11, 250 BC: The Castle crashes onto the Dark Side of the Moon. Systems shut down to minimal in order to conserve supplies and life support.
1966 AD: Lunar Orbitter from the United States photographs Castle. Beginning of Earth Only groups, countered by groups supporting alien contact.
1967 AD: The Song is recorded, an automated distress signal with accompanying hologram. NASA plans for Lagrange Point stations are discussed. In order to ease some political tensions, NATO members and allied countries are brought in as potential astronaut sources by the US.
1968 AD: Chinese and Russian landers are lost. Ditae wakes. Serenity Street begins broadcasting in all three "blocs" but only remains in the "NATOid" nations.
1969 AD: Some children exposed to Serenity Street broadcasts begin manifesting esper talents. While this throws some communities/factions into the anti-alien group, others embrace the potential benefits.
1970 AD: Project Babylon II begins as Ditae and a UN committee work out details of a "neutral space" for meeting.
1971 AD: Artemis and Luna begin attempts at diplomacy with the various groups of "Earthers" involved. Unfortunately their memories have a few gaps and fuzzy areas.
1972-1981 AD: Babylon II through IV are begun and either scrapped or lost. Babylon IV vanishes shortly before construction would have been finished.
1982 AD: Babylon V is begun and rushed into construction.
1989 AD: Babylon V is nearly complete.
The big display built into the archway ticked off the time in a completely unconcerned manner.
Airman Samantha Carter got to the mess hall, waving briefly at Kaname and the others from her bunk area as they gathered together to have some sort of Japanese breakfast.
It was DEFINITELY an odd group, and traditional meals were competing with those bars of flavored nutrients that NASA insisted on supplying.
She couldn't help but stare however, as a white cat and a black cat went walking towards the Japanese section - arguing about the flavor of "miso soup" and something about rice. Those two were celebrities. Luna and Artemis, two aliens of a group separate from the main group of Lunarians. Mausians, they called themselves.
While chewing on her nutrient bar, Sam looked over the other groups.
There were Russians over there, Chinese over there, both groups apparently having something along the lines of the nutrient bars themselves. The Japanese had tea and little bowls of some kind of soup, and bowls of rice and... pickles?! Pickles for breakfast. Yech.
There was a West German contingent who had some sort of pastries, and Sam wondered how fresh those could be. Might have to find out what the exchange rate was.
Almost all those from the Allied groups had patches indicating their country, rank, and Talent if they had any. The 'Sparks' were most common. She saw the dog-silhoutte badge of an Anipath and wondered exactly what use in a space station an animal-telepath could be. Maybe Security?
There were a fair number of guys, but there wasn't exactly a shortage of women. In fact, the Asian countries seemed to be MOSTLY women for some reason.
"Careful, Psi Corps might think you're scanning people," said an unfamiliar voice.
Sam blinked as she beheld another American sitting two seats down from her, peering at her over his glasses. Unlike her, his jumpsuit had no military identifiers but it did have a name on it. "I'm sorry?"
"Daniel Jackson, archaeologist and language specialist," said the fellow, picking up his tea and saluting her with it.
"Samantha Carter, Airman. You're American, right?" asked Sam, washing down nutrient bar with coffee.
"Yep, you could say that," said Doctor Jackson. "Spent a lot of time out of the country until NASA showed up on one of my digs. My talent for picking up languages seems to be useful around here."
"I can see why that would be the case," admitted Sam.
"Ah, the lovebirds are at it again," said Doctor Jackson, inclining his head towards the Japanese group.
Kaname was apparently yelling and fussing at some slightly discomfited boy.
"What do you mean?" asked Sam, not seeing anything 'lovebirds' about it.
"Sosuke Sagara grew up going from one mercenary group after another. Recruited by MITHRIL and assigned to Security here on the base." Daniel Jackson winced as a paper fan was repeatedly smacked by Kaname over Sosuke's head.
"MITHRIL is that group the UN put together for Security purposes, parallel to the US' Psi-Corps, right?" asked Sam.
"A lot less 'big brother' and a lot more 'paramilitary'," opined Daniel. "They get the job done but... Choice of two 'evils' I suppose."
"You're sure about 'lovebirds'?" asked Sam, changing from an uncomfortable subject. You heard rumors about Psi Corps, after all.
"Sosuke knows next to nothing about civilian life, Kaname knows absolutely nothing about military life, they've got a certain 'chemistry' though." Daniel glanced at his companion. "You've seen the 'Mechs'?"
"I've used WorkMechs in simulations and a training tank back home," assured Sam. "Why?"
"Kaname's got a strong Spark, telemechanics. One of the highest marks on the station, though she doesn't have the education to really make the most of it," said Daniel. "Sosuke though - he's got a sync rate of 84% with Furies and 83% with WarMecha."
"That's good," admitted Sam.
"You'll get used to it here though. We've got a month to go before the station is considered open, but new people are coming in all the time." Daniel shrugged. "Just watch yourself and try to be around at least one other person you know."
After breakfast,
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(Posted Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:16)
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