The World of Thalia - A Photo Space Opera

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - Marlene

In fact, my crew is made of eight. After Durango, me and Sharra went for a couple of jobs, security, mostly. We hired a pilot and his fiancée, Captain Joe and Arley. They were made for us. Arly was a fantastic mechanic and she kept the ship we rented working beyond the old girl capabilities. Then we hit a major job and we needed some serious fire power. Samantha, Laury and Selina embarked with us. That job was a mess, but we bonded as a team. "We need a ship", Cap Joe said. And we chose an old bird that was in an old spaceport rotting and waiting for us. We called her Marlene it felt right from the start.



"We need weapons and a tactical computer to install on her", Arley said at the time. "We don't have much money left", I said, "let's just start with a minigun and we'll see what we can get for a job". Arley nodded. "A tactical computer is essential." "And expensive", I replied. "And my brain", said Sharra, "would it work?" We both looked at her, astonished. "I want your brain in your body!" Arley laughed. "She isn't saying that, boss. She's saying that a positronic brain is a lot cheaper than a tactical computer." Sharra winked at me. "Two of me." I laughed. "And it will be a copy of you?" "I guess, more or less." "And it will also be in love with me?" "Yes." And that's how I got my second woman. Huge. The dream of any captain.



The U-23 Type 20 Hayabusa All Purpose Starship Shuttle was an ubiquitous ship in the Human space and therefore perfect for us. Thousands were built. It had enough space for all of us and a big cargo area. I've passed my hand under her belly and I knew she was strong and steady.

"Hello Marlene." "Good morning, Captain oh my Captain." "That's new Marlene." "A movie I saw while you were asleep." "A good one?" "A classic from the 20th Century." "High speed or low speed?" "Low speed, my Captain. You were right. We feel more if things take longer." "So you saw it at what speed?" "Just twenty times the normal speed..." "Oh... That's slow for you..." "I understand sarcasm, my Captain." "I know you do. What fun it would be if you didn't..." - Dialogue between Marlene, Starship and Captain Kinnison, Fortune's Soldier

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - Facts: On Earth and Human Politics

Mega Nations
The classical countries almost ceased to exist. A few maintain their geographical limits, but the majority became huge federations to face the new space age and frontiers. The new powers are:

Canamerica
Amazonic Cohalition;
United States of Europa and African Protectorate;
The True Socialist Union of Nations;
Asiatic Federation;
United Oceania.
 
Mega Corporations
The Transplanetary Corporations are extra-national powers, with national laws and local judicial powers where they are implanted. They rival in power and wealth with the most powerful countries.The major Mega Corps are:

Boeing Aero-space Agency (BASA - Starship Manufacturing);
Nike-Furoshima Human Resources (mercenary services);
Legrange-Samsung (Interspace Large Array Communications);
Furokata-Sho (Transportation);
Ganymedes Mining Corporation (Resources Mining);
Cosmos Valuables Insurance Company (Insurances);
Non Sencient Robotics Systems Enterprise (Weapons and Hardware Equipment).

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - A Deal with the Devil

These Corp girls were there to make the deal with us. We needed to weaponize our ship. They had the know-how, the know-where and the know-who. Tricky deal for us, since we were going to pay them with a job. What job? We didn't knew yet...



We were called back two days later to the "all same all same" warehouses. Our ship was fitted with the weapons we asked for. They made us wait. It was part of letting us know who was the boss and who wasn't. We waited.



We checked the weapons and everything seemed okay. They had done what we asked for. A dual mini-gun. A MTTIR. That goes for Multiple Target Tracker Ion Radar. Two racks of half-dumb rockets. And two racks of lizard tail missiles. If everything was working well, I was happy with their half of the deal.



"You don't want to owe to a big Corp. And you become a slave if you owe to a Mega Corp. Are you crazy?"  Samantha, Fortune's Soldier

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - Facts: First Contact with the Aliens

The first contacts between Earth and Alien Intelligent Species were less than positive. Humanity only made contact with a technological species with interstellar flight after New China’s colonization. Two military space fleets blocked both Earth and New China. They came from nowhere and demanded Humanity’s withdrawal from New China.
 
Humanity had colonized two planets without having met the rules that the group of star faring species had created for the Sector. But after the first shock, of meeting a new species, a second shock startled Humanity. The aliens that were blocking our planets were physically almost identical to Humans. Only later we would know that these aliens had been taken from Earth 20.000 years ago and “planted” in another planet by an ancient species – the Gahrud.
 
The Tembreazzim were technologically superior and had developed psionic capabilities that Humanity always denied for themselves. But in their superiority they never expected the violent human reply. It was so terrible and final that the intelligent alien species in the sector stop thinking that Humanity was weak. Humanity was now seen as a power in ascension.
 
During the weeks of the embargo, humans in Earth and New China developed a desperate plan. They created human piloted missiles. Kamikaze. The attack became known as “The day of human warheads”. In both planets a thousand missiles were fired against the besieging fleets. The Tembreazzim thought that they would easily destroy the missiles.  They were wrong. The missiles moved in a strange pattern and the jamming systems weren’t able to lock on the warheads. When the Tembreazzim understood what the Humans had created it was too late. The anti-matter explosions destroyed 90% of the besieging ships.
 
After this attack the Human diplomacy and aggression shown by the Earth Armed Forces allowed to renegotiate Human implantation in the stars. Humans agreed to follow the rules established in the Sector and Thalia’s colonization followed those rules. Humanity had been recognized as a Star faring civilization. It also signed the terms of Civilized Warfare and Low Energy Conflagration.

"You can't lie to a Tembreazzim lover easily, y'a know? On the other side, she always "knows" what you want..." - Yoko Irumi, Skimmer Ashlan Huntress

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - A Chunk of your Soul?

The weapons were perfectly fitted. The twin minigun would be useful against ground targets, infantry, landing and take off. With luck, they could possibly do some harm against aerial targets...



The two racks of half dumb rockets would be of use to clean an area or attack large moving targets. Their limited target acquisition and pursuit was compensated with their low cost. And finally the ASFM's, or Anti Space Fighter Missiles, or Lizard Tail Missiles. This last name was due to the idea that lizards leave the tail to survive. We would fire them against a fighter squadron not to destroy them, but to be able to escape. Their price is forbidding.



Finally I asked for the bill. It was huge. But I couldn't refuse. I asked them "when?" They replied, "soon", and then left.



"What are we going to do?" "We'll deliver the job." "And if it is innocent people?" "We'll go rogue..." "I'm okay with that." "I know, my love." - Dialogue between Sharra, EX-JT, Fortune's Soldier Android and Commander Kinnison, Fortune's Soldier

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - In to the Darkness

We were set too go. Marlene hummed happily with her new choices. I had this foreboding feeling in my gut. I had made a deal with the devil and I was going to pay dearly for it. And my crew was going to pay the whole bill with me...



"So, what's the deal, Commander?" "We'll know it when they want us to..." "A blind date, eh?!" "A blind date in hell." "That terrible?" "Yes." Dialogue between Commander Kinnison and Cap Joe

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - Facts: Psionics

After humanity interacted with the Tembrazzim, it discovered that psionic capabilities and the laws of thought were altogether different from what it was previously postulated. The approach to the mind mechanics changed. Speed, mind waves and mind power was recognized. Humanity commenced to think differently.
 
The first Tembreazzim that arrived Earth were the few survivors of the siege fleet that attacked the Solar System. Treated with care, they were the target of curiosity and interest, since they were humans. The 20.000 years that separate both cultures didn't brought major differences to anatomy or genetics. Very soon became clear that we were the same species. The first baby, the offspring from an Earth male and a Tembreazzim female was born one year after the siege.
 
The Psionic capability exists only in some individuals and early training allows them to use several different capabilities. But even in individuals without psionic capabilities the training allows them to a better use of the brain. Quickly, a large number of schools employ numerous Tembreazzim teachers. And crescent number of Tembreazzim immigrants on Earth and Earth colonies gave to humans one more target to one of their favorite sport: xenophoby.



"Do you want to hang with those pitiful losers?" "Yes!" "With us you could accomplish so much more. A big corporation is just like a family. And with you psionic power you can obtain so much more..." "I already have a family, girls... And I don't like your corp suits. It wouldn't fit me well..." Dialogue between Samantha, Fortune's Soldier and two Corp Lieutenants

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - Facts: The Hive Creatures

There are strange creatures in Thalia. The most strange of all is a type of hive creature that attack all alien forms of live that enter the area it occupies. The Joint Colony Authority of Thalia tries to maintain restricted information about these creatures. The good thing is, the areas these creatures control are excellent hiding places for us. After rescuing my crew and ship, we'll be heading for one of these areas.



"These buggers are clever, I'll tell you... They dodge bullets... They know what guns are, I'll tell you that..." - Sebastian Pereira, Colonist

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - Back to Grunt

I was able to infiltrate the Colonial Militia, since they were needing manpower. They didn't even checked me out. Strange. But then again it was good for me. I enlisted as a weapon specialist and was immediately sent to join an Army detachment with three more militia men.



The Army Lieutenant wasn't very happy to see us. "Stick together", he said, "and keep behind the tank. Later I'll tell you what I'll do with you." We nodded. The Militiamen weren't very happy with the treatment and said it several times between clenched teeth.



Why was there a battle tank in this operation. That did scared me. I knew we were going to enter the Ganshurinni territory, that Hive species that behaved like ants. I needed to go there because my ship was stranded in a spacedrome somewhere near.



So we walked for seven hours. For some reason they always thought they could be attacked at any given time. And that state of mind infected us. I told the other three, "let's stick together", but the Militia sergeant replied quickly, "we'll stick to orders." And after that we kept on silently.



"What will you do after I die?" "I don't think about that." "I don't believe in that Sharra... Certainly you've thought about that." "I did. I felt such sorrow that I decided not to think about that anymore." "I see. I'm sorry." "And you, my love, have you thought about that?" "I did." "And?" "I'll try to live as much as I can for you..."  - Dialogue between Sharra, Ex-JoyToy, Fortune's Soldier Android and Commander Kinnison, Fortune's Soldier

[Bayushiseni]

The World of Thalia - The Research Station

We've reached the Research Station late in the afternoon. It stroke me immediately strange the lack of noise or movement. Nobody came to receive us. "Strange", I told them, "strange indeed", the Militia Sergeant replied, "keep your guard up." But we all already felt that something was going on. And then we saw the blood.



There had been some fight here. But no bodies or any type of destruction. We checked the building and nothing missed. There was food on the tables as if someone was caught during breakfast. "Let's search the area surrounding the Station", said the commander. But I had a strange feeling...



"The Army will make the sweep", the Sergeant said, "We'll guard this area". I nodded. I was now more happy about the tank. But they had sent it because they knew something. What was it?



They formed into two five man units. They were quick. I tried to talk with the Militia Sergeant about the spacedromes nearby. He knew nothing.



Then they came. From the wild. Silently. In perfect and deadly movements. The creatures I had read about. The hive beings. We saw them too late and they were almost over us when we sounded the alarm. For me, as usual, time froze.



"So, you're saying that you fear nothing?" "Oh no. I fear a lot of things. I'm saying that in the midst of a battle or something really dangerous I loose my fear and time kind of... stops." "I see. Die Zeit steht still. You're lucky if that happens to you." - Dialogue between Commander Kinnison and Cap Joe

[Predatorpt]

And that paper terrain/vehicles are just great Love the Bugs also 

[Bayushiseni]

And that paper terrain/vehicles are just great Love the Bugs also 

Thanks, my friend. There are bugs being painted for this drama that came from your hands.

[Predatorpt]

Thanks, my friend. There are bugs being painted for this drama that came from your hands.

Now you caught me off-guard. I don't remember sending you any Tyranids...for real  But that gives some ideas for a certain parcel tomorrow 

[Bayushiseni]

Yes. You've sent me some termagaunts in sprues, black-based and with some dry-brush of silver. Remember now?

[Predatorpt]

Yes. You've sent me some termagaunts in sprues, black-based and with some dry-brush of silver. Remember now?

I remember now!