::> Search query: USC

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1. The United Systems and Colonies (USC) is the only non-hostile, multispecies government that is currently known to exist across our galaxy. It is currently composed of three main races, as well as several others that have accepted the embrace of the USC in order to begin their first steps towards a new era.

Formed in 2891, the USC is the result of the alliance between the Humans and the Lakuran. In 2892, both races began to openly accept each other’s members into their respective territories and the construction of several mixed-species colonies was approved.

By 2905, the cultural exchange between both races had been a success. The newly established colonies were flourishing, and both races had warmly accepted each other.

During the year 2908, the Gektar Republic made first contact with one of the mixed-race colonies on the USC’s border. The exchange was a success, and both sides agreed to host a meeting between the two Chancellors of the USC and the High Matriarch of the Gektar Republic.

Subsequently, both sides acknowledged each other as allies. In 2936, after the Genesis War, the Gektar Republic ceased to exist, and instead, the Gektar merged with the USC, forming the government we know today. [MORE]

::> Search query: Genesis war

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1. The Genesis War was a massive conflict that actively lasted ten Terran years. It involved the newly formed USC, the Gektar Republic, and the Serven.

It boiled down to two sides, the USC and the Republic, against the Serven.

The Serven are a machine race with no known origin, which unleashed an insidious, bio-engineered virus upon the Human race in 2900-2905 (the exact date is unknown). This nano-virus severely hindered the Human birth rate and caused Humanity to go into a steady decline for several years. The virus itself remained unnoticed for more than ten years. Then, in 2915, the birth rate for Humans dropped dramatically as thousands of miscarriages began occurring simultaneously.

Having debilitated the Human race—who had been the bulk of the USC’s power until then—the Serven began to attack their colonies, bringing them down one by one. The USC was unable to form a proper defense in most cases, and the aid provided by the Gektar Republic arrived too late.

The Serven infantry towered over the USC’s and the Republic’s in terms of sheer power, and many attempts to defend the colonies often resulted in failure.

Weakened by its diminishing numbers, the USC began to invest more resources into the Saviour Project upon discovering the virus. Seven hundred thousand subjects were chosen out of one million volunteers. They received various forms of genetic treatments and prototypical antidotes in hopes of counteracting the Serven bio-weapon and augmenting the Human physique to level the fight against the Serven’s ground forces.

The results were more than spectacular. Over the course of a year, not only was the bio-weapon nullified, the project also discovered that the average Human seemed to accept genetic changes surprisingly well, due to having a fairly malleable genetic code. Scientists were able to augment muscle-mass, muscle-density, bone-density, height, etc. The downside was that the more changes they made to the DNA, the more likely it was for the subject to turn sterile, regardless of the virus.

A cure was produced, along with a relatively short term gene-treatment made to augment the Human body, which altered the Human physique while still ensuring that the subjects remained fertile. Even so, the project’s mortality rate was nearly eighty percent.

Through the reverse engineering of Serven technology, several breakthroughs were made in the fields of nano-technology and biochemical-engineering. By combining this research with physical augmentation already in use, the USC was able to create infantry capable of effectively stopping Serven assaults.

In the year 2935, a detachment of the USC fleet intercepted a single Serven carrier headed towards Lumniku Das, one of the colonies within Gektar territory. The carrier was captured, and it was discovered that the ship was harboring several containers of a strange, blue substance. Further analysis revealed that the substance was composed of a very aggressive nano-machines which, upon contact with most forms of biological tissue, would immediately start to decompose it, breaking it down on a molecular level in the course of mere hours. It was immediately secured and shipped to the nearest research facility.

An order was issued to every available USC vessel: to assume defensive positions on the most vulnerable colonies.

Twelve days later, the Serven launched an attack on Korgólo, a mixed-race colony of Lakuran and Humans which was orbited and defended by a York-class space station, a small detachment of three destroyers, and five frigates.

With a fleet made up of six carriers, eleven frigates, and seven destroyers, the Serven launched their attack with brutal force. They targeted the space-station at first, making use of several boarding parties in order to disable it, as the facility possessed a ‘Mass Accelerator Cannon’ that ran through the entire length of it which posed a great danger to their fleet.

They were met with heavy resistance by part of the station’s crew, who managed to bring down three Serven destroyers, severely damage one of their carriers, and take out two other lesser vessels before the station’s command center was seized. However, while the Serven were cutting through the defensive line of the USC, a few of their frigates had already breached the USC’s perimeter and were wreaking havoc on the cities of Korgólo.

A slip-space rupture was torn open as the USS Phobos, a Mars-class Superdreadnought, entered the battle zone, backed up by two carriers, three destroyers, and three frigates.

The battle that followed was brutal; the Phobos ravaged the unsuspecting Serven, who began to accelerate towards the planet.

With only two carriers and a few frigates left, the Serven continued to approach the planet. The Phobos, and the only destroyer that was still operational, took down one of the carriers. Unfortunately, they were not capable of reloading in time to take down the other carrier.

While the vessel continued to make its approach towards the planet, the space-station began to turn, as if trying to aim at the carrier. The Serven were not able to react in time; the slow, massive carrier was struck on its side by the equally large station, ultimately causing the destruction of both the carrier and the space-station.

Fifteen minutes afterwards, the USC had managed to neutralize the rest of the Serven fleet. Later assessments discovered that the Serven carriers had been loaded with the same nano-virus found on the vessel headed towards Lumniku Das. It is speculated that their objective was the mass extermination of Korgólo’s populace.

However, the battle was not won without its losses. The USC’s fleet had been obliterated, only a single frigate and the USS Phobos remained, which was decommissioned the next day. Afterwards, it was restored, and has been orbiting the planet Mars ever since, serving as a museum/space-station.

The USC has remained in alert since the Battle of Korgólo, even though the Serven have not been sighted to this very day.

A year and a half later, as negotiations continued whilst gaining strength for a possible Serven offensive, the Gektar Republic was disbanded, and instead merged with the USC.

The date the Gektar joined the USC (November 29th, 2936), has been formally recognized as the end of the Genesis War.

All across the vast apple orchard, hundreds if not thousands of the bright fruits that hung from each tree shone radiantly as sunlight washed over their glossy surfaces. Unlike Ponyville, Sweet Apple Acres was far enough from the town to avoid being obscured by the shadow of the Vector, managing to keep its usual optimistic and blissful demeanor. In the middle of the extensive apple orchard, a bright red barn stood proudly, and right next to it, as one would expect, a farmhouse, painted the same colour as the fruit the farm was famous for.

The leaves of the many apple trees ruffled gently as the soft, midday breeze swept past them. It was perfectly peaceful, and almost a perfectly silent paradise.

A rather loud thumping sound caused by a pair of mechanical legs interrupted the silence, coupled with the high-pitched voices of three excited fillies.

Six shapes could be seen walking under the hot glare of the sun and along the road that led to the center of the apple orchard. Two Humans, an android, and three little fillies, one of each type of pony, and each of them as colourful as the joyful world that surrounded them.

Atlas, Torres, and Mac walked along with the little ponies. During the first few minutes of their journey, the gruff troopers had been the victims of a barrage of questions provided by the fillies, but soon enough the little creatures had run out of questions, and thankfully the three travelers had managed to avoid most of the delicate inquires.

“Could you guys... slow down... please?” A rather tired looking Sweetie Belle looked up at Mac.

The rest of the group came to a halt and turned around to look at the little unicorn. The Humans and the android looked at each other, shrugging.

“Are we moving too quickly, Sweetie Belle?” asked Mac, with his typical cybernetic monotone.

The little white unicorn scratched the back of her head with her hoof. “Uhm... Well yeah, wait no... I dunno, it’s just that you guys can cover a lot of distance with just one step.”

The other two fillies looked up. Scootaloo spoke up, “Well, yeah kinda. Though I don’t mind, it doesn’t tire me, anyways.”

Atlas shrugged, “Well, still though, we could go faster.” He knelt down in front of Apple Bloom, and motioned towards his shoulder. “C’mon, hop on.” he said.

“Huh?”, she gave him a confused look, “Sorry but ya’ll like... walk on two legs, so I think I might kinda fall right off yer back when ya’ stand up...”.

Atlas shook his head, “No, not like that. Look, climb up, I’ll show ya’.” He then leaned down a bit more.

“Uhm.. well, alright.” Apple Bloom walked up to him and began to climb up, stepping on his knees. Atlas helped her up, placing the little filly on his back. “All you have to do is sit on the base of my neck, let your legs hang around the sides, then wrap your arms-... I mean, forelegs around my head, just make sure you don't cover my eyes.”

Following Atlas’ instructions, she sat on his back and placed her hind legs around his neck, letting them hang down.

“Okay, now hold onto my head.” Atlas said. The filly did as she was told to, wrapping her forelegs around Atlas’ head.

“Are ya’ll sure ya’ can see- Wooooaaah!” Atlas stood up, with Apple Bloom holding tightly onto him as the blood rushed out of her head and was instead pushed throughout the rest of her body. It took her a moment to get rid of the dizziness. She then took a look at her surroundings, noticing that everything was smaller.

“Woah....” she said, looking around; she was now taller than any of the the apple trees planted across the farm, and able to see even the hills that stood around Ponyville.

Atlas cleared his throat, “You can stop covering my eyes now.”

Apple Bloom giggled sheepishly, and changed her grip on Atlas’ head.

Torres knelt down, and allowed Scootaloo to climb up and sit in the same manner Apple Bloom was, but carefully avoiding the sharp, metallic wings.

“Woah! Cool! Hey, do you think you can fly with me on your back?” she asked.

Torres shook her head, “I told you, it’s too loud. Besides, I don’t think you’ll be able to hold on anyways...”, she said. The purple-maned filly groaned and rolled her eyes.

The only ones left were Sweetie Belle and Mac, who stared coldly at her. She crossed her legs and averted her eyes from him. Slowly, Mac knelt down, offering a hand at her.

“Do you want me to carry you?” It was noticeable that he made an attempt to sound a little bit more comforting, but he ended up sounding the same as always: blunt.

She looked up, meeting his cold gaze, and looked away again. “Uhm, n-no, it’s fine...”

Almost immediately afterwards, he asked again, “Please?”

“Uhh...”

“Please?” he asked exactly as before, like someone had taken a recording of him and replayed it.

The little unicorn sighed, looking up at Mac’s glowing blue eyes. “Okay... I guess.”

She awkwardly began to climb up. Mac placed his hands under her hooves, helping her up. After Sweetie Belle sat on the base of his neck, Mac steadily stood up, and then looked at the rest of the group.

“See? He’s not that bad.” Torres said, holding back a chuckle.

Scootaloo snickered, “I knew Sweetie would get the weird one.” After her statement, Mac shot her a burning glance, making her look ahead and whistle like nothing had happened.

“Well, let’s get moving.” Atlas said.

Apple Bloom bobbed up and down with each of Atlas’ steps. She had to admit, even if she didn’t know much about him, she did feel a bit comfortable with the titan; he had a somewhat friendly, yet gruff demeanor. The point of view she had just from sitting upon his shoulders was amazing, no longer was she bound by the height that came with being a filly. She proceeded to rest her head on top of Atlas’, then she closed her eyes, imagining the look on her sister's face as Apple Bloom looked down at her and said “Who’s the big pony now, huh?”.

“Hey, how fast can you go?” Scootaloo asked.

“When flying? Well, I can break the sound barrier, if you know what that means...” said Torres.

Scootaloo’s jaw hung open. “Woah... So you can make a sonic rainboom?”

“A sonic rain...boom? I don’t know what that is, but I can make a sonic boom for sure.” Behind her helmet, the woman’s lips curled into a smile. “Hey, how fast do you think the Vector can go?”

“You mean that huge thing floating up there? Well DUH! Something that big must be like, super slow!”

Torres clicked her tongue, dismissing Scootaloo’s argument. “It can go faster than light! It moves so fast you can't even see it, so fast that it could spin around the world a thousand times and even milliseconds aren’t small enough to time it. And it can also go to space.”

To say that Scootaloo was dumbfounded would be an understatement. Her mind had been absolutely blown. “How could something like that go so incredibly fast!?” she thought, “She must be lying! And space? What... I don't....” As she eventually became overloaded with her own questions, Scootaloo decided to let go of the subject, letting her brain cool down.

It was not often that Sweetie Belle felt awkward. She thought Mac was scary; his voice was weird, and he felt cold. She was not exactly holding tight onto him, even the thought of him complaining about her grip being too hard was kind of scary for her.

She sighed and looked up, resting her forelegs on top of Mac’s head. As she did so, she began to slip off of the android’s shoulder. She was about to fall down when a pair of cold hands gently stopped her from doing so.

“Are you okay, Sweetie Belle?” Mac’s tone had changed, he really did sound like he was somewhat concerned, but his regular bluntness was still somewhat present.

“Oh, um, yeah, thanks...” She readjusted her position, and Mac slowly allowed his arms to go back to their regular location.

“Please, hold on to me as tight as you want, it does not matter to me. Besides, it is my duty to protect.” After he finished talking, he noticed Torres and the rest of the group were looking at him as they walked.

“Is something wrong?” he said.

“Oh, nothing,” said Torres with a laugh.

Scootaloo smiled. “Did you see how fast his arms went? It was like, wham!”

“Believe it or not Sweetie, he may look cold and scary on the outside, but that’s just because he has trouble expressing himself. I think he kind of cares about you,” Atlas said, and then added a chuckle.

“Awww, is that true, Mac?” asked Torres.

Mac continued to stare ahead. “I will neither acknowledge nor deny,” he stated.

Atlas smiled. So far he and the others had been enjoying themselves.

A stray thought crossed his mind, changing his smile into a frown behind his faceplate. "Maybe a little too much..."

The group reached the farm. Apple Bloom’s house was just a few meters up ahead. It was a warm-looking, rather rustic farmhouse. The doors were tiny compared to those the humans were used to. After all, it belonged to ponies.

Atlas walked up to the front door and leaned down to look through the window. Inside the house, no form of activity could be seen. Old yet well conserved furniture could be observed, several family photos hung from the walls, and many of the antiques and other decorations were apple-themed.

Apple Bloom gave out a huff, “They gotta be at the barn...”

Atlas kneeled down, “Alright... you go meet them first. Just tell them someone needs to talk to ‘Twilight Sparkle’. We’ll be waiting here.”

Apple Bloom hopped off of Atlas. “Why can’t you go and meet’er yerself?”

“Weren’t we at the same town just a few minutes ago?”

Apple Bloom’s mind flashed back to the moment in which she was looking up at Atlas, fear washing over her. “Oh... Yeah, ya’ make a good point.”

Torres and Mac kneeled down as well, letting Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo get back on their hooves again. The three fillies then began their trot towards the barn, excitedly chatting with each other.

Torres let out a long sigh, “Ponies? I almost didn’t make the connection, but weren’t there ponies on Earth?”

Mac nodded. “Affirmative. Ponies were miniature equines that used to live with Humans on Earth. Though unlike these ponies, the ones on Earth did not show any signs of advanced intelligence, and were far less colourful.”

“There’s too many coincidences: same language, similar facial structure, the architecture... “ Atlas shifted his weight from leg to leg.

The three remained silent for a second, then Torres spoke up, “Well, I guess we’re lucky. We could’ve popped right above a barren planet in the middle of nowhere, but at least there’s plenty to go around in this place.... Just what is this place? Maybe we... dimension jumped?”

“Let’s talk about something else...” Atlas sighed deeply, and gave his surroundings a quick glance.

“Apple Bloom... Apples...” he chuckled inwardly at the thought; apparently these ponies were named after their profession, or something along those lines. He thought back to the moment in which he stepped into the village, remembering that there was no sign of any advanced technology whatsoever, not even any sort of vehicles. “Wooden buildings, a castle... kinda medieval. But of course, there’s apparently also magic, something we haven’t even seen yet. They must have some surprises here and there, but probably far less than what we have...”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Atlas peeked around the corner of the farmhouse, shooting a quick glance towards the barn. He saw the three little fillies talking to someone who was inside, then they turned around and began walking back to where he was, followed by two other ponies.

Atlas got behind the house again, figuring it was a good idea to remain unseen for now, as to get this “Twilight Sparkle” as close as possible to avoid her running away.

With Atlas’ size, Torres’ feature-less faceplate, and Mac’s cold stare, they did not exactly look harmless, after all.

“And who are these ponies?” asked Twilight as she, Applejack, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders walked towards the Apple family’s house.

Apple Bloom looked at her, sporting a slightly forced grin. “They’re not- I mean, eh...” she trailed off.

“It’s a surprise!” Scootaloo added.

Sweetie Belle piped up, “Eh, yeah! And it can’t be a surprise if we tell you, now can it?”

They received a rather angry snort coming from the orange mare, “It better be a darn good surprise...” muttered Applejack.

The group was only a few steps short of rounding the corner of the house. The lavender unicorn mare sighed, looking at the ground in deep thought. The Crusader’s had managed to pry them out of Pinkie’s “Best-friends-forever-and-possibly-last-party” party, which had a sad aura rather than Pinkie’s usual happy gatherings. She had to admit, it was almost scary to see Pinkie in such a depressed state.

“Well...” she said out loud, “It isn’t much of a surprise now that you’ve told us it’s a surprise,” she rounded the corner of the house, “I mean, once you know you’re going to be surprised, you logically won’t be surp-” she was cut off when her head met an immovable object, which produced a dull metallic bang against her horn and forced her to fall back onto her haunches.

It all happened in probably a second or two. She looked ahead and groaned, rubbing her forehead, noticing the two metallic beams that her head had collided with. No, that was not right, those were not beams: they were too complex. Her eyes slowly followed the length of the two objects as they merged into a single shape whilst continuing to go upwards, with some orange lights decorating its midsection, and some sort of metallic pockets. Afterwards, they divided again into two more parts that hung down loosely, and perched on top of the object, there was a head with a single, orange slit that looked down at her.

“Wait, what?” She glanced up and down; legs, torso, forelegs, head; it was not an object, nor was it part of the farmhouse. It was a breathing, living creature made of metal.

Her eyes went wide. She noticed that two more creatures stood behind the one before her. They were much smaller than it, but one of them had a pair of blue eyes that bore into her mind, and the other did not have anything, just a shiny, round orange dome for a head.

She was wrong after all, the ‘surprise’ did, in fact, surprise her.