Editing The Alliance (MT/TNE)

[[Category:Campaign Setup]]

A Mongoose Traveller game set around the Dethenese Technical Alliance (Dethenes/Old Expanses), the last bastion of civilisation in a collapsed Imperium.

=Setting=
1154 in the fringeworlds surrounding the DTA [Dethenes Technical Alliance], a TL15 Pocket Empire
==History==
This game follows the history of the Imperium introduced in the Mega-Traveller edition, continuing through into the timeline of Traveller:New Era. 

In short, the Imperium collapsed into rebellion and anarchy over a fourteen year period, triggered by the Archduke of Ilelish assassinating the Emperor in 1116.
In 1130,the last two great fleets met in combat in the Core Sector. Something ''happened''...there are many theories, but none that can be proved.
What is known is that a sentient computer virus was released as a weapon, devastated both fleets and mutated rapidly inside the few ships that survived and fled.

It moved across the Imperium inside the systems of the ships that carried warning of it coming, invading computerized systems everywhere they went.

This snowball effect, the element of surprise and the heavy computerisation of all high tech worlds spelled disaster for the Imperium. On world after world, all computerised technology turned on the population and attempted to destroy themselves, humans, infrastructure or everything around them. No computerised system within the Imperium was immune.  

Except the Dethenese Technical Alliance.

==Dethenese Technical Alliance==

The Dethenes Technical Alliance (now known only as the Alliance) is a collection of four worlds (Dethenes, Bincia, Elyan and Kri) that had been a sub-polity within the Imperium since the long night.  

Dethenes was a highly advanced world (Tech level G)with a robust democracy of 70 billion people spread over the entire system. Sentient AI systems were already in place in the system-wide net, co-ordinating the huge amount of in system traffic. One of the major factors that led to the collapse was Virus arriving in system along with the warning messages carried. In Dethenes, the first arriving virus ships failed to replicate themselves through their usual means. Local AI's alerted the System Navy and arriving infected ships were isolated or destroyed. 

Darker version

Local Imperial fleets and ships were not so lucky, however and the Virus gained a foothold in system through the huge amount of shipping that passed through Dethenes System. Despite the massive efforts of local AI's and system defence forces, the mainworld was bombed and attacked from orbit by virus infected fleets of the local Imperial Naval base. Over 90% of the world population died, and the survivors live amongst a TL15 virus infected nightmare.
The belts unite to reclaim the local system from virus elements in a bloody sixth month war. The remaining 6 billion amongst the Dethenes system become the core of the Alliance.

The other worlds

Importantly, all the Starport and major computer systems of the other worlds in the Technical Alliance were Dethenes-built. While virus invaded the many lower tech systems, crucial defence and operational systems remained in the hands of the human populations. On all worlds, the virus collapse was met with stiff resistance.

While the last of the Imperium collapsed around it, Dethenes fought a brief series of vicious wars in-system with invading virus fleets, but never suffered the effects of virus invading it's planetary computer systems. The rest of the Trade alliance were swiftly re-enforced once Dethenes was able, and suffered little to no virus invasion. The alliance closed its borders for good and began to wait out the collapse.

==The Early Years==
From 1130 to 1135, the DTA underwent some rigorous transformations while fighting a series of vicious battles across all it its systems. A total ban on all outside stellar traffic caused many running battles in all four systems, although no virus vessel ever reached the orbit of Dethenes itself. Meanwhile, the logistics of making the DTA self-sufficient in defence became a running nightmare. A radical rationalisation of high tech (16) production meant that the other memberworlds were slower to recieve infrastrucure upgrades sufficient to lift the local TL, but the priorities of system defence fleets, high tech ground defences and agricultural/resources production took priority.

==The Black Fleets==
In 1136, a virus dominated Imperial black fleet jumped into Elyan system, engaged the Alliance forces in system and bombed the planet with a combination of meson weapons, low yield nukes and swarms of low tech combat bots. When Alliance reinforcements reached the system two days later, the Black Fleet plague-bombed all major settlements and fled.
Elyan system was devastated. From 1136-1144, elements of the black Fleet reappeared again, in and around the Alliance systems. They were never seen in Dethenese system, but a series of running battles and raids were fought over the next eight years.

==The Scrapyard Fleet==
Millions answered the call. Over the next 3 months, more than 300 ships were brought back to service from the scrapyards and flung into service as system defence boats, supply and troop ships and battle support craft, crewed by volunteers, retirees and cadets. 

==The Dethenes Exodus==
As more and more citizens signed up for the Pioneer programs, private concerns began to clamour for the right to brave the wilds in search of fellow citizens who needed aid against the virus. The Alliance

==Current Situation==
Twenty four years later, the Alliance is composed of the four Core systems, three colonies and two allied systems. There are sentient AI's of two different types along with the Imperial humans who make up the polity. TL16 system defence fleets and ground installations protect all core worlds and human forces are supplemented by millions of robot troops.

==Understanding Dethenese==
To the average citizen of Dethenes, the collapse of the Imperium and the rise of Virus has happened on a hololink. While there have been several wars fought in system, none of them approached the mainworld. Economic hard times came and went and, if anything, more productive and active lives are lived by the teeming billions that devote themselves to the great cause. There is a keen awareness of the collapse and Virus throughout the system, but it has touched few directly. For most people of Dethenes, the fear is now a memory.
The 20% of citizens who inhabit the belts have a different story, however

As citizens have slowly returned from active service and the Exodus, more and more first hand experiences are told and retold-but to the vast majority, these are stories about other places. Only the relative few who make the choice to go offworld see the true scale of the disaster.