Darkness

Darkness I is the name of a Space City which orbits near the planet Arto in the Rellar System. It is owned by The Producers.

Darkness I Conflict
Darkness I is the main Space City servicing the outer Rellar System, orbiting near Arto. In 2930AP it was attacked and taken over by an alliance of Networks, controlling the station for almost an entire year. The conflict served as an inspiration for future Networks, who would use similar strategies to prey on the ever increasing number of Space Cities in the Technocracy.

The conflict began with an alliance between 4 major networks; Taelung, Jung, Itoem and Yetrae Networks. Before the attack on the city, the networks had been functioning as predominantly trans-planetary criminal organisations plotting attacks on the smaller and weaker colonies. Capturing a colony, however, relied on being able to defend it from the military. The rewards of attacking planetary colonies ranked low in comparison to attacking a Space City, as Space Cities were easier to defend and would not be attacked using nuclear weapons.

As this was the time before Slip-Space Travel, Darkness I proved a weak and vulnerable target for criminals. This was due to it orbiting near to Arto’s orbit. The purpose of Darkness I was as a science centre for extra-system probes to be launched from and also as a remote location for Space City for businesses.

Darkness I was limited in terms of defences, but too strong for Network ships. Even with the combined fleet of the 4 Networks, any attack risked losing too many soldiers before landing in the city. For this reason, the attack involved the slow infiltration of Darkness. When the army inside of the city reached 200, the soldiers would then lower the defences for more troops to be dropped from outside. The local Army would be drawn away by an attack on a nearby colony on the moon of Artnilo.

In 2930AP, the Networks had reached the correct level of troops and proximity to Artnilo to commence. The attack begun on the key defence areas after the Army had left. Soldiers from the Itoem Network successfully lowered the defences and began preparing the station for incoming soldiers. The insurgents then began to seize key points and organise for the holding of hostages.

Because of Space Cities being essentially large Space Stations, there is a large risk of stray bombs and bullets causing a rupture in the side of a City. For this reason, Space Cities are organised into ‘zones’ which can be sealed should a rupture occur. This also means that rooms can be sealed off when they have experienced a rupture. Once the city had been captured the Military was threatened with the possibility of any attack killing the civilian inhabitants of the City. Retaking Darkness was, therefore, a harrowing prospect.

The Military’s response involved an unusual strategy which was expected to catch the Networks off guard. Only a few spies were able to infiltrate the station and notify where the civilians were being held. This process took two months to complete due to the size of the station. The Military would then send small ships to ‘latch’ onto the side of the station and drill holes through the side. The rooms inside of the stations would then serve as small bases for farther attacks.

The attack began 3 months after the station had been seized by the Networks. The Producer Navy sat outside of the station attempting to hack the defences and over-ride the station controls. Precise shelling was needed to eliminate the station’s turrets. The strategy succeeded to a limited extent. Around 200 soldiers successfully entered the station and began conducting repairs on the ruptures on the Space City walls.

The next stage of the conflict involved fortifying their positions and building a makeshift dock for their operations. In Industrial zone C, a weak spot near the south of the city, the Military seized a very small space-port designed for small personal vehicles. This formed their base of operations.

The Networks attempted to attack these ports over the next month, but failed to capture them. The City’s programming had been hacked thanks to the Military’s superior technological abilities. The Networks then began to kill some of their hostages after these attacks failed. This was a major change in strategy due to them wanting to present themselves as an alternative government of the station.

Killings began to intensify the conflict. Over the next 2 months, the Military attacked Network positions across Darkness I, making slow gains. Major battles included the Battle of Gunyar Dockyard and the Battle of Iltho Estate. These battles whittled down the Network strongholds slowly, until they were put in a position of near retreat.

The Networks had a different plan though. As the Military marched through the station, they became confused as the Networks attempted to alter the structures to confuse their opponents. Building new walls, blast doors and closing off sections of the station meant that the Military could easily be ambushed. The strategy was to force the Military into a position where it would not want a prolonged conflict.

This strategy succeeded only in slowing down the Military advance. 2 months after the Networks were forced to retreat, a number of high profile assassinations managed to put the Networks into disarray. Depleting resources, food and ammunition eventually forced a surrender after almost one year.

The Darkness I conflict serves as one of the major conflicts in the post-unification Technocracy. It was the first complete seizure of a major Space City and showed these cities as a real security concern for the Technocracy. The conflict had ramifications for Space City design and Military Strategy.