Arcadia Research Station - tlbrierley/Cosmic-Encyclopaedia-Index GitHub Wiki

Arcadia Station was established in the year 2416. Originally an environmental research station used primarily to conduct science experiments off world in low gravity. Arcadia was never meant to be a Lunar colony but the events of the Extra Solar War changed everything.

When Arcadia was first established it was set to be a series of connected domes on the Lunar surface, however the cost of maintaining habitat domes under the constant bombardment of cosmic debris made this untenable with the resources available. The station was eventually moved 1 mile beneath the surface with only the heavily shielded access port and Mass Driver array left exposed. Mass Driver technology was in its infancy when Arcadia was established unlike today where nearly every home is equipped with them. At the time the pioneering technology allowed transfer of valuable materials from Earth to the Mars Colony and the deeper outposts. Keeping the colonies connected.

During The Occupation Arcadia was overlooked. They managed to remain independent due to their limited presence. From the outside the base looked like an automated Mass Driver station and little else.

That is not to say that the occupation had no effect on Arcadia, in fact the measures that had to be taken to ensure Arcadia survived the war were amongst the most extreme. With reliable food supplies cut off and limited hydroponics the research staff on Arcadia turned to their research to save them. They resorted to heavily augmenting themselves with cybernetics and biotech upgrades simply to stretch out rations and extend lifespans. As the war raged on the Arcadians perfected their life extension technology. There are Arcadians alive today who have seen entire centuries pass by, their Bio-Cybernetics making them functionally immortal.

If the few scientists who manned the station were the only ones to receive this gift of immortality, then perhaps the matter might not be such a controversy as it is still today. However the arrival of the refugee ship, Twilight Nova, was the opening of a door that caused Arcadia to change from a position of passive survival to one of open rebellion against the oppressors. These refugees numbered in the thousands. Arcadia was never meant to house that many, survival required that all of the refugees undergo the life extension treatment. No one refused, refusal meant a slow hungry death. Arcadia now had an army, a ship and access to the most advanced experimental technology mankind could create at that time. It is fair to state that the efforts of Arcadia had the most impact on freeing Humanity from it's enslavement, a deed for which Arcadia does not feel it has been properly thanked.

In current galactic affairs Arcadia is honouring its alliance with Earth, mostly due to its proximity making any serious divergence impossible, still there are few natural born Terrans who are fond of the ageless cyborgs, hostility and prejudice is still rife within the worlds of the Alliance.

• Dr Robert Finch, Chief Mentarch of the Arcadian Matrix.