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【Vision of an Alternate Future】

Arc 1: Ascendance

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【VAF】Chapter║: 8 ─ Egalitarian Response

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Meanwhile Naole was making his final approach to United Atlantic Federation Space. The Crystalorb Leadership were worried about the reception a Crystalorb Ship would receive from African Federal Security Forces, and so the Indigo was ordered to transit through United Atlantic Federation Space. This was to avoid possible confrontations with African Federation Warships.

The Indigo tries to open a Communications Channel with United Atlantic Federation Channel 001 〘UAFC 001〙.

Naole : " This is Naole Olen of the Crystalorb StarShip Indigo! Requesting permission to Transit through United Atlantic Federation Space?"

UAFC 001 : " Permission Granted! Take route 240!"

Route data is sent to the Indigo.

Indigo : " Naole?"

Naole : " Yes!"

Indigo : " I'm detecting an Emergency broadcast on EarthCom 001!"

Naole : " On Screen!"

EarthCom 001 : " This is the United Atlantic Federation Destroyer Miami we are under attack at Solar 601; Requesting Assistance!"

Naole : " What's their relative location and distance?"

Indigo : " 170 LightYears; They were responding to a distress call from a Cargo Freighter."

Naole : " How far away are the reinforcing UAF BattleGroups?"

Indigo : " 30 minutes!"

Naole : " This thing will be over in 10 minutes! Reactors to maximum! Set course to intercept; Attack pattern 24Alpha."

Indigo : " Attack pattern 24Alpha Aye Captain! Stealth active, Fusion Reactors at 100%, Status to Red-Con One, Shields at Max, Weapons ready! Jump Drive standing by!"

Naole : " Jump!"

The now invisible Indigo jumps to Hyperspace, and is on a path to intercept the 3 Hakum Sky Daggers that were attacking the Apollo Class Destroyer UAS Miami A2179 and the 2 Juggernaut Class Frigates: UAS Dresden A2145 and UAS Colombo A2147. The United Atlantic Federation ships were taking enormous fire from the Hakum Sky Daggers and their compliment of fighters. The Cromed Republic freighter that sent the original distress message had been destroyed.

The Hakum deliberately allowed the Cargo ship to send a distress signal indicating an attack by a single Hakum Sky Dagger, but as soon as the United Atlantic Federation battle group arrived 2 other Hakum Sky Daggers joined the fight. This indicated that the Hakum had studied the United Atlantic Federation response strategies and were now fighting in a way that reflected that understanding.

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Onboard the UAS Miami A2179 Captain Mark Drake was trying to hold his BattleGroup together until Atlantic Federation reinforcing BattleGroups arrive, but things weren't looking good for Capt. Drake, and the ship was taking damage.

Officer 1 : " Enemy beams getting through Sir!"

Capt. Drake : " Fire tubes one through seven!"

Officer 2 : " Aye Sir!"

The UAS Miami A2179 fires Nuclear missiles from 7 of its 30 missile launchers; Each Missile carries a 50 Megaton Nuclear Bomb.

Officer 1 : " They have range on us sir!"

Capt. Drake : " Forward Cannons; Fire at will!"

Officer 3 : " Aye Sir! Firing Plasma Cannons!"

The 4 Forward Plasma Cannons fire at the Hakum.

Capt. Drake : " All Guns Fire at will! I want those fighters cut down!"

Officer 4 : " Aye Captain!"

Officer 5 : " Aye Captain!"

Capt. Drake : " Fire tubes 11 to 30!"

Officer 2 : " Aye Sir!"

The UAS Miami A2179 fires Nuclear Missiles from 20 of its 30 missile launchers.

Officer 6 : " Sir; Massive Jump-Hole forming at 9 O'clock!"

Capt. Drake : " On Screen! Who is it?"

Officer 7 : " Zero on the visual! I'm reading Transponder AFS-A006C; it’s the Indigo!"

Capt. Drake : " What?"

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Meanwhile onboard the Indigo Naole's Grandson Malen is on weapons control.

Naole : " Put us between the Hakum ships and the Earth ships! Target lead Sky Dagger! Particle Beams; Single point Strikes! Full power!"

The 4 high energy Particle Beams from the Indigo penetrate the lead Sky Dagger's shields and cause serious damage to the ship.

Indigo : " Other ships moving in on our position!"

Naole : " Perfect! Prepare for Single point Strikes; Thunder Force! Multiple bursts; Full Power!"

Malen : " They’re coming into range! They’re firing multiple Plasma Ball Cannons!"

Naole : " Activate Particle Beam Plasma Ball defence!"

The Indigo's Particle Beams stop the Plasma Balls from hitting the Indigo.

Indigo : " Captain; They're at optimal range!"

Naole : " Thunder Force; Fire!"

Multiple Thunder Force Strikes on single points penetrate the Hakum shields, melt Hakum Armour and cause critical damage to the two Hakum ships resulting in massive internal explosions.

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Meanwhile on the UAS Miami they can't believe their eyes.

Officer 1 : " Ooh my God!"

Officer 2 : " How?"

Back onboard the Indigo.

Indigo : " Lead ship trying to escape!"

Naole : " Fire long range Thunder Force Strikes; 25% power!"

Multiple Thunder Force Strikes cripple the Hakum ship.

Malen : " Enemy ship disabled!"

Enubh : " Captain; Why not destroy it?"

Naole : " There may be valuable information about their base of operations! Indigo; search for onboard computer database!"

Indigo : " Location found."

Naole : " Malen; Use the Particle Beams to cut around it. Disengage Invisibility Field!"

Malen : " Aye Sir!"

The Indigo suddenly becomes visible, and on the Miami they can now see the Indigo.

Officer 1 : " It’s enormous!"

Officer 7 : " Captain! We are receiving a Communications Channel from the Indigo."

Capt. Drake : " On screen!"

Naole : " This is Naole Olen of the Crystalorb StarShip Indigo. We were on Transit to Earth through United Atlantic Federation Space; we thought you could use our help."

Capt. Drake : " We are in your Debt Naole."

Naole : " Just doing my part Captain; What's your status?"

Capt. Drake : " We've taken heavy damage, but we have the fires under control! What about you?"

Naole : " We've suffered minor Damage to the Hull and the shield projectors. Our shields are at 87%. What's the ETA on the UAF reinforcing BattleGroups?"

Capt. Drake : " 5 minutes."

Naole : " Then we will remain with you until then. We've located the Data storage centres on the enemy lead Ship; we are cutting it away before their internal explosions set it. Be advised that some of their fighters are heading for System planets; inform your fleet that they may require ground troops."

Capt. Drake : " Will do Captain!"

Naole : " Indigo out!"

And that Ends the ships to ship Communications Channel, and back on the indigo.

Naole : " Indigo; Reactivate route 240, and standby for jump!"

Indigo : " Reactivating route 240 to Earth; Jump Drive standing ready!"

Onboard the Miami.

Officer 7 : " Is the blue ship a cruiser?"

Capt. Drake : " The AFS-A006C is a Bio-Crystalline Ship. We learnt about them at the Academy"

Officer 7 : " Records say that they're 2km long, but this one is 10km long?"

Officer 1 : " They’ve obviously become more powerful."

Capt. Drake : " The Crystalans come from before our time; 20 years ago the entire Earth waited for their return, but they never showed up."

Officer 7 : " Looks like they're back sir."

Capt. Drake : " And they're not going to like what they find in the African Federation."

Officer 7 : " The African Federation doesn't have anything that can compete with the Indigo."

Capt. Drake : " None of the 5 Earth Federations have anything that can compete, and the Crystalans probably have hundreds of these Bio Ships."

A few moments later the UAF reinforcing BattleGroups arrived, and Naole gives the Indigo the order to Navigate to Earth space through United Atlantic Federation Space. UAF Commanders are surprised by the size of the Crystalan Ship

As is Crystalorb Law all the Crystalans had watched the Battle, and the O'ltana had also seen the Indigo's battle with the Hakum. In that moment the O'ltana understood the Crystalans a little better. The O'ltana understood that Crystalans felt a responsibility towards other humans, and would rise to protect them if required.

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When the Indigo arrived in Earth space they found they were being expected, and the United Atlantic Federation's Atlantic Defence Force had supplied video footage of the fight to the Global news network. This was in line with United Atlantic Federation policy of freedom of information, but there was another reason the United Atlantic Federation publicised the Indigo's Activities, a reason that had something to do with the politics of the African People.

The United Atlantic Federation's Atlantic Council knew that the African People would see the Indigo and assume that the Crystalans were returning to Earth, and this might start another uprising against the African Federation's Military Government. The African Federation's Military Government would not dare use force to crush the protest with the Crystalans watching, and African Federal Security Forces had seen the power wielded by Crystalorb.

As expected Naole was horrified to find that the once Egalitarian African Federation of City States had become a corrupt, repressive and oppressive Police State. The Indigo was in constant contact with Crystalorb, and the Crystalans were also disturbed by the information they received from the Indigo. For 45 years the African People had been under the heel of the African Federation's Military Government, and the liberties they once cherished were no more.

Many Crystalans called for an immediate campaign to liberate the African People, but the Crystalorb Leadership wanted a way to end the Military dictatorship with minimum loss of life. The Council of Elders Immediately ordered 50 Intrepid Class StarShips from the Expeditionary Division to join the Indigo in Earth space. The Council of Elders wanted to intimidate the African Federation's Military Government into a quick and painless surrender.

In the 2 weeks it took the 50 Crystalorb Expeditionary StarShips to make their way to Earth the Protests on the ground grew larger and larger. The African Federal Security Forces were paralyzed by the fear of the Crystalans, and people on the ground called for the immediate resignation of the governing military Council.

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On O'con the Council of Elders met with the O'con Federation High Council.

Following the death of Turan, Casara was elected to the Council of Elders and became the oldest Elder.

Bital : " You are Leaving?"

Casara : " Yes!"

Bital : " Will you come back?"

Casara : " Not likely. But our Envoy and his staff will remain at the Consulate."

Bital : " How many?"

Casara : " 5000!"

Bital : " Then in a way You will Always be with us."

Casara : " Yes! But the Council of Elders must return to Earth!"

Bital : " We understand!”

Casara : " We were wrong to abandon our people! We were hurt, and we acted in haste! Our failing has caused untold suffering to our People! Now we must return to our home and repair the bonds we once shared with our people!"

Bital : " To heal an entire People."

Casara : " Yes; We have to try."

Bital : " We understand. They are a part of you. You can not be Whole without them."

Casara : " Yes!"

Bital : " Then we will go with you! Our Envoy Timal and 5000 others will go to Earth with you! Live with you! We will always be with you!"

Casara : " Thank you!"

Bital : " Knowing all of you has been enlightening!"

Casara : " Likewise!"

Bital : " Who will be your Envoy!"

Casara : " The Crystalorb General Council has Chosen Naole! Only he amongst us has the time and patience required to serve for extended periods! He is the best of us! Envoy of the Forbidden!"

Bital : " Good luck my friends! Spread the peace In your Hearts!"

The rest of the Crystalorb Fleet had been standing by and waiting to mobilize. 20 Crystalorb Ships would remain, and 10 would serve in the O'con Federation BattleGroups as first contact specialists, but the rest would leave for earth. There were 249 Adult ships, 76 Juvenile ships and 102 baby ships. The Crystalorb population was now at 249249, and there was great work ahead for Crystalans.

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Back on Earth! When the 50 Crystalorb Ships from the Expeditionary Division arrived the protesters were embolden by the imminent return of Crystalorb, and the voices for the restoration of the African Federation Constitution grew louder and louder. The new Expeditionary Guardian Nasara's Daughter Isara decided it was time to meet with the African Federation's Military Government.

The meeting Included leaders of the African Progressive Congress, the African National Movement, the Democratic National Congress, the Federal National Congress, the governing Military Council and Isara and her 3 Deputy Guardians. Isara made it clear that Crystalorb was returning to its home in mount Crystalorb, and that the Crystalorb Leadership would not live in an undemocratic state.

Isara also pointed out that there can be no amnesty for those who had committed crimes against humanity, and that the African Federal Security Force had a duty to bring these criminals to trial. After 3 days of talks onboard the Crystalorb StarShip Impalo the political groups agreed on the immediate restoration of the African Federation Constitution, and they also agreed to hold general elections in 30 days.

The political leaders demanded that all those who held the rank of Captain and above immediately resign, but the Military Council only agreed to do so after the general elections. This proposal was acceptable to Isara, and it removed the prospect of a power vacuum. On the African Federation colonies Security was of greatest concern, and the worry was that what was happening on Earth could affect their security. Isara agreed to send 3 Ships to protect each colony.

The Crystalorb fleet was due to arrive in 50 days, and Isara was expected to prepare the ground for the return of Crystalorb. In the interim Isara met with the Ilesians, and prepared for the hand over of Crystal Valley Industries. In recognition of their service to Crystalorb Isara offered the 3215 Ilesians the opportunity to join Crystalorb and become Crystalans. The Crystalorb General Council had confirmed the Ilesians and their families as Eligible to become Crystalans.

The 3215 Ilesians and their families would become the first Hybrids to officially become Crystalans. The Crystalorb General Council wanted the running of Crystal Valley Industries to return to the Crystalorb Mobile Assets Defence Division, and that was because Crystalorb wanted to restart the Crystal Valley Industries' manufacturing Divisions. This was critical to reviving the Economy of the African Federation of City States. In the 50 years Crystalorb had been away the Economy of the African Federation had gone from being the Third largest of the 5 Earth Federations to the Fifth.

Crystalorb needed Crystal Valley Industries to begin manufacturing products that could be sold on the Interstellar Markets and generate revenue for the African Federation. Fortunately during their travels the Crystalans had done a comprehensive analysis of the economies of many Interstellar Civilisations, and could therefore design and produce products that could meet the demands of the Interstellar Markets.

Crystal Valley Industries had always been Crystalorb's way of slowly transferring advanced technology to the world, and this was done to minimise possible negative consequences of rapid technological development. Crystal Valley Industries had always produced common materials replicas of Crystalorb's Crystal technology, and this meant that others could then duplicate Crystal Valley Industries products.

Most of the revenue generated by Crystal Valley Industries went into expansion projects which then produced more products and generated employment opportunities for the people of the African Federation. Crystal Valley Investment Bank invested in global stock markets and generated more revenue for Crystal Valley Industries. However in the past 45 years the activities of Crystal Valley Industries had been forced to be limited to Crystal Valley Investment Bank because of the African Federation Military Government policies.

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After the African Federation General Elections the African Federal Parliament elected the 8 additional members of the Federal Executive Council. The Federal Executive Council called for a public Referendum to approve the Constitutional amendments that were intended to make sure that there would never be a Coup or a military take over. The Constitution of the African Federation of City States indicates that only a public Referendum can approve any Constitutional amendments.

The Constitutional amendments:

1〙 Removed the policing function from the African Federal Security Force and gave it to a City State Police Department and Federal Police Department,

2〙 Every African Federal Security Force Ship Captain would have to be approved by the African Federal Parliament, and

3〙 Crystalorb was made Guarantor of the Constitution of the African Federation of City States and that of the African Federation of City States itself like the African Federal Security Force with the distinction that Crystalorb was outside Federal Executive Command and would only give an account of their activities to the African Federal Parliament.

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When the Crystalorb Fleet arrived back in Earth space they brought with them 4 O'con Federation Guardian Class StarShips. Each Guardian Class StarShip carried a crew of 100 O'ltana, and onboard the Intrepid there were an additional 5000 O'ltana that would live in Crystalorb as promised by the O'con Federation High Council. The 4 O'con Federation Guardian Class StarShips would remain in Earth orbit to help in the Defence of Earth along with the Azleck Republic StarShip.

As expected the Governments of the 5 Earth Federations were eager to meet with O'ltana Envoy, but Timal would only meet them in Crystalorb once the internal Crystalorb systems had been restarted and upgraded. However Crystalorb shared the artificial gravity technology with the 5 Earth Governments, and they quickly implemented gravity systems on their ships. The Spirit Stone would need about 5 weeks to expand Crystalorb and install all the new components and upgrades to the 50 year old components that had mostly been inactive.

Fortunately the plants in Crystalorb had been maintained by a few Crystalorb robots that had been left to run on the reserve energy in the energy storage systems. The Intrepid Entered Earth's atmosphere and delivered the Spirit Stone to the sealed Crystalorb entrance. The Spirit Stone opened the entrance tunnel by absorbing the Black Crystals that had filled the entire tunnel.

Once inside the Spirit Stone began the restoration process to the specifications of the Crystalans. The end result is a 1.5km Diameter Hemisphere surrounded by 18 levels of twelve 1.35km Diameter Hemispheres complete with Buildings, Advanced Olen Crystalorb Nuclear Fusion Reactors, Fully automated Agricultural systems, Climate control systems and upgraded Crystalorb Facilities. One of the first level 1.35km Diameter Hemispheres was designated as the O'con Federation Consulate.

Almost as soon as the Crystalans had settled-in the Azleck Republic scientists completed their analysis of the data the United Atlantic Federation ships had collected from the Hakum ship, and the results were troubling for the 5 Earth Federations and for the region. The Azlecks concluded that from the jump records of the lead Hakum Sky Dagger there was a Hakum base in sector 05H15 at a Galactic Radius of 3000 LightYears.

The Azleck Republic had informed the Galactic Alliance and an offensive strategy was being formulated. The O'con Federation has placed its security forces on high alert, and their 120 BattleGroups began mobilizing for a major operation. Tactical analysis from Galactic Alliance specialists indicated that there may be Migon presence, and the presence of Hakum Sky Spears indicated that the Base is of High value.

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Hakum Sky Spears are 11 km in length, 5.4 km maximum width, they have 8 prongs, Armoured Hull, they have 50 High Energy Multidirectional Particle Beams and 18 Plasma Cannons that can Each produce Plasma Balls that carry 5 Megatons of Energy. The Sky Spears are the Capital ships of the Hakum, and because of the rapid fire capabilities of their Plasma Cannons the Sky Spears are the most dangerous Class of Hakum warship.

The Galactic Alliance was worried that the Migon may be trying to open a new front in the war, and the reason was that their impenetrable defensive lines were holding. These lines are what the Migon had been building for a Thousand years, and they had been busy rebuilding their fleet. The Migon defensive line consisted of planetary orbital Stations, Moon bases and thousands of Battleships.

To derive the kind of energies and power their ships required requires a large quantity of rare minerals, and to acquire these minerals the Migon had no problem wiping out an entire race. The Galactic Alliance had studied the Migon defensive lines, and their analysis indicated that it would take more than 50000 Advanced Galaxy Class StarShips to break through the lines. So while the Migon regrouped the Galactic Alliance took the opportunity to also rearm and prepare for when the Migon resume their offensive campaign.

Few ships could stand up to an assault by a Migon BattleSphere, and that meant that any assault on Migon Federation Space would take an incredible amount of resources. The Galactic Alliance analysts knew that the Galactic Alliance could not afford for the Migon Federation to gain a foothold in the sector; a foothold that would provide the Migon with hundreds of billions of slaves to mine the ore they need to build their ships.

The Galactic Alliance decided to send a Taskforce to the region, and in particular to sector 06H00, to help organize regional defences. The Galactic Alliance Taskforce consisted of 3 Jiquam Galaxy Class StarShips, 2 Folong Galaxy Class StarShips and 10 Galaxy Class StarShips from some of the Advanced Interstellar Civilisations. The Azlecks would add a further 30 Galaxy Class StarShips to the Galactic Alliance Taskforce.

Because of the size of the Galactic Alliance Taskforce there had to be sufficient forward supply to guarantee adequate supply for the Galactic Alliance Taskforce in case of extended operations, and setting up supply mechanisms had to occur before that Galactic Alliance Taskforce arrived. Earth was selected as a base of operations for the advance force that would set up the necessary supply network for the expected Galactic Alliance Taskforce.

Earth had suddenly become of significant strategic importance to the Galactic Alliance. The 5 Earth Governments realised the opportunity that this turn of events had brought to Earth, and they knew that the coming battle was in fact the Battle for Earth. The 5 Earth Governments needed to show the Galactic Alliance that Earth could be a useful and valuable partner in the fight against the forces of Galactic Evil.

It was expected that supply mechanisms would take 3 months to put in place, and this gave the Crystalorb Leadership enough time to prepare for possible involvement. To that end the Leadership of Crystalorb authorized Crystal Valley Industries to begin coating all African Federal Security Force StarShips with Crystalorb's Black Crystals. This significantly increased the amount of damage the Hulls of the warships could take.

Crystal Valley Industries offered to do the same coating to warships of the other 4 Earth Governments but they were unconvinced of the value of such a process, and they indicated that the coating process would make it difficult to repair the hulls if damaged. Their arguments were valid, and the interlocking block hull construction method developed by Crystal Valley Industries was designed to be easy to repair.

Crystal Valley Industries decided to develop an interlocking block based Black Crystals coating process, but the development process would take time, and this was time the 5 Earth Governments did not have. The 5 Earth Governments had to meet the requirements of the Galactic Alliance advance force, and this meant that resources had to be reallocated to meet requirements of the Galactic Alliance Taskforce.

When Crystalorb returned to Earth the Crystalorb General Council restarted the policy of implanting Crystalan embryos in Hybrid women for a fee. The Hybrid women were paid $0.3 million 〘Atlantic〙 for a successful pregnancy, and a further $0.4 million once the baby was delivered. All the Crystalan babies being born through this process had Chest Crystals, and to ensure that the foetus survived a Crystalan with a Chest Crystal was always on hand to supply the foetus with Chest Crystal energy which is also Spirit Stone energy. Crystalan foetuses need this energy throughout the pregnancy, and without it they would die. Once the baby is born they continue to need extensive amounts of Spirit Stone energy until they reach puberty, and without it the Child would fall ill and eventually die. Through this program Crystalorb would gain over1000000 babies at a cost of $750 Billion spread over 20 years Earth Standard Time 〘EST〙.

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