[center][h1][sub][color=mediumpurple]S T O R M  W O R L D S[/color][/sub][/h1][/center][hr][center][sub][color=gold]C o n t a c t  //  S u r v i v a l[/color][/sub][/center][hr] 
[indent][indent]
[h3][sub]T h e  T e r r a n  F e d e r a t i o n[/sub][/h3][hr]
The Terran Federation spread throughout the galaxy with a determined optimism to make contact with an alien species. As the decades turned to centuries, and no contact or even trace of another intelligence race was found, the Federation, once united in the goal of exploring and discovering the secrets of the galaxy began to fracture. Civil war erupted in numerous colonized systems. Two factions emerged: The Republic of United Star Systems and the remnants of the old Federation. 


[h3][sub]T h e  W a r[/sub][/h3][hr]
The war fragmented societies. Divisions in ideology and nationalism spurred a war that would last nearly 200 Solar Years. The 'cause' was forgotten as generation after generation fought a war their grandfathers had started. The devastation was reproachable. As the 200 year anniversary approached, a hasty armistice was signed. The will to fight had been lost. 

[center]It is the year 2985. Historians will mark this year as the year of First Contact.[/center] [/indent][/indent][hr][hr]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/7yUM1sym.jpg[/img][/center]
[center][b]Samoria System[/b]
[i]Planet Enlil 
Population: 453,781
Affiliation: Republic of United Star Systems (RUSS)
Under Direct Military Control since 2941
157.8 light years from Earth[/i][/center]

[color=dimgray]HyperGate Control Room
Command Post 2
Hyko Mountain Complex[/color]

[color=lightgray]
Even through the titanium shell of the Control Room, Galen could hear the swirling snowstorm outside. It was cold and he wished he had remembered his military issued thermal suit. Instead, he was stuck in his civilian flannel jacket and dungarees. Power had been diverted to all reactive systems for the shift-namely the Hypergate Galen was responsible for maintaining. That meant no power for heat and what little lights kept the room illuminated were a shade of orange. 

Galen and a few other civilian operators monitored the Hypergate in orbit around Enlil wordlessly. It was monotonous work but it payed well. It was also very important work, and Galen counted himself lucky as a civilian to get the job. Then again, there weren't many technicians capable of operating a Hypergate this far from the Republican Core Systems. 

Galen checked the time. 01:00:00. Only 11 hours to go he thought. He remembered his mug of [i]tamvi[/i], a local tea loaded with caffeine and took a sip. His eyes drifted to the main monitor built into the domed wall in front of the technicians cubicles. Images of local space were displayed along columns of data, figures, ship arrival and departure times. A large glowing circular icon represented the Hypergate, which would flash every few minutes when a ship was requesting departure or arrival. 
Small ships could come and go as they pleased-something unthinkable during the war, but the larger freighters still needed clearance from command. 

These were the big 12km long Hercules class ships that brought supplies to the Samoria system, and carried away raw minerals and ore pulled from one of the six inhabited planets in the system. The icon flashed green, green, green, all night long. 

Galen sipped his tea until it was gone and felt himself warm up a little bit. Teri, another technician left to have a smoke, came back smelling of the sweet dried tobacco leaf Galen had given up. 

The Hypergate flashed green, green on the main monitor. 

"Any more tea, Galen?" she asked rubbing her arms. 

Green, green. 

"Nope, just the one. Got a smoke?" 

Green. 

Teri cracked a smile. "How long's it been Gal?"

Green. 

"Too long, hey what's the ETA on that Federation Freighter?" 

Green. Red. Green. 

"Uh...let me see, Galen. That's not until tomorrow. Foskers' shift. You miss all the fun!" 

Red. Red. Red. 

"What the hell is that?" said Teri blankly, pointing to the main monitor. Her arm was still stuck in her coat sleeve. 

"What is wha-Oh god," breathed Galen. 

An alarm Galen had never heard before began blasting across all comms systems in the room. The other technician-Galen didn't even know his name-stood up from his desk. 

"Holy Shit," said the man. 

Galen glared at his own instrument panel. The data coming through the Hypergate was...empty. "Teri-you got anything?" he shouted. 

"Uh...not looking good Galen! I've got no readings-no...nothing. There is nothing coming through. It's like the Gate is..."

The alarm faded and the room was silent. 

"Gone. The Hypergate is gone Teri." [/color][hr][hr]