The Cambria Conservation Front
"This is something that we can do. Never mistake that.
Whenever anyone tells you that terraforming a surface is infeasible, or that you can't just build planets,
tell them not to forget that we've already built three, and more than that beyond.
The only difference here is that the timetable is moved up a bit."
— Jane Hyder, CCF Head
Whenever anyone tells you that terraforming a surface is infeasible, or that you can't just build planets,
tell them not to forget that we've already built three, and more than that beyond.
The only difference here is that the timetable is moved up a bit."
— Jane Hyder, CCF Head
Planet Cambria is only a shadow of what it once was. While occupied during a war too long past for any to truly remember, the Second Sun, a system-scale thermal directed energy weapon, was unleashed from orbit. The resulting ray not only completely destroyed human occupation of the planet, but stripped away critical sections of its atmosphere, leaving it near-completely unprotected from the myriad of forces of its nearby sun. The battle was won, but humans weren't the only casualties — the firing of the Second Sun constituted a mass extinction event for the once-inhabited planet.
The animals left behind began to die out, as the food chain slowly collapsed. Plants choked in an atmosphere that no longer supported their biological processes. If left alone, the planet could take billions of years to recover, if ever.
And looming over its sky, as an ever-present reminder, is the Second Sun — abandoned, but still active, and still charging. Someday, it will fire again.
The time to step in is now. We may not be able to turn back time, but we can transform the blasted planet into a place brimming with life. We can fill the gaps in the food chain. We can repair the atmosphere. We can create ecosystems for the displaced beasts. And we can take the Second Sun out of the sky.
Every animal here is endangered. The Cambria Conservation Front will change that.
Critical Point — The Cambria Conservation Front Planetary Headquarters
A single structure which was orbitally dropped to begin operations. It has enough room to house inhabitants, as well as the technology, space, and tools required for the CCF to function. Inside, animals, plants, environmental samples, and excavated artifacts can be safely detained for study and reproduction. It is also the only safe landing area on the planet for interstellar travel, with a single operable shuttle ship that can provide transport to and from the three main planets.
This singular building holds the entirety of the Conservation Front and its capabilities — if destroyed, the organization literally no longer exists. It is situated in the center of The Plateau.
Critical Point — Bioconstructors
Devices which allow for the genetic sequencing and construction of biological lifeforms. With these, animals can be designed, created, and released into the ecosystem. Jane Hyder is rather secretive about from where she obtained the technology, but admits that it was when it came into her hands that she had the idea to use it for ecological reconstruction, and transported it to Cambria to begin the CCF.
Once an analysis of a local ecosystem has been completed, and the gaps in the food chain identified, the Bioconstructors can be used to create an animal species which fills a missing role, and the created animals can then breed naturally as part of the wildlife. But foresight and caution are critical requirements when designing animals — if a mistake is made, those animals could easily become an invasive species, and only further damage the already-fragile ecosystem.
Attempts to use the Bioconstructors for human cloning do not seem to work properly, or at all. While the technology could theoretically be used for such a purpose, there seems to be a missing piece of some kind. In any case, petitions to use them for such are expressly prohibited, and in terms of sequencing and cloning non-sapient animals, they function with a high rate of accuracy. It is stressed, however, that each unit is irreplaceable, and required for the most critical function of the CCF.
Critical Point — The Second Sun
A superweapon which orbits Cambria, and caused the mass extinction event that now imperils it. It is theorized to be primarily solar-powered, and glows brightly in the planet's sky as it slowly absorbs energy from the system's true sun. Its previous controllers have abandoned it, and thus far, attempts to deactivate or reorient it have failed. As its only possible function is to destroy the planet which the Conservation Front inhabits, halting and destroying it is a primary goal for the organization. However, discovering how it works, as well as why its original creators abandoned it here after its clear success, must occur first.
Unique Ability — Cambrian Codex
All members of the Cambria Conservation Front are given a scanner. Its functions are crucial to the CCF's mission. It has the ability to DNA sequence a lifeform on physical contact, and also scan the physical makeup of nonorganic objects within a range of one meter, allowing it to identify artefacts found on the planet. All data taken by the scanner is sent to The Codex, located within the Planetary Headquarters, and is shared amongst all members of the Front.
If used off-planet, data gathered is stored and readable locally, and not shared with the Codex.
Unique Ability — Companion Microchip
Members of the Conversation Front will have ample opportunity to befriend the local wildlife. However, no animal on the planet is domesticated — in order to facilitate keeping an animal as a pet, a special microchip is needed. Each group member receives one such chip, and is encouraged to use it wisely, as new species are being discovered every day. The chip is created after a member uses their scanner on themselves, identifying it with their own biosignature. Afterwards, an animal that the Front member wishes to take as a pet must be transported to headquarters, and implanted with it.
It is important to note that the chip does not control the animal's mind — it only allows them to be convinced that the attached Front member is not a threat to them, unless action is taken to the contrary. This allows them to be handled and trained as though they were a domesticated animal, but they retain their free will, and may even see a human who is 'not a threat' as simply an easy meal.
For this reason, it is advised that voracious or especially vicious carnivores be excluded from bonding. Moreover, each Front member is fully responsible for the actions of their companion.
Territory — Cambria
A blasted planet writhing in the throes of a war long past. It no longer has anything to offer, save for the meat of starving beasts.
Its atmospheric composition is high in oxygen, as well as water vapor due to the evaporation of much of the planet's ocean. The air is humid, and the surface is covered almost entirely by clouds. While it once had two moons, they were both destroyed in the war long past, and now surround the planet as an asteroid ring, meteorites occasionally falling out of orbit. Meteor showers are a common sight on the surface, ranging from beautiful to devastating depending on their mass.
The average temperature during the day is around 50°C in most areas, and a long day cycle, as well as the presence of the Second Sun, means that comparatively little time on the surface is spent in a cool night. Its size and gravity are not noticeably different from those of the three main planets. The surface is traversible without protective gear, though uncomfortably, due to the high temperature and humidity.
Members
@SIGINT — Jane Hyder (Leader)
@Normie — Dr. Elenwen
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