Légion Étrangère / LEGIONETRA

1831- The French Foreign Legion is created by a royal ordinance issued by King Louis
Philippe, at the suggestion of Minister of War Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult.
Part of the Provisional Government’s policy of removing potential dissidents
from France, upon enlistment recruits guaranteed anonymity as a condition of
their service and information provided to the legion was accepted on face
value. This was the beginning of what would become the tradition of enlisting
volunteers under anonymity .
The formation of the Foreign Legion was fraught with difficulties from the
outset.

(For a general History of the Legion please seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_French_Foreign_Legion)

1863, April 30. A small infantry patrol led by Captain Jean Danjou, numbering 62 soldiers and 3
officers, is attacked and besieged by over a thousand Mexicans and was forced to make a defense in
Hacienda Camarón. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, they fought nearly
to the last man, with just three survivors. With no ammunition and the only other option surrender, they fix bayonets and attack.
The Mexican General is so impressed he assigns an honorguard to escort the body of Capitaine Danjou back
to his battalion.
This day from then on is celebrated within the Legion as Camerone Day.

2075 – Dr. Scott Childress and his team had complete the first self-sustaining
quantum drive engine, capable of achieving 1/100th the speed of light. For the
first time, humanity could explore the solar system with unprecedented speed.

2113 – RSI designs a terraforming machine that can “process the atmosphere of a
planet to convert it to a sustained oxygen environment, making it habitable for
humans.”

2120 – Mars terraforming begins.

2125 – A chemical miscalculation in the planetary atmospheric processors made
the new atmosphere unstable on Mars, killing 4,867 inhabitants. 30 Legionnaires who were sent as part of the French contingent of the security force, are among those killed.

2140 – RSI launches the Zeus, the first consumer-grade short-range 3-passenger
explorer, bringing space exploration to the masses.

2157 – Mars finally terraformed and habitable.

2214 – The Fusion engine, Poseidon, is invented which has scrubbers to collect
and funnel hydrogen into the reactors, allowing for deep space exploration at
1/10th the speed of light.

2232 – The Artemis, a 5,000 passenger colonization & terraforming ship, is
launched on a 200 year trip.

2248- The Jean Danjou is launched. Although crewed by French regular navy it carries a contingent of the Foreign Legion. It’s mission is to guard Frances interstellar interests.

2262 – Our solar system is a busy place, first jump point discovered by Neptune,
but named “Neso Triangle”, a sector of space that ships were disappearing and
declared as a no-fly zone.

2265- The Jean Danjou is sent into the “Neso Triangle” in response to a international distress signal emanating from near the center. Contact is lost with the Jean Danjou, and shortly afterword the distress signal stops. The Jean Danjou is never heard from again, and no sign of the ship or her 1200 person crew and complement is ever found.

2271 – Nick Croshaw is the first pilot to successfully navigate the Neso jump
point.

2380 – Unite Nations of Earth (UNE) is formed to consolidate Earth’s deep space
exploration and colonization.

2381- With the dissolution of the Earth multitude of governments and the creation of the UNE, France decides to no longer budget for the existence of the Foreign Legion. Before it’s complete dissolution, the UNE steps in and recommits the various units. There being no longer any populace that fall under the term, the word Foreign is dropped and it is called simply “The Legion.” Under the UNE The Legion becomes a repository for the UNE convicted criminals and dissidents. Re-establishing the Legions tradition of “Starting over in the Legion.”

2396- The Legion is reorganized to operate more independently in interstellar operations. Over the next 60 years it slowly converts from a land based army to a space based navy. Existing infantry units are converted into Marine detachments. During this period the Legion struggles to simply survive. Most of the ships they are given are former UNE Navy cast away. Ships that in many cases should have been decommissioned and scrapped. Legionnaire crews quickly learn the technical skills required to effectively function in space. Even so, the Legion gains a less than admirable reputation as the dregs of the interstellar fleets.

2438 – We have a bumpy first encounter with the Banu while scouting for jump
points, but make peace.

2440- The UNE Government decides to utilize the Legion more in more of the dangerous sectors, thus limiting the dangers that UNE Nationals will be exposed to. This coupled with their sup par equipment soon re-establishes the Legion as one of the toughest outfits.

2516 – Terra, a super earth, is discovered in a nexus system with multiple jump
points. It is proposed as new forward operating base for terraforming &
expansion.

2523 – With over a dozen earth-sized population planets, the UNE is renamed to
United Planets of Earth (UPE). Mass expansion occuring as corps race to claim
and terraform planets.

2530 – During the “Gold Rush” of terraforming planetary prospectors, we meet the
Xi’Ans, while a corporation unknowingly begins terraforming one of their planets
near Terra. They hold the terraforming crew hostage. 57 days passed while
negotiations occurred, but the UPE manages to avoid war.

2541 – Expansion “east” of Earth is challenged by the Xi’Ans. “West” of Earth
we meet the Tevarin, who are technologically about 100 years behind humans and
just beginning to journey out from their Homeworld, Kaleeth. The Tevarin
adhered to a rigid warrior ethos, honoring duty and fealty as virtues. They
were not a bloodthirsty species, they simply honored the art of combat. The UPE
reached out to the Tevarin. They weren’t interested in establishing diplomatic
relations or even our technology. They were interested in our systems. So the
first interspecies war began as most wars begin, over territory. As the Tevarin
War began to swell, the military feared that the conflict in the West might
embolden a Xi’An attack in the East and instituted a Draft.

2546 – The Tevarins have been defeated, but terrorist attacks still occur. The
bombs were seemingly made from Xi’An technology. The systems were falling
apart, and the Tribunal is a failing. The solution? Elect a new position,
Prime Citizen, to be a single voice, the deciding vote in an overwrought
government. High-General Messer, a Tevarin War hero, is elected as Prime
Citizen. 3 divisions of power still exist, the High-Secretary, General, and
Advocate, and the Senate, but they all advise the Prime Citizen, who then makes
the ultimate decision.

2603 – A new Tevarin Warlord, Corath’Thal, re-emerges from the corners of
cosmos with a rebuilt Tevarin battle-fleet and launched his first attack against
the UPE systems. The Tevarins sole mission was to reclaim Elysium IV, their
former homeworld.

2610 – Corath’Thal suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of Squadron 42
at the infamous Battle of Centauri. With his fleet rapidly falling to either
destruction or surrender, Corath’Thal mustered his remaining loyal pilots to
make a desperate charge for Elysium IV. Though they suffered an additional 70%
casualty, his fleet finally reached the atmosphere of their old homeworld.
Corath’Thal and his pilots lowered their thermal shields and dove into the
planet.

2638 – Terran governor, Assan Kieren, unveiled plans to issue a referendum to
the people of Terra and the neighboring systems to seek separation from the
Imperator and the UEE, but fails. Unnamed sources from within the government
claim that the Xi’An-funded terrorists had infiltrated various positions in
government and Corp structure. Assan Kieren, is implicated.

2681 – In the West, in the Orion System, communications with a small settlement
on the third world are lost. It’s weeks before anyone thinks to check in with
them. When they do, they find the township in ashes. The Advocacy immediately
dispatches an agent to investigate. Only 1 survivor of 638 survived. Footage
from a camera reveals the attackers, the Vanduul.

2758 – The Vanduul attack Bolo. Local militia from around the system scrambled
to their ships to rout the raiders but it wasn’t until the UEE Fleet arrived
that the Vanduul fled. The Vanduul attack lasted twenty-seven minutes. In that
time, fourteen souls were extinguished and millions in property were destroyed
or looted.

2789 – Senator Akari from Terra independently (treasonously) brokers a treaty
with the Xi’An, with no input from the UEE, ending the Cold War.

2792 – In the Terra System, a rebellion occurs as the Imperator and his “Corp
minions” terraform planet Garron II, killing indigenous wildlife. UEE locks
down all jump-points and inter-system communications as terrorists and
subjugators attempt to attack Earth. Military and police forces open fire,
killing over two-hundred and thirty peaceful demonstrators on Vale. Imperator
Messer XIX is captured by terrorists and is replaced by Erin Toi. Aside from
instituting term limits for the Imperator, Toi worked with newly elected
Senators to restore the Tribunal positions of old. The new High-General,
High-Secretary, and High Advocate will work under the Imperator position but
with the power to disempower them, should another despot attempt to seize
control.

2795 – An Act is passed with the aim to protect the lives and well-being of
species on planets who have not developed but possess the reasonable capacity
for evolution into intelligence.

2782- Due to new humanitarian laws, UEE convicts are no longer offered between sentence or The Legion. This as well as new budget constraints sees The Legion take the last steps to disbandment. Before the final step is taken however, a secret agreement between The Legion Command and the UEE High Advocate sees to the continued existence of The Legion. The Legion is now a freelance Mercenary company, under almost exclusive contract to the UEE. To the average Legionnaire not much changes as they are still sent to the worst of the sectors and given the dirtiest of the missions the UEE have. Unfortunately, without the influx of convicts and the financial constraints of a free company the size of the Legion diminishes to 4 fleets from it’s height of 12.

2800 – At the dawn of the 29th century, newly elected Imperator Marshall Leon
invited representatives from the Xi’An Empire, the Banu Protectorate, as well as
a delegation of Tevarin to attend a gala celebration on an orbital platform, the
Ark. Attempts were made to invite the Vanduul. They were not successful. The
Ark shall act as a political neutral zone where representatives can meet to
resolve problems through discourse.

2872 – Humanity has finally come up with a solution that avoids the complicated
moral minefield of terraforming. The Synthworld project literally builds a
planet from scratch. Though the technology is not completed, scientists believe
that they will be able to attempt building a prototype world within our
lifetime. Xi’An Emperor Kray even issued a statement, “It is very encouraging.
My people will watch the project’s development with great interest.” The
Imperator finished his speech by inviting any and all scientists from the Banu
or Xi’An civilizations to witness the development firsthand: “We don’t want to
keep this technology. The ability to build worlds should be free to any and all
cultures so there will never be a need to fight over something as trivial as
land ever again.”

2910 – Vanduul warships attack a Squadron 42 carrier, but are defeated.

2920 – It’s been fifty years since the Synthworld project was announced with but
little progress in the science behind it. Dissidence towards Earth from Terra
appears. Synthworld is coming at a cost to all the other worlds and the UEE is
so desperate to make this work that they’re willing to let the military and
infrastructure suffer to keep paying for it.

2928 – A budget spiraling out of control. The Synthworld Project’s future in
question. Vanduul attacks on the rise in the Western systems.

2941- The Legion star base Camerone in the Western Systems is attacked by an immense Vanduul force. Most of the Legions four remaining Fleets are in system at the time and are utterly destroyed. A small contingent of the 1st Fleet who were hunting pirates in one of the eastern systems is only able to return in time to rescue what few survivors there are. Legion tradition and loyalty runs strong though and those left vow to rebuild the Legion.

2942 – Today.