[b][u]Fairbank Plantation, Gaia, Alpha Centauri[/u][/b]

[img]http://img02.deviantart.net/38d3/i/2014/105/6/9/the_old_farm_hand_by_crisisomega-d7ejaqy.jpg[/img]

As the shuttle slowed from warpspeed, the green planet of Gaia came into view. "Now beginning initial descent into Gaia. Welcome home," announced the intercom, which started playing the tune of 'Dixie', and the ship beginning moving down to the planet. Dierks sighed and took off his helmet, then looked around him at the survivors; twenty two women and fifty three children. That's all that's left of the Kausis colony.

The shuttle broke into the Gaian atmosphere, and the children gathered to the windows, seing a planet's surface for the first time in their lives. The shuttle was headed to the Fairbank plantation, one of the largest plantations in Gaia, being around the size of the pre-Terran US state of Vermont, and home to their sponsor, Merryweather Fairbank.

The ship landed, and the doors opened. They were surrounded by Fairbank security, headed by a plantation overseer. The overseer looked back behind Dierks at the rest of the survivors. "I thought we told you only one wife to a man." Dierks grimaced. "Shit, I ain't married." The overseer, not saying anything further, moved forward placing hit fist in Dierks gut, causing him to keel over. "What the fuck?"

"What's with the early arrival, trash?" Apparently they had arrived ahead of the news. "Fuck...Kausis is dead!" The overseer laughed. "Bullshit!" Dierks straighted his back and moved toward the overseer. "I ain't lying," he said through gritted teeth. The overseer and him stood there, eyes locked, for a second, before the overseer grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward a barn. "Come on!" The security motioned for the women and children to follow them to the big house. As they got off the shuttle, one of the children asked, "Ma, what's that smell?" His mother looked down at him. "Well...that's just grass, child, don't you pay it no mind."

Dierks was bound to a chair in the barn, the overseer circling around him, whip in hand. "You know," said the overseer, "Mr. Fairbank won't be happy his miner's breaking contract." Dierks spit on the ground. "Yeah, well he'll be a lot more upset when he find's his colony's been wrecked." The overseer grabbed his hair from behind and pulled him back, as Dierks shouted out. "Who done it then?"

"Fuck, I don't know! I didn't recognize them...they were some bug people shit..." The overseer let him go, and Dierks heard the whip crack on the floor behind him. "You inbred pale-ass miner trash, you better fess up right fucking now-"

"If you gonna whip me you better hope I don't get these binds off!" As the overseer raised his whip, a security guard entered the barn.

"Billy...he's telling the truth."

[b]====================================================[/b]

[b][u]Bethlehem, Gaia, Alpha Centauri[/u][/b]
[img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/5f/c0/50/5fc050ad2fca4012cc778c888e2da691.jpg[/img]

President Parsons sat at his breakfast table in the Presidential Manor, wearing an imported silk robe and drinking coffee from his plantation, watching a Federation program on his screen. Just then, one of his aides burst into the room. "Mr. President, something requires your attention."

"Why don't they ever play our programs there? We even got that new one I like so much...that one about the revolution..." The aide stepped in a little further. "Sir...it's quite in urgent." The President rolled his eyes. "Reginald, every day you come in with something urgent that's always a...a senator's wife wearing a dress that's too short, or, or-"

"Sir, The Kausis Colony's been destroyed." At this, Parsons took another sip of his coffee, placed it down on the table, and turned off the screen, before saying, "Well...shit."

[b]====================================================[/b]

[b][u]Streets of Bethlehem, Gaia, Alpha Centauri: Later that day[/u][/b]

Lines stretched outside of the recruiting stations, stretching far beyond the eyes' comprehension. Uncertainty hung in the air; it was tangible, pungent. A worried stench that lingered in the nostrils of young men going to a certain war against an uncertain enemy. Wives and loved ones clung to the recruits like infants to a rattle, clutching tightly to their arms with tears welling in their eyes. Hot dog stands lined the streets like rubble in a warzone, feeding the coming masses of future veterans, widows, and corpses. It's strange-in times of tragedy, someone always seem to make a profit. Preachers, pastors, and pretenders stood on stone soap boxes, announcing apocalyptic jargon with a clueless certainty. Above, screens hung that usually played advertisements, but now rattled on fearmongering and speculation with a journalistic integrity. It seems as though the news had arrived.

[b]=====================================================[/b]

[b][u]Location Undisclosed[/u][/b]
[img]http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/2/2b/Republicfleetkotor.JPG/revision/latest?cb=20060421114556[/img]

Proxima and her circle of advisors were all watching the same screen as the terrans. One of her men turned to her. "So..what do you make of this?" Proxima clicked her tongue. "What you want me to celebrate? Shit, these aliens don't know nothing about Gaia and they attack them...what do you think happens if they catch the Legion?" The head of the fleet, Remus Pericles, looked at her. "What, so we don't trust Xenos anymore?" Proxima laughed and stood up, moving to her window, moving the blinds to reveal the bustling black market that was The Triumph.

Arms dealers had shops next to candy stores, both of which sold firecrackers, while prostitues were stalking every turn. Drug dealers were allowed, though of course it was forbidden for Mutants to consume anything too powerful. Small bars and clubs existed in the nooks and crannies of the massive battleship, while Legionaries patrolled the halls, looking for anyone who might break their laws. Those who made up the black market were a vast mixture of xeno species, along with Mutants, mostly soldiers from the legion and former slaves waiting for transport to free planets, and some Terrans, who were either simply criminals looking for fun, or Gaian abolitionists.

"Shit," Proxima said, "We better trust Xenos...we're knee deep in 'em." She turned around. "Not to mention we're meeting with a shit ton of 'em today. When're those Federation Xenos supposed to talk with us?" One of her advisors spoke up, "Soon, ma'am, their ship just docked in one of our carriers, who'll be transporting the delegation to us shortly." The Mutant leader nodded. "Good...I'm eager to see what they may have to offer..."