posted 11-08-98 11:43 PM ET        

If you didn't come here prior to the GC, just ask for an explanation and it will probably be provided.

posted 11-08-98 11:44 PM ET            

The Narmonov Expedition was now some seven hundred and fifty kilometers southeast of New Eden. Their exit from the Believer settlement had been swift following the sudden chill in inter-factional relations. Fortunately, the diplomatic rift was smaller than the canyon the Expedition was now exploring.

Jomo Moi and Ryan St. John were sitting out on top of the explorer, staring at the stars, or more particularly, a bright yellow star now approaching the zenith. There was a melancholy texture to the air, a sadness so - no, not a sadness. It was an over-whelming sense of loss. Neither knew what to say.

"So, Jomo, have you yet decided on name for this place?" The gangling youth asked.

The heavy-set older man answer, "Yes, Ryan. This will be called the Great Mombasa Rift, after my home city." A sentimental smile showed slightly from beneath his full salt-and-peppered beard. "Had you ever been there?"

"No. I did visit Victoria once with my uncle during the Konklin Talks of 2053. I only saw Nairobi and the savanna. I never got to see the coastal provinces."

"Oh. Well, Mombasa is a beautiful city. It was totally rebuilt after the War of the Congo, you know."

"Yes, I know."

"We rebuilt our city. A modern harbor. Broad avenues. Beautiful parks. Tall glass skyscrapers. Every time I took my ultra-light out over the city I�d look down and think that it looked like how Atlantis or some other fantasy city would look. Especially at night. The city sparkled in front of the ocean life a castle of gems before a silver mirror." Moi's eyes glistened with pride.

"It sounds wonderful." Ryan smiled.

"It is a beautiful city - or perhaps it was. There where some tensions with the SAU when we left�." The sadness returned to his eyes. "I wonder if we'll ever re-establish contact with our homeworld."

"I don't know." An uncomfortable pause followed. "There it is, you know." He pointed to the point of light they'd been staring at all night.

posted 11-09-98 01:16 PM ET            

Accept for a few brightly color -coded buoys the estuary look just as it did the first day Sister Tammy laid her eyes on it. From the surface you could not see the hundreds of cages, racks and shelves that cultivated varieties of seaweed, shellfish and fin-fish. The most successful so far had been fast maturing species of shrimp and salmon. The shellfish were not doing as well because they were not yet able to metabolize enough calcium carbonate for their shells. The great progress they had accomplished was almost totally due to Sister Tammy's hard work and Dr. Emily Birchfield-Smith, the Gaians' top ichthyologist, expertise. Together they had overcome the problems of designing and constructing a system that automatically adjusted water chemistry to maximize seafood growth and also filtered and recycled the out-flow so that the natural community of Chiron sea-life was protected. That, after all, was the price of working with the Gaians. They would help but only if the projects did no harm to native habitats and ecosystems. They also expected free access the equipment and data in the future in order to certify that the systems were functioning as promised.

The insistence on open inspection nearly defeated the whole project. The Believer's had been feeling more and more isolated since Sister Miriam's Planet-wide transmission fiasco. Most Believers thought that either Yang, Saratov or Santiago was behind the sabotage, but none of the other Factions were totally trusted, especially if they were free to poke into any corner of New Jerusalem.

"It looks like we can sustain a harvest of 200 kilos, live weight, every 10 days for the units we have in place now, Emily. " said Sister Tammy. "That is not much of a net gain Tammy, pun intended, from your energy inputs. These species take a lot of high protein feed. " Replied the Gaian surveying the fishponds one last time before affixing the red and green seal to the main osmosis pump/filters. The hardened integrated regulating systems would insure that the water flowing in and out would meet her exact specifications for a long time.

"Yes, I understand that this isn't a significant increase in overall productivity but the additional variety to our diets has been a great moral builder if nothing else. Besides, it has helped with the efficiency of all our integrated food production programs." mused Sister Tammy as she checked the feed projections. "Yes, this has been a remarkably successful project. I have even gotten some ideas on how to improve our own farms. The Stepdaughters are always interested in adopting new family members. We could really use someone like yourself who not only has an inherent respect for all living systems, but also has the skills that can solve some of the natural contradictions of our living on Chiron."

Sister Tammy hid her astonishment at hearing this last statement with great effort. To her knowledge no one from the Believers had ever been offered the option of joining the Gainas or even to visit their base for that matter. Sister Tammy's mind raced at the possibilities. She was intensely curious about the open and deep ocean marine research that, according to Emily, the Gaians were currently conducting. She was, however, grateful to the Believers in general and very loyal to the militia squad with which she regularly trained. Emily spoke again interrupting Sister Tammy's reverie. "You don't have to make up you mind right away, but I am leaving with Arsinio,s caravan in five days. If you wish, you can join me then."

posted 11-29-98 01:05 AM ET            

"Yes, Major."

The major entered Santiago's office. Others would have had to stand at attention and wiat to be recognized, but not he. Protocols had been loosened between the Major and Colonel for a long time. What other manner could exist be the Colonel and her top aide for inteligence matters?

"I have the information you requested about that PK minister, Jerim Borodino."

"Hand me the file," she replied. He complied. She opened the file and read:

---------------------------------------------

UNS Unity Computer Library Access
Database: Personnel
Dossier: Borodino, Jeremy
File Reference #: XZ9 8Y7 R23 AMO 143 5

---------------------------------------------

Vital Statistics

Name: Borodino, Jeremy Allan
POB: Bar Harbor, Maine, NAF
DOB: January 21, 2001
Height: 191 cm
Weight: 81 kg
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Retinal Scan File: T3D 7FD XCA 32R P9K G
Fingerprint Scan File: 67F DEI 4B7 3VA H85 Q
Voiceprint Scan File: HUJ 3F4 V21 L9K CD2 Z
Genotype Scan File: Classified - Level 7 Clearance Necessary
Psychological Profile: Not Available - Data File Lost

---------------------------------------------

Higher Education:

Bachelors, Astronomy, MIT
Bachelors, Political Science, Georgetown
Masters, Economics, American University
Masters, Anthropology, American University
Doctorate, History, Georgetown

Military Service:
Army ROTC at MIT; after graduation in 2023, joined Active Reserves; called into active service during the 2027 Quebec War; served with distinction during the battles of Montpelier, Windsor, Drummondville, Frederickton, and Laval. Rose to rank of lieutenant colonel. Active service ended December 2031.

Civilian Career:
Played uncertain role in the famous Detroit Conference, which led to the creation of the North American Federation. Became shadowy figure for three years thereafter; location hard to trace. Rumors exist that he aided the failed Chilean resistance movement against annexation by Argentina. Reemerged in the NAF in 2035. Joined academia in 2041 by accepting a professorship at Georgetown. Received an ambassadorship to Imperial China in 2046 for obscure reasons. During his two-year term of service there he had extensive contact with Dr. Yang. Nature of relationship
unknown. Returned to the NAF to accept posting as Ambassador to the UN. Developed extensive contacts within the UN system. Pushed hard to help the Centauri project succeed. Accepted position as Secretary of
Intelligence in the Mason administration (2052-55). Following President Laura Mason�s assassination and the break-up of the Conservative Party, Borodino joined its replacement, the Constitutionalists. He served as Secretary of State under the Trent administration (2056-2060). He received appointment to UNS Unity as a passenger, not an official crew member.

Literary Career:
�Starward Ho! A Case for the Colonization of
Space� (2022)
Pictures in the Sky: A Study in Comparative
Astro-Mythology (2026)
A Brief History of Post-Communist China(2037)
Birth of the Inevitable: The Creation of the
North American Federation (2039)
�Austerlitz & Waterloo�: A Literary History of the Napoleonic Wars (2042)
�The Argentine Terror� (2045)
�CANZUS: The Need for a Trans-Pacific
Alliance� (2051)
Alpha Centauri: Beyond the Cradle (2051)

Personal Notes: Known as Jerem to his friends. A man of deep personal faith, he is an ordained minister of the Assemblies of God. A lover of books, he has a large personal library. Plays the clarinet, considers himself to be �capable, at best�. Fluent in five languages (English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Mandarin); conversant in five more (Arabic, Japanese, German, Hindi, and Portuguese).

---------------------------------------------

She slowly absorbed the information. "It took half of a year to dredge this up?" She was displeased.

"Colonel, you know our database was less than complete. We are lucky to have gotten this much."

"You're right, as always. I want your evaluation of this man."

"He is a deep and complex man. He knows of tactics and strategy: his military record is authentic - he was not one of the many rich 'toy soldiers' of that war, who rose through the ranks because of their father's money or influence. He is a man accostumed to power adn its use, however. He ranked high in the American government, as you well know. I am sure you heard of his implication in the First of June massacre?"

"No, I hadn't." She thought back to the friends she had lost in that raid on a Puerto Rico Liberation Army camp. This man may have been responsible?

"There was no proof, and he defends his innocence to this day. Likewise he disclaims all connections with the Midazia incident."

"He was implicated in that too?"

"Yes." He paused. "Now, from a strategic point of view, we should consider him a dangerous opponent. He knows and understands martial, political, economic, and social factors. He has extensive contacts, even on this world. And Lal has apparently given him a wide latitude of responsiblity."

"Oh..."

"Yes. His exact title is 'Minister of Extra-Factional Affairs'. It covers a lot: intelligence, trade, diplomacy - every except for defense, and maybe even that."

"What is his relationship with the other factions?"

"The Believers and the PKs are close, very close. They have a pact of trade and assistance, as well as an understood non-aggression agreement.

The Morgans have turned isolationist. They rarely allow any contact with anyone. A PK-Morgan relationship is not in the works.

The Gaians are pursuing a similiar strategy of non-contact, although their are rumours of their cooperation with the Believers on a special ecological project."

"Hmmph."

"I agree. That leaves the Hive and the University. You read the file; you know that he and Yang have bad blood between them. It's just that nobody knows why. My guess is a perceived slight at a diplomatic dinner or some other nonsense." The Major was pandering to the Colonel's well-known hate of the so-called elite that had oppressed her and her people.

"University-PK relations are currently neutral, Zakhorov and Borodino also have bad blood between them. Literally."

"What do you mean?"

"They are cousins, Colonel. Their mothers were sisters. The Borodino sister fled Russia after the USSR collapsed for America. There, Borodino's father came to build a large transportation and communications corporation. He was worth billions when he died - an inheiratence which went to Jerim, by the way. The Russian branch of the family never forgave the American side for 'betraying' the Rodina, as the Russians refer to thier native land. Zakhorov's mother died in poverty, while her sister was still living when the Unity left Earth."

"How interesting..."

posted 12-03-98 05:56 PM ET            

Brother Greg roused himself out of a reverie that had bordered on homesickness. He was fondly remembering his last XXXX drunk in The I Club back on Earth moon's Tyco Base. Those last weeks before the U.N.S. Unity slipped orbit and started on her way to Alpha Centauri were the next thing to a waking nightmare Greg could think of. That is, of course, if you didn't count the first few weeks on Planet. No one had adequately prepared for the affects the gravity would have on everyone. It also took a long time for the survivors to get used to the diurnal/nocturnal cycle. Most people had to live in their enviro-suits until the first pressure dome was erected and sealed. Then there were the damn mind worms. Absolutely no one had expected them. Worn out enviro-suits and mind worms had killed over 120 people at their base camp alone. Greg wondered how the other six factions had faired during those early days. No one seemed to want to talk about it yet over a year and a half after landing. Oh, well, that was then, this is now.