Post by Gigermann on Nov 24, 2013 12:36:55 GMT -6
I won’t bore you with the usual, public-knowledge details about Terra Nova and Pilgrimage—you should already be aware of all that. However, the truth about the situation is being kept from the public for reasons of National and Global Security. The information you are about to be given is considered Cosmic Top Secret—even the President-For-Life does not know all of it—so, needless to say that, under no circumstance, are you to divulge this information to anyone outside this room. Here’s the situation:
- The deteriorating atmospheric conditions that have been officially blamed on widespread pollution and increased solar activity are, in fact, the result of a microscopic organism of unknown, non-terrestrial origin. We don’t know how it got here, but we know why: it is a deliberate attempt to terraform Earth for colonization by a non-terrestrial, possibly extra-dimensional species. Our researchers estimate that we have until 2182 for the terraforming to be completed—thirty-one years—at which point all human life on the planet will be dead.
- Likewise, the outbreak of new diseases referred to as “The Plague” is not the result of global overpopulation, as has been reported, but is an intentional side-effect of the same alien microorganism, giving it the added benefit of reducing the indigenous population through bio-genocide. Given current population densities, we might have twenty years before it’s spread to 100% of the population. The spaceliners’ strike at the Lunar and Mars colonies is a cover story to hide the fact that Earth is under an indefinite quarantine, to prevent the spread of the microorganism to the colonies—assuming it hasn’t been deliberately spread there already.
- In addition to the microorganism, we have discovered that non-terrestrial hostiles are disguised and hidden amongst the global population—they look human, and have some way of fooling genetic scans, so they are nearly impossible to detect. These “Infiltrators” have been found as high up as the White House staff and security details, and have been “dealt with” discreetly. We have no idea how long they’ve been among us, or how extensive their manipulations are. We have been unable to confirm it, but we strongly suspect that one or more of the colonists at Terra Nova may be Infiltrators, actively working to undermine or destroy the colony.
- The public story of how we discovered the Fracture is also a cover. In actuality, the Fracture was left behind after one of the aliens—whom we’ve assigned the codename, “Jupiter”—escaped through some kind of dimensional portal device and subsequently destroyed it, to cut off any pursuit. That destruction tore a hole in space-time. Our scientists managed to stabilize the dimensional rip enough to get relatively small objects through it.
- The publicly-stated purpose of the Terra Nova colony is essentially true, but it leaves out the most-important goal of finding out where Codename Jupiter went, and what he’s up to. Its most likely objective—which is purely guess-work on our parts—is destroying humanity before it develops.
- You are likely aware that Hope Plaza was temporarily shut down due to a reactor accident—again, that is the public story. The real story is that a mercenary group seized Hope Plaza and sent a mass of troops and equipment through the Fracture, and attempted to take over the Terra Nova colony by force. Once communications with the Colony were re-established, we determined the mercs’ most likely mega-corporate backers to be Riko Mining, though we still don’t have direct evidence—they've covered their tracks well. Scientists have theorized that it might be possible to pass materiel through the Portal in both directions—the only reason we have been able to come up with for a military takeover of the Colony is that the corporation found a way to do this. The explosion at Hope Plaza was a bomb—a pyrosonic—planted by parties unknown, intended to cut off the PMC from any reinforcements. The Colony reported that the remaining mercenary forces were eventually defeated and vacated to what Backline refers to as the "Badlands," for reasons unknown. Alien involvement is strongly suspected.
- Due to the recent attempts to subvert the colony mission, we sent a covert team through the Fracture along with the Twelfth Pilgrimage; we will refer to them as “Alpha Team.” Their mission was to track down Jupiter and prevent him from accomplishing his mission. Twenty days ago, we received a coded message from Alpha that told us that they had found something of great importance—due to the coded nature of the message, we have no further details on the nature of that discovery. We have had no further contact with Alpha Team. During the last regular transmission window, about a week ago, the colony population update lists the members of Alpha Team as MIA.
The mission, for which you have volunteered, is, essentially, the same as Alpha’s—that is, to find and neutralize Codename Jupiter before he can complete his mission, with the addition of finding out what happened to Alpha Team, and/or whatever it was that they discovered. You will be referred to as “Bravo Team.” You were selected for this mission because you have the skillset and experience required by the mission, because you have few ties here in Homeline that will prevent you from being able to accept the mission, because you meet the eligibility requirements for Pilgrimage, and because you have no social connection to anyone currently at the colony that might jeopardize your cover.
It is vitally important that the other colonists do not become aware of the nature of your real mission—secrecy is a top priority—as we do not know how many Infiltrators are amongst the colonists, where they are, or what their resources or capabilities are; you are to treat all colonists as potential-hostiles until you can determine, without doubt, that they are not. It is for this reason that absolutely no one can know of your true mission—not your families, not colony administration, not anyone. Anyone watching must believe that you are only there because you were selected for the colony through the usual means.
- Your mission is Codename Jupiter, only. Your mission is not the success of the colony, except as it helps you complete your true mission; submit to colony authority so long as it is expedient, but do not let them hinder you. Your mission is not the Nihilists, except as they interfere with your true mission, or you determine they are directly involved with Jupiter’s operation. Your secondary objective is to find out how the PMC managed the two-way portal travel, and return any pertinent data—only as it doesn't interfere with your primary mission.
- You will be selected by lottery to go with the Thirteenth Pilgrimage. As we do not know exactly when the next window for Pilgrimage will occur, I can’t say how long you have to prepare. Make no mistake—this is a one-way trip. You will never return to Homeline.
- It is vitally important that you blend in with the other colonists. Alpha Team consisted of hand-picked volunteers from various black-operations groups, without families or significant social ties. The colony authorities were immediately suspicious of several well-built, single, obvious former-military men; the Team reported considerable difficulty in executing their mission as a result. With your team, we will use a different approach: some of you have families—those family members will be going with you. Remember that part of the colonial mission is to repopulate, and, although not a specifically-enumerated requirement for eligibility, anyone not seen as contributing to that mission will appear suspicious. Those of you who don’t have families should get one—if you can’t manage that, either come up with a plausible cover, or we may assign an operative to accompany you as your “spouse.” Also, you will need to come up with a convincing cover story for why you all will be socializing together, as it will be necessary to keep up regular communication that might otherwise be considered suspicious
- Because of the covert nature of the mission, you will not be supplied for the mission through official channels. Liquidate whatever assets you have, and purchase your own gear, but take care not to draw too much attention to yourselves by hauling military-grade munitions and armor.
- Once on the other side of the Rift, you will be, effectively, on your own. You will communicate with us, here, via coded mail, as did Alpha Team. You will be trained on the use of this code in the weeks ahead. You may use these communications to request anything you find yourself in need of, bearing in mind that we may not be able to meet that request—we will help where we can, but that ability will be limited by the nature of the mission.
- Your legal identities will be scrubbed; you will be given new ones. This is more like Witness Protection than a normal deep-cover op, so get used to it—your new identity will be effectively permanent. We will provide you with training in whatever skills you or your “spouses” need to enable your cover identity, or for the mission itself, during the weeks prior to departure.
- We may be able to send new Team-members when expedient or necessary. There are also a handful of support operatives in place at the colony, there to aid you in your mission. Use the challenge phrase, “a friend of Pete,” to authenticate; they will respond with, “What does that make us?”
Any questions?