Afraid not. Although Observer to Fate was good practice for me in creating a more concrete storyline.
For those of you wishing for a little more backstory, here's some information. Its lengthy, but well worth the read.
Sentinel Campaign
Date: 2375
What Has Gone Before:
2368-2369- Dissident Wars
-Following the end of the Second Shivan Incursion, the GTVA faced a time of harsh realization. The enemy for which the alliance had been established to combat had come and gone, leaving another trail of utter destruction in its wake. Political and anarchial voices long silenced by years of peace now rose up to question the effectiveness of a government clearly so unable to protect its citizens. The homeless Capellan refugees flooding into nearly every system served, above all else, to illustrate the failure of the GTVA in the previous year. To further compound the matter, the physical loss of vast resources led to a new depression, leaving the economic states of many systems in complete disarray. The battered and beaten fleets of the alliance were called to dozens of worlds, this time to surpress a mounting tide of insurrection and mistrust among the citizens. From March of 2368 to October of 2369, operations were carried out against seemingly hundreds of new factions flocking to the cry of revolution. Though these incidents did not destroy the alliance, they served to shake its very foundations even further.
October 26, 2369-Black Laramis
The unending tide of political dissidents was finally halted in October of 2369, but at great cost to the alliance. A large political faction called the Enlightened staged a massive uprising on Laramis II. Denouncing the GTVA and revoking the Beta Aquilae Convention, the group succeeded in raising a small force of derelict cruisers and obselete fighters to blockade the jump node into the system. Believing the alliance lacked the strength to repel them, they launched a haphazard invasion of the Ross 128 system. Though they initially gained some ground, the local militia managed to keep them from gaining control of the system. With negotiations failing, and seemingly no recourse left open to them, the GTVA security council ordered the uprising quashed. A task force led by the SOC destroyer Vigilant entered the Laramis system and engaged rebel forces. Both sides suffered horrendous losses, as the Enlightened sacrificed many of their cruisers in pin point jump collisions against allied ships. Their desperate tactics stalled allied forces for two days until the Vigilant and her forces staged a near fatal attack against the planet itself. Catching the Enlightened by surprise, the ensuing battle took a turn for the worse when the GTCv Paladin sustained heavy damage to its engines. Unable to manuver, and far too close to the planet's gravity well, the ship plunged into the atmosphere. Its decent carried it largely intact until it struck Feloran City, the capitol of Laramis II. The massive explosion destroyed the entire city, resulting in nearly a million casualties. The remaining GTVA forces crushed the few Enlightened ships who would not surrender, but the cost of victory had been high.
Strangely enough, this incident marked the end of the Dissident Wars. The citizens of the GTVA, recognizing that such uprisings often claimed innocent lives, began to question the wisdom of such endeavors. A new resolve was formed in the hearts in minds of the people of the alliance, one that would push them to rebuild their shattered government.
June 7, 2370-Nebulous Oddysee
-While the beginnings of a Second Reconstruction were well under way following the end of the Dissident Wars, true recovery was stymied by the lack of resources. That is, until the discovery of the Delta Draconis and Acacia system. The GTSC Copernicus, on a routine survey mission in the Epsilon Eridani system, was inadvertently pulled into a previously unexplored jump node, leading to the nebular Delta Draconis. Though damaged, the Copernicus managed to conduct a partial survey of the new system, discovering the rich properties of the nebula gases. Their makeup, which was similar to that of the nebula found in Gamma Draconis, meant that the alliance would be able to harvest them. The relatively non-volatile nature of the dense gas cloud provided a much easier process than previous mining expeditions. A vast and untapped resource had been discovered, one that would usher in a seemingly reckless exodus of ships seeking to harvest the rich gas. Epsilon Eridani became an important hub for incoming and outgoing traders, as well as the base for several refinement plants. The support base needed for such a task was not readily available, but the need for one prompted a boon in seemingly every industry of the GTVA.
While the discovery of the Delta Draconis system was an important step in the reconstruction, the finding of yet another jump node within the dense nebula barely a month later marked the true turning point for the economy. Lush and vibrant, with nine planets capable of supporting human life, the Acacia system became of symbol of hope for those pioneers and refugees seeking to build a new home for themselves. A flood of colonists flocked to the system, and with them came the industries necessary to build a thriving colony. Acacia was also strewn with two large gas giants with dozens of moons, all rich in gas and minerals vital to the economy. It seemed, almost as if in answer to their prayers, the Capellan refugees had been given a second chance, a new life and rebirth after a period of uncertain darkness. Though most of the colonists settled on New Capella, the planet most hospitable to human life, smaller settlements sprouted up all over the system, and a seemingly unending flood of new arrivals continues to flock to the system.
August 11, 2372
-An early problem in the immigration to Acacia surfaced when vicious pirate attacks began to claim many convoys traveling through the Delta Draconis nebula. The alliance's only destroyer in the area, the GTD Cherokee, worked diligantly with planetary militias and independent security firms to help find and eliminate the group responsible. In response, the pirates began stepping up their operations, prompting intense firefights in and out of the nebula. Many brave pilots and still more innocent civilians lost their lives in the ensuing battle, but it was not until nearly a year later that any real headway was made against the pirate groups.
July 24, 2373
-Receiving classified intel that a pirate group was amassing its forces for a large blockade of the Delta Draconis/ Epsilon Eridani jump node, the GTD Cherokee prepared to strike a death blow to the raiding forces. The goal of the pirates appeared to be to intercept all traffic entering the nebula, which would mean a virtual stand still in terms of goods flowing to Acaci. Upon entering the nebula however, the Cherokee's CO, Admiral Alex Neiv, realized his error. The pirates had lured the Cherokee into a trap, crippling the ships engines and launching a massive bomber attack. Though the ship's forces fought valiantly, the Cherokee was destroyed. While some of the crew retreated in escape pods, well over 75% were killed in the battle. The pirates, believing no forces were left to challenge them, launched an assault on Epsilon Eridani's civilian Yukon station. With one corvette, two cruisers, and multiple wings of fighters, the raiders were confident in their victory. Fortunately for Yukon station, two mercenary groups happened to be on station at the time. The Sentinels, based aboard the cruiser Aleron, and the Jackals, assigned to work with planetary militia, were within range to engage the incoming pirates. With superior skill and courage, the mercenary and militia pilots matched the raiders ship for ship, decimating the enemy fighters. The Aleron, working in conjunction with a squad of retrofitted medusa bombers, next took the fight to the enemy capital ships, destroying the corvette and one cruiser. The remaining cruiser, the heavily damaged Scimitar, retreated to the relative safety of the nebula. This crushing blow scaled back the pirates operations, and to date the raiders have yet to repeat their winning streak against the convoys traveling through the nebula.
Status of the Fleet-
Having suffered horrendous losses at the Battle of Capella, and further casualties in the skirmishes that followed, many wondered if the alliance forces would ever know the strength realized before Capella. The discovery of Acacia posed a new set of problems for the fleet, particularly in the form of the ever present pirate factions attempting to move in on any new trade routes. Suprisingly, the solution to this plight came from many ordinary citizens who took up the fight to protect their homes and families. The fleet saw a swelling of numbers, and shipyards brimming with new resources began a concentrated effort to rebuild the shattered alliance fleets. While still underpowered due to the lack of destroyers, the GTVA has no shortage of pilots in its squadrons, and has had to assign many to help assist local militias. While the GTVA has yet to establish a major presence in Acacia, its forces work diligently to ensure that vital trade lanes remain available to the system and its burdgeoning population.
Independent Security Forces
While the GTVA has worked hard to establish control over its new outlying systems, the lack of a permeneant base in the two means that not every convoy falls under military escort. Civilian stations and local militia do their best, but not every pirate attack can be intercepted. In the early days of immigration to Acacia this meant some convoys being ransacked with impunity by raiders. To counter this, many convoys began to employ private security firms and mercenary groups. These warriors for hire quickly made a name for themselves battling pirate forces within the nebular expanse of Delta Draconis. While no method is capable of eliminating such groups, the mercenary and private security forces nonetheless ensure that few convoys are raided with impunity.
