PREAMBLE...
Rogue Planet - Chapter 1: Tau Bootis
The 31st Century... 3091... Earth's population has surpassed 40 billion; the planet's natural resources are exhausted; the ecosystem on the verge of total collapse; once abundant supplies of fossil fuels have long been spent; deforestation, global warming and endemic pollution has laid to waste large sectors of previously fertile lands; mass poverty, starvation, famine and disease afflict countless billions while the privileged elite enjoy all the economic, political and medicinal benefits that a technologically advanced civilisation can provide.
So long dependent on complex technologies and the fossil fuels required to operate them, the exhaustion of mankind's major energy sources coupled with the failure of substitute energies to satisfy demand necessitated the exploration, discovery and exploitation of alternate energy sources on the inner and outer planets and their satellites. As a result outer world colonies now supply the Earth with much of its resource requirements; from fossil fuels to raw materials; from minerals to precious metals.
Despite having attained self sufficiency however, the outer colonies are stringently controlled by an Earth based multi-civilisation collective known as the Federation of Earth's Territories, or FET. Under the terms of its charter, FET is charged with the maintenance of economic, political and legal order; the management of inter-planetary supply and trade routes; and the provision of security and aid to the colonies and their outposts. In addition, FET's tax and law enforcement role has seen much of the wealth generated by the colonies syphoned back to Earth-based controlling bodies, resulting in increasing resentment of FET policies and practices. This resentment has accelerated the rise of strong localised identities, heightened regional awareness and mainstream separatist sentiments amongst many of the outer colonies.
Nowhere are such sentiments more pronounced than on Jupiter's four Galilean satellites: Callisto, Europa, Ganymede and Io. While each satellite boasts a wealth of natural resources it is the presence of Csilinium on Io, alongside FET's attempt to control its supply and distribution, which has ignited the region. Csilinium... that almost supernatural healing agent... quickly became the most sought after and expensive material in the solar system courtesy of its ability to reverse the visible signs of ageing; slow the internal and external ageing process; revitalise organs; rejuvenate damaged tissues and bones; stimulate the production of hyper-immune red and white blood cells; and prolong the human life span.
In an attempt to wrest control of this resource from FET and ensure revenues and profits derived from the exploitation of Csilinium were retained by local and regional interests, the governments of the Jupiter Rim sought to levy a number of duties and taxes on the sale of Csilinium to the inner planets. Earth, having financed the exploration and development of the outer colonies, refused to recognise the right of colonies to impose such duties and taxes in the first place. A subsequent clampdown on political insurgents and separatist elements followed, with FET law enforcement personnel policing key trade routes, mining portals and distribution hubs.
While the clampdown effectively quashed official government sanctioned anti-FET activities, many analysts fear it merely served to radicalise and unify formerly disparate political groups... turning the outer colonies into a tinderbox...
So long dependent on complex technologies and the fossil fuels required to operate them, the exhaustion of mankind's major energy sources coupled with the failure of substitute energies to satisfy demand necessitated the exploration, discovery and exploitation of alternate energy sources on the inner and outer planets and their satellites. As a result outer world colonies now supply the Earth with much of its resource requirements; from fossil fuels to raw materials; from minerals to precious metals.
Despite having attained self sufficiency however, the outer colonies are stringently controlled by an Earth based multi-civilisation collective known as the Federation of Earth's Territories, or FET. Under the terms of its charter, FET is charged with the maintenance of economic, political and legal order; the management of inter-planetary supply and trade routes; and the provision of security and aid to the colonies and their outposts. In addition, FET's tax and law enforcement role has seen much of the wealth generated by the colonies syphoned back to Earth-based controlling bodies, resulting in increasing resentment of FET policies and practices. This resentment has accelerated the rise of strong localised identities, heightened regional awareness and mainstream separatist sentiments amongst many of the outer colonies.
Nowhere are such sentiments more pronounced than on Jupiter's four Galilean satellites: Callisto, Europa, Ganymede and Io. While each satellite boasts a wealth of natural resources it is the presence of Csilinium on Io, alongside FET's attempt to control its supply and distribution, which has ignited the region. Csilinium... that almost supernatural healing agent... quickly became the most sought after and expensive material in the solar system courtesy of its ability to reverse the visible signs of ageing; slow the internal and external ageing process; revitalise organs; rejuvenate damaged tissues and bones; stimulate the production of hyper-immune red and white blood cells; and prolong the human life span.
In an attempt to wrest control of this resource from FET and ensure revenues and profits derived from the exploitation of Csilinium were retained by local and regional interests, the governments of the Jupiter Rim sought to levy a number of duties and taxes on the sale of Csilinium to the inner planets. Earth, having financed the exploration and development of the outer colonies, refused to recognise the right of colonies to impose such duties and taxes in the first place. A subsequent clampdown on political insurgents and separatist elements followed, with FET law enforcement personnel policing key trade routes, mining portals and distribution hubs.
While the clampdown effectively quashed official government sanctioned anti-FET activities, many analysts fear it merely served to radicalise and unify formerly disparate political groups... turning the outer colonies into a tinderbox...
Click on the links below to read up on the Rogue Planet story...
Gemma Williams - FET officer in action
Rogue Planet: Chapter 1 - Tau Bootis - Pages 14-24
Rogue Planet: Chapter 1 - Tau Bootis - Pages 25-35
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