"Earth, a pretty planet - we, the humans, always knew it as 'The Blue Planet'... we weren't far wrong I guess. By the mid 19th century Earth had broken the barrier of the Sky, space was the next step. Achieving this goal came quickly, as wars burned the planet down, new technologies re-built the war torn civilizations and the Space Age was underway. Wars eventually broke out because of the activities in space, what was once called America accused Europe of hiding weapons in space, or something like that anyway. There is however evidence of almost every nation on Earth having something in space at some time or another, well we keep finding that space junk all over the sector!
In the year 2903 we had made first contact with a planet that was fully acknowledged in the late 1990's, and investigated throughout the 20th century as an inhabitable planet. In 2300 they sent the first hyper-craft, it's maiden voyage to a planet that seemed an impossible distance. The craft made it, but never reported back. The beacon on it had a long, long, long distance frequency and was picked up along a route of satellites that'd been dropped by the craft. The craft's name, or maybe just the project was called Icarus, knowing that period Icarus was probably some pop group or something, we've never fully investigated it.
It was a full twenty years before the ship returned to us, the crew seemed ok, they told us about the people of that planet. They were a mostly aquatic race, we just call them 'fish' now. Fifty years passed and the 'fish' had already surrounded the Earth with their craft, vastly superior to our own. They said they were just curious, but it was obvious that they were coming to dominate. We just couldn't do a damn thing about it. They had sent ambassadors to the planet, and they'd moved their ships away from our planet for the most part. It was 2405 A.D. when they made their move, decades after any suspicion - caught well off guard they took the entire world easily. And so the Occupation was at hand...
The year is 2040 A.O. (After Occupation), and after over two millenia of slavery the people of planet Earth have evolved into a race of workers. Mining the valuable resources from the crust through a worldwide tropical climate, the humans are all noticeably darker in appearance. From bronzed skin around the once cooler climates, to a the dark ebonies of the equatorial world. The only pale-skins are the people who've never seen the surface, the deep-workers. They mine for a deep alloy mixed by mother nature and our planet, and not man made at all. It is very hard, but it can be worked easily and never becomes brittle, it never erodes, and it is very shiny. Silver in appearance, from the first century of occupation when it was found in the first excavation site, dug mostly by a blast from a 'fish' warship, it has been called Mithril.
The Elders spoke of revolt under hushed breaths, they spoke of the surface, and of 'fish' technology. They told us of the weak flesh of the occupiers, and that they were nothing without their machines. Mostly we just laughed at the old fools, but there was something true in their eyes... and we knew that the yearning for freedom had to mean that we weren't always working drones for a higher race. Although it'd be fifteen years before anything came of it.
In the last months of 2054 A.O. the first movement had begun, some of us had made crude armor from the Mithril, we carried sword and axe against the few tunnel guards, on the surface they used firearms, old and modern alike penetrated the weak membrane flesh of the Aquaoth, their own weapons in our hands, we blasted holes in the armor they'd first dominated Earth in. They retreated mostly back into space in the middle of 2055 A.O., the middle of the year, in the middle of the decade, was apparently their breeding season, and this may not have been a retreat. Either way, humanity had banded together under one banner... mostly... against the alien slavers. Retaining the quickness of our ancestors, we salvaged and re-built, repaired, and piloted the ships of the enemy. Made them better, with massive guns that fired bolts of mithril.
The tables have turned, and the war had become a steady border battle. Our solar system was our own again, the Phoenix Federation Navy had been established for hundreds of years, technology had advanced through human evolution of the mind and of body. Stronger, faster, and quicker of mind were the Neo Humans who had re-taken the Earth, but for the first time in thousands of years there were reports of a cold, white substance lacing the peaks of the high places. The Ice Age following the hot period was beginning, and although it would take a very long time for it to fully happen, it was a very strange thing for our people. Reports suggest that it's some new Aquaoth weapon, but it's strange that it hasn't actually killed or harmed the planet yet...
It was the year 2122 when the first real Winter happened. And 2122 was the year of the heaviest fighting. The battle for Human Space had finally started, all these years of preparation - all these bullets and all this wealth had better pay off, for our ancestors, for our tomorrow, to your battleships, FOR THE P.F.NAVY! FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FOR OUR WIVES, ADVANCE!"
A young admiral stood on the flight deck, and recited a long winded speach of encouragement to the armed forces of the Federation Navy. The advance had been called, and you are on your way to your one-man fighters. Your fighters are armed with twin chain guns, which fire mithril point 17inch shells, which weigh around 4kg each. Of course the weight should mean nothing in space, but the velocity of a heavy shell sends the heavy bullets at such velocity that even the toughest armor can be penetrated.
The H.U.D. displays friend and foe as green and red targets, red for foe, green for friend. It also measures distance, and the targets speed so as to accurately target the enemy. The computer will also usually give advice on which ammo to use, advised speed, and tactical advice.
A long lateral cannon in between fires disks of 'hard plasma', this burning when launched but meets the target as a solid red hot disk, and can easily sever cables, thin alloys, and has been used in direct assault against the pilot when fired at the main view-port in the cockpit with deadly results.
Although the older models lack these, some of the new Sunsprite models have tactical missiels on the 'wings', it is curious that the humans would re-discover nuclear warfare, and use it so senselessly. The heavy explosives can directly affect shields, and on air strikes against land, they can obliterate enemy forces, vehicles, and buildings with apocalyptic effects for miles. But the 'fish' deserve such a fate.
Pilot gear consists mainly of a bolt-pistol, firing rounded shots directly by an EMP, basically a hand held rail gun. An old spectra based helmet, with full face mask, purple overalls with leather straps and steel buckles. They are designed to protect against G Force when entering/exiting pressure zones, such as atmospheres. Boots and gloves are standard.
The S.G.S (Special Galactic Service) are used as ground troops when deploying a ground assault on a planet, or boarding an enemy warship/space station. They are the modern army, equipped with advanced rifles capable of delivering Hell with minimal recoil. With fire-explosive ammo, that explodes just a moment after penetration - and a steel bayonet.
A tactical variant of the rifle has recently been constructed, it has a short barrel, is less accurate over long distance, and fires much like the pistol - with a sort of hand-held rail gun manner and ammo.
Body armor consists still mainly of mithril, it can be painted with camouflage, but because of the alloys properties the paint doesn't hold long - and often reveals the bright, glittering silver within an 8 hour mark. Spectra helmets are still employed, but are hardened by a special compound for additional strength with minimal weight.
Various grenades are available, as well as tactical equipment - from climbing, bio-suits, environment suits, and even in rare cases jet packs can be employed. Every S.G.S troop has a melee weapon, to symbolize the Revolution. This is usually in the form of a sword, or an axe.
