Humans

This is the history of the species of Humans. For more species within the Great Ring Galaxy, go to Species page.

Overview

Humans have an interesting habit of blowing things up, including themselves. In this universe, the Cold War never ended. Sergei Korolev didn't die from surgery during the space race. His expertise and knowledge enabled the Soviets to reach the Moon. Behind the American's but only by 3 months. Then, to one-up the Americans, they sent a modified version of the N1 to Venus, making the first humans to orbit another planet. The Soviet Union didn't collapse because Mikhail Gorbachev never came to power. His pro-democratic and open policies were applied with care and more slowly. This allowed the Soviet Union to evolve carefully and, although not without its problems, stay united. The United States and the allied powers' attempt to crippling the economy of the USSR was not nearly as successful. It nearly collapsed until the late 90s, when the rise of China as an economic superpower helped propel Russia. And together they reignite a Cold War 2 and the new Space Race in the late 90s, with new missions involving the colonization of Mars. The UN/USA became afraid of the idea of a whole planet taken over by communism. So in turn, they rushed to lay claim.

Before China teamed with Russia to rapidly propel the nation into the Space age, America and the European Union didn't collaborate as much. The Freedom Station was built with the Space Shuttle instead of the International Station. NASA's budget didn't decrease nearly as much until the late 80s, and as such, the Saturn V wasn't canceled until the mid-80s. The Shuttle was still constructed in part because of military demand, and many of its flaws persisted. The Soviet Union also kept its Buran project alive and upgraded it as a response to America replacing its Shuttle Program with the X-33.

Russia and China together beat America to Mars. In order to one-up the communists, America and the EU created a joint Mars Mission task force. However, both space programs had a massive focus on low to geostationary orbit, and the money made in selling satellite launches to these positions. Team Blue was nearly a decade behind in achieving the first step on Mars. However, in order to one-up the Russians and the Chinese, America proposed an extremely expensive and almost inane project. One that never truly got canceled and sat in the military's eye, and even some from NASA. Project Orion. The project that used Nuclear Warheads to propel a massive ship close to 1% the speed of light. This would require 10+ massive launches of Saturn V level of lift with X-33 Space Shuttles acting as support. Sadly, the Saturn V had long been canceled, and due to budget cuts and the insanely high cost of building the Freedom station with the first version of the Space Shuttle, both the EU and America lacked a launcher. So instead, they made a new one based on Project Sea Dragon. The EU conducted research on habitats by building Long-Term Habitats on the moon during the 2010s. The project took 11 years to complete, and in 2021, Orion exploded to life in high orbit above Earth, sending nearly 30 people (only half the capacity) to spend 2 years on Mars testing survivability. This system used lasers to achieve criticality rather than a classical explosion. This vastly improved upon the old 1960s design and allowed for much more delta V.

The Russians and the Chinese were not idle during this time. They knew something was up and that the Americans and the European Union were building something on a massive scale. But there was an excessive amount of secrecy. The Russians had reached Mars using Thermal Nuclear Rockets, which were ideal for shuttling payloads between Earth and Mars due to their greater efficiency and reusability. And it was just one more thing that they used to rub it in the face of those Westerners. So the thought in the USSR was that America was working on a newer generation of high-trust gas-based thermal nuclear rockets. These massive engines would require a massive amount of lift and multiple payloads to build in orbit. Or so the thinking went. Although considered decades away, Russia started to develop the concept in hopes of keeping up with anything America produced. China, however, had a different approach, and this is where the issues of their relationship became apparent on the global stage. Before this, it appeared from the outside looking in that all things were friendly between the nations. But China viewed the threat with a long-term perspective. Instead, they continued with their already existing and tested technologies for their long-term goal of a Red Martian planet under a Communist banner.

When Orion was revealed, it was a shock to Russia. At first glance, this massive beast looked superior to anything before it. Russia continued its own project and, 4 years later, released the first generation gas-based thermal nuclear rocket. In many respects, it actually outperformed Orion. Orion was an overly expensive status symbol, way too massive and powerful for the job it was given. It flew to Mars only 4 times. It had 6 missions in total, 2 of which involved exploring and visiting Jupiter. The vessel was used more for science and exploration than for guaranteeing dominance on Mars. It turns out that cheaper, smaller, reusable rockets, in mass, were sending large numbers of 'willing' settlers to Mars. In the coming decades, one country will lead the way in Mars colonization: China. America quickly realized it was losing the battle Orion was supposed to fight and attempted to correct the situation by catching up in Thermal Rockets and producing a new line of cheaper, more reusable rockets. In reverse, Russia, not wanting to be outdone by a massive nuclear exploding spacecraft of capitalism, built its own. In 2032, it released its own Nuclear pulse propulsion craft, despite the fact that it, along with China, had originally protested the existence of Orion.

In 2025 AD the Jove detected higher than normal levels of neutrinos. The Jove noticed humans roughly a thousand years previously and set up sensors in the nearby Alpha Centauri solar system. The Jove decided it was time to pay closer attention to these humans. They decided to wait a while to determine if the Species would develop Fusion power and propulsion. Sure enough, America, hoping to one-up the Russians again, built a second Orion-style craft, this time with joint EU participation, designed to continue Orion's exploratory mission. In the early 2030s, fusion power had finally been achieved, and even before that, a Fusion-powered pulse propulsion system had been designed. Instead of Fission bombs, they would use Fusion explosions to propel the craft. Taking advantage of their expertise in Laser-induced Fission, which turned out to be a great way to perform Ignition of Fusion materials as well. This higher level of efficiency was the final step needed to not only explore the further reaches of the solar system, its main mission, but also to send probes and eventually people to the nearest solar systems.

One fateful day, August 21, 2044 AD, the Jove made official contact with Humans. You would think seeing evidence of intelligent life would help to unite a species. But all it really did was cause more problems. After the Jove introduced Humans to the rest of their galactic neighbors, humans were bombarded by all kinds of species. It is always a treat to see new species and their novelty. It's fun to watch the early years of spaceflight, or how they first start to interact with the universe in a whole new, big way. And for some, it's a chance to exploit a new race. The Jove did explain these types of nefarious characters. Most humans ignore it.

Within a decade, it had become frighteningly obvious that there were issues. Who got what trade? Who decided what for the whole of the human race? If the Communists get that latest new tech from so and so, then what is the Free World to do? After just 3 decades, the human species threw itself into a war most didn't even care to fight. And the 3rd great World War started... not even on Earth. Although it was finished on Earth. The Jove do not step in on these matters. They would much rather let such uncivilized activities take their course. It's the best way to ensure the species learns a lesson and matures. As the AI of the Jove has wisely learned over and over.

Before humanity had even shed its novelty to its neighbors, it had gained the reputation as being uncivilized killers of their own race. Humanity's first impressions on the rest of the galaxy were not a shining moment some would dream of. They came off as a very short-sighted and backward species willing to destroy their own home planet to get at each other's throats. Humans had nuked their own planet almost to oblivion. Had done nearly the same damage to Mars. And had gone from nearly 12 billion to 400 million in less than 2 years.

Culture/Civilization/Society

After the Great 3rd World War was finished, it left humanity with mass starvation and little land left in their own solar system. Most left the now pitiful empires of Earth, the Reds and the Blues, as they were called by many, now reduced to nothing more than stubborn and old men holding on to memories more than hope. The Unions and Federations formed in the ashes were largely structured by ideals presented by the Corporatocracy. What was left of Humanity was ruled by aggressive companies that cared more about the few remaining resources on the planet. This was accepted by most people because it is the only way to live. With such scant resources left, every person had to have their place, perform their job, and produce something for themselves and the whole, in other words, the Company. The more wealth you have, the more you can produce, the more valuable you are to everyone else. The more powerful you were.

However, others choose to leave this dark and depressing lifestyle. They dared to have hope in a new life. They left Sol and went out into the Great Ring. Having to find new homes and make friends with species that neither wanted them nor liked them. Looked down upon for either their reckless behavior or countless other reputational issues. Humans are now seen as the homeless riffraff of the Milky Way.

Many roam the wastelands of Earth trying to scrape a living and avoid the large population centers. Many of which are domed cities ruled by some federation of companies, and most occupants border-line slaves working daily for corporations, and their own survival. Other dangers lurk in the apocalyptic wastelands of Earth. Mutated people and animals and deadly radioactive weather all put fear into the bravest explorers.

Mars is slightly better off. Most of its land is not radioactive, but Mars never started to be Terraformed, making it a harsh place to live, let alone try to thrive on. People here are less likely to be mutated, but they do have a whole host of other issues. Corporations view the planet as just an industrial resource, and its inhabitants are of no concern to them. Leaving people to fend for themselves. The planet plunged into anarchy after the War and has been struggling to find peace ever since.

The Venus exploration and habitat project began just before first contact and experienced a massive boom in the years leading up to the war. It was almost completely untouched by the War. Just before the war broke out, the first phase of Project New Eden started. The goal of terraforming Venus began and then abruptly halted with the start of the War. However, the scientists and workers stationed around Venus survived their families and, 70 years later, struggle to keep the project alive. Feeling the pressure of this massive undertaking and swelling with weight from the realization that Earth may be truly lost, this may be humanity's only hope for a new start. These people brave opposition and conflict from pirates to the Corporations trying to gain access to the Solar System resources, not willing to give them up for some foolhardy plan.

Many allies have taken up residence in all the chaos and hope to profit from it. They plan to take the riches of the Sol Solar System for themselves. They see these backward humans as barely a Tech 1 civilization and stealing from them like stealing from a baby. Some humans have devoted their lives to making sure Sol stays rightfully in human hands. They see their origin solar system as theirs by right, whether it be divine or otherwise.

Needs/Role Playing/Mysteries

Humanity has a lot to prove to itself and to the galaxy, and little means to do it. Will you try to help rebuild the home world? Protect Earth's last great cities from collapse. Or go out into the wastelands and make a name for yourself. Perhaps the whole of Sol itself and its many planets and moons are of interest? After all, they are rightfully human. How about protecting the heritage of humanity, its solar system, from being overrun by greedy aliens who are taking advantage of the weekend race. Perhaps help keep the Terraform Venus project alive? A new home with a fresh start is what humanity needs. If Humanities heritage is not of interest, then the whole of The Great Ring is? Will you boldly go into the bigger galaxy as a pirate or mercenary? Or perhaps as an Ambassador to help fight for humanity?