TERRIDAN, TYPHON SYSTEM
TERRIS, ADMINISTRATION DISTRICT
SHERANIX TOWER
The Typhon system. Jewel of the Empire, The Cultural Capital, all were unoffical titles bestowed upon the rich and cultured system. Orbiting the system's star was Terridan, the system's only planet. The Planet was a clean and beautiful world, with vast azure oceans sretching around the lush green landmasses and golden deserts, all topped by a pristine white circle of glaciers. Among these stretches of lands, small spots of silvery steel sprout up as cities while thin lines crisscrossed the whole world, the highways etched into the landscape. The world of the Empire moved wth the land and seas, as the roads moved around the natural formations and the cities were built among the beauty of a harmony between urban and rural. Colonized first beyond the Karaigian system, Terridan had risen from a modest colony supplying food and ores to a juggernaut of economy, policy, and technology. The planet was as a major seat in the Empire, and always had something interesting in the news. It seemed one day that Terridan would father a cure to a disease, and the next it would have constructed a monument of great magnitude. Indeed, Terridan was a testament that human innovation was still present in the ever expanding universe.
The Capital of Terridan was Terris, a picturesque city standing on the southern continent of Sheranix. The city's massive skyscapers and towers stabbed at the sky, modern megaliths so to speak, with the smaller towers having two hundred floors. Situated by the coast, the City stretched along the coast, boasting massive harbours, beaches, and at least a quarter of the city was built directly on the water. On the water were massive man made islands which held the nexus of the city, the Administration district, undoubtebly the most architextural center of the city. From harbour authorites, to business firms, to the Lord Governor's seat, the Administration district contained everything required to govern the system, and was topped by the mighty Sheranix Tower.
Sheranix Tower dwarfed every other structure on the planet, save the orbital elevators, standing over a kilometer in the sky. The tower had massive platforms for ships to dock at, and space for thousands of shuttle craft. It was state of the art in both technology and architecture, even to a point where having synthetic diamond flooring on one level to over look the harbour. Indeed, Sheranix Tower embodied everything that was Terridan: wealth, power, and culture.
Alister Smith stood in front of mirror, a razor sheering off the five-o-clock shadow that he had grown fond of. However, he was to be presentable, and as such, the redneck beard had to go. He looked over his cleaned face, dipping the razor under the tap. It wasn't sporty, but the simple blade got the job done. Bringing a cloth up to his face, he dabbed at the moist remnants. Walking out to his room, the blinding light of Typhon seered his eyes as it ascended from the horizon. Checking his clock, the readout said four in the morning.
Moving to his closest, and removing a black and blue tie from its home, he quickly fastened it around his neck. That done, he grabbed a briefcase before leaving his room. The marbled floors announced his arrival a mile away, the tall and beautifully crafted corridors echoing every little sound. As he walked down the hallway, he stopped by a breakfast bar, not uncommon in this building, hell, there was one on evey floor.
"Morning Hobson, large, extra cream." he said to the man behind the counter.
"Pansy, you should take it black, like a real man."
Smith turned to see a man sitting on a bar stool, sipping away at his coffee. Colonel Grishim, a very experienced commander and a good friend. A native of Arceasis, he wasn't diplmatic in the least, but he'd be valuable with his knowledge of the battlefield. After all, this summit wasn't about food products. Grishim was balding in some areas, yet still having a full goatee. It still baffled Alister how someone could loose all the hair above the forehead, yet retain a full beard.
"Does spiking it with vodka count as being a man? We have guests today, Jared, why are you drinking?"
"Hah...hah, funny. Don't worry, I'm not going to show up drunk, this stuff is more common than water on Arceasis, and the planet is frozen water."
"Speaking of which, how is the hellhole doing?"
"Better than last week. More Gantry platforms just arrived, Maeling is still a ruin, but at least COVE is back to thirty percent capability. Still priority is orbit."
Alister sipped his coffee, while his counterpart took a swig of his coffee vodka hybrid. Only seven years, and the planet was doing well, some might say rebuilding was extremely ahead of schedule, but that was far from it. Despite taking massive orbital losses and a continent suffering massive nuclear damage, the planet was mostly untouched. Three other continents were never even assailed by war, and the one that was only suffered damage at strategic locations, so the vast majority still stood. The ore that was stolen was problematic, however. Though the Skulk had taken almost all the ore from the Karaigian mines across Hymalas' Maeling, Sang, Oujut, and Aurora regions, it was a small amount. Yes, they had enough to build a fleet's worth of ships, but like the Karaigians, they'd only nicked the top. Arceasis' crust was deep, four times that of ancient Earth's, so there was still plenty of ore, but it was deep. Still, it'd be along time until mining was fully restored.
"You're not going to embarrass us in front of our guests, are you?"
"What do you mean? If you're refering to the fact that they attacked Arceasis, killed half my men-"
"That was pirates my old friend. Besides, how many human pirates invest the universe to the Skulk? I'd reckon a one hundred to five ratio, and that's being generous."
"...I know, I just think it's a little too soon. We're not even fully operational, and losing a whole fleet, damn, you weren't there."
"I know I wasn't, but that's not going to happen again. We just half to move forward now."
The landing platform was massive, but still only enough to fit a couple of shuttles, but then again, who was going to bring a frigate down through the planet. even at this hour, it still had a fair bit of activity, noticed Ambassador Breighton was he exited the tower. He swore as he looked over the railing, still being terrified of the thousand meter drop. Turning to the stability of the platform, he noticed at least seven other people were out and about.
"Morning gentlemen! What brings you all out here?"
Standing close together, were the majority of the Karaigian side of the summit. The grissled and venerable Admiral Bourenski, back from the Hollow Campaign, which had been called off after Tierran forces left. Beside him stood his army counterpart, General Hammond, a veteran of the Karaigian-Cytroxis War. Furthermore, Mister John Sevn, a representitive from HHECI, Miss Jilin Reinhart of Aegis, and Mr. Kazakov of BRAWN. Finally, Captain Amstres of the Army stood apart a bit, checking over a datapad. It was good to see that the majority of the Karaigian representitives, save three, were already here.
"I thought that I'd see them in, but it turns out that everyone else had the smae thing on their own minds!" Laughed Bourenski as he sipped from a flask.
"Well, gentlemen, and lady, shall we watch Typhon rise?"
