The Marathon Brane

Project-Goliath-_DRAFT-_E

7 min read

Project:Goliath_DRAFT_E

Reference No.: B-95(i)45258

UNITED EARTH SPACE SECURITY COUNCIL

UNITED EARTH SPACE SECURITY COUNCIL CENTER

Reconciliation Court, Building 1A

Strauss Archology, n.y. a0044-uta-001

United States of America, Earth

TOP SECRET

22 October 2795

Memorandum for the Secretary-General

Subject: Required Actions to Re-Establish Communications and Investigate Disruption of Same with the UESC Marathon and the Terran Colony, New Cascadia, at Tau Ceti.

  1. Primary objectives. Re-establishing regular, reliable communications with New Cascadia (referred to as ‘the Colony’ hereafter) at Tau Ceti is essential. Establishing a dialog with the current Colony leadership or alternately, re-establishing contact with shipboard AI or colony AI. Furthermore, additional action must be taken to restore order to the Colony if the situation indicates such to be appropriate to accomplish these objectives.

    1. If upon arrival at the Colony it is discovered that the reliable and ongoing communication between the home system (referred to as ‘Sol’ hereafter) and Tau Ceti was interrupted by anti-government elements, we must do everything within reason to establish a dialog with this group (or groups) or alternately, reinforce the Colony against further aggression by this group (or groups).

    2. It is important to mention here that there is a non-zero likelihood that the interruption in communications between the Colony and Sol originated in a possible rampancy event (ref. doc. V-17(m)07427/Traxus IV; 2206).

  2. Secondary objectives. Experience has shown that positive action pulls our Allies with us, whereas inaction results in doubt as to our resolve. Announcement of additional steps to provide whatever additional aid the Colony may require, as well as future-proofing the Colony’s ability to maintain reliable communications with Sol will demonstrate to Mars, Luna, and our Allies in the Main Belt that the UESC is capable of providing aid no matter how distant the call. But the momentum of that advantage must be maintained by a timely manner by which we are able to commit those assets.

  3. Direct assistance. The repair or replacement of the Colony’s communications array is our primary concern. In doing so, we must also discover the source of the array’s failure. Beyond this, we must commit to the ongoing efforts of the advancement and success of the Project Marathon’s original mission.

    1. Determine nature of Disruption. Once the nature of the disruption is discovered, every effort must be made to future-proof the Colony’s communication apparatus against further disruption from this source.

      1. Investigative team. One squad-strength unit of specialized HUMINT operatives with access to an additional 12 purpose-built 2nd generation clones (ref. Loki Mk III-VI, Kaulu 2-5, Veles A-E, or equivalent) whose objective will be to coordinate with Colony law enforcement personnel to determine whether ship or Colony based communications gear was tampered with.

        1. ADNM: This feels really unnecessary. By the time our people get there, the statute of limitations will almost certainly have run out. [SG AS; 21/10/95 17:20]

        2. ADNM: As I noted in [ref. doc. B-95(i)45255] I am deeply concerned over the length of time repairing the communications array is taking. It has the stink of anti- government sentiment all over it. [ASG MM; 21/10/95 18:45]

        3. ADNM: Mx Moreau, I haven’t called out your commentary earlier, but now I am going to caution you against any further inclusion of unsupported speculation in these documents. [SRSG LR; 21/10/95 18:48]

    2. Reinforce Colony Infrastructure. The following personnel will be dispatched at the earliest possible opportunity to Tau Ceti.

      1. Command Personnel. A four-person command team consisting of the CAPTAIN of the vessel attached to the mission, a specialist Civilian Liaison Coordinator (CLC), a specialist Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), and the Commanding Officer of the attached Support Unit.

      2. Support Personnel. One platoon-strength Engineering Unit assembled from a pre-screened list of volunteers with access to 50 additional 2nd generation clones (ref. Ogun II~III or equivalent) will be re-deployed to the Colony at Tau Ceti.

      3. Security Personnel. Two squad-strength units of specialized SIGINT operatives with access to 48 purpose-built 3rd generation cyborgs (ref. Mjölnir Mk VII-IX, Sharur Mk 2-6) will be re-deployed to the Colony at Tau Ceti.

        1. ADNM: This still feels like an unusually high number of combat personnel for what is essentially a humanitarian disaster relief mission. [SRSG LR; 20/10/95 17:42]

        2. ADNM: Be that as it may, we are still obligated to protect our assets and non-combat personnel, and I believe this is the absolute minimum to successfully perform that function. [ABASG EM; 20/10/95 18:24]

        3. ADNM: It should also be noted that although they share series nomenclature from earlier cyborg assets, these are not the battleroids of old. But I agree, we should not be giving the impression that we are sending an invading army to clamp down Tau Ceti. [ASG RM; 21/10/95 09:35]

        4. ADNM: If there is another type with less historical baggage that we can tap for this mission, we should do so. If we send even one Mjolnir, there is no way the colony will see that as anything but overtly aggressive. Find something else. [SG AS; 21/10/95 10:05]

    3. Rampancy-centric response team. One squad-strength unit of specialized SIGINT operatives with access to 40 purpose-built 2nd generation clones (ref. Mimir Mk I-II, Odin Mk III-V, Athena α-δ, or equivalent) will be assembled and deployed to the Colony at Tau Ceti.

      1. Decommission rampant AI(s).

        1. Once decommissioned, recover AI logic cores for study. As there are eleven (11) AI in total (three shipboard and eight planetside), there are a potential eleven hardened AI enclosures that will require their own particular solutions.

          1. ADNM: I just want to reiterate here that [ref. doc. Y-05(m)12247/w4-c/AI/…] and [ref. doc. Y-65(m)03545/1236c/manifest…] indicate that the Colony AI roster includes a chevalerie-class AI. [ASG MP; 21/10/95 10:05]

          2. ADNM: And I am going to reiterate that despite the fact that the project Marathon has been operating with what we might consider legacy technology, no regularly- maintained chevalerie-class AI has ever displayed any signs of rampancy. [SILSG IH; 22/10/95 09:10]

  4. Because of the length of the trip, the crew and complement of the attached vessel should be prepared to acclimate/integrate themselves into Colony society.

    1. ADNM: I can’t believe we are expecting these brave souls to abandon everything they know and assimilate into what is for all intents and purposes an alien civilization. [ASG MP; 21/10/95 18:01]

    2. ADNM: They understand that this is a one-way trip. Even if everything goes exactly as planned, it would be a 200-year round trip. What they returned to after that amount of time would be just as alien as where they’re headed. [SG AS; 22/10/95 06:52]

  5. In the unlikely event that the Colony is found to be beyond recovery for any of the situations stated above, it may become necessary to destroy all surface assets and reassess potential sites for a new colony on Argolis (ref. doc. W-95(t)01143/Project: Marathon).

    1. ADNM: This still feels unnecessarily short-sighted. We should always find a way to reuse assets in the field if at all possible. [SRSG LR; 20/10/95 18:44]

    2. ADNM: I agree 100%, but I also believe that in the case where that is not possible, we should have a plan. [ABASG EM; 21/10/95 10:45]

    3. ADNM: In that case, we should put further thought into the use of in-system assets to accomplish whatever may be necessary in that event. [SRSG LR; 21/10/95 14:01]

TOP SECRET

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR

SEALED UNTIL INTENDED ARRIVAL DATE: 20/4/2894

INTERVALS: NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED.

UESC DIR 6

— everything above is 1:1 source · from memoranda · karnemir ↗

Cited by

Bernhard Strauss · Mjolnir Mark IV · New Cascadia · Project Goliath · Rampancy

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