Jonathon Forester

Jonathon Forester is the leader of the Federal outpost Forester's Choice in Upaniklis, and the former captain of The Golconda. In November 3305, after The Golconda had been traveling for centuries in complete isolation, Forester reluctantly decided to broadcast a call for help, as his vessel was endangered by resource shortages and a deadly viral outbreak. The wider galactic community came to The Golconda's aid in time, but engineering experts found the ship could no longer adequately support its population, leading to a competition between the Federation and the Empire to provide the colonists a new, permanent home in the Upaniklis system. When the Federation won their bid to built an orbital outpost, the colonists agreed to migrate to it and named it Forester's Choice in honour of their captain.

Timeline

24 NOV 3305

• The Federation has won the bid to provide the Golconda's population with a permanent home, beating a rival effort by the Empire. Both campaigns received support from the galactic community, but the initiative to create a new orbital outpost for the generation ship's inhabitants ultimately proved more popular than the construction of a planetary port. An official message from the Golconda confirmed that the colonists were impressed by the superpower's success, and have agreed to migrate to the outpost once it has been completed. The outpost will be named Forester's Choice to honour the captain of the Golconda, Jonathon Forester. The Golconda crew have also accepted the status of a Federal partner while retaining their autonomy. Congressman Harlan Turk made this statement: "We are proud to offer a fresh start to a society descended from the Federation's forebears. Their unique culture will continue to thrive among the stars at an outpost that enjoys Federal protection." Imperial Senator Ava Cornelius sent a message of goodwill to Captain Forester and his crew. She admitted disappointment at the Golconda's decision but wished the colonists peace and prosperity for the future. Supporters of the Imperial and Federal campaigns can now collect outstanding rewards from their respective megaships in the Upaniklis system.

18 NOV 3305

• The Empire and the Federation have announced rival initiatives to provide a new home for the crew of the generation ship Golconda. During the aid appeal by Upaniklis Vision Incorporated, engineering experts confirmed that the ancient vessel can no longer meet the colony's needs. While the Golconda was designed for long-term habitation, it lacks adequate facilities for the current population levels. After lengthy discussion, the Golconda's leaders have reluctantly decided to abandon the vessel. But the ship's captain, Jonathon Forester, has insisted that its population remain together in one location. The Empire has vowed to help the colonists complete the ship's original mission by establishing a planetside home. Senator Ava Cornelius summarised the campaign: "After generations in an artificial environment, we want to reward these travellers with a world to call their own, fulfilling their destiny after a millennium of adventure. Contemporary agricultural techniques will enable them to become a self-sustaining colony with full Imperial support." The Federation has taken a different approach, offering to create an outpost where the Golconda's spacefaring traditions can continue. This was outlined by Congressman Harlan Turk: "These people have the inalienable right to continue their current way of life. A modern outpost will offer vastly superior amenities while allowing their culture to remain intact, with facilities for new trade relationships within Federal market guidelines." Both superpowers have asked the galactic community to support their campaigns. Pilots can deliver polymers, CMM composites, titanium, beryllium and thallium to either of the megaships in the Upaniklis system: The Lucent Embrace for the Empire or Keller's Resolve for the Federation. The initiative is scheduled to run from the 18th to the 26th of November 3305. If the final targets are met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately.

05 NOV 3305

• "This is Captain Jonathon Forester. The Golconda colony needs help. I don't know how else to say it. To anybody hearing this, this is what's happening. We have a full colony on board this vessel - that's tens of thousands of people. Until recently we've been entirely self-sufficient, but supplies are starting to run low. More specifically, we're lacking a lot of technical components. Air filters, water recyclers, circuit boards. Things like that. It's getting harder to patch this equipment up each year. There's only so long we can make do with what we have. And the other thing - and this is the real kicker - is that there's a disease going around which is knocking people sideways. Flu-like symptoms but much more serious. People are dying. We're coping as best as we can, but our medical supplies are running low. If it turns into a full-blown epidemic then we're going to be in real big trouble. So I made the decision to reach out to you. Whoever you are. Hopefully the tech has moved on enough for our signal to be picked up this far out. But the others really weren't sure if I should be doing this, because... People here don't want interference from outsiders. But I don't want to worry the by explaining the reality of our situation. They're good people; I don't want them to be scared. So here I am, recording a call for help. Trust me, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't need to. I feel like I really don't know how to do this. I hope you understand. It's been a while. This is Captain Jonathon Forester, signing off."