Accessing Folder//
Date of Publishing: 2192, March 10.
Author: Cumulative Data of Regional Officials
Subject: [CENSUS DATA, ECONOMIC REPORTS, AND MISSION DATA OF ALL SOVEREIGN COLONIES.]
\\WARNING//
ACCESSING THIS DATA IS RESTRICTED TO TIER-2 GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
VIOLATION OF THIS DIRECTIVE IS PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 3, PROTOCOL 2.
\\WARNING//
Opening File Label "CURRENT STATUS AND MISSION DIRECTIVES".
Aegis (11 of 13)
Status: 27% increase in urban growth over the past year. Increased mining operations and manufacturing. Agriculture is lacking. Attempts to terraform to Earth-like conditions are succeeding with minimal obstacles. Estimated time of completion: 23 years.
Mission Directives: Secure sector in case of insurgent activity. Increased military presence may be required. Colonial Militia is proving to be stretched too thin.
...
New Macedonia (12 of 13)
Status: Under direction and exploration of Science Bureau branch. Two Marine detachments currently residing on the surface with another scheduled in seven months. Teams report a wide away of exotic plant and animal species. Reserving specimens for further study.
Mission Directives: Continue procedures as enacted by Protocol Six. Marines are to be shuffled within a two year period. Colonists to be sent within the next decade.
...
B4-D4 (NAME PENDING) (13 of 13)
Status: RESTRICTED-SPACE. Patrols are to regularly be swapped out and tasked with patrolling the next closest star-system under the guise of "Border Control" and "Resource Analysis". Entering the sector without direct authorization from EarthGov is punishable under Mandate One.
Mission Directives: Shadow Protocol is in effect. Service of Strategic Intelligence has full jurisdiction of sector and will perform their reconnaissance without disruption or question.
End File.
Opening File Label "SSI Reports of B4-D4".
Private communication to: ADM. Zaroff, T.
From: AGT. Ericson, P.
Begin Playback//
Admiral. Initial reports of B4-D4, as you know, have already revealed a large quantity of (WITHHELD) with much more of them scattered around the planet. Mostly around the temperate Southern Hemisphere. Even more surprising than the fact that they are so widely dispersed is that in addition to (WITHHELD) there are also (WITHHELD) and (WITHHELD) that all seem to have social relations with each other.
As per the Government’s request, mining samples were taken discreetly by an insertion team two weeks ago. The area is relatively barren of any useful ores or compounds. So far, the barren area extends well over a quarter of the planet. More scans will be conducted, but the reports look grim. Titanium and iron ores, though scarcely present, are substandard and riddled with impurities. Any attempts at retrieving them will prove more costly than they’re worth. This might explain why these (WITHHELD) are not very technologically advanced, but the theories are numerous.
There are a surprising amount of phenomena around this planet, but that will be reported in more description with the monthly status report of the operation. Forgive the lateness of this communication, but something on the planet seems to be interfering with our channels on the E-Band. We will correct this problem within the next report.
-Peter Ericson.
Well, crap.
I wonder what EarthGov is gonna do when they find out about all the gems. I hope they strip-mine the planet. They would obviously be put to better use in Human hands.
3395029
The only useful gems would be diamond. Everything else is just garbage, especially in high quantities.
3395115
Doesn't matter. Mine the planet. Kill all ponies.
3395142
Agreed
Well at least that saves the planet from the corporations. Not much use in mining a dud.
Enslave the ponies, make them farm for export for Aegis, mine all the gems and ores, purify them, and leave the planet barren and lifeless.
Because 'omfg evil humans' trope.
3395600 3395142 3395252 Is that seriously what you got from this? Seriously?
I got really excited, thinking this would be a massive 8 billion word update. And then I read only 3 digits, the first one being a 4. Needless to say, I was disappointed. :c Didn't advance the plot a whole lot.
3396263 Forgive my attempt at backstory.
3396323 You are forgiven for the sole fact that you are cool enough to reply to the people that read your stuff.
3396327 Hey, thanks. I could always use a bigger head.
3396060
I dunno. I read the chapter, got bored, and went to the comments.
I knew it. I knew there'd be a Star Trek admiral around here somewhere. Magical planet + Federation is always going to equal Section 31. It's like an unwritten rule. I wonder if the
FederationEarthGov Council knows what's going on.I'm also hoping that the megacorp is actually good and they're trying to stop Admiral Dougherty. That'd be a nice subversion.
At least the Unitologists haven't shown up ye--wait a minute. EarthGov? Aegis? Once is a reference. Twice could be something more...
3396060
Hahaha, no not really. I was responding to the other comments, and also kind of hoping that you weren't going to go the route of 'grr argh evil humans'...
Although now that I think about it, the whole 'test for mining prospects' on a world with sapient life would probably be a big no-no on any 'good' first contact SOP, so that raised a few alarm bells in my head.
3395115 unless I'm mistaken ruby is used in several industrial processes
3396978
Aside from diamond (which, judging by the technological level of the humans in this story is probably cheap to synthetically create) and a few exceptions, general gemstones aren't that valuable. It's probably more expensive to mine and transport gems than they are worth.
3397114 depends on quantity and quality. People still pay more for natural gems when the artificially grown ones are higher quality. If you can get a handful of gems with a simple shovel and 5 minutes digging in a field? With sizes like those you might be able to pull it off... It all depends on how expensive interstellar shipping is and on how big the cargo ships would be. If you can carry a million tons of high grade gemstones the size of a watermelon? I'm sure you can find a buyer... If not I'm sure the military would be interested in diamond tipped munitions, they'd be great for AP rounds.
3396060
Hey, there's nothing wrong about wanting to turn colorful, naive ponies into glue sticks.
Humanity first, bitches. 8)
3397197 Pretty sure at least half of humanity would object to that.
Also: We know that BHO-73-PLA-1 has life. You don't need to redact that, silly.
3399782
Yes because at least half of humanity are bronies. Okay, sure.
3399988 ...But it's OBVIOUS they're sentient. It would at least make as much of a dent in "progress" as animal rights!
3403595
And never mind, just checked the Dead Space Wiki. Disregard my stupidity.
So far, you have me hooked.
Please continue.
Liked and Fav'd, can't wait for updates .
Evil corporation. So original.