CHARACTERS

PROTAGONISTS

Victoria Happ-Schwarzenberger | Vicky

Born in Canberra, Australia in 203 UC as the only child of a retired military couple. From a early age, her parent's expectations were for her to enlist in Australia's naval task force that patrols the dangerous seas of former SEATO nations, but with the emergence of the Metropolitan Space Naval Force was expected to enlist in that branch.

She and Friederika have known eachother since early childhood. She affectionally calls her 'Kiki' if only because prouncing her name is a pain. She is a cheery gal who is into ungirly nerd things.

Victoria art is by 711pan

Alexandra Descartes Dolz

Born in 203 UC at the Vardini colony of Side Pella. Alexandra grew up in a period of increased civil unrest in the Ruthenia realms, particularly in Side Pella. Peace and stability is not something Alexandra is familiar with as it became a part of her early childhood and teenage years to hear of violent clashes between protesters and security forces. By 214-215, Alex came to accept there is injustice in the world—something that was instilled into her by her disillusioned father, Tory.

Having felt that she has lived under the shadow of her father for far too long—the ‘Mad Dog of Ruthenia’ as Tory would later be known as—and hoping to get away from the instability at her home Side, Alex decided on an exchange program to a military school institute in the heart of Metropolitan Sol—Terra. To experience what it is to live as a Eartnoid and open her eyes to a whole new world, and use her experience to shape the world into a better tomorrow.

Personality-wise, Alex is brash, and prefers straightforward tactics; she is the kind of person to achieve her goals and sees any methods as a justification to her means.

She has a rather peculiar laugh, as Victoria would later describe as ‘a seagull off its rockers’.

Alexandra by 711pan

Li Chou | The Madame Scarface

Most likely born in 200 UC, of either Chinese or Korean ancestery, to a civilian merchant family. Chou was a curious child who questioned everything around her. She had one other brother, and a younger sister who died in birth when Li was 3.

Li looked up to her older brother—quite literally, as he was taller than the norm, even moreso than their parents. She enjoyed following him around and helping him with chores when it came to unpacking trade goods and such. Li Chou was quite energtic and enjoyed playing with other kids while the adults did busines. For education, she was largely homeschooled by her mother and older brother.

When Li was 6, her ship came under attack by a company of pirates under Dong Zhui. His gang ruthlessy cut down her eldery father and her brother. Li and her mother's attempt at escape was in vain, with the latter's eventual death.

Li came to resent both Dong and the pirates, but eventually warmed up to the pirates that took her in, like Simon Oliver and eventually thought of them as a extended family (beside Dong). Some, like Simon, would even help continute her education in some way or another.

Li's relationship with Dong had become increasingly violent at times, in one particular case, Dong had gotten so furious he lost control and struck at Li with a sharp dagger—of which he never pulled out unless for most serious offenders, leaving a grievously deep wound.

Li's obedience to her foster father gained the respect of the men throughout the years, a fact that Dong worried would undermine his authority. During Dong's campaigning in the Merica-Rouen regions, she found herself thrust into command of a squadron of heavy cruisers, where she won a string of skirmishes against rather large squadrons of Federation destroyers.

In the aftermath of one such fight, Li had a whole squadron of cruisers surrender after only suffering minor losses.

Her experience growing up in the shadow of a harsh father has left her with little faith in spineless people. She ordered the execution of most prisoners, which would become her magnus operandi for years to come. This reputation had garnered her the nickname of Madame Scarface.

Dong's worry grew to such an extent that he forbade her from leading any major formation on her own, and delegated her to administrator roles in his regime.

Li Chou by 711pan

THE FEDERATION (OF SOL)

Horatio Galland

The last prime minster of SEATO and first prime minster of the Federation.

Born in 2638 AD to a poor family of goat herders in the sticks of New Zealand. Horatio had an uneventful childhood. Both of his parents died when he was seven years old, leaving him to support and feed his family well under his young adolescence.

He saved up enough money to go to university and graduated with a political sciences major in 2662. He spent the next decade politically active, until his eventual landslide victory as prime minister of SEATO in 2672.

Galland enacted sweeping reforms that gradually transformed it into a “zealous welfare state”, giving him unprecedented popularity as prime minister never seen before even seen with future PMs’.

Galland was also a visionary space reformist, he passed dozens of charters that granted universal rights for spacenoids and strive for equal representation in parliament. Galland was less successful with campaigning for autonomy of spacenoids, however, a obstacle that persisted long after his death.

After 2 tenures as prime minister Galland reformed the obstructive SEATO union as a all-encompassing Federation—which he proudly called the pinnacle of his career.

Being a strong advocate for democracy Galland was tempted several times to forcibly retire from the prime ministry—but the conditions just wouldn’t allow it.

Galland hoped to retire for good after twenty-one years as prime ministry—”a dictatorship if there bloody ever was one”— he would later write in his memoirs. After the assassination attempt of his life by a jaded “ultra republican” in 5 UC he was steadfast determined to retire after PM elections.

His lasting legacy was his Farewell Address that outlined the threats of political disunity and ambitious dictators. He died of natural causes in 42 UC.

Ramsay DeRyck

Ramsay was born in a quiet New Zealand suburb in year 189 of the Universal calendar. The oldest of 3, he was regularly a sickly child and was jealous of his siblings for being able to spend time outside in the photogenic New Zealandic countryside.

His siblings recall that they were never close growing up, but after the death of their single mother in 206 he went to great lengths to bond with his siblings. Even after his enlistment, he continued to keep in touch with his family members and sent some of his wages to them when necessitated.

He attended the historical Australian Defence College in 209 and was described in the memoirs of his colleagues as an "aloof chap who did not care much for study and was only interested in some particular subjects such as history. His grades outside of that subject were lackluster but his history professor appreciated him very much."

When he was threatened with expulsion, he straightened himself and became quite diligent, which improved when he also befriended the older Cicero Garofano. In 212, Ramsay graduated with the rank of commander(as a result of networking) and was attached to the then-ceremonial space force stationed in Terra's orbit.

By the next year, through further political connections, he was promoted to commodore of the newly minted Metropolitan Space Navy. Conservative and calm when things get tough, with an eye for tactics. In his prime, he was a bit of a womanizer and drinker.

Cicero Garofano

Born in 179 in one of the Galactic Far East colonies, of Eurasian descent. His family, which includes 4 older sisters and 3 brothers, moved to the Metropolitan Side colonies in search of new prospects when he was 9 years old. In his early adulthood, he was a prolific player of the modern Polo sport but declined to make a career of it.

In 205 he moved to Australia and later attended the same college as DeRyck, where they became acquainted in Garofano's last year of attendance. He graduated as a lieutenant commander and posted to various Side defense installations in the Caldonia corridor. Eventually, through merit, he was promoted to the rank of commodore.

Cicero could be described as a level-minded and a down to earth person. He was regularly the mediator between Dolz and DeRyck during their 216-218 campaign period, who each preferred doing things their separate ways. At around the same time, he had taken a liking to liquor, with speculation that this was to cope with the bickering of the two.

Chal Hugo

Born in a Yefren Side colony to a family of 5 in 193 UC, the youngest and also the only male member in the household. He was often teased by his male friends "for scoring the jackpot" and was often used as a bonafide wingman to keep other guys from dating his sisters.

In his early adulthood, Hugo had a reputation for being reckless which often landed him in trouble at times. He devoted his time to sports and was on track to earning an athletic scholarship.

In 209, he attended a military academy in the capital Side of his Cluster at the age of 16, where he continued his love for sports (and scholarship money). He graduated in 212 as an ensign and continued his officer education at the military university affiliated with the academy, where he graduated as a lieutenant in 216.

Chal held several posts over the years and eventually reached the rank of commodore by early 219.

Viktor Mazzarelli

Born in 192 UC in the Australian outback, Viktor had a keen eye for taking things apart but not exactly putting them together.

As he got older, Viktor continued his love for engineering in his high school years. After graduating, he spent a few years of soul searching around the country and later on decided to attend a military institute in 211 that offered military engineering.

Upon graduating the institute in 214, Viktor was posted as a sub-lieutenant in Terra's land construction yards and contributed to the construction of the reconstructed Metropolitan flotilla there.

Upon the fleet's completion, he was promoted to lieutenant and served under Buttermilch during DeRyck's 216-218 anti-piracy campaign and saw some action, where he was promoted by merit to lieutenant commander but largely owing to Sydney's anticipation of the upcoming 219 campaign.

A logical person at heart, it was often said that Viktor's prowess as a lowly officer was being squandered and deserved much more.

Kenneth Buttermilch

Born in a Kongriega corridor colony sometime in the 180s', Kenneth's youth was a rocky one. His father passed away when he was 10, leaving him to care for his mother until she followed suit some years later when he was 16.

Despite this, Buttermilch studied diligently to attend a prestigious university in the Perdenes system but lacked the tuition fees to attend there. This lead Buttermilch to continue his education at an officer academy that had the curriculum he was interested in, which promised to waive tuition fees if he entered military service.

Upon graduation in 215, he received the rank of lieutenant and served with distiniction in the 216-218 campaign, where he achieved the rank of commander through merit.

Götz von Putsch

Born in 188 UC at Side Dulap at Marsol. Hazel-eyed and stubbles. He became a commissioned officer in 216 UC upon completion of military training and became a lieutenant by 218 UC, and spent some time as a instructor for Canberra Academy. By 220, he went through an unusual fast promotional record and became a Major in the MSF marine corp, and is part of Commodore Chal's military mission to the Frankish Domains.

Lisa Margot

Born in 187 in New Zealand, Lisa grew up fascinated with cuisine and fitness. She took studies in culinary and graduated with a degree in 207 UC, where Lisa spent some years managing her family’s bakery at a Terran side until it closed due to bankrupcy in 211. In 213, Lisa found herself drafted into the Metropolitan Space Navy and was commissioned as a culinary Petter Officer aboard the Yilan. She disliked the ship at first, but came to realize she had far better access to food than she ever dreamed of compared to back home.

She continued her tours of duty with the Yilan until her last one ended in 217. She had a brief stint of wandering around at odd-jobs throughout Terran clusters, but found herself deployed once again on the Yilan for the upcoming mission to the Frankish Realms in 219/220.

Lucas Perat

Born in 161 in the outer hinges of Lombardia, Lucas has spent his whole career in the military in some form or another. Lucas was a drifter who bummed around until he cleaned up and was conscripted into NOSPS at the age of 16 around 177. He served as a inspector for NOSPS, and was reassigned to several naval vessels on Terra’s Pacifica Surface fleet upon NOSPS’s dissolution in the early 180s.

Lucas has continously denied promoitions through his absurdly-long career. By all means, he has enough merit to become even, arguably, a lietueant-commander or even a commodore in SEATO or even the MSN. Nonetheless, Lucas has retained the rank of Petty Officer Second Class by 220.

In the 'Good Morning Toscana!' chapter, he is the 'Old Man' from Victoria's perspective.

RUTHENIA TERRITORIES

Tory Dolz | The Mad Dog of Ruthenia

Born in Dundaes in 171 UC to a humble merchant couple as an only child. Tory often accompanied his parents on their space-faring journeys. During lull trading periods, Tory was enrolled in the local schools for chances of education. Growing up, Tory was described by his peers and schoolteachers as a quiet child who was a bit of a loner, in other accounts, he was willful and presented himself as a forceful person.

In 187, Tory did not accompany his father on one such business trip due to a fever his mother had developed, forcing him to stay at their residence and care for her. This would prove to be a change of events for the young Tory, as his father's merchant ship was raided during its fateful voyage. His father refused to cooperate with his assailers and was murdered after the scuffle had gone violent.

When Tory learned of his father's fate, he became outraged, not only at the pirates but at the authorities for not taking measures to prevent such atrocities. This childish grudge would later mature into a genuine distrust of the Federal government during his time in the Vistol War College.

In the years that followed, against his ailing mother's wishes—who hoped her troubled son would "forgive and forget" and pursue a more peaceful life—Tory eventually attended Vistol War College at the regional Vardini capitol in 207. During his time there, he became politically active and radicalized by similar anti-Federation sentiments. After graduation in 211, he was assigned as a lieutenant in a senior officer capacity to several Lönsobdian Side colonies, but saw minimal combat, if any. He received news of his mother's death in early 212, which left him with much grief.

After the unlawful formation of colonial naval forces in 213, he was given command of a minor section of destroyers in the Lönsobdian Naval Flotilla as a lieutenant commander. Tory continued to prove himself by merit and achieved the rank of captain by 215 and was chosen to be the commander of Central Ruthenia’s task force.

Tory's youth as a willful person translated into being an audacious fellow; a trait that sometimes worked against him when it initially came to getting promotions as it often a source of chagrin for his superiors.

THE YEAR 217 MAFIA

Dong Zhui | The Don

Born in the 170s' UC, somewhere in the Lombardia region. he was said to have a modest upbringing. Dong was described by early records of his peers as a bright lad who was quite chivalrous and an understanding person. He took a liking to horseback liking and enjoyed hunting. As he got older, however, something in him changed. The crippling debt from his father's businesses broke his father in more ways than once, and he took his anger out on his children.

The abuse from his father made Dong himself turn to juvenile crime. Sometime in the 190s', he murdered his father after the latter struck his mother, who collapsed and didn't recover. Afterwhich, he ran away from home and found refugee in a pirate ship disguised as a merchant ship.

After a bit of ruffling, he joined the crew and began his career as a pirate for much of the decade, eventually murdering the pirate boss who took him in and took over the small pirate company he controlled.

At the turn of the 3rd century, Dong had taken in a young child named Dong Che, with some speculation that the young Dong was kidnapped and his parents murdered.

Nonetheless, Dong treated him like he was his flesh and blood.

Similarly, seven years later, he would again kidnap another child—Li Chou—after her parents had suffered the same fate as well. The two of them did not get along very well, which at one point reached a point where Dong slashed the young Li's face with a sharp dagger, leaving a permanent scar that came to symbolize the relationship between the two.

Dong's pirate company kept a low profile for most of the 200s'. As the 210s' was underway, Federation efforts at undermining piracy activity reached its peak with the 216-218 campaign, forcing Dong to strategically relocate to Merica-Rouen, where he found much support from demoralized pirate thugs who looked for a strong leader.

Owing to his fearsome charisma was an unlikely facial feature—a birthmark had grown out of control on the left side of his neck, covering his face with an overgrown purplish tumor on his left face and upper body. This gave him a distinctive dimidiating look—one that ultimately caused him much pain and historians attribute to his frequent sudden outbursts of anger.

Dong Che

Born in the 190s' to a humble family from the Lombardia region, presumably of Chinese ancestry. There is little historical documentation of his early life before Che's adoption by the older Dong in 200 UC. In the 217 Mafia's official records dated 225, Dong "was a man of great build with a large belly and a mightly beard that rivaled that of his adopted father."

Che was quite possibly the only person the senior Dong Zhui had ever shown any kindness to throughout his life, with very little records of violent outbursts in comparison to his half-sister.

Dong Che and Li Chou had gotten along well growing up. As it became evident, however, that the senior Dong Zhui was placing much faith and trust into Che and more accepting of him as a foster son, it would cause the relationship between the two siblings to drift apart.

Simon Oliver

Possiblyborn in the early 170s, an sage lieutenant who has faithfully served Dong Zhui since his younger days.

Oliver’s parents were Zonal-based merchants who expected him to inherit the business. After their untimely death however, Simon was left with a business that was impossible to turn around, and inevitably it went belly up.

Broke and with no purpose in life, Simon turned to the dark world of piracy, and offered his services to various pirate captains who operated out of Zonal.

In the mid 190s’, he met a young and disturbed Dong Zhui, and the two of them became good friends. Later, Simon agreed to the plot to overthrow the pirate boss they served under, and Simon helped to solidify Zhui’s power. Oliver helped to establish the code of conduct that would later form the basis of rule for Dong’s later mafia.

By 206, Simon’s lackeys had boarded a merchant ship belonging to the Chou family and murdered everyone aboard with the sole exception of a child—Li Chou. After the incident. Simon was entrusted with the care of the child he rescued and helped her grow as a person.

Simon and Li’s relationship is one of teacher and mentor, as Simon grew—so did Li. Everything he learned from leadership and ship combat—he passed on to Li Chou. As such, he became something of a father figure despite Dong proclaiming her his (estranged) daughter.

With the 210s’ underway, Simon advised Dong Zhui to strategically relocate to the Merican-Rouen region, and later the Toscana region where local development was low enough for Dong Zhui to establish a informal government — the year 217 Mafia. Simon would more or less become the adminstirator of Dong’s domain, along with Li and Che.

Darcy Cassetta

Born in 196 UC, a female officer who serves under Dong Che.

A native from the Perdenes system, most likely from one of the many sprawling planetary settlements itself. She has been described as a quiet child, but went through a rebellious phrase in her early adolescence. Her sopranos voice is remarked as beautiful, and she was groomed to be a singer in her youth. However, she came under scrutiny for refusing naval impressment by pressured colonial authorities sometime in the early 210s’, and resorted to a life on the run. In a strange twist of fate she joined a pirate crew of her own will some years later—that being the Dong fleet.

Sergi Thalhauser

Born in 181 UC, a adjutant to Li Chou aboard the Castelforte.

One of the few veterans still alive who have served with the Dong fleet more or less since its conception, or at least after Simon and Zhui murdered their pirate captain. He has at various points been captain of Zhui’s bodyguards and bore witnessed to its highs and lows. Sergi later found a stable position as a adjutant to first Simon when he commanded the Castelforte, then later Li when the former passed it down to her.

Sergi’s relationship with Li was rocky at first, whereas Sergi believed she was a helpless pawn of nepotism. As time went on, he grew to respect her commandship and her iron attitude toward her father.

Kamon Hwang

From 211 to 215 she was the last governor of Side Brunsbüttel before a battered Dong fleet crossed into the Toscana region. Rather than resist the fleet, she negotiated a transfer of power over to Simon and Zhui, and has since helped them behind the scenes with intelligence on Federation affairs. Kamon and Zhui took a liking to eachother, which ensured that Kamon could still maintain a government figure and manipulate thing from behind the scenes.

Jargon Leson

A lieutenant whom acts as the spirtual leader of the Wulfhere in the absence of Jung Lee. Jargon is a charismatic fellow who never fails to whip the men into a frenzy. He looks up to Jung and thinks very highly of him.

Jean Picot

A former lieutenant of the Year 217 Mafia and long-time confidante to Jung Lee. Jean joined the Zhui fleet sometime in the late 200s’, and soon after became affiliated with Jung Lee’s Wulfhere. She eventually grew attached to the man and her youthful puppy love matured into genuine affection for Jung.

Dontae Kleyman

A crewmember aboard the Kafraiya, commanded by Captain Emmanuel.

Jung Lee | Wulf Der Ruthenia

A famed ex-captain in the Year 217 Mafia, born in the 170s UC. Jung was born in the Hunan region, mostly likely at an Bespo Cluster. His childhood was rater dull and imagination of advnenture was never far from his mind.

His father, Jung-won Lee, was the chief ship designer of a major company in the Hunan region. When that company went up in 184, the young Jung noticed his father became reclusive after he was laid off. Owing to the depression in the Ruthenian-Hunan regions, Jung-won was unable to find work and be the bread-winner in his family. Thus leaving the teenaged Jung to work mundane jobs in order to support his family.

Jung-won later divorced his mother for a mistress. Jung continued to see his father for a while, but when his mistress also left him, it took a major toll on Jung-won’s mental health and he left the Lee family for Perdenes as a Frankish Legionnaire sometime in 183. Jung never saw his father ever again and he continued to support his mother and younger brother as best as he could.

However, the economical depression in the Hunan region continued to worsen and anti-Terran sentiments were growing as a result. In 190, a pirate fleet led by Captain Araki seized control of a Side at Yefren and caused further strain in the Hunan region. Jung, down on his luck and unable to support his sick mother, used this as an opportunity to join the this new pirate fleet with hopes of seeking the money needed to buy the medicine for his mother.

However, Jung came to realize this would be in fruitation, when he returned a year later he discovered she had died and his sister was nowhere to be found. While returning to the pirate fleet, a grieving Jung met a Fa Yuriy, and the two quickly became close despite his association with piracy.

In the years that followed, Jung rose through the ranks and became one of the top-men along with Simon and Dong Che under the aging Araki. Jung was loyal to Araki, and although he was great friends with Simon he wasn’t fond of Che and initially disapproved of Che and Simon’s plans to mutiny against Araki. Jung was fearful that if Araki was murdered, Fa might get hurt in retatlion by those loyal to him—he did not have the support of the foot soldiers as Simon and Che did, but if he opposed him it would mean a civil war. Thus, he agreed to support their mutiny if it meant avoiding needless conflict.

Jung’s fears were realized when the middle echelons of lieutenants conspired to assassinate all three men after the incident unfolded. A few went to Jung’s residence not knowing he was away, and after brutally murdering Fa Yuriy, proceeded to burn down his home. This act devastated Jung and Simon who both loved her. Jung demanded to execute those that were involved, which Simon sanctioned out of spite and partially as a way to purge Araki’s most diehard followers. In all, it’s likely that over 50 people died or became maimed in a incident known in Hunan as Black Friday.

From then on, with nothing else holding him back Jung dedicated his life to the pirate cause and achieved great notoriety as a fleet captain. By the 210s’, the Dong pirate fleet caught the attention of the Metropolitan-Ruthenian eyes and sought to eliminate them. Jung reached the height of his notoriety at the battle of Abassi in 216, where he defended against a Federation assault that was 2:1 and suffered only moderate losses. This battle cemented his infamy across the galaxy as a brillant tactican, along with the emerging Madame Scarface.

In reality, Jung would continuously regard Abassi as his greatest failure. He failed to capitalize on a crucial maneuver and squandered many lives and ships. It was through the efforts of Li Chou did the Che fleet manage to annilhate most of the Ruthenian task-force and execute a orderly withdrawal to the Merican region. Jung fell into a depression and became secluded from the others, often speaking only to Simon or Jean.

Not long after the fleet crossed into Toscana in 217 did Jung more or less retire from the public and politics of the nascent pirate republic. He met a woman by the name of Frau Moskvina, and she helped him become reinvigorated with newfound purpose. They quietly married after several months of dating, and settled on Lübeck at a quiet farmstead.

Emmanuel Leone

Born in 158 UC, Emmanuel was a die-hard supporter of captain Shin Araki even in the early days when they were both mere sailors. Emmanuel had been pressed into service by the precursor to the MSN, the Near Orbital Semi-militarized Police (NOSP) task-force commissioned to oversee the escalating Kongriega protests in the 170s. By 181, Emmanuel defected to a pirate ship delivering contraband and weapons to Perdenes colonies. Sometime in 183, Emmanuel met and became acquainted with Shin Araki, who used his growing influence to stage a violent mutiny. Emmanuel’s knowledge of the largely corrupted NOSP helped the Araki ship gain prestige and money before Bloody Perdenes deescalated some years later, and both the Frankish Legionnaires and NOSP were demobilized almost entirely in the wake of their atrocities becoming public knowledge.

In the decade that followed, the Araki ship faded into relative obscurity. Emmanuel eventually fell out of Araki’s favor over future privateer prospects, but still held strong loyalty to the man he called boss. Around the time Zhui and Simon came to prominence, Emmanuel became greatly acquinted with fellow crewmember Richter. Emmanuel, for some reason or another, stood largely on the sidelines as Zhui seized power and the eventual murdering of Araki. After Zhui became the new captain, Emmanuel was placed under brief suspicion of orchestrating the Black Friday reprisals, but Richter’s alibi dropped all scrutiny and eventually he was reinstated in the burgeoning fleet as captain of the Kafraiya.

Clyde Patel

Born in 194, Clyde served under Simon for some years when he joined the Mafia in 213. Simon was very impressed with his extensive knowledge of radar technologies and entrusted him to serve Li as the Castelforte’s radar technican, along with Bowen.

Bowen Palol

Born in 190, Bown was considered an odd, eccentric fellow by his schoolmates growing up. By 211, Bowen, rather accidentally or intentional, stumbled his way onto a Mafia ship that Simon was operating, and some way or another took over a recently vacant spot as radar operator. Simon was incredibly impressed with his handling and had him transferred to Li’s Castelforte at her annoyance.

Richter Wright

Richter was born sometime in 161 or 162 at a Satursol Cluster. He was raised by his family with expectations of becoming a pianist, a hobby in which the young Richter particularly enjoyed and had aspirations for. Having never been enrolled in school, he was instead homeschooled by his grandfather. Richter also enjoyed robotic model kits partly in due to his grandfather’s influence.

By 179, both his father and grandfather were selected for the NOSP draft in order to combat early forms of piracy in the era. Richter never saw them again, leaving him to be care for his mother until she died of a pandemic running rampant through Satursol, brought about by traveling merchants from the far hinges of the galaxy.

After quarantine ended in 180, Richter packed up his belongings and set sail for Terra, in order to enlist in the Legionnaires. He didn’t make it far, however, as his vessel was stopped and imprisoned by Araki’s ship, a rarity in a cutthroat pirate world. Eventually, Richter joined out of his own free will, but had a negative view of captain Araki for most of the decade. Eventually, Richter met Emmanuel and the two became close friends. As time went on, Richter became increasingly disapproval of Araki’s ruthlessness and silently sanctioned Zhui and Simon’s mutiny from the sidelines.

After Fa’s tragic death by reprisal, Richter remained adamant that Emmanuel was innocence. After Black Friday, he was one of the replacement captains after the previous pro-Araki officers were purged.

Although he had promising talent, Richter chose to remain on the sidelines in the coming years, but had participated at Abassi where he made a name for himself—though still overshadowed by the exploits of Li and Jung.

OTHER CHARACTERS

Friederika Trachenberg | Kiki

Born on the island of Okinawa in 204 UC. She is the middle child of 3 and the only girl of the bunch. Her family later moved to the Australia Continent, where she met and befriended Victoria. She is more or less the older sister type to Victoria and helps herself to teasing her at any given opporunity, ranging from her boyish hobbies to teasing her about relationship stuff.

Friederika by 711pan

Paul Plotte

Younger brother of Prince Plotte born in 203 UC in some part of Australia.

Complete dork, probably even more of a dork compared to Victoria. He wears thick rimmed glasses and has frizzy afro hair thats pretty out of style. As if following in Victoria’s footsteps he enlisted in the Metropolitan Space Navy and was assigned to the MSN Hualian as part of Commodore Hugo’s mission to the Frankish domains.

For reasons unknown, he has by some way or another upset Victoria enough to completely flub his last name every time she pronounces it.

Prince Plotte

The eldest Plotte and Paul’s older brother, born in 197 UC to Australian parents. Prince is a Lleutenant aboard the MSN Yilan. He previously saw some limited action in the 216-218 pirate expedtions to Zonal under DeRyck.

Olga Kaiser | de Keyser

A member of the Year 217 Mafia and Li Chou’s one and only friend.

Born circa 198-199 UC in an Merican Side colony. She lived an orphaned life; never knowing who her parents were or her heritage. She joined the fledging mafia under Dong Zhui sometime in the mid 210s’ and was regarded as peculiar by her peers.

Blessed with a spectacle height of over 190 cm (6’0”) she towers over just about everyone around her with the exception of perhaps Simon Oliver. As such, she is often nicknamed ‘Orca’ and, because she never knew her last name, was even given the surname ‘de Keyser’ or ‘Kaiser’ meaning emperor in some Eurasian languages.

She is strangely overly protective of Li and answers to almost nobody but her.

Character sketch of Olga by Vertutame

Vinnie Kuenstler

Born in 204 UC in the Valcolis system though she grew up in Side Pella when her family immigrated. Vinnie can be best described as a shy little girl who was taken in by the flamboyance of Alexandra, and it wasn't long before the two quickly became close friends. Vinnie followed in the footsteps of Alexanda and participated in the exchange program to Terra.

She has a big crush on Alexandra.

Nia Spiegal

A warrant officer aboard the Federation destroyer Bataan. She is is in her late 20s' and has red flowing hair. Nia is of either Irish or Scottish descent. She likes to tease Lessau a lot. On that note, her attitude puts off a lot of guys from wanting to date her.

Philipp Lessau | Four-eyes

Philipp serves aboard the Federation Destroyer the Bataan as a lowly leading sailor, and mostly attends to the the radar station. He has a bit of history with his superior Nia.

Leon Casavant

A warrant officer serving in a bridge staff role aboard the Yilan. Leon has short, dark curly hair and is always seemingly tired. Although he has an eye for detail Leon is usually incredibly lazy outside of duty. Leon has a cat named Garfiel that he smuggled into his YIlan quarters.

Brutus Dubray

A confidant to Li Chou and part of the Castelforte. A oversized oaf according to Li, despite his barbaric appearance he is a good-natured person if a little critical at times.

Terminology, brief lore, and technical details

WARP DRIVE

It was still impossible to travel directly from one planetary system to another. Meaning, one would have to use excessive amounts of energy multiple times to shorten the light-year distance between destinations, and never directly above a system or near its gravitational well.

Archival documents imply that warping directly on top of a large body or its gravitational field would cause entrapment possibly followed by vessel destruction (certain demise) if there was no contraption for atmospheric reentry.

As such, even with the “perfected” system, it was only possible to warp finitely from point to point. The nominal means of travel was by propulsion systems, so warping was seen as a necessary supplement.

NAVIGATIONAL ROUTES

In addition, to properly utilize these new forms of interstellar travel, there was a communal effort of establishing an ever-so-evolving library of navigational routes mapped out between star systems. This was a necessary step. Warping at the right points of space in particular was a good measure in order to not have your vessel be graced with a terrible fate.

SPACE-FARING ENGINES

Most space-faring engines were powered by fusion reactors, which were fed helium-3 – a kind of gas that was depleted by mid 27th-century Terra. As such, before deep space colonization could take off without issue, a constant supply of it was a pressing matter. A mining colony would be established on Luna, where helium-3 was still untapped. Over time, a stream of helium-3 would be shuttled back to the home world for further use.

DETAILS ON O'VERTAME CYLINDERS

Following a grander program to construct the first of many orbital satellites – colloquially referred to as O’Vertame Cylinders – which would become the dwellings for an indefinite amount of the pioneering space-faring generations. These cylinder-shaped stations, usually 6 km in diameter and 28 km long, were capable of becoming almost self-sufficient in agricultural industries and other means of habitual survival.

These were colloquially called Clusters with each individual station called a Side with either a unique name or number to distinguish it from others. Their initial shortcomings, however, were the constant obligation of raw materials required to be self-sustainable in other forms of goods that they couldn’t artificially reproduce otherwise.

Side colonies are capable of opening or closing parts of their panels to give a view of the stars, or close them as needed in the event of a meteor shower or something similar to avoid damage to the window sections/the Side interior.

SOME DETAILS ON THE TERRAFORMING DEVICE

Humanity would not be shackled in these Sides forever. In later periods of time, a certain device would be conceived to terraform uninhabitable parts of alien worlds into hospitable, fertile lands.

These would help solve food crises that would plague older, overcrowded O’Vertame Cylinder communities and also be a source of food for both of them, notwithstanding the terrestrial lovers and their forsaken descendants that chose to remain behind on Terra.

LAGRANGE POINTS

Points in a system (usually two-point systems, think our Moon-Earth or Earth-Sun) where objects can remain indefintely. In real life they are usually desginated L1 through L5. In SotCH, these points are the basis at where Cluster colonies are because of the stability they offer.

SEATO AFTER THE FORMATION OF THE FEDERATION

After the political entity of SEATO was reformed in 2684 AD, the namesake organization saw itself redrawn as the de jure military of Metropolitan Terra until the establishment of the Metropolitan Space Force in c. 213 UC (although a de facto orbital fleet did exist prior).

In the pre-Galland era, SEATO was comprised of several surface fleets that patrolled the ruthless Southeast Asia seas, as well as the Indian Ocean, and the eastward Pacific. Before escalation against Amerigo and Asiatic/Indo marauders, this version of SEATO was a volunteer force, but by the time of Galland there was a push for conscription. Before 170 UC, the practice of two-year-long conscriptions was dropped in favor of the return to an all-volunteer force.

This historical clause of conscription was enacted in the various anti-piracy campaigns undertaken by the MSF throughout the 210s'. And again to a broader degree in the years 218-219. There was a similar case undertaken by the Ruthenia colonies for their de facto naval forces in the same period.

THE FRANKISH LEGIONNAIRES

Sometime in the early to mid 2nd century UC, there was a growing discontent throughout the Orion Arm—an issue of economical disparity and disproportional representation in Sydney parliament. In some cases, lack of resources and famines paralyzed some Side and planetary settlements. This reached its catalyst peak with colonists in the Greater Sol region—namely, at Marsol, in the 140s'.

There was an outlying fear that this could erupt into an open revolt of Greater Sol, so out of desperate cooperation the historically divided Metropolitan parliament united in a brief coalition to authorize and fund the creation of an interstellar, ground-based paramilitary. As the unrest unrivaled throughout the 140s', many people from walks of life flocked to the region to fight. Many of these that fought for the Federation journeyed from the Frankish Realms, whose numbers counted for more than 80% of the paramilitary units based in Marsol. Eventually, and because of their tenaciously, this would coin the paramilitary as the Frankish Legionnaires.

The Marsol uprising had been quelled by the 150s. Once peace agreements were reached, the service of the young Legionnaire force continued until it was disbanded by the mid 160s. It would later be revived a decade later when social unrest reached its zenith in the Kongriega corridor, specifically in Perdenes, where the upheaval had boiled to a point the conflict was dubbed as Bloody Perdenes. The Legionnaires were reactivated for a second time to keep the situation under control. Bloody Perdenes would last for several years but eventually concluded with a bitter peace between authorities and rebel leaders.

It was in Bloody Perdenes that the Legionnaire atrocities were more documented than before. Out of fear of public protests and the increasing influence of Legionnaire commanders, it was again disbanded. Some Frankish veterans moved on to be mercenaries for Ruthenian naval flotillas in the inter years but were reactivated by Metropolitan authorities by the 210s for ship-marine duties.

MAP OF THE GALAXY IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE START OF MEMORIES OF TOSCANA ARC