The Deep Blue
Tension Below the Waves
Within the span of a century, human exploration has achieved major milestones, with the invention of Faster-Than-Light technology for space ships, enabling space-faring vessels to venture out through the depths of space in a relatively short amount of time. Beyond our system are wonderful, unique planets, some devoid of organic life and others simply teeming with life. From lush jungles and sprawling oceans, to arid deserts and lifeless volcanic hellholes, the planets beyond our solar system are simply marvelous. Creatures of all shapes and sizes have been discovered by the human explorers, operating under the banners of the various governmental agencies that now comprise the nations of the Earth, such as the North American Federation, the European Union, and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The nations of the world may have united under their own banners, but it's but another step in the crucible that is global politics. The organizations - many of whom acting at the behest of industrialists - have polluted Space with massive space ships and space stations, and flooded newly-found planets with colonies, aimed at exploiting the resources of those planets, so far devoid of any intelligent life besides that from Earth.
One such planet was known as Valdez, named for the infamous oil tanker that caused one of the biggest ecological disasters in history. Valdez was a bit smaller than Earth, and while 75% of Earth is dominated by oceans, 99% of Valdez is dominated by a massive ocean, known as the Norton Ocean, aptly named after one of the planet's founders. There is a sparse amount of land, though it is devoid of anything of importance and is constantly battered by constant storms that tend to flood the landmasses. Beneath the waves is the Deep Blue.
The water was deep, reaching down miles below in its deepest trenches. While life on the land was nonexistent, life flourished. At the surface, zooplankton and other microscopic organisms thrived along with scores of exotic fish, from shark-like predators to schools of large fish. However, what really defined Valdez were the Leviathans; a catch-all term for the massive sea creatures that dominated the Norton. The Leviathans were almost a turn-off for corporations looking to make bank with the rich mineral beds on the seabed, as well as with the exotic sealife. However, the humans decided to fight the native life of Valdez; the banners of the world united under that of the United Nations, and vowed to stake their claim on Valdez. Above and below the waves, the humans fought, utilizing combat DSVs, air-dropped depth charges, divers in hardsuits, and the newly-created "Ahab" MCPs (Mechanized Combat Platform). Despite having technology on their side, the UNEFV (United Nations Expeditionary Force - Valdez) paid for Valdez with the blood of 250,000 men and women, who gave their lives to clear the Leviathans from their hold on the Zhao Ridge, a massive mid-ocean ridge reaching a depth of 2,500 feet. Zhao Ridge would soon become home to the first permanent human settlement on Valdez - Eden.
The campaign to take Zhao lasted from 2135 to 2141, with the establishment of Eden. The year is currently 2152, 11 years after the campaign ended. In only 11 years, the United Colony of Eden - named due to the fact that no single power claimed dominance over the colony - has become a metropolis of over 5 million people. The main sectors of income for the colony are in the way of undersea research, deep-sea mining and drilling, and fishing, while defense, tourism, and government make up the other part of the economy. The day-to-day affairs of Eden are handled by the "Colonial Council;" a council comprised of representatives from each major power, with a single chairman elected to oversee the Council, along with a Cabinet. The Eden Defense Committee, consisting of the Defense Contingent (multi-national military force tasked with protecting Eden from external threats) and the Public Safety Contingent (paramilitary law enforcement force responsible for maintaining public safety). On the outside, life is good in Eden and the money keeps flowing. However, the city has its dark spots.
Tensions are brewing in Eden. A movement denoting Eden's sovereignty - the "Deep Blue" - has risen as the dominant political organization opposing the continued administration of Eden by the Powers, instead favoring a committee democratically-elected by the citizens. The organization is of a grassroots variety, with most of their activities involving passionate speeches about sovereignty in Colonial Hall and protests against the alleged brutality of the "Colonial Cooperation Bureau," a shadowy intelligence agency whose existence is not officially recognized by the Colonial Council. In the working-class districts, small youth gangs have begun to appear on the scene, running Eden's black market for the poorer half of the colony. In terms of organized crime, the Yakuza, Bratva, and American Mafia operate cells in Eden, controlling the black market for the upper classes as well as providing low-key muscle for when the corporations decide not to trust their private security forces or the authorities with sensitive operations. Some believe that the internal power struggle will become much more violent, but one should not discount the external pressures.
Operation Trident did not succeed in removing all of the Leviathans and other critters from Valdez; the goal was simply to clear out Zhao first. The Leviathans still roam the area, posing a serious hazard to the colony that adds a layer of danger to the otherwise attractive lifestyle of Eden. For the men and women of the DC, Leviathans are their sworn enemy. When the Leviathans come lurking around Zhao, the DSVs and Ahabs come out to play. If it isn't the Leviathans looking for a quick meal, it's the environment. Earthquakes and storms are just as destructive as a Leviathan; compromising the integrity of any part of the colony could potentially cause flooding and other issues. The human errors are also there; you've got electrical fires, fuck-ups with the oxygen supply, and so many more. Life under the waves is no picnic; you have to not only be ready for any incident, but possess the capacity to remain level-headed and do what has to be done even under the worst circumstances. 11 years of Eden is no small feat.
Your story is the story of Eden.
Tension Below the Waves
The first time I saw Eden was from the inside of an Ahab, dropping down from the sky from the dropship into the abyss below. Not a lot of lights back then, unless you count the flourescent lights on the bodies of the massive Leviathans as they snaked around, or the lights of the DSVs and Ahabs. I was the first person to set foot in Zhao, the first to fire a shot against the massive sea monster that sped towards me. Before the entire ridge was lit up by the underwater city of Eden, it was lit up by the lights of Ahabs and the body lights of the Leviathans, as we waged war against nightmares. It was sudden death down there; your vehicle or mech gets a hole punched in it at 2,500 feet, you're dead from the pressure. That's how the Leviathans killed most of our guys, by just tearing holes in the armor. We tore them apart with our chain guns, our rockets, our rip-saws. 250,000 lives, and this is what we got. It's been 17 years since I showed up here, and I'm still here.
Imagine New York City at the bottom of the ocean. An underwater city, with tall, monolithic buildings, domes with their own atmospheres, snaking air tunnels for foot travel, trains and subways, underwater taxis. You've got the mining companies on one edge of the colony, drilling down into the seabed and discovering not only profitable minerals, but also new life. Carltonium makes the corporations rich, and is what keeps the starships moving throughout the galaxy. Many people make their living with the mining corporations, but others also choose to work in research corporations. Hell, the ultimate cure for cancer was found here in the waters of Valdez, ultimate because terminal cancer couldn't even stand a chance against this super-cure. Every time my boys and girls and I kill a Leviathan, it ends up in a lab, so they can cut it up and study it.
And the people here. City people never change, even when you surround them with 2,500 feet of water. No one acts as though anything is special as they commute through the air tunnels, as alien fish swim around them, as only some reinforced glass and metal protects them from a horrible death. In the clubs, people get drunk and frolic as they would if they were above-ground. Doesn't matter if you're richer than hell, or poorer than a pile of shit; life is life, no matter how deep down you are.
Colonel Ray Crane
North American Federation Marine Corps/Eden Defense Contingent
Within the span of a century, human exploration has achieved major milestones, with the invention of Faster-Than-Light technology for space ships, enabling space-faring vessels to venture out through the depths of space in a relatively short amount of time. Beyond our system are wonderful, unique planets, some devoid of organic life and others simply teeming with life. From lush jungles and sprawling oceans, to arid deserts and lifeless volcanic hellholes, the planets beyond our solar system are simply marvelous. Creatures of all shapes and sizes have been discovered by the human explorers, operating under the banners of the various governmental agencies that now comprise the nations of the Earth, such as the North American Federation, the European Union, and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The nations of the world may have united under their own banners, but it's but another step in the crucible that is global politics. The organizations - many of whom acting at the behest of industrialists - have polluted Space with massive space ships and space stations, and flooded newly-found planets with colonies, aimed at exploiting the resources of those planets, so far devoid of any intelligent life besides that from Earth.
One such planet was known as Valdez, named for the infamous oil tanker that caused one of the biggest ecological disasters in history. Valdez was a bit smaller than Earth, and while 75% of Earth is dominated by oceans, 99% of Valdez is dominated by a massive ocean, known as the Norton Ocean, aptly named after one of the planet's founders. There is a sparse amount of land, though it is devoid of anything of importance and is constantly battered by constant storms that tend to flood the landmasses. Beneath the waves is the Deep Blue.
The water was deep, reaching down miles below in its deepest trenches. While life on the land was nonexistent, life flourished. At the surface, zooplankton and other microscopic organisms thrived along with scores of exotic fish, from shark-like predators to schools of large fish. However, what really defined Valdez were the Leviathans; a catch-all term for the massive sea creatures that dominated the Norton. The Leviathans were almost a turn-off for corporations looking to make bank with the rich mineral beds on the seabed, as well as with the exotic sealife. However, the humans decided to fight the native life of Valdez; the banners of the world united under that of the United Nations, and vowed to stake their claim on Valdez. Above and below the waves, the humans fought, utilizing combat DSVs, air-dropped depth charges, divers in hardsuits, and the newly-created "Ahab" MCPs (Mechanized Combat Platform). Despite having technology on their side, the UNEFV (United Nations Expeditionary Force - Valdez) paid for Valdez with the blood of 250,000 men and women, who gave their lives to clear the Leviathans from their hold on the Zhao Ridge, a massive mid-ocean ridge reaching a depth of 2,500 feet. Zhao Ridge would soon become home to the first permanent human settlement on Valdez - Eden.
The campaign to take Zhao lasted from 2135 to 2141, with the establishment of Eden. The year is currently 2152, 11 years after the campaign ended. In only 11 years, the United Colony of Eden - named due to the fact that no single power claimed dominance over the colony - has become a metropolis of over 5 million people. The main sectors of income for the colony are in the way of undersea research, deep-sea mining and drilling, and fishing, while defense, tourism, and government make up the other part of the economy. The day-to-day affairs of Eden are handled by the "Colonial Council;" a council comprised of representatives from each major power, with a single chairman elected to oversee the Council, along with a Cabinet. The Eden Defense Committee, consisting of the Defense Contingent (multi-national military force tasked with protecting Eden from external threats) and the Public Safety Contingent (paramilitary law enforcement force responsible for maintaining public safety). On the outside, life is good in Eden and the money keeps flowing. However, the city has its dark spots.
Tensions are brewing in Eden. A movement denoting Eden's sovereignty - the "Deep Blue" - has risen as the dominant political organization opposing the continued administration of Eden by the Powers, instead favoring a committee democratically-elected by the citizens. The organization is of a grassroots variety, with most of their activities involving passionate speeches about sovereignty in Colonial Hall and protests against the alleged brutality of the "Colonial Cooperation Bureau," a shadowy intelligence agency whose existence is not officially recognized by the Colonial Council. In the working-class districts, small youth gangs have begun to appear on the scene, running Eden's black market for the poorer half of the colony. In terms of organized crime, the Yakuza, Bratva, and American Mafia operate cells in Eden, controlling the black market for the upper classes as well as providing low-key muscle for when the corporations decide not to trust their private security forces or the authorities with sensitive operations. Some believe that the internal power struggle will become much more violent, but one should not discount the external pressures.
Operation Trident did not succeed in removing all of the Leviathans and other critters from Valdez; the goal was simply to clear out Zhao first. The Leviathans still roam the area, posing a serious hazard to the colony that adds a layer of danger to the otherwise attractive lifestyle of Eden. For the men and women of the DC, Leviathans are their sworn enemy. When the Leviathans come lurking around Zhao, the DSVs and Ahabs come out to play. If it isn't the Leviathans looking for a quick meal, it's the environment. Earthquakes and storms are just as destructive as a Leviathan; compromising the integrity of any part of the colony could potentially cause flooding and other issues. The human errors are also there; you've got electrical fires, fuck-ups with the oxygen supply, and so many more. Life under the waves is no picnic; you have to not only be ready for any incident, but possess the capacity to remain level-headed and do what has to be done even under the worst circumstances. 11 years of Eden is no small feat.
Your story is the story of Eden.
Being a large place, Eden will need a significant amount of world-building, from listing the various factions, gangs, and other organizations active in the colony, to explaining the unique cultural factors of the settlement. If you're interested, your help will be greatly appreciated! The more contributions that the world-building receives, the more unique this RP shall be! Keep in mind that this RP is a character RP.
