This is a special feature by Commanders Erimus and Dr Kaii, covering the history of humanity’s involvement with the Colonia Nebula so far and the genesis of the Colonia Citizens Network.
January – May 3302
Jaques’ Big Jump
Inspired by the success of the Distant Worlds Expedition, Jaques decided he wanted to finally travel beyond human space and head out into the galaxy – namely to Beagle Point, some 65,000 light years from home on the far side of the galaxy.
Beagle Point, once thought the furthest point from Sol possible to reach
In early May 3302 a Community Goal was launched that tasked the Fuel Rats with delivering hydrogen fuel to Gliese 1269, the fuel needed for Jaques to attempt the jump.
May 3302
The Mystery of Jaques’ Disappearance
It was expected to take around one week for Jaques to reach Beagle Point. During that time the last remnants of the Distant Worlds fleet still out at Beagle Point prepared for his arrival. Anticipation grew, as two dozen fleet members regrouped at Darwin’s Legacy and looked forward to welcoming the Cyborg to the far galactic rim.
A week passed, yet Jaques failed to appear.
Early June 3302
The Search Begins
Almost one month to the day that Jaques’ community goal had begun, and two weeks after being overdue at Beagle Point, the final 22 pilots of the Distant Worlds fleet still remaining at Beagle Point regrouped once more and began a coordinated search of the system.
The pilots found no sign of the starport in orbit around any of the Beagle Point worlds, so eventually the search focused around the Darwin’s Legacy basecamp itself. Over the course of a weekend the search party covered 20,000 square kilometers of surface area – looking for wreckage or any signs of the stricken starport.
Eventually the search was called off and all hope of locating Jaques seemed lost. He could be anywhere, a needle in a celestial haystack.
The search area
Late June 3302
A Chance Discovery
On the 29th June 3302, Cmdr Cly–a budding explorer–was looking for places to go visit out in the black. He happened to be scanning the galactic map on his NavCom whilst docked at a station in the bubble and something caught his attention–a faint signal among a backdrop of noise. On close inspection he noticed an anomaly – a solitary system 22,000 light years from Sol, situated on the outer edges of the western galactic core regions, a system highlighted against a million grey blobs.
The anomalous navigational readings that gave away Jaques’ location
Within hours Cly had refitted his Anaconda for exploration and had begun a quest to see what was out there. Some thirteen hours later, he reached the system on the near edge of the Colonia Nebula, a system designated EOL PROU RS-T D3-94. A quick scan of the system revealed its secret: Jaques station had been located.
Although most of its systems were offline, the station was still operational, with docking facilities and a basic commodity market still functional.
Early July 3302
Rescue Jaques
Within hours of Jaques’ discovery, Cmdr Olivia Vespera launched a tentative effort to rally pilots to his cause. Cmdr Olivia Vespera was a Distant Worlds veteran who had flown the fleet flagship, a Lakon Type 9, all the way to Beagle Point. The goal was to deliver meta alloys from Maia out to Jaques and help bring the starport back up to full operational power.
Olivia Vespera’s memorable invitation
Soon after, the CCN concept was conceived.
From there Olivia Vespera, along with players actively involved in the ‘Rescue Jaques’ meta alloy run and many of the people who had helped create Distant Worlds, worked together. These pilots would form the organizational foundation to create a thriving colonial identity via what was to become known as the CCN.
July 3302
Mapping the route to Jaques (CCN foundation initiative)
With a new shipping lane taking shape thanks to pilots bringing the necessary meta alloys to bring Jaques back online, the Galactic Mapping team put together an exploration route based on data and discoveries submitted by the exploration community, some POIs dating back to early 3300 AD.
Eventually, The ‘Jaques’ Endeavour‘ Highway was mapped out, complete with basecamps for both the outward bound journey, and the return leg.
The Jaques’ Endeavour route
July – August 3302
The August Exodus (CCN foundation initiative)
Seeing the opportunity for an expedition out to Jaques, Jonas Treesong and Unrealization of the Google+ Elite Community began preparations for a trip out to the Colonia Nebula. Combining their efforts with the Mapping Team, they launched the August Exodus – A Jaunt to Jaques expedition. Over 600 pilots signed up for the effort filling the ranks of two convoys.
Repair Jaques – The Community Goal
Approximately three weeks after the announcement of the August Exodus, and one week prior to convoy 1’s launch, the Pilot’s Federation announced the commencement of a community goal to officially repair Jaques Station. Hundreds of pilots rallied to the cause and signed up – including those signed up to the Exodus Convoys. A massive rescue attempt was underway.
Jaques Station
Build A Base – The Community Goal
By late July 3302, the Pilot’s Federation had launched a second community goal to help build and establish the first planetside base out in the Colonia Nebula, where Jaques was situated. If it proved successful, this effort would become the catalyst for the construction of the first human colony beyond human borders.
Laying Community Foundations (CCN foundation initiative)
The Twin Candles Initiative asked each convoy pilot who had signed up to the Exodus event, with carrying a tonne of slaves out to Jaques, and free them to become the first colonists in this ‘New World’. Any pilot who helped this initiative became founder members of the Colonial Militia.
Simultaneously The Institute of Galactic Exploration and Research, in association with the FGE, began an initiative to ship specialized computer equipment out to Jaques, and likewise asked Exodus pilots to help with this endeavor. This effort would setup the first communication array to be used in and around the fledgling colony.
August 3302
Building the “Bubble to Colonia Neutron Highway” (CCN foundation initiative)
In conjunction with these two events, the Galactic Mapping team began an initiative to begin the cataloging of Neutron Stars and White Dwarfs between the Bubble and Colonia. The initiative asked pilots heading out to Colonia to locate candidate systems, which would subsequently become part of a proposed ‘Neutron Highway’ once new Frame Shift Drive technology was introduced that could utilise the magnetic field of these stars to allow hyper-jumps.
The proposed Neutron Highways
The Outlander Challenge (CCN foundation initiative)
This particular challenge invited pilots to leave their wealth and possessions behind, and go seek a new life, out in the Colony.
Starting out with just their Sidewinders, their immediate goal was to earn enough credits to fit a good FSD and Scoop to their ship as soon as possible – depart the bubble and head to the Colonia Nebula, where a new life awaited them.
Pilots making the trip and subsequently earning their first one million credits in the Colony, were awarded the prestigious ‘Outlander’ role within CCN.
Late August 3302
Public launch of the Colonia Citizens Network
On August 22nd 3302, the CCN comms network was launched. This communication hub was dedicated to the colonists who were emigrating out to Jaques and helping establish the new colony via the various Community Goals and individually created events. Groups and individuals came together to create a unique community – 22,000 LYs from the rest of humanity.
Early September 3302
Creation of the Colonia Militia Forces
On September 1st 3302, the Colonia Militia Forces were established. The CMF invited groups interested in the Colony to commit pilots to a joint peacekeeping effort to protect the colony and civilian population. Within its first few weeks, over a dozen groups and alliances had become signatories to the CMF, and the militia roster reached 100 active pilots.
Early September 3302
Launch of the Colonia Nebula Project
On September 2nd 3302, the Colonia Nebula Project was launched – an ambitious survey project asking colonists to chart the Colonia Nebula and create a detailed data-bank of prime colonization candidate systems throughout the region.
September 3302
Inaugural Colonial Events Weekend is launched
The first colony Canyon Race was held at the newly formed Mosta-Murdoch Circuit. Many competitors and spectators attended the event, which was a resounding success. The Colonial events weekend diary was published and continues to grow.
September 3302
Operation Guardian Angel is launched
Based on comments coming from the bubble by the mysterious Cmdr Salomé that the Sagittarrii Conflux region (situated about halfway between the Bubble and Colonia) will soon become a region of significant interest, the CMF launched Operation Guardian Angel. The objective was to establish two basecamps in the heart of the region and conduct regular militia patrols between them–as a permanent presence in the area–and to be on hand to escort and protect any civilian shipping traversing the route between the Bubble and Colonia.
The Conflux
September 3302
Launch of the Colonia Geographic Survey
Under the coordination of the Nebula Project team, the Geographic Survey of Colonia was launched.Yet another ambitious project,this time to begin a complete geographic survey of all Colonia Worlds, mapping their surfaces and cataloguing major surface features and points of interest. It is expected the survey will take two years to complete.
September 3302
The Colonial Marines are established
The first Colonial Marine wing was established within the CMF. The Marines were militia pilots who had shown dedication to the colony defense by taking part in the weekly militia events and the Operation Guardian Angel mission within the Sagittarrii Conflux region.
The ‘Marine Green’ livery
September 3302
The Colonia Hub Celebration
The 850 colonists that make up CCN voted–with 82% in favor–for adopting Colonia Hub as their home and capital and Colonia Council as their associated faction name. Many civilians attended a celebratory event that was held at Colonia Hub on Sept. 18th 3302.
Colonia Hub
The Colonia Gazette 