The Hot War

[macrorufus]

MEMORANDUM
From the President of the United States of America
From: President Dwight D. Eisenhower
To: General George Collins
Re: Establishment of the National Space Defense Force (NSDF)
Security Status: Eyes Only
Date: June 3, 1958
After all that we've been through together, I hold you as one of the few men that I trust implicitly. I can't fully express the importance of maintaining the highest level of discretion regarding the information contained within this memorandum. Much has changed since we've spent time together. As Commanders in the Armed Forces, we took for granted that we held many secrets nobody should know, but now my life as President is very different. Many people know more than they should, and it is putting the future of our nation in grave jeopardy.

The news of my health problems are widely known, and I have no idea what will become of me. My gut tells me that it is time to plan for the future, and I'm counting on you to carry forward the defense of our nation. You may feel that you are too old to do what I'm about to ask you to do, but I need someone that I can trust, and I have complete confidence that you are up to the task. That aside, I can only promise that you will see action like you've never seen before. In fact, I wish that I could personally take charge of this operation.

You may recall brief mentions of a meteor shower that struck the Bering Straight six years ago. The seemingly inconsequential phenomena was overshadowed by events on the Korean Peninsula, but in actuality the debris that fell from space will have a much more enduring impact on the future of our nation than the outcome of the conflict in Korea.

Soviet and American scientists simultaneously discovered an odd metal with unknown biological properties amongst the rocks that fell to Earth. We both rushed to gather as much of the material as possible and all known reserves have now been collected.

We've established a research facility in Nevada in order to investigate this "bio-metal." The results of these efforts are astounding. The material itself remains a complete mystery, but we have managed to fabricate some promising munitions from it. It seems that the biological element of the metal contains some sort of memory that allows it to reshape itself into its previous form. Later in this report you will see some of the engineering specifications of what we know the material can do. The bottom line is clear, however. Whoever controls these materials will win the Cold War.

Next month I will publicly establish the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Pending your acceptance of this post, I will also secretly endow the National Space Defense Force (NSDF). No one will know about the NSDF, everyone will know about NASA. Let me explain why this is so important.

As you may know, the Soviets have one distinct advantage over us. Their system easily allows them to keep secrets, whereas it seems that I cannot even sneeze without the world knowing. Every last secret from our weapons programs has slipped into Soviet hands. By comparison, their Sputnik caught us by surprise, and our intelligence on their Luna and Zond programs remains limited. We can only assume that they too are trying to gather more of the "bio-metal."

As the presiding General of the NSDF, you will be responsible for recruiting an elite force of engineers and combat personnel that will secretly venture into space in order to gather more of the bio-metal. Your organization will be funded through the NSA, and you will report to nobody, not even me. I fully expect that the NSDF will continue on past my term as President. Subsequent administrations will have no knowledge of the NSDF.

You may recruit under the auspices of NASA. Choose your personnel carefully and do not allow your numbers to exceed one thousand. You should quickly establish a base on the dark side of the moon. Once you have a space foothold, you may begin to recruit a broader force.

Please include this memo in your briefing pack but only distribute it on the moon. I want every one of the people who serve under your command to know that I personally thank them for risking their lives in the service of their country. May God be with you and may you further the legacy of our great nation.

God bless,
Ike

(Potential/Not sure, wanted thoughts really, based on Activision's 1998 Battlezone)

[Nelle Kozera]

Very interesting. I like.

[SliceOfDog]

Sounds interesting. I would question the plausibility of creating a base on the moon at this time period, but other than that I'm up for something based on this

[macrorufus]

MEMORANDUM
From the President of the United States of America
From: President Dwight D. Eisenhower
To: General George Collins
Re: Establishment of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
Security Status: Eyes Only
Date: July 29, 1958
It is with great pride that I announce the creation of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA). This will be coupled with a later announcement for the creation of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). I'd like to personally thank you for taking up the duty I requested of you, in our earlier correspondances.

I count you as a rare friend in these hard economic times, and it is with deepest regret that I realise this will be the last correspondance from me to you. I place my trust in the future of our great nation into your capable hands.

God bless,
Ike

MEMORANDUM
From the Director of Central Intelligence
From: Richard Holms
To: General George Collins
Re: Existence of the Cosmos Colonist Army (CCA).
Security Status: Eyes Only
Date: March 14, 1967

We can hardly believe the information we have received. It would appear that the Soviets have managed to pull the wool over our eyes for almost a decade. I am writing to you to confirm the existence of a Soviet space corps known as the Cosmos Colonist Army (CCA). We believe that it may have been operating even before the creation of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA).

Due to the nature of your duty, the finding, distribution of this information has been kept to an absolute minimum. On reading this document, I request that you destroy it immediately.

[[Possible CS to follow]]

Kind Regards,
Richard Helms

(Richard Helms was convicted of lying to the United States Congress over Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) undercover activities).

[macrorufus]

Hot War CS:
Name:

Species:
(Appearance is not 100% required. Spacesuits are the norm. =P)

Background: How you got selected by NASA, what made you a candidate for the NSDF? Were you a loner? A soldier? A pilot? A physicist?

The NSDF steals from NASA recruits only those people who could be made to disappear. Did you have an unfortunate 'accident?' from which the body was never reclaimed?
That kind of thing. Did you come through ARPA? NASA or even Area 51?
RP will start in the barracks near Tranquility Base (the Apollo 11 Lunar Module - 1969), the barracks do offer a view (behind windows that can be covered by armored plating) of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module & the Flag.

[Rakaziel]

Would an Area51 psyker (psi power is that he can to some degree control the bio metal) be ok or would that be too soft scifi?

[macrorufus]

Uh... mankind knows how to shape & use biometal. Albeit somewhat clumsily, this will be explained in the RP by Collins.
The major problem with such a psychic is that everything is made using the biometal. So the ability to control it would be more than a little over-powering.

[Nelle Kozera]

Hot War CS:
Name: Cyrstal Reyez

Species: Collie

Appearance:



Background:

Cyrstal was always a talented Girl even from when she was young. Intelligent beyond her years yet a reading disability held her back early on. Later in life even with her strike of laziness through high school which landed her a spot in R.I.T studying Engineering. Aside from the ease of which sciences came to her she did a fair bit of exploring of the Social underground of the University in which she met a shady individual whom was rumored to be somewhere around the age of thirty seven. These two became rather good friends with a mutual respect for Cannabis.

Unknown to her, this fellow was watching her performance. Watching her grades, watching how she excelled in the college environment. Challenged the established academic norms in scientific fields. But what truly allowed her to be come a candidate was her research into the applications of Bio-metal. Though to her it wasn't know as Bio-metal, at the time it was nicknamed "Unbotainium" By my many of the research students. A few nights before her dissertation she was offered a Position in design at ARPA, from the very same man that she had been spending time together with for the last eight years. She accepted, but unknown to her all her research came with her. All record of her existence doing research on the "Unbotainium" was erased. And Nosy professors where arrested claimed to be Communists by the government...

Do to her role in design she was a primary candidate to put in space where her expertise could be used directly.

Also uses LSD, and other Psychoactive drugs but much less often. Maybe once a year or so.

[macrorufus]

NSDF Recruitment Notes
RE: Reyez, C.
Recommendation from ARPA to NSDF accepted. To accompany Apollo 11 Lunar Module, and enter NSDF training programme at Tranquility Base.

Private Note
To: General George Collins
From: NSDF Psycho-Analysis Team
It may be of some concern General that this candidate is a drug user. I would recommend keeping a close eye on her. She is very much like a prima donna, in that ARPA acknowledges she may be an issue to security, but her expertise in design is excellent.

[Brome Teks]

Name: Phillip McConnell.

Species: Skunk (Scentless)

Appearance: Very lean, very muscular, Phil makes a business of keeping himself in perfect shape, as is required by an astronaut. He has excellent 20/5 vision, and his otherwise messy skunk fur is kept neat, tidy, and short, aside from his tail which always retains plenty of fluffiness. His coloring pattern is traditional black and white.

Background: Phil never dreamed that from his humble beginnings that he'd end up where he is today. He was born to a relatively poor family, but despite this managed to excel in school. In high school, he knew he'd want to go to college, but didn't have a clue as to how he'd pay for it. The quickest solution was, to him, to join the Navy. He attended the Naval Academy and Graduated with high honors just in time for the Korean War. He served as a combat pilot and later a test pilot for the Navy, attaining the rank of Captain before he was selected as a potential pilot for the National Air and Space Administration's Astronaut program.

Phil did extremely well in the training to become an astronaut, able to keep cool in intense situations and able to handle the complex math involved. He wasn't chosen as a potential Mercury astronaut, but he was chosen as a Gemini Pilot. He however never flew in an official spaceflight, instead he was given security clearance for the secret Gemini XIII mission to test the potential of the new Bio Metal in space. The tests went well, and the mission was a success, save for the one moment of pure terror when a thruster got stuck open longer than it should, requiring a quick response by Phil to keep the ship from beginning to tumble.

After the Apollo missions, Phil was selected by the NSDF for his skill set as an astronaut.

[macrorufus]

NSDF Recruitment Notes:
RE: McConnell, P.
Recommendation from NASA to NSDF accepted. To accompany Apollo 11 Lunar Module, and enter NSDF training programme at Tranquility Base.

Private Note
To: General George Collins
From: NSDF Psycho-Analysis Team
We do not have any information that suggest that this individual has any serious problems. Most interesting of note is that he has no scent. This makes things easier on the air-scrubbers. Individual has command aptitude with prior experience.

[uiewgf]

Name: Eric Jones

Species: Alaskan Husky

Background: Eric led an unremarkable life with top grades in his science subjects for high-school, and also getting top grades in physics for college. This led to him joining the ARPA and subsequentley ended up researching the bio-metal that was brought in from the Bering Straits meteor strike. As one of the leading phycisists on the project he was naturally asked to join the NSDF.

[macrorufus]

@uiewgf: I think perhaps some sort of information on appearance, and maybe a /tiny/ bit more on background is in order. Where'd Jones come from, born etc?

[Silverwind]

Hi - are you still taking apps for this, because it sounds like something I'd absolutely be interested in!

[macrorufus]

@Silverwind, it hasn't really gone anywhere so feel free to post an app.