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False Star
There have been, and will be again, many destructions of mankind arising out of many causes; the greatest have been brought about by the agencies of fire and water, and other lesser ones by innumerable other causes. There is a story that even you have preserved, that once upon a time, Phaethon, the son of Helios, having yoked the steeds in his father's chariot, because he was not able to drive them in the path of his father, burnt up all that was upon the earth, and was himself destroyed by a thunderbolt. Now this has the form of a myth, but really signifies a declination of the bodies moving in the heavens around the earth, and a great conflagration of things upon the earth, which recurs after long intervals. - Plato
The year is AE 256. 11 years have passed since the overthrow of Sector Zero and the partition of Centria - a time known as the first intermission. In an attempt to quell the diplomatic brinkmanship and economic instability of the era, the Aether Exploration Society has worked to unite the world in the effort overcome the Eriv Zone and send manned spacecraft to other worlds. Led by the charismatic entrepreneur, the Sek-Agkelos Daedalus, the society has spent billions of credits building the low orbit research station at Phaethon. Now the AES attempts a greater wonder, docking the station atop a nearly complete orbital elevator. Once accomplished the world will have a stable and well-supplied platform to test the myriad of theories to escape Polemos.
But as the day nears, rumors swirl that ludite terrorists, unionist saboteurs, or some other group may disrupt the event to discredit the project. Daedalus and a group of VIPs travel to Phaethon to ensure a smooth operation, and send a message of confidence in the international effort to reach for the stars.