The planet is monitored by a series of orbiting
satellites. Yearly, missions to the planet are mounted, These are
crewed solely by remotely controlled robots. Each robot has a self
destruct mechanism, in case a
psion with machine empathy manages to take control of the robot. These
missions trade needed resources for information that can not be
gathered from orbit. Some complexes await the missions with
anticipation, others try to destroy the missions, for what ever goals
they might have. Occasionally the missions capture a psion and bring
back the specimen for in depth analysis. The
49th Squadron if fairly strong. That is both to keep intruders out of
the system, and also to keep the Betas from escaping. In 1183 the Beta
group known as the Avengers of Korn tried to launch a small solid fuel
rocket into orbit. The cruiser Cranston was able to destroy it, but
several psions were able to teleport to the Cranston, they caused
extensive damage before being eliminated.
Since the revolt, life has not been good for the inhabitants of
Gerome. It is standard procedure for experimental geneered individuals
to be sterilized at birth. This way the gene pool is strictly
controlled by the scientists in charge. Early Betas such as
individuals from the Beta Beta and Beta Gamma batches, were used as lab
assistants at the research base. These individuals
were able to create new batches of Betas, which were fully fertile.
The other major problem for the Betas was food. Most food for the
research was grown on planet, but it required a great deal of foreign
assistance. After several lean years, the Betas were able to create a stable food
supply. Though it is precarious and does not make for a varied diet.
The society of the psions is quite chaotic, as fits a mentally
unstable population. The population consists of approximately 12,000
individuals. These are gathered into 12 major groups of about 800
psions each, and 25 minor groups of varying size. Each group does not
possess enough food, manufacturing, medical and technological resources
to be self sufficient. Most groups trade to get access to the
neccesary resources. A few, especially of the smaller bands,
resort to raiding, and banditry. Local manufacturing is at TL 8, with
large amounts of high tech equipment still on planet. The structure of
each of these bands is quite varied, some are democratic, some are
ruled by self proclaimed Queens, Dalis, Gods, and Lord Emperors, others
are simply ruled by the strongest. The clones of Emperor Alexandra
have created a complex inhabited solely by clones of the original
Alexandra, who is kept alive in low berth. It is considered one of the
more insane complexes. Due to the sheer number of sociopaths, violent
crime is epidemic, most groups have incorporated this into their
society, through ritual challenges, registered assassins and blood duels.
System Details:
Primary F8V
Orbit Name UPP Satellite Orbit Satellite UPP
0 Star K2 V
1 LGG
8 x-670000-0
10 x-600000-0
12 x-200000-0
35 x-800000-0
40 x-S00000-0
2 SGG
1 x-R00000-0
20 x-S00000-0
45 x-S00000-0
50 x-S00000-0
3 Gerome X-573360-8
1 x-R00000-0
7 x-S00000-0
9 G-202255-F
The Navy has built a small repair facility base, to help maintain the
quarantine. The base possess two flights of Rampart fighters.
The 49th Squadron consists of 5 SEH (Starburst of Extreme Heroism)
Light Cruisers. They are the Cranston, the Bainbridge, the Dzaekh, the
Ying Zhou and the Dirk Teledon. For details of the SEH Light Cruiser
see the Rebellion Sourcebook.
Reference : The Regency Sourcebook:Keepers of the Flame.